Memoirs Books
Grand Central Publishing Kasher in the Rye: The True Tale of a White Boy
Book Synopsis
£16.99
Vintage Publishing The Third Gilmore Girl
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£15.29
University of California Press The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong
Book SynopsisLady Hyegyong's memoirs, which recount the chilling murder of her husband by his father, is one of the best known and most popular classics of Korean literature. From 1795 until 1805 Lady Hyegyong composed this masterpiece, which depicts a court life whose drama and pathos is of Shakespearean proportions.Table of ContentsFOREWORD ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INTRODUCTION The Author and Autobiographical Discourse Narrating Lives and the Sense of Self The Genres The Individual Memoirs: Themes and Issues Texts TRANSLATOR'S NOTE PRINCIPAL PERSONS THE MEMOIRS OF LADY HYEGYONG The Memoir of 1795 The Memoir of 1801 The Memoir of 1802 The Memoir of 1803 APPENDIX 1: GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF THE YI ROYAL HOUSE APPENDIX 2: GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF THE HONG FAMILY APPENDIX 3: GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF THE KYONGJU KIM FAMILY NOTES GLOSSARY INDEX
£24.30
Bonnier Books Ltd This Happened to Me
£15.29
Crecy Publishing No Moon Tonight
Book SynopsisThis book is a must read for anyone interested in Bomber Command''s war against the Third Reich. It is one of the best personal accounts ever written by someone who served in Bomber Command during World War II.Don Charlwood was a navigator with the Royal Australian Air Force based at RAF Elsham Wolds in north Lincolnshire. He presents a moving, sympathetic and vivid description of what life was like in Bomber Command, focusing on the human cost of war and the feelings of the bomber crews as they were tasked with attacking heavily defended targets again and again as squadron losses mounted. This is a true classic of war literature with the narrative allowing readers to share the hopes and fears of the crews involved in a way that few other books have done.A review in the Daily Telegraph summed up the essence of the book succinctly; ''the tension is so sustained and vivid that the book hangs together emotionally like a piece of music.''
£8.54
Atria Books Greedy: Notes from a Bisexual Who Wants Too Much
Book SynopsisNamed one of the Best Books of 2021 by Oprah Daily, Glamour, Shondaland, BuzzFeed, and more! A hilarious and whip-smart collection of essays, offering an intimate look at bisexuality, gender, and, of course, sex. Perfect for fans of Lindy West, Samantha Irby, and Rebecca Solnit—and anyone who wants, and deserves, to be seen. If Jen Winston knows one thing for sure, it’s that she’s bisexual. Or wait—maybe she isn’t? Actually, she definitely is. Unless…she’s not? Jen’s provocative, laugh-out-loud debut takes us inside her journey of self-discovery, leading us through stories of a childhood “girl crush,” an onerous quest to have a threesome, and an enduring fear of being bad at sex. Greedy follows Jen’s attempts to make sense of herself as she explores the role of the male gaze, what it means to be “queer enough,” and how to overcome bi stereotypes when you’re the posterchild for all of them: greedy, slutty, and constantly confused. With her clever voice and clear-eyed insight, Jen draws on personal experiences with sexism and biphobia to understand how we all can and must do better. She sheds light on the reasons women, queer people, and other marginalized groups tend to make ourselves smaller, provoking the question: What would happen if we suddenly stopped? Greedy shows us that being bisexual is about so much more than who you’re sleeping with—it’s about finding stability in a state of flux and defining yourself on your own terms. This book inspires us to rethink the world as we know it, reminding us that Greedy was a superpower all along.
£15.19
Penguin Putnam Inc Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not
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£18.40
Octopus Publishing Group Waypoints: My Scottish Journey
Book SynopsisAN INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER'As the title suggests, Waypoints is a rewarding mix of markers, both personal as he reflects on his life and geographical as he leads the reader along the West Highland Way' - The Scotsman'A deeply personal and warmly entertaining memoir that fans of Sam - and Scotland - will have a joyful time devouring' - Heat'From both his walk and his career, the common lesson is the power of persistence.' - The Times'A pleasure for fans of the author, whisky, and Scotland.' - Kirkus'Waypoints is a memoir with a difference! I wanted to tell the stories and share the experiences that have shaped me, but to do that I needed to challenge myself and spend some time in my own company, away from the distractions of everyday life. And for me there's no better place to reflect than in the wild Scottish Highlands.'In this journey of self-discovery, Sam Heughan sets out along the West Highland Way to explore his heritage and reflect on the personal waypoints that define him. The result is a love letter to the wild Scottish landscape that means so much to Sam, and a charming, funny, wise and searching insight to the world through his eyes. The walk itself is the backdrop for this narrative, which tells the story of Sam's life while exploring his outlook, values and interests. Sam is a figure of fascinating contrasts, a Hollywood star with deep roots in rural Scotland, he's both outgoing and content in his own company. He has strong connections with his fans while recognising the fragility and value of anonymity, and in My Peak Challenge he has created a network that brings people together as they chase individual goals. In his new book, while charting a path through a stunning wilderness, Sam maps out the moments that shaped his views on dreams and ambition, family, friendships, love and life.Waypoints is a deeply personal journey that reveals as much to Sam about himself as it does to his readers.Trade ReviewA pleasure for fans of the author, whisky, and Scotland * Kirkus *A deeply personal and warmly entertaining memoir that fans of Sam - and Scotland - will have a joyful time devouring. * Heat *From both his walk and his career, the common lesson is the power of persistence. * The Times *
£999.99
Heritage House Publishing Co Ltd Broken Circle: The Dark Legacy of Indian
Book SynopsisA new commemorative edition of Theodore Fontaine''s powerful, groundbreaking memoir of survival and healing after years of residential school abuse. Originally published in 2010, Broken Circle: The Dark Legacy of Indian Residential Schools chronicles the impact of Theodore Fontaines harrowing experiences at Fort Alexander and Assiniboia Indian Residential Schools, including psychological, emotional, and sexual abuse; disconnection from his language and culture; and the loss of his family and community. Told as remembrances infused with insights gained through his long healing process, Fontaine goes beyond the details of the abuse that he suffered to relate a unique understanding of why most residential school survivors have post-traumatic stress disorders and why succeeding generations of Indigenous children suffer from this dark chapter in history. With a new foreword by Andrew Woolford, professor of sociology and criminology at the University of Manitoba, this commemorative edition will continue to serve as a powerful testament to survival, self-discovery, and healing.
