Biography Books
The History Press Ltd 800 Years of Womens Letters
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£15.29
Gwasg y Bwthyn Cyf Cymro i'r Carn, Cofiant Gwilym Prys-Davies
Book SynopsisA biography of Gwilym Prys-Davies, an astute and hard working politician who had a massive influence on Welsh politics and culture. Written by his friend of over half a century, D. Ben Rees.Trade ReviewPleser yw cael croesawu o’r diwedd cofiant sylweddol a chytbwys ei farn i un o gewri gwleidyddol mwyaf nodedig yr ugeinfed ganrif yng Nghymru. Mae’n astudiaeth hollbwysig. Roedd yr awdur yn adnabod ei wrthrych yn dda am nifer fawr o flynyddoedd ac yn gyfaill mynwesol iddo am ddegawdau lawer. Y mae’n gwerthfawrogi ei rinweddau, ei gryfderau a’i gyfraniadau mewn sawl cyfeiriad gwahanol. Yn dilyn ei farwolaeth yn 93 mlwydd oed yn 2017 daeth archif bwysig o’i bapurau i’r Llyfrgell Genedlaethol, a Ben Rees oedd un o’r ymchwilwyr cyntaf i wneud defnydd helaeth ohonynt ar gyfer y llyfr hwn. Mae’r archif yn cynnwys yn arbennig gohebiaeth ddadlennol a diddorol. Mae’r cofiant hefyd yn seiliedig ar waith ymchwil manwl mewn nifer fawr o archifau pwysig eraill. Ac, yn hollol wahanol i Jim Griffiths, Aneurin Bevan a Cledwyn Hughes, sef y gwleidyddion y mae’r Dr D. Ben Rees wedi llunio cofiannau sylweddol iddynt yn barod (gan gynnwys cofiant i Griffiths yn y Saesneg yn ogystal), nid gwleidydd proffesiynol, cyhoeddus yn yr un modd oedd yr Arglwydd Gwilym Prys-Davies, ond un a lafuriai’n aml yn y dirgel, gan ddylanwadu ar eraill a chyflawni gwyrthiau yn dawel dros Gymru a’r Gymraeg. Gan ei fod yn ŵr swil a diymhongar wrth natur ac yn hoffi byw ei fywyd yn yr encilion, nid pawb a werthfawrogai ei gyfraniad. Yn rhy aml o lawer, cofir am Gwilym Prys-Davies yn bennaf fel yr ymgeisydd aflwyddiannus y Blaid Lafur yn isetholiad nodedig sir Caerfyrddin yng Ngorffennaf 1966 pan gipiwyd y sedd gan Dr Gwynfor Evans, llywydd Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru ers 1945 – sef ‘isetholiad pwysicaf yr ugeinfed ganrif’ ym marn Ben Rees. Ym 1964 cafodd Gwilym Prys-Davies siom aruthrol na ddewiswyd ef yn ymgeisydd ar gyfer etholaeth sir Feirionnydd. Ond mae llawer iawn mwy i drafod, wrth gwrs. Fel y gwelwn, gwnaeth Gwilym waith arloesol i hybu’r defnydd o’r iaith Gymraeg yn y llysoedd yn ystod y 1960au. Roedd hefyd yn un o’r selogion a frwydrodd i sefydlu S4C ym 1982, ac roedd ei gyfraniad yn amhrisiadwy wrth lunio Deddfau’r Iaith Gymraeg 1967 ac eto 1993. Roedd ei gyfraniad hefyd yn fwy cyffredinol yn sgil ei gefnogaeth i hybu datganoli yng Nghymru o’r 1960au ymlaen. Gweithredodd fel ‘cynghorydd arbennig’ i John Morris AS pan roedd yntau’n Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dros Gymru yn y 1970au, roedd yn aelod gweithgar a dylanwadol o Fwrdd Ysbytai Cymru am flynyddoedd, a thaflodd ei hun i ganol bywyd Tŷ’r Arglwyddi gydag ymroddiad a brwdfrydedd. Enillodd barch ei gyd-arglwyddi yn fuan iawn, a phriodol iawn yw’r ffaith i Ben Rees gyflawni’r astudiaeth hon i’r Arglwydd John Morris. Mae Ben Rees yn ogystal wedi meistroli’n llwyr yr elfennau hynny a ddaeth ynghyd i greu personoliaeth a chymeriad ei wrthrych. Yn eu plith mae ei gefndir teuluol yn Llanegryn, sir Feirionnydd, ei ddyddiau coleg yn Aberystwyth, ei waith o fewn Mudiad Gweriniaethol Cymru, a’i berthynas agos a phwysig gyda Goronwy O. Roberts AS a Huw T. Edwards, ac mae nifer fawr o wleidyddion Llafur eraill yr ugeinfed ganrif yng Nghymru hefyd yn cael eu lle o fewn y stori ryfeddol hon. Llunnir y cyfan o’r testun mewn Cymraeg graenus a darllenadwy. Rhaid llongyfarch yr awdur ar gyhoeddi campwaith pwysig arall a fydd yn derbyn croeso cynnes gan nifer fawr o ddarllenwyr gwerthfawrogol. -- J. Graham Jones @ www.gwales.com
£12.95
EnvelopeBooks Flights of Fancy
Book SynopsisRichard Cullen's reconstruction of the life of society-debutanteMargaret McLaren-Reid in the British Empire during the interwar years and subsequently as a wife on the diplomatic circuit.
