Biography Books

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Book SynopsisWhat happened to Joe, and how the pair dealt with the psychological traumas that resulted when Simon was forced into the appalling decision to cut the rope, makes not only an epic of survival but a compelling testament of friendship.Trade ReviewA brilliant, vivd, gripping, heart-stopping account of their terrifying adventure... Superbly written * Sunday Express *One of the absolute classics of mountaineering...a document of psychological, even philosophical witness of the rarest compulsion -- George Steiner * Sunday Times *On every level it is an outstanding literary achievement * Independent *A quite extraordinary and moving book...Touching the Void touches the Great Questions in an understated yet utterly compelling way * Guardian *A truly astonishing account of suffering and fortitude...the narrative acquires an irresistible force, carrying all before it * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA WATERSTONES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2023A WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2022: ENTERTAINMENTA MAIL ON SUNDAYS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022Alan Rickman remains one of the most beloved actors of all time across almost every genre, from his breakout role as Die Hard's villainous Hans Gruber to his heart-wrenching run as Professor Severus Snape, and beyond. His air of dignity, his sonorous voice and the knowing wit he brought to each role continue to captivate new audiences today. But Rickman's artistry wasn't confined to just his performances. Rickman's writing details the extraordinary and the ordinary in a way that is anecdotal, indiscreet, witty, gossipy and utterly candid. He takes us behind the scenes on films and plays ranging from Sense & Sensibility, the Harry Potter series, Private Lives, My Name Is Rachel Corrie and many more.The diaries run from 1993 to his death in 2016 and offer insight into both a public and private life. Here is Rickman the consummate professional actor, but also the friend, the traveller, the fan, the director, the enthusiast: in short, the real Alan Rickman. Here is a life fully lived, all detailed in intimate and characteristically plain-spoken prose. Reading the diaries is like listening to Rickman chatting to a close friend. Madly, Deeply also includes a foreword by Emma Thompson and a selection of Rickman's early diaries, dating from 1974 to 1982, when his acting life first began.Trade ReviewMesmerising . . . Witty and debonair, caustic and fretful, for which some readers may like him less, others love him more. Madly, deeply and, better, truly he writes about what it is to be an actor * * Telegraph * *Fascinating . . . Mostly pithy, always frank * * The Times * *The star's thoughts reveal a man unwilling to suffer fools or mince his words - most of the time Alan Rickman's voice was a purr, but it masked sharp claws . . . I got the feeling he was wonderful company. These diaries confirm it -- Anthony Quinn * * Observer * *Insightful, moving and entertaining . . . The posthumously released diaries of Alan Rickman showcase both the late actor's self-doubt and savage film criticism -- The Guide 2022 * * Guardian * *His merciless verdicts on showbiz idiocy are tempered by a deep loyalty and humanity . . . So much of Rickman's character as it was preserved on screen cannot be captured in words - his unmistakable voice, his towering presence and charisma. But on the page, six years after his death, new parts of him can be found * * New Statesman * *Rickman's diaries reveal the frenetic lifestyle and frequent fretting of an actor at the height of his fame . . . Just when you think Rickman might be becoming insufferable, he has a knack of bursting the actorly bubble and saying something profound * * Guardian * *Astute and entertaining . . . [Rickman] offers a fascinating guide to life as an actor and what it's like to be at the centre of fame. One distinct thrill is reading Rickman's short, sharp film appraisals . . . These diaries are a reminder of a warm and witty man, one who could see the quirks of life and his own part in the absurd drama of existence * * Independent * *The reader gets a real sense of the rhythms of [Rickman's] working life. He is forever on the move. [. . . ] Fully, openly, joyfully - truly, madly and, yes, deeply - he put his energies into the present moment . . . For fans, these supplementary diaries are a pure delight from start to unforgivably early finish * * Times Literary Supplement * *Rickman belonged to that anointed group whose name alone would entice you to watch a film . . . His diaries look set to enthral us still * * Herald * *You feel he always wanted to do what was right, even if it was inconvenient to himself, and that is a rare character trait . . . There is true gold in [t]here * * i * *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE ORWELL PRIZE WITH A FOREWORD FROM MARGARET ATWOOD 'This book would always have been important evidence that the Ukraine people were suffering criminal attack. Written by a poet, it is also a work of literature, published after the author lost her life doing her research. It is an icon of a young woman's heroism' Philippa Gregory Destined to be a classic, a poet's powerful look at the courage of resistance. When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Victoria Amelina was busy writing a novel, taking part in the country's literary scene, and parenting her son. Then she became someone new: a war crimes researcher and the chronicler of extraordinary women like herself who joined the resistance. These heroines include Evgenia, a prominent lawyer turned soldier, Oleksandra, who documented tens of thousands of war crimes and won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, and Yulia, a librarian who helped uncover the abduction and murder of a children's book author. Everyone in Ukraine knew that Amelina was documenting the war. She photographed the ruins of schools and cultural centers; she recorded the testimonies of survivors and eyewitnesses to atrocities. And she slowly turned back into a storyteller, writing what would become this book. On the evening of June 27th, 2023, Amelina and three international writers stopped for dinner in the embattled Donetsk region. Whena Russian cruise missile hit the restaurant, Amelina suffered grievous head injuries, and lost consciousness. She died on July 1st. She was thirty-seven. She left behind an incredible account of the ravages of war and the cost of resistance. Honest, intimate, and wry, this book will be celebrated as a classic.

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Book SynopsisThe first in Deborah Levy's essential three-part 'Living Autobiography' on writing and womanhood. 'Unmissable. Like chancing upon an oasis, you want to drink it slowly . . . Subtle, unpredictable, surprising' Guardian _________________________________ Taking George Orwell's famous essay, 'Why I Write', as a jumping-off point, Deborah Levy offers her own indispensable reflections of the writing life. With wit, clarity and calm brilliance, she considers how the writer must stake claim to that contested territory as a young woman and shape it to her need. Things I Don't Want to Know is a work of dazzling insight and deep psychological succour, from one of our most vital contemporary writers. The final two instalments in Deborah Levy's 'Living Autobiography', The Cost of Living and Real Estate, are available now. _________________________________ 'Superb sTrade ReviewAn up-to-date version of 'A Room of One's Own' . . . I suspect it will be quoted for many years to come * Irish Examiner *Superb sharpness and originality of imagination. It is feminist and political while being an inspiring work of writing . . . She writes on the high wire, unfalteringly -- Marina WarnerLevy's strength is her originality of thought and expression -- Jeanette WintersonAn exciting writer, sharp and shocking as the knives her characters wield * Sunday Times *One of the few contemporary British writers comfortable on a world stage * New Statesman *A writer whose anger and confusion in the face of the world transform into poetic flights of fancy . . . which always feel marvellously right * Independent *

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Book Synopsis 1000-PIECE PUZZLE: The 1000-piece puzzle reimagines Dickens'' life and scenes from his novels in glorious detail BEAUTIFUL, INTRICATE ILLUSTRATIONS: Spot famous fictional characters, fellow writers, and historical characters as you build the puzzle POSTER INCLUDED: Includes fun Dickens facts on a fold-out poster EASY HANDLING: The 1000 puzzle pieces are thick and sturdy. The completed puzzle measures A2 in size and the jigsaw puzzle box measures 267 x 267 x 48 mm GIFT: The perfect gift for Dickens fans or those who want to spend time away from their screensThe 1000-piece The World of Charles Dickens jigsaw puzzle by Laurence King Publishing is a puzzler''s dream. Jigsaw puzzles are back as a wellness trend and this beautifully illustrated one is sure to help you relax while immersing yourself in Dickens''s legendary London. Will you brave the back alleys to find Fagin''s den, or risk Scrooge''s scowl at the counting hou

