Autobiography: adventurers and explorers Books

Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.That these man-like creatures were in truth only bestial monsters, mere grotesque travesties of men, filled me with a vague uncertainty of their possibilities far worse than any definite fear.Edward Prendick, the sole survivor of a shipwreck in the South Pacific, is set ashore on an island where he meets the mysterious Doctor Moreau. Horrified by the discovery that Moreau is performing vivisection on animals to form monstrous human hybrids, Prendick flees into the jungle. But he soon realises that the island is populated with Moreau's terrible creations, and not all are divested of their savage habits . . .H. G. Wells pioneered ideas of society, science and progress in his works, which are now considered modern classics. Written in 1896, The Island of Doctor Moreau is an imaginative exploration of the nature of cruelty and what it means to be human.Trade Review‘The Island of Doctor Moreau takes us into an abyss of human nature. This book is a superb piece of storytelling’ V. S. Pritchett ‘[Wells’ work is] astonishingly rich in human and historical interest … he foresaw the invention of, among other things, television, tanks, aerial warfare and the atom bomb’ David Lodge ‘I personally consider the greatest of English living writers [to be] H. G. Wells’ Upton Sinclair ‘The father of science fiction’ Guardian

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Book Synopsis'As a player, you don't get a chance to reflect much - there's always the next over to bowl, the next game to play - and so I can't wait to get into this, to tell the story of the journey so far, because it's been truly unforgettable.'21 years. 188 Test Matches. 704 Test Wickets.This is the final word on a spectacular career spanning over 20 years from one of England's greatest ever bowlers, Jimmy Anderson. A story of dedication and resilience, Jimmy gives his unfiltered take on his experiences coming of age as a 15-year-old playing for Burnley Cricket Club, the astronomic ascent to making his international debut at twenty years old and every astonishing moment in the 21 years since.Told with the honesty, humility and dry humour that have made the public fall in love with Jimmy, this is the book that reveals it all. Celebrating the soaring highs: facing international greats such as Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tend

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Book SynopsisDISCOVER THE EXHILARATING TRUE STORY BEHIND THE ACTION-PACKED CLASSIC FILM''GOOSE AND MAVERICK MOVE OVER . . .'' Admiral James Stavridis________March 1969.American jets are getting shot down at an unprecedented rate over Vietnam. In an urgent effort to regain the advantage the Admirals turn to a young naval aviator called Dan Pedersen.Officially, the programme he set up was called the US Navy Fighter Weapons School. To everyone else it was known simply as TOPGUN.Pedersen''s hand-picked team of instructors - the Original Eight - were the best of the best. Together, they revolutionised aerial warfare and rediscovered the lost art of fighter combat.This is the extraordinary, thrilling story of how TOPGUN saw America reclaim the skies, by the man who created it.________''It''s hard to read Dan Pederson''s Topgun and not think of Tom Cruise. A pleasure to read'' Wall Street Journal

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Book SynopsisNovelist, essayist, and public intellectual - James Baldwin is widely regarded asone of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. This Everyman''s Librarycollection includes his bestselling, galvanizing essay The Fire NextTimewhich gave voice to the emerging civil rights movement of the 1960sand still lights the way to understanding race in America todayalong withthree additional brilliant works of nonfiction by this seminal chronicler andanalyst of culture. From No Name In the Street''s extraordinary history of theturbulent sixties and early seventies to the passionate, probing, controversial(The Atlantic) Nobody Knows My Name and the incisive criticism of Americanmovies in The Devil Finds Work, Baldwin''s stunning prose over and over provesrelevant to our contemporary struggle for equality, justice, and social change.

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Book SynopsisPreorder the new Mr Ps book ''How to Survive the School Year'' out 29/08/24THE SENSATIONAL SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A heart-warming and hilarious look at life in the classroom from the teachers who host the most popular UK education podcast, Two Mr Ps in a Pod(Cast).''Education's answer to Adam Kay Lee and Adam Parkinson are doing for teaching what he did for medicine.'' The Times Have you ever wondered what really happens during the day when your precious little angels are at school?In this book, The Two Mr Ps will take you on a side-splittingly funny journey through the weird and wonderful world of primary schools. It will also explore the pressures of modern-day teaching, revealing exactly what it takes to wrangle a chaotic classroom (or seven) on a weekly basis. From the absolute characters found in the staffroom to school-trip mishaps and everything else inbetween, Put A Wet Paper Towel on It is a must-read for teachers and parents alike.So sit up straight, four legs on your chair, fingers on lips and get ready to take a trip down memory lane. And remember when in doubt, just put a wet paper towel on it.

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Book SynopsisA Daily Mail Book of the WeekProlific armed robber. Close ally of Joey Pyle. Friend and fellow inmate of the Kray twins. Last man to stand trial with a Kray brother. First prisoner in the notorious Belmarsh Unit Welcome to Ronnie Field''s world.From his abusive childhood, his inevitable journey into crime and his role in the dangerous underworld of south London's gangland through to his eventful spells in many of Britain's most secure jails, Ronnie Field is ready to recount his incredible story for the very first time. It's a new take on the criminal fraternity of the 1970s and 80s from one of the last men standing.A raw, honest and sometimes humorous portrayal of a life in the fast lane of organised crime, Nefarious is a reflection on a bygone era from which there are few regrets. Though some things are best laid to restThere was a code. It''s not there now. The public weren''t in general danger from us. Most of our lot never burgled anybody''s gaff. None of our lot every mugged people. We didn''t hit women. Most of us didn''t take drugs. We dressed well. Wouldn''t be seen dead in tracksuit or shell suit. We were polite around women. Although our business was misbehavior, we knew how to behave.

