A couple of juicy Book Council events coming up – one of them tonight, I'm afraid. Poet Kate Camp will be celebrating the release of her third poetry collection Beauty Sleep (VUP, $24.95). And to help her will be the wonderful Hinemoana Baker (wonder if she’ll get her gas bottle out?) and Pinky Agnew – with Kim Hill chairing the proceedings.

Kate has also written Unfamiliar Legends of the Stars (1999), Realia (2001) and is always out and about in various good national mags such as the Listener and North and South. You’ll hear her regularly Saturday mornings on National Radio too. But best of all, she’s just been shortlisted for the 2006 $65K Prize in Modern Letters.

It’s all on at the National Library Auditorium at 6pm tonight, Tuesday 15 November. Ticket prices: Book Council members $5, non-members $10, students and unwaged $8 – this even includes a glass of wine. To make a booking email events@bookcouncil.org.nz or phone 04-499 1569.

A second Book Council do on 23 November is a part of a series of history events they are running to tie in with the recent collaboration between the History Group of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, television producers Whakapapa Productions Ltd and publisher Hachette Livre which has produced Frontier of Dreams, the Story of New Zealand.

But it’s more than just a follow up – a panel comprised of media commentator Russell Brown, prominent historian Ranginui Walker, and publishers Bronwyn Dalley and Gavin McLean, Geoff Walker and Peter Dowling (whew) will be discussing what is behind the recent surge of public interest in New Zealand history books.

The Why is History so Hot? gala event will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Auckland at 6pm on Wednesday 23 November. Ticket prices: Book Council Members $13, non-members $18 students/unwaged $15. Again, this price includes a glass of wine and possibly a nibble I shouldn't wonder. Of food, that is, but you never know, these history things can get pretty sexy, especially with a title like that.