Biography Books

Book Synopsis'Sensitively and seriously exploring mental health stereotypes' StylistThis is NOT a book of rules or statistics. It will NOT tell you what you can and can't say to someone with a mental health problem – or to anyone for that matter. It WILL increase your understanding and empower you to stop stigma in its tracks.Take a deep-dive into some of the most harmful mental health stereotypes with mental health advocate and author Lucy Nichol. Lucy exposes 10 of the most harmful mental health stereotypes and explores the impact of social media, the power of the press and how mental health is represented in popular culture. With the help of experts and the voices of those affected by these harmful perspectives, Lucy makes a case for how we can dismantle stigma once and for all.Foreword by Sue Baker OBE. Contributors include: Natasha Devon MBE, Jonny Benjamin MBE, Hope Virgo, Cara Lisette and Dr Craig Malkin.Trade Review'Sensitively and seriously exploring mental health stereotypes' * Stylist *'Exploring the role of pop culture, the press and social media, [Lucy Nichol] breaks down stereotypes and champions the bravery of people who speak about their emotions' * Woman's Own *'A much-needed, no-nonsense guide to tackling mental health stigma' -- Denise Welch'Punchy and kind – a great mix. Like a steely snowflake' -- Andrea McLean'Educational, funny, eye-opening and very readable. It should be read by everyone' * Narc Magazine *'A breezy book that nevertheless travels through turbulent waters. Incisive and funny and very useful for anyone who has found themselves caught up in the hyperbole of the culture wars' -- Robin Ince

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Book Synopsis'Fascinating ... compelling ... very funny' Sunday Times'A defiant call to arms ... affecting ... lingers long in the memory after its final page' Morning Star'A skilful act of literary witness, sharp, moving and funny' Joanne Limburg 'Christoph Keller ... ranks among the great Swiss writers' Neue Zürcher ZeitungMost stories of disability follow a familiar pattern: Life Before Accident. Life After Accident. For Christoph Keller, it was different: his childhood diagnosis with a form of Spinal Muscular Atrophy only revealed what had been with him since birth. SMA III, the 'kindest one', allows those who have it to live a long life, and it progresses slowly. There is no cure. By the age of 25, he had to use a wheelchair some of the time. 'There were two of me: Walking Me. Rolling Me.' By 32, he could still walk into a restaurant with a cane or on somebody's arm. At 45, 'Rolling Me' took over altogether.Intimate, absurdist and winningly frank, Every Cripple a Superhero is at once a memoir of life with a progressive disorder, and a profound exploration of the challenges of loving, being loved, and living a public life - navigating restaurants, aeroplanes, museums and artists' retreats - in a world not designed for you. Threaded throughout are Keller's own photographs of the unexpected beauty found in puddle-filled 'curb cuts', the pavement ramps that, left to disintegrate, form part of the urban obstacle course. Those puddles become portals into a different, truer city; and, as they do, so this book - told with humour and immense grace - begins to uncover a truer world: one where the 'normal' is not normal, where disability is far more widespread than we might think, and where there always exist, just alongside our own, the lives of everyday superheroes.Trade ReviewFascinating ... [The book is] a series of snapshots, anecdotes, poems and short stories about what it is to be disabled in a world that isn't very interested in accommodating disability. This isn't an angry book, it's a very funny one ... compelling and unsettling. The tension between Keller's intellect and his physical weakness courses through the writing ...Yet his gripe is not with his own physical limitations ... Keller is asking us to consider whether it is disability that is the problem, or whether it is a society that insists on seeing people with disabilities that way -- Rosie Kinchen * The Sunday Times *A defiant call to arms ... angry and funny in equal measure ... [Keller's life story is] enough to move any reader to remove dust from their proverbial eye ... moving ... Every Cripple a Superhero lingers long in the memory after its final page -- Craig Campbell * Morning Star *A skilful act of literary witness, sharp, moving and funny -- Joanne Limburg, author of Letters to My Weird SistersWhat is it like to have a 'wasting' disease? In Every Cripple a Superhero, the excellence of Christoph Keller's writing is matched by its fearlessness. Precision, tragicomedy, quiet rage, elegant storytelling; every awkwardness, every frustration, every terror, every abjection is illuminated by the superpower of his style. No word or phrase is wasted in this marvellous book. And by the way, it is also a love story -- Alicia Ostriker, New York State Poet Laureate 2018-2021 and author of The Volcano and After: Selected and New Poems 2002-2019An eye-opener regarding the everyday obstacles the author has to overcome when negotiating his local environment. The passage describing the absurd, insulting, and tragi-comic experience of visiting an award-winning new building and finding the only way to enter by wheelchair is via a remote corner of the building should be compulsory reading for anyone aiming to design inclusive spaces -- Laura Vaughan, Professor of Urban Form and Society, Bartlett School of Architecture, University College LondonShocking ... Keller's humor is quiet and sophisticated, melancholic and sarcastic, wide awake and always open to the unexpectedly beautiful ... [his] book has a lightness that brings tears to your eyes * Kulturzeitschrift *Everyone who doesn't use a wheelchair, and everyone who does, should read Christoph Keller's Every Cripple A Superhero. So many worlds exist side-by-side, yet we seldom truly enter the experience of another. Grace, strength, and humor are superpowers of extraordinary depth and stature, and Keller's slender, powerful book glows like a supernova -- Jayne Anne Phillips, author of Quiet Dell and Lark and TermiteExplosive and moving, the book also has a real capacity to open the eyes of readers and to change attitudes * Procap Magazine *Christoph Keller ... ranks among the great Swiss writers * Neue Zürcher Zeitung *

