Autobiography: general Books

Book SynopsisIn The Man Who Tried to Prove Too Much, Philip Hills provides an unflinching account of what it takes to reflect on one’s life and achievements. Philip Hills had an unquenchable thirst for success. Always driving forwards without stopping to reflect, Philip was blissfully unaware that he was fuelled by past hurts and fears. Until the day his life changed forever. Diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, Philip sets course for the biggest journey of his life: a reckoning with his past that becomes a powerful tool for healing, not just for Philip but for those around him, too. In this beautifully honest and soul-searching book, Philip looks back on a life motivated by a dream and a deep drive, and asks us to reflect on the true meaning of success and self-fulfilment.

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Book SynopsisRaised in a family of landed gentry located in Transkei, a region now part of South Africa, during the early 20th century, this vivid and spirited autobiography shares the unique story of a black woman’s search for identity and fulfillment through turbulent times. Phyllis Ntantala’s gripping story is not of a struggle to escape from poverty but of a life of relative privilege that typically cut across the boundaries of apartheid. In the early 1960s, when the restrictive net of apartheid grew ever tighter, she moved to the United States; but instead of finding freedom and opportunity, she found racial discriminations that were sadly too familiar. Evocatively described with searing honesty, the politics and feminism of this narrative are grounded in the need to carve out a space for one's own voice.

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Book SynopsisIn 1942 a small child watches the swirling vapour trails of Spitfires and Messerschmitts battling in the summer skies as he stands in the fields outside his Hertfordshire village and thinks how far away from his world that conflict is. Thirty-four years later a man is woken from sleep in an affluent suburb of Auckland hearing the whooshing rush of air as a bomb goes off and blasts through the front of his family house. Even before the dust has cleared the man is reaching for a weapon and planning the demise of the person who arranged the bombing. How has the child from the peaceful English village become the target of a key figure in the Antipodean criminal underworld? Join adventurer, sailor, raconteur, con man, businessman and story teller Len Russell as he recounts the trials and tribulations of a life at sea and on land, at peace and at war, in times of poverty and great wealth, through hilarity and sadness as he makes his way from an English childhood through a life in New Zealand and Australia and finally back home to England.

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Book SynopsisAn insight into what happened to Iqbal's vision after his death in 1938 up till today, through the eyes of Javid Iqbal and Muneera Iqbal. This book celebrates and explores what life was like for the children of Muhammed Iqbal living with the legacy he left behind. ...I congratulate this young lady for her untiring struggle to spread the message, works and life of Allama Iqbal... it is a commendable effort, it should continue... - Dr Javid Iqbal ...I appreciate the spirit behind her effort... I was struck with her determination, initiative and drive... and have never granted an interview in all my 85 years, this time I have decided to make an exception... - Muneera Iqbal

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Book SynopsisThomas Henry Morgan was born into a musical mining family at end of the nineteenth century. At twelve he followed his father down the pit, and at sixteen fought as a boy soldier in the First World War. Adding to the astonishing fact that more boys under eighteen (like Tom) were serving at the end of 1915, than in the entire force Wellington took to Waterloo! Serving as a Colour Sergeant in the Second, he was captured in North Africa at the fall of Tobruk imprisoned with some top ranking generals in Castello di Vincigliata near Florence. He escaped but later captured and transported to Stalag VIIA in Bavaria where he met the actor Derek Bond. Pre-war he wrote the music to the Welsh standard ‘We’ll keep a Welcome’ and post–war sang in the chorus of Idloes Owen’s fledgling Welsh National Opera Company. Another WNO artist Mollie Hair Russell, one-time principal dancer and soprano, recalled Tom fifty years later as “a big, rugged, handsome man…great fun to work with”. He summed up his own philosophy as: “Life ain’t all yer wants but, it’s all yer ‘aves, Stick a geranium in yer ‘at and be ‘appy”

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Book SynopsisVivian Jones recounts with great warmth his childhood in a working class family within the community of a small mining village in the Welsh Valleys in the 1930s. This fascinating book brings the detail of that time, place and culture vividly back to life and considers the influence that growing up in such an environment has had on who the author is today. 11 black-and-white photographs.

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of a long-lasting relationship, surviving against the odds. It is the story of Wenn and Beatrice Lawson, born almost twelve years apart in different countries with different cultures, who were both assigned female at birth. After nineteen years of marriage and four children, Wenn entered a same-sex relationship with Beatrice. Little did Beatrice know that twenty-two years later, Wenn would transition from female to male. This unique and honest memoir tells the story of Wenn's transition and Beatrice's journey alongside him.Co-written by Wenn and Beatrice, who are both on the autism spectrum, this book offers a rare insight into an older couple's experience of transition, with particular emphasis on how Beatrice really felt about the changes. Without holding back, they tell the true story of the conflicts, challenges and growing celebration and joy that can arise from transitioning together as a couple.Trade ReviewBooks by Wenn have always explored the frontiers of autism. This is the love story of Wenn and Beatrice that, through the years, became an exploration of gender and identity. I now see an increasing number of clients who are travelling the same road and this will be their travel guide. -- Tony Attwood, Minds and Hearts Clinic, BrisbaneA wonderful multifaceted account of discovering sexuality, exploring gender identity and living with autism, wrapped up in a beautifully honest and inspiring love story of one couple's journey of overcoming obstacles to find each other, to find themselves and to find a way to move forward together. It is impossible not to feel completely privileged to be able to share in their unique experience of undergoing gender transition as a couple. -- Finlay Games (finntheinfinncible), Transgender advocate and educator, and YouTube host and blogger on gender transition, mental health and recoveryOne of the most overlooked areas of autism research is the complex dance between autism, gender, and sexuality. Wenn Lawson's tender, frank, and beautifully observed account of the evolution of his relationship to himself and his beloved Beatrice deals honestly with the complexities of these issues, while also being a touching and deeply human love story. "There are more forms of gender," Lawson writes, "than stars in the sky." Transitioning Together is a brave and pioneering map of this still-unexplored terrain. -- Steve Silberman, author of 'NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and How to Think Smarter About People Who Think Differently'Transitioning Together is a love story with a twist. Or rather two twists. It is the story of Beatrice and Wenn overcoming personal battles to come together as a lesbian couple in the mid-80s, at a time when such things were very frowned upon; and it is the story of the same couple coping when, decades later, Wenn realises that he is transgender - a trans man. Touching and insightful, as trans comes "out of the closet" this is an increasingly relevant story for our times, as individuals must come to terms with how this, too, impacts upon their relationship. -- Jane Fae, journalist and campaignerTable of ContentsVarious Notes on Sex and Gender. Foreword. 1. Introduction and Background. 2. A Growing Attraction. 3. Separation, Divorce, in Between and Together. 4. Freedom. 5. Building Careers. 6. When a Lesbian is Not a Lesbian. 7. How It All Happened. 8. Menopausal Partner and Her Pubescent Hubby... A Recipe for Disaster! 9. Surgeries, Further Transformation, Impact Upon Relationship and Love Life. 10. Two Years Plus On Testosterone. 11. Acceptance. 12. What We Have Learnt.

