New Zealand Biographies

Surviving White Island - Surviving the unsurvivable. Healing from the unhealable. This is an inspiring memoir of physical and mental recovery, from someone who lived through the Whakaari White Island volcanic eruption. "I heard someone say, 'Wow!' And someone else exclaimed, 'Look at that!' I had my back to the crater. I turned around. The moment I saw it, I...

From Muldoon to Luxon, untold stories from the House of Parliament Barry Soper has spent close to five decades questioning New Zealand's prime ministers.From the imposing, larger-than-life characters of Rob Muldoon and David Lange, to the golden age of Helen Clark and John Key, and the post-Covid era of Jacinda Ardern and the 'Chrises', Soper's insight and nose for a...

From the front bench to rock bottom: Go Hard or Go Home is Kiri Allan's fearless memoir of ambition, disruption and survival in NZ politics and beyond. Kiri Allan's six-year political career spanned some of the most challenging times in recent history. Events a government might encounter once in a generation stacked up: a terrorist attack, a volcanic eruption, destructive and deadly...

What drives success? It started with wide-open roads and a barefoot Kiwi childhood, and has taken him to the top of New Zealand business. Grant Baker has done it all, driven by ambition, resilience, and a love of all things fast. In No Pit Stops, Grant recounts his highs and lows – from teenage exploits and early career lessons, to...

Novelist, memoirist and playwright Witi Ihimaera – author of Pounamu, Pounamu and The Whale Rider – decided, at the age of eighty, to dive back into the water and spend a year full-time at Te Wānanga Takiura, immersing himself in his own language, in te reo Māori. This book tells the story of this kaikaukau, this swimmer, and his year...

#1 New Zealand bestseller #1 Amazon bestseller #2 Audible bestseller #3 New York Times bestseller #3 Sunday Times bestseller #4 Australian bestseller From the former prime minister of New Zealand, then the world’s youngest female head of government and just the second to give birth in office, comes a deeply personal memoir chronicling her extraordinary rise and offering inspiration to...

An absorbing true crime account of years at the frontline of crime scene reconstruction - from cold-blooded killings and gang wars to cold cases revived by a single clue. A compelling account of Ruben Miller's years working as a forensic scientist, visiting crime scenes and gathering evidence. His detailed descriptions of what he sees are often heart-breaking. The behaviour of...

Master your winning mindset with lessons from the life and career of coaching legend Gilbert Enoka. In a career spanning almost three decades, visionary psychological coach Gilbert Enoka changed the way the All Blacks played their game. With a 77% winning record in test match rugby, the highest of any professional sports team, they are the only international team to...

What if we could redefine leadership? What if kindness came first? Jacinda Ardern grew up the daughter of a police officer in small-town New Zealand, but as the 40th Prime Minister of her country, she commanded global respect for her empathetic leadership that put people first. This is the remarkable story of how a Mormon girl plagued by self-doubt made...

Alone in the wilderness Northbound: Four Seasons of Solitude on Te Araroa is an inspiring memoir by award-winning journalist Naomi Arnold. She spends nearly nine months walking the length of New Zealand on Te Araroa, fulfilling a 20-year dream. On her own, she traverses mountains, rivers, cities, and plains from summer to spring, enduring days of thick mud, blazing sun,...

Bestselling author Nigel Latta's simple psychological toolkit for life's ups and downs. Over thirty years working as a clinical psychologist, Nigel Latta assembled a personal toolkit based on three simple principles. These principles helped him to be more resilient, joyful, and attuned to what matters most. The same principles have helped him through some difficult times as well, such as...

The Chief and the Empire uncovers the extraordinary true tale of Te Tai Tokerau rangatira Te Pahi - the first influential Māori leader to cross the Tasman - whose curiosity about the Pākehā world forged alliances, saved lives, and ultimately cost him his own. On a visit to Sydney in 1805, Te Pahi was feted as a celebrity, building close...

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...

