Latest News
TV Show Review on: Carrie
Liam's Review Carrie 26’Carrie has been on my radar for a while now, probably my...
The Struggle of Working Somewhere That Sells Beautiful Books
The problem is…I work in the cutest little (I said what I said) bookshop and...
New Releases to add to your TBR this week (12th October)
There's new dark romance from one of our favourites, the brand new US edition of...
Recent Releases I Would Add to My Classroom Library
Lizzy is rounding up a bunch of the recent children's releases that she thinks would...
Anthony Byrt visits Book Hero
We were lucky enough to hear from author Anthony Byrt as he was going to...
See moreThe filmmaker of the surfing documentary Five Summer Stories and pioneer of the IMAX format tells stories from his adventurous life and groundbreaking career in Hollywood and beyond.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
The filmmaker of the surfing documentary Five Summer Stories and pioneer of the IMAX format tells stories from his adventurous life and groundbreaking career in Hollywood and beyond.
Greg MacGillivray is a man with stories. Stories of being a surfer kid in California, making his first movie at the age of 13, and his early days as a filmmaker, creating iconic surfing documentaries such as the cult classic Five Summer Stories with his partner in crime, Jim Freeman. Stories from his years in Hollywood, working with legends such as Stanley Kubrick (on The Shining), and pioneering the 70mm IMAX film format, creating some of the most spectacular, groundbreaking cinematography celebrating the natural world.
There are stories of almost dying in New Guinea, flying into the eyes of hurricanes, the perils of filming in the USSR, and how filming Mount Everest changed his life. Greg MacGillivray has led a life like no other, and for the first time, he’s telling his story.
In this fascinating memoir, Greg chronicles his personal journey as an artist, a self-made filmmaker, a father, and an entrepreneur at the head of the most successful documentary production company in history. It is also a story about MacGillivray’s deep commitment to family, ocean conservation, and raising awareness about the importance of protecting our natural heritage for generations to come. Contributions by legendary surfers Gerry Lopez and Bill Hamilton, and filmmakers such as Stephen Judson and Brad Ohlund, plus 40 QR codes to extraordinary film clips, add even more depth and perspective to this amazing journey.
Greg’s compelling stories of adventure, surfing, love, loss, inspiration, conservation, and filmmaking give you a front seat to an extraordinary life — and, just like his IMAX movies, make you feel as if you are there.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS: Includes 40 QR codes linked to rare, incredible videos that bring Greg MacGillvray’s stories to life.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES SECRETS: Learn the history of the IMAX film format and how filmmakers achieve an immersive and awe-inspiring visual experience.
FROM SURFER TO MOVIE LEGEND: Follow the journey of a man who went from a teenage surfer to the most successful documentary filmmaker in history, with hundreds of amazing escapades and achievements in between.
Series: MandalaEarth
View all-
You Are the Universe
You Are the Universe is an impactful guidebook, chronicling the unconventional journey and self-discovery of Ram Dass, one of the world’s most beloved spiritual teachers. Sourced from five decades of recordings, Ram Dass shares his life story and transformative teachings in his own words with honesty and humour. He offers teens and adults of all ages life-altering inspiration for understanding...Paperback$6100Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Our Future Below
A 360-degree look at the revolutionary research missions of the OceanXplorer vessel—piloted by leading scientists and storytellers and propelled by cutting-edge technology—to bring marine science to bold new frontiers. Journey aboard the most advanced research vessel in marine science—the OceanXplorer. With captivating behind-the-scenes photography and first-hand narratives from OceanX’s elite team, Our Future Below brings readers to the forefront of...Hardback$9500Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Five Hundred Summer Stories
The filmmaker of the surfing documentary Five Summer Stories and pioneer of the IMAX format tells stories from his adventurous life and groundbreaking career in Hollywood and beyond. Greg MacGillivray is a man with stories. Stories of being a surfer kid in California, making his first movie at the age of 13, and his early days as a filmmaker, creating...HardbackSold Out
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781647227364
Publisher: Insight Editions
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 04 October 2022
Country: United States
Imprint: Insight Editions
Illustration: Colour
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 241.0mm
Height: 305.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 304
About the Author
Greg MacGillivray is one of the most prolific and successful documentary filmmakers of all time. He started making movies when he was just 13 and would later revolutionize surf films with his classic documentary Five Summer Stories, produced with Jim Freeman. After a period working in Hollywood with legendary directors such as Stanley Kubrick (on The Shining) and John Milius (on Big Wednesday), Greg became a pioneer of the 70mm IMAX® format and creator of some of the most iconic cinematography ever captured for giant screen films. He has shot more 70mm film than anyone in cinema history and his company, MacGillivray Freeman Films, is the first documentary production company to reach the $1 billion benchmark in worldwide ticket sales. Greg has been nominated for two Academy Awards® for Best Documentary Short Subject and has 3 films in the IMAX Hall of Fame, including Everest, the highest-grossing giant screen documentary of all time. Greg is also a passionate conservationist of the world’s oceans.
