Upstart Press: 20 books

This memoir begins with Phil Gifford’s personal story, followed by portraits of (mostly) sportspeople Phil had a genuinely close connection with, to the point where he can tell stories that go far beyond the public perception, many screamingly funny. The list, in no special order, is: Sir Peter...

Stephen Donald etched himself into All Blacks folklore with that 'kick' in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final at Eden Park, Auckland. Donald, one of the country's most popular All Blacks, had not originally been wanted for the World Cup squad. He was whitebaiting in the Waikato River and effectively off...

Not since the legendary Eric Rush departed the scene have the All Blacks had a jokester/prankster quite like World Cup-winning winger Cory ‘CJ’ Jane. A Commonwealth Games Sevens gold medallist and frontline All Black since 2008, Jane is one of the funniest men in New Zealand rugby. He was one of...

Brendon McCullum is known as an explosive wicketkeeper, then batsman, who went on to captain the New Zealand cricket team to glory. The holder of many records, "Baz" is known for speaking his mind. He talks about growing up loving sport more than anything, getting better and better at cricket...

The career of Robbie Deans is without parallel in the annals of New Zealand rugby. He was an All Black, the pin-up boy of the Canterbury team, and a rebel with the Cavaliers during a 12-year playing career. Even greater acclaim has followed as one of the best coaches of the modern era. After 17 years...

Designed to help the buyer to make informed choices about the best quality wines available, this title is firmly established as the most authoritative and sought-after guide to New Zealand wines. Updated yearly with new tasting notes and ratings, this is a ‘must-have’ publication for the new initiate...

Match-fixing is one of the biggest issues surrounding sport at this time. John Daniell, a former professional rugby player, has written the fascinating novel about Mark Stevens, a former All Black playing professional rugby in Paris. Moving toward the end of his career Mark is drawn, through his relationship...

Beginning with the return to Venice of an old and sick man determined to confront his past, and accompanied by his daughter who is escaping hers, The Antipodeans spans three generations of a New Zealand family and their interaction with three families of Northern Italy. From Venice to the South Island...

A psychological thriller that moves between New Zealand and Soviet dominated East Germany   In this river she is herself only. In this silken water, swimming through the deep, cold pockets and sun-warmed shallows, she is only skin. German immigrants Gerda and Ilse Klein live...

Based on the concept of an advent calendar, this unique book will keep children busy and excited about bedtime reading for a whole month before Christmas. Thirty separate stories – one for each day of the month before the Big Day – tell the “true” story of Santa’s life, from young boy to the...

Early Europeans may have believed the world was flat, but by the Middle Ages there was widespread acceptance that it was, in fact, a globe. What remained a mystery, however, was what lay on the “other side”. Some believed it was a source of riches, an ocean harbouring countries where gold and...

This book doesn't suggest a switch to silverbeet sandwiches, organic oat bran enemas, kale smoothies, or naked sweat lodge fasting. But read Your Nuts & Bolts and you will be able to look after your heart, discover ways to genuinely prolong your sex life, learn how to get the better of bowel cancer,...

Spanning the four seasons of a year, “Necessary Secrets” tells the story of Dennis (Den) Sparks and his three adult children. Starting with Den contemplating his mortality on the day of his 70th birthday, the year ahead is told from four different points of view. A searing picture of NZ society...

Liz Roberts is a Kiwi pioneer; the first person to undergo a full surgical sex change in New Zealand. This inspirational memoir tells the story of how, with the help of medical specialists working in previously uncharted territory, she changed her name, her sex and her legal status in the 1970s, freeing...