Sound and Touch September 2020 Blind Low Vision NZ Library—Te Puna Whakamōhio Produced 2020 by Accessible Formats Service, Blind Low Vision NZ, Auckland. Please keep this issue of Sound and Touch so that you can refer back to it. Transcriber's Note If reading this etext on a portable braille device, please note that it is unproofed by touch. Welcome to the September 2020 issue of Sound and Touch In this issue: Our Library service during Covid-19 2020 General Election and Referendums MSD funding of 3,500 Alexas Accessible Books Consortium Pilot Library and Studios moving to new West Auckland office Bookmarks newsletters Book and magazine update Jehovah's Witnesses' website has bible readings in electronic braille Haben Girma's podcast Music ebraille from CNIB Many thanks to our generous sponsors Our Library service during Covid-19 Our library service continues to be classed as an essential service and we are providing library content to our members during all levels of Covid-19. If you want to listen to Government information about Covid-19, it is available on our Telephone Information Service (TIS), menu 3481. The regional telephone numbers for TIS are listed on the last page of this Sound and Touch. Alternatively please ring the Library on 0800 243 333 for more information on this. 2020 General Election and Referendums Blind Low Vision NZ has been working closely with the Electoral Commission to provide information around enrolling and voting in large print, braille, e-text and audio formats. Please note: At the time of writing Sound and Touch the Election date has just been moved back to the new date of Saturday 17 October. These guides below will be updated once we have official details from The Electoral Commission. This year the Electoral Commission has created a full guide to the general election and referendums in accessible formats. We are providing a link to this information. Please note: the hyperlink/url that follows will take you away from the current page, click only if you would like to access it now. This link will also be provided at the end of this section on page eight if you wish to access it later. • Enrolment information in accessible formats • Voting information in accessible formats Telephone Information Service You can call our Telephone Information Service (TIS), using regional TIS numbers provided on the last page of this Sound and Touch, to find out more about the general election and referendums. TIS Menu 73 has several documents regarding the General Election. These items will be updated to the new Election date of Saturday 17 October once we have official details from the Electoral Commission. Once connected, you can listen to audio files on the 2020 General Election, the End of Life Choice referendum, the Cannabis referendum, and how to vote by telephone dictation. Telephone voting: Telephone voting is carried out by the Electoral Commission and is the only way you can cast a secret vote if you are blind, deafblind or have low vision. How telephone voting works: • You have to register to vote by telephone by calling 0800 028 028 and selecting Option One. • You will be given a registration number. • Next you will be asked to select a secret question e.g. the name of your first cat • When you register, the electoral official won't ask you your name but will ask you to answer the secret question. • Then the electoral official will read out the selection of candidates or responses and you make your vote. Monday 14 September is the first day that you can register for telephone voting. If you have any questions please contact us on 0800 24 33 33 or info@blindlowvision.org.nz. MSD funding for 3,500 Amazon Alexas On 30 June 2020 the Hon. Carmel Sepuloni, Minister of Social Development and Disability Issues, shared a special announcement that we have received government funding from MSD to provide 3500 Alexa smart-speakers to our members to improve access to information. As well as access to more than 35,000 audio items, there are also many other benefits to a smart-speaker; for example public transport timetables, the weather forecast, or Covid-19 updates. Many thanks to MSD for this generous gift. Accessible Books Consortium Pilot Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) Global Book Service has over 500,000 titles in 76 languages available for cross-border exchange under the provisions of the Marrakesh Treaty. Thank you to the members who have contacted us to be part of our pilot with ABC. This will involve you being able to search the ABC catalogue, and see titles available for immediate download. We are expecting this service to begin within the next one-two months. Together with our organisation, there are nine other authorized entities taking part in this initial release. They are: 1. Australia, Vision Australia; 2. Brazil, Fundação Dorina Nowill Para Cegos; 3. Canada, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec; 4. Canada, Centre for Equitable Library Access; 5. Canada, Canadian National Institute for the Blind 6. Netherlands, Bibliotheekservice Passend Lezen; 7. Netherlands, Dedicon; 8. New Zealand, Blind Low Vision 9. Switzerland, Association pour le Bien des Aveugles et malvoyants. 10. USA, The Library of Congress, National Library Services Advantage: The upside is that you receive the DAISY audio or electronic braille title instantly to your computer. Disadvantage: As it is coming directly to you, it would be only available as a digital file directly from ABC and would not be instantly available through our BLVNZ delivery platforms such as Alexa, BookLink, and Dolphin or by CD. If we also add it to our collection, then at a later stage it would be available through these platforms. Please note, you must have a digital device that you can use to search their catalogue on and download the audio file to. If you are interested in being part of this potential ABC pilot, please contact Geraldine Lewis on 09 355 6926 or email her on glewis@blindlowvision.org.nz. Library and Studios moving to new West Auckland office Our new office is located at 197 Universal Drive Henderson and the library, studios and some Auckland based Service Delivery staff will move into these premises on Wednesday 30 September. The office is in close