Memoirs Books

Book SynopsisLearning to start again when your happy-ever-after isn't so happy

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Book SynopsisA TIME must-read book of 2019''Hannah is excellent on how to embrace our grudges, nurture them and use them to become a better person'' GraziaWhat if grudges are not just good for us but great?How often have you held a grudge and felt guilty about it? ''Forgive and move on'' is the received wisdom, and that''s what many of us try to do. Positive thinking is essential for a happy life, but how we get to that positive is even more crucial. What if grudges can ward off danger, and help us live better lives?What if they can act as stepping stones, pointing us in the right direction? This ultimate guide will give you all the tools you need to analyse, process and embrace your grudges in order to be your best possible self.** How to Hold a Grudge - The Podcast now available for download! Check out Grudge of the Week, and discover the latestTrade ReviewHannah is entertaining company and the book is even more amusing... * The Times *Amusing and insightful * The Sunday Times Culture *Hannah is excellent on how to embrace our grudges, nurture them and use them to become a better person * Grazia *Praise for Sophie Hannah * : *Taut, ingenious * Sunday Express *Another success for this inventive writer * Sunday Telegraph *Sophie Hannah is currently one of the most prolific authors in Britain * Stylist *The language in Sophie Hannah's novels is so precise and elegantly phrased. More noteworthy, perhaps, is her sure grasp of psychology * Financial Times *

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Book Synopsis'Fiercely funny, truly fascinating and inspiring . . . I was hooked from the first page.' - Mel Giedroyc'Warm, wise, witty and wet your pants hilarious' - Laura Bates, author of Everyday Sexism Jo Cheetham was a long way from home, studying and working as a nanny in London, when she saw news of an upcoming protest against the Page 3 pictorial in The Sun and decided to go along. Before she could talk herself out of it, Jo officially joined the No More Page 3 campaign team.Over the course of the next three years, Jo protested up and down the country, attended parliament and made an unlikely group of friends, ranging from sixteen to sixty, that would become her closest confidants and allies. Whether it was through an impromptu flash mob or a nerve-wracking group performance on the West End stage, Jo's world started to get a lot bigger.Hilarious, brilliantly warm and moving, Killjoy is a story of everyday people doing extraordinary things, the power of a grassroots campaign and ultimately what you can achieve when you shout a little bit louder.'Funny and inspiring' - Rachel Cooke, The Guardian, 'Non-fiction to look out for in 2023''Snappily written with humour and irreverence, it unpeels the insanity of our patriarchal society and why it can and must change. Order it now, is our advice.' - Stylist, 'Non-fiction books you can’t miss in 2023''A heroic and humorous account of the woman who found herself at the head of the No More Page 3 campaign, in a group of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.' - Independent, '19 debut authors set to make their mark this year'Trade Review'I want to shout about this brilliantly funny book from the rooftops! Fiercely funny, truly fascinating and inspiring and touching in equal measure, Killjoy is about the real-life story of a handful of 'small' female Davids taking on large male Goliaths. Life-affirming and brilliantly told, I was hooked from the first page . . . I loved it.' -- Mel Giedroyc A funny and inspiring account of one postgraduate student's life-changing decision to join the No More Page 3 campaign: a first book that couldn't be more up my strasse if it tried. -- Rachel Cooke * The Guardian, 'Non-fiction to look out for in 2023' *Funny frank and fearless, this is an inspiring read about grassroots feminist activism and how a group of determined women can change the world. Killjoy is just like its author: warm, wise, witty and wet your pants hilarious. Older activists will recognise the struggles and triumphs she describes with wry smiles and younger ones will find this book is like a pep talk from a supportive older sister telling them they can do it too! -- Laura Bates, author of Everyday SexismI can't even begin to explain to my daughter that we grew up with naked pictures of women with massive knockers everywhere we looked, as if that was perfectly normal. This funny, frank memoir is an amazing reminder of what women went through to stop it. -- Jenny Colgan, bestselling author of Meet Me at the Cupcake CaféFunny, warm and compelling, Jo Cheetham’s Killjoy is a hugely readable real-life story of friendship, solidarity and taking on the big guys even when everyone thinks you’re mad. A great choice for book clubs, not least as it’s about a group of friends who simply refused to give up. -- AJ Pearce, bestselling author of Dear Mrs BirdSnappily written with humour and irreverence, it unpeels the insanity of our patriarchal society and why it can and must change. Order it now, is our advice. * Stylist, 'Non-fiction books you can’t miss in 2023' *A heroic and humorous account of the woman who found herself at the head of the No More Page 3 campaign, in a group of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. * The Independent, 'Debut Authors Set to Make Their Mark This Year' *I adored this heroic and unexpectedly humorous account of how Cheetham, then a PhD student who had never considered herself political or even assertive, was moved to join the No More Page 3 campaign . . . Hers is a fabulously uplifting story of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, which shows we all have the power to stand up for what we believe in, and bring about change. -- Caroline Sanderson, 'Editor's Choice', The BooksellerWonderful . . . Jo Cheetham charts her journey from shy graduate student, riddled with insecurities about her working-class roots, to fearless feminist campaigner . . . Funny, relatable and heart-warming. * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisEye-opening and candid, David Bailey's Look Again is a fantastically entertaining memoir by a true icon.'Rollicking . . . with roguish tales as vivid as his era-defining photos' – Daily Mail'Brilliant' – TelegraphDavid Bailey burst onto the scene in 1960 with his revolutionary photographs for Vogue. Discarding the rigid rules of a previous generation of portrait and fashion photographers, he channelled the energy of London's newly informal street culture into his work. Funny, brutally honest and ferociously talented, he became as famous as his subjects. Now in his eighties, he looks back on an outrageously eventful life. Born into an East End family, his dyslexia saw him written off as stupid at school. He hit a low point working as a debt collector until he discovered a passion for photography that would change everything. The working-class boy became an influential artist. Along the way he became friends with Mick Jagger, hung out with the Krays, got into bed with Andy Warhol and made the Queen laugh.His love-life was never dull. He propelled girlfriend Jean Shrimpton to stardom, while her angry father threatened to shoot him. He married Catherine Deneuve a month after meeting her. Penelope Tree’s mother was unimpressed when he turned up on her doorstep. ‘It could be worse, I could be a Rolling Stone,’ Bailey told her. He went on to marry Marie Helvin and then Catherine Dyer, with whom he has three children. He is also a film and documentary director, has shot numerous commercials and has never stopped working. A born storyteller, his autobiography is a memorable romp through an extraordinary career.Trade ReviewHe's the legend who WAS the 1960s . . . with roguish tales as vivid as his era-defining photos * Daily Mail *His name is synonymous with beauty, fashion and sex . . . a joyously un-PC memoir * Mail on Sunday *A raw and surprising memoir * Observer *Brilliant -- Lynn Barber * Telegraph *Very readable and entertaining. Bailey was important * Spectator *A rollicking rake's progress . . . and a vivid document of several lost Londons * Esquire *

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Book SynopsisBy being her anxious, honest, and just plain silly self, Jackie Davis’ potato-shaped character proves that, even though opening up to others is scary at first, vulnerability can be a superpower. Vulnerability Is My Superpower features Jackie Davis's relatable diary comics about self-discovery, mental health, relationships, and childhood. From bouts with anxiety and insecurity to the thrill of simple pleasures like secretly trying on other people’s coats at a party, she’s figuring things out as she goes along, navigating domestic life with her husband, Pat (aka “the Purple Guy”), and sharing her most embarrassing thoughts and habits so you don’t have to.For anyone who struggles with self-confidence or just likes to scrutinize the curious workings of relationships and everyday life, the confessional comic gems in this book invite laughter at even the most awkward and vulnerable moments while making you feel less alone.

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Book SynopsisJake Morris-Campbell sets out on a pilgrimage from Lindisfarne to Durham Cathedral, exploring thirteen-hundred years of social change and asking what stories the North East can tell about itself in the wake of Christianity and coal. -- .

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Book SynopsisVery few British soldiers could lay claim to such a full war as Leslie Young. Having survived the retreat to and evacuation from Dunkirk, he volunteered for the newly formed Commandos and took part in their first operation, the raid on the Lofoten Islands. He fought and was captured in Tunisia. He went on the run before his POW camp at Fontanellato was taken over by the Nazis after the September 1943 Italian armistice. He then spent six months on the run in the Apennine mountains aided by many brave and selfless Italians, who were risking their lives in so doing. He eventually reached Allied lines but not before two of his helpers were tragically killed by German and American fire respectively. On returning to England he immediately signed up for the invasion of North West Europe and, despite being wounded, fought his way through to Germany.He was twice Mentioned in Despatches. Thanks to his son’s research, Major Young’s inspiring and thrilling story can now be told.

