Biography Books
Canongate Books The Sick Bag Song
Book SynopsisTHE SICK BAG SONG chronicles Cave's journey with his band the Bad Seeds on a twenty-two-day, North American tour. It is a highly personal account that blends memories, musings, poetry, lyrics, flights of fancy and road journal.Drawing inspiration from Leonard Cohen, John Berryman, Patti Smith, Sharon Olds, folk ballads and ancient texts, THE SICK BAG SONG takes the form of an epic quest, turning over questions of inspiration, creativity, loss, death and romantic love. It is also a companion piece to his feature documentary 20,000 Days on Earth. THE SICK BAG SONG explores and develops the mystique of Nick Cave.The book began its life scribbled onto airline sick bags, which are reproduced in the book alongside the text.Trade ReviewAn epic narrative poem about his travels across North America . . . Cave is experimenting with a new literary form - a mash-up of prose, poetry, song lyrics and autobiography * * New York Times * *Lyrical, hallucinatory and laced with sly wit, The Sick Bag Song is a revelation and a pleasure -- Hari KunzruMad and amazing -- Ian RankinNick Cave goes the distance with The Sick Bag Song * * LA Times * *Far from your typical diary; snapshots of mundane reality (traffic jams, reading in a park) melt into disturbing visions peppered with flashbacks from his childhood. There are heated exchanges between Cave and his muses, and unsettling encounters with a few of his musical heroes (Bryan Ferry, Bob Dylan) that cause Cave to ponder the "vampiric" nature of creativity * * Rolling Stone * *The narrator's obsessive thoughts about his young self facing death juxtaposed with the illusions of fame . . . offer an interesting perspective on mortality * * Sunday Herald * *The stories twist and turn like mad dash through the dark forest that is Nick Caves imagination. It's very revealing, but I guess it's too dreamlike to be called a diary or journal, and yet I came away understanding more about Nick Cave than ever -- Tom OdellBiblical, slightly manic and distinctly berserk; it's also touching, poignant and utterly absorbing -- Jason Steger * * The Age * *
£13.50
Pan Macmillan Defeat Into Victory
Book SynopsisWilliam Joseph Slim, first Viscount, was born in 1891. He took a commission in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and served in the Middle East, India and Burma, reaching Field-Marshal in 1948. His other books include Unofficial History (1959). He died in 1972.
£15.29
Simon And Schuster Group USA My Time to Stand
Book Synopsis
£22.94
Hodder & Stoughton Schindlers Ark
Book Synopsis***Winner of the Booker Prize***''ONE OF THE WORLD''S GREATEST WRITERS'' Spectator''Extraordinary'' Graham Greene ''Powerful'' The Times ''Marvellous'' Sunday TimesThe acclaimed bestselling classic of Holocaust literature, adapted into the award-winning film Schindler''s ListIn the shadow of Auschwitz, as thousands faced death in Nazi-occupied Poland, an unlikely saviour emerged. Oskar Schindler was a heavy-drinking, womanising industrialist who defied and outwitted the SS to save more Jews from the gas chambers than any other single person during World War II.Based on a true story, Schindler''s Ark is an astonishing tale of huge risks and great courage in the face of unspeakable evil.PRAISE FOR THOMAS KENEALLY''A superb storyteller'' Alan Sillitoe''One of the historical novel''s most expert practitioners'' Guardian''A grTrade ReviewAn extraordinary achievement -- Graham Greene, author of BRIGHTON ROCKBrilliantly detailed, moving, powerful and gripping * The Times *Thomas Keneally has done marvellous justice to a marvellous story * Sunday Times *This remarkable book has the immediacy and the almost unbearable detail of a thousand eye witnesses who forgot nothing * New York Times Book Review *Keneally is a superb storyteller. With Schindler's Ark he has given us his best book yet, a magnificent novel which held me from the first page to the last -- Alan Sillitoe, author of SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNINGAn extraordinary tale . . .no summary can adequately convey the stratagems and reverses and sudden twists of fortune . . . A notable achievement * New York Review of Books *A magnificent book, powerful, harrowing and beautifully written * Sunday Express *A fine and moving story * Evening Standard *Fascinating, expertly told and impossible to put down * Bookseller *Magnificent . . . Beautifully written * Mail on Sunday *A masterful account of the growth of the human soul * Los Angeles Times *An astounding story . . . in this case the truth is far more powerful than anything the imagination could invent * Newsweek *
£10.39
HarperCollins Publishers A Very Private School
Book SynopsisTHE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Shocking and moving' Guardian 'A tour-de-force' Washington Post At eight years of age, Charles Spencer was sent away to one of England's most exclusive boarding schools. In this courageous and beautifully written memoir, Spencer offers a clear-eyed, first-hand account of the strange secrets of the school, and the culture of cruelty and abuse he witnessed and experienced in his five years there as a pupil. Drawing on the memories of many of his schoolboy contemporaries, as well as his own letters and diaries from the time, the book is his attempt to come to terms with the deep emotional scars inflicted upon him. Spencer reflects on the misery, hopelessness and abandonment he felt aged eight, viscerally describing the intense pain of homesickness, the vicious brutality of a boys' school in the 1970s and the appalling inescapability
£10.44
Biteback Publishing Ten Years to Save the West
Book SynopsisTen Years to Save the West is an urgent and impassioned call to conservatives about the radical changes that are needed for us to save the West. Ignore her warning at your peril.
£11.04
Dover Publications Inc. The Republic
Book SynopsisFamous philosophical treatise of the 4th century BC concerns itself chiefly with the idea of justice, as well as such Platonic theories as that of ideas, the criticism of poetry, and the philosopher''s role. Source of the famous cave myth and prototype for other imaginary commonwealths, including those of Cicero, St. Augustine, and More. Benjamin Jowett translation.
£6.49
The History Press Ltd Napoleon Bonaparte pocket GIANTS
Book Synopsis
£6.99
Chelsea Green Publishing Co One-Straw Revolutionary: The Philosophy and Work
Book SynopsisOne-Straw Revolutionary represents the first commentary on the work of the late Japanese farmer and philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka (1913 – 2008), widely considered to be natural farming’s most influential practitioner. Mr. Fukuoka is perhaps most known for his bestselling book The One-Straw Revolution (1978), a manifesto on the importance of no-till agriculture, which was at the time of publication a radical challenge to the global systems that supply the world’s food, and still inspires readers today. Larry Korn, who apprenticed with Mr. Fukuoka in Japan at the time, translated the manuscript and brought it to the United States, knowing it would change the conversation about food forever. The One-Straw Revolution, edited by Korn and Wendell Berry, was an immediate international success, and established Mr. Fukuoka as a leading voice in the fight against conventional industrial agriculture. In this new book, through his own personal narrative, Larry Korn distills his experience of more than thirty-five years of study with Mr. Fukuoka, living and working on his farm on Shikoku Island, and traveling with Mr. Fukuoka to the United States on two six-week visits. One-Straw Revolutionary is the first book to look deeply at natural farming and intimately discuss the philosophy and work of Mr. Fukuoka. In addition to giving his personal thoughts about natural farming, Korn broadens the discussion by pointing out natural farming’s kinship with the ways of indigenous cultures and traditional Japanese farming. At the same time, he clearly distinguishes natural farming from other forms of agriculture, including scientific and organic agriculture and permaculture. Korn also clarifies commonly held misconceptions about natural farming in ways Western readers can readily understand. And he explains how natural farming can be used practically in areas other than agriculture, including personal growth and development. The book follows the author on his travels from one back-to-the-land commune to another in the countryside of 1970s Japan, a journey that eventually led him to Mr. Fukuoka’s natural farm. Korn’s description of his time there, as well as traveling with Mr. Fukuoka during his visits to the United States, offers a rare, inside look at Mr. Fukuoka’s life. Readers will delight in this personal insight into one of the world’s leading agricultural thinkers.Trade ReviewCHOICE- "This book brings fascinating insight and perspective to the contributions of Masanobu Fukuoka (1913-2008), the founder of the worldwide natural farming movement. Written by a former student and farm intern of Fukuoka, it recounts his life and work, and documents the author's own travels in Japan and early experiences working on Fukuoka's farm in the 1970s. It goes on to discuss natural farming techniques using Fukuoka's farm as a case study, and describes the writing and publication of The One Straw Revolution (1975) and the resultant rise in international interest in natural farming. As it compares natural farming with indigenous farming, traditional Japanese agriculture, permaculture, and modern-day organic farming, the direction of the book changes from memory and reflection to an oversimplified discussion of agricultural theory. As a memoir it is compelling.”“Larry Korn shines a light on the path that Fukuoka discovered integrating indigenous agriculture with a deep reverence for the land and natural processes. Many revolutions of the sun later, it is clear that the continued illumination of this path is necessary to bring about a stewardship culture of soil, plant, animal, and human. We are fortunate to have a torch bearer in Korn who embodies the words of Taoist sage, Lao T’zu, ‘what you do is what you are.’”--Don Tipping, founder of Seven Seeds Farm and Siskiyou Seeds“This mind-opening book will provide the proper contextual knowledge and understanding on how nature works for any practitioner involved in farming, ranching, ecosystem restoration, or natural-resource management.”--Ray Archuleta, conservation agronomist, Natural Resources Conservation Service“Larry Korn virtually brings Masanobu Fukuoka back to life in One-Straw Revolutionary by highlighting his experience of more than thirty-five years of study with Mr. Fukuoka. Here we not only get a new look at Mr. Fukuoka’s natural farming but also his life in general. For those who have or have not read the insightful The One-Straw Revolution, I highly recommend this delightful book about one of the world’s great agricultural thinkers.”--John P. Reganold, Regents Professor of Soil Science & Agroecology at Washington State University“One-Straw Revolutionary is a profound sharing of the essential philosophy of natural farming translated through the friendship between Larry Korn and Masanobu Fukuoka. Larry’s engaging story offers wise insights into authentic practices that honor the community of all life. I deeply resonate with both the author’s perspectives and Fukuoka’s clear understanding of a revolutionary pathway for creating abundance by honoring the natural patterns of our earth.”--Katrina Blair, author of The Wild Wisdom of Weeds“In One-Straw Revolutionary, Larry Korn revisits his experiences with Masanobu Fukuoka, one of the most important thinkers in agricultural history. This book is a sort of sequel to Mr. Fukuoka’s The One-Straw Revolution, clarifying and amplifying that book and then going on to reveal Mr. Korn’s own intriguing contributions to the new social and agricultural order.”--Gene Logsdon, author of Gene Everlasting and A Sanctuary of Trees “I still think The One-Straw Revolution is the best book Rodale ever published, and we can thank Larry Korn for bringing it to us. Larry’s deep insight into Fukuoka-san’s Zen-like approach to farming threw a new light on the organic method of farming and gardening for me, as I was then an editor of Organic Gardening magazine. Through Larry, I was able to see that the question is not, ‘What can I do next?’ but rather, ‘What can I stop doing without diminishing the results?’ This impulse toward simplicity is the master’s great gift to the world, carried forth into the world by Larry Korn.”—Jeff Cox, author of twenty books, including the best-selling From Vines to Wines and the James Beard Foundation-nominated The Organic Cook’s Bible, and former managing editor of Organic Gardening magazine
£999.99
The History Press Ltd The Princes in the Tower: Solving History's
Book Synopsis'Philippa Langley has done it again.' – THE TIMESA HISTORY HIT BOOK OF THE MONTHHistory re-written: has the 540-year-old mystery been solved?‘The totality of evidence revealed is astonishing. Following the discovery of King Richard III’s grave in a car park in Leicester in 2012, The Missing Princes Project will again rewrite the history books, redrawing what we know about Richard III and Henry VII and pressing the reset button of history.’ - Philippa LangleyIn the summer of 1483, two brothers were seen playing in the grounds of the Tower of London, where they’d been lodged by the King’s Council – their uncle, the future Richard III, its chief member. From there the boys seem to vanish from the historical record, and so one of the greatest and most intriguing mysteries of British history was born. Over the centuries, historians have debated tirelessly about the fate of Edward V and Richard, Duke of York: did they die in the Tower? Did they escape? Were they murdered?After astonishing success in locating and laying to rest Richard III, Philippa Langley turns her forensic focus onto this enduring case, teaming up with criminal investigative experts, historians, archivists and researchers from around the world in her groundbreaking The Missing Princes Project. Following years of extensive research, investigation and formidable dedication, this landmark study has finally reached completion, with stunning conclusions.In The Princes in the Tower: Solving History’s Greatest Cold Case, join Langley as she records the painstaking investigative work undertaken and lays out the evidence to reveal the remarkable untold story. Here she is able, finally, to address any injustice and solve the mystery surrounding the Princes in the Tower once and for all.Compelling in breadth and detail, this book asks its readers to re-examine what they thought they knew about one of our greatest historical mysteries. Perfect for fans of the period and the likes of Dan Jones, Philippa Gregory and Janina Ramirez.Trade Review‘The discoveries in this book shed new light on events surrounding the Princes in the Tower. Rather than favour Tudor propaganda or Victorian revisionism, this asks us to go back to the time and scrutinise evidence with fresh eyes.’ – Dr Janina Ramirez, University of Oxford and No. 1 bestselling author of Femina‘Philippa Langley has earned a reputation for tenacious and meticulous research based on sound principles of piecing together centuries-old records … The remarkable discoveries documented here are only the beginning.’ – Annette Carson, acclaimed historical writer and biographer‘The Princes in the Tower is a gripping and ingenious work of historical detection. Ms. Langley and her team have cast new light into a murky period, and with a methodological brilliance that eludes most academic historians.’ -- WALL STREET JOURNAL'Philippa Langley has done it again.' -- Julia Llewellyn Smith, THE TIMES‘… a phenomenal, untold story.’ -- Amy Irvine, HISTORY HIT‘(The) story is fascinating, and researcher Philippa Langley deserves huge credit for her discoveries.’ --THE SPECTATOR
£21.25
HarperCollins Publishers Storms Edge
Book Synopsis''A surprising page-turner, full of humour and startling details'' THE TIMES''If I read a better history this year, I will be lucky'' TOM HOLLAND''An astonishing tour de force' SPECTATORFrom Peter Marshall, winner of the Wolfson Prize 2018, Storm's Edge is a new history of the Orkney Islands that delves deep into island politics, folk beliefs and community memory on the geographical edge of Britain.Peter Marshall was born in Orkney. His ancestors were farmers and farm labourers on the northern island of Sanday where, in 1624, one of them was murdered by a witch. In an expansive and enthralling historical account, Marshall looks afresh at a small group of islands that has been treated as a mere footnote, remote and peripheral, and in doing so invites us to think differently about key events of British history.With Orkney as our point of departure, Marshall traverses three dramatic centuries of religious, political and economic upheaval: a time when what we think of as modern Scotland,
£21.25
Chronicle Books Kikis Delivery Service Jiji Plush Journal
Book SynopsisContinuing our partnership with animation giant Studio Ghibli, this soft plush journal features the beloved black cat from Kiki's Delivery Service. In Spring 2019, the Studio will be celebrating Kiki’s 30th anniversary!
£18.35
Thomas Nelson Publishers A Classic Christmas
Book SynopsisDuring the hectic Christmas season, slow down with these heartwarming stories from some of literature’s most beloved writers.
£13.49
John Murray Press Journeys to the Other Side of the World
Book SynopsisThe further adventures of a young David Attenborough - from Madagascar and New Guinea to the Pacific Islands and the Northern Territory of AustraliaTrade ReviewAbundantly good * TLS *With charm, erudition, humour and passion, the world's favourite natural history broadcaster documents some of his expeditions from the late 1950s onwards * Sunday Express *This book is a wondrous reminder of Attenborough's pioneering role and the often hilarious difficulties he faced . . . A century ago, we learnt about exotic creatures from intrepid explorers in pith helmets. Now we learn from slick, professional TV presenters. David Attenborough has led the way from one style to the other and this book is full of delightful tales from the period of transition. * Daily Express *Engaging and evocative but ultimately poignant . . . Attenborough is a fine writer and storyteller * Irish Times *An adventure that sparked a lifetime's commitment to the planet * The Lady *Fascinating * OK! *With his usual charm and generosity, Attenborough allows us along for the ride * Irish Examiner *An in-depth look at the beloved naturalist's momentous voyage made in his youth across the globe * Woman's Weekly *Pure gold . . . the story of a journey to discover the fugitive, mythical, 'other': Paradise * Wild at Home *A beautifully written book . . . it retains all the trademark Attenborough magic. * WI Magazine *In his May 2018 introduction to these books first published in the early '60s, the great broadcaster naturalist recalls a much changed planet . . . But Attenborough's lust for all types of life remains undimmed as in those distant days * RTE Guide *
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers Barracoon
Book SynopsisAbducted from Africa, sold in America.A deeply affecting record of an extraordinary life- Daily TelegraphA major literary event: a newly published work from the author of the American classic Their Eyes Were Watching God, with a foreword from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker.The true story of one of the last-known survivors of the Atlantic slave trade.In August 1931, famed anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston travelled to Alabama to visit ninety-year-old Cudjo Lewis, a former slave.Over three months, Cudjo shared heart-rending memories of his childhood in Africa; the horrors of being captured fifty years after slavery was outlawed and held in the Ouidah barracoons for selection by American slavers; the harrowing ordeal of the Middle Passage aboard the Clotilda with over one hundred other souls; and the years he spent in slavery.Barracoon brings to life Cudjo's singular voice in an invaluable contribution to history and culture, a work as poignant as it is profound.Trade Review“That Zora Neale Hurston should find and befriend Cudjo Lewis, the last living man with firsthand memory of capture in Africa and captivity in Alabama, is nothing shy of a miracle. Barracoon is a testament to the enormous losses millions of men, women and children endured in both slavery and freedom—a story of urgent relevance to every American, everywhere.” Tracy K. Smith, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Life on Mars and Wade in the Water “Zora Neale Hurston’s genius has once again produced a Maestrapiece.” Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Color Purple “Barracoon is a powerful, breathtakingly beautiful, and at times, heart wrenching, account of one man’s story, eloquently told in his own language. Zora Neale Hurston gives Kossola control of his narrative— a gift of freedom and humanity. It completely reinforces for me the fact that Zora Neale Hurston was both a cultural anthropologist and a truly gifted, and compassionate storyteller, who sat in the sometimes painful silence with Kossola and the depth and breadth of memory as a slave. Such is a narrative filled with emotions and histories bursting at the intricately woven seams.” Nicole Dennis-Benn, author of Here Comes the Sun “A searing reminder of how recently American slavery ended, and the depth of the pain it caused.” The Economist “A deeply affecting record of an extraordinary life.” Daily Telegraph “Barracoon and its long path to print is a testament to Zora’s singular vision amid so many competing pressures that continue to put us at war with ourselves.” Huffington Post Books of the Year – The Economist Best Books of 2018 – New York Public Library Best Books of 2018 – NPR Best Books of 2018 – SELF.com Best Non-Fiction Books of 2018 – TIME
£9.49
Simon & Schuster A Full Life
Book SynopsisIn his major New York Times bestseller, Jimmy Carter looks back from ninety years of age and “reveals private thoughts and recollections over a fascinating career as businessman, politician, evangelist, and humanitarian” (Booklist).At ninety, Jimmy Carter reflects on his public and private life with a frankness that is disarming. He adds detail and emotion about his youth in rural Georgia that he described in his magnificent An Hour Before Daylight. He writes about racism and the isolation of the Carters. He describes the brutality of the hazing regimen at Annapolis, and how he nearly lost his life twice serving on submarines and his amazing interview with Admiral Rickover. He describes the profound influence his mother had on him, and how he admired his father even though he didn’t emulate him. He admits that he decided to quit the Navy and later enter politics without consulting his wife, Rosalynn, and how appalled he is in retrospect. In his “warm and detailed memoir” (Los Angeles Times), Carter tells what he is proud of and what he might do differently. He discusses his regret at losing his re-election, but how he and Rosalynn pushed on and made a new life and second and third rewarding careers. He is frank about the presidents who have succeeded him, world leaders, and his passions for the causes he cares most about, particularly the condition of women and the deprived people of the developing world. “Always warm and human…even inspirational” (Buffalo News), A Full Life is a wise and moving look back from this remarkable man. Jimmy Carter has lived one of our great American lives—from rural obscurity to world fame, universal respect, and contentment. A Full Life is an extraordinary read from a “force to be reckoned with” (Christian Science Monitor).Trade Review“A warm and detailed memoir of his youth followed by a clear-eyed assessment of the issues he tackled as president and afterward . . . a sweeping overview of a broad range of issues and frequent credit to his wife Rosalynn . . . Carter puts the long arc of his story together the way he sees it. The book includes his accomplishments as a negotiator and peacemaker in the humblest way — as a man who was at work on a larger project, something he continues to be. A primer for the generations who don't know his work and a personal retelling for those who do, A Full Life may herald the reappraisal he deserves.” * Los Angeles Times *“Carter reveals private thoughts and recollections over a fascinating career as businessman, politician, evangelist,and humanitarian.” * Booklist *“A Full Life is understated like the man, always warm and human, and in a few instances, even inspirational.” * Buffalo News *“The former president is yet a force to be reckoned with. . . . The author takes the reader on an engaging personal journey through the later half of the 20th century, as he saw it.” * Christian Science Monitor *“The drawings and poems by the author add even more of a personal touch, though crises in his marriage and his ‘estrangement’ from the Obama presidency offer the most noteworthy revelations. A memoir that reads like an epilogue to a life of accomplishment.” * Kirkus Reviews *
£11.69
Atlantic Books Mortality
Book SynopsisA Sunday Times Book of The YearA Mail on Sunday Book of The YearAn Independent Book of The YearA The Times Book of The YearDuring the US book tour for his memoir, Hitch-22, Christopher Hitchens collapsed in his New York hotel room to excoriating pain in his chest and thorax. As he would later write in the first of a series of deeply moving Vanity Fair pieces, he was being deported 'from the country of the well across the stark frontier that marks off the land of malady.' Over the next year he underwent the brutal gamut of modern cancer treatment, enduring catastrophic levels of suffering and eventually losing the ability to speak. Mortality is the most meditative collection of writing Hitchens has ever produced; at once an unsparingly honest account of the ravages of his disease, an examination of cancer etiquette, and the coda to a lifetime of fierce debate and peerless prose. In this eloquent confrontation with mortality, Hitchens returns a human face to a disease that has become a contemporary cipher of suffering.Trade ReviewCharacteristic of his elegant wit: philosophical, literary, ironic, sardonic, reflective and resentful * The Times *His unworldly fluency never deserted him, his commitment was passionate, and he never deserted his trade. He was the consummate writer, the brilliant friend. In Walter Pater's famous phrase, he burned 'with this hard gem-like flame.' Right to the end. -- Ian McEwanHitchens's voice remains civilised, searching and ready to vanquish all his enemies -- Colm TóbínA trenchant, learned, iconoclastic and splendidly witty commentator on public life and, as here, on his own private triumphs and travails... unremittingly elegant, a master of graceful prose -- John Banville
£8.09
Princeton University Press The Complete Works of Aristotle Volume Two
Book SynopsisProvides a standard English version of Aristotle. This work contains the substance of the original translation.Trade Review"A splendid achievement."--Times Higher Education Supplement "This new edition makes a landmark of scholarship available in a very usable form."--Library Journal "It is hard to picture a more attractive presentation of a philosopher's work for study or reference."--ChristianCenturyTable of ContentsVolume Two ACKNOWLEDGMENTS NOTE TO THE READER ON PLANTS** ON MARVELLOUS THINGS HEARD** MECHANICS** PROBLEMS* ON INDIVISIBLE LINES** THE SITUATIONS AND NAMES OF WINDS** ON MELISSUS, XENOPHANES, AND GORGIAS** METAPHYSICS NICOMACHEAN ETHICS MAGNA MORALIA* EUDEMIAN ETHICS ON VIRTUES AND VICES** POLITICS ECONOMICS* RHETORIC RHETORIC TO ALEXANDER** POETICS CONSTITUTION OF ATHENS FRAGMENTS INDEX OF NAMES GENERAL INDEX *and **: See the Note to the Reader
£46.75
Penguin Books Ltd Myself and Other Animals
Book Synopsis
£17.00
BenBella Books The Menendez Murders Updated Edition
Book SynopsisDiscover the definitive book on the Menendez caseand the disquieting true story behind Netflix's Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. A successful entertainment executive making $2 million a year. His former beauty queen wife. Their two sons on the fast track to success.But it was all a façade.The Menendez saga has captivated the American public since 1989. The killing of José and Kitty Menendez on a quietSundayevening in Beverly Hills didn't make the cover of People magazine until the arrest of their sonsseven months later, when the case developed an intense cult following. By the time the first Menendez trial began in July 1993, the public was convinced that Lyle and Erik were a pair of greedy rich kids who had killed loving, devoted parents.The real story remained buried beneath years of dark secrets. A culmination of more than 30 years of journalist Robert Rand's relentless reporting, this updated edition of The Menendez Murders shares these intimate, breakthrough findings, including a deeply disturbing history of child abuse and sexual molestation in the Menendez family going back generations, as well as exclusive new revelations linking the 1980s boy band Menudo and the Menendez family, a first-hand account of the emotional reunion between Erik and Lyle Menendez, and surprising insights into how the Menendez brothers remain resilient and live with purpose despite a life sentence without parole. Rand has followed the Menendez murders from the beginning and is the only reporter who covered the original investigation as well as both trials. With a unique vantage and unparalleled access to the Menendez family and their history, including interviews with both brothers before and after their arrest, Rand has uncovered extraordinary details that would certainly have changed the fate of the brothers' first-degree murder conviction in 1996. Today, his discoveries give the brothers new hope for reopening the case.
£16.19
Vertebrate Publishing Ltd The Shining Mountain: The first ascent of the
Book Synopsis‘It’s a preposterous plan. Still, if you do get up it, it’ll be the hardest thing that’s been done in the Himalayas.’So spoke Chris Bonington when Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker presented him with their plan to tackle the unclimbed West Wall of Changabang – the Shining Mountain – in 1976. Bonington’s was one of the more positive responses; most felt the climb impossibly hard, especially for a two-man, lightweight expedition. This was, after all, perhaps the most fearsome and technically challenging granite wall in the Garhwal Himalaya and an ascent – particularly one in a lightweight style – would be more significant than anything done on Everest at the time.The idea had been Joe Tasker’s. He had photographed the sheer, shining, white granite sweep of Changabang’s West Wall on a previous expedition and asked Pete to return with him the following year. Tasker contributes a second voice throughout Boardman’s story, which starts with acclimatisation, sleeping in a Salford frozen food store, and progresses through three nights of hell, marooned in hammocks during a storm, to moments of exultation at the variety and intricacy of the superb, if punishingly difficult, climbing. It is a story of how climbing a mountain can become an all-consuming goal, of the tensions inevitable in forty days of isolation on a two-man expedition; as well as a record of the moment of joy upon reaching the summit ridge against all odds.First published in 1978, The Shining Mountain is Peter Boardman’s first book. It is a very personal and honest story that is also amusing, lucidly descriptive, very exciting, and never anything but immensely readable. It was awarded the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for literature in 1979, winning wide acclaim. His second book, Sacred Summits, was published shortly after his death in 1982.Table of ContentsForeword by Chris Bonington 'A Great Partnership'Chapter 1 From the WestChapter 2 The Rim of the Sanctuary (22nd August-7th September)Chapter 3 The First Stone (8th-20th September)Chapter 4 The Barrier (21st-27th September)Chapter 5 Survival (28th September-2nd October)Chapter 6 Recovery (3rd-8th October)Chapter 7 The Upper Tower (9th-13th October)Chapter 8 Beyond the Line (14th-13th October)Chapter 9 Descent to Tragedy (15th-19th October)Chapter 10 The Outside (20th October-1st November)Chronology
£9.49
Pan Macmillan From Here to the Great Unknown A Memoir
Book SynopsisLisa Marie Presley was a singer and songwriter who was born in Memphis and raised at Graceland as the only child of Elvis and Priscilla Presley. She released three studio albums throughout her music career To Whom It May Concern, Now What, and Storm & Grace, the first of which was certified gold. Lisa Marie passed away in January 2023.Riley Keough is an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Independent Spirit Award-nominated actress. She is known for her work in Daisy Jones & the Six, Zola, and more. She also co-directed War Pony (2022), which won the Caméra d'Or for best first feature at Cannes, and cofounded the production company Felix Culpa with Gina Gammell. She is the eldest daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and sole trustee of Graceland.
£21.25
Octopus Publishing Group The Twins of Auschwitz: The inspiring true story
Book Synopsis THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER The Nazis spared their lives because they were twins.In the summer of 1944, Eva Mozes Kor and her family arrived at Auschwitz.Within thirty minutes, they were separated. Her parents and two older sisters were taken to the gas chambers, while Eva and her twin, Miriam, were herded into the care of the man who became known as the Angel of Death: Dr. Josef Mengele. They were 10 years old.While twins at Auschwitz were granted the 'privileges' of keeping their own clothes and hair, they were also subjected to Mengele's sadistic medical experiments. They were forced to fight daily for their own survival and many died as a result of the experiments, or from the disease and hunger rife in the concentration camp.In a narrative told simply, with emotion and astonishing restraint, The Twins of Auschwitz shares the inspirational story of a child's endurance and survival in the face of truly extraordinary evil.Also included is an epilogue on Eva's incredible recovery and her remarkable decision to publicly forgive the Nazis. Through her museum and her lectures, she dedicated her life to giving testimony on the Holocaust, providing a message of hope for people who have suffered, and worked toward goals of forgiveness, peace, and the elimination of hatred and prejudice in the world.Trade ReviewEva Mozes Kor has written a very moving and vivid account of an extraordinary and horrific experience. It is an important document showing the strength of the human spirit and the capacity to forgive. She should be commended for having the courage to write about her traumatic childhood, leading to the forgiveness that freed her from hatred and brought her peace. May it inspire others to emulate her. -- Archbishop Desmond TutuThis remarkable story is an important entry point in the teaching of Holocaust History and the many issues which emerge from it, not least of all the triumph of the human spirit. -- Richard Freedman, National Director, South African Holocaust Foundation
£8.09
John Blake Publishing Ltd Do the Birds Still Sing in Hell?: A powerful true
Book SynopsisAn incredible tale of one man's adversity and defiance, for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz.Horace Greasley escaped over 200 times from a notorious German prison camp to see the girl he loved. This is his incredible true story.A Sunday Times Bestseller - over 60,000 copies sold.Even in the most horrifying places on earth, hope still lingers in the darkness, waiting for the opportunity to take flight.When war was declared Horace Greasley was just twenty-years old. After seven weeks' training with the 2/5th Battalion, the Royal Leicestershire Regiment, Horace found himself facing the might of the German Army in a muddy field south of Cherbourg, in northern France, with just thirty rounds in his ammunition pouch.Horace's war didn't last long. . . On 25 May 1940 he was taken prisoner and so began the harrowing journey to a prisoner-of-war camp in Poland. Those who survived the gruelling ten-week march to the camp were left broken and exhausted, all chance of escape seemingly extinguished.But when Horace met Rosa, the daughter of one of his captors, his story changed; fate, it seemed, had thrown him a lifeline. Horace risked everything in order to steal out of the camp to see his love, bringing back supplies for his fellow prisoners. In doing so he offered hope to his comrades, and defiance to one of the most brutal regimes in history.
£10.44
Thomas Nelson Publishers No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green
Book SynopsisThe 25th Anniversary Edition of Keith Green's inspiring biography, revised and updated by his wife, Melody. This expanded biography contains many added stories and insights, never before published photos, extra selections from Keith's private journals, and glimpses into Melody's season of grieving and raising their two surviving children on her own.He was only twenty-eight when he died in a plane crash with two of his small children, but singer/songwriter Keith Green had already created a legacy of music and inspiration that would outlive him. A spiritual revolutionary, he found freedom through Jesus, not religion, and spent his last years convincing others to refuse to accept the status quo and instead to bring compassion and honesty back to the church. He touched people through vibrant lyrics in songs like "Your Love Broke Through," "You Put This Love In My Heart," and "Asleep In The Light." Last Days Ministries, which he and his wife Melody founded, went on to challenge thousands of people to take to the mission fields of the world. Now, on the 25th anniversary of his death, Melody has updated her husband's biography with new photos, essays from current musicians who were influenced by Keith, selections from Keith's private journal, and stories about what it was like raising their two remaining children on her own.
£11.39
Lars Muller Publishers Are We Human? Notes on an Archeology of Design
Book SynopsisAre We Human? rethinks the philosophy of design in a multi-dimensional exploration from the very first tools and ornaments to the constant buzz of social media. The average day involves the experience of thousands of layers of design that reach to outside space but also reach deep into our bodies and brains. Even the planet itself has been completely encrusted by design as a geological layer. There is no longer an outside to the world of design. Design has become the world. Design is what makes the human. It is the very basis of social life. But design also engineers inequalities and new forms of neglect, such as lawlessness, poverty, and the climate at the same time as the human genome and the weather are being actively redesigned. We can no longer reassure ourselves with the idea of "good design." Design itself needs to be redesigned.
£14.25
Simon & Schuster My Own Words
Book SynopsisThe New York Times bestselling book from Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg—“a comprehensive look inside her brilliantly analytical, entertainingly wry mind, revealing the fascinating life of one of our generation''s most influential voices in both law and public opinion” (Harper’s Bazaar).My Own Words “showcases Ruth Ginsburg’s astonishing intellectual range” (The New Republic). In this collection Justice Ginsburg discusses gender equality, the workings of the Supreme Court, being Jewish, law and lawyers in opera, and the value of looking beyond US shores when interpreting the US Constitution. Throughout her life Justice Ginsburg has been (and continues to be) a prolific writer and public speaker. This book’s sampling is selected by Justice Ginsburg and her authorized biographers Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams, who introduce each chapter and provide biographical context and quotes gl
£11.69
Viz Media, Subs. of Shogakukan Inc The Creative Gene: How books, movies, and music
Book SynopsisThe ferociously talented Hideo Kojima, creator of Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, shares his perspective on the stories and movies that influence his work!Ever since he was a child, Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima was a voracious consumer of movies, music, and books. They ignited his passion for stories and storytelling, and the results can be seen in his groundbreaking, iconic video games. Now the head of independent studio Kojima Productions, Kojima’s enthusiasm for entertainment media has never waned. This collection of essays explores some of the inspirations behind one of the titans of the video game industry, and offers an exclusive insight into one of the brightest minds in pop culture.Ever since he was a child, Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima was a voracious consumer of movies, music, and books. They ignited his passion for stories and storytelling, and the results can be seen in his groundbreaking, iconic video games. Now the head of independent studio Kojima Productions, Kojima’s enthusiasm for entertainment media has never waned. This collection of essays explores some of the inspirations behind one of the titans of the video game industry, and offers an exclusive insight into one of the brightest minds in pop culture.
£17.09
Profile Books Ltd A Voyage For Madmen: Nine men set out to race
Book SynopsisPublished to coincide with the Golden Globe Race's 50th Anniversary It lay like a gauntlet thrown down; to sail around the world alone and non-stop. No one had ever done it, no one knew if it could be done. In 1968, nine men - six Englishmen, two Frenchmen and an Italian - set out to try, a race born of coincidence of their timing. One didn't even know how to sail. They had more in common with Captain Cook or Ferdinand Magellan than with the high-tech, extreme sailors of today, a mere forty years later. It was not the sea or the weather that determined the nature of their voyages but the men they were, and they were as different from one another as Scott from Amundsen. Only one of the nine crossed the finishing line after ten months at sea. The rest encountered despair, sublimity, madness and even death.Trade ReviewTold with verve and riddled with drama, you can smell the salty air and feel the spray on every page * Sunday Times *An enthralling tale of human endeavour and courage in the face of adversity ... you don't need to know your spinnaker from your mainsail to enjoy this book * Tatler *As a carpenter purrs over perfect dovetailing, so I rejoiced in the craftsmanship of this book * Simon Barnes *
£9.99
Eland Publishing Ltd The Face of War: Writings from the
Book SynopsisJames Cameron admired Martha Gellhorn above all other war-reporters 'because she combined a cold eye with a warm heart'. The Chicago Times described her writing as 'wide ranging and provocative, a blend of cool lyricism and fiery emotion, alternately prickly and welcoming, funny and stern'. But make your own judgements, and in the process find yourself plunged straight back into Madrid during the Spanish Civil War, feel the frozen ground of the Finno Russian war, the continent-wide Japanese invasion of China, the massacres in Java, the murderously naive intervention in Vietnam and the USA's dirty little wars in Central America. You will also experience the process of the Second World War by the seat of your pants. It is a tough way to learn history, but also one created in bite-sized chunks, that inspire just as often as they shock.
£12.34
Titan Books Ltd The Autobiography of Benjamin Sisko
Book SynopsisThe fascinating life of Starfleet’s celebrated captain, and Bajor’s Emissary of the Prophets, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Benjamin Sisko tells the story of his career in Starfleet, and his life as a father and Bajor’s Emissary to the Prophets. Chart his rise through the ranks, his pioneering work designing the Defiant class, his critical role as ambassador and leader during the Dominion War, and his sacred standing as a religious leader of his adopted home. Explore the hidden history of his childhood and early career in Starfleet, and the innermost thoughts of the man who made first contact with the wormhole aliens and opened safe passage to the Gamma Quadrant, and united Starfleet, Klingon and Romulan forces to defeat the Dominion. Discover Sisko’s personal take on his confidantes Lieutenant Dax and Major Kira Nerys, the enigmatic Garak, and his adversaries, Gul Dukat and Kai Winn, as well as his fatherly advice for his son Jake. Passing on lessons from father to son, from his experiences with the Prophets to the writings of Benny Russell, Sisko’s story is a unique phenomenon in Starfleet and human history, told in the way only he can.Trade Review“Ultimately, the book left me with a craving to start Deep Space Nine again. So in that respect alone, it is a success. But it’s deeper than that. I feel as though I have a fresh pair of eyes. A fresh appreciation for Sisko as a character and for Avery Brooks as a performer. It is often said that the best actors put a piece of themselves into their performances. Avery Brooks did that with Sisko. But I feel that Attico also put a piece of himself into the character through this book.”TrekCentral.net“All in all, this is an excellent book that provides a profound understanding of how Benjamin Sisko evolves into the distinguished figure from Star Trek lore. An amazing record of him, the novel gives us great insights into the evolution of this wonderful character we know and love from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, allowing readers to deepen appreciation for him even more.”WarpFactorTrek“The autobiography is an inspiring, at times gut-wrenching, look into the life of one of Starfleet’s best captains. Though bittersweet since no one has seen him since he left with the Bajoran prophets, the book will leave you feeling like, for the first time, you really know Benjamin Sisko. And will probably make you want to watch Deep Space Nine again with this new knowledge. And that’s a good thing.”Red Shirts Always Die
£17.09
Atlantic Books Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night
Book SynopsisUltramarathon Man is the story of where it all began for Dean Karnazes: the mind-boggling adventures of his nonstop treks through the shoe-melting inferno of Death Valley, the lung-freezing ferocity of the South Pole, and the awe-inspiring beauty of the towering peaks and craggy canyons of the Sierra Nevada.With an insight and candour rarely seen in sports memoirs, he uncovers how he merges the solitary, manic, self-absorbed life of hard-core ultrarunning with a full-time job, a wife and two children, and how running has made him who he is today: a man with an ironclad body, a teenager's energy and a champion's wisdom.In this updated and revised edition of the sportswriting classic, Karnazes has added an afterword full of lessons learned. He gives personal details on the essential pillars of health - fitness, diet and sleep. What does he eat, what supplements does he take, what kind of mattress does he sleep on? Ageing well takes work and the man who hasn't stopped for three decades is now sharing the tips and learnings that have helped him keep going, mile after gruelling mile.Trade Review[Karnazes'] spirited memoir...can help mere mortals who want to push past their perceived limits or simply jump-start their sedentary lives. * Chicago Tribune *Heart-stopping stuff * The Economist *Full of euphoric highs...a journey into distance running that is much less about sweat than about the emotional terrain that unfolds at the frontier of endurance. * New York Times *An exhibition of unadulterated courage and mental and physical stamina [for] anyone who likes to read about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. * Boston Globe *Table of Contents1: The Long Road to Santa Cruz 2: The Formative Years 3: Run with Your Heart 4: Run for Your Life 5: Soiling of the Lexus 6: Leaving Normal 7: Over the Mountains and Through the Woods 8: King of Pain 9: Into Darkness 10: Forever Changed 11: Badwater 12: Frozen Stiff 13: The Ultra-Endurance World 14: The Relay 15: Crossing Over 16: Team Dean 17: Run for the Future 18: The Gift of Life
£10.44
National Portrait Gallery Publications Writers Revealed
Book SynopsisWriters Revealed tells the stories of the best-loved writers in English literature, investigating their enduring appeal from the sixteenth century to today through the collections of the National Portrait Gallery and the British Library. Intimate handwritten manuscripts, letters and notebooks as well as rare first editions of books from the British Library are paired with the National Portrait Gallery's outstanding collection of author portraits. From William Shakespeare to Zadie Smith, Writers Revealed features over 70 poets, novelists and academics. Each short profile which provides insight into the writers' inspirations, struggles, and working practices is beautifully illustrated with a portrait and manuscript. Readers will enjoy in-depth encounters with some of the world's most famous writers, including James Joyce, Bernardine Evaristo, Virginia Woolf, Bram Stoker, Jane Austen, Benjamin Zephaniah, and Angela Carter, and discover just what it is that makes these individuals so endlessly compelling.
£21.21
The Do Book Co Do Walk
Book SynopsisA moving and wise book that powerfully conveys a simple truth: that putting one foot in front of the other is a transformative act. DeLana writes with insight, heart and wit. Cheryl Strayed. One morning in 2011, Libby DeLana stepped outside her New England home for a walk. She did the same thing the next day, and the next. It became a daily habit that has culminated in her walking over 25,000 miles the equivalent of the earth s circumference. In Do Walk, Libby shares the transformative nature of this simple yet powerful practice. She reveals how walking each day provides the time and space to reconnect with the world around us; process thoughts; improve our physical wellbeing; and unlock creativity. It is the ultimate navigational tool that helps us to see who we are beyond titles and labels, and where we want to go. With stunning photography, this inspiring and reflective guide is an invitation to step outside, and see where the path takes us.
£9.49
Thomas Nelson Publishers Bonhoeffer
Book SynopsisThe runaway New York Times bestseller, revised and with a new introduction from the author.
£16.19
Pan Macmillan Went to London Took the Dog
Book SynopsisNina Stibbe is the author of several books. Love, Nina won Non-Fiction Book of the Year Award at the 2014 National Book Awards, and was shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year. The book was adapted by Nick Hornby for BBC Television. She is the author of four novels, all of which have been shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction. Her third novel, Reasons to be Cheerful is the only novel to date to have won both the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction and the Comedy Women in Print Award for comic fiction. Went to London, Took the Dog is her diary following her return to London.
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co Cat And Mouse
Book SynopsisWHEN YOU THINK YOU''RE SAFE,WHEN YOU THINK YOU''RE ALL ALONE,THAT''S WHEN HE''LL COME FOR YOU...A silent killer stalks the city, targeting those home alone at night, playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with the victims.As panic spreads, Detective Inspector Helen Grace leads the investigation, but is herself a hunted woman, her every step shadowed by a ruthless psychopath bent on revenge.As she tracks the murderer, Grace begins to suspect there is a truly shocking home truth that connects these brutal crimes. But what she will find is something more twisted than she could ever suspect...Check the windows, lock the doors - this is a twisted page-turner that will prey on your darkest fears, in the way only M.J. Arlidge can._____________________PRAISE FOR MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER M.J. ARLIDGE''Helen Grace is one of the greatest heroes to come along in years'' Trade ReviewTerrifying and wildly compelling in equal measure. Nobody does chilling suspense quite like MJ Arlidge, and Cat & Mouse is a superb addition to the Helen Grace series. * BP WALTER *
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan
Book SynopsisTrade Review“A historical bombshell…Compelling…The most controversial book yet on Japan’s previous emperor.” — The Economist “The author’s virtuoso scholarship and accessible narrative invite us into Hirohito’s world and change the way we think of recent history; his portrayal of a monarch rationalizing evil is superb.” — The New Yorker “”The triumph of Mr. Bix is that of a tailor able to assemble disparate scaps of material and sew them into a seamless whole.”” — The New York Times “Myth-shattering…[T]his superb biography should jog loose a few suppressed memories.” — Newsweek “Nothing published since the Berlin Wall’s fall quite comes up to Herbert Bix’s new book…It’s a startling work—awesomely ambitious, faultlessly researched, daring in its thesis, and profound in its implications.” — Business Week “Persuasive. . . . Bix proves, in an immensely readable 800 pages, that good imperial biography is still possible.” — The Times Literary Supplement
£13.49
Penguin Books Ltd Autobiography of Malcolm X
Book SynopsisThey called him the ''angriest black man in America'' . . . Celebrated and vilified the world over for his courageous but bitter fight to gain for millions of black men and women the equality and respect denied them by their white neighbours, Malcolm X inspired as many people in the United States as he caused to fear him.His remarkable autobiography, completed just before his murder in 1965, ranges from Omaha and Michigan to Harlem and Mecca, and tells of a young, disenfranchised man whose descent into drug addition, robbery and prison was only reversed by his belief in the rights struggle for black America, and his conversion to the Nation of Islam. Not only is this an enormously important record of the Civil Rights Movement in America, but also the scintillating story of a man who refused to allow anyone to tell him who or what he was.Trade ReviewExtraordinary . . . a brilliant, painful, important book * New York Times *
£11.04
Sort of Books A Parrot in the Pepper Tree A Sequel to Driving
Book SynopsisChris Stewart''s Driving Over Lemons told the story of his move to a remote mountain farm in Las Alpujarras - an oddball region of Spain, south of Granada. Funny, insightful and real, the book became an international bestseller.A Parrot in the Pepper Tree, the sequel to Lemons, follows the lives of Chris, Ana and their daughter, Chloë, as they get to grips with a misanthropic parrot who joins their home, Spanish school life, neighbours in love, their amazement at Chris appearing on the bestseller lists . . and their shock at discovering that their beloved valley is once more under threat of a dam.A Parrot in the Pepper Tree also looks back on Chris Stewart''s former life - the hard times shearing in midwinter Sweden (and driving across the frozen sea to reach island farms); his first taste of Spain, learning flamenco guitar as a 20-year old; and his illustrious music career, drumming for his school band Genesis (sacked at 17, he never quite became Phil Collins), and then for a circus.Trade ReviewIt is everything that made the first book so hugely successful - endearing, heartwarming, self-deprecating, sometimes surreal. * Evening Standard *
£9.49
Thomas Nelson Publishers Same Kind of Different as Me
Book SynopsisMeet Denver, raised under plantation-style slavery in Louisiana until he escaped---in the 1960s. Then, after another 18 homeless years, God moved, and a godly woman named Deborah prayed, listened, and obeyed. Mountains began to move, beginning with her husband, Ron, an international art dealer accustomed to the world of art-collecting millionaires.
£12.59
Plexus Publishing Ltd Freak Out My Life with Frank Zappa
Book Synopsis
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers Complete Works of Oscar Wilde Wilde Oscar Collins
Book SynopsisThe Collins Complete Works of Oscar Wilde is the only truly complete and authoritative single-volume edition of Oscar Wilde's works, and is available in both hardback and this paperback edition.Continuously in print since 1948, the Collins Complete Works of Oscar Wilde has long been recognised as the most comprehensive and authoritative single-volume collection of Wilde's texts available, containing his only novel, The Portrait of Dorian Gray, as well as his plays, stories, poems, essays and letters, all in their most authoritative texts.Illustrated with many fascinating photographs, the book includes introductions to each section by Merlin Holland (Oscar's grandson), Owen Dudley Edwards, Declan Kiberd and Terence Brown.Also included is a comprehensive bibliography of works by and about Oscar Wilde, and a chronological table of his life and work.
£13.49
Simon & Schuster Truman
Book SynopsisThe Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Harry S. Truman, whose presidency included momentous events from the atomic bombing of Japan to the outbreak of the Cold War and the Korean War, told by America’s beloved and distinguished historian.The life of Harry S. Truman is one of the greatest of American stories, filled with vivid characters—Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bess Wallace Truman, George Marshall, Joe McCarthy, and Dean Acheson—and dramatic events. In this riveting biography, acclaimed historian David McCullough not only captures the man—a more complex, informed, and determined man than ever before imagined—but also the turbulent times in which he rose, boldly, to meet unprecedented challenges. The last president to serve as a living link between the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries, Truman’s story spans the raw world of the Missouri frontier, World War I, the powerful Pendergast machine of Kansas City, the legendary Whistle-Stop Campaign of 1948, and the decisions to drop the atomic bomb, confront Stalin at Potsdam, send troops to Korea, and fire General MacArthur. Drawing on newly discovered archival material and extensive interviews with Truman’s own family, friends, and Washington colleagues, McCullough tells the deeply moving story of the seemingly ordinary “man from Missouri” who was perhaps the most courageous president in our history.Trade Review"Meticulously detailed, elegantly written, tightly constructed, rich in revealing anecdotes and penetrating insights. It is, as its subject demands, biography on the grand scale." -- Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post"A warm, affectionate and thoroughly captivating biography....the most thorough account of Truman's life yet to appear. " -- Alan Brinkley, The New York Times Book Review"McCullough's marvelous feel for history is based on an appreciation of colorful tales and an insight into personalities. In this compelling saga of America's greatest common-man president, McCullough adds luster to an old-fashioned historical approach...the sweeping narrative, filled with telling details and an appreciation of the role individuals play in, shaping the world." -- Walter Isaacson, Time"Remarkable....you may open it at any point and instantly become fascinated, so easy, lucid, and energetic is the narrative and so absorbing the sequence of events." -- The Economist"McCullough is a master storyteller whose considerable narrative skills have been put to exquisite use in re-creating the life and times of America's 33rd president." -- Robert Dallek, Los Angeles Times Book ReviewTable of ContentsCONTENTSPart One -- SON OF THE MIDDLE BORDER1. Blue River Country2. Model Boy3. The Way of the Farmer4. SoldierPart Two -- POLITICIAN5. Try, Try Again6. The Senator from Pendergast7. Patriot8. Numbered DaysPart Three -- TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY9. The Moon, the Stars, and All the Planets10. Summer of DecisionPart Four -- MR. PRESIDENT11. The Buck Stops Here12. Turning Point13. The Heat in the Kitchen14. Fighting ChancePart Five -- WEIGHT OF THE WORLD15. Iron Man16. Commander in Chief17. Final DaysPart Six -- BACK HOME18. Citizen TrumanACKNOWLEDGMENTSSOURCE NOTESBIBLIOGRAPHYINDEX
£15.29
David R. Godine Publisher Inc The Practicing Stoic: A Philosophical User's
Book Synopsis“Farnsworth beautifully integrates his own observations with scores of quotations from Epictetus, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Montaigne and others. This isn’t just a book to read—it’s a book to return to, a book that will provide perspective and consolation at times of heartbreak or calamity.”—The Washington PostSee more clearly, live more wisely, and bear the burdens of this life with greater ease—here are the greatest insights of the Stoics, in their own words. Presented in twelve lessons, Ward Farnsworth systematically presents the heart of Stoic philosophy accompanied by commentary that is clear and concise.A foundational idea to Stoicism is that we appear to go through life reacting directly to events. That appearance is an illusion. We react to our judgments and opinions—to our thoughts about things, not to things themselves. Stoics seek to become conscious of those judgments, to find the irrationality in them, and to choose them more carefully.In chapters including Emotion, Adversity, Virtue, and What Others Think, here is the most valuable wisdom about living a good life from ages past—now made available for our time.Trade ReviewPraise for Ward Farnsworth:The Practicing Stoic: A Philosophical User’s Manual:“As befits a good Stoic, Farnsworth’s expository prose exhibits both clarity and an unflappable calm… Throughout The Practicing Stoic, Farnsworth beautifully integrates his own observations with scores of quotations from Epictetus, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Montaigne and others. As a result, this isn’t just a book to read—it’s a book to return to, a book that will provide perspective and consolation at times of heartbreak or calamity.”—Michael Dirda, The Washington Post“It is reported that upon Seneca’s tomb are written the words, Who’s Minding the Stoa? He would be pleased to know the answer is Ward Farnsworth.”—David Mamet“This is a book any thoughtful person will be glad to have along as a companion for an extended weekend or, indeed, for that protracted journey we call life.”—The New Criterion“This sturdy and engaging introductory text consists mostly of excerpts from the ancient Greek and Roman Stoic philosophers, especially Seneca, Epictetus through his student Arrian, and Marcus Aurelius as well as that trio’s philosophical confreres, from the earlier Hellenic Stoics and Cicero to such contemporaries as Plutarch to moderns, including Montaigne, Adam Smith, and Schopenhauer… A philosophy to live by, Stoicism may remind many of Buddhism and Quakerism, for it asks of practitioners something very similar to what those disciplines call mindfulness.”—Booklist The Socratic Method: A Practitioner’s Handbook:“Amid 21st-century rancor, a voice from ancient Athens offers an alternative: truth and a little humility....None should be discouraged from seeking out this remarkable book. By presenting the Socratic method as invitingly as it does, it eases the daunting task of taming the fanatical, irrational, censorious beasts in the American political zoo.”—Wall Street Journal“Learned, erudite, and elegant.”—The Millions“The Socratic method decelerates reasoning, making space for deliberation when disagreements arise. So, the Socratic method is, Farnsworth says, an antidote to some social pandemics of our day.” —George F. Will Farnsworth’s Classical English Style:“Mr. Farnsworth has written an original and absorbing guide to English style. Get it if you can.”—Wall Street Journal“For writers aspiring to master the craft, Farnsworth shows how it’s done. For lovers of language, he provides waves of sheer pleasure.”—Steven Pinker“An eloquent study of the very mechanisms of eloquence.”—Henry Hitchings“A great and edifying pleasure.”—Mark Helprin“A storehouse of effective writing, showing the techniques you may freely adapt to make music of your own.”—The Baltimore SunFarnsworth’s Classical English Rhetoric:“I must refrain from shouting what a brilliant work this is (præteritio). Farnsworth has written the book as he ought to have written it – and as only he could have written it (symploce). Buy it and read it – buy it and read it (epimone).”—Bryan A. Garner“The most immediate pleasure of this book is that it heightens one’s appreciation of the craft of great writers and speakers. Mr. Farnsworth includes numerous examples from Shakespeare and Dickens, Thoreau and Emerson, Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln. He also seems keen to rehabilitate writers and speakers whose rhetorical artistry is undervalued; besides his liking for Chesterton, he shows deep admiration for the Irish statesman Henry Grattan (1746-1820), whose studied repetition of a word (‘No lawyer can say so; because no lawyer could say so without forfeiting his character as a lawyer’) is an instance, we are told, of conduplicatio. But more than anything Mr. Farnsworth wants to restore the reputation of rhetorical artistry per se, and the result is a handsome work of reference.”—Henry Hitchings, Wall Street JournalFarnsworth’s Classical English Metaphor:“Ward Farnsworth is a witty commentator…It’s a book to dip in and savor.”—The Boston Globe“Most people will find it a grab-bag of memorable quotations, an ideal browsing book for the nightstand.”—Michael Dirda, The Washington Post“I want this book to be beside my bed for years to come, a treasure-house of the liquid magic of words.”—Simon Winchester“A feat of elegant demystification…Farnsworth is able to focus on the finite material of metaphorical referents…a brilliant strategy, both in its utility for writers and the inherent insight Farnsworth’s divisions suggest about metaphors.”—Jonathan Russell Clark, The Millions
£19.94
Simon & Schuster My Infamous Life
Book SynopsisFrom one of the greatest rappers of all time, the memoir of a life cut short, a revealing look at the dark side of hip hop’s Golden Era...In this often violent but always introspective memoir, Mobb Deep’s Prodigy tells his much anticipated story of struggle, survival, and hope down the mean streets of New York City. For the first time, he gives an intimate look at his family background, his battles with drugs, his life of crime, his relentless suffering with sickle-cell anemia, and much more. Recently released after serving three and a half years in state prison due to what many consider an unlawful arrest by a rumored secret NYPD hip hop task force, Prodigy is ready to talk about his life as one of rap’s greatest legends. My Infamous Life is an unblinking account of Prodigy’s wild times with Mobb Deep who, alongside rappers like Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, Jay-Z, and Wu-Tang Clan, changed the musical landscape with their vivid portrayals of early ’90s street life. It is a firsthand chronicle of legendary rap feuds like the East Coast-West Coast rivalry; Prodigy’s beefs with Jay-Z, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Ja Rule, and Capone-N-Noreaga; and run-ins with prodigal hit makers and managers like Puff Daddy, Russell Simmons, Chris Lighty, Irv Gotti, and Lyor Cohen. Taking the reader behind the smoke-and-mirrors glamour of the hip hop world, so often seen as the only way out for those with few options, Prodigy lays down the truth about the intoxicating power of money, the meaning of true friendship and loyalty, and the ultimately redemptive power of self. This is the heartbreaking journey of a child born in privilege, his youth spent among music royalty like Diana Ross and Dizzy Gillespie, educated in private schools, until a family tragedy changed everything. Raised in the mayhem of the Queensbridge projects, Prodigy rose to the dizzying heights of fame and eventually fell into the darkness of a prison cell. A truly candid memoir, part fearless confessional and part ode to the concrete jungles of New York City, from the front line of the last great moment in hip hop history.Trade Review“The legendary rapper unsentimentally details a life of beefs, brawls and murders during the heyday of East Coast hip-hop.” –The Washington Post“A surprising triumph, both as an archive of 1990s New York hip-hop folk tales and for its stirring sketches of a man who, on many occasions, could have made his life a lot easier on himself … This is the kind of vulnerability that is fearless, especially within hip-hop.” –Slate.com
£11.69
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Two Sagas of Mythical Heroes: Hervor and Heidrek
Book SynopsisInherited through the line of the berserker Angantýr and his war-loving daughter Hervor, the ever-lethal, shining sword Tyrfing and its changes of hands frame the uncanny story of The Saga of Hervor and Heiđrek. A second heroic saga, Hrólf Kraki and His Champions, recounts the daring deeds of the members and entourage of the ancient Danish house of Skjoldung. Passed down orally in pre-Christian Norse times, transmitted in writing in medieval Iceland, and here wielded by the hand of Jackson Crawford, the tales told in this volume retain their sharp edges and flashes of glory that never fail to slay.Trade Review"Hervarar saga and Hrólfs saga kraka are among the best of the Icelandic mythical heroic sagas and are both highpoints of medieval literature. Jackson Crawford’s new translation is eminently readable and with its accompanying Introduction and notes will serve as an excellent introduction to this fascinating material." —M. J. Driscoll, Professor of Old Norse Philology, University of Copenhagen"Jackson Crawford’s devoted readership will welcome this new translation of two lesser-known sagas, which in every way lives up to the standards his previous translations from Old Norse have set. These vivid 'sagas of ancient times,' or fornaldar sǫgur, will be of particular interest to teachers and students of Beowulf." —Martin Chase, Professor Emeritus of English, Fordham University"The two sagas of the title, Hervor and Heidrek and Hrolf Kraki and His Champions, need little comment here: while perhaps not well-known among sagas of the mythical type, they feature all the characteristics that make sagas entertaining and engaging reading, and also afford the reader a glimpse into the complexities of medieval family life, political rivalries, and the overall landscape of a still largely pre-Christian society. The quality of the translation, which successfully captures the poetry of the prose and the alliteration of its verse, is a testament to Dr. Crawford’s careful crafting of the original Old Norse into highly readable English, with the meticulous attention and skill evident in all his translations. Of at least equal interest to the reader, however, is Dr. Crawford’s Introduction to the texts. Without entering deeply into literary interpretation or analysis, Dr. Crawford provides a commentary the breadth and scope of which truly attests to his vast and comprehensive knowledge of not only the language and original texts, but also of the culture, history, values, and unique character of medieval Norse society. The Introduction identifies parallel texts and additional source materials, and includes a helpful list of resources for further reading; the notes on the language provide adequate explanation so as to be accessible to readers with no background in Old Norse, and the pronunciation guide is a useful addition. Overall, the Introduction is thorough in its information, covering a wide range of topics from observations about representations of women in the sagas to a commentary on poetic meter and stanzaic structure. While the sagas can be read and enjoyed without the benefit of reading the Introduction, the background and insight the reader gains through it serves to enrich the experience of reading the sagas, and is a valuable resource as an introduction to Old Norse sagas in general. With its fine balance of an informative Introduction and two exceptional saga translations, Two Sagas of Mythical Heroes: Hervor and Heidrek and Hrolf Kraki and His Champions is a publication that will appeal to both the novice and the experienced reader of Old Norse sagas." —Vicki J. Grove, Teaching Professor of Distinction, Russian and Nordic Programs, University of Colorado Boulder"[T]his accessible and affordable edition with its useful front and back matter offers a great introduction to the world of the fornaldarsögur. It is my hope that other, similarly accessible publications will follow."—Rebecca Merkelbach, University of Tübingen, in The Medieval Review "Jackson Crawford's works present Norse literature in a way that is engaging, approachable, and worth rereading multiple times . . . I highly recommend.” —Phillip Fitzsimmons, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, in Mythlore
£15.19
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC China's Asian Dream: Empire Building along the
Book Synopsis‘China’, Napoleon once remarked, ‘is a sleeping lion. Let her sleep, for when she wakes she will shake the world.’ In 2014, President Xi Jinping triumphantly declared that the lion had awoken. From holding its ground in trade wars with the US, to presenting itself as a world leader in the fight against climate change, a newly confident China is flexing its economic muscles for strategic ends. With the Belt and Road initiative, billed as a new Silk Road for the 21st Century, China is set to extend its influence throughout Eurasia and across the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. But with the Chinese and US militaries also vying over the Pacific, does this newfound confidence put China on a collision course with the US? Combining a geopolitical overview with on-the-ground reportage from a dozen countries, this new edition of China’s Asian Dream engages with the most recent developments in the ongoing story of China’s ascendency, and offers new insights into what the rise of China means not only for Asia, but for the world.Trade Review[A] vivid and useful guide to China’s unfolding strategy and its economic and diplomatic ramifications. * ChinaDialogue *A lively work … particularly strong on the role that Chinese-backed infrastructure development will play in fulfilling [China’s regional] ambition. * Financial Times *A terrific combination of data and pavement-pounding local investigation, with discussions between academics, market traders and officials from Laos to India. * Hong Kong Review of Books *Superbly organised ... Miller deftly combines the plethora of data points and statistics with vivid local colour. * South China Morning Post *Understanding the philosophy behind China’s national aspirations will be a defining task of 21st-century diplomacy. In that vein, China’s Asian Dream will prove essential reading. * Wall Street Journal *Excellent … Tom Miller has voyaged around China’s periphery [and] his long experience of analysing the Chinese economy enables him to puncture a few over-inflated myths. * Bill Hayton, author of South China Sea: The Struggle for Power in Asia *One of the best accounts we have of what China’s rise really means for the world. * Hugh White, author of The China Choice *An indispensable guide... brimming with telling insights and arresting stories, China's Asian Dream really hits the ball out of the park. * James Kynge, Emerging Markets Editor for The Financial Times *A uniquely well informed view of the opportunities, and the huge risks, of China's bold ambitions in the region. * Kerry Brown, author of China and the New Maoists *Tom Miller tackles the central question of our time: whether China can translate its economic power into geopolitical clout, and execute its breath taking plan to dominate its Asian neighbours. * Richard McGregor, author of The Party: The Secret World of China's Communist Rulers *One of the best researched volumes on Chinese President Xi Jinping’s driving vision, his ‘dream’ to return his country to the dominant position it had held in Asia since ancient times. * William R. Hawkins, Selous Foundation for Public Policy Research *A must read for those interested in whether President Xi’s reincarnated “Silk Road” will succeed in restoring the grandeur of the Middle Kingdom. * Yukon Huang, former World Bank Director for China *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Abbreviations Introduction 1. “One Belt, One Road”: Financing the New Silk Road Belt and Road Initiative Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Asia’s infrastructure arms race 2. Marching West: The Economics of Power in Central Asia Xinjiang Central Asia Russia 3. In the Heat of the Sun: Advancing Down the Mekong Laos Cambodia 4. California Dreamin’: How China “Lost” Myanmar Gateway to the Bay of Bengal 5. A String of Pearls: Fear and Loathing in the Indian Ocean Indian Ocean Pakistan India Sri Lanka 6. Fiery Waters: Mapping the South China Sea Vietnam Conclusion
£10.99
