Memoirs Books

Book SynopsisThe events are set out not just from a high command perspective but from grass-roots, with all the human suffering, trauma, compassion and even survival. There is real compassion and human understanding, especially in Bosnia, with sufferings of all sides.The writing is attractive and very readable , modest, self-effacing, honest, with hints of P G Wodehouse(!), and intimate. Readers will feel involved and brought into author''s confidence - and this is a gift of good authorship.There are deep and important themes apart from immediate policy and action, notably the nature of war and warfare as a fundamental human condition, the real-life horror of war, and self-sacrifice. And examination of leadership is very impressive, with the trust which is vital to success. A chapter on ''surprise'' in political and military history is fascinating for historians. Technology is a vital theme and covered for the lay reader to grasp and even cyber technology. The chapters on relations with other arms,

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Book SynopsisAn exceptionally rare memoir of a boy soldier in Hitler's army.

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Book Synopsis''Humble and very funny'' - Ned Boulting''Essential reading for any Étape rider'' - Daniel Friebe, co-host of The Cyclist PodcastAn Everyman dropped into the world of Supermen... Can this amateur cyclist complete L''Étape du Tour?Tadej Pogacar has 7% body fat, Chris Froome''s resting heart rate is 30bpm, Mark Cavendish reaches sprint speeds of over 50mph. They''re super-human cyclists who ride 3,500km over 21 stages across the Alps and Pyrenees as a matter of course.James Witts is 45 years old, fatty deposits have begun to nestle on his back and he has a penchant for craft ale. He also rides a little. But not a lot. In his job as cycling journalist, however, he does have unparalleled access to the world''s best riders and their expert support staff.Which got him thinking: could spending time with the pros, discovering the training, gear and nutritional tricks of the trade, transform this back-of-the-paTrade ReviewHumble, very funny, and full of detail. * Ned Boulting, cycling broadcaster and author *Essential reading for any Étape rider. * Daniel Friebe, co-host of The Cycling Podcast *Informative yet amusing, exhaustive yet entertaining, James Witts’ latest cycling tome has much to recommend for both casual cycling fans and grizzled racers alike. * Matt Baird, editor of Cycling Plus *Required reading for anyone who is at that stage in life where their waistline is becoming as concerning as their balding head, and who need a bit of motivation to just get out and do the thing they keep saying they'd love to do. * Cillian Kelly, Global Cycling Network *James's plan to learn how the pros do it and then apply it to his own goal of riding the Étape is educational, informative and entertaining. The education and information come from his in-depth research; the entertainment comes on the day of the Étape. * Ed Pickering, editor of Rouleur *Entertaining and useful guide * road.cc *An entertaining read ... it also offers insight into the latest thinking in sports science ... Its real value is how those lessons, learned with great care and expense, can have their principles applied to improve the cycling performance of enthusiastic amateurs. * Pez Cycling News *Recommended for both casual cycling fans and grizzled racers alike. * Cycling Plus *Table of ContentsPrologue Chapter 1: The Eye-opener Chapter 2: Stolen Dreams Chapter 3: Crossover to Road Chapter 4: The Bloody Secret to Speed Chapter 5: The Lion Meets the Pussy Cat Chapter 6: The Race of Truth Chapter 7: Go and Go Again… Chapter 8: Fuelling Dreams Chapter 9: Suffocating Stamina Chapter 10: Preparing to Peak (or Pass Out) Chapter 11: Exorcism at the Étape Chapter 12: The Debrief References Acknowledgements Appendix 1: Training notes Appendix 2: Pro rider’s race calendar

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Book Synopsis''Jaw-dropping . . . Read then pass it on'' STYLIST, Book of the Month''I was utterly floored by The Chain. It has the pace of a thriller and the weight of poetry'' EVIE WYLD''Urgent, unflinching and yet so full of love and nurture for women and womanhood'' JOSIE LONG''The Chain took my breath away from the first page and did not let go of me till the very last'' NIKITA GILLIn January 2017, Chimene Suleyman was on her way to an abortion clinic in Queens, New York with her boyfriend, the father of her nascent child. It was the last day they would spend together. In an extraordinary sequence of events, Chimene was to discover the truth of her boyfriend''s life: that she and many other women had been subtly, patiently and painfully betrayed. In this spellbinding memoir, she exposes one man''s control over many women and the trauma he left behind, and celebrates the sisterhood that formed in his wake despite - and in spite of - him. Ex

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Book Synopsis''A phenomenal insight... a fascinating read. I couldn''t put it down'' Jackie Malton, author of The Real Prime SuspectEvery 90 seconds in the UK, a missing person is reported to the police.A pioneer in the field with experience spanning four decades, Charlie Hedges'' job is to work out the best way to find them. What''s going on in their life? When were they last seen?Have they chosen to go missing or is someone else involved?With no two cases ever the same, Charlie has been involved in some of the most high-profile reports during his career with the police and as a consultant in missing cases. From the evil of abductions and trafficking to the tragic accidents of the vulnerable, Charlie has dedicated his life to developing the ways we help not just the missing, but the families and loved ones left behind.Unique and fascinating, Missing tells Charlie''s untold story of finding those who desperatel

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Book Synopsis''What a strong lady, so down to earth, she''s very tough. Such an easy read, loved it.''?????''A really great book for mums to read''?????''Loved it. A very honest and open book. Felt like it was a friend I was reading about. Such a strong woman. Definitely worth a read.'' ?????Star of the number-one 2023 Netflix series At Home with the Furys and bestselling author of Love and Fury Paris Fury can pack a week into everyone else''s day. Now she tells us how she does it. How does she manage life as a hands-on mother to seven children as well as supporting World Heavyweight Champion husband Tyson, while still looking amazing and finding time for herself?She learned her great homemaking skills in her Gypsy childhood and here she shares all about daily life with the big Fury family and what works to keep life running - from shopping, mealti

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Book Synopsis''The UK''s most influential LGBT Power Couple'' - GuardianThis is the inspiring and moving memoir of a couple in search of a normal family life. And in many ways that have found that: married, doing jobs they love and expecting their second child. But their journey there has been an extraordinary one. Becoming Us is the inspiring and at times heart-breaking memoir of Jake and Hannah Graf, the UK''s most visible transgender couple and family. We follow their extraordinary paths towards the ''normality'' they have always longed for, as they navigate the many challenges and pitfalls along the way. Born in 1980s London under Section 28 and assigned female at birth, Jake knew from a young age that he was in body that didn''t fit. Hannah was assigned male at birth, and growing up in small town Cardiff she hid her innate femininity from her family and friends until joining the British Army in her late teens. Their journeys were

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Book SynopsisNorwell Roberts, who became the Met''s first Black police officer in 1967, found out he had a new job the same way the rest of the country did - from a Daily Telegraph headline that read ''MET TO HAVE FIRST COLOURED POLICEMAN''. From that day forward his face became a symbol - of acceptance, of a diverse police force, of a changing Britain. He was turned into the poster boy for progressive policing - but his day-to-day reality was anything but. Greeted with prejudice, ridicule, and rejection, he refused to quit. And thus began an extraordinary career that placed him on the frontlines for a tumultuous period in Britain''s history. Stationed at embassies, anti-war protests, and riots, his race singled him out and landed him on front pages around the world. This is the story of the man behind the headlines, in his own words. Conversations about the police as an institution have never been more heated or more urgent than they are today, but to appreciate t

