Biography Books
Quercus Publishing SAS Great Escapes Four
Book Synopsis''Damien Lewis is both a meticulous historian and a born storyteller'' Lee ChildFIVE DARING ESCAPES CARRIED OUT BY THE FAMOUS FIGHTING FORCE DURING WWIIFrom the infamous 1944 desert campaign to the unforgiving terrain of the Vosges Mountains; from a perilous escape across Europe aided by Resistance networks to three Captains fleeing an Italian Prisoner of War camp in 1943, and a death-defying return to Britain via boat, tunnel and train.These inspirational true stories bring to life the do-or-die spirit of the SAS, as they faced an enemy hell-bent on wreaking vengeance.Damien Lewis has worked closely with World War Two veterans and the families of those portrayed, accessing never-before-seen wartime diaries, letters, mission reports, interrogation transcripts and more, to reveal terrifying yet astounding feats of survival from the band of elite soldiers.If you like Great Escapes Four, why not go back and discover the previous instalments in this bestselling series: Great Escapes, Great Escapes Two and Great Escapes Three.
£18.70
Ebury Publishing Dave and Me
Book Synopsis
£18.70
Amazon Publishing We Can Be Heroes: A Survivor's Story
Book Synopsis"This memoir is brutally honest… Wonderful!" – Russell T. Davies Activist. Journalist. Survivor. One man’s journey from prejudice to Pride. Paul Burston wasn’t always the iconic voice of LGBTQ+ London that he is today. Paul came out in the mid-1980s, when ‘gay’ still felt like a dirty word, especially in the small Welsh town where he grew up. He moved to London hoping for a happier life, only to watch in horror as his new-found community was decimated by AIDS. But even in the depths of his grief, Paul vowed never to stop fighting back on behalf of his young friends whose lives were cut tragically short. It’s a promise he’s kept to this day. As an activist he stormed the House of Commons during the debate over the age of consent. As a journalist he spoke up for the rights of the community at a time of tabloid homophobia and legal inequality. As a novelist he founded the groundbreaking Polari Prize. But his lifestyle hid a dark secret, and Paul’s demons—shame, trauma, grief—stalked him on every corner. In an attempt to silence them, he began to self-medicate. From almost drowning at eighteen to a near-fatal overdose at thirty-eight, this is Paul’s story of what happened in the twenty years between, and how he carved out a life that his teenage self could scarcely have imagined. Emotional but often witty, We Can Be Heroes is an illuminating memoir of the eighties, nineties and noughties from a gay man who only just survived them.Trade Review“Probably the gay book of the year.” —ES Magazine “A compelling and hugely enjoyable memoir about a fearless life lived to the full.” —Bernardine Evaristo, author of the Booker Prize winning Girl, Woman, Other “This memoir is brutally honest…Wonderful!” —Russell T. Davies “We Can Be Heroes is a book that speaks to us all: a gripping, courageous, compassionate memoir which, like Paul’s hero David Bowie, takes us by the hand and reminds us that we’re not alone.” —Nicholas Pegg, author of The Complete David Bowie “Incredible.” —Erin Kelly, author of The Skeleton Key “Paul Burston has been there through years of gay history and struggle, often right on the very front line fighting... It’s a gorgeous memoir. I cannot recommend it highly enough.” —Juno Roche, writer and campaigner “A brutally honest, unflinching memoir and eye witness account of the most important time in gay British history, from someone who not only lived and survived it, but who helped to shape it. Indispensable.” —John Marrs, author of What Lies Between Us “Illuminating, engrossing and electrifying.” —Matt Cain, author of The Madonna of Bolton “I’m inspired, moved, reminded, held, enraged, and consumed with a strange joy. Just remarkable.” —Joelle Taylor, poet, playwright, and author “We stand on the shoulders of giants, those who fought for our rights today. One of those giants is Paul Burston…I loved We Can Be Heroes. What a treat.” —Jonathan Harvey, actor and playwright
£8.54
Profile Books Ltd The Moth - All These Wonders: 49 new true stories
Book SynopsisFrom storytelling phenomenon The Moth: a collection about risk, courage, and facing the unknown, drawn from the best stories ever told on their stages. All These Wonders features The Moth's customary variety of voices. Storytellers range from Suzi Ronson (who styled David Bowie's hair into Ziggy Stardust) to author Jung Chang, by way of a hip hop 'one hit wonder', an astronomer gazing at the surface of Pluto for the first time and a young female spy-tester in World War II. They share their ventures into uncharted territory - and how their lives were changed forever by what they found there. These true stories have been carefully selected and adapted to the page by the creative minds at The Moth, and encompass the very best of the 17,000+ stories performed in live Moth shows around the world. Filled with a variety of humourous, moving, and gripping tales from all walks of life, it is timed to celebrate the Moth's 20th anniversary year.Trade ReviewPraise for The Moth: 'Brilliant and quietly addictive * Guardian *Beautifully simple, authentic, a little bit therapeutic and utterly addictive. It is a joyful reminder of the power of the story and the need for story-telling. * Sunday Times *The stories remain very much in the voices of those who spoke them and thus retain the vulnerability and rawness inherent in the situation of one person, alone at the mic, telling a room full of strangers something personal. * Observer *The stories not only maintain their oral integrity but take on new dimensions, allowing you to ponder a turn of events or swirl the language around in your head without missing the next part of the story. * New York Times *While these tales transport us into the lives of others, they also invoke recognition with our own; there are connecting wires with even the most disparate experiences and existences, the 'I's are turned into 'we's. They fulfil our fundamental human need to communicate, learn and grow through others. * The List *One of the hottest events in town ... enthralling, funny and moving * The Times *New York's hottest and hippest literary ticket * Wall Street Journal *A wonderful new book ... Some [stories] are heartbreakingly sad; some laugh-out-loud funny; some momentous and tragic; almost all of them resonant or surprising. They are stories that attest to the startling varieties and travails of human experience, and the shared threads of love, loss, fear and kindness that connect us ... The stories here...have translated seamlessly to the page. Though they are all relatively short ... most possess a remarkable emotional depth and sincerity ... They are...closely focused, finely tuned narratives that have the force of an epiphany, while opening out to disclose the panoramic vistas of one person's life or the shockingly disparate worlds they have inhabited or traversed -- Michiko Kakutani * New York Times *All These Wonders is replete with wondrous true stories of loves, losses, rerouted dreams, and existential crises of nearly every unsugarcoated flavor -- Maria Popova * Brain Pickings *All These Wonders is divided into seven expertly curated chapters. The effect is an anthology of seven Mainstage shows, averaging six stories per show. Each juxtaposes sensational stories by famous names (Ishmael Beah, John Turturro, Tig Notaro, Louis C.K.) with those by relatively unknown storytellers, whose narratives, quite often, deliver the biggest emotional punches -- Megan Labrise * Kirkus Reviews *
£9.99
Canongate Books Amateur: A True Story About What Makes a Man
Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-FictionIn this groundbreaking new book, Thomas Page McBee, a trans man, trains to fight in a charity match at Madison Square Garden while struggling to untangle the vexed relationship between masculinity and violence.Through his experience of boxing - learning to get hit, and to hit back; wrestling with the camaraderie of the gym; confronting the betrayals and strength of his own body - McBee examines the weight of male violence, the pervasiveness of gender stereotypes and the limitations of conventional masculinity. A wide-ranging exploration of gender in our society, Amateur is ultimately a story of hope, as McBee traces a way forward: a new masculinity, inside the ring and out of it.A graceful and uncompromising exploration of living, fighting and healing, in Amateur we gain insight into the stereotypes and shifting realities of masculinity today through the eyes of a new man.Trade ReviewAmateur provocatively describes the ways in which an increasingly fragile patriarchal culture needs to keep men in their place. A quest for self-liberation, this loving and deeply intelligent exploration of contemporary masculinities is essential reading -- DEBORAH LEVYA visceral, sparky read . . . Beautifully written [and] deep and affecting . . . Absolutely fascinating -- BBC Radio 4 A Good ReadA blazingly wise and beautiful book -- A.L. KENNEDYMcBee's writing bristles with an elegant swagger . . . Amateur is as much a reconciliation as an emancipation . . . Punchy, thought-provoking stuff * * Sunday Times * *In an age when identity feels so splintered and fractional, McBee's empathy with men feels refreshing, but it's his determination to be accountable that is radical. He resolves his own masculinity crisis by doing the things men often think they're doing, but so often are not: listening, asking questions, seeking help, being vulnerable * * Observer * *Amateur is a heck of a tale, and McBee is a gifted memoirist * * Financial Times * *One of my favourite books of 2018 . . . A memoir about boxing, masculinity and transitioning. It is exceptional -- NIKESH SHUKLAAmateur is a beautiful and powerful book written by the superbly talented Thomas Page McBee. This memoir is such an important piece of trans literature to support and one that spoke to me deeply * * Elliot Page * *Amidst a generational shift bringing to question what exactly defines gender, this book plays like x-ray glasses, examining every oddity one may pretend isn't apparent -- JORDAN STEPHENSA story told honestly and joyously . . . all in an engaging voice shot through with self-awareness . . . unwaveringly honest * * Literary Review * *
£13.49
Chronicle Books Tales of the Fae
£17.09
Carcanet Press Ltd Cancer
Book SynopsisTom Raworth's long-lost 1971 book is published at long last.
£11.69
Graffeg Limited Tin fy Nghofio i
Book SynopsisRemember Me? captures the powerful emotions that these memories hold to both Shobna and her mother; secrets they had collectively buried and also the concealment of her mother''s condition. What ensues is a story of cultural assimilation, identity and familial shame.
£9.49
Bonnier Books Ltd Dynasty
£18.70
Fitzcarraldo Editions Dysphoria Mundi
Book SynopsisA revolutionary book tracing the collapse of the paradigms that have organized the world for a millenium.
£15.29
Verso Books Patchwork
£20.00
Gill Leaning on Gates
Book SynopsisIn the sequel to Seamus O'Rourke's popular first memoir, Standing in Gaps, this innocent Leitrim lad finally flees the nest, briefly sampling life in New York, Dublin and London before inevitably returning to his beloved, duller than dishwater existence at home a life which now includes alcohol, Doctor Hook and some low-budget romance.But man does not live on romance alone and Seamus needs to get to the bottom of his general uselessness, spurred on as always by his ever-the-realist father, who prophesised his mediocrity from an early age. Seamus continues to underachieve whilst struggling to interpret his auld lad's advice and watered-down compliments 'You weren't as bad as I often saw ya', 'They must be badly stuck, if they asked you', and the classic 'What kind of an eejit are ya?' all while capturing the innocence and the absurdity of rural life in 1980s and 1990s Ireland.As always, O'Rourke finds diamond-tipped-needles in bales of really bad hay, providing more laughter and stories of mayhem for fans.A gifted actor, writer and storyteller produces a memoir that is simply gifted' Joe Duffy
£18.22
Canongate Books The Healing Power of Korean Letter Writing
£13.49
Icon Books The Drummond Affair
Book Synopsis''A serious reinvestigation full of revealing background information that sheds additional light on what was then and now remains a shocking crime'' Paul French, author ofMidnight in Peking ''This riveting, eye-opening investigation of a 70-year-old murder mystery reads like a whodunit ... A true crime must-read'' Dean Jobb, author ofThe Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream ''As much social history as it is gripping true crime'' Jeremy Craddock, author ofThe Jigsaw Murders ''A meticulously researched re-examination'' Caitlin Davies, author ofPrivate Inquiries: The Secret History of Female Sleuths 1950s France. A British establishment figure. A shocking crime. A miscarriage of justice. The search for truth. In 1952, in a peaceful corner of Provence, a farmer''s son stumbled upon a terrible scene. Three bodies: a husband and wife shot dead, their ten-year-old daughter savagely beaten to death. They were all British. So begins one of the most notorious murder cases in French history. Sir Jack Drummond was a senior advisor to the British government, a household name who was respected and admired. His fame made the case a cause célèbre in France and resulted in the swift conviction of a local farmer, but questions about Drummond''s life and death remain unanswered. In this bold new investigation, Stephanie Matthews and Daniel Smith strip away the prejudice and propaganda to reveal a grave miscarriage of justice. A light is shone on Drummond''s secret life in the shadows of the Cold War, painting a portrait of an enigmatic man who may not have been the innocent holidaymaker he appeared to be, and recasting one of the twentieth century''s most notorious murders in a fascinating and important new light.
£10.44
Icon Books The Beacon Bike
Book SynopsisThe incredible story of a 3,500-mile cycle ride to explore the onshore and offshore lighthouses around the coastline of England and Wales, proving that a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis doesn't mean giving up on a lifelong dream. The Beacon Bike is the inspirational tale of one man's quest to fulfil the promise he made to himself as a small child, nestled in the bed of an attic room while the glow of Dungeness lighthouse flashed past his window - a comforting, ever-present companion. It is also a loving tribute to the coast; not only its beautiful landscape, but also the communities that make it so special. It celebrates the generosity of spirit found in people around the country, as well as the history of the iconic lights that brighten their world. This journey is a testament to the joy of life's simple pleasures. A warm welcome at the end of a long day. The fire of a child's imagination, rekindled in later life. The power of a light that pierces the darkness.
£17.00
Icon Books Delusions of Paradise
Book SynopsisWhen Maiwand Banayee was 16, he wanted to become a suicide bomber for the Taliban. In this inspiring tale of survival and self-discovery, the reader will follow Maiwand's journey down a dark path and his ultimate redemption. Growing up in Kabul amid the Afghan wars, he witnessed atrocities that no child should ever see - rotting corpses, starving families, a neighbourhood torn apart. He escaped to a refugee camp in Pakistan, where religious militants began the gradual grooming of Maiwand and other Afghan boys. These confused and traumatised children were indoctrinated, radicalised and prepared to die in the name of a religious war. But Maiwand escaped this life. Fleeing Afghanistan, he had a life-altering crisis of faith, confidence and meaning, finding new purpose and rebuilding himself. Maiwand taught himself how to read and write in English, and here tells his astonishing story in crystalline prose. Delusions of Paradise offers a powerful warning about the dangers of radical religion, and is a stunning celebration of self-determination and redemption from an important new voice.