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Book SynopsisThe Award-winning International Bestselling Story of One Man's Six Year Detention in Australia ‘A powerfully vivid account of the experiences of a refugee: desperation, brutality, suffering, and all observed with an eye that seems to see everything and told in a voice that’s equal to the task.' - Phillip PullmanIn 2013, Kurdish journalist Behrouz Boochani sought asylum in Australia but was instead illegally imprisoned in the country’s most notorious detention centre on Manus Island. This book is the result.Boochani spent nearly five years typing passages of this book one text at a time from a secret mobile phone in prison. Compiled and translated from Farsi, they form an incredible story of how escaping political persecution in Iran, he ended up trapped as a stateless person. This vivid, gripping portrait of his years of incarceration and exile shines devastating light on the fates of so many people, as borders close around the world.No Friend but the Mountains is both a brave act of witness and a moving testament to the humanity of all people, in the most extreme of circumstances.'A brilliant book. No Friend but the Mountains can rightly take its place on the shelf of world prison literature . . . It is a profound victory for a young poet who showed us all how much words can still matter.' - Richard Flanagan, Booker Prize winning author of The Narrow Road to the Deep NorthTrade ReviewA chant, a cry from the heart, a lament, fuelled by a fierce urgency, written with the lyricism of a poet, the literary skills of a novelist, and the profound insights of an astute observer of human behaviour and the ruthless politics of a cruel and unjust imprisonment. -- Arnold Zable, author of the award-winning Jewels and Ashes and Cafe ScheherazadeThe systems of containment and control that the rich world applies to many thousands of migrants and refugees work by reducing people to a faceless presence to either be feared or pitied, but never listened to. In the face of this oppression, Behrouz Boochani's lyrical yet unsparing account is a vital act of resistance, and a unique examination of people pushed to life's extremes. -- Daniel Trilling, author of Lights in the DistanceNot for the faint-hearted, it's a powerful, devastating insight into a situation that's so often seen through a political - not personal - lens. * GQ *No Friend but the Mountains, quite apart from the extraordinary circumstances of its writing, gives us a powerfully vivid account of the experiences of a refugee: desperation, brutality, suffering, and all observed with an eye that seems to see everything and told in a voice that’s equal to the task. -- Phillip PullmanThis is a brilliant book. No Friend but the Mountains is a book that can rightly take its place on the shelf of world prison literature . . . It is a profound victory for a young poet who showed us all how much words can still matter. -- Richard Flanagan, Booker Prize winning author of The Narrow Road to the Deep NorthBoochani has created a book that resists classification. It overlaps with genres such as prison literature, philosophical fiction, clandestine philosophical literature, prison narratives, Australian dissident writing, Iranian political art, transnational literature, decolonial writing and the Kurdish literary tradition. * Guardian *A terrific book, extraordinary not only because of the near-impossible conditions in which it was written, but because it’s gripping, raw, honest, brutal and also deeply humane, poetic, spirited and even at times humorous. It’s a searing indictment of indefinite detention (something that still exists in the UK) and a reminder of what happens when we stop seeing migrants as human beings. -- Monica Ali, author of Brick LaneI was weeping within minutes. Bouchani has written a devastating and visceral account of modern displacement and its indignities. It is tangible, and sensory, and rooted in the human body--it stings to turn the page and yet it's impossible to stop. It should be taught in schools as a powerful and damning account of the most astonishing collective failure of our age. -- Dina Nayeri, author of The Ungrateful RefugeeUnder atrocious conditions [Behrouz Boochani] has managed to write and publish a record of his experiences (experiences yet to be concluded), a record that will certainly leave his jailers gnashing their teeth . . . the absorbing record of a life-transforming episode whose effects on his inner self the writer is still trying to plumb. -- J. M. Coetzee, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, New York Review of BooksA powerful book of witness that recalls the work of Primo Levi, and is sustained throughout by a profoundly collaborative and stunningly imagined translation. It demonstrates in every line how poetry - and translation - can also generate philosophy. Put it on every curriculum, now. -- Deborah Smith, Man Booker International Prize winning translator

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Book SynopsisThe most famous memoir of its kind and a key text in the anti-slavery movement, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass tells the striking and emotionally charged story of one man’s journey from slavery to freedom. Complete & Unabridged. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is introduced by Dr Lydia Plath.Born into a life of slavery in Maryland in 1818, Frederick Douglass spent his youth passed from master to master, from city to field, and subjected to unimaginable cruelty. Along this journey he sought knowledge, he learned to read and write, and he discovered that education was his key to salvation. Using everything he learned and fuelled by all he was forced to endure, Douglass managed to escape and then, eventually, to free himself from slavery. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, a startlingly honest account of his struggle, played a fundamental role in the abolition of slavery, a movement that Douglass dedicated his life to.Trade ReviewThroughout his long career, Douglass cut an imposing figure, renowned as an impassioned abolitionist, a fiery writer and newspaper editor. He was a great public speaker, who became a one-man crusade for black liberation. -- Robert McCrum * Guardian ‘The 100 best nonfiction books’ *One of the most celebrated orators and political theorists in the world -- Brent Staples * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER'Exceptionally brilliant and powerful' Marina Hyde'This book is a hilarious memoir, a passionate polemic, and a moving manifesto on how to be a decent person and try, in the face of countless stresses, to live a full open-hearted, joyous life' Sunday TimesA decade ago, Caitlin Moran thought she had it all figured out. Her instant bestseller How to Be a Woman was a game-changing take on feminism, the patriarchy, and the general 'hoo-ha' of becoming a woman. Back then, she firmly believed 'the difficult bit' was over, and her forties were going to be a doddle.If only she had known: when middle age arrives, a whole new bunch of tough questions need answering. Why isn't there such a thing as a 'Mum Bod'? How did sex get boring? What are men really thinking? Where did all that stuff in the kitchen drawers come from? Can feminists have Botox? Why has wine turned against you? How can you tell the difference between a Teenage Micro-Breakdown, and The Real Thing? Has feminism gone too far? And, as always, WHO'S LOOKING AFTER THE CHILDREN?Now with ageing parents, teenage daughters, a bigger bum and a To-Do list without end, Caitlin Moran is back with More Than A Woman: a guide to growing older, a manifesto for change, and a celebration of all those middle-aged women who keep the world turning.Trade ReviewI adore, admire and - more - am addicted to Caitin Moran's writing * Nigella Lawson *This book is a hilarious memoir, a passionate polemic, and a moving manifesto on how to be a decent person and try, in the face of countless stresses, to live a full open-hearted, joyous life * Sunday Times *Superbly funny * Guardian *She writes with such heartening VIM and warmth about all the important stuff. More Than A Woman is my FRIEND, untangling a lot of my confusion about doing feminism right * Marian Keyes *Exceptionally brilliant and powerful. Her new book is incredible - I shrieked with laughter throughout and probably cried solidly for the last 30 pages. She is simply one of the most significant people of her generation. Her writing has helped so many. * Marina Hyde *I wish I'd read Caitlin Moran's More Than A Woman 40 years ago. But like with the tree-planting, the second best time is now. You just have to. * Hugh Laurie *One of very few who can write inspirationally without becoming platitudinous. Her prose is so lucid and personal and funny you don't even notice that what you're reading is a manifesto. * David Baddiel *Warning - you won't sleep until you've inhaled every single word ... BUY IT IMMEDIATELY * Claudia Winkleman *More Than a Woman examines middle age, motherhood, sex and, of course, feminism all with Moran's signature wit. * Evening Standard *Funny, life-affirming and wise. * The Observer *

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Book SynopsisAn extraordinarily brave and moving memoir from one of the world's most famous whistle-blowers, activists and trans women.In 2013, Chelsea Manning was sentenced to thirty-five years in military prison for the largest leak of classified documents in history. The next day, Chelsea declared her gender identity as a woman and began to transition.In this radically candid memoir, Chelsea recounts how her challenging youth led her to join the US Army. She writes of the fierce pride she took in her work, the risks of the military's queer underground and the wider culture of silence and unaccountability. She describes fifty-nine days locked in an iron cage after her fateful decision and the community of solidarity she later discovered in prison. Above all, we see the phenomenal courage and resilience it took to survive and become a global advocate for transparency.'A terrific read, full of unexpected turns and details that counter many of the assumptions made about Manning' GUARDIAN 'Brilliantly told' THE TIMES'Searing...uplifting...redemptive' NEW YORK TIMES'A full and expansive account of Manning's life, one which is often harrowing but funny and poignant too' DAZEDTrade ReviewGripping ... It takes extraordinary qualities to do some of the things she recounts in this book ... Manning has become a new kind of American heroine * Observer *Electrifying ... an insider confessional turned inside out for the 21st century ... Manning reckons with this complex relationship of sex and gender to political radicalism ... absorbing ... sublime * Washington Post *One of the bravest persons alive -- Yanis VaroufakisA terrific read, full of unexpected turns and details that counter many of the assumptions made about Manning at the time ... Opens like a Jason Bourne novel * Guardian *Chelsea Manning is the biggest hero that ever lived -- Vivienne WestwoodA heroine to millions -- Alan MooreA searing personal element ... Although troubling to read, it manages to be uplifting as well * The New York Times *Harrowing ... affecting * New Statesman *A candidly told story from activist Chelsea Manning, which turns the tell-all confessional upside down. ... Chelsea moves through her life story with poignant, personal detail ... It's shocking to read what she's witnessed and triumphed over. * The Face *Forceful ... To those who see Manning as a hero, [her memoir] will only intensify that feeling, given all the hardships she has overcome. Those who see villainy may perhaps find their views tempered by sympathy * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisPowerful, fascinating and deeply moving - this book pushes aside our lazy images of human migration and refugees. I loved it. RODDY DOYLE, author of LoveTHE BESTSELLING MEMOIR - SHORTLISTED FOR THE IRISH NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR'I carry my troubled homeland within me; I hide it like a crime.'Growing up in conservative Saudi Arabia, Suad Aldarra felt stifled by the strictures placed on women. She yearned for the vibrant Syrian streets of her family's origin. When the opportunity arose to study at Damascus University, she jumped at the chance to move to a city she loved and to experience a degree of freedom she'd never known.But when the war started, everything changed. Suddenly Suad was thrown into a world of relentless pressure desperately looking for a way out. Her degree in software engineering was the saving grace that allowed her to travel to Ireland on a working visa. Yet reaching safety came at a price ...I Don't Want to Talk About Home is not a memoir about war and destruction. It's not about camps or boats. It's about the enduring love for a home that ceased to exist, building a life out of the rubble, and the parts of yourself you lose and find when integrating into a new world.Illuminating, vivid, and insightful, this is such a timely book. LOUISE O'NEILL, author of IdolFull of heart, honesty and hard-learnt wisdom... a captivating journey across continents, history and culture. I literally couldn't put this book down.JAN CARSON author of The RapturesTrade ReviewPowerful, fascinating and deeply moving - this book pushes aside our lazy images of human migration and refugees. I loved it. -- Roddy Doyle, author of Love Full of heart, honesty and hard-learnt wisdom, I Don't Want To Talk About Home addresses complex issues about identity, belonging and family. This book took me on a captivating journey across continents, history and culture. Suad Aldarra possesses a rare gift to when it comes to storytelling; I literally couldn't put this book down. -- Jan Carson, author of The Raptures Illuminating, vivid, and insightful, this is such a timely book. -- Louise O'Neill, author of Idol This is a heart-wrenching memoir. Suad's courage, resilience and determination to find a place she can now call home, shines through. A beautiful book that I read in one sitting. -- Sinead Moriarty, author of Yours, Mine, Ours It is difficult to convey in a few words how much I loved this book. Full of heart-wrenching moments, it moved me to tears frequently, tears of both empathy and joy.A beautiful evocation of a lost home and a lost homeland, tender, heartfelt, elegiac, full of humorous and wry observations that create a vivid picture of a vibrant world little known, understood, or appreciated in the west, it gives identity, humanity, and dignity to all those too often dismissed as faceless and nameless 'refugees' or 'migrants.' -- Arnold Thomas Fanning, author of Mind on Fire