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Book SynopsisIt is the 1970s in LA, and Jacaranda Leven - child of sun and surf - is swept into the dazzling cultural milieu of the beautiful people. Floating on a cloud of drink, drugs and men, she finds herself adrift, before her talent for writing, and a determined literary agent, set her on a course for New York and a new life.Sex & Rage is a recently re-discovered classic from author Eve Babitz, herself a muse to many an artist, writer and musician in the 1970s. A semi-autobiographical novel, it charts the highs and lows of a life lived at the limits, and transports the reader to a sunnier, dreamier, more reckless time and place.Trade ReviewAs cool, sharp and delicious as a perfectly executed Mint Julep. Babitz writes with wit and clarity - and always, always with a whole lot of heart -- ELIZABETH DAYBabitz writes like no one else, but if she sounds like anyone, it is Nora Ephron writing songs for Lana del Rey. Sex & Rage is seductive, funny and infuriating - it's a slacker siren song, a novel about writers and writing and a heavenly holiday to '70s LA all at once -- DAISY BUCHANANPure pleasure - a perpetual-motion machine of no-stakes elation and champagne fizz * * New Yorker * *Babitz's style is cool, conversational, loose, yet weighted with a seemingly effortless poetry * * Guardian * *Gritty, glamorous, toxic and intoxicating * * The New York Times * *Babitz's talent is in the telling. She surfs between prose and poetry, describing tenderness and cruelty with equally weighted vividness, and lacerates with her wit. Even though the book is forty years old, the title is more resonant than ever . . . Jacaranda's greatest dilemmas feel painfully contemporary * * Independent * *Eve Babitz is to prose what Chet Baker, with his light, airy style, lyrical but also rhythmic, detached but also sensuous, is to jazz * * Vanity Fair * *A beautiful stylist . . . The joy of Babitz's writing is in her ability to suggest that an experience is very nearly out of language while still articulating its force within it * * New Republic * *The portrait of the artist as an ever-evolving young woman * * W * *

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Book SynopsisRobert Plant is one of the few genuine living rock legends.Frontman of Led Zeppelin, musical innovator and seller of millions of records, Plant has had a profound influence on music for over four decades. But the full account of his life has barely been told until now.Robert Plant: A Life is the first complete and comprehensive telling of Plant's story. From his earliest performances in folk clubs in the early 1960s, to the world's biggest stages as Led Zeppelin's self-styled Golden God', and on to his emergence as an emboldened solo star.The sheer scale of Zeppelin's success is extraordinary: in the US alone they sold 70 million records, a figure surpassed only by the Beatles. But their success was marred by tragedy.These pages contain first-hand accounts of Plant's greatest highs and deepest lows: the tragic deaths of his son Karac and his friend, Zeppelin drummer John Bonham.Told in vivid detail, this is the definitive story of a man of great talent, remarkable fortitude and extraoTrade Review‘Anyone seeking insight into Plant as a man and a musician will find it here.’ Q ‘There have been countless books on Led Zeppelin but little of substance on lead singer Plant. Methodically researched, the music legend’s extraordinary career, influences and legacy are superbly articulated in this tremendous biography of an enigmatic rock star.” The Bookseller ‘Whole lotta truth about Zeppelin’s Viking rock god’ Mail on Sunday ‘Particularly enlightening on Plant's formative pre-Zep years in the Midlands, A Life puts the singer's eclectic career into clear context.’ Dave Lewis, Tight But Loose magazine

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Book SynopsisJunichiro Tanizaki was one of Japan's greatest twentienth century novelists. Born in 1886 in Tokyo, his first published work - a one-act play - appeared in 1910 in a literary magazine he helped to found. Tanizaki lived in the cosmopolitan Tokyo area until the earthquake of 1923, when he moved to the Kyoto-Osaka region and became absorbed in Japan's past.All his most important works were written after 1923, among them Some Prefer Nettles (1929), The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi (1935), several modern versions of The Tale of Genji (1941, 1954 and 1965), The Makioka Sisters, The Key (1956) and Diary of a Mad Old Man (1961). He was awarded an Imperial Award for Cultural Merit in 1949 and in 1965 he was elected an honorary member of the American Academy and the National Institute of Arts and Letters, the first Japanese writer to receive this honour. Tanizaki died later that same year.Trade ReviewAn elegant essay on traditional Japanese aesthetics by the great novelist. A delight to read * Independent on Sunday *A highly infectious essay lauding all things shady and subtly hidden * Guardian *The outstanding Japanese novelist of this century -- Edmund WhiteThis is a powerfully anti-modernist book, yet contains the most beautiful evocation of the traditional Japanese aesthetic... More like a poem than an essay * Building Design *I am convinced that Tanizaki is one of the few great writers of our time. He is an author of outstanding stature and deserves to be far better known outside Japan than he is -- Ivan Morris

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Book SynopsisBlues guitarist Blind Willie Johnson led a hardscrabble life, but in 1977, NASA's Voyager spacecrafts were launched, carrying a golden record to introduce planet Earth to the cosmos, and one of his songs became the defining anthem.

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Book SynopsisAdrian Carton de Wiart's autobiography is one of the most remarkable of military memoirs. He was the son of a Belgian barrister, Leon Constant Ghislain Carton de Wiart (1854-1915). He, himself, was intended for the law, but abandoned his studies at Balliol College, Oxford, in 1899 to serve as a trooper in the South African War. He abandoned the law for all time on 14 September 1901 when he received a direct commission in the 4th Dragoon Guards. Carton de Wiart's extraordinary military career embraced service with the Somaliland Camel Corps (1914-15), liaison officer with Polish forces (1939), membership of the British Military Mission to Yugoslavia (1941), a period as a prisoner of war (1941-43), and three years as Churchill's representative to Chiang Kai-shek (1943-46). (Churchill was a great admirer.) During the Great War, besides commanding the 8th Glosters, Carton de Wiart was GOC 12 Brigade (1917) and GOC 105 Brigade (April 1918). Both these command were terminated by wounds. He was wounded eight times during the war (including the loss of an eye and a hand), won the VC during the Batlle of the Somme, was mentioned in despatches six times, and was the model for Brigadier Ben Ritchie Hook in the Sword of Honour trilogy of Evelyn Waugh.

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Book SynopsisA powerful memoir by an inspirational Holocaust suvivor.

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Book Synopsis''The book I''ve been waiting for my entire life'' DOLLY ALDERTONIs it possible that life without romantic love isn''t so bad?When poet Amy Key was growing up, she looked forward to a life shaped by romance, fuelled by desire, longing and the conventional markers of success that come when you share a life with another person. But that didn''t happen for her. Now in her forties, she sets out to explore the realities of a life lived in the absence of romantic love.Using Joni Mitchell''s seminal album Blue - which shaped Key''s expectations of love - as an anchor, Arrangements in Blue elegantly honours a life lived completely by, and for, oneself.Building a home, travelling alone, choosing whether to be a mother, recognising her own milestones, learning the limits of self-care and the expansive potential of self-friendship, Key uncovers the many forms of connection and care that often go unnoticed.With profou

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Book SynopsisSarah Rainsford, the BBC's former Moscow correspondent who was expelled from Russia, reveals how Putin so transformed the country she once called home, that he was able to order the horrific invasion of Ukraine

