Biography Books

Book SynopsisHow do you teach a mother to love her child, when she's still a child herself?Jeanie Doyle nurtures, teaches and cares for young and dysfunctional mums, showing them how to care for their newborn babies, sometimes even taking the mother into foster care before the baby is born.The first in a brand-new series of books by the 'foster super-gran', Wicked Girl is the shocking true story of the very first case Jeanie dealt with: a baby girl who was found abandoned on the steps of a church just before Christmas. While the 14-year-old mother was tracked down, Jeanie took her little daughter into her own care. But while she tried to help the two of them heal and bond, the terrible truth about the baby's father was revealed...A twist on the standard Cathy Glass books, Wicked Girl offers Jeanie's rare perspective of fostering young women alongside their babies. Will mother and daughter be reunited for good, or will the vulnerable young mother make the heartbreaking decision that they are both better off apart?

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Book SynopsisAbdul is just 7 years old when his parents are killed before his eyes.As a brutal war sweeps Sudan, Abdul and his 3-year-old brother are forced to flee.Their gruelling journey across the Sahara to a refugee camp in Chad is fraught with danger, and every day is a struggle against hunger and disease.Until one day Abdul is offered a chance to escape. A chance that could save him, but will force him to make the most heartbreaking decision of his life.Abdul's death-defying flight leaves deep scars. But his affinity with animals provides a lifeline, when he is offered the chance to work with elite racehorses. Including one owned by the Queen.____________________________________________________'What Abdul has gone through is simply unimaginable. But his story shows the incredible power of sport to bring people together and help them to heal, even after the most appalling suffering.' CLARE BALDING'A lesson to us all in courage and hope' LORD DUBS, who escaped Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport in 1939

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Book SynopsisThink you know everything about the Krays?Think again.Britain's most infamous criminals: the Kray twins. The extent of their activities has always been uncertain. But now, it is time for the conclusive account of their story, from their East End beginnings, to becoming the kingpins of London's underworld.This objective account, compiled by best-selling crime author and criminal lawyer James Morton, cuts through the conflicting versions of their stories and answers burning questions still being asked, 50 years after their infamous conviction. How was the clergy involved in evading police action? What was Charlie Kray's true position with his brothers? Just how many did they kill?Featuring an in-depth discussion at the supposed claims they killed up to 30, and a deep dive into the death of champion boxer Freddie Mills, Krays: The Final Word compiles all previous accounts and then some to find the truth behind their legendary status.This is the Krays - all fact, no fiction.Trade Review'A book that reads as the ultimate case file against the Krays' The Times * The Times *

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Book SynopsisThe astonishing, gripping and long-awaited inside story of an ordinary man who became an extraordinary spy.After years of living in semi-isolation, David Rupert speaks for the first time about how a trucker from New York ended up being recruited to the FBI and MI5 at one of the most crucial moments in British political history.Including shock revelations about Rupert's discoveries working within the Real IRA - such as sending plastic explosives and detonators, hidden inside toys, to a primary school in Donegal. Author Sean O'Driscoll tells the incredible story of David, 'The Big Yank', a 6ft7 American tourist who found himself at the centre of a chilling campaign of terror that targeted civilians, the forces and Prime Minister Tony Blair.Countless lives have been saved by David Rupert's decision to risk his neck working for years within one of the most brutal and ruthless terrorist organisations in the world - an organisation whose language of violence left women and children amongst the dead in the Omagh atrocity.An unprecedented bombing campaign was planned to destroy any hopes of a peace agreement. In a trial that rested entirely on the evidence of the 'Big Yank', those plans for ongoing bloodshed and an end to the Good Friday Agreement were brought to a halt.

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Book Synopsis'In my darkest hour, I reached for a hand and found your paw'When Nicola found Buddy, abandoned and broken, she vowed to do all she could to help save him. What she didn't know at the time was that this little dog would in turn save her.This is the story of Buddy and me: a remarkable true story of survival, hope, and never giving up, no matter how hard life gets.

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Book SynopsisAuthorised biography of Welsh nationalist and activist John Barnard Jenkins, one of the most iconic figures in recent Welsh history. The leader of Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru (MAC), he masterminded their 1960s bombing campaign protesting British state oppression and exploitation of Wales' natural resources. Hardback edition: 9781912631070Trade ReviewDr Wyn Thomas was the author of Hands Off Wales (Gomer, 2013), a study based on his doctoral thesis. This previous volume analysed the nationalist militancy which characterized the heady 1960s, culminating in the violent protests which took place during the period just before the Investiture at Caernarfon Castle on 1 July 1969. Several government institutions in the various parts of Wales and Welsh water pipe lines were targeted and, sadly, there were to be a number of casualties as a result. The view expressed by Wyn Thomas in the study is that the militant Welsh nationalism of the 1960s is now an integral part of our history as a nation and should certainly not be emulated in the 21st century. What, however, is clear to Dr Thomas is that the record of Welsh militancy in the 1960s tended to be airbrushed from history on the grounds that it was not wholly academically respectable and might well prevent the career progression of our Welsh historians. In a sense the present volume is a natural offshoot from the earlier study for it examines the extraordinary life and quite unique career of John Barnard Jenkins who, at 86, still remains fully convinced of the justice of his cause to this very day. Jenkins spent his early career as an officer within the British Army and later assumed the position of the leading light within the nationalist paramilitary organisation Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru. It was he who was primarily responsible for organising the daring bombing campaigns of the late 1960s and was sentenced to a prison term of ten years. He was eventually released from Albany Prison in July 1976. John Jenkins is one of the most alluring but hitherto understudied figures in modern Welsh political history. As is revealed in this book, it was his heartfelt conviction that the Welsh voice received no hearing in the corridors of power at Westminster which were ever ready to exploit the exploitation of the natural resources of Wales. The campaigns did undoubtedly achieve a measure of success, as they drew attention to the desperate need for a measure of administrative devolution for Wales and the holding of the first abortive referendum on 1 March 1979. We are told by the author, 'After fifteen years of interviews and 2½ years of write-up, I am happy and relieved to state that I have completed John Jenkins: the Reluctant Revolutionary?' The backbone of the research is a long series of interviews (conducted between 2004 and 2019) with John Jenkins who has clearly been outstandingly candid, if defiantly outspoken, throughout, and with a number of former police officers who worked (usually as low-key plain clothes officers) to counter the machinations of Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru, other active supporters of the movement and various members of their families. Much previously long-buried information has come to light and the dark world of the MAC, with its distinctive political and social background, has been probed as a result. Throughout the author's tone and approach is highly sympathetic, a feature which may well jar with some of the book's readers. Full attention is given in these pages to John Jenkins's childhood and upbringing, his relationship with his mother Minerva and her own background, his early spirituality and Christian beliefs, his evolving political awareness, in part as a result of the horrific Aber-fan disaster of October 1966, and his personal life, including his marriage to his wife Thelma and their subsequent divorce in June 1972, and his role as a father to their two sons Vaughan and Rhodri. Later sections of the book analyse Jenkins's gradual 'conversion' to the ideals embraced by the MAC, and, eventually, his comparative 'rejection' by much of Welsh society. The immediate and long-term outcomes of the MAC campaigns are then discussed. It was Jenkins's proud assertion only this year, 'Never again will Whitehall take us [Wales] for granted'. The vigilant reader must judge for himself the veracity of this bold assertion. The MAC is compared with other contemporary protest movements, and the volume ends with a compelling, astute pen-portrait of the unrepentant John Jenkins as he is today. The volume discusses his 'legacy' and his so-called 'mortality'. Finally, brief attention is given to history's verdict on Jenkins and his contribution. Throughout, one is struck by the completeness of the underlying research and the validity of the shrewd historical analysis. The author also informs us: 'I am working on another title which addresses (primarily, although not entirely) the judicial process of the Tryweryn Reservoir Bill.' It will certainly be eagerly awaited. -- J. Graham Jones @ www.gwales.com

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Book SynopsisRay Gravell was undoubtedly one of Wales and rugby's greatest characters. He touched the hearts of all who met him, and his sincere interest in everyone made you feel better after being in his company. This volume brings together touching and humorous anecdotes about him by friends and acquaintances.

