New Zealand Listener

New Zealand Listener is the country’s most respected general interest magazine, bringing you a wide variety of news, stories, columns, reviews, plus TV listings, every week.

Masthead

Bad seeds • Gorse used to be the scourge of the earth; now moth plant has become an insidious quiet invader that needs to be stopped, says Roger Milne.

Lange’s follies

Bright Lines

Quips & Quotes

10 Quick Questions

High noon, low horizon • In its quest to roll back the clock, the government is showing a severe lack of vision and imagination, even with the Three Amigos as part of the act.

Offend in haste, repent at leisure

Summit to think about

Tangos and tirades

Who should pay the piper?

Bleak house • Women are much less likely than men to have a mortgage-free home by the time they retire, and the number facing homelessness is rising sharply.

Off The Streets • At least 50,000 women identify as homeless but only a lucky few get beds in transitional housing facilities.

In a world of its own • Former Reuters journalist PETER BALE examines the war in Gaza, which is described now as leaving Israel open to accusations of committing the same crimes that led to its creation.

Weight of history • Kiwi Roberto Rabel’s desire to learn more about his father’s role in defending Warsaw in World War II unearthed stories of trauma, survival – and a family he never knew about.

Spitting images • The 2024 Adam Portraiture Award has drawn attention to the once-unfashionable art of the portrait – and King Charles has helped, too. BY PAUL LITTLE

King Hit

A Model Speaks • Donogh Rees dispels the myth that models are victims.

Sweating it • Paul Catmur settles into a rhythm as he continues his trek along the Camino, finding it’s not all mountains and wildflowers.

Anatomy of a fall • Whether money can ever offer true security from misfortune is at the heart of this darkly humorous, finely woven novel.

It’s a numbers game • Fingers, symbols and calculating machines are just some of the countless ways we count, as this engrossing history observes.

Short cuts

Out for justice • Murder case echoing some of NZ’s most infamous criminal trials explores biases and blind spots in the justice system.

On a slippery slope • The Aussie environment and its people are to the fore in this very “Strine” thriller about the trickiness of memory.

Coming into view • New Zealand’s women artists – notable, obscured and on the fringes – are celebrated in this collection of essays.

To the island • On the eve of their film’s local debut, the director and writer of We Were Dangerous talk about how their 1950s-set girls’ home tale came to be.

Making a play for change • An international theatre piece on global warming arrives with NZ-specific adaptations.

Hugh’s calling • Tasteless, gory and funny – what’s not to like about the latest Marvel outing?

Lost horizon

Let the music begin • Heartfelt tale shows the efforts needed for two sisters to achieve greatness.

An Englishman abroad • John Malkovich is wasted in this placid farce about Anglo-French misunderstandings.

Southern gothic • Vocals and lyrics that evoke atmospheres and places are to the fore in two new albums.

Food for thought • World-renowned Danish chef lifts the lid on the food staples of today.

Tv Picks of the week

Tv Films

Saturday August 3

Sunday August 4

Monday August 5

Tuesday August 6

Wednesday August 7

Thursday August 8

Friday August 9

Radio August 3-9

Life in one chord

Digestion disruptor • Acute pancreatitis is as...