Biography Books

Book Synopsis'My heart felt heavy with sadness for these two little girls.'Foster carer Maggie Hartley is used to all manner of children arriving on her doorstep, but nothing can prepare her for sisters Billy and Bo when they arrive at her home. It is clear from the moment she sets eyes on them four-year-old Bo and seven-year-old Billy have clearly been subjected to unimaginable neglect, and it takes all of Maggie's skills as a foster carer to try to connect with the volatile little girls, who seem far younger than their years. Over time, the little girls slowly emerge from their shells, and Maggie begins the difficult task of trying to gain their trust. But as time goes on, it becomes clear that there is something much darker going on, something that will call into question everything Maggie has ever learned in all her years as a foster carer...A true story of hope from Sunday Times bestselling author Maggie Hartley, a foster carer for over 20 years.'A story that breaks your heart' 5* Amazon reader review

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Book SynopsisIn 1973, Myra Hindley, the most notorious woman in Britain, is serving a life sentence for the moors murders - a case that shocked the world. Behind bars she has fallen in love.When Hindley is refused parole she persuades a sympathetic prison officer and former nun to help her break out of London's grim Holloway prison. The women plan to run away together to Brazil.Twenty years after Hindley's death, this extraordinary true story is brought to life in vivid new detail by Howard Sounes, author of the true crime classic Fred & Rose, drawing on unseen prison files and new interviews with former Holloway inmates, prison officers and detectives. It is a tale of infatuation and manipulation, crime and punishment.Despite her part in the appalling murders of five children and teenagers, Myra Hindley is revealed as a highly complex woman of intelligence and charm, which she used to get what she wanted. Or was she, as her supporters claimed, a misunderstood person who regretted her past and only attempted to escape out of desperation?Revealing the 'most wicked woman in Britain' in new light, This Woman is an atmospheric prison story and a love story that will make readers think again about the woman behind the moors murders.

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of the real bodyguard, Lee Sansum, ex-Royal Military Policeman, martial arts champion, and expert in close protection. Part of Mohamed and Dodi Al-Fayed's protection team, Lee had to guard the most famous woman in the world, Princess Diana. He formed a close bond with Diana and the young princes, particularly Harry, and it was only by a stroke of luck that he was not in the car the night Diana died. That night proved to be the turning point in his own life.Over the course of his career, Lee has worked with the rich and famous, such as Hollywood stars Tom & Nicole, Pele and Sylvester Stallone, and he gives a candid account of what it's like to work in a job where lives are literally at stake.Growing up in a tough part of Greater Manchester, Lee learnt the hard way that to survive you need to stand up to bullies and be harder than your opponent. A career in the Royal Military Police took him to the "Bandit Country" of South Armagh, where he pulled an AWOL squaddie out of a honey trap moments before an IRA active service unit arrived to kill him. He worked undercover in Northern Ireland and joined the SIB, the Army's own internal affairs unit, before entering the world of private security, operating in the world's hotspots, such as Libya and the breakaway state of Somaliland.Lee's story is one of quiet strength, of how reading a situation is invaluable to getting out of trouble. It is one of achieving personal goals and overcoming trauma through the help of his wife, Kate, and through his love of martial arts. It is also a fitting tribute to one of the outstanding figures of our age.

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Book Synopsis* BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK * LONGLISTED FOR THE CWA'S ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION AWARD *---'Impressive at every level' - Jeremy Vine'Poignant, funny, engrossing' - Jo Brand'A sensitive and immersive voyage through the career of a forensic psychiatrist' - Kerry Daynes'A beautifully balanced and compassionately written memoir... This is a fascinating account of a fascinating journey' - Dr Richard ShepherdMeet Dr Ben Cave. For over thirty years he has worked in prisons and secure hospitals diagnosing and treating some of the most troubled men and women in society. A lifetime of care takes us from delusional disorders to schizophrenia, steroid abuse to drug dependency, personality disorders to paedophilia, and depression so severe a mother can kill her own baby.These are the human stories behind the headlines. The reality of a life spent working with patients with the severest mental health disorders. The tragic and often frightening truth about what happens behind closed doors.Dr Ben Cave takes us on a journey to the heart of this highly emotive environment, putting himself under the microscope as well as his patients. In the process, he allows us to share what they have taught each other, and how it has changed them. To share the psychological battle scars that come with a career on the frontline of our health service. To learn about the brilliant mental health nurses for whom physical injury and verbal abuse are a daily hazard. To learn about ourselves, and what we fear most.---Thoughtful, revealing, often haunting and always enlightening, if you liked Unnatural Causes by Dr Richard Shepherd, Do No Harm by Henry Marsh and This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay this book is for you.Trade Review'A beautifully balanced and compassionately written memoir ... This is a fascinating account of a fascinating journey.' - Dr Richard Shepherd, bestselling author of Unnatural Causes'Impressive at every level. If mental illness is now being talked about, then this is the book to start the conversation. What happens when the brain breaks? Read Dr Cave to find out.' - Jeremy Vine, journalist and broadcaster'A beautifully written invitation to glimpse into Cave's often painful, but ultimately uplifting journey.' - Kerry Daynes, bestselling author of The Dark Side of the Mind 'Dr Ben Cave approaches what is often a much misunderstood area of mental illness with sensitivity and pragmatism. His sense of humour and humanity shine through.' - Jo Brand'Delightfully entertaining, witty, surprising, horrifying, and harrowing - all part of life in forensic mental health services' - Professor Kamaldeep Bhui, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford'The expert knowledge contained in this book will help us all gain a crucial understanding of the complex issue of mental health.' - Jonathan Agnew, cricket commentator and former professional cricketer'the most mesmerising, haunting and seductive book I have read in years... I have no doubt it will take it's place atop the new wave of literary, medical professionals.' - Amol Rajan, journalist and media editor'A compelling insight into the tragic and at times frightening truth about what happens behind locked doors.' - Marjorie Wallace CBE, founder and CEO of SANE'A riveting, moving, frightening, highly personal, at times depressing and yet surprisingly humorous account of a life in forensic psychiatry.' - Dr Phil Hammond, British physician, broadcaster, comedian and commentator'Cave has a compassionate, hopeful attitude towards his work, despite some incredibly sad experiences and challenging situations' - Charlotte Runcie, Daily Telegraph

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Book SynopsisAn acclaimed biography of Elizabeth I and an examination of the politics and intrigues of her Tudor court.Elizabeth I ruled England in defiance of convention, exercising supreme authority in a man's world. With courage, brilliance and style, she reigned for nearly forty-five years. Anne Somerset's penetrating biography of this complex and uniquely gifted woman is unrivalled in its analysis of both Elizabeth's personal life and her career as leader.

