Biography Books

Book Synopsis**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**A riveting, inspiring memoir from the star of Netflix's My Unorthodox Life'Haart is a hustler, a born entrepreneur, charismatic enough to attract investment like a pop ingenue attracts talent scouts and a fighter.' POLLY VERNON, THE TIMES'An irresistible read . . . Written with great intensity and rare candor, Brazen is a story of longing for more and manifesting that vision.' TOMMY HILFIGEREver since she was a child, every aspect of Julia Haart's life - what she wore, what she ate, what she thought - was controlled by the rules of ultra-Orthodox Judaism. At nineteen, after a lifetime spent caring for her seven younger siblings, she was married off to a man she barely knew. But when she realises her daughters will be forced into the same unending servitude, Haart secretly starts preparing for a life beyond the confines of their Orthodox suburb - where she can pursue her 'sinful' dreams designing clothes. Propulsive and unforgettable, Brazen follows Haart's extraordinary journey from an extreme religious sect to how she found freedom and success in the world of fashion. 'Julia lives her life with an exhilarating fervour that's contagious to anyone lucky enough to be around her. Never willing to accept the status quo, time and again she has fought for her place in the world and demanded her seat at the table. I'm incredibly inspired by her stories, which are always told with honesty and heart. This book is a must read!'COCO ROCHA'Julia Haart is a hustler. Her story is an inspiring, believe-in-your-dreams, never-give-up, anything-in-life-is-possible story of hope. Run, don't walk, to get this book!'LISA RINNA

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Book SynopsisIlluminating her inner journey growing up mixed-race in Britain, Esua Jane Goldsmith's unique memoir exposes the isolation and ambiguities that often come with being 'an only'.Raised in 1950s South London and Norfolk with a white, working-class family, Esua's education in racial politics was immediate and personal. From Britain and Scandinavia to Italy and Tanzania, she tackled inequality wherever she saw it, establishing an inspiring legacy in the Women's lib and Black Power movements. Plagued by questions of her heritage and the inability to locate all pieces of herself, she embarks on a journey to Ghana to find the father who may have the answers.A tale of love, comradeship, and identity crises, Esua's rise to the first Black woman president of Leicester University Students' Union and Queen Mother of her village, is inspiring, honest, and full of heart.

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Book SynopsisSpanning the years from 1935 to 2010, Are We Home Yet? is the moving and funny story of a girl and her mother. As a girl, Katy accidentally discovers her mother is earning money as a sex worker at the family home, rupturing their bond. As an adult, Katy contends with grief and mental health challenges before she and her mother attempt to heal their relationship. From Canada, to Leeds and Jamaica, and exploring shame, immigration and class, the pair share their stories but struggle to understand each other's choices in a fast-changing world. By revealing their truths, can these two strong women call a truce on their hostilities and overcome the oppressive ghosts of the past?Trade ReviewKaty's writing is unflinchingly honest and undeniably authentic. It is also funny, sharp and full of perfectly placed detail. She challenges our preconceptions whilst transporting us right into the middle of a world few of us have had a chance to see this clearly before. * Sharon Duggal, author of The Handsworth Times and Should We Fall Behind *

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Book Synopsis"So to the person that broke my heart in 2021 by way of a casual voice-note. Thank you."Told from the perspective of some of the finest contemporary Black writers and thinkers, MANDEM is an ode to the moments in our pasts that shape us, and gratitude at being able to appreciate these lessons in the present.In a beautiful blend of prose and lyricism, each essay sees its author tap into their most vulnerable place - engaging honestly in conversations often silently grappled with by Black British men because of socially enforced beliefs around Black masculinity.The themes in this essay collection range from the importance of male role-models, and the unique relationship between mother and son to the sexual pressure placed on young heterosexual men, while also asking the question: "what does contemporary Black queerness actually look like?"Edited by award-winning artist Iggy London and featuring essays from Yomi Sode, Jeffrey Boakye, Christian Adofo, Ashley Hickson-Lovence, Athian Akec, Dipo Faloyin, Okechukwu Nzelu, Phil Samba, Sope Soetan, and Jordan Stephens, MANDEM is an unmissable, thoughtful anthology of Black male expression.