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Book SynopsisFor readers of Rachel Cusk, Lisa Taddeo and the essays of Zadie Smith, Bear Woman is a beautifully wrought memoir from one of Sweden's bestselling authors, in which she examines motherhood and the female experience.'The deeply personal journey of a writer, surprising and illuminating, and for me, familiar in the most reassuring way as she loses herself in this compelling story' - Esther Freud, author of Hideous KinkyMarguerite de la Rocque didn't exist before her guardian abandoned her on a remote island.Abandoned, pregnant to a man she'd met on board one of the first ships sailing to settle what became Canada, Marguerite was forced to fight for her life against the treacherous wilderness of Nova Scotia, giving birth alone. When her guardian returned nearly two years later, her lover and her baby had died, but Marguerite had survived. Returning to France, her story was concealed so that her family's reputation might be protected.Centuries later, a woman with small children of her own begins writing what she believes to be a television script about the life of Marguerite de la Rocque and her incredible story of survival against the odds. As she delves deeper into the hidden history of Marguerite and her extraordinary story of persecution and survival, the woman begins to question her ability to tell this story, or that of any woman in history, and in so doing exposes a fundamental truth about what it is to be both a writer and mother.Combining historical text, autobiographical fiction and essay with the uncertainty of memory, Bear Woman is a deeply moving journey into what it means to be a woman, in a world in which men still hold power.Trade Review'The deeply personal journey of a writer, surprising and illuminating, and for me, familiar in the most reassuring way as she loses herself in this compelling story' * Esther Freud, author of Hideous Kinky *Ramqvist, in Vogel's translation, is a master of finely observed detail and this book - with a slow-burn obsession at its heart - captivated me. Rarely have I found a book so gentle but enthralling in its telling, so able to distill the subtle turbulence of womanhood, motherhood, and the writer's life. * J E S S I C A J. L E E, author of Two Trees Make a Forest *Ramqvist skillfully blends a story of survival with an autofictional meditation on womanhood ... It adds up to a careful study of a woman's writing life. * Publishers Weekly *Karolina Ramqvist writes with frosty precision the kind of literature that is unforgettable. Her portraits of women hit deep into bone and marrow. * DORTHE NORS on The White City *

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Book SynopsisJohn Massey’s story is unique. Part of a notorious duo that the Flying Squad dubbed ‘Laurel and Hardy’, his criminal activities included hijacking a police car after robbing a bank of £25,000 and relieving the Sunday Mirror of £50,000 – and all before he was arrested for murder, aged 27.But that was just the beginning. Given a life sentence, with a minimum term of twenty years, Massey would find himself incarcerated for forty-three years, give or take a prison break, in almost every prison in the country. In Locks, Bolts and Bars, one of Britain’s longest-serving prisoners reflects on a life spent on the ‘inside’, from corrupt guards to notorious criminals, and the real value of freedom.

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Book SynopsisWith devastating clarity and gentle humour, Mabel Hewitt takes us through her extraordinary life, from her childhood in the shadow of the First World War right up to the present day. Born in the tumultuous thirties, when the threat of the poorhouse hung over working families, she was just 10 years old when war clouds began to gather across Europe. She remembers air-raid sirens, taking shelter underground with her mother and sisters, and the utterly terrifying Coventry Blitz, when almost two-thirds of the city was destroyed or damaged.And yet, despite everything, her spirit shines through. Mabel’s War is a poignant account of love and hope during some of the country’s darkest days.

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Book SynopsisMy mother once said to me, ‘I wish you could feel the way I do for eighteen seconds. Just eighteen seconds, so you’d know how awful it is.’ I thought about it. Realised we could all learn from being in another person’s head for eighteen seconds. Eighteen seconds inside Grandma Roberts’ head as she sat alone with her evening cup of tea, us girls upstairs in bed. Eighteen seconds inside one-year-old Colin’s head when he woke up in a foster home without his family. Eighteen seconds inside the head of a girl waiting for her bedroom door to open.Writer, Louise Beech, looks back on the events that led to the day her mother wrote down her last words, then jumped off the Humber Bridge. She missed witnessing the horror herself by minutes. Louise recounts the pain and trauma of her childhood alongside her love for her siblings with a delicious dark humour and a profound voice of hope for the future. Early Praise for Eighteen Seconds ‘Upsetting, uplifting and inspiring’ John Marrs ‘Authentic, unflinching and moving. Written with compassion and humanity and a great deal of love’ S. E. Lynes ‘A powerful memoir making sense of a complicated childhood’ Madeleine Black ‘Haunting, brave and brilliant’ Gill Paul ‘A heart-breaking, heart-warming story – what courage to tell it, and tell it so well’ Liz Nugent ‘I loved every word of this haunting memoir’ Amanda ProwseTrade Review‘Upsetting, uplifting and inspiring’ * John Marrs *‘Authentic, unflinching and moving. Written with compassion and humanity and a great deal of love’ * S. E. Lynes *‘A powerful memoir making sense of a complicated childhood’ * Madeleine Black *‘Haunting, brave and brilliant’ * Gill Paul *‘A heart-breaking, heart-warming story – what courage to tell it, and tell it so well’ * Liz Nugent *‘I loved every word of this haunting memoir’ * Amanda Prowse *'Exquisitely told, achingly painful, searingly honest and yet hopeful, and filled with light and love' * Liz Fenwick *'Having read some of Louise’s books before, I can now see where bits of her life have been threaded into her stories. But it’s not a thread of darkness; rather it’s a thread of hope, and daffodil yellow in colour. And that’s what we have in Eighteen Seconds. Against the darkness, is the light of hope and freedom shining through. A determination not to be defined by the horrific neglect and abuse that Louise and her siblings endured. There were times that this book made me so angry with everything that Louise has gone through. But I was left with the overriding bond and love that Louise has with her sisters and brother.' * Joy Kluver, author of Last Seen, Broken Girls, Left for Dead *‘Brave, powerful, horrifying and hopeful. Louise Beech tells her story with humour and heart despite enduring the most difficult of times.’ * Chris Whitaker, bestselling author of Tall Oaks *

