Witi Ihimaera will be spilling the beans on his unusual new book Whanau II at two Auckland libraries this month.

Whanau II is the follow-up to Ihimaera’s second novel Whanau, published in 1974. According to the publisher Reed,

Witi has completely revised his original novel, presenting the work from his perspective as a mature writer. This revised edition gains the mature Ihimaera’s stylistic refinements and political awareness yet retains all the aroha and anger that powered the 1974 novel ... Ihimaera reveals the tensions between traditional and modern, rural and urban that lie within modern Maori society.

You can find out more tomorrow (Wednesday 2 June) at 12.30 on Level 2 in the Auckland (Central City) Public Library. The event is free.

If that’s not enough notice, pencil Wednesday 9 June into your diary and head over to Takapuna Public Library. This is an evening session from 7 till 9pm: tickets are $10, with refreshments served, to raise funds for the North Shore Libraries Foundation.