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Book SynopsisThe astonishing true story of the Scottish coal miner’s daughter who took on the Mafia-backed creators of the world’s biggest financial fraud and helped the FBI to convict them Soon to be a major Hollywood film directed by Scott Z Burns ‘In the 1990s, Erin Brockovich showed what a difference one smart, angry woman can make in a world that marginalized her. Jen McAdam stepped forward in our time to shut down a diabolical fraud that preys those most desperate.’ Scott Z Burns, Director (Contagion and The Bourne Ultimatum)As featured on the hit BBC podcast The Missing CryptoqueenJen McAdam was a victim of the OneCoin global cryptocurrency fraud, which stole an estimated $27 billion from ordinary people around the world. The evil genius of the scam was its target, society’s ‘unbanked,’ not wealthy investors, and it robbed millions of their livelihood and futures. The poor became poorer. The brutal plundering led by self-styled Cryptoqueen Ruja Ignatova defied all legal and banking barriers bamboozling financial authorities — until Jen McAdam fought back. With a £15,000 inheritance from her father, saved from a careful life in a west of Scotland mining town, Jen wanted to invest wisely for her family’s future and was enraptured by the possibilities offered by OneCoin’s promotional material and convincing endorsements from celebrities and financial institutions. They, like all Dr Ruja’s flamboyant promises, were bogus. Jen McAdam was the first victim brave enough to fight back and despite death threats and an intimidating campaign to shut her down, and through a debilitating illness, strived tirelessly for justice – for herself, her family and friends, and the millions around the world who lost everything. She created and continues to lead victims ’support groups and in 2023, as the OneCoin bandits were being punished by international courts, spearheaded a move to get financial compensation for the many whose life hopes were cruelly crushed by the Cryptoqueen. This is a true David-and-Goliath story. It shows us the power we can have as individuals, even when things seem hopeless.Trade Review‘Swayed by the enigmatic business tycoon Dr Ruja Ignatova, McAdam didn’t realise she was giving her money to one of the world’s most sinister scams . . . A poignant dive into the rabbit hole of financial fraud and mysterious scammers.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘A cautionary tale and a story of endurance in the pursuit of justice . . . McAdam relates how she worked with law enforcement to uncover the scandal, weathered death threats, and continued to tell her own story and push for awareness in the media.’ * Booklist *“In the 1990s, Erin Brockovich bravely stood up to PG&E and showed what kind of difference one smart, angry woman can make in a world that marginalized her. Jen McAdam has stepped forward here— in our time— to shut down a diabolical fraud that preys on those made most desperate by their financial straits. Their opponents are certainly different, but the bravery of both these women comes from the same heroic place.” * Scott Z Burns, film director *'Exhilarating mix of memoir and true crime. This riveting account of a victim fighting back is an inspired, and inspiring, page-turner.' * Publishers Weekly *'In IT consultant McAdam’s book, cryptocurrency meets network marketing, and it’s a marriage made in hell. This is the story of her quest to take down a criminal enterprise, despite death threats and the cult mentality of OneCoin’s loyalists.' * Library Journal Advance Reviews *

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Book SynopsisA collection of chilling stories of murders from Mexico, one of the world's most prolific hunting grounds for serial killers. 'If I was a serial killer looking for new victims, I'd head over the border to Mexico because life is cheap there and the police have got so much other sh*t to investigate, they don't bother with random killings.' - A former FBI agentFor decades, America has been considered to be the natural home of serial killers. Infamous names like Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer are internationally known and feared, and rightly so. But what if, just south of the border, there was a far more active network of serial killers? What if the perfect storm of crime, fuelled by this nation's deadly narco wars, has turned Mexico into an ideal hunting ground for many of the most bizarre and blood thirsty serial killers the world has ever seen?Serial Killers of Mexico delves into this criminal underbelly to tell the stories of the psychopathic loners, professional narco assassins and the overwhelmed law enforcement trying desperately to hunt them down.

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Book Synopsis'A no holdout account of the Falklands War from a man who was in the fight.' Andy McNabTony Hoare always knew he wanted to be in the SAS and so, after working his way through the ranks, he passed arduous SAS selection in 1978.Less than four years later, Tony and his team were sent to the Falklands, just off the coast of Argentina, where tensions were rising and war was on the horizon. Nothing could have prepared him for what happened over the course of the next 12 weeks, as the Falkland Islands became a battleground between the British and Argentinians. As helicopters crashed and ships sank, Tony battled across treacherous terrain to help reclaim the islands from a fearsome enemy.This is a thrilling account of the Falklands from a trooper who saw it all.Trade Review'There is no higher accolade than a fellow solider wanting you to be beside them in the fight. Tony is the real deal and a personal hero of mine. All soldiers would have wanted him alongside them when things got brutal. This is a no holdout account of the Falklands War from a man who was in the fight' -- Andy McNab

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Book SynopsisBertram Portal was born into a wealthy family, famous for their mill at Laverstoke in North Hampshire which made banknote paper for the Bank of England. The youngest of three sons, he was destined for an army career. Graduating from Sandhurst in 1885, he joined the 17th Lancers Cavalry Regiment at Lucknow in India. He was awarded a D.S.O. in the Boer War, which paved the way to promotion, and he commanded his regiment in Edinburgh and India until 1907. Portal then left the army and lived as a country gentleman, devoting himself to his home village of Overton until 1914 when he was called up as a Reserve Officer to command a training brigade in Ireland. He commanded the mobile column in the readiness at the Curragh near Dublin when the Easter Rising broke out in 1916 and he played a major role in its suppression. Portal’s diary of events reveals important new information about the British response. His exploits did not go unnoticed: he was promoted and served on the Western Front in command of the 7th Cavalry Brigade until March 1918. Retiring for a second time, Bertram devoted himself once more to Overton and Hampshire causes. In 1899 he married Mittie, the eldest daughter of Lord Hatherton, who bore him a son and five daughters. Their story as a family is woven into the narrative of the book. Bertram was a true gentleman – honourable, courteous, considerate and modest about his achievements. The welfare of his soldiers and their horses was always to the fore, both in peacetime and when in action. He was steady, capable and decisive with a strong sense of duty, guided by his Christian faith. This well-researched biography sets his life and career in the context of the times and will be of interest to a wide readership.

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Book SynopsisA Little Book of Impressions describes life behind the mirror, probe and drill. After his unexpected encounters with dentistry from an early age and his time as a student at Guy’s Hospital in the seventies, Gerald Feaver describes embarking on a fulfilling and rewarding career that became his great passion. He writes of the amazing people he met over the years and how his life was enriched by hearing insights into their remarkable lives (yes, dentists do allow their patients to speak sometimes!), fascinating tales of romance, intrigue and heroism. This memoir is full of humour, interspersed with some poignant and personal moments that encapsulate the life of a dentist and patients in a variety of situations. The perception that a visit to the dentist was something to be feared or at least endured, was an anathema to him. Gerald always wanted his patients to feel relaxed and at ease. Revealing the human side of dentistry, the care and compassion that dentists strive to achieve when treating their patients, Gerald hopes that this book may help to reduce the fear that many still have about a visit to the dentist’s chair.