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Book SynopsisIn Boyhood, J. M. Coetzee revisits the South Africa of half a century ago, to write about his childhood and interior life. Boyhood''s young narrator grew up in a small country town. With a father he imitated but could not respect, and a mother he both adored and resented, he picked his way through a world that refused to explain its rules, but whose rules he knew he must obey. Steering between these contradictions, Boyhood evokes the tensions, delights and terrors of childhood with startling, haunting immediacy. Coetzee examines his young self with the dispassionate curiosity of an explorer rediscovering his own early footprints, and the account of his progress is bright, hard and simply compelling.Trade ReviewThis life is described with such skill, such exactitude and such relentlessness that I found myself gasping for air... Coetzee has achieved something universal in his work...a fine book, probably the best description of a childhood I have ever read * The Times *As funny, cruel and terrifying as life itself. It is also intense and elegant, clearly the product of the complex, subtle imagination which shapes Coetzee's outstanding fiction... As austerely beautiful as would be expected of Coetzee the artist...its aloof, edgy grace and seething passion ensure the narrative is both truthful and mysterious * Irish Times *Boyhood is a deeply-felt and utterly compelling account of a South African childhood: the narrative style is as spare and lean as the Karoo flatlands which form its backdrop * Daily Telegraph *The economy with which Coetzee makes sense of his past is evidence, once again, of his outstanding talent * Independent on Sunday *An uncannily accurate picture of the way things were in South Africa * Literary Review *

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Book Synopsis____________________________________Liz Murray never really had a chance in life. Born to a drug-addicted father who was in and out of prison, and an equally dependent mother who was in and out of mental institutions, she seemed destined to become just another tragic statistic; another life wasted on the brutal streets of New York. By the age of 15, Liz found herself homeless with nowhere to turn but the tough streets, riding subways all night for a warm place to sleep and foraging through dumpsters for food. But when her mother died of AIDS a year later, Liz''s life changed for ever. With no education, with no chance at a job or a home, she realised that only the most astonishing of turnarounds could stop her heading all the way down the same path her parents took. And so she set her mind to overcoming what seemed like impossible odds - and in the process, achieved something extraordinary.Told with astounding sincerity, Breaking Night is the breathtaking and inspirational story of how a young women, born into a world without hope, used every ounce of strength and determination to steer herself towards a brighter future. Beautifully written, it is a poignant, evocative and stirring portrait of struggle, desperation, forgiveness and survival.Trade ReviewThis incredibly moving memoir is full of hope and courage * The Sun *Thrilling...Murray is clearly a remarkable person * Sunday Times Culture *Breaking Night is the real deal... Liz had every reason to give up on life, but instead of using her grim childhood as an excuse to fail, she used it to fuel her redemption... Amazing * Grazia *Smart, fluent, and relentlessly spry...head and shoulders above the rest, because Liz Murray is remarkable * The Observer *A powerful story to tell * Woman *

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Book SynopsisCook led three famous expeditions to the Pacific Ocean between 1768 and 1779. In voyages that ranged from the Antarctic circle to the Arctic Sea, Cook charted Australia and the whole coast of New Zealand, and brought back detailed descriptions of the natural history of the Pacific. Accounts based on Cook''s journals were issued at the time, but it was not until this century that the original journals were published in Beaglehole''s definitive edition. The JOURNALS tells the story of these voyages as Cook wanted it to be told, radiating the ambition, courage and skill which enabled him to carry out an unrivalled series of expeditions in dangerous waters.Table of ContentsList of mapsGeneral IntroductionThe First Voyage, 1768-1771Voyage MapsIntroductionJournalThe Second Voyage, 1772-1775Voyage MapsIntroductionJournalThe Third Voyage, 1776-1780Voyage MapsIntroductionJournalPostscript: The Death of CookGlossaryIndex of PersonsIndex of PlacesLocation Maps

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Book SynopsisBetween the Stops is a sort of a memoir, my sort. It''s about a bus trip really, because it''s my view from the Number 12 bus (mostly top deck, the seat at the front on the right), a double-decker that plies its way from Dulwich, in South East London where I was living, to where I sometimes work at the BBC in the heart of the capital. It''s not a sensible way to write a memoir at all, probably, but it''s the way things pop into your head as you travel, so it''s my way.From London facts including where to find the blue plaque for Una Marson, ''the first black woman programme maker at the BBC'', to discovering the best Spanish coffee under Southwick railway arches; from a brief history of lady gangsters at Elephant and Castle to memories of climbing Mount Sinai and, at the request of a fellow traveller, reading aloud the Ten Commandments; from the story behind Pissarro''s painting of Dulwich Station to performing in Footlights with Emma Thompson; from painful memories of being sent to Coventry at a British boarding school to thinking about how Wombells Travelling Circus of 1864 haunts Peckham Rye and anecdotes about Prince Charles, Monica Lewinsky and Grayson Perry; from Bake-Off antics to stories of a real and lasting friendship with John McCarthy, to the importance of family and the daunting navigation of the Zambezi River in her father''s canoe; this Sandi Toksvig-style memoir is, as one would expect and hope, packed full of surprise. A funny and moving trip through memories, musings and the many delights on the number 12 route, Between the Stops is also an inspiration to us all to get off our phones, to look up and to talk to each other because as Sandi says: ''some of the greatest trips lie on our own doorstep''.Trade ReviewHer writing style is as kooky and digestible as Bill Bryson's, her genius as a raconteur inherited from her Danish journalist father... Hop on this bus, grab a seat up top and prepare yourself for a fun-filled, fact-packed, memorable ride * Sunday Times *Between the Stops is like browsing through a well-stocked museum of curiosities with a wise and kind guide; it's part celebration, part confession, part call to arms and wholly entertaining. Don't read it on the bus though - it will make you miss your stop * Observer *The comedian, broadcaster and activist uses the meandering route of the number 12 bus, winding its way from her home in Dulwich, south-east London, to the BBC headquarters at Broadcasting House, to share a series of wonderful vignettes about her life * Herald *There are fascinating gems of London history along the way, acute observations of fellow passengers, personal asides about her marriage to psychotherapist Debbie, and the odd anecdote from the world of television. It's full of wit and wisdom * Radio Times *Life-affirming and addictive -- Charlotte Heathcote * Sunday Express *The comedian, TV presenter and political activist narrates the events of her life by way of her bus journey... En route, she takes in her fellow passengers, the history of the city and her own fascinating, multi-site heritage -- Alex Clark * Financial Times *A book of cosy accessibility. History and observation mix seamlessly as Toksvig looks at life from the top deck * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis''The decision to publish this book has been very difficult, and taken with heavy hearts ... My reason for writing it is simple: to give an account of the truth ... Writing this memoir has entailed recording some very personal, intimate and emotional aspects of our lives. Sharing these with strangers does not come easily to me, but if I hadn''t done so I would not have felt the book gave as full a picture as it is possible for me to give. As with every action we have taken over the last five years, it ultimately boils down to whether what we are doing could help us to find Madeleine. When the answer to that question is yes, or even possibly, our family can cope with anything ... Nothing is more important to us than finding our little girl.''Kate McCannTrade ReviewYou won't find a more moving and powerful account of love and loss -- Douglas Wight * News of the World *Madeleine is not only an impressive and well-written chronicle of a terrible crime, it is a must-read because someone out there knows something -- James Murray * Sunday Express *Powerful... Kate's book blazes with the sheer, visceral force of her love for her daughter -- Sandra Parsons * Daily Mail *Mrs McCann writes honestly about her torment -- Robert Mendick * Sunday Telegraph *It's hard to read these words without wanting to weep -- Christina Patterson * Independent *

