Biography Books

Book Synopsis'Sexton will go down as Ireland's greatest ever player' Gordon D'Arcy, Irish TimesNo Irish rugby player has ever achieved more, or been a source of more inspiration to teammates and fans alike, than Johnny Sexton. In his hotly anticipated autobiography, Johnny tells the story of his life and explores the sources of his unmatched will to win. The Sexton era was marked by four European Cups, four Six Nations championships (including two Grand Slams), a series win in New Zealand, two stints for Ireland at number 1 in the world, and the World Player of the Year award. Always outspoken on and off the field, Sexton offers an honest look at his childhood, his seemingly inauspicious early experiences in club and professional rugby, his relationships with key teammates and coaches (including Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell, Ronan O'Gara, Joe Schmidt and Andy Farrell), and his ideas about the game. Obsessed is more than just a brilliantly detailed account of a legendary playing career. It is also a work of deep self-exploration, tracing the psychological arc of a player who almost always felt embattled, who struggled with self-doubt, and who was still learning new lessons about being a team-mate and a leader into his late thirties. Intense, witty, perceptive and frank, Obsessed is an autobiography worthy of its author and the essential chronicle of an extraordinary era in Irish rugby. 'The best ever Irish player to play the game' Andy FarrellSexton is on that rarefied plane of athlete where even his mere presence can feel quietly decisive.' Jonathan Liew, Guardian

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Book SynopsisCombining moment-by-moment drama with an emotional story of friendship and bravery,Escape from Kabulis also a searing insight into the captive fate of women in Afghanistan. In the twenty years since 2001, Afghan women obtained legal degrees, became judges and set out to transform their country - tackling corruption, and reducing horrifying levels of violence against women and children. These educated and powerful women led the mission to build a modern democracy that respected the rule of law and human rights.However, when Western forces withdrew in August 2021, the women judges of Afghanistan faced mortal danger. Escape from Kabul is the extraordinary, never-before-told story of their escape, and the shocking fates of those who were unable to flee. Bestselling, veteran journalist Karen Bartlett has had unique access to many of the women involved,including those in exile and the judges still trapped in Afghanistan, as well as the international network of women judges who were vital to the escape effort.

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Book SynopsisThe instant Sunday Times bestsellerThe UK's bestselling medieval historian brings unforgettably to life the astonishing rise of Henry V, who survived rebellion, a near-fatal arrow wound and a lengthy and precarious princely apprenticeship to become England's greatest warrior king. 'A historian who writes as addictively as any page-turning novelist.' ObserverHenry V reigned over England for only nine years and four months, and died at the age of just 35, but he looms over the landscape of the late Middle Ages and beyond. The victor of Agincourt was a model king for his successors. Shakespeare's version of Henry V saw his youthful folly redirected to sober statesmanship, and in the dark days of World War II, Henry's victories in France were recounted in British propaganda. Churchill called Henry a gleam of splendour in the dark, troubled story of medieval England', while for one modern medievalist, Henry was, quite simply, the greatest man who ever ruled England'. For Dan Jones, He

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Book SynopsisThe New York Times bestseller: the incredible untold story of Virginia Hall, an American woman with a wooden leg who infiltrated Occupied France for the SOE and became the Gestapo's most wanted Allied spy, written by acclaimed biographer Sonia Purnell.Trade ReviewPurnell's account of Hall's hectic, amphetamine-fuelled exploits never falters. It recalls Caroline Moorehead's wonderful book, Village of Secrets, but has an added touch of Ben Macintyre's brio ... A rousing tale of derring-do' -- Richard Davenport-Hines * The Times, Book of the Week *Soon to be a film starring Daisy Ridley, Purnell's life of the SOE agent Virginia Hall is a cracking story about an extraordinarily brave woman * Telegraph Best Holiday Beach Reads *As gripping as any thriller ... a superb biography ... Purnell nimbly takes the reader through Hall's complicated manoeuvres all over central France and beyond. And in doing so, she paints a rounded portrait of a complicated, resourceful, determined and above all brave woman * Irish Times *Brimming with moving tales of courage in the face of tyranny, this is a worthy tribute to an incredible figure -- Deirdre O'Brien * Sunday Mirror *A cracking story of an extraordinarily brave woman . . . extraordinarily well-researched . . . thrilling -- Anne de Courcy * Telegraph *Excellent . . . Purnell's meticulous research into Hall's life and work has taken her not only through British SOE papers and resistance files in France, but also through nine levels of security at the CIA in Langley * Spectator *Purnell mixes telling detail with narrative verve to convey both the excitements of Hall's precarious existence and the force of her indomitable spirit * Mail on Sunday *Riveting ... one of the most breath-taking stories yet told of female courage behind enemy lines ... An intimate and moving portrayal * Sarah Helm, author of If This Is A Woman and A Life In Secrets *A gripping, relevant and timely read about a remarkable woman from a talented writer * Deborah Frances-White, author of The Guilty Feminist *Purnell's extensive research brings the facts of Virginia's life into brilliant focus -- Jane Shilling * Evening Standard *With her thriller-writer's style and copious new research, Purnell has written a fitting and moving tribute to an amazing woman * The Economist *It is easy to see why Hollywood is showing interest in Purnell's account of Hall, an authentic heroine who was also American, disabled and a woman. "Marie" thoroughly deserved her laurels -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *The extraordinary facts of [Hall's] life are brought onto the page here with a well-judged balance of empathy and fine detail. This book is as riveting as any thriller, and as hard to put down -- Mick Herron * New York Times *Gripping . . . With this book, the true extent of Hall's heroic contribution to the war effort is known at last -- Jane Warren * Express *Impressively researched and compellingly written, this brilliant biography puts Virginia Hall - and her prosthetic leg Cuthbert - back where they belong: right in the heart of resistance history * Clare Mulley, author of The Spy Who Loved and The Women Who Flew for Hitler *The remarkable life of the American Second World War spy Virginia Hall is due to get the Hollywood treatment - the Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley is slated to play her on screen. In Hall's biography by Sonia Purnell all the details of her incredible adventures are gathered together for a breath-taking read * Irish Examiner, This summer's top reads *Courage, resourcefulness, ingenuity: Hall possessed them all, and in Purnell she has found the ideal biographer * Tablet *Sonia Purnell has exhaustively researched Virginia Hall's career in archives in many countries, and she writes with authority and in vivid detail. This book is a cracking story * Oldie *A compelling biography of a masterful spy, and a reminder of what can be done with a few brave people -- and a little resistance * NPR *An incredible story of under-appreciated heroism * USA Today *An inspiring account of an extraordinary woman's bravery that will keep you gripping your seat -- Rebecca Wallersteiner * The Lady Book of the Week *Remarkable ... this lively examination... shows how, if Hall had been a man, dropping undercover in and out of occupied Vichy, Paris, and Lyon, setting up safe houses, and coordinating couriers for the Resistance, she would now be as famous as James Bond... Meticulous research results in a significant biography of a trailblazer who now has a CIA building named after her * Kirkus Reviews *This true tale of courage will take your breath away * Best *Purnell vividly resurrects an underappreciated hero and delivers an enthralling story of wartime intrigue...fans of WWII history and women's history will be riveted * Publishers Weekly *Fascinating! careful research and skilful writing, Sonia Purnell, in A Woman of No Importance, takes you deep into the covert operations Hall led in Nazi-occupied France, first for the British and then for the Americans. Readers will find this tale of her cunning and courage riveting * Douglas Waller, author of Wild Bill Donovan: The Spymaster Who Created the OSS and Modern American Espionage *Virginia Hall was considered the most dangerous of all the Allieds' spies by the Nazis - and her the untold story of the American with a wooden leg who became the French Resistance's key intelligence contact is finally revealed * Independent *This compelling story has remained under wraps until now, with the publication of Sonia Purnell's dramatic and extremely well-researched account. * Country Life *[A Woman of No Importance is] Sonia Purnell's astonishing account of the wartime escapades of special ops agent Virginia Hall . . . Hall's actions, which helped galvanise the Resistance movement, were guided by an indomitable spirit and fierce sense of purpose, and her perilous escape over the Pyrenees in November 1942 makes for nail-biting reading * Financial Times *A cracking biography of Virginia Hall, the tall, beautiful, one-legged Special Operations Executive agent who in 1941 was sent to occupied France undercover as a journalist to mobilise résistants ahead of D-Day. She became, in the Gestapo's view, the Allies' most dangerous spy. -- Daily Telegraph