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Book SynopsisCousins, Captain Chris Waters of the Royal Engineers and Captain Jimmy Johnson of the Royal Welch Fusiliers were with the British Expeditionary Force in the defence of Dunkirk. In late May 1940, Jimmy (son-in-law of Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Keyes) was shot and captured near the Belgium border. Chris was captured after his regiment, which was attached to the 51st Highland Division, was forced to surrender at St-Valéry. Both men managed to escape their German captors and, accompanied by fellow officers, began separately to work their way through France into Spain. Having crossed the Pyrenees they were both re-captured but by an extraordinary coincidence met up in Barcelona. Chris and Jimmy recorded their escape in journals with Jimmy also writing many letters home from internment in France. Eventually the escapees, now in a large group, were released and arrived in Gibraltar. It was not the safe haven they had hoped for. One last cruel twist of fate would deny some of them a return home.

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Book SynopsisHow many ten-year-olds form a string quartet which goes on to world renown and lasts for half a century (and counting)? In the industrial heartland of the North East, Middlesbrough is frequently dubbed the arsehole of England, the least-desirable place to live. Yet there, in the seventies, was a thriving classical music scene out of which emerged the world-famous Brodsky Quartet who, now approaching their 50th anniversary, have built a starlit reputation for their live performances and over 70 acclaimed recordings. Jacqueline Thomas is the little girl who began this quartet and she remains its cellist to this day. Her memoir tells the story of the first ten formative years, with insight into the passion and fervour surrounding music-making on all levels, many amusing and sometimes hilarious extracts from her teen diaries, the single-minded obsession with their Art and the ambition to make it a success. With a distinct flavour of the 1970s, her teen-self also grapples with the gender inequalities endemic in the music world back then. The quirky title, from the author’s childhood nickname, is finally explained - a bonus for fans of The Juliet Letters, the album they co-wrote with Elvis Costello.

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Book SynopsisMiss Truman to Serve Christine Truman, now Dr Christine Truman Janes MBE, was born in 194 and brought up in Woodford Green Essex. Her first ambition was to be as good at tennis as her older siblings, hoping to join their mixed doubles. It never happened. Instead she achieved some of her dreams, including a ranking of No.2 in the world, aged 18, in 1959. She won the Grand Slam title in Paris at 18, the youngest Brit since the war. She holds the record at 16 of being the youngest British semi­ finalist at Wimbledon since Lottie Dod in 1887. 135 years ago! Also US finalist 1959 and Wimbledon finalist 1961. ‘If tennis was easy, why aren’t all the people walking up and down Oxford Street playing at Wimbledon?’ Billie Jean King ‘Work lasts longer than you do…’ Mother ‘Talent will out.’ Father ‘Champions know they will win!’ ‘Play the ball, not opponents!’ Coach Norman Kitovitz ‘It’s the tennis girl, dear!’ Clementine to Winston Churchill, 1959

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Book SynopsisMiss Truman to Serve Christine Truman, now Dr Christine Truman Janes MBE, was born in 194 and brought up in Woodford Green Essex. Her first ambition was to be as good at tennis as her older siblings, hoping to join their mixed doubles. It never happened. Instead she achieved some of her dreams, including a ranking of No.2 in the world, aged 18, in 1959. She won the Grand Slam title in Paris at 18, the youngest Brit since the war. She holds the record at 16 of being the youngest British semi­ finalist at Wimbledon since Lottie Dod in 1887. 135 years ago! Also US finalist 1959 and Wimbledon finalist 1961. ‘If tennis was easy, why aren’t all the people walking up and down Oxford Street playing at Wimbledon?’ Billie Jean King ‘Work lasts longer than you do…’ Mother ‘Talent will out.’ Father ‘Champions know they will win!’ ‘Play the ball, not opponents!’ Coach Norman Kitovitz ‘It’s the tennis girl, dear!’ Clementine to Winston Churchill, 1959

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Book Synopsis“Policing is a uniquely dangerous, harrowing and challenging profession where officers are expected to do far more than prevent and detect crime. To be a police officer is also to be a social worker, marriage guidance counsellor, mental health worker and medic.” Offering incredible true stories from the front line of policing, The Coppers' Lot is a compelling insight into what it takes to be a police officer in Britain in the 21st century. The extraordinary experiences recounted include: The heroic officer who continued to put his life in grave danger as he pursued marauding terrorists wearing suicide vests, while they indiscriminatingly stabbed members of the public. The undercover officer who targeted organised crime groups and drug dealers. The courageous officer who regularly tackled knife crime head on, saving several lives. The intense feeling of elation when an officer discovered key evidence to convict a murdering paedophile. The officer who, trapped alone and disarmed with a violent man, persevered despite being in fear of her life as her radio was thrown away leaving no means of summoning help. Taking readers on a ride along with the exceptional men and women who have sacrificed so much whilst protecting and serving their communities, these officers reveal, often in their own words, just how much policing has changed from the traditional notion of the bobby on the beat.

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Book SynopsisTwo months after his twenty-first birthday, a young Harvard student arrived to join his father the American Ambassador in London. Jack, as he was known to family, had no idea how his journey to England on the eve of war would come to change and shape his life. Jack’s beloved sister Kick was presented at Court that summer and hailed by the Press as ‘most exciting debutante’ that year. She introduced her brother to a small circle of young aristocrats, all descended from families that had long ruled England. Fascinated by books on Britain’s history and tales from the Court of King Arthur, Jack felt immediately at home. The eager student from Boston was soon sharing tea with a thirteen-year-old Princess Elizabeth, partying at Blenheim Palace and speeding across Europe as the borders were closing. Amongst the last to escape Berlin he would return with a secret Embassy note predicting hostilities ‘within a week’. With sister Kick and brother Joe he raced to Parliament to see Chamberlain declare war and Churchill rise to inspire a nation in its hour of need. Jack was spell-bound. He would forge lifelong bonds of friendship sharing such dramatic times with his young aristocratic circle. This family circle, after Kick’s marriage, would then come to play an astonishing role in shaping Jack’s actions from the Cuba Missile Crisis to Berlin when the free world came close to nuclear Armageddon. In John F. Kennedy: The London Story, the author reveals the extraordinary role Britain came to play in Jack’s life. By looking at his early life, we see how he became the man to lead and inspire the free world. Ideal for any history or politics enthusiasts, or anyone with an interest in how early events shape a life.

