Memoirs Books

Book SynopsisHaunted by memories of a Tanzanian childhood abruptly ended when her parents were deported, Jane Bryce returns in search of the past only to be ambushed by the present. As she retraces her own and her parents’ footsteps she is surprised by unexpected connections, reaching back into the colonial past, and further, to a time of myth and legend. The key to understanding what holds these together comes to her in the form of ‘zamani’—the Swahili sea of time where spirits inhabit places and landscape, memory animates the everyday and voices from the past speak to the present. Collectively these voices paint a picture of social and political change in Tanzania over the last 50 years, and invite the author to take her place in it.Trade ReviewSpare and rather remarkable. Unsentimental and stern and filled with honoured things. — Peter Merrington, South African scholar, artist and poet, author of Zebra Crossings: Tales from the Shaman’s Record; There are different kinds of belonging. There’s the kind that comes with a passport, and there’s a kind of helpless, spiritual attachment. Jane Bryce, revisiting the places where she spent her Tanzanian childhood, finds them haunted by the ghosts of a colonial past. In this painfully honest and insightful memoir she explores the themes of identity and belonging and how these can survive a lifetime apart. — Sally Keeble, British political activist, author of She, You, I

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Book Synopsis'Inspiring... proves anything is possible if you just believe and give it a go' Sun'Masses of heart... frank and funny' Melanie Sykes'Gritty and glorious' Ruth Field'Thrillingly honest and hopeful' Jools Walker*****************************************Rachel is a cyclist. But she was never meant to be.After gaining mental strength and healing through running, she thought she was free. Her depression alleviated, she came off antidepressants, winning races and collecting medals at marathons.But when an injury stopped the only thing helping to quiet the voices in her brain, Rachel found out what she is truly made of. As body dysmorphia began to grip her in earnest, she knew she had to find a different way to kick her mental health demons for the sake of her sanity.So, she went down to her cellar, heaved out her old bike, and started pedalling.Like her life depended on it.A Midlife Cyclist is a tale of two wheels, across the Yorkshire Dales, Vietnam,­ Costa Rica and beyond, and a rider in search of peace.Includes exclusive Q&A with Jools Walker, aka Lady Velo*****************************************Praise for Running For My Life:'Heartwarming' Jo Pavey'Brave and inspiring' Ruth Field'I love Running For My Life' Louise Minchin

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Book SynopsisIn 2003, England won the Rugby World Cup. Steve Thompson was there, in England's front row, at the heart of the match, and at the heart of the scrum - one of sport's most destructive, repetitive impacts.But the triumphs came at a cost. When rugby union turned professional, Steve was plunged into a game where raw power meant everything. Today, he remembers nothing about playing in that final. In his words, watching the tape back is like watching a ghost.The years of hurt in an era of professional meat shields, and the culture of sucking up punishment and coming back for more, have taken a terrible toll. Steve has been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy. He is in his early forties. There are days when he doesn't remember the names of his wife and four kids.Unforgettable is part sports memoir - with stories contributed by his world-cup winning teammates and his former manager, Sir Clive Woodward - and part raw human storytelling. In it, Steve will make memories for himself and for his children, and will relive the biggest battle of his life, with his toughest opponent - his own mind.Despite the constant reminders of what has been lost, and what is still to lose, Steve's powerful story is one of hope and courage. Unforgettable stands as testament to the ultimate strength of the human mind - and to a man no longer pushing himself to the limit for competition, but for his own place in the world.

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Book Synopsis*FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE UK'S NO.1 DOG TRAINING BOOK EASY PEASY PUPPY SQUEEZY*'Steve is my puppy training prophet and spiritual guide' - ADRIAN CHILES'Dog training genius' - EMILIA CLARKEFrom the simple joys of owning his first puppy through to handling security dogs and training owners worldwide, Steve Mann has seen it all. Every day, he witnesses the power of dogs to change lives and help people in all sorts of ways. Now, for the first time, he shares stories from his wide and varied career as the UK's top dog trainer.Meet Pele, the lightning-fast greyhound that refused to chase a mechanical hare.Meet Alfa, Steve's beloved German shepherd for whom Steve traded in his car to follow his dream.Meet a dog called ... 'Dog', who changed Steve's life and taught him that laughter is the key to unlock learning. Meet Woofy, who helped a ten-year-

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Book SynopsisWarm and heartfelt stories and amusing anecdotes from the life of a vet in God’s Own County. Julian Norton has been a vet for over twenty years, and in that time he has treated animals of every kind – snakes and lizards, fish and fowl, sheep, goats, alpacas, cows, horses, swans ... you name it, Julian has seen it and, most likely, made it better!In A Yorkshire Vet Through the Seasons, Julian recounts more inspirational tales from his life, the animals he has treated and the people he has met, as well as taking us through the seasons, showing the challenges and surprises that occur at the most unlikely times. His voice, well known from the television series A Yorkshire Vet on Channel 5, comes over loud and clear in his writing, and the compassion and professionalism he is known for on the TV shines brightly through these pages.Whether he’s tending to a domestic pet at his practice in Thirsk or called out to an injured swan in the middle of a cold Yorkshire night, the animals always come first and Julian’s passion and commitment are always to the fore. Full of drama, small triumphs, sadness and happiness, this book is an inspiration for anyone who loves animals as well as those who dream of becoming a vet.Trade ReviewHeartwarming without ever being twee, laced through with humour, grit and wit: a compelling read * The Lady *

