Recent Arrivals from Belle Books

Numbered Special Edition #4043 "Scent of the sea, the stars at night like a thousand watchfires above the ocean, the wind screaming in the rigging. This is a book of extraordinary adventure, and one man's questing spirit to challenge against all odds. Round the world yacht racing is considered by many to be the world's most dangerous sport. Peter Blake… Read more about this item

First edition. "Easy Rider outlines the many joys of riding a bike in New Zealand, and provides a complete beginners' guide - from riding for fun, to commuting, riding for fitness, mountain biking and even racing. We learn about the reasons for, the reasons against (there aren't any), the basics of buying a bike and getting started, riding in New… Read more about this item

First edition (2019). " With a scientist's eye, a poet's turn of phrase, and an explorer's sense of wonder, Callum Roberts brings the underwater world to vivid life. His deep love of the ocean and profound concern for the changes that threaten it cannot be ignored." Lewis Pugh, UN Patron of the Oceans. The dustjacket is in near fine… Read more about this item

First edition. Number 308 of limited edition of 1000. " Original material, never widely available before, reveals the major contribution such clubs have made to New Zealand society. As tramping, climbing and ski-ing developed so rescue organisations were formed, which very early on were involved with helping people who belonged to no club. At the same time members were exploring… Read more about this item

First edition. "Rearing nearly five miles into the skies, the Himalaya are the most magnificent range on earth. Yet they are only part of an even greater mountain complex which includes the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, Pamirs, Tien Shan and Kun Lun. Eminently readable, Mountain of the Gods tells the story of this whole complex from its formation to present day." "… Read more about this item

First edition. "Whilst we shall never know the last tragic moments of the 1982 British Everest Expedition's final assault, this book records the team's progress to the once Forbidden City of Lhasa, across Tibet and to the unknown North East Ridge. It is the personal story of Chris Bonington, the leader, and Charles Clarke the expedition doctor; redolent in climbing… Read more about this item

First edition. This book "stands out among mountaineering records because of the author's intense interest in the human side of the expedition, the reactions of the men to the mountain, to the almost unimaginable force of the wind, the cold down to -40 degrees F, the demands on physical and mental strength. The stark, ugly South West Face is here… Read more about this item

First edition. "The 1981 climbing team of Chris Bonington, Peter Boardman, Al Rouse and Joe Tasker were at first halted by appalling weather, by frighteningly unconsolidated snow, and the sheer deceptive scale of the final summit pyramid at whose foot they turned back. This distinctive triangle of steep ice-clad rock which formed the crux of the climb remained remote, seldom… Read more about this item

Signed first edition. "Antartica has always loomed large in the collective consciousness of New Zealanders; as a backdrop to heroic exploration and legendary 'Kiwi' ingenuity, as a source of fascinating scientific discoveries and as an inspiration for poetry and art. This book is a celebration of the landscape, history, science and adventure of Antartica and of the many men and… Read more about this item

Second edition. (First edition 1936.) "This book is an attempt to describe and explain the prime causes of snow phenomena so that the reader will be able to understand them when he meets them, and thus, by thinking out the sequels for himself, acquire experience with greater ease and in a manner hitherto impossible for him." This book originates from the… Read more about this item

First edition. Colin Fraser " is one of the many men who have been captivated by the complex and unpredictable nature of avalanches, by their enormous destructive power, and by their capriciousness, by which, for example, an avalance may come down a given slope only once in 500 years." This book originates from the personal library of the late… Read more about this item

First UK edition. "King was a man of rare cultivation and with an enormous zest for life, and his vigorous book is filled with freshness and sensibility, with delight in nature and wild life, and with whimsical and humourous observations." This book originates from the personal library of the late Arnold J. Heine QSM, ONZM, Polar Medal. The dustjacket has… Read more about this item

Signed first edition. " As expedition climbers, Rod Hall and Gary Ball formed the most dynamic and accomplished mountaineering partnership New Zealand has ever seen. With 47 international expeditions between them, to some of the highest and remotest peaks in the world, they ventured to all seven continents." "This vibrant, widely researched and profusely illustrated story takes the reader on… Read more about this item

Signed first edition. " Learning to ride a bicycle is a rite of passage engrained in the childhood memories of most New Zealanders. The joy and freedom associated with mastering that magic combination of balance, steering and speed is unforgettable. From that moment, young pedallers have followed various two-wheeled paths - road and track racing, mountain biking, cycle commuting… Read more about this item

First edition. "No death in the middle years of the 20th century affected the New Zealand climbing community more than the loss of John Harrison in the Mount Rolleston tragedy of June 1966. John was one of the most admired climbers of his generation. His loss was felt keenly not only because of his achievements as a mountaineer in New… Read more about this item

First edition. This book "is devoted to the beautiful private gardens New Zealanders have made. It is the story of forty rural and urban gardens throughout the North and South islands; about the pioneer properties of the 19th century which were formed from gorse and blackberry covered pasture in the days of horse and dray and pick and shovel." The… Read more about this item

First edition. Translated from the French by Ben Lifson. "The development of nearly twenty species of wildflowers is caught on film using macrophotography, which produces a remarkably clear, larger-than-life, stop-action image. From the bud brimming with nectar and the unfolding of petals to the beauty of full bloom and then, after fading and shrinking, the fall of the corolla, the… Read more about this item

First edition. "The author is a distinguished scientist who has never lost his feeling of affection and admiration for the world about him and who can express his observations in a lucid, even lyric style, free of academic jargon and obscurity." The front and spine of the dustjacket are faded. There is a tear (3cm) at top lefthand corner with… Read more about this item

First edition. "In this volume Mr Davies seeks, in language intelligible to "the man in the street" (and in the country lane), to trace the origins of the New Zealand flora, and to describe it's distinctive features and its geographical distribution." The dustjacket is missing. The cover is green cloth board with the title in dark green on the spine.… Read more about this item

Signed first edition. "This book results from a long interest and experience in the mountains by both authors. Recently they have spent four summers collecting, describing and drawing plants from most alpine regions in New Zealand to produce a book that will please and instruct all who are interested in New Zealand alpine flora." The dustjacket shows wear around the… Read more about this item