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Book Synopsis*****'Reads like a John le Carré novel but is, in fact, very real.' - The Big Issue'Very Bad People would be a hugely enjoyable thriller if it wasn't all true.' - Isabella Tree, author of Wilding'Global Witness are fearless.' - Gordon Roddick, Campaigner and Co-Founder of the Body Shop'Part true crime tale, part investigative procedural, this is the account of the brilliant and necessary superheroes of Global Witness, whose superpower is the truth.' - Edward Zwick, Director of Blood Diamond'Very Bad People reads like a non-stop high-speed chase as our fighters against corruption hunt down a litany of criminals and con-men.' - David Farr, Screenwriter, The Night Manager'The story told in this book of three youthful idealists is simply riveting. Don't miss it.' - Misha Glenny, author of McMafia'Alley has produced a clear-eyed account of a world poisoned by dark money, and a welcome reminder that resistance is possible. As it turns out, his book is even more timely than he could have hoped.' - Irish Times'This book is inspirational. It shows how young people with sufficient passion and intelligence have the capacity to go after some of the most powerful governments and corporations and shame, humiliate and just push governments to support important reforms that can make this a more decent world.' - Frank Vogl, Co-Founder of Transparency InternationalArms trafficking, offshore accounts and luxury property deals. Super-yachts, private jets and super-car collections. Blood diamonds, suspect oil deals, deforestation and murder. This is the world of Global Witness, the award-winning organisation dedicated to rooting out worldwide corruption. And this is co-founder Patrick Alley's revealing inside track on a breath-taking catalogue of modern super-crimes - and the 'shadow network' that enables them.VERY BAD PEOPLE is about following the money, going undercover in the world's most dangerous places, and bringing down the people behind the crimes. Case by case we see maverick investigators pitched against warlords, grifters and super-villains who bear every resemblance to The Night Manager's Richard Roper. One dictator's son spent $700 million in just four years on his luxury lifestyle.As they unravel crooked deals of labyrinthine complexity, the team encounter well-known corporations whose operations are no less criminal than the Mafia. This network of lawyers, bankers and real estate agents help park dirty money in London, New York, or in offshore accounts, safe from prying eyes.Patrick Alley's book is a brilliant, authoritative and fearless investigation into the darkest workings of our world - and an inspiration to all of us who want to fight back.Trade ReviewVery Bad People shines a light on the real life dramas that are truly more alarming than the pages of fiction - it is a shocking, important and page-turning book that gives a unique insight into a hidden world of criminality, and into the shadow networks that really run our world. -- Jeff Skoll, Founder and Chairman Participant Media * Skoll Foundation *Stories such as those you will read here are more usually found in the pages of thrillers, but these stories are frighteningly and unfortunately true. Corruption is one of the greatest enemies of democracy, to win the fight we need champions like Global Witness. -- George Soros

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Book Synopsis***'Brave and vividly evoked, should haunt Kier Starmer et al.' - The Telegraph'Where Did I Go Right? is sharp, considered, insightful, and helped me make sense of "the other side". And because Geoff Norcott is so funny, it unfortunately means I can't dismiss his views entirely. It's so important to have a friend you can disagree with but still admire and Geoff can be that friend to you!' - Katherine Ryan'I've always thought the benefit of having batsh*t parents is it increases the chance of you growing up funny. It's certainly worked for Geoff Norcott.' - David Baddiel'Few people walk the line of thought provoking and laugh out loud funny like Geoff Norcott.' - Romesh RanganathanComedian Geoff Norcott should have been Labour through and through. He grew up on a council estate, both of his parents were disabled, and his Dad was a Union man. So, how was it that he grew up to vote Tory?In this courageously honest and provocative memoir, Geoff unpicks his working-class upbringing and his political journey from left to right. Raised by a fierce matriarch and a maverick father on a South London council estate where they filmed scenes for The Bill, Geoff spends his youth attempting to put out kitchen fires with aerosols and leaping in and out of industrial skips. But as he reaches adolescence, his political views begin to be influenced by major events including the early 90s recession, the credit crunch, and a chance encounter with Conservative PM John Major.As an adult, Geoff begins to have the gnawing feeling that the values and traditions he grew up with no longer match Labour's. And, as Brexit appears, he feels even more like a double agent operating behind enemy lines.Written with warmth, wit and often laugh-out-loud humour, Where Did I Go Right? is Geoff's attempt to understand why he ended up voting 'for the bad guys', and why blue-collared conservatism could be here to stay.Praise for Geoff Norcott:'A mature, sharp take on modern politics' - The Sunday Times'Gently abrasive, but that's what makes him so entertaining... with a sharp, self-knowing wit' -The Times'Geoff Norcott genuinely has something original to say' - New European'A refreshingly brilliant new comedic voice' - Spectator'Norcott is an out-and-out rebel' - Express

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Book SynopsisTom King’s personal memoirs range across a life of exceptional activity and interest. Aged nineteen, he found himself commanding a military company against Mau Mau terrorists in Kenya; at thirty he became the youngest ever general manager in a major printing and packaging group, in charge of a factory with a staff of 700 and dealing with nine different trade unions. Elected as an MP in 1970, nine years later he took through the legislation that transformed London’s vast derelict docklands into the thriving business district of Canary Wharf. Subsequently his five Secretary of State roles saw him carrying through the law that gave union members the right to a secret ballot before a strike, then facing IRA terrorism and Unionist opposition when he launched what became the start of the peace process, then watching the fall of the Soviet Union and the Iron Curtain and being responsible for the massive UK deployment to help liberate Kuwait. Told with a sharp recollection of his fifty years in Parliament, Tom King’s memoirs cover a particularly interesting period of history and his part in shaping the events that led up to the world we live in now.