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Book SynopsisBy the age of thirteen, vulnerable Sheffield teenager Samantha Owens had fallen through the cracks in the care system. Bounced around numerous foster carers after her home life became too chaotic, Samantha thought she had found a friend in the streetwise Amanda Spencer. The older girl bought her clothes, styled her hair and found her places to stay. Samantha's welfare was the last thing on Spencer's mind, however, as in reality she was grooming the young girl for exploitation of the worst possible kind. Over the course of the next few months, Samantha was plied with alcohol and drugs and pimped out to over fifty men for Spencer's gain. Raped, abused, and with no chance of escape, Samantha was at the mercy of the calculating, ruthless and intimidating Spencer. It took a police investigation of two years to bring her and a small gang of cohorts to justice and, in 2014, Spencer was jailed for twelve years. With her abusers in jail, and Samantha bravely rebuilding her life, her shocking story is a stark warning to those who believe child sexual abuse follows any set pattern.

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

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Book SynopsisJohn Chambers was brought up on Belfast's notorious Loyalist Glencairn estate, during the height of the Troubles. From an early age he witnessed violence, hatred and horror as Northern Ireland tore itself apart in civil strife. Kneecapping, brutal murders, and even public tarring-and-feathering were simply a fact of life for the children on the estate. He thought he knew which side he was on, but although raised as a Loyalist, he was hiding a troubling secret: that his disappeared mother - whom he'd always been told was dead - was a Roman Catholic, 'the enemy'. In a memoir of rare power, John explores the dark heart of Northern Irish sectarianism in the seventies and eighties. With searing honesty and native Belfast wit, he describes the light and darkness of his unique childhood, and his teenage journey through mod culture and ultra-Loyalism, before an escape from Belfast to London - where, still haunted by the shadow of his fractured family history - he began a turbulent and hedonistic adulthood.A Belfast Child is a tale of divided loyalties, dark secrets and the scars left by hatred and violence on a proud city - but also a story of hope, healing and ultimate redemption for a family caught in the rising tide of the Troubles.

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Book SynopsisUnlike people with carefree previous lives, I packed away my past. There are some memories labelled 'Look at', and others 'Leave well alone'...Emily Smith was held in a prison of fear for ten years. When she was four, her father left and a new man was brought into her life. He loved her, he kept telling her so, but the emotional and physical abuse she suffered at his hands were a daily nightmare. Until one day, after he crept into her bedroom, her life became unbearable. Emily found she was different in another way as her autism became more noticeable and punishments for her 'abnormal' behaviour more severe. Astonishingly, she managed to escape her home of hell, where she was abused right in front of her mother. Emily determinedly gained a university place and emerged triumphant with a new life and family in Ireland, desperate to treat her daughter, so similar to her, to a different life.Heartbreakingly true, Silent Child is a testament to Emily's strength as she sheds light on rampant abuse still happening today. Powerful and shocking, sharing her story means she finally has a voice to say: enough.

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Book SynopsisFrom No.1 bestselling author Toni Maguire comes a new true story of shame, silence, abuse and survival.'I have a very clear picture of the day Clive entered our lives. I can see him now as he walked into our living room, a tall man with a loud commanding voice, a wide smile and an armful of presents. It is a memory that still lives deep inside my head.' Ryan and Phil had always been inseparable. Twins born 35 minutes apart, Ryan was the protective one, constantly looking out for his younger brother. They can't remember how old they were when the abuse started, but they can remember their uncle very clearly.A frequent visitor to their home in Lincoln, he lavished their family with expensive treats. School holidays and weekends were spent visiting him, when he would often take the two little boys aside to play the games he liked. Trapped with him, day after day, year after year, the abuse continued until Ryan and Phil turned 16. After a showdown with Ryan when he was finally big enough, their uncle never approached them again.Nearly 20 years after the abuse ended, Ryan and his wife decided to foster troubled children, making their home a safe place filled with love for those in desperate need of it. Ryan and Phil suffered for years at the hands of their uncle, but throughout it all their bond held them together.

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Book SynopsisThere is no book in English about the wartime Berlin 'salon' run by Kitty Schmidt under the secret control of Reinhard Heydrich, one of the architects of the Final SolutionSalon Kitty was the most notorious brothel in the decadent Berlin of the Weimar Republic - the city of Cabaret. But after the Nazis took power, it became something more dangerous: a spying centre with every room wired for sound, staffed by women agents specially selected by the SS to coax secrets from their VIP clients. Masterminded by Reinhard Heydrich, the spymaster whom Hitler himself called 'the man with the iron heart', the exclusive establishment turned listening post was patronised by the Nazi leaders themselves, not knowing that hidden ears were listening.One of the last untold stories of the Second World War, Salon Kitty's sensational true history is now revealed by historians Nigel Jones, Urs Brunner and Dr Julia Schrammel. After years of painstaking research an

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Book SynopsisBoth deliciously funny and deeply insightful, THE PERFECT GENTLEMAN is a beguiling multi-layered memoir that has touched the hearts of readers all over the world and has received a truly astonishing list of endorsements from all quarters across the political, religious, ethnic and cultural spectrums. (Some say spectra, but spectrums is also valid.)At the age of one (and-a-half, nearly), Imran Ahmad moved from Pakistan to London, growing up torn between his Islamic identity and his desire to embrace the West. Imran''s unimagined journey makes thoughtful, compelling, and downright delightful reading. With a unique style and unflinching honesty, THE PERFECT GENTLEMAN addresses serious issues in an extraordinarily light way, and will leave readers both thinking deeply and laughing out loud.

