Autobiography: adventurers and explorers Books
HarperCollins Focus Call Me Chef Dammit
Book SynopsisAn inspiring, all-American story from the former White House head chef, who made his way from a farm in rural Mississippi to West Point and a twenty-four-year military career, to holding one of the most prestigious culinary positions in the United States.
£17.00
Penguin Books Ltd Hinch Yourself Happy
Book SynopsisThe perfect book for every Hincher getting ready for a spring cleanTHE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE INSTAGRAM SENSATION''Will not only help you transform your home and make it sparkle, but also show you how cleaning can soothe anxiety and stress'' BEST BOOKS TO HELP YOU ORGANISE YOUR HOME IN 2020, MAIL ONLINE_______________''The sensation'' Sun''We''re mad about Mrs Hinch'' Vogue_______Cleaning - aka hinching - doesn''t have to be that job you dread, not when Mrs Hinch is here to show you her sparkly ways.At over 3 million followers and counting, she has taken the nation by storm with her infectiously addictive charm, clever tidying tips and passionate belief in cleaning. Mrs Hinch invites you into her home and while inside you''ll discover how a spot of cleaning is the perfect way to cleanse the soul. She''ll even share the storyTrade ReviewThe sensation * Sun *Everyone has a Mrs Hinch fan in their life and this is the perfect gift for them . . . It will not only look great on their shelf but also holds the secrets to all of Mrs Hinch's tips and tricks * Closer *My new cleaning goddess * Daily Telegraph *A must for Mrs Hinch fans and those looking to stay on top of their cleaning routine this year. Filled with tidying tips, Hinch must-haves and step-by-step guides to cleaning. Will not only help you transform your home and make it sparkle, but also show you how cleaning can soothe anxiety and stress * Mail Online, Best Books to Help You Declutter, Organise & Clean Your Home in 2020 *Doing for household chores what Marie Kondo did for tidying. A step-by-step guide to achieving a spotless and immaculately tidy home * Daily Mirror *Mrs Hinch offers a reassuring structure for the day, a vision of domestic order * Guardian *If you're not aware of the Mrs Hinch phenomenon, this woman is making waves in the world of Instagram with snaps of her immaculately clean and perfectly decorated hom - now she's written a book on the art of cleaning for us to enjoy * Living North *We're mad about Mrs Hinch * Vogue *Discover how to transform your home * Easy Parenting *Sophie has collated her top tips and shows you how to create not only a cleaner house, but also a relaxed and more calmer you * HomeStyle *Stay on top of your cleaning routine with Mrs Hinch . . . Hinch Yourself Happy shares how cleaning can soothe anxiety and stress, plus step-by-step guides to hinching your home. * Prima *
£10.39
National Geographic Society Into the Deep
Book SynopsisThe legendary explorer of Titanic and Lusitania reveals the secret military missions behind his famous exploits and unveils a major new discovery on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Titanic find. Best known for finding the wreck of the Titanic, celebrated adventurer Robert Ballard has a lifetime of stories about exploring the ocean depths. From discovering new extremophile life-forms thriving at 750°F hydrothermal vents in 1977 to finding famous shipwrecks including the Bismarck and PT 109, Ballard has made history. Now the captain of E/V Nautilus, a state-of-the-art scientific exploration vessel rigged for research in oceanography, geology, biology, and archaeology, he leads young scientists as they map the ocean floor, collect artifacts from ancient shipwrecks, and relay live-time adventures from remote-controlled submersibles to reveal amazing sea life. Now, for the first time, Robert Ballard gets personal, telling the inside stories of his adventur
£21.25
Vintage Publishing Bowens Court Seven Winters
Book SynopsisBowen's Court describes the history of one Anglo-Irish family in County Cork from the Cromwellian settlement until 1959, when Elizabeth Bowen was forced to sell the family house she loved.Trade ReviewInteresting, beautiful and important * New Statesman *She startles us by sheer originality of mind and boldness of sensibility into seeking our world afresh -- V.S. PritchettThrillingly convoluted * Guardian *
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers A Life of Crime
Book SynopsisA frank and witty memoir of life at the Bar and on the Bench, from former High Court Judge The Hon. Sir Harry Ognall.For many years, Harry Ognall enjoyed a formidable reputation as an advocate at the criminal Bar. As counsel, and later as judge, he was involved in numerous high-profile trials, both in Britain and abroad.Among many cases as a QC, he prosecuted Peter Sutcliffe, the so-called Yorkshire Ripper'. He successfully defended six officers of the Air Force of Zimbabwe at their trial in Harare, where they faced a charge of treasonable sabotage.As a judge, he presided over the trial of Colin Stagg (the alleged Wimbledon Common murderer'), the trial arising from the Lyme Bay canoe tragedy and the trial for the first time in the United Kingdom of a doctor's alleged involvement in euthanasia.Thoughtful and provocative, Sir Harry has advice for the aspiring young advocate, and invests this penetrating memoir with warmth, humour and understanding. His frank portrait of a lifetime in the
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Diamonds at the Lost and Found A Memoir in Search
Book SynopsisFor readers of Hideous Kinky, Dadland and Bad Blood; the astonishing, beguiling story of Sarah Aspinall's harum scarum childhood, and a love letter to a woman who defied convention to live a life less ordinary.My Mother attracted unusual people and events to her, and she made things happen.Sarah Aspinall grew up in the glittering wake of her irrepressible mother Audrey. Born into poverty in 1930s Liverpool, Audrey had always known that she was destined for better things and was determined to shape that destiny for herself. From the fading seaside glamour of Southport, to New York and Hollywood, to post-war London and the stately homes of the English aristocracy, Audrey stylishly kicked down every door she encountered, on a ceaseless quest for excitement and for love.Once Sarah was born, she became Audrey's companion on her adventures, travelling the world, scraping together an education for herself from the books found in hotels or given to her by strangers, and living on Audrey's chaTrade ReviewA great read – what a strange and amazing life! The tone was pitched just right, unflinchingly, but with so much love, and after reading it I felt that maybe I understood something more about the world of women' Louis Theroux ‘A delicious memoir with echoes of An Education by Lynn Barber and Esther Freud’s Hideous Kinky … a warm and consistently entertaining portrait of a hapless but loving mother. You’ll find yourself wishing you could have met her in person’ Daily Express ‘Wry and warm: I went from gripped to moved and tearful and I'd now like to read a hundred more books by this gifted, vivid storyteller’ Marian Keyes ‘Flies off the page like uncorked champagne, with characters written so winningly that I feel I am in the room with them. Magnetic, enchanting and true: it’s utterly irresistible’ Joanna Lumley 'It’s a story of how a mothers passes onto her daughter the greatest gift of all – a passion for life! Like everyone who reads it I wish I had met Audrey just once!' John Bishop ‘Never dull, regularly embarrassing, often poignant, and beautifully observed. A go-getting, polished jewel of a book’ Keggie Carew, author Dadland ‘Everyone has a mother but not everyone’s mother is like Audrey. I found myself completely immersed in the incredibly vivid world of this memoir and was sad to leave it behind’ Kate Atkinson ‘… Aspinall elevates her familial memories from the personal into something more: a kind of social history, taking in grey, postwar Britain, Technicolor America, the Swinging Sixties and seedy Seventies. A documentary-maker, she injects the book with a cinematic quality’ The Times ‘Just when you thought your family was offbeat, here comes Fabulous Audrey. A portrait of dauntless spirit, this is what happens when your skeletons stay out of the closet and take you dancing’ DBC Pierre, author of Breakfast with the Borgias
