Memoirs Books

Book SynopsisPaul Caruana Galizia became a journalist after his mother was assassinated and since then has won an Orwell Prize special award, a British Journalism Award and other honours for his reporting. With his brothers, he has received a Magnitsky Human Rights Award and an Anderson-Lucas-Norman Award for campaigning to achieve justice for Daphne.

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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*THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*A deeply honest investigation of what it means to be a woman and a commodity from Emily Ratajkowski, the archetypal, multi-hyphenate celebrity of our time._______________'This is the book for every woman trying to place their body on the map of consumption vs control, and every woman who wants to better understand her impulses. It left me much changed' - Lena Dunham'I read these pages, breathless with recognition, and the thrill of reading a new voice telling it like it is' - Dani Shapiro'Emily Ratajkowski's first essay collection needs to be read by everyone [...] both page-turning and moving as hell' - Amy Schumer'A slow, complicated indictment of a profession and the people who propel it [...] it will deliver a more nuanced and introspective rendering of her interior than those who come to it with those surface interests might expect' - Vogue'Dazzling' - Observer'Ratajkowski brings nuanced insight to questions about empowerment versus commodification of women's bodies and sexuality. Blending cultural criticism and personal stories, My Body is smart and powerful' - Time Magazine'Raw, nuanced and beautifully written. A moving and enlightening experience to join a woman openly exploring such deep parts of her physical self via the written word. A truly impressive debut' - Emma Gannon'Excellent [...] Ratajkowski writes with curiosity, intellect and acute awareness' - Harper's Bazaar'Superb [...] it feels revolutionary' - Telegraph'I admire and envy her artistry' - Guardian_______________Emily Ratajkowski is an acclaimed model and actress, an engaged political progressive, a formidable entrepreneur, a global social media phenomenon, and now, a writer. Rocketing to world fame at age twenty-one, Ratajkowski sparked both praise and furor with the provocative display of her body as an unapologetic statement of feminist empowerment. The subsequent evolution in her thinking about our culture's commodification of women is the subject of this book.My Body is a profoundly personal exploration of feminism, sexuality, and power, of men's treatment of women and women's rationalizations for accepting that treatment. These essays chronicle moments from Ratajkowski's life while investigating the culture's fetishization of girls and female beauty, its obsession with and contempt for women's sexuality, the perverse dynamics of the fashion and film industries, and the grey area between consent and abuse.Nuanced, unflinching, and incisive, My Body marks the debut of a fierce writer brimming with courage and intelligence.Trade ReviewEmily has captured-with the acuity of an early Joan Didion investigating the culture of California-the complicated terrain of having a body people want to sell and having her own agenda she refuses to give up. Her prose is by turns honey smooth and vicious, uproarious and wounded. She knows the pain that lives in every woman and she isn't afraid to link arms and say she's been there, and that it hurts. This is the book for every woman trying to place their body on the map of consumption vs control, and every woman who wants to better understand her impulses. It left me much changed. * Lena Dunham *These powerful essays mark a blazing, unexpected literary debut. Emily Ratajkowski interrogates beauty, sex, power, objectification, fame, and betrayal-both by self and other-with lucidity and scorched-earth honesty. I read these pages, breathless with recognition, and the thrill of reading a new voice telling it like it is. * Dani Shapiro *Emily Ratajkowski's first essay collection needs to be read by everyone. She explores body politics - and the politics of her body - through a uniquely feminist lens in stories that are both page-turning and moving as hell * Amy Schumer *This irresistibly titled debut from supermodel turned writer Emily Ratajkowski fills in some of the story of just how Ratajkowski came to have one of the most famous faces in the world. But more than that, the book is invested in probing what it means to be in possession of such a face. My Body is a memoir, but it's also-like Sweetbitter or In the Land of Men-a slow, complicated indictment of a profession and the people who propel it. Ratajkowski doesn't so much direct blame at any one person or organization as paint a personal picture of what it was like for her to be young, naive, ambitious, and smart-and to feel reduced, far too often, to a collection of body parts. The book will be alluring to anyone who wants to know what it was like to dance in Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" (the cringey video that made Ratajkowski a household name) or what it was like to act alongside Ben Affleck in Gone Girl, but it will deliver a more nuanced and introspective rendering of her interior than those who come to it with those surface interests might expect. * Vogue *Raw, nuanced and beautifully written. A moving and enlightening experience to join a woman openly exploring such deep parts of her physical self via the written word. A truly impressive debut * Emma Gannon *Essential reading * Red magazine *My Body is an excellent - if we excuse the pun - body of work. Ratajkowski writes with curiosity, intellect and acute awareness... What may surprise readers is not so much the quality of the prose, which is excellent, but that it is not an easy, pop-feminism read. It's a searingly personal piece, which frequently asks more questions than it answers * Harper’s Bazaar *When her gaze is on herself it is superb. My Body is the end of Ratajkowski's disassociation. She doesn't answer the question: what is a woman for? How can she? It is a universal question. But at least she asks it, and it feels revolutionary * Telegraph *A quietly furious disquisition on flesh and capitalism * Evening Standard *Emrata's voice... carries huge weight * Independent *These well-written, thought-provoking essays are Emily's way of reasserting her control. They make for fascinating, if depressing, reading * Daily Mirror and Express *Ratajkowski... writes intimately... at time remarkably candid and raw * i News *A thought-provoking read body shaming and what empowerment really means * STELLA magazine *An honest and thoughtful first-hand take on the patriarchy and commodification of the fashion industry * The Skinny *Ratajkowski writes knowingly about the misogyny that is fundamental to the industry * New Statesman *Dazzling * Observer *Model and actress Emily Ratajkowski's compelling essay collection deep-dives feminism, sexuality and power * The Sun *The skill of this book is in the way that Ratajkowski manages to cast her experiences in the glitter-plated hills of Hollywood and LA as entirely relatable which, all things considered, is quite a feat * Litro *Ratajkowski offers a fresh perspective on an age-old problem * Financial Times *I admire and envy her artistry * Guardian *Ratajkowski's feelings of shame and embarrassment after being sexually assaulted are movingly portrayed * Sunday Times *Well worth reading * The Times *A talented writer * Press Association *Ratajkowski delves into society's obsession with image and celebrity * Vogue *My Body has become one of the defining titles of 2021 exploring the uncomfortable and ever-shifting space that commodifies and exploits women's bodies with no easy answers * Stylist *It's really interesting. Emily says things that a lot of us wouldn't say about Instagram - how she thinks about what she posts because of the likes that she gets and how that can mentally control you. It's very honest and very well-written. Sometimes when you see someone beautiful like Emily, you assume that you know her life [but you don't] * Laura Whitmore *A fascinating read * Sheerluxe *The essays in My Body are an effort to grapple with the themes of power and control in a society where the female body - or at least one that looks like hers - is a valuable commodity * The Sunday Times *My Body is both an acknowledgement and a lament that [Emily's] physique and beauty are at the heart of her fame and success * Metro *A brilliant, beautiful read * Poorna Bell *A raw, powerful and reassuring read * Cosmo *My Body is genuine, powerful, and often eerily relatable * The Critic *There's no winning, but perhaps that means there's no real losing either: Any art, any writing, any attempt to detangle ourselves from the cruel stagnation of body-shaming is progress. My Body doesn't cut as deep as I want, but it cuts all the same * Buzzfeed *If you read (and liked) her hugely popular essay for The Cut last year, then model Emily Ratajkowski's new book is sure to tickle your fancy too * Image *Many stories are heartbreaking * Yorkshire Post *Ratajkowski, now 30, writes intimately and her essays are lucid * i paper and The Scotsman *The essay provokes an interesting debate on image ownership in an age where we constantly post ourselves online; who owns a photo - the subject or the model? * Reaction *Ratajkowski takes a subject that has obsessed tabloid media for years * Sunday Independent *A compelling portrait of loneliness, loss and the spiritual cost of choosing to pick up the tools you were handed to play by someone else's rules * VICE *An accomplished debut * Image magazine *An eye-opening read * The Times *In her thoughtful essay collection, Ratajkowski discusses the power and vulnerability of beauty, her relationship with her mother, and her experience of sexual violence and having her image exploited by men * Daily Mail *These well-written essays are Emily's way of reasserting control and are thought-provoking reading * Express *A deeply honest investigation into what it means to be a woman * Image Magazine *

