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Kieran Read - Straight 8
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. He outlines the decisions that shaped 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. A rugby player cannot reach the pinnacle of the sport without negotiating the many avenues of adversity on the roadmap to triumph. 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 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 teammates, coaches and opponents will be sure to surprise and delight. From the playing fields of Papakura to the world champion podium, Read has faced every challenge head on. His life story is no exception.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 22, 2020
I'm a big fan of Kieran Read's rugby playing and I like what I know of him as a person, but I think this book could have been miles better.
The biggest issue was its structure. Beginning each chapter in 2019 then jumping back into the past made for confusion - which year are we now? And is it Canterbury, Super Rugby or Allblacks? When you have two time lines in every chapter it gets chaotic. But more to the point it makes a really big deal of the 2019 timeline which (despite a glittering career) ended in failure - and we all knew that already. So enthusiasm wanes as you read. Instead of shining a massive light on this failure and creating the whole story arc around it, we could have heard more of Kieran's insights on the game, players and coaches, or more of what made him a unique player, or where he thinks NZ rugby needs to head post-Hansen. Heck - what did he really think of Hansen and does he think Foster is the right next guy, and why? So much of interest left unexplored.
The second issue is related: the large body of the book is just rote going through game by game, competition by competition, telling us facts that we already know.
Less crucial but in my view also worthy of comment - the title 'Straight 8'. What's that trying to say? It rhymes but that's about it. In an era where gay rugby players are telling their stories (and I'm pleased they are) the word 'straight' has an obvious unwanted connotation. Could've chosen a much better title that connected with a key theme in the book.
What I did like and did find unique among rugby biographies I've read, was Read's honesty about his emotions. He says he cried through most of his childhood, and he also cried with Luke Romano after his wife lost a baby near full term. And of course at moments like the World Cup and Lions tour losses. There's a heartfelt honesty which isn't common in leaders and certainly hasn't been the Allblack legacy from eras gone by.
Read is a good leader who communicates well with those around him and he's a brilliant player who left nothing out on the field. Unfortunately, as far as biographies go, this one left almost everything out on the field.
The biggest issue was its structure. Beginning each chapter in 2019 then jumping back into the past made for confusion - which year are we now? And is it Canterbury, Super Rugby or Allblacks? When you have two time lines in every chapter it gets chaotic. But more to the point it makes a really big deal of the 2019 timeline which (despite a glittering career) ended in failure - and we all knew that already. So enthusiasm wanes as you read. Instead of shining a massive light on this failure and creating the whole story arc around it, we could have heard more of Kieran's insights on the game, players and coaches, or more of what made him a unique player, or where he thinks NZ rugby needs to head post-Hansen. Heck - what did he really think of Hansen and does he think Foster is the right next guy, and why? So much of interest left unexplored.
The second issue is related: the large body of the book is just rote going through game by game, competition by competition, telling us facts that we already know.
Less crucial but in my view also worthy of comment - the title 'Straight 8'. What's that trying to say? It rhymes but that's about it. In an era where gay rugby players are telling their stories (and I'm pleased they are) the word 'straight' has an obvious unwanted connotation. Could've chosen a much better title that connected with a key theme in the book.
What I did like and did find unique among rugby biographies I've read, was Read's honesty about his emotions. He says he cried through most of his childhood, and he also cried with Luke Romano after his wife lost a baby near full term. And of course at moments like the World Cup and Lions tour losses. There's a heartfelt honesty which isn't common in leaders and certainly hasn't been the Allblack legacy from eras gone by.
Read is a good leader who communicates well with those around him and he's a brilliant player who left nothing out on the field. Unfortunately, as far as biographies go, this one left almost everything out on the field.
December 1, 2019
Read a little too much like a stat sheet sometimes. Schoolboy days were interesting , lots of injuries to mention and does a great job talking about the culture both in the team and the Maori fusion. Great rugby career
September 12, 2021
Firstly this was a harsh way to learn NZ lost the 2019 World Cup.
Secondly It could have just been called 8 cos it is obvious within seconds he’s straight. Not a complement.
Thirdly the writing is a labour. The writer probably used a today in history website to give context to whatever Kieran was doing at any time. And this was hardly ever relevant (Eg Kieran walking through papakura while nirvana were recording their album Nevermind).
Kieran is clearly an amazing athlete with grit. And I relate since I finished this book in spite of myself. One star.
Secondly It could have just been called 8 cos it is obvious within seconds he’s straight. Not a complement.
