Biography: adventurers and explorers Books

Book SynopsisThe image of Catherine of Aragon has always suffered in comparison to the heir-providing Jane Seymour or the vivacious eroticism of Anne Boleyn. But when Henry VIII married Catherine, she was an auburn-haired beauty in her twenties with a passion she had inherited from her parents, Isabella and Ferdinand, the joint-rulers of Spain who had driven the Moors from their country.This daughter of conquistadors showed the same steel and sense of command when organising the defeat of the Scots at the Battle of Flodden and Henry was to learn, to his cost, that he had not met a tougher opponent on or off the battlefield when he tried to divorce her.Henry VIII introduced four remarkable women into the tumultuous flow of England''s history: Catherine of Aragon and her daughter ''Bloody'' Queen Mary; and Anne Boleyn and her daughter, the Virgin Queen Elizabeth. ''From this contest, between two mothers and two daughters, was born the religious passion and violence that inflamed England for centuries,'' says David Starkey. Reformation, revolution and Tudor history would all have been vastly different without Catherine of Aragon.Giles Tremlett''s new biography is the first in more than four decades to be dedicated entirely and uniquely to the tenacious woman whose marriage lasted twice as long as those of Henry''s five other wives put together. It draws on fresh material from Spain to trace the dramatic events of her life through Catherine of Aragon''s own eyes. ''Enthralling biography . . . this lively and richly detailed book . . . describing the queen''s fierce battle to retain her crown, Tremlett brilliantly breathes life into the shadowy figure of a stubborn and finally heroic woman.'' Daily Telegraph

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Book SynopsisPhilip Larkin: A Writer''s Life won the Whitbread Award for Biography in 1993 and was championed as ''an exemplary biography of its kind'' (The Times). With a new introduction written by the author, this edition offers an engrossing portrait of one of the twentieth century''s most popular, and most private, poets. ''There will be other lives of Larkin, but Motion''s, like Forster''s of Dickens, will always have a special place.'' John Carey, Sunday Times''Larkin lived a quietly noble and exemplary version of the writer''s life; Motion - affectionate but undeceived about the man''s frailties, a diligent researcher and a deft reader of poetry - has written an equally exemplary ''Life'' of him.'' Peter Conrad, Observer''Honest but not prurient, critical but also compassionate, Motion''s book could not be bettered.'' Alan Bennett, London Review of Books

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Book SynopsisChurchill may have played the larger role in Hitlerâs defeat, but Orwellâs reckoning with the threat of authoritarian rule in 1984 and Animal Farm defined the stakes of the Cold War and continues to inspire to this day. Their lives are an eloquent testament to the power of moral conviction, and to the courage it takes to stay true to it.Trade Review'Really, very interesting' John Le Carré‘An inspiring story… highly readable’ Andrew Roberts, bestselling author of Napoleon the Great and The Storm of War‘Ricks is an excellent writer; his eye for telling detail brings to life these two remarkable and much-mythologised men’ Keith Lowe, Telegraph'A feast of a book, laden with observations and insights that enable us to see these familiar figures, and through them our own time, in a fresh and illuminating light' John Gray, New Statesman‘A page turner written with great brio... highly enjoyable’ New York Times

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Book SynopsisCardinal Wolsey is a controversial figure: a butcher’s son, a man of letters and the Church, a divisive political expert, a man of principle – yet, to some, an arrogant upstart.

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Book SynopsisFor the very first time, a biography of two aristocratic sisters who scandalised society and inspired Ian Fleming to create the famous ‘Bond Girl’Trade Review'Reindorp has done a stellar job of balancing their privilege and pathos.' - The Lady

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Book SynopsisHitler's Spy Princess

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Book SynopsisThe astonishing true story of how Catherine the Great joined forces with a Quaker doctor from Essex to spearhead a groundbreaking public health campaignTrade Review‘[A] sparkling history book with a fairytale atmosphere of sleigh rides, royal palaces and heroic risk-taking… This is exactly the book we need to read at the moment.’ -- The Times‘Informative, enthusiastically written and based on thorough research.’ -- BBC History Magazine‘This gripping account of her deep friendship with an English doctor – and their battle to save the Russian people from the scourge of smallpox – shows [Catherine the Great] in an entirely different light.’ -- Daily Mail‘Entertaining and well-researched.’ -- Financial Times‘Mirroring so many of the vaccination issues of our modern age, as well as those of bodily autonomy, feminism, and power…a must-read.’ -- Jojo Moyes‘Timely and engaging… A truly fascinating book that reads like a thriller.’ -- Venki Ramakrishnan, Nobel laureate and former president of the Royal Society‘Lucy Ward has zoomed in on one of the more dramatic episodes in that dramatic century… vivid.’ -- Economist‘A deft and captivating chronicle.’ -- Wall Street Journal‘Lively and informative.’ -- TLS‘An enthralling tale of two remarkable personalities who risked all for the benefit of mankind, and of a struggle between medical science and human instinct that could not be more relevant today.’ -- Adam Zamoyski‘A rich and wonderfully urgent work of history which engagingly recounts one of the greatest moments in modern science and public health: a story of Enlightenment conviction, Court intrigue, Anglo-Russian relations, and timeless, personal bravery. An expertly recounted eighteenth-century tale of political leadership and medical progress with obvious insights for today.’ -- Tristram Hunt, director of the Victoria and Albert Museum‘So meticulously researched, well-paced and finely written is this tale of medical drama and royal daring that one quickly forgets that it is Lucy Ward’s first book. Her story is a remarkable one, full of contemporary resonance, but fascinating in its own right… a real page-turner.’ -- Matthew D’Ancona, Tortoise‘In this fluent and enlightening account of the fight to eradicate the terrifying scourge of smallpox, Ward deftly describes how an English Quaker doctor, Thomas Dimsdale, played a crucial role as a pioneer of the new technique of inoculation… The Empress and the English Doctor is a gripping read and all the more timely and extraordinary for having been written in the midst of the Covid pandemic.’ -- Dr Helen Rappaport, bestselling author and historian‘This is a fascinating and meticulously researched book with the excitement of a thriller. It’s a remarkable story of female leadership and personal courage. Lucy Ward uses her brilliance as a narrator combined with her insight as a former Lobby journalist to bring to life one of history’s most powerful women who really did “follow the science”.’ -- Harriet Harman MP‘The scepticism and hesitancy about COVID-19 vaccines make Ward’s eminently readable history feel timely as she expertly examines the intersection of medicine and politics.’ -- Booklist, starred review‘Packed with political intrigue and scientific insight, this is a fascinating narrative revealing how early inoculation pioneers overcame superstition, prejudice and misinformation. Move forward more than two centuries and the parallels with the current Covid-19 pandemic are incredible!’ -- Jonathan Ball, professor of virology, University of Nottingham‘A fascinating and beautifully told story about courageous vaccination pioneers.’ -- Kate Bingham, Chair of the UK Vaccine Taskforce‘This is a wonderful book. It tells the story of the greatest medical discovery before Pasteur, inoculation against smallpox, through the life of a Quaker doctor, Thomas Dimsdale, and his journey to Russia to treat Catherine the Great… It’s a long time since I’ve read a history book as beautifully constructed as this – it’s a remarkable achievement.’ -- David Wootton, anniversary professor of history, University of York, and author of The Invention of Science‘This is a remarkable and fascinating story of scientific discovery, breakthrough medicine and inspirational female leadership by Catherine the Great. The revelations in this book resonate with today’s battle against Covid-19. Lucy Ward has undertaken brilliant detective work… This is a must-read book.’ -- Sir Norman Lamb, former UK Health Minister‘Timely… The author demonstrates beautifully how London has historically led on the science with first “inoculation” and then “vaccination” – indeed, longer than most people realise.’ -- Professor Dame Sally Davies, former Chief Medical Officer for England‘A tale of multiple and intertwining themes – private and public health, public administration, and the politics of Empires… Although the book is about things that happened over 250 years ago, the hopes and fears of the people facing those difficult choices resonate with our own times.’ -- Laurie Bristow, former UK ambassador to the Russian Federation‘Women’s role in driving forward key scientific discoveries has too often gone unrecognised. The Empress and the English Doctor honours Catherine the Great’s pioneering scientific journey, demonstrating her personal bravery, her exacting insight and her resolve to protect others against smallpox. This thrilling and important story offers an insight into the determination, tenacity and grit needed to work in science, even today!’ -- Professor Teresa Lambe, Professor of Vaccinology and Immunology, University of Oxford and co-designer of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine‘Timely and engaging…the unlikely and remarkable story of how an English doctor, Thomas Dimsdale, and Catherine the Great, the Empress of Russia, showed great personal courage and took serious personal risks to promote inoculation against smallpox using a method that had originated in Asia. The success of these early efforts led directly to the first vaccine by Jenner, and over the next two centuries saved millions of lives that would have been lost to many different diseases, culminating in the recent vaccines against Covid-19. A truly fascinating book that reads like a thriller.’ -- Venki Ramakrishnan, Nobel laureate and former president of the Royal Society‘A fascinating, deep dive into a neglected topic in the history of vaccines, with many lessons for the prevention of viruses today. Lucy Ward blends history and personality to shed light on a story that has been overlooked in favour of Jenner and his milkmaid.’ -- Dr John Tregoning, Reader in Respiratory Infections, Imperial College London‘An entertaining account… Brimming with vivid historical details, this is a memorable account of a medical and social breakthrough.’ * Publishers Weekly * ‘An extraordinary and fascinating story’ -- Choice‘A poignant tale, expertly researched and beautifully written.’ -- Aspects of History‘It’s hard to imagine a better-timed book than this one' * Globe and Mail *‘A combination of arcane detail and the high colour of a period drama.’ -- Spectator'Ward ably contextualises the event within the intellectual currents of the era... Astute.' -- Lancet'[a] gripping story of Enlightenment ideals, female leadership, and the fight to promote science over superstition.' -- New York Public Library, Books of the Year‘Offers unforced parallels with our present … At the heart of this learned, erudite book, full of rich and legible scientific detail, is the extraordinary, and extraordinarily moving, dynamic between the Empress and Dimsdale … [a] rather thrilling account.’ -- The Critic, Books of the Year‘By 1980, the global smallpox vaccination campaign had resulted in the complete eradication of the deadly disease. Ward’s captivating and informative book relates events that took place two centuries earlier and laid the foundation of this unique achievement.’ -- Foreign Affairs

