Biography Books
Scratching Shed Publishing Ltd Richie Who Cares?: Lost Childhood and a Boy's
Book SynopsisRichie Barlow recently celebrated his 40th birthday, a landmark date he never thought he would reach. Many were the times – when struggling to survive a desperate childhood and adolescence – that he clinged to a dream of simply making it to 22. Abandoned by his abusive mother and stepfather and placed in an inadequate care system, he was sold into child prostitution and criminality while the state apparatus knowingly failed him. But for the love and hope shared by surrogate parents Pauline and Anna, Richie would have become just another tragic statistic. Yet released back into the world with few coping strategies, he was determined to make his mark and have his mistreatment at the hands of the local authority recognised in order to bring about the change necessary so others would not have to experience the sort of tribulations, tragedy and sorrow he had. Now in a loving relationship, married to Ben, a new family around him and an award winning dog walking business, Richie’s story is one of immense determination and inner strength against the longest odds. It is about hope, reclaiming the past and gaining justice. Harrowing yet uplifting, it is a must read.
£12.99
Troubador Publishing Mavis Batey: Bletchley Codebreaker - Garden
Book SynopsisLate 1930s. When World War II was declared, Mavis Batey, previously studying German Romanticism, abandoned her studies to do her duty for her country. At Bletchley Park, Britain’s best kept secret, she became one of the first women codebreakers, a pioneer and a star, breaking codes vital to bringing peace. Mavis Batey, a unique biography, delves into the life of one of Britain’s best female codebreakers, taking the reader through the war and to the arrival of peace, when Mavis turned her attention from breaking codes to the conservation and preservation of gardens. Mavis became an important figure in conservation, becoming President of the Garden History Society, which, under her watch, became an academic society and campaigning force for the protection of landscapes, parks, and gardens of historic interest. She also lobbied Parliament, fighting threats of encroachment and misuse of land. Acts of Parliament were passed, English Heritage was established, and grants were introduced. Historic gardens became officially recognised as essential components of European culture and her National Register of Historic Gardens came to fruition. Mavis’s passion was writing and she wrote many books. Mavis was finally awarded the RHS Veitch Memorial Medal and the MBE for Services to the preservation and conservation of historic landscapes. Mavis never did retire: her final project was to inspire an American Garden Trail for Bletchley Park which she signed off just a few months before her death in November 2013.
£999.99
Old Street Publishing The People's Favourite Poems: Out and about with
Book Synopsis
£8.54
Octopus Publishing Group The Accidental Footballer
Book Synopsis***THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'A heroic outsider - a pleasure to read.' - The Guardian'A fulsome evocation of football before the Premier League.' - The i'Such a good storyteller...joyous.' - Financial Times'Honest, raw, revealing and very funny. How to live a life and career to the full. Insightful book about the most successful outsider inside football ever...' - Henry Winter, Chief Football Writer, The Times'Pat is a wonderful one-off...and this is the story of why that is.' - John Murray, Chief Sports Correspondent, BBC Radio 5 Live'Unusually vibrant and elegant with heroic doses of humour, insight and self-effacement, this is an absolute must-read for the football connoisseur.' - Omid Djalili 'The biggest influence of my professional career both on and off the pitch.' - Graeme Le Saux'I grew up captivated by Pat Nevin the player. As a man he taught me even more about the beauty of the game. One of football's great mavericks, and Chelsea's greatest players. And he can spin a mean tune too.' - Sam Matterface 'I used to walk miles to see Pat Nevin play football and I'd do the same now to read his thoughts. Always challenging, always entertaining.' - Lord Sebastian Coe'A refreshingly honest and thought-provoking autobiography. As deftly delivered as some of Pat's ball skills in his 1980's heyday.' - ToffeeWeb Pat Nevin never wanted to be a professional footballer.His future was clear, he'd become a teacher like his brothers. There was only one problem with this - Pat was far too good to avoid attention. Raised in Glasgow's East End, Pat loved the game, playing for hours and obsessively following Celtic. But as he grew up, he also loved Joy Division, wearing his Indie 'gloom boom' coat and going on marches - hardly typical footballer behaviour!Placed firmly in the 80s and 90s, before the advent of the Premier League, and often with racism and violence present, Pat Nevin writes with honesty, insight and wry humour. We are transported vividly to Chelsea and Everton, and colourfully diverted by John Peel, Morrissey and nights out at the Hacienda.The Accidental Footballer is a different kind of football memoir. Capturing all the joys of professional football as well as its contradictions and conflicts, it's about being defined by your actions, not your job, and is the perfect reminder of how life can throw you the most extraordinary surprises, when you least expect it.
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers A Family Secret My Shocking True Story of
Book SynopsisEach time my mother laid a finger on me it was another step into the jaws of hell. Her abuse, more so than any other, destroyed me. It was the ultimate betrayal.'Abused from the age of eight by her older brother and then her step-father, Maureen Wood quickly became numb to the constant suffering. But Maureen's world crumbled when her own mother started to abuse her tooA Family Secret is the harrowing true story of how one little girl survived sickening abuse by the people who should have loved her most, and how an innocent baby finally saved her.
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Neglected
Book SynopsisLittle Jamey, 2 years old, is placed with experienced foster carer, Cathy Glass, as an emergency.The police and social services have no choice but to remove two-year-old Jamey from home after his mother leaves him alone all night to go out partying.When he first arrives with foster carer Cathy Glass, he is scared, hungry and withdrawn, craving the affection he has been denied for so long. He is small for his age and unsteady on his feet a result of being left for long periods in his cot.Cathy and her family find Jamey very easy to love, but as he settles in and makes progress, a new threat emerges. Coronavirus and lockdown change everything.
£7.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Unthinkable
Book SynopsisTrade Review“[An] extraordinary new memoir of an extraordinary year…It is hard to think of an American political figure for whom the past year brought stranger crosswinds: a tornado collision of chilling loss and rising moral leadership.” — Vogue “Unthinkable is not a work of emotional austerity; rather, it is an unburdening, a howl, a devotional. The grief is nightmarish, but the love that suffuses the text is even more powerful—the love for family and a lost child, as well as a love for a fragile democracy. It takes its greatest inspiration from the idealism of Raskin’s son.” — David Remnick, The New Yorker “[Congressman Raskin] is, in addition to everything else, a really good writer. The blow-by-blow of January 6 is riveting. The passages about his son, and his own pain, are sometimes searing.” — New Republic “[In Unthinkable] Congressman Jamie Raskin, D-Md., is on a journey — moving through layers of excruciating trauma and grief…The journey to make sense of Tommy's death and honor his life has added a new fuel for Raskin to right the wrongs of the Jan. 6 attack.” — NPR
£11.69
Quarto Publishing PLC A Miscellany of Mischief and Magic
Book SynopsisWelcome all rascals and tricksters to this marvellous miscellany of mischief and magic! This playful book explores the world of deception and trickery – both the good and the bad. Learn the secrets of infamous magic illusions and tricks and discover the stories of some of history’s most notorious hoaxes, pranks, and cons. While some are great fun, others contain a serious lesson . . . after all, understanding scams of the past can help protect you in the future. Meet infamous pranksters such as Marcel Duchamp (the French artist who pranked the art world), renowned illusionists and escape artists such as Adelaide Hermann (one of the first female magicians), and cunning con-artists such as George C. Parker (the American who 'sold' the Statue of Liberty). The themed spreads explore a range of topics such as made-up monsters, alienTrade Review“This blend of history, biography and activities reveals the antics of magicians such as African American illusionist Richard Potter and French prankster Marcel Duchamp and has themed spreads on April Fool’s Day, alien hoaxes and more.” * The Bookseller, Children's Previews *
£15.29
Quarto Publishing PLC The Worlds of Sherlock Holmes
Book SynopsisQuesting was Sherlock Holmes’s business. He famously adopted the latest forensic techniques, channelled the Victorian passion for enquiry, kept abreast of the key scientific breakthroughs of his age, and conducted his investigations in an enigmatic and stylised manner. And the brains behind it all was, of course, the great Arthur Conan Doyle. In this deep dive into the contemporary world of Holmes and Conan Doyle, biographer Andrew Lycett explores all that encompasses the world of the great detective – tracing the infamous character’s own interests, personality and mythologised biography alongside that of his creator’s. From the Victorian crazes for detection and séance, to contemporary developments in science and psychology, Lycett weaves together everything that inspired Conan Doyle in creating the world’s most famous detective and one of fictiTrade Review"I’ve seen lots of books about everyone’s favorite consulting detective ...none more elegant or beautifully produced. A profusion of illustrations, as well as text by Lycett, one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s best biographers, will brighten Christmas morning for any would-be Baker Street Irregular." -- Michael Dirda * The Washington Post *We can't say enough good things about it. It is a piece of art. It is lovely to hold, lovely to flip through. It is so well-written. The flow as Andrew takes us through the evolution of Sherlock Holmes in the world and what the world contributed to Sherlock Holmes... This is one of those books that every Sherlockian needs to own. -- Scott Monty, I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere podcast * Scott Monty, I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere podcast *"Lycett provides an impressive and colorfully-illustrated discussion of how Holmes was created, and why he continues to fascinate each new generation of readers." -- Peter Blau * Scuttlebuts *“This companion embarks on a lively tour of the politics, cultural and social circumstances of Holmes’s era [and] takes us inside Holmes’s mind, a mix of imagination to read a criminal’s intentions with a scientific approach to solving riddles…We discover what lies behind that famous image, the man who created him and the world into which both were born and shaped by.” -- Dan Carrier * Camden New Journal *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION A SHERLOCKIAN SENSE OF PLACE BRITAIN AND THE WIDER WORLD THE ADVANCE OF SCIENCE WATCHING THE DETECTIVES SCREEN AND STAGE REPRESENTATIONS GETTING INTO PRINT ART IN THE BLOOD A FEW ATHLETIC TASTES STAYING THE COURSE POSTSCRIPT CHRONOLOGY OF CONAN DOYLE AND WORLD EVENTS CHRONOLOGY OF HOLMES AND WATSON FURTHER READING INDEX PICTURE CREDITS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