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Book SynopsisIn July 1962 Brian Smith joined British European Airways (BEA) as a steward. In 1991 he retired as a Senior Training Captain with British Airways. Brian describes this remarkable development, recalling some of the many hurdles and adventures along the way. The title of the book, Straighten Up and Fly Right, seems to describe his ambitions. The adventures start with his desire to learn to fly. His working life as a Training Captain with BOAC and British Airways is described in detail. He manages to capture in print what life was like during what many call 'The Golden Age of Flying'. The book gives a detailed account of these adventures. They may appear to follow one after the other in rapid succession, and that is exactly what happened. Each chapter is laced with humour. The adventures are all true, but you might detect a slight exaggeration of one or two of the characters. If this makes you smile, he'd be happy. There were two significant adventures that he recalls as if they happened yesterday. The first was as a Flight Controller in the Control Centre for the Breitling record-breaking balloon flight round the world in 1999. He describes the experience 'like holding your breath for three weeks'. The following year he was back in the role of Flight Controller for David Hempleman-Adams' record-breaking flight to the North Pole by balloon. As you can imagine, anyone involved with these adventures is familiar with the 'Swan Effect' - serene and calm on the surface, but pedalling like mad underneath! The adventures took mainly two forms: Aircraft flying - as a first officer on a BOAC B707 that had to land at Heathrow without a nosewheel - helping restore and fly an Albatross, a 70-year-old amphibian aircraft - a spell of bush flying in Rhodesia. Hot-air balloon flying - becoming an instructor and examiner - flying in France, Holland, Austria, Ireland, USA, the Artic Circle, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, across Australia and across the English Channel. Brian also shares details of his latest venture - building and operating a Spitfire simulator in his barn in West Sussex, to raise money for the RAF Benevolent Fund. To date GBP100,000 has been raised. Brian has decided to donate 10% of any profits from the sale of this book to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. The chapters have many photographs and cartoons drawn by the author.

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Book SynopsisA unique and gloriously nostalgic account of one eventful year in the fire service for readers who loved books such as CALL THE MIDWIFE and TRUST ME, I'M A VET and the brand new ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL.Nothing about the county fire service was quite what Malcolm expected when he joined the watch in Shrewsbury. As the newest member of the service he was first in line when swans terrorised the high street - and when a flock of owls got stuck on the roof of his local pub. Eighteen years old and more than ready to rush into burning buildings to save fair damsels in distress, young Malcolm soon realised he was more likely to be jumping into slurry pits and rivers to rescue any number of unfortunate animals. But for all the embarrassing situations Malcolm found himself in there were heart-stopping dramas too - and tragic farm and house fires. As he learns on the job and begins to win the respect of the old-timers, Malcolm starts to feel that maybe, one day, he just might make it as a fireman. But first he has to catch the eye of the smiley secretary in the office opposite the station ... Funny, moving and gloriously nostalgic, All Fired Up paints a unique portrait of rural Britain - and shows just how surprising a fireman's life can be.Trade ReviewHumorous and surprising in equal measure. Hilarious * DAILY EXPRESS *A hugely interesting read, one of those books that you finish and want more. It captures the camaraderie of the crews, their banter and humour and recall some of the more memorable call-outs, some tragic but others the stuff of lasting anecdotes * SHROPSHIRE STAR *

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Book SynopsisLooking at the positive influences, great talents and unique thought processes of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, this book is a celebration of those who have used their autism to shine in life. Writers from all over the world at different stages in their careers, and from very different backgrounds, share their experiences of creating a successful life on the autism spectrum. Each explains how it is possible to draw on autistic strengths not just to make your way in the world, overcoming challenges and obstacles, but also to make your life a real success. Education, the world of work, and relationships are the focus of the first part of the book, which then goes on to look at exceptional creativity, and the use of special interests.The autobiographical stories in this book are full of wisdom and humour, and will be an inspiration for anyone with high-functioning autism or Asperger Syndrome, their family and friends, and the professionals who work alongside them.Trade ReviewLooking at the positive influences, great talents and unique thought processes of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, this book includes auto-biographical stories and is a celebration of those who have used their autism to shine in life and is an inspiration to others.; -- Books from our backyard, Queensland Writers Centre, AustraliaThis is an inspirational book for parents wondering what will happen to their ASD children in later life. 19 individuals have written a piece describing how being on the autism spectrum has been a gift for them, rather than a disability... Writing as adults, a lot of these individuals didn't have a diagnosis in childhood and just thought of themselves as different. Once they did get a diagnosis, things from their past started making sense, especially in understanding how they relate to other people. But it is their stories of how they have succeeded and excelled in their chosen paths that is so inspirational. -- Cerebra NewsweekThis gem is a set of essays by adults who were often diagnosed later on, some even in their 50's, such as Roger Meyer, and they have found ways to shine in life, using their ASD traits to full advantage....As more and more awareness of autism in adulthood surfaces, books like this are even more important, as the brain dynamics of ASD in adults are still not very well understood, but we can now see that there is indeed hidden treasure in among the folds and convolutions! -- Autism Society of MichiganFor any newly-diagnosed autistic person, the silver lining is in your hands. Accentuating the positive aspects of the traits experienced by various individuals, "Autism All-Stars" emerges as one of few books for readers of all ages to examine the benefits of being neurologically "atypical."... The book is an excellent resource for parents, librarians, teachers, guidance counselors and anyone else who would like to hear more from real people who have lived under the autism umbrella... Overall, "Autism All-Stars" is an encouraging, and well-rounded book. -- ForeWord ReviewThis book presents moving and inspirational stories for anyone who has a person with autism in his or her life. In addition, it provides practical advice for those on the spectrum: Temple Grandin contributes a chapter on how to get hired and keep a good job, while other writers discuss how they achieved their goals in education, careers, relationships, creativity, and other areas despite--or because of--the quirks of their disability. -- Library JournalThe book should encourage those on the spectrum to be resilient and to have hope that with time, effort and the right support they too can find their place in the world and share their unique talents. The accounts were all well written and easy to read with a good mix to keep everything fresh. I would recommend the book for anyone aged 12 upwards who are on the spectrum as well as parents and educators. It is an enjoyable and easy read and there is a story for everyone. The book gives realistic hope and inspiration. It is not just for the highly gifted. Whether a person is super talented or more challenged they can take something away from the book - with the right support and encouragement plus hard work most people can lead productive and fulfilling lives, ideally doing what they enjoy and are good at. -- asteensRoger Meyer, a contributor to this likeable book of life stories by adults with autism and Asperger's, says it with perfection: 'I am a curious and interested person'. If you are curious and interested in what autism and Asperger's looks like and feels like from the inside, you will surely enjoy this compilation assembled by author and parent, Josie Santomauro. -- Veronica Zysk, co-author of 1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism or Asperger's, USAAutism All-Stars is a wonderful book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the essays of friends who explain how they use their strengths and perspectives to make their way in the world. These individuals are a constant inspiration to us all! Anyone wishing to understand the spectrum and the potential in ASD should read this book. -- Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D., Consultant, The Ziggurat Group, Autism Research Institute, Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence, USAThe book is an anthology of people on the spectrum who have often endured tremendous struggles in a world ill-equipped to meet their needs but have managed, in adulthood, to find a niche where they can shine and use their assets. With age and experience many have developed strategies which enable them to function in the nuero typical world and to self advocate so that their needs are understood and met... Any child who has been bullied can take heart from the stories in the book. I liked that each person was successful in a different way, some by the conventional definition of success and others on their own terms... The book should encourage those on the spectrum to be resilient and to have hope that with time, effort and the right support they too can find their place in the world and share their unique talents. The accounts were all well written and easy to read with a good mix to keep everything fresh. I would recommend the book for anyone aged 12 upwards as well as parents and educators. It is an enjoyable and easy read, and there is a story for everyone. The book gives realistic hope and inspiration. It is not just for the highly gifted. Whether a person is super talented or more challenged they can take something away from the book – with the right support and encouragement plus hard work most people can lead productive and fulfilling lives, ideally doing what they enjoy and are good at. -- BFK BooksTable of ContentsForeword by Tony Attwood. Introduction. Josie Santomauro. Part 1: Education. 1. An Education in Doodling. Jessica Peers. 2. The Ugly Duckling. Stan Hood. 3. Studying through Diagnosis. Iain Payne. Part 2: Careers. 4. Talented People Getting Employed. Temple Grandin. 5. Counseling that Works. Roger N. Meyer. 6. To Be or Not to Be. Damian Santomauro. 7. Successful Management – Savant Style. Malcolm Johnson. 8. Super Strengths. Sondra Williams. Part 3: Relationships. 9. Friendships – Aspie Style. Dr Wendy Lawson. 10. A Different Order of Being. Stephen Shore. 11. Talking to the Animals. Deborah Lipsky. Part 4: Creativity. 12. Life on Stage. Robert McLachlan. 13. Donna Williams and The Aspinauts. Donna Williams. 14. Portraits – Learning Honesty in Art. Jeanette Purkis. 15. Asperger Syndrome: How It and Art Influence Me. Peter Myers. 16. Aural Sculpting – Before and After. Colin Webber. Part 5: Special Interests. 17. Musical Creativity. Leith McMurray. 18. The Recordings of a Rock Wiz. Mark Boerebach. 19. Sci-Fi Reality. Will Hadcroft.

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Book SynopsisHis book captures the nostalgic romanticism of the Australian bush in the 1960s but also the height of deep ignorance and the culture of `see no evil' in which almost all who could and should have changed things, looked the other way... Caiseal's book is as beautiful and magical as it is shocking.'- From the Foreword by Donna WilliamsGrowing up in Australia in the 1970s, Caiseal Mór was labelled 'retarded' and 'an idiot', and his parents were led to believe that physical punishment could cure his autism.In this courageous and captivating autobiography, Mór vividly captures his early experiences of dissociation from his true existence - a common reaction by children suffering from repeated abuse - and the various personas through which he lived through in his teens and early adulthood - the Mahjee, Charles P. Puddlejumper, Marco Polo and Chameleon Feeble. The rocky path towards discovering his true identity and finally accepting himself takes him on a spiritual pilgrimage via several different countries, once nearly getting caught unwittingly carrying drugs over the Moroccan border; forming relationships with people he meets but very often misjudges; to the revelation - the awakening - of love and acceptance.Table of ContentsA Blessing and a Curse.

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Book SynopsisAnne's sister Becky was born in 1958, long before most people had even heard of autism. Diagnosed with "emotional disturbance," Becky was subjected for much of her childhood to well-meaning but futile efforts at "rehabilitation" or "cure," as well as prolonged spells in institutions away from her family.Painting a vivid picture of growing up in small-town America during the Sixties, Anne describes her sister's and her own painful childhood experiences with compassion and honesty. Struggling with the separation from her sister and the emotional and financial hardships the family experienced as a result of Becky's condition, Anne nevertheless found that her sister had something that "normal" people were unable to offer. Today she is accepting of her sister's autism and the impact, both painful and positive, it has had on both their lives.This bittersweet memoir will resonate with families affected by autism and other developmental disorders and will appeal to everyone interested in the condition.Trade ReviewThis is a gripping book about a family's survival to get their daughter disgnosed. When they finally receive a disgnosis they are told it is autism. It takes you through the journey from when Becky was a baby until she was in her forties. It covers all the challenges the family encounter just to survive and some of the rewards they receive for being persistent. Readers will be won over by the herat-warming story of this family, who have usually encountered some of the same roadblocks as other families coping with autism. -- Good Autism PracticeThe journey from early childhood through puberty and into adulthood is movingly documanted in a frank and critical way... This book shows how autism can have an impact on siblings and their efforts to reconcile their own developmental needs with the challengeing demands of a sister with autism. -- DebateTable of ContentsIntroduction. Chapter One. Chapter Two. Chapter Three. Chapter Four. Chapter Five. Chapter Six. Chapter Seven. Chapter Eight. Chapter Nine. Chapter Ten. Chapter Eleven. Chapter Twelve. Chapter Thirteen. Chapter Fourteen. Chapter Fifteen. Chapter Sixteen. Chapter Seventeen. Chapter Eighteen. Afterword.

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Book SynopsisLyndall Gordon, the acclaimed biographer of T.S. Eliot and Virginia Woolf, grew up in Cape Town, South Africa in the 1950s. This intimate and moving memoir is the story of Rosie, Ellie, and Romy- her closest friends from childhood until their early deaths.Daughters of Jewish immigrants, these girls grew into adulthood together, shaped by their parents' and grandparents' Eastern European heritages, the stifling atmosphere of their proper girls' school, South Africa's politics, and the intense pressure within their bourgeois milieu for early marriage. Though miles distanced them as they grew older and went off to New York, Oxford and Paris, their bonds of friendship remained strong, separated only by their untimely deaths.Trade Review[Lyndall Gordon] has rendered so faithfully, so lyrically really, the way things were. Added to the delightful candor with which Lyndall writes both of herself and of her characters, the wry humor of her writing. It is a marvellous book -- Lynn Freed

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Book SynopsisA relationship was a mathematical formula: the correct variables of age, beauty, morality and finances were entered and the output was a successful, peaceful marriage. It couldn't be, therefore, that their Iranian son could feel desire for someone six years his senior,someone who didn't come to him pure and untouched. I was an amusing visitor from another world and soon enough I should return to it, fading quietly into an anecdote ... In her thirties, Jennifer Klinec abandons a corporate job to launch a cooking school from her London flat. Raised in Canada to Hungarian-Croatian parents, she has already travelled to countries most people are fearful of, in search of ancient recipes. Her quest leads her to Iran where, hair discreetly covered and eyes modest, she is introduced to a local woman who will teach her the secrets of the Persian kitchen.Vahid, her son, is suspicious of the strange foreigner who turns up in his mother's kitchen; he is unused to seeing an independent woman. But a compelling attraction pulls them together and then pits them against harsh Iranian laws and customs. Getting under the skin of one of the most complex and fascinating nations on earth, The Temporary Bride is a soaring story of being loved, being fed, and the struggle to belong.Trade ReviewA moving meditation on love across cultures and the evocative power of food * The Lady *A cross-cultural romance with a backdrop of Middle Eastern cuisine. Conveys the fear and excitement experienced by a couple trying to get to know each other in a strictly controlled society * Herald *The writing is vivid and sensual, the city of Yazd where she stays comes alive - the people, the streets, the scents, and her description of, among other things, a slaughterhouse is powerful. I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes a film * Sydney Morning Herald *The Temporary Bride is a beautifully written window into a world few of us have ever entered: contemporary Iran in all its complexity. Its sprawling cities and street-side eateries come to life, but most vivid is the portrait of ordinary Iranians: cooking, sharing, living, in a world where Westerners are unwelcome. A book for travellers - of the world and the senses * Irish Examiner *This is amour sans frontières. An adventure in a globalised world. Love laughs at rigorously controlled borders * The Times *A moving memoir about love against the odds * Good Housekeeping - Best non-fiction *Jennifer Klinec went to Iran looking for food and found forbidden love. She writes about both with equal eloquence and panache. An absorbing, page-turning tale of one strong woman's curiosity and daring that ventures behind Iran's closed doors -- Anya Von Bremzen, author of Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing

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Book Synopsis'All wars are alike. What I experienced in Lebanon, others experienced in France, in Spain, in Yugoslavia, or elsewhere. Yes, all wars are alike, because while weapons change, the men who wage and are subjected to war do not in the least.' Alexandre Najjar was eight when Lebanon erupted into a bloody and brutal conflict; he was twenty-three when the guns at last fell silent. After seven years of voluntary exile spent clearing his mind from the unbearable nightmare of civil war, he is now back amongst his family and friends, and the past is quickly catching up with him. As he reacquaints himself with his bullet-riddled city, Alexandre is haunted by vivid memories, which he sets down with extraordinary imagination and humour. Sometimes nostalgic, and sometimes brutal and shocking, "The School of War" offers unforgettable insights into the experience of childhood in war.Trade Review'A marvellously affecting memoir of the war in Lebanon: perfectly pitched and intensely evocative, and all the more powerful from being seen through the eyes of a child.' William Boyd 'Delicate and unforgettable.' Elle 'One of the most talented francophone writers of his generation.' Le Monde