£17.00
Floodlit Dreams Ltd Titans of the Teardrop Isle: A Season as a Pro
Book SynopsisWhen Seth Burkett answers a tweet calling for overseas players to join a professional Sri Lankan football team in a new tournament, he has no idea what awaits him. The team is Trinco Titans, owned by Sri Lankan cricketing legends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, and he will be spending the summer playing in the North Eastern Premier League. Unfortunately, he is in the dark about the quality of football, the standard of pitches, the delicate local political tensions, even the dates of the fixtures... Before long, he is fully immersed in the Titans family, experiencing everything the country has to offer him: new friendships, picture-postcard beaches, a relaxed approach to organisation and time-keeping, thousands of new Facebook followers, and a crash course in the Teardrop Isle's recent troubled history. There will be results to forget but it will be a summer to remember.
£9.49
Gwasg Carreg Gwalch How Welsh Folk Music Came of Age
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£8.99
Vintage Publishing Young Man in a Hurry
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£21.25
Highland Books No Cloistered Life
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£10.35
Pan Macmillan Classic Locked Room Mysteries
Book SynopsisClassic Locked-Room Mysteries is a fascinating collection of ingenious mysteries which all pose the question 'howdunnit?'Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover.Locked-room mysteries reached their height of popularity in the Victorian and Edwardian eras; this collection, edited and introduced by David Stuart Davies, brings together stories from such masters of the genre as Edgar Allan Poe, Wilkie Collins, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and G. K. Chesterton. In each story the reader is invited to play detective and is presented with a challenge: can you solve the mystery before the solution is revealed?
£10.79
Peninsula Press Daddy Issues
Book Synopsis
£10.44
Crumps Barn Studio The Secret Life of Mary James Welshwoman
Book SynopsisIn 1916, at the age of fourteen, Mary James begins chronicling her life. A stunning window into the lives and struggles of a household in Cardiff in the early 20th century, written by a young woman on the cusp of adulthood
£11.87
Upstart Press Ltd Nine Lives: New Zealand Writers on Notable New
Book SynopsisA selected group of NZ writers have chosen a favourite New Zealander to write an essay on. These pieces are personal, illuminating and often moving. Around 5,000 words per essay, the writers had full choice on who to write about and what approach to take, so there is great variety in the styles. Writers are; Lloyd Jones on Paul Melser (potter), Paula Morris on Matiu Rata (politician), Catherine Robertson on Dame Margaret Sparrow (doctor and health advocate), Greg McGee on Ken Gray (all black), Stephanie Johnson on Carole Beu (bookseller), Malcolm Mulholland on Ranginui Walker(academic) Selina Tusitala Marsh on Albert Wendt (writer), Elspeth Sandys on Rewi Alley (writer and activist), and Paul Thomas on John Wright (cricketer).
£16.19
Prakash Books Best of Russian Literature HB
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£55.95
Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Pte Ltd Passion Is My Main Ingredient CONTACT AUTHOR
Book Synopsis
£12.59
DEEP BOOKS LTD Tarot De Marseille Gassmann
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£36.72
Orion Publishing Co The World of Hans Christian Andersens Fairy Tales
£999.99
Silver Press My Mother Laughs
Book SynopsisIn 2013, the filmmaker Chantal Akerman's mother was dying. My Mother Laughs is both the textual distillation of the themes Akerman pursued throughout her creative life, and a version of the simplest and most complicated love story of all: that between a mother and a daughter.
£13.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Generation Kill
Book SynopsisEVAN WRIGHT is the author of Generation Kill, one of the most celebrated books on the Iraq War and recently adapted by David Simon into a 7-hour HBO miniseries. He is a recipient of the National Magazine Award, a Los Angeles Times Book Award, a PEN/Faulkner Award and a Lukas Book Prize. He is also a contributing editor to Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair.Trade ReviewThis is war reporting up there with such greats as Michael Herr's Dispatches * Financial Times magazine *Easily the best book on the Iraq war so far. A deeply disturbing, compulsively readable narrative offering profound insights into the lives of America's young soldiers * New Statesman *An adrenaline rush of intelligent prose. One of the best books to come out of the Iraq war * Financial Times *
£10.44
Ebury Publishing Klopp
Book SynopsisLiverpool Football Club was founded in 1892 and is one of the world's most historic and famous football clubs. Honours include 19 League Titles, eight FA Cups, ten League Cups, six European Cups, three UEFA Cups, four European Super Cups, 16 Charity Shields, one FIFA Club World Cup, two Women's Super League and one Women's Championship. As a socially responsible club, Liverpool FC is proud of its heritage and plays a proactive role in its communities through its official charity, Liverpool FC Foundation, which helps children and families in Merseyside and beyond, and the Red Neighbours programme, which creates events and experiences specifically aimed at improving the lives of those living in and around the Anfield area (L4, L5 and L6). Liverpool FC is a global brand and works with leading edge commercial partners around the world providing unparalleled commercial opportunities.
£22.10
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki: The
Book Synopsis_______________ THE PHENOMENAL KOREAN BESTSELLER TRANSLATED BY INTERNATIONAL BOOKER SHORTLISTEE ANTON HUR 'Will strike a chord with anyone who feels that their public life is at odds with how they really feel inside.' - Red PSYCHIATRIST: So how can I help you? ME: I don’t know, I’m – what’s the word – depressed? Do I have to go into detail? Baek Sehee is a successful young social media director at a publishing house when she begins seeing a psychiatrist about her – what to call it? – depression? She feels persistently low, anxious, endlessly self-doubting, but also highly judgemental of others. She hides her feelings well at work and with friends; adept at performing the calmness, even ease, her lifestyle demands. The effort is exhausting, overwhelming, and keeps her from forming deep relationships. This can't be normal. But if she's so hopeless, why can she always summon a desire for her favourite street food, the hot, spicy rice cake, tteokbokki? Is this just what life is like? Recording her dialogues with her psychiatrist over a 12-week period, Baek begins to disentangle the feedback loops, knee-jerk reactions and harmful behaviours that keep her locked in a cycle of self-abuse. Part memoir, part self-help book, I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki is a book to keep close and to reach for in times of darkness.Trade ReviewAn eye-opening view into a person's most vulnerable moments in a new way * Cosmopolitan *I Want to Die... has been a huge bestseller in Korea and will strike a chord with anyone who feels that their public life is at odds with how they really feel inside. Baek Sehee transcribes the sessions with her psychiatrist as she uncovers the root causes of her anxiety and harmful behaviours, despite the perfect picture she presents to the world. * Red *At once personal and universal, this book is about finding a path to awareness, understanding, and wisdom. * Kirkus Reviews *Candid … heartfelt … Sehee’s mission to normalize conversation about mental illness is an admirable one. * Publishers Weekly *Sehee is honest and authentic throughout … [I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki] will resonate with young people who suffer from similar forms of depression and anxiety. * Library Journal *A testament to the gradual nature of therapy’s cumulative healing effects, I Want to Die should resonate with anyone who eagerly transcribes every nugget of advice they get. * Buzzfeed *Earnest … clever … [Baek Sehee] uses months of (real) transcripts from her therapy sessions to explore her own depression and anxiety, always tiptoeing toward something like self-awareness. * Chicago Tribune *With candor and humor, Baek offers readers and herself resonant moments of empathy … [I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki] arrives in the U.S. sensitively English-enabled by favored translator Hur. * Booklist *
£11.69
Top Shelf Productions They Called Us Enemy
Book SynopsisThe iconic actor and activist presents a graphic memoir detailing his experiences as a child prisoner in the Japanese-American internment camps of World War II, reflecting on the hard choices his family made in the face of legalized racism. Original. Gr 10+
£15.29
Biteback Publishing The Strange Death of David Kelly
Book SynopsisUpdated new edition of the classic, bestselling bookon the suspicious death of the former government weapons expert.
£9.49
Picador USA Feeding Ghosts
Book Synopsis
£18.75
Hodder & Stoughton My Stroke of Insight
Book Synopsis''A unique insight into human consciousness and its possibilities'' The Times''Incredible'' New Scientist''This book is important for everyone . . . I love this book'' Oprah WinfreyOn the morning of the 10th December 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven-year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist experienced a massive stroke when a blood vessel exploded in the left side of her brain. A neuroanatomist by profession, she observed her own mind completely deteriorate to the point that she lost the ability to walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life, all within the space of four hours. As the damaged left side of her brain - the rational, logical, detail and time-oriented side - swung in an out of function, Taylor alternated between two distinct and opposite realities: the euphoric Nirvana of the intuitive and emotional right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being and peace; and the logical lefTrade ReviewThis book is important for everyone . . . I love this book * Oprah Winfrey *This book is important for everyone . . . I love this book * Oprah Winfrey *A unique insight into human consciousness and its possibilities * The Times *the incredible story of the neuroscientist who rebuilt her own mind after suffering a severe stroke. * New Scientist *
£10.44
British Library Publishing From the Depths
Book SynopsisThe supernatural is set alongside the grim affairs of sailors scorned in the salt-soaked tales of this anthology, recovered from obscurity for the 21st century.Table of ContentsFrom the Depths - F. Britten Austin The Ship of Silence - Albert R. Wetjen From the Darkness and the Depths - Morgan Robertson Sargasso - Ward Muir Held by the Sargasso Sea - Frank H. Shaw The Floating Forest - Herman Scheffauer Tracked: A Mystery of the Sea - C. N. Barham The Mystery of the Water-Logged Ship - William Hope Hodgson The Murdered Ships - James Francis Dwyer The Ship that Died - John Gilbert Devereux's Last Smoke - Izola Forrester The Black Bell Buoy - Rupert Chesterton The High Seas - Elinor Mordaunt The Soul-Saver - Morgan Burke No Ships Pass - Lady Eleanor Smith
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC A View from the Stars
Book Synopsis''We're mysterious aliens in the crowd. We jump like fleas from future to past and back again, and float like clouds of gas between nebulae; in a flash, we can reach the edge of the universe, or tunnel into a quark, or swim within a star-core... We're as unassuming as fireflies, yet our numbers grow like grass in spring. We sci-fi fans are people from the future.'' Cixin Liu, from the essay ''Sci-Fi Fans''A View from the Stars features a range of short works from the past three decades of New York Times bestselling author Cixin Liu''s prolific career, putting his nonfiction essays and short stories side-by-side for the first time. This collection includes essays and interviews that shed light on Liu''s experiences as a reader, writer, and lover of science fiction throughout his life, as well as short fiction that gives glimpses into the evolution of his imaginative voice over the years.
£9.49
Pan Macmillan If Only They Could Talk
Book SynopsisSeason two of the hit TV adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small is now showing on Channel 5, featuring Sam West as Siegfried Farnon.'James Herriot's books have had a lasting and profound effect on my life' Amanda OwenThis beautiful Macmillan Collector's Library edition of If Only They Could Talk features an afterword by Yorkshire Shepherdess and author Amanda Owen. To young James Herriot, fresh out of veterinary college, Yorkshire appears to offer an idyllic pocket of rural life in a rapidly changing world. But even life in the sleepy village of Darrowby has its challenges: from his new colleagues, brothers Siegfried and Tristan Farnon, to herds of semi-feral cattle and gruff farmers with incomprehensible accents.Heart-breaking and hilarious in equal measure, If Only They Could Talk is the first volume of classic memoirs which chronicle James Herriot's first years as country vet in the 1930's.This beautiful Macmillan Collector's Library edition of If Only They Could Talk features an afterword by Yorkshire Shepherdess and author Amanda Owen.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.Trade ReviewBulls with sunstroke, pigs on the run and a cake-eating Peke with a betting habit . . . I grew up reading James Herriot's book and I'm delighted that thirty years on they are still every bit as charming, heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny as they were then. -- Kate HumbleIt’s a pleasure to be in James Herriot’s company. * Observer *After an evening among his tales, anyone with as much as a dog or a budgerigar will feel he should move to Darrowby at once. * Yorkshire Post *
£10.44
Princeton University Press The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2015 One of The Independent's Best Books of 2014 One of South China Morning Post's Best Books of 2014 One of The Globe and Mail 75 Book Ideas for Christmas 2014 "This collection contains many of the most-loved fairy tales in the history of the form ... The book is a classic, formed like a mosaic of precious small pieces, each one glinting with its own color and character, glass and crystalline, but somehow hard, unyielding."--Marina Warner, New York Review of Books "[A] faithful translation--accompanied by striking black-and-white illustrations, evocative of shadow theatre, by Andrea Dezso... [T]he Grimms are spare, spinning the tales into beautifully wrought short stories."--Francesca Wade, Times Literary Supplement "This new translation ... allows those without German expertise a chance to re-experience familiar stories in all their original Hemingwayesque terseness."--Michael Dirda, Washington Post "[T]he new Zipes translation of the first edition, with all its notes and annotations, is a must, a treasure for anyone with a serious interest in fairy tales, the motifs of which linger perpetually in the collective mind."--Carmel Bird, Sydney Morning Herald "Thoroughly engaging, Zipes' translations into colloquial American English breathe life into these stories. Award-winning artist Andrea Dezso's cut-paper black and white illustrations capture the essence of this strange and enchanting world that will entice fans of mystical realms and those interested in better understanding the Grimms' enduring influence on literature."--Barbara Basbanes Richter, Fine Books & Collections "[M]agnificent ... what makes this newly released original volume especially enchanting are the breathtaking illustrations by Romanian-born artist Andrea Dezso."--Maria Popova, Brain Pickings "Zipes, who edited and translated the new collection, has done splendid work, first in arguing for the early tales' significance... Zipes' most important achievement, though, is simply putting the complete, uncensored tales before readers to judge for themselves... The Original Folk and Fairy Tales--beautifully illustrated by Andrea Dezso, by the way--isn't the Disneyfied version of the Brothers Grimm that we all grew up with. But for readers whose tastes lean more to, say, Tim Burton, wading into the collection might feel like stumbling into an agreeably dark and Gothic forest."--Doug Childers, Richmond Times-Dispatch "Never before published in English, the first edition of the Brothers Grimms' tales reveals an unsanitised version of the stories that have been told at bedtime for more than 200 years... His version of the original 156 stories ... shows a very different side to the well-known tales, as well as including some gruesome new additions."--Alison Flood, The Guardian "[R]emarkable... Zipes's introduction ... is illuminating... This is the uncut Brothers Grimm: shocking, funny, and at times downright weird."--Rebecca K. Morrison, Independent "[B]eguiling collections that are both a showcase of the enduring fascination with tales of the marvelous and strange and a celebration of those scholars who continue to research the realm of folklore. They unearth gems, and further our understanding of the stories and storytellers' place in the cultural history of their respective countries and, more broadly, in the universal human need to tell and listen to stories... The rewards of these collections are irresistible."--Rebecca K. Morrison, Independent "The new book, published by Princeton University Press, offers a fascinating insight into how the collection has changed with the times."--Nick Enoch, Mail Online "Think you know fairy tales? Be prepared for a nasty shock."--Andrew Donaldson, Rand Daily Mail "Zipes has produced the inaugural English translation of the two original volumes in a gutsy, robust style--warts-and-all."--Marguerite Johnson, The Conversation "A far more unsettling, exhilarating, oral and adult encounter than you might expect of 'fairy stories.'"--Arifa Akbar, Independent "Who wouldn't want to read a story called The Singing Bone? 156 fables--their collected works--newly translated but easily just as creepy and weird."--Globe and Mail "Zipes's translation of the first edition of the collection by the Brothers Grimm is a wonderful addition to the material available in English."--Rowan Williams, New Statesman "As nature, admittedly sharp in tooth, claw and thorn, intended."--James Kidd, South China Morning Post "With Disney's adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's fairy tale mash-up musical Into the Woods finding a wide, wide-smiling reception at the box office, it's the perfect time to consider the source: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's dark and stormy tales... Andrea Dezso's illustrations--black-and-white, woodcut-like silhouettes--add the right note of eerie timelessness to these wondrous, wondrously strange yarns."--Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer "[T]hese unexpurgated Grimms' stories are really for older readers who want to delve into the strange stuff that is German folk tales. Deszo's black and white cut-paper illustrations convey a world in which boundaries between the practical and improbable are as fluid and shifting as a dream. 'The miraculous makes self-evident what is wrong with the real world,' writes Zipes in his learned, accessible introduction, and that's as good a key as any by which to enter this extraordinary territory."--Deirdre Baker, Toronto Star "The venerable Jack Zipes, one of the shiniest scholars in fairy tale studies, has brought us a lovely treat, which is a new translation of the first edition of the Grimm Fairy Tales, decorated with wonderfully creepy illustrations by Andrea Dezso... It's an excellent little book. If not a replacement for whatever illustrated fairy tale collection you had as a child, it's certainly a valuable addition to the library of a fairytale-loving child or adult."--Reading the End "The U.S.'s most prolific and deeply insightful fairy tales scholar, Zipes offers a keen and sophisticated, fresh and colloquia, first-time translation--complete with discerning introduction--of the Grimm's original two-volume opus of 156 stories, first published in 1812 and 1815."--Choice "Jack Zipes's new translation of the original two volumes of the Grimm Brothers' fairy tales is a revelation... I know I'll be going back to this book, time and again in the years to come."--Benjamin Read, Books To Look For "[A]ccepted as probably the world's greatest authority on the Grimms and fairy tales in general, Zipes is well qualified to redress the common perception of the brothers' published works."--Kevin Murphy, Magonia "Zipes puts forth expert and readable analysis and thoughts on the Grimms, and provides an excellent critical starting point to foster interest in the brothers' history and continuing legacy."--Sam Harby, Nudge Books "[The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm: The Complete First Edition] tempts like the devil to read the tales again, gasp at their brazen heroes, and wander their forest paths."--Willis Goth Regier, World Literature Today "What a treat these stories are, presented to readers now with [Jack Zipes'] masterful translations. The tales are, in turn, moving, brutal, and always unequivocally plainspoken, a refreshing thing to read after so many edited versions. The book also includes exquisite black-and-white cut-paper illustrations from visual artist Andrea Dezso."--Julie Danielson, Kirkus "It's one thing to read Zipes's erudite commentary on the tales, and quite another to discover these differences for oneself in the reading experience, and thus I encourage folklorists, fairy-tale scholars, and lay readers alike to peruse the pages of the first edition of the Grimms' tales. The illustrations by Andrea Dezso--stark, simple, and beautiful--are an additional treat."--Jeana Jorgensen, Journal of Folklore ResearchTable of ContentsList of Figures xv Acknowledgments xvii Introduction: Rediscovering the Original Tales of the Brothers Grimm xix Note on the Text and Translation xlv VOLUME I PREFACE TO VOLUME I 3 1. The Frog King, or Iron Henry (Der Froschkonig oder der eiserne Heinrich) 13 2. The Companionship of the Cat and Mouse (Katz und Maus in Gesellschaft) 16 3. The Virgin Mary's Child (Marienkind) 17 4. Good Bowling and Card Playing (Gut Kegel-und Kartenspiel) 21 5. The Wolf and the Seven Kids (Der Wolf und die sieben jungen Geisslein) 23 6. The Nightingale and the Blindworm (Von der Nachtigall und der Blindschleiche) 25 7. The Stolen Pennies (Von dem gestohlenen Heller) 26 8. The Hand with the Knife (Die Hand mit dem Messer) 26 9. The Twelve Brothers (Die zwolf Bruder) 27 10. Riffraff (Das Lumpengesindel) 32 11. Little Brother and Little Sister (Bruderchen und Schwesterchen) 34 12. Rapunzel (Rapunzel) 37 13. The Three Little Men in the Forest (Die drei Mannlein im Walde) 40 14. Nasty Flax Spinning (Von dem bosen Flachsspinnen) 42 15. Hansel and Gretel (Hansel und Gretel) 43 16. Herr Fix-It-Up (Herr Fix und Fertig) 49 17. The White Snake (Die weisse Schlange) 53 18. The Journey of the Straw, the Coal, and the Bean (Strohhalm, Kohle und Bohne auf der Reise) 55 19. The Fisherman and His Wife (Von den Fischer und siine Fru) 56 20. A Story about a Brave Tailor (Von einem tapfern Schneider) 62 21. Cinderella (Aschenputtel) 69 22. How Some Children Played at Slaughtering (Wie Kinder Schlachtens mit einander gespielt haben) 77 23. The Little Mouse, the Little Bird, and the Sausage (Von dem Mauschen, Vogelchen und der Bratwurst) 79 24. Mother Holle (Frau Holle) 81 25. The Three Ravens (Die drei Raben) 83 26. Little Red Cap (Rothkappchen) 85 27. Death and the Goose Boy (Der Tod und der Ganshirt) 88 28. The Singing Bone (Der singende Knochen) 89 29. The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs (Von dem Teufel mit drei goldenen Haaren) 92 30. Little Louse and Little Flea (Lauschen und Flohchen) 97 31. Maiden without Hands (Madchen ohne Hande) 99 32. Clever Hans (Der gescheidte Hans) 103 33. Puss in Boots (Der gestiefelte Kater) 110 34. Hans's Trina (Hansens Trine) 115 35. The Sparrow and His Four Children (Der Sperling und seine vier Kinder) 116 36. The Little Magic Table, the Golden Donkey, and the Club in the Sack (Von dem Tischgen deck dich, dem Goldesel und dem Knuppel in dem Sack) 119 37. The Tablecloth, the Knapsack, the Cannon Hat, and the Horn (Von der Serviette, dem Tornister, dem Kanonenhutlein und dem Horn) 126 38. Mrs. Fox (Von der Frau Fuchsin) 129 39. The Elves (Von den Wichtelmannern) 132 About the Shoemaker for Whom They Did the Work (Von dem Schuster, dem sie die Arbeit gemacht) 132 About a Servant Girl Who Acted as Godmother (Von einem Dienstmadchen, das Gevatter bei ihnen gestanden) 133 About a Woman Whose Child They Had Exchanged (Von einer Frau, der sie das Kind vertauscht haben) 133 40. The Robber Bridegroom (Der Rauberbrautigam) 135 41. Herr Korbes (Herr Korbes) 137 42. The Godfather (Der Herr Gevatter) 138 43. The Strange Feast (Die wunderliche Gasterei) 141 44. Godfather Death (Der Gevatter Tod) 142 45. The Wandering of Thumbling, the Tailor's Son (Des Schneiders Daumerling Wanderschaft) 143 46. Fitcher's Bird (Fitchers Vogel) 146 47. The Juniper Tree (Van den Machandel-Boom) 148 48. Old Sultan (Der alte Sultan) 158 49. The Six Swans (Die sechs Schwane) 159 50. Briar Rose (Dornroschen) 162 51. The Foundling (Vom Fundevogel) 165 52. King Thrushbeard (Konig Drosselbart) 167 53. Little Snow White (Sneewittchen [Schneeweisschen]) 170 54. Simple Hans (Hans Dumm) 178 55. Rumpelstiltskin (Rumpelstilzchen) 181 56. Sweetheart Roland (Der liebste Roland) 182 57. The Golden Bird (Vom goldenen Vogel) 185 58. Loyal Godfather Sparrow (Vom treuen Gevatter Sperling) 191 59. Prince Swan (Prinz Schwan) 194 60. The Golden Egg (Das Goldei) 197 61. The Tailor Who Soon Became Rich (Von dem Schneider, der bald reich wurde) 199 62. Bluebeard (Blaubart) 202 63. The Golden Children (Goldkinder) 205 64. The Simpleton (Von dem Dummling) 207 The White Dove (Die weisse Taube) 207 The Queen Bee (Die Bienenkonigin) 208 The Three Feathers (Die drei Federn) 210 The Golden Goose (Die goldene Gans) 212 65. All Fur (Allerleirauh) 216 66. Hurleburlebutz (Hurleburlebutz) 220 67. The King with the Lion (Der Konig mit dem Lowen) 223 68. The Summer and the Winter Garden (Von dem Sommer-und Wintergarten) 225 69. Jorinda and Joringel ( Jorinde und Joringel) 227 70. Okerlo (Der Okerlo) 230 71. Princess Mouseskin (Prinzessin Mausehaut) 233 72. The Pear Refused to Fall (Das Birnli will nit fallen) 234 73. The Castle of Murder (Das Mordschloss) 236 74. Johannes Waterspring and Caspar Waterspring (Von Johannes-Wassersprung und Caspar-Wassersprung) 238 75. The Bird Phoenix (Vogel Phonix) 241 76. The Carnation (Die Nelke) 242 77. The Carpenter and the Turner (Vom Schreiner und Drechsler) 244 78. The Old Grandfather and the Grandson (Der alte Grossvater und der Enkel) 245 79. The Water Nixie (Die Wassernix) 246 80. The Death of Little Hen (Von dem Tod des Huhnchens) 246 81. The Blacksmith and the Devil (Der Schmidt und der Teufel) 248 82. The Three Sisters (Die drei Schwestem) 251 83. The Poor Maiden (Das arme Madchen) 262 84. The Mother-in-Law (Die Schwiegermutter) 263 85. Fragments (Fragmente) 264 Snowflower (Schneeblume) 264 The Princess with the Louse (Prinzessin mit der Laus) 264 Prince Johannes (Vom Prinz Johannes) 265 The Good Cloth (Der gute Lappen) 265 86. The Fox and the Geese (Der Fuchs und die Ganse) 265 VOLUME II PREFACE TO VOLUME II 269 1. The Poor Man and the Rich Man (Der Arme und der Reiche) 274 2. The Singing, Springing Lark (Das singende, springende Loweneckerchen) 277 3. The Goose Girl (Die Gansemagd) 283 4. The Young Giant (Von einem jungen Riesen) 289 5. The Gnome (Dat Erdmanneken) 297 6. The King of the Golden Mountain (Der Konig vom goldenen Berg) 301 7. The Raven (Die Rabe) 307 8. The Clever Farmer's Daughter (Die kluge Bauemtochter) 313 9. The Genie in the Glass (Der Geist im Glas) 316 10. The Three Little Birds (De drei Vugelkens) 319 11. The Water of Life (Das Wasser des Lebens) 324 12. Doctor Know-It-All (Doctor Allwissend) 329 13. The Frog Prince (Der Froschprinz) 331 14. The Devil's Sooty Brother (Des Teufels russiger Bruder) 333 15. The Devil in the Green Coat (Der Teufel Grunrock) 337 16. The Wren and the Bear (Der Zaunkonig und der Bar) 340 17. The Sweet Porridge (Vom sussen Brei) 343 18. The Faithful Animals (Die treuen Thiere) 343 19. Tales about Toads (Mahrchen von der Unke) 347 20. The Poor Miller's Apprentice and the Cat (Der arme Mullerbursch und das Katzchen) 348 21. The Crows (Die Krahen) 351 22. Hans My Hedgehog (Hans mein Igel) 354 23. The Little Shroud (Das Todtenhemdchen) 360 24. The Jew in the Thornbush (Der Jud' im Dorn) 360 25. The Expert Huntsman (Der gelernte Jager) 363 26. The Fleshing Flail from Heaven (Der Dresschpflegel vom Himmel) 368 27. The Children of the Two Kings (De beiden Kunnigeskinner) 369 28. The Clever Little Tailor (Vom klugen Schneiderlein) 377 29. The Bright Sun Will Bring It to Light (Die klare Sonne bringt's an den Tag) 380 30. The Blue Light (Das blaue Licht) 383 31. The Stubborn Child (Von einem eigensinnigen Kinde) 386 32. The Three Army Surgeons (Die drei Feldscherer) 386 33. The Lazy One and the Industrious One (Der Faule und der Fleissige) 389 34. The Three Journeymen (Die drei Handwerksburschen) 390 35. The Heavenly Wedding (Die himmlische Hochzeit) 394 36. The Long Nose (Die lange Nase) 395 37. The Old Woman in the Forest (Die Alte im Wald) 401 38. The Three Brothers (Die drei Bruder) 403 39. The Devil and His Grandmother (Der Teufel und seine Grossmutter) 405 40. Faithful Ferdinand and Unfaithful Ferdinand (Ferenand getru und Ferenand ungetru) 408 41. The Iron Stove (Der Eisen-Ofen) 413 42. The Lazy Spinner (Die faule Spinnerin) 418 43. The Lion and the Frog (Der Lowe und der Frosch) 420 44. The Soldier and the Carpenter (Der Soldat und der Schreiner) 422 45. Pretty Katrinelya and Pif-Paf-Poltree (Die schone Katrinelje und Pif, Paf, Poltrie) 428 46. The Fox and the Horse (Der Fuchs und das Pferd) 430 47. The Worn-out Dancing Shoes (Die zertanzten Schuhe) 431 48. The Six Servants (Die sechs Diener) 435 49. The White Bride and the Black Bride (Die weisse und schwarze Braut) 440 50. The Wild Man (De wilde Mann) 444 51. The Three Black Princesses (De drei schwatten Princessinnen) 448 52. Knoist and His Three Sons (Knoist un sine dre Suhne) 450 53. The Maiden from Brakel (Dat Maken von Brakel) 450 54. The Domestic Servants (Das Hausgesinde) 451 55. Little Lamb and Little Fish (Das Lammchen und Fischchen) 452 56. Sesame Mountain (Simeliberg) 454 57. The Children of Famine (Die Kinder in Hungersnoth) 456 58. The Little Donkey (Das Eselein) 456 59. The Ungrateful Son (Der undankbare Sohn) 461 60. The Turnip (Die Rube) 461 61. The Rejuvenated Little Old Man (Das junggegluhte Mannlein) 464 62. The Animals of the Lord and the Devil (Des Herrn und des Teufels Gethier) 466 63. The Beam (Der Hahnenbalken) 467 64. The Old Beggar Woman (Die alte Bettelfrau) 467 65. The Three Lazy Sons (Die drei Faulen) 468 66. Saint Solicitous (Die heilige Frau Kummerniss) 469 67. The Tale about the Land of Cockaigne (Das Marchen vom Schlauaffenland) 469 68. The Tall Tale from Ditmarsh (Das Dietmarsische Lugen-Marchen) 470 69. A Tale with a Riddle (Rathsel-Marchen) 471 70. The Golden Key (Der goldene Schlussel) 471 List of Contributors and Informants 475 Notes to Volumes I and II 479 Index of Tales 517
£16.19
Headline Publishing Group Greenlights
Book SynopsisFrom the Academy Award-winning actor, an unconventional memoir filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction.I''ve been in this life for fifty years, been trying to work out its riddle for forty-two, and been keeping diaries of clues to that riddle for the last thirty-five. Notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less. How to be a good man. How to have meaning in life. How to be more me.Recently, I worked up the courage to sit down with those diaries. I found stories I experienced, lessons I learned and forgot, poems, prayers, prescriptions, beliefs about what matters, some great photographs, and a whole bunch of bumper stickers. I found a reliable theme, an approach to living that gave me more satisfaction, at thTrade ReviewUnflinchingly honest and remarkably candid, Matthew McConaughey's book invites us to grapple with the lessons of his life as he did - and to see that the point was never to win, but to understand. * Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck *McConaughey is a talented actor and a fine writer, but a total genius at living. He attacks life with an exhilarating ferocity. This is a wildly unexpected and delightful book you can't just read, you have to experience. * Lawrence Wright, author of The End of October *It shouldn't surprise you that this book is good, but it will surprise you just how good it is. Wise and entertaining, this is an inspiring memoir and how-to from one of the great outlaw philosophers and artists of our time. * Ryan Holiday, author of The Daily Stoic *A Renaissance man on the big screen, McConaughey shows he is the same on the page. Mystical and spiritual but mostly just wonderful, Greenlights is an inspired memoir that celebrates the idea that it's the journey rather than the destination that will fulfill us. * Michael Connelly, author of Fair Warning *Written with great intensity and rare candor, Greenlights is a whirlwind of wisdom that's as singular and fervent as its author. Read the book, experience the behind-the-scenes adventures, then pursue your own greenlights full throttle. * Shaka Smart, head coach, men’s basketball, The University of Texas at Austin *Greenlights is many different books at once: an entertaining autobiography, a delightful adventure story, a very funny comedy, a wise self-help guide, an inspiring argument for love and family, and a candid tale of spiritual and personal discovery. I cannot recommend it highly enough. * John Mackey, co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods Market, co-author of Conscious Leadership *A brilliant memoir that lays bare everything * The Times *A rollicking, contemplative trip * Financial Times *Greenlights is not a memoir, though it tells true stories from his life in chronological order. Nor is it 'an advice book'. It is 'an approach book', bringing together McConaughey's insights from 35 years of writing journals, and more of collecting bumper stickers. * Guardian *Mixing philosophy, 'teachable moments', self-help and Kerouac-inspired memoir, [Greenlights] takes in his remarkable career, finding love and stardom. * Sunday Independent *The Hollywood Star interprets himself. There is derring-do, dope, mayhem and mishaps. * The Times - The Perfect Audiobooks for Lockdown *Enjoyably quirky * Hello! *Gloriously bonkers * Guardian - Best Autobiographies and Memoirs of 2020 *a wild ride through his memories * Evening Standard *His not-quite-memoir offers a smörgåsbord of life lessons, anecdotes . . . It would be hard to finish the book and not warm to its author. * The Observer *
£15.29
Penguin Books Ltd Unnatural Causes
Book SynopsisTHE TRUE CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR AND SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER ''One of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. Engrossing, a haunting page-turner. A book I could not put down'' The Times, BOOKS OF THE YEAR __________ Meet the forensic pathologist, Dr Richard Shepherd. He solves the mysteries of unexplained or sudden death. He has performed over 23,000 autopsies, including some of the most high-profile cases of recent times; the Hungerford Massacre, the Princess Diana inquiry, and 9/11. He has faced serial killers, natural disaster, ''perfect murders'' and freak accidents. His evidence has put killers behind bars, freed the innocent, and turned open-and-shut cases on their heads. Yet all this has come at a huge personal cost. Unnatural Causes tells the story of not only the cases and bodies that have haunted him the most, but also how to live aTrade ReviewUnnatural Causes gives a sense of the toll that dealing with so many dead bodies takes. It's a very human book that looks at the cases he has been involved with, from the Hungerford massacre to the murder of Stephen Lawrence * The Times (Books of the Year, 2018) *An unputdownable record of an extraordinary life * 100 sizzling summer books, Daily Mail *One of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. Engrossing, a haunting page-turner. A book I could not put down * The Times *Fabulous . . . The UK's top pathologist investigating high-profile deaths such as that of Diana, Princess of Wales * The Sunday Post *Puts the reader at his elbow as he wields the scalpel * Guardian *Insightful, candid and compassionate * Observer *Fascinating, gruesome yet engrossing * Richard and Judy, Daily Express *Heart-wrenchingly honest * Professor Sue Black, author of All That Remains *Darkly fascinating * Daily Mirror *A deeply mesmerising memoir of forensic pathology. Human and fascinating * Nigella Lawson *Partly an autobiography, but also a love letter to pathology. It's dignified and graceful and painfully honest about the human and emotional cost of so much time with the dead. Insightful, moving and mesmerising * Marylebone Journal *This book holds within its pages the story of a life told with honesty, and this is partly why it is such a pleasure to read. A fascinating autobiography. Unputdownable. * Live Ribble Valley *A unique insight into a remarkable profession * The Times *His experiences, from morgue to court, are sometimes gruesome, always gripping * Sunday Mirror *The true crime book of the year; a thoughtful, revealing, chilling and bizarre record of an extraordinary life and profession * Visit Norwich *He recounts experiences in a gripping memoir that melds the personal and professional * The People *Must Read * Daily Mail *A brilliantly written and compelling account of a medical detective who has worked on many appalling crimes and human tragedies * Woman's Weekly *Must read * Daily Mail *Medical science books are rarely as gripping as Unnatural Causes. It's grimly fascinating, and I suspect I'll read it at least twice. * Evening Standard *
£10.44
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Around the World in 80 Minutes
Book Synopsis
£12.34
Swift Press Harold Wilson
Book SynopsisHarold Wilson was one of the most successful politicians of the twentieth century. Prime Minister from 1964-70, and again from 1974-76, he won four elections as well as a referendum on UK membership of the European Community. The achievements of the Wilson Era from legalising homosexuality to protecting ethnic minorities, from women's rights to the Open University radically improved ordinary people's lives for the better. In Harold Wilson, former Labour cabinet minister and bestselling author Alan Johnson presents a portrait of a truly twentieth-century man, whose white heat' speech proclaimed a scientific and technological revolution and who was as much a part of the sixties as the Beatles and the Profumo scandal.
£15.29
Octopus Publishing Group Tough Women Adventure Stories: Stories of Grit,
Book SynopsisIt's time we celebrated women in adventureWhat does "toughness" mean to you? Perhaps it's being physically fit and mentally resilient. Perhaps it's doing something no one else has done before. Perhaps it's breaking down boundaries and proving what you can do, in spite of the naysayers. Perhaps it's travelling alone, immersing yourself in new cultures and meeting new people. Perhaps it's running ultramarathons in the blistering heat and beating the competition. Perhaps it's conquering your fears.The badass adventurers in this collection are all fearless, intelligent, compassionate and curious about the world - and they all happen to be female. From endurance obstacle races to arctic expeditions, from mountain climbing to wingsuit flying, from horse trekking to swimming the English Channel, they have set the bar high for what women are capable of. Let yourself be inspired by their stories of grit, courage, determination, triumph and heartbreak - you never know, it might lead to something incredible!
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers A Long Way Gone The True Story of a Child Soldier
Book SynopsisThe first-person account of a 26-year-old who fought in the war in Sierra Leone as a 12-year-old boy.My new friends have begun to suspect that I haven''t told them the full story of my life.Why did you leave Sierra Leone?Because there is a war.You mean, you saw people running around with guns and shooting each other?Yes, all the time.Cool.I smile a little.You should tell us about it sometime.Yes, sometime.'This is how wars are fought now: by children, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. There are more than fifty conflicts going on worldwide and it is estimated there are some 300,000 child soldiers fighting. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them.What is war like through the eyes of a child soldier? How does one become a killer? How does one stop? Child soldiers have been profiled by journalists, and novelists have struggled to imagine their lives. But until now, there has not been a first-person account from someone who came through this hell and survived. Ishmael Beah, now twenty-fivTrade Review'A corrosive, eloquent and illuminating account of a child soldier's life, and it makes you look at the news with a fresh eye. What he has done is to make his situation imaginable for us, and stop us from simply turning away in horror. That is the best gift he could give the world.' Hilary Mantel ‘Gives the war a painfully human dimension and reminds us of its pointlessness…If the pathos of this book helps to persuade the puppeteers of the estimated 300,000 child soldiers fighting today to put down their guns, then Beah will have done more than all those A47s ever have.' The Times ‘A lucid, pensive, beautifully written account of a madness that he has the bravery to revisit head–on.’ TLS ‘Few of those boy soldiers have told their story as eloquently as Ishmael Beah.’ Sunday Telegraph 'The arming of children is one of the greatest evils of the modern world, and yet we know so little about it because the children themselves are swallowed up by the very wars they are forced to wage. Ishmael Beah has not only emerged intact from this chaos, he has become one of its most eloquent chroniclers. “A Long Way Gone” is one of the most important war stories of our generation. We ignore its message at our peril.' Sebastian Junger 'A ferocious and desolate account of how ordinary children were turned into professional killers.' The Guardian 'Beah makes no excuses for his actions and is entirely lacking in self pity, but the honesty of his memoir reveals the full horror of a war in which the brutalisation of children was commonplace…Beah is a living testament to the endurance of the human spirit.' Sunday Times ‘Ishmael Beah has achieved the seemingly impossible task of helping us to imagine the reality behind the statistics by empathising with just one of the many thousands of children who are soldiers around the world – a remarkable book.’ The Guardian
£10.44
Pan Macmillan Storm Pegs
Book SynopsisA love letter to life on the remote British islands of Shetland and to a wilder way of living, from one of our most celebrated poets.
£14.24
Penguin Books Ltd The Twelve Caesars Suetonius Penguin Classics
Book SynopsisAn essential primary source on Roman history and a fascinating achievement of scholarship covering a critical period in the EmpireAs private secretary to the Emperor Hadrian, the scholar Suetonius had access to the imperial archives and used them (along with eyewitness accounts) to produce one of the most colourful biographical works in history. The Twelve Caesars chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over Rome, from the foundation of the empire under Julius Caesar and Augustus, to the decline into depravity and civil war under Nero and the recovery that came with his successors. A masterpiece of observation, anecdote and detailed physical description, The Twelve Caesars presents us with a gallery of vividly drawn—and all too human—individuals. James B. Rives has sensitively updated Robert Graves's now classic translation, reinstating Latin terms and updating vocabulary while retaining the
£10.44