Kieran Read - Straight 8: The Autobiography
Kieran Read - Straight 8: The Autobiography

Author: Kieran Read

Publisher: Headline

Published: 2019-11-21

Total Pages: 270

ISBN-13: 1472268083

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SHORTLISTED FOR INTERNATIONAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR AT THE 2020 TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS. As Kieran Read calls time on his distinguished New Zealand career at the end of the Rugby World Cup, this is the open and honest life story of one of rugby's greatest players, a legendary All Black and a two-time World Cup winner. Kieran Read first played for the All Blacks as a 23-year-old in 2008 and since then has amassed more than a century of Test appearances in the famous jersey. Now, after a stellar provincial, club and international career - including back-to-back World Cup victories - the New Zealand captain writes openly and honestly about his time in the game. Read takes to these pages with his trademark determination, lifting the lid on the unique pressures of succeeding as captain the most celebrated All Black of all time (Richie McCaw). He outlines the decisions that molded his career and uncovers the skills of the coaches who shaped him, while offering readers an inside account of how the world's greatest team functions and thrives. Read unpacks the emotional toll of injury and the ignominy of defeat, neatly illustrating the intense experience of representing a rugby-obsessed nation while delivering a masterclass in how to manage the many demands on the mind and on the body. Forthright and frank, Read's well-respected views on the game and its future are a must-read for rugby fans, and his take on the myriad personalities and the peccadilloes of his team-mates, coaches and opponents will be sure to surprise and delight. From the playing fields of Papakura to the summit of the sport, Read has faced every challenge head on. His life story if no exception.

Centennials
Centennials

Author: Professor Alex Hill

Publisher: Random House

Published: 2023-06-15

Total Pages: 207

ISBN-13: 1529159172

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Start-ups rarely survive their second birthday. Even established firms in the UK and the US average a life of only fifteen years. So how can your company build and sustain success for decades to come? Professor Alex Hill has conducted thirteen years of groundbreaking research into a clutch of organisations that have outperformed their peers for over 100 years - from NASA to the New Zealand All Blacks, from Eton College and the Royal College of Art to the Royal Marines and the Royal Shakespeare Company. And what he has found is that these very different organisations all share remarkably similar strategies when it comes to building and maintaining excellence and success - strategies that frequently fly in the face of conventional business wisdom. Here Professor Hill shares the twelve traits that have set these organisations apart for over a century, from the way they analyse success and failure to their approach to finding the best people and the brightest new ideas. In so doing, he identifies the strategies and habits that you can employ in your company to create a strong and stable core and to ensure the same long-term prosperity. In short, he shows you how to build a promising enterprise into an enduring, great organisation. _____________________________________________ 'An instant classic.' Charles Handy, author of 'The Empty Raincoat' and 'The Second Curve' 'Every CEO should be given a copy with their morning coffee.' Robin Dunbar, Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Oxford 'If you want to learn what it takes to achieve truly sustainable success in an organisation, then this is a book for you.' Shaun Fitzgerald, OBE, Director of the Centre for Climate Repair at the University of Cambridge

All In
All In

Author: Jamie Heaslip

Publisher: Gill & Macmillan Ltd

Published: 2019-10-11

Total Pages: 340

ISBN-13: 0717185966

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For almost the duration of his professional career, during which he was a mainstay for Leinster and Ireland, the name Jamie Heaslip was synonymous with the No 8 jersey. An athletic and tireless presence at the base of the pack, outspoken both on and off the field, not to mention a captain for province and country, he was one of the leading lights of a generation that helped propel Irish rugby to previously uncharted heights. Written in partnership with Matt Cooper, All In is the story of Heaslip's thirteen years at rugby's frontline, as demanding and uncompromising a place as can be found in professional sport. From the euphoria and disappointment of life on the field to the major relationships that have helped shape the team – for better or worse – it's the most vivid portrait yet of life behind the scenes at Leinster and Ireland, and a compelling account of what it means to put your body on the line in pursuit of excellence.

The Real McCaw
The Real McCaw

Author: Richie McCaw

Publisher: Aurum

Published: 2012-11-08

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 1781310912

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Richie McCaw, Rugby World Cup winning captain and the New Zealand All Black's most capped player of all time, is unquestionably the greatest player of his generation. He is arguably the most talented player of all time. In his bestselling autobiography, McCaw talks with brutal honesty about the roots of his family life that defined his character and how it gave him the strength to emerge from the lowest moment in his career to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, and become the most successful captain world rugby has ever seen. As he prepares to become the first captain to successfully defend the World Cup, McCaw has set the standard of what a professional rugby player should be. Hugely popular and respected, his sheer presence means that he is a natural leader both on and off the pitch and his story is not just a brutal account of life on the front line, but an exhilarating portrait of modern rugby.

Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know

Author: Ranulph Fiennes

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Published: 2009-11-26

Total Pages: 501

ISBN-13: 1848944403

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Ranulph Fiennes has travelled to the most dangerous and inaccessible places on earth, almost died countless times, lost nearly half his fingers to frostbite, raised millions of pounds for charity and been awarded a polar medal and an OBE. He has been an elite soldier, an athlete, a mountaineer, an explorer, a bestselling author and nearly replaced Sean Connery as James Bond. In his autobiography he describes how he led expeditions all over the world and became the first person to travel to both poles on land. He tells of how he discovered the lost city of Ubar in Oman and attempted to walk solo and unsupported to the North Pole - the expedition that cost him several fingers, and very nearly his life. His most recent challenge was scaling the north face of the Eiger, one of the most awesome mountaineering challenges in the world. Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes OBE, 3rd Baronet, looks back on a life lived at the very limits of human endeavour. 'Even readers with a broadly low tolerance for macho heroism will find themselves gripped . . . compelling' - Time Out

Rory's Story
Rory's Story

Author: Rory O'Connor

Publisher: Gill & Macmillan Ltd

Published: 2020-10-02

Total Pages: 266

ISBN-13: 0717189961

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Nobody thought Rory O'Connor would make it – written off as 'thick' at school, he struggled to find a career he felt he could succeed in. When a hot tip led to a win on the horses it was the beginning of a dangerous spiral into a gambling addiction that gnawed away at his self-esteem even further. How did the man who thought he had nothing to live for go on to become a stand-up comedian selling out venues around Ireland and reaching 800,000 people through his social media platforms? This is Rory's Story. Told with his trademark humour, this straight-talking memoir is a book for anyone who wants to be inspired by an ordinary man's mental health journey.

Sonny Bill Williams
Sonny Bill Williams

Author: Sonny Bill Williams

Publisher:

Published: 2023-03-21

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780733648960

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In this powerful, open and honest memoir, sporting champion Sonny Bill Williams shares the triumphs and missteps of his extraordinary sporting life and reveals how faith and family have made him the man he is today. Unforgettable and inspiring. 'compelling and open-hearted' Donald McRae, Guardian 'Excellent' David Walsh, Sunday Times 'an athlete like no other...complex and interesting.' Weekend Australian 'full of hard truths that sporting teams, sportspeople and fans can learn from.' Sun-Herald Sonny Bill Williams (SBW) is a once in a hundred-year athlete with immense sporting talent in Rugby League, Rugby Union and Boxing. Sonny Bill has built an incredible career and sporting reputation across the globe. His athleticism has taken him from inner-city Auckland, where he grew up, to the highest sporting moments in Twickenham, Eden Park and Sydney's Olympic Stadium. But there is so much more to Sonny Bill Williams' life and journey than his on-field and in-the-ring triumphs. Sonny Bill's love of family, his faith, his skill and performance throughout his unparalleled sporting career, his ability to unite a team under pressure, his grace in owning his mistakes, the challenges of leaving home as a young man and dealing with a negative culture and the temptations that followed, and his courage in speaking out for the vulnerable and calling out injustice are all aspects of an inspiring life story. Sonny Bill Williams was the first Muslim to play for the All Blacks. Driven by a fierce moral compass, Sonny Bill thoughtfully and authentically uses his standing and platform as both a UNICEF Ambassador and an elite sportsperson to speak out on political issues that confront the world today and to benefit those struggling in life. He is a dedicated family man, devoted to his faith, committed to his teammates, respectful of his fans and aware that the path he has taken can inspire and empower others. He is especially focused on opening up opportunities for his Pasifika brothers and sisters and for people of colour. Writing with Alan Duff, award-winning author of Once Were Warriors, this is a must-read memoir for anyone who loves sport and an inspiring story of faith, family and the power of daring to dream.

Paralian
Paralian

Author: Liam Klenk

Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd

Published: 2017-02-06

Total Pages: 456

ISBN-13: 1788031768

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Paralian has won best debut book at the 2016 Rainbow Awards. It has also been named as “Recommended Read” by several book review platforms including Bookmuse, Bookbag, Reader’s Favorite, etc.

The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway
The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway

Author: Una McCormack

Publisher: National Geographic Books

Published: 2020-10-27

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 1789094798

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The captain who went further than any had before tells her lifestory for the first time in her own words; perfect for fans of the upcoming Star Trek: Prodigy Kathryn Janeway reveals her career in Starfleet, from her first command to her epic journey through the Delta Quadrant leading to her rise to the top as vice-admiral in Starfleet Command. Discover the story of the woman who travelled further than any human ever had before, stranded decades from home, encountering new worlds and species. Explore how she brought together Starfleet and the Maquis as part of her crew, forged new alliances with species across the galaxy and overcame one of Starfleet’s greatest threats – the Borg – on their own remote and hostile territory. Get Janeway’s personal take on key characters such as Seven of Nine, her trusted friend Tuvok, new arrivals like Neelix and her second-in-command, Chakotay.