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Book SynopsisThe name of John Muir has come to stand for the protection of wild land and wilderness in both America and Britain. Born in Dunbar in the east of Scotland in 1838, Muir is famed as the father of American conservation, and as the first person to promote the idea of National Parks.Combining acute observation with a sense of inner discovery, Muir''s writings of his travels through some of the greatest landscapes on Earth, including the Carolinas, Florida, Alaska and those lands which were to become the great National Parks of Yosemite and the Sierra Valley, raise an awareness of nature to a spiritual dimension. These journals provide a unique marriage of scientific survey of natural history with lyrical and often amusing anecdotes, retaining a freshness, intensity and brutal honesty which will amaze the modern reader.This collection, including the never-before-published Stickeen, presents the finest of Muir''s writings, and imparts a rounded portrait of a man whose generTrade ReviewIt was after reading John Muir that I fell under his spell. The quality of the man...came out in his writing. -- Elisabeth Inglis * * Scotsman Weekend * *It is fascinating...the memoirs have beguiling warmth and immediacy. * * Glasgow Herald * *When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe * * My First Summer in the Sierra * *

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Book SynopsisIn this astonishing new history of wartime Britain, historian Stephen Bourne unearths the fascinating stories of the gay men who served in the armed forces and at home, and brings to light the great unheralded contribution they made to the war effort. Fighting Proud weaves together the remarkable lives of these men, from RAF hero Ian Gleed - a Flying Ace twice honoured for bravery by King George VI - to the infantry officers serving in the trenches on the Western Front in WWI - many of whom led the charges into machine-gun fire only to find themselves court-martialled after the war for indecent behaviour. Behind the lines, Alan Turing''s work on breaking the `enigma machine'' and subsequent persecution contrasts with the many stories of love and courage in Blitzed-out London, with new wartime diaries and letters unearthed for the first time. Bourne tells the bitterly sad story of Ivor Novello, who wrote the WWI anthem `Keep the Home Fires Burning'', and the crucial work of Noel Coward

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Book Synopsis''ASTONISHING'' THE DAILY MAIL ''STRIKING'' THE SUNDAY TIMES ''RADICAL'' TATLER Described by The Telegraph as ''Edward''s truth'' Once a King is the never before seen and unfiltered story of King Edward VIII, the original royal renegade, who abdicated his throne and left the royal family to pursue his own destiny. Fifteen years after having abdicated the throne to marry the woman he loved - Wallis Simpson - King Edward VIII, now the Duke of Windsor, published his memoirs. But whilst preparing the manuscript for his published and mostly ghostwritten book - which, unlike Prince Harry''s autobiography Spare, largely avoided controversy - the Duke also produced a private manuscript for posterity. This was written in his own words and with an uninhibited frankness.Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII reproduces this uncrowned King''s previously unseen writing

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Book Synopsis_______________Starman takes us at breakneck speed through Gagarin''s strange trajectory ... Without books like these to shelter it, history is eroded by propaganda and real heroes fall victim to spin'' - New ScientistA riveting account of Gagarin''s life ... Starman brilliantly captures the atmosphere of the time'' - EuropeanStarman was worth writing and is definitely worth reading'' - Daily Telegraph_______________The definitive biography of Yuri Gagarin, re-published with new material to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of his momentous flight into space.On April 12 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to leave the Earth''s atmosphere and venture into space. An icon of the 20th century, he also became a danger to himself and a threat to the Soviet state. At the age of 34, he was killed in a plane crash. Based on KGB files, restricted documents from Russian spaceTrade Review‘Starman takes us breakneck speed through Gagarin's strange trajectory...Without books like these to shelter it, history is eroded by propaganda and real heroes fall victim to spin' * New Scientist *‘A riveting account of Gagarin's life ... Starman brilliantly captures the atmosphere of the time' * European *‘Starman skilfully achieves two distinct objectives: The uncovering of much of the mystery around one of mankind's finest periods, and a full and respectful acknowledgement that its many great heroes, both sung and unsung, were, first and foremost, human beings' * Moscow Times *‘Starman was worth writing and is definitely worth reading' * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisA spellbinding and magical narrative, this is the story of modern China through the women who lived through it.At the start of the twentieth century in China, the Hans were married in an elaborate ceremony before they were even born. They went on to have nine children and chose colours portrayed in some of their favourite poems as nicknames for them Red, Cyan, Orange, Yellow, Green, Green Tangerine, Purple, Blue and Rainbow. Fate, and the sweep of twentieth-century history, would later divide them.Xinran begins with the magic and tragedy of one young couple''s wedding night in 1949, and goes on to tell personal experiences of loss, grief and hardship through China''s extraordinary century. In doing so she tells a bigger story how traditional Chinese values have been slowly eroded by the tide of modernity and how their outlooks on love, and the choices they''ve made in life, have been all been affected by the great upheavals of Chinese history.Trade ReviewA brilliant storyteller. -- Hilary SpurlingThis book cracks the code of love, loneliness, and belonging in contemporary China. -- Xiaolu Guo, author of 'Once Upon a Time in the East'Reporting on four generations of one Chinese family and their diverging paths, Xinran shows how the country’s social norms have changed through politics and the rise of modernity. * New York Times *Xinran Xue is a gifted storyteller and The Promise reads like an unputdownable novel. William Spence’s translation from Chinese into English cannot be over-praised. * Washington Book Review *‘An absorbing, often startling, always persuasive exploration of contemporary China.’ -- Hilary Spurling on 'Buy Me The Sky' * The Spectator *[A] graceful work that restores a lost generation to history. * Kirkus Review *One would have to have a heart of stone not to be moved. * The Economist on 'Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother' *Groundbreaking… This intimate record reads like an act of defiance, and the unvarnished prose allows each story to stand as testimony. * The New Yorker on 'The Good Women of China' *‘Right here we see the red lines that many Chinese still draw for themselves in public discourse, or even privately, the boundaries they dare not cross even today. No other style of storytelling could have exhibited them with more clarity or greater rawness.’ -- Oliver August on 'China Witness' * THE TIMES *Exploring love and loss in modern China is a big job but it is in simplifying the overwhelming that Xinran excels. And in the introduction to this compelling and moving book, the author clarifies just how she has managed the task...In these carefully told vignettes, Xinran takes the reader through a century of tumult and change in China, her writing beautifully reflecting the intimate and honest voices of the women whose stories of love she tells. * The Weekend Australian *'Xinran writes with a fine balance of economy, compassion and wisdom, and manages to be at once proud, critical, forward-looking, nostalgic, sad, angry and hopeful.’ * The New Statesman *Table of ContentsPromises and ‘talking love’: my inspirations for this book Map of China Key Dates Introduction Note on the Text Part I. A Love Coloured by Wars and Political Movements First sister, Red Part II. A Communist Family Tree Second sister, Green Part III. A Bird’s Love during the Cultural Revolution Green’s daughter, Crane Part IV. Diverse ‘Lovers’ The 3D Generation: Lili, Yoyo, Wuhen Afterword: In and Out the Door of Life Author’s Heartfelt Thanks

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Book SynopsisAn illuminating biography of Alfonso X, the 13th-century philosopher-king whose affinity for Islamic culture left an indelible mark on Western civilization If I had been present at the Creation, the thirteenth-century Spanish philosopher-king Alfonso X is said to have stated, Many faults in the universe would have been avoided. Known as El Sabio, the Wise, Alfonso was renowned by friends and enemies alike for his sparkling intellect and extraordinary cultural achievements. In The Wise King, celebrated historian Simon R. Doubleday traces the story of the king''s life and times, leading us deep into his emotional world and showing how his intense admiration for Spain''s rich Islamic culture paved the way for the European Renaissance. In 1252, when Alfonso replaced his more militaristic father on the throne of Castile and LeÃthe battle to reconquer Muslim territory on the Iberian Peninsula was raging fiercely. But even as he led his Christian soldiers Trade Review"Machiavelli may get all the press, but as Simon Doubleday shows in this fascinating work, the 13th-century Spanish king Alfonso X brought an altogether more enlightened approach to the task of leadership. Promoting culture and learning, moderating temper and greed, acting virtuously by example, even judiciously endorsing games and sex--these were the tasks that Alfonso assigned himself, even while he fulfilled the more traditional roles of warrior and defender of the faith. That he did all this not despite the very real proximity of a rival Islamic kingdom but precisely because of it is one of the most intriguing arguments of Doubleday's beautifully-written book. This political context will not seem entirely unfamiliar to modern readers, but neither, as these engaging pages show, should the forms of wise leadership that Alfonso preached and practiced."--Lisa Abend, Madrid correspondent, TIME magazine, and author of The Sorcerer's Apprentices ADVANCE PRAISE FOR THE WISE KING: "The Middle Ages have long been categorized as an infertile intermission between the classical Greek and Roman world and the Renaissance...Doubleday (The Lara Family) here debunks the myth...[He] convincingly reasons that Alfonso was the epitome of a renaissance man."--Library Journal "In this insightful biography of Alfonso X of Castile and Leon (1221--1284), Doubleday...illuminates the complexity of society in 13th-century Spain and, through the figure of the king, 'exorcises the myth that medieval Europe was mired in a dark age.'"--Publishers Weekly "Cosmopolitan, learned, and deeply-cultured, Alfonso is proof that brightness shone in parts of Europe during what later became popularly, if unfairly, known as the Dark Ages. His 13th-century preoccupations with manners, wisdom, friendship, music, sex, sport, greed, fear, and parenting are indeed a mirror of contemporary concerns. Few of us, however, have had the time--or the talent-- to think so deeply or write so eloquently about them. Doubleday's scholarly but accessible writing makes him the ideal guide and companion."Giles Tremlett, Madrid correspondent, The Guardian and The Economist, and author of Catherine of Aragon and Ghosts of Spain "Sex, Greed, Wisdom, Joy: In Simon Doubleday's deft treatment, we find the renowned medieval King Alfonso the Wise pondering the same themes that grip the modern imagination. Doubleday is a gifted writer who introduces readers to a turbulent era while inviting thoughtful reflection on our own day."--Chris Lowney, author of Heroic Leadership and A Vanished WorldTable of Contents1. Players 2. Lovers 3. Stargazers 4. Hungers 5. Laughter 6. Friends 7. Father 8. Healers 9. Anger

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Book SynopsisIn February 2012, in a Munich flat belonging to an elderly recluse, German customs authorities seized an astonishing hoard of more than 1,400 paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures. The author has delved into archives and conducted dozens of interviews to uncover the story behind the headlines.Trade Review'A comprehensive narrative … meticulously lays out the spidery network of ties, lies and fears that helped Gurlitt save his own skin' - The Economist'Hickley tells the story of the Gurlitts, as well as of the efforts made by some of the heirs of the works’ original owners to get them back, with forensic attentiveness to detail' - Art Quarterly'A splendid account of skulduggery … a riveting read' - The Oldie'Catherine Hickley knows her subject inside out … excellent' - Jewish QuarterlyTable of Contents1 Two Riders on the Beach • 2 This Barbaric Art • 3 An Isle of Free Thought • 4 Deals with the Devil • 5 Surviving the Inferno • 6 Secrets and Lies • 7 A Dark Inheritance • 8 Selling Plunder • 9 The Augsburg Prosecutor • 10 The World Gasps • 11 Late Justice • 12 Berne’s Burden

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Book SynopsisThe last survivor of Hitler''s bunker speaks for the first timeThe last survivor of the end days of Hitler''s bunker tells his story publicly for the first time. Von Loringhoven was aide-de-camp to Hitler''s last two chiefs of staff, Guderian and Krebs, and the link between the armies at the fronts and Hitler in his Berlin bunker. For the last nine months of the Third Reich he was present at the daily military briefings between Hitler and Marshals Keital and Goring, General Jodl and Admiral Donitz, along with Goebbels, Bormann, Ribbentrop, Himmler and Fegelein.Von Lorninghoven was witness to the ever-growing gap between the reality of reports outside the bunker and Hitler''s misunderstanding of the calamity that was encircling the regime. As the Third Reich spiralled downwards, he watched and recorded Hitler''s catastrophic strategic mistakes and the paralysis in which he held his generals. Hitler''s reason was twisted by his need for vengeance after the assis

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Book SynopsisA survivor''s tale, this book presents a social history and personal anecdote of those born and raised on the island of Rum before World War I. The largest of four small islands located off the west coast of Scotland, Rum is home to several volcanic peaks and the impressive Kinloch Castle but very few inhabitants. This text rediscovers a way of life gone not long ago yet already almost forgotten.Trade ReviewThe authentic breath of the pawky, country-wise estate employee, earning his keep with the one hand while taking a sea trout with the other . THE OBSERVER

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Book SynopsisSir Sydney Kentridge QC comments: ‘The author’s accounts of Carson’s cases make riveting reading for lawyers and general readers alike.’ This is the story of the life of Edward Carson up to 1910, with a strong emphasis on his career as an advocate.

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Book SynopsisThe disaster which befell RMS _Titanic_ has become one of the most investigated and analysed maritime tragedies of all time. Yet there is much still to be untangled from the web of mystery which still surrounds this confused, catastrophic event. The people on board were proud to be part of the ship's highly-publicised first voyage, but as the first batch of officers reported for duty in Belfast to prepare her for her trial trip to Southampton and beyond, they could not have imagined the fate which awaited them. _Titanic_ was, after all, unsinkable'. It is exclusively through the eyes of seven unlucky men the small group of officers onboard for that doomed voyage that the author reveals the tragedy as it unfolded that night in April 1912. From their assignment to the White Star liner through to their eventual fates. Each one of these seven men behaved with great courage and discipline in a situation beyond anything they had previously experienced and some of the officers left ac

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Book SynopsisAlthough Che Guevara was murdered almost sixty years ago, the famous red-and-black image of him is still widely seen around the world: at leftist political demonstrations and, ironically - given his strong opposition to capitalism - on many commercial products. However, he was a controversial figure during his lifetime - and remains so today. On both the political left and the political right, attitudes to him vary widely: while some see him as a romantic, highly-principled and legendary fighter for the world's poor and exploited masses, others depict him either as an unrealistic and thus irrelevant adventurer, or even as a ruthless and cold-blooded butcher. Consequently, biographies about him over the decades have ranged from the overly sympathetic, to the extremely hostile.As well as covering aspects of his family life and his loves - and his early, sometimes less-than-revolutionary, attitudes - this biography, as expec

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Book SynopsisElizabeth Heyrick fought fiercely for the rights of oppressed people. After a disastrous marriage, she became a prolific pamphleteer, a Quaker and one of the most outspoken anti-slavery campaigners of her time. Despite renewed contemporary interest in slavery, and in the stories of those who opposed it, female abolitionists are still much less well known than their male counterparts. Yet they were often more radical and more daring. Heyrick defied male authority and she led others in challenging William Wilberforce and his colleagues to fight for the immediate rather than the gradual abolition of slavery.This book is the first full length biography of Elizabeth Heyrick and it sets her life in the context of the British anti-slavery movement of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. She was a woman who dared to put her head above the parapet and to call out those responsible for one of the worst abuses of human rights in history. She was courageous, loyal and uncompromising, and

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewFascinating book. * The Times *A brilliant biography of Orwell, reminding us that his work is as relevant as ever. * Irish Independent *Excellent. ***** * The Telegraph *Bradford gives a compelling analysis … pleasing idiosyncrasy, odd surprises and well-landed punches. * The Oldie *This authoritative and informative study is a fascinating examination of his life and ideas * Choice Magazine *Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements Introduction 1. The Misfit and the Pure Hell of St Cyprian’s 2. Eton 3. Burma 4. Slumming it 5. Was Orwell an Antisemite? 6. Hopeless 7. Books, Marriage, and the Journey North 8. Spain and Serious Politics 9. Between Wars 10. War 11. Explosive Journalism 12. Changes 13. Animal Farm 14. Jura 15. Nineteen Eighty-Four Epilogue Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis biography of a remarkable airman and politician is written with the support of the Malan family. The author has been allowed access to family records, facilitating a much more personal biography than those previously.

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Book SynopsisThe new bestseller from Damien Lewis, the Regiment's de facto historian.

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Book SynopsisA thrilling new biography of Air Commodore Pete Brothers, CBE, DSO, DFC, and Bar - one of the most heroic fighter aces of the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisOne of the greatest thinkers of the nineteenth century, Søren Kierkegaard often expressed himself through pseudonyms and disguises. Taken from his personal writings, these private reflections reveal the development of his own thought and personality, from his time as a young student to the deep later internal conflict that formed the basis for his masterpiece of duality Either/Or and beyond. Expressing his beliefs with a freedom not seen in works he published during his lifetime, Kierkegaard here rejects for the first time his father''s conventional Christianity and forges the revolutionary idea of the leap of faith required for true religious belief. A combination of theoretical argument, vivid natural description and sharply honed wit, the Papers and Journals reveal to the full the passionate integrity of his lifelong efforts to find a truth which is truth for me.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.Table of ContentsPapers and Journals: A Selection Translator's Preface1834-1836: The First Journal Entries and Their Background1837-1839: Setting the Stage1840-1845: Berlin and the First Round1846-1847: Out of the Cloister1848-1849: The Widening of the Rift1850-1853: Preparing for the Fight1854-1855: The AttackPostscript: The End of the Beginning0Notes

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Book SynopsisIn this fascinating new biography Ian Kelly reveals the man who changed the way we dress forever - and how his life reflects upon and has influenced our own 21st century culture.Trade Review'Superlative . . . a thoughtful, absorbing and hugely diverting book. Besides an astute biography, we get a panorama of the times. Lushly illustrated, carefully researched and intelligently argued, this biography will entertain and enlighten.' * George Walden, Daily Mail *A magnificent, fantastic read: all the wonders of that incomparable age touched on with mastery. * Stephen Fry *'Finely written and beautifully illustrated.' * Frances Wilson, Literary Review *'Lush, funny, exhaustively researched and beautifully written. Profound . . . The reader will want neither the book, nor the intriguing life it recreates, to come to an end.' * Herald *'Splendid . . . What makes this book much more than just a relaxed, racy biography is the way its author brings to life not just the man but also the time in which he lived.' * The Sunday Times *'Hugely readable' * James Dellingpole, The Times *'Ian Kelly captures the sadness and frustration that lay behind the glamour; his book is elegant and scrupulously researched, with an admirable feeling for the age . . . sensitively narrated.' * Spectator *'A wonderful melange of social history and biography. Vibrant, witty and fact-packed . . . something of a tour-de-force.' * Claire Harman, Sunday Telegraph *'Beautifully illustrated . . . destroys the myths. This is the only book you need to read if you want to know the whole truth about Brummell.' * Telegraph *'Ian Kelly's magisterial, utterly gripping life of George 'Beau' Brummell is parable for modern times . . . a vivid evocation of Georgian London.' * Philip Hoare, Independent *'Exhaustive. Every detail of Brummell's career has been exhaustively researched with the skill of a professional historian.' * Scotsman *'Kelly tells Brummell's tale chronologically and with empathy, in prose well worthy of his aesthetic subject: "Opalescent in its small perfection." Beautifully formed and dressed, this is biography at its best.' * The Times *

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Book SynopsisRemembered primarily as an eccentric and deluded billionaire, Howard Hughes was once America''s golden boy, a celebrated aviator and Hollywood legend who romanced hundreds of beautiful women. The scope of his life made him one of the most influential figures in America. Where previous biographies have concentrated on Hughes''s business empire, Howard Hughes: The Untold Story unveils the full story of the tycoon, tracing his bold efforts to reshape Hollywood, his devastating health problems, his erratic behaviour during his last decades and his tangle of steamy relationships with stars such as Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Ava Gardner and Ginger Rogers.Drawing on hundreds of exclusive interviews and documents charting, among many other revelations, his troubled family relationships, drug addiction, secret harem of teenage mistresses and the part he played in the Watergate scandal, Howard Hughes: The Untold Story follows Hughes''s transformation from lover and business innovTrade ReviewHighly readable ... exhaustively chronicled * Gerald Kaufman, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Brown and Broeske's research is staggering, and as their fine book trips through a life so wilfully beyond the pale, you don't doubt that this untold story would make a hell of a movie * EMPIRE *Riveting from first to last, this is a tale of tragedy on a grand scale * MARIE CLAIRE *[a] full and riveting story. * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *

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Book Synopsis“A multilayered, inspiring portrait of RFK . . . [the] most in-depth look at an extraordinary figure whose transformational story shaped America.”—Joe Scarborough, The Washington Post NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Soon to be a Hulu original series starring Chris Pine. Larry Tye appears on CNN’s American Dynasties: The Kennedys. “We are in Larry Tye’s debt for bringing back to life the young presidential candidate who . . . almost half a century ago, instilled hope for the future in angry, fearful Americans.”—David Nasaw, The New York Times Book Review Bare-knuckle operative, cynical White House insider, romantic visionary—Robert F. Kennedy was all of these things at one time or another, and each of these aspects of his personality emerges in the pages of this powerful and perceptive biography. History remembers RFK as a racial healer, a tribune

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Book SynopsisAlthough strictly forbidden to keep diaries, Denis Edwards managed to record his experiences throughout nearly all his time in Europe in 1944-45. He brilliantly conveys what it was like to be facing death, day after day, night after night, with never a bed to sleep in nor a hot meal to go home to. This is warfare in the raw ' brutal, yet humorous, immensely tragic, but sadly, all true.

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Book SynopsisThis is the biography of one of the RAF's Intruder pilots of the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisThe authoritative sequel to Female Fortune, continuing the diaries of Anne Lister up to 1838, when she was at her most powerful. -- .

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Book SynopsisFrom America''s preeminent naval historian, the first full-length portrait in over fifty years of the man who won the war in the Pacific in World War TwoD destined, says Andrew Roberts, to be the defining life of Chester Nimitz for a long time to come. Nimitz at War is the greatest biography yet written about the greatest admiral in American history. - Ian TollOnly days after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt tapped Chester W. Nimitz to assume command of the Pacific Fleet. Nimitz was not the most senior candidate available, and some, including his new boss, U.S. Navy Admiral Ernest J. King, considered him a desk admiral, more suited to running a bureaucracy than a theater of war. Yet FDR''s selection proved nothing less than inspired. From the precarious early months of the war after December 7th, 1941 to the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay nearly four years later, Nimitz transformed the devastated and dispirited Pacific fleet into the most powerful an

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Book SynopsisThe story of the prophet Elijah’s transformation from fierce zealot to compassionate hero and cherished figure in Jewish traditionTrade Review“For those who want to get inside the Jewish mindset of the ever evolving use of scripture, it is both enjoyable and invaluable.”—Anthony Phillips, Church TimesWinner of the Rabbi Sacks Book Award, sponsored by Yeshiva University“In a series on Jewish Lives, this volume is about the Jewish life—the one that goes on forever. Becoming Elijah blends meticulous scholarship with bold literary and poetic imagination. Don’t miss it!”—Arthur Green, author of Judaism for the World“Becoming Elijah is a work of rare intellectual and spiritual depth. With erudition, Daniel Matt captures the unique role Elijah has played in the Western religious imagination and demonstrates how this prophet continues to inspire millions of spiritual seekers today!”—David Ellenson, Brandeis University“A jewel of scholarship and poetic imagination, this lucid and beautifully crafted book highlights the tensions in Elijah’s personality as it evolves from the biblical narratives through to its final, Hasidic reconfiguration.”—Avivah Zornberg, author of Moses

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Book SynopsisIn 1982 Sally Morgan travelled to her grandmother''s birthplace, Corunna Downs Station in Western Australia. She wants to trace the experiences of her childhood andolescence in Perth in the 1950''s. Through memories and images, hints and echoes begin to emerge and another story unfolds - the mystery of her aboriginal identity. Gradually her whole family is drawn in to the saga and her great-uncle, her mother and finally her grandmother tell their stories in turn.MY PLACE is a work of great humour, humanity and courage.Trade ReviewThis sad and funny book is of inestimable value in comprehending the solid relatedness of the global community, the 'onenes s' of spirit shared by all 'aboriginal * peoples’ *#NAME? * 'The sort of Australian history which hasn't been written before and which we so desperately need’ *Weekend AUSTRALIAN

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Book SynopsisThe first biography of William Roy, exploring his life, career and legacy

