Autobiography: historical, political and military Books

Book SynopsisBenvenuto Cellini is an artist-craftsman, one of the greatest sculptors in the renaissance, passionately devoted to art, the worshipper and frequenter of the great men of his time, the 'divine' Michelangelo, who came to his studio, the 'marvellous' Titian (the adjectives are Cellini's ). He loathed the sculptor Torregiano because he had broken Michelangelo's nose.His autobiography gives a quite extraordinarily vivid account of daily life in Renaissance Florence and Rome, its studios, its taverns, its violence, his loves, the kings, cardinals and popes who commission his works. At 27 he helps direct the defence of the castello San Angelo; his account of his imprisonment there under a mad castellan (who thought he was a bat), his escape by an improvised rope, his recapture, his confinement in 'a cell of tarantulas and venomous worms' is a chapter of adventure equal to any in fact or fiction. Later he describes burning all his furniture to achieve sufficient heat to cast of one of his most famous works, Perseus and the Head of Medusa. Cellini's Life was translated by Goethe into German. The Everyman translation by Anne Macdonell (1903) is widely recognised as the most faithful to the energy and spirit of the original.

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Book SynopsisThis is an open and frank account of how someone from a railway family in a small East Midlands town went on to become a Cabinet Minister serving in the Ministry of Defence as Britain conducted difficult and demanding operations in Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Iraq. It sets out his political career from his earliest days knocking on doors for the Labour Party through to his becoming a Euro-MP, an MP for eighteen years and a Cabinet Minister for almost ten years. It describes his careers as an academic, lawyer, politician and in international business, as well as his commitment to conservation and protecting the environment.Trade Review“Superbly described and beautifully written , Geoff Hoon crafts an indispensable insiders account of New Labour and the momentous events in which he played such a distinguished and central part” – Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell “Giving a top job in industry to an ex-politician seemed something of a gamble at the time - but Geoff got on really well with both the British employees of AgustaWestland and their Italian counterparts, leading a multi-national sales force that successfully delivered helicopter orders all around the world’ –Graham Cole, Former Managing Director and Chairman of AgustaWestland Helicopters

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Book SynopsisVeil, the former French politician who became first President of the European Union, was born Simone Jacob in 1927. In her long-awaited memoir, she describes in vivid detail a time of happiness and innocence spent in Nice where she grew up. This happy time came to an abrupt end in 1944, when at the age of 17, her family was deported to the camps. Her mother, father and brother all died in captivity. With undeterred resolve, she studied law and political science and became Minister for Health (1974- 1979) in the government of Jacques Chirac where her hardest political fight was to introduce the law to legalize abortion. She was elected the first female President of the European Parliament (1979-1985) and returned to French government as Minister for Social Affairs (1993-1995). In 1998, aged 70, she received an honorary damehood (DBE) from the British Government for her contributions to humanity. Veil, one of France’s most beloved political figures, is admired for her personal and political courage, and enjoys respect from all political spectrums. Her memoir is a sincere and candid account of an extraordinary life and career, which reflect her humanity and determination to improve social standards at home and maintain economical and political.

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1944, and now reissued with new black-and-white illustrations and a foreword by Jo Bell, Canal Laureate, this book has become a classic on its subject, and may be said to have started a revival of interest in the English waterways. It was on a spring day in 1939 that L.T.C. Rolt first stepped aboard Cressy. This engaging book tells the story of how he and his wife adapted and fitted out the boat as a home, and recreates the journey of some 400 miles that they made along the network of waterways in the Midlands. It recalls the boatmen and their craft, and celebrates the then seemingly timeless nature of the English countryside through which they passed. As Sir Compton Mackenzie wrote, ?it is an elegy of classic restraint unmarred by any trace of sentiment? for a way of life and a rural landscape that have now all but disappeared.

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Book SynopsisThe name of Giacomo Casanova, Chevalier de Seingalt (1725-1798), in now synonymous with amorous exploits, and there are plenty of these, vividly narrated, in him memoirs. But Casanova was not just an energetic lover. In his time he was diplomat, business man, trainee priest, traveller, prisoner, magician, confidence trickster, gambler, professional entertainer and chalatan. He financed business projects, organised lotteries, wrote opera libretti and dabbled in high politics. Above all he was an autobiographer of enduring brilliance and subtlety who left behind him what is probably the most remarkable confession ever written. Casanova was a Venetian who explored to the full all the possibilities 18th century Venice offered by way of love and profit before being imprisoned, escaping from gaol, and fleeing from the city to begin travels which took him across Europe. In Moscow and London, Berlin and Constantinople, he met the famous men and women of the time - Catherine the Great, Voltaire, Louis XV, Rousseau - and recorded his encounters for the memoirs he wrote in retirement at the end of his life. These memoirs are by turns subtle, touching, thrilling, wonderfully comic and quite irresistible. Although the present edition includes one third of Casanova's enormous (though unfinished) book, it contains all his major adventures and all is greatest affairs of the heart. 'Casanova is unsurpassed as the recreator of the daily talking interests of 18th century Europe. he ranges from slut to patrician, from closet to cabinet, waterfront to palace.' - V S PRITCHETT

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Book SynopsisDON'T MISS OLLIE OLLERTON'S MUST-HAVE SURVIVAL GUIDE, HOW TO SURVIVE (ALMOST) ANYTHING! PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY NOW.THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLEROLLIE OLLERTON CO-HOSTS SAS: WHO DARES WINS ALONGSIDE ANT MIDDLETON, JASON FOX and MARK BILLINGHAM. THIS IS HIS INCREDIBLE TRUE STORYWhere is your break point?Is it here? Facing the gruelling SAS selection process on one leg, with a busted ankle and the finish line nowhere in sight?Or here? Under heavy fire from armed kidnappers while protecting journalists en route to Baghdad.Or is it here? At the bottom of a bottle, with a family in pieces, unable to adapt to a civilian lifestyle, yearning for a warzone?Ex-Special Forces soldier and star of TV's SAS: Who Dares Wins, Ollie Ollerton has faced many break points in his life and now he tells us the vital lessons he has learnt. His incredible story features hardened criminals, high-speed car chases, counter-terrorism and humanitarian heroics - freeing children from a trafficking ring in Thailand.Ollie has faced break points in his personal life too, surviving a freak childhood attack, run-ins with the law as a teenager rebelling against a broken home, his self-destructive battles with alcohol and drug addiction, and his struggles with anxiety and depression. His final redemption as an entrepreneur and mental health charity ambassador has seen him overcome adversity to build a new and better life.'Everyone has the capacity for incredible achievement, because it's only when it's crunch time, when you're down to your last bullet - when you're at break point - that you find out who you really are.'

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Book SynopsisOn 9th August 2001, twenty-two days after Jeffrey Archer was sentenced to four years in prison for perjury, he was transferred from HMP Belmarsh, a double-A Category high-security prison in south London, to HMP Wayland, a Category C establishment in Norfolk.He served sixty-seven days in Wayland and during that time, as this account testifies, encountered not only the daily degradations of a dangerously over-stretched prison service, but the spirit and courage of his fellow inmates . . .Prison Diary Volume II: Purgatory is an extraordinary work of non-fiction, where Archer reveals what life is like inside the walls of Britain's prisons.Trade ReviewThe finest thing that Jeffrey Archer has ever written * Independent on Sunday *Compelling reportage . . . Jeffrey Archer raises these diaries to the standards of a prison Pepys by being such an assiduous recorder of fellow inmates’ secrets -- Jonathan Aitken * Mail on Sunday *Archer paints a bleak but true picture of life in prison . . . It is vivid and disturbing, and will reach a vastly wider audience than any academic treatise or political pamphlet on the subject -- Ann Widdecombe * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisPresident Joe Biden tells the story of his extraordinary life and career prior to his emergence as Barack Obama’s beloved, influential vice president. ‘I remain captivated by the possibilities of politics and public service. In fact, I believe that my chosen profession is a noble calling.’ – Joe Biden Joe Biden has both witnessed and participated in a momentous epoch of American history. In Promises to Keep, he reveals what these experiences taught him about himself, his colleagues, and the institutions of government. With his customary honesty and wit, Biden movingly and eloquently recounts growing up in a staunchly Catholic multigenerational household in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware; overcoming personal tragedy, life-threatening illness, and career setbacks; his relationships with presidents, world leaders, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle; and his leadership of powerful Senate committees. Through these and other recollections, Biden shows us how the guiding principles he learned early in life — to work to make people’s lives better; to honour family and faith; to value persistence, candour, and honesty — are the foundation on which he has based his life’s work as husband, father, and public servant. Promises to Keep is an intimate series of reflections from a politician who surmounted numerous challenges to become one of America’s most effective leaders and who refuses to be cynical about politics. It is also a stirring testament to the promise of the United States.Trade Review‘A ripping good read … Biden is a master storyteller and has stories worth telling.’ * The Christian Science Monitor *‘A compelling personal story.’ * The New York Times *‘Moving … [Biden’s] response to tragedy and near death [is] both admirable and likable.’ * Salon *