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Book SynopsisAfter ten years living abroad, Tarquin Hall wanted to return to his native London. Lured by his nostalgia for a leafy suburban childhood spent in south-west London, he returned with his Indian-born, American fiance in tow. But, priced out of the housing market, they found themselves living not in a townhouse, oozing Victorian charm, but in a squalid attic above a Bangladeshi sweatshop on London''s Brick Lane. A grimy skylight provided the only window on their new world: a filthy, noisy street where drug dealers and prostitutes peddled their wares and tramps urinated on the pavements. At night, traffic lights lit up the ceiling and police sirens wailed into the early hours.Yet, as Hall got to know Brick Lane, he discovered beneath its unlovely surface an inner world where immigrants and asylum seekers struggle to better themselves and dream of escape. Salaam Brick Lane is a journey of discovery by an outsider in his own native city. It offers an explicit glimpse of the underbTrade ReviewWell-written without mawkish pieties. * Saga Magazine *'Charming, brilliant, affectionate and quietly impassioned ... it manages to be balanced, humane and life-affirming. I hope it sells out faster than cases of Chalky's "Coat de Roen"'. * Guardian *Tarquin Hall is right at the heart of what he writes about . . . Hall's new friends spring brilliantly to life off the page . . . it's hard to imagine a more moving or more telling record of lives on the edge * Caroline Gascoigne, Sunday Times *Amused and amusing, this is a refreshing addition to the accounts being offered of the area. * Stratford Recorder *Forthright and funny * Daily Telegraph *Fascinating and funny * Canterbury, Herne Bay, Whitstable & Faversham Focu *Powerful * Kent Messenger *I was absolutely riveted. It's funny, enlightening and very moving . . . I'm recommending it to all my friends just because it's such a good read. * Kate Fox, author of Watching the English *He has a fine ear for the myriad speech patterns of the East End's varied inhabitants. * Daily Mail *A remarkable cross-section of British society . . . Hall's sympathetic, anecdotal approach is a fine counter to the appalling racism of much current tabloid journalism . . . This is a fine and eloquent book. * What's On UK *This is a beautifully written book about a world we ignore except when it makes tabloid headlines. * American *Entertaining . . . Hall cannily plays the bewildered public schoolboy to a range of different characters . . . allows us to hear the wonderful patter of the East Enders * Times Literary Supplement *Fascinating and funny * Sunday Times *'Entertaining' * Bookseller *Such a light, playful book and yet with a compelling tow which takes you into the myriad realities of life in the East End of London. * Yasmin Alibhai-Brown *'A thought-provoking read . . . fascinating insights into fractured lives. And Hall's affectionate portrayals of eccentric acquaintances enhance this touching portrait no end' * Metro *'Tender and harrowing' * The Times *'He brings a sharp eye and a dry humour to his descriptions' * Anthony Sattin, Sunday Times *'A gem of a book that reveals a hidden world lying right on our doorstep. As the stories unfold, so does our appreciation for Tarquin Hall's acute eye and for the gentle power of his narrative' * Saira Shah, writer and broadcaster *'Salaam Brick Lane is a compelling journey of discovery by an outsider in his own city and offers an explicit glimpse of this quarter of London' * Traveller *

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Book SynopsisIn this powerful and candid memoir, Caitlyn Jenner chronicles her life as Bruce and her brave transition into womanhood. 'The memoir is funny, shocking in parts and above all incredibly honest' OK MagazineTrade ReviewThe memoir is funny, shocking in parts and above all incredibly honest. * OK! MAGAZINE *Her refusal of bullshit is refreshing and sometimes eye-popping. -- Sarah Ditum * NEW STATESMAN *

