Biographies - Walk in Their Shoes: Biography suggestions

This book names some of the best Australian Rules players. Each is profiled in a dedicated chapter with career stats, photographs and key statistics. Selections include the pioneering Roy Cazaly, legendary figures Ron Barassi and Leigh Matthews, and modern-era greats such as Lance Franklin and Dustin Martin and the greatest players from Australia's indigenous game.

When Trent Cotchin was handed the reins of Richmond Football Club's team in 2013, he was a 22-year-old star, skilful and fearlessly hard at the ball. Coming off a Brownlow Medal-winning season, he embraced the captaincy and continued his quest to get the most out of himself for the benefit of the club. Yet by the end of 2016, Trent was suffering from serious self-doubt. The media and fans were circling, questioning the club's leadership and culture, demanding answers for their poor performance in finals. With nothing to lose and facing down his own fear of failure, Trent put himself on the line in a new way. He laid himself bare and asked his teammates to do the same. Vulnerability - a foreign word to tough footballers back then - gave the players an incredible connection that resulted in the 2017 premiership, breaking a 37-year drought. Trent went on to lead the team to two more flags in 2019 and 2020, cementing his place in Tiger history.

Lance Franklin has held AFL fans in awe since his early days in the game -- regardless of club allegiance. From his start, picked at no. 5 in the 2004 draft by the Hawthorn Hawks, to his 1000th goal and the 2022 Grand Final with the Sydney Swans, this book relives the triumphs of an AFL icon. Featuring sports photography and action shots throughout, this book tells Buddy’s story in his own words with contributions from his teammates, fellow AFL players and coaches.

In this biography of our national team, Matt Logue goes back to the beginning - to the DNA of the Boomers - to tell the story of today's success and to honour the people who fought against the odds to make it happen. It's a story of toil, emotion and national pride; a celebration of talent and international triumph; a salute to the pioneers.

LeBron is unquestionably the greatest basketball player of the 21st century. Off the court, LeBron's political activism, outspoken stance on racism and social injustice have helped build a social media presence that includes 117 million followers on Instagram and 51 million followers on Twitter. He is an international brand worth billions of dollars. He doesn't just have huge endorsement deals with some of the biggest corporations in the world; LeBron sits on boards of directors and has an equity stake in the companies he sponsors.

Grant Hill always had game. His choice of college was a subject of national interest, and his arrival at Duke University cemented the program's arrival at the top. In his freshman year, he led the team to its first NCAA championship, and three championship appearances in four years. Hill writes candidly about all of it, including the transactional impermanence of life in the league and the isolation caused by his growing fame. At his hardest moments, Hill sought out wisdom from others, stories of inspiration and overcoming obstacles. Now, with Game, he has returned the favour.

An All Black's memoir of rugby, dementia, and the hidden cost of success 'The best sports book I have read in decades' - Kevin Norquay, Stuff 'Startlingly honest' - Phil Gifford 'A brilliant read. Bold, brave and honest' - Mike Hosking, Newstalk ZB Carl Hayman, All Black #1000, once the most highly prized player in world rugby and a giant of the game in every sense - someone who was always respected, even feared. But at the end of seventeen years as a professional rugby player, the last eight played with the sole aim of setting up his family's future, Hayman's life began to unravel in nightmarish fashion. Head On is about the pressures on the modern athlete, where physical performance and commerce collide, and players become victims of their own success.

Danny Cipriani has always been searching for something. On the pitch, it was a line-break or space. A chink of light to dart through. An angle that no one else could see. Off the pitch, it was seeking a path through the pressure, fame and chaos that came with being anointed the 'Saviour of English Rugby'. Who Am I? is the raw and powerful memoir of a man of mercurial talent who, with the world at his feet, made his England rugby debut aged 20. A man who, just a year later, contemplated suicide. A man whose safe space was on the field, away from the drink, the women and the drugs he turned to in an attempt to escape his thoughts. Now, for the first time, one of the most compelling personalities in the sport reflects on who he was, where he's come from and the man he's become. Alongside his astute insight into playing under Martin Johnson, Stuart Lancaster and Eddie Jones, Danny also talks about chasing his dreams, his desire and passion to represent England, and his drive to become the best player he could be. This is the story of a once complicated man. A man searching for answers. A man trying to understand who he is.