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Book SynopsisThis beautifully funny and highly entertaining book gives the reader a unique insight into what it's like to be a military and commercial helicopter pilot. We make brief and joyous visits to Jamaica, Syria, Iran, Germany, Oman, Yemen, the North Sea, Sweden and Saudi Arabia. We live through two wars and we meet VIPs and Heads of State. Highly experience helicopter pilot Nick Mylne constantly dazzles and entertains with his recollections of his professional life in a spin.

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Book SynopsisFollowing Kate Marshall’s first year in the mortuary at a north of England NHS hospital, with each month exploring the people she meets, in life and death, as well as her own growing awareness of life behind the veil. Meet Mr X Found in his apartment months after his death, Mr X has no relatives that can be traced. He is the longest-serving resident of the mortuary, having been there for almost a year while the search for his elusive family continues. The staff talk to him like an old friend, but Mr X is disintegrating and a decision has to be made soon. Meet Mary Her baby girl has been lost in the 15th week of pregnancy, Mary’s last chance to have a child. Mary won’t allow Abigail to leave the mortuary until she has finished reading a book to her. She visits twice each day, sitting with her baby, reading to her, speaking to no one, until she finally opens up to Kate. Meet Joe A loving husband and father who has died suddenly of a heart attack. Joe is visited by his wife, his children – and his mistress. On the day that all his worlds collide, Kate witnesses how death can finally reveal the truth of years of lies. Sorry for Your Loss is haunting, uplifting and informative, with many moments of laughter, and shows us that the way we approach death can make life all the more precious.

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A stolen past, a search for the truth, two lives changed forever Born out of wedlock in Dublin in 1937, Phyllis grew up in a tough, church run orphanage. She thought by fulfilling her dream to become a nurse in England, her life might change, but her loveless childhood predisposed a loveless marriage and things began to spiral out of control for her and for her daughter, Sally. Looking for the answers to why both their lives went so spectacularly wrong, led Sally to ask questions about the real identity of her mother: “Who was she? Why was she abandoned... I needed to find answers before it was too late.” After a mission lasting nearly a decade of searching archives and contacting various organisations, charities and anyone who would listen, Sally finally uncovered the truth.

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Book SynopsisDespite the often-unimaginable horrors of war, bonds of family and friendship can hold us together… Peter Barth was born in Hamburg during the Second World War. Sound and Fury explores war-time memorabilia, tape-recorded conversations, photographs and letters, to uncover amazing stories about his three closest families during the war. All three families lived close by in Hamburg. Towards the end of July 1943, the RAF bombed the city, creating an enormous firestorm and killing 45,000 people. The families survived and were scattered around Europe. His father and cousin were sent to the siege of Leningrad, both returned severely wounded. The Koschel family moved to Krakow. When the Red Army moved west, they had to flee. They came close to being caught in the RAF firestorm of Dresden. Meanwhile the Barths were refugees in a pretty village close to Bergen-Belsen, the horror of which only emerged when it was liberated by the Allies. Just north of there, the Cap Arcona (with Uncle Adam on board) was anchored in the Bay of Lübeck with two other ships, after rescuing thousands of refugees and wounded soldiers. The SS took command and packed the ships with thousands of concentration camp victims. The day before the German forces surrendered, RAF planes bombed and sank them. No one knows why.

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Book SynopsisCast in the form of an autobiography covering period between 1940 and 2015, After the Order of Melchizedek is, in effect, an account of the Church of England as she was during the second half of the 20th century. Anecdotal, humorous and allusive, much of the material is drawn from Adrian Leak’s life as an Anglican priest including chapters on life at Oxford University, at York Minster and three country parishes. “Melchizedek gives us a glimpse of the Church of England in the second half of the 20th century, seen through the eyes of a priest whose contrasting ministries in council estate, rural parishes, and cathedrals ancient and modern, describe a mostly vanished church and different world. It is a timely warning to the Church of England not to discard completely its care for everyone, whether they go to church or not.” – Nigel McCulloch, former Bishop of Manchester

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Book SynopsisFor a man who has spent almost a lifetime waiting to be King, Huw Thomas reveals how Wales prepared Charles for the crown. Despite his initial reluctance to come to Wales as a student, his time spent learning the history and language of the Welsh at Aberystwyth in the 1960s fostered a passionate commitment to the nation. Wales has not always returned the compliment, with popular protests and more subtle snubs to his involvement in Welsh affairs. And yet those who have worked with him, and who call him a friend, cite a remarkable ability to make a difference without making a fuss. As a diplomat he is credited with bringing major employers to south Wales, offering jobs to a workforce that had been decimated by the collapse of the coal industry. As a cultural ambassador he revived royal patronage for the arts in Wales and sponsored the finest performers to emerge from the land of song. And as a champion of the natural environment, he has backed the farmers and conservationists who are nurturing the Welsh countryside, not least by employing traditional crafts to create the first royal home in Wales for 400 years.

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Book SynopsisToxic. Unexplainable. Deadly. This is the reality of living with a mental illness. When your mind becomes your own killer, death seems like a sweet release. This gripping and heart-wrenching story reveals the brutal reality of life with an eating disorder. Stephanie Shott is a bright and life-loving young woman who has had to deal with all the horror and difficulty of anorexia. In this moving and inspirational book, ‘Just Keep Swimming’, Stephanie bravely and boldly opens herself up to the reader and tells her story. This harrowing story of dealing with anorexia and beating it is engrossing, disturbing and utterly inspirational.

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Book SynopsisOne Man’s Mountain’ is a powerful and energetic memoir describing how what seem to be distant and unachievable dreams can become real and develop into a life’s experience that is way beyond what was thought possible. The book depicts life’s experiences leading from war-time to normal peacetime living. An ordinary suburban lifestyle enables the writer to explore and adventure on two wheels and brings to life a competitive spirit, which causes the writer to see and develop an ambition. The goal to be achieved centres upon an island in the Irish Sea, yet seems beyond reach. The difficulty is that it combined the need to ride and earn a living! Yet strangely, work and play relate.

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Book SynopsisTytus Sas Komarnicki was born in 1896 in Warsaw. He had been living in Grenoble since 1942 where he was responsible for the Polish Red Cross. At the same time he was involved in Polish underground movements which meant that the Gestapo agents were constantly on his heels. Before World War Two he had been the Polish Delegate to the League of Nations from 1936 and also Polish Ambassador in Bern. In 1940, after the invasion of his homeland, he and his family moved to France and eventually to Grenoble. After the war he lived with his family in London where he wrote several books on Polish history and was a member of the Board of Directors of the International Law courts in The Hague. He died in London in 1967.Table of ContentsTranslator’s foreword to ‘Despair and Hope’ 5 by Juliusz Komarnicki 5 Chapter 1: Preparations for a journey - September 1943 9 Chapter 2: The journey in France 14 Chapter 3: Andorra 27 Chapter 4: Spain: Puigcerdá to Barcelona 40 Chapter 5: Barcelona 43 Chapter 6: The taxi journey to Madrid 55 Chapter 7: Waiting in Madrid 59 Chapter 8: The train journey through Spain and Portugal 75 Chapter 9: Gibraltar 80 Chapter 10: The flight to England and arrival 94 Chapter 11: The endless wait in London 98 Notes to accompany the text 107

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Book SynopsisOver the days and weeks that followed, it was difficult to keep up with changes as new roads and buildings sprouted up at an alarming rate; I have to say that most were positive changes, with oil revenues allocated to the various Five-Year plans. Ports would be expanded, hospitals and schools created, airports completely built from scratch, and then a plethora of new shopping centres to prevent us going short of anything! Sid Deeky was my Friend is a memoir recalling the days of expat life in Saudi Arabia between 1978-1985. From the daily rigour of port life to the sweeping deserts and hectic roads, Hunt's convivial recounting of his time at the Port of Jeddah covers a broad range of experiences, landscapes and interactions. Whether caught up in the daily drama of the port or cruising down Jeddah's Corniche Road in a signature Datsun, Hunt's account of expat life provides that sense of adventure which enticed so many members of Saudi Arabia's immigrant communities in the first place. Bright, poignant and occasionally tragic, this tale offers a window into expat life during an economic boom which utterly transformed the country - a transformation which would never have been possible without the immense effort of thousands of expats who migrated from Europe, Africa, the Americas and elsewhere in Asia in search of greater opportunities.

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Book Synopsis"I sank to my knees in despair. Incredibly, despite being in a tropical jungle I was cold, really cold. I was shivering from head to foot. The adrenaline that had brought me this far had finally run out and I collapsed to the ground. And that's when I was attacked.” Running and flying the world for over 40 years was finally coming to an end. During that time, I had become the World's most experienced Boeing 747 Captain. I had combined my flying with running the equivalent of a marathon every week for four decades. My flying career was at an end. Running had been a passion that had taken me into places and situations that were both exciting and dangerous. I could no longer fly the 747 but at least I was still young enough to run as fast as I ever could. And then I was overtaken by a butterfly.

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Book SynopsisIn this stunning debut collection, Quan writes with raw honesty about key moments in their life and transition. Courageous and poignant, these essays deftly explore what it takes to live your own truth and carve a place for yourself in a world that offers no blueprint.

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Book Synopsis"Darling the hour has almost arrived. We leave tonight ... I am feeling it very much but I must not weaken. I must be brave. I think that will be the best attitude to take for us all" Harold Bishop is called up to the army in 1941, aged 39. He leaves behind his wife Joan, his children and his livelihood as butler of the grand Cardoness House. What follows is a tender and revealing collection of letters home. Despite the restrictions of the censors, Harold describes his time in a training barracks in Edinburgh, his health and clothes, and his eventual deployment to North Africa. His letters also reveal glimpses of Joan's experiences, making this a valuable social history and a record of a soldier's service. A tender and revealing collection that shares the life and cares of a soldier and his family during WWII

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Book SynopsisStars and planets, vast skies and new horizons. A distant future with secrets in its past. A house sitter intercepts a message from a lost craft, while a tree holds the key to an alien invasion. Then a curlew rises from a starlit reedbed, before a child dreams of the moon landings, and a robot uncovers a lie which may just change everything ... Full of mystery and adventure, true memories and poetry, this is a brilliant and far-ranging collection about our present and future relationship with space

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Book SynopsisYeti (male 28) seeks mate. Can be seen Christmas/Easter roaming Ben Nevis, Snowdon some weekends in between. Migrates to Alps around June. Very friendly, generally harmless, except on ski-slopes. Very safe experienced motorcyclist Britain and abroad – would get sidecar, if nagged. Please write. . . (Personal ad published in a national mountaineering magazine.) From an asthmatic childhood spent on post-war Birmingham bomb-sites, Mike Leaver escaped from cruel State boarding schools to careers as a lab technician, accountant, pleasure-boat captain, and local builder. Mike has also been: a homeless hermit inhabiting a derelict boat surrounded by drug addicts; an adventurer/mountaineer in the UK, Scandinavia, and North Africa; and finally, a semi-retired handyman writing books while enjoying an ideal life off-grid in a converted lorry in a pretty coastal town. Embark on an extraordinary journey of an eccentric pursuing dreams of love, writing and the path to happiness in a memoir that’s as charming as it is quirky.

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Book SynopsisIt all started with a date in the Two Puddings pub in East London in 1963 and nearly 60 years on, Harry and Sandra Redknapp are still in love. Already a well-known and respected face in the world of football, it wasn’t until Harry’s stint in the I’m A Celebrity jungle that their married life was propelled into the spotlight. Viewers fell in love with the couple as Harry regaled funny and touching tales of their lives together – with plenty of jam roly-poly along the way. Now they are sharing their entire love story for the first time. From early courting mishaps, wedding day jellied eels and a hapless honeymoon in Torquay to the joyful arrival of sons Mark and Jamie, Harry and Sandra reveal the highs and lows of their marriage in this joint autobiography. They will open up about happy holidays, health scares, house moves and the horror car crash that left Harry feared dead. Sandra speaks movingly about the devastating death of her beloved sister at just 58 and Harry talks about dark days as a football boss, a triumphant court battle... and the moment he accidentally ran his wife over in his car, crushing her foot... Harry and Sandra are one of the nation’s most-loved couples who have been on an extraordinary adventure together. Their story is an honest, heart-warming tale of love, loss and loyalty.

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Book SynopsisA boy born to be king, he had to wait 73 years to fulfil his destiny – the longest wait by an heir apparent in British history. ‘King Charles III’ looks back at his life thus far – how his childhood shaped him into the man and monarch he is today, his eventful private life, family heartache, his passions and achievements – and projects forward to predict the kind of sovereign he’s likely to be.

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Book Synopsis‘A third presence has arrived in my marriage. Ms Alzheimer’s – I think of her as a hideous, brain-eating monster – has come to live with us. Permanently.’ In April 2017, Susan’s husband Nicholas was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. This was followed by 28 months of relentless, rapid decline culminating in Nicholas’ death in August 2019. The Alzheimer’s Diaries (originally published as a blog) charts the progression of his illness, from diagnosis to the funeral. Susan dubbed the illness ‘Ms Alzheimer’s’ and describes the hateful impact on the man she loves. According to Alzheimer’s Research UK one person in 14 over the age of 65 has dementia, and in this thought-provoking account, Susan unflinchingly shares her story.

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Book SynopsisCome through the doors of the care homes with the care home manager, the home to our elderly, vulnerable adults, their final home. Experience the day-to-day life as a Registered manager and share some of her tales she tells. Susie tells her tales of horror and heartbreak but also those that will make you laugh and smile and happenings you will find unbelievable… Life in a care home, written by a care home manager. This little book will touch hearts and give an understanding of what it means to work in our care homes, the people we meet and those we care for, and those we work with. A Most Precious Gift is a token of thanks to all our staff that work in care homes and for those that showed their commitment and empathy working through the Covid Pandemic.

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Book Synopsis'Inside Left' is a political memoir with a difference; not the self-justifications of an ex-Prime Minister, but the perspective of a grassroots activist well known in the political circles of Kent in South East England. Roger Truelove also reveals his other great life-long passions, education, and cricket, with some unique and utterly fascinating observations. Prime Ministers and test cricketers also appear but so too does an American PE teacher who believed that when the lights went out in Massachusetts in 1965, it was orchestrated by Hitler. There is both great joy and great sorrow in this book, at a personal level but also anger with our contemporary politics. The book concludes with Roger's unique leadership of a five-party coalition on his council.Table of ContentsCONTENTS Part 1 ~ 1944-1974 1 1 Health complications 3 2 Roots 12 3 Young cricketer 45 4 Teddy Hall 75 5 In and out of Africa 100 Part 2 ~ 1974-1997 119 6 Mwalimu 121 7 The mould survives 144 Part 3 ~ 1997-2023 173 8 New Labour 175 9 The failure of contemporary politics 197 10 Yes, Leader 218

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Book SynopsisA truly innovative book for cat and kitten lovers Oliver's naughty and precocious perceptions of humans will delight, surprise and perhaps even shock you. Oliver Kitten was born in a firetruck and ends up living with a three-generation multicultural human family in a four-bedroom house. He keeps a diary of his own escapades and the things he hears and sees his family get up to. At once cute and funny, Oliver is a little naughty and sometimes downright wicked in his precocious observations of the things the humans in his house get up to. Oliver's family includes a Scottish grandmother (whose knitting wool has adventures of its own), Clint, a sometime unpredictable two-year-old boy, the father Richard, his wife Nicole, and Lucy, their 13-year-old daughter. Lucy thinks she is Oliver Kitten's owner and spends her life between the fridge and her bedroom, generally with Oliver in one hand and her phone in the other.Oliver is a diligent kitten and keeps a daily diary covering everything in his life including paper shredding, leaping, purring, meowing, kneading, scratching, grooming hiding, escaping, finding sleeping places and giving licks and kisses.Elegantly produced with black and white line drawings, Oliver Kitten's Diary shows us a kitten evolving into a powerful and smart adult cat with lots of fun, affection, love and adventures.

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Book SynopsisExhilarating, introspective and inspiring, this collection of true travel stories proves that the world is best seen with courage, open-mindedness, and relentless curiosity. From a nervous flier anxiously taking to the skies for the first time to a female traveler braving the Middle East; from a death-defying hike on an Indonesian volcano to the anxious freedom of finding yourself alone on the other side of the world, these stories are certain to send you looking for your passport.

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Book Synopsis“Wherever you are, there is home.” The flutter of first dates, the thrill of a text-back, the heart-stopping seconds before coming out, and the rush when finally discovering who you truly are – all of these life-changing moments across the full spectrum of LGBTQIA+ experience are ready to explore in this bright and inspiring comics anthology! The Color of Always is a collection of personal stories, testimonies, heirlooms, evocations, and evangelisms for queer creators and readers that celebrates feeling good about who you are, and coming into your own at last. Featuring stories and art from BRENT FISHER, MARIO CANDELARIA, PRIYA SAXENA, MICHELE ABOUNADER, JAZZLYN STONE, ELISA ROMBOLI, LAURA HELSBY, RACHEL DISTLER, KATIE HICKS, LIANA KANGAS, and many more!Trade Review“an absolutely beautiful tribute to queer love and relationships.” – Booklist (Starred)“A magnificent book, filled with stories that will make you think and feel.” – Lilah Sturges (Jack of Fables, Lumberjanes)"An eclectic collection of deeply felt and frequently uplifting stories from across the spectrum of human experience." - Library Journal“Reinforces the fact that love comes in many forms and that everyone deserves it.” – Sweeney Boo (Captain Marvel, Over My Dead Body)

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Book SynopsisExtraordinary stories from a lifetime spent conducting interviews. This is the world of the dreaded door-knock from the other side of the door. Trish Palmer has been working as an interviewer and area manager for market research companies for over 20 years, invited into the homes and private lives of an astonishing array of folk from every lifestyle imaginable. Her experiences on the job entail everything from bare bottoms to angry cats, the desperately struggling to the well-off, and everyone in between. There is comedy and sadness, surprises and the downright odd, from witches to boat-builders, dope growers and more. Poignant, hilarious, and always thought-provoking, this is a highly entertaining read.

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Book SynopsisThis is a charming book, describing, in the words of Chris Wright, 'one of the greatest partnerships in church history.' It is a story which John Stott himself hoped would one day be told. It is widely agreed that Stott could not have been half so effective without Frances Whitehead at his side. He invited her to become his Secretary when she was still a young Christian, at that time working for the BBC. Having done secret war work as a mathematician, she brought a good mind as well as determination. Stott relied on her, and she would shoulder responsibility to work on the infrastructure to establish his ideas. She also typed his 50 books from longhand. They are both described (by one of the succession of young graduate Study Assistants) as 'fast, exacting and determined', with Frances matching Stott's gold standard again and again. 'She was as remarkable in her way as John Stott was in his.' They were good friends, and she was named in his Will as 'My friend and Executor'. Neither married and both were completely dedicated to John's ministry. You can't understand his ministry without knowing of Frances Whitehead. This is a very colourful biography looking at Frances Whitehead's ancestry as well as her own interesting life. It includes walk-on parts from George III, Gainsborough, Prince Albert, Florence Nightingale, the Singer family (of Singer sewing Machine fame) and Jacqueline du Pre. It is no ordinary 'Christian biography'. Her family at one stage owned much of Chelsea, including the land on which Harrods now stands. Frances's life story gives us glimpses into the way they worked together, and their shared values. Both were very modest about their contributions, and lived modestly. John Stott lived in a small two-roomed flat, from which he worked. His Study Assistant had a desk in Stott's small bedroom - the desk had been rescued from a skip. Frances worked in a small office looking out onto a brick wall. The book concludes with a summing-up of John Stott's and Frances Whitehead's joint legacy. This includes the founding and establishing of two global movements. Timeline, Family trees, Appendices, and over 30 photographs.Table of ContentsAuthor's Preface Timeline Foreword to the first edition by Chris Wright Introduction to the first edition by Timothy Dudley-Smith The Archangel in charge of 'postings' PART l: LONDON, FRIDAY 13 JANUARY, 2012 1. Memorial Service at St Paul's Cathedral PART ll: FROM CHILDHOOD TO THE BBC (1925-1956) 2. Early years 3. To boarding school 4. Massive changes 5. Travels to Switzerland and South Africa 6. London, the BBC and a new-found faith PART lll: INTERLUDE Snapshots from family history PART IV: JOHN STOTT'S SECRETARY (1956-2011) 7. New beginnings and new projects 8. More time and wider horizons 9. How a global ministry grew 10. The happy triumvirate 11. The Hookses 12. Award of a Lambeth degree 13. Bourne End (1971-2011) 14. John Stott finishes his race PART V: FRANCES WHITEHEAD'S FINAL YEARS (2011-2019) 15. Frances's Final Years 16. From Bourne End to Bovey Tracey AFTERWORD A shared legacy Appendices 1. Tributes to Frances Whitehead; and text of that given by Eidi Cruz-Valdivieso 2 (i) Books typed by Frances Whitehead; 2(ii) The story of a biography 3. Staff appointed by John Stott 4. Press notices and orders of service