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Book SynopsisWith his trademark sense of humour and foot-in-mouth disease, The World According to Razor is like having a pint down the pub with Razor himself.Trade ReviewPacked with hilarious anecdotes * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis''Ayelet Waldman is fearless'' Rebecca Solnit''Relentlessly honest and surprisingly funny'' Washington Post''Genuinely brave and human'' New York Times''Wildly brilliant'' ElleThe true story of how a renowned writer''s struggle with mood storms led her to try a remedy as drastic as it is forbidden: microdoses of LSD. Her fascinating journey provides a window into one family and the complex world of a once-infamous drug seen through new eyes.When a small vial arrives in her mailbox from ''Lewis Carroll,'' Ayelet Waldman is ready to try anything. Her depression has become intolerable, severe and unmanageable; medication has failed to make a difference. Married with four children and a robust career, she ''should'' be happy, but instead her family and her work are suffering at the mercy of her mood disorder. So she opens the vial, places two drops on her tongue, and becomes part of a burgeoning underground groTrade ReviewIt's a simple, delightful premise: a journal of microdosing. Then Waldman brings so much to the project that it turns into something else, something far more beguiling . . . The result is constantly entertaining, slyly educational, and surprisingly moving . . . I don't know another writer like her." * William Finnegan, author of Pulitzer Prize-winning Barbarian Days *Wildly brilliant. * Elle *Genuinely brave and human. * New York Times *Ayelet Waldman is fearless, which is our good fortune and sometimes hers. That boldness led to her fruitful adventures in mind-altering substances recounted here. Subtly mind-altering; this is a book about sub-hallucinatory microdoses of LSD but also about marriage and family life, insomnia, addiction, her past as a defense attorney, our insane drug laws, moods and dispositions and afflictions, and a lot of other stuff braided into an informative, amusing, nonchalantly incendiary narrative. You could call this book her war on the war on drugs, but it's so much more, and so much more funny. * Rebecca Solnit, author of A Field Guide to Getting Lost *Relentlessly honest and surprisingly funny * Washington Post *Humour informs Ayelet Waldman 's lively diary of taking acid . . . A smart writer with an easy tone. As a suburban mother of four , she nicely plays up how unlike the archetypal acid tripper she is. The neurological and pharmaceutical science is well handled and she makes a strong case for medicinal LSD. But perhaps what the book does best is demystify the chemical mythology of drugs. * The Observer *Waldman proves a sharp debunker of the myths that have accrued around a potentially life-saving chemical whose star is clearly on the rise * Spectator *In this raw, honest, and ultimately hopeful journey, Waldman takes us deep into the forest of her mind and moods. The success of her story with microdosing reminds the medical and legal communities how much still remains to be understand about the brain. * Dr. David Eagleman, neuroscientist, author of The Brain *A trip worth taking. * Sunday Business Post *

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Book Synopsis**NOW A MAJOR FILM A Christmas Gift from Bob, starring Luke Treadaway as James and Bob himself. A gift book of wisdom from everyone''s favourite street cat.**''One thing I''ve known about Bob from the very beginning is that he possesses a wisdom that is unusual, even in cats. In the decade since we met he''s grown even wiser in my eyes. This book is a collection of the insights I''ve gained during my years with Bob.'' In the spring of 2007, busker James Bowen came across an injured ginger tom cat in the hallway of his shelter in north London. What he didn''t know was that this would be the start of a friendship that would turn both their lives around, and lead to A Street Cat Named Bob, the international bestseller that tells the story of their friendship. The Little Book of Bob is a collection of the wisdom James has learnt from Bob throughout the years, as they go through thick and thin together. From the power of friends

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times bestselling edition of Chips Channon''s remarkable diaries.''The greatest British diarist of the 20th century. An astonishing achievement. By turns frivolous and profound.'' Ben Macintyre, The Times''Wickedly entertaining. Genuinely shocking, and still revelatory.'' Andrew Marr, New Statesman''An irresistible, saucy read . . . One of the most impressive editions of our time.'' The Telegraph''They''re among the most glittering and enjoyable diaries ever written'' Observer____________________________________Born in Chicago in 1897, ''Chips'' Channon settled in England after the Great War, married into the immensely wealthy Guinness family, and served as Conservative MP for Southend-on-Sea from 1935 until his death in 1958. His career was unremarkable. His diaries are quite the opposite.Elegant, gossipy and bitchy by turns, they are the unfettered observat

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Book SynopsisJohn Burnside was among the most acclaimed writers of his generation. His novels, short stories, poetry and memoirs won numerous awards, including the Geoffrey Faber Memorial, Saltire Scottish Book of the Year and, in 2023, he received the David Cohen Prize for a lifetime's achievement in literature. In 2011 Black Cat Bone won both the Forward and the T.S. Eliot Prizes for poetry. He died in 2024.

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Book SynopsisDiscover the exhilarating story of Glenn Maxwell, the Australian cricket maestro whose audacious flair has redefined the nation's beloved game. Known for his lightning reflexes and an arsenal of unorthodox shots, Maxwell emerges as a force to be reckoned with.

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Book SynopsisA memoir of hope, healing and restoration, from star of TV''s The Repair Shop, Suzie Fletcher.Suzie Fletcher is the warm and friendly face on TV''s The Repair Shop that viewers look forward to watching every week as the resident leather expert - a craft she has honed over four decades and was born out of her love of horses. But while she tends to be the one repairing and offering a gentle kindness to others, Suzie has also been in a process of change, reflection, and healing.In her first book Suzie looks back over her life - which moves from England to Colorado and back again - and the places, people and experiences that have shaped the person she is today. We''ll hear for the first time, how Suzie has overcome some of life''s most difficult challenges, from complicated relationships to grief.A self-confessed free spirit with a deep connection to nature, Suzie''s exceptional warmth and zest for life shine through on every page, making The Sun

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Book SynopsisSeamus O?Rourke humorously reflects on his underwhelming adventures in New York, Dublin, and London before returning to his uneventful rural life, filled with self-reflection and his father?s comically realistic insights.In the sequel to Seamus O?Rourke?s popular first memoir, Standing in Gaps, this innocent Leitrim lad finally flees the nest, briefly sampling life in New York, Dublin and London ? before inevitably returning to his beloved, duller than dishwater existence at home - a life which now includes alcohol, Doctor Hook and some low-budget romance.But man does not live on romance alone and Seamus needs to get to the bottom of his general uselessness, spurred on as always by his ever-the-realist father, who prophesised his mediocrity from an early age. Seamus continues to underachieve while struggling to interpret his auld lad?s advice and watered-down compliments - ?You weren?t as bad as I often saw ya?, ?They must be badly stuck, if they asked you?, and the classic ?What kind of an eejit are ya?? - all while capturing the innocence and the absurdity of rural life in 1980s and 1990s Ireland.As always, O?Rourke finds diamond-tipped-needles in bales of really bad hay, providing more laughter and stories of mayhem for fans.?A gifted actor, writer and storyteller produces a memoir that is simply - gifted? - Joe Duffy

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Book SynopsisWadda Life captures Derek Massey's journey through diverse cultures, risks, and remarkable experiences in a continent that quickly became home.