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Book Synopsis The Sunday Times Number One BestsellerComplete with new afterword where she discusses the past eighteen months since President Donald Trump has been serving in office. ‘A compelling read’ - Financial Times ‘A sporadically absorbing, pleasingly vengeful and often darkly funny account of one woman’s bid for presidential history.’ Sunday Times ‘Her new book is more gossipy, it is meaner, more entertaining and more wrong-headed than anything she or her speechwriters have written before.’ Observer ‘What Happened is highly entertaining. It is spirited, well-written and informative.’ Guardian'In the past, for reasons I try to explain, I’ve often felt I had to be careful in public, like I was up on a wire without a net. Now I’m letting my guard down.' -

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Book Synopsis'Scotty was a huge part of our journey coming together as a team' Gareth Southgate, England manager In Never Give In, former Royal Marine Major Scotty Mills blends personal experiences from his remarkable life and career with inspirational advice and insights to provide his 12 Commando Rules for Life that could help anyone to do better and reach their targets. A sudden downpour while Scotty Mills was walking down a street in South London sent him diving for cover into the nearest shop. It turned out to be a recruitment centre for the Royal Marines and, after a few minutes' conversation while waiting for the rain to stop, Scotty was hooked and signed up to join the elite force. It changed his life and set him on a new direction that would end up with him leading the Marines on operations around the world, becoming an Olympic flag bearer in 2012 and dining at Buckingham Palace with the Queen and the royal family.

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Book SynopsisA new edition of the classic African American autobiography, now with with the inclusion of Douglass''s other works.The pre-eminent American slave narrative published in 1845, the Narrative powerfully details the life of the abolitionist Frederick Douglass from his birth into slavery in 1818 to his escape to the North in 1838: how he endured the daily physical and spiritual brutalities of his owners and drivers, how he learned to read and write, and how he grew into a man who could only live free or die.Also included in this edition are Douglass''s famous oration The Meaning of the Fourth of July to the Negro and his only known work of fiction, the novella The Heroic Slave.Frederick Augustus W

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Book SynopsisIt was on 6 June 2004 that BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner and cameraman Simon Cumbers were ambushed by Islamist gunmen in a quiet Riyadh back street. Simon was killed outright. Frank was hit in the shoulder and leg. As he lay in the dust, a figure stood over him and pumped four more bullets into his body at point-blank range.Trade ReviewGardner is a superb reporter; his terrible experience only make his analysis all the more telling * EVENING STANDARD *Gardner tells his remarkable tale well and bravely, with an astonishing lack of anger and enduring love and respect for the Islamic world * SUNDAY TIMES *Chilling, graphic and admirably unsentimental... Gardner comes across as a modest, thoroughly decent man... an exemplary foreign correspondent * GUARDIAN *A witty, self-deprecating, inspiring testament * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Vivid detail... entertaining anecdotes... Gardner is a tremendous model for what relations between East and West can be... a fine introduction both to journalism and to the culture of the Middle East * INDEPENDENT *

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Book SynopsisBased on the journals of a New Yorker who would become one of Wellingtonâs senior generals, the story of a remarkable military career from The American War of Independence to the Peninsula, Tobago and Canada.

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Book SynopsisA prominent insider's view of British naval shipbuilding in World War 2.

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Book SynopsisThe most famous memoir of its kind and a key text in the anti-slavery movement, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass tells the striking and emotionally charged story of one man’s journey from slavery to freedom. Complete & Unabridged. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is introduced by Dr Lydia Plath.Born into a life of slavery in Maryland in 1818, Frederick Douglass spent his youth passed from master to master, from city to field, and subjected to unimaginable cruelty. Along this journey he sought knowledge, he learned to read and write, and he discovered that education was his key to salvation. Using everything he learned and fuelled by all he was forced to endure, Douglass managed to escape and then, eventually, to free himself from slavery. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, a startlingly honest account of his struggle, played a fundamental role in the abolition of slavery, a movement that Douglass dedicated his life to.Trade ReviewThroughout his long career, Douglass cut an imposing figure, renowned as an impassioned abolitionist, a fiery writer and newspaper editor. He was a great public speaker, who became a one-man crusade for black liberation. -- Robert McCrum * Guardian ‘The 100 best nonfiction books’ *One of the most celebrated orators and political theorists in the world -- Brent Staples * New York Times *

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Book Synopsis**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**'A riveting, compelling, mesmerizing journey. Josef Lewkowicz is a hero in every sense of the word. The Survivor both terrifies us and inspires us. It's a must read.'Tova Friedman, author of The Daughter of Auschwitz.One of the last great untold stories of the Holocaust, The Survivor is an astonishing account of one man's unbreakable spirit, unshakeable faith, and extraordinary courage in the face of evil.At only sixteen years old, Josef Lewkowicz became a number, prisoner 85314. Following the Nazi invasion of Poland, he and his father were separated from their family and herded to the Kraków-Plaszów concentration camp. Forced to carry out hard labour in brutal conditions, and to live under the constant threat of extreme violence and sudden death, before the war was over Josef would witness the unique horrors of six of the most notorious Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz, Mauthausen and Ebensee.From salt mines to forced marches, summary executions to Amstetten, where prisoners were used as human shields in Allied bombing, Josef lived under the spectre of death for many years. When he was liberated from Ebensee at the end of the war, conditions were amongst the worst witnessed by allied forces.With his freedom, Josef returned home to find that he was the only one left alive in an extended family of 150. Compelled by the need to do something to avenge that loss, he joined the Jewish police while still in a displaced persons' camp, and was recruited as an intelligence officer for the US Army who gave him a team to search for Nazis in hiding.Whilst rounding up SS leaders, he played a critical role in identifying and bringing to justice his greatest tormentor, the Butcher of Plaszow, Amon Göth, played by Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List. He then committed his life to helping the orphaned children of the Holocaust rebuild their lives.The Survivor is Josef's extraordinary testimony.Trade ReviewA remarkable story of fortitude and hope. Extraordinary.The Times * . *An incredibly powerful book.Good Morning Britain * . *A riveting, compelling, mesmerizing journey. Josef Lewkowicz is a hero in every sense of the word. The Survivor both terrifies us and inspires us. It's a must read.Tova Friedman,author of The Daughter of Auschwitz * . *A sickening personal tale of the depths of Nazi brutality. HarrowingAnne de Courcy, The Telegraph * . *Josef Lewkowicz's account of his journey through six concentration camps as a teenager makes for horrific reading. But what grips the mind is his Nazi hunting and capture of the despicable Amon Goeth, followed by his determination only to do, and see, good in people. His spiritual voice emerges from a history of pain and loss with a rare and admirable clarity.Baroness Julia Neuberger * . *One of the most miraculous and uplifting stories of the Holocaust.The Daily Express * . *A truly harrowing account, humanely told in fast-paced, affecting prose. You won't be able to put it down - even in those moments where the truth feels too hard to read.Sophy Roberts, author of The Lost Pianos of Siberia * . *Heartbreaking and inspiring. Josef Lewkowicz's journey to freedom did not end with his liberation from the Nazi death camps. He witnessed the inhumanity of men who, when given the power, can be so evil as to choose who shall live and who shall die. With captivating realism, Lewkowicz recounts reuniting hundreds of displaced and abandoned Jewish children with their families, an enormous task. If that wasn't enough, he became a Nazi hunter and helped bring some of the worst men in Jewish history to justice. This is a profound and courageous book.Maxwell Smart, author of The Boy in the Woods -- Maxwell Smart * author of The Boy in the Woods *Josef's story is an account of his unbreakable spirit, unshakable faith and courage in the face of evil.The Jewish Telegraph * . *[A] story of survival and pursuit of justice. Remarkable.Jewish Tribune * . *'No wonder this book is attracting global acclaim. Every sentence is unforgettable.'Paul Hayward * . *'A record of remarkable endurance.' * TLS *A book that you simply have to read. * Inside History *

