Biography Books

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. Shooting an Elephant, the fifth in the Orwell's Essays series, tells the story of a police officer in Burma who is called upon to shoot an aggressive elephant. Thought to be loosely based on Orwell's own experiences in Burma, the tightly written essay weaves together fact and fiction indistinguishably, and leaves the reader contemplating the heavy topic of colonialism, with the words 'when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys' echoing from the page.Trade Review'A writer who can - and must - be rediscovered with every age.' (Irish Times) 'A remarkable piece.' (Jeremy Paxman)Table of ContentsShooting an Elephant, Note on the Text, Notes, A Brief Biographical Sketch of George Orwell

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Book SynopsisThe best political biography of the year'' Jonathan Sumption, Spectator''Wonderful . . . A Life so nearly complete it need never be written again'' Ferdinand Mount, Times Literary SupplementBy the author of the Orwell Prize-winning Citizen ClemDamned in coruscating verse by Shelley and Byron, his coffin hissed at during his funeral, Lord Castlereagh has one of the blackest reputations in British history. But as John Bew shows, this is but a half-drawn portrait. His gripping biography reveals a shy, inarticulate but passionate man; a towering political figure of implacable principles who redrew the map of Europe, fought a duel with a cabinet colleague and would tragically take his own life amid rumours of scandal and madness.Trade ReviewJohn Bew has some heavy lifting to do in this consciously revisionist take. It is a great testament to his skills as a scholar and writer that he manages to do so with such aplomb . . . stellar -- Tristram Hunt * Daily Telegraph *Wonderful . . . Bew's book is not only unparalleled in its size and sweep; it is also drenched in the Irish dimension, enriched by the author's own Ulster heritage, as well as the sagacity, scholarship and charm that make this a Life so nearly complete that it need never be written again -- Ferdinand Mount * Times Literary Supplement *In a magisterial political portrait Bew brings Castlereagh and his world sharply back to life, and reassesses one of Britain's great forgotten statesmen -- Dan Jones * Daily Telegraph *The best political biography of the year -- Jonathan Sumption * Spectator *In this well-researched and judicious book, John Bew successfully readjusts the picture . . . this excellent biography tells a cautionary tale -- Leslie Mitchell * Literary Review *This new biography by John Bew is a wonderful book, in its scope, its scholarship and the magisterial sweep of the narrative * Irish Independent *Vast, well-researched biography . . . as Bew's solid, accomplished book shows, no foreign secretary has worker harder, wielded such influence or inspired such poetic hatreds -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *The most brilliant and wise political biography I have read in a long while -- Ferdinand Mount * Wall St Journal *Bew's achievement is to portray Castlereagh . . . convincingly and without any historical or bibliographical contortion * London Review of Books *This is an excellent biography which has given us a far more realistic and nuanced view of this much maligned man * Contemporary Review *A compelling new biography of the Irishman who dominated early 19th century diplomacy -- Hywel Williams * Guardian *John Bew is the outstanding historian of his generation. His biography of Castlereagh displays a knowledge of character, a grasp of political intrigue and a talent for story-telling any writer would envy. He brings magnificently to life one of the most enigmatic, and influential, statesmen in Britain's history * Michael Gove *Riveting . . . portrays the glory of perhaps the greatest of Britain's foreign secretaries -- Andrew Roberts * Standpoint *a magisterial guide to Castlereagh's life that should inform the general understanding of international politics today . . . a masterly account -- Brendan Simms * Foreign Affairs *A finely etched portrait . . . Bew impressively adds yet new dimensions to the man -- William Hay * Wall St Journal *Excellent . . . a terrific read * Jack Straw *In a formidable biography, John Bew has addressed the reputation of Castlereagh, one of the dominant political personalities of Regency Britain -- Keith Simpson * Total Politics *Monumental -- Mark D'Arcy * BBC Political Books of the Year *Bew is above all a very fine historian, very thorough and an extremely good writer - he tells a damn good story -- Stephen Pound * BBC Booktalk *'John Bew has some heavy lifting to do in this consciously revisionist take. It is a great testament to his skills as a scholar and writer that he manages to do so with such aplomb ... stellar' Tristram Hunt. * Tristram Hunt *'In a magisterial political portrait Bew brings Castlereagh and his world sharply back to life' Daily Telegraph. * Daily Telegraph *'Wonderful ... A Life so nearly complete that it need never be written again' Ferdinand Mount, Times Literary Supplement. * Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements. Maps. Prologue. PART I - ENLIGHTENMENT AND APOSTASY: Ireland's Robespierre; New Light; The Whig World; English Head, Irish Heart; Caesar in Ireland? The Reforming Giant and the Limits of Reason; Insular Dignity and Abstracted Freedom; Ragamuffins into Soldiers; A Romping Piece of Flesh; Pitt-ized with a Vengeance; Voltaire's Ideal Monster; Political Delinquency; The Wind and the Weather; Pitt's Henchman; A Lavaterian Eye; Erin's Death; Ireland Extinguished; The Mists that Overhang the Union. PART II - THE ENGLISH MINISTER: RISE, FALL AND REDEMPTION, 1801-1814: A Millstone about the Neck of Britain; A Clog Hung About a Dog's Neck; The Protege; The Return to War; England's Trouble, Ireland's Opportunity; Winding the Family Clock; Pitt's Heir? Pitt's Shadow; Two Irishmen in London; The Continental Foothold; Britannia Sickens; Unwilling to Give Up a Hero; The New Front; Weak Friends and Perfidious Enemies; Lord Castaway; London Grows Thin; Private Honour; Independent Patriot; The Knight of Old Returns; In Search of the Sixth Coalition; One Cause or Nothing; On the Rhine; Is it Peace? Paris at Last. PART III - FIRST AMONG EQUALS: Peace in Paris; The Gilded Age; Pleasure Bent in Vienna; The Congress; John Bull Fights Best, When He is Not Tied; Bringing Back the World to Peaceful Habits; In Defence of the Allies; Back to the Bustle; Enough to Destroy the Health of Hercules; An Entire Fearlessness; Like Wretches in a Slave-Ship; Meeting Murder; With Pistols in His Breeches; John Bull's Compass; Swellfoot the Tyrant; All We Ask of Our Allies; A Mixture of Warp and Woof; Mont Blanc Goes On; The Malaprop Cicero; The Cup Overflows; So He Has Cut His Throat. Conclusion - Never a Teacher of Men. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisA biography by Nicole Rudick told in Saint Phalle's own words, assembled from rare and unseen materials Known best for her exuberant, often large-scale sculptural works that celebrate the abundance and complexity of female desire, imagination and creativity, Niki de Saint Phalle viewed making art as a ritual, a performance—a process connecting life to art. This unconventional, illuminated biography, told in the first person in Saint Phalle's voice and her own hand, dilates large and small moments in Saint Phalle's life which she sometimes reveals with great candor, at other times carefully unwinding her secrets. Nicole Rudick, in a kind of collaboration with the artist, has assembled a gorgeous and detailed mosaic of Saint Phalle's visual and textual works from a trove of paintings, drawings, sketches and writings, many previously unpublished or long unavailable, that trace her mistakes and successes, her passions and her radical sense of joy. Saint Phalle's invocation—her "bringing to life"—writes Rudick, "is an apt summation of the overlap of Saint Phalle’s life and art: both a bringing into existence and a bringing to bear. These are visions from the frontiers of consciousness." Born in France, Niki de Saint Phalle (1930–2002) was raised in New York and began making art at age 23, pursuing a revelatory vision informed both by the monumental works of Antonin Gaudí and the Facteur Cheval, and by aspects of her own life. In addition to her Tirs (“shooting paintings”) and Nanas and her celebrated large-scale projects—including the Stravinsky Fountain at the Centre Pompidou, Golem in Jerusalem and the Tarot Garden in Tuscany—Saint Phalle produced writing and works on paper that delve into her own biography: childhood and her break with her family, marriage to Harry Mathews, motherhood, a long collaborative relationship with Jean Tinguely, numerous health crises and her late, productive years in Southern California. Saint Phalle has most recently been the subject of retrospectives at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, in 2015, and at MoMA P.S.1, in 2021. Nicole Rudick is a critic and an editor. Her writing on art, literature and comics has been published in the New York Review of Books, the New York Times, the New Yorker, Artforum and elsewhere. She was managing editor of the Paris Review for nearly a decade. She is the editor, most recently, of a new edition of Gary Panter’s legendary comic Jimbo: Adventures in Paradise (New York Review Comics, 2021).Trade ReviewTracking Saint Phalle’s creative, personal, and professional odyssey from childhood to old age, with an emphasis on persistent themes of feminism, abuse, and illness, the book is just as much a testament to the willful production of artistic subjectivity as it is to the manifold powers of art as an instrument of therapy, education, and activism. -- Jackson Davidow * Los Angeles Review of Books *As readers, we inhabit her consciousness—we grow and process with her...This is the greatest strength of What Is Now Known: It offers an intimate emotional portrait—an experiential biography, you might say—of Saint Phalle. -- Jillian Steinhauer * The Nation *What Is Now Known also clarifies editing as a creative act rather than a definitive one. Saint Phalle wrote nothing for this book, and yet this book is written by her. Embracing that contradiction, Rudick enables the artist to speak for herself, as herself, once again. -- Jennifer Krasinski * Bookforum *The book follows her international journey weathering the highs and lows of being an artist, woman, friend, daughter, lover, and mother. The person who emerges is open, driven, and often remarkably perceptive about who she is and why. -- Lauren Moya Ford * Hyperallergic *

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Book SynopsisWhen it comes to deciding the most tragic British artist of the 20th century, Cyril Mann (1911-80) must be a contender. Mann made a number of genuinely innovative breakthroughs and certainly had the potential to become one of the most important figurative painters of his time. Yet, struggling with mental health problems, Mann had an unerring instinct for turning each moment of promise into bitter disappointment. In 1959, Renske van Slooten fell in love with Mann who was more than twice her age. Renske was convinced she discovered a genius and she promised to dedicate her life to him as muse, model and money earner. Their struggles quickly threatened to overwhelm them. The Girl in a Green Jumper is not only an enthralling story set against the backdrop of 1960s London, but it also charts in detail the struggles an artist goes through, both creatively and financially. Renske also gives fascinating insights into the way that Cyril's painting technique evolved over time. Trade Review'This poignant and revealing memoir adds vital new dimensions to our understanding of Mann, both as artist and human being. Admirably frank...intriguing.' -- Mark Hudson"The book gives [Cyril Mann] overdue and deserved recognition while offering a snapshot of everyday life in a time of drastic social change in Britain. Beyond a story of artistic and romantic tragedy, Girl with the Green Jumper tells of a woman’s quest for liberation. It reminds readers that behind many of history’s male artists there was a muse, a partner or wife, many of whom suffered in silence as they denied their own needs." -- Lydia Figes * The Critic *"An enthralling account of a muse’s life with troubled artist Cyril Mann...Renske’s account of their relationship reads like a real-life La Bohème. Brimming with insights...Renske’s book is an important stone in the still-developing edifice of the reputation of an artistic genius." * Jewish Chronicle *"A poignant memoir...a gripping read." * Art Muse *"The detail in this book is compelling – because Renske was so often in the room – but so too are the complexities of being a muse and a young woman growing wise in the 1960s...This book is totally recommended: for yourself or anyone with an interest in art and design." * Islington Faces *"A simply, lovingly told, tour de force." * Monk magazine *"As intelligent as it is engaging. It also contains a beautifully produced, generous selection of Mann's marvellous, undeservedly neglected work." -- Mark Glanville * Jewish Chronicle Books of the Year *"This is a fascinating and poignant book that may interest a wider readership than art lovers, given its central May-December focus and a definite feel for a 1960s London." * LouReviews *

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Book Synopsis'Long Live Freedom!' — Hans Scholl's last words before his execution The White Rose (die Weiße Rose) resistance circle was a group of students and a professor at the University of Munich who in the early 1940s secretly wrote and distributed anti-Nazi pamphlets. At its heart were Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmorell, Willi Graf and Professor Kurt Huber, all of whom were executed in 1943 by the Nazi regime. The youngest among them was just twenty-one years old. This book outlines the story of the group and sets their resistance texts in political and historical context, including archival photographs. A series of brief biographical sketches, along with excerpts from letters and diaries, trace each member’s journey towards action against the National Socialist state. The White Rose resistance pamphlets are included in full, translated by students at the University of Oxford. These translations are the result of work by undergraduates around the same age as the original student authors, working together on texts, ideas and issues. This project reflects a crucial aspect of the White Rose: its collaborative nature. The resistance pamphlets were written collaboratively, and they could not have had the reach they did without being distributed by multiple individuals, defying Hitler through words and ideas. Today, the bravery of the White Rose lives on in film and literature and is commemorated not just in Munich but throughout Germany and beyond.Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgements The White Rose: An Introduction Biographical Sketches Sophie Scholl (1921-1943) Hans Scholl (1918-1943) Christoph Probst (1919-1943) Alexander Schmorell (1917-1943) Kurt Huber (1893-1943) Willi Graf (1918-1943) Hans Leipelt (1921-1945) The Pamphlets of the White Rose Pamphlet I Pamphlet II Pamphlet III Pamphlet IV Pamphlet V Pamphlet VI Draft Pamphlet VII Timeline of Events Further Reading and Viewing in English Bibliography Picture Credits Index

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Book SynopsisSunday Times bestsellerThe mothering manual we all need' Claudia WinklemanCalling all Mums:Are you feeling lonely and confused?Are you panicking that you're getting everything wrong?Do you feel as if your relationship with your teenage daughter has worsened overnight?Don''t worry, you''renot alone.Enter parenting columnist Lorraine Candy, a mum of four (including three teens).Her warm, witty, and wise memoir will gently lead you to a harmonious place.This book is a reassuring survivor''s guide to the highs and lows of parenting adolescents. It willreconnect you to your daughter and help you feel good about your mothering.Trade Review‘The mothering manual we all need’ Claudia Winkleman ‘Parenting is a massive tsunami of inadequacy. This book is a gentle, supportive hand to help us ride that tsunami, both personal and objective. I found it deeply comforting’ Davina McCall 'This book is for all mums of teenage girls who are still standing despite the daily takedowns, the hourly scrutiny of our various failings and the moment-by-moment dissection of our useless boomer existence. It will make you want to run into the street shouting, "See? It's not me – it's HER!"' Jackie Clune

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Book SynopsisHannah Arendt is one of the most renowned political thinkers of the twentieth century and her work has never been more relevant than it is today. Born in Germany in 1906, Arendt published her first book at the age of 23, before turning away from the world of academic philosophy to reckon with the rise of the Third Reich. After the War, Arendt became one of the most prominent - and controversial - public intellectuals of her time, publishing influential works such as The Origins of Totalitarianism, The Human Condition and Eichmann in Jerusalem. Samantha Rose Hill weaves together new biographical detail, archival documents, poems and correspondence to reveal a woman whose passion for the life of the mind was nourished by her love of the world.Trade Review‘Hill sparingly and undramatically chooses her details (without, thankfully, passing over the gossip) . . . She is evidently so used to explaining Arendt’s ideas to nervous freshmen that each chapter contains a SparkNotes-like summary of the major works written during the time period in question. They are concise and comprehensible . . . Hill was well situated to go diving for gems in Arendt’s papers, letters, and marginalia . . . Hill spares us the clichéd, tabloid-ish critiques that make up a sizable chunk of Arendtian lore (“she was a self-hating Jew”; “I can’t believe she loved Heidegger”; “she thought Eichmann’s crimes were banal”; and so on and so forth). Instead, Hill calmly — and quietly, but without truckling — applies her close readings of Arendt’s most controversial ideas to our own oftentimes taut and illiberal social atmosphere.’ — LA Review of Books; ‘The stated aim of Samantha Rose Hill’s new Arendt biography, a slim installment in Reaktion Books’s Critical Lives series, is to introduce this perennially relevant thinker to new readers . . . A brief primer on her life and thinking is timely, given the resurgence of interest . . . While the aim of this biography might be to serve as a brief, lively introduction to Arendt, Hill accomplishes something richer. In introducing us to Arendt's life and thought, what emerges is an example of thinking as a dynamic activity . . . Hill does not present Arendt as a banister to hold up our thinking. Rather, she aptly shows that Arendt is someone to read now because Arendt is someone worth thinking with.’ — Women’s Review of Books; ‘As Hill points out in Hannah Arendt, even in works such as The Origins of Totalitarianism – surprise bestseller of the Trump era – the political is invariably brought back to the personal.’ — Prospect Magazine; ‘This book could hardly appear more opportunely. Arendt’s way of thinking, though original to the point of being difficult to follow, appeals to an increasing number of men and women who question the meaning of their lives in the world we share. Arendt’s own writings and the books and essays analyzing them may seem exhaustive, yet Hill’s work does something new: without simplifying Arendt’s thinking, she opens it to contemporary readers who, in the darkness of our times, will find a friend, a woman, who lived through the darkest of all times.’ — Jerome Kohn, trustee of the Hannah Arendt Bluecher Literary Trust

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Book SynopsisFifty stories showcasing the impact made by inspiring individuals and inventions on the development of the sailing world as we know it

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Book SynopsisThe emotional stories behind Delta Goodrem’s sixth studio album. In her first-ever book, Australian singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem shares the intimate stories behind each of the tracks on her sixth studio album, Bridge Over Troubled Dreams, taking readers on a deep dive into her inspiration for each song and revealing the truth behind the lyrics. From the touching account of her birth – two months premature – to battling bouts of missing home and many incredible self-discoveries along the way, Bridge Over Troubled Dreams is truly the book of the artist’s life. She speaks candidly about love, family, highs and lows, patience, freedom, faith, hope and survival, and how she uses lessons learned to drive herself forward. Delta’s heartfelt stories are accompanied by never-before-seen pictures from her personal collection: candid behind-the-scenes shots, unreleased tour photos and even personal snaps from her childhood.

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Book SynopsisTravel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richerTravel opens our minds to the world; it helps us to embrace risk and uncertainty, overcome challenges and understand the people we meet and the places we visit. But what happens when we arrive home? How do our experiences shape us?The Kindness of Strangers explores what it means to be vulnerable and to be helped by someone we've never met before. Someone who could have walked past, but chose not to.This is a collection of stories by accomplished travellers and adventurous souls like Sarah Outen, Benedict Allen, Ed Stafford and Al Humphreys, who have completed daring journeys through challenging terrain, adventuring from the Calais Jungle to the Amazon, from Land's End to the Gobi Desert, from New Guinea to Iran and many other places in between. Each has a story to tell of a time when they were vulnerable, when they were in need and a kind stranger came to their rescue.These are stories that make our hearts grow, stories that will restore our faith in the world and remind us that, despite what the media says, the world isn't a scary place - rather, it is filled with Kind Strangers just like us.All royalties go directly to fund Oxfam's work with refugees.Trade ReviewAs well as being a fantastic read, this is the book to restore your faith in humanity. * Adventure Travel *

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Book SynopsisIn a career that spanned over seven decades, Roger Moore was at the very heart of the show-business scene. We all knew him as an actor who starred in films that made him famous the world over, but he was also a tremendous prankster, joker and raconteur - in fact, he was well known as one of the nicest guys in the business, and someone who was always up for some fun.In this fabulous collection of true stories from his stellar career, Roger lifts the lid on the movie business, from Hollywood to Pinewood. It features outrageous tales from his own life and career as well as those told to him by a host of stars and filmmakers, including Tony Curtis, Sean Connery, Michael Caine, David Niven, Frank Sinatra, Gregory Peck, John Mills, Peter Sellers, Michael Winner, Cubby Broccoli and many more.Wonderfully entertaining, laugh-out-loud funny and told with his characteristic wit and good humour, Last Man Standing is vintage Moore at his very best.Trade ReviewIn his deliciously indiscreet new memoirs, Roger Moore reveals what his co-stars were really like * EVENT magazine, Mail on Sunday *A compendium of Hollywood anecdotes * Sunday Telegraph *Highly entertaining . . . a hilarious read * Daily Express *Packed full of hilarious Hollywood tales told by an iconic English gent * Shortlist *[Moore] remains a weapons-grade raconteur and this is his gossipiest collection of tales yet . . . all told with eyebrow-arching glee * Empire *A heap of salacious tales about his illustrious peers . . . a treasure-trove of great actor yarns * Daily Mail *Packed full of gossip and anecdote about all the great stars * Sunday Independent (Dublin) *A collection of true stories, jokes and outrageous stories from the heyday of Hollywood * Waitrose Weekend *Laced with tales of A-list encounters * Hello *Amusing * Daily Telegraph *Memorable behind-the-scenes movie anecdotes from the veteran actor * Bookseller *A treasury of true stories with a host of stars including Tony Curtis, Sean Connery, David Niven and Michael Caine * Candis *Another engaging memoir from the most likeable James Bond of them all . . . charming * Irish Independent *A delicious peek at the shiniest fixtures of Tinseltown outside of the lime-light * Cultbox *Packed full of gossip and anecdotes about all the great stars * Belfast Telegraph *A wonderfully entertaining read * Western Morning News *A glorious tome filled style, humour and a touch of melancholy * Movies in Focus *

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Book SynopsisA fascinating look into the business and lifestyle philosophy of Jason Kingsley OBE, CEO of Rebellion. Rebellion is one of the world’s most successful independent games developers and also a film and TV production company and publisher. Combining his love of Medieval History and success in business, this unique book will give insight into a modern interpretation of the Knightly Code of Chivalry, the moral system which combined a warrior ethos, knightly piety, and courtly manners, all combining to establish a notion of honour and nobility, in a motivational and aspirational take on how to live life to the fullest.Each chapter will focus on one main chivalric theme, and how it has influenced his philosophy, helped equip him with personal tools to succeed, and how it has maximised his work-life balance. The book will also provide insight into his love for the medieval period and how this complements his professional life.

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Book SynopsisThis is the true story of Aziz BineBine who, unwittingly entangled in a failed coup against King Hassan II, found himself locked in a small, underground cell in a prison thought to be a mere horror story: Tazmamart. For 18 years, no one knew where the prison’s inmates were. No one knew if they were even alive. In many ways, they hardly were: confined for 24 hours a day, with the barest rations, no hygiene or medical help, and accompanied by cockroaches, scorpions, and tarantulas. One of the few to survive, Aziz writes not only to tell his own remarkable story but to remember and honour the men that lived – and died – alongside him. Against the backdrop of this unimaginable suffering, Aziz shows the strength of the human spirit to keep going against all the odds, to smile in the face of misery, and to forgive rather than condemn. Set to become a cult classic of survival literature, Tazmamart is a hellish journey through the abyss of despair – and out the other side.

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Book SynopsisFifteen years in the making, a landmark reinterpretation of the life of a pivotal figure in British and European historyTrade Review"This is serious, definitive history, essential for undergraduates and academics. . . . Bates gets as close to the subject as any medieval biographer could wish."—Dan Jones, Sunday Times"Bates has devoted a lifetime of learning to William the Conqueror and his age. In this definitive biography of the man who forever changed England with hisinvasion of 1066, Bates contends that a full understanding of William’s place in history requires locating him in a longer period.”—Tony Barber, “Best books of 2016," Financial Times"The best ever biography of the ruthless Norman bastard — masterly and exciting, but always measured and scholarly."—Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Week, 22nd July 2017“A coherent, consistent and complete portrait by a single master. . . This book is a monument to Bates’s knowledge of William, his career and his times. It has significantly advanced our understanding of this imposing figure, and it will, and should, be the point of departure for future discussions of the reign.”—Mark Hagger, English Historical Review"Leading expert David Bates gives one of British History’s headline figures the in-depth treatment. . . . From his personality to the consequences of his military actions, this book will heartily extend your knowledge of 1066 and all that."—History Revealed"David Bates has given us a magnificent new biography of William the Conqueror to add to his superb edition of William’s royal charters. Reflecting many years of research, it is deeply learned, full of important new insights and . . . makes a major contribution to our knowledge and understanding, not only of the Conqueror but also of the world in which he lived. No scholar working in the field can afford to ignore this; all readers with an interest in the period will benefit from it."—Paul Dalton, TLS“There is surely no-one better placed than Prof. David Bates to write this biography. . . A magnificent achievement of detailed description and analysis.” —Matthew Bennett, Reviews in History “This thorough biography, bringing together so many medieval life histories, demonstrates what close, informed and imaginative engagement with the seemingly intractable remnants of the medieval past can accomplish.” —William M. Aird, French History“Richly detailed and nuanced in interpretation. . . a very considerable achievement, moving historical debate forward and, not least in importance, the publisher is to be thanked for a very reasonable price.” —Judith Green, History“A judicious and thoughtful study...The reader is rewarded not only with detailed handling of the rich, if rarely straightforward, testimony of the charter and narrative material, but also with masterful overviews of the period-defining and problematic record of the Bayeux Tapestry and the monumental and monumentally-detailed evidence of Domesday Book.”—H. F. Doherty, Northern HistoryWon the 2017 Choice Award for Outstanding Academic Title"David Bates's biography of William the Conqueror is a worthy culmination of a lifetime's study of one of England's greatest and in many ways most complex kings. Despite the 950 years which now lie between us and William's remarkable victory at Hastings, Bates conjures up the man in all his strengths, weaknesses and passions, and proves that there is still much new to learn about this man who changed the course of the histories of England, Britain and France."—David Crouch, author of The English Aristocracy, 1070–1272"This book tells of William the Conqueror as never before. David Bates recognizes a distinguished predecessor, yet where D.C. Douglas wrote from the outside in, Bates writes from the inside out to show how the biography of Duke-King William is what illuminates Normandy and England at a critical time in their histories. Bates writes with surpassing command of the sources to bring out the problematic contexts of challenges facing the Conqueror throughout his life. He shows that William's legacy of achievement and brutality was as troubling to the writers who knew or remembered him as it is for us. Moreover, the deployment of a vast new secondary literature renders this book virtually a tribute to the burgeoning Anglo-Norman field of research that it occupies. Bates' William the Conqueror is a monumental accomplishment."—Thomas N. Bisson, author of The Crisis of the Twelfth Century: Power, Lordship, and the Origins of European Government

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments xix About the Authors xxi Introduction xxiii 1Grammar 1 Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects 1 Definitions Noun Verb Subject Gerund Using verbs to find subjects Multiple subjects and verbs in a sentence Infinitives You as an understood subject Subject-Verb Agreement 4 Singular vs. plural verbs Finding subjects before phrases beginning with of With or, either/or, and neither/nor Two singular subjects One singular and one plural subject With and With interrupting expressions With here or there With distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc. With portion words such as a lot, a majority, percent, some, all With collective nouns such as group, family, staff The subjunctive mood Irregular Verbs 9 Clauses and Phrases 9 Definitions Clause Independent clause Dependent clause Phrase Pronouns 10 Definition: Pronoun Subject pronouns As the subject of the sentence Renaming the subject When who refers to a personal pronoun Object pronouns Subject and verb agreement with who, that, and which Subject and verb agreement with anyone, someone, each, etc. Following than or as Possessive pronouns Its vs. it’s; who’s vs. whose Reflexives: the -self pronouns Consistency with singular pronouns The singular they Pronouns linked with nouns by and Possessive adjectives vs. possessive pronouns Who vs. Whom 16 They/Them method Common whom pitfall Whoever vs. Whomever 17 Agreement with the verb in the dependent clause Dependent clause as the subject of the verb following the clause Who, That, Which 18 Who, that, and which with people, groups, and things That with essential clauses Which with nonessential clauses When which can be used with essential clauses Adjectives and Adverbs 19 Definitions Adjective Adverb Adjectives modifying nouns and pronouns Adverbs modifying verbs, adjectives, and adverbs When to add -ly Sense verbs: taste, smell, look, feel, etc. Good vs. well Well as an adjective when referring to health Comparisons, such as -er vs. -est and more vs. most This, that, these, and those Prepositions 22 Definition: preposition Ending a sentence with a preposition Avoiding extra prepositions Like As, as if, as though, the way of vs. have Different from vs. different than In vs. into Effective Writing 25 Concrete vs. vague language Active vs. passive voice Overuse of there is, there are, it is, it was, etc. Double negatives Parallel construction Dangling modifiers Misplaced modifiers Fragments Dialogue 2 Punctuation 31 Spacing with Punctuation 31 Periods 31 With complete sentences With abbreviations at the end of a sentence Replacing periods with question marks and exclamation points Commas 32 To separate three or more items To separate adjectives With two independent clauses Run-on sentences or comma splices Joined by connectors such as and, or, but, etc. When the subject does not appear in front of the second verb With because Starting a sentence with a dependent clause vs. an independent clause With nonessential words, clauses, and phrases With sufficiently identified noun With introductory words To set off interrupting expressions With names With dates With city and state With Jr. and Sr. With degrees and titles With quotations To introduce or interrupt quotations Following quotations To separate statements from questions To separate contrasting parts of a sentence With certain introductory words When followed by a series of items When the series of items ends with etc. Semicolons 39 To replace a period in two closely linked sentences With such words as namely, however, therefore, etc., when they introduce a complete sentence To avoid confusion where commas already exist With sentences that have multiple clauses Capitalization following a semicolon Colons 41 To introduce a series of items Except when a series of items directly follows a verb or preposition With lists With two independent clauses when the second explains the first Capitalization following a colon With long quotations After the salutation in a business letter Quotation Marks 43 Use of double quotation marks Capitalization with quotations Commas introducing, interrupting, and ending quotations Periods and commas ALWAYS inside quotation marks —Question marks and exclamation marks with quotation marks follow logic With titles of magazines, books, plays, etc. Use of single quotation marks for quotations within quotations Spacing between single and double quotation marks With nonstandard expressions With technical terms and terms used in an unusual way Avoiding single quotation marks With quoted material of more than one paragraph Question Marks 46 With direct questions Replacing periods Capitalization following a question mark Indirect questions Rhetorical questions With sentences that are half statement and half question With quotation marks Parentheses and Brackets 48 Not interchangeable Parentheses For clarification and asides With complete sentences Punctuation inside and outside parentheses Subject-verb agreement Comma placement with parentheses Brackets With interruptions Use of [sic] With quotations Apostrophes 50 Singular nouns Possession with singular nouns Possession with common nouns ending in s Possession with proper nouns ending in s Possession by inanimate objects Plural nouns Plural possession with regular nouns No apostrophe with plural regular nouns Plural possession with irregular nouns Plural possession with names ending in s No apostrophe with plural names Possession with singular compound nouns To show joint or separate possession Contractions With initials, capital letters, and numbers used as nouns With time or money With personal pronouns Apostrophes vs. single quotation marks False possessives With nouns ending in y Hyphens 56 No spaces around hyphens Not the same as dashes Hyphens between words With compound adjectives Suspended hyphens With compound verbs With compound nouns With very and -ly adverbs With ages For clarification With spans of time, distance, or other quantities With units, abbreviations, or symbols With compound numbers With spelled-out fractions With double last names Avoiding overuse Proper nouns of more than one word as compound adjectives Well-known expressions Look it up Hyphens with prefixes and suffixes Prefixes with proper nouns or proper adjectives With family relations Prefixes with double vowels With self-, ex-, and all- With re- To avoid confusion Suffixes not usually hyphenated Suffixes and double letters Using discretion and a dictionary Dashes 63 Em dashes Em dashes and subject agreement In place of other punctuation Spacing En dashes With number ranges With open compound adjectives Forming dashes Ellipses 65 Definition and three-dot method Spacing With omitted words or sentences To express hesitation, changes of mood, etc. Exclamation Points 66 To show emotion, emphasis, or surprise Replacing periods and mid-sentence commas Avoidance in formal business writing Justifiable use Slashes 66 Technical term: virgule In formal writing use hyphen or the word or 3 Capitalization 69 First word of a document and after a period Proper nouns and adjectives derived from proper nouns Reference list of capitalized categories Reference list of lowercase categories Thorny aspects of capitalization Titles Titles vs. occupations Titles in direct address Kinship names Nicknames Geographic regions vs. points of the compass The before proper nouns City, town, county, etc., before a proper name First word of a quotation Midsentence independent clauses or questions Course titles vs. academic subjects Art movements Lists following colons Lowercase the national anthem Titles of books, plays, films, songs, etc. Subtitles Gray areas 4 Writing Numbers 79 Using figures vs. spelling out numbers Numbers beginning a sentence Hyphenating compound numbers Hyphenating fractions Figures of four or more digits Sums less than a dollar Noon and midnight Time of day Mixed fractions Large numbers Decimals Writing out numbers of three or more digits When to use and Do not use commas Dates Decades Use lowercase when spelling out Using apostrophes with incomplete numerals Avoiding apostrophe + s with complete numerals Apostrophes with numbers 5 Confusing Words and Homonyms 85 Good vs. well Imply vs. infer Its vs. it’s Lay vs. lie Their vs. there vs. they’re Hundreds more words and homonyms that perplex and confound 6 Quizzes 155 Grammar Pretest 155 Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects Quiz 1 157 Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects Quiz 2 157 Subject and Verb Agreement Quiz 1 158 Subject and Verb Agreement Quiz 2 159 Irregular Verbs Quiz 1 160 Irregular Verbs Quiz 2 160 Pronouns Quiz 1 160 Pronouns Quiz 2 161 Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever Quiz 1 162 Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever Quiz 2 163 Who, Whom, That, Which Quiz 1 163 Who, Whom, That, Which Quiz 2 164 Adjectives and Adverbs Quiz 1 164 Adjectives and Adverbs Quiz 2 165 Prepositions Quiz 1 166 Prepositions Quiz 2 166 Affect vs. Effect Quiz 1 167 Affect vs. Effect Quiz 2 167 Lay vs. Lie Quiz 1 168 Lay vs. Lie Quiz 2 168 Advice vs. Advise Quiz 1 169 Advice vs. Advise Quiz 2 169 Their vs. There vs. They’re Quiz 1 170 Their vs. There vs. They’re Quiz 2 170 More Confusing Words and Homonyms Quiz 1 171 More Confusing Words and Homonyms Quiz 2 171 Effective Writing Quiz 1 172 Effective Writing Quiz 2 172 Grammar Mastery Test 173 Punctuation, Capitalization, and Writing Numbers Pretest 175 Commas and Periods Quiz 1 177 Commas and Periods Quiz 2 178 Semicolons and Colons Quiz 1 179 Semicolons and Colons Quiz 2 180 Question Marks and Quotation Marks Quiz 1 181 Question Marks and Quotation Marks Quiz 2 181 Parentheses and Brackets Quiz 1 182 Parentheses and Brackets Quiz 2 182 Apostrophes Quiz 1 183 Apostrophes Quiz 2 184 Hyphens Between Words Quiz 1 184 Hyphens Between Words Quiz 2 185 Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes Quiz 1 186 Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes Quiz 2 186 Capitalization Quiz 1 187 Capitalization Quiz 2 187 Writing Numbers Quiz 1 188 Writing Numbers Quiz 2 188 Punctuation, Capitalization, and Writing Numbers Mastery Test 189 7 Answers to Quizzes 193 Grammar Pretest Answers 193 Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects Quiz 1 Answers 195 Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects Quiz 2 Answers 195 Subject and Verb Agreement Quiz 1 Answers 196 Subject and Verb Agreement Quiz 2 Answers 196 Irregular Verbs Quiz 1 Answers 197 Irregular Verbs Quiz 2 Answers 197 Pronouns Quiz 1 Answers 198 Pronouns Quiz 2 Answers 199 Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever Quiz 1 Answers 199 Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever Quiz 2 Answers 200 Who, Whom, That, Which Quiz 1 Answers 201 Who, Whom, That, Which Quiz 2 Answers 201 Adjectives and Adverbs Quiz 1 Answers 202 Adjectives and Adverbs Quiz 2 Answers 202 Prepositions Quiz 1 Answers 203 Prepositions Quiz 2 Answers 204 Affect vs. Effect Quiz 1 Answers 204 Affect vs. Effect Quiz 2 Answers 205 Lay vs. Lie Quiz 1 Answers 205 Lay vs. Lie Quiz 2 Answers 206 Advice vs. Advise Quiz 1 Answers 206 Advice vs. Advise Quiz 2 Answers 206 Their vs. There vs. They’re Quiz 1 Answers 207 Their vs. There vs. They’re Quiz 2 Answers 207 More Confusing Words and Homonyms Quiz 1 Answers 208 More Confusing Words and Homonyms Quiz 2 Answers 208 Effective Writing Quiz 1 Answers 209 Effective Writing Quiz 2 Answers 210 Grammar Mastery Test Answers 211 Punctuation, Capitalization, and Writing Numbers Pretest Answers 213 Commas and Periods Quiz 1 Answers 215 Commas and Periods Quiz 2 Answers 216 Semicolons and Colons Quiz 1 Answers 216 Semicolons and Colons Quiz 2 Answers 217 Question Marks and Quotation Marks Quiz 1 Answers 218 Question Marks and Quotation Marks Quiz 2 Answers 219 Parentheses and Brackets Quiz 1 Answers 219 Parentheses and Brackets Quiz 2 Answers 220 Apostrophes Quiz 1 Answers 220 Apostrophes Quiz 2 Answers 221 Hyphens Between Words Quiz 1 Answers 222 Hyphens Between Words Quiz 2 Answers 222 Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes Quiz 1 Answers 223 Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes Quiz 2 Answers 223 Capitalization Quiz 1 Answers 224 Capitalization Quiz 2 Answers 224 Writing Numbers Quiz 1 Answers 225 Writing Numbers Quiz 2 Answers 226 Punctuation, Capitalization, and Writing Numbers Mastery Test Answers 226 Index 229

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Book SynopsisNamed One of the Best Books of the year by:Esquire, Refinery29, BookRiot, Medium, Electric Literature, The Brooklyn Rail, Largehearted Boy, The Coil and The Cut.Winner of the Lambda Literary Jeanne Cordova Prize for Lesbian/Queer NonfictionFinalist, Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Memoir/BiographyFinalist, Publishing Triangle's Judy Grahn Award for Lesbian NonfictionAn Indie Next PickA fierce and dazzling personal narrative that explores the many ways identity and art are shaped by love and loss.In her critically acclaimed memoir, Whip Smart, Melissa Febos laid bare the intimate world of the professional dominatrix, turning an honest examination of her life into a lyrical study of power, desire, and fulfillment. In her dazzling Abandon Me, Febos captures the intense bonds of love and the need for connection -- with family, lovers, and oneself. First, her birth father, who left her with only an inheritance of addiction and Native American blood, its meaning a mystery.As Febos tentatively reconnects, she sees how both these lineages manifest in her own life, marked by compulsion and an instinct for self-erasure. Meanwhile, she remains closely tied to the sea captain who raised her, his parenting ardent but intermittent as his work took him away for months at a time. Woven throughout is the hypnotic story of an all-consuming, long-distance love affair with a woman, marked equally by worship and withdrawal. In visceral, erotic prose, Febos captures their mutual abandonment to passion and obsession -- and the terror and exhilaration of losing herself in another.At once a fearlessly vulnerable memoir and an incisive investigation of art, love, and identity, Abandon Me draws on childhood stories, religion, psychology, mythology, popular culture, and the intimacies of one writer's life to reveal intellectual and emotional truths that feel startlingly universal.

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times bestseller An utterly engrossing book' Nigella Lawson Remarkable and gripping' Edmund de Waal''A near-perfect study of Jewish identity in the 20th century I don't hesitate to call it a masterpiece' TelegraphAfter her grandmother died, Hadley Freeman travelled to her apartment to try and make sense of a woman she'd never really known. Sala Glass was a European expat in America defiantly clinging to her French influences, famously reserved, fashionable to the end yet to Hadley much of her life remained a mystery. Sala's experience of surviving one of the most tumultuous periods in modern history was never spoken about.When Hadley found a shoebox filled with her grandmother's treasured belongings, it started a decade-long quest to find out their haunting significance and to dig deep into the extraordinary lives of Sala and her three brothers. The search takes Hadley from Picasso's archives in Paris to a secret room in a farmhouse in Auvergne to Long Island and to AuschTrade Review‘This is a startlingly original book, remarkable and gripping’ Edmund de Waal ‘A magnificently vivid re-creation of her Jewish family’s experience of twentieth-century Europe, Hadley Freeman’s book is also an acute examination of the roots, tropes, and persistence of anti-Semitism, which makes it an urgently necessary book for us to read right now’ Salman Rushdie ‘This is an utterly engrossing book: one that manages to be an intimate family history and a meticulously researched account of a shocking period of world history at the same time. It may be an overused term of approbation, but it truly is unputdownable’ Nigella Lawson ‘House of Glass is extraordinary. It reads like a mystery and a memoir and a gripping history of the last century … Freeman doesn’t hide from the grey spaces people inhabit during wartime, or shy away from drawing the terrifying parallels to today’s iterations of those ancient hatreds. It is a brave and wonderful book’ Nathan Englander ‘This deeply moving book is so beautifully written – like hearing a fascinating conversation about the past, then being warmly welcomed into the very heart of it. This is a stunning memoir, and a thrilling detective story. I completely lost myself in its many worlds’ Marina Hyde ‘It glitters like a diamond – revealing not only the extraordinary story of the Glass family, but the many facets of twentieth-century Jewish experience. Written with lightness and warmth, this book is both timely and timeless’ Helen Lewis

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Makes the case that ‘soft power’ is too often underestimated both in foreign relations and in life.” — The Santa Monica Daily Press “Argues that etiquette and small matters of cultural nuance play a huge role in functional politics.” — New York Times Book Review, “New & Noteworthy” “Fascinating . . . An informative and often charming primer on a little-known—but vital—government post.” — Kirkus Reviews “For over two decades, Capricia has been my friend and colleague, from Arkansas to Zambia. She is a problem solver and a bridge builder, and I’ve been so lucky to have her by my side through the years. Protocol is a must-read, taking us behind the curtain of the highest levels of diplomacy, teaching us lessons about the intersection of governing and humanity that we need now more than ever.” — Hillary Clinton “An interesting and well-written account of the role of protocol in modern diplomacy. Marshall’s stories and lessons, drawn from years of experience, are entertaining and valuable in navigating everyday life.” — Henry A. Kissinger “Protocol—the rules that govern professional, government, and social interactions—may be the very reset we need. These practices aren’t dependent on your wallet size or where you come from, your skin color or your nationality, rather protocol is something we all can get behind, . . . My thanks to Ambassador Capricia Penavic Marshall for this book—give it to everyone you meet for birthdays, weddings, and elections. It can only help.” — Whoopi Goldberg “Working with Capricia during the Obama administration was nothing short of wonderful! Her guiding hand and innovative methods laid the foundation for our successful diplomacy on the world stage. Through amusing and touching anecdotes, many of which we shared together, Capricia details the superpower of protocol, a power that helped foster an environment conducive to many of President Obama’s successes.” — Valerie Jarrett, former senior advisor to Barack Obama and author of Finding My Voice “Capricia Penavic Marshall was an extraordinary chief of protocol, and she has now written an extraordinary book on how international protocol actually works and how it can work for every business and person. I cannot recommend this book too highly.” — David Rubenstein, cofounder and co-executive chairman of the Carlyle Group and author of The American Story “Capricia is the ultimate master in the art of protocol. As a first-generation American woman, she brilliantly manages the cultural nuances of consequential public- and private-sector engagements. Reading her book, I have learned a lot, I have laughed a lot, I have enjoyed every page.” — Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE'Excellent and compellingly honest' Alyson Rudd, The TimesIn I Love This Game, the long-awaited autobiography of Patrice Evra, the former Manchester United and France star looks back on a remarkable life and career. Having played alongside some of the club's greatest legends, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes, in one of United's most successful eras, Evra has now found a new role as an in-demand pundit and social media star.  But, as he reveals in this frank, often shocking, but always compelling memoir, beneath the surface things were not so simple, and he had to fight all the way to get to the top. Initially, it was football that saved him from being sucked into the gang culture of his tough neighbourhood of Les Ulis in the suburbs of Paris. Then, once he achieved his dream of becomin

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Book SynopsisCome along backstage and peek inside the spectacular and sometimes scandalous world of musical theatre.See the world''s most-loved musical productions come to life in this lavishly illustrated book!This show-stopping reference book includes:- A chronological structure that makes the book work as a history of musicals- Includes a 20-page reference section with key details on over 100 additional musicals- Neat timelines summarise the plot, characters, and songs for 20 top musicalsFrom The Wizard of Oz and The Sound of Music to Mamma Mia and Les Misérables, fall in love all over again with the songs, stories, characters, creators, and legendary stars from every era of musical theatre. Take a journey through the years and immerse yourself in the behind-the-scenes world of musical theatre! From the dance halls and vaudeville to the silver screen and sensational Broadway shows, this go-to musical guide has all the glitter and glamour of the West End. It''s Showtime! Delve into profiles of successful creators such as Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Packed with profiles of musical icons and fun infographics that summarise the plot, characters and songs, Musicals: The Definitive Visual Guide is the perfect way to embrace your inner theatre geek. With a foreword by Elaine Paige, this updated edition gives greater coverage on the smash-hit Hamilton and includes mention of new and popular stage and movie musicals. It''s a must-have or the ultimate gift for musical theatre fans.Complete the Series:If you enjoyed this illustrated celebration of musicals, look out for more titles in this series from DK. Uncover the most mesmerising moments in ballet history in Ballet: The Definitive Illustrated Story.

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Book SynopsisFROM THE MASTER STORYTELLER WHOSE BOOKS HAVE TOUCHED THE HEARTS OF OVER 40 MILLION READERS''Mitch Albom sees the magical in the ordinary'' Cecilia Ahern__________Chika Jeune came into Mitch Albom''s life by chance. Growing up in the aftermath of the devastating 2010 Haiti Earthquake, at three years old she tragically lost her mother and was brought to the orphanage run by Mitch and his wife, Janine. Chika made a quick impression. Brave and self-assured, she delighted those around her. But everything changed when Chika was diagnosed with a terminal disease that no doctor in Haiti could treat. This discovery sparked a two-year, around-the-world journey in search of a cure. As Chika''s boundless optimism and humour taught Mitch the joys of caring for a child, he learned that a relationship built on love can never be lost.__________WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT FINDING CHIKA''A powerful, emotional story'Trade ReviewUplifting . . . Although Finding Chika makes for heart-wrenching reading, it is also a tale of resilience and decency - and the memorable cheerfulness of a dying child * Independent *Heartrending . . . A touching rumination on the magic of children, the extraordinary lengths parents will go for them and the unlikely family that came together across continents * Mail Online *Mitch Albom breaks hearts with his story * Mirror *A heartbreaking story of love, grief and what it really means to be a family * Daily Express *A beautiful, heart-breaking, heart-warming read * My Weekly *

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Book SynopsisIf ever there were Satanic Majesties of rock their name was Led Zeppelin. The band that out-sold the Rolling Stones and made Robert Johnson's deals with the devil look like a playground game of conkers were as high, inflated and glorified as their namesake. In Stephen Davis's scorching account of their phenomenally successful career, no aspect - however disquieting - is ignored. The narcotic, alcoholic and psychotic wreckage they wreaked, the disturbing influence of the notorious mage Aleister Crowley on lead guitarist Jimmy Page and the death of John Bonham are all recorded. Above all, the exultant, blazing charge of their music and its effects on Led Zeppelin and their fans is scrutinized. Hammer of the Gods by Stephen Davis is a fierce and fearless story about a band that remain a legend of musical, sexual and mystical power. It is the last word in rock 'n' roll savagery.Trade ReviewThe biggest surprise success of the year . . . the Led Zep tale, drenched in sex, drugs and psychic abuse, demonstrated the validity of all the old adages about talent, power and corruption. Stephen Davis's grimy homage to imperial excess and demonic influence had fans slavering for more. * Rolling Stone *

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Book SynopsisSS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny became a legend in his own time. Hitler''s favorite commando acquired a reputation as a man of daring, renowned for his audacious 1943 mission to extricate Mussolini from a mountain-top prison. Skorzeny''s influence on special operations doctrine was far-reaching and long-lasting--in 2011, when US Navy SEALs infiltrated Pakistan to eliminate Osama Bin Laden, the operational planning was influenced by Skorzeny''s legacy. Yet he was also an egoist who stole other men''s credit (including for the seminal rescue of Mussolini), brave and resourceful but also an unrepentant Nazi, and a self-aggrandizing hogger of the limelight. Stuart Smith draws on years of in-depth research to uncover the truth about Skorzeny''s career and complex personality. From his background as a student radical in Vienna, to his bloody service with the Waffen-SS on the Eastern Front, his surprise rebirth as a commando, and his intriguing post-war career and mysterious Table of ContentsPrologue /Acknowledgements /Maps /1. The Knowledge of Pain /2. Accidental Soldier /3. Thugs in Field Grey /4. The Liberator of Mussolini /5. Special Ops and High-Value Targets /6. Miracle Weapons /7. The Stauffenberg Plot – July 1944 /8. The Scherhorn Affair /9. The SS Changes Tack /10. Operation Panzerfaust /11. Everything on One Card /12. Operation Greif /13. Implosion /14. Skorzeny’s Last Stand /15. Trial and Errors /16. Escape from Darmstadt /17. Apocalypse Soon /18. Neo-Nazis and Colonel Nasser /19. The Years of Plenty /20. Ghosts of the Past /Epilogue /Glossary /Note on the Waffen-SS /Bibliography /Notes /Index

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'Memoir of the year' - Vogue'A wondrous, sensuous memoir of salt-stung survival . . . clear-eyed and poetic prose' Sunday Times'A fascinating memoir' - Daily MailWhen Tamsin Calidas first arrives on a remote island in the Scottish Hebrides, it feels like coming home. Disenchanted by London, she and her husband left the city and high-flying careers to move the 500 miles north, despite having absolutely no experience of crofting, or of island life. It was idyllic, for a while. But as the months wear on, the children she'd longed for fail to materialise, and her marriage breaks down, Tamsin finds herself in ever-increasing isolation.Injured, ill, without money or friend she is pared right back, stripped to becoming simply a raw element of the often harsh landscape. But with that immersion in her surroundings comes the possibility of rebirth and renewal. Tamsin begins the slow journey back from the brink. Startling, raw and extremely moving, I Am An Island is a story about the incredible ability of the natural world to provide when everything else has fallen away - a stunning book about solitude, friendship, resilience and self-discovery.Trade ReviewA wondrous, sensuous memoir of salt-stung survival… clear-eyed and poetic prose. Over and above everything else, I Am an Island is a hymn to the wild, full of fine observation of the natural world. A message that rings true for these testing times. * The Sunday Times *Calidas is a supple, sensuous writer - deeply empathetic... Her account is shot through with moments of intense brightness. * Guardian *This is a startling book, a vivid and terrifying reminder of how an island can seduce, madden - and ultimately sustain those brave enough to endure its confines. -- Madeleine Bunting, author of Love of CountryAn extraordinary book, a wild and redemptive account of reaching rock bottom and swimming back into the light. I’m awed by Tamsin's courage, her resilience and huge heart. Her island will stay with me for a very long time. -- Olivia Laing, author of The Lonely City and To the RiverThe best book I have read in more than a decade. Each page is poetry. Tamsin's story is both heartbreaking and inspiring but ultimately about how the power of nature can heal. The perfect memoir for us all right now. Absolutely stunning. What an incredible woman. -- Susannah ConstantineThe memoir of the year...a lyrical paean to the wild beauty of the Hebrides. * Vogue *An island tale like no other. An unforgettably moving and compulsive read, steeped in anguish and beauty. A book that is unafraid to stare deep into the abyss, and still find a way forward. The story of a woman completely broken by life, and her fifteen-year struggle to find the inner strength to restore herself, through sheer determination, and by immersing herself in solitude. -- Neil Ansell, author of Deep Country and Deer IslandCompletely astonishing. Using language of shimmering beauty, Tamsin Calidas describes the unravelling of a relationship with such exquisitely small stitches that the eventual thread-baring of her physical and emotional safety, her sense of identity and purpose, blows in like a cold slap of Hebridean wind. A Hardyesque, stripped back connection to the landscape emerges. And yet only with the fragmentation of everything that matters is the fragility of life transcended and restored by the triumphant pull of a determination to survive. -- Juliet NicolsonGripping...Tough yet compulsive reading, carried by crisp, vivid prose. -- Amy Liptrot, author of The OutrunRaw, painful, storm-battered writing. Here's what it means to be truly isolated. * Raynor Winn *A meditative breath of fresh air. This book will fill your lungs, sting your eyes and catch in your throat. Soaring prose like birdsong over the harsh lands that compelled Tamsin Calidas to breathe deep. -- Ruth Fitzmaurice, author of I Found My TribeAn extraordinary book of limitless resilience, Calidas' leaping prose is a love song to the natural world. What she achieves with an open heart and a will of iron is nothing short of remarkable. -- Sarah Langford, author of In Your DefenceSo raw, so honest, so intense. I didn't want this book to end. -- Sigri Sandberg, author of An Ode to DarknessCombining intensely beautiful nature writing with the excavation of deep emotion, this brave, startling book examines what it really means to lose yourself in nature, and in doing so find a completely new version of yourself, too. A powerful, unsettling but ultimately redemptive account of one woman’s deep communion with the natural world. -- Clover Stroud, author of My Wild and Sleepless NightsCalidas is a supple, sensuous writer - deeply empathic... Her account is shot through with moments of intense brightness. * Guardian *Any preconceptions you may entertain about 'a Londoner, tiring of the city, moves to a Scottish Island' will be smashed in the first chapter of Tamsin Calidas' astonishing, raw and clear-eyed book. Tamsin charts how she comes to terms with loss, loneliness, hardship and prejudice through immersing herself fully in her island habitat. I am an Island is a powerful, affecting book; glittering and visceral, Tamsin's clear-voiced self-reliance becomes a storm-force of nature in itself. -- Nicola Chester, Nature Writer, RSPB Columnist and Guardian Country DiaristA beautiful book...I urge you to seek it out. -- Jane GarveyA beautifully written, emotionally intense memoir * Sunday Express *The island is a metaphor for anyone who has ever been alone... It is about what happens when everything you are used to falls away, which is something we are all experiencing at the moment. * Daily Mail *An utterly engrossing read. * Saga *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewKrug's new visual memoir is a mazy and ingenious reckoning with the past . . . She is a tenacious investigator, ferreting out stories from the wispiest hints - a rumor or a mysterious photograph. * The New York Times *Extraordinary . . . The curious appeal of Krug's graphic memoir is that it never fully loses itself in the act of storytelling but constantly stops to turn over and reassess the means at its disposal. * The Guardian *Remarkable * The Observer *Bracing honesty ... the informal feel and arresting candor of a diary -- Françoise Mouly * New Yorker *One of the greatest books of the year. -- Anne-Dore Krohn, literary critic at RBB KulturradioAs Krug wrestles on the page with the evasions and hard truths she encounters, and uses her illustrations to imagine difficult historical scenarios, she distils pain, hurt, confusion, empathy and ultimately peace into a powerful visual narrative. * The Times *A spectacular debut . . . enormously clever -- Denis Scheck, German literary criticA highly original and powerful graphic novel that works on many levels...an unflinching examination of what we mean when we think of identity, of history and home. The result is a book that is as informative as a history and as touching as a novel. * The Financial Times *[Krug] is a tenacious investigator, ferreting out stories from the wispiest hints - a rumor or a mysterious photograph. . . . What Krug pursues is a better quality of guilt, a way of confronting the past without paralysis. -- Parul Sehgal * The New York Times, 'Top Books of 2018' *I was hugely taken by Nora Krug's Heimat, a beautifully produced and thoughtful piece of family history by a second generation German immigrant to the US. -- Tim Martin * The Spectator *Krug probes her family's actions in Nazi Germany, conducting interviews and roaming archives and flea markets. She confronts past and present in a book that's been praised for its invention and bravery. -- The Guardian, 'The 50 biggest books of autumn 2018'An amazing look into the erasure of her grandparents generation and their involvement in Nazi Germany . . . the reader really feels Krug's fear and the tension that builds as she must will herself to peel back the layers of history, and unearth a truth that she might not be ready for. * Gosh! Comics *Heimat is an astoundingly honest book that conducts a devastating - and irresistible - investigation into one family's struggle with the forces of history. I could not stop reading it and when I was done I could not stop thinking about it. By going so deeply into her family's history, Krug has in some ways written about us all -- Sebastian Junger * author of The Perfect Storm *A page-turning scrapbook/collage of memory, meaning and accountability, Ms. Krug draws the reader through her family history with the directness of imagery, handwriting and, ultimately, a disquieting direness that has echoes in our American life, right now. Heimat is valuable, readable and, needless to say, highly recommended -- Chris Ware * author of Building Stories *Heimat is a compelling and beautifully crafted graphic memoir. Holding this book, and leafing through its pages, rich with photographs, handwritten letters and exquisite drawings, you feel as if if the past is reaching out and grabbing you. It is an exploration of legacy and memory, the things we inherit, the stories we pass on and the strange power the past can hold over us. I loved it -- Isabel Greenberg * author of The Encyclopedia of Early Earth *Nora Krug created something completely new by inventing a new medium. (...) And with every new form of visual representation she uses, she is able to gain a new perspective on herself and on her history. -- Ijoma Mangold, literary critic at Die ZeitNora Krug has created a beautiful visual memoir of a horrific time in history. A time that torments us to this day. Asking questions and searching for the truth, she will not turn away from the legacy of her family and her country. She asks the question of how any of us survive our family history. Ultimately, the only course is not to veil the answers -- Maira Kalman, American illustrator, artist and writerTo belong to a place is not to be able to choose what it takes from you. But we can choose what we take from it. Nora Krug takes from her German homeland, and then gives to us, a sense of what it is like to be German today, and a guide to how a reckoning with the past can begin -- Timothy Snyder * author of On Tyranny and Black Earth *As the Jewish heir of grandparents who themselves had to flee the upsurge of fascism in their German homelands, I found granddaughter Nora Krug's heartrending investigation of her own family's painstakingly occluded history through those years especially moving. But as an American living through these, our very own years of a seemingly inexorable drift into one's still not quite sure what, I found Krug's achingly realized graphic memoir downright unsettling, for what will our own grandchildren one day make of us and our own everyday compromises and failures to attend? -- Lawrence Weschler * author of Calamities of Exile and A Miracle, A Universe: Settling Accounts with Torturers *Nora Krug's book Heimat is a heart-wrenching, suspenseful and fascinating odyssey that straddles, and seeks to uncover, an uncharted, inaccessible, unfathomable past. It is a kaleidoscope of interrupted lives, leading inexorably to its ultimate conclusion. I couldn't stop reading it -- Hava Beller, Director of 'The Restless Conscience'Krug probes her family's actions in Nazi Germany, conducting interviews and roaming archives and flea markets. She confronts past and present in a book that's been praised for its invention and bravery. * The Guardian, 'The 50 biggest books of autumn 2018' *

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Book Synopsis'Very funny on almost every page, wonderfully self-deprecating and very sharp on the ludicrous behaviour of the modern player' - Sunday Times'The funniest man in British sport' - Metro**A Sunday Times Sports Book of the Year****Shortlisted for the National Book Awards****Longlisted for the Telegraph Sports Book Awards Autobiography of the Year**You become a footballer because you love football. And then you are a footballer, and you're suddenly in the strangest, most baffling world of all. A world where one team-mate comes to training in a bright red suit with matching top-hat, cane and glasses, without any actual glass in them, and another has so many sports cars they forget they have left a Porsche at the train station. Even when their surname is incorporated in the registration plate.So walk with me into the dressing-room, to find out which players refuse to touch a football before a game, to discover why a load of millionaires never have any shower-gel, and to hear what Cristiano Ronaldo says when he looks at himself in the mirror.We will go into post-match interviews, make fools of ourselves on social media and try to ensure that we never again pay £250 for a haircut that should have cost a tenner. We'll be coached and cajoled by Harry Redknapp, upset Rafa Benitez and be soothed by the sound of an accordion played by Sven-Goran Eriksson's assistant Tord Grip. There will be some very bad music and some very bad decisions.I am Peter Crouch. This is How To Be A Footballer. Shall we?Trade ReviewHowever overpaid and preening you might assume Premier League footballers to be, think again. They're worse, according to this amusing insider's account * Sunday Times Sports Book of the Year *Who knew that a footballer could be funny? ... What you realise, as you laugh out loud, is that football has been taken too seriously by too many people for too long... Most other football books wither by comparison * Daily Mail Sports Book of the Year *As someone who's been there, done it and got the ill-fitting T-shirt, Crouch is well placed to shed light on the bizarre world of the modern player in a funny, down-to-earth way... He made his name on the pitch ... but with this book, Crouch proves he is a good sport off it, too. -- Jade Craddock * Sun *On his way to being a national treasure... most enjoyable * Daily Telegraph *The funniest man in British sport * Metro *

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Book Synopsis‘Ferociously smart. A rare combination of guilty pleasure and intellectual insight’ VOGUE ‘Perceptive. Refreshing. Tears away layers of false readings and conspiracy theories’ NEW YORK TIMES Intricately researched. Churchwell’s Marilyn is a complex, well-rounded creature in the best sense – the human sense’ OBSERVER There are many Marilyns: sex goddess and innocent child, crafty manipulator and dumb blonde, screen legend and Hollywood victim. In this incisive and subtle book, Sarah Churchwell looks at how the stories we tell have trivialised a woman we supposedly adore, and at what they reveal about our attitudes towards sex symbols and icons, to women, death, biography and Marilyn herself.Trade ReviewInventive and entertaining ... Churchwell seems to have invented an altogether new form of biography * LITERARY REVIEW *A splendid metabiography of one of the great icons of the twentieth century -- BOOKS OF THE YEAR * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Refreshing … [Tears] away layers of false readings and conspiracy theories * NEW YORK TIMES *Ferociously smart … A rare combination of guilty pleasure and intellectual insight * VOGUE *Untangles the threads of Monroe’s life story, isolating the essential cornerstones of the Monroe myth * INDEPENDENT *

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Book SynopsisGoodbye Christopher Robin: A.A. Milne and the Making of Winnie-the-Pooh is drawn from Ann Thwaite’s acclaimed biography of A. A. Milne, one of the most successful English writers ever, and the creator of Winnie-the-Pooh, and of Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore and Christopher Robin.But the fictional Christopher Robin was based on Milne’s own son. This heart-warming and touching book recounts the true story that inspired the film Goodbye Christopher Robin, directed by Simon Curtis and starring Domhnall Gleeson, Margot Robbie and Kelly Macdonald, and offers the reader a glimpse into the relationship between Milne and the real-life Christopher Robin, whose toys inspired the magical world of the Hundred Acre Wood. Along with his mother Daphne and his nanny Olive, Christopher Robin and his family were swept up in the international success of the books; the enchanting tales brought hope and comfort to an England ravaged by the First World War. But with the eyes of the world on Christopher Robin, what will the cost be to the family?With a preface by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, co-writer of the screenplay.

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Book SynopsisAn international bestseller, this intimate biography vividly brings to life the story of an exceptional and courageous woman, well ahead of her time, who lived through a remarkable period in Turkish history.Trade Review`Rich, surprising and profound' Orhan Pamuk; `A daring biography' Independent; `Latife played a pivotal role in shaping the new Turkey - an acknowledgement of her contribution is long overdue.' New Internationalist; `This fascinating retelling highlights an important moment in the struggle for women's suffrage ... Poignant' The Lady; `A shining example of how history can and should be written' The Jordan Times

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Book SynopsisIn their celebration of ‘little matters’ – the regular round of visiting, dining out, drinking tea, of reading and walking to the shops and sending to the post – Jane Austen’s letters and novels have many similarities. The thirteen letters collected by Jane Austen’s House Museum, in Chawton, Hampshire and reproduced in this book give us intimate glimpses into her life in Bath and Chawton and on visits to London, many of their details finding echoes in her fiction. 'Jane Austen: The Chawton Letters' traces a lively story beginning in 1801, when, aged twenty-five, Jane Austen left Steventon in Hampshire to move to Bath. Later letters relish the shops, theatres and sights of London, but are interspersed from 1809 with the quieter routines of village life in Chawton, Hampshire, which was to be her home for the remainder of her short life. We learn here of her anxieties for the reception of Pride and Prejudice, her care in planning Mansfield Park and the hilarious negotiations over the publication of Emma. These letters, each accompanied by reproductions from the original manuscripts in Jane Austen’s hand, testify to Jane’s deep emotional bond with her sister: the most moving letter of all is that written by Cassandra only days after Jane’s death in Winchester in July 1817. Brought together in this little book, these artefacts make a delightful modern-day keepsake of correspondence from one of the world’s best-loved writers.Trade Review'Exquisitely bound and printed, with an excellent introduction by Kathryn Sutherland, this is a book that will delight any Austen reader … a real treasure that will find its way on to many a fan's bookshelf.' * Jane Austen's Regency World *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Chronology Introduction Letters Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisA charming memoir exploring the history, landscape and people of rural France, told through the eyes of a Parisian-born Englishman, writer and poet. Adam Thorpe''s home for the past 25 years has been an old house in the Cévennes, a wild range of mountains in southern France. Prior to this, in an ancient millhouse in the oxbow of a Cévenol river, he wrote the novel that would become the Booker Prize-nominated Ulverton, now a Vintage Classic. In more recent writing Thorpe has explored the Cévennes, drawing on the legends, history and above all the people of this part of France for his inspiration. In his charming journal, Notes from the Cévennes, Thorpe takes up these themes, writing about his surroundings, the village and his house at the heart of it, as well as the contrasts of city life in nearby Nîmes. In particular he is interested in how the past leaves impressions--marks--on our landscape and on us. What do we find in the grass, earth and stTrade ReviewIn an altogether different class ... beautifully written, full of wisdom about the balance struck by humanity and the natural world ... Adam Thorpe, a self-described "curator of time", has written a grand little book. I might have added that no holidaymaker this year in France, or further afield, should be without it. But why wait until July or August? Don't postpone the treat. Buy now; this book is a real joy. * The Tablet *A marvellously astute, wry and affectionate account of France and the French – mercifully free of whimsy – and, moreover, written in pitch-perfect English prose. A delight. -- William BoydPart history and part memoir, Notes from the Cévennes is a marvellous evocation of the forgotten Languedoc, and an affectionate portrait of a country and a people. -- Sigrid Rausing * Editor of Granta *A powerful story of cooperation and conflict, both between ourselves and Nature. Living in two places, the ancient pastoral retreat of the Cévennes, and the Roman cosmopolitanism of Nimes, Adam has all the gifts of novelist, correspondent, historian and poet. -- Colin Greenwood * Radiohead *His novels are concerned with how the past and the present, reality and fiction elide into each other, particularly through landscape; and Thorpe, in this series of tightly controlled, involving vignettes, finds evidence of this everywhere he looks … Gleaming with polished insights, this sensitive book is both a warning, plea and salutary reminder that even the tiniest action affects the universal. France profonde, indeed. * Spectator *Erudite and beguiling * The Times *Thorpe has dizzying range as well as style * Daily Mail *[A] deeply engaging book, part chatty memoir, part profound perception of the evidence of previous human existences ... He has, in short, lived a life to which he was not born but which he has taken up and made his own, something many people dream about but few are able to emulate * Times Literary Supplement *Thorpe’s memoir is not part of any herd. Nor does it belong in the fast-and-loose category of potboilers about swapping English life for continental idylls … It is erudite, firmly embedded in its own soil and yet evasive … affectionate, appreciative and perceptive * Observer *Beautifully written and produced, a pure pleasure: learned and attentive and rich in description and full of humour that is genuinely affectionate without being remotely patronising * Irish Times *By turns comic and pensive, Notes from the Cévennes is an absorbing and beautifully composed collection of vignettes, recording Adam Thorpe’s encounters, adventures and meditations over half a lifetime in France … Mr Thorpe captures so well the dark history of France, the conflict of religion, politics and land * Country Life *This absorbing book is written in prose as bright and bracing as the waters of the rivers in which Thorpe loves to swim. Despite the warts-and-all picture, it made me want to pack my bags and head south. * Literary Review *Thorpe allows a sense of folk magic to permeate, and his characters feel rustic in a timeless way because he transmits a real appreciation of the wild and how humans justify our interactions with other beasts … A gentle homage to rural life. * New Statesman *Table of Contents1 Gossamer Threads 2 The Poppet 3 Coming Into Shot 4 Wartime Shrines 5 Our Baker is Missing 6 Reprisal in the Oxbow 7 The Psychological Castle 8 Taking the Postman Hostage 9 Resident Tombs 10 A Flat Above the Cafe 11 All that Rough Muskc 12 Erudition 13 A Local Custom 14 Disaster Area 15 Martins in the Roof 16 A Visit from the City Police 17 Arches and Bulls 18 Defending Wolves 19 A Catastrophe 20 Floodwaters 21 The Ballot 22 Paws, Fingers and Thighs 23 Taking Our Tread 24 Epilogue Footprints Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisQuo are the most successful band in British history after the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. From 1973 to the mid-80s they had a string of hits, including 'Down, Down', 'Rockin' All Over the World', 'Again and Again', 'What You're Proposing' - all classic rock anthems. When the band imploded, and the other members left, Rossi and Parfitt reinvented Quo for the 90s and kept going, touring constantly and winning new fans. The story of Status Quo is essentially the story of two people: Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt. It is the story of two outwardly very different characters - Rossi, the moody insecure one, Parfitt, the smiling, permanantly at ease golden boy - who against the odds forged an unlikely yet enduring bond that would see them through the dizzying highs and terrifying lows of a forty-year career. Rossi and Parfitt admit that in the past they've hidden some of the truth about their lives, unable to admit how out of control things were even to themselves. Now they tell it all - the drug-taking, the marriage breakdowns, Parfitt's brush with death when he was forced to undergo by-pass surgery. From their early days as a sixties 'boy band' through the massive international success of the seventies to the present day, this is an explosive no-holds-barred autobiography from two of Britain's most enduring rock stars.

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Book SynopsisThe number one Sunday Times bestseller, Adam Kay's festive hospital diaries, Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas, is the perfect stocking filler from the author of multi-million-copy bestseller This is Going to Hurt – now a major BBC TV series. Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat . . . but 1.4 million NHS staff are heading off to work. In this perfect present for anyone who has ever set foot in a hospital, Adam Kay delves back into his diaries for a hilarious, horrifying and sometimes heartbreaking peek behind the blue curtain at Christmastime.This is a love letter to all those who spend their festive season on the front line, removing babies and baubles from the various places they get stuck, at the most wonderful time of the year.‘The perfect surgical stocking-filler’ – The TimesTrade ReviewSunday Times humour book of the year * Sunday Times *The perfect surgical stocking filler. Jokes galore. This little book will no doubt cheer up the many readers who find it under their tree * The Times *Very, very funny -- Graham NortonBeyond hilarious . . . A small-but-perfectly formed follow-up to This is Going to Hurt, this Christmas-themed delight continues to capture the dark humour and dedicated work of NHS professionals everywhere * Stylist *A funny, poignant snapshot of humanity * Radio Times *Will have you crying with laughter * Good Housekeeping *Contains Kay’s unique alchemy of medical insight and cynical wit * Daily Mirror *Hilarious and heartbreaking * Irish Times *The funniest book of 2019 * The Mail *Kay's fans will be delighted to discover that it is entirely as revolting, funny and moving as the first * i-news *Matchless stories . . . funny, disgusting and moving * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisOrry-Kelly created magic on screen, from Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon to Some Like It Hot. He won three Oscars for costume design. He dressed all the biggest stars, from Bette Davis to Marilyn Monroe. Yet few know who Orry-Kelly really was - until now. Discovered in a pillowcase, Orry-Kelly's long-lost memoirs reveal a wildly talented and cheeky rascal who lived a big life, on and off the set. From his childhood in Kiama to revelling in Sydney's underworld nightlife as a naïve young artist and chasing his dreams of acting in New York, his early life is a wild and exciting ride. Sharing digs in New York with another aspiring actor, Cary Grant, and partying hard in between auditions, he ekes out a living painting murals for speakeasies before graduating to designing stage sets and costumes. When he finally arrives in Hollywood, it's clear his adventures have only just begun. Fearless, funny and outspoken, Orry-Kelly lived life to the full. In Women I've Undressed, he shares a wickedly delicious slice of it.Trade ReviewIf you love or even like Old Hollywood, if you hanker after parties where Marlene Dietrich, Carole Lombard, Hedy Lamarr and Jean Harlow chew the fat in Spanish costumes under camellia-strewn bowers, then Orry-Kelly's Women I've Undressed: the Fabulous Life and Times of a Legendary Hollywood Designer is a little bit of paradise. * Daily Telegraph *There's something completely compelling about this very talented, very outlandish, gay Australian rascal's journey into Hollywood. -- Gillian Armstrong, the Oscar-nominated director of Women He's UndressedA sumptuous coffee table fashion tome but the text reads like a racy Jackie Collins novel... Women I've Undressed is a frank and brutal account of Hollywood's golden era, of its stars and their foibles, their individual weaknesses and Achilles' heels, the details that only a personal tailor gets to see, but more importantly, this book brings recognition to one of the most talented costume designers of the era... He was Hollywood royalty, but despite those Oscars, he was not a household name. This book will likely change that.' * Irish Independent *Delightful... Kelly was an extraordinary character... A camp romp through the Golden Age of Hollywood with some gloriously indiscreet asides, peppered with Kelly's exquisite sketches and photos of stars in his frocks. * Australian Women's Weekly *He writes with deep affection... His book is beautifully designed and illustrated... Orry-Kelly's pen portraits bring the city and the period pungently to life. * The Australian *Several books have already laid bare the fractious relationship between movie star and designer, but Orry-Kelly's account of life as a prominent Hollywood costume designer leaves most of them in the ha'penny place. Found in a pillowcase and kept under wraps by his family for half a century, it is an Aladdin's cave of memories and moments. * Sunday Business Post *Those of us who assume Hollywood costume designers are as camp as Christmas - e.g. Cecil Beaton or Dame Edna's son Kenny - will need to have a rethink in the light of this tremendous book. * Daily Mail *A work of art... He proves as elegant a writer as he was a fashion designer... Women I've Undressed is a must for fashion freaks and movie buffs alike. * Weekend West *

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Book SynopsisOutside his native France, the view of Serge Gainsbourg was once of a one-hit wonder lothario. This has been slowly replaced by an awareness of how talented and innovative a songwriter he was. Gainsbourg was an eclectic, protean figure; a Dadaist, poète maudit, Pop-Artist, libertine and anti-hero. An icon and iconoclast. His masterpiece is arguably Histoire de Melody Nelson, an album suite combining many of his signature themes; sex, taboo, provocation, humour, exoticism and ultimately tragedy. Composed and arranged with the great Jean-Claude Vannier, its score of lush cinematic strings and proto-hip hop beats, combined with Serge's spoken-word poetry, has become remarkably influential across a vast musical spectrum; inspiring soundtracks, indie groups and electronic artists. In recent years, the album's reputation has grown from cult status to that of a modern classic with the likes of Beck, Portishead, Mike Patton, Air and Pulp paying tribute. How did the son of Jewish Russian immigrants, hounded during the Nazi Occupation, rise to such notoriety and acclaim, being celebrated by President François Mitterand as "our Baudelaire, our Apollinaire"? How did the early chanson singer evolve into a musical visionary incorporating samples, breakbeats and dub into his music, decades ahead of the curve? And what are the roots and legacy of a concept album about a Rolls Royce, a red-haired Lolita muse, otherworldly mansions, plane crashes and Cargo Cults?Trade ReviewThis book is intended to be a biography of an album, but due to Darran Anderson’s thorough research and skilled prose storytelling, Serge Gainsbourg’s Histoire de Melody Nelson morphs into a brilliant (if often dark) illustration of Serge Gainsbourg himself, even more than that of the title character, Melody Nelson. That said, when one knows this much more about the album, the artist and his muse, much like the narrator himself, one will find it almost impossible to avoid falling in love with Melody. -- J.C. Macek III * PopMatters *Table of ContentsIntroduction Early Days The Chanson Years Turning Point Histoire de Melody Nelson The Aftermath Influence

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Book SynopsisFrom the Sunday Times bestselling author, Carl ChinnThe Peaky Blinders as we know them, thanks to the hit TV series, are infused with drama and dread. Fashionably dressed, the charismatic but deeply flawed Shelby family have become cult anti-heroes. Well-known social historian, broadcaster and author, Carl Chinn, revealed the true story of the notorious gang in his bestselling Peaky Blinders: The Real Story and now in this follow-up book, he explores the legacy they created in Birmingham and beyond. What happened to them and their gangland rivals?In Peaky Blinders: The Legacy we revisit the world of Billy Kimber's Peaky Blinders, exploring their legacy throughout the 1920s and 30s, and how their burgeoning empires spread across the UK. Delve into the street wars across the country, the impact of the declaration of War on Gangs by the Home Secretary after The Racecourse War in 1921, and how the blackmailing of bookmakers gave way to new and daring opportunities for the likes of Sabini, Alfie Solomon and some new faces in the murky gangland underworld.Drawing on Carl's inimitable research, interviews and original sources, find out just what happened to this incredible cast of characters, revealing the true legacy of the Peaky Blinders.

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Book SynopsisRanulph Fiennes has entered the public imagination as the intrepid explorer par excellance. Taunted by his wife over the challenge of the never-before attempted circumpolar navigation of the globe, he set off in 1979 on a gruelling 52,000 mile adventure. Together with fellow members of 21 SAS regiment, Fiennes left from Greenwich, travelling over land, passing through both ends of the polar axis. Completed over three years later, it was the first circumpolar navigation of the globe, and justifiably entered Fiennes into the record books. TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH is the record of that journey. It captures the natural beauty of the landscapes they passed through, and the cameraderie that necessarily grows between men who had served in the British forces'' elite regiment and were now throwing themselves into danger of a different sort. Time and again, the expedition found themselves in life-threatening situations, weaving through the pack ice of the Arctic Ocean or sharing a single

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Book SynopsisBRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR. SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE 2017. SHORTLISTED FOR THE JAMES TAIT BLACK BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR. WINNER OF THE PEN/ESPN AWARD FOR LITERARY SPORTS WRITING. THE TIMES SPORTS BOOK AWARDS BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR. The most comprehensive and definitive biography of Muhammad Ali that has ever been published, based on more than 500 interviews with those who knew him best, with many dramatic new discoveries about his life and career.  When the frail, trembling figure of Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic flame in Atlanta in 1996, a TV audience of up to 3 billion people was once again gripped by the story of the world's most famous sporting icon. The man who had once been reviled for his refusal to fight for his country and for his fast-talking denunciation of his opponents was now almost universally adored, the true cost of his astonishing boxing career<Trade Review'Jonathan Eig's Ali: A Life is the business - 640 pages of patient scholarship and intelligent reassessment written in crackly prose and dancing gleefully and illuminatingly through the well-documented highlights while never shying away from the less glorious shadows.' -- Giles Smith * The Times *'A fine piece of journalism of the best American kind...wrought with sound judgment and rigorous prose. Ali's life is dissected with the detachment of a pathologist, and the picture isn't always a pretty one... In 50 or 100 years, people might wonder what all the fuss was about. Muhammad Ali: was there really such a character? They should read this book and learn that yes, there was, for all his flaws.' -- Nick Pitt * Sunday Times *'This richly researched, sympathetic yet unsparing portrait of a controversial figure...could not have come at a more appropriate time... As Muhammad Ali's life was an epic of a life, so Ali: A Life is an epic of a biography... Even the familiar may be glanced from a new perspective in Eig's fluent prose.' -- Joyce Carol Oates * New York Times Book Review *'Finally, after so many works focusing on this fight or that, the whole man, his whole life, is presented here' -- Ken Burns'Goes deeper and uncovers more than any Ali biography has before’ * Esquire *'Jonathan Eig’s Ali: A Life is the first comprehensive biography worthy of this titanic figure... [Eig] vigorously narrates the story of the man who transformed the landscape of race and sports... Eig also paints Ali’s bouts with vivid detail and captivating sweep... Ali stirs together the sweet and the spicy, the gifts and the failings, the charm and the rage, the grace and the greed, the pride and the ego. Together, they made Ali the transcendent athlete of his age.' -- Aram Goudsouzian * Washington Post *'Does a remarkable job of synthesising the warring elements of Ali's life. Above all, it delivers a portrait of a hero that does not ignore his all too human flaws. This biography...ends in darkness & melancholy. Fortunately, the earlier chapters dazzle us.' -- Clive Davis * The Times *'Ali's extraordinary story, in all its complexity, is told in Jonathan Eig's excellent Ali: A Life' -- Martin Chilton * Daily Telegraph *'There have been countless tomes about the iconic fighter, of course, but Eig's is the definitive work to date.' * Sports Illustrated Sports Book of the Year *'Stunning new biography...Ali is a big, fat, entertaining and illuminating read...What makes Eig’s book stand out is its broad scope, its detailed reportage and its lively, cinematic writing.' -- Laurie Hertzel * Star Tribune *'Each blow echoes on the pages of Jonathan Eig’s relentless, image-altering biography Ali: A Life...Though replete with tales of race, religion, war protest, sex, marital turmoil and skulduggery, this book is, more than anything else, an indictment of boxing. The cumulative damage of Ali’s boxing career is a terrible and haunting thing to read about, and it becomes all the more so when you remind yourself that Mr. Eig’s subject is one of American sports’ most beloved figures, not some luckless tomato can.' -- John Schulian * Wall Street Journal *'Eig...has exhaustively covered the career of boxing’s very greatest in an unprecedented level of detail...The result is a biography that is as unflinching about Ali’s marriages and extra-marital activities as it is about his sporting decline. The closing chapters...are heartbreaking.' -- James Grey * Daily Express *'Achieved the minor miracle of refreshing ground already trodden by writers of the quality of Thomas Hauser, Mike Marqusee and David Remnick, relating groundbreaking analysis of the punches taken by Muhammad Ali, particularly in his later fights, to his subsequent ill health' -- Huw Richards * Guardian *'First rate... An exemplary life of an exemplary man' * Kirkus Reviews *Ali, who died last year, was contradictory and controversial, and Jonathan Eig tells his story beautifully in his stunning new biography of the champ, Ali: A Life... Eig recounts the champ's major bouts in dizzying detail. Even readers who don't care for boxing will be drawn in by his descriptions of the fights... Ali's life was more complex than most other sports figures, and Eig's brilliant, exhaustive book is the biography the champ deserves: a beautiful portrait of a man whose name will never be forgotten, who carried a torch for equality and justice, and lit a fire that will never go out. -- Michael Schaub * NPR Books *'Jonathan Eig’s masterful new biography of the champ is both captivating and highly relevant to the current discussions on race...Eig’s boxing descriptions are taut and lively, wisely eschewing the purple prose of the literary set who have written about the sport... Muhammad Ali was one of the most compelling figures in the 20th century, and Eig does ample justice to capturing his extraordinary and enduring legacy.' -- David Takami * Seattle Times *'Full justice is done to Ali's extraordinary athletic gifts' -- Nick Pitt * Sunday Times *'[Jonathan Eig's] new book feels comprehensive...noteworthy is how much of Ali’s well-documented life has been overlooked by previous accounts... He’s breezy to read while also being a stickler for detail... It is by no stretch a hatchet job, but it’s no hagiography either and doesn’t shy away from stories that reveal Ali’s fallibilities and extreme views... Even in the most examined lives, there are corners where it is revealing to shine a light.' -- Tim Lewis * Observer *'Jonathan Eig’s book is the first major biography since Ali’s death, and it offers a bruising account of his life. It jabs at myths throughout... Masterful.' * The Economist *'That Eig has achieved his aim of revealing Ali afresh, which I think he has, is some kind of literary miracle...Eig has achieved the improbable and made Ali human again: flawed, inspiring, too complex to truly represent any one coherent idea.' -- Malcolm Knox * Sydney Morning Herald *'Comprehensive and definitive...uncovers new stories and tidbits about his life and career' * Sports Illustrated *'Ali’s life and times have been documented often but never more comprehensively or brilliantly than the recently published Ali: A Life...this is not only one of the best-ever sports books but an insightful social essay about a deeply troubled era for human rights in America.' -- Ron Reed * sportshounds.com.au *'This deeply researched, comprehensive biography. His prose is fast-paced, uncluttered, and rich in personal insights' -- J. Michael Lennon * Times Literary Supplement *'He may have been the greatest but he was no saint... Paints a portrait of his life in its entirety' * Mail on Sunday *'Eig’s richly researched, sympathetic yet unsparing portrait of a controversial figure for whom the personal and the political dramatically fused could not come at a more appropriate time.' -- John Williams * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times bestseller following the inspiring story of life as a shepherdess, by the star of Channel 5’s Our Yorkshire Farm.Amanda Owen has been seen by millions on ITV's The Dales and Channel 5's Our Yorkshire Farm, living a life that has almost gone in today's modern world, a life ruled by the seasons and her animals. She is a farmer's wife and shepherdess, living alongside her husband Clive and seven children at Ravenseat, a 2000 acre sheep hill farm at the head of Swaledale in North Yorkshire. It's a challenging life but one she loves.In The Yorkshire Shepherdess she describes how the rebellious girl from Huddersfield, who always wanted to be a shepherdess, achieved her dreams. Full of amusing anecdotes and unforgettable characters, the book takes us from fitting in with the locals to fitting in motherhood, from the demands of the livestock to the demands of raising a lTrade ReviewRiveting. * Sun *Enchanting. * Daily Mail *Table of ContentsIntroduction - i: Introduction Chapter - 1: A Normal Childhood Chapter - 2: Wild Oats and Wool Sacks Chapter - 3: One Woman and Her Dog Chapter - 4: Ravenseat Only Chapter - 5: Hill Shepherdess Chapter - 6: Married in My Riding Boots Chapter - 7: Reuben Ready or Not! Chapter - 8: Miles To Go Chapter - 9: Edith On the Way Chapter - 10: Our Little Flower Chapter - 11: Clive’s Big Break Chapter - 12: Free-range Children Chapter - 13: Sidney in the Snow Chapter - 14: Annas Makes Seven Acknowledgements - ii: Acknowledgements Section - iii: List of Illustrations

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Book SynopsisThis is the brilliant memoir of a man who starts out in Manhattan and comes of age in the skies over Korea, before emerging as one of America's finest authors in the New York of the 1960s. Burning the Days showcases James Salter's uniquely beautiful style with some of the most evocative pages about flying ever written, together with portraits of the actors, directors and authors who later influenced him. It is an unforgettable book about passion, ambition and what it means to live and to write.Trade Review'A wise and sensual memoir. Salter writes his self-portrait by focusing on what has shaped him, by showing what he has loved and admired and feared to become in others. You cannot put it down' Michael Ondaatje‘Salter writes wonderfully of a world most of his readers will never have known’ Observer‘A masterwork of memory, deeply impressive and deeply moving’ Time Out One of the great literary memoirs . . . there is nothing better in English about what it is like to fly' * Spectator *A stylish and moving account of his various incarnations as a fighter pilot, rock climber, screenwriter and novelist . . . written in the heroic language of an American memoir * New Statesman *An extraordinarily gifted composer of prose . . . [a] teller of memorable stories. . . . It isn't often that a writer of superlative skills knows enough about flying to write well about it; Saint-Exupérywas one; Salter is another * New York Times Book Review *He can bestow a powerful aura of glamour and heightened significance to even the most casual encounter . . . entertaining, sharply observed . . . pure and ravishing * The Nation *[His] account of air combat in Korea . . . stands as a masterpiece of battle writing in this century . . . His prose is in flight * Los Angeles Times Book Review *A dazzling book . . . so full of splendid writing that at times the overwhelmed reader may blink like a sleeper awaking to hard light * Philadelphia Inquirer *No man who is even remotely honest with himself can read Burning the Days without envy; no woman of similar truthfulness will fail to find Salter's life deeply romantic -- John Irving * Toronto Globe and Mail *A wonderful book by a sensitive author who is romantic, intelligent, and superbly balanced. It is a serene account of a surprising diversity of experiences, but it is also a history of my time -- Joseph HellerA classic memoir, alive with amazing people, fabulous events, and extraordinary stories of war and love and the great wide world. Through the sheer and sensual force of his writing (and nobodywrites more beautifully), James Salter hasn't only recollected the past, he's reclaimed it -- Michael HerrA magnificent tour-de-force, the pressure of Salter's high romantic soul animates his crisp, rich, neo-classical prose to bring us page after page of narrative magic -- Frank ConroyIf you were to mark every section worth remembering you'd end up with folded corners on every page, scrawls in every paragraph * GQ *Every sentence is fantastic * Observer *It is years since I read a sharper, more arresting autobiography * Spectator *Wonderful * Daily Telegraph *He has written three books that everyone should read before they die: A Sport and a Pastime, Light Years and his recollections, Burning the Days * Independent *

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Book SynopsisOver 800 years since his death, Saladin''s fame as the Muslim liberator of Jerusalem, the great foe of Richard the Lionheart and the paragon of justice and nobility remains as powerful as it was during his lifetime.In this new edition, the author A. R. Azzam traces the historical rise of the great Kurdish general and the dramatic events that led to his famous victory at the battle of Hattin. The author also examines how Saladin became a legend in his own lifetime and how and why the legend has continued to endure so powerfully to the present age. But in Saladin: The Triumph of Sunni Revival, the author goes beyond the myth and argues that the legend of Saladin''s chivalry has neglected his inner spiritual life and beliefs and the vital role he played in upholding religious orthodoxy. Thus, Saladin: The Triumph of Sunni Revival is not just the study of the man but also the study of the historical age in which he lived and of the profound intellectual forces that influenced his thoughts and actions so deeply. It is a study of the power of an idea and how this idea, the Sunni Revival, began to take root and flourish in the century before Saladin was born and spread rapidly across the Muslim worldfrom Baghdad to Damascus, from Damascus to Cairo and ultimately and triumphantly, thanks to Saladin, from Cairo to Jerusalem.This book starts in Baghdad with the disintegration of the Abbasid caliphate, and introduces great figures such as Nizam ul-Mulk and al-Ghazali. And although this may appear to have little relevance in a biography of Saladin, A. R. Azzam argues that Saladin was in reality a child of the Sunni Revival and that it was the ideals of this Revival which more than anything affected his beliefs and actions and constitute the foundations of the greatness of his political and spiritual vision.

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Book SynopsisNew York Times Bestseller The long-awaited next book from actress and New York Times bestselling author of The Rural Diaries, Hilarie Burton Morgan. Through memoir essays and magical practices, Grimoire Girl connects us to the enchantment that exists inside us all.Since childhood, Hilarie Burton Morgan has felt the call to record, keep, and catalogue life in all its strange wonder. It was a whimsical habit, with no clear goal. And then, when she became a mother, the importance of all that collecting snapped into focus. In an effort to patchwork together an anthology of traditions, curiosity, and magical thinking that she could pass down, Burton Morgan realized she was crafting a grimoire. In her most intimate book yet, Burton Morgan shares how she’s creating an inheritance of mischief and magic that will outlive her. What’s more, she shows readers how they too can look at the elements of their lives and collect the pieces into a tangible collection of a lifetime of learning. Because in its purest form, a grimoire was a guide to keep you alive.Like the grimoires of old, full of life-saving wisdom, these pages record the people, places, ideas and habits that have kept Burton Morgan alive, in her signature voice that is at once honest, witty, and charming. Accompanied by whimsical two-color illustrations by Olivia Faust, the book also includes Simple Spells, which are ways to bring magic into your daily life: create an altar that delights and inspires, practice candle magic and poetry spells, make an oracle deck, or channel your inner kitchen witch with recipes and potions.So begin creating your own inheritance, take a long look inward and decide...What wisdom will be written on the pages of your Grimoire?Trade Review“There’s a new reason to know and love Hilarie Burton Morgan, as she’s just written a lovely, thoughtful, and tad weird book called Grimoire Girl, full of sweet, funny, Burton-esque anecdotes and stories.” — Scary Mommy

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Book Synopsis‘His photographic skills enabled him to convert what he felt about Whitby and the countryside around it—the feelings he carried inside himself from the time he came from smoky Leeds as a child to first see the coast—into a visual tribute which goes far beyond mere documentary recording.’As one of the first men to devote his life and creative energy to photography, Frank Sutcliffe moved away from the confines of Victorian photographic conventions, which were based on artifice, and set himself the task of photographing the people and the countryside that he saw around him in as truthful and straightforward a manner as his equipment would allow. Despite his rarely leaving Whitby, Sutcliffe's work was known, exhibited and printed all over the world.Michael Hiley has traced Sutcliffe's writings on photography, many of which are to be found only in newspaper archives and specialist photographic libraries. As the son of a painter, Sutcliffe was aware both of the unique qualities of photography and of the debt it owed to painting. The years of his greatest success were those of unprecedented upheaval in both painting and photography, and Frank Sutcliffe: Photographer of Whitby sets out to establish the relationship between Sutcliffe's work and that of the leading photographers and painters of his time.

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Book SynopsisHoward Phillips Lovecraft had a short life, and he died of cancer in 1936 at the age of 46. But in that relatively short time he had a significant, varied and outstanding output, and although he was not a well-known writer during the time he lived, he has since been hailed as one of the great supernatural fiction writers. Although a huge influence on many writers since his death, and now someone with significant book sales every year, Lovecraft never managed to make a living from writing during his lifetime.Lovecraft spent much time battling various physical and mental issues, but he was able to form bonds and relationships with key people in his life, some of which influenced his thinking and his work. These included his mother, grandfather, aunt, wife and famous figures from the time including Harry Houdini and Robert E Howard; comments from many are included.Lovecraft's sensitivity comes through in his writing, and this book also contains numerous quotes from his famous fictional works. Samples from his poems, letters and other writings serve to paint a full portrait of this master of his chosen genre, horror, but who also contributed significantly to science fiction and fantasy; he truly possessed outstanding talent, as celebrated inside.SAMPLE QUOTE: 'The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents.' - Francis Wayland Thurston sets the scene for indescribable horror in The Call of Cthulhu, HP Lovecraft, 1926. SAMPLE FACT: HP Lovecraft's work was the inspiration behind Arkham Asylum (Batman), Black Sabbath's album Behind the Wall of Sleep and The Book of the Dead from the Evil Dead movies.Table of Contents'Hideous': An exploration of the life and times of Howard Phillips Lovecraft and his family: mother and father, grandfather, aunts, and his wife. 'Madness': Lovecraft wrote a wide body of work, including fiction in various genres (horror, science fiction), poetry, journalism, criticism and letters. This chapter includes interesting quotes from Lovecraft himself, as well as his contemporaries, authors and critics. 'Nameless': Lovecraft's most famous creation, Cthulhu was born of horror. This chapter contains quotes relating to the fascinating universe and all things Cthulhu. 'Antiquarian': Science, travel, autobiography and philosophy. Quotes from Lovecraft, his work and others on these lesser-known works of the master. Influence: A look at some of the many places, people and characters that Lovecraft inspired, from books and movies to comic strips and television shows. Wit and Wisdom: A roundup of interesting, odd, amusing and sometimes downright disturbing quotes from Lovecraft and his commentators.

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Book SynopsisThe autobiography of a courageous singer-songwriter, activist, and American icon."Barbara Dane is someone who is willing to follow her conscience. She is, if the term must be used, a hero."—Bob DylanA renowned folk, blues, and jazz singer who performed with some of the twentieth century’s most celebrated musicians, from Louis Armstrong to Bob Dylan. A proud progressive who has tirelessly championed racial equality and economic justice in America, and who has traveled the world to sing out against war and tyranny. An organizer, a venue owner, a record label founder, and a woman who has charted her own creative and political path for more than ninety years. Barbara Dane has led an epic, trailblazing life in music and activism, and This Bell Still Rings tells her story in her own adventurous voice. Dane’s memoir charts her trajectory from singing in union halls and at factory gates in World War II–era Detroit, to her rise as a respected blues and jazz singer, to her prominence as a folk musician frequently performing at and participating in civil rights and peace demonstrations across the US and abroad—from post-revolutionary Cuba to wartime Vietnam. This Bell Still Rings illuminates “one of the true unsung heroes of American music” (Boston Globe), and it offers a wealth of inspiration for artists, activists, and anyone seeking a life defined by courage and integrity.Trade Review"Barbara is someone who is willing to follow her conscience. She is, if the term must be used, a hero."—Bob Dylan"I first met Barbara when I was seventeen. She taught me that 'Wild women don't worry, wild women don't get the blues.'"—Linda Ronstadt“What a life of service in the fight for civil rights and human dignity. Barbara Dane's music lifted us as it lifted me when we were together in Mississippi in 1964 to register African American voters. Thank you for keeping the faith all these years."—Judy Collins“Barbara Dane has always been a role model and a hero of mine, both musically and politically, and for her lifelong commitment to truth, justice, equality, and representation for all.”—Bonnie Raitt“An important read: the amazing story of Barbara Dane, a powerful radical citizen-artist whose magnificent voice, and uncompromising dedication to freedom, social justice, and global liberation continues to ring.”—Danny Glover“A true unsung hero of American music [with] a jazz musician's sense of rhythm, a blues singer's deep investment in the material, and a folk stylist's attention to authenticity."—James Reed, The Boston Globe“Barbara Dane is a long-haul kind of woman: committed, loyal, gifted, and steadfast in the struggle for deep social change. And here's something none of you know: She persuaded me to make the movie Klute."—Jane Fonda"This book is medicine for the soul in these dark times; not a book of songs but a book that sings. It tells the story of movements that have transformed American consciousness, told from the perspective of a life lived for giving."—Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, author of An Indigenous Peoples's History of the United States"Barbara Dane has led the way, showing us, through the choices she made throughout her life, how to use music as a tool for more than just entertainment. She knew it best, that when we sing about what matters, songs can change hearts, and changed hearts will change minds. This is how music changes the world: one changed heart at a time."—Mary Gauthier"Dane’s new memoir This Bell Still Rings offers a fascinating look at a time when Berkeley nurtured a bohemian culture that would come to shape the nation in the following decade."—BerkeleysideTable of ContentsContentsPart One: Let My Little Light Shine1. Memories Don’t Fade2. A Chronic Truant Sings3. The Atomic Age Begins4. Everything Changes5. Postwar Dreams6. From People’s Songs to the Home Front7. California, Here It Comes!8. The Party’s Over9. Digging Underground10. Byron Dances In11. Gateway Swings to Berkeley12. Yonder Come the Blues13. San Francisco Bay Blues14. Trouble in Mind Part Two: On My Way15. From the Alley to the Grove16. From Breakout to Blacklist17. Livin’ with the Blues18. Priorities19. Strange Bedfellows20. Riding High on Sugar Hill21. Buzz, Biz, Boom, Blam!22. On the Emes, This Is True23. Wake Up and Sing!24. Do You, Mister Jones?25. Which Side Are You On?26. The Times, They Are a-Changin’ Part Three: My American Dream27. Irwin Calls, Lightnin’ Strikes, Mississippi Beckons28. Go Tell It on the Mountain29. Navigating Obstacles Blanketed in Bliss30. You Don’t Know Me31. Hard Rains Are a-Fallin’32. Three-Mile Walk of Hope33. Good Morning Blues34. Cuba Sí, Yanqui No!35. Paul Becomes Pablo36. He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands37. Singers of the World, Unite!38. Levitate the Pentagon!39. United We Are Strong40. Unidentified Flying Object41. Play Your Guitars, American Friends42. La Voce dell’altra America43. Building a Big Wall of Music44. Free the Army!45. Solidarity Forever Crossing Borders46. Wild Women Don’t Get the Blues47. Give Peace a Chance Part Four: Nobody Gonna Turn Me ’Round48. Pack Up Your Sorrows49. A Musical Road Trip to Nowhere50. You Just Can’t Make It by Yourself51. Will the Circle Be Unbroken?52. Take It Slow and Easy53. Throw It Away Some Rules for the Road Ahead GratitudeBarbara Dane Discography, Key Links, and MoreIndexAbout the Author

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Book SynopsisWith a foreword by Carl Fogarty'A worthy and fitting tribute to the King of the Roads' - Irish News Joey Dunlop's story is one of towering triumphs and desperate tragedies in almost equal measure. Born poor - dirt poor - with no running water, no electricity, he was the definition of the everyman hero, in what must be considered one of the world's most extreme sports - motorcycle road racing. He remains the most loved and most successful road racer of all time. Joey Dunlop won the hearts and minds of millions during his thirty-one-year career, culminating in the year 2000 at the Isle of Man TT when, grey-haired and bespectacled, he cemented his reputation as the greatest TT rider in history by regaining the F1 crown for the first time in twelve years. But in road racing, tragedy is never very far away. Joey lost his life in an accident in July of 2000. It was just weeks after his final TT victory. More than 60,000 people attended Joey's funeral. Over twenty years on, the sport has never truly recovered. Every motorcycling lover knows the legend of Joey Dunlop but now, for the first time, they can get to know the man himself. This definitive new biography is by turns hilarious, triumphant and tragic; it is Dunlop's story as it has never been told before - by those who were part of it.

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