Memoirs Books

Book SynopsisHow one man's struggles with self-Identity and detransition lays challenge to the very foundations of the "gender ideology" movement. While documenting his own personal identity struggles with gender and self-identity, British K-Pop singer Oli London explores the root cause of the issue of trans ideology and gender identity, tackling the pressures of social media, the education system, media, and other factors that are pushing a growing number of young people into transitioning. He takes a close look at real world examples and examines laws, research, and data to help lift the lid on the multi-billion dollar gender affirming care industry.Gender Madness gives an intimate look into what led Oli London to his identity struggles becoming a "Korean woman" and how he overcame his battle to become an advocate for the millions of young people who question their own identity. He recently publicly announced he had detransitioned and is living as a male again and has since become an outspoken activist for children and women's rights, appearing regularly on numerous news networks including Fox News, Newsmax, OAN, EWTN, Piers Morgan Uncensored, Tucker Carlson Tonight, and Talk TV to campaign against gender affirming surgery in teenagers. This book shares his deeply personal life journey and his important message to others, all while encouraging readers to question the current societal trends and challenge their own way of thinking.Trade Review"This is the book that the gender identity hustlers don't want you to read. Informed by Oli's own journey through identity treachery, Gender Madness is a profoundly important expose of a catastrophic movement that is targeting and irreversibly damaging countless people—including innocent children. It's an indispensable roadmap for defeating this particular evil—and a powerful cautionary tale from a brave warrior in the fight for moral, objective truth. A must-read." —Monica Crowley, Ph.D., former U.S. assistant secretary of the treasury, media personality and host of The Monica Crowley Podcast "Gender ideology expects blind following without applying common sense, the logic of our eyes, or even the proven science. The work that Oli is doing to invaluable. He’s highlighting through personal experience the darker side of gender ideology, and it’s both brave and imperative to give de-transitioners a voice we must listen to." —Sharron Davies, MBE, Olympic medallist, Women's Swimming Champion "Oli takes us on an emotional journey from his struggles with gender dysphoria to his triumph in overcoming the maddening grip of transgenderism through his faith in God. This is an important book that everyone needs to read right now. God bless you Oli for your bravery in telling your story!" —Tracy Sabol, journalist and anchor of EWTN News Nightly "We are on the precipice of a dangerous movement taking complete control of our kid's hearts, minds, and futures. And if it succeeds, it will leave scars that they may never heal from. Oli London is courageously standing up for our children, our future, by speaking his truth and his story. Gender Madness is one of the most critical books parents can read to protect their children, thank you Oli!" —Heidi Ganahl, Republican nominee for Governor of Colorado (2022)About Oli London “London is a social media influencer with over two million followers between TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on surgeries to look like a Korean woman. After living as a trans Korean woman for six months, London transitioned back, saying the changes he decided to make to his physical appearance weren't the answers to his problems.” —Fox News “He is detransitioning back to a man after living as a transgender woman. Very sensitive topic, some would say that most wouldn't come out to talk about this.” —Shaun Kraisman, News Anchor, National Report - Newsmax “In the states the trans debate is nowhere near as advanced as the UK” —Douglas Murray, #1 New York Times bestselling author “I don't know the exact definition of identity crisis but pretty close has got to be lying on an operating table’’ —Bill Maher “A lot of people are unhappy inside, that's normal, but pharmaceuticals and plastic surgery aren’t going to fix it” —Tucker Carlson. “The physical transformation has been extreme, Oli even underwent 5 facial surgeries in one day” —Dr. Phil

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Book Synopsis''Nerve-shattering, enlightening and deeply moving'' - JOHN NICHOL''A powerful and compelling read'' - ROWLAND WHITEOn 5 December 2002, trainee pilot Nathan Gray walked away from an ''unsurvivable'' crash at RAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire. His instructor, seated behind him, was killed instantly. Despite the physical pain and mental scars, he found the strength and resilience to continue his flying career. Today Commander Nathan Gray is one of the UK''s elite test pilots - the best of the best. Hazard Spectrum allows us to share Nathan''s dizzying journey to the top of the Fleet Air Arm. With over 140 combat missions to his name, he is among the most decorated pilots in the British armed forces - our very own Maverick. In an exhilarating first-person narrative, Nathan takes us inside the cockpit as he holds Taliban fighters at bay in Afghanistan, and leads a top-secret mission to seek out Osama Bin Laden in tTrade ReviewNerve-shattering, enlightening and deeply moving, Hazard Spectrum tells the story of a boy from the Potteries who ignored the so-called experts telling him that his aim to be a fighter pilot was just a dream. Nathan Gray scaled the highest reaches of military aviation and now, with this riveting account of fighting the war against terror, and his determination to confront the demons threatening to ground him, he pushes the flight envelope to the limit, and beyond -- John Nichol, former RAF navigator and bestselling author of Spitfire, Lancaster and TornadoHazard Spectrum is so packed with incident that it's hard to know where to begin. Flying the Harrier in combat, Nathan Gray took the fight to the enemy in ways the jump jet's designers could scarcely have imagined and, as a test pilot pushing the envelope of the fifth generation F-35 stealth fighter, overcame dire emergencies that could have killed him. But it's the human story that makes Gray's memoir so special. His remarkable career as a naval aviator seems both inspired by, and to pay tribute to, a fallen comrade who, in a terrible crash that Gray somehow walked away from, tragically lost his life. It all makes for a powerful and compelling read -- Rowland White, bestselling author of Vulcan 607 and Harrier 809

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Book SynopsisLook around you at all the people connecting and socializing. And you are just standing here alone, like a social reject, again. Nobody likes you. Why would they want someone like you around?For years, social anxiety whispered its way into Natasha Daniels'' mind and quietly sabotaged her life. Even while working as a therapist, helping children to cope with their own anxiety, insecurity lurked in the shadows pointing out the stares, the rejection, the vicious comments from online strangers.In this memoir, Natasha takes on the therapist''s role with her past selves to drag her social anxiety into the open. From feisty Miss 6, lonely Miss 14 reeling from a tumultuous childhood, and defiant Miss 18 pushing back against a world where she didn''t fit, through to her present self, Natasha explores the way social anxiety colored her experiences and finds healing through self-acceptance.

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Book SynopsisA widow’s life is turned upside down when she uncovers the truth about her late husband in this lyrical, witty, and deeply moving memoir of tragedy and betrayal.In the midst of mourning her husband’s sudden death, writer Jessica Waite discovered shocking secrets that undermined everything she thought she knew about the man she’d loved and trusted. From uncovered affairs to drug use and a pornography addiction, Waite was overwhelmed reconciling this devastating information with her new reality as a widowed single mom. Then, to further complicate matters, strange, inexplicable coincidences forced her to consider whether her husband was reaching back from beyond the grave. With her signature candor and unflinching honesty, Waite details her tumultuous love story and the pain of adjusting to the new normal she built for herself and her son. A riveting, difficult, and surprisingly beautiful story, The Widow’s Guide to Dead Bastards is a

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Book SynopsisInconceivablecombines memoir and investigative reporting to reveal an underground community of sperm donors and recipients who have chosen to circumvent traditional fertility avenues and meet up on their own terms. As an active participant in this community, Valerie Bauman uses her own story as a lens into this movement of people attempting to dodge the costly and often discriminatory world of sperm banks and fertility clinics. Inconceivableis a window into the unfair legal, financial, and medical entanglements that compel many single women and LGBTQ+ couples to take their fertility into their own hands.

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Book SynopsisFrom Shaun Micallef, beloved host of ABC TV’s news satire Mad as Hell, comes Tripping Over Myself – an insightful and funny memoir about comedy and life that takes us through uncharted waters to unexpected places.Comedy has been Shaun’s escape, his guiding light, his refuge, his passport, his lifebuoy, his drug, his mask, his means, his end, his lingua franca, his Self. But it’s not everything.From his early years as a gangly, bespectacled nerd in suburban Adelaide to the giddy heights of national TV stardom, Shaun regales us with his experiences and his continuous reinvention through humour with... well, humour. He writes with candour about his successes and failures, loves and losses, along with tales of wine, women, song, and eccentric dancing. Behind the persona of one of Australia’s best-loved comedians lurks, as you will discover, an idiot.Despite Shaun’s best efforts, Tripping Over Myself is sprinkled with thoughtful insights and observations and shows us how to persist in the face of adversity or even good fortune. You will laugh, you will dog-ear pages, you will wonder, you will Google ‘Jerry Lewis’, you may book a trip to India, and you will come away from this book reflecting on your own life in new and remarkable ways.Trade Review ‘As I was reading Tripping over Myself this morning I felt something funny was happening to my mouth. I touched it with my fingers. It was smiling.’ – BARRY HUMPHRIES ‘I had to teach this flog the absolute basics. Embarrassing.’ – KATE McCARTNEY ‘Shaun Micallef is an enigma, wrapped in a nerd, inside a truly brilliant comedian.’ – ANDREW DENTON ‘Working with Shaun was ‘the most difficult thing I have ever had to do in my life’. – DENISE SCOTT ‘Shaun Micallef is the most uniquely talented comedic performer Australia has ever seen. His unseen humility also means he would never use this quote to grotesquely self-promote himself.’ – ROVE McMANUS ‘I am forever grateful that Shaun Micallef hasn’t let being a complete genius get in the way of also being so stupid.’ – CELIA PACQUOLA ‘Everyone talks about Shaun’s washboard abs and pert buttocks, but he’s also very funny.’ – MARK HUMPHRIES ‘Who else, in this country, could possibly make a career that's lasted well over 30 years doing weirdo stuff on network television? We love Shaun and we couldn't be here without him. Also, he owes us 20 bucks.’ – AUNTY DONNAPRAISE FOR SHAUN MICALLEF’S PREVIOUS BOOKS ‘Shaun is a genius. In fact the worst written part of this entire book is this quote.’ – WIL ANDERSON ‘One of the greatest comic voices of our time.’ – MATT LUCAS ‘Shaun has a gift for the surreal. The English language is a sunlit garden. Shaun has a Harley-Davidson and a cast-iron alibi. He will be home by nightfall. You may hear some noise. It will be made by you. You will feel much better afterwards.’ – JOHN CLARKE ‘He’s a wonderful hybrid of Peter Cook and Stephen Fry with a touch of Graham Kennedy’s subversiveness.’ – THE AUSTRALIAN

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Book SynopsisHailed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the greatest rock memoirs of all time, Be My Baby is the true story of how Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Ronnie Spector carved out a space for herself against tremendous odds amid the chaos of the 1960s music scene and beyond.With an introduction by Keith Richards and a new epilogue from Ronnie.Ronnie Spector’s first collaboration with producer Phil Spector, ‘Be My Baby’, stunned the world and shot girl group The Ronettes to stardom. No one could sing as clearly, as emotively as Ronnie. But her voice was soon drowned out in Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound, and lost in Ronnie and Phil’s ensuing romance and marriage.Ronnie had to fight tooth and nail to wrest back control of her life, her music and her legacy. And while she regained her footing, Ronnie found herself collaborating with the Beatles, partying with David Bowie and touring with Bruce Springsteen.Smart, humorous and self-possessed, Be My Baby is a whirlwind account of the twists and turns in the life of an artist. More than anything, Be My Baby is a testament to the fact that it is possible to stand up to a powerful abuser and start on a second – or third, or fifth – act.Trade ReviewAn entertaining, gossipy, whirlwind ride through the 1960s . . . -- Wendy Leigh, Sunday TimesA lively, illuminating read . . . Spector’s portrait of the energy of the early Sixties music scene is fascinating * Kirkus Reviews *Entertaining, often disturbing . . . well told and . . . quite moving. Be My Baby . . . marks the passage of Ronnie Spector from victim to survivor -- Alan Light, Rolling StoneFunny and observant, consistently engaging . . . sprinkled with deadpan humour -- Mike Boehm, Los Angeles TimesDespite all the hard times, Ronnie comes across here as a survivor, and the book maintains a surprisingly jaunty tone -- Ilene Cooper, BooklistAn enthralling and moving Dante-esque descent through the rock ’n’ roll inferno. One of the three greatest rock ’n’ roll memoirs -- Jon Wilde, Blitz (London)

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Book SynopsisFOREWORD BY PETER HOOKThe music. The fashion. The nights. The people. The love. These are the threads that came together to make the Haçienda great.Celebrate the magic of the club that changed everything in this official book, told through evocative photographs and eye-witness accounts of the people who were there, from musicians, DJs and fashion designers to performers, clubbers and staff.Featuring contributions from Peter Hook, John Cooper Clarke, Bez, Noel Gallagher, Rowetta, Mani, Irvine Welsh, Andrew O''Hagan, Mike Pickering, DJ Paulette, Todd Terry and Roger Sanchez - as well as Haçienda staff, club-goers and many more.