£21.25
New Directions Publishing Corporation Looking at Pictures
Book SynopsisA special side of Robert Walser: his essays on artTrade Review"This jeweled box of a book... float[s], wonderfully, somewhere in a land between short story and criticism." -- Randy Kennedy - The New York Times""Walser achieved a remarkable tone, in which perfect assurance and perfect ambiguity combine."" -- Benjamin Kunkel - The New Yorker""Everyone who reads Walser falls in love with him."" -- Nicholas Lazard - The Guardian""A Paul Klee in prose, a good-humoured, sweet Beckett, Walser is a truly wonderful, heartbreaking writer."" -- Susan Sontag""Bold and idiosyncratic."" -- Lydia Davis""Singular—genius."" -- Ben Lerner""Written between 1902 and 1930 and, with two exceptions, previously untranslated, the pieces gathered here elaborate a nervous, slapstick sort of hack journalism that set the stage for a fabulously experimental modernist writing situation whose fans included Kafka, Musil, and Benjamin."" -- John Kelsey - Artforum
£18.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Agent Moliere
Book SynopsisThe Cambridge Spies continue to fascinate - but one of them, John Cairncross, has always been more of an enigma than the others. He worked alone and was driven by his hostility to Fascism rather than to the promotion of Communism. During his war-time work at Bletchley Park, he passed documents to the Soviets which went on to influence the Battle of Kursk. Geoff Andrews gained exclusive access to the Cairncross papers and secrets, and has spoken to friends, relatives and former colleagues. In his portrait, a complex individual emerges a scholar as well as a spy whose motivations have often been misunderstood. After his resignation from the Civil Service, Cairncross moved to Italy and there he rebuilt his life as a foreign correspondent, editor and university professor. This gave him new circles and friendships which included the writer Graham Greene while he always lived with the fear that his earlier espionage would come to light. The full account of Cairncross's spying, his confTrade ReviewExtremely well-researched ... Both fascinating and exciting in equal measure. * The Wee Review *Compelling… Geoff Andrews’s research is extensive and exemplary. * Morning Star *[Cairncross] lived in a sort of self-imposed exile on the Continent, eking out an existence as a jobbing writer and translator. When he was finally unmasked as the Fifth Man, nobody really seemed to care. [Andrews] has set out to remedy this. * Mail on Sunday *Andrews rightly emphasizes the range of Cairncross's literary talents. He would have made a successful, though highly argumentative, full-time academic, and was a formidable linguist. * Times Literary Supplement *In Agent Molière, respected historian Geoff Andrews provides a well-researched and absorbing account of Cairncross’s life from his passing on of secret documents to the Russians during World War II to his later life as a university professor in Italy and his eventual unveiling as the ‘fifth man’. A must for all armchair spies. -- Jeff Popple * Canberra Weekly *Geoff Andrews, an Open University politics lecturer, throws new light on this mystery [of how John Cairncross found himself in the pay of Moscow's spy masters]. * The New European *Geoff Andrews brilliantly captures the essence of the unlikely “fifth man” in the notorious Cambridge spy ring, exploding the myths surrounding John Cairncross. His meticulous research paints a picture of an exceptional scholar from a humble background uncomfortable in the corridors of the Whitehall establishment. As Andrews astutely comments, Cairncross was “incapable of subscribing to any kind of orthodoxy”. Agent Molière is a refreshing and most welcome biography which blows away the cobwebs left by traditional spy writers. * Richard Norton-Taylor, author of The State of Secrecy *A thorough and thoughtful exploration of the complex life and personality of John Cairncross. This is the book we have been waiting for that rounds off the epic story of the Cambridge Spies. * Roland Philipps, Author of A Spy Named Orphan: The Enigma of Donald Maclean *Table of ContentsPrologue: 'The Chase' Chapter 1: A Scottish Education Chapter 2: From Glasgow to Germany Chapter 3: A Political Awakening Chapter 4: Cambridge Chapter 5: The Foreign Office Chapter 6: Agent Moliere Chapter 7: Appeasement Chapter 8: A Political Career Begins Chapter 9: Bletchley Park Chapter 10: Enter Graham Greene Chapter 11: Cold War and Resignation Chapter 12: An Italian Escape Chapter 13: Professor Cairncross Chapter 14: Confession and Exile (Again) Chapter 15: Hot Autumn Chapter 16: The ‘Fifth Man’ Chapter 17: The Human Factor Epilogue: 'Fact and Fiction in the Life of John Cairncross'
£12.34
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Sign Here for Sacrifice
Book SynopsisA hard-hitting history of the U.S. airborne unit who made a name for themselves in the unforgiving jungles of South Vietnam.It was easier killing than living. Third Battalion 506th Airborne veteranDrawing on interviews with veterans, many of whom have never gone on the record before, Ian Gardner follows up his epic trilogy about the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment in World War II with the story of the unit''s reactivation at the height of the Vietnam War. This is the dramatic history of a band of brothers who served together in Vietnam and who against the odds lived up to the reputation of their World War II forefathers.Brigadier General Salve Matheson''s idea was to create an 800-strong battalion of airborne volunteers in the same legendary Currahee spirit that had defined the volunteers of 1942. The man he chose to lead them was John Geraci, who would mold this young brotherhood into a highly cohesive and motivated force. In December 1967, the battalion was sent intoTrade ReviewWe need books like this because they remind us that the same dedication, teamwork, optimism and courage that defined the World War II generation also defined the generation that fought the war in Vietnam. * Martin K.A. Morgan, Historian and Author *This fabulous book reveals our fears, hardships, humor, trust in each other and creation of a bond that still endures to this day. A must-read for teachers and students of combat leadership. * Joe Alexander, Platoon Leader, A Company *A riveting story of heroism, hardship, and tough combat in Vietnam that vividly brings to life the experiences of an extraordinary unit. * General David Petraeus *Ian Gardner has produced a narrative that is remarkable in keeping the reader engaged in the events through a roller coaster ride of emotions… While the prose is gritty and at times shocking, it is honest in describing the realities of combat often at close quarters in a hostile climate and landscape against a highly experienced and determined enemy. * David Rattee, Honorary Member of US Army 506th Inf. Regt. *Thoroughly researched, with a fascinating array of previously unseen photographs, this is a must-read for those interested in one unit’s Vietnam War. * Classic Military Vehicle *A useful addition to the vast library of books on the US intervention in Vietnam, it provides the reader with a down to earth perspective of one unit’s fight in a conflict. * Aspects of History *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments List of Illustrations List of Maps Acronyms Introduction Chronology of Significant Events 1. “Salute the New Dawn”: Reactivation – Fort Campbell, Kentucky 2. “To the Limit and Beyond”: Training for Vietnam 3. “The Things We Cannot Change”: Shipping Out 4. “Only the Strong Survive”: Orientation and Deployment – October 28–November 30, 1967 5. “The Dragon’s Graveyard”: Operation Rose – November 1967 6. “Battle Troopers”: Operation Klamath Falls – December 1967 7. “Badge of Courage”: The Battle of the Knoll – January 2, 1968 8. “The Aftermath”: January 3–8, 1968 9. “Beer, Bang, and Boom Boom”: Phan Rang – January 9–16, 1968 10. “Living in the Dirt”: Landing Zone Betty and Phan Thiet 11. “We Stand Together”: January 22–February 1, 1968 12. “Blood Trail 556”: The Battle of the Van Ta House – February 2, 1968 13. “Into the Sunrise”: February 3–5, 1968 14. “Death Patrol to Disneyland”: The Battle of Phu Bon and Beyond – February 6, 1968 15. “Take it to the Bridge”: The Second Battle of Phan Thiet – February 18–23, 1968 16. “Red Sand”: The Battle of the Ca Ty River – February 19, 1968 17. “After the Storm”: The Bowl – February/March 1968 18. “Watch and Shoot”: April 1968 19. “Let the Light Shine”: Operation MR-6, April 26–May 16, 1968 20. “Return to the Graveyard”: Operation Rockne Gold, May 19–27, 1968 21. “The Bitterest Pill”: Operation Banjo Royce and Beyond – June/July 1968 22. “The Protected Will Never Know”: August–October 1968 Epilogue Bibliography Index
£22.50
Muswell Press Reilly Ace of Spies
Book SynopsisA huge figure in the history of British espionage and one of the models for James Bond, Sidney Reilly was born in Russia in 1873. To his employers, the British Secret Service, his background was a mystery yet his immense charisma took him into the epicentre of British establishment. Reilly lived for danger, he spoke seven languages and was rumoured to possess eleven passports and a wife to go with each. Among his exploits in the early twentieth century were the infiltration of the German General Staff in 1917 and the near overthrow of the Bolsheviks in 1918. His reputation with women was a legendary as his genius for espionage. Reilly: Ace of Spies was adapted into a BAFTA-winning television series in 1983, starring Sam Neill as Reilly and Ian Charleson as RH Bruce Lockhart. Originally published in 1967, this edition has a foreword by Dugald Bruce Lockhart, the author’s great-nephew. Dugald is a successful actor and author of The Lizard, published to acclaim in 2020.Trade Review‘An absorbing and suspenseful mystery story’. Publishers Weekly. ‘So bizarre as to seem incredible’ Daily Telegraph. ‘The astonishing story of Sidney Reilly, perhaps the most flamboyant and mysterious British spy of all times’ Sunday Telegraph
£9.49
Quarto Publishing PLC Fedegraphica: A Graphic Biography of the Genius
Book SynopsisUPDATED EDITION Roger Federer’s incredible 2017 comeback – which saw him winning Grand Slams in his mid-thirties and reaching new heights most had thought impossible – has confirmed his place in the history books as the greatest male tennis player of all time. In this innovative graphic biography, Federer’s tennis is explored like never before: stunning graphics illustrate his serving patterns and superb footwork, detail the spin and speed of his shots, as well as showcase his astonishing records – no man has won more majors, or spent more weeks as the world number one. Drawing on Mark Hodgkinson’s conversations with the Swiss and exclusive interviews with those closest to him, this is the ultimate celebration of the genius of Roger Federer.
