Autobiography: historical, political and military Books
The Library of America Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard,
Book Synopsis"Writing has been of Great Use to me in the Course of my Life," Benjamin Franklin said in his famous Autobiography. With characteristically calculated understatement, he attributed his enormous and varied successes to “my having learnt a little to scribble.”This Library of America collection of Franklin’s works begins with letters sent from London (1757–1775) describing the events and diplomacy preceding the Revolutionary War. The volume also contains political satires, bagatelles, pamphlets, and letters written in Paris (1776–1785), where he represented the revolutionary United States at the court of Louis XVI, as well as his speeches given in the Constitutional Convention and other works written in Philadelphia (1785–1790), including his last published article, a searing satire against slavery.Also included are the delightfully shrewd prefaces to Poor Richard’s Almanack (1733–1758) and their worldly, pungent maxims that have entered our American culture. Finally, the classic Autobiography, Franklin’s last word on his greatest literary creation—his own invented personality—is presented here in a new edition, completely faithful to Franklin’s manuscript.A companion volume includes the complete “Silence Dogood” series, “Busy-Body” essays, and a generous selection of his early writings, including letters to the press, satires, and pamphlets.LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation’s literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America’s best and most significant writing. The Library of America series includes more than 300 volumes to date, authoritative editions that average 1,000 pages in length, feature cloth covers, sewn bindings, and ribbon markers, and are printed on premium acid-free paper that will last for centuries.
£30.00
PublicAffairs,U.S. Keeping At It: The Quest for Sound Money and Good
Book SynopsisAs chairman of the Federal Reserve (1979-1987), Paul Volcker slayed the inflation dragon that was consuming the American economy and restored the world's faith in central bankers. That extraordinary feat was just one pivotal episode in a decades-long career serving six presidents.Told with wit, humour, and down-to-earth erudition, the narrative of Volcker's career illuminates the changes that have taken place in American life, government, and the economy since World War II. He vibrantly illustrates the crises he managed alongside the world's leading politicians, central bankers, and financiers. Yet he first found his model for competent and ethical governance in his father, the town manager of Teaneck, NJ, who instilled Volcker's dedication to absolute integrity and his "three verities" of stable prices, sound finance, and good government.
£15.29
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Spitfire Girl: My Life in the Sky
Book SynopsisThe inspiring memoir of the remarkable Jackie Moggridge: ATA girl, Spitfire expert and pioneer. 'We had returned to a different world. We had taken off in peace at nine-thirty and landed in war at noon.' Jackie Moggridge was just nineteen when World War Two broke out. Determined to do her bit, she joined the Air Transport Auxiliary. Ferrying aircraft from factory to frontline was dangerous work, but there was also fun, friendship and even love in the air. At last the world was opening up to women... or at least it seemed to be. From her first flight at fifteen to smuggling Spitfires into Burma, Jackie describes the trials and tribulations, successes and frustrations of her life in the sky. What Amazon readers are saying about Spitfire Girl: 'There is something for everyone in this remarkable autobiography, adventure, romance, flight, struggle, victory. Must read!' 5* 'An amazing book by an inspirational woman' 5* 'Drama, aircraft, relationships... it's all there in this great page-turner!' 5* 'I am left with real admiration for Jackie Moggridge, truly an amazing lady' 5* 'Brilliant book. What an amazing women she was' 5*.
£10.44
Fingerprint! Publishing The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
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£12.34
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Happiest Man on Earth
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£14.44
Pen & Sword Books Ltd I Served With Hitler in the Trenches
Book SynopsisThe author recounts his, and Hitler's, journey to the front line.
£18.00
Charlesbridge Publishing,U.S. Quilt of Souls
Book SynopsisThe Yellow House meets Hidden in Plain View in this multigenerational memoir that celebrates African American quilting, family, and honoring the past.At age four, Phyllis Biffle Elmore was plucked off her front porch in Detroit and dropped on her grandmother Lula Horn?s doorstep in rural Alabama. Phyllis felt utterly abandoned until Grandma Lula showed her both all-encompassing love and her intricate ?Quilts of Souls.? Phyllis listened intently as Lula told epic stories of folks who had passed on as she turned their clothing into breathtaking quilts for their families.Grandma Lula?s generosity of spirit, strong will, and creative soul animate every page and through the quilts, she paints portraits of extraordinary Black women born before and after the Civil War. They are enslaved people, laundresses, storytellers, healers, and quilters whose stories have gone untold until now.Beautifully written and brilliantly told, Phyllis weaves back and forth through time, piecing together true tales of racism, sexism, and colorism, but also strength and pride, creating a multigenerational patchwork honoring her family and ancestors.From the lush visuals to the powerful history, Quilt of Souls is oral tradition written and preserved for posterity.?Like the women of Gee?s Bend, Alabama, who create masterpieces from cast-off fabrics, Phyllis Biffle Elmore in Quilt of Souls: A Memoir uses snippets of history and fragments of memories to craft a narrative that is a powerful and poignant read.??Jessica B. Harris, New York Times best-selling author of High on the Hog"A fascinating read that unravels how storytellers are born and made, with the goal or retelling family history, culture, loves, losses, victories, and the tragedies of memoerable people, from cradle to grave."?Omar Tyree, best-selling author and NAACP Image Award winner
£21.85
Mirror Books Surviving Hell: The brutal true story of a
Book Synopsis'Truly remarkable' DAMIEN LEWISTrapped in a living nightmare, former-para Nick Dunn, one of the 'Chennai Six', was wrongly imprisoned in an Indian jail.While battling to be heard both at home and abroad, Nick summoned the resilience and endurance of his elite training to survive inhumane conditions, keep himself alive and fight for his right to return home.Now, he tells his full story of struggle and survival for the very first time.