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Book Synopsis‘A beautiful, intimate and hunger-inducing portrait of grief, race, heritage and coming to know yourself through what you eat.’ - Stylist, ‘Books of the Year’'As good as everyone says it is and, yes, it will have you in tears. An essential read for anybody who has lost a loved one, as well as those who haven't' – Marie ClaireThe New York Times bestseller from the Grammy-nominated indie rockstar Japanese Breakfast, an unflinching, deeply moving memoir about growing up mixed-race, Korean food, losing her Korean mother, and forging her own identity in the wake of her loss.In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humour and heart, she tells of growing up the only Asian-American kid at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother’s particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother’s tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food. As she grew up, moving to the east coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, performing gigs with her fledgling band – and meeting the man who would become her husband – her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live.It was her mother’s diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her.Vivacious, lyrical and honest, Michelle Zauner’s voice is as radiantly alive on the page as it is onstage. Rich with intimate anecdotes that will resonate widely, Crying in H Mart is a book to cherish, share, and reread.‘Possibly the best book I’ve read all year . . . I will be buying copies for friends and family this Christmas.’ – Rukmini Iyer, The Guardian ‘Best Food Books of 2021’‘Wonderful . . . The writing about Korean food is gorgeous . . . but as a brilliant kimchi-related metaphor shows, Zauner’s deepest concern is the ferment, and delicacy, of complicated lives.’ – Victoria Segal, The Sunday Times, ‘My favourite read of the year’Trade ReviewMichelle Zauner's Crying In H Mart is as good as everyone says it is and, yes, it will have you in tears. An essential read for anybody who has lost a loved one, as well as those who haven't. * Marie Claire *The best book I’ve read in the past year . . . frank, lyrical, humorous. -- Claudia Roden * Financial Times *The book’s descriptions of jjigae, tteokbokki, and other Korean delicacies stand out as tokens of the deep, all-encompassing love between Zauner and her mother, a love that is charted in vivid descriptions of her mother after death; in a time when people around the world are reckoning with untold loss due to COVID-19, Zauner’s frankness around death feels like an unexpected yet deeply necessary gift. * Vogue US *A beautiful, honest and stylish account of grief, food and heritage. The way Zauner writes about food and how it acts as a bridge between her and her mother, her culture, her sense of self, is brilliantly written. -- Nikesh Shukla, author of Brown BabyCrying in H Mart stunned me - with its truthfulness and the force of its yearning. Beautiful, intimate, powerful, it is an unforgettable portrayal of grief and the bond between mother and daughter. -- Catherine Cho, author of InfernoA gripping, sensuous portrait of an indelible mother-daughter bond that hits all the notes: love, friction, loyalty, grief. All mothers and daughters will recognize themselves – and each other – in these pages. -- Dani Shapiro, author of InheritanceZauner brings dish after dish to life on the page in a rich broth of delectable details, cultural context and the personal history often packed into every bite. . . [Crying in H Mart] will ultimately thrill Japanese Breakfast fans and provide comfort to those in the throes of loss while brilliantly detailing the colorful panorama of Korean culture, traditions and — yes — food' * San Francisco Chronicle *Crying in H Mart is a warm and wholehearted work of literature, an honest and detailed account of grief over time, studded with moments of hope, humor, beauty, and clear-eyed observation. It is not to be missed. * Seattle Times *Crying in H Mart is palpable in its grief and its tenderness, reminding us what we all stand to lose. * Vulture *It is [Zauner's] ability to convey how her mother's simple offering of a rice snack was actually an act of the truest love that leaves the most indelible impression. * Refinery 29 *Incandescent. * Electric Lit *A book you experience with all of your senses: sentences you can taste, paragraphs that sound like music. [Zauner] seamlessly blends stories of food and memory, sumptuousness and grief, to weave a complex narrative of loyalty and loss. -- Rachel SymeA wonder: A beautiful, deeply moving coming-of-age story about mothers and daughters, love and grief, food and identity. It blew me away, even as it broke my heart. -- Adrienne Brodeur, author of Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and MeWhen a loved one dies, we search all of our senses for signs of their presence. Zauner’s ability to let us in through taste makes her book stand out—she makes us feel like we are in her mother’s kitchen, singing her praises. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *

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Book SynopsisAN INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 and THE SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2024 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR''Reading this is like watching an O''Sullivan break: hypnotic, dazzling and impossible to tear yourself away from.'' - STEPHEN FRY''Besides quite a few laughs, many readers will find recognition, reassurance, remedy and revelation in O''Sullivan''s candid story. I highly recommend it.'' - THE TIMES''Ronnie is searingly honest, candidly funny, and thought provokingly brilliant in Unbreakable. I devoured it.'' - NIHAL ARTHANAYAKE---In a career spanning over three decades, Ronnie O''Sullivan''s journey to becoming the greatest snooker player of all time has been filled with extremes.A teenage snooker prodigy, Ronnie turned professional with the highest of expectations. This pressure, together with a challenging personal life, catapulted Ronnie i

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Book SynopsisJorge Luis Borges''s Labyrinths is a collection of short stories and essays showcasing one of Latin America''s most influential and imaginative writers. This Penguin Modern Classics edition is edited by Donald A. Yates and James E. Irby, with an introduction by James E. Irby and a preface by André Maurois.Jorge Luis Borges was a literary spellbinder whose tales of magic, mystery and murder are shot through with deep philosophical paradoxes. This collection brings together many of his stories, including the celebrated ''Library of Babel'', whose infinite shelves contain every book that could ever exist, ''Funes the Memorious'' the tale of a man fated never to forget a single detail of his life, and ''Pierre Menard, Author of the Quixote'', in which a French poet makes it his life''s work to create an identical copy of Don Quixote. In later life, dogged by increasing blindness, Borges used essays and brief tantalising parables to explore the enigma of time

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Book SynopsisBeginning with a dilemma about whether he spends more money on reading or smoking, George Orwell''s entertaining and uncompromising essays go on to explore everything from the perils of second-hand bookshops to the dubious profession of being a critic, from freedom of the press to what patriotism really means.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2020 Wainwright Prize, Diary of a Young Naturalist chronicles the turning of Dara McAnulty's world, from spring to summer, autumn to winter, on his home patch, at school, in the wild and in his head. Evocative, raw and beautifully written, this very special book vividly explores the natural world from the perspective of an autistic teenager juggling homework, exams and friendships alongside his life as a conservationist and environmental activist. With a sense of awe and wonder, Dara describes in meticulous detail encounters in his garden and the wild, with blackbirds, whooper swans, red kites, hen harriers, frogs, dandelions, skylarks, bats, cuckoo flowers, Irish hares and many more species. The power and warmth of his words also draw an affectionate and moving portrait of a close-knit family making their way in the world.Trade Review"His portrait of loving parents raising three neurodivergent children on poetry, punk and puffins is profoundly moving." Alex Preston, The Observer; "Rich poeticism courses through the writing that belies his years." Hilary A White, Irish Independent; "Like reading William Blake or Ted Hughes, it really is a strange and magical experience...surely one of the most talked about nature books, or any books, this year." The Daily Mail; "I adored it." Lauren St John.; '...the fanfare is wholly justified: this is an astonishingly assured book for one so young.' Caroline Sanderson, The Bookseller (Non-fiction Book of the Month, June 2020); "This lovely and remarkable book." Charlotte Moore, The Spectator; 'an extraordinary voice and vision: brave, poetic, ethical, lyrical'. Robert Macfarlane; "Breathtaking." Philip Marsden; 'McAnulty's writing glows with his deep sympathy for the natural world' Tim Flannery

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Devotion is short enough to devour at one enjoyable sitting and thought-provoking enough to deserve re-reading. . . . It’s a privilege to spend any time with Patti Smith, however brief.”—Suzi Feay, Financial Times“A triptych of compact, heartfelt essays on discovery, solitude and writing.”—Darragh McManus, Irish Independent“By turns allegorical, metaphysical, fictional and factual, Devotion shows rather than tells what it means to give a life to writing. A master of poetic innovation, Smith takes her style to the next level in this slim volume.”—Katherine Cooper, Hyperallergic