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Book SynopsisTamás Vekerdy, one of the most well-known Hungarian psychologists, called Credo an ’essential insight not just into Feldmár’s life but into the world and the era that we currently live in.’ Feldmár was three and a half years old when the Arrow Cross came and took his mother to Auschwitz, his father to labour service, and his grandmother to the ghetto. A young Catholic woman hid him for a year and a half – perhaps she inspired Feldmár to become the kind stranger in many other people's lives years later. Feldmár was sixteen in 1956 when the revolution was crushed, and he escaped from Hungary to Canada all by himself. He fled from bleak prospects and a controlling, critical mother into the unknown. He ended up in Toronto, Canada, and became an academic. In the early 1970s, he met the person who radically changed his thinking: R. D. Laing. The book’s longest chapter, ’Journal Entries’, comes from notes Feldmár took in 1974–1975 when he studied with Laing in London. He adds notes and remarks in the present to the past, increasing the tension in the already fascinating passages. Following this is the text of an important conversation with Laing, covering topics such as love, therapy, and change. Next is a paper by his lifelong friend Francis Huxley, ’Shamanism, Healing, and R. D. Laing’. The book concludes with perhaps its most influential chapter, ’Fantasy and Reality’. Here, Feldmár speculates on the fundamental elements of his approach to psychotherapy: the nature of responsibility and ethics, politics, freedom, individuality, community, solidarity, will, and relationships. The bond between Feldmár and Laing permeates every page of Credo. The reader can closely follow Feldmár's remarkable journey of how their relationship shaped his therapeutic approach and helped him develop into the radical and inspirational psychotherapist he is today. This book is essential reading for all psychotherapists, psychoanalysts, and fans of R. D. Laing.Trade Review‘With an unerring sense of direction, Andrew Feldmár, born into a desperate situation in Hungary, found his way from Canada to R. D. Laing and the milieu around him in London in 1974 (I was there too). His one year of intensive involvement became foundational both for his life and for his career as a psychotherapist, founded in the ethics of ancient wisdom and existential courage. Through many what he calls “magnified moments”, he tells and shows how to fully inhabit one’s own life despite trauma and struggles, as a simultaneous sine qua non for being in communion with anyone else and with all that is. I remember and think of Andrew with respect and personal warmth; his Credo is well worth reading.’ -- Paul Zeal, MA, writer and psychotherapist’Andrew Feldmár’s Credo is an amazing memoir, filled with brave personal revelations, a record of his intellectual journeys and accomplishments, his conversations with some of the world’s leading psychologists, philosophers, psychiatrists, and healers – especially R. D. Laing but also Francis Huxley, David Bakan, and others – and his vast reading of the West’s major thinkers. Credo is a guide to Feldmár’s humility as a therapist, his eternal life as an outsider – a Jew, a Hungarian-speaking Canadian – and his ability to always start over again and to “market his pathology” as a compassionate therapist to very diverse populations. I am honored to have worked with him in Vancouver and New York — but even I did not know that Feldmár had founded a Laingian-style shelter (Soteria) for people with psychiatric diagnoses in Hungary or that friends had founded a Feldmár Institute there to popularise his theoretical and practical approaches to psychotherapy.’ -- Phyllis Chesler, writer, psychotherapist, and professor emerita of psychology and women's studies, College of Staten Island'I found reading Credo inspiring, even therapeutic, and I think it could be so for many who read it with an open mind and heart. It's written with careful, attentive observations and questioning of self and others, and with a clarity of intentions and aspirations. It has a lot of jargon-free, undogmatic, uncommon sense.' (Read the full review here) -- Leon Redler, physician, psychotherapist, and researcher'I found this an intriguing book to read. One can learn much about the formulation of a radical psychotherapeutic method here. [...] we can refer to Credo as a valuable contribution to the world of Humanistic Psychology, amongst other things.' (Read the full review here). -- Murray Gordon, MAHP, Living PsychologyTable of ContentsEDITOR’S NOTE PREFACE by Alphonso Lingis INTRODUCTION RUPTURES First Rupture My Father Second Rupture Irén Igaz Third Rupture My Mother Fourth Rupture Fifth Rupture Sixth Rupture Seventh Rupture Laing ORIGINS JOURNAL ENTRIES 1974–75, LONDON A CONVERSATION WITH R.D. LAING Love Therapy Forms Transformations Lying Change SHAMANISM, HEALING, AND R.D. LAING by Francis Huxley FANTASY AND REALITY R.D. LAING’S 12 RECOMMENDED BOOKS NOTES ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Book SynopsisIn Short: Private Notes of a Psychoanalyst is wise, uplifting and inspiring. Salman Akhtar brings his talent for poetic literature to gift us 111 pithy ‘proto-essays’ on a wide range of subjects. His meditations touch upon mental health, humor, death, animals, Freud, religion, children, and so much more. He imparts his advice with the lightest of touches, willing you to partake, consider, and refine his offerings. His aim: to further the cause and message of his beloved psychoanalysis.Trade Review‘Salman Akhtar distils his decades of clinical experience into pithy and poetic reflections on psychoanalytic theory and practice. His book, In Short, is a rare gem offering a thoughtful and provocative inquiry in both the prosaic and the profound facets of our profession.’ -- Joan Wheelis, MD, Training and Supervising Analyst, Boston Psychoanalytic Institute; author of 'The Known, The Secret, and The Forgotten'‘No one writes better than Professor Salman Akhtar. I simply could not put this book down, having read it with much pleasure in only one sitting. Sigmund Freud would have been extremely proud that Professor Akhtar has devoted himself with such warmth and such intelligence to our profession.’ -- Professor Brett Kahr, Senior Fellow, Tavistock Institute of Medical Psychology, London, and Honorary Director of Research at the Freud Museum London, as well as Chair of the Scholars Committee of the British Psychoanalytic Council; author of 'Hidden Histories of British Psychoanalysis'Table of ContentsContents Introduction Part I Preparation 1. Reading Freud 2. Three ‘must read’ papers by Ferenczi 3. Children, animals, and poetry 4. Alternate professions 5. Life style requirements 6. Silent sacrifices 7. Seeking diverse supervision 8. Setting up an office 9. A mysterious rug 10. Entering a world of ambiguity 11. Reading, reading and reading 12. Borrowed faith Part II Principles 13. Mental health vs. mental illness 14. A mentally healthy person 15. Half-sane, half-insane 16. Happy and unhappy children 17. Peek-a-boo 18. Hunger, vision, and the rhythms of nature 19. Learning from children 20. The non-human envelope 21. Toy shops are not for kids 22. Spirituality vs. religion 23. Sex–aggression–sex 24. Metapsychology 25. Two major updates on metapsychology 26. ‘Bad’ death instinct, ‘good’ death instinct 27. Six misunderstandings about death in psychoanalysis 28. Three reactions to separation 29. Two griefs that last a lifetime 30. What happens to the deceased’s possessions? 31. A crowded preconscious 32. Receiving vs. taking 33. Reaction formation and undoing 34. Even Unabomber … 35. Double-bind 36. The unknown, the unmet, and the unlived 37. Where does an aborted childhood go? 38. Being emotional vs. being sentimental 39. Feeling ‘at home’ 40. Who should change? 41. Toxic nobility 42. Basic trust, earned trust, and mutual trust 43. Good enough revenge 44. Where the ego was … 45. Two ‘great crimes’ 46. Detachment theory Part III Practice 47. Who picks the day and time for the first appointment 48. Abstinence 49. Safeguarding the sacred nature of the clinical space 50. Restroom 51. Where is Rome? 52. Hearing is essential for listening 53. Floating couch 54. Does the analyst’s gender matter? 55. No ‘correct’ way of laying on the couch 56. Handling patients’ questions 57. Doodling etc. 58. Addressing the analyst by his/her professional title 59. Not asking about actual sex 60. Before and after 61. About defecation and feces 62. Diminishing frequency of sessions 63. Chronic lateness 64. The use of a deliberately wrong interpretation 65. Small gifts given by immigrant patients 66. Refusing to listen to certain kinds of material 67. Being special 68. Pleasure and mental illness 69. ‘Insane chemistry’ 70. Demystification 71. Imaginary interlocutors 72. When not to give the bill to a patient? 73. Humility 74. Which form of racism is worse? 75. Masochistic funnel 76. The novelist and the poet 77. Analyst’s boredom 78. Analyst’s financial status 79. Where does the analyst look? 80. Insight addiction 81. Three different outcomes 82. Why not this at the end? 83. The fate of the analyst’s bills 84. Uttering an adult patient’s first name 85. Procrastination and nail biting 86. Stillness 87. Cats, not dogs 88. Countertransference sublimation 89. Financial extremes Part IV Profession 90. The second beard 91. Psychiatry and psychoanalysis 92. Do we need a prefix to ‘psychoanalysis’? 93. Jewish psychoanalysis, Christian psychoanalysis 94. Pauses 95. Writers and non-writers 96. Analysts’ memoirs 97. Was Bion Hindu? 98. PEP vetting 99. Age-specific writing 100. The ‘domestication’ of wild analysis 101. Childless child analysts 102. Three tips for supervisors 103. Non-analyst friends 104. The future of psychoanalysis 105. Blood killing 106. Un-associated and un-affiliated 107. The analyst’s funeral 108. Analysts turned gurus 109. Taboos 110. The analyst’s dog 111. Alternate pathways Acknowledgments About the author Name index