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Book SynopsisMalcolm Turnbull, Australia’s 29th Prime Minister, tells the remarkable story of his life in this lively political page-turner. When Malcolm Turnbull took over the nation’s top job there was a sense of excitement in Australia. Sky-high opinion polls followed as the political outsider with a successful business, legal and media career took charge.The infighting that dogged politics for the best part of a decade looked to be over. But a right-wing insurgency brutally cut down Turnbull’s time in office after three years.Exceptionally candid and compelling, A Bigger Picture is the definitive narrative of Malcolm Turnbull’s prime ministership. He describes how he legalised same-sex marriage, stood up to Donald Trump, rebooted Australia’s defence industry and many more achievements – remarkable in their pace, significance and that they were delivered in the teeth of so much opposition. But it’s far more than just politics. Turnbull’s life has been filled with colourful characters and controversies, success and failure. From his early years, growing up with a single father, to defending 'Spycatcher' Peter Wright against the UK Government; the years representing Kerry Packer, leading the Republican Movement and making millions in business; and finally toppling Tony Abbott to become Prime Minister of Australia. For the first time he tells it all – in his own words. With revelatory insights on the contentious events of Turnbull’s life, A Bigger Picture explores the strengths and vulnerabilities of one of Australia’s best-known and dynamic business and political leaders. Lyrically written in highly readable and entertaining prose, this is a genuine page-turner that’s not just for political junkies.Trade Review'This is the most extraordinary, revealing, incendiary and often compelling Australian prime ministerial memoir published. Nothing compares. Hard to put down.' - Troy Bramston This is the most extraordinary, revealing, incendiary and often compelling Australian prime ministerial memoir published. Nothing compares. Hard to put down. -- Troy Bramston * Twitter *

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Book SynopsisFormer Prime Minister and the country’s longest-serving Chancellor, Gordon Brown has been a guiding force for Britain and the world over three decades. This is his candid, poignant and deeply relevant story.In describing his upbringing in Scotland as the son of a minister, the near loss of his eyesight as a student and the death of his daughter within days of her birth, he shares the passionately-held principles that have shaped and driven him, reminding us that politics can and should be a calling to serve. Reflecting on the personal and ideological tensions within Labour and its successes and failures in power, he describes how to meet the challenge of pursuing a radical agenda within a credible party of government. He explains how as Chancellor he equipped Britain for a globalised economy while swimming against the neoliberal tide and shows what more must be done to halt rising inequality. In his behind-the-scenes account of the financial crisis and his leading role in saving the world economy from collapse, he addresses the question of who was to blame for the crash and why its causes and consequences still beset us. From the invasion of Iraq to the tragedy of Afghanistan, from the coalition negotiations of 2010 to the referendums on Scottish independence and Europe, Gordon Brown draws on his unique experiences to explain Britain’s current fractured condition. And by showing us what progressive politics has achieved in recent decades, he inspires us with a vision of what it might yet achieve today.Riveting, expert and highly personal, this historic memoir is an invaluable insight into our times.Trade ReviewMiles ahead of anyone you can name currently in office at Westminster. Brown thinks, and thinks profoundly. And by and large, over the last 30 years, what he has thought has turned out to be correct … thrilling … unexpectedly moving -- David Hare * Guardian *A protagonist of Shakespearian stature … The chapters on the crash are fast, tense and riveting … Like our times, Brown’s life is complicated, contradictory, full of irritations, frustrations and even rage. But as this absorbing memoir makes clear, he is also a man who, in both his willingness and ability to tackle the most pressing questions of our age, towers over those who currently fill the political stage … He is one of the giants of our recent political history – and this book explains why -- Jonathan Freedland * Prospect *A compelling story, well told … This is an important book that goes far to explain what made this enigmatic, solitary and intensely private man tick … an example of that rare species in Britain: the intellectual in politics … this book reminds us what a moderate politics of the left looks like and how much it can achieve -- Daniel Johnson * Sunday Times *Very good at describing the process by which an idea for reform is germinated, then shaped into a policy before being executed … He writes very movingly about the death of baby Jennifer Jane … You feel great sympathy and admiration for his tenacity … one of the most formidable chancellors that Britain has ever seen -- Andrew Rawnsley * Observer *In this fascinating book, Gordon Brown shares the experience and perspective of a lifetime spent in public service. Readers will come away with not just a deeper understanding of British and international politics but also the intellect and integrity of one of today’s great statesmen -- Kofi Annan

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Book Synopsis"In 2015, when I ran to be mayor in Tower Hamlets, a smartly dressed middle-class man saw me wearing a headscarf and asked me what colour my hair was underneath it. I gave him a big smile. 'Pink,' I replied. Did I win his vote? I rather doubt it." Vivid, astute and full of humour, My Hair Is Pink Under This Veil offers a frank appraisal of life in modern Britain as seen through the eyes of a hijab-wearing Muslim woman. Rabina Khan writes with grace about her family's experiences building a new life in 1970s London before turning her attention to exploring the politics of the veil, white privilege and intersectional feminism. And in depicting her battle to build a successful political career against a backdrop of blame, bias and misogyny - including from her own community - Khan is clear-sighted about the struggles facing Muslim women today. Now fully updated with new material on the sexism facing women in politics, My Hair Is Pink Under This Veil is at its heart an inspiring story about the power of self-belief and determination to create a fairer world.Trade Review"A funny, engaging and moving memoir. Rabina captures nuances and shatters stereotypes." Fatima Manji, Channel 4 News

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Book SynopsisA laugh-out-loud memoir by Parachute Regiment and 22 SAS veteran John Wick – the man who helped break the story of the 2009 MPs’ Expenses Scandal. Have you ever wondered how to conduct a ransom negotiation? Would you know what to do if you accidentally found yourself in a room full of Columbian drug barons? How would you feel if you were hurtling towards the ground beneath a partially-inflated parachute? Would you panic if you were threatened with imprisonment by the Speaker of the House of Commons? These are only a few of the dilemmas faced by John during 60 years of adventures, in both Army and civilian life, which at times left him perilously close to having a rendezvous with the Grim Reaper. This is a book about family, friendship, travel and, above all, John’s enduring resilience in the face of adversity. It ends in 2009 with the MPs’ Expenses Scandal, which rocked the nation and destroyed the careers of many Members of Parliament. Who can forget the revelations of wrongdoing that filled the pages of The Daily Telegraph newspaper that Spring? Without John Wick’s courage and determination to do the right thing, at a risk to his own safety, the truth might have remained hidden from public scrutiny forever.

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Book SynopsisJames O. Fraser was only twenty-two when he abandoned a promising career and went to China. Living among the people of the Lisu tribe, he felt an immediate affection for them, and for the rest of his life he laboured to bring them to Christ and to Christian maturity. Though he felt much heartache and disappointment, his prayers for the Lisu were answered as thousands came to Christ and churches began to spring up as the Lisu spread the Gospel among their own people. Packed with personal letters, insightful anecdotes and riveting stories of missionary life in China, this superb biography written by Fraser's daughter shines with God's constant faithfulness and power over evil. Content Benefits: This insightful and riveting account of James O. Fraser, who served as a missionary in China, will encourage you to live a life dependent on God. Inspiring story of a man of faith who trusted God Highlights the power of prayer Riveting account of a missionary's life in China Written by Fraser's daughter, Eileen Crossman Part of the new Classic Authentic Lives Series An inspiring and fascinating look at one of the heroes of the faith Ideal reading for those who have been inspired by Hudson Taylor and OMF Perfect book to encourage someone in their faith Ideal reading for anyone who loves to see God at work in the world Great gift idea for any occasion Binding - Paperback Pages - 262 Publisher - Authentic Media

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Book SynopsisA #1 New York Times Bestseller! "I read it cover-to-cover. I did not intend to, but I started at the beginning and didn’t put it down until it was over."—Rachel Maddow, MSNBCThis book almost didn’t see the light of day as government officials tried to bar its publication.The Inside Story of the Real President Trump, by His Former Attorney and Personal Advisor—The Man Who Helped Get Him Into the Oval Office Once Donald Trump’s fiercest surrogate, closest confidant, and staunchest defender, Michael Cohen knows where the skeletons are buried.This is the most devastating business and political horror story of the century. As Trump’s lawyer and “fixer,” Cohen not only witnessed firsthand but was also an active participant in the inner workings of Trump’s business empire, political campaign, and presidential administration.This is a story that you have not read in newspapers, or on social media, or watched on television. These are accounts that only someone who worked for Trump around the clock for over a decade—not a few months or even a couple of years—could know. Cohen describes Trump’s racist rants against President Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, and Black and Hispanic people in general, as well as the cruelty, humiliation, and abuse he leveled at family and staff. Whether he’s exposing the fact that Trump engaged in tax fraud by inflating his wealth or electronic fraud by rigging an online survey, or outing Trump’s Neanderthal views towards women or his hush-money payments to clandestine lovers, Cohen pulls no punches.He shows Trump’s relentless willingness to lie, exaggerate, mislead, or manipulate. Trump emerges as a man without a soul—a man who courts evangelicals and then trashes them, panders to the common man, but then rips off small business owners, a con man who will do or say absolutely anything to win, regardless of the cost to his family, his associates, or his country.At the heart of Disloyal, we see how Cohen came under the spell of his charismatic "Boss" and, as a result, lost all sense of his moral compass.The real "real" Donald Trump who permeates these pages—the racist, sexist, homophobic, lying, cheating President—will be discussed, written about, and analyzed for years to come.Trade ReviewA #1 New York Times Bestseller!This book almost didn’t see the light of day as government officials tried to bar its publication."I read it cover-to-cover. I did not intend to, but I started at the beginning and didn’t put it down until it was over."—Rachel Maddow, MSNBC“I make the finding that the purpose of transferring Mr. Cohen from furlough and home confinement to jail is retaliatory. And it’s retaliatory because of his desire to exercise his First Amendment rights to publish a book and to discuss anything about the book or anything else he wants on social media and with others.”—Federal District Court Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein“Trump has tried to stop the publication of unflattering books about him before, including his very recent and unsuccessful attempts to silence his former national security advisor John Bolton and Mary Trump, the President’s niece. But the attempted suppression of Cohen’s book is different from prior efforts because it uses (and abuses) DOJs hammer of incarceration.”—Jennifer Rodgers, CNN“Was federal law enforcement punishing Cohen because he’d worked on a book critical of the president? Was the White House responsible for orchestrating Cohen’s re-imprisonment? Was Team Trump pulling levers to silence the president’s former fixer ahead of the election?”—Steve Benen, MSNBC“'JUDGE ORDERS COHEN RELEASED, CITING “RETALIATION” OVER TELL-ALL BOOK.’ A judge agreed that federal officials had returned Michael D. Cohen to prison because he wanted to publish a book about President Trump.”—The New York Times“The idea that Michael Cohen is sitting in solitary confinement because he won’t sign papers committing not to publish a book is unfathomable. This is the United States of America. We don’t send people to solitary confinement because they want to write a book.”—Alan Dershowitz, author of The Case Against Impeaching Trump“Michael Cohen’s book to allege Trump made racist comments about Obama and Nelson Mandela, lawsuit says.”—Washington Post

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Book SynopsisThis is the incredible true story of the unbreakable bond forged between Treo, the world's most highly decorated dog, and his handler Sgt. Dave HeyhoeWhen Dave Heyhoe was sent to Afghanistan to help detect the Taliban's murderous roadside bombs, he knew he'd need a special dog by his side. Luckily for him, his closest pal Treo, a staggeringly brave ball of energy and mischief was with him every step of the way. The two friends had a miraculous understanding that helped them save countless lives but, as they embarked on a roller-coaster emotional ride, Dave realized he needed Treo more than he could ever have imagined. Tear-jerkingly sad one moment, laugh-out-loud hilarious the next, It's All About Treo is a moving and uplifting story that will melt the hearts of animal lovers everywhere.

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Book SynopsisWhen British troops first deployed to Northern Ireland in 1969 to keep apart rioting factions of loyalists and nationalists, they could not have known that they were being drawn into the longest campaign in the British Army's history, a battle against the threat of a new rising force - the Provisional Irish Republican Army. While patrols, vehicle bombs and incendiary speeches are the defining memories of the Troubles, the real war was fought out of sight and out of mind. For thirty years, Britain's Special Forces waged a ferocious, secretive struggle against a ruthless and implacable enemy. Harry McCallion's deep experience across the theatre of Northern Ireland offers a unique insight into nearly every major military action and operation in the Province. Having served seven tours with the Parachute Regiment, undergone selection for 14 Intelligence Company, completed six years with the SAS - including two tours with their anti-terrorism team - and received two commendations for bravery during service with the Royal Ulster Constabulary, there are few more qualified to tell this astonishing story. This book is his blistering account of the history of Britain's war against the IRA between 1970 and 1998. From new insights into high-profile killings and riveting accounts of enemy contact, to revelations about clandestine missions and the strategies used in combating a merciless enemy, Undercover War is the definitive inside story of the battle against the IRA, one of the most dangerous and effective terrorist organisations in recent history.

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Book SynopsisWith three Military Crosses, three Croix de guerre, a Légion d'honneur and a papal knighthood for his heroics during the Second World War, Sir Tommy Macpherson is the most decorated living soldier of the British Army. Yet for 65 years the Highlander's story has remained untold. Few know how, aged 21, he persuaded 23,000 SS soldiers of the feared Das Reich tank column to surrender, or how Tommy almost single-handedly stopped Tito's Yugoslavia annexing the whole of north-east Italy. Twice captured, he escaped both times, marching through hundreds of miles of German-held territory to get home. Still a schoolboy when war broke out, Tommy quickly matured into a legendary commando, and his remarkable story features a dizzyingly diverse cast of characters, including Winston Churchill, Field Marshal Montgomery and Charles de Gaulle.Trade ReviewMy book of the year, without question . . . reads like a combination of a Biggles adventure and Dick Barton -- Jeffrey Archer in Books of the Year 2010 * Daily Telegraph *One of Scotland's most courageous sons * Sunday Herald *Recreates the adventure * The Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisAs the western world’s most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden has fought to keep his personal life a mystery – loyalty and fear keeping those who know him from speaking out – until now. For the first time, two of Osama’s closest family members, his first wife Najwa and their fourth son Omar, go behind the headlines to reveal the truth about the character and life of a man feared and revered around the globe. In gripping detail, they recount the drama, tensions, and everyday activities of the man they knew as a husband and father. Married at fifteen, Najwa describes the transformation of the quiet, serious young man she fell in love with into an authoritarian husband and stern father, an entrepreneur, and – finally – the leader of a complex international terrorist network. Uprooted from a life of extraordinary luxury and privilege in Saudi Arabia, they suddenly found themselves living life on the run, fleeing from country to country under assumed names and fake passports. Omar describes how he and his siblings were brought up in remote ranches and fortified Afghani mountain camps, handling Kalashnikovs and learning desert survival skills. Their eventual escape from Afghanistan would come just days before the terrible events of 9/11 changed the world forever. With unprecedented access and exclusive family photographs, Jean Sasson, author of the bestselling Princess, presents the story that we were never meant to hear.Trade Review“A compelling look at the intimate family life of a notorious man, as told by his wife and son.” * Booklist *"Despite her neutrality, her story is still an indictment -- showing us a terrorist leader who is embarrassed easily, obsessed with a long-dead father, terrified of women, and who thinks of his children as nothing more than cannon fodder." * New York Post *"Despite her neutrality, her story is still an indictment -- showing us a terrorist leader who is embarrassed easily, obsessed with a long-dead father, terrified of women, and who thinks of his children as nothing more than cannon fodder." * New York Post *“A compelling look at the intimate family life of a notorious man, as told by his wife and son.” * Booklist *”Always interesting and highly readable, this is recommended for the many people who will wish to learn more about this man.” * Library Journal *"The psychological portrait of the world's most wanted man is all the more devastating for being written by two people who apparently once revered him." * Culture (supplement to the Sunday Times) *"The psychological portrait of the world's most wanted man is all the more devastating for being written by two people who apparently once revered him." * Culture (supplement to the Sunday Times) *“Lifts the lid on the secretive life of the world's most wanted man… It is certainly fascinating, if deeply unnerving, to read such vivid first-hand accounts about life within Osama bin Laden's family.” * Daily Mail *“The most intimate portrait yet of the al Qa’eda leader.” * The National *“Fascinating” * The Sunday Times *“The thrill of being a fly on the wall of the bin Laden family.” * Time Magazine *"Their accounts cannot be subject to normal verification. Even so, they have been woven into a fascinating narrative by an American writer, Jean Sasson" * Catholic Herald *"this thoughtful, well-researched book" * The Good Book Guide *”Always interesting and highly readable, this is recommended for the many people who will wish to learn more about this man.” * Library Journal *

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Book SynopsisFrom the former Prime Minister and most decorated solder in Israel's history, this is essential reading to understand today's Israel-Palestine conflict and the precarious path to a two-state solution.'There is scarcely one of Israel's security or military operations of the past four decades in which Barak has not been involved' Jewish ChronicleIn the summer of 2000, Ehud Barak set himself a challenge as daunting as any he had faced on the battlefield: to secure a final peace with the Palestinians. He would propose two states for two peoples, with a shared capital in Jerusalem. He knew the risks of failure. But he also knew the risks of not trying: letting slip perhaps the last chance for a generation to secure genuine peace.It was a moment of truth. It was one of many in a life intertwined, from the start, with that of Israel. Born on a kibbutz, Barak became commander of Israel's elite special forces, then army Chief of Staff, and ultimately, Prime Minister. My Country, My Life tells the unvarnished story of his - and his country's - first seven decades; of its major successes, but also its setbacks and misjudgments. He offers candid assessments of his fellow Israeli politicians, of the American administrations with which he worked. Drawing on his experiences as a military and political leader, he sounds a powerful warning: Israel is at a crossroads, threatened by events beyond its borders and by divisions within. The two-state solution is more urgent than ever, not just for the Palestinians, but for the existential interests of Israel itself.Trade ReviewA riveting memoir of war and almost-peace by Ehud Barak, one of Israel's wisest modern leaders. Barak describes his missions for Israel's toughest commando unit with the passion of a born soldier. The most poignant passages of this book describe Barak's unsuccessful struggle as prime minister to hammer out a peace deal with the PLO's Yasser Arafat—in what proved to be one of the Middle East's tragic 'near misses.' Barak's love for Israel animates every page of this book. -- David Ignatius, columnist for the Washington Post and bestselling thriller writerThere is scarcely one of Israel's security or military operations of the past four decades in which Barak has not been involved and he relates them well, illumining the doubts, anxieties and hard decisions that leadership demands * Jewish Chronicle *My Country, My Life is a rich and engrossing memoir from one of Israel’s premier political leaders, who went from being a decorated soldier to a staunch advocate for peace. Ehud Barak’s love of Israel pours through every page of this book, which makes his warnings about the country’s future as a Jewish and democratic state all the more powerful, urgent, and real. -- Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of StateThe life of Ehud Barak is the story of a warrior who became a statesman. My Country, My Life, an aptly titled memoir, is honest, captivating, and moving. -- Dr. Henry Kissinger, former U.S. Secretary of StateEhud Barak's My Country, My Life is a powerful, must-read for anyone interested in peace in the Middle East and, indeed, anywhere in the world. As a journalist who has covered the peace process for many years, I thought I was pretty well-informed. But I must say: I learned a great deal by reading this beautifully written and very candid memoir. -- Wolf Blitzer, CNN

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe wit and wisdom of a national hero * Daily Mirror *Full of the infectious energy that inspired the nation * Daily Mirror *A dose of wisdom from a British hero . . . A paean to the power of positive thinking * Daily Telegraph *Charmingly delivers his words of wisdom * i *Gives us a chance to spend a bit longer in his company, to enjoy his wry humour again and to understand how his apparently ordinary life equipped him for his final extraordinary year * Telegraph *So full of warmth and wisdom that it'll make your heart feel lighter by the end * Culturefly *Reads like a self-help book written by a kindly grandfather for his grandchildren: it urges you to dress properly, eat a good breakfast, be nice to others, and not to worry about the rest of it * Daily Telegraph *After the difficult and lonely time we've all shared, it's above all a reminder to keep looking for the joy, every single day * This England *A collection of anecdotes and wisdom from the inspirational war veteran * Sunday Times *Captain Sir Tom's memoir-cum-self-help manual is brimful of illuminating reminiscence and good humour. It brings home what a truly remarkable man he was * Daily Telegraph *This small book punches above its weight with words of wisdom from national treasure Sir Tom * Sunday Express *Inspirational * Choice Magazine *

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Book Synopsis''A gorgeously exuberant account. . . writing that is natural and vivacious . . . a fascinating and hugely enjoyable read.'' Bernardine Evaristo, from the IntroductionTravelling over from Jamaica as a teenager, Barbara''s journey is remarkable. She finds her footing in TV, and blossoms. Covering incredible celebrity stories, travelling around the world and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Germaine Greer and Michael Caine - her life sparkles. But with the responsibility of being the first black woman reporting on TV comes an enormous amount of pressure, and a flood of hateful letters and complaints from viewers that eventually costs her the job.In the aftermath of this fallout, she goes through a period of self-discovery that allows her to carve out a new space for herself first in the UK and then back home in Jamaica - one that allows her to embrace and celebrate her black identity, rather than feeling suffocated in her attempts to emulate whiteness and conform to the culture around her.Growing Out provides a dazzling, revelatory depiction of race and womanhood in the 1960s from an entirely unique perspective.A title in the Black Britain: Writing Back series - selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books depicting black Britain that remap the nation.Trade ReviewA beautiful book. Her writing is just so dynamic and alive -- Bernardine EvaristoIt is a fascinating book, both for [Barbara Blake Hannah's] vivid descriptions of her new life in Britain . . . and for the painful recollections of the racism she faced . . . Wide-eyed wonder jostles with a vitriolic anger - sometimes in the same paragraph * The Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThe paperback of this fascinating and entertaining social history of politics and alcoholTrade Review'Like being the only sober guest at an uproarious party' Sunday Times'A thoroughly enjoyable, comprehensive book' Harry Mount, Times Literary Supplement'An entertaining history of political drinking' The Times'Fast-paced and witty... unputdownable' The Lady'A corker... the dourest of Scots felt obliged to pretend to be a beer drinker, but harboured a private penchant for champagne, and could knock back a glass in one great gulp' Telegraph'An entertaining book... often funny, though not without sombre appraisals of many curtailed careers and damaged lives' Prospect'A fascinating account of politics and drink... informative and entertaining' Alistair Campbell'A breezy, anecdote-rich and instructive survey of booze and politics' The National'Well researched and breezily told, Wright's book is an enjoyable romp' New Criterion'Alcohol has always lubricated political life... [Order, Order!] is about the British experience with examples of careers enhanced and destroyed by booze' Keith Simpson MP's Summer Reading List, Total Politics

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Book SynopsisAlthough they have become more frequent in recent years, Irish political memoirs are still relatively rare. Even rarer still are political memoirs that still are frank, newsworthy and fun, like this one from Mary O'Rourke.She writes of personal and political events; of her family background and her early involvement in politics: of the many senior political figures to whom she was close, especially Charles Haughey and Bertie Ahern; of her two beloved Brians, her brother and nephew, both of whom died before their time; of her successes and disappointments. She does all this with honesty, energy and a complete absence of self-pity or self-justification.Mary O'Rourke has been one of the most successful and influential women in Irish public life in a generation. She has stories to tell that will surprise and amuse, as well as recalling moments of personal and political sadness. The book is like the woman herself: open, warm and shrewd.Trade Review'It's a fascinating story...a great read' -- John Spain * Irish Independent *This memoir is a fairly honest self-portrait of the Mary O’Rourke whom we have all come to love and hate. The Mary we have all seen over the years is the Mary we get in this book: emotional and exasperating; schoolmarmish and quite contrary; imbued with the Fianna Fáil gene and very party-political. -- Geraldine Kennedy * The Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisIt is 1915 and the Great War has been raging for a year when Edward Rowbotham, a coal miner from the Midlands, volunteers for Kitchener’s Army. He is one of the `lucky’ ones, winning the Military Medal for bravery and surviving more than two-and-a-half years of the terrible slaughter, which wiped out all but six of his original company.

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Book SynopsisLandscape with Machines: The First Part of his AutobiographyTrade Review‘A fine opportunity to make the acquaintance of a unique man.’ * Daily Telegraph *‘Compulsory reading . . . enjoyable, readable and thought-provoking.’ * Waterways World *

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Book SynopsisGeorge W. Bush is the 43rd President of the United States.Trade ReviewDecision Points is well-written, and interesting from start to finish. I think people of all political stripes should read it. * Bill Clinton *Whether you love or loathe George W. Bush, this book is worth buying. It's well written, in a crisp narrative style. It is reflective and self-critical, informative about the decisions that he faced, and the process by which he achieved them...if understanding is the first step to redemption (for Bush), this book will help. * The Times *Decision Points...gives the reader an uncanny sense of how personality and the fateful interplay of personalities within an administration can affect policies that affect the world. * The New York Times *An immensely readable and fascinating account of the key decision moments of his presidency told through the prism of his life...will go a long way towards setting the record straight about those turbulent, transformative years of American history. * The Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisPaul Joseph''s memoir starts with his childhood in the slums of Johannesburg in the 1930s. His political awakening and activism began as a 15-year-old Indian in a racially segregated school. It continued with his commitment to the fight against an oppressive regime. He participated in virtually all the political campaigns including the passive resistance of the 1940s. In 1956 he was one of the 156 people accused of high treason by the Apartheid government alongside Nelson Mandela. He was among the first recruits into the armed wing of the ANC UmKhonto We Sizwe. With an eye for detail and extensive knowledge of South Africans across the racial and class divides, he documents one of the most significant struggles for liberation in the 20th century.Trade ReviewUncle Paul and Aunt Adelaide Joseph are second parents to me and in that way their story is inseparable from mine. … – Zenani Mandela // Paul Joseph’s courageous role in South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle is inspirational. His life in that struggle for justice is both moving and uplifting. An incredible man! – Baroness Helena Kennedy, QC // Paul Joseph’s story is of a life of struggle for human liberation and a courageous struggle for life under apartheid. Electrifying! – Professor Gus John

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Book SynopsisThe extraordinary, never-before-told story of Bep Voskuijl, Anne Frank’s closest friend during the 761 days she spent in the Secret Annex. Bep was just twenty-three when the Franks went into hiding and she risked her life to protect them, plunging into Amsterdam’s black market under the noses of German soldiers and Dutch spies to source food and medicine for the Annex. In those cramped quarters, Bep and Anne’s friendship blossomed. As this book reveals, while she was sharing meals with Anne Frank, Bep’s sister Nelly – whose name was scrubbed from Anne’s published diary – was collaborating with the Nazis.Written by Bep’s own son, The Last Secret of the Secret Annex interweaves her story with Anne Frank’s and Nelly’s to show us the Secret Annex as we’ve never seen it before. We follow Bep after the war as she struggles to build a life in the shadow of her past, unable to get oveTrade Review‘Fascinating . . . not only conveys the quiet heroism of what his mother contributed to Anne Frank’s story, but a sad playing-out of a family’s dysfunction, of the pain of survival, of the ripples of trauma flowing into succeeding generations’ * Daily Telegraph *'Devastating, compelling' * Daily Mail *‘This gripping account adds a missing human dimension to the story of the young girl hidden in an attic during the Nazi occupation of Holland—and those who helped and those who betrayed her. I read it in one gulp—as will you’ -- Kati Marton, author of 'The Chancellor'‘As much a work of painful family therapy as painstaking historical analysis . . . A riveting read’ -- Peter Hayes, author of 'Why? Explaining the Holocaust' 'A superbly well-written, intimate, engrossing, and heartrending reckoning with the endless damage done by genocide' * Booklist (Starred) *‘An important contribution to the literature on Anne Frank’ * Kirkus *‘For long, the story of Bep Voskuijl, one of Anne Frank’s courageous helpers, has been mostly kept in the dark. This captivating book tells her moving and tragic story, her wartime assistance in the Secret Annex, and the long shadows of the war on her life and her family’s’ -- Dr Bart Wallet, professor of early modern and modern Jewish history at the University of Amsterdam‘Part biography and part whodunit, The Last Secret of the Secret Annex is, above all, a bereaved son’s cri de coeur, simultaneously mourning and celebrating the mother he lost even before she died’ * Wall Street Journal *‘This powerful story brings to life Bep’s heroism and illuminates generations of a Dutch family, its secrets, and the trauma the Nazi occupation bequeathed to the future’ -- Pamela S. Nadell, author of 'America’s Jewish Women'‘Provides a poignant account of the poison left by Dutch collaboration . . . [and] the devastating effect that Bep’s lifelong secretiveness had on her family. It is for their own stories that these books should be read, not for the extraordinary fame of Anne Frank’ * TLS *

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Book SynopsisThe explosive, shocking and honest account from an MI5 officer, revealing never-before-seen detail into MI5''s operation ''I do it because it is all I know. I''m a hunter of people and I''m damn good at it.'' Recruited after the 7/7 attacks on London, Tom quickly found himself immersed in the tense world of watching, following and infiltrating networks of terrorists, spies and foreign agents. It was a job that took over his life and cost him dear, taking him to the limit of physical and mental endurance. Filled with extraordinary accounts of operations that saved countless lives, Soldier Spy is the only authentic account by an ex-MI5 officer of the round-the-clock battle to keep this country safe. ________ ''Very well written, gives a startling amount of operational detail, the biggest shock of all - MI5 agreed to its publication'' Sunday Times ''A blistering, visceral insight inTrade ReviewFor the very first time an MI5 undercover surveillance officer provides an unputdownable, eye-opening account of the on-going struggle to keep Britain's streets safe and terror free. * from the publisher's description *Gripping. One of the most successful MI5 undercover surveillance officers of his time * Sun *Very well written, gives a startling amount of operational detail, the biggest shock of all - MI5 agreed to its publication * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisHunter Davies’ childhood lived amongst the post-war dirt and grime of Carlisle was immediately hailed as a classic memoir from one of Britain’s foremost columnists of the past half century. The Co-op’s Got Bananas! left our protagonist at the cusp of working for one of the world’s greatest newspapers – The Sunday Times. In this much-anticipated sequel, Hunter now looks back across five decades of successful writing to reflect on his colourful memories of the living in London during the height of the Swinging Sixties, becoming editor of Britain’s first colour weekend supplement The Sunday Times magazine; befriending the Beatles; and interviewing (and partying with) the biggest names in television, film and theatre of the day.   Hunter brings the story full circle to reflect on his years spent with the love of his life – the bestselling writer Margaret Forster, who sadly passed away in February 2016. This will

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Book Synopsis''In a later age he would have become a successful war correspondent ... We have no more human account of the Peninsular War from a participant in all its battles. Vivid images - of people, landscapes, events - flows from his pen ... One of military history''s great originals'' John Keegan, DAILY TELEGRAPHThese letters, in the form of a frank and amusing diary, were written by a private in Wellington''s army who fought throughout the Napoleonic Wars. Private Wheeler''s record covers the Peninsular Campaign, keeping order during the coronation of Louis XVIII (whom he called ''an old bloated poltroon'') and his later posting to Corfu.Most of all, Wheeler''s account of the historic Battle of Waterloo - written before the muskets of battle had cooled - reveals him to be a master of lively anecdote and mischievous characterisation.Trade ReviewThey are simply marvellous. Wheeler was a naïve writer of real power - a natural story-teller, a provider of portraits, someone whose gift was to bring everything he wrote about to life * TES *In a later age he would have become a successful war correspondent ... We have no more human account of the Peninsular War from a participant in all its battles. Vivid images - of people, landscapes, events - flows from his pen ... One of military history's great originals -- John Keegan * DAILY TELEGRAPH *These letters have already become a minor classic ... deftly edited, they are clear and telling in the accounts they give of a soldier's day-to-day life, a mixture of danger, boredom, discomfort and occasional delight * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *

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Book Synopsis'Exquisitely written... haunting... Few books, I think, capture so well the sense of a life broken for ever by trauma and guilt' Sunday Times 'An unsparing, honest and insightful memoir, that shows how private failure becomes national disaster' Hilary MantelTwenty years after the end of the war, Horst Krüger attempted to make sense of his childhood. He had grown up in a quiet Berlin suburb. Here, people lived ordinary lives, believed in God, obeyed the law, and were gradually seduced by the promises of Nazism. He had been 'the typical child of innocuous Germans who were never Nazis, and without whom the Nazis would never have been able to do their work'. With tragic inevitability, this world of respectability, order and duty began to crumble.Written in accomplished prose of lingering beauty, The Broken House is a moving coming-of-age story that provides a searing portrait of life under the Nazis.Trade ReviewExquisitely written... haunting... Few books, I think, capture so well the sense of a life broken for ever by trauma and guilt -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *A masterpiece. An astonishing piece of literature. Complex, heartfelt, vibrant, intense, urgent. A must read. I read it straight through to the last page and then wanted to read it all over again -- Thomas Harding, bestselling author of Hanns and RudolfThe major rediscovery of a forgotten treasure. No book has ever so honestly evoked the wretched terror of life in Nazi Germany -- James Hawes, author of The Shortest History of GermanyI often think that the key to a successful memoir is to find the right place to stand, the effective distance. Writing in the sixties, Kruger had enough clarity to see where his story fitted into the big picture, but he can still make the reader feel the passion, danger and grief. It is an unsparing, honest and insightful memoir, that shows how private failure becomes national disaster. There is no mercy from the author and no false hope, but he fills a gap in the historical imagination -- Hilary MantelA book of hard-won simplicity and quite beautiful precision * The Times *

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Book SynopsisAdmiral William H. McRaven is a part of American military history, having been involved in some of the most famous missions in recent memory, including the capture of Saddam Hussein, the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips, and the raid to kill Osama bin Laden.Sea Stories begins in 1960 at the American Officers' Club in France, where Allied officers and their wives gathered to have drinks and tell stories about their adventures during World War II -- the place where a young Bill McRaven learned the value of a good story. Sea Stories is an unforgettable look back on one man's incredible life, from childhood days sneaking into high-security military sites to a day job of hunting terrorists and rescuing hostages.Action-packed, inspiring, and full of thrilling stories from life in the special operations world, Sea Stories is a remarkable memoir from one of America's most accomplished leaders.

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Book SynopsisKate Webb, an Australian iconoclast, Catherine Leroy, a French dare devil photographer, and Frances FitzGerald, a blue-blood American intellectual, arrived in Vietnam with starkly different life experiences but one shared purpose: to report on the most consequential story of the decade.At a time when women were considered unfit to be foreign reporters, Frankie, Catherine and Kate paid their own way to war, arrived without jobs, challenged the rules imposed on them by the military, ignored the belittlement and resentment of their male peers and found new ways to explain the war through the people who lived through it.In You Don't Belong Here, Elizabeth Becker uses these women's work and lives to illuminate the Vietnam War from the 1965 American buildup, through the Tet Offensive, the expansion into Cambodia, the American defeat and its aftermath. Arriving herself in the last years of the war, Elizabeth writes as an historian and a witness to what these women accomplished.What emerges is an unforgettable story of three journalists forging their place in a land of men, often at great personal sacrifice, and forever altering the craft of war reportage for generations. Deeply reported and filled with personal letters, interviews, and profound insight, You Don't Belong Here fills a void in the history of women and of war.

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Book SynopsisSenator Tim Scott knows adversity. As the son of a single mother from North Charleston, South Carolina, he struggled to get through school and had his dreams of a college football career shattered by a car wreck. But thanks to his mother and a few mentors along the way, he learned that "failure isn't failure unless you quit." He also learned that it's hard work and perseverance, not a government handout, that will get you ahead in life.Today, Senator Scott is the only black Republican in the Senate, and he believes that investment and commerce are the best ways to rebuild our most impoverished communities. This is the idea behind his signature piece of legislation, the "opportunity zones" program, which President Trump has strongly endorsed. The program provides tax incentives for businesses that invest in low-income urban areas, seeking to replace things like welfare and government assistance. In Opportunity Knocks, Senator Scott will tell his life story with a focus on adversity and opportunity. He will teach readers about the principles of hard work and hope while addressing the dangers of veering too far toward socialist policies. The book will also not shy away from discussions of racism and racial inequality in the United States, and will recount some of Senator Scott's own brushes with racism as well as the many discussions he's had with people who want to help, including President Trump.

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Book SynopsisA window into the world of nineteenth-century California, from two women who experienced it firsthand.In the early years of California’s statehood, Emily Brist Ketchum Bancroft (1834–1869) and Matilda Coley Griffing Bancroft (1848–1910) had front-row seats to the unfolding of the Golden State’s history. The first and second wives of historian extraordinaire Hubert Howe Bancroft, these two women were deeply engaged members of society and perceptive chroniclers of their times, and they left behind extensive records of their lives and work. Writing Themselves into History offers a rich immersion in nineteenth-century California, detailing Emily’s and Matilda’s experiences with public life, motherhood, and business against the backdrop of San Francisco’s high society and the state’s growth amidst the tumult of the American Civil War. The book also highlights Matilda’s significant involvement in Hubert Howe’s trailblazing research on the history of the American West—including her work collecting oral histories from women members of the LDS Church—and her evocative descriptions of travels throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.Kim Bancroft’s commentary offers historical context and points up Emily’s and Matilda’s keen insights, and she pays special attention to the two women’s complex and nuanced portraits of gender, race, and class in the nineteenth-century West. This book is a valuable resource for American West and women’s studies scholars, and for anyone with an interest in California’s first decades as a state.Table of ContentsIntroduction Part IEmily Ketchum Bancroft: A Life in LettersChapter 1 Emily, Hubert, and Daughter Kate at HomeChapter 2 Managing a Household in the 1860sChapter 3 Society Around ThemChapter 4 The World of TravelChapter 5 Emily’s Demise Part IIMatilda Coley Griffing Bancroft: A Writer in Her Own RightChapter 6 A Meeting of MindsChapter 7 Becoming a WriterChapter 8 “Lovingly, Mamma”: Matilda as MotherChapter 9 Matilda as TeacherChapter 10 A Craving to Take Dictations: Matilda as Oral HistorianChapter 11 Businesswoman, Dreamer, and SchemerChapter 12 “Most Beloved of Women” Epilogue Climbing the Family Tree: Kate, Lucy, and Their Families AcknowledgementsFamily ChronologyNotesIndexAbout the Author

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Book SynopsisThe world’s oldest still-active war correspondent, Al J. Venter has reported from the front lines for well over half a century, witnessing the horrors humanity visits upon itself in twenty-five conflict zones across Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. In this memoir, Venter masterfully recounts his experiences, sharing the real stories behind the headlines and the sharp lessons he learned that enabled him to survive his countless exploits, ranging from exposing a major KGB operative in Rhodesia entirely by accident, and accompanying an Israeli force led by Ariel Sharon into Beirut, to gun-running into the United States.Table of ContentsForeword Prologue 1 Africa, the great continent with an appeal all its own 2 Home by five 3 Heading out into the unknown 4 Africa in the 1960s 5 Matilda and Albert Schweitzer’s jungle hospital 6 Palm wine and plantain in Libreville 7 Nigeria: ‘Crazy, but I love it!’ 8 A peripatetic existence 9 Rib-eye and red wine in Abidjan 10 Kids with machine guns 11 Republic of Guinea to London 12 The Londoner: my dream of a ship 13 Looking for wars and learning to write 14 A bloody battle and a narrow escape in Lagos 15 Another close call 16 Getting the job properly done 17 Independence and revolutions 18 The safari capital of the world 19 Banned from Rhodesia 20 Pen-pushing pals 21 All’s fair in love and war 22 My favourite: the realm of the underwater 23 Mayday … Mayday … Mayday 24 Lisbon: beloved city 25 You’d be lucky to be hit … 26 South Africa invades Angola 27 Battle for Beirut 28 The murder of a United States Marine colonel in Lebanon’s civil war

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Book SynopsisDaring to Struggle, Daring to Win tells the fascinating true story of an individual radical organizer turned independent Chicago city council member, and her forty year struggle for justice in Chicago.Helen Shiller went from radical anti-war activist in Wisconsin, to a member of a collective of white allies of the Black Panther Party in Chicago, to an elected city council person who helped break the back of the racialized opposition to Harold Washington, Chicago’s first Black mayor. Shiller participated, when few others did, in the historic fight against the gentrification of a unique economically and racially mixed Chicago community on the Northside. With insight into historic community organizing and political battles in Chicago from the 1970s through 2010, this book details numerous policy fights and conflicts in Chicago during this time, illuminating recurrent political themes and battles that remain relevant to this day. Daring to Struggle, Daring to Win is a compelling, insightful, must-read for all those struggling for a better world today.Trade Review"[Daring to Struggle, Daring to Win] is an important record of late 20th century Chicago, and a sort of blueprint for how a rebel can challenge the power brokers and maybe not completely reshape society but at least win myriad small victories for people who have no one else to fight for them." —Third Coast Review"This is a serious book—full of policy and protest, firm in its convictions, and short on lighthearted anecdotes. You have to knuckle down, have some tea, and think about housing lawsuits and school boycotts of yore. But it’s well-written—Shiller worked for years for the alternative press, and can tell a story thoroughly and compactly, with even a little poetry. It’s ultimately a hopeful book—a reminder that problems have always looked insurmountable until they’re surmounted." —New City"An informative book...." —Kirkus"Shiller's memoir offers a profound look into the challenges and triumphs of community-based politics. It is a testament to the belief that dedicated individuals can make significant changes at the local level. Through Shiller’s eyes, we witness the evolution of Uptown and Chicago, warts and all. While the perspective is decidedly hers, the reader is granted valuable insight into the mechanics of local governance and the unwavering spirit of community activism.Audiences who might be interested in using this memoir pedagogically include scholars of Chicago history, urban politics enthusiasts, and readers intrigued by White youth activism in the 1970s. Given its detailed account of gentrification, urban renewal, housing issues, and business development, the memoir can offer real-life case studies to students studying the dynamics of urban development and planning. Those studying political machines, city governance, local politics, and the history of Chicago from the 1980s to 2010s would find this memoir a treasure trove of firsthand experiences and insights. The book provides a detailed account of grassroots movements, protest politics, and the challenges faced by activists, making it an invaluable resource for students and educators interested in activism, social justice, and community organizing." —H-Net Reviews"Helen Shiller's work inside and out of the Chicago City Council is a model for all those seeking to make real change in the world. From her tireless work challenging gentrification, police abuse, and homophobia, Shiller never lost sight of her roots, and always put the struggles of poor and working class people first. No matter where you live and organize there is much to be learned from Helen's inspiring and courageous life story. Read this book!" —Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez, Alderwoman Chicago’s 33rd Ward“I salute my good friend and comrade Helen Shiller for the broad vivid picture of her extraordinary life’s journey, filled with personal challenges, and her decades of exceptional social justice work with and for the poor and oppressed communities. Helen worked tirelessly with the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party and its Intercommunal Survival Committee for racial and social justice during the 1970’s. She is a true servant of the people." —Emory Douglas, Revolutionary Artist/Minister of Culture, The Black Panther Party 1967-1980"As a journalist who has covered Helen Shiller, off and on, throughout her half-century of community activism, I have long wondered how she would tell her own epic story. Daring to Struggle, Daring to Win answers that question poignantly and powerfully. Her epic journey takes us from the era of SDS, Black Panthers and school desegregation, through both Mayors Daley to the rise of Mayor Harold Washington, President Barack Obama and finally her own election to Chicago City Council—for 24 years. From outside agitator to insider alderperson, Shiller earned respect even from her political rivals for her savvy and resilience. For those who wonder whether they can “buy in” to the system without selling out, this story is a great place to start." —Clarence Page, Pulitzer-prize-winning columnist and editorial board member at the Chicago Tribune"The only way NOT to repeat history and mistakes of the past is to share it, honor it, and learn from it. . . . and Daring to Struggle, Daring to Win does just that and talks about REAL CHANGE & REAL ALLIANCES." —Ald. Jeanette Taylor, Chicago's 20th Ward"This book is a must read for today's organizers working to connect their neighborhoods to a vision of transformative, anti-racist politics. Daring to Struggle expands our knowledge of New Left organizers who rarely grabbed headlines, yet set a high standard for radical street-level and electoral activism." —Amy Sonnie and James Tracy, co-authors Hillbilly Nationalists, Urban Race Rebels and Black Power: Interracial Solidarity in 1960s-70s New Left Organizing"Helen Schiller has written a much needed, past due, historical account of her life as a community organizer and Council woman representing the poor in Uptown Chicago. Schiller has provided a voice for those poor residents who had little power to fight for their survival in a city that would only recognize them as irrelevant and refused to let them assimilate. Daring to Struggle Daring to Win is a much needed read for those who want to organize in poor communities." —Hy Thurman, Co-Founder Young Patriot Organization, Co-Founder Original Rainbow Coalition, Author, Revolutionary Hillbilly"Regardless of the era, fighting for justice and marginalized people and principled positions in the public arena is difficult and challenging. Daring to Struggle contains numerous lessons for elected's, community leaders, and others on how to fight and win in the political arena without compromising those principles." —Kim Foxx"In 1969 Helen Shiller, already a young radical activist, heard inspirational Illinois Black Panther Chairman Fred Hampton proclaim that a serious revolutionary must “dare to struggle, dare to win.” For the next five decades, Shiller pursued Fred’s credo with unparalleled energy and commitment, daring to struggle, and daring to win. Her excellent book chronicles, in compelling historical detail, that journey, from Brooklyn to Madison, from Racine to Chicago, from Cuba to Zimbabwe, but most centrally from the streets of Chicago’s Uptown to the chambers of Chicago’s City Council, and documents how she relied on the “power of the people” to speak truth to power in her tireless pursuit of Chairman Fred’s uncompromising and timeless command." —Flint Taylor"From coping with sexual abuse, experiencing life before Roe v Wade, committing to support Black liberation, and taking on the brass knuckle Chicago politics, Daring to Struggle Daring to Win is interwoven with historical milestones. Shiller chronicles her life as a radical founder of All Chicago City News, a recipient of vote tampering and intimation, and the challenges of new thinking in parenthood. The call to fight white supremacy and the erosion of human rights with intentional solidarity is more relevant than ever. Shiller fills in significant information gaps and provides much to think about in our elusive search for an equitable and anti-racist future." —Sylvia Ewing"For more than a half century, Helen Shiller has been the radical’s radical. She has led countless progressive causes, from the battle against police brutality; to bureaucracy busting; to fighting against poverty; to fighting for racial equity. Her story is a go-to-battle blueprint for the fights of today, and for those to come. It is a dare well worth taking." —Laura S. Washington, Political Analyst, ABC 7-Chicago"Helen Shiller has led no ordinary life: A witness to history, a crusader for justice, and deeply loyal to the women and men whose lives and predicaments cry for fairness, she has dedicated herself to righteous warfare, whether in the streets or in the hallowed halls of government. Her story is profoundly human and profoundly personal, but also a clarion call to the rest of us to join her." —Achy Obejas, author of Boomerang/Bumerán "Helen Shiller carefully weaves together her personal life story with the events that show her unflagging support and advocacy for grass roots communities in Chicago’s Uptown. From Campus radical to long term alderwoman in Chicago’s 46th Ward Shiller maintains her principles and effectiveness in fighting racism and building community led coalitions that took on and gained power against Chicago’s political machine. A story of personal and political triumph against all odds." —Jeffrey Haas"Helen Shiller’s Daring to Struggle, Daring to Win is an important book, not just for those of us in Chicago who were part of the struggle since the 1960s but for everyone who cares about saving our American Democracy and perfecting it today. It teaches us that this has been and will be a prolonged struggle and we have to be in it for the long haul. It is the detailed story of the grassroots efforts in our Chicago neighborhoods and city and the story of a radical who became an alderperson who helped shape the future." —Dick Simpson, UIC Professor Emeritus, author, and former Chicago alderman

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2020 MICHEL DÉON PRIZE'O'Clery takes us into the hidden heart of Soviet Russia... An arresting and evocative story' Keggie Carew, author of Dadland'A tour de force ... Love, politics, murder, wars, and the fracturing of ties, personal and ethnic. O'Clery is a gifted writer' Luke Harding, bestselling author of CollusionThe Soviet Union, 1962. Gifted shoemaker Stanislav Suvorov is imprisoned for five years. His crime? Selling his car for a profit. On his release, social shame drives him and his family into voluntary exile in Siberia, 5,000 kilometres from home. In a climate that's unfriendly both geographically and politically, it's their chance to start again. The Shoemaker and His Daughter is an epic story spanning the Second World War to the fall of the Soviet Union, taking in eighty years of Soviet and Russian history, from Stalin to Putin. Following the footsteps of a remarkable family Conor O'Clery knows well - he is married to the shoemaker's daughter - it's both a compelling insight into life in a secretive world at a siesmic moment in time and a powerful tale of ordinary lives shaped by extraordinary times.Trade ReviewConor O'Clery is a legend among foreign correspondents. Over four decades - in Russia, the Middle East, Africa and Asia - he has established himself as a voice of wit, close observation, and sane good sense. His new book will be welcomed by everyone who cares about good writing, and about the human stories that enable us to understand the great movements of world history. * Richard Lloyd Parry, author of Ghosts of the Tsunami *Conor O'Clery's latest book is a tour de force - a sweeping account of the turbulent decades of the Soviet Union and the new Russia, told through the prism of a Russian-Armenian family. The story features love, politics, murder, wars, and the fracturing of ties, personal and ethnic, brought about by Stalin and his Kremlin successors. O'Clery is a gifted writer. His subject is one he knows well: his wife's father, mother and relatives, as they make their own sure-footed journey through a treacherous twentieth century. * Luke Harding, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Collusion: How Russia Helped Trump Win the White House *Highly readable, deeply informed telling of an ordinary, extraordinary story. * Sunday Times *Takes us into the hidden heart of Soviet Russia... an illuminating combination of history, politics, geography and humanity that's personal and close... An arresting and evocative story, brought alive through a host of characters, not least, the vast, hostile, secretive Russia herself. * Keggie Carew, author of Dadland *Transcends the confines of a mere family history... With his easy humour, engaging style and innate sympathy for the little guy, O'Clery shows how events and decisions in Moscow affected millions of Russians in myriad life-changing ways. * Financial Times *

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Book Synopsis40 YEARS WITH THE KRAYS is the untold, intimate history of the twins and the woman who raised them. Told with humour and insight, it looks back across the decades at the life of this close knit, notorious East End family. Maureen Flanagan, a then 20 year old hairdresser started visiting the Kray family home in Vallance Road each week to give the twins’ mother, Violet, her weekly shampoo and set. Over the cups of tea and the rollers and hairpins, Violet began to confide in ‘Flan’ about her life, her incredible pride in her twins, the celebrities who visited her at their humble East End home - and her troubled relationship with her husband.Trade ReviewNot that many people saw that side of the Krays, but this chatty, vivacious memoir sheds a strangely intimate light on their baleful legend * Daily Mail *...an engaging, atmospheric read * Mail on Sunday *

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