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Book SynopsisA true-life thriller, as Putin's most-feared adversary risks it all to hunt down the source of the Russian president's vast wealthTrade Review'I was hooked from the first paragraph. More explosive, compulsive and gasp-inducingly, spine-tinglingly, mouth-dryingly, heart-poundingly thrilling than any fiction I have read for years, Freezing Order has a stunning plot – international conspiracy, malign and hidden rings of power and corruption, a dark threat to any hope of world order – but with this stunning twist: it is all true... Browder – with incredible courage, resilience and grace, and always at great risk to his personal safety and freedom – continues to chase after Putin and his henchmen... This is real heroism, and what a cracking good read it makes for.' -- Stephen Fry'Mind-blowing. Bill Browder takes us down the rabbit hole of Kremlin lawfare where down is up and wrong is right, and powerful Russian interests are trying to upend our legal and political systems. This personal account of Browder's battle for justice is at times terrifying, at times deeply touching - and leads inexorably to a vast money-laundering scheme the Kremlin will seemingly stop at nothing to cover up.' -- Catherine Belton'[Freezing Order] tells the story of Browder’s quest to establish a global regime for sanctioning Russians involved in corruption and criminality. But it reads like an international spy thriller. If its subject matter weren’t so grave, the book could be said to have all the elements of a high-octane drama. Murder. Conspiracy. Piles of dirty money. Sexual intrigue. Freezing Order shudders with the constant threat of assassination, abduction or sudden, extreme violence. It is a tense and gripping read. -- Jamie Susskind * The Times *'Freezing Order is a gripping tale of assassinations, legal battles and billions in cash. It would be entertaining fiction, but as a true story it’s a warning and a roadmap for fighting back against the waves of crime and corruption emanating from Putin’s Russia and other dictatorships. Bill Browder has shown that one man with courage can make a difference, and that even the most powerful regimes have weak spots. It’s an inspiring message we should all heed, and with urgency.' -- Garry Kasparov'This tale is full of villains - not just the Russians...but also the politicians, lawyers and judges in the West who carry out the Kremlin's dirty work. Despite the complexity of the affair, Browder has made his story into a real page turner. Amid the horrors being reported every day from Ukraine, it also provides a highly readable insight into the true nature of the regime that is responsible for them..' -- Peter Conradi * Sunday Times *'Browder’s account of how he stood up to Putin in the face of danger, arrest warrants, and bullying is mandatory reading for anyone who wants to understand the tactics of modern autocracy.' -- Anne Applebaum'[A] zesty new book about the theft, extortion, intimidation, lies and murder that are the Russian state’s daily levers of power...a breakneck financial thriller compelling breathless attention...splendidly readable... One of the most sobering aspects of Browder’s rollicking, dangerous adventure [is] that late-period Putin has found it so easy to manipulate our western democracies from the inside.' -- Julian Evans * Daily Telegraph *'Absolutely gripping. Bill Browder’s new book on the Magnitsky affair follows the money all the way to the top of Russia’s murderous kleptocracy. Freezing Order ought to be compulsory reading. Luckily it reads like a thriller.' -- Tom Stoppard'It’s an incredible story, told with pace and panache, that reads like a thriller. There’s something deeply offending to our sense of justice about an innocent man framed by powerful forces...but what is most troubling here is how acquiescent the western establishment has been to Russian crimes and lies.' -- Andrew Anthony * Observer *'Bill Browder's thrilling new book digs deeper into the kleptocratic world enabled and supported by the Russian state, for the benefit of the most powerful and well-connected crooks in Russia and beyond. This exploration of the dark heart of corruption asks the question of what one person can do in the face of such insidious corruption, and makes us ask what we can find in ourselves to stand up and resist those forces that would steal, decieve and murder for their own gain.' -- Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat'The author has been trying to get the west to take the threat from Putin's Russia seriously for many years. In return, the Putin regime has pursued him around the world. Browder's new book recounts this struggle and is part thriller, part policy prescription. In the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine it has deservedly become a bestseller.' -- Gideon Rachman * Financial Times Best Summer Reads *'An essential work by someone who understood long before the rest of the world did just how far corrupt Russian officials and businesspeople will go to defend their ill-gotten wealth, and how foreign lawyers, lobbyists and public relations firms enable them... He expertly walks us through the ins and outs of various legal strategies and developments that include enough high drama, plot twists and colourful characters for a movie. Browder’s Freezing Order is not just a cracking good read - it is a reminder of the urgency of addressing the global plague of money laundering.' -- Timothy Frye * Washington Post *'Could not be more timely in illustrating why the support of Russia’s super-rich and their funds have become crucial to Putin’s powerbase.' * Independent *'Fast paced and engaging, Browder’s book reads like a spy novel, but it also makes a powerful and remarkably prescient case for the need to use all the legal and financial tools available to separate Putin’s financiers from their foreign-held bank accounts and luxury yachts.' -- Katie Stallard * New Statesman *'Gripping reading... there is no question that Browder’s dogged persistence against a backdrop of undoubted stress and personal courage have made an important contribution in highlighting the failures of contemporary Russia and the west alike, and offered new tools with potential to try to redress them.' -- Andrew Jack * Financial Times *'A must-read for fans of Red Notice... Revealing and damning, exposing Putin and his minions as little more than greedy international criminals. A timely book combining mystifying financial shenanigans with a fast-paced crime saga.' * Kirkus Reviews *'Riveting...An eye-opening exposé of the lengths Putin’s cronies will go to hide their crimes and punish their accusers.' * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisA TIME magazine Must-Read Book of the Year Ever wonder what your therapist is thinking? Now you can find out, as therapist and New York Times bestselling author Lori Gottlieb takes us behind the scenes of her practice — where her patients are looking for answers (and so is she). When a personal crisis causes her world to come crashing down, Lori Gottlieb — an experienced therapist with a thriving practice in Los Angeles — is suddenly adrift. Enter Wendell, himself a veteran therapist with an unconventional style, whose sessions with Gottlieb will prove transformative for her. As Gottlieb explores the inner chambers of her own patients’ lives — a self-absorbed Hollywood producer, a young newlywed diagnosed with a terminal illness, a senior citizen who feels she has nothing to live for, and a self-destructive twenty-something who can’t stop hooking up with the wrong guys — she finds that the questions they are struggling with are the very questions she is bringing to Wendell. Taking place over one year, and beginning with the devastating event that lands her in Wendell’s office, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone offers a rare and candid insight into a profession that is conventionally bound with rules and secrecy. Told with charm and compassion, vulnerability and humour, it’s also the story of an incredible relationship between two therapists, and a disarmingly funny and illuminating account of our own mysterious inner lives, as well as our power to transform them.Trade Review‘Absorbing and fascinating.’ -- Oliver Burkeman * The Guardian *‘This is a wonderful book … I wish I hadn’t finished reading it, but will start from the beginning again happily.’ -- Nigella Lawson‘Gottlieb has written a wise, funny, and sometimes blisteringly sad book that is warmer than any self-help guide: one that feels like a friend.’ -- Anna Leszkiewicz * New Statesman *‘Candid and deeply personal, this is a book about being both patient and clinician, and one that offers hope to us all.’ -- Sarah Shaffi * Stylist Magazine’s ‘Your Guide to 2019’s Best Non-Fiction Books’ *‘In prose that’s conversational and funny yet deeply insightful, psychologist Lori Gottlieb is here to remind us that our therapists are people, too.’ * Refinery29 *‘In her memoir, bestselling author, columnist, and therapist Lori Gottlieb explores her own issues — and discovers just how similar they are to the problems of her clients.’ * Bustle *‘Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is funny, hopeful, wise, and engrossing — all at the same time. Lori Gottlieb takes us inside the most intimate of encounters as both clinician and patient and leaves us with a surprisingly fresh understanding of ourselves, one another, and the human condition. This is a daring, delightful, and transformative book.’ -- Arianna Huffington, founder of Huffington Post and founder & CEO of Thrive Global‘I’ve been reading books about psychotherapy for over a half century, but never have I encountered a book like Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: so bold and brassy, so packed with good stories, so honest, deep, and riveting. I intended to read a chapter or two but ended up reading and relishing every word.’ -- Irvin Yalom MD, author of Love’s Executioner, and other Tales of Psychotherapy, and professor emeritus of psychiatry at Stanford University.‘If you have even an ounce of interest in the therapeutic process, or in the conundrum of being human, you must read this book. It is wise, warm, smart, and funny, and Lori Gottlieb is exceedingly good company.’ -- Susan Cain, New York Times bestselling author of Quiet‘Shrinks, they’re just like us — at least in Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, the heartfelt memoir by therapist Lori Gottlieb. Warm, funny, and engaging (no poker-faced clinician here), Gottlieb not only gives us an unvarnished look at her patients’ lives, but also her own. The result is the most relatable portrait of a therapist I’ve yet encountered.’ -- Susannah Cahalan, New York Times bestselling author of Brain on Fire‘Here are some people who might benefit from Lori Gottlieb’s illuminating new book: Therapists, people who have been in therapy, people who have been in relationships, people who have experienced emotions. In other words, everyone. Lori’s story is funny, enlightening, and radically honest. It merits far more than 50 minutes of your time.’ -- A.J. Jacobs, New York Times bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically‘Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is ingenious, inspiring, tender, and funny. Lori Gottlieb bravely takes her readers on a guided tour into the self, showing us the therapeutic process from both sides of the couch — as both therapist and patient. I cheered for her breakthroughs, as if they were my own! This is the best book I've ever read about the life-changing possibilities of talk therapy.’ -- Amy Dickinson, “Ask Amy” advice columnist and New York Times bestselling author of Strangers Tend to Tell Me Things‘This book is so insightful, and compassionate, and rich, and taught me a lot about myself. I was sucked right in to these vivid, funny, illuminating stories of humans trying to climb their way out of hiding, overcome self-defeating habits, and wake up to their own strength. Gottlieb has captured something profound about the struggle, and the miracle, of human connection.’ -- Sarah Hepola, New York Times bestselling author of Blackout‘With wisdom and humanity, Lori Gottlieb invites us into her consulting room, and her therapist’s. There, readers will share in one of the best-kept secrets of being a clinician: when we bear witness to change, we also change, and when we are present as others find meaning in their lives, we also discover more in our own.’ -- Lisa Damour, PhD. New York Times bestselling author of Untangled‘Some people are great writers, and other people are great therapists. Lori Gottlieb is, astoundingly, both. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is about the wonder of being human: how none of us is immune from struggle, and how we can grow into ourselves and escape our emotional prisons. Rarely have I read a book that challenged me to see myself in an entirely new light, and was at the same time laugh-out-loud funny and utterly absorbing.’ -- Katie Couric, award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author of The Best Advice I Ever Got‘Gottlieb is an utterly compelling narrator: funny, probing, savvy, vulnerable. She pays attention to the small stuff — the box of tissues and the Legos in the carpet — as she honours the more expansive mysteries of our wild, aching hearts.’ -- Leslie Jamison, author of The Recovering: intoxication and its aftermath‘Saturated with self-awareness and compassion, this is an irresistibly addictive tour of the human condition.’ STARRED REVIEW * Kirkus *‘Gottlieb finds herself learning powerful lessons from her patients as they untangle their emotional challenges while learning to understand her own self-image and what it genuinely means to be human ... Written with grace, humor, wisdom, and compassion, this heartwarming journey of self-discovery should ­appeal to fans of Mitch Albom and Nicholas Sparks.’ * Library Journal *‘Therapists play a special and invaluable role in the lives of the 30 million Americans who attend sessions, but have you ever wondered where they go when they need to talk to someone? Veteran psychotherapist and New York Times best-selling author Lori Gottlieb shares a candid and remarkably relatable account of what it means to be a therapist who also goes to therapy, and what this can teach us about the universality of our questions and anxieties.’ * Thrive Global, ‘10 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in 2019’ *‘A dishy romp, an eavesdropper’s guilty pleasure … provocative and entertaining … Gottlieb gives us more than a voyeuristic look at other people’s problems (including her own). She shows us the value of therapy.’ -- Susan Sheehan * The Washington Post *‘What makes this book a joy to read is that it offers a wise and witty meld of the author’s personal insights and clinical observations plus bite-sized nuggets of psychology without ever lecturing or boring the reader ... For those who are skeptical, fearful or turned off by the idea of the talking cure, this fly-on-the-wall view of the subject just might convince you that therapy is remarkably worthwhile ... For self-help aficionados, there is wisdom galore on topics such as the drivers and inhibitors of psychological transformation, managing loss and grief, discovering meaning in life and work ... And for therapists, there is the chance to sit back and take note of how another clinician applies her skills to conjure up the magic of effective therapy ... A talented and highly accomplished writer, Gottlieb’s insecurities and chronic internal conflicts may surprise some readers. The fact that she doesn’t hold back talking about her suffering is what makes this book so powerful ... a most satisfying and illuminating read for psychotherapy patients, their therapists, and all the rest of us.’ -- Karen R. Koenig * New York Journal of Books *‘An irresistibly candid and addicting memoir ... [Gottlieb’s] book does feel deeply, almost creepily, voyeuristic ... In showing us how patients reveal just a part of their selves, [Gottlieb] gives us a dizzily satisfying collage of narratives, a kind of ensemble soap opera set in the already soap operatic world of Los Angeles ... Gottlieb can be judgmental and obsessive, but she’s authentic, even raw, about herself and her patients.’ -- Alex Kuczynski * The New York Times Book Review *‘She combines journalism and therapy, most notably in her “Dear Therapist” advice column for the Atlantic, which itself somewhat makes the argument for therapy based on the fact that the questions are often far too complicated ever to be answered in the span of one response, though Gottlieb does her best ... There’s something satisfyingly voyeuristic and intimate about getting to listen in on anyone else’s therapy, a feeling Gottlieb amplifies by contextualising what is actually happening in each session from a more clinical perspective. She does this by gently and constantly explaining to the reader what exactly therapists are trying to do with their patients, sharing language and frameworks ... It’s strange to see Gottlieb, a therapist herself, seemingly imply that someone can be too ‘together’ to benefit from talking to someone. And yet, I’m glad she grapples with this. Watching her come to the realisation that the process has things to offer her beyond a quick solution is a lesson in and of itself.’ -- Susan Matthews * Slate *‘As Gottlieb’s patients proceed (often painfully) through their sessions, so does Gottlieb with her new therapist, Wendell. And we get to listen in through this unusual combination of memoir, self-help guide and therapy primer ... warm, approachable, and funny — a pleasure to read ... As we watch Gottlieb and her patients learn to tell the rest of their own stories and move beyond their pain, we find some surprising insights and even a bit of wisdom.’ -- Sarah McCraw Crow * Bookpage *‘Gottlieb plunges further into the psychological depths as she discloses how therapists keep each other honest ... Some readers will know Gottlieb from her many TV appearances or her “Dear Therapist” column, but even for the uninitiated-to-Gottlieb, it won’t take long to settle in with this compelling read.’ -- Joan Curbow * Booklist *‘An addictive book that’s part Oliver Sacks and part Nora Ephron. Prepare to be riveted.’ * People Magazine, Book of the Week *‘Reading it is like one long therapy session — and may be the gentle nudge you need to start seeing a therapist again IRL.’ * Hello Giggles *‘With startling wisdom and humour, Gottlieb invites us into her world as both clinician and patient, examining the truths and fictions we tell ourselves and others ... Maybe You Should Talk To Someone is revolutionary in its candour, offering a deeply personal yet universal tour of our hearts and minds and providing the rarest of gifts: a boldly revealing portrait of what it means to be human, and a disarmingly funny and illuminating account of our own mysterious lives and our power to transform them.’ * Bookreporter *‘A psychotherapist and advice columnist at The Atlantic shows us what it’s like to be on both sides of the couch with doses of heartwarming humour and invaluable, tell-it-like-it-is wisdom.’ * O, The Oprah Magazine *‘Entirely reframes the way we think about psychotherapy … Movingly depicts our collective longing for lasting connection.’ * Entertainment Weekly *‘A delightful, fascinating dive into human behavior and idiosyncrasies, habits, and defenses, fears and blind spots: hers, her patients’, yours, and mine.’ * Chicago Tribune *‘This relatable memoir reminds us that many of our struggles are universal and just plain human.’ * Real Simple *‘A no-holds-barred look at how therapy works.’ * Parade *‘A fascinating, funny behind-the-scenes look at what happens when people — even shrinks themselves — ‘break open,’ with the help of a therapist.’ * Shondaland *‘Who could resist watching a therapist grapple with the same questions her patients have been asking her for years? Gottlieb, who writes the Atlantic’s “Dear Therapist” column, brings searing honesty to her search for answers.’ -- Bethanne Patrick * The Washington Post, The 10 books to read in April *‘[Maybe You Should Talk to Someone] explores the ups and downs of life with humour and grace.’ * BookBub *‘Charmingly readable.’ -- Sarah Ditum * In The Moment *‘In her compassionate and emotionally generous new book, Gottlieb … pulls back the curtain of a therapist’s world … The result is a humane and empathetic exploration of six disparate characters struggling to take control of their lives as they journey back to happiness.’ * ALA’s Public Libraries Online *‘[A] smart, hilarious, insightful book. Lori Gottlieb will have you laughing and crying as she breaks down the problems of her patients, her therapist, and herself.’ * Patch.com *‘Both poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, [Gottlieb] reveals how our stories form the core of our lives.’ * Orange County Register *‘Reads like a novel and reveals what really happens on both sides of the couch.’ * Men’s Health *‘A hugely entertaining memoir about a therapist in therapy.’ -- Kerri Sackville * Sunday Age *‘A rare and candid insight into a profession that is conventionally bound with rules and secrecy. Told with charm and compassion, vulnerability and humour, it’s also the story of an incredible relationship between two therapists and a disarmingly funny and illuminating account of our own mysterious inner lives, as well as our power to transform them.’ * Sunraysia Daily *’Heartwarming and upbeat, this memoir demystifies therapy and celebrates the human spirit.’ * Shelf Awareness *‘A sparkling and sometimes moving account of her work as a psychotherapist, with the twist that she is in therapy herself ... For someone considering but hesitant to enter therapy, Gottlieb’s thoughtful and compassionate work will calm anxieties about the process; for experienced therapists, it will provide an abundance of insights into their own work.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘A source of inspiration.’ -- Cherlynn Low * Yahoo Finance *‘A great read for anyone interested in mental health, humanity, and empathy.’ -- Jen Saulnier * Mirage News *‘It‘s incredibly open, honest, and there are insights Gottlieb comes to acknowledge in the pages that will resonate with you deeply.’ -- Jess Campbell * GQ *