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Book Synopsis**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**'A riveting, compelling, mesmerizing journey. Josef Lewkowicz is a hero in every sense of the word. The Survivor both terrifies us and inspires us. It's a must read.'Tova Friedman, author of The Daughter of Auschwitz.One of the last great untold stories of the Holocaust, The Survivor is an astonishing account of one man's unbreakable spirit, unshakeable faith, and extraordinary courage in the face of evil.At only sixteen years old, Josef Lewkowicz became a number, prisoner 85314. Following the Nazi invasion of Poland, he and his father were separated from their family and herded to the Kraków-Plaszów concentration camp. Forced to carry out hard labour in brutal conditions, and to live under the constant threat of extreme violence and sudden death, before the war was over Josef would witness the unique horrors of six of the most notorious Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz, Mauthausen and Ebensee.From salt mines to forced marches, summary executions to Amstetten, where prisoners were used as human shields in Allied bombing, Josef lived under the spectre of death for many years. When he was liberated from Ebensee at the end of the war, conditions were amongst the worst witnessed by allied forces.With his freedom, Josef returned home to find that he was the only one left alive in an extended family of 150. Compelled by the need to do something to avenge that loss, he joined the Jewish police while still in a displaced persons' camp, and was recruited as an intelligence officer for the US Army who gave him a team to search for Nazis in hiding.Whilst rounding up SS leaders, he played a critical role in identifying and bringing to justice his greatest tormentor, the Butcher of Plaszow, Amon Göth, played by Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List. He then committed his life to helping the orphaned children of the Holocaust rebuild their lives.The Survivor is Josef's extraordinary testimony.Trade ReviewA remarkable story of fortitude and hope. Extraordinary.The Times * . *An incredibly powerful book.Good Morning Britain * . *A riveting, compelling, mesmerizing journey. Josef Lewkowicz is a hero in every sense of the word. The Survivor both terrifies us and inspires us. It's a must read.Tova Friedman,author of The Daughter of Auschwitz * . *A sickening personal tale of the depths of Nazi brutality. HarrowingAnne de Courcy, The Telegraph * . *Josef Lewkowicz's account of his journey through six concentration camps as a teenager makes for horrific reading. But what grips the mind is his Nazi hunting and capture of the despicable Amon Goeth, followed by his determination only to do, and see, good in people. His spiritual voice emerges from a history of pain and loss with a rare and admirable clarity.Baroness Julia Neuberger * . *One of the most miraculous and uplifting stories of the Holocaust.The Daily Express * . *A truly harrowing account, humanely told in fast-paced, affecting prose. You won't be able to put it down - even in those moments where the truth feels too hard to read.Sophy Roberts, author of The Lost Pianos of Siberia * . *Heartbreaking and inspiring. Josef Lewkowicz's journey to freedom did not end with his liberation from the Nazi death camps. He witnessed the inhumanity of men who, when given the power, can be so evil as to choose who shall live and who shall die. With captivating realism, Lewkowicz recounts reuniting hundreds of displaced and abandoned Jewish children with their families, an enormous task. If that wasn't enough, he became a Nazi hunter and helped bring some of the worst men in Jewish history to justice. This is a profound and courageous book.Maxwell Smart, author of The Boy in the Woods -- Maxwell Smart * author of The Boy in the Woods *Josef's story is an account of his unbreakable spirit, unshakable faith and courage in the face of evil.The Jewish Telegraph * . *[A] story of survival and pursuit of justice. Remarkable.Jewish Tribune * . *'No wonder this book is attracting global acclaim. Every sentence is unforgettable.'Paul Hayward * . *'A record of remarkable endurance.' * TLS *A book that you simply have to read. * Inside History *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERLast Christmas I almost killed myself. Almost. I've had a lot of almosts. Never gone from almost to deed. Don't think I ever will. But it was a bad almost. Living Better is Alastair Campbell's honest, moving and life affirming account of his lifelong struggle with depression. It is an autobiographical, psychological and psychiatric study, which explores his own childhood, family and other relationships, and examines the impact of his professional and political life on himself and those around him. But it also lays bare his relentless quest to understand depression not just through his own life but through different treatments. Every bit as direct and driven, clever and candid as he is, this is a book filled with pain, but also hope -- he examines how his successes have been in part because of rather than despite his mental health problems -- and love. We all know someone with depression. There is barely a family untouched by it. We may be talking about it more than we did, back in the era of 'boys don't cry' - they did you know - and when a brave face or a stiff upper lip or a best foot forward was seen as the only way to go. But we still don't talk about it enough. There is still stigma, and shame, and taboo. There is still the feeling that admitting to being sad or anxious makes us weak. It took me years, decades even to get to this point, but I passionately believe that the reverse is true and that speaking honestly about our feelings and experiences (whether as a depressive or as the friend or relative of a depressive) is the first and best step on the road to recovery. So that is what I have tried to do here. Trade ReviewSuperbly readable, supremely useful. Unflinching, clear-eyed, honest, raw and revealing, this book may be the most important achievement of Alastair Campbell's vivid and varied life. For anyone who has lived with depression or lived with someone who lives with depression LIVING BETTER will be indispensable and - potentially - even a life-saver * STEPHEN FRY *I thought I knew everything there was to know about Alastair but LIVING BETTER reveals so much more. It is typical of him to take his own struggles and lay them out so candidly to help those who have depression deal with it and help those who don't - like me - understand it better. Alastair is living proof that it is possible to have depression and yet achieve so much * TONY BLAIR *Very touching, I'm sure it'll help many people. It made me feel less alone * MARIAN KEYES *A book about hope and about love and how they can conquer all * DELIA SMITH *As a fellow sufferer, I found LIVING BETTER fascinating, compelling and totally relatable. There were times it moved me to tears, other times it had me smiling and laughing, but above all it made me reflect that I am not alone, and that there are always new things we can do to help others, and to help ourselves. If everyone read and acted on this book, the world would be a better place * DENISE WELCH, of Coronation Street and Loose Women *It's an astonishing book. I feel I understand depression so much better. It is pacy and full of good concrete ideas. And although it is a serious subject there are times it is very funny -- SIMON MAYOIt pains me to say so but this is a really good book. And it has changed the way I think about mental health and mental illness -- PIERS MORGANThis book will be so helpful to so many people, people who have depression, and people who love them -- SUSANNAH REIDLIVING BETTER is a profound and moving book and everyone should read it * JOHANN HARI, author of Lost Connections *It is fascinating to see how someone seen as strong and tough can talk so openly about his vulnerabilities. I've no doubt that many sportsmen and women will both identify with and learn from LIVING BETTER * MARO ITOJE, Saracens and England rugby player *Deeply personal and revealing * OBSERVER *Deeply honest . . . [Campbell] articulately reflects on these issues in sharp detail, creating an all-encompassing and intricate look into mental health. This incredibly nuanced read will resonate with anyone * The i *A startlingly frank account of the rollercoaster moods which Campbell traces back to his childhood * Daily Mail *Part deeply personal memoir, part self-help book, but above all a love letter to his family, and especially to Fiona, his partner of 40 years -- Sonia Delesalle-Stolper * Libération *[Campbell] writes movingly about his lifelong struggle with depression * The independent, Best Self-Care Books for 2021 *

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Book Synopsis''A charming journey through the science and experience of fully engaging your senses of smell, taste, touch, sight, and sound'' - Adam Grant, author of Think AgainThe #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project turns to the five senses.For more than a decade, Gretchen Rubin had been studying happiness and human nature. Despite all she''d learned, she began to realize that something was missing: she was spending so much time stuck in her head that she wasn''t noticing the world around her.In this journey of self-experimentation, Rubin explores the mysteries and joys of embracing the senses as a path to a happier, more mindful life: from the simple pleasures of appreciating ketchup and adding favourite songs to a playlist, to practicing daily rituals and attending Flavor University, she discovers the power of tuning in.Life in Five Senses is filled with profound insights and practical suggestions abo

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Book SynopsisThe No. 1 Sunday Times and internationally bestselling account of life as a child with autism, now a documentary film Winner of Best Documentary and Best Sound in the British Independent Film Awards 2021. 'It will stretch your vision of what it is to be human' Andrew Solomon, The TimesWhat is it like to have autism? How can we know what a person - especially a child - with autism is thinking and feeling? This groundbreaking book, written by Naoki Higashida when he was only thirteen, provides some answers. Severely autistic and non-verbal, Naoki learnt to communicate by using a 'cardboard keyboard' - and what he has to say gives a rare insight into an autistically-wired mind. He explains behaviour he's aware can be baffling such as why he likes to jump and why some people with autism dislike being touched; he describes how he perceives and navigates the world, sharing his thoughts and feelings about time, life, beauty and nature; and he offers an unforgettable short story. Proving that people with autism do not lack imagination, humour or empathy, THE REASON I JUMP made a major impact on its publication in English. Widely praised, it was an immediate No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller as well as a New York Times bestseller and has since been published in over thirty languages.In 2020, a documentary film based on the book received its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Jerry Rothwell, produced by Jeremy Dear, Stevie Lee and Al Morrow, and funded by Vulcan Productions and the British Film Institute, it won the festival's Audience Award for World Cinema Documentary, then further awards at the Vancouver, Denver and Valladolid International Film Festivals before its global release in 2021.The book includes eleven original illustrations inspired by Naoki's words, by the artistic duo Kai and Sunny.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary account of how autism feels from the inside. * Observer *The most remarkable book of the year. The book throws a pontoon bridge over the chasm dividing autistic and neuro-typical experience. * Spectator *The Reason I Jump reads effortlessly, each page challenging preconceptions that autistic people lack empathy, humour or imagination. * Independent on Sunday *This is a wonderful book. I defy anyone not to be captivated, charmed and uplifted by it. But above all, you will never feel the same about autism again. * Evening Standard *The freshness of voice coexists with so much wisdom . . . it will stretch your vision of what it is to be human. * The Times *Impossible to forget. * Evening Standard *A book that acts like a door to another logic, explaining why an autistic child might flap his hands in front of his face, disappear suddenly from home - or jump. -- Neil Tweedie * Sunday Telegraph *A book that makes me want to say, "This is truly important, and anyone interested in autism should read it," is a rare find. The Reason I Jump achieves that status . . . [it] builds one of the strongest bridges yet constructed between the world of autism and the neurotypical world . . . There are many more questions I'd like to ask Naoki, but the first words I'd say to him are "thank you". -- Charlotte Moore * Sunday Times *Every page dismantles another preconception about autism. Higashida's language is precise and has a poetic quality that elevates it far beyond a self-help book for the parents of autistic children. His fictional stories, also included in this book, vary in length from a few lines to dozens of pages and are united by their beautiful simplicity. They all share a strong single theme, namely, that even if living is different and difficult, you can still find companionship and happiness. Once you understand how Higashida managed to write this book, you lose your heart to him. -- Caroline Crampton * New Statesman *This is a wonderful book. I defy anyone not to be captivated, charmed and uplifted by it. But above all, you will never feel the same about autism again. -- John Preston * Evening Standard *We have our received ideas, we believe they correspond roughly to the way things are, then a book comes along that simply blows all this so-called knowledge out of the water. This is one of them . . . This book is an entry into another world. It was discovered by K.A. Yoshida, wife of the novelist David Mitchell, who gave us some memorable other worlds in Cloud Atlas . . . Naoki says he wants to be a writer when he grows up. David Mitchell points out that he already is one. This spectacular little book may or may not be the beginning of a prolific career, but it's a wholly realised work of art in itself, and its dignity and stoicism are sometimes almost unbearably moving. And no, he doesn't wish he was 'normal'. He says he is happy as he is, and I think I believe him. -- Marcus Berkmann * Daily Mail *As much a winsome work of the imagination as it is a user's manual for parents, carers and teachers. In its quirky humour and courage, it resembles Albert Espinosa's Spanish bestseller, The Yellow World . . . This book gives us autism from the inside, as we have never seen it. * Independent *The freshness of voice coexists with so much wisdom . . . it will stretch your vision of what it is to be human. -- Aw Solomon * The Times *The Reason I Jump reads effortlessly, each page challenging preconceptions that autistic people lack empathy, humour or imagination. Higashida's insights confirm some of my suspicions (perhaps the phrases that my sister repeats feel pleasurable, 'like a game of catch with a ball'), whilst challenging others . . . And raising new possibilities. * Independent on Sunday *The most remarkable book of the year was The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida. The book throws a pontoon bridge over the chasm dividing autistic and neuro-typical experience. -- Charlotte Moore, Spectator Books of the YearWritten by an autistic Japanese boy when he was just 13, this remarkable book, which became a No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller earlier this year, offers an unparalleled view inside the closed world of childhood autism. Higashida's eye-opening answers to 58 questions - such as: "Why do you ask the same questions over and over?" or: "Why can you never stay still?" - are accompanied by a series of short tales, and an introduction from the novelist David Mitchell (who has an autistic son himself) that makes clear just how exceptional and rare this book is. -- Andrew Holgate * Sunday Times *A remarkable memoir. A touching and fascinating guide to the tangled byways of his mind. Every page dismantles another of our preconceptions about autism. * Mail on Sunday *Revelatory -- John Harris * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*REVISED AND UPDATED*'I am the largest sports promoter in the world. I promote 11 sports to a global audience of billions of people every day of my life'__________A larger than life working class hero, Romford born and bred - always ready with the perfect soundbite - Barry Hearn was famously described as 'roguish but never a rogue'.Hearn is credited with turning snooker into one of the biggest sports in Britain. He essentially turned a sport in which competitors wear bowties into a massive, globally televised event. Away from the table, his promotions empire casts its net over a dozen sports - from professional boxing to darts, fishing to ten-pin bowling - and his career spans four decades. He also previously owned Leyton Orient football club.Packed with hilarious anecdotes from the golden age of snooker, and behind-the-scenes insight into boxing negotiations and darts bust-ups, Hearn's book is a joy to read from start to finish.__________

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller 'This second volume of memoirs is as fascinating as the first....full of wit, joy, vivid vignettes and useful insights...she has another bestseller on her hands' India Knight, Sunday Times'It's great to have another memoir from Lady Glenconner . . . as open-minded and entertaining as she clearly is' Lynn Barber, Sunday Telegraph'A jolly anecdote for every day of the year and excellent advice' Hilary Rose, The Times'As glorious and highly readable as its predecessor - as well as being packed full of new stories' ipaper'Full of eye-popping detail' Sophia Money-Coutts, Daily Telegraph'Charm itself' Spectator'Anne Glenconner returns to charts her fascinating life and the hard-won lessons learnt in diplomacy, marriage and motherhood' Tatler.comBracing honesty, rare insight and hilarious revelations from internationally bestselling author of LADY IN WAITING as she shares everything she's learned from her extraordinary and unexpected life.Anne Glenconner's glittering life hasn't always been golden. As she revealed in her astonishing bestselling memoir Lady in Waiting, it has been one of stark contrasts - from growing up in the splendour of Holkham Hall to living in a tent in the jungle of Mustique, from travelling the world with Princess Margaret to coping with her wildly unpredictable husband Lord Glenconner. Tragically, she has also survived the loss of two of her sons and nursed a third son back from a coma.Now in her ninetieth year, and at her happiest, Anne brings her bracing honesty, characteristic wit and courage to reflect on and reveal more about her long and unexpected life, her extremely volatile marriage, and what it's taught her.As a wife, she became a master in the art of keeping the peace, knowing when to pick her battles, when she needed help - and when to take a lover. As a hostess, she acquired great practical skills in throwing marvellous parties and looking after magnificent homes, and, as a lady in waiting, became well versed in diplomacy and etiquette. It was as a mother she learnt the toughest lessons of all, and through them the value of friendship, family, and laughter to get her through the worst moments in life, as well as celebrate the best of them.Anne Glenconner's Whatever Next? is the richly entertaining proof that staying open to every new adventure and being ready for whatever happens sets an inspiring example for us all.

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Book Synopsis'A genuine presence on the field, Owen refereed with the perfect balance of respect and authority' Keith Wood'Highly respected with vast experience and knowledge, Owen Doyle contributed hugely to the world of rugby refereeing, both on and off the field' Nigel Owens'Owen Doyle was a highly respected referee who officiated matches with passion, commitment, knowledge and, occasionally, some great humour' Will CarlingWith a foreword by Donal Lenihan.Owen Doyle is an Irish Times columnist and former Irish rugby Test match referee. Here in his frank, revealing and often humorous memoir, The Ref's Call, he gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the high-pressured world of international rugby.From the processes involved in becoming a referee, to officiating in the Five Nations, touring Internationals and a World Cup, Doyle takes us through the most memorable matches of his career and how, following his retirement, he became instrumental in coaching the most successful generation of referees in the IRFU's history.Covering over forty years of rugby, and written in his own inimitable style, Doyle looks at the challenges facing modern rugby, particularly the issues of concussion and dementia, to give a fascinating insight into the great game, told from a unique perspective.

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Book Synopsis''Powerfully entertaining. A true thriller of resilience and defiance'' JANELLE MONÁE''Tanya Smith''s story is unbelievably bold, captivating, and moving. Never Saw Me Coming is a wild ride from start to finish. She is my hero'' ISSA RAEThe true story of how a middle-class Black girl from Minneapolis became one of the single biggest threats to the United States banking system.Tanya Smith fancied herself a folk hero, a kind of Robin Hood, using her powers of persuasion to buck the system and help the poor and needy.It started innocently enough, with calls to celebrities'' houses with her teenage twin sister. Soon, Tanya realised she could convince utility companies to amend the balances of her friends and neighbours, clearing their overdue electricity bills with a single phone call. Eventually, as she tested the limits and realized she could get past any gatekeeper, she began to understand the power of money and what it could do. Over the years, Tanya ''confiscated'' some $40 million in cash and commodities from US banks, using hacked wire transfers. It didn''t take long before the FBI was on her tail. But when interviewing her, they made clear that they were using her to get to the person actually running things - clearly, she wasn''t smart enough to do this on her own (Black people she was told, rob people, they don''t hack computers). Thus began a cat and mouse game with the authorities that would drive her to unthinkable limits, breaking the hearts of her parents and putting Tanya''s life in jeopardy before finally sending her to Federal prison (where she escaped twice) with the longest sentence ever given for a white-collar crime.In the spirit of true crime narratives like Catch Me If You Can, Molly''s Game, and Ben Mezrich''s Bringing Down the House, Never Saw Me Coming is also the deeply personal journey of a young Black woman finding her way in a world that underestimated her brilliance. ''It''s a gripping real-life caper from a charismatic antihero. - Publishers Weekly

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Book Synopsis'Joelle Taylor has a Midas touch with words' Diana SouhamiA Cosmo best books to look forward to in 2024 pick 'A glorious jewel of a novel' Sophie Ward'Exhilarating, profoundly beautiful and exquisitely written' Salena Godden'A mesmerising debut from one of the most talented literary stylists writing today' The Bookseller'Hugely imaginative' Marie Claire (Best New Books, 2024)---------------------------------------------------------------------------------The tattoo was a reclamation, a flag we mounted in the centre of our own landscape.A woman walks into a tattoo parlour. But this is no ordinary woman, and this is Hackney in 2233. Jones' body is covered in tattoos but she wants to add one final inking to her gallery - a thin line of ink mixed with blood that connects her body art together, creating a unique map.As the two artists set to work, Jones tells them the story behind each tattoo. As Jones is no ordinary woman, these are no ordinary stories: each one represents a doorway to a life Jones fell into, a 'remembering'. Some of these lives were in the past, others in the future, some are sideways, but each of them connects Jones to the two tattoo artists in some way, though they are unaware of it.We visit the dystopian cities of the Quiet Men, the coal mines of 19th century Lancashire, join a gang of vigilante sex workers, enter the world of an INCEL murderer, haunt the old Maryville gay bar, and uncover plans to genetically modify female children. Each of the stories brings us closer to Jones' truth, and how her life is intricately interwoven with that of the women tattooing her body.Set across geographies and timespans, The Night Alphabet is a dazzlingly bold and original work, a deep investigation into human nature and violence against women.Trade ReviewThe Night Alphabet is a glorious jewel of a novel, rich with language and story, that glows in your mind's eye long after you have set it down. Taylor manages to combine her vivid poetry with a truly engaging tale of female resilience, an Illustrated Woman for our times. -- Sophie Ward, author of Love and Other Thought ExperimentsJoelle Taylor's debut novel The Night Alphabet is phenomenal. This book is exhilarating, profoundly beautiful and exquisitely written, it is poetic, empowered, courageous. The Night Alphabet is an inspired piece of truly magical and brilliant story telling. -- Salena GoddenA mesmerising debut from one of the most talented literary stylists writing today. * The Bookseller *This hugely imaginative debut by TS Elliott-prizewinning poet Taylor pulls no punches... a fierce, tender - at times highly uncomfortable - study of power, agency and resilience. * Marie Claire (Best New Books, 2024) *Exquisitely written . . . Joelle Taylor reveals herself as an extraordinary storyteller. * The Skinny *

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Book SynopsisA memoir told through a series of intimate portraits, which build into a poignant, insightful and unforgettable testimony of West Indian British experience.***A NEW STATESMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023***'Grant is a natural storyteller... Compelling and charming'BERNARDINE EVARISTO, author of Girl, Woman, Other'Grant's most revealing work'NEW STATESMAN‘I’m black, so you don’t have to be,’ Colin Grant’s uncle Castus used to tell him. If Colin – born in Britain to Jamaican parents – worked hard and became a doctor, his race would become invisible; he would shake off the burden his parents’ generation had carried. The reality turned out to be very different.This is a memoir told through a series of intimate portraits, including of Grant’s mother Ethlyn, his father Bageye, his sister Selma, and his great uncle Percy. Each character we meet is navigating their own path. Each life informs Grant’s own shifting sense of his identity. Collectively, these stories build into an unforgettable testimony of black British experience.Trade ReviewColin Grant writes about the characters in his family with the mischievous, dramatic flair of a natural storyteller. This is a compelling and charming read. -- Bernardine Evaristo, Booker Prize-winning author Girl, Woman, OtherAn important and timely book for an increasingly diverse and diffuse set of communities, a reminder of those questions of home and belonging, an invitation to parse them. * Guardian *Fascinating, brilliant, subtle, educative book. -- Michael Rosen, author of We're Going on a Bear HuntThis outstanding memoir contains a beautiful tenderness and a courageous realness. Vibrant, poignant and brutally frank, it is rooted in authenticity and wisdom, the details of a world well-observed. Grant's work here is powerful, evocative, empowered and forthright. -- Salena Godden, author of Mrs Death Misses DeathGrant's most revealing work... This compelling and poignant book gives a convincing answer to the first question: that there is more than one way to be black. * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisA darkly comic and moving memoir on what it means to be human in a world where nothing is certain, from the award-winning Oxford professor.A book that will stay with you for life'NATALIE HAYNESThe best book about multiple sclerosis'THE TIMESWe all have trapdoors in our lives. Sometimes we jump off just in time... But sometimes we are unlucky. My own trapdoor was hidden in the consulting room of an Oxford neurologist.When the trapdoor opened for Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, he plummeted into a world of MRI scans, a disobedient body and the crushing unpredictability of a multiple sclerosis diagnosis. But, as he explores in Metamorphosis, his fall also did something else. It took him deep into his own mind: his hopes, his fears, his loves and losses, and the books that would sustain, inform and nourish him as his life began to transform in ways he could never have imagined.A pitch-perfect memoir t

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Book SynopsisBeautifully wrought and staggeringly urgent , Fragile Minds documents Bella Jackson's time as a trainee mental health nurse, and the devastation and hope she encountered in winding corridors and behind locked doors. "I loved this book. Its power is giving a real insight into a world that many of us are unfamiliar with but that we need to understand."CHERRY HEALEY "Beautiful and compelling, often distressing but ultimately hopeful."PROFESSOR JIM LUCEY, Mental Health Commission IEThere is a narrative we've become comfortable with: Mental health services are underfunded and understaffed. But that is only half the story. The other half is messy and confronting; uncomfortable enough to make us look sharply away. It is the story of the staff who believed they could make a difference, but were worn down by morally ambiguous tasks, impossible workloads and a systemic resistance to change. It is the story of the patients who are failed by hastily made diagnoses, overreliance on medication, coercion, stigma and inconsistency of care, and of the inspiring individuals struggling for justice and revolution. With compassion and care Bella introduces us to a vivid cast of staff and patients, prompting us to look closer, ask questions and demand more for them. "This book will rock your complacency towards how we understand and treat mental health..A must read for anyone concerned about our whole society's wellbeing."TESSA McWATT, author of Shame On Me"Sensitive and powerful. Bella Jackson tells incredible human stories with wisdom and insight. This is a very compassionate book. One that opens up a righteous anger at a system that's failing."PROFESSOR SIMUKAI CHIGUDU author of upcoming When Will We Be Free?

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Book SynopsisSteve Jenkins and Derek Walter, had their lives turned upside down when they adopted their pig-daughter Esther--the so-called micro pig who turned out to be a full-sized commercial pig growing to a whopping 600 pounds--as they describe in their bestselling memoir Esther the Wonder Pig. The book ends with them moving to a new farm, and starting a new wonderful life where they will live on the Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary to care for other animals and just live happily ever after...Or so they thought. People often think about giving it all up and just moving to a farm. In theory it sure does sound great. But as Derek and Steve quickly realized, the realities of being a farmer--especially when you have never lived on a farm let alone outside of the city--can be frantic, crazy, and even insane. Not only are they adjusting to farm life and dutifully taking care of their pig-daughter Esther (who by the way lives in the master bedroom of their house), but before they new it their sanctuary grew to as many as 42 animals, including: pigs, sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, cows, roosters, a peacock, a duck, a horse, a donkey, and a barn cat named Willma Ferrell.Written with joy and humor, and filled with delicious Esther-approved recipes dispersed throughout the book, this charming memoir captures an emotional journey of one little family advocating for animals everywhere.

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Book SynopsisAmanda Prowse has built a bestselling career on the lives of fictional women. Now she turns the pen on her own life. I guess the first question to ask is, what kind of woman am I? Well, you know those women who saunter into a room, immaculately coiffed and primped from head to toe? If you look behind her, you’ll see me. From her childhood, where there was no blueprint for success, to building a career as a bestselling novelist against all odds, Amanda Prowse explores what it means to be a woman in a world where popularity, slimness, beauty and youth are currency—and how she overcame all of that to forge her own path to happiness. Sometimes heartbreaking, often hilarious and always entirely relatable, Prowse details her early struggles with self-esteem and how she coped with the frustrating expectations others had of how she should live. Most poignantly, she delves into her toxic relationship with food, the hardest addiction she has ever known, and how she journeyed out the other side. One of the most candid memoirs you’re ever likely to read, Women Like Us provides welcome insight into how it is possible—against the odds—to overcome insecurity, body consciousness and the ubiquitous imposter syndrome to find happiness and success, from a woman who’s done it all, and then some.Trade Review“In this immensely inspiring work, British novelist Prowse (What Have I Done?) reflects on the bodily struggles that bled into her successful writing career…Told with clarity and vulnerability, Prowse’s story of overcoming cultural norms to accept herself arrives as a much-needed corrective in an age of filtered beauty.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Prowse’s writing is candid and charming, and many of her stories will resonate with her readers.”—Booklist

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Book SynopsisThis engaging series of childhood recollections tells about an ideal school in Tokyo during World War II that combined learning with fun, freedom, and love. This unusual school had old railroad cars for classrooms, and it was run by an extraordinary man-its founder and headmaster, Sosaku Kobayashi-who was a firm believer in freedom of expression and activity. In real life, the Totto-chan of the book has become one of Japan's most popular television personalities-Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. She attributes her success in life to this wonderful school andTrade Review"[Totto-chan] is a quiet indictment of sterile education." —New York Times"Sensitively written, delicately illustrated, poetically translated, Totto-chan is, like a haiku, filled with aesthetic and philosophical depth." —Library Journal"[Totto-chan] has reminded millions of Japanese what children think education should be." —International Herald Tribune"Totto-chan can be expected to attract American educators, parents, and perhaps some children who appreciate the international view beyond their own first-floor window." —Christian Science Monitor

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Book SynopsisAn African-American writer's concise, heartfelt take on the state of his nation.

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Book Synopsis• Explains how the author became a student of Toltec spiritual teacher don Miguel Ruiz and how he traveled the world, as well as the astral realms, undergoing a deep spiritual journey of change • Details how the author discovered LSD after the Vietnam War and even tripped while skydiving • Recounts his time as a civil rights advocate and war correspondent, and how Toltec shamanism helped prepare him to ease his wife’s long end-of-life journey During his third tour of duty in Vietnam where he served as a Green Beret, Jim Morris was wounded badly enough to be retired from the army. He came home bitter, angry that his career had been ended. After reading The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, he realized that many members of Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters had also been combat officers. Following this spiritual “hint,” he spent the next couple of years as an acid head, even skydiving on LSD. Awakened by his LSD experiences, Morris immersed himself in the books of Carlos Castaneda as well as in Kriya yoga, Charismatic Christianity, and A Course in Miracles. From these experiences he was led to Toltec spiritual teacher don Miguel Ruiz and began a deep spiritual journey of change.Sharing his journey from PTSD to spiritual awakening, Morris recounts his time as a civil rights advocate for the Montagnard people in Vietnam and his years as a war correspondent at the same time he was following Castaneda’s Warrior’s Way. He describes his momentous meeting with don Miguel Ruiz as well as his travels around the world and in the astral realms. Sharing how his wife developed dementia and later became paralyzed, Morris explains how it required all his Toltec training, all his military training, everything he had to share her final years in a meaningful and fulfilling way. Written from a deep understanding of Toltec techniques this book shows in a heartfelt and resonant way what a spiritual path can give you.Trade Review“Jim’s humor, honesty, and healing are brought together exquisitely in The Dreaming Circus. As a Vietnam veteran, war correspondent, writer, and spiritual seeker, Morris embodies the spirit and essence of a true warrior of the heart. His journey to integrate the wounds and scars of life into art and beauty is an inspiration to all warriors learning to turn trauma into triumph and inner turmoil into transformed peace.” * HeatherAsh Amara, author of Warrior Goddess Training *“As a new generation returns from war, they are already struggling to process what they saw, what they did, and what it means. Jim Morris has the wisdom to pass on that can make this transition less difficult. The Dreaming Circus is his finest work yet, detailing his experiences in Vietnam and the journey back home. Filled with introspection and parallels to contemporary conflicts, it is part memoir, part instructional guide, and a book that I will be recommending to friends, peers, and former teammates.” * Jack Murphy, author of Murphy’s Law, and cohost of The Team House *“The Dreaming Circus is a trip! Jim Morris is a visceral writer, and the level of adrenaline is so real that you’ll have to remind yourself that this is a book! Stories of the Vietnam era, of coming alive in our world, right to this present moment, convey the stress, the mess, the passion, and the strange synchronicities of a life lived to the limit. His journey into light, into reconciliation with the chaos and catastrophe that are rings in the Dream Circus, is honest and pure. This book will touch you with its honesty, and ultimately, as a story of healing, it will inspire you!” * Francis Rico, shaman, teacher, and author of A Shaman’s Guide to Deep Beauty *“Wounded by life and again by war, Jim Morris’s rich and compelling narrative takes the reader on his journey through time and space to find himself and understand his place in the universe.” * Marvin J. Wolf, coauthor of Abandoned in Hell *“To be a great storyteller you must have lived some great stories. The Dreaming Circus is both the tale told and the adventure behind it. Jim takes the reader into a mysterious, beautiful, ruthless dream that he lived as the prerequisite to casting the spell that’s become the Dreaming Circus invitation. To join Jim and his cast of characters, compadres, challengers, and shape-shifters into the elusive reality of our mind’s landscapes is a true adventure. We are worthy of great adventures, and Jim has opened the door to one that you’ll be fortunate to say yes to.” * Lee McCormick, spiritual teacher and coauthor of Spirit Recovery Medicine Bag *“Jim Morris is a spiritual warrior in the truest sense of the phrase. Unlike most modern spiritual seekers, he comes from the actual world of the warrior, having served several tours in Vietnam. After a good deal of floundering and suffering, he enters the spiritual path, which he pursues with the same intensity and commitment that he brought to his service in every aspect of his life! Morris’s story makes a fantastic read--wild and fun early on, given depth by the unflinching and honest undercurrent of pain, confusion, and heartache that goads him to search for something more, something that explains and guides and has the power to transform. What he finds--his teacher and his community, his path--is full of heart and does transform him in ways that are just as wondrous and wild as anything experienced in youth. You expect the story of someone’s spiritual journey to be inspiring, and his story is both engaging and entertaining. It is joyfully hopeful as well.” * Melissa Townsend, author, astrologer, psychic, and artist *“Through the pages of this literary gift, we are invited to tag along through tales of Jim Morris’s well lived life and cheer on his warrior spirit as he discovers, embodies, and masters essential truths.” * Gini Gentry, author of Dreaming Down Heaven *Table of ContentsAUTHOR’S NOTE: WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK PROLOGUE PART ONE Disorder after Stress1 IT’S ALWAYS HALLOWEEN IN VIETNAM 2 TURN ON, TUNE IN, DROP OUT3 THE ELECTRIC KOOL-AID FREE-FALL TEST 4 FINDING AND LOSING LOVE5 CAMBODIA6 BUMMER 7 FINDING CARLOS CASTANEDA8 LUCID DREAMING9 VISION QUEST ATTEMPTS 10 THE SPIRITUAL LESSONS OF MILITARY SCHOOL11 THE SPIRITUAL LESSONS OF JUMP SCHOOL12 FINDING MY BENEFACTOR13 FINDING MY MOJO 14 A RECAPITULATION EXERCISE15 CHEROKEE BLOOD 16 SOLDIERS AND THEIR MOMS 17 VISION QUEST: 9/12/2001 PART TWO From PTSD to Spirit 18 THE DON MIGUEL INTERVIEW19 THE DON JOSE INTERVIEW20 JOURNEY TO TEOTIHUACÁN21 DREAMING 22 THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS ASSOCIATION AND THE CIRCLE OF FIRE 23 PERU 24 DREAMING IN VEGAS 25 JOURNEY TO BOULDER AND SEDONA26 JOURNEY TO SEATTLE 27 MAKING A MOVIE IN TEOTIHUACÁN 28 THE SPIRITUAL LESSON OF A BURST APPENDIX29 ON THE WINGS OF EAGLES 30 TEO FOR JUMPERS 31 AFTER THE TOLTECS 32 POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER33 SOUL TRAVEL 34 THE DAY OF THE DEAD 35 SOUL RETRIEVAL 36 HER FRIENDS AND MINE 37 CAREGIVING 38 LOVE’S FINAL LESSON39 ALONE, NOT LONELY THANKS

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Book SynopsisTrue story of survivalMother and unborn child beat cancer through faith and determination One of the truly remarkable stories of faith and determination: At age 29, Heather Choate was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was ten weeks pregnant with her sixth child. Her unborn baby became victim to the fast-spreading and highly dangerous cancer in Heather’s body that already spread to her lymph nodes. Doctors told her she needed to abort her baby to save her life. Heather told them, “I’d rather die than take the life of my baby.” Heather and her husband set out to find a way to save both mother and baby. The journey pushed them to the fringes of their stamina, tested the strength of their familial relationships and found them clinging to their faith like it was the last bit of thread on a lifeline. Reading true stories of survival may change your life: We all have unexpected adversity in life. It’s those things that we think “will never happen to us.” It could be the loss of job, the birth of a special needs child, the downturn of the economy or an unexpected health challenge. Most of us would easily crumble under such circumstances, but Heather found that its not about what happens to you, its about what you do with it. You don’t have to almost die, to learn how to live and Heather shows us how. Despite adversity, nearly impossible challenges can be met, families can be strengthened and faith can sustain even the most desperate souls on their journey. She brings her role as cancer warrior into the real lives of readers, addressing topics that affect them most: dealing with doubt and insecurity, discovering who they really are, renewing their passion, negotiating family strife, releasing relentless regrets, succeeding against temptation, weathering their worst fears, pressing on against fatigue and illness, uprooting bitterness and more. Fighting for Our Lives will take you on a journey of self-examination and appreciation of the beauties of today, and the book could actually change your life. What you'll learn in Fighting for Our Lives: Don’t just survive challenges, thrive through them How to use your power of choice, because it’s not what happens to you that matters, its what you do about it Practical ways that faith sustains and strengthens How to deal with doubt and insecurity Best ways to release negativity and find forgiveness How to trust your inner voice

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Book SynopsisThe most compelling, insightful, and white-knuckled journey behind the restaurant curtain since Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential.Mark H. Brezinski is a forty-five-year veteran of the dynamic restaurant industry. A graduate of the famed School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, Mark went on to create or co-create multiple nationally acclaimed restaurant companies. His experiences span the globe in search of culinary discoveries and inspirations with industry icons like the late Norman Brinker, Paul Fleming, Phil Romano, and chefs Michael Mina and Mark Miller. Mark’s restaurants have featured an international buffet of foods that include Indian, Italian, French, and Vietnamese. His travels have taken him from Tokyo to Tuscany, from San Francisco to Shanghai, from Mumbai to Maui. This book takes you to all of these places and more, while telling behind-the-scenes stories—sometimes funny, often heartbreaking, and never without lessons learned. The journey is a remarkable tag-along to the highs and lows of being an entrepreneur and the self-discovery that comes with each stop. Mark resides in Dallas and, never one to leave a stone unturned, is currently founder of his latest concept, Bizzy, which features his vision of better fast food.Trade Review“Synopsis: Mark H. Brezinski is a forty-five-year veteran of the dynamic restaurant industry. A graduate of the famed School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, Mark went on to create or co-create multiple nationally acclaimed restaurant companies. His experiences span the globe in search of culinary discoveries and inspirations with industry icons like the late Norman Brinker, Paul Fleming, Phil Romano, and chefs Michael Mina and Mark Miller. Mark's restaurants have featured an international buffet of foods that include Indian, Italian, French, and Vietnamese. His travels have taken him from Tokyo to Tuscany, from San Francisco to Shanghai, from Mumbai to Maui. This book takes you to all of these places and more, while telling behind-the-scenes stories - sometimes funny, often heartbreaking, and never without lessons learned. The journey is a remarkable tag-along to the highs and lows of being an entrepreneur and the self-discovery that comes with each stop. Mark resides in Dallas and, never one to leave a stone unturned, is currently founder of his latest concept, Bizzy, which features his vision of better fast food. Critique: A fascinating culinary memoir of professional restauranteur Mark H. Brezinski, ForkFight!: Whisks, Risks, and Conflicts Behind the Restaurant Curtain will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in the restaurant industry. Written with the assistance of co-author Mark Stuertz and highly recommended for community library American Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted that ForkFight! is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99). Editorial Note: Mark H. Brezinski (https://mbrezinski.com) is a forty-five-year restaurant industry veteran who has created or co-created multiple nationally recognized and rewarded restaurant concepts. His experience spans the globe and his connections with industry icons is deep. He is recognized in the restaurant industry as co-founder and/or creator of restaurant concepts that have won ‘Hot Concept’ and ‘Concepts of Tomorrow’ awards and was recently named one of ‘Nation's Restaurant News Most Influential Restaurant CEO's.’” -- Midwest Book Review“The key to Mark’s success was his ability to inspire and infect each new restaurant team with a culture that separated those restaurants from both chain and independent restaurants across the country.” -- Rick Federico, retired Chairman, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro“You would think Mark is thirty-five years old with his energy, enthusiasm, wide eyes, hands flailing, and chatter about all the irons he has in the fire. Mark has never slowed down and he transcends generations of restaurateurs and brands which have come and gone.” -- Chef Nevielle Panthaky, VP, Culinary, Chipotle“I can’t say exactly for sure but I’d say that Mark’s fingerprints are on about 75 percent of the tacos on the Velvet Taco menu. He will undoubtedly be forgotten as the brand continues to grow but there are a select few of us who will forever know just how integral he was to the success of the brand and of all its industry recognition.” -- Chef John Franke, former Corporate Chef, Front Burner Restaurants and Current CEO, Franke Culinary Consulting“The future of the restaurant business depends on the Mark Brezinskis of the world to tell us where we need to go.” -- Bob Sambol, Founder/Owner, Bob’s Steak & Chop House“Many creative guys are working on renovation, they take something that exists, polish it, and make it look new. Not Mark. He has the capability to create a new blue ocean.” -- Christophe Poirier, Chief Brand Officer, New Business Development, Pizza Hut Global“Most of us see the world for what it is and do our best to fit in, but there are those select few who start with an idea and never mind that it doesn't already exist. In the world of food and hospitality, Mark is one of those rare visionaries.” -- Micky Pant, Former CEO, YUM! Restaurants International“As unknown as Anthony Bourdain before publishing Kitchen Confidential, Mark Brezinski’s ForkFight! takes you behind the scenes of visioning, creating, financing, and opening the restaurants you eat in today. It’s a world most didn’t know existed. It’s a messy world. And in many cases it’s one that not many can go through financially and psychologically intact. I have lived this industry for decades and learned something new about it in every chapter of the book. Informative, entertaining, and filled with life lessons, ForkFight! should yield this humble individual the credit he so rightfully deserves for his contributions to the industry.” -- Lane Cardwell, Former CEO, Boston Market, Former President, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Former CEO, Eatzi’s Market & Bakery

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Book SynopsisA “riveting and powerful” (Gretchen Carlson, cofounder of Lift Our Voices) insider’s account on Wall Street—an updated Liar’s Poker—where greed coupled with misogyny and discrimination enforces a culture of exclusion in the upper echelons of Goldman Sachs. Jamie Fiore Higgins became one of the few women at the highest ranks of Goldman Sachs. Spurred on by the obligation she felt to her working-class immigrant family, she rose through the ranks and saw it all: out-of-control, lavish parties flowing with never-ending drinks; affairs flouted in the office; rampant drug use; and most pervasively, a discriminatory culture that seemed designed to hold back the few women and people of color employed at the company. Despite Goldman Sachs having the right talking points and statistics, Fiore Higgins soon realized that these provided a veneer to cover up what she found to be an abusive culture. Her “engrossing” (Julie Battilana and Tiziana Casciaro, authors of Power, for All) account is one filled with shocking stories of harassment and jaw-dropping tales of exclusionary behavior: when she was told she only got promoted because she is a woman; when her coworkers mooed at her after she pumped for her fourth child, defying the superior who had advised her not to breastfeed; or when a male boss used a racial epithet in front of her, other colleagues, and clients without any repercussions.Bully Market “exposes the #MeToo movement’s unfinished work on Wall Street” (Meighan Stone, author of Awakening: #MeToo and the Global Fight for Women’s Rights) sounds the alarm on the culture of finance and corporate America, while offering clear, actionable ideas for creating a fairer workplace. Both a revealing, extraordinary look at the industry and a top Wall Streeter’s explosive personal story, Bully Market is an essential account of one woman’s experience in a flawed system that speaks to the challenge and urgency for change.Trade Review“Higgins is unafraid to, as they say, ‘go there,’ taking us into the bathroom and elsewhere for spilled breast milk, rivulets of child diarrhea and vomiting episodes courtesy of her sister, her children, herself. Indeed there is something effluvial about the entire book, as if the #MeToo movement provided her, narratively speaking, with a stiff dose of ipecac syrup. It’s gross, but propulsive, and also — in the case of a graphic miscarriage during her ferry commute, to which her boss displays a stunning but all-too-believable indifference — brave and poignant. At a time when many white-collar workers are lobbying for the right to keep Zooming in sweatpants, Bully Market is a reminder of when offices were stage sets in the sky for dark, outrageous human drama.” —New York Times “Jamie Fiore Higgins’s Bully Market is a riveting and powerful story of one woman’s experience in finance, as she climbs the corporate ladder amidst harassment and discrimination. You might argue that this book isn’t even about Goldman Sachs, but about the behaviors and patterns we’re willing to accept across all of corporate America.” —Gretchen Carlson, acclaimed journalist, co-founder of Lift Our Voices, and female empowerment advocate “On Wall Street, it’s unusual to make it into the club of Goldman managing directors, as [Jamie Fiore Higgins] did in 2012, and almost unheard of to tell the world what goes on there. The book will make Fiore Higgins one of the most senior people to do it.” —Bloomberg “Jamie Fiore Higgins’s entrancing firsthand account of her time as a high-up managing director at Goldman Sachs is a breath of fresh air—not for the stories of abuse and discrimination, which are maddening—but for the overdue chance to finally bring the truth to light. With grace and precision, she shows the hypocrisy of finance and how it and other industries can, and must, change for the next generation.” —Emily Chang, author of Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys’ Club of Silicon Valley and host of Bloomberg Technology “Higgins recounts Goldman Sachs’ toxic work environment in jaw-dropping detail, rivaled only by the remarkable candor with which she reveals her own culpability in tolerating such behavior. A brave and vivid portrait of a destructive corporate culture and toxic sexism and the terrifying toll it took on Higgins and her family.” —Booklist “[One of America’s leading financial institutions is rife with misogyny, homophobia, and racism, according to this] scintillating exposé…. A persuasive warning that Wall Street still has a long way to go to become a more human and equitable workplace.” —Publishers Weekly “In her debut memoir, Fiore Higgins mounts a scathing critique of the sexist, racist, homophobic, and elitist culture pervading Goldman Sachs... A disturbing portrait of power and greed.” —Kirkus Reviews “Bully Market is essential to understanding the power dynamics at play in one of the most influential and powerful industries in the world. It’s shocking, saddening, and infuriating by turn, but empowering in the way that it imagines what the future of the workplace can look like.” —Linda Babcock, professor of economics at Carnegie Mellon University and bestselling author of The No Club and Ask for It "Bully Market exposes the #MeToo movement's unfinished work on Wall Street and should be required reading in the Goldman Sachs C-Suite. Working women will see themselves in Jamie Fiore Higgins' seering story, cheering on the daughter of immigrants and mother of four as she overcomes misogyny and discrimination to become a Managing Director at the storied firm. From assault to punishing women for becoming mothers, Bully Market shines a bright light on Goldman's broken culture and all of corporate America's failure to keep its promises to women—and challenges business leaders to heed Higgins' call for transformative change and equality." —Meighan Stone, former president of the Malala Fund and author of Awakening: #MeToo and the Global Fight for Women's Rights "In this engrossing book, Fiore Higgins takes us on her turbulent journey from a working-class immigrant family to an unprincipled upper echelon of Wall Street. Her personal story exposes the sickening pull of money in a society devoid of a safety net and wired for profit maximization, and the misogynistic, racist, and homophobic work environment it fuels. Bully Market is an urgent call to rectify economic systems that create extreme inequality and workplace cultures that talk a good game but remain destructive for anyone who does not 'fit the mold'." —Julie Battilana and Tiziana Casciaro, authors of Power, for All

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Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER!A New York Times Book Review Editor's Pick"Secrets of the Sprakkar is a fascinating window into what a more gender-equal world could look like, and why it's worth striving for. Iceland is doing a lot to level the playing field: paid parental leave, affordable childcare, and broad support for gender equality as a core value. Reid takes us on an exploration not only around this fascinating island, but also through the triumphs and stumbles of a country as it journeys towards gender equality."-Hillary Rodham ClintonIceland is the best place on earth to be a woman-but why?For the past twelve years, the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report has ranked Iceland number one on its list of countries closing the gap in equality between men and women. What is it about Iceland that makes many women's experience there so positive? Why has their society made such meaningful progress in this ongoing battle, from electing the world's first female president to passing legislation specifically designed to help even the playing field at work and at home? And how can we learn from what Icelanders have already discovered about women's powerful place in society and how increased fairness benefits everyone?Eliza Reid, the First Lady of Iceland, examines her adopted homeland's attitude toward women-the deep-seated cultural sense of fairness, the influence of current and historical role models, and, crucially, the areas where Iceland still has room for improvement. Reid's own experience as an immigrant from small-town Canada who never expected to become a first lady is expertly interwoven with interviews with dozens of sprakkar ("extraordinary women") to form the backbone of an illuminating discussion of what it means to move through the world as a woman, and how the rules of society play more of a role in who we view as "equal" than we may understand. Secrets of the Sprakkar is a powerful and atmospheric portrait of a tiny country that could lead the way forward for us all.

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Book SynopsisHe Seemed Normal . . . I used to think people could see my anxiety, at least until I played violin in concert as a child. My Dad recorded the performanceI didn't recognize the composed person who was supposed to be me. I have always been an anxious person with a learning disability. To compensate, I've learned one strategy never fails: When trying something new, ask friends to join in so you can figure it out together. That's how I approached dating and the search for my Manicorn. These are the dates and the men who made them, in one way or another, unforgettable.

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Book SynopsisIn Ten Bridges I've Burnt, Brontez Purnell - the bard of the underloved and overlooked - turns his gaze inward. A storyteller with a musical eye for the absurdity of his own existence, he is peerless in his ability to find the levity within the stormiest of crises. Here, in his first collection of genre-defying verse, Purnell reflects on his peripatetic life, whose ups and downs have nothing on the turmoil within. 'The most high-risk homosexual behavior I engage in,' Purnell writes, 'is simply existing.' The thirty-eight autobiographical pieces pulsing in Ten Bridges Ive Burnt find Purnell at his no-holds-barred best. He remembers a vicious brawl he participated in at a poetry conference and reckons with packaging his trauma for TV writers' rooms; wrestles with the curses, and gifts, passed down from generations of family members; and chronicles, with breathless verve, a list of hell-raising misadventures and sexcapades. Through it all, he muses on everything from love and loneliness to capitalism and Blackness to jogging and the ethics of art, always with unpredictable clarity and movement. With the same balance of wit and wisdom that made 100 Boyfriends a sensation, Purnell unleashes another collection of boundary-pushing writing with Ten Bridges Ive Burnt, a book as original and thrilling as the author himself.Trade Review"This book is brutal and brutally honest, but still perversely addictive because Brontez Purnell is a performer in the truest sense. Reading Ten Bridges I've Burnt, I felt tucked-in with him, along for the intimate ride, and paused only once to write down a part I’d been looking for my whole life." — Miranda July "This memoir in verse makes me enormously happy. To the things I know about Brontez Purnell add astral poet (in terms of imagination and scale) and classicist (elegant concerns). Witness it here. Lines leap out of themselves like light eruptions from the funniest angel you ever saw. I could listen to this poet for hours, drive for days on a single thought: 'in my defense/I just had to signify/that poetry/is still dangerous.'" — Eileen Myles "Brontez Purnell has impeccable comic timing and the gift of absolute candor. His poems leap off the page with insouciant, revolutionary speed. The urgent messages they deliver—with stinging wit and carefully honed critical defiance—provide inspiring models for how to perform, how to thrive, and how to write." — Wayne Koestenbaum

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Book SynopsisMONA has done a lot more than just rescue a flagging tourism economy. It has changed the city’s body language, teaching it to stand up straight and look others squarely in the eye, even putting on a swagger in its step. From Hobart’s convict legacy, its spectacular natural setting, heritage architecture and climate, to crime rates, economic hardship and new developments, not to mention the game-changer that is MONA, Timms brings a wealth of fresh insights, exploring the city with a mixture of affection, admiration, frustration and sadness. He interviews a wide range of residents along the way – many of whom, given the weather, might be found in Gore-Tex and beanies. Those who have experienced Hobart as tourists will be surprised and intrigued by the complex society and history this book reveals. Those who live here will surely discover their city anew, propelled by the author’s fondness for it. Now with a new introduction where Tims reflects on what has been nothing short of a tourism-driven revolution since Hobart was first published in 2009. New edition of a classic with a new Introduction in which Timms reflects on how much – and how little – Hobart has changed since his book was first published in 2009, before MONA, before more people started moving there and before water restrictions in summer The writing is wonderfully evocative – literary non-fiction at its finest Foreword by Robert Dessaix Originally published as In Search of Hobart, this was the first book published in the City Series – the arrival of MONA means it has already been updated once Will be supported with marketing campaign and local events Trade Review... Exudes a discriminat-ing fondness for the city...""- Sydney Morning Herald;""... Sometimes it takes an outsider to skewer a city more accurately than someone with a lifetime of familiarity with it. I simply couldn't put it down.""- Leo Schofield.

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Book SynopsisMalcolm Turnbull, Australia’s 29th Prime Minister, tells the remarkable story of his life in this lively political page-turner. When Malcolm Turnbull took over the nation’s top job there was a sense of excitement in Australia. Sky-high opinion polls followed as the political outsider with a successful business, legal and media career took charge.The infighting that dogged politics for the best part of a decade looked to be over. But a right-wing insurgency brutally cut down Turnbull’s time in office after three years.Exceptionally candid and compelling, A Bigger Picture is the definitive narrative of Malcolm Turnbull’s prime ministership. He describes how he legalised same-sex marriage, stood up to Donald Trump, rebooted Australia’s defence industry and many more achievements – remarkable in their pace, significance and that they were delivered in the teeth of so much opposition. But it’s far more than just politics. Turnbull’s life has been filled with colourful characters and controversies, success and failure. From his early years, growing up with a single father, to defending 'Spycatcher' Peter Wright against the UK Government; the years representing Kerry Packer, leading the Republican Movement and making millions in business; and finally toppling Tony Abbott to become Prime Minister of Australia. For the first time he tells it all – in his own words. With revelatory insights on the contentious events of Turnbull’s life, A Bigger Picture explores the strengths and vulnerabilities of one of Australia’s best-known and dynamic business and political leaders. Lyrically written in highly readable and entertaining prose, this is a genuine page-turner that’s not just for political junkies.Trade Review'This is the most extraordinary, revealing, incendiary and often compelling Australian prime ministerial memoir published. Nothing compares. Hard to put down.' - Troy Bramston This is the most extraordinary, revealing, incendiary and often compelling Australian prime ministerial memoir published. Nothing compares. Hard to put down. -- Troy Bramston * Twitter *

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Book SynopsisTwenty years on from the bestselling success of Buddhism for Mothers, Sarah Napthali remains keen to explore the depths of the human experience. Intrigued by reports of the power of mushrooms, MDMA, LSD, ayahuasca and others, and the immense potential for personal and spiritual growth, she becomes determined to try these medicines and apply what she learns to the challenges she now faces as a newly divorced empty-nester.Over one year, Sarah takes eight psychedelic medicines. She navigates the highs of new romance and travel, but also grapples with the loss of old friends and a confrontation with aching loneliness.The psychedelic renaissance has provided a wealth of empirical evidence about the potential of these medicines, but this is a first-person account, a chance to join someone on their trips, and see how they impact her daily life.

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Book Synopsis'This is a shocking story told by a searingly honest writer ready to look her country - and herself - squarely in the eye. It offers no false cheer, but something far more valuable and compelling: the often painful truth.' JONATHAN FREEDLAND, Author, The Escape Artist'A heart-wrenching and illuminating memoir of a daughter's quest for answers and the ever-elusive "closure"' KERRY DAYNES, Author, The Dark Side of the Mind and What Lies BuriedA searing, intimate memoir tracing the author's attempt to find out the truth about her father's murder.Robin McGregor, an older man who has recently moved into a small town outside Cape Town, is brutally murdered in his home. Cecil Thomas is convicted for the crime, but his trial leaves more questions than answers. As much as his daughter Liz McGregor tries to move beyond her grief - she finds new work, she even discovers love - she still wants answers. What drove Thomas to torture and kill a complete stranger?The author meets the murderer's family and discovers that he comes from a loving, comfortable home. He is educated and skilled, there is no apparent reason for his descent into delinquency. After protracted obstruction from the prison authorities, she finally gets to confront him but not without putting herself in danger. She finds answers, but not the answers she is looking for.Unforgiven tells a story seldom told: what happens to a family when one of their own is murdered? In a country where, year upon year, tens of thousands of people lose a loved one to violence. Where restorative justice is preached but not practiced. Where prisons are universities of crime. What would it take to achieve redemption? For the victim, the perpetrator and the country?Trade ReviewThis is a shocking story told by a searingly honest writer ready to look her country - and herself - squarely in the eye. It offers no false cheer, but something far more valuable and compelling: the often painful truth. * Jonathan Freedland, Author, The Escape Artist *Liz McGregor has always been a great journalist but only South Africa could have wrung out of her this single-minded account of the murder of her beloved father. The book is an indescribable duty, exquisitely done. * Peter Bruce *Unforgiven is a deeply personal memoir, anchored in a specific place and time. Yet in its searing, unflinching honesty it transcends that place and time. * Prof Brian Levy, John Hopkins University *An enthralling account of the journey by a daughter to meet with those convicted of her father's murder. * Trevor Manuel *Unforgiven is a heart-wrenching and illuminating memoir of a daughter's quest for answers and the ever-elusive 'closure'. Liz McGregor beautifully excavates both the too-frequently untold journey taken by a family after a brutal murder and the dehumanisation at the core of South Africa's social and justice systems. * Kerry Daynes, author of The Dark Side Of the Mind: True Stories from My Life as a Forensic Psychologist and What Lies Buried: A Forensic Psychologist's True Stories of Madness, the Bad and the Misunderstood *

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