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Book SynopsisThe perfect gift for fans of All Creatures Great and Small, this is a charming collection of classic stories from James Herriot’s much-loved books with insights into his life and work from his children Rosie and Jim.With astute observations and boundless humour, country vet Herriot captures the spirit of the Yorkshire Dales and of rural communities on the cusp of change, before tractors and machines had taken over and modern medicines and antibiotics transformed veterinary work.Along the way a beloved cast of characters emerges, from the squabbling brothers Tristan and Siegfried to Herriot’s hapless courtship and eventual family life with Helen Anderson. But it’s the animals which are at the heart of Herriot’s stories. Whether he’s dodging a raging bull on a risky artificial insemination assignment, becoming pen pals with Tricki Woo the spoilt Pikingese or the inevitable trials and tribulations of lambing season, there&rsquTrade ReviewIt cleverly interweaves extracts from his novels, with an interesting commentary from his son and daughter . . . their memories and anecdotes augment the stories and make delightful reading * The Yorkshire Times *

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Book SynopsisUlrich thinks he got the ultimate fan trip-to play, record, and tour with his favourite band, Dead Can Dance. His memoir details the early days, from signing with 4AD, recording their first album, then heading off on tour with the Cocteau Twins. There follow insights into the legendary period of the 4AD label of the 1980s; contributing to This Mortal Coil; guesting with Wolfgang Press, Pieter Nooten and Michael Brook, and Modern English; and touring the US for the first time in 1990. Following his departure from DCD, Ulrich remained close with Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard, and his memoir tracks their parallel paths over the following decades. A must for fans of Dead Can Dance and the 4AD label, and at the same time, a fascinating slalom through the ups and downs of trying to pursue a vision through the music industry.Trade Review"...[G]reat book... one of the best memoirs I have read... honest, open and while very in-depth it is a fun and interesting book to read... You do not have to be a fan of Dead Can Dance, but if you are not, you will be once you have finished reading it." —Aaron Badgley, Spill Magazine"This book really does capture so much, so well, what it was like in the early days, both for struggling artists and the fledgling independent label community.” —Ivo Watts-Russell, founder 4AD Records"Getting a glimpse into the crucible of creation/re-creation was exhilarating...Through this memoir you can enjoy the view too, and see the inner world of a seminal and highly influential band as they rise into success." —Benjamin Schreihals, Gothic Beauty Magazine"A thoroughly absorbing memoir, filled with fascinating detail." —Joanne Harris, author"[Ulrich is] a natural writer, deftly weaving in tales of life... and affording cameos to those who burned brightly. A historical document of a vast musical landscape, this will fascinate those who weren't there, and make misty those of us who were." —Jane Cornwell, Songlines Magazine"Well, what a journey...fantastic read." —Paul Erikson, original bassist of Dead Can Dance"...in-depth memoir... very exciting... all those tiny details we wanted... Highly recommended." —Klemen Breznikar, It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine"...the book...It's great! Tower Ballroom, Edgbaston - my first DCD gig. Lisa came on with a teacup and saucer." —Glen Johnson, founder, singer, guitarist of Piano Magic"...highly collectable piece of fan memorabilia for DCD devotees. Furthermore... richly descriptive recollections of the adventures in sound... other 4AD projects, including This Mortal Coil... a solo career and further collaborations... his preoccupation with possibilities of instrumentation reveals a unique passion... Ulrich's devotion to the cause is impeccable."—Bryony Hegarty, Louder Than War"...a real treat to recall my own collaboration with Peter and our insanely eclectic adventures in creating The Painted Caravan trilogy." —Treboy (Big T) Lloyd, founder, writer, producer of The Peter Ulrich Collaboration, head of City Canyons LLC"Lively and entertaining... with sterling levels of recall... A voluminous, lengthy, extensive five stars." —John Lloyd, Fox Books, Leicester, UK"A wonderful and fascinating personal story... so many nuances and parts of the story that I didn’t realise... and... a lot of forgotten memories."—Steve Webbon, Beggars Group"Part autobiography, part band biog, this is nothing if not unorthodox, but fully in keeping with the band that inspired it... the self-taught percussionist was closely involved in some of their defining records and shows, and his insights are often illuminating... Engagingly written"—Johnny Sharp, PROG Magazine"...just finished the book... absolutely loved it!" —Greg Fasolino, "one of the foremost Goth and Post-Punk historians in the world (post-punk.com)""...that story you tell about a dinner in Venice and then you present Lisa's completely different recollection of the same event... I love that! We all have such faulty memories of what occurred. There is no reality!" —Sam Rosenthal, founder of Projekt Records and black tape for a blue girl"A fabulous fly-on-the-wall read." —Coral Rockks 985FM CKWR, Canada"...incredibly well-crafted... and [the] writer's voice carries such positivity and a general love of music, along with the camaraderie of creation and what it feels like to be in a band - struggles and successes and all!" —Bret Helm, founder, singer, bassist of Audra"How one phone call can change everything. Ulrich tells a heady, detailed story of living in and learning fast having joined Dead Can Dance - one of the most unique groups ever, leading to his personal musical flowering. The creative ebbs and flows, worlds of life on the road and music business shenanigans come vividly to life."—Dave Massey - music journalist and historian, music publishing A&R/Creative Director and fellow drummer"Ulrich comes across as very personable, with plenty of rather wry humour, and... a sense of genuine surprise and delight at being part of a diverse music scene."— warped-perspective.com"[Ulrich's] personality and sense of humor absolutely comes through! Really wonderful job." —Timothy O'Donnell, graphic design v23/4AD"Great book, very well written..."—Claudio Bustamante, Fairfax City Music, YouTube Channel"I love how this weaves so much historical and influential contemporary music with the story... beautifully written... utterly compelling." —Lisa Tenzin-Dolma, author, singer-songwriter"I am reading this book and keep telling my friends about it. I feel like I am sitting in a time machine - haha - love it!" —Magno Damase, DCD fan posting on Facebook"Fabulous memories of exciting times, superbly written." —Colin Wallace, 4AD

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Book SynopsisPursuing a dream instilled by early David Attenborough television adventures, a young man from the industrial northwest of England is advised at school to become a veterinary surgeon as a first step towards a career working with wild animals in Africa. His misgivings about the values and justification of domestic veterinary practice are contrasted with a passion for wilderness and wildlife conservation. Early experiences in the vivid Uganda of Idi Amin are juxtaposed with life in a grey Pennines veterinary practice. Eventually arriving as a veterinary officer in newly independent Botswana he finds adventure with wild animals as a veterinarian and later as an ecologist, survey pilot, game capture operator and even a safari hunter, becoming a passionate conservationist… all while starting the first veterinary practice in the country.

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Book SynopsisUsman Khan was convicted of terrorism-related offences at age 20, and sent to high-security prison. He was released eight years later, and allowed to travel to London for one day, to attend an event marking the fifth anniversary of a prison education programme he participated in. On 29 November, 2019, he sat with others at Fishmongers' Hall, some of whom he knew. Then he went to the bathroom to retrieve the things he had hidden there: a fake bomb vest and two knives, which he taped to his wrists. That day, he killed two people: Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt. Preti Taneja taught fiction writing in prison for three years. Merritt oversaw her program; Khan was one of her students. 'It is the immediate aftermath,' Taneja writes. '"I am living at the centre of a wound still fresh." The I is not only mine. It belongs to many.' In this searching lament by the award-winning author of We That Are Young, Taneja interrogates the language of terror, trauma and grief; the fictions we believe and the voices we exclude. Contending with the pain of unspeakable loss set against public tragedy, she draws on history, memory, and powerful poetic predecessors to reckon with the systemic nature of atrocity. Blurring genre and form, Aftermath is a profound attempt to regain trust after violence and to recapture a politics of hope through a determined dream of abolition.Trade Review'Aftermath is a major landmark in British narrative non-fiction. It's a beautiful and profoundly important account of creative writing teaching as a radical act of trust and interrogation of power; its anti-racist and abolitionist stance makes it a vitally important as well as deeply moving book to read now in these dismal days for the British political project. It is fearless in the way it shows its agonised workings as it unfolds into a complex map of grief.' Max Porter ---- 'Astonishing. Radical, beautiful, broken, intimate. A surge. A yearning. A tribute. An indictment. You won't read another book like this ever. Taneja's attempt to wrestle with so much, with radical empathy, survivor's guilt, politics - is a masterclass work of literary brilliance.' Nikesh Shukla ---- 'It takes a rare talent to respond to a shattering act of violence by reassembling the pieces in a way that refuses easy explanations or platitudes, but is illuminating, daring, world-expanding. Essential, in the truest sense of the word.' Daniel Trilling ---- 'This is a remarkable book: generous, searching, insightful and searingly intelligent as it draws out the complex relationship between writing and terror, language and the unspeakable, trauma and event.' Olivia Sudjic ---- 'Aftermath is written from the heart. I am both impressed by it and so grateful that someone has tried to make some sense of the many issues surrounding what happened at Fishmongers' Hall. There is so much truth in this slim volume.' David Merritt, father of Jack Merritt ---- 'Aftermath is a book that's almost impossible to categorise: it sits in a tradition of bereavement literature; it sits with poetry. There is no fake moralising in its pages, just Taneja patiently walking us through the wreckage of unimaginable grief, noticing everything, lifting up the rubble, she makes us question everything we know and hold fast - a courageous and brilliant book.' Mona Arshi ---- 'A study, a song, a calling - Taneja's work offers a crucial and radical account of control, conviction, complicity and trauma.' Eley Williams ---- 'Aftermath is not just a personal reckoning with tragedy, it's a piercing inquiry into the ways criminality is perceived, and yet what Taneja does so skilfully is carefully unpack the complex systems violence emerges from. This is an inspired book fortified with acute contemplation and courage, a book born out of a love for the world and the people in it.' Anthony Anaxagorou ---- 'Aftermath is one of the most profound, urgent and thought-provoking books I've read in years. Taneja makes of the already capacious creative non-fiction form one that is all her own, and which enquires, with devastating and poetic precision, into the connections between language, violence, structural racism, the purposes of reading and writing fiction, and so much more. She invites the reader to share in her enquiry to narrate the unnarratable, and, through doing so, to locate a genuinely radical form of hope.' Clare Fisher ---- 'In this stunning book, light bleeds into darkness. An astute indictment of our carceral system and the violence it perpetuates, it is also a compassionate meditation on our interconnected lives. Taneja blurs the lines between literary genres so that the divisions between 'us' and 'them' also blur. She invites us to grieve and yet still be angry enough to demand change - to ask deep structural questions and to imagine new possibilities for justice. I was challenged, inspired and grateful for every word.' Tessa McWatt ---- 'This searing abolitionist work sees, and refuses, other prisons too - of narrative-for-hire, racial shame, the trauma industrial complex, cause and effect. It tries to convince no one of nothing, to confess nothing to no one. Instead it breaks sentences and pages open, makes language rush into you (you are an estuary, the dam is gone). Its shape is unmappable. It lives on as a drumming in your head.' Maria Tumarkin ---- 'A tremendous feat of scholarship, of historical interlacing, of contemporary criticism, of literary examination, of ethical clarity and personal interrogation and, most indelibly, of grieving.' Gina Apostol ---- 'With We That Are Young, Preti Taneja established herself as one of the most courageous and lyrically gifted writers of her generation. Here again she offers living proof that great literature does not rise fully formed from the canon. It begins, rather, with the anguished sifting of its fragments in the aftermath of tragedy, and a grasping in the dark for voices worthy of trust, until its urgent call for equality and dignity comes true - first on the page, and then in the hearts and minds of all who read it.' Maureen Freely

