Memoirs Books

Book SynopsisIn May 1997, the world watched as Garry Kasparov, the greatest chess player in the world, was defeated for the first time by the IBM supercomputer Deep Blue. It was a watershed moment in the history of technology: machine intelligence had arrived at the point where it could best human intellect. It wasn't a coincidence that Kasparov became the symbol of man's fight against the machines. Chess has long been the fulcrum in development of machine intelligence; the hoax automaton 'The Turk' in the 18th century and Alan Turing's first chess program in 1952 were two early examples of the quest for machines to think like humans -- a talent we measured by their ability to beat their creators at chess. As the pre-eminent chessmaster of the 80s and 90s, it was Kasparov's blessing and his curse to play against each generation's strongest computer champions, contributing to their development and advancing the field. Like all passionate competitors, Kasparov has taken his defeat and learned from Trade ReviewExcellent... No scientist or tech entrepreneur could make the positive case for the digital revolution with the passionate conviction that Kasparov brings. Not many tragic heroes live to tell the tale. This one did * THE TIMES *A gripping account of an intellectual battle like no other.. For fans, it will be like reading Nelson's postmatch analysis of Trafalgar . . . Deep Thinking is both a lesson in not panicking prematurely and a warning about knowing who your real opponent is * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Fascinating . . . an impressively researched history of AI and the field's ongoing obsession with chess . . . with enough detail to satisfy chess enthusiasts, while providing a thrilling narrative for the casual reader. Deep Thinking delivers a rare balance of analysis and narrative, weaving commentary about technological progress with an inside look at one of the most important chess matches ever played -- DEMIS HASSABIS * NATURE *The raw emotion of that encounter in New York bursts out of the pages of Kasparov's gripping story. What is striking, and reassuring, is that far from raging against the machine, Kasparov marvels at the capabilities of computers and is excited by the possibilities for future collaboration.This reads at times like a fast-paced psychological thriller. Chess fans will be engrossed by Kasparov's tale but the book deserves a far broader readership -- John Thornhill * FINANCIAL TIMES *An absorbing, page-turning thriller that weaves a personal account of intellectual combat with the wider picture of what it's like to come up against a powerful corporation that is determined to do whatever it takes to crush opposition. Not just a tale of human vs machine, this is also a story about one man vs The Man. * OBSERVER *As Kasparov recounts in arresting detail what it felt like to compete cognitively with a machine, he extrapolates his experience into an optimistic perspective on how computerized intelligence can enhance rather than overwhelm human brainpower, and instead of eliminating jobs and opportunities, can actually generate them. * BOOKLIST *Garry Kasparov's perspectives on artificial intelligence are borne of personal experience - and despite that, are optimistic, wise and compelling. It's one thing for the giants of Silicon Valley to tell us our future is bright; it is another thing to hear it from the man who squared off with the world's most powerful computer, with the whole world watching, and his very identity at stake. -- CHARLES DUHIGG, author of 'Smarter Faster Better'Intelligent, absorbing...thoughtful reading for anyone interested in human and machine cognition and a must for chess fans * KIRKUS (starred review) *DEEP THINKING is an absorbing, often brilliant book which no chess-lover should miss -- Edward Winter * CHESSHISTORY.COM *The great Garry Kasparov takes on the key economic issue of our time: how we can thrive as humans in a world of thinking machines. This important and optimistic book explains what we as humans are uniquely qualified to do. Instead or wringing our hands about robots, we should all read this book and embrace the future. -- WALTER ISAACSON, author of 'The Innovators'From the man at the epi-center of one of the ten defining moments of the 20th century, a fascinating and insightful overview of how computers came to surpass humans at chess, and what it means for mankind. Deeply researched and clearly exposited, it is also a revealing portrait of what it is like to be a real-life John Henry pitted against the steam hammer. -- KEN ROGOFF, author of 'This Time is Different'A highly human exploration of artificial intelligence, its exciting possibilities and inherent limits. -- MAX LEVCHIN, cofounder of PayPal and CEO of AffirmA book dripping with evangelical zeal * Sunday Business Post *At a time when fears about computer intelligence have become "existential", Kasparov has revisited the experience in a timely, thoughtful memoir. Part page-turning thriller, part meditation on the idea of thinking machines, Deep Thinking is both gripping and measured * Book of the Week, THE WEEK *This book is prompted by the accident of history that meant Garry Kasparov was the finest chess player in the world at the point at which computers exceeded the ability of humans. It is about chess and programming - but also about the wider implications of artificial intelligence * THE TIMES, Science Books of the Year *An entertainingly pugnacious mix of memoir and more general arguments about how we should learn to live with our thinking machines * DAILY TELEGRAPH, Science Books of the Year *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER & BEST GARDENING BOOKS OF 2020 - Sunday Times''Every page a joy'' NIGEL SLATER''From a very early age I loved the countryside as much as any garden and was fascinated by the life that I saw all around me from trees, wildflowers, birds, insects and mammals. In a sense this book has been over sixty years in gestation. I have kept notebooks and journals ever since I could write and I have drawn upon these as well as the events of the past year.''Spend a year with Monty Don. My Garden World is a celebration of every living creature and the natural world that we all share. Recent times have given us the enforced opportunity to learn more about the fascinating natural world around us. Whether you live in the countryside or the town, Monty''s observations and insights are relevant to each and every one of us. My Garden World is Monty Don''s personal journey Trade ReviewAs familiar as a cup of tea and similarly as heartening, Monty Don is something of a gardening legend... this is a very timely and relevant celebration of the world immediately around us - at a time when we really need it. * Cotswold Life *Full of warmth and affection * Edinburgh Evening News **Best Christmas Releases* -- While some gardeners appear bent on suppressing nature, Monty Don loves and works with it. His new book is a celebration of the living world, through which he walks us, following the calendar year, pausing to observe everything from hares to hawthorn. His world is one big garden of delights. * Saga *Both informative and personal * Argus (Brighton) *His world is one big garden of delights. * Saga *Both informative and personal. * Greenock Telegraph *Really rather wonderful. Not only is it a celebration of all that grows in his garden, but of everything else living there too... Every page a joy. * Nigel Slater **Best gardening books of 2020*. This is a gentle and soulful read, full of little "a-ha" moments, that takes us through a calendar year of garden wildlife observations. * The Times {Saturday Review} *Written in Don's typically accessible but engaging prose, My Garden World is our protagonist's latest celebration of his favourite subject. * Irish News *And what better way to celebrate the natural world than with everyone's favourite gardener. Monty Don observes with detail the animals, birds and wildlife that come and go throughout the year, encouraging us to help and preserve the world around us. * Woman *