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Book SynopsisTHE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING HILARIOUS NEW BOOK FROM THE NATION''S FAVOURITE COMEDIAN, BILLY CONNOLLYBeing a Rambling Man was what I always wanted to be, to live the way I damn well pleased. I''ve met the weirdest and most wonderful people who walk the Earth, seen the most bizarre and the most fantastic sights - and I''ve rarely come across something I couldn''t get a laugh at. I don''t think I''ve ever had a bad trip. Well, apart from in the 1970s, but that''s a whole other story . . . When Billy set out from Glasgow as a young man he never looked back. He played his banjo on boats and trains, under trees, and on top of famous monuments. He danced naked in snow, wind and fire. He slept in bus stations, under bridges and on strangers'' floors. He travelled by foot, bike, ship, plane, sleigh - even piggy-backed - to get to his next destination. Billy has wandered to every corner of the earth and believes that being a Rambling Trade ReviewThis cheerful, joyously life-affirming ramble to every corner of the Earth should make you want to pick up your banjo and set out on the open road. On the other hand, we can't all be Billy Connolly, still Britain's greatest living comedian; and we won't usually be accompanied by a TV crew. Being a rambling man, says Connolly, is a state of mind: they are free spirits, enterprising and endlessly curious about the world . . . Full of excellent jokes and engaging anecdotes, this book makes you feel good to be alive. * Daily Mail, RAMBLING MAN *Our greatest living comedian . . . an easy-going ramble around his life and times. What a legend. He does make me laugh. -- Roger Lewis * Daily Mail *Book of the Week*, RAMBLING MAN *An ode to the restless soul, chronicling Billy's lifetime wanderings in his usual charming, irreverent and hilarious style. * The Guardian, RAMBLING MAN *A funny, life-affirming rhapsody . . . The Big Yin is an actual comic genius. He's led an extraordinary life. At no point, however, during this jolly globe-trotting tome will you detect a hint of self-aggrandisement or fake humility. He's just so grateful and delighted. His romantic hippie outlook and generosity of spirit are infectious. * Big Issue, RAMBLING MAN *[This is] not a standard travelogue; nothing about Connolly is ever that straightforward . . . The book is written in Connolly's voice and vernacular, and is shot through with his standard wit. There are more belly-laughs than you get in an entire series of an average sitcom . . . This is no mere celebrity memoir however. Connolly can write compellingly. * Irish Times, RAMBLING MAN *Full of choice lines and amusing anecdotes, this account of the Big Yin's rambling life is the kind of Christmas present that will cheer anyone up . . . Very engaging and good fun it is, and with lots of stories to make you smile or laugh. [Billy's] rambling days may be physically over, but he still rambles happily in his memories of them. -- Allan Massie * Scotsman, RAMBLING MAN *Brings together hilarious stories from the much-loved comedian's lifetime on the road, from riding his trike down America's famous Route 66 and building an igloo on an iceberg tobeing serenaded by a penguin in New Zealand... * Choice Magazine, RAMBLING MAN *Big Yin's memoir of a life on the road is funny, wise - and not pretentious. He squeezes humour from subjects as diverse as yodelling, Keith Richards, and the isolated hamlet ofTuktoyaktuk in the Arctic . . . Rambling Man meanders as pleasingly as the rivers Connolly loves to fish. His stories are thekind you couldn't make up, ones that revel in life's ludicrousness. Is Rambling Man funny? Is it sweary? Of course it is, ya daft f*ck. * The National, RAMBLING MAN *A paean to the wonder of travel . . . if your love of travelling is anything like Connolly's, you'll lose yourself in this odyssey with a difference. It's the world through Connolly's eyes, always alert for the absurd, the exotic quirk, the joy of each new destination. * Westmeath Examiner, RAMBLING MAN *This is everything a celebrity autobiography should be and more. * Scottish Mail on Sunday, WINDSWEPT & INTERESTING *A read that entirely fits the personality of the extreme personality who wrote it, Connolly's raucous run through his life is as furious, funny and foul-mouthed as you'd expect. His stand-up knack for easy storytelling shines through. * Sunday Times, TALL TALES AND WEE STORIES *One of stand-up's great naturals. No one told a story better. * Guardian, TALL TALES AND WEE STORIES *

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Book SynopsisA raw and masterful memoir about becoming a woman and going mad - and doing both at once.

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Book SynopsisOn July 1, 1975, Kelsey Grammer''s younger sister, 18-year-old Karen Grammer, was raped and murdered—now, for the first time, Kelsey discusses how it has affected him and the hope and healing he has found in the decades since.Karen by Kelsey Grammer delves into the deeply personal and tragic story of the author''s sister, Karen, who was brutally murdered at the age of 18. Kelsey was just 20 years old and studying theater at Juilliard in New York when his younger sister, a recent high school graduate, moved to Colorado Springs, where she was kidnapped by several men who had intended to rob the Red Lobster where she worked. They instead kidnapped Karen, raped her repeatedly, and ultimately stabbed her to death.Through this memoir, Grammer poignantly recounts the memories of his sister and the impact her loss had on his life and family. With raw honesty, Grammer explores the profound grief and devastation that followed Karen''s death, as we

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Book SynopsisThe explosive, shocking and honest account from an MI5 officer, revealing never-before-seen detail into MI5''s operation ''I do it because it is all I know. I''m a hunter of people and I''m damn good at it.'' Recruited after the 7/7 attacks on London, Tom quickly found himself immersed in the tense world of watching, following and infiltrating networks of terrorists, spies and foreign agents. It was a job that took over his life and cost him dear, taking him to the limit of physical and mental endurance. Filled with extraordinary accounts of operations that saved countless lives, Soldier Spy is the only authentic account by an ex-MI5 officer of the round-the-clock battle to keep this country safe. ________ ''Very well written, gives a startling amount of operational detail, the biggest shock of all - MI5 agreed to its publication'' Sunday Times ''A blistering, visceral insight inTrade ReviewFor the very first time an MI5 undercover surveillance officer provides an unputdownable, eye-opening account of the on-going struggle to keep Britain's streets safe and terror free. * from the publisher's description *Gripping. One of the most successful MI5 undercover surveillance officers of his time * Sun *Very well written, gives a startling amount of operational detail, the biggest shock of all - MI5 agreed to its publication * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis''Always fascinating and very funny, Alyssa''s book is full of juicy stories from one of the world''s most glamorous jobs'' Mindy KalingIf your funny older sister were the former deputy chief of staff to President Barack Obama, her behind-the-scenes political memoir would look something like this . . .Alyssa Mastromonaco worked for Barack Obama for almost a decade, and long before his run for president. From the then-senator''s early days in Congress to his years in the Oval Office, she made Hope and Change happen through blood, sweat, tears and lots of briefing binders.But for every historic occasion - meeting the queen at Buckingham Palace, bursting in on secret climate talks, or nailing a campaign speech in a hailstorm - there were dozens of less-than-perfect moments when it was up to Alyssa to save the day. Like the time she learned the hard way that there aren''t nearly enough bathrooms at the Vatican.Full of hilarious, never-beforeTrade ReviewA funny read and packed with advice on how we too might become the right-hand woman of the leader of the free world * The Times *Always fascinating and very funny, Alyssa's book is full of juicy stories from one of the world's most glamorous jobs -- Mindy KalingA combination memoir and compendium of very good suggestions about how to get ahead - very far ahead - at an early age * Washington Post *Mastromonaco's book is genuinely important . . . A fascinating insight into the corridors of power. It also proves that young, Veep-watching, cat-loving, wine-drinking, foul-mouthed women can make it to the very top * The Pool *This relatable memoir is packed with juicy on-the-road stories and crisis management advice, and presents a strong case for embracing a sense of humor in the face of humbling setbacks * Esquire *Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? is everything we've come to know and love about Alyssa over the decade we worked with her: brilliant, funny, grounded, and inspiring. Anyone who's interested in politics - especially young people - should read this book -- Dan Pfeiffer and Jon Favreau, former communications director and speechwriter for President Barack Obama

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Book SynopsisFew people can say they have shaped the cultural landscape of the last four decades while crossing paths with some of the most extraordinary personalities on the planet. But then, of course, Dylan Jones isn''t just anyone.These Foolish Things captivatingly charts Dylan''s life: from his peripatetic childhood and late adolescence in 1970s London - a city then alive with possibility - to his award-winning tenure at what would become one of the most dynamic magazines of its era, GQ. It details how he came to be in that hot seat: a journey through the Swinging London slipstreams of punk and new romanticism, and through i-D, The Face and Arena, which created the platform on which GQ was based, with Dylan as a common denominator.Littered with a gold-star cast of characters - including a who''s who of celebrity from David Bowie and Bryan Ferry to Alastair Campbell and Prince Charles, via Samuel L. Jackson, Piers Morgan and Rihanna - this m

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Book SynopsisA witty, perceptive memoir tracking Dylan Jones's twenty memorable years at GQ at the turn of the century.

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE ONDAATJE PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE STANFORD DOLMAN TRAVEL WRITING PRIZE''Witty, polished, honest and insightful, The Epic City is likely to become for Calcutta what Suketu Mehta''s classic Maximum City is for Mumbai'' William Dalrymple, ObserverWhen Kushanava Choudhury arrived in New Jersey at the age of twelve, he had already migrated halfway around the world four times. After graduating from Princeton, he moved back to Calcutta, the city which his immigrant parents had abandoned. Taking a job at a newspaper, he found the streets of his childhood unchanged. Shouting hawkers still overran the footpaths, fish sellers squatted on bazaar floors; and politics still meant barricades and bus burnings. The Epic City is a soulful, compelling and often hilarious account of this metropolis of fifteen million people that is truly a world unto itself.''A beautifully observed and even more beautifully written new study of CalcutTrade ReviewA beautifully observed and even more beautifully written new study of Calcutta. In Kushanava Choudhury, we clearly have an important new talent * Guardian *He transmits the self-renewing, infinitely modern energy of the city, which seems everywhere decaying but in fact is always “just beginning” * Spectator *A beautifully observed and even more beautifully written new study of Calcutta. In its author, Kushanava Choudhury, we clearly have an important new talent * William Dalrymple, Guardian, Summer Reading *Kushanava Choudhury offers a more personal account of what he regards as “the epic city” in this brilliantly eloquent memoir * Prospect *Like all good epics, Choudhury’s heartfelt and well-observed portrait of the city of his birth promises to stand the test of time * Literary Review *Beautifully observed and even more beautifully written, The Epic City marks the arrival of a major new talent -- William Dalrymple

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Book SynopsisJAM BUTTIES AND A PAN OF SCOUSE is a gritty yet heart-warming memoir set against the backdrop of Liverpool''s tightknit working-class docklands community. The story covers Maggie Clarke''s upbringing in the tenements close to the docks, the River Mersey and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal: an area notorious for having the worst slums in Britain, yet the closest community as well.At the tender age of 11, Maggie Clarke finds herself the matriarch of the family when her Irish mother runs off with another man. Leaving school at 14 to work at a local factory putting sticks into lollies, she is determined to make a better life for herself and her family - before starting her own family with her childhood sweetheart, who she marries at 19 after ''falling in the family way''. She has one night of married life with her husband before he is sent to India with the Navy and is devastated when she never hears from him again, presuming him a casualty of the war that is raging at home and abTrade ReviewThis gritty memoir... is both an inspiration and an eye-opener. -- Pam Norfolk * LANCASHIRE EVENING POST *This is the fascinating memoir of 95-year-old Maggie Clarke... and it's an at time heart-wrenching tale of family trauma, hardship and happiness grabbed in stolen moments. It's also an insightful chronicle of an ever-changing city. * CHOICE MAGAZINE *

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Book SynopsisA powerful true story of childhood abuse and three sisters' fight for justiceTrade ReviewA gripping and important book that shines a light into a dark corner of our society and, in doing so, gives victims a voice - Irish IndependentDeeply moving - Hot Press

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Book SynopsisOn the morning of Saturday 15 April 1989, Jenni Hicks, her husband, and their two teenage daughters, Sarah and Vicki, went to watch a football match. That was to be their last day as a family. Sarah and Vicki didn't come home, and Jenni's world was changed forever. Since that fateful day, Jenni has tirelessly campaigned for justice for her own and others' families. But this is not the story of the Hillsborough tragedy. This is a story of what came before and after that day: of a mother's love, her unimaginable bravery, a flame of hope that never died, and a quest for justice that has lasted three decades. It is a journey that has taken her from Allerton Cemetery to the Courts of Appeal, from the depths of despair to meetings with Prime Ministers and royalty. With the final court cases coming to a conclusion in spring 2021, Jenni's role as the longest-serving committee member of the Hillsborough Family Support Group is coming to an end - and sTrade ReviewBy a woman at the very heart of the Hillsborough story, this book is utterly gripping -- Jimmy McGovern, screenwriter for film Hillsborough To say I admire and respect Jenni Hicks would be a huge understatement. As a parent, she is someone who inspires me because of the love and devotion she shows for her children. As a human being, I couldn't think more highly of her because of the way she has fought for what she believes in and what she knows to be right no matter how much the odds were against her.I have been incredibly fortunate in my football career to come across some truly remarkable people and Jenni is undoubtedly one of them. She sets the kind of example that I want to follow and it is a privilege to know her. - Jordan Henderson, Professional Footballer for and Captain of Liverpool FCJenni Hicks's book One Day in April is quite remarkable. It will move you to tears and impress you with her fight for justice. Her tenacity and courage is astonishing. She is an exceptional person as you will find out. - David Dein, former vice-chairman of the FA and Arsenal FCA profoundly personal, painful and moving account of unimaginable loss in circumstances involving the culpability of all institutions responsible for the deaths of 97 men, women and children and the long-lasting suffering of survivors of the Hillsborough disaster. Her two daughters unlawfully killed, her marriage ended, spanning three decades Jenni Hicks, a core member of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, remained resilient and determined in the fight for justice. - Professor Phil Scraton, Author of Hillsborough: The TruthI'm proud to call Jenni a friend. As somebody who was at Hillsborough and survived, I find her story is heartbreaking and her strength inspiring. YNWA - Simon Rimmer, Celebrity Chef and RestaurateurThe heart-breaking, personalised story of a mother's fight for truth and justice; of loss and enduring love. Pathos-laced memories on every page. On occasion it made me laugh, but the overwhelming sense is one of anger, frustration and sorrow. The 'if onlys' can never be answered, the battle - goes on..." - Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool City RegionThis is not just a tribute to her beautiful daughters, lost in the Hillsborough tragedy, but a powerful and emotional story of a Mother rebuilding her life while fighting for justice through her terrible grief. Her description of the day of the match is heartbreaking. An experience no one should have had to experience. It's a truly absorbing and moving read. - Sue Johnston, BAFTA Nominated Actress