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The God Desire
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of Jews Don't Count A hugely heartfelt, funny, kind, fascinating, human and clever book ' ALAIN DE BOTTON Magnificent. Breathtaking. And shockingly rare another one-sitting wonder' STEPHEN FRYDavid Baddiel would love there to be a God. He has spent a lot of time fantasising about how much better life would be if there actually was such a thing as a Superhero Dad who chased off Death. Unfortunately for him, there isn't. Or at least, that is Baddiel's view in this book, which argues that it is indeed the very intensity of his, and everyone else's, desire for God to exist that proves His non-existence. Anything so deeply wished-for we will, considers Baddiel, make real. The admission of his own divine yearnings makes for a book that is more vulnerable and more understanding of the value and power of religion than most atheist polemics. A philosophical essay that utilises Baddiel's trademarks of comedy, storytelling and personal asides, The God Desire offers a highly readable new perspective on the most ancient of debates.Trade Review‘This is such a fabulous book. Honest, powerful, moving. Can’t remember ever liking a book “in praise of atheism” as much as this. Many atheists don’t really get religion. David Baddiel absolutely does.’ Giles Fraser Praise for Jews Don’t Count: ‘Jews Don’t Count is a supreme piece of reasoning and passionate, yet controlled, argument. From his first sentence, the energy, force and conviction of Baddiel’s writing and thinking will transfix you…as readable as an airport thriller…a masterpiece.’STEPHEN FRY ‘I don’t think I have ever been so grateful to anyone for writing a book. Baddiel’s Jews Don’t Count is incisive, urgent, surprisingly funny and short. It’s also a beautiful piece of publishing. It needs to be read’JAY RAYNER ‘Brilliant, furious, uncomfortable, funny. Essential reading.’SIMON MAYO ‘I'm about a quarter of the way into this thus far and it's very well argued and written. It's a book you know the author HAD to write, and those are the best books’JON RONSON ‘I only big up work I really believe is good and this is extra-ordinarily good. And important’JONATHAN ROSS ‘This is brilliant – funny and furious, mostly at the same time’MARINA HYDE ‘A convincing and devastating charge sheet’ Dominic Lawson, Sunday Times ‘It is so gripping – I read it in a single sitting’ Stephen Bush, The Times ‘A fascinating book, I urge you to read it’ Piers Morgan ‘I really think it’s a great book … the real triumph is its tone, its straightforwardness, and its spectacular tact and wit’ Adam Phillips, author of Monogamy ‘Funny, complex and intellectually satisfying – a really good piece of work’ Frankie Boyle ‘Just so brilliantly argued and written, I was completely swept along’ Hadley Freeman ‘David Baddiel is a brilliant thinker and writer. Even when I disagree with him – especially when I disagree with him – I feel profound gratitude for his intellectual and moral clarity. This is a brave and necessary book.’ Jonathan Safran Foer
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Comfort in Darkness
Book SynopsisA masterwork from the world''s greatest Jiu Jitsu fighter and international bestselling author of BREATHE.A mythic figure in fighting and a legendary member of the first family of martial arts, Rickson Gracie is considered the godfather of what we recognize today as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Although Rickson's three decades of total dominance in Jiu Jitsu is astounding, even more astounding is the serenity and spiritual depth of his approach to combat. Some consider Jiu Jitsu a martial art, others consider it a sport, but to Gracie, it is a philosophical system he uses to face and evaluate life's challenges and maintain happiness and peace of mind.Gracie wrote Comfort in Darkness after being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, a terminal sentence which he views as the greatest fight of his life, one he knows he will eventually lose. This is Gracie's defining life statement about his spiritual and technical practice. For the first time, he reveals his time-tested theories and techniques of invisible Jiu Jitsu, a combat system anyone can use to awaken their power and apply it to their everyday lives. An indispensable tool for any fighter or seeker, Comfort in Darkness teaches how to balance and align the mind, body, and spirit.
£17.00
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Girl with the SelfEsteem Issues
Book SynopsisCada vez que una mujer se atreve a contar su verdadera historia y a mostrar en carne viva sus heridas permite que otras cicatricen las suyas. Estoy segura de que este libro sanará muchas heridas. Y que las vidas de muchas tendrán un final feliz tras leerlo. ¡Gracias, Rosie! — Luz María Doria, autora de La mujer de mis sueños y Tu momento estelarLa vida de Rosie Mercado ha sido todo menos fácil: ¿cómo es posible que haya tenido tres relaciones fallidas y dado a luz a tres hijos a solas? ¿Qué había hecho ella para merecerlo? En su peor momento, llegó a pesar más de ciento ochenta kilos tras toda una vida con baja autoestima y de comer emocionalmente. Pero Rosie decidió cambiarla por completo y dejar de ser la víctima. Ideó un plan, aceptó sus defectos, y descubrió el tipo de amor más importante y esencial: el amor propio.Estas revelaciones no sólo la llevaron a alcanzar sus sueños como maquillista, empresaria, modelo de talla grande y presentadora de televisión, sino a mejorar su calidad de vida por ella y sus hijos. La latina con baja autoestima son las inspiradoras memorias de una mexicoamericana de talla grande que se dejó finalmente guiar por su intuición, fe y ambición. Rosie nos cuenta los jugosos detalles de cómo llegó a convertirse en la superestrella y life coach que es hoy, regalándonos importantes y poderosos consejos de vida en el camino.ROSIE MERCADO es modelo mexicoamericana y una de Las 25 mujeres más poderosas del 2019 de People en Español. Además de haber participado como copresentadora del programa Face The Truth, producido por el célebre Dr. Phil, es una life coach cuyo propósito es inspirar, motivar y abogar por el amor propio y la aceptación corporal tras sus propias vivencias como empresaria y modelo de talla grande. Rosie ha abierto camino a las latinas de talla grande en la televisión hispana como presentadora ocasional para Telemundo y Univisión. Vive en Los Ángeles con su esposo y sus cuatro hermosos hijos.Trade Review<>. — Kirkus Reviews
£8.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Ill Take Your Questions Now
Book SynopsisTrade Review“Grisham’s book shows considerably more humility and self-reflection than that of any other Trump administration veteran I’ve read (and I’ve pretty much read them all).” — Laura Miller, Slate “Salacious and score-settling.” — The Guardian “Part giddy travelogue, part belated apologia, part petty payback, all personal-therapy session.” — New York Times
£11.69
Ebury Publishing Look Me in the Eye
