Zack Williams
@thescamperingtramper.com
Tramper, climber, cyclist, science teacher, tea drinker, book reader.
Ōtautahi Christchurch
Aotearoa New Zealand
Ōtautahi Christchurch
Aotearoa New Zealand
An update: books #24-27 in 2025.
'The Harder I Fight The More I Love You' by Neko Case - 2⭐
'Carl's Doomsday Scenario' by Matt Dinniman - 4⭐
'The Many-Coloured Land' by Julian May - 3⭐
'The City of Brass' by Shannon Chakraborty - 3.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
'The Harder I Fight The More I Love You' by Neko Case - 2⭐
'Carl's Doomsday Scenario' by Matt Dinniman - 4⭐
'The Many-Coloured Land' by Julian May - 3⭐
'The City of Brass' by Shannon Chakraborty - 3.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
December 10, 2025 at 6:48 PM
An update: books #24-27 in 2025.
'The Harder I Fight The More I Love You' by Neko Case - 2⭐
'Carl's Doomsday Scenario' by Matt Dinniman - 4⭐
'The Many-Coloured Land' by Julian May - 3⭐
'The City of Brass' by Shannon Chakraborty - 3.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
'The Harder I Fight The More I Love You' by Neko Case - 2⭐
'Carl's Doomsday Scenario' by Matt Dinniman - 4⭐
'The Many-Coloured Land' by Julian May - 3⭐
'The City of Brass' by Shannon Chakraborty - 3.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
An update: books #20-23 in 2025 (although I've just started book #38!)
'A Different Kind of Power's by Jacinda Ardern - 4⭐
'Brave New Arctic' by Mark C. Serreze - 3⭐
'The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi' by Shannon Chakraborty - 3.5⭐
'Emperor of Rome' by Mary Beard - 2.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
'A Different Kind of Power's by Jacinda Ardern - 4⭐
'Brave New Arctic' by Mark C. Serreze - 3⭐
'The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi' by Shannon Chakraborty - 3.5⭐
'Emperor of Rome' by Mary Beard - 2.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
December 9, 2025 at 12:16 AM
An update: books #20-23 in 2025 (although I've just started book #38!)
'A Different Kind of Power's by Jacinda Ardern - 4⭐
'Brave New Arctic' by Mark C. Serreze - 3⭐
'The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi' by Shannon Chakraborty - 3.5⭐
'Emperor of Rome' by Mary Beard - 2.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
'A Different Kind of Power's by Jacinda Ardern - 4⭐
'Brave New Arctic' by Mark C. Serreze - 3⭐
'The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi' by Shannon Chakraborty - 3.5⭐
'Emperor of Rome' by Mary Beard - 2.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
An update: books #16-19 (I'm up to 27 though!)
'What The Wild Sea Can Be' by Helen Scales - 4.5⭐
'Careless People' by Sarah Wynn-Williams - 3.5⭐
'My Effin' Life' by Geddy Lee - 3.5⭐
'Alien Clay' by Adrian Tchaikovsky - 3.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
'What The Wild Sea Can Be' by Helen Scales - 4.5⭐
'Careless People' by Sarah Wynn-Williams - 3.5⭐
'My Effin' Life' by Geddy Lee - 3.5⭐
'Alien Clay' by Adrian Tchaikovsky - 3.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
September 3, 2025 at 5:49 AM
An update: books #16-19 (I'm up to 27 though!)
'What The Wild Sea Can Be' by Helen Scales - 4.5⭐
'Careless People' by Sarah Wynn-Williams - 3.5⭐
'My Effin' Life' by Geddy Lee - 3.5⭐
'Alien Clay' by Adrian Tchaikovsky - 3.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
'What The Wild Sea Can Be' by Helen Scales - 4.5⭐
'Careless People' by Sarah Wynn-Williams - 3.5⭐
'My Effin' Life' by Geddy Lee - 3.5⭐
'Alien Clay' by Adrian Tchaikovsky - 3.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
An update on what I've been reading in 2025. Here are books 12-15:
'Takeover' by Timothy W. Ryback - 4.5⭐
'Educated' by Tara Westover - 4.5⭐
'Dungeon Crawler Carl' by Matt Dinniman - 4⭐
'The Education Wars' by Jennifer C. Berkshire and Jack Schneider - 4⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
Today I finished book #20!