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Book Synopsis'The master storyteller of our times' Hillary Rodham Clinton'The whole story of his truly astonishing life' Bob Woodward'The book was damn near addictive. I loved it' Ron Howard'At times his poignant narrative will bring you to tears' Patricia Cornwell'A compelling account of the life events that shaped an extraordinary man' Nicholas Sparks'So much content and inspiration from one of the world's most successful authors' Sir David Jason'This is a poignant, funny and inspiring account of a phenomenally successful career from a master storyteller' Jake Humphrey______________________________HIS BEST STORIES ARE THE STORIES OF HIS LIFE· His father grew up in a New York poorhouse called the 'Pogie'.· He worked at a psychiatric hospital where he met the singer James Taylor and the poet Robert Lowell. Both were patients.· He was at Woodstock and was also an usher at the Fillmore East.· He was CEO of advertising agency J. Walter Thompson North America when he was thirty-seven. He wrote the ad jingle, 'I'm a Toys 'R' Us Kid'.· He once watched Norman Mailer and James Baldwin square off to fight.· He's played golf with three US presidents and has nine holes-in-one.· Dolly Parton sang Happy Birthday to him over the phone. She calls him Jimmy James.James says, 'I always wanted to write the kind of novel that is read and re-read so many times the binding breaks, and the book literally falls apart, pages scattered in the wind. I'm still working on that one.'______________________________More praise for The Stories of My Life'A masterpiece of storytelling! Funny, poignant, brutally honest' Admiral Willam H. McRaven'Will delight fans, and even non-fans, of America's storied storyteller' Ben Bradlee Jr.'James Patterson makes his own life as addictively enjoyable as his novels' Nadine Dorries'Jim Patterson's life is a thriller itself . . . This book is a pure joy to read' Stephen A. Schwarzman'Always entertaining . . . You will enjoy the read' Phil Knight'James Patterson's first rule of storytelling is "be there". And that's the genius of his autobiography' Mike Lupica'Anyone who has ever started a James Patterson thriller knows how damned difficult it is to put down. And the same is true of this vivid, invigorating memoir' Daily MailTrade ReviewI felt I was interviewing James Patterson under the highest permissible dose of sodium pentothal, the truth serum, for hours - and he spilled the whole story of his truly astonishing life and experiences and the absolute unlikelihood that he would become the best-selling fiction author of all time. -- BOB WOODWARDJames Patterson does it again. The master storyteller of our times takes us on a funny, poignant, and ultimately triumphant journey through his own life. If you are among the many millions of us who enjoy reading Patterson's books, or if you haven't discovered him yet, you'll love reading this one too. -- HILLARY RODHAM CLINTONOne of the greatest storytellers of all time, Patterson has led an amazing life. James Patterson By James Patterson brings to mind Hemingway's A Moveable Feast. I love the pithy, bright anecdotes, and at times his poignant narrative will bring you to tears. -- PATRICIA CORNWELL, New York Times bestselling authorThe book was damn near addictive. I loved it. Patterson recounts turning points and life-shaping lessons in short, riveting bursts that inform, entertain, and satisfy-then propel you into the next story. That Patterson guy can write! -- RON HOWARDAs the author of more than two hundred novels James Patterson has shown considerable potential as a writer. He reveals how he is working on that potential in his memoir. The book is always entertaining. You will enjoy the read. -- PHIL KNIGHT, creator of Nike and author of Shoe DogA masterpiece of storytelling! Funny, poignant, brutally honest, filled with life and love and heartbreak; it is the most entertaining book I have read in the past fifty years. Patterson reminds us all that even in our smallest moments, there are great stories to be told. -- ADMIRAL WILLIAM H. McRAVEN, author of Make Your BedA compelling account of the life events that shaped an extraordinary man - combining elements of a tragic love story, counterculture youth, and cutthroat corporate success, this memoir will be a fascinating read for fans of his thrillers and beyond. -- NICHOLAS SPARKS, bestselling author of The NotebookIn this breezy and revealing autobiography, James Patterson packs his narrative with scores of personal stories that will delight fans, and even non-fans, of America's storied storyteller. -- BEN BRADLEE JR., author of The ForgottenJames Patterson's first rule of storytelling is 'be there.' And that's the genius of his autobiography. You're right there with him as he's growing up in Newburgh, New York; then on Madison Avenue; and as he begins to sell more books than anybody else on the planet. -- MIKE LUPICA, New York Times bestselling authorJim Patterson's life is a thriller itself. From his hardscrabble upbringing as a great athlete from a small town in upstate New York, to his time as a hippie in the 1960s and a great ad copywriter in the 1970s, Jim became the bestselling author of all time. This book is a pure joy to read. -- STEPHEN SCHWARZMAN, cofounder, chairman and CEO of BlackstoneThis is a poignant, funny and inspiring account of a phenomenally successful career from a master storyteller. -- JAKE HUMPHREY, creator of the High Performance podcastAnyone who has ever started a James Patterson thriller knows how damned difficult it is to put down. And the same is true of this vivid, invigorating memoir. * DAILY MAIL *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 SPORTS BOOK AWARDS''The best Everest book I''ve read since Into Thin Air. Synnott''s climbing skills take you places few will ever dare to tread, but it''s his writing that will keep you turning pages well past bedtime.'' - Mark AdamsVeteran climber Mark Synnott never planned on climbing Mount Everest. But a hundred-year mystery lured him into an expedition where a history of passionate adventure, chilling tragedy, and human aspiration unfolded.George Mallory and Sandy Irvine were last seen in 1924, eight hundred feet shy of Everest''s summit. A century later, we still don''t know whether they achieved their goal of being first to reach the top, decades before Hillary and Norgay in 1953. Irvine carried a camera with him to record their attempt, but it, along with his body, had never been found. Did Mallory and Irvine reach the summit and take a photograph before they fell to their deaths?Mark SynnotTrade ReviewThe Third Pole is an elegy of extremes, a white-knuckle tale of obsession and survival. From the archives of London's Royal Geographical Society to a tent battered by howling winds in the Death Zone, Mark Synnott puts it all on the line in his quest to solve Mount Everest's most enduring mystery. * Susan Casey, author of The Wave and Voices in the Ocean *A hundred-year-old detective story with a new twist. A high-altitude adventure. The best Everest book I've read since Into Thin Air. Synnott's climbing skills take you places few will ever dare to tread, but it's his writing that will keep you turning pages well past bedtime. * Mark Adams, author of Tip of the Iceberg and Turn Right at Machu Picchu *Join Mark Synnott on a quest for an artifact that could change Everest mountaineering history. Part detective story, part high adventure, Synnott engages obsessed historians, dodges Chinese bureaucrats, and ultimately risks his life high on the mountain's north face. As the tension rises, he discovers astounding strengths in his fellow climbers, tragic frailty, and an ineffable truth he never imagined. * Andy Hall, author of Denali’s Howl *Almost seventy years after my father, Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, climbed the summit of Chomolungma with the British 1953 Expedition, Western narratives about Mount Everest continue to be haunted by the question whether it was Mallory and Irvine who had been the first to stand on the summit. Mark Synnott's The Third Pole pursues this mystery and brings us closer to closing this chapter of mountaineering history. I learned a lot from this book. -- Norbu Tenzing NorgayThe author and adventurer Mark Synnott skillfully describes early-twentieth-century exploration, then dives into a story about Everest that merges mystery, adventure, and history into a single tragic bundle. . . . Synnott knows how to keep readers turning the pages, and they will speed their way to his mystery's resolution. * The New York Times *Both a gripping adventure story and an engrossing historical mystery. -- Maggie Shipstead, author of Great CircleIf you're only going to read one Everest book this decade, make it The Third Pole. . . A riveting adventure. * Outside *Uncovers the dangerous obsession that tackling this behemoth holds today. * Newsweek *A hold-your-breath story that features the author's own hazardous journey and exploration of the motives behind climbers' obsession with reaching dangerous heights. * AARP *Captivates with mystery and adventure. * National Parks Traveler *The book is a fascinating tale and forces the reader to constantly ask themselves, What would I do? in each situation. * Fodor's *Mark Synnott's new book . . . is as rewarding as any Everest book can be, with history and geography wonderfully woven into the author's own climb, in 2019. * Air Mail *As in his previous book, the author's writing comes alive when he recounts life on the mountain. . . . This is a must-read for outdoor enthusiasts and readers of Everest and exploration history. * Library Journal, starred review *[A] hair-raising mountaineering story . . . A fine tale of adventure and exploration sure to please any fan of climbing and Everest lore. * Kirkus Reviews, starred review *Synnott weaves back and forth between the early climbing pioneers' experiences and his 2019 expedition, harrowing in its own right. A gifted storyteller, he proves firsthand the irresistible lure and perilous dangers of climbing Mount Everest. * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisFor the first time, Annabel Langbein, New Zealand's most popular cookbook author, writes about her remarkable life and how food has shaped it, highlighting some of the recipes that have resonated most strongly with her over the years. From her childhood fascination with cooking to a teenage flirtation as a Maoist hippie, to possum trapping and living off the land as a hunter and forager, to travelling and starting her own croissant business in Brazil, Annabel's life has always been centred on food and nature. Out of this came an obsession with creating cookbooks, introducing a generation of cooks to her simple recipes for delicious, stylish meals. Annabel has lived a huge and varied life, and she writes vividly about her many adventures. From throughout this rich life in food she has chosen 60 key recipes, created with her signature style and flair that make cooking easy for everyone, sharing them in this beautifully photographed book.

