For your summer reading, next Book Club meeting or Christmas gifting. We've got you sorted!
Check out a few of the recently released, best selling books by Aotearoa's top speakers.
Dave Letele – No Excuses
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. Be inspired and enthralled with his amazing journey.
Jazz Thornton – Letters To You
Mental health advocate, Jazz Thornton, designed this book to be used again and again as a tool when you encounter difficult emotions and experiences, to help you feel less alone. Based on something that helped Jazz Thornton on her own journey towards mental health. The perfect read to help you to help yourself, or help others facing life’s challenges.
Brad Smeele – Owning It
Brad Smeele's thrill-seeking, fast-paced life as a professional wakeboarder came to an abrupt halt seven years ago when an accident caused him to become a quadriplegic. For someone whose whole life was built around his physical prowess, this was completely and utterly devastating. In this book he shares his epic story for acceptance and the lessons he has learned through an unexpected teacher. He brings the same focus and determination he brought to his wakeboarding career to inspiring others.
Abbas Nazari – After The Tampa
A powerful and inspiring story for our times. 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. Abbas shares his harrowing journey from the mountains of Afghanistan to a small fishing boat in the Indian Ocean, crammed with more than 400 other asylum seekers.
Rebekah Campbell – 138 Dates
At 34 and a half, Rebekah hadn’t been on a date in ten years after her first boyfriend was tragically killed in a car accident. Then on Christmas morning, she woke on a fold-out bed in the garage of my parent’s friend’s house and decided to change. She would find love, whatever it took. And set herself a goal: one date every week for an entire year. A true story packed with tragedy, humour, mistakes, friendship, lots of lessons learnt and ultimately a very happy ending.
Ruby Tui – Straight Up
Ruby learned to rely on herself and her own strengths as a child, growing up without role models, in an atmosphere of misery and shame. Ruby found herself in some very difficult and dangerous situations and things could have turned out quite differently for her. Fortunately her strength of character and resilience meant that she survived. Not only survived, Ruby managed to make it to university. And it was there that she discovered her love of rugby. From there, her stellar career in rugby took off, firstly in the Black Ferns Sevens team and now playing fifteens for the Chiefs and the New Zealand team.
Joe Davis and David Downs – Silver Linings
It’s been a journey! Through the time of unprecedented national hardship, there emerged incredible stories of hope and optimism. Businesses innovated and found new ways to create value, communities came together in new ways online, and families reconnected through time spent together. Silver Linings shares their triumphant stories, and will help you to sit down and reflect on the last few years, read to tackle 2023
Julie Zarifeh – Grief on the Run
Julie Zarifeh shares her tragic story of the double whammy of her 27-year-old son Sam dying in a whitewater rafting accident just 16 days after her 60-year-old husband, Paul, died of pancreatic cancer. This is an inspirational and ultimately uplifting account of learning to live with grief, with Julie's experience as a Clinical Psychologist. A book to share with the friend in your life in need of extra support this holiday season.
Jess Stuart – Burnout to Brilliance
Learn how to achieve peak performance without burning out in the process. We live in a constant state of overwhelm and exhaustion whilst simultaneously striving for high performance. It’s not sustainable and it’s why burnout has become so prevalent. Burnout expert, Jess Stuart shares her insights to release your brilliance – just in time for the new year!
Dr Paul Wood – Mental Fitness
The bestselling author of How to Escape from Prison, prisoner-turned-psychologist Paul Wood shares his experience and expertise on developing the mental strength and fitness to take on all of life's challenges. Start your year refreshed with the tools to help you thrive!