'Takeover' by Timothy W. Ryback - 4.5⭐
'Educated' by Tara Westover - 4.5⭐
'Dungeon Crawler Carl' by Matt Dinniman - 4⭐
'The Education Wars' by Jennifer C. Berkshire and Jack Schneider - 4⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
Today I finished book #20!
July 11, 2025 at 11:36 PM
An update on what I've been reading in 2025. Here are books 12-15:
'Takeover' by Timothy W. Ryback - 4.5⭐
'Educated' by Tara Westover - 4.5⭐
'Dungeon Crawler Carl' by Matt Dinniman - 4⭐
'The Education Wars' by Jennifer C. Berkshire and Jack Schneider - 4⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
Today I finished book #20!
'Takeover' by Timothy W. Ryback - 4.5⭐
'Educated' by Tara Westover - 4.5⭐
'Dungeon Crawler Carl' by Matt Dinniman - 4⭐
'The Education Wars' by Jennifer C. Berkshire and Jack Schneider - 4⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
Today I finished book #20!
Another catch-up post of what I've been reading in 2025...here are books #8-11:
'Endurance' by Alfred Lansing - 5⭐
'Somewhere Beyond the Sea' by T.J. Klune - 2⭐
'Hammajang Luck's by Makana Yamamoto - 3⭐
'A Gentleman in Moscow' by Amor Towles - 5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
'Endurance' by Alfred Lansing - 5⭐
'Somewhere Beyond the Sea' by T.J. Klune - 2⭐
'Hammajang Luck's by Makana Yamamoto - 3⭐
'A Gentleman in Moscow' by Amor Towles - 5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
June 20, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Another catch-up post of what I've been reading in 2025...here are books #8-11:
'Endurance' by Alfred Lansing - 5⭐
'Somewhere Beyond the Sea' by T.J. Klune - 2⭐
'Hammajang Luck's by Makana Yamamoto - 3⭐
'A Gentleman in Moscow' by Amor Towles - 5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
'Endurance' by Alfred Lansing - 5⭐
'Somewhere Beyond the Sea' by T.J. Klune - 2⭐
'Hammajang Luck's by Makana Yamamoto - 3⭐
'A Gentleman in Moscow' by Amor Towles - 5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
I haven't posted about books in a while - I'm currently up to 16 books in 2025.
Books #4-7:
'The Ministry of Time' by Kaliane Bradley - 5⭐
'Blood Over Bright Haven' by M. L. Wang - 3.5⭐
'Seven Wonders of the Ancient World' by Bettany Hughes - 2.5⭐
'Orbital' by Samantha Harvey - 3.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
Books #4-7:
'The Ministry of Time' by Kaliane Bradley - 5⭐
'Blood Over Bright Haven' by M. L. Wang - 3.5⭐
'Seven Wonders of the Ancient World' by Bettany Hughes - 2.5⭐
'Orbital' by Samantha Harvey - 3.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
June 13, 2025 at 9:39 PM
I haven't posted about books in a while - I'm currently up to 16 books in 2025.
