Biography: adventurers and explorers Books

Book SynopsisThe remarkable true story of the bestselling author of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul, and the real women she met in Afghanistan''Composed of heartbreak, hope, poignancy and candour'' LA TIMESIn a little beauty school in the war zone of Kabul, a community of women comes together, all with stories to tell.DEBBIE, the American hairdresser who co-founds the training salon. As the burqas are removed in class, curls are coiffed and make-up is applied, Debbie''s students share with her their stories - and their hearts.MINA, forcibly married to a man in repayment of a family debt and threatened with having her child taken away.ROSHANNA, a tearful young bride terrified her in-laws will discover she''s not a virgin.And NAHIDA, the prize pupil who bears the scars of her Taliban husband''s approval.In the Kabul BeTrade ReviewKabul Beauty School transcends the feel-good genre largely because of the author's superior storytelling gifts and wicked sense of humor * New York Times *Bighearted and entertaining, Kabul Beauty School has a conversational style, but Rodriguez never shies away from the misery and oppression she encounters in the poor, rigidly patriarchal country * Entertainment Weekly *Composed of heartbreak, hope, poignancy and candour * LA Times *Colourful, suspenseful, funny... This witty and insightful memoir will be perfect for women's reading groups * Publishers Weekly *A very gutsy, real-life adventure story for women . . . This lively memoir is full of darkly funny moments - a customer who had never seen a blow dryer thinks it's a gun and runs screaming from the salon chair - and the humor leavens the horror stories about life in this war-torn land * People *[Rodriguez's] descriptions are endearingly frank (even about her own social gaffes), and her attempts to help those in need are inspirational and engaging * Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisA Wolf Called Romeo is the remarkable story of a wolf who returned again and again to interact with the people and dogs of Juneau, Alaska, living on the edges of their community, engaging in an improbable, awe-inspiring inter-species dance and bringing the wild into sharp focus. At first the people of Juneau were guarded, torn between caution and curiosity. But as Romeo began to tag along with cross-country skiers on their daily jaunts, play fetch with local dogs, or simply lie near author Nick Jans and nap under the sun, they came to accept Romeo, and he them. For Nick it was about trying to understand Romeo, then it was about winning his trust, and ultimately it was about watching over him, for as long as he or anyone could.Written with a deft hand and a searching heart, A Wolf Called Romeo is an unforgettable tale of a creature who defied nature and thus gave humans a chance to understand it a little more.

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Book SynopsisGuardian ''literary highlights of 2020''Sunday Times ''books to watch out for in 2020''New Statesman ''books to read in 2020''Evening Standard ''thirteen titles to look for in 2020''As divisive as he is beguiling, as misunderstood as he is scrutinised, Boris Johnson is a singular figure. Many of us think we know his story well. His ruthless ambition was evident from his insistence, as a three-year-old, that he would one day be ''world king''. Eton and Oxford prepared him well for a frantic career straddling the dog-eat-dog worlds of journalism and politics. His transformation from bumbling stooge on Have I Got New for You to a triumphant Mayor of London was overshadowed only by his colourful personal life, brimming with affairs, scandals and transgressions. His ascent to Number 10 in the wake of the acrimonious, era-defining Brexit referendum would prove to be only the first act in an epic drama that saw hiTrade ReviewEXPLOSIVE... Contains a string of startling revelations about Mr Johnson's public and personal life, and goes farther than any previous biography towards solving the enigma of his true personality... The political book of 2020. * Daily Mail *Staggering... Tom Bower [is] the master of the unauthorised biography * Tatler *A colourful and often catty read... full of zingers... Bower insists Boris Johnson should not be underestimated * The Telegraph *Tom Bower made his name as a writer of acid-pen biographies and his latest is no exception ... It's all there: the affairs, the lies, the broken promises, the unpaid debts. * Jonathan Freedland, The Guardian BOOK OF THE WEEK *Another brilliant book by the master biographer * Piers Morgan *

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Book SynopsisDespite an unconventional childhood, she has built a life and career of her own that millions of fans admire.Wildflower is a portrait of Drew’s life in stories as she looks back on the adventures, challenges and incredible experiences she’s had.Trade ReviewPure delight … If until now you merely liked Barrymore … you’ll adore her once you read this series of personal essays * New York Times Book Review *As delightful as Drew Barrymore herself * Red magazine *The book is a deeply thoughtful and fun page-turner—like a rich dessert that also happens to be good for you. * InStyle *Very moving * Guardian *[Barrymore] brings honesty, sweetness, and humor to the tale of how she fought to earn the hard-won wisdom that steered her from being a 12-year-old former child star to becoming a beloved actor… a warm and inviting narrative. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisThe bestselling historian''s biography of a decisive figure in England''s history.No Englishman has made more impact on the history of his nation than Oliver Cromwell; few have been so persistently maligned in the folklore of history. The central purpose of Antonia Fraser''s book is the recreation of his life and character, freed from the distortions of myth and Royalist propaganda.Cromwell was a man of contradictions and surprising charm. This decisive and ruthless commander was also a country gentleman and a passionate connoisseur of music. Of Cromwell''s fitness for high office, this fascinating biography leaves no doubt. Under his rule English prestige abroad rose to a level unequalled since Elizabeth I, yet his campaign in Ireland has cast a shadow over his reputation.Antonia Fraser displays great insight into this complex man and reveals a totally unexpected Cromwell, far removed from the received stereotype.

