Product Description
Once Were Warriors is Alan Duff's harrowing vision of his country's indigenous people two hundred years after the English conquest. In prose that is both raw and compelling, it tells the story of Beth Heke, a Maori woman struggling to keep her family from falling apart, despite the squalor and violence of the housing projects in which they live. Conveying both the rich textures of Maori tradition and the wounds left by its absence, Once Were Warriors is a masterpiece of unblinking realism, irresistible energy, and great sorrow.

"A searing look at the urban subculture of New Zealand's native people." -- Toronto Globe and Mail

"A starkly realistic account...as important, as frank, as powerful a book as [Alice Walker's The Color Purple] was for Americans."

Dominion (New Zealand) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

This movie took me to New Zealand
While I agree this was one of the rare cases where the film was actually better than the book, had it not been for the book and subsequent movie my daughter and I would not have started what would be the beginning of a deep interest in Maori culture and a trip there where we stayed on Maori land.
The stories I was told during my trip were very special and some mirror the trials of the indigenous people of this country, also known as Native Americans. It opened me up to a place on this planet I may not have ever considered visiting. Now I can not wait to get back!

Bland and moralizing
I picked up Once Were Warriors because, like most other people, I had seen the movie and was expecting a riveting tale. This is, however, one of those rare cases where the movie surpasses the book in almost all facets.
The story is set against the backdrop of a government housing project in New Zealand and describes the trials and tribulations of a Maori family living on the dole (unemployment). The main characters are the parents, Ruth and Jake Heke, and some of their children, Nig, Booggie and Grace.
The movie (unlike the book) is fraught with emotion and sorrow, and you are swept into the netherworld of Maori society almost against your will. Perhaps if I hadn't seen the movie, I wouldn't have been expecting as much from the book and would have been less disappointed and more forgiving towards the author.
Unfortunately the bland and ineptly described milieu, the one-dimensional characters and lack of dialogue punctuation in the book gives a feeling of emptiness and you are left wanting more.
The story itself is not badly constructed and I could be charitable and say that Alan Duff employed the aforesaid writing devices to emphasize the soullessness of the society he describes. Regrettably he disproves this theorem by descending into a mire of soppiness at the end of the book.
He allows the characters to become pathetically clichéd and tries to turn a fictional account into a self-serving sermon on the moralities of his society. Both the book and the believability of the characters are devalued and made to suffer for this cheap trick of his.
On the positive side, the book initially makes a powerful statement about the effects of developed societies intruding into more primitive ones. The feelings of displacement and defeatism of a conquered nation are also explored as well as the impact they have on the psyche of the subjugated culture.
In conclusion, I would not recommend this book to anyone not extremely devoted to the Maori culture and the societal difficulties of New Zealand. There are many better books available in terms of the emotional, societal and familial structure issues this book attempts to explore.
If, however, you like your moralizing fed with a big spoon and rammed down you throat, this is the book for you.

"Complete Waste of TIme"
I had watched the movie so I thought the book would be just as good or better: NOT! The lack of dialouge is disconcerting,and you never really get a grasp on the characters. Written correctly this would have been an excellent book, however when a book becomes a chore to finish, it is hardly an enjoyable experience.The movie is fantastic. Save your money {and your eyes} and rent the video!

"Complete Waste of TIme"
I had watched the movie so I thought the book would be just as good or better: NOT!!! The lack of dialouge is disconcerting,and you never really get a grasp on the characters. Written correctly this would have been an excellent book, however when a book becomes a chore to finish, it is hardly an enjoyable experience.The movie is fantastic. Save your money {and your eyes} and rent the video!

