Shoe Dog – A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

After finishing business school in the early 1960s, Phil Knight borrowed $50 from his father and created a company with a simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost athletic shoes from Japan.  In his first year, Knight grossed $8000. Today, Nike’s annual sales top $30 billion. Nike is the archetype of all start-ups and is synonymous with athletic gear.  The signature swoosh has become one of the most iconic, ubiquitous and recognisable symbols worldwide.
In his candid and gutsy autobiography, enigmatic Nike founder Phil Knight tells the origin story of a brand that changed everything.
Heralded by Bill Gates as ‘a refreshingly honest reminder of what the path to business success really looks like’, Phil Knight’s Shoe Dog is an insightful memoir that details the lessons learnt from building something from scratch.

Finding My Virginity

The follow-up to the 2 million-copy-selling Losing My Virginity, Sir Richard Branson’s newest offering documents the last twenty years of the entrepreneur’s life.

After expanding the Virgin brand globally, Branson is determined to aim even higher through the launch of commercial space travel with Virgin Galactic. In his latest memoir, Branson invites readers into his life, from reinventing his companies during tumultuous financial periods to taking on the planet’s biggest challenges. Driven, revolutionary and ingenious in his visions, Branson has endeavoured to continually change the world. 

Sheryl Sandberg praised the way in which Finding My Virginity ‘offers valuable guidance and inspiration to anyone looking to become a leader, chase a dream or try something new’.  Bill Gates stated that Branson’s book is a ‘terrific read’, while Tim Ferriss appreciated how Branson ‘shares the candid details of a lifetime of triumphs and failures’ and ‘provides an intimate look at [Branson’s] never-ending quest to push boundaries, break rules, and seek new frontiers’.

CEO of AirAsia, Tony Fernandes stated that, ‘Richard’s incredible wealth of experience from living boldly every minute of every day speaks volumes’ and that his book will inspire you to push the envelope, break the mould and be the best version of yourself’.

Working Class Man

Following on from the number one bestseller, Working Class Boy, Jimmy Barnes picks up where he left off, detailing how he left Adelaide in the back of an old truck with a then unknown band called Cold Chisel.

A captivating, courageous and honest reflection on success, fame and addiction; the iconic frontman’s second memoir reveals how the damage caused by Barnes’ childhood continued to impact his adult life.

Matthew Condon from the Herald Sun referred to Working Class Man as the ‘racucous, high-decibel sequel’ that provides a ‘fascinating insider’s view of the Australian music industry and the highs and lows of fame’.  Condon stated that it is a ‘torch song to the healing power of mateship, love and family’.

Lisa Wilkson said of Working Class Man, ‘Rare is the man who has lived this hard, this fast and this dangerously – only to survive and chronicle it all so superbly’. Neil Finn also heaped praise on the novel, stating that ‘Jimmy has found his real voice’, while Peter Garrett said that the novel is a ‘compelling, must-read account’ that ‘lays it out in spades’.