My Steve, by Terri Irwin (HarperCollins, RRP $49.99):
Aussie’s Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin may have died an untimely death after his encounter with a stingray but there’s no doubt he packed more into his 44 years than most of us could ever hope to achieve in two lifetimes.
This book by his widow Terri tells the story of how when they first met Steve was — not surprisingly — hand-feeding a big croc.
She had never believed in love at first sight but changed her mind that day.
A year after that first meeting they were married and footage of their honeymoon crocodile-trapping adventures went on to become the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter television series.
This is as much a love story as anything else: Steve and Terri’s love story, their love for their children, their environment and more animals than you can shake a stick at.
Terri wrote this book not very long after Steve’s death and her grief is raw and obvious. She tells of how she got the news that the love of her life had died and how she dealt with telling their two children, Bindi and Bob.
Steve Irwin on the TV screen is a bit of a likeable larrakin but get to know him a little better via this book and you might just find him even more likeable.