proximity to motorways, public transport, the Northwestern cycle way, a variety of cafes, and local amenities. With approximately 27% of our Auckland based members residing in West Auckland, the Henderson property will be easier to access for many of our members. The new office includes purpose built recording studios, narration booths, a variety of meeting rooms and a service delivery facility. Bookmarks Newsletters Are you all aware that our library produces a series of newsletters called "Bookmarks"? Often it can be difficult to find new books so these newsletters provide you with information of new titles recently added to our collection. If you would like to receive the Bookmarks newsletters please ring the Library on 0800 24 33 33 or email library@blindlowvision.org.nz. Book and magazine update Auē by Becky Manawatu is now available in audio. Auē was advertised in the previous Sound and Touch as it was the winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction. BN133383 National Business Review (NBR): NBR recently changed from a print format to entirely online content. We are currently working with NBR to receive a digital feed of this content, which once set up would again make NBR available to you. New magazines: We are considering adding the following two magazines to our collection. If you would be interested in receiving either of them, please contact our library on 0800 24 33 33 or library@blindlowvision.org.nz. If we receive requests for each title then we will produce them in our studios. 1) The People's Friend: This British weekly magazine was founded in 1869. Each issue contains at least seven self-contained short stories, two serials, a craft project and various factual articles. 2) Dawn Chorus: This quarterly magazine is published by Tiritiri Matangi Open Sanctuary. Tiritiri Matangi Island is a wildlife sanctuary off the coast of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula. Jehovah's Witnesses' website has bible readings in electronic braille If you are interested in receiving more religious content, Jehovah's Witnesses' website have bible readings in ebraille. They also have readings in over 800 languages, including Te Reo. Their readings come in a variety of formats including MP3 audio and EPUB. To access the ebraille content you need to: 1. Go onto their website at this link: https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/ 2. Under the book titles i.e. New World Translations of the Holy Scriptures are three link buttons. (The first one doesn't have the Notetaker option so go to the next which is the 2013 revision). When you click on the first button it gives the options: PDF; EPUB; JWPUB; Screenreader (RTF); Notetaker (BRL). 3. The Notetaker is the braille version. Click on that and it downloads an e-braille file. Your Braille Reading devices will recognise the .brl format and the .txt format. Also, some devices can also read the .pdf files just as efficiently. Haben Girma's podcast Sadly, due to Covid-19, the Writers Festival was unable to host Haben Girma in New Zealand. Following this cancellation, a conversation with Haben Girma was recorded in April. We are providing a link to this conversation. Please note: the hyperlink/url that follows will take you away from the current page, click only if you would like to access it now. This link will also be provided at the end of this section on page eight if you wish to access it later. Writersfestival New Zealand 2020 in conversation with Haben Girma In addition, we have "Haben: the deafblind woman who conquered Harvard Law" by Haben Girma available in our library. BN131097. Music ebraille from CNIB In the past year we have added over 350 music electronic braille titles from CNIB to our collection. If you would like to receive these they can be downloaded through BookLink Web or alternatively, please contact the Library to enquire as to whether a particular title is available for embossing. Many thanks to our generous sponsors We would like to express our appreciation to the following funders since the previous issue of Sound and Touch. These funds have helped to make print material accessible to people who are blind or have low vision and without their support, it would not be possible to meet the reading needs of library users. We would like to thank the following funders for accessible books for our Library: Alexander McMillan Trust A & R Edgar South Canterbury Trust Pelorus Trust We would also like to thank: Maurice Paykel Charitable Trust for a grant towards the operation of our Recording Studios. Link to 2020 General Election Enrolment & Voting Information • Enrolment information in accessible formats • Voting information in accessible formats Link to Haben Girma's podcast Writersfestival New Zealand 2020 in conversation with Haben Girma New DAISY audio This issue contains DAISY audio books added to the collection since the last issue of Sound and Touch in June 2020. Abbreviations: BA: Blackstone Audio Inc. BN: DAISY audio book ordering number CNIB: (formerly known as) Canadian National Institute for the Blind NLS: National Library Service RNIB: Royal National Institute of Blind People RNZFB: Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind SE: Seeing Ear Ulv: Ulverscroft VAILS: Vision Australia Information and Library Service Adult non-fiction Blindness and Vision Impairment (Biography) Bright sunlight dark shadow by Judy Hale. A story of the author's life. Story of 78 years of joy and pain, tragedy and triumph; a life characterised by a determination to prevail against all odds. Read by Gary Denvir in 3 hours, 56 minutes. RNZFB. BN 120813 Christianity The holy thief a con man's journey from darkness to light by Mark Borovitz and Alan Eisenstock. Mark Borovitz was a mobster, gangster, con man, gambler, thief, and drunk. He is now the rabbi at Beit T'Shuvah in Los Angeles, the House of Return, a rehabilitation facility for addicts of all kinds. Mark knows what these people feel and who they are, because he was one of them. He is now, as he says, an advocate for the soul. Read by B. J. Harrison in 7 hours, 39 minutes. BA. BN 133390 Disabilities (Biography) Every day's a good day by William Pike. On the evening of 25 September 2007, two young climbers were caught in a