Book SynopsisFrom the time he was three or four years old, John Elder Robison realised that he was different from other people. He was unable to make eye contact or connect with other children, and by the time he was a teenager his odd habits - an inclination to blurt out non-sequiturs, obsessively dismantle radios or dig five-foot holes (and stick his younger brother in them) - had earned him the label ''social deviant''. It didn''t help that his mother conversed with light fixtures and his father spent evenings pickling himself in sherry.Look Me in the Eye is his story of growing up with Asperger''s syndrome a form of autism at a time when the diagnosis simply didn''t exist. Along the way it also tells the story of two brothers born eight years apart yet devoted to each other: the author and his younger brother Chris, who would grow up to become bestselling author Augusten Burroughs. This book is a rare fusion of inspiration, dark comedy and insight into the workings oTrade ReviewJohn has a life that is humanity's version of extreme sport. Even without the Asperger's he would have had an appalling childhood ... This is no misery memoir, however. He is a gifted storyteller with a deadpan sense of humour and the book is a rollicking read * The Times *Of course it's brilliant; my big brother wrote it. But even if it hadn't been created by my big, lumbering, swearing, unshaven "early man" sibling, this is a sweet and funny and sad and true and heartfelt a memoir as one could find, utterly unspoiled, uninfluenced, and original -- Augusten BurroughsJohn Robison's book is an immensely affecting account of a life lived according to his gifts rather than his limitations. His story provides ample evidence for my belief that individuals on the autistic spectrum are just as capable of rich and productive lives as anyone else -- Daniel Tammet, author of BORN ON A BLUE DAYDeeply felt and often darkly funny, Look Me in the Eye is a delight * People magazine *It's a fantastic life story (highlights include building guitars for KISS) told with grace, humor, and a bracing lack of sentimentality * Entertainment News *
£14.24
Cornerstone Confessions Of An Irish Rebel
Book SynopsisBrendan Behan was born in Dublin in 1923. A member of the IRA, he was sentenced to three years in Borstal in 1939 and a further fourteen years in 1942. He became a dominant literary figure almost overnight with the 1956 production of his play The Quare Fellow, based on his prison experiences. This recognition was reinforced by the success of Borstal Boy and his second play, The Hostage. Brendan Behan described his recreations as 'drinking, talking, and swimming' but no factual description could do justice to his flamboyant, larger-than-life character. Generally regarded as irreverent and unpredictable if not actually dangerous, there was nonetheless no publicity which ever obscured his marked talents or his great understanding of human nature. A man whose contemporaries include Flann O'Brien, Patrick Kavanagh and Anthony Cronin, Behan was a key part of Ireland's great modern literary tradition.Brendan Behan died in 1964.Trade ReviewThe best thing in Irish writing since Sean O'Casey * Spectator *
£10.44
Vintage Publishing Gathering Evidence
Book SynopsisBorn in 1931, the illegitimate child of an abandoned mother, Thomas Bernhard was brought up by an eccentric grandmother and adored grandfather. Tormented as a young student in a right-wing, catholic Austria, Bernhard ran away from home aged fifteen. At eighteen he contracted pneumonia. Placed in a hospital ward for the old and terminally ill, he observed with unflinching acuity protracted suffering and death. From the age of 21, everything he wrote was shaped by the urgency of a dying man''s testament - his witness, the quintessence of his life and knowledge - and where this account of his life ends, his art begins.Trade ReviewA writer of great originality and fascination * New York Review of Books *Breathless, relentlessly compulsive... A remarkable literary contribution * New York Times Book Review *
£999.99
Cornerstone The Last Gangster
Book SynopsisCharlie Richardson, one of Britain's most notorious gangland bosses, sheds light on his extraordinary life story completed just weeks before his death in September 2012.Notorious Charlie Richardson was the most feared gangster in 1960s London.
£10.44
Vintage Publishing The Justice Game
Book SynopsisGeoffrey Robertson QC has been at the centre of internationally high-profile legal cases for over three decades. From representing Princess Diana to Salman Rushdie, to his involvement in the celebrated criminal trials of Oz magazine and Gay News, Robertson is an unfailing champion of human rights, justice, freedom and democracy. In this captivating memoir, Robertson reveals what draws him to each case, his ingenious analysis and interpretation of the courtroom proceedings, and the legal and civic consequences wrapping each case into a thrilling, rollercoaster sequence of events.Entertaining, scandalous and hugely insightful, The Justice Game provides a piercing behind-the-scenes look into courtroom cases, the practice of the law and the never-ending fight in striving to narrow the gap between the law and justice. A highly recommended read for those interested in current affairs, criminal and public law, legal history and the British legal system.This wondeTrade ReviewFor all his reputation as a radical lawyer, flailing at the Establishment, he proves himself to be a believer * Independent *This wonderful book...reads like a John Grisham, infused with moral anger * Independent *Well-written, powerful...Robertson's work has changed the way government works, and made it more accountable...a good read for people of any age -- Jack Straw * New Statesman *Geoffrey Robertson Q.C. is one of those few fearless and romantic lawyers dedicated to reducing the difference between law and justice -- David Jessel * Scotland on Sunday *Compellingly told, entertaining, sometimes hilarious and always illuminating -- John Mortimer
£13.49
Penguin Books Ltd Interventions
Book SynopsisOver forty years of service to the United Nations - the last ten as Secretary-General - Kofi Annan has been at the centre of the major geopolitical events of our time. As much a memoir as a guide to world order, INTERVENTIONS provides a unique, behind-the-scenes view of global diplomacy during one of the most tumultuous periods in UN history.With eloquence and immediacy, Annan writes about the highs and lows of his years at the United Nations: from shuttle-diplomacy during crises such as Kosovo, Lebanon and Israel-Palestine to the wrenching battles over the Iraq War to the creation of the landmark Responsibility to Protect doctrine. He is remarkably candid about the organization''s failed efforts, particularly in Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. Ultimately, Annan shows readers a world where solutions are available, if we have the will and courage to see them through.
£11.69
Penguin Books Ltd Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots The True
Book SynopsisNew 25th Anniversary Edition__________''I am still haunted by Mah''s memoir . . . Riveting. A marvel of memory. Poignant proof of the human will to endure'' Amy Tan, bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club1940s, Shanghai. As the civil war rages on and China falls under communist rule, young Adeline lives in constant fear. Not of the war, but of her family: blamed for the death of her mother, she is rejected by her father and abused by her cruel stepmother.With the help of her aunt, Adeline escapes to the United States where she finds love, happiness and success. But will that be enough to quell a lifelong yearning for acceptance, or will she return to the family that rejected her years agoFalling Leaves Return to their Roots is both the enthralling story of a Chinese family in a time of political upheaval, and a moving account of one girl''s unrelenting will to survive.__________''Falling Leaves isTrade ReviewCharged with emotion . . . a vivid portrait of the human capacity for meanness, malice - and love'Falling Leaves is a terrible and riveting family history . . . It is also a story about endurance and the cost it can exact . . . gripping' * Daily Telegraph *An illuminating account of the destructive nature of family relationships set against a backdrop of China in change * Mail on Sunday *A light burns in the book that is never extinguished . . . [it is] an act, not of vengeance or bitterness, but of catharsis * Sunday Telegraph *The pain of so much emotional abuse leaps from every page . . . the most amazing aspect of this story is that Adeline managed to survive . . . and emerge triumphant . . . compelling' * Val Hennessy *I am still haunted by Mah's memoir . . . Riveting. A marvel of memory. Poignant proof of the human will to endure
£9.99
Penguin Books Ltd Memoirs
Book SynopsisLong self-identified as a gay man, America's greatest playwright Williams' candour in his book about his love life, sexual encounters, and drug use was found shocking in and of itself. Here, more than thirty years later, Williams' look back at his life is not quite so scandalous as it once seemed.
