Sonny Bill Williams

You Can't Stop the Sun from Shining

By: Sonny Bill Williams, Alan Duff

Narrated by: Tyrone Ngatai

Sonny Bill Williams (SBW) is a once in a hundred-year athlete with immense sporting talent in Rugby League, Rugby Union and Boxing. Sonny Bill has built an incredible career and sporting reputation across the globe. His athleticism has taken him from inner-city Auckland, where he grew up, to the highest sporting moments in Twickenham, Eden Park and Sydney's Olympic Stadium. But there is so much more to Sonny Bill Williams' life and journey than his on-field and in-the-ring triumphs.

Sonny Bill's love of family, his faith, his skill and performance throughout his unparalleled sporting career, his ability to unite a team under pressure, his grace in owning his mistakes, the challenges of leaving home as a young man and dealing with a negative culture and the temptations that followed, and his courage in speaking out for the vulnerable and calling out injustice are all aspects of an inspiring life story.

Sonny Bill Williams was the first Muslim to play for the All Blacks. Driven by a fierce moral compass, Sonny Bill Williams thoughtfully and authentically uses his standing and platform as both a UNICEF Ambassador and an elite sportsperson to speak out on political issues that confront the world today and to benefit those struggling in life. He is a dedicated family man, devoted to his faith, committed to his teammates, respectful of his fans and aware that the path he has taken can inspire and empower others. Working with Alan Duff, award-winning author of Once Were Warriors, this will be the must-read autobiography of the year.

Almost perfect

Amazing story! Whilst the narrator does a good enough job, its a shame that they arent able to properly pronounce the last names of pasifika players. It breaks the experience at important points about relationships and connections.

Great listen!!

This is a must listen. The only thing with the audio book- there are a number of people who provide vignettes of Sonny. At first, it’s a little confusing because the narrator doesn’t tell you someone else is writing but you get used to it. Other than that, it’s fantastic!

Expected so much but delivered very little

I was excited to read a book about probably the hardest working, gifted athlete to Play rugby across its two major codes. I have read over 100 autobiographies of sports stars and military leaders. This rated very low in my own opinion. The things I learnt and really liked was how close he is to his brother John, how amazing his mum is and the insight he gave about his injuries. I really liked how Islam saved him and changed him.
This is his book however there was very little insight into his championship winning mentality, his insights into strategy, funny anecdotes etc. It was heavy on Islam and it’s importance to him, less on what the other 6, 12 or 14 people on the field that helped make him great. Just my opinion.
This book doesn’t diminish him as the greatest sportsman NZ has ever produced in my eyes. Just means that he isn’t the greatest writer/collaborator or storyteller out there.