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“...the stories she collected from that time inform this intimate and humane narrative that should offer solace for readers who have experienced similar circumstances...An uplifting group of moving stories.” * Kirkus *“a powerful, unforgettable memoir...told so compellingly that 15 pages in, no possibility of putting it down existed... Her writing never got in the way of a narrative but rather brought out its fullness... This book represents her triumph.... It’s magnificent.” * The Montana Standard *“This difficult yet hopeful reading journey will appeal to memoir fans and those interested in medical nonfiction.” * Booklist *“There is no rule book for how to grieve, so we are left to navigate our own way through it, hopeful that there are compasses in the world to point us in the right direction. Crossing the River is one such compass. An unflinching look at Carol Smith’s grief after the loss of her young son, it illuminates how sometimes going to the very places we want to hide from can show us the way.” -- Ann Hood * author of The Knitting Circle and Comfort: A Journey Through Grief *“Crossing the River grapples with an unbearable loss, one that no parent, or reader for that matter, ever wants to confront. Carol Smith dares us to enter this world of grief with her and by doing so gives us a vulnerable and brave story of resilience, hope, and healing that can only be found in communion with others.” -- Salamishah Tillet * author of In Search of the Color Purple *“In our time of unprecedented loss, Crossing the River is a necessary book—a book about learning how to bear the unbearable that becomes a manual for living. I found myself copying many of its sentences down in a notebook, not just for their wisdom but also for their plainspoken and emotionally precise music. It is beautifully wrought, beautifully thought, and above all beautifully felt, and when I was done I didn’t just admire Carol Smith’s act of memory, witness, and rebirth. I was grateful for it.” -- Tom Junod“Crossing the River is a searing, luminous, and lyrical work. Carol Smith’s memoir is a meditation on loss and renewal that brims over with courage. At a rough moment for journalists, it reminds us that reporting put to its highest use can be one of the most powerful forces for good the world has ever seen. Ultimately, Crossingthe River is a compelling and eloquent memorial to the young son that Carol Smith loved and lost.” -- Dave Isay * founder, StoryCorps *The heart-shattering grief Smith expertly weaves throughout the book reads like poetry...an homage to Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking, but with the tension of Lacy M. Johnson’s The Other Side...each story guides Smith back to herself, and as result shows us all how to live after unimaginable loss. * Hippocampus Magazine *

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Book SynopsisComedian and bestselling author, Tony Hawks, is embarking on his greatest adventure yet - moving from city life in London to deepest Devon in the West Country.

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Book SynopsisOn childhood holidays to the western coast, Tim Winton’s days followed a joyous rhythm. In the mornings, the sun and surf kept him outside, in the water. In the afternoons, as the horizon wobbled with mirages and the wind came in from the ocean, he was driven inside, to books. In the ‘simple, peculiar shack’ that his family borrowed each year there was a small library: a room with four walls of books, a world unto itself.Land's Edge: A Coastal Memoir is a beautiful delicate memoir in which Winton writes about his obsession with what happens where the water meets the shore - about diving, dunes, beachcombing - and the sense of being on the precarious, wondrous edge of things that haunts his novels. It is a book about the ebb and flow that became a way of life, and that shaped one of our finest writers. ‘Both a serial romantic and a truly gifted novelist’ - Mariella Frostrup, Mail on Sunday.Trade ReviewWinton's exhilarated eulogy to a life lived from boyhood to manhood by and on the beach . . . Imagine the ideal short memoir of a perfect long day lived between land, sky and sea; this is as good as it gets. * The Times *Wonderfully stirring . . . The great pleasure of Land's Edge is not just the dissection of his own love of the sea but also the flint-sharp evocation: he can fill your nostrils with the salty breeze. . . His is a book to read and reread . . . its reflections are beautiful, urgent and filled with awe. * Mail on Sunday *The beach, the "verandah" at the edge of the continent, is half-fantasy, half-horror story. Winton is brilliant at exploring this ambiguity . . . I gobbled up this short but shimmering book in one windswept afternoon. * Independent *A timeless meditation on place and the intimate affirmation of a writer's life lived on his own terms. * Time *In this slim, poetic memoir, Winton picks apart his lifelong attraction to the ocean . . . compelling . . . the ocean's twin allure of fear and freedom is what Winton captures so well. * Sunday Times *A lovely and gently humorous book' * Daily Mail *Winton grew up on Australia's west coast . . . He has been in love with the ocean ever since and writes about it with an almost religious reverence . . . Land's Edge will help Winton fans understand how the ocean dominates his imaginative world. * Observer *What really makes Winton stand out amongst his peers is the diamond-tipped precision of his descriptive writing, and in Land's Edge we get a gloriously concentrated dose of it . . . there's a passage about diving with eight-metre sharks that fairly takes the breath away' * Scotsman *A lovely, lyrical memoir * The Times *Tim Winton's swirling prose mirrors his giddy fascination with the sea . . . the book basks in the hear and dreamy haze of life on the coast of Western Australia. * Big Issue in the North *A masterful memoir that evokes the power of the sea to ease anxieties and kick-start joyfulness . . . universal and timeless. * Coast *

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of The World and All That It Holds, Aleksandar Hemon's The Book of My Lives is an unforgettable memoir of a life forever marked by international conflict.Aleksandar Hemon grew up in a blissful Sarajevo, where his childhood was consumed by football, his adolescence by friends, movies and girls and where, as a young man, he poked at the pretensions of his beloved city with American music, bad poetry, and slightly better journalism.And then, at twenty-seven, Hemon flew to Chicago for a month-long visit. A matter of weeks later Sarajevo was engulfed in an atrocious war. Hemon found himself an exile. He wouldn’t return home for five years and, when he did, he found his city irrevocably changed.‘If you’ve never read Aleksandar Hemon, prepare to have your worldview deepened’ – Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Extremely Loud and Incredibly CloseTrade ReviewAleksandar Hemon is, quite frankly, the greatest writer of our generation. His literature is deep, agile, funny, graceful, searing, angry, raw, questioning. It is of present and eternal use . . . This is a book – like all of Aleksandar Hemon’s books – that is an aria for our times. I will cherish it. -- Colum McCann, author of Let the Great World SpinThe Book of My Lives is written with the full force of humanity. It will make you think, laugh, cry, and remember yourself. If you’ve never read Aleksandar Hemon, prepare to have your worldview deepened. -- Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Extremely Loud and Incredibly CloseThe essays in The Book of My Lives are about the meaning of home. Spacious and full-hearted . . . the last chapters break ground where fiction has no place . . . Confessional yet honourably restrained, these pages promise to be unforgettable -- Mark Thompson * Independent *Hemon’s work crackles with so much humor and irony, so much compassion and humanity, that The Book of My Lives’ true calling almost goes by unnoticed: it is, without doubt, the most necessary, intimate and heartbreaking portrait of a world lost to one of history’s darkest conflicts. -- Téa Obreht, author of The Tiger’s WifeWe find this . . . beautifully, horrible resolve in The Book of My Lives, the first collection of nonfiction by MacArthur "genius" grant-winning writer Aleksandar Hemon * Baltimore City Paper *Hemon chronicles with defining intensity, rueful self-critique, and piquant humor indelible revelations personal, cultural, and political. He is passionate . . . writes with deft force, piercing observation, and commanding candor about the individual's place within life's web and the horrors and beauty of the human condition * Booklist *In happiness there is alienation, and in sadness there is humor. Combined with Hemon's mad storytelling skills, The Book of My Lives is a powerful collection. * Boswell Book Company *Aleksandar Hemon has been telling critically acclaimed stories for years . . . In his latest collection, The Book of My Lives, he tells his own stories . . . in such a way that it could take its place on the shelf of great Chicago literature . . . The universal truths found in his memoir feel all the more powerful for being grounded in his own, sometimes painfully real, life. * Chicago Tribune *Hemon manages to write about his own younger days in a way that makes them both uniquely his own, but also universal . . . [Hemon] evokes a magical city of random gorgeous images and events . . . Hemon is engaging and interesting company, and the story of his life - or lives - is one worth telling. * Christian Science Monitor *I'm not quite sure Aleksandar Hemon counts as an American writer, but he is one of my favorite American writers. Before The Book of My Lives, I never really thought of him as a nonfiction person, but this new book - a memoir in essays - has some of his best writing. When Hemon's work is funny, it can make you laugh in spite of everything, and when it is sad, it's hard to stand up afterward -- John Jeremiah Sullivan, author of PulpheadIncandescent. When your eyes close, the power of Hemon's colossal talent remains -- Junot Díaz, author of This is How You Lose HerAn acclaimed novelist - winner of a MacArthur Foundation genius grant and finalist for the National Book Award - returns with an affecting memoir about his youth in Sarajevo and his escape and adjustment to the West . . . The chapters, in fact, could in many ways stand alone. But their cumulative emotional power - accelerated by a wrenching final section about the grievous illness of his younger daughter - eventually all but overwhelms. Amuses, informs and inspires - then, finally, rips open the heart. * Kirkus Reviews *It's at once unimaginable and unforgettable . . . With Hemon, says the writer Jonathan Lethem, 'above all and no matter the topic or register, it's the voice -- that glowering intelligence pulsing behind a truly glittering surface . . .' * Time *Aleksandar Hemon . . . is often praised for his inventive use of language . . . he can articulate what he likes with equal passion and precision . . . These events of his lives are by turns funny, intense, poignant and sad - in other words, great memoir material . . . Hemon is a virtuoso linguist, maker of gorgeous sentences and arguably the best writer to currently call Chicago home. * Time Out Chicago *Literary badass Aleksandar Hemon . . . is known for biting irony, humor, and humanity in his novels and stories . . . The rawness of those elements also rings through his first book of nonfiction, The Book of My Lives. * Village Voice *A deft, playful, poignant and powerful look at the novelist's life, in Yugoslavia and New York -- Books of the Year * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisA memoir in essays in the bestselling tradition of Tina Fey's Bossypants and Caitlin Moran's How To Be a Woman.Trade ReviewThe funniest, smartest and frankest memoir I've ever read -- Doug Johnstone, Books of the Year 2014 * Herald *Required reading for all young women -- Best Books of 2014 * Huffington Post *A joy . . . [Poehler] has particularly smart advice on how to ignore the internal whispers that give rise to self-loathing; it should be piped into the girls' changing rooms at every secondary school -- Books of the Year 2014 * Evening Standard *[A] bristlingly intelligent, guffaw-out-loud memoir . . . Yes Please isn't a scan of the comedic brain so much as it is something far better-the full exposure of Poehler's funny and very magnanimous heart * Elle *Hilarious . . . wickedly funny and razor sharp * Observer *Yes Please is what happens if you take the wit of Saturday Night Live, sprinkle it with the warmth of Nora Ephron and marinade it in the spirit of the best, most empowering women's magazine . . . Poehler is that rare thing: wise without being bossy, smart without making you feel a bit stupid, funny without making you wince. And her book is like sitting in your kitchen with your best friend, drinking too much wine, laughing, crying and maybe doing embarrassing mum dancing * Harper’s Bazaar *Half memoir, half advice column, and 100 percent wisecracking, sharp-as-hell, belly-laugh-making Poehler * GQ *Funny, wise, earnest, honest, spiritually ambitious . . . a smart and funny woman who isn't either of those things all the time and doesn't mind admitting it because she thinks that's important * LA Times *[Amy Poehler] is simply one of the best things about the 21st century so far. . . one of this year's essential reads * Stylist *Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the only book I care about these days: Yes Please by Amy Poehler. Amy Poehler is an American actor, comedian and writer. She is also a mighty force for good... I know you're sick of celebrity memoirs, you're sick of female celebrities talking about feminism, blah blah blah. Well, that's just fine because Poehler's book is so much more than that. Poehler is the only person in the world other than Nora Ephron who can be funny about divorce (and she is so funny about divorce), and she is definitely the only person in the world from whom I will accept sex tips (and her sex tips are great). But most of all, she's super smart -- Hadley Freeman * Guardian *As brilliant and hilarious and adorable as the woman herself * Marie Claire *Life advice, personal anecdotes and a touch of sex all beautifully handled by the warmest US comedy goddess... Actually adorable * Grazia *Our favourite agony aunt. . . Witty, real-life advice * Vogue *A part-memoir, part-manual mashup of inspirational career counsel and laugh-out-loud sex advice * Good Housekeeping *Anyone who loves Amy Poehler's biting comedic style will love the SNL star's autobiography. . . hilarious * Stylist *Poehler's first book of personal stories and advice, in the vein of Tina Fey's Bossypants and Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?. . . One of America's most beloved comics and actresses * The Millions *

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Book SynopsisReading with Patrick is the true story of a teacher, a student who lost his way and the redemptive power of books.Trade ReviewReading with Patrick [is] Michelle Kuo's rich memoir of her literary friendship with a student in a small town in the Mississippi Delta * TLS *Remarkable . . . Honest, generous, humble and wise, Reading with Patrick will endure as a defining story for our times, and, abidingly, a testament to the power of language and of books. -- Claire Messud, author of The Emperor’s Children and The Woman Upstairs'Honest, thoughtful, and humane, Kuo’s book is not only a testament to a remarkable friendship, but a must-read for anyone interested in social justice and race in America. Thoughtfully provocative reading.' * Kirkus Reviews *This book is special and could not be more right on time. An absorbing, tender, and surprisingly honest examination of race and privilege. -- Wes Moore, author of The Other Wes MooreRiveting . . . An empathetic story of connection: between a dedicated teacher and her student, between history and our current times, and between literature and life. It is hard to imagine a more inspiring testament to the transformative power of reading. -- Elliot Holt, author of You Are One of ThemA gorgeous, urgent and heartbreaking memoir. -- Darcy Frey, author of The Last ShotI delighted in this book and read it in a single weekend. Reading with Patrick is a significant work that could swell the ranks of highly motivated and qualified teachers—people who understand they are not just transferring information but transforming lives -- Bill Moyers[A] tender memoir. * O, the Oprah Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction - i: Introduction Unit - 1: Part I Chapter - 1: A Raisin in the Sun Chapter - 2: The Free Write Chapter - 3: The Fire Next Time Unit - 2: Part II Chapter - 4: The Death of Ivan Ilyich Unit - 3: Part III Chapter - 5: Crime and Punishment Chapter - 6: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Chapter - 7: He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven Chapter - 8: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Chapter - 9: I Have Read Everything on This Paper (The Guilty Plea) Chapter - 10: To Paula in Late Spring Unit - 4: Part IV Chapter - 11: Easter Morning Section - ii: Author’s Note Acknowledgements - iii: Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times bestseller full of inspiring tales of life as a shepherdess, by the star of Channel 5’s Our Yorkshire Farm.From bestselling author Amanda Owen come more stories of life at Ravenseat, the remote Yorkshire hill farm she shares with husband Clive, eight children and 1,000 sheep. In A Year in the Life of the Yorkshire Shepherdess she describes the age-old cycles of a farming year and the constant challenges the family faces, from being cut off in winter to tending their flock on some of Yorkshire's highest, bleakest moors – land so inaccessible that in places it can only be reached on foot.Writing with her trademark warmth and humour, Amanda takes us into her life as nine-year-old Miles gets his first flock, Reuben takes up the flugelhorn and she gives birth to a new baby girl. She is touched by the epic two-day journey of a mother sheep determined to find her lamb and gives a new home to an ageing and neglecteTrade ReviewAmanda Owen is like a breath of fresh air. Amanda's life is one of old-fashioned values, hard graft and plenty of love. She, like her life, is extraordinary. * Ben Fogle *This is the captivating story of life on the highest farm in the north Yorkshire Dales . . . the mum-of-eight told the story of leaving behind an urban life in last year's The Yorkshire Shepherdess. This book is even better. * Sun *A really lovely, lyrical story of the ups and downs of their life. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisRaised in Appalachia, native daughter Ashleigh Shanti, a queer Black woman and acclaimed chef, knows Southern Black cooking means more than we've come to believe. While hot buttered cast-iron-pan cornbread and crunchy, juicy, lard-fried chicken have their roles to play, they are far from the entire story. The key to understanding how Black influence has defined foodways and cultures in the South is to explore its microregions, each with its own distinct flora and fauna, dialects, traditions, and dishes. InOur South, Ashleigh takes you through the five regions closest to her heart, beginning with a glimpse of mountain life in the Backcountry through recipes like Fish Camp Hush Puppies and quail spiked with black pepper. A swing over to the coastal Lowcountry fills your plate with smoky grilled oysters and benne seedtopped crab toasts. Seasonal produce shines in the Midlands, where bountiful stone fruits enrich dishes from shortcakes to salads. Lowlands nods to the diversity of food cult

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Book SynopsisDuring a pandemic lockdown full of pyjama dance parties, life talks, and final goodbyes, a family helps a father die with dignity.In April 2020, journalist Mitchell Consky received bad news: his father was diagnosed with a rare and terminal cancer, with less than two months to live. Suddenly, he and his extended family many of them healthcare workers were tasked with reconciling the social distancing required by the Covid-19 pandemic with a family-based approach to end-of-life care. The result was a home hospice during the first lockdown. Suspended within the chaos of medication and treatments were dance parties, episodes of Tiger King, and his father's many deadpan jokes. Leaning into his journalistic intuitions, Mitchell interviewed his father daily, making audio recordings of final talks, emotional goodbyes, and the unexpected laughter that filled his father's final days. Serving as a catalyst for fatherly affection, these interviewTrade ReviewThis journey of a grown son letting his father go is meaningful for us all as we face grief and loss. Although a memoir about dying, there are elegantly written lessons about living: of being thankful for the simple moments; of finding joy despite overwhelming sorrow, and realizing they are compatible. Consky was fortunate to have had a father filled with such love and laughter. * Jennifer Dance, author of Gone but Still Here *America has Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie. Canada now has its own Mitch, Mitch Consky who has written Home Safe, a tribute to his father. Consky manages to convey deep love for his father who devoted all he had to his family. As you read it, you long to have the closeness and constant support that this father gave the children. * Cathy Gildiner, NYT bestselling author *An intimate, raw and honest look at what it was really like to grapple with end of life care and loss during unprecedented times. This amazingly hopeful book illuminates these unimaginable circumstances while reminding us that love, even in the face of darkness, brings so much light. * Liz Levine, author of Nobody Ever Talks About Anything But the End *In capturing the resilience, the philosophizing, and the joking around of family and friends, Consky’s heartfelt, tender memoir embraces the ultimate realization that dying is indeed part of living, especially for a young man losing his father before his eyes. * Bill Reynolds, professor of literary journalism, Toronto Metropolitan University *On the surface, this a memoir about a son watching his father’s brutal 2 ½ month descent from cancer diagnosis to death, during the dark days of the pandemic, no less. But Home Safeis really an intimate reflection on grief, loss and the burden of keeping memories alive. A must-read for anyone who wishes they had been able to spend just a little more time with a loved one in their final days. * André Picard, author of Neglected No More and Health columnist at The Globe and Mail *

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Book Synopsis''A love letter to English horticulture written by a passionate gardener. A must-read for anyone who has dreamt of cultivating their own patch of land'' Jane Perrone''Skymeadow is a fascinating book . . . Every flower, every passing bud, every change in the season is described with rapture'' Jilly CooperWhen Charlie Hart first visited Peverels, a small farmhouse that sits lazily on the lip of a hill running down into the Peb Valley, he was at breaking point, grieving the loss of his father and anxious about the impending death of his mother. He and his wife Sybilla felt that their London life had been steadily growing in noise: the noise of grief, the noise of busyness, the noise that comes from the expectations of others and, for Charlie, the constant clamour of dissatisfaction at work. At Peverels, Charlie found an expanse of untouched meadowland, the perfect setting for an audacious garden. Charlie felt an unquenchable urge to digTrade ReviewCharlie Hart's wonderful memoir Skymeadow encapsulates perfectly the healing quality of horticulture * Daily Mail *This book is a love letter to English horticulture written by a passionate gardener. Charlie plots his path through family tragedy and battles to bring his audacious plans for a garden to life in this inspirational memoir. A must-read for anyone who has dreamt of cultivating their own patch of land. * Jane Perrone *Skymeadow is a fascinating book. Facing mental breakdown, devastated by the death of his father and the serious illness of his mother, battling against the claustrophobia of working in the City, Charlie Hart broke free. Tracking down a farmhouse on the Suffolk border, he staved off his anguish by singlehandedly, by his own sweat and toil, over three years transforming the surrounding fields into a ravishing garden. The cast, including his adorable wife Sybilla, four very young children and a floating population of dogs and cats, provide an enchanting picture of family life. Every flower, every passing bud, every change in the season, is described with rapture. Charlie Hart is all heart and we cheer him on. * Jilly Cooper *A gentle and very thoughtful read . . . his seamless weaving together of his own memoir with that of his garden is priceless. A beautifully written book and an inspiration * The Reckless Gardener *I loved it . . . poetic depiction of the English landscape . . . Although not everyone has the luxury of space in which to garden away the pain of loss and surrender to the vastness of creation, Charlie's message remains valid whether you own a single houseplant or a five-acre plot: taking care of plants is good for us, mind and body * Gardenista *This meditative book celebrates the healing effects of nature * Country Living *Inspiring * The Sun *A heart-warming memoir celebrating the healing powers of gardening and the beauty of nature * Gardens Illustrated *A memoir about mental health, bursting with metaphors about how nature can soothe and heal the soul * BBC Countryfile *Charmingly meditative -- Emma Townshend * Times Literary Supplement *Thoughtfully written . . . a touching and reviving read * House & Garden *An enthralling and delightful debut . . . a welcome addition to the genre . . . a profoundly spiritual book whose creation and growth is described with a deeply lyrical, touching and often almost biblical love of language and sense of ritual -- William Cash * Catholic Herald *

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Book SynopsisWhen archaeologist John Henry Phillips volunteered with a charity that took D-Day veterans back to Normandy, due to an administrative error he found himself without a hotel room and reliant on the generosity of one of the veterans who had a spare bed. That veteran was Patrick Thomas - and it was an encounter that would change both their lives forever. Patrick's landing craft, LCH 185, had led the first wave into Sword Beach on D-Day, and stayed off Normandy until the 25th June when an acoustic mine sent it to the seabed along with most of the crew. His story transfixed John, and the resulting search for the shipwreck was to consume him. Jumping back and forwards in time, between vivid descriptions of the final days on board LCH 185 and John's thrilling search to find the shipwreck, The Search is an emotional story of a devastating time in history, an unlikely, life-changing friendship and a quest to honour a wartime home and family lost over seventy-five

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Book SynopsisExplorer and adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes explores the concept of fear, and shows us through his own experiences how we can push our boundaries in everyday life.Sir Ranulph Fiennes has climbed the Eiger and Mount Everest. He''s crossed both Poles on foot. He''s been a member of the SAS and fought a bloody guerrilla war in Oman. And yet he confesses that his fear of heights is so great that he''d rather send his wife up a ladder to clean the gutters than do it himself.In FEAR, the world''s greatest explorer delves into his own experiences to try and explain what fear is, how it happens and how he''s overcome it so successfully. He examines key moments from history where fear played an important part in the outcome of a great event. He shows us how the brain perceives fear, how that manifests itself in us, and how we can transform our perceptions.With an enthralling combination of story-telling, research and personal accounts of his own struggles to overcome fear, Sir Ranulph Fiennes sheds new light on one of humanity''s strongest emotions.