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Book Synopsis*The memoirs of Boris Johnson, complete and unabridged, including all the great material he had to take out for being either too incendiary or too obviously made up*Ghostwritten by Lucien Young, while Boris was sunbathing on a donor's private island.Offering a comprehensive account of his meteoric rise (and even more meteoric fall) we follow Boris from Eton and the Bullingdon club, via stints in journalism and as London mayor, before finally making it into Number 10 via slick and sophisticated campaign tactics such as lying and hiding in a fridge. It will outline in bonce-combusting detail the up and downs - but mostly ups! - of his tenure in Downing Street, from Getting Brexit Done and battling the Wizards of Woke, to nearly dying because he shook too many hands. This is BoJo as you've never seen him before.

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Book SynopsisMerging biography, memoir, and cultural history, this compelling book, a bestseller in France, traces the life of Dora Maar (1907-1997) through a serendipitous encounter with the artist's address book In search of a replacement for his lost Hermes agenda, Brigitte Benkemoun's husband buys a vintage diary on eBay. When it arrives, she opens it and finds inside private notes dating back to 1951-twenty pages of phone numbers and addresses for Balthus, Brassai, Andre Breton, Jean Cocteau, Paul Eluard, Leonor Fini, Jacqueline Lamba, and other artistic luminaries of the European avant-garde. After realizing that the address book belonged to Dora Maar-Picasso's famous "Weeping Woman" and a brilliant artist in her own right-Benkemoun embarks on a two-year voyage of discovery to learn more about this provocative, passionate, and enigmatic woman, and the role that each of these figures played in her life. Longlisted for the prestigious literary award Prix Renaudot, Finding Dora Maar is a fascinating and breathtaking portrait of the artist. "Beautifully written and fascinating."-Paris Match "One of the happy surprises of the end of the literary season."-Livres Hebdo "A highly moving portrait of the artist."-Elle (France)Trade Review"With a novelist's eye for detail, Benkemoun takes readers on a journey full of surprises as she researches and reimagines the landscape of Dora Maar's life in Surrealism and its aftermath. Guided by the scant details in Maar's address book, which came into the author's hands by chance, she reweaves the mesh of avant-garde artistic life in mid-twentieth-century France, taking us along with her as this serendipitous tale unfolds. It's well worth the trip, an informative, enjoyable read." --Carolyn Burke, author of Lee Miller: A Life; Foursome: Alfred Stieglitz, Georgia O'Keeffe, Paul Strand, Rebecca Salsbury; and other books "Part detective story, part social history, part excellent gossip, Finding Dora Maar uses the miracle of a found address book to reconstruct the life of an important woman artist who knew everyone." --Francine Prose, author of Peggy Guggenheim: The Shock of the Modern, and the New York Times bestselling Reading Like A Writer

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Book SynopsisSeeker: A Sea Odyssey is the story of two people who meet in Mexico and fall in love. Rita is an American part-time English language teacher and freelance reporter for an English language tourist magazine struggling to raise two young boys on her own. Bernard is a French geologist under contract to the Mexican government to search for underground thermal springs. She dreams of finding Shangri-la after witnessing a bloody government crackdown from which she barely escapes. He dreams of having a yacht and sailing the world. Their dreams mesh, and they immigrate to Canada to earn the money to build their boat.

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Book SynopsisTHE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE HIT BBC SERIES, MRS. AMERICA Gloria Steinem had an itinerant childhood. Every fall, her father would pack the family into the car and they would drive across the country, in search of their next adventure. The seeds were planted: Steinem would spend much of her life on the road, as a journalist, organizer, activist, and speaker. In vivid stories that span an entire career, Steinem writes about her time on the campaign trail, from Bobby Kennedy to Hillary Clinton; her early exposure to social activism in India; organizing ground-up movements in America; the taxi drivers who were "vectors of modern myths" and the airline stewardesses who embraced feminism; and the infinite contrasts, the "surrealism in everyday life" that Steinem encountered as she travelled back and forth across the country. With the unique perspective of one of the greatest feminist icons of the 20th and 21st centuries, here is an inspiring, profound, enlightening memoir of one woman's life-long journey.Trade Review'Her inclusiveness and optimism in spite of all the challenges she has faced is a reflection of the longevity of feminism in all its many incarnations and an invitation for readers to get involved in the causes that mean the most to them'. * Cherwell *‘Unlike some, she has never recanted, changed sides, expressed regret or given up... as this book demonstrates, she is truer to herself and her causes than she has ever been.’ * Observer *‘A spirited account... fascinating... the warmth and inclusiveness that characterises Steinem's accounts of the nascent activism of the early 60s is at once heartening and somewhat enviable... compellingly immediate... this geographical and intellectual adventuress here proves a thoughtful analyst of her own experiences, mistakes included; and an alert, inspiring chronicler.’ * Independent *‘A personal, beautiful look at the deceptively radical act of travel and how it formed one of our most important voices for human rights…By delving deeper into her own thrilling story, Steinem shows us that we all have a fighter inside us.’ * Lena Dunham *‘She writes powerfully… a history of the fight for gender equality… also serves as a reminder of the battles feminists have not yet won’ * Economist *'Brilliant, warm and challenging'. * Independent on Sunday *'There is not a minority whose cause she has not espoused, a person in need she has passed by in the street...what would the USA be without Gloria Steinem?' * The Spectator *'A lucid, lively history of the American feminist movement over the past half-century, and of the author herself...Steinem emerges as a champion listener with a phenomenal memory. The more personal detail is full of wonderful detail...a life very well lived, crammed with action, devoid of laziness and buoyed by humour and a capacity for wry self-criticism'. * Sunday Times Culture *'What a joy it is - a book of life, a book of travels, a seamless interweaving of her enduring message of equality for all laced through the story of her life'. * Harper's Bazaar *'A lightning rod to the head and heart -- stimulating, no, shocking us to get up out of our easy chairs, and do something meaningful with our lives...Women will read MY LIFE ON THE ROAD, but men must.' * James Patterson *'MY LIFE ON THE ROAD is filled with beautifully told stories of the people she has spoken with and listened to, been changed by, helped organize, got radicalized by, could get lost in, could get found in. It is soul material, human and political, funny and touching, deeply spiritual. I began it again the day after I finished.' * Anne Lamott *'Countless times, I had to put Gloria Steinem's new book down and allow an explosive truth she had just revealed to roll through me. And they all arrived—page after page—in the most personal, unexpected ways. I won’t be the same person after having read MY LIFE ON THE ROAD.' * Jane Fonda *'An inspiring work, a call for action, Steinem shares her life as a global freedom fighter, inviting readers to continue the journey -- and the struggle.' * bell hooks *'Gloria Steinem's lightness of being combined with complete seriousness, her love for words and her call for actions, remind us to celebrate her as one of the most important women of our time.' * Diane von Furstenberg *'This is the book that sparked a thousand and one new fires under me and made me rethink the struggle for women’s equality in a new light. Steinem has never shied away from lifting up the stories of women whose differences to her own privileged position in life have meant reconfiguring the fight for equality. This book, at its core, is a deeply personal and beautiful tribute to them.' * Onjali Q Raúf, author of The Boy at the Back of the Class *

