Most Popular Books by David Hill

The plane bucked sideways, flinging Darryl against the cabin wall. It plunged vertically, jolted so hard that his teeth clacked together, then started skidding downwards through the sky. The screams rose to a frenzy. Then Darryl felt the aircraft turning, swinging towards the right. They were heading towards Mururoa. And towards the nuclear bomb waiting there. The bomb due to explode in fifty-seven minutes. It''s 1974, and a dark, cold New Zealand winter. So when Darryl''s mum announces she is going to the remote Pacific island of Mangareva for work, and she''s taking him with her, he is thrilled. But even as Darryl soaks up the warmth and peaceful beauty of French Polynesia, his holiday is darkened by violent anti-nuclear protests. Plus there''s Alicia, with her furious outbursts against all Pacific nuclear tests. Darryl knows she''s talking rubbish. What he doesn''t know is that when he boards Flight 766 to fly home, his life and the lives of others will be changed forever. Also available as an eBook

A 2020 New York Times notable book | One of the Chicago Tribune''s best nonfiction books of 2020 "Complex, turbulent, as haunting as a pedal steel solo" —Jonathan Miles, The New York Times Book Review (Editors'' Choice) "One of 21 books we can''t wait to read in 2020" —Thrillist | A New York Times Book Review summer reading pick | A GQ best book of 2020 | Named one of the 10 best July books by The Washington Post and The Christian Science Monitor | A Kirkus Reviews hottest summer read | A Publishers Weekly summer reads staff pick The incredible true story of America''s original—and forgotten—capital of vice Back in the days before Vegas was big, when the Mob was at its peak and neon lights were but a glimmer on the horizon, a little Southern town styled itself as a premier destination for the American leisure class. Hot Springs, Arkansas was home to healing waters, Art Deco splendor, and America’s original national park—as well as horse racing, nearly a dozen illegal casinos, countless backrooms and brothels, and some of the country’s most bald-faced criminals. Gangsters, gamblers, and gamines: all once flocked to America’s forgotten capital of vice, a place where small-town hustlers and bigtime high-rollers could make their fortunes, and hide from the law. The Vapors is the extraordinary story of three individuals—spanning the golden decades of Hot Springs, from the 1930s through the 1960s—and the lavish casino whose spectacular rise and fall would bring them together before blowing them apart. Hazel Hill was still a young girl when legendary mobster Owney Madden rolled into town in his convertible, fresh off a crime spree in New York. He quickly established himself as the gentleman Godfather of Hot Springs, cutting barroom deals and buying stakes in the clubs at which Hazel made her living—and drank away her sorrows. Owney’s protégé was Dane Harris, the son of a Cherokee bootlegger who rose through the town’s ranks to become Boss Gambler. It was his idea to build The Vapors, a pleasure palace more spectacular than any the town had ever seen, and an establishment to rival anything on the Vegas Strip or Broadway in sophistication and supercharged glamour. In this riveting work of forgotten history, native Arkansan David Hill plots the trajectory of everything from organized crime to America’s fraught racial past, examining how a town synonymous with white gangsters supported a burgeoning black middle class. He reveals how the louche underbelly of the South was also home to veterans hospitals and baseball’s spring training grounds, giving rise to everyone from Babe Ruth to President Bill Clinton. Infused with the sights and sounds of America’s entertainment heyday—jazz orchestras and auctioneers, slot machines and suited comedians—The Vapors is an arresting glimpse into a bygone era of American vice.

WINNER OF THE JUNIOR FICTION AWARD AND CHILDREN''S CHOICE JUNIOR FICTION AWARD New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2013 WINNER OF THE LIANZA LIBRARIANS'' CHOICE AWARD 2013 STORYLINES NOTABLE BOOK AWARD 2013 IBBY HONOUR LIST 2014 ''...there are stories that need to be told over and over again, to introduce a new generation of readers to important ideas and to critical times in their country''s history...Hill''s descriptions of trench warfare are unforgettable.'' from the Judges'' Report of the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2013 ''...this is an important and highly readable book.'' NZ Listener My Dear Mother, Well, I''ve gone and done it. I''ve joined the Army! Don''t be angry at me, Mother dear. I know you were glad when I wasn''t chosen in the ballot. But some of my friends were, and since they will be fighting for King and Country, I want to do the same. It''s New Zealand, 1914, and the biggest war the world has known has just broken out in Europe. William eagerly enlists for the army but his younger brother, Edmund, is a conscientious objector and refuses to fight. While William trains to be a soldier, Edmund is arrested. Both brothers will end up on the bloody battlefields of France, but their journeys there are very different. And what they experience at the front line will challenge the beliefs that led them there. A compelling novel about the First World War for 9-12 year olds.