£11.69
Penguin Books Ltd Becoming
Book SynopsisAn intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir; 17 million copies sold worldwideTHE NO. 1 BESTSELLERNow in paperback featuring a new introduction by Michelle Obama, a letter from the author to her younger self, and a book club guide with 20 discussion questions and a 5-question Q&A, the intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United StatesIn her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her -- from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world''s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it -- in her own words and on her own terms.Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations -- and whose story inspires us to do the same.THE LIGHT WE CARRY IS AVAILABLE NOWSunday Times bestseller, November 2018Trade ReviewAn inspirational memoir that also rings true -- Gaby Wood * Daily Telegraph, Five Stars *Obama's memoir is a genuine page-turner, full of intimacies and reflections. . . Allied to this candour is a steeliness of purpose. It is no exaggeration to say that every page of this book is, explicitly or otherwise, a reproach to Donald Trump, and a call-to-arms to those who would defeat the 45th President and all that he stands for -- Matt D'Ancona * Evening Standard *This is a rich, entertaining and candid memoir. And overall she's a fun person to sit alongside as she tells you the story of her life, warts and all. . . it is as beautifully written as any piece of fiction, with a similar warm languid tone to Ann Patchett's novel Commonwealth -- Viv Groskop * i, Five Stars *This revealing memoir offers new insights into her upbringing on the south side of Chicago and the highs and lows of life with Barack Obama. . . Becoming is a 400-page expansion of this essential doctrine ['when they go low, we go high'], without compromising a refreshing level of honesty about what politics really did to her. I have read Barack Obama's two books so far, and this is like inserting a missing piece of reality into the narrative of his dizzying journey -- Afua Hirsch * Guardian *I found myself lifting my jaw from my chest at the end of every other chapter, not because of any seedy insight into stories I'd always wondered about, but because, armed as I was with knowledge about her career, her mannerisms, and even her elbow-heavy dancing, this was not the Obama I thought I knew. She was more -- Kuba Shand-Baptiste * Independent *Inspiring. . . After 421 pages of Becoming, I closed the book hoping that one day she would use her formidable intelligence, humanity - and humour - to offer a more tangible vision for how America might fight the rising tides of polarisation and hate * Financial Times *Open and engaging. . . Obama writes with candour about the good times and bad * Daily Express *Of course, Becoming is Michelle Obama's story, of how she moved from a girl on the South Side of Chicago to becoming one of the most powerful women in the world. But in the final pages of the book, Obama writes, "It's all a process, steps along a path. Becoming requires equal parts patience and rigor." Here, Obama is pushing us to reckon with our own becomings - to realise our own story and to have the power to tell it * The Pool *She's a woman we've all fallen in love with because she radiates joy and wisdom, and Becoming encapsulate this perfectly. It's also deeply honest - reading it makes you feel as though she's your close friend opening up to you * Red Online *Obama writes with a refreshing candor * The Atlantic *In the best moments of Becoming, the miracle of Michelle Obama arises * Vanity Fair *[A] polished pearl of a memoir * New York Times *This beautifully written memoir... Twenty-five years ago she fell in love with a driven idealist, a man determined not to accept the world as it was. She feared his forceful intellect and ambition might swallow hers; instead, she found her voice * Sunday Times *Becoming serenely balances gravity and grace, uplift and anecdote.... Becoming is frequently funny, sometimes indignant or enraged, and when Michelle describes her father's early death from multiple sclerosis it turns rawly emotional * Observer *This is a vivid and interesting account and all of that is to her credit. I certainly thought better of her by the end: she has put her heart into this * The Times *This is undeniably a political book, both a fierce critique of Donald Trump's administration's politics of hatred and a powerful remind of a better, more compassionate America * Metro *Candid, engaging. . . To read her reflections is to recall and hope for a better America. Mrs Obama pulls back the curtains around their lives in a way she could not while Mr Obama was in office. Besides her lovely turn of phrase, she is a gifted and empathetic observer * The Economist *Deeply moving. . . Becoming is fundamentally about how to be a person in the world, how to live a purposeful life, and how to use the chances you have been given * New Statesman *Her wonderful candid and affecting autobiography, Becoming. . . brims over with such emotional truthfulness...what a tale. With its generosity of spirit, self-knowledge and hope, it is the perfected antidote to the man who now lives in the White House. A plangent, defiant, honest and uplifting book * Sunday Telegraph, Five Stars *Intimate, inspiring and set to become hugely influential * Sunday Times, Books of the Year *What a memoir. What a woman. * Spectator *This brilliantly written and emotionally authentic memoir fills in some important gaps...not just a fascinating read but a genuinely moving one too * Mail on Sunday, Five Stars *
£999.99
Penguin Books Ltd Heres the Story
Book SynopsisThe groundbreaking two-term President of Ireland tells the stories of her lifeWhen a young Mary McAleese told a priest that she planned to become a lawyer, the priest dismissed the idea: she knew no one in the law, and she was female. The reality of what she went on to achieve - despite those obstacles, and despite a sectarian attack that forced her family to flee their home - is even more improbable.In this luminous memoir, Mary McAleese traces that astonishing arc: from the tight streets of north Belfast, to a professorship in Dublin while still in her twenties, behind-the-scenes work on the peace process, and two triumphant terms as President of Ireland. She writes of her encounters with prime ministers, popes and royalty with the same easy candour and intimacy with which she describes her childhood. And her account of the latest act in her remarkable career - quietly pursuing a doctorate, and loudly opposing the misogyny of the Catholic Church - is inspiring.Here''s the Story is warm, witty, often surprising and relentlessly fascinating: an extraordinarily intimate memoir by one of the most remarkable public figures of our time._______________''A fascinating story and well worth the read'' Irish Times''Riveting ... A fiercely urgent reminder to the world - and the Government - that peace must never be sacrificed for politics'' Telegraph ''Excellent'' Matt Cooper, Irish Daily Mail''I was enthralled and absorbed by this memoir'' Sunday Independent''What an incredible life lived by an outstanding role model. I ate this book up'' Sinéad Moriarty''Full of conviction and isn''t afraid of plain speaking ... Priests, popes, paramilitaries and Ian Paisley are all held to account'' Herald Scotland ''[A] chatty, provocative and embraceable biography'' RTÉ GuideTrade ReviewA fascinating story and well worth the read * Irish Times *Riveting ... A fiercely urgent reminder to the world - and the Government - that peace must never be sacrificed for politics * Telegraph *I was enthralled and absorbed by this memoir ... Riveting -- Mary O'Rourke * Sunday Independent *Artful, entertaining and often enlightening - one of the few memoirs by a senior Irish office-holder that's actually worth reading * Sunday Times *What an incredible life lived by an outstanding role model. I ate this book up -- Sinéad MoriartyA meticulously researched and recorded history of the past half-century in Ireland and the story of a life passionately committed to working for peace * TLS *Full of conviction and isn't afraid of plain speaking ... Priests, popes, paramilitaries and Ian Paisley are all held to account * Herald Scotland *[A] chatty, provocative and embraceable biography * RTÉ Guide *Excellent -- Matt Cooper * Irish Daily Mail *Compelling ... Displays many of the qualities that made her such a popular president * Business Post *A warm and witty insight into an extraordinary woman * Irish Daily Mail *An immensely readable effort from that rarest of figures - a politician you actually like and admire * Hot Press *
£9.99
HarperCollins Publishers The Bravest Voices
Book Synopsis''A breathtaking story'' Daily Mail Extraordinary' The Telegraph on the Cook sistersDesperate circumstances can cause ordinary women to achieve extraordinary things.No one would have predicted such glamorous and daring lives for Ida and Louise Cook two decidedly ordinary women who lived quiet lives in the London suburbs. But throughout the 1930s, the remarkable sisters rescued dozens of Jews facing persecution and death.Ida''s memoir of the adventures she and Louise shared remains as fresh, vital, and entertaining as the woman who wrote it. Even when Ida began to earn thousands as a successful romance novelist, the sisters directed every spare resource, as well as their considerable courage and ingenuity, towards saving as many as they could from Hitler''s death camps.Trade Review'A breathtaking story'Daily Mail “They defy the generalisation of social history: they wereextraordinary.”The Telegraph on the Cook sisters
£10.44
SPCK Publishing Closing Ranks
Book SynopsisClosing Ranks is the enthralling autobiography of Leroy Logan, brilliantly portrayed by John Boyega in Steve McQueen’s award-winning film anthology Small Axe.