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Book SynopsisHow do you become a writer, and why? Maggie Gee's journey starts a long way from the literary world in a small family in post-war Britain,. At seventeen, Maggie goes, a lamb to the slaughter, to university. From the 1960s onwards she lives the defining events of her generation: the coming of the Pill and sexual freedom, tremors in the British layer-cake of class and race. In the 1980s, Maggie finally gets published, falls in love, marries and has a daughter - but for the next three decades and beyond, she survives, and sometimes thrives, by writing. This frank, bold memoir dares to explore the big questions: success and failure, sex, death and parenthood - our animal life.Trade Review'A wise and beautiful book about what it feels like to be alive - I really loved it' Zadie Smith 'Exceptionally interesting and brave - a wonderful book' Claire Tomalin 'Highly recommended for all aspiring writers' Bernardine Evaristo 'Read this vivid, minutely observed memoir' Sinclair McKay, Telegraph 'Fresh and funny - with a zest for living that bounces off the page' Psychologies 'A fine, honest, complex portrait of an artist's mind' Michele Roberts, Independent 'Every word strikes like a hammer on an anvil, throwing off sizzling sparks' Bidisha, The f word 'Maggie Gee writes with such courage and wit. This is a vivid portrait of a woman finding her way through the maze of class ridden post war England, the 60's, feminism and how to be a mother and a writer.' Diana Melly 'It is a testament to Gee's skill with structure, her lightness of touch and her honesty, particularly about the most painful episodes, that she has fashioned this account of a fundamentally satisfying and happy writer's life into such a page-turner.' Melissa Benn, New Statesman Observant, honest and sensitively-written, it will be required reading for all admirers of Maggie Gee's fiction. I greatly enjoyed it.' Michael Holroyd A beautifully wrought, perceptive and uplifting memoir'. The Good Book Guide

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Book SynopsisWhat does it mean to 'be' an acupuncturist? How does a highly experienced acupuncturist view her practice, her patients, and the world in general? Based on her widely-read blog about the wholeness of life as a Five Element practitioner, Nora Franglen's breadth of interest shows how the curiosity and life experiences of the individual lie at the heart of what makes a true acupuncturist, over and beyond the necessary knowledge and expertise in the technicalities of practice. From her penchant for coffee shops to reflections on challenges she has experienced in the clinic, Nora illustrates how the Five Elements influence, illuminate and, ultimately, enrich all aspects of her life, and vice versa. With reflections gathered from over several years of posting linked by Nora's commentary, this diary is truly enlightening reading for anyone interested in the inner workings of a practitioner at one with her craft.Trade ReviewThrough her blogs Nora expresses her mastery as a practitioner and her deep understanding of the five elements. She writes about humanity with humility, passion and the insights gained from resonating with a person's Guardian Element. Nora never claims infallibility; instead she shares her uncertainties and mistakes so that we too may learn, as she has. Her best book yet, it offers much food for thought. -- Rob Ransome, former Vice-principal at SOFEA, five element acupuncturist and counsellorThis collection conveys Nora Franglen's deep understanding of the five elements and the world of acupuncture. Nora's journey as a practitioner, teacher (and Londoner!) and her views on life and the world at large make for a heart-warming and thought provoking read. Her writings bring the elements into my everyday life, helping me understand myself and others better. -- Sujata Varadarajan, Scientist, Writer, sujatavaradarajan.blogspot.inThe experience of reading Nora Franglen's latest book is akin to sitting with her in one of her beloved London cafés, listening to her as she holds forth on the Five Elements. Nora envelops the reader in the abundant joy she brings to her ever-evolving work as a "practical acupuncturist" astutely and with refreshingly frank introspection. This book is an invaluable, inspiring resource for anyone with an interest in the practice and life of a Five Element acupuncturist and teacher. -- Kerstin Lehr, Acupuncture Intern, The Acupuncture Academy (Leamington Spa, UK)If you are interested in making sense of our demanding, draining and complex world, On Being a Five Element Acupuncturist offers a precious window into it. With a lifetime's practice of seeing and working with the most subtle energies of the body, Nora's hard-earned wisdom and thought-provoking observations offer a rarely found depth of insight. This book weaves ancient knowledge into modern life with a clarity and simplicity that belies the profound value it offers. -- Jeremy Sweeney, owner of JMS Resources, specialising in strategic developmentTable of ContentsIntroduction. 1. 2010 Blogs. 2. 2011 Blogs. 3. 2012 Blogs. 4. 2013 Blogs. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisBased on her widely read blog, this collection includes Nora Franglen's reflections on her own continually developing five element practice, and the lived world between 2014 and March 2017, a time of enormous change.Covering everything from politics, to her penchant for coffee shops, to how to treat patients effectively, and from tips on using moxa sticks to her acerbic thoughts on the effects of technology on society, Nora illustrates how the five elements influence, illuminate and enrich all aspects of her life, and vice versa.Trade ReviewNora writes with such joy from her heart that you feel her warmth, humour and wisdom in every blog post. Her deep understanding of the five elements and her intricate observations of life and people triggers your senses and ignites your imagination. -- Jian Ling Shen, Mandarin teacher in LondonIn a world of ever increasing pressure and pace, Nora's traditional wisdom provides a rare place of calm reflection and insight. I love her ability to distil simplicity from complexity and clarity from opacity. That so much of her writing is based on observing everyday life, and lightly drawing the deeper meanings from it, is what makes the work so accessible and all the more precious. -- Jeremy Sweeney, Executive Coach, LondonI return to Nora's blog again and again for her insights into the human condition. I feel as though I'm part of a conversation in which I'm enlightened, reassured and uplifted. Nora has a knack of getting to the heart of the matter by explaining profound and complicated ideas simply and easily. Her blogs are always thought provoking & life-affirming. -- Susan Vale, designer, Hampshire5 Element Acupuncture has always been more about skills and observation than facts from a book, more about our ability to connect with another person with our senses and our heart. In these writings Nora Franglen shares with us the precious gift of years of experience and reflection in developing these skills and in that, invites us to delve deeper into the Five Elements, ourselves as practitioners and into this beautiful medicine that we practice. -- Gye Bennetts, 5 Element Seminars AustraliaThe follow-up to Nora Franglen's first book of collected posts on the holistic life of an acupuncturist, this provides further insight into the everyday musings of a master of her craft. From her love of London's cafes to challenges she has experienced in her clinic, it reveals how acupuncture can enrich and balance all aspects of our being. -- Embody Magazine, Autumn 2017Table of ContentsIntroduction. 1. 2014 Blogs. 2. 2015 Blogs. 3. 2016 Blogs. 4. 2017 Blogs. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisSusan Dunne's life changed forever when a chance question from a doctor led her back to horses, an unfulfilled childhood passion. Detached and isolated due to undiagnosed autism, Susan had already survived rape, battled eating disorders and self-harm, and spent time homeless, when her world was turned upside again by a vicious, life-threatening assault. Severe post-traumatic stress disorder left her feeling distrustful and more cut off than ever before from a world she saw as confusing and dangerous. But as Susan's connection with horses grew stronger, her world started to open up. Poignant and witty by turns, Susan shares her story of survival and transformation, offering a rare insight into her relationship with horses, and how they helped her to find a safe place in the world.Trade ReviewA testimony to the unique healing power of horses. -- Temple Grandin, author, Thinking in Pictures and Animals in TranslationTruly beautiful and inspiring. -- the Goth * Asperger United *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements. Preface. Across Two Worlds. Part 1. All the World Before Me. 1. Social Misfit. 2. Hungry. 3. Homeless. 4. Rootless. 5. A Dog Called Minder. Part 2. A World Turned Upside Down. 6. First Encounters. 7. Assault. 8. Aftermath. 9. Consequences. 10. To the Lighthouse. 11. A Journey Begins. 12. The Horse Affect. 13. Reaching Out. 14. Post Traumatic Stress. 15. Facing Demons. 16. Mongolia. Part 3. A Whole New World. 17. A Horse Called Bailey. 18. Relapse. 19. The Herd. 20. A Pony in the Bedroom. Afterword. Horses as Healers.

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Book SynopsisThis autobiography records the author''s remarkably varied maritime career. In 1939 he obtained his Scottish Higher Leaving Certificate and, unable to obtain an apprenticeship, later passed his 2nd Mate''s Certificate, and sailed as a navigating officer. This gave him the freedom to serve on a very large variety of vessels, beginning aboard MacBraynes'' paddle steamer PS Gondolier as a First Class Pantry Boy until war was declared. In the following ten years, including the entire Second World War, he served aboard a UK coasting vessel converted for service as a Convoy Rescue Ship, a Portuguese coaster flying the Panamanian flag, two liners, a millionaire''s steam yacht, four tankers (one of which was Norwegian and one adapted to fuel the Royal Navy escort at sea) and nine cargo ships (again one was Norwegian and one a weather-reporting ship). While probably not unique, this assortment would certainly be hard to equal, far less surpass. "Making Waves" thus provides a wide-ranging account of what life in the Merchant Navy was really like and the conditions in the countries visited, and contains many anecdotes and a deal of humour.

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Book SynopsisPringle's autobiography offers a graphic and often painful account of his experiences with major marathons, including the Marathon des Sables and the Yukon Arctic Ultra. Journalists and scientists monitor his progress as he pushes his body to the very limits, as he competes in extreme sporting events which have already claimed lives. A growing sense of self-knowledge and a sense of unity with the natural world lead him to overcome his inner demons, and to find a distinctive and transformational spiritual path.

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Book SynopsisThis is a writer’s journal of his friendships, encounters and observations during the 1950s and 60s, describing relationships with Cork author Frank O’Connor, Patrick Kavanagh, Charles Cape (onetime governor of Strangeways Prison) and the remarkable Margaret Radford, baglady and acquaintance of Shaw, Lawrence and Ford Madox Ford, with her vivid experiences of the Great War. Peopled by the colourful characters met in his profession, Naughton also gives an intimate portrait of a marriage and the onset of death as he survives a coronary thrombosis. Limpid, candid and tellingly written, it delineates the struggles and triumphs of a migrant Irish writer living in the English provinces, with sharp insights into human behaviour.

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Book SynopsisTerry Prone once thought plastic surgery was for the vain, the self-regarding and the rich. She thought herself the person least likely to submit to the plastic surgeon’s scalpel. But this was before a traumatic car crash in which the steering wheel caved in her cheekbones, broke her jaw and smashed her teeth. In the days and weeks that followed, she began to understand how radically her appearance had changed. She then embarked on a journey of physical – and emotional – reconstruction that gradually became an addiction. Liposuction. Tooth implants. An arm-lift. Two face-lifts and a brow-lift. Diamond eye surgery. Foot surgery. She found she could not stop. Mirror Mirror tells the dramatic story of Terry Prone’s experience of plastic surgery on both sides of the Atlantic and reveals the truth about each procedure: discomforts, costs, failures and (mostly) successes. Charged with her remarkable candour, it is an astonishing story of courage and personal reinvention – and a hilarious exploration of the wilder shores of plastic surgery.

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Book SynopsisGilbert is back and he's glad to be back. After three years of teaching at Truss, an inner-city sink school, Francis Gilbert has been offered a job in the English department at his old school, a nice suburban comprehensive. Like a prisoner out of Colditz, he feels like he's just landed a job in toytown.

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Book SynopsisAn unusually humorous and candid memoir of Mulholland's experiences of growing up adopted, searching for and finding his birth mother and dealing with the psychological trauma he associates with the adoption.

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Book SynopsisPowerful story of growing up black, female and in care.

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Book Synopsis"Walled Gardens" is a brilliant portrait of the Anglo-Irish ascendancy, struggling through the post-war depression aided by drink, horse-racing and religion, and their own idiosyncratic adaptations to modern life. Seen from the troubled perspective of the daughter of an aristocratic family in decline, we watch the disintegration of a marriage in elegant but emotionally chilled surroundings, and the struggle to keep up appearances, and a collapsing roof, in front of the neighbours. By turns sad, absured and funny, the story is ultimately liberating as failure leads to freedom.

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Book Synopsis"Insightful and profound." - Dr James R Doty. When Dr Mary Gunn was diagnosed with cancer, her first reaction was fear, and to fight the disease aggressively for the sake of not only herself but her young children and husband. But when it came back - and turned out to be incurable - she knew that she couldn't live the rest of her life in fear. Mary embraced a new approach to life: to accept all the joy and sorrow, safety and danger, certainty and unpredictability...in essence, to live freely. In our uncertain times, when it's difficult not to feel the fear, Dr Mary Gunn's remarkable memoir offers mindfulness tools for resilience, and shows how we can all use acceptance, compassion and love to live courageously, magnificently. Backed up by many years of experience as both a doctor and a patient, her story will inspire you to let go of fear, love life and live well.Trade Review“[Well] will surely be helpful to anybody with a serious illness or, indeed, anybody affected by chronic fear.” Richard Smith, British Medical Journal; “An insightful, compassionate account of living WELL in the shadow of death; a book for everyone by an inspiring woman.” Professor Liz Grant, Director of the Global Health Academy, University of Edinburgh; “A poignant yet heart-warming account of a journey – at times over very challenging terrain – told with honesty, humour, and wisdom … Profound, selfless, and uplifting, this book … [is] not only a must-read for doctors and health care professionals, [but] for anyone who wants to live well.” Stewart Mercer, Professor of Primary Care Research, University of Glasgow; “A very personal story … [Gunn] shares her transformation from fear to connection and joy and gives insight into how each of us can do so as well. Insightful and profound.” James R. Doty, M.D., Professor of Neurosurgery, Director, Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, Stanford University; “I am very glad to have met such a strong and positive person who has always been eager and willing to take whatever positive advice I have been able to give. Mary’s strongly positive mind has given her the ability to deal with the difficulties of ongoing sickness with calm and joy. I am quite sure that her book will give inspiration and encouragement to many.” Lama Yeshe Rinpoche, Abbot of Samye Ling Tibetan Buddhist monastery, Eskdalemuir; “Reading a person’s story of living with cancer for more than twenty years, you expect sadness and frustration – but Well is testimony to the fact that another response is possible. … There are other ways to live when faced with adversity, of any nature, and this book is a gentle guide, with humanity shining through.” Iona Jones, Medical student (Glasgow); “This book is valuable for anyone from cancer patient to healthcare professional or someone looking to escape fear and find meaning in life.” Rosie Morrison, Marie Curie hospice nurse; “Beautifully written, sensitive, and totally captivating … full of good sense, and very supportive to anyone going through bad times.” Dr Dorothy Logie, founder Scottish Borders Africa Aids Group; "What is most special about this book is that its subject matter is wider and deeper than the usual books about cancer. To me 'Well' is about being alive, and about how to accept the inevitability of dying, some day. Mary shares her insights generously and wisely and her book has helped me be clearer and braver in finding my own path beyond cancer." Emma Parker

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Book SynopsisKillick illustrates this book with a series of vignettes taken from his own experience as an only child. It follows him as he grows up, featuring moments both pivotal and seemingly mundane. Onlyness explores the nature of what it means to grow up as an only child, and the ongoing effect that the only child's experiences have on his or her adult life.Trade Review.

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Book SynopsisNEW EDITION IN PAPERBACK to coincide with a new project to unveil a statue of the author in Richmond on Thames in 2022 "I ought to be grateful to Richmond & Hogarth, and indeed, whether it's my invincible optimism or not, I am grateful." - Virginia Woolf Although more commonly associated with Bloomsbury, Virginia and her husband Leonard Woolf lived in Richmond-upon-Thames for ten years from the time of the First World War (1914-1924). Refuting the common misconception that she disliked the town, this book explores her daily habits as well as her intimate thoughts while living at the pretty house she came to love - Hogarth House. Drawing on information from her many letters and diaries, as well as Leonard's autobiography, the editor reveals how Richmond's relaxed way of life came to influence the writer, from her experimentation as a novelist to her work with her husband and the Hogarth Press, from her relationships with her servants to her many famous visitors.Trade Reviewnb. (nbmagazine.co.uk) A room for two: how a new generation of women writers are seeking inspiration from Virginia Woolf - Prospect Magazine Biography - finding a new angle SkyLightRain Book Review -- Virginia Woolf in Richmond Evilcyclist's Bookshelf (wordpress.com) Review: Virginia Woolf in Richmond, by Peter Fullagar - The Modernist Review (wordpress.com) The Woolf pack - TLS (the-tls.co.uk) Virginia Woolf in Richmond - Peter Fullagar - The Last Word Book Review Virginia Woolf in Richmond launches today Blogging Woolf " ...It is clear that Woolf's life and work (and hence the books that so many of us love) would have been very different if she had not lived there." --Joseph Ludlow for NB Magazine " features an intriguing collection of Virginia Woolf's thoughts and musings on daily life, work, and rest, revealed in evocative excerpts from Virginia's diaries and letters, written between 1914 and 1924. These are complemented by Fullagar's narrative commentary, which is crisp and informative." --The Modernist Review "Fullagar's book reveals what life was like during the First World War for the Woolfs... [it's] an unusual addition to the Woolf library, however, published in association with the campaign to erect a life-sized sculpture of Woolf on the riverside. Book and statue together should help maintain awareness of the valuable literary legacy that Woolf left behind." --TLS "Lively, diverse and readable, this book captures beautifully Virginia Woolf's time in leafy Richmond, her mixed emotions over this exile from central London, and its influence on her life and work. This illuminating book is a valuable addition to literary history, and a must read for every Virginia Woolf enthusiast..." --Emma Woolf, writer, journalist, presenter and Virginia Woolf's great niece

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