Tuai: A Traveller in Two Worlds by Alison Jones; Kuni Jenkins

$45.00 NZD

Category: NZ - Biography

In early 1817 Tuai, a young Ngare Raumati chief from the Bay of Islands, set off for England. He was one of a number of Maori who, after encountering European explorers, traders and missionaries in New Zealand, seized opportunities to travel beyond their familiar shores to Australia, England and Europe in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. They sought new knowledge, useful goods and technologies, and a mutually benefi cial relationship with the people they knew as Pakeha. On his epic journey Tuai would visit exotic foreign ports, mix with teeming crowds in the huge metropolis of London, and witness the marvels of industrialisation at the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire. With his lively travelling companion Titere, he would attend fashionable gatherings and sit for his portrait. He shared his deep understanding of Maori language and culture. And his missionary friends did their best to convert him to Christianity. But on returning to his Maori world in 1819, Tuai found there were difficult choices to be made. His plan to integrate new European knowledge and relationships into his Ngare Raumati community was to be challenged by the rapidly shifting politics of the Bay of Islands. With sympathy and insight, Alison Jones and Kuni Kaa Jenkins uncover the remarkable story of one of the first Maori travellers to Europe. ...Show more

The Note Through the Wire by Doug Gold

$37.00 NZD

Category: NZ - Biography

An extraordinary true story of a love that emerged, against all odds, from the brutal war in Nazi-occupied Europe.

Nathan Fa'avae: Adventurer at Heart by Nathan Fa'Avae

$42.00 NZD

Category: Sport

It takes a Tour de France cyclist about 90 hours of cycling, spread over three weeks with rest days, to win the race. To win an adventure race can take up to 160 hours of non-stop racing over six days, with virtually no sleep or rest. To excel at this sport requires an elite level of skill in mountain r unning, cycling, biking, kayaking, rafting and navigation but, above all, an almost superhuman capacity to endure suffering and pain. In this book, world champion adventure racer Nathan Fa'avae, considered by many to be the best in the history of the sport, shares his life story, and provides a unique insight into this remarkable pursuit. Part-Samoan, Nathan was raised in Nelson, and it was as a wayward adolescent that he discovered outdoor adventure. Since then he has never looked back, and has been a full-time adventurer working as an outdoor educator, the owner of multiple adventure-based businesses, and a professional athlete. His career has taken him all over the world, and he has raced in the deserts of Africa, Mexico and the Emirates, the plains of Tibet and China, and the peaks and valleys of Nepal, Ecuador, Brazil, Patagonia, Russia, the European Alps, and New Zealand. Nathan Fa'ave: Adventurer at heart is a story of courage and perseverance, and of overcoming tremendous challenges. Nathan's career as an adventure racer has been made even harder by atrial fibrillation, a heart condition which has threatened many times to stop his sporting endeavours. Nathan Fa'avae is a remarkable New Zealander, and this book is a moving and inspiring account of what it takes to become a world champion. ...Show more

A Way Home by Jillian Sullivan

$39.99 NZD

Category: NZ - Biography

When life as she knew it ended, with her marriage over and her last child off into the world, writer Jillian Sullivan set out to fulfil a long-held dream of building a strawbale house. She settled in a small community in Central Otago, and A Way Home tells the story of how she eventually managed to buil d her new home. With her son-in-law Sam as her builder and mentor, and she as the apprentice, Jillian describes the process of having to learn how to use tools, how to be strong and to be safe and, more importantly that there is no such thing as can¿t. The house that arises through this memoir is a physical testament to the rebuilding of a life, of finding your place in a community, and of the unexpected joyousness in joining with others on a building project. People come from all over New Zealand to help ¿ from Nelson, Auckland, Queenstown, from next door and from the next valleys. There are poets and artists, a magician and finance analyst, grandmothers and grandchildren, old friends, new friends and strangers. Each person brings their unique skills and gifts and leaves with new ones. The house absorbs their creativity and kindnesses. A Way Home reflects on our need for home, for community, and for finding a way to live sustainably in this rapidly changing world. The story evokes life in a harsh climate in a small village, the struggle to overcome lack of skills and strength, and to move past loneliness and loss to find a place to call home. This is an affecting story, quietly inspirational and beautifully told by a deft and skilled writer. ...Show more

The Wind at My Back by Josh Komen

$30.00 NZD

Category: NZ - Biography

`I was a lost little boy, trapped in a world where I didn't belong, one that would tear me apart and build me back into someone new . . .' Twenty-three-year-old Josh Komen is on track to represent New Zealand in running at the next Commonwealth Games when he is diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. In a single moment, the course of his life has changed irrevocably. What follows are years of excrutiating pain, brutal treatments both in New Zealand and Australia, and shocking side-effects that send a young man to the brink of despair and back innumerable times. Ultimately, it is the enduring love of his close-knit family and friends, the incredible medical professionals who treat him, his spiritual beliefs, and his passion for nature that carry Josh through the hardest of challenges. The life lessons Josh gathers along the way are an inspiration for us all. This is an incredible story of courage, love and endurance. ...Show more