£10.44
Yale University Press Ghetto Diary
Book SynopsisJanusz Korczak devoted himself to the care of orphans in the Warsaw Ghetto after the Nazi occupation of Poland. This volume constitutes his grimly inspiring ghetto diary, and is accompanied by a new introduction by Betty Jean Lifton, the author of a biography of Korczak.Trade Review"Korczak's diary is a moving piece of literature and an indispensable insight into life inside the ghetto. The quality of his testimony, contemporaneous with the events he lived, is powerful, poignant, and moving." Michael Berenbaum
£15.99
Hodder & Stoughton Trowel and Error
Book SynopsisAlan Titchmarsh has had a passion for gardening for as long as he can remember. Aged 8, he announced to friends that he was going to be the next Percy Thrower, although he thought it was no more than a dream.With the magic touch of a best-selling writer, Alan tells his own story from Ilkley Moor to Pebble Mill and to the final realising of his dream of becoming TV''s favourite gardener. Along the way, the cast of characters includes everyone from Auntie Ethel to Nelson Mandela and the Queen.With great charm, humour and passion, this is probably the best story Alan Titchmarsh has ever told.
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group Soundings
Book Synopsis''Beautiful . . . Justifies its place alongside nature writing classics such as H is for Hawk'' NEW STATESMAN''Wonderful ... both frank and fearless'' TELEGRAPH BEST TRAVEL BOOKS OF THE YEAR''Fascinating'' GUARDIAN TOP TEN NATURE MEMOIRSFrom Mexico to the Arctic ice, grey whale mothers swim with their calves. Following them, by bus, train and ferry, are Doreen and her toddler Max, in pursuit of a wild hope.Doreen first visited Alaska as a young BBC journalist reporting on climate change among indigenous whaling communities. There, drawn deeply into an Iñupiaq family and an ill-fated love affair, she joined the bowhead whale hunt out on the sea ice.Years later, now a single mother living in a hostel, Doreen embarks on this extraordinary journey: following the grey whale migration back to the Arctic, where greys and bowheads meet at the melting apex of our planet.''As compelling as any novel..Trade ReviewA beautiful account of trauma, community and nature's capacity to heal, this book takes its place alongside modern classics of the genre such as Helen Macdonald's H is for Hawk. * New Statesman, best books of 2022 *The endless wait of the whale hunt is made fascinating by her quiet observations. The protagonists make a deeply refreshing triad: a single mother travelling with her child, learning from the whales how to parent -- Sarah Thomas * Guardian, Top 10 Nature Memoirs *Compelling ... A human story of resilience, loss and immense bravery ... A rallying cry for love * Irish Times *A wonderful debut . . . both frank and fearless, and a plea for the whales to be allowed to live, and die, in peace * Daily Telegraph *An original, unexpectedly pacey blend of memoir and nature writing. Whether observing how the ceteceans are threatened by global warming, delving into the lives of the Inupiaq or sharing personal struggles, Cunningham brings a sensitivity to the page. This is a moving riposte to those who offer atomised perspectives on the natural world -- Jini Reddy * Metro *A striking, brave and often lyrical book that defies easy interpretation . . . Her sensuous descriptions of grey whales and humpbacks provide some of the book's richest passages . . . She is no Ahab; it is not a single whale to which she is drawn, but the collective, and in the end the whales act as stepping-stones, bridges to human relationships on her journey, notably with other women and mothers. What at first seems a reckless, near-mystical pursuit of an imagined being leads her to find a human pod of her own. -- Edward Posnett * Guardian *Soundings got under my skin. It was as if I'd joined Doreen and her young son on their search for grey whales, and we'd been through something important together. I finished it in tears * Amy Liptrot, author of The Outrun and The Instant *Doreen's is a thrilling, passionate and tenderhearted adventure. I read this book in one sitting, and couldn't sleep that night - my mind was still filled with her extraordinary endurance, her wild spirit. * Helen Jukes, author of A Honeybee Heart has Five Openings *What a voice! What a book! Pounding with the power of thrashing flukes, shivering with Arctic ice, yet suffused with rare human warmth. A book worthy of its mighty subjects. * Charles Foster, author of Being a Human *Beautiful . . . Through such delicate merging of environmental and individual trauma, Soundings births a raw, intimate narrative about nature's capacity to mend - and justifies its place alongside modern nature writing classics, such as Helen Macdonald's H is for Hawk -- India Bourke * New Statesman *Beautiful and brave, and startling in its raw emotional honesty. * Neil Ansell, author of Deep Country and The Circling Sky *This stunning book blends nature writing of the most urgent kind with precise and poetic observation of human tribulation and the interconnectedness of all things. Fresh, brave and unique * Damian le Bas, author of The Stopping Places *Soundings stuns with its bravery and lyricism. This is a book to be devoured. * Ramita Navai, author of City of Lies *Cunningham's scientific knowledge and gorgeous prose take us on an extraordinary journey as she forges a remarkable connection with these astonishing creatures and issues an impassioned plea for our shared futures. Soundings is a completely unique, unforgettable book. * Erica Wagner *An intimate and fascinating story of one woman's journey with our most charismatic species * Mark Boyle, author of The Way Home *Beautifully written, insightful and gripping * Daniel Lavelle, author of Down and Out *In this fascinating book, Doreen Cunningham takes us on an intimate journey through a world already changed by climate change. As her own travel companions become ours - the indigenous people of Utqiagvik, the whales of the Pacific, the world's scientists and her little son Max - we learn that it is only by coming together as people and species that we will be able to navigate our way ahead in the vast troubled waters of our shared future. * Sjón, author of The Whispering Muse *This book is a gorgeous journey. Cunningham guides us elegantly from Mexico to Alaska, riding along with wild grey whales. And she excels as well at bringing the reader along on her personal journey of motherhood, struggle, and epiphany. You will be glad you've joined her. * Susan Orlean, author of The Orchid Thief *A raw and rapturous work of nature writing. Or is it memoir? Adventure journalism? Pop science? Climate cri de coeur? This foul-mouthed, gimlet-eyed, big-hearted chimera of a book is all of those - and more * Robert Moor, bestselling author of On Trails: An Exploration *What a woman and what a tale! It is a rare gift to be taken on a journey by a single mother with her child and the particular perspective that offers. This is a story about living and loving at the sharp end of climate change, and learning to listen, and wait. I loved this book. Sensitive, sincere, and heart-warming. * Sarah Thomas, author of The Raven's Nest *Captures rarely observed natural places ... The reader understands that reporting on climate disaster, and Cunningham's own troubles, have sent the journalist into uncomfortable turbulence. She finds an easier groove, and readers are richer for it, in the enduring beauty and resilient wonder of the ocean * San Francisco Chronicle *Cunningham is consistently forthcoming and self-aware, and she delivers an informed perspective on climate change and ecological damage ... A gorgeous, heartfelt coda brings the narrative to a close, and we can't deny our own sympathies. An absorbing account that offers urgent warnings for humankind * Kirkus *Through her journey from Mexico to Alaska, Doreen Cunningham develops what can only be described as a spiritual relationship with the gray whales. Readers will be further enriched by her ability to seamlessly integrate traditional Indigenous knowledge and science of the sea, ice, and the world of the Iñupiat who hunt the mammoth baleen whales -- Rosita Kaaháni Worl, Ph.D., President of the Sealaska Heritage InstituteSoundings is a story of whales and people, of kinship and questing, and perhaps most of all of the connections among our human selves and across species. With a lyrical voice and tremendous emotional honesty, Doreen Cunningham defies genre and skips easy romance to bring us a cetacean journey-and a journey into the tough, transformative stuff of making community in this beautiful, harsh and changeable world -- Bathsheba Demuth, author of Floating Coast: An Environmental History of the Bering StraitA spellbinding journey of discovery told with deep sensitivity and honesty -- Dr. Edith Widder, CEO & Senior Scientist of the Ocean Research & Conservation AssociationI must say I was in awe of this book. Such a captivating, raw and special offering to the world. A lovely memoir that ranges in exploration but keeps the constant tone of gratitude and discovery on this journey we call life -- Emily Porter * Porchlight Books *With a light touch and artful prose, Cunningham's primary message of compassion comes through, a perspective readers are sure to respond to -- Colleen Mondor * Booklist Online *A beautiful book: a woman's search for meaning deep in the world of the whale * Philip Hoare, author of Leviathan, or the Whale *Doreen Cunningham captures the scope of the world, the grandeur of whales and the direct relationship between the two. We see our fragility, how short life truly is for the human animal and yet the degree of change wrought on the planet by our actions. Experiencing all this through her eyes has been a thrill: a brave, frightening wondrous ride from a woman who not only dares question but pushes back against systems that tell her no -- Ch?k?d?l? Emel?mad?