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Book SynopsisIn 2001, David LeBrun travelled to Costa Rica to reconnect with an old friend. LeBrun, a young writer at the end of a string of dead-end jobs, planned on living cheaply for a winter while finishing the book he thought would make his career. (And, of course, drinking every night and getting stoned every day. And maybe stealing the occasional pill.) But once there, he was swept up in his friend’s self-destruction and ran out of money far sooner than expected. What followed was an epic odyssey across Central America and Mexico, hitchhiking with random strangers and sleeping anywhere he could as his mental health deteriorated and he tried to finish his book; along the way, he met down-and-out street buskers, a narcissistic thief, a Bible-thumper with multiple personalities, ex-convicts in a Narcotics Anonymous shelter—but, more importantly, himself. Delirium Vitae is a new classic, an On the Road for the twenty-first century. Alternately charming and harrowing, it looks beneath the romance of adventure in a foreign land to see what it’s really like to teeter between freedom and homelessness. (Because, let’s be honest, walking thirty-six kilometers on an empty stomach, or fending off a sweaty and shirtless truck driver, does suck.) It’s a fantastic book that looks not only at the excitement of the open road, but at why we go there, and what we leave behind—and whether we can ever still come home.

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Book SynopsisWilliam Joseph Slim, first Viscount, was born in 1891. He took a commission in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and served in the Middle East, India and Burma, reaching Field-Marshal in 1948. His other books include Unofficial History (1959). He died in 1972.

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Book Synopsis'My favourite book about the wilderness' Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild In this shimmering masterpiece of American nature writing, Edward Abbey ventures alone into the canyonlands of Moab, Utah, to work as a seasonal ranger for the United States National Park Service. Living out of a trailer, Abbey captures in rapt, poetic prose the landscape of the desert; a world of terracotta earth, empty skies, arching rock formations, cliffrose, juniper, pinyon pine and sand sage. His summers become spirit quests, taking him in search of wild horses and Ancient Puebloan petroglyphs, up mountains and across tribal lands, and down the Glen Canyon by river. He experiences both sides of his new home; its incredible beauty and its promise of liberation, but also its isolating, cruel side, at one point discovering a dead tourist at an isolated area of the Grand Canyon. In his own irascible style, Abbey uses his time in the desert to meditate on the tension Trade Review‘His masterpiece. Despite its stated purpose as a eulogy to a lost world, it seems hardly to have aged at all. Part of the book’s staying power resides in the synthesis Abbey created between the American desert — the red-rock canyons, “Abbey’s country” — and the beautiful, hard-chiselled prose, as rough and gorgeous as the land itself, that he used to celebrate its harshness and mystery. None have matched his style’ Salon ‘Like a ride on a bucking bronco . . . rough, tough, combative. The author is a rebel and an eloquent loner. His is a passionately felt, deeply poetic book . . . set down in a lean, racing prose, in a close-knit style of power and beauty’ New York Times ‘An American masterpiece … part memoir, part meditation on nature, part crusty and slightly mad cultural commentary’ New Yorker ‘An uncommonly beautiful love letter to solitude and the spiritual rewards of getting lost. A miraculously beautiful book’ Brain Pickings ‘Edward Abbey is the Thoreau of the American West’ Washington Post ’Abbey’s voice, like that of Thomas Paine in Common Sense, never fades away … President Trump, please read Desert Solitaire’ Douglas Brinkley, New York Times

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Book SynopsisFrederick Douglass's Narrative recounts his life as a slave in Maryland and escape to freedom in 1838. An important slave autobiography, it is significant both for what it tells us about slave life and about its author. It is here reprinted with contexualizing source material and other writings by Douglass, as well as an introduction discussing its literary and historical significance.Trade ReviewA huge amount is packed into a slim volume. If you'd like to know more about Frederick Douglass, this is an excellent place to start. * Vulpes Libris *

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Book SynopsisA first-hand account of China''s cultural revolution.Nien Cheng, an anglophile and fluent English-speaker who worked for Shell in Shanghai under Mao, was put under house arrest by Red Guards in 1966 and subsequently jailed. All attempts to make her confess to the charges of being a British spy failed; all efforts to indoctrinate her were met by a steadfast and fearless refusal to accept the terms offered by her interrogators. When she was released from prison she was told that her daughter had committed suicide. In fact Meiping had been beaten to death by Maoist revolutionaries.