Girls, scientists, mystery and intrigue - and an exciting trip to NASA to save the world (well, almost). A fast-moving, easy-to-read novel for early teens.

While working in the woods to save money for a trip to Fiji, Garth and his friends get caught up in a sudden forest fire and must do anything they can to survive the spreading inferno.

Simon is a typical teenager – in every way except one. Simon likes girls, weekends and enjoys mucking about and playing practical jokes. But what s different is that Simon has muscular dystrophy – he is in a wheelchair and doesn t have long to live. See Ya, Simon is told by Simon''s best friend, Nathan. Funny, moving and devastatingly honest, it tells of their last year together. Winner of the Times Educational Supplement Nasen Award, the Silver Pen Award and the Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award for a Much-loved Book, See Ya, Simon has been published in the USA, UK, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, China, Japan and Slovenia.

In the future, society is run by an organisation known as Global. Cal and his friends become involved in uncovering a black market in body parts at the Global controlled Central Lab, putting all of them in great danger. Suggested level: intermediate, junior secondary.

The bells stopped, so suddenly that their sound quivered in the air. For the first time in an hour, the loudspeakers spoke, but this time the words were different. ''We are about to abandon ship. All passengers proceed immediately to the starboard side. We are about to abandon ship.'' Stuart and his twin sister Sandra are coming home to Wellington on the ferry. Stuart knows he''ll enjoy the trip - he''s a good sailor. But it''s April 1968 and the ship is the Wahine. As the tragic events unwind Stuart and Sandra must battle to stay alive. A vivid and compelling picture of the Wahine''s last hours.

Many good things are happening where Glyn and Api live. But the bad things are starting to build up - Glyn''s mother''s boyfriend, family pressures, and a stunning, scary discovery in the nearby sandhills which turns their world upside-down and almost ends a life.

When Slade comes to Green Harbour College, with its rich kids and richer parents, the first person he meets is Mallory Garner. How does Slade feel about Mallory? He wants to kick her. Slowly he changes his mind, especially when he discovers the terrible secret that haunts Mallory''s life. An unsettling, top speed, always accurate story from one of New Zealand''s most popular writers for young people. Shortlisted for the Senior Fiction Prize in the New Zealand Post Children''s Book Awards 2003. Winner of the LIANZA Russell Clark Award 2003.

Jotan lives on Bellatrix, a Star-Reacher that holds 80,000 people and takes nearly three days to walk across. He is on his first mission, an attempt to explore a Black Hole, but they are in grave danger of being sucked in.

It''s New Year''s Day in 1967 and Chris has made a resolution to stop his cousin Roger from bullying him. A bit of a problem as Roger is a champion wrestler and Chris is puny and bookish. But Chris finds there''s more to his cousin than meets the eye. Rural NZ setting. 12+.

Rose of Sharon had cried out to the man on the boat, tried to warn him the night he was shot for fishing where he wasn''t welcome. Then she retreated into silence--and guilt. Rose might have kept quiet if it hadn''t been for Lily, the outsider whose infidelities titillated Prince George County. Brassy, blonde Lily saw straight through Rose, the dutiful wife of an abusive man. Lily pushed her over the edge, exacting friendship where Rose had none to give, demanding that she break the code of silence that imprisoned them all. For both women knew that a man was killed in Prince George County for the color of his skin--and the time for change had come.

A PAGE-TURNING TRUE-LIFE THRILLER! This book provides a bird''s-eye view of an incredible journey. The supernatural and extraordinary events and the settings in which they are described may be scarcely believable. Nonetheless, there is a higher purpose for which this narrative remains loyal and unapologetically steadfast. I hope that you will find this remarkable yet true story compelling and inspirational. Parts of this story contain graphic content and are worthy of fair warning to sensitive readers.

When a crazy old man leaps out of the bushes at Conrad on his way to swimming training, he gets the fright of his life. And when he discovers the man’s granddaughter is that weird horse-riding girl from school, he decides to steer clear of them. But fate has other ideas … and he is drawn into a grim secret. What’s the old man’s connection to a death from long ago? And whose life is in danger now …

Mental Toughness in Youth Swimming: A Guide to Building Resilience and Confidence in the Pool By Dr. David Hill, PhD, CPT, CES Unlock the power of the mind to elevate performance and embrace challenges in swimming and beyond. Mental Toughness in Youth Swimming is a practical and inspiring guide for swimmers, coaches, and parents looking to develop the essential mental skills needed for success in the pool. Combining the latest psychological research with real-life stories from Olympic champions like Michael Phelps, Simone Manuel, and Missy Franklin, this book explores how to: Overcome setbacks and bounce back stronger. Build unshakable confidence through visualization and positive self-talk. Stay calm and focused under pressure with proven stress management techniques. Cultivate a growth mindset to turn challenges into opportunities for improvement. Written by Dr. David Hill, a seasoned swim coach and expert in sports leadership, this book offers actionable strategies for swimmers of all levels. It provides tools to integrate mental training into practice, guidance for coaches to foster team resilience, and tips for parents to support their swimmer’s mental and emotional growth. Whether preparing for competition or developing life skills, Mental Toughness in Youth Swimming equips readers with the mindset to achieve their goals and thrive under any circumstance. Perfect for swimmers, coaches, and parents who want to make mental toughness a competitive advantage.