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Book SynopsisMusa Okwonga – a young Black man who grew up in a predominantly working-class town – was not your typical Eton College student.The experience moulded him, challenged him… but also made him wonder why a place that was so good for him also seems to contribute to the harm being done to the UK. The more he searched, the more evident the connection became between one of Britain’s most prestigious institutions and the genesis of Brexit, and between his home town in the suburbs of Greater London and the rise of the far right.Woven throughout this deeply personal and unflinching memoir of Musa’s five years at Eton in the 1990s is a present-day narrative which engages with much wider questions about pressing social and political issues: privilege, the distribution of wealth, the rise of the far right in the UK, systemic racism, the ‘boys’ club’ of government and the power of the few to control the fate of the many. One of Them is both an intimate account and a timely exploration of race and class in modern Britain.Trade Review 'The memoir I've enjoyed most this year' Hilary Mantel 'Moving ... stays with you long after you've finished it' Nigella Lawson 'A superb memoir ... written with a poet's lyricism and a journalist's clarity' Nish Kumar 'An urgent exposition on how [Eton]’s undue influence is shaping political forces - from the current government and Brexit to the rise of nationalist and racist politics' Stylist 'Okwonga is a writer worth waiting half a century for' New Statesman 'Fascinating insight into the workings of one of the most exclusive, secretive and privileged institutions on earth' Robert Verkaik, author of Posh Boys 'Writing that holds and ambushes you in turn ... a portrait of the allure of institutional power' Vinay Patel 'Raw evidence of the power of resilience and determination and hope ... a blistering memoir' Salena Godden 'Frank, fascinating and unique ... essential reading' Hashi Mohamed, author of People Like Us 'A nuanced and complex account' Daily Telegraph 'The memoir I've enjoyed most this year' Hilary Mantel'Moving ... stays with you long after you've finished it' Nigella Lawson'A superb memoir ... written with a poet's lyricism and a journalist's clarity' Nish Kumar'An urgent exposition on how [Eton]'s undue influence is shaping political forces' Stylist'Lyrical, often funny, intensely personal and undeniably thought-provoking' Literary Review'A nuanced and complex account' Daily Telegraph

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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 SynopsisThe acclaimed biographer and obituarist for The Economist reflects on a career spent pursuing life and capturing it on the page***A FINANCIAL TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES AND TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023***'Lifescapes is the universe in miniature'DAILY TELEGRAPH'She's a genius, I believe' HILARY MANTEL, author of Wolf Hall'What is life?' asked the poet Shelley, and could not come up with an answer. Scientists, too, for all their understanding of how life manifests, thrives and evolves, have still not plumbed that fundamental question. Yet biographers and obituarists continue to corral lives in a few columns, or a few hundred pages, aware all the time how fleeting and elusive their subject is.In this dazzlingly original blend of memoir, biography, observation and poetry, Ann Wroe reflects on the art and impossibility of capturing life on the page. Through her experiences and those of others, through people she has known, studied or merely glimpsed in windows, she movingly explores what makes a life and how that life lingers after.Animated by Wroe's rare imagination, eye for the telling detail, and the wit, beauty and clarity of her writing, Lifescapes is a luminous, deeply personal answer to Shelley's question.Trade ReviewThis thought-provoking and beautifully written book blends memoir with poetry and biography in search of what elements can evoke the character of a person * Financial Times, *Books of the Year* *'I think of my work as catching souls,' writes Ann Wroe, the obituaries editor of The Economist, at the start of this book... How she goes about capturing them all is a fascinating business * Sunday Times, *Books of the Year* *Seamlessly merges scenes from the author’s life with the overflow from her admirably humane Economist obituaries... This glimpse of Wroe at work, enriched with stories from her private notebooks, is a treat akin to, borrowing her words, 'wild plums fallen in the grass' * Times Literary Supplement, *Books of the Year* *Beautifully written, the prose witty, twisting and sensuous, but it is sharp, too * The Times *What a treat it is to read a writer at the top of her game... Astonishing... Lifescapes is the universe in miniature * Daily Telegraph *A brave, unfashionable and out of the ordinary book… A delight… Lifescapes encourages us to take a deep breath, contemplate life more keenly and acknowledge the miraculous if – and when – we find it * Observer *Evocative and beautifully written * Financial Times *This is biography as empathy and even hyper-empathy… Wroe operates like a kind of tuning fork… She seems to feel the energy that thrums in people, nature and objects… Compelling * Times Literary Supplement *Although the book is part memoir, part essay on the art of biography, it is really about the breath of life itself. Wroe’s writing is intense and visionary, at times almost ecstatic. Reader, dive in… Her voice, her writing, already add such consonance, such alert and graceful rapture, to the music of the world * Spectator *She's a genius, I believe, because she lights up every subject she touches -- Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall

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Book SynopsisWe often speak of doctors as heroes, martyrs, or victims. Drawing from forty years of experience on an emergency psychiatric ward, Paolo Milone offers a more complex—and more compelling—picture. He transports us inside Ward 77, where mental illness coexists with the ordinary lives of those who, at the end of their shifts, take their white coats off. In this unsettling, absorbing, and transformative memoir Milone challenges many of our assumptions about mental health, as we follow nurses, doctors, and patients along the hospital corridors, and we enter the shattered lives of those living on both sides of the invisible, arbitrary boundary, that separates the healthy from the sick. Told with humour and compassion, Paolo Milone’s English language debut is a work of striking humanity that conjures lasting beauty out of the darkness.Trade Review“One of the most unusual, beautiful, and poetic literary works on mental illness I’ve ever read.” -- Nicola Lagioia * La Repubblica *“Full of irony, intelligence, and lyricism.” * Corriere della Sera *“A powerful hymn to compassion towards ourselves and others.” * Grazia (Italy) *