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Book SynopsisFollowing a youth of poverty and bitter exile after his father''s execution, the ousted king first challenged, then made his magnificent escape from, Cromwell''s troops before he was eventually restored to his throne in triumph in 1660.Spanning his life both before and after the Restoration, Antonia Fraser''s lively and fascinating biography captures all the vitality of the man and the expansiveness of the age.

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Book Synopsis''I am a very ordinary woman to whom a chance was given to see human beings at their best and at their worst... I completely believe in the potential nobility of the human spirit.''During some of the darkest days of the Second World War, a young Frenchwoman living as a mother and housewife in England left her ordinary life to become a British agent, working covertly in France to aid the Resistance. Entering a murky and deadly world of espionage and double-dealing, she was betrayed to the Germans, only to endure torture by the Gestapo and the hell of the infamous concentration camp of Ravensbruck. Yet she retained a compassion, grace and spiritedness that mystified her captors; and, living to see the liberation of Europe, she kept, in the direst circumstances, her fundamental trust in goodness. ODETTE tells the moving and inspirational story of a woman, who, in her courage and her ability to hold on to hope, was far from ordinary.

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Book SynopsisAn unblinkered warts-and-all look at Justin Trudeau and his government s record in power from one of Canada's most popular and connected journalists.

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Book SynopsisIn the north of England there was a put-down for women with ideas above their station `Who do you think you are? Lady Docker?' Ccarcely a day went by when Norah Docker didn't dominate the newspapers. Born over a butcher's shop in Derby, Norah she would enjoy a level of fame second only to a young Queen Elizabeth but it couldn't last..

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Book SynopsisBiography of Sir Henry Percy, one of the most remarkable noblemen of medieval England.

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Book SynopsisA book that reclaims the life stories of King Edward I's grandchildren.

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Book SynopsisA unique look at the Tudors via one of their greatest enemies.

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Book SynopsisThis first full biography of a far-from-ordinary naval officer is itself an unusual collaboration between three writers, each interested in different aspects of Quilliam's career, but united by a belief that it deserves a wider audience.

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Book SynopsisThis book shows us how one man's pioneering commitment to aviation archaeology ultimately serves as a unique tribute to thousands of young souls both lost and found of the Battle of Britain and the Blitz.

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Book SynopsisThe first biography of this important figure in railway history. Based upon Spencer's own unique archive and memories. Well illustrated. Draws upon much previously unpublished material.

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Book SynopsisHalf-brother to Harald Hardrada, Olaf was himself a Viking of some repute.

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Book SynopsisNarrative provides a unique perspective on the role of sport in the turbulent social and political events of the inter-war period.

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Book SynopsisIn 1918, the RAF was established as the world''s first independent air force. To mark the 100th anniversary of its creation, Penguin are publishing the Centenary Collection, a series of six classic books highlighting the skill, heroism esprit de corps that have characterised the Royal Air Force throughout its first century.''They didn''t think for one moment that they would find anything but a burnt-out fuselage and a charred skeleton; and they were apparently astounded when they came upon my still-breathing body, lying in the sand near by.''In 1938 Roald Dahl was fresh out of school and bound for his first job in Africa, hoping to find adventure far from home. However, he got far more excitement than he bargained for when the outbreak of the Second World War led him to join the RAF. His account of his experiences in Africa, crashing a plane in the Western Desert, rescue and recovery from his horrific injuries in Alexandria, and many other daring deedTrade ReviewHis account of life as a fighter pilot in the Western Desert and n Greece has the thrilling intensity and the occasional grotesqueness of his fiction * Sunday Times *Very nearly as grotesque as his fiction. The same compulsive blend of wide-eyed innocence and fascination with danger and horror * Evening Standard *A non-stop demonstration of expert raconteurship * The new York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisTold for the very first time, this is the true story of the adventure that shaped the world . . .''A thrilling story of courage, survival and science. It''s an extraordinary, visceral and vivid read'' Geographical Magazine________Three hundred years ago no one knew the true shape of the world.It wasn''t a sphere - but did it bulge at the equator or was it pointed at the poles? Until we found out no map could ever be truly accurate. So a team of scientists was sent to South America - to measure one full degree of latitude.But South America was a land of erupting volcanoes, sodden rainforests, earthquakes, deadly diseases, tropical storms and violent unrest. And the misfit scientists had an unfortunate tendency to squander funds, fight duels, stumble into mutinies or die horribly.The tale of their ten-year odyssey of exploration, discovery, flirtations with failure and ultimate triumph becomes in Nicholas Crane''s hands Trade ReviewThis wonderfully readable and rollicking story of adventure and scientific exploration is as gripping as any novel. Full of big ideas and even bigger personalities, it's a book that sparkles with intelligence and wit * Alex Preston, author and journalist *Crane has a rare knack for showing people things they really ought to see across space and time without them having to get out of their chair. Latitude applies his trademark blend of pace, rigour and attention to enticing detail, in order to fill in a key segment of historical and geographical knowledge * Joe Smith, director of The Royal Geographic society *Latitude is a thrilling story of courage, survival and science. It's an extraordinary, visceral and vivid read * Geographical Magazine *A story for our times * Eastern Daily Press *An amazing story -- Jeremy Vine

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Book Synopsis'In Dog We Trust'. The autobiography of cult hero Duane 'Dog' Chapman, the world's most successful bounty hunter.Trade ReviewIn YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE, Duane "Dog" Chapman shares his compelling and heartfelt story, highlighting the power of inner strength and courage to persevere through life's challenges -- Tony RobbinsDog's page-turner of an autobiography, YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE, raced to the very top of the New York Times bestseller list like a fleeing fugitive with the entire Chapman clan following hard on its heels * TORONTO STAR *

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Book SynopsisA respected historian traces the real life and times of this major figure in Christianity and Islam.

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Book SynopsisHistorian, revolutionary and cricket writer, CLR James was one of the truly radical voices of the twentieth century. Born in Trinidad in the final days of the Victorian era, he debated with Trotsky, played cricket with Constantine, was published by Leonard and Virginia Woolf, inspired Kwame Nkrumah, and was a profound influence on the British Black Power movement. And yet by the late 1970s, CLR James was all but forgotten. The books he had written over the past half century were nearly all out of print. There were a few circles in which his name rang a bell: serious students of Black history; obsessive cricket fans. But that was it. When he died in Brixton in 1989, CLR James was internationally famous - lauded as the greatest of Black British intellectuals: the ''Black Plato'', according to The Times. The ideas he put forward in his own time - of the importance of identity alongside class, of rebellion coming from below, of the leading roles of Black Trade ReviewJohn L Williams's exciting and briskly written biography, CLR James: A Life Beyond the Boundaries, offers the perfect introduction to this titan of 20th-century politics and culture * The Times *This is an unrivalled storehouse of information about one of the twentieth century's most important revolutionaries. John Williams' sparkling biography counterpoints understanding of James' ideas with a richly-detailed account of his itinerant life and times * Paul Gilroy *This is a passionate, timely and challenging portrait. CLR James was decades ahead of his time in challenging our thoughts about empire, colonialism, black history and, not least, in writing brilliantly about cricket. He finally has the biography his extraordinary influence deserves * Barney Ronay *As John Williams states at the beginning of his absorbing biography, CLR James may have been born in the Victorian age but he belongs very much to ours . . . [The book] may be a single biography, but it describes multiple lives. * New Statesman *A genius, a seducer . . . the firebrand author, historian and critic was a complex, fragile human being, as John L Williams's biography reveals. * Observer *A fascinating biography -- Clive DavisCLR James: A Life Beyond the Boundaries . . . is the full-scale, scrupulously researched, admiring but clear-eyed biography of the T&T intellectual icon that Caribbean readers have awaited for decades * Trinidad & Tobago Express *It's a testament to this generous biography that the idiosyncratic personality of the great silver-tongued enthusiast comes shining through. * Prospect *C. L. R. 's life has been chronicled many times in film, memoirs and biographies. This one . . . should rank as definitive. * Tablet *This finely written and powerful book. . . . Williams gives us the rawness and rare achievement of his life, and that is an invaluable contribution to now-times and future readers. * Morning Star *A scholarly and vibrant biography . . . John L Williams has written a superb account of Trinidad's greatest intellectual * Irish Times *Just finished John Williams's superb biography of CLR James, A Life Beyond the Boundaries. Staggering what CLR fitted into his life. -- Lawrence Booth * Wisden *Three decades after his death, CLR is back in our midst thanks to this passionate, well-researched and necessary portrait * The Hindu *The most comprehensive and intimate portrayal yet of the iconic speaker, author, teacher, theorist, and revolutionary * Jacobin *This carefully researched book reflects on the life of an intellectual equally at home debating Leon Trotsky or discussing Shakespeare with John Arlott * Sunday Times *John L. Williams's superbly researched and beautifully judged book surpasses everything so far written about C.L.R. James. I don't think I now need to read any subsequent biography or critical study. * Telegraph *James has long deserved a biographer who could do full justice to the richness of his personal life and the range of his public activities. He has finally found one in John Williams . . . [A] superbly researched and beautifully judged book * Telegraph India *Now this extraordinary polymath has been honoured with a biography to suit his talents * Daily Mail, BEST SPORTS BOOKS OF 2022 *

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Book SynopsisHistorian, revolutionary and cricket writer, CLR James was one of the truly radical voices of the twentieth century. Born in Trinidad in the final days of the Victorian era, he debated with Trotsky, played cricket with Constantine, was published by Leonard and Virginia Woolf, inspired Kwame Nkrumah, and was a profound influence on the British Black Power movement. And yet by the late 1970s, CLR James was all but forgotten. The books he had written over the past half century were nearly all out of print. There were a few circles in which his name rang a bell: serious students of Black history; obsessive cricket fans. But that was it.When he died in Brixton in 1989, CLR James was internationally famous - lauded as the greatest of Black British intellectuals: the ''Black Plato'', according to The Times.The ideas he put forward in his own time - of the importance of identity alongside class, of rebellion coming from below, of the leading roles of Black peoTrade ReviewJohn L Williams's exciting and briskly written biography, CLR James: A Life Beyond the Boundaries, offers the perfect introduction to this titan of 20th-century politics and culture * The Times *This is an unrivalled storehouse of information about one of the twentieth century's most important revolutionaries. John Williams' sparkling biography counterpoints understanding of James' ideas with a richly-detailed account of his itinerant life and times * Paul Gilroy *This is a passionate, timely and challenging portrait. CLR James was decades ahead of his time in challenging our thoughts about empire, colonialism, black history and, not least, in writing brilliantly about cricket. He finally has the biography his extraordinary influence deserves * Barney Ronay *As John Williams states at the beginning of his absorbing biography, CLR James may have been born in the Victorian age but he belongs very much to ours . . . [The book] may be a single biography, but it describes multiple lives. * New Statesman *A genius, a seducer . . . the firebrand author, historian and critic was a complex, fragile human being, as John L Williams's biography reveals. * Observer *A fascinating biography -- Clive DavisCLR James: A Life Beyond the Boundaries . . . is the full-scale, scrupulously researched, admiring but clear-eyed biography of the T&T intellectual icon that Caribbean readers have awaited for decades * Trinidad & Tobago Express *It's a testament to this generous biography that the idiosyncratic personality of the great silver-tongued enthusiast comes shining through. * Prospect *C. L. R. 's life has been chronicled many times in film, memoirs and biographies. This one . . . should rank as definitive. * Tablet *This finely written and powerful book. . . . Williams gives us the rawness and rare achievement of his life, and that is an invaluable contribution to now-times and future readers. * Morning Star *A scholarly and vibrant biography . . . John L Williams has written a superb account of Trinidad's greatest intellectual * Irish Times *Just finished John Williams's superb biography of CLR James, A Life Beyond the Boundaries. Staggering what CLR fitted into his life. -- Lawrence Booth * Wisden *Three decades after his death, CLR is back in our midst thanks to this passionate, well-researched and necessary portrait * The Hindu *The most comprehensive and intimate portrayal yet of the iconic speaker, author, teacher, theorist, and revolutionary * Jacobin *This carefully researched book reflects on the life of an intellectual equally at home debating Leon Trotsky or discussing Shakespeare with John Arlott * Sunday Times *John L. Williams's superbly researched and beautifully judged book surpasses everything so far written about C.L.R. James. I don't think I now need to read any subsequent biography or critical study. * Telegraph *James has long deserved a biographer who could do full justice to the richness of his personal life and the range of his public activities. He has finally found one in John Williams . . . [A] superbly researched and beautifully judged book * Telegraph India *Now this extraordinary polymath has been honoured with a biography to suit his talents * Daily Mail, BEST SPORTS BOOKS OF 2022 *CLR James: A Life Beyond the Boundaries is just that - an unsentimental work that draws back the veil of legend to expose the man of blood and bone. With great subtlety, intelligence and expansiveness, Williams gives us a view onto the thinker's groundbreaking ideas while rooting us firmly in the world that helped to shape him, a world living out the immediate aftershocks of colonialism. This is a profound, stirring and necessary book * Esi Edugyan *

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Book SynopsisThe character of the last Tsar, Nicholas II (1868-1918) is crucial to understanding the overthrow of tsarist Russia, the most significant event in Russian history. Nicholas became Tsar at the age of 26. Though a conscientious man who was passionate in his devotion to his country, he was weak, sentimental, dogmatic and indecisive. Ironically he could have made an effective constitutional monarch, but these flaws rendered him fatally unsuited to be the sole ruler of a nation that was in the throes of painful modernisation. That he failed is not surprising, for many abler monarchs could not have succeeded. Rather to be wondered at is that he managed, for 23 years, to hold on to power despite the overwhelming force of circumstances. Though Nicholas was exasperating, he had many endearing qualities. A modern audience, aware - as contemporaries were not - of the private pressures under which he lived, can empathise with him and forgive some of his errors of judgement. To some readers he s

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Mbokodo Award for Women in the Arts for Literature, the ATKV (Afrikaans Language and Culture Association) Award for non-fiction and the kykNet/Rapport Award for non-fiction. ''Here was Emily . . . in these diaries and scrapbooks. An unprecedented, intimate angle on the real Emily''Elsabé Brits has drawn on a treasure trove of previously private sources, including Emily Hobhouse''s diaries, scrap-books and numerous letters that she discovered in Canada, to write a revealing new biography of this remarkable Englishwoman. Hobhouse has been little celebrated in her own country, but she is still revered in South Africa, where she worked so courageously, selflessly and tirelessly to save lives and ameliorate the suffering of thousands of women and children interned in camps set up by British forces during the Anglo-Boer War, in which it is estimated that over 27,000 Boer women and children died; and where her ashes are enshrinedTrade ReviewThis engaging and thoroughly researched account of her life draws on fresh material, including diaries, letters and photographs . . . This beautifully written biography restores her to her rightful place as one of the 20th century's feminist heroines -- Rebecca Wallersteiner * The Lady *

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Book Synopsis''The Last Yakuza might be a work of non-fiction, but it reads more like a thriller... a gripping read'' - Irish News''Sacred, ferocious, and businesslike, Adelstein describes the Japanese mafia like nobody else'' Roberto Saviano, on Tokyo ViceMakoto Saigo is half-American and half-Japanese in small-town Japan with a set of talents limited to playing guitar and picking fights. With rock stardom off the table, he turns toward the only place where you can start from the bottom and move up through sheer merit, loyalty, and brute force - the yakuza.Saigo, nicknamed Tsunami, quickly realizes that even within the organization, opinions are as varied as they come, and a clash of philosophies can quickly become deadly. One screw-up can cost you your life, or at least a finger.The internal politics of the yakuza are dizzyingly complex, and between the ever-shifting web of alliances and the encroaching hand of the law that pushes theTrade Review'Adelstein tells Saigo's story with a relish for its comic aspects [and] an understated feeling for its pathos... one comes away from The Last Yakuza finding its subject not just sympathetic, but even lovable' * Telegraph *'The Last Yakuza might be a work of non-fiction, but it reads more like a thriller... a gripping read' * Irish News *

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Book Synopsis''Fierce, fresh and feminist, Fern Riddell tells the story of Suffragette Kitty Marion in a way that fizzes and shocks. Exciting, twisty and very very timely.'' Lucy WorsleyIn Death in Ten Minutes Fern Riddell uncovers the story of radical suffragette Kitty Marion, told through never before seen personal diaries in Kitty''s own hand. Kitty Marion was sent across the country by the Pankhurst family to carry out a nationwide campaign of bombings and arson attacks, as women fought for the vote using any means necessary. But in the aftermath of World War One, the dangerous and revolutionary actions of Kitty and other militant suffragettes were quickly hushed up and disowned by the previously proud movement, and the women who carried out these attacks were erased from our history. Now, for the first time, their untold story will be brought back to life.Telling a new history of the women''s movement in the light of new and often shocking revelTrade ReviewFierce, fresh and feminist, Fern Riddell tells the story of Suffragette Kitty Marion in a way that fizzes and shocks. Exciting, twisty and very very timely. * Lucy Worsley *Passionate and brilliant, a compelling portrait of an extraordinary woman in extraordinary times. * Richard Osman *A compelling, passionate and timely account of a fierce and extraordinary woman. In 2018, Kitty Marion's story is required reading. * Helen Castor *A brilliant political biography of the dangerous, dramatic and uncompromisingly political life of an incredible woman. Viscerally written this book is a powerful reminder that women were not given the vote, they demanded it and took it by force as much as by persuasion. * David Olusoga *Fern has brought to life the drama and tension of suffragette attacks in early 20th century Britain. Never before have I thought of the noise, colour, sounds, smells and sensations of fighting for women's rights to the vote, sexual and legal freedoms. She creates a textured tapestry of bustling streets and a myriad of personalities, amidst which devastating bomb attacks are given a potency so often eroded from history books. The world needs more books like this - books that challenge where we are now, and the brave, dangerous, fascinating women who got us here. * Janina Ramirez *The tale this book tells is as explosive as its title. Riddell's vivid prose follows this unsung heroine in her fight for birth control and suffrage. * Independent *An exhilarating slice of incredibly relevant history. Highly recommended. * Matt Haig *

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Book SynopsisA social history of a fifty year period, spanning the Regency into the Victorian era

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Book SynopsisThis is a long overdue study of all aspects of Lucullus life but with heavy emphasis on his military career, strategy and tactics

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Book SynopsisDescribed as one of the greatest mass-murderers in history, Rudolf Hoss, was born in Baden-Baden on 11 December 1901.

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Book SynopsisThe powerful, poignant true story of a group of child survivors of concentration camps, by the author of the bestselling THE HOLOCAUST. 'A masterpiece of decency, courage and joy ... superb' DAILY TELEGRAPHTrade ReviewImpossible to put down ... This is a book about coming out of hell, about great evil, about the triumph of the human spirit, and about the great goodness on the part of those who helped. One is left with hope, and admiration * THE TIMES *A masterpiece of decency, courage and joy ... superb * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Martin Gilbert is to be congratulated on producing a masterly and deeply moving tribute to those who had the courage and luck to survive * LITERARY REVIEW *A story of human resilience, fortitude and victory that restores the readers' hope for mankind * SUNDAY TIMES *This is the story of human beings sucked into a vortex of destruction in which family, identity, religion and culture were all ripped away. A sense of near-miraculous calm descends when the Boys finally arrive in Britain, when human fortitude finally prevails over absolute evil -- David Cesarani * TLS *He doesn't hide the dark side of the stories: he does stress the resilience of their humanity. It's amazing and true * NEW STATESMAN *A series of testimonials to endurance and resourcefulness * DAILY TELEGRAPH *This is an important book ... [an] appalling and wonderful account of efficiently administered savagery, and how a few of its victims with extraordinary courage, resilience and luck, managed to salvage their humanity * SPECTATOR *Assembled by one of the period's premier historians ... A uniquely effective addition to Holocaust literature * KIRKUS *Martin Gilbert has given us yet another indispensable work * TLS *A moving mosaic comprising the voices of the young refugees, setting this against eye-witness accounts of the European experience ... The scope is vast. Research at its best * TIME OUT *It is only when you read individual stories like these that you can come anywhere near grasping the full enormity of the events * FINANCIAL TIMES *

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Book SynopsisAn exhilarating and uplifting account of the lives of sixteen warriors' from the last three centuries, hand-picked for their bravery or extraordinary military experience by the eminent military historian, author and ex-editor of the Daily Telegraph, Sir Max Hastings.Over the course of forty years of writing about war, Max Hastings has grown fascinated by outstanding deeds of derring-do on the battlefield (land, sea or air) and by their practitioners. He takes as his examples sixteen people from different nationalities in modern history including Napoleon's blessed fool' Baron Marcellin de Marbot (the model for Conan Doyle's Brigadier Gerard); Sir Harry Smith, whose Spanish wife Juana became his military companion on many a campaign in the early 19th-century; Lieutenant John Chard, an unassuming engineer who became the hero of Rorke's Drift in the Zulu wars; and Squadron Leader Guy Gibson, the dam buster' whose heroism in the skies of World War II earned him the nation''s admiration, but few friends.Every army, in order to prevail on the battlefield, needs a certain number of people capable of courage beyond the norm. In this book Max Hastings investigates what this norm might be and how it has changed over the centuries. While celebrating feats of outstanding valour, he also throws a beady eye over the awarding of medals for gallantry and why it is that so often the most successful warriors rarely make the grade as leaders of men.Trade Review‘With this collection, Hastings is back on home territory, where he can bring his unique blend of skills as war reporter, and social as well as military historian to bear…This is one of the best and most diverting of his shorter pieces’ Evening Standard ‘All (of the stories) are corking…opinions are stated firmly and with big bold swings of the pendulum. His virtues are clarity and decisiveness – greatly to be admired when it comes to making clear, for the lay reader, roughly what is going on in the fiendishly complex and bloody engagements he describes.’ Spectator ‘A wonderfully eclectic selection…Hastings has written a marvellous book. Wry perceptive and engaging, it lays bare the curious mix of character traits – good and bad – that a successful warrior requires.’ Sunday Telegraph ‘His brisk prose has the qualities of his warriors: clear, decisive, forceful…“Warriors” will enthral everyone.’ Daily Telegraph ‘Brilliant…Hastings combines his consummate skill as a writer with passages of descriptive brilliance to provide a book for the ordinary citizen…He captures the commitment of the fighting servicemen and women…in language that is powerful yet eminently comprehensible. This is a book to entertain.’ Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisA SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEARHistory that reads like biography that reads like a novel a fluid narrative that defies expectations and plays against type' New York TimesBrilliant and savage' Philip HensherAn unprecedented history of the personality test conceived a century ago by a mother and her daughter fiction writers with no formal training in psychology and how it insinuated itself into our boardrooms, classrooms, and beyond.The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is the most popular personality test in the world. It has been harnessed by Fortune 100 companies, universities, hospitals, churches, and the military. Its language of extraversion vs. introversion, thinking vs. feeling has inspired online dating platforms and Buzzfeed quizzes alike. And yet despite the test''s widespread adoption, experts in the field of psychometric testing, a $500 million industry, struggle to account for its success no less validate its results. How did the Myers-Briggs insinuate itself into our jobs, ouTrade Review‘A tremendous piece of storytelling and an acute analysis of the craving of the contemporary, secular imagination for certainties’ Bryan Appleyard, Sunday Times ‘Emre is a masterful and nuanced storyteller. What’s Your Type is an impressive work of scholarship, not just a biography of two fascinating women but also a tightly argued and sweeping history of how the conception of personality changed throughout the upheavals of the 20th century’ New Statesman ‘The story behind the Myers-Briggs test proves an interesting one, and is told with considerable relish, vim and some savage comedy by Emre … This is a very funny book, and properly angry about the stupidity of the entire exercise’Philip Hensher, Spectator ‘Emre’s careful investigations of the tool’s bizarre origins and alarming impact weave a compelling narrative that recounts the rise of twentieth-century managerial and personnel-theory science with the gritty wistfulness of a John Steinbeck novel’ Nature ‘Emre’s book begins like a true-crime thriller, with the tantalizing suggestion that a number of unsettling revelations are in store. Inventive and beguiling… the revelations she uncovers are affecting and occasionally (and delightfully) bizarre. This is history that reads like biography that reads like a novel – a fluid narrative that defies expectations and plays against type’ New York Times ‘This is a sparkling biography – not of a person, but of a popular personality tool. Merve Emre deftly exposes the hidden origins of the MBTI and the seductive appeal and fatal flaws of personality types’ Adam Grant, author of Give and Take, Originals, and Option B with Sheryl Sandberg ‘Emre’s thought-provoking book is full of interest and she brings vigour to her investigation of Myers-Briggs.’The Times ‘A brilliant cultural history of the personality-assessment industry’ Economist

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA fascinating exploration into the lives of three women ignored by history Eye-opening, engrossing'Brit Bennett,bestselling author ofThe Vanishing HalfIn her groundbreaking debut, Anna Malaika Tubbs tells the incredible storIES of three women who raised three world-changing men.Much has been written about Berdis Baldwin''s son James, about Alberta King''s son Martin Luther and Louise Little''s son Malcolm. But virtually nothing has been said about the extraordinary women who raised them, each fighting their own battles, born into the beginning of the twentieth century and a deadly landscape of racial prejudice, Jim Crow, exploitation, unpoliced violence and open police vitriol.It was a society that would deny their sons' humanity from the beginning as it had denied theirs, but Berdis, Alberta and Louise were extraordinary women who instilled resilience, resistance and greatness in their sons. They would become mothers not just to three world-famous men but Trade Review‘An intimate narrative that aims to link not only Little, King and Baldwin, but all Black mothers’New York Times Book Review ‘Through Tubbs' writing, Berdis, Alberta, and Louise's stories sing. Theirs is a history forgotten that begs to be told, and Tubbs tells it brilliantly’Ibram X. Kendi, #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist ‘A fascinating exploration into the lives of three women ignored by history … Uncovers hidden complexities within black motherhood that illuminate our understanding of the past while also shedding light on the overlooked contributions of black women today. An eye-opening, engrossing read’Brit Bennett, New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Half and The Mothers ‘Does what Black women do best: hold up the light in darkness, calling us all to do our work … Anna is a powerful storyteller, and we should all be grateful she chose to tell this story’Brittany Packnett Cunningham, co-host of Pod Save the People and co-founder of Campaign Zero ‘A profound reflection on the contours of Black freedom in the twentieth century and beyond … An essential celebration of Black women, one that illuminates the history of racism and resistance in critical new ways. A timely and important book’Elizabeth Hinton, author of From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime ‘Magnificent … An intimate explication of motherhood as the shoulders upon which children stand … but it's also a love letter to these three particular Black women; a scholarly rejection of the trope of Black woman as conquered victim; and a literary declaration that Black women know best how to survive in this broken world while actively mending it for everyone’Julie Lythcott-Haims, New York Times bestselling author of How to Raise an Adult

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Book SynopsisAn intimate, insightful portrait of an extraordinarily private leader' WALTER ISAACSONFrom the bestselling author of Enemies of the PeopleAn intimate and deeply researched account of the extraordinary rise and political brilliance of the most powerful and elusive woman in the world.Angela Merkel has always been an outsider. A pastor's daughter raised in Soviet-controlled East Germany, she spent her twenties working as a research chemist, only entering politics after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And yet within fifteen years, she had become chancellor of Germany and, before long, the unofficial leader of the West.Acclaimed author Kati Marton sets out to pierce the mystery of this unlikely ascent. With unparalleled access to the chancellor's inner circle and a trove of records only recently come to light, she teases out the unique political genius that is the secret to Merkel's success. No other modern leader has so ably confronted authoritarian aggression, enacted daring social policieTrade Review‘[Marton] has recruited a formidable cast of talking heads … and obtained a remarkable degree of access to the chancellor’s inner circle’The Times ‘One of the best and most readable text books we have about this “indispensable European” … a fascinating portrait of a powerful woman’Literary Review ‘A masterpiece of discernment and insight’New York Times ‘A riveting story, adroitly told, full of engrossing anecdotes and rich details’Los Angeles Review of Books ‘This is the best English-language biography of her rise from a tough and traditional family, through her career as a physical chemist in communist East Germany, to her current renown’ Foreign Affairs ‘It’s instructive to spend time in Merkel’s competent and humane company … [Marton] has doggedly retraced Merkel’s trail, and the story she brings is a good one’New York Times ‘Fascinating. For anyone who thinks they know a lot about Angela Merkel; for anyone who knows nothing about Angela Merkel – pick up this book and do not put it down until the very last page’New York Journal of Books ‘With her signature superpowers of rigorous research and unparalleled empathy, Marton brings us deep into the private sphere of Angela Merkel’Eliza Griswold ‘A compelling and memorable portrait … Angela Merkel’s life is a testament to the power of commitment, diligence, and the possibilities of politics … Tells that story with insight and grace’JON MEACHAM ‘An intimate, insightful portrait of an extraordinarily private leader, who, in her quiet and determined way, made Germany the economic and moral leader of Europe’WALTER ISAACSON ‘It’s a thrilling tale, skillfully told, and a reminder of the role of fate and timing in leadership’JONATHAN ALTER ‘Definitive and brilliantly written, I discovered again in reading it how astonishing Merkel’s life and career have been – and how eventful the period’VOLKER SCHLÖNDORFF

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Book SynopsisThe explosive new book from longtime royal journalist Omid Scobie and author of the international blockbuster Finding Freedom, Endgame a penetrating investigation into the current state of the British monarchy.An unpopular king, a power-hungry heir to the throne, a queen willing to go to great lengths to preserve her image, and a prince forced to start a new life after being betrayed by his own family.Queen Elizabeth II's death ruptured the already-fractured foundations of the House of Windsor and dismantled the protective shield around it. With an institution long plagued by incidents involving antiquated ideas around race, class and money, the monarchy and those who prop it up are now exposed and at odds with a rapidly modernizing world.Relying on his vast experience as a royal reporter and over a decade of conversations and interviews with current and former Palace staff, trusted friends of the royals and even the family members themselves, Scobie pulls back the curtain on an insti