Books #4-7:
'The Ministry of Time' by Kaliane Bradley - 5⭐
'Blood Over Bright Haven' by M. L. Wang - 3.5⭐
'Seven Wonders of the Ancient World' by Bettany Hughes - 2.5⭐
'Orbital' by Samantha Harvey - 3.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
Books #4-7:
'The Ministry of Time' by Kaliane Bradley - 5⭐
'Blood Over Bright Haven' by M. L. Wang - 3.5⭐
'Seven Wonders of the Ancient World' by Bettany Hughes - 2.5⭐
'Orbital' by Samantha Harvey - 3.5⭐
💙📚/🪐📚/🇳🇿📚
Great couple of shows last night: first Juno Is @spaceacademy.bsky.social for some psych/dream pop kind of like Melody's Echo Chamber, then across the street to Darkroom to catch jazz fusion act Yugo. Support local music and music venues. 🙂
June 13, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Great couple of shows last night: first Juno Is @spaceacademy.bsky.social for some psych/dream pop kind of like Melody's Echo Chamber, then across the street to Darkroom to catch jazz fusion act Yugo. Support local music and music venues. 🙂
Finished! 'Bloody Minded' by Susie Ferguson. 💙📚 / 🇳🇿📚
5⭐ 2025 book #3
An absolutely outstanding autobiography. She tells the story of decades of misdiagnoses and poor treatment as a woman in the health system, and her journalistic career from her start as a war and disaster correspondent.
5⭐ 2025 book #3
An absolutely outstanding autobiography. She tells the story of decades of misdiagnoses and poor treatment as a woman in the health system, and her journalistic career from her start as a war and disaster correspondent.
January 18, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Finished! 'Bloody Minded' by Susie Ferguson. 💙📚 / 🇳🇿📚
5⭐ 2025 book #3
An absolutely outstanding autobiography. She tells the story of decades of misdiagnoses and poor treatment as a woman in the health system, and her journalistic career from her start as a war and disaster correspondent.
5⭐ 2025 book #3
An absolutely outstanding autobiography. She tells the story of decades of misdiagnoses and poor treatment as a woman in the health system, and her journalistic career from her start as a war and disaster correspondent.
A tranquil overnight trip to Mid Hill tarns last week with a stunning sunrise.
More photos and trip report here: thescamperingtramper.com/home/mid-hill-tarns
#nz
More photos and trip report here: thescamperingtramper.com/home/mid-hill-tarns
#nz
January 15, 2025 at 9:45 PM
A tranquil overnight trip to Mid Hill tarns last week with a stunning sunrise.
More photos and trip report here: thescamperingtramper.com/home/mid-hill-tarns
#nz
More photos and trip report here: thescamperingtramper.com/home/mid-hill-tarns
#nz
Finished! 'Clytemnestra' by Costanza Casati. 💙📚 / 🇳🇿📚
3⭐ 2025 book #2
I would have liked the narrative to have continued to include the events surrounding Iphigenia's potential return home. Timandra was a great character who I wish wasn't dropped from the story in the last third of the book.
3⭐ 2025 book #2
I would have liked the narrative to have continued to include the events surrounding Iphigenia's potential return home. Timandra was a great character who I wish wasn't dropped from the story in the last third of the book.
January 13, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Finished! 'Clytemnestra' by Costanza Casati. 💙📚 / 🇳🇿📚
3⭐ 2025 book #2
I would have liked the narrative to have continued to include the events surrounding Iphigenia's potential return home. Timandra was a great character who I wish wasn't dropped from the story in the last third of the book.
3⭐ 2025 book #2
I would have liked the narrative to have continued to include the events surrounding Iphigenia's potential return home. Timandra was a great character who I wish wasn't dropped from the story in the last third of the book.
A perfect New Year's tramp around the Gillespie Pass circuit in the breathtaking Mt Aspiring National Park.
More photos and trip report here: thescamperingtramper.com/home/gillespie-pass-circuit
#nz
More photos and trip report here: thescamperingtramper.com/home/gillespie-pass-circuit
#nz
January 11, 2025 at 3:56 AM
A perfect New Year's tramp around the Gillespie Pass circuit in the breathtaking Mt Aspiring National Park.