Every Second Counts is a fascinating, fast-paced memoir by award-winning NZ journalist Charlotte Glennie, who survived life-changing injuries after a near-fatal accident. She went on to break new ground reporting across Asia during major world events, including military and political crackdowns and natural disasters. Set in New Zealand, Australia, Asia and Europe, this is the adrenaline-fuelled life of a journalist...

A Place to Stand by Clare Ward is a profound memoir that delves into the life of a country doctor living and working in the Hokianga Harbour area in the far north of Aotearoa New Zealand. This region is sparsely populated and poses numerous health challenges. This thoughtful account details Clare’s thirty-year career, highlighting the people she works with and...

For three and a half years, calamities hit Elizabeth Knox and family in rapid succession. Her sister suffered a psychotic break and was hospitalised against her will, her husband’s brother died by violence, and her mother was diagnosed with motor neurone disease.  In time, she was able to write about it. Night, Ma is a book about the net of...

One child. Two years in hiding. Three lives in mortal danger. In Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's house, another Jewish girl is hidden. Her name is Elli. Her father has been executed at Mauthausen concentration camp. Her mother is fleeing for her life. Elli is next. To save her, resistance couple Frits and Jo Hakkens must risk everything, concealing her...

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...

From the author of the bestselling books about the escalation of organised crime and gangs in New Zealand. The brutal execution of an innocent man. The undercover DEA agent who fooled the Hells Angels in a 400kg cocaine plot. The brutal execution of a not-so-innocent man. The never-ending quest to bring down New Zealand's most wanted gangsters. These stories read...

Everyone told Sinead that having a newborn was a bubble of bliss - and after a traumatic pregnancy, she was hoping they were right. Instead, a few weeks in, Sinead was admitted to the Mother & Baby unit at Starship with Vivie, in the grips of severe postnatal depression. An honest, gut-wrenching, irreverent and shockingly funny memoir about motherhood and...

The hilarious and heartfelt debut book from award-winning TV writer and comedian Pax Assadi A joyfully chaotic memoir about what we gain by embracing our shameful moments, from award-winning comedian and TV writer Pax Assadi.What do we lose by hiding our shame, and what do we gain by sharing it? From herding ducks across South Auckland to catastrophic culture shock...

An extraordinary story. Shaun Bythell, The Diary of a Bookseller Ruth Shaw weaves together stories of the characters who visit her bookshops, musings about favourite books, and bittersweet stories from her full and varied life. She's sailed through the Pacific for years, been held up by pirates, worked at Sydney's Kings Cross with drug addicts and prostitutes, campaigned on numerous...

In 1987 Sally Wenley was the driven, fun-loving and at times naughty sports prefect of her Hawke’s Bay school with everything to live for. When a bus crashed on a school trip, five people were killed and she became a paraplegic, her sporting dreams in tatters. Now an award-winning radio reporter, in this engaging, uplifting and at times hilarious memoir...

A love letter to dogs and the world they help us see more clearly. For almost a decade, Craig Turner-Bullock has wandered the globe with camera in hand and dogs in his heart, capturing the spirit of nearly 70 breeds within the landscapes that helped shape them and which, to this day, reflect their origins and histories. Ranging over continents,...

The story of a wanderer, long-distance tramper, and hut-bagging legend. Paul Kilgour was bitten by the tramping bug early. He began going on epic trips as a young boy, beyond the farm and along the coast. During these wanderings, he met old folk living simply in tiny huts out the back of farms and on clifftops, and swaggers walking in...

Wise, candid, brave and moving, this superbly written memoir by a New Zealand GP is reminiscent of the warm wisdom and humanity of the American physician and writer Atul Gawande. Over her long career, Dr Lucy O’Hagan has developed deep insights into the profound but often complex relationship between patients and doctors. Reading about her own struggle with what it...

The inside story of Ian Foster's All Blacks 'A stunningly honest and insightful account of what it takes to coach the All Blacks.' - Gregor Paul Appointed as head coach in 2019, Ian Foster led the All Blacks through one of the most tumultuous periods of the team's 120-year history. Leading Under Pressure is a fascinating look into the pressure...