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Book SynopsisCONTAINS A BRAND NEW CHAPTERSunday Times Number One Bestseller Happy Mum Happy Baby is now a Number One podcast. A positive and uplifting book about what it is to be a mother and all things mum and baby by Celebrity Mum of the Year and phenomenally popular vlogger, author, TV presenter and actress Giovanna Fletcher.Being a mum is an incredible journey, a remarkable experience that changes how we look, how we feel, who we are. As mothers we are strong, protective, proud. We feel a love like no other.But being a parent can be hard too. It challenges us physically, mentally, emotionally. There are the days where just managing to fit a shower in amidst the endless feeding, entertaining young children and surviving on a lack of sleep feels like an achievement. With so many people ready to offer ''advice'' on the best way to parent, it can feel like you are getting it all wrong.Since Giovanna and her husband Tom FletcTrade ReviewHer trademark humour and honesty remind us that positivity is key to making it as a mum... Giovanna knows there's no perfect way to parent - and that's why we will always love her! * OK! *Whether you have little ones of your own or not, this honest, touching, wise and at times very funny book from mum, McFly wife and author Gi is a joy. Being this honest takes guts, and she does it with dignity, grace and incredible warmth * Heat *An honest, positive and uplifting story that will leave you with a warm heart. * OK! *

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED IN THE ADVENTURE TRAVEL CATEGORY OF THE 2017 BANFF MOUNTAIN BOOK AWARDS SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLERBY THE AUTHOR OF WALKING THE HIMALAYAS, WINNER OF THE 2016 EDWARD STANFORD ADVENTURE TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD''Levison Wood has breathed new life into adventure travel.'' Michael PalinWalking the Americas chronicles Levison Wood''s 1,800 mile trek along the spine of the Americas, through eight countries, from Mexico to Colombia, experiencing some of the world''s most diverse, beautiful and unpredictable places.His journey took him from violent and dangerous cities to ancient Mayan ruins lying still unexplored in the jungles of Mexico and Guatemala. He encountered members of indigenous tribes, migrants heading towards the US border and proud Nicaraguan revolutionaries on his travels, where at the end of it all, he attempted to cross one of the most impenetrablTrade ReviewLevison Wood is a great adventurer and a wonderful storyteller. - Sir Ranulph FiennesBritain's best-loved adventurer... he looks like a man who will stare danger in the face and soak up a lot of pain without complaint. - The TimesLevison Wood has breathed new life into adventure travel. - Michael Palin

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Book SynopsisHilarious and honest, Why Can't Everything Just Stay the Same? is a coming of age story, about one woman's journey from childhood to adulthood, Cork to Dublin, and not coping to coping (sort of) with the inevitability and beauty of change.Trade ReviewHonest, witty and poignant observations on life that are both heart breaking and heartwarming, told with Preissner's charming humour - Amy HubermanWitty, shocking in parts and written with real heart ... has something to say to everyone - Sunday TimesHilariously well compiled ... there are lashings of subtle wit and wisdom, all carried aloft on a fluid conversational style ... an original voice that is unafraid of what others will think - Sunday IndependentOne to revisit again and again - U magazine

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER''A lacerating account ... painful but necessary''EVENING STANDARD''Beautiful & significant ... Tackles grief with honesty'' DAWN FRENCH''Very important and moving book'' ALASTAIR CAMPBELL''A searingly honest book. So much of Rio''s emotional turmoil and deep loss resonated with me. At the same time I loved his message of hope'' GLORIA HUNNIFORD''Rio''s courageous story of life, loss, grief and hope''PRIMA CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE, ''Best of the Celebrity Crop''''Tender, heartbreaking ... An extraordinary and unforgettable book. *****''HEAT* * * * * *''When Rebecca died, the idea that one day I might begin to feel better would have struck me as laughable ... I know how persuasive this kind of permanence thinking can be. I know too that anyone locked in its grip will laugh if I pro

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Book SynopsisLevison Wood was only 22 when he decided to hitch-hike from England to India through Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, but he wasn''t the conventional follower of the hippy trail. A fascination with the deeds of the early explorers, a history degree in the bag, an army career already planned and a shoestring budget of 750 - including for the flight home - he was determined to find out more about the countries of the Caucasus and beyond - and meet the people who lived and worked there.EASTERN HORIZONS is a true traveller''s tale in the tradition of the best of the genre, populated by a cast of eccentric characters; from mujahideen fighters to the Russian mafia. Along the way he meets some people who showed great hospitality, while others would rather have murdered him...

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Book Synopsis*The Sunday Times Bestseller*Adam Hills is one the UK''s best-loved comedians. For thirty years he has been performing stand-up, hosting TV shows and winning the hearts of a nation.Taking us from the early days of the Sydney Stand Up scene to hosting his own radio show, touring the world and eventually landing on British TV, Best Foot Forward is a story of a life in comedy. Along the way Adam shares some childhood tales, a few backstage blunders and encounters some fairly famous faces - the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Connolly, and that guy who sang The Macarena. Yes, him. This is an utterly hilarious and honest collection of stories about Adam''s ups and downs in the world of comedy. It''s a lesson in following your heart, being positive and discovering that what makes you different also makes you unique.

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Book Synopsis''A brave new voice that reaches out to us all'' Miranda Doyle, author of A Book of Untruths 28-year-old Zeba Talkhani charts her experiences growing up in Saudi Arabia amid patriarchal customs reminiscent of The Handmaid''s Tale, and her journey to find freedom in India, Germany and the UK.Talkhani offers a fresh perspective on living as an outsider and examines her relationship with her mother and the challenges she faced when she experienced hair loss at a young age. Rejecting the traditional path her culture had chosen for her, Talkhani became financially independent and married on her own terms in the UK. Drawing on her personal experiences Talkhani shows how she fought for the right to her individuality as a Muslim feminist and refused to let negative experiences define her.Trade ReviewTalkhani writes with disarming honesty about how she was able to finally forge an identity away from the confines of family and religion. * Vogue *A fearless voice that tells its hard-won truths with immense strength, and a lot of love. It is a beautiful and important book which belongs at the centre of our cultural life. * Preti Taneja, author of We That Are Young *Fascinating * Scotsman *Touching on often taboo subjects like hair loss, Talkhani's story of grit is a portrait of a young woman who refused to let others define her. * ELLE *Insightful...Written with unflinching honesty . . . Political, personal, religious, revealing and beautifully written, Talkhani is a writer to watch. * Stylist *Brilliant and brutally honest, this memoir ropes you in with every page. The intimacy that Zeba evokes will remind you of your own sister opening her heart to you. * Meena Kandasamy, author of When I Hit You, shortlisted for The Women’s Prize *An addictive, vital read. Talkhani interrogates the outsider narrative in ways that feel expansive, timely and wholly inspiring. * Irenosen Okojie, author of Butterfly Fish *A brave new voice that reaches out to us all. * Miranda Doyle, author of A Book of Untruths *

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Book SynopsisAn exceptional memoir describing operations by, and in support of, the SAS and SBS during the Falklands War.

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

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Book SynopsisSir Trevor McDonald is an extraordinary man - and he has led an improbable life. Now in his 80th year, he is known and loved by people the world over for his humility, charm and natural ease. As a natural storyteller and communicator, he has few equals. In An Improbable Life, Sir Trevor recounts his personal experience of world events and interviews with globally famous - or notorious - figures. He has witnessed war and death and risked his own life to meet and talk with despots and liberators. We read about his first trip to South Africa, and obtaining the first British television interview with Nelson Mandela; his reflections on the Windrush generation; and experiencing Barack Obama''s momentous inauguration as President of the USA. We are also present at his dramatic meetings with Saddam Hussein (the first and only one by a British television correspondent) and Muammar Gaddafi.Engaging, intimate and moving, this is the life story of an exceptional journalisTrade ReviewThe broadcasting legend's autobiography is written in his trademark charming and enigmatic style -- Nina Pottell * PRIMA *Veteran broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald tells his life story through his in-depth experience of world events and vivid encounters with important political figures in the engaging An Improbable Life * CHOICE magazine *Covering the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States in 2008 was the final act of Trevor McDonald's six-decade broadcasting career, but it comes at the start of his autobiography, An Improbable Life. That life is an extraordinary one: as a reporter and newsreader, 80-year-old McDonald has grilled some of modern history's most revered and reviled figures, from Nelson Mandela to Saddam Hussein. In his memoir he offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at these moments and reflects on his own remarkable journey, from Radio Trinidad to ITV's News at Ten * RADIO TIMES *As he reflects over a career that encompassed meeting leaders and dictators, as well as the deeply personal Windrush scandal, the eighty-year-old journalist and broadcaster offers an insight into the history that has shaped our world and his * MY WEEKLY *A fascinating read * PLATINUM *