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Book SynopsisIn 1972, Jan Wong became one of only two Westerners admitted to Beijing University at the height of the Cultural Revolution. One day, a student, Yin Luoyi, sought Jan's assistance in going to the United States. Wong, then a starry-eyed Maoist, reported Yin to the authorities. Yin promptly disappeared. Now, thirty-three years later, Wong returns to Beijing to search for the woman who has haunted her conscience. She hopes to apologise, perhaps somehow to try to make amends. At the very least, she wants to find out whether Yin has survived. Preoccupied by the past, fascinated by China's present and future, Jan Wong searches out old friends, foes and comrades in this half-familiar city, finally uncovering the truth about the woman she wronged. Chinese Whispers tells a unique and unforgettable story of communism and capitalism, of guilt and atonement, of remembering and forgetting.Trade Review"'Wong is a beautiful writer. Her gift is both to greet the country with enthusiasm and curiosity but also to interrogate the back story. Her tale of trying to find Yin is not just the story of a search for an old acquaintance, but also an insight into how China is dealing with its own past... Gripping and entertaining.' Rosie Blau, Financial Times 'Funny and irreverent... The candid, beguiling style is hugely entertaining' Conor O'Clery, Irish Times" 'A witty, clever and knowingly light-hearted take on betrayal and redemption; a feel good penance.' Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisBy the author of The Handmaid's Tale and Alias Grace Curious Pursuits is a collection of personal essays, book reviews and articles from the fierce, ingenious mind of Margaret Atwood, ranging from 1970 to the present. Atwood remembers moving to London as a starry-eyed teenager in 1964 and her first attempts at gardening; she discusses feminist utopias in fiction, and writes moving odes on beloved classics like Anne of Green Gables. Personal life and fiction are shelved side by side in this revealing, insightful collection of Atwood's non-fiction writing.PRAISE FOR Curious Pursuits'A goldmine' Sunday Times'Reminds one that Atwood is a superbly funny (as well as serious) writer; her wit is winningly relaxed and genial as well as sharp' Spectator'The glimpses into the writing process and her reflections on identity will delight fans of her novels, who will also recognise flashes of her mordant wit' TimesTrade ReviewFor admirers of her books, it is a goldmine * Sunday Times *Reminds one that Atwood is a superbly funny (as well as serious) writer; her wit is winningly relaxed and genial as well as sharp * Spectator *The glimpses into the writing process and her reflections on identity will delight fans of her novels, who will also recognise flashes of her mordant wit * Times *

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Book SynopsisA passionate witness to the colossal upheaval that has transformed her native South Africa, Gillian Slovo has written a memoir that is far more than a story of her own life. For she is the daughter of Joe Slovo and Ruth First, South Africa's pioneering anti-apartheid white activists, a daughter who always had to come second to political commitment. Whilst recalling the extraordinary events which surrounded her family's persecution and exile, and reconstructing the truth of her parents' relationship and her own turbulent childhood, Gillian Slovo has also created an astonishing portrait of a courageous, beautiful mother and a father of integrity and stoicism.Trade ReviewA luminous achievement * OBSERVER *Wonderfully moving ... anger, frustration, and the hunger for sharing wash her pages, though they never swamp the admiration for her parents * GUARDIAN *Gillian Slovo has written a brave book, as unsparing of herself as it is of her parents ... a moving testimony * Christopher Hope, INDEPENDENT *An extraordinary expression of the very nature of loving, which illuminates, with the anger and tenderness of deep emotion, that human territory we all occupy, and where we conceal so much from ourselves * Nadine Gordimer *

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Book SynopsisT. S. Eliot once spoke of a lifetime burning in every moment. He had the mind to conceive a perfect life, and he also had the honesty to admit he could not meet it.'He was a man of extremes whose deep flaws and high virtues were interfused,' writes Lyndall Gordon in this perceptive and innovative biography of the great poet. She brilliantly explores his poetry, drama and essays in relationship to the four quite different women in his life and to his time in America and England. The Imperfect Life of T.S. Eliot follows the trials of a searcher whose flaws and doubts speak to all of us whose lives are imperfect.Trade ReviewThe most valuable single book yet published about Eliot -- Jonathan Raban * Sunday Times *A nuanced, discerning account of a life famously flawed in its search for perfection * New Yorker *An intellectually demanding, sophisticated and distinguished book . . . Probing and extremely thoughtful -- Richard Bernstein * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisTowards the end of 1831, the authorities unearthed a series of crimes at Number 3, Nova Scotia Gardens in East London that appeared to echo the notorious Burke and Hare killings in Edinburgh three years earlier. After a long investigation, three bodysnatchers were put on trial for supplying the anatomy schools of London with suspiciously fresh bodies for dissection.They later became known as The London Burkers, and their story was dubbed 'The Italian Boy' case. The furore which led directly to the passing of controversial legislation which marked the beginning of the end of body snatching in Britain.In The Italian Boy, Sarah Wise not only investigates the case of the London Burkers but also, by making use of an incredibly rich archival store, the lives of ordinary lower-class Londoners. Here is a window on the lives of the poor - a window that is opaque in places, shattered in others but which provides an unprecedented view of low-life London in the 1830s.Trade ReviewColourful without being sensationalist, the result is compelling -- Andrew Holgate * Sunday Times *Brilliant -- Christopher Hirst * Independent *Excellent...an impressively strong sense of 19th-century poverty seems to ooze from its pages and the details are fascinating -- Toby Clements * Daily Telegraph *Engrossing...Wise exposes an entire "resurrection community" in London's underworld and shows how "The Italian Boy case" captured the public imagination -- Ian Pindar * Guardian *A work of great skill and sympathy -- Peter Ackroyd * The Times *

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Book SynopsisThis book covers the author's flying career from the finish of World War II until his final appointment as CO of the Naval Test Squadron at Boscombe Down. Having had an outstanding wartime record 'Mike' Crosley became heavily involved with the introduction of Britain's first carrier-borne jet aircraft. The book explains how modern techniques, such as the angled flight deck, steam catapult and decklanding mirror sights were developed and tested. At Boscombe down he developed the 'hand's-off' launch technique for the Buccaneer which saved it from probable cancellation at a very difficult time for British naval aviation.

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Book SynopsisHu Feng, the 'counterrevolutionary' leader of a banned literary school, spent twenty-five years in the Chinese Communist Party's prison system. But back in the Party's early days, he was one of its best known literary theoreticians and critics-at least until factional infighting, and his short fuse, made him persona non grata among the establishment.His wife, Mei Zhi, shared his incarceration for many years. F is her account of that time, beginning ten years after her and Hu Feng's initial arrest. She herself was eventually released, after which she navigated the party's Byzantine prison bureaucracy searching for his whereabouts. Having finally found him, she voluntarily returned to gaol to care for him in his rage and suffering, watching his descent into madness as the excesses of the Cultural Revolution took their toll.Both an intimate portrait of Mei Zhi's life with Hu Feng and a stark account of the prison system and life under Mao, F is at once beautiful and harrowing.With support from English PENThis book has been selected to receive financial assistance from English PEN's Writers in Translation programme supported by Bloomberg. English PEN exists to promote literature and its understanding, uphold writers' freedoms around the world, campaign against the persecution and imprisonment of writers for stating their views, and promote the friendly co-operation of writers and free exchange of ideas. For more information visit www.englishpen.org.Trade ReviewWhat kind of people are those we don't execute? We don't execute people like Hu Feng ... not because their crimes don't deserve capital punishment but because such executions would yield no advantage ... Counterrevolutionaries are trash, they are vermin, but once in your hands, you can make them perform some kind of service for the people. -- Mao ZedongA brilliant literary writer and critic ... [F: Hu Feng's Prison Years] is a vivid portrayal of the suffocating intellectual life of Mao's years. -- Ngeow Chow Bing * China Report *

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Book SynopsisThe No 1 Bestseller!'A triumph' Nicola Tallant, Sunday World Crime World podcast'An incredible catalogue of mayhem ... amazing' Pat Kenny, Newstalk'Riveting' Irish TimesMeet the Wilsons - the deadliest family in crimeBrothers Eric, Keith and John Wilson, their cousin Alan, and nephew Luke shared a trade - assassination. Working for Ireland's criminal gangs they brought bloodshed and chaos to the streets.The Wilsons were not choosy about their targets. Hutches, Real IRA chiefs or random opponents from pub rows - they were all the same to them. Nor were they picky about motives - as long as the price was right, they asked no questions.The Hitmen is the shocking story of how a family cornered the market in intimidation and vengeance. It details the terrible cost in human suffering, particularly the death of an innocent teenage girl, Mariaora Rostas, when she randomly crossed their path. And it reveals how, one by one, each of the Wilsons was put out of business.The Hitmen draws on exclusive access to wire taps, case files and interviews with sources close to the gang who have never spoken before. No 1 bestselling authors Stephen Breen and Owen Conlon have written an extraordinary account of a family business like no other.Trade ReviewRiveting * Irish Times *An extraordinary story . . . fascinating -- Claire Byrne * RTÉ *An incredible catalogue of mayhem -- Pat Kenny * Newstalk *A triumph -- Nicola Tallant * Sunday World *

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Book Synopsis‘A natural storyteller with a Sedaris-like eye for black humour. There are sharp splinters of comic relief … compelling and nuanced.” Edel Coffey, Irish Times Quick-witted, charismatic and generous; angry, vicious and hurt; in pubs all over Cork City, Noelle McCarthy's mother Carol rages against her life and everything she has lost. Soon after leaving college, in the early years of the millennium, Noelle flees. Even on the other side of the world, with fame and success within her grasp, Noelle cannot escape an appetite for self-destruction. Life spirals out of control until she too is in danger of losing everything. At thirty, she pulls back from the brink.Over a decade later, Carol is dying. Finally, it seems, mother and daughter will make peace. Except Carol has no interest in admitting her own mortality - she will die as she lived, entirely on her own terms. If there is any reckoning to be done between past and present, Noelle will be doing it on her own.Grand is the deeply moving and surprisingly funny outcome of Noelle's yearning to understand her mother, and to make sense of their lives, together and apart. Most of all, it is a dazzlingly honest memoir about becoming a modern woman._____2023 Non-Fiction Winner at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards‘Exquisitely written … profoundly moving. And like all great memoirs it is hilarious in parts. If, like, me, you love the personal essays of Sinéad Gleeson and Emilie Pine, you’ll adore this’ Sunday Independent'Desperately funny, hysterically sad, so beautiful and so humane. All of life is in it' Meg Mason'Hooked me like a fish' New York Times‘A really vivacious account of frayed family relationships across the decades and around the world’ Financial Times Podcast Trade ReviewA natural storyteller with a Sedaris-like eye for black humour. There are sharp splinters of comic relief . . . compelling and nuanced -- Edel Coffey * Irish Times *Desperately funny, hysterically sad, so beautiful and so humane. All of life is in it. I utterly adored it -- Meg MasonGrand hooked me like a fish . . . a tale of recovery and growth [and] deep, deep love * New York Times *Exquisitely written . . . profoundly moving. And like all great memoirs it is hilarious in parts. If, like me, you love the personal essays of Sinéad Gleeson and Emilie Pine, you'll adore this * Sunday Independent *A really vivacious account of frayed family relationships across decades and around the world * Financial Times *Remarkably funny, honest and often sad . . . there's a whole pile of un-maudlin heart and a whole lot of love here * Sunday Independent *A searingly honest memoir, as close to the bone as it is to the heart -- Maia DunphyDeeply moving and surprisingly funny * Irish Examiner *I loved it! The writing is stunning. Noelle McCarthy has an incredible knack for sharing the darkest of memories with a lightness of touch. You won't want to put this book down, but once you do, every gorgeous word will haunt you. Beautiful and compelling -- Tara FlynnSavagely brilliant * Business Post *A fierce and sometimes hilarious reflection on the maddening endurance of love between mother and daughter. McCarthy's prose sparkles in the darkness of addiction, shame, and inherited trauma. I devoured this book -- Aingeala FlanneryGrand is a love story and occasionally a hate story too. A vital, unexpected love letter to family, flaws, and the fact that none of us is perfect. McCarthy writes to remind us that sometimes you have to pull at the threads, perhaps unravel completely, to find your way back to a life a little less undone -- Cristín LeachAn eloquent exploration of generational trauma told with immense wit and candour. Compellingly readable -- Hilary FanninA rich, unsettling read - a bit like jumping on a moving train as it speeds through shifting landscapes. Enthralling, unnerving and above all, honest -- Lia MillsI really loved this book . . . beautifully endearing and candid -- June CaldwellHumane and wryly funny . . . so readable, relatable and ultimately uplifting -- Elizabeth BoyleAlready acclaimed in New Zealand, it doesn't hold back any punches in describing a difficult relationship with her alcoholic mother (and is insightful about the restraints imposed on an intelligent woman of her mother's generation living in conservative, Catholic Ireland.) * Irish Examiner *Terrific energy . . . sparkling and evocative -- Alannah Hopkin * Irish Examiner *

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Book SynopsisThe autobiography of the adventurer and climber Eric Jones, the farmer''s son from Clwyd who climbed some of the world''s highest peaks, displaying nerves of steel while facing many challenges. 47 colour and 22 black-and-white photographs.

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Book SynopsisThe community of Parc near Bala lost two valuable members in 2019; it was a loss felt throughout Wales. Both received the T. H. Parry-Williams Medal by the National Eisteddfod of Wales - the highest accolade for service to culture and community. This is a unique feat in the history of any village throughout Wales.

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Book SynopsisA volume of reminiscences through the songs of musician and tv producer Barry ''Archie'' Jones.

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Book Synopsis Throughout Bunyan’s great allegories his prime concern was that people would be able to discern the way to heaven. The ‘Footman’ is an athlete dogged in the pursuit of ‘winning’ the race. Bunyan wants us to be able run the race of the Christian life and finish the course so that we might all meet in Heaven. As he states in this book:– ‘Farewell, I wish our souls may meet with comfort at the journey’s end.’ Based on the text ‘so run that ye may obtain’ (1 Cor. 9:24), Bunyan’s terse and racy style gives us vital guidance on how to complete the journey. This is regarded as one of the classic texts to have come from the Puritan era on Christian living. Bunyan is well known for his perceptiveness in describing human motivation and thought processes with discernment as he gives us the ‘description of the man who gets to heaven.’ Trade Review"This is true, heartsearching, heartwarming John Bunyan on full throttle" -- J. I. Packer ((1926–2020), Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, Canada)

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Book SynopsisDrawing on exhaustive research from interviews and unpublished archival material, John Richardson has produced the long-awaited third volume of the definitive biography, full of original, groundbreaking new insights into Picasso's life and work. His lively and incisive analysis of the work meshes seamlessly with the rich and detailed narrative of this complex and sensual life. The Triumphant Years reveals Picasso at the height of his powers, producing not only the costumes and sets for such Diaghilev Ballets Russes productions as Parade and Tricorne but some of his most important sculpture and paintings. These are tumultuous years, Picasso torn between marital respectability with Olga, the Russian ballerina who was his first wife, and the erotic passion of his mistress, Marie-Therese.This extraordinary biography ends with the completion of a dramatic series of drawings of the crucifixion. From then on the horrors of war would replace any private horrors, leading ultimately to Picasso's masterpiece, Guernica.Trade ReviewThe latest instalment of the finest artistic biography ever written -- Waldemar Januszczak * Sunday Times *No man is better qualified to write the biography of Picasso...he writes with such fluency, simplicity and clarity that his knowledge and illuminating wisdom are very lightly borne... A marvellous book -- Brian Sewell * Evening Standard *Unmissably good -- Tim Martin * 'Christmas Biography Choice' Daily Telegraph *Every page provides some insightful and fascinating information -- William Boyd * 'Books of the Year', Sunday Herald *I love this tumultuous, mercurial, idiosyncratic cavalcade of a book... It is a book that manages to be simultaneously individual and authoritative, and makes one impatient for the next volume -- Philip Hensher * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisLancelot Brown changed the face of eighteenth-century England, designing country estates and mansions, moving hills and making flowing lakes and serpentine rivers, a magical world of green. This English landscape style spread across Europe and the world. At home, it proved so pleasing that Brown's influence spread into the lowland landscape at large, and into landscape painting. He stands behind our vision, and fantasy, of rural England. In this vivid, lively biography, based on detailed research, Jane Brown paints an unforgettable picture of the man, his work, his happy domestic life, and his crowded world. She follows the life of the jovial yet elusive Mr Brown, from his childhood and apprenticeship in rural Northumberland, through his formative years at Stowe, the most famous garden of the day. His innovative ideas, and his affable and generous nature, led to a meteoric rise to a Royal Appointment in 1764 and his clients and friends ranged from statesmen like the elder Pitt to artists and actors like David Garrick. Riding constantly across England, Brown never ceased working until he collapsed and died in February 1783 after visiting one of his oldest clients. He was a practical man but also a visionary, always willing to try something new. As this beautifully illustrated biography shows, Brown filled England with enchantment - follies, cascades, lakes, bridges, ornaments, monuments, meadows and woods - creating views that still delight us today.Trade ReviewBrown's book is a good read -- Jane Owen * Financial Times *Jane Brown has dug deep into the archives and has written an exhaustive and beautifully illustrated biography that has been long overdue... Those who love his gardens...will be delighted with this book -- Andrea Wulf * Mail on Sunday *Robust and revealing * Independent *Her book should find a home in any garden-lovers' glove compartment , offering a detailed map of Lancelot's England * Spectator *Sympathetic, beautifully illustrated study -- Maggie Fergusson * Intelligent Life *

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Book SynopsisAged thirteen, Martha is rescued by the courts from the clutches of her evil stepfather, Jackser, and her feckless mother, Sally. After numerous arrests for shoplifting, a judge rules that she is to be sent to a convent school with the instruction that she is to get an education. Her initial relief at escaping the abuse and neglect she suffered at home is, however, short-lived, as she soon realises that there are many forms of cruelty in this life. As she says, 'You can have a full belly, but your heart can be very empty.' Ostracised by the other children for being a 'street kid' and put to back-breaking work by the nuns, she leads a lonely existence, her only joy coming from the books she devours and her mischievous sense of humour. Desperate for love and a little place where she feels she belongs, despite all that she has suffered Martha retains her compassion for others and still continues to hope for a brighter future when she will be free to make her own way in life.Trade Review[Martha's] humour, verve and inextinguishable spark of hope always shine through, which is what makes her book so appealing * Irish Independent *A born survivor, Martha is undoubtedly also a born storyteller * The Star *

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Book SynopsisBorn a bastard to a teenage mother in the slums of 1950s Dublin, Martha has to be a fighter from the very start.As her mother moves from man to man, and more children follow, they live hand-to-mouth in squalid, freezing tenements, clothed in rags and forced to beg for food. But just when it seems things can't get any worse, her mother meets Jackser.Despite her trials, Martha is a child with an irrepressible spirit and a wit beyond her years. She tells the story of her early life without an ounce of self-pity and manages to recreate a lost era in which the shadow of the Catholic Church loomed large and if you didn't work, you didn't eat.Martha never stops believing she is worth more than the hand she has been dealt, and her remarkable voice will remain with you long after you've finished the last line.Trade ReviewStands head and shoulders above everything else in the category . . . a remarkable personal and literary achievement for the author and an unforgettable experience for the reader * Irish Independent *[Long's] story is unique in its rawness and its honesty. Entirely self-educated, she narrates her own life in a way which is both riveting and moving * Greenock Telegraph *Without question the most harrowing tale I have ever read. Even Charles Dickens, whom we appreciate for being the voice of so many abused children, is left in the dust -- Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple

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Book SynopsisThe mystery man threw off his disguise and started to run. Furious stewards gave chase. The crowd roared.A legend was born. Soon the world would know him as 'the ghost runner'. John Tarrant. The extraordinary man whom nobody could stop. As a hapless teenage boxer in the 1950s, he'd been paid £17 expenses. When he wanted to run, he was banned for life. His amateur status had been compromised. Forever. Now he was fighting back, gatecrashing races all over Britain. No number on his shirt. No friends in high places. Soon he would be a record-breaker, one of the greatest long-distance runners the world has ever seen. This is his true story: The Ghost Runner.Trade ReviewA terrific story - a comic strip hero made flesh, with all the human complications that entails * Daily Mail *Tarrant's poignant story is wonderfully refreshing and beautifully told * The Sun *A fantastic story of the underdog * Metro *Makes fascinating reading * Manchester Evening News *Bill Jones used to make documentaries, and he retains that discipline's eye for telling details and evocative shots * The Times *

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Book SynopsisAt 16, Martha collapses on the streets, suffering from starvation and exposure. She has reached rock bottom, but after Martha is taken to hospital, Lady Luck smiles kindly on her and she is given the opportunity to get off the streets for ever.Before long, Martha is on the way to leading the normal life she has so long dreamt of. She makes friends, begins to put the misery of her past behind her and even experiences her first taste of love.For her, love is a powerful feeling. She has never experienced real affection before and is now plunged into the complex world of love between a man and a woman. The intense emotion consumes her, for this is a forbidden love that can never be requited. After all, Ralph Fitzgerald is a priest, and he will never break his vow of chastity. This love brings heartbreaking consequences and changes the direction of Martha's life for ever . . .

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE OUTSTANDING GENERAL SPORTS WRITING AWARD, BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDSWINNER OF THE BOARDMAN TASKER PRIZEWINNER OF THE MOUNTAIN & WILDERNESS PRIZE, BANFF FESTIVALWINNER OF THE TONY LOTHIAN AWARD, BIOGRAPHERS’ CLUBFor the first time, drawing upon previously unseen diaries and letters, rare archive material and interviews, Everest – The First Ascent tells the remarkable story of Griffith Pugh, the forgotten team member whose scientific breakthroughs ensured the world’s highest mountain could be climbed. A doctor and physiologist, Griffith Pugh revolutionised almost every aspect of British high-altitude mountaineering, transforming the climbers’ attitude to oxygen, the clothes they wore, their equipment, fluid intake and acclimatisation. Yet, far from receiving the acclaim he was due, he was met with suspicion and ridicule. His scientific contributions were, quite simply, at odds with old-fashioned notions of derring-do and the gentlemanly amateurism that dogged the sport. Later in his career, his impact in helping athletes enhance their performance lasts to this day in the fields of cycling, swimming and running.This insightful biography shows Pugh to be troubled, abrasive, yet brilliant. Eight years in the writing, closely researched, and told with unflinching honesty by Pugh’s daughter, Harriet Tuckey, Everest – The First Ascent is the compelling portrait of an unlikely hero.Trade ReviewShines an entirely new light on the great expedition - a riveting read, full of surprises -- Sir Chris BoningtonThe most important addition to the story of Everest. * Doug Scott *Marvellously enjoyable and exciting... * The Times *Gripping... finally establishes [Pugh] as the real hero of the expedition. * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis'Impressive in its clarity this biography [is] the most detailed and accurate to date. Written in an engaging prose, [it] ends with an insightful prediction of the legacy of the fourteenth Dalai Lama, and a cleareyed assessment of the challenges that the fifteenth will face' The New York TimesThe Dalai Lama’s message of peace and compassion resonates with people of all faiths and none. Yet, for all his worldwide fame, he remains personally elusive. Now, Alexander Norman, acclaimed Oxford-trained scholar of the history of Tibet, delivers the definitive biography—unique, multi-layered, and at times even shocking.The Dalai Lama illuminates an astonishing odyssey from isolated Tibetan village to worldwide standing as spiritual and political leader of one of the world’s most profound and complex cultural traditions. Norman reveals that, while the Dalai Lama has never been comfortable with his political position, he has been a canny player—at one time CIA-backed—who has manoeuvred amidst pervasive violence, including placing himself at the centre of a dangerous Buddhist schism. Yet even more surprising than the political, Norman convinces, is the Dalai Lama’s astonishing spiritual practice, rooted in magic, vision, and prophecy—details of which are illuminated in this book for the first time.A revelatory life story of one of today’s most radical, charismatic, and beloved world leaders.Trade ReviewImpressive in its clarity...…this biography [is] the most detailed and accurate to date…the book, written in an engaging prose, ends with an insightful prediction of the legacy of the fourteenth Dalai Lama, and a cleareyed assessment of the challenges that the fifteenth will face * The New York Times *The subtitle of Mr. Norman’s book, “An Extraordinary Life,” is an understatement...Mr. Norman knows the Dalai Lama better than most, having helped him to write his autobiography. His new book is rich with detail; his supple prose, often beautiful, is as adept at explaining Tibet’s theology as it is at describing its spiritual world * The Wall Street Journal *Alexander Norman is uniquely qualified among western observers to deliver a definitive account of one of the most remarkable lives of the past century. His thoughtful and insightful biography is unlikely to be surpassed any time soon -- Dr. Solomon George FitzHerbert, Departmental Lecturer in Tibetan and Himalayan Studies, University of OxfordThis is the first authoritative biography of the Dalai Lama, and his life story reads like an adventure! An amazing read * BuzzFeed *Unlike the plethora of Hollywood meditators who claim friendship with the Dalai Lama, [Norman] has known him well for decades * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis'ONE OF THE FIRST POLITICAL CLASSICS OF THE 21st CENTURY'- Observer'EXTRAORDINARILY POWERFUL, POIGNANT AND AFFECTING. I WAS GREATLY MOVED' Michael PalinFOREWORD BY CHRISTINA LAMBJournalist Samar Yazbek was forced into exile by Assad's regime. When the uprising in Syria turned to bloodshed, she was determined to take action and secretly returned several times. The Crossing is her rare, powerful and courageous testament to what she found inside the borders of her homeland.From the first peaceful protests for democracy to the arrival of ISIS, she bears witness to those struggling to survive, to the humanity that can flower amidst annihilation, and why so many are now desperate to flee.Trade ReviewPowerful and moving…bears comparison with George Orwell’s Homage To Catalonia as a work of literature, Yazbek is a superb narrator…it may be that [she] has written one of the first political classics of the 21st century * Observer *Brave, rebellious and passionate…Yazbek is no ordinary Syrian dissident * Financial Times *An eloquent, gripping and harrowing account of the country’s decline into barbarism by an incredibly brave Syrian * Irish Times *Gripping... Does the important job of putting faces to the numbing numbers of Syria’s crisis... * Economist *Sheds valuable light on day-to-day life inside Syria, something of which we know little…a sobering glimpse of the wreckage that will be discovered when the war is over * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisIt was the last of the ebbing days, the brink of the new season. It was the murky hours, the clove between sunset and sunrise. It was a tall tree with deep roots and it had been bleeding for a long while.As summer falls into autumn, Hollie Starling is hit by the heart-stopping news that her father has died by suicide. Thrust into a state of 'grief on hard mode', Hollie feels underserved by current attitudes toward grief and so seeks another way through the dark.Following her first year without her father, Hollie embraces her lifelong interest in folklore and turns to the healing power of nature, the changing seasons and the rituals of ancient communities. The Bleeding Tree is an unflinching year-zero guidebook to grief that shows us that by looking back to past traditions of bereavement we can all find our own way forward.'Starling's account of family life is riveting and narrated with grace and honesty, counterpointing the personal with the mythic.' - Irish Times

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Book Synopsis**WINNER of the 2019 PEN Ackerley Prize**'A major literary talent . . . speaks about the power and powerlessness that young women are subject to in a wholly fresh, clear-eyed way . . . you'll find it hard to come away from The Terrible without a stab of recognition in your chest' Stylist 'You may not run away from the thing that you arebecause it comes and comes and comes as sure as you breathe.'This is the story of Yrsa Daley-Ward, and all the things that happened - 'even the Terrible Things (and God, there were Terrible Things)'. It's about her childhood in the north-west of England with her beautiful, careworn mother and her little brother who sees things written in the stars. It's also about growing up and discovering the power and fear of sexuality, about pitch grey days of pills and powder: going under, losing yourself, and finding your voice. 'Yrsa's work is like holding the truth in your hands' Florence WelchTrade ReviewElegant, daring, profound - confirms her abundant talent as a writer -- Arifa Akbar * Observer *Beautiful and harrowing . . . Daley-Ward writes with disarming honesty * Vogue *A major literary talent . . . speaks about the power and powerlessness that young women are subject to in a wholly fresh, clear-eyed way . . . you'll find it hard to come away from The Terrible without a stab of recognition in your chest * Stylist *Daley-Ward explores the connection between raw emotion and the mechanics of language with more wildness and tenacity than ever * Dazed *A rare combination of literary brilliance, originality of voice and a narrative that commands you to keep going until you've reached the last page . . . her prose is invigorating, razor-sharp and moves at the speed of light . . . Yrsa Daley-Ward is an explosive new talent and this book should not be missed -- Anna van Praagh * Evening Standard *The Terrible's raw yet lilting prose draws the reader in at once. Unpredictable shifts in form and structure - from prose to poetry and script - are refreshingly disorientating. This is both a defiant book and a defiantly inventive one. -- Patricia Yaker Ekall * The Times Literary Supplement *Daley-Ward is a stylish writer, as well as an unusual voice . . . she has a knack for distilling wild emotions into precise imagery, for selecting insightful impressions. -- Francesca Angelini * Sunday Times *Daley-Ward's beautiful prose wrapped its hands around my neck - I found myself doing stupid things like walking through New York at rush hour with my nose buried in her book. -- Jamal Jordan * The New York Times *The Terrible is a lyrical piece of writing that oscillates between prose and poetry . . . Daley-Ward's lines land like dandelion spores, these weightless things that are somehow simultaneously profound -- Una Mullally * Irish Times Magazine *Daley-Ward has cooked a broth of dizzying emotions and touching moments down to a nuanced and taut account . . . there are so many flourishes of imagination and pathos here, that it's impossible not to get caught up in the torrential pace of the narrative . . .the result is one of the year's genuine must reads * Irish Independent *Daley-Ward combines beautifully crafted and deeply personal verse with impressive prose, bending the form of the memoir into her own genre -- Alexander Holmes * Metro *Daley-Ward is twenty-nine years old, but the events of her life more than justify the publication of this unflinching chronicle. -- Patricia Yaker Ekall * The Times Literary Supplement *Daley-Ward is twenty-nine years old, but the events of her life more than justify the publication of this unflinching chronicle. -- Patricia Yaker Ekall * The Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisAn enlightening anthology of George Orwell's journalism and non-fiction writing, showing his genius across a wide variety of genres. Selected by leading expert Peter Davison.Famous for his novels and essays, Orwell remains one of our very best journalists and commentators. Confronting social, political and moral dilemmas head-on, he was fearless in his writing: a champion of free speech, a defender against social injustice and a sharp-eyed chronicler of the age. But his work is also timeless, as pieces on immigration, Scottish independence and a Royal Commission on the Press attest. Seeing Things As They Are, compiled by renowned Orwell scholar Peter Davison, brings together in one volume many of Orwell’s articles and essays for journals and newspapers, his broadcasts for the BBC, and his book, theatre and film reviews. Little escaped Orwell’s attention: he writes about the Spanish Civil War, public schools and poltergeists, and reviews books from Brave New World to Mein Kampf. Almost half of his popular ‘As I Please’ weekly columns, written while literary editor of the Tribune during the 1940s, are collected here, ranging over topics as diverse as the purchase of rose bushes from Woolworth’s to the Warsaw Uprising. Whether political, poetic, polemic or personal, this is surprising, witty and intelligent writing to delight in. A mix of well-known and intriguing, less familiar pieces, this engaging collection illuminates our understanding of Orwell’s work as a whole.Trade ReviewThis selection of Orwell’s journalism is a ceaseless delight… There is a treat on almost every page -- Alex Massie, 5 stars * Daily Telegraph *Orwell’s luminous gift was for seeing things, for noticing what others missed, took for granted or simply found uninteresting, for discovering meaning and wonder in the familiarity of the everyday... Nothing escaped or seemed beneath his notice, which was what made him such a good reporter... [Seeing Things As They Are] is intended to be a collection first and foremost of his journalism, with preference given to lesser-known pieces and reviews as well as some of the poems he wrote. It is full of interest and curiosities -- Jason Cowley * Financial Times *Peter Davison gives us a feast of [Orwell's] shorter writings, showing how from such hesitant beginnings he evolved into the writer of enduring importance we know, committed to decency, equality and political honesty, who could nevertheless wax lyrical over the first signs of spring or an imaginary English pub -- Gordon Bowker * Independent *Davison, now in his late 80s, has grown grey in the service of Orwell Studies, but Seeing Things As They Are is one of his best efforts yet – possibly the best of all, for it succeeds in demonstrating quite how important hackwork was to Orwell’s sense of his professional identity... At the same time, Seeing Things As They Are is full of dry runs, and the first stirrings of ideas that would be treated at greater length elsewhere -- DJ Taylor * The National *Seeing Things is packed with delights * Camden Review *

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Book SynopsisA 'recovery' project drawing on unpublished letters and diaries, this is the first biography of Victorian Britain's famous war artist, Elizabeth Thompson Butler. She transformed war art by depicting conflict trauma, decades before its designation as a medical condition. Married to an officer in the British army, she traveled with her husband's military postings. Her art is prescient in its concern about the implications of foreign military intervention and champions the ordinary soldier and the dispossessed. Lady Butler is a story of travel and history, of war and conflict, of Italy of the Risorgimento, of the London art world where she achieved celebrity and negotiated the difficulties of being a female artist in a male-dominated domain, and of imperial travel. Her biography reveals a figure whose perspective on war is modern, whose confidence in achieving success in the masculine field of battle art taps into contemporary debates, and whose work provokes a rethinking of the post-imperial world.

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Shortlisted for the HW Fisher Best First Biography Prize 2012 "The only Western woman to enlist as a soldier in the First World War, the Englishwoman Flora Sandes became a heroine and a media sensation when she fought for the Serbian Army and pursued a distinguished career in its ranks. This account charts her incredible story: her tomboyish childhood in genteel Victorian England, her mission to Serbia as a Red Cross volunteer and subsequent military enrolment, her celebrity lecture tours, her marriage to a fellow officer, her survival in a Gestapo prison during the Second World War and her final years in Suffolk. A fascinating character of her times and an inspiration to women the world over, Flora Sandes is brought to life and restored to her rightful place in history by this biography, compiled with the help of her family, and using hitherto unpublished private papers and photographs."

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of Giles Darby, a former British banker who was extradited and jailed on account of his entanglement in a $7m wire-fraud case. In 2001, Giles and his co-defendants — branded the ‘NatWest Three’ — became the subject of extensive media coverage when the US government demanded their extradition in regards to the financial collapse of energy giant Enron, noted as one of the biggest bankruptcy filings in history. They found themselves the centre of national debate which sought to question why three British citizens accused of defrauding a British bank should be tried in America — a question that found itself in the hands of Prime Minister at the time, Tony Blair. However, after 10 gruelling years of appeal, they each pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, facing up to 37 months in a US prison. Focusing on the emotional aftermath of extradition and his life in prison, Inside Allenwood is an eye-opening appraisal of the American justice system, and one man’s profound story of how he managed to keep his health and sanity intact during the drudgery of lockdown, the dangers of routine violence and the agony of being separated from his young family in UK.Trade ReviewFascinating, dark and sometimes grotesquely comic * The Daily Mail *This intriguing look at the American justice system will appeal to true crime fans as well as those who enjoy a good fish-out-of-water story. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisIn this much-anticipated autobiography, Raymond Gubbay brings to life his extraordinary fifty-year career as one of the most experienced and well-connected impresarios in British music and entertainment. With a provenance rich in history and talent, he retraces the musical legacy of his family, growing up in a liberal Jewish household in 1950s post-war London with the challenges he faced while embarking on his musical journey after a few failed attempts at corporate conformity. Beginning his career at the Royal Albert Hall, his introduction to the entertainment industry commenced under the guidance of the late Victor Hochhauser – Britain’s foremost promoter of Russian ballet and classical music. Passionate and enigmatic, this memoir delves right into the heart of 1960s performing arts, with Gubbay absorbingly recounting both the stress and excitement that came with marshalling three coach loads of Russian performers around the country at a time of conflicting traditions, theatrical decline, amid Soviet tensions – and this was only the beginning… Setting up on his own, he started with a handful of performers touring to modest venues around the country, building a brand and a style which seemed very much in tune with the times. Later, working alongside some of the most prestigious classical and popular artists of our time – from Yehudi Menuhin, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Luciano Pavarotti and the English National Ballet to Ray Charles, Miles Davis and Andrew Lloyd-Webber – Gubbay has witnessed and played a hand in promoting and producing some of the most iconic performances of opera, ballet and classical music ever staged in some of the largest music venues in Britain, the Royal Festival Hall, Symphony Hall Birmingham – and not least of all the Royal Albert Hall. He was in at the start of the Barbican in the City of London and provides a keen insight into the early years there. Lowering the Tone is rich with stories of showbusiness and the behind-the scenes business of the great musical venues, with appearances from a wealth of household and international names. This is the story of achievement, imagination and a desire to bring happiness and entertainment to generations of music lovers.Trade ReviewA rollicking account of a unique working life and as such, hard to put down.Open, honest and funny, this book is a very good read indeed.It affords an insider’s glimpse behind the scenes and is fascinating for anyone with an interest in music-making in the UK over the past 60 years. It is told with love, wit and recalls a time when classical music was part of the country’s fabricIf there’s one thing he understands, it’s how to please an audience. People love fireworks? Give them fireworks.The legendary impresario has worked with some of our greatest performers and transformed the UK’s musical scene.Raymond Gubbay is widely recognised as the promoter and events producer who’s brought classical music to more people in the UK than anyone elseIconic impresario Raymond Gubbay shares incredible memories from his colourful careerThe legendary impresario is known up and down the landRaymond Gubbay, the impresario with a flair for spectacle

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Book SynopsisA Drink at the Bar: A memoir of crime, justice and overcoming personal demons is the witty, opinionated and revealing memoirs of Judge Graham Boal QC, a criminal barrister for thirty years before serving as a judge for nine years until his retirement as a Permanent Judge at London’s Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey, in 2005. Boal's career highlights included his being the legendary George Carman's junior in the Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe's trial for conspiracy to murder in 1979, leading for the Crown at the Appeal of the Birmingham Six in 1991 and becoming First Senior Treasury Counsel. His memories of key cases in his career are fascinating but his day-to-day experiences, and the underlying legal issues and happenstance, are every bit as revealing and interesting. Boal has been described as ‘clubbable’, a man who enjoys cricket, golf and life in a Norfolk village, but as his brilliant career progressed he found himself increasingly dependent on the demon alcohol. He went into treatment for alcoholism and depression in 1993, and has been a recovering alcoholic ever since, including his years as a judge at the Old Bailey, the court at which most of the most serious criminal cases in the country are tried. This intriguing memoir reveals the many inside stories of classic criminal cases and the author is unstinting in his analysis of his professional achievements and personal struggles. This will be an essential read for all those interested in legal and political issues and the toll that the pressures of high office can put on one’s personal life and wellbeing. The author is now a trustee and board member of WDP, a leading addiction charity.Trade ReviewWitty and engaging. It offers a fascinating ringside seat at some of the most high-profile trials in modern English legal history, together with a brutally honest account of the writer’s descent into alcoholism and depression — and his rise out of it.As you would expect from a former Old Bailey judge, Graham Boal QC is searingly honest about the challenges he has faced — and overcome. Well aware that, as he puts it, “there are few more boring experiences than ploughing through the reminiscences of retired barristers and judges”, Boal takes us through his early life and career at a reasonably brisk pace. Writing about one’s human frailties is entirely commendable and Boal, 77, dedicates his book to the Westminster Drug Project, where he serves as a trustee and board member. While later chapters of Boal’s book make for painful reading, this is a story with a happy ending. Boal recovered. Despite everything, then, [he] considers himself to be a very lucky man indeed. -- Joshua Rozenburg * A Lawyer Writes *...a searingly honest and engaging account of failings and redemption.Offering readers a candid portrayal of his alcoholism and depression, which were inevitably intertwined, this book’s appeal extends beyond the narrow readership of practising lawyers and fellow judges. His angst may regularly punctuate the narrative, washed down with recollections of tumblers full of whisky, but they do not dominate Boal’s story. Instead, they are neatly interwoven with his 30-year stretch as a criminal barrister, during which time he became First Senior Treasury Counsel. -- Dominic Carman * Reports Legal *This book is marvellous fun and gloriously entertaining. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

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Book SynopsisLand of Milk and Honey is the long-awaited sequel to Red Rag to a Bull. Author Jamie Blackett finds himself in danger of losing the family estate as his beef business encounters difficulties and the spectre of Brexit bears down on the farming community. Meanwhile he feels under threat from extreme environmentalists attacking the very concept of livestock farming and by resurgent Scottish nationalism threatening the break-up of the United Kingdom. The book is the honest and forthright account of how he copes with the crisis by following the example of New Zealand farmers in similar circumstances and successfully embracing the new creed of regenerative agriculture and switching the farm into pasture-based dairying. Through Jamie’s struggles the reader comes to understand the crossroads facing the British countryside as it attempts to adapt to free trade after eighty years of agricultural subsidies. We are also guided through the complexities and contradictions in the quest to reach Net Zero carbon and reverse biodiversity loss as he explores the current craze for re-wilding the land and puts some of its ideas into practice for the benefit of wildlife on the estate. Along the way Jamie becomes an outspoken newspaper columnist and establishes an unlikely political alliance with the maverick socialist George Galloway in an attempt to break the stalemate in Scottish politics and defeat Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP in the Holyrood election. The book contains humour, vivid passages of nature writing and numerous polemical digressions on a wide range of countryside issues.Trade Review‘Jamie Blackett crucially and eloquently stands up for real farming, real conservation and the real countryside, managing to be both lyrical and fearless at the same time.’ -- Kate Green, Country Life'a fascinating read for those interested in the countryside and the country...Well worth buying''Blackett’s engaging style and lightness of touch belie the complexity of the issues with which he must contend, and make this a compelling read.''Land of Milk and Honey is a book with great variety and change of pace. the description of rural life, its seasonal rhythms, the grandeur of nature and all its creatures are a joy to read.''another highly readable and thought provoking work from Jamie Blackett.''superbly acerbic'The author writes with admirable candour and detachment about his battle to save his farm in the face of adverse balance-sheets. As well as being an eloquent manifesto for saving the countryside from the unhappy fate that has overtaken large parts of urban Britain, this is a stirring evocation of rural life.

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Book SynopsisFood is our most intimate and vital commodity, yet too many of us have lost touch with the reality of where it comes from and how it is produced. Farm to Fork: The Challenge of Sustainable Farming in 21st Century Britain attempts to address this knowledge gap by taking the reader on a seasonal tour of a British lowland family farm to explain the realities of modern agricultural life. Drawing on a lifetime of experience, the author illustrates how our food is produced and why our farmed landscape looks the way it does. Along the way, he addresses issues around the environment, climate change, trade and why Britain’s exit from the European Union is such a significant moment for UK food production. Agriculture is the core of a £122bn food and farming sector, and Farm to Fork demonstrates the pride, hard work and heart which goes into every mouthful of Great British produce.Trade Review'This book offers a compelling insight into the challenges and rewards of farming. A must-read for any agriculture student, it will also appeal to those with an interest in their food, as well as the farmers who produce it.'For now, the battle to defend farming against cavalier politicians, unscrupulous capitalists and ignorant environmentalists continues to be waged in the media by its champions, notably NFU president Minette Batters, who has written the foreword. Mr Stanley has made a heartfelt contribution to that fight.'A wonderfully-detailed and candid account of the life of a British farmer. Farm to Fork offers something for everyone, no matter their background.''The book gives an insight into the hundreds of decisions affecting what ends up on our plate, how farming life has changed, and how it might look in years to come.''It is, at its core, a love letter from one farmer, to an entire industry.''Author Joe Stanley writes with pride and knowledge, and his book is a great read.' -- NFU Countryside Magazine, September 2023'Joe Stanley’s Farm to Fork is a straightforward and enlightening journey through Britain’s farming year.' -- Keeping the Balance, Winter 2023

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Book SynopsisFrom a staunchly Republican family, Michael O’Hanrahan’s outwardly quiet and serious demeanour concealed a burning desire to see an independent Ireland. He was instrumental in setting up the first branch of the Gaelic League in Carlow. Michael also helped found the workingman’s club in Carlow, which he left when they decided to admit a British soldier. After moving to Dublin, he played important roles in both Sinn Fein and the Irish Volunteers. As quartermaster of the Volunteers, he was responsible for the procurement of many of the arms used in the Easter Rising. Michael O’Hanrahan was also a talented journalist and novelist whose development was cut short by his execution in 1916. In this new biography Conor Kostick brings to life a man who helped launch the 1916 Rising.

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Book SynopsisThe official memoir of Margo O'Donnell, legendary Irish Country Music singer For fifty years now the name 'Margo' has been synonymous with everything that is positive and enriching in Country and Irish music. Blessed with an instantly recognisable voice, a voice unlike any other in the music business, the Donegal-born singer, despite the ever changing musical trends, has remained a star attraction, much loved by her fans, not only in Ireland and Britain, but also in the USA, Canada, Australia and other far destinations. She still possesses an infectious enthusiasm for performing and recording that she had in those very early days with The Keynotes. This is the story of her life, the successes and difficult times, in her own words.

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Book SynopsisBobby Sands was a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who died on hunger strike while imprisoned at HM Prison Maze. He was the leader of the 1981 hunger strike in which Irish republican prisoners protested against the removal of Special Category Status. During his strike he was elected to the British Parliament as an Anti H-Block candidate. His death was followed by a new surge of Provisional IRA recruitment and activity. International media coverage brought attention to the hunger strikers, and the republican movement in general, attracting both praise and criticism. This graphic novel brings Bobby Sands’ story to life in a whole new way. Trade Reviewa thoroughly engrossing read … I’ve said it before when it comes to their line of Irish historical graphic novels but The O’Brien Press play an important part in keeping our history alive in the minds of people who are even more having their attention being called on by ever more shallow forms of so called entertainment. That is why I welcome this book and hopefully more like it as the quality and subject matter of the line of books is of such high quality, they are deserving of our time, attention and money. The book also boasts an afterword by Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams who comments on the legacy of Bobby Sands and the sacrifice for the greater good of Sands and his fellow hunger strikers. This powerful account of a very recent chapter in Irish history is a page turner -- irishcomicsnews.comArchitect-turned-Cartoonist Hunt surveys Sands’ life as an activist ... Buildings, streets, and furnishings are drawn with architect’s assurance. Figures are blocky and simplified, reminiscent of historic radical political cartooning -- Booklist

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Alice Taylor remembers her childhood home – the farm with all its tools and animals, the home with its equipment for living, its daily challenges, constant hard work, and its comforts too. She describes the huge open fireplace where all the cooking was done, where the big black kettle hung permanently from the crane over the flames; here the family sat in the evenings, talking, knitting, going over the events of the day, saying the rosary. She experienced the sow being brought indoors to have her precious brood of bonhams. She recalls the faithful, beloved horses and their wonderfully varied outfits – one set of tackle for each job they did on the farm; the ritual of lighting the oil lamps – from the fancy one in the parlour to the tiny one under the Sacred Heart picture; the excitement of threshing day and the satisfaction of a good harvest – the stations, the neighbours, and later the local dancehall and cinema. All the jobs and tools of a way of life long gone live on in the hearts of those who were formed by it. Here Alice Taylor celebrates them all with love. 'magical … reading the book, I felt a faint ache in my heart … I find myself longing for those days … it is essential reading.' Irish Independent

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Book SynopsisThis book commemorates the enduring legacy of the world's most famous ship TITANIC. Her story is one of all those bound together on that fateful voyage. On board were: writers, artists, honeymooners, sportsmen, priests, reverends, fashion designers, aristocrats, millionaires, children, crew and emigrants looking for a better life.

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Book SynopsisRelax with Alice, sit and chat over a cup of tea, as she invites you into her life. See an old press overflowing with the linen collection of two generations, the oil lamps and clocks inherited and collected over many years, and the books of people who once lived here. Alice tells you of the sad loss of her beautiful dogs Kate and Lolly, friends of the heart, and takes you around her village to meet her neighbours, join a meitheal to plant trees, and visit the fairy doors in the nearby wood. But Alice’s home and community are not a perfect place: hear about the split in the local GAA club, blocked off rights of way, the donations of the local canine population on the footpaths! Visit a restored famine graveyard and hear about the landlords who once owned this village and the landmarks they left on the landscape and the people. This is life in a small Irish village in 2016, one hundred years after the Rising. This Bestselling book is coming in paperback edition.Trade Reviewone of this country’s best-loved authors … I got great satisfaction from reading your book because you make perfect sense and you write in such a beautiful way … a fantastic read … this book is all about village life and rural life and it also highlights the importance of neighbours and community and volunteerism and parish … it’s a great read and it’s that time of year when we’re thinking: imagine the Christmas stocking is all ready, and it’s a must as far as I’m concerned … the people of this wonderful country of ours could identify with her every word -- The Joe Finnegan Show, Shannonside Northern Sounda fascinating read -- Southern Starone to warm the heart this winter -- Galway City Tribuneone of the country’s most accomplished storytellers -- Irish Mail on Sundayone to warm the heart this winter -- Connacht Tribunea surefire hit with older members of the family -- Belfast Telegraphnot alone is the writing beautiful … most fantastic pictures -- MidWest Radio’s Tommy Marren ShowOne of the lovely things is that you invite readers in the book into your garden and into your house … such a positive message about what life can be like in rural Ireland … beautiful … gorgeous photographs -- Clare FM’s Morning Focusa delight -- The Sean O’Rourke Show, RTE Radio 1like all her previous books, it’s a truly beautiful read that left me feeling warm and fuzzy … of all the villages, if I could pick a village to live in, it’s Innishannon … I loved it from cover to cover … it made me smile -- The Patricia Messenger Show, Cork’s C103

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Book SynopsisJohn L. Williams draws on original research and interviews to provide a portrait of a young woman on the cusp of stardom, whose rise to fame was in many ways symbolic of a changing world.Trade Review'The rags-to-riches legend of the gritty girl from Tiger Bay' Daily Mail. * Daily Mail *'A fascinating history not only of her early career, but of the casual racism and sexism that prevailed in Britain in the Fifties ... and the strength of character Bassey required to overcome it' Mick Brown, Daily Telegraph. * Daily Telegraph *'Sensitive and empathetic ... lovely details abound' Guardian. * Guardian *'Shirley Bassey has shown that even a triply underprivileged black Welsh woman could make it to the giddy heights of showbiz. This is the story John L. Williams tells in a fascinating book: the way in which she negotiated herself into another world' Independent. * Independent *'Wildly entertaining. Someone should make a movie' The Times. * The Times *Table of ContentsIntroduction: For One Night Only. Prologue: The Gambler. Mother and Father. In Tiger Bay Before the War. The Canadian Cafe. Life During Wartime. On the Street Where You Live. The Rainbow Club. Down the Docks. Hot from Splott. Stormy Weather. Talk of the Town. Burn My Candle. My Body's More Important Than My Mind. Viva Las Vegas. Sophisticated Lady. Cruel to Be Kind. Shirley the Weirdie. Screen Dreams. Love and Marriage. I (Who Have Nothing). A Knight in Shining Armour. The Man with the Midas Touch. The Second Time Around. Napoleon and Josephine. After the Rain. Discography. Appendices: A Short History of Tiger Bay; Bute Street and its Cafes; A Short History of Mahmood Mattan and the Murder of Lily Volpert; A Short History of Minstrel Shows; A Short History of British Striptease. Notes. Acknowledgments. Picture Acknowledgments. Text Acknowledgments. Index.

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Book SynopsisTHE GROUCHO LETTERS enjoys the very best of Groucho's correspondence with the greatest wits and minds of his day. Correspondents include James Thurber, T.S. Eliot, President Harry Truman, Edward R. Murrow, Jerry Lewis, Howard Hughes, Irving Berlin and of course, Chico, Harpo and Gummo. He writes to comics, corporations, children, presidents, and even his daughter's boyfriend. Here is Groucho swapping photos with T. S. Eliot ('I had no idea you were so handsome!'); advising his son on courting a rich dame ('Don't come out bluntly and say, "How much dough have you got?" That wouldn't be the Marxian way'); reacting with utmost composure when informed that he has been made into a verb by James Joyce ('There's no reason why I shouldn't appear in Finnegan’s Wake . I'm certainly as bewildered about life as Joyce was'); and crisply declining membership in a Hollywood club ('I don't care to belong to any social organization that will accept me as a member'). No personage is too big, no nuance too small, no subject too far-out for Groucho's spontaneous, hilarious, and ferocious typewriter.

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