Hone shows us how to harness the (thankfully common) power of our own resilience to work our way through a horrible loss. The New York Times A recommended new book for those who are grieving... [Hone's] metaphor for life after loss is both powerful and apt: Think of it as a scattered jigsaw puzzle, where the pieces of one's former...

Lucky You're Tough chronicles the early life of helicopter pilot and NZSAS soldier Mark Law, from growing up in the rural wilds of Whangamōmona through to surviving a series of life-threatening events that would shape his life and career. After a career as a badged soldier in the NZSAS that led to an intriguing stint with the British SAS and...

Hine Toa is an incredible memoir by a trailblazing voice in women's, queer, and Māori liberation movements. 'Remarkable. At once heartbreaking and triumphant' – Patricia Grace In the 1950s, a young Ngahuia is fostered by a family who believe in hard work and community. Although close to her kuia, she craves more: she wants higher education and refined living. But...

'One of the most remarkable women I have ever met.' - Chris Parsons, Commanding Officer New Zealand SAS, (2009-2011) 'The most remarkable story of a most courageous woman' - Hon Judith Collins 'This biography of a remarkable woman is an absolute cracker. What makes this book so readable and so accessible is the combination of Pippa's fantastic life story and...

Sometimes the only way to be right is to get comfortable with being wrong. Most startup advice is dangerously misguided. The mythology of the lone genius founder, the obsession with capital raising, and the theatre of startup ecosystems lead countless ventures astray. Drawing on two decades at the heart of New Zealand's most successful technology companies – Trade Me, Xero,...

'Miriam finds beauty in what lies beyond fear.' Ben Fogle, New Lives in the Wild Do something unexpected. Sooner, rather than later. Miriam Lancewood - adventurer, philosopher, brave and extraordinary yet humble human being - takes you into her world of expeditions through New Zealand, Bulgaria, the Himalayas, India, Turkey, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. She hitchhikes to remote locations, camps in...

In this illuminating and beautifully written book, Grant Robertson reflects on the major events in his life, from growing up in a loving but complex family, to his highly successful career as a Labour politician and becoming Finance Minister in the Ardern government during one of New Zealand history's most tumultuous times. A natural storyteller, Robertson writes memorably about his...

Mana. It's a big word. But what is it? Are you born with it, can you earn it, can it be taken away? For more than five decades, Tāme Iti has stood at the heart of Aotearoa's struggle for indigenous rights. From land marches to performance art, police raids to prison cells, his voice has challenged New Zealand to reckon...

Be Brave

Set amongst the breathtaking landscape of North Otago, A Year at Awakino Station encourages you to slow down, live alongside the land, and embrace the seasons. Join Jaz Mathisen, her partner Dan Devine, and their three young daughters as they farm Awakino Station—the third generation to do so. As the station cook, Jaz knows that a warm meal at the...

The cycles of trauma and abuse often perpetuate across generations, until someone finds the courage to break the chain. In She Is Not Your Rehab by Matt Brown, readers are taken on a transformative journey through the lives of men who have dared to say, "This stops with me." In the haven of Matt's barbershop, men find more than a...

A transformational new book about mindset, from rugby and league icon Brad Thorn.   Brad Thorn's career rewrote the rules of what an athlete can achieve.   From his country upbringing on the frosty fields of Otago in New Zealand to the baked turf of Queensland in Australia, Brad Thorn reveals the powerful lessons he learned in his relentless pursuit...

The previously untold story of Steven Adams' incredible rise to NBA stardom comes to life in Steven Adams: My Life, My Fight. This powerful memoir details Adams' journey from his humble beginnings in Rotorua, New Zealand, to his status as one of the NBA's most formidable players. It explores the personal and professional highs and lows that have shaped him...

Born into love but then thrust into violence, and shaped by struggle, Timoti Te Moke was never destined to be a leader. After an early start as a bright boy in the eastern Bay of Plenty, nurtured by his reo Māori-speaking grandparents, Timoti's life changed sharply when his mother took custody of him when he was six. He survived abuse,...