£8.54
Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd. My Country My Life
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£36.74
Steerforth Press Lieutenant Dangerous: A Vietnam War Memoir
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£12.59
World Scientific Publishing Co Pte Ltd Standing Tall: The Goh Chok Tong Years, Volume 2
Book SynopsisSome did not expect him to last long as Prime Minister. Few predicted he would succeed in the footsteps of Lee Kuan Yew. When Goh Chok Tong took over as the second Prime Minister of Singapore in 1990, many - from within and without the country - wondered aloud if the young country would survive Lee Kuan Yew.But Goh would confound the naysayers, leading Singapore for 14 years through recessions, terrorist attacks, electoral setbacks and even a mysterious virus. Standing Tall captures the transformation of a political leader, evolving from a Prime Minister with a touch of naivety to a hard-nosed strategist. He would introduce some of the country's most controversial policies, including the foreign talent scheme and formula for ministerial salaries, while advancing a kinder and gentler Singapore with the likes of MediFund and Edusave.The unchartered post-Cold War world which Goh stepped into posed challenges to the new leader, yet he not only cemented but also expanded Singapore's global space and stature. Along the way, he overcame hurdles from Bill Clinton's administration, exchanged quips with Nelson Mandela, and even saved Li Peng from a possibly severe heart attack.This sequel is written by author and journalist Peh Shing Huei, who also penned . Through interviews and access to People's Action Party documents and Goh's notes, this authorised biography uncovers rare insights into Singapore politics. Standing Tall tells the untold story of the Goh Chok Tong years, as he continues with Singapore's transformation into a global city.
£23.75
Protea Boekhuis The white bushman
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£19.00
Little, Brown Book Group Before After
Book SynopsisAged nineteen, Alison McKelvie was a self-confessed romantic, immersed in books and poetry, and dreaming of beauty, truth and love. In 1940, whilst working as a secretary at MI6, Alison met Alexander Wilson. Thirty years her senior, Alexander was worldly and charismatic. An intense affair quickly led to marriage and two children. But the Wilsons'' lives then spiralled into the depths of poverty. Alexander was sacked, imprisoned twice, and then declared bankrupt. His lack of reliability was a hefty emotional burden for Alison to bear. Nevertheless, she loved her husband unreservedly and stuck by him through thick and thin.In 1963, Alexander died suddenly of a heart attack. Alison''s world imploded when she discovered that their life together had been built upon layer after layer of deception. Who was Alexander Wilson? How well had Alison really known him? Slowly the lies were unravelled: Alexander had been a novelist, spy and, devastatingly, a bigamist. Alison was the thiTrade ReviewClear, unsentimental and eloquent prose . . . a testimony to her [the author's] fidelity, her integrity and her deep faith -- Charlie Hegarty * Catholic Herald *
£9.49
Vintage Publishing Bowens Court Seven Winters
Book SynopsisBowen's Court describes the history of one Anglo-Irish family in County Cork from the Cromwellian settlement until 1959, when Elizabeth Bowen was forced to sell the family house she loved.Trade ReviewInteresting, beautiful and important * New Statesman *She startles us by sheer originality of mind and boldness of sensibility into seeking our world afresh -- V.S. PritchettThrillingly convoluted * Guardian *
£11.69
McFarland & Co Inc Taking Fire
Book Synopsis As a first lieutenant in the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, U.S. Army pilot David Porter was section leader in an Aerial Scout platoon in Vietnam. Their mission was to conduct reconnaissance in OH-6 aircraft (a.k.a. Light Observation Helicopter or Loach) near the Cambodian border. Finding and engaging the enemy at low altitude in coordination with an AH-1 Cobra gunship circling above, these units developed a remarkable method of fighting the Viet Cong: Hunter-Killer Operations. The tactic had great local success but died with the war. Few today are aware of the hazards these pilots faced during times of intense combat. Porter''s vivid memoir recounts the internal workings of a legendary air cavalry troop, in-the-cockpit combat actions, and the men who were key players on this perilous battleground.Trade ReviewDave Porter's vivid description of the life and experiences of an aerial scout during some of our toughest battles in South Vietnam is a 'must read' for both old and young soldiers alike. A scout pilot and his aerial observer were 'up close and personal' with their enemy on a daily basis and only survived due to their skill and repetitive training. No one could tell their story better than 'Dave' a young cavalry lieutenant who flew the missions under the canopy and lived and felt all of the emotions that come with face-to-face combat."—Horace B. Taylor, Lieutenant General, U.S. Army (Retired)"This gripping account of the mundane boredom and high anxiety of an Aerial Scouts' tour in Vietnam keeps you glued to your seat as he shares his tour in-country. It contains riveting stories of inflight emergencies, emergency landings and coping with the loss of fellow Aviators, including the emotional homecoming reception--courtesy of the Californian war protesters--and reunification with his family upon his return to America."—Gerald E. Klein, Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army (Retired)"The bravest, toughest and most tenacious warriors I knew in the Vietnam War were Air Cavalry Scouts. My experience in an air cavalry troop parallels Dave Porter's in enough ways to know that those whom he led (as well as Dave himself) measured up to those very high standards. I also know the author well enough to know that his accounts are accurate, and, perhaps even understated. An extremely high number of battles in Vietnam started with an air cavalry scout being shot down or hit while performing the toughest reconnaissance missions given. It is hard to imagine just how much pressure and pain those warriors endured. This important book begins to reveal just what warriors those Air Cavalrymen were."—Paul E Funk, LTG US Army (Ret), president and CEO, The National Mounted Warfare Foundation"A riveting account of an Aerial Scout serving with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam in 1969. This writing gives us a vivid picture of the challenges facing a young officer as he established his credentials as a true professional in our armed forces. The period discussed in the book describes the building of the foundation for Dave's professional life. The reader will be pleased to know that he continued to serve our Army. Dave Porter enjoyed a long and distinguished career as an Armored Cavalry Officer. He was always leading from the front and caring for the soldiers and families in his charge."—Joseph R. Inge, Lieutenant General, U.S. Army (Retired)Table of ContentsForeword by Major General Richard Davis, U.S. Army (Ret.) 1Preface 3Prologue 5 1. In the Beginning 7 2. To Vietnam 15 3. The Quan Loi Military Complex 18 4. Hooch City 24 5. The Enemy 38 6. Indian Country 43 7. "Find the Bastards and Pile On" 51 8. Hunter-Killer Team Operations 64 9. The Characters 7310. Starting with the Blues 7911. To the Scouts 8712. Life as a Scout: Now It Begins 9913. "Find and report enemy locations and dispositions" 11014. The Dink Build Underway 12215. The Bad Days of February 13516. Life After the Scouts 157Epilogue 161Glossary 165Appendix 167Index 169
£14.24
Pan Macmillan Permanent Record: A Memoir of a Reluctant
Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLEREdward Snowden, the man who risked everything to expose the US government’s system of mass surveillance, reveals for the first time the story of his life, including how he helped to build that system and what motivated him to try to bring it down.In 2013, twenty-nine-year-old Edward Snowden shocked the world when he broke with the American intelligence establishment and revealed that the United States government was secretly pursuing the means to collect every single phone call, text message, and email. The result would be an unprecedented system of mass surveillance with the ability to pry into the private lives of every person on earth. Six years later, Snowden reveals for the very first time how he helped to build this system and why he was moved to expose it.Spanning the bucolic Beltway suburbs of his childhood and the clandestine CIA and NSA postings of his adulthood, Permanent Record is the extraordinary account of a bright young man who grew up online – a man who became a spy, a whistleblower, and, in exile, the Internet’s conscience. Written with wit, grace, passion, and an unflinching candor, Permanent Record is a crucial memoir of our digital age and destined to be a classic.Trade ReviewRiveting, pacy * Financial Times *The world's most famous whistleblower * Guardian *Fascinating * Observer *A riveting account . . . Reads like a literary thriller * New York Times *Gripping * Washington Post *His disclosures of mass surveillance and bulk collection of personal information are as relevant now as they were in 2013 * Guardian *Full of surprises . . . A deeply reluctant whistleblower . . . he deserves our thanks * The Nation *Well-written * The Economist *A very significant figure in the history of intelligence * Sunday Times *Thriller plot * London Review of Books *A thoughtful and elegantly written book -- Steven Poole, New Statesmen
£13.49
Duckworth Books Queen of Spies
Book SynopsisQueen of Spies captures both the paranoia and the on-the-ground realities of intelligence work from the Second World War to the Cold War, and the life of Britainâs celebrated female spy.Trade Review'Queen of Spies fills a big gap... a richly entertaining biography' Richard Norton Taylor, Guardian'Writing a biography of Daphne Park was never going to be easy and Paddy Hayes has done a very good job' Daily Telegraph'A remarkable biography of a remarkable woman - providing real insight into MI6 of the Cold War' Gordon Corera, author MI6: Life and Death in the British Secret Service'Daphne Park was truly the empress of British espionage. This book is a major contribution to understanding her fascinating career in MI6. Remarkably well-researched, it is required reading for anyone interested in the world of secret service' Professor Richard J Aldrich, author of GCQH: The Uncensored Story of Britain's Most Secret Intelligence Agency'A thoroughly researched and enlightening account' Times Literary Supplement'A wonderful new book that would make a great gift for anyone' Irish Daily Mail'This book was entertaining and thrilling, yet also informative and thought-provoking. It has explored many aspects of history and displays Hayes' passion for the intelligence service. It has a wide appeal to anyone who enjoys history or simply a good story' Bookbag'The only biography on Baroness Park and it fills a big gap. Hayes has produced an interesting and informative work' CIA Review of Books'Hayes is open about his own speculations, given the still-classified nature of much of this material, but he successfully conveys the inspiring nature of Park's personal story and achievements, offering an informative account of the Cold War and the workings of the super secret SIS' Publishers Weekly'A fascinating and long-overdue biography' Washington Post'The fascinating story of the evolution of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) from World War II to the Cold War through the eyes of Daphne Park, one of its outstanding and most unusual operatives. He provides the reader with one of the most intimate narratives yet of how the modern SIS actually went about its business whether in Moscow, Hanoi, or the Congo' Sunday Leader'An interesting and informative work' The Intelligencer'Hayes's accomplished biography circumvents the scanty evidence by offering a broader portrait of the Secret Service itself, a badly compromised men's club in which the forthright Park still managed to succeed' Sunday Telegraph'Only the second-ever biography published about a Cold War career officer in MI6' The Big Issue'Dame Daphne's story leaves us wondering about reality as seen through the eyes of a spy; and about how far spy work affected that reality' Spectator'Hayes deftly manages to chart her extraordinary life... that read like passages from a thriller' Country Life'This is an excellent biography of a remarkable woman... Intelligence researcher Hayes opens the door on the fascinating life of one of England's greatest spies, Daphne Park... As exciting as any good spy thriller but it's all true' Kirkus Reviews
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers WHICKERS WAR
Book SynopsisAlan Whicker is quite simply a legend. A visionary and master of his craft, his television shows from the fifties to the nineties almost single handed invented the language of travel television and earned him the status of one of the most foremost of British media icons.Trade Review'a vivid warm-hearted record of his experiences as a leading member of the Army Film and Photo Unit in Italy during the second world … Whicker's prose is such a natural expression of his ebullient personality … that reading it one seems to hear that laconic humour and to realize that he is as dapper and jaunty as he was in 1943.'Sunday Times ‘Riveting – a marathon television series, now a compulsive and fascinating book…’Radio 4 'My bookshelf would certainly be poorer without this written record. Inspired…and inspiring.'Manchester Evening News 'It almost doesn't seem like a book at all, for so familiar is the Whicker economy of language and word rhythms that it is impossible to look over the opening paragraphs without hearing the Whicker voice reading the words out loud inside your head.'Jean Moir, Daily Telegraph 'One of the outstanding broadcasters of the age and a reporter with notable gifts. Surrounded by carnage, corpses and the memory of lost friends, his familiar voice was as lilting and playful as ever, but laced with elegy…It was beautifully written and delivered with such assurance that even the pauses were eloquent.'Stephen Pile, Daily Telegraph
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Curfewed Night A Frontline Memoir of Life Love and War in Kashmir
Book SynopsisLonglisted for the Guardian First Book Award and Winner of the Crossword Prize for Non-fictionCurfewed Night is a passionate and important book a brave and brilliant report from a conflict the world has chosen to ignore.'' Salman RushdieBasharat Peer was a teenager when the separatist movement exploded in Kashmir in 1989. Over the following years countless young men, fuelled by feelings of injustice, crossed over the Line of Control' to train in Pakistani army camps. Peer was sent off to boarding school in Aligarh to keep out of trouble. He finished college and became a journalist in Delhi. But Kashmir angrier, more violent, more hopeless was never far away.In 2003 Peer, now a young journalist, left his job and returned to his homeland. Drawing a harrowing portrait of Kashmir and her people a mother forced to watch her son hold an exploding bomb, politicians living in refurbished torture chambers, picturesque villages riddled with landmines this is above all, a story of what it reTrade Review'A passionate and important book – a brave and brilliant report from a conflict the world has chosen to ignore.' Salman Rushdie ‘One of the finest books I’ve read this year…Basharat Peer’s memoir reminds us why peace in Kashmir is important, not just to India and Pakistan, but to the world.’ Hari Kunzru, Guardian '’”Curfewed Night” is the finest book I have read on the contemporary Kashmir conflict – literary, humane, clear-eyed and reliable. Basharat Peer has given voice, unforgettably, to a generation of Kashmiris who have never been heard, but who should be.' Steve Coll ‘An extraordinary memoir that does a great deal to bring the Kashmir conflict out of the realm of political rhetoric between India and Pakistan…one of the great achievements of “Curfewed Night” is its seamless mingling of memoir and reportage…It is a formidable challenge to tell the stories of Kashmir's suffering without numbing the readers' senses, and that Peer is able to do so is testament to his gifts and and sensitivity as a writer’ Guardian ‘Fresh and poignant…Peer's tone is non–judgmental…”Curfewed Night” has made his own valuable contribution to Orwell's mission making the political writing an art’ The Economist
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Women in the War
Book SynopsisAn important contribution to our recent history' ANDREW MARRAbsorbing and important' JOAN BAKEWELLOne of my favourite reads of 2021' GARETH RUSSELLPoignant and inspiring,Women in the Wartells the first-hand stories of ten of the last surviving female members of Britain''s ''Greatest Generation''.Whether flying Spitfires to the frontline, aiding code breaking at Bletchley Park, plotting the Battle of the Atlantic or working with Churchill in the Cabinet War Rooms, each of these women made a crucial contribution to the conflict overseas and helped to buttress the home front.Here they recount their remarkable experiences during the Second World War, recalling how their formative years were shaped by danger and trauma, and how friendship and romance fortified their spirits.Drawing on the insight that comes with age, they contemplate how the conflict helped women prove their worth, transforming society and sparking the later battles for equal rights.With a reporter's eye for detail, Lucy FiTrade Review‘Riveting… Stories that are not only fascinating in themselves, but contain the sort of detail that would only strike those present at the time.’THE TELEGRAPH REVIEW ‘In all the hundreds of books written about the Second World War, there is a curious lack of information about the role of women. In these series of intimate interviews with some of the last survivors, Lucy Fisher closes the gap. From pilots to land girls, nurses to radio operators, plotters to Downing Street insiders, she hears from some of the remarkable women who helped win the war that defined modern Britain. An important contribution to our recent history.’ ANDREW MARR ‘Unsung, and until now unacknowledged, Lucy Fisher tells the story of stalwart yet unassuming women who contributed in obtrusive ways to Britain’s victory in World War Two. Land girl, wireless operator, secretary in the Cabinet war rooms, plotter in the Wrens, paraphraser at Bletchley Park: these women talk of their important, even dangerous lives, setting the record straight. This is an absorbing and important footnote to the history of World War Two.’ JOAN BAKEWELL ‘One of my favourite reads of 2021. Wonderfully written, Women in the War captures the voices of ten extraordinary veterans of the Second World War whose stories take us from Bletchley Park to military aircraft, to busy English hospitals and a Blitz-torn Belfast. Women in the War is by turns uplifting, nerve-wracking, heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny. It is also a story of finding freedom amid fear. The courage and tenacity of these women left me in awe.’ GARETH RUSSELL
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Hero
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£18.69
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Prisoner My 544 Days in an Iranian PrisonSolitary
Book SynopsisTrade Review“A deeply personal account of one journalist’s determination to find and report the truth, his fervent commitment to a free press, and his even more profound love for the family from whom he was separated.” — John F. Kerry, 68th Secretary of State “An important story. Harrowing, and suspenseful, yes—but it’s also a deep dive into a complex and egregiously misunderstood country with two very different faces. There is no better time to know more about Iran—and Jason Rezaian has seen both of those faces.” — Anthony Bourdain “Reading this book opened my eyes to how unfairly he had been treated by the Iranian government and how love, humor and resilience got him through. This book is a reminder of the people who sacrifice their freedoms and their lives to bring us the truth.” — Maz Jobrani “Jason Rezaian is an American hero. For lots of reasons. For always using his work to speak truth to power. For speaking truth to power even when it compromises his safety and well being. And for going through everything he has gone through and still being able to unspool his tale in such a way that you feel like you just sat next to the most interesting guy in the bar. Prisoner is a primer on Iran, American politics, journalism, and hope, when we as a country need all those things in maximum doses.” — W. Kamau Bell "Rezaian’s conversational prose makes this a fast and intense narrative." — Publishers Weekly "...As powerful and memorable a memoir as you’ll read this year." — Crimereads.com "...More than just a memoir that reads like a thriller. It's also an intimate family history, an anguished love letter to an ancient and broken homeland, and a spirited defense of journalism and truth at a time when both are under attack almost everywhere." — New York Times Book Review "It is Rezaian’s descriptions of the way the Iranian regime operates at the working level — its twisted logic and paranoia — that make the book so worthwhile." — Washington Post "Prisoner is Rezaian's story of his arrest, imprisonment, trial and eventual release after 15 months. It's also a revealing account of his childhood, family and marriage. Perhaps mirroring how he was left to his thoughts in prison, the narrative is digressive, jumping back and forth to different periods of his life. And it works...Rezaian is unsparingly intimate throughout." — NPR.org
£12.34
HarperCollins Publishers Inc 9 Rules of Engagement
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£12.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Dear America Notes of an Undocumented Citizen
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£20.79
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The House of Yan
Book SynopsisThrough the sweeping cultural and historical transformations of China, entrepreneur Lan Yan traces her family’s history through early 20th Century to present day.The history of the Yan family is inseparable from the history of China over the last century.Trade Review“A powerful memoir… A thoughtful, astute narrative that helps Western readers understand the rise of the new China from the ashes of terror.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "[A] comprehensive debut memoir… Yan expertly captures a tumultuous period in this smart, colorful family history." — Publishers Weekly "A touching, essential account for anyone interested in 20th-century Chinese history and highly recommended for fans of personal family memoir." — Library Journal (starred review) "Some of the most arresting passages are about the warmth of family life: homely activities like pickling cabbages together or cooking dumplings. You can almost smell the fragrant steam, and what happens when the familiar, the commonplace, is stripped away and existence loses all logic with book burnings, head shavings, ransackings and meaningless cruelties . . . . For its personal insights and universal warnings about what humans are capable of, both good and bad, Yan’s readable and touching memoir of her family deserves to be told, and she tells it well." — Washington Post
£12.34
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Were Better Than This
Book SynopsisOne of Essence''s Best Books of the Year. NAACP Image Awards Winner for Outstanding Literary Work in the Debut Author category.With a foreword by Speaker Nancy Pelosi.“There was no greater friend to the poor, to the lost, to the left out, and to the left behind. If you want to understand this great man, read his historic, important book and learn the lessons and values from his ‘moral voice crying in the wilderness’ on behalf of our American democracy.”—Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) Known for his poise, intellect, and influence until his death in October 2019, Elijah Cummings was one of the most respected figures in contemporary politics, a politician who held fast to his beliefs but was not afraid to reach across the aisle in the name of friendship and progress. Since his earliest days
£21.74
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Were Better Than This
Book SynopsisTrade Review“In Congress, we miss his wisdom, his warm friendship, and his great humanity. In Baltimore, we miss our champion. God truly blessed the United States with the life and leadership of Elijah Cummings. What a blessing that, with this wonderful book, generations of Americans—our ‘living messengers’ to the future—will now be able to read his words and learn from his beautiful life!” — From the Foreword by Speaker Nancy Pelosi "Impressive on multiple levels . . . an urgent call to action, imploring us to defend our democracy as it is assailed by threats internal and external. And, perhaps above all, it is a poignant reminder of just how much the nation lost with his death. . . . To read this book is to join the ranks of his admirers." — NPR "Moving insight into a remarkable man, which remains a touching tribute to his accomplishments in the later years of his life." — Library Journal (starred review) "A forceful valedictory. . . . Cummings’s paeans to family, faith, and general idealism make this a moving tale worth reading." — Publishers Weekly "The legendary, late Baltimore congressman shares the stories of his past with an eye to the future in this apt-for-our-times memoir." — Newsweek “Excellent political memoir by the late Democratic representative from Baltimore…A thoughtful and inspiring exhortation to do better by a much-missed leader.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “I absolutely love the late Rep. Elijah Cummings’ book ‘We’re Better Than This: My Fight for the Future of our Democracy.’ It was his last call to action before he passed away.” — Suzanne Malveaux, CNN National correspondent “This memoir serves as an urgent call to action for all Americans as we strive to live up to our nation’s pledge of ‘liberty and justice for all’ as only Elijah could deliver it. He and I often spoke of our shared backgrounds and experiences, probably the most significant of all was that we each grew up as the son of a preacher…He is missed, but his message lives on in this powerful testimony of how we can best move our country toward the promise of ‘a more perfect union.’” — Rep. James E. Clyburn, House Majority Whip (D-SC)
£12.34
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Greatest Beer Run Ever
Book SynopsisSomeone should sneak into Vietnam, track down their buddies there, give them messages of support from back home, and share a few laughs over a can of beer.
£22.39
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Greatest Beer Run Ever
Book SynopsisNOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE DIRECTED BY PETER FARRELLY, STARRING ZAC EFRON AND RUSSELL CROWE!Instant New York Times BestsellerInstant USA Today Bestseller“Chickie takes us thousands of miles on a hilarious quest laced with sorrow, but never dull. You will laugh and cry, but you will not be sorry that you read this rollicking story.”—Malachy McCourtA wildly entertaining, feel-good memoir of an Irish-American New Yorker and former U.S. marine who embarked on a courageous, hare-brained scheme to deliver beer to his pals serving Vietnam in the late 1960s.One night in 1967, twenty-six-year-old John Donohue—known as Chick—was out with friends, drinking in a New York City bar. The friends gathered there had lost loved ones in Vietnam. Now they watched as anti-war protesters turned on the troops themselves.One neig
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Happiest Man on Earth
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£20.79
HarperCollins Lessons from the Edge A Memoir
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£17.59
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Greatest Beer Run Ever Movie TieIn
Book SynopsisNOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE DIRECTED BY PETER FARRELLY, STARRING ZAC EFRON AND RUSSELL CROWE!Instant New York Times BestsellerInstant USA Today Bestseller?Chickie takes us thousands of miles on a hilarious quest laced with sorrow, but never dull. You will laugh and cry, but you will not be sorry that you read this rollicking story.??Malachy McCourtA wildly entertaining, feel-good memoir of an Irish-American New Yorker and former U.S. marine who embarked on a courageous, hare-brained scheme to deliver beer to his pals serving Vietnam in the late 1960s.One night in 1967, twenty-six-year-old John Donohue?known as Chick?was out with friends, drinking in a New York City bar. The friends gathered there had lost loved ones in Vietnam. Now, they watched as anti-war protesters turned on the troops themselves.One neighborhood patriot came up with an inspired?some would call it insane?idea. Someone should sneak into Vietnam, track down their buddies there, give them messages of support from back home, and share a few laughs over a can of beer.It would be the Greatest Beer Run Ever.But who?d be crazy enough to do it?One man was up for the challenge?a U. S. Marine Corps veteran turned merchant mariner who wasn?t about to desert his buddies on the front lines when they needed him.Chick volunteered.A day later, he was on a cargo ship headed to Vietnam, armed with Irish luck and a backpack full of alcohol. Landing in Qui Nho?n, Chick set off on an adventure that would change his life forever?an odyssey that took him through a series of hilarious escapades and harrowing close calls, including the Tet Offensive. But none of that mattered if he could bring some cheer to his pals and show them how much the folks back home appreciated them.This is the story of that epic beer run, told in Chick?s own words and those of the men he visited in Vietnam.
£14.39
Vintage Publishing Bizot F Gate
Book SynopsisSelected as a Book of the Year in 2017 in the Scottish Herald ''The beauty of the prose is in contrast with the horror anticipated by this superbly subtle narrative'' Kapka KassabovaIn 1971, on a routine outing through the Cambodian countryside, the young French ethnologist Fran-ois Bizot is captured by the Khmer Rouge. Accused of being an agent of ''American imperialism'', he is chained and imprisoned. His captor, Douch - later responsible for tens of thousands of deaths - interrogates him at length; after three months of torturous deliberation, during which his every word was weighed and his life hung in the balance, he was released. Four years later, the Khmer Rouge entered Phnom Penh. Fran-ois Bizot became the official intermediary between the ruthless conqueror and the terrified refugees behind the gate of the French embassy: a ringside seat to one of history''s most appalling genocides. Written thirty years later, Fran-ois Bizot''s memoir of his horrific experiences in the ''killing fields'' of Cambodia is, in the words of John le Carr-, a ''contemporary classic''.
£10.44
Vintage Publishing A Tale of Love and Darkness
Book SynopsisBorn in Jerusalem in 1939, Amos Oz was the internationally acclaimed author of many novels and essay collections, translated into over forty languages, including his brilliant semi-autobiographical work, A Tale of Love and Darkness. His last novel, Judas, was shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize 2017 and won the Yasnaya Polyana Foreign Fiction Award. He received several international awards, including the Prix Femina, the Israel Prize, the Goethe Prize, the Frankfurt Peace Prize and the 2013 Franz Kafka Prize. He died in December 2018.Trade ReviewOne of the funniest, most tragic and most touching books I have ever read. A testament to a family, a time and a place. * Guardian *A masterpiece * Irish Times *One of the most gripping, intense and moving autobiographies I have ever read. * Independent on Sunday *It sweeps across 120 years of family history, weaving a tragi-comic saga of love and books, of Jewish life and immigrant life the world over, and of the universal madness of families. Read it now - I promise you won't read a more brilliant book in a long, long while. * Daily Mail *Oz's account of his childhood is often very funny - and then profoundly moving, as he circles slowly round to confront the intolerable pain at the heart of it -- Michael Frayn * Week *
£10.44
Random House Waking Up in Toytown
Book SynopsisJohn Burnside was among the most acclaimed writers of his generation. His novels, short stories, poetry and memoirs won numerous awards, including the Geoffrey Faber Memorial, Saltire Scottish Book of the Year and, in 2023, he received the David Cohen Prize for a lifetime's achievement in literature. In 2011 Black Cat Bone won both the Forward and the T.S. Eliot Prizes for poetry.Trade ReviewThere is no truer writer than John Burnside...[A] searching enquiry into a life: bruised, filled with grace and as plangent and haunting as any plainsong -- Catherine Lockerbie * Scotsman *Burnside's memoir deserves to become a classic. Has anyone written about the direct experience of mental illness with such scrupulous observation and wit? * Daily Express *A brilliant portrait of isolation... This sophisticated study of the human mind argues for our right "to continue in the pursuit of whole-heartedness. To be not-normal after all" -- Fiona Sampson * Independent *Beautifully written and observed memoir ... an affecting book from a writer of manifest talent; a compellingly readable memoir possessed of a genuine spiritual and intellectual depth -- Adam O'Riordan * Sunday Telegraph *This is an extraordinary book and one so honest it scorches -- Carlo Gebler * Irish Times *
£15.29
Penguin Books Ltd My Bondage and My Freedom
Book SynopsisEx-slave Frederick Douglass's second autobiography-written after ten years of reflection following his legal emancipation in 1846 and his break with his mentor William Lloyd Garrison-catapulted Douglass into the international spotlight as the foremost spokesman for American blacks, both freed and slave. Written during his celebrated career as a speaker and newspaper editor, My Bondage and My Freedom reveals the author of the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1845) grown more mature, forceful, analytical, and complex with a deepened commitment to the fight for equal rights and liberties. Edited with an Introduction and Notes by John David SmithTrade Review“My Bondage and My Freedom, besides giving a fresh impulse to antislavery literature, [shows] upon its pages the untiring industry of the ripe scholar.”—William Wells Brown
£12.42
Penguin Books Ltd The Letters of the Younger Pliny
Book SynopsisProviding a series of fascinating views of Imperial Rome, The Letters of the Younger Pliny also offer one of the fullest self-portraits to survive from classical times. This Penguin Classics edition is translated with an introduction by Betty Radice.A prominent lawyer and administrator, Pliny was also a prolific letter-writer, who numbered among his correspondents such eminent figures as Tacitus, Suetonius and the Emperor Trajan, as well as a wide circle of friends and family. His lively and very personal letters address an astonishing range of topics, from a deeply moving account of his uncle''s death in the eruption that engulfed Pompeii, to observations on the early Christians - ''a desperate sort of cult carried to extravagant lengths'' - from descriptions of everyday life in Rome, with its scandals and court cases, to Pliny''s life in the country.Betty Radice''s definitive edition was the forst complete modern translation of Pliny''s letters. In her intro
£11.69
Penguin Books Ltd The Interesting Narrative and Other Writings
Book SynopsisAn exciting and often terrifying adventure story, and a precursor to the famous nineteenth-century slave narratives, Equiano''s The Interesting Narrative recounts his kidnapping in Africa aged ten, his service as a slave of an officer in the British Navy for ten years, and his life after he bought his freedom in 1766, growing to become one of the foremost figures of the anti-slavery movement in Britain.The Interesting Narrative is a spirited autobiography, a tale of spiritual quest and fulfillment and a sophisticated treatise on religion, politics and economics.Table of ContentsIntroductionVincent CarrettaA Note on the TextAcknowledgmentsA Note on MoneySuggestions for Further ReadingThe Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by HimselfExplanatory and Textual NotesAppendix A: The Frontispieces and Title Pages of the First London (1789) and New York (1791) EditionsAppendix B: A Note on the IllustrationsAppendix C: List of Subscribers to the First EditionAppendix D: List of Subscribers to the New York EditionAppendix E: Correspondence of Gustavus Vassa, or Olaudah Equiano, Not Published in The Interesting NarrativeAppendix F: The Will and Codicil of Gustavus Vassa (Olaudah Equiano)
£11.69
Penguin Putnam Inc Alexander Hamilton
Book SynopsisThe #1 New York Times bestseller, and the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical Hamilton!Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow presents a landmark biography of Alexander Hamilton, the Founding Father who galvanized, inspired, scandalized, and shaped the newborn nation.Grand-scale biography at its best—thorough, insightful, consistently fair, and superbly written . . . A genuinely great book. —David McCullough“A robust full-length portrait, in my view the best ever written, of the most brilliant, charismatic and dangerous founder of them all. —Joseph EllisFew figures in American history have been more hotly debated or more grossly misunderstood than Alexander Hamilton. Chernow’s biography gives Hamilton his due and sets the record straight, deftly illustrating that the political and economic greatness of today’s America is the result of Hamilton’s countless sacrifices to champion ideas that were often wildly disputed during his time. “To repudiate his legacy,” Chernow writes, “is, in many ways, to repudiate the modern world.” Chernow here recounts Hamilton’s turbulent life: an illegitimate, largely self-taught orphan from the Caribbean, he came out of nowhere to take America by storm, rising to become George Washington’s aide-de-camp in the Continental Army, coauthoring The Federalist Papers, founding the Bank of New York, leading the Federalist Party, and becoming the first Treasury Secretary of the United States.Historians have long told the story of America’s birth as the triumph of Jefferson’s democratic ideals over the aristocratic intentions of Hamilton. Chernow presents an entirely different man, whose legendary ambitions were motivated not merely by self-interest but by passionate patriotism and a stubborn will to build the foundations of American prosperity and power. His is a Hamilton far more human than we’ve encountered before—from his shame about his birth to his fiery aspirations, from his intimate relationships with childhood friends to his titanic feuds with Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Monroe, and Burr, and from his highly public affair with Maria Reynolds to his loving marriage to his loyal wife Eliza. And never before has there been a more vivid account of Hamilton’s famous and mysterious death in a duel with Aaron Burr in July of 1804.Chernow’s biography is not just a portrait of Hamilton, but the story of America’s birth seen through its most central figure. At a critical time to look back to our roots, Alexander Hamilton will remind readers of the purpose of our institutions and our heritage as Americans.9780143034759
£19.55
Penguin Books Ltd Narrative of Frederick Douglass
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
£8.54
Penguin Putnam Inc The Art of Intelligence Lessons from a Life in
Book Synopsis“A lively account . . . combines the derring-do of old-fashioned spycraft with thoughtful meditations on the future of warfare and intelligence work. It deserves to be read.” —The Washington Post“Offer[s] an exceptionally deep glimpse into the CIA’s counterterrorism operations in the last decade of the twentieth century.” —Harper’sA legendary CIA spy and counterterrorism expert tells the spellbinding story of his high-risk, action-packed careerRevelatory and groundbreaking, The Art of Intelligence will change the way people view the CIA, domestic and foreign intelligence, and international terrorism. Henry A. “Hank” Crumpton, a twenty-four-year veteran of the CIA’s Clandestine Service, offers a thrilling account that delivers profound lessons about what it means to serve as an honorable spy. From CIA recruiting missions in Africa to pioneerin
£15.20
Penguin Putnam Inc King of Spies The Dark Reign of an American
Book SynopsisThe New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Camp 14 returns with the untold story of one of the most powerful spies in American history, shedding new light on the U.S. role in the Korean War, and its legacy In 1946, master sergeant Donald Nichols was repairing jeeps on the sleepy island of Guam when he caught the eye of recruiters from the army's Counter Intelligence Corps. After just three months' training, he was sent to Korea, then a backwater beneath the radar of MacArthur's Pacific Command. Though he lacked the pedigree of most U.S. spies—Nichols was a 7th grade dropout—he quickly metamorphosed from army mechanic to black ops phenomenon. He insinuated himself into the affections of America’s chosen puppet in South Korea, President Syngman Rhee, and became a pivotal player in the Korean War, warning months in advance about the North Korean invasion, breaking enemy codes, and identifying most of the targets
£14.45
Penguin Random House India The Kargil Girl
Book Synopsis
£8.50
Oxford University Press The Chronicles of John Cannon Excise Officer and
Book SynopsisJohn Cannon, known to some as ''the poor man''s Pepys'', was the self-taught son of a Somerset farmer. Though some episodes in Cannon''s life have been partially drawn upon in other studies, this edition is the first full scale study enabling Cannon and his world to be understood in their entirety.The manuscript he wrote over nearly 60 years offers a remarkably candid autobiography, crowded with people of all ranks in hundreds of different places, roles and occupations. His Chronicles also record virtually all aspects of change, at a social level seldom so continuously documented in any period, as they were experienced and observed in significant regions of the country, during a crucial span of British history. Part 1 includes Cannon''s unique personal account of Country Excise, in the Thames Valley, and back in Somerset. The extended Introduction places Cannon and his Chronicles in all their contexts. (Part 2 covers the period 1734-1743.)Trade ReviewThe "Chronicles" provide not just a remarkable insight into the material, mental and moral world of one individual, but also of the period in which he lived... an incredibly rich source, and the British Academy and the Oxford University Press are to be congratulated for making this superb edition of it available. Equally, John Money is to be thanked for his massively erudite, at appropriate points witty, and unfailingly sympathetic editorial work. * James Sharpe, Times Literary Supplement *
£76.00
The University of Chicago Press The Complete Civil War Journal and Selected
Book SynopsisThis work is a comprehensive edition of Thomas Wentworth Higginson's journal. Including a selection of Higginson's wartime letters, the volume offers a picture of the radical interracial solidarity brought about by the transformative experience of the army camp and of American Civil War life.
£47.32
Columbia University Press Sakamoto Ryoma and the Meiji Restoration
Book SynopsisExploring a tumultuous time in Japanese 19th-century history, when the country began to emerge from self-imposed exile, this study profiles activists such as Sakamoto Ryoma and Nakaoka Shintaro, who played an important role in the development of a unified nation state.
£29.75
Penguin Books Ltd Darkest Hour
Book SynopsisFrom the prize-winning screenwriter of The Theory of Everything, this is a cinematic, behind-the-scenes account of a crucial moment which takes us inside the mind of one of the world''s greatest leaders - and provides a revisionist, more rounded portrait of his leadership.May, 1940. Britain is at war, European democracies are falling rapidly and the public are unaware of this dangerous new world. Just days after his unlikely succession to Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, faces this horror - and a sceptical King and a party plotting against him. He wonders how he can capture the public mood and does so, magnificently, before leading the country to victory.It is this fascinating period that Anthony McCarten captures in this deeply researched, gripping day-by-day (and often hour-by-hour) narrative. In doing so he revises the familiar view of Churchill - he made himself into the iconic figure we remember and changed the course of history, but through those turbuTrade ReviewI learned things from the script I didn't know. I just thought, "Can that be right? Were we that perilously close?" And so it just grabbed me. -- Gary OldmanThis is history written with the verve of a novel. Compelling and provocative -- Piers Brendon, former Director, The Churchill ArchivesPacy, refreshing, intimate and clear-eyed -- Sonia Purnell, author of 'Clementine'Impeccably researched, provocative and absolutely thrilling. I couldn't put it down. -- Henry Hemming, author of Churchill's IcemanEngrossing... a bold and hugely readable story about doubts, decision and the power of words that vividly conveys the man and the moment. -- Clare Mulley, author of The Woman Who Saved the ChildrenDarkest Hour has the panache, pace, wit and authenticity of its place and time...a concise and convincing distillation of the events of May 1940. -- Lawrence James [on the film]It is quite simply brilliantly well done. Gary Oldman's performance is nothing short of a masterpiece and Kristin Scott Thomas is remarkable. At one moment in the film I closed my eyes and I thought it was my grandmother speaking. It is also extremely moving - what my mother used to call a "two-handkerchief film" -- Nicholas Soames [on the film]Stands alongside any of the great studies of Churchill -- Phil Reed OBE, Director Emeritus, Churchill War MuseumMcCarten's pulse-pounding narrative transports the reader to those springtime weeks in 1940 when the fate of the world rested on the shoulders of Winston Churchill. Thoroughly researched and compulsively readable, Darkest Hour is a true story thrillingly told -- Michael F. Bishop, Executive Director of the International Churchill Society
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd Becoming
Book SynopsisAn intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir; 17 million copies sold worldwideTHE NO. 1 BESTSELLERNow in paperback featuring a new introduction by Michelle Obama, a letter from the author to her younger self, and a book club guide with 20 discussion questions and a 5-question Q&A, the intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United StatesIn her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her -- from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world''s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it -- in her own words and on her own terms.Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations -- and whose story inspires us to do the same.THE LIGHT WE CARRY IS AVAILABLE NOWSunday Times bestseller, November 2018Trade ReviewAn inspirational memoir that also rings true -- Gaby Wood * Daily Telegraph, Five Stars *Obama's memoir is a genuine page-turner, full of intimacies and reflections. . . Allied to this candour is a steeliness of purpose. It is no exaggeration to say that every page of this book is, explicitly or otherwise, a reproach to Donald Trump, and a call-to-arms to those who would defeat the 45th President and all that he stands for -- Matt D'Ancona * Evening Standard *This is a rich, entertaining and candid memoir. And overall she's a fun person to sit alongside as she tells you the story of her life, warts and all. . . it is as beautifully written as any piece of fiction, with a similar warm languid tone to Ann Patchett's novel Commonwealth -- Viv Groskop * i, Five Stars *This revealing memoir offers new insights into her upbringing on the south side of Chicago and the highs and lows of life with Barack Obama. . . Becoming is a 400-page expansion of this essential doctrine ['when they go low, we go high'], without compromising a refreshing level of honesty about what politics really did to her. I have read Barack Obama's two books so far, and this is like inserting a missing piece of reality into the narrative of his dizzying journey -- Afua Hirsch * Guardian *I found myself lifting my jaw from my chest at the end of every other chapter, not because of any seedy insight into stories I'd always wondered about, but because, armed as I was with knowledge about her career, her mannerisms, and even her elbow-heavy dancing, this was not the Obama I thought I knew. She was more -- Kuba Shand-Baptiste * Independent *Inspiring. . . After 421 pages of Becoming, I closed the book hoping that one day she would use her formidable intelligence, humanity - and humour - to offer a more tangible vision for how America might fight the rising tides of polarisation and hate * Financial Times *Open and engaging. . . Obama writes with candour about the good times and bad * Daily Express *Of course, Becoming is Michelle Obama's story, of how she moved from a girl on the South Side of Chicago to becoming one of the most powerful women in the world. But in the final pages of the book, Obama writes, "It's all a process, steps along a path. Becoming requires equal parts patience and rigor." Here, Obama is pushing us to reckon with our own becomings - to realise our own story and to have the power to tell it * The Pool *She's a woman we've all fallen in love with because she radiates joy and wisdom, and Becoming encapsulate this perfectly. It's also deeply honest - reading it makes you feel as though she's your close friend opening up to you * Red Online *Obama writes with a refreshing candor * The Atlantic *In the best moments of Becoming, the miracle of Michelle Obama arises * Vanity Fair *[A] polished pearl of a memoir * New York Times *This beautifully written memoir... Twenty-five years ago she fell in love with a driven idealist, a man determined not to accept the world as it was. She feared his forceful intellect and ambition might swallow hers; instead, she found her voice * Sunday Times *Becoming serenely balances gravity and grace, uplift and anecdote.... Becoming is frequently funny, sometimes indignant or enraged, and when Michelle describes her father's early death from multiple sclerosis it turns rawly emotional * Observer *This is a vivid and interesting account and all of that is to her credit. I certainly thought better of her by the end: she has put her heart into this * The Times *This is undeniably a political book, both a fierce critique of Donald Trump's administration's politics of hatred and a powerful remind of a better, more compassionate America * Metro *Candid, engaging. . . To read her reflections is to recall and hope for a better America. Mrs Obama pulls back the curtains around their lives in a way she could not while Mr Obama was in office. Besides her lovely turn of phrase, she is a gifted and empathetic observer * The Economist *Deeply moving. . . Becoming is fundamentally about how to be a person in the world, how to live a purposeful life, and how to use the chances you have been given * New Statesman *Her wonderful candid and affecting autobiography, Becoming. . . brims over with such emotional truthfulness...what a tale. With its generosity of spirit, self-knowledge and hope, it is the perfected antidote to the man who now lives in the White House. A plangent, defiant, honest and uplifting book * Sunday Telegraph, Five Stars *Intimate, inspiring and set to become hugely influential * Sunday Times, Books of the Year *What a memoir. What a woman. * Spectator *This brilliantly written and emotionally authentic memoir fills in some important gaps...not just a fascinating read but a genuinely moving one too * Mail on Sunday, Five Stars *
£21.25