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Book SynopsisPenguin Weird Fiction: a celebration of the very best of the weird, a store of novels and tales that for generations have delighted and horrified. Shot through with an unutterable sense of mystery, paranoia and dread, the King in Yellow is a linked collection of tales that swirl around a single motif: a terrible book that prompts an obsessive madness in all who look upon its pages. From a dystopian New York to the streets of Paris, these narratives offer glimpses and hints of impossible, terrifying revelations. Who is the King Yellow? What is the Yellow Sign? And where might be that ancient and famous city, Carcosa?Combining expectation-defying horror with decadent description, The King in Yellow has proven to be one of the most durable and brilliant collections of Weird Fiction ever written, inspiring countless authors, from the mythos of H.P. Lovecraft to the fantasy world of George R.R. Martin. A classic . . . a fantastic collection of short stories' Guardian

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Book Synopsis________________________________THE SHOCKING FOLLOW-UP TO MINDHUNTER, NOW A SMASH-HIT NETFLIX DRAMAJohn Douglas is the world's top pioneer and expert on criminal profiling. His lifelong work to understand and combat serial killers is legendary among law enforcement circles. Now, following up on his first book, Mindhunter, Journey Into Darkness delves further into the criminal mind in a range of chilling new cases.Profiling suspects from OJ Simpson to the Unabomber, and investigating the assassination of John Lennon and the Waco tragedy, Journey Into Darkness explores the crimes of the century – as well as cases you've never heard of – with the peerless eye of one of the FBI's finest.Douglas, famously the inspiration for Special Agent Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs, reveals the fascinating circumstance of each crime in detail as he explores the larger issues, from crime prevention and rehabilitation to the reasons behind escalating violence in society. A must read for all true crime fans.

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Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERA SUNDAY TIMES, THE TIMES, ECONOMIST, DAILY TELEGRAPH, EVENING STANDARD, OBSERVER BOOK OF THE YEAR''Undoubtedly the best single-volume life of Churchill ever written'' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday TimesA magnificently fresh and unexpected biography of Churchill, by one of Britain''s most acclaimed historiansWinston Churchill towers over every other figure in twentieth-century British history. By the time of his death at the age of 90 in 1965, many thought him to be the greatest man in the world.There have been over a thousand previous biographies of Churchill. Andrew Roberts now draws on over forty new sources, including the private diaries of King George VI, used in no previous Churchill biography to depict him more intimately and persuasively than any of its predecessors. The book in no way conceals Churchill''s faults and it allows the reader to appreciate his virtues and character in full: his titanic capacity for work (and drink), his ability see the big picture, his willingness to take risks and insistence on being where the action was, his good humour even in the most desperate circumstances, the breadth and strength of his friendships and his extraordinary propensity to burst into tears at unexpected moments. Above all, it shows us the wellsprings of his personality - his lifelong desire to please his father (even long after his father''s death) but aristocratic disdain for the opinions of almost everyone else, his love of the British Empire, his sense of history and its connection to the present.During the Second World War, Churchill summoned a particular scientist to see him several times for technical advice. ''It was the same whenever we met'', wrote the young man, ''I had a feeling of being recharged by a source of living power.'' Harry Hopkins, President Roosevelt''s emissary, wrote ''Wherever he was, there was a battlefront.'' Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke, Churchill''s essential partner in strategy and most severe critic in private, wrote in his diary, ''I thank God I was given such an opportunity of working alongside such a man, and of having my eyes opened to the fact that occasionally such supermen exist on this earth.''Trade ReviewThis terrific book, which bursts with character, humour and incident on almost every page ... is undoubtedly the best single-volume life of Churchill ever written -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *The best single-volume life imaginable -- Simon Heffer * Sunday Telegraph *It's the sort of biography that, one feels, Churchill himself would have wanted. Colossal, energetic, deeply knowledgeable, properly critical, but also sympathetic and, in places, deliciously funny -- Noel Malcolm * Sunday Telegraph *An original portrait of an all-too-familiar figure ... He enriches the saga with wonderful examples of Churchill's aristocratic eccentricity, glittering oratory and wit -- Piers Brendon * Literary Review *Roberts has produced a more complete picture of his subject than any previous biography. His certainly knocks into a cocked hat Boris Johnson's boisterously self-referential effort of a few years ago * Economist *A stupendous achievement: lucid, erudite, intelligent, but also inspiring. Roberts catches the imperishable grandeur of Churchill's life as no other historian has done -- Daniel Johnson * Standpoint *As Andrew Roberts reminds us in this epic biography ... Churchill's career provides ample proof that fact can be far more extraordinary than fiction -- Nick Rennison * Daily Mail *A work of unequalled scholarship. Read it and you will not have to bother with the previous 1,000 biographies -- Paul Routledge * Tablet *A heroic biography, appropriately matched to the ambition, egotism and undoubted achievement of the life it describes -- John Campbell * Finest Hour *Brilliant, breathtaking, unputdownable ... All Roberts's past life has been but a preparation for this hour and this work, and this brilliant book is a fitting crown to his own career -- Michael Gove * Evening Standard *In a single volume, Andrew Roberts has captured the essence of one of the world's most impactful, most memorable statesmen. It is the crowning achievement of his career - and will become the definitive biography of its subject. -- Henry Kissinger

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisA devastating story of motherhood, abandonment and the real lives of women in Sixties Italy. Non-fiction Ferrante.

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Book SynopsisA collection of in-depth interviews from one of Wales'' best rugby journalists, looking back on the careers of 26 of Welsh rugby''s finest players.

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Book SynopsisThe international Number One bestseller. Over a million copies sold in the English language. Published in 23 foreign languages. ‘A heartfelt memoir . . . there is a fearlessness to his prose, a willingness to engage with his past, that chimes with his songwriter’s desire to give voice to the people around him’ Sunday Times “Writing about yourself is a funny business…But in a project like this, the writer has made one promise, to show the reader his mind. In these pages, I’ve tried to do this.” —Bruce Springsteen, from the pages of Born to Run In 2009, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed at the Super Bowl’s halftime show. The experience was so exhilarating that Bruce decided to write about it. That’s how this extraordinary autobiography began. Over the past seven years, Bruce

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Book SynopsisApsley Cherry-Garrard (1886-1959) was one of the youngest members of Captain Scott's final expedition to the Antarctic which he joined to collect the eggs of the Emperor penguin. After the expedition, Cherry-Garrard served in the First World War and was invalided home. With the zealous encouragement of his neighbour, George Bernard Shaw, Cherry-Garrard wrote The Worst Journey in the World (1922) in an attempt to overcome the horror of the journey. As the years unravelled he faced a terrible struggle against depression, breakdown and despair, haunted by the possibility that he could have saved Scott and his companions.Trade ReviewThe best polar book there is * Observer *Probably the best adventure yarn ever published * Independent *Remains the masterpiece of heroic travel * The Times *The finest book ever written about Antarctic exploration as well as a great literary classicOver the greater part of a lifetime I have worn out two copies of the Antarctic's classic, Apsley Cherry-Garrard's The Worst Journey in the World * William Trevor *