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Book Synopsis'Hilarious, heart-wrenching and packed with British music history.' - COLDPLAY A Virgin Radio Book of the Year It's a life-and-near-death story. But whose life? And whose near-death?As a one-time NME journalist, former Xfm radio presenter, toilet-circuit promoter and the founder of enduring homespun British record label Fierce Panda, Simon Williams has been at the cutting, cutting, cutting edge of all things 'indie' for over thirty years. During his tenure as managing director of Fierce Panda (a role he holds to this day), Simon was responsible for tripping over bands such as Coldplay, Keane, Placebo and countless other acts of independent hue - some of whom have gone on to achieve earth-shattering musical superstardom, while others have merely baffled the crowd at the Bull & Gate in north London on a wet Wednesday evening.Unfiltered and unflinching, Pandamonium! is the story of Simon's time at the indie coalface, filled with insider anecdotes to entertain music enthusiasts everywhere - from the origins of a bootlegged Oasis release to Chris Martin's delight at reaching number ninety-two in the charts. But it is also the story of how Simon tried to bring a premature end to proceedings, documenting in blunt, matter-of-fact detail his longstanding mental-health struggles.Yet, despite his raw and often poignant honesty, Simon writes with the warmth, wit, self-deprecation and wide-eyed good fortune of someone who has stared into the abyss and survived, bounding down a few indie rabbit holes along the way.Trade Review'Coldplay wouldn't exist without Simon Williams. He was the first journalist to write about our band and released our first single on his legendary label, Fierce Panda. His memoir is hilarious, heart-wrenching and packed with British music history.' -- Coldplay'Remarkable tales from both the frontline of rock journalism and behind the scenes at one of our greatest underplayed British indie labels; open, entertaining and extraordinarily poignant.' -- Steve Lamacq'Williams is a towering colossus of indie. Pandamonium! is filled with autobiographical honesty, engaging humour and some really awful puns.' -- David Quantick'A brilliant memoir: funny, thrilling, but also as moving as any book about music I've ever read. It's full of the same stuff as the best records and gigs - entertainment, but also a sense of life at its most profound.' -- John Harris'Jaw dropping ... really moving. Highly recommend it.' -- Ted Kessler'A truly shocking episode from the recent past helps turn an entertaining romp into something much more moving. 8/10' -- Classic Rock'A dryly self-deprecating and desperately poignant picture of heartfelt endeavour and harsh reality. 4/5' -- Record Collector'Hilariously funny and deeply moving.' * Variety *'A sweet natured romp.' * 4/5 Mojo *'A fascinating book for any lover of indie music and those wanting an insight into the machinations of the unforgiving, cut-throat music industry. It is also a salutary reminder of the fragility of the human condition. Most of all, it is a most entertaining and, ironically, life-affirming read written with Williams' trademark wit, gentle humour and, let's be honest, silliness.' * Louder Than War *'Incredible... beautifully written.' -- Huw Stephens'What a book; Simon perfectly captures the joy, excitement and sheer buzz of so many sides of the music industry. It's written with warmth, love and with just the right amount of humour that keeps you going during the darkest passages of his story.' -- Rick McMurray, Ash'A thoroughly entertaining, emotional and frank look into one of the most underestimated indie labels and the most overly modest man behind it. Simon and Fierce Panda were a huge part of the band's history and we are eternally grateful.' -- Rod Jones, Idlewild'Simon Williams was there from the very start. Like a lot of bands we wouldn't be where we are today without his initial enthusiasm. One of the true music aficionados.' -- Danny McNamara, Embrace

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Book SynopsisThe Official Spirit of America. 1789 is one of the most significant dates in history. It is the year, obviously, the French Revolution kicked off with the nation''s peasants demanding ''Liberté! Egalité! Fraternité! and led to the rolling of the heads of the French ruling class. Rather wonderfully, it''s also the year that America emancipated the name Bourbon from the French and began distilling the whiskey that would soon become the official spirit of the United States. History''s funny like that.Precisely 235 years later, bourbon is having a big boom all around the world, its popularity never more in full swing. From high-profile celebrity brands to bestselling bottles, famous drinkers to high volume sales, bourbon is the next renaissance in spirits, following hot on the heels of the premium gentrification of rum, vodka, tequila and gin.The Little Book of Bourbon is America''s official spirit distilled into more than 175 shots of booze-infused fa

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Book SynopsisFlowers, fruits, herbs, resins, woods, spices. From bloom to bottle, the subtle art of perfume has always had its roots in the natural world.Fragrance reveals the botanical backgrounds of 100 intoxicating ingredients that define scents from Chanel No5 to Opium. Evocative insights from experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and fragrance specialists Josh Carter and Samuel Gearing combine with beautiful botanical illustrations in this enchanting distillation of the origins of perfume.

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Book SynopsisAfter a successful career, a twenty-year marriage, and two kids, McKenzie Wark has an acute midlife crisis: coming out as a trans woman. Changing both social role and bodily form recasts her relation to the world. Transition changes what, and how, she remembers. She makes fresh sense of her past and of history by writing to key figures in her life about the big themes that haunt us all-love and money, sex and death.In letters to her childhood self, her mother, sister, and past lovers, she writes a backstory that enables her to live in the present. The letters expand to address trans sisters lost and found, as well as Cybele, ancient goddess of trans women. She engages with the political, the aesthetic, and the numinous dimensions of trans life and how they refract her sense of who she is, who she has been, who she can still become. She confronts difficult memories that connect her mother's early death to her compulsion to write, her communist convictions, her coming to New York, the bittersweet reality of her late transition, and the joy to be found in Brooklyn's trans and raver communities.Trade ReviewSeeing the world unfold from the perspective of a self is easier than seeing that self as a particular folding-up of the world. MacKenzie Wark's special genius, in this wild ride across the late twentieth century and its aftermath, is to offer both perspectives at once, shimmying and shaking between the two with gleeful and brilliant abandon. -- Susan Stryker, author of Transgender HistoryMcKenzie Wark's account of her life to this point fuses friendship and history, love and ideas. Radically honest and beautifully light, her memoir offers brilliant and challenging ways of understanding how fluidly gender is actually lived by those who dare. Like all of her work, it's really a personal manifesto. I was inspired and energized reading this book. -- Chris Kraus, author of I Love DickA capacious offering to transfeminine truth-witty and wild, soft and scathing, broken-hearted and open-hearted. Moving toward the future by excavating the past, Wark makes space for complexity, innovation, self- determination, and communal possibility in "the sparkle of one's difference." -- Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore, author of The Freezer DoorIn writing letters to former selves, mothers, lovers and others McKenzie Wark has captured life lived in and as transformation with rigour and poetry. From an oppressive but formative 1960s Australian childhood, to the physical and intellectual expansiveness of New York City in the 21st century, Wark witnesses her beginnings and endings, her coming and unbecoming. She is bracing, sharp, argumentative and tender all at once -- Sophie Cunningham, author of The Devastating FeverA sharp epistolary memoir about gender, family, disability, and age...Wark's analysis of gender, sexuality, and queerness is both ebullient and trenchant. * Kirkus Reviews *Sad and tender and sassy and smart. A love letter to life and transition, to the endless possibilities of the body and the mind, to love itself. -- Fiona Kelly McGregor, author of IrisWark is one of the only scholars to take young people seriously-not as a spectacle or site of extraction, but as friends to learn from and hang out with. This lack of judgment, which radiates, not just through the book, but through the author herself, is what is so winning in the end. I am grateful for Love and Money, Sex and Death, and I'm grateful for McKenzie, too. -- Charlie Markbreiter * The New Inquiry *This memoir plumbs erasures in Wark's personal experiences in order to understand her personal formation outside of the 'born this way' narrative...there's something refreshing, even relieving, about the book's lack of a neat, packaged gender narrative. Love and Money, Sex and Death is a memoir that seeks understanding around a personal formation; it extends that spacious anarchy for others to play in too. * Foreword Reviews *[This] memoir is an attempt to make sense of the edited self and the person who we once were. A portrait of selfhood under construction. -- Isle McElroy, 24 Books We Can’t Wait to Read This Fall * Vulture *Wark revisits and reexamines her past by writing letters to major figures in her life in her new memoir and a stunning look at transition, history, art, and memory. -- September 2023's Must Read Books * Nylon *[Love and Money, Sex and Death] outright embodies not just the communal, but the femmunal, the sprawling network of weirdo-others that make the self. -- Anahi Molina * Guernica *Wark's work is always worth checking out, and this new book looks to be an especially essential part of her bibliography. * Vol. 1 Brooklyn *Wark's poetic and direct language crafts an unusually moving text that draws on art, popular culture, and mythology. The result is an introspective narrative that both tells an individual's story and conveys essential insights into gender and queerness, family, friends, and change. -- Natalie Haddad * Hyperallergic *In glimpses that are both emotionally and intellectually breathtaking, [Wark] recalls her coming-of-age in Newcastle, Australia, in the 1960s and '70s; her career as a poet; her marriage and grief; parenthood; her various lovers and her transition, in her 50s. -- Melissa Bond * The New York Times Book Review *[Wark] turns the idea of a traditional, linear memoir on its head, using hindsight as a tool to reapproach, and in some cases recover, past relationships. -- Allison Armijo * The Gay & Lesbian Review *McKenzie Wark is one of the sharpest, most exciting voices writing at the intersections of capitalism, community, gender, and sex - more broadly, everything in this title - and she is also criminally underread. -- Arianna Rebolini, Best Memoirs of 2023 * Vulture *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER WATERSTONES NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH SHORTLISTED FOR BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDSSHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKS ARE MY BAG READER AWARD 2024Reuben, aged 38, was living in a home for adults with learning disabilities and struggling to accept that he had Down''s syndrome. Depressed and in a fog of anti-depressants, he hadn''t spoken for over a year. Increasingly isolated, cut off from everyone and everything he loved, Reuben sent a text message: ''brother. do. you. love. me.''When Manni received this desperate message from his youngest brother, he knew everything had to change. Together they began an extraordinary journey of repair, rediscovering the depths of their brotherhood, one gradual step at a time. Combining Manni''s tender words with Reuben''s compelling illustrations, their story of hope and resilience questions how we care for those closest to us and draws a moving portrait of brotherly love.

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Book SynopsisThe first general interest reflective travel memoir about Colombia. Will appeal to readers who have enjoyed Raynor Winn's The Salt Path or Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods.

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Book SynopsisA funny, thoughtful and compelling memoir depicting the author's experiences with mental health issues, and toxic abuse.

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Book SynopsisThe incredible story of a 3,500-mile cycle ride to explore the onshore and offshore lighthouses around the coastline of England and Wales, proving that a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis doesn't mean giving up on a lifelong dream. The Beacon Bike is the inspirational tale of one man's quest to fulfil the promise he made to himself as a small child, nestled in the bed of an attic room while the glow of Dungeness lighthouse flashed past his window - a comforting, ever-present companion. It is also a loving tribute to the coast; not only its beautiful landscape, but also the communities that make it so special. It celebrates the generosity of spirit found in people around the country, as well as the history of the iconic lights that brighten their world. This journey is a testament to the joy of life's simple pleasures. A warm welcome at the end of a long day. The fire of a child's imagination, rekindled in later life. The power of a light that pierces the darkness.

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Book SynopsisA magical and hugely captivating journey - filled with such beauty, wonder and surprise. A simply marvellous read, hugely recommended - Stephen FryA real-life journey through the fantastical world of The OdysseyIt started with a boy, of course. Seeking solace from the pain of heartbreak and her father''s illness, Laura Coffey embarks on what was meant to be a simple holiday. But her newfound fascination with ancient Greek myths transforms her trip into a six-month odyssey, around tiny archipelagos and mystical Mediterranean islands thought to be the setting of Odysseus''s epic journey. As she chases one of the most conflicted, flawed and yet beloved heroes through his fantastical sea-kingdoms, looking for the places where geography and mythology collide, she discovers the wild beauty of the islands, and the redemptive powers of travel and nature, cold-water swimming, long hikes up mountains, and luminous star-lit skies.But her quest to find happiness, safety and the true meaning of home is overshadowed by the deepening illness of her father. Returning as he''s dying, forced to confront the very things she was running from, Laura reflects on what she has lost, how to live between story and reality, and the way we craft our own mythologies. Slipping between the mythical realm and the real world, she finds enchantment and healing in the magic of both.If you love memoir and Greek mythology, this is a delight. A spellbinding book about growing up, grieving and the gods. - Clare Pollard, author of Delphi

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Book SynopsisDavid Gentleman has lived in London for almost seventy years, most of it on the same street. This book is a record of a lifetime spent observing, drawing and getting to know the city, bringing together work from across his whole career, from his earliest sketches to watercolours painted just a few months ago.Here is London as it was, and as it is today: the Thames, Hampstead Heath; the streets, canals, markets and people of his home of Camden Town; and at the heart of it all, his studio and the tools of his work. Accompanied by reflections on the process of drawing and personal thoughts on the ever-changing city, this is a celebration of London, and the joy of noticing, looking and capturing the world.'David has spent a lifetime depicting with wit and affection a London he has made his own' Alan Bennett 'He delivers a poetry of exultant concentration ... The surface fusion of the sensuous and the sharply modern is echoed by Gentleman's imagery' Guardian 'The artist and illustrator has been responsible for some of the most-seen public artworks in this country' The Times 'Perhaps the last of the great polymath designer-painters' Camden New Journal

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Book SynopsisThe extraordinary story of the entrepreneur who pioneered Red Sea dive tourism with a cast of unforgettable characters. How a diving school in a train carriage at the edge of the desert became a global destination.

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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 SynopsisA novel

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Book SynopsisBased on Ghazaleh Golbakhsh's experience as an Iranian immigrant growing up in New Zealand, these essays range from a childhood in war-torn Iran, including the trauma of a night spent in prison as a six-year-old, to learning English so she could make friends, to dating in the days of Corona. This is about growing up as a young woman torn between her immigrant roots and her desire to be like everyone else.The humour is sometimes offset with the more sombre reminder of the racism that has always existed in this country, from misguided quips to more serious stories of harassment. The impact of recent world events shows that, more than ever, marginalised voices are needed in our cultural discourse.

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Book Synopsis THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER The Nazis spared their lives because they were twins.In the summer of 1944, Eva Mozes Kor and her family arrived at Auschwitz.Within thirty minutes, they were separated. Her parents and two older sisters were taken to the gas chambers, while Eva and her twin, Miriam, were herded into the care of the man who became known as the Angel of Death: Dr. Josef Mengele. They were 10 years old.While twins at Auschwitz were granted the 'privileges' of keeping their own clothes and hair, they were also subjected to Mengele's sadistic medical experiments. They were forced to fight daily for their own survival and many died as a result of the experiments, or from the disease and hunger rife in the concentration camp.In a narrative told simply, with emotion and astonishing restraint, The Twins of Auschwitz shares the inspirational story of a child's endurance and survival in the face of truly extraordinary evil.Also included is an epilogue on Eva's incredible recovery and her remarkable decision to publicly forgive the Nazis. Through her museum and her lectures, she dedicated her life to giving testimony on the Holocaust, providing a message of hope for people who have suffered, and worked toward goals of forgiveness, peace, and the elimination of hatred and prejudice in the world.Trade ReviewEva Mozes Kor has written a very moving and vivid account of an extraordinary and horrific experience. It is an important document showing the strength of the human spirit and the capacity to forgive. She should be commended for having the courage to write about her traumatic childhood, leading to the forgiveness that freed her from hatred and brought her peace. May it inspire others to emulate her. -- Archbishop Desmond TutuThis remarkable story is an important entry point in the teaching of Holocaust History and the many issues which emerge from it, not least of all the triumph of the human spirit. -- Richard Freedman, National Director, South African Holocaust Foundation

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Book Synopsis_______________A RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICKTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEKSELECTED AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE TIMESSELECTED AS A SUMMER READ BY THE SUNDAY TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE TIMES AND THE MAIL ON SUNDAY_______________''Anyone who knows a person living with dementia should read this book'' - The Times''Revelatory'' - Guardian''A miracle'' - Telegraph''Remarkable'' - Daily Mail''A landmark book'' - Financial Times_______________How do you build a life when all that you know is changing?How do you conceive of love when you can no longer recognise those who mean the most to you?A phenomenal memoir, Somebody I Used to Know is both a heart-rending tribute to the woman Wendy Mitchell once was, and a brave affirmation of the woman dementia has seen her become.Trade ReviewThe world could do with more Wendy Mitchells ... This is a book from which we can all learn -- Jackie Annesley * Sunday Times *With humour, truth and grace, this book [gives] a unique insight into what it’s like to live with Alzheimer’s * Spectator *Remarkable ... Mitchell gives such clear-eyed insight that anyone who knows a person living with dementia should read this book -- Siobhan Murphy * The Times *A landmark book * Financial Times *Revelatory * Guardian *Usually the experience of someone living with dementia is lost; known only partially even to their loved ones. The miracle of this work is that it managed to capture the experience, and hold it up for the rest of us to see * Telegraph *A lucid, candid and gallant portrayal of what the early stages of dementia feel like ... This memoir, with its humour and its sense of resilience, demonstrates how the diagnosis of dementia is not a clear line that a person crosses; they are no different than they were the day before -- Nicci Gerrard * Observer *I am so impressed with Wendy Mitchell’s attitude and ability to explain her experience - she is both an inspiration and a guide. I think this book will be extremely helpful to people who are trying to come to terms with dementia, in their own lives, or the lives of their family and friends -- Michael PalinHow does it feel to start to lose your memories, your identity? Mitchell, who discovered at the age of 58 that she had early-onset dementia, tells us in this remarkable book -- Summer Reads * Mail on Sunday *Fluent, lucid and illuminating ... The difficulties are clearly daunting and distressing, the future unpredictable and frightening. Yet Mitchell’s sparkling book is hugely positive and uplifting. It should be required reading for all health professionals and anyone touched by dementia * Literary Review *An absolutely compelling account of life with dementia ... A testimony to human spirit and ingenuity -- Jan R Oyebode, Professor of Dementia Care, University of BradfordA remarkable memoir – remorselessly honest yet with more mirth than misery. Though she is fully aware that her story will not end well, the author describes vividly how she works around her growing mental disability with the help of family and friends -- Summer Books of 2018 * Financial Times *An extraordinary book about a little-understood disease. Awe-inspiring, courageous and insightful. I would recommend it to everyone -- Rosie Boycott, writer and activistNothing is more frightening than dementia, says Wendy - and yet, every day, she chooses to face her fears head on. By sharing her story Wendy challenges assumptions and ignorance about dementia. Read this amazing book. It will change a lot of people’s minds about what it means to have the disease -- Professor Pat Sikes, University of SheffieldA brave and illuminating journey inside the mind, heart, and life of young-onset Alzheimer's disease -- Lisa Genova, neuroscientist and author of 'Still Alice'This is an eloquent and poignant book. Those of us who have gone on the heartbreaking journey of losing a loved one to dementia have wondered what they were feeling. Wendy Mitchell's courageous and unflinching account lets us know -- Patti Davis, author of 'The Long Goodbye'In Somebody I Used to Know [Mitchell] describes life after her diagnosis – one that, despite looming loss, remains full of purpose * Radio Times *The only memoir of Alzheimer’s disease written by someone suffering from the illness. Wendy Mitchell describes what it’s like to begin to forget who you are. Heartbreaking stuff * Love It! *Extraordinary … [Mitchell] decided to chronicle her experiences of living with dementia to show others what it really feels like and the result is a rare and moving memoir about losing memories, no longer recognising people you love, and saying goodbye to her career and independence. It also energetically and vividly affirms the reality of the new woman that Mitchell has had to become -- Radio Choice, Book of the Week * Daily Telegraph *Remarkable … Frank, angry, practical and, just occasionally, funny -- Gillian Reynolds * Sunday Times *Fascinating and groundbreaking … Her urgent present tense articulation of her day-to-day struggles, set against fragmented memories of the woman she used to be, is so close to the bone that it’s chilling. At the same time, however, it’s also an amazing testament to Mitchell’s tenacity, an account of how she’s developed coping mechanisms to continue living as independent a life for as long as possible * National *Astonishingly acute … For all the honest rage, Mitchell has written a remarkably hopeful book. Her mission is to remind readers that people can live with dementia as well as suffer from it … Mitchell is a mine of practical tips … Making this book is both a testament to the author’s intense will to live, and also a living will -- Helen Brown * Daily Telegraph *[Mitchell’s] amazing memoir is a real insight into what living with dementia is really like. It’s very poignant and beautifully written * Woman's Weekly *One of the bestselling new books this year is Somebody I Used to Know, Wendy Mitchell’s assiduous account of her early onset dementia … In the same way that people seek out cancer chronicles in the hope that they might prove instructive, so Mitchell’s has resonated for similar reasons: the longer we live, the more likely dementia becomes. We read to see how others cope in the hope that, if our time comes, we might cope, too -- Nick Duerden * Guardian *Astonishingly acute -- Summer Reads * Daily Telegraph *Wendy Mitchell’s Somebody I Used to Know was not only sad, but also should be required reading by all professional carers, and especially by doctors and medical staff. Who better to help us understand dementia than the person themselves, as demonstrated by Wendy Mitchell in her brave account of her experience of living with the illness * Radio Times *An unusual memoir … Life is tough when your memory is going and you are having hallucinations. Brave woman -- Summer Books * The Times *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Madia’s insights drill deep, as does her knack for carving beauty out of pain. Armchair adventurers will be inspired by this spirited story.” — Publishers Weekly “Madia is a skillful writer and a talented storyteller. Every story has moments of crisis, and Madia's is no different. But her telling of it shines with a depth of reflection that may surprise and will certainly inspire readers." — Shelf Awareness

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Book SynopsisChaperones, suitors, and arranged marriages aren't only reserved for the heroines of a Jane Austen novel. They're just another walk in the park for this leading lady, who is on a mission to find her leading lad. From the brilliant comics Yes, I'm Hot in This, Huda Fahmy tells the hilarious story of how she met and married her husband. Navigating mismatched suitors, gossiping aunties, and societal expectations for Muslim women, That Can Be Arranged deftly and hilariously reveals to readers what it can be like to find a husband as an observant Muslim woman in the twenty-first century.So relevant in today's evolving cultural climate, Fahmy's story offers a perceptive and personal glimpse into the sometimes sticky but ultimately rewarding balance of independent choice and tradition.

