Biography Books

Book SynopsisYou've seen the show, you've sung the songs, now read the full story of America's most misunderstood founding father. 'I was swept up by the story. I thought it 'out-Dickens' Dickens in the unlikeliness of this man's rise from his humble beginnings in Nevis in the Caribbean, to changing, helping shape our young nation. And it's uniquely an immigrant story and it's uniquely a story about writers... It's an amazing biography' LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA Alexander Hamilton was an illegitimate self-taught orphan from the Caribbean who overcame all the odds to become George Washington's aide-de-camp and the first Treasury Secretary of the United States. Few figures in American history are more controversial than Alexander Hamilton. In this masterful work, Chernow shows how the political and economic power of America today is the result of Hamilton's willingness to champion ideas that were often wildly disputed during his time. He charts his titanic feuds with Jefferson, Adams, Madison, Monroe and Burr; his highly public affair with Maria Reynolds; his loving marriage to his loyal wife Eliza; and the notorious duel with Aaron Burr that led to his death in July 1804.Trade ReviewA mammoth work of research that charted the course of Hamilton's dazzling career and the dark controversies that accompanied it * Guardian *A magnificent biography * Spectator *An elegantly written, richly detailed account of Hamilton's tempestuous life * The Times *Nobody has captured Hamilton better than Chernow * New York Times Book Review *Chernow charts his way through Hamilton's hectic life, and the tumultuous times in which he lived, with aplomb * Military History Monthly *That biography is incredible. It out-Dickenses Charles Dickens -- Lin-Manuel MirandaA brilliant recreation of the society and culture of the time: thoughtful and playful, moving and powerful -- Michael Gove

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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 SynopsisYou might think you leave such a life behind, but it holds you in its grip. It will never leave you. This is how I came to be what I was, why, and where I am going. And it is all true. Every word of it.

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Book SynopsisArthur Gould is the definitive biography of the record-breaking Welsh international player who is widely acknowledged as the first superstar of rugby. Such was his fame and renown, that upon his tragic, early death in 1919, aged just 54, Gould's funeral in Newport was reported as the biggest Wales had ever seen. Nicknamed 'Monkey' due to his childhood fondness for climbing trees, Gould played the majority of his club rugby for Newport RFC and won a then-record 27 Welsh caps; 25 of which were at centre (a record only bettered by Steve Fenwick in 1980); and captained his country 18 times (a record only beaten in 1994 by Ieuan Evans). A true sporting sensation, when he retired in 1899 Gould had played more first-class matches and scored more tries and drop goals than any other player. Gould's superstar status was illustrated late in his career when a testimonial appeal received widespread public support and resulted in the Scottish and Irish unions cancelling their fixtures with Wales in protest at the apparent breach of the game's strict amateur ethos. The controversy deepened when the Welsh Football Union (now the WRU) stood firmly behind their iconic player and withdrew from the International Rugby Board. Fearing that lucrative fixtures with Welsh clubs might be lost and that Wales might join forces with the newly established Northern Union of professional rugby, England's Rugby Football Union brokered a 'one-off' dispensation which enabled Gould to benefit from the testimonial while retaining his amateur status, and ensured that international fixtures were resumed. Comprehensively researched and written by acclaimed rugby historian, Gwyn Prescott, with the full support and encouragement of the Gould family, Arthur Gould - Rugby's First Superstar includes over 100 illustrations and will be enjoyed by all who love rugby and treasure its sporting and cultural heritage.Trade Review'We may never have seen him play but there is no doubt that those who did regarded Arthur Gould as one of the greatest sportsmen ever to wear the red shirt of Wales. His fame extended beyond the rugby field too and it is no exaggeration to describe him as the game's first superstar. This book is a fitting tribute to Gould. Intelligent, lively and intriguing, it matches its subject in its verve. Prescott's research is meticulous and he has done Gould and the histories of rugby and Wales itself proud.' Prof Martin Johnes; 'In vividly chronicling the life of rugby's first superstar, Gwyn Prescott has combined impeccable scholarship with an assured readability to produce a terrific book that enthrallingly evokes the world in which Welsh rugby union grew from infancy towards international importance and produced, in Arthur Gould's Newport, its first great club.' Huw Richards; 'The Gould family are delighted that the complete and definitive story of Arthur's colourful life and illustrious rugby career has at last been written, and in such a brilliant manner by Gwyn Prescott.' Gareth Harvey (Great-Great-Nephew of Arthur Gould)Table of ContentsIntroduction: "Arthur Gould Stands Alone" 1. A Sequence of Chance Events 2. Bob Leads the Way 3. "Monk" Breaks Through 4. History at Crown Flatt 5. Back in the "War Paint" 6. "Newport's Football King" 7. A Testimonial for a Football Prodigy 8. The Testimonial Comes Home 9. Extra Time Afterword Gould Brothers' International Matches & Scoring Record Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisHalf of Joseph Conrad's body of work is set in late 19th-century Southeast Asia and his favourite destinations were Singapore and the remote ports of the Dutch East Indies. Burnet connects the fictional and real worlds in this fascinating introduction to Conrad's life in the Malay archipelago.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER?THE TIMES and SUNDAY TIMES BEST MEMOIR OF 2024 ''GENIUS''A BOOK OF THE YEAR for theSPECTATOR, MAIL ON SUNDAY, NEW STATESMAN, FINANCIAL TIMES, INDEPENDENT, TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY EXPRESSand THE TABLET.From one of the funniest writers of our time, the award-winning author of One Two Three Four and Ma''am Darling turns his attention to Queen Elizabeth II in an unforgettable and fascinating biography.''A crown jewel among royal biographies'' OBSERVERExtraordinarily original, enlightening and fresh' SPECTATOR''Absolutely fascinating'' Ruth Langsford, LOOSE WOMEN''A very unusual masterpiece'' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH''Brilliantly funny and well-researched'' FINANCIAL TIMESVirginia Woolf compared her to a caterpillar; Anne Frank kept pictures of her on the wall of her annex; Jimi Hendrix played her tune; Haile Selassie gave her a gold tiara; Dirk Bogarde watched Death in Venice with her; Andy Warhol envied her fame; Donald Trump offended her; E.M. Forster confessed he would have married her, if only she had been a boy.Queen Elizabeth II was famous for longer than anyone who has ever lived. When people spoke of her, they spoke of themselves; when they dreamed of her, they dreamed of themselves. She mirrored their hopes and anxieties. To the optimist, she seemed an optimist; to the pessimist, a pessimist; to the awestruck, charismatic; and to the cynical, humdrum. Though by nature reserved and unassuming, her presence could fill presidents and rock gods with terror. For close to a century, she inhabited the psyche of a nation.Combining biography, essays, cultural history, dream diaries, travelogue and satire, the bestselling and award-winning author of Ma''am Darling and One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time presents a kaleidoscopic portrait of this most public yet private of sovereigns.''An unconventional tribute that offers a snapshot of almost a century of social history with a mix of royal insanity, and superior anecdotes, from farts and corgis to Paul McCartney and poets laureate'' THE TIMES and SUNDAY TIMES BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2024''An enthralling reverie on memory, identity, coincidence and meaning testing, teasing, charming, moving and deceptively wise'' RORY STEWARTAn entertaining and revealing digest fascinating Craig Brown has captured something essential about Britain's curious relationship with royalty'TLS''Completely and utterly brilliant and exquisitely funny and fascinating. This book is, dare I say, majestic. Craig Brown has no peers I would curtsey to him if I met him'' MARINA HYDE''Wonderfully readable At once sympathetic but clear-eyed, kind but sharp'' NEW STATESMAN''Brown is as sharp and dryly funny as his subject''EVENING STANDARD''You wouldn't think the world needed another book about Queen Elizabeth but how wrong you'd be. Craig Brown's wholly original and enthralling biography is absolute heaven from start to finish' INDIA KNIGHT''Craig Brown continues to reinvent the art of biography utterly fascinating'' JASON COWLEYCraig Brown''s book One Two Three Four won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction in 2020.

