Biography Books

Book SynopsisA landmark, incendiary collection from one of the leading essayists working today. Inspiring everyone from radical activists to Beyoncé Knowles, Rebecca Solnit's essay 'Men Explain Things to Me' has become a touchstone of the feminist movement and established her as one of the leading thinkers of our time. Here it is collected along with the best of Solnit's feminist writings. From French sex scandals to the nuclear family, rape culture to mansplaining, Virginia Woolf to colonialism, these essays are a fierce and incisive exploration of the issues that a patriarchal culture will not necessarily acknowledge as 'issues' at all. With grace, wit and energy, and in the most exquisite and inviting of prose, Rebecca Solnit proves herself a vital leading figure of the feminist movement and a radical, humane thinker. 'Solnit is a compelling writer with a glorious turn of phrase' Evening StandardTrade ReviewWhat has always impressed me in Solnit's writing is the simple cadence and timbre of a sentence, a paragraph, the way a whole essay lilts and skips. She is not one of the most important female essayists of her generation. She is one of the most important essayists of her generation. Incendiary, indignant, and true -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *[A] trenchant collection of essays... an eloquent reminder that we still have some way to go when it comes to speaking of the issues Solnit raises -- Erica Wagner * Financial Times *Stark and powerful prose... Solnit is a compelling writer with a glorious turn of phrase -- Rosamund Urwin * Evening Standard *[These essays] are the thin edge of a continuum that reaches from the opening anecdote to the rape and murder statistics that she deploys to such devastating effect. Solnit's book does what the best feminist writing does: it makes me angry. And it makes me believe we can, and we must, fight for change -- Caroline Criado-Perez, feminist activistExceptional... The feminist debate has once again exploded into the mainstream over the last few years, and this collection marks Solnit out as among the most thoughtful of many energetic writers leading it -- Jessica Abrahams * Prospect *Essays on feminism from the consistently wonderful author of The Faraway Nearby. Anything she writes is a must-read * Bookseller *Solnit is a brilliant essayist... A highly enjoyable and thought-provoking read -- Patrick Neale * Bookseller *A necessary read... Solnit writes powerfully * Flavourwire *Essential reading for anyone - feminist or not, male or female - who wants to fight for equality across all fronts * Gazette, Western Mail, Swindon Advertiser and Leicester Mercury *The essays fiercely confront crime against women... Solnit has a voice of fearless and provocative asperity; she launches a quiverful of aphoristic arrows -- Stevie Davies * Independent *A revolt championing the cause of women... [Solnit's] work feels both timeless and timely. She argues persuasively, is often funny and is articulate to a fault... [her] writing is its own victory and revolt. An incendiary, inquiring and important work -- Sinead Gleeson * Irish Times *Essential reading for anyone - feminist or not, male or female * Irish Examiner *The most clarifying, soothing and socially aware document I've read on the topic this year. Not to mention funny -- Lena Dunham 'Book of the year' * Wall Street Journal *

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Book SynopsisA detailed and fascinating journey to the roots of The Lord of the Rings, by award-winning Tolkien expert Professor Tom Shippey.The Road to Middle-Earth is a fascinating and accessible exploration of J.R.R.Tolkien's creativity and the sources of his inspiration. Tom Shippey shows in detail how Tolkien's professional background led him to write The Hobbit and how he created a work of timeless charm for millions of readers. He discusses the contribution of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales to Tolkien's great myth-cycle, showing how Tolkien's more complex' works can be read enjoyably and seriously by readers of his earlier books, and goes on to examine the remarkable 12-volume History of Middle-earth by Tolkien's son and literary heir Christopher Tolkien, which traces the creative and technical processes through which Middle-earth evolved. The core of the book, however, concentrates on The Lord of the Rings as a linguistic and cultural map, as a twisted web of a story, and as a response to the inner meaning of myth and poetry.By following the routes of Tolkien's own obsessions the poetry of languages and myth The Road to Middle-earth shows how Beowulf, The Lord of the Rings, Grimm's Fairy Tales, the Elder Edda and many other works form part of a live and continuing tradition of literature. It takes issue with many basic premises of orthodox criticism and offers a new approach to Tolkien, to fantasy, and to the importance of language in literature.This new edition is revised and expanded, and includes a previously unpublished lengthy analysis of Peter Jackson's film adaptations and their effect on Tolkien's work.Trade Review“Shippey’s exploration of Tolkien’s themes, especially the nature of evil, is superb” Independent “Shippey’s research seems limitless. He writes with unusual clarity and presents his arguments well” Sunday Times “Shippey deepens your understanding of the work without making you forget your initial, purely instinctive response to Middle-earth and hobbits” Houston Chronicle

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Book SynopsisWhen barefoot running guru Christopher McDougall takes in a neglected donkey, his aim is to get Sherman back to reasonable health. But Sherman is ill-tempered, obstinate and uncooperative - and it's clear his poor treatment has made him deeply fearful of humans. Christopher knows that donkeys need a purpose - they are working, pack animals - and so when he learns of the sport of Burro Racing or running with donkeys, he sets out to give Sherman something worth living for. With the aid of Christopher's menagerie on his farm in rural Pennsylvania, his wife Mika and their friends and neighbours including the local Amish population, Sherman begins to build trust in Christopher. To give him a purpose, they start to run together. But what Sherman gains in confidence and meaning is something we all need: a connection with nature, the outdoors, with movement. And as Christopher learns, the side benefits of exercise and animal contact are surprising, helping with mental and physical health in unexpected ways.Trade ReviewFrom the first page to the last, Running with Sherman is a delight, full of heart and hijinks and humour. I quickly fell in love with Sherman and the colorful cast of two- and four-legged characters that surrounded him. Christopher McDougall is a gifted storyteller who gets to the heart of the human-animal connection. -- John Grogan, author of Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst DogPraise for Born to Run: Part how-to manual, part scientific treatise but throughout a ripping yarn, this book will inspire everyone who reads it to think on their feet. * Independent *A fascinating and true adventure story, destined to become a classic -- Ranulph FiennesNot just a book for runners, but for anyone who has dreamed of venturing beyond their comfort zone -- Tim ButcherA really phenomenal book -- Jon StewartPraise for Natural Born Heroes: 'A fascinating edifice of ideas ... But the pleasures of the book are as much to do with the fascinating panoply of characters, war heroes all, British, Commonwealth and Cretan, whose exploits contributed so much to Hitler's downfall. * Independent *An undeniably ripping yarn. One for sofa surfers and adventurers alike. * Independent on Sunday *A marvellously eclectic book ... the perfect tonic for the paunchy, jaded He-Man in your life and comatose inner heroes everywhere * the Times *