lahar. William's friend, James Christie, had to leave him behind while he went in search for help in the dark. An inspirational story of a young man who beat all odds to survive a lahar on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu, after a volcanic explosion. The story of how he does it and what makes every day a good day for him. Read by John Leigh in 7 hours, 31 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131662 Disasters Towards the mountain: a story of grief and hope forty years on from Erebus by Sarah Myles. Marking the 40th anniversary of the Erebus disaster, this is the first book on that tragedy written by one of the affected families. On 28 November 1979 an Air New Zealand plane crashed into the lower slopes of Mount Erebus in broad daylight while on a sight-seeing trip to Antarctica, killing all 257 people on board. This was New Zealand's greatest peacetime tragedy. The author has conducted extensive research into the recovery and identification process that brought her grandfather and the others home. The account of the crash weaves through her family's traumatic experiences, memories of that time, and the legacy of grief. Read by Janice Finn in 9 hours, 8 minutes. RNZFB. BN 133276 General Non Fiction The subtle art of not giving a f*ck: a counterintuitive approach to living a good life by Mark Manson. Popular blogger Mark Manson argues that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to better stomach lemons. Human beings are flawed and limited. There are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault. Manson encourages us to get to know our limitations and accept them, arguing that the only way to begin to find the courage and confidence we desperately seek is to stop avoiding and start confronting painful truths. Read by Roger Wayne in 5 hours, 37 minutes. BA. BN 133190 Health and Wellbeing Ingenious: the unintended consequences of human innovation by Peter Gluckman and Mark Hanson. Evolution is the process by which species adapt over time to their environments. As technology builders, humans have the power to alter their environments and build new, unprecedented conditions for themselves. The effects of this mastery of nature are not as simple as they may seem. The authors, leaders in the exciting new field of evolutionary medicine, explore how our ingenious innovations allow us to thrive but also create unforeseen consequences that demand further ingenuity. Every time we transform our world, we are confronted by a world that challenges us anew. This book opens our eyes to the dangers we face and offers solutions we cannot ignore. Read by Christina Cie in 13 hours, 54 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131780 Food and Beverages The great New Zealand baking book by Allyson Gofton. A comprehensive baking book for New Zealand cooks, this also has extensive notes on ingredients and substitutions, equipment, preparation and methods. Read by Lyndal Howley in 7 hours, 48 minutes. RNZFB. BN 133378 Māori Language and Literature A Māori phrase a day: 365 phrases to kickstart your reo by Hēmi Kelly. Simple, fun and practical entry into the Māori language, with 365 phrases. Read by Simon Lynch in 2 hours, 20 minutes. RNZFB. BN 133249 New Zealand (Biography) Young queen: the Story of a girl who conquered the World by Parris Goebel with Tracy O'Connor. Autobiography of a dancer with a dream; a young Polynesian girl who grew up in New Zealand and went from high-school dropout to award-winning dancer, choreographer and video director. At 19, Parris got her break choreographing for Jennifer Lopez and has since worked with Janet Jackson, Rihanna and Justin Bieber, creating his record-breaking video, "Sorry". Parris shares the challenges, fears and obstacles she's faced along with photos from her personal collection. A fun and inspiring read. Read by Madeleine Lynch in 4 hours, 29 minutes. RNZFB. BN 119624 It wasn't all bad!: a glimpse into 37 years of policing in Counties Manukau by Michael Morgan. This book is an account of the author's thirty-seven-year career with the New Zealand police. Read by John Leigh in 5 hours, 56 minutes. RNZFB. BN 132512 NZ and Pacific Non-Fiction How we met: the ways great love begins by Michèle A'Court. A collection of "How We Met" stories. Stories that couples love to tell about how they got together. Read by Jo Crichton in 7 hours, 14 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131769 Ripiro beach: a memoir of life after near death by Caroline Barron. The author's father never found his birth mother. After he dies suddenly on her twentieth birthday, she develops an insidious fear of her own untimely death. When she nearly dies on an operating table during childbirth, it almost seems her greatest fear is justified. Emerging from the experience a changed woman, the author spent the next six years poring over her family history in an attempt to make sense of her inexplicable rage. The family secrets she unearths threaten to destabilise her identity and carefully built life, eventually leading her to Northland's rugged Ripiro Beach, where past and present collide. Read by Romy Hooper in 9 hours, 25 minutes. RNZFB. BN 133440 New Zealand History Ask that mountain: the story of Parihaka by Dick Scott. Since its people held out against the encroachments of Pakeha settlers, Parihaka has become a byword for Māori refusal to yield land, culture and dignity to New Zealand's colonial government. This book is an investigation of the government-sanctioned land grab at Parihaka, a small settlement at the foot of Mt Taranaki. Read by Simon Lynch in 9 hours, 30 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131672 Ghost south road by Scott Hamilton; photographs by Ian Powell and Paul Janman. A historical account of the Great South Road, built in 1862 to carry a British army into the Waikato Kingdom, from the time when the British invaded the Waikato in 1863 till today when the eroding earthen walls of forts and pā and military cemeteries remind of the road's history. Discover how the route's tragic past affects its present, and the ways in which the road connects as well as divides the communities that live alongside it. Read by Paul Barrett in 6 hours, 24 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131667 