£21.21
Little Toller Books Wild Twin
Book SynopsisIn Wild Twin, the Costa Prize shortlisted author Jeff Young sets out from Liverpool in the 1970s pursuing a vision of becoming a 'wild twin'. In Europe he falls into a fever dream of drugs, dive hotels, poverty, madness and thieving. An extraordinary memoir, a hallucinatory dream book of loss and loneliness, to match his debut Ghost Town.
£17.00
Random House USA Inc Disability Visibility
Book Synopsis
£13.49
Fernand Nathan 60 activites Montessori pour mon bebe
Book Synopsis
£21.84
Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc The Mamba Mentality
Book SynopsisThe Mamba Mentality: How I Play is Kobe Bryant's personal perspective of his life and career on the basketball court and his exceptional, insightful style of playing the gamea fitting legacy from the late Los Angeles Laker superstar.In the wake of his retirement from professional basketball, Kobe The Black Mamba Bryant decided to share his vast knowledge and understanding of the game to take readers on an unprecedented journey to the core of the legendary Mamba mentality. Citing an obligation and an opportunity to teach young players, hardcore fans, and devoted students of the game how to play it the right way, The Mamba Mentality takes us inside the mind of one of the most intelligent, analytical, and creative basketball players ever.In his own words, Bryant reveals his famously detailed approach and the steps he took to prepare mentally and physically to not just succeed at the game, but to excel. Readers will learn how Bryant studied an opponent, how he channeled his passion for the game, how he played through injuries. They'll also get fascinating granular detail as he breaks down specific plays and match-ups from throughout his career.Bryant's detailed accounts are paired with stunning photographs by the Hall of Fame photographer Andrew D. Bernstein. Bernstein, long the Lakers and NBA official photographer, captured Bryant's very first NBA photo in 1996 and his last in 2016and hundreds of thousands in between, the record of a unique, twenty-year relationship between one athlete and one photographer.The combination of Bryant's narrative and Bernstein's photos make The Mamba Mentality an unprecedented look behind the curtain at the career of one of the world's most celebrated and fascinating athletes.Trade Review"Revealing...beautifully captured...candid." --Los Angeles Times "A visually beautiful presentation that would make an ideal gift for the Lakers fan in the house." --Kirkus Reviews
£27.00
Simon & Schuster Alexander the Great
Book SynopsisIn the first authoritative biography of Alexander the Great written for a general audience in a generation, classicist and historian Philip Freeman tells the remarkable life of the great conqueror. The celebrated Macedonian king has been one of the most enduring figures in history. He was a general of such skill and renown that for two thousand years other great leaders studied his strategy and tactics, from Hannibal to Napoleon, with countless more in between. He flashed across the sky of history like a comet, glowing brightly and burning out quickly: crowned at age nineteen, dead by thirty-two. He established the greatest empire of the ancient world; Greek coins and statues are found as far east as Afghanistan. Our interest in him has never faded. Alexander was born into the royal family of Macedonia, the kingdom that would soon rule over Greece. Tutored as a boy by Aristotle, Alexander had an inquisitive mind that would serve him well when he faced formidableTrade Review“Mr. Freeman’s ambition, he tells us in his introduction, was ‘to write a biography of Alexander that is first and foremost a story.’ It is one he splendidly fulfills.” —Tom Holland, The Wall Street Journal "A well-written, chronological narrative that allows Alexander’s remarkable career and achievements to speak for themselves. . . . Readers will appreciate this fine account of a man truly deserving of the title 'Great.'" —Booklist"Fast-paced and dramatic, much like Alexander himself, this is a splendid introduction into one of the most dramatic true stories of history." —Adrian Goldsworthy, author of Antony and Cleopatra“Lean, learned, and marked by good judgment on every page, Alexander the Great is also a roaring good yarn. Philip Freeman has the eye of someone who has walked in Alexander’s footsteps, and he writes with grace and wisdom.” —Barry Strauss, author of The Spartacus War and professor of history, Cornell University"Freeman tells us about Alexander's life like a novel—a remarkably interesting novel, to boot." —Sarah Hann, The Saturday Evening Post
£999.99
Biteback Publishing Yes Maam
Book SynopsisIf you want to find out who the royal servants are, what they do and why, in so many cases, they devote their whole lives to royal service, then this book is for you.
£17.00
Headline Publishing Group Little Book of Vivienne Westwood: The story of
Book SynopsisDesigner, punk, rebel, dame... Vivienne Westwood was all this and more. One of the main architects of the 1970s punk era, the inimitable Westwood refused to take fashion too seriously, finding unique and arresting ways to subvert tradition and challenge the status quo.But her impact on the industry was more than ripped T-shirts. A master of tailoring and mistress of corsetry, she deconstructed street fashion and parodied English looks with tight waists, bustles and a zany take on tartan and Harris Tweed.Clients include Dita Von Teese, FKA Twigs and Doja Cat, her signature designs have featured in Japanese manga, Nana, and having captivated the TikTok generation, her vintage pieces still go viral today.Punk in both fashion and politics to the very end, Vivienne Westwood will remain an icon of fashion and feminism for generations to come.
