‘Read, read, read’: Hona Black’s advice to us all

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Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits of Aotearoa writers, and guests.

This week: author of He Kete Kīwaha: A Practical Guide to Māori Idioms, Hona Black.

I've always thought it's an imaginative book and would be great translated into Māori one day.

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The useful part

Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits of Aotearoa writers, and guests. This week: author of He Kete Kīwaha: A Practical Guide to Māori Idioms, Hona Black. I've always thought it's an imaginative book and would be great translated into Māori one day.

How it works

The book I want to be buried with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.
My kuia, Peti Nohotima, wrote it and the main character was my older brother.
There was another child in the book in the background (not mentioned in the text), and I used to think and pretend that it was me!
<img alt="Three book covers descending." sizes="700px" srcset="https://images.thespinoff.co.nz/1/2026/09/Hona-Black-pics.png?w=70&fm=auto&auto=compress%2Cformat 70w, ht...

Details worth keeping

The book I wish I'd written The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. I know that's not a book, but I think reading is so important! The first book I remember reading by myself Pārera, Pārera.

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