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Book Synopsis**Soon to be a major film starring Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner - Girl Who Fell From the Sky**On December 24th 1971, the teenage Juliane boarded the packed flight in Peru to meet her father for Christmas. She and her mother fought to get some of the last seats available and felt thankful to have made the flight. The LANSA airplane flew into a heavy thunderstorm and went down in dense Amazon jungle hundreds of miles from civilization.She fell two miles from the sky, still strapped to her plane seat, into the jungle. She was the sole survivor among the 92 passengers, which included her mother. Juliane's unexplainable survival has been called a modern-day miracle.With incredible courage, instinct and ingenuity, she crawled and walked alone for 11 days in the green hell of the Amazon. She survived using the skills she'd learned in assisting her parents on their research trips into the jungle before coming across a loggers hut, and, with it, safety. Now she tells her fascinating story for the first time and shares not only the private moments of her survival and rescue but her inspiring life in the wake of the disaster.Trade ReviewShe did not leave the airplane, the airplane left her. -- Werner Herzog, director of Grizzly ManJuliane Koepcke writes compellingly of the crash and her unusual childhood * Financial Times (DE) *Exhilaratingly written. * Express (DE) *Her memoir is a gripping account of a harrowing adventure and an inspiring life. * Publishers Weekly *Her account of the 11-day trek is enthralling. In shock and suffering from injuries, she made it to a river s edge without her eyeglasses, wearing just a minidress and one sandal. It was rainy season, so there was no fruit to eat. She was either freezing or boiling, set upon by bugs. She contended with stingrays, snakes, king vultures and caimans. Eventually, local woodcutters found her and mistook her for a water goddess. Brought to safety, she became an international icon of hope. * Maclean's Magazine *

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Book Synopsis''Meanwhile, let us have a sip of tea. The afternoon glow is brightening the bamboos, the fountains are bubbling with delight, the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle.''In this charming book from 1906, Okakura explores Zen, Taoism, Tea Masters and the significance of the Japanese tea ceremony.One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics'' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants.

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Edward Stanford Travel Book of the Year 2025Financial TimesRaynor Winn

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Book Synopsis*A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*''Moving and powerful. Should be essential reading for mental health professionals and anyone with autism in their lives.'' - FERN BRADY, author of Strong Female Character''This book will bring so many readers self-recognition and comfort.'' - DEVON PRICE, author of Unmasking Autism''Vulnerable, affecting and deeply personal.'' - Elle McNicoll, bestselling author''A brilliant, thorough exploration of autistic experience, delivered with humanity, compassion and vivid clarity.'' - Pete Wharmby, author of UntypicalTo the outside world, Emily looks like a typical girl, with a normal family, living an ordinary life. But inside, Emily does not feel typical, and the older she gets, the more she realises that she is different.As she finally discovers when she is 16, Emily is autistic. Girl Unmasked is the extraordinary story of how she got there - and how she very nearly didn''t. Still only 21, Emily writes with startling candour about the years leading up to her diagnosis. How books and imagination became her refuge as she sought to escape the increasing anxiety and unbearable stresses of school life; how her OCD almost destroyed her; how a system which did not understand autism let her down; and how she came so close to the edge that she and her family thought she would never survive.In this simple but powerful memoir, we see how family and friends became her lifeline and how, post-diagnosis, Emily came to understand her authentic self and begin to turn her life around, eventually becoming a mental health nurse with a desire to help others where she herself had once been failed.Ultimately uplifting, Girl Unmasked is a remarkable insight into what it can be like to be autistic - and shows us that through understanding and embracing difference we can all find ways to thrive.Sunday Times bestseller in week of 08/04/2024.

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A BARACK OBAMA SUMMER PICKA rollicking, revelatory look at the tumult of the early 1990s and the rise of a new, more berserk America that birthed the Donald Trump EraWhen the Clock Broke is leagues more insightful on the subject of Trump's ascent than most writing that purports to address the issue directly' Washington PostA fascinating, provocative challenge to our age passionate, unexpected, illuminating' Rory StewartWith the Soviet Union extinct, Saddam Hussein defeated and US power at its zenith, the early 1990s promised a kinder, gentler America'. It didn't work out that way. Instead, it was a period of punishing economic hardship, rising anger and domestic strife, setting the tone for the polarization and resurgent extremism we know today.In this original and often hilarious book, John Ganz narrates the fall of the Reagan order and the rise of a new kind of paranoid politics: how a group of con men and conspiracists declared a culture war on liberal elites, rejected globalism' and called for a populist basedpresidency'. Trumpism was struggling to be born.A rollicking exposé of the end of the post-World War II order, this book shows the advent of a new, more berserk America.Terrific . . . When the Clock Broke is one of those rarest of books: unflaggingly entertaining while never losing sight of its moral core' New York TimesOne of the Washington Post's 10 Best Books of 2024One of the New York Times' 100 Notable Books of 2024Longlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award 2024

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Book Synopsis''This is a riveting book, with as much to say about the transformation of modern life in the information age as about its supernaturally gifted and driven subject'' - Telegraph Based on more than forty interviews with Steve Jobs conducted over two years - as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues - this is the acclaimed, internationally bestselling biography of the ultimate icon of inventiveness. Walter Isaacson tells the story of the rollercoaster life and searingly intense personality of creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies,music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. Although Jobs cooperated with this book, he asked for no control over what was written, nor even the right to read it before it was published. He put nothing off limits. He encouraged the people he knew to speak honestly. And Jobs speaks candidly, sometimes brutally so, about the people he worked with and competed against. His friends, foes, and colleagues provide an unvarnished view of the passions, perfectionism, obsessions, artistry, devilry, and compulsion for control that shaped his approach to business and the innovative products that resulted.Trade ReviewThe attention to detail is astounding, and this is an encyclopaedic record of Jobs's life right up to his battle against cancer and death . . . a fitting legacy to a flawed genius - Evening StandardIsaacson has done an outstanding job. He keeps a sturdily detached perspective about Jobs' many eccentricities. His biographer has written a captivating account of this digital visionary whose products have enthralled millions of people - SpectatorThis is a riveting book, with as much to say about the transformation of modern life in the information age as about its supernaturally gifted and driven subject - TelegraphA must read - Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisWhen Alice Jolly's second child was stillborn and all subsequent attempts to have another baby failed, she began to consider every possible option, no matter how unorthodox.Shot through with humour and full of hope, Dead Babies and Seaside Towns is an intensely personal account of the search for an alternative way to create a family. As she battles through miscarriage, IVF and failed adoption attempts, Alice finds comfort in the faded charm of Britain's crumbling seaside towns. The journey ultimately leads her and her husband to a small town in Minnesota, and to two remarkable women who offer to make the impossible possible.In this beautifully written book, Alice Jolly describes with a novelist's skill the events that many others have lived through – even if they may feel compelled to keep them hidden. Her decision not to hide but to share them, without a trace of self-pity, turns Dead Babies and Seaside Towns into a universal story: one that begins in tragedy but ends in joy.Trade Review 'The miracle is that this powerfully written book is not only bearable but compulsively readable. It should be grim but it is absolutely not. Jolly's resolute determination to tell the whole, exhausting truth, however searing, emotional, unfashionable, unpalatable or savagely humorous, keeps is turning the pages, well into the night, and cheering her on' Financial Times 'Her account is astonishingly moving and her prose nothing short of hypnotic' Independent 'Beautifully written and brutally honest' Sunday Times 'So beautifully written that you can't stop reading' Woman and Home 'Alice's writing is so precise and courageous it transforms her grief into a deeply powerful sense of hope and defiance' Rowan Pelling 'Painful but also funny, hopeful and ultimately joyful. A really honest account of womanhood and motherhood' The Pool