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Book SynopsisImagine how it would feel to be plucked from your daily life and transported far from home and forced to work in some unknown and terrible place. Imagine being treated with violence, never having enough to eat, living in bestial conditions, and never knowing if you would see your home again. Imagine feeling so completely powerless. This is what happened to young Frenchman Roland Chopard, who was arrested by the German SS during a brutal roundup in the Lot et Garonne region in May 1944, just before D-Day. This was the start of a period of forced labour during which he was moved to different places, including Dachau, BMW’s Eisenach factory and ultimately Buchenwald. Roland survived. Many did not. After his return home in 1945, Roland wrote a compelling account of his experiences. It lay, unread, in the family house in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, until it was found by his son Alex some years after Roland’s death in 2006. This book is based on Roland’s memoir, the family’s own papers, interviews with his daughter Annie, and the memories of others whose relatives were caught in the same roundup as Roland. It is a personal story set in a particular time, nothing more but nothing less.

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Book SynopsisDescribed by the Manchester Evening News as “One of Britain’s most popular conductors”, Anthony Inglis was born into the Royal Air Force with nine of his relatives, senior and distinguished pilots in the service. His family history however, did not stop him from deciding at the age of six that he was going to conduct. Anthony knew academia was not for him and battled to persuade his teachers and even his own parents that he did not need educating at expensive private schools. In the end, they agreed and he left school early to attend the Royal College of Music. His career has seen him conducting many famous orchestras and soloists, travelling the world and working in genres from pop bands such as The Scorpions to Bizet’s opera Carmen. His thirty-three year tenure at Phantom of The Opera in London and Music Directorship of two orchestras, plus his continuing association with Cunard and Katherine Jenkins has meant that although he is at an age when people retire, he continues to be busier than ever. This is a story of perseverance, hard work, joy, laughter, anecdotes and passion, in a career that he would (almost) do for free!

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Book SynopsisInto the Distance is a first-hand description of a world of truck driving that has long-since disappeared. Back in the 1970s and early 80s, drivers had to be independent and resourceful, in a world without mobile phones (and often even accessible landlines). Truck driving required skill and resourcefulness, was exciting, sometimes hazardous and, ultimately, very satisfying. It begins with a breakdown in Saudi Arabia, on Bennett’s first trip to the Middle East, from which he had to extricate himself unaided. It then backtracks to recount how, having graduated from university, he worked his way up in the trucking world from local work in Britain to long-haul journeys to Italy, communist Romania and the Persian Gulf. The book explains how crossing borders often required diplomacy, and how entering France routinely involved petty bribes to customs. It describes how truck drivers saw other countries from a unique perspective, as they mixed with all sorts of working people on their own home ground. Also discussed is the fine line between being a loner behind the wheel and being lonely, and how long-haul trucking with weeks away from home was often damaging to family relationships. The book describes breakdowns, break-neck schedules, brushes with smugglers, and how Bennett found himself stranded by riots in Iraq following the signing of the Israel-Egyptian peace treaty in 1979. He was caught up in two French lorry driver strikes, one of which blockaded the port of Dover, and in which he played a key role as an interpreter between the drivers and British officialdom. All part of the job.

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Book SynopsisThe south of France, known for its beauty, perfect climate, fresh produce, excellent cuisine, fine wines and steeped in history – but what lurks behind? This is a humorous yet cautionary tale of 3 naïve individuals, Abi, Marc and their daughter Beth who after losing their financial security in the housing crash of 2008, packed up their belongings and relocated to Provence. Finding themselves unexpectedly welcomed into the family that owned their rented farm house, Abi, Marc and Beth were in their element, long lunches under the hot sun, dinner parties by the pool, and a simple lifestyle that was to provide them with the pleasurable and affordable elements life has to offer; fresh croissants, soft, creamy goats cheese, an abundance of locally produced wine, lunches on hot winter days at the beach and evening movies in the garden. Failing to heed the warning that offering a hand in France can mean the loss of the whole arm, this family found themselves in one crisis after another as uninvited strangers sought to share the delights they had previously overlooked. A story of suspicion, jealousy, seduction and of course the impending inheritance, that which keeps all French on their toes.

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Book SynopsisIsland to Island: Photograph Collection is a unique assemblage of photographs, capturing not only the incredible wildlife and beautiful landscapes found in Seychelles, but also the difficulties of managing a remote tropical island nature reserve. Complementing the author's memoir Island to Island, this beautiful collection of photographs offers a rare and unique pictorial insight into a dynamic, challenging, yet privileged, existence: living amongst a million seabirds and some of the rarest wildlife in the world whilst experiencing and dealing with an alien culture in an isolated location. This comprehensive anthology features remarkable images of wildlife, landscapes, and day-to-day living captured through the lenses of seven photographers; from the challenges of being self-sufficient in extreme conditions, monitoring seabird populations on rugged terrain, and patrolling the island at night for poachers, all are portrayed and published for the first time.

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of Oscar Slater, a Jewish immigrant in Glasgow, Scotland and two fellow Scottish scammers, Helen Lambie and Patrick Nugent. In the Christmas season of 1908, the trio conspired to rob an elderly, wealthy lady of her diamonds, and, in the course of which burglary, Oscar Slater murdered her on December 21, 1908. All, not some, authors and sleuths who researched the 1909 conviction emphatically supported Oscar Slater''s innocence, that he was misidentified and wrongfully convicted. In an effort to place guilt for Marion Gilchrist''s murder squarely on Oscar Slater, the conclusions here reach further back in the crime''s timeline to January 1908, about a year before the murder-the month that Patrick Nugent and Helen Lambie attended a New Year''s party. The Glasgow police investigation tarried at only 30 days leading up to the murder.  FROM THE INTRODUCTION "When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Sherlock Holmes, Sign of Four. "If you''re looking for Trouble, you''ve come to the right place." Trouble, by Elvis Presley. "I am Woman, hear me roar." I am Woman, by Helen Reddy.

