Biography Books

Book SynopsisA shaman and visionary - not a poet in any ordinary sense - Maria Sabina lived out her life in the Oaxacan mountain village of Huautla de Jimenez. This work includes a presentation from Sabina's recorded chants and an English translation of her oral autobiography, her vida, as written and arranged in her native language.Table of ContentsEditor's Preface THE LIFE Written with Alvaro Estrada The Chants The Folkways Chant From The 1970 Session: Three Excerpts From The Mushroom Velada: Three Excerpts COMMENTARIES & DERIVATIONS Introduction to The Life of Maria Sabina Alvaro Estrada From Teo-Nanacatl: The Mushroom Agape The Uniqueness of Maria Sabina Henry Munn Maria Sabina in Mexico City Homero Aridjis From Fast Speaking Woman Anne Waldman Fast Speaking Woman & the Dakini Principle Anne Waldman The Little Saint of Huautla Jerome Rothenberg The Poet Speaks, the Mountain Sings ... Juan Gregorio Regino The Song Begins Juan Gregorio Regino Selected Bibliography Source Notes and Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisHow do you hold on to hope when you don't get the ending you asked for? When Katie Davis Majors moved to Uganda, accidentally founded a booming organization, and later became the mother of thirteen girls through the miracle of adoption, she determined to weave her life together with the people she desired to serve. But joy often gave way to sorrow as she invested her heart fully in walking alongside people in the grip of poverty, addiction, desperation, and disease. After unexpected tragedy shook her family, for the first time Katie began to wonder, Is God really good? Does He really love us? When she turned to Him with her questions, God spoke truth to her heart and drew her even deeper into relationship with Him. Daring to Hope is an invitation to cling to the God of the impossible-the God who whispers His love to us in the quiet, in the mundane, when our prayers are not answered the way we want or the miracle doesn't come. It's about a mother discovering the extraordinary strength it takes to be ordinary. It's about choosing faith no matter the circumstance and about encountering God's goodness in the least expected places. Though your heartaches and dreams may take a different shape, you will find your own questions echoed in these pages. You'll be reminded of the gifts of joy in the midst of sorrow. And you'll hear God's whisper: Hold on to hope. I will meet you here. Content Benefits: Picking up where she left off in the best-selling book Kisses from Katie, Katie Davis Majors shares her ongoing experiences in Uganda as the adoptive mother to thirteen girls and describes how she's wrestled through the darkness of disappointment to find the answer to whether God truly is good. Inspiring story of a woman of faith who trusted God Riveting account of a ministry in Uganda The follow up to Kisses from Katie Honest look at what happens when tragedy happens and faith is shaken Wrestles with how to find God in the doubts and questions Perfect book to encourage someone who is struggling in their faith Ideal reading for anyone who loves to see God at work in the world Great gift idea to encourage others Binding - Paperback Pages - 240 Publisher - Authentic Media

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Book SynopsisAt the age of 23, Ash Dykes became the first person to walk, solo and unsupported, across Mongolia.His journey took 78 days and saw him trek over the Altai Mountains, the Gobi Desert and the Mongolian Steppe. It was an expedition filled with danger and extreme conditions. He almost didn't make it. Two years later he spent more than five months traversing the length of Madagascar, another world first. In Mission Possible, Ash reveals the spirit, planning, and sheer determination that went into these two record-breaking feats. Along the way we discover how a young man from Wales transformed himself into one of the globe's most acclaimed and exciting young adventurers.

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Book Synopsis‘A wonderful book: Nancy Campbell is a fine storyteller with a rare physical intelligence. The extraordinary brilliance of her eye confers the reader a total immersion in the rimy realms she explores. Glaciers, Arctic floe, verglas, frost and snow — I can think of no better or warmer guide to the icy ends of the Earth’ Dan Richards, author of Climbing DaysA vivid and perceptive book combining memoir, scientific and cultural history with a bewitching account of landscape and place, which will appeal to readers of Robert Macfarlane, Roger Deakin and Olivia Laing.  Long captivated by the solid yet impermanent nature of ice, by its stark, rugged beauty, acclaimed poet and writer Nancy Campbell sets out from the world’s northernmost museum – at Upernavik in Greenland – to explore it in all its facets. From the Bodleian Library archives to the traces left by the great polar expeditions, from remote

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Book SynopsisNOW A MAJOR NETFLIX MOTION PICTURE starring Naomi Watts - the No.1 International Bestseller - a life-affirming true story of how a magpie chick helped one family overcome tragedy.They saved a little bird . . .And in return she saved them tooAfter a near-fatal fall left Sam Bloom paralysed, no one - not her husband Cameron, nor their three boys - could reach her in the darkest days of her struggle. But everything changed when a new member of the family unexpectedly landed in their lives: an injured magpie chick abandoned after she fell from her nest, whom they named Penguin Bloom. Powerful and tender, Penguin Bloom is a beautifully written account of how compassion, friendship and family can come from unexpected places.Trade ReviewSee how a feathered friend touched the lives of a whole family * * Daily Mail * *Glorious * * Telegraph * *Very special . . . A delight * * Daily Express * *Stunning . . . A gorgeous book * * Good Housekeeping * *A wonderful true tale of tragedy and hope and a rather miraculous little bird. It will warm any heart -- MATT HAIGA unique and remarkable insight into a family dealing with tragedy and finding their way through it with love, courage and hope -- NAOMI WATTSBeautifully captured . . . a treasure * * Sainsbury's Magazine * *Touching and inspiring * * Woman & Home * *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE CRICKET BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD AT THE CROSS BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2017WINNER OF THE MCC/CRICKET SOCIETY'S BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2017Mark Nicholas, the face of Channel 5's Cricket on Five and anchor for Channel 9's Test commentary team in Australia, has a unique knowledge and perspective on the world of cricket. As both a former player and now a professional observer and commentator on the game, he knows all the key figures of the sport and has witnessed first-hand some of cricket's greatest moments. His book is a personal account of the game as he's seen and experienced it across the globe. From epic test matches and titans of the game like Lara, Warne and Tendulkar, to his own childhood love for the sport, Mark gives us his informed, personal and fascinating views on cricket - the world's other beautiful game.Trade ReviewMark Nicholas...captures the magic of top-flight cricket in this likeable memoir. * Sunday Telegraph *[H]ugely enjoyable... Nicholas has done a huge service to a game already in his debt. He helped to lift English cricket out of the sporting gloom of the late 1990s; and now he has chronicled his era as if he were one of us. For that, every cricket nut, English or otherwise, should be immensely grateful. * Independent *Mark Nicholas has written a fascinating and engaging account of his life in cricket, firstly as a player and latterly as a commentator. This is an immensely readable but far from lightweight book, packed with anecdote, opinion and - a valuable gift - empathy... he is an elegant, enthusiastic observer of the game and this book, and indeed his life in cricket, deserves plaudits. * ESPN Cricinfo *A typically entertaining collection of thoughts, opinions and memories from inside the soul of the game we love. -- Sir Ian BothamEvery chapter is interesting in its own way. I didn't always agree with him but that's not the point. The point is that I wanted to read on. -- Geoffrey BoycottMark Nicholas has been at the centre of the game as a player, writer, commentator and analyst for years. Very few have ever equalled his passion, perception, knowledge of the game and matchless ability to communicate it with wit, charm and flawless fluency. All these qualities and more have flowered in A Beautiful Game. -- Stephen FryA brilliant broadcaster with a wonderful knowledge of the game and, above all, an infectious passion for cricket. -- Shane WarneThe thing about Mark is his uniquely positive take on cricket. He conveys the message that the game may not be easy but it's sure worthwhile. His book is the same, a celebration. -- Alastair CookMark Nicholas is a master with words, both written and spoken. His positivity is what separates him from others and it's what shines through in this book. -- Sunil GavaskarVision, knowledge, enthusiasm: three of the attributes that give Mark authority and respect. This book reflects his passion for the game and his ability to tell the stories that make it so special. A great read. -- Michael VaughanTop class from first to last. -- Sir Michael ParkinsonQuite possibly the best cricket book you will ever read - a masterpiece. -- Mike ProcterWhether writing or commentating, Mark has always been able to take us inside the game. If I was buying one cricket book this year, it would A Beautiful Game -- Wasim Akramthis is indeed a beautiful book. It is the memoir of a complex and fascinating man much more interesting and nuanced than the sporting celebrity with whom most of us are familiar... a gifted writer who possesses not only an uncanny eye for the game but for humanity in general. * The Australian *