Poetry Then winter poems by Chloe Honum. A collection of poems that traces one speaker's journey in a psychiatric treatment facility. Faced with the threat of a loss of voice and a silence that seeks to bury her, she turns often to the natural world beyond the facility's windows. She discovers the sustaining power of connection and hope through the bonds she forms with her fellow patients. Read by Christina Cie in 36 minutes. RNZFB. BN 132507 The time of the giants by Anne Kennedy. A collection of poems on a family of giants and in particular the daughter, Moss, and her efforts to conceal from her lover just how tall she really is. Read by Christine Hewton in 3 hours, 52 minutes. RNZFB. BN 132457 Polar Regions Fifteen million years in Antarctica by Rebecca Priestley. In an account of a deeply personal tour of Antarctica in 2011—a trip that coincided with the centenary of Robert Falcon Scott's fateful trek to the South Pole—the author reflects on what Antarctica can tell us about earth's future and asks whether people even belong in this fragile, otherworldly place. She also reflects on her anxiety for the future of the world as we know it and for the humanity in view of the current political and climatic conditions. Read by Cheryl Lawton in 10 hours, 58 minutes. RNZFB. BN 133372 Religion (Biography) Death of an altar boy: the unsolved murder of Danny Croteau and the culture of abuse in the Catholic Church by E. J. Fleming. Thirteen-year-old Danny Croteau's death in 1972 faded from headlines until the Boston abuse scandal exploded. Drawing on police documents and new interviews, the author here uncovers the church's cover-up. Read by Peter Berkrot in 11 hours, 28 minutes. BA. BN 133200 Sportspeople (Biography) When running made history by Roger Robinson. This book is a cross-over of literature, history and autobiography providing a close-up account of the modern running movement from the American running boom, the defiant emergence of women's running, the glorious dawn of Africa's ascendance, the sport's redefinition of ageing, and its important role in environmental conservation. Read by Paul Barrett in 12 hours, 8 minutes. RNZFB. BN 130005 High flying Kiwis: 100 heroes of New Zealand sport by Mark Taylor. All sports in which New Zealanders participate are represented in this book. It includes descriptions of both contemporary and historic personalities. Read by Richard Symons in 7 hours, 57 minutes. RNZFB. BN 133507 Wars New Zealand war animals by Nigel Allsopp. This book recognises and honours the sacrifices of the war animals. Throughout history, in war and in peacetime, animals and mankind have worked alongside each other. As beasts of burden, messengers, protectors, mascots, and friends, these war animals have demonstrated true valour and an enduring partnership with humans. In modern times, within the NZDF, the use of animals is on the increase as opposed to decline, due to military working dogs and specialist explosive search dogs being used to combat terrorist activities in both homeland defence and international operations. Read by Catriona MacLeod in 2 hours, 56 minutes. RNZFB. BN 128524 Women in Society Difficult women: a history of feminism in 11 fights by Helen Lewis. This first book by an acclaimed journalist tells the imperfect and unfinished story of the battles for women's rights. The author argues that well-behaved women don't make history; difficult women do, and that feminism's success is down to complicated, contradictory, imperfect women, who fought each other as well as fighting for equal rights. She feels many of these pioneers have been whitewashed or forgotten in the modern search for feel-good, inspirational heroines and it is time to reclaim the history of feminism as a history of difficult women. Read by Catriona MacLeod in 12 hours, 15 minutes. RNZFB. BN 133203 Adult Fiction Adventure Stories War of the wolf: a novel by Bernard Cornwell. Uhtred of Bebbanburg might have regained his family's fortress, but he is now under threat from both an old enemy from Wessex and a new foe whose ambition is to be King of Northumbria. Saxon chronicles series book 11. Sequel to: The flame bearer BN 133411, Has sequel: Sword of kings BN 133410. Read by Matt Bates in 14 hours, 24 minutes. BA. BN 133198 Christian Fiction Left behind: novel of the earth's last days by Tim F. LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. As Captain Rayford Steele pilots a plane across the Atlantic, his senior flight attendant, Hattie Durham, gives him the shocking news that half the passengers have disappeared. Before long, he learns that people are missing all over the world. Rayford, his priest, and several others form the Tribulation Force to fight the Antichrist. Read by Bob Askey in 11 hours, 33 minutes. SE. BN 86928 Crime Flesh House, by Stuart MacBride. An offshore container turns up at Aberdeen Harbour full of human meat, and kicks off the largest manhunt in the Granite City's history. "The Flesher" caught twenty years ago for butchering people all over the UK is out on appeal. But he has gone missing and people are dying again including the members of the original investigation. Detective Sergeant Logan McRae realises the case might not be as clear-cut as everyone thinks. Logan McRae series, book 4. Sequel to: Broken skin, 131257. Has sequel: Blind eye, 131676. Read by Gary Denvir in 12 hours, 8 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131178 Fantasy Den of wolves by Juliet Marillier. Healer Blackthorn knows the rules of her bond to the fey: seek no vengeance, help any who ask, do only good. But after the ordeal she and her companion, Grim, have suffered, she feels compelled to bring the perpetrator to justice. Blackthorn agrees to help the princess of Dalriada take care of a troubled young girl, while Grim is sent to the girl's home to repair a broken-down house deep in the woods. But nothing is quite as it seems. Read by Wendy Karstens in 18 hours, 31 minutes. Blackthorn and Grim series, book 3. Sequel to: Tower of thorns 99770. RNZFB. BN 99771 Gay and Lesbian Fiction Attraction by Ruby Porter. The story of three women on a road trip, navigating the motorways of the North Island, their relationships with one another and New Zealand's colonial history. A novel of connection, inheritance and the stories we tell ourselves. Read by Owen Scott in 7 hours, 30 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131764 General Fiction Breakwater by Kate Duignan. The story of intertwined lives of a young woman trying to cope with an unplanned new baby, an older woman who helps her, and a young man suffering from the aftershocks of a horrific road accident. Read by Catriona MacLeod in 8 hours, 54 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131762 Fake baby by Amy McDaid. Nine Days. One City. Three Oddballs. A young man, whose dead father is threatening to destroy the world, about to commit the ultimate sacrifice and throw himself into the harbour to save humanity. A woman who steals a life-like doll and cares for him as if he were her dead baby. A pharmacist and all-round nice guy having one of the worst weeks of his life. A dark, funny yet tender satire. Read by Owen Scott. 9 hours, 3 minutes. RNZFB. BN 133437 How to start a fire by Lisa Lutz. A story of unexpected friendship—three women thrown together in college who grow to adulthood united and divided by secrets, lies, and a single night that shaped all of them. Read by Tavia Gilbert in 11 hours, 13 minutes. BA. BN 133194 Historical Novels The seven sisters: Maia's story by Lucinda Riley. Having been told that their father has died, Maia D'Apliése and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home. The sisters were all adopted by him as babies and each of them is handed a tantalising clue to their true heritage—a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Read by Christine Hewton in 17 hours, 33 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131513 The life of De'Ath by Majella Cullinane. Story of a young man who understands the true meaning of hell during the war. After a family tragedy, Theodore De'Ath moves to Otago to live with his grandparents. Conscripted in 1916, he is obliged to join the New Zealand Division in France. And later has to survive as a deserter, risking court martial and a death sentence. Read by Bruce Hopkins in 9 hours, 6 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131528 This side of murder by Anna Lee Huber. The Great War is over, but one young widow discovers the real intrigue has only just begun. Grieving her recent loss, Verity Kent is forced down a path she never imagined and comes face-to-face with the shattering possibility that her beloved may not have been the man she thought he was. Read by Heather Wilds in 10 hours, 2 minutes. RNZFB. BN 133199 Historical Romance A devil in Scotland by Suzanne Enoch. Callum left Scotland in 1806 when his brother married their childhood friend Rebecca, realising he wanted her for himself. Ten years later, Rebecca is a widow when a much-changed Callum returns. Will he remember their spirited connection? Will he blame her for his brother's unexpected death? No ordinary hero series; book 3. Sequel to: My one true highlander BN 95344. Read by Flora MacDonald in 10 hours, 41 minutes. RNZFB. BN 133197 Humour Stuff I forgot to tell my daughter by Michèle A'Court. A fresh empty-nester liberated from the daily minutiae when her daughter left home, the author suddenly found the time she'd never had as a parent—to think about being a parent. She wondered if she'd told her daughter everything she needed to know and began to make a list. The list became a hit solo comedy show and has grown to become a book. Read by Romy Hooper, 6 hours, 9 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131247 Māori Language and Literature The imaginary lives of James Poneke by Tina Makereti. The story of a Māori boy exhibited in Victorian London—a provocative tale about what makes us human. From an early age, James Poneke has had to play a role to survive. But what of the real James? Read by Owen Scott in 8 hours, 25 minutes. RNZFB. BN 102485 Mystery and Detective Stories. Beating about the bush by M. C. Beaton. When Agatha Raisin comes across a severed leg in a roadside hedge, she becomes involved in a gruesome murder and a case of industrial espionage at a factory where nothing is quite what it seems. Agatha Raisin series, book 30. Sequel to: The dead ringer BN 131096. Read by Penelope Keith in 6 hours, 37 minutes. BA. BN 131095 The God Game by Jeffrey Round. The husband of a Queen's Park aide runs off to escape his gambling debts and private investigator Dan Sharp is hired to track him down. Dan finds himself pitted against a mysterious figure known for making or breaking the reputations of upcoming politicians. When a body turns up on his doorstep, Dan realizes it's punishment for sticking his nose into dirty politics. He has to catch the killer and prove his own innocence. Dan Sharp mystery series, book 5. Sequel to: After the horses, BN 118277. Has sequel: Shadow Puppet BN 131663. Read by John Callen in 8 hours, 42 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131253 Shadow Puppet: a Dan Sharp Mystery by Jeffrey Round. A serial killer is stalking victims in bars in a Toronto neighbourhood. Three young men vanish, all of them gay but not out publicly, and all of them Muslim. The police seem reluctant to investigate but private investigator Dan Sharp begins his investigations. Dan Sharp Mystery Series, book 6. Sequel to: The God Game BN 131253. Has sequel: Lion's Head revisited BN 133201. Read by Gary Denvir in 6 hours, 57 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131663 The word is murder: a novel by Anthony Horowitz. As a murder case he's been drawn into unfolds, a novelist realises he's at the centre of a story he can't control—and that the brilliant detective who is his partner may be hiding dark secrets of his own. Detective Daniel Hawthorne series, book 1. Read by Rory Kinnear in 9 hours, 23 minutes. BA. BN 133195 Modern Women's Fiction The sound of breaking glass by Kirsten Warner. A working woman with two small children and a high-stress job in reality television. She is also an activist with "Women Against Surplus Plastic". With a father who was a Holocaust survivor and a refugee to New Zealand after the war, she also has to deal with a murky and unresolvable inheritance. She is already at a shattering point and now she's being stalked. Read by