£15.29
Bonnier Books Ltd The Islander: My Life in Music and Beyond
Book SynopsisAn Uncut Magazine Book of the Year A Telegraph Book of the Year A Financial Times Book of the Year'An adventurer, an entrepreneur, a buccaneer, a visionary' - BONOAs the founder of Island Records, renowned music producer Chris Blackwell has discovered and worked with some of the most legendary artists of the second half of the twentieth century - from Steve Winwood to Cat Stevens, Bob Marley to Grace Jones, U2 to Roxy Music, via Nick Drake, the B-52's and Robert Palmer. A maverick free spirit himself, Blackwell turned Island into a home for groundbreaking musicians and their wildly divergent music styles, playing an instrumental role in bringing reggae to the world stage.Now, as he turns eighty-five, the great raconteur takes us back to the island where it all began: Jamaica - the paradise where his family once partied with the likes of Noël Coward, Ian Fleming and Errol Flynn and where, as local Jamaican sounds began to adopt contemporary American trends, Blackwell's burgeoning musical instincts flourished. It was also the birthplace of the cutting-edge Island Records, founded by Blackwell in 1959. But that was just the start of a truly remarkable career...Winding through the music industry, this fascinating memoir makes for a giddy ride, encountering Island's many esteemed collaborators over the years and unpacking the initiatives, decisions and risks that ultimately brought such enduring success to Blackwell, both in music and beyond.Trade Review'As you're about to find out through the pages in this book, Chris Blackwell - who looms large in U2's life and was in fact our lifeline into the music world - is an adventurer, an entrepreneur, a buccaneer, a visionary and a gentleman. I'm proud to know him.' -- Bono'C.B. had this way of throwing me in the deep end knowing that I would thrive on being challenged. As you'll read in The Islander, he knows how to get the very best out of people - he's a mover and a shaker and a mischief-maker.' -- Grace Jones'I read Chris Blackwell's autobiography in one sitting, unable to tear myself away. From "My Boy Lollipop" and Bob Marley, via Swinging London and punk, all the way to Talking Heads and U2, I felt like I was reading the inside story of the music of my life.' -- Salman Rushdie'A thoroughly quotable autobiography, a book that's hard to put down. 4/5' -- Mojo'Fascinating. 8/10' -- Uncut'Highly readable.' -- The Guardian'A compelling autobiography.' -- The Observer'A story told with disciplined coherence that plunges deep beneath the surface.' -- Daily Telegraph'Highly recommended.' -- Kirkus'If you're even a minor fan of music books ... buy this autobiography. Fascinating.' -- Variety'A page-turner of an autobiography.' -- Record Collector'Fascinating autobiography of the Island Records founder. The Islander is a treasure.' -- Prog'A rip-roaring yarn, the ultimate behind-the-scenes insider look at the coolest label ever on the planet.' -- The Quietus'A compelling, juicy book.' -- Irish Times'An absorbing read.' -- Echoes'An extraordinary story and a wonderful book. It couldn't be more enthusiastically recommended.' -- Mark Ellen'Highly entertaining, rapid-fire, hard-to-put-down memoir.' -- Air Mail'There are amazing insights. If you want to know how it was ... read The Islander.' -- Bob Lefsetz
£18.70
Bonnier Books Ltd Unforgettable: Winner of the Sunday Times Sports
Book SynopsisIn 2003, England won the Rugby World Cup. Steve Thompson was there, in England's front row, at the heart of the match, and at the heart of the scrum - one of sport's most destructive, repetitive impacts.But the triumphs came at a cost. When rugby union turned professional, Steve was plunged into a game where raw power meant everything. Today, he remembers nothing about playing in that final. In his words, watching the tape back is like watching a ghost.The years of hurt in an era of professional meat shields, and the culture of sucking up punishment and coming back for more, have taken a terrible toll. Steve has been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy. He is in his early forties. There are days when he doesn't remember the names of his wife and four kids.Unforgettable is part sports memoir - with stories contributed by his world-cup winning teammates and his former manager, Sir Clive Woodward - and part raw human storytelling. In it, Steve will make memories for himself and for his children, and will relive the biggest battle of his life, with his toughest opponent - his own mind.Despite the constant reminders of what has been lost, and what is still to lose, Steve's powerful story is one of hope and courage. Unforgettable stands as testament to the ultimate strength of the human mind - and to a man no longer pushing himself to the limit for competition, but for his own place in the world.
£17.00
Verso Books The Good Die Young: The Verdict on Henry
Book SynopsisIf the American foreign policy establishment is a grand citadel, Henry Kissinger is the specter haunting its dusty hallways. For half a century, he was an omnipresent figure in war rooms and at press briefings, dutifully shepherding the American empire through successive attempts at expansion. For multiple generations of antiwar activists, Kissinger personified the depravity of the US war machine. The Good Die Young assesses a career too frequently applauded in essays from respected scholars and journalists such as Gerald Horne, Carolyn Eisenberg, and Chip Gibbons, with an introduction from Bancroft Prize-winner Greg Grandin.The world Kissinger wrought is one we live in today, where ideal investment conditions are generated from the barrel of a gun. Today, global capitalism and United States hegemony are underwritten by the most powerful military ever devised. Any political vision worth fighting for must promise an end to the cycle of never-ending wars afflicting the world in the twenty-first century. Breaking that cycle means placing the twin evils of capitalism and imperialism in our crosshairs.The book follows Kissinger's fiery trajectory across the globe, covering Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. More than any other public figure, the life and career of this man illustrate the links between capitalism, empire, and the feedback loop of endless conflict that plagues us today.Trade ReviewAmong all this catharsis, no one could surpass the 'unbeatable levels of hater' reached by the lefty publishers Jacobin magazine and Verso Books...[The Good Die Young] features essays by celebrated scholars like Gerald Horne and Carolyn Eisenberg on the wide-spanning breadth of Kissinger's noxious foreign-policy legacy and the areas of the world still hurting thanks to his time in power. -- Nitish Pahwa * Slate *The collection strikes a blackly comic but erudite tone, opening with an introduction by Yale professor Greg Grandin that explores how Kissinger's intellectual and professional trajectory unfolded across presidential administrations and in parallel with American power at large. -- Sophia Nguyen * The Washington Post *Table of ContentsPreface - René Rojas, Bhaskar Sunkara, and Jonah WaltersIntroduction: To Die at the Right Time - Greg GrandinAmericas1. Kissinger and the South American Revolutions - Aldo Marchesi2. Kissinger in Chile - René Rojas3. Kissinger in Argentina - Leandro Morgenfeld4. Kissinger in Central America - Hilary GoodfriendEurope5. Kissinger in Cyprus - Leandros FischerMiddle East and Africa6. Kissinger in Angola - Piero Gleijeses7. Kissinger in South Africa - Gerald Horne8. Kissinger in Western Sahara - Aubrey Bloomfield9. Kissinger in the Gulf - Chip GibbonsAsia10. Kissinger in East Pakistan/Bangladesh - Mukhtar Mirjan11. Kissinger in East Timor - Alex de Jong12. Kissinger in Cambodia - Brett S. Morris13. Kissinger in Vietnam and China - An Interview with Carolyn Eisenberg14. From the War Room to Wall Street - Christy ThorntonAcknowledgmentsAbout the ContributorsNotes
£11.39
ACC Art Books Kaiser Karl: The Life of Karl Lagerfeld
Book Synopsis"admiring and ferocious" - France Inter "This first biography, fed by many first-rate witnesses... we laugh, we shudder, we admire." - Elle On the last morning of his life, Karl Lagerfeld's only companion was Sébastien, his bodyguard and right-hand man. The king of fashion insisted on being cremated, along with his universally recognisable 'gear' - the dark glasses and high starched collar that served as a bastion for his secrets. It is only now that witnesses have begun to talk. Thus emerges the story of Karl Lagerfeld: his father's past in the heart of wartime Germany, his rivalry with Yves Saint Laurent (enflamed by his only love, Jacques de Bascher) and the networks he forged with the biggest luxury manufacturers in the world as he compiled his vast fortune. Truly an unparalleled icon in the history of fashion, Lagerfeld's legacy lives on today.Trade Review'Karl Lagerfeld's personal life is examined in a new book by Raphaëlle Bacqué.' -- The Daily Mail.'Mr. Lagerfeld represented the designer of the future: multitasking, collaborative, a celebrity. He gladly fed — and fed off — the dizzying cycle of consumption.' -- The New York Times"The result is a detailed, sometimes shocking, sometimes sad, sometimes hilarious look at a fashion genius." -- Cellophaneland“In 2019, the fashion world lost one of its visionaries. In this bestselling intimate biography, recently translated into English, French investigative journalist Raphaelle Bacque interviews several of Karl Lagerfeld’s confidants, colleagues and employers.” -- Daniella Saunders, Country & Town House"Thus emerges the story of Karl Lagerfeld: his father's past in the heart of wartime Germany, his rivalry with Yves Saint Laurent (enflamed by his only love, Jacques de Bascher) and the networks he forged with the biggest luxury manufacturers in the world as he compiled his vast fortune." - Lovely Books