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group The Old Man and the Knee How to be a Golden Oldie
Book SynopsisDaunted by the prospect of old age? Fearful of becoming a silly old fool? ''No need,'' says Christopher Matthew.He has just hit eighty. He plays golf; walks the dog; has all his own hair; doesn''t need a hearing aid, and no one ever stands up for him on crowded buses and tubes. By his own lights a late middle ager who intends to remain so.No one likes the idea of getting old, but in this wry, thoughtful and very funny guide to life in the last lane, the author of the million-selling Now We Are Sixty will surely persuade all late middle agers that they have a lot more to look forward to than they might imagine.Trade ReviewChristopher Matthew is a comic genius * Sandi Toksvig *
£9.49
WW Norton & Co When Broken Glass Floats
Book Synopsis"A gut-wrenching story told with honesty, restraint, and dignity." —Ha Jin, National Book Award-winning author of Waiting Chanrithy Him felt compelled to tell of surviving life under the Khmer Rouge in a way "worthy of the suffering which I endured as a child."Trade Review"Intelligent and morally aware…[Him] tells us what it was like to struggle to survive while others played out utopian dreams." -- New York Times"An inspiring story that draws hope from horror." -- Seattle Times"There are few books that give a refugee’s point of view as clearly and passionately as Him’s." -- Time Out"Astonishing and heartbreaking…Written in spare, visual prose that makes the world it describes tangible." -- Katherine A. Powers - Boston Globe"A touching and illuminating human account and should not be missed by anyone around the world." -- Le Ly Hayslip, author of When Heaven and Earth Changed Places
£12.99
Random House Publishing Group Life Will Be the Death of Me
Book Synopsis
£14.24
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Informer
Book SynopsisIn 1988 IRA terrorist Sean O''Callaghan walked into a Tunbridge Wells police station and gave himself up. Two years later, in a Belfast courtroom, he pleaded guilty to all charges of which he was accused and received a sentence of 539 years. Since being a teenager he had been an active member of the IRA and had risen to be the head of their Southern Command. He was responsible for two murders and many terrorist attacks. He was a linchpin of the organization.But in 1996, he was released from prison by royal prerogative. For fourteen years he had been the most highly placed informer within the IRA and had fed the Irish Garda with countless pieces of invaluable information. He prevented the assassination of the Prince and Princess of Wales at a London theatre, he sabotaged operations, explained strategy and caused the arrests of many IRA members. He has done more than any individual to unlock the code of silence that governs the IRA''s members, and has in effect made it pTrade Review'A book of major significance...told with the suspense of a thriller' -- Mark Kenny * Daily Express *'A cracking story...O'Callaghan is one of the greatest friends of peace in Ireland' * Observer *'An extraordinary memoir of life within the murky world of Republicanism...filled with astonishing insights into the personalities and politics of the Provisionals' -- Kevin Toolis * Guardian *'The extraordinary story of an extraordinary man...His well-written book sheds an unprecedented light on the inner workings of the "Republican Movement"' -- Conor Cruise O'Brien * Sunday Telegraph *
£11.69
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Autobiography of Jack the Ripper
Book SynopsisThis memoir was recently discovered and appears to have been written in the 1920s by somone who asserts that he was Jack the Ripper.This person is James Carnac, this memoir written shortly before his death is an account of his entire life, including a few short months in 1888 when he became the murderer known to posterity as Jack the Ripper. This book introduces a new suspect for the infamous murders in Whitechapel in 1888. There is information in this book that does not appear to be derived from contemporary newspapers or any other publications and the descriptions of Tottenham in the 1870s, the visits to performances of Jekyll and Hyde, the intricate geography of Whitechapel in 1888 are written with pin-point accuracy. There is also a credible motive given for James becoming the murderer Jack and also a reason for the end of the murders. Given the fact that the author also appear to have knowledge about aspects of the case not in the public arena at the time it couTrade ReviewAn account by someone who was there, was at least a witness to the scenes of the murders and was potentially the perpetrator of the Jack the Ripper murders...a text that will no doubt be debated for years to come * Alan Hicken *This is the autobiography of a man who claims that for a few short weeks when he was a young man he killed several women in Whitechapel. It is either a genuine confession by Jack the Ripper, or it's an extraordinary novel. Or it is something else, but what? Only you can decide * Paul Begg *Whether it is truly real or not, that doesn't affect the engaging read that Carnac provides. We'll let you make your own mind up * entertainment-focus.com *As “Ripperature” it is not only important, but it is also unique -- John Bennett * Ripperologist magazine *Intricate and creepy * Daily Express *
£13.49
Faber & Faber Philip Larkin Selected Letters
Book SynopsisThe enormous popular appeal of Philip Larkin''s poetry has long been established; but oddly little is known to his admiring public about the personality behind the work.The Selected Letters will change this, throwing light on a more complex, and in many ways more remarkable, figure than most readers will be expecting. Whether addressing his literary friends - who included Barbara Pym, Kingsley Amis and John Betjeman - or those less prominently placed, Larkin shows himself to have been one of the frankest and most generously entertaining letter-writers of the century.Confessions, jokes, advice, scurrilities, pronouncements on literature and jazz, impromptu verses published here for the first time, gossip and wisdom abound in these pages. They give an astonishing view of a great poet''s progress from brash youth to rueful age, and, in complementing the poems, provide a biographical document that no serious reader can afford to ignore.
£24.00
Gill Age is Just a Number
Book SynopsisAs he prepares to turn 70, Francis Brennan shares his blueprint for ageing well.