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Book SynopsisAlthough Sherlock Holmes had always refused to accept the potential influences of the supernatural upon the many cases with which he had been presented, there had certainly been a few which had sowed a seed of doubt within the mind of his friend and colleague, Dr. Watson. Obviously, The Hound of the Baskervilles and "The Sussex Vampire" are prime examples of these, but they are not the only ones! The apparition of a lady dressed in white and long thought dead, a deadly and shadowy form that wreaks terror on the heath and a figure from the past who has accrued the power to commune with the dead! Here is collection of cases, some new, together with a few old favourites which sorely test Holmes'' long-held beliefs to their very limits!The Adventure of the Shadow on the HeathThe Mystery of the Faceless ManThe Adventure of the Black PlagueThe Mystery of the Haunted CryptThe Adventure of the Risen CorpseThe Terror of Asgard TowerThe Necromancer Part One: A Familiar HandThe Necromancer Part Two: A Familiar FaceThe Mystery of the Mumbling DuellistThe Affair of the Unholy Night

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Book SynopsisBrought to you by Penguin.Aiden Aslin joined the Ukrainian marines in 2018, compelled to defend his adopted homeland from the growing threat of Russian invasion. In February 2022, as Russia mounted a full-scale offensive, Aiden and his unit were stationed at the frontline at Mariupol.Pinned down at a Mariupol steelworks, after a month-long siege and running out of supplies, Aiden was part of the mass surrender of over a thousand Ukrainian troops, in April 2022. Then his real ordeal began.Singled out for his British passport, Aiden was interrogated, tortured, stabbed, turned into a propaganda zombie, tried by a kangaroo court and then sentenced to death. A victim of a catalogue of abuses of international law, Aiden struggled to cling on to any hope of survival. Certain that he was going to be executed, he was eventually freed in a prisoner exchange and permitted to return home.In Putin's Prisoner, Aiden will tell the full, harrowing story of his time fighting in Putin's war, of his six months in Russian captivity, and of his hardened resolve to defend the freedoms of the people of Ukraine.©2023 Aiden Aslin & John Sweeney (P)2023 Penguin AudioTrade ReviewA great read. An amazing story. * Jeremy Vine *Engaging and horrifying in equal measure. A powerful story and insight into modern war. * Soldier *Horrifying, heart-rending, inspiring. Five stars. * Army Rumour Service *Both a warning and a message of hope. Aslin survived to tell his story - and we should listen. * Irish Independent *An absolutely incredible book. * Rig Biz Podcast *

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Book SynopsisThis is the personal account of a Luftwaffe aide always at Hitler's side from 1937 until the last days in Berlin, now published for the first time in English. Nicolaus von Below was a 29-year-old pilot when Goering selected him for the position of Hitler's Luftwaffe adjutant. He was with Hitler at every stage as the Second World War unfolded. His observations tell of HitlerOs responses to momentous events as well as military decisions and policy-making at Fuhrer Headquarters. This is a superb source describing life in Hitler's inner circle, relied upon on by Gitta Sereny in her biography of Albert Speer. He provides fascinating insight into how Hitler planned the invasions of Poland and Russia, what he thought of Britain and America, why he placed his faith in the V-1 and V-2 projects, how others dealt with him, and much more. Von Below was present at the assassination attempt in July 1944, and records the effect on Hitler and his followers. Von Below was the last of Hitler's close military entourage to emerge from the bunker alive. His frank memoir will appeal to anyone interested in how Hitler ran his war. He was denounced to the British in 1946 and imprisoned as a material witness at Nuremberg, until being discharged in 1947.

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Book SynopsisIn the Struggle and Service of My People describes the growing up and education of a boy in the Anglo Egyptian Sudan in a missionary dominated environment. This memoir explains the economic political educational policies of the Anglo Egyptian Sudan, dominated by the British, which marginalized the South Sudanese. Through Hilary Paul Logali’s story one can see the awakening up of the South Sudanese to political realities only to find out that they have been railroaded, fait accompli, into a country without their knowledge and consultation. It shows the struggle of the Southerners as the underdogs in the struggle for a breathing space in Sudan with more mature, educated, sophisticated and dominant Northern Sudanese. You can however see how the new and better educated South Sudanese began to articulate Southern aspirations better than their parents. This political memoir explains the effects of coups and military rule as well as one party systems, which were in the vogue in Africa in those years, resulting in the stifling of democracy. It also demonstrates the scourge and the inimical effect of tribalism as an impediment to political development which is also rampant in many parts of Africa. You also will see the negative effect of political Islam in the country, which eventually drove the Sudan into the bad books of the international community and especially of the United States. Through all this can be seen the character of a person, Hilary Paul Logali, the Southern nationalist who sacrificed his education and career for the sake of the political service he undertook for his people.

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Book SynopsisWhen beautiful heiress Nicky Samuel (1951-2019) left school at the age of 16, she was caught up in the world of Sixties London. Her first job was with Yoko Ono, and she soon fell in love with the owner of the fashionable hippy boutique ‘Granny Takes a Trip’, Nigel Waymouth, whom she married and with whom she later attended the legendary Isle of Wight Pop Concert. She spent time with celebrities such as Andy Warhol, Jane Fonda, Roger Vadim, Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, and Robert Mapplethorpe. At nineteen, Nicky became a fashionable hostess. She was photographed by Norman Parkinson for Vogue; and her close friends included Mick and Bianca Jagger, Christopher Gibbs, David Hockney, Anita Pallenberg and the eccentric, reclusive heroin addict John Paul Getty Jr. Her marriage broke up when she became involved in a passionate menage-a-trois involving the film-director Donald Cammell. In 1974, Nicky married homosexual jewellery designer, New York socialite and fortune-hunter Kenneth Jay Lane. Her social success was such that she was featured as a ‘New Beauty’ by Time Magazine. However, she became so unhappy and drug-addicted that she attempted suicide in the London Ritz. Nicky’s is exactly the kind of superficially glamorous life to which many star-struck and celebrity-hungry people aspire; this memoir is also a uniquely vivid experience of a vanished world.

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Book SynopsisIn the second half of the nineteenth century, three women from very different social backgrounds were convicted of infanticide and sentenced to death at the Lincoln Assizes. Lucy Ann Buxton, from Metheringham Fen, was a petty criminal whose mother was an opium addict; Emma Wade, from Stamford, was the daughter of a respected policeman; whilst Selina Stanhope, from Langtoft, near Market Deeping, was admitted into the workhouse as a destitute pauper, after being rejected by her family. All three women were eventually reprieved from the hangman’s noose by order of the Home Secretary. Reprieved at Lincoln delves into the sombre stories of these women and the impact of their crimes on their respective communities. Drawing from a range of contemporary sources, the book also examines previously unpublished documents related to the three cases and sheds new light on judicial processes sometimes shrouded in secrecy and silence.