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Book SynopsisEvery Wrong Direction recreates and dissects the bitter education of Dan Burt, an American emigré who never found a home in America. It begins in the row homes of Jewish immigrants and working-class Italians on the mean streets of 1950s South Philadelphia. Every Wrong Direction follows the author from the rough, working-class childhood that groomed him to be a butcher or charter boat captain, through America, Britain, and Saudi Arabia as student, lawyer, spy, culture warrior, and expatriate, ending with a photo of his college rooms at St John's College, Cambridge. Between this beginning and end, through a Philadelphia commuter college, to Cambridge, then Yale Law School, across the working to upper classes, three countries, and seven cities over forty three years, it maps his pursuit of, realisation, disillusionment with, and abandonment of America and the American Dream.Trade Review'Dan Burt is a fine poet, and this memoir has all the sensitivity and vigilance you might expect from a writer with such a background. But his prose also has a robustness and documentary power that continually startles and engages.' - Sir Andrew Motion

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Book SynopsisJanet Rising has written sixteen pony books for young readers including, with Carl Hester MBE, FBHS, the life story of Valegro, the greatest dressage horse that has ever lived. Although no stranger to writing fiction for adults, this is her first book for that audience: a hilarious, hair-raising and often thought-provoking look back at over fifty years of equestrian memories. Older readers will find themselves reminiscing about their own horsy memories; younger readers will marvel at how times have changed – but all will share a common empathy with the author's love of all things equine. Janet Rising refused to allow the fact that she was born in the suburbs, with no hope of ever owning a pony, to prevent her from making horses her life. Her equestrian career included teaching riding at various riding schools, working for a top class donkey stud, and 20 years as an equine journalist and editor of Pony, the magazine for young riders. For anyone who has ever wondered how teenage riders in the 1970s stayed alive despite hair-raising lessons and the absence of health and safety, about riding attire fashioned without stretch fabrics, how a love of horses makes for female empowerment, whether Pony Club mums make good riding sons, ideas on being an equestrian dominatrix, how not to clean tack, whether Happy Hackers need a re-boot and why riding bareback is not a good idea (and riding without a bridle even worse), this book will provide the answers. Included are equestrian tales throughout the 1980s and 1990s, why going posh might not be all its cracked up to be; the pitfalls of clipping and bewildering rug wardrobes, unconventional riding holidays in Spain and hair-raising African safaris; the pitfalls of teaching riding and the story of a small bay mule who captured the author's heart. There are highs, there are lows but always there are laughs. Written with wry humour and packed with surprises on every page, this is an equestrian memoir like no other – a horsy life you couldn't make up!

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Book SynopsisMartha’s parents were both extraordinary people living in extraordinary times. Ralph was a brilliant, poor Jew from the East End. Edith, also Jewish from a bourgeois family in Central Europe was a gifted pianist. They met as students in Paris in 1937 and were separated by the war. Their intimate, emotional and sometimes humorous correspondence throughout the war led to marriage in 1945. Each bore scars. She, from escaping the Nazis, he from childhood tragedy. Overshadowing them both was a secret that burdened Ralph for most of his life. After the war he became the world expert on Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Edith devoted herself to her piano, performing and teaching. Invisible Ink is a compassionate, astute and ultimately uplifting portrait of their relationship. The author has also unearthed many other stories: her uncle’s heroism and pioneering work in medicine, her grandmother and cousin’s miraculous escapes from the holocaust. These are threads entwined in the greater tapestry of social and political history of the twentieth century. In discovering the truth about her family, Martha has also taken an inner journey towards understanding herself.

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Book SynopsisIn this journey of discovery, John Micklewright travels the slow way, on foot, on paths, tracks and byways from the Channel to the Alps – from the coast of Normandy to the flanks of Mont Blanc. The Opening Country is a beautifully written account of his progress through the French countryside, an evocative patchwork of landscape, nature, history, literature, film, and – drawing on his father’s diaries that stretch back to the 1930s – of memoir. Always curious, absorbing all around him, ready on a whim to divert from his chosen route as he heads unhurriedly southwards. The natural world unfolds as spring turns to summer with surprises of bird song and butterflies, against a constant background of reminders of the economic and social story of rural France and of wars past. The result is an engrossing record of a classic long-distance walk through Britain’s nearest continental neighbour. The Opening Country is a book to fire the imagination – a call to travel slowly, to open eyes and ears, to discover and explore.

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Book SynopsisPredict your future, reveal your past and understand your personality, talents and secrets with the art of chiromancy.Palmistry is not just about the lines on the hands, but the hand as a whole is just as important. This book will introduce you to the four basic hand shapes within palmistry, explaining the different elements and their associated traits, and how to observe the palm's natural topography – the lines and markings and the mounts and plains.The Little Book of Palmistry will help you discover more about yourself and become more familiar with one of the oldest and most reliable of fortune-telling arts.SAMPLE QUOTE: 'If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.' - Thich Nhat HanhSAMPLE FACT: The best time to read a palm is in the morning, not long after the subject has woken up from nocturnal slumber and before he has had anything to eat or drink. This is so because consumption of food and participation in physical activities leads to increased blood circulation, which does not allow the very fine lines along the palm to be noticed.Table of ContentsAn Ancient Art: Historical beginnings, ancient texts, gypsy and Roma traditions, the resurgence of interest in the nineteenth century and palm-reading today. Reading the Hands: Left and right, dominant and non-dominant hands; hand shapes; finger and nail shapes, and getting started with a reading. The Lines: Covers the meanings of the major lines (heart, fate, sun, life, head) and how to analyze their length, depth and curvature. The Mounts: Covers the meanings of the mounts on the typography of the palm, according to their prominence: Venus, Luna, Mercury, Apollo, Jupiter, Saturn, and inner Mars, outer Mars and the plain of Mars. Other Markings: Subsidiary lines, mounts and markings, such as the marriage lines, bracelet lines, ring of Venus. Palm Readings: How to put it all together. Tips to keep in mind, such as a hand with many lines and markings is said to have had a life much more turbulent than one with fewer lines, and lines that intersect, run parallel or are missing.