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Book SynopsisA masterful new translation of Suetonius'' renowned biography of the twelve Caesars, bringing to life a portrait of the first Roman emperors in stunning detailThe ancient Roman empire was the supreme arena, where emperors had no choice but to fight, to thrill, to dazzle. To rule as a Caesar was to stand as an actor upon the great stage of the world. No biography invites us into the lives of the Caesars more vividly or intimately than that by Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, written from the centre of Rome and power, in AD 121.Placing each Caesar in the context of the generations that had gone before, and connecting personality with policy, Suetonius injected flesh and blood into their stories, which continue to inform how we understand the drama of power today. Their shortfalls, foreign policy crises and sex scandals are laid bare; we are shown their tastes, their foibles, their eccentricities; and we sit at their tables and enter their bedrooms, resulting in a series of biographies mediated through the lives of the Caesars themselves.That Rome lives more vividly in people''s imagination than any other ancient empire owes an inordinate amount to Suetonius, and now award-winning author and translator Tom Holland brings us even closer in a new, spellbinding translation. Giving a deeper understanding of the personal lives of the Caesars and of how they inevitably informed what happened across the vast expanse of empire, The Lives of the Caesars is an astonishing, immersive experience of a time and culture at once familiar and utterly alien to our own.

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Book SynopsisIn her spare, stark style, Annie Ernaux documents the desires and indignities of a human heart ensnared in an all-consuming passion. Blurring the line between fact and fiction, she attempts to plot the emotional and physical course of her two-year relationship with a married man where every word, event, and person either provides a connection with her beloved or is subject to her cold indifference. With courage and exactitude, Ernaux seeks the truth behind an existence lived, for a time, entirely for someone else.Trade Review‘Annie Ernaux is one of my favourite contemporary writers, original and true. Always after reading one of her books, I walk around in her world for months.’ — Sheila Heti, author of Motherhood‘The triumph of Ernaux’s approach ... is to cherish commonplace emotions while elevating the banal expression of them.... A monument to passions that defy simple explanations.’ — New York Times‘I devoured – not once, but twice – Fitzcarraldo’s new English edition of Simple Passion, in which the great Annie Ernaux describes the suspended animation of a love affair with a man who is not free. Every paragraph, every word, brought me closer to a state of purest yearning.’ — Rachel Cooke, Observer‘What mesmerizes here, as elsewhere in Ernaux’s oeuvre, is the interplay between the solipsistic intensity of the material and its documentary, disinterested, almost egoless presentation. Reminiscent of the poet Denise Riley’s Time Lived, Without its Flow, a study of how grief mangles chronology, Simple Passion is a riveting investigation, in a less tragic key, into what happens to one’s experience of time in the throes of romantic obsession.’ — Lola Seaton, New Statesman‘All this – the suffering and anxiety of waiting, the brief soulagement of lovemaking, the lethargy and fatigue that follow, the renewal of desire, the little indignities and abjections of both obsession and abandonment – Ernaux tells with calm, almost tranquillized matter-of-factness [that] feels like determination, truth to self, clarity of purpose.’ — Washington Post‘Simple Passion ... delivers a heart-rending story of a scorching love affair, down to the tiny details, in just 48 pages. It’s a little masterpiece.’ — Orna Mulcahy, The Gloss‘A stunning story, despite its detachment and the careful exclusions of any excess, that pulsates with the very passion Ernaux so truthfully describes.... Small, but abundantly wise.’ — Kirkus‘A work of lyrical precision and diamond-hard clarity.’ — New Yorker

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Book SynopsisAn FT Best Book of the Year''Saad Mohseni is one of the most remarkable figures in modern Afghanistan brave, entrepreneurial, with a knack for imagining the impossible he transformed the Afghan media landscape and brought serious news, and exceptional entertainment to millions in the most testing circumstances imaginable'' Rory StewartThe deeply moving and surprising story of the attempt to build a truly independent media company in contemporary Afghanistan.Saad Mohseni, chairman and CEO of Moby Group, Afghanistan's largest media company, charts a twenty-year effort to bring a free press to his country after years of Taliban rule, and how that effort persists even after the Taliban's return to power in 2021.In the heady early days of the American occupation, Mohseni returns to Kabul which he had last seen as a child before the Soviet invasion. Casting about for ways to be involved in the dawn of a new Afghanistan, Mohseni makes what seems like a quixotic decision to leave the comforts of a career in international banking to start a Kabul radio station with his three siblings. This unlikely venture quickly blossoms into a burgeoning television empire, bringing Mohseni and his family and employees into sometimes uncomfortable contact with everyone who has a stake in the country from the government of Hamid Karzai to White House officials. Moreover, their radio and television networks soon become a necessary beacon for millions of Afghans, who rely on them not just for independent news but for joyful pleasures like soap operas and Afghan Star, a beloved national singing competition in a country whose previous rulers had banned (and would again ban) music.Mohseni's position at Moby affords him unique insights into this extraordinary yet troubled country, the youngest in the world outside of Sub-Saharan Africa, and his powerful account captures the spirit and resilience of the Afghan people notably the hundreds of men and women still working in Moby''s Kabul office today, who, once again under Taliban rule, create programs, report the news, and educate the public.Radio Free Afghanistan is a stunning, vibrant portrait of a nation in turmoil, poised between despair and hope.

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Book SynopsisLove''s Executioner offers us the humane and extraordinary insight of renowned psychiatrist Irvin D. Yalom into the lives of ten of his patients - and through them into the minds of us allWhy was Saul tormented by three unopened letters from Stockholm? What made Thelma spend her whole life raking over a long-past love affair? How did Carlos''s macho fantasies help him deal with terminal cancer?In this engrossing book, Irvin Yalom gives detailed and deeply affecting accounts of his work with these and seven other patients. Deep down, all of them were suffering from the basic human anxieties - isolation, fear of death or freedom, a sense of the meaninglessness of life - that none of us can escape completely. And yet, as the case histories make touchingly clear, it is only by facing such anxieties head on that we can hope to come to terms with them and develop. Throughout, Dr Jalom remains refreshingly frank about his own errors and prejudices; his book provides a rare glimpse into the consulting room of a master therapist.''Dr Yalom demonstrates once again that in the right hands, the stuff of therapy has the interest of the richest and most inventive fiction'' Eva Hoffman, New York Times''These remarkably moving and instructive tales of the psychiatric encounter bring the reader into novel territories of the mind - and the landscape is truly unforgettable'' Maggie Scarf''Love''s Executioner is one of those rare books that suggests both the mystery and the poetry of the psychotherapeutic process. The best therapists are at least partly poets. With this riveting and beautifully written book, Irvin Yalom has joined their ranks'' Erica Jong''Dr Yalom offers a valuable insight into the delicate process of therapy'' Sunday Telegraph''Dr Yalom is unusually honest, both with his patients and about himself'' Anthony Storr''Yalom is a gifted storyteller, and from the sound of these tales, a no-less-gifted psychotherapist'' Los Angeles TimesTrade ReviewDr Yalom demonstrates once again that in the right hands, the stuff of therapy has the interest of the richest and most inventive fiction -- Eva Hoffman * New York Times *These remarkably moving and instructive tales of the psychiatric encounter bring the reader into novel territories of the mind - and the landscape is truly unforgettable -- Maggie ScarfLove's Executioner is one of those rare books that suggests both the mystery and the poetry of the psychotherapeutic process. The best therapists are at least partly poets. With this riveting and beautifully written book, Irvin Yalom has joined their ranks -- Erica JongInspired ... He writes with the narrative wit of O. Henry and the earthy humor of Isaac Bashevis Singer * San Francisco Chronicle *Dr Yalom offers a valuable insight into the delicate process of therapy * Sunday Telegraph *Irvin Yalom writes like an angel about the devils that besiege us -- Rollo MayThese stories are wonderful. They make us realize that within every human being lie the pain and the beauty that make life worthwhile -- Bernie S. SiegelDr Yalom is unusually honest, both with his patients and about himself -- Anthony StorrYalom is a gifted storyteller, and from the sound of these tales, a no-less-gifted psychotherapist * Los Angeles Times *This is an impressive transformation of clinical experience into literature. Dr Yalom's case histories are more gripping than 98 percent of the fiction published today, and he has gone to amazing lengths of honesty to depict himself as a realistic flesh-and-blood character: funny, flawed, perverse, and, above all, understanding -- Phillip LopateI loved Love's Executioner. Dr Yalom has learned something that fiction writers learned years ago - that people's mistakes are a lot more interesting than their triumphs -- Joanne Greenberg