£17.09
International Publishers Co Inc.,U.S. Angela Davis An Autobiography
Book Synopsis
£17.09
John Murray Press Truant
Book Synopsis'I'm going to tell the truth', I said suddenly, 'about what we did and why, and what it did to us.'Trade ReviewPraise for Running for the Hills * : *'A tender, eloquent book about love, the power of the land and the price to paid for living out ones dreams' * Sarah Dunant *'A joy ... heartening, raw, tender.' * John Carey, Sunday Times *'Touching, funny and extremely well-written' * Telegraph *Enchanting ... magical ... so beautifully written that you almost hold your breath' * Daily Mail *'A major talent' * Marie Clare *Beautifully written crammed with precious details It should be required reading * Guardian *It is the prose equivalent of a collection of poems by Ted Hughes or Wordsworth * Sunday Times *The classic Great Escape . . . strikingly told * Matthew Bell, TLS *An assured and compelling first book A moving exploration of the slow triumph of adversity over optimism * Rose Tremain, The Sunday Telegraph *
£9.99
ABC Books Behind the Badge
Book SynopsisThe true story of one of Australia's top cops for readers of I CATCH KILLERS and THE GOOD COP Nick Kaldas is a cop's cop. From investigating war criminals to taking down global drug operations, Kaldas has seen the worst humanity can offer. But he's also seen which human qualities can lead to greatness. This is the compelling true story of an immigrant boy from Egypt who rose from beat cop to become one of the most senior police officers in Australia. During his time in the NSW police force, he was one of Australia's first Arab undercover cops, headed up both the Homicide and Gang Squad units, reformed the Counter Terrorism team and then became the Deputy Police Commissioner. He has also faced down some of the toughest, most brutal criminal organisations in the world. In the Middle East, he was hand-picked by the United Nations to investigate the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri; investigate the illegal use of chemical weapons in Syria; and was the Director of Internal Oversight Services at UNRWA, the UN agency tasked with assisting Palestine refugees. Having negotiated hostage situations, gained the trust of the Syrian secret police and chaired the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, Kaldas has learned a thing or two about resilience, courage and fortitude. In Behind the Badge, he describes the most challenging cases that have shaped him and reveals what it takes to stand up for what's right in the face of insurmountable opposition. 'The type of cop we all aspire to be.' GARY JUBELIN'A glimpse of the personal cost of pursuing what is right.' MICK KEELTY, former Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police'Kaldas's motto I regret nothing summarises this exciting new book.' LOUIS FREEH, former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation'Challenge, intrigue, high achievement, danger, pride, dogged determination and self-belief - it's all here and more.' SIR PAUL STEPHENSON QPM, former Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police Service
£15.29
Hachette Australia Songs of a War Boy
Book Synopsis''A reminder that every childhood is different, and some are jaw-droppingly, mind-bendingly, heart-wrenchingly different.'' - Morris Gleitzman, Australian Children''s LaureateDeng Adut was six years old when war came to his village in South Sudan. Taken from his mother, he was conscripted into the Sudanese People''s Liberation Army. He was taught to use an AK-47 and sent into battle. Shot in the back, plagued by illness and the relentless brutality of war, Deng''s future was bleak. A child soldier must kill or be killed. But, after five years, he was rescued by his brother John and, miraculously, they became the third Sudanese family resettled in Australia. Songs of a War Boy is the inspirational memoir of a young man who has overcome unthinkable adversity to become a lawyer, refugee advocate and NSW Australian of the Year. It is also an important reminder of the power of compassion.Content warning: Parts of this book contain cTrade ReviewIt is an important reminder of the power of compassion and the benefit to us all when we open our doors and our hearts to fleeing war, persecution and trauma. * VIC [PRINT] Sunraysua Life *
£7.59
The History Press Ltd Landscape with Canals
Book SynopsisLandscape with Canals: The Second Part of His AutobiographyTrade Review‘A fine opportunity to make the acquaintance of a unique man.’ * Daily Telegraph *‘Compulsory reading . . . enjoyable, readable and thought-provoking.’ * WATERWAYS WORLD *
£13.49
Little, Brown Book Group Crowdie And Cream And Other Stories Memoirs of a
Book SynopsisCROWDIE AND CREAM: Peopled with characters like Great Aunt Rachel, ''built like a Churchill tank and with a personality to match'', these are the stories of a childhood, of the hard years of the Depression, and then the departure of the island''s young men to fight in the Second World War. Together they bring alive the warmth and closeness of a unique Hebridean community. CROTAL AND WHITE: Finlay J Macdonald continues his story with a witty account of his adolescent years during the depression. Hard days for the villagers, but their sense of humour never deserted them. And when young Finlay won the bursary to secondary school in the Northlands it was with a mixture of joy and sadness that he prepared to leave behind him a community that would soon be changed forever...THE CORNCRAKE AND THE LYSANDER: As Finlay Macdonald set out for high school in Tarbert, Hitler''s growing military strength had begun to menace the people of Europe. But to Finlay this was just one more exciting prospecTrade ReviewReads like poetry, evoking memories of a world all but vanished in the mists * GLASGOW EVENING TIMES *
£12.34
Little, Brown Book Group Initiated
Book SynopsisAn initiation signals a beginning: a door opens and you step throughAmanda Yates Garcia''s mother initiated her into the goddess-worshipping practice of witchcraft when she was thirteen years old, but Amanda''s true life as a witch only began when she underwent a series of spontaneous initiations of her own.Descending into the underworlds of poverty, sex work and misogyny, Initiated describes Amanda''s journey to return to her body, harness her natural power, and finally reclaim her witchcraft to create the magical world she envisioned. Peppered with mythology, tales of the goddesses and magical women throughout history, Initiated stands squarely at the intersection of witchcraft and feminism. Amanda shows that practising magic is about more than spells and potions; magic is nothing less than claiming power for oneself and taking back our planet in the name of Love. Initiated is both memoir and manifesto, calling the magical people of the world to take up their wands, be brave, and create the enchanted world they long to live in.''Godesses, ecstasies, fairy tales: Initiated is full of my favourite things, told with savage grace. This book will change your life.'' FRANCESCA LIA BLOCKTrade ReviewThoughtful, engaging, and fresh: a welcome addition to the annals of women's spirituality * Kirkus (starred review) *This memoir by Amanda Yates Garcia... argues that witchcraft is actually the ancient feminism we need to escape our capitalist, misogynistic world... surprisingly relatable and very much up [our] street * Stylist *
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Pamelas War
Book SynopsisMinutes after the broadcast ends, my Father, Sidney Wheeler, goes quietly up to his room where he methodically loads three bullets into his First World War revolver. As the war comes to an end she is living at home with her parents and a small baby, at which point she is just twenty-one years of age.