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Book SynopsisHave you ever found yourself noticing the same number cropping up on a calendar, your watch or a passing bus? Or wonder why you keep bumping into people born on the same day of the month? The answers you seek lie in numerology.This little book offers the basics to discover your individual life path number and the meanings attributed to those numbers. As numerology is concerned with self-discovery, it's become popular as a personal development tool. Every name, date and numerical pattern in your life holds meaning and qualities and can help you gain insight into yourself, your relationships and your fate.SAMPLE QUOTE: 'Numerology is the bridge between who you are now and who you have the potential to be.' AnonymousSAMPLE FACT: Birth number 4 personalities are solid, stable and confident, ambitious and realistic. Because these people are so reliable and focused, they are high achievers but can become workaholics.Table of ContentsNumerology Charts: Find out your unique life path, destiny, soul urge and maturity numbers, as well as your career, luck, love, home and health numbers. Number Meanings: The meanings, associations, strengths and weaknesses behind each number. Forecasting Numbers: Day, month and year numbers, their combinations and challenges and their meanings, plus planetary numbers. The Numbers Around You: How to decode recurring numbers you come across, such as house numbers, websites, businesses and phone numbers. Relationships and Events: Sympathetic and confrontational relationships between personality numbers; numbers associated with nature and natural events. Predictions and Applications: Taking your knowledge of numbers further with predicting, noticing patterns and repeats, and utilizing numbers to make greater connections and deeper meanings.

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Book Synopsis'The greatest writer of his time.' (George Orwell)The author of 20 much-loved novels and novellas, Charles Dickens combined humour and pathos to explore Victorian society in all its shades. Widely praised for his rich narratives and larger-than-life characters, he was not only a celebrity author but also an admired social reformer. Moving from the refined drawing rooms of the upper classes to the horrors of the workhouse or the filthy back streets of London, Dickens' writings shone a light on the harsh inequalities of the times.The Little Book of Charles Dickens showcases wonderful quotes from the author's writings, alongside fascinating facts about his life and achievements. By turns witty, comic, insightful and wise, this delightful volume is a fitting tribute to a literary giant.SAMPLE QUOTE: 'It is said that the children of the very poor are not brought up, but dragged up.' Bleak HouseSAMPLE FACT: When Dickens was 12 years old, his father was sent to a debtor's prison. Forced to become the family's main breadwinner, the young Dickens worked at Warren's Blacking Factory, where he was paid a pittance for pasting labels onto bottles of shoe polish.Table of ContentsPoverty and Social Class • Crime and Corruption • Loyalty and Betrayal • Innocence and Guilt • Relationships • Wit and Wisdom

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Book SynopsisThe virtue of compassion is universally valued. Derived from the Latin 'com' and 'passio' and meaning 'to suffer together', practising compassion can strengthen your relationships, lessen the grip of negative thoughts, and increase emotional resilience. But how can we lean into loving kindness and cultivate compassion every day?The Little Book of Compassion offers guidance from some of the world's greatest minds in the art of responding to ourselves and others with compassion and kindness in times of difficulty. For true compassion allows us to diminish our indifference to the suffering around us.'We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer.' - Dietrich Bonhoeffer'Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.' - Princess Diana'Our primary purpose is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.' - Dalai LamaTable of ContentsPractising Compassion • Self-Compassion • Compassion for Others • The Value of Compassion • The Impact of Compassion • Compassionate Reflections.

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Book SynopsisWe often think of wisdom as something reserved only for the elderly or educated and gained through life experience, however wisdom has a depth and nuance that can be fostered by considering perspective in relation to knowledge. This age-old saying sums it up well: 'Knowledge is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing when to say it.'The Little Book of Wisdom offers guidance from some of the world's greatest minds in the art of making wise decisions that keep your immediate needs in mind, while maintain long-term perspective. As you'll soon discover, a little wisdom can go a long way in supporting choices you make in all aspects of your life.'True contentment is not having everything, but in being satisfied with everything you have.' - Oscar Wilde'How wonderful is it that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.' - Anne Frank'One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.' - Eleanor RooseveltTable of ContentsWisdom for Personal Growth • Wisdom for Finding Contentment • Wisdom for Inspiring Change • Wisdom for Positive Relationships • Wisdom for Achieving Success • Wisdom for Thoughtful Reflection.

