Autobiography: general Books
Pan Macmillan Rental Person Who Does Nothing
Book SynopsisNeed a rental person who does nothing?Shoji Morimoto provides a fascinating service to the lonely and socially anxious. After an old boss told him that he contributed nothing and that it made no difference whether he showed up to work or not, he wondered if a person who ‘does nothing’ could still have a place in the world. With a tweet, his Rental Person service was born.- Have a deep secret you desperately need to reveal, so deep that you can’t tell a friend or family member?- Have you spent a long time home alone, and want to know what it’s like to have somebody with you at your apartment?- Or for someone to simply think of you on a stressful day? Or wave to you as you leave the train station on a long journey?Morimoto is dependable, non-judgmental and committed to remaining a stranger throughout each request, and his encounters are revelatory about both Japanese society and human psychology.In Rental PersonTrade ReviewDistinctively Japanese musings on meaning and connection * Observer *A beguiling kind of picaresque * The Times *Lays bare the bathos and banality of contemporary life . . . Morimoto, though still elusive, emerges as a modern Bartleby, an inadvertent dissident, someone who has come to see his practice as being “about enjoying the absurdity of swimming against the tide of efficiency” * Guardian *An eccentric, charming book, showing how humans can connect in the strangest of circumstances * Kirkus *
£13.49
WW Norton & Co Letter to a Young Female Physician
Book SynopsisA poignant, funny, personal exploration of authenticity in work and life by a woman doctor.
£12.34
WW Norton & Co Read Until You Understand
Book SynopsisA brilliant scholar imparts the lessons bequeathed by the Black community and its remarkable artists and thinkersTrade Review"Read Until You Understand is brought to life through Griffin’s account of the ways in which Black culture was an integral part of her being, not just an adornment... Griffin is driven by a belief that the cultivation of aesthetic appreciation – in which the beautiful and the political do not compete – is where real change can be found. It is a book that acknowledges life’s conflicts while still valuing hope and beauty." -- Douglas Field - The Times Literary Supplement"Now a noted scholar of African American literature, Griffin shares, in a blend of memoir and criticism, the fruits of her lifelong journey to fulfill that aspiration [to read until you understand]… She also richly evokes her childhood in Philadelphia, long a hub for Black activism where she belonged…to a family whose women, skilled seamstresses and gardeners, cultivated beauty." -- New Yorker"Quietly captivating…This is a life lived among books, and reinterpreted through them." -- Carlols Lozada - Washington Post"[Griffin] is both masterful critic and master teacher." -- Walton Muyumba - Boston Globe"A book like Read Until You Understand takes courage to produce… Griffin’s evangelizing of Black literature does what the best sermons do: It sends you back to Scripture—Baldwin, Coates, Morrison, David Walker and others—to discover or rediscover them, to ponder and treasure them anew." -- Monica Drake - The New York Times Book Review
£12.34
HarperCollins Focus Not That Fancy
Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER USA TODAY BESTSELLERThe best things in life are really not that fancy. This photo-driven book featuring all-things-Reba invites you to get back to the basics of life: fun, food, friends, and family. In her first book in over two decades, actress and country music legend Reba McEntire takes you behind the scenes and shares the stories, recipes, and Oklahoma-style truths that guide her life.The perfect gift for anyone who loves down-home recipes, the western lifestyle, heartwarming stories, and a good laugh from the Queen of Country!FROM REBA:To me, there''s nothing better than sitting on the back porch looking out at the land that goes on for miles. A beautiful sunset and then me, just sipping on a glass of iced tea (or whiskey and Sprite) with my friends and family. I don''t know what heaven''s gTrade Review'--a lifestyle guide that has a sense of humor.' * Garden & Gun *'--embodies McEntire's relaxed entertaining style, encompassing every area of her life.' * Better Homes & Gardens *'--jam-packed with life lessons and anecdotes.' * Style Blueprint *'An homage to her faith, family, and Oklahoma upbringing, this image-heavy lifestyle guide from country music superstar Reba McEntire is part memoir, part cookbook. McEntire recommends enjoying life to the fullest not by indulging in extravagances but by finding nourishment in the simple pleasures of foods and traditions that reflect heritage.' * Booklist *'As you'll see in this book, Reba is nothing fancy when it comes to being friends. She's not only the girl next door. She is also what the girl next door dreams of being. You can never forget she's a superstar, but it won't be Reba who reminds you. I don't know how she does it, but the great ones always do.' * Garth Brooks *'As you'll see in this book, Reba is nothing fancy when it comes to being friends. She's not only the girl next door. She is also what the girl next door dreams of being. You can never forget she's a superstar, but it won't be Reba who reminds you. I don't know how she does it, but the great ones always do.' * Garth Brooks *'entertaining mix of cookbook and memoir... a treat for McEntire's fans.' * Publisher’s Weekly *'The title is not only a play on one of her classic tunes (1990's 'Fancy'), it epitomizes her down-home philosophy.' * Parade *
£18.70
Hodder & Stoughton Staying Power
Book SynopsisA year in the life of the most successful darts player of all timeTrade ReviewTaylor makes a proud argument for the nobility of his sport, recently reborn as a gladiatorial spectacle packed for 9,000-seater arenas and yet still somehow coming from a reassuringly down-to-earth place. * The Times *
£11.69
Pan Macmillan My Secret Sister
Book SynopsisA heartbreaking and moving true story of two sisters separated at birth, and their journey towards finding each other, celebrating the true meaning of family.Helen Edwards grew up in a pit village in Tyneside in the post-war years, with her gran, aunties and uncles living nearby. She felt safe with them, but they could not protect her from her neglectful mother and violent father. Behind closed doors, she suffered years of abuse. Sometimes she talked to an imaginary sister, the only one who understood her pain. Jenny was adopted at six weeks and grew up in Newcastle. An only child, she knew she was loved, and with the support of her parents she went on to become a golfing champion, but still she felt that something was missing. . . Neither woman knew of the other's existence until, in her fifties, Jenny went looking for her birth family and found her sister Helen. Together they searched for the truth about Jenny's birth - and uncovered a legacy
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd Chase the Rainbow
Book Synopsis‘A candid, warm, sad, surprisingly funny, raw, brave, bittersweet book.’ – MATT HAIG ‘Chase the Rainbow is a game-changing book. Poorna Bell’s moving account of the pressures on modern men could be a life-saver. This is a brave and bold work that will inspire us all to talk openly and honestly about depression once and for all. Everyone should read this book.’ – ARIANNA HUFFINGTON ‘I recently devoured this book in a couple of days. It’s so beautifully written, honest and beyond thought-provoking. I urge you to delve into its courageously written pages to learn about Poorna Bell’s story.’ – FEARNE COTTON ‘A story of love and loss and a vital contribution to the mental health debate. A great read.’ – ALASTAIR CAMPBELLAn honest yet uplifting account of a woman's life affected (but not defined) by th
£999.99
Little, Brown Book Group The Downhill Hiking Club
Book SynopsisThree men. 470 kilometres. Twenty-one days.Welcome to the Downhill Hiking Club . . .At a boozy, cricket-filled afternoon at Lord''s, Dom Joly convinces his two closest friends to agree to the unthinkable: a challenging hike across Lebanon, from the Israeli border in the south, along the spine of the country''s mountain range, all the way to the Syrian border in the north. For Joly it is something of a homecoming, having grown up in Beirut. It was a happy childhood, though he did go to school with Osama bin Laden.Arriving in Lebanon armed with copious amounts of Vaseline - and no walking experience, bar taking the dog for the occasional stroll - Dom, Chris and Harry don''t quite know what they''ve got themselves into. Joined by their bemused chaperone Caroll, they meet a variety of characters along the way including Ali, a stony-faced Hezbollah Museum guide who seems unperturbed by circling Israeli jets, and part-time Londoner Raf, who challengesTrade ReviewDom Joly writes travel books for people who don't usually read travel books. This is the best adventure I've had on my sofa for years. It's funny, weirdly informative and most importantly, blister-free. -- Jenny Eclair, Sunday Times bestselling author and award-winning comedianCompelling, enlightening, funny and yet serious too. This trip through Lebanon is both journey and reportage, both intimate and informative on this complex country -- Simon Sebag Montefiore, Sunday Times bestselling authorA total delight, from beginning to end. Immensely funny, and shot through with illuminating and telling insights into a country Joly clearly adores. I read it at a sitting and was charmed and enlightened by every page -- John Simpson CBE, World Affairs Editor, BBC News
£10.44
Headline Publishing Group Living on a Thin Line
Book SynopsisThe all new, must-read memoir by legendary Kinks guitarist Dave Davies''BOOK OF THE DAY'' - Guardian''This powerful tell-all from the Kinks guitarist puts the spotlight on his own bad behaviour, dalliances with the occult and his recovery from a stroke.'' - Observer''Heartfelt, hilarious, revealing, insightful and astonishingly candid. Boy, you really got me Dave. I can''t wait to read it again.'' - Mark Hamill Dave Davies is the co-founder and lead guitarist of epoch-defining band the Kinks, a group with fifty million record sales to their name. In his autobiography, Davies revisits the glory days of the band that spawned so much extraordinary music, and which had such a profound influence on bands from The Clash and Van Halen to Oasis and Blur. Full of tales of the tumultuous times and the ups-and-downs of his relationship with his brother Ray, along with encounters with the likes of John Lennon and Jimi HeTrade Review[A] powerful tell-all * The Observer *
£12.34
Sourcebooks, Inc The Cookie Cure
Book Synopsis
£8.99
Pan Macmillan My Lovely Wife: A Memoir of Madness and Hope
Book SynopsisMy Lovely Wife is a powerful memoir of one man's overwhelming love for his wife through mental illness and psychosis.Mark and Giulia fell for each other in their teens, married in their 20s, and didn't realize what their love would demand of them until Giulia suffered a terrifying and unexpected psychotic break at the age of twenty-seven. Hospitalized for almost a month, she was tormented by delusions and paranoia. Upon release, she sunk into an extended suicidal depression during which Mark, struggling to support Giulia, was torn between the demands of keeping her safe and following doctor's orders, and honouring her independence and making her feel loved.Eventually, Giulia fully recovered, and the couple had a son. Soon after Jonas was born, Giulia had another breakdown, and then a third a few years after that. Pushed to the edge of the abyss, everything the couple had once taken for granted was upended. In My Lovely Wife, Mark Lukach takes us through these harrowing years with compassion and candour, as he and Giulia renegotiate their relationship, anchored by an abiding devotion to each other and their family.A story of the fragility of the mind, and the tenacity of the human spirit, My Lovely Wife is, above all, a love story that raises profound questions: How do we best care for the people we love? What and who do we live for? Breathtaking in its honesty, radiant with compassion, written with dazzling lyricism, this intensely personal odyssey offers much-needed insight into the caregiving side of mental illness, and affirms the power of love.Trade ReviewA dazzling, loving and hugely courageous book -- The TimesA compassionate and deeply honest account -- Guardian This gorgeous memoir gives readers a raw and unvarnished account of what it’s like to live with and love someone with a severe mental illness. There are moments of gut-wrenching sadness—but, ultimately, the story is hopeful, even triumphant. This book basically tore out my heart and then lovingly sewed it back in place -- Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on FireIt’s possible that understanding the terrifying and excruciating process of being placed in a mental institution can be best understood by the person who loves you most. Mark Lukach lyrically transforms our understanding of love, mental illness, patience, and devotion in this stunning memoir which chronicles falling in love with a woman whose mental condition eventually changed their lives forever. With moving and touching prose, this book truly describes what it’s like to have the picture of your life smashed in an instant and subsequently reassembled miraculously. -- Mayim Bialik, PhD, neuroscientist, actress and New York Times bestselling authorIt absolutely gutted me. It was so many things at once: an adorably devoted love story, a memoir of mental illness, an admittance of anger and guilt, a story of resilience. It offered a perspective I feel is underserved in mental health writing, and while I found it hard emotionally to continue at times, it will stay with me for a long time. – Nikki Goerz -- New York Times – Readers Recommend their Favorite Books of 2017An honest and rewarding memoir of a couple’s compassion and love for each other -- KirkusHonest and heartfelt, My Lovely Wife tells the difficult story of a marriage tested by mental illness, and reminds us that true love is never easy -- Kyle Boelte, author of The Beautiful UnseenMy Lovely Wife is a compelling memoir and a heartrending tale of love, madness, and redemption. Like a long-distance trail runner, Mark Lukach embarks on a harrowing journey deep into the woods of psychosis and through the dark twists and turns of his wife’s illness and gradual recovery. But his loyalty to her never wavers, and his story is a testament to the healing power of love and endurance. -- Stuart H. Coleman, author of Eddie Would Go
£8.54
Pan Macmillan Mad Frank and Sons: Tougher than the Krays, Frank
Book SynopsisDrawing on exclusive final interviews with Frank, and with unprecedented access to his closest relatives, Mad Frank and Sons follows his rise from a small kid stealing to put food on the table to a feared and respected West End crime lord and head of a legendary gangland family. It includes the story of Frank's beloved sister, Eva, who was a top-class West End shoplifter, and his sons David and Patrick, who reveal in shocking detail the full extent of the family's network and the influences that shaped them. With sawn-off shotguns as toys, the Kray twins as family friends and a mother who urged them as teenagers to 'get out of bed and rob a bleedin' bank', it is little wonder that the Fraser boys were heavily involved in organized crime by the time they were in their twenties. Packed with new information, and featuring some of the most famous names in the London underworld, this is a fascinating slice of gangland history seen through the eyes of Frank Fraser and his two renegade sons.Trade ReviewReminiscing on days gone by, this compelling book is a fascinating look into gang history through the eyes of Frank Fraser and two of his sons. * The Sun *Safely in the past, Fraser's story becomes nostalgic - a swansong not just for a psychopath but for the worldhe represented, with its supposed codes and false camaraderie. This is an arresting portrait of a bygone era. * The Mail on Sunday *A brilliantly structured and gripping account of an amazing family * Kimberley Chambers *
£11.69
Pan Macmillan Mr Smiley: My Last Pill and Testament
Book SynopsisHoward Marks is the most famous drug smuggler of his age, and a hero to a generation. On his release from one of America's toughest prisons, Howard made a promise to himself to go straight. No more drugs, no more smuggling, no more fake passports. He would retire to a quiet life with his family in the Balearic Islands of Spain. It didn't quite work out that way.This was the mid-nineties, the height of the ecstasy and clubbing boom, and Ibiza was at the very centre of the vortex for the 'E generation'. Pills had taken the place of marijuana, Paul Oakenfold had replaced The Rolling Stones as the music of the masses, but some people are just born for life on the other side of the law.It wasn't long before Howard found himself trying pure ecstasy and rubbing shoulders with some of the king-pins of the pill trade. These included some of Britain's most notorious gangsters, who were laundering millions of pounds of gold stolen from the legendary Brink's-Mat bullion raid. As Britons descended on Ibiza ahead of one of the greatest summers of the nineties, Howard was preparing for his most outrageous operation yet.Incredibly funny, moving and scabrous, Howard Marks' Mr Smiley follows a journey to the heartland of the clubbing and British crime scene. It is also a fitting last word from one of Britain's best loved bad boys.
£10.44
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Everything is True: A junior doctor's story of
Book SynopsisCHOSEN AS A BOOK OF 2022 BY THE GUARDIAN AND THE NEW STATESMAN 'A STAND OUT' SUNDAY TIMES 'STARTLINGLY HONEST AND DEVASTATINGLY GOOD' RACHEL CLARKE, GUARDIAN 'BRILLIANT' OBSERVER 'POWERFUL AND EVOCATIVE' ADAM KAY 'YOU EMERGE KNOWING HOW LUCKY YOU ARE TO HAVE READ IT' ALI SMITH, NEW STATESMAN From the frontlines of the NHS, the story of a junior doctor's love, loss and grief through the Covid-19 crisis ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In early 2020, junior doctor Roopa Farooki lost her sister to cancer. But just weeks later, she found herself plunged into another kind of crisis, fighting on the frontline of the battle taking place in her hospital, and in hospitals across the country. Everything is True is the story of Roopa’s first forty days of the Covid-19 crisis from the frontlines of A&E and the acute medical wards, as struggling through her grief, she battles for her patients’ and colleagues’ survival. Working thirteen-hour shifts, she returns home each evening to write through her exhaustion, chronicling the devastating losses and slowly eroding dehumanisation happening in real time on the ward.Trade ReviewThe most powerful and evocative account of working through the pandemic that I have read -- ADAM KAYThis is such a tough good read about a time of grief, tragedy, loss and catastrophic UK government mismanagement – not over yet, she makes clear – that after you’ve read it, after you’ve withstood its clear-eyed anger, you emerge focussed on what must change and knowing how lucky you are to have read it -- ALI SMITH * NEW STATESMAN *Brilliant … vivid and immediate, fragmentary and unalloyed * OBSERVER *A laser guided insight into what’s been happening in hospitals during the pandemic laying bare what we were all clapping for ... A devastating fusion of private and public grief. Beautifully written, brutally honest -- JO BRANDThe pandemic up-close and thumpingly personal ... Startlingly honest and devastatingly good -- RACHEL CLARKE * GUARDIAN *Even after all we've heard and read about what staff in the NHS have faced during the pandemic, her accounts still have the power to shock * i news *A raw, real-time monologue ... Full of gallows humour, resentment and fear * NEW STATESMAN *Long may Dr Farooki write ... An insightful and entertaining guide, with an attractive blend of wit, self-awareness and moral seriousness ... A genuine insight on love, grief and what truly matters * IRISH TIMES *A stand out ... Raw and clear-eyed * SUNDAY TIMES *The novelist and doctor shares her story of love, loss and grief through the Covid-19 crisis * GUARDIAN, BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2022 *An extraordinary writer … Beautiful, heartbreaking, brilliant, furious and oh-so-honest - an amazing read -- KATE MOSSEAn eloquent testimonial of grief and fury through the first forty days of the Covid crisis – Farooki’s urgent, fragmentary diary of life on the wards conveys the fear, confusion and uncertainty of those first weeks with singular brilliance. I read it in one sitting, hoping it will find its way onto the shelves of those politicians who seem reluctant to learn from their mistakes, and who need to know the truth about the human consequences of health policy decisions -- GAVIN FRANCISA powerful, honest, angry, vivid book ... It will undoubtedly have a big impact ... and finds absolutely the right route through the personal, the political, the angry, the sad, the mundane -- ALICE JOLLYA brilliantly written, disturbing and brutally honest book * TABLET *
£9.49
Austin Macauley Publishers The Needle and the Damage Done
Book SynopsisThe Needle and the Damage Done is the story of a boy from a small Irish village who became an adventurer, multi-award-winning doctor and physician to the stars. Part travelogue, part thriller, part celebrity tell-all, the memoir is a whirlwind of adventure and a fascinating insight into the colourful life of Dr Patrick Treacy.Cosmetic doctor Patrick Treacy grew up in rural Northern Ireland during The Troubles. Determined to become a doctor, he raised money for medical school in Dublin by smuggling cars from Germany to Turkey. He studied biochemistry at Queens University Belfast and medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons. While working in a Dublin hospital, he was accidentally jabbed with a needle from an HIV patient. He took blood test after blood test for many years until he was confirmed negative. Initially overwhelmed by the experience, he moved to New Zealand, away from everyone who knew what he was going through: his girlfriend and his colleagues. Thus, he began a peripatetic existence, working as a doctor around the world. In Saddam Hussein''s Baghdad, Treacy was arrested and imprisoned, spending days wondering whether he was going to be hanged as a spy. He worked as a ship''s surgeon in California and with the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Australia. On returning to Dublin, Treacy set up the Ailesbury Clinic where he pioneered the emergent field of cosmetic dermatology, championing treatments regarding the use of botulinum toxin and dermal fillers. His award-winning research brought him numerous international accolades and many celebrity patients, including the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson, who came flocking to his door.Central to this memoir is Treacy''s personal journey: his efforts to escape the conflict of The Troubles, coping with the fear that he may have contracted HIV, getting over his lost love and surviving the crippling Irish recession. Most of all, it gives us a fascinating insight into his award-winning research on the influence of Botox on the brain and how he developed protocols to reverse the damage being done to patient''s faces as a result of the complications of dermal fillers.
£22.09
Hodder & Stoughton The Art of Exploration: Lessons in Curiosity,
Book Synopsis'Forget routine; now is the time to embrace the unknown, step out of your comfort zone and open the gateway to the Art of Exploration.''Britain's best loved adventurer' (The Times) talks about his secrets of discovery for the first time in this revealing manual of what it means to be an explorer in the modern age. The man who has walked the Nile, the Himalayas and the Americas discusses his lessons from a life on the road, how he managed to turn a passion into a lifestyle, and what inspired and motivated him along the way. Wood explains how he and other explorers face up to life's challenges, often in extraordinary circumstances and demonstrate resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. He shares examples of pioneers in many fields, using their work to show how we can all develop our own explorers mindset and how these lessons can be applied in daily life. With chapters on curiosity, teamwork, resilience and positivity this is a book that provides a tool kit - no matter your age or profession. As Levison says, 'these lessons can help you to fulfil your potential for living a happy life, regardless of your circumstances'.
£10.44
Hodder & Stoughton The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale: From the creator of
Book Synopsis______________________________________________________________________________________'This memoir is one of the smartest, funniest books I've read about love in a long, long time' - RED'illuminating' METROHaley McGee is in debt. The solution? A yard sale of the gifts from her ex-boyfriends. When it came to pricing, she got stuck. Surely the ways we invest in our romantic relationships should be reflected in the price. But how?Is the mixtape from your first love worth more than the vintage typewriter from a philanderer? Does sitting on a box cutter wedged between seats on bus when going to see the boyfriend you lost your virginity to increase or decrease the value of the necklace he gave you? Do the lies you told the guy who gave you a jewellery box dock its price?Should you be compensated for the miserable times or do they render an item worthless?Haley decides to gamble on a larger pay out. She interviews her exes and enlists the help of a mathematician to create a formula - with 87 variables - for the cost of love. As she wrestles her financial literacy and tackles romantic and professional woes, the one that got away reappears with a new proposition. Female desire, heartbreak and the chance for integrity are held up in this whip-smart, original and daringly candid memoir. As Haley McGee interrogates her romantic triumphs and failures with unflinching detail and hilarity her exquisite proses elevates this all too human conundrum: is love worth it?
£15.29
Joanne Watts Imagine That
Book Synopsis
£17.99
Amazon Publishing Widowish: A Memoir
Book SynopsisMelissa Gould’s hopeful memoir of grieving outside the box and the surprising nature of love. When Melissa Gould’s husband, Joel, was unexpectedly hospitalized, she could not imagine how her life was about to change. Overwhelmed with uncertainty as Joel’s condition tragically worsened, she offered him the only thing she could: her love and devotion. Her dedication didn’t end with his death. Left to resume life without her beloved husband and raise their young daughter on her own, Melissa soon realized that her and Joel’s love lived on. Melissa found she didn’t fit the typical mold of widowhood or meet the expectations of mourning. She didn’t look like a widow or act like a widow, but she felt like one. Melissa was widowish. Melissa’s personal journey through grief and beyond includes unlikely inspiration from an evangelical preacher, the calming presence of some Real Housewives, and the unexpected attention of a charming musician. A modern take on loss, Widowish illuminates the twists of fate that break our world, the determination that keeps us moving forward, and the surprises in life we never see coming.Trade ReviewAn Amazon Best Book of the Month: Biographies & Memoirs “Television writer Gould’s gripping debut memoir captures the traumatic experience of suddenly becoming a young widow…Her narrative is remarkable in how she skillfully dissects the day-to-day minutiae of grief, particularly the strange ways in which surrounding herself with community provided comfort but also reminded her of what she lost…Gould brings a unique vulnerability to this memoir that will encourage readers to hold their loved ones closer and celebrate life.” —Publishers Weekly “Melissa’s young husband gets bitten by a mosquito in their backyard pool in L.A. and somehow catches West Nile virus. He tragically dies, leaving Melissa behind to pick up the pieces of her life, raise their young daughter, and find herself—and love—again in this relatable, unforgettable, funny (yes, funny) read.” —Good Morning America “An impressively eloquent, deftly written, exceptionally candid personal story of love and loss and adaptation, Widowish: A Memoir [is] a truly memorable read from cover to cover. While especially recommended for community library Contemporary American Biography collections, and unreservedly commended to the attention of anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one in this age of pandemic.” —Midwest Book Review “This memoir by a woman whose husband falls ill and succumbs to the West Nile virus after getting bitten by a mosquito by their pool in California is one of my recent favorites. A medical odyssey, parenthood, friendship, a new love affair and a sense of humor combine to make the author someone you want to hug and befriend.” —Zibby Owens, Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books “In Widowish, Melissa Gould takes readers on her journey through grief in all its complexity, reminding us, in the end, of our endless capacity for love.” —Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone “Widowish is an unputdownable modern love story, the kind you don’t ever want to end. Except when it does, Melissa Gould has given us a transformational tale of modern loss and how grieving doesn’t always have to look the way we thought. One of my favorite grief memoirs to date.” —Claire Bidwell Smith, author of Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief “No one gets through this life without suffering some kind of loss, and Melissa Gould shares her journey with honesty, humor, and surprising insights. I read it straight through and now want regular updates on her life. Widowish is going to break your heart in the best way possible. I love this book!” —Annabelle Gurwitch, author of I See You Made an Effort and You’re Leaving When? “In Widowish, you can acutely feel Melissa Gould’s struggle to maintain normalcy as her husband slips away. This book is a brave and powerful examination of all the ‘shoulds’ that sometimes get in the way of our forward movement and evolution. I found myself rooting for Melissa the whole time.” —Vanessa McGrady, author of Rock Needs River “A personal and heartfelt memoir that will inspire and give hope to anyone grieving the loss of a loved one or having to make the hard decisions when someone may be going through a medical condition that isn’t going to get better. Melissa’s courage and warmth will make the reader feel like they are hearing the story of a close friend. Intimate and hopeful.” —Gabby Reece, professional athlete, model, and podcaster
£8.54
Amazon Publishing Plenty: A Memoir of Food and Family
Book SynopsisA moving reflection on motherhood, friendship, and women making their mark on the world of food from the author of Feast. Food writer Hannah Howard is at a pivotal moment in her life when she begins searching out her fellow food people—women who’ve carved a place for themselves in a punishing, male-dominated industry. Women whose journeys have inspired and informed Hannah’s own foodie quests. On trips that take her from Milan to Bordeaux to Oslo and then always back again to her home in New York City, Hannah spends time with these influential women, learning about the intimate paths that led them each toward fulfilling careers. Each chef, entrepreneur, barista, cheesemaker, barge captain, and culinary instructor expands our long-held beliefs about how the worldwide network of food professionals and enthusiasts works. But amid her travels, Hannah finds herself on a heart-wrenching private path. Her plans to embark on motherhood bring her through devastating lows and unimaginable highs. Hannah grapples with personal joy, loss, and a lifelong obsession with food that is laced with insecurity and darker compulsions. Looking to her food heroes for solace, companionship, and inspiration, she discovers new ways to appreciate her body and nourish her life. At its heart, this lovely and candid memoir explores food as a point of passion and connection and as a powerful way to create community, forge friendships, and make a family.Trade ReviewPraise for Plenty “Howard recounts her struggles to have a baby with a refreshing candidness that inspires hope, even when recalling her most desperate moments. Readers will fall in love with Howard’s astute perspective on food, love, and the richness both bring to life.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Food is so often used as a lens for men to explore our world, but Plenty subverts the genre and gives us a memoir that dives into the complex feminine humanity of the people who bring us what we eat and drink. Hannah Howard’s winding path to marriage and motherhood is punctuated by glorious women, from the Italian chef who left the machismo of restaurants to create a virtual cooking school to the lesbian barista whose fertility struggles dovetail with her business-building. The beguiling culinary descriptions pull you in, but the true magic of this book is in the way food—and the ragtag, often initially rootless people who make it—can create family. Plenty is both a deeply personal memoir and an inquisitive illumination of other women’s stories, and Hannah’s unflinching vulnerability will have you rooting for her the whole way through.” —Ali Rosen, Potluck with Ali “Hannah Howard’s Plenty is both an examination of a problem—the lack of exposure and acclaim that women working in food industries consistently experience—and a solution for that problem, as Howard introduces her readers to a global network of incredible women chefs, baristas, cheesemakers, and more. Plenty is much more than just a puff (pastry) piece, however. Like a great meal, Plenty also has subtle bitter and sour notes, as Howard lays bare her own personal challenges working in the industry. A must read for anyone who loves food, restaurants, and feminism.” —Hugh Ryan, author of When Brooklyn Was Queer “Reading Hannah Howard’s work is like spending time with a good friend whose honesty and warmth reawaken us to the vivid colors of life—to friendship, heartache, and love, and to life’s many sensual pleasures, not least among them food. We come to the end of Plenty ready to face the day, whatever it brings.” —Clifford Thompson, author of What It Is: Race, Family, and One Thinking Black Man’s Blues “Hannah Howard’s food writing is always so delicious, joyful, and a delight to read. In Plenty she also writes beautifully about women she admires, who work in all different aspects of the food world, from a hip Brooklyn coffee house to a Vermont goat farm, to a French barge. These tales of friendship and great meals are woven together with the story of her own journey towards motherhood. It’s a reminder to all of us that true nourishment, and fulfillment, comes when women support one another, and empower each other to take up all the space we need in the world.” —Virginia Sole-Smith, author of The Eating Instinct “Reading Hannah Howard is like a visit with the best kind of old friend—one with a heartfelt and charming story to tell.” —Robert Kolker, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road “A celebration of food, women, and their unique contributions to the food world, Plenty details Hannah’s journey through pregnancy, motherhood, and life in New York intertwined with her passion for food in an honest and relatable way, with both heart-warming and heart-aching stories. She weaves in tales of other women’s career paths in the food industry, whether in Spain, Norway, or NYC, highlighting the steps taken to achieve their dreams. Their stories of success and the countless challenges they faced are inspiring and helpful for anyone who is considering a career in food.” —Yasmin Fahr, author of Keeping It Simple Praise for Hannah Howard “From places as far-flung as Norway and as near as New Jersey, Hannah Howard celebrates romance, family, good work and good food, growing up, and making a home in a voice that is hopeful and generous and true. Plenty is a book for lovers and friends, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, daughters and sons. It will fill you up and give you reason to carry on.” —Dinah Lenney, author of The Object Parade “What’s clear in Plenty is Hannah’s love of all things food, not only gigantic alpine wheels and the sizzle of a knob of butter in a hot pan, but her passion for storytelling around food and her respect for the many women warriors pioneering in what has long been a male-dominated industry. Plenty is an important book—a long-overdue tribute to the inspiring tribes of women in the food world. It’s also a deeply personal book. For Hannah, food is not only an obsession but a darker compulsion. As she says herself, her love for food is profound and profoundly complicated. In Plenty, Hannah writes with vulnerability, generosity, and unhindered emotion as readers bear witness to the ups and downs of her journey toward motherhood—from recovering from an eating disorder to the anticipation of finding a partner in New York, from the harrowing experience of miscarriage to the birth of her daughter in the middle of a global pandemic. This memoir made my heart swell.” —Natasha Scripture, author of Man Fast “Hannah Howard writes with exceptional candor, insight, and intelligence.” —Rosie Schaap, author of Drinking with Men “Hannah Howard brilliantly captures the complicated relationships so many of us have with food, love, sex, and ourselves in lyrical prose that will make you hungry for more.” —Kimberly Rae Miller, author of Beautiful Bodies
£8.54
Amazon Publishing The Fallen Stones: Chasing Butterflies,
Book SynopsisOn a butterfly farm in the Maya Mountains, a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and author of the national bestseller The Tenth Island finds enduring hope during cataclysmic times. Atop a hill in the rainforest of Belize, next to the ruins of a fallen civilization, a butterfly farm raises the brilliant blue morpho. What starts out as the worst vacation ever turns into a quest to learn more about the first-of-its-kind farm when journalist Diana Marcum inadvertently discovers this wildlife sanctuary, which is supported by an international live-butterfly trade. She quickly becomes acquainted with Clive, the whimsical British millionaire whose childhood passion created an industry, and Sebastian, the Maya farm manager whose stern expression belies a soft heart. Before long Diana and her partner, Jack Moody—new to being a couple—have moved into a long-empty jungle house, cohabitating with bats, scorpions, toucans, iguanas, and the vulnerable but resilient butterflies. Just ahead, although they don’t know it, are a hurricane and a global pandemic. This warm, funny tale of finding a way forward when the world seems to be falling apart is filled with the beauty of the natural world and a heartfelt cry to protect it—beginning with butterflies.Trade Review“This is a deeply human story, and one filled with plenty of hope.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
£8.54
Amazon Publishing Flying on the Inside: A Memoir of Trauma and
Book SynopsisThe remarkable true story of one woman’s journey back from the brink. Newly widowed and faced with a deadly brain tumour, she was given two years to live. She wanted more… When her six-year-old daughter found her collapsed on the kitchen floor, Rachel had no idea how much her life was about to change. A brain scan revealed a dark shadowy mass, a huge abnormal growth of tissue that, whilst benign, was still growing and would surely kill her. It was too big to operate on. It needed to be ‘managed’, and Rachel had, at best, two years to live. Refusing to accept the bleak prognosis, Rachel was determined to stay alive. She had already lost far too much. She had already watched her brother succumb, at only twenty-eight, to cancer. She had already lost her beloved husband in a terrible scuba diving accident when she was six months pregnant. So she did the only thing she knew how to do. She fought for her life. This gripping and inspiring memoir about overcoming tragedy and trauma charts one tenacious woman’s incredible fight to find light in the darkest of journeys. It is a life-affirming tale of positivity and hope in the face of the most difficult of human experiences.
£13.18
Amazon Publishing War and Me: A Memoir
Book SynopsisAn intimate memoir about coming of age in a tight-knit working-class family during Iraq’s seemingly endless series of wars. Faleeha Hassan became intimately acquainted with loss and fear while growing up in Najaf, Iraq. Now, in a deeply personal account of her life, she remembers those she has loved and lost. As a young woman, Faleeha hated seeing her father and brother go off to fight, and when she needed to reach them, she broke all the rules by traveling alone to the war’s front lines—just one of many shocking and moving examples of her resilient spirit. Later, after building a life in the US, she realizes that she will coexist with war for most of the years of her life and chooses to focus on education for herself and her children. In a world on fire, she finds courage, compassion, and a voice. A testament to endurance and a window into unique aspects of life in the Middle East, Faleeha’s memoir offers an intimate perspective on something wars can’t touch—the loving bonds of family.Trade Review“Hassan renders her harrowing experiences in an authentic, heartfelt manner, offering important testimony of personal and national courage. A beautifully wrought memoir from a pioneering Iraqi author.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Iraqi poet Faleeha Hassan (A Butterfly’s Voice) revisits a lifetime defined by war in this devastating and gorgeous work…While a sobering narrative, Hassan’s intelligence and resilience combine to yield an incredibly powerful look at the ripple effects of warfare. Her poignant tale of survival is one that readers won’t soon forget.” —Publishers Weekly “Reading War and Me often feels like listening to a new friend tell her life story, complete with jokes, dreams, and detours…It's impossible not to want better for Hassan and her family before the first chapters are done.” —NPR “Hassan, now an American citizen, said she did not write this book for accolades. ‘Maybe one time, one leader will read my book, and he will change his mind to have another war,’ she said. ‘That’s my goal.’ War and Me is a deeply personal view of what years of wars and international sanctions did to the people Hassan loved.” —Philadelphia Inquirer Praise for Faleeha Hassan “Faleeha Hassan, ‘the Maya Angelou of Iraq,’ wields a mighty pen.” —Oprah.com
£8.54
Amazon Publishing Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature
Book SynopsisA deeply personal memoir about one woman’s journey to finding her voice and rewriting her story by the creator and host of the award-winning podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books™. Zibby Owens has become a well-known personality in the publishing world. Her infectious energy, tasteful authenticity, and smart, steadfast support of authors started in childhood, a precedent set by the profound effect books and libraries had on her own family. But after losing her closest friend on 9/11 and later becoming utterly stressed out and overwhelmed by motherhood, Zibby was forgetting what made her her. She turned to books and writing for help. Just when things seemed particularly bleak, Zibby unexpectedly fell in love with a tennis pro turned movie producer who showed her the path to happiness: away from type-A perfectionism and toward letting things unfold organically. What unfolded was a meaningful career, a great love, and finally, her voice, now heard by millions of listeners. An honest and moving story about relationships, love, food issues, the writing life, and finding one’s true calling, Bookends will inspire and uplift.Trade Review“Owens (Princess Charming), host of the podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books and cofounder of Zibby Books, chronicles her path from shy, bookish child to busy mom and media company CEO in this zippy debut…Owens’s infectious enthusiasm radiates with charm, as do her earnest reflections on motherhood. Bibliophiles will breeze through this.” —Publishers Weekly “Owens recounts falling in love again after divorce and offers encouragement and advice to mothers and women trying to get it all done. Her insights into dealing with grief are touching, and readers experiencing loss may find solace in her story.” —Kirkus Reviews “This is an endearing memoir reflecting on a woman’s defining moments in life that will likely resonate with Owens’ fans and also readers who enjoy stories about writers with a New York City backdrop.” —Booklist “Bookends, Zibby’s memoir, is a remarkably poignant story about family, relationships, love, life, and finding one’s true calling…Her writing flows off the page and offers something for everyone. If you’ve experienced heartache, depression, relationship pain, weight issues, felt punched in the face by life and loss…come through it alive and kickin’—you will fly through each page of Bookends. Zibby’s inspiring account provides helpful insight and hope to everyone who reads it.” —Quest Magazine “Part literary love story, part family history, it’s a propulsive read that chronicles Owens’s complicated relationships—with food, with romance, with books, with vast wealth—all told with self-effacing warmth…heartfelt and touching.” —Claire Gibson, Avenue Magazine “In this new memoir…she takes on the role of accomplished author herself, as she beautifully reveals the loves and losses that have shaped her life, and discovers what it means to truly find your place in the world.” —Town & Country “When Owens writes with this blend of vulnerability and approachability, the reader feels as if a close friend is sharing her story with you…Bookends is proof that anyone has the power to rewrite their narrative, if only they are open to fully experiencing all that life puts in their path.” —Hippocampus Magazine “Zibby Owens’s Bookends is a candid and charming memoir about the ups and downs of midlife through the lens of reading and books. Zibby, one of the most beloved book influencers in America, shares how books can help us through tough times. An inspiring and hopeful read.” —Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO, Thrive Global “I knew Zibby was an ardent supporter of authors, but I didn’t realize she was such a fantastic writer herself. Insightful, helpful, authentic, and unifying, the tone of this beautifully written, memorable memoir is just so Zibby. A great choice for every busy mom.” —Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Four Winds “Zibby Owens has always been a terrific interviewer of authors, but it wasn’t until I read her book that I realized how deep her passion for literature truly runs. Her story is a valentine to falling in love with the written word, and for a writer—and readers—that’s the sweetest kind of tale.” —Mitch Albom, New York Times bestselling author of The Stranger in the Lifeboat “A tender, intelligent coming-of-age tale, by turns poignant and hilarious, Bookends gripped me from the first sentence. This is the kind of book you hide in the bathroom to finish, ignoring the cries of your kids and the ringing phone. But it’s also a serious meditation on the dangerous constraints of contemporary motherhood and the nature of privilege. I dare you to read it and not fall in love with Zibby!” —Joanna Rakoff, author of international bestselling memoir My Salinger Year “Zibby Owens has such an infectious enthusiasm—for life, for love, for her friends and family, but above all else for books—her prose glows with it. Thus Bookends acts on two levels: it is both a personal journey from mute child to gregarious author, who spends her days talking to and about writers, and a virtual bookshelf, the kind you sometimes find in a summer rental, groaning with well-loved spines.” —Deborah Copaken, New York Times bestselling author of Ladyparts and Shutterbabe “Bookends is a testament to the healing power of literature, love, and above all, allegiance to one’s true self. Zibby Owens guides us, like a comforting friend, through her journey of loss and reinvention, reminding us, in the end, of our endless capacity for love.” —Claire Bidwell Smith, author of The Rules of Inheritance “Lucky for us, Zibby Owens—a relentless cheerleader for authors known and unknown—has paid homage to books and the role reading has played in her endlessly fascinating life by writing her own.” —Katie Couric “There are no words other than: WOW! Zibby’s work is gorgeous, raw, honest, heartbreaking, and funny. Zibby inspires me.” —Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author
£8.54
Amazon Publishing Feral: Losing Myself and Finding My Way in
Book SynopsisA bracing memoir about self-discovery, liberating escape, and moving forward across an adventurous and volatile American landscape. One year. One national park at a time. This is it. No more California. I’m sifting into the underbelly of where the nomads go. After a decade as an assistant to high-powered LA executives, Emily Pennington left behind her structured life and surrendered to the pull of the great outdoors. With a tight budget, meticulous routing, and a temperamental minivan she named Gizmo, Emily embarked on a yearlong road trip to sixty-two national parks, hell-bent on a single goal: getting through the adventure in one piece. She was instantly thrust into more chaos than she’d bargained for and found herself on an unpredictable journey rocked by a gutting romantic breakup, a burgeoning pandemic, wildfires, and other seismic challenges that threatened her safety, her sanity, and the trip itself. What began as an intrepid obsession soon evolved into a life-changing experience. Navigating the tangle of life’s unexpected sucker punches, Feral invites readers along on Emily’s grand, blissful, and sometimes perilous journey, where solitude, resilience, self-reliance, and personal transformation run wild.Trade Review“The author’s unflinching honesty and the boldness of her inner and outer journeys are the two great strengths of a book…[that] succeeds in offering a moving portrait of a woman who came into her own by learning to let go.…Fierce, candid reading.” —Kirkus Reviews “Pennington lyrically describes the wonders of the natural world, and she examines her solo life on the road with unsentimental insight. Readers will relish this hopeful portrayal of personal growth.” —Publishers Weekly “In this visceral memoir, travel writer Pennington depicts a year devoted to visiting 62 U.S. national parks…Pennington’s story of personal growth is told with unflinching insight and immense awe at the natural wonders she encounters; her expressive storytelling is sure to engage and inspire readers.” —Booklist “We can only aspire to the curiosity, pluck, and delight exhibited in Emily Pennington’s Feral despite the boulders and storms life might have tumbled at her.” —Nick Offerman, author of Where the Deer and the Antelope Play and Paddle Your Own Canoe “Emily peels back the superficial layers of van life with unflinching honesty to reveal the beautifully frustrating reality that is life on the road, while also gifting readers with important epiphanies set in our beloved national parks. This is a must read for anyone who values public land, our environment, and compelling storytelling.” —Craig Grossi, author of Craig & Fred and Second Chances “Please read Emily Pennington’s brilliantly written story about her year visiting our national parks. It is filled with the savage beauty, historical depth, and existential joy nature has to share with all of us. Do not miss this extraordinary adventure.” —Lyn Lear, Emmy-nominated filmmaker and environmental activist “Self-improvement, but also connection. The rush of new challenges, but also the tranquility of quiet moments. Emily Pennington travels for all the right reasons, and we’re so lucky she’s brought us along on the adventure of a lifetime.” —Sebastian Modak, editor-at-large at Lonely Planet and former New York Times 52 Places Traveler “Emily’s vivid memoir is for anyone seeking what could be, rather than accepting what is. Her national park journey is a testament to life-changing relationships, finding oneself, and the transformative power of the outdoors.” —Heather Balogh Rochfort, adventure journalist and author of Women Who Hike “Emily was facing major obstacles as she set out on a huge adventure to visit every US national park, from a breakup to the onset of COVID-19. In an awesome Eat, Pray, Love approach to the natural world, she sets out on the adventure of a lifetime, dodging grizzly bears and hiking in some of the world’s remotest places. There’s no one I’d rather go on this journey with.” —Mary Turner, deputy editor, Outside magazine “Emily Pennington knows America’s park system better than most people know their own backyards—it is a privilege to get an intimate glimpse of how that relationship has shaped her.” —Megan Spurrell, senior editor at Condé Nast Traveler “On paper, a plan to visit all sixty-two US national parks in one year sounds like a fun trip—what makes Feral an adventure story worth reading, though, is everything that wasn’t in the plan.” —Brendan Leonard, author of The Camping Life and Sixty Meters to Anywhere “A timely travel memoir that melds together stories of our national park system and the author’s life. This is a book about themes that touch us all: exploration, discovery, and home. Packed with vivid details and brutal honesty, to read Feral is to know Emily.” —Abigail Wise, digital managing director, Outside magazine
£8.54
Harbour Publishing British Columbia in Flames: Stories from a
Book SynopsisLike many British Columbians in2017, Claudia Cornwall found herself glued to the news about the disastrous wildfires across the province. Her worry was personal: her cabin at Sheridan Lake had been in the family for sixty years and was now in danger of destruction.Cornwall, a long-time writer, was stricken not just by her own experience, but by the many moving stories she came across about the firesso she began collecting them. She met with people from the communities of Sheridan Lake, Ashcroft, Cache Creek,16Mile House, Lac La Hache, Quesnel, Williams Lake, Hanceville-Riske Creek and Clinton. She hoped to be a conduit for the voices she heardfor those who fought the fires raging around them, those who were evacuated and displaced, and those who could do nothing but watch as their homes burned. She conducted over fifty hours of interviews with ranchers, cottagers, Indigenous residents,RCMP officers, evacuees, store and resort owners, search and rescue volunteers, firefighters and local government officials.Presented inBritish Columbia in Flames are stories that illustrate the importance of community. During the2017wildfires, people looked after strangers who had no place to go. They shared information. They helped each other rescue and shelter animals. They kept stores open day and night to supply gas, food and comfort to evacuees. This memoir, at once journalistic and deeply personal, highlights the strength with whichBCcommunities can and will come together to face a terrifying force of nature.
£18.89
Harbour Publishing One Inch from Disaster: True Tales from the Wilds
Book SynopsisKelly Randall Ricketts has spent over half his life in the Campbell River area of Vancouver Island and lived in almost every region of BC, and like many rural British Columbians, he has tried his hand at an astonishing array of occupations from logging to mining to wrangling horses. Add to this a passion for the outdoors, heavyweight boxing, performing his own music and storytelling, and you have the makings of a very lively memoir.In One Inch from Disaster, Ricketts shares his closest calls, most daring feats and most embarrassing mistakes with the nonchalance and wry self-deprecation that comes from living a highly active life. Whether leaping from boat to boat on the crest of a giant wave, driving a bulldozer over a pile of dynamite, changing a tire just feet away from an angry grizzly or picking a fight with a group of Hells Angels, Ricketts rarely let the possibility of danger get in the way of a good story.Featuring hilarity, excitement and occasional moments of true reverence, One Inch from Disaster may inspire even the most confirmed city-dweller to get out and explore the adventures that await on the wilder side of life. On the other hand, the reader may feel grateful to live out these adventures vicariously from the comfort of their home, guided by such a riotous storyteller.
£11.04
Hampton Roads Publishing Co Do You See What I See: Lasers and Love, ESP and
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£15.19
Hachette Book Group Life After Darkness: Finding Healing and
Book SynopsisMichelle Knight-now known as Lily Rose Lee-captured the world's attention May 2013, when she and fellow kidnapping victims Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus were found and freed after years of imprisonment and torture. Michelle was a young single mother when she was kidnapped by a Cleveland school bus driver named Ariel Castro. Her story of the horrors she endured for more than a decade afterward, and the hope she sustained, became the #1 New York Times bestseller Finding Me in 2014. In her second book-to be published on the fifth anniversary of her escape-she answers the question: How do you heal after great tragedy? Organized thematically (finding hope, finding friendship, finding love), Michelle shares her experience of rebuilding her life, and offers her thoughts on how anyone who has suffered greatly can learn to find new meaning and purpose.
£19.00
Feral House,U.S. A Tramp's Philosophy: The Rediscovered Classic of
Book SynopsisA distillation of Bart Kennedy's observances from his travels, between 1881 and 1920.
£17.09
Forefront Books No Bad Days: How to Find Joy in Any Circumstance
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£21.25
Forefront Books The Flourishing Community: A Story of Hope for
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£22.10
BenBella Books In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO:
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£20.69
Morgan James Publishing llc Always Coming Back Home: An Emotional Tale of
Book SynopsisAlways Coming Back Home is an emotional tale of love, adventure, hope, and tragedy. Always Coming Back Home uses heartfelt stories and real-time emails sent from a deployed sailor to his bride, readers quickly become invested in this young family. The couple takes readers on adventures of sailing and scuba diving throughout the world. They also keep readers laughing as the couple becomes first time parents, anxious with them during military deployments, upset with them through miscarriages and family loss, and finally, heartbroken as it all comes to an end with a single phone call. Always Coming Back Home is a candid and raw account of two ordinary people coming together to accomplish extraordinary things.Trade Review"Always Coming Back Home: An Emotional Tale of Love, Adventure, Tragedy and Hope by Ashley Bugge is the story of Ashley and Brian as they navigate life and overcome hardships one day at a time. ...They laughed together, they cried together, they shared their sorrows and drew strength from each other. Through it all, they knew that no matter what happens, they will always come back home and live the dreams they dreamed together. ...The memories Ashley shares with readers are so personal that you will feel like you are living in the moment with them." -- Reader's Favorite
£12.34
Academic Studies Press These Hard Times: A Jewish Woman's Rescue from
Book SynopsisIn this vivid memoir originally published in German, Anne Groschler (1888-1982) recounts her 1944 escape from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp to Mandatory Palestine via “Transport 222”, an exchange transport of 222 Jews for “Aryan" prisoners of war. In the most detailed contribution of the exchange ever published, Groschler paints an authentic picture of life before WWII amongst the upper echelons of German society, her ultimate persecution and escape to Holland where she was betrayed, the horrors of life in the Westerbork and Bergen-Belsen camps, and her eventual flight via "Transport 222" to Palestine. Written immediately after her liberation in 1944, this unique document captures a little-known chapter of Holocaust history.Table of ContentsIntroduction1. Jever 1938–19392. Groningen and the occupation of the Netherlands—January 1939 to 19423. Groningen 1942/43: Hiding, betrayal and prison4. Camp Westerbork: November 12, 1942, to January 19445. Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, February 1, 1944, to June 1944. Death of Hermann Groschler6. Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, April 16 to June 30, 1944: Before the Palestine exchange7. June 30 to July 10, 1944: From Bergen-Belsen to Palestine by train8. Arrival in Palestine on July 10, 1944, and the time thereafterWorks CitedIllustration Credits
£14.24
Page Street Publishing Co. Anxiously Ever After: An Honest Memoir on Mental
Book SynopsisClint Edwards, beloved author of Father-ish, Silence is a Scary Sound, and I'm Sorry... Love, Your Husband, returns with a new book unpacking the challenges and struggles of living with mental illness. Where Clint's previous books centered on his relationship with his wife and children, he now turns a critical eye towards his own childhood, detailing his experiences coping with anxiety and being raised by parents with their own (undiagnosed) mental illnesses. Though Clint's stories are brutally honest, his humorous nature exposes moments of levity in the face of tragedy and tribulation. Readers will find comfort and familiarity in Clint's struggle as he attempts to avoid the pitfalls his own parents made and strives to be a better parent and spouse himself. Stories include running away from home to live with his grandmother, reconnecting with his mother with the help of a 48-inch clock and a garbage bag, and getting the anxiety poops in ninth grade PE. Clint's sincere voice paired with his knack for finding humor in the darker moments of his life will help spouses, parents, and anyone with parents connect to and find reassurance in his stories.
£14.39
She Writes Press Promenade of Desire: A Barcelona Memoir
Book Synopsis“A brave and unblinkingly honest portrait of a young woman’s sensual and sexual awakening in the face of censure and repression, and her refusal to be held back by the constraints of her family, culture, and religion. The same joyful spirit that expresses itself in Mencos’ love of dancing shines through in her story of her own personal dance into a brave new world beyond the one her mother prescribed for her. Her story is shameless, in the very best sense of the word.” —Joyce Maynard, New York Times best-selling author of Labor Day, To Die For, and Count The Ways María Isidra is a proper Catholic girl raised in 1960s Spain by a strong matriarch during a repressive dictatorship. Early sexual trauma and a hefty dose of fear keep her in line for much of her childhood, but also lead her to live a double life. In her home, there is no discussing the needs of her growing body. In the street, kissing in public is forbidden. Upon the dictator’s death in 1975, Spain bursts wide open, giving way to democracy and a cultural revolution. Barcelona’s vibrant downtown and its new freedoms seduce María Isidra. She dives into a world of activism, communal living, literature, counterculture, open sexuality, and alcohol. And yet she knows something is missing. Longing to reconnect with her body—from which she has felt estranged since childhood—she finds a surprising home in a rundown salsa club, where the lush rhythm sparks a deep wave of healing. Transformed, she sets off on a series of sexual and romantic misadventures, in search for what she has always found painfully elusive: true intimacy. Promenade of Desire is a rich journey into the life of a woman once contained, who finds a way to set herself free.Trade Review2023 Firebird Book Awards Second Place Winner in Multicultural Nonfiction2022 Best Book Awards Finalist in Multicultural: Nonfiction“Mencos examines how the muzzling of her desires affected her childhood and coming of age… In short, powerful scenes, she skillfully balances the limited understanding of her younger self with the compassion of the adult, who is all too aware of the high price of shame…The parallels Mencos draws between her own transformation and that of her beloved country are one of the memoir’s many strengths and are described in rich and sensual language… Through every detour on her journey, Mencos grows. In Promenade of Desire, she takes a bumpy road and turns it into art. Unapologetic and unflinching in her language, her words are also lyrical, engaging, and quite lovely. Spoiler alert: Mencos does find her way. To discover where and how she finally befriends her desire, you will have to read the book. I wholeheartedly recommend that you do.” —Hippocampus Magazine “Mencos makes Spain come alive with vivid descriptions of the tastes of food and the salsa music that enabled her to move freely in dance clubs and eventually to let loose in other ways. She draws deft parallels between her experiences and the opening of Spanish society post-Franco as attitudes toward sex and culture changed. … Her immersive approach makes it easy to imagine the author moving through history, navigating its mores and milestones. A lush memoir and richly detailed exploration of a pivotal era in Spain.”—Kirkus Reviews “A brave and unblinkingly honest portrait of a young woman’s sensual and sexual awakening in the face of censure and repression, and her refusal to be held back by the constraints of her family, culture, and religion. The same joyful spirit that expresses itself in Mencos’ love of dancing shines through in her story of her own personal dance into a brave new world beyond the one her mother prescribed for her. Her story is shameless, in the very best sense of the word.” —Joyce Maynard, New York Times best-selling author of Labor Day, To Die For, and Count The Ways “Desire drives both art and life, and Isidra Mencos's memoir pulses and glows with it. Her prismatic exploration of desire reveals everything desire can be, from natural, alive, and free to shamed, broken, and destructive to tenderly and determinedly reclaimed. Mencos excavates her most intimate experiences of becoming whole with the unflinching scrutiny of a scientist, the boundless curiosity of a child, and the astute devotion of an artist.” —Jeannine Ouellette, award-winning author of The Part That Burns“Promenade of Desire is many things at once: a page-turning coming-of-age tale, a gutsy examination of family, a vivid portrait of a vanished time and a place, and a profound meditation on the nature of desire. Mencos is a sure-handed, open-hearted storyteller whose yearnings reflect our own.” —Aaron Shulman, author of The Age of Disenchantments: The Epic Story of Spain’s Most Notorious Literary Family and the Long Shadow of the Spanish Civil War “Promenade of Desire sets the author’s sexual coming-of-age story against Spain’s sexual and political awakening in a unique and intriguing pairing.” —Julia Scheeres, NY Times best-selling author of Jesus Land “Mencos takes readers on her compelling, personal journey of rebellion against the backdrop of her country’s evolution to democracy. Fighting against family, tradition, and society’s expectations of women, she ultimately triumphs.” —Andrea Jarrell, author of I’m the One Who Got Away
£11.69
She Writes Press Framing a Life: Building the Space To Be Me
Book SynopsisOn a blustery Maine day, thirty-nine-year-old Roberta Kuriloff found herself standing on a plot of land purchased with her former partner, holding a couple of wood stakes to mark off exactly where her new house would sit. No longer their land. No longer their dream. Now, just hers. Immersed in a world of blueprints, materials, contractors, and critters, Roberta confronted the major losses she’d suffered in her life—in particular the deaths of her mother and aunt from cancer and her separation from her father and brother during her placement in an orphanage—and to try to understand how those losses had shaped the woman, lawyer, and activist she’d become. As she cleared land, hammered nails, lifted beams, and shivered in her rented mobile home, the answers began to come to her. Roberta soon found love again, with a woman named Nancy . . . only to lose her abruptly just one year later in a car accident. Her grief over Nancy’s death, and the psychic and out-of-body events she experienced following that loss, led to an eight-year spiritual quest where she explored her Jewish roots, the Kabbalah, Buddhism, and reincarnation. As she healed, new love beckoned with Bernice—and at long last Roberta found that intrinsic sense of self, that unshakable foundation of heart and soul, that home, that she’d been searching for all along.Trade Review“This remarkable memoir—one of the deepest I’ve ever read—is my kind of revelation. The book made me cry out, cover my eyes, mourn, beam with pride, and appreciate the trials that led to my own emotional and spiritual growth. Kuriloff’s story will find a place alongside Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Amy Chua’s Tiger Mother. Permeated with humility, bravery, and a bold feminist intersection, Framing a Life is a triumph for many of us with both hurting and joyful hearts. It will last in our times and long into the future.”—June S. Gould, PhD, poet, workshop leader for the International Women’s Writing Guild, and author of The Writer in All of Us“Framing A Life by Roberta S. Kuriloff is about the search for home, family, and love—yet is so much more. This story examines the grief of losing all we human beings long for in this world, but still moving forward with faith, love, and tenacity. You will smile. You will cry. Best of all, you will cheer on Roberta as she learns home is not necessarily a place. It is embedded in your core, your heart, and your soul.”—Laura L. Engel, author of You’ll Forget This Ever Happened: Secrets, Shame, and Adoption in the 1960s“Roberta Kuriloff uses the metaphor of home to deepen our understanding of belonging. Overcoming a stark life in a city orphanage, she becomes a lawyer driven to become a voice for abandoned and abused children and ultimately builds a home of her own in Maine to shelter her loved ones. An inspiring memoir about the construction and union of both an inner and outer life.”—Maureen Murdock, PhD, author of The Heroine's Journey: Woman's Quest for Wholeness and Unreliable Truth: On Memoir and Memory“Roberta’s memoir is honest, poignant, and shares with grace how she overcame her life’s tragedies. Her courage, optimism, and the ways she found and built her true home—in the deepest sense of the word—will uplift and inspire many readers.”—Rivvy Neshama, author of Recipes for a Sacred Life: True Stories and a Few Miracles“Rarely have I read a memoir that was so captivating. Roberta Kuriloff’s resilience and tenacity in the face of adversity is inspiring. Through her work as a lawyer and her interactions with family and friends, she demonstrates what it means to be a compassionate feminist and a joyful, spiritual person.”—Patricia Ould, PhD, co-author of Same-Sex Marriage, Context, and Lesbian Identity: Wedded but Not Always a Wife“Framing A Life: Building The Space to Be Me is the story of one woman’s quest for self-understanding, love, and the meaning of home. On days when I despair that nothing much is going right, I look to Roberta and her courage, perseverance, and optimism. Her story could have been the story of a bitter woman, beaten down by life and loss. It is anything but. It is a shining light held aloft for any woman struggling to find that place within that is whole, complete and at peace.”—Cathleen O'Connor, PhD, author of High Heels on the Hamster Wheel, The Everything Law of Attraction Dream Dictionary, and The Collection: Flash Fiction for Flash Memory“Kuriloff tells her amazing story of resilience. This is the journey of her survival, her intense drive to succeed, and the later death of her partner—a woman she loved. Finding the surprising depths of her spiritual side, she not only relearns how to love, but she also relearns how to live. It is an intensely personal yet very relatable work.”—Linda Bergman, screenwriter, producer, and author of So You Think Your Life’s A Movie: The Sequel“In Framing a Life, Roberta S. Kuriloff constructs—from fragments of past scenes, journal entries, night dreams, changing states of being, and reflections—a textual home for herself and the reader to reside in, inside the territory of a culturally evolving America. This narrative—of a return to a whole and expanded self, one evoking Walt Whitman’s iconic line ‘I am large, I contain multitudes’ —is a timely permission to illuminate the manifold pieces of one’s own life and reassemble them into a compassionate definition of oneself, alive at a certain moment, in a certain place, in human history.”—Marj Hahne, writer, editor, and teacher
£11.04
SparkPress The Fun Master: A Memoir
Book SynopsisA self-involved academic struggling to cope with his own neurological problems, Jeff could hardly take care of himself, let alone a child with special needs, when his son, Ethan, was born. But despite multiple surgeries, hospitalizations, serious breathing and swallowing problems, hearing loss, and a challenging social environment in his first months of life, Ethan thrived—all the while teaching Jeff to take things as they came. And eight years later, the arrival from China of adopted baby sister Penelope took Jeff's on-the-job training to a whole new level.Ethan's instinct for fun proved the perfect complement to Jeff's determination to live life fully. He died too young, but not before he, Penelope, and their mother, Janet, taught Jeff that the true path to happiness was putting other people's needs before his own—and living in the moment rather than trying to control it.Trade Review2022 Best Book Awards Finalist in Nonfiction: Creative“About coping, self-sacrifice, and loss, The Fun Master is a moving memoir by a father who was transformed by his love for his child.”—Foreword Reviews“. . . bold and heartwarming . . . a powerful story of one father’s journey; a journey that is filled with realities bravely faced . . .”—Readers' Favorite, 5-star review“In this poignant memoir, Seitzer takes us inside the grueling day-to-day of parents turned inside out by the arrival of a child with intense medical needs, while reminding us that even in the most challenging times the joy and humor that children bring always shines through. And the love. The big, life-changing love.”—Nicola Kraus, co-author of The Nanny Diaries“Jeff Seitzer combines compassion, humor, and hard truths in this artfully written and beautiful story of a father’s dedication to his son, Ethan. It is a compelling story of personal growth, triumph over adversity, and love simultaneously both heart wrenching and heartwarming.”—George Bodenheimer, former President and Executive Chairman, ESPN“Jeff Seitzer shepherds readers through charming, poignant, and also heartbreaking tales of parenting, adoption, and the loss of a child. Through The Fun Master, I learned valuable lessons of love and resilience from the point of view of both parent and child, and I am reminded of why I pursued a career in medicine in the first place. This is a must-read for parents and medical professionals alike.”—Ron Bahar, MD, pediatric gastroenterologist and author of The Frontman“Jeff Seitzer writes beautifully about the love between parent and child. You will laugh, cry, and ultimately understand why children are our greatest teachers. Above all, this moving memoir honors his son's incredible impact on everyone he met.”—Nadine Kenney Johnstone, author of Of This Much I Am Sure“If life is learning, Jeff Seitzer is uniquely equipped. Bringing to bear his philosophical voice on the minutiae of raising a child with special needs, Seitzer has created a memoir as self-effacing as it is fearlessly honest.”—Sarah Terez Rosenblum, author of Herself When She's Missing“The Fun Master brings us face to face with the daily life of parenting a special needs child. Through inspirational writing, you will be taken to the most creative places in your mind and soul following this dad’s transformation through the complex role of fathering. An extraordinary, heartfelt story of loving and letting go.”—Anna Penenberg, author of Dancing in the Narrows“Beautifully told and deeply moving—a gripping tale about infinite joy and sadness alike, and about the ironies that life contains. It takes a powerful writer like Seitzer to treat these ironies with the right mix of involvement, distance, and wonder, and to show the impossible—namely how to reconcile the unreconcilable.”—Rainer Forst, winner of the Leibniz Prize and author of Toleration in Conflict“Jeff Seitzer has penned a beautiful memoir detailing the struggles of a faither with CMT. I found this book funny, inspiring and full of love. I hope he writes many more! ”—Clark Semmes, author of The Tribe of Thin Ankles“Beautifully crafted memoir.”—Heather Harpham, author of Happiness: A Memoir“If you like memoirs that are written beautifully and manage to quickly tug at your heartstrings, then you won’t want to overlook The Fun Master.”—Pick a Good Book review
£11.04
DoppelHouse Press Red Wave: An American in the Soviet Music
Book SynopsisA memoir by an American who almost single-handedly introduced Soviet rock to the free world, [...] Stingray, who wrote this memoir with her daughter, Madison, nicely captures her daring amid an atmosphere of liberation and fear, and she's a study in moxie and enthusiasm.—Kirkus ReviewsAs one of the first American musicians to break through the Soviet scene, and one of the few women to be seen as an equal amongst Leningrad’s pantheon of rock superstars, Stingray’s perspective on the development of late Soviet rock is probably the single most important source for those who want a birds-eye view of late Soviet youth culture, and Stingray’s stories are as entertaining as they are relevant and illuminating.—Alexander Herbert, author of What About Tomorrow?: An Oral History of Russian Punk from the Soviet Era to Pussy RiotWild and vivid — a rollicking memoir of romance and rock ‘n’ roll in an era of upheaval and transition. From Los Angeles to Leningrad and back again, Joanna’s story is borne along by her infectious, headlong enthusiasm. It’s quite a ride.—Patrick Radden Keefe, creator of the Wind of Change podcast and author of Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern IrelandThe history of Russian rock music could have been very different without Joanna Stingray. Joanna was friends with rock musicians, recorded songs with them, shot their videos and brought them clothes and instruments from the West. Her video footage, capturing young icons of Russian rock like Viktor Tsoi, Sergei Kuryokhin, Timur Novikov and Boris Grebenshchikov, is rare evidence of the golden era of the Soviet underground.—The Moscow TimesRed Wave is a warm and conversational autobiography about a lost world, peopled with courageous artists risking their freedom for the ideas of expression, art, and rock ‘n’ roll. [...] We root for her and her friends to overcome bureaucracy, oppression, isolation, deprivation, and the heavy footsteps of the KGB. [...] In a readable and personable way, Red Wave helps shine some light into this remarkable corner of rock history. —Tim Sommer, GuernicaJoanna Stingray's appearance in St. Petersburg in the early 1980s must have been God's response to our unconscious prayers. Her naive bravery, curiosity and generosity created a kind of a lifeline for us rockers: she brought in things we needed to play our music, and took out not only our recordings but the very message of our existence. Had it not been for her and her Red Wave, it would have taken Aquarium many more years to have official records on Melodiya and Kino to start touring Europe. This fearless maiden broke through the siege that looked hopelessly unbreakable. She threw a life-saver into our waters and she changed everything. No matter how many times we thank her — it's never enough.—Boris Grebenshchikov (Aquarium), 2018Trade ReviewBusiness and cultural pioneers don’t set out to light the world on fire but end up doing so through ingenuity and determination. While we often think of globalization as factories and container ships, the exchange of goods and ideas between nations starts with one person finding something people in another nation would value. Joanna Stingray was that one person who brought Soviet rock music to America and did so in remarkable fashion.—ForbesThanks to a resourceful Los Angeles singer and songwriter who heard—and liked—their brand of Russian rock, the bands are now playing to a faraway audience. [...] The album is the brainchild of Joanna Stingray a.k.a. Joanna Fields, 25, who has been exploring the Soviet Union’s unofficial and unheralded rock world since 1984.—NewsweekEight trips later she had ‘smuggled’ enough tapes of Kino and other groups out of the Soviet Union to produce an album, Red Wave–a kind of Greatest Hits of Socialist Rock. At first the Soviet press denigrated Stingray’s tales of the “brave little American miss helping the oppressed Soviet musicians” as a self-serving fantasy. Now, though, inspired by glasnost if not by greed, Soviet officialdom has cut a deal with her to produce 10 albums of “unofficial music” for consumption in the U.S.—People MagazineThe music on Red Wave – which ranges from the ska-tinged pop of Kino to the brooding, introspective songwriting of Grebenshchikov – was recorded mostly in cramped living rooms transformed into home studios with borrowed two-track and eight-track equipment. The lyrics, sung in Russian (a translated lyric sheet is provided), are not overtly political. But veiled reference to politics shine through, as does a keen awareness of progressive Western rock.—Rolling StoneTable of ContentsDedication Introduction Book One: 1984–1987 Interlude: Interview with Boris Grebenshchikov Book Two: 1988–1996 Epilogue: 1996–2020 Acknowledgments In Memoriam Further Listening
£21.59
International Polar Institute Press Marrying Mongolia
Book Synopsis"A child of the '50's, Sas Carey was raised to marry and rear children. She did that, but with the care and morals shared by her parents, along with a lust for life, learned she could follow her own path, strewn with heartache, yet leading to transcendence. Her story is one of empowerment. In overcoming expectations, Sas becomes a healer of body and soul, learning that she need not devote herself to a single person to substantiate herself. Sas Carey has climbed mountains, swum across lakes and rivers, and slept on the ground of three continents. She has ridden planes, trains, cars, bikes, boats, horses, camels, and reindeer. A Quaker, Sas is an award-winning documentary film director, author, spiritual healer, registered nurse, mother, and grandmother. Relaxing in her gazebo in Vermont, she dreams of her next adventure.
£18.75
Allen & Unwin Lawless: A lawyer’s unrelenting fight for justice
Book SynopsisIn the summer of 2008 Kimberley Motley quit her job as a public defender in Milwaukee to join a program that helped train lawyers in war-torn Afghanistan. She was thirty-two at the time, a mother of three who had never travelled outside the United States. Through sheer force of personality, ingenuity and perseverance, Kimberley became the first foreign lawyer to practise in Afghanistan and her work swiftly morphed into a mission - to bring 'justness' to the defenceless and voiceless. She has established herself as an expert on its fledgling criminal justice system, able to pivot between the country's complex legislation and its religious laws in defence of her clients. Her radical approach has seen her successfully represent both Afghans and Westerners, overturning sentences for men and women who've been subject to often appalling miscarriages of justice. Inspiring and fascinating in equal measure, Lawless tells the story of a remarkable woman operating in one of the most dangerous countries in the world.Trade ReviewA thoroughly riveting read * Sydney Morning Herald *Table of Contents1: The playlist 2: The Manchurian Candidate 3: I'm not a terrorist, I'm a taxi driver 4: Please help us 5: My name is Irene 6: False pretences 7: Give me your watch 8: The minimum is not guilty 9: You need to sit down 10: I don't have all day 11: Immoral crimes 12: Watch your back 13: Lock your doors and hide 14: Okay, baby. Breathe. Slow down. 15: Iron Doe 16: A man or a monster? 17: Wicked Ninja 18: Crocodile tears 19: Well, you must have done something 20: High fives 21: Article 71, I think 22: Oh . . . this is America 23: Motley's law Epilogue: The aftermath
£9.49
Allen & Unwin The Travelling Vet: From pets to pandas, my life
Book SynopsisJonathan Cranston is no ordinary vet. In addition to his day job in the Gloucestershire countryside treating cows, dogs, pigs and cats, he's also worked with an astonishing range of species around the world, including crocodiles, rhinos and pandas. In this charming collection he introduces us to some of his favourite patients, ranging from beloved family pets through to magnificent creatures of the wild. Whether microchipping armadillos, anaesthetising giraffes or birthing a calf, Jonathan's love for his work and the entire animal kingdom is infectious. From the preposterous (castrating a sugar glider) to the poignant (encountering victims of rhino poaching), the stories in The Travelling Vet will delight and enthral every animal lover.Trade ReviewAnimal lovers and conservationists will find this book a fascinating read . . . full of witty, hilarious and sometimes poignant anecdotes. [...] Jonathan's passion for his career and his beloved animals shines out from every chapter * The Lady *Table of Contents0: Preface 1: Introduction 2: Armadillo 3: Giraffe 4: Swan 5: Snow Leopard 6: Goat 7: Elephant 8: Chicken 9: Maned Wolf 10: Holstein Cow 11: Rhinoceros 12: Donkey 13: Ferret 14: Giant Panda 15: Pig 16: Iguana 17: Crocodile 18: Kangaroo 19: Zebra 20: Sugar Glider 21: Wildebeest 22: Acknowledgements
£10.79
Allen & Unwin The Man Who Loved Pink Dolphins: A true story of
Book SynopsisThis is the story of Christopher Clark, a remarkable man who spent his life helping to save a pristine corner of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Clark's strict childhood sent him far from home in search of adventure, landing him in the Amazon, where he fell in love with the forest, its people and its wildlife. When a village elder in a dying riverbank town begged him to save the forest and its inhabitants, this challenge became his life's work. Over the next thirty years, he set up home in one of the most remote parts of the Amazon and lived an extraordinary life. Together with the isolated Waimiri-Atroari Indigenous people, he stared down men with machine guns, weathered government campaigns to discredit and drive him out, apocalyptic fires, and more.Australian writer Anthony Ham travelled to Clark's forest home in Xixuaú, and listened as Clark told his story for the first time. With Valdemar, an Indian guide and Clark's lifelong friend, they explored the forest world in a dugout canoe as pink dolphins swam beside them. They spoke for days over caipirinhas, as Clark told stories of close encounters with jaguars and anacondas, of his life among the people of the Amazon, and of the deadly threats still being made against him. Ham brings to life the forest and its many dark and beautiful secrets, as well as depicting Clark in all his complexity. In the process the two men, writer and activist, became friends and together faced one last attempt on Clark's life.At a time of great peril for the Amazon and its inhabitants, as vast areas are being destroyed with frightening consequences for our planet, the rainforest itself becomes a haunting character in this gripping book. The Man Who Loved Pink Dolphins is captivating, crucial, terrifying and hopeful, and is very much a story of our time.Praise for The Last Lions of Africa:'Urgent and important. This moving tale with a heroic cast of characters, leonine and human, is a must-read for anyone passionate about wildlife and wild places.' - Tony Park, author of Last Survivor'A moving journey . . . Ham is a beautiful storyteller.' - Australian Women's Weekly'This is gripping, insightful, evocative and ultimately heartbreaking reading.' - Travel Africa'The Last Lions of Africa took me to new horizons among familiar territory, to a richer more spiritual understanding of us and lions. What a thoughtful, educational and spiritual book.' - Jonathan Scott, author of The Marsh Lions, Sacred Nature and Big Cat Diary'The Last Lions of Africa is much more than a tale about the struggle to save the lion from extinction. What makes it so rewarding and gives it mythic resonance is the way Ham captures the intimate, complex interrelationships between humans - farmers, villagers, hunters, conservationists - and these proud, awe-inspiring beasts.' - Sydney Morning Herald
£15.29
ECW Press,Canada Me & Issy: A Four Seasons Romance
Book Synopsis
£24.64
Greystone Books,Canada This One Looks Like a Boy: My Gender Journey to
Book SynopsisInspiring and honest, this unique memoir of gender transition and coming-of-age proves it’s never too late to find your true identity.Since he was a small child, Lorimer Shenher knew something for certain: he was a boy. The problem was, he was growing up in a girl’s body.In this candid and thoughtful memoir, Shenher shares the story of his gender journey, from childhood gender dysphoria to teenage sexual experimentation to early-adult denial of his identity—and finally the acceptance that he is trans, culminating in gender reassignment surgery in his fifties. Along the way, he details his childhood in booming Calgary, his struggles with alcohol, and his eventual move to Vancouver, where he became the first detective assigned to the case of serial killer Robert Pickton (the subject of his critically acclaimed book That Lonely Section of Hell). With warmth and openness, This One Looks Like A Boy takes us through one of the most important decisions Shenher will ever make, as he comes into his own and finally discovers acceptance and relief.
£18.04
Greystone Books,Canada The Boy and the Mountain: A Father, His Son, and
Book SynopsisIn this engrossing book, a father and son ascend a mountain together, retracing the steps of a boy who went missing there a century earlier—a quest that spawns a tender meditation on nature, family, and the joy of discovery.Six-year-old Hans Torske disappeared in Norway's Skrim mountains in 1894. Why he wandered away from his family's cabin is still a mystery, but his body was found the following summer, lying atop a 2,860-foot mountain peak and covered with his thin jacket. More than 100 years later, nature writer Torbjørn Ekelund and his seven-year-old son, August, attempt the same summit. It's August's first overnight hiking trip, and Ekelund is eager to share his love of nature with his son. But soon he notices that the ways children and adults experience nature are vastly different, for better and for worse.The Boy and the Mountain reflects on what parenthood requires: experiencing the joy of watching your child go out into the world for the first time, while also worrying about the dangers they may face. Filled with curiosity, humility, and deep gratitude for wild places, this gem of a book is a celebration of the uncompromising nature of the elements, our bond with them, and the special relationship between father and son.Trade Review"[A] well told tale to massage our mind and imagination."—Ron Dart, The British Columbia Review“The only writer I can think of who does this sort of Nature Noir storytelling as well as Ekelund does is Annie Dillard... Highly recommended.”—The Vancouver Sun"When Torbjørn Ekelund's son August was 7 years old, the pair went on an expedition. They shouldered their packs and set out to hike Styggemann, the tallest mountain in the Skrim range in Norway, where they live. . . Darkening this father-son adventure is the interwoven story of another boy who hiked that mountain 100 years before, and who disappeared. The story of Hans Torske gives an edge to this slender memoir—but a crucial one."—Minneapolis Star-Tribune"This gorgeous little book reads like a meditation—as sparse and polished as the Norwegian wilderness. Ekelund's tender reflections on his father-son journey offer a stirring reminder of the inescapable and elemental forces that shape all our lives: love, family, and landscape."—Bruce Kirkby, author of Blue Sky Kingdom: An Epic Family Journey to the Heart of the Himalaya"The Boy and The Mountain strikes right to the heart of what it means to be a parent. . . With great sophistication, vulnerability, and honesty, Ekelund weaves together the story of two little mountaineers in the same place over a century apart. The book is a brilliant study in connection: present to past, parent to child, and human to nature."—Angie Abdou, author of This One Wild Life"Torbjørn Ekelund has given us a story of a father and son now, and another boy who lost his way long ago. It explores the ache and wonder of being a parent, and our longing for a deeper relationship with the rest of nature. I was deeply moved."—Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder and Our Wild CallingPraise for In Praise of Paths by Torbjørn Ekelund"What [Ekelund]'s addressing is the intention to walk one's way to meaning: the walk as spiritual exercise, a kind of vision quest in which the answers we arrive at are less important than the impulse to seek them."—New York Times"A charming read, celebrating the relationship between humans and their bodies, their landscapes, and one another."—The Washington Post"This lovely book taps into something primeval in us all."—Star Tribune"[R]ethinking the social, historical, and spiritual needs that are met by putting one foot in front of the other."—Outside Magazine"[Urges] a return to our ambulatory origins…[N]ever low on zeal."—Wall Street Journal
£16.14
Greystone Books,Canada Muddy People: A Muslim Coming of Age
Book Synopsis“By turns heartfelt, bitingly funny, and emotionally devastating, Muddy People is not your average coming-of-age tale. I loved this memoir of a young Egyptian-Australian girl growing up Muslim. It's a clear-eyed, fierce debut; every word rings true.”—Nadine Jolie Courtney, author of All-American Muslim Girl A quick, clever debut that is “like the best kind of cake: warm, sweet, a bit nutty—and made with so much love.”—Alice Pung, author of Unpolished Gem Sara is growing up in a family with a lot of rules. Her mother tells her she’s not allowed to wear a bikini, her father tells her she’s not allowed to drink alcohol, and her grandmother tells her to never trust a man with her money. After leaving Egypt when Sara was only six years old, her family slowly learns how to navigate the social dynamics of their new home. Sara feels out of place in her new school. Her father refuses to buy his coworkers a ginger beer, thinking it contains alcohol. Her mother refuses to wear a hijab, even if it would help them connect with other local Muslims. And Sara learns what it feels like to have a crush on a boy, that some classmates are better friends than others, and that her parents are loving, but flawed people who don't always know what's best for her, despite being her strongest defenders. For readers of Patricia Lockwood’s Priestdaddy and Michelle Zauner’s Crying in H Mart, this heartwarming book about family and identity introduces a compelling new voice, with a coming-of-age story that will speak to everyone who’s ever struggled to figure out where they belong.Trade Review“Heartwarming, humorous … About growing up as an outsider and reckoning with privilege, Muddy People is a touching memoir by a woman who made a life of her own while still reflecting on her family’s wishes.” —Foreword Reviews“In this sparkling debut, El Sayed delivers a heartfelt tribute to her family via the story of her experience living as an immigrant in Australia.”—Publishers Weekly“Muddy People is a reflection of moving between the lines that are drawn for us—as children, as girls, as migrants—as we come of age.”—The Guardian“An important portrayal of growing self-determination.”—The Saturday Paper“Big-hearted, sweetly funny, and vulnerable, Sara El Sayed’s Muddy People chronicles growing up in an Egyptian Muslim immigrant family. El Sayed’s colorful and witty stories of culture shock, first crushes, and brutal incidents with racism will affect readers deeply. A delightful and moving debut.” —Lindsay Wong, author of The Woo-Woo and My Summer of Love And Misfortune“Beyond her delightful style, I laughed and eye-rolled in complete understanding of the stories she tells of her immigrant family; and the struggles—not unlike mine, of being an Arab immigrant in a Western nation, straddling two opposing cultures in an attempt to emerge with your own voice and identity. [...] El Sayed’s voice is a much-needed addition to the conversation we must all be having right now.”—Ayser Salman, author of The Wrong End of the Table“By turns heartfelt, bitingly funny, and emotionally devastating, Muddy People is not your average coming-of-age tale. I loved this memoir of a young Egyptian-Australian girl growing up Muslim. It's a clear-eyed, fierce debut; every word rings true.”—Nadine Jolie Courtney, author of All-American Muslim Girl“Funny, gutsy, and full of heart, Sara El Sayed swings open the door to her fiery, lovable family and invites us into the life of a Muslim girl growing up in a home where traditions and rules are sacred and ready to be broken.” —Carla Funk, author of Mennonite Valley Girl and Every Little Scrap and Wonder“Written with elegant lyricism, compelling urgency and a dark sense of humour, Muddy People is an impressive debut [that] reflects El Sayed’s journey of self-realisation, of understanding what it means to be a migrant millennial.”—Books+Publishing“It takes courage to write a memoir, but more than that it takes heart, and Sara El Sayed’s heart is generous and expansive. I gasped in recognition, I teared up in solidarity and I exhaled in relief—finally, a personal story that reflects so much that is familiar but is rarely found on bookshelves … Sara El Sayed has written a book both confident and delicate that will leave you eagerly await- ing her next. Read this!” —Mona Eltahawy, author of The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls“A nuanced, engaging and lyrical account of what it means to be Other in Australia, with impeccably drawn characters. Sara El Sayed is an enchanting and refreshing new voice in the Australian literary landscape.” —Maxine Beneba Clarke, author of The Hate Race“A beautifully told story of parents and children, pain and loss, and the love that binds people together. Told with real heart and charm, it will keep you riveted from the first page.” —Rohan Wilson, author of The Roving Party“Fresh, vibrant and dynamic. This is the kind of mud that will dirty your hands and cleanse your spirit.” —Michael Mohammed Ahmad, author of The Lebs“Both cosmopolitan and Australian at the same time, Muddy People is like the best kind of cake: warm, sweet, a bit nutty—and made with so much love.” —Alice Pung, author of Unpolished Gem“A tender and vulnerable debut from a rising star in Australian literature.”—Readings Monthly
£11.39