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 Williams 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. Working with Alan Duff, award-winning author of Once Were Warriors, this will be the must-read autobiography of the year., ,

Stuart Broad is the ultimate competitor - someone addicted to the pressures of Test cricket, the big occasions and being thrust into the heat of battle. For over seventeen years, he's left it all on the field. A multiple Ashes winner and Wold Champion, Broad was integral to some of the greatest England teams of all time. His awards and achievements, however, don't tell the whole story. He has always been a cricketer of more than mere numbers. Broad's passionate and spontaneous behaviour has mad him a fan favourite. No other player feeds off the crowd quite like he does. In his autobiography, Broad shares the moments from the game which have made him and those that almost broke him. What's clear, however, is his unwavering belief in his own ability to become one of the best ever.

Unveiling cricket' s greatest entertainer!The first Australian cricketer to play 100 internationals across all three levels (Tests, ODIs and T20s), David Warner is a champion of his generation; fabulous but flawed. No Australian opener in history has surpassed his rapid-fire strike rate in excess of 70 runs per 100 balls. Only one other has surpassed his aggregate of 45 centuries across all levels. Feisty, flamboyant, verbose and villainous, few have been as entertaining or as polarizing as the great David Warner. The Bull is the first full-scale biography of one of Australian cricket' s champions of the generation. It features the yarns, the stats and all the fun of cricket' s greatest entertainer.Includes a David Warner' s Who' s Who with all the stats and records of his games, a detailed timeline of his career and things you may not have known about Warner including his suspensions, back-to-back rebounds during the Ashes contest with 500-plus runs in South Africa that led to an Australian victory, the 2022-23 season in India that led to former team member Mitchell Johnson calling for him to be dropped, and so much more.

The first book to focus on Australian international cricketer and Captain of the Australian Test team Pat Cummins. The book includes direct input from Cummins on the challenges presented by the Ashes series against England,his leadership priorities, the performances of his team-mates, and more. Features comprehensive summaries, statistics and averages from each of the five Tests of the 2021-22 Ashes series, with special attention to Cummins'own performances.

A riveting account of motorsport phenom Oscar Piastri' s first season in Formula 1, The Rookie charts his meteoric rise through the ranks to become McLaren' s chosen young gun and takes us behind the scenes in his mission to triumph in the do-or-die world of the Fastest Show on Earth.The meteoric rise of motorsports phenom Oscar Piastri has been the stuff of legends - so far. Three years and a record-breaking three straight titles across Formula Renault, Formula 3 and Formula 2 set up one of the most anticipated F1 rookie seasons ever when the 21-year-old Melburnian joined the famous McLaren team. Being wooed over from Alpine to replace a struggling Daniel Ricciardo and help turn the team' s fortunes around only added to the weight of expectation.The grid was set, the world' s cameras were rolling, rabid fans filled the stands, but could the rookie deliver? What version of Oscar Piastri would emerge from the crucible?The storylines that unfolded during the 2023 F1 season only added to Piastri' s growing legend. He not only proved he deserved his seat alongside Lando Norris in McLaren papaya, but also that he could go toe to toe with the best drivers on the planet.

A fully illustrated biography of Max Verstappen, from karting in the junior races at age 10 to his third time winning the world championship at the end of 2023. Max's journey to Formula 1 stardom was not a typical one. His parents are both motorsport talents. He was born in Belgium to mum Sophie Kumpen, a champion karter, while dad Jos Verstappen was Benetton team-mate to Michael Schumacher and survived perhaps the scariest F1 pitlane incident when his car caught fire during a refuelling stop. As well as being good team-mates, his dad and Michael Schumacher became great friends over the years. Max grew up going on family holidays with Schumacher and his son, fellow F1 star Mick. Max broke all the records for youngest driver after he made his official debut in 2015, including youngest ever driver to win an F1 race after he transferred from Red Bull's junior team Toro Rosso to Red Bull in 2016. However, his move was at the expense of Daniil Kvyat who was demoted to Toro Rosso in his place. Verstappen then started dating Kvyat's girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, and is now stepfather to Kvyat's son. Complicated to say the least! Max's career has barely spanned a decade and he's already gained the title of the most popular Formula One driver. With incredible skills on the track and a legion of travelling Dutch fans, he's a force to be reckoned with and the one to watch in racing.