Christine Hewton in 11 hours, 8 minutes. RNZFB. BN 133377 New Zealand and Pacific Novels Auē by Becky Manawatu. Story of human friendship and love - for humans and animals - and the courage they give to face sorrow, violence and dysfunctional families. Read by Margaret Blay in 10 hours, 1 minute. RNZFB. BN 133383 Caroline's bikini by Kirsty Gunn. A novel presented as a series of intense conversations set against the beguiling backdrop of West London's bars and changing seasons, where the narrator tells us of a man's unrequited love and passion for a woman that leads him to the brink of his own destruction. Read by Catriona MacLeod in 10 hours, 22 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131661 At any cost by Richard Hoskin. A sinister plan to kidnap Benjamin Harris, a leading professor of science is overheard by a woman named Victoria. Harris has crucial research data which will be used in the America's Cup challenge. If the information gets into the hands of a syndicate, it will corrupt the outcome of the prestigious event. When Victoria is brutally slain for knowing too much, James Hawkins, her lover, wants to avenge her murder. He is ready to do anything to stop the criminals from getting away and the police from spoiling his chances to take vengeance. Read by John Leigh in 17 hours, 13 minutes. RNZFB. BN 133502 Politics (Biography) The plot against the president: the true story of how Congressman Devin Nunes uncovered the biggest political scandal in US history by Lee Smith. Investigative journalist Lee Smith uses his unprecedented access to Congressman Devin Nunes, former head of the House Intelligence Committee, to expose the deep state operation against the president, and the American people. While popular opinion holds that Russia subverted democratic processes during the 2016 elections, the real damage was a slow-moving coup engineered by a coterie of the American elite, the "deep state," targeting not only the president, but also the institutions that sustain our republic. Read by Addison C. Reynolds in 10 hours, 15 minutes. BA. BN 133191 Romance Wildfire: a hidden legacy novel by Ilona Andrews. Just when Nevada Baylor has finally come to accept the depths of her magical powers, she also realizes she's fallen in love. Connor "Mad" Rogan is in many ways her equal when it comes to magic, but she's completely out of her elements when it comes to her feelings for him. To make matters more complicated, an old flame comes back into Rogan's life. Hidden legacy series, book 3. Read by Renée Raudman in 12 hours, 45 minutes. BA. BN 133209 A dream of Italy by Nicky Pellegrino. In the drowsy heat of an Italian summer, four strangers arrive in a beautiful town in the mountains of Basilicata, dreaming of adventure. The town's Mayor has given them the chance to buy a crumbling historic building for a single Euro - on the condition that they renovate their home within three years, and help bring new life to the local community. Read by Jane McDowell in 10 hours, 17 minutes. BA. BN 131677 Short Stories and Essays The subway chronicles: scenes from life in New York edited by Jacquelin Cangro. A collection of short stories chronicling the life on New York's subways. Read by Kevin Keys in 6 hours, 42 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131242 Spy Stories Dead spy running by Jon Stock. Daniel Marchant, a suspended MI6 officer, is running the London Marathon. He is also running out of time. A competitor is strapped with explosives. If he drops his pace, everyone around him will be killed. Is Marchant really trying to thwart the attack or is he secretly working for the terrorists? Daniel Marchant series, book 1. Read by Francis Mountjoy in 9 hours, 7 minutes. RNZFB. BN 132506 The Family The new ships by Kate Duignan. A man adrift in the wake of his wife's death attempts to understand the turn his life has taken. This leads him back to the past and forces him to navigate anew his roles as a husband, father and son. A story of blood-ties that stretch across borders and acute moral choices. Read by Janice Finn in 11 hours, 24 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131514 Thrillers 3:34 a.m. by Nick Pirog. Was Henry Bins really one of the CIA Sleep Control Program's first experiments? If his mother had caused his condition, could she reverse it? In his search for answers, Henry learns that everything, his condition, his parents, even the President, are linked by one thing: Project Sandman. Read by Jamie Renell in 4 hours, 56 minutes. BA. BN 131100 Where the dead men go by Liam McIlvanney. After three years in the wilderness, a hardboiled reporter is back at his desk at the Glasgow Tribune only to discover that things have changed. He gets drawn deeper into the city's criminal underworld when his former protégé, and current colleague is found murdered in a flooded quarry. He has a big story to break but as the city prepares to host the Commonwealth Games and the country gears up for a make-or-break referendum on independence—nobody wants to hear it. Read by John Leigh in 9 hours, 16 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131180 The devil's code by John Sandford. Two seemingly unrelated murders lead ethical thief, artist, and hacker Kidd and his sometimes lover-partner LuEllen to uncover a vast electronic conspiracy involving a corporation and a number of U.S. government bureaucrats. Kidd and LuEllen series, book 3. Read by Gary Denvir in 7 hours, 46 minutes. RNZFB. BN 131254 New braille and ebraille books This issue contains EBraille and braille books added to the collection since the last issue of Sound and Touch in June 2020. Adult braille books have a BN number as they are embossed upon request. Please contact us to enquire as to whether a particular title is available for embossing. Abbreviations: UEB: Unified English Braille code Ebraille: Electronic braille books held at Parnell Library RNZFB: Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind CNIB: (Formerly known as) Canadian National Institute for the Blind SE: Seeing Ear f.: Computer file available for embossing v.: volume(s) The following braille books are contracted, single-spaced and double sided. Adult non-fiction Authors (Biography) Various positions: a life of Leonard Cohen by Ira B. Nadel. Authorized biography of poet Leonard Cohen. The author was given access to Cohen's private archive of letters, journals, and songs, and uses interviews with Cohen and his friends. He describes Cohen's formative years in Montreal, including his guidance under such writers as Hugh MacLennan and Irving Layton, his development into one of Canada's most accomplished poets, and his career as a singer. Also includes a discography of Cohen's work. 6 f, UEB, CNIB. Ebraille 121103 Politics (Biography) Red China blues: my long march from Mao to now by Jan Wong. Born in Canada, Jan Wong began a rocky six-year romance with Maoism when she went to China in 1972. In this memoir, she describes leaving China as she became aware of the harsh realities of the communist system, and returning to China in the late 1980s as a reporter. She covered the crackdown in Tiananmen Square and the capitalist reforms of Deng Xiaoping. 