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Book SynopsisYou’re not born with resilience but you can find it on the journey with hard work, belief and the help of those around you.Gareth Thomas has learned to push on even when everything seems most futile. His willingness to expose his deepest emotional frailties as a man and come through even stronger as a result has made him a national hero. In the Sunday Times Bestseller PROUD, Gareth focused closely on the intense experience of coming out in a very public arena of global sport. STRONGER is the broader story of how Gareth has managed to deal with the adversity life has thrown at him across the years, from childhood to his most recent gruelling announcement that he was HIV positive.Trade ReviewI've always like you but I love you for this - thought this book was completely amazing -- Chris EvansBeautiful parts, powerful parts ... will definitely make you think -- Nihal Arthanayake * BBC Radio 5 Live *Compelling -- Donald McCrae * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisShocking, eye-opening and grimly fascinating, these are the true stories, patients and cases that have characterized a career spent treating mentally disordered offenders. As a forensic psychiatrist, it's Dr Das's job to treat and rehabilitate what the tabloids might call the 'criminally insane', many of whom assault, rob, rape, and even kill. His work takes him to high-security prisons and securely locked hospital wards across the country, as well as inside courtrooms, giving evidence as an expert witness. From the young woman who smothered her two-year-old nephew in a flash of psychosis, to the teenager who set his house on fire with his mother locked inside, Dr Das must delve into the minds of these violent offenders to elicit their symptoms of mental illness, understand their actions and prevent future atrocities. In this honest, revealing and at times humorous memoir, Dr Das shares stories from his fifteen years as a psychTrade Review'This is a thought provoking book which brings alive the work of psychiatrists in the criminal justice system. Dr Das writes with verve about a complex and difficult subject, and true crime readers are in for a treat. Very entertaining!' -- Gwen Adshead, author of THE DEVIL YOU KNOW'You will want to spend time with Dr Sohom Das - he's witty, insightful, humble and humane and above all he just makes you glad that there are still psychiatrists out there who work with and care about those unfortunate people who, if we are honest with ourselves, we would all prefer to ignore, or simply lock up' -- David Wilson, author of MY LIFE WITH MURDERERSIn a binary world where it is tempting to think of people as either victims or perpetrators Dr Das eloquently explains how they can be both. In this excellent and enlightening book we enter the minds of people who have been classified as both mad and bad. We learn what it has been like to walk in Dr Das's shoes as he treats these mentally disordered violent offenders -- Jonathan Levi and Emma French, authors of INSIDE BROADMOORIn Two Minds is a fascinating and moving account of life working with people who too often society wants to forget. Dr Das writes with warmth about his experiences as a psychiatrist and provides important insight into an world that usually remains hidden -- Dr Amanda Brown, author of THE PRISON DOCTOR

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewI am very grateful for Carolyn Whitney-Brown's accurate account of my brother Henri's inner feelings, hopes, wishes and despair. You brought Henri very close to me again. -- Laurent Nouwen, Founder of the Henri Nouwen Foundation on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGIn this book, I see Henri in the audience, smiling straight at me, clapping his hands above his head, enjoying our performance success as much as we did. This one is for you, my friend. -- Rodleigh Stevens, Founder of the Flying Rodleighs and former trainer with Cirque du Soleil on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGAnyone who knew Henri, either through his writing or in person, will immediately recognise how beautifully he’s been brought to life in this book.’ – his willingness to write so vulnerably about human relationships and feelings as a means to discovering our purpose in life, and a sense of the divine. -- Gary Donohoe, Professor & Chair of Psychology, National University of Ireland on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGFlying, Falling, Catching is far beyond religious belief or affiliation. It is a universal tale of mind-body connection and disconnection. While undoubtedly an account of a spiritual journey, Carolyn Whitney-Brown nimbly explores the corporeal inner life of Henri Nouwen as he literally swings through the air. It is brilliant! -- Ruth Rakoff, Author of When My World Was Very Small on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGNo question that flying, falling, and catching were unlikely teachers for Henri Nouwen, whose clear preferences were security, stability and being caught! I hope and trust that you, the reader, will allow Henri to guide your journey through risk to freedom! -- Sr. Sue Mosteller, CSJ, Executrix of Henri Nouwen's literary estate on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGFlying, Falling, Catching is a beacon of hope. It reminds us that despite all the perils and sufferings that surround us, with which we often collide, we can find healing, peace, and awe even in the most unusual detours that life offers. A must read. -- Marina Nemat, Author of international best-seller Prisoner of Tehran on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGA loving achievement and a riveting story of spirit meets body. With splendid pace and wit, Carolyn Whitney-Brown drops the words of Henri Nouwen’s flights of thought before us. Then, she arranges to gorgeously catch them. A singular spiritual tale written with tender-hearted eloquence from two arresting minds. -- Kathryn Bond Stockton, Author of Gender(s), Distinguished Professor of English, University of Utah on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGA lifelong search for wholeness takes a surprising late turn—toward the circus! As someone who’s spent much of my adult life absorbing beautiful spiritual truths in gritty entertainment venues, I can definitely relate. -- Shad, Rapper, Host of documentary series Hip-Hop Evolution on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGFor Henri Nouwen, a flying trapeze performance was like a Russian icon, drawing him into a spiritual world. This endearing true story about living and dying carefully brings together all of Nouwen's thinking on the Flying Rodleighs and the circus. Like the act itself, sheer elegance. -- Michael Ford, Author of Wounded Prophet and Lonely Mystic on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGIn Carolyn Whitney-Brown's deft hands, Henri’s intentions literally, vividly swing alive. This is a beautiful, moving story about interconnectivity, interdependence, and life's rich, beautiful, complicated pageant. I devoured it in a sitting. -- Lisa Napoli, Author of Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHING

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Book Synopsis'Inspiring' GUARDIAN 'Heartbreaking' INDEPENDENT 'I loved it' ADAM KAY 'Beautiful' MATT HAIG 'Luminous' NICCI GERRARD 'Essential reading' MADELEINE BUNTING 'A celebration' CHRISTIE WATSON ----- A Best Book for Summer in The Times, Guardian and The i Independent Book of the Month ----- Caring is an issue that affects us all - as bestselling novelist Kate Mosse knows all too well. Kate has cared in turn for her father and mother, and for Granny Rosie, her 90-year-old mother-in-law. Along the way she has experienced the joys, challenges and frustrations shared by an invisible army of carers. At the heart of this care lie everyday acts of love, and the realisation that, sooner or later, most of us will come to rely on an extra pair of hands. ----- 'Lifts the spirits without pulling punches' IAN RANKIN 'Irresistible' RACHEL JOYCE 'Questions how and why we fetishise independence when the reality of human experience is always interdependence' GUARDIAN, BOOK OF THE DAY 'Heartfelt, funny and at times heartbreaking. 10/10' INDEPENDENT 'Utterly beautiful' FRANCESCA SEGALTrade ReviewBrilliant ... uplifting, inspiring, a tribute to love -- Elif Shafak * Guardian *Heartfelt and sometimes shocking ... Fierce and tender, her book is a clarion call for an overhaul of our dysfunctional care system -- Must Read Paperbacks * Daily Mail *A beautiful, profoundly moving book about society's most vital glue - care -- Rachel ClarkeA must read -- Penny WincerEssential reading -- Madeleine BuntingI read it in one sitting -- Christie WatsonMoving -- Book of the Day * Guardian *An incisive, profoundly humane blend of the personal and the political -- Gwendolyn Smith * The i *A beautiful, emotional and timely read -- Matt HaigA beacon of light -- Nicci GerrardKeep the tissues handy. 10/10 * Independent *Shot through with honesty, heartbreak and joy. I loved it -- Adam KayTimely * Observer *Lifts the spirits without pulling punches -- Ian RankinIrresistible -- Rachel JoyceThis book will be a huge help to both carers and the cared-for -- Deborah MoggachExtraordinary -- Catherine MeyerWonderful ... uplifting and hopeful -- Cathy RentzenbrinkA heartfelt reminder of why people become carers -- Kate Saunders * Times *Moving -- Book of the Month, Martin Chilton * Independent *An ode to the invisible army of carers holding families together * Reaction *Mosse writes movingly about returning the caring favour and the end that waits for us all -- 50 Best Summer Books * Times *Timely and important * The Oldie *Utterly beautiful - honest, tender, and uplifting -- Francesca Segal

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Book Synopsis''I was born into a world that expected very little of women like me. We were meant to tread lightly on the earth, influencing events through our husbands and children, if at all. We were meant to fade into invisibility as we aged. I defied all of these expectations and so have millions of women like me.''This is the compelling story of Anne Summers'' extraordinary life. Her story has her travelling around the world as she moves from job to job, in newspapers and magazines, advising prime ministers, leading feminist debates, writing memorable and influential books. Anne has not been afraid to walk away from success and to satisfy her constant restlessness by charging down new and risky paths. Whatever position she has held, she has expanded what''s possible and helped us see things differently-often at high personal cost.Anne shares revealing stories about the famous and powerful people she has worked with or reported on and is refreshingly frank about

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Book SynopsisAs seen on This MorningThere was a time when I loved my mother. It's shocking to imply that I stopped loving her because mothers always love their children and always do their best for them. Mothers are supposed to be good. But my mother wasn't good.Ten years ago, Helen Naylor discovered her mother, Elinor, had been faking debilitating illnesses for thirty years. After Elinor's self-induced death, Helen found her diaries, which Elinor wrote daily for over fifty years. The diaries reveal not only the inner workings of Elinor's twisted mind and self-delusion, but also shocking revelations about Helen's childhood.Everything Helen knew about herself and her upbringing was founded on a lie. The unexplained accidents and days spent entirely on her own as a little girl, imagining herself climbing into the loft and disappearing into a different world, tell a story of neglect. As a teenager, her mother's advice to Helen on her body and mental health speaks of dangerous manipulation.With Elinor's behaviour becoming increasingly destructive, and Helen now herself a mother, she was left with a stark choice: to collude with Elinor's lies or be accused of abandoning her. My Mother, Munchausen's and Me is a heart-breaking, honest and brave account of a daughter unravelling the truth about her mother and herself. It's a story of a stolen childhood, mental illness, and the redemptive power of breaking a complex and toxic bond.What readers are saying about My Mother, Munchausen's and Me:'An absolute roller coaster ride of emotions!!!!... heartbreaking... clear your schedules as you won't be able to put it down. It will leave you absolutely shocked ... If you read one biography this year make sure this is the one!!!... I LOVED it.' Bookworm86'I cannot even. Absolutely blew my mind... cried buckets of tears.' NetGalley reviewer'Wow just wow... fascinating... heart wrenching... absolutely unreal... My heart absolutely broke for Helen... incredibly moving.' Booksandcoffeewithlexi'Absolutely amazing. I was hooked from the first page!... gave so many insights and relatable experiences... such a good book!' Goodreads reviewer'A fascinating account.' The Times'I devoured this book in a couple sittings as I was captivated right from the beginning... gripping.' Goodreads reviewer'I seriously don't know where to start... I'm absolutely staggered... astounding and heartbreaking.' Book.lover67'My heart broke... I was hooked throughout this entire read...emotional and eye opening.' Goodreads reviewer'Genuinely left me flabbergasted.... It was a complete page turner... really opens your eyes.' Goodreads reviewer'Wow. I did not want to put this down...consumed much of my thoughts in the past few days...what a powerful story.' Bitesbooksbrews'Eye opening...difficult to put down...wonderful.' Little Miss Book Lover 87