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Book SynopsisA searing, inventive memoir that interrogates misogyny, heroism and women's power in an often-unsafe world through the lens of Vicky's Foster's own traumatic background.

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Book SynopsisNow a major BAFTA nominated BBC comedy-drama starring BAFTA and Emmy award-winning actor Ben Whishaw. The multi-million copy bestseller now with an exclusive preface by the author.Welcome to the life of a junior doctor: 97-hour weeks, life and death decisions, a constant tsunami of bodily fluids, and the hospital parking meter earns more than you.Scribbled in secret after endless days, sleepless nights and missed weekends, Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt provides a no-holds-barred account of his time on the NHS front line. Hilarious, horrifying and heartbreaking, this diary is everything you wanted to know – and more than a few things you didn't – about life on and off the hospital ward.‘Painfully funny. The pain and the funniness somehow add up to something entirely good, entirely noble and entirely loveable.' - Stephen FrySunday Times Number One Bestseller for over a year and winner of a record FOUR National Book Awards: Book of the Year, Non-Fiction Book of the Year, New Writer of the Year and Zoe Ball Book Club Book of the Year.The BBC series was Winner of Best Longform Drama at the The Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards and Best Drama at the Broadcast Awards. Critics' Choice Awards nominee for 'Best Limited Series' and 'Best Actor'.Trade ReviewI’d prescribe this book to anyone and everyone. It's laugh-out-loud funny, heartbreakingly sad and gives you the lowdown on what it’s like to be holding it together while serving on the front line of our beloved but beleaguered NHS. It’s wonderful -- Jonathan RossSo clinically funny and politically important for supporters of the NHS that it should be given out on prescription * Guardian *Painfully funny. The pain and the funniness somehow add up to something entirely good, entirely noble and entirely loveable. -- Stephen FryFinally a true picture of the harrowing, hilarious and ultimately chaotic life of the junior doctor in all its gory glory, dark comedy and unavoidable sadness. A blisteringly funny account shot through with harrowing detail, many pertinent truths and the humanity we all hope doctors conceal behind their unflappable exteriors -- Jo BrandAs hilarious as it is heartbreaking – and it IS heartbreaking (also hilarious) -- Charlie BrookerBlisteringly funny, politically enraging and often heartbreaking . . . hilarious . . . brimming not just with humour but with humanity . . . This should be a wake-up call to all who value the NHS -- Hannah Beckerman * Sunday Express *A funny, excoriatingly revealing, beautiful book -- Dawn FrenchHorrifyingly hilarious and hilariously horrifying -- Danny WallaceA ferociously funny book -- Mark WatsonSuperb -- Pam AyresAs a hypochondriac I was worried about reading Adam Kay’s book. Luckily it’s incredibly funny – so funny, in fact, that it gave me a hernia from laughing -- Joe LycettBy turns witty, gruesome, alarming, and touching. Always illuminating and searingly honest -- Jonathan DimblebyBrilliant -- Mark HaddonTable of ContentsIntroduction - i: Introduction Chapter - 1: House Officer Chapter - 2: Senior House Officer Post 1 Chapter - 3: Senior House Officer Post 2 Chapter - 4: Senior House Officer Post 3 Chapter - 5: Registrar Post 1 Chapter - 6: Registrar Post 2 Chapter - 7: Registrar Post 3 Chapter - 8: Registrar Post 4 Chapter - 9: Senior Registrar Chapter - 10: Aftermath Section - ii: An Open Letter to the Secretary of State for Health Acknowledgements - iii: Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisNick Thompson is the CEO of The Atlantic, an American magazine founded in 1857, which earned the top honor for magazines, General Excellence, at the National Magazine Awards in both 2022 and 2023. In his time as CEO, the company has seen record subscriber growth. Before joining The Atlantic, he was the editor-in-chief of WIRED magazine. He is also a former contributor for CBS News and has previously served as editor. He has long been a competitive runner; in 2021, he set the American record for men 45+ in the 50K race.