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Book SynopsisWhat could cause a mother to believe that giving away her newborn baby is her only option? Cathy Glass is about to find out. From author of Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller Damaged comes a harrowing and moving memoir about tiny Harrison, left in Cathy's care, and the potentially fatal family secret of his beginnings.When Cathy is first asked to foster one-day old Harrison her only concern is if she will remember how to look after a baby. But upon collecting Harrison from the hospital, Cathy realises she has more to worry than she thought when she discovers that his background is shrouded in secrecy.She isn't told why Harrison is in foster care and his social worker says only a few are aware of his very existence, and if his whereabouts became known his life, and that of his parents, could be in danger. Cathy tries to put her worries aside as she looks after Harrison, a beautiful baby, who is alert and engaging. Cathy and her children quickly bond with Harrison although they know that, inevitably, he will eventually be adopted.But when a woman Cathy doesn't know starts appearing in the street outside her house acting suspiciously, Cathy fears for her own family's safety and demands some answers from Harrison's social worker. The social worker tells Cathy a little but what she says is very disturbing . How is this woman connected to Harrison and can she answer the questions that will affect Harrison's whole life?

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Book SynopsisIn the seventies, when he was just 20 years old, David Cassidy achieved the sort of teen idol fame that is rarely seen. He was mobbed everywhere he went. His clothes were regularly ripped off by adoring fans. He sold records the world over. He was bigger than Elvis. And all thanks to a hit TV show called The Partridge Family. Now, in his own words, this is a brutally frank account of those mindblowing days of stardom in which being David Cassidy played second fiddle to being Keith Partridge. Including stories of sex, drugs and rock''n''roll that explode the myth of Cassidy as squeaky clean, it''s also the story of how to keep on living life and loving yourself when the fickle fans fall away.

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Book SynopsisThe bestselling follow-up to Humble Pie, now in paperback. When he was struggling to get his first restaurant in the black, Gordon Ramsay never imagined he''d be famous for a TV show about how to run profitable eateries, or that he''d be head of a business empire. But he is and he did. Here''s how.In the beginning there was nothing.Not a sausage penniless, broke, fucking nothing and although, at a certain age, that didn't matter hugely, there came a time when hand-me-downs, cast-offs and football boots of odd sizes all pointed to a problem that seemed to have afflicted me, my mum, my sisters, Ronnie and the whole lot of us. It was as though we had been dealt the all-time dysfunctional' poker hand.I wish I could say that, from this point on, the penny dropped and I decided to do something about it, but it wasn't like that. It would take years before the lessons of life, business and money began to click into place before, as they say, I had a pot to piss in.This is the story of how those lessons were learned.This is Gordon Ramsay at his raw, rugged best. PLAYING WITH FIRE is the amazing story of Gordon's journey from sous-chef to superstar. In his no-holds-barred style, Gordon shares his passion for risk and adventure and his hard-won success secrets.Trade Review'A truly inspiring read that makes you realise if you want something enough, it's there for the taking.' The Sun Praise for Humble Pie: ‘Gordon Ramsay’s Humble Pie – so exuberantly angry boastful, cliche-ridden, expletive-laden and touchingly sincere that I can’t believe that a single sentence has been written by anyone but the failed footballer, great cook, telly star and businessman himself. He’s the genuine bollocks, as he’s so fond of saying, and this is the tale of his personal class struggle.’ – The Observer 'Inspirational stuff.' Heat ‘I cannot recommend strongly enough that every BII member reads it… The book is an inspiration. Anybody running any kind of business will benefit from reading this.’ BII Business magazine

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Book Synopsis*#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER *Winner, Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Nonfiction *Winner, Indigenous Voices Awards *Winner, High Plains Book Awards *Finalist, CBC Canada Reads *A Globe and Mail Book of the Year *An Indigo Book of the Year *A CBC Best Canadian Nonfiction Book of the Year In this extraordinary and inspiring debut memoir, Jesse Thistle, once a high school dropout and now a rising Indigenous scholar, chronicles his life on the streets and how he overcame trauma and addiction to discover the truth about who he is.If I can just make it to the next minute...then I might have a chance to live; I might have a chance to be something more than just a struggling crackhead. From the Ashes is a remarkable memoir about hope and resilience, and a revelatory look into the life of a Métis-Cree man who refused to give up. Abandoned by his parents as a toddler, Jesse Thistle briefly found himself in the foster-care system with his two brothers, cut off from all they had known. Eventually the children landed in the home of their paternal grandparents, whose tough-love attitudes quickly resulted in conflicts. Throughout it all, the ghost of Jesse’s drug-addicted father haunted the halls of the house and the memories of every family member. Struggling with all that had happened, Jesse succumbed to a self-destructive cycle of drug and alcohol addiction and petty crime, spending more than a decade on and off the streets, often homeless. Finally, he realized he would die unless he turned his life around. In this heartwarming and heart-wrenching memoir, Jesse Thistle writes honestly and fearlessly about his painful past, the abuse he endured, and how he uncovered the truth about his parents. Through sheer perseverance and education—and newfound love—he found his way back into the circle of his Indigenous culture and family. An eloquent exploration of the impact of prejudice and racism, From the Ashes is, in the end, about how love and support can help us find happiness despite the odds.Trade Review“A heartbreaking and honest debut.” The Globe and Mail“Blown away by [this] eloquent memoir of Métis life and surviving the streets . . . [a] strong contender for #CanadaReads.” — EMMA DONOGHUE, New York Times bestselling author of Room “A memoir of resilience, spirit, and dignity from a gifted storyteller. It is, at heart, also about the many shapes that love can inhabit. When you plan to read this book, clear your schedule. It will hold you in its grasp and won’t let you go, like a great novel. It’s all the more remarkable that this is not fiction. This book will stand out in my reading experience for a long time to come.” — SHELAGH ROGERS, OC, host and a producer of CBC Radio’s The Next Chapter, and honorary witness for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada“So fortunate to have the opportunity to read From The Ashes. . . . You’ll be drawn into the life journey of someone who’s struggled so deep yet has risen up to share with us what it means to be human. A deeply moving read.” — CLARA HUGHES, Olympian and author of Open Heart, Open Mind“This memoir haunts, gnawing at the soul as we walk with Jesse through his many incarnations. . . . If you want a glimpse at why some of our brothers and sisters end up on the streets, read this book.” — TANYA TALAGA, The Walrus“In spare and often brutal prose . . . Thistle weaves a narrative punctuated with joy and comedy and ultimately redemption.” — Toronto Star“An illuminating, inside account of homelessness, a study of survival and freedom. Jesse Thistle delivers a painfully lyrical book, a journey through the torrents of addiction and trauma, masterfully sliding in humour and moments of heart-expanding human connection. I found myself gasping out loud at parts, unable to put the book down. Jesse’s story shows us that there is nothing that cannot be transformed.” — AMANDA LINDHOUT, bestselling co-author of A House in the Sky“In this page-turner of a memoir—raw, honest, gripping, wrenching, and inspiring—Jesse Thistle gifts us with an intimate and bracing look into the realities, traumas, and triumphs of Indigenous life in today’s North America.” — GABOR MATÉ, MD, bestselling author of In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters With Addiction“A gritty memoir recounting the devastating long-term effects of childhood abandonment. . . . The theme of estrangement is powerfully portrayed in what is ultimately a story of courage and resilience certain to strike a chord with readers from many backgrounds.” — Library Journal“Candid and cutting, Jesse Thistle lays down his story with a brutal beauty you’ll never forget. From the Ashes is a guided tour through a broken heart just trying to keep beating, both failing and succeeding spectacularly.” — CHERIE DIMALINE, bestselling author of The Marrow Thieves“Jesse’s story is shocking, intriguing, and compelling. He goes deep into the conflicting forces pulling him in different directions, the pain of knowing how he was letting down his grandmother, the terrifying sickness of addiction, and his own uncertainty about how to break the cycle. All the decks were stacked against him, yet he did learn to make the right choices. He had every right to blame ‘the system,’ but he never resorted to that easy strategy. His unexpected strength is remarkable.” — CHARLOTTE GRAY, award-winning biographer and bestselling author of The Promise of Canada“The best stories are the ones that stay with you. From the Ashes will stay with me for a long time. Maarsii to Jesse for coming through to tell this story. It is an important one. The revolutionary kind. The kind of story that changes how you look at the world, that shows us how amazing human beings can be, so capable, strong, resilient, powerful.” — KATHERENA VERMETTE, bestselling author of The Break“[This] powerful and moving memoir is also a scathing indictment of the treatment of Indigenous people and the myriad ways systems fail them.” — Booklist“This is a work that should not be mistaken for a redemption story—it is a love story. About family. Community. A partner. Most of all: this is a love story about Jesse Thistle. How he came to love himself. Why he is worthy of love. And, importantly, how you will love him when you are done reading. This book signals change: in our understanding of worth, our compassion in the face of harm and self-harm, and the power and possibility that can exist in spaces we try to forget about. Jesse Thistle is amazing. His story is stunning. We will talk about colonial and other violence differently on Turtle Island because Jesse lived them and shared them with us. With an openness, candour, and generosity that is inspiring. Its uglybeautiful/hurtlove will resonate with you long after you finish turning the pages. I am proud to call him nisîmis (my little brother).” — TRACEY LINDBERG, bestselling author of Birdie“Stereotypes and conventional understandings are about to be challenged. . . . In the world Thistle inhabits, poverty, addiction, and homelessness are all one step over a line. Some are pushed, some stumble, and some jump. . . . The places Thistle takes us come together to illustrate a common theme: we look for home wherever we can find it. Over the course of the book, Thistle builds a better world for himself, one day and one decision at a time. It is a remarkable transformation to witness, and the arc of his story will make the reader want to cheer.” ­­ — Quill & Quire, starred review“Hits you like a punch in the gut. It’s an unflinching, heartrending, and beautifully written story of survival against seemingly impossible odds. But it’s also a book that should make you furious. Thistle paints a vivid portrait of a country seemingly incapable of doing right by Indigenous youth or by those struggling with homelessness, addiction, and intergenerational trauma. That he survived to tell this story is truly a miracle. Still, one question haunts me after finishing this powerful and devastating book: How do we ensure that the next generation isn’t forced to navigate a broken system that takes their lives for granted and fails them at every turn? My greatest hope, then, is that From the Ashes will be the wakeup call Canada needs.” — IAN MOSBY, historian and author of Food Will Win the War

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times top 10 bestseller.Laugh along with Michael McIntyre as he lifts the curtain on his life in his revealing autobiography.Michael’s first book ended with his big break at the 2006 Royal Variety Performance. Waking up the next morning in the tiny rented flat he shared with his wife Kitty and their one-year-old son, he was beyond excited about the new glamorous world of show business. Unfortunately, he was also clueless . . .In A Funny Life, Michael honestly and hilariously shares the highs and the lows of his rise to the top and desperate attempts to stay there. It’s all here, from his disastrous panel show appearances to his hit TV shows, from mistakenly thinking he’d be a good chat show host and talent judge, to finding fame and fortune beyond his wildest dreams and becoming the biggest-selling comedian in the world. Along the way he opens his man drawer, narrowly avoids disaster when his trousers fall down in front of three policemen and learns the hard way why he should always listen to his wife.Michael has had a silly life, a stressful life, sometimes a moving and touching life, but always A Funny Life.Trade ReviewThere are plenty of guffaws but it can be moving too * The Mail on Sunday *A winning combination of the laugh-out-loud funny and the surprisingly poignant * Daily Mail (Weekend) *A highly entertaining insight into a stand-up comic’s life. McIntyre fans will lap it up * Daily Record (Saturday) *He will have you on the verge of tears with his recollections - both happy and sad * Sunday Express *

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Book SynopsisLike the Dublin of Joyce and Jan Morris'' Venice, Orhan Pamuk''s bestselling Istanbul: Memories of a City is a triumphant encounter of place and sensibility, beautifully written and immensely moving.Since the publication of Istanbul, Pamuk has continued to add to his collection of photographs of Istanbul. Now, he has selected a range of photographs for Illustrated Istanbul, linking each new image to his memoir.This lavish selection of 450 photographs features contributions from Ara Güler, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Istanbul''s characteristic photography collectors, and contains previously unpublished family photographs from the author''s archives.

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Book Synopsis''Hot damn! Let us rumble, keep going and don''t slow down . . . let''s have a little fun . . .''In his much-anticipated memoir, Hunter S. Thompson looks back on a long and productive life. It is a story of crazed road trips fuelled by bourbon and black acid, of insane judges and giant porcupines, of girls, guns, explosives and, of course, bikes. He also takes on his dissolute youth in Louisville; his adventures in pornography; campaigning for local office in Aspen; and what it''s like to accidentally be accused of trying to kill Jack Nicholson.

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

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Book SynopsisA REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK 'Every page of this incredible memoir by Christie Tate had me thinking, “I wish I had read this book when I was 25. It would have helped me so much!”'Reese Witherspoon ‘This unrestrained memoir is a transporting experience and one of the most startlingly hopeful books I have ever read. It will make you want to get better, whatever better means for you.’Lisa Taddeo, New York Times bestselling author of Three Women   For fans of Three Women and Everything I Know About Love comes arefreshingly original memoir about self-discovery, loneliness and love. A guarded young lawyer reluctantly joins a psychotherapy group where she has to share her innermost thoughts with six complete strangers. In turn she finds human connection, and herself.  “What’s

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Book SynopsisRassie Erasmus is the Head Coach of the South African Rugby Union team and Director of Rugby, South Africa. Erasmus is well known for his outspoken opinions and tactical nous. Under his leadership, the Springboks won the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, ending a 12-year championship drought, and successfully defended the title at the 2023 tournament in France. Erasmus has also had a successful coaching career at club level in both South Africa and Ireland. He was the head coach of Munster Rugby for several years, and during his tenure, the team reached two European Champions Cup finals.As a player, he was a leading flanker for South Africa as well as several club teams throughout his career, including Free State Cheetahs, Western Province, and Munster Rugby in Ireland. He retired from playing in 2010, and since then, he has dedicated himself to coaching. Rassie: Stories of Life and Rugby is his first book.

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

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