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Book Synopsis''Do I wish to keep up with the times? No. My wish simply is to live my life as fully as I can''The great American poet, novelist and environmental activist argues for a life lived slowly.Penguin Modern: fifty new books celebrating the pioneering spirit of the iconic Penguin Modern Classics series, with each one offering a concentrated hit of its contemporary, international flavour. Here are authors ranging from Kathy Acker to James Baldwin, Truman Capote to Stanislaw Lem and George Orwell to Shirley Jackson; essays radical and inspiring; poems moving and disturbing; stories surreal and fabulous; taking us from the deep South to modern Japan, New York''s underground scene to the farthest reaches of outer space.

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES BUSINESS BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR THE FT AND MCKINSEY BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2019''Reads more like a delicious page-turning novel...Put it on your holiday gift list for your favourite hedge-fund honcho'' Bloomberg''A compelling read'' Economist''Captivating'' New York Times book reviewJim Simons is the greatest moneymaker in modern financial history. His record bests those of legendary investors, including Warren Buffett, George Soros and Ray Dalio. Yet Simons and his strategies are shrouded in mystery. The financial industry has long craved a look inside Simons''s secretive hedge fund, Renaissance Technologies and veteran Wall Street Journal reporter Gregory Zuckerman delivers the goods.After a legendary career as a mathematician and a stint breaking Soviet codes, Simons set out to conquer financial markets with a radical approach. Simons hired physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists - most of whom knew little about finance - to amass piles of data and build algorithms hunting for the deeply hidden patterns in global markets. Experts scoffed, but Simons and his colleagues became some of the richest in the world, their strategy of creating mathematical models and crunching data embraced by almost every industry today.As Renaissance became a major player in the financial world, its executives began exerting influence on other areas. Simons became a major force in scientific research, education and Democratic politics, funding Hilary Clinton''s presidential campaign. While senior executive Robert Mercer is more responsible than anyone else for the Trump presidency - he placed Steve Bannon in the campaign, funded Trump''s victorious 2016 effort and backed alt-right publication Breitbart. Mercer also impacted the success of the Brexit campaign as he made significant investments in Cambridge Anatlytica. For all his prescience, Simons failed to anticipate how Mercer''s activity would impact his firm and the world.In this fast-paced narrative, Zuckerman examines how Simons launched a quantitative revolution on Wall Street, and reveals the impact that Simons, the quiet billionaire king of the quants, has had on worlds well beyond finance.Trade ReviewSo compelling, filled with so many fascinating characters and new information... The book reads more like a delicious page-turning novel... Destined to become an instant classic...my nominee for financial book of the year * Barry Ritholtz, Bloomberg *A terrific book, a terrific read... I recommend it highly... It's a hell of a story * Lou Dobbs, Tonight, Fox News *Tells a surprisingly captivating story. It turns out that a firm like Renaissance, filled with nerdy academics trying to solve the market's secrets, is way more interesting than your typical greed-is-good hedge fund * Joe Nocera, New York Times *Gregory Zuckerman lifts the lid on the most fascinating man in financial markets...superb reporting * Robin Wigglesworth, Financial Times *Zuckerman brings the reader so close to the firm's inner workings that you can almost catch a whiff of the billionaire's Merit cigarette * Brandon Kochkodin, Bloomberg *A gripping biography of investment game changer Jim Simons... readers looking to understand how the economy got where it is should eat this up * Publishers Weekly *Worthwhile reading for budding plutocrats and numerate investors alike * Kirkus *Zuckerman vividly tells the story of how Jim Simons and his team of scientists developed the most successful quantitative trading operation in history. . . . Immensely enjoyable * Edward O. Thorp, author of A Man for All Markets *An extremely well-written and engaging book . . . a must read, and a fun one at that * Mohamed A. El-Erian, author of The Only Game in Town *Leave it to the Wall Street Journal's Greg Zuckerman to lay open the golden mysteries of quantitative investing. With this fine, humane, and eye-opening book, he's well and truly broken the code * James Grant, Grant’s Interest Rate Observer *The fascinating, page-turning tale of a complicated man and the movement he started, rendered in accessible prose and full of bravura storytelling * Gary Shteyngart, author of Lake Success *One of Inc.com's Top 20 Business and Leadership Books of the Year 2019 * Inc.com *A compelling read * the Economist *

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Book SynopsisThroughout my life I have achieved many remarkable things. In Screw It, Let''s Do It, I will share with you my ideas and the secrets of my success, but not simply because I hope they''ll help you achieve your individual goals. Today we are increasingly aware of the effects of our actions on the environment, and I strongly believe that we each have a responsibility, as individuals and organisations, to do no harm. I will draw on Gaia Capitalism to explain why we need to take stock of how we may be damaging the environment, and why it is up to big companies like Virgin to lead the way in a more holistic approach to business. In Screw It, Let''s Do It I''ll be looking forwards to the future. A lot has changed since I founded Virgin in 1968, and I''ll explain how I intend to take my business and my ideas to the next level and the new and exciting areas - such as launching Virgin Fuels - into which Virgin is currently moving. But I have also brought toget