wo-time Dakar Rally champion, seven-time Finke Desert Race winner, FIM World Rally Champion and one of Australia's most popular motorsports athletes shares his inspiring story of every bump in the road on his way from a small farm in the Australian bush to the top of the podium in the world's most gruelling endurance race. The Australian bush has conjured up some crazy legends, but the rise and rise of two-time Dakar champion Toby Price is surely one of its best. Who knew that the remote town of Roto (pop. 41) would be the launching pad of one of the greatest motorsports athletes the world has seen, fit to tackle and triumph over the planet's most gruelling endurance race? Toby Price has lived a truly remarkable life, filled with ups, downs and every bump in the road imaginable: a childhood racing prodigy from the tender age of 2 - there was hardly a paddock that could contain him. After tearing through the junior ranks, taking out titles in both dirt track and motocross, Toby was living the dream, turning pro at 16 and joining the formidable KTM Racing team. Soon he was turning heads internationally and tapped to take on the most forbidding enduro courses the sport could throw at him. But the clock and the elements weren't his only adversaries.

Deeply thoughtful, honest and riveting story of a high-achieving sportsman who became a quadriplegic. Brad Smeele's thrill-seeking, fast-paced life as a professional wakeboarder came to an abrupt halt when an accident caused him to become a quadriplegic. Wakeboarding is like waterskiing, but on a single board with aerial tricks added in. It's a freestyle sport for super athletic adrenalin junkies. Brad was at the height of his career, pushing the sport to new limits and perfecting tricks that no one else could achieve. He was also a sought-after model and relished his free-wheeling lifestyle. But in July 2014, while practising his latest trick, he landed badly. Catastrophically, in fact. He landed on his neck, completely crushing his spinal cord and becoming a quadriplegic immediately. For someone whose whole life was built around his physical prowess, this was completely and utterly devastating. Brad has had to work through a great deal, from being an incredibly physical person in all senses of the word to being someone with very limited use of his body. The struggle has been monumental, but he's come to a place of acceptance. In this book he shares his epic story 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.

Growing up on Chicago's Westside in the 90s, Arshay Cooper knows the harder side of life. Arshay keeps to himself, preferring to write poetry about the girl he has a crush on, and spends his school days in the Home Ec kitchen dreaming of becoming a chef. And then one day as he's walking out of school he notices boats lined up on the floor of the gymnasium, and a poster that reads "Join the Crew Team". Arshay, having no idea what the sport of crew is, decides to take a chance. This decision to join is one that will forever change his life, and those of his fellow teammates. As Arshay and his teammates begin to come together, learning not only how to row, many never having been in water before, the sport takes them from the mean streets of Chicago, to the hallowed halls of the Ivy League. But Arshay and his teammates face adversity at every turn, from racism, gang violence, and a sport that has never seen anyone like them before.

Storms, fatigue, equipment failure, intense hunger, and lack of water are just a few of the challenges that ocean rower Mick Dawson endured whilst attempting to complete one of the World's 'Last Great Firsts'. In this nail-biting true story of man versus nature, former Royal Marine commando Dawson, a Guinness World Record-holder for ocean-rowing and high-seas adventurer takes on the Atlantic and ultimately the North Pacific. It took Dawson three attempts and a back-breaking voyage of over six months to finally cross the mighty North Pacific for the first time. Dawson and his rowing partner Chris Martin spent 189 days, 10 hours and 55 minutes rowing around the clock, facing the destruction of their small boat and near-certain death every mile of the way, before finally reaching the iconic span of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.

Terry Crews spent decades cultivating his bodybuilder physique and bravado. On the outside, he seemed invincible: he escaped his abusive father, went pro in the NFL, and broke into the glamorous world of Hollywood. But his fixation with appearing outwardly tough eventually turned into an exhausting performance in which repressing his emotions let them get the better of him - threatening the most important relationships in his life. In Tough, he examines arenas of life where he desperately sought control and recounts the setbacks and victories he faced while uprooting his own toxic masculinity.

In Tupac Shakur, author and screenwriter Staci Robinson-who knew Tupac as a young man and who was entrusted by his mother, Afeni Shakur, to write his biography-peels back the myths and unpacks the complexities that have shadowed Tupac's existence. With exclusive access to his private notebooks, letters, unpublished lyrics and uncensored conversations with those who knew and loved him best, Robinson tells a powerful story of a life defined by politics and art, and a man driven by equal parts brilliance and impulsiveness.