Caught in a tunnel collapse, Liam and Imogen have to use all their wits to survive in this gripping novel for readers eight years and up. Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction 2023 When you stood deep inside the tunnel, you could hear the mountain groaning overhead. That''s what Liam Geary''s father had told him, anyway. It sounded stupid, till you stood inside a big tunnel; felt those billions of tonnes pressing in from above and the sides; heard water dripping from ceilings, or even trickling like something''s blood behind the concrete walls; sensed the blackness that lay beyond the TBM''s blazing lights as it ground its slow way through the stone ahead. Then you knew that a major tunnel like the Puketapu was a place of power, somehow; that darkness and danger lurked all around. When Liam dares his classmate Imogen to come on a forbidden tour of the railway tunnel being drilled through a nearby mountain, he hopes she’ll quit protesting about it damaging the environment — his dad is an engineer working on the tunnel, after all. Just as they reach the huge tunnelling machine everything goes horribly wrong. When the rocks stop falling and the dust settles, they are trapped, kilometres below ground, in the dark. Water is trickling in and beginning to rise. And nobody knows where they are. Can they stop arguing and start working together to escape before time runs out?

Ben is useless at sport but when he joins the writers'' group at school he finds he has some talent. Suggested level: primary, intermediate.

Leona Sayres, wife of a small Mississippi town preacher, has seethed in loneliness and rage since her husband, Averill, buried her newborn baby girl. The only way Leona knows to ease her pain is to murder her husband. Suddenly doing the unthinkable, Leona discovers Averill had secrets beyond her guessing, and cannot stop the chain of events that will unmask an astounding secret and change a town and its people forever.

How the MoD has broken the covenant with the military over the past 25 years; an informal agreement that is underpinned by a promise to provide ''adequate safeguards''.

There''s a bad smell in Matt and Arlo''s apartment building, but the boys can''t find the source of the problem. So they devise a plan to solve the mystery of the big stink.

Sent by his father on a five-day wilderness hike in the rugged New Zealand mountains, Rob and five other less-experienced teenagers must go it alone when their leader suddenly dies.

Using a combination of existing and original research, this new text provides a simple explanation for the low turnout in American elections: rather than creating an environment conducive to participation, the institutional arrangements that govern structure participation, representation, and actual governance in the United States create an environment that discourages widespread participation. To explore this argument, the author examines the origins and development of registration laws, single-member districts, such as the Electoral College, and the separation of powers and the impact these institutions have on turnout levels in American national elections. To this end, the text employs a narrative discussing the impact of institutions on turnout in the United States and across nations, supported with extensive yet accessible data analysis. Hill not only provides students with explanations for the low turnout characteristic of American elections, but also demonstrates the powerful impact of institutions on political life.

Corey loves Mount Taranaki. Locals call the mountain "the sleeper" because it hasn''t murmured for 250 years. But one day, high up on the mountain, Corey and his dad feel the first rumblings. Deep inside the great pyramid of lava rock and scoria, the unthinkable is beginning to happen. Suggested level: intermediate, junior secondary.

Steve doesn''t have much time to write a Valentine''s message for Lara. His stepbrother, Nat, suggests that he writes Lara a poem - but Steve discovers he''s an extremely bad poet! Suggested level: intermediate.

Created especially for kids who don''t like to read, the series includes science fiction, horror, fantasy, adventure, and ghost stories-a great introduction to genre study.

When Welton Intermediate School starts its own New Image rugby team, things don''t look promising; but Welton Wanderers have a few cunning plans. Suggested level: primary, intermediate.

A story for children in which Jake''s growing interest in the swamp, and what a new sports stadium might do to it, lead him to Calcott Intermediate''s Green Group, and the events leading up to a disaster at the swamp. The author has won many awards, and his stories for children and teenagers have been published internationally.

It''s all about basketball for Ethan, Hamish, Tye and Amber as they and their small-town team take on the city-slicker Banks Street team, fighting for the championship round.

Rattlesnakes poison their prey and swallow them whole. So why do some people want to get close to these dangerous creatures?