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Book SynopsisNeed cheering up? How about a nostalgic trip back to the 1970s with a different perspective? Follow the true story of two young yet disparate Brits as they venture east to Hong Kong to join the colonial police out there. Initially bought-in to the adventure, bright lights and the hedonistic pleasures of the Exotic East, Alan and Bob are thrown into a world somewhat divergent to the picture painted whilst under training. They begin to butt heads with corruption, colonial excess, privilege and protectionism and run into connivers, skivers and survivors. The story follows the two young, relatively naive men along their journey from their eight-month police training to their posts as policemen. It is filled with colourful incidents and exotic tales, with liberal doses of tongue in cheek humour and literary licence thrown in, you'll scarcely believe what they encountered.

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Book Synopsis“By 1st February the unloading had been completed, and when the ice anchors had been recovered the ship drew slowly away from the ice edge. The dull weather could not suppress the thrill that pulsed through me – this was the real start of my adventure. Up till then I could at any time have turned back. It might have been embarrassing, inconvenient, or expensive, but it had been possible. Now there would be no more direct contact with the outside world until the ship returned for another brief week or so in a year’s time. There was no air link, established or even planned. Was any other workplace in the world as isolated? Even in the Antarctic, did any other base have so fleeting a relief? Together with my companions I was irrevocably committed.” Lewis Juckes describes the many new experiences that lay ahead over the next two years, first while living in huts buried deep within the snow and then in the field with dog teams for transport and tents for accommodation. Thrills and rare sights were there, as well as scares and dangers – and tragedy within the close-knit group. This was Antarctica in the mid-1960s.

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Book SynopsisThink you already know the story of Charles Dickens' life? Think again.Almost everything you're familiar with was first mentioned in an authorised biography written by Dickens' close friend John Forster 150 years ago. It's the version of events that Dickens himself chose to make public, and newly accessible archives reveal that it's crammed with gaps, inconsistencies, and outright lies. There's the sister whose existence Dickens kept secret and the Jewish relations whose faith he strove to conceal. There's plagiarism, fraud, and suicide.And that's only for starters. Helena Kelly, author of the acclaimed Jane Austen, the Secret Radical, retells Dickens' story from his childhood to his deathbed, uncovers the truths he tried to keep hidden, and offers a fresh - and deeply troubling - perspective on the man who remains one of Britain's best-known novelists.You won't be able to look at him - or his work - in the same way again.Trade ReviewA literary bio that deftly untangles truth from untruth. Diligent research and incisive close readings of Dickens' writings ground Kelly's investigation into the gaps, contradictions, and inconsistencies in the manipulated, self-serving story that many subsequent biographers have repeated. -- Kirkus ReviewsSpeaking of his fiction, when it comes to literary analysis, Kelly isn't just unimpeachable - she's energizing * The New York Times *As this fascinating book reveals, we don't actually know the truth at all ... for the real story, check out Helena Kelly * Daily Express *Praise for Jane Austen, the Secret Radical:"Bracing. Plausible and vivid."-- "The Atlantic""Jane Austen, The Secret Radical is wonderful; a revelation. It's difficult to stand out from the crowd when writing about such an influential figure, but Helena Kelly has certainly achieved that with this smart, knowing, perceptive book."--Amanda Foreman, author of A World on Fire"A fresh take on the life and work of the beloved writer Jane Austen. Reveals the subversive rebel soul behind such towering classics as Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Mansfield Park."-- "Elle""A thoroughly engaging read." - The Times Literary Supplement"An important revisionary work. Helena Kelly provokes."-- "The New York Times""Amply shows her deep research. She exposes a depth beyond what at first may seem to be silly characters. A fine-grained study that shows us how to read between the lines to discover the remarkable woman who helped transform the novel from trash to an absolute art form." - Kirkus Reviews"Ambitious. Illuminating, provocative. Kelly offers a salutary argument for reading Austen's novels with the serious attentiveness they invite and deserve."-- "The Spectator""Do we read Jane Austen's novels as she intended? In this riveting literary-biographical study, the answer is a resounding no. An interpretive coup that is dazzling and dizzying . . . You won't read Austen the same way again."-- "The New Yorker""Essential. What this radical re-reading of the novels does so brilliantly is to exhort us all to chuck out the chintz, and the teacups, and all the traditional romantic notions about Austen's work that have been fed to us for so long."-- "The Bookseller (London)""Helena Kelly makes the case for Austen as an author steeped in the fear of war and revolution. Meticulously researched. Kelly shows us that the novels were about nothing more or less than the burning political questions of the day. A sublime piece of literary detective work that shows us once and for all how to be precisely the sort of reader that Austen deserves."-- "The Guardian (London)""Kelly argues passionately and engagingly. Her critical method is . . . generating meaning from the smallest details of the novels."-- "The Washington Post" * Praise for Jane Austen, A Secret Radical *Helena Kelly's book presents a fresh view of Dickens, just as her previous book, Jane Austen the Secret Radical, did for Austen * The Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisThis is the true story of Charles Lucky Luciano, the man who organized crime. An immigrant Italian child, growing up on the filth-ridden, poor and deadly streets of New York city''s infamous Lower East Side, in Manhattan. Through brutality, street smarts, manipulation, treachery, and murder, he became the leader of the American underworld and the most powerful crime boss of all time. The back drop to his rise to power was the glitz, glamour, fun and frivolity, and the reckless abandon of the Roaring Twenties.