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

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Book SynopsisThe Godfather is a classic. Not just of Hollywood or America, but in worldwide cinema. Its legacy not only lives on in the 21st century, but it has also transcended its origins, today meaning more to so many than just a movie: it's a religion. Its cast of future Hollywood heartthrobs and acting icons – Brando! Pacino! De Niro! Caan! Duvall! Keaton! – was perfect. Its script, a masterpiece. Its score too. It became 1972's highest grossing movie and would remain the world's top grossing film for decades. And it received unprecedented critical acclaim.The Little Book of The Godfather is a celebration of this classic slice of cinema on its 50th birthday. It has everything a Godfather fanatic could want, and certainly could not refuse: from to killer stats to stunning facts, production notes to classic quotes, stories and tales from the set and the ongoing impact of the film's now legendary status. It's all here. Come and get it.'Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.' Peter Clemenza'You found paradise in America. You had a good trade, you made a good living. The police protected you and there were courts of law. So you didn't need a friend like me. Now you come and say "Don Corleone, give me justice." But you don't ask with respect. You don't offer friendship. You don't even think to call me "Godfather". You come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married and you ask me to do murder – for money.' Don CorleoneTable of ContentsAmerican Crime Story: The origins and history of the movie, from script to screen to success • 1945: Facts, stats and quotes about the plot, characters and filming • Don Vito Corleone: Everything you need to know about The Godfather, and Brando's portrayal of the character • Once Upon A Time In America: Actors, filmmakers and crew reflect on making the film • Long Live the King: The impact, success and legacy of the film over the past half-century • The Offer: All the best lines, quotes and production notes from the film.

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Book SynopsisJames Bond's favourite weapon of choice, vodka, is the soon-to-be crowned king of the alcohol market, following its premium gentrification. What once used to be the crude and rude Russian cousin of gin, is now the toast of upmarket towns and swanky city bars, arriving for the first time ever in all manner of flavours and celebrity sponsors.The Little Book of Vodka is a large swig and glug of stats, facts, quotes, notes, icons, origins of all things vodka-based, from its eastern European origins to its latest reincarnation as every taste-makers' go-to mixer and chaser. This tiny tome is a complete compendium, your ideal companion as you wait in line at the trendy new bar you've always wanted to go. Vodka is back, baby, and it's worth a shot!'I no longer know If I wish to drown myself in love, vodka or the sea.' Franz Kafka'There's no absolutes in life – only vodka.' Mick Jagger'Vodka is kind of a hobby.' Betty WhiteTable of ContentsAgainst the Grain: The history, origins and evolution of vodka in eastern Europe • Proof of Life: Vodka by-the-numbers in facts and stats • Pure Spirit: The science, distillation and manufacture of the product; how it's made • Bonded: Quotes from popular culture, TV, film, music, literature, food and drink, recipes and cocktails • Bottle Rocket: Vodka in culture, general facts and affection • Renaissance: Celebrity owners, current global domination and premium status

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Book SynopsisThe writer who changed America's literary landscape.One of the great novelists of the 20th century, Ernest Hemingway's spare, precise prose captivated critics and readers alike, while his swaggering personality made him a star beyond the literary scene. The author's world was full of daring and danger: he drove an ambulance during the First World War, had a love of bullfighting and boxing, and rushed to see action in the Spanish Civil War. His travels and adventures fuelled his art, while his troubled and often chaotic life was central to his creativity. Packed full of insightful quotes and fascinating facts about Hemingway's life and work, this little book creates an intriguing portrait of the complex man behind the writer.Sample Quotes: 'But man is not made for defeat... A man can be destroyed but not defeated.' - The Old Man and The Sea, 1952'Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.' - Hemingway, in a personal letter to the publisher, Charles Scribner IV'But life isn't hard to manage when you've nothing to lose.' - A Farwell to Arms, 1929Sample Facts: While serving as an ambulance driver during the First World War, Hemingway was badly wounded by mortar fire. He managed to help an Italian soldier reach safety, an action that earned him an Italian Silver Medal of Valour.Hemingway was an avid hunter and fisherman. His zeal for both pursuits worked their way into his fiction, such as the prize-winning novel The Old Man and the Sea and the acclaimed short story 'The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber'.Table of ContentsThe Man and the Myth • Journalist and War Hero • Adventures Abroad • Boxing and Bullfighting • Literary Friendships • Wisdom and Wit.

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Book SynopsisHomer and Bart. Phil and Luke. God and Jesus. Charles and William. Perhaps no other relationship is as complex, rewarding and ever-changing as that of a father and son. Whether the son becomes a mini-me of the father or rebels entirely, who you grow up to be is inevitably shaped by your father.Over the last 50 years, the relationship between a father and son has changed from being a more distant and emotionally strained one to a more loving, open and honest one, which provides a whole new minefield for fathers to navigate. They''re more hands-on than ever before, no longer just the traditional breadwinner and disciplinarian. But this thankfully means the father-son bond is often now stronger than ever, as this book shows.Packed full of facts, quotes and trivia, The Little Book of Fathers and Sons is the perfect insight into this unique relationship, whether the parent or child. Full of wit and wisdom, this is the perfect gift for your old man or little man.

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Book SynopsisBitesize nuggets of poo trivia too witty to wipe away. To celebrate the 540-millionth anniversary of the very first butthole thanks sea sponges this is the The Little Book of Poo(p). And, rather wonderfully, it''s utter shit. A real turd. 100 per cent crap. In short, the perfect toilet book.This compact compendium is anything but constipated, despite being stuffed with perfectly shaped nuggets of poo knowledge squeezed into the easily digetsible form of facts, stats, trivia, quotes and history and much more to boot.This little book lifts the lid on humankind''s greatest obsession to celebrate its many shapes, sizes, smells and backstories all for your reading please next time you''re on the throne without your phone. With this book, you''ll be straining to hold back the tears... of laughter. That''s our shat-isfaction guarantee. Enjoy!''Just poopin''. You know how I be.'' Michael Scott, The Office U.S., Series 6, Episode

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Book SynopsisThe Life Book of Life Hacks brings you the hottest tips, the cheekiest tricks and the best shortcuts from across the internet. Are you ready to live an easier, more efficient life?Life hacks aren''t just about saving time; they''re about transforming the way you navigate through every part of your world. From decluttering your living space to mastering the productivity secrets of CEOs, from saving money to revolutionizing your wardrobe, The Little Book of Life Hacks is a treasure trove of everyday wisdom.With our carefully curated collection of top-tier life hacks, you''ll wonder how you ever lived without them. So, are you ready to embark on a journey to streamline your home, travel, wardrobe, finances, kitchen and work life with just a few simple steps?Life Hack No.1: Buy this book!

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Book Synopsis''A small masterpiece'' The SpectatorMy Own Worst Enemy is a wry and moving memoir of a working-class childhood in 1960s Sheffield, and the relationship between a touchy, tragicomic bully of a father and a son whose acceptance to grammar school puts him on another track entirely.With a novelist''s eye, Robert Edric vividly depicts a now-vanished era: of working-men's clubs; of tight-knit communities in factory towns; and of a time when a woman's place was in the home. And he brings to colourful life his family, both close and extended though over all of it hovers the vanity and barely-suppressed anger of his own father.My Own Worst Enemy is a brilliantly specific portrait both of particular time and place the Sheffield of half a century ago and a universal story of childhood and family, and the ways they can go right or wrong.

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Book SynopsisIn Floor Sample, the author of the international bestseller The Artist's Way weaves an honest and moving portrayal of her life. From her early career as a writer for Rolling Stone magazine and her marriage to Martin Scorsese, to her tortured experiences with alcohol and Hollywood, Julia Cameron reflects in this engaging memoir on the experiences in her life that have fuelled her own art as well as her ability to help others realise their creative dreams. She also describes the fascinating circumstances that led her to emerge as a central figure in the creative recovery movement - a movement that she inaugurated and defined with the publication of her seminal work, The Artist's Way. Julia Cameron is a passionate and wry observer of the world and describes her life as a 'floor sample' for all she teaches in her brilliant books on creativity. Floor Sample is an absorbing literary memoir that will surprise, entertain, and inspire Julia's many fans and win her new admirers.Trade ReviewOn the page, Cameron is compassionate and cajoling, convincing you of your capability and jollying you along with anecdotes about her Hollywood years. -- Elle Hunt * The Guardian *The Artist's Way might be Julia's most famous book, but there is another that is in my opinion even more special: [Floor Sample,] the book you hold in your hands . This is the story behind this incredible woman, how she became who she is. -- Emma GannonAn absorbing narrative revealing a woman of extraordinary energy, drive and confidence. * Kirkus Reviews *A page-turning, richly textured, and wrenching memoir. * Booklist *PRAISE FOR JULIA CAMERON AND THE ARTIST'S WAY * : *Julia Cameron invented the way people renovate the creative soul * The New York Times *Cameron wants you to have a serious think about what you really want from your life * The Times *Morning Pages has become a household name, a shorthand for unlocking your creative potential * Vogue *I absolutely love The Artist's Way ... It's a really good starting point to discover what lights you up -- Emma GannonWithout The Artist's Way, there would have been no Eat, Pray, Love -- Elizabeth GilbertThe book that made a real impact on me is The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. My friend [actress and comedian] Sophie Willan recommended it to me years ago, and I still have it on my desk. It enables anyone to tap into their creative self regardless of themselves - we often get in our own way when trying to achieve. Want to write that novel? That play? This is the book. -- Lemn SissayThe Artist's Way by Julia Cameron is my favourite book -- Precious Lee * Vogue *Cameron's morning pages have shaped the lives of millions of others -- Elle Hunt * The Guardian *

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Book SynopsisA Stylist 'Non-fiction You Can't Miss' selection for 2023 This serial memoir follows Charlotte over the course of several years as she falls in and out of love, muses on the nature of sex work and the value of beauty, discovers hidden emotional complexities and contemplates leaving her profession. Growing out of a series of confessional letters sent by the author to a small but devoted mailing list, her candid, unstinting and sometimes heart-breaking meditations have gained thousands of subscribers and a cult status. Prostitute Laundry is a deeply thoughtful book about sensuality, money, and identity - how those forces can break us, and how they can make us whole again. By turns philosophical, funny and explicit, this is an affecting, immediate account of one life lived to its fullest.Trade ReviewShane narrates . . . in a kind of gentle, considered past tense that makes each missive read as if it has been very sagely composed by a writer who has lived 50 years since . . . That's exactly what Dickens had a talent for, too. * Guardian *Addictive, intimate . . . * Vice *[Prostitute Laundry] is so beautiful and so heartbreaking. It's a book that makes me feel a little less alone. * New York Times Books Podcast *Stunning writing ... everything from high end sex work to the emotional labour of long-term relationships for women -- Arifa Akbar, author of ConsumedFast and fascinating ... feels spontaneous and emotionally fresh on every page ... a delicious must-read book -- Katie Ward, author of Girl ReadingProstitute Laundry is full of such precise observations; Shane's voice is decisive even as her decisions and feelings remain open to change. -- Megan Marz * TLS *

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