Karen Hao: Empire of AI

Karen Hao @karenhao.bsky.social has won the 2025 NBCC Award for Nonfiction @bookcritics.bsky.social ⭐
We are so lucky Karen will be in Christchurch on Monday 11 May for a #WORDChch event. wordchristchurch.co.nz/programme/ka...
I am 91% through the 18 hours audiobook and it is GRIPPING! ^DR
#booksky

Photo of Niall Williams with covers of his novels.

Photo of Louise Erdrich with covers of her novels.

Photo of RF Kuang with covers of her novels.

We're also getting visits from Niall Williams, RF Kuang, and Louise Erdrich in April and May, thanks to WORD Christchurch!
More details: my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/word-christc... #wordchch ^MT

Empire of AI: Inside the Reckless Race for Total Domination Troy reviews Empire of AI by Karen Hao, an inside look at OpenAI and the impacts of AI on our world.

We're excited that @karenhao.bsky.social is coming to Christchurch in May!
Troy has read her book, Empire of AI, that lays out OpenAI's imperial ambitions and makes for a compelling read (I've also been told the audiobook is a great listen!)
my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/e... #wordchch

Louise Erdrich (USA): Land, Legacy and the Python’s Kiss One of America's greatest living writers.

We are very lucky - Louise Erdrich is coming to Ōtautahi Christchurch on 26 May, and will be talking to Nic Low. wordchristchurch.co.nz/programme/lo... This #WORDChch event is one you don't want to miss! ^DR

Newly minted Nebula Finalist for Best Novel R.F. Kuang is here at a #WORDChch event in May! wordchristchurch.co.nz/programme/rf...
#SFWA #Nebulas #61stNebulaAwards ^DR

⭐Irish author Niall Williams ⭐Karen Hao (author of Empire of AI) ⭐RF Kuang (author of Yellowface & Katabasis) ⭐and the legendary Louise Erdrich

Yippee ki-yay! See awesome international authors at special WORD Christchurch events here April/May:
⭐Irish writer Niall Williams
⭐Karen Hao (Empire of AI)
⭐RF Kuang (Yellowface & Katabasis)
⭐and the legendary Louise Erdrich
Worra lineup!
wordchristchurch.co.nz/upcoming-eve...
#WORDChch #Booksky

OMG #wORDchch
🫣

Ockham New Zealand Book Awards Previously known as the New Zealand Post Book Awards. The Awards are administered by the Auckland Writers Festival on behalf of the…

Want to read the longlist of the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards? We can help! my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/new-zealand-...
There's also #TheOckhams related reading - blog posts from #WORDChch 2025 featuring longlisted authors.
Hop on in and #ReadNZ! ^DR
#pukapuka #booksky

Book and bookmark

Finished my last book of 2025 - The breath of the Gods: the history and future of the wind by Simon Winchester. A ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ mix of history, science, & storytelling genius.
And he is at a #WordChch event in 2026 yeah! wordchristchurch.co.nz/programme/si...

Stories from the Manapōuri Hydro Project: WORD Christchurch Festival 2025 Rosemary Baird's book explores the construction of the Manapōuri hydro project and the lives of the workers.

Read Troy's report on Rosemary's standout session at #WORDChch my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/s...

Simon Winchester: The Breath of the Gods The wild, wondrous, and wandering stories of Simon Winchester return to Ōtautahi Christchurch

Now that's what I call excellent booky news! Simon Winchester will be here in Christchurch next year (Friday 6 March 2026) for a #WORDChch event! wordchristchurch.co.nz/programme/si...
#booksky #pukapuka #Ōtautahi #Christchurch ^DR

Barry Allan's review of Polkinghorne 4/5: On 5 April 2021, Pauline Hanna is found dead in the house she shared with her husband, eye surgeon Philip Polkinghorne. 16 months later, he is charged with her murder: the Crown theory is that he...

When I was at #WordChCh, I went to a talk by Steve Braunias about his book, #Polkinghorne. I've now read it - it was quite the trial, with Polkinghorne on trial for the murder of his wife, with lots of detail about his meth and sex worker habits #booksky #truecrime

www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

How money became a figment of our collective imagination: David McWilliams Catherine reports back from a WORD Christchurch session with economist David McWilliams talking about his new book Money.

How money became a figment of our collective imagination: Catherine reports back from a sold-out WORD Christchurch event. Economist David McWilliams talked Money with RNZ's Anan Zaki @ananzaki.bsky.social
my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/h...
@davidmcwecon.bsky.social
#WORDChch

"Oh my God. I hope they [the readers] don't find out where I live."
Callie Hart was a quippy, witty delight at last night's #WORDchch event at the Ngaio Marsh theatre.
my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/e...
#quicksilver #saerisfane #calliehart #kingfisher ^MT

Ngaio Marsh Award winners

A murder mystery set in Mona Vale with the Court Jesters, AND the best in crime writing from Aotearoa New Zealand. We were all winners at the Ngaio Marsh Awards! Tanya reports back from an awesome night at Tūranga. my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/n...
#NgaioMarshAwards
#WORDChch

Ngaio Marsh Awards 2025 The Ngaio Marsh Awards and The Murderous Mystery. Thursday 25 September 2025. Tautoru / TSB Space, Tūranga. Court Jesters solved a thrillng murder case, then the 15th annual Ngaio Marsh Awards to...