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Book SynopsisMemoirs of an Iraqi who settled in the UK and became a captain on a major airline. Also includes his struggles to gain a happy future for his autistic son

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Book SynopsisEarly in the 2020 pandemic, author Steven E. Mason began to look at the lives of some of the great personalities from history, seeking inspiration to help him deal with the Covid-19 crisis. He discovered that many of these people had experienced significant adversity on their path to success. After sharing these stories with friends and colleagues, positive feedback led to the writing of this book. The Adversity Formula: Inspiring Stories of Hope from History looks at the lives of thirty remarkable characters from history and how they dealt with adversity. The book goes on to provides a formula which readers can apply to their own lives when faced with major challenges. The text focuses on the lives of a group of inspiring individuals mainly from the 20th Century: fifteen men and fifteen women, across a range of categories, including scientists, entrepreneurs, humanitarians, politicians, entertainers, sports stars and war heroes. The book looks at the adversity these greats faced and what they achieved despite it. More importantly, the book looks at how they dealt with the adversity they faced, often using it to their advantage. The book then identifies five characteristics that each individual used which were key to how they dealt with the challenges facing them. The traits are then packaged into a general formula for tackling those challenges, emphasising that it's not just the experience of adversity but the way people respond to it which determine a successful outcome. The Adversity Formula: Inspiring Stories of Hope from History will be of interest to those who enjoy history and those who are interested in self-development, especially during difficult times. The book offers us all hope in the face of life's major challenges.Trade Review'What a great idea for a book and superbly executed. There's so much to learn from and so much to be inspired by, packed into this volume'. Daniel Finkelstein, Award-winning Journalist, Associate Editor and Political Columnist - The Times; 'This is a spirited case for the role of great men and women in shaping the world. Whether in politics or golf or on the stage, Steven Mason seeks to draw out the common threads: the attitudes, habits and qualities that allow inspirational figures not just to survive misfortune but to profit from it ...' Sir Graham Brady, MP, Chairman - 1922 Committee; 'The Adversity Formula: Inspirational Lessons from History is motivational. Steven Mason has shared the personal challenges that many icons from the world of politics, sports and entertainment have faced along with the resilience they demonstrated in ways for all of us to relate to, learn and live by'. Janet Fanaki, Host - The RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast, resilientpeople.ca; Steven Mason has managed to capture every nuance of Muhammad Ali's remarkable life in a single chapter and it's a fascinating read. I was privileged to have spent ten years - from 1971 to 1981 - going around the world with Ali, covering all his major fights. His name will always be prominent in any history of the twentieth century. Mason must have had difficulty in deciding where to place him in his book. Ali could also have fitted comfortably among 'The Humanists', 'The Entrepreneurs', 'The Politicians' and 'The Entertainers', such was his mesmerising influence on mankind'. Colin Hart, Boxing Columnist - The Sun; 'Delighted that Steven Mason has chosen Ella Fitzgerald to figure among his subjects as an inspirational lesson from history in overcoming adversity. In her own quiet and understated way, Ella epitomised the American Dream, literally starting with nothing as a homeless waif, she ended her life in Beverley Hills luxury in an America riven with racial prejudice - it's an object lesson we can all learn from'. Professor Stuart Nicholson. Author - Ella Fitzgerald: A Biography Of The First Lady Of Jazz; 'Steven Mason has compiled some fascinating portraits of some of the most inspirational figures of the past century, who overcame adversity despite overwhelming odds. We all have limiting beliefs and this book will help you to shed yours, by witnessing the limits of the human resolve.' Rabbi Chaim Miller, Author - Turning Judaism Outward: A Biography of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson; 'Like never before, we would be wise to listen to the figures talking to us through Steven Mason. They remind us that adversity is not only nothing new, it's a requisite of the human experience'. Julie Des Jardins, Historian of American women and gender. Author - The Madame Curie Complex: The Hidden History of Women in Science; 'Mason's emphasis on adversity as a catalyst for positive change is a good addition to the literature on self-improvement'. Robin Gerber, Best-Selling Author, Speaker and Historian. Author - Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way; 'An essential resource for anyone looking to improve their own performance. This book demonstrates that looking back at our role models' reaction to adversity, helps prepare us for any challenges that lie ahead'. Tania Friedlander, Certified Leadership & Development Coach for Fortune 500 employees; 'Thomas Paine wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls." In order to get through contemporary trying times, I highly recommend Steve Mason's 'The Adversity Formula' that delivers the message of fortitude, persistence, and enlightenment'. Marlene Wagman-Geller, Author - Women of Means: Fascinating Biographies of Royals, Heiresses, Eccentrics and Other Poor Little Rich Girls; 'In these trying times of the Covid-19 pandemic, most of us need reassurance that brighter days lie ahead. Steven Mason shows us the way forward in this remarkable work that focuses on the biographies of thirty notable figures. Coming from diverse backgrounds and fields, these individuals overcame almost unbelievable adversity to both triumph in their own pursuits - whether in business, sports, entertainment, politics, or war - and make the world a better place for others. Drawing on the life experiences of figures as different as Eleanor Roosevelt, Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, Katharine Graham, Margaret Thatcher and Ella Fitzgerald, Mason provides an inspiring message that adversity can serve as a challenge rather than a defeat. The book provides much-needed inspiration during a period of global uncertainty on many fronts - medical, political, and cultural - leaving the reader with a renewed appreciation of the human potential'. Maurine H. Beasley, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, University of Maryland, College Park, US. Author - Eleanor Roosevelt, Transformative First Lady; 'A thought-provoking read, particularly in these most challenging times, of how to cope with and ultimately triumph over adversity'. Jim White, Columnist - Telegraph Media Group. Author - Manchester United: The Biography

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Book SynopsisTo rise from humble beginnings in the Potteries to become a hugely successful barrister involved in many high profile cases would be enough to satisfy the ambitions of many. But Bob Alexander's life took him from the law to be chairman of the Takeover Panel and the NatWest Bank at a critical time when the impact of 'Big Bang' demanded huge changes from many staid financial institutions. Add to that his passion for cricket which led to him being elected chairman of the MCC, and his chairmanship of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and his elevation to the peerage, and you have the extraordinarily full life of a man who rose to the very top of the British establishment. What distinguishes these memoirs from many is the candour with which Lord Alexander describes his wealth of experiences. His accounts of his famous cases - GCHQ, Ken Livingstone, 'Spycatcher,' the Summerfields Fire, Jeffrey Archer - are masterpieces of clarity and concision. But he is never afraid to express his opinions of people and events - and this is particularly so when he describes his efforts to reform the NatWest Bank. His account will surely be of great value to financial historians for years to come. Behind this remarkable success there is a continuing modesty and an openness to argument and opinion, characteristics that made him such a revered and popular figure in so many different worlds. Lord Alexander, who died in 2005 before he was able to complete his memoir, has left us a vivid and revealing personal account of a brilliant career. His wisdom, kindness and mastery of the law touched the lives of so many.Table of ContentsForward by Jonathan Sumption Acknowledgements 1. Homes and Beginnings 2. Cambridge 3. Called to the Bar 4. Brick Court 5. Kerry Packer 6. GCHQ 7. Ken Livingstone 8. Singapore Slings 9. "Spycatcher" 10. The Summerland Fire 11. New Zealand Disaster 12. Jeffrey Archer: Triumph and Tragedy 13. The Takeover Panel 14. NatWest Culture Shock 15. Blue Arrow: In at the Deep End 16. A Deluge of Bad Debts 17. Rebuilding the Business 18. The Perils of Investment Banking 19. Farewell to Banking 20. Freedom 21. Cricket 22. The Royal Shakespeare Company 23. Crossing the Bar by Alfred, Lord Tennyson 25. Index

