Biography Books

Book SynopsisWith his twinkling eyes, boundless energy and unrivalled natural wit, Robin Williams was the comedian who brought laughter to a generation. Through roles in cherished films such as Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, Aladdin and Hook, he became the genial face of family comedy. His child-like enthusiasm was infectious, sweeping viewers away. Allied to his lightning-quick improvisation and ability to riff lewdly off any cue thrown at him, Robin was that rare thing - a true comic genius who appealed to adults and children equally. He could also play it straight, and empathetic depth came to him naturally. A poignant performance in Good Will Hunting won him an Academy Award whilst his masterfully chilling turn in psychological thriller Insomnia shocked audiences and hinted at a darker side. What truly caught the imagination, though, was his good-heartedness. Warmth radiated from him on-screen, but he was legendary for his off-screen acts of selfless generosity. Where most Hollywood A-listers demand outrageous pampering in their contract riders, he always insisted that the production company hire a full quota of homeless people to help make his movies. But behind the laughter lay a deeply troubled man, and tragedy would follow. At midday, on 11 August 2014, Robin Williams was pronounced dead at his California home. The verdict was suicide. He had battled depression and addiction for many years and was allegedly beset by financial difficulties. Emily Herbert's sensitive and thoughtful biography celebrates his genius and warmth, but also attempts to understand what could have driven such a gentle and gifted man to so tragic an end. This is Robin Williams, the life, the laughter, and the deep sorrow of the man who made the world smile.

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Book SynopsisSultan is the official biography of Wasim Akram, the "sultan of swing", one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of cricket. For twenty years, Wasim Akram let his cricket do the talking – his electrifying left-arm pace, his explosive left-handed striking, his leadership and his inspiration. For another twenty years he kept his own counsel about those days, full of drama, controversy and even mystery, in a country, Pakistan, that to outsiders is a constant enigma. Until now. Sultan tells the story of cricket’s greatest left-arm bowler, and one of its greatest survivors, who was chosen from the streets of Lahore and groomed by Imran Khan to become champion of the world – man of the match in the final of the 1992 World Cup. Along the way were unforgettable rivalries with the greatest of his time, from Viv Richards and Ian Botham to Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne. Along the way, too, a backdrop of conspiracy and intrigue over ball tampering and match fixing about which Wasim finally sets the story straight. But there’s more: Sultan goes frankly into the crumbling and rebuilding of Wasim’s private life, marred by the tragedy of his first wife’s death and the torment of addiction. The result is an unprecedented insight into the life of a cricketer who revolutionised the game with his speed and swing, and a patriot buoyed and burdened by the expectation of one of the game’s most fanatical publics. Trade Review'He is a giant of our game.' – Pat Cummins 'Not only a great bloke but probably the greatest left arm quick the cricket world has seen.' – Allan Border 'Wasim Akram is one of the true greats of world cricket.' – Mitchell Starc 'History will judge him as one of the finest fast bowlers the game has produced.' – Steve Waugh 'Wasim ranks among those at the very top of cricket.' – Anil Kumble 'He was the most brilliant, inventive left-arm fast bowler the game as known.' – Mike Atherton 'I’m often asked ‘what is your all-time greatest team?’ I start with Akram and go from there.' – David Lloyd 'Wasim and Lancashire is a long love affair. Teammates loved him; supporters loved him. He loved them back. Our games were never over until Wasim had bowled his last ball.' – Neil Fairbrother 'Wasim was one of the greatest fast bowlers I have ever seen – a fantastic all rounder – one of the all-time greats.' – Nasser Hussain 'Great cricketers still marvel at the wonder of Wasim.' – Alan Wilkins 'Easily one of the most skilful bowlers I have played against and a tough competitor.' – Rahul Dravid 'Wasim was a master. He made the ball talk.' – Sachin Tendulkar

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Book SynopsisIn 1966 John Berger spent three months in the Forest of Dean shadowing an English country GP, John Sassall. Sassall is a fortunate man - his work occupies and fulfils him, he lives amongst the patients he treats, the line between his life and his work is happily blurred.In A Fortunate Man, Berger's text and the photography of Jean Mohr reveal with extraordinary intensity the life of a remarkable man. It is a portrait of one selfless individual and the rural community for which he became the hub. Drawing on psychology, biography and medicine A Fortunate Man is a portrait of sacrifice. It is also a profound exploration of what it means to be a doctor, to serve a community and to heal.With a new introduction by writer and GP, Gavin Francis.Trade ReviewI only wish I could do justice in a few words to the richness that makes this book so compelling * * Guardian * *A miniature masterpiece of observation and a profound meditation on the nature and value of the doctor-patient relationship -- POLLY MORLANDIn 1967 A Fortunate Man marked the most significant step forward in the collaboration of a writer and photographer since Let us Now Praise Famous Men by Walker Evans and James Agee. Incredibly, it still does . . . A masterpiece -- GEOFF DYERA genuine tour de force . . . The intimate portrait of one man and his microscopic world reveals the faults and strains of a whole society * * Observer * *It's one of my favourite books in the world, an ongoing inspiration as to how books should be written (and photography used) -- ALAIN de BOTTONJohn Berger seems to me peerless; not since Lawrence has there been a writer who offers such attentiveness to the sensual world with responsiveness to the imperatives of conscience -- SUSAN SONTAGA book about caring that will make you care, and a book about deep healing that may heal your soul. It is also, almost 50 years on, uncannily timely -- SIMON GARFIELDThis disturbingly beautiful book will continue to haunt you long after you have set it aside -- RICHARD HOLLOWAYThis extraordinary book unravels the tangled branches of the everyday to reveal the brightness within. It inspires me to think more slowly, more deeply, to wear acquired knowledge lightly, to open my senses more fully to the wonders in the plain and close-at-hand -- JAMES MEEKA masterpiece of witness; a three-way meditation on humanity, society and the value of healing -- GAVIN FRANCIS

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Book Synopsis'Wonderful ... I fell immediately into her world' Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan SunKinta Beevor was five years old when she fell in love with her parents' castle facing the Carrara mountains. She and her brother ran barefoot, exploring an enchanted world. They searched for wild mushrooms in the hills with Fiore the stonemason, and learned how to tickle trout. The freedom and beauty of life at the castle attracted poets, writers and painters, including D.H. Lawrence and Rex Whistler. The other side to Kinta's childhood was very different, for it was spent with her formidable great aunt, Janet Ross, in a grand villa outside Florence. But soon the old way of life and Kinta's idyllic world were threatened by war.Nostalgic, yet unsentimental and funny, A TUSCAN CHILDHOOD is a book which transports the reader to bohemian, aristocratic Italy and the sound of bells from a distant campanile.Trade ReviewA loving and intimate portrait of Tuscany's many faces; but it is in her feeling for the landscape that Beevor excels. One can hear the buzzing of the cicadas, smell the wild thyme and feel the crunching of pine needles underfoot * SUNDAY TIMES *A paean to an idyllic upbringing. Beevor's masterful prose evokes time and place, scent and taste, humour and superstition, the yearly rhythms of rural life ... A delightful read - and likely to inspire many an Italian holiday * THE LADY *Kinta Beevor's distinctive contribution is in her detailed and unsentimental account of the peasant life of the time, its surrounding, its labours and its joys, and in her ability to convey the remembered happiness of a childhood spent in the freedom of two exceptionally beautiful houses amid some of the most delectable countryside in the world -- Isabel Colegate * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *Its unpretentiousness and authenticity, and above all the sincreity of the writer's affection for an Italy now long lost, make it an attractive and engaging read * THE SPECTATOR *A delightful corrective to the sickly Chiantishire school of writing. The descriptions of the harvesting and preparation of food and wine by the locals could not be bettered and the pages are alive with vivid characters, from stonemasons and farm workers to foreign bohemians ... a joy * OBSERVER *A beautifully written book * SUNDAY TIMES *A delightful memoir * MARIE CLAIRE *

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Book Synopsis'The definitive telling of the life of a West Indian hero' Sir Clive Lloyd  The brilliant all-rounder Frank Worrell had to wait until 1960 to become the first permanent Black captain of the West Indies cricket team, denied for a decade by the elitism, insularity and racism of Caribbean cricket’s rulers. When his chance finally came, Worrell transformed a talented but unfocused team into the most exciting side in the world and led his men into unforgettable series against Australia and England.   Worrell was universally admired as one of cricket’s great captains when he was knighted in 1964, but three years later, he was dead aged just forty-two.   Not merely an extraordinarily talented and record-breaking sportsman, he served the University of the West Indies after his retirement – along with the cricket team and the political federation, one of the three truly u

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Book SynopsisThis book brings together a collection of essays written by scholars inspired by Eugene Gendlin's work, particularly those interested in thinking with and beyond Gendlin for the sake of a global community facing significant crises. The contributors take inspiration from Gendlin's philosophy of the implicit, and his theoretical approach to psychology. The essays engage with Gendlin's ideas for our era, including critiques and corrections as well as extrapolations of his work. Gendlin himself worried that knowing about a problem is too often conflated with actions that might lead to change; the essays in this book point to a form of understanding that is activated, an embodied and immediate way of thinking about today's problems. Throughout the volume, the contributors creatively engage with Gendlin's work and its applicability to the complex, pressing crises of our time: the Covid-19 pandemic, environmental/climate issues, racism, sexism, economic inequality, and other factorsTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Starting from Experience, and Knowing When You Do 2. Where is Emotion? Gendlin's Radical Answer 3. Is Responsibility Implicit? 4. The Experiencing Model: Saying What We Mean in the Context of Focusing and Psychotherapy 5. The Responsive Order, Oppressive Order, and Disorder in Human Growth: Challenging and Carrying Forward Postmodernism 6. Liberating language: Gendlin and Nietzsche on the refreshing power of metaphors 7. Missing the Felt Sense: When Correct Political Answers Go Wrong 8. Toward a Concept of "Freedom to Make Sense" 9. Kangaroo Know-how: Animal practices from the perspective of implying 10. Is an Intricate Institution a Paradox or an Oxymoron? Gendlin's Political Optimism, the Formal Limitation of Politics, and the Relevance of Activity Theory 11. Epilogue: Showing How he Means - Thinking Along with Gene Gendlin

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Book SynopsisThe Great Post Office Scandal is the extraordinary story behind the recent ITV drama series Mr Bates vs The Post Office. This gripping page-turner recounts how thousands of subpostmasters were accused of theft and false accounting on the back of evidence from Horizon, the flawed computer system designed by Fujitsu, and how a group of them, led by Alan Bates, took their fight to the High Court. Their eventual victory in court vindicated their claims about the defects of the software and exposed the heavy handed attempts by the Post Office to suppress them. The book also chronicles how successive senior managers, business leaders, lawyers, civil servants and Government ministers, at best failed to expose the injustice or, even worse, sought to cover it up, resulting in one of the largest miscarriages of justice in UK history. The author, Nick Wallis, is a journalist and broadcaster who has been reporting on the scandal for over ten years and who acted as script consultant on Mr Bates vs The Post Office, the ITV drama that brought the affair into the national consciousness. As the public inquiry reaches its climax, and senior figures such as Paula Vennells come to be questioned, The Great Post Office Scandal reveals the full scale of what happened and will leave you enraged at how so many of our trusted institutions allowed the saga to go on for nearly a quarter of a century, shattering the lives of thousands of innocent people.Trade Review"An extraordinary journalistic expose of a huge miscarriage of justice." Ian Hislop, Editor, Private Eye; "The definitive account of the scandal - from the journalist who pursued every twist and turn." Mishal Husain, Broadcaster; "Beautifully written. Full of heart rending detail, clarity and insight." Patrick Spence, Creative Director, ITV Studios; "Nick has come to understand the ultimately destructive management culture which pervaded the Post Office from the top down." Tom Hedges, former Subpostmaster; "A tale brilliantly told by Nick Wallis, who has dedicated years of work to establishing what happened, why it happened and calling those responsible to account. I urge you to read it." Rev Richard Coles, Presenter; "Nick's narrative has the power of a great thriller as he lays bare the lies and deceit that has ruined so many lives." Dame Joan Bakewell, Journalist; "we can expect to see copies of The Great Post Office Scandal within easy reach of every lawyer and reporter at the hearing." Joshua Rozenberg, Legal Commentator; "the story of a long-running scandal told with empathy and compassion while deftly explaining the complex, technical issues." Sam Tobin, The Law Society Gazette; "Nick Wallis has written what feels like the most important book I have ever read." Paul Gilbert, LBC Wise Counsel; "One of the books of the century." Lord Arbuthnot; "If there is one new book that everyone involved in running any kind of complicated organisation and everyone in politics should read, it is The Great Post Office Scandal by Nick Wallis" Stephen Bush, the i newspaper

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Book Synopsis'Life, like a poem, is a series of choices' In her long-awaited debut memoir, You Could Make This Place Beautiful, award-winning poet Maggie Smith explores in lyrical vignettes the end of her marriage and the beginning of a surprising new life. With the spirit of reflection and empathy she's known for, Smith interweaves snapshots of a life with meditations on secrets, anger, forgiveness and narrative itself. It is a story about a mother's fierce and constant love for her children, and a woman's love and regard for herself. Above all, this memoir is an argument for possibility. Smith reveals how, in the aftermath of loss, we can discover our power and make something new. Something beautiful.Trade ReviewThis book is extraordinary -- ANN PATCHETTThis is a memoir of a woman who recommits to herself after heartbreak, but it's also a meditation on patriarchal power dynamics, a mother's love for her children and what that means in today's world and how to bet on yourself, even and especially when we're told not to. A balm for the soul and a rallying cry for the heart. * * Good Housekeeping * *A composite of creativity, motherhood and determination * * New York Times * *Rich in nuance and unrelenting in its honesty, Smith's memoir is a bittersweet study in both grief and joy * * TIME * *[A] meditation on what it means to be a modern woman, this is as beautiful and lyrical as they come * * Red * *Reminds you that you can [ . . . ] survive deep loss, sink into life's deep beauty, and constantly, constantly make yourself new -- GLENNON DOYLEA poet's memoir . . . [Smith] has an uncanny ability to boil down giant ideas into tiny, dense sentences that are both playful and heartbreaking * * SHONDALAND * *Smith turns to prose to chronicle the end of her marriage and the hard, beautiful work of loving and valuing herself * * PEOPLE * *Smith confronts our collective desire for a clean narrative. You Could Make This Place Beautiful shows a writer wondering why we use the narrative vocabulary we have to make sense of life's ups and downs. Smith breaks the fourth wall constantly in her memoir, calling out the real-life moments that feel too on the nose, evaluating the fallout of her husband's infidelity * * Vanity Fair * *In this lightning bolt of a debut memoir, Maggie Smith gives us the truth of healing in form as much as story: getting through is no pretty, linear narrative. It's one chapter forward and five chapters back. You Could Make This Place Beautiful gave me back a part of myself I thought was gone for good: the knowledge that beauty isn't something out there to find. It's in us -- MEGAN STIELSTRA, author of THE WRONG WAY TO SAVE YOUR LIFEYou Could Make This Place Beautiful is a sparklingly brilliant memoir-in-vignettes that only Maggie Smith could write. Yet this is a book for everyone - who among us has never had our world upended by the loss of a relationship? Maggie Smith's powerful mastery of language, and amazing ability to portray life in all its rich messiness, is on full display in this bold, brutally candid, and yes, beautiful, book -- ISAAC FITZGERALD, New York Times bestselling author of DIRTBAG, MASSACHUSETTSA beautiful book . . . stunning * * Oprah Daily * *Beautifully written . . . Smith should be just as celebrated for her prose * * Town and Country * *Listen, you may not need me to tell you what you already know about the shining star that is Maggie Smith, but you can certainly add me to the chorus of those singing her praises about You Could Make This Place Beautiful. Among her singular gifts as a writer are the way she swiftly brings her poetry to her prose; her willingness to show up to the page with aspirational levels of vulnerability, grace and joy; and a clarity of heart amid the heartbreak that together makes this a moving and gorgeous must read -- ELIZABETH CRANE, author of THIS STORY WILL CHANGEThis book is a gift -- LESLIE JAMISON, author of THE EMPATHY EXAMSWhen personal tragedy strikes us, first we have to survive, then we have to begin healing. This exquisite book will help you do both. Reading Smith's memoir, I laughed and gasped and ugly-cried and somehow began to process ten years of my own pent-up, frozen grief. This book is nothing less than a cathartic miracle -- ALISSA NUTTING, author of MADE FOR LOVE

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Book SynopsisAn “extraordinarily brilliant” and “pleasurably naughty” (André Aciman) investigation into the Shakespeare authorship question, exploring how doubting that William Shakespeare wrote his plays became an act of blasphemy…and who the Bard might really be.The theory that Shakespeare may not have written the works that bear his name is the most horrible, unspeakable subject in the history of English literature. Scholars admit that the Bard’s biography is a “black hole,” yet to publicly question the identity of the god of English literature is unacceptable, even (some say) “immoral.” In Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies, journalist and literary critic Elizabeth Winkler sets out to probe the origins of this literary taboo. Whisking you from London to Stratford-Upon-Avon to Washington, DC, she pulls back the curtain to show how the forces of nationalism and empire, religion and mythmaking,

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Book SynopsisFollow Sam Kerr’s incredible journey from playing Aussie rules football as a kid to becoming one of the world’s greatest athletes as she prepares to captain the Matildas in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Sam Kerr is widely considered to be one of the best female footballers of all time. She is famous worldwide for her skills on the football pitch – but before she was the Matildas captain and the leading goal scorer for Chelsea, she was just an average Aussie kid who wanted to play AFL. This is her incredible football journey to the FIFA World Cup, from making the switch to football to becoming one of the best female strikers in the world. Sam gives us insights into what keeps her motivated, how she handles the pressures of life as a professional athlete, and what she believes is really important in life.Inside you will find: Facts about the FIFA World Cup. Everything you want to know about the Matildas. Amazing facts about Sam – her early days, family life, teams, playing for Chelsea FC and the Matildas.

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Book SynopsisINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLEREmbark on a captivating journey with Love & Whiskey. New York Times bestselling author Fawn Weaver unveils the hidden narrative behind one of America’s most iconic whiskey brands. This book is a vibrant exploration set in the present day, delving into the life and legacy of Nearest Green, the African American distilling genius who played a pivotal role in the creation of the whiskey that bears Jack Daniel''s name.Set against the backdrop of Lynchburg, Tennessee, this narrative weaves together a thrilling blend of personal discovery, historical investigation, and the revelation of a story long overshadowed by time. Through extensive research, personal interviews, and the uncovering of long-buried documents, Weaver brings to light not only the remarkable bond between Nearest Green and Jack Daniel but also Daniel’s concerted efforts during his lifetime to ensure Green’s legacy would not be for

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Book SynopsisFootball Legends: Young readers will love findingout all about the lives of their favourite players in this greatnew biography series.

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Book SynopsisA TIMES, NEW STATESMAN and WASHINGTON POST Book of the Year''Absolutely gripping'' GUARDIAN''A marvel'' SUNDAY TIMES''Magisterial'' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH''Extraordinary and generous'' WASHINGTON POST''A gripping testimony of terror and loss'' OBSERVERA moving, hard-hitting account of the Paris attacks trial by France's leading non-fiction writerOn 13 November 2015, nine attackers wearing suicide bombs killed 130 people and left hundreds wounded at sites in and around Paris in the deadliest attack on French soil since the Second World War. V13 was the code name for the much-awaited trial of those who helped to carry out these attacks. Lasting nine months, from September 2021 to June 2022, it consisted of 14 defendants, 2,400 plaintiffs, 350 lawyers and a file 53 metres high.In V13, Emmanuel Carrère follows this landmark trial from its first day to its last, taking us behind the scenes to the lawyers, survivors, family members and the defendants. He assembles, in painstaking and subtle detail, a human portrait of the crime a study of good and evil, and the philosophical journey through the borderlands between the two.Over the course of his career, Emmanuel Carrère has reinvented non-fiction writing. In a search for truth in all its guises, he dispenses with the rules of genre, fusing passion, curiosity and a profoundly humane intellect, making him one of the most distinctive and important literary voices today.

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Book Synopsis'You can look at my life in two ways. Some people see a nightmare, some see a fairytale. I've just always thought I was lucky...People often ask me how I did it, this book is my answer. This is my story, everything I've learned along the way, I hope it can help you find your own luck. 'Lottie Tomlinson has gone through a huge amount in her 23 years on this planet. Touring with her brother Louis as a make-up artist with One Direction at the age of 16, you'd think her life was a fairytale. But this only masked the tragedy happening at home, when her mother became ill with leukaemia and died when Lottie was just 18. Leaving behind five smaller siblings, Lottie came home and tried to find a way to hold the family together. But sadly, tragedy struck again when the family lost Lottie's little sister Félicité, at just 18.Despite all this, incredibly Lottie has built a successful business empire, has a loving stable partner and

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Book Synopsis*Pre-order A Short History of the Apocalypse - out 7th November 2024*A Short History of the Apocalypse is your comprehensive guide to the challenges presented by Armageddon. Join Frankie Boyle (Saturday Night Swindle; Celebrity Vengeance) and Charlie Skelton (head writer: Ad Naseum; David Suchet''s News Sachet) as they debrief time traveller and bon vivant from the late 21st Century, Alonso Lampe.How do you go about joining a militia? What will life be like in a billionaire''s bunker? How will people entertain themselves in re-education camps? All these questions will be answered in several different, often contradictory, ways.With exclusive illustrations by Hall of Fame comic artist Frank Quitely, A Short History of the Apocalypse is vital to your future survival.

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Book SynopsisShirley, The Life of a Botanical Adventurer is the remarkable story of Dr Shirley Sherwood, scientist, author, travel writer, gardener as well as mother and grandmother. Following the tragic death of her brilliant scientist husband, Michael Cross, in a freak air crash in 1964, she was left as a 30-year-old widow with two young boys aged four and three. For the next twelve years she worked as a key member of the Nobel Prize-winning team which developed Tagamet, the first block-buster drug (sales of over $1 billion a year). After her marriage to Jim Sherwood in 1977, she left science to concentrate full-time on the huge task of restoring the fabled Orient-Express train, probably the most luxurious and exotic form of travel ever devised. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, running between London and Venice, was relaunched in 1982, ninety-nine years after its first journey. Sherwood's history of the project sold more than 400,000 copies. The Orient-Express train was just the beginning. The Sherwoods went on to create the five-star Orient-Express Hotels company (now Belmond), which owned some of the finest hotels in the world, including the Cipriani in Venice, the Mount Nelson in Cape Town and the Copacabana Palace in Rio. They pioneered new train routes across the Alps, started the Eastern & Oriental Express running between Singapore and Bangkok- crossing over the Bridge on the River Kwai- opened up tourism in Myanmar with the first cruise ship to operate on the Irrawaddy, and took over the railways of Peru, which run all the way to Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. Her most lasting achievement, the one of which she is proudest, is the Shirley Sherwood Collection of contemporary botanical art, which she started in 1990 and now includes over 1,000 paintings and drawings representing the work of more than 300 contemporary botanical artists from 36 countries. She has mounted exhibitions in many prestigious locations including the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Kirstenbosch in Cape Town and the Real Jardin Botanico, Madrid. The Shirley Sherwood Gallery in Kew Gardens is the first museum to be dedicated to modern botanical art and her books, which often accompanied her exhibitions, have been largely responsible for re-establishing botanical art in its rightful place as an important art form. These are just some of the many achievements in a long and rich life, vividly described in this book.Trade Review"Shirley Sherwood put botanical art firmly back on the agenda with her incredible collection and her unremitting quest for only the very best." – Sir Roy Strong CH FRSL “A remarkable and sophisticated life of science, travel and passion for the best of contemporary botanical art." - Sir Peter Crane FRS "Shirley is an inspiration in how to use one’s gifts wisely and live life well. Her memoir is a delight." - Dame Mary Archer"this is a compelling tale of a life rich in incident and bravery" -- Steven Desmond

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Book SynopsisThe story of four remarkable women who shaped the intellectual history of the 20th century: Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch.On the cusp of the Second World War, four women went to Oxford to begin their studies: a fiercely brilliant Catholic convert; a daughter of privilege longing to escape her stifling upbringing; an ardent Communist and aspiring novelist with a list of would-be lovers as long as her arm; and a quiet, messy lover of newts and mice who would become a great public intellectual of our time. They became lifelong friends. At the time, only a handful of women had ever made lives in philosophy. But when Oxford''s men were drafted in the war, everything changed.As Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch labored to make a place for themselves in a male-dominated world, as they made friendships and families, and as they drifted toward and away from each other, they never stopped insisting that some lives are better tha

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Book Synopsis“Riveting…an electrifying true crime story of the Mafia-smitten eighties and nineties. Suspenseful and multifaceted, The Gotti Wars can’t be missed.” —Esquire, The Best Nonfiction Books of the YearA “meticulous chronicle of good triumphing over evil” (The Washington Post) from the determined young prosecutor who, in two of America’s most celebrated trials, managed to convict famed mob boss John Gotti—and ultimately took down the Mafia altogether. John Gotti was without a doubt the flashiest and most feared Mafioso in American history. He became the boss of the Gambino Crime Family in spectacular fashion—with the brazen and very public murder of Paul Castellano in front of Sparks Steakhouse in midtown Manhattan in 1985. Not one to stay below law enforcement’s radar, Gotti instead became the first celebrity crime boss. His penchant for eye-catching apparel earned him the nickname “The Dapper Don;” his ability to beat criminal charges led to another: “The Teflon Don.” This is the captivating story of Gotti’s meteoric rise to power and his equally dramatic downfall. Every step of the way, Gotti’s legal adversary—John Gleeson, an Assistant US Attorney in Brooklyn—was watching. When Gotti finally faced two federal racketeering prosecutions, Gleeson prosecuted both. As the junior lawyer in the first case—a bitter seven-month battle that ended in Gotti’s acquittal—Gleeson found himself in Gotti’s crosshairs, falsely accused of serious crimes by a defense witness Gotti intimidated into committing perjury. Five years later, Gleeson was in charge of the second racketeering investigation and trial. Armed with the FBI’s secret recordings of Gotti’s conversations with his underboss and consigliere in the apartment above Gotti’s Little Italy hangout, Gleeson indicted all three. He “flipped” underboss Sammy the Bull Gravano, killer of nineteen men, who became history’s highest-ranking mob turncoat—resulting in Gotti’s murder conviction. Gleeson ended not just Gotti’s reign, but eventually that of the entire mob. A spellbinding, page-turning courtroom drama, The Gotti Wars “tells us in electrifying detail how the good guys finally won, how justice triumphed over evil, and how Gleeson himself was transformed by his long war” (Nelson DeMille).Trade Review“A useful reminder, especially for Mafia romanticizers, that we’re dealing with sociopathic knuckle scrapers who settle scores with casual brutality…Gleeson, a lawyer in private practice these days, is an able storyteller [and his book displays] keen insights and neat turns of phrase.” —New York Times “The Gotti Wars is the riveting story of Gleeson’s fight to bring Gotti to justice, which spanned years, brought him into the crosshairs of organized crime, and ultimately took down five major mob families. It’s an electrifying true crime story of the Mafia-smitten 80s and 90s, to be certain, but also a vivid memoir of Gleeson’s development as a lawyer, and an excavation of the celebrity culture that turned a murderer into a superstar. Suspenseful and multifaceted, The Gotti Wars can’t be missed.” —Esquire, "The Best Nonfiction Books of 2022 (So Far)"“In this exceptional debut, former federal prosecutor Gleeson chronicles his efforts to bring Gambino family crime boss John Gotti to justice…A must-read for anyone interested in organized crime.” —Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)“Compelling…Gleeson has crafted this retelling as carefully as he prepped the two cases [against the mobster]. His description of the politics behind the scenes and his interactions with the likes of U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani and Attorney General Bill Barr are icing on the cake….Do we need yet another book on Gotti? Gleeson answers the question with a resounding yes.” —Library Journal (starred review)"A memoir from the federal prosecutor who took down the “Teflon Don” 30 years ago…Gleeson is a thorough writer…[The Gotti Wars] offers a realistic portrait of how big cases are pieced together." —Kirkus Reviews“Spellbinding...tells us in electrifying detail how the good guys finally won, how justice triumphed over evil, and how Gleeson himself was transformed by his long war.” —Nelson DeMille, New York Times bestselling author of The Gold Coast and Wild Fire “Vivid, evocative, and genuinely suspenseful…An impressively detailed account of what it was like in the late 80’s and early 90’s to be chasing a flashy, dangerous mobster who had morphed into a pop culture icon…. John Gleeson is one of the most gifted prosecutors ever to match up against the Mafia. As I should have guessed, he is also an immensely gifted storyteller.” —Mary Jo White, former Chair of the SEC, former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and former Acting US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York “Unflinchingly honest…contains moments that are both frightening and funny. I covered the rise and fall of John Gotti for seven years—through three trials and a dozen murders. I thought I knew this story inside and out, but this book shows I was mistaken. As John Gleeson tells the full story of how he built his ironclad case, you’ll feel like you’re sitting in the room where it happened—with the same nerve-jangling anticipation of how it will all turn out.” —John Miller, former co-anchor of 20/20 and, currently, Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism for the NYPD “A unique unveiling of the prosecutorial strategy that vanquished the American Mafia's most exalted late 20th century gangster. As a bonus, Gleeson offers candid views of the skills and shortcomings of his main opponents: the Teflon Don's battery of mob lawyers. Perhaps from his former perch on the bench his next book should pinpoint the frailties of our creaky criminal-justice system.” —Selwyn Raab, New York Times bestselling author of The Five Families “John Gotti flashed an arrogance and audacity that became a gauntlet thrown down to law enforcement. To his credit, Gleeson shows, in this absolutely riveting memoir, that Hollywood’s image of a prosecutor who does it all by himself is pure fantasy. Ultimately, The Gotti Wars is a testament to the camaraderie that forms around any consequential prosecution. In these pages, you get to experience how touch and go it actually was.” —Eric Holder, 82nd Attorney General of the United States "Well-written…John Gleeson, who took the swagger away from John Gotti, shares his up-close and personal view of Gotti, his cronies, and the Mafia world he observed before, during, and after his two knock-down, drag-out trials against the late Dapper Don." —Jerry Capeci, reporter-columnist at ganglandnews.com and coauthor of Mob Star: The Story of John Gotti and Murder Machine “Absorbing, even inspiring…Epicenters of media attention, the courtrooms in which the fates of John Gotti and his co-defendants were decided became—over a period of months and ultimately years—scenes of magnificent legal combat…. Second chair in the first case and lead prosecutor in the second, John Gleeson had to continually improvise to thwart defendants who would resort to any ploy, legal or otherwise, to gain their freedom.” —David N. Kelley, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York

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Book SynopsisJohnny Thunders: In Cold Blood is the definitive portrait of the condemned man of rock n roll, from the baptism of fire and tragedy that was the New York Dolls, through the junkie punk years of the Heartbreakers, to his sudden and mysterious death in 1991. It is an unflinching account of a unique guitarist whose drug problems often overshadowed his considerable style and talent, but whose unquestionable influence on glam, punk, and more still resonates today. Nina Antonia discovered Johnny Thunders and the New York Dolls as a teenager and spent her formative years as a dedicated fan before starting work on this book in her twenties. Then, when Johnny and his manager read her early drafts, they decided she should make it an authorised biography and granted her unique access to Johnny s life. As such, it begins by painting a historical portrait of Thunders and his early life and work before shifting into the present tense as Nina vividly describes her own experiences with the real-life Johnny and his associates. First published in 1987, Johnny Thunders: In Cold Blood has been kept alive over the years by an audience that isn t always catered for. While the New York Dolls are now rightly acknowledged as having been as pivotal as the Velvet Underground, and you might catch the odd fashionista sporting a Dolls T-shirt, Johnny s dark flame burns for those who have known adversity. He is the voice of the disenfranchised; he is every gifted son or daughter who went off the rails. Like Jesse James or James Dean, he couldn t come in from the badlands of rock n roll; he wouldn t appease or kowtow to the establishment. This new edition adds a new closing chapter, bringing Thunders legacy up to date, new photographs, and a foreword by Mike Scott of The Waterboys.

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Book SynopsisToday, Metallica are known as consummate musicians, but it wasn t always that way. Their early career is marked by a gradual evolution from garage thrash to sophisticated, progressive heights an evolution driven by their bass player, Cliff Burton, who pushed the band to new heights with his songwriting ability and phenomenal bass skills across the band s first three albums, including their undisputed masterpiece, Master Of Puppets. Cliff s life was short but influential; his death at the age of 24 in a tour bus crash on a Swedish mountain road was sudden and shocking. Following his passing, Metallica went on to huge global success, but by their own admission they never pushed the creative envelope as radically as they had done during the first four years of their career. The cult of Burton grows year on year, and so too the list of bassists acknowledging his influence in metal and beyond. Published to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Metallica s debut album, Kill Em All, this revised and updated edition of To Live Is To Die adds a new chapter on Cliff s enduring legacy as well as a preface from Testament bass master Steve Di Giorgio.Trade ReviewOne of the best biographies you ll ever read. - Robb Flynn, Machine Head

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Book SynopsisAn Inspiring Memoir, for Fans of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Frans De Waal. In her enchanting memoir, Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Uganda’s first wildlife veterinarian, tells the remarkable story from her animal-loving childhood to her career protecting endangered mountain gorillas and other wild animals. She is also the defender of people as a groundbreaking promoter of human public health and an advocate for revolutionary integrated approaches to saving our planet. In an increasingly interconnected world, animal and human health alike depend on sustainable solutions and Dr. Gladys has developed an innovative approach to conservation among the endangered Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and their human neighbors.Walking with Gorillas takes the reader on an incredible personal journey with Dr. Gladys, from her early days as a student in Uganda, enduring the assassination of her father during civil war, to her veterinarian education in England to establishing the first veterinary department for the Ugandan government to founding one of the first organizations in the world that enables people to coexist with wildlife through improving the health and wellbeing of both. Her award-winning approach reduced the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on critically endangered mountain gorillas. In the face of discrimination and a male dominated world, one woman’s passion and determination to build a brighter future for the local wildlife and human community offers inspiration and insights into what is truly possible for our planet when we come together."Her story is amazing and I recommend this book to everyone interested in conservation, alleviating poverty, and the role of women in society. But perhaps most importantly it is a truly inspiring story of how one determined and dedicated woman overcame many setbacks and faced many dangers to follow and realize her dream. She has made a huge difference to conservation in Uganda and she is an inspiring example to young—and not so young—people everywhere." -- Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE and UN Messenger of Peace, from the foreword Trade Review“I recommend this book to everyone interested in conservation, alleviating poverty, and the role of women in society. But perhaps most importantly it is a truly inspiring story of how one determined and dedicated woman overcame many setbacks and faced many dangers to follow and realize her dream.”—Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE and UN Messenger of Peace (from the foreword) “This uplifting debut by conservationist Kalema-Zikusoka reflects on her upbringing in Uganda and career as a wildlife veterinarian. Born in Kampala, Uganda, in 1970, the author was two years old when her father, a former cabinet minister, was abducted and murdered by the forces of then-president Idi Amin. She recounts devoting herself to her education and enrolling at the University of London Royal Veterinary College, becoming at age 26 Uganda’s first veterinarian specializing in wild animals. Vivid anecdotes detail the sometimes gritty nature of her work with endangered mountain gorillas, as when she describes using sugar to help reduce swelling around a gorilla’s prolapse. Through her work, she became “convinced that you couldn’t keep the gorillas healthy without improving the health and well-being of the people with whom they shared their fragile habitats” and began studying disease transmission between humans and primates. That research, she relates, enabled her to successfully advocate for Uganda’s adoption of the “One Health” approach to conservation, which recognizes that human hygiene and health lead to better welfare for plants and animals. The heartwarming narrative testifies to the good that one person can achieve and illuminates the complex interdependence between human and their environments. Admirers of Jane Goodall will love this. (Feb.)—Publishers Weekly “Her zeal for animals and gorillas in particular, as witnessed in this book, have lead Gladys to ground breaking innovations in conservation winning her global awards. This is an awe-inspiring walk by a remarkable lady who stands to be counted among women of incredible determination and purpose.” —HRH Nnabagereka, Sylvia Nagginda Luswata, Queen of Buganda Kingdom, Uganda “We eight billion humans are in a turf war with all other living species, one so lopsided that co-existing with them might seem a lost cause—until you meet Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka. Her miraculous career, engagingly recounted here, has meant salvation for some of our rarest primate cousins and an inspiring reminder for us Homo sapiens of what imagination and persistence can accomplish,whatever the odds.”—Alan Weisman, author,The World Without Us andCountdown “Her vivid narration of the special relationship she has been able to cultivate with nature will leave you captivated and in an intense trance as she transports you to the deep woods of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and on an excursion that you will never forget.”—Kaddu Sebunya, CEO African Wildlife Foundation “With unwavering drive and passion, she transformed a childhood love of animals into a career as Uganda’s first wildlife veterinarian and one of Africa’s leading conservationists. Filled with adventure and told with candor and heart, Walking with Gorillas is an extraordinary story of an extraordinary life.”—Thor Hanson, author ofHurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid,andThe Impenetrable Forest:My Gorilla Years in Uganda “Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka is a true force of nature. Her riveting story of growing up in Uganda and overcoming challenges to pursue a veterinary profession, reads almost like fiction—full of adventure, drama, passion, and lots of big, furry primates.” —Meg Lowman, National Geographic Explorer and author of The Arbornaut: A Life Discovering the 8th Continent in the Trees Above Us “In one of the world’s most challenging environments, Dr. Gladys has put her life on the line to protect one of the world's most spectacular—and spectacularly threatened species, the mountain gorilla. A story which will inspire everyone, everywhere!”—Dr. Mark Plotkin, The Amazon Conservation Team, author of Tales of a Shaman’s Apprentice “A concise and compelling autobiography, from a resilient ‘bridge-builder’: Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka. It has been said: ‘When you build bridges, you get walked on from both sides,’—so true for Gladys who has faced prejudice from her own culture, for being a woman and for being African. But Gladys is a trailblazer, risk-taker and innovative. We all share this planet and it takes a person like Gladys to reimagine conservation and build bridges between culture and communities so that we all survive together. Gladys is my hero, Uganda’s hero, Africa’s hero, and the world’s hero.”—Catherine Kreutter, author of Old Mzee books “Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka is one of Africa’s greatest conservation ecoheroes. Her work on mountain gorillas and her innovative approaches linking this essential conservation activity with the health of human communities living in close proximity is truly ground-breaking and serves as a model for other projects around the world. It is wonderful to now have her story told in her own words in this inspiring and delightful new book.”—Russell A. Mittermeier, Ph.D., Chief Conservation Officer, Re:wild (formerly Global Wildlife Conservation) “Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka's pioneering efforts to save endangered gorillas by improving local human health have been an inspiration to conservationists around the world. Her new memoir details this incredible journey, including the adversity she had to overcome and what she's learned along the way. She artfully illustrates the complexities of conservation, sheds light on how protecting nature helps us protect ourselves, and offers insights that are applicable to conservation programs worldwide. I strongly recommend this book!”—Rhett Butler, Founder and CEO of Mongabay “Walking with Gorillas is an inspirational account of one veterinarian's unwavering effort to prevent disease spillover by promoting a "One Health" approach and always, above all, listening and prioritizing local community members’ voices to create a better world for humans, animals and nature. This decade began with grave reminder of the danger of diseases jumping from animals to people and back, something Dr. Gladys has been committed to protecting us and wildlife from during her entire professional life.”—Dr. William Karesh, Author Appointments at the Ends of the World, President, World Organisation for Animal Health Working Group on Wildlife “Uganda deserves to be better known for its astonishing wildlife. And I can think of no better guide than the nation’s first wildlife veterinarian. Meet Dr. Gladys and enter the incredible adventure that has been her life." — Dr. Carl Safina, author of Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel “Infused with the remarkable spirit of purpose, compassion and innovative thinking that is synonymous with Gladys herself, Walking with Gorillas is an inspiring memoir that showcases the importance of community-based conservation through one of Uganda’s most determined voices for wildlife. A captivating look at the dangers that humans pose to our closest of relatives, this book gives a compelling insight into the role that healthcare and women in society play in the author’s pioneering ‘One Health’ approach – one that the future of conservation surely depends upon. Simply, a must-read.”—Edward Whitley, OBE, Founder of Whitley Fund for Nature, Author of Gerald Durrell’s Army “Dr. Kalema-Zikusoka’s book, Walking With Gorillas, is a walk through the forests and landscapes of her life and the lives of those who have influenced her choices as a veterinarian, a leader, partner and mother. Her method for building community and improving methods for protection of the forest has not only had an impact on the survival of our closest relatives the great apes, it has added a chapter to our understanding of how to build a thriving relationship with nature. Her wisdom is what we urgently need as we meet the challenge of declining biodiversity and deforestation, pandemics and climate change. If the measure of a life is one’s legacy, Dr. Kalema-Zikusoka shows in her book that being part of a lineage is also important. Her learning from her forebearers while creating communities that live in harmony with all sentient beings is a model for public health, economic livelihoods and field science.”—Tom Cummings, Tallberg Foundation jury leader and Member Club of Rome, Chair, BLab Europe, Global Alliance for Banking on Values, Author of Leadership Landscapes

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Book Synopsis'This is a rip-roaring read, full of derring-do and sometimes comic, often foolhardy bravery. [Jenny] sounds an absolute hoot, and her book is never anything less' – Daily Mail ‘A fascinating and quirky take on how easily we can be hoodwinked and hacked. Next time you hear anyone complain about the cost of cyber-protection, hand them a copy of People Hacker. It could save them a fortune’ – The Times -------'From an early age, locked doors, high fences and the secrets kept by businesses, buildings and people, fascinated me. I wanted to find out what they wanted to hide away.' A burglar for hire, con-artist and expert in deception and physical infiltration – Jenny Radcliffe is a professional people hacker. After being schooled in the art of breaking and entering by her family, she became an expert social engineer, doing an insider’s job Trade Review'This is a rip-roaring read, full of derring-do and sometimes comic, often foolhardy bravery. [Jenny] sounds an absolute hoot, and her book is never anything less' * Daily Mail *‘A fascinating and quirky take on how easily we can be hoodwinked and hacked. Next time you hear anyone complain about the cost of cyber-protection, hand them a copy of People Hacker. It could save them a fortune’ * The Times *

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Book SynopsisHe starts the decade a teenage pop idol. But the one-hit wonder who sang 'Space Oddity' is still very far from becoming the star who will one day define the 1970s. Not when he still has a band to find, a manager to sack, a mentally ill brother to save, a wife to marry and a rival called Marc Bolan to beat. Not when David Bowie still has no idea who or what David Bowie is. Starting at the beginning of Bowie's incredible ten-year odyssey changing the course of pop music, Simon Goddard's bold and expressionistic biography weaves time, space, rock'n'roll and social history to relive Bowie's 1970 - moment by vivid moment.

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Book SynopsisUncle Tungsten radiates all the delight and wonder of a boy’s adventures, and is an unforgettable portrait of an extraordinary young mind.Oliver Sacks evokes, with warmth and wit, his upbringing in wartime England. He tells of the large science-steeped family who fostered his early fascination with chemistry. There follow his years at boarding school where, though unhappy, he developed the intellectual curiosity that would shape his later life. And we hear of his return to London, an emotionally bereft ten-year-old who found solace in his passion for learning. ‘If you did not think that gallium and iridium could move you, this superb book will change your mind’ – The TimesTrade ReviewThis book is both a heartwarming account of a delightful, eccentric family life and an inspiring record of a remarkable intellectual odyssey. * Mail on Sunday *The amalgamation of personal recollection and scientific history makes a luminous, inspiring book. * Sunday Telegraph *Uncle Tungsten is really about the raw joy of scientific understanding; what it is like to be a precocious child discovering the alchemical secrets of reality for the first time: the sheer thrill of finding intelligible patterns in nature. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisAdvice for graduates and reflections on staying true to yourself from the beloved Gilmore Girls actress and New York Times bestselling author of the memoir Talking as Fast as I Can and the novel Someday, Someday, Maybe.If you''re kicking yourself for not having accomplished all you should have by now, don''t worry about it. Even without any ''big'' accomplishments yet to your name, you are enough. In this expansion of the 2017 commencement speech she gave at her hometown Langley High, Lauren Graham, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood, reflects on growing up, pursuing your dreams, and living in the here and now. Whatever path you choose, whatever career you decide to go after, the important thing is that you keep finding joy in what you''re doing, especially when the joy isn''t finding you. In her hilarious, relatable voice, Graham reminds us to be curious and compassionate, no matter where life tak

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Book SynopsisThe inside story of a case that illustrates the horrific perils of unchecked prosecutorial overreach, written by the man who experienced it firsthand.Raj Rajaratnam, the respected founder of the iconic hedge fund Galleon Group, which managed $7 billion and employed 180 people in its heyday, chose to go to trial rather than concede to a false narrative concocted by ambitious prosecutors looking for a scapegoat for the 2008 financial crisis. Naively perhaps, Rajaratnam had expected to get a fair hearing in court. As an immigrant who had achieved tremendous success in his adopted country, he trusted the system. He had not anticipated prosecutorial overreach—inspired by political ambition—FBI fabrications, judicial compliance, and lies told under oath by cooperating witnesses. In the end, Rajaratnam was convicted and sentenced to eleven years in prison. He served seven and a half. Meanwhile, not a single senior bank executive responsible for the financial crisis was even charged. Uneven Justice is the story of his bewildering and confounding prosecution by forces who, quite frankly, were looking for bigger game. When Rajaratnam refused to support the narrative that would make that happen, he and the Galleon Group became collateral damage. A cautionary tale with implications for us all, Uneven Justice is both a riveting page-turner and an eye-opening lesson in the vagaries of justice when an unscrupulous prosecutor is calling the shots.Trade Review“The book, "Uneven Justice," makes a persuasive case that this prosecution served to cover up the embarrassment of the Obama DOJ's malfeasance and advance the ambitious Bharara's career. But it's most important point is that the entire justice system is rigged against defendants. Obviously, few people are going to sympathize with a billionaire hedge fund manager. But that's the point. That's not the book's goal. His case is done. The book is a genuine, serious, in-depth study of all the ways federal prosecutors have unchecked power to destroy people. Federal prosecutors routinely threaten people's families, conceal exculpatory evidence, exploit the fact that almost anything is a crime, and in general have rigged the system to make acquittal almost impossible. If it takes Rajaratnam to help expose that, this book is welcomed.” -- Glenn Greenwald, Pulitzer Prize winning Journalist, NY Times Best Selling Author and former constitutional lawyer

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.The rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open'Victor Frankenstein's monster is stitched together from the limbs of the dead, taken from the dissecting room and the slaughter-house'. The result is a grotesque being who, rejected by his maker and starved of human companionship, sets out on a journey to seek his revenge. In the most famous gothic horror story ever told, Shelley confronts the limitations of science, the nature of human cruelty and the pathway to forgiveness.Written when Mary Shelley was only eighteen years old and published two years later, this chilling tale of a young scientist's desire to create life and the consequences of that creation still resonates today.

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Book SynopsisThe Madness of Couragedescribes how, shot down behind French lines,Group Captain Gilbert Insallignored intensive German shelling in order to repair his aircraft overnight and return to base.

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Book SynopsisCandice Brathwaite's much-anticipated second book about all the things she wishes she'd been told when she was young and needed guidance.I Am Not Your Baby Mother was a landmark publication in 2020. A thought-provoking, urgent and inspirational guide to life as a Black British mum, it was an important call-to-arms allowing mothers to take control and scrap the parenting rulebook to do it their own way. It was a Sunday Times top five bestseller.Sista Sister goes further. It is a compilation of essays about all the things Candice wishes someone had talked to her about when she was a young Black girl growing up in London. From family and money to Black hair and fashion, as well as relationships between people of different races and colourism, this will be a fascinating read that will have another profound impact on conversations about Black Lives Matter.Written in Candice's trademark straight-talking, warm and funny style, it will delight her fans, old and new.Trade ReviewDirect, accessible and in parts, very funny * Guardian *A sharp, sometimes moving self-help book * Observer *[I] inhaled this. Fans of I Am Not Your Baby Mother, brace for another corker from Candice Brathwaite * Pandora Sykes *This book is like the older sibling you wish you'd had growing up. Looking at family, sex, money and Blackness, bestselling author Brathwaite deftly navigates even the trickiest of topics in this compilation of essays, holding up a lens to joy, heartbreak and exactly what it really means to be a young woman * Cosmopolitan *One of the best books I've read this year * Yewande Biala *Wise, honest, confronting, beautiful and funny * Sheerluxe *Inspiring and provocative * Heat *A witty, honest and transformative collection of essays * The Strategist *Wise, witty * Evening Standard *[Sista Sister is like] that older and wiser friend you always wish you'd had * Independent *The honest and profound words have been chosen carefully and speak volumes about society, making this a must read. Hugely emotive in parts, the author's warmth and humour radiates off the page * Woman’s Way Magazine *

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Book SynopsisOne of the most beloved Christian autobiographies of modern times, Joni highlights the unforgettable story of a young woman''s courageous struggle to find hope after a broken neck left her completely paralyzed. On a hot July afternoon, Joni Eareckson Tada''s life was dramatically altered in a split second. A reckless dive into shallow water took an athletic young woman from health and success to life as a quadriplegic in a wheelchair. In the forty-five years since the release of this book--which has more than five million copies in print in over forty languages--Joni''s earnest struggle to find hope has resonated with millions of readers around the world. The hard-earned truths she shares in this special edition reveal the power of God''s love to transform, as well as the triumph of faith over pain and suffering.Joni''s message has inspired people facing all types of challenges, helping them overcome their own limitations with a determined smi

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis soul-stirring account of an eight-thousand mile-long pilgrimage is motivated by the author's determination to show the world that our true destination can be peace in every step we take. * Phil Cousineau, filmmaker and author of The Art of Pilgrimage *Satish Kumar ought to sit on a council of elders, guiding us through real wisdom, to the utopia that his path has shown us is possible. * Russell Brand, comedian *Satish Kumar is one of our more remarkable fellow humans. If you don't know his story, now is the moment to learn it! * Bill McKibben, climate activist, author of The End of Nature *With this wonderful book the transcendentally inspiring Satish Kumar takes us on a journey where every step is taken with love and compassion. * Gelong Thubten, Buddhist monk and author of A Monk’s Guide to Happiness *A great narrative like this could only have been born by walking a long journey with purpose. In his pure and elegantly simple voice, Satish describes the glorious variety of people and cultures he meets along the way, and how each is on their own pilgrimage to peace. This story is a global treasure. * Dr Guy Hayward, director and co-founder of the British Pilgrimage Trust *Anybody who has heard the force by which Satish can speak of peace might wonder of its source. This book shows us through the nomad journey of his life and of our times. * Alastair McIntosh, author of Soil and Soul *The Peace Walk of Satish Kumar, a living legend, is an inspiring and fascinating journey. The book is riveting, original and thought-provoking. His wise, comforting, motivational and spiritually uplifting words will inspire many to ‘walk the walk’. Underpinned with practical life experience and lessons, this book is a must-read. * YOGA Magazine *Satish Kumar literally walks the talk. He lives Gandhi's philosophy: 'Be the change you want to see in the world'. An inspirational, humbling book. * Psychologies magazine *A pilgrimage, a travelogue and a paean to peace, every step of Satish’s vivid journey across a supposedly divided world is a masterpiece of literary reconciliation and hope. * Dr Nick Mayhew-Smith, author of Britain’s Pilgrim Places *Satish Kumar is a real Earth Pilgrim, a lifelong and passionate peace campaigner. This story of his remarkable journey is captivating throughout. * GreenSpirit *Quietly passionate, gently insistent and manifestly moved by joy and hope, Satish is a living example of putting wisdom to work in all kinds of ways. This book chronicles an enterprise very typical of him – risky, but motivated by the only sort of realism that matters, the realism that confronts the 'Emperor’s New Clothes' of a stale, frightened and destructive world order and shows how human beings can learn and grow. * Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury *Satish Kumar’s book is an inspiration for all citizens yearning for peace. Satish shares his experiences of love, compassion and generosity as he travelled to Washington without money to stop the bomb. Satish is a tireless pilgrim of peace. His message is more important than ever. * Vandana Shiva, winner of Right Livelihood Award and author of Earth Democracy *We can talk about peace, we can write about it. But until I read his wonderful book, I never knew Satish had walked for it too. His whole life has been one long walk for freedom, justice, harmony and peace. Yes, it is an extraordinary adventure, but it is much more than that. His life would be this walk. Here is a book that inspires us to follow in his footsteps, that gives us all hope. * Michael Morpurgo, author of Warhorse *Satish Kumar’s memoir of his 8,000 mile peace walk from India to America is a warmly written, gripping and inspirational tale, offering us all hope in dark times. Never have his message of peace, tolerance and unity been more timely or more necessary. * Kindred Spirit magazine *Table of ContentsDestination Peace Pakistan: The Land of Hope and Hospitality Afghanistan: The Mountains of Magic and Mystery Iran: A Place of Poetry and Passion The Soviet Union: A Land of Power and Promises No Problems in Poland East Germany: Hawks and Doves West Germany: Flowers and Philosophy Beautiful Belgium Fabulous France England: Green and Pleasant Land USA: Prejudice and Prosperity Japan: Home of Humility

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Book SynopsisThe car world is full of fascinating characters, but few have a story to tell quite as remarkable and inspirational as Tom Hartley. Walking out of school at the age of 11, unable to read or write, Hartley set up his own business buying and selling cars. From that moment on he defied logic and ripped up the rule book on his way to the top.Today, he heads one of the most successful independent family-run luxury, performance and classic car businesses in the world, and has built an unrivalled reputation as 'The Dealmaker.' Tom has been at the top for over 40 years, survived and thrived through four recessions, and overcome three life-threatening illnesses. In his own brutally honest words Hartley tells his gripping story of a boy from a traditional Romany family who swapped the classroom for the cut-throat world of Glasgow's car auctions, buying and selling his first car at the age of 12. Having decided to illegally drive himself, he was only 15 when he had his first car crash, and they don't come more spectacular than writing off a Ferrari Dino - nothing has ever been mundane in the world of Tom Hartley! Hartley had made his first million by the age of 17, but soon suffered major setbacks as his business went bust, and he found himself at risk of losing his sight without major surgery. Hartley started all over again, living with his wife in a mobile home, and working from the back of a car. He had gone from hero to zero, but his burning desire to be the best saw him climb his way back to the top. His ability to clinch deals in some of the most bizarre places has become legendary, like buying a car in a sauna, while stuck in a traffic jam on a motorway, and even in a swimming pool! Family has played a key part in the Tom Hartley story: his wife, Priscilla, has been at his side all the way, and his two sons have followed closely in their father's footsteps. Indeed, Tom's belief in family is just one of the inspiring messages that comes through in his book. Hartley's inspirational story is about his unshakeable belief in his own abilities, from a precocious schoolboy who had a dream, and then through sheer hard work and a burning desire made the dream come true. This is not just a book for car enthusiasts but for anyone who has dared to dream. It's a story that will inspire and motivate, and proves you can make the wildest dream come true if you want it badly enough ..Table of ContentsContents: Chapter 1 - Swapping the classroom for the auction halls. Covering the early years as Tom walks out of school aged 11 to start his business buying and selling cars in the Glasgow Auction Halls, unable to read or write. Chapter 2 - Making my first million by the age of 17. The fast track years from schoolboy to businessman and how he made his first million by 17. Chapter 3 - From Hero to Zero. - The dramatic crash of his business literally overnight at the same time as risking losing his eyesight. Chapter 4 - Anytime, Anywhere, Anyplace. - Tells the story of Tom's totally unorthodox way of doing business and the bizarre places he bought and sold cars. Chapter 5 - The Customer is King - How Tom has strived to give his customers the ultimate experience and how celebrities have played a key role in his business. Chapter 6 - Diversify and Prosper - Tom Hartley is known for his car empire, but he also has another successful business in the Park Home industry and why it is equally important. Chapter 7 - Home is where the heart is. A 40 acre estate in the heart of the English countryside is not only the base for Tom's business but also where his home is. Literally showing business and pleasure can mix. Chapter 8 - It's a Family Affair - Family is everything to Tom Hartley and this chapter describes the key role they play in the business - with comments from his family on what makes Tom tick. Chapter 9 - My Mentor and Inspirations - Tom's only mentor was his father Tom, but the chapter also looks at people who have inspired Tom. Chapter 10 - What the Media Say about Tom Hartley - Covers the unique relationship Tom has enjoyed with the media over his life. Also four pages of headlines from various media. Chapter 11- The Winning Formula - Tom describes his winning formula and finishes with his Top Tips on how to win at business.

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Book SynopsisGeorge Orwell set out ‘to make political writing into an art’, and to a wide extent this aim shaped the future of English literature – his descriptions of authoritarian regimes helped to form a new vocabulary that is fundamental to understanding totalitarianism. While 1984 and Animal Farm are amongst the most popular classic novels in the English language, this new series of Orwell’s essays seeks to bring a wider selection of his writing on politics and literature to a new readership. In The Prevention of Literature, the third in the Orwell’s Essays series, Orwell considers the freedom of thought and expression. He discusses the effect of the ownership of the press on the accuracy of reports of events, and takes aim at political language, which ‘consists almost entirely of prefabricated phrases bolted together.’ The Prevention of Literature is a stirring cry for freedom from censorship, which Orwell says must start with the writer themselves: ‘To write in plain vigorous language one has to think fearlessly.’Trade Review'A writer who can – and must – be rediscovered with every age.' Irish TimesTable of ContentsWhy I Write, Note on the Text, Notes, A Brief Biographical Sketch of George Orwell

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Book SynopsisA #1 New York Times Bestseller! "I read it cover-to-cover. I did not intend to, but I started at the beginning and didn’t put it down until it was over."—Rachel Maddow, MSNBCThis book almost didn’t see the light of day as government officials tried to bar its publication.The Inside Story of the Real President Trump, by His Former Attorney and Personal Advisor—The Man Who Helped Get Him Into the Oval Office Once Donald Trump’s fiercest surrogate, closest confidant, and staunchest defender, Michael Cohen knows where the skeletons are buried.This is the most devastating business and political horror story of the century. As Trump’s lawyer and “fixer,” Cohen not only witnessed firsthand but was also an active participant in the inner workings of Trump’s business empire, political campaign, and presidential administration.This is a story that you have not read in newspapers, or on social media, or watched on television. These are accounts that only someone who worked for Trump around the clock for over a decade—not a few months or even a couple of years—could know. Cohen describes Trump’s racist rants against President Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, and Black and Hispanic people in general, as well as the cruelty, humiliation, and abuse he leveled at family and staff. Whether he’s exposing the fact that Trump engaged in tax fraud by inflating his wealth or electronic fraud by rigging an online survey, or outing Trump’s Neanderthal views towards women or his hush-money payments to clandestine lovers, Cohen pulls no punches.He shows Trump’s relentless willingness to lie, exaggerate, mislead, or manipulate. Trump emerges as a man without a soul—a man who courts evangelicals and then trashes them, panders to the common man, but then rips off small business owners, a con man who will do or say absolutely anything to win, regardless of the cost to his family, his associates, or his country.At the heart of Disloyal, we see how Cohen came under the spell of his charismatic "Boss" and, as a result, lost all sense of his moral compass.The real "real" Donald Trump who permeates these pages—the racist, sexist, homophobic, lying, cheating President—will be discussed, written about, and analyzed for years to come.Trade ReviewA #1 New York Times Bestseller!This book almost didn’t see the light of day as government officials tried to bar its publication."I read it cover-to-cover. I did not intend to, but I started at the beginning and didn’t put it down until it was over."—Rachel Maddow, MSNBC“I make the finding that the purpose of transferring Mr. Cohen from furlough and home confinement to jail is retaliatory. And it’s retaliatory because of his desire to exercise his First Amendment rights to publish a book and to discuss anything about the book or anything else he wants on social media and with others.”—Federal District Court Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein“Trump has tried to stop the publication of unflattering books about him before, including his very recent and unsuccessful attempts to silence his former national security advisor John Bolton and Mary Trump, the President’s niece. But the attempted suppression of Cohen’s book is different from prior efforts because it uses (and abuses) DOJs hammer of incarceration.”—Jennifer Rodgers, CNN“Was federal law enforcement punishing Cohen because he’d worked on a book critical of the president? Was the White House responsible for orchestrating Cohen’s re-imprisonment? Was Team Trump pulling levers to silence the president’s former fixer ahead of the election?”—Steve Benen, MSNBC“'JUDGE ORDERS COHEN RELEASED, CITING “RETALIATION” OVER TELL-ALL BOOK.’ A judge agreed that federal officials had returned Michael D. Cohen to prison because he wanted to publish a book about President Trump.”—The New York Times“The idea that Michael Cohen is sitting in solitary confinement because he won’t sign papers committing not to publish a book is unfathomable. This is the United States of America. We don’t send people to solitary confinement because they want to write a book.”—Alan Dershowitz, author of The Case Against Impeaching Trump“Michael Cohen’s book to allege Trump made racist comments about Obama and Nelson Mandela, lawsuit says.”—Washington Post

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Masterly.”—William Anthony Hay, Wall Street Journal“‘An extraordinary man who achieves extraordinary things’ requires an extraordinary biographer. In Parker, [Charles V] has one. Seldom does one find a work of such profound scholarship delivered in such elegant and engaging prose. Drawing deftly on an astonishing volume of documentary evidence, Parker has produced a masterpiece: an epic, detailed and vivid life of this complex man and his impossibly large empire.”—Susannah Lipscomb, Financial Times“This biography is as majestic as its subject.”—Daniel Johnson, Sunday Times“This is a beautifully written and accessible work, presumably pitched for general as well as academic readers.”—Susan Broomhall, Parergon"No other scholar now has such a deep impact on the writing of the history of 16th-century European history."—Wim Blockmans, Rector Emeritus of the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study "[Parker] brings the enigmatic, fascinating titan of 16th-century Europe blazingly to life in this superb portrait that is excellent, accessible and magisterial in both politics and humanity."—Simon Sebag Montefiore, Aspects of History Magazine 'Books of the Year 2020'“This monograph is a magnum opus of what Marc Bloch called ‘the historian’s craft’, both in terms of archival research...and in its narrative power. Parker narrates with refreshing ease and in gripping detail a vast array of events, details and stages of the life of Charles V.”—Stefan Hanß, History: The Journal of the Historical Association “Emperor is a highly readable and up-to-date study that deserves a place on the bookshelf of all students of sixteenth-century Europe. All future works on Charles V will need to take Geoffrey Parker’s erudite book into account.”—Sean T. Perrone, Bulletin of Spanish Studies“Luckily for us non-specialists, Parker has distilled what he knows about the Holy Roman Emperor into the very accessible Emperor: A New Life of Charles V… Fascinating and awe-inspiring.” —Jo Henry, BookBrunch CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title, 2020“A remarkable book, a panorama full of astounding and memorable details, and a gripping read. No other living scholar could have organised and analysed the vast and dizzying array of source materials. Parker is both psychologically astute and sets Charles in the huge canvas against which he operated, always presenting the diplomatic, religious, structural and systemic contexts of the decisions he had to make. A monumental achievement.”—Lyndal Roper, author of Martin Luther“A splendid book. It’s well-written, engaging the reader, even while marshalling to good use a truly impressive erudition. . . . [T]his is the only book I know that stands comparison with Brandi in that respect, and Parker covers a lot more ground.”—James D. Tracy, author of Emperor Charles V“Emperor leaves me in awe. It is an unprecedentedly thorough imperial, and indeed, global, biography. The book marshals a breath-taking quantity of evidence, while paying meticulous attention to its quality. Brilliant.”—Bethany Aram, author of Juana the Mad, professor of modern history at Pablo de Olavide University, Spain, and principal investigator of the interdisciplinary project An Artery of Empire: Conquest, Commerce, Crisis, Culture and the Panamanian Junction (1513–1671)“No one has understood the Habsburg emperor better than the master historian Geoffrey Parker. In this meticulously-researched and brilliantly-narrated account, Parker strikes a perfect balance, highlighting Charles’s strengths as a warrior-king together with his personal weaknesses as a family man. A tour-de-force.”—Richard L. Kagan, author of Clio and the Crown“Geoffrey Parker’s biography of Charles V immediately takes its place as the premier study of the emperor available in English. Its significance, however, like the research that supports it, is global. I cannot remember reading anything that offered so much depth of perspective on both the emperor as a ruler and the age as a whole, the work of Karl Brandi included. It is a masterpiece of historical reconstruction.”—C. Scott Dixon, author of The Church in the Early Modern Age

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Book SynopsisFrom one of India's finest writers, thinkers and commentators, a memoir of a love affair with cricket.As a fan, player, writer, scholar, controversialist and administrator, Ramachandra Guha has spent a life with cricket.In this book, Guha offers both a brilliantly charming memoir and a charter of the life of cricket in India.He traces the game across every level at which it is played: school, college, club, state and country. He offers vivid portraits of local heroes, provincial icons and international stars.Following the narrative of his life intertwined and in love with the sport, Guha captures the magic of bat and ball that has ensnared billions.Trade Review A DAILY TELEGRAPH BEST SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020 ‘Guha is a distinguished historian, biographer of Gandhi, a courageous political activist — and also an absolute cricket nut … Watching a serious intellectual grapple with his own relationship with sport is always revealing … [A] passionate, unique book … Guha’s totally in love, that’s the thing – and it’s the love that shines through on every page’Ed Smith, Financial Times ‘Guha also fills the same role within India that Scyld Berry and Gideon Haigh do in England and Australia. In other words, he is the deepest and wisest chronicler of his cricketing nation’Daily Telegraph, Best Sport Books of the Year, 2020 ‘Guha is an historian, environmentalist, journalist and political biographer of wide-ranging distinction … An engagingly generous celebration of cricket and cricketers, Indian and firangis alike … A book that should not be ignored’David Crane, Spectator ‘Delightful … Guha, one of India’s best-known historians and public intellectuals, is a bona fide cricket obsessive … His deep knowledge of the game allows him to bring a historian’s perspective when writing about players … The Commonwealth of Cricket is a return to his cherished first love. It should be celebrated’Soumya Bhattacharya, New Statesman ‘Powerful … The Commonwealth of Cricket is a memoir of his lifelong obsession with the game … It is, not surprisingly, a delightful read – but it also carries a political message’Emma John, Guardian ‘Guha’s book is timely … It is also at odds with the way many see the game in India today … In that sense it is a love-letter to a game as it was and can be again’Mike Atherton, The Times ‘Enchanting … Deeply enriching … He writes about the game as he first knew it, with the unguarded fondness of youth’Paul Edwards, The Cricketer

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Book SynopsisNew York Times bestseller Now with a new Epilogue, containing letters of response from Palestinian readers.A profound and original book, the work of a gifted thinker.--Daphne Merkin, The Wall Street JournalAttempting to break the agonizing impasse between Israelis and Palestinians, the Israeli commentator and award-winning author of Like Dreamers directly addresses his Palestinian neighbors in this taut and provocative book, empathizing with Palestinian suffering and longing for reconciliation as he explores how the conflict looks through Israeli eyes. And now, in a brand-new Epilogue, Palestinian readers have been given a chance to respond through their own powerful letters.I call you neighbor because I don’t know your name, or anything personal about you. Given our circumstances, neighbor might be too casual a word to describe our relations

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThe Times Biography of the YearWinner of the Hawthornden Prize 2019Shortlisted for the HWA Non-Fiction Prize 2019Longlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize 2019Longlisted for the Cundhill History Prize 2019Outstanding.' The Sunday Times A revelation.' Guardian Wonderful.' The Times Riveting.' New StatesmanFriedrich Nietzsche's work rocked the foundation of Western thinking and continues to permeate our culture, high and low yet he is one of history's most misunderstood philosophers. Sue Prideaux's myth-shattering book brings readers into the world of a brilliant, eccentric and deeply troubled man, illuminating the events and people that shaped his life and work. I Am Dynamite! is the essential biography for anyone seeking to understand Nietzsche, the philosopher who foresaw and sought solutions to our own troubled times.

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Book Synopsis*Featured in The Times'' ''Best Books of the Year So Far''*What do you do when you realise you have everything you think you''ve ever wanted but still feel completely empty? What do you do when it all starts to fall apart? The second volume of Moby''s extraordinary life story is a journey into the dark heart of fame and the demons that lurk just beneath the bling and bluster of the celebrity lifestyle. In summer 1999, Moby released the album that defined the millennium, PLAY. Like generation-defining albums before it, PLAY was ubiquitous, and catapulted Moby to superstardom. Suddenly he was hanging out with David Bowie and Lou Reed, Christina Ricci and Madonna, taking esctasy for breakfast (most days), drinking litres of vodka (every day), and sleeping with super models (infrequently). It was a diet that couldn''t last. And then it fell apart. The second volume of Moby''s memoir is a classic about the banality of fame. It is shocking, r

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