Read: Shaun Johnson – Perspective with Scotty Stevenson (Penguin)<\/p>\n
\u201cShaun is a superstar athlete, as well as a committed dad, husband, son, brother and mate. I wanted to understand how he does it all – and how he handled the massive ups and downs along the way. I knew that his honesty and openness would provide some great material for Scotty to help shape, and for me to learn from. Christmas and New Year is a shambles with three teenagers to keep safe, so I started it on January 2 and finished it on the 3rd. <\/p>\n
Would you recommend it?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a fantastic read. Not just for Warriors supporters, but for anyone who wants to understand what it takes to be world-class in their field while keeping balance in their life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Any \u201ctake homes\u201d you\u2019ll take into the new year?<\/p>\n
\u201cPlenty. Main ones are: Use adversity to drive you forward and surround yourself with people who believe in you.\u201d <\/p>\n
What will you read next?<\/p>\n
\u201cI always read American Icon at the start of the year – Alan Mulally\u2019s turnaround of Ford, by Bryce G Hoffman. It\u2019s the best business book I\u2019ve read, and I\u2019ve read it over 10 times now. Plus, I\u2019ll be helping to edit my wife\u2019s second book [Rachel Paris, whose debut novel See How They Fall was released last year] and be hoping that we are still talking afterwards.\u201d <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Glenys Talivai, Public Trust<\/p>\n
Read: The House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas (Bloomsbury Publishing PLC). <\/p>\n
\u201cFor Christmas, my children bought me this book, which is part of the Crescent City series. I have read both of Sarah J. Maas\u2019 other series \u2013 A Court of Thorns & Roses and The Throne of Glass. Finally getting some quiet time poolside at home, I started reading the book on December 28, and by pulling it out every time I had downtime, finished on January 4.<\/p>\n
Would you recommend it?<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re looking for a fun escape into \u2018romantasy\u2019 with strong female characters and unexpected plot twists. I never thought these novels would interest me, but I read A Court of Thorns & Roses on recommendation from one of my friends and have been hooked ever since.<\/p>\n
Any \u201ctake homes\u201d you\u2019ll take into the new year?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s centred on the power of friendships as a source of loyalty, strength and resilience – particularly when faced with adversity. It helped me to reflect on the importance of cherishing and nurturing my own close friendships.<\/p>\n
What will you read next? <\/p>\n
The next book in the series, The House of Sky and Breath. As I have to read a lot of work-related books and papers, I find reading this genre a good way to relax. I\u2019d also recommend the Fourth Wing [by Rebecca Yarros] series. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cecilia Robinson, Tend <\/p>\n
Read: Heartbeats by Bj\u00f6rn Borg (Little, Brown Book Group)<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not a huge tennis follower, but I really like sports books as a break from business reading. I find it easier on the brain, but still full of lessons and analogies. Being Swedish definitely drew me in, and Bj\u00f6rn Borg was very much a fixture of my teenage years, not just on TV, but also via the small but undeniable fact that most Swedes have worn his name across their underwear at some point. So, there was a mix of nostalgia, curiosity and cultural obligation in picking this one up. I started it right at the tail end of 2025 and finished it in the first few days of January. It was a quick read.<\/p>\n
Would you recommend it?<\/p>\n
Yes, with caveats. It\u2019s not glossy or self-congratulatory, and it doesn\u2019t try to impress. It\u2019s restrained and at times a little uncomfortable, which is part of its appeal. If you\u2019re looking for detailed tennis analysis, probably not. If you\u2019re interested in pressure, expectations and what happens when success arrives very early, it\u2019s worth reading.<\/p>\n
Any \u201ctake homes\u201d you\u2019ll take into the new year?<\/p>\n
\u201cA few things stuck with me: How early success can actually shrink your world. How much discipline and emotional control can drive performance, but also quietly cost you. How little space there is to form an identity outside the thing you\u2019re known for. It made me think about how often we celebrate resilience and toughness without really acknowledging the trade-offs.\u201d<\/p>\n
What will you read next?<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll probably move to fiction next, then pick up a business book before the break is over. I\u2019m also really keen to read Lessons on Living by Nigel Latta, which I gave my husband for Christmas. It feels like one to read with a bit more care. We both really liked and admired Nigel, and his voice has been part of the background of many New Zealand households for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Campbell Mitchell, Fidelity Life<\/p>\n
Read: Careless People – A Story of Where I Used to Work by Sarah Wynn-Williams (Pan McMillan)<\/p>\n
\u201cCapturing an insider\u2019s view of Facebook\u2019s rapid rise and global domination of social media, Careless People was sitting at the top of my summer break reading list. Was Donald Trump\u2019s 2016 US election win over Hillary Clinton really the \u2018Facebook election\u2019? I got that answer and a lot more. Power, greed, madness – all from the platform we use to share photos with friends and family, and buy from marketplace. I started it on New Year\u2019s Day and finished in three days. It was a great, quick read. The perfect beach read.\u201d<\/p>\n
Would you recommend it?<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, a strong recommendation. To read the inner workings of an iconic success story, quite different from the public image of Facebook, was fascinating – and a little frightening.\u201d <\/p>\n
Any \u201ctake homes\u201d you\u2019ll take into the new year?<\/p>\n
\u201cGrowth at all costs can be corrosive. Purpose is much more than a clever PR release. The protection of personal data is so important, and everyone should reassess their privacy restrictions on Facebook and all social media. And, always hire the Kiwi! They get stuff done!\u201d<\/p>\n