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Book SynopsisAfter the passing of her beloved father, Sarah felt something inside that she had not felt before, a desperation for change. She decided to follow this feeling and dive into the world around her until she understood more. Her adventures took her everywhere, with new climates, cultures and beliefs and these experiences transformed Sarah into the person she is today. With her newfound independence Sarah embraced this growth with open arms and strived to reawaken her mind, body connection. ‘Beyond Gratitude: A Journey to Positivity’, invites you to come along for the ride. It will allow you to understand how your life can be transformed if you begin to investigate the power it holds. This book describes real people and real experiences to help you discover your own level of emotional well-being and support you in its development. Sarah now understands the importance of building connections rather than building possessions and hopefully this account will open up a new world of opportunity for you too.

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Book SynopsisThis is a book about how it feels to exist. About the moments we come off autopilot and engage fully with the world around us. The fleeting moments in which our minds and bodies connect totally to one another and to our environment. Intimate, impassioned and full of humour, PINCH ME follows art historian Francesca Ramsay's far-reaching journey in search of answers to one of life's most complex and essential questions: What does it mean to feel real? Tackling this ancient subject through a contemporary lens, PINCH ME is a raw, lyrical reflection on finding connection with oneself, one another and the modern world. Ramsay investigates what it is to experience reality, the reasons so many of us are feeling the lack of it today, and crucially, how we might be able to get it back.Trade ReviewI loved following Francesca's attempts to feel real in the twenty-first century. Enlightening, insightful, thought-provoking, and still often laugh-out-loud funny. CLAIRE FULLER; A compelling and timely exploration of contemporary reality ... I found myself completely captivated by her voice and view of the world. NATHAN DUNNE, AUTHOR OF LICHTENSTEIN; Truly such a wonderful read. There were numerous drifts of sentence and sentiment that I was unable to pass by without noting down - certain things stuck, resonated, rang so piercingly true. ELLA FRANCES SANDERS, AUTHOR OF EVERYTHING, BEAUTIFUL; Through asking what it means to feel real, Francesca Ramsay reaches deep into the human condition, grappling with themes of time, meaning and solitude, always with an astute eye and deft humour, allowing PINCH ME to become a book that will stay with you long after reading. - ALI MILLAR, AUTHOR OF AVA, ANNA, ADA

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Book SynopsisLegendary music producer, Gordon Raphael has spent four decades working with musicians, performers and songwriters to create unique genre-defining sounds. His work with THE STROKES, REGINA SPEKTOR and THE LIBERTINES has made him one of the world’s most sought-after music producers. What’s his secret? This book gives an insider’s view into how music is created and recorded, sharing insights into the artistic discoveries that happen when a group of talented musicians find the right studio, the right producer and the right sound. Like sitting on the purple velvet couch at New York’s fabled Transporterraum Studio, this rock ‘n’ roll memoir gives an All Access Pass to the processes and techniques, the people and the performances. It’s the early 2000s and, for the first time, young people who’ve grown up hating their parent's rock music, have found a reason in the songs of NYC newcomers THE STROKES to drop their electronica, house and techno for guitars, Converse, leather jackets—to form their own bands.Focussing on the eight-year period from the demise of the Seattle grunge scene to the rebirth of a thrilling cultural shift in New York and London that reimagined rock 'n’ roll. Gordon Raphael shares his tales of musical glory and loss, creative triumphs and breakups.It’s a bumpy ride with a killer soundtrack.Trade Review'Gordon Raphael reveals his most cherished experiences from a life lived utterly for music in his book The World Is Going To Love This. From studio sessions with The Strokes to his recollections of the grunge scene, the book is a passionate paean to music, chronicling Raphael’s journey through the world of indie.' – DAZED‘The World Is Going To Love This is full of stories fans haven’t heard before – as well as unseen photos of The Strokes." - NME'Famed producer Gordon Raphael has finally written the whole damn thing down – the making of The Strokes’ seminal album Is This It’ – Chris Hawkins BBC Radio 6‘Gordon Raphael produced era-defining albums like Is This It and Room On Fire. The World Is Going To Love This is his memoir documenting his time on the scene.' - Rolling Stone‘The World Is Going To Love This is full of stories fans haven’t heard before – as well as unseen photos of The Strokes.’ - NME'Gordon Raphael produced era-defining albums like Is This It and Room On Fire. The World Is Going To Love This is his memoir documenting his time on the scene' - Rolling Stone

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Book SynopsisA touching. heart-warming account of a man and his beloved, heroic Labrador dog. But Echo is something special. With the dedication and persistence of his handler, he is trained to be part of a search and rescue team called upon to travel to disaster areas around the globe to assist in locating survivors trapped among piles of rubble. The bravery of Echo and his handler is recalled in vivid detail as they cope to deal with tragedy and heartbreak in their own ways. Sometimes it can be hard facing up to the challenges and they come perilously close to death but their determination is there for all to see. Years later, Echo is rewarded for his sterling work with the Pride of Britain award, one of such accolades he receives.

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Book SynopsisAlthough first and foremost an artist, Paul 'The Beaver' Trevillion is a man with brilliant ideas. His long career has introduced him to all the world's leading sportsmen, as well as royalty and politicians, and given him unique insights, drive and self-belief. Those qualities and ideas he took to Don Revie in 1972, aiming to improve the image of the club and bring the players closer to the fans. Inventions such as sock tags, Target Balls and a hit single that became an anthem are remembered and loved to this day. New concepts including pre-match warm-ups and putting a player's name across his shoulders proved Trevillion was decades ahead of his time. In fact everything he suggested worked and together his efforts turned Leeds United into the world's first modern day football club. And it only took him 50 days. Now, 50 years later, all the incredible secrets of that brief but unforgettable time are revealed...

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