Biography: general Books

Book SynopsisGego infused her art with architecture and engineering to create unique works of delicate suspenseAccompanying the first major museum retrospective exhibition of Gego's work in the US in more than 15 years, this expansive, definitive catalog charts the evolution of Gego's singular approach to abstraction through organic forms, linear structures and systematic spatial investigations. Featuring nearly 300 images, including more than 160 sculptures, drawings, prints, artist's books, textiles and installations made between the early 1950s and the early 1990s, this volume also presents 11 illustrated essays by experts in the field of modern and contemporary Latin American art that trace Gego's artistic development across various mediums and disciplines, including her significant contributions to architecture and design; ground her practice in various art movements that materialized in Latin America, Europe and the US during her lifetime; and consider the pedagogicTrade ReviewI can assure you that you will not see any contemporary works, by anyone, more stimulatingly inventive than these. -- Holland Cotter * The New York Times: Arts *

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Book SynopsisCéleste Albaret was Marcel Proust''s housekeeper in his last years, when he retreated from the world to devote himself to In Search of Lost Time. She could imitate his voice to perfection, and Proust himself said to her, 'You know everything about me.' Her reminiscences of her employer present an intimate picture of the daily life of a great writer who was also a deeply peculiar man, while Madame Albaret herself proves to be a shrewd and engaging companion.

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Book SynopsisOver 15 years ago, The Big Issue began to ask well-known figures from the worlds of entertainment, politics, literature, business and more, one simple question:If you could write a letter to your younger self, what would it say?This collection of 70 inspiring, moving and honest interviews includes Billie Piper on feeling burnt out, Monica Ali on self-belief, Mica Paris on sudden loss, Nancy Sinatra on marrying young, Fearne Cotton on battling imposter syndrome, Alesha Dixon on risk-taking and so much more.ALL ROYALTIES FROM SALES OF THIS BOOK GO TO THE BIG ISSUE.Table of ContentsAbi Morgan,Alesha Dixon,Alison Steadman,Andi Osho,Anna Chancellor,Arabella Weir,Baroness Warsi,Billie Piper,Caitlin Moran,Caroline Lucas,Charlotte Rampling ,Cherie Booth,Clare Balding,Coleen Nolan,Cornelia Parker,Cressida Cowell,Cyndi Lauper,Dame Steve Shirley,Dawn French,Debbie Harry,Dolly Parton,Eileen Atkins,Emily Maitlis,Emmylou Harris,Fearne Cotton,Gabby Logan,Gail Porter,Gurinder Chadha,Honor Blackman,Jackie Kay,Jacqueline Gold,Jacqueline Wilson,Jane Goodall,Jennifer Saunders,Jenny Agutter,Jenny clair,Jess Phillips,Jo Whiley,Joan Baez,Joan Bakewell,Judith Kerr,Judy Collins,Judy Murray,Julia Donaldson,Juliet Stevenson,Kay MellorKarren Brady,Kathy Burke,Keeley Hawes,KT Tunstall,Lorraine Kelly,Mariella Frostrup,Mary Portas,Mel Giedroyc,Mica Paris,Monica Ali,Nancy Sinatra,Peggy Seeger,Rosamund Pike,Rose McGowan,Ruth Jones,Sabrina Cohen-Hatton,Samantha Morton,Sara Cox,Sara Pascoe,Shappi Khorsandi,Shirley Williams,Susie Dent,Vicky Pryce,Viv Albertine

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Book SynopsisWatch My Back is the story of one man's search for courage. Depressed, bullied, intimidated by life and indoctrinated to believe that this was his lot, Geoff Thompson, on the verge of a breakdown, decided to fight back. In a bid to confront his fears, he took a job as a bouncer in one of Britain's roughest nightclubs. Over the next ten years, he was involved in hundreds of brutal and bloody fights that left two of his friends murdered and many more in prison; he turned himself into a fearsome fighting machine. Geoff reached the top of his trade and became addicted to violence. Then it all changed. After nearly being killed in a gang attack, and almost killing one of his attackers, he was forced to reassess his relationship with violence. After writing down his experiences, Geoff discovered a flair for writing. This is the story of an ordinary man who faced his fears and took himself from bedsit to best-seller but very nearly got killed on the way.Trade Review"'Lenny McLean had the braun, Dave Courtney had the charm, but Geoff Thompson is in a class of his own.' FHM '...it's Trainspotting time all over again. Or maybe make that Clockwork Orange time again.' BRITISH FILM magazine review of Clubbed"

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Book SynopsisRonnie is snooker's most written and talked about player, and its greatest showman. His supreme talent and style have made him the People's Champion and, as one commentator put it, 'the question is not how much does Ronnie O'Sullivan need snooker, but how much does snooker need Ronnie O'Sullivan?' A honest and candid account of his extraordinary life, Ronnie tells of the infant who was introduced to legendary snooker clubs at an impossibly early age; of the boy who frightened off the bookies aged just 12; of the teenager whose life was decimated when his father and mentor was sent to prison for life; and of the man dubbed the 'genius' of the modern game who regularly threatened to quit the sport to pursue other interests at the grand old age of 28.'A fine autobiography ... compelling' - Independent'O'Sullivan is as frank about his spell in the Priory clinic as he is about his father's murder conviction. His accounts of snooker tournaments and sketches of the sport's personalities will fascinate fans, but even snooker haters will be rooting for Ronnie in the game of life' - OK!