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

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2023 LOCUS AWARD FOR NON-FICTIONWINNER OF THE BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION ASSOCIATION AWARD FOR BEST NON-FICTIONFINALIST FOR THE HUGO AWARD FOR BEST RELATED WORKSHORTLISTED FOR THE BRITISH FANTASY AWARD FOR BEST NON-FICTION'Always readable, illuminating and honest. It made me miss the real Terry.' - Neil Gaiman'Sometimes joyfully, sometimes painfully, intimate . . . it is wonderful to have this closeup picture of the writer's working life.' - Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Observer--------At the time of his death in 2015, award-winning and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett was working on his finest story yet - his own.The creator of the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series, Terry Pratchett was known and loved around the world for his hugely popular books, his smart satirical humour and the humanity of his campaign work. But that's only part of the picture.Before his untimely death, Terry was writing a memoir: the story of a boy who aged six was told by his teacher that he would never amount to anything and spent the rest of his life proving him wrong. For Terry lived a life full of astonishing achievements: becoming one of the UK's bestselling and most beloved writers, winning the prestigious Carnegie Medal and being awarded a knighthood.Now, the book Terry sadly couldn't finish has been written by Rob Wilkins, his former assistant, friend and now head of the Pratchett literary estate. Drawing on his own extensive memories, along with those of the author's family, friends and colleagues, Rob unveils the full picture of Terry's life - from childhood to his astonishing writing career, and how he met and coped with what he called the 'Embuggerance' of Alzheimer's disease.A deeply moving and personal portrait of the extraordinary life of Sir Terry Pratchett, written with unparalleled insight and filled with funny anecdotes, this is the only official biography of one of our finest authors.--------'Spins magic from mundanity in precisely the way Pratchett himself did.' - Telegraph'As frank, funny and unsentimental as anything its subject might have produced himself.' - Mail on SundayTrade ReviewAlways readable, illuminating and honest. It made me miss the real Terry. * Neil Gaiman *Heart breaking and funny . . . sometimes joyfully, sometimes painfully, intimate . . . it is wonderful to have this closeup picture of the writer's working life. -- Frank Cottrell-Boyce * Observer *The joy of this biography . . . is that it spins magic from mundanity in precisely the way Pratchett himself did. * The Telegraph *No one, after Pratchett's wife, Lyn, and daughter, Rhianna, knew the author as well as Wilkins. I wept through the last 20 pages - beautifully done - charting Pratchett's decline in a way that is both sensitive and unsparing. * The Times *Fond, funny and conveys a pitch-perfect sense of how Pratchett managed to take the elements of his 1950s working-class childhood . . . and turn it into a universe of limitless richness and invention. * Mail on Sunday *The friendship and affection between the pair shines through every page . . . Of course, [Pratchett] fans will love the book . . . and even casual readers will delight in tales of his idiosyncratic passions. * Independent *A biography almost as funny and perceptive as one of Terry's novels . . . a rich, deeply affectionate portrait of a unique personality . . . it's a joy to see the much-missed author spring back into technicolour life in this fascinating and deeply moving tribute. * Daily Express *A moving and acutely observed account . . . Pratchett's magical mind, and dementia, by the man who knew him best. * The Sunday Times *Wilkins has many advantages over most biographers, having not only known his subject well, but taken down notes while he was alive for his projected memoir. The result, at times, is like a ventriloquist act, with Pratchett's voice and personality emerging loud and clear. * The Herald *Both more and less than a biography . . . full of insights and revelations, in many ways the sort of thing Prathett might have written about himself, proud of what has been done, honest about the process . . . written with intelligence and compassion. -- Christopher Priest * The Times Literary Supplement *Reduced me to tears of both laughter and heartbreak. -- Charlotte Heathcote * Daily Mirror *Lively and affectionate, this is not a critical biography, but nor is it sycophantic. It shows Pratchett as brilliant and generous, but also cantakerous, with a ruthless sense of the ridiculous. * i News *A fabulous addition to any Pratchett library. * SFX *It isn't surprising that what most recommends this book is the anecdotes, amusing or sombre or often a mix of the two . . . It captures the spirit of Pratchett's writing by telling hard truths through an enjoyable-to-read layer and inspires rage, laughter and sadness in turns. * The Sydney Morning Herald *A captivating and in-depth account . . . [the] use of first-hand source material is very effective in relaying Pratchett's own take on many aspects of his life and career and, with Wilkins' additions and occasional fact-checking, it makes for a highly readable and enjoyable biography. * The AU Review *Wilkins is a faithful and comprehensive documenter of Pratchett's life . . . moving and sensitive. * Canberra Times *