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Book Synopsis“Finding Ultra blends Rich Roll’s story of superhuman personal transformation with an amazingly practical guide to plant-based living. It’s also an enlightened manifesto for anyone wanting to transform their life.”—Dan Buettner, National Geographic Fellow and New York Times bestselling author of the Blue Zones books “An incredible story of mental, emotional, and physical endurance.”—Michael Greger, MD, FACLM, New York Times bestselling author of How Not to Die On the night before he was to turn forty, Rich Roll experienced a chilling glimpse of his future. Nearly fifty pounds overweight and unable to climb the stairs without stopping, he could see where his current sedentary life was taking him—and he woke up.Plunging into a new routine that prioritized a plant-based lifestyle and daily training, Rich morphed—in a matter of mere months—from out of shape, mid-life couch potato to endurance machine. Finding Ultra recounts Rich’s remarkable journey to the starting line of the elite Ultraman competition, which pits the world’s fittest humans in a 320-mile ordeal of swimming, biking, and running. And following that test, Rich conquered an even greater one: the EPIC5—five Ironman-distance triathlons, each on a different Hawaiian island, all completed in less than a week.One of Men’s Fitness Magazine’s “25 Fittest Men in the World,” Rich has become one of the most recognized advocates of plant-based living. In this newly revised and updated edition, he shares the practices, tools, and techniques he uses for optimal performance, longevity, and wellness, including diet and nutrition protocols. Rich reflects on the steps he took to shift his mindset and leverage deep reservoirs of untapped potential to achieve success beyond his wildest imagination, urging each of us to embark on our own journey of self-discovery.

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Book SynopsisThe #1 New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Kennedy and Me and Five Days in November reflects on his seventeen years in the Secret Service for presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford.     The assassination of one president, the resignation of another, and the swearing-in of the two who followed those traumatic events. Clint Hill was there, on duty, through Five Presidents.     After an extraordinary career as a Special Agent on the White House Detail, Clint Hill retired in 1975. His career spanned the administrations of Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, and Gerald R. Ford. A witness to some of the most pivotal moments in the twentieth century, Hill lets you walk in his shoes alongside the most powerful men in the world during tumultuous times in America’s history, the Cold War; the Cuban Missile Crisis; the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy; the Vietnam War; Watergate; and the resignations of Vice President Spiro Agnew and President Nixon.     It was indeed a turbulent time and through it all, Clint Hill had a unique insider perspective. His fascinating stories will shed new light on the character and personality of each of these five presidents, as Hill witnesses their human sides in the face of grave decisions.

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Book SynopsisExplores the lives and stories of Aidan, Bede and Cuthbert. After an introduction which tells appropriately of David Adam's ordination in Durham Cathedral, this work contains four chapters on each of them.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Stach often does quietly brilliant work connecting known details of Kafka's youth to the older Kafka, so the reader can see how events appear (or don't) in the specific subjectivity of Kafka's recollection."--Rivka Galchen, London Review of Books "Stach's book crowns a definitive biographical trilogy 18 years in the making... Kafka: The Early Years, along with its two siblings--all three volumes impeccably translated from the German by Shelley Frisch--often feels like biography plotted as a novel. Stach's relish for detail is marshaled to the sensibility--if not the omniscience or imaginative license--of the novelist... [T]he heft of Stach's research is balanced by interpretive tact and a discerning eye."--Benjamin Balint, Wall Street Journal Praise for the previous volumes: "This is one of the great literary biographies, to be set up there with, or perhaps placed on an even higher shelf than, Richard Ellmann's James Joyce, George Painter's Marcel Proust, and Leon Edel's Henry James... [A]n eerily immediate portrait of one of literature's most enduring and enigmatic masters."--John Banville, New York Review of Books Praise for the previous volumes: "Resplendent."--Gary Giddins, Wall Street Journal Praise for Reiner Stach's biography of Kafka, winner of the 2015 Bavarian Book Prize: "One discovers a new, a different Dr. Franz Kafka of Prague in Reiner Stach's monumental, three-volume biography, which concludes triumphantly with Kafka: The Early Years: Kafka--a techie, a lady-killer, friend, the inventor of 3-D movies, and the prospective author of a series of low-priced travel guides for Europe. Reiner Stach proves that biography can be a literary art form and gives definitive shape to our contemporary image of Kafka."--Bavarian Book Prize jury statement Praise for the previous volumes: "[This] will surely be the definitive biography of one of the 20th century's most mysterious artists. Stach's declared aim is to find out what it felt like to be Kafka, and he succeeds."--John Banville, Irish Times Praise for the previous volumes: "The very best of which the genre is capable. This book is itself a novel."--Imre Kertesz, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature Praise for the previous volumes: "Superbly tempered... Shelley Frisch, Stach's heroic American translator, movingly reproduces his intended breadth and pace and tone."--Cynthia Ozick, New Republic Praise for the previous volumes: "A definitive biography of a rare writer... [M]asterful."--The Economist Praise for the previous volumes: "Stach aims to tell us all that can be known about [Kafka], avoiding the fancies and extrapolations of earlier biographers. The result is an enthralling synthesis, one that reads beautifully... I can't say enough about the liveliness and richness of Stach's book... Every page of this book feels excited, dynamic, utterly alive."--Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World Praise for the previous volumes: "Stach's is a splendid effort and will be hard to surpass."--William H. Gass, Harper's Magazine Praise for the previous volumes: "[Stach] has a deep understanding of the world that Kafka came from and this is matched by an intelligence and tact about the impulse behind the work itself."--Colm Toibin, Irish Independent Praise for the previous volumes: "Stach's book succeeds brilliantly at clearing a path through the thick metaphysical fog that has hung about Kafka's work almost since his death... [I]lluminating... Between them, [Frisch] and Stach have produced a superbly fresh imaginative guide to the strange, clear, metaphor-free world of Kafka's prose."--Tim Martin, Telegraph Praise for the previous volumes: "Magnificent."--John Carey, Sunday Times Praise for the previous volumes: "Flawlessly translated... [A] wonderfully intelligent and perceptive portrait of a uniquely powerful writer."--P. D. Smith, Guardian "Magisterial... [Reiner Stach's] portrait of the artist is intimately knowing... [Kafka: The Early Years] completes an indispensable work about a key figure in 20th-century modernism."--Kirkus Reviews "Kafka's eerie short stories and novels have electrified readers for generations, but Stach's portrait of the young Kafka contradicts the legend of their source in an alienated, detached enigma. Readers meet instead a likable, brilliant young insurance lawyer with, as Stach puts it, abundant perfectionism and self-doubt... [A]ll Kafka devotees will find this biography's insights deeply fulfilling."--Publishers Weekly "What Mr. Stach uncovers in this volume--written last because of a long struggle over access to documents--are the formative experiences of a Kafka who becomes new and surprisingly relevant... Even those immersed in the specialist work benefit from the illumination that Mr. Stach's detailed digging brings... In today's age of backlash against globalisation, the arc that Mr. Stach draws between 'The Early Years' and Kafka's later life takes on a new significance."--The Economist "Reiner Stach presents exhaustive details about the young author's life, which, rather than demystifying Kafka, actually have the effect of augmenting his complexity."--Mene Ukueberuwa, New Criterion "Reiner Stach's monumental three-volume Kafka ... looks set to be the definitive biography for the foreseeable future. Here we have something new: a credible and sympathetic human Kafka... The narrative sections of the book are masterly: Stach has a novelist's feel for atmosphere and psychology. He fixes important characters (not just Kafka, but his parents and his teachers, Brod, and several others) to the page in a few deft strokes. And he is truly excellent on Kafka's work, which is the most important thing of all. The central question of any serious literary biography should be: how did this person come to write these books? Stach answers it more fully and persuasively than any previous biographer of Kafka, by revealing in meticulous detail his feelings of personal insignificance and his dread of authority."--Edmund Gordon, Sunday Times "The best thing a biographer of Franz Kafka can do is bring the famed author back to earth. Not as regards his reputation, which is justifiably lofty. But to humanize Kafka and save him from our collective idea of him as some otherworldly creature who spent a mere 40 years on this earth, suffering much and publishing little. Reiner Stach accomplishes just this with the third and final volume of his magnificent biography... [He] strips away the myths and tells the story of how Kafka helped drag literature into the modern era."--John Winters, WBUR's ARTery blog "Stach's account of Kafka becoming Kafka is dotted with unlikely epigraphs (Laurie Anderson, Devo, the Human League) and written with pace and dry wit... Stach is an alert reader of the work, continuously on the prowl for aspects of Kafka's life that may shed light on his preoccupations... Stach's book succeeds because it concentrates less on reducing Kafka to psycho-biographical truisms than on ushering us into his company."--Tim Martin, Prospect "Belongs in the company of the masterpieces of literary biography... [C]omprehensive but raised above mere competency through astonishing architectural beauty. Thanks to the superb work of Stach's translator, Shelley Frisch, the trilogy also stands out in English at the sentence level, for the unbroken clarity, verbal ingenuity, and unflagging momentum of its prose."--Open Letters Monthly "One of the most engaging and persuasive features of [Kafka: The Early Years] ... is the way in which Stach goes far beyond the all-too-familiar neurotic, angst-ridden [Kafka] by presenting us with a variety of lesser-known 'Kafkas.'"--Mark Harman, Los Angeles Review of Books "Superbly translated from German by Shelley Frisch... Illuminating facts and intelligent commentary... The three volumes are so carefully composed and densely woven--blending history, literary analysis, psychological insights, quotes and commentary from others--that it would be practically impossible to produce an abridged version in a single volume."--Alexander Adams, Spiked Review "Stach's whole project is a wonder to behold."--Gregory Day, Sydney Morning Herald "If you are a Kafka fan (or just a fan of great literary biographies), the translation of Reiner Stach's enormous, three-part biography is something not to miss. Now that it has been translated into English by Shelley Frisch, the book offered English-language readers unparalleled insight into Kafka's life, his world, his colleagues, his lovers, his family, and of course his writing. As a longtime Kafka devotee, I found this biography exceptional, not just a great book about Kafka but simply a great book to read."--Scott Esposito, Conversational Reading "[Stach's] mastery of complex material, scrupulous examination of evidence, illuminating portrayal of the historical and intellectual background ranks with Joseph Frank's superb five-volume life of Dostoyevsky."--Jeffrey Meyers, Commonweal "We can trace, through Stach's measured narrative, the full course of Kafka's brief life... The result is not merely a biography of painstaking thoroughness but a piece of psychological investigation and literary detective work without clear parallel. It gives its readers a new Kafka. It explains much that has long seemed obscure; yet, by paradox, the more its author-hero is grounded in his context, and the more we grasp of the initial sources of his imagination, the more unfathomable his gifts become. The haze clears; he stands alone."--Nicolas Rothwell, AustralianTable of ContentsTranslator's Preface ix 1 Nothing Happening in Prague 1 2 The Curtain Rises 7 3 Giants: The Kafkas from Wosek 26 4 Julie Lowy 38 5 Losing Propositions 46 6 Thoughts about Freud 58 7 Kafka, Franz: Model Student 77 8 A City Energized 90 9 Elli, Valli, Ottla 113 10 Latin, Bohemian, Mathematics, and Other Matters of the Heart 122 11 Jewish Lessons 150 12 Innocence and Impudence 171 13 The Path to Freedom 184 14 To Hell with German Studies 204 15 Friend Max 222 16 Enticements 236 17 Informed Circles: Utitz, Weltsch, Fanta, Bergmann 248 18 Autonomy and Recovery 268 19 The Interior Landscape: "Description of a Struggle" 284 2 Doctor of Law Seeking Employment 302 21 Off to the Prostitutes 325 22 Cafes, Geishas, Art, and Cinema 335 23 The Formidable Assistant Offi ial 350 24 The Secret Writing School 370 25 Landing in Brescia 391 26 In the Heart of the West 407 27 Ideas and Spirits: Buber, Steiner, Einstein 420 28 Literature and Tourism 437 Acknowledgments 463 Key to Abbreviations 465 Notes 467 Bibliography 531 Photo Credits 549 Index 551

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Book SynopsisIf the most wonderful time of year is enough to plunge you into a gloom, look no further. This collection of spirited stories and vibrant poetry will brighten your mood as it brings together Charles Dickens and Philip Larkin, W.H.Auden and Wendy Cope, Jilly Cooper and Dylan Thomas. From tales of carolling and snatched mistletoe kisses to ''The Worst Christmas Dinner, Ever'', there''s something here to amuse and interest Christmas lovers, grinches, and everyone in between.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Korda clearly has command of his subject...[Clouds of Glory] is well-considered and amply documented. Military buffs will find much to feast on." -- Christian Science Monitor "Masterful...Korda delivers the goods." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Superbly engaging." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Monumental." -- BookPage "Lively, approachable, and captivating...Llike Lee himself, everything about Clouds of Glory is on a grand scale." -- Boston Globe

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Book SynopsisBorn Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, George Michael was raised in a family of Greek Cypriot immigrants in North London, and dreamed of stardom when he was a little boy. At just twelve years old he met Andrew Ridgeley and the two of them went on to achieve stunning success in the early 1980s with Wham!, creating music that remains popular to this day. Yet despite the enormous success of Wham!, George wanted more, and so set about recreating himself as a serious solo artist, reaching heights of even greater success. Ironically, however, even from the early days he was plagued with insecurity about his sexuality, which, combined with the calamity of losing his first lover to AIDS and his mother to cancer, plunged him into a lifelong struggle with drug addiction. He died, at the tragically early age of just fifty-three, on Christmas Day 2016. George Michael's life and career brought him international fame, and his sudden and unexpected death shocked the world. His unrivalled popularity as an artist, however, and the music he made, have turned him into one of the immortal greats of pop music. As Emily Herbert shows in this new biography, his legacy is not just his music, but his many extraordinary, and often anonymous, acts of charity.

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Book SynopsisIn 1964 Ryszard Kapuscinski was appointed by the Polish Press Agency as its only foreign correspondent, and for the next ten years he was 'responsible' for fifty countries. He befriended Che Guevara in Bolivia, Salvador Allende in Chile and Patrice Lumumba in the Congo. He reported on the fighting that broke out between Honduras and El Salvador in 1969 around their matches to determine which one of them would qualify for the 1970 World Cup. By the time he returned to Poland he had witnessed twenty-seven revolutions and coups. The Soccer War is Kapuscinski's eyewitness account of some of the most defining moments in twentieth-century history.Trade Review* 'Part-diary, part-documentary account of the twenty years in which Kapuscinski make the telex machines chatter with his unique reportage, his datelines forming a gazetter of the world's trouble spots' Sunday Telegraph *'In this book you learn what it feels like to have benzene poured over you by someone who is about to set you alight. You feel very cold indeed' James Fenton, Independent on Sunday *'As rich and strange as anything in Marquez' Guardian

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPreface to the Reissue, 1977Preface to the First Edition, 1966At the Mind's LimitsTortureHow Much Home Does a Person Need?ResentmentsOn the Necessity and Impossibility of Being a JewTranslator's NotesAfterword by Sidney Rosenfeld

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Book SynopsisAs a boy, Ken Hom lived hand-to-mouth in the slums of Chicago's Chinatown. Today, he is one of the most celebrated TV chefs of all time, the man who showed the British how to cook Asian food and introduced the nation to the wok.This is the story of that remarkable journey.Aged just eight months when his father died, Ken was raised by his mother in an atmosphere of punishing poverty. But no matter how little they had, they ate well. Life would change when, at the age of eleven, Ken landed a job in his uncle's Chinese restaurant. From these humble beginnings, he travelled the globe and went on to become one of the world's greatest authorities on Asian food. His wildly popular books have inspired millions of home cooks, and he paved the way for a generation of celebrity chefs.High-spirited and frequently funny, My Stir-Fried Life is the epicurean's epic - a gastronomic narrative that lifts the spirits, tantalises the taste buds and feeds the soul of anyone and everyone who loves cooking, from the keen novice to the accomplished connoisseur.Trade Review"Ken Hom not only introduced me to the hitherto esoteric world of Chinese cuisine but allowed me to understand its enormous importance to the rest of the world both culturally and intellectually ... and that it is just extraordinarily lovely to eat." - Rick Stein; "A master of his craft, a legend in TV food." - James Martin; "I have enjoyed the luxury of Ken's wonderful food for many years. I can't wait to read about his life and his route to the top..." - Sir Alex Ferguson; "A cooking superhero... Great celebrity chef... A sense of feast runs through the book." - Libby Purves, Radio 4 Midweek; "Fascinating... Peppered with amusing stories about members of [Hom's] high-octane social circle... He is one of the most charming and likeable subjects." - Dominic Midgley, Daily Express

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Book SynopsisMeet the inspirational dogs who went from being rescued to becoming rescuer, in these incredible true stories. You’ll read all about… Toby, the golden retriever who performed the Heimlich manoeuvre to save his owner’s life Liam, the Lhaso Apso–Poodle mix who helped his owner battle an eating disorder Hercules, the St Bernard who saved his owners from burglars on the first day he moved in Alfie, the terrier who gave a bullied girl a new lease of life … as well as many other canine heroes who came to their owner’s aid – whether it was saving them from physical threats, or helping them to recover from mental illness, PTSD and bereavement. These remarkable dogs all repaid the love and appreciation that their owners displayed in rescuing them. Let these uplifting stories warm your heart, and show you that adopted dogs truly are man’s best friend.

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Book SynopsisIn 1611 an astonishing letter arrived at the East India Trading Company in London after a tortuous seven-year journey. Englishman William Adams was one of only twenty-four survivors of a fleet of ships bound for Asia, and he had washed up in the forbidden land of Japan.The traders were even more amazed to learn that, rather than be horrified by this strange country, Adams had fallen in love with the barbaric splendour of Japan - and decided to settle. He had forged a close friendship with the ruthless Shogun, taken a Japanese wife and sired a new, mixed-race family.Adams'' letter fired up the London merchants to plan a new expedition to the Far East, with designs to trade with the Japanese and use Adams'' contacts there to forge new commercial links.SAMURAI WILLIAM brilliantly illuminates a world whose horizons were rapidly expanding eastwards.Trade ReviewTold with Stevensonian gusto ... A revelation * Jane Gardam, Spectator *Anyone who enjoyed Shogun ... will love this * Lancashire Evening Post *Samurai William is a great read and fairly romps along * What's On *A page-turner of a book... an accessible, well-crafted piece of popularised history. * Allan Spence, The Scotsman *Giles Milton has once again shown himself to be a master of historical narrative... a gripping tale of Jacobean derring-do, a fizzing, real-life, Boys' Own adventure underpinned by genuine scholarship. * Katie Hickman, The Sunday Times *Giles Milton again expertly navigating the eastern seas * Economist *Milton has brought the era to life, conveying nuances of character and the values of the time. * The Sunday Times *The thoroughness and intelligence of his research underpins the lively confidence with which he deploys it. * The Times Literary Supplement *Fascinating detail . . . Milton is good at portraying eccentric characters and the Englishmen's shock at the periodic brutality of the Japanese. * The Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisFreedom Climbers is the multi award-winning book by Bernadette McDonald, now available in the UK and Ireland thanks to Vertebrate Publishing. Freedom Climbers tells the story of the extraordinary Polish adventurers who emerged from under the blanket of oppression following the Second World War to become the world's leading Himalayan climbers. Although they lived in a war-ravaged landscape, with seemingly no hope of creating a meaningful life, these curious, motivated and skilled mountaineers built their own free-market economy under the very noses of their Communist bosses and climbed their way to liberation. At a time when Polish citizens were locked behind the Iron Curtain, these intrepid explorers found a way to travel the world in search of extreme adventure - to Alaska, South America and Europe, but mostly to the highest and most inspiring mountains of the world. To this end, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Nepal became their second homes as they evolved into the toughest Himalayan climbers the world has ever known. In her most engaging book to date, renowned and award-winning author Bernadette McDonald weaves a passionate and literary tale of adventure, politics, suffering, death and - ultimately - inspiration.Trade ReviewOne of the most important mountaineering books to be written for many years. – Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain LiteratureClimbers everywhere have much to l learn from this bold, tragic, ultimately magnificent story. – Grand Prize Winner, Banff Mountain Book FestivalA brilliantly crafted tale of mountain and political adventure that reveals a golden era in Himalayan climbing that was as glorious as it was tragic. – Sir Chris BoningtonThis important volume documents a defining chapter of Himalayan climbing history. – Reinhold MessnerPainstakingly researched and well crafted, this remarkable book acknowledges the significance of Polish mountaineers during the golden age of Himalayan exploration. Fascinating. – Andy Cave, author of Learning to BreatheMcDonald deserves special praise for bringing to light the stories of these remarkable men and women, and doing so in a manner that does honour to their memory. – Wade Davis, author of Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory and the Conquest of EverestA gripping read, bound to become a classic of mountain literature. – Maria Coffey, author of Explorers of the InfiniteTakes the reader from deep within Communist-controlled Poland and into the lonely, dramatic landscapes of the world's most formidable mountain ranges. – Jim Curran, author of High Achiever: The Life and Climbs of Chris BoningtonFreedom Climbers is a very enlightening and captivating look at the Polish climbing superstars. – Ed Viesturs, author of No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks

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Book SynopsisA larger-than-life, bad-boy dog teaches a young family about the meaning of love and the key to happiness. The true story and inspiration behind the 2009 film of the same name.Trade ReviewA book with intense appeal . . . tenderly follows its subject from sunrise to sunset, from the ball-of-fluff stage to the heartbreaking farewell. * New York Times *The reason Marley & Me has proved to be a bestseller is that it is not just a funny dog story . . . It's a universal story of family life and a publishing sensation * The Times *Made me laugh so much I pulled a muscle in my solar plexus * Daily Mail *This is a wonderful, moving book that even non-dog-lovers cannot fail to enjoy. * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisChina's economic rise and influence has been one of the most significant developments in the global economy of recent times. A driving force behind this expansion has been the private entrepreneurs and companies of China, some of which have literally redefined the economic and business landscape, both inside and outside of China. Ren Zhengfei is one such entrepreneur, who has become one of China's most revered and inspiring business leaders. His company Huawei Technologies, which was founded in 1987, is today a world-leading supplier of telecommunications equipment and mobile phones that employs over 150,000 people around the world. Low profile and known for his down-to-earth nature, Ren is hugely popular in China. This book tells the story of how he turned Huawei into one of the world's most recognized business brands and the much admired management philosophy behind its success.

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Book SynopsisOne hundred classic stories from the celebrated author of Fahrenheit 451.In this, the first volume of Ray Bradbury''s short stories, some of the author''s finest works are published together, among them Homecoming', Veldt', A Sound of Thunder' and The Long Rain'.Join an ill-fated crew of astronauts pushed to the brink of insanity by the incessant and highly corrosive rain on Venus, a high-tech virtual reality playroom that comes to life with terrible consequences, and a safari company offering tours for the wealthy back in time to the prehistoric era to stalk and kill dinosaurs, resulting in the present they return to being irrevocably altered.This collection is a rare treasure trove of wonder; as apprehensive about technology and the fate of humanity as it is elegiaic of its irrepressible progress. Each story presents an enlightening and poetic facet of Bradbury's writing, every one as relevant now as when it was first written.Trade Review'Ray Bradbury has a powerful and mysterious imagination which would undoubtedly earn the respect of Edgar Allen Poe'Guardian 'As a science fiction writer, Ray Bradbury has long been streets ahead of anyone else' Daily Telegraph ‘Almost no one can imagine a time or place without the fiction of Ray Bradbury…’ The Washington Post

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Book SynopsisA miracle of still-plentiful hair, raw sex-appeal, and strutting talent . The frontman of one of the most influential and controversial groups of all time. A musical genius with a career spanning over four decades. He is a testament to British glamour, the ultimate architect and demi-god of rock.Bestselling biographer Philip Norman offers an unparalleled account of the life of a living legend, Mick Jagger. From Home Counties schoolboy, to rebel without a cause to Sixties rock sensation and global idol, Norman unravels with astonishing intimacy the myth of the inimitable frontman of The Rolling Stones. MICK JAGGER charts his extraordinary journey through scandal-ridden conspiracy, infamous prison spell, hordes of female admirers and a knighthood while stripping away the colossal fame, wealth and idolatry to reveal a story of talent and promise unfulfilled.Understated yet ostentatious; the ultimate incarnation of modern man''s favourite fantasy: ''sex, drugs and rock ''n'' roll'', yet blTrade Review‘Commendable thoroughness, engaging wit and boundless energy, much as Jagger has shown over the decades’ Mail on Sunday ‘Hugely readable’ The Guardian ‘One of Norman’s triumphs in Mick Jagger is to chart the decade’s evolution as well as his progress within it’ Sunday Express ‘The most ambitious and comprehensive Jagger biography to date’ Rolling Stone 'Extremely well researched' Rolling Stone ‘Barnstorming…Norman has ploughed this terrain for much of his career, and brings to his subject both a deep fascination with the ecology of rock'n'roll plus a sharp eye for its absurdities’ The Observer ‘Norman’s book reads like a thrill ride. He captures as well as anybody that magical combination of youth, talent and low rent that would eventually become the Rolling Stones’ The New York Times

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Book SynopsisA quirky collection of stories from London's stranger side, featuring a tiny prison cell in Trafalgar Square, a train disguised as a ship, and a church that's completely the wrong way round. London’s Strangest Tales takes a walk on London’s weirder side with an absorbing collection of curious tales from one of the world’s greatest cities. This fascinating book is packed with amazing things you didn’t know about Britain’s capital, like the fact that it’s still forbidden to run, carry an umbrella or whistle in the Burlington Arcade, and the fat lamppost at the corner of Trafalgar Square that is secretly a tiny prison cell. And did you know that the entrance to Buckingham Palace you see from the Mall is actually the back door and not the front? The stories within these pages are bizarre, fascinating, hilarious and, most importantly, true. Revised, redesigned and updated for a new generation of London-lovers, this book is a brilliant alternative guide to the city, whether you’re a visitor, a daily commuter or one of its 8 million inhabitants. Word count: 45,000

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Book SynopsisThe greatest Indian epic, one of the world''s supreme masterpieces of storytellingA Penguin Classic A sweeping tale of abduction, battle, and courtship played out in a universe of deities and demons, The Ramayana is familiar to virtually every Indian. Although the Sanskrit original was composed by Valmiki around the fourth century BC, poets have produced countless versions in different languages. Here, drawing on the work of an eleventh-century poet called Kamban, Narayan employs the skills of a master novelist to re-create the excitement he found in the original. A luminous saga made accessible to new generations of readers, The Ramayana can be enjoyed for its spiritual wisdom, or as a thrilling tale of ancient conflict.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works thro

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Book SynopsisSlowly Down the Ganges' is seen as a vintage Newby masterpiece, alongside A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush' and Love and War in the Apennines'. Told with Newby''s self-deprecating humour and wry attention to detail, this is a classic of the genre and a window into an enchanting piece of history.On his forty-forth birthday, Eric Newby sets out on an incredible journey: to travel the 1,200-mile length of India''s holy river. In a misguided attempt to keep him out of trouble, Wanda, his life-long travel companion and wife, is to be his fellow boatwoman. Their plan is to begin in the great plain of Hardwar and finish in the Bay of Bengal, but the journey almost immediately becomes markedly slower and more treacherous than either had imagined - running aground sixty-three times in the first six days.Travelling in a variety of unstable boats, as well as by rail, bus and bullock cart, and resting at sandbanks and remote villages, the Newbys encounter engaging characters and glorious mishaps, inTrade Review'All the dusty enchantment and the recurrent dottiness of India - its exasperating charm - are in these pages' Eric Linklater 'Any book by Eric Newby is an event' Len Deighton 'Impossible to describe adequately the flavour of this delicious story … vintage Newby delicately salted with “The Wind in the Willows” and “Three Men in a Boat”' Guardian 'No journey into an unmapped interior to carry the word or find a lost explorer was more obstinately seen through to its end than this do-it-yourself pleasure trip … Mr Newby has fine descriptive gifts and a deft touch in casual portraiture' Times Literary Supplement 'One of the finest and certainly the funniest of British travel writers' Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisTo coincide with the bicentennial of Thoreau's birth and TarcherPerigee's publication of Expect Great Things: The Life of Henry David Thoreau, here is a sumptuous rediscovery edition of the first illustrated volume of Thoreau's classic, as originally issued in 1897.In 1897, thirty-five years after Thoreau's death, Houghton Mifflin issued a two-volume Holiday Edition of Walden illustrated with thirty remarkable engravings, daguerreotypes, and period photographs. In 1902 the publisher collected the work into a single volume. Now, to mark the bicentennial of Thoreau's birth in 1817, this timeless landmark is reproduced with all of the original illustrations and the complete text of his mystical, practical, magisterial record of a life in the woods.

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Book Synopsis'Nobody knew the truth. For all those years while people judged me, I protected those closest to me. Now it's time for the real story to be told. It's time for healing and forgiveness.' Tressa Middleton made UK history when she became Britain's youngest mum in 2006 aged just 12 years and 8 months. Her case provoked shock and outrage - but the truth behind the headlines was far sadder than anyone could ever have imagined. Born into a life of poverty and neglect, Tressa was forced to grow up fast when she taken into care at just four years old. She was returned to her mother's chaotic world but by the age of seven, she was being abused by her own brother and at 11 years old she fell pregnant with his child. For years she kept his dark secret in an attempt to hold her family together until the truth threatened to destroy her completely. In the years since the birth, Tressa has gone through more pain and turmoil than most adults experience in a lifetime - yet today she survives a brave, strong and compassionate young woman. Now, for the first time, Tressa Middleton tells her own harrowing yet poignant story - a story of hope, forgiveness and above all, love.

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Book SynopsisFrom Collins Classics, short stories from the author of The Great Gatsby' and including The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'.In these eleven stories, Fitzgerald depicts the Roaring Twenties as he lived them. He masterfully blends accounts of flappers and the smart set with more fantastical visions of America, always imbuing his narratives with his trademark themes of money, class, ambition and love. In May Day', Fitzgerald weaves an account of a raucous Yale alumni party, the participants of which are oblivious to the violent socialist demonstration being acted out around them. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' is an unorthodox account of a man who ages backwards, and The Diamond as Big as the Ritz' tells the story of a young man who discovers that his friend's family possesses a diamond that is literally larger than the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. This 1922 collection confirmed Fitzgerald as the voice of his generation.Trade Review"Tales of the Jazz Age is a superb edition of classic literature that would grace any academic or library collection –and is 'must' reading for F. Scott Fitzgerald enthusiasts and fans." The Midwest Book Review

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Book SynopsisBest known for his academt award-winning role as Dith Pran in "The Killing Fields", for Haing Ngor his greatest performance was not in Hollywood but in the rice paddies and labour camps of war-torn Cambodia. Here, in his memoir of life under the Khmer Rouge, is a searing account of a country's descent into hell. His was a world of war slaves and execution squads, of senseless brutality and mind-numbing torture; where families ceased to be and only a very special love could soar above the squalor, starvation and disease. An eyewitness account of the real killing fields by an extraordinary survivor, this book is a reminder of the horrors of war - and a testament to the enduring human spirit.Trade ReviewProfound, personal, and proud . . . one of the more important autobiographies of our time. * Los Angeles Times *Ngor shows the awful price he paid to play his role so brilliantly. His well-crafted book makes an unimaginable horror come to life. * Washington Post Book World *A superb book . . . perhaps the best . . . so far . . . on what it is like . . . to live under the still inexplicable horrors of the Khmer Rouge. * Sunday Times *The best book on Cambodia ever published. * Chicago Tribune *A terrible and thrilling story. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisRun or Die by Kilian Jornet - the autobiography of the world''s most dominating athlete in ultra runningShortlisted for the 2014 William Hill Sports Book of the Year AwardNational Geographic Adventurer of the Year 2014Marca Legend Award 2014 ''This man can run 100 miles. Up and down mountains. Without stopping. After skipping breakfast. Meet Kilian Jornet, the world''s greatest ultra-runner'' The TimesAt 18 months he went on his first hike. At 3, he climbed his first mountain. At 10, he entered his first mountain race. At 26, he plans to run up Everest - without an oxygen mask.Kilian Jornet has conquered some of the toughest physical tests on the planet. He has run up and down Mt. Kilimanjaro faster than any other human being, and struck down world records in every challenge that has been proposed - all before the age of 25. Dominating ultra marathons and races at altitude, he has redefined whaTrade ReviewFascinating insight into the gruelling world of the ultimate ultra-runner . . . It's impossible not to be inspired by Jornet's feats ... at his sheer dedication and talent to remain at the pinnacle of what must arguably be sport's most challenging discipline * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis'Many people are not in the least disturbed at the harm that befalls them, provided they can see their enemies’ downfall first’ In a series of pithy, amusing vignettes, Aesop created a vivid cast of characters to demonstrate different aspects of human nature. Here we see a wily fox outwitted by a quick-thinking cicada, a tortoise triumphing over a self-confident hare and a fable-teller named Aesop silencing those who mock him. Each jewel-like fable provides a warning about the consequences of wrong-doing, as well as offering a glimpse into the everyday lives of Ancient Greeks.This definitive edition is the first translation into English of the entire corpus of 358 unbowdlerized fables. It is fully annotated, with an introduction that rescues the fables from a tradition of moralistic interpretation.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700&Table of ContentsIntroductionA Note on the TextTHE COMPLETE FABLES

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Book SynopsisTaking the form of a dialogue between Socrates, Gorgias, Polus and Callicles, GORGIAS debates perennial questions about the nature of government and those who aspire to public office. Are high moral standards essential or should we give our preference to the pragmatist who gets things done or negotiates successfully? Should individuals be motivated by a desire for personal power and prestige, or genuine concern for the moral betterment of the citizens? These questions go to the heart of Athenian democratic principles and are more relevant than ever in today''s political climate.Table of ContentsGorgiasAcknowledgmentsReference System Used in this EditionChronolgyIntroductionFurther ReadingA Note on the TextGorgiasA: Dialogue with GorgiasB: Dialogue with PolusC: Dialogue with CalliclesNotesGlossary of Greek TermsIndex

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Book SynopsisPhaedrus is widely recognized as one of Plato''s most profound and beautiful works. It takes the form of a dialogue between Socrates and Phaedrus and its ostensible subject is love, especially homoerotic love. This new translation is accompanied by an introduction, further reading, and full notes on the text and translation that discuss the structure of the dialogue and elucidate issues that might puzzle the modern reader.

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Book SynopsisVibrant and candid memoirs of the late, great British character actor, Pete Postlethwaite.After training as a teacher, Pete Postlethwaite started his acting career at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre where his colleagues included Bill Nighy, Jonathan Pryce, Antony Sher and Julie Walters. After routine early appearances in small parts for television programmes such as THE PROFESSIONALS, Postlethwaite's first success came with the acclaimed British film DISTANT VOICES, STILL LIVES in 1988. He then received an Academy Award nomination for his role in THE NAME OF THE FATHER in 1993. His performance as the mysterious lawyer "Kobayashi" in THE USUAL SUSPECTS is well-known, and he appeared in many successful films including ALIEN 3, BRASSED OFF, THE SHIPPING NEWS, THE CONSTANT GARDENER, as Friar Lawrence in Baz Luhrmann's ROMEO + JULIET, and in INCEPTION with Leonardo diCaprio. Pete Postlethwaite was one of the best-loved and widely admired performers on stage, TV (SHARPE, THE SINS) and in cinema. In THE ART OF DISCWORLD, Terry Pratchett said that he had always imagined Sam Vimes as 'a younger, slightly bulkier version of Pete Postlethwaite', while Steven Spielberg called him 'the best actor in the world', about which Postlethwaite said: 'I'm sure what Spielberg actually said was, "the thing about Pete is that he thinks he's the best actor in the world."' This is the story of a diverse and multi-talented actor's eventful life, told in his own candid and vibrant words.Trade ReviewThis is an extrovert, tender, charming and unselfconscious book, with some extraordinary, hell-raising and hair-raising anecdotes. -- Peter Bradshaw * GUARDIAN *The final chapter, as Postlethwaite succumbs to cancer, is immensely moving. -- Jeff Dawson * SUNDAY TIMES *

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Book SynopsisIn November 1910, Count Lev Tolstoy died at a remote Russian railway station attended by the world's media. He was eighty-two years old and had lived a remarkable and long life during one of the most turbulent periods of Russian history. Born into a privileged aristocratic family, he seemed set to join the ranks of degenerate Russian noblemen, but fighting in the Crimean war alongside rank and file soldiers opened his eyes to Russia's social problems and he threw himself into teaching the peasantry to read and write. After his marriage he wrote War and Peace and Anna Karenina, both regarded as two of the greatest novels in world literature. Rosamund Bartlett's exceptional biography of this brilliant, maddening and contrary man draws on key Russian sources, including the many fascinating new materials which have been published about Tolstoy and his legacy since the collapse of the Soviet Union.Trade ReviewThe extraordinary character of the giant is captured better by Bartlett than by any previous biographer * Spectator *Superbly readable and, in contrast to some earlier biographies, treats the great novelist's sometimes strange enthusiasms and obsessions sympathetically and seriously. -- Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury * Mail on Sunday Books of the Year *Conveys Tolstoy to me more vividly than any biography I have read. * Financial Times *Rosamund Bartlett's new life of Tolstoy is a splendid book - immensely readable, full of fresh details, and often quite brilliant in its perceptiveness about the greatest of Russian writers, and one of the stars in the western firmament. This biography has the sweep and vividness of literature itself, and I strongly recommend it. -- Jay Parini, author of The Last Stationhighly accessible and intelligent... neat and illuminating...Bartlett's biography is worth tackling for four qualities alone. The first is her insight into the many contradictions of Tolstoy's character... Its second merit is the way Bartlett places Tolstoy in the much wider cultural context... The third great strength of Bartlett's biography is the weight she gives both to his philosophical writings, and to his social activism, which is a salutary corrective to those, including his Soviet critics, who concentrate on the great novels to the exclusion of all else... The fourth distinguishing feature, and a considerable one, is Bartlett's relatively sympathetic treatment of the women in Tolstoy's life... bonus throughout is Bartlett's pleasant, unimposing style -- Mary Dejevsky * Independent *In the centenary of Leo Tolstoy's death, it was a great pleasure to read Rosamund Bartlett's Tolstoy: A Russian Life...an accessible and scholarly biography of the troubled master of realist fiction which conjures the splendid image of him wobbling around on a bicycle -- Richard Godwin * Evening Standard Books of the Year *engaging... In her revelations about the immense difficulties of producing the definitive Collected Works (a task that, under Soviet Communism, proved almost impossible) and in her elucidation of the suppression of Tolstoy's spiritual influence, Bartlett reminds us not only that the great man is not so very long dead, but also that his myth is being made and remade even now -- Claire Messud * Daily Telegraph *a splendidly lucid and sympathetic biography -- Scotsman * Alan Massie *Impressive * Independent on Sunday Books of the Year *

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Book SynopsisSeven Pillars of Wisdom is the autobiographical account of T.E. Lawrence - also known as ''Lawrence of Arabia'' - of his service in the Arab Revolt during the First World War, published in Penguin Modern Classics.Although ''continually and bitterly ashamed'' that the Arabs had risen in revolt against the Turks as a result of fraudulent British promises of self-rule, Lawrence led them in a triumphant campaign which revolutionized the art of war. Seven Pillars of Wisdom recreates epic events with extraordinary vividness. In the words of E. M. Forster, ''Round this tent-pole of a military chronicle, Lawrence has hung an unexampled fabric of portraits, descriptions, philosophies, emotions, adventures, dreams''. However flawed, T.E. Lawrence is one of the twentieth century''s most fascinating figures. This is the greatest monument to his character and achievements, and formed the basis for the Oscar-winning film Lawrence of Arabia, staring Peter O''Toole and

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Book SynopsisTHE GRIPPING, TERRIFYING STORY OF A BRUTAL STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL ON THE UPPER SLOPES OF THE HIMALAYAN K2, THE WORLD''S MOST HOSTILE TERRAIN. ''Unputdownable. A portrait of extreme courage, folly and loss, leavened by a small dose of survival'' Financial Times________________K2, August 1st, 2008. Thirty climbers are attempting the summit of the most savage mountain on Earth. They make it. But before they start their descent an ice shelf collapses, sweeping away their ropes. It is dark. Their lines are gone. They are low on oxygen. And it is getting very, very cold. How many will make it down alive?________________ ''A gripping hour-by-hour dissection of events in the Western Himalayas over three deadly days. A fitting shelfmate to the modern classic Into Thin Air. A cracking read'' Sunday Times''The best mountain-disaster memoir since Into Thin ATrade ReviewRiveting and powerful; an extraordinary story of an extraordinary tragedy. Reading No Way Down is the closest you can come to being on the summit of K2 on that fateful day -- Sir Ranulph FiennesA gripping hour-by-hour dissection of events in the Western Himalaya over three deadly days... a fitting shelfmate to the modern classic Into Thin Air -- Brian Schofield * Sunday Times *Stories of heroism, sadness and extraordinary endurance against all the odds are woven into a thrilling drama -- Christopher Hudson * Daily Mail *Unputdownable... a portrait of extreme courage, folly and loss, leavened by a small dose of survival' * Financial Times *Artfully and assiduously pieces together an account of a fractious day in brutal real time. Fatality by fatality... devastating * New York Times *A tour de force of a book...a triumph of storytelling * Associated Press *Probably the best mountain-disaster memoir since Into Thin Air * Mail on Sunday *One of the best books I've ever read. But take it to the beach at your peril - it's impossible to put down. Sunburn is guaranteed * Outdoor Science *

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Book SynopsisLion Rampant is Robert Woollcombe's graphic account of his experiences as a front-line infantry officer with the King's Own Scottish Borderers during the desperate battle for Normandy and the Allied advance into Germany. Vividly evoking the confusion, horror and comradeship of war - from the killing fields of Normandy bocage, through house-to-house fighting in shattered Flemish towns, to the final Rhine crossing - Lion Rampant is a powerful, authentic and moving story, telling with extraordinary clarity how the author, his fellow officers and the men of his company lived through one of the most bitter campaigns in history.Trade Review"'One of the most vivid personal memoirs of the Second World War. Few writers have bettered his description of the experiences of front line infantrymen under the stress of battle.' (Max Hastings) 'Lion Rampant is much more than the story of one man's war: it speaks for many, with modesty, eloquence, and a fine blend of objectivity and enthusiasm. It is a story of comradeship, endurance and sheer fighting skill.' (Cecil Day-Lewis) 'Perhaps the best picture - painted in dark colours shot through by the bright light of valour - that has yet been given of war.' (Glasgow Herald)"

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Book Synopsis''The definitive account of a sensational trade'' Michael Lewis, author of The Big ShortAutumn 2008. The world''s finances collapse but one man makes a killing.John Paulson, a softly spoken hedge-fund manager who still took the bus to work, seemed unlikely to stake his career on one big gamble. But he did - and The Greatest Trade Ever is the story of how he realised that the sub-prime housing bubble was going to burst, making $15 Billion for his fund and more than $4 Billion for himself in a single year. It''s a tale of folly and wizardry, individual brilliance versus institutional stupidity.John Paulson made the biggest winning bet in history. And this is how he did it.''Extraordinary, excellent'' Observer''A must-read for anyone fascinated by financial madness'' Mail on Sunday''A forensic, read-in-one-sitting book'' Sunday Times''Simply terrific. Easily the best of the post-craTrade ReviewSimply terrific. Easily the best of the post-crash financial books -- Malcolm GladwellGreg Zuckerman was the first to tell the world about John Paulson's sensational trade . . . He's written the definitive account of a strange and wonderful subplot of the financial crisis * Michael Lewis, author of Liar's Poker *A must-read for anyone fascinated by financial madness * Mail on Sunday *A forensic, read-in-one-sitting book * Sunday Times *Extraordinary, excellent * Observer *Compelling * Economist *Zuckerman takes us to Wall Street's heart of darkness, where mushroomed a $1 trillion subprime mortgage market that only the few, the brave, the smart dared short. This is at once a great page-turner and a great illuminator of the market's crash. * John Heylar, co-author of Barbarians at the Gate *Much, much more than a brilliant account of Paulson's trade of the century; this book also provides a highly enjoyable and lucid journey through the analytical and emotional maze that constituted the financial markets on the eve of the Great Recession. Compulsory reading. * Mohamed El-Erian, CEO of Pacific Investment Management Co and author of When Markets Collide *A magnificent insider look at how Paulson and others profited off of subprime's demise... insightful and gripping. * Marketfolly.com *

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Book SynopsisWhat Do You Care What Other People Think? Further Adventures of a Curious Character is a captivating collection of reminiscences from freewheeling scientific genius Richard P. Feynman. Richard Feynman - Nobel Laureate, teacher and iconic intellect - possessed an unquenchable thirst for an adventure and an unparalleled gift for telling the extraordinary stories of his life. In this collection of short pieces Feynman describes everything from his love of beauty to college pranks to how his father taught him to think. He takes us behind the scenes of the space shuttle Challenger investigation, where he dramatically revealed the cause of the disaster with a simple experiment. And he tells us of how he met his beloved first wife Arlene, and their brief time together before her death. Sometimes intensely moving, sometimes funny, these writings are infused with Feynman''s curiosity and passion for life. ''Feynman''s voice echoes raw an

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Book SynopsisThe No. 1 Sunday Times Bestseller.At just eight years old, Jodie is violent, aggressive and extremely challenging. Five carers in four months have been unable to cope, but there is one last hope: Cathy GlassAs Jodie begins to trust Cathy and make progress, shocking details about her past come to light. No one had noticed the glaring signs of abuse by those who were supposed to love her most.One of Cathy's earliest and bestselling memoirs, Damaged is a heartbreaking story that proves just how valuable foster carers are for society's most vulnerable children.Trade Review'Cannot fail to move those who read it.' Adoption-net ‘Heartbreaking.' The Mirror ‘A truly harrowing read that made me cry.’ The Sun 'A true tale of hope. ****.' OK! ‘Foster carers rarely get the praise they deserve, but Cathy Glass’s book should change all that.****’ First Magazine ‘A hugely touching and emotional true tale.’ Star Magazine

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Book SynopsisWith three Military Crosses, three Croix de guerre, a Légion d'honneur and a papal knighthood for his heroics during the Second World War, Sir Tommy Macpherson is the most decorated living soldier of the British Army. Yet for 65 years the Highlander's story has remained untold. Few know how, aged 21, he persuaded 23,000 SS soldiers of the feared Das Reich tank column to surrender, or how Tommy almost single-handedly stopped Tito's Yugoslavia annexing the whole of north-east Italy. Twice captured, he escaped both times, marching through hundreds of miles of German-held territory to get home. Still a schoolboy when war broke out, Tommy quickly matured into a legendary commando, and his remarkable story features a dizzyingly diverse cast of characters, including Winston Churchill, Field Marshal Montgomery and Charles de Gaulle.Trade ReviewMy book of the year, without question . . . reads like a combination of a Biggles adventure and Dick Barton -- Jeffrey Archer in Books of the Year 2010 * Daily Telegraph *One of Scotland's most courageous sons * Sunday Herald *Recreates the adventure * The Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisThis beautiful and deeply moving tale recounts educational psychologist Torey Hayden''s battle to unlock the emotions of a troubled and sexually abused child who, with the help of Hayden, was finally able to overcome her dark past and realise her full potential.Six-year-old Sheila was abandoned by her mother on a highway when she was four. A survivor of horrific abuse, she never spoke, never cried, and was placed in a class for severely retarded children after committing an atrocious act of violence against another child. Everyone thought Sheila was beyond salvation except her teacher, Torey Hayden. With patience, skill, and abiding love, she fought long and hard to release a haunted little girl from her secret nightmare and nurture the spark of genius she recognised trapped within Sheila''s silence. This is the remarkable story of their journey together an odyssey of hope, courage, and inspiring devotion that opened the heart and mind of one lost child to a new world of discovery aTrade Review“Torey Hayden deserves the kind of respect I can’t give many people. She isn’t valuable, she’s incredible. The world needs more like Torey Hayden.” – Boston Globe It has been a long time since you have read a book with the sheer emotional impact of One Child.” – New York Times “Page after page proves again the power of love and the resiliency of life.” – Los Angeles Times

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Book SynopsisA short and vivid biography, which deconstructs the Napoleonic myth and reveals the reality of his rule.'Written with his customary verve and certainty' Andrew Roberts, SUNDAY TELEGRAPHWritten with great wit and panache, this biography also has a serious purpose: to make us face up to the moral bankruptcy of Napoleon's dictatorship. Johnson tells the whole story: his astonishing gift for battle tactics and his complete control of propaganda. His audacious, hyperactive and aggressive leadership alongside his failure as an international statesman, as Europe grew to hate him. His marshals and ministers; his wives, mistresses. The mistakes he made; the escape from Elba, and the world-changing events leading up to Waterloo and the battle itself. This riveting account is a fascinating look at one of the most notorious military leaders of all time.Trade ReviewIt is lucidly written, and enlivened by personal details and well-chosen quotations -- William Doyle * TLS *Written with his customary verve and certainty -- Andrew Roberts * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Thoughtful and incisive * INDEPENDENT *

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Book SynopsisAs Scheherazade proved long ago, good stories make the best bedtime entertainment. The tales collected here represent the essence of the storyteller's art, with its ancient roots in fantastical legends and tales told around a fire. From the surreal night visions of Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'Young Goodman Brown' to the unspeakable horror that haunts two little girls in A. S. Byatt's 'The Thing in the Forest', from Washington Irving's comical 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' to Ursula K. LeGuin's sly perspective on Sleeping Beauty in 'The Poacher', these spellbinding stories transform the stuff of fables and fairy tales into high art. Robert Louis Stevenson, H. G. Wells, Isak Dinesen, Vladimir Nabokov, Angela Carter, Haruki Murakami and many more mingle their voices in this one-volume gateway to dreams - the perfect bedside companion for fiction lovers everywhere

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