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Book SynopsisWhen Denis O'Connor rescues a three-week-old kitten from certain death during a snowstorm, little does he know how this tiny creature will change his life forever. Against all odds the kitten - who he names Toby Jug - survives and forms an unusually strong bond with his rescuer.Set against the rural splendour of Northumberland, Paw Tracks in the Moonlight charmingly chronicles the adventures of one man and his Maine Coone cat. From an invasion of bees at Owl Cottage to the case of the disappearing tomatoes, life with Toby Jug - who believes himself to be human - is never dull. Nevertheless, it is only when Denis and Toby Jug embark on a summer camping trip on horseback in the Cheviot Hills that a new world opens up for them both.Trade ReviewBeautifully told. * The Crack *This genuinely endearing cat's life story is going to warm the cockles of hearts all over the world. * Lancashire Evening Post *A charming book that will appeal to all ages. * The Pulse *A lyrical glimpse into a long-vanished rural world. * MyShelf.com *

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

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Book SynopsisMeet Chris Stewart, the eternal optimist. A man who flies to Spain, sees a peasant farm on the wrong side of the river and, with scarcely a second thought, hands over a cash deposit. And then finds he has acquired not just the farm, but the farmer, too, who has no intention of leaving. Not to mention the lack of running water, electricity or even a bridge. It would be enough to send most people straight back home. But Chris and his wife Ana are made of stronger stuff - and besides, they have sunk all their savings into their farm, El Valero, and buying a flock of sheep. So there is no turning back. Life gets tough, but it also gets good. Driving Over Lemons is that rare thing - a funny, insightful book that charms you from the first sun-lit page to the last. And one that makes running an Andalucian mountain farm seem like a half-decent career move. It has been a major bestseller both in Britain and Spain.Trade ReviewChris Stewart is one of life's bold originals * Independent *When an author is as modest and humorous as this, his story cannot be told too often. -- Elizabeth Buchan * The Times *Exquisite. In Driving Over Lemons the anecdote flourishes once more. -- Penelope Lively * Daily Telegraph *It is easy to enthuse about the simple pleasures of life, but hard to write about them well. Stewart's gift is to do so with the carefree manner of someone you've just met in a bar, and who is buying the drinks. -- Hugh Thomson * Independent *A wonderful book - funny, affectionate and reaching deep beneath the skin. Tuck it into your holiday luggage and dream -- Elisabeth Luard * Daily Mail *A funny, observant and personal account of what a man can learn, and what there is to appreciate in life. Marvellous -- John S. Doyle * Sunday Tribune *You just can't fail to like him and the world he spreads out for you: wayward sheep, eccentric ex-pats, hospitable (and slightly barmy) neighbours... Mr Stewart is that rare thing, the real McCoy -- Rosie Boycott * Guardian *Endearing, heart warming, self-deprecating, sometimes surreal... charming stuff -- William Leith * Standard *

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Book SynopsisThis book draws on Lee's own notes, letters, diaries and training logs to present the full extent of his training methods. They include nutrition, aerobics, isometrics, stretching, and weight training.Trade Review"All types of knowledge ultimately leads to self-knowledge. So, therefore, these people are coming in and asking me to teach them, not so much how to defend themselves or how to do somebody in. Rather, they want to learn to express themselves through some movement, be it anger, be it determination, or whatever. So, in other words, they're paying me to show them, in combative form the art of expressing the human body." --Bruce Lee"I suggest you read this book and use it to motivate yourself to pursue whatever goals you strive for in life. Here is the record of a man who had to overcome his own obstacles in life, and who achieved success because he believed in himself. Perhaps you can use this inspiration to achieve your own success. Even now, I feel Bruce's presence, and he still motivates me to this day. When I'm lifting weights…I max out my workout by doing one more rep for the old man upstairs and then do one for Bruce. It never fails!" --Allen Joe, from the Foreword"The Bruce Lee Library stands as a definitive presentation of Bruce Lee's magnificent legacy. Each volume belongs on the bookshelf of every serious martial artist." --Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do Nucleus

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Book SynopsisSunday Times bestselling author Christopher Berry-Dee is the man who talks to serial killers. A world-renowned investigative criminologist, he has gained the trust of murderers across the world, entered their high security prisons, and discussed in detail their shocking crimes. Berry-Dee now delves into the mind of perhaps the most sadistic and psychopathic killer of all time. Between 1978 and 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer murdered and dismembered seventeen boys and men. But he is most notorious for what happened to his victims after their grisly deaths and the shocking depravity that led to Dahmer being dubbed the ‘Milwaukee Cannibal’. Using his long experience and psychological expertise, Berry-Dee seeks to understand the motivation, the amoral urges and the merciless horror behind Dahmer's inhuman behaviour: what could make a man do this?

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Book SynopsisAn inspirational collection of letters, notes, and conversations among friends, celebrities, experts, and the September Letters community. A guide to help us clearly see that we are not alone, and that sharing your story is powerful and healing.When actress and activist Brittany Snow was a teenager, she read an article about another woman?s hardship that made her feel seen and less alone. She carried that story in her back pocket for a long time. This experience was a gift that Brittany then paid forward when she revealed her own experience in a published article. Brittany?s story resonated with a young reader, who kept that story in her back pocket, where it was when the two crossed paths serendipitously. In September Letters, Brittany Snow and close friend and SL cofounder Jaspre Guest show us how sharing our stories reveals our greater connection. This book features a collection of original letters and notes from Hannah Bronfman, Lily Cornell Silver, Kid Cudi, Maria Menounos, and more, alongside interviews with mental health experts like David Kessler, Gretchen Rubin, Mark Epstein, Jay Shetty, and Wendy Suzuki. Equal parts guide and resource, September Letters is for anyone seeking to feel more connected with themselves and others. The book you hold is meant to be dog-eared and highlighted, to help you reflect on your personal story. Included within is a symbolic pocket, inspired by Brittany?s story, to hold your very own letter.

