Tomorrow there’s a free NZ Book Council event at Manurewa Public Library: Glenn Colquhoun, Norman Bilbrough and Melanie Drewery will be talking about their writing from 6.30-7.45 at the Community Rooms at 7 Hill Road. For more information you can email Lois.Webb@natlib.govt.nz or call 09 524 3861. This is a New Zealand Book Council event, thanks to them also for the writers' bios.

As it was David Lange’s old stomping ground, I think it’s great timing that a LeafSalon friend, Paul Gilberd, should front up with some words about his book David Lange, My Life, (Viking, $49.95). Over to you, Paul:

This book, as David Lange says himself in the preface, has been a long time in the making. A friend of mine heard Roger Douglas say last month that he thought it was questionable both as literature and literally. The facts remain the same however – we live in a nation still very much defined by the sweeping changes that occurred during Lange's Prime Ministership and I for one was delighted to hear his perception of what had happened.

If nothing else, My Life is honest and funny. David readily admits he had forgotten, at the time of dictating the book, many of the adecdotes it includes. He also says there is a lot he left out, and not because he had forgotten. Overall, one is left with a strong sense of the love that David Lange had for New Zealand and the pride and exhilaration he felt acting as our Prime Minister. In his coda, written in May this year, David said he would be very happy if he were to see green leaves again on his autumnal elm trees. David Lange died on August 13th 2005 and so did not see this spring, but reading his book gave me a strong sense that he left this life at peace and happy with what amounted to an extraordinary life.

Indeed. Thanks Paul – I’m sure David would have bowled up to the library to listen to Glenn Colquhoun and co with relish.