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Book SynopsisThe true story of former criminal defence lawyer Dylan Rhys Jones' experience of defending Rhyl serial killer Peter Moore, found guilty in 1996 of murdering four men and seriously assaulting many more, and referred to by the judge when sentencing as as dangerous a man as it is possible to find.Trade ReviewWritten by former criminal defence lawyer Dylan Rhys Jones, this is the true story of his experience of defending Rhyl serial killer Peter Moore, known as 'The Man in Black', who was found guilty in 1996 of murdering four men in North Wales after seriously assaulting over 20 more over two decades. In his concluding remarks while sentencing Moore, Judge Mr Justice Maurice Kay referred to him as "as dangerous a man as it is possible to find" and recommended that he never be freed. While being questioned by police about the murders, Moore admitted the killings and described them in detail, but then changed his story, blaming someone else. As his brief, the author spent hours discussing with Moore his motivation for murder, his compulsion for the violent sexual assaults, his background, his plans for further murders, his involvement with a circle of friends in North Wales and Merseyside who had similar, strange sexual proclivities, and the overwhelming urge he felt to kill. An in-depth first-hand account of full and frank dealings with a particularly vicious individual who apparently gained pleasure from violence, and an insight into the pressures of such a high-profile trial. The book also discusses its aftermath, including Jones' discussions with Moore regarding an appeal and about how he was coping in prison. He recalls one candid discussion when he asked Moore how it felt to kill someone, and the chilling reply he received. The book reveals the stresses of dealing with a large murder case, the complexity of a serial killer’s mind and the way a lawyer learns to deal with such an individual on a personal level. -- Publisher: Y Lolfa

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Book SynopsisThe gruesome stories of the hardest, most ruthless rugby players from around the world since World War I. As talented as they were fiery, many were just as lively off the pitch as on it. In our era of citing commissioners, super slow-motion replays and trial by social media, some of their actions are quite hard to believe! Foreword by Nigel Owens.Trade ReviewThe true stories behind 20 of the toughest players to ever play the game, from pre-WWI firebrands to modern-day YouTube sensations. They are shocking, gruesome, often very funny and sometimes tragic, but what unites these men is their total commitment to the sport. Irrespective of size, reputation or opposition, they never took a step back, and many were as lively off the pitch as they were fi ery on it. In our era of citing commissioners, slow-motion replays and trial by social media, some of their actions are hard to believe. Featuring exclusive interviews with some of the players themselves, insights from former teammates and a foreword from refereeing legend Nigel Owens, if you love the characters that make rugby great, then this is the book for you. -- Publisher: Y LolfaWinston Churchill described rugby as a hooligans' game played by gentlemen. And in saying so, he added to the eternal debate. Where does toughness end and thuggery begin on the rugby field? Nigel Owens in his foreword to this fascinating book goes a long way in answering that question. ‘A dirty player,’ he opines, ‘might deck someone from behind – something that in no way proves their hardness.’ And ‘Amen’, say I. Author Luke Upton has whittled down his choice of the hardest men of rugby over the past 110 years to just twenty. They represent twelve different rugby nationalities, including three stalwarts from Wales: Bobby Windsor, Scott Gibbs and Brian Thomas. Upton’s final choice is a mixture of the famous and the lesser known. The former include Shelford and Meads of New Zealand, Hadley of Canada, Chabal of France and Dooley of England. Less known to me are Bedell-Sivright of Scotland, who died in Gallipoli in 1915, Paddy Maine of Ireland, Weary Dunlop of Australia and Jacques Berger of Namibia. Upton has garnered dozens of anecdotes, some of them hilarious. He avoids the pitfall of glorifying brutality, although Bobby Windsor does admit to attempting to beat bigger packs by skullduggery. But that is typical of Windsor – hard but utterly honest with it. Just as honest is Irishman Trevor Brennan’s comment following an incident in a game against Australia after flooring an opponent with his elbow: ‘He was alright,’ he said. ‘If I was going to do it deliberately, I’d have done it right.’ Upton emphasises that his final twenty do not form an exhaustive or definitive list. They rather form snapshots from across the eras of rugby. Nor is the degree of hardness a factor. In fact, says Upton, as well as being hard men these were also very good players. Were I asked to choose my all-time hardest from among the twenty, Brian Thomas of Neath would be my choice. This is how the legendary Phil Bennett describes his first encounter with the bear-like lock nicknamed ‘The Ayatollah’: ‘He came over to toss the coin before kick-off and stood there almost blocking off the light, with a huge black eye – somehow sustained in his own dressing room.’ So, does hardness equal thuggery? Jacques Berger sums it up perfectly: ‘Rugby is a brutal game but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I love it.’ -- Lyn Ebenezer @ www.gwales.comTable of ContentsForeword by Nigel Owens Introduction Paddy Mayne Brian Lima Wayne Shelford Bobby Windsor Colin Meads Jerry Collins Norm Hadley David Bedell-Sivright Scott Gibbs Gérard Cholley Trevor Brennan Wade Dooley Bakkies Botha Tomás Lavanini Jacques Burger Armand Vaquerin Martin Johnson Brian Thomas Sébastien Chabal Weary Dunlop Author acknowledgements Bibliography Notes

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Book SynopsisThe astonishing story of Henry Coombe-Tennant (1913-89), who served in the British Army in World War II, escaping from a POW camp, joining Special Forces and aiding the French Resistance, before working for the British Secret Service in Baghdad and ending his days as a Benedictine monk! Over 30 photographs and maps.Trade Review"Bernard Lewis has written an engaging biography of a man of great gifts which is of both historical and personal value to the reader." - The Guards Magazine "A real life Welsh James Bond." - Neil Prior, BBC News The astonishing biography of Henry Coombe-Tennant (1913–89), whose family lived at Cadoxton Lodge near Neath and created Port Tennant at Swansea. Henry's mother, Winifred Coombe-Tennant, was a well-known suffragette, political campaigner and psychic medium, and he was the result of her extra-marital affair with the brother of the Prime Minister. According to Winifred, her spirit-world contacts claimed that Henry was to become the ‘New Messiah’, bringing peace to a troubled world. After Eton, Cambridge and China (having taught himself Mandarin), Henry went into the Welsh Guards, before being captured during World War II, escaping from his POW camp and making it back to Britain. He then joined Special Forces, parachuting into occupied France to assist the Resistance. Post-war, he served with NATO and then MI6, becoming ‘our man in Baghdad’ after a bloody revolution in Iraq. Converting to Catholicism in the early 1960s, he ended his days as a Benedictine monk at Downside Abbey near Bath. An incredible life and a fascinating read, this is the untold story of a forgotten Welsh hero. -- Publisher: Y LolfaTable of ContentsAcknowledgements 7 1. A New Messiah 9 2. The Wise One 21 3. Unhappy at Eton 32 4. A Success at Cambridge 43 5. The Welsh Guards 58 6. Into Battle 68 7. Prisoner of War 84 8. Over the Wire 101 9. On the Run 115 10. Special Forces 140 11. Behind Enemy Lines 153 12. Advancing on Germany 177 13. The Palestinian Mandate 203 14. Inside Intelligence 218 15. A Benedictine Monk 234 Select Bibliography 253 Index 256

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times bestseller. A miraculous true-life Second World War survival story that is being featured on the BBC's ONE SHOW (The show attracts on average a daily audience of 5 million viewers) with a ten minute dramatised documentary to be broadcast in early October 2018. A Daily Mail true life story feature is in development. Further review and BBC radio coverage Trade Advertising to accompany the release `I could see that still no one had been able to get out from the cockpit. It must have been at this moment that I thought I was going to die because I became remarkably calm'. Trapped inside a burning Lancaster bomber, 20,000 feet above Berlin, airman John Martin consigned himself to his fate and turned his thoughts to his fiancee back home. In a miraculous turn of events, however, the twenty-one-year-old was thrown clear of his disintegrating airplane and found himself parachuting into the heart of Nazi Germany. He was soon to be captured and began his period as a prisoner of war. This engaging and compulsively readable true-life account of a Second World War airman, who cheated death in the sky, only to face interrogation and the prospect of being shot by the Gestapo, before having to endure months of hardship as a prisoner of war.

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Book SynopsisEdited by Hanan Issa, Durre Shahwar and OEzgur Uyanik. "I felt the city in my muscles, my saliva. I wanted to be changed. I wanted to be in love." A young woman weaves her experience of abuse into the folklore of her ancestors. A student addresses his OCD by writing letters. A Paralympic medallist reflects upon his journey into a challenging new lifestyle. From language politics to neurodivergence, cultural heritage to sexual identity, from immigration to race, these are insights shared with great care, sincerity, and often humour. Featuring an unbound range of writers; united by their connection to Wales, but reaching freely across continents. This collection is an open invitation. It is a bringing together of previously untold perspectives: creative essays with no hard lines or prescriptive margins. No normative spotlights, only an open space to speak, and be heard. These are stories told on their own terms.

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Book SynopsisA compelling true story of one woman’s battle with the aftermath of childhood trauma, which gives a gripping account of the often controversial and misunderstood condition of dissociative identity disorder (DID), formerly known as multiple personality disorder (MPD). This emotional but ultimately uplifting journey details the unforeseen twists and turns of the effects of therapy and how it can help in coming to terms with the past and its unsettling echoes in the present. Heartwarming and lucid, it’s an inspiring tale for all to read. Through its clinical rigour, professional therapists will also gain insight into the various treatment options for DID, including the innovative use of energy therapy. The book contains 32 colour illustrations, including 24 drawings by The Girls. The star of this book is an extraordinary, bright-spirited, and entertaining six-year-old girl, called Little Vivvi, who experienced shocking abuse from members of her family. Yet Little Vivvi lives within Vivian, a middle-aged woman who has struggled with DID for many years. The challenging process of psychotherapy is laid bare, as Little Vivvi wrestles with overwhelming memories of childhood abuse. Alongside talking therapy, energy treatment, which she calls Wooshing, is utilised to astonishing effect, becoming the enigmatic ingredient that finally enables Little Vivvi to find relief from the distress and fear that had dominated her existence. As therapy seems to draw to a close, Izzy appears. A very sensitive, thoughtful and mature eight-year-old, Izzy too needs love, support and treatment to speak about her trauma. After overcoming her understandable distrust, Izzy enables an exceptional ending to the therapeutic journey, far beyond anything Vivian and her therapist, Gill, could have dreamed. Little Vivvi and Izzy will make you want to laugh out loud as well as cry. Their story teaches so much about suffering, dissociation and survival. Their aim is to enlighten, inspire and offer hope to others through reading their incredible tales, which reveal the astonishing power of The Girls within.Trade ReviewWritten by counsellor, psychotherapist and clinical tutor Gill Frost, The Girls Within relates the moving case study of Vivian, a woman struggling with the impact of extreme childhood trauma. The tough subject is handled with extraordinary compassion, and written in a compellingly clear, warm style that will engage laypeople and psychotherapy professionals alike. While Vivian’s childhood experiences and resulting adulthood disorders are affectingly harrowing, the restorative twelve-year relationship between patient and therapist brings waves of joy. ‘After a horrific childhood, Vivian went on to a nursing career with no signs of trauma until she and her husband began couple therapy. It was then Vivian first spoke of the emotional, physical and sexual abuse she suffered as a child, and began to experience flashbacks, seizures and dissociative identity disorder (DID). As the author explains, “Dissociating is something we all do at times when we are feeling uncomfortable or in pain, either physically or emotionally… in order to relieve the discomfort we would otherwise experience”, but in extreme cases like Vivian’s, “dissociation can evolve into dissociative identity disorder (DID).” ‘This tells the story of two girls living within Vivian: six-year-old Little Vivvi (whose drawings are featured in the book) and teenage Izzy, and of the innovative therapies that spoke to Vivian during therapy, most notably Advanced Integrative Therapy, a form of “energy psychology” that holistically links body and mind, and draws on traditional knowledge like chakras. The twelve-year connection between patient and therapist recounted here is a complex, looping, juddering rollercoaster ride; a journey readers will feel deeply invested in, and much compassion for. -- Joanne Owen, LoveReading.co.ukIt takes a unique kind of courage to go to deep places with a client who becomes a constellation of clients. Gill Frost has that courage, allied to the bravery of Vivian, Little Vivvi, Izzy, and others. The result is a compelling account of therapy that touches the soul. -- Alistair Ross, Associate Professor – Psychotherapy, Oxford UniversityThis book is a gift to people living and working with dissociative identity disorder. Thank you to Vivian and all her internal family for allowing Gill to share their incredible journey. The genuineness and power of this story captures the innate drive to survive a childhood that is beyond horrendous. ‘Gill’s honesty with her own challenging journey, which runs parallel to that of Vivian and her internal family, allows the reader to share her roller coaster of emotions: elation, confusion, total despair, sadness, frustration, and, at times, peace and joy. ‘Clinicians reading this book will welcome how Gill continually emphasises the importance of the therapeutic relationship with all the parts and how, when this is firmly established and in partnership with Vivian, she introduces advanced integrative therapy (AIT), “Wooshing” to little Vivvi and “Calming Therapy” to Izzy. This offers a unique insight into how other therapies can support the core therapy when the conditions are right. Gill’s respectful curiosity and loving approach at all times is validating for each part, enabling trust to be experienced for the first time in their lives. Her firm and consistent boundaries, which are at the heart of the healing process, provide the bedrock on which this amazing journey unfolds. Making the links to difficulties in adult Vivian’s life helps us all to understand the impact of unresolved childhood abuse that continues to have an impact on every hour of every day. ‘This book has captured the way different personalities have developed, how important each role was in survival, and how logical they are within the context of Vivian’s childhood. The beauty of this story is tangible on every page and I want to thank Vivian, Little Vivvi, Izzy, and the other parts for allowing us to hear and share their story. I also want to thank the whole team because this book will offer hope and insight to survivors, therapists, and many others. Through the humane storytelling, we can all, whatever depths we plunge to, know things can change and to always hold onto this. ‘“Tough emotions are our contact with life,” says Susan David, psychologist – be mindful of this when reading this book. -- Melanie Goodwin, co-founder and chair of First Person PluralGill Frost, with her client Vivian and internal family, have written a remarkable book – a full and detailed account of a successful but lengthy psychotherapy of dissociative identity disorder (DID), resulting in a harmonious association of previously dissociated personality parts. This engaging narrative describes the inevitable challenges to the therapist’s assumptions, theoretical framework, and technique presented by DID – and the need to adapt and respond to the particular traumas, roles and functions, and age-specific cognitions of different dissociative alters. A crucial component was the use of an energy psychology modality, known as AIT but internally called ‘Whooshing’. The resulting text is a very significant contribution to the literature in the three areas of trauma, DID, and energy psychotherapy. -- Phil Mollon, PhD, psychoanalyst and energy psychotherapist. author of ‘Multiple Selves, Multiple Voices’This is an inspirational book which tells gripping, interweaving real-life stories. First, it is about the respectful relationship between a thoughtful therapist and a courageous patient (and parts of a patient) with dissociative identity disorder. Second, with the subject hardly included in UK trainings, it helpfully shows Gill Frost’s responsible and reflective ways of making sense of what is happening, the hopes and hurdles. Third, we witness the hard work and integrity of all “the girls within” as they dare to tell their stories and offer their pieces of the jigsaw. At times harrowing, although never gratuitously, and ultimately hopeful, the unfolding account of “the girls within” will help professionals and survivors alike. -- Dr Valerie Sinason 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award ISSTDTable of ContentsIntroduction: Distant memories – devastated lives Part I: The comings and goings of Little Vivvi 1. First meeting 2. New room 3. Trauma treatment 4. Telephone talks 5. Greek tragedy 6. The aftermath 7. The problem with being a girl 8. Dark nights 9. Christmas 2013 10. Cabin fever 11. Preparing ground 12. Breaking news 13. The fallout 14. The three faces of Vivian 15. Just Angry 16. New boundaries 17. Increasing integration 18. The book 19. An exorcism 20. The fear of being alone 21. Role reversal 22. Mothers and daughters 23. Team work 24. Talk! Talk! Part II: And then there was Izzy 25. Black shadows of the night 26. Striking a deal 27. Out of hiding 28. Belief after betrayal 29. Poor Baby 30. A slipped disc 31. Internal family systems 32. The joy of being inside out 33. Night terrors 34. A burning rage 35. Down to the wire 36. Beyond the chequered flag Postscript Epilogue by Vivian The last word from Little Vivvi Family trees Acknowledgements About the author References Glossary Resources

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Book SynopsisMade up of over 17,000 islands, Indonesia is the fourth most populous country on the planet. It is home to hundreds of different ethnicities and languages, and a cultural identity that is therefore constantly in flux. Like the country as a whole, the capital Jakarta is a multiplicity of irreducible, unpredictable and contradictory perspectives. From down-and-out philosophers to roadside entertainers, the characters in these stories see Jakarta from all angles. Traversing different neighbourhoods and social strata, their stories capture the energy, aspirations, and ever-changing landscape of what is also the world's fastest-sinking city. Translated by Mikael Johani, Zoe McLaughlin, Shaffira Gayatri, Khairani Barokka, Daniel Owen, Paul Agusta, Eliza Vitri Handayani, Syarafina Vidyadhana, Rara Rizal and Annie Tucker. This book has been published with the support of the British Council.Trade Review'Words are one of the most powerful ways in which to travel - so if you've ever fancied visiting the Indonesian capital, this book is an initial glimpse into its very heart.' - Bad Form Review

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Book SynopsisCovering US foreign policy from 1945 to the present day, an anthology of specially commissioned stories by authors from across the globe addressing America's history of intervention.

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Book SynopsisThis long-awaited treatise on Montrose and Gamma is first and foremost the story of the five Montrose and four Gamma records, their making and baking, the hirings and firings, the superlative delivery live. Within the detailed analysis, one of course gets to celebrate with the author Montrose classics like `Rock the Nation’, `Make it Last’, `Rock Candy’, `Bad Motor Scooter’, `I Got the Fire’, `Matriarch’ and `Jump on It’, along with the entirety of the Gamma years, including the top-shelf Gamma 2, an album Popoff considers the equal to the earth-shattering first Montrose album of 1973. But there’s a darker turn to this extensive tribute as well, as we look at Ronnie’s shocking suicide in 2012, before we correct the record, so to speak, looking at his legacy as articulated by those who played with him and knew him best. All told, it’s a rough ride, with unsettling doses of negativity, but once our tale winds down, there are more than enough lessons on creativity to satisfy any lover of the arts, particularly those centred around the type of six-string mayhem cooked up by the hero of our story, Ronnie Montrose.

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Book SynopsisDon Short’s autobiography is a treasure trove of revealing untold stories and sensations from a showbusiness journalist who became enmeshed in the golden age of entertainment.  He was credited with coining the 'Beatlemania' tag. He had the scoop of a lifetime with his world exclusive — "Paul Quits The Beatles." This book tells of his travels around the world with The Beatles. It also talks about Don’s ominous task of healing a rift between John Lennon and his seafaring father Freddie, who he had not seen for 17 years. Don Short also monitored the rise to fame of the Rolling Stones and acted as a bodyguard for Mick Jagger at his wedding to Bianca. He went on to become a confidante of many of Hollywood's greatest stars. He was at Elizabeth Taylor's bedside as she recovered from a life-threatening illness; he helped Roger Moore to obtain a tricky divorce; he persuaded Elvis Presley to explain his nine-year absence from the stage; he managed hellraiser Richard Harris as a challenge in New Orleans; dined with Muhammad Ali in his snowbound Chicago home and caught up with Louis Armstrong in San Remo as he prepared to premiere his international hit ‘What A Wonderful World.’

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Book SynopsisA glorious pictorial celebration of the band's full career. This visual biography timeline acts as a reference book, including the side-projects, and documents the parallel career paths of UFO and Michael Schenker since 1980, along with Waysted. Covering it all in one mighty tome, crammed full of stunning visuals including many previously unpublished photos.

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Book SynopsisLieutenant-Colonel (Retd) Diane Allen had 30 years' experience in the British Army. She was one of the first women at Sandhurst. Sandhurst was so unprepared there were no boots small enough for women and no beds for them (a recurrent theme). She served in Northern Ireland and Germany in the regular army, then 25 years in the reserves, alongside a career in the public and private sector. She moved through the ranks into more senior military leadership, creating new intelligence units. But with each success she achieved, resistance from those in charge increased. In November 2018, Diane was awarded the OBE for services to military intelligence. But by November 2019, she had started a messy divorce with the Army. She isn't leaving voluntarily - she has been pushed out. This is her account of her time in the army; the comical, the tragic, the painful and the honest story of a woman for whom the Army will always be her true family.

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Book SynopsisThe Beatles brought colour, joy, freedom and love to a grey, post-war world. But the most successful group in popular music history also harboured hidden, sometimes darker worlds and influences that are often downplayed by their biographers. In their career, the Fab Four were to cross paths with many spiritual movements, religious groups, esoteric philosophies and mystical teachings. Inevitably, their thinking was affected by the ideas they encountered. These ideas in turn helped shape their music and – given their vast popularity – the public consciousness. Behind the Wall of Illusion examines the spiritual inspirations that the Beatles brought to the changing cultural landscape of the 1960s. --- From the popularization of the new religion of rock ‘n’ roll, Beatlemania (the ‘new Cult of Dionysus’) and John Lennon’s explosive statement that the Beatles were ‘bigger than Jesus’, Sean MacLeod takes us on a tour of Indian ashrams, questionable gurus and hallucinatory drugs. He also studies the secreted ‘clues’ in the Beatles’ album covers and films; the growing rumours that Paul had been killed in a car crash and covertly replaced; and the tragic assassination of John Lennon and the unknown perpetrators behind the crime. This is an indispensable book for any lover of the Beatles.Table of ContentsChapter 1, In the Beginning...: The Birth of the Beatles – Chapter 2, A Shot of Rhythm and Blues: The New Religion of Rock ‘n’ Roll – Chapter 3, Yeah Yeah Yeah: Beatlemania and the Cult of Dionysus – Chapter 4, Nothing Is Real: Esoteric Beatles – Chapter 5, Christ You Know it Ain’t Easy: Bigger than Jesus – Chapter 6, I’d Love to Turn You On: LSD and the Mystic Tradition – Chapter 7, Here’s Another Clue for You All: Album Covers, Films and Videos – Chapter 8, He Blew His Mind Out in a Car: Paul is Dead – Chapter 9, Ja Guru Deva: India and Spiritual Regeneration – Chapter 10, The Dream Is Over: Assassinations, Murder and Mind Control – Conclusion, And in the End... The Beatles Legacy – Notes – Bibliography

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Book Synopsis***'An honest and thoughtful memoir. Moving but, ultimately, full of hope. Beautiful.' KATE MOSSE'Superb. Love & Care is a book about the unbreakable bonds of family, the cruelty of passing time and a love that never dies.' TONY PARSONS'A beautiful, intimate story of love and understanding - candid and funny. This is a lyrical memoir of hope and forgiveness.' RAYNOR WINN, author of The Salt Path*Shaun is finally free of responsibilities to anyone but himself; single, with two grown up daughters, he is just embarking on a new life in a new country when he gets a call to say his father is dying.His mother has Parkinson's Dementia and is in a care home. Shaun faces a stark choice: should he give up his new-found freedom, or turn his back on the woman he'd fought so hard to protect, not least from his own father?Shaun's mother had loved and cared for her son all her life. Could he now do the same for her?'A heart-warming, heart-wrenching, and beautifully humane account of loving and caring.' NICCI GERRARD, novelist and author of What Dementia Teaches Us About Love'An insightful tale of care . . . this book needed to be written.' JO GOOD, BBC Radio London'A vital subject, a really strong voice and, hurrah, humour makes this absorbing reading.' CAROLINE RAPHAEL, Radio 4's Book at Bedtime'An eye-opening - and at times jaw dropping - account that will make you weep with its tenderness and compassion . . . A highly readable tale of redemption and a celebration of love's many hues.' PAUL BLEZARD, Love Reading'Moving' DAILY MAIL

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Book Synopsis'The authors of this absorbing book have a strong command of detail, context and narrative structure... the results are impressively claustrophobic.' - Times Literary Supplement'Gripping... The authors skillfully capture the fear and claustrophobia. A riveting real-life drama.' - Kirkus'Cabin Fever is riveting, taut, and extensively researched. Smith and Franklin have written a page-turning adventure that will keep you reading late into the night.' - Martin Dugard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Taking Paris'A gripping account of how an invisible stowaway - the Covid-19 virus - transformed a fun-filled luxury cruise into an unimaginable nightmare.' - Sara Gay Forden, bestselling author of House of Gucci'Extensive first-hand testimony and the authors' brisk, matter-of-fact style enrich this propulsive account of how a holiday cruise turned into a nightmare. Readers will be riveted.' - Publishers WeeklyIn early 2020, the world was on edge. An ominous virus was spreading and no one knew what the coming weeks would bring. Far from the hotspots, the cruise ship Zaandam was preparing to sail from Buenos Aires loaded with 1,200 passengers - British, American, Australian, European and South American tourists, plus 600 crew. Most passengers were over the age of 65.There was concern about the virus in the news but that was oceans away. Escaping to sea at the ends of the earth for a few weeks seemed like it might be a good option. The cruise line had said the voyage would go ahead as scheduled and it would be safe. Within days, people aboard the Zaandam began to fall sick. The world's ports shut down. Zaandam became a top story on the news and was denied safe harbour everywhere. With only two doctors aboard and few medical supplies to test for or treat Covid-19, and with dwindling food and water, the ship wandered the oceans on an unthinkable journey.Cabin Fever is a riveting narrative thriller, taking readers behind the scenes of the ship's complex workings, and below decks into the personal lives of passengers and crew who were caught unprepared for the deadly ordeal that lay ahead. It is a story layered with moments of peril, perseverance and kindness. A remarkable tale that is filled with individual acts of heroism and the struggles and the tragedies of the crew and passengers.Trade Review'The authors of this absorbing book have a strong command of detail, context and narrative structure... the results are impressively claustrophobic.' -- Henry Hitchings * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisIn her captivating memoir Through the Leopard's Gaze, Njambi McGrath details the harrowing circumstances of her life as a young girl in Kenya, who one fateful night was beaten to a pulp and left for dead. Thirteen-year-old Njambi, fearing her assailant would return to finish her, courageously escaped, walking through the night in the Kenyan countryside, risking wild animals, robbers and murderers, before being picked up by two shabbily dressed but safe men. She buries the memories of that fateful day and night, and years later ends up in London with a British husband and children. Then one day a simple unassuming wedding invitation arrives in her mailbox causing her to have to confront the remnants of a past she had thought was behind her.This is a book about survival, and courage when all else fails. It's a searingly honest examination of human cruelty and strength in equal measure.Trade ReviewImportant voice * The Times *Deliciously tart lines * Evening Standard *Compelling rarely heard perspective * FESTMAG *Cutting edge confident comedian * FRINGEREVIEW *A must see * The Scotsman *Trail blazing * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisDay-to-day struggles, triumphant success stories, and unique circumstances. A Quick Ting On: Black British Businesses takes you on an informative journey through the history (and future) of Black British entrepreneurship.With the powerful rise of Black British culture, Black British entrepreneurship has rapidly become a point of great conversation. This book looks back on significant moments in Black British entrepreneurship, exploring the struggles, success and unique circumstances that face Black British businesses.Featuring brilliant interviews and first-hand accounts from some of your favourite Black British entrepreneurs - from Sharmadean Reid MBE and Ozwald Boateng OBE, to the late great Jamal Edwards MBE, and so many more - Black British Businesses offers an important insight into how one of Britain's most influential communities continues to create space in the world of business.

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Book SynopsisNew York Times bestselling author, comedian, actress, and producer Phoebe Robinson is back with a new essay collection that is equal parts thoughtful, hilarious, and sharp about human connection, race, hair, travel, dating, Black excellence, and more. Written in Phoebe's unforgettable voice and with her unparalleled wit, Robinson's latest collection, laced with spot-on pop culture references, takes on a wide range of topics. From the values she learned from her parents (including, but not limited to, advice on not bringing outside germs onto your clean bed) to her and her boyfriend, lovingly known as British Baekoff, deciding to have a child-free union, to the way the Black Lives Matter movement took center stage in America, and, finally, the continual struggle to love her 4C hair, each essay is packed with humor and humanity. By turns insightful, laugh-out-loud funny, and heartfelt, Please Don't Sit On My Bed In Your Outside Clothes is not only a brilliant look at our current cultural moment, but a collection that will stay with you for years to come.

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Book SynopsisWhere, or what, is home? What has it meant, historically and personally, to be ‘Italian’ or ‘English’, or both in a culture that prefers us to choose? What does it mean to have roots? Or to have left a piece of oneself somewhere long since abandoned? In Dandelions, Thea Lenarduzzi pieces together her family history through four generations’ worth of migration between Italy and England, and the stories scattered like seeds along the way. At the heart of this book is her grandmother Dirce, a former seamstress and a repository of tales that are by turns unpredictable, unreliable, significant. Through the journeys of Dirce and her relatives, from the Friuli to Sheffield and Manchester and back again, a different kind of history emerges. A family memoir rich in folk legends, food, art, politics and literature, Dandelions heralds the arrival of an exceptional writer: bold, joyful and wise.Trade Review‘Dandelions is a book of hauntings, intensely experienced, pierced by occasional terrors, yet irradiated throughout by passionate attachment. Generations of family ghosts wander between Italy and England, their lives summoned from a beloved grandmother’s long memories and the author’s own wide-roaming, often poetic reflections on botany, history and language. Thea Lenarduzzi has spread out before us a feast of sensuous and sensitive, nuanced and deeply appealing testimony to migration, survival, and complicated identities at a time when such thoughtfulness is rare and desperately needed.’ — Marina Warner, author of Inventory of a Life Mislaid‘Beautifully observed and written with heart and an infectious curiosity, Thea Lenarduzzi's Dandelions parses the complex ways in which we live out our histories and carry the past within us, through ritual, food, language and legend. Like rifling through an overflowing drawer or opening an ancient photo album, Lenarduzzi unearths glinting gems of family fiction, introducing us to a shifting cast of memorable characters whose journeys, stories and passions it's our joy to share.’ — Francesca Wade, author of Square Haunting ‘In this subtle and elegant family memoir, Thea Lenarduzzi gathers the ghost seeds between her present life in England and her family’s past in Italy. A meditation on roots, inheritance and homesickness, Dandelions is also a reminder that what will survive of us is love.’ — Frances Wilson, author of Burning Man‘Dandelions is spellbinding. Like the polished beads of a secular rosary, each bearing a remembrance, Lenarduzzi's ancestral memoir conjures intimate histories of migration, love, and loss across decades of passages between Italy and England. Her redoubtable grandmother Dirce will lure you in, as she unfolds fragmentary myths with a sly wit, whispering ascolta, “listen” – and you won't resist.’ — Anna Della Subin, author of Accidental Gods‘Dandelions is a beautiful, precise and exceptionally intelligent family memoir. In it, Lenarduzzi carefully detangles a complex web of interlocking stories, which she finds to be threaded through with warmth, aspiration and hope. In the figure of Dirce we find a kind-hearted grandmother and compendium of stories both – offering wisdom and familial mythology like a Friulian oracle. Dandelions marks the arrival of a stunning new voice.’ — Cal Flyn, author of Islands of Abandonment‘This charmingly candid account of the tensions between an English present and an Italian past is also a fascinating family saga, teeming with idiosyncratic life and bringing with it a chunk of history that still conditions both countries today.’ — Tim Parks, author of The Hero’s Way‘Local dialects, language and superstition, Mussolini, Red Brigades and the trials of immigration are woven through this captivating family memoir as it chases a home across three generations of movement between Italy and England and back again. Lenarduzzi transmutes conversations with a formidable grandmother into a prose of many textures and inflections, giving us a story that is as as rich as it is gripping.’ — Lisa Appignanesi, author of Everyday Madness ‘Thea Lenarduzzi has written a profoundly evocative, lyrical meditation on family and kinship in their largest sense. A Natalia Ginzburg-inspired wandering through the life of her grandmother in pre-war Italy and post-war Manchester stimulates an exploration of home, homesickness, home truths, and homecomings. Lenarduzzi has an impressively patient capacity for acts of sustained attention: the dandelion will never be the same again!’ — Lara Feigel, author of The Group‘Dandelions is…an overwhelming success. Just as it describes many Italys, it also encompasses many books, and this unusual combination of family memoir, literary enquiry and political history is a triumph.’ — Francesca Peacock, The Spectator‘As if scattering dandelion seeds, Lenarduzzi writes discursively in precise, metaphorical prose, layering family mythology with fascinating political, economic and social context…At a pivotal moment when “but Mussolini also did good things” is murmured across Italy, Lenarduzzi’s reckoning with her heritage highlights the way history reverberates in the present. Her timely investigation of Italian identity and fascist legacy illuminates the roots of nationalism the world over.’ — Madeleine Feeny, Financial Times‘Thea Lenarduzzi’s first book, is a more than worthy work of nonfiction. Mixing the wild and mythical stories told by Thea’s grandmother Dirce — about night-dwelling demons, bloody curses and “Mussolini's modern Icarus” — with the true tales of four generations of her own relatives, she fuses family memoir and social history in an examination of relationships, botany, architecture, and community ritual.’ — Jenna Mahale, I-D ‘Lenarduzzi’s touching debut, winner of the 2020 Fitzcarraldo Editions Essay Prize, serves up lyrical meditations on food, family, and belonging...Lenarduzzi’s admiration for her grandmother’s resourcefulness and resilience provides an affecting emotional backbone, and the elegant prose delights... The result is a ruminative take on what it means to put down roots.’ — Publishers Weekly‘Lenarduzzi…finds potent symbols amid the phantasmagoria and subtly evokes their haunting power, which endows her work with a fabular quality redolent of Marina Warner… Lenarduzzi accommodates her family’s experiences without becoming obscure. Ultimately, the book’s greatest strength lies in her willingness to disturb histories previously thought to be settled.’ — Amy Walters, The Saturday Paper

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Book SynopsisA hilarious and timely essay collection about race, gender, and pop culture from comedy superstar and 2 Dope Queens podcaster Phoebe Robinson Being a black woman in America means contending with old prejudices and fresh absurdities every day. Comedian Phoebe Robinson has experienced her fair share over the years: she's been unceremoniously relegated to the role of "the black friend," as if she is somehow the authority on all things racial; she's been questioned about her love of U2 and Billy Joel ("isn't that...white people music?"); she's been called "uppity" for having an opinion in the workplace; she's been followed around stores by security guards; and yes, people do ask her whether they can touch her hair all. the. time. Now, she's ready to take these topics to the page-and she's going to make you laugh as she's doing it. Using her trademark wit alongside pop-culture references galore, Robinson explores everything from why Lisa Bonet is "Queen. Bae. Jesus," to breaking down the terrible nature of casting calls, to giving her less-than-traditional advice to the future female president, and demanding that the NFL clean up its act, all told in the same conversational voice that launched her podcast, 2 Dope Queens, to the top spot on iTunes. As personal as it is political, You Can't Touch My Hair examines our cultural climate and skewers our biases with humor and heart, announcing Robinson as a writer on the rise.

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Book SynopsisWith her particular expertise, Dr Ma in her study is able to draw comparisons between the work of Kyffin Williams and Chinese art, linking him to other artistic traditions and establishing his rightful place in the wider world.

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Book SynopsisComprehensive and exciting biography of Jim Corbett, the man who tracked and hunted down the man-eating tigers and leopards which killed hundreds of defenceless field workers in the 1920s and 30s, throughout the jungles of Kumaon.

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Book SynopsisA funny, entertaining insight into the views of a dedicated angler who has fished wherever in the world his work took him, from England to Sudan. Full of fishing anecdotes, tips and thought-provoking ideas.

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Book Synopsis**NOW A MAJOR MOVIE STARRING ZAC EFRON, RUSSELL CROWE AND BILL MURRAY THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'An extraordinary story.' - Daily Mail'An unforgettable, wild ride from start to finish.' - John Bruning'The astounding true story - from the streets of Manhattan to the jungles of Vietnam.' - Thomas KellyIT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME.As a result of a rowdy night in his local New York bar, ex-Marine and merchant seaman "Chick" Donohue volunteers for a legendary mission. He will sneak into Vietnam to track down his buddies in combat to bring them a cold beer and supportive messages from home. It'll be the greatest beer run ever!Now, decades on from 1968, this is the remarkable true story of how he actually did it.Armed with Irish luck and a backpack full of alcohol, Chick works his passage to Vietnam, lands in Qui Nhon and begins to carry out his quest, tracking down the disbelieving soldiers one by one.But things quickly go awry, and as he talks his way through checkpoints and unwittingly into dangerous situations, Chick sees a lot more of the war than he ever planned - spending a terrifying time in the Demilitarized Zone, and getting caught up in Saigon during the Tet Offensive.With indomitable spirit, Chick survives on his wits, but what he finds in Vietnam comes as a shock. By the end of his epic adventure, battered and exhausted, Chick finds himself questioning why his friends were ever led into the war in the first place.

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Book SynopsisOver his 30-year police and forensic psychology career, Dr Kris Mohandie has come face-to-face with kidnappers, serial killers, stalkers, and terrorists.With his expertise and insight, Dr Mohandie analyses and evaluates the thought processes that motivate the most dangerous people who have ever walked among us.This is the first-hand account of his work, covering shocking cases like the 'Angel of Death' serial killer, racist serial assassin Joseph Paul Franklin, and even the O.J. Simpson case.Learn shocking new revelations about hostage takers, serial killers, mass murderers, violent 'true-believers', terrorists, and some of the worst predators on the planet.***Previously published in the US as Evil Thoughts, Wicked Deeds.Trade Review'I have worked with Dr Mohandie for many years, managing and resolving high risk hostage-taking and barricaded subject incidents. He is a true subject matter expert who I depended on when critical life and death decisions were needed during unfolding and prolonged crisis. His understanding and insight into the behaviour of subjects who are in personal crisis and/or predators cannot be overstated. His book shares with the reader the detailed dynamics associated with sinister behaviour and crime that is captivating. It is a must-read for those who have an interest in the behind-the-scenes work and effort done by law enforcement and mental health professionals.' Michael Albanese'When I needed an expert to help understand a stalker, I turned to Kris Mohandie. His work as a police psychologist has put him on the scene of dramatic stand-offs and inside the heads of the disturbed, stressed and psychopathic. Born Killers? is both a fascinating and terrifying story.' Erin Moriarty'Dr. Mohandie's ability to blend his professional expertise, personal life experiences, and storytelling ability takes you into the mind of some of the most dangerous criminals this country has ever seen. Born Killers? is a must-read for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the world of forensic psychology through the eyes of one of the best in the business.' Derrick Levasseur, detective, author, and TV personality"Worrying about the safety of the Lakers fans, players and staff has given me many sleepless nights. I have sought out the expertise and guidance of Dr Kris Mohandie in regards to threat assessment, but acknowledge that the risk is an everyday reality for all. This book is a must-read as we continue to shift our collective mindset to accepting that violence can occur any place at any time – we must be prepared.' Jeanie Buss, CEO and Governor, Los Angeles Lakers'A prosecutor in a stalking case knows that jury wants to know: Why? Dr Mohandie answers that question about some of the most notorious criminal cases in America's history. Just like he did in the courtroom and during investigations, Kris brings these infamous cases to life in a way that explores and fascinates. He unlocks and explains the minds of killers and stalkers. This is a book that shines a light on some of the darkest shadows that lurk in the world around us.' Judge Scott Gordon (Ret.), Founding member, Stalking and Threat Assessment Team, LA County District Attorney's Office

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Book Synopsis'If ever a dog's story is guaranteed to touch hearts, then Maggie's is.' Your Dog Magazine'This story will leave you smiling.' Best MagazineBeaten, tortured and shot 17 times, Maggie the little street dog should have given up on the world.But the world didn't give up on her.With the help of her human friends, Maggie begins her long road to recovery and starts to spread joy everywhere she goes.This is the inspirational true story of a little dog who learned to be loved just as she is.Trade ReviewWhat readers are saying:'I fell in love with this story. It's a must-read for any animal lovers' Anna, 5 stars'This is an inspiring story, both heartbreaking and heartwarming. It shows how the most severe mental and physical traumas in dogs may be mitigated by the proper care and lots of love and positive attention. Highly recommended.' Carolyn, 5 stars'A lovely story of this wonderful dog. An emotional ride' Angela, 5 stars

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Book SynopsisTHIS HEARTBREAKING, HEARTWARMING, TRUE STORY FOLLOWING THE HISTORY OF A FAMILY IN WALES IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOKS EVER WRITTEN.'I am a proud supporter of our National Health Service which has shown yet again what an important and valued institution it is in the UK. As the first NHS baby through to her work today, Aneira's story shows her dedication and passion for protecting this phenomenal service for future generations.' KEIR STARMER'This book speaks from the heart about a passion to preserve our NHS - as powerful a symbol of goodness as we have. Nye's own experience and that of her family represents our deep need to fight for a society where all are equal in worth and value. And how the NHS stands fast as a symbol of equality, of fairness, and of compassion for all.' MICHAEL SHEEN'Aneira has written a memoir which is a deeply personal, richly researched and incredibly timely tribute to Britain's commitment to provide free and equal healthcare to all.' - DAILY MAIL Book of the Week, 22 May 2020'Moving tribute to the NHS.' - WI Life_____________________________________________________________'Edna,' says the doctor, coming to stand beside her bed. 'You need to wait. It's not long now. Don't push. Just hold on, Edna!'The birth of the National Health Service coincided with the birth of one little girl in South Wales: Aneira 'Nye' Thomas, the first baby delivered by the NHS.This is the touching story of Nye's family - their loves and losses - and the launch of a treasured public service that has touched the lives of every family in the nation.Trade Review'Aneira has written a memoir which is a deeply personal, richly researched and incredibly timely tribute to Britain's commitment to provide free and equal healthcare to all.' - Daily Mail Book of the Week, 22 May 2020'This book speaks from the heart about a passion to preserve our NHS - as powerful a symbol of goodness as we have. Nye's own experience and that of her family represents our deep need to fight for a society where all are equal in worth and value. And how the NHS stands fast as a symbol of equality, of fairness, and of compassion for all.' Michael Sheen'I am a proud supporter of our National Health Service which has shown yet again what an important and valued institution it is in the UK. As the first NHS baby through to her work today, Aneira's story shows her dedication and passion for protecting this phenomenal service for future generations.' Keir Starmer

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Book SynopsisPrison is a word which conjures up different things to the people who hear it. To some, it is a place where people are simply locked away for a period of time, away from society. Others may think it is place where torture, fear, violence and hopelessness are common place, whereas some may think it a place of rehabilitation. Then there are those who believe it is a state of mind. In the best-selling ‘34 Years In Hell’, author Jamie Morgan Kane told the story of how, after being born on the Isle of Man, he was taken to Canada as a baby and then transported into the United States of America where, at the age of 14, he was sold to an American couple to replace, as he found out many years later, a child they had previously adopted who had mysteriously disappeared. He recounted how he had joined the US military the day he left school in the belief that he was an American citizen; how circumstances persuaded him to plead guilty to a crime he did not commit, and how that had resulted in him being sentenced to prison for more than three decades. Since then, he has been asked many times: “But what was prison really like?” This new follow-up book attempts to answer that question. This is the ultimate guide to what it’s like to be behind bars in America. It lays bare the day-to-day existence of prisoners and the hustles they get up to in order to survive. It is a fascinating, sometimes shocking and raw account of life at its most brutal.

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Book SynopsisOn Valentine’s Day in 1981, a fire in the Stardust nightclub in Dublin killed 48 young people, and left behind one orphan, Lisa Lawlor. Now, on the 40th anniversary, Lisa tells her story of the tragic events of that evening and how they have shaped her life.She was just seventeen months old when the Stardust nightclub went up in flames. Her parents, Francis and Maureen Lawlor, were a young couple very much in love. Since Lisa’s birth, they rarely went out at night, but this time they allowed a friend to persuade them to go for a few drinks at the Stardust. They never came home. In the wake of the disaster, Lisa’s paternal grandparents stepped in and took care of her. Throughout her childhood, they tried to fill the gaping hole in her life with gifts, but nothing really helped — and inevitably resentment started to simmer in the extended family. As several members of her family succumbed to addiction and crime, she suffered abuse and struggled to find her own path. Stardust Baby is the heart-breaking story of a woman whose every waking moment has taken place in the shadow of those awful flames and of an extended family that toppled into dysfunction in the overwhelming face of tragedy. It is also an uplifting story of resilience, hope, love and determination — as, despite it all, Lisa found the strength to carry on, for herself and her children. A percentage of the royalties from sales of the book will be donated to the Stardust campaign.

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Book SynopsisIn the 60 years that Yorkshire farmer Roger Nicholson has lived at Cannon Hall Farm near Barnsley, he has turned what was once a humble small family farm into an inspiring success story. This book covers the history of the Nicholsons and their farming dynasty, which dates back to the 1600s. From tales of Roger's father, Charlie, and his prize-winning beer-drinking bull, to how Roger had to take over the farm at just 16 years old. Decades of financial struggle followed for Roger, his wife and their three children, but through love and sheer determination, the family turned their lives around. This is a story of dedication, optimism and heart

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Book SynopsisCLASH OF THE CLANS is a story that traces the emergence of the Irish mafia from the streets of Dublin to the highest echelons of global organised crime and right into the heart of professional boxing. When a weigh-in turns into a gangland bloodbath, the tables begin to turn on the powerful Kinahan Organised Crime Group. But is it too late to tame the beast or can the law finally catch up with the mob? Bestselling author and award-winning crime journalist Nicola Tallant brings the reader on her own journey of discovery as she delves into the dangerous underworld where a golden era of cocaine turned a brat pack of street dealers into an international mafia. With a unique insight into the rise of mob and its reach into boxing through a tapestry of confidential informants and some too-close-for-comfort experiences, Tallant brings to life one of the most extraordinary stories in modern organised crime. Following the trail from the local authority estates of the Irish capital to the gilded mansions of Dubai, Clash of the Clans: The Rise of the Irish Narcos and Boxing's Dirty Secret powers through the intriguing tale of the cocaine cowboys and the rivalries that threaten to bring down an empire.

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Book SynopsisMurder at Roaringwater is the inside story of a young Frenchwoman, Sophie Toscan du Plantier. This is a notorious and unresolved murder, where the victim seemed to have a premonition of her own terrible end. For six years, Nick Foster has been piecing together the life and death of Sophie, who was violently killed outside her cottage in the remote West Cork countryside in 1996. He also developed an ongoing friendship with the Englishman long-suspected of her murder, Ian Bailey. This case is as fascinating as it is tragic. It follows Nick s dedicated investigation into the circumstances surrounding the Frenchwoman s murder and his quest to find her killer and understand how such a terrible crime could have happened. Bailey was recently found guilty of Sophie's murder 'in absentia' in a French courtroom.

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Book SynopsisStephen Port was jailed in November 2016 after luring four young, gay men through dating apps so he could drug them to death and rape them. Easy Kills tracks Port's life and crimes and questions the role of Barking and Dagenham Police, who were investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as a result. Officers neglected to check Port's electronic devices when the first overdosed body turned up outside his flat in June 2014. They found Port had called 999 trying to pose as a bystander after hiring the young man as an escort. He was not charged with murder, but perverting the course of justice. In August 2014, a second body turned up 400 yards from Port's front door. The young immigrant's corpse showed signs of being dragged. No investigation was opened. Less than one month later, another body turned up in the same churchyard. Port was jailed in March 2015 after being given eight months for perverting the course of justice. He served just under three. Had he served the full sentence, he wouldn't have been free to murder his fourth victim, Jack Taylor. The case has garnered massive national media attention, resulting in a TV drama airing January 2022.

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