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Book SynopsisFrom the iconic, award-winning artist and designer, a graphic memoir of leaving Cuba, becoming American, and fighting for freedom, here and there.''Exhilarating, immensely powerful, gorgeous'' PHILIPPE SANDS''Belongs in the pantheon that MAUS built'' PRINT MAGAZINE''Shocking, brilliant, soul-shattering . . . this book is so good'' CHIP KIDDWhen Fidel Castro opened the Mariel harbour to let Cubans sail for America, Edel Rodriguez and his family took their chance. From the town of El Gabriel to the Mariel port to a rickety shrimping boat bound for Florida, they joined the 1980 boatlift, becoming ''worms'', as Castro called the departing Cubans.Years later, Edel Rodriguez has become one of the most prominent political artists of our age, hailed for his iconic work on the cover of Time and on jumbotrons around the world. In stunning visual detail, Worm tells his story - of a boyhood in Cold War Cuba, of a fTrade ReviewExhilarating, immensely powerful, gorgeous, it really does open the imagination and sweep you up -- Philippe Sands, bestselling author of EAST WEST STREET and THE RATLINEWORM is testament to the power of political art * CREATIVE REVIEW *Shocking. Brilliant. Soul-shattering in its terrible beauty. In WORM, Edel Rodriguez rips open a heart-shaped window onto a hate-shaped world. I can't believe he survived it, but am deeply glad he did and was able to tell the tale. This book is so good it will likely be banned in Florida -- Chip Kidd, author of THE CHEESE MONKEYSWORM has consumed me more than any memoir I've read before, and that is saying a lot. It belongs in the pantheon that Maus built -- Steven Heller * Print Magazine *Fascinating and complex . . . A passionate firsthand account of historical events and a compelling coming-of-age tale in one * Library Journal *A sharply observed document of totalitarianism and its discontents * Kirkus (starred review) *WORM is a long and brilliant read, its artwork immediate and dramatic in its reduced palette of red, green, white and black, its writing tense and touched with a great talent for telling detail . . . A wise and life-stuffed memoir -- Will Steen * Buzz Magazine *Uniquely positioned to comment on autocracies and authoritarianism, Rodriguez reveals his personal fears about the future of the United States, particularly after the Jan. 6 insurrection. He portrays the crowd on the Capitol much like the one in Havana in January 1959 that starts the novel, bringing it full-circle in a striking visual comparison -- Donna Edwards * Associated Press *

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Book Synopsis''This is my earliest memory. I am three years old and I sit in the bottom of my great-uncle''s pot boat and take off the bands from the lobsters'' claws. The deepest of blues, they creak over the bilges with robotic limbs towards my father''s bare feet as he rows. Over the scent of the herring bait I can smell the fresh, sweet smell of wrack on the shore. This book has come out of over twenty years of studying the sea and trying to protect it, and a lifetime of loving our other world beneath waves.''In Spring Tides, marine biologist Fiona Gell tells the story of a pioneering project to create the very first marine nature reserve on the Isle of Man. Growing up in a traditional fishing family on the island, Fiona spent her time on her grandfather''s boat, listening to stories from the local fishermen and combing the beach for mermaid''s purses and whelks'' eggs. She developed a lifelong love of the sea and Manx culture, and on her return to the island after twelTrade ReviewA stunning book, exquisitely written and all of it observed with enormous compassion for the natural world. Every page of Spring Tides gives the reader everything they want: poetry, knowledge, bejewelled specifics of the ocean and its creatures. As we read, we grow richer, too. You will fall in love with this book, treasure it, and keep it somewhere safe. A book for our time. * Monique Roffey, author of The Mermaid of Black Conch, Costa Book of the Year 2020 *Insightful and brimming with marvels, this story of one woman's love of an island opens a window to our entire ocean, why it matters and how to protect it. At a time when the rampant decline of nature can feel overwhelming, Gell offers a reasoned and much-needed ray of hope, showing that it is possible to safeguard livelihoods and the ocean's living treasures, and that it doesn't have to be a choice between the two. * Helen Scales, author of The Brilliant Abyss and What a Shell Can Tell *I loved Spring Tides. Seeding hope and wonder for future generations is a courageous calling and this is a beautifully-crafted triumph. The interweaving of motherhood with marine science, climate and the immeasurable pleasures of our own seashores is a pure delight. Please read this book! * Nicholas Crane, author of The Making of the British Landscape *Fiona Gell writes with the understanding of a scientist and the soul of a poet. The result is a beautiful and bracingly honest account of her efforts to protect the island seas of her home. Her descriptions are so vivid that as you read you can almost feel the lick of saltwater on your skin and smell the desiccating seaweed of a summer low tide. * Callum Roberts, author of The Ocean of Life *A beautiful, briny portrait of one woman's infatuation with the sea. Fiona Gell has been steeped in salt water her whole life, and her deep understanding, knowledge of and love for her subject shines through. * Cal Flyn, author of Islands of Abandonment *It's a rare treat to read a book about the sea that is as professional as it is passionate. Fiona Gell's experience and immersion in her subject is impressive. * Tristan Gooley, author of The Natural Navigator *Anyone bound for the sea should be armed with this exceptional and engaging book. * Country Life *A passionate, moving account of the transformative power of the sea -- Martin Chilton * Independent 'Book of the Month' *Elegantly written... a heartfelt and authoritative memoir by a person formed and sustained by the island's natural environment... Spring Tides brims with quirky anecdotes rooted in love for a unique place as well as delivering an important message through expertise lightly worn. -- Charlie Connelly * Geographic magazine *Fiona Gell describes a life dedicated to the preservation of a delicate habitat with a stirring, even spiritual, commitment. * TLS *Flowing between oceanic memoir and marine conservation on the Isle of Man, [Gell] lures readers with evocative descriptions of nature and personal histories of a life by the sea. It will appeal to the inner naturalist and to the child within who scours rock pools, seeks treasure troves of drifting shells, and marvels at a Maiden's Purse... Gell's writing is as enticing as it is informative... this luscious memoir in which readers learn how nature reserves are essential in the wider context of climate change. We yearn for that mutual exchange which occurs when we nurture nature as we wonder at horse mussel reefs, quahogs, and cephalopods, and we fall in love with the sea. -- Lynn Buckle * The Irish Times *

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Book Synopsis''An empathetic and necessary corrective to the stereotypes peddled by so many sensational true crime shows'' Oprah DailyAnna Motz is one of the most internationally acclaimed forensic psychotherapists at work today. For more than three decades she has treated women imprisoned for violent crimes. With candor, compassion, insight and a clear-eyed perspective Anna introduces us to eleven ordinary women who came to commit extraordinary acts, examining the fault lines that led to their crimes, and the sometimes perilous journey both therapist and patient take towards recovery.

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Book SynopsisA refreshing look at the inevitability of uncertainty and how it can help make the hard parts of life more manageable. Gillhigh level of comfort with uncertainty, a producer once noted. But Gill Deacon's comfort level is put to the test over the course of an illness that is as mysterious as it is debilitating. During this time of not knowing, Deacon investigates the nature of uncertainty itself and demonstrates how we can choose to draw on our innate resilience and learn to thrive in an ever-changing world. She reminds us that, like comedy improvisation and jazz music, beautiful things can result from the unpredictable and unplanned. While providing evidence of the beauty in not knowing, she makes a clear and compelling case that uncertainty is a condition we are built for. In fact, our best shot at creativity, innovation, and human connection occurs when we radically embrace the uncertainty we habitually struggle against. This thoughtful examination of uncertainty by a warm and wise fellow traveller is a balm that can soothe us in troubling times.

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