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Book Synopsis'During downtime on the pottery throwdown Keith made my hair curl with some of his tales - he's a great raconteur and recounts his story in this book as he does in real life - with joy, charm & mischief.' - Sara Cox'Fans of Throw Down will enjoy this warm autobiography.' - Daily Mail'An engaging read by an endearing, unassuming man who has always stayed true to his passions.' - Daily MirrorBallet dancer. Front man in an almost famous band. Judge on The Great Pottery Throwdown. How did all that happen?By accident mostly. But I always say we make our own luck. What if an art teacher hadn't given me a lump of clay? What if the band had been really successful? What if I hadn't taken a photograph of a bowl to the buyer at Heals in London? What if she'd hated it? Or hadn't seen it... What if I hadn't agreed to dress up as Adele to make a crazy YouTube video? Every chapter of my book is based around an object (usually a pot) that's been significant in my life. It's just a trigger to let me go off in a lot of different directions and tell a few stories. A lot of stories. Dyslexia. The art teacher who changed my life. My Mother. My Father. A life-changing job interview with a man who lay under his car throughout. That video.Sifting through half-forgotten memories, trying to pick out the golden nuggets from the stuff that is definitely dross has been a curious, and at times hilarious, sometimes sad, but definitely enlightening process. So here it is - my pottery life with some very loud music and some pretty good dancing. And a lot of throwing, fettling and firing. Oh ...and a good dose of anxiety.

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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.__________

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Book SynopsisA unique combination of memoir and artistic biography, interspersed with original artworks, from the acclaimed artist and author of SELF-PORTRAIT.We are both painters. We can connect to each other through images, in our own unvoiced language. But I will try and reach you with words. Through talking to you I may come alive and begin to speak.Celia Paul has felt a lifelong connection to the artist Gwen John. There are extraordinary parallels in their lives and work. Both have always made art on their own terms. Both were involved with older male artists. Both worked hard to keep themselves and the sacred flame of their creativity from being extinguished by others.Letters to Gwen John is Paul's imagined correspondence with this groundbreaking painter. These intimate, passionate, haunting letters offer a unique form of memoir and conversation, and an unforgettable insight into a life devoted to making art.''Beautiful, tender, and r

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Book SynopsisUnhappy Achiever is a ​story of healing, of revolutionary awakening—of what happens when we summon our courage to step out from behind the mask of the “good girl” to wholeheartedly embrace our true selves and the joy of being perfectly imperfect.  It’s no secret that women have been sold a bill of goods: we’re taught we can—and should—have it all and that happiness is ours for the taking…if. If we go to college and become a degreed professional. If we marry someone respectable and buy a house in a picturesque neighborhood. If we become the proud parents of two children. If we land our dream job, get promoted, or make partner. Women spend decades, even lifetimes, believing: If I can just do—or have—or become—that one thing, I’ll be satisfied, content, complete.  Many of us nearly “do” ourselves to death, sacrificing health and relationships to arrive at some elusive, “ultimate” point of existence. Still, no matter how much we do, genuine satisfaction evades us. And the parts of us we sought to fill with the trappings of wealth, power, goodness, and praise somehow feel emptier than before. All the while, missing the most fundamental key to our happiness—the joy of inner fulfillment.  For most of her life, journalist, public speaker, and former lawyer Ashley Jordan ingested the commodified myth, bought and sold on the open market of capitalist culture, that what was missing inside her could be fixed by something outside her. Then, shortly after her 37th birthday, life cracked her open. An unexpected trigger sent her spiraling into the darkness of traumatic grief she buried when she was 13 years old. These memories inspired a new perspective: love isn’t earned by what we do, have, or become. That everything Ashley needed to be, she already was at 37, at 13, and since the moment her soul made its home in her body.  Deeply personal and openly forthright in the style of Erica L. Sanchez’s Crying in the Bathroom and told with the tender and soulful storytelling of Shauna Niequist''s Present Over Perfect, this is an intimate memoir of one unhappy achiever’s journey to discover the self underneath the accomplishments. Conjuring the courage to upend every aspect of her existence—from her friendships to her career to her marriage—to make her life more reflective of her heart’s deepest desires, Ashley shares stories of healing from loss, her struggle with eating disorders, perfectionism, stories of love and friendship, and the complex relationship between mother and daughter—and what we go on to teach our own daughters about self-worth.  Unhappy Achiever is the story of how we use masks of achievement to buffer against the world and protect us from pain, how these masks keep us disconnected from ourselves and distanced from those around us—and ultimately, the magic, wisdom, and wholeness we encounter when we exist unencumbered and unobscured by external pursuits. 

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Book SynopsisAll Change is a true insider's story of turbulent times in the media in the second half of the 20th century when Clive Bradley worked at the heart of broadcasting, newspaper, book publishing and politics.

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Book SynopsisAs the lead singer of Modern Romance, he toured the world, as the screenwriter of Kinky Boots he conquered Hollywood, now comes Geoff Deane s latest act as a quite brilliant and witty ranconteur in his memoir From Mohair Suits to Kinky Boots .

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Book SynopsisCaught between these covers is the authentic, forthright voice of Christian Watt, servant girl, lady?s maid and fishwife. Born in 1833, her working life began in domestic service before the age of nine and ended with her selling her husband?s catch from door to door. The tragic death of most of her close male family ? her husband, four brothers and her favorite child ? drowned by a sudden squall that sunk their boat, robbed her of her sanity. But cared for in the remarkable Cornhill Asylum in Aberdeen, a kindly doctor encouraged her to write her memoirs in pencil. In 1983 this bundle of papers, which included other family documents, was turned into a book by the historian David Fraser, and has been saluted as the Montaillou of Scotland.