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Elizabeth Longford prize for Historical Biography ''Engrossing'' Claire Tomalin / ''Superb'' Sunday Times / ''A triumph'' Daily Mail Whether honoured and admired or criticized and ridiculed, Florence Nightingale has invariably been misrepresented and misunderstood. As the Lady with the Lamp, ministering to the wounded and dying of the Crimean War, she offers an enduring image of sentimental appeal and one that is permanently lodged in our national consciousness. But the awesome scale of her achievements over the course of her 90 years is infinitely more troubling - and inspiring - than this mythical simplification. From her tireless campaigning and staggering intellectual abilities to her tortured relationship with her sister and her distressing medical condition, this vivid and immensely readable biography draws on a wealth of unpublished material and previously unseen family papers, disentangling the myth from the reality and reinv

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Book SynopsisI was saying things in songs that female singers didn't really say back then. I wasn't submissive or begging him to come back, I was kicking his ass, kicking him out, kicking my own ass too. My Blondie character was an inflatable doll but with a dark, provocative, aggressive side. I was playing it up, yet I was very serious.'BRAVE, BEAUTIFUL AND BORN TO BE PUNKDEBBIE HARRY is a musician, actor, activist and the iconic face of New York City cool. As the front-woman of Blondie, she and the band forged a new sound that brought together the worlds of rock, punk, disco, reggae and hip-hop to create some of the most beloved pop songs of all time. As a muse, she collaborated with some of the boldest artists of the past four decades. The scope of Debbie Harry's impact on our culture has been matched only by her reticence to reveal her rich inner life until now.In an arresting mix of visceral, soulful storytelling and stunning visuals that includes never-before-seen photographs, bespoke illustrations and fan art installations, Face It upends the standard music memoir while delivering a truly prismatic portrait. With all the grit, grime, and glory recounted in intimate detail, Face It recreates the downtown scene of 1970s New York City, where Blondie played alongside the Ramones, Television, Talking Heads, Iggy Pop and David Bowie.Following her path from glorious commercial success to heroin addiction, the near-death of partner Chris Stein, a heart-wrenching bankruptcy, and Blondie's break-up as a band to her multifaceted acting career in more than thirty films, a stunning solo career and the triumphant return of her band, and her tireless advocacy for the environment and LGBTQ rights, Face It is a cinematic story of a woman who made her own path, and set the standard for a generation of artists who followed in her footsteps a memoir as dynamic as its subject.Trade Review‘In this whirlwind tour of her life, Harry deploys an irreverent style well suited to her story. Her tales are intermixed with interludes that capture the eclectic and electric passion she has for the creative process. In a narrative that feels simultaneously heartfelt and spontaneous, Harry recounts close encounters with violence and harassment with the same immediacy as the moments that catapulted Blondie to worldwide fame. Readers will find reflection on life with a budding band and an uncensored view of what it took to succeed.’Kirkus ‘Blondie fans will love its piquant atmospherics and the energy and honesty of Harry’s take on her singular saga.’Entertainment Weekly ‘The ultimate rock’n’roll memoir’Sunday Times ‘A rollercoaster ride that music lovers will adore’Good Housekeeping ‘An entertaining reveal-all read’Woman & Home ‘Extra special’Red ‘[This] autobiography documents, brilliantly and brutally, the lawless, druggy streets of early 70s New York, living the hazy cosmic jive of the legendary downtown loft scene’Stylist ‘Harry offers a vivid portrait of a seedy, bohemian scene in late-60s New York… Engaging’Guardian ‘Face It: Debbie Harry’s cool and forthright memoir… The Blondie singer is a reluctant memoirist and what drove her to write this is unclear – but thank God she did’New Statesman ‘Intoxicating… This candid memoir is an absorbing read.’Daily Mirror, book of the week ‘Face It is a rollicking, riotous read, taking in Blondie’s ascent from gritty downtown New York to pop superstars to the band’s nosedive of heroin addiction, bankruptcy and break-up, and phoenix-like return to the top of the charts in 1999… a real page-turner… often jaw-dropping’NME ‘An astonishing memoir’The i ‘Debbie has us in raptures … Its tone is matter-of-fact, honest, self-aware and often humorous’Daily Express ‘An eye-opening memoir’The Times