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Book SynopsisWhat would cause an eighteen-year-old senior class president and home-coming queen from Nashville, Tennessee, to disobey and disappoint her parents by forgoing college, break her little brother's heart, lose all but a handful of her friends (because they think she has gone off the deep end), and break up with the love of her life, all so she could move to Uganda, where she knew only one person and didn't even speak the language? A passion to follow Jesus. Katie Davis left over Christmas break of her senior year for a short mission trip to Uganda and her life was turned completely inside out. She found herself so moved by the people of Uganda and the needs she saw that she knew her calling was to return and care for them. Katie, a charismatic and articulate young woman, is in the process of adopting thirteen children in Uganda and has established a ministry, Amazima, that feeds and sends hundreds more to school while teaching them the Word of Jesus Christ. Kisses from Katie invites readers on a journey of radical love down the red dirt roads of Uganda. You'll laugh and cry with Katie as she follows Jesus into the impossible and finds joy and beauty beneath the dust. Katie and her children delight in saying yes to the people God places in front of them and challenge readers to do the same, changing the world one person at a time. Content Benefits: This story of one young woman's decision to serve the Lord by living with and loving the people of Uganda will inspire you to see how God uses all of us for his purposes. Inspiring story of a woman of faith who trusted God Riveting account of a ministry in Uganda Katie's next chapter of ministry is recorded in Daring to Hope An inspiring and fascinating biography Ideal reading for those who have been inspired by missionary biographies Perfect book to encourage someone in their faith Ideal reading for anyone who loves to see God at work in the world Great gift idea for any occasion Binding - Paperback Pages - 288 Publisher - Authentic Media

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Book SynopsisDuring his remarkable life, Yousuf Karsh, who was born in Armenia in 1908, traveled the globe to photograph subjects ranging from historical figures to anonymous farmers to steelworks. Karsh: A Biography In Images is a full revision of the 1996 60-year retrospective of his work and brings that popular catalogue back into print in an affordable paperback format. This new edition covers the photographer''s career with greater breadth than its previous incarnation, adding works from his early experiments and his photojournalism commissions in Canada. Karsh''s reputation as one of the most sought-after portrait photographers of the twentieth century is well established. A roll call of his subjects is a veritable who''s who of the modern age--Winston Churchill, Jacqueline Kennedy, Pablo Picasso, Walt Disney, Elizabeth Taylor and Albert Einstein, to name just a few--and this book features many of these figures, in some of the most recognized images of our time. But added to the portra

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Book SynopsisThe little black-and-white cartoon figure of Tintin first appeared in Belgium in 1929 in a Catholic newspaper where his creator, Hergé, worked. Harry Thompson looks at the story of Hergé, of Tintin and his origins, and beyond to when President de Gaulle could call Tintin 'his only rival'.Trade ReviewPraise for Tintin: Hergé & His Creation * --- *'As biographies go, they don't come much more definitive than Harry Thompson's hugely enjoyable account of Tintin' * James Delingpole, Sunday Telegraph *'Harry Thompson rings all the right bells...a joyous Tintinabulation' * Piers Brendon, Mail on Sunday *'A major biography...witty and sympathetic' * Jonathan Sale, Financial Times *'Thompson...is motivated by such admiration for Hergé and such affection for Tintin that his pleasure is communicated. I am keen to reread Tintin in the light of what I know now' * Nicholas Garland, Daily Telegraph *'A delightful portrait...well-organised and well researched...witty, fascinating and just a little mad...it is more or less impossible not to like this book' * The European *'As a broad, bright Hergé-like brush-stroke, it has genuine appeal' * Guardian *'The first book in English on Tintin to have an idea in it' * The Times *'An admirably organised double biography... For specialists and for the myriad devotees of the stories this book is a must' * Frank Muir, Sunday Express *'Immensely detailed...it contains a great deal of fascinating information' * GQ *

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Book Synopsis“I’m a simple village girl who has always obeyed the orders of my father and brothers. Since forever, I have learned to say yes to everything. Today I have decided to say no.” Nujood Ali''s childhood came to an abrupt end in 2008 when her father arranged for her to be married to a man three times her age. With harrowing directness, Nujood tells of abuse at her husband''s hands and of her daring escape. With the help of local advocates and the press, Nujood obtained her freedom—an extraordinary achievement in Yemen, where almost half of all girls are married under the legal age. Nujood''s courageous defiance of both Yemeni customs and her own family has inspired other young girls in the Middle East to challenge their marriages. Hers is an unforgettable story of tragedy, triumph, and courage.

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Book SynopsisPart political inquiry, part travel journal, part-self exploration, Seek is a collection of essays by an award-winning novelist out to explore himself and his life in the company of those who live on the edges of society. His travels take him from hippy conventions to war-torn Liberia

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Book SynopsisIn 2010, Sarah Marquis embarked on a perilous journey: alone and on foot, she walked ten thousand miles across the Gobi Desert, from Siberia, through Thailand, to the Australian outback.Relying on hunting and her own wits, she traversed fever-haunted jungles and scorching deserts, braved harassment from drug dealers, the Mafia, and camp raids from thieves on horseback. Surviving dehydration, dengue fever delirium and crippling infection, Sarah experienced a raw and spiritual communion after three years of walking at the base of a tree in the plains of Australia.Through an inspirational journey, Wild by Nature explores what it is to adventure as a woman in the most dangerous of circumstances, and what it is to be truly alone in the wild.Trade ReviewAn inspiring read. * Women's Fitness *Destined to become a classic in the travel writing genre. The descriptions of time and place are just detailed enough to become animated with life, and the author's courage is inspiring. * Library Journal (starred review) *Straightforward and forthright, this is adventure writing as it was meant to be. * Booklist *A vibrant epic, this wondrous book is, at its core, a story of resilience. Marquis is industrious, and I recommend this book to all people seeking to discover the massive magnitude of their own potential power. A triumph! -- Aspen Matis, author of GIRL IN THE WOODSIf you need inspiration to get off the couch, do that bike ride, tackle that trek or just push yourself out of your comfort zone, this book is the one to read. * Vacations and Travel *Wild By Nature is an incredible record of adventure, human ingenuity, persistence and resilience that shows firsthand what it is to journey as a woman in some of the most dangerous and inhospitable regions on the planet. * The Westerner *Wild by Nature tells the gripping story of one of National Geographic's Adventurers of the Year... An inspiring read! * Women's Fitness *

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Book SynopsisFROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF REBECCA' ... a writer of fearless originality' GUARDIAN 'Unlike many authors of popular historical biographies, du Maurier resembled Antonia Fraser in being an indefatigable researcher' FRANCIS KING'du Maurier has no equal' SUNDAY TELEGRAPHIt wasn't until he was forty-five that Bacon's feet found the first step on that staircase, when King James I made him Solicitor-General, from where he rose through the ranks to become Lord Chancellor.Many accounts of the life of Sir Francis Bacon have been written for scholars, but du Maurier's aim was to paint a vivid portrait of this remarkable man for the common reader. In The Winding Stair, she illuminates the considerable achievements of this Renaissance man as a writer, lawyer, philosopher, scientist, and politician.To her book, she brought the same gifts of imagination and perception that made her earlier biography, Golden Lads, so immensely readable, skilfully threading into her narrative extracts from contemporary documents and from Bacon's own writings. This also sets her account of his life within a vivid contemporary framework.This is truly history made alive.Trade Review... a writer of fearless originality * Guardian *Unlike many authors of popular historical biographies, du Maurier resembled Antonia Fraser in being an indefatigable researcher -- Francis Kingdu Maurier has no equal * Sunday Telegraph *Unlike many authors of popular historical biographies, du Maurier resembled Antonia Fraser in being an indefatigable researcher * Francis King *

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Book Synopsis'There is nothing stronger than a broken woman who has rebuilt herself.' Hannah Gadsby, NanetteMulti-awardwinning Hannah Gadsby transformed comedy with her show Nanette, even as she declared that she was quitting stand-up. Now, she takes us through the defining moments in her life that led to the creation of Nanette and her powerful decision to tell the truth - no matter the cost.Gadsby's unique stand-up special Nanette was a viral success that left audiences captivated by her blistering honesty and her ability to create both tension and laughter in a single moment. But while her worldwide fame might have looked like an overnight sensation, her path from open mic to the global stage was hard-fought and anything but linear.Ten Steps to Nanette traces Gadsby's growth as a queer person from Tasmania - where homosexuality was illegal until 1997 - to her ever-evolving relationship with comedy, to her struggle with adult diagnoses of autism and ADHD, and finally to the backbone of Nanette - the renouncement of self-deprecation, the rejection of misogyny, and the moral significance of truth-telling.Equal parts harrowing and hilarious, Ten Steps to Nanette continues Gadsby's tradition of confounding expectations and norms, properly introducing us to one of the most explosive, formative voices of our time.Trade ReviewAs a document of what can happen when a different kind of voice seizes the conversation, Ten Steps to Nanette shows Gadsby taking control of the page along with the stage. * Sunday Times *A serious book about comedy...there is real merit in this deep exploration of a complex work and its creator * Irish Times *Here, she reveals the winding road that led her [to Nanette]...with her unique mix of humour and fury * Stylist *In this stunning debut, Emmy Award-winning comedian Gadsby guides readers on a tour of her life that's every bit as intimate, gutting,and untidy as the performance referenced in the title...[a] stirring tale of resilience. * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *Similar to her groundbreaking comedy specials Douglas and Nanette, Gadsby's memoir reads like a conversation with a longtime friend...A can't-miss memoir that will make readers laugh, cry, and everything in between * Library Journal (starred review) *A witty and provocatively written life story * Kirkus Reviews *Hannah is a Promethean force, a revolutionary talent... This hilarious, touching, and sometimes tragic book is all about where her fires were lit. -- Emma ThompsonAs uproariously funny as it is profoundly furious. * New Yorker on NANETTE *Table of Contents1: Epilogue 2: Foundation Mythology 3: The Formative Years 4: The Wilderness Years 5: The Bell Curve Jar 6: Whirl, Interrupted 7: All Part of the Soup 8: Gathering Strands 9: Women's Work 10: Nanette

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Book SynopsisJuliet Nicolson is the bestselling author of three works of social history, The Perfect Summer: Dancing into Shadow in 1911; The Great Silence: 1918-1920 Living in the Shadow of the Great War; and Frostquake: The frozen winter of 1962 and how Britain emerged a different country; as well as a family memoir, A House Full of Daughters. She is a mother and a grandmother and lives with her husband in East Sussex.Trade ReviewShocking and brave... Nicolson's anger, tenderness and insight have resulted in an exceptionally moving book -- Miranda Seymour * Daily Telegraph *I couldn't put it down... Enthralling, touching and beautifully written -- Joanna LumleyOriginal and illuminating… A House Full of Daughters gallops through seven generations with confidence and ease: it is funny in parts, painful in others but always honest. -- Andrea Wulf * Guardian *Tense, highly personal and beautifully written... A powerful and moving family portrait -- Christena Appleyard * Literary Review *Candid, poignant, well-written and wonderfully life-affirming -- Sebastian Shakespeare * Tatler *

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Book SynopsisThe definitive biography of an extraordinary novelist, by acclaimed literary biographer Claire Harman''There was no possibility of taking a walk that day . . .'' With these words Charlotte Brontë began Jane Eyre and changed English literature irrevocably.Claire Harman''s landmark biography provides a bold new view of one of Britain''s best loved writers, uncovering an inner life that touched the furthest extremes of human emotion. Harman shows us an intense and troubled young woman from an astonishingly creative family, whose early works were produced in total secrecy. Struggling against the conventional limitations of both life and literature, Charlotte created a new kind of heroine which both shocked and inspired her Victorian contemporaries. Love, loss, ambition and heartbreak: the anonymous author poured everything into her ground-breaking books, but lived it first.''Harman [is] a master-storyteller in her own right. Her account of Bronte''s life is a level-headed, highly readable and always intelligent. A delight from start to finish'' Sunday Times ''Subtle, measured. Full of insight into Bronte''s fiery intellect as well as the tragic intensity of her experience'' Helen Dunmore, Observer ''Three rounds of applause... a superb retelling of Charlotte''s story'' Mark Bostridge, Spectator Trade ReviewHarman's sane, unshowy re-telling is exactly right for the bicentenary next April. The result is a retooled classic biographical narrative, shipshape and serviceable for the next 200 years * The Guardian *Finely judged and authoritative * Sunday Times Book of the Week *Elegantly written, consistently perceptive...[Harman] succeeds in bringing Charlotte back to life in all her spiky vulnerability * Daily Mail Book of the Week *This is a comprehensive biography to enjoy and admire. Harman writes well and she is a fine and sensitive critic * The Times *Harman... portrays Bronte's complexity and dark genius in elegant prose with deep human sympathy * The Lady *Superb retelling of Charlotte's story (...) admirably concise * The Spectator *Harman tells [Charlotte's] story with quick wit, a sharp sympathy, and a fire and fury of her own * Evening Standard *Full of pleasing and piquant detail, scraps of passing recollection assembled from the various lives and letters in which the Brontes featured and from which we might reconstruct their world * Financial Times *Elegant, sensitive, beautifully paced and moving. [Claire Harman] has... produced a work that is affirmative, edifying, inspiring and humane * Sunday Express *Revelatory (...) adds freshness and texture to her account with original speculations. As someone who once wrote a book about the Brontës' afterlives, few people can have read as many biographies of them as I have. I thought I was Brontë-ed out, but reading this book-which will be equally accessible to someone coming to Charlotte for the first time-has drawn me back in * Lucasta Miller, The Independent *Three rounds of applause...for Claire Harman's superb retelling of Charlotte's story -- Mark Bostridge, The Spectator[An] excellent new bicentennial biography....Ms. Harman writes with warmth and a fine understanding of Ms. Brontë's literary significance. Above all, she is a storyteller, with a sense of pace and timing, relish for a good scene and a wry sense of humour * Economist *A vigorous new biography (...) Harman does a splendid job * Mail on Sunday *An immensely readable biography * Woman and Home *A substantial biography (...) that lets the disparate pieces speak for themselves * Daily Telegraph *Harman renders her daring novels fresh, interweaving what shocked critics then with what surprises us still * Sunday Telegraph *Prepare to suffer similar time-loss at the hands of Harman, Brontë's most recent biographer and a master storyteller in her own right. Level-headed, highly readable and always intelligent, Harman's account of Brontë's life and work is a delight from start to finish * Sunday Times *A subtle, measured biography, full of insight into Bronte's fiery intellect as well as the tragic intensity of her experience -- Helen Dunmore, ObserverHarman brings a fresh eye to many of the same papers studied by Gaskell to compile her Charlotte Brontë: A Life. The Gothic atmosphere and heart-breaking details remain, but Harman achieves a great feat by making the story seem new again -- Marcus Field, Independent

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Book SynopsisAn extensively researched, comprehensive biography of Chinese Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek, one of the twentieth century’s most powerful and controversial figuresTrade Review“A long overdue reappraisal of the life of the Chinese leader.”—Francis Sempa, New York Journal of Books“A refreshing reappraisal of a man who was neither the corrupt fascist of standard historiography nor the tragic hero of more recent positive reassessments.”—Sheila Miyosh Jager, History Today, “Books of the Year 2023”“Drawing on Russian archival materials as well as his expertise on Chinese Communism, Pantsov offers a new and unique assessment of Chiang Kai-shek’s complex character.”—Chen Yungfa, author of Making Revolution: The Communist Movement in Eastern and Central China, 1937–1945“History dealt Chiang Kai-shek a cruel hand and to date, historians have been no kinder. However, recently opened archives and personal papers offer fresh insights into Chiang’s life. Be prepared for surprises in this gripping, masterful account of the life and times of a flawed but heroic figure.”—John Fitzgerald, Swinburne University, Melbourne“Alexander Pantsov brings his finely honed narrative and research skills to bear on the life of Chiang Kai-shek. No one interested in where today’s China came from can afford to miss this book.”—Hans van de Ven, Cambridge University

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Book SynopsisPERFECT FOR FANS OF NETFLIX''S THE QUEEN''S GAMBIT''Gripping.'' SUNDAY TIMES''Pure drama.''INDEPENDENT''Compelling.''NEW YORK TIMESBobby Fischer Goes to War by David Edmonds and John Eidinow details the occasion when Bobby Fischer met Boris Spassky in one of the most thrilling and politically charged chess matches of all time.For decades, the USSR had dominated world chess. Evidence, according to Moscow, of the superiority of the Soviet system. But in 1972 along came the American, Bobby Fischer: insolent, arrogant, abusive, vain, greedy, vulgar, bigoted, paranoid and obsessive and apparently unstoppable.Against him was Boris Spassky: complex, sensitive, the most un-Soviet of champions. As the authors reveal, when Spassky began to lose, the KGB decided to step in. . .

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Book SynopsisIn this, his first book, Patrick Leigh Fermor recounts his tales of a personal odyssey to the lands of the Traveller''s Tree - a tall, straight-trunked tree whose sheath-like leaves collect copious amounts of water. He made his way through the long island chain of the West Indies by steamer, aeroplane and sailing ship, noting in his records of the voyage the minute details of daily life, of the natural surroundings and of the idiosyncratic and distinct civilisations he encountered amongst the Caribbean Islands.From the ghostly Ciboneys and the dying Caribs to the religious eccentricities like the Kingston Pocomaniacs and the Poor Whites in the Islands of the Saints, Patrick Leigh Fermor recreates a vivid world, rich and vigorous with life.Trade ReviewPaddy's portrayal of the islands could be said to have jump-started the tourism industry upon which the Caribbean has since largely depended * Geographical Magazine *Being a natural romantic ... he was able to probe the hidden recesses of this mixed civilisation and to present us with a picture of the Indies more penetrating and original than any that has been presented before * Harold Nicolson, The Observer *He is the ideal traveller, inquisitive, humorous and vivid in depicting * Sunday Times *Bringing the landscape alive as no other writer can, he uses his profound and eclectic understanding of cultures and peoples ... to paint vivid pictures - nobody has illuminated the geography of Europe better * Geographical Magazine *John Murray is doing the decent thing and reissuing all of Leigh Fermor's main books ... But what else would you expect from a publisher whose commitment to geography is such that for more than two centuries it has widened our understanding of the world? * Geographical Magazine *A substantial and fascinating work, with the adventurer's signature across every page * Daily Mail *No-one has captured and evoked the extraordinary differences between the islands better * Geographical Magazine *Amusing, knowledgeable, and percipient, it is everything a travel book should be. * The Good Book Guide *

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Book SynopsisBooker wining novelist, playwright, essayist, poet and critic - even admirers rarely know John Berger in all his literary incarnations. This collection of essays takes a look at his career. Berger's wide-ranging essays emphasise the continuities that have underpinned more than 40 years of tireless intellectual inquiry and political engagement.

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Book SynopsisNew edition of Terry Waite's seminal memoir, celebrating 25 years since his release - with a new foreword and final chapterTrade ReviewThere is an enviable directness, strength and even holiness about Terry Waite...He has added a new chapter, bringing his story up to date, and reflecting briefly on the current state of the Middle East. * The Telegraph *Mr Waite was held captive, mostly in solitary confinement, chained and often blindfolded, for 1,763 days before his release on 18 November 1991. Now aged 77, he returned to the former RAF base where his plane landed, and where he stayed for several weeks as he began to get his life back to normal. * BBC News *Fascinating account of a brave man...his experience gives him the right to be listened to when he pleads for the establishment of trust between ordinary people of different races, cultures and religions. * Reform Magazine *Waite's compelling autobiography...a moving account of Waite's 1,763 days in captivity. * The Church Newspaper *As powerful today as it was as it was when first read in the 1990s...The new introduction written for the updated version of his work perhaps offers the clearest insight into his motivation. * Life and Work Magazine – *Compelling reading. * Families First *Taken on Trust can be read as a historical document...but more interestingly, I think it can be read as a meditation on faith and an exploration of the mystery of God. * The Door *

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Book SynopsisOriginal, bold and always funny, Hanif Kureishi is one of Britain’s most popular, provocative and versatile writers.Born in Bromley in 1954 to an Indian father and white British mother, Kureishi’s life is intimately bound up with the history of immigration and social change in Britain. This is the story of how a mixed-raced child of empire who attended the local comprehensive school found success with a remarkable series of novels and screenplays, including My Beautiful Laundrette and The Buddha of Suburbia, Intimacy, Venus and Le Week-End. The book also illuminates a larger story, not only of the artist as a young man, but of the recasting of Britain in the aftermath of decolonisation.Drawing on journals, letters and manuscripts from Kureishi’s unexplored archive, recently acquired by the British Library, and informed by interviews with his family, friends and collaborators, as well with the writer himself, Ruvani Ranasinha sheds new light on how his life animates his work. This first biography offers a vivid portrait of a major talent who has inspired a new generation of writers.Trade Review'This is a magnificent, meticulous and exhaustive biography, and one worthy of its mercurial subject.’ The Spectator 'Ranasinha succeeds in her aim of appearing definitive, while establishing Kureishi’s significance to British cultural life of the past 50 years.' The Times 'Ruvani Ranasinha’s Hanif Kureishi: Writing the self is an illuminating biography; the fact that it is also a portrait of modern Britain is a tribute both to the scope of Kureishi’s work and to the thoroughness of Ranasinha’s research.'The TLS'Ruvani Ranasinha illuminates the life as well as the work of the beloved writer Hanif Kureishi. This well-researched and exhaustive biography has an aura of completeness.'Amitava Kumar, author of A Time Outside This Time'Ruvani Ranasinha's life of Hanif Kureishi is not just an impressively comprehensive portrait of the artist as a young man, it also provides an engrossing snapshot of his times. With insight and sympathy, Ranasinha captures a rare turning-point in the development of our literary tradition. For all the admirers of Kureishi and his work, this must be essential reading.'Robert McCrum, author of The 100 Best Novels in English -- .Table of ContentsPrefacePart One: OriginsPart Two: Plays Part Three: FilmsPart Four: Becoming a novelist Part Five: Fathers and sonsPart Six: Private Lives, New Beginnings Part Seven: The turn inwards: writing and psychoanalysis Part Eight: Love and Hate Part Nine: Late Style Afterword

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Book SynopsisGershom Scholem is celebrated as the twentieth century''s most profound student of the Jewish mystical tradition; Walter Benjamin, as a master thinker whose extraordinary essays mix the revolutionary, the revelatory, and the esoteric. Scholem was a precocious teenager when he met Benjamin, who became his close friend and intellectual mentor. His account of that relationship—which was to remain crucial for both men—is both a celebration of his friend''s spellbinding genius and a lament for the personal and intellectual self-destructiveness that culminated in Benjamin''s suicide in 1940. At once prickly and heartbroken, argumentative and loving, Walter Benjamin: The Story of a Friendship is an absorbing memoir with the complication of character and motive of a novel. As Scholem revisits the passionate engagements over Marxism and Kabbala, Europe and Palestine that he shared with Benjamin, it is as if he sought to summon up his lost friend''s spirit again, to have the last word in the argument that might have saved his life.

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Book SynopsisFull Service is the ultimate guilty pleasure, revealing for the first time the shadow lives of the people who created popular culture, told by the man who was so central to fulfilling their desires.Scotty Bowers, a dashing young ex-Marine exuding sex appeal, arrived in Hollywood in 1946 and quickly caught the attention of many of the town's stars. Working out of a gas station on Hollywood Boulevard, Bowers soon became the go-to guy for anyone looking for a bespoke sexual partner; no matter how outlandish the tastes, Scotty could find someone for everyone...In his thirty years 'tricking' and arranging tricks for LA's rich and famous, Bowers went to bed with thousands of people and engineered sexual liaisons of all flavours for countless more.Trade ReviewI have known Scotty Bowers for the better part of a century. I'm so pleased that he has finally decided to tell his story to the world. Scotty doesn't lie - the stars sometimes do - and he knows everybody. -- Gore VidalPeople get very angry at the idea of these beloved Hollywood icons being revealed to have secrets, but actually all that Scotty's revealing is that these people were real. -- Stephen Fry[Scotty Bowers] made his reputation by sleeping with everyone in Hollywood who wasn't actually Lassie, and now he tells all. -- Anthony Lane * New Yorker *[A] juicy, filthy memoir. * Guardian *[A] lurid, no-detail-too-excruciating account of a sexual Zelig who (if you believe him) trawled an X-rated underworld for over three decades without getting caught. * New York Times *Full Service is a scandal fest, oozing salacious gossip in which Bowers... recalls where who did what to whom and how. * Sunday Telegraph *Scotty Bowers is the most honest person I've known, with the best memory for names and places I've ever seen. If he tells you that something happened to somebody, that's the way it was. -- Bob Benevides - one of the subjects of Full Service * L.A. Weekly *

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisJackie Goldschneider, star of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, bravely chronicles her decades-long battle with anorexia and public journey to recovery in this unflinching, moving, and ultimately inspiring self-written memoir.All Jackie Goldschneider ever wanted was to be thin. As a child, she’d stand in front of the mirror, sucking in her stomach and arching her back to feel her ribs, praying to see a model-like figure looking back. As an obese teen, lonely and tormented by her weight, her doctor encouraged her to start dieting, ultimately leading to a prolonged battle with anorexia that nearly took her life. After decades of hiding her eating disorder from friends, family, and the world, Jackie is ready to expose the realities of her devastating struggle with anorexia, including the harrowing day-to-day tactics she employed to count calories and restrict meals, her struggles with fertility and pregnancy, the effects her eating disorder had on her relationships with her husband and children, and ultimately how, in a twist of fate, becoming a reality TV star saved her life. The Weight of Beautiful is Jackie’s personal story, but within it are also the stories of millions like her, striving to lead healthy, happy lives despite their eating disorders. In the vein of Unbearable Lightness, Hiding from Reality, and What Remains, The Weight of Beautiful is a moving testament of strength, honesty, and recovery.Trade Review“Hopeful and worthwhile… A courageously candid self-assessment." -- Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisWhen three bombs tore out the heart of Bali and destroyed so many Australian lives in 2002, burns surgeon Professor Fiona Wood and her team were there to help. A pioneer in the field of burns and reconstructive surgery, Fiona made world headlines with the use of her groundbreaking invention of 'spray-on skin' to help minimise her patients' terrible scarring.Fiona was later made Australian of the Year, voted Australia's Most Trusted Person for an unprecedented six years running in the annual Reader's Digest poll and acclaimed as a 'National Living Treasure'.This is the story of her extraordinary life. Against all the odds, Fiona, the daughter of a fifth-generation coalminer in the north of England, became one of Australia's most innovative, respected and dedicated surgeons and researchers. She talks candidly of the moving valour of her burns patients, and the heartbreak, triumph, tears and controversies that have stalked her stellar career.Remarkably, she has achieved all of this while raising six children.In Under Her Skin, Sue Williams, a bestselling author and award-winning journalist who has written a number of biographies - most notably about Father Chris Riley, Father Bob Maguire and Dr Catherine Hamlin - presents a searingly honest, no-holds-barred account of all aspects of Fiona Wood's remarkable life.

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Book SynopsisThe gripping life story of the great war correspondent Marie Colvin told by one of her closest friendsSHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARDWINNER OF THE JAMES TAIT BLACK AWARD Marie Colvin was glamorous, hard-drinking, braver than the boys, with a troubled and rackety personal life. She reported from the most dangerous places in the world and her anecdotes about encounters with figures like Colonel Gaddafi and Yasser Arafat were incomparable. She was much admired, and as famous for her wild parties as for the extraordinary lengths to which she went to tell the story. Fellow foreign correspondent Lindsey Hilsum draws on unpublished diaries and interviews with friends, family and colleagues to produce a story of one of the most daring and inspirational women of our times. A Sunday Times Book of the Year'A stunningly good biography' WILLIAM BOYDTrade ReviewAn extraordinary account of one reporter's fearless and ultimately fatal dedication... Hilsum draws an empathetic portrait of a woman whose courage often crossed into recklessness, both in combat zones and outside them... Now, thanks to Hilsum's deeply reported and passionately written book, Colvin has the full accounting that she deserves -- Joshua Hammer * New York Times *A wonderful book – a fitting tribute, certainly, but also a well-told tale of a remarkable life -- Jane Bonham Carter * Sunday Times *A stunningly good biography – compelling, revelatory and very moving. Lindsey Hilsum is the perfect writer to tell the story of Marie Colvin's rackety, brave and charismatic life -- William BoydWriting a biography of Marie Colvin is like capturing lightning in a bottle, but Lindsey Hilsum has the knowledge and personal experience to help us understand what drew Colvin to rush towards the eye of the storm at such great risk. It is a superbly fitting tribute -- Annie LennoxRarely has a friend and colleague written such a brave and uncompromising testament to such a rare, brave and uncompromising woman. Would that a few more of us should be so blessed in our courage and our friends -- Shami ChakrabartiHilsum marshals not just empathy for her subject, who was also a friend, but investigative and critical skills and damn fine storytelling... Hilsum's understanding of the background to each conflict, and the reality of life as a correspondent in the field, is one of the great strengths of the book... In Extremis rescues Marie Colvin from the rubble of Baba Amr, and brings her tragically, and tenderly, to life * Irish Times *Superb. A fitting account of the life of one of the finest war correspondents of our time, written by another. I admired Marie greatly, and In Extremis showed me I was right to do so -- John SimpsonThe clearest and most rounded picture...emerges from Hilsum's book. Colvin herself, courageous and often tortured, rises again from its pages -- Emma Graham-Harrison * Observer *One of the modern world’s most experienced and admired foreign correspondents, Lindsey Hilsum, has now written a riveting, intimate and deeply moving account of the epic life of her late friend and colleague, Marie Colvin, who will be long remembered – not least because of Hilsum’s fine work in this book – as amongst the great war reporters of her generation -- Jon Lee AndersonAn inspiring and intimate biography of one of the bravest journalists of our time by one of her finest colleagues. Lindsey Hilsum takes us inside the world of a woman who changed the world around her -- Lyse Doucet

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Book SynopsisHaving crossed a continent by train and sailed around the world by container ship, Clive Wilkinson has always had a penchant for slow travel. As his eightieth birthday approaches, he and his wife Joan set out on a new expedition: to tour the edges of England by electric car. How hard could that be? Given the parlous state of the country's charge-point infrastructure back in 2018, the answer turns out to be 'very'. In a 1,900-mile odyssey through fading seaside towns, rainswept hilltop passes and England's only desert, each day's driving for these unlikely pioneers is overshadowed by a cloud of apprehension. Will they make it to the next charge point? Will it be in working order? Will someone else be using it? You could only undertake such a trip with a calm temperament and robust sense of humour. Fortunately Clive has both. With a relentless curiosity for history, geography and, above all, people, he and Joan explore the reality of life on England's periphery - the 'left behind' areas that, by voting for Brexit, changed the course of British history - making new friends with every mile.Trade Review'A delightful, original, amusing tour of some of the UK's less explored places' - Chris Mullin

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Book SynopsisThe celebrated art nouveau architect Antoni Gaudí was a contradictory figure: a deeply religious, politically right-wing man who nevertheless created revolutionary, lyrical buildings. This book explores Gaudí’s life, work and influences, from Catalan nationalism to the Industrial Revolution. Michael Eaude expertly guides readers through Gaudí’s dozen great works, including the Sagrada Família, which attracts millions of tourists to Barcelona each year. Gaudí’s life is also chronicled, from his provincial upbringing in Reus to his time in Barcelona, where he became a dandy whose only attempt at marriage was rejected. He later suffered a nervous breakdown, became obsessively religious, and fused Gothic, Baroque, and Orientalist architecture into his unique style.

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Book SynopsisIn 1895 twenty-six-year-old Bridget Cleary disappeared from her house in rural Tipperary. At first, some said that the fairies had taken her into their stronghold in a nearby hill, from where she would emerge, riding a white horse. But then her badly burned body was found in a shallow grave. Her husband, father, aunt and four cousins were arrested and charged, while newspapers in nearby Clonmel, and then in Dublin, Cork, London and further afield attempted to make sense of what had happened.In this lurid and fascinating episode, set in the last decade of the nineteenth century, we witness the collision of town and country, of storytelling and science, of old and new. The torture and burning of Bridget Cleary caused a sensation in 1895 which continues to reverberate more than a hundred years later.Winner of the Irish Times Prize for Non-FictionTrade ReviewFascinating... passionate and thought-provoking... a creative, stimulating book that deserves to win many readers -- Patrick French * Sunday Times *One of those rare books that becomes an instantaneous classic * Independent *Scrupulous, clear micro-history at its best -- Marina Warner, Books of the Year * Times Literary Supplement *Angela Bourke's fascinating, disturbing and powerful book tells a compelling and tragic story * Financial Times *The story of Bridget Cleary's death is a parable for a changing world, a well-researched and horrifying account of what could happen in the region where myth and modernity collide...As dramatic a murder mystery as any devotee of the genre could long for...And it is the rich abundance of ideas that makes this a uniquely important historical work * Irish News *

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Book SynopsisThe Clash: trendsetters, icons, revolutionaries. They were the pioneers of British punk rock and their story is steeped in mythology. Many people have an opinion about what made them who they were - this book gives the chance to read the full story, from the band themselves.This is the first official book to be created by the band. With unprecedented access to the Clash archive, this landmark publication brings together previously unseen material - including tour posters, artwork, and photos of the band at home, on stage, in the studio and on the road - with each member telling it like it was, in their own words.Trade ReviewWhat could be more fun than a book about The Clash written by The Clash... What makes this tome more worthy than the reams of unofficial Clash literature available is that in it, the band tells their story in their own words - it's packed with little secrets and playful digs... Brilliant. * Short List *Thrilling... This is a treasure trove of hitherto undiscovered gems. Long overdue. * Classic Rock *Gorgeous... A visual and textual feast.' Irish Examiner 'A wealth of old photographs, posters and record covers that will have some of us yearning for the days when we had enough hair to sport a Mohawk. * Glasgow Herald *This book is a cracker...crammed with Clash bits and bobs. * The Sunday Times *A lavish career retrospective * Q Magazine *

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Book SynopsisLine of Duty holds its status as the defining TV crime drama of today. The conspiracy theme of the series chimes at a time when public institutions and representatives are distrusted. Ted Hastings, the show's head of anti-corruption, has emerged as the beating heart of the series. This book reveals how the compelling drama reflects real crimes, events and figures, most notably that of Robert Mark and his battle against Met corruption. ‘None of my people would plant evidence. They know I would throw the book at them… followed by the bookshelf’ Starting with a bang – ‘I’ll put you all back in uniform’ were his first words to his team. New Met Commissioner Robert Mark – the inspiration for Ted Hastings – took on his entire corruption-riddled detective branch in his first brutal speech. The scale of the problem facing Robert Mark was institutionalised corruption in CID. During his four years eleven months as commissioner, he saw 478 men leave the force following or in anticipation of criminal/disciplinary proceedings. Departures in the previous decade had averaged about 16 a year. Mark's extraordinary career established the need for a dedicated team to investigate corruption that lives on today.

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Book SynopsisIn Tales from the Wilds of New Jersey, Ted Lyons invites the reader into the wonder years, coming of age adventures/discoveries of a Jersey kid whom you will undoubtedly come to recognize in one form or another. Ted: We''re all here, sharing the planet for a nano second, just trying to get through it! So, of course, similar life experiences are unavoidable. In one-to-three-page chapters, Ted shares the rough and tumble life of a boy navigating his way through childhood, adolescence and finally stumbling into adulthood realizing that he''s Peter Pan in a world full of responsible grownups! The stories are largely autobiographical, and true, to the extent that memory would allow.Included in the pages of TFTWONJ are a modest scattering of original poems, jokes, and song lyrics along with skewed observations of life, just to keep the reader off balance. The tales are regaled with humor and honesty, as seen through the nostalgic prism of rose colored glasses. If you don''t see yourself, or someone you know, inside the wilds .... look again....

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