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Book Synopsis"I never missed my childhood home / until the tide stopped rolling in and / ochre sand no longer crunched between my toes ..." A little girl grows up to the sounds of the seaside in bustling Cleethorpes. There are family outings through the Lincolnshire Wolds in a tiny Austin 7, and ferry rides across the Humber. Family runs like a comforting thread throughout this 'little gem of a book', and lifelong friendships are forged in unexpected places ... A gentle and heartfelt memoir about the timeless call of the seaTrade Review'There is so much to admire in this little gem of a book ... so much rich, human detail' - Five Stars; 'Warm, welcoming and absolutely a book to treasure' - reader review; 'A compelling journey through post-war seaside adventures ... A touching read!' - reader review

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Book SynopsisFabulously dressed with a flair all his own, unapologetic yet vulnerable, talented yet supremely humble: Harry Styles is a cultural phenomenon and icon for our times. This photo-packed, gold-foiled luxe gift book celebrates the global superstar’s impact on music and fashion and how his choice of positive and authentic self-expression and tolerance has helped redefine modern masculinity and celebrity worldwide. Divided into three sections - each with a short introduction about the music, the fashion, and the joyful magic of his appeal - this amazing collection of Harry’s signature moments includes: The Met Gala and his Gucci sheer pussy-bow black blouse and heeled boots, The sparkling Coachella performance with Shania Twain, The incredible launch of the #1 hit and video, As It Was, His stunning appearances at red carpets, the Grammys, BRIT Awards, and more! If a person could be a smile, then that would be Harry - and that essence of Harry is what this exciting book captures. Stylers and Harries will adore and treasure this keepsake. Contributors include: Alex Bilmes, British journalist and editor-in-chief of Esquire UK, Aya Kanai, the noted fashion editor and Head of Creative and Editorial at Google Shopping, Jem Aswad, senior music editor at VarietyTrade Review"While you can’t actually bring the 'Cherry' singer home, this book is the next best thing...."–Billboard.com"...An exciting project about your fave whimsical suit-wearing musician that’s filled to the brim with amazing pics of Harry throughout his already long career (he’s only 29, but he’s lived, like, seven lives, mmkay?)."–Cosmopolitan.com"A stunning new photo-packed book" –E! News"This book would be a fantastic gift for your Styles-loving friend or family member...."–Eugene Weekly"If you were one of the millions to see Harry Styles shimmy in glitter and fur during his 'Love on Tour' jaunt earlier this year and are looking to recreate the magical moment, you’ll want to get your hands on [this book]."–Variety.com