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Book SynopsisThe definitive history of coronations and the Royal Family, from acclaimed writer Roy Strong.'What is the finest sight in the world? A Coronation.What do people talk most about? A Coronation.What is delightful to have passed? A Coronation.'Horace Walpole, 1761As a boy of sixteen, Roy Strong watched the grand procession carrying Queen Elizabeth II to her coronation. The spectacle was considered the greatest public event of the century. But now, so many years later, many people have little notion of what a coronation is and are unaware of the rich resonances of the ritual, or its deep significance in terms of the committal of monarch to people.This book is the first of its kind a comprehensive history that sets each coronation into its political, social, religious and cultural context. The story is one of constant re-invention as the service has had to respond to all the changes in fortune of the monarchy or the country: everything from legitimising usurpers to reconciling a Catholic riTrade Review‘Lavishly illustrated throughout, this is, however, much more than a coffee-table book…a beautiful and informative book.’ Sunday Telegraph ‘Strong points out in his survey of the 1,000 year history of the event…the changing significance of monarchy.’ Financial Times ‘A well organised, sympathetic and fascinating account of the central ritual of the English people. This is a serious book with a full scholarly apparatus of notes, bibliography, charts, chronologies and index…this new book fulfils a need…a model of the illustrated history genre…the design and layout are exceptionally clear and elegant…Sir Roy has been admirably served by his publishers.’ Spectator 'A fascinating and compellingly readable study… all the themes are dealt with eloquently and with wit' TLS ‘A magnificent book, meticulously researched, never dull, and beautifully illustrated.’ Country Life

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“At some point in every life, we are faced with a challenge that we think we can’t overcome. This book should be required reading for anyone wanting to understand how to trust in the light even at the darkest times. Drawing on her own grit, grace and gratitude - not to mention a deep and abiding faith - Nicole Avant has gifted us a roadmap out of the darkness of her own profound loss and into a life filled with meaning, purpose and service." — Jay Shetty, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Think Like A Monk “Nicole Avant gives a raw and courageous look into how she found the light in her darkest moment. She reminds us that that grief is different for everyone, and we have the power to move through it in our own unique way.” — Cleo Wade, New York Times Bestselling author In Think You'll Be Happy: Living with Grit, Grace and Gratitude, Nicole Avant brilliantly weaves through her family's story and her mother's tragic death, some of the most important cultural themes at this moment in our history — faith, forgiveness, resilience, service and redemption — and she does it all with grace and with the gift of a born storyteller.” — Arianna Huffington, Founder & CEO, Thrive Global

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Book SynopsisGiuseppe Garibaldi, the Italian revolutionary leader and popular hero, was among the best-known figures of the nineteenth century. This book seeks to examine his life and the making of his cult, to assess its impact, and understand its surprising success.Trade Review"'Lucy Riall gives us a book which is about rather more than myriad fantasies projected onto the most famous of Italy's nation-builders, a work with inevitable resonances for our own age of celebrity chasing and willing enslavement to the media. Her historical argument is made more compelling by a lucid, athletic and continuously engaging prose style... among my books of the year.' Jonathan Keates, Literary Review 'Lucy Riall's absorbing and scholarly new book.' David Gilmour, The Spectator 'Riall is to be congratulated on her narrative verve.' Ian Thompson, The Sunday Times 'a compelling read, full of fascinating and hilarious new material.' Adam Zamoyski, The Sunday Telegraph 'a brilliantly conceived and executed study.' John Dickie, The Daily Telegraph"

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Book SynopsisRevolutionary practitioner, theorist, factional chief, sparkling writer, ‘ladies’ man’ (e.g., his affair with Frieda Kahlo), icon of the Revolution, anti-Jewish Jew, philosopher of everyday life, grand seigneur of his household, father and hunted victim, Trotsky lived a brilliant life in extraordinary times. Robert Service draws on hitherto unexamined archives and on his profound understanding of Russian history to draw a portrait of the man and his legacy, revealing that though his followers have represented Trotsky as a pure revolutionary soul and a powerful intellect unjustly hounded into exile by Stalin and his henchmen. The reality is very different, as this masterful and compelling biography reveals.

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Book SynopsisThe authoritative biography of Truman Capote, a bestseller when originally published on both sides of the Atlantic.Trade ReviewIn this riveting biography, Clarke, former TIME writer, depicts the sad sequence of sparkling achievements and overwhelming despair that marked the life of Truman Capote. Readers will be dazzled both by the life lived and the compelling skill with which Clarke brings it before us. * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *Mr. Clarke makes one feel at last as if one really understands Mr. Capote. * NEW YORK TIMES *[An] extremely readable biography. * SUNDAY HERALD *Clarke's extremely readable biography cleverly tells Capote's story in the manner of the 'non-fiction novel * mode Capote developed in IN COLD BLOOD.’ *

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Book Synopsis* The sequel to the no.1 bestselling THE ROAD TO NAB END.* ANGELA'S ASHES without the constant rain.Trade ReviewROAD TO NAB END: 'A masterpiece' INDEPENDENT *A wonderful evocation of a vanished age' MAIL ON S. *'Once started, it is impossible to put this book down ... born writer with an eye for character & a natural way of writing' TLS *'Extraordinarily well written & vividly told, his book is rich in characters, facts, atmosphere & indomitable spirit. It is absolutely fascinating as a social as well as a family history' Eric Hobsbawm, GUARDIAN

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Book SynopsisThe riveting tale of two pioneering botanists and their historic boat trip down the Colorado River through the Grand CanyonTrade Review"“It’s not just the story but the way it’s told that matters here. Unlike those old-time newspaper reporters, Sevigny does not look at her subjects and see women out of place. She sees women doing their job and doing it well. She muses with pleasure about that change in perspective, while acknowledging (correctly) that women still face serious gender barriers in the modern profession of science.”" -- The New York Times Book Review

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