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Book SynopsisMajor Russell Lewis MC was commissioned in to the Parachute Regiment in 1994. He has served three tours in Northern Ireland, one in Kosovo, one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan in 2008, after which he was awarded the Military Cross.Trade ReviewFor those of us who have never seen active service, Russell Lewis’s book is an exciting introduction to the tough and dangerous world of military leadership under fire * Chris Patten *The pressures on a Company Commander are huge and in this book Russell Lewis brings to life most vividly both the intensity of the combat and the depth of care for those under his command. It is a most compelling book that shines new light on the ferocity and the humanity of the Afghanistan conflict. I commend this book to military historians and the general reader alike * General The Lord Dannatt *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2020 STONEWALL BOOK AWARD-ISRAEL FISHMAN NONFICTION AWARD“Jones’s voice and sensibility are so distinct that he turns one of the oldest of literary genres inside out and upside down.” NPR’S Fresh Air Jones tells the story of a young, black, gay man from the South as he fights to carve out a place for himself, within his family, within his country, within his own hopes, desires, and fears. Through a series of vignettes, Jones draws readers into his boyhood and adolescence—into tumultuous relationships with his family, into passing flings with lovers, friends, and strangers. Each piece builds into a larger examination of race and queerness, power and vulnerability, love and grief: a portrait of what we all do for one another—and to one another—as we fight to become ourselves.An award-winning poet, Jones has developed a style that’s as beautiful as it is powerful—a voice that’s by turns a river, a blues, and a nightscape set ablaze. How We Fight for Our Lives is a one-of-a-kind memoir and a book that cements Saeed Jones as an essential writer for our time.Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR HOW WE FIGHT FOR OUR LIVES BY SAEED JONES “[A] devastating memoir….Jones is fascinated by power (who has it, how and why we deploy it), but he seems equally interested in tenderness and frailty. We wound and save one another, we try our best, we leave too much unsaid….A moving, bracingly honest memoir that reads like fevered poetry.”—THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW "A raw and eloquent memoir. One could say that Saeed Jones' new memoir, How We Fight for Our Lives, is a classic coming-of-age story….But Jones' voice and sensibility are so distinct that he turns one of the oldest of literary genres inside out and upside down. How We Fight for Our Lives is at once explicitly raunchy, mean, nuanced, loving and melancholy. It's sometimes hard to read and harder to put down." —MAUREEN CORRIGAN, NPR'S "FRESH AIR" "Extremely personal, emotionally gritty, and unabashedly honest, How We Fight for Our Lives is an outstanding memoir that somehow manages a perfect balance between love and violence, hope and hostility, transformation and resentment.....Jones writes with the confidence of a veteran novelist and the flare of an accomplished poet. This is an important coming-of-age story that's also a collection of tiny but significant joys. More importantly, it's a narrative that cements Jones as a new literary star — and a book that will give many an injection of hope."—NPR “Urgent, immediate, matter of fact….The prose in Saeed Jones’s memoir How We Fight for Our Lives shines with a poet’s desire to give intellections the force of sense impressions.”—THE NEW YORKER "Jones’ explosive and poetic memoir traces his coming-of-age as a black, queer, and Southern man in vignettes that heartbreakingly and rigorously explore the beauty of love, the weight of trauma, and the power of resilience."—ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY "[Jones'] tenacious honesty compels us to be honest with ourselves. His experiences—negotiating grief, family dynamics, and a forthright identity—require our reckoning."—KIRKUS PRIZE 2019 CITATION “[This] memoir marks the emergence of a major literary voice…written with masterful control of both style and material.” —KIRKUS REVIEWS (STARRED REVIEW) “Powerful…Jones is a remarkable, unflinching storyteller, and his book is a rewarding page-turner.”—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (STARRED REVIEW) "An unforgettable memoir that pulls you in and doesn’t let go until the very last page."—LIBRARY JOURNAL (STARRED REVIEW) "A luminous, clear-eyed excavation of how we learn to define ourselves, “How We Fight for Our Lives” is both a coming-of-age story and a rumination on love and loss....a radiant memoir that meditates on the many ways we belong to each other and the many ways we are released."—SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE "There are moments of devastating ugliness and moments of ecstatic joy...infused with an emotional energy that only authenticity can provide."—MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE "Phenomenal....In this profound, concise memoir, the 33-year-old writer isolates key moments from his youth and sharpens their points for maximum effect. We follow a young, searching Jones through his early years with his loving single mother, along a path of unrequited lust, furtive sexual experiences, and disapproving relatives, through his hard-won self-acceptance and into the grief of losing the person closest to him."—INTERVIEW MAGAZINE "Jones’ evocative prose has a layered effect, immersing readers in his state of mind, where gorgeous turns of phrase create some distance from his more painful memories. Although its length is short (just 189 pages), How We Fight For Our Lives fairly pulses with pain and potency; there is enough turmoil and poetry and determination in it to fill whole bookshelves."—THE AV CLUB "How We Fight for Our Lives is a primer in how to keep kicking, in how to stay afloat...Thank god we get to be part of that world with Saeed Jones’ writing in it."—LAMBDA LITERARY "Jones' unabashed honesty and gift for self-aware humor will resonate with readers, especially those in search of a story that resembles their own." —BOOKLIST “Scorching…a commentary not only on what it takes to become truly and wholly oneself, but on race and LGBTQ identity, power and vulnerability, and how relationships can make and break us along the way.” —GOOD HOUSEKEEPING “This memoir is a rhapsody in the truest sense of the word, fragments of epic poetry woven together so skillfully, so tenderly, so brutally, that you will find yourself aching in the way only masterful writing can make a person ache. How We Fight for Our Lives is that rare book that will show you what it means to be needful, to be strong, to be gloriously human and fighting for your life.” —ROXANE GAY, author of Hunger “This book. Oh my goodness. It is everything everyone needs right now—both love song and battle cry, brilliant as fuck and at times, heartbreaking as hell. Every single living half-grown and grownup body needs to read this book. I’m shook. I’m changed.” —JACQUELINE WOODSON, author of Another Brooklyn “There will be little left to say, and so much left to make after the world experiences Saeed Jones's How We Fight for Our Lives. This is that rare piece of literary art that teaches us how to read and write on every page. It's so black. So queer. So subtextual, and amazingly so sincere. Saeed changes everything we thought we knew about memoir writing, narrative structure, and heart meat. All three are obliterated. All three are tended to over and over again. All three will never ever be the same after this book. It's really that good.” —KIESE LAYMON, author of Heavy

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Book Synopsis**QUIETLY HOSTILE - THE HILARIOUS NEW BOOK FROM THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR - IS AVAILABE TO PRE-ORDER NOW**''Irby might be our great bard of quarantine.'' New York Times''SO funny. Samantha Irby makes staying in feel like like a luxury, and reminds you that going out is actually quite annoying. I laughed out loud so much reading this -- I honestly couldn''t be more in awe of her.'' Sara PascoeStaring down the barrel of her fortieth year, Samantha Irby is confronting the ways her life has changed since the days she could work a full 11 hour shift on 4 hours of sleep, change her shoes and put mascara on in the back of a moving cab and go from drinks to dinner to the club without a second thought. Recently, things are more ''Girls Gone Mild.'' In Wow, No Thank You Irby discusses the actual nightmare of living in a rural idyll, weighs in on body negativity (loving yourself is a full-time job with shitty benefits) and poses the essential question: Sure sex is fun but have you ever googled a popular meme?''Samantha Irby is the king of sparkling misanthropy and tender, loving dread.'' Jia Tolentino''A laugh. A fart. A snort. Or some combination thereof. Be prepared to totally lose control of the noises that come out of your body while reading the latest essay collection from humor writer Samantha Irby.'' Bustle''The only writer who can make me laugh with abandon in public... Her signature irreverence is intact, of course, but it can''t mask the heart she leaves bleeding on the page.'' Elle''Samantha Irby is hilarious... Nothing is off limits and I love it.'' Candice Carty-Williams