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Book SynopsisWhen Alice Jolly's second child was stillborn and all subsequent attempts to have another baby failed, she began to consider every possible option, no matter how unorthodox.Shot through with humour and full of hope, Dead Babies and Seaside Towns is an intensely personal account of the search for an alternative way to create a family. As she battles through miscarriage, IVF and failed adoption attempts, Alice finds comfort in the faded charm of Britain's crumbling seaside towns. The journey ultimately leads her and her husband to a small town in Minnesota, and to two remarkable women who offer to make the impossible possible.In this beautifully written book, Alice Jolly describes with a novelist's skill the events that many others have lived through – even if they may feel compelled to keep them hidden. Her decision not to hide but to share them, without a trace of self-pity, turns Dead Babies and Seaside Towns into a universal story: one that begins in tragedy but ends in joy.Trade Review 'The miracle is that this powerfully written book is not only bearable but compulsively readable. It should be grim but it is absolutely not. Jolly's resolute determination to tell the whole, exhausting truth, however searing, emotional, unfashionable, unpalatable or savagely humorous, keeps is turning the pages, well into the night, and cheering her on' Financial Times 'Her account is astonishingly moving and her prose nothing short of hypnotic' Independent 'Beautifully written and brutally honest' Sunday Times 'So beautifully written that you can't stop reading' Woman and Home 'Alice's writing is so precise and courageous it transforms her grief into a deeply powerful sense of hope and defiance' Rowan Pelling 'Painful but also funny, hopeful and ultimately joyful. A really honest account of womanhood and motherhood' The Pool

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Book Synopsis‘One of the most compelling stories I’ve seen about what it’s actually like to serve the American people’ BARACK OBAMA A revelatory, behind-the-scenes account of the Obama presidency and a political memoir about the power of words to change our world This is a book about two people making the most important decisions in the world. One is Barack Obama. The other is Ben Rhodes. A young writer and Washington outsider, Rhodes was plucked from obscurity aged 29. For nearly ten years, he was at the centre of the Obama Administration – first as a speech-writer, then a policy maker, and finally a close collaborator. Here, Rhodes tells the full story of his partnership – and, ultimately, friendship – with a historic president. From the early days of the Obama campaign to the final hours in the Oval Office, he puts us in the room at the most tense and poignant moments in recent history. ‘Vivid, lucid, enjoyable… A compelling account of life in the Obama White House’ Justin Webb, The Times ‘A stylish, beautifully written political memoir’ Colum McCannTrade ReviewBen’s one of the few who’ve been with me since that first presidential campaign. His memoir is one of the most compelling stories I’ve seen about what it’s actually like to serve the American people for eight years in the White House -- BARACK OBAMABen Rhodes … has written a book that reflects the president he served — intelligent, amiable, compelling and principled … a classic coming-of-age story, about the journey from idealism to realism, told with candor and immediacy … There are anecdotes galore, but they illuminate rather than scandalize … Ben Rhodes is a charming and humble guide through an unprecedented presidency … As a result, his achievement is rare for a political memoir: He has written a humane and honorable book * New York Times *Vivid, lucid, enjoyable ... A compelling account of life in the Obama White House -- Justin Webb * The Times *Taut, compelling. -- Peter Conrad * Observer *A page-turning, unfiltered, altogether human look at Barack Obama’s presidency. Ben Rhodes — one of Obama’s closest and most important advisers — opens up the defining issues of the presidency: from the role of race and the rise of conspiracy theories to the hunt for bin Laden, the Syria “red line” debate, and the secret negotiations Ben himself led to normalize ties with Cuba. Insightful, funny, and moving, this is a beautifully observed, essential record of what it was like to be there. -- Samantha Power, Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations

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Book Synopsis''You can live on a shilling a day in Paris if you know how. But it is a complicated business''As a struggling writer in his twenties, Orwell lived as a down-and-out among the poorest members of society. In this, his early memoir, Orwell recalls with vivid clarity his time working as a penniless dishwasher in Paris, pawning clothes to buy a day''s worth of bread and wine, sleeping in bug-infested bunks, trading survival skills and cigarette butts with fellow tramps, and trudging between London''s workhouse spikes for a few hours'' sleep and tea. With all of the sensitivity and compassion that Orwell is known and loved for, he exposed the hardships of poverty and gave readers an unprecedented look at life lived on the fringes of society.This vivid account is an enduring call to support the world''s most vulnerable people and exemplifies his belief that ''The greatest of evils and the worst of crimes is poverty.''WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY KERRY HUDSON

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEARIn Island Dreams, Gavin Francis combines stories of his own travels with psychology, philosophy and myth, shedding new light on the importance of islands and isolation in our collective consciousness. Francis draws on thirty years of island adventures from the Faroe Islands to the Aegean, from the Galapagos to the Andaman Islands. He contrasts these quests for freedom with the demands for commitment required as a doctor, community member and parent. Island Dreams riffs on the twin poles of rest and motion, independence and attachment, never more relevant than in today''s ever-connected world.

