Last night there was an event at Scorpio Books in Christchurch to launch Tell You What: Great New Zealand Nonfiction, 2015.

It was a bit of a homecoming - the origin of this book was co-editor Jolisa Gracewood in Connecticut observing Christchurch after the September 2010 earthquake. Her eagle eye took note of some great writing that our earthquakes "shook loose".

Contributors Megan Clayton, Lara Strongman, Nic Low, and David Haywood read a sampling of their essays. We heard about birth, about messages from the past to the future, about Ōtautahi loosing itself, and ratty haircuts.

Each tale and teller different, unique. But in all of the stories, you felt the personal and the universal.

The book is an omnium gatherum of great New Zealand writing, mostly from out on the Web. If you wanted to compare it to food - you could say a degustation or tasting plates - but actually the essays are more substantial than that. Each piece is a complete meal and you can dip in and read them, or devour the whole book cover to cover. It also features Eleanor Catton, Elizabeth Knox, Tina Makereti, Steve Braunias, Naomi Arnold, snails, cycling, gardens, Kim Dotcom, and Rihanna's tattoo. It is a great book. Read it.

. @TellYouWhatNZ is one of my top reads - looking forward to hearing authors & editors LIVE tonite at Scorpio http://t.co/C20v7wSdOk ^DR

— Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi (@ChristchurchLib) January 25, 2015

Lovely @TellYouWhatNZ editor @nzdodo with contributors @NicLow1 & David Haywood in front of Scorpio Books last night. pic.twitter.com/qymVRDUzVN

— WORD Christchurch (@WORDChCh) January 26, 2015

Brilliant readings from @CherylBernstein @harvestbird @NicLow1 David Haywood, & heartfelt intro by @nzdodo at tonight's @TellYouWhatNZ event

— Rachael King (@rachaelking70) January 26, 2015

More

• Information (and sample pages) on the Auckland University Press website.
• Book Review: Tell You What: Great New Zealand Non-fiction 2015, Aaron Blaker, Booksellers NZ