Pics from last night's Ngaio Marsh Awards and Murderous Mystery with the Court Jesters. www.flickr.com/photos/chris...
#WORDChch #YeahNoir #Pukapuka ^DR
Check out our lists of Ngaio Marsh Awards winners & finalists: my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/ngaio-marsh-...

Barry Allan's review of Northbound 5/5: Te Araroa is the national tramping route, running the length of New Zealand - formed from existing routes it officially opened in 2011 but had life before then. Naomi Arnold spent more than six m...

I saw Naomi Arnold at #WordChCh and had to read Northbound, her marvelous account of walking Te Araroa. She writes wonderfully about the experience - nature, landscape, people she encounters, its joys and difficulties.

#booksky #NaomiArnold #TeAraroa #NewZealand

www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Jessica Hutchings.

Our latest #WORDChch reviews have just landed:
The Fight for Freshwater (Mike Joy and Gabrielle Huria)
Pātaka Kai: Growing Kai Sovereignty (Jessica Hutchings)
and The Art of the Essay (Una Cruickshank, Tina Makereti, and Kate Camp)
my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/word-christc...

Una Cruickshank

Kate Camp

Catherine Chidgey

Ariana Tikao

#WORDChch Cabinet of Curiosities with @ladyhorrors.bsky.social contained:
A history of NZ's crisps,
lead poisoning,
scented urges in Te Reo Māori,
the dark side of collecting,
Bic Runga's music, &
how to change togs in a carpark and not get exposed!
my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/t...

Photo of the panel at The Welcome of Strangers event at WORD Christchurch. Seated in armchairs and a sofa from left are Ross Calman, Te Maire Tau, Michael Stevens, Helen Brown, and Atholl Anderson.

Here's my write up of a fascinating #WORDchch session focused on Ngāi Tahu history. This book feels like a legacy volume - the kind you buy and keep on the bookshelf, returning to over and over again.
my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/i... ^MT

Werner Herzog and Harris Dickinson

I sent my sis this pic and she thought my boys Werner Herzog and Harris Dickinson were at #WORDChch. Hell to the Yeah!

Juanita Hepi, Tina Makereti, Dominic Guerrera and Ariana Tikao

So much laughter, so much pain: Katie reports back from Indigi-JOY at #WORDChch. my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/i...
Juanita Hepi, Tina Makereti, Dominic Guerrera and Ariana Tikao explored themes of whanaungatanga, kotahitanga (togetherness), cultural safety and relaxation.

Roimata Smail signs copies of Understanding Te Tiriti

I bought two books at #WORDChch, and one of them was Roimata's "little green book" Understanding Te Tiriti. christchurch.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S3... ^DR

Te Tiriti for Beginners with Roimata Smail: Tino rangatiratanga (sovereignty), Kāwanatanga (governorship) and Partnership A WORD Christchurch audience was treated to an hour-long workshop on Te Tiriti — a condensed version of the one Roimata delivers to schools,…

Roimata Smail's Te Tiriti for Beginners event at #WORDChch was an absolute banger.
Read Daniel's report on this workshop: my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/t...

Love having coffee with my arty/booky friend, such an enthusiast. She went to #WORDChCh, 3 events, 7 books purchased, plus some zines she was delighted by. Not bad for late 70s.

The Love Behind the Magic – The Romance of Fantasy at Word Christchurch Festival 2025 Jessie attends "The Romance of Fantasy", where Andrea Eames and Rachael Craw tell all about the love and magic behind their latest…

"To experience that magic in a different way, hearing the love behind these stories and how they came to life, is all part of the joy of words." ❤️ Jessie on a #WORDChch session with Rachael Craw, Andrea Eames, with @rachaelking70.bsky.social my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/t...

Talking about Book (Fight) Club: WORD Christchurch Festival 2025 What book won the Book (Fight) Club? Ky knows what went on at this WORD Christchurch session at the Arts Centre.

The ninth rule of Fight (Book) Club is you will go away with a great book recommendation. But you didn't hear that from Ky. my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/t... #WORDChch

The one where everyone cries: Risky women at WORD Christchurch Moata reports back from an emotional and moving event featuring Nici Wickes, Ali Mau, Petra Bagust, Susie Ferguson and Stacey Morrison.…

This was definitely the event of the festival for me. Bravo to all the risky women on stage (and everywhere).
A brilliant mix of zingers, truth bombs, and tears. As Stacey Morrison said, "It's a dumb hui if no one cries". ^MT
#wordchch
my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/t...

The Power of Resilience: WORD Christchurch Festival 2025 Dr Maysoon Salama, Dr Lucy Hone, and Jake Bailey unpack the concept of resilience. Is resilience about being strong? Where do they…

The Power of Resilience session with Dr Maysoon Salama, Dr Lucy Hone, and Jake Bailey went deep - Hong reports back from #WORDChch. my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/t...

Ali and Susie

Love at First Line: Poetry dating show - Una Cruickshank, Erik Kennedy, Claudia Jardine, Josiah Morgan, Chris Tse

Roimata Smail - Te Tiriti 101

The sellout Catherine Chidgey crowd.

WORD Christchurch Festival 2025 is over - what a great ride it has been! Kia ora and congratulations to our friends at #WORDChch & all the WORD workers. Thanks to the writers, and readers who came along to sessions.
Check out our coverage at
my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/word-christc...