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Book SynopsisNERO BOOK AWARDS WINNER 2023WINNER, NON FICTION BOOK 2023, BOOKS ARE MY BAG AWARDSSHORTLIST, BOOKSHOP.ORG INDIE CHAMPIONSSHORTLIST, AMAZON NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARSHORTLIST, GOODREADS CHOICE BOOK OF THE YEARAudible Books of the Year 2023The Times Books of the Year 2023Apple Best Audiobooks of 2023BOOKSHOP.ORG Book of the Month January 2024THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'I tore through this hilarious, smart, sad, revealing book' - Bob Odenkirk'Funny, sharp and has incredible clarity' - Jon Ronson'An absolute riot. I'm literally going to read it again once I've finished, and I'm a miserable bastard...it's a belter' - FRANKIE BOYLE'Strong Female Character is a testament to the importance of self-knowledge.' - Rachael Healy, The GuardianA summary of my book:1. I'm diagnosed with autism 20 years after telling a doctor I had it.2. My terrible Catholic childhood: I hate my parents etc.3. My friendship with an elderly man who runs the corner shop and is definitely not trying to groom me. I get groomed.4. Homelessness.5. Stripping.6. More stripping but with more nervous breakdowns.7. I hate everyone at uni and live with a psycho etc.8. REDACTED as too spicy.9. After everyone tells me I don't look autistic, I try to cure my autism and get addicted to Xanax.10. REDACTED as too embarrassing.'Fern's book, like everything she does, is awesome. Incredibly funny, and so unapologetically frank that I feel genuinely sorry for her lawyers.' - PHIL WANG'Of course it's funny - it's Fern Brady - but this book is also deeply moving and eye-opening'- ADAM KAY'It made me laugh out loud and broke my heart and made me weep...I hope absolutely everyone reads this, and it makes them kinder and more curious about the way we all live' - DAISY BUCHANAN'Glorious. Frank but nuanced, a memoir that doesn't sacrifice voice or self-awareness. And it has brilliant things to say about being autistic and being funny' - ELLE MCNICOLL'A set text for all of us in 2023' - DEBORAH FRANCES-WHITE'Fern is a brilliant, beautiful writer with a unique voice and even more unique story. Astute, honest and very, very funny.' - LOU SANDERS'So funny and brilliant' - HOLLY SMALE'Witty, dry, and gimlet-eyed, Strong Female Character is a necessary corrective. Brady offers a compelling, messy, highly resonant portrait of what masked Autism feels like.' - Devon Price, author of Unmasking AutismTrade ReviewOf course it's funny - it's Fern Brady - but this book is also deeply moving and eye-opening -- ADAM KAYIt made me laugh out loud and broke my heart and made me weep...I hope absolutely everyone reads this, and it makes them kinder and more curious about the way we all live -- DAISY BUCHANANGlorious. Frank but nuanced, a memoir that doesn't sacrifice voice or self-awareness. And it has brilliant things to say about being autistic and being funny -- ELLE MCNICOLLFern is a brilliant, beautiful writer with a unique voice and even more unique story. Astute, honest and very, very funny. -- LOU SANDERSSo funny and brilliant -- HOLLY SMALEAn absolute riot. I'm literally going to read it again once I've finished, and I'm a miserable bastard...it's a belter -- FRANKIE BOYLEFern Brady's book is alive in your hands. Brave doesn't cover it and I'm not sure what will. Fizzing with intelligence, it will hit you in the heart, lungs and liver. You'll laugh, cry, be still and if you're not autistic - by god you'll learn. If you are autistic you'll be seen, heard, held, rocked and loved here. A set text for all of us in 2023 * DEBORAH FRANCES-WHITE *Strong Female Character is a testament to the importance of self-knowledge. Fern Brady is a natural and engaging writer, weaving bleak episodes with moments of pure comedy as she re-appraises crucial moments in her life through the lens of her autism diagnosis. Brutal honesty and a talent for storytelling combine to make an insightful memoir that's not only very funny, but will no doubt provide invaluable moments of recognition for many readers. * RACHAEL HEALY, The Guardian *Witty, dry, and gimlet-eyed, Strong Female Character is a necessary corrective. Brady offers a compelling, messy, highly resonant portrait of what masked Autism feels like * Devon Price, author of Unmasking Autism *This Bathgate girl has more jaw-dropping tales to share than your average comedian-cum-author could hope to harvest in a lifetime. Perhaps more of us ought to grapple with our own mortality if it births something so bold as Strong Female Character. * The List *Strong Female Character will reassure fellow autistic folk that they are not alone * Chortle *Shocking and incredibly moving - and it will make you laugh at subjects that you didn't think you possibly could * Scotland on Sunday *A brutal, funny and heartbreaking memoir. The pace is brisk and her deadpan humour makes the darkest material hilariously funny. -- Marianne Power * The Times *Brilliant! -- Sarah Atkinson, CEO Social Mobility Foundation * HR Magazine *This very personal account of bullying, stripping, homelessness and stand-up is shocking and incredibly moving - and will make you laugh at subjects that you didn't realise could be funny. -- Kirsty McLuckie * i Paper *[Brady] brings unsparing wit to a memoir that calls out the bulls--t in every culture she's experienced. -- Helen Brown * The Telegraph *Strong Female Character is a clear-eyed, deeply sane account of an at times tumultuous life; a life shaped by class and gender, but mostly, it's now clear to her, by her autism. * The Herald *

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Book Synopsis''Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand history - and then go out and change it'' Barack Obama''The authentic voice of Mandela shines through this book'' The Times''Burns with the luminosity of faith in the invincible nature of human hope and dignity'' Andre Brink''Splendid... This is his story and the story of that struggle and a people''s victory'' Desmond TutuThe riveting memoirs of the outstanding moral and political leader of our time, Long Walk to Freedom brilliantly re-creates the drama of the experiences that helped shape Nelson Mandela''s destiny. Emotive, compelling and uplifting, Long Walk to Freedom is the exhilarating story of an epic life; a story of hardship, resilience and ultimate triumph told with the clarity and eloquence of a born leader.Trade ReviewEssential reading for anyone who wants to understand history - and then go out and change it * Barack Obama *Enthralling...Mandela emulates the few great political leaders such as Lincoln and Gandhi, who go beyond mere consensus and move out ahead of their followers to break new ground * Sunday Times *The authentic voice of Mandela shines through this book...humane, dignified and magnificently unembittered * The Times *This life of a man who has been a political activist for fifty years, in one of the most difficult and complex conflicts of the twentieth century, is a major achievement * Observer *Riveting...both a brilliant description of a diabolical system and a testament to the power of the spirt to transcend it * Washington Post *Burns with the luminosity of faith in the invincible nature of human hope and dignity... Unforgettable * Andre Brink *Indispensable ... a unique life-story * Anthony Sampson *A splendid book... Justice, freedom, goodness and love have prevailed spectacularly in South Africa and one man has embodied that struggle and its vindication. This is his story and the story of that struggle and a people's victory. It is a fitting monument. It will help us never to forget, lest we in our turn repeat the ghastliness of apartheid * Desmond Tutu *A truly stunning account of his extraordinary life... A vivid testimony to an unusual mixture of courage, persistence, tolerance, and forgiveness * Sir David Steel *One of the most life-affirming books you'll read * GQ *A tale of anger and sorrow, love and joy, grace and elegance * Daily News *The autobiography succeeds because the vicissitudes Mandela has gone through in the course of his life are so dramatic that the reader cannot help responding to them as if to a fairy tale or moral fable of some kind. No hero of legend ever went through such protracted trials in order to arrive at so improbable a victory * Sunday Telegraph *A compelling book... both a brilliant description of a diabolical system and a testament to the power of the spirit to transcend it... One of the most remarkable lives of the twentieth century * Washington Post *A work of literature as well as an important document * Scotland on Sunday *Most searing in its portrayal of the harshness of the island prison and the author's yearning for family life... Most exciting in its descriptions of Mandela's period underground, including his clandestine journey through newly independent Africa -- Barbara Trapido * Spectator *An engrossing tapestry of recent South African history that grips the reader from the first pages... Riveting and sometimes painfully honest * San Francisco Chronicle *Mandela writes with rare and moving candour * The Economist *Long Walk to Freedom is, unexpectedly, a sociological treasure trove... a work of constant revelations -- Wole Soyinka * Times Higher Education Supplement *Irresistible... one of the few political biographies that's also a page-turner * Los Angeles Times *Absorbing reading... the work of a great politician who still retains the ability to reflect on himself as a mere mortal -- Beverley Naidoo * Times Educational Supplement *A story that is at once appalling and inspirational: appalling in its depiction of the waste of human potential; inspirational in the triumph of the human spirit -- Geoffrey Howe * Country Life *An enthralling tale told simply, the story of one man's remarkable life and of a people which finally became free * Sunday Tribune *One of those masterpieces, perhaps the greatest of twentieth-century autobiographical literature, which is a sharp, poignant, elegant and eloquent counter to the prevailing cynicism about the rottenness of politics * Caribbean Times *One of the most extraordinary political tales of the twentieth century and well worth the investment for anyone truly interested in the genesis of greatness * Financial Times *An epic of struggle and learning and growing, it tells of a man whose idealism and hope have inspired a world prone to cynicism... [it] should be compulsory reading -- Mary Benson * Daily Telegraph *This fluid memoir matches South African President Mandela's stately grace with wise reflection on his life and the freedom struggle that defined it... His belief in repairing his country inspires * Publishers Weekly *This is an articulate, moving account of Mandela's life...Over a third of Mandela's memoir tells of his twenty-seven years in prison, an account that could stand alone as a prison narrative. He ends his book with the conclusion that his 'long walk' for freedom has just begun * Library Journal *This memoir is remarkably free of polemics, self-pity, and self-aggrandizement. It is the work of a man who has led by action and example-a man who is one of the few genuine heroes we have * Kirkus *

