A Short History of New Zealand

by Gordon McLauchlan

Cover and pages are all very clean and unmarked. Previous owner's name on inside cover. Ships fast from California.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Gordon William McLauchlan was a New Zealand writer and social historian.

Reviews

[LibraryKath · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book should probably be renamed to A Short Political History of New Zealand. Despite the illustrations of moa, hei tiki, sheep and ships on the cover, this is a history of old, white men. It reads like a high school citizen education textbook and tells almost nothing of Maori, social, natural or cultural history. It's so pale-stale-male centric that despite chapters and chapters detailing the careers of male politicians, the nation's three women Prime Ministers each barely rate more than two or three lines each.

I had hoped to get a potted history of New Zealand to give me a springboard into other topics and books. Instead I got a deeply biased, dry and dull-as-dishwater textbook about old white men.

To think this book is being sold in tourist locations as a must read to understand the country. YAWN.

[Tyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

A short history of New Zealand and not Aotearoa.

[Robert Cavanagh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started off pretty good but did eventually become a list of NZ elections and what slightly different policies they enacted

[Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in New Zealand for 4 months, I realized I knew a staggeringly small amount about the history of the country (treaty of wai...what?), and noticed this book in many bookstores as I traveled around the country. I am thoroughly pleased I decided to check it out, as it was very informative and written in such a straight-forward, but also jocular and light tone that allowed honesty to come through in such an endearing way. Clearly the author cares deeply about representing his country in an unbiased light. I learned so much, and I feel much more informed about this adoptive country I call home. I wanted to give it five stars, but admittedly, I got a bit lost in the last quarter of the book among the more governmental and financial jargon that cropped up, as well as by nature of it being a "short" history there were names that flew by and aspects towards the end where I felt I was missing a little of the background or more of the crux of the matter. However, as an introduction, I couldn't have asked for better. An easy and amusing read, highly recommended.

[Cate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This starts well and has you interested from the start. However there are various shortcomings.

I originally bought this because I had found Michael King's history too turgid to finish. This book is much more readable and worded in a more journalistic way.

The best thing I felt about the book was that he is really quite impartial about Maori vs Europeans (not so on his social welfare beliefs) . That was refreshing as so much literature is biased one way or the other.

My complaints are that the interesting bits about early Maori (no mention even of moriori!) and then the subsequent Europeans were actually too limited and vague. He mentions half a story but then moves on or doesn't tell you where it came from.

The second half about the 20th century is actually too boring, bogged down in names and policies that are arguably irrelevant to the overall history.

But my main complaint is that he jumps around with dates far too much. The book is chronological, but there are far too many paragraphs in each chapter which end in one decade and the next paragraph starts in the previous decade.

Worth reading, but has its short comings.

[Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should start this review stating that it's not the book I've reviewed on here, It does have the same title, but instead the book I read was written by Condliffe and Airey.

This was my last book of twelve during 2020, I completed it just a few days after the new year. I did however get halfway through, Let my people go surfing by Yvon Chouinard, But I had to leave it unfinished as I had to part ways with it's owner.
This book was bought for one dollar at a op shop in Dargaville.
Written in around 1950 it was an interesting read on the authors take on NZ history. The first section about the arrival of the europeans and the interaction with the Maori was good and the last section on NZ and world affairs was also good. However I wasn't too interested in the middle section all about politics and the formation of various political parties in NZ.
Overall it was a cool book because of me being currently in New Zealand and worth the read. Will also make a good book to keep on the shelf because of its old cover and look.

[Steven Hix · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pitched as an introduction to the history and culture of New Zealand, but the author clearly proceeds under the assumption that the reader has a deep, preexisting understanding of the topic. The book reads more like an attempt to correct misunderstandings of New Zealand history by those who already have an entry-level introduction. Any reader without that background (like me) will be forced to make assumptions about vital information based on passing references to that information’s existence.

[Liz Cloos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this an interesting tour of New Zealand history. Having recently visited New Zealand, I enjoyed learning more about the places I had visited. The historical narratives appear well-balanced across the different ages and from different perspectives. The most recent 50 years seems a little rushed, but that is likely do to the selectivity or featuring the early years.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

If looking for a start into New Zealand history, this is a good start. There are a couple places where it's doublespeak it seems, but makes the reader want to research more. In fact i have many Google tabs to do just that.

[David Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow read…

I read this book following a history of Australia, after visiting both countries in early 2020. This was interesting but a slow read for me, it was difficult to maintain my interest for very long at a given time.

[Susie Maclean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the beginning with the early history of New Zealand. As it went along into the mid 1900's it was a bit more detailed than I wanted about each election and the what happened to each party and politician. If that is what you are looking for it might be just right for you.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Første halvdel ret spændende da den handler meget om Maori. Sidste halvdel er vitterlig bare en opremsning af hvem der blev valgt til prime Minister og lidt om deres politik - meget tør og temmelig fattig 'historie' om et helt land.

[Eifel Kreutz · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting overview of New Zealand, especially in the early chapters. It devolves into a rather dry outline of elections and political policy through the second half of the 19th and the 20th century however, without too much attention to cultural history at all.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

New Zealand history is exciting. This book is not. Still, thorough.

[Kate Corbett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good though heavy on politics.

[Mark Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

great read

[Powderburns · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started OK but finished as a barely disguised political polemic yearning for communism to return. Ugggh

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but not what I was hoping for

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting content and a good overall view of nz history. Readability is a little stale at times with quite a bit of unnecessary details

[Vicki Vertongen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, but very much focus’s on politics rather than other historical events in NZ.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable origin; a bit of a slog for me in the more modern politics.

[Adelino De Santi · Rating 5 out of 5]

For any enthusiast or migrant that came to NZ and wants to be know more than the basics, this is an excellent introduction!!!

[George Foord · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great book but it does skip the latter part of the 20th century but still very interesting

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and relatively easy to read. A bit too much of the "great man" approach to history for my taste, as I wanted to understand New Zealand society and the repeated delvings into the personalities, backgrounds, and political tactics of successive prime ministers felt like a waste of time in a supposed "short history". The author also seems to assume too much context at times (or else the book was aimed at a local audience?); for example there are numerous passing references to racial controvery surrounding NZ rugby and South Africa, but the issue is never covered directly even though apparently it was so significant that readers are assumed to know all about it. Still, the early background on Polynesian migration and settlement is fascinating, as are the brief glimpses into daily life (such as the author's personal reminiscences of mid-century Wellington without bars or restaurants, before the loosening of Prohibition-era liquor licensing laws).