5 f, UEB, CNIB. Ebraille 121176 Women (Biography) Bravo! Miss Brown a world without sight and sound by Joan Mactavish. Biography of Mae Brown (1935-1973), who was the first deaf-blind person to graduate from a Canadian university, and was a counsellor at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Her college tutor chronicles Brown's family, education, social and professional life, and triumphs and disappointments. 4 f, UEB, CNIB. Ebraille 121415 World History and Travel A walk in the woods rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson. Bryson relates the adventures and misadventures of two totally unfit hikers, as he and long-time friend Stephen Katz traverse the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Returning from more than twenty years in Britain, he set out to rediscover his homeland, but the two men find themselves awed by the terrain and stymied by the unfamiliar local culture. His gruelling yet fascinating trek gave him a rare perspective on American life. Some strong language. Bestseller. 6f, UEB, CNIB. Ebraille 121424 Adult fiction General Fiction Larry's party by Carol Shields. Larry Weller is like a lot of people. He has built a career, been twice married, has a son, and tries to understand his complex relationship with his parents. We follow Larry over the course of 20 years, through his trials and tribulations, culminating in one unforgettable party. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 4 f, UEB, CNIB. Ebraille 121126 Horror and Supernatural The drawing of the three by Stephen King. Roland, the Last Gunslinger, pursues his quest for The Dark Tower. Finding himself in 1980s America, he joins forces with the defiant young Eddie Dean and the beautiful, brave Odetta Holmes, in a savage struggle against underworld evil. Violence and strong language. 4 f, UEB, CNIB. Ebraille 121171 Mystery and Detective Stories Déjà dead by Kathy Reichs. Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist in Montreal, is used to visiting recently discovered burial sites. But her newest case is different. The dismembered body and its decapitated head remind her of another case, and she is soon plunged into a frantic investigation to find a serial killer who is about to strike again. Strong language, descriptions of sex, and graphic descriptions of violence. 6 f, UEB, CNIB. Ebraille 121170 Romance Now and forever by Danielle Steel. Jessica and Ian Clarke have a perfect marriage, until Ian is charged with raping and assaulting another woman. Jessica believes in Ian's innocence, and does everything she can—even sell her car and put up her business as collateral—to support Ian through his trial. But Ian is convicted and Jessica must deal with her feelings of loss and abandonment, and learn about the power of love. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 5 f, UEB, CNIB. Ebraille 121188 Thrillers The chamber by John Grisham. The chamber is of the gas variety, and Klan member Sam Cayhill is only weeks away from spending his last moments in one. After two mistrials, he has been convicted of the murder of the two sons of a Jewish civil rights activist in 1967. Adam Hall, a Chicago lawyer and Cayhill's grandson, sets out to prove that Cayhill is innocent. Strong language and some violence. 7 f, UEB, CNIB. Ebraille 121405 Junior Collection 12 Huia birds by Julian Stokoe; illustrated by Stacy Eyles. 12 beautiful huia birds play and sing in the forest. But with canoe arriving, a rat sniffling and a ship on the horizon, the huia will start to disappear one by one! What will remain? This book subtly conveys an environmental message through gentle rhyme and colourful imagery. It also includes links to a 12 Huia Birds app, educational resources and games. Read by Simon Lynch in 18 minutes. Available as: Daisy 93175, Kitset 126397, Large Print 126398. All about Anne: Anne frank's life story, with answers to frequently asked questions and beautiful drawings by Huck Scarry; written by Menno Metselaar and Piet van Ledden. A story of Anne Frank's life through responses to the most frequently asked questions posed by young people visiting the Anne Frank House Museum in Amsterdam. Available as: Braille 126208, Etext 126288. Serafina and the black cloak by Robert Beatty. In 1899, a twelve-year-old rat catcher on North Carolina's Biltmore estate teams up with the estate owner's young nephew to battle a great evil. Serafina; book 1. Has sequel: Serafina and the twisted staff BN 128887. Available as: Braille 97995, Etext 97998. The council of mirrors by Michael Buckley. Hoping to save their family and the citizens of Ferryport Landing from the evil plans of Mirror, the sisters Grimm seek counsel from the other magic mirrors. The mirrors advise them to join forces with the Scarlet Hand. The Sisters Grimm; book 9. Sequel to: The inside story BN 128902. Available as: Etext 128905. Born to rock by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts. Middle School; Book 11.Read by Caitlin Kelly. Rafe Khatchadorian's little sister, Georgia, is back for another adventure. This time, she's vying to be crowned winner of the Battle of the Bands, if she doesn't die of embarrassment first. Available as: Daisy 126061 Stories for boys who dare to be different: true tales of amazing boys who changed the world without killing dragons by Ben Brooks. A collection of extraordinary stories of 75 famous and not-so-famous men from the past to the present day, every single one of them a rule-breaker and stereotype-smasher in his own way. Available as: Braille 135079, Etext 131337. All American adventure by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. Bick, Beck, Storm, and Tommy crisscross the country in a race to find proof of a dastardly conspiracy. And if they don't find it soon, the USA as we know it could be gone forever. The treasure Hunters; book 6.Sequel to: Quest for the city of gold. BN 102205. Read by Bryan Kennedy. Available as: Daisy 126063 The Sword of summer by Rick Riordan. Since his mother's mysterious death, Magnus Chase has lived alone, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers. One day, he's tracked down by an uncle who tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years. Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard; book 1.Has sequel: The Hammer of Thor BN 135550. Read by synthetic speech. Available as: Daisy 135551, Large print 98771 Young Adult Collection The telegram by Philippa Werry. A fourteen-year-old girl spends World War One working as a telegram girl at the Post and Telegraph Office. The local boys including her friend are away fighting and she has the tough task of bringing news of death or injury or reading increasingly darker letters from her friend. When the war finally ends, she is running the Post Office almost single-handed but her friend's letters have stopped arriving. Read by Donna Brookbanks. Available as: Daisy 129293 A torch against the night by Sabaa Tahir. Laia and Elias fight their way north to liberate Laia's brother from the horrors of Kauf Prison. Hunted by Empire soldiers, manipulated by the Commandant, and haunted by their pasts, Laia and Elias must outfox their enemies and confront the treacherousness of their own hearts. On the other side, Helene finds herself taking on a mission to prove herself - a mission that might destroy her, instead. Ember in the ashes, book 2. Sequel to: An ember in the ashes BN 95765. Has sequel: A reaper at the gates BN 129299. Read by Romy Hooper. Available as: Daisy 129302 The rift by Rachael Craw. For generations, the Rangers of Black Water Island have guarded the Old Herd against horrors released by the Rift. Can apprentice Ranger with a rare scar and even rarer gifts and a girl returned to her childhood home, together, save the Island from disaster? Read by Paul Barrett. Available as: Daisy 129295 Ocean's kiss by Lani Wendt Young. He is a marine biologist. She's a warrior guardian of Oceania. Will their shared love for the sea bring them together, or tear them apart? A story inspired by mythology of Oceania, the richness of Samoan culture and the very real threats to the Pacific caused by climate change. A standalone novel from the Telesa World series. Available as: Braille 126649, Ebraille 126650, Etext 126651 Pacific history by Brent Coutts and Nicholas Fitness. An account of significant events and issues in Pacific history. Each context includes contested events that have impacted on the people in the Pacific and shaped their place in the modern world. These issues stimulate inquiry and enable students to achieve excellence. This book contains engaging primary sources, a wide range of activities to engage all learners and historiography. Includes bibliographical references. Available as: Braille 126988 Rain fall by Ella West. Fifteen-year-old Annie needs to get to her basketball match, but the police have cordoned off her road. What has her neighbour, who she grew up with, done to have the police after him? A murder investigation brings new people to her wild West Coast town. In setting out to discover the truth, Annie uncovers secrets that could rip the small community apart. Available as: Braille 126964, Ebraille 126965. Like nobody's watching by L.J. Ritchie. A few friends hack into their school's new surveillance system to get evidence to stop bullies from harassing a friend's little brother. The power this brings them goes to their heads and they unknowingly go from being the hero to bullies themselves when they release footage that they shouldn't have. Discusses the highly-debated topic of surveillance and its effect on conformity in a real-life context. Available as: Braille 126799 Lion by Saroo Brierley with Larry Buttrose. At only five years old, the author got lost on a train in India. Unable to read or write or recall the name of his hometown or even his own last name, he survived alone for weeks on the rough streets of Calcutta before being transferred to an agency and adopted by a couple in Australia. With the help of Google Earth, after years of searching, he miraculously found what he was looking for and set off to find his family. Previously published as “A long way home: a memoir” and now a major motion picture. Available as: Etext 126657 Contact details Blind Low Vision New Zealand Library Postal Address: Library Blind Low Vision New Zealand Private Bag 99941 Newmarket, Auckland 1149 Street Address: Awhina House 4 Maunsell Road Parnell, Auckland 1052 Phone during working hours: 0800-24-33-33 (Toll free) Email: library@blindlowvision.org.nz Fax: 0800-24-33-34 (Toll free) Blind Foundation Library—Youth Homai Campus Blind & Low Vision Education Network NZ Private Bag 801 Manurewa, Auckland 2243 Email: youthlibrary2@blindlowvision.org.nz Phone during working hours: 0800-24-33-33 (Toll free) or 268-3215 (Auckland callers) Fax: 09-268-3216 Library Newsline on the Telephone Information Service (TIS) Free calling areas: Whangarei: 929-9099 Auckland: 302-3344 Hamilton: 834-2288 Tauranga: 929-6199 Napier-Hastings: 835-9136 Gisborne: 929-1033 Palmerston North: 354-8316 Wanganui: 348-4403 New Plymouth: 929-3088 Wellington: 389-3858 Nelson: 929-5033 Christchurch: 355-8381 Timaru: 688-6921 Oamaru: 433-1026 Dunedin: 455-8833 Balclutha: 418-3332 Gore: 203-3001 Invercargill: 218-6470 All other areas: 0800-36-33-44 (Toll free) Sound and Touch is available in print, on Alexa, DAISY CD, email, braille or on TIS176. To change your format or cancel, please contact the Library. To receive Sound and Touch by email, send an email to library@blindlowvision.org.nz End of Sound and Touch September 2020