£12.59
BackPage Press Limited I think therefore I play
Book Synopsis
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Angelas Ashes
Book SynopsisStunning reissue of the phenomenal worldwide bestseller: Frank McCourt''s sad, funny, bittersweet memoir of growing up in New York in the 30s and in Ireland in the 40s.It is a story of extreme hardship and suffering, in Brooklyn tenements and Limerick slums too many children, too little money, his mother Angela barely coping as his father Malachy''s drinking bouts constantly brings the family to the brink of disaster. It is a story of courage and survival against apparently overwhelming odds.Written with the vitality and resonance of a work of fiction, and with a remarkable absence of sentimentality, Angela's Ashes' is imbued on every page with Frank McCourt''s distinctive humour and compassion. Out of terrible circumstances, he has created a glorious book in the tradition of Ireland''s literary masters, which bears all the marks of a great classic.Trade Review‘’Angela's Ashes’ out Roddy Doyles Roddy Doyle. I was amazed by it.’ Margaret Forster, author of ‘Hidden Lives’ ‘Once opened, this brilliant and seductive book will not let you rest until Frank emerges, more or less reared, at the close of boyhood.’ Thomas Keneally, author of ‘Schindler's List.’ ‘Frank McCourt's lyrical Irish voice will draw comparison to Joyce. It's that seductive, that hilarious. In the annals of memoir, his name will be writ large.’ Mary Karr, author of ‘The Liar's Club’. ‘I was moved and dazzled by the sombre and lively beauty of this book; it is a story of survival and growth beyond all odds; a chronicle of surprising triumphs, written in language that is always itself triumphant.’ Mary Gordon, author of ‘The Shadow Man.’
£10.44
Atlantic Books Didion Babitz
Book SynopsisLili Anolik is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and a writer at large for Air Mail. Her last book was the Los Angeles Times bestseller Hollywood's Eve. She is the creator of the podcast Once Upon a Time... at Bennington College. She lives in New York City with her husband and two sons.
£17.00
HarperCollins Publishers Our Bodies Their Battlefield What War Does to
Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZEA wake-up call' Amal ClooneyDevastating rape and sexual abuse continue to be a pervasive and all-too-often hidden feature of conflict zones the world over' HM Queen CamillaFrom award-winning war reporter and co-author of I Am Malala, this is the first major account to address the scale of rape and sexual violence in modern conflict.Christina Lamb has worked in war and combat zones for over thirty years. In Our Bodies, Their Battlefield she gives voice to the women of conflicts, exposing how in today's warfare, rape is used by armies, terrorists and militias as a weapon to humiliate, oppress and carry out ethnic cleansing.Speaking to survivors first-hand, Lamb encounters the suffering and bravery of women in war and meets those fighting for justice. From Southeast Asia where comfort women' were enslaved by the Japanese during World War Two to the Rwandan genocide, when an estimated quarter of a million women were rTrade Review Shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize 2020 Shortlisted for the Orwell Prize 2021 ‘A wake-up call to the magnitude and horrors of rape in war – the world's most neglected war crime. These women’s stories will make you weep, and then rage at the world's indifference.’ Amal Clooney ‘Sharing these stories is necessary and incredibly brave’ Sheryl Sandberg 'Christina Lamb has done the impossible – and written women into history … An extraordinary achievement of in depth journalism, powerful storytelling, grit and heart. A wake up call to the magnitude and horror of rape of women throughout history and the world. If you read one book this year, read this. Astounding.' Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues ‘For millennia mass rape has been a weapon of war. But the testimony of abuse is almost entirely absent from all recorded history. At last this brave, beautiful and brutal book allows victims to speak – devastatingly, inspirationally’ Bettany Hughes ‘This is the most powerful and disturbing book I have ever read. It must have taken courage to research and write this book. Christina Lamb has more than accomplished her duty. It is now our duty to face this terrible truth – that of man’s inhumanity to woman.’ Anthony Beevor, Spectator ‘A brave and harrowing book, and were there justice in the world, would be at the top of the bestsellers list for weeks.’Melanie Reid, The Times ‘A deeply traumatic and important book … Provides a corrective that is by turns horrific and profoundly moving … Lamb is an extraordinary writer. Her compassion for those she talks to and deep understanding of how to tell their stories makes this a book that should be required reading for all – even though (and perhaps because) it is not an enjoyable experience … Powerful’ Peter Frankopan, Guardian
£10.44
The Islamic Texts Society Ibn 'Arabi: The Voyage of No Return
£12.34
Daunt Books Parallel Lives: Five Victorian Marriages
Book Synopsis
£10.79
HarperCollins Publishers Confidence Man
Book Synopsis*THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* *A Financial Times Book of the Year**Economist Book of the Year* A political epic' GuardianThis is the book Trump fears most.' AxiosFew journalists have covered Donald Trump more extensively than Maggie Haberman. And few better understand the polarizing 45th president or his motivations. In this astonishing, illuminating book, Haberman reveals all about Trump the man, the president and the phenomenon.Interviews with hundreds of sources and with Trump himself portray a complicated and often contradictory figure. Capable of kindness but relying on casual cruelty as it suits his purposes. Pugnacious. Insecure. Lonely. Vindictive. Menacing. Smarter than his critics contend and colder and more calculating than his allies believe. A man who embedded himself in popular culture for decades, laying the groundwork to galvanize support for a successful run for high office.Chronicling Trump's entire career, from his rise in New York City to his tortured post-presidency and potential comeback, Confidence Man is a magnificent, disturbing reckoning of the president who pushed American democracy to the brink.
£11.69
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Vonnegut K Man without a Country
Book SynopsisComic riffs and diatribes on the America of G.W. Bush from the author of Slaughterhouse 5Trade Review'Part memoir, part rant and part joke, Vonnegut's latest book is as elusive as it is beguiling. Throughout this slim volume, the author walks a fine line between despair over our deteriorating world and a consummate entertainer's urge to amuse' Sunday Times 'Vonnegut's A Man without a Country is pure late Twain, darkly funny, never less than enraged at corruption and greed, and overflowing with compassion for the powerless. We've never needed him more' Russell Banks 'If Vonnegut isn't the enduring Good Humor man, who is?' John Irving, The Times 'This enjoyable volume of reflections and anecdotes reminds us what is unique about the author of those startlingly good American novels Slaughterhouse Five, Cat's Cradle and Breakfast of Champions ... Kurt Vonnegut is one of the greatest writers of the past 50 years' Daily Telegraph
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd Loves Work
Book Synopsis''This small book contains multitudes'' Marina Warner''For those who have suffered for and in love, this may prove to be one of the most useful books they will ever read'' Nicholas Lezard, GuardianAn extraordinary, uncompromising and consoling celebration of a life - through childhood, faith, family, love, friendship, pain and loss - written as its author was facing her own mortalityGillian Rose was a star academic, acclaimed as one of the most dazzling and original thinkers of her time. Told that she had incurable cancer, she found a new way to explore the world and herself. Tender, heartbreakingly honest and written with moments of surprising humour, Love''s Work is the exhilarating result.In this short, unforgettable memoir, Rose looks back on her childhood, from the young dyslexic girl, torn between father and stepfather, to the adolescent confronting her Jewish inheritance. As an adult, Gillian Rose proves herself a passio
£9.49
Oxford University Press Myths from Mesopotamia
Book SynopsisThe ancient civilization of Mesopotamia thrived between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates over 4,000 years ago. The myths collected here, originally written in cuneiform on clay tablets, include parallels with the biblical stories of the Creation and the Flood, and the famous Epic of Gilgamesh, the tale of a man of great strength, whose heroic quest for immortality is dashed through one moment of weakness. Recent developments in Akkadian grammar and lexicography mean that this new translation, complete with notes, a glossary of deities, place-names, and key terms, and illustrations of the mythical monsters featured in the text, will replace all other versions.Trade Review`has the great merit of including not only the obvious Gilgamesh and Creation texts but also the Atrahasis, Adapa, Etana, Anzu, and Erra stories and even the slight but highly suggestive "Theogony of Dunnu"' Greece & Rome'handsomely produced book' A.R. George, SOAS BUlletin'her enterprise is to be warmly welcomed' John Dillon, Trinity College, Dublin, HermatheraTable of ContentsAtrahasis; The Epic of Gilgamesh; The Descent of Ishtar to the Underworld; Nergal and Ereshkigal; Adapa; Etana; Anzu; The Epic of Creation; Theology of Dunnu; Erra and Ishum
£8.54
Cornerstone Testimony
Book SynopsisRobbie Robertson''s singular contributions to popular music have made him one of the most beloved songwriters and guitarists of his time. With songs like The Weight', The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' and Up on Cripple Creek', he and his partners in the Band fashioned a music that has endured for decades, influencing countless musicians.In this captivating memoir, written over five years of reflection, Robbie employs his unique storyteller''s voice to weave together the journey that led him to some of the most pivotal events in music history. He recounts the adventures of his half-Jewish, half-Mohawk upbringing on the Six Nations Indian Reserve and on the gritty streets of Toronto; his odyssey at sixteen to the Mississippi Delta, the fountainhead of American music; the wild, early years on the road with rockabilly legend Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks; his unexpected ties to the Cosa Nostra underworld; the gripping trial-by-fire of ''going electric'' with Bob Dylan on his 1Trade ReviewRobbie Robertson’s Testimony is a book of memories and wonders, a personal testament of a magical time in American music from someone who was there, at the centre of it all, playing and casting spells and writing songs that helped define those great lost years. There’s history here, and anecdote, regret and reminiscence, a long fond look back at the trials and triumphs of finding your voice then holding your ground. The tone is easy, conversational, like reminiscing with a friend about things you never realized you were part of too. Robbie brings you along with him, keeps you right by his side first to last, just the way his songs do, drawing you close, spellbound by his easy sorcery. You can feel the music in every word. -- Martin Scorsese[An] elegant, evocative memoir … Robertson was particularly suited to a supporting role, happiest pulling the strings in the background. It’s the perfect vantage point for a memoirist, and he makes the most of it … The first half of the book is a hugely atmospheric song of the road … Midway, Dylan hits the narrative like a firework tossed through a window … Robertson brings the chaos vividly to life … He tells it with style and affection, showing a keen eye for detail. * Mail on Sunday *An entertaining and valuable description of a rock’n’roll apprenticeship punctuated by encounters with such historic figures as Sonny Boy Williamson, Bo Diddley and Muddy Waters. He casts light on a vital phase of Dylan’s career and, of course, on the history of the Band. * Guardian *For real insight into a musical unit’s workings, it would be hard to beat the Canadian guitarist and songwriter Robbie Robertson’s Testimony…packed with fascinating anecdote. -- Neil McCormick * Telegraph *'We’re deep into the golden age of the classic-rock memoir … Testimony ends when its author was still relatively young, but it is packed with incident … His memoir is confident and well oiled. At times it has the mythic sweep of an early Terrence Malick movie … Mr. Dylan blows into this memoir like a blazing tumbleweed … [Robbie Robertson's] writing is wonderfully perceptive. * New York Times *
£10.44
Sort of Books Sculptor's Daughter: A Childhood Memoir
Book SynopsisTove Jansson's first book for adults drew on her childhood memories to capture afresh the enchantments and fears of growing up in Helsinki in the nineteen tens and twenties. Described as both a memoir and 'a book of superb stories' by Ali Smith, her startlingly evocative prose offers a glimpse of the mysteries of winter ice, the bonhomie of balalaika parties, and the vastness of Christmas viewed from beneath the tree. With rare images from the Jansson family archive, it makes a perfect gift.Trade ReviewAs an artefact, it's a jewel with evocative black and white photographs throughout ... Jansson's narrator is wise but not precocious and has an authentic way of parroting adult observations. It's easy to see how this child, full of love and wonder, became the woman who gave us the philosophical Moomintrolls. * The Scotsman *
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC A Scented Palace
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAn entrancing biography. * Elle *A subtly distilled life. Fargeon’s impressions of Marie Antoinette are particularly compelling. -- Judith Thurman * New Yorker *Rhapsodic and piquant… full of information. * New York Review of Books *The book’s heroes are Marie Antoinette, perfume and Fargeon in that order, but what emerges is a powerful evocation of a lost world. -- Erica Wagner * The Times *Learning about Fargeon’s relationship with the Queen and about the fragrances that he compounded is particularly relevant for me. It is also fascinating to read about the ingredients, many of which are used to this day. -- Evelyn Lauder * Vanity Fair *De Feydeau’s descriptions of Versailles Palace’s obsessions with coiffure, fashion, perfume and cosmetics are alluring. -- Sam Leith * Daily Telegraph *De Feydeau’s lively account gives the reader an additional twist on the life and times of Marie Antoinette and her influence on two of France’s continuing major industries – fashion and scent. * Washington Post *Interesting and well-written. -- Rebecca Chappell * French Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction by Catherine Wright Prologue 1. The Main Theme 1748-1774 2. The Touches from the Heart 1774-1782 3. The Basic Tenor 1782-1794 Epilogue Appendix 1: The Palette of Jean-Louis Fargeon Appendix 2: Procedures for the Manufacture of Perfumes Notes
£9.99
Granta Books Sarn Helen
Book SynopsisFrom the author of Addlands, and featuring illustrations by Jackie Morris, an immersive and evocative non-fictional journey through Wales and a revelatory meditation on the nation's past, present and future.
£10.44
Atlantic Books The Fall of the House of Montagu
Book SynopsisRobert Wainwright has worked as a journalist for over 30 years and is the author of fourteen books, including Enid, Sheila and The Maverick Mountaineer, which won The Times Biography of the Year prize at the British Sports Book Awards in 2017. He lives in London.
£18.70
Hodder & Stoughton History Hit Story of England
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£21.25
Pushkin Press Why Fish Dont Exist
Book SynopsisThe quirky and profound international bestseller - at once a life-affirming memoir on how to live well in a world governed by chaos, and a darkly astonishing scientific biography
£10.44
Vintage Publishing A Room of One’s Own (Vintage Feminism Short
Book SynopsisVintage Feminism: classic feminist texts in short formWITH AN INTRODUCTION BY JEANETTE WINTERSON‘What conditions are necessary for the creation of works of art?’ Security, confidence, independence, a degree of prosperity – a room of one’s own. All things denied to most women around the world living in Virginia Woolf’s time, and before her time, and since. In this funny, provoking and insightful polemic, Virginia Woolf challenges her audience of young women to work on even in obscurity, to cultivate the habit of freedom, and to exercise the courage to write exactly what we think.ALSO IN THE VINTAGE FEMINIST SHORT SERIES:The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary WollstonecraftThe Beauty Myth by Naomi WolfMy Own Story by Emmeline PankhurstTrade ReviewOne realises afresh the full meaning of originality, the magic of the mind which plays around concrete facts as though they were all spirit. And when it is finished it is with a renewed sense of zest and stimulus that one takes up life again and looks anew at objects which before were only ordinary. * Guardian *Brilliant interweaving of personal experience, imaginative musing and political clarity -- Kate MosseAchingly relevant -- Natasha Walter * Guardian *
£7.44
Cassava Republic Press Longthroat Memoirs: Soups, Sex and Nigerian Taste
Book Synopsis"One of the most enduring myths on the Nigerian Femme Fatale - mammy-water, 'winch' or husband-snatcher - has to do with the cooking of fish stew ...A woman can do what she likes with a man when she knows how to satisfy his appetite for food."Longthroat Memoirs presents a sumptuous menu of essays about Nigerian food, lovingly presented by the nation's top epicurean writer. As well as a mouth-watering appraisal of the cultural politics and erotics of Nigerian cuisine, it is also a series of love letters to the Nigerian palate. From innovations in soup, fish as aphrodisiac and the powerful seductions of the yam, Longthroat Memoirs examines the complexities, the peculiarities, the meticulousness, and the tactility of Nigerian food. Nigeria has a strong culture of oral storytelling, of myth creation, of imaginative traversing of worlds. Longthroat Memoirs collates some of those stories into an irresistible soup-pot, expressed in the flawless love language of appetite and nourishment.A sensuous testament on why, when and how Nigerians eat the food they love to eat; this book is a welcome addition to the global dining table of ideasTable of ContentsIntroduction A Bowl of Aloof Nigerian Soup How to Make Meat The Purist’s Pot of Soup My Mother, I Will Not Eat Rice Today Bones of Choice Eating Dog Akara and Honey Kings of Umami Letter from Candahar Road Okro Soup, Gorgeous Mucilage Long Throat Memoirs The Snail Tree Fainting at the Sight of an Egg Sweet Stolen Waters Forgotten Seasoning Secrets A Beautiful Girl Named Ogbono Henshaw Town Beach Market Ekoki Like Gold To Cook or Not to Cook Okro Soup and the Demonic Encyclopaedia of Dreams Oseani Mellowing, Bursting, Deepening, Merging Institution of Stew Lost in Translation Afang Soup and Hairy Legs Between Eba and Gari Ila Cocoa Nsala with Chicken Fermentation and Fornication Rice in Many Guises Fish Soups and Love Potions Dead Man’s Helmet Peppered Snails Ram Testicle Suya Ewa Oloyin Bush Cuisine Between a Trophy and a Wife The Secret Ingredient of My Secret Ingredient Soup Molara’s Jollof Beans The Marketplace Safe as Stews A Pot from Efak Satan Bibliography Acknowledgements
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers Thou Savage Woman
Book Synopsis'Popular history at its best' Spectator 'Boisterous replete with stabbings, bashing and thumping' Daily Mail
£16.14
Penguin Books Ltd The Secret Lives of Numbers
Book SynopsisA revisionist, completely accessible and radically inclusive history of maths''Lively, satisfying, good at explaining difficult concepts'' The Sunday TimesMathematics shapes almost everything we do. But despite its reputation as the study of fundamental truths, the stories we have been told about it are wrong. In The Secret Lives of Numbers, historian Kate Kitagawa and journalist Timothy Revell introduce readers to the mathematical boundary-smashers who have been erased by history because of their race, gender or nationality.From the brilliant Arabic scholars of the ninth-century House of Wisdom, and the pioneering African American mathematicians of the twentieth century, to the ''lady computers'' around the world who revolutionised our knowledge of the night sky, we meet these fascinating trailblazers and see how they contributed to our global knowledge today.This revisionist, completely accessible and radically inclusive history of mathematics is as entertaining as it is important.
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers Survivors
Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE NONFICTION CROWN AWARD 2024 GUARDIAN: BOOKS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2024 'GRIPPING' THE TIMES
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Wavewalker
Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERA TIMES BEST MEMOIR OF 2023Grippingly vivid and pacey' THE TIMESA seven-year old girl on a seventy-foot yacht, for ten years, over fifty thousand miles of sailing' SIMON WINCHESTER''An astonishing almost day-by-day account of [a] hazardous journey and its legacy' TELEGRAPHThis is a story of an epic childhood journey, so exciting and so shocking it is hard to know whether you're reading about a dream or a nightmare Wavewalker is thrilling, horrifying, beautifully written I couldn't put it down' ED BALLSAged just seven, Suzanne Heywood set sail with her parents and brother on a three-year voyage around the world. What followed turned instead into a decade-long way of life, through storms, shipwrecks, reefs and isolation, with little formal schooling. No one else knew where they were most of the time and no state showed any interest in what was happening to the children.Suzanne fought her parents, longing to return to England and to education and stability. Th
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings
Book SynopsisA collection of stories of matchless charm and enduring popularity that enchanted listeners at Charles Dickens's public readings Since it was first published in 1843 A Christmas Carol has had an enduring influence on the way we think about the traditions of Christmas. Dickens's story of solitary miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who is taught the true meaning of Christmas by the three ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, has been adapted into countless film and stage versions since it was first published. Dickens's other Christmas writings collected here include 'The Story of the Goblins who Stole a Sexton', the short story from The Pickwick Papers on which A Christmas Carol was based; The Haunted Man, a tale of a man tormented by painful memories; along with shorter pieces, some drawn from the 'Christmas Stories' that Dickens wrote annually for his weekly journals. In all of them Dickens celebrates the season as one of geniality, charity and remembraTable of ContentsA Christmas Carol and Other Christmas WritingsA Dickens ChronologyIntroductionFurther ReadingA Note on the TextsChristmas FestivitiesThe Story Of The Goblins Who Stole A SextonA Christmas Episode From Master Humphrey's ClockA Christmas CarolThe Haunted Man And The Ghost's BargainA Christmas TreeWhat Christmas Is, As We Grow OlderThe Seven Poor TravellersAppendix I: Dickens's Prefaces to Collected Editions of The Christmas BooksAppendix II: Dickens's Descriptive Headlines for A Christmas Carol and The Haunted ManAppendix III: Dickens and The Arabian NightsNotes
£8.65
Penguin Books Ltd Friends in Youth
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£14.24
Oxford University Press Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Book Synopsis''The profoundest book there is, born from the innermost richness of truth, an inexhaustible well into which no bucket descends without coming up with gold and goodness.''Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1885) was Nietzsche''s own favourite among all his books and has proved to be his most popular, having sold millions of copies in many different languages. In it he addresses the problem of how to live a fulfilling life in a world without meaning, in the aftermath of ''the death of God''. Nietzsche''s solution lies in the idea of eternal recurrence which he calls ''the highest formula of affirmation that can ever be attained''. A successful engagement with this profoundly Dionysian idea enables us to choose clearly among the myriad possibilities that existence offers, and thereby to affirm every moment of our lives with others on this ''sacred'' earth. This translation of Zarathustra (the first new English version for over forty years) conveys the musicality of the original German, and for the first time annotates the abundance of allusions to the Bible and other classic texts with which Nietzsche''s masterpiece is in conversation. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd A Walk from the Wild Edge This Book Has Changed
Book SynopsisThe remarkable true story of one man''s escape from the depths of depression through his 3,000 mile walk across the country''A great and inspirational read'' MATT HAIG, bestseling author of Reasons to Stay Alive''Inspiring'' INDEPENDENT ''An uplifting and inspirational journey through raw emotion'' RAYNOR WINN, bestselling author of The Salt PathAS SEEN ON BBC BREAKFAST______ After coming terrifyingly close to suicide, Jake Tyler was determined to take back control of his life from the clutches of depression. With only a pair of walking boots and a backpack, he left his home town of Maldon and began a 3000-mile walk around the British mainland. In documenting every step of his adventure, Jake shares the ways in which his road to recovery was enhanced by the kindness of strangers, who helped him to better understand himself and the power of human connection. This is the story o
£15.29
Penguin Books Ltd Know My Name
Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING MEMOIR ''Incredibly moving and haunting'' Roxane Gay''I read this book cover to cover and it stunned me'' Jia Tolentino ''Powerful, honest and necessary'' Marian Keyes''To girls everywhere, I am with you. On nights when you feel alone, I am with you. When people doubt you or dismiss you, I am with you. I fought every day for you. So never stop fighting, I believe you.''Chanel Miller''s story changed our world forever. In 2016 Brock Turner was sentenced to just six months in jail after he was caught sexually assaulting her on Stanford''s campus. His light sentencing, and Chanel''s victim impact statement, which was read by eleven million people in four days, sparked international outrage and action.Know My Name is an intimate, profoundly moving memoir that exposes a patriarchal culture biased to protect perpetrators, a criminal justice system designed to fail the most vulnerable, and ultimately shines with the courage required to move through suffering and live a full and beautiful life. Entwining pain, resilience, and humour, this breath-taking memoir will stand as a modern classic.''I could not put this phenomenal book down'' Glennon Doyle, bestselling author of UNTAMED''To read Know My Name inspires hope'' Guardian''A searing, beautiful book'' Sunday Times ''Know My Name marks the debut of a gifted young writer. Miller''s words are purpose. They are maps. And she is a treasure who has prevailed'' New York TimesTrade ReviewPowerful, honest and necessary -- Marian KeyesA beautifully written, powerful, important story. It marks the debut of a gifted young writer. * New York Times *Extraordinary woman turning pain into power. Chanel Miller, it's a privilege to know your name, and to celebrate it -- Thandie NewtonYou are a brave soul. You are more than the identity given to you by the media and those in power -- Monica LewinskyA searing, beautiful book * Sunday Times *In a world that asks too many survivors to keep their experiences to themselves and shrink their suffering to preserve someone else's potential, Know My Name stands unapologetically large, asking others to reckon with its author's dazzling, undiminishable presence. To read it, in spite of everything, inspires hope. * Guardian *I can't wait to read it -- Dolly AldertonIn its rare honesty and its small details, KNOW MY NAME is both an open wound and a salve, a quiet cry and the loudest scream...[it] is more than an indictment, though it is a successful and moving one. It is also an outstretched hand, inviting you to fight alongside her * Elle *A skilled writer... Miller tells [her story] beautifully, caring enough for her reader to spin golden sentences from her pain * Vogue *I read this book cover to cover and it stunned me: Chanel Miller is such a lushly talented writer -- Jia Tolentino, bestselling author of Trick Mirror
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd Home Is Where We Start
Book SynopsisA Guardian book to look out for for 2024''A bold and intimate grappling with the hidden history at the heart of a childhood that was set up as a collectivist social experiment'' EWAN MORRISON, author of How to Survive Everything''Strikingly good'' NOREEN MASUD, author of A Flat PlaceIn the turbulent late seventies, six-year-old Susanna Crossman moved with her mother and siblings from a suburban terrace to a crumbling mansion deep in the English countryside. They would share their new home with over fifty other residents from all over the world, armed with worn paperbacks on ecology, Marx and radical feminism, drawn together by utopian dreams of remaking the world. They did not leave for fifteen years.While the Adults adopted new names and liberated themselves from domestic roles, the Kids ran free. In the community, nobody was too young to discuss nuclear war and children learned not to expect wiped noses or regular bedtimes. Instead, they made a home in a house with no locks or keys, never knowing when they opened doors whether they'd find violent political debates or couples writhing under sheets.Decades later, and armed with hindsight, Crossman revisits her past, turning to leading thinkers in philosophy, sociology and anthropology to examine the society she grew up in, and the many meanings of family and home. In this luminous memoir, she asks what happens to children who are raised as the product of social experiments and explores how growing up estranged from the outside world shapes her as a parent today.''Crossman writes with such curiosity and heart-breaking honesty of what it is to find her own truth. I was enthralled by this book'' LILY DUNN, author of Sins of my Father''Beautiful, bold, tender. I loved this gorgeous memoir about making home'' PRAGYA AGARWAL, author of Hysterical
£17.09
Yale University Press Berenice
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£18.04
Little, Brown Book Group The Fran Lebowitz Reader
Book SynopsisA Sunday Times Bestseller, this is a brilliant collection of acerbic, wisecracking and hilarious essays from New York icon Fran Lebowitz, star of Martin Scorsese's hit Netflix series, Pretend It's a City
£10.44
Dialogue Exophony
Book SynopsisYoko Tawada's first book of essays in English, both a brilliant exploration of language and its relationship to power, colonialism and history and an introduction to an electrifying new side of the National Book Award Winner
£15.29
Transworld Publishers Ltd Chickenhawk
Book SynopsisRobert Mason is married and lives in the United States.Trade ReviewIt will stun readers * Time *Compelling... A hypnotic narrative * The New York Times *Chickenhawk is one bloody, painfully honest and courageous book -- Martin Cruz Smith, authorThe best book to come out of Vietnam -- John Del Vecchio, author of The 13th Valley
£10.44
Random House USA Inc The Color of Everything
£999.99
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Trial Imprisonment and Death of The Yorkshire Ripper
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£19.80
Penguin Books Ltd Meeting Churchill
Book SynopsisThis insightful portrait of Winston Churchill delves beyond well-known political moments, incorporating perspectives from various individuals who encountered him throughout his life.From Bletchley Park codebreakers and Hollywood stars such as Charlie Chaplin, through writers as varied as H. G. Wells and P. G. Wodehouse, to the likes of Harold Wilson, Mahatma Gandhi and Queen Elizabeth II, these lesser-known interactions reveal glimpses of the man behind the legend.We meet Churchill the exuberant schoolboy thug with an early mania for bull-dogs, and Churchill the elder statesman shedding a tear in the House of Commons smoking room. Other incidents include a young journalist rudely dismissing a call from Churchill as a prank, and a visiting Dwight D. Eisenhower dreaming of being strangled, only to awake entangled in Churchill’s borrowed nightshirt.The book showcases the profound transformations during Churchill’s lifetime, which ran from Benjamin Disraeli’s premiership to the release of the Rolling Stones’ ‘Route 66’, and the shift from steam to atomic power. Examining controversial aspects of his legacy, this multifaceted portrait challenges preconceived notions, inviting readers to reconsider the complexities of Churchill.
£10.44
Abrams Getting There
Book SynopsisLife lessons from leaders in diverse career fields who followed their dreams and found success--just in time for graduationTrade ReviewSuccessful people make it look so easy—but they never said it was. In Getting There, the highest achievers share some of their lowest moments, and there is much wisdom to be gained from those struggles. Captivating, thought-provoking, humorous, and uplifting, this book delivers straight-from-the-source accounts of what it is really like to achieve something meaningful. * David Faber, CNBC *Kudos to Gillian Zoe Segal for assembling this remarkable group of visionaries and helping them all tell their stories without filters or false bravado. Getting There is both empowering and illuminating. * Piper Kerman, New York Times bestselling author of Orange Is the New Black *Reading Getting There is like having an intimate, one-on-one talk with some of the world's most fascinating and accomplished people. You will be taken aback by their honesty, entertained by their anecdotes, and, most of all, learn invaluable lessons about both business and life. This book is fantastic—you will not be able to put it down! * JJ Ramberg, MSNBC *Getting There is a great book whether you're just starting out or well into your career. Somehow, Gillian Zoe Segal has gotten these leaders to share their stories in a unique, authentic, and revealing way. Their insights will inspire you and help clarify many of the key challenges you must face in building a successful professional life. * Robert Steven Kaplan, senior associate dean and professor, Harvard Business School *“Thought-provoking advice from some of the world’s best-known success stories.” * Publishers Weekly *“Unlike most such books, the tales in Getting There ring authentic—so they’re actually useful.” * Fast Company *“For life-changing, real-world advice.” * Vanity Fair *
£18.69
Christian Focus Publications Ltd Billy Graham
Book SynopsisWitness Billy Graham's journey from humble beginnings on a North Carolina farm to becoming one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century. At the age of sixteen, Billy Graham committed his life to Christ during a Christian revival meeting and it wasn't long before it became clear that God had plans for his life. With the help of his wife, Ruth, and many other friends and colleagues Billy set out to preach to the world. Through the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, he preached to over 80 million people in more than 185 countries. Millions more were reached through his television, video, film, and radio ministries. He faced up to all of Christianity's major twentiethcentury opponents: Communism, Apartheid,segregation and terrorism. From paying the bail money to get Martin Luther King Jr. out of jail to addressing the memorial service in Washington after the collapse of the World Trade Centre, Billy Graham was there for people with practical help and a timeless m
£9.49
