Author(s): Roger Donaldson

NZ Non Fiction

This book reveals the real Burt Munro - the man behind the movie. Roger Donaldson has been studying Burt Munro for many years. He made a documentary on him back in 1971, called 'Offerings to the God of Speed', as well as the 2005 international hit "The World's Fastest Indian'. Roger Donaldson is a high profile director of movies, from home-grown Kiwi movies to Hollywood blockbusters. He is now based in California but returns to New Zealand regularly. During research for both films, he collected lots of material which has never been published, and Burt's son also released Munro family scrapbooks to Roger, allowing them to be published here for the first time. In preparation for the doco (a dvd of which will be included in the book), Roger interviewed Burt and also taped Burt chatting to several of his cronies and coworkers. These tapes have been transcribed for this book, presenting the real Burt Munro in his own words.