Rosemary George , The Wines of New Zealand (Faber and Faber). Entertaining and informative look at New Zealand's most important wine regions, the history, the people and the product.

Les Hill & Graeme Marshall , Images of Silver (The Halcyon Press, NZ). Inspirational fishing picture book with great shots of anglers in action all over the country.

John Kent , North Island Trout Fishing Guide and South Island Trout Fishing Guide (Reed, NZ). Laden with information on access, seasons and fishing style, and illustrated with maps of the more important rivers.

Terry Sturm (ed), The Oxford History of New Zealand Literature (Oxford University Press). A massive and comprehensive guide to non-fiction, novels, plays and poems by a variety of academics, which is fascinating for anyone with an academic interest in the subject but otherwise as dry as an old stick.

J & J Thomas , The New Zealand Bed & Breakfast Book (Moonshine Press, NZ). Annually updated listing of member B&Bs, homestays and farmstays, covering almost 1000 places all over the country. The guide is available from bookshops or direct from Moonshine Press, PO Box 41022, Eastbourne, Wellington (tel & fax 04/562 7667), for NZ$20, though the larger car-rental firms often supply customers with a free copy. Bear in mind that entries are submitted by the owners, so a little reading between the lines is advisable.

Vic Williams , The Penguin New Zealand Wine Guide 1999-2000 (Penguin). A comprehensive breakdown of over 1200 wines from the land of the long white cloud that will keep you interested and turn you into a big fan, if you are not already.