Memoirs Books

Book SynopsisThe Mamba Mentality: How I Play is Kobe Bryant's personal perspective of his life and career on the basketball court and his exceptional, insightful style of playing the gamea fitting legacy from the late Los Angeles Laker superstar.In the wake of his retirement from professional basketball, Kobe The Black Mamba Bryant decided to share his vast knowledge and understanding of the game to take readers on an unprecedented journey to the core of the legendary Mamba mentality. Citing an obligation and an opportunity to teach young players, hardcore fans, and devoted students of the game how to play it the right way, The Mamba Mentality takes us inside the mind of one of the most intelligent, analytical, and creative basketball players ever.In his own words, Bryant reveals his famously detailed approach and the steps he took to prepare mentally and physically to not just succeed at the game, but to excel. Readers will learn how Bryant studied an opponent, how he channeled his passion for the game, how he played through injuries. They'll also get fascinating granular detail as he breaks down specific plays and match-ups from throughout his career.Bryant's detailed accounts are paired with stunning photographs by the Hall of Fame photographer Andrew D. Bernstein. Bernstein, long the Lakers and NBA official photographer, captured Bryant's very first NBA photo in 1996 and his last in 2016and hundreds of thousands in between, the record of a unique, twenty-year relationship between one athlete and one photographer.The combination of Bryant's narrative and Bernstein's photos make The Mamba Mentality an unprecedented look behind the curtain at the career of one of the world's most celebrated and fascinating athletes.Trade Review"Revealing...beautifully captured...candid." --Los Angeles Times "A visually beautiful presentation that would make an ideal gift for the Lakers fan in the house." --Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisThe Right Honourable Dame Jacinda Ardern was elected the fortieth prime minister of New Zealand at the age of thirty-seven, becoming the country's youngest prime minister in more than 150 years. Since leaving office, Ardern has established the Field Fellowship on empathetic leadership. She is a Senior Fellow at Harvard University, continues to work on climate action, and is the Patron of the Christchurch Call to Action to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. Ardern also works on a number of projects that support women and girls, but considers her greatest roles to be those she will hold for life, including that of mum and proud New Zealander.

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Book SynopsisAcclaimed as one of the most exciting books in the history of American letters, this modern epic became an instant bestseller upon publication in 1974, transforming a generation and continuing to inspire millions. A narration of a summer motorcycle trip undertaken by a father and his son, the book becomes a personal and philosophical odyssey into fundamental questions of how to live. Resonant with the confusions of existence, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a touching and transcendent book of life.Trade ReviewProfoundly important...full of insights into our most perplexing contemporary dilemmas * New York Times *Mr Pirsig has written a work of great, perhaps urgent, importance... Read this book * Observer *The book is inspired, original...the narrative tact, the perfect economy of effect defy criticism. The analogies with Moby Dick are patent * New Yorker *Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is an unforgettable trip * Time *Disturbing, deeply moving, full of insights...this is a wonderful book * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisIn 1953, in the presence of an investigator, Aldous Huxley took four-tenths of a gramme of mescalin, sat down and waited to see what would happen. When he opened his eyes everything, from the flowers in a vase to the creases in his trousers, was transformed.Trade ReviewConcise, evocative, wise and, above all, humane, The Doors of Perception is a masterpiece * Sunday Times *There is nothing the pen of Huxley touches which it does not illuminate, and as the record of a highly civilised, brilliantly articulate man under the influence of an astonishing drug, The Doors of Perception is a tour de force * Daily Telegraph *You can look at Aldous Huxley and draw parallels with the Beatles: Crome Yellow and Those Barren Leaves were his breakthrough Merseybeat books, Point Counter Point was his 'Revolver', with The Doors of Perception his full-blown Sergeant Pepper trip. Like the Beatles, Huxley had so many ideas in his head that it was natural he would want to expand and experiment. What drugs provided for them both was not escape, but reevaluation * The Times *The Doors of Perception is a poignant book, partly because it reveals the human frailties and yearnings of a very cerebral writer * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Pulitzer Price and William Hill Sports Book of the Year: Barbarian Days is a deeply rendered self-portrait of a lifelong surfer looking for transcendence ''that recalls early James Salter'' (Geoff Dyer, Observer)Surfing only looks like a sport. To devotees, it is something else entirely: a beautiful addiction, a mental and physical study, a passionate way of life.New Yorker writer William Finnegan first started surfing as a young boy in California and Hawaii. Barbarian Days is his immersive memoir of a life spent travelling the world chasing waves through the South Pacific, Australia, Asia, Africa and beyond. Finnegan describes the edgy yet enduring brotherhood forged among the swell of the surf; and recalling his own apprenticeship to the world''s most famous and challenging waves, he considers the intense relationship formed between man, board and water.Barbarian Days is an old-school adventure story, Trade ReviewA surfer's tale of his quest for self-transcendence is a masterpiece that recalls early James Salter * Geoff Dyer, the Observer *I don't know anything about surfing, but I was gripped by the intensity of his language, never mind the thrilling recklessness of his behaviour in the waves * Olivia Laing, Guardian Best Holiday Reads 2015 *There are too many breathtaking, original things in Barbarian Days to do more than mention here - observations about surfing that have simply never been made before, or certainly never so well. But a particularly remarkable feature of Barbarian Days is the generous yet unsparing portraits of competitive surf friendships that make up a major share of the narrative * New York Times *Nothing I've read so accurately describes the feeling of being stoked or the despair of being held under. But also because while it is a book about 'A Surfing Life' - as the subtitle states - it's also about a writer's life and, even more generally, a quester's life, more carefully observed and precisely rendered than any I've read in a long time * LA Times *Surfing is Topic A here, but it inevitably connects with politics (when Mr. Finnegan taught in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1981, students boycotted his classes to protest apartheid), environmental issues (he sees great surf spots both created and destroyed by human enterprise) and much more. * New York Times, Cool Beach Books for Hot Summer Days *Reading this guy on the subject of waves and water is like reading Hemingway on bullfighting; William Burroughs on controlled substances; Updike on adultery. . . . a coming-of-age story, seen through the gloss resin coat of a surfboard * Sports Illustrated *For pure sensation, pick up New Yorker writer William Finnegan's memories of the beach, Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life. Just try and keep the sand out of your book . . . and out of your sandwich. * Publishers Weekly, Best Summer Books 2015 *Luscious * Ed Caesar, Guardian *A far-ranging, unique and bewitching memoir ... You don't need to have surfed to enjoy this book. * Literary Review *How many ways can you describe a wave? You'll never get tired of watching Finnegan do it. A staff writer at The New Yorker, he leads a counterlife as an obsessive surfer, traveling around the world, throwing his vulnerable, merely human body into line after line of waves in search of transient moments of grace . . . It's an occupation that has never before been described with this tenderness and deftness * TIME Magazine, Top 10 Nonfiction Books of 2015 *The kind of book that makes you squirm in your seat on the subway, gaze out the window at work, and Google Map the quickest route to the beach. In other words, it is, like Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild, a semi-dangerous book, one that persuades young men . . . to trade in their office jobs in order to roam the world, to feel the ocean's power, and chase the waves * The Paris Review *Terrific . . . Elegantly written and structured, it's a riveting adventure story, an intellectual autobiography, and a restless, searching meditation on love, friendship and family . . . A writer of rare subtlety and observational gifts, Finnegan explores every aspect of the sport - its mechanics and intoxicating thrills, its culture and arcane tribal codes - in a way that should resonate with surfers and non-surfers alike. His descriptions of some of the world's most powerful and unforgiving waves are hauntingly beautiful . . .Finnegan displays an honesty that is evident throughout the book, parts of which have a searing, unvarnished intensity * Washington Post *Overflowing with vivid descriptions of waves caught and waves missed, of disappointments and ecstasies and gargantuan curling tubes that encircle riders like cathedrals of pure stained glass . . . These paragraphs, with their mix of personal remembrance and subcultural taxonomies, tend to be as elegant and pellucid as the breakers they immortalize . . . This memoir is one you can ride all the way to shore * Entertainment Weekly *Without a doubt, the finest surf book I've ever read . . . All this technical mastery and precise description goes hand in hand with an unabashed, infectious earnestness. Finnegan has certainly written a surfing book for surfers, but on a more fundamental level, Barbarian Days offers a clear eyed vision of American boyhood. Like Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild, it is a sympathetic examination of what happens when literary ideas of freedom and purity take hold of a young mind and fling his body out into the far reaches of the world * New York Times Magazine *Which is precisely what makes the propulsive precision of Finnegan's writing so surprising and revelatory . . . Finnegan's treatment of surfing never feels like performance. Through the sheer intensity of his descriptive powers and the undeniable ways in which surfing has shaped his life, Barbarian Days is an utterly convincing study in the joy of treating seriously an unserious thing . . . As Finnegan demonstrates, surfing, like good writing, is an act of vigilant noticing * The New York Review of Books *Gorgeously written and intensely felt . . . With Mr Finnegan's bravura memoir, the surfing bookshelf is dramatically enriched. It's not only a volume for followers of the sport. Non-surfers, too, will be treated to a travelogue head-scratchingly rich in obscure, sharply observed destinations . . . Dare I say that we all need MrFinnegan...as a role model for a life fully, thrillingly, lived * Wall Street Journal *Irresistible * O, The Oprah Magazine *It's always fabulous when an incredible writer happens to also have a memoir-worthy life; Barbarian Days bodes well * GQ.com *A dream of a book by a masterful writer long immersed in surfing culture. Finnegan recaptures the waves lost and found, the euphoria, the danger . . . the allure * BBC.com *A skillful, masterful memoir . . . it's a book about surfing, of course, but it's not just for surfers. Finnegan's skill sees him trace memories and emotions with honesty. * The Skinny *Barbarian Days is one of the few surfing books for a wider audience. * Guardian *William Finnegan's absorbing surfing memoir, Barbarian Days will have you studying the ocean with new eyes * Anthony Doerr, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All the Light We Cannot See *An astounding book. * Matt Haig *

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Book SynopsisTHE NUMBER ONE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NOW A MAJOR FILM, STARRING STEVE CARELL AND BAFTA AND GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATED TIMOTHEE CHALAMET ‘What had happened to my beautiful boy? To our family? What did I do wrong?’ Those are the wrenching questions that haunted every moment of David Sheff’s journey through his son Nic’s addiction to drugs and tentative steps toward recovery. Before Nic Sheff became addicted to crystal meth, he was a charming boy, joyous and funny, a varsity athlete and honor student adored by his two younger siblings. After meth, he was a trembling wraith who lied, stole, and lived on the streets.With haunting candour, David Sheff traces the first subtle warning signs: the denial, the 3am phone calls (is it Nic? the police? the hospital?), the attempts at rehab. His preoccupation with Nic became an addiction in itself, and tTrade Review'Both takes on this story are riveting, brilliantly written, thoughtful, searingly honest and equally essential. They should be mandatory reading for every teenager and every parent of one.' * Daily Mail *'My generation experimented with drugs and, now that we are parents, we're caught off guard: we never contemplated having to face what David Sheff has faced. He writes with candour, courage and grace of his family's harrowing – and sadly not atypical – story. Beautiful Boy is an important book. It is moving, timely and startlingly beautiful.' -- Sir Richard Branson, chairman, Virgin Group'Those of us who love an addict – or are addicts ourselves – will find Beautiful Boy a revelation. David Sheff knows all too well what must be endured with faith, and his extraordinary book describes it better than anything else I've read. While painfully candid, Beautiful Boy is equally optimistic and powerful.' -- Martin Sheen, actor'An honest, hopeful book, coming at a propitious moment in the meth epidemic.' * Publishers Weekly *'An excellent book that all parents can relate to whatever their children's situation.' * Library Journal *'Moving, painfully honest, very revealing, it tells a story which just never gets told and which is extraordinarily important.' -- Rosie Boycott'A brilliant, harrowing, heartbreaking, fascinating story, full of beautiful moments and hard-won wisdom. This book will save a lot of lives and heal a lot of hearts.' -- Anne Lamott'Beautiful Boy is so beautifully written that it will come as a welcome balm to millions of parents and loved ones who thought they were making this journey alone.' -- Armistead Maupin

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Book SynopsisSOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE 'The political book of the year' Sunday Times 'You will not read a more important book about America this year' EconomistTrade Review‘Brilliant … offers an acute insight into the reasons voters have put their trust in Trump’ Observer ‘Powerful and highly readable account of the light of the poor white Americans in Kentucky’, Books of the Year, Financial Times ‘Essential reading for all yankophiles, politicians and anyone interested in how Donald Trump won over the rust belt to arrive at the White House’, Books of the Year, Sunday Times ‘The memoir gripping America … Vividly articulates the despair and disillusionment of blue-collar America’ Sunday Times ‘A tough-edged elegy for ‘white trash’ hillbilly America’ David Aaronovitch, The Times ‘America’s political system and the white working class have lost faith in each other. ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ offers a starkly honest look at what that shattering of faith feels like for a family who lived through it. You will not read a more important book about America this year’ Economist ‘Vance’s description of the culture he grew up in is essential reading for this moment in history’ David Brooks, New York Times ‘Clear-eyed and nuanced, a powerful antidote to the clamour of news’ The Times ‘With exquisite timing Vance’s ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ offers something profound at this time of political populism … a great insight into Trump and Brexit’ Ian Birrell, Independent ‘I bought this to try to better understand Trump’s appeal to those white working-class people who feel left behind, but the memoir is so much more than that … It’s an important social history/commentary but also a gripping, unputdownable page-turner’ India Knight, Evening Standard ‘A painfully honest account of America’s white underclass by a brilliant young man’ George Osborne, New Statesman ‘A beautiful memoir but it is equally a work of cultural criticism about white working-class America … [Vance] offers a compelling explanation for why it’s so hard for someone who grew up the way he did to make it … a riveting book’ Wall Street Journal

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Book Synopsis Joan Didion’s savage masterpiece, which, since first publication in 1968, has been acknowledged as an unparalleled report on the state of America during the upheaval of the Sixties Revolution. Trade Review"Didion's essays of a world featuring barricades and bombings, mass murders and kidnapped heiresses make recent history as filtered through her seem a savage and passionate drama, something you can put a hand on and feel it beating, something you can put your ear to and hear its story."VILLAGE VOICE "Brilliant, troubling, indelible tales and reflections."SAN DIEGO TRIBUNE "Reveals a wholly original analytic mind, a sensibility as expansive and idiosyncratic as a 19th-century novelist's."MONA SIMPSON "Our quintessential essayist."JERRY KOSINSKI, 'LA Times'

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Book SynopsisFinancial Times - BEST BOOKS OF 2023 ‘And Then What? is breathless and conversational — and all the more readable for that. But while her tone is down-to-earth, the events that Ashton played a part in were dramatic and often historic.’ Gideon Rachman, Financial Times ‘A colourful insider account of European diplomacy … It’s clear our politics would have turned out better if we had had more Cathy Ashtons’ Luke Harding, The Observer So much of modern-day diplomacy still takes place behind closed doors, away from cameras and prying eyes. So what does this vital role really look like in today’s world –and what does it take to do it well? From 2009 to 2014, Cathy Ashton was the EU’s first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, effectively Europe's foreign policy supremo responsible for coordinating the EU's response to international crises. Arriving in Brussels as a relative novice to international diplomacy, she faced the challenge of representing the views and values of 28 nations during one of the most turbulent times in living memory. Decades-old certainties were swept away in days. Hope rose and fell, often in a matter of hours. From the frozen conflict of Ukraine to the Serbia-Kosovo deal, there were challenges, failures and moments of success. She encountered dictators and war criminals, and witnessed the aftermath of natural disasters, military action, and political instability. Working with US politicians and counterparts including John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Bill Burns, she negotiated historic settlements, such as the Iran nuclear deal. An ‘honest broker’, she navigated the needs of opposing politicians to chart a path towards collaboration and stability. Now Ashton takes us behind the scenes to show us what worked and what didn’t, and how it felt to be in ‘the room where it happened’. From Serbia to Somalia, Libya to Haiti, she offers essential insight into how modern diplomacy works, examining the tools needed to find our way through the many challenges we face today. ‘A riveting, absorbing account of modern diplomacy by one of the greatest international diplomats of recent times’ General David Petraeus (US Army, Ret.), former Director of the CIA ‘If generations of Earthlings-to-be do indeed engage in cosmic negotiations with other lifeforms, it will be because of the success of Cathy and her diplomatic compatriots in bringing us to realise we are Earth-life, together.’ Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9 astronaut ‘A must for students of politics and a treat for lovers of general non-fiction.’ Misha Glenny, Rector of the Institute for Human Sciences, Vienna, and author of McMafia ‘riveting, deeply personal and wonderfully accessible’ Sir Kim Darroch, former British Ambassador to the USA, National Security Advisor, and UK Permanent Representative to the EU ‘Catherine Ashton’s gripping memoirs are not only a perfect combination of very precise facts and touching personal emotions, but for all foreign policy observers they convey important lessons of the past to serve for the crises of today.’ Pierre Vimont, former French ambassador to the EU and the USATrade Review‘Crises such as the war in Gaza propel top diplomats into a whirlwind of international negotiation. Ashton’s memoir of her time as the EU high representative for foreign policy provides a vivid sense of what it feels like to be at the centre of events — including the aftermath of the Arab spring and Russia’s first moves on Ukraine.’ Financial Times  ‘Brilliant – suspenseful and dramatic. I read it in a day.’ Ken Follett, international bestselling author of The Pillars of the Earth ‘A colourful insider account of European diplomacy … It’s clear our politics would have turned out better if we had had more Cathy Ashtons’ Luke Harding, The Observer ‘Fascinating and illuminating reading […] this book is truly remarkable history.’ Lord George Robertson, Former Secretary General, NATO ‘A riveting, absorbing account of modern diplomacy by one of the greatest international diplomats of recent times. And Then What? is hugely informative, full of tremendous insights, and a truly great read!’ General David Petraeus (US Army, Ret.), former Commander of the Surge in Iraq, US Central Command, and NATO/US Forces in Afghanistan, and former Director of the CIA ‘If generations of Earthlings-to-be do indeed engage in cosmic negotiations with other lifeforms, it will be because of the success of Cathy and her diplomatic compatriots in bringing us to realise we are Earth-life, together.’ Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9 astronaut ‘[Ashton] combines acute analysis with moving portraits of the many people she engaged with, from dictators to shopkeepers; from overworked civil servants to distressed toddlers searching in vain through rubble for their parents […] A must for students of politics and a treat for lovers of general non-fiction.’ Misha Glenny, Rector of the Institute for Human Sciences, Vienna, and author of McMafia ‘This riveting, deeply personal and wonderfully accessible book takes the reader inside the room during the successes, setbacks and personalities of this turbulent period of history.’ Sir Kim Darroch, former British Ambassador to the USA, National Security Advisor, and UK Permanent Representative to the EU ‘Catherine Ashton’s gripping memoirs are not only a perfect combination of very precise facts and touching personal emotions, but for all foreign policy observers they convey important lessons of the past to serve for the crises of today.’ Pierre Vimont, former French ambassador to the EU and the USA "A candid memoir of a fraught time in office provides a useful record of high level negotiation in Iran and Ukraine" Guardian ‘Ashton’s detailed account in her book of the events leading up to Putin’s 2014 invasion is fascinating’ i news  ‘And Then What? is breathless and conversational — and all the more readable for that. But while her tone is down-to-earth, the events that Ashton played a part in were dramatic and often historic.’ Gideon Rachman, Financial Times

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Book Synopsis'Simply wonderful.' - BEN FOGLE'Kate's book has the warmth and calming effect of a log fire and a glass of wine. Unknit your brow and let go. It's a treat.' - GARETH MALONE'Kate Humble pours her enviable knowledge into attainable goals. It's a winning combination and the prize - a life in balance with nature - is definitely worth claiming.' - LUCY SIEGLE'As ever, where Kate leads, I follow. She has made me reassess and reset.' - DAN SNOW'Kate Humble's new book is a lesson in moving on from a tragedy and finding our place in the world' - WOMAN & HOME'A Year of Living Simply is timely, given that the pandemic has forced most of us, in some way to simplify our lives, whether we planned to or not. Kate wrote it before any of us were aware of the upcoming crisis, but it captures the current moment perfectly... It's not necessarily a "how to" book, more of a "why not try?" approach.' - FRANCESCA BABB, MAIL ON SUNDAY YOU'What I particularly love is her philosophy for happiness, which is the subject of her new book, A Year of Living Simply. The clue is in the title. Remember the basics. Instead of barging through the day on autopilot, really stop to think about the tiniest little things that added a moment of joy. No, of course stopping and smelling the flowers won't cure all our ills and woes. But taking the time to savour the things that bring pleasure, really being in that moment and appreciating it, can remind you that most days have moments that buoy your mood.' - JO ELVIN, MAIL ON SUNDAY YOUIf there is one thing that most of us aspire to, it is, simply, to be happy. And yet attaining happiness has become, it appears, anything but simple. Having stuff - The Latest, The Newest, The Best Yet - is all too often peddled as the sure fire route to happiness. So why then, in our consumer-driven society, is depression, stress and anxiety ever more common, affecting every strata of society and every age, even, worryingly, the very young? Why is it, when we have so much, that many of us still feel we are missing something and the rush of pleasure when we buy something new turns so quickly into a feeling of emptiness, or purposelessness, or guilt?So what is the route to real, deep, long lasting happiness? Could it be that our lives have just become overly crowded, that we've lost sight of the things - the simple things - that give a sense of achievement, a feeling of joy or excitement? That make us happy. Do we need to take a step back, reprioritise? Do we need to make our lives more simple? Kate Humble's fresh and frank exploration of a stripped-back approach to life is uplifting, engaging and inspiring - and will help us all find balance and happiness every day.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERImpossible to read with dry eyes or an unaltered mindset' Sunday TimesIlluminating and beautiful' Cathy RentzenbrinkWhat if everything you thought you knew about death was wrong?How should we prepare for the facts of dying and saying our goodbyes?And what if understanding death improved your life?By turns touching and tragic, funny and wise, With the End in Mind brings together Kathryn Mannix ' s lifetime of medical experience to tell powerful stories of life and death.Trade Review‘It is incredibly moving, of course, but what it isn’t is miserable. Yes this is a book about death, but it is also a book about joy. There aren’t all that many books that change the way you see the world. This book really might. It will make you want to do a better job of loving and living. It will make you want to be kinder. And it will make you want to cherish every precious moment of your precious life.’Sunday Times ‘Extraordinary and profoundly moving. … Any reader will come away with the wish that they will be cared for at the end by someone with Mannix’s imaginative sympathy and matter-of-fact generosity of perception’Rowan Williams, New Statesman ‘Illuminating and beautiful … I shed a few tears but it’s not gut wrenching and Mannix weaves the light and dark strands of her experience with finesse. It’s essential reading for anyone who will encounter death, and that means all of us.’Cathy Rentzenbrink, The Times ‘I got to the end of Kathryn Mannix’s book with just one thought – I wish I’d been a palliative consultant … A reminder that talking about death is an Act of Love’Greg Wise ‘In the last few years, there has been a crowd of books by doctors, scientists and writers that have sought to show us different, kinder ways of ending: Atul Gawande, Oliver Sacks, Henry Marsh… the list is long. Now Kathryn Mannix joins this distinguished group. Mannix’s aim is to shed a soft, clear light on a subject too often avoided. Mild, tender and conciliatory, I would like her to be my compassionate, wise doctor when I lie dying.’Observer

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Book SynopsisTHE NUMBER ONE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NOW A MAJOR FILM, STARRING STEVE CARELL AND BAFTA AND GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATED TIMOTHEE CHALAMET ‘What had happened to my beautiful boy? To our family? What did I do wrong?’ Those are the wrenching questions that haunted every moment of David Sheff’s journey through his son Nic’s addiction to drugs and tentative steps toward recovery. Before Nic Sheff became addicted to crystal meth, he was a charming boy, joyous and funny, a varsity athlete and honor student adored by his two younger siblings. After meth, he was a trembling wraith who lied, stole, and lived on the streets.With haunting candour, David Sheff traces the first subtle warning signs: the denial, the 3am phone calls (is it Nic? the police? the hospital?), the attempts at rehab. His preoccupation with Nic became an addiction in itself, and tTrade Review'Both takes on this story are riveting, brilliantly written, thoughtful, searingly honest and equally essential. They should be mandatory reading for every teenager and every parent of one.' * Daily Mail *'My generation experimented with drugs and, now that we are parents, we're caught off guard: we never contemplated having to face what David Sheff has faced. He writes with candour, courage and grace of his family's harrowing – and sadly not atypical – story. Beautiful Boy is an important book. It is moving, timely and startlingly beautiful.' -- Sir Richard Branson, chairman, Virgin Group'Those of us who love an addict – or are addicts ourselves – will find Beautiful Boy a revelation. David Sheff knows all too well what must be endured with faith, and his extraordinary book describes it better than anything else I've read. While painfully candid, Beautiful Boy is equally optimistic and powerful.' -- Martin Sheen, actor'An honest, hopeful book, coming at a propitious moment in the meth epidemic.' * Publishers Weekly *'An excellent book that all parents can relate to whatever their children's situation.' * Library Journal *'Moving, painfully honest, very revealing, it tells a story which just never gets told and which is extraordinarily important.' -- Rosie Boycott'A brilliant, harrowing, heartbreaking, fascinating story, full of beautiful moments and hard-won wisdom. This book will save a lot of lives and heal a lot of hearts.' -- Anne Lamott'Beautiful Boy is so beautifully written that it will come as a welcome balm to millions of parents and loved ones who thought they were making this journey alone.' -- Armistead Maupin

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Book Synopsis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ? In her long-awaited memoir, Ina Garten?aka the Barefoot Contessa, author of thirteen bestselling cookbooks, beloved Food Network personality, Instagram sensation, and cultural icon?shares her personal story with readers hungry for a seat at her table. A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, Time, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Town & CountryHere, for the first time, Ina Garten presents an intimate, entertaining, and inspiring account of her remarkable journey. Ina?s gift is to make everything look easy, yet all her accomplishments have been the result of hard work, audacious choices, and exquisite attention to detail. In her unmistakable voice (no one tells a story like Ina), she brings her past and her process to life in a high-spirited and no-holds-barred memoir that chronicles decades of personal challenges, adventures (and misadventures) and unexpected career twists, all delivered with her signature combination of playfulness and purpose.From a difficult childhood to meeting the love of her life, Jeffrey, and marrying him while still in college, from a boring bureaucratic job in Washington, D.C., to answering an ad for a specialty food store in the Hamptons, from the owner of one Barefoot Contessa shop to author of bestselling cookbooks and celebrated television host, Ina has blazed her own trail and, in the meantime, taught millions of people how to cook and entertain. Now, she invites them to come closer to experience her story in vivid detail and to share the important life lessons she learned along the way: do what you love because if you love it you?ll be really good at it, swing for the fences, and always Be Ready When the Luck Happens.

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Book SynopsisHolocaust survivor Eddie Jaku made a vow to smile every day and believed he was the ‘happiest man on earth’. In his inspirational memoir, he paid tribute to those who were lost by telling his story and sharing his wisdom.‘Eddie looked evil in the eye and met it with joy and kindness . . . [his] philosophy is life-affirming’ – Daily ExpressLife can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. It is up to you.Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, a Jew second. He was proud of his country. But all of that changed in November 1938, when he was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp.Over the next seven years, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors every day, first in Buchenwald, then in Auschwitz, then on a Nazi death march. He lost family, friends, his country.The Happiest Man on Earth is a powerful, heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful memoir of how happiness can be found even in the darkest of times.‘Australia’s answer to Captain Tom . . . a memoir that extols the power of hope, love and mutual support’ – The TimesTrade ReviewI have never met Eddie Jaku, but having read his book I feel like I have made a new friend . . . This is a beautiful book by a truly amazing man * Daily Telegraph *Eddie looked evil in the eye and met it with joy and kindness . . . [his] philosophy is life-affirming * Daily Express *A reminder of the power of love, kindness and hope . . . A life-affirming story, beautifully told * Sydney Morning Herald *His tale is compelling and particularly pertinent as we struggle to make sense of challenging times * Weekend Post *Jaku’s memoir can be our private celebration of evil that was ultimately vanquished * Country Style *This simple, moving account of a remarkable life offers plenty to think about and reflect on . . . Highly recommended * Canberra Weekly *Australia's answer to Captain Tom . . . a memoir that extols the power of hope, love and mutual support * The Times *Resilience, generosity of spirit and a belief, despite everything, in the fundamental goodness of humanity shine through this outstanding memoir -- Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisTHE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERLONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN''S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2025SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024SHORTLISTED FOR THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS'' BOOK OF THE YEARSHORTLISTED FOR THE HATCHARDS AND BIOGRAPHERS'' CLUB FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE A BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR THE HAY FESTIVAL, SUNDAY TIMES, THE TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, SPECTATOR AND iNEWS ''A beautiful book'' - ANGELINA JOLIE''I will be recommending this to everyone'' - MATT HAIG''Quietly profound, beautifully written, Hare is now lodged in my heart'' - TRACY CHEVALIER__Imagine you could hold a baby hare and bottle-feed it. Imagine that it lived under your roof and lolloped around your bedroom at night, drumming on the duvet cover when it wanted your attention. Imagine that, over two years later, it still ran in from the fields when you called it and snoozed in your house for hours on end. This happened to me.When lockdown led busy professional Chloe to leave the city and return to the countryside of her childhood, she never expected to find herself custodian of a newly born hare. Yet when she finds the creature, endangered, alone and no bigger than her palm, she is compelled to give it a chance at survival.Raising Hare chronicles their journey together and the challenges of caring for the leveret and preparing for its return to the wild. We witness an extraordinary relationship between human and animal, rekindling our sense of awe towards nature and wildlife. This improbable bond of trust serves to remind us that the most remarkable experiences, inspiring the most hope, often arise when we least expect them.

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Book SynopsisFew of us have lived through the kind of suffering Teal Swan endured: 13 years of ritual abuse at the hands of a cult. But all of us have been fractured by trauma in one way or another. Your wounds may be visible as bodily scars; or they may show up in the form of anxiety, depression or PTSD; or you may simply be struggling in your life for reasons you simply don't understand.The good news is that you can heal your wounds. The Completion Process invites you on a profound journey of self-exploration and self-restoration to reclaim the lost parts of you and return to a joyous life, no longerinhibited by the past or terrified of the future. Drawing on her wide range of extrasensory abilities, including clairvoyance, clairsentience and clairaudience, Teal offers a revolutionary 18-step process for healing any past hurt or present problem. Learn how to: Create a haven in your mind where it's safe to re-enter a difficult memory Validate painful emotions Let your feelings shift naturally towards relief Close the memory of trauma and begin a 'new life'This is not only healing work it's also the work of enlightenment. It will leave you with a stronger sense of value and hope in the world, and the assurance that life can be good again.

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Book SynopsisFrom one of our most powerful writers, a classic work of stunning frankness about losing a daughter.Richly textured with bits of her own childhood and married life with her husband, John Gregory Dunne, and daughter, Quintana Roo, this new book by Joan Didion examines her thoughts, fears, and doubts regarding having children, illness, and growing old.Blue Nights opens on July 26, 2010, as Didion thinks back to Quintana's wedding in New York seven years before. Today would be her wedding anniversary. This fact triggers vivid snapshots of Quintana's childhood in Malibu, in Brentwood, at school in Holmby Hills. Reflecting on her daughter but also on her role as a parent, Didion asks the candid questions any parent might about how she feels she failed either because cues were not taken or perhaps displaced. How could I have missed what was clearly there to be seen?' Finally, perhaps we all remain unknown to each other.Blue Nights the long, light evening hours that signal the summer solstice, the opposite of the dying of the brightness, but also its warning' like The Year of Magical Thinking before it, is an iconic book of incisive and electric honesty.This is a beautiful and devastating book by one of the finest writers we have' Zadie SmithSearing, informative and affecting. Don't leave life without it.' Financial Times*Notes to John, the remarkable recently discovered journal from Joan Didion is available now*Trade Review‘Her prose is a thing of beauty’ Daisy Goodwin, Sunday Times ‘Where the book is most successful – and most poignant – is in the viciously honest picture Didion draws of a lonely, encroaching old age … your heart breaks for her increasing and incurable frailty’ Julie Myerson, Observer Reviews for ‘A Year of Magical Thinking’:‘It is the most awesome performance of both participating in, and watching, an event. Even though Didion does not allow herself to break down, only a terribly controlled reader will resist doing the same.’ John Freeman, Independent ‘Ultimately, and unexpectedly for a book about illness and death, this is a wonderfully life affirming book.’ Lisa O’Kelly, Observer ‘Searing, informative and affecting. Don’t leave life without it.’ Financial Times ‘This is a beautiful and devastating book by one of the finest writers we have. Didion has always been a precise, humane and meticulously truthful writer, but on the subject of death she becomes essential.’ Zadie Smith

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Book SynopsisAn immediate sensation upon its publication in 1969, Papillon is a vivid memoir of brutal penal colonies, daring prison breaks and heroic adventure on shark-infested seas.Condemned for a murder he did not commit, Henri Charriere, nicknamed Papillon, was sent to the penal colony of French Guiana. Forty-two days after his arrival he made his first break for freedom, travelling a thousand gruelling miles in an open boat. He was recaptured and put into solitary confinement but his spirit remained untamed: over thirteen years he made nine incredible escapes, including from the notorious penal colony on Devil's Island.This edition of Papillon, one of the greatest adventure stories ever told, includes an exclusive new essay by Howard Marks.

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERDavid Lynch - co-creator of Twin Peaks and writer and director of groundbreaking films such as Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive - opens up about a lifetime of extraordinary creativity, the friendships he has made along the way and the struggles he has faced to bring his projects to fruition.Room to Dream is both an astonishing memoir told in Lynch's own words and a landmark biography based on hundreds of interviews, that offers unique insights into the life and mind of one of the world's most enigmatic and original artists.Trade ReviewIf you expected a David Lynch biography to be just like any other biography, you've never seen a David Lynch movie . . . Fascinating * * New York Times * *A hybrid biography bulging with more than 100 interviews . . . it shows us Lynch the artist, the director, the lover, the child . . . Room to Dream provides contours and edges, brief splashes of insight and teasing tugs on the line. But the man at the centre remains a beautiful mystery . . . Illuminating * * Guardian * *Lynch is the master of the perverse, the unsettling and the plain bonkers * * Sunday Times * *Lynch's life as an artist is genuinely fascinating, and his observations on it are illuminating * * Mail on Sunday * *Intriguing . . . David Lynch has never lacked room to dream, for which we and he must thank our lucky stars * * Daily Telegraph * *David Lynch's memoir illuminates the origins of his art . . . the humour and eccentricity of Mr Lynch's own reminiscences and observations are the book's main pleasure * * The Economist * *Reassuringly unconventional . . . Engrossing . . . Lynch writes like he speaks. He's disarmingly direct, cheerfully profane and prone to bursts of giddy enthusiasm * * The Big Issue * *Room to Dream is a memorable portrait of one of cinema's great auteurs . . . Provides a remarkable insight into Lynch's intense commitment to the "art life", from his painting, photography and music to furniture design * * Guardian * *With the publication of Room to Dream, he has sought to reinvent the celebrity memoir * * Financial Times * *Playfully disrupts the genre of memoir-writing * * Financial Times * *

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Book SynopsisThe fourth volume of memoirs from the author who inspired the BBC and Channel 5 series All Creatures Great and Small. Finally home from London after his wartime service in the RAF, James Herriot is settling back into life as a country vet. While the world has changed after the war, the blunt Yorkshire clients and menagerie of beasts with weird and wonderful ailments remain the same. But between his young son, Jimmy, trailing him around copying his every move, stubborn farmers refusing to try his ‘new-fangled’ treatments and a goat that has eaten 293 tomatoes, Darrowby is far from quiet. And with another baby on the way, life is about to get even more chaotic . . . Since they were first published, James Herriot’s memoirs have sold millions of copies and entranced generations of animal lovers. Charming, funny and touching, The Lord God Made Them All is a heart-warming story of determination, love and companionship from one of B

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Book SynopsisThe long-awaited memoir, generously illustrated with never-before-seen photos, from the iconic Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Rush bassist, and New York Times bestselling author of Geddy Lee''s Big Beautiful Book of Bass.Geddy Lee is one of rock and roll''s most respected bassists. For nearly five decades, his playing and work as co-writer, vocalist and keyboardist has been an essential part of the success story of Canadian progressive rock trio Rush. Here for the first time is his account of life inside and outside the band.Long before Rush accumulated more consecutive gold and platinum records than any rock band after the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, before the seven Grammy nominations or the countless electrifying live performances across the globe, Geddy Lee was Gershon Eliezer Weinrib, after his grandfather was murdered in the Holocaust.As he recounts the transformation, Lee looks back on his family, in particular his loving parents and their horrific experiences as teenagers during World War II.He talks candidly about his childhood and the pursuit of music that led him to drop out of high school.He tracks the history of Rush which, after early struggles, exploded into one of the most beloved bands of all time.He shares intimate stories of his lifelong friendships with bandmates Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart?deeply mourning Peart?s recent passing?and reveals his obsessions in music and beyond.This rich brew of honesty, humor, and loss makes for a uniquely poignant memoir.Trade Review"As someone who has spent his life telling made-up stories that are obliged to sound somewhat plausible, I am deeply envious of Geddy Lee. And it’s not only the improbable, absurd, wondrous and at times heartbreaking true story that life has gifted him that I envy, but also the warmth, care, artfulness, hard-earned wisdom and—always—the gently skewed humor with which he tells it. He’s one of my musical heroes, for reasons that are there on record, but with this book everyone can see why for so long he has also been one of my heroes as a man." — Michael Chabon "An effin' good read." — Associated Press “There was never a band like Rush. Geddy Lee doesn’t want to forget it. It took a series of losses for the high-voiced rock star to confront his personal history. It all came out in his new memoir.” — The Washington Post “A page-turner . . . gives readers a fly-on-the-wall, tick-tock perspective . . . and also provides a backstage pass into Lee’s inner monologue as he balanced rising fame and enduring fears.” — Toronto Star “My Effin’ Life is joyously thoughtful and engaging.” — The Boston Globe “The main takeaway from Geddy Lee's new memoir, My Effin’ Life, is that anything can happen as long as you live your life with an honest conviction.” — Vulture “The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer—who played bass, keyboards, and sang on the progressive rock band's biggest hits—holds nothing back in his highly-anticipated memoir.” — Entertainment Weekly

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Book SynopsisMeet Chris Stewart, the eternal optimist. A man who flies to Spain, sees a peasant farm on the wrong side of the river and, with scarcely a second thought, hands over a cash deposit. And then finds he has acquired not just the farm, but the farmer, too, who has no intention of leaving. Not to mention the lack of running water, electricity or even a bridge. It would be enough to send most people straight back home. But Chris and his wife Ana are made of stronger stuff - and besides, they have sunk all their savings into their farm, El Valero, and buying a flock of sheep. So there is no turning back. Life gets tough, but it also gets good. Driving Over Lemons is that rare thing - a funny, insightful book that charms you from the first sun-lit page to the last. And one that makes running an Andalucian mountain farm seem like a half-decent career move. It has been a major bestseller both in Britain and Spain.Trade ReviewChris Stewart is one of life's bold originals * Independent *When an author is as modest and humorous as this, his story cannot be told too often. -- Elizabeth Buchan * The Times *Exquisite. In Driving Over Lemons the anecdote flourishes once more. -- Penelope Lively * Daily Telegraph *It is easy to enthuse about the simple pleasures of life, but hard to write about them well. Stewart's gift is to do so with the carefree manner of someone you've just met in a bar, and who is buying the drinks. -- Hugh Thomson * Independent *A wonderful book - funny, affectionate and reaching deep beneath the skin. Tuck it into your holiday luggage and dream -- Elisabeth Luard * Daily Mail *A funny, observant and personal account of what a man can learn, and what there is to appreciate in life. Marvellous -- John S. Doyle * Sunday Tribune *You just can't fail to like him and the world he spreads out for you: wayward sheep, eccentric ex-pats, hospitable (and slightly barmy) neighbours... Mr Stewart is that rare thing, the real McCoy -- Rosie Boycott * Guardian *Endearing, heart warming, self-deprecating, sometimes surreal... charming stuff -- William Leith * Standard *

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Book SynopsisHer highly personal and reflective memoir is a must-read for anyone who cares about our role in a changing world' Barack ObamaTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY:The New York TimesTime The Economist The Washington Post Vanity Fair Times Literary SupplementWhat can one person do?' In this vibrant, galvanizing memoir, human rights advocate and Pulitzer-Prize winning writer Samantha Power offers an urgent response to this question.As she traces her path from Irish immigrant to war correspondent and activist to eventually becoming the youngest-ever US Ambassador to the United Nations,Power writes with a unique blend of suspenseful storytelling, vivid character portraits and disarming honesty.Heraccountilluminates the challenges of navigating the halls of power while trying to put one's ideals into practice (and raise two young children along the way), and it shows how even in the face of daunting challenges each of us can make a difference.NOW WITTrade Review A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AN IRISH TIMES BESTSELLER AN OBAMA FAVOURITE BOOK OF 2019 NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY:The New York Times • Time • The Economist • The Washington Post • Vanity Fair • Times Literary Supplement ‘Her highly personal and reflective memoir … is a must-read for anyone who cares about our role in a changing world.’Barack Obama ‘Samantha Power's book is honest, personal, revealing. It is about the development of a young woman's inner strength and self-knowledge. But it is also a political book, alert to both the power of political will and its limitations.’Colm Tóibín ‘A beautiful memoir about the times we’re living in and the questions we must ask ourselves … I honestly couldn’t put it down’Cheryl Strayed ‘This is a wonderful book … The interweaving of Power’s personal story, family story, diplomatic history and moral arguments is executed seamlessly and with unblinking honesty’New York Times ‘One of the best-written political memoirs of recent years’ Fareed Zakaria ‘It’s a profound, heart wrenching, uplifting, and emotional journey through her life and what she’s seen’Sophia Bush ‘An unusually engaging political memoir…Power is an excellent storyteller, with a deft touch with anecdotes and a nice sense of humour.’Times Literary Supplement ‘Refreshingly frank and self-deprecating … An energizing reminder that conscience has a place in the process of shaping foreign policy’TIME Magazine ‘Uniquely personal and absorbing … A riveting fly-on-the wall insight.’Irish Times ‘Engaging … Power’s memoir is an insider’s account of foreign-policy-making, and an intensely personal one.’Economist ‘Lively … And strikingly personal …[Power] writes vividly and lucidly here about her turn in the international spotlight.’Vogue

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Book SynopsisA “fascinating and very moving” (Aaron Sorkin, award-winning screenwriter of The West Wing and The Social Network) chronological timeline spanning from Biblical times to today that explores one of the most interesting countries in the world—Israel.Israel. The small strip of arid land is 5,700 miles away but remains a hot-button issue and a thorny topic of debate. But while everyone seems to have a strong opinion about Israel, how many people actually know the facts? Here to fill in the information gap is Israeli American Noa Tishby. But “this is not your Bubbie’s history book” (Bill Maher, host of Real Time with Bill Maher). Instead, offering a fresh, 360-degree view, Tishby brings her “passion, humor, and deep intimacy” (Yossi Klein Halevi, New York Times bestselling author of Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor) to the subject, creating an accessible and dynamic portrait of a tiny country of outsized relevance. Through bite-sized chunks of history and deeply personal stories, Tishby chronicles her homeland’s evolution, beginning in Biblical times and moving forward to cover everything from WWI to Israel’s creation to the disputes dividing the country today. Tackling popular misconceptions with an abundance of facts, Tishby provides critical context around headline-generating controversies and offers a clear, intimate account of the richly cultured country of Israel.

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Book SynopsisA coming-of-age memoir of addiction, ambition and redemption in the high-stakes world of Michelin star kitchens.   From reckless drug addict to one of Australia’s top chefs and television stars: MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo's powerful life story will shock and inspire.   Jock’s life spiralled out of control when he tried heroin for the first time as a teenager while growing up in 1980s Glasgow. For years he balanced a career as a rising star amongst legendary chefs with a crippling drug addiction that took him down many dark paths.   Fired from his job at a Michelin star restaurant in Chester, England, after a foul-mouthed rant, Jock made his way to London looking for work and found himself in front of the legendary Marco Pierre White. He credits White for saving his life, but Jock continued to struggle with addiction in a world of excess, celebrity, and cut-throat ambition.   On New Year’s Eve 1999, Jo

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Book Synopsis''A great book for anyone who wants to vicariously travel like an old-fashioned adventurer and seeks to understand how far we have come in developing a protective attitude to wildlife'' New York Times''A marvellous book . . . unputdownable . . . utterly engaging'' Daily TelegraphIn 1954, a young television presenter named David Attenborough was offered the opportunity of a lifetime - to travel the world finding rare and elusive animals for London Zoo''s collection, and to film the expeditions for the BBC. Now ''the greatest living advocate of the global ecosystem'' this is the story of the voyages that started it all. Staying with local tribes while trekking in search of giant anteaters in Guyana, Komodo dragons in Indonesia and armadillos in Paraguay, he and the rest of the team battled with cannibal fish, aggressive tree porcupines and escape-artist wild pigs, as well as treacherous terrain and Trade ReviewA marvellous book ... unputdownable ... utterly engaging. * Telegraph *An elegant and gently funny writer. -- Damian Whitworth * The Times *This is a great book for anyone who wants to vicariously travel like an old-fashioned adventurer and seeks to understand how far we have come in developing a protective attitude to wildlife * New York Times *Utterly engaging . . . immensely colourful and dramatic -- Roger Lewis * Daily Mail *A beautiful new edition ... of our favourite naturalist's account of his travels for the BBC * Mail on Sunday *Full of Attenborough's trademark enthusiasm, wit and intelligence, it's a natural history fan's treat. * Sunday Express *His writing is as impressive and as enjoyable as his TV programmes and there can be no higher praise. * Daily Express *A great educator as well as a great naturalist. * Barack Obama *Sir David is a wizard of television, and, like Gandalf or Dumbledore, he has a near-magical gift for combining warmth and gravitas . . . the man who, for me, exemplifies the best in British broadcasting. * Louis Theroux *A charming period piece -- Damian Whitworth * Times *

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Book SynopsisA unique and compelling collection of memoir and personal stories by Arab LGBTQ+ writers edited by the Arab-Australian journalist, Elias Jahshan.Trade Review'A wonderful collection of stories, of people unshackled, of tongues untied. This surprising book allows the deliberately silenced and the preferably unheard to speak. Profoundly moving and uplifting. Yes, This Arab is Queer.' Rabih Alameddine;'Visionary. A powerful and moving portrait of life as a queer Arab.' Sabrina Mahfouz;'A vital addition to what it means to be Arab. This collection showcases the magnificent diversity and richness of Arab identity.' Layla AlAmmar;'A heartfelt, moving collection, unflinching in its vulnerability, courageous and empowering in its honesty. These writers hold our gaze, demanding to be seen, on their own terms.' Yassmin Abdel-Magied

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of A Christmas Gift from Bob, the original bestseller and heartwarming story of the life-saving friendship between a man and his streetwise cat''[Bob] has entranced London like no feline since the days of Dick Whittington.'' (Evening Standard)''A heartwarming tale with a message of hope'' (Daily Mail)''Reminded me how amazing having a cat can be'' (Glamour)* * * * * * * *The uplifting true story of an unlikely friendship between a man on the streets of Covent Garden and the ginger cat who adopts him and helps him heal his life. Now a major motion picture starring Luke Treadaway.When James Bowen found an injured, ginger street cat curled up in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London and the last thing he needed was a peTrade ReviewAn instantly bestselling memoir that, beside its heart-warming tale of their friendship, offers an insight into the injustice of life on the streets that's by turns frustrating and life-affirming. * The Times *A heartwarming tale with a message of hope. * Daily Mail *A true story and ideal for anyone like me who's a bit mad when it comes to felines. * Glamour *

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Book SynopsisThe perfect edition for any Orwell enthusiasts'' collection, discover Orwell''s personal account of life on the streets beautifully reimagined by renowned street artist Shepard FaireyTo be poor and destitute in 1920s Paris and London was to experience life at its lowest ebb. George Orwell, penniless and with nowhere to go, found himself experiencing just this as he wandered the streets of both capitals in search of a job. By day, he tramped the streets, often passing time with ''screevers'' or street artists, drunks and other hobos. At night, he stood in line for a bed in a ''spike'' or doss house, where a cup of sugary tea, a hunk of stale bread and a blanket were the only sustenance and comfort on offer.First published in 1933, Down and Out in Paris and London is George Orwell''s haunting account of the streets and those who have no choice but to live on them.''A man who looked at his world with wonder and wrote down exactly what he saw, in admirable prose'' John MortimerCOMPLETE THE TRIO WITH SHEPARD FAIREY''S NEW-LOOK 1984 AND ANIMAL FARM.Trade ReviewHe saw through everything... Many have tried to imitate his particular kind of clarity without anything like his moral authority -- Peter Ackroyd * The Times *A man who looked at his world with wonder and wrote down exactly what he saw, in admirable prose -- John Mortimer

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Book SynopsisOrder THE COMFORT BOOK. Available now!THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERThe world is messing with our minds. What if there was something we could do about it?Looking at sleep, news, social media, addiction, work and play, Matt Haig invites us to feel calmer, happier and to question the habits of the digital age. This book might even change the way you spend your precious time on earth.Trade ReviewWitty, honest and engaging . . . A worthy successor to Reasons to Stay Alive * * Sunday Times * *An honest and human guide to coping with the modern world . . . Notes on a Nervous Planet is generous, sensible and timely. Reading it will probably be good for your mental health. Especially if you leave your smartphone in another room . . . Thought-provoking * * Guardian * *Thought-provoking . . . [Haig's] hard-won wisdom asks us to think about how we can live in the present - and in so doing, he creates a wonderfully perceptive chronicle of life in the always-on social media age. A real-world guide to mindfulness * * Observer * *Beautiful, honest and wise -- FEARNE COTTONNotes on a Nervous Planet is a fascinating look at the link between anxiety and the world we live in . . . [Haig is] one of our warmest, wittiest and wisest writers * * Mail on Sunday * *Genius -- RUBY WAXHaig's bestseller Reasons to Stay Alive was an engaging self-help memoir which mined personal trauma for valuable life lessons. This follow-up is a rag-bag of personal experience, thoughts and feelings . . . some thought-provoking, some pertinent and important . . . He's a smart operator who knows his readership and genuinely wants to help them . . . I reached the last page admiring the author's inventive energy and insight -- Bel Mooney * * Daily Mail * *Take Notes on a Nervous Planet twice daily, with or without food. The book is crammed with wisdom, insight, love and wit -- STEPHEN FRYHaig tackles everything from internet anxieties, phone fears to life overload, putting the chaos into beautiful words * * Sunday Post * *A primer for how to live in the present moment. This book will find grateful readers everywhere -- NIGELLA LAWSON

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERBBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK 'A beautiful, gentle exploration of the dark season of life and the light of spring that eventually follows' RAYNOR WINN'My favourite book of the last five years' CAITLIN MORANWintering is a poignant and comforting meditation on the fallow periods of life, times when we must retreat to care for and repair ourselves. Katherine May thoughtfully shows us how to come through these times with the wisdom of knowing that, like the seasons, our winters and summers are the ebb and flow of life.'Every bit as beautiful and healing as the season itself' ELIZABETH GILBERT'Absolutely beautiful' CHERYL STRAYEDTrade ReviewA beautiful, gentle exploration of the dark season of life and the light of spring that eventually follows -- Raynor Winn, bestselling author of The Salt PathA book for the soul -- Caitlin MoranWe all experience periods of 'wintering' in our lives and this book shows us how to embrace the uncertainty that can come with it. A beautiful book that can be enjoyed in both winter and summer -- Lara Maiklem, author of MudlarkingAn elegant investigation into the consolations of nature and how it can be wonderfully restorative even on the bleakest of days * Sunday Express *[A] sympathetic memoir ... May recounts how she attempted to embrace rather than resist the gloom and chill of winter ... she radiates sincerity and quiet self-knowledge * TLS *

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Book SynopsisThe number one bestseller and Sunday Times Humour Book of the Year by national treasure Bob Mortimer.‘The most life-affirming, joyful read of the year’ - Sunday Times‘Winningly heartfelt’ – The Guardian‘A triumph’ – Daily Mail Bob Mortimer’s life was trundling along happily until suddenly in 2015 he was diagnosed with a heart condition that required immediate surgery and forced him to cancel an upcoming tour. The episode unnerved him, but forced him to reflect on his life so far. This is the framework for his hilarious and moving memoir, And Away… Although his childhood in Middlesbrough was normal on the surface, it was tinged by the loss of his dad, and his own various misadventures (now infamous from his appearances on Would I Lie to You?), from burning dTrade Review‘It’s probably fairer to say that since his brush with mortality, Mortimer has come into his own. There is this book, which is a triumph… And Away is as good a celebrity autobiography as you could hope to read, and enthusiastically recommend.’ * Daily Mail *‘…(a) fascinating and often poignant memoir.’ * Daily Express & Daily Mirror *‘The book, too, grows more confident in talking about serious subjects as it progresses and it’s the honesty and openness that he allows in Gone Fishing that make And Away…, by the end, an unexpectedly moving read’ * The Observer *‘A glorious collection of stories from an extraordinary life. Once you put it down, you may get the immediate urge to pick it up again. Yes, you couldn’t let it lie.’ * Yorkshire Magazine *‘Bob Mortimer is pretty much established as a national treasure…So it's great to hear his story of how he got there first-hand…In the end he has become loved for being himself. And maybe that's the best type of success of all.’ * Beyond the Joke *‘Bob’s recent reinvention via the …Gone Fishing series means a whole new audience might indeed be surprised at how many different things he’s done and will particularly admire the non-showbiz route to stardom in our age of driven but ultimately vacuous and content-free superstars.’ * Yorkshire Bylines *‘It’s a precarious world, but And Away... is a heartfelt testament to the magic of finding your happy place within it.’ * The Sunday Times *‘(a) touching, funny autobiography.' * Observer *‘(a) comic masterpiece of a memoir: melancholically amusing, warm and witty’ * Strong Words *‘Filled with anecdotes from Mortimer’s life, And Away… contrasts humour with a deeper contemplation of life following his open-heart surgery’ * Radio Times *‘…deftly combines all the varied aspects of Mortimer’s eventful, fascinating life and paints a fully three-dimensional picture of this much-loved figure’ * Chortle *‘…it’s everything you would want from the man who is the highlight of every show you see him on’ * The Independent *

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Book SynopsisA courageous and intimate memoir of China framed in ten telling words: a Duckworth contemporary classic, beautifully repackaged for our 125th anniversaryTrade Review‘A brilliant memoir of China… Throughout this beautifully narrated, carefully analytical and at times personally courageous book, Yu shows the dark side of China’s economic “miracle” Guardian'Caustic and difficult to forget, China in Ten Words is a people’s eye view of a world in which the people have little place' The Times'Gripping… it astounds me that Yu Hua has not already joined Nobel Peace Prize-winner Liu Xiaobo and a growing number of other outspoken intellectuals behind bars' Jonathan Mirsky, Literary Review

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Book SynopsisAn intimate memoir from Peter Levine, renowned developer of Somatic Experiencing and bestselling author of Waking the Tiger. In this intimate memoir, renowned developer of Somatic Experiencing Peter A. Levine shares his personal journey to heal his own severe childhood trauma as well as offering profound insights into the evolution of his innovative trauma healing method. Casting himself as a modern-day Chiron, the wounded healer of Greek mythology, Dr. Levine describes, in graphic detail, the violence of his childhood juxtaposed with specific happy and exuberant memories, which helped him prepare for coming to terms with his horrifying experiences. He shares his inner experience of being guided through Somatic Experiencing (SE) to illuminate and untangle his traumatic wounds and describes the mysterious and unexpected dreams and visions that have guided him through his life’s work. Exploring his dream visitations from Albert Einstein in dept

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES NO 1 BESTSELLER  *  ONE OF NME's BEST MUSIC BOOKS OF 2021  *  ONE OF VARIETY'S BEST MUSIC BOOKS OF 2021  *  INCLUDED IN AUDIBLE'S BEST OF THE YEAR LISTSo, I’ve written a book.   Having entertained the idea for years, and even offered a few questionable opportunities (‘It’s a piece of cake! Just do four hours of interviews, find someone else to write it, put your face on the cover, and voila!’), I have decided to write these stories just as I have always done, in my own hand. The joy that I have felt from chronicling these tales is not unlike listening back to a song that I’ve recorded and can’t wait to share with the world, or reading a primitive journal entry from a stained notebook, or even hearing my voice bounce between the Kiss posters on my wall as a child.    This certainly doesn’t meaTrade Review'Thoroughly entertaining... His tone remains unwavering: good-natured, self-deprecating and eternally positive. He reads as if he’s bouncing on the spot. It’s impossible not to be won over by him… With the flair of a natural raconteur, Grohl broadly makes the job of a rock superstar out to be tremendous fun… Sometimes the good guys do win.' -- Paul Rees * Daily Express *'His incredible memoir is packed with extraordinary anecdotes about Nirvana, Iggy Pop, and even Sir Paul McCartney. Oh my, what a wonderful read this is – the man has lived a million lives.' -- Natasha Harding * Sun *'For anyone interested in how a hyperactive misfit from Virginia became a third of Nirvana and went on to become a stadium-filling star with his own Foo Fighters, The Storyteller lives up to its billing... Those years spent crammed into vans, living off fumes and the kindness of female mud wrestlers are some of the most vivid here. The camaraderie and sudden violence of the international punk ecosystem is beautifully evoked... Grohl is a lively and thoughtful writer.' -- Kitty Empire * Observer *'Just strap yourself in for smooth, well-told tales by a man for whom "dumb luck seems to be my speciality".' -- Tony Clayton-Lea * Irish Times *'Dave Grohl has plenty of tales of musical obsession, dizzying highs and dreadful lows. But more than the music, this memoir is an ode to family, both biological and chosen... A warm, funny and natural storyteller, Grohl spins a fine yarn, self-deprecating and pinging from subject to subject before circling back to his original point.' -- Emma Johnston * Classic Rock *'He writes brilliantly and candidly about the runaway train that was Nirvana, and watching Kurt Cobain fading away before his eyes on the set of the "Come As You Are" video. Most like Bruce Springsteen's autobiography in terms of its author's honesty, drive and self-deprecating humour, Grohl's inherent constancy and resilience comes across on every page.' -- Tom Doyle * Mojo *'The nicest guy in rock delivers a book to match. Charming...[an] uplifting spirit is shot through his memoir, which has the everyman charm of Grohl's personality. Grohl’s warm and conversational prose ensures the stories he does write about are vivid… Juggling stardom with family life has rarely been written about better.' * Record Collector *'A life-affirming ode to his love of music that skeeters through some of music’s biggest names over the past 30 years.' * Stylist, Books of the Year *

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Book SynopsisRORY CELLAN-JONES was the BBC's principal technology correspondent until 2021. He now writes an influential Substack column on medical innovation, tech and his beloved Romanian rescue dog, Sophie. Through this and his Twitter following @ruskin147 he spreads awareness of technological developments in the fields of medicine, health care and more specifically Parkinson's. Together with Jeremy Paxman and several others he has begun a new podcast on Parkinson's called Movers and Shakers. He also shares the progress of #SophiefromRomania on @ruskin147.

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Book SynopsisMichael's newfound career started with an impulsive move to Barcelona, a vanished job assignment, no work visa, and an Hermes scarf sold on eBay to generate some quick cash. But soon the resourceful Michael discovered the truth about the waiting list and figured out the secret to getting Hermes to part with one of these precious bags.Trade Review"Funny, whip-smart... Both a hilarious raid on fashion's strongholds and a memoir that satisfies like a novel. Fashion die-hards, and many others, will be delighted from beginning to end." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "The one-step, one-stop shop guide to buying a Birkin." -- Huffington Post "The one-step, one-stop shop guide to buying a Birkin." -- Arianna Huffington, Huffington Post " [Tonello] reveals the key to scoring that Holy Grail of handbags in a clever memoir." -- Boston Herald "In his peppy, addictive memoir ... [Tonello] details the comical lengths to which he's gone to snag hundreds of Birkins that he then sells (with a steep mark-up) on eBay." -- moderntonic.com "The perfect, fluffy and fun beach read." -- glamour.com "A witty and engaging retrospective on [Tonello's] long career traipsing the globe as a purveyor of the Birkin bag." -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "[A] sunny memoir... The prose is vivid, the tone lighthearted. Mr. Tonello comes off as the fantasy gay best friend immortalized in contemporary women's fiction: sassy, plucky, optimistic-oh, and he can get you a Birkin." -- Wall Street Journal "[A] memoir of ... madcap travels, triumphs and humiliations. [Tonello] peels back the layers of pretension at the eminent design house... Anyone who's ever stepped into a luxury boutique and felt the sting of the doorman's disapproval will find a hero in Tonello." -- Miami Herald "Tonello recounts the strange and serendipitous tale of how he went from cleaning out his closet to being one of the busiest Internet resellers of Birkin bags in the world." -- The Globe and Mail Boston Globe bestseller -- No Source "Fascinating... The sassy and resourceful Tonello built a very lucrative eBay resale business from his apartment, specializing in Hermes scarves and the French luxury purveyor's highly desired Birkin bag. It's hard not to be swept up in his delightful one-man Birkin Brigades." -- Minneapolis Star Tribune "A deliciously addictive true tale of continent-hopping, celebrity-schmoozing, and a crazy-like-a-fox quest for that Hermes "it" bag, the Birkin. Haute read, indeed." -- straight.com "This summer's most adorable chick-lit book... It's smart. It's fizzy. It's amusingly snarky, with attitude to burn. " -- New York Times "Part comedy, part history, part treasure hunt, Michael Tonello's memoir is a romping sociological inquiry. If you're like me, you'll be transfixed and wanting more!" -- Tim Gunn "Hermes' worst nightmare." -- New York Daily News "I devoured, and adored Bringing Home the Birkin, the story of how one man turned the fashionable set's obsession with Hermes' signature handbag into a handsome, globe-trotting career." -- Jennifer Weiner, Author of Good in Bed and In Her Shoes "A deliciously quick nonfiction read." -- Charlotte Observer "Funny, thrilling, chock-full of great cocktail-party stories told with the flair of a natural raconteur." -- "The Year in Books 2008," Chicago Center for Literature and Photography "The fashion world is about to be handed its own Da Vinci Code with Bringing Home the Birkin." -- Maclean's

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewGorgeously written, humorous, compelling, life affirming -- Justin Webb * Mail on Sunday *Beautifully written and disarmingly candid . . . leavened with telling asides, poignant vignettes, painterly character sketches and an occasional corker of a joke -- Tony Allen-Mills * The Sunday Times *As a work of political literature A Promised Land is impressive. Obama is a gifted writer -- Gary Younge * Guardian *Barack Obama is as fine a writer as they come . . . the prose gorgeous in places, the detail granular and vivid -- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie * The New York Times *What is unexpected in A Promised Land is not its literary elegance but the former president's candour -- David Olusoga * Observer *I loved A Promised Land . . . President Obama is unusually honest about his experience in the White House, including how isolating it is to be the person who ultimately calls the shots. It's a fascinating look at what it's like to steer a country through challenging timesDeeply enjoyable . . . Obama is such a fluent and warm writer and so good at describing events and people * Daily Express *Beautifully written . . . it's probably the best volume of autobiography from a former president in modern times -- Sean O'Grady * Independent, ***** *Remarkably candid and beautifully written . . . It should bring inspiration for we Brits who want to build our own version of inclusive patriotism here at home -- David Lammy * i *Gives a very human insight into the White House * Stylist *To keep company with his elegant prose, complex conscience and unmistakable intelligence is a cool drink of water after four years of the other guy . . . -- Sam Leith * Spectator *Elegantly written ... Obama comes across as literary, tolerant and dignified. A gifted writer, he maintains the reader's interest for over 700 pages -- Eric Foner * TLS *Deeply enjoyable...Obama is such a fluent and warm writer and so good at describing events and people * Daily Express *His ability to put himself in the shoes of others - even those who treat him with open contempt - is admirable -- Financial TimesHonest, powerful and personal...a must read * OK! magazine *Table of Contents 1: PREFACE 2: PART ONE | THE BET 3: PART TWO | YES WE CAN 4: PART THREE | RENEGADE 5: PART FOUR | THE GOOD FIGHT 6: PART FIVE | THE WORLD AS IT IS 7: PART SIX | IN THE BARREL 8: PART SEVEN | ON THE HIGH WIRE 9: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 10: PHOTOGRAPH CREDITS 11: INDEX

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Book SynopsisNew York Times Bestseller A candid and inspiring memoir from Olympic gold medalist, world champion, and the most decorated US female Olympian in history: Katie Ledecky.Katie Ledecky has won more individual Olympic races than any female swimmer in history. She is a four-time Olympian, a nine-time gold medalist, a twenty-one-time world champion, eight-time NCAA Champion, and a world record-holder in individual swimming events. At the 2024 Olympics in Paris, she became the most decorated US female Olympian of all time. Time and again, the question is posed to her family, her coaches, and to her—what makes her a champion? Now, for the first time, she shares what it takes to compete at an elite level. Again and again, Ledecky has broken records: those of others and, increasingly, her own. She is both consistent and innovative—consistent at setting goals and shattering them, and innovative in the way she approaches her tr

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Book SynopsisMulti-platinum artist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Big Sean shares his five key practices for­ inner work and self-acceptance in this interactive guidebook on maintaining daily mental wellness. Sean Anderson, better known as Big Sean, has reached incredible levels of success in his music career. And while, from the outside, his life looks like a collection of enviable achievements, in truth, he has experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows that come with anxiety and depression. At the age of eighteen, Sean decided to forgo college to sign with Kanye West’s record label. Even though he saw his wildest dreams coming true, almost like a rap fairytale, he found himself contemplating taking his own life. It was in this, his darkest moments, that he started applying the spiritual practices he’d witnessed his mother embrace throughout his childhood from books like The Four Agreements, The Secret, and many more.

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Book Synopsis'Sally's book is an exemplar of the best in the genre' Krishnan Srinivasan,The Statesman A blend of travel writing, memoir, history and current affairs that tells the story of Sri Lanka. A perfect read for first-time visitors, Sri Lankans abroad or at home, or anyone looking to deepen their understanding of one of the world's most fascinating and paradoxical countries. Razeen Sally was born to a Sri Lankan Muslim father and a Welsh mother. Just before his teens, a political conflict tore his family apart and he left Sri Lanka, barely going back for thirty years. When he finally returned home', he spent much of the next decade crisscrossing the island, trying to understand this paradoxical place. Blessed with nature's bounty and an easy, pleasure-loving people, it was nevertheless scarred by ethnic conflict and the violence of civil war. As a native and a tourist, Sally makes an ideal guide to Sri Lanka's past and present. He won't tell you which restaurant has the best reviews or the price of a hotel room. Instead, he will accompany you like a learned friend, sharing his journeys, pointing out the unmissable gems beyond the obvious spots, and unpacking the nation's culture and history. Insightful, intimate and moving, Return to Sri Lanka is an indispensable book, whether you're already familiar with this spectacular country, or planning your first visit.

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Book SynopsisA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA Daily Mail Book of the Year. A Mail on Sunday Book of the Year.Famed American actress Demi Moore at last tells her own story in a surprisingly intimate and emotionally charged memoir.For decades, Demi Moore has been synonymous with celebrity. From iconic film roles to high-profile relationships, Moore has never been far from the spotlight or the headlines.Even as Demi was becoming the highest paid actress in Hollywood, however, she was always outrunning her past, just one step ahead of the doubts and insecurities that defined her childhood. Throughout her rise to fame and during some of the most pivotal moments of her life, Demi battled addiction, body image issues, and childhood trauma that would follow her for years all while juggling a skyrocketing career and at times negative public perception. As her success grew, Demi found herself questioning if she belonged in Hollywood, if she was a good mother, a good actress and, always, if she was simply good enough.As much as her story is about adversity, it is also about tremendous resilience. In this deeply candid and reflective memoir, Demi pulls back the curtain and opens up about her career and personal life laying bare her tumultuous relationship with her mother, her marriages, her struggles balancing stardom with raising a family, and her journey toward open heartedness. Inside Out is a story of survival, success, and surrender a wrenchingly honest portrayal of one woman's at once ordinary and iconic life.

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