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Book SynopsisNatalie Queiroz was eight months pregnant when she was stabbed by her partner in the most vicious attack imaginable. In the space of nine minutes, and in broad daylight, Natalie was stabbed twenty-four times with a carving knife. She suffered horrific wounds to her lungs, liver, stomach and uterus, whilst the knife missed her baby by a margin of two millimeters, before the arteries in her wrists were methodically severed by the hooded attacker she finally realised was her partner and the father of her unborn child. After heroic intervention by passers-by and police, the attack was brought to an end, but her ordeal was not over. An air ambulance rescue was launched, and against all medical odds, Natalie and her baby survived - but not without life-changing physical and emotional damage. Still Standing is the story of one life-shattering event - what came before that fateful day, what happened on it, and how one woman and her baby survived to rebuild and heal together after it. At once a shocking story of evil, manipulation and violence, and a truly moving reminder that a life can be pieced back together, no matter how bad the damage, this book will empower and inspire anyone who has ever faced true adversity to rise up and stand tall.

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Book SynopsisOn screen, Danny Trejo is the most recognisable anti-hero in Hollywood. But off screen, he is so much more. The ultimate hard-knock-lifer, and a true man of the world, he has all the stories, and all the scars. Raised in an abusive home, Danny struggled from an early age with heroin addiction, doing time in some of the country's most notorious prisons, before breaking into acting. Starring in modern classics and cult hits alike, including Heat, Breaking Bad, From Dusk Till Dawn and Sons of Anarchy, Danny has worked with silver-screen icons like Robert De Niro and Charles Bronson. Now, Danny recounts how he survived the horrors of jail, rebuilt his life, and drew inspiration from the adrenaline-fueled robbery heists of his past to forge his on-screen legend. Redemptive and raw, Trejo is an unforgettable journey through tragedy, pain, and success. Told with cowboy appeal, gritty rebel wisdom, and total honesty, these are outlaw stories from the frontiers: the frontiers of prison, of Hollywood, and of life.

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Book SynopsisNot a Fictional Mum makes sure no woman gets left behind' Giovanna Fletcher In this inspiring, topical and painfully funny memoir, Not a Fictional Mum asks what it is that really makes a mum? What Makes a Mum? is a less conventional journey of being mothered and reaching motherhood, from teenage foster care, struggling with infertility and navigating the adoption process. Not a Fictional Mum reveals the policies and statistics that led her to campaign for change, and what emerges is a picture of resilience, determination and hope. A personal account and a manifesto for change, What Makes a Mum? looks at family beyond genetics and offers a guiding hand to anyone in the long and sometimes agonising pursuit of becoming a mother. Funny, clever . . . but above all else real and beautifully written' Lisa Faulkner Opened my eyes to a whole other part of being a mother' Rochelle Humes

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Half a century after three teenage brothers decided to give a career in music a go, the Bee Gees are among the most successful and enduring names in popular music history.Trailblazing their way across pop music since the 1960s, Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb have made their songs Stayin' Alive, How Deep is Your Love, To Love Somebody, and I Started a Joke, timeless.Filled with staggering highs – especially as they became the definitive band of the disco era – The Little Guide to the Bee Gees is packed with quotes perfect for the music-lover in your life and just might help you stay alive.'Contrary to popular belief, we have no leader. We call it a democratic dictatorship.' - Maurice Gibb'We are brothers first, a pop group second.' - Barry Gibb'Show business is something you have to have in you when you're born.' - Robin Gibb

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A NEW YORK TIMES, TIME, WASHINGTON POST, NPR, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, KIRKUS and BOOKRIOT BOOK OF THE YEARLONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARDLONGLISTED FOR THE 2025 ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTIONIt might do all of us some good to reconsider what 'making it' even means. Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, in the 1990s, Hanif Abdurraqib witnessed a golden era of basketball, one in which legends like LeBron James were forged -- and countless others weren't. His lifelong love of the game leads Abdurraqib into a lyrical, historical, and emotionally rich exploration of what it means to make it, who we think deserves success, the tension between excellence and expectation, and the very notion of role models, all of which he expertly weaves together with intimate, personal storytelling. There's Always This Year is a triumph from one of America's most celebrated and insightful writers. It brims with joy, pain, solidarity, comfort, outrage, and hope. No matter the subject, Abdurraqib's exquisite writing is always poetry, always profound, and always a clarion call to radically reimagine how we think about our culture, and ourselves.

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Book SynopsisThe best-selling collection of football facts, stats and stories is back for another fully updated edition!World Football Records 2025 offers lively, fun and fascinating facts and stats from the world of international football. Focusing on all the major world and continental tournaments, national team records, exceptional matches and the stars who made it all possible, this exhaustively researched annual tells the stories of these key moments and the players and coaches behind them.This new edition includes updated stats and facts for all recent major tournaments, awards and international teams. You''ll also find the latest record-breaking achievements of more than 35 featured nations from around the world, including a sidebar with key stats, as well as updates and records for most of the other 170+ FIFA members.

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Book SynopsisDarkly humorous, relatable and unflinchingly honest, Is it My ADHD? gives irreverent insight into what life is truly like for those living with ADHD.

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Book SynopsisA haunting memoir of childhood trauma and narcissistic abuse told with unflinching honesty, sensory depth, and emotional resonance.

