Autobiography: general Books

Book SynopsisSOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE 'The political book of the year' Sunday Times 'You will not read a more important book about America this year' EconomistTrade Review‘Brilliant … offers an acute insight into the reasons voters have put their trust in Trump’ Observer ‘Powerful and highly readable account of the light of the poor white Americans in Kentucky’, Books of the Year, Financial Times ‘Essential reading for all yankophiles, politicians and anyone interested in how Donald Trump won over the rust belt to arrive at the White House’, Books of the Year, Sunday Times ‘The memoir gripping America … Vividly articulates the despair and disillusionment of blue-collar America’ Sunday Times ‘A tough-edged elegy for ‘white trash’ hillbilly America’ David Aaronovitch, The Times ‘America’s political system and the white working class have lost faith in each other. ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ offers a starkly honest look at what that shattering of faith feels like for a family who lived through it. You will not read a more important book about America this year’ Economist ‘Vance’s description of the culture he grew up in is essential reading for this moment in history’ David Brooks, New York Times ‘Clear-eyed and nuanced, a powerful antidote to the clamour of news’ The Times ‘With exquisite timing Vance’s ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ offers something profound at this time of political populism … a great insight into Trump and Brexit’ Ian Birrell, Independent ‘I bought this to try to better understand Trump’s appeal to those white working-class people who feel left behind, but the memoir is so much more than that … It’s an important social history/commentary but also a gripping, unputdownable page-turner’ India Knight, Evening Standard ‘A painfully honest account of America’s white underclass by a brilliant young man’ George Osborne, New Statesman ‘A beautiful memoir but it is equally a work of cultural criticism about white working-class America … [Vance] offers a compelling explanation for why it’s so hard for someone who grew up the way he did to make it … a riveting book’ Wall Street Journal

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Book SynopsisJames Herriot grew up in Glasgow and qualified as a veterinary surgeon at Glasgow Veterinary College. Shortly afterwards he took up a position as an assistant in a North Yorkshire practice where he remained, with the exception of his wartime service in the RAF, until his death in 1995. He wrote many books about Yorkshire country life, including some for children, but he is best known for his memoirs, beginning with If Only They Could Talk. The books were televised in the enormously popular series All Creatures Great and Small.Trade ReviewBulls with sunstroke, pigs on the run and a cake-eating Peke with a betting habit . . . I grew up reading James Herriot's book and I'm delighted that thirty years on they are still every bit as charming, heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny as they were then. -- Kate HumbleHerriot's enchanting tales of life in the Dales are deservedly classics. Full of extraordinary characters, animal and human, the books never fail to delight. -- Amanda Owen, bestselling author of The Yorkshire Shepherdess

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Book SynopsisThe fourth volume of memoirs from the author who inspired the BBC and Channel 5 series All Creatures Great and Small. Finally home from London after his wartime service in the RAF, James Herriot is settling back into life as a country vet. While the world has changed after the war, the blunt Yorkshire clients and menagerie of beasts with weird and wonderful ailments remain the same. But between his young son, Jimmy, trailing him around copying his every move, stubborn farmers refusing to try his ‘new-fangled’ treatments and a goat that has eaten 293 tomatoes, Darrowby is far from quiet. And with another baby on the way, life is about to get even more chaotic . . . Since they were first published, James Herriot’s memoirs have sold millions of copies and entranced generations of animal lovers. Charming, funny and touching, The Lord God Made Them All is a heart-warming story of determination, love and companionship from one of B

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Book SynopsisNow in paperback, Thi Sui's intimate and moving portrait of her family's journey from their war-torn home in Vietnam to their new lives in AmericaTrade Review“In The Best We Could Do, Bui poignantly depicts her parents’ journey and struggle from war-torn Vietnam in comic form—and it’s one book you can’t miss.” Medium "This is a stunning graphic novel that is not only enjoyable but important. It’s a memoir about Thi’s story of immigration, family, and hardship. It is a book that proves yet again how powerful the graphic novel medium can be in creating empathy and understanding." Tillie Walden, author of On a Sunbeam’ “In telling the story of her childhood in the U.S. and, later, the birth of her son, Bui explores her relationship with her mother and father, reflecting on how their experiences shaped them as individuals.” The Chicago Reader online “…a cinematic epic, following several generations through the travails of immigration and emotional dislocation.” PBS NewsHour Online “The book delves as much into her family's history as it does Vietnam's; traumatic things her parents had seen as children and young adults in the years before and during the war… For now, she's reconciled her story with her parents' — and she says hopes her book can provide a starting point for others to do the same.” All Things Considered, NPR

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Book SynopsisNew edition with a foreword by Bernardine Evaristo 'A brutal record of segregated America ... essential reading' Guardian 'An anti-racist classic' Bernardine Evaristo In the autumn of 1959, a white Texan journalist named John Howard Griffin travelled across the Deep South of the United States disguised as a working-class black man. Black Like Me is Griffin's own account of his journey. Published in book form two years later it sold over five million copies, revealed to a white audience the daily experience of racism and became one of the best-known accounts of racial injustice in Jim Crow-era America. Embraced by some and fiercely criticised by others, its legacy sixty years on remains problematic, but Black Like Me nevertheless stands as a fascinating document of its times. 'There is a saying among Negroes that no white man, no matter how hard he tries, can really understand what it's like to be black in America. John Howard Griffin has come closer to this understanding than any white man that I know.' Louis Lomax, Saturday Review 'If it was a frightening experience for him as nothing but a make-believe Negro for sixty-six days, then you think about what real Negroes in America have gone through for 400 years.' Malcolm XTrade ReviewBlack Like Me awoke significant numbers of white Americans to truths about discrimination of which they had been unaware or had denied ... it remains powerful, revealing and moving. * Washington Post *Black Like Me revealed to white America - and Griffin himself - the indignities, abuse and threat of violence that black people had to put up with on a daily basis. * Black History 365 *One of the most extraordinary books ever written about relations between the races -- BBC Radio 4's ‘The Today Programme’One of the most remarkable one-man social and psychological experiments in history ... it is worth reading what he wrote - and then reflecting on how far we have come. And how far we have to go. * BBC News *One of the most fascinating journalistic investigations carried out in the USA ... when Griffin described what he experienced, it awoke a vast section of the American public to what was happening in their country. * Voice *A brutal record of segregated America ... essential reading * Guardian *An important, illuminating and fascinating read -- Bernardine Evaristo * The Times *