Stephen Donald - Beaver by Scotty Stevenson

$40.00 NZD

Category: NZ - Biography

Stephen Donald etched himself into All Blacks folklore with that 'kick' in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final at Eden Park. Donald, one of the country's most popular All Blacks, had not originally been wanted for the World Cup squad. He was whitebaiting in the Waikato and effectively off the rugby grid when the SOS went out for his services. The rest, as they say, is history. That one penalty goal in the final has ensured him a special place in All Blacks history. Now, Donald is combining with the hugely talented rugby writer and commentator Scotty 'Sumo' Stevenson in a book which will cover not only Donald's sporting career and his part in the All Blacks' historic Cup win, but also poke the borax at both himself and his team mates. Stevenson's unique brand of humour - he collaborated with Cory Jane on the screaming funny Cory Jane: Winging It - will ensure Beaver's book will be one to be both remembered and most feared (especially if you're a high profile teammate!) ...Show more

Alone in the Tasman: Tony Allan's True Story of Survival at Sea by Les Hill

$38.00 NZD

Category: NZ - Biography

The longest-known survival on the Tasman Sea in a life raft. After competing in the Solo Tasman Yacht Challenge 1974, Christchurch man Tony Allan was sailing back to New Zealand from Mooloolaba when his boat, Rebel II, capsized two days into the journey, leaving him adrift in his life raft for 20 days. Alone in the Tasman, as told to Les Hill, is an inspiring story of survival as Tony battled through nightmares, hearing voices, loneliness, and absolute vulnerability. Tony's is the longest-known survival on the Tasman Sea in a life raft. ...Show more

All Blacks Don't Cry: A Story of Hope by John Kirwan

$45.00 NZD

Category: NZ - Biography | Reading Level: Very Good

At my worst moments, I lost all sense of hope for the future. As I began to slowly get better, I began to be able to say to myself, 'This will pass, you'll get through this. Hang on to hope.' John Kirwan was one of the most devastating wingers New Zealand, and world, rugby had ever seen. A prominent and revered figure at the dawn of the professional age of rugby, he seemed to live a charmed life. Nobody knew, though, that behind closed doors 'JK' was living a life of tormented fear. Afflicted with depression for many years – including those as a high-profile sportsman – Kirwan was able to survive by reaching out, seeking help from those closest to him. All Blacks Don't Cry is John Kirwan's story of hope, of working through the pain and living a full life – a poignant, inspirational and helpful example for anybody battling depression. 'I've been to hell and I'm back. If you're in that same place, then I understand what you're going through.' First published November 2010. ...Show more

A Rebel in Exile Shane 'Kiwi' Martin by Shane Martin

$35.00 NZD

Category: NZ - Biography

In this revealing book Shane 'Kiwi' Martin details his tough childhood and upbringing in small town New Zealand, his decision to 'cross the ditch' and how he eventually joined one of Australia's notorious bikie gangs, the Rebels. He also tells the story of how he came to live, work, marry and raise chil dren in Australia before being controversially thrown out of the country by the Australian government.    In early 2017 Shane was deported from Australia and told never to return; a decision he has been fighting ever since. Shane is married to an Australian and his children were born in Australia (one of them, notably, is AFL superstar Dustin Martin) and Shane has lived and worked in Australia since he was 20 years old. Co-writer and previous author of bestselling books on bikie gangs, Jarrod Gilbert helps Shane tell his story - taking us into Shane's private life and behind the scenes of his time with the Rebels, and exploring his battle with the Australian government and its brutal tactics to expel New Zealanders, breaking up families. This is a fascinating story that will appeal broadly giving insights into Shane's fight to return to Australia, his tough childhood and his love for his family.   ...Show more

Keepers of History - New Zealand Centenarians Tell Their Stories by Renée Hollis

$40.00 NZD

Category: NZ - Biography

In 2017, Renee Hollis interviewed 120 people over the age of 100, living in every region of New Zealand. Along the way, she had the privilege of interviewing 23 World War II veterans. Her goal in compiling the book was to preserve New Zealand history by sharing the stories and memories of our eldest cit izens. She wants all people to value the elderly and to read and appreciate their stories and contribution to our society. Most importantly, she wants to ensure that that they are not forgotten and do not become invisible in our communities, but instead are honoured and celebrated. In this collection of interviews, we meet opera singers and farmers, a politician and a racing car driver, a nun and a freedom fighter with Gandhi, and even a member of Hip Operation - the oldest hip-hop group in the world! They have witnessed momentous global events and technological innovations that have changed our world. From the everyday to the extraordinary, these are the stories of people who have lived through history and whose message of resilience and making the best of things has so much to offer the generations that have followed them. ...Show more

The Audrey Story by John Ewan

$35.00 NZD

Category: NZ - Biography

Finding the Mountains: An Older Woman's Guide to Skiing by Peeta Wellsford

$19.00 NZD

Category: NZ - Biography