£17.00
ACC Art Books Terry O’Neill: Every Picture Tells a Story
Book SynopsisA new edition of the bestselling Every Picture Tells a Story from one of the greatest photographers of the last 60 years, Terry O’Neill. This updated edition includes 32 additional pages of new stories behind some of the O’Neill’s most iconic images. From the morning he spent with Faye Dunaway at the pool in Beverly Hills, to walking around Vegas with Sean Connery dressed as James Bond, a chance encounter with Bruce Springsteen on the Sunset Strip, to taking Jean Shrimpton to a doll hospital - these are the stories behind the images as only Terry O'Neill can reveal. "I was walking up the Miami Beach boardwalk to the Fontainebleau Hotel where Sinatra was staying... I just reached out with the letter in my hand and he took it. He opened it, read it... turned to his security men and said, "this kid's with me." I never found out what Ava said to him in that letter. From that moment on, I was part of his inner circle." - Terry O'Neill From The Beatles to the Rolling Stones, Terry O'Neill fast became the photographer of the 1960s. Having an eye - and ear - for music and musicians, he instinctively knew what bands to focus on. And they in turn trusted him. "I remember sitting in a pub with the Beatles and the Stones. We were just hanging-out and talking about what we'd do next, after all of this was over. By this, we meant the fame, being the 'new kids of the moment'. Usually, this sort of celebrity doesn't last. Little did we know that 60 years later, we'd still be at it." Music led O'Neill to Hollywood and working with stars resulted not only in to memorable moments but long-lasting friendships. He travelled with Frank Sinatra. Took Raquel Welch to the beach. Went in the ring with Ali. Put The Who in a cage. O'Neill captured many of the most unforgettable faces from the frontline of fame, and his photographs exude his own brand of serene simplicity, intimate behind-the-scene moments and the rare quality of trust between photographer and subject. The list of people Terry O'Neill has worked with over the past 60 years is a Who's Who in celebrity; from film to music, sports to politics. Terry O'Neill: Every Picture Tells a Story is like going through a walking tour of memory by a man who has seen, met and photographed them all.Trade Review"Photographer Terry O’Neill knew people better than he knew cameras… Here are [several] O’Neill shots that withstand time..." - Michael Kaplan, New York Post"Someone once said about Terry O'Neill that his photographs were so cool because he was." - Ramp
£28.00
ACC Art Books Rebel Stylist: Caroline Baker - The Woman Who
Book Synopsis"I have always been inspired by what was happening on the street – and anyway, I couldn't afford the high fashion price tags." —Caroline Baker "Featuring an array of – now – infamous covers and high fashion editorials crafted by Baker, readers are encouraged to bask in the success of her trail-blazing tale and indulge in the history of streetwear’s rise to the helm of the fashion industry." —Wonderland "A fantastic delve into the story of fashion styling straight from the lips (and visual archive) of the lady who invented it all, Caroline Baker" —Navaz Batliwalla, disneyrollergirl "What makes this book a must-read? Author Iain R. Webb is a friend of Baker’s, so this is the inside story of a woman whose work is a masterclass in the art of style and subversion." —Yahoo Caroline Baker is the antidote to high fashion. As the legendary fashion editor of Nova magazine in the 1960s and '70s, her style was quite literally cutting-edge (she famously chopped up clothes to achieve her desired looks). She is credited with challenging the status quo of the industry and society at large, and introducing street fashion to the mass market. Stylist-of-choice for the most dynamic female designers on the scene – Katharine Hamnett and Vivienne Westwood – Caroline has continued her trajectory as a fashion provocateur. Her work has appeared on the pages of Vogue, Tatler and Cosmopolitan as well as The Face and i-D – and unsurprisingly, a new generation of style-setters is now looking to Baker’s back catalogue for inspiration. This book offers an in-depth overview of Baker’s work, expertly curated and considered by Iain R. Webb. It is divided into sections that highlight specific recurring themes and tropes – such as Punk Rock, DIY, Utility and Sportswear. These ideas have defined Baker’s evolving sartorial vocabulary over six decades, and set a template for street fashion that endures to this day. Accompanied with personal commentary from Baker herself and specially written contributions by Vivienne Westwood and Katharine Hamnett, this is the definitive guide to Caroline Baker and her influence on fashion.Trade Review"Featuring an array of – now – infamous covers and high fashion editorials crafted by Baker, readers are encouraged to bask in the success of her trail-blazing tale and indulge in the history of streetwear’s rise to the helm of the fashion industry." - Wonderland"A fantastic delve into the story of fashion styling straight from the lips (and visual archive) of the lady who invented it all, Caroline Baker" - Navaz Batliwalla, disneyrollergirlCaroline Baker arrived in London with the necessary impetus and at the right time to become the creator of street style. [Translated from Spanish] - Malu Pandolfo, La Nacion"What makes this book a must-read? Author Iain R. Webb is a friend of Baker’s, so this is the inside story of a woman whose work is a masterclass in the art of style and subversion." - Yahoo"1976… It was the fashion editing at its most original, carried out by one of the most influential stylists of the era: Caroline Baker, the architect of "street fashion"." - VOGUETable of ContentsFOREWORD by CB / Rebel Style INTRODUCTION by IRW / Rebel Rebel ONE / Rebel Women TWO / Army Dreamers THREE / Punk Rocks FOUR / Reggae Boys FIVE / Pirates and Buffalo Gals SIX / Really Saying Something SEVEN / Anachronism in the UK EIGHT / Belt and Braces NINE / Men Swear TEN / Be a Sport ELEVEN / It’s a Wrap TWELVE / We Are the World THIRTEEN / Get Knitted FOURTEEN / Tits Up FIFTEEN / Up Yours SIXTEEN / Under Where? SEVENTEEN / The Way We Wore EIGHTEEN / Modern Times NINETEEN / Pin-Ups TWENTY / Lace and Fineness TWENTY-ONE / Old Romantic TWENTY-TWO / Fierce Glamour INDEX PICTURE CREDITS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
£28.00
ACC Art Books A Touch of Gold: The Reminiscences of Geoffrey
Book Synopsis"His is a warm, charming page turner of an autobiography: from start to finish full of fascinating characters, incredible and amusing anecdotes, self-effacing humour and wry asides, beautifully detailed observations and, of course, stuffed with great nuggets of jewellery and art history." — The Jeweller Magazine "In this dazzling memoir revealing his encounters with royal and celebrity clients including the Queen Mother, Sir Elton John, Dame Joanna Lumley and Frank Sinatra, Antiques Roadshow presenter and jewellery expert Geoffrey Munn reflects on his stellar career, having spent more than five decades bejewelling some of the biggest names in the world." — Hello! "In this colourful and witty narrative, Geoffrey Munn, OBE, MVO, FSA, FLS, best known as a presenter on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, reflects on his career in the London art world, spanning over 50 years." — Arts & Collections magazine Born and bred in Sussex, Geoffrey Munn, Antiques Roadshow presenter and jewellery expert, came from a traditional rural background – but only weeks after leaving a country Grammar School in 1972, he was plunged into the vortex of the London art world. It was the beginning of the career of a lifetime at the famous firm of Wartski, whose showrooms scintillated with gem-set necklaces, tiaras and three of the famous Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs. In a colourful and witty narrative, Geoffrey relates his daunting but delightful encounters with HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, HRH Princess Margaret and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. In their wake, Geoffrey met a rich variety of luminaries, including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Joanna Lumley, Stephen Fry, Elton John, Vivienne Westwood and Dame Edna Everage. This is certainly a rapid and amusing read but it is also unique study of a narrow and fast-changing society.Trade Review"For our final Coronation special, just before the big day itself, Carol sits down with historian and TV presenter Geoffrey Munn, to discuss precisely what jewels will be part of the Coronation regalia and the history of the event itself." - If Jewels Could Talk podcast"TV jewellery specialist Geoffrey Munn has fond memories of selling to the rich and famous and hunting down lost jewels" - The Sunday Telegraph"Secrets of a Royal jeweller: For five decades GEOFFREY MUNN was the Windsors' go-to man at the jeweller behind Kate's wedding band and jewels worn by The Queen, Princess Margaret and many more." - Mail Online"In this dazzling memoir revealing his encounters with royal and celebrity clients including the Queen Mother, Sir Elton John, Dame Joanna Lumley and Frank Sinatra, Antiques Roadshow presenter and jewellery expert Geoffrey Munn reflects on his stellar career, having spent more than five decades bejewelling some of the biggest names in the world." - Hello!"His is a warm, charming pageturner of an autobiography: from start to finish full of fascinating characters, incredible and amusing anecdotes, self-effacing humour and wry asides, beautifully detailed observations and, of course, stuffed with great nuggets