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Book SynopsisBruce Lee's daughter illuminates her father's most powerful life philosophies, and how we can apply his teachings to our daily lives'Empty your mind; be formless, shapeless like water'Bruce Lee is a cultural icon, world renowned for his martial arts and film legacy. But Lee was also a deeply philosophical thinker, believing that martial arts are more than just an exercise in physical discipline - they are a perfect metaphor for personal growth.In Be Water, My Friend, Shannon Lee shares previously untold stories from her father's life along with the concepts at the core of his teachings. Each chapter reveals a lesson from Bruce Lee, expanding on the foundation of his iconic 'be water' philosophy to reveal a path to an enlightened way of being.This is an inspirational call to action to consider our lives with new eyes and a testament to Lee's unique power to ignite our imaginations and transform our lives.'A slender, potent book twining her father's timeless philosophies of living with her own reflections' Maria PopovaTrade ReviewA slender, potent book twining her father's timeless philosophies of living with her own reflections -- Maria PopovaAn inspirational commemorative for Lee aficionados and those sharpening their personal-growth skills * Kirkus *This inspired guide will remind any reader that, while one cannot control external circumstance, how one responds is always a choice. * Publishers Weekly *An inspirational commemorative for Lee aficionados and those sharpening their personal-growth skills * Kirkus *This inspired guide will remind any reader that, while one cannot control external circumstance, how one responds is always a choice. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book Synopsis_______________WINNER OF THE INDIE BOOK AWARD FOR NON-FICTIONTHE TOP 2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEKAN OBSERVER BOOK OF THE YEAR_______________Mudlark (/mAdla;k/) noun A person who scavenges for usable debris in the mud of a river or harbourLara Maiklem has scoured the banks of the Thames for over fifteen years, in pursuit of the objects that the river unearths: from Neolithic flints to Roman hair pins, medieval buckles to Tudor buttons, Georgian clay pipes to Victorian toys. These objects tell her about London and its lost ways of life.Moving from the river's tidal origins in the west of the city to the point where it meets the sea in the east, Mudlarking is a search for urban solitude and history on the River Thames, which Lara calls the longest archaeological site in England.As she has discovered, it is often the tiniest objects that tell the greatest storTrade ReviewThis is a quirky and delightful read, wonderfully evocative of London’s gloopy, ghost-haunted river * Daily Mail *A treasure. One of the best books I’ve read in years -- Tracy BormanReveals to us the fascinating and poignant micro-world of London's history -- Hallie RubenholdEnchanting. It made even a capsized cynic like me feel more sentimental about the Thames. In fact, I am quite tempted to join Maiklem on the riverbed looking for treasure * Sunday Times *Mudlarks are river scavengers, but Lara Maiklem is more like a time traveller. Her prose has none of the self-conscious sensibility that defines contemporary nature writing; her thoughtful sentences read as though she were talking to herself. There is a great deal to learn from these pages, not least the insight that finding lost things is the best way of losing yourself. It is, above all, her wisdom that makes Lara Maiklem such restful company * Guardian *Maiklem persists, in this weirdly engaging book, in seeking out a curious beauty. Maiklem’s description of the fog is worthy of Dickens or Joseph Conrad. Maiklem pungently evokes the broken bridges, slippery river stairs, causeways, jetties and boatyards. No one has looked at these odd corners since Sherlock Holmes * Sunday Telegraph *Maiklem’s storytelling shines. Her imagined histories for her special finds read like waterborne fairy stories, a hard kernel of truth clothed in mythical finery. Reading it, I felt like I was down on the foreshore myself, sifting through the pages for titbits * Daily Telegraph *A lovely, lyrical, gently meandering book, filled with fascinating diversions and detail * Literary Review *Maiklem's enthusiasm is infectious, and her reimagining of the lives of those who parted with these items is an illuminated joy * i *Whoever buys it is blessed. I love the fact that [Maiklem] makes herself the centre of this huge, timeless, endless story that reaches from the distant past and flows past all our consciousnesses out to a place far beyond the reach of the estuary. Lara is such a natural writer; every page just tingles with her imagination. It is a love letter to life itself -- Ian MortimerMaiklem has an infectious love of linking the present with the past. It is historic detail like this that makes Mudlarking much more than just a lengthy list of discarded bric-a-brac. Lara is a romantic, motivated primarily by the human stories behind the objects. Curiosity may kill the cat, but it is the making of many an author. And Lara has it in spades * Daily Mail *Maiklem augments the Thamesian tally, summoning old Londoners out of silty suspension from a discarded Victoria Cross or a pot-lid. There are other mudlarking books, but this one offers engaging insight into an amphibian ambience of strongly marked characters, semi-secret exploits and outlandish theories. Maiklem is not alone in resorting to the river for salvation as much as salvage * Spectator *A beautifully written memoir of one woman’s relationship with the sacred Thames and the ghosts of its past. Lara Maiklem’s book on mudlarking is as deep and as rich as the Thames and its treasures. Fascinating -- Stanley TucciA hybrid of personal memoir, London history and literary cabinet of curiosities * Telegraph *Maiklem’s knowledge and skill are evident and unarguable. [She] leaves the door open for the rest of us: with a bit of luck and patience you too, she suggests, could spot something interesting on the foreshore, ask around, take it to a museum and end up owning a little bit of history. What a thrill -- Caught by the River[An] enthralling and evocative history of London and its people -- Book of the Month * Bookseller *

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Book SynopsisHe is fond of enigmas, of conundrums, hieroglyphics; exhibiting in his solutions of each a degree of acumen which appears to the ordinary apprehension praeternatural.

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Book Synopsis''Vital reading'' STYLIST''...hooting with laughter - what a swashbuckler that Hannah Jewell is'' MARINA HYDE''Because 100 Nasty Women is so easy to read and witty, I didn''t expect it to be the life changing, important book that I''m discovering it to be'' PHILIPPA PERRY''A fantastic addition to your feminist library and historical knowledge.'' ANN SHEN, author of Bad Girls Throughout History* * * * * *100 fascinating and brilliantly written stories about history''s bravest, baddest but little known ''nasty'' women from across the world.These are the women who were deemed too nasty for their times, too nasty to be recognised, too nasty to be paid for their work and sometimes too nasty to be allowed to live. When you learn about women in history, they''re often made out to be shining, glittering souls. But when you hear about these Bold-Yet-Morally-Irreproachable Women of History who wTrade Review'Both heartbreaking and hilarious, this book aims to give every woman "who gave zero f*cks" the respect and notoriety they have always deserved and long been denied. Vital reading' * STYLIST *'Laugh-out-loud funny and inspiring . . . Read it to pick a glorious new role model ... and feel more connected to strong women all across time' -- Krista Suh, creator of the Pussyhat Project and author of DIY Rules for a WTF WorldA fun, hilarious read that will make a fantastic addition to your feminist library and historical knowledge -- Ann Shen, author of BAD GIRLS THROUGHOUT HISTORY'Because 100 Nasty Women is so easy to read and witty, I didn't expect it to be the life changing, important book that I'm discovering it to be' -- Philippa Perry'Hooting with laughter - what a swashbuckler that Hannah Jewell is' -- Marina Hyde'Like Rebel Girls for adults' -- Katy Lovell

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