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Book SynopsisThe second volume of a new and comprehensive biography about one of the history''s most charismatic leaders''a very fine book, which explains Napoleon's extraordinary rise to power and equally meteoric fall, with great erudition, skill and verve'' Spectator''Exemplary scholarship ... A book of meticulous research and beautifully detailed descriptions of Napoleon's military adventures, brings home the full horrific cost of the march on Russia'' New Statesman''Napoleon''s legend is so persistent that it confounds the historical reality in the popular imagination. He himself contributed much towards the construction of his own myth, from his youth even until after he fell from power, when, while in exile, he dictated his memoirs to a group of disciples who took down his every word in the hope that his version of history would prevail. Such were Napoleon''s skills as a chronicler that much of the legend is still unquestioningly accepted..Trade ReviewFive books about wars impressed me this year: Roger Knight’s immaculately researched Britain against Napoleon: the Organisation of Victory 1793-1815; Philip Dwyer’s Citizen Emperor: Napoleon in Power 1799-1815 which gives, in depth, the other side of that coin * Simon Heffer, New Statesman Books of the Year *The main purpose of the concluding volume of Dwyer’s life of Napoleon is not to explain why he became such a revered general, but rather to unpick his complex character and asses his political and military achievements. He succeeds brilliantly and we are left with a nuanced portrait of a ruthless and far from infallible leader who concealed his defeats, exaggerated his victories and blamed other for his failings ... Philip Dwyer has produced a fitting sequel to his early life of Napoleon Bonaparte that will be hard to emulate. What it lacks in battlefield colour it more than makes up for by its subtle and judicious assessment of Napoleon the man and Napoleon the politician * Literary Review *He is very good on the tensions and rows ripping through the Bonaparte family, which was such an important element in the whole enterprise. Here, as everywhere, he produces nice detail and the telling anecdote ... a very fine book, which explains Napoleon’s extraordinary rise to power and equally meteoric fall, with great erudition, skill and verve * Adam Zamoyski, Spectator *Exemplary scholarship ... A book of meticulous research and beautifully detailed descriptions of Napoleon’s military adventures, brings home the full horrific cost of the march on Russia * New Statesman *When he came to power in 1799, Napoleon famously announced that he was “completing” the French revolution and, in so doing, “ending” it. This tension between the radical aims of the revolution and society’s yearning for stability runs through Dwyer’s splendid second volume of his biography * The Times *

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Book SynopsisA powerful and intensely human insight into the civil war in Zimbabwe, focusing on a white farmer and his maid who find themselves on opposing sides.One bright morning Nigel Hough, one of the few remaining white farmers in Mugabe's Zimbabwe, received the news he was dreading a crowd were at the gate demanding he surrender his home and land. To his horror, his family''s much-loved nanny Aqui was at the head of the violent mob that then stole his homestead and imprisoned him in an outhouseBy tracing the intertwined lives of Nigel and Aqui rich and poor, white and black, master and maid through intimate and moving interviews, Christina Lamb captures not just the source of a terrible conflict, but also her own conviction that there is still hope for one of Africa's most beautiful countries.Trade Review‘Lamb is a careful observer, and her anguished refrain is the terrible schizophrenia of people who fiercely love their land but do nothing to save it…the strength is in the storytelling…it is a good piece of reportage…her book deserves to be read.' Daily Telegraph ‘A perceptive account of Zimbabwean history since the colonial days.’ Times Literary Supplement 'Riveting…Lamb's book tells a disaster story on a massive scale.' Daily Mail 'Compelling…Lamb has a remarkable pair of stories to tell, and does so extremely well.' The Spectator

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Book SynopsisThe shocking, powerful true story of the lives of 7 young kids, marred by guns, gangs and violence on one of Britain's toughest estates.Eight years old. That's when life went downhill. From eight years old nobody looked after me. I just lived on the streets and made do by myself. There was no one except me and my friends.' SimonThis is the story of 7 young boys who have one thing in common they grew up in a London street gang.JaJa looks out of his kitchen window and sees drug dealers, pimps and whores. He ends up as a kid leading a street gang.Phat Si comes home from school one day to find his mother gone so he takes to the streets. He's 8 years old.Ribz''s mother sells crack and is sent to prison. He doesn''t know who his father is but does know that his dad has an unknown number of children living on the same estate. He's determined to find some kind of family.Street Boys tells a powerful and important true story of courage, determination and hope of creating a family from your friTrade Review‘Powerful and moving.’ Mothers Against Guns ‘In a year which has seen street violence escalate, Street Boys sheds invaluable insight.’Independent on Sunday

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Book SynopsisAn Extraordinary story of innocence and persecution, determination and grit it had me rattling through the pages' SOPHIE DRAPERA gripping true crime investigation into the longest miscarriage of justice in British legal history.In September 1973, Stephen Downing was convicted and indefinitely sentenced for the murder of Wendy Sewell, a young legal secretary in the town of Bakewell in the Peak District. Wendy was attacked in broad daylight in Bakewell Cemetery. Stephen Downing, the 17-year-old groundskeeper with learning difficulties and a reading age of 11, was the primary suspect. He was immediately arrested, questioned for nine hours, without a solicitor present, and pressured into signing a confession full of words he did not understand.21 years later, local newspaper editor Don Hale was thrust into the case. Determined to take it to appeal, as he investigated the details, he found himself inextricably linked to the narrative. He faced obstacles at every turn, and suffered several Trade Review‘It's an extraordinary story of innocence and persecution, determination and grit, the heroic pursuit of the truth that even now frustratingly evades the beautiful Derbyshire town of Bakewell. It reads like a thriller from the word go, from the opening moments when journalist Don Hale fears for his life through to the twists and turns of his investigation. Written with crisp clarity and journalistic authority, it had me rattling through the pages despite what was a drawn out and complicated case, so that by the end I was breathless, both with outrage at how Stephen Downing had been treated and the circumstances and outcome of the police investigations.’ SOPHIE DRAPER

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