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Slowing the Sun
Hope is a shovel and will give you blisters
Overwhelmed by the complexity of climate change, Nadine Hura sets out to find a language that connects more deeply with the environmental crisis. But what begins as a journalistic quest to understand the science takes an abrupt and introspective turn following the death of her brother.
In the midst of grief, Hura works through science, pūrākau, poetry and back again. Seeking to understand climate change in relation to whenua and people, she asks: how should we respond to what has been lost? Her many-sided essays explore environmental degradation, social disconnection and Indigenous reclamation, insisting that any meaningful response must be grounded in Te Tiriti and anti-colonialism.
Slowing the Sun is a karanga to those who have passed on, as well as to the living, to hold on to ancestral knowledge for future generations.
'Nadine’s writing can make us feel seen, less alone, more hopeful, more enlightened. He kaiwhakairo i te kupu, he kaituhi ngā kokonga ngākau – a carver of words, a writer for all corners of the heart.'
— Stacey Morrison (Ngāi Tahu, Te Arawa, Pākehā)
Overwhelmed by the complexity of climate change, Nadine Hura sets out to find a language that connects more deeply with the environmental crisis. But what begins as a journalistic quest to understand the science takes an abrupt and introspective turn following the death of her brother.
In the midst of grief, Hura works through science, pūrākau, poetry and back again. Seeking to understand climate change in relation to whenua and people, she asks: how should we respond to what has been lost? Her many-sided essays explore environmental degradation, social disconnection and Indigenous reclamation, insisting that any meaningful response must be grounded in Te Tiriti and anti-colonialism.
Slowing the Sun is a karanga to those who have passed on, as well as to the living, to hold on to ancestral knowledge for future generations.
'Nadine’s writing can make us feel seen, less alone, more hopeful, more enlightened. He kaiwhakairo i te kupu, he kaituhi ngā kokonga ngākau – a carver of words, a writer for all corners of the heart.'
— Stacey Morrison (Ngāi Tahu, Te Arawa, Pākehā)
- GenresNonfictionEssays
240 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2025
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143 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 27, 2025
Absolute rock solid 5 stars. This book was recommended in a newsletter I started receiving this year. I was thrilled to be able to get it straightaway from the library, but actually Hura's book of essays should have had a queue of 168 people like other books I am waiting for - this is essential reading.
To a certain extent, Hura's exploration of climate change is the primary tie that binds this book. Hura covers so much in the essays: climate action and anti-colonialism, fast fashion, extractive capitalism, and more. It is not all doom though - Hura also talks about mātauranga Māori / Indigenous knowledge systems and how so many solutions are available here and now. Throughout the essays, Hura weaves in her personal story - her whakapapa, her (re)connection with te ao Māori, her grieving process - all beautifully written and shared. I finished this in three days and will buy a copy - too much wisdom here to not have at close hand for re-reading. He taonga tēnei pukapuka, he karere hirahira hoki.
To a certain extent, Hura's exploration of climate change is the primary tie that binds this book. Hura covers so much in the essays: climate action and anti-colonialism, fast fashion, extractive capitalism, and more. It is not all doom though - Hura also talks about mātauranga Māori / Indigenous knowledge systems and how so many solutions are available here and now. Throughout the essays, Hura weaves in her personal story - her whakapapa, her (re)connection with te ao Māori, her grieving process - all beautifully written and shared. I finished this in three days and will buy a copy - too much wisdom here to not have at close hand for re-reading. He taonga tēnei pukapuka, he karere hirahira hoki.
January 19, 2026
Maybe one of my favorite non fiction climate books ever. It would require a lot of explanation and translation for non-nz readers.
January 2, 2026
I was a little concerned this might be too weighty for my planned week of total indulgence and relaxation over New Year. However, while the subject matter is challenging and crucially important, Hura's storytelling and weaving personal narrative into hard-hitting political reflection makes this bith gripping and easy reading. This is essential reading for any Pakeha concerned about either decolonisation or climate change, as Hura deftly communicates how inextricably intertwined they are. While reading these essays in my own piece of regenerating native bush reassured me I was taking some productive action, the challenges of what genuine decolonisation and Treaty partnership might look like will take time to absorb. I will definitely be including one or more of these essays into my Year 12 Englishprogramme in 2026.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews