Straight 8 cover art

Straight 8

The Autobiography

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Straight 8

By: Kieran Read
Narrated by: Toby Webster
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

SHORTLISTED FOR INTERNATIONAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR AT THE 2020 TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS.

As Kieran Read prepares to call time on his distinguished New Zealand career at the end of the Rugby World Cup, this is the open and honest life story of one of rugby's greatest players, a legendary All Black and a two-time World Cup winner.

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 (Richie McCaw). He outlines the decisions that molded 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.

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 to 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 team-mates, coaches and opponents will be sure to surprise and delight. From the playing fields of Papakura to the summit of the sport, Read has faced every challenge head on. His life story if no exception.

©2019 Kieran Read (P)2019 Headline Publishing Group Ltd
Rugby Sports Travel & Tourism Career Football Inspiring
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

Open Side cover art
Dan Carter: The Autobiography of an All Blacks Legend cover art
Rise cover art
The Test cover art
The Battle cover art
Belonging: The Autobiography cover art
Loose Head cover art
My Name'5 Doddie cover art
Who Am I? cover art
What a Flanker cover art
My Life and Rugby cover art
The Boys of Winter cover art
Fuel cover art
Ruck Me cover art
Ordinary Joe cover art
The Jersey cover art

What listeners say about Straight 8

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    52
  • 4 Stars
    13
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    43
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    43
  • 4 Stars
    15
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Honest, what you expect from a kiwi

Loved the way the stories were portrayed, very honest, humbling and at times a typical cocky kiwi ....

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

If your'e an All Blacks fan this is a must read.

A fantastic insight into the life of the All Blacks captain and a brutal reality of life as a professional rugby player. The book talks much of his career in the crusaders as well as the All Blacks. I found the first chapters a little slow but the latter chapters gripping as he talks you through hes perspective of the All Black test matches and world cups. I couldn't reccomend this book enough.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book

Great fella and an excellent career.... and this is coming from a Springbok fan... 🤙

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Like the man himself

It is just his story from his point of view. And it is a dam good book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

It was Alright.

If you are a rugby fan, it is an interesting read regarding injuries but didn't really go into much details where other rugby books have. Very much could have been a professional cricketer or rugby player.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Great but not the Greatest Rugby Story

Wow what a winner, what a leader and what a supreme athlete. Total respect to this NZ AB Legend! However the story does jump around a fair bit, I think Kieran assumes that all readers/listeners know his story and glosses over many events and facts but I for one enjoy the minor details and all the dates and explanations. I enjoyed this story, very interesting and from a true warrior but this is not the best Rugby story I have listened to probably rate this 5th from the 5 that I have read etc, Clive Woodward, Eddie Jones, Joe Marler and the Bomb. Joe Marler had me in absolute laugh out loud stitches btw. Plus there is almost no humour in this book but maybe this is a reflection of Kieran Reeds character and he is a true professional and serious about everything he does and for that I can not fault him. A great read nonetheless for all Rugby fans.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!