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Book SynopsisA beautiful, honest and ultimately uplifting memoir about family grief and ecological breakdown

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Book SynopsisIn 1951 the Australian writers Charmian Clift and George Johnston left grey, post-war London for Greece. Settling first on the tiny island of Kalymnos, then Hydra, their plan was to live simply and focus on their writing, away from the noise of the big city. The result is two of Charmian Clift's best known and most loved books, the memoirs Mermaid Singing and Peel Me a Lotus. Mermaid Singing relays the culture shock and the sheer delight of their first year on the tiny sponge-fishing island of Kalymnos. Clift paints an evocative picture of the characters and sun-drenched rhythms of traditional life, long before backpackers and mass tourism descended. On Hydra, featured in the companion volume, Peel Me a Lotus, Clift and Johnston became the centre of an informal community of artists and writers including the then unknown Leonard Cohen who lodged with them, and his future girlfriend Marianne Ihlen.Trade Review'A really beautiful writer who just puts you right there' Polly Samson. 'They were an inspiration' Leonard Cohen

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Book SynopsisAn engaging portrait of Hampstead Heath – a place rich not just in natural wonders but in history and monuments, emotions and memories, people and places. 'I enjoyed every inch of the way, from Parliament Hill to the Pergola... A late-life little masterpiece' Ferdinand Mount 'A love letter, both to the Heath and to his late wife' Islington Tribune 'An affectionate book which blends personal anecdote, history and interviews' Ham & High The eight hundred acres of Hampstead Heath lie just four miles from central London; and yet unlike the manicured inner-city parks, it feels like the countryside: it has hills and lakes, wild spots and tame spots. Hunter Davies has lived within a stone's throw of Hampstead Heath for more than sixty years and has walked on it nearly every day of his London life. For him, it is not just a place of recreation and relaxation but also a treasure-house of memories and emotions. In The Heath, he visits all parts of this, the largest area of common land in Britain's capital city: from Kenwood House to the Vale of Health, from Parliament Hill to Boudicca's Mound, and from the Ladies Bathing Pond to the fabulous pergola. As he walks, Davies talks to the diverse array of individuals who frequent the Heath: regulars; visitors; dog walkers; stall holders at the weekly farmer's market; famous faces having their morning stroll; twenty-first-century hippies spreading peace, love and happiness.Trade ReviewAn affectionate book which blends personal anecdote, history and interviews with key players from The Heath and Hampstead Society and City of London Corporation, to swimmers and dog walkers * Ham & High *A love letter, both to the Heath and to his late wife... Hunter's portrait of the Heath zips by, as a warm reminder of the familiar, but introducing you to new territory * Islington Tribune *Just like taking a walk on the Heath, most of the book is familiar before pointing out something you had not noticed before * Camden New Journal *I enjoyed every inch of the way, from Parliament Hill to the Pergola... I particularly liked the way [he] gently but remorselessly undermines everyone's preconceptions... A late-life little masterpiece -- Ferdinand MountPRAISE FOR LAKELAND: 'Davies's easy, affable style makes his Lakeland a plum-pie delight of gossip, pictures and facts. This is one to treasure' WI Life. 'Nicely produced and tastefully illustrated, the whole thing enchants from start to finish' The Times 'The generous illustrations to Lakeland are by turns beautiful and quirky. Engravings by artists of the Picturesque evoke the changing past of what Hunter Davies sums up as 'a living place not a museum'' TLS. 'A beautifully produced Lake District miscellany, informed by a lifetime's enthusiasm' TGO Magazine. 'A lovely read for everyone who loves the Lakes' * Cumberland News *

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Book SynopsisIn this heartfelt memoir, spanning the 1950s and '60s, Major Margaret Thomas ARRC rises through the ranks of the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (the QAs), the nursing branch of the British Army, healing injured soldiers far from home as well as educating and recruiting sisters back in Britain.

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Book Synopsis'A work of literature: beautifully written, meticulously structured and heart-rending.' Observer; What if you knew from the beginning how your relationship was going to end? When Jill Hopper first met Arif, they were living in a shared house on the island of Osney in the River Thames. Surrounded by willow trees, birds and reflections, it was an idyllic home. But no sooner had they begun to fall in love than Arif was given the news that he had only a few months to live. Everyone told Jill to walk away, but she was already in too deep. Years later, Jill rediscovers Arif's parting gift - an African seedpod - and finally sets out to trace the elusive patterns that shaped their relationship. The Mahogany Pod is a tender and vital account of what it means to live, and love, fully.Trade Review'A work of literature: beautifully written, meticulously structured and heart-rending.' Observer; 'Written in elegant, lucid prose that comes straight from the heart, The Mahogany Pod is a deeply moving and compelling read. Hopper moves deftly between past and present, alternating moments of almost unbearable poignancy with ones of great hope. This is a powerful tribute to human resilience by a talented writer." Frances Hedges, Harper's Bazaar; "A rich and tender book, The Mahogany Pod is a haunting tribute to a life and to a companionship, a testament to the power and beauty of love which transcends death." Horatio Clare; "The Mahogany Pod is a beautiful exploration of love, loss and the grieving process. Jill Hopper forensically dissects a decades-old tragedy to reveal that those we have loved are never truly lost but remain part of us always, and that pain needs to be faced honestly to become bearable. It is a compassionate, heart-breaking, and uplifting description of love. Spell-binding." Catherine Simpson, author of When I Had a Little Sister; "A searingly beautiful memoir of love and loss, grief and joy. In The Mahogany Pod, Jill captures the seeds of the ending contained within every beginning and the beginnings contained within each end." Wyl Menmuir, Booker Prize-nominated author of The Many; "What I love about this affecting and beautifully written memoir is how it examines the long tail of grief, and how bereavement can last a lifetime, even when in the eyes of the world, you have 'moved on'" The Bookseller, Editor's Choice; 'Deeply personal and in places searingly sad but relatable to anyone who has loved and lost ...Perhaps this is the perfect book to read during a pandemic.' Dan Townend, Daily Mirror