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLERNOW A MAJOR TV DRAMA''The next Mr Bates v the Post Office poised to shake up Britain'' Big Issue''If you''re wondering whether to turn the page and read it, my message is simple: please do'' Michael Rosen''A book replete with courage and empathy'' ObserverHow does it feel to confront a pandemic from the inside, one patient at a time? To bridge the gulf between a perilously unwell patient in quarantine and their distraught family outside? To be uncertain whether the protective equipment you wear fits the science or the size of the government stockpile? To strive your utmost to maintain your humanity even while barricaded behind visors and masks?Rachel is a palliative care doctor who looked after the most gravely unwell patients on the Covid-19 wards of her hospital. Amid the tensions, fatigue and rising death toll, she witnessed the courage of patients and NHS staff alike in conditions of unprecedented adversity. For all the bleakness and fear, she found that moments that could stop you in your tracks abounded. People who rose to their best, upon facing the worst, as a microbe laid waste to the population.With a new introduction from Michael RosenTrade ReviewIf you're wondering whether to turn the page and read it, my message is simple: please doA searing insider's account of being a doctor during the tsunami of coronavirus deaths . . . It says everything about her character that Clarke refuses to settle for despair, focusing on the human decency she has seen * Independent *Clarke has written the UK's human story of Covid. Weaving together stories of patients, families, nurses, doctors and paramedics as the virus spread from New Year's Day to the end of April 2020. She reveals the desperate times and the government's mistakes but also how people from all walks of life - inside the NHS and out - have tried to reach out and show goodness to one another * Stylist *Powerful, uplifting and even reassuring . . . Clarke's tone is more intimate, much of the book written at night when she couldn't sleep for fear, fury and frustration - the last two she attributes largely to the inadequacies and lies of politicians. Rage lurks beneath many paragraphs as she lambasts the delays in decisions, and the "number theatre" of statistics. You get the sense of someone trying to remain calm and reasoned, often on the verge of being overcome . . . superb * Guardian *Clarke may well be up for another award for this disturbing insider account of the NHS during the pandemic . . . she recognises the power of individual stories * Express *This memoir of the first wave of Covid will, I predict, be read a century from now as one of the best eyewitness accounts of what happened in the nation's wards in 2020. But it is no less important that it be read now, as a riveting, heart-wrenching testimony from the front line . . . Clarke writes with grace and empathy about her patients and colleagues . . . A must-readClarke is a superb storyteller as well as a clear-eyed polemicist . . . she writes with such compassion and humanity that you feel you are in the room . . . Clarke is certainly on the side of the angels and she has produced much more than a snapshot. Breathtaking is a beautiful, blistering account of a key moment in our history. If I were Boris Johnson, I wouldn't want to read it * Sunday Times *Her mood on these final pages is sad but proud and grateful at the way in which the NHS has triumphantly come through the greatest challenge in seventy years * Mail on Sunday *Breathtaking is a scorching corrective to any suggestion that the pandemic is a hoax and that empty hospital corridors imply deserted intensive care units . . . Written at pace as "a kind of nocturnal therapy" on sleepless nights, Clarke's book has all the rawness of someone still working in the eye of the storm * Mirror *It is a terrific read. I approached it with caution, having grown to dread the daily diet of misery which is life in Covidland. Instead, I became immersed in an extremely well written book that at times read like a thriller. If you only read one book about Covid, make it this one * The Tablet *Breathtaking is a visceral account of the pandemic on the front line. It is about love, fear, honour and above all humanity. It is also a howl of anger at the lies, deceit and disregard for ordinary people by those at the top of society * Irish Times *Breathtaking weaves interviews with patients, relatives, and colleagues about the experience of Covid-19, but the book's voltage is Clarke's eyewitness testimony from the throes of the pandemic. Rarely is her devastation more affecting than in her belief that patients in her hospice - society's most vulnerable - are being betrayed by the government's mishandling of coronavirus and that in the hierarchy of dying, hospice patients are at the bottom * Sunday Business Post *There are a host of first-hand accounts of the pandemic by medics promised for 2021, but this one, written by a palliative care doctor who wrote the bestselling Dear Life, sets a high bar * Sunday Times *A profound and tear-inducing book . . . a wonderfully written inside view of the NHS at a time of crisis, with candour and compassion, humanising a dehumanising situation . . . It is a remarkable achievement, which other chroniclers of the pandemic will struggle to match * The i *Clarke focuses on the glimmers of hope and innate goodness she was witness to, even in the most arduous circumstance * Radio Times *A book replete with courage and empathy. * Observer *'With Breathtaking, the palliative care specialist turns her attention to Covid, in a raw and unflinching portrayal of life on the frontline of the pandemic...Deeply humane, Breathtaking is a book replete with courage, resilience and empathy.' * Guardian online *If you're wondering whether to turn the page and read it, my message is simple: please doA searing insider's account of being a doctor during the tsunami of coronavirus deaths . . . It says everything about her character that Clarke refuses to settle for despair, focusing on the human decency she has seen * Independent *Clarke has written the UK's human story of Covid. Weaving together stories of patients, families, nurses, doctors and paramedics as the virus spread from New Year's Day to the end of April 2020. She reveals the desperate times and the government's mistakes but also how people from all walks of life - inside the NHS and out - have tried to reach out and show goodness to one another * Stylist *Powerful, uplifting and even reassuring . . . Clarke's tone is more intimate, much of the book written at night when she couldn't sleep for fear, fury and frustration - the last two she attributes largely to the inadequacies and lies of politicians. Rage lurks beneath many paragraphs as she lambasts the delays in decisions, and the "number theatre" of statistics. You get the sense of someone trying to remain calm and reasoned, often on the verge of being overcome . . . superb * Guardian *Clarke may well be up for another award for this disturbing insider account of the NHS during the pandemic . . . she recognises the power of individual stories * Express *This memoir of the first wave of Covid will, I predict, be read a century from now as one of the best eyewitness accounts of what happened in the nation's wards in 2020. But it is no less important that it be read now, as a riveting, heart-wrenching testimony from the front line . . . Clarke writes with grace and empathy about her patients and colleagues . . . A must-readClarke is a superb storyteller as well as a clear-eyed polemicist . . . she writes with such compassion and humanity that you feel you are in the room . . . Clarke is certainly on the side of the angels and she has produced much more than a snapshot. Breathtaking is a beautiful, blistering account of a key moment in our history. If I were Boris Johnson, I wouldn't want to read it * Sunday Times *Her mood on these final pages is sad but proud and grateful at the way in which the NHS has triumphantly come through the greatest challenge in seventy years * Mail on Sunday *Breathtaking is a scorching corrective to any suggestion that the pandemic is a hoax and that empty hospital corridors imply deserted intensive care units . . . Written at pace as "a kind of nocturnal therapy" on sleepless nights, Clarke's book has all the rawness of someone still working in the eye of the storm * Mirror *It is a terrific read. I approached it with caution, having grown to dread the daily diet of misery which is life in Covidland. Instead, I became immersed in an extremely well written book that at times read like a thriller. If you only read one book about Covid, make it this one * The Tablet *Breathtaking is a visceral account of the pandemic on the front line. It is about love, fear, honour and above all humanity. It is also a howl of anger at the lies, deceit and disregard for ordinary people by those at the top of society * Irish Times *Breathtaking weaves interviews with patients, relatives, and colleagues about the experience of Covid-19, but the book's voltage is Clarke's eyewitness testimony from the throes of the pandemic. Rarely is her devastation more affecting than in her belief that patients in her hospice - society's most vulnerable - are being betrayed by the government's mishandling of coronavirus and that in the hierarchy of dying, hospice patients are at the bottom * Sunday Business Post *There are a host of first-hand accounts of the pandemic by medics promised for 2021, but this one, written by a palliative care doctor who wrote the bestselling Dear Life, sets a high bar * Sunday Times *A profound and tear-inducing book . . . a wonderfully written inside view of the NHS at a time of crisis, with candour and compassion, humanising a dehumanising situation . . . It is a remarkable achievement, which other chroniclers of the pandemic will struggle to match * The i *Clarke focuses on the glimmers of hope and innate goodness she was witness to, even in the most arduous circumstance * Radio Times *A book replete with courage and empathy. * Observer *'With Breathtaking, the palliative care specialist turns her attention to Covid, in a raw and unflinching portrayal of life on the frontline of the pandemic...Deeply humane, Breathtaking is a book replete with courage, resilience and empathy.' * Guardian online *