Thirdly the writing is a labour. The writer probably used a today in history website to give context to whatever Kieran was doing at any time. And this was hardly ever relevant (Eg Kieran walking through papakura while nirvana were recording their album Nevermind).
Kieran is clearly an amazing athlete with grit. And I relate since I finished this book in spite of myself. One star.
January 5, 2021
An interesting read despite the ending
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2019
4-this-is-so-hard-to-rate-Stars!! Full 5fan-stars! 3writing-Stars. If you’re a super fan YOU HAVE TO GET THIS BOOK! Duh. Like I’d even need to tell you that. Please. It was clear when Scotty was writing in the beginning and that would jar me out of the moment.... but understandable. It came down to a multitude of surprises/not-surprises
SURPRISE: Kieran is more emotional than I understood... stop it right now! That’s so not fair-he’s this huge behemoth of a guy - a warrior, a beast and yet he can break down too? Yeah I know it’s in a “Guns of Navarone” kind of way (re: Tom Hanks/Sleepless in Seattle) but still. Stop. That. right. now. Too much.
SURPRISE: the myriad of injuries.... woof.... I mean of course right?... but to read about each one with the not-knowing, the pain, etc.
SURPRISE: one almost has to read this book if simply to find out how he MEETS RICHIE MO’UNGA. Bahahahahaha. Had to read and re-read that part! Priceless.
BUMMER: soooooo wanted to hear about what it was like to have Amazon’s All or Nothing Documentary team shadow them and then premiere them to the world that way.... nothing? Was an NDA signed or something? I’m a greedy greedy greedy fan. I want to know it ALL! LOL at times I thought “I shouldn’t be reading this, this is none of my business....” but OF COURSE kept reading! And then I turn around and it’s not enough... there’s no satisfying ones fans sometimes.
ELATION: I can’t reiterate enough here what an honor it is for someone like Kieran to open up about his journey in such detail and brutal honesty. What an honor to have read it. Plus I felt like I got to attend dozens of test matches I’d otherwise have zero access to!
Sigh. I could go on in some sort of sycophantic fashion (as if I haven’t been already) but I need to get back to my adult life. 😉
SURPRISE: Kieran is more emotional than I understood... stop it right now! That’s so not fair-he’s this huge behemoth of a guy - a warrior, a beast and yet he can break down too? Yeah I know it’s in a “Guns of Navarone” kind of way (re: Tom Hanks/Sleepless in Seattle) but still. Stop. That. right. now. Too much.
SURPRISE: the myriad of injuries.... woof.... I mean of course right?... but to read about each one with the not-knowing, the pain, etc.
SURPRISE: one almost has to read this book if simply to find out how he MEETS RICHIE MO’UNGA. Bahahahahaha. Had to read and re-read that part! Priceless.
BUMMER: soooooo wanted to hear about what it was like to have Amazon’s All or Nothing Documentary team shadow them and then premiere them to the world that way.... nothing? Was an NDA signed or something? I’m a greedy greedy greedy fan. I want to know it ALL! LOL at times I thought “I shouldn’t be reading this, this is none of my business....” but OF COURSE kept reading! And then I turn around and it’s not enough... there’s no satisfying ones fans sometimes.
ELATION: I can’t reiterate enough here what an honor it is for someone like Kieran to open up about his journey in such detail and brutal honesty. What an honor to have read it. Plus I felt like I got to attend dozens of test matches I’d otherwise have zero access to!
Sigh. I could go on in some sort of sycophantic fashion (as if I haven’t been already) but I need to get back to my adult life. 😉
October 23, 2020
A good autobiography of Kieran Read, you learn a lot him about him growing up and his pre All Blacks days. Easy to read and not too much of the just “scores and game moments “ in the book. You need the big games talked about but not every game he played in and they get this right in this book. Shares his insights to how he led the team once becoming Captain. One complaint would be that the chapter on 2019 World Cup was rather brief and definitely could have had more to it.
July 31, 2022
It’s always odd reading All Blacks biographies. Odd in a good way, these are the people I grew up admiring and watching on TV every weekend and it never dawned on me that they grew up in the same country as me and shared a similar community.
This is an easy read and takes you through the highlights and lowlights of Kieren’s career, year by year.
This is an easy read and takes you through the highlights and lowlights of Kieren’s career, year by year.
March 11, 2021
Good book but had higher expectations, still interesting to look into the life on an All Black captain though.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews