Autobiography: general Books

Book SynopsisIn 1951 Michael Jenkins, then 14 years old, spent the summer with 'the aunts in Flanders'. His 'aunts' were a group of elderly women whose connection to his family had never been explained but they immediately embraced him and he quickly became entwined in the lives of an extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins. The warmth of their life awakes Michael to the complicated world of relationships as he falls in love for the first time. Michael Jenkins's vivid memoir of a summer that changed his life has become a much-loved classic, with its evocative portraits of his aunts, the raw memories of two world wars that still scar the Flanders plain and Michael's unraveling of the secret at the heart of this family.Trade ReviewArtfully adds up to a portrait of a family, a time and a place... A very charming memoir. -- Penelope Lively * The New York Times *A seminal experience of life so beautifully recorded that the book becomes a small icon to be treasured not only on the shelf of a personal library, but in the mind. -- P.D. JamesA radiant book... A whole spectrum of colours and lights, of delights and elegances, of wistfulness and love. -- Dirk Bogarde * Daily Telegraph *This golden world which seemed to have survived from another century... survive(s) in this enchanting and affectionate book. * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisI can't think of anywhere I'd less like to be than in a car. When you're driving a car, you're not taking part, you're a spectator. You're in a can; if it's cold you turn up the heating, if you're hungry you have a wine gum. You might be looking at what's going on, but you're definitely not a part of it.A BIKER'S LIFE is the dramatic, humorous and candid memoir of one of the most recognisable names in motorcycling. Henry Cole's passion for motorbikes began when, at the age of eight, he was first introduced to a 'man cave'. His great-uncle Redbeard's corrugated iron shed was 'stuffed to the gills with old motorbikes' which Henry helped rebuild and ride. Since then, Henry's life can be charted through the bikes and journeys he has been on - from a stifling public-school education, via many years battling addiction, to the big-sky iconic routes Henry has ridden for over twenty series as presenter of numerous TV shows. This book reminds millions of motorcyclists why their bike gives them the freedom to be exactly who they want to be: to say 'Fuck you, fuck the world, I'm doing my thing.' When you ride a motorbike you become part of a worldwide community of kindred spirits - those of us who will not be pacified by driving a car, but instead live for adventure, escape and the sheer thrill of the throttle.

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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 SynopsisApproaching retirement and frustrated with her job, Siobhan Daniels made a BIG decision: to start living life on her own terms. Rather than hiding from life’s challenges, she bought a motorhome and drove off to find them.Retirement Rebel is Siobhan’s honest and uplifting story of how one woman stepped off the merry-go-round of life, slowed down and started enjoying the journey. Of how she sold up, packed up and hit the roads of the UK with no real plan, embarking on a positive-ageing adventure and hoping to inspire women across the country with her message that retirement could actually be the start of life’s adventures. With no shortage of mishaps and hardships along the way – not least being commanded to ‘stay at home’ during the Covid lockdowns, despite always being at home wherever she was – Siobhan’s story can inspire us all. Her message is that we can make simple lifestyle changes to feel happier and more fulfilled. Because at the end of the day, age shouldn’t be a barrier to having an adventure.Table of Contents1 Bereavement2 Taking on the World3 The London Marathon, Yorkshire Three Peaks and Malawi4 This is Really Happening5 Packing Up6 Dora the Explora7 Getting to Grips with Life on the Road8 Best Friends’ Trip9 Mother and Daughter: Time to Pause and Reflect10 Loch Morlich: My Life-changing Moment11 Stopped in My Tracks12 Go Home?! This is My Home!13 Volunteering on the Farm14 I Was Ready for My Dream to Come True15 What I Have Learnt and What Next

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Book SynopsisThe autobiography of Cardiff Blues, Scarlets, Wales, Lions and Barbarians player Matthew Rees, the most-capped hooker ever for Wales. Lots of insight behind the scenes on his rugby career, but also revealing the full stories behind finding out who his father was at 20 and his battle with testicular cancer at the height of his career. 43 photographs.

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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 Synopsis21ST ANNIVERSARY EDITION WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY IRVINE WELSHHe was Britain's most wanted man. He spent seven years in America's toughest penitentiary. You'll like him.During the mid 1980s Howard Marks had forty three aliases, eighty nine phone lines and owned twenty five companies throughout the world. At the height of his career he was smuggling consignments of up to thirty tons of marijuana, and had contact with organisations as diverse as MI6, the CIA, the IRA and the Mafia. Following a worldwide operation by the Drug Enforcement Agency, he was arrested and sentenced to twenty-five years in prison at the Terre Haute Penitentiary, Indiana. He was released in April 1995 after serving seven years of his sentence. Told with humour, charm and candour, Mr Nice is his own extraordinary story.'The story of a remarkable life, lived by the very brilliant and exceptionally wonderful Mr Nice'Irvine Welsh'Frequently hilarious, occasionally sad, and often surreal'GQ'A man who makes Peter Pan look like a geriatric'Loaded'A folk legend'Daily MailTrade ReviewFrequently hilarious, occasionally sad, and often surreal * GQ *A folk legend... Howard Marks has huge charisma. He sounds like Richard Burton and looks like a Rolling Stone * Daily Mail *A man who makes Peter Pan look like a geriatric with sleeping sickness * Loaded *Racy...with plenty of globe trotting colour * Independent *

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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 ReviewHe can tell a good story against himself, and his pleasure in the beauty of the countryside in which he works is infectious. * The Daily Telegraph *Full of warmth, wisdom and wit. * The Field *It is a pleasure to be in James Herriot's company. * Observer *

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Book Synopsis''Wonderful. A manifesto of horticultural delight'' Literary Review ''Beautiful. Perfect for literary garden lovers'' Good Housekeeping''Rich and unusual, a book to treasure. Few recent gardening books come anywhere close to its style, intelligence and depth'' Observer''The two central activities in my life - alongside writing - have been reading and gardening.''Penelope Lively has always been a keen gardener. This book is partly a memoir of her own life in gardens: the large garden at home in Cairo where she spent most of her childhood, her grandmother''s garden in a sloping Somerset field, then two successive Oxfordshire gardens of her own, and the smaller urban garden in the North London home she lives in today. It is also a wise, engaging and far-ranging exploration of gardens in literature, from Paradise Lost to Alice in Wonderland, and of writers and their gardens, from Virginia Woolf to Philip Larkin. ''Exquisite and original'' Daily Telegraph ''A gentle survey of the garden''s place in Western culture, which morphs into a personal meditation on time, memory and a life well lived'' i ''Scholarly bedtime reading'' The Times, Books of the YearTrade ReviewRich and unusual, this is a book to treasure. Few recent gardening books come anywhere close to its style, intelligence and depth. Moves between Lively's own horticultural life and a broad history of gardening * Alex Preston, Observer *Exquisite and original * Daily Telegraph *A gentle, scholarly progress through the lives and works of Penelope Lively's favoured authors - from Jane Austen to Beatrix Potter, Philip Larkin to Tom Stoppard * The Times *Enchanting. Reading this book is like walking with a wise, humorous guide through a series of garden rooms . . . and finding that vistas suddenly open out, on to history, fashion, politics, reflections on time and the taming of nature * Tablet *Lively finds memories of her own gardens scrambling like roses through insights into the history of gardening and the artists - including Woolf, Monet and PG Wodehouse - who have been inspired by their gardens * Daily Mail *Delightful * Lady *Elegant, entertaining and inspirational * Woman & Home *The perfect book for dedicated garden lovers * S Magazine *A blossoming triumph * Waterstones Newsletter *

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Book SynopsisThe inspiring memoir by Indra Nooyi, the trailblazing former CEO of PepsiCo''A must-read for working women and the men who work with us, love us and support us'' Hillary Rodham Clinton ''Surprising and compelling'' Financial TimesThe first woman of colour and immigrant to run a Fortune 50 company - and one of the foremost strategic thinkers of our time - Indra Nooyi redefined what it means to be an exceptional leader. She transformed PepsiCo with a unique vision, a vigorous pursuit of excellence and a deep sense of purpose.In this intimate and powerful memoir, Nooyi takes us through the events that shaped her and offers an inside look at PepsiCo, and her thinking as she steered the iconic company toward healthier products and reinvented its environmental profile, despite resistance at every turn.For the first time and in raw detail, Nooyi also lays bare the difficulties that came with managing her demanding job with a growing family. She makes an urgent, actionable call for how society can really blend work and family to unleash the economy''s full potential.Generous, 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 twenty-first-century prosperity.Trade ReviewWith candour and good humour, Nooyi has written a wonderful book that brings her story to life, from her early years in India, surrounded by love and high expectations, to her determined efforts to succeed in the corporate world, all the while questioning the trade-offs she had to make. She reveals just how our society continues to sacrifice talent instead of changing how we organize work to maximize everyone's potential to live full and productive lives. A must-read for working women and the men who work with us, love us and support us. -- Hillary Rodham ClintonGritty, joyous, and visionary, Nooyi tells the story of an everyday person living an extraordinary life, leading beautifully and confidently from the front. A must-read for all. -- Ursula M. Burns, former chair and CEO of Xerox, author of Where You Are Is Not Who You Are'CEO' and 'care' do not usually go together, but for Indra Nooyi, they always have. Rather than offering us a list of policy prescriptions, she shows us what is possible when businesses care about family and families have time to care for one another. -- Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America, author of Unfinished BusinessWe have so much to learn from Nooyi's remarkable story and wisdom on lifting up girls and women in the decades to come. She shares a great road map for anyone who aspires to merge social change with leading a large organization. -- Matt Damon, actor, screenwriter, producerNooyi's honesty, integrity, and humour shine through at every turn. Truly inspiring. -- Mindy Kaling, actor, writer, producer, directorAn extraordinary window into the life, career, and family of a brilliant business strategist. A terrific addition to the story of American business. -- Brian Cornell, CEO of Target Corp.An amazing read, filled with lessons, optimism, warmth, and heart, about an extraordinary woman who rose to be a fantastic role model for all women. -- Sofia Vergara, actor

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Book SynopsisA Richard and Judy Book club selection.In the summer of 1990, Cathy's brother Matty was knocked down by a car on the way home from a night out. It was two weeks before his GCSE results, which turned out to be the best in his school. Sitting by his unconscious body in hospital, holding his hand and watching his heartbeat on the monitors, Cathy and her parents willed him to survive. They did not know then that there are many and various fates worse than death. This is the story of what happened to Cathy and her brother, and the unimaginable decision that she and her parents had to make eight years after the night that changed everything. It's a story for anyone who has ever watched someone suffer or lost someone they loved or lived through a painful time that left them forever changed. Told with boundless warmth and affection, The Last Act of Love by Cathy Rentzenbrink is a heartbreaking yet uplifting testament to a family's surTrade ReviewBeautiful, devastating and ultimately uplifting, intimate and universal all at once . . . Cathy Rentzenbrink has found a way to express the things that all of us wrestle with at times - knowing how to live and taking the risk to love; facing what has damaged us, and owning it as much as a person can. -- Jessie Burton, bestselling author of The MiniaturistProfoundly moving . . . The book's real power lies in Rentzenbrink's skill as a writer, her ability to unearth precise and agonising details quietly, with no self-pity or drama . . . it falls into a tradition of beautifully written accounts of grief, such as Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking . . . Rentzenbrink offers a message of enormous hope for anybody who is going through loss, grief or trauma . . . She emerges from this unflinching memoir with dignity, strength and an enormous heart * Sunday Times *Devastatingly honest and heartbreakingly raw, The Last Act of Love is not simply a book about grief or love or a family's unstinting hope to do the best for their son and brother. It's a book about courage. About the courage to face reality even at its most bleak. And for all the book's sadness it is, ultimately, a book about hope: about how even the darkest tunnels have a glimmer of light beckoning you at the other end. I defy anyone not to be moved by this remarkable and brave story. -- Hannah Beckerman, author of The Dead Wife's HandbookThis is a brilliant book. Harrowing and heartbreaking, but also warm and human and healing. It is about a rare kind of tragedy, but feels universal, as it is about love and loss and how we learn to live, in the face of what life throws at us. You may well cry, but you will feel better for having read it, which you absolutely must. A triumph of love. -- Matt Haig, author of Reasons To Stay AliveBrilliant. Moving, warm, agonising, unputdownable. One of the best memoirs I've read. -- Sophie Hannah, author of The CarrierThis is a touching and brave book, heartbreaking yet beautiful. -- S J WatsonThis lovely, tender, painful book speaks for anyone who has suffered loss, on a scale from minor to cataclysmic . . . which pretty well means us all. -- Deborah Moggach, author of the Best Exotic Marigold HotelExtraordinary . . . An honest, heartbreaking, uplifting account of family tragedy. Read it. -- Jojo Moyes, author of Me Before YouI never knew a story of grief could have so much joy in it. -- Nina Stibbe, author of Love, NinaThis is not only an unflinching and powerfully told account of an unimaginably painful family tragedy. It is also an unforgettable meditation on a close sibling relationship, on growing up with grief, on life, love and everything in between. I am in awe of how Cathy has managed to write so bravely and beautifully of something so devastating, and forge such a positive affirmation of familial love from such desperately bleak circumstances. * The Bookseller *There are only two ways that this book will be read: devoured in the middle of the night in one sitting, or eked out, only a few pages a day, because the feelings it prompts are simply too intense. Either way, it will both stick with you and have you grabbing the forearm of whoever asks you what to read next intensely, so they know how great this is . . . a gobsmacking memoir about family and love. Truly, it will inspire you to be your very best self for a long time after the final page. * The Debrief *Profoundly moving . . . It is a great achievement to transform such a terrible story - one of a kind with which, as a neurosurgeon, I am painfully familiar - into something rather beautiful and uplifting . . .This book should be read by everybody who has either personal or professional experience of severe head injury and, indeed, by anybody who is concerned by the way our society has such difficulty in accepting that meaningful life is about more than just a beating heart. -- Dr. Henry Marsh * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisFashion model, UN ambassador and courageous spirit, Waris Dirie is a remarkable woman, born into a traditional family of tribal desert nomads in Somalia. She told her story - enduring, at five years old, the ancient and savage custom of female circumcision; running away at twelve on foot through the desert in order to escape an arranged marriage; being discovered by Terence Donovan as she worked as a cleaner in London; and becoming a top fashion model - in her book, the worldwide bestseller, Desert Flower. Although Waris Dirie fled her homeland, she never forgot the country and culture that moulded her. The world of famine and violence, where women have no voice and no place - the very world that nearly destroyed her also gave her the tools to survive. She traces the roots of her courage, resilience and humour back to her motherland, and most particularly to her mother. Desert Dawn is the story of that return and a testimony to the stubborn fact that you can love something dearly and yet not love all that it represents. Desert Dawn is about coming home.Trade ReviewThis is the moving story of a dislocated woman trying to find her roots. An inspiring read. U MAGAZINE Waris Dirie was a victim once, but she never will be again. She is still fighting, still using her beauty and courage to take what she has learned to try and put things right SUNDAY EXPRESS Recounting a life beyond imagination for most of us, this is a courageous and awe-inspiring book. Remarkable. MARIE CLAIRE An eye-opening read. GLAMOUR

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Book SynopsisA time-travelling, genealogical adventure, bringing pre-industrial, rural, eighteenth-century England vividly to life on the page. One day Ian Marchant decided, as all men of a certain age must, to have a dig around his family history. Surprisingly quickly, a web search informed him that his seven-times-great great-grandfather, Thomas Marchant, had left a detailed diary from 1714 to 1728. Diarist Thom – who liked a drink and a game of cards – feels recognisably Marchant to Ian. With immersive detail we learn about Thom’s family farm and fishponds; about dung, horses and mud; about beer, the wife’s nights out, his own job troubles and their shared worries for their children. But as Ian digs deeper beyond the Sussex diary’s bucolic portrait he discovers a subtext – a family descended from immigrants, with anti-establishment politics, who are struggling with illness, political instability and cash crises – just as their country does three centuries on. ‘A unique and exhilarating exploration of time and love … elegiac, consistently funny, deeply moving.’ Richard Beard, author of Sad Little MenTrade Review'This book is too engaging, in both senses of the world, to be anything but loved ... wonderful.' The Oldie

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Book SynopsisHenry David Thoreau is considered one of the leading figures in early American literature, and Walden is without doubt his most influential book. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful hardbacks make perfect gifts for book lovers, or wonderful additions to your own collection. This edition includes a new afterword by Sam Gilpin.Walden recounts the author's experiences living in a small house in the woods around Walden Pond near Concord in Massachusetts. Thoreau constructed the house himself, with the help of a few friends, to see if he could live 'deliberately' - independently and apart from society. The result is an intriguing work which blends natural history with philosophical insights, and includes many illuminating quotations from other authors. Thoreau's wooden shack has won a place for itself in the collective American psyche, a remarkable achievement for a book with such modest and rustic beginnings.

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Book SynopsisSuperstar comedian and Hollywood box office star Kevin Hart turns his immense talent to the written word by writing some words. Some of those words include: the, a, for, above, and even even. Put them together and you have the funniest, most heartfelt, and most inspirational memoir on survival, success, and the importance of believing in yourself since Old Yeller. It begins in North Philadelphia. He was born an accident, unwanted by his parents. His father was a drug addict who was in and out of jail. His brother was a crack dealer and petty thief. And his mother was overwhelmingly strict, beating him with belts, frying pans, and his own toys. The odds, in short, were stacked against our young hero, just like the odds that are stacked against the release of a new book in this era of social media (where HarTrade Review"[An] emotion-filled memoir full of grit and humor...Inspiring and thoroughly entertaining, Hart's memoir brings his readers into his hilarious universe of stories and philosophy." * Publishers Weekly, starred review *"Hart is an incredibly magnetic storyteller, on the page as he is onstage, and that’s what shines through…a genial, entertaining guide to a life in comedy.” * Kirkus Reviews *"Hilarious but also heartfelt." * Elle Magazine *"His new book will introduce readers to a Kevin Hart they’ve never known before…a reflection of his journey, his work ethic and his true self." * Parade.com *"Full of outrageous confessions and brutally honest tidbits about his life." * People.com *

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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 SynopsisThe rediscovered classic: an unforgettable memoir by a trailblazing black woman in post-war London, introduced by Bernardine Evaristo ('I dare anyone to read it and not come away shocked, moved and entertained.')Benjamin Zephaniah: 'A must-read. Her life makes you laugh. Her life makes you cry. Get to know her.'Jacqueline Wilson: 'A superb but shocking memoir about a brilliant teacher, imaginative, resilient and inspiring.'Steve McQueen: 'Gilroy blazed a path that empowered generations of Black British educators.'Diana Evans: 'Important, enlightening and very entertaining, full of real-life drama ... Inspirational.'David Lammy: 'This empowering tale of courage, resistance, and triumph is a breath of fresh air.'Alex Wheatle: 'A pioneer in many fields and wonderful example for all of us ... Essential reading.'Christie Watson: 'A beautiful memoir of one wTrade Review'A must-read. Her life makes you laugh. Her life makes you cry. Get to know her.' - Benjamin Zephaniah'A superb but shocking memoir about a brilliant teacher, imaginative, resilient and inspiring.' - Jacqueline Wilson'Gilroy blazed a path that empowered generations of Black British educators.' - Steve McQueen'Important, enlightening and very entertaining, full of real-life drama ... Inspirational.' - Diana Evans'This empowering tale of courage, resistance, and triumph is a breath of fresh air.' - David Lammy'A pioneer in many fields and wonderful example for all of us ... Essential reading.' - Alex Wheatle'A beautiful memoir of one woman's strength and dignity against the odds.' - Christie Watson

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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 SynopsisHardly a week goes by without Dickie Bird visiting a county or Test match arena where he can keep up to date with all that is happening in the cricket world, while at the same time taking the opportunity to reflect, in the company of old friends and acquaintances, on his own colourful contribution to the sport that lasted for over half a century. Dickie remains the most famous umpire of them all and is still highly respected throughout the world. A lovable eccentric with a joyful sense of fun, he decided, as he approached his eightieth birthday, to recall the highlights of his life in cricket, while also providing an illuminating insight into what he has been up to since his retirement.

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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 SynopsisI stole every nickel and blew it on fine threads, luxurious lodgings, fantastic foxes and other sensual goodies. I partied in every capital in Europe and basked on all the world's most famous beaches'. Frank W Abagnale, alias Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams and Ringo Monjo, was one of the most daring con men, forgers, imposters and escape artists in history. In his brief but notorious career, Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and co-piloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as a member of hospital management, practised law without a licence, passed himself off as a college sociology professor, and cashed over $2.5 million in forged checks all before he was twenty-one. Known by the police of twenty-six foreign countries and all fifty states as 'The Skywayman', Abagnale lived a sumptuous life on the run - until the law caught up with him. Now recognised as the nation's leading authority on financial foul play, Abagnale is a charming rogue whose hilarious, stranger-than-fiction international escapades and ingenious escapes - including one from an aeroplane - make CATCH ME IF YOU CAN an irresistable tale of deceit.

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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 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 SynopsisA second idyllic helping of rural life in France from the bestselling author of the classic A YEAR IN PROVENCE. Skulking through customs with a suitcase full of truffles, toads singing the Marseillaise, taking pastis lessons and finding gold at the bottom of the garden, you might think there is little time left for pleasures of the table.TOUJOURS PROVENCE proves that while you might not be able to get away from it all, you can have fun trying.''Peter Mayle''s idyllic portrait makes you almost taste the wonderful food and wine, feel the sun and balmy breezes'' Sunday Express''Anyone with any feel for the land and the people who lead their lives close to it will be enchanted'' Yorkshire Evening Post''Splendidly amusing... filled with things which will help you to understand, at least in part, the glory of this wonderful place'' Dirk BogardeTrade Review"* 'Peter Mayle's idyllic portrait makes you almost taste the wonderful food and wine, feel the sun and balmy breezes Sunday Express * 'Anyone with any feel for the land and the people who lead their lives close to it will be enchanted' Yorkshire Evening Post * 'Splendidly amusing... filled with things which will help you to understand, at least in part, the glory of this wonderful place' Dirk Bogarde"

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Book SynopsisThe remarkable memoir of Zuzana Ružicková, Holocaust survivor and world-famous harpsichordist. ''Extraordinary'' Sunday Times''Compelling'' Daily Telegraph Zuzana Ružicková grew up in 1930s Czechoslovakia dreaming of two things: Johann Sebastian Bach and the piano. But her peaceful, melodic childhood was torn apart when, in 1939, the Nazis invaded. Uprooted from her home, transported from Auschwitz to Hamburg to Bergen-Belsen, bereaved, starved, and afflicted with crippling injuries to her musician's hands, the teenage Zuzana faced a series of devastating losses. Yet with every truck and train ride, a small slip of paper printed with her favourite piece of Bach's music became her talisman. Armed with this proof that beauty still existed', Zuzana's fierce bravery and passion ensured her survival of the greatest human atrocities of all time, and would continue to sustain her through the brutalities of post-war Communist rule. Harnessing her talent andTrade Review[An] extraordinary memoir … A moving record of a life well lived in the face of appalling obstacles -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times *A compelling story of terrible suffering surmounted by incredible bravery -- Anne de Courcy * Daily Telegraph *[Zuzana’s] humanity shines through all the inhumanity … Vivid and moving -- The Jewish Chronicle

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Book SynopsisTHE HILARIOUS NEW BOOK FROM ONE OF BRITAIN'S BEST-LOVED NATIONAL TREASURES!This is not a book of life lessons. But Freddie Flintoff has had a moment to reflect and he's noticed that throughout his four decades, although there's been little method in the madness, there has been the occasional common thread. The Book of Fred is filled with anecdotes, observations and the odd opinion all told with Fred's trademark humour and no-nonsense style. Fred's approach to life draws on the sublime (his series winning performance in the 2005 Ashes) and the ridiculous (singing Elvis Presley's 'Suspicious Minds' in front of a live audience), from highs (making the transition to top TV presenter) to occasional lows (accidentally upsetting the lovely Bruce Forsyth), from the profane (discussing Shane Warne's barnet with Hollywood royalty) to the profound (why 'having a go' leads to self-respect). Throughout, Fred shares his code for success, happiness and a life fully lived - and gives his readers a laugh, some joy, and (the occasional) pause for thought along the way.

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Book SynopsisThis book is the autobiography of one of the Baby Boomer generation of individuals who now stand accused of all manner of heinous crimes, including ruining the world and generally enjoying themselves in the process. This is, of course, a fallacious accusation, as is made very clear by the Baby Boomer subject of the autobiography. He does this by recording not just a series of events in his own life, but events that were taking place in the world around him, and what his thoughts were on these events – sometimes with not even a modest helping of reserve, but instead with a fairly large dollop of irreverence. After all, any Baby Boomer worth his salt, is hardly going to be constrained by the dictates of ‘wokism’ or the edicts of modern-day puritanism. Far from it. Indeed, this is only too apparent throughout the whole of the autobiography and even more apparent in the autobiography’s three appendices, three veritable treasure troves of poetic pearls, containing a carefully curated selection of the author’s entirely non-PC verses and his appalling epic odes. You have been warned.

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Book SynopsisFor 70 years, from his early days at secondary school until the present time, Hywel Gwynfryn has composed words in co-operation with numerous musicians to create memorable, popular songs. By recalling the words of some of these poems, he raises the curtain on significant periods in his life.

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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 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 SynopsisNamed One of the Best Books of the year by:Esquire, Refinery29, BookRiot, Medium, Electric Literature, The Brooklyn Rail, Largehearted Boy, The Coil and The Cut.Winner of the Lambda Literary Jeanne Cordova Prize for Lesbian/Queer NonfictionFinalist, Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Memoir/BiographyFinalist, Publishing Triangle's Judy Grahn Award for Lesbian NonfictionAn Indie Next PickA fierce and dazzling personal narrative that explores the many ways identity and art are shaped by love and loss.In her critically acclaimed memoir, Whip Smart, Melissa Febos laid bare the intimate world of the professional dominatrix, turning an honest examination of her life into a lyrical study of power, desire, and fulfillment. In her dazzling Abandon Me, Febos captures the intense bonds of love and the need for connection -- with family, lovers, and oneself. First, her birth father, who left her with only an inheritance of addiction and Native American blood, its meaning a mystery.As Febos tentatively reconnects, she sees how both these lineages manifest in her own life, marked by compulsion and an instinct for self-erasure. Meanwhile, she remains closely tied to the sea captain who raised her, his parenting ardent but intermittent as his work took him away for months at a time. Woven throughout is the hypnotic story of an all-consuming, long-distance love affair with a woman, marked equally by worship and withdrawal. In visceral, erotic prose, Febos captures their mutual abandonment to passion and obsession -- and the terror and exhilaration of losing herself in another.At once a fearlessly vulnerable memoir and an incisive investigation of art, love, and identity, Abandon Me draws on childhood stories, religion, psychology, mythology, popular culture, and the intimacies of one writer's life to reveal intellectual and emotional truths that feel startlingly universal.

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Book SynopsisBoth a gripping tale of adventure and a poetic meditation, Antoine de Saint Exupéry''s Wind, Sand and Stars is the lyrical autobiography of an aviation pioneer, from the author of The Little Prince. This Penguin Modern Classics edition is translated from the French with an introduction by William Rees.In 1926 de Saint-Exupéry began flying for the pioneering airline Latécoère - later known as Aéropostale - opening up the first mail routes across the Sahara and the Andes. Wind, Sand and Stars is drawn from this experience. Interweaving encounters with nomadic Arabs and other adventures into a richly textured autobiographical narrative, it has its climax in the extraordinary story of Saint-Exupéry''s crash in the Libyan Desert in 1936, and his miraculous survival. ''Self-discovery comes when a man measures himself against an obstacle,'' writes Saint-Exupéry. This book explores the transcendent perceptions that arise when life is tested to its limits.

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Book SynopsisAs I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams is a unique autobiography in which the anonymous writer known as Lady Sarashina intersperses personal reflections, anecdotes and lyrical poems with accounts of her travels and evocative descriptions of the Japanese countryside. Born in AD 1008, Lady Sarashina felt an acute sense of melancholy that led her to withdraw into the more congenial realm of the imagination - this deeply introspective work presents her vision of the world. While barely alluding to certain aspects of her life such as marriage, she illuminates her pilgrimages to temples and mystical dreams in exquisite prose, describing a profound emotional journey that can be read as a metaphor for life itself.Table of ContentsAs I Crossed a Bridge of DreamsIllustrations and MapsSections and ChronologyIntroductionTranslation: As I Crossed A Bridge of DreamsNotesIndex to Notes

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Book SynopsisA Humans of New York Instagram sensation, this is the inspiring, dramatic and heart-warming true story of family, justice and how we all deserve a second chance. The young Walter Miller was a product of his time. Growing up Black in the Jim Crow American South, he was in trouble with the police before his fourteenth birthday. And, like so many young Black men, once he''d landed in the criminal justice system it was hard to find a way out. Soon enough, he was facing a thirty-year prison sentence. But Walter was smarter than his jailers. He escaped prison and fled to New York with a hundred dollars in his pocket. He changed his name to Bobby Love, and began again - living a crime-free life for nearly forty years, with a steady job, a loving wife, a church-going family. And a big secret. Until the FBI came knocking one cold winter morning, and it all came crashing down.The Redemption of Bobby Love is an incredible true storyTrade ReviewLove's journey is an enthralling read... an engaging memoir of crime, redemption, faith and love. * The Herald *

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Book SynopsisAt the end of the 1970s, Manchester seemed to be sliding into the dustbin of history. Today the city is an international destination for culture and sport, and one of the fastest-growing urban regions in Europe. This book offers a first-hand account of what happened in between.Arriving in Manchester as a wide-eyed student in 1979, Andy Spinoza went on to establish the arts magazine City Life before working for the Manchester Evening News and creating his own PR firm. In a forty-year career he has encountered a who’s who of Manchester personalities, from cultural icons such as Tony Wilson to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and influential council leaders Sir Richard Leese and Sir Howard Bernstein.His remarkable account traces Manchester’s gradual emergence from its post-industrial malaise, centring on the legendary nightclub the Haçienda and the cultural renaissance it inspired.Trade Review‘Every great city needs a great chronicler. We are lucky to have Andy. Read on.’Lemn Sissay‘This is a fabulous, compelling book with a cast of larger-than-life characters. First as observer, then as participant, Andy has enjoyed a ring-side seat in the renaissance and development of Britain's most exciting city.’Michael Crick‘Andy Spinoza knows the real story.’Jon Savage'The strength of the book is its immediacy. I think he also considers it a book not just about Mancunians but for them too. It is a love letter to his adopted city.'Jon Talbot, Literary Review'The author draws the “key players” in the rebirth of modern Manchester with a vividness that might have eluded a conventional historian.'Jonathan Derbyshire, Financial Times'A flamboyant hybrid, conveying the nitty-gritty of municipal politics and private-public property deals with the zest and wit of the best journalism. [...] it is likely to become a touchstone for all chroniclers of modern Manchester.'Andrew Martin, Times Literary Supplement'Elegantly interweaving his own biography with that of the city, Spinoza narrates with panache the story of how the place once known as Cottonopolis has reinvented itself.' Julian Coman, The Observer'A personal and sociological look at how its fortunes changed, featuring encounters with all the expected characters like Tony Wilson and even Alex Ferguson.'Eoghan O'Sullivan, The Irish ExaminerOne of their best music books of 2023‘Beautifully written – a great read that feels important. The musical thread through the different eras is persuasive without feeling forced. This is an inspiring personal story, in which the power of Manchester rises from the page.’Paul Unger, Editor, Place North West'A compelling retelling of the origin story of the original modern city.'Thom Hetherington, Manchester Art Fair'It’s a fantastic book.'Ian King, Sky News'You’ve got to buy a copy of this book, it’s a great read... It really embraces the Manchester we see out of our windows today. The stories in it are just fantastic.'Phil Trow, BBC Radio Manchester'Manchester unspun sorts the truth from the spin of the city’s stories to reveal a remarkable journey, describing the hubris,scandal, money and politics which played out during its remarkable reinvention.'John Robb, Louder than War 'As books about Manchester go, there are plenty to choose from, but there are few as well sourced, well written and expansive as this one.'Michael Taylor, The Business Desk NW'Andy Spinoza has had a front row seat to the transformation of this city, and it really comes across in his magnificent book.'Dr Vikas Shah MBE, author of Thought Economics'This is a fantastic book for anybody interested in Manchester's unprecedented modern renaissance.'Thom Hetherington, founder of Landing Light 'What a great read! At last someone who was there and knows, telling a fascinating story of a city’s rebirth. Wonderfully written too. I couldn’t put it down once I’d started.'Mike Pickering, musician and DJ 'Overall, Spinoza's memoir is very well written and he offers an antidote to the deficient journalism we have suffered over the popular music history of Manchester and its story as Britain's "second city".'Richard Witts, Popular Music -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction: how a city got high on music page Place names: a stranger’s guide 1 The city calls 2 A meeting in Moon Grove 3 Dirty old town 4 All the news not fit to print 5 A fiend dropping in 6 Left turn, U-turn 7 Village people and rock-star developers 8 Haçienda hitman 9 Cash E-conomy 10 Simply regeneration 11 Planet Hulme, city conversations 12 Suited, booted and branded 13 Manc mafia on the Med 14 PR potholes on the road to hell 15 Football, fashion and food 16 University challenge 17 The Haçienda must be built 18 The merchandising of memory 19 Pop and politics, Wilson and Burnham 20 Devolution and dissent 21 Who wants to live in a city without culture? 22 ‘Intention: To restore a sense of place’ Index

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Book SynopsisEarly in their lives, Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando chose ice hockey to be the sport they wanted to pursue. They didn’t let the absence of girls hockey teams get in their way—they just played on boys teams. Nor did they let competitive adversity on the ice stop them on their way to a thrilling gold-medal victory at the 2018 Olympics, the United States’ first gold medal in women’s ice hockey in 20 years. They also did not allow roadblocks and discrimination off the ice deter them from taking on the big business of elite international and Olympic sports. The success of Monique, Jocelyne, and their team thrust them into the center of the fray in the struggle for gender equity, whether for women in hockey and in sports in general, or in society at large. In Dare to Make History, the Lamoureux twins chronicle their journey to the pinnacle of their sport, the challenges of competing as elite athletes while becoming new mothers, their efforts along with almost 150 other hockey players to start a new professional women’s hockey league, their training to come back for the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, and their contributions as role models championing the dreams of future generations of girls in sports, education, and the workplace. This is their inspiring story—the story of all girls and women, as well as boys and men, who simply want a level playing field.Trade Review“This book takes you on Jocelyne and Monique’s wild ride to success and what it took to get there. It’s more than a story about hockey or sports. It’s more than a story of hard work, determination, and embracing adversity. This is a story of clear and serious purpose." - Mika Brzezinski, Co-host, MSNBC’s Morning Joe "Parents who want their children to succeed in sports will find this book instructive, but more importantly, parents who want their children to succeed in life as good, honest, and brave humans will find this book invaluable and truly inspirational.” - Heidi Heitkamp, Former US Senator (D-ND) “For anyone looking for a blueprint on how to turn hard work into gold, this is an extraordinary story about a family believing in one another. The Lamoureux twins champion a cause bigger than themselves—fighting for gender equity. These stories leave you wanting more.” - Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Track & Field Olympic Champion "Beyond the twins’ gripping account at the 2018 Olympics, they explain that winning Gold was just part of the journey. They accomplished their goal of leaving the game in a more equitable place for the girls who would come after them. They are champions in life!” - Julie Foudy, ESPN analyst, Two-time World Cup and Olympic Soccer Champion "Dare to Make History is a compelling story of grit, resiliency, and living your core values. Monique and Jocelyne share their inspirational story of chasing Olympic gold and putting that dream on the line to fight for equity in hockey. After having to play with boys and facing discrimination throughout their youth hockey years, Monique and Jocelyne demanded more equal opportunities and a culture change within the sport. At the doorstep of the Olympics, they risked it all to further the cause of equality. Through confidence and determination, these women fought to make the journey easier for the next generation of women hockey players. This book will motivate you to advocate and cheer 'for the ones left behind'—the young women still struggling for their own sheet of ice. I am inspired by Monique, Jocelyne and the rest of the US women’s hockey team and their efforts to address inequalities in the sport. These young women created new paths, fans, and dreams within the sport of hockey. Dare to Make History is a reminder that we have the ability and obligation to drive change for the betterment of the next generation." - Valerie Camillo, President of Business Operations, Philadelphia Flyers “For all these [athletic] accomplishments, it is their work off the ice that they chose to highlight in this memoir: not only their efforts to succeed in a male-dominated sport, but also to change hockey so that the girls who came after them would have an easier time than they did.” – Kirkus Reviews “It’s a powerful story of athletic perseverance, teamwork, and hard-earned victory—and so much more. The book also details the twins’ battle for gender equity in a male-dominated sport and society. The authors provide a behind-the-scenes look at how their demands for more equitable treatment from USA Hockey (USAH)—and their refusal to accept anything less than equitable treatment—changed the game forever and are changing society as well.” – Publishers Weekly "Most of us know that Monique and Jocelyne Lamoureux were exceptional hockey players who led the United States to the Olympic gold medal in 2018. What we did not know is how exceptional they are as storytellers. What an incredible story they tell in Dare to Make History, challenging built-in bias to become great, fighting for equity even it if meant risking everything, overcoming obstacle after obstacle to be the best in the world. This is a goosebump narrative told with seriousness, fun, humor and the enduring message that dreams can come true if you never stop believing in them." - Buzz Bissinger, New York Times Bestselling Author, Friday Night Lights "The book tells the inspiring story of their rise to become gold medal-winning hockey players in the 2018 Olympics and their ongoing fight for gender equity within a male-dominated sport and society...Having already achieved many of their early aspirations and goals, the Lamoureux twins wanted to leave the game better than they entered it by creating opportunities and equity for generations to come." – Fansided "It’s a comprehensive, exciting account of their careers that also lends valuable insight into how the sport of women’s hockey has grown and shifted over that timespan. And it’s told by two people who not only witnessed that growth but put in so much effort themselves to help foster it." – The Ice Garden "Dare to Make History: Chasing a Dream and Fighting for Equity is everything you are hoping for in a memoir, it explains the highs and lows of personal life while also reflecting on how each sister rose to fame in the women’s hockey world. From the beginning, both attribute many of their qualities to their parents constantly having them focus on being good people on and off the ice, even giving credit to their mom for sparking their desire to play for Team USA in the Olympics. Readers will get an intimate look into the lives of two transcendent women who have faced adversity throughout their careers. Monique and Jocelyne detail everything from their early youth hockey days playing with the boys, their successful high school and college careers, to their decision to fight for equity with USA Hockey. Throughout the story it is clear just how dedicated and selfless their efforts are to ensure young girls will have a better future in hockey than ever before." – Women’s Hockey Life