Discover the man behind the magic as rugby league sensation Shaun Johnson tells the story of his life on and off the field for the very first time in his own words. ‘For 14 years I was judged on 80 minutes of my life, once a week. That’s it . . . it’s how I judged myself. Eighty damn minutes...

Now, you said it was yesterday, yesterday’s another day Heading round in make believe, I don’t know if it’s you or If it’s me oh, I don’t know, I don’t know Tally ho, tally ho! In 1978 in Dunedin the Kilgour brothers, Hamish and David, and their schoolfriend Peter Gutteridge, got together to form a band called The Clean. When...

When the Taliban were at the height of their power in 2001, Abbas Nazari's parents were faced with a choice: stay and face persecution in their homeland, or seek security for their young children elsewhere. The family's desperate search for safety took them on a harrowing journey from the mountains of Afghanistan to a small fishing boat in the Indian...

The brilliantly funny, achingly nostalgic memoir of a life spent watching and writing, from the award-winning reviewer and bestselling author of Driving to Treblinka. Born to a Polish Holocaust survivor father and a 1950s Kiwi tradwife too busy to police her viewing, Diana Wichtel cut her teeth on the Golden Age of television. But in the 1960s, things fell apart....

The Bookseller at the End of the World described the first part of Ruth Shaw's tumultuous life, touching readers in powerful ways. It became an international bestseller, translated into eleven languages. Three Wee Bookshops at the End of the World picks up Ruth's story with more charming, heartbreaking, brave and funny tales. Having found the love of her life, Lance,...

The incredible story of how a couple of country kids from Huntly became much-loved Kiwi icons and TV stars, with their own unique brand of original country music and comedy that has captivated audiences in New Zealand and overseas for more than 40 years. Jools and Lynda Topp, aka The Topp Twins, tell this story in their own words, describing...

For countless women in faith communities, Sunday morning smiles can mask a different reality: drowning in endless service, overwhelmed by expectations and thinking their exhaustion is simply a spiritual problem requiring more prayer. We’re familiar with terms like gaslighting, people-pleasing and accommodating, but when these behaviours show up in our everyday lives – like in our church communities – they...

LONGING, LIES AND LOVE In 1892, young English settler William Thompson suddenly dies an agonising death. His Auckland neighbours know of scandalous goings-on between his wife, Alice, and his best friend - who is soon on trial for murder. Meanwhile, Alice has had a new baby, but who might the father be? Scorned by the judge as a woman 'lost...

A unique and inspiring deep dive into leadership, strength and resilience from one of sport's true masters - All Black legend Dan Carter. Ten timeless truths on leadership, purpose, and potential - from the unique culture of the All Blacks, and the mind of a living legend. You might think success at the highest level insulates you from pressure and...

The amazing true story of Dave "the Brown Buttabean" Letele and how he turned his life around. Dave Letele's incredible life has taken him from footy to failure, crime to community, fat to fit and riches to rags — and back again. Today, he is an award-winning community leader and life coach who, as the face of Buttabean Motivation, helps...

I stumble across a photo of me, aged ten. My immediate thought is: 'Who is that girl?' I remember her but I don't recognise myself in her. She was so determined. Once she knew what she wanted, she'd just head straight for it. From a childhood in rural Piopio, Jenny-May Coffin grew up to achieve international success as a Silver...

Sam the Trap Man by Sam Gibson is an extraordinary exploration of a life deeply rooted in the wild, told with a narrative that is both gripping and profoundly moving. This remarkable book follows Sam’s journey from his tumultuous teenage years, where the allure of the great outdoors became his sanctuary and eventual calling, to his trial of passage as...

Well-known journalist and presenter Mike McRoberts opens up about his experiences of reconnection to te ao Māori and learning te reo, and encourages others to do the same. For much of his life, Mike McRoberts felt burdened by not knowing his own language - te reo Māori. Growing up at a time when te reo was scarcely spoken in daily...