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Book Synopsis''I don''t know if it''s ever been equalled: both a guide to how to write and a guide to how to navigate the experience of being a professional in the industry. Even though he existed at the most exalted level, it never felt like that. It felt democratic and egalitarian in the way he wrote. Before his book, people never really gave thought to screenwriters, their craft, or their place in the ecosystem of movie-making. Bill not only shone a light on that and inspired a whole new generation of writers, he also made movie-making and showbusiness understandable to a vast general audience'' Peter Morgan, writer of The Crown and Frost/NixonAs befits more than twenty years in Hollywood, Oscar-winning screenwriter William Goldman''s sparkling memoir is as entertaining as many of the films he has helped to create. From the writer of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President''s Men and Marathon Man, Adventures in the Screen Trade is an intimate view of movie-making, of acting greats such as Redford, Olivier, Newman and Hoffman, and of the trials and rewards of working inside the most exciting business in the world.Trade ReviewThis is the real Hollywood. DAILY TELEGRAPH William Goldman's book is the best I have read on Hollywood. DAILY MAIL Fast and witty...a brave and very funny book. Time Out

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Book SynopsisA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA Daily Mail Book of the Year. A Mail on Sunday Book of the Year.Famed American actress Demi Moore at last tells her own story in a surprisingly intimate and emotionally charged memoir.For decades, Demi Moore has been synonymous with celebrity. From iconic film roles to high-profile relationships, Moore has never been far from the spotlight or the headlines.Even as Demi was becoming the highest paid actress in Hollywood, however, she was always outrunning her past, just one step ahead of the doubts and insecurities that defined her childhood. Throughout her rise to fame and during some of the most pivotal moments of her life, Demi battled addiction, body image issues, and childhood trauma that would follow her for years all while juggling a skyrocketing career and at times negative public perception. As her success grew, Demi found herself questioning if she belonged in Hollywood, if she was a good mother, a good actress and, always, if she was simply good enough.As much as her story is about adversity, it is also about tremendous resilience. In this deeply candid and reflective memoir, Demi pulls back the curtain and opens up about her career and personal life laying bare her tumultuous relationship with her mother, her marriages, her struggles balancing stardom with raising a family, and her journey toward open heartedness. Inside Out is a story of survival, success, and surrender a wrenchingly honest portrayal of one woman's at once ordinary and iconic life.

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Book SynopsisThe third collection of memoirs from the author who inspired the BBC and Channel 5 series All Creatures Great and Small. This omnibus edition comprises of Vets Might Fly and Vet in a Spin. Training as an RAF pilot in the smoke and bustle of London is a far cry from James Herriot’s day job as a country vet in the Yorkshire Dales. And while he is keen to serve Queen and country, James cannot help but miss his life in Darrowby - despite frequent arguments between his colleagues, bad-tempered cattle and equally irritable farmers, and the continuing saga of Cedric the flatulent dog. But most of all he misses his wife Helen; pregnant with their first child. The question is constantly hanging over him - will he be going to war? And when will he get to go home? Since they were first published, James Herriot’s memoirs have sold millions of copies and entranced generations of animal lovers. Charming, funny and touching, All Things WisTrade ReviewBulls with sunstroke, pigs on the run and a cake-eating Peke with a betting habit . . . I grew up reading James Herriot's book and I'm delighted that thirty years on they are still every bit as charming, heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny as they were then. -- Kate HumbleHerriot's enchanting tales of life in the Dales are deservedly classics. Full of extraordinary characters, animal and human, the books never fail to delight. -- Amanda Owen, bestselling author of The Yorkshire Shepherdess

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Book Synopsis''There''s never been a more honest or raw memoir . . . and it may just save lives'' Daily Mail''Funny, fascinating, compelling . . . also a wonderful read for fans of Friends'' The Times''HI, MY NAME IS MATTHEW, although you may know me by my full name. My friends call me Matty.''So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who travelled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us . . . and so much more.In an extraordinary story that onlyTrade ReviewFriends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing is a raw, unflinching memoir that took courage to write. As it turns out, Matthew Perry has a lot of courage. He takes us through his addiction, his illness and his paralyzing loneliness. Somehow, during the course of his life, Matthew was able to turn his pain into comedic joy for others, but, he tells us, it was at a cost. Matthew takes us through his "hell" but doesn't wallow. Ultimately, this book is filled with hope for the future. If you want to know about who Matthew Perry is, stay away from the rags and read this. * Marta Kauffman, co-creator of the NBC sitcom Friends *A fascinating, gruesome tale of addiction * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe fascinating life of Starfleet’s celebrated captain, and Bajor’s Emissary of the Prophets, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Benjamin Sisko tells the story of his career in Starfleet, and his life as a father and Bajor’s Emissary to the Prophets. Chart his rise through the ranks, his pioneering work designing the Defiant class, his critical role as ambassador and leader during the Dominion War, and his sacred standing as a religious leader of his adopted home. Explore the hidden history of his childhood and early career in Starfleet, and the innermost thoughts of the man who made first contact with the wormhole aliens and opened safe passage to the Gamma Quadrant, and united Starfleet, Klingon and Romulan forces to defeat the Dominion. Discover Sisko’s personal take on his confidantes Lieutenant Dax and Major Kira Nerys, the enigmatic Garak, and his adversaries, Gul Dukat and Kai Winn, as well as his fatherly advice for his son Jake. Passing on lessons from father to son, from his experiences with the Prophets to the writings of Benny Russell, Sisko’s story is a unique phenomenon in Starfleet and human history, told in the way only he can.Trade Review“Ultimately, the book left me with a craving to start Deep Space Nine again. So in that respect alone, it is a success. But it’s deeper than that. I feel as though I have a fresh pair of eyes. A fresh appreciation for Sisko as a character and for Avery Brooks as a performer. It is often said that the best actors put a piece of themselves into their performances. Avery Brooks did that with Sisko. But I feel that Attico also put a piece of himself into the character through this book.”TrekCentral.net“All in all, this is an excellent book that provides a profound understanding of how Benjamin Sisko evolves into the distinguished figure from Star Trek lore. An amazing record of him, the novel gives us great insights into the evolution of this wonderful character we know and love from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, allowing readers to deepen appreciation for him even more.”WarpFactorTrek“The autobiography is an inspiring, at times gut-wrenching, look into the life of one of Starfleet’s best captains. Though bittersweet since no one has seen him since he left with the Bajoran prophets, the book will leave you feeling like, for the first time, you really know Benjamin Sisko. And will probably make you want to watch Deep Space Nine again with this new knowledge. And that’s a good thing.”Red Shirts Always Die