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Book SynopsisSet in the beautiful Scottish lowlands, these heart warming tales of life as a country doctor will touch everyone with their comic charm.

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLERA heartbreaking memoir from a girl who escaped county line trafficking only to become prey to other abusersEmily has always felt like an outsider, so when a family friend takes her under his wing she is delighted. But soon it becomes clear that his motives are not all they seem.At the age of 11, Emily is groomed into being a county lines' drug trafficker. It is the beginning of a vicious cycle that sees her become prey to one abuser after another, involving a huge child-sex-trafficking gang.The scale of the abuse at the hands of hundreds of men is sickening, and at times it feels like there will never be an escape. But then, in the darkest of moments, a ray of light shines This is the moving true story of how one girl overcame her traumatic past and learned to love for the very first time.

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Book SynopsisAn exciting and often terrifying adventure story, and a precursor to the famous nineteenth-century slave narratives, Equiano''s The Interesting Narrative recounts his kidnapping in Africa aged ten, his service as a slave of an officer in the British Navy for ten years, and his life after he bought his freedom in 1766, growing to become one of the foremost figures of the anti-slavery movement in Britain.The Interesting Narrative is a spirited autobiography, a tale of spiritual quest and fulfillment and a sophisticated treatise on religion, politics and economics.Table of ContentsIntroductionVincent CarrettaA Note on the TextAcknowledgmentsA Note on MoneySuggestions for Further ReadingThe Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by HimselfExplanatory and Textual NotesAppendix A: The Frontispieces and Title Pages of the First London (1789) and New York (1791) EditionsAppendix B: A Note on the IllustrationsAppendix C: List of Subscribers to the First EditionAppendix D: List of Subscribers to the New York EditionAppendix E: Correspondence of Gustavus Vassa, or Olaudah Equiano, Not Published in The Interesting NarrativeAppendix F: The Will and Codicil of Gustavus Vassa (Olaudah Equiano)

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Book SynopsisEducational and inspirational, this gift-worthy New York Times bestseller from the authors of Rad American Women A-Z, is a bold, illustrated collection of 40 biographical profiles showcasing extraordinary women from across the globe.  Rad Women Worldwide tells fresh, engaging, and amazing tales of perseverance and radical success by pairing well-researched and riveting biographies with powerful and expressive cut-paper portraits. The book features an array of diverse figures from 430 BCE to 2016, spanning 31 countries around the world, from Hatshepsut (the great female king who ruled Egypt peacefully for two decades) and Malala Yousafzi (the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize) to Poly Styrene (legendary teenage punk and lead singer of X-Ray Spex) and Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft (polar explorers and the first women to cross Antarctica).  An additional 250 names of internatio

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