The Hawke Cup Taranaki | Brian Beer Author

Taranaki stories. Sport, history & heritage.

Brian is a New Plymouth-based author and historian with a passion for writing about the history of Taranaki. He has published more books about Taranaki's sporting history than any other writer and is one of the recognised authorities on the history of sport in the province. He has also published a book about the lives of one of Taranaki's early settler families.

IN THE PRESS

The Taranaki historian who started researching street names and wrote a book

Book Launch Event

Join Brian Beer for an exciting evening at the launch of his newest book, “More Sad Blows Than Usually Fall — The Taylers of Eltham” as part of Heritage Taranaki's Heritage Month celebration.

The event will take place on Wednesday, November 1st, at 5:30 PM at the Taranaki Research Centre, Puke Ariki Library.

Brian will share insights into his research and offer valuable insights on the topic of self-publishing.

Written by Brian Beer

  • More Sad Blows Than Usually Fall

    THE TAYLERS OF ELTHAM

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  • The Honours Board

    A HISTORY OF THE NEW PLYMOUTH OLD BOYS’ CRICKET CLUB

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  • Taranaki Cricket — The Hawke Cup Years

    THE 1920s & 1930s

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  • Taranaki's Greatest Sporting Team

    TARANAKI CRICKET THE HAWKE CUP YEARS: THE 1970s

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Taranaki’s most published sport historian.

Taranaki History | Brian Beer Author

Meet Brian Beer

Born and raised in Taranaki, Brian is a history enthusiast with a passion for the province. He has authored four non-fiction titles covering Taranaki history.

Tayler Family Eltham | Brian Beer Author

TARANAKI STORIES

It’s not just sport that Brian is passionate about. The history of Taranaki is an important aspect of his narrative.

  • “Brian, absolutely engrossed in your books, up until 2am last night reading and still going this morning."

    — Jamie Watkins, NPOB Cricket Club Chairman

  • "The book has arrived, and I immediately sat down and read it. Then I went back and read some bits again. An author can't get any better compliment than that."

    — Dion Crooks, former Taranaki Herald sports journalist

  • "I have just finished reading the book and wanted to thank you so much for producing a book full of wonderful stories and memories."

    — Dennis Green, former Taranaki Cricket Captain

  • “The story of the Taylers of Eltham is a compelling and moving account of one family’s triumphs and tragedies through seven turbulent decades. This is an affectionate chronicle of a vanished world, one that goes to the heart of the New Zealand colonial experience.”

    — Rachel Sonius, editor of More Sad Blows Than Usually Fall

  • "Congratulations on a superb job. You have produced a highly readable account of one of the most memorable eras in Taranaki sport (up there with the Ranfurly Shield), and something that needed to be recorded and not forgotten. What I particularly liked was the blend of setting, game reports and player profiles. Many sports books are just one game after another, but you have given the events a broader context by delving behind the scenes and into the players' thoughts to produce a highly readable mix."

    — Dion Crooks, former Taranaki Herald sports journalist