Mark of the Lion: the Story of Charles Upham VC & Bar is an engrossing biography that explores the life of Charles Upham, one of the most astonishing war heroes of New Zealand. Authored by Kenneth Sandford, this monumental work delves into the extraordinary narrative of a man who displayed unparalleled bravery and strategic genius during World War II. Charles...

“Do we really have to have Persian dried rose petals, Pete? I mean, on a scale of one to ten, how essential are they in the dish you’re cooking?” asks brother Paul with his patient face on. I go blank. How important are rose petals? Is this a trick question? What kind of bullshit supermarket is this anyway? There are...

A powerful memoir of redemption and the remarkable journey to find one’s purpose amidst adversity. Stan Walker, one of the most celebrated musicians to emerge from Australia and New Zealand, invites readers into his life story with Impossible, an unflinching memoir that is as captivating as it is inspiring. Growing up in a tumultuous environment where love and violence coexisted,...

The debut book from the authors behind the global media sensation Shit You Should Care About. Shit You Should Care About was launched as a WordPress blog by three best friends in the back of a political science lecture. Today, it's a global ecosystem of content - two podcasts, 3.5 million Instagram followers and a daily newsy. They are your...

What made Jacinda Ardern such an incredibly popular New Zealand prime minister? And why did her popularity then fall so dramatically? What happened during her leadership, and how did the unprecedented events of her tenure eventually lead to her resignation? This in-depth analysis of Jacinda Ardern's extraordinary leadership from award-winning journalist Michelle Duff examines these questions, and much more. Substantially...

A High Country Life by Philippa Cameron opens a window into the vibrant and challenging life on Otematata Station, a sprawling 40,000-hectare high country farm in Otago, New Zealand. Managed by Philippa and her husband Joe, a fifth-generation farmer, the station is home to 30,000 merino sheep and 500 head of cattle. Their days are diverse and dictated by the...

The if of death is certain. The when is unknown. It is the why that really gets people's interest... From a rare and deadly amniotic avalanche to a victim of roasted peanuts... The bestselling author of The Cause of Death and The Quick and the Dead returns with more stranger-than-fiction stories of death, disease, and murder - as well as...

It is a dangerous thing to be a teenage girl.I never kept a diary, except for one year of my life. The year I turned fourteen. The year my parents divorced. The year I had sex for the first time. The year I learned to use the microfiche. In this unique follow-up to her memoir You Probably Think This Song...

True stories of life and death from a New Zealand pathologist From the number-one bestselling author of The Cause of Death comes a book about the unlikely, extraordinary, obscure and often tragic ways humans meet their end.A dead body without a trace of trauma; alien parasites; worms of the brain; crocodile attacks and bizarre eating disorders ... In The Quick...

A gripping memoir by a former NZSAS commander on serving in Afghanistan over four deployments and operating at the edge of his limits. 'Frighteningly, devastatingly real.' - The Post In 2011, following the Taliban siege on Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel, an SAS soldier identified only as Serviceman J was awarded New Zealand's second highest military honour by showing outstanding gallantry in...

The much-anticipated memoir by media personality Alison Mau In my family, we never talked about the past... Since the age of twelve, Alison Mau wanted to be a journalist just like her dad. A beer-swilling, straight-talking man who was rough around the edges but could quote passages of Hamlet at will, he taught Ali everything from rabbit-hunting to throwing a...

The realest guide to money ... and how to have more of it. Forever wrestling with annoying debt? Clueless about where your pay cheques go? Want to get ahead? Journalist, podcaster and reformed money mess Frances Cook is here for you. Tales from a Financial Hot Mess is the story of how Frances got her money sh*t sorted. She learned...

A Life On Gorge River is a bestseller that chronicles the fascinating life of the most remote family in New Zealand. Robert Long and his family—wife Catherine and children Christan (17) and Robin (14)—live in complete isolation, in a hut two days' walk south of Haast in South Westland. Robert has lived there for nearly 30 years; Catherine for 20...

