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One Night Out Stealing
One night out stealing two small-time hoods chance upon the home of a wealthy Wellington lawyer... The ensuing events unfold with stark brutality amidst a seldom-seen New Zealand cityscape of littered streets reflected in rain puddles and crowded speeding highways and noisy smoke-filled bars, a world of inarticulate turmoil.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
6 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
About the author
Alan Duff
44 books57 followersAlan Duff (born October 26, 1950, Rotorua, New Zealand) is a New Zealand novelist and newspaper columnist, most well known as the author of Once Were Warriors. He began to write full-time in 1985.
He tried writing a thriller as his first novel, but it was rejected. He burned the manuscript and started writing Once Were Warriors, which had an immediate and great impact. The novel is written in juxtaposed interior monologues, making its style stand out from other works. It was winner of the PEN Best First Book Award, was runner-up in the Goodman Fielder Wattie Award, and was made into the award-winning film of the same name in 1994.
Another of his novels, One Night Out Stealing, appeared in 1991 and shortlisted in the 1992 Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards.
He was also awarded the Frank Sargeson Fellowship in 1991, and began writing a weekly -- later bi-weekly — column for the Evening Post (Wellington newspaper), syndicated to eight other newspapers. In this, and in his 1993 analysis, Māori: The Crisis and the Challenge, he has developed his ideas on the failures of Māoridom, castigating both the traditional leadership and the radical movement for dwelling on the injustices of the past and expecting others to resolve them, instead of encouraging Māori to get on and help themselves. The blame for Māori underperformance he puts squarely back on Māori, for not making the most of the opportunities given them. This somewhat simplistic message has proved highly controversial.
State Ward started as a series of episodes on radio in 1993 and was published as a novella in 1994.
The Books in Homes scheme, co-founded in 1995 by Duff and Christine Fernyhough, with commercial sponsorship and government support, aims to alleviate poverty and illiteracy by providing low-cost books to underprivileged children, thus encouraging them to read. In its first year alone it put about 180,000 new books in the hands of about 38,000 children. By 2008, the scheme delivered 5 million books to schools around New Zealand.
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (1996), the sequel to Once Were Warriors, was the winner of the fiction section of the 1997 Montana Book Awards and was also made in to a film in 1999. Two Sides of the Moon was published in 1998. Duff wrote his own memoir, Out of the Mist and the Steam, in 1999. His first novel to be set outside of New Zealand is Szabad (2001). Inspired by the stories of people Duff met during his several trips to Hungary, the story takes place in Budapest during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Jake's Long Shadow (2002) is the third volume in Duff's Once Were Warriors trilogy. In 2003 Once Were Warriors was brought to the stage across New Zealand as a musical drama.
He tried writing a thriller as his first novel, but it was rejected. He burned the manuscript and started writing Once Were Warriors, which had an immediate and great impact. The novel is written in juxtaposed interior monologues, making its style stand out from other works. It was winner of the PEN Best First Book Award, was runner-up in the Goodman Fielder Wattie Award, and was made into the award-winning film of the same name in 1994.
Another of his novels, One Night Out Stealing, appeared in 1991 and shortlisted in the 1992 Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards.
He was also awarded the Frank Sargeson Fellowship in 1991, and began writing a weekly -- later bi-weekly — column for the Evening Post (Wellington newspaper), syndicated to eight other newspapers. In this, and in his 1993 analysis, Māori: The Crisis and the Challenge, he has developed his ideas on the failures of Māoridom, castigating both the traditional leadership and the radical movement for dwelling on the injustices of the past and expecting others to resolve them, instead of encouraging Māori to get on and help themselves. The blame for Māori underperformance he puts squarely back on Māori, for not making the most of the opportunities given them. This somewhat simplistic message has proved highly controversial.
State Ward started as a series of episodes on radio in 1993 and was published as a novella in 1994.
The Books in Homes scheme, co-founded in 1995 by Duff and Christine Fernyhough, with commercial sponsorship and government support, aims to alleviate poverty and illiteracy by providing low-cost books to underprivileged children, thus encouraging them to read. In its first year alone it put about 180,000 new books in the hands of about 38,000 children. By 2008, the scheme delivered 5 million books to schools around New Zealand.
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (1996), the sequel to Once Were Warriors, was the winner of the fiction section of the 1997 Montana Book Awards and was also made in to a film in 1999. Two Sides of the Moon was published in 1998. Duff wrote his own memoir, Out of the Mist and the Steam, in 1999. His first novel to be set outside of New Zealand is Szabad (2001). Inspired by the stories of people Duff met during his several trips to Hungary, the story takes place in Budapest during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Jake's Long Shadow (2002) is the third volume in Duff's Once Were Warriors trilogy. In 2003 Once Were Warriors was brought to the stage across New Zealand as a musical drama.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 10, 2017
I found this to be quite brilliant in its rather simplistic albeit solid and believable plot. Vivid characters and violence. Puts you in the mind of both criminal and survivalist who longs for a better present. Bringing their mentality and morals to the forefront to give you a true representation of how these types of people can rationalize their often negative actions.
Syntax is.. sometimes confusing. Often unable to distinguish who is talking at any given time or whether it was just a description or thought, HOWEVER, this style of writing is purposeful in the way that it recreates the type of characters, theme and story and of course, the way our language (kiwi) is spoken (broken up, cut-short slang).
Would recommend to people wanting to get an inside view of how less-fortunate Kiwis can act and think or who just loves a #goodread.
Syntax is.. sometimes confusing. Often unable to distinguish who is talking at any given time or whether it was just a description or thought, HOWEVER, this style of writing is purposeful in the way that it recreates the type of characters, theme and story and of course, the way our language (kiwi) is spoken (broken up, cut-short slang).
