Roosters I have known / Steve Braunias.

The purpose of roosters -- Ruth Richardson : Shine on you crazy diamond -- Chester Borrows : Chester's patch -- John Tamihere : World's fastest Maori -- Paul Toohey : A very perfunctory act -- Paul Henry : Still a man -- Pauline Jespersen : The good samaritan -- Greg O'Connor : The policeman's friend -- Steve Crow : Battle of wounded knee -- Cindy Kiro : Oh my goodness -- Ryan Nelsen : Eight million dollar man -- Wayne Idour : The spy who came in from the cold -- Anita McNaught : We cross live to Iraq -- Garth McVicar : Fatal shore -- Helen Clark : To excite the blood -- John Key : The man who wasn't there -- Dick Hubbard : Breakfasts and tombstones -- Louise Nicholas : The half-life of Louise Nicholas -- Bob Parker : Celebrity Mayor Island -- Ross Meurant : Make love not war -- David Cunliffe : The goodness of people -- Colin Meads : Country Calendar -- Pita Sharples : One big happy whanau -- Richard Faull : Day of the dead -- Paul Buchanan : The unquiet American -- Adam Rickitt : The guy whose head exploded -- Julie Dalzell : Let them eat spinach -- Glynn Cardy : More Jesus, Vicar?.

In 2007, award-winning journalist Steve Braunias embarked on a series of 27 interviews, one a week, profiling New Zealanders famous and infamous, both publicity-seekers and those desperate to hide from the spotlight. His startling survey of the national psyche ranged from the all-out brainy (neuroscientist Richard Faull) to the disturbingly naive (rape survivor Louise Nicholas), from the vainglorious (actor Adam Rickitt) to the gloriously vain (TV star Paul Henry), from the food writer in her home (Cuisine's Julie Dalzell) to the war correspondent in someone else's (Fox Television's Anita McNaught in Iraq). He took us to our leaders - Labour's Helen Clark, National's John Key, the Maori Party's Pita Sharples...and to a miscellany of mayoral wannabes. You may never vote again...