New and exclusive writing plus the very best of the past five years from the award-winning The Spinoff, New Zealand's hilarious, original, must-read media website. Five years ago, The Spinoff burst onto New Zealand's media scene with smart, screamingly funny and seriously relevant writing. Since then, it has enraged and inspired all the right people, respectably won Website of the...

A compassionate guide to navigating eating disorders, for those experiencing them and their loved ones, from someone who has been there. 'If you'd asked me at 10 what my plans were for the next few years, fighting an eating disorder would not have made the list.' Gen's early teenage years were the hardest of her life. Struggling with anorexia and...

The Road to Chatto Creek by Matt Chisholm takes readers on an extraordinary journey from the bustling metropolis of Auckland to the expansive, tranquil landscapes of rural Otago. With boundless enthusiasm and ambitious dreams, Matt, alongside his wife Ellen and their three children, embark on a significant life shift as they purchase land in Chatto Creek. Their ultimate goal: to...

Dogs of all shapes and sizes visit Ruth Shaw's three wee bookshops in Manapōuri in the far south of Aotearoa New Zealand. Local dogs, holiday house dogs, travelling dogs: many have great stories, be they funny, sad, strange, bemusing, quirky or sweet. Woven throughout are tales of the very special Hunza, the dog who worked with troubled teens alongside Ruth...

The Art of Winning by Dan Carter is an exceptional exploration of leadership, resilience, and success through the eyes of one of rugby's most revered figures. This book offers a profound and intimate look at Carter's career with the All Blacks, one of the most successful teams in sports history. Carter doesn't just recount his achievements on the field; he...

A redemptive story about second chances. Jaye Pukepuke committed 15 armed robberies before he was caught by police and sent to prison. He tells people that while he spent almost six years inside, he served 16, because it took him another decade simply to get his life back to the starting blocks. Prison also took away his lifelong dream: to...

The much anticipated follow-up to the bestseller that exposed the escalation of organised crime in New Zealand. Gangster's Paradise is about drugs, guns, gangs and money. Lots of money. A gang which took over a small rural town. A police officer shot and killed in a routine traffic stop. A port-worker who helped a gang whisk a shipping container off...

Tall tales and fishing lore from Kiwi fishing personality Cliff Barnes. As he looks back over his adventurous life, Cliff Barnes muses that he must have used up eight of his nine lives while fishing along the Northland coast but, on a recount, concedes he has used up the lot. Among his many scrapes with death was the time his...

It's not beautiful, not at all, when it's there in front of you, but writing transforms. Makereti stands at the foot of her mounga and pays careful attention to tohu. With her tupuna at her elbow, she casts around for home, meets taonga in museums, and writes her way towards her father. She walks through the darkness with others, in...

A fascinating memoir of a New Zealand underwater cameraman, published on the 50th anniversary of New Zealand’s first marine reserve, at Goat Island.In Whales, Snails and Lobster Tales, underwater cameraman and documentary maker Andrew Penniket draws on fifty years of diving adventures across the South Seas, from witnessing the majesty of life under the Antarctic ice to being defecated on...

A South Seas classic since 1966, this is the story of one New Zealander brave enough to do what we have all now and then dreamed of doing – live alone on a desert island. In his youth, Tom Neale was an ordinary seaman and for years a shopkeeper among the Cook Islands, but he was in his fifties when...

When we crashed over the line two and a half minutes later, there was a short, disbelieving silence and I could feel my knee trembling behind its sarcastic 'Disco' patch. A song I'd written had just been played to the finish, and what's more, it hadn't sounded weak, or delusional—it had, in fact, kicked. I backed down from the mic....

One afternoon, journalist Hazel Phillips decided to close her laptop and head for the hills. She then spent the next three years living in mountain huts and tramping alone for days at a time, all the while holding down a full-time job. As she ranged from Arthur's Pass and the Kaimanawa Forest Park to the Ruahine Range and Fiordland, she...