Heavy handed
An earlier reviewer who said skip this and see the film was on the mark.
There's no doubting that this is an incredible powerful and important story (hence the 3 stars).
However, to describe the writing as heavy handed is an understatement. Unlike Lee Tamahori (film's director)Duff seems incapable of letting his characters and the situations they find themselves speak for themselves. When you've created characters as powerful and memorable as Jake and Beth it's so unecessary. The fact that Duff feels the need to intersperse the narative with his simplistic moralising means by the end you find yourself spend more time wishing he'd shut up than worrying about the fate of the family.
The film however is a masterpiece. Astonishingly powerful performances, and the direction pulls no punches whilst allowing the audience to draw their own conclusions. Duff could have learnt much, however from he's done since it doesn't seem that he did. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Warriors Heart
I'm the author of AKA DOCTOR. Alan's writing leaves me wanting more, and he delivers in this sequel to Once Were Warriors. I learned something of a far away culture in every chapter. Alan gives you a rollercoaster of emotions in these books. A must read following Once Were Warriors. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Courtier
The diaries of a man superior to those he served. Alan Lascelles was the perfect right hand man for King George VI: intelligent, loyal, tactful, and discreet. One should not expect a tell-all-expose from such a servant. However, I did come away thinking Sir Alan privately respected the idea of the British monarchy more than he did the specific flawed humans that he served in that same monarchy.

From this book, a reader acquires a better understanding of the occupation of British royals during time leading up to war and war itself, from important matters (civilian morale building and political issues of empire) to the more often petty work, such as kingly honors to be bestowed (or withheld) and what to do with the dismal Duke of Windsor.

Those interested in Winston Churchill, the early career of the present Queen Elizabeth II, and/or the atmosphere in London during World War II would have a special interest in reading this literate and quietly entertaining book.

Interesting view of WWII
This was a very good book, and Sir Lascelles's viewpoint of WWII (from 1942-1945) was incredible interesting; I really enjoyed the insights about how the invasion of Normandy was planned.

The only disappointment I had with this book is the fact he did not write much about the Abdication and none at all about their Majesties trip to U.S. or the begining of WWII.

Dry... but then what did I expect
When Diana and Sarah Duchess of York spoke of the "grey men" of the royal household, they spoke of men like Lascelles. From the promo material for the book, I expected a little more spice, especially regarding his disdain for Edward VIII. This period - the abdication year - by far more potentially interesting than the dark years of the war (except for those obsessed with the "greatest generation") is only touched upon briefly. I can't belive he didn't have more to say. Well, anyway, as a first hand source of life at the palace it certainly provides some insight. If you are looking for something really new... this isn't it.

Too discreet?
Tommy Lascelles saw it all, but was raised in the grand tradition of the English Gentleman so censored himself way to often in writing his diary. So much has, therefore, been lost. Still, I highly recommend it for the "feel" it gives to a now gone era.

Disappointing
I question the selection of these diaries.Too much has been left out, I believe.It might have been better to do a diaries AND letters book.There is so little about the abdication that it shouldn't be in the title.This man was so knowledgeable that far better material must exist somewhere.As it is, it is almost boring, which is saying a lot for someone who led a far from boring life. ... Read more

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This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's large-scale digitization efforts. The Library seeks to preserve the intellectual content of items in a manner that facilitates and promotes a variety of uses. The digital reformatting process results in an electronic version of the original text that can be both accessed online and used to create new print copies. The Library also understands and values the usefulness of print and makes reprints available to the public whenever possible. This book and hundreds of thousands of others can be found in the HathiTrust, an archive of the digitized collections of many great research libraries. For access to the University of Michigan Library's digital collections, please see http://www.lib.umich.edu and for information about the HathiTrust, please visit http://www.hathitrust.org ... Read more

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Students are invited to provide a personal interpretation of the sequence of events suggested by a series of sounds. ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Company; Publication date: 1911; Subjects: Fiction / Action ... Read more

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Yank is an ordinary enough teenager, except that he lives in a thermal wonderland (frequented by tourists eager to view the geysers and boiling mud) and except for the fact that one of those tourists (an American soldier visiting during the Second World War) was his father. The locals gave the boy the nickname of Yank, a name that makes him different and ensures his mother's husband will never accept him as his own. So who was Yank's real father?Yank has only his dreams to fill the void, until the day a letter arrives . . .A compelling novel with an unexpected revelation that throws a powerful punch. ... Read more