'The mountains have a habit of bringing out the best in people, despite the hardships that rain, hail and snow often throw in. In fact, it's only after a bit of adversity comes along that a person's true character comes to the fore. Those with a love for the hills take these things on the chin and just get on with enjoying it.'
Once described as 'Barry Crump meets Fred Dagg', 'Big Al' Lester is the modern-day master of the hunting genre.
Mad Men of the Mountains – Al's seventh collection of yarns – is another rollicking ride through New Zealand's wild outdoors, a countryside he so obviously loves. Armed with his rucksack, a rifle and a keen sense of humour, Al and his mates encounter all manner of beasts that got in the way and many a curly situation to test their mettle.
Plenty of off-the-wall adventure for the hunting mad and hard case!
Ready Fire Aim: The Mainfreight Story
- Random House NZ - $44.99
The lively, insider story of the rise and rise of New
Zealand's most successful logistics company
This is the story of a company built on the belief that with passion anything is
possible. As they say at Mainfreight, 'Go anywhere as long as it is
forward'.
Mainfreight was founded in 1977 by the visionary Bruce Plested, who set out to make the company a family, a team, where everyone has a share in the riches and where the word 'management' is banned.
The Mainfreight instruction manual is short: Feel the fear but do it anyway. This is a world where budgets are deemed ‘bullshit'. Why spend time preparing figures that are invariably out of date before the ink is dry? Just make more than last year. It's also a world based on generosity: Mainfreight is the backing force behind Books in Homes, and offers tertiary scholarships to the children of all its employees.
Did the rise to NZX sharemarket darling all go smoothly? Not for a minute. Initially there would be catastrophic ventures in Australia and America and finally a jaw-dropping moment in Europe when Don Braid and his team made their biggest purchase ever only to see most of the turnover and half the profit walk out the door.
This book takes you on a warts-and-all exploration of Mainfreight's journey from small transport company at the bottom of the world to truly successful global logistics company.
Mainfreight was founded in 1977 by the visionary Bruce Plested, who set out to make the company a family, a team, where everyone has a share in the riches and where the word 'management' is banned.
The Mainfreight instruction manual is short: Feel the fear but do it anyway. This is a world where budgets are deemed ‘bullshit'. Why spend time preparing figures that are invariably out of date before the ink is dry? Just make more than last year. It's also a world based on generosity: Mainfreight is the backing force behind Books in Homes, and offers tertiary scholarships to the children of all its employees.
Did the rise to NZX sharemarket darling all go smoothly? Not for a minute. Initially there would be catastrophic ventures in Australia and America and finally a jaw-dropping moment in Europe when Don Braid and his team made their biggest purchase ever only to see most of the turnover and half the profit walk out the door.
This book takes you on a warts-and-all exploration of Mainfreight's journey from small transport company at the bottom of the world to truly successful global logistics company.
Destiny: The Life and Times of a Self-Made ApostleAuthor: Peter Lineham - Penguin Books - $38.00
While Destiny Church began in 1998, it rose to notoriety in 2004 with its 'Enough is Enough' march against what it deemed society's declining moral standards. Destiny and its leader Brian Tamaki have since become a significant - if controversial - presence in New Zealand's religious, political and Maori worlds.
But what is Destiny? What does it stand for? Who are its followers?
Destiny, written by respected commentator Peter Lineham, is the first full and independent account of the church and its personnel. With unprecedented access to its inner workings, including interviews with Bishop Brian Tamaki and other pastors, Lineham reveals the truth about the man and the movement, addressing the public's questions and fears, and delivering a fascinating picture of the organisation on the eve of launching its 'City of God'.
But what is Destiny? What does it stand for? Who are its followers?
Destiny, written by respected commentator Peter Lineham, is the first full and independent account of the church and its personnel. With unprecedented access to its inner workings, including interviews with Bishop Brian Tamaki and other pastors, Lineham reveals the truth about the man and the movement, addressing the public's questions and fears, and delivering a fascinating picture of the organisation on the eve of launching its 'City of God'.
First Crossings
- Random House NZ $45.00
Based on the high-rating TV show, First Crossings,
this book follows modern-day New Zealand adventurers Kevin Biggar and Jamie
Fitzgerald as they recreate extreme journeys of pioneer New Zealand
explorers.
Kevin and Jamie don't just take the same routes, they also wear the same clothes, use the same equipment and try the same food. While fascinating, this approach also leads to the pair finding themselves in some terrifying, death-defying and very uncomfortable situations. It's certainly an eye-opener as to how tough our pioneer adventurers were.
The book adds a great more detail and background to each of the stories – both the historical backgrounds and also Kevin and Jamie's reactions to the stories and to their attempts at recreating them.
Of the ten stories, five are from the first series and five from the second. They include Whitcombe and Lauper's first crossing of the Southern Alps; Grave and Talbot's attempt to find a pass into Milford Sound; Fyfe and Graham's ascent of Mt de la Beche. As well as several 19th century stories, First Crossings includes 20th century explorations such as Edmund Hillary's solo ascent of Mt Tapuaenuku, and Kelly Tarlton's diving of the Elignamite wreck (i.e. treasure hunting).
Kevin and Jamie are no strangers to extreme conditions. They were the first Kiwis to walk the 1200km journey to the South Pole unaided (read about this in Kevin Biggar's Escape to the Pole) and they also set a new world record for rowing across the Atlantic in 2003 (see The Oarsome Adventures of a Fatboy Rower).
Kevin and Jamie don't just take the same routes, they also wear the same clothes, use the same equipment and try the same food. While fascinating, this approach also leads to the pair finding themselves in some terrifying, death-defying and very uncomfortable situations. It's certainly an eye-opener as to how tough our pioneer adventurers were.
The book adds a great more detail and background to each of the stories – both the historical backgrounds and also Kevin and Jamie's reactions to the stories and to their attempts at recreating them.
Of the ten stories, five are from the first series and five from the second. They include Whitcombe and Lauper's first crossing of the Southern Alps; Grave and Talbot's attempt to find a pass into Milford Sound; Fyfe and Graham's ascent of Mt de la Beche. As well as several 19th century stories, First Crossings includes 20th century explorations such as Edmund Hillary's solo ascent of Mt Tapuaenuku, and Kelly Tarlton's diving of the Elignamite wreck (i.e. treasure hunting).
Kevin and Jamie are no strangers to extreme conditions. They were the first Kiwis to walk the 1200km journey to the South Pole unaided (read about this in Kevin Biggar's Escape to the Pole) and they also set a new world record for rowing across the Atlantic in 2003 (see The Oarsome Adventures of a Fatboy Rower).
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