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Book Synopsis'This is a devastating book. It is matter-of-fact, makes no attempt to score political points, does not attempt to solicit sympathy for its protagonist and yet is among the most chilling indictments of war I have ever read. Everybody, in particular every woman ought to read it' ARUNDHATI ROY 'One of the most important personal accounts ever written about the effects of war and defeat' ANTONY BEEVOR Between April 20th and June 22nd 1945 the anonymous author of A Woman in Berlin wrote about life within the falling city as it was sacked by the Russian Army. Fending off the boredom and deprivation of hiding, the author records her experiences, observations and meditations in this stark and vivid diary. Accounts of the bombing, the rapes, the rationing of food and the overwhelming terror of death are rendered in the dispassionate, though determinedly optimistic prose of a woman fighting for survival amidst the horror and inhumanity of war. This diary was first published in America in 1954 in an English translation and in Britain in 1955. A German language edition was published five years later in Geneva and was met with tremendous controversy. In 2003, over forty years later, it was republished in Germany to critical acclaim - and more controversy. This diary has been unavailable since the 1960s and this is a new English translation. A Woman in Berlin is an astonishing and deeply affecting account.Trade ReviewThis is a devastating book. It is matter-of-fact, makes no attempt to score political points, does not attempt to solicit sympathy for its protagonist and yet is among the most chilling indictments of war I have ever read. Everybody, in particular every woman ought to read it -- Arundhati RoyOne of the most important personal accounts ever written about the effects of war and defeat -- Antony BeevorThis is not an hysterical woman ... you simply cannot dismiss it ... profoundly, acutely embarrassing ... an insight into the resilience of people in an unknowable situation -- Robert SandhillComplex, closely observed diary by a woman living in conquered Berlin at the end of WWII * Kirkus Reviews *Let Anonymous stand witness as she wished to: as an undistorted voice for all women in war and its aftermath, whatever their names or nation or ethnicity. Anywhere * Los Angeles Times *An astonishing record of survival . . . the voice of Anonymous emerges as both shrewd and funny . . . a fresh contribution to the literature of war * Entertainment Weekly *A stunning account of a German woman's battle to survive repeated rape at the hands of the victors among the ruins of Berlin . . . While leaders plot their dreams of glory and victory, the lives of ordinary people--on all sides--are trampled and destroyed. A most salutary work -- David Hare * Guardian *The author has a fierce, uncompromising voice, and her book should become a classic of war literature * Publishers Weekly *Marvelous . . . As it is a human instinct to survive, this book, which could have been horrifying, is instead exhilarating: a rare tribute to the human spirit * Daily Mail *Coolly written, tearingly honest . . . This is a classic not only of war literature but also of writing at the very extreme of human suffering * Daily Telegraph *This is a devastating book. It is matter-of-fact, makes no attempt to score political points, does not attempt to solicit sympathy for its protagonist and yet is among the most chilling indictments of war I have ever read. Everybody, in particular every woman ought to read it. * Arundhati Roy, author of The Good of Small Things *Complex, closely observed diary by a woman living in conquered Berlin at the end of WWII. * Kirkus Reviews *Let Anonymous stand witness as she wished to: as an undistorted voice for all women in war and its aftermath, whatever their names or nation or ethnicity. Anywhere. * Los Angeles Times *An astonishing record of survival . . . the voice of Anonymous emerges as both shrewd and funny . . . a fresh contribution to the literature of war. * Entertainment Weekly *A riveting account of a military atrocity . . . The author doesn't try to explain or moralize the horror. She simply records it as perhaps no one else has, in all of its devastating essence. * The New York Observer *A stunning account of a German woman's battle to survive repeated rape at the hands of the victors among the ruins of Berlin . . . While leaders plot their dreams of glory and victory, the lives of ordinary people--on all sides--are trampled and destroyed. A most salutary work. -- David Hare * The Guardian *The author has a fierce, uncompromising voice, and her book should become a classic of war literature. * Publishers Weekly *Marvelous . . . As it is a human instinct to survive, this book, which could have been horrifying, is instead exhilarating: a rare tribute to the human spirit. * Daily Mail *Coolly written, tearingly honest . . . This is a classic not only of war literature but also of writing at the very extreme of human suffering. * The Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThe quirky and profound international bestseller - a darkly astonishing scientific biography and a guide on how to live well in a world where chaos come for us all'A sumptuous, surprising, dark delight' Carmen Maria Machado'Genre-defying . . . fast-moving, deftly balanced, full of surprises' Guardian's Books of the Day'Her book took me to strange depths I never imagined, and I was smitten' New York Times Book Review'A magical hybrid of science, portraiture and memoir' Susan Orlean'Wholly unique and a true delight' Refinery29__________If fish don't exist, what else do we have wrong?As a child, Lulu Miller's scientist father taught her that chaos will come for us all. There is no cosmic destiny, no plan. Enter David Starr Jordan, 19th-century taxonomist and believer in order. A fish specialist devoted to mapping out the great tree of life, who spent his days pi

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Book SynopsisDiscover one woman''s solo journey from Land's End to Greece, embracing solitude, self-discovery, and resilience**Good Housekeeping recommended ''20 uplifting memoirs by remarkable women'', June 2024****Wanderlust magazine best travel books of 2024**''A lesson on how to live, how to heal, how to grow and how to fly' - Gordan Buchanan''A beautiful, wise and open-hearted odyssey through life, loves and the sea'' Patrick Barkham, author of The Butterfly Isles''I didn''t know a love song between a woman and her boat could transport, and transfix me. The Half Bird made my heart whole'' Rhik Samadder, author of I Never Said I Loved You''We have no idea how much resilience there is inside us until we have to draw on it. We learn that we grow through adversity only as we go through it. That we crave happiness like plants leaning toward the light''In 2016, Susan Smillie quit her job to sail round the British Isles aboard her beloved yacht Isean. Yet when it came to rounding the tip of Cornwall, she unexpectedly headed south, leaving home in her wake.Over the next three years she sailed the continent, living with only the basics she had aboard, by her wits, and via the kindness of the people and beauty of the coasts she encountered.But Susan's travels were just the beginning of her spiritual journey. Could she make the wild, unruly sea her home?Praise for The Half Bird''It's hard to read The Half Bird without wondering whether you could do it too. It may be better to start by pondering Smillie's wider message that to work out what will truly make you happy, you first need to stop and smell the air around you'' Guardian''Told with all the invigorating energy of a crisp wind under a cloudless sky'' Charlotte Higgins, Chief culture writer, GuardianSmillie finds a freedom, beauty, and joy in amongst the rolling waves and shifting tides of loss, illness, and grief. The Half Bird is an immensely enjoyable ocean adventure, but what emerges is a deeply inspiring story about the quiet strengths that reside within us all' Will Millard

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Book SynopsisDid you know that many of Agatha Christie's best-selling detective stories have their basis in reality?Who killed Charles Bravo and why?' asks retired Superintendent Spence in Elephants Can Remember. He refers to an unsolved Victorian murder mystery, one of many allusions to real life crime and criminals in Agatha Christie's fiction. The infamous Dr Crippen, Jack the Ripper, John George Haigh, and many other real killers, fraudsters and spies, figure prominently in her plots, both explicitly and implicitly. Many of these cases belong to British criminal history, others originate from the USA and France. They cover a time frame from the eighteenth century to the 1960s, showing that Agatha Christie was not only an inspired writer of fiction but had a knowledge of true crime as well. There are even instances where she seems to have anticipated real life crimes, as in the case of the infamous poisoner Graham Young. This book explains the reality of these criminals and their crimes - some of which are well known, others largely forgotten - and how they are utilised in Agatha Christie's stories. Armed with this book, fans of the author's work will be able to gain new insights when reading her books either for the first time or on a repeat reading.

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Book SynopsisAnthony Bourdain''s long-awaited sequel to Kitchen Confidential, the worldwide bestseller''As ferociously rude as anything Bourdain has done before'' GuardianTerrific ... his love for his subjects - both the food and the cook - sings'' TelegraphBourdain has insight, access and good taste, and he''s a naturally engaging writer'' New York TimesA lot has changed since Kitchen Confidential - for the subculture of chefs and cooks, for the restaurant business - and for Anthony Bourdain.Medium Raw explores these changes, moving back and forth from the author''s bad old days to the present. Tracking his own strange and unexpected voyage from journeyman cook to globe-travelling professional eater and drinker, Bourdain compares and contrasts what he''s seen and what he''s seeing, pausing along the way for a series of confessions, rants, investigations, and interrogations of some of the most controversial figures in foodTrade Review'As ferociously rude as anything Bourdain has done before' * Kathryn Hughes, Guardian *‘Terrific ... his love for his subjects - both the food and the cook - sings as it once did in Kitchen Confidential' * Daily Telegraph *‘Bourdain has insight, access and good taste, and he's a naturally engaging writer ... [he] is a hopeless romantic when it comes to food and the people who cook' * New York Times *‘Bourdain is a vivid, bawdy and often foul-mouthed writer. He thrills in the attack, but he is also an enthusiast who writes well about things he holds dear' * Wall Street Journal *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE PEOPLE''S BOOK PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION AND LONGLISTED FOR THE JAMES CROPPER WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR WRITING ON CONSERVATION.''Enchanting a joy to read.'' JOANNA LUMLEY''Vibrant and vital.'' CHRIS PACKHAM''Forget Me Not is a tonic.'' TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT''Remarkable.'' NELL FRIZZELL''A fierce, passionate stand for the wild.'' MEGAN MCCUBBIN''Funny, full of interest and often poignant.'' ISABELLA TREE''Beautiful. Rare. Profound. Hopeful.'' CHARLOTTE PHILBY''Passionate, pragmatic and seriously funny.'' GILLIAN BURKE''Wonderfully refreshing.'' BENEDICT MACDONALDJoin Sophie Pavelle on a low-carbon journey around Britain in search of ten animals and habitats threatened by climate change in the 21st century.Forget-me-not a beautiful flower and a plea from our islands' wildlife. When climate change has driven dozens of our most charismatic species to extinction, will they be forTrade ReviewThis enchanting book could not be more timely: it brings much to inspire our future thinking, and is a joy to read. * Joanna Lumley *Vibrant and vital. The trials of ten treasured species that we can’t afford to fail. A biological romp with a real mission. -- Chris Packham * broadcaster and author of Fingers in the Sparkle Jar *This engaging romp in search of our most endangered species is a timely reminder of the magic we have in nature and what we are set to lose if we don’t wake up. Funny, full of interest and often poignant, travelling with Sophie Pavelle is a journey to remember. * Isabella Tree, author of Wilding *A fierce, passionate stand for the wild. * Megan McCubbin, zoologist, conservationist and broadcaster *Forget Me Not sings and rings with a distinctive combination of passion, humour and energy; Sophie Pavelle's low-carbon journey round the overlooked, undersung species of our island group makes a heartfelt plea for the need to conserve, restore and replenish the wildlife we have left. -- Robert Macfarlane * author of Underland *If the canon of British nature writing has a reputation for being male and overly earnest, then Sophie Pavelle’s Forget Me Not is a one-book rebalancing act. -- India Bourke * New Statesman *This is such a beautiful book. Full of humour, adventure, poignancy. It will make you value the country around you and even hungrier to protect it. Remarkable. -- Nell Frizzell * journalist and author of The Panic Years *Forget Me Not is a tonic... Pavelle’s writing is a delight, full of extended sartorial or food-related metaphors, puns and cheeky humour. -- Rebecca Foster * Times Literary Supplement *The prose is as lyrical as it is sassy, as insightful as it is impassioned. -- Amy-Jane Beer * Guardian Book of the Day *A clarion call for us all to do something to make a difference. -- Ceri Levy * Caught by the River *Urgent and challenging, but also fun and beautifully written, Sophie documents her low-carbon journeys exposing the reality of climate change in Britain. -- Simon Reeve * broadcast journalist, adventurer and author of Step by Step *Beautiful. Rare. Profound. Hopeful. -- Charlotte Philby * author of A Double Life *Finding wonder in the familiar and celebrating the unknown in the everyday, this is a beautiful book - and so perfectly told. -- Professor Ben Garrod * author, broadcaster, biologist *Sophie Pavelle writes with the urgency and voice of a generation. Her commitment is matched with a fierce knowledge of conservation biology and policymaking, whose murky corridors are expertly navigated. Passionate, pragmatic and seriously funny. -- Gillian Burke * biologist, presenter and writer *From rare butterflies to bats and bumblebees, Sophie takes us on a breathless but strangely relaxing whistle-stop tour of Britain in search of some of our less familiar, fragile and fascinating wildlife. Charming, witty and moving. -- Professor Dave Goulson * Professor of Biology and author of A Sting in the Tale *Pavelle is the best kind of science writer – who makes you feel almost as smart as she is, priming and signposting in such a way that you grasp the punchline in the moment before she delivers it. Make no mistake, this is serious stuff, requiring serious communication. But she balances love and irreverence, data and ditz. I loved the breezy humour, the sass and savviness. -- Dr Amy-Jane Beer * naturalist, writer, campaigner and Guardian Country Diarist *A wonderfully refreshing look at the vanishing species around us, what they mean and why they matter. -- Benedict Macdonald * naturalist, wildlife TV producer and author of Rebirding *Forget Me Not is that enchanting book that makes you want to put on your hiking boots and big coat, get outdoors and immerse yourself in nature. Sophie’s writing is funny and accessible whilst being a call to arms for us to protect Britain’s most vulnerable species. Perfect for old hats and newbies to wildlife. Highly recommended. -- Dr Amir Khan * NHS doctor, broadcaster, author and Vice President of The Wildlife Trusts *Sophie has a warm tone of voice in this enjoyable and accessible read. * BBC Wildlife magazine *Pavelle has a lively mind and sense of humour ... [she] explains the science well and has done a serious amount of research. -- Simon Lester * Country Life magazine *Here is a vibrant and vital voice from the millennial generation that is fighting climate change and its devastating effect on the world around us. -- Ceri Levy * Caught by the River *Like the captured sunshine she describes persisting in a seagrass meadow even on a cloudy day, she [Pavelle] has captured a different kind of light here, that of youth and love and hope. -- Dr Amy-Jane Beer * Guardian Book of the Day *Pavelle pulls no punches, giving the facts as they are, but weaving them together with a poetic touch and some light-hearted relief. It felt counterintuitive to be chuckling out loud while reading a book about such a bleak topic, but that is the beauty of Forget Me Not. -- Jeni Bell * British Wildlife *A lively introduction to the nature crisis in the British Isles. * New Statesman *Her style is lively, casual and autobiographical, and her book would suit young people new to nature writing and keen to learn more about the biodiversity on our doorstep. -- Katie Burton * Geographical *This is perfection. -- Ben Goldsmith * environmentalist *Gritty, amusing and wonderfully educational, a truly inspiring account of species at the forefront of climate change in Britain. -- Jake Fiennes * author of Land Healer *A journey well worth joining. -- David Brown * Best of Britain *Sophie Pavelle's book properly stands out in the increasingly crowded nature writing field. She writes powerfully about vital issues, in a totally fresh, funny and accessible way that is distinctively her own. Loved it. -- Lee Schofield * author of Wild Fell *An absolute triumph in science communication. -- Leif Bersweden * author of The Orchid Hunter and Where the Wildflowers Grow *Passionate and thought-provoking. -- Mark Whitley * Countryman *It's full of wonder and joy. And crucially, it's written in the voice of a friend [...] while there's wit and warmth flowing through each chapter, the message never stops being urgent. * Country Walking *Pavelle’s weapons in the face of these difficult truths are positivity and action. -- Katie Burton * Geographical *This is a very thought-provoking read and hopefully will inspire us to do something about it [climate change] to prevent future losses. -- John Miles * Bird Watching *...amusing and thought-provoking. -- Kim Smith * Bury and West Suffolk magazine *A book about climate change with deep adoration for the natural world at its heart. -- Francesca Donovan * The Great Outdoors *Low-carbon wandering propels Sophie Pavelle’s jauntier tour of climate-change Britain in Forget Me Not. * Country & Town House *...refreshingly new voice. -- Stephen MossAt the heart of Sophie’s book is a fierce and merlin-like love of all that is wild. -- Nick Acheson * author of The Meaning of Geese *This book aims to challenge and it succeeds with a quiet and constant hum of urgency. -- Mannie Coe * author of brother.do.you.love.me *Before reading Forgot Me Not, I hadn’t thought it possible to write a book about the effect of climate change on different species that is buoyant, funny and hopeful - yet Sophie Pavelle has pulled it off superbly. This book is wonderful. -- Claire Ratinon * author of Unearthed *Engaging, compelling and more important than ever. -- Sarah Langford * author of In Your Defence and Rooted *Packed with facts from the experts she meets on her travels, we learn a lot about the underdog species that have missed our attention ... This is Sophie’s first release, and like the species she discovers, it’s not to be forgotten. * Rewilding Britain *A remarkable and fascinating book that manages to convey a wealth of facts about the daunting future of these species… with humour and lightness of touch. -- Tom Tivnan * The Bookseller *Seldom have I learned so much, while laughing out loud. A joyous but quietly angry book about the beauty of Britain’s wildlife, how we have failed it, how to save it, and how accessible it is by public transport. At the end I felt determined to see our most threatened species protected. -- Louise Gray * author of Avocado Anxiety *A unique, brilliant and beautiful new way of writing and celebrating the good stuff, whilst reminding us of the precarity of it all […] Forget Me Not is fresh and funny, sharp and poignant; stop scrolling and read this book! -- Nicola Chester * author of On Gallows Down *A lovely journey into our wildest places with the inspiring message: conservation works and we should let it. -- Charles Clover * journalist, conservationist and author of Rewilding the Sea *A lightness of touch, given to a serious subject: that's what makes this British journey urgent reading, for young and old. I loved this book — a moving story about what we're losing, introduced to me by my son, who urged me to read it. * journalist and author of The Lost Pianos of Siberia *A beautiful, immersive read. -- Clover Stroud * author of The Red of my Blood *Pavelle's wit makes the book a joy to read. -- Sam Taylor * The Times *If getting people to listen is key to highlighting today’s conservation issues, then [Pavelle], with her ability to communicate so passionately and knowledgeably, is unlocking all the doors. -- Jeni Bell * British Wildlife *Table of ContentsCHAPTER ONE: MARSH FRITILLARY I begin my journey in the south-west of England, where I take a short train and cycle ride to Bodmin Moor to see one of the UK’s rarest species of butterfly, which is persisting deep in the heart of the Cornish mire despite unimaginable challenges. CHAPTER TWO: HARBOUR PORPOISE Wasting no time, next I head straight to the Welsh coast, where I travel to Pembrokeshire to try and spot Britain’s smallest cetacean feeding amid the infamous tidal races and renewable energy developments. CHAPTER THREE: SEAGRASS Staying in Wales and heading north to Snowdonia, I snorkel the freezing waters of the Irish Sea to find out why seagrass is fast becoming the habitat that we cannot afford to lose. CHAPTER FOUR: GREY LONG-EARED BAT Back home in Devon again, I hike one of my favourite stretches of the Jurassic coast to a rural farm to see whether I can find one of the last maternity roosts of Britain’s rarest and most elusive bat. CHAPTER FIVE: BLACK GUILLEMOT Eager to get up to Scotland, I venture to the Orkney Islands, specifically the northernmost isle of this unique archipelago, to spend time with one of the British Isles’ most overlooked seabirds and try to understand more about the threats this quirky bird faces. CHAPTER SIX: DUNG BEETLES Testing out how ready the UK is to function on electric vehicles, I borrow an electric car and drive to Knepp Castle Estate to learn why dung and its beetles are making a resurgence in this tiny patch of England and why we cannot ignore dung. CHAPTER SEVEN: ATLANTIC SALMON Back home to Devon and into a kayak, I travel down a swollen, autumnal river to try and understand why, in the face of climate change, the epic salmon run might become a feat of the past. CHAPTER EIGHT: MOUNTAIN HARE Travelling north to Scotland again, I head to the high heather moorlands of the East Cairngorms to see our native mountain hare and investigate why they are set to become strangers in their own habitat if temperatures continue to rise. CHAPTER NINE: MERLIN Cycling across England’s Peak District to the Dark Peak, I’m searching for Britain’s smallest falcon, hoping to discover why we keep forgetting about these birds and how they will fare in a warming world. CHAPTER TEN: BILBERRY BUMBLEBEE Finishing on my home patch, I make a final trip to Dartmoor, searching for Britain’s ‘mountain bee’ and one of its last surviving populations in the south-west to understand better why its upland habitat might become too hot to handle.

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Book SynopsisIn this powerful and emotional New York Times bestseller, Nobel Peace Prize winner and activist Malala Yousafzai shares various stories of displacement, including her own. Part memoir, part communal storytelling, We Are Displaced introduces readers to some of the incredible girls Malala has met on her many journeys and lets each tell her story - girls who have lost their community, relatives and often the only world they''ve ever known, but have not lost hope.Longing for home and fear of an uncertain future binds all of these young women, but each is unique. In a time of immigration crises, war and border conflicts, We Are Displaced is an important reminder that every single one of the 79.5 million currently displaced is a person - often a young person - with dreams for a better, safer world.Includes a new Afterword by the authorTrade ReviewPowerful and timely . . . While these accounts are equal parts poignant and harrowing, the lasting impression is of hope and resilience. Their stories are moving, empowering and astonishing, and demonstrate Malala's aim to give the message of strength and bravery * Independent *A stirring and timely book * The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisIn our lives, terrible things may happen. Michael Rosen has grieved the loss of a child, lived with debilitating chronic illness, and faced death itself when seriously unwell in hospital. In spite of this he has survived, and has even learned to find joy in life in the aftermath of tragedy.In Getting Better, he shares his story and the lessons he has learned along the way. Exploring the roles that trauma and grief have played in his own life, Michael investigates the road to recovery, asking how we can find it within ourselves to live well again after - or even during - the darkest times of our lives. Moving and insightful, Getting Better is an essential companion for anyone who has loved and lost, or struggled and survived.Trade ReviewIn some ways, this is a quirky and intimate memoir. But Rosen has become that curious thing, a national treasure, and this book perhaps reflects the national mood - and the national need, even - better than a grander account of Covid might—The TimesLike having a cup of tea and a chat with Michael himself. Just full to the brim with wisdom, truth and beautiful silliness.—Cariad LloydIf I could prescribe Getting Better to the entire nation, I would. It's so gloriously full of the warmth, wisdom and incredible honesty that mean Michael is loved by adults and children alike. It's a book that inspires hope, courage and belief in humanity. Basically, it reminds you how to live. I loved every single word.—Dr Rachel ClarkeFunny and very moving *****—Daily MailA survivor's manual—Guardian

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Book SynopsisElizabeth Thorpe, codenamed Cynthia, was a glamorous American socialite recruited by MI6 to obtain intelligence from the Polish Foreign Ministry and from the Italian and Vichy French embassies in Washington. Her method was to seduce whatever targets could provide her with vital intelligence, a practice in which she hardly ever failed, enabling her to secure first the French and then the Italian naval codes. In the landings in North Africa, she was credited with having saved the lives of hundreds of Allied soldiers. This unique account by a British spymaster of his relationship with Cynthia, detailing his subsequent involvement with Kim Philby and the Cambridge spies and his dealings with his counterparts in the CIA and French intelligence, was entrusted by him to a junior colleague on the basis that it was not to be published until everyone in it was dead. Necessarily anonymous and impossible to fully verify, though most of it undoubtedly did happen and is part of the historical record, A Spy Called Cynthia provides a special insight into the world of intelligence and one of its most effective practitioners.

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Book SynopsisExplore the wonderful world of some of the most incredible natural forms on our planet – fungi.At the centre of countless superstitions, folkloric tales and magical beliefs, as well as appearing in recipes and medicines both traditional and modern, mushrooms have incredible powers.Featuring images of over 100 fascinating species, sourced from the archives at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, The Magic of Mushrooms shows that from saving lives to expanding the mind, the potential of these fascinating organisms should not be underestimated.Trade Review'A beautifully illustrated and entertaining read ... A feast for the eyes' * Gardens Illustrated *'The author has risen magnificently to the challenge of this huge area of scholarship ... This well-turned out book would adorn your bookshelf' * The Garden *Table of ContentsIntroduction • The human history of fungus • How Toadstools work • Fairy rings • Fungus in food • Art and beauty • Flying high • The cunning woman's stillroom • Bad guys • The dark mirror • The future of fungus • Bibliography • Index

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Book SynopsisWhen Krystal Evans was 14, the house that she shared with her mother and little sister burned down. Krystal narrowly escaped by breaking a window and jumping out head-first; suffering burns, smoke inhalation, PTSD - and the unimaginable tragedy of losing her six year-old sister. But horrific as events were, the account of what led the family to that fatal night, and how they coped with its aftermath, is a richer and more complex story. Writing with skill and candour to find light in the darkest of places, this is Krystal Evans'' story of growing up poor in America, living with a mentally ill mother, and having a wolf for a pet (really). From the indignities of being rejected from ''burn camp'' for being ''too attractive'', to putting up with a succession of her mom''s increasingly dangerous and shady friends and partners, Krystal and Katie''s childhoods were marked by adult chaos, inappropriate behaviour, and never knowing what the next day would bring.The Hottest Girl At Burn Camp is Krystal''s story of how she grew from the ashes of disaster into the confident, funny, and (reasonably) well-hinged adult, mother and comedian that she is today.At the same time, funny, tragic and inspiring, it is the story of a family dangerously close to the edge, and of a girl struggling to make her way into adulthood, once the smoke clears.