More photos and trip report here: thescamperingtramper.com/home/gillespie-pass-circuit
#nz
More photos and trip report here: thescamperingtramper.com/home/gillespie-pass-circuit
#nz
Finished! 'Playground' by Richard Powers. 💙📚 / 🇳🇿📚 / 🪐📚
5⭐ 2025 book #1
A sweeping epic centred around a small island and its 82 inhabitants at a critical moment.
5⭐ 2025 book #1
A sweeping epic centred around a small island and its 82 inhabitants at a critical moment.
January 5, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Finished! 'Playground' by Richard Powers. 💙📚 / 🇳🇿📚 / 🪐📚
5⭐ 2025 book #1
A sweeping epic centred around a small island and its 82 inhabitants at a critical moment.
5⭐ 2025 book #1
A sweeping epic centred around a small island and its 82 inhabitants at a critical moment.
A sublime mid-week trip to Mt Brown Hut on Wednesday, sleeping out under the stars. Full trip report here: ctc.org.nz/index.php/tr...
#nz #hiking #tramping
#nz #hiking #tramping
December 19, 2024 at 9:22 PM
A sublime mid-week trip to Mt Brown Hut on Wednesday, sleeping out under the stars. Full trip report here: ctc.org.nz/index.php/tr...
#nz #hiking #tramping
#nz #hiking #tramping
Finished! 'Odyssey' by Stephen Fry. 💙📚 / 🇳🇿📚 / 🪐📚
5⭐
What could have been a standard retelling of the Odyssey is enlivened and fleshed out by Fry's inclusion of many stories of other Trojan War heroes' journeys home.
The full story of Orestes and Iphigenia in particular stood out.
5⭐
What could have been a standard retelling of the Odyssey is enlivened and fleshed out by Fry's inclusion of many stories of other Trojan War heroes' journeys home.
The full story of Orestes and Iphigenia in particular stood out.
December 18, 2024 at 8:20 AM
Finished! 'Odyssey' by Stephen Fry. 💙📚 / 🇳🇿📚 / 🪐📚
5⭐
What could have been a standard retelling of the Odyssey is enlivened and fleshed out by Fry's inclusion of many stories of other Trojan War heroes' journeys home.
The full story of Orestes and Iphigenia in particular stood out.
5⭐
What could have been a standard retelling of the Odyssey is enlivened and fleshed out by Fry's inclusion of many stories of other Trojan War heroes' journeys home.
The full story of Orestes and Iphigenia in particular stood out.
A lovely, easy trip to Ada Pass Hut on the St. James Walkway for a social overnighter back in October. Lewis Pass National Reserve (hard to believe it's not a National Park!) boasts tons of cool tramping and mountaineering trips. Below is Cannibal Gorge Hut, reached an hour before Ada Pass Hut. #nz
December 16, 2024 at 9:59 PM
A lovely, easy trip to Ada Pass Hut on the St. James Walkway for a social overnighter back in October. Lewis Pass National Reserve (hard to believe it's not a National Park!) boasts tons of cool tramping and mountaineering trips. Below is Cannibal Gorge Hut, reached an hour before Ada Pass Hut. #nz
A great design philosophy for New Zealand: "We said: ‘What does a walkable city look like? What do people like to experience as they are walking?’ Transport-wise, they started with a new metro line, then cycle routes. 'At the end, it was like: OK, so [...] is there still some room for cars?’”
The five-minute city: inside Denmark’s revolutionary neighbourhood
While ambitious urban planners try to make 15-minute cities a reality, the Nordhavn district of Copenhagen has gone one better. What’s life like when everything you need is just a stroll away?
www.theguardian.com
December 16, 2024 at 10:19 AM
A great design philosophy for New Zealand: "We said: ‘What does a walkable city look like? What do people like to experience as they are walking?’ Transport-wise, they started with a new metro line, then cycle routes. 'At the end, it was like: OK, so [...] is there still some room for cars?’”