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Book SynopsisAnnie Ernaux’s father died exactly two months after she passed her exams for a teaching certificate. Barely educated and valued since childhood strictly for his labour, Ernaux’s father had grown into a hard, practical man who showed his family little affection. Narrating his slow ascent towards material comfort, Ernaux’s cold observation in A Man’s Place reveals the shame that haunted her father throughout his life. She scrutinizes the importance he attributed to manners and language that came so unnaturally to him as he struggled to provide for his family with a grocery store and cafe in rural France. Over the course of the book, Ernaux grows up to become the uncompromising observer now familiar to the world, while her father matures into old age with a staid appreciation for life as it is and for a daughter he cautiously, even reluctantly admires.Trade Review‘Ernaux has inherited de Beauvoir’s role of chronicler to a generation.’ — Margaret Drabble, New Statesman‘A lesser writer would turn these experiences into misery memoirs, but Ernaux does not ask for our pity – or our admiration. It’s clear from the start that she doesn’t much care whether we like her or not, because she has no interest in herself as an individual entity. She is an emblematic daughter of emblematic French parents, part of an inevitable historical process, which includes breaking away. Her interest is in examining the breakage.... Ernaux is the betrayer and her father the betrayed: this is the narrative undertow that makes A Man's Place so lacerating.’ — Frances Wilson, Telegraph‘Not simply a short biography of man manacled to class assumptions, this is also, ironically, an exercise in the art of unsentimental writing ... The biography is also self-reflexive in its inquiry and suggests the question: what does it mean to contain a life within a number of pages?’ — Mia Colleran, Irish Times ‘Ernaux understands that writing about her parents is a form of betrayal. That she writes about their struggle to understand the middle-class literary world into which she has moved makes that betrayal all the more painful. But still she does it – and it is thrilling to read Ernaux working out, word by word, what she deems appropriate to include in each text. In being willing to show her discomfort, her disdain and her honest, careful consideration of the dilemmas of writing about real, lived lives, Ernaux has struck upon a bold new way to write memoir.’ — Ellen Pierson-Hagger, New Statesman‘No-one writes about family relationships with the nuance, both emotional and analytical, that Ernaux does, and such a reflective, self-critical perspective is even more precious. Her exploration of language in their household is sharp.... It might initially be read as a cold portrait, but the emotions and passionate thought rage through the taut writing. Likened to Simone de Beauvoir for her astute chronicling of a generation, Ernaux’s prose is intimate and unforgettable.’ — Dazed‘An unsentimental portrait of a man loved as a parent, admired as an individual but, because of habits and education, heartbreakingly apart. Moving and memorable.’ — Kirkus‘An affecting portrait of a man whose own peasant upbringing typified the adage that a child should never be better educated than his parents.’ — Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisFor over four decades, Cameron McNeish has chronicled Scotland’s majestic landscapes and the outdoor communities who inhabit them. While much has changed, especially in terms of conservation and access, the hills themselves remain little altered, as do the reasons people visit them. In An Eye to the Hills, Cameron collates a collection of essays and diary entries, which shine the light of experience on memory and renew his vision, sharing his insights with the many people who love Scotland’s outdoors.

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Book Synopsis''A true crime history that reads like a thriller . . . A macabre and fascinating page-turner'' John Douglas, bestselling co-author of Mindhunter ''A great true crime history that reads like one of the best page-turning thrillers . . . Riveting'' Sunday Post ''Scotland Yard: A Bloody History is beautifully researched, elegantly written, and brimming with vivid characters and detail'' Daniel Stashower, bestselling author of American Demon ''Triumphant . . . Indispensable for anyone drawn to true crime and the darker districts of history'' Lindsey Fitzharris, bestselling author of The Butchering Art ''Scotland Yard is a riveting and novelistic deep dive into the true history of one of the world''s great institutions . . . essential reading for anyone even mildly curious about the history of investigative technique'' Alex Grecian, bestselling author of The YardKatherine Webster: dismembered and gutted her former employer, boiling the parts down into a sludge and selling it to the local pub as the ''best dripping''.George Joseph Smith: married several women under different aliases, only to drown each of them while they bathed. Patrick Mahon: swept pregnant Emily Kay off her feet and brought her to his house of horrors, where he chopped her up into 37 different pieces and torched her bones.From the torched bones to the dismembered bodies hidden in haystacks, London has been home to some of the most gruesome murders in history. Based on official case files, trial transcripts and first-hand accounts, Scotland Yard follows some of their most notorious murders to look at how they pushed the police force to its limit, forcing them to grow and develop new techniques. Filled with stories of decapitation, public executions, poisoning and more, Scotland Yard is a fascinating look into some of the most horrific crimes in history and how they''ve shaped the police force into what it is today.

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