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Book SynopsisA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From the National Book Award-winning author of Just Kids 'Magical' GUARDIAN 'A gripping tale of the search for meaning in times of turbulence - expressed with Smith’s signature poetic flair' VOGUE 'Extraordinary ... A tense, teasing mix of reality and dream' SUNDAY TIMES 'Her willingness to look closely at life’s closing chapters makes for a magical book' WASHINGTON POST, 'The 10 books to read in September' Following a run of New Year’s concerts at San Francisco’s legendary Fillmore, Patti Smith finds herself tramping the coast of Santa Cruz, about to embark on a year of solitary wandering. Unfettered by logic or time, she draws us into her private wonderland, with no design yet heeding signs, including a talking sign that looms above her, prodding and sparring like the Cheshire Cat. In February, a surreal lunar year begins, bringing with it unexpected turns, heightened mischief, and inescapable sorrow. In a stranger’s words, “Anything is possible: after all, it’s the year of the monkey.” For Patti Smith - inveterately curious, always exploring, tracking thoughts, writing the year evolves as one of reckoning with the changes in life’s gyre: with loss, aging, and a dramatic shift in the political landscape of America. Smith melds the Western landscape with her own dreamscape. Taking us from Southern California to the Arizona desert; to a Kentucky farm as the amanuensis of a friend in crisis; to the hospital room of a valued mentor; and by turns to remembered and imagined places - this haunting memoir blends fact and fiction with poetic mastery. The unexpected happens; grief and disillusionment. But as Patti Smith heads toward a new decade in her own life, she offers this balm to the reader: her wisdom, wit, gimlet eye, and above all, a rugged hope of a better world. Riveting, elegant, often humorous, illustrated by Smith’s signature Polaroids, Year of the Monkey is a moving and original work, a touchstone for our turbulent times.Trade ReviewBoth mundane and magical … Moves constantly between reverie and memory … Portents and symbols lurk in unexpected places, and everyday objects become freighted with meaning … A reflection both on mortality and of the times in which Smith finds herself, but rich in detail * Guardian *A gripping tale of the search for meaning in times of turbulence - expressed with Smith’s signature poetic flair * Vogue *A moving account of the emotional stumbles, physical and intellectual wanderings and deep losses Smith experienced in her 70th year * Independent *Some rock stars shut themselves away from life, but Smith’s engagement with the world only deepens, as this dreamy memoir shows * Daily Telegraph *Extraordinary … A tense, teasing mix of reality and dream … It’s a drifter’s book, in time, space and the imagination * Sunday Times *A picaresque voyage through her dreams and life as she faced 70, dealing with flashes of “sorrow’s vertigo” as she remembers all the loves and rock contemporaries who are gone, with a kaleidoscope of references from “Mr. Robot” to Marcus Aurelius to Martin Beck mysteries to Maria Callas’s Medea -- Maureen Dowd * International New York Times *A profoundly beautiful book, poetic in its prose and metaphysical in its meaning, it’s quite a stunning read * Financial Times *The narrating voice is the voice of Smith's music, twisting between the incantations of a priestess and laconic poetry … There is plenty of wonderful in this small, sly, mystic book * Spectator *A beatnik Alice in Wonderland, measured out in black coffee and Polaroids, it’s full of quiet puzzles, small epiphanies, more little clues how to live * Q Magazine *Arresting … Diverting and often unexpected, fresh and diverting * Literary Review *A profoundly lyrical, digressive mapping of her fame-and-family decades … This third memoir finds Smith unhomed, at times almost unhinged, as she does her utmost to ward off those Beaten Generation blues * Mojo *Elegiac … A strikingly intimate portrait of a woman growing older and missing those who are no longer with us but remaining wide awake to the world and hopeful for its future * Sunday Express *A melancholy mood and poetic language distinguish Smith’s third memoir * BBC *Poet and performer Smith’s latest memoir zooms in tight ... Her willingness to look closely at life’s closing chapters makes for a magical book * Washington Post, 'The 10 books to read in September' *Lovely ... a slim volume [with a] minor-key melancholy * Entertainment Weekly *Patti Smith’s brilliant new memoir about love, loss and growing older … I’m already captivated by her poetic prose * Daily Mirror *Smith’s grace and erudite philosophy is a welcome balm in these times * Town & Country *Smith’s reflections on a wrenching yet grace-filled year are elegiac, vital, and magical. … Smith’s large, loyal following will seek out this spellbinding memoir, just as they embraced Just Kids (2010) and M Train (2015) * Booklist *Luminous ... Smith casts a mesmerizing spell with exquisite prose * Publishers Weekly *This is the modern-day Patti Smith: older, wiser, seeing the world, and reporting it all back to us in only the way she can. You can’t read this and not feel inspired after you put it down * Inside Hook *An incantatory, ambulatory travelogue * New Statesman *Captivating ... Redemptive * Kirkus *She weaves the threads of her thoughts and past relationships together, creating a dreamy memoir on the passage of time and our changing world * Wanderlust *One of the great diarists of her, or any other time, with an exquisite voice which manages to somehow transform even the most ordinary event into something otherworldly … An enchanting hitchhike through 2016 … Every occurrence sears into the reader’s psyche in vivid detail … Time spent in the company of Patti is always a pleasure * Classic Pop *A rock-star prophetess … Meditative, messy, poignant, deeply personal, allusive, occasionally bombastic and, crucially, still defiant, Year of the Monkey is a mercurial fusion of the mundane and visionary that only an unconquerable spirit like Patti Smith could write * Herald *She can find artistic endeavour in the mundane; or bone-deep comfort in a cup of black coffee and a cinnamon doughnut … Incredibly moving … As much a glimpse of a troubled year in Patti’s life, as a portal into our own * Record Collector *

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Book SynopsisAn intimate and inspiring collection of letters revealing some of the greatest queer love stories in history "What this charming, moving and fascinating collection proves is that the [letter] form itself - a scribbled note, a declaration of love, an outpouring of passion, a bitter word - has always been with us." - Mark Gatiss A good love letter can speak across centuries, and reassure us that the agony and the ecstasy one might feel today have been shared by lovers long gone. InThe Love That Dares, queer love speaks its name through a wonderful selection of surviving letters between lovers and friends, confidants and companions. Alongside the more famous names coexist beautifully written letters by lesser-known lovers. Together, they weave a narrative of queer love through the centuries, through the romantic, often funny, and always poignant words of those who lived it.Including letters written by: John Cage Audre Lorde Benjamin Britten Lorraine Hansberry Walt Whitman Vita Sackville-West Radclyffe Hall Allen Ginsberg

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Book SynopsisHow gratitude can get the life you really want...''Gratitude is your soul''s superfood, but cheaper than goji berries, and twice as good for you. I like to think of it as mindfulness for cynics or the gateway drug to spirituality. It''s a very tangible thing you can do everyday that will shift your focus to what you have rather than pining and obsessing over what you don''t have. Away from a state of lack into limitless abundance...''So what happens when we stop taking things for granted and start putting some grá* into our gratitude? When we consciously turn our heads and hearts to what we have and focus on the good? In Joy Rider, television presenter and host of the podcast Thanks A Million, Angela Scanlon, presents her guide to tapping into your own natural super resource - joy.This book is an invitation to embrace the kind of gratitude that cuts through the bulls**t of life to its truth, connecting us with the present and grounding

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Book SynopsisThe biography of Carlos Slim, one of the richest people of all time, is not just the tale of the first man from a developing country to ever reach the top of the Forbes list of billionaires. It is the story of a character who represents the neoliberal mentality of our times, who mistrusts politicians, believes that the market is the most efficient mechanism for everything (even to combat corruption), and sees philanthropy as a social investment with businesses as the exclusive form of collective wealth.In this new book, produced through years of thorough investigation, Osorno examines this symbol of twenty-first-century capitalism and of Mexico. Similar surreal dimensions lead Osorno to openly ask whether a man as rich as him can also be a good person.Trade Review“One of the world’s best reporters tells the story of Carlos Slim, Mexico’s richest person, and the first from a developing country to make it to the top of the Forbes list. Osorno tells a remarkable tale of how the child of Lebanese immigrants slowly put together an empire that stretches from airlines to telecoms and health care.” —John Freeman, Editor of Freeman’s and author of The Undoing “Piercing the veil of secrecy surrounding one of world’s richest and most private businessmen was never going to be straightforward. In the end it took eight years, more than one hundred interviews, four hundred rejections, and oodles of patience to write the most comprehensive biography of Carlos Slim to date.”—Nina Lakhani, Guardian “After years of investigative journalism with access to confidential files and more than a hundred interviews, Diego Osorno condenses all the details of life that made Carlos Slim the richest billionaire in the world … This book includes the truth about the political, social and historical influence of the entrepreneur with his direct testimony and anecdotes about his peculiar financial maneuvers.” —Vice News “Sophisticated in some things, simple in others, proactive in certain subjects and puerile elsewhere, cosmopolitan and also deeply provincial—a multifaceted portrait emerges from this unforgettable book. Throughout the book, Diego Osorno does not condemn nor glorify but he does expose … This book will lead to an essential discussion about how Mexico creates Slim-style billionaires, about inequality, about influence, about business ethics. And about the legacy of a man with a fortune of $77.1 billion.” —Denise Dresser, La Reforma

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Book Synopsis*INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**NO. 1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*Extraordinary' The ObserverA stupefyingly pleasurable book to read' New YorkerLewis's storytelling is as good as ever' The EconomistFrom the #1 bestselling author of The Big Short and Flash Boys, the high-octane story of the enigmatic figure at the heart of one of the 21st century''s most spectacular financial collapses''I asked him how much it would take for him to sell FTX and go do something other than make money. He thought the question over. One hundred and fifty billion dollars, he finally said-though he added that he had use for infinity dollars...''Sam Bankman-Fried wasn''t just rich. Before he turned thirty he''d become the world''s youngest billionaire, making a record fortune in the crypto frenzy. CEOs, celebrities and world leaders vied for his time. At one point he conside

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 'A heartbreaking, beautifully written book. A classic for sure' Claire Tomalin, GuardianExtraordinary true stories of those who lived in East Germany. Travel through the remains of East Germany with Anna Funder as she meets the people who lived in the GDR before the fall of the wall. There is Miriam, condemned as an enemy of the state at sixteen. She hears the heartbreaking story of Frau Paul, who was separated from her young baby by the Berlin Wall. And she gets drunk with the legendary 'Mik Jegger' of the East, a man once declared by the authorities - to his face - to no longer exist. Then she meets the Stasi themselves - men and women who spied on their families and friends - people who, despite everything, are still loyal to the vanished regime and who long for the return of Communism. Stasiland is a gripping portrait of the horror and the absurdities of state oppression. In a world of total surveillance, its celebration of resilience and resistance is as potent as ever. 'A brilliant and necessary book about oppression and history ... Here is someone who knows how to tell the truth' Rachel Cusk 'Superb... Funder skillfully deploys fictional techniques to make the material jump off the page... Vividly conveyed [with] flashes of humour too' Independent on Sunday

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Book SynopsisBump to Birthday - a beautifully designed, colour illustrated, combined pregnancy and first year baby journal - will inspire any parent-to-be to capture the unique story of the journey of pregnancy and baby's precious first year. During pregnancy Bump to Birthday provides week- by-week information on the developing bump and provides prompts to enable parents to tell their own remarkable story and record unique, unrepeatable experiences. The pregnancy journey, hopes and dreams, the birthing experience, and all the special moments with the new baby - from first movements to first smile, first Christmas to first birthday - with spaces for photos and scan images, will all be treasured forever in one beautiful journal.

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Book Synopsis‘Riveting . . . Honnold is neither crazy nor reckless. Alone on the Wall reveals him to be an utterly unique and extremely appealing young man’ - Jon Krakauer, bestselling author of Into the Wild.This updated edition contains the account of Alex's El Capitan climb, which is the subject of the Oscar and BAFTA winning documentary, Free Solo. Alex Honnold is one of the world's best ‘free solo’ climbers, he scales impossible rock faces without ropes, pitons or any support of any kind. Exhilarating, brilliant and dangerous, there is a purity to Alex's climbs that is easy to comprehend, but also impossible to fathom; in the last forty years, only a handful of climbers have pushed themselves as far, ‘free soloing’ to the absolute limit of human capabilities. Half of them are dead. From Yosemite's famous Half Dome to the frighteningly difficult El Sendero Luminoso in Mexico, Alone on the Wall explores Alex's seven most extraordinary climbing achievements so far. These are tales to make your palms sweat and your feet curl with vertigo. Together, they get to the heart of how – and why – Alex does what he does. Exciting, uplifting and truly awe-inspiring, Alone on the Wall is a book about the essential truth of being free to pursue your passions and the ability to maintain a singular focus, even in the face of mortal danger.Trade Review[Honnold] is the foremost practitioner of the dark art of free solo rock climbing - ascending extremely difficult cliffs hundreds, sometimes thousands, of feet tall without ropes or protection hardware of any kind. That is every bit as stupefying as it sounds * Wall Street Journal *Riveting . . . Honnold is neither crazy nor reckless. Alone on the Wall reveals him to be an utterly unique and extremely appealing young man -- Jon Krakauer, bestselling author of Into the Wild.Honnold has free-soloed the longest, most challenging climbs ever. Most peculiar of all, even to elite rock climbers, Honnold does this without apparent fear, as if falling were not possible. * New York Times *Alex Honnold spends his life cheating death * New York Times Magazine *Honnold here recounts his ascents on some of the world's most dangerous rock walls. You'll come away questioning his sanity for choosing this controversial sport…but it's also impossible not to feel awe * People *Honnold blows wide open any conventional understanding of the term 'comfort zone' . . . He engagingly conveys his love of climbing -- Barbara J. King, NPRAlone on the Wall is set to inspire multitudes [of climbers]. With his off-the-charts abilities and laconic, whip-smart, no-B.S. persona, Honnold has made climbing cool * Men's Health *[Honnold's] ability to connect with a larger audience and bring a humble perspective to his many accomplishments makes him a great ambassador to the sport . . . Reading the vivid descriptions captured by Honnold and Roberts will surely cover the book's pages in a fine layer of palm sweat * Gripped Magazine *The world's most daring free climber * The Times *

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Book SynopsisA bold graphic novel adaptation of Lauren Tarshis''s bestselling I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79, with text adapted by Georgia Ball and art by Dave Shephard.The beast beneath the mountain is restless...No one in the bustling city of Pompeii worries when the ground trembles beneath their feet. The beast under the mountain Vesuvius, high above the city, wakes up angry sometimes -- and always goes back to sleep.But Marcus is afraid. He knows something is terribly wrong -- and his father, who trusts science more than mythical beasts, agrees. When Vesuvius explodes into a huge cloud of ash and rocks that fall from the sky like rain, will they have time to escape -- and survive the epic destruction of Pompeii?Lauren Tarshis''s New York Times bestselling I Survived series comes to vivid life in graphic novel editions. Perfect for readers who prefer the graphic novel format, or for existing fans of the I Survived ch

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Book SynopsisThe exhilarating true story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel, and inspire a “wave of confidence and emancipation” for women in sports (Parade).By age twenty, at the height of the Jazz Age, Trudy Ederle was the most accomplished swimmer in the world.Trade Review“Great storytelling. . .Stout’s moving book recovers the exhilarating story of a young girl who found her true self out in the water and paved the way for women in sports today." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Glenn Stout brings the women’s sports pioneer back to life with an engaging, deeply researched account.” — Sports Illustrated "A great summer read." — New Yorker “Stout adeptly traces the history of swimming and Ederle’s significance in it. Whether recounting the origins of modern strokes or the geological formation of the English Channel, the author is comprehensive in his research. His blow-by-blow accounts of Ederle’s two attempts to cross from Cape Gris-Nez, France to Dover, England, demonstrate his engaging style… saturated with thrills and melodrama. A compelling account of a woman who, though long forgotten, changed the way the world viewed swimming.” — Kirkus Reviews "Young Woman and the Sea is the story of Gertrude Ederle’s epic swim across the English Channel interwoven with a sweeping and glimmering history of swimming. These were the good old days when open water swimmers were sex symbols, pioneers of the sport, and leaders of social change. For anyone who loves the water, or has a big dream—this is the book to read!" — Lynne Cox, author of Swimming to Antarctica and Grayson "Too often, looking at America through its sports, and vice versa, results in a distorted view of both of them. In Glenn Stout's account of Trudy Ederle and the English Channel, we have a clear and honest mirror. Young Woman and the Sea is a first-rate piece of social history, and a tale told, well, swimmingly." — Charles P. Pierce, author of Idiot America and Moving the Chains

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Book Synopsis''Arresting and vivid, raw and breathtaking...told with stunning originality'' DOLLY ALDERTON, author of EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT LOVE''Annie Lord tells us a story at once both specific and universal'' SHON FAYE, author of THE TRANSGENDER ISSUE''An electrifying debut'' CAROLINE O''DONOGHUE, author of THE RACHEL INCIDENTDark, fierce and raw, Notes on Heartbreak is a love story told in reverse...Reeling from a broken heart, Annie Lord revisits the past - from the moment she first fell in love, the shared in-jokes and intertwining of a long-term relationship, to the months that saw the slow erosion of a bond five years in the making. Charting her attempts to move on, Annie explores the ups and downs of being newly single, from disastrous rebound sex to sending ill-advised nudes, stalking your ex''s new girlfriend on Instagram and the sharp indignity of being ghosted.Trade ReviewIt's good, all of this - nearly everyone knows the specific, towering grief of being walked out on by the person whose limbs they woke up tangled in in the morning, but few write about it so directly, so unblinkingly. * The Times *A book on love and loss to get the emotions (read: tears) flowing. One of this summer's most anticipated books * Bustle *She writes about intimacy in a way that's relatable, poetic and makes you think that maybe your own heartbreaks are really as quietly earth-shattering as you thought they were... It's a sparkling and deliciously indulgent read which gets right into your chest and stays with you afterwards. It's someone else's story, but it will make you think about your own. * VICE *The book is cleverly structured and written with unflinching honesty * THE IRISH TIMES *Annie Lord's unhinged but unflinchingly honest memoir delivers up some relatable introspection when it comes to love and loss, ripe for exploring one of the most universal experiences in humanity * REFINERY29 *A deep meditation on the anguish of a modern heartbreak, where Lord's unique writing helps the emotions fly * The Candid Bookclub, The Guardian *Annie Lord released her debut book in 2022 and, if you've ever been through a breakup, it's sure to get you in your feels. This release charts the ups and downs of a long-term relationship and explores the ways it slowly began to come apart - all with a precise, unsparing eye. * COSMOPOLITAN *An unflinching and raw exploration of a relationship and its ending, taking in all the joy, pain and messiness of being in love * SHEERLUXE *Your perception of love, life and starting afresh will be altered for the better * The I Paper *It's painful, cathartic and beautifully written - The Best Books of 2022 * TIME OUT *Vogue dating columnist Annie Lord's debut, Notes on Heartbreak, is a visceral yet funny recollection of the breakdown of her five-year-relationship, told in her distinctive, lyrical style . . . It's difficult to write about experiences as complex as love and heartbreak without sounding either cheesy or melodramatic, but somehow, Lord nails it. Anyone who's ever been unceremoniously dumped will find themselves furiously underlining the book's most resonant passages * The Best Books of 2022 - DAZED *Raw and beautifully tender * Suitcase Magazine *Annie Lord's visceral exploration of love and heartbreak will resonate with us all. * STYLIST *The debut book from Vogue's dating columnist is heartbreaking, touching, funny - and one to be shared around all your friends who despair about modern dating, whether they're recovering from heartbreak or not * GRAZIA *Notes On Heartbreak is a seamless transition from columns to books for Annie Lord, who maintains her magnetic writing style over a longer form . . . Watch out for people crying, laughing and reciting passages to friends and family, as they cling to this book * THE HERALD *It is an unflinchingly honest reminder of the simultaneous joy and pain of being in love that will resonate with anyone that has ever nursed a broken heart * RTE Online *Free of pretence and painfully relatable for anyone who has ever dealt with heartbreak, this cathartic retelling acts as a reminder of the dichotomies of love - the euphoric highs and crushing lows - and its beautiful, messy realities * Luxury London *

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Book SynopsisLondon's most notorious gangsters, in their own words . . .The Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller.The Kray twins were Britain's most notorious gangsters. Ruling London's underworld for more than a decade, as gang lords they were among the most powerful and feared men in the city. Photographed by David Bailey and even interviewed for television, they became celebrities in their own right and are infamous to this day.Ronnie and Reg's reign of terror ended on 8 March 1969 when they were sentenced to life with the recommendation that they serve at least thirty years. Ronnie ended his days in Broadmoor – his raging insanity only controlled by massive doses of drugs. Reg served almost three decades in some of Britain's toughest jails before being released on compassionate grounds in August 2000. He died of cancer eight months later.Compiled from a series of interviews with Fred Dinenage from behind prison walls, Our Story is the classic account that explodes the myths surrounding the Kray twins. In it, the twins set the record straight. In their own words they tell the full story of their brutal career of crime and their years behind bars.With an introduction from Fred Dinenage, this compelling, disturbing and highly readable book is the definitive story of two legendary criminals.

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Book SynopsisHave you ever wondered what it would be like to be given your own remote islands? Thirty years ago it happened to Adam Nicolson.Aged 21, Nicolson inherited the Shiants, three lonely Hebridean islands set in a dangerous sea off the Isle of Lewis. With only a stone bothy for accommodation and half a million puffins for company, he found himself in charge of one of the most beautiful places on earth.The story of the Shiants is a story of birds and boats, hermits and fishermen, witchcraft and catastrophe, and Nicolson expertly weaves these elements into his own tale of seclusion on the Shiants to create a stirring celebration of island life.Trade Review'Exceptionally well done, beautifully written, personal yet panoramic.' Observer 'An extraordinarily outward-looking book…a truly passionate attention to detail…. A love-letter no one else could hope to write so well.' Sunday Telegraph 'A passionate evocation, a compression of observation and anecdote which catches you up in its intelligence as well as its enthusiasm, and fill you with homesickness for a place you've never been to.' Daily Telegraph 'Generous, exuberant and a vividly written narrative…. history, travel-writing and memoir of the best sort.' Spectator 'Sharply observed, a finely written work, one to be savoured, turned over and over like a good whisky.' Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisFrom the acclaimed author of Rewild Yourself comes a brilliant book that reveals the natural joys to be discovered on your doorstep. In the autumn of 2020, Simon Barnes should have been leading a safari in Zambia, but Covid restrictions meant his plans had to be put on hold. Instead, he embarked on the only voyage of discovery that was still open to him. He walked to a folding chair at the bottom of his garden, and sat down. His itinerary: to sit in that very same spot every day for a year and to see - and hear - what happened all around him. It would be a stationary garden safari; his year of sitting dangerously had begun. For the next twelve months, he would watch as the world around him changed day by day. Gradually, he began to see his surroundings in a new way; by restricting himself, he opened up new horizons, growing even closer to a world he thought he already knew so well.The Year of Sitting Dangerously is a wond

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Book Synopsis''The next round in Billy''s fight is pain-racked, frank and reflective . . . an inspiring piece from a man who''s been to hell and back and has the scars to prove it''JOE COLE''Brutally honest, dark and disturbing. A book that tells of the reality of drugs and a failing prison system''NEIL SAMWORTH, author of Strangeways: A Prison Officer''s Story''Billy Moore writes with such a tragic authenticity that it kept me willing for him to succeed, even as I knew he was never too far from self-destruction. It''s his self-awareness that I admire - unflinching and brutal and also, it should be said, his wonderful way with words''Professor Emeritus DAVID WILSON, author of My Life with Murderers''His life may have had many ups and downs, but Billy is a wonderful example of never giving up''JAMES ENGLISH''A true story of forgiveness, not only learning to forgive others but also learning to forgive yourself. An incredibly emotional story about an incredible man who''s had an incredible journey''LIAM HARRISON''This time I am telling the story of my life both before prison in Thailand and what followed once I was back in the United Kingdom, my cancer diagnosis, more prison time and, finally, redemption. I am trying to understand aspects of my childhood that had a role in my eventual downward spiral into addiction, pain, misery and loss''BILLY MOOREBilly Moore spent three years in Klong Prem prison in Thailand, popularly known as the ''Bangkok Hilton'', where he witnessed acts of extreme violence and sexual assault. Eventually he found purpose through taking part in Muay Thai boxing tournaments in jail. Here, he found ''a wall of human community'' amongst the elite boxers and regained his sobriety.He was granted early release by the King of Thailand having excelled as a Muay Thai boxer in inter-prison tournaments. But back in the UK and a decade later - with his demons resurfacing - Billy''s past caught up with him. He was caught and convicted of a burglary and was despatched to HMP Walton under then home secretary Theresa May''s three-strikes rule. Billy has spent almost twenty-two years in various prisons, but since then, he has not only survived cancer, but also gone on to become a powerful advocate of boxing and anti-knife crime initiatives in the Liverpool area, training young boxers.A Prayer Before Dawn was made into a film directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire and starring Joe Cole, of Peaky Blinders'' fame. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017, but by the time it went on general release, Billy was back in prison in the UK.In this follow-up to Billy''s first international bestseller, an autobiography set largely in Thailand''s infamous prison system, Billy sets out to explore his experience of childhood abuse that would lead to a life of drug addiction and near-constant incarceration. After Billy''s sentence in Klong Prem prison was commuted as a result of his extraordinary success as a Muay Thai boxer, he returned to the UK.In this vividly told story, Liverpudlian Billy contrasts his first-hand experience of one of the cruellest prison systems in the world with his experience of UK prisons. The result is, in part, a shocking exposé of the inadequacy of care and the lack of humanity in British prisons. But Billy''s story is mainly one of rehabilitation, recovery and redemption. Rich in detail, honesty and humour, his book is a fast-paced, unputdownable read which shows how the human spirit can endure and eventually thrive.Trade ReviewThe next round in Billy's fight is pain-racked, frank and reflective . . . an inspiring piece from a man who's been to hell and back and has the scars to prove it. -- JOE COLEBilly Moore writes with such a tragic authenticity that it kept me willing for him to succeed, even as I knew he was never too far from self-destruction. It's his self-awareness that I admire - unflinching and brutal and also, it should be said, his wonderful way with words. -- Professor Emeritus David Wilson, author of My Life with MurderersBrutally honest, dark and disturbing. A book that tells of the reality of drugs and a failing prison system. -- NEIL SAMWORTH, author of Strangeways: A Prison Officer's StoryHis life may have had many ups and downs, but Billy is a wonderful example of never giving up. -- JAMES ENGLISHA true story of forgiveness, not only learning to forgive others but also learning to forgive yourself. An incredibly emotional story about an incredible man who's had an incredible journey. -- LIAM HARRISON

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Book Synopsis''Quietly powerful and a great help. Glorious'' Emma Thompson ''Women need solitude in order to find again the true essence of themselves.'' Holidaying by the sea, and taking inspiration from the shells she finds on the seashore, Anne Morrow Lindbergh meditates on youth and age, love and marriage, peace, solitude and contentment. First published in 1955 and an instant bestseller, Gift from the Sea''s insights into aspects of the modern world that threaten to overwhelm us, the complications of technology, the ever multiplying commitments that take us from our families - are as relevant today as they ever were, perhaps even more so.Trade ReviewRead it -- it will be one of your happiest discoveries * Sainsbury's Magazine *A modern classic * Good Book Guide *

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Book Synopsis''Extraordinary. A fabulous read'' SIMON SCHAMA''Wonderful. He writes with eloquence and wit'' NICHOLAS HYTNER''Fascinating'' EIMEAR McBRIDESimon Russell Beale is one of Britain''s most recognisable and well-loved actors. He has played many roles on stage, film, television and radio - ranging from Winston Churchill to Stalin, George Smiley to King Arthur. But ever since his appearance at school as a glamorous Desdemona, complete with false eyelashes that rendered him half-blind, he has been captivated by Shakespeare.In A Piece of Work, Russell Beale tries to get under the skin of the playwright and find out what interested him. Was Shakespeare an instinctive ''conservative'' or, rather, gently subversive? How collaborative was he? Did he add a line to Hamlet in order to accommodate his ageing and increasingly chubby principal actor, Richard Burbage? Did he suffer from insomnia and experience sexual jealousy? Russell Beale describes what it is to approach and live with some of Shakespeare''s most famous characters. Some of the actor''s inspiration comes from surprising sources. Watching Coronation Street gave him an idea for how Richard III might react on hearing of the death of the two Princes in the Tower; a visit to elderly patients in a local hospital gave him insights into King Lear''s descent into madness; and the memory of childhood family holidays led him to a spectacular plunge into an ornamental pool in Much Ado About Nothing.Funny and touching about his family, Russell Beale also writes fascinatingly about some of the supremely creative people he counts as his friends - including Sam Mendes, Nick Hytner, Stephen Sondheim and Lauren Bacall. A Piece of Work is a brilliant account of an actor''s life and work - and his relationship with our foremost dramatist.Shortlisted for the 2025 Theatre Book Award

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

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Book Synopsis'Brilliant interweaving of personal experience, imaginative musing and political clarity' Kate Mosse Virginia Woolf exposes the prejudices and constraints against which women writers struggled for centuries, and argues for a more equal literary establishment. This volume combines two books which were among the greatest contributions to feminist literature this century. Together they form a brilliant attack on sexual inequality. A Room of One's Own, first published in 1929, is a witty, urbane and persuasive argument against the intellectual subjection of women, particularly women writers. The sequel, Three Guineas, is a passionate polemic which draws a startling comparison between the tyrannous hypocrisy of the Victorian patriarchal system and the evils of fascism. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY HERMIONE LEETrade ReviewOne realises afresh the full meaning of originality, the magic of the mind which plays around concrete facts as though they were all spirit. And when it is finished it is with a renewed sense of zest and stimulus that one takes up life again and looks anew at objects which before were only ordinary. * Guardian *Brilliant interweaving of personal experience, imaginative musing and political clarity -- Kate MosseAchingly relevant -- Natasha Walter * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisMore than three decades after her election to Parliament, Diane Abbott is still racking up firsts. The first black woman elected to Parliament, she also recently became the first black person to represent their party at PMQs. Abbott came to fame in the 1980s as part of a new generation of Labour activists, quickly dubbed the 'loony left' by right-wing tabloids. Decades later she is still a divisive figure. Inside the Brexit echo chamber she is treated with unparalleled contempt. Yet for her supporters she is a trailblazer, someone who has remained true to her principles and her community after thirty years in 'the belly of the beast'. Based on interviews with her colleagues, her political opponents and friends from school and university, as well as extensive archival research, Diane Abbott: The Authorised Biography traces Abbott's path from London, via Cambridge University, through the media and radical politics into Parliament, and then to the top of Jeremy Corbyn's shadow Cabinet.Trade Review"Diane is a fearless trailblazer whose record of breaking down barriers, overcoming obstacles and fighting injustice is truly inspirational. When I entered Parliament, Diane was the only other black woman in the Commons, and I have had the honour and privilege of working alongside her in fighting for justice and equality over many years. I'm delighted that her amazing story is finally being showcased, and it is beautifully captured in this brilliant book." - Dawn Butler MP "When someone is talked about as much as Diane Abbott is, it's easy to assume you know everything about her. But after this compelling read many will find they knew little at all. Diane earned the title trailblazer long before she stepped into the political arena, and her achievements far exceed the frequent misrepresentations. In this meticulously researched political biography, the story of the first black woman elected to Parliament is not only brought to life, it's brought into context." - Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP "As this excellent biography shows, Diane's story is about staying power in the best traditions of the Caribbean community. Proud of her Jamaican working-class background, she made it to Cambridge, worked in media and the unions and was elected a councillor and MP. At every stage of her life she has defied the odds. She has suffered more racist abuse and vilification than anyone else but she always holds her principles and integrity aloft. An inspiration to this and succeeding generations!" - Jeremy Corbyn

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Book SynopsisAged fifteen, armed with a credit card stolen from his father, Jonny Oates ran away from home and boarded a plane to Addis Ababa. His plan? To save the Ethiopian people from the devastating 1985 famine. Discovering that demand for the assistance of unskilled fifteen-year-old English boys was limited, he swiftly learned that you can't change the world by pure force of will - a lesson that would prove invaluable in politics. I Never Promised You a Rose Garden charts Oates's journey from his darkest moments alone in Ethiopia, struggling with his sexuality and mental health, to the heart of Westminster, where, as Nick Clegg's chief of staff, he grapples with the compromises and concessions of coalition. Shot through with a captivating warmth and humour, this heart-stoppingly candid memoir reflects on the challenges of balancing idealism and pragmatism, illustrating how lasting change comes from working together rather than standing alone.

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Book SynopsisThe story of the legendary woman behind the famous couture brand ? the groundbreaking fashion, perfumes, handbags, perfumes ? is unveiled through a contemporary retelling in graphic novel form.From abandonment and poverty to influential friends and wealth, this independent, driven and fiercely determined woman created a whole new style and way of dressing, and changed fashion forever.The book tracks her early career as she advanced from a seamstress to an entrepreneur, borrowing from male fashions to combine comfort and elegance in clothing for women, with such groundbreaking innovations as the ?little black dress? and Chanel No.5 perfume.

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