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Book SynopsisIn this reflective and enriching memoir, John Tuomey navigates the places and memories of his life over the scope of twenty-five years. First recognised for the urban regeneration of Dublin’s Temple Bar, which included the construction of the Irish Film Institute, the National Photographic Archive and Gallery of Photography, his life in architecture led him to design social and cultural spaces such as the Lyric Theatre in Belfast, the Glucksman Gallery in UCC and the Victoria & Albert East Museum in London. Imbued with many inter-textual references to poetry, drama and literature and written in limpid prose, this memoir is inherently literary in nature. Tuomey looks back to his early life where he was born in Tralee and lived in different counties around Ireland, from small towns to country landscapes, from schooldays in Dundalk to student activism at University College Dublin. He traces the pathways that led to his formation as an architect, reflecting on the many cultural and social influences on his life. He excels in capturing the social landscape of Dublin in the 1980s and pays particular attention to the many buildings and social hubs of the inner city. His transient years of moving from Dublin to London, and subsequently working in places like Nairobi and Milan, chronicle the international influences on his outlook. The key relationships in his life, including meeting his future wife, Sheila – a fellow student of architecture in UCD – and his pivotal employment by James Stirling in 1976, form the backbone of his personal and professional life. Tuomey’s expertise in his field is unsurpassed, with meticulous detail given to the finer aspects of design and architecture. His thoughts on the challenges facing the encroaching erasure of city life in Dublin are essential reading for anyone with an interest in the future of building in the city.Trade Review'First Quarter is light, strong book, beautifully balanced and crafted; there is a sense of rightness to it. A wise and lovely read.' Anne Enright 'First Quarter is a book rich in imagery through words, in recollection and in reflection … Tuomey’s writing has a poetic style that balances on echoes. As a writer, as well as a person, he reveals a sensitivity, alive to poetry and beauty. He also reveals an irreverent streak of wit and fun.’ Gemma Tipton, Irish Times‘There's a dry wit about his writing, suggesting a man not averse to comedies big and small, and this slim but eloquent little volume gives the reader an insight into the man behind the innovative design.’ Anne Cunningham, Meath Chronicle‘[A] spare, purposeful memoir … It is a pleasure to read John’s account of the intellectual excitement of his student years.’ Irish Examiner ‘Beautifully rendered, carefully pared-back … modest, witty and stylish.’ Sunday Independent‘A rich and beautifully crafted tapestry of Tuomey’s early years delivered with effortless wit and balance. It is a very personal exploration of self-identity by way of skilful and captivating storytelling.’ Tina-Marie O'Neill, Sunday Business Post‘It is beautifully written, in plain English … each lucid and often witty page holds and repays your interest and attention, and you find yourself at moments tracking back just for the pleasure of reading a passage again. … Read the Tuomey book, I’d advise. It’s wise, tender and – human.’ Hugh Pearman, RIBA Journal

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Book SynopsisVincent van Gogh's short, passionate life was driven by an almost unimaginable creative energy that eventually overwhelmed him. The outlines of his story - the early strivings in Holland and Paris, the revelatory impact of the move to Provence, the attacks of madness that led ineluctably to his suicide - are almost as familiar as the paintings. Yet it is more than possible that neither the paintings nor Van Gogh's story would have survived at all if it had not been for his remarkable sister-in-law, Jo van Gogh-Bonger. After Vincent's death and that of her husband, his brother Theo, Jo devoted her life to preserving and exhibiting the paintings, and editing the letters. It is in her short and unaccountably neglected biography that we can come closest to Vincent the man.Trade Review"The London publishing house Pallas Athene has come up with the very welcome and worthwhile project of assembling English translations of early biographies of artists in an easily accessible publication." - Historians of Netherlands Art Reviews

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Book SynopsisA richly illustrated book about the celebrated connoisseur, collector and philanthropist Sir Richard Wallace (1818-1890), published by the Wallace Collection to mark the bicentenary of his birth. Includes 490 illustrations and new information on Wallace’s origins and life.

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Book SynopsisNothing in the papers, not the most vivid and heart-rending descriptions, have made me realise war like your letters' Vera Brittain to Roland Leighton, 17 April 1915.This selection of letters, written between 1913 & 1918, between Vera Brittain and four young men - her fiance Roland Leighton, her brother Edward and their close friends Victor Richardson & Geoffrey Thurlow present a remarkable and profoundly moving portrait of five young people caught up in the cataclysm of total war. Roland, 'Monseigneur', is the 'leader' & his letters most clearly trace the path leading from idealism to disillusionment. Edward, ' Immaculate of the Trenches', was orderly & controlled, down even to his attire. Geoffrey, the 'non-militarist at heart' had not rushed to enlist but put aside his objections to the war for patriotism's sake. Victor on the other hand, possessed a very sweet character and was known as 'Father Confessor'. An important historical testimony telling a powerful story of idealism, disillusionment and personal tragedy.Trade ReviewUnique...a remarkable portrait of five young people caught up in the cataclysm of war * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *Immensely moving...As the first world war slips out of living memory, this is a timely reminder of what was lost - and how we lost it * SUNDAY TIMES *Touching, angry, bewildered...they demand to be read * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Beautifully edited and with excellent notes. * TLS *

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Book SynopsisIn this, the first book of its kind, Kate Kray, who married gangster Ronnie Kray, peers into the minds of the top twenty worst killers in criminal history and, sparing no detail, reveals the awful truth of their abominable acts. The extreme nature of their violence and their shocking lack of remorse makes for uncomfortable, yet fascinating reading. From obsessive sexual predators and extreme sadists, to cannibals and head hunters, each type of psychopath is examined, their crimes against life told with grim, yet necessary, frankness. Kate offers true insight into the deeply worrying motivations of what come to seem closer to monsters than humans, begging the question of whether such individuals can themselves be viewed as victims of a troubled past, or merely as exponents of pure evil. But be warned, these stories are not for the faint-hearted...

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