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

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Book SynopsisWhich Scunthorpe defender was tapped up in the dressing rooms by Brian Clough? Who helped get him changed on top of Princess Diana's car? What did the club's record goalscorer really think about the manager sacked in a promotion season? How does it feel to miss a penalty at Wembley? Win the European Cup? And how on earth did a future England captain manage to break the club's tractor? Throughout their 120 year-plus history, Scunthorpe United have been many things... But boring? Never! Following extensive archive research and exclusive interviews with ex-managers and players spanning seven decades, 20 Legends: Scunthorpe United is packed with stories aplenty. From breathtaking cup upsets, to the raw ecstasy of promotion, the agonies of failure, lifelong friendships, boardroom coups, and good old-fashioned fallings-out; the people in the heat of the action spill the beans like never before. Each chapter tells a different story; focusing on a legend apiece from the club's history and sharing their adventures throughout the beautiful game. Brian Laws also provides the foreword. If you really want to get under the skin of a brilliant, bonkers football club at the very heart of its community, then look no further than 20 Legends: Scunthorpe United.

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Book SynopsisAn instant Top 10 UK bestseller Shortlisted for Lifestyle & Illustrated Book of the Year at The British Book Awards 2025

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Book SynopsisTHE NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*************************************'Witty, dark, devastating' Caitlin Moran'Unflinching, unputdownable' Guardian'Brutally honest, funny, emotionally raw' Matt Haig'I love it' Jon Ronson*************************************So, this is me. Lily Allen.I am a mother, and I was a wife. I'm also a singer and a songwriter. I have loved and been let down. I've been stalked and assaulted. I am a success and a failure. I've been broken and full of hope. I am all these things and more.I'm telling my truth because when women share their stories, loudly and clearly and honestly, things begin to change - for the better.So, this is my story. These are my thoughts exactly.**Includes an exclusive new chapter**

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Book Synopsis'A SUPERB ACHIEVEMENT' IAN MCEWAN* * * * *What is it like to be a brain surgeon?How does it feel to hold someone's life in your hands, to cut through the stuff that creates thought, feeling and reason?How do you live with the consequences when it all goes wrong?DO NO HARM offers an unforgettable insight into the highs and lows of a life dedicated to operating on the human brain, in all its exquisite complexity. With astonishing candour and compassion, Henry Marsh reveals the exhilarating drama of surgery, the chaos and confusion of a busy modern hospital, and above all the need for hope when faced with life's most agonising decisions.* * * * *Winner:PEN Ackerley Prize South Bank Sky Arts Award for LiteratureShortlisted:Costa Biography AwardDuff Cooper PrizeWellcome Book PrizeGuardian First Book AwardSlightly Foxed Best First Biography PrizeLonglisted:Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-FictionTrade ReviewNeurosurgery has met its Boswell in Henry Marsh. Painfully honest about the mistakes that can 'wreck' a brain, exquisitely attuned to the tense and transient bond between doctor and patient, and hilariously impatient of hospital management, Marsh draws us deep into medicine's most difficult art and lifts our spirits. It's a superb achievement * Ian McEwan *An enthralling read . . . a testimony of wonder . . . Marsh's style is admirably clear, concise and precise . . There is no forcing of a narrative arc or a happy ending, just the quotidian frustrations, sorrows, regrets and successes of neurosurgical life -- Gavin Francis * GUARDIAN *An elegant series of meditations at the closing of a long career. Many of the stories are moving enough to raise tears, but at the heart this is a book about wisdom and experience -- Nicholas Blincoe * DAILY TELEGRAPH *[Do No Harm] simply tells the stories, with great tenderness, insight and self-doubt . . . Why haven't more surgeons written books, especially of this prosaic beauty? Well, thank God for Henry Marsh . . . What a bloody, splendid book: commas optional -- Euan Ferguson * OBSERVER *Incredibly absorbing . . . an astonishingly candid insight -- Bill BrysonRiveting . . . extraordinarily intimate, compassionate and sometimes frightening . . . [Marsh] writes with uncommon power and frankness * NEW YORK TIMES *Offers an astonishing glimpse into this stressful career. This is a wonderful book, passionate and frank. If Marsh is even a tenth as good a neurosurgeon as he is a writer, I'd let him open my skull any time -- Leyla Sanai * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *Henry Marsh . . . sets a new standard for telling it like it is . . . His love for brain surgery and his patients shines through, but the specialty - shrouded in secrecy and mystique when he entered it - has now firmly had the rug pulled out from under it. We should thank Henry Marsh for that -- Phil Hammond * THE TIMES *When a book opens like this: "I often have to cut into the brain and it is something I hate doing" - you can't let it go, you have to read on, don't you? . . . I trust completely the skills of those who practise [brain surgery], and tend to forget the human element, which is failures, misunderstandings, mistakes, luck and bad luck . . . Do No Harm by Henry Marsh reveals all of this, in the midst of life-threatening situations, and that's one reason to read it; true honesty in an unexpected place -- Karl Ove Knausgard * FINANCIAL TIMES *As gripping and engrossing as the best medical drama, only with the added piquancy of being entirely true, this compelling account of what it's really like to be a brain surgeon will have you on the edge of your sunlounger -- Sandra Parsons * DAILY MAIL *A mesmerising, at times painful journey through a neurosurgeon's extraordinary career. As delicate as he can be brutal, Marsh's account of himself is always honest and moving. Human frailty at its strongest -- Jessie Burton, author of THE MINIATURISTA strikingly honest and humane account of what it means to hold the power of life and death in your hands . . . elegant, edifying and necessary -- Erica Wagner * NEW STATESMAN 'Books of the Year' *Marsh has written a book about a love affair, and one cannot help feeling similarly smitten . . . 'Elegant, delicate, dangerous and full of profound meaning'. All four of those epithets might describe this book -- Ed Caesar * THE SUNDAY TIMES *A fascinating look inside the head of a man whose job it is to fiddle around in ours. He acknowledges that surgeons are arrogant, that they play God, but that they are also afflicted by despair, sorrow and doubt. He is scathing on NHS bureaucracy and his picture of doctors doing their best but basically flailing in the dark made me respect the profession more -- Nick Curtis * EVENING STANDARD *

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Book SynopsisA new edition of the inspirational memoir that touched thousands - one woman's journey from cancer and near-death to ultimate healing, spiritual freedom and inner power.Since its initial publication, Anita Moorjani’s memoir of her near-death experience has sold over a million copies worldwide in 45 languages. This 10th Anniversary Edition includes a new afterword that describes how Anita’s life has dramatically changed since the book’s original publication, including the discovery of empathic abilities that gave her a profound new perspective on her near-death experience. Anita shares how after fighting cancer for almost four years, her body began shutting down. As her organs failed, she entered into an extraordinary near-death experience where she would realize her inherent worth and the actual cause of her disease. Upon regaining consciousness, Anita found that her condition had improved so rapidly that she was able to be released from the hospital within weeks… without a trace of cancer in her body! After years of struggling to forge her own path while trying to meet everyone else’s expectations, she had the realization – as a result of her epiphany on the other side – that she had the power to heal herself… and that there are miracles in the Universe that she had never even imagined. In Dying to Be Me, Anita shares all she has learned about illness, healing, fear, ‘being love’, and the true magnificence of each and every human being!