Would recommend to people wanting to get an inside view of how less-fortunate Kiwis can act and think or who just loves a #goodread.
November 19, 2012
I difficult book to read, can be violent in a way that Duff seems to do so well - realistically. I read this whilst living in Wellington where most of the book is set, so enjoyed the local references.
September 22, 2021
I really wanted to like this book. I like to read and write about cultures and the potentially damaging effect that certain expectations (or lack of opportunities) can have on the communities described. I knew it was going to be gritty and tough reading, this is Alan Duff after all, but I was left disappointed.
From about the half-way point, I started to lose patience with the grammatical structures and the style of writing. I'm not suggesting it has little merit, but personally I found that I began to skip large sections just to get through the book quickly. Chunking the dialogue into one block without punctuation is one example of this, as well as the near constant use of the somewhat childish 'HAHAHAHA' throughout the final sections.
I understand that Alan Duff's work is designed to be challenging and reflective of the more toxic elements of NZ culture. This it achieves; but I couldn't honestly say that it is a must-read.
From about the half-way point, I started to lose patience with the grammatical structures and the style of writing. I'm not suggesting it has little merit, but personally I found that I began to skip large sections just to get through the book quickly. Chunking the dialogue into one block without punctuation is one example of this, as well as the near constant use of the somewhat childish 'HAHAHAHA' throughout the final sections.
I understand that Alan Duff's work is designed to be challenging and reflective of the more toxic elements of NZ culture. This it achieves; but I couldn't honestly say that it is a must-read.
March 17, 2017
Unexpected but totally believable ending.
May 6, 2019
Alan Duff ups the ante from Once were warriors with this 2nd book. Good wild stuff.
December 28, 2018
From the author of "Once Were Warriors" comes another gritty tale set in New Zealand's underclass. This book focuses exclusively on two thieves Jube (white), and Sonny (half-Maori) who also share an apartment. Their miserable existence sitting around a nasty bar full of ex-cons is rendered in full detail as they drink through the weekly welfare check. Jube is a insecure loudmouth of the kind that likes to drive his muscle car real fast and brag about everything. Sonny is more of a thinker and feels trapped and out of place. One night they rob a fancy house and score big, changing both their lives. It's a pretty nasty read, and gets a little tiresome at times as the duo move through a familiar cycle of hopelessness. Duff strings the two men's conversation together into single blocks so that who's saying what is a little confusing at times.
September 10, 2018
I came to Alan Duff through the movie Once Were Warriors. After finding this in a used bookstore, I tried it out and was pleasantly surprised.
It appears to have some similarities to Once Were warriors except perhaps targeted more towards teenagers, but I still found it to be a good yet tragic/depressing story. I particularly enjoyed the description of the boy exploring the stolen videos and developing a sense that there is more to life than he had previously realized.
I don't mind Alan Duff's stream of consciousness narrative style. Whatever its technical shortcomings, I think he makes it work well.
Look for the Once Were Warriors trilogy as the adult version of this story.
It appears to have some similarities to Once Were warriors except perhaps targeted more towards teenagers, but I still found it to be a good yet tragic/depressing story. I particularly enjoyed the description of the boy exploring the stolen videos and developing a sense that there is more to life than he had previously realized.
I don't mind Alan Duff's stream of consciousness narrative style. Whatever its technical shortcomings, I think he makes it work well.
Look for the Once Were Warriors trilogy as the adult version of this story.
December 2, 2017
This is a difficult read. Both the violent and brutal content and also the style and format of the prose. There is no doubt that Alan Duff seeks to shock and because he is a skilled writer, he has done this brilliantly. However, if you read for pleasure, steer clear. This novel leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth and wipes away New Zealand's benign image of a green and pleasant land.
May 23, 2020
This book filled me with an uncomfortable feeling all through it that things would not end well for the characters. I was right. Dark and brutally realistic, not a light and easy read. Alan Duff is becoming one of my favorite writers.
August 6, 2016
New Zealand Noir.
May 16, 2024
Grim reading man - 2 crims who had bad upbringings and never had a chance in life plot a scheme to get rich quick. One is a sensitive soul trapped in the cycle of booze and sorrow, while the other does not think too far ahead and has a mouth that gets him into trouble. You just can’t look away as they head towards the inevitable.
Prose is written in kiwi slang style and it can be hard to tell what’s going on or who is speaking, but i think that helps the reader get inside the brain of these drunk and damaged souls. It’s violent and graphic and pulp - like the protagonist’s head.
Always drive defensively because there’s plenty of Jubes on the road unfortunately.
Prose is written in kiwi slang style and it can be hard to tell what’s going on or who is speaking, but i think that helps the reader get inside the brain of these drunk and damaged souls. It’s violent and graphic and pulp - like the protagonist’s head.
Always drive defensively because there’s plenty of Jubes on the road unfortunately.
December 30, 2025
Oh wow. What a book. It is a tough one to get through. Paragraphs can have multiple people talking with no punctuation mostly about Sonny and Jube. Some paragraphs are written from the point of view of others. All paragraphs are dense and written with a slangy style. It can take awhile to get used to the style but when you do you will be rewarded with a great story.
December 10, 2025
Another from Alan Duff book through the eyes of someone living a very different existence to the people of Aotearoa who were born to have. Showing the life of 2 very different characters living a similar life of crime.
April 19, 2020
Brilliant, simplistic, brutal in its easy realism. An absolute masterpiece.
December 23, 2009
This book is sad and violent.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews