Autobiography: science, technology and medicine Books

Book SynopsisA pioneering marine biologist takes us down into the deep ocean in this ''thrilling blend of hard science and high adventure'' (New York Times)LONGLISTED FOR THE SNHN NATURAL HISTORY BOOK PRIZEEdith Widder grew up determined to become a marine biologist. But after complications from a surgery during college caused her to go temporarily blind, she became fascinated by light as well as the power of optimism. Below the Edge of Darkness explores the depths of the planet''s oceans as Widder seeks to understand bioluminescence, one of the most important and widely used forms of communication in nature. In the process, she reveals hidden worlds and a dazzling menagerie of behaviours and animals. Alongside Widder, we experience life-and-death equipment malfunctions and witness breakthroughs in technology and understanding, all of it set against a growing awareness of the deteriorating health of our largest and least understood ecosyTrade ReviewA thrilling blend of hard science and high adventure * New York Times Book Review *A vivid account of ocean life... Stylish, eloquent -- Robin McKie * Guardian Book of the Day *Edie's story is one of hardscrabble optimism, two-fisted exploration and groundbreaking research. As I've said many times, I'd have wrapped my submersible, the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER, in bacon if it would have lured the elusive giant squid from the depths. In Below the Edge of Darkness, Edie tells you how she did it -- James CameronTo shed light on a subject is what any scientific book should do. To go into it in depth without losing the reader is a harder task. Edith Widder's subject is light itself - the manufacture of light by strange and eerie denizens of the deep sea - and her scintillating style is worthy of it. This is a book to delight the general reader while simultaneously informing the professional: a book of marvels, marvellously written -- Richard DawkinsMy experience of exploring the deep ocean and its alien life with Edie Widder was fabulous. She enthrals us with many such stories in her book. I recommend it * Ray Dalio *Personal and page-turning, adventurous and awe-inspiring, Below the Edge of Darkness sparkles with the thrill of exploration and glows with an urgent plea for the future of our precious seas. Comparisons to Jacques Cousteau spring to mind, as Edith Widder shares the profound journey of her life -one as unique and important as the unexplored realms of our very own planet -- Juli Berwald, author of Spineless: the Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a BackboneLuminous - the topic, the heroic journey, and the author herself. Dive in with Edith Widder, trail-blazing scientist and explorer, as she reveals the galaxy of light and life in the universe below the surface of the sea, out-shining sceptical male colleagues with dignity, grace and a robust sense of humour -- Sylvia Earle, National Geographic Explorer in Residence; Founder, Mission Blue, Oceanographer

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD''So very important'' NIGELLA LAWSON''Brilliantly alive'' SUNDAY TIMES''A truly wonderful book. Read it'' HENRY MARSH''Shows us the very best of human nature'' ADAM KAY''Her words are brimful of love, grace and kindness'' GUARDIANAs a specialist in palliative medicine, Dr Rachel Clarke chooses to inhabit a place many people would find too tragic to contemplate. Every day, she tries to bring care and comfort to those reaching the end of their lives and to help make dying more bearable. Rachel''s training was put to the test in 2017 when her beloved GP father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She learned that nothing - even the best palliative care - can sugar-coat the pain of losing someone you love. And yet, she argues, in a hospice there is more of what matters in lifeTrade ReviewThis is a wonderful book. Rachel takes the worst life can throw at us and shows us the beauty in itWhat a remarkable book this is; tender, funny, brave, heartfelt, radiant with love and life. It sings with joy and kindnessA truly wonderful book. Read itA truly beautiful book about death and life and the price of love. Told by a doctor, with compassion and wisdom. I cried, but they were warm, comforting tears. It made me think about stuff I fear in a new and better wayMoving, thought-provoking and so very important. I'm immeasurably grateful to have read it, and it will stay with me. In death, we learn about lifeA touching and profound meditation on what it means to be human . . . it is a remarkable book * Guardian *Dear Life names the tension between love and risk that gives life its sweetness. It takes readers to the edge of life in supportive, wise companyHeart-wrenchingly tender * Observer *She writes with a tender, lyrical beauty * Sunday Times *Her words are brimful of love, grace and kindness * Guardian *A magnificent, tender book * Independent *Moving . . . an honest account from the front line of death * The Times *An enthralling and deeply affecting book . . . It is [the] blend of the personal and professional that makes Dear Life so special * Express *Honest, clear-sighted and immensely wise, Clarke's book is laced with loss, yet raises a jubilant toast to life * Literary Review *A heartbreaking, exhilarating read * Guardian *Arguably the most remarkable book of the year * The i *An NHS doctor interweaves heartwarming stories of palliative care for patients in a hospice with memories of her beloved GP father * Guardian *Rachel Clarke weaves together an account of her training as a doctor who came to specialise in palliative care, the stories of her patients, and her father's death in Dear Life. I read it while coming to terms with the death of a family friend, and found it full of honesty and tender wisdom about life and the process of dying. It managed the brilliant and paradoxical feat of helping you love life a little more and fear death a little less -- Matt Haig * Guardian *This astonishing book by Dr Clarke will make you re-evaluate your own life and priorities. This is a deeply moving read * Woman & Home *Compassionate, heartfelt and deeply life-affirming * Mirror *

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Book SynopsisTHE NO. 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER - NOW INCLUDING BRAND NEW MATERIALTHIS IS GOING TO HURT was the bestselling non-fiction book of the century - a frank, funny and furious look at the brutal realities of life in the NHS.But it was only part of Adam Kay''s story. With his stethoscope now hung up, Adam shares more suture-splitting anecdotes from both on and off the wards. From the hilarious to the profoundly moving, from the first days of medical school to life after the NHS, UNDOCTORED is an astonishing portrait of an extraordinary life, from one of Britain''s finest - and funniest - storytellers.Trade ReviewBrilliant - even better than This is Going to Hurt * Jacqueline Wilson *Very funny, very moving - Adam Kay has done it again, the talented c***. PS sorry for swearing in this quote * Charlie Brooker *Adam Kay is at the top of his game here. Even his footnotes are funnier than most comedians' best gags. But there is darkness here, too, and he handles it so well I had to lay the book aside until my heart was ready for the rest. * Ian Rankin *Every bit as funny as the first one, every bit as powerful, surprising and unflinching * David Whitehouse *I don't think anyone has made me laugh so much about the human body as Adam Kay, while simultaneously bestowing the gift of impotent rage at the state of the NHS * Reverend Richard Coles *Spectacularly brilliant * Cathy Rentzenbrink *A gaspingly honest, hilarious and heartbreaking book from one of Britain's funniest writers * Grace Dent *The anecdotes are hilarious, the personal life fascinating, the insights into our health service compelling. * Daily Mail *Extraordinary... super-readable, funny and disturbing. * Observer *Equally frank and funny as its predecessor. * I-News *Hilarious... such is (Adam Kay's) craft and candour that you find yourself simultaneously guffawing and welling up. * Mail on Sunday *A funny, truthful and fascinating memoir. * Stylist *Richly comic. Kay's writing is a constant pleasure. * Daily Express *Piercingly funny... breathtakingly sad. * Tanya Gold, Daily Telegraph *Fantastic. Everything you could want in a book. * Liz Jones's Diary Podcast *The reason Adam Kay sells millions of books is not because he used to be a doctor, it's because he writes so well. Undoctored is another triumph; funny and moving and thoughtful. * Dr Phil Hammond *Thank you, Adam Kay [...] for your courage, candour, wit (and filth, of course) in your brilliant new memoir. Undoctored really is fantastic. * Rachel Clarke, author of Dear Life *Extraordinary... combining laugh-out-loud material with serious questions. - The Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisHas an animal saved your life? Studying Arctic birds helped resuscitate those suffering from hypothermia. An ECG on the 150kg heart of a humpback whale has extended the lives of patients with heart failure.  Understanding giraffes' long necks has led to improved asthma treatment.  Learning how animals survive and thrive has led to life-saving advances for human health. But we still have a long way to go. Intensive care doctor Matt Morgan looks at why animals can be the key to understanding how our bodies work - and how to fix them when they go wrong. 

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Book SynopsisNOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURED DIRECTED BY AND STARRING CHIWETEL EJIOFOR AVAILABLE ON NETFLIXWhen William Kamkwamba was just 14 years old, his family told him that he must leave school and come home to work on the farm they could no longer afford his fees. This is his story of how he found a way to make a difference, how he bought light to his family and village, and hope to his nation.Malawi is a country battling AIDS, drought and famine, and in 2002, a season of floods, followed by the most severe famine in fifty years, brought it to its knees. Like the majority of the population, William''s family were farmers. They were totally reliant on the maize crop. By the end of 2001, after many lean and difficult years, there was no more crop. They were running out of food had nothing to sell and had months until they would be able to harvest their crop again.Forced to leave school at 14 years old, with no hope of raising the funds to go again, William resorted to borrowing books from the sTrade Review‘THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND is the inspiring story of a young man in Africa who used the only resources available to him to build a windmill and elevate the lives and spirits of those in his community. William Kamkwamba's achievements with wind energy should serve as a model of what one person, with an inspired idea, can do to tackle the crisis we face. His book tells a moving and exciting story.’Al Gore, former Vice President and Nobel Laureate ‘A moving, touching, important story. One more reminder of…how powerful the human spirit can be.’Seth Godin, author ‘One of the best books I have ever read.’Mark Frauenfelder, boingboing.net “William is one of the bright young stars of the future and serves as an inspiration for other young people who want to know what they can do to help.” Bishop Desmond Tutu

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Book SynopsisThis biography of Charles Darwin attempts to capture the private unknown life of the real man - the gambling and gluttony at Cambridge, his gruelling trip round the globe, his intimate family life, worries about persecution and thoughts about God. Central to all of this, his pioneering efforts on the theory of evolution now that recent studies have overturned the commonplace views of Darwin that have held for more than a century.Table of Contents1809-1831; 1831-1836; 1836-1842; 1842-1851; 1851-1860; 1860-1871; 1871-1882.

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Book SynopsisA glimpse into the mind of one of the world's intellectual giantsThe Autobiographies of Charles Darwin (1809-82) provide a fascinating glimpse into the mind and experiences of one of the world's intellectual giants. They begin with engaging memories of his childhood and youth and of his burgeoning scientific curiosity and love of the natural world, which led to him joining the expedition on the Beagle. Darwin follows this with survey of his career and ends with a reckoning of his life's work. Interspersed with these recollections are fascinating portraits - from his devoted wife Emma and his talented father, both bullying and kind, to the leading figures of the Victorian scientific world he counted among his friends, including Lyell and Huxley. Honest and illuminating, these memoirs reveal a man who was isolated by his controversial beliefs and whose towering achievements were attained by a life-long passion for the discoveries of science.For more than sevTable of ContentsAutobiographies " cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" border="0"AcknowledgmentsChronologyIntroductionFurther ReadingNote on the TextsAn autobiographical fragment1876 May 31 - Recollections of the Development of my Mind and CharacterCambridge, 1828-1831Voyage of the Beagle: from Dec. 27, 1831 to Oct. 2, 1836From my return to England Oct. 2 1836 to my marriage Jan. 29 1839Religious BeliefFrom my marriage, Jan. 29 1839, and residence in Upper Gower St. to our leaving London and settling at Down, Sep. 14 1842Residence at Down from Sep. 14 1842 to the present time 1876My Several PublicationsBibliographical Register

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Book SynopsisThe inspiring memoir of the superstar astronaut and TikTok sensation - now on her biggest space mission yet''Today I woke up on Earth. And I will fall asleep in space''In space the sun rises and sets 16 times a day. You fly over every sea, every mountain and desert, every city and every port. The most ordinary things -- eating, sleeping, brushing your teeth or cutting your hair -- have to be relearned, until they become familiar again. This is the story of Samantha Cristoforetti''s incredible journey to becoming an astronaut, and her journey beyond Earth.Her voyage as an apprentice astronaut began when she was in her early thirties: five years of intense training around the world, from Houston to Japan to the legendary Star City in Russia. Countless hours spent in centrifuges, spaceship simulators and under water for spacewalk practice. Then, one day, a rocket was waiting for her on the launch pad. And after eight minutes of wild ascent, she wasTrade ReviewAn incredible odyssey * The Financial Times *From the mundane to the sublime in a second. . . full of illuminating observations from what Cristoforetti calls the 'cosmic perspective ' * Guardian *Samantha Cristoforetti is remarkable. . . a brilliant book -- Jeremy Vine * BBC Radio 2 *Cristoforetti rocks. . . being awesome is part of the job. . . She belongs to a new category of astronauts who are just as adept at posting a witty Facebook post as they are at performing a science experiment in minimal gravity * Wired *An enthralling book. . . Many of us are dreaming of an escape from Earth at present - and Samantha Cristoforetti's absorbing tale of becoming an astronaut and venturing into space offers just that. . . She's a gifted writer -- Gwendolyn Smith * Mail on Sunday *Incredible detail and great writing. I do take exception with the title because when I arrived on ISS, Samantha was far from an apprentice astronaut -- Scott Kelly, author of EnduranceLately, I have become as fascinated by the way that humans relate to science and the natural world, as I am to the scientific breakthroughs themselves. . . So, this diary of what it is like to do through astronaut training for a 200-day mission to the International Space Station crossed my desk at exactly the right time. ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti writes with honesty. Her prose is simple and down to Earth, which increased my empathy for her story -- Stuart Clark * BBC Science Focus Books of the Year *

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Book SynopsisThe moving memoir of a doctor who became a family caregiver and learned why care is so central to all our lives ''Beautiful and deeply moving. A truly extraordinary work that will change how we think about our lives and the society we live in'' Michael Puett, author of The Path When Dr Arthur Kleinman, an eminent Harvard psychiatrist and social anthropologist, began caring for his wife, Joan, after she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer''s disease, he found just how far the act of caregiving extended beyond the boundaries of medicine. In The Soul of Care, he delivers a deeply inspiring story about what it means to grapple with illness from both sides, as an experienced doctor and a loving husband.Caregiving is long, hard, unglamorous work - at moments joyous, more often tedious, sometimes agonizing, but always rich in meaning. Describing the practical, emotional and moral aspects of caring, Kleinman explores how we must ask uncomfTrade ReviewOne of the most humane doctors and profound thinkers, Arthur Kleinman has insightful, moving, and novel things to say about our capacity to give and get care. Powerful, intimate, poignant, and helpful -- Nicholas A. Christakis, author of BlueprintBeautiful and deeply moving. A truly extraordinary work that will change how we think about our lives and the society we live in -- Michael Puett, author of The PathA personal and professional memoir like no other: how the founder of the field of medical anthropology learned that caring meant listening, and how at the peak of his career, when personal tragedy struck, Kleinman learned the deepest meanings of care -- Ellen Winner, author of How Art WorksAt once a manifesto for decent health care and a brave exposing of an inner life, The Soul of Care gives language for what we all crave - effective, generous health care that nourishes those who give and those who receive until they recognize their oneness -- Rita CharonDeeply affecting. . . A testament to the human capacity to draw sustenance from the memories of love, even as those memories are disappearing in the person loved. It is an important book -- Kay Redfield Jamison, author of An Unquiet MindHeartfelt, beautifully written, incredibly moving, and so instructive . . . This story will stay with me -- Abraham VergheseOne of the most moving books I've ever read. Unforgettable . . . Arthur Kleinman reminds us of what truly matters in work, life, and death -- Howard Gardner, author of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness Reframed

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Book Synopsis''ENCHANTING'' MAIL ON SUNDAY They care for their elderly, play with their kids, and always put family first. Can we all learn something from the wisdom of wolves? In this unforgettable book, wolf expert and naturalist Elli Radinger draws on her 25 years of first-hand experience among the wolves of Yellowstone National Park to tell us their remarkable stories. __________ Wolves are more human than we ever knew . . . In fact, they can teach us how to be better humans. They play, love, care for others, show compassion, die of broken hearts, pine for home, work in teams, are endlessly patient and leaders know when to defer to followers. In The Wisdom of Wolves naturalist Elli Radinger takes us on a journey into the heart of the wolf pack, revealing what they can teach us about family, cooperation, survival, leadership, commitment and how to enjoy what life gives us. No other book will bring you closer to discovering the truth about wolves - and ourselves. ''This book is the result of her two decades of close observation; part impassioned memoir, part natural history study, and part photo gallery. Her access to her subjects is extraordinary'' SUNDAY TIMES''Elli''s bestselling book suggests that in a high-tech age, when so many of us have become alienated from nature, wolves have much to teach us about the art of living well'' DAILY MAIL''Through The Wisdom of Wolves, we get to feel that little bit closer to the pack and discover what we may have in common'' BBC WILDLIFETrade ReviewEnchanting * Mail on Sunday *This book is the result of her two decades of close observation; part impassioned memoir, part natural history study, and part photo gallery. Her access to her subjects is extraordinary. * The Sunday Times *Elli's bestselling book suggests that in a high-tech age, when so many of us have become alienated from nature, wolves have much to teach us about the art of living well * Daily Mail *Elli leads us into the world of the wolves that inhabit Yellowstone National Park . . . we learn about the various family dynamics, squabbles and difficulties encountered. Through The Wisdom of Wolves, we get to feel that little bit closer to the pack and discover what we may have in common * BBC Wildlife *Perfection! * Staffordshire Living *

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Book SynopsisA moving memoir from a woman who made a fortune in a man''s world and then gave it all away...soon to be turned into a filmIn 1962, Stephanie ''Steve'' Shirley created a software company when the concept of software barely existed. Freelance Programmers employed women to work on complex projects such as Concorde''s black box recorder from the comfort of their own home. Shirley empowered a generation of women in technology, giving them unheard of freedom to choose their own hours and manage their own workloads. The business thrived and Shirley gradually transferred ownership to her staff, creating 70 millionaires in the process.Let It Go explores Shirley''s trail blazing career as an entrepreneur but it also charts her incredible personal story - her dramatic arrival in England as an unaccompanied Kindertransport refugee during World War Two and the tragic loss of her only child who suffered severely from Autism.Today, Dame StephanTrade ReviewThe word 'inspiring' is greatly overused, but Stephanie Shirley's story is one of those rare cases in which it truly applies. This book is an extraordinary tale of creativity and resilience, and of the power of well-targeted philanthropy to transform the world -- Oliver Burkeman * Guardian *There is an entire business course in this book: about the dangers of profitless growth, the difficulties of succession planning, and the problems of managing clever people. But more important, this engrossing story of an extraordinary life is filled with lessons in what it means to be human -- Michael Skapinker * Financial Times *An inspiring memoir by a great entrepreneur who charted her life to do well while doing good -- Ronald Cohen * Chair of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment *Steve Shirley's autobiography is nothing short of inspiring. She is a role model for young women worldwide in her spirit, determinism, humour, and generosity -- Simon Baron-Cohen * Professor at Cambridge University *

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Book SynopsisThe incredible and inspiring book behind the primetime Channel 4 documentary, Peter: The Human Cyborg''Peter''s story is one of the most extraordinary you will ever hear. Remarkable. I urge people to read it'' Stephen Fry''With candour and bravery, Peter tells how he explored new frontiers of science to give himself a chance of survival in a digital afterlife'' Daily Mail__________Peter didn''t choose to live forever. He simply chose not to die.Diagnosed with a rare but terminal Motor Neuron Disease, brilliant scientist Peter Scott-Morgan refused to accept that within a few short years he''d be dead.Instead, he embarked on a dangerous journey - to cross the border between mortality and immortality. He would meld his humanity with the latest computer and robotic technology to become Peter 2.0.This is the astonishing story of a man uniquely placed to pursue a new way of lifeTrade ReviewCompelling . . . Scott-Morgan is a true one-off. It is in the telling of the love story, rather than the technical details of becoming a cyborg, that this book succeeds * The Times *With candour and bravery, Peter tells how he explored new frontiers of science to give himself a chance of survival in a digital afterlife * Daily Mail *Peter's story is one of the most extraordinary you will ever hear . . . Remarkable. I urge people to read it -- Stephen FryA remarkable account of what it means to be human and what technology can really achieve * Sunday Telegraph *A remarkable story . . . you're left desperate to take nothing for granted * Radio Times *Astonishing * Daily Mail *What's striking is Peter's constant optimism, bravery and his ability to find radical answers to problems that have confounded Britain's brightest minds * Daily Telegraph *Life-affirming . . . The most extraordinary thing about scientist Dr Peter Scott-Morgan, aside from his optimism, is his relentless capacity for joy * Daily Mail *A soaring love story * Financial Times *Fascinating and extremely moving * Sun *Breathtaking . . . We were mesmerised by the boundless creative intelligence, positivity and love that pours from these pages. Profoundly inspiring * Attitude *The astonishing true story behind the primetime Channel 4 documentary about Peter Scott-Morgan, the first person to combine his very humanity with artificial intelligence and robotics to become a full cyborg. His discovery means that his terminal diagnosis is negotiable, something that will rewrite the future - and change the world * GQ *

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Book Synopsis''Bold, inspired and hopeful'' Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global''Lucid and captivating'' Max Tegmark, professor of physics at MIT and author of Life 3.0A captivating memoir that chronicles one woman''s mission to humanise technology and what she learns about humanity along the way.Now more than ever, we find ourselves unable to express our true feelings through technology. Whether it''s a misunderstood text, an oversimplified emoji or a Skype call that leaves us feeling lonely, when most of our communication is carried out through tech, the result is a virtual world that''s lacking our humanity - a society lacking in empathy.Rana el Kaliouby discovered this when she left Cairo, a newly-married, Muslim woman, to take up her place at Cambridge University to study computer science. Many thousands of miles from home, she began to develop systems to help her better connect with her family. She sTrade ReviewLucid and captivating * Max Tegmark, professor of physics at MIT and author of Life 3.0 *An honest and inspiring story that will encourage other women to share their experiences and own their power * Tory Burch, founder and executive chairman of Tory Burch LLC *Bold, inspired and hopeful * Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global *

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Book Synopsis''Deeply affecting - a personal memoir that grips, harrows, inspires and, ultimately, uplifts with its vein of deep humanity'' Philippe Sands''An extraordinarily frank book laced with humour and self-deprecation'' The TimesAs a doctor on the intensive care unit at one of London''s top hospitals, Jim Down has spent his life working as healthcare''s last resort, where each day reveals a new challenge. But nothing could prepare Jim and his colleagues for the events of spring 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic put them on the frontline of a global health crisis.In Life Support, Jim tells the extraordinary month-by-month story of how, as the world came to a standstill, he and his co-workers faced down the biggest challenge in the history of the NHS. Full of warmth, honesty and humour, this book is a gripping and moving testament to the everyday heroism of the NHS staff in a global emergency, and an unforgettable insight intoTrade Review'Remarkable... humane and deeply moving, Jim's book questions the future of healthcare in Britain' * Daily Mail *'Deeply affecting - a personal memoir that grips, harrows, inspires and, ultimately, uplifts with its vein of deep humanity' -- Philippe Sands'One of the doctors with the most hands-on experience of Covid in the country' -- Edward Docx * New Statesman *'A deeply moving and beautifully written account of what life was truly like for our frontline ICU teams during the first wave of COVID-19' -- Dr Kevin Fong'Reading Life Support, I was gripped, amazed, appalled and, ultimately, inspired. If Jim Down is as good a doctor as he is a writer, I'd definitely want him treating me' -- John O’Farrell'I can't think of a more important and compulsive book to come out of the Plague Year. Read and weep with gratitude for the NHS and doctors like Jim Down' -- Rachel Johnson'Jim Down's Life Support is essential reading for everyone who has been affected by Covid-19, which is to say everyone. Beautifully written, it combines warmth, humour and science to give a portrait of one of the most important but least understood parts of any hospital by one of the UKs pre-eminent ICU physicians' -- Dr Chris van Tulleken'Reading this, I felt humbled. Written with great clarity, as well as humour and compassion, this is an extraordinary account of life on the Covid frontline, of the expertise and the dogged, unending labour of those who attempt to keep the rest of us - however sceptical we are, however careless - alive' -- Lissa Evans, author of V for Victory'This is the struggle against COVID-19 unfolding in real time ... it is a story of how some of our most gifted and dedicated medical practitioners have been brought to the very edge of their abilities and endurance and how they came through, scarred but wiser ... above all it is a very human story about how people - medics and patients alike - found common cause in the face of a nasty speck of a disease that threatens our way of life' -- George Alagiah'An honest and engaging eye-witness account of the Covid crisis from one of London's busiest intensive care units, that demonstrates the compassion and dedication of frontline staff dealing with a terrible new disease. It should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand why our lives have been turned upside down by the pandemic' -- Fergus Walsh, Medical Editor BBC'Life Support immediately transported me back to those early days of uncertainty, the growing fear as the waves lapped our feet, and then the frantic struggle to stay above water as the tsunami broke. The reader will learn a deal more about intensive care units and the jobs of the people who work there. But this book is far from a technical manual. It is a human narrative - and an important one' -- Hugh Montgomery, Professor of Intensive Care Medicine, UCL and author of Control'Brought me to tears' * Financial Times *

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Book Synopsis''A remarkably honest memoir of a life spent pulling people back from death'' - Adam KayIn these stories, Dr Jim Down brings us to the very heart of the intensive care unit - the section of the hospital where the sickest patients are brought to be cared for until their condition improves. With honesty, humility and a streak of dark humour, Dr Down describes the quietly heroic work of doctors and nurses on the ICU, a place which sits at the cutting edge of medical technology and where a split-second decision can make the difference between life and death. From headline-grabbing cases like that of Alexander Litvinenko, poisoned by Russian agents and admitted to Down''s ward, to the appalling aftermath of a train crash, Life in the Balance offers an inside glimpse of intensive care medicine, its immense challenges, deleterious effects on doctors'' mental health and enormous rewards. Its profundity will make you reconsider the fragility of life and reframe Trade ReviewA remarkably honest memoir of a life spent pulling people back from death -- Adam Kay * author of This is Going to Hurt *[Jim] describes with unflinching honesty the toll that working in intensive care can take on his own mental healthJim Down is as remarkable a writer as he is a doctor. If I'm ever in ICU I hope he's my consultant * Medical Editor, BBC *Whether treating famous Russian spies, the victims of terrorist attacks, or people taken close to death by Covid, he shows us what it's really like to care for those who are clinging to life, and describes with unflinching honesty the toll that working in intensive care can take on his own mental health -- Alastair CampbellSpies, terror, personal crisis, resolution and redemption; Life in the Balance really has it all ... a hilarious, beautiful book, I was sincerely moved -- Dr Chris van TullekenBeautifully written, witty and heartbreaking -- Olivia ColmanIf Jim Down is as good a doctor as he is a writer, I'd definitely want him treating me. * John O'Farrell *Transport yourself into the angst ridden, terrifying, and at times hilarious world of the trainee doctor of the 1990s. A cross between This is Going to Hurt and Do No Harm ... highly recommended! -- Dr Andrew Jenkinson * author of Why We Eat too Much *Jim's book is different. His ear is attuned, and his recounting conversations makes me live his scenes. And he made me think, weep and smile. He's a smart, wise and kind doctor in real life, and these characteristics shine through. Whoever you are, you should read this book. One in five of you will, at some point, need a Jim -- Hugh Montgomery * Professor of Intensive Care Medicine, University College London *Life in the Balance brims with the wonder, trauma and magic of medicine. Jim Down is a consummate storyteller whose tales of life and death in the ICU are riveting. I loved this book! -- Dr Rachel Clarke * author of Breathtaking *A beautifully written, brutally honest account of what life spent as an ICU doctor is like, how it feels and what it costs -- Dr Kevin FongMedical students should read this. Young doctors should read this. Patients should read this. Having read it, I have no idea how Dr Down found the time to write it! -- Sir Richard StilgoeJim Down is as remarkable a writer as he is a doctor. It is like being by the patient's bedside in critical care, but more than that you are inside Jim's head as he struggles with ethical as well as medical dilemmas. What comes across most strongly is his humanity. If I'm ever in ICU I hope he's my consultant -- Fergus Walsh * Medical Editor, BBC *[Jim] describes with unflinching honesty the toll that working in intensive care can take on his own mental health * Alastair Campbell *

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Book Synopsis''A hymn to the art and science of nursing itself'' Guardian The hand of a stranger offered in solace. A flower placed on a dead body as a mark of respect. It is these moments of empathy that define us as people. Nobody knows this better than a nurse. In How to Treat People, Molly Case documents these extraordinary moments of human connection and compassion. In rich, lyrical prose, she introduces us to patients going through the most extreme experiences. And when her father is admitted to the high dependency unit on which she works, Molly confronts care in a whole new way, when two worlds - the professional and the personal - suddenly collide.''It will buoy your faith in humanity'' Stylist''Outstanding. Case''s power of observation can slay you'' The Times''Fascinating, poignant and searing'' Jo Brand ''Beautifully written'' Stephen Westaby, author of Fragile Lives''Her empathy and compassion are everywhere'' Sunday TimesTrade ReviewCase's empathy and compassion are everywhere evident in this beautifully written narrative * Sunday Times *Written with a poet's ear for language and a nurse's compassionate heart. It will make you cry, and it will buoy your faith in humanity * Stylist *This fascinating and erudite book takes us through one woman's lovely relationship with her father interspersed with poignant and searing tales from the world of the nurse, as these two worlds move towards an emotional collision. Molly has treated us to a book that gets to the heart (literally) of a nurse's life. As well as being informative, moving and so interesting, it is a bloody good read. Anyone who needs any more convincing that the NHS is our most invaluable asset will find that many times over within the pages of this book -- Jo BrandBeautifully written and passionate tales from the nurse you would choose for yourselfPoetic and compassionate, offering a joyous celebration of life * Sunday Times best memoirs of 2019 *Molly Case reminds us that humanity and moments of true care are as healing as the medicine modern science can deliverThe tandem stories of Case as nurse and daughter exert the pull of a novel through pages threaded with philosophy and history, ethics and etymology * Sunday Telegraph *Case's book will restore your faith . . . She illuminates the fascinating and never-ending loop of care in a hospital * New York Times *What differentiates How to Treat People from other cracking doctor and nurse memoirs already out there is Case's youth and her outstanding use of language. Her charm is her generation's charm: open, loving, bold, inquisitive, caring. May she inspire her contemporaries to join her in a vital job * The Times *The moments of empathy and kindness in extreme, tragic situations form the focal point of Case's book, which weaves together science and storytelling * Red Magazine *A profound reflection on the way we live and die * Bookseller *Intense, powerful, moving and very enlightening on what it means to be a nurse. I loved its endless curiosity about the language of medicine and the practice of care. It seemed infused with a love and respect for the profession itselfHow to Treat People gets to the heart of who we are - how we live and also how we die. I was moved twice over - by the work Molly does as a nurse every day, and by the book she has written

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Book SynopsisThe No 1 Bestseller''Compelling ... colourful, thoughtful'' Sunday Independent''Tubridy''s compassionate, no-nonsense approach makes him a comforting guide through the landscape of neurological medicine'' Irish Times__________As a medical student Niall Tubridy fell in love with neurology. Figuring out how the brain and nervous system signal problems was a form of high stakes detective work and answers could be life-changing.Just One More Question is the story of Niall Tubridy''s career in neurology. He shares the stories of encounters that are, by turn, poignant, dramatic and funny, such as...- The chef who goes for his usual morning walk, and loses his memory for the next six hours- The painter who believes her left hand is her guardian angel- The eager young lover whose head ''explodes'' every time he orgasmsUsing simple and illuminatTrade ReviewCompelling ... colourful, thoughtful * Sunday Independent *[My brother] has written a book which has to be one of the most extraordinary books written in Irish medical history! I would say that, wouldn't I? But it is great. It's really good, really accessible, a super read. We're all very proud of him -- Ryan Tubridy[Tubridy] renders sometimes complex medical concepts understandable for the general reader ... good on the sometimes unbearable pressures on doctors * Irish Times *Fascinating -- Liz NugentIt's a most readable book. There's no jargon in it -- Seán O'Rourke * RTÉ *[Oliver] Sacks hoped that his neurological tales ... could bring us closer to where the psychic and the physical meet ... Tubridy's concerns are less rarefied. He wants us to understand the human toll that illness takes * Sunday Times *Niall's sense of wonder at the human brain is enormously clear even with almost three decades of work in the field under his belt * RTÉ Lifestyle *Very interesting and very entertaining -- Pat KennyFascinating ... The book teems with interesting characters * Sunday Business Post *Will make you think in a whole new way about the human brain * Ireland AM *A book that will fascinate you with the patients' tales but leave you at the end pondering the notion of what life really is * Journal.ie *Simple and illuminating * Irish News *Written in a very accessible way for non-medical people, like myself -- Dave Fanning * RTÉ *

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Book SynopsisHow forty years of research on thirty neurons in the stomach of a lobster has yielded valuable insights for the study of the human brain.Neuroscientist Eve Marder has spent forty years studying thirty neurons on the stomach of a lobster. Her focus on this tiny network of cells has yielded valuable insights into the much more complex workings of the human brain; she has become a leading voice in neuroscience. In Lessons from the Lobster, Charlotte Nassim describes Marder's work and its significance accessibly and engagingly, tracing the evolution of a supremely gifted scientist's ideas. From the lobster's digestion to human thought is very big leap indeed. Our brains selectively recruit networks from about ninety billion available neurons; the connections are extremely complex. Nevertheless, as Nassim explains, Marder's study of a microscopic knot of stomatogastric neurons in lobsters and crabs, a small network with a countable number of neurons, has laid vital f

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Book Synopsis''A hymn to life, love, family, and spirit'' DAVID MITCHELL, author of Cloud AtlasThe vividly told, gloriously illustrated memoir of an artist born with disabilities who searches for freedom and connection in a society afraid of strange bodies.***WINNER OF THE BARBELLION PRIZE***In 1958, amongst the children born with spina bifida is Riva Lehrer. She endures endless medical procedures and is told she will never have a job, a romantic relationship or an independent life. But everything changes when as an adult Riva is invited to join a group of artists, writers, and performers who are building Disability Culture. Their work is daring, edgy, funny, and dark, and it rejects tropes that define disabled people as pathetic, frightening or worthless, instead insisting that disability is an opportunity for creativity and resistance. Riva begins to paint their portraits - and her art begins to transform the myths she''s been told her whole Trade ReviewLuminous; a profound portrait of the artist as a young-and mature-woman; an unflinching social history of disability over the last six decades; and a hymn to life, love, family, and spirit * David Mitchell *Riva Lehrer is a great artist and a great storyteller. This is a brilliant book, full of strangeness, beauty, and wonder * Audrey Niffenegger *This searing personal history expands Lehrer's project of looking at our bodies inside and out, in all their queerness, fragility, and strength, into a stunning new dimension * Alison Bechdel *Vivid . . . unforgettable . . . It is the story of how someone who is fundamentally different made not a life that transcends that difference, but a life that lionizes it. This book expands our notion of what constitutes the human experience, and it does so with generosity and open-heartedness * Andrew Solomon *With deft painter's prose, Riva Lehrer helps us discover what it is to be human when others see us as broken. In Golem Girl, Lehrer gives us the gift, at long last, of our own crip beauty * Nicola Griffith, author of HILD *One of the most dedicated, stalwart, witty, funny people that I've ever met * Mat Fraser *Not your typical memoir about 'what it's like to be disabled in a non-disabled world . . . Lehrer tells her stories about becoming the monster she was always meant to be: glorious, defiant, unbound, and voracious. Read it! * Alice Wong, founder and director, Disability Visibility Project *Lehrer's story is a revelation of an inner subjective life-full of tragedy, love, and creativity-pushing against the external social stigmas, cultural narratives, and prejudices surrounding disability. She admits a felt kinship with other 'monsters' because their bodies were also 'built by human hands', but unlike them, she is her own purpose, her own meaning, her own unstoppable golem * Stephen Asma *Oy, what a story: Job, eat your heart out! In Riva Lehrer's life chronicle, an appalling fate (and I don't just mean the circumstances of her birth) gets visited upon an invincible character, and the result is a wincing-wise tale, by turns harrowing and hilarious, cut clean through with flecks of grace and beauty. Lehrer is one wry mensch, and an extraordinary kinstler to boot * Lawrence Weschler *Readers will be sucked into Lehrer's powerful memoir * Publishers Weekly *A chronicle of a free spirit who finds solace and purpose in creating art that represents the socially challenged body... [readers] will respond to Lehrer's remarkable resilience and robust sense of humor * Booklist (starred review) *Every bit as powerful as Lucy Grealy's Autobiography of a Face ... An extraordinary memoir suffused with generosity, consistent insight, and striking artwork * Kirkus Reviews (Starred) *An extraordinary memoir in which Riva Lehrer charts with great humour and intimacy her life story, growing up in America with the spina bifida condition . . . Throughout this powerful book - which took her six and a half years to write - Lehrer draws the reader in, giving the sense of what it is like to be on the margins of society, and having metaphorically to shriek to get the mainstream to pay attention * Jewish Chronicle *This astonishing, heart soaring and often shocking memoir of a Jewish woman with spina Bifida born in the 50's is bright and dark, terrifying and wonderful. An ode to art and the beauty of disability * Cerrie Burnell *

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Book SynopsisAn inspiring and deeply personal coming of age memoir from one of Silicon Valley’s youngest entrepreneurs—a second-generation Latino immigrant who taught himself how to code as a thirteen-year-old and went on to claim his share of the American dream.As his parents watched their restaurant business collapse in the wake of the Great Recession, Michael Sayman was googling “how to code.” Within a year, he had launched an iPhone app that was raking in thousands of dollars a month, enough to keep his family afloat—and in America. Entirely self-taught, Sayman headed from high school straight into the professional world, and by the time he was seventeen, he was Facebook’s youngest employe ever, building new features that wowed its founder Mark Zuckerberg and are now being used by more than half a billion people every day. Sayman pushed Facebook to build its own version of Snapchat’s Stories and, as a result, engagement on the pla

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Book Synopsis''Face to Face is not just a brilliant introduction to one of the most exacting areas of modern medicine, it''s a humbling glimpse of humans at their best.'' Sunday TimesSo much of our identity and sense of self is vested in the face we see in the bathroom mirror every morning. Now imagine that face so ravaged by cancer, an accident, a gun shot wound or a car crash that it is barely recognizable. Think how it might feel if, after surgery, the person you remember, but had given up all hope of seeing again, is looking back at you from the mirror once more.Over the years, maxillofacial surgeon Jim McCaul has helped countless people make this journey. His extraordinary book follows the stories of some of the patients he has saved from terrible illness and life-changing injuries and some he wasn't able to help. We follow the epic and complex surgical procedures his job requires him to perform daily, where the margin for error is to all intents and puTrade ReviewThe face is our window on the world. In his powerful and moving account McCaul describes how it feels to take it apart and put it back together again, in the battlefield and on the operating table. This is often scary stuff, but always inspiring. * Professor Stephen Westaby, bestselling author of Fragile Lives *There's a vicarious thrill to being let into this insider zone... Inspires wonder at all that modern medicine can achieve. * TLS *Fascinating and life-affirming ... Jim McCaul confides in us the joys and the agony of facial surgery. * Dr Richard Shepherd, bestselling author of Unnatural Causes *Face to Face is not just a brilliant introduction to one of the most exacting areas of modern medicine, it's a humbling glimpse of humans at their best. * Sunday Times *Enjoyable and compelling. * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisConcern. Compassion. Doubt. Despair. Anger. Hope. Imagine juggling these feelings every day in a situation where your ability to manage them could be the difference between life and death.For Dr Chris Luke, a consultant in emergency medicine, these experiences are an intrinsic part of the job - ranging from rage at a system that often leaves vulnerable people waiting anxiously, to the incomparable satisfaction of relieving patients' suffering and distress and making a real difference in people's lives and in society.Here, Dr Luke reveals his own rollercoaster journey from orphanage boy to one of the leading emergency physicians in the country. Luke's recollections and reflections on a life spent on the frontline - grappling with his own health issues, burnout and sometimes despair at a dysfunctional system - make for compelling reading.A Life in Trauma is a frank, remarkable account of a career spent helping others, sometimes at a p

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Book SynopsisAt the age of twenty-eight, with his Beijing-based science communications business doing well and a new relationship blossoming, Ben Bravery woke from a colonoscopy to be told he had stage 3 colorectal cancer. As a scientist, Ben understood the seriousness of his condition. Cancer had quite literally whacked him in the guts, after all. But what he didn''t expect was how being a patient, and a young one at that, would make him feel. Why hadn''t he been better prepared for the embarrassment and vulnerability of lying naked on the radiation table? Why wasn''t he warned about the sheer number of tubes he would discover coming out of his body after surgery? Why did it feel like an imposition to ask doctors about his pain on their ward rounds? And why did he have to repeat the same information to them over and over again? During eighteen long months of treatment, including aggressive chemotherapy, Ben felt scared, overwhelmed, sometimes invisible and often alone.As he r

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Book SynopsisI, WOZ offers readers a unique glimpse into the offbeat and brilliant but ethical mind that conceived the Macintosh. After 25 years avoiding the public eye, Steve Wozniak reveals the full story of the Apple computer, from its conception to his views on the iconic cult status it has achieved today. In June 1975 Steve''s curiosity and determination inspired him to build a computer, the first Apple. Six months later, he sold the machine, and for the self-professed ''engineer''s engineer'', success was imminent. But this story is full of life lessons, critical decisions, huge triumphs and big mistakes. Steve speaks also of his childhood, phone hacking pranks, working at Hewlett-Packard, the life-changing plane crash and teaching.Trade Review'Fascinating' * The Times *'A compelling, first-hand account' * Daily Telegraph *'Full of detail and charm' * The Times *'[An] oddly endearing autobiography... written in a cheery, artless style' * FT magazine *'A small triumph' * Sunday Times *'An honest but quirky biography' * City A.M. *'I, WOZ is essential reading, not just because of the great prose or because it makes revelations...it's real value lies in the reflections of the man who sparked the computer revolution...I, WOZ offers lessons for the next generation: believe in yourself, make do, be honest and work alone. He might have added: "be generous" - it's the way he's led his life' * Sydney Morning Herald *'Wozniak... helped to kick-start the computer revolution. His account of his early geekdom and how all his skills came together to conceive the Apple I and Apple II computers is in many ways the highlight of the book' * Sunday Express *'A valuable book' * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisPeter Faulding is a world-leading confined space rescue and forensic search specialist. He has pioneered the use of side-scan sonar in forensic searches for missing persons underwater in the UK and is a world leader in underwater search techniques. He has assisted in the search in many cold cases and has located human remains and evidence that had gone undetected for years, in some of the most remote locations on land and underwater. Peter is a qualified commercial diver, helicopter and fixed-wing pilot, and holds both a UK and United States FAA pilot's licence. What Lies Beneath is his first book.Trade ReviewFrom cold cases and serial killers to the death of a spy, Peter's true life story is as gripping as the finest thriller -- Peter James, author of the Roy Grace series

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Book SynopsisThe remarkable stories of the world''s most famous body parts.Louis XIV''s rear end inspired the British National Anthem. Queen Victoria''s armpit led to the development of antiseptics.Robert Jenkin''s ear started a war.All too often, historical figures feel distant and abstract; more myth and legend than real flesh and blood. These stories of bodies and its parts remind us that history''s most-loved, and most-hated, were real breathing creatures who inhabited organs and limbs just like us - until they''re cut off that is.Medical historian Dr Suzie Edge investigates over 40 cases of how we''ve used, abused, dug up, displayed, experimented on, and worshipped body parts, including why Percy Shelley''s heart refused to burn; how Yao Niang''s toes started a 1000 year long ritual; why a giant''s bones are making us rethink medical ethics; and the strange case of Hitler''s right testicle.

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Book SynopsisThe local doctor occupies a privileged position in society. Pillars of the community and privy to the most intimate details of people's lives, we often imbue them with superhuman qualities and expect them to have all the answers. Rarely do we get to see the person behind the ever-calm, professional exterior and experience how they handle the weight of responsibility that comes with the role.Step into the surgery of Dr. Lucia Gannon. Arriving in the small village of Killenaule, Co. Tipperary 20 years ago husband Liam (also a GP) and children in tow Gannon was a blow-in determined to build a practice that would provide solace for the sick, worried and confused.Journey with her as she builds a life in this tight-knit community, and discover what it means to be the one people bring their problems to problems that are not always medical, but which still require discretion, kindness and the willingness to provide a listening ear to those on the tricky journey of life.

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Book SynopsisWhen Walt Larimore, MD, moved his young family to Kissimmee, Florida, to start a small-town medical practice in 1985, he had no idea he was embarking on an enterprise that would change his life in ways both large and small. Dr. Larimore shared some of these heartwarming and heartbreaking tales in The Best Medicine. Now he offers up more charming stories of his time as a family physician in a rural, small-yet-growing town in The Best Gift.Ideal for anyone wrestling with the inevitable and difficult storms of life, as well as fans of Dr. Larimore''s popular Bryson City series, The Best Gift is a tender and insightful collection of stories chronicling one young doctor''s spiritual growth as a physician, husband, father, and community member. Filled with characters colorful and crusty, warmhearted and hotheaded, witty and winsome, these captivating stories glow with drama, heartbreak, warmth, love, and humor. You''ll laugh. You''ll cry. You''ll learn some of

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Book SynopsisTHE TRUE CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR AND SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER ''One of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. Engrossing, a haunting page-turner. A book I could not put down'' The Times, BOOKS OF THE YEAR __________ Meet the forensic pathologist, Dr Richard Shepherd. He solves the mysteries of unexplained or sudden death. He has performed over 23,000 autopsies, including some of the most high-profile cases of recent times; the Hungerford Massacre, the Princess Diana inquiry, and 9/11. He has faced serial killers, natural disaster, ''perfect murders'' and freak accidents. His evidence has put killers behind bars, freed the innocent, and turned open-and-shut cases on their heads. Yet all this has come at a huge personal cost. Unnatural Causes tells the story of not only the cases and bodies that have haunted him the most, but also how to live aTrade ReviewUnnatural Causes gives a sense of the toll that dealing with so many dead bodies takes. It's a very human book that looks at the cases he has been involved with, from the Hungerford massacre to the murder of Stephen Lawrence * The Times (Books of the Year, 2018) *An unputdownable record of an extraordinary life * 100 sizzling summer books, Daily Mail *One of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. Engrossing, a haunting page-turner. A book I could not put down * The Times *Fabulous . . . The UK's top pathologist investigating high-profile deaths such as that of Diana, Princess of Wales * The Sunday Post *Puts the reader at his elbow as he wields the scalpel * Guardian *Insightful, candid and compassionate * Observer *Fascinating, gruesome yet engrossing * Richard and Judy, Daily Express *Heart-wrenchingly honest * Professor Sue Black, author of All That Remains *Darkly fascinating * Daily Mirror *A deeply mesmerising memoir of forensic pathology. Human and fascinating * Nigella Lawson *Partly an autobiography, but also a love letter to pathology. It's dignified and graceful and painfully honest about the human and emotional cost of so much time with the dead. Insightful, moving and mesmerising * Marylebone Journal *This book holds within its pages the story of a life told with honesty, and this is partly why it is such a pleasure to read. A fascinating autobiography. Unputdownable. * Live Ribble Valley *A unique insight into a remarkable profession * The Times *His experiences, from morgue to court, are sometimes gruesome, always gripping * Sunday Mirror *The true crime book of the year; a thoughtful, revealing, chilling and bizarre record of an extraordinary life and profession * Visit Norwich *He recounts experiences in a gripping memoir that melds the personal and professional * The People *Must Read * Daily Mail *A brilliantly written and compelling account of a medical detective who has worked on many appalling crimes and human tragedies * Woman's Weekly *Must read * Daily Mail *Medical science books are rarely as gripping as Unnatural Causes. It's grimly fascinating, and I suspect I'll read it at least twice. * Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisNOMINATED FOR SIX OSCARS, INCLUDING BEST PICTURE, SUPPORTING ACTOR AND SUPPORTING ACTRESS . . . Aged just five, Saroo Brierley lost all contact with his family in India, after waiting at a train station for his brother who never returned. Discover the inspiring, true story behind the film, Lion. This is the heart breaking and original tale of the lost little boy who found his way home twenty-five years later. ----------------------------------- As a five-year old in India, I got lost on a train. Twenty-five years later, I crossed the world to find my way back home. Five-year-old Saroo lived in a poor village in India, in a one-room hut with his mother and three siblings... until the day he boarded a train alone and got lost. For twenty-five years. This is the story of what happened to Saroo in those twenty-five years. How he ended up on the streets of Calcutta. And survived. How he then ended up in

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Book SynopsisTake a trip down memory lane with the memoir from national TV treasure John Craven, as he recounts both the highs and lows of one of the longest entertaining careers in history, and the people and animals that have helped to shape it.''Magical memoirs. A BBC legend. A broadcasting icon. The best bits from cub reporter to Countryfile'' Daily MailHe began by reading the front page of the evening newspaper in the kitchen to his mother and aunt.Since then, he''s spoken to the nation on the BBC almost every week for more than half a century and is one of the most-beloved broadcasters of our time.Presenter of treasured programmes Newsround, Countryfile and Swap Shop, John brought us the headlines and breaking news of our childhood and later helped us discover the magic and wonder of the British countryside.Now, in his first ever autobiography, he recounts a life in news, his childhood, the great impact that the absence ofTrade ReviewMagical memoirs. A BBC legend. A broadcasting icon. The best bits from cub reporter to Countryfile . . . his early career sounds like a riot * Daily Mail *From his Yorkshire childhood to his television career from Newsround to Countryfile, the presenter tells his story * Radio Times *In this heart-warming and entertaining memoir Craven, now regarded as somewhat of a national treasure, recounts the high and low points of his career and the people, family and animals that have shaped his life * Surrey Life *Five hundred and eighty two minutes worth of pure heaven await in this down-to-earth first memoir of journalist, broadcaster and national treasure John Craven * Sunday Post (on the audiobook) *The much-loved Newsround and Countryfile presenter in his own words for the first time * Eastern Daily Press *Amusing and insightful. Thoroughly enjoyable * Sorted Magazine *

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Book SynopsisDiscover the profound and moving portrait of one doctor''s life and work in the NHS''Wonderful - insightful and compassionate'' Dr Richard Shepherd, bestselling author of Unnatural Causes________They can''t teach you how to be a doctor at medical school . . .As a junior doctor, Dr Tom Templeton learnt how to do his job from books, professors and other doctors and nurses. But the most important lessons - tolerance, kindness, resilience and bravery - he learnt from his patients.Here, he shares the stories of just 34, and how they changed his life while he was helping theirs.From a stillbirth to the old woman who lived a century, from the inhabitants of stately homes to the homeless, these stories whether heartwarming or heartbreaking, funny or tragic, are always inspiring and illuminating.We are all patients, but discover for the first time how the doctors see us . . .________''An admTrade ReviewWonderful - insightful and compassionate -- Dr Richard Shepherd, bestselling author of Unnatural CausesAn admirably told story * The Spectator *Informative and personal, humbling and healing * Observer *

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Book SynopsisThe heart-wrenchingly honest new book about life and death from forensic pathologist and bestselling author of UNNATURAL CAUSES, Dr Richard ShepherdA TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR''Deeply insightful. Unflinching'' THE TIMES''A finely-crafted detective story'' DAILY TELEGRAPH''Enlightening, strangely uplifting'' DAILY MAIL''Fascinating'' DAILY EXPRESS_________Dr Richard Shepherd, a medical detective and Britain''s top forensic pathologist, shares twenty-four of his most intriguing, enlightening and never-before-told cases.These autopsies, spanning the seven ages of human existence, uncover the secrets not only of how a person died, but also of how they lived.From old to young, murder to misadventure, and illness to accidental death, each body has something to reveal - about its owner''s life story, how we age, justice, society, the certainty oTrade ReviewThis sequel is more ruminative, more meditative . . . Full of sharp observations about what life and death do to the human body * The Times, A BOOK OF THE YEAR *Enlightening, strangely uplifting . . . Shepherd's final chapter on death itself is a meditation of great beauty and light which puts all the darkness of the previous pages into perspective * Daily Mail *Each chapter is like a finely crafted detective story in which he expands on the causes of death as revealed by the post mortem, or the hidden reasons that precipitated it. Some are ordinary, others extraordinary. Shepherd writes beautifully, and despite its subject, the book is very funny in parts * Daily Telegraph *Deeply insightful . . . Shepherd is unflinching in his self-dissection * The Times *Fascinating * Daily Express *Fascinating. He has the ability to examine himself and other people with the same forensic eye that he applies to corpses - one of the reasons why his books feel so life-enhancing * Daily Telegraph *Grippingly elegiac yet wonderfully life-affirming, full of pithy observations about the inexorability of death and the marvels of existence -- Felicia Yap, author of Future Perfect * Daily Express *Praise for Dr Richard Shepherd * - *One of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. Engrossing, a haunting page-turner. A book I could not put down * The Times *Heart-wrenchingly honestGripping, grimly fascinating, and I suspect I'll read it at least twice * Evening Standard *A deeply mesmerising memoir of forensic pathology. Human and fascinatingAn absolutely brilliant book. I really recommend it, I don't often say that but it's fascinatingPuts the reader at his elbow as he wields the scalpel * The Guardian *Fascinating, insightful, candid, compassionate * Observer *Heart-wrenchingly honest * Mail Online *

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Book SynopsisAs a child, Aomawa Shields was always bumping into things, her neck craned up at the sky, dreaming of becoming an astronaut. A year into an astrophysics PhD program, plagued by self-doubt and discouraged by a white male professor who suggested that she - a young Black woman who also loved fashion, makeup, and the arts - didn''t belong, she left astronomy and pursued acting professionally for a decade, before a day job working for NASA''s Spitzer Space Telescope drew her back to the stars. She was the oldest and the only Black student in her PhD cohort. This time, no professor, and no voice in her own head, would stop her.Now an astronomer and astrobiologist at the top of her field, Dr Shields studies the universe outside our solar system, researching and uncovering the planets circling distant stars with just the right conditions that could support life. But it''s been a road as winding and complex as the physics she has mastered.Life on Other Planets is a jouTrade ReviewA riveting memoir of crossroads, choices, and triumph. I could not put this book down. Shields is an astronomer whose writing miraculously feels like the night sky itself - vast, elegant, luminous. * Tara Mohr, author of Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create and Lead *This book is so good, so gorgeously written, covering with integrity so much: being smart, scared, taking your power, humour, family, being different and the same, science, stars, sky, being a woman, being black; it is a triumph and a pleasure. It compels the reader to learn more about the planets, and how to stretch our unlimited capacity to live fully in this universe. * Natalie Goldberg, author of Three Simple Lines and Writing Down the Bones *Shields took my breath away with her candour on these pages. An inspiring account of the struggles of a hero who is both scientist and artist. * Ann Druyan, writer, director, and producer of COSMOS *Life On Other Planets is a beautiful meditation on space, identity and belonging . . . As one of the few black women in her field, Shields' story is one of resilience - battling detractors and imposter syndrome to become a prominentastronomer. Her writing style is lyrical and readable, and while Shields might not be a household name in the UK, her story is well worth knowing * Independent *This riveting memoir is relatable and personable * BBC Sky at Night *Author Aomawa Shields bring[s] a lot of science into her tale, but it comes with a lot of gentle wide-eyed wonder and explanations that are easy for an average reader to grasp. There's beauty in what Shields sees, and she shares her excitement in a way that will make you see the sky with fresh eyes * Houston Style Magazine *

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Book SynopsisFor fans of David Sedaris, Tina Fey and Caitlin Moran comes Furiously Happy from Jenny Lawson, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Let's Pretend This Never Happened.In Let's Pretend This Never Happened, Jenny Lawson regaled readers with uproarious stories of her bizarre childhood. In Furiously Happy she explores her lifelong battle with mental illness. A hysterical, ridiculous book about crippling depression and anxiety? That sounds like a terrible idea. And terrible ideas are what Jenny does best.As Jenny says: 'You can't experience pain without also experiencing the baffling and ridiculous moments of being fiercely, unapologetically, intensely and (above all) furiously happy.' It's a philosophy that has - quite literally - saved her life.Jenny's first book, Let's Pretend This Never Happened, was ostensibly about family, but deep down it was about celebrating your own we

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Book SynopsisOne of the most important psychologists alive today tells the story of the transformation of modern psychology through the lens of his own career and change of heart.Martin E. P. Seligman is one of the most decorated and popular psychologists of his generation. When he first encountered the discipline in the 1960s, it was devoted to eliminating misery: the science of how past trauma creates present symptoms. Today, thanks in large part to Seligman''s own work pioneering the Positive Psychology movement, it is ever more focused on the bright side; gratitude, resilience, and hope.In this his memoir, Seligman recounts how he learned to study optimism; including a life-changing conversation with his five-year-old daughter. In wise, eloquent prose, Seligman tells the human stories behind some of his major findings. He recounts developing CAVE, an analytical tool that predicts election outcomes (with shocking accuracy) based on the language used in campaign speeTrade ReviewHere is a major thinker who sees deeply into human nature and tells a good story. In The Hope Circuit, Marty Seligman displays both these gifts. This book is his best writing and thinking yet. -- Angela Duckworth, CEO of the Character Lab and bestselling author of GritMartin Seligman is simply the most important and influential psychologist of the last 30 years. This stunning memoir will tell you why, and reading it will change your life for the better. -- Sir Anthony Seldon, vice-chancellor of the University of BuckinghamFor half a century Martin Seligman has enlightened and inspired students of the human mind with his arresting findings and his visionary insights. He has been unafraid to plumb the dark recesses of the psyche, but just as bold in illuminating our better angels. This book combines a history of psychology by a man who shaped it, an explanation of powerful ideas about mental life, and a delightfully candid and reflective memoir. -- Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and the author of How the Mind WorksMartin Seligman is renowned for his contribution to the field of positive psychology - and in this thought-provoking and surprisingly candid memoir, he explains how hard-won his wisdom has been. -- Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness ProjectDr. Seligman learned how to be optimistic, and ... leaning on many of the ideas he explores in his book The Hope Circuit ... you can, too. * GQ magazine *The positive psychology movement is a beacon of hope in our contemporary culture. Its founder, Martin Seligman, is one of today's most influential psychologists. In this book, he tells his remarkable journey - from studying failure to promoting human flourishing. It is a fascinating story. -- Richard Layard, Director of the Well-Being Program at the London School of EconomicsThis warm, lively, beautifully written book tells the stories behind some of the grand ideas and developments that have reshaped psychology - as well as the struggles, missteps, conflicts, and misunderstandings that nearly derailed them. Through it all emerges the author's infectious excitement about exploring the human mind and his roaming quest for how to make life better for the mass of humanity. -- Roy F. Baumeister, author of Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human StrengthMartin Seligman is an intellectual giant, and readers will look to his memoir The Hope Circuit for secrets to his phenomenal impact as a scholar. What they will find is a deeply human story of his own struggles, hopes and ideas, told in an inspiring way. The Hope Circuit is more than an autobiography; it is a handbook for each of us to build a life dedicated to human flourishing. -- Arthur C. Brooks, PhD, President of the American Enterprise InstituteOne of our most important psychologists alive takes us on a surprising personal journey through his own highs and lows, twist and turns, overcoming tremendous obstacles to discover some of the most groundbreaking and iconic concepts in psychology. For a time his concept of 'learned helplessness' dominated the field as we looked to undo the past and now has us looking forward with positive psychology to grow our resilience , gratitude and hope. If you have an interest in the human condition, you will love this book. -- John Ratey, author of Spark and Driven to DistractionThis inspiring and rewarding well-documented record of a lifetime is a beautifully written page-turner. In addition, The Hope Circuit is the saga of how American psychology came of age. -- George E. Vaillant, MD, author of Triumphs of ExperienceThis valuable memoir reveals how an influential new approach in psychology is intertwined with the life story of its leader. -- Howard Gardner, Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at Harvard University and author of Multiple IntelligencesThe Hope Circuit is riveting. It turns out that one of the greatest psychologists of all time is also one of our greatest story tellers. Offering an unparalleled glimpse into a particular time and place and history of science, Marty Seligman's book will entertain you, fascinate you, disabuse you, and move you. Along with Marty, you will laugh, grieve, and rage and, alighting on the last page, insist on a sequel. -- Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph. D., professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, and author of The How of HappinessMartin Seligman has written a fascinating and intimate portrait of both his own life and the discipline of psychology. A deeply gifted scholar, practitioner and communicator, he reminds us that positive psychology has profound implications for the way we live and work-and for public policy. -- The Honorable Kevin Rudd, 26th Prime Minister of AustraliaThe Hope Circuit is a remarkable blend of personal growth and scientific discovery. Seligman is one of the giants of science and in this treatise he bares his sole as to how he came to the revelations that have so changed the field. Preparedness, safety signal, learned helplessness, and positive psychology are among the most original and important contributions to psychology in the last half century. The treatise reads as a character study and as a road map for how to do science and it is always fascinating and illuminating. -- Steven Hollon, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of Psychology, Vanderbilt UniversityIn my life, Martin Seligman rapidly evolved from just brilliant scientist, to become my good friend and mentor after we started the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program in 2008. This book, The Hope Circuit, which is both entertaining and refreshingly honest, helps me understand how he become the scientist, visionary and patriot I met and admire today. -- Rhonda Cornum, Brigadier General (retired), PhD, MD, and Director of Health Strategy for TechWerksA noted psychologist charts a life spent in service to positivity. The brass-tacks account of how positive psychology came into being, and Seligman's openness in discussing some of its problems, is a rewarding read. * Kirkus Reviews *A fascinating read for anyone interested in learning more about the history of psychology and the personality of one of the most prominent psychologists of all time. * Scientific American *In his new book, The Hope Circuit: A Psychologist's Journey from Helplessness to Optimism, he makes a compelling case for looking forward, in every sense... We Brits might not care for happiness hyperbole, but Seligman might just be right - an injection of optimism never goes amiss. -- Judith Woods * The Telegraph *I think Seligman has a point ... The worse it is, the happier we are...there is a British form of optimism: hope for the best and prepare for the worst. And if it happens, go for a therapeutic pint in the pub... -- Carol Midgley * The Times *...a set of ideas focused on positive experience, civic fulfilment and positive traits that would permeate into popular culture and government policy. * The Psychologist *an invaluable source for anyone interested in the politics and sociology behind scientific change...[a] fascinating book... I highly recommend it. * Private Practice *

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Book SynopsisThis special centenary edition of The Discovery of Insulin celebrates a path-breaking medical discovery that has changed lives around the world.Trade Review"The Discovery of Insulin deserves a place on the bookshelf alongside such eye-openers as James Watson's The Double Helix." * Washington Post *"Scrupulously researched and compellingly readable ... I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone with an interest in diabetes, medical history, or medical scandal and gossip." * British Medical Journal *"The definitive history ... well written, highly readable." * London Review of Books *Table of ContentsPreface to the Special Centenary Edition Foreword by Alison Li Introduction: What Happened at Toronto? 1. A Long Prelude 2. Banting’s Idea 3. The Summer of 1921 4. “A Mysterious Something” 5. Triumph 6. “Unspeakably Wonderful” 7. Resurrection 8. Who Discovered Insulin? 9. Honouring the Prophets 10. A Continuing Epilogue Notes Sources Index

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Book SynopsisA powerful and intensely moving memoir by an NHS surgeon who volunteered in war zones, operating under the most extreme circumstances.‘Brave, compassionate and inspiring – it left me in floods of tears’ – Adam Kay, author of This Is Going to HurtFor more than twenty-five years, David Nott has taken unpaid leave from his job as a general and vascular surgeon with the NHS to volunteer in some of the world’s most dangerous war zones. From Sarajevo under siege in 1993, to clandestine hospitals in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, he has carried out life-saving operations and field surgery in the most challenging conditions, and with none of the resources of a major London teaching hospital. The conflicts he has worked in form a chronology of twenty-first-century combat: Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Darfur, Congo, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Gaza and Syria. But he has also volunteered in areas blighted by natural disasters, such as the earthquakes in Haiti and Nepal. Driven both by compassion and passion, the desire to help others and the thrill of extreme personal danger, he is now widely acknowledged to be the most experienced trauma surgeon in the world. But as time went on, David Nott began to realize that flying into a catastrophe – whether war or natural disaster – was not enough. Doctors on the ground needed to learn how to treat the appalling injuries that war inflicts upon its victims. Since 2015, the foundation he set up with his wife, Elly, has disseminated the knowledge he has gained, training other doctors in the art of saving lives threatened by bombs and bullets.War Doctor is his extraordinary story.'One of the most brutally vivid evocations of modern warfare that you will read . . . superb, unforgettable, simply written and painfully clear' – Sunday TimesTrade ReviewDavid Nott is brave, compassionate and inspiring - War Doctor is all of those things and more: a wonderful book that has left me in floods of tears. He needs a knighthood and his book needs to be in every house. -- Adam Kay, author of This Is Going to HurtIncredible non-fiction filled with so much humanity. You will never forget these stories. -- Joanna Cannon, bestselling author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep and Three Things About ElsieSo powerful and honest. Extraordinary. -- Elizabeth Buchan, author of The New Mrs Clifton and I Can't Begin to Tell YouOne of the most brutally vivid evocations of modern warfare that you will read . . . superb, unforgettable, simply written and painfully clear . . . You are constantly amazed that men such as Nott can witness the extraordinary cruelties of the human race, so many and so foul, yet keep going. Be warned: this is a powerful but often traumatic read. * Sunday Times *A triumph: a love letter to surgery, and to helping others in extremis. Reading it is much like being taken apart and put together again in a fascinating way. It reveals a fascinating man whose life is a lesson in what good you can do with privilege . . . I spent the entire time wishing that David Nott would become our prime minister . . . This book is neither tidy, nor easy, yet it is so important. War Doctor is a reminder that we are all in this together, and that ordinary people can do extraordinary things -- Christie Watson * Daily Telegraph *Riveting . . . Nott is no ordinary doctor, as this dramatic telling of his extraordinary life makes clear -- Ian Birrell * The Times *As a surgeon myself, I can only look on what he has achieved with complete awe, overwhelmed by his heroism and compassion as much as by the world’s cruelty -- Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm * New Statesman *His stories of courage and compassion in the face of seemingly certain death are breathtaking . . . If a film about his life isn't already in development, someone's missing a trick -- Fiona Sturges * The Guardian *A devastating account of two decades volunteering his services to some of the world's most dangerous places -- Helen Brown * Daily Mail *A stand out memoir by a vascular surgeon in the NHS who volunteered for more than twenty years in war zones. * Daily Record *Extraordinary * Independent *Not only a vivid, stirring and shocking account of the two months each year that the London-based consultant NHS surgeon has spent saving lives in warzones and disasters . . . It's also a love story. It's the tale of a man driven to seek out extreme situations and trying to repair the horrible damage that men inflict on other men, women and children. -- Nick Curtis * Radio Times *An unflinching, powerful and deeply compassionate story about pockets of humanity found in the midst of terrible atrocities. -- Hannah Beckerman * Sunday Express *This is a book of extraordinary honesty . . . enlightening, sobering, compelling. It is a marvellous read, and education in itself -- Pat Ashworth * Church Times *Nott remains an important witness to the haunting human price of that modern triad: geopolitical instability, poor governance and ever more powerful weaponry * Nature *An unflinching, unrelenting memoir . . . [David] has saved thousands of people across the world, but he is not one to make a big deal of it. There was no ego to find with a man who has been dubbed in the press as “surgery’s Indiana Jones”. -- Chris Pyke * South Wales Evening Post *Table of ContentsSection - i: Preface Chapter - 1: The Bomb Factory Chapter - 2: Two Epiphanies Chapter - 3: Welcome to Sarajevo Chapter - 4: Damage Control Chapter - 5: Under African Skies Chapter - 6: Flying In Chapter - 7: Trauma School Chapter - 8: Return to Syria Chapter - 9: Sniper City Chapter - 10: Lifeline Chapter - 11: The Razor's Edge Chapter - 12: Physician, Heal Thyself Chapter - 13: Escape from Aleppo Section - ii: Afterword by Eleanor Nott Acknowledgements - iii: Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisNow a major BAFTA nominated BBC comedy-drama starring BAFTA and Emmy award-winning actor Ben Whishaw. The multi-million copy bestseller now with an exclusive preface by the author.Welcome to the life of a junior doctor: 97-hour weeks, life and death decisions, a constant tsunami of bodily fluids, and the hospital parking meter earns more than you.Scribbled in secret after endless days, sleepless nights and missed weekends, Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt provides a no-holds-barred account of his time on the NHS front line. Hilarious, horrifying and heartbreaking, this diary is everything you wanted to know – and more than a few things you didn't – about life on and off the hospital ward.‘Painfully funny. The pain and the funniness somehow add up to something entirely good, entirely noble and entirely loveable.' - Stephen FrySunday Times Number One Bestseller for over a year and winner of a record FOUR National Book Awards: Book of the Year, Non-Fiction Book of the Year, New Writer of the Year and Zoe Ball Book Club Book of the Year.The BBC series was Winner of Best Longform Drama at the The Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards and Best Drama at the Broadcast Awards. Critics' Choice Awards nominee for 'Best Limited Series' and 'Best Actor'.Trade ReviewI’d prescribe this book to anyone and everyone. It's laugh-out-loud funny, heartbreakingly sad and gives you the lowdown on what it’s like to be holding it together while serving on the front line of our beloved but beleaguered NHS. It’s wonderful -- Jonathan RossSo clinically funny and politically important for supporters of the NHS that it should be given out on prescription * Guardian *Painfully funny. The pain and the funniness somehow add up to something entirely good, entirely noble and entirely loveable. -- Stephen FryFinally a true picture of the harrowing, hilarious and ultimately chaotic life of the junior doctor in all its gory glory, dark comedy and unavoidable sadness. A blisteringly funny account shot through with harrowing detail, many pertinent truths and the humanity we all hope doctors conceal behind their unflappable exteriors -- Jo BrandAs hilarious as it is heartbreaking – and it IS heartbreaking (also hilarious) -- Charlie BrookerBlisteringly funny, politically enraging and often heartbreaking . . . hilarious . . . brimming not just with humour but with humanity . . . This should be a wake-up call to all who value the NHS -- Hannah Beckerman * Sunday Express *A funny, excoriatingly revealing, beautiful book -- Dawn FrenchHorrifyingly hilarious and hilariously horrifying -- Danny WallaceA ferociously funny book -- Mark WatsonSuperb -- Pam AyresAs a hypochondriac I was worried about reading Adam Kay’s book. Luckily it’s incredibly funny – so funny, in fact, that it gave me a hernia from laughing -- Joe LycettBy turns witty, gruesome, alarming, and touching. Always illuminating and searingly honest -- Jonathan DimblebyBrilliant -- Mark HaddonTable of ContentsIntroduction - i: Introduction Chapter - 1: House Officer Chapter - 2: Senior House Officer Post 1 Chapter - 3: Senior House Officer Post 2 Chapter - 4: Senior House Officer Post 3 Chapter - 5: Registrar Post 1 Chapter - 6: Registrar Post 2 Chapter - 7: Registrar Post 3 Chapter - 8: Registrar Post 4 Chapter - 9: Senior Registrar Chapter - 10: Aftermath Section - ii: An Open Letter to the Secretary of State for Health Acknowledgements - iii: Acknowledgements

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Book Synopsis'A great read. I am honoured to have worked with such a legend' David Nott'A role model for women' Independent'A wonderful read' Julian Fellowes'Remarkable' Lauren Laverne'Charming' GuardianWe were occasionally expected to travel by ambulance to a serious case and would always have a kit of tools and drugs ready for emergency calls. On one occasion, we were responding to a man who had fallen into the hold of a grain ship and broken his leg. I was expected to go down a pole into the ship to administer analgaesia before he could be rescued. The 'audience' of shipworkers delighted in telling me that there were rats the size of dogs down in the grain. The other problem was that this was the era of the mini skirt, and you can imagine what that meant. Following the incident, I instituted the purchase of some 'Casualty Officers Emergency Dungarees' as an addition to the kit.Averil Mansfield established herself as a pioneer in every sense of the word when she qualified as a surgeon in the early 1970s. At the time just two per cent of her colleagues were female, and she was often met with surprise, bordering on disbelief and amusement, when telling people what she did. But time and again, Averil proved herself more than capable of the role which had been her greatest dream since the age of eight. After a formidable operating career in Liverpool and London, during which she made many enduring friendships, she went on to became the UK's first ever female professor of surgery.Life in Her Hands is the remarkable story of a truly trailblazing woman. Averil's account shines light on a medical and societal world that has changed beyond measure, but which - as she shows through her experiences - still has a long way to go for the women finding their place within it.Trade ReviewA great read. I am honoured to have worked with such a legend * David Nott *An amazing journey recounted with modesty and humour. A wonderful read * Julian Fellowes *Delightful, brave, funny, lovely and self-deprecating. Professor Mansfield really has paved the way for others * Dr Fiona Godlee, first female editor-in-chief of The British Medical Journal *Remarkable * Lauren Laverne *A role model for women * Independent *

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Book SynopsisA RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK'With poignancy, humour and compassion, Jones invites us into "the invigorating chaos of pre-hospital care" . . . a panorama of experiences: the mundane, the ridiculous, the heartbreaking and the tragic' - The Guardian'This beautifully written book, punctuated with wry humour, is a sobering portrayal of the ailing, the distressed and the lonely... Yet it's also an uplifting read which will make you thankful that should your hour of need arrive, so will someone like Jones' - Daily ExpressA memoir of the chaos, intensity and occasional beauty of life as a paramedic.A young man has stopped breathing in a supermarket toilet. A pedestrian with a nasty head injury won't let the crew near him on a busy road. A newborn baby is worryingly silent. An addict urinates on the ambulance floor when denied a fix. This is the life of an ambulance paramedic.Jake Jones has worked in the UK ambulance service for ten years: every day, he sees a dozen of the scenes we hope to see only once in a lifetime. Can You Hear Me? - the first thing he says when he arrives on the scene - is a memoir of the chaos, intensity and occasional beauty of life on the front-lines of medicine in the UK.As well as a look into dozens of extraordinary scenes - the hoarder who won't move his collection to let his ailing father leave the house, the blood-soaked man who tries to escape from the ambulance, the life saved by a lucky crew who had been called to see someone else entirely - Can You Hear Me? is an honest examination of the strains and challenges of one of the most demanding and important jobs anyone can do.Trade ReviewA panorama of experiences: the mundane, the ridiculous, the heartbreaking and the tragic. * Guardian *This beautifully written book, punctuated with wry humour, is a sobering portrayal of the ailing, the distressed and the lonely... Yet it's also an uplifting read which will make you thankful that should your hour of need arrive, so will someone like Jones * Daily Express *According to Jake Jones, who has spent ten years as a paramedic, there is in his job "a stubborn embargo on egotism and conceit..." Evidently, two crucial qualities a paramedic needs are patience and compassion... [His] humour brings some light relief, because we are in no doubt about the difficulty of his work... He admits that the "short visit to someone else's heartbreak" takes its toll, and alludes to the impact on mental health that stifling frequent bursts of anguish may have. Jones's writing is at its most humane when he describes the panic and grief induced by losing his father to Alzheimer's. But there is no self-indulgence here; rather, Jones conveys in these passages the humbling effect of experiencing trauma from the inside. * Times Literary Supplement *[Jones is] not just a good paramedic, however. There's a descriptive flair to his writing, too, as he breathes uncomfortable life into foul, neglected flats and wet Sunday-night cityscapes, and embarks on a frightening subterranean rescue mission into an industrial labyrinth... Can You Hear Me? does nothing to dent the heroic image of the paramedic, but Jones' troubling ambivalence brings a complexity to it, forcing him to ask whether the pragmatic, detached attitude needed to do such work is a poisoned chalice, doing them harm as they do others good. * The Herald *Jake Jones has written a searing, honest, often funny account of life in the UK ambulance service. An intense, and sometimes strangely beautiful, read. * Richard & Judy Book Club Autumn 2020 selection *

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Book SynopsisNow a major motion picture starring Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking and Felicity Jones as his wife Jane. It chronicles their relationship, from his early development of ALS to his success in physics In this compelling memoir, Jane Hawking, Stephen Hawking’s first wife, relates the inside story of their extraordinary marriage. As Stephen’s academic renown soared, his body was collapsing under the assaults of motor-neuron disease, and Jane’s candid account of trying to balance his twenty-four-hour care with the needs of their growing family will be inspirational to anyone dealing with family illness. The inner strength of the author and the self-evident character and achievements of her husband make for an incredible tale that is always presented with unflinching honesty; the author’s candour is no less evident when the marriage finally ends in a high-profile meltdown, with Stephen leaving Jane for one of his nurses, while Jane goes on to marry an old family friend. In this exceptionally open, moving and often funny memoir, Jane Hawking confronts not only the acutely complicated and painful dilemmas of her first marriage, but also the fault lines exposed in a relationship by the pervasive effects of fame and wealth. The result is a book about optimism, love and change that will resonate with readers everywhere.Trade ReviewA great read. * Daily Mail *Stephen Hawking may think in 11 dimensions, but his first wife has learnt to love in several. * The Sunday Times *What becomes of time when a marriage unravels? And what becomes of the woman who has located her whole self within its sphere? For Jane Hawking, the physics of love and loss are set in a private universe. * The Guardian *Jane describes the final, painful years of her marriage in candid detail. * The Independent *Jane Hawking’s harrowing and compelling account… rings very true. * Irish Times *This is not a vindictive book, although the agony she went through is palpable; if Stephen’s struggle to keep his mind clear is heroic, so is her determination to balance his escalating needs and those of their three children. * Independent on Sunday *Jane writes about her former husband with tenderness, respect and protectiveness. * Sunday Express *Jane Hawking has written a book about what it was like to be pivotal to her husband’s celebrated existence… but it is much more a shout from the outer darkness. * The Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisIn The Smallest Lights in the Universe, MIT astrophysicist Sara Seager interweaves the story of her search for meaning and solace after losing her first husband to cancer, her unflagging search for an Earth-like exoplanet and her unexpected discovery of new love.Sara Seager has made it her life''s work to peer into the spaces around stars looking for exoplanets outside our solar system, hoping to find the one-in-a-billion world enough like ours to sustain life. But with the unexpected death of her husband, her life became an empty, lightless space. Suddenly, she was the single mother of two young boys, a widow at forty, clinging to three crumpled pages of instructions her husband had written for things like grocery shopping things he had done while she did pioneering work as a planetary scientist at MIT. She became painfully conscious of her Asperger''s, which before losing her husband had felt more like background noise. She felt, for the first time, alone in the universe.In this prTrade ReviewWinner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Science and Technology in 2020 ‘Her story is sure to help any readers grappling with a similar loss… Full of blues and blacks, written in the ink of grief, suffering, healing and — ultimately — clarity…’ Anthony Doerr, The New York Times ‘Seager’s beautifully written memoir strikes the perfect balance, weaving a richly told personal story with a clear and accessible tale of the birth and development of a new kind of astronomy – the search for other worlds like our own’ Katie Mack, astrophysicist, author of The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking) ‘I absolutely loved this book. It presents both cutting-edge science and the deeply human side of a MacArthur award-winning astrophysicist. While searching for other planets in the universe, she grieves for her husband who died of cancer’ Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in Pictures and The Autistic Brain ‘The miracle of this breathtaking book is the way Sara Seager’s search for life in the universe mirrors her search for a fitting life here on earth. Who knew that so much love and beauty and hope could come from so much confusion and fear and grief? Who knew that the macrocosm and the microcosm could end up being the very same thing?’ Margaret Renkl, author of Late Migrations: A Natural History of Love and Loss

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