It has been three decades since Nirvana upended the pop cultural landscape with Nevermind, the landmark album that became the soundtrack of Generation X, capturing its confusion, frustration, and passion. In 1993, Michael Azerrad published what stands as the definitive biography of this revolutionary band and its star-crossed leader Kurt Cobain. Written with the band's complete cooperation.

Senator Penny Wong is an extraordinary Australian politician. Resolute, self-possessed and a penetrating thinker on subjects from climate change to foreign affairs, she is admired by members of parliament and the public from across the political divide. In this first-ever biography of Penny Wong, journalist Margaret Simons traces her story: from her early life in Malaysia, to her student activism in Adelaide, to her time in the turbulent Rudd and Gillard governments, to her key role as a voice of reason in the polarising campaign to legalise same-sex marriage. What emerges is a picture of a leader for modern Australia, a cool-headed and cautious yet charismatic figure of piercing intelligence, with a family history linking back to Australia's colonial settlers and to the Asia-Pacific. Drawing on exclusive interviews with Penny Wong and her Labor colleagues, parliamentary opponents, and close friends and family, this is a scintillating insight into an Australian politician without precedence.

Born in the small city of Thal, Austria, in 1947, Arnold Schwarzenegger moved to Los Angeles at the age of twenty-one. Within ten years, he was a millionaire businessman. After twenty years, he was the world’s biggest movie star. In 2003, he was elected governor of California and a household name around the world. Chronicling his embodiment of the American Dream, Total Recall covers Schwarzenegger’s high-stakes journey to the United States, from creating the international bodybuilding industry out of the sands of Venice Beach, to breathing life into cinema’s most iconic characters, and becoming one of the leading political figures of our time. Proud of his accomplishments and honest about his regrets, Schwarzenegger spares nothing in sharing his amazing story.

ustin Trudeau's candid memoir reveals for the first time the experiences that have shaped him over the course of his life, showing how his passion for politics took root. From his childhood at the prime ministerial residence of 24 Sussex up to his role as leader of the Liberal party, the book captures the formative moments of his upbringing, including the influence of his father, Pierre Trudeau, who was prime minister before him, and the tragic death of his brother, Michel...Filled with anecdotes, personal reflections, and never-before-seen photographs from his own collection, Common Ground reveals an intimate portrait of the man who has thrust Canada back onto the world stage...The author's proceeds will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross Society.

In 2012, combat engineer Curtis McGrath was serving in the Australian army in Afghanistan when, in the line of duty, he stepped on a mine. Then, as he was stretchered to a helicopter, fearing he would never see his family again, he joked that he planned to become a paralympian. Just months later, he was up and walking on prosthetic legs, motivated by the opportunity to march with his unit in their welcome-home ceremony. Kayaking gave him a new sense of purpose, and in 2013, he and his father, Paul, paddled 1000 kilometres from Sydney to Queensland to raise funds for Mates4Mates, which supports current and former Defence Force members. Then, within four years of his injury, McGrath won gold at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Now an ambassador for the Invictus Games and passionate about the healing power of sport, McGrath is an 8-time world champion gold medallist with his eye on the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. At last he's ready to tell his extraordinary story.

Henry Oster was just five years old when Adolf Hitler took power in 1933. He was the last survivor of the more than two thousand Jews who were rounded up by the Gestapo and deported from Cologne. Assigned to back-breaking labor in the Auschwitz horse-breeding stables, Henry clung to the belief that if he made himself hard to replace, he might stay alive. Through it all, Henry found the strength to survive and was one of only twenty-three to emerge alive from the concentration camp after the war. How did one starving boy, alone and forgotten, survive this ultimate hell on earth?

Havoc-06 is the call sign of former Australian Combat Controller, Troy Knight. As a Royal Australian Air Force Airfield Defence Guard, Troy had not found the military adventure he sought; combat operations. His thirst for overseas deployment saw him privately contract his services in Iraq and South East Asia, but when he got whiff that the Australian Defence Force was raising a new defence capability, he couldn’t help but want to be part of it. The new Defence capability, termed the ‘Special Tactics Project,’ would see Troy undertaking the gruelling Commando Selection course and passing, making him one of Australia’s first Combat Controllers attached to the Australian Army 2nd Commando Regiment.