of jewellery and art history." - The Jeweller MagazineJoin Geoffrey Munn for breakfast and a talk at the Goldsmiths' Fair, London on Friday, October 6th 2023 - Goldsmiths' FairGeoffrey will be talking at the Southwold Literary Fair on Sunday, 5th November 2023 - Southwold Literary Fair"An expert on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, his new memoir, A Touch of Gold: The Reminiscences of Geoffrey Munn, includes a chapter on collectors and collecting." - The Antiques Trade Gazette"The Way to Princess Margaret's Heart? Jewelry, of course. An excerpt from a new memoir recalls how an interest in adornment led to an unforgettable royal run-in." - Town & Country"Discover delightful anecdotes from Fabergé expert Geoffrey Munn's time at Wartski in 1970s London, featuring encounters with royalty, Hollywood icons, and the pursuit of Imperial Eggs." - The Jewellery Editor"Antiques Roadshow presenter recalls his Sussex schooldays: Jewellery specialist, historian, writer and BBC Antiques Roadshow presenter Geoffrey Munn recalls his Sussex schooldays in his new memoir." - Sussex World"In this colourful and witty narrative, Geoffrey Munn, OBE, MVO, FSA, FLS, best known as a presenter on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, reflects on his career in the London art world, spanning over 50 years." - Arts & Collections magazine"A witty autobiography of Fabergé expert and Antiques Road Show jewellery specialist Geoffrey Munn, who arrived in London in the 1970s to work at Wartski, the renowned dealer in Fabergé objets d’arts." - The Jewellery Editor
£21.25
Michael O'Mara Books Ltd SAS – Battle Ready: True Stories from Memorable
Book SynopsisThe Special Air Service – the SAS – are known to be the greatest elite fighting force in the world. This book focuses on the most famous operations undertaken by the SAS from its inception during the Second World War to the present day, describing in dramatic detail the unit’s most daring and memorable missions in trouble spots across the world. Revelatory and gripping, the author weaves together the extraordinary true stories of this brave fighting force, wherever they are in action. From missions on home shores to Iraq, Sierra Leone, the Falkland Islands, Europe, Libya, Malaya, Afghanistan and more, SAS Battle Ready brings together both the history of the unit and some of its most powerful moments.From hostage rescues to ambushes, from sabotage to jungle warfare and from pitched battles to reconnaissance, it hasn’t always gone according to plan but the courage and devotion to duty revealed within show just what it takes to be an SAS soldier.
£10.44
John Blake Publishing Ltd The Boy Who Disappeared
Book SynopsisI opened my mouth and it came. It wasn't a cry, or even a sob. It came from deep in my soul... It was the sound of a mother helpless to save her child from danger. I asked the same unanswered questions over and again. Where was he? Where was my Damien?On 2 November 1996, sixteen-year-old Damien Nettles went out for the evening in his home town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight. CCTV recorded him in a chip shop at 23:40 and on the High Street just after midnight. He has never been seen since.His mother, Valerie, has spent over two decades desperately trying to find out what happened to her son. Arrests have been made, and suspects released without charge. Despite years of research by journalists and a private investigator, Damien's vanishing remains a mystery.In this hugely moving and compelling account, Valerie Nettles tells the full, perplexing story of her son's disappearance. Someone must know what happened to Damien. Will the truth ever emerge from the shadows?
£9.49
John Blake Publishing Ltd Talking With Serial Killers: Stalkers: From the
Book SynopsisBy an expert with over twenty-five years' experience interviewing more than thirty of the most dangerous male and female serial killers of contemporary times, this latest book from the bestselling author explores the darkest corners of these thrill-killers' minds.As all law-enforcement authorities, including the FBI's elite Behavioral Science Unit, will confirm, the majority of sexual psychopaths gain most of their perverse thrills from the stalking of their unsuspecting victims, often in so many different ways.For them, the actual kill is frequently something less, after which the dead body is treated like so much garbage and simply abandoned or thrown away. Yet as these cases show, a victim has often been unwittingly followed, watched, or even visited before they are attacked, sometimes for weeks or even months.Having exhaustively studied the case histories of more than sixty modern-day sexually motivated serial murderers - some still alive, others subsequently executed - the author zeros in on the Internet porn industry as one of the main motivating drivers in cultivating fantasy stalking, which can lead to rape, multiple rapes, and homicide graduating to serial murder. Even more chillingly, anyone who is active on social media is a potential stalker's victim.
£8.54
John Blake Publishing Ltd Behind Bars – Britain's Most Notorious Prisoner
Book SynopsisTHE ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR SURVIVING LIFE IN PRISONCharles Bronson knows more about life in prison than anyone else in Britain - on either side of the bars. Jailed originally in 1974, his life since then has been once unbroken stretch of over forty-five years, much of it in solitary confinement, moved repeatedly as prison after prison failed to contain his explosive temper. It would be enough to break an ordinary man - but Bronson is no ordinary man, and this is no ordinary prison diary.Written by our most notorious prisoner, Behind Bars is Bronson's irreverent, hard-hitting and darkly funny guide to life in Britain's penal institutions. From the correct way to brew vintage prison 'hooch' and how to keep the screws from finding it, to taming techniques for prison wildlife that may be your only friends on long stretches in solitary; from the fastest way to win a canteen fight to how to plan a prison wedding, this book tells you everything you need to know - and a few things you don't - about what goes on behind the locked doors of Britain's historic (and sometimes pre-historic) jail cells. Don't get nicked without it.
£8.54
John Blake Publishing Ltd The Stone Age: Sixty Years of the Rolling Stones
Book Synopsis'However much you thought you knew about The Stones before you read it, afterwards you'll know more. It's glittering' - Simon Napier-Bell'Special [...] it's brilliant' Johnnie WalkerFrom Sunday Times bestselling author Lesley-Ann JonesOn 12 July 1962, the Rollin' Stones performed their first-ever gig at London's Marquee jazz club. Down the line, a 'g' was added, a spark was lit and their destiny was sealed. No going back.These five white British kids set out to play the music of black America. They honed a style that bled bluesy undertones into dark insinuations of women, sex and drugs. Denounced as 'corruptors of youth' and 'messengers of the devil', they created some of the most thrilling music ever recorded. Now, their sound and attitude seem louder and more influential than ever. Elvis is dead and the Beatles are over, but Jagger and Richards bestride the world. The Stones may be gathering moss, but on they roll. Yet how did the ultimate anti-establishment misfits become the global brand we know today? Who were the casualties, and what are the forgotten legacies? Can the artist ever be truly divisible from the art? Lesley-Ann Jones's new history tracks this contradictory, disturbing, granitic and unstoppable band through hope, glory and exile, into the juggernaut years and beyond into rock's ongoing reckoning . . . where the Stones seem more at odds than ever with the values and heritage against which they have always rebelled. Good, bad and often ugly, here are the Rolling Stones as never before.
£17.00
John Blake Publishing Ltd Diana - Remembering the Princess: Reflections on
Book Synopsis'Diana was the very essence of compassion, of duty, of style, of beauty. All over the world she was a symbol of selfless humanity. All over the world, a standard bearer for the rights of the truly downtrodden, a very British girl who transcended nationality. Someone with a natural nobility who was classless and who proved in the last year that she needed no royal title to continue to generate her particular brand of magic...'From Charles Spencer's address at his sister Diana's funeral, Westminster Abbey, 6 September 1997Today, twenty-five years since Diana's death, seems the right moment for a reassessment of this remarkable woman. Did the Royal Family learn lessons from her life, about protection and privacy, about how to incorporate 'outsiders' into their ranks, about how to manage scandal? Did it take any lessons from her death, and the public's reaction not only to that, but to the behaviour of, in particular, the Queen and Prince Charles, in the aftermath? Or have the family and the Palace - 'the men in grey suits', as Diana called them - continued on the same track, unchanged, repeating many of the mistakes made with her, from her first nervous ventures in royal circles to her later defiance of traditional protocols?These and many other questions are explored in this authoritative book, written by two people closely associated with Diana: Inspector Ken Wharfe was the Princess's police protection officer for six years during the most turbulent period of her marriage to Prince Charles. Ros Coward was chosen as author of the official book by the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Trust. Their book is both an examination of the people and events of the time, and an elegiac tribute to one of the most iconic figures of the late twentieth century.
£9.49
John Blake Publishing Ltd Murder Investigation Team: Jack the Ripper: A
Book SynopsisLondon, 1888, and one-man's brutal campaign of violence has taken the lives of unsuspecting victims, cut London to the core and carved his name into history. Well, not his name, exactly. Whomever this man was, remains a mystery but there are few people who haven't heard of his nickname: Jack the Ripper.The same is true for those said to have died at his hands. If Polly Nicholls, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly had not fallen to his knife, their names would have been lost to history. Instead, they themselves are as much a part of the folklore as their killer. Then there are those who investigated the crimes: the ordinary men, doing their jobs as best they could, who will always be associated with the failed attempts to catch this monster. But if those crimes had happened today, how would they be investigated and how would the approach differ? There is no doubt, how detectives work has changed dramatically over those 130 years. Although, in many senses, things are very much the same. Solving murders relies on an understanding of people, be that the victims, the witnesses and, most importantly, the killers themselves.In Murder Investigation Team: Jack the Ripper, while journeying through these infamous murders, through meticulous contemporary research, witness statements and reporting, ex-detective Steven Keogh will revisit the crimes that were committed, why these lives were taken, and attempt to discover just who was Jack the Ripper? Applying modern-day investigative approaches to the 19th century investigation, and with ground-breaking insight from one of the UK's leading criminal profilers, Pippa Gregory, join Steven on a gruesome and incredible journey of discovery into one of the most infamous crimes in British history.
£9.49
John Blake Publishing Ltd Tangled Vines: Power, Privilege and the Murdaugh
Book SynopsisIn Tangled Vines, bestselling true crime author John Glatt reconstructs the rise of the prestigious Murdaugh family and the shocking double murder that led to the downfall of its patriarch, Alex Murdaugh.Among the lush, tree-lined waterways of South Carolina low country, the Murdaugh name means power. A century-old, multimillion-dollar law practice has catapulted the family into incredible wealth and local celebrity--but it was an unimaginable tragedy that would thrust them into the national spotlight. On June 7th, 2021, prominent attorney Alex Murdaugh discovered the bodies of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on the grounds of their thousand-acre hunting lodge. The mystery deepened only months later when Alex himself was discovered shot in the head on a local roadside.But as authorities scrambled for clues and the community reeled from the loss and media attention, dark secrets about this Southern legal dynasty came to light. The Murdaughs, it turned out, were feared as much as they were loved. And they wouldn't hesitate to wield their influence to protect one of their own; two years before he was killed, a highly intoxicated Paul Murdaugh was at the helm of a boat when it crashed and killed a teenage girl, and his light treatment by police led to speculation that privilege had come into play. As bombshells of financial fraud were revealed and more suspicious deaths were linked to the Murdaughs, a new portrait of Alex Murdaugh emerged: a desperate man on the brink of ruin who would do anything, even plan his own death, to save his family's reputation.Trade Review"Glatt has produced the equivalent of a juicy John Grisham novel, featuring a lead more 'dark and totally devoid of conscience' than anyone he's ever researched. This real-life Southern noir lingers." * Publishers Weekly *"Readers will be swept up in this account." * Booklist *
£9.49
New Generation Publishing The Perfect Gentleman: a Muslim boy meets the
Book SynopsisBoth deliciously funny and deeply insightful, THE PERFECT GENTLEMAN is a beguiling multi-layered memoir that has touched the hearts of readers all over the world and has received a truly astonishing list of endorsements from all quarters across the political, religious, ethnic and cultural spectrums. (Some say spectra, but spectrums is also valid.)At the age of one (and-a-half, nearly), Imran Ahmad moved from Pakistan to London, growing up torn between his Islamic identity and his desire to embrace the West. Imran''s unimagined journey makes thoughtful, compelling, and downright delightful reading. With a unique style and unflinching honesty, THE PERFECT GENTLEMAN addresses serious issues in an extraordinarily light way, and will leave readers both thinking deeply and laughing out loud.
£11.69
Profile Books Ltd Critical Hits: Writers on Gaming and the
Book Synopsis'A loot drop of brilliance' Naomi Alderman, author of The Power 'Critical Hits is an exciting, original and rich collection. It made me want to read more, to write more, and - I admit without shame - to play more' New Statesman Whether you're an avid gamer, a Twitch subscriber, or just an incidental Subway Surfer, video games have changed the way you interact with the world, and have been part of our lives for over fifty years. Critical Hits is a celebration of play and playfulness, and the lasting impact of videogames. Composed of sharp, impassioned, and inquisitive essays, this collection begins with an introduction by Carmen Maria Machado and presents video games through the eyes of eighteen writer-gamers as they straddle real and artificial worlds. In games, they find solace from illness and grief, test ideas about language, bodies, race, and technology, and see their experiences and identities reflected in-or complicated by-the interactive virtual realities they inhabit. From a deep dive into "portal fantasy" games by Charlie Jane Anders and a comic by MariNaomi about her time as a video game producer, to the overlaps in gaming and poetry by Stephen Sexton, Critical Hits illuminates fragments of an industry that is wildly popular, grossly misunderstood, and absolutely spellbinding.Trade ReviewThese fun, funny, occasionally cutting but often affirming essays celebrate the surprising potency of video games and virtual experiences. With any luck, this book will find a place of honour on every literary gamer's bookshelf -- Tom Bissell, author of Extra Lives: Why Video Games MatterA loot drop of brilliance, and a hugely satisfying and entirely convincing literary salvo on the artistic worth of games in our lives -- Naomi Alderman, author of The PowerIn this variety pack of exciting essays, writers make an electric case for the essentiality of video games, both as storytelling aids and as ways of understanding the world ... Critical Hits marks the welcome ascendance of an emerging body of gamer literature -- Adrienne Westenfeld * Esquire, "Best Books of Fall 2023" *Insightful ... The diverse entries highlight the ways in which the far out plots of video games can change how players understand themselves and the world around them. Gamers with a literary bent should take a look * Publishers Weekly *Alexander Chee, Charlie Jane Anders, Hanif Abdurraqib, and other writers who love gaming wax poetic about the lasting emotional impact that comes with playing some of the most popular video games on the market: The Last of Us, Call of Duty, and Disco Elysium * Time Magazine, "Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2023" *A veritable arcade of essays on the cultural vitality of video games -- Michelle Hart * Electric Literature, "Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Books for Fall 2023" *Those who've never thought about video games in a critical, introspective light before may never play them the same way again after reading Critical Hits. For those who have, this is the book you've been waiting for * Buzz Magazine *
£13.49
Pitch Publishing Ltd Dynamite and Davey: The Explosive Lives of the
Book SynopsisDynamite and Davey: The Explosive Lives of The British Bulldogs is the triumphant but ultimately tragic story of Tom Billington and Davey Boy Smith. Cousins born just a couple of years apart in a small mining town near Wigan, Tom and Davey discovered the art of wrestling as schoolboys. Tom went on to become 'The Dynamite Kid', arguably the greatest and most pioneering wrestler in history, but his short temper and determination to reach the top of a sport dominated by naturally bigger men would be his undoing. The more reserved Davey became a global superstar, but followed his cousin not just into exceptionalism, but into heavy substance abuse as well. Ultimately, the extraordinarily dysfunctional world of pro wrestling would prove too much for the cousins from Golborne - one proud, one naive. Together they became the best and most influential tag team of their generation. But they could not escape their demons, and their triumphs eventually submitted to their tragedy. Dynamite and Davey is a gripping cautionary tale.
£16.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Synthetic Medals: East German Athletes' Journey
Book SynopsisIn the early 1970s, the athletes of the German Democratic Republic started to achieve incredible sports results, winning medals and setting new world records with astonishing frequency. For many years, their sporting supremacy was hailed as a triumph of the socialist government's commitment to scientific research and innovative training methods. But after the Cold War ended, the Stasi archives revealed a sinister secret behind the successes: a perverse doping system imposed by the government itself. Drugs were administered to young athletes, often without their consent, and the price their bodies are now paying is very high, both physically and mentally. Through the athletes' personal stories, Synthetic Medals reveals the events that led to the discovery of the state-doping system and the subsequent trial. It also explores the state's motives for this crime against its own people - people who were sacrificed on the altar of a distorted ideology, for the simple purpose of achieving glory on the international chessboard.
£15.29
Pitch Publishing Ltd Rovers Till I Die: The Story of Bob Crompton,
Book SynopsisRovers Till I Die is the fascinating story of Blackburn's most famous personality, Bob Crompton, a man of humble birth who achieved soaring success in and out of football. Born the son of a beer seller in a town where work was hard and wages poor, Crompton broke the shackles of his working-class roots. He became a legendary captain of England and Blackburn Rovers, whom he led to two First Division championships. The first footballer to own a motor car, he later manufactured them. After a plumbing patent made him a rich man Crompton diversified into various businesses, generating a personal wealth that led to him being co-opted to the Rovers' board. He later served as coach and manager, masterminding an FA Cup Final victory and promotion. Yet he remained misunderstood, his character shaped by personal tragedy and a target for those connected with the club who envied his success. Rovers Till I Die is the definitive story of a Blackburn legend who achieved his aspirations and more.
£15.29
Pitch Publishing Ltd Yorkshire Grit: The Life of Ray Illingworth
Book SynopsisYorkshire Grit: The Life of Ray Illingworth is a fascinating account of one of English cricket's most outstanding figures told by award-winning writer Mark Peel. Raised in the harsh world of Yorkshire cricket, Illingworth's all-round ability and tactical acumen made him an indispensable member of their great sides of the 1950s and 60s. Leaving Yorkshire in 1968, he went on to captain Leicestershire to unprecedented success, and also became one of England's finest captains and the first man since Douglas Jardine nearly 40 years earlier to regain the Ashes in Australia. Yet for all his success on the field, Illingworth's attritional tactics and refusal to compromise made him a controversial figure. His return to Yorkshire as manager was marred by a clash with Geoff Boycott, while his time as England's chairman of selectors and manager saw clashes with Mike Atherton and other top players. In this first biography of Illingworth for nearly 50 years, Peel reappraises a dominant personality who never shied away from controversy.Trade Review"Illingworth a great all-rounder and a great all-round biography." -- Mark Watkins * Dare Radio *"This is one I would definitely recommend." -- Steve Dolman * Peak Fan Blog *"Peel, whose previous biographies include the likes of England's cricket captain Douglas Jardine and the politician Shirley Williams, knows his market and ,as such, the first reputable biography of Illingworth is a respectful work, a conventional and fair-minded run through his life which would have delighted the man himself." -- David Hopps * The Cricketer *"Mark Peel has done cricket lovers a favour with his balanced account of the different perspectives. The author has been nominated for less well-crafted books, and his publisher has served him well." -- Douglas Miller * Association of Cricket Statisticians *"In many ways the measure of the quality of a biography is how long it takes to read, and even if Yorkshire Grit hadn’t arrived during a mini heatwave I have no doubt I would still have been unable to make it last more than two days. It is an excellent book and reminded me of many things that I had forgotten, and also made sense of aspects of Illingworth’s life that I had previously struggled to put in their proper context... and there is a good selection of photographs and an index." -- Martin Chandler * Cricketweb.net *"Yorkshire Grit: The Life of Ray Illingworth, by Mark Peel and published by Pitch, is a splendid readable biography of the Yorkshire and England legend." -- Chris Waters * Yorkshire Evening Post *"Illy’s remarkable career, loving told by master biographer Mark Peel." -- Ken Piesse * Pavilion, the Australian Cricket Society Magazine *
£21.25
Pitch Publishing Ltd To Cap it All: The Autobiography of John Rudge
Book SynopsisTo Cap It All is the enthralling life story of legendary Port Vale manager John Rudge, providing special behind-the-scenes insight into the ups and downs of six decades of professional football, from the depths of the Division Four re-election zone to the Premier League and Europe. Rudge managed the Valiants for a record 19 years, developing players like Robbie Earle, Mark Bright and Ian Taylor. As Vale slayed giants such as Spurs, Southampton and Everton, Rudge became a style icon famous for his flat cap. He moved to city rivals Stoke in 1999 to become director of football and oversaw the club's revival to reach the Premier League and their first ever FA Cup final. But it wasn't all plain sailing. John describes his volatile relationship with Vale chairman Bill Bell and speaks out about Stoke's Icelandic owners and manager Johan Boskamp, who had Rudge put on garden leave. This hilarious memoir also reveals why a second-hand Lada changed John's life, how he once signed a drag artist and why he ended up in Denis Law's bed!
£21.25
Pitch Publishing Ltd Give it to Moore; He Will Score!: The Authorised
Book SynopsisGive it to Moore, He Will Score! is the authorised biography of footballing icon Ian Storey-Moore, Nottingham Forest’s legendary forward of the 1960s and early 70s. Scoring more than 100 top-flight goals for Forest, he became the most sought-after striker in the land. An England international, injury robbed him of numerous caps and a place at the Mexico 1970 World Cup. Moore’s sensational on-off transfer to Derby County for a British record fee was front-page news and left Brian Clough unable to speak to him for two decades. Joining Manchester United instead, he played alongside Best, Law and Charlton before sampling life in the nascent US soccer scene. Here, for the first time, the authors tell the full story of Moore’s life and career, drawing on their extensive interviews with him, his personal scrapbooks and their own first-hand memories. With Moore still a hugely popular figure among fans, his story is essential reading for Forest and United supporters, plus anyone with an interest in football history.Trade Review“So, Moore’s memories mined and his fathers scrapbooks plundered being just part of the depth that goes into this well-researched book to produce an accurate account of a top playing career that (mainly) included Nottingham Forest, Manchester United & Burton Albion. It iincludes a truly great and original picture section [and] a detailed statistics layout chronicling all that constitutes the ‘He Will Score’ aspect. Martin O'Neill says in the foreword: ‘I am so pleased that, for Ian Storey-Moore, the story of this wondrous footballer is now being told.’ Indeed it is, and told well.” -- Mark Watkins * Dare Radio *"Give it to Moore, He Will Score! by Stuart Humphreys and Richard Harrison is a wonderful book for anyone who watched Ian Storey-Moore play football, or with a passing interest in Nottingham Forest... The almost glorious 1966/67 season is covered in great detail, 'that' aborted transfer from Forest to Derby County and although brief, Moore’s time in the States is fascinating." * United We Stand *"Packed full of brilliant stories… Storey-Moore is one of football’s raconteurs, with a wealth of material from his encounters with characters such as Brian Clough, George Best and Jim Baxter…" -- Matt Barlow * Daily Mail *
£21.25
Pitch Publishing Ltd Gordon Milne: Shankly, My Dad and Me
Book SynopsisShankly, My Dad and Me is the fascinating story of Gordon Milne, one of Bill Shankly’s first and most important Anfield signings, who played a key part in transforming Liverpool into a footballing dynasty. Moulded by his footballing father, Gordon was a successful player, manager and administrator at home and abroad. He played with, for, worked alongside and managed some of football’s most legendary names: Finney, Moore, Mortensen, Greaves and Lineker to name a few. Capped 14 times by Sir Alf Ramsey, he narrowly missed out on selection for the World Cup-winning squad in 1966. But this book is not about games, goals or medals; for Gordon, facts and figures remain secondary. Instead, this enthralling account spans six decades of an incredible journey through the game and his encounters along the way. From Preston to Newcastle via Liverpool, Blackpool, Wigan, Coventry, Leicester, Turkey and Japan, Gordon recounts his tale with honesty, humility and humour – while remaining eternally grateful for a bout of glandular fever! With forewords by Mark Lawrenson and Gary Lineker.Trade Review"A fascinating read." -- Mark Watkins * Dare Radio *"An extraordinary life in football. A nostalgic and evocative journey." -- Christopher Wood * Red All Over The Land *
£21.25
Pitch Publishing Ltd From Red to Read: The Story of Fergie's First
Book SynopsisFrom Red to Read: The Story of Fergie's First Fledgling at Manchester United is the compelling tale of former professional footballer Dr Alan Tonge and his journey from Manchester United to PhD graduate. Alan became Sir Alex Ferguson's first acquisition when he signed for the Red Devils as a schoolboy in January 1987. He turned professional with his boyhood club but suffered the heartbreak of being released when he was 19. A move to Exeter City provided the opportunity to play first-team football under World Cup-winner Alan Ball before a serious back injury ended Tonge’s football career at the age of just 22. After feeling completely lost and enduring mental-health battles, Tonge rebuilt his life by reinvesting in his education. He achieved numerous academic qualifications, culminating in a PhD, alongside a successful career as a university lecturer. From Red to Read is the inspirational story of a man who found an alternative route to success and happiness after his dreams of a football career were cut short.
£16.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd We Were Really There
Book SynopsisWe Were Really There is the story of how Manchester City was saved from oblivion - told by the man who oversaw the rescue operation.Twenty-five years before City''s historic Treble, they were a national joke, relegated to English football''s third division. The only trophies the Citizens were likely to win, said chairman Francis Lee, were ''cups for cock-ups''.Enter David Bernstein. When he succeeded Lee as chairman in March 1998, City had just been relegated from the Premier League and were about to be relegated again. During their season in the third tier, City fans sang choruses of ''We''re not really here!'' in mocking disbelief at how far their club had fallen.Without Bernstein''s work in five critical years as chairman, it is impossible to see how City would have been an attractive proposition to the investors from Abu Dhabi, whose takeover in 2008 paved the way for the Pep Guardiola era and unprecedented success.This is the tale of
£21.25
Ad Lib Publishers Ltd The Tennis Champion Who Escaped the Nazis: Liesl
Book Synopsis"Stunningly descriptive, compelling writing. I was moved close to tears on several occasions.” - Peter James, international bestselling crime writer 'A fabulous story guaranteed to capture people’s imagination' - Mail on Sunday In 1930, at the age of twenty-seven, Liesl Herbst was the Austrian National Tennis Champion, a celebrity in Vienna. Liesl, her husband David and their daughter Dorli came to Britain after escaping the Nazis. In London, though initially stripped of their Austrian passports and rendered stateless aliens, both Liesl and her daughter Dorli competed at Wimbledon. They remain the only mother and daughter ever to have played doubles together at Wimbledon. This moving story of escape and survival is told by Liesl’s grand-daughter. It is as much a search for the author’s own identity as for her own children and grandchildren to ensure that their remarkable family history is never lost again. Illustrated throughout with family photographs and original documents, this is a story of survival against terrible odds, an inspiring tale of resilience and hope.Trade Review"Stunningly descriptive, compelling writing. I was moved close to tears on several occasions.” * Peter James, international bestselling crime writer *'A fabulous story guaranteed to capture people’s imagination' * Mail on Sunday *'Absolutely fascinating.' * BBC Breakfast *
£9.49
Gemini Books Group Ltd Top of the World
Book SynopsisMartin Hibbert was left paralysed by the Manchester Arena bombing which killed twenty-two people on 22 May 2017. Determined to make a difference, he scaled Kilimanjaro in a wheelchair, raising a million pounds for charity
£9.49
Ad Lib Publishers Ltd Frank Sinatra and the Mafia Murders
Book SynopsisIt was said of the young Frank Sinatra that he came across as ‘St Francis of Assisi with a shoulder holster’. In Frank Sinatra and the Mafia Murders Mike Rothmiller and Douglas Thompson draw on previously secret Los Angeles Police intelligence files, a cache of FBI documents released to the authors in 2021 and extensive interviews with prime sources, including many who worked with Frank Sinatra and many more who tracked his long and fatal association with the American Mafia, notably his ongoing connection, after his original godfather was assassinated: Sam ‘Momo’ Giancana, who shared a lover with President John F. Kennedy. Sixteen days after the assassination of John F. Kennedy on 30 November 1963, nineteen-year-old Frank Sinatra Jr. was kidnapped at gunpoint from his hotel room in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. A $240,000 ransom was demanded from his father. While the FBI and Nevada and California law-enforcement agencies sprang into action, Frank secretly contacted his Mafia friends for help. The Mafia believed they could free young Frank much more quickly through their underworld connections. Some of those they questioned died. Revealed here as never before is the extent to which Sinatra was adopted by the Mafia. They promoted his career and ‘watched his back’ and, in return, Sinatra danced to their tune. New information disclosed here shows that Sinatra also offered to spy for the CIA. Inside sources say Sinatra wanted the CIA to intercede to stop an investigation into his gaming licence in Las Vegas. But the CIA declined because they were already working with the Mob and were concerned Sinatra would learn of the Mafia’s connection to the CIA and leak it. Trade ReviewPraise for the authors’ Bombshell: ‘The claims are hard to believe . . . but the source is so solid and credible that you will find this amazing story hard to dismiss’ Daily Mail ‘A sensational new book’ Sun
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group Our Stories: 75 Years of the NHS from the People
Book SynopsisFOREWORD BY ADAM KAY, AUTHOR OF THIS IS GOING TO HURTPortion of proceeds go to NHS Charities Together.A beautiful and heart-warming collection of stories, this landmark publication tells, for the first time ever, the rich history of the NHS through the ordinary people who have experienced it.Founded on the concept of providing healthcare to rich and poor alike, the National Health Service (NHS) has been at the heart of our everyday experiences of life and death since 1948.From Joan Meredith, who stood on street corners in the freezing winter to campaign for a new health system, to one of the first patients diagnosed with HIV/Aids, Jonathan Blake, and Klarissa Velasco, who comforted and held the hands of people suffering from Covid-19, Our Stories follows our health service from its conception to today, and tells the many incredible stories that have happened throughout its lifetime.Filled with tales of every part of life, this beautiful book tells, for the first time ever, the moving history of our world-leading health service through the voices of the patients, nurses, doctors, porters and ordinary people who have turned it into the beating heart of our country. It is a heart-warming account of an amazing institution.Trade Review'What shines through with all the stories is a deep affection for the NHS' -- Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm
£15.29
Headline Publishing Group Who I Am: My Story THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
Book Synopsis'What a woman and what a book!' Elizabeth Day'Fabulous!' Zoe Ball'Sporty Spice telling it like it is.' Independent'Incredibly profound, vulnerable and honest.' Steven Bartlett'Absolutely brilliant, especially for young girls.' Chris EvansI never told my story before because I wasn’t ready. Now, finally, I am.Twenty-five years ago, The Spice Girls released our first ever single, 'Wannabe'. At that moment, my life changed forever. I was suddenly part of one of the biggest groups in history, releasing hit after hit and living out everything I'd ever dreamed of... The BRITs, Spiceworld, the London 2012 Olympics and more!I have been known as Sporty Spice, Mel C, Melanie C and plain old Melanie Chisholm, but what you will read within the pages of this book is who I truly am and everything I’ve been through. I want to share with you my crazy experiences, my amazing journey and my full self.I hope you enjoy it with me.Trade Review'Spice Girls fans will eagerly devour this, but even those who are unfamiliar with the group will appreciate Chisholm's compassion and introspection' * Publishers Weekly *'What a woman and what a book!' -- Elizabeth Day * Publishers Weekly *'Amazing ... It's got every single emotion in it ... Absolutely brilliant, especially for young girls' -- Chris Evans'Sporty Spice telling it like it is ... Details the true gruelling reality of being in the world's biggest girl band' * Independent *'An incredibly profound, vulnerable and honest look into the highs and lows of the Spice Girls ... I gained so much from reading it' -- Steven Bartlett'Truly important ... The depth of honesty and uniqueness of Melanie's experience means that it offers so much to so many people ... The lessons with the book and the lessons she's managed to pull out of those experiences are lessons we can all use to change our lives' -- Steven Bartlett, The Diary of a CEO'She has always been open and approachable, remaining talkative and cheerily down-to-earth ... so her autobiography is as honest as you'd expect' * Daily Telegraph *'Fabulous ... There is so much I really relate to, growing up as a young girl, the 90s, all the stuff you went through' -- Zoe Ball'Really lovely' -- Chris Moyles
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group Calling Sergeant Crockford
Book SynopsisIt''s the dawn of the Swinging Sixties. The Cold War is at its height and support for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is building. The Berkshire Constabulary''s Detective Gwen Crockford is promoted to Woman Police Sergeant in Newbury the town at the heart of Britain''s atomic weapons programme.Gwen''s initial reservations that her posting in rural Berkshire will be boring soon prove to be unfounded. A serial sex attacker on the loose, an attempted murder at Greenham Common US Airforce Base, and a charismatic heiress with a family secret keep things interesting for the capable sergeant.Laser-focused on her police career and resigned to the single life Gwen is forced to re-evaluate her plans when a nature-loving war veteran PC walks into the station with an orphaned fox cub, and there''s a shocking discovery in a railway station lavatory.Written by her daughter Ruth and rich in social history, this is the story of a real-life woman police sergean
£10.44
The History Press Ltd Herbert Sutcliffe: Cricket Maestro
Book SynopsisA national hero in his playing days, Herbert Sutcliffe belongs to a select band of all-time cricketing greats. Alan Hill’s award-winning biography of the Yorkshire and England batsman charts his extraordinary transformation from cobbler’s apprentice to urbane gentleman: one of the coolest, most determined and technically accomplished practitioners the game has ever known.Blessed with the looks of a matinee idol, Sutcliffe was a complex, often enigmatic, personality. As a cricketer, he was touched with genius. His career spanned exactly the years between the wars and he performed with distinction in every one of those seasons. He scored 50,138 first-class runs, including 149 centuries, and his remarkable Test average of 60.73 is the highest for an English batsman – higher than those of Hobbs, Hammond or Hutton.Herbert Sutcliffe: Cricket Maestro calls upon the reminiscences of Bob Wyatt, Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Len Hutton and Les Ames among other illustrious contemporaries, to evoke the splendour of Sutcliffe’s achievements for Yorkshire and England, and to bring to life the vivacious story of one of the greatest batsmen ever.
£12.34
The History Press Ltd The Unfathomable Ascent: How Hitler Came to Power
Book SynopsisOn the night of 30 January 1933, Adolf Hitler leaned out of a spotlit window of the Reich Chancellery in Berlin, bursting with joy. The moment seemed unbelievable, even to Hitler. After an improbable political journey that came close to faltering on many occasions, his march to power had finally succeeded.While the story of Hitler’s rise has been told in books covering larger portions of his life, no previous work has focused on his eight-year climb to rule: 1925–1933. Renowned author Peter Ross Range brings this period back to startling life with a narrative history that describes brushes with power, quests for revenge, nonstop electioneering and underhand campaign tactics. For Hitler, moments of gloating triumph were followed by abject humiliation.This is the tale of a school dropout’s climb from the infamy of a failed coup to Germany’s highest office. It is a saga of personal growth and lavish living, a melodrama rife with love affairs and even suicide attempts. But it is also the definitive account of Hitler’s unrelenting struggle for control over his raucous movement as he fought off challenges, built and bullied coalitions, quelled internecine feuds and neutralised his enemies – all culminating in the creation of the Third Reich and the world’s descent into darkness.One of the most dramatic and important stories of the twentieth century, Hitler’s ascent spans Germany’s wobbly recovery from the First World War through years of growing prosperity and, finally, into crippling depression. Masterfully woven into an unforgettable and urgent narrative, The Unfathomable Ascent will remind us of what we should never forget.Trade ReviewA fast-paced tour-de-force that shows how the German republic wrecked itself from within, Peter Ross Range's The Unfathomable Ascent is a must-read for anyone interested in Adolf Hitler's march to power or the tragic fragility of democracy -- David King * author of The Trial of Adolf Hitler *
£15.29