Finished! 'The Mercy of Gods' by James S. A. Corey. 💙📚 / 🇳🇿📚 / 🪐📚
2⭐
A very disappointing follow-up to the enthralling nine-book The Expanse ('Leviathan Wakes') series.
A dreary book, in part due to how little happened and a lack of characterisation. The characters are just names on a page.
2⭐
A very disappointing follow-up to the enthralling nine-book The Expanse ('Leviathan Wakes') series.
A dreary book, in part due to how little happened and a lack of characterisation. The characters are just names on a page.
December 14, 2024 at 4:20 AM
Finished! 'The Mercy of Gods' by James S. A. Corey. 💙📚 / 🇳🇿📚 / 🪐📚
2⭐
A very disappointing follow-up to the enthralling nine-book The Expanse ('Leviathan Wakes') series.
A dreary book, in part due to how little happened and a lack of characterisation. The characters are just names on a page.
2⭐
A very disappointing follow-up to the enthralling nine-book The Expanse ('Leviathan Wakes') series.
A dreary book, in part due to how little happened and a lack of characterisation. The characters are just names on a page.
A great new video about how the newest attack against Toronto cycleways is a ploy to divert attention away from LRT project mismanagement.
The video cites research showing cycleways reduce fatalities for all road users and actually reduces traffic congestion.
The video cites research showing cycleways reduce fatalities for all road users and actually reduces traffic congestion.
The World's Dumbest Bike Lane Law Just Passed in Canada
YouTube video by Not Just Bikes
youtu.be
December 13, 2024 at 12:53 AM
A great new video about how the newest attack against Toronto cycleways is a ploy to divert attention away from LRT project mismanagement.
The video cites research showing cycleways reduce fatalities for all road users and actually reduces traffic congestion.
The video cites research showing cycleways reduce fatalities for all road users and actually reduces traffic congestion.
Finished! 'The House in the Cerulean Sea' by T.J. Klune. 💙📚
4.5⭐
A book about finding one's home and family (reminded me of 'Brooklyn' and Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series) and discovering what's most important. A book about breaking down prejudices and nurturing the potential in young people.
4.5⭐
A book about finding one's home and family (reminded me of 'Brooklyn' and Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series) and discovering what's most important. A book about breaking down prejudices and nurturing the potential in young people.
December 7, 2024 at 4:05 AM
Finished! 'The House in the Cerulean Sea' by T.J. Klune. 💙📚
4.5⭐
A book about finding one's home and family (reminded me of 'Brooklyn' and Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series) and discovering what's most important. A book about breaking down prejudices and nurturing the potential in young people.
4.5⭐
A book about finding one's home and family (reminded me of 'Brooklyn' and Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series) and discovering what's most important. A book about breaking down prejudices and nurturing the potential in young people.
A suitable jam for a day of protest in Aotearoa New Zealand
Yothu Yindi - Treaty
YouTube video by MaralitjaGapirri
youtu.be
November 19, 2024 at 4:09 AM
A suitable jam for a day of protest in Aotearoa New Zealand
Finished! 'Our Fragile Moment' by @michaelemann.bsky.social 💙📚
A near-perfect (4.5⭐) read for me. This book explains what the climate was like throughout Earth's geological history.
My one wish is for a slightly more detailed diagram of the names and timescales of the eras and systems/periods.
A near-perfect (4.5⭐) read for me. This book explains what the climate was like throughout Earth's geological history.
My one wish is for a slightly more detailed diagram of the names and timescales of the eras and systems/periods.
November 14, 2024 at 5:11 AM
Finished! 'Our Fragile Moment' by @michaelemann.bsky.social 💙📚
A near-perfect (4.5⭐) read for me. This book explains what the climate was like throughout Earth's geological history.
My one wish is for a slightly more detailed diagram of the names and timescales of the eras and systems/periods.
A near-perfect (4.5⭐) read for me. This book explains what the climate was like throughout Earth's geological history.
My one wish is for a slightly more detailed diagram of the names and timescales of the eras and systems/periods.