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Book SynopsisVivienne Westwood is one of the icons of our age. Fashion designer, activist, co-creator of punk, global brand and grandmother; a true legend. Her career successfully spanned five decades and her work has influenced millions of people across the world.For the first and only time, Vivienne Westwood has written a personal memoir, collaborating with award-winning biographer Ian Kelly, to describe the events, people and ideas that have shaped her extraordinary life.Told in all its glamour and glory, and with her unique voice, unexpected perspective and passionate honesty, this is her story.Trade ReviewThis wonderful memoir, which is adorned with beautiful images, provides a captivating portrait of a fascinating character * Daily Mail *An uproarious picaresque romp through Westwood's wild life * Daily Telegraph *This serious biography explores not only Westwood's life and career but also decades of British history and the way in which the fashion industry has developed. . .I consumed the 500-page biography in gulps, cramming it in and then decelerating to wallow in Kelly's sinuous prose * Business Day’s Wanted *I consumed the 500-page biography in gulps, cramming it in and then decelerating to wallow in Kelly's sinuous prose.In a world where clothes are designed to become unfashionable almost upon wearing them, Vivienne Westwood reminded me of why I'm so drawn to the industry and shows how fashion, as a wearable expression of art, can change the world for the better * Sartorial Reads *Table of ContentsChapter - 1: Everything is Connected Chapter - 2: The Girl in the Utility Dress Chapter - 3: Let it Rock Chapter - 4: Mrs Westwood's Wedding Dress Chapter - 5: The Dirty-Turquoise Skirt Chapter - 6: Sex at the World's End Chapter - 7: New York Doll Chapter - 8: God Save the Queen Chapter - 9: Thurleigh Court Chapter - 10: Pirate Princess Chapter - 11: Maid in Italy Chapter - 12: Culture Club Chapter - 13: Fräulein Kronthaler Chapter - 14: ‘Dowager Empress West’ Chapter - 15: Climate Revolutionary Chapter - 16: The River Flows On Section - i: Chronology: A Life in Fashion and Activism Acknowledgements - ii: Acknowledgements Section - iii: Notes on Sources Index - iv: Index Section - v: About the Author

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Book SynopsisIn this poignant, hilarious and deeply intimate call to arms, Hollywood's most powerful woman, the mega-talented creator of Grey's Anatomy and Scandal and executive producer of Bridgerton, For the People and How to Get Away with Murder, reveals how saying YES changed her life - and how it can change yours too.  With three hit shows on television and three children at home, Shonda Rhimes had lots of good reasons to say no when invitations arrived. Hollywood party? No. Speaking engagement? No. Media appearances? No.  And to an introvert like Shonda, who describes herself as 'hugging the walls' at social events and experiencing panic attacks before press interviews, there was a particular benefit to saying no: nothing new to fear. Then came Thanksgiving 2013, when Shonda's sister Delorse muttered six little words at her: You never say yes to anything.  Trade Review'There’s real value in the experiences Rhimes shares… When, for example, she discusses learning to take better care of herself, the memoir feels honest, raw and revelatory.' * Washington Post *'Revealing and delightful.' * New York Daily News *'If you enjoy the rapid-fire dialogue of her characters, reading this book will feel like home. Rhimes opens up, and inspires, discussing her personal experiences as a sister, daughter, mother, friend and boss tempered with biting insights on societal expectations of women…[a] blend of biography and badassery.' * ebony.com *'Rhimes is, unsurprisingly, a fantastic memoirist: her writing is conversational and witty and lyrical, inflected with the supple human breathiness you might expect from a person who spends her days writing dialogue. It features lots of great punchlines… [It] is also in many ways a side-door self-help book…[with] pieces of advice that concern not just Rhimes’s readers, but everyone…Year of Yes is, like Shondaland itself, making a statement. It is insisting that it is time for the people who used to be invisible to come forward and be seen.' * Atlantic.com *'A sincere and inspiring account of saying yes to life…Rhimes tells us all about it in the speedy, smart style of her much-loved TV shows. She's warm, eminently relatable, and funny… Like a cashmere shawl you pack just in case, Year of Yes is well worth the purse space, and it would make an equally great gift. Rhimes said "yes" to sharing her insights . Following her may not land you on the cover of a magazine, but you'll be glad you did.' * Kirkus Reviews *'Rhimes guides the reader through her transformative year-long experiment, each chapter dealing with a different personal challenge for herself, and she lets us deep inside her brain, carefully laying out all of her fears and self-doubt…candid and friendly, almost as if the two of you were catching up over drinks.' * Slate.com *'A self-help book dressed in casual clothes, lessons for living a better life told through relatable personal essays from the woman who set out to, in the course of a year, make her own better… Never do you feel preached at while reading Rhimes’s book. This woman of huge fame and fortune is speaking directly to you, and she’s doing it with familiarity, humour, and earned wisdom…Year of Yes is an awakening as much as it is a reckoning. Recognise the power of what you’ve been doing. Do more of it.' * Daily Beast *

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Book SynopsisBiography detailing motorcycle adventurer Charley Boorman's recovery from a major road traffic accident in February 2016.

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Book SynopsisA victim of violent abuse at the hands of his stepfather, Lenny spent much of his teenage life in borstal as he began to follow a life of crime. However, it was his ability as a fighter that was to turn his life around. Lenny McLean inspired fear in many, but respect from all, as he became a bare-knuckle fighting legend. His fame became even greater in later life, appearing in Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels just as his autobiography was reaching the top of the bestsellers chart. Lenny's untimely death from cancer in 1998 marked the beginning of the end of the old Cockney way of life and interest in his story has only increased since his passing, inspiring documentaries as well as a feature film, My Name is Lenny. In these unedited conversations between Lenny and his 'book man' Peter Gerrard, featuring many anecdotes that did not appear in The Guv'nor, we get to see the man behind the public image. As he looks back on his life, these transcripts reveal Lenny's humour and charm as well as the volatility that made him one of the most notorious figures ever to emerge from the East End.

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Book SynopsisNow a major motion picture called The Mauritanian 'A vision of hell, beyond Orwell, beyond Kafka' JOHN LE CARRÉThe first and only diary written by a Guantánamo detainee during his imprisonment, now with previous censored material restored.Mohamedou Ould Slahi was imprisoned in Guantánamo Bay in 2002.There he suffered the worst of what the prison had to offer, including months of sensory deprivation, torture and sexual assault.In October 2016 he was released without charge.This is his extraordinary story.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary account . . . the global war on terror has found in a Mauritanian captive its true and complete witness * * Guardian * *A vision of hell, beyond Orwell, beyond Kafka -- JOHN LE CARRÉUnnerving yet ultimately magnificent . . . there is something special about Guantánamo Diary that lifts it from human rights polemic to the realm of literary magic * * Sunday Times * *The work is a kind of dark masterpiece, a sometimes unbearable epic of pain, anguish and bitter humour * * New York Times * *Heartbreaking . . . there has never been a book quite like this . . . extraordinary and overwhelming * * New Statesman * *This Guantánamo detainee's harrowing memoir is a tremendous achievement - and a grave warning against ignoring the rule of law * * Observer * *This is a necessary book. It reminds us that the evil we're fighting can be found in ourselves as well as our enemies * * Daily Telegraph * *A sobering, often chilling, read. Slahi's story deserves to be widely read * * Independent * *Slahi's book offers a reminders that the struggles we face in these difficult times involve real individuals, not faceless creatures who are to be characterised as members as one or other hated group. That he has resorted to words, the mightiest of weapons, even as his incarceration continues, makes his experience all the more relevant today * * Financial Times * *A harrowing account of [Mohamedou Ould Slahi's] detention, interrogation, and abuse . . . One of the most stubborn, deliberate and cruel Guantánamo interrogations on record * * Slate * *

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Book SynopsisThis famous book, the inspiration behind Kate Bush's 1985 hit song 'Cloudbusting', is the extraordinary account of life as friend, confidant and child of the brilliant but persecuted psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich. Peter, his son, shared with his father the revolutionary concept of a world where dream and reality are virtually indistinguishable, and the sense of mission which set him and his followers apart from the rest of the human race. Here, Peter Reich writes vividly and movingly of the mysterious experiences he shared with his father: of flying saucers; the 'cloudbuster' rain-makers and the FDA narks; and of the final tragic realization of his father's death, which woke him up to the necessity of living out his life in an alien world. Already regarded as a modern classic, A Book of Dreams is not only a beautifully written narrative of a remarkable friendship and collaboration, but a loving son's heartfelt tribute to a loving father.

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Book SynopsisGenerous, authoritative, and grounded in lived experience, My Life in Full is the story of an extraordinary leader's life, a moving tribute to the relationships that created it, and a blueprint for 21st century prosperity.

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A moving account of one man's race to save a herd of elephants – with unforgettable characters and exotic wildlife, The Elephant Whisperer is an enthralling book that will appeal to animal lovers and adventurous souls everywhere.When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of 'rogue' elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival – dangerous and unpredictable, they would be killed if Anthony wouldn't take them in.As Anthony risked his life to create a bond with the troubled elephants and persuade them to stay on his reserve, he came to realize what a special family they were, from the wise matriarch Nana, who guided the herd, to her warrior sister Frankie, always ready to see off any threat, and their children who fought so hard to survive.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, updated for the 30th anniversary of James' death, with new chapters from Denise.'I was crying so much I couldn't breathe. The thought of leaving the shopping centre without him was crushing. I knew that walking away from the place where he had gone missing, without any idea where he now was, meant that things were really bad. James had been right by my side and then he was gone forever.'On 12th February 1993, Denise Fergus' life changed forever. As she was running errands at New Strand Shopping Centre, she let go of her two-year-old son's hand for a few seconds to take out her purse.Denise never saw her son again.For the first time since that moment 25 years ago, Denise tells her extraordinary story in this heart-wrenching book, an unflinching account of that terrible day. What if she had never taken James shopping? What if she had turned right coming out of the butcher's, instead of left? Denise's initial hope after seeing her son on CCTV with other children quickly turned to devastation when, two days later, James' body was found.His death reverberated around the world and his killers became the youngest ever convicted murderers in UK legal history. Four minutes is all it took for them to lead James away from his mother to his death. Denise took up a tortuous legal battle for James, and it was her astonishing strength and love for her son that ultimately helped to change the way the law treats victims of crime.This is a mother's tale, of finding a way through the despair to remember the happiness and wonderful memories that James brought his family rather than just as a murdered child.

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Book SynopsisEdward Said experienced both British and American imperialism as the old Arab order crumbled in the late 1940s and early 1950s. This account of his early life reveals how it influenced his books Orientalism and Culture and Imperialism. Edward Said was born in Jerusalem and brought up in Cairo, spending every summer in the Lebanese mountain village of Dhour el Shweir, until he was 'banished' to America in 1951. This work is a mixture of emotional archaeology and memory, exploring an essentially irrecoverable past. As ill health sets him thinking about endings, Edward Said returns to his beginnings in this personal memoir of his ferociously demanding 'Victorian' father and his adored, inspiring, yet ambivalent mother.Trade ReviewEdward Said is among the truly important intellectuals of our century. His examined life, from the tragic and triumphant perspective of a mortal illness, is superbly worth living. I know I shall not read an autobiography to match this one for many years -- Nadine GordimerSaid is capable of writing like a gifted novelist, like a Palestinian Proust * Independent on Sunday *Out of Place recreates the sights and sounds, the smells and shouts, of a lost world, as Gunter Grass did for Danzig or Joyce for turn-of-the-century Dublin ... One of the greatest cities of our age has produced a work of art, one of the noblest autobiographies of our time * Irish Times *A fine elegy and a scrupulous reckoning with the past -- Marina Warner, Books of the Year * Daily Telegraph *This delicate and candid memoir by a very private man moved me enormously. Written in "counterpoint" to his illness (leukaemia) at times when he was recovering from chemotherapy, its importance may be measured by the ferocity of the public attempt which preceded and accompanied publication to discredit him as an authentic Palestinian voice -- Ahdaf SoueifOut of Place is an intensely moving act of reclamation and understanding, a portrait of a transcultural and often painful upbringing written with wonderful vividness and unsparing honesty. To read it is to come to know [Said's] family and his younger self as closely as we know characters in literature, to be shown, intimately and unforgettably, what it has meant in the last half-century to be a Palestinian -- Salman Rushdie

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Book SynopsisLegendary singer, songwriter, actress, and activist Cyndi Lauper offers a personal account of the journey that led her to become an international superstar in this “moving story of an American musical original” (Kirkus Reviews).Icon Cyndi Lauper offers a poignant account of the journey that led her to become an international superstar—from her years growing up in Queens, New York, to the making of enduring hits like “Time After Time,” “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” and “True Colors,” to becoming an actress, a mother, an outspoken activist, and maintaining a music career that has lasted more than thirty years. After leaving her childhood home at seventeen, Cyndi took on a series of jobs: racetrack hot walker, IHOP waitress, and, as she puts it, “gal Friday the thirteenth,” as she pursued her passion for music. She worked her way up playing small gigs and broke out in 1983 with She’s

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Book SynopsisPreviously published as NujeenThe story that is inspiring the world.Read about Nujeen who escaped the hell of war in Aleppo and travelled to Europe in a wheelchair.She is our hero. Everyone must read her story. She will inspire you' MALALA YOUSAFZAINujeen Mustafa has cerebral palsy and cannot walk. This did not stop her braving inconceivable odds to travel in her wheelchair from Syria in search of a new life. Sharing her full story for the first time, Nujeen recounts the details of her childhood and disability, as well as the specifics of her harrowing journey across the Mediterranean to Greece and finally to Germany to seek an education and the medical treatment she needs.Nujeen''s story has already touched millions and in this book written with Christina Lamb, bestselling co-author of I Am Malala', she helps to put a human face on a global emergency.Trapped in a fifth floor apartment in Aleppo and unable to go to school, she taught herself to speak English by watching US television.Trade Review‘The story of Nujeen, amazing young woman and Syrian refugee, reminds the world that refugees, just like others, have aspirations and dreams for peace, education and a better society. Nujeen inspires me to dream without limits’MALALA YOUSAFZAI ‘Spirited and humbling, and is proof that a refugee is a person first, a statistic last’, Books of the Year, Sunday Times ‘Extraordinary. We have heard many accounts of refugees’ journeys in the past couple of years but none like this one. If it was Lamb who wrote the words, you sense it is Nujeen’s spirit she has caught. The is important chronicle of our strange and terrible times seems likely, in fact, to make her a star’ The Times ‘THE GIRL FROM ALEPPO is a book about a truly remarkable disabled young girl refugee from Syria. I read it in 24 hours – without a dry eye. Not tears of sadness – tears of joy about the glory of a triumphant human spirit. Go on. I challenge you. I bet you cannot read this, dry eyed, to the end’ PADDY ASHDOWN

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Without her alter-ego Erika Jayne, Erika Girardi says she’d just be “another rich bitch with a plane”—so get ready for the dishy, tell-all memoir from show-stopping performer, model, singer, and beloved star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Erika Jayne.Erika Jayne didn’t make it this far by holding back. Now, in her first-ever memoir, the fan favorite star of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills bares her heart, mind, and soul. In Pretty Mess, Erika spills on every aspect of her life: from her rise to fame as a daring and fiery pop/dance performer and singer; to her decision to accept a role on reality television; to the ups and downs of family life (including her marriage to famed lawyer Tom Girardi, thirty-three years her senior). There’s much more to Erika Jayne than fans see on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Pr

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Book SynopsisINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Named a Notable Book of the Year by NPR and The Washington Post From award-winning actor and food obsessive Stanley Tucci comes an intimate and charming memoir of life in and out of the kitchen.Stanley Tucci grew up in an Italian American family that spent every night around the kitchen table. He shared the magic of those meals with us in The Tucci Cookbook and The Tucci Table, and now he takes us beyond the savory recipes and into the compelling stories behind them.​ Taste is a reflection on the intersection of food and life, filled with anecdotes about his growing up in Westchester, New York; preparing for and shooting the foodie films Big Night and Julie & Julia; falling in love over dinner; and teaming up with his wife to create meals for a multitude of children. Each morsel of this gastronomic journey through good times and bad, five-star meals and burned dishes, is as heartfelt and delicious as the last. Written with Stanley’s signature wry humor, Taste is for fans of Bill Buford, Gabrielle Hamilton, and Ruth Reichl—and anyone who knows the power of a home-cooked meal.

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Book SynopsisThe diary received widespread critical and popular attention on the appearance of its english language translation.

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Book SynopsisChaperones, suitors, and arranged marriages aren't only reserved for the heroines of a Jane Austen novel. They're just another walk in the park for this leading lady, who is on a mission to find her leading lad. From the brilliant comics Yes, I'm Hot in This, Huda Fahmy tells the hilarious story of how she met and married her husband. Navigating mismatched suitors, gossiping aunties, and societal expectations for Muslim women, That Can Be Arranged deftly and hilariously reveals to readers what it can be like to find a husband as an observant Muslim woman in the twenty-first century.So relevant in today's evolving cultural climate, Fahmy's story offers a perceptive and personal glimpse into the sometimes sticky but ultimately rewarding balance of independent choice and tradition.

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Book SynopsisFourteen years after fleeing Kenya with her baby daughter, Corinne returned in the summer of 2004 to meet Lketinga and his family again in their village, Barsaloi. Nervous as she was, and uncertain as to how he would react on seeing her again, she found to her relief that she was welcomed unreservedly by all those who remembered her - by Lketinga, who still thought of her as his 'wife number one', by his brother, James, now a schoolteacher and especially by Lketinga's mother, who had looked after Corinne with such care all those years before. Corinne Hofmann revisits an area of a country which she cares about passionately, describing in her immensely readable style the changes she saw after her time away, and once again bringing to life the atmosphere and characters in the Masai village.Trade Review'Hofmann's publishers are still reeling from the success of her first book, The White Masai, which sold four million copies worldwide. Romantic ... (with) the nobility of African village life and wry reflection on its hardships' - Iain Finlayson, The Times"Her book is a page-turner, an extraordinary tale of love and naivety, folly and determination" - Sun HeraldPraise for The White Masai:'Hofmann is a talented writer, describing with unflinching detail the consequences of a passion that combines the element of a holiday romance with troubling fantasies about the noble savage. Gripping - Joan Smith, Independent'This extraordinary story is a dashing tale of love and adventure in contemporary Kenya' - Mavis Cheek, Daily Mail Critic's Choice'A deliciously readable book - it really is possible to gulp it down in one long sitting' - Mail on Sunday'The White Masai has already sold four million copies in Europe and has now been turned into a big Hollywood film. Theses successes suggest that, in publishing terms at least, Corinne Hofmann has finally struck gold' - Ireland on Sunday'An extraordinary and unputdownable tale' - Bookseller'It's a truly riveting read, better than any reality TV show' - Publishing News

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Book SynopsisPart cookbook and part storybook of a family's life in France, The Cook's Atelier combines classic French recipes, step-by-step instructions on technique, and narratives of living in French wine country from mother-and-daughter duo Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith FranchiniTrade Review"It is a little early, but I think this may be one of the Cook’s Library’s books of the year. I have already sat down and read it aloud to my children as it is written so evocatively, photographed superbly, and thick with the substance of French food" The Times "WE STILL PINCH ourselves,’ admits Marjorie Taylor as she describes the cookery school and cookware and wine shop she runs with her daughter, Kendall Smith Franchini." The Telegraph Magazine “If you want to master a new skill, a cooking school's book is a good place to start. Especially when it's from this French one of the same name, which is where I imagine Julia Child would have gone if she were going to school now. It has promising recipes, inviting photos, heartwarming stories and tips that will make you a better home cook.” Tasting Table “The authors are remarkably adept at conveying what makes their adopted home so special, and their seductive book is likely to have readers fantasizing about their own escapes to France.” Publishers Weekly "The Cook’s Atelier by Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini, is no ordinary cookery book, but a 360º love letter to French cooking, from the kitchen environment and its tools right through to the selection of ingredients, cooking techniques, and wine pairings. Serious about perfecting your culinary skills? This book is for you." Image Magazine, Ireland "Featuring more than 100 market-inspired recipes alongside beautiful images, a read of this book is the next best thing to actually visiting the Beaune atelier, and is one that provides a gorgeous take on classic French cuisine." Living France "These seasonal menus and thorough instructions for traditional techniques are seasoned with personal stories, accounts of their relationships with local suppliers and portrayals of life in the region. From basic butchering to beurre blanc, and from madeleines to mousseline, their take on French cuisine is fresh and inviting." The Lady “Since 2008, mother and daughter duo Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini have taught legions of would-be chefs to cook at their school in Beaune, Burgundy. In this, their first cookbook, they’ve brought their collective teaching experience to the page, guiding the reader through classic French recipes like plum tarte tatin, watermelon and vineyard peach salad, and baby leek galettes with goat cheese and wild garlic.” Departures.com

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE 2017 SHORTLISTED FOR THE LONDON HELLENIC PRIZE 2017 WINNER OF THE PRIX MÉDITERRANÉE 2018From the award-winning, best-selling writer: a deeply moving tale of a father and son's transformative journey in reading and reliving Homer's epic masterpiece.When eighty-one-year-old retired scientist Jay unexpectedly enrols in his estranged classicist son Daniel's course on the Odyssey, the journey of a lifetime commences. Professor and student glean life lessons from the page over a semester and, that summer, son and father take to the sea to follow Odysseus's epic trail. Reading Homer becomes their chance to understand each other before it's too late. Theirs is a moving and erudite story of filial love and the importance of the classics. Rich with literary and emotional insight and weaving themes of deception and recognition, marriage and children, the pleasures of travel and the meaning of home, this is memoir writing at its finest.Trade Review‘A brilliant family memoir … At its core, it is a funny, loving portrait of a difficult but loving parent: … An Odyssey is a stellar contribution to the genre of memoirs about reading – literary analysis and the personal stories are woven together in a way that feels both artful and natural. A thoughtful book from which non-classicists will learn a great deal about Homer … A funny, loving portrait of a difficult but loving parent: a “much-turning man”’ Emily Wilson, Guardian ‘Combining an in-depth literary analysis with a personal narrative is a bold enterprise. An Odyssey could have been, in the hands of a lesser writer, grandiose. It isn’t. It is so well written that every page makes you feel more alert and alive. The brilliance of An Odyssey lies in the insightfulness of the writing, as Mendelsohn immerses himself in the Odyssey: lives it, breathes it, and presses it for meaning’ Helen Morales, TLS ‘There are a handful of books that have captured the pleasure and romance of this subject. Donna Tartt’s was one … this is another. Homer has a phrase for those who can speak bewitchingly: they have ‘winged words’. Mendelsohn has winged words’ The Times ‘The book enacts a truth that has long been central to Mendelsohn’s writing and teaching, which is that the great works of antiquity remain relevant today. His prose flits seamlessly across intervals and registers, switching from erudite exposition one minute to emotion-filled reminiscence the next. An accomplished, brave book that testifies to what is perhaps The Odyssey’s most abiding message: that intelligence has little value if it isn’t allied to love’ Observer ‘An exquisitely written book about fathers and sons, life and grief’ Mail on Sunday ‘Subtle, profoundly moving … an intricately constructed, multidimensional journey of a father and son and their travails through life and love … A book of shimmering, beautiful, dapple-skilled intelligence’ Adam Nicolson, New York Times Book Review

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Book SynopsisShirley, The Life of a Botanical Adventurer is the remarkable story of Dr Shirley Sherwood, scientist, author, travel writer, gardener as well as mother and grandmother. Following the tragic death of her brilliant scientist husband, Michael Cross, in a freak air crash in 1964, she was left as a 30-year-old widow with two young boys aged four and three. For the next twelve years she worked as a key member of the Nobel Prize-winning team which developed Tagamet, the first block-buster drug (sales of over $1 billion a year). After her marriage to Jim Sherwood in 1977, she left science to concentrate full-time on the huge task of restoring the fabled Orient-Express train, probably the most luxurious and exotic form of travel ever devised. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, running between London and Venice, was relaunched in 1982, ninety-nine years after its first journey. Sherwood's history of the project sold more than 400,000 copies. The Orient-Express train was just the beginning. The Sherwoods went on to create the five-star Orient-Express Hotels company (now Belmond), which owned some of the finest hotels in the world, including the Cipriani in Venice, the Mount Nelson in Cape Town and the Copacabana Palace in Rio. They pioneered new train routes across the Alps, started the Eastern & Oriental Express running between Singapore and Bangkok- crossing over the Bridge on the River Kwai- opened up tourism in Myanmar with the first cruise ship to operate on the Irrawaddy, and took over the railways of Peru, which run all the way to Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. Her most lasting achievement, the one of which she is proudest, is the Shirley Sherwood Collection of contemporary botanical art, which she started in 1990 and now includes over 1,000 paintings and drawings representing the work of more than 300 contemporary botanical artists from 36 countries. She has mounted exhibitions in many prestigious locations including the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Kirstenbosch in Cape Town and the Real Jardin Botanico, Madrid. The Shirley Sherwood Gallery in Kew Gardens is the first museum to be dedicated to modern botanical art and her books, which often accompanied her exhibitions, have been largely responsible for re-establishing botanical art in its rightful place as an important art form. These are just some of the many achievements in a long and rich life, vividly described in this book.Trade Review"Shirley Sherwood put botanical art firmly back on the agenda with her incredible collection and her unremitting quest for only the very best." – Sir Roy Strong CH FRSL “A remarkable and sophisticated life of science, travel and passion for the best of contemporary botanical art." - Sir Peter Crane FRS "Shirley is an inspiration in how to use one’s gifts wisely and live life well. Her memoir is a delight." - Dame Mary Archer"this is a compelling tale of a life rich in incident and bravery" -- Steven Desmond

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'A must-read. Funny and utterly compelling' Jonathan Ross The Bafta-garlanded creator of Father Ted and The IT Crowd tells of his rise and painful fall. Part comedy-writing masterclass, part diary of a gender wars 'cancellation'. Having cut his teeth in music journalism, Graham Linehan became the finest sitcom writer of his generation. He captured the comedy zeitgeist not just as the co-creator of Father Ted but also with The IT Crowd and Black Books, winning five Baftas and a lifetime achievement award. Then his life took an unexpected turn. When he championed an unfashionable cause, TV commissioners no longer returned his emails, showbiz pals lost his number and his marriage collapsed. In an emotionally charged memoir that is by turns hilarious and harrowing, he lets us into the secrets of the writing room and colourfully describes the high-octane atmosphere of a sitcom set. But he also berates an industry where there was no one to stand by his side when he needed help. Bruised but not beaten, he explains why he chose the hill of women and girls' rights to die on - and why, despite the hardship of cancellation, he's not coming down from it any time soon.Trade Review'One of the best TV comedy writers of all time delivers a book which is a must-read for anyone who has ever wondered: a) how to create a hit sit-com and b) how it feels to lose everything. It's funny, complicated and utterly compelling' Jonathan Ross 'One of the most compelling and unflinchingly honest memoirs I've read in many years. It's also the funniest' Andrew Doyle 'Graham Linehan has long been one of my favourite writers - and this book shows that his brilliance in prose is the equal to his brilliance as a screenwriter. It unfolds with the urgency of a Sam Fuller film: that of a man who has been through something that few have experienced but has managed to return, undaunted, to tell us the tale' Richard Ayoade 'Hilarious, raw and touching. A must-read for anyone who wants to know the backstory behind Father Ted - and why he gave up the life of a luvvie to fight the threats posed by trans ideology to women's rights and child safeguarding' Helen Joyce 'This book is great company, and reminds us that Graham is first and foremost a writer, and a very funny one indeed. It is a not inconsiderable relief, in fact, to see that he has not lost the gift' Simon Evans 'A brilliant account of the evolution of a comedy writer, but also an extraordinary and chilling portrayal of cancel culture. I found it unputdownable' Lissa Evans A funny but dark memoir that goes from Linehan’s childhood in Dublin (nerdy, bullied) to his days as a music journalist, to writing Father Ted and The IT Crowd, to getting involved in the trans argument’ The Herald ‘A beautifully written memoir that is full of good humour and grace, and the best account yet of cancellation. Linehan’s is a story that calls out to be heard. To recommend it is to take a small stand’ Entertainment Focus ‘Because so much of the discussion around Tough Crowd will almost certainly be focused on his politics, I want to start by saying that this is a great book, full stop. In fact, it is one of the most entertaining new books I’ve read in a long time, in any genre’ Spiked ‘Simultaneously eloquent and chatty, Linehan never strays far from his need to entertain. The saddest thing about this memoir is that the very people who should read it, to hear the facts, probably won’t’ Irish Independent ‘The good news is that Graham Linehan is still funny. Tough Crowd contains a lot of fire and brimstone, but it is very entertaining’ The Critic ‘Linehan’s bracing and, at times, riveting memoir...charts the story of his apparent cancellation, but it also takes a deep dive into his formative years as a writer. The Father Ted chapters are stuffed with great detail and gossip’ Irish Independent ‘Seriously funny. Like Father Ted, Linehan will never stop scheming to escape his exile, and we laugh because it hurts’ The Distance ‘Sure to be the most controversial British TV memoir of the decade’ British TV.com

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Book SynopsisThe autobiography – the dangerous life and wild times – of Sonny Barger, the legendary leader of the Hell’s Angels. Sonny Barger is the Hell’s Angel of all Hell’s Angels, the motorcycle club that has been the scourge of America for over forty years. Sonny was their de facto leader for much of that time, the man who Hunter S. Thompson immortalised in his 1965 classic Hells Angels, noting ‘Barger is nothing short of Winston Churchill when it comes to leading people’. He’s been called an American legend and he’s feared and revered by people on both sides of the law. From the club’s formation in the 1940s to the height of their notoriety twenty years later, from Sonny’s first-hand account of what really happened with the Rolling Stones at Altamont to his periods of imprisonment, from his fights with rival gangs and the police to his own battle with cancer, ‘Hell’s Angel’ sets the record straight. Sonny Barger has ridden with the Angels for forty years, obeying no law but that of the HAMC. For the first time, this is his own – and their own – story.

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Book Synopsis'Fantastic book written by a true LFC legend.' Jurgen Klopp'George Sephton is part of the brickwork of Liverpool Football Club and was witness to so many iconic moments. He has lived through a huge chunk of our history, from when Liverpool were in the Second Division, when he used to come to Anfield with his father, all the way to being crowned World Club and Premier League champions. It's been a rollercoaster ride, and George has been there for all the ups and downs - but mainly the ups.' Sir Kenny Dalglish'The voice of George Sephton has been heard at Anfield for so long that you could be forgiven for imagining him poised with a wind-up gramophone and a 78-rpm record of Gerry with his ukulele and a single Pacemaker, on a comb and tissue paper, piping Alan A'Court and Alf Arrowsmith onto the field.' Elvis CostelloGeorge Sephton's relationship with Liverpool Football Club began in 1971 when he wrote to the club secretary applying to be the stadium announcer. His first match also marked the debut of Kevin Keegan. For the past fifty years, Sephton has been at Anfield for all but a handful of home fixtures, as well as travelling with the team to major finals. From the highs of winning numerous league titles and European Cups, to the lows of Heysel and Hillsborough, Sephton has been with Liverpool through it all. From encounters with great managers and legendary players - from Bill Shankly to Kenny Dalglish, John Barnes to Jurgen Klopp, he tells his unique and entertaining story of the greatest club in the world.Table of Contentsi: Foreword ii: 'Sleeve Notes' iii: Prologue 1: Part One: The Fifties and Sixties 2: Part Two: The Seventies 3: Part Three: The Eighties 4: Part Four: The Nineties 5: Part Five: The 2000s 6: Part Six: The 2010s 7: Epilogue 8: Acknowledgements 9: Plate Section Photography Credits 10: Index

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Book SynopsisIsobel Miller gave up God for worldly pursuits. But as graduation approached and her engagement was broken, she questioned that decision. "If You will prove to me that You are, and if You will give me peace, I will give You my whole life." God heard Isobel's prayers and responded. Her search ended, and He gave her a whole new life of fruitful missionary service in China.

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Book SynopsisFrom Taraji P. Henson, Academy Award nominee, Golden Globe winner, and star of the award-winning film Hidden Figures and the 2023 film The Color Purple, comes an inspiring and funny memoir—“a bona fide hit” (Essence)—about family, friends, the hustle required to make it in Hollywood, and the joy of living your own truth.With a sensibility that recalls her beloved screen characters, including Katherine, the NASA mathematician, Yvette, Queenie, Shug, and the iconic Cookie from Empire, Taraji P. Henson writes of her family, the one she was born into and the one she created. She shares stories of her father, a Vietnam vet who was bowed but never broken by life’s challenges, and of her mother who survived violence both at home and on DC’s volatile streets. Here, too, she opens up about her experiences as a single mother, a journey some saw as a burden but which she saw as a gift. Around the Way GirlTrade Review“An engaging read. As much a manual on acting as it is a memoir. . . [with] plenty of inspiration for readers.” * Library Journal *"Taraji P. Henson, a Golden Globe winner and an Academy and Emmy Award nominee, shares her rocky road to fame in a bona fide hit memoir." * Essence Magazine *"Henson's memoir is an inspiring account of overcoming adversity and a quest for self-discovery, written with vitality and enthusiasm” * Shelf Awareness *"Taraji P. Henson rips the facade off stardom and reveals a woman committed to her family and craft." * Essence Magazine, Best Books of 2016 *

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Book Synopsis'Always the leader and always the best' Bear Grylls 'Fiennes has so much to fit in, it's a wonder to grasp the full breadth of a lifetime of adventuring' - Compass Magazine'Even readers with a broadly low tolerance for macho heroism will find themselves gripped . . . compelling' - Time OutSir Ranulph Fiennes has travelled to the most dangerous and inaccessible places on Earth, almost died countless times, lost nearly half his fingers to frostbite, raised millions of pounds for charity and been awarded a polar medal and an OBE. He has been an elite soldier, an athlete, a mountaineer, an explorer, a bestselling author and nearly replaced Sean Connery as James Bond.In his bestselling autobiography, Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know, he describes how he led expeditions all over the world and became the first person to travel to both Poles on land. He tells of how he discovered the lost city of Ubar in Oman and attempted to walk solo and unsupported to the North Pole - the expedition that cost him several fingers, and very nearly his life.And now the extraordinary life story of the world's greatest living explorer is re-published to celebrate his 75th birthday, with two new chapters to bring his story up to date - telling of more mountains climbed, including his ascent to the top of Mount Everest, and even more extraordinary and risky adventures.Trade ReviewRip-roaringly readable * Guardian *Even readers with a broadly low tolerance for macho heroism will find themselves gripped . . . compelling * Time Out *It's exhausting just reading about his exploits, so it is a perfect bedtime book. It's delightful to plump up one's duck-down pillows while vicariously enduring Fiennes's successive plunges into the deadly waters of the Artcic, and his festering crotch-rot. * Helena Drysdale, New Statesman Books of the Year *It is lively and vivid, and often exciting as we anticipate each plunge into deadly Arctic waters. There are some wonderful throwaway lines . . . So, not an alien species after all but - as they say - a national treasure. * Spectator *enthralling * Independent *