£7.59
Ebury Publishing Daisys Gift The Remarkable CancerDetecting Dog
Book SynopsisClaire Guest was walking her dogs when Daisy, a fox red Labrador, nudged her breast insistently and stared up into her face with her big brown eyes. Sensing something was wrong, Claire visited her GP and soon found out she had a very deep and difficult to diagnose form of breast cancer. Daisy had saved her life, simply by smelling her cancer.With her scientific background and deep love of dogs, Claire intuited that Daisy and her canine pals could save many more lives, and set up the charity Medical Detection Dogs. Though faced with many challenges, Claire and her dogs have proven to be a remarkable asset to cancer detection, and have changed the lives of many seriously ill people and their families.This is the story of how our relationship with dogs can unleash life-saving talents, changing not only the medical world, but our own lives too.Trade ReviewAn inspiring story ... a fascinating read * The Sun *The work of Medical Detection Dogs is moving and mind-blowing ! And Claire Guest is phenomenal.I am pleased and proud to support her in any way I can, and cannot recommend this book highly enough. * Lesley Nicol *This is an incredible story of determination and belief. A moving, inspiring and hugely uplifting read. * Kate Humble *A deeply personal story ... fantastic. * Dogs Monthly *A moving story ... inspiring. 5/5 * Your Dog *
£12.34
Orion Publishing Co DC Confidential
Book SynopsisRiveting and candid memoir of life behind the scenes as US Ambassador and Prime Minister''s Press Secretary - a Sunday Times bestsellerChristopher Meyer was Ambassador to the United States from 1997 to 2003, during which time he was an eyewitness to and participant in the events following 9/11 and the preparations for the Iraq war. Never before has there been such a riveting and candid memoir of life behind the diplomatic scenes. Meyer''s is an honest account of what he saw, what he heard and how he felt.The cast list of characters who feature here includes Margaret Thatcher, Bob Hope, the Clintons, Steven Spielberg, Condoleeza Rice, Alastair Campbell and Jack Straw. The book reveals close encounters with Tony Blair, Robin Cook and Peter Mandelson; KGB honey traps in Russia; a major row with Bill Clinton; inside stories on Number 10 and the Foreign Office; and of course life behind the scenes with Blair and George W. Bush. It was clear that the Prime MinisteTrade ReviewIt is delightfully undiplomatic - brimming with barbed comments, colourful anecdotes and amusing assessments of No 10's top talent * GUARDIAN *Absorbing account by Meyer of his tenure as ambassador to Washington during distinctly interesting times. His descriptions of the building of new Labour's relationship with the US administration, and the battles between the foreign office and No 10 are fascinating * SUNDAY TIMES *The insights into buffoons who run amok in our name makes this a rude, iconoclastic delight * HERALD *A marvellously entertaining and readable book * EVENING STANDARD *The chapters on 9/11 and on the Iraq War are totally absorbing and often quite moving * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *The delicious portraiture, razor-sharp character assessments and the sharing of undiplomatic discretions, are all beautifully, and often comically, presented * SUNDAY HERALD *The book is of great value to anyone interested in diplomacy and foreign policy * INDEPENDENT *He provides some captivating insights into modern diplomacy and American life * METRO *He tells a juicy tale * SUNDAY TIMES *For all his colourful and funny stories, the enduring value of his picture of the Blain years is the way Meyer shows this Government steadily ripping up the rules * DAILY EXPRESS *An entertaining and informative read * IRISH TIMES *A masterpiece of elegance which places the steletto between New Labour's shoulder blades with panache * COUNTRY LIFE *it is delightfully undiplomatic - brimming with barbed comments, colourful anecdotes and amusing assesments of No 10's top talent. -- Aimee Shalan * THE GUARDIAN *'...absorbing account by Meyer of his tenure as ambassador to Washington during distinctly interesting times. His descriptions of the building of new Labour's relationship with the US administration, and the battles between the foreign office and No 10 are fascinating'. * SUNDAY TIMES, *the insights into buffoons who run amok in our name makes this a rude, iconoclastic delight. -- Martin Tierney * THE HERALD *
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group Screwed The Truth About Life as a Prison Officer
Book Synopsis''My name is Ronnie Thompson. Being a prison officer was something I used to be proud of. I soon realised the truth of what its like working as a screw, though.It''s afucking headache. Corruption, danger, violence. Welcome to my world.''Ronnie Thompson was just an ordinary guy. That is, until hebecame a prison officer. By the time he started work at HMP Romwell, he realised he was actually a nurse, a copper, a probation officer, a carer, a councillor, a social worker and, of course, an incarcerator all in one. Oh, and a punch bag for the cons and bosses.In SCREWED, Ronnie tells it like it is. Hereveals what really goes on behind bars-the times when force is necessary and used, and when it is unnecessary but still used.He exposes the underworld of bent screws, the drugs they traffic, the firms they work for and what they get paid for their sins.He shows how it is left down to a small group of officers to control an over-flowing prison, keep an eye out for corrupt goveTrade Review'An extraordinary account... Raw, tough and at times quite shocking, it is pretty addictive stuff' * Bookseller *'Screwed is a sympathetic and eye-opening account of life behind bars' * London Lite *'Uncompromisingly forthright... his views cannot be ignored... Of the utmost importance to anyone who wants to really understand what life is like at penal ground zero' * The Times *
£10.44
Boydell and Brewer Adolf Busch
Book SynopsisMonumental biography of one of the major musicians of the twentieth century.Revised edition: Adolf Busch (1891-1952) was an all-round musician and a moral beacon in troubled times. As first violin of the Busch String Quartet, founded in 1912, he was the greatest quartet-player of the last century and he led a famous conductorless orchestra, the Busch Chamber Players. He was also the busiest solo violinist of the inter-War years, regularly performing major concertos with such conductors as Nikisch, Toscanini, Weingartner, Walter, Furtwängler, Boult, Wood, Barbirolli and his elder brother Fritz. He was, moreover, an outstanding composer whose works enjoyed performances in Germany and further afield. Frequently he appeared as soloist and composer in the same concert.His courageous decision to boycott his native country from April 1933 - despite Hitler's efforts to persuade 'our German violinist' to return - drastically reduced his income and damaged his career as soloist and composer. In 1938, because of Mussolini's race laws, he imposed a similar boycott on Italy, where he was wildly popular. The following year he emigrated with his quartet colleagues to the United States, where he was not fully appreciated, although he had many successes with a new chamber orchestra and founded the Marlboro summer school. This biography, based on more than thirty years' research, examines Busch's exemplary behaviour in the context of a tumultuous era. Volume One traces his progress from childhood in Westphalia, through friendships with Fritz Steinbach, Donald Tovey and Max Reger, early triumphs in Berlin, London and Vienna, years of maturity and fulfilment, rejection of Hitler's Germany and close bonds with British musicians and concert-goers in the 1930s. It ends just before his move into American exile. Volume Two follows Busch through the Second World War, his return to give concerts in Europe in the late 1940s and his founding of the Marlboro summer school in Vermont shortly before his untimely death. A series of appendices consider Busch as violinist, violist and teacher, his taste and repertoire, his interpretations, his colleagues, his celebrated recordings and his compositions.This revised edition now features full colour covers and additional photographs added to the generous quantity presented in the first edition. Information from Scottish composer, Erik Chrisholm, which has come to light since the first edition gives a delightful picture of Busch and his colleagues in the early 1930s. The appendices and indexes have been thoroughly updated and the discography has been overhauled to reflect the large number of fresh reissues of Busch's recordings as well as new recordings of his compositions.
£123.25
White Lane Press Lenkiewicz The Life
Book Synopsis
£15.00
Pan Macmillan All the Lonely People
Book SynopsisDr Sam Carr is a psychologist and social scientist with the Department of Education and Centre for Death and Society at the University of Bath. He was the director of The Loneliness Project, a partnership between the University of Bath and Guild Living (a later living retirement community provider). He has written extensively in the media about his research and has spoken about it on local and national radio, as well as being an academic expert on various television documentaries. Sam lives in rural Wiltshire with his son and their cat. All the Lonely People is his first book.
£15.29
Austin Macauley Publishers Pirate Hunter
Book Synopsis
£8.54
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd. Punk A Tale of Abuse Addiction and Survival
Book Synopsis
£12.59