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Book SynopsisHow do we find calm in our frantic modern world? Tim Parks – lifelong sceptic of all things spiritual - finds himself on a Buddhist meditation retreat trying to answer this very question. With brutal honesty and dry wit, he recounts his journey from disbelief to something approaching inner peace and tackles one of the great mysteries of our time – how to survive in this modern age.Selected from the book Teach us to Sit Still by Tim ParksVINTAGE MINIS: GREAT MINDS. BIG IDEAS. LITTLE BOOKS.A series of short books by the world’s greatest writers on the experiences that make us humanAlso in the Vintage Minis series:Swimming by Roger DeakinMotherhood by Helen SimpsonWork by Joseph HellerLiberty by Virginia WoolfTrade ReviewTeach us to Sit Still made me laugh; it made me cry; and it made me seriously think about taking up Vispassana meditation -- Will Self * The Times *Imagine our joy when Vintage announced that it is publishing a collection of easily digestible books from the world’s most celebrated writers on the experiences that make us human… They look good and read well. That’s win/win in our book. * Stylist *

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Book SynopsisFrom Boy Scout to assassin – the true confessions of a cartel hitmanAt the age of twelve Martin Corona started dealing drugs. After years in and out of prison, he rose through the ranks to become the leader of an elite killing squad for a notorious Tijuana drug cartel. Now haunted by his past deeds, he lives with the fact that he once pulled the trigger on a pregnant woman in front of her seven-year-old child, and accidentally shot a cardinal while hunting down El Chapo in an airport. Martin Corona has been convicted of multiple murders committed during his time as a cartel career hitman. These killings were brutal and cruelly efficient. Corona's gang would cross into the United States from their luxurious hideout in Mexico, eradicate whoever needed to be killed north of the border, and return home in the afternoon.In this book, Martin’s shocking first-hand confessions illuminate his descent from teenage drug dealer to murderous member of the drug cartel run by the Arellano brothers that dominated the Southern California drug trade - and initiated much violent gang warfare - for decades. Martin's story illuminates how a young boy, who played Little League football and was a Boy Scout, became a vicious criminal. Both shocking and powerful, it asks us how someone can inflict so much evil and whether they can find forgiveness on the other side.

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Book SynopsisJohn Quin worked for thirty-three years as a physician for the NHS in both Scotland and England, specialising in endocrinology. Days on the wards were uproariously funny one minute, infinitely tragic the next. Starting with a stern lesson from the president of the British Society of Gastroenterologists that the younger doctor was not 'a f****** comedian', Dr Quin, Medicine Man is packed with vividly told tales of the joy and reward of getting the diagnosis right, the disaster of getting it wrong. Darkly amusing and with a keen eye for the absurd, this sharply observed memoir is not only an acute insight into the farcical frustrations and tensions of working in a chronically underfunded system but also a timely reminder of the humanity of the NHS staff who care for us.

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THE BOOK BEHIND THE HIT DOCUMENTARYA glimpse of life inside the world’s most secretive country, as told by Britain’s best-loved travel writer.In May 2018, former Monty Python stalwart and intrepid globetrotter Michael Palin spent two weeks in the notoriously secretive Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, a cut-off land without internet or phone signal, where the countryside has barely moved beyond a centuries-old peasant economy but where the cities have gleaming skyscrapers and luxurious underground train stations. His resulting documentary for Channel 5 was widely acclaimed.Now he shares his day-by-day diary of his visit, in which he describes not only what he saw – and his fleeting views of what the authorities didn’t want him to see – but recounts the conversations he had with the country’s inhabitants, talks candidly about his encounters with officialdom, and records his musings about a land wholly unlike any other he has ever visited – one that inspires fascination and fear in equal measure.Written with Palin’s trademark warmth and wit, and illustrated with beautiful colour photographs throughout, the journal offers a rare insight into the North Korea behind the headlines.

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Book SynopsisAs one of the most recognisable faces in showbiz today, Kerry Katona has seen more than her fair share of ups and downs played out in public. Once labelled 'the nation's sweetheart,' the Atomic Kitten singer rose from foster care to international stardom, but soon found herself judged and ridiculed as mental health problems and bad decisions derailed her life. From a picture perfect yet fractured marriage to one of the biggest pop stars in the world, to her fall from grace in a haze of drink and drugs while wed to her taxi driving second husband, Kerry has been loved and derided in equal measure. But since her bestselling autobiography was released in 2012, which documented her troubled childhood and subsequent life in the limelight, Kerry has faced her most devastating challenges yet. In this riveting read, Kerry documents how, in the decade since, she's welcomed her fifth child, suffered a debilitating injury, a cancer scare, several tragic losses and a career slump she thought she'd never recover from. Yet the most significant event in that time was her marriage to third husband, George Kay. Stuck in an abusive relationship she felt powerless to leave, Kerry opens up about her struggles living with a violent man, whose mental health problems and drug use would see her and her family trapped in a cycle of helplessness and despair that only ended when George died in 2019, having eaten a sock filled with cocaine while staying in a local Travel Inn. Kerry bravely reveals her hell at the hands of a man who would unleash physical and emotional torture on her, in an all too familiar situation so many women face every day. But this is also a story of hope, strength and survival. Of how Kerry, with the support of her now -fiance Ryan and her children, built herself up from the lowest point imaginable, with sheer grit and determination, to get her life and career back on track in the wake of such devastation. It's a story of survival and peace and how, after years of desperately trying to find her way, she has finally started to feel - in the words of her most famous song -Whole Again.

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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 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 SynopsisAn extraordinary story of life on a South African game reserve from the 'Indiana Jones of conservation' and the authors of The Elephant Whisperer.Lawrence Anthony's South African game reserve is home to many animals he has saved, from a remarkable herd of elephants to a badly behaved bushbaby called George. When one of his rhinos was brutally slaughtered for her horn, he didn't hesitate to lead an armed response against the poachers. Then he learned that there were only a handful of northern white rhinos left in the wild, living in an area of the Congo controlled by the infamous Lord's Resistance Army and soon to be hunted into extinction. Lawrence knew he had to take action. What followed was an extraordinary adventure, as he headed into the jungle to negotiate with the rebels, while battling to save his own animals from terrible drought and to save the eyesight of his beloved elephant matriarch Nana. The Last Rhinos i

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