More from Biography & Memoir
View all-
New ReleaseOne Helluva Ride
"This book is about where I came from, what I fought against, and what I chose formyself. Fame can blur the truth; this is my attempt to bring it back into focus." A legendary actor and Hollywood Icon whose five-decade career spans film, television,and producing, Michael Douglas has won two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, fiveGolden Globes, a Primetime Emmy,...Paperback$3200Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseSwan Song
Beautiful. Beloved. Hunted. The extraordinary life and death of Diana, as told by her brother, Charles – available to pre-order now. ‘When asked, ‘What was it like, growing up with Diana?’, my first thought is always, But I don’t know what it was like not to grow up with her…’ In September 1997, Charles Spencer stood in Westminster Abbey before...Hardback$5499Elsewhere:$6500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseFictional Selves
From the beloved actor and star of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and Sex and the City comes a candid and deeply personal memoir. In this highly anticipated memoir, the beloved actor and star of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Sex and the City and more shares his utterly original account of his offbeat journey in Hollywood, his battles with fear and...Hardback$4799Elsewhere:$6000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseThe Steps
The long-awaited memoir from a true Hollywood icon. We know Sylvester Stallone as one of the most revered actors, writers, and directors of all time, yet his life story is every bit as dramatic, intense, and inspiring as his greatest creations on screen. Bringing together a no-holds-barred account of a fascinating life with messages of hope, positivity, and resilience, in...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Home Again
Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoir Home Again.This is more than a rock story. Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it. From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Dogs, Boys and Other Things I've Cried About
From the social media superstar behind @SimonSits, Isabel Klee--known for her heartwarming tales of dog rescue--comes an utterly winning memoir about a twentysomething woman's search for true love in New York City and the dogs who helped her find it. A Jersey girl by birth, Isabel Klee had always wanted to live in New York City. At age 20, she...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Famesick
Chronicling the tumultuous decade between the premiere of Girls to her 2021 shotgun wedding (minus the baby, because she has no uterus), Lena Dunham takes us through her journey with her trademark mix of humor, unsparing honesty, and keen eye for detail. We peek behind the scenes - of her work, her family, her relationships, and her battle to reclaim her body...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$3500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
This Angry Pen of Mine
This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...Hardback$7299Elsewhere:$8999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Signed Copy
Stakes
Read our interview with author Noelle McCarthy! A darkly funny, sparkling follow-up to the author’s bestselling memoir Grand. You have to invite him in. You have to want the vampire’s badness in the house with you. Growing up in Catholic Ireland, Noelle McCarthy is captivated by Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The vampire is a risk-free fantasy, a suave alternative to the fraught realities...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Built for This
Raised among strong women, butcher's benches, and hard ideas about what men are meant to be, Brad Poulter grows up knowing he's different long before he has the words for it. But in late '90s small-town New Zealand, 'different' isn't discussed, it's managed. Joining the Royal New Zealand Navy offers escape, certainty, and belonging. The rules are clear, the uniform...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Even the Good Girls Will Cry
Thanks to a thrown beer bottle and a fan letter to a P.O. box, Melissa Auf der Maur's first band scored an opening slot for the Smashing Pumpkins in her bohemian home town, Montreal. Sensing Melissa's talent, Billy Corgan recommended her to Courtney Love. Whisked from her local scene, Melissa joined Hole just after the deaths of Kurt Cobain and...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
An Ocean and a Day
An utterly riveting, moving and poignant memoir of grief and loss that will speak to anyone who's ever lost someone they love. An Ocean and a Day is Hannah Richell's personal account of losing her husband, Matt, in a surfing accident on Tamarama beach in 2014. It is the story of the grief journey she travelled over the first two...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
Biography & Memoir lists from the team
Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!
-
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listBiography & Memoir
Memorable Memoirs of Kiwi Women
Looking for an amazing local memoir of one of the many amazing women here in Aotearoa? Here's a great list, featuring some...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![Lucky You're Tough]()
Lizzy's listBiography & Memoir
Memorable Memoirs of Kiwi Men
Looking for an amazing local memoir of one of the many amazing men here in Aotearoa? Here's a great list, featuring some...View the list