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Book SynopsisFrom the stars of A CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM BOB, starring Luke Treadaway as James and Bob himself, the original bestseller and heartwarming story of the life-saving friendship between a man and his streetwise cat.''[Bob] has entranced London like no feline since the days of Dick Whittington.'' (Evening Standard)''A heartwarming tale with a message of hope'' (Daily Mail)''Reminded me how amazing having a cat can be'' (Glamour)* * * * * * * *The uplifting true story of an unlikely friendship between a man on the streets of Covent Garden and the ginger cat who adopts him and helps him heal his life. Now a major motion picture starring Luke Treadaway.When James Bowen found an injured, ginger street cat curled up in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of LTrade ReviewAn instantly bestselling memoir that, beside its heart-warming tale of their friendship, offers an insight into the injustice of life on the streets that's by turns frustrating and life-affirming. * The Times *A heartwarming tale with a message of hope. * Daily Mail *A true story and ideal for anyone like me who's a bit mad when it comes to felines. * Glamour *

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Baillie Gifford Prize and the Baillie Gifford ''Winner of Winners'' award in 2023How did Shakespeare go from being a talented poet and playwright to become one of the greatest writers who ever lived? In this one exhilarating year we follow what he reads and writes, what he saw and who he worked with as he invests in the new Globe theatre and creates four of his most famous plays - Henry V, Julius Caesar, As You Like It, and, most remarkably, Hamlet.This book brings the news, intrigue and flavour of the times together with wonderful detail about how Shakespeare worked as an actor, businessman and playwright, to create an exceptionally immediate and gripping account of an inspiring moment in history.A brilliant study, which carefully unpacks a single year in Shakespeare''s life ... The audacious focus on just one year pays off magnificently.' Sunday TimesA far richer, more intimate portrait of our greatest author than you''re likely to find in any cradle-to-grave biography.' Daily MailGripping and illuminating.' TelegraphA fascinating and entirely believable portrait of a talented workaholic ... Shapiro''s informed enthusiasm and energetic prose is addictive.'' GuardianTrade Review"'One of the few genuinely original biographies of Shakespeare.' Jonathan Bate, Sunday Telegraph"

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Book SynopsisThis is a collection of fragments about time and space by a writer and critic.Trade Review'Berger is a writer one demands to know more about ... He has an intriguing and powerful mind and talent' New York Times 'He handles thoughts the way an artist handles paint. His mind is spattered with colour ... his writing has a physical reality' The Times 'There is a great stillness in Berger's prose. But after a few pages, his statements start to sing and go on singing' New Republic 'John Berger is genius invisible. His life's work is synonymous with the creation of unforgettable living portraits' Scotsman

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Book SynopsisFrom bestselling author Walter Isaacson comes the landmark biography of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. In Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography, Isaacson provides an extraordinary account of Jobs'' professional and personal life. Drawn from three years of exclusive and unprecedented interviews Isaacson has conducted with Jobs as well as extensive interviews with Jobs'' family members, key colleagues from Apple and its competitors, Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography is the definitive portrait of the greatest innovator of his generation.

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Book SynopsisThis is a stunningly well-written account of the life of a surgeon: what it is like to cut into people's bodies and the terrifying - literally life and death - decisions that have to be made.There are accounts of operations that go wrong; of doctors who go to the bad; why autopsies are necessary; what it feels like to insert your knife into someone.Trade ReviewI don't know if Atul Gawande was born to be a surgeon - I very much suspect so - but he was certainly born to write.This wise and exciting account of life as a surgical resident ... perfectly captures the wonder and fearful responsibility that come with cutting people open in the hope of making them whole again. -- Bill BrysonEver wondered how realistic ER is? Then read Gawande's superb book. The truth, you will find, is far more compelling, though the endings are never as neat ... Gawande makes the scenes far more dramatic than television ever can. He is a first-class writer. * Scotland on Sunday *Written as tautly as a thriller. * The Observer *Gawande draws you in with the story but leaves you wiser about science, about health, and even about the human condition. -- Michael Kinsley

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of You Are Awesome: Find Your Confidence and Dare to be Brilliant at (Almost) AnythingEssential reading for an astounding summer of sport; If you've ever wondered what makes a champion, Bounce has the answer.What are the real secrets of sporting success, and what lessons do they offer about life? Why doesn't Tiger Woods choke? Why are the best figure skaters those that have fallen over the most and why has one small street in Reading produced more top table tennis players than the rest of the country put together.Two-time Olympian and sports writer and broadcaster Matthew Syed draws on the latest in neuroscience and psychology to uncover the secrets of our top athletes and introduces us to an extraordinary cast of characters, including the East German athlete who became a man, and her husband and the three Hungarian sisters who are all chess grandmasters. Bounce is crammed with fascinating stories and statistics.Looking at controversial questions such as whether talentTrade Review‘A gripping examination of the hidden forces that come together in the making of a champion.' Michael Atherton, former England cricket captain 'A fascinating subject and Syed is a dazzling writer.' Owen Slot, The Times 'I love this book. A must-read if you have ever wondered what sets the super-achievers and the rest of us apart – in any field, not just in sport. I only wish I had read it when I was fifteen.' Gabby Logan, BBC presenter and former international gymnast 'Intellectually stimulating and hugely enjoyable at a stroke … challenged some of my most cherished beliefs about life and success.' Jonathan Edwards, triple jump world record holder

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Book SynopsisFrom the National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author of Gay Bar comes a rule-breaking, genre-busting story of outlaw loveIt's 1996, and Jeremy, a young American, has met the British boy of his dreams just as, amid a media frenzy, US Congress prepares the Defense of Marriage Act, denying same-sex couples rights including immigration. The pair snatch time in forests and deserts, London fashion shows, and East Village hotel rooms; eventually, finding no other way to stay together, they shack up illicitly among unlikely allies in San Francisco.What emerges is an unexpected romantic comedy haunted by centuries of gay ghosts. Deep House moves through the couple's various domiciles while unlocking doors to a lineage of outsiders who came before them: hapless criminals, sexpot bartenders, friars, pirates, government workers who subvert the system and activists who go all the way to the Supreme Court to fight for their freedoms. Combining cultural history with radically intimate memoir, Deep House is at once a romp through the queer archives and the innermost tale of two boyfriends who made a home in the shadows of a turbulent civil rights battle.

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Book Synopsis'Pacy, witty and authoritative' Jonathan Freedland 'In her hands, ancient history becomes a vivid avenue of approach to a burning modern-world concern a powerful and important book' Daily Telegraph

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Book SynopsisDonald McRae has followed boxing all his life. In recent years his love has waned, as criminality, doping and dirty money gnaw away at the soul of boxing.    In 2018, grieving the death of his sister and with his parents seriously ill, he sought refuge in boxing again. At just this moment, Tyson Fury completed one of the most shocking comebacks in the history of the sport, proving that it still had the ability to offer thrills and redemption.   From Fury’s comeback to the first undisputed heavyweight champion of this century, McRae takes you ringside and into the to the inner sanctums of some of the greatest contemporary fighters. He shows what’s needed to become a champion like Katie Taylor or Oleksandr Usyk, but he also reveals the physical and mental devastation of defeat and, by telling the heartbreaking story of Patrick Day, faces up to the very real threat of death in the ring.   In The Last Bell, McRae&rs

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Book SynopsisAN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERA Telegraph Best Book of the Year''An intense, evocative portrait of one of the most remarkable figures of our era'' ANNE APPLEBAUM''This is the Zelensky book we've been waiting for' CATHERINE BELTONTHE TIMES: A BEST BOOK OF 2024 NEXT YEAR'S TOP READSGUARDIAN: BOOKS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2024INDEPENDENT: A BOOK OF THE MONTHWritten with unprecedented access, this is the first inside, intimate account of the Russian invasion of Ukraine from the perspective of President Zelensky and his team.Based on four years of reporting; extensive travels with President Zelensky to the front; and dozens of interviews with him, his wife, his friends and enemies, his advisers, ministers and military commanders, The Showman tells an intimate and eye-opening story of the President's evolution from a slapstick actor to a symbol of resilience, revealing how he managed to rally the world's democracies behind his cause.Clear-eyed about the President's early failures as a peacemaker and his willingness to silence political dissent, the book offers a complex picture of a man struggling to break what he sees as a historical cycle of oppression that began generations before he was born. Even as the war drags on, Zelensky lays out his vision for its future course and, through his actions, demonstrates his strategy for countering the Russians and keeping the West on his side. The result is a riveting, up-close picture of the invasion as experienced by its number one target and improbable hero.The Showman, as a work of eyewitness journalism, provides an essential perspective on the war defining our age. As a study in leadership and human resolve, its appeal is timeless and universal.''Intimate but unflinchingly objective, this biography gives you a seat at Zelensky''s war cabinet and penetrates his mind as he battles to save Ukraine''s freedomand ours'' Peter Pomerantsev, author of Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible

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Book Synopsis''Amazingly detailed and meticulously crafted ... Hitman will stand the test of time as one of the definitive wrestling biographies'' Publishers Weekly''Bret Hart still makes me believe that wrestling is good'' Hulk Hogan''Packed with drugs, sex, vicious family in-fighting and tales of life on the road ... Hart names names and lays it all bare in his own words'' Globe and MailA story of death, sex, betrayal and revenge; sweat, steroids and duplicity - wrestler Bret Hart lifts the lid on the wacky, mythic, secretive word of pro wrestling in this epic tell-all.Trade ReviewThe best wrestling book there is, the best wrestling book there was and maybe even the best wrestling book there ever will be * The Sun *Packed with drugs, sex, vicious family in-fighting and tales of life on the road ... Hart names names and lays it all bare in his own words' * The Globe and Mail *A legend! * The Rock *Bret Hart still makes me believe that wrestling is good * Hulk Hogan *Amazingly detailed and meticulously crafted ... Hitman will stand the test of time as one of the definitive wrestling biographies * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisVOLUME 1 IN THE UNFORGETTABLE STORY OF AN EXTRAORDINARY CHILDHOODThe Arab of the Future tells the unforgettable story of Riad Sattouf''s childhood, spent in the shadows of three dictators - Muammar Gaddafi, Hafez al-Assad, and his father.A GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR AN OBSERVER GRAPHIC BOOK OF THE YEAR A NEW YORK TIMES CRITICS'' TOP BOOK OF THE YEAR''I tore through it... The most enjoyable graphic novel I''ve read in a while'' Zadie Smith''I joyously recommend this book to you'' Mark Haddon''Riad Sattouf is one of the great creators of our time'' Alain De Botton''Beautifully-written and drawn, witty, sad, fascinating... Brilliant'' Simon Sebag MontefioreIn a striking, virtuoso graphic style that captures both the immediacy of childhood and the fervour of political idealism, Riad Sattouf recounts his nomadic childhood growing up in rural FrancTrade ReviewI tore through two volumes of The Arab of the Future, by Riad Sattouf - it's the most enjoyable graphic novel I've read in a while * Zadie Smith *This is a masterpiece that deserves the widest readership. The Arab Of The Future reminds us that, in talented hands, graphic novels are capable of carrying the weightiest themes, making us think, and touching our hearts while also keeping us hugely entertained. Riad Sattouf is one of the great creators of our time' * Alain De Botton *The Arab of the Future is wonderfully observed, funny, grim, sharp and sad. Riad Sattouf, with his ear for anecdote, his nimble drawing and his understanding of human frailty, has created a masterpiece. * Posy Simmonds *I joyously recommend this book to you. You will be moved, entertained and edified. Often simultaneously * Mark Haddon *Beautifully-written and drawn, witty, sad, fascinating... Brilliant * Simon Sebag Montefiore *Riad Sattouf's poignant memoir is the record of a single, unique life, but it's one of those 'single windows' through which the world is made newly visible. It's worth a shelf full of books about identity politics, history or political science. * Hari Kunzru *Sattouf experienced both Gaddafi's Libya and Hafez al-Assad's Syria while still a small boy. Kids don't spend a lot of time reflecting on totalitarianism, but they do form strong impressions. His simple depictions of living in an almost-abandoned building for expatriates in Libya, or of watching Assad praying on TV are the kind of banal micro-details that would lose their significance in written prose. Captured in the panels of a cartoon strip, however, they attain a luminous resonance that lingers long after you've finished the book. * Guardian *Not since Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi's graphic memoir of revolutionary Iran, has a comic book seemed so important, or been so acclaimed... There is a feeling that the book throws some light both on the roots of the Arab spring, and what has happened since. In a country - and beyond it, a world - in which bewilderment and anxiety at recent events polarises communities as often as it unites them, it has an authenticity with which no expert or talking head could ever hope to compete. * Observer *Excellent... The graphic novel has proved itself again and again. It already has its canon: Art Spiegelman on the Holocaust, Marjane Satrapi on girlhood in Islamist Iran, and, perhaps most accomplished of all, Joe Sacco's Footnotes in Gaza, a work of detailed and self-reflexive history. Edging towards this company comes Riad Sattouf's childhood memoir of tyranny... It's this sort of detail, drawn with the cartoon clarity of childhood perception, that makes the book such a success... The Arab of the Future is an authentic, emotionally honest memoir, and much more useful background reading for present events than a romanticised account of cosmopolitan, bourgeois Damascus would be. * Guardian *Marvellous... Sattouf records it all in an endearing cartoony style, his clean lines enhanced by discreet colour shading to indicate which country they're living in at the time. His comic timing is immaculate, but there's always an edge to his humour. Packing a host of unforgettable scenes, The Arab of the Future begs to be read in one long sitting. * Herald (Paperback of the Week) *Riad Sattouf's shockingly blunt The Arab of the Future, which tells the story of the French cartoonist's itinerant childhood in the Middle East, is a must for anyone who wants to understand more about the failure of the pan-Arab dream, with all the consequences this has had for the situation in which we now find ourselves. It's also a page-turner, dissecting as it does the psychology of a man (Riad's Syrian father) whose increasingly deluded idealism results in a form of tyranny when it comes to his own family. * Guardian (Best Graphic Books of 2015) *Captivating, compelling, informative and an amazing read... Using his voice as a child, Saffouf deals with the topics such as Arabs v Jews, America and the Western Influences, the madness of Gaddafi, racism in France and the general treatment of women. With these topics one might think it's a heavy read but by telling his life in graphic format is ingenious and powerful... An important book. I will be recommending this to all our customers, a must read. * Sheila O'Reilly, Dulwich Books *Drawn with remarkable flair and a winning visual style, Sattouf's memoir is an incredible achievement. The Arab of the Future took me to places that, until now, I only really knew through headlines. Vital, funny and poignant, it's Sattouf's focus on the common aspects of childhood that gives this book so much punch * Gary Perry, Foyles Staff Pick *Fascinating... A really moving and at times quite melancholy story of an odd childhood. I'm really looking forward to reading Volume 2 in September * Anna James, A Case for Books *Epic... Told with childlike wonder and the merest hint of mature understanding, it's a wide-eyed and unforgettable tour of the early days of Muammar Gaddafi's Libya and Hafez al-Assad's Syria (via rural Brittany), as Sattouf's professor father pursues an unbridled ambition to help build a proud Arab nation through the power of education. * Bookanista *Exquisitely illustrated, and filled with experiences of misfortune bordering on the farcical, Mr. Sattouf's book is a disquieting yet essential read * New York Times *Sattouf's work is laced with astute observations of human beings. His memoirs often dwell on their failings: hypocrisy, cowardice, bullying. Yet there's humour too - mainly because his humans are so helplessly absurd * Guardian *Engrossing . . . Sattouf writes in a fluid prose, beautifully translated by Sam Taylor * New York Times Book Review (Editor’s Choice) *The Arab of the Future has become that rare thing in France's polarized intellectual climate: an object of consensual rapture, hailed as a masterpiece in the leading journals of both the left and the right. . . . it has, in effect, made Sattouf the Arab of the present in France * New Yorker *Absolutely mesmerising...The Arab of the Future is a tremendously engaging story of family life. It's also a fascinating personal insight into differing cultural attitudes, the physical reality of living under two distinct Arab leaders and how national/social/religious ideologies filter through the consciousness of a wide-eyed adolescent. It's a heartfelt, refreshing take on growing up in unique circumstances. * Lonesome Reader *The Arab of the Future confirms Riad Sattouf's place among the greatest cartoonists of his generation * Le Monde (France) *As the very young Riad Sattouf navigates life in Libya, France, and Syria, he gets a serious education in the mysterious vectors of power that shape not just the political world, but the intimate sphere of his own family. With charming yet powerful drawings and vivid sensory details, Sattouf delivers a child's-eye view of the baffling adult world in all its complexity, corruption, and delusion. This is a beautiful, funny, and important graphic memoir * Alison Bechdel, author of FUN HOME *Sattouf's book takes us from place to place and culture to culture, and in the emphasis of differences there is also the unveiling of similarities... Sattouf retells, with words and images, the heartbreaking realisation of the non-place in which many immigrants are forced to exist... Sattouf's book is challenging amongst other reasons because it deals with the most demonised, othered identity in Europe. Because the narrative takes the characters from country to country, language to language and culture to culture, the narrative perspective is necessarily comparative, and because things are never black and white, either/or, often the conclusions are contradictory... There is a loneliness in all of Sattouf's characters, who, often, do not really talk to each other, but to themselves, or keep a repressed/repressive silence. In the constant coming and going of the trial and error from country to country, the immigrant's story is, in spite of the presence of family, one of solitude, but moved forward by hope... In this sense The Arab of the Future is a profoundly political and timely book... The present historical moment in Europe calls more than ever for exercises of solidarity and empathy: in retelling his past Sattouf is not merely retreating into himself, but telling us very important things about the historical past, present and possible futures of us all. * Comics Grid *Riven with flashes of dark humour... The penmanship is simple and witty, oddly it reminded me of Matt in the Telegraph. Despite writing for Charlie Hebdo, Sattouf had never been an overtly political cartoonist and yet in The Arab of The Future he has said more about the problems of the Arab world than a hundred newspaper articles. The story ends in 1984 with the family about to return to Syria. The sequel is already out in France with an English edition to come in September. I can't wait. * CapX *Engaging and lovely to look at . . . Sattouf has an eye for grimly funny details . . . and milks the disjunction between how he experienced his political environment at the time and how he understands it now for all it's worth * Los Angeles Times (Best Books of the Year 2015) *Sattouf's timely graphic memoir - a bestseller in France, where he lives - recounts his upbringing in Syria and Libya. Despite the starkness of much of his story, Sattouf maintains a playful touch in all his panels * San Francisco Chronicle (Best of 2015) *With a judicious eye for an anecdote, and even more judicious doses of commentary, Sattouf - a former contributor to the French humor magazine Charlie Hebdo - delivers a vicious denunciation of pan-Arabism and Islamic politics. It might seem impossible to depict the recent history of the Middle East using Sattouf's zany drawing style... But Sattouf uses this style to establish a subtle and contradictory relationship with his reader. He simultaneously disclaims the reader's attention - No, nothing important going on here - and challenges the discerning few to look closer * NPR *The hundred-and-fifty-odd pages of Riad Sattouf's internationally bestselling graphic memoir . . . move with an irrepressible comic velocity. The book is told Candide-style . . . an indictment of the adult world and its insidious methods of diminishment we all have either faced or been fortunate enough to escape. * New Republic *The book, whose title pokes fun at Abdel-Razak's pan-Arabist obsessions, shows the hypocrisy behind one man's understanding of that failed political ideology, makes tangible the absurdity of living under propaganda-mad dictators, and it humanizes, for better or worse, certain segments of very poor Muslim populations in two specific parts of the Middle East. * Vice *The Arab of the Future maintains a balance of comedy and commentary and ...is carried by excellent drawings. Riad Sattouf's work takes its place alongside other classic animated retrospective memoirs from the region, Persepolis . . . and Waltz with Bashir * New York Journal of Books *The book's highest achievement is the ability to portray the tacit power structures that govern family and nation through the eyes of a child, with all of a child's parental worship and bafflement... The Arab of the Future begs for a more complex and compassionate understanding of an area of the world that's all too often the target of misunderstanding and fear. * Pittsburgh Post-Gazette *The Arab of the Future is already being compared to biographical classics like Maus and Persepolis, and the modern relevance of the countries in which it is set is sure to make this a widely talked about book this year * Mentalfloss.com *In his comics, Sattouf deftly weaves the political background with the everyday. He tells a personal story but also observes the society and country around him, and his great sense of humor makes reading the book thoroughly enjoyable. It'll have you laughing to the point of tears. * Haaretz (Israel) *Rarely I've encountered a more convincing combination of wit and depth * Frankfurter Allgemeine (Germany) *Brilliant, sharp and surprising * Repubblica (Italy) *touching, chilling and very instructive * El Mundo (Spain) *Sattouf presents timely, candid insights into life behind the curtain in news-making nations - namely, in this case, Libya and Syria... he nails the inexplicable dizziness of being a child * Globe and Mail *Sattouf's account of his childhood is a deeply personal recollection of a peripatetic youth that can resonate with audiences across the world. It also paints an incisive picture of the Arab world in the late 1970s and early 1980s that sets the stage for the revolutionary changes that would grip and roil the region decades later. * Foreign Policy *Wide-eyed, yet perceptive, the book documents the wanderings of [Sattouf's] mismatched parents? His bookish French mother and pan-Arabist father, Abdel-Razak Sattouf . . . often disquieting, but always honest * France 24 *An important introduction to the Middle East... This recently-published graphic memoir proves that the medium can be just as important - and informative - as traditional non-fiction for those looking to understand a complex region... At once touching and humorous...Whether you're looking for a diverting read or a first-person account of modern history, The Arab of the Future is a must-read. * The Culture Trip *Very funny and very sad . . . the social commentary here is more wistful and melancholy than sharp-edged . . . subtly written and deftly illustrated, with psychological incisiveness and humor * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *Despite his father's determination to integrate his son into Arab society, little Sattouf - with his long blond hair - never fully fits in, and this report reads like the curious pondering of an alien from another world. Caught between his parents, Sattouf makes the best of his situation by becoming a master observer and interpreter, his clean, cartoonish art making a social and personal document of wit and understanding. * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *Absorbing ... rich in detail and character ... a remarkable and engrossing book * The Slings and Arrows *

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Book SynopsisWritten between August and December 1938, Autumn Journal is still considered one of the most valuable and moving testaments of living through the thirties by a young writer. It is a record of the author''s emotional and intellectual experience during those months, the trivia of everyday living set against the events of the world outside, the settlement in Munich and slow defeat in Spain.Trade Review"'He completely seizes the atmosphere of the year of Munich. He tolls the knell of the political thirties with melancholy triumph.' Cyril Connolly"

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Book SynopsisNOW WITH EVEN MORE REMARKABLE PEOPLEIn If I Could Tell You Just One Thing... some of the world's most remarkable people share their most valuable pieces of wisdom. Including: President Bill Clinton, Clare Balding, Bill Gates, Stephen Fry, Dame Judi Dench, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Caitlyn Jenner, James Corden, Margaret Atwood, Sir David Attenborough, Annie Lennox, Andy Murray, Joanna Lumley, Sir Richard Branson, Sandi Toksvig, Jude Law, Nicola Sturgeon, Harry Belafonte, Olivia Colman, Simon Cowell, Bear Grylls, Diana Athill, Jo Malone, Heston Blumenthal, Nitin Sawhney, Katie Piper, Richard Curtis, Shami Chakrabarti, and Michael McIntyre.If I Could Tell You Just One Thing... is not only packed with great advice but is also enormously entertaining, brilliantly written and stunningly designed. From advice on work and relationships, to creativity, spirituality and survival, there are words in these pages that will comfort, motivate and inspire.Trade ReviewSo many wonderful pearls of wisdom from remarkable game-changers, from Stephen Fry to Andy Murray, Sir David Attenborough to Martha Lane Fox . . . If you're looking for inspiration or useful life lessons, I recommend you pick up a copy -- RICHARD BRANSONFunny, entertaining and inspiring, Reed's book will surely motivate anyone who picks it up . . . Invaluable insights into life from an amazing collection of people . . . Remarkable * * Sunday Post * *Entertaining collection of pearls of wisdom . . . A fascinating new prism for understanding the powerful and the prominent * * Times Literary Supplement * *Ever wondered how the world's most successful people ended up doing so well in their lives? . . . If I Could Tell You Just One Thing contains a host of tips to help us lead more rewarding lives * * Daily Mirror * *Remarkable . . . Pearls of wisdom . . . This eclectic book is peppered with an insight into the lives of those who have contributed . . . Would make a thoughtful gift * * Daily Record * *This guide to the distilled wisdoms of some the 21st century's greatest characters and achievers will inspire, and entertain, you endlessly. A new 'guide to how to live'; an instant life companion * * Cosmopolitan * *A collection of remarkable advice from remarkable people . . . The advice is as helpful as it is entertaining. * * BuzzFeed * *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE PEN ACKERLEY PRIZE 2020A uniquely strange and wonderful work of literature' Philip HoareAn exciting new voice' Mark Cocker, author of Crow CountryIn his late thirties, Edward Parnell found himself trapped in the recurring nightmare of a family tragedy. For comfort, he turned to his bookshelves, back to the ghost stories that obsessed him as a boy, and to the writers through the ages who have attempted to confront what comes after death.In Ghostland, Parnell goes in search of the sequestered places' of the British Isles, our lonely moors, our moss-covered cemeteries, our stark shores and our folkloric woodlands. He explores how these landscapes conjured and shaped a kaleidoscopic spectrum of literature and cinema, from the ghost stories and weird fiction of M. R. James, Arthur Machen and Algernon Blackwood to the children's fantasy novels of Alan Garner and Susan Cooper; from W. G. Sebald's The Rings of Saturn and Graham Swift's Waterland to the archetypal folk horroTrade Review‘Ghostland is a delicious, creepy, gothic gazetteer to a British landscape filled with folkloric, literary and filmic spirits, avian auguries, and natural history and a deeply touching personal grief that speaks to the hauntedness of childhood memory and teenage dreams. Obsessive, possessive, nostalgic, an act of vivid retrieval – this is a uniquely strange and wonderful work of literature’ Philip Hoare ‘Psychogeography at is finest, Ghostland is a personal meditation on the primal power of the British landscape to shape literature, film and television that tunes into the core collective experience of the Haunted Generation’ Cathi Unsworth, author of Weirdo ‘Part memoir of family to two parts brilliant excursion into folk-horror darkness and literary nooks and crannies’ Roger Clarke, author of A Natural History of Ghosts ‘Ghostland is both haunting and entertaining, echoing with an enthusiast’s love for that which is out of kilter with the everyday; things not quite right glimpsed from the corner of the eye’ Stuart Maconie, Mail on Sunday ‘A marvellous blend of travel writing, history and grief memoir, Ghostland provides not only a seance with the author’s lost family, but also a premonition of his dazzling literary future’ Paul Willetts, author of Members Only, filmed as The Look of Love ‘A skilful and intriguing weaving together, less of haunted houses as of haunted people, including MR James, Alan Garner, W G Sebald and the author himself, in places where the past has left its mark’ George Szirtes, author of The Photographer at Sixteen ‘His is a wonderfully evocative book, creating a sense of place and invoking the power of literature and nature.’ The Guardian ‘Throughout this impeccably researched book, there is…a fascination with figures in a landscape glimpsed out of the corner of the eye.’ Literary Review

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Book SynopsisTHE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER''A mind-blowing and emotionally honest tale of survival against all odds.'' BERNARDINE EVARISTO''A breathtaking memoir...I was so moved by this book.'' Oprah''It is startlingly honest and, at times, a jaw-dropping read, charting her rise from poverty and abuse to becoming the first African-American to win the triple crown of an Oscar, Emmy and Tony for acting.'' BBC NewsTHE DEEPLY PERSONAL, BRUTALLY HONEST ACCOUNT OF VIOLA''S INSPIRING LIFEIn my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life changing decision to stop running forever.This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose and my strength, but also to finding my voice in a world that didn''t always see me.As I wrote Finding Me, my eyes were open to the truth

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Book SynopsisA luminous memoir from the prize-winning poet - a story of love, heartbreak and coming of age, and a tender exploration of queer identity.'Beautiful' Colm Tóibín'Rapturous' New York Times'Extraordinary' Observer'Stunning' Sunday TimesWhen Seán meets Elias, the two fall headlong into a love story. But as Elias struggles with severe depression, the couple comes face to face with crisis.Wrestling with this, Seán Hewitt delves deep into his own history, enlisting the ghosts of queer figures and poets before him. From a nineteenth-century cemetery in Liverpool to the pine forests of Gothenburg, Hewitt plumbs the darkness in search of solace and hope.All Down Darkness Wide is a mesmerising story of heartache and renewal, and a fearless exploration of a world that too often sets happiness and queer life at odds.WINNER OF THE ROONEY PRIZE FOR IRISH LITERATURE 2022'Extraordinarily beautiful... the best new work of non-fiction I've read in years' Sarah Perry'Rigorous and sensual... Hewitt has forged a life-enhancing memoir' SpectatorTrade ReviewA stunning meditation on love and heartbreak, this feels like an essential work of the new Irish queer canon * Sunday Times *A remarkable memoir of love and sorrow * Observer *We are witnessing the emergence of a major talent... stunning. A space will need to be made on the Queer Classics shelf * Irish Independent *Intensely original... some of the most beautiful prose I've read in years -- Alexander Chee * The Atlantic *Exquisitely written... a fervent appeal for presence and belonging -- Claire Messud * Harper's Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe definitive biography of Joe Strummer, released with a new epilogue to mark the 60th anniversary of his birth.Chris Salewicz was an intimate friend of Strummer's for over 25 years. Drawing on more than 300 interviews with family, friends and associates, this is a comprehensive, compelling insight into the man behind The Clash.The Clash was the most influential band of its generation, producing punk anthems including London Calling', White Riot' and Tommy Gun'. For countless fans across the world, they are the ultimate iconic mainstays of their generation.With his talent, extreme good looks and laid-back attitude Joe Strummer was the driving force behind the band: he was the archetypal punk frontman. His untimely death in December 2002 shook the world to its core.Written with full approval and co-operation of relatives, companions and fellow musicians, this is the ultimate account of one of British rock & roll's most fascinating idols: his life, his work and his immeasurable impact oTrade Review‘Salewicz knew and loved his subject well, and that shows on every page… One of the most rivetingly detailed, revealing music biographies ever written.’ The Sunday Times 'A great read. Brutally frank and full of insights.' Mojo ‘A riveting read that will keep you gripped to the end.’ Daily Mirror 'The Clash front man gets the epic biography he deserves from rock journalist, Chris Salewicz.' Independent ‘Conjures up the excitement of the punk era.’ Sunday Telegraph Seven Magazine

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Book SynopsisThe ground-breaking work of the poet who paved the way for generations of women writers, in a new selection by her daugher and literary executor, Linda Gray SextonWhen Anne Sexton took her own life in October 1974, she left behind a body of work which had already, in less than two decades of writing, won her the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, established her as one of the foremost voices of her generation, and shocked America by breaking multiple taboos of subject matter, from insanity, depression and addiction to menstruation, adultery and the figure of the witch.Sexton''s name is legendary. Her poetry is read around the world, translated into over thirty languages, and in her own country remains a touchstone for poets and readers looking for rawness of perception, vitality of expression, confessional frankness and fiery passion. Yet, incredibly, there has been no new UK edition of her work for decades. In Mercies, readers are provided with a resonant new selection from the writings of this natural phenomenon of a poet.Trade ReviewDo you know Anne Sexton? I worship her -- MadonnaAnne Sexton domesticates my terror, examines it and describes it, teaches it some tricks which will amuse me, then lets it gallop wild in my forest once more ... God love her -- Kurt VonnegutIn Sexton's New England ... adultery looms as the next horizon of sexual destiny, once marriage and childbirth have ripened a woman's body and mapped her pleasure centers ... No woman had published such poems in English for centuries -- Diane Wood Middlebrook

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Book SynopsisPenguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online.Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers'' story comprehension and develop vocabulary.Visit the Penguin Readers websiteExclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock online resources including a digital book, audio edition, lesson plans and answer keys.Serena Williams is a famous tennis player. People across the world know her and love her. But Serena''s life was not always easy, and she had to work very hard.

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Book Synopsis90 classic titles celebrating 90 years of Penguin Books''All Frenchmen know you have to become civilised between eighteen and twenty-three and that civilisation comes upon you by contact with an older woman, by revolution, by army discipline, by any escape or any subjection, and then you are civilised and life goes on normally in a latin way.'' Gertrude Stein's Paris France, published in 1940 on the day Paris fell to Nazi Germany, is a witty account of Stein's life in France, and the perfect introduction to her work.

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Book Synopsis90 classic titles celebrating 90 years of Penguin BooksAll moonlight is moving, wherever it may beJapanese gentlewoman Sei Shonagon invites us to look behind the painted screens in the Emperor's palace and discover a lost world, in which games of poetry are the highest form of wit, lovers send each other elegant morning-after letters, and appreciation of the natural world wild geese in autumn, the pure white frost of winter is one of life's most exquisite pleasures.

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Book SynopsisTHE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK IS ''A MONUMENT TO THE HUMAN SPIRIT''One of the most famous accounts of living under the Nazi regime comes from the diary of a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl, Anne Frank. Edited by her father Otto H. Frank and German novelist Mirjam Pressler, this is a true story to be rediscovered by each new generation._________________________________12th July 1944: ''It''s difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality. It''s a wonder I haven''t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.''In the summer of 1942, fleeing the horrors of the Nazi occupation, Anne Frank and her family were forced into hiding in the back of an Amsterdam warehouse. Aged thirteen, Anne kept a diary of her time in the secret annexe. She movingly revealed how the eight people living under these extraordinary conditions coped with hunger, the daily threat of discovery and death and isolation from the outside world. A thought-provoking record of tension and struggle, adolescence and confinement, anger and heartbreak, the diary of Anne Frank is a testament to the atrocities of the past and a promise they will never be forgotten. _________________________________ ''One of the greatest books of the century'' Guardian''Rings down the decades as the most moving testament to the persecution of innocence'' Daily Mail ''Astonishing and excruciating. Its gnaws at us still'' New York Times Book ReviewTrade ReviewA modern classic . . . Anne's diary tells a story that is true, memorable, important and strongly personalized . . . compelling reading * The Times *Rings down the decades as the most moving testament to the persecution of innocence * Daily Mail *Anne Frank's diary is one of the greatest books of the century . . . As she brings herself and her circumstances into such buzzing, engaged life on the page, she triumphs over her history. We return to her again and again, unable to believe that this hymn to life was written on the way to Belsen * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisI AM ZLATAN - the explosive, critically-acclaimed memoir of Manchester United star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, one of the world''s most gifted and controversial footballers''Why be a Fiat when you can be a Ferrari?''Welcome to planet Zlatan. This is the story of how a Swedish immigrant rose from poverty to become a football genius.In his own inimitable style, Zlatan recalls every struggle, every goal, and every training ground bust-up on his journey to dominate the world''s top clubs, including Barcelona, PSG and now Manchester United.Full of wicked one-liners and amazing stories, Zlatan lifts the lid on some of the biggest names in football, including Guardiola, Messi and his new manager, Jose Mourinho.Moving, funny and totally frank, I am Zlatan is unlike any autobiography you have ever read.''Wonderful - nothing less than a revelation. Ibrahimovic is the definitive modern sporting icon'' - Matthew Syed''The best sportsman''s memoir since Andre Agassi... not just a bad boy''s romp but the rise of a boy from the ghetto to the top of his profession and captain of his country. He is candid, funny and yes, wonderfully nuts'' - The Times''There''s never a dull moment on Planet Zlatan. This is a snarling, fizzing, unrepentant firecracker of a book; if footballers'' memoirs bore you, make an exception for this one'' - IndependentTrade ReviewThe perfect antidote to the annihilating tedium of post-match interview cliché . . . downright compelling it is too * Telegraph *He is skillful. He is outspoken. He is Zlatan * New York Times *Wonderful. The best footballer's autobiography of recent years . . . and the bestselling European immigrant's tale since Zadie Smith'sWhite Teeth and Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint -- Simon Kuper * Financial Times *Extraordinary * Daily Mail *A modern European fairy tale * New Statesman *Terrific . . . Far more insightful than your typical memoir, Ibra'sbook tells his story of growing up as the son of immigrants in Sweden and pulls no punches when it comes to his opinions ofsome of the biggest names in the game * Sports Illustrated *Eagerly awaited, not least because Ibra seems to be spoiling for a fight on every other page. 'Dynamite' said one Swedish reporter * Daily Mail *It is so good. It is so bloody good . . . a futureclassic that will change Sweden . . . a masterpiece * Aftonbladet *Good God, this is dynamite! * Sportbladet *The story of Zlatan - from his days as an immigrantkid juggling a soccer ball so he won't get bullied to hisemergence as the genius player who scored the greatestgoal ever - is as compelling and fancy-footed as his game * Aleksandar Hemon, US Nat ional Book Awar d finalist and auth or of 'The Lazarus Project' *Sensationally honest and well written * Expressen *

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Book Synopsis*The Million Copy Bestseller*Sir Alex Ferguson''s reflects on his remarkable managerial career where he embraced unprecedented European success for Aberdeen and 26 triumphant seasons with Manchester United. What readers are saying about Alex Ferguson''s My Autobiography''The greatest manager of a generation.'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''No matter the team you support, this is a must read.'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Incredible'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''I couldn''t put it down'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐__________For over two decades Sir Alex Ferguson dominated the Premier League, overseeing a sustained and unparalleled period of success with Manchester United. He was a visionary, able to move with the times and build title-winning teams both on and off the pitch. He was a man-manager of phenomenal skill, and increasingly he had to deal with global stars. His relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo, for instance, was excellent and David Beckham has described Sir Alex as a father figure.In his bestselling autobiography, Sir Alex reflects on the highlights of his extraordinary career and reveals his remarkable story, from his very early days in the tough shipyard areas of Govan to winning the Champions league in Moscow in 2008. Revised and updated, this edition offers reflections on events at Manchester United since his retirement and offers fresh insights and details on his final years as United''s manager. __________''Fascinating'' Evening Standard ''His book is really a piece of oral history, and his life is a conduit to a time when a working-class man of talent could, not by the magical alchemy of elite education or the stardust of celebrity, but by a lifetime of hard work and hard thinking, rise to the very top and, flaws aside, remain true to the best of the world he came from.'' GuardianTrade ReviewMy Goodness, this is fascinating. * Evening Standard *My Goodness, this is fascinating. * Evening Standard *His book is really a piece of oral history, and his life is a conduit to a time when a working-class man of talent could, not by the magical alchemy of elite education or the stardust of celebrity, but by a lifetime of hard work and hard thinking, rise to the very top and, flaws aside, remain true to the best of the world he came from. * The Guardian *His book is really a piece of oral history, and his life is a conduit to a time when a working-class man of talent could, not by the magical alchemy of elite education or the stardust of celebrity, but by a lifetime of hard work and hard thinking, rise to the very top and, flaws aside, remain true to the best of the world he came from. * The Guardian *

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

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Book SynopsisA compelling new biography of Camilla, Queen Consort, that reveals how she transformed her role and established herself as one of the key members of the royal family. For many years, Camilla was portrayed in a poor light, blamed by the public for the break-up of the marriage between Prince Charles and Lady Diana. Initially, the Queen refused to see or speak to her, but, after the death of Prince Philip, the Duchess became one of the Queen's closest companions. Her confidence in Camilla and the transformation she saw in Prince Charles since their wedding resulted in her choosing the first day of her Platinum Jubilee year to tell the world that she wanted Camilla to be Queen Consort not the demeaning Princess Consort suggested in 2005   Angela Levin uncovers Camilla’s rocky journey to be accepted by the royal family and how she coped with the brutal portrayal of her in Netflix's The Crown. The publiTrade Review'Well researched, intelligent and fair-minded...The picture Levin paints...of our new Queen [is] entirely accurate. She is ungrand, charming, naturally loyal and supportive. The new Queen's moment has indeed come, and her biographer leaves us in no doubt that she is equal to it.' -- Simon Heffer * Daily Telegraph *'Levin's conclusion is one I share. Camilla "possesses the inner strength and willpower" to make a huge success of her new role.' -- Roger Lewis * The Times *

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

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

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Book SynopsisA deeply moving and powerful memoir about how Jenny saved herself while exposing those that wouldn't.

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Book Synopsis''The story of Coleridge''s life does undoubtedly echo that of his poem; this is a book that provides rewarding rereadings of both'' - The Sunday TimesA new biography of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, shaped and structured around the story he himself tells in his most famous poem, ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner''. Though the ''Mariner'' was written in 1797 when Coleridge was only twenty-five, it was an astonishingly prescient poem. As Coleridge himself came to realise much later, this tale - of a journey that starts in high hopes and good spirits, but leads to a profound encounter with human fallibility, darkness, alienation, loneliness and dread, before coming home to a renewal of faith and vocation - was to be the shape of his own life. In this rich new biography, academic, priest and poet Malcolm Guite draws out how with an uncanny clarity, image after image and event after event in the poem became emblems of what Coleridge was later to suffer and discoTrade ReviewForcefully and convincingly argued. * The Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisA publishing sensation, the publication of Victor Klemperer's diaries brings to light one of the most extraordinary documents of the Nazi period.'A classic ... Klemperer's diary deserves to rank alongside that of Anne Frank's' SUNDAY TIMESTrade ReviewThis is a classic ... Klemperer's diary deserves to rank alongside that of Anne Frank's ... These diaries are certain to become not only the main primary source for historians of the Nazi period, but also an essential read for anyone who wishes to understand what it was like to be a Jew living in Germany during the 1930s. But perhaps it is even more than that ... Read this wonderful book and judge for yourself * SUNDAY TIMES *I can't remember when I read a more engrossing book * SUNDAY TIMES *This extraordinary book describes in detail, and with unparalleled force and clarity, what it was like to live in Germany under Nazism. The historical record is very much the richer for it * FINANCIAL TIMES *It is not the horror of the Holocaust we see here, but the subtle, barely discernible corruption of daily life * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Authoritative ... Victor Klemperer's detailed eye-witness chronicle, not dissimilar in its cumulative power to Primo Levi's, is a devastating account of man's inhumanity to man * LITERARY REVIEW *His diaries are not only a harrowingly poignant record of the suffering of just one victimised married couple among countless others. They are also a testament to the restitution that the world still owes to those non-Aryans on whose plight too many turned their backs * DAILY TELEGRAPH *All generalisations about German attitudes, from Trevor-Roper to Daniel Goldhagen, are dashed about the anthill of detail that Victor Klemperer so copiously and courageously assembled. I can hardly wait for the second volume * SPECTATOR *The first-hand immediacy of the material gives is an unmatched potency * OBSERVER *The most detailed personal account of a German Jew's daily life in the Third Reich outweighs and will surely outlive Goldhagen's sensationalist speculations about German anti-semitism ... It's not levity to call Professor Klemperer German Jewry's Mr Pepys of the Hitler years * JEWISH CHRONICLE *Marvellous, depressing, witty, sardonic, devastating * FINANCIAL TIMES *

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Book SynopsisDorian Lynskey writes about music, film, books and politics for publications including The Guardian, The Observer, the New Statesman, GQ, Billboard, Empire, and Mojo. His first book was 33 Revolutions Per Minute: A History of Protest Songs. A study of thirty-three pivotal songs with a political message, it was NME's Book of the Year and a 'Music Book of the Year' in The Daily Telegraph. His second book, The Ministry of Truth: A Biography of George Orwell's 1984, was longlisted for both the Baillie Gifford Prize and the Orwell Prize. He hosts the podcasts 'Origin Story' and 'Oh God, What Now?'.

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Book Synopsis''A fascinating, tragic and instructive story, vividly told'' Sunday TelegraphRoger Lewis, in his no-holds-barred biography, exposes a Peter Sellers the world little knows. Recognized as the greatest British comic since Charlie Chaplin, Sellers was the grand master of fifty-five films - from Dr. Strangelove, to Being There and the Pink Panther hits. But shadowing his phenomenal career was a history of increasingly bizarre behaviour involving psychotic violence, compulsive promiscuity, drug abuse and humiliating self-destructive obsessions with people including Princess Margaret, Sophia Loren, Liza Minnelli and each of his four wives (Ann Hayes, Britt Ekland, Miranda Quarry and Lynne Frederick). He alternately showered his wives and children with gifts and then threatened to kill them. Sellers'' fluidity as an actor made for a terrifying madness that grew like a slow metastasizing cancer throughout his adult life. The Life and Death of Peter Sellers concludes with his premature death at the age of 54, ''sick at heart and alone in those sunless hotel rooms'', so recoiled from intimacy that no one really knew him anymore.PRAISE FOR THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PETER SELLERS''It is a mad book - but then the subject is a madman. I love Lewis''s passion ... I recommend it'' Sunday Times''Reinventing the genre as well as reassessing its subject with formidable intelligence, this book is a remarkable achievement'' Literary Review

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Book SynopsisAn inspiring blend of nature writing and memoir that explores nature’s crucial role in our emotional and mental health Bats can hear shapes, plants can eat light, and bees can dance maps. When his life took him to a painfully dark place, the poet behind The CryptoNaturalist, Jarod K. Anderson, found comfort and redemption in these facts and the shift in perspective that comes from paying a new kind of attention to nature.   Something in the Woods Loves You tells the story of the darkest stretch of a young person’s life, and how deliberate and meditative encounters with plants and animals helped him see the light at every turn. Ranging from optimistic contemplations of mortality to appreciations of a single mushroom, Anderson has written a lyrical love letter to the natural world and given us the tools to see it all anew.    

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Book SynopsisTwenty years ago, in a series of mysterious, incandescent writings, David Seabrook told of the places he knew best: the declining resort towns of the Kent coast. The pieces were no advert for the local tourist board. Here, the ghosts of murderers and mad artists crawl the streets. Septuagenarian rent boys recall the good old days and Carry On stars go to seed. Clandestine fascist networks emerge. And all the time, there is Seabrook himself - desperate perhaps, and in danger. Dark, strange and immediate, this is a classic work of sui generis British literature. There are devils here, and the reader will remember them.Trade ReviewDavid Seabrook, it is a pleasure to report, is the real thing * Sunday Times *His book, the first to do justice to the transcendent weirdness of this boot of land that is not London, should be treasured. By living so long in the past, by digging and listening and making the phone-calls, Seabrook has hallucinated an alternate English history -- Iain Sinclair[Psychogeography] doesn't begin to capture its intense interest, its uncanny spookiness, the way it ensnares you, turning your stomach, messing with your head... All the Devils Are Here demands to be reread, picked over, endlessly discussed... And yet to know it is somehow not to know anything at all -- Rachel Cooke * Observer *The book's rediscovery will hopefully install it as an urtext for the hordes of drifters following in its slipstream... All the Devils are Here outshines most work of a similar ilk by being completely committed to its subject [...] it is an archaeological dig, an exorcism, an occultist reading of wrong-doings in Rochester, Chatham, Ramsgate, Deal and Margate -- Ben Myers * New Statesman *[A] decidedly creepy and unsettling corpse-strewn journey through the seaside towns of Kent. A sort of literary beachcomber -- Lucy Scholes * BBC Culture *

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Book SynopsisJean Sprackland is the author of five previous poetry collections, including Tilt, which won the 2007 Costa Poetry Award. She has also published two works of non-fiction, Strands: A Year of Discoveries on the Beach, which won the 2012 Portico Prize, and These Silent Mansions: A Life in Graveyards in 2020. She lives in London.

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Book SynopsisPrincess Louise was born in 1800 to the wealthy Duke of Saxe Gotha Altenburg. Her mother died young and Louise's future marriage to the much older Duke Ernst Saxe Coburg Saalfeld was orchestrated by her family. Louise bore two sons: Ernst and Albert the future Prince Consort of Victoria. But Louise's marriage turned sour. Over a few years she was banished, divorced, deprived of access to her children and died at the young age of 31. Her reputation was destroyed but how much was deserved and how much the conniving influence of the family she married into?To the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Louise was key to its success as one of the leading noble families in the world. Through Albert's marriage to Queen Victoria and their offspring they secured the most important thrones of Europe.One question remains to be answered: was Albert the legitimate son of Ernst?

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