What will you read next?<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve started a book published by my wife, Michelle Hurley, at Allen & Unwin – The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour and Jude Dobson, an incredible and must-read story, and I\u2019m loving it. Next up is 1985, a novel by Dominic Hoey, also a helpful recommendation from Michelle, who says it\u2019s the best New Zealand novel she\u2019s read in a while. For work, my team is all reading Dare to Lead by Bren\u00e9 Brown as we prepare for another big year ahead.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Courtney Johnston, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa<\/p>\n
Read: Endling by Maria Reva (Little, Brown Book Group)<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m working through the 2025 Booker Prize long list. I started this at the end of December and finished it on New Year\u2019s Day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Would you recommend it?<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely. It\u2019s a real page-turner: it begins as a story about a young Ukrainian snail expert who is on a one-woman quest to save rare snails in her home-built mobile lab, turns into a caper heist as she gets involved with two young women who kidnap a group of international tourists who are part of a bridal agency tour and then, halfway through, takes another twist that I won\u2019t spoil.\u201d<\/p>\n
Any \u201ctake homes\u201d you\u2019ll take into the new year? <\/p>\n
\u201cOh lord \u2013 the plight of \u2018endlings\u2019, the last known individual of a species. It\u2019s a powerful metaphor for loneliness, but there\u2019s nothing metaphorical about species extinction.”<\/p>\n
What will you read next? <\/p>\n
Elizabeth Knox\u2019s latest, Kings of This World. And this summer I\u2019ve got a reading project: Margaret Mahy\u2019s YA fiction from the 1980s. So far, I\u2019ve read The Haunting, Memory and The Catalogue of the Universe. Next, I have The Tricksters and The Changeover. I\u2019m fascinated by how she mixes the supernatural with very real, warm domestic situations.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Todd Grave, Mt Cook Alpine Salmon<\/p>\n
Read: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, translated by Gregory Hays (Modern Library)<\/p>\n
\u201cMarcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor (161\u2013180CE) and one of the main proponents of Stoic philosophy during that period. The book is a series of his personal thoughts over his lifetime that were never intended for publication. It was his private journal for self-improvement and guidance, so it\u2019s very personal and deeply thoughtful. I read it every two or three years, normally over the Christmas\/New Year break. It\u2019s a chance for me to get some distance from the day-to-day, to reground myself and remind myself of the key principles of living and working well. It\u2019s a great read for anyone trying to navigate the pressures and obligations of leadership – very reassuring. I read it on January 6 and 7. It\u2019s an easy and engrossing read. I put time aside so I can stop and think about the various passages (50% reading time, 50% thinking time), and how I can apply them in both my work and family life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Would you recommend it?<\/p>\n
\u201cI see Stoic philosophy as a practical operating model for life. It was written by a Roman emperor 2000 years ago and is still as relevant as ever – its wisdom is timeless. Most of today\u2019s self-improvement concepts can be traced back to the contents of this short and well-written book. It was written by the world\u2019s most powerful person at the time, but it\u2019s very approachable. It shows us just how similar we all are when it\u2019s just us and our thoughts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Any \u201ctake homes\u201d you\u2019ll take into the new year? <\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time I read it, something different will resonate with me. This year, I was reminded of some of the key themes: see things as they really are – perspective is important but is easily clouded by whatever is occupying your attention most in the day-to-day challenges of being a CEO. Do what you can – focus on what\u2019s within your control. We spend so much of our energy focusing on what is outside of our control and can easily neglect that which is in our control and will actually make a difference. Accept and endure what you must – some things in life are just simply not in our control. We should prepare for a range of possible outcomes, but ultimately, we only control our response to what actually happens. We have to have the resilience to work through them and make the most of whatever happens (that\u2019s the bit that is within our control). This one is very relevant to a CEO dealing with the complexities of a rapidly changing world.\u201d<\/p>\n
What will you read next?<\/p>\n
\u201cFundamentals of Cost Accounting – basically a textbook and super dry, but you can never know too much about managing costs, and Swimming Upstream: How salmon farming developed in New Zealand by Jennifer Haworth.”<\/p>\n
Kim Knight joined the New Zealand Herald in 2016 and is a senior journalist on its lifestyle desk. Her first book of 2026 was Buckeye by Patrick Ryan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Read: Shaun Johnson – Perspective with Scotty Stevenson (Penguin) \u201cShaun is a superstar athlete, as well as a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":224938,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[2246,489,64375,3937,6309,35996,156,4377,1888,71,78,26477,34385,111,139,69,1118,90,15403,1111,88821,134515,5441,14625,165,1961,6923,2963],"class_list":["post-224937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-2246","tag-books","tag-ceos","tag-chief","tag-do","tag-emperors","tag-entertainment","tag-executives","tag-first","tag-from","tag-in","tag-leaders","tag-literary","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-of","tag-on","tag-read","tag-reading","tag-roman","tag-romantasy","tag-spectrum","tag-summer","tag-their","tag-this","tag-what","tag-zealands"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/224937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=224937"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/224937\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/224938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=224937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=224937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=224937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}