Maids of Honour - Beth is back on deck hitting all the buttons at the right time (sort of) and Christine is very happy to see her. We have new books and old-time tips on economical ways to keep your leather shoes in tip top shape. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Books, books, books - The Athenaeum Library reopens on Monday the 29th of January and Christine runs through some of the great new books you can borrow then. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Books for Christmas - It's starting to look a lot like Christmas and one of the great Athenaeum Christmas traditions is being about to take a double lot of books over the summer break and Christine is busy buying up new books to meet the demand. In todays episode she reviews some of the new books.

Randolph Churchill - Randolph was the only son of Sir Winston Churchill (Britain's war time prime minister) and famous for his volcanic tempter. The Athenaeum has a biography written by his cousin Anita Leslie in the collection and Christine shares some of the funnier stories contained in it. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

The Dangers of Lawn Tennis - A hundred years ago people were worried that women were ruining their figures by playing lawn tennis becoming lean, tough and unattractive. But here in the present we have new books to talk about. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Waving Ghost - A recent haunting in Dunedin turned out to be much less spooky than it originally appeared. The police were called and soon got to the bottom of it. Christine has all the details as well as lots of new books to review. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Suffragette City - New Zealand women have been able to vote for 130 years now. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Goodbye Durham Town - Christine and Beth are sorry to hear of the death of Roger Whittaker. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

A Real Who Dunnit! Theft at the British Museum - The thefts from the British Museum that are hitting the headlines have not been the first ones from the museum in recent years. Christine lists some incredible security failures. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

By Dickens! - Barbara Kingsolver's novel Demon Copperhead was modeled on David Copperfield by Charles Dickens and when Christine mentions this Beth reveals a surprising amount of knowledge about the great man's ten children. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

New Books - So many books to talk about, they make up most of the show. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

We hope you are all enjoying this Matariki weekend Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

A Stack of Books - The Athenaeum was lucky enough to have a stack of books donated to us in the last week so Christine's rundown of new books is longer than usual this episode. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

The History of the Mountain of Light - The Mountain of Light is the Koh-i-noor one of the world's biggest diamonds. Christine gives a very quick run through it's complicated history to explain how India, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Taliban all feel they have a claim for it's return from the British government. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Still No Beth - Beth is back from her holiday in Vanuatu but the change in temperatures has left her with a nasty cold, so we made her stay home and once again Christine is flying solo. Get well soon Beth is all we can say. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

The One Without Beth - Beth is off on an Island holiday and Christine is left holding the fort. We have reviews of some cracking new books and to save Christine's voice some musical interludes. Hiawatha by Look Blue Go Purple - Christine outlines some of the inspiration and plot of The Song of Hiawatha the epic poem by Longfellow that inspired the song. We finish with Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush other song inspired by a literary work. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Who stole the Governor General's Head? - Good old Lord Jellicoe was back in the news a 100 years ago when some wag in the Cromwell pub stole the impressive 15-point stags head he had bagged on a deer-stalking expedition to Wanaka. We also have new books to discuss. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

The Last of the Book Sale - Thomas A Watson the assistant of Alexander Graham Bell did more than help Bell invent the telephone, Christine explains why he is interesting in his own right and then we talk about the last batch of books from last month's Regent Book Sale. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

More Treasures from the Regent Book Sale - Christine got a heck of a lot of books at the Regent Book Sale and here are quick reviews of more of them. Also we talk about the strange case of the Russian Princess travelling by train in the South Island a 100 years ago whose fondness for whisky caught the attention of the justice system and the press. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Goodies from the Book Sale - Christine made it to the Regent Book Sale last week and she came laden with some of her selections. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz