Memoirs Books

Book SynopsisIn this striking personal essay and collection of photographs, architect Abele takes us on a visual exploration of his journey with bipolar disorder. From the frenetic energy of Tokyo's cityscape to moments of profound solitude, each image offers a window into the photographer's mind.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING AND THE JAMES TAIT BLACK PRIZE FOR BIOGRAPHY New in paperback: an exhilarating, moving account of life on the wild Danish coast, from one of Denmark's most acclaimed writers 'A beautiful, melancholy account of finding home on a restless coast' Katherine May, author of Wintering This is the story of the windswept coastline that stretches from the northernmost tip of Denmark to the Netherlands, a world of shipwrecks and storm surges, of cold-water surfers and resolute sailors' wives. In spellbinding prose, award-winning writer Dorthe Nors invites the reader to travel through the landscape where her family lived for generations and which she now calls home. It is an extraordinarily powerful and beautiful journey through history and memory - the landscape's as well as her own. ________ FURTHER PRAISE FOR A LINE IN THE WORLD 'A place brimming with memories and strangeness, where storms surge and lighthouses blink... fascinating' Financial Times'A singular prose stylist... Nors is such a great companion, honest and curious and surprising' Max Porter, author of Lanny 'Brilliant... a personal, poetic meditation on this remote edge of windswept landscapes and wildwaters' New York Times 'The perfect winter read, making a virtue of dark nights and frost-bitten winds on the author's native North Sea coast' Observer 'A deep dive into a coastal landscape, both breathtaking and hypnotic' Natasha Carthew, author of Undercurrent: A Cornish Memoir of Poverty, Nature and ResilienceTrade Review'Touchingly personal and poetic, A Line in the World . . . see[s] Nors tussle with a place brimming with memories and strangeness, where storms surge and lighthouses blink . . . fascinating.' - Financial Times'Dorthe Nors's A Line in the World is the perfect winter read, making a virtue of dark nights and frost-bitten winds on the author's native North Sea coast' - Johny Pitts'A personal, poetic meditation on this remote edge of windswept landscapes and wild waters... immediacy and an intimacy filter through her spare, brilliant prose' - Editor's Pick'At its heart this is a book that will speak to anyone who has ever felt their identity being wrought in the schism between urbanism and the wilder beyond. Nors has been forged there, and her poetic, wave-tossed writing speaks of its hold.' - New Statesman'Magic... sometimes funny, sometimes chilling, always involving. This is a wonderful holiday in a very fine writer's heart' - Michael Pye, author of The Edge of the World: How the North Sea Made Us Who We Are

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat does it mean to write about a killer? From an award-winning author comes a tale of a notorious double-murder, a political scandal, and a writer who found himself entangled in this strange, true story.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn inside perspective to global diplomacy from one of the world's foremost diplomats

Read more less

Book SynopsisVeering between fiction, memoir, fairy tale and folklore,The Toweris an extraordinarybook about power, abuse and why we don't always tellthestory we set out to tell.

Read more less

Book SynopsisArt Deco captures the vitality and modernity of the Jazz Age. From the refined interiors of 1920s Paris to the decadent and luxurious glamour of Hollywood, the bold geometry, simplicity of form and luxurious materials of Art Deco still feel distinctly modern today. With a historical overview and examples of stunning interiors, Interior Style: Art Deco explores the design essence of the era.With in-depth professional advice on how to use elements such as pattern, lighting, furniture and textiles, you will find the tools to recreate this sophisticated elegance in your own home.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'It’s a wildly satisfying and moving read ... I loved this special book' – Graham Norton Six years ago, Jo Caulfield was about to go on stage when she found out that her big sister Annie had cancer. Not the best way to start a nationwide comedy tour. But the tour turns out to be a welcome distraction for both sisters. As Jo reports back from various hotels and service stations, they revisit their childhood and adolescence while navigating Annie’s illness, learning through trial and error how to behave when someone you love gets sick. The Funny Thing About Death is a hilarious memoir of two unconventional girls growing up in the 1970s. They didn’t fit in at the Air Force bases they were raised on or the strict convent boarding school they were sent to. The Air Force was obsessed with communists and the nuns were obsessed with the Virgin Mary, neither of which were of interest to Jo or Annie. Annie was witty, spiky and greedy for life, rushing to be ‘interesting’ and experience adventures. She travelled the world and became a screenwriter and broadcaster. Jo was equally rebellious but didn’t have a plan. She just wanted to be interesting like her big sister and thought it might involve eyeliner, smoking and being in a band. Like her stand-up, Jo Caulfield’s caustic wit and razor-sharp observations make her account of life with her sister, even in the worst of times, as entertaining as it is touching and relatable.Trade Review'Profound and very funny...full of brilliantly observational material… extraordinary' * Mail on Sunday *'There’s so much I’d like to say about this book. It’s a wildly satisfying and moving read. Big laughs combined with rare insight and heartbreak. The writing is so readable and unfussy and the humour is done so well, never forced or shoehorned. I loved this special book' -- Graham Norton'I devoured it in one sitting. Loved it: funny, warm, engaging' -- Emma Kennedy, actor, comedian, writer'Suffused with tenderness, warmth and some heartbreaking fragility...Caulfield has delivered a fitting tribute to her sister that, crucially, you suspect Annie would sneakily delight in' * Chortle *'I was blessed to sit in a room making up jokes with Annie Caulfield. Jo has captured her big sister’s sense of humour and humanity beautifully' -- Lenny Henry'Laughter isn’t just for the good times. Laughter is what gets us through the toughest times, and Jo Caulfield demonstrates that beautifully in this heartfelt and hilarious book' -- Jimmy Carr'A remarkable and cathartic read... Caulfield manages to capture the enormity of grief perfectly' * Scots Magazine, Book of the Month *'I knew Jo Caulfield was funny, one of the funniest comics around, but her book is also moving and surprising. A brilliantly engaging read' -- Susan Calman'Jo's writing is a masterclass in letting the catastrophe of loss speak for itself. Amidst heartache and grief shines the joy of the extraordinary sibling bond, so often taken for granted. A superb read' -- Shaparak Khorsandi'Packed with humanity... a reminder that laughter is what gets you through the tears' * Press and Journal *'Warm and tender, frequently very funny and, ultimately, incredibly moving tale of siblings and cancer. Without a shred of mawkishness, the book manages to move seamlessly from funny to tragic' -- Jenny Eclair'Where do you start with the death of a beloved sibling? I wish I’d started on page one of Jo’s book. She navigates the treacherous waters of bereavement and its unpredictable behaviour and emotions in this open, funny, sad, wry and highly readable gem' -- Jo Brand'Excellent writing with heart, truth and comedy rolled into one important journey' -- Helen Lederer'Sweet, brutal, funny, intimate and totally compelling, this is a brilliant meditation on grief and sisterhood - and a celebration of the seemingly inconsequential details and random moments that bind us to each other' -- Viv Groskop'If this book was just a eulogy, that would be more than enough reason to say that you must read this, but it offers readers so much more. It is an inspirational book about love, fragility, loss and the bond between two sisters. Captivatingly told and filled with enchantment, it made me glad I had known Annie and glad that I know Jo' -- Robin Ince'It manages to both break your heart and get you giggling' -- Teddy Jamieson * Sunday Post *'A beautiful, bold portrait of a much-loved sister that will speak to everyone who has loved and lost and everyone who is yet to lose someone. Honest, raw, surprising, life-affirming, and because it's Jo Caulfield, of course, it's very, very funny. You'll laugh, cry, breathe and want to read it again' -- Deborah Frances-White, author and host of The Guilty Feminist'a story of two women carving out their place in the world, each with their experience of not fitting in and their own rebellious spirit' * The Bookseller *'This memoir is every bit as exquisitely funny and poignant as one would expect. Jo's a massive talent' -- Paul Sinha'Caulfield is sharp and funny, capturing childhood eccentricities marvellously, alongside the cathartic necessity of humour in the darker times. Her writing in honest and highly readable, intimate without being mawkish or overly sentimental' -- Victoria Nangle * Beyond the Joke *'Structurally it’s fascinating, as the story of their lives together is juxtaposed with the arc of Annie’s illness... a comforting, moving and on occasion incredibly funny read' -- Phil Jupitus * Irish Independent *'This book conveys the awfulness of grief, but Caulfield’s admiration for Annie - a fellow writer and tremendous wit - makes an even greater impression... Caulfield speaks perceptively about the intricate nature of mourning' -- Julia Bueno * Times Literary Supplement *

Read more less

Book SynopsisOf all weathers, snow is the one that has always affected Marcus Sedgwick the most. While many people's idea of the perfect holiday involves sun, sea an sand, he instead makes trips to cold, snowy parts of the world: Russia, Scandinavia or the Arctic Circle. A few years ago he bought a mountain home, an old chalet d'alpage high in the Haute Savoie, and for the first time he began to understand what it is to live in an environment where extreme snowfall is frequent.Like the six sides of a snowflake, the book has six chapters, each exploring the art, literature and science of snow, as well as his own experiences and memories, asking whether it really did snow more during his boyhood in Kent and whether changing climate patterns might mean,that for some areas of the world, snow may become a thing of the past. He also wonders why snow is so powerful for our imagination, so transformative and as fundamental as our response to darkness, to sunlight.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor Maria, navigating life in all its glory has been accompanied by a steady stream of bicycles. No rule book, just a love of the new and a passion for the open road. Maria details a warm and witty, sometimes difficult ride through childhood, friendships, wealth, fame, reinvention, love and loss. Each bike, each revolution, has contributed to her own evolution and the lessons she has learned along the way. Bumps in the Road gives us the same honesty and humour Maria employs for the many listeners seeking advice in her thirteen years as an agony aunt with Graham Norton. The wheel goes up and the wheel goes down. Happy or sad, life is full of joy, mishaps and annoying obstacles. It’s important to get back in the saddle, keep pedalling up that hill and freewheeling down the other side!Trade Review“As a former leading light in the Legion of Mary and an also-ran for Pope, I can confirm that Maria McErlane is a naughty blasphemer who is destined for the Bad Fire. She is also a national treasure. If you could bottle her spirit, we would all be drinking a case a day by now. Bumps in the Road is completely hilarious — full of priceless insights, brilliant memories, perfect truths and top advice. What a cracking book. It should be given out free on the NHS. Meanwhile, buy it for everybody you love.” Andrew O’Hagan, author of Mayflies

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIreland's best known Funeral Director, and subject of the Award-winning Netflix documentary, The Funeral Director, shares lessons learned from a lifetime dealing with the dead.

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book Synopsis*THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* Could you leave behind all that you know and live in solitude for three decades? This is the extraordinary story of the last true hermit - Christopher Knight.  'This was a breath-taking book to read and many weeks later I am still thinking about the implications for our society and - by extension - for my own life'  Sebastian Junger, bestselling author of The Perfect Storm  'A wry meditation on one man's attempt to escape life's distractions and look inwards, to find meaning not by doing, but by being'Martin Sixsmith, bestselling author of Philomena and Ayesha's Gift 'Not all heroes wear capes. My latest one is a man called Christopher Knight – a silent idol for anyone who has felt the urge to just sack it all off and live the life of a her

Read more less

Book SynopsisUPDATED & EXPANDED EDITION of the NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, including  A full-color, sixteen-page insert with photos that capture Syd & Shea’s journey An epilogue about life and business post-pandemic and the success of the hit Netflix show Dream Home Makeover Make Life Beautiful is the autobiography from Syd and Shea McGee, which offers fans a new and intimate look into how they built their business.Want to live the best version of your life? Read this book and learn how Syd and Shea prioritized their values, defined their goals, and put their dreams into action--going from flat broke to design superstars--all while following their motto to “make life beautiful.” Most importantly, discover how you can do the same!For the one million-plus followers who turn to Syd and Shea McGee for advice on building a beautiful home and life, Make Life Beautiful is a behind-the-scenes look into how the couple transformed Shea’s small room of fabric samples and big dream of becoming a designer into one of the most successful and fastest-growing interior design businesses in the country.Both longtime and new fans will not only gain insight into how the McGees built such a successful company but also be inspired to build an authentic life by applying design principles such as  Embrace the process Get to the next level Find balance Elevate the everyday This is an essential book for  Entrepreneurs Interior designers Working parents Couples building family and career Self-starters Anyone chasing their dreams

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn innovative memoir debut from Maddie Ballard on living a life shaped by patterns and crafting, stitched through with threads of love, family and heritage.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn anonymous barrister offers a shocking, darkly comic and very moving journey through the legal system – and explains how it's failing all of us.The Sunday Times number one bestseller.Winner of the Books are My Bag Non-Fiction Award.Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year.Shortlisted for Specsavers Non-Fiction Book of the Year.You may not wish to think about it, but one day you or someone you love will almost certainly appear in a criminal courtroom. You might be a juror, a victim, a witness or – perhaps through no fault of your own – a defendant. Whatever your role, you’d expect a fair trial.I’m a barrister. I work in the criminal justice system, and every day I see how fairness is not guaranteed. Too often the system fails those it is meant to protect. The innocent are wronged and the guilty allowed to walk free.In The Secret Barrister: Stories of the Law and How It's Broken I want to share some stories from my daily life to show you how the system is broken, who broke it and why we should start caring before it’s too late.A Sunday Times top ten bestseller for twenty-four weeks.‘Eye-opening, funny and horrifying’ – Observer‘Everyone who has any interest in public life should read it’ – Daily MailTrade ReviewBy turns eye-opening, damning and hilarious, the secret barrister lifts the lid on a legal system where the system, the politicians, the lack of funding and sometimes the judges are the real villains and the victims are all of us -- Tim Shipman, author of Fall Out and All Out WarDishes the dirt — or serves up a slice of reality — on what barristers do * The Times *The Secret Barrister can write...everyone who has any interest in public life should read it...this is a book of some brilliance, clearly explained, cogently argued * Daily Mail *What’s so powerful about The Secret Barrister is its ability to connect the dots...revealing a picture that is more a commentary on society as a whole than it is on robing rooms full of horsehair wigs -- Afua Hirsch * Guardian *Takes the reader deep into the bowels of the criminal justice system...the message of this entertaining book is delivered with great skill...the book is at once a lament and a celebration...the justice system as not just for criminals and victims but for all of us - it is the symbol of our nation's humanity * The Times *Funny, frightening, frequently infuriating but above all profoundly human. As a sensitive and knowledgeable storyteller, the Secret Barrister does for lawyers what James Herriot did for vets -- James O'BrienTerrifying and occasionally hilarious... this is an eye-opening, if depressing, account of the practice of law today. Perhaps there is hope, but the author leaves us in no doubt that urgent reform is needed * The Observer *This excellent book will hopefully raise awareness of what has been, until now, a silent crisis. It is at once a vicious polemic, a helpful primer and a cringe-inducing account of one barrister's travails * Daily Telegraph *Funny, angry, mordant, social satire, reform manifesto – The Secret Barrister offers them all in this legal tour de force. Told through often heart-rending stories of victims and victors in a game of legal roulette, a quest for decency and proper standards of legal service shines through the bleakness. If the Secret Barrister has her or his way, it might happen a bit more often. Read this book, hope and pray -- Andrew AdonisIts stories of how the law often fails those whom it is meant to protect – how do barristers feel when someone they believe to be innocent gets banged up for five years? – make for gripping reading. -- John Crace * The Guardian *Fluently and engagingly written...a copy of this book should be placed on the desk of every judge, every trainee lawyer, every would-be lawyer, every politician, and every minister responsible for the legal system * The Literary Review *Stories of The Law and How It's Broken is mordantly clear, chillingly well-observed and terrifyingly funny. I have rarely read a book that filled me with greater fury. Read this, give it to friends, share the Secret Barrister's testimony with strangers - it's a rare and righteous thing -- A.L.Kennedy, Booker-listed author of Serious SweetAn illuminating and timely insight into the legal system, transforming arcane practice into accessible and fascinating anecdote * Sunday Express *An expert and eloquent account of much that has gone wrong with our criminal law procedures: this book is accurate, informative and sensibly points the way to pragmatic reforms -- Geoffrey Robertson QC, author of The Justice GameI suggest that the Leader of the House and all members of the Government read the book by the Secret Barrister * Valerie Vaz, MP, Shadow Leader of the House of Commons *Behold, the book that got me through jury service! A timely and accessible look at today's UK court system, this is a no nonsense explainer on how things work, very much don't work, and how we got here. Who knew that educating yourself about, for example, the history of magistrates, could be so much fun? -- Alexandra Heminsley, The PoolWickedly funny and deadly serious, this brilliant book is an essential read for anyone who cares about justice, fairness and equality before the law. If you felt these things were safe, the Secret Barrister will leave you stunned and aghast at a criminal justice system absolutely broken by cuts across the board, frequently dishing out a travesty of justice. Impassioned, searing and utterly compelling -- Rachel Clarke, author of Your Life in My HandsA brilliant but deeply disturbing book. Using the legal cases of real people, it shows how our criminal justice system is so broken, the innocent end up behind bars while the guilty walk free -- Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion and Co-leader of the Green PartyPowerful points are expressed in a funny but penetrating way: the barrister weaves personal experience with his or her most memorable cases and clients...after you’ve chuckled to yourself, it forces you to reflect on its real meaning * Prospect Magazine *I've read an absolutely amazing, gripping book by The Secret Barrister...it's a bestselling book which is spread, I think, by word of mouth, about their experiences as a criminal barrister...I found it incredibly informative, a must read -- Ed Miliband, Reasons to be Cheerful podcastThe blogger's much-anticipated book is a rallying cry against short sighted governments and an apathetic public...With clarity and eloquence the dozen angry, passionate, frustrated chapters shout their unanimous and damning verdict on a system “close to breaking point”...the book certainly deserves a wider audience * The Brief, The Times *Essential reading for those in, and outside, the law * The Criminal Bar Association *One of the legal blogosphere's hottest properties * The Times on The Secret Barrister Blog *Completely riveting . . . it reveals the good and bad in human beings * The Bookseller - One to Watch *Indispensable * Dominic Lawson, Sunday Times - on The Secret Barrister Blog *Table of ContentsIntroduction - i: Introduction: My Opening Speech Chapter - 1: Welcome to the Criminal Courtroom Chapter - 2: The Wild West: The Magistrates’ Court Chapter - 3: Imprisoning the Innocent: Remand and Bail Chapter - 4: Watching the Guilty Walk Free: Prosecuting on the Cheap Chapter - 5: The Devil’s Greatest Trick: Putting the Victim First Chapter - 6: Defenceless and Indefensible Chapter - 7: Legal Aid Myths and the Innocence Tax Chapter - 8: Trial on Trial: Part I – The Case Against Chapter - 9: Trial on Trial: Part II – The Case for the Defence Chapter - 10: The Big Sentencing Con Chapter - 11: The Courage of Our Convictions: Appeal Chapter - 12: My Closing Speech

Read more less

Book Synopsis'I never imagined that the wind would blow me here, to a kind of isolation I have never experienced... There is never anything out here but my shadow, that no one treads on any more'When Jade's partner leaves the barn that they moved into just weeks before, he leaves a dent in the wall and her life unravelled. Numbed from years in a destructive, abusive relationship, she faces an uncertain future and complete solitude. Slowly, with the help of Devon's salted cliffs and damp forested footpaths, Jade comes back to life and discovers the power of being alone.As Jade reacclimatizes, she considers what it means to live alone. Through conversations with other hermits across the world, Fitton sheds light on the myriad - and often misunderstood - ways of living alone: from monks to hikikomori, and the largely ignored female hermit. Jade questions whether hermitic living is possible in an era of constant communication and increased housing costs as she finds herself financially unstable and itinerant. She realises that home doesn't exist within walls, but within the landscape of her childhood home county.Lyrically written, this is an inspirational story of recovery, of finding home, and of celebrating solitude in the natural world.Trade ReviewA dreamy, beautiful book about the consolations of solitude. In Hermit, Jade wanders a sunlit, windswept, delicately drawn landscape of loss and longing, and in doing so finds the stillness at the centre of herself. Hopeful and open-hearted. -- Cal Flyn, author of 'Islands of Abandonment'A compelling, engrossing memoir that beautifully encapsulates the human experience (both the misery and the magic) of suddenly finding yourself rebuilding life from the ground up, alone. I loved it. * Emma Gannon *Hermit is a beautiful written debut memoir drawing on the hermetic tradition that shows the power of being alone. -- Katherine May, author of WinteringA book of spellbinding brilliance by a writer of rare talent. -- Tristan GooleyThis distinctive, alluring memoir, reminiscent of The Outrun by Amy Liptrot, relates how Fitton slowly learns to live alone and celebrate solitude in the natural world. * The Bookseller *

Read more less

Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2021LONGLISTED FOR THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE 2021''Inspiring''The Guardian''Excellent''Runner''s World''Fascinating'' Publishers Weekly''Brilliant''Ed Vaizey''Through reading this book you will come to understand that the heart and soul of running are to be found in Ethiopia.'' Haile Gebrselassie''Engaging, warm and humane A delight'' TLS''Full of wonderful insights and lessons from a world where the ability to run is viewed as something almost mysterious and magical.'' Adharanand Finn, author of Running with the Kenyans ''Ethiopia is a place where I have been told that energy is controlled by angels and demons and where witchdoctors can help you to acquire another runner''s power. It is a place where an anonymous runner in the forest told me, miming an imaginary scoreboTrade ReviewExcellent * Runner's World *Engaging, warm and humane… A delight * TLS *Through reading this book you will come to understand that the heart and soul of running are to be found in Ethiopia. I welcome everyone to experience the Ethiopian love of running, and to come and have the same life altering experience that Michael had. Running is life! -- Haile GebrselassieInspiring ... evocative and easily paced ... Out of Thin Air peels back the layers of one of the world’s most extraordinary and unexplored sporting cultures, and reveals a powerful simplicity at its core. * The Guardian *Full of wonderful insights and lessons from a world where the ability to run is viewed as something almost mysterious and magical. -- Adharanand FinnOut of Thin Air is marvellous. Crawley is a superb writer, runner and anthropologist. On every page, you'll learn something new about running, and about the culture of the people in the world who do it best. -- Nick Thompson * CEO, The Atlantic *An evocative and clear-eyed portrait of Ethiopian running. -- Ed CaesarOut of Thin Air is a must-read ... We'd happily recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in the sport. For the keen runner, it's a must-have! * Trail Running *A deep dive into the rich and complex culture that produces some of the best runners the world has ever seen. -- Alex Hutchinson * author of Endure *Fascinating ... This big-hearted tale will resonate with readers regardless of whether they’ve ever laced up a pair of running shoes. * Publishers Weekly *You don't have to be a runner to enjoy this book * Woman's Weekly *Superb ... one of our favourite books ... recommended reading for anyone with an interest in distance running. * Athletics Weekly *Table of Contents1 Special Air 2 I Could Have Been a Mesinko Player 3 Following Each Other’s Feet 4 So Good, So Far 5 Field of Dreams 6 Zigzagging to the Top 7 Crazy is Good 8 To Win in Rome Would be Like Winning 1,000 times 9 Why It Makes Sense to Run Up and Down a Hill at 3 a.m. 10 Where Does Energy Come From? 11 Th e Game is Worth the Candle 12 Taking the Air 13 Of Course They Are Trying to Kill Each Other 14 Running is Life Acknowledgements Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Profoundly engaging in depth, with remarkable subtlety and rare, limpid beauty. A must-read'' - Mary GaitskillA luminous memoir about reading, writing and how to find meaning in a lifeWritten over two years while the author battled depression, Dear Friend is a painful and yet richly affirming examination of what makes life worth living. Interweaving personal memoir with a wide-ranging celebration of writers and books, this is a journey of recovery through literature.From William Trevor and Katherine Mansfield to Kierkegaard and Larkin, Yiyun Li traces the themes of time and transformation, presence and absence. Drawing on personal experiences from her difficult childhood in China, she constructs a beautiful, interior exploration of selfhood and what is required to choose life.Trade ReviewReveals, gloriously, the companionship, intimacy, and insight that can come from obsession with the written word * LA Review of Books *Literature, the clash of public and private, human nature itself-these subjects and more are explored with remarkable subtlety and rare, limpid mental beauty. A must-read for anyone trying to stay sane in a world that might be perceived as insane -- Mary Gaitskill, author of The MareWeaving sharp literary criticism with a perceptive narrative about her life as an immigrant in America * The Millions *An intimate memoir of darkest despair... A potent journey of depression that effectively testifies to unbearable pain and the consolation of literature * Kirkus *Quietly forceful, unrelenting... She unfolds an argument with the self, suspicious of the very concept , but not, ultimately, refuse its possibilities -- Eula BissNovelistic scenes, limpid prose, subtly moving emotion... Personal reminiscences [and] literary meditations... Li explores ruptures in time, the difficulty of writing autobiographical fiction, the pleasures of melodrama * Publisher’s Weekly *Publisher's description. A luminous memoir from the award-winning author of The Vagrants and A Thousand Years of Good Prayers. Startlingly original and shining with quiet wisdom, this is the record of a life lived with books and a richly affirming examination of what makes any life worth living. * Penguin *Beautiful and profound... This book is a terribly beautiful gift to the reader -- Neel Mukherjee * New Statesman *A remarkable account of literary life [from] an important and gifted writer... Her new book is a meditation on the fact that literature itself lives and gives life -- Marilynne RobinsonExtraordinary. A storyteller of the first order -- Junot DiazExceptional... one of our major novelists -- Salman RushdieYiyun has the talent, the vision and the respect for life's insoluble mysteries... [she] is the real deal -- Michel FaberA work of arresting revelations...A writer of meticulous reasoning, probing sensitivity, candor, and poise, Li parses mental states with psychological and philosophical precision in a beautifully measured and structured style born of both her scientific and literary backgrounds. * Booklist *Li celebrates the authors who make reading a joyous pursuit, and the details that've made her own life worth living. * Huffington Post *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom New York Times bestselling author Amy Tan, a memoir on her life as a writer, her childhood and the symbiotic relationship between fiction and emotional memory.In Where the Past Begins, bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club and The Valley of Amazement Amy Tan is at her most intimate in revealing the truths and inspirations that underlie her extraordinary fiction.By delving into vivid memories of her traumatic childhood, confessions of self-doubt in her journals and heartbreaking letters to and from her mother, she gathers together evidence of all that made it both unlikely and inevitable that she would become a writer. Through spontaneous storytelling, she shows how a fluid fictional state of mind unleashed near-forgotten memories that became the emotional nucleus of her novels.Tan explores shocking truths uncovered by family memorabilia the real reason behind an I.Q. test she took at age six, why her parents lied about their education, mysteries surrounding her maternal grandmoTrade Review‘Tan writes about her parents with love and frustration and without sentimentality, and some of the book’s most effective sections are the ones that examine how her view of them was affected by discoveries made later in their lives or after their deaths. She also writes with great insight about her own creative process, and how it has been affected by everything from listening to music to chance encounters…This is a compelling exploration of both the personal and creative life of a fascinating woman’ Sunday Business Post ‘Remember Battle Hymn Of The Tiger Mother, the terrifying pushy-mother manifesto written by Chinese-American Amy Chua? Well, this book, by the other famous Chinese-American Amy, bestselling novelist Amy Tan, could be called Post-Battle Hymn Of The Damaged Daughter Of A Tiger Mother. Fascinating’ Daily Mail ‘It is a privilege to be given permission to rummage in any writer’s attic. Where The Past Begins yields treasure under the dust sheets… the introduction is breathtaking – all of Tan’s gifts, the ability to layer images, to command your attention, to shock you with a sudden slipping in of the knife are on display here’ Financial Times ‘She elaborates on the act of writing, the mechanics and results of her own imagination…Tan’s epiphanies and revelations often revive supressed memories…much of her questioning is focused on her mother’s life, parts of which may sound familiar to readers of Tan’s fiction’ Guardian ‘Richly varied, thought-provoking book. Where the Past Begins will surely gratify Tan’s many fans, and likely win her numerous new ones’ US Today Praise for Amy Tan: ‘Chinese-Americans are among the most dynamic, and socially cohesive, ethnic groups in the US … Tan is one of their leading voices’ Sunday Times ‘Tan is a prodigal with her talent. She weaves a dazzling web of unfamiliar colours, smells, tastes and landscapes’ Sunday Telegraph

Read more less

Book Synopsis*WINNER OF BEST SPORTS WRITING AT THE SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2023**Out now: Includes brand new material*THE AWARD-WINNING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'Neville at his authentic best. [He] is the closest thing to a spokesman there is for English football.' Sunday Times'Brilliant.' Mail on Sunday'Gary Neville usually talks a lot of sense, and writes it too . . . Neville's words are timely.' Henry Winter, The Times__________The beautiful game is under threat. The greed and selfishness of the biggest clubs is harming the sport, with smaller clubs struggling for financial survival and supporters being left behind.It's time to fix football.__________Football is the people's game. A sport accessible to everyone and enjoyed by millions around the world.But football is broken. Beneath the glamourous sheen of the Premier League, it's a game that's rusting and rotten. The growing influence and wealth of the biggest teams is harming the game, leaving fans out of pocket and smaller clubs clinging to survival. The European Super League, which looked to eradicate competition in favour of guaranteed profits, was just the beginning.This isn't what football is about. Something's got to change. Enough is enough.Gary Neville has had a front-row seat in football for over 30 years, witnessing the sport at every level - as a player, a coach, a pundit and an owner. Most of all, he's a fan. Shocked by the state of the game, Gary looks to find out how we got into this mess, who's responsible, and what we can do about it.The People's Game is Gary's vision for a brighter future. Drawing on interviews with those at the epicentre of the sport's biggest issues - from the role of ownership to the lack of funding in the football league, the rise in racism, ownership models and the future of the women's game - he explains how football has sleepwalked into this mess and offers a new path forward. With stories from his own playing career, as well as insight into some of the biggest footballing decisions in recent history, this is a total look at the game today.This is a passionate, personal and critical account of how football lost its soul, and what we can do to get it back.__________

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A beautiful, brilliantly written book on grief, self-discovery and swimming'' EMMA GANNON''Immersive and compelling'' CATHY RENTZENBRINK*SHORTLISTED FOR THE NERO BOOK AWARDS 2023*In a bid to fill the empty space left by her brother''s death, Freya sets out with her friend Miri to swim every tidal pool in Britain in a year. The adventure takes them from a pool hidden in the cliffs of Polperro to the quarry lagoon of Abereiddi, via the Trinkie in northernmost Scotland where locals meet each year to give the pool wall a fresh lick of paint. The further Freya travels, the closer she finds herself to memories of her brother. With every swim, the challenge becomes more than just a way to explore the country''s furthest reaches, but a journey of self-discovery.The Tidal Year is a story about the healing power of wild swimming and the space it creates for reflection, rewilding and hope. An exploration of grief in the modern age, it''

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Language is a body, a living creature ... and this creature''s home is the inarticulate as well as the articulate''. John Berger''s work has revolutionized the way we understand visual language. In this new book he writes about language itself, and how it relates to thought, art, song, storytelling and political discourse today. Also containing Berger''s own drawings, notes, memories and reflections on everything from Albert Camus to global capitalism, Confabulations takes us to what is ''true, essential and urgent''.Trade ReviewHis writing ... has changed the way many of us see the world ... Berger has that rare and wonderful gift of being able to make complex thoughts simple -- Kate Kellaway * Observer *John Berger teaches us how to think, how to feel, how to stare at things till we see what we thought wasn't there. But above all he teaches us how to love in the face of adversity. He is a master -- Arundhati RoyOne of the greatest thinkers in postwar Britain * Guardian *He handles thoughts the way an artist handles paint -- Jeanette WintersonBerger is terrific ... Brilliant * Scotsman *

Read more less

Book SynopsisJennifer Saunders'' comic creations have brought joy to millions. From Comic Strip to Comic Relief, from Bolly-swilling Edina in Ab Fab to her takes on Madonna or Mamma Mia, her characters are household names.But it''s Jennifer herself who has a place in all our hearts. This is her funny, moving and frankly bonkers memoir, filled with laughter, friends and occasional heartache - but never misery.BONKERS is full of riotous adventures: accidentally enrolling on a teacher training course with a young Dawn French, bluffing her way to each BBC series, shooting Lulu, trading wild faxes with Joanna Lumley, touring India with Ruby Wax and Goldie Hawn.There''s cancer, too, when she becomes ''Brave Jen''. But her biggest battle is with the bane of her life: the Laws of Procrastination. As she admits, ''There has never been a Plan. Everything has been fairly random, happened by accident or just fallen into place. I''m off now, to do some sweeping...''Prepare to chuckle, whoop, and go BONKERS.Trade ReviewFabulous? Yes. Funny? Absolutely * Mail on Sunday *Beautifully written and frequently hilarious * Guardian *Delightfully funny... she writes with moving honesty * Hello! *Her account of battling breast cancer is as honest as it is uplifting * Daily Mail *'Hilarious and brilliant' -- Kirsty Young * BBC Radio 4 *Endearing and hilarious. If only all celebrity biographies were this funny * Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat is it like to learn that your ordinary, loving father is a serial killer?In 2005, Kerri Rawson opened the door of her apartment to greet an FBI agent who shared the shocking news that her father had been arrested for murdering ten people, including two children.That''s also when she first learned that her father was the notorious serial killer known as BTK, a name he''d given himself that described the horrific way he committed his crimes: bind, torture, kill. As news of his capture spread, the city of Wichita celebrated the end of a thirty-one-year nightmare. For Kerri Rawson, another was just beginning.In the weeks and years that followed, Kerri was plunged into a black hole of horror and disbelief. The same man who had been a loving father, a devoted husband, church president, Boy Scout leader, and a public servant had been using their family as a cover for his heinous crimes since before she was born. Everything she had believed about h

Read more less

Book Synopsis'One of the most successful MI5 undercover surveillance officers of his time.' - Sun'The brutal truth about the war against terror. Fast-paced and gripping.' - Ant Middleton The explosive book from ex-MI5 surveillance officer Tom Marcus takes the reader on a non-stop, adrenalin-fuelled ride as he hunts down those who would do our country harm. Tom spent years working covertly to stop those who want to do us harm. In his bestselling memoir Soldier Spy, he told how he was recruited and described some of his top-secret operations. In I Spy, he takes us deeper undercover as he puts his life on the line once more.I Spy plunges the reader straight into the action as Tom and his team race to prevent terrorists from causing carnage on our streets and outsmart Russian agents, blocking a daring plot that threatens the security of the nation. Relying on their quick wits, training and courage, the extraordinary men and women of MI5 are under intense pressure every day. Not everyone is suited for the work, and Tom shows how the incredibly tough challenges he faced growing up gave him the mental strength and skills to survive in a dangerous world.Gritty and eye-opening, this is a unique insight into a hidden war and the sacrifices made by those who fight it. You will never take your safety for granted again.Trade ReviewOne of the most successful MI5 undercover surveillance officers of his time. * Sun *The brutal truth about the war against terror. Fast-paced and gripping. -- Ant MiddletonA massive operational insight into the war fought on our streets. -- Jason FoxSecret wars fought by heroes who seek no reward. A brilliant read written by a true legend. -- Ollie Ollerton

Read more less

Book SynopsisA bestseller in Germany, Walter Kempowski's autobiographical novel is both a tender coming of age story and a chilling exploration of how one family adjusted to life under the Nazis

Read more less

Book Synopsis'I am one of few Jewish survivors of World War Two, but one of many Jewish people to fight the Nazi regime. My story illustrates what happened to thousands of Jews and non-Jews alike. I have recorded the small details that made up our lives, the sheer luck that saved some of us and the atrocities that led to the deaths of so many, as a tribute to all those who suffered and died...'_______________Selma van de Perre was seventeen when World War Two began. Until then, being Jewish in the Netherlands had been of no consequence. But by 1941 this simple fact had become a matter of life or death. Several times, Selma avoided being rounded up by the Nazis. Then, in an act of defiance, she joined the Resistance movement, using the pseudonym Margareta van der Kuit. For two years 'Marga' risked it all. Using a fake ID, and passing as Aryan she travelled around the country delivering newsletters, sharing information, keeping up morale - doing, as she later explained, what 'had to be done'.In July 1944 her luck ran out. She was transported to Ravensbrück, the women's concentration camp, as a political prisoner. Unlike her parents and sister - who, she would later discover, died in other camps - she survived by using her alias, pretending to be someone else. It was only after the war ended that she was allowed to reclaim her identity and dared to say once again: My name is Selma.Now, at ninety-nine, Selma remains a force of nature. Full of hope and courage, this is her story in her own words.Trade ReviewShows us how to find hope in hopelessness and light in darkness. * EDITH EGER, author of THE CHOICE and THE GIFT *It is impossible not to marvel at her steadiness and courage. * TLS *The most extraordinary story. * James Holland *An incredible tale of heroics and survival. * DAN SNOW *Selma van de Perre risked everything to help defeat Hitler... An incredible life story. * The Mirror *

Read more less

Book Synopsis______________________________________'Engaging, entertaining, brilliantly recounted' Mirror 'Captivating . . . an incredible story' i paper__________________________________MUSIC, FAME AND A LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPSara Dallin and Keren Woodward met in the school playground when they were four. They went on to become international stars and inspired a generation with their music, DIY-style and trailblazing attitudes.Told with humour and authenticity, and filled with never-before-seen photos, Really Saying Something takes us behind the scenes of their early days, the world tours, party games with George Michael, a close friendship with Prodigy's Keith Flint, and hanging out with Andy Warhol in New York.This is a celebration of a life-affirming friendship, with an unbeatable soundtrack.__________________________________'Like something from a movie' Dermot O'Leary'A brilliant autobiography' Martin Kemp'A blast' Metro'What a nostalgia-fest' Kate ThorntonTrade Review[A] touching testament to their lifetime's work, a delightful bedtime story for the Smash Hits generation. -- Best Music Books of 2020 * Sunday Times *Really Saying Something is not the most explicit rock memoir ever, but it may be the happiest. Written in alternate passages over the lockdown, it reassures fans that their idols were having as much fun as they looked like they were in their big hair, floppy dungarees and not quite matching stripy T-shirts on Top of the Pops. * The Times *It's that friendship between Dallin and Woodward that lies at the heart of this engaging, entertaining memoir that recounts career highs and lows, motherhood, break-ups and the menopause....It's all brilliantly recounted. * Mirror *[P]romises to be one of the most entertaining celebrity memoirs of the year * i paper *A blast. * Metro *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2022 'Sparklingly sardonic ... There really is no one like Bennett' Independent 'Filled with elegiac memories and literary gossip ... a major National Treasure' Lynn Barber 4 March. HMQ pictured in the paper at an investiture wearing gloves, presumably as a precaution against Coronavirus. But not just gloves; these are almost gauntlets. I hope they're not the thin end of a precautionary wedge lest Her Majesty end up swathed in protective get-up such as is worn at the average crime scene. 20 March. With Rupert now working from home my life is much easier, as I get regular cups of tea and a lovely hot lunch. A year in and out of lockdown as experienced by Alan Bennett. The diary takes us from the filming of Talking Heads to thoughts on Boris Johnson, from his father's short-lived craze for family fishing trips, to stair lifts, junk shops of old, having a haircut, and encounters on the local park bench. A lyrical afterword describes the journey home to Yorkshire from King's Cross station via fish and chips on Quebec Street, past childhood landmarks of Leeds, through Coniston Cold, over the infant River Aire, and on.Trade ReviewThe dyspeptic Pepys from Yorkshire, Alan Bennett, master of the "absurd and inexplicable" moments of ordinary life, offers up a curation of his thoughts, diaries and essays of the pandemic years that makes for a digestible stocking filler ... his thoughts and writing are as clear-eyed and vigorous as ever * Times Best Biography and Memoir Books of 2022 *From the singular pen of the incomparable Alan Bennett comes a drily witty and endlessly charming diary of life in and out of lockdown, running the gamut from park bench encounters to haircuts to Boris Johnson * Waterstones Best Books of 2022: Biography *Sparklingly sardonic ... There really is no one like Bennett, as this small gem demonstrates -- Martin Chilton * Independent *Filled with elegiac memories and literary gossip ... a major National Treasure -- Lynn Barber * Telegraph *Mournful and witty ... Bennett at his best -- Roger Lewis * Daily Mail *I worship Alan Bennett -- David SedarisHis stories improve with each telling ... Perhaps it is Bennett's long experience as a dramatist that lends his prose such perfect timing -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *Our greatest living writer -- Clive Davis * The Times *He still has the sharpest pen in Britain ... Bennett is at his best when flirting with indecency ... mesmerising and unbearably sad * Daily Telegraph *There is no other writer, certainly none from any other era or nation, quite like Alan Bennett -- David Sexton * Evening Standard *Cleverer and funnier than any one person has a right to be -- John Carey * Sunday Times *His writing remains as deft and seamless as ever -- Kathryn Hughes * The Guardian *Vivid and evocative in the way we've come to expect from him ... the diaries of the inimitable Alan Bennett are always highly anticipated -- Alastair Mabbot * The Herald *He may clearly be increasingly frail but, even in lockdown, Alan Bennett retains his customary waspish wit in the latest tranche of his diaries * Choice *

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''BOOK EVERY YOUNG WOMAN SHOULD READ'' Daily Mail''BOLD AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING'' GlamourAs heard on BBC Radio 4''s Woman''s HourA Stylist pick of the best non-fiction for 2024A Cosmopolitan and Glamour best new book for April 2024TEN MEN, MANY STORIES.At the beginning of the year, Kitty Ruskin decided it was time to embrace her sexuality, taking advantage of all the joys that being young, free and single bring and having fun, easy, no-strings sex with whomsoever she desired.She got on the apps and started swiping. What followed was sometimes sexy, frequently funny, occasionally shocking and, sadly, all too often fraught with pain and danger. It was not the carefree adventure she had envisaged; it was something altogether darker. Ten Men is one woman''s tale told with searing honesty. It''s an exploration of the ''blurred lines'' that even seemingly nice guys can exploit, a meditation on the lack of clarity around consent and a call to arms to combat a culture that seems to thrive on wo

Read more less

Book SynopsisA BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEKIn this endlessly stimulating investigation into 'things coming to an end, artists' last works, time running out', Geoff Dyer sets his own encounter with late middle age against the last days and last achievements of writers, painters, athletes and musicians who've mattered to him throughout his life. He examines Friedrich Nietzsche's breakdown in Turin, Bob Dylan's reinventions of old songs, Beethoven's final quartets, Jean Rhys's return from the dead (while still alive) and much more.Trade ReviewThe Last Days of Roger Federer feels like what Martin Amis called "a transfusion from above", but one from your smartest and funniest friend . . . entertaining . . . wide-ranging, eye-opening . . . His desire to keep going is probably hastening the end, but as long as he keeps his eye sharp and his sense of humour (which is "about so much more than being funny; it's an entire relation to - and view of - the world"), we'll be laughing, and thinking, all the way * * The Times * *Finely crafted . . . The capaciousness of Dyer's themes allow him to roam widely. While he is a connoisseur of the humdrum details of failure - often skilfully crafted for humour with himself as the target - he also has a joyous appreciation of the transcendent and the triumphant . . . Age has come upon him, but youth has not gone. It is knee supports on both legs that now keep him on the tennis court, but like Federer, it is a reserve of flair, touch, timing and a keen eye that keeps him in the game * * Guardian * *Tennis, jazz, Dylan, movies, TV, drugs, Nietzsche, Beethoven. So, why am I laughing? Because Geoff Dyer once again melds commentary and observation with intellect and wit. Bouncing between criticism and memoir, Dyer is one of the few writers whose paragraphs I can immediately reread and get more from. The twists, turns, and delights abound, and when you finally put the book down you think, "Oh, yes, I've always been this smart, haven't I?" -- STEVE MARTINDyer writes amusingly and sometimes poignantly about the feeling of time running out, books he can't finish (other people's, and his own), the vicissitudes of artistic fame and the perversity of being invigorated by thoughts of quitting. Few contemporary prose writers are as abundantly quotable as Dyer * * Spectator * *What a capacious sensibility this cultural magpie has, chatting to the reader in warmly companionable fashion, his prose peppered with self-deprecatory humour and footnoted asides, his erudition never pompous or platitudinous . . . these may be last days for Dyer as they are for Federer, but there's always somewhere else to go, even if it's only inwards * * Daily Telegraph * *The Last Days of Roger Federer isn't about tennis. Rather, it is about endings, and what happens to the creative spirit when one enters the autumn of one's life . . . Impish, fun and endlessly fascinating . . . His skill is to write so vividly that his interests become the reader's, too, no matter how unlikely or esoteric. In other words, his enthusiasm is infectious * * i * *There is a peculiar double joy in reading Geoff Dyer's work. At the initial level, there is the sheer joy of reading his work. On a more rarefied level, there is the pleasure of re-reading it and wondering "just how the goodness did you pull that off?" Exceptionally funny . . . very witty . . . Dyer's work manages the trick of feeling spontaneous, free-wheeling and intimate, and such a feat is hard won and honed * * Scotsman * *Sweetly transcendental . . . a book that despite its gloomy subject, bulges with energy and sings with joy * * Sunday Times * *What a lot of fun this book is. Erudite without being patronising, amusing without being cloying, and thought-provoking without being too head-scratching . The Last Days of Roger Federer is already one of my books of the year * * Irish Independent * *Most authors use language to write about things. Dyer uses things to write about language. He's a clever clogs but he's one of us at the same time. Genius -- SIMON ARMITAGE

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Striking' THE TIMES'Uplifting and moving' BBC RADIO 2'A meditation on connection between humans and animals, and the homes we make in wild places. I was completely immersed' KATHERINE MAYCatherine Munro transforms her life when she moves to Shetland to study the hardy ponies who call this archipelago home. Over the course of her first year, she is welcomed into the rhythms and routines that characterise life at the edge of the world.When faced with personal loss, Catherine finds comfort and connection in the shared lives of the people, animals and wild landscapes of Shetland. Ponies at the Edge of the World is a heartfelt love letter to the beauty and resilience of these magical ponies and their native land. This is a stunning book on community, hope and finding home.Trade Review'Uplifting and moving' * BBC Radio 2 *'Striking' -- The Times'A meditation on connection between humans and animals, and the homes we make in wild places. I was completely immersed in this remote landscape' -- Katherine May, bestselling author of WINTERING'The Shetland isles and Shetland ponies, the double-down dream, woven with admiration, the narrator's craft, and some healthy, clear-eyed insight. I damn loved it' -- John Lewis-Stempel, bestselling author of MEADOWLAND'Poetic and generous' * Times Literary Supplement *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn extraordinary account of searching for the wildness left in our world spanning continents and geological eras, mountains and oceans, animals and birds, the skies and the stars beyond

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Beyond Beliefs' is a compelling and extraordinary true story spanning The First World War, The Great Depression, The Partition of India and The Holocaust. This epic memoir recounts the story of Sohail Husain's parents and grandparents, whose lives were engulfed by momentous events of the 20th century. His parents, Karola and Afzal, were separated by birthplace, race, faith, language and age, but their common experience of unimaginable upheaval and loss ultimately brought them together. Their love story was complicated and unconventional, but enduring. 'Beyond Beliefs' is a testament to human spirit overcoming tragedy and adversity. Sohail's evocative prose delivers a deeply personal insight into his family's journey that spans continents and cultures. It exposes the horrific consequences of war and violent extremism, and the struggles faced by immigrants and refugees, still very relevant today. In places distressing, frequently emotive and sometimes amusing, this powerful thought-provoking homage reveals amazing discoveries, astonishing coincidences and history repeating itself.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis fascinating memoir, 'Life in Eternity', by former Chief Constable Robin Oake, is deeply engaging and reveals a strong and intensely moving anticipation of life to come after death. It is written from Robin's broad understanding of life, stemming from a terrible bereavement that forced the author to review his previously held view of life. 'Life in Eternity' is an account of positive thinking in practice to encourage and - hopefully - overcome even the worst kind of grief. Following the death on duty of his police detective son, Stephen, this book shows and encourages remarkable resilience and practical positivity and is, therefore, a useful and buoyant aid to anyone grieving. It is also, at a different level, an entertaining account of police life told by an extremely experienced former policeman.Table of ContentsContents A biographical note about the author 9 Preface 13 Chapter 1: The dream 17 Chapter 2: Setting the scene 31 Chapter 3: Evangelism and the evangelist 37 Chapter 4: The family 46 Chapter 5: The neighbourhood 51 Chapter 6: Our colleagues at work 60 Chapter 7: In sport? 66 Chapter 8: In the church fellowship 72 Chapter 9: The tools 81 Chapter 10: Other religions 88 Chapter 11: ‘Why?’ and ‘With what?’ 93 Chapter 12: Change? 107 Chapter 13: The final response 122 Chapter 14: Afraid? 129 Chapter 15: Rise to the challenge! 141 Chapter 16: Helps in chatting… know your Bible! 144 Chapter 17: Postscript! 147

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Utterly gripping' - The Guardian 'Fascinating' - The Sunday Times 'Moving' - Scotsman 'Engrossing' - Financial Times Sue Black confronts death every day. As a Professor of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology, she focuses on mortal remains in her lab, at burial sites, at scenes of violence, murder and criminal dismemberment, and when investigating mass fatalities due to war, accident or natural disaster. In All That Remains she reveals the many faces of death she has come to know, using key cases to explore how forensic science has developed, and examining what her life and work has taught her. Do we expect a book about death to be sad? Macabre? Sue's book is neither. There is tragedy, but there is also humour in stories as gripping as the best crime novel. Part memoir, part science, part meditation on death, her book is compassionate, surprisingly funny, and it will make you think about death in a new light. ________ SUE BLACK'S NEW BOOK, WRITTEN IN BONE, IS OUT NOW _________ 'One might expect [this book] to be a grim read but it absolutely isn't. I found it invigorating!' (Andrew Marr, BBC Radio 4 'Start the Week') 'Black's utterly gripping account of her life and career as a professor of anatomy and forensic anthropology manages to be surprisingly life-affirming. As she herself says, it is "as much about life as about death"' (PD Smith Guardian) 'An engrossing memoir . . . an affecting mix of personal and professional' (Erica Wagner, Financial Times) 'A model of how to write about the effect of human evil without losing either objectivity or sensitivity . . . Heartening and anything but morbid . . . Leaves you thinking about what kind of human qualities you value, what kinds of people you actually want to be with' (Rowan Williams, New Statesman) 'For someone whose job is identifying corpses, Sue Black is a cheerful soul . . . All That Remains feels like every episode of 'Silent Witness', pre-fictionalised. Except, you know, really good' (Helen Rumbelow, The Times)Trade ReviewOne might expect [this book] to be a grim read but it absolutely isn’t. I found it invigorating! -- Andrew Marr * BBC Radio 4 'Start the Week' *Black’s utterly gripping account of her life and career as a professor of anatomy and forensic anthropology manages to be surprisingly life-affirming. As she herself says, it is “as much about life as about death”. -- PD Smith * Guardian *An engrossing memoir ... an affecting mix of the personal and professional. -- Erica Wagner * Financial Times *A model of how to write about the effect of human evil without losing either objectivity or sensitivity ... Heartening and anything but morbid... Leaves you thinking about what kind of human qualities you value, what kinds of people you actually want to be with. -- Rowan Williams * New Statesman *For someone whose job is identifying corpses, Sue Black is a cheerful soul ... All That Remains feels like every episode of Silent Witness, pre-fictionalized. Except, you know, really good. -- Helen Rumbelow * The Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe #1 Irish Times bestseller WINNER of the An Post Irish Book Awards 'A clear-eyed, myth-dispelling masterpiece' Marian Keyes 'Sweeping, authoritative and profoundly intelligent' Colm Tóibín, Guardian 'With the pace and twists of an enthralling novel' Irish Times 'Evocative, moving, funny and furious' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times 'An enthralling, panoramic book' Patrick Radden Keefe 'A book that will remain important for a very long time' An Post Irish Book Award We Don't Know Ourselves is a very personal vision of recent Irish history from the year of O'Toole's birth, 1958, down to the present. Ireland has changed almost out of recognition during those decades, and Fintan O'Toole's life coincides with that arc of transformation. The book is a brilliant interweaving of memories (though this is emphatically not a memoir) and engrossing social and historical narrative. This was the era of Eamon de Valera, Jack Lynch, Charles Haughey and John Charles McQuaid, of sectarian civil war in the North and the Pope's triumphant visit in 1979, but also of those who began to speak out against the ruling consensus – feminists, advocates for the rights of children, gay men and women coming out of the shadows. We Don't Know Ourselves is an essential book for anyone who wishes to understand modern Ireland.Trade ReviewA clear-eyed, myth-dispelling masterpiece. Engaging, analytical, insightful, fascinating, this is a hugely important book. Rooting the politics in the personal makes a potentially overwhelming read into a book that reads as easily as a novel -- Marian KeyesWhile his sweeping, authoritative and profoundly intelligent book sees modern Ireland through the lens of his own life and that of his family, it also offers sharp and brilliant analysis of what form change took when it arrived in Ireland -- Colm Tóibín, GuardianScintillating... Combines personal with political on a journey to the heart of Irish identity' * Business Post *A remarkably original, fluent and absorbing book, with the pace and twists of an enthralling novel and the edge of a fine sword, underpinned by a profound humaneness -- Diarmaid Ferriter, Irish TimesOur leading public intellectual has written the bible on incorrigible Irish roguery * Irish Independent *Fintan is now routinely described as 'Ireland's leading public intellectual'... If we must have a hegemony, the best by a long way is the liberal kind. And to know how it happened here, this is the bible' * Sunday Independent *At heart, it's an investigation of the arrival of modernity in Ireland and just how much upheaval it caused * Herald *Ireland's past is here painted by Fintan O'Toole mainly through villains, victims, eccentrics and scandals * BBC History Magazine *An enthralling, panoramic book, a personal history of six decades of Irish life, from one of the foremost chroniclers of contemporary Ireland. With his customary deep erudition and sly wit, O'Toole weaves together an astonishing array of material... Jostling with anecdotes and arresting statistics, We Don't Know Ourselves is a feast: a deeply absorbing chronicle of the 'known and unknowable' and of the profound transformation of a place' -- Patrick Radden KeefeA sweeping thesis about Irish identity... We Don't Know Ourselves may well be the best thing he's ever written' * Sunday Business Post *A personal and empathetic account of the social upheavals his country has weathered since 1958... This is an uplifting, almost playful read, with suggestive analysis lying beneath skilful vignettes' * Financial Times *An illuminating, provocative and very entertaining look at how Ireland has changed over the author's lifetime, with the massive social, economic and political changes since his birth in 1958 linked to episodes in his own story * RTÉ *There's no shirking the stark reality of postwar Ireland, as Fintan O'Toole takes us on a personal journey that mirrors Ireland's seismic shift to modernity... This book's early chapters are among the best I've read about Ireland in the decades after the Second World War, at once evocative, moving, funny and furious' * Sunday Times *Told in beautiful, crisp prose and enlivened by anecdotes from the front line, We Don't Know Ourselves is the story of that victory – with all its ups and downs. Balanced and fearless, it is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand modern Ireland – or thinks they already do * Irish Examiner *A wonderfully readable account of the Irish State's turbulent coming of age and, to my mind, it is the nearest we will come to making sense of who we are how we got here * Irish Independent *This is an essential read for anyone who wishes to understand modern Ireland * The Clare Champion *I'm sure we all have books we're looking forward to over Christmas. Fintan O'Toole's We Don't Know Ourselves [...] is top of my stack * Sunday Independent *An astonishing book, fresh and passionate. Deeply moving but often funny and wry, a chronicle for our times. The most remarkable Irish nonfiction book I've read in the last 10 years -- David McRedmond, Irish TimesTruly, this is a book for the ages -- Maria Dickinson, Irish TimesMasterly, fascinating and frequently horrifying * TLS *Only a writer with O'Toole's experience and finesse could pull off a memoir as audacious as this * Meath Chronicle *A brilliant interweaving of memories (though this is emphatically not a memoir) and engrossing social and historical narrative... An essential book for anyone who wishes to understand modern Ireland * Irish Central *An essential read for anyone who wishes to understand modern Ireland * The Clare Champion *It is a mark of O'Toole's intense gaze that while he does cover the northern tragedy by far the greater part of this powerful book is devoted to the Republic in which he grew up in a working-class Dublin family in the late 1950s * Slugger O'Toole *

Read more less

Book SynopsisLab Girl is a book about work and about love, and the mountains that can be moved when those two things come together. It is told through Jahren''s remarkable stories: about the discoveries she has made in her lab, as well as her struggle to get there; about her childhood playing in her father''s laboratory; about how lab work became a sanctuary for both her heart and her hands; about Bill, the brilliant, wounded man who became her loyal colleague and best friend; about their field trips - sometimes authorised, sometimes very much not - that took them from the Midwest across the USA, to Norway and to Ireland, from the pale skies of North Pole to tropical Hawaii; and about her constant striving to do and be her best, and her unswerving dedication to her life''s work.Visceral, intimate, gloriously candid and sometimes extremely funny, Jahren''s descriptions of her work, her intense relationship with the plants, seeds and soil she studies, and her insights on nature enliven every page of this thrilling book. In Lab Girl, we see anew the complicated power of the natural world, and the power that can come from facing with bravery and conviction the challenge of discovering who you are.Trade Review[Lab Girl] does for botany what Oliver Sacks's essays did for neurology -- Michiko Kakutani * New York Times *Some people are great writers, while other people live lives of adventure and importance. Almost no one does both. Hope Jahren does both. She makes me wish I'd been a scientist -- Ann Patchett, author of State of Wonder and Bel Canto (winner of the Orange Prize)Jahren's journey from struggling student to struggling scientist has the narrative tension of a novel and characters she imbues with real depth . . . Jahren transcends both memoir and science writing in this literary fusion of both genres * Kirkus *Darkly humorous, emotionally raw and exquisitely crafted * Publishers Weekly *This title should be required reading for all budding scientists, especially young women. However being a scientist is not essential in order to savor Jahren's stories and reflections on living * Library Journal *Deeply affecting . . . A belletrist in the mold of Oliver Sacks, [Jahren] is terrific at showing just how science is done . . . Jahren's writing is precise, as befits a scientist who also love words. She's an acute observer, prickly, and funny as hell . . . A totally original work, both fierce and uplifting * Elle (US) *Jahren's singular gift is her ability to convey the everyday wonder of her work: exploring the strange, beautiful universe of living things that endure and evolve and bloom all around us, if we bother to look * Entertainment Weekly *The Jane Goodall of botany . . . I am not sure which is more extraordinary, the plants or the woman who studies them. If the next generation of scientists have role models like Jahren, then the world of science will be better off indeed * Science *this book is delightfully, wickedly funny. I was constantly surprised by the literary tricks this first-time memoirist manages to pull off. With Lab Girl, Jahren has taken the form of the memoir and done something remarkable with it. She's made the experience of reading the book mimic her own lived experience in a way that few writers are capable of. It's a powerful and disarming way to tell a story, and I admire the craft behind it. Mostly, though, I love this book for its honesty, its hilarity and its brilliant sharp edges. Jahren has some serious literary chops * Washington Post *Leaves become elegant machines, soil is the interface between the living and the dead, and seeds, well, they are transformed into the most patient and hopeful of all life forms. Jahren has such a passion for the natural world that it's hard to imagine her in any role other than her current one; a professor of geobiology at the University of Hawaii. Lab Girl is her engaging new memoir, which tells the story of her fight to establish and fund her own research laboratory. And it's been a fascinating journey -- Lucie Green * Observer *Infectious, frank and finely written . . . a wonderful read * Sunday Express *Jahren pulls no punches on the stark realities of being a woman in science . . . Lab Girl is funny, full of joyous moments and often sad * Nature *Lab Girl reads more like a novel than a traditional science book . . . This kind of personal, bittersweet, bruised memoir is emerging as a new way of writing about science - one that will hopefully banish for good the notion that it is just for the boys -- Philip Ball * Prospect *Science is about a passion for ideas and the people who pursue those passions. Hope Jahren captures both in her book, the engrossing story of her love of science and of the adventures she has while pursuing her hunches and hypotheses. -- Helen Pearson * Guardian *This is an absolutely extraordinary book . . . By the end, I was babbling about it to complete strangers and determined to give a copy to just about everyone I know . . . Jahren is not just a scientist, though, but a poet who has given us insight into her mind and her passions, and I feel privileged to have been granted a glimpse * Times Higher Education Supplement *Jahren's literary bent renders dense material digestible, and lyrical . . . a gratifying and often moving chronicle of the scientist's life * Scotsman *Lab Girl is arguably a better motivator for a career in science than any mandatory curriculum * Discover *Clear and compelling but also fiercely tender . . . Jahren refuses to pretend that scientists don't quite often come with more than their share of peculiarities. She captures so precisely the way they dress, talk, and occasionally misunderstand stuff that others take for granted . . . I love Jahren's enthusiasm for her work, an all-encompassing passion for which she won't apologise and which makes her indomitable -- Rachel Cooke * New Statesman *A fascinating account of plants, love and obsession * Mail on Sunday *[A] frank, illuminating and moving memoir . . . Hope's book casts a whole new light on the natural world * Hello *Her memoir, rich in feeling and in facts, is an ode to her profession and to the natural world * Time *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER: the most talked-about book of the yearBlissfully funny'' India Knight, Sunday Times''Entertaining, bracingly honest and, yes, thought-provoking'' New York TimesA treat from first to last: ruefully funny, endlessly self-deprecating, riven with ironies .. I relished this memoir'' IUpdated with a new postscript by Amy Chua and a letter from her eldest daughter, SophiaBattle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is a story about a mother, two daughters, and two dogs. It was supposed to be a story of how Chinese parents are better at raising kids than Western ones. But instead, it''s about a bitter clash of cultures, a fleeting taste of glory, and how you can be humbled by a thirteen-year-old.Witty, entertaining and provocative, this is a unique and important book that will transform your perspective of parenting forever.Trade Review‘Blissfully funny' * India Knight, Sunday Times *When an entire nation reacts so strongly to something you know you have hit a nerve. And Amy did ... she should be applauded for raising these issues with a thoughtful, humorous and authentic voice * Sheryl Sandberg (author of LEAN IN), Time magazine's '100 most influential people in the world' *'Millions of British children could use a Tiger Mother in their tank' * Allison Pearson, Daily Telegraph *‘A treat from first to last: ruefully funny, endlessly self-deprecating, riven with ironies .. I relished this memoir' * Independent *'Entertaining, bracingly honest and, yes, thought-provoking' * New York Times *

Read more less