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Book SynopsisWhen do we become adults? What does it mean to grow up? And what are the experiences that propel us forward — or keep us stuck? These are the questions that journalist Moya Sarner sets out to answer as she begins training as a psychotherapist. But as she delves further into her own mind and others’, she soon realises that growing up is far from the linear process we imagine it to be. So begins a journey of discovery into what growing up really involves, and how we do it again and again throughout our lives.Trade ReviewInteresting ... thoughtful and painfully open.’ -- James McConnachie * The Sunday Times *‘Moya Sarner has written a book about growing up which also happens to be a book about being alive: about managing pain and loss, about uncertainty and change, about humility and courage, about finding meaning and acceptance. She is asking all the right questions, in our uncertain times, and her search for answers is inspiring. Writing that is full of insight and depth, and always feels refreshing. This book is invigorating and thought-provoking, rigorous, elegant, and compassionate. It is about thinking, healing, and connecting. We need more like it.’ -- Tom Hiddleston‘Searching and consoling, When I Grow Up interrogates the beliefs we hold about life’s stages, and the labels we yearn for and resist. It is a generous, illuminating exploration of what it means to grow up, why we want to, and how to know when you’ve done it.’ -- Nell Stevens, author of Bleaker House‘A deeply compassionate book that made me think differently about not only what it means to be an adult but also what it means to be a human being.’ -- Imogen West-Knights‘Incredibly insightful and helpful. Everyone could learn something from this book.’ -- Olivia Petter, author of Millennial Love‘A journalist and psychotherapist explores what it means to be an adult in a world that often infantilises … She takes her skills as a journalist and what she has learned about listening to explore the vexed question of what becoming a mature adult personality might entail, and why achieving it has become such a trial and a puzzlement for so many today, herself included.’ -- Sally Vickers * The Guardian *‘Journalist and psychotherapist in training Moya Sarner takes us on a journey into what growing up really means, and what it involves. Drawing upon her conversations with adults in search of adulthood, and sharing her case studies and theories, When I Grow Up is an invigorating and thought-provoking novel.’ * Happy Mag *‘[A] multi-faceted book which is part psychology, part memoir with a little dash of self-help thrown in for good measure.’ * The Ross-Shire Journal *

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Book SynopsisA thrilling and highly newsworthy military adventure in the burning rubble of Islamic State.

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Book SynopsisMaggie Nelson is the author of several books of prose and poetry including The Red Parts, Bluets, the National Book Critics Circle Award-winner The Argonauts, and On Freedom. She teaches at the University of Southern California and lives in Los Angeles.

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Book SynopsisThe prestigious annual story anthology,featuring prize-winning stories by a diverse and exciting array of writers.Continuing a century-long tradition of cutting-edge literary excellence, this year''s edition contains twenty prizewinning stories chosen from the thousands published in magazines over the previous year. Guest editor Edward P. Jones has brought his own refreshing perspective to the prize, selecting stories by an engaging mix of celebrated names and emerging voices. The winning stories are accompanied by an introduction by Jones, observations from the winning writers on what inspired them, and an extensive resource list of magazines that publish short fiction.

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Book SynopsisThe first book to make use of police archives to tell the story of how rampant corruption led to the downfall of the Met Police's infamous Flying SquadTrade Review"Root demolishes the excuses of corrupt police; that they cut corners for the greater good, to bang up criminals. As for sources, Root has gone to the National Archives for the Met's files on the investigations of the 1970s. One of the books in Root's list of books consulted, 'The Fall of Scotland Yard', is equally worth reading, to give a sense of the press sniffing at the corrupt squads and of the smell of the Seventies, including that aura (as exploited by the likes of Drury) that British police were the best (also pushed by The Sweeney on TV) and could not do wrong." * Professional Security Magazine *

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Book SynopsisFrom Hanif Kureishi, author of The Buddha of Suburbia, a memoir about the accident that left him paralysed. Moving, funny, remarkable' Richard Eyre___________________A few days ago, a bomb went off in my life, but this bomb has also shattered the lives of those around me. My partner, my children, my friends.'On Boxing Day 2022, in Rome, Hanif Kureishi had a fall. When he came to, in a pool of blood, he was horrified to realise he had lost the use of his limbs. He could no longer walk, write or wash himself. He could do nothing without the help of others, and required constant care in a hospital. So began an odyssey of a year through the medical systems of Rome and Italy, with the hope of somehow being able to return home, to his house in London. While confined to a series of hospital wards, he felt compelled to write, but being unable to type or to hold a pen, he began to dictate to family members the words which formed in his head. The result was an extraordinary series of dispa

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Book SynopsisThis man and music asks two central questions: what can literature contribute to the art of composition, and how can music influence the writer? Anthony Burgess, famed novelist, journalist, and composer, answers these questions and many more. As a person uniquely qualified to look at the interconnectivity of music and literature from both sides, Burgess provides fascinating insights, drawing on his deep knowledge of both disciplines. The book contains eleven interconnected essays that touch on philosophical conundrums of art and adaptation, questions of meaning, and the author’s own personal experience. It is a must-read for fans of Burgess who want to understand how music influenced the author’s craft of writing. Part autobiography and part literary and musical analysis, This man and music is a unique artefact in the stunning output of a prolific artist.Trade Review'There is a lot in this book to recommend it to Burgess readers. There is even more, I would say, to recommend it to scholars of music. For those interested in the meeting points of music and literature, it is essential reading. It is a deeply personal book, but one that any reader will come away from filled with interesting factoids, and a much better and braver sense of how the written and the heard can come together.'Manchester review of books -- .Table of ContentsIntroductionThis man and music1 Biographia musicalis2 A matter of time and space3 Let’s write a symphony4 Music and meaning5 Meaning means language6 Under the bam7 Nothing is so beautiful as sprung8 Re Joyce9 Contrary tugs10 Oedipus wrecks11 Bonaparte in E flatAppendices1 Comparison of ‘Blest Pair of Sirens’ and ‘Disharmonious Sisters’ to This man and music 2 Original Prefatory Note from ‘Blest Pair of Sirens’3 Reviews4 Excerpt from ‘The Novel as Music’5 Similar passages in This Man and Music [1982], The Pianoplayers [1986], and Little Wilson and Big God [1986]6 Correspondence between Hans Keller and Anthony BurgessNotes

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Book SynopsisTerry Prone got into an argument on a TV show at thirteen. It marked her out as a fearless teenager willing to take on anybody. Soon she was a regular panellist on The Late Late Show. At fifteen, she lied about her age to get into the Abbey Theatre School of Acting, became an actor with the Abbey and starred in a West End production. Later, as Ireland's Outstanding Teenager, she was interviewed by Barbara Walters on US television. That was just the beginning of a phenomenal story that made her one of the most successful businesswomen in Ireland from the 1970s, training people all over the world in communications while publishing more than twenty books and thousands of newspaper columns. But at the heart of this book is the love story that forced Terry to throw caution to the wind. Because she fell in love with Tom Savage. Father Tom Savage. All hell broke loose. He was fired. She was fired. They weren't allowed to marry. The two of them fought back. Tom became the first producer of RTE's Morning Ireland and Terry was picked for the team setting up the Gay Byrne Hour. They set up a business where they trained captains of industry and politicians. Their company became a household name. Filled with laughter and love, with triumph and disaster, Caution to the Wind is an honest, funny account of an astonishing life. While Terry Prone is a seasoned writer, Caution to the Wind is the first book she has written about her personal life, and it proves to be thoughtful, evocative and engaging.

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