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Book SynopsisThe powerful, dramatic story of how a successful Hollywood set designer whose identity was deeply rooted in his homosexuality came to be suddenly and utterly transformed by the power of the gospel.When Becket Cook moved from Dallas to Los Angeles after college, he discovered a socially progressive, liberal town that embraced not only his creative side but also his homosexuality. He devoted his time to growing his career as a successful set designer and to finding the one man who would fill his heart. His life centered around celebrity-filled Hollywood parties and he traveled to society hot-spots around the world--until a chance encounter with a pastor at an LA coffee shop one morning changed everything.        In A Change of Affection, Becket Cook shares his testimony as someone who was transformed by the power of the gospel. His dramatic conversion to Christianity and subsequent seminary training inform his views

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Book SynopsisA luminous memoir of post-war childhood, adventure and loss on the banks of the Nile.Wonderful a brave, inventive, touching distillation of memory and imagination' JENNY UGLOWInventory of a Life Mislaid follows Marina Warner's beautiful, penniless young mother Ilia as she leaves southern Italy in 1945 to travel alone to London. Her husband, an English colonel, is still away in the war in the East as she begins to learn how to be Mrs Esmond Warner, an Englishwoman.With diamond rings on her fingers and brogues on her feet, Ilia steps fearlessly into the world of cricket and riding. But, without prospect of work in a bleak, war-ravaged England, Esmond remembers the glorious ease of Cairo during his periods of leave from the desert campaign. There, they start a bookshop, a branch of W. H. Smith's. But growing resistance to foreign interests, especially British, erupts in the 1952 uprising, and the Cairo Fire burns the city clean.Evocative and imaginative, at once historical and speculativTrade Review‘Wonderful – a brave, inventive, touching distillation of memory and imagination, shimmering with images, sounds and scents, conjuring a clash of lives, worlds and words’Jenny Uglow ‘A captivating re-creation of her childhood in a lost Cairo, so incomparably louche, sensuous and fragrant, and of her parents’ improbable marriage’Ferdinand Mount ‘An entrancing weave of memoir, history, autobiography and fiction, this adventurous book voyages through time and space to re-discover, re-imagine and reinvent a lost world. One of Marina Warner's most beautiful works’Michèle Roberts ‘Moving and original … Warner’s view of the past is always precise, at once generous and exacting. She has a gift for using objects to conjure up characters, feelings and atmospheres … Poignant and exquisitely crafted, Inventory of a Life Mislaid is bound to become a classic’Catriona Seth ‘A poignant and imaginatively transgressive exploration of her parents’ marriage, a war time love match between Southern Italy and upper class England … Evocative’Margaret Drabble ‘High-risk and multidimensional … Warner brings to these pages a lifetime of thinking about stories and the ways in which they shape our lives’Literary Review ‘This is a wonderful rich, partly mythical memoir that sifts through the past to connect a family’s secrets to the deep-rooted colonial assumptions that still resonate in a post-Brexit Britain … never dull … Eloquent and heartbreaking’TLS ‘Poignant and mythical’New Statesman ‘The most intriguing memoir … Marina Warner’s subtle, exotic and angry account of her parents’ marriage’Roy Foster, TLS, Books of the Year ‘Warner is such a skilful and imaginative writer that much of …the book reads like lived experience … the happiest of concoctions, a mix of fiction and fact, observation and speculation …This brave, painful, dazzling memoir is riveting’Spectator

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Book Synopsis''Inspiring and heart-wrenching'' Paloma Faith ''Love Rhyannon. Love this book'' Grace Dent The remarkable transgender memoir you won''t stop hearing about. Rhyannon Styles will do for transgender what Matt Haig did for mental health. Elle columnist Rhyannon Styles tells her unforgettable life story in THE NEW GIRL, reflecting on her past and charting her incredible journey from male to female. A raw, frank and utterly moving celebration of life.Imagine feeling lost in your own body. Imagine spending years living a lie, denying what makes you ''you''. This was Ryan''s reality. He had to choose: die as a man or live as a woman.In 2012, Ryan chose Rhyannon. At the age of thirty she began her transition, taking the first steps on the long road to her true self.Rhyannon holds nothing back in THE NEW GIRL, a heartbreakingly honest telling of her life. Through her catastrophic lows and incredible highTrade ReviewI watched Rhyannon Styles begin as the most inspiring and heart-wrenching cocoon I ever saw and now she is a glorious butterfly -- Paloma FaithLove Rhyannon. Love this book. Everything you've ever wondered about transition, cocooned in an epic tale of fleeing suburbia and big city fabulousness -- Grace DentI loved this book - Rhyannon doesn't just shine a light on this subject, she sets off a bloody fireworks display -- Cherry HealeyI am changed for having read this - congratulations, Rhyannon, on a bold life that inspires and lifts - the world needed this truth -- Laura Jane Williams, author and bloggerA story that will make you smile and sob in equal measure, and challenge everything you thought you knew about gender, sex, and fashion. Once read, never forgotten -- Rebecca RootA wonderful asset to our community -- Caroline Tula, Trans icon, model and Bond girlProud to be holding this book ... The best and worst of times in a wonderful memoir -- Lorraine Candy, Sunday TimesRhyannon is such a great ambassador for the trans community. She writes with such class while also keeping it super real. I've got a book coming out later this year and all I'm saying is I'm glad my book isn't a memoir, because I'd hate to have to compete with this -- Charlie CraggsRhyannon Styles journey of transition is fraught with the unique issues of her generation. Honest and unflinching, she walks the tightrope of uncertainty with confidence in the unknowing. A modern Artemis in the queer wilderness, midwifing her own becoming -- Penny ArcadeA deeply honest and candid memoir ... In a beautifully moving account of her life, Rhyannon left us captured until the very last page * Marie Claire South Africa *

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Book Synopsis**THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**'Astonishing... precisely crafted, emotionally-sucker-punching prose.' Daily Telegraph'Dangerous, immediate and lyrical from the jump.' Wall Street JournalHOLLYWOOD PARK is a remarkable memoir of a tumultuous life. Mikel Jollett was born into one of the country's most infamous cults, and subjected to a childhood filled with poverty, addiction, and emotional abuse. Yet, ultimately, his is a story of fierce love and family loyalty told in a raw, poetic voice that signals the emergence of a uniquely gifted writer.Mikel Jollett was born in an experimental commune in California, which later morphed into the Church of Synanon, one of the country's most infamous and dangerous cults. Per the leader's mandate, all children, including Jollett and his older brother, were separated from their parents when they were six months old, and handed over to the cult's 'School'. After spending years in what was essentially an orphanage, Mikel escaped the cult one morning with his mother and older brother. But in many ways, life outside Synanon was even harder and more erratic. In his raw, poetic and powerful voice, Jollett portrays a childhood filled with abject poverty, trauma, emotional abuse, delinquency and the lure of drugs and alcohol. Raised by a clinically depressed mother, tormented by his angry older brother, subjected to the unpredictability of troubled step-fathers and longing for contact with his father, a former heroin addict and ex-con, Jollett slowly, often painfully, builds a life that leads him to Stanford University and, eventually, to finding his voice as a writer and musician, forming the band The Airborne Toxic Event.Trade ReviewAstonishing detail . . . precisely crafted, emotionally-sucker-punching prose. * Daily Telegraph *A moving and often lyrical account of a fraught, precarious life. * The Sunday Times *Dangerous, immediate and lyrical from the jump. * Wall Street Journal *A Gen-X This Boy's Life . . . Music and his fierce brilliance boost Jollett; a visceral urge to leave his background behind propels him to excel . . . In the end, Jollett shakes off the past to become the captain of his own soul. Hollywood Park is a triumph. * O, The Oprah Magazine *Jollett has an innate sensitivity and eye for detail. You sense that any novel he'd write would be a good one, a Denis Johnson-esque tale rife with drifters and drugs . . . He recognizes literature as what the critic Kenneth Burke called equipment for living. * Washington Post *Far from your standard rock autobiography, and no wonder: Jollett was born into a violent cult and overcame a chaotic youth. * New York Times, New & Noteworthy *An absorbing, emotional read * Salon *Remarkable * Huffington Post, 10 of the Most Anticipated Book Releases of May *Deals with addiction, religious fanaticism, and abuse. But there's also loyalty, raw love, and a poetic voice that prevails throughout the horror. * Good Housekeeping *Fascinating * New York Post *...an exquisitely deep and moving tale of transformation and the search for love. * People Magazine, Book of the Week *Steeped in tenderness and cruelty, Hollywood Park is a testament to the power of imagination and storytelling in deconstructing trauma. Jollett paints an achingly honest portrait of his family in glittering, urgent prose. I felt their darkness and their poetry in my bones. * Jessica Andrews, author of Saltwater *Jollett was raised from childhood in a cult, brought up under the leaders of Synanon. With stunning clarity, he tells of his mother's escapes and the subsequent trials his family endured. * Newsweek 40 Must-Read Fiction And Nonfiction Books To Savor This Spring *Hollywood Park is amazing. Mikel Jollett takes the shards of a broken childhood - imagine a life where escaping from a violent cult is somehow not a path to safety - and makes it a universal story of the struggle to find connection in a brutally beautiful world. His story zigs where you think it's going to zag, and even the most irredeemable characters somehow surprise us with their tenacity. It's a complicated story with a simple payoff: this is how the light gets in, this is how an artist gets made. * Glen David Gold, author of Carter Beats the Devil *Engaging and heartbreaking. A good choice for fans of memoirs about overcoming dysfunctional childhoods like Educated and The Glass Castle. * Booklist *A story of fierce love and family loyalty. * Good Morning America, 20 Books We're Excited for in 2020 *The frontman of rock band Airborne Toxic Event chronicles, in gorgeous and exacting lyricism, his harrowing coming-of-age within (and eventual escape from) the Church of Synanon, a violent religious cult. * O, The Oprah Magazine, The 30 Most Anticipated Books of 2020 (so Far) *Jollett's story serves as a potent reminder that while we cannot change the hand we're dealt, our freedom lies in what we choose to do with those cards. * Adrienne Brodeur, author of Wild Game, The Millions *A painstaking emotional accounting of a tortured youth ultimately redeemed through music, therapy, and love. * Kirkus, Starred Review *Jollett engagingly narrates his story . . . result[ing] in a shocking but contemplative memoir about the aftermath of an unhealthy upbringing. * Publishers Weekly, Starred Review *

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Book Synopsis'Shaman', meaning 'intermediary between spirit and the natural world', has become a much overused word in the West. It's not a job title one can give oneself, and in indigenous societies, a shaman is usually born to this role. Ya'Acov Darling Khan is one of the few westerners who have been acknowledged as shamans by indigenous elders or teachers. After being hit by lightning, Ya'Acov took a 30-year journey into the heart of shamanism to seek his own healing, and to learn how he could serve others with the wisdom he acquired through his experiences. He has studied with indigenous teachers from the Arctic Circle to the USA and South America, and has taken part in ceremonies in such diverse locations as Welsh caves to the depths of the Amazon rainforest. Nowadays, Ya'Acov continues to study and regularly journeys to the Ecuadorean Amazon to work alongside the Achuar and Sápara people. For thousands of years, shamans helped the people in their communities remain in balance with themselves, each other, the natural world and the spirit world. This beautifully written book is not only a powerfully honest, humorous and inspiring memoir, but a guidebook for those from many cultures and walks of life wishing to return to their indigenous roots, and be part of midwifing a more benign human presence here on Earth as part of a new dream.Trade Review‘Jaguar in the Body, Butterfly in the Heart is a magnificent adventure story that travels like an arrow right into the heart of what it means to be a conscious human being. Like all stories told with unflinching honesty and humility, this one has the potential to heal the reader, and help him or her remember who they really truly are.’Dr Christiane Northrup, New York Times bestselling author of Goddesses Never Age and Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom‘Jaguar in the Body, Butterfly in the Heart charts the journey of a young man treading the path of an ancient vocation in a modern world. In his wise, funny and tender book, Ya’Acov Darling Khan writes of his teachers and experiences with compelling generosity and practicality, and lessons abound. Shamanic teaching that is accessible and divine.’Sophie Dahl, author‘Ya’Acov Darling Khan has written an exquisite and important book that places the great and deep work of shamanism in its rightful context in this critical time in human history. For too long, shamanism has been seen as a left-field weekend pastime that is divorced from the challenges that we face as a species. Ya’Acov’s story of his 30-year initiation into the shaman’s world is an invitation for us to look deeply into what matters most to us and to find the courage to live from this place. Ya’Acov’s book is vital for all of us who are ready to find the passion, dedication and courage to bring our visions to Earth and to leave a legacy for our descendants that we can be proud of.’Lynne Twist, Co-founder of the Pachamama Alliance and author of The Soul of Money‘An important shamanic ritual involves “dismembering and remembering” – releasing dysfunctional patterns of thought and behaviour in order to embrace beneficial new ones. Through this beautiful book Ya’Acov offers that ritual for a world of humans who need to rebalance and remember themselves and their relationship with all else. He sings the shapeshifter’s song; that song awakens a new dream, it manifests a new reality.’John Perkins, New York Times bestselling author‘As our world rocks with each new onslaught of unresolved human pain, there comes a bright light to remind us that we have resources far beyond our own: that we have help if we ask for it and that help is transformative. Written with integrity, authenticity and the flowing, addictive poetry of a born storyteller, Ya’Acov’s book is a must-read for anyone who seeks to share in the bounty of the greater spirits of this world and beyond. Ya’Acov’s journey as a shaman began long before the current fashion for all things shamanic. When it comes to spirituality, many people talk the talk, but few actually embody the teachings in their day-to-day life.’Manda Scott, teacher of shamanic dreaming and author of the Boudica series and Into the Fire‘Ya’Acov Darling Khan’s journey reveals the hard path that goes from a sincere but innocent day-dreaming about shamanism, to the struggles, doubts, failure and eventual victories to be found for those who travel far enough and persist for long enough to discover the secrets of shifting consciousness, and then bring them back to the world of our everyday affairs. What I love about him and the journey he shares in this book is that his passion for the Spirit has always been so strong, and was not broken when ego-driven fantasies were shattered again and again by the bitter-sweet kiss of everyday reality.’Victor Sanchez, researcher, author, teacher and founder of El Arte de Vivir A Propósito (The Art of Living Purposefully) and toltecas.org‘Ya’Acov is a medicine man of the highest integrity. His shamanic skill and embodiment transcend culture to reach the universal place of humanity and spirit. One doesn’t declare oneself a shaman, the people do. When we are in the rainforest together, the indigenous people line up for healings with Ya’Acov, who works side by side with the elder tribal shaman. In his book, Ya’Acov demystifies the original vocation, one often shrouded in misperceptions and aggrandizement in modern times. As our current systems and structures break down, more and more people are turning to the ancient shamanic worldview of interconnectivity and meaning. Jaguar in the Body, Butterfly in the Heart provides a blueprint for how to authentically walk the path.’David Tucker, Pachamama Journeys Director

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Book SynopsisJournalist Jenny Valentish takes a gendered look at drugs and alcohol, using her own story to light the way. Mining the expertise of 35 leading researchers, clinicians and psychiatrists, she explores the early predictors of addictive behaviour, such as trauma, temperament and impulsivity. Drawing on neuroscience, she explains why other self-destructive behaviours – such as eating disorders, compulsive buying and high-risk sex – are interchangeable with problematic substance use. From her childhood in suburban Slough to her chaotic formative years in the London music scene, we follow her journey to Australia, where she experiences firsthand treatment facilities and AA groups, and reflects whether or not they are meeting the needs of women. Woman of Substances is an insightful, rigorous and brutally honest read. In Australia it was nominated for a prestigious Walkley Book Award. 'Employing expert interviews and research, each rich personal episode is contextualised within the under-examined issue of women's substance abuse. Detailed, insightful and told with a feature writer's narrative flair' Bookseller and Publisher. 'Engages readers with storytelling while presenting scientific findings and theories in a way that is accessible to a broad audience' Broadsheet. 'Part monograph, part memoir, part Ginsbergian howl of outrage at a culture in which gender bias is a tenet. It is a work of compellingly articulate anger' The Australian. 'In straightforward, lively prose she relates even her darkest moments without self-pity or aggrandisement, and often with a streak of gallows humour, leading to more laugh-out-loud lines than you might expect' The Saturday Paper. 'We need books like this, and writers like Valentish, to give voice to our frustrations and concerns, to help legitimise and mobilise' Kill Your Darlings. 'Valentish's passion lies in exploring the underlying causes and their effects and, in the most female of ways, offering companionship and reassurance for her readers' The Monthly. 'Doesn't mince her words' Sydney Morning Herald.Trade ReviewA startling and illuminating book – it's also hugely entertaining -- Roddy DoyleWoman of Substances will resonate with women readers who have never really questioned the role that patriarchy has played in their drinking habits * VICE magazine *A startling and thorough investigation into the relationship between gender, trauma and addiction, and the women who fall through the gaps * Guardian *

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Book Synopsis'What a fantastic read, but not for the faint-hearted!' MARTINA COLE'True crime has never been more female - or more deadly.' KIMBERLEY CHAMBERS'Admired and respected by the men who worked with her, she is the real deal.' FREDDIE FOREMANIf you think you know everything about the East End's toughest gangsters, think again.Meet Linda Calvey, aka the Black Widow.Growing up after the war in the East End of London, Linda falls in with local gangsters including the Krays, Freddie Foreman and Ronnie Cook. When the love of her life, Mickey Calvey, is gunned down on a job gone wrong, Linda resolves to carry on his work.But in 1990, after years of living in fear of her lover Ronnie Cook, Linda finds herself accused of his murder alongside Danny Reece, in a trial that shocks the nation. Still, Linda sticks to her code of honour, refusing to confess. Until now...After 18 years behind bars alongside notorious names including Rose West and Myra Hindley, she is released.This is the final truth about her life and what happened the day Ronnie Cook was murdered.Trade Review'What a fantastic read, but not for the faint-hearted!' MARTINA COLE; 'True crime has never been more female - or more deadly.' KIMBERLEY CHAMBERS; 'Admired and respected by the men who worked with her, she is the real deal.' FREDDIE FOREMAN

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Book SynopsisCassie was only thirteen when her mother died of a degenerative illness, leaving her vulnerable to sexual predators in the Halifax area who had been grooming her since the age of eleven. She fell through the net of the care system and reached out for friendship, only to be consumed by an escalating spiral of abuse. This harrowing and truly shocking story captures in vivid detail how gangs of men were able to ply a child with drink and drugs, then rape her and pass her around their associates with no one seemingly able to step in and prevent it. Cassie was lost in a world of appalling degradation for years before a local policeman and caring social worker became instrumental in helping her to escape and rebuild her life. In 2016, the largest case of child sexual exploitation ever brought to trial at that time in the UK resulted in the conviction of 17 men. Since Cassie's abusers were jailed, child safeguarding policies have improved so that vulnerable children like Cassie should never again fall through the net and become prey.

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Book SynopsisEleanor Thom is living with endometriosis and she thinks that it''s time to talk a bit more about our private parts.Part memoir, part guide book and part survival guide, Private Parts retraces Eleanor''s journey with endometriosis, offering readers practical, down-to-earth and friendly advice covering everything from what actually happens in an internal exam to the perfect post-op wardrobe. Eleanor writes as fearlessly as she has fought this disease; with heart, honesty and a humour that is rarely afforded to subjects as serious as this. - Phoebe Waller-BridgePrivate Parts is just like its author: funny, brave, charming, honest, reassuring and ultimately brilliant - Joe LycettWritten for the newly diagnosed as well as those who have had more operations than they can count on one hand, Private Parts is a friend and companion to everyone whose life has been impacted by this little understood condition. ItTrade ReviewEleanor writes as fearlessly as she has fought this disease; with heart, honesty and a humour that is rarely afforded to subjects as serious as this. Your head will explode with what you'll learn and your heart will explode with the courage of this author. She's truly extraordinary -- Phoebe Waller-BridgePrivate Parts is just like its author: funny, brave, charming, honest, reassuring and ultimately brilliant -- Joe LycettInspirational * Observer *Eleanor demystifies "Women' Problems" with plenty of laughs. Her ability to find light in dark situations shines through * Yorkshire Post *

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Book SynopsisI Survived is Victoria Cillier's chilling, eye-opening story of marriage and attempted murder, revealing the truth about a case that made headlines around the world. Soon to be the subject of a major TV documentary.On Easter Sunday 2015, experienced skydiver Victoria Cilliers undertook a parachute jump, a gift from her husband, British army sergeant Emile Cilliers. Her parachutes failed to open and she plummeted 4,000 feet to the ground, sustaining life-threatening injuries. Miraculously, she survived. Then the police arrived at her door. Someone had tampered with her parachute and they suspected Emile.In I Survived Victoria describes how she fell for Emile, and how the charming man she thought she knew gradually revealed a darker side, chipping away at her self-worth until she found it impossible to sift truth from lies. Can she really believe that her husband – the father of their two young children – tried to kill her? As more shocking revelations come to light, and she has to face his trial and relentless media scrutiny, she struggles to come to terms with the past. Even a guilty verdict does not free her because Emile is not ready to let her go . . .Powerful and honest, this is the story of a woman who was put through hell and yet found the strength to forge a new life for herself and her children.

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEARIn Island Dreams, Gavin Francis examines our collective fascination with islands. He blends stories of his own travels with psychology, philosophy and great voyages from literature, shedding new light on the importance of islands and isolation in our collective consciousness.Comparing the life of freedom of thirty years of extraordinary travel from the Faroe Islands to the Aegean, from the Galapagos to the Andaman Islands with a life of responsibility as a doctor, community member and parent approaching middle age, Island Dreams riffs on the twinned poles of rest and motion, independence and attachment, never more relevant than in today's perennially connected world.Illustrated with maps throughout, this is a celebration of human adventures in the world and within our minds.Trade ReviewGavin Francis is a wonderful writer - thoughtful, engaging, immensely knowledgeable and supremely human -- BILL BRYSONFor those who have missed travelling this year, and for anyone who has pondered the meaning of "isolation", there is an ideal present - a beautiful and highly illustrated book called Island Dreams, by Gavin Francis, exploring the place of islands in our psyche - from Lamu to the Lofoten Islands, the Faroes to the Falklands, Avalon to the Azores -- HILARY MANTELHighly absorbing . . . Francis combines memoir from a lifetime of travel and the practice of medicine, observations on the geography and history of islands across the globe, and reflections on how islands illuminate his own life and the human condition * * Guardian * *An intoxicating voyage during which maps become fictions and fictions verifiable facts. Myths of returning and older legends carry us out in a shared fugue of obsession and release. Here is a worthy companion to the dream labyrinths of Borges -- IAIN SINCLAIRA thrilling book - beautiful and spare at once . . . A real achievement -- TIM DEECombines brilliant observation with personal revelation, literary examination and even philosophical contemplation . . . Full of intriguing insights, wonderful description, well-researched detail and interspersed with a large number of historical and contemporary maps, which adds to the immersive reading experience . . . A wonderful, thoughtful and endlessly engaging piece of work -- Doug Johnstone * * Big Issue * *Not just a paean but a meditation. Drawing on psychology, philosophy and literature, Francis examines the appeal of separation and remoteness, and recounts his own trips over the years, to the Antarctic, the Hebrides and beyond . . . Filled with a cartographer's embarrassment of maps, while Francis elegantly and methodically asserts his case . . . He writes in brief, elliptical paragraphs, each as ornately designed as the diagrams that accompany them * * i * *In his elegant, questing book, flavoured by wide learning and deep experience, Francis offers a fresh look at a perennial paradox: whether we live gregariously in a city or remotely on an island, a part of us is always wondering and fantasising about the other -- PHILIP MARSDEN * * Spectator * *An uplifting and nourishing voyage through time, oceans and lands. It will reconnect you with the daring, dreaming side of yourself -- KAPKA KASSABOVAIn this charming and beautifully illustrated book, Gavin Francis asks important questions about isolation and connection, and considers the ways in which islands have been imagined and experienced by travellers through the ages -- MALACHY TALLACK

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Book SynopsisJ. G. Ballard was, for over fifty years, one of this country''s most significant writers. Beginning with the events that inspired his classic novel, Empire of the Sun', this revelatory autobiography charts the course of his astonishing life.Miracles of Life' takes us from the vibrant surroundings of pre-war Shanghai, to the deprivations and unexpected freedoms of Lunghua Camp, to Ballard's arrival in a devastated Britain. Ballard recounts his first attempts at fiction and his part in the social and artistic revolutions of the 60s. He describes his friendships with figures as diverse as Kingsley Amis, Michael Moorcock and Eduardo Paolozzi alongside recollections of his domestic life in Shepperton raising three children as a single father following the unexpected and premature death of his wife.Miracles of Life' is both a captivating narrative of the experiences that have shaped this extraordinary writer's works, his distinctive outlook and his original visions of the future, and is alsTrade Review‘Superb. Mr Ballard, you are wonderful’ Sunday Times ‘Exquisitely written … ‘Miracles of Life’, a subtle, restlessly enquiring work of touching humanity, is Ballard’s crowning achievement’ Financial Times ‘Brief, modest and occasionally shattering, in a way that elevates it to a level of greatness’ Observer ‘A jewel. As a writer, he can simply take the breath away’ Independent

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Book SynopsisSunday Times bestselling author and foster carer Casey Watson's first heartbreaking memoir.Justin was five years old; his brothers two and three. Their mother, a heroin addict, had left them alone again. Later that day, after trying to burn down the family home, Justin was taken into care.Justin was taken into care at the age of five after deliberately burning down his family home. Six years on, after 20 failed placements, Justin arrives at Casey's home. Casey and her husband Mike are specialist foster carers. They practice a new style of foster care that focuses on modifying the behaviour of profoundly damaged children. They are Justin's last hope, and it quickly becomes clear that they are facing a big challenge.Try as they might to make him welcome, he seems determined to strip his life of all the comforts they bring him, violently lashing out at schoolmates and family and throwing any affection they offer him back in their faces. After a childhood filled with hurt and rejection, Ju

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Book SynopsisFourteen-year-old Adrianna arrives on Casey's doorstep with no possessions, no English, and no explanation. It will be a few weeks before Casey starts getting the shocking answers to her questions.Brought to Casey as a short-term emergency placement, fourteen-year-old Adrianna arrives with nothing but her gratitude. Having turned herself in' to a social services office some hundred miles away, she has no possessions, no English and, apparently, no history not that she's willing to share, anyway. She is a beautiful young Polish girl, with the bearing of a ballerina, but is terrified, malnourished and unwell. And, having slept rough for some time (the little they do know about her) she spends much of her first days with Watsons asleep in bed.Growing concerned about Adrianna's wellbeing, and her persistent high temperature, Casey decides to call in the GP. But, to her surprise, Adrianna becomes almost hysterical about being examined and, given her refusal to talk even via the interprete

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Book SynopsisWhen Zoe was taken into care at the age of 13, she thought she was finally going to escape from the cruel abuse she had suffered throughout her childhood. Then social services placed her in a residential unit known to be ''a target for prostitution'', and suddenly Zoe''s life was worse than it had ever been before.Abused and ostracized by her mother, humiliated by her father's sexual innuendos, physically assaulted and bullied by her eldest brother, even as a young child Zoe thought she deserved the desperately unhappy life she was living.I've sharpened a knife for you,' her mother told her the first time she noticed angry red wounds on her daughter's arms. And when Zoe didn't kill herself, her mother gave her whisky, which she drank in the hope that it would dull the miserable, aching loneliness of her life.One day at school Zoe showed her teacher the livid bruises that were the result of her mother's latest physical assault and within days she was taken into care.Zoe had been at Denv

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Book SynopsisMust-read A funny yet tragic tale of a husband and wife's car journey across the US with Albert the alligator in tow. Yes, really.' Marie ClaireA journey of a thousand miles. With an alligator on the back seat. And John Steinbeck as a passenger.This is a tale where everything is true,except the bits that are made up.In 1930s America, the Great Depression made everyone's horizons smaller, and Elsie Lavender found herself back where she began, in the coalfields of West Virginia.She had just one memento of her halcyon days a baby alligator named Albert.Then one day, her husband's stoical patience snapped and Elsie had to choose between Homer and Albert.She decided that there was only one thing to do: they would carry Albert home to Florida.And so began their odyssey a journey like no other, where Elsie, Homer and Albert encountered everything from movie stars and revolutionaries to Ernest Hemingway and hurricanes in their struggle to find love, redemption,and a place to call home.From tTrade Review‘An absolute delight’ Woman & Home ‘This offbeat tale about a man, his wife and her pet alligator Albert going on a road trip has been likened to Forrest Gump and Big Fish – but we think it’s far more loveable.’ Heat ‘crazy, quirky, loveable’ The Pool ‘It’s utterly charming’ The Scotsman ‘Hickam’s novel blends fact and fiction in a delightful tall tale’ Mail on Sunday’s Event Magazine ‘Must-read… A funny yet tragic tale of a husband and wife’s car journey across the US with Albert the alligator in tow. Yes, really.’ Marie Claire ‘This charmingly quirky book is a must-read’ Essentials Magazine ‘quirky, charming’ Fabulous Magazine

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Book SynopsisA family story of blood and memory and the haunting power of the past.2018 WINNER OF THE CHRISTOPHER EWART-BIGGS MEMORIAL PRIZE2017 WINNER OF THE NON-FICTION IRISH BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDA SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERAfter nearly three decades reporting conflict from all over the world for the BBC, Fergal Keane has gone home to Ireland to tell a story that lies at the root of his fascination with war. It is a family story of war and love, and how the ghosts of the past return to shape the present.Wounds is a powerful memoir about Irish people who found themselves caught up in the revolution that followed the 1916 Rising, and in the pitiless violence of civil war in north Kerry after the British left in 1922.It is the story of Keane's grandmother Hannah Purtill, her brother Mick and his friend Con Brosnan, and how they and their neighbours took up guns to fight the British Empire and create an independent Ireland. And it is the story of another Irishman, Tobias O'Sullivan, who fought against them as a policeman because he believed it was his duty to uphold the law of his country.Many thousands of people took part in the War of Independence and the Civil War that followed. Whatever side they chose, all were changed in some way by the costs of violence. Keane uses the experiences of his ancestral homeland in north Kerry to examine why people will kill for a cause and how the act of killing reverberates through the generations.Trade Review‘Few books this year have been as moving Keane’s account of his family’s experience during the conflicts that tore Ireland apart… Keane writes with an impeccable eye for details and a profound sensitivity to human suffering’ Books of the Year, Sunday Times, Dominic Sandrook ‘While Keane is acutely aware of the allure and the danger of myth, he also has an objective reporter’s eye for the human tragedies of those caught up in the heightening viciousness … Ireland has not always borne in mind all its dead. To its great credit, this deeply absorbing book does’ The Times ‘Couldn’t put down the brilliant, moving, eye-opening book Wounds by Fergal Keane. You don’t need interest in Irish history to be swept away by characters who leap off page, facing impossible choices in the struggle for dignity and independence’ Samantha Power, author of A Problem from Hell ‘A fine and troubling book … Keane is a gifted writer whose scarifying experiences in war zones have not coarsened his humanity. Nor does his emotional reaction to terrible cruelty lessen his determination to tell the truth. He admits here to just one bias: “a loathing of war and of all who celebrate the killing of their fellow men and women”. He has unsparingly used his family history to show how many of us, in certain circumstances, might be killers and worse. Even in our own backyards’ Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisA BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEKEsther Safran Foer has written of her family in a way that is both uniquely and heartbreakingly her story and a deeply important testament for Ashkenazi Jews. Her memories are our important history.' Robert Peston, ITV Political EditorA moving and powerful inter-generational memoir about story and memory.Mine is a family of readers and writers. Our house is filled with books. There are contemporary design books on the coffee table in the living room, legal books in my husband's home office, and piles of children's books for when my grandchildren visit. However, the side table next to my bed is piled with books about the Holocaust. Framed maps of shtetls line my office walls and pictures of relatives killed in the Holocaust are displayed on our family gallery walls.Sometimes I feel like I exist across two polarized realities, experiencing great fulfillment from family, friends, and a meaningful career, and, at the same time, finding the joy of my life tempeTrade Review‘[In this book] Esther Safran Foer has written of her family in a way that is both uniquely and heartbreakingly her story and a deeply important testament for Ashkenazi Jews. Her memories are our important history.’ Robert Peston ‘A vivid testimony to the power of memory.’ Kirkus ‘A powerful memoir about the Holocaust’ Radio Times ‘a moving and well researched memoir’ The Observer ‘superb memoir … a hymn to life’. TELEGRAPH ‘you will applaud the defiance of the title as her story makes you weep’. SAGA ‘This moving memoir documents Esther Safran Foer’s tireless search for traces of her murdered family. Her success is a testament to the power of memory to rescue the dead from oblivion.’ Diane Armstrong, author of THE COLLABORATOR ‘Stirring and inspiring, this remarkable book is a labour of love and hope. Esther Foer goes on a brave journey abroad in search of unsettling family secrets buried in the darkness created by Nazism. Her odyssey is harrowing and heroic. When she returns, she can never see things in the same way, and neither can we. This book is a little triumph over fascism.’ Congressman Jamie Raskin ‘Foer documents her quest to gather information about her family’s life during the Holocaust in this skilfully written debut. Foer’s engrossing, well-researched family history will resonate with those curious about their own roots. Publisher’s Weekly ‘In effect this book is a search for the tiniest of things among the large mess of history: a name. It’s a noble search, and makes for a moving book. Much of the narrative is sad. Death, silence, emptiness haunt the work. There are things that may never be known. But the telling is unique and interesting. The book succeeds in putting names (or more precisely, stories) to things that exist only as artefacts, and inversely putting physicality to things that exist only as story.’ Irish Times

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Book SynopsisThe Accidental Memoir truly is for all: writers and non-writers, teachers and students, the perfect book for anyone seeking inspiration or imaginative ways to explore their own life story.The story of you.The Accidental Memoir takes you on a journey of self-discovery, from the origins of your family name and earliest memories, to what you''d invent and how you''d change the world. This beautifully illustrated book is filled with inventive and accessible writing prompts, as well as tips for anyone wanting to document their lives and explore their creativity.Want to flex your writing muscles, exorcise your demons, relive moments of magic, make sense of life, have fun and leave a lasting legacy? The Accidental Memoir will show you how.This innovative concept was developed as an Arts Council project to help people tap into their own lives. Working with diverse groups from refugees to the elderly and prisoners, it has been a resounding success in unearthing stories that otherwise may never Trade Review ‘May be the best gift you’ll ever receive’ Waterstones

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Book SynopsisThere's water in the engine,' he said. The engine has stopped.'This changed everythingSurviving the Storms brings together incredible first-hand accounts of rescues carried out by the remarkable RNLI lifesavers.In this collection of heart-wrenching and life-affirming missions, we hear blow-by-blow descriptions of some of the most dramatic rescues from the last twenty years. We experience these through the eyes of the lifesavers as they must make life-or-death decisions, face fierce conditions and tackle difficult and dangerous situations. But we also see the optimism, passion and courage that is crucial to a successful rescue, and experience the genuine joy felt by the volunteer crews and lifeguards in being a part of something so important.Each remarkable story is one of bravery, jeopardy and an unrelenting commitment to battling the forces of nature and saving every life. Volunteers are the lifeblood of the RNLI men, women, husbands, wives, fathers and mothers, all forming one big c

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Book SynopsisA deeply moving and riveting memoir.' Arianna HuffingtonAn incredible personal story.' Don CheadleThis spellbinding memoir opens with a woman receiving shattering news that her husband and son have been in a terrible accident. In that instant, she becomes a widowed immigrant left to raise four children in a London neighbourhood beset by poverty and crime.Her struggle awakens an inner strength which coupled with the rituals of radical mothering from her village lead to the family's salvation. The fierce parenting style she adopts ultimately produces an Oscar-nominated actor, an Oxford-educated CNN anchor, a doctor and a successful entrepreneur.Where the Children Take Us is the story of a woman who battled genocide, famine, poverty and crushing grief to rise from war-torn Africa to the streets of South London and eventually the drawing rooms of Buckingham Palace. It paints an unforgettable portrait of strength, tenacity and love and is a testimony to the sacrifices Nigerian parents maTrade Review‘A deeply moving and riveting memoir. The courage and resilience displayed by Zain Asher's mother leave a lasting impression, and offer valuable lessons for raising a family no matter the circumstances’Arianna Huffington, Founder & CEO, Thrive Global ‘This powerful and beautiful memoir has so many of the aspects of life we relate to, sincerely appreciate, and remind us of the depths of our humanity. Overcoming tragedy, the strength in family, and the unstoppable spirit of a mother who made the greatest sacrifice to better the lives of her children’Common, Academy Award and Grammy Award winning actor/rapper and New York Times best-selling author ‘A heartwarming love letter to a mother who miraculously pushes through tragedy to steer her children toward their seemingly impossible dreams, through a methodology all her own’David Oyelowo, Golden Globe nominated actor, Selma ‘An incredible personal story of tragedy, triumph and what's possible when you persevere, while keeping a firm hold on who you are and where you come from."Don Cheadle, award-winning actor, producer and director

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Book SynopsisA hugely impressive achievement.' Hadley Freeman, author of House of GlassAt 8.00am on Monday 18th June 2001, Danielle Jones left home dressed in her school uniform and promptly vanished.The 15-year old's body was never recovered, but Danielle's parents soon learned that her Uncle Stuart', a close family friend, had concealed a decades-long history of sexual violence against teenage girls. Despite the absence of a body, Stuart Campbell was sentenced to life in prison for Danielle's abduction and murder. But what set him on his path as a violent sexual predator? And how do you come to terms with his actions if he's your own flesh and blood?In My Brother the Killer, Stuart's older brother Alix Sharkey chronicles the violent childhood and troubled teens that helped shape a bright and handsome little boy into one of Britain's most notorious killers, and led to one of the UK's most unusual murder trials. Sharkey also poses several terrifying questions: what happens when you discover a deaTrade Review‘An incredibly heart breaking and affecting book – I gulped it down in one sitting. So powerful about childhoods destroyed by violence, so beady eyed about adults trying to escape the past. A hugely impressive achievement.’ – Hadley Freeman, author of House of Glass ‘An unflinching account… a devastating look at the violent childhood that bound brothers together and from which only one of them was able to escape.’ – Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisSensational One of the most explosive political diaries ever to be published As candid, caustic and colourful as the sensational Alan Clark Diaries of the 1990s' DAILY MAILThe Sunday Times bestsellerAs Minister of State at the Foreign Office, Alan Duncan was once described as Boris Johnson's pooper-scooper'. For two years, he deputised for the then Foreign Secretary, now Prime Minister. Few are more attuned to Boris's strengths and weaknesses as a minister and his suitability for high office than the man who helped clear up his mistakes.Riotously candid, these diaries cover the most turbulent period in recent British political history from the eve of the referendum in 2016 to the UK's eventual exit from the EU. As two prime ministers fall, two general elections unfold and a no-confidence vote is survived, Duncan records a treasure-trove of insider gossip, giving biting and often hilarious accounts of petty rivalries, poor decision-making, big egos, and big crises.Nothing escapes AlaTrade Review‘Sensational … Johnson’s Cabinet [has been] rocked … It is unprecedented for a politician to lift the lid on feuding in the corridors of power so soon after leaving office … One of the most explosive political diaries ever to be published … Candid, caustic and colourful … In the style of great political diaries like those by Clark or Chips Channon that capture the spirit of the age. The political memoir of the year’Daily Mail ‘More than merely bracingly readable … Duncan chronicles the despair, bafflement, plotting and rising acrimony’The Times ‘In the Thick of It initially grabbed the headlines thanks to the sheer gleeful bitchiness of the insults littered throughout. But there’s a more serious message at the heart of this book … Duncan frankly has a point; that after four years of purging remain supporters from the Tory ranks, what’s left is hardly a government of titans’Gaby Hinscliff, Guardian ‘Thoughtful and nuanced … Alan’s insights into the role of a foreign office minister provide many of the highlights of the book. I am enjoying it immensely’Iain Dale ‘A compelling compendium of high gossip and low intrigue, full of withering put-downs and waspish observations’Rachel Sylvester, The Times ‘The diaries are thoughtful, but can be brutal. The book contains deep thought about Britain’s long-term foreign policy objectives, enlivened by highly amusing recollections’Salma Shah, Spectator ‘Always witty, usually waspish and unremittingly withering about those for whom he does not care … Closely observed, perceptive, amusing … They are fascinating; they are riveting’Christopher Pincher, The Critic ‘One of the most sensational, no-holds-barred political diaries of the decade’Tatler ‘I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Alan Duncan’s incendiary diaries, in which he buries more bodies than a Mafia undertaker’Piers Morgan 'Hugely entertaining'John Humphrys

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Book SynopsisPowerful, humane and wise' JULIA SAMUELEveryone should read it' NIGELLA LAWSONBeautiful This is a book for everyone. You feel held by it' PHILIPPA PERRYMost of us have a conversation we're avoiding.From the bestselling author of With the End in Mind, this is a book about the conversations that matter and how to have them better more honestly, more confidently and without regret.A child coming out to their parent. A family losing someone to terminal illness. A friend noticing the first signs of someone's dementia. A careers advisor and a teenager with radically different perspectives.There are moments when we must talk, listen and be there for one another. Why do we so often come away from those times feeling like we could have done more, or should have been braver in the face of discomfort? Why do we skirt the conversations that might matter most?By bringing together stories with a lifetime's experience working in medicine and the newest psychology, Mannix offers lessons for how we cTrade Review‘This gentle-hearted, engaging and intimately readable book is so full of wisdom and compassion. Everyone should read it’Nigella Lawson ‘Kathryn Mannix has a gift for cutting through the noise and helping us realise what is most important. In a world that never stops talking, this book celebrates and demonstrates the curative power of listening. It is powerful, humane and wise’Julia Samuel ‘This is a beautiful book … Too often people want their friends and relations to take all the difficult talk to a therapist, there has to be more than the professional listeners who know how to have a mutually impactful beautiful, tender conversation. This is a book for everyone … I actually feel listened to by reading it’Philippa Perry ‘Kathryn Mannix is our modern-day prophet … This is an essential book for anyone interested in themselves and their fellow humans’Greg Wise ‘I adore Kathryn's writing. Always sensitive, always thoughtful, an essential read for those looking to connect’Cariad Lloyd ‘Kathryn Mannix is a natural born storyteller, and there is so much wisdom, tenderness and love packed into this profoundly beautiful book … Her words brim with grace. I loved this book so very much.’Rachel Clarke ‘The book’s greatest strength is not just the information it shares, but the pure humanity it shows; the halting, fearful, imperfect conversations between people who are all doing their best and sometimes not getting it right. The gems of wisdom apply to all situations, whether someone is at the end of their life or has had a bad day at work … Compassionate, warm and wise’The Times ‘Like having a long and rewarding conversation with a really good friend … Perhaps the most important component in all of the chapters, however, is the telling of stories … As with Mannix’s first book, there are many moving tales within these pages … Wise, gentle and profound’Joanna Cannon, The Guardian, Book of the Day

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