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Book Synopsis*From the 'anti-guru' author of the smash hit The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k and the New York Times bestseller Get Your Sh*t Together *Being yourself should be the easiest thing in the world. Yet instead of leaning in to who we are, we fight it, listening too closely to what society tells us. You Do You helps you shake off those expectations, say f**k perfect, start looking out for number one and keep on with your badass self. From career and finances to relationships and family, lifestyle and health, Sarah Knight rips up the rulebook to help you achieve your hopes and dreams. Writing about her mistakes and embarrassments in her own personal quest to 'do me' - because nobody gets everything right all day, every day - Sarah Knight shows why you can and should f**k up and teaches you to let yourself off the hook, bounce back and keep standing tall.What everyone is saying about Sarah Knight:'The anti-guru' Observer'I love Knight' Sunday Times 'Life-affirming' Lucy Mangan, Guardian 'Genius' Vogue Trade ReviewFor practical and sweary self-help advice with no bloody lectures, Sarah Knight is the bollocks -- Brigid Moss * The Pool *I love Knight's book * Sunday Times Magazine on The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k *Life-affirming * Guardian on The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k *Absolutely blinding. Read it. Do it. * Daily Mail on The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k *Changed my life . . . I wasn't alone - the book became an international bestseller * Vogue on The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k *Absolutely blinding. Read it. Do it. -- Liz Jones * Mail on Sunday *

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Book Synopsis'There is a sense throughout Athill's work that you are making a new friend as much as reading a new story... A delight to read' Observer WINNER OF THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY PRIZE, the moving and witty memoir on what it means to grow old. Written in her nineties, when she was free from any inhibitions she may have once had, Diana Athill reflects frankly on the losses and occasionally the gains that old age can bring, and on the wisdom and fortitude required to face death. Lively, fearless and humorous, Somewhere Towards the End encapsulates the vibrant final decades of Athill's life. Filled with events, love and friendships, this is a memoir about maintaining hope, joy and vigour in later life, resisting regret, and questioning the beliefs and customs of your own generation. 'Informative, honest and lacking in the usual sorrow over old age. A remarkable woman' Beryl Bainbridge 'An honest joy to read' Alice Munro 'The book is a moving and humorous account of old age, unsparing about its indignities, unflinching from the inevitability that the end can not be many years away, but full of joy at the way life keeps on, at the most unexpected moments, renewing itself' Irish Times 'Her brilliant book is entirely lacking in the usual regrets, nostalgia and Hovis-ad recollections of old-timers. It is a little literary gem, penned by a marvellous, feisty old character... What a treasure' Daily MailTrade ReviewThere is a sense throughout Athill's work that you are making a new friend as much as reading a new story ... a delight to read * Observer *The book is a moving and humorous account of old age, unsparing about its indignities, unflinching from the inevitability that the end can not be many years away, but full of joy at the way life keeps on, at the most unexpected moments, renewing itself * Irish Times *Part exposé, part treatise on old age, the book is a ruminative read * Sunday Times *Her brilliant book is entirely lacking in the usual regrets, nostalgia and Hovis-ad recollections of old-timers. It is a little literary gem, penned by a marvellous, feisty old character ... What a treasure * Daily Mail *What sets her apart is the flagrancy and wit of her writing ... her memoirs display a vivacious appreciation of the life she has lived and what is still to come * New Statesman *Exhilarating and comforting, so much good sense, candour and liveliness of spirit in such clean, clear prose -- Simon Gray[She has] a cold eye for reality and no time for sentimental lies -- Jenny Diski * Sunday Times *A candid look at getting near the inevitable -- Fiona Phillps * Daily Express *Informative, honest and lacking in the usual sorrow over old age. A remarkable woman -- Beryl BainbridgeAn honest joy to read -- Alice MunroCaptivating * New York Times Book Review *Her eye is unflinching, her prose as clear and graceful as ever; her honesty is inspiring * Spectator *Brave, amusing and graceful * Sunday Telegraph *Full of clarity and wit, original thought and understated insight * Metro *[An] honest, clear-sighted book * Independent *Vive la Athill! * The Times *Invigorating * Financial Times *This is an inspiring book * Sunday Telegraph *Memoirs are many. This one is singular ... Her prose is practiced, clear and crisp. Epitomising what she preaches, the book is beautifully balanced in its brevity and well produced. Athill is refreshingly candid, but never prurient ... This book should encourage the old to speak up and the young to listen to what their elders have to say * The Times *Oddly uplifting ... Her sharp-witted musings on friendship, sex, sore feet, religion and death are infused with a curiosity for all that life brings and are a captivating read, whatever stage one is at * Guardian *So deftly drawn and perceptive that one feels better simply for having read them...It is impossible not to be engaged by Athill's vigorous reflections on such unlikely topics as sore feet, septuagenarian sex and the business of working out whether one is too old to drive a car ... a very funny book -- Elizabeth Day * Observer *

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Book SynopsisMaria Mies’ achievements include developing groundbreaking praxis and theory around the concept of “housewifisation”, the violence of colonisation and profound writings about ecofeminism. She fights the Multilateral Agreement of Investment, she fights the General Agreement on Trade in Services, she fights against the patenting of life and tackles reproductive and genetic engineering as well as food security, but she never gives up hope that there is an alternative to present day injustice and exploitation; that “the good life” is possible.

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Book SynopsisA first-hand account of the life of travel writer Dervla Murphy in which she tells of her early life in Lismore, Co. Waterford, in her rather unusual household. Her father was the county librarian and her mother a chronic invalid. An only child, Dervla was allowed from the age of seven to freely roam on her own. At ten, she cycled ten miles to a local mountain, climbed it, then lost herself on the way down, and was forced to stay out all night - much to the distress of her parents. Living in a house that was crumbling around their ears, she reveals how her family hid a Republican who was later hanged, how she tested herself (with hot water) to increase her pain threshold, how she avoided an insane and shrieking maid, who was convinced that Dervla's parents were fried eggs, and how she helped another maid give birth under the kitchen table. An early love of books and writing, led her to enter a writing competition arranged by a local newspaper, and she won first prize for five weeks in a row.

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