£22.09
Random House USA Inc Knife
Book SynopsisNATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST ? #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER ? From Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie, a searing, deeply personal account of enduring?and surviving?an attempt on his life thirty years after the fatwa that was ordered against himA BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, Time, NPR, Town & Country, New York Post, Chicago Public Library, Kirkus ReviewsOn the morning of August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was standing onstage at the Chautauqua Institution, preparing to give a lecture on the importance of keeping writers safe from harm, when a man in black?black clothes, black mask?rushed down the aisle toward him, wielding a knife. His first thought: So it?s you. Here you are. What followed was a horrific act of violence that shook the literary world and beyond. Now, for the first time, and in unforgettable detail, Rushdie relives the traumatic events of that day and its aftermath, as well as his journey toward physical recovery and the healing that was made possible by the love and support of his wife, Eliza, his family, his army of doctors and physical therapists, and his community of readers worldwide. Knife is Rushdie at the peak of his powers, writing with urgency, with gravity, with unflinching honesty. It is also a deeply moving reminder of literature?s capacity to make sense of the unthinkable, an intimate and life-affirming meditation on life, loss, love, art?and finding the strength to stand up again.
£21.00
Atlantic Books Other Rivers
Book Synopsis'Memorable... One of [China's] most astute and sensitive foreign observers' Financial Times'Compassionate... full of warmth' GuardianMore than twenty years after teaching English to China's first boom generation at a small college in Sichuan Province, Peter Hessler returned to teach the next generation. At the same time, Hessler's twin daughters became the only Westerners in a student body of about two thousand in their local primary school. Through reconnecting with his previous students now in their forties - members of China's Reform generation - and teaching his current undergraduates, Hessler is able to tell an intimately unique story about China's incredible transformation over the past quarter-century.In the late 1990s, almost all of Hessler's students were the first of their families to enrol in higher education, sons and daughters of subsistence farmers who could offer little guidance as their children entered a brand-new worl
£16.00
University of Alberta Press Ordinary Deaths: Stories from Memory
Book SynopsisIn Ordinary Deaths, Dr. Samuel LeBaron reminds us of our need for human connection when experiencing death and loss. Based on more than thirty years of working with children and adults dying from cancer, LeBaron’s memoir contains stories of longing, confusion, love, and humility—often woven together. Sharing recollections from his childhood in rural Alberta and experiences from his career, LeBaron reveals a life of vital, intimate connection with others. His employment at a morgue during medical school, his early years as a clinical psychologist, and later careers in primary care and hospice in California, all translate into compassion and a deep understanding of death. Writing as he faces his own terminal illness—Stage IV lung cancer—LeBaron helps readers find acceptance and solace.Trade ReviewSamuel LeBaron … has collected his lessons from a lifelong dance with death into a profound memoir…. LeBaron’s recollections brim with emotional insights, celebrate the virtue of honesty between caregiver and patient, and authentically depict the value of letting each person find their particular way to peace and acceptance…. Ordinary Deaths reminds us that each individual’s path to death is as different and unique as their own life has been. In our death-denying world, that is extraordinary indeed.” John Terauds, Quill & Quire, August 31, 2022 [Full review at https://quillandquire.com/review/ordinary-deaths-stories-from-memory/]"Writing [Ordinary Deaths] was a 15-year process made all the more poignant by the fact that LeBaron is, himself, dying. Two and a half years ago, LeBaron was diagnosed with stage-4 lung cancer…. LeBaron’s ability to hold space for the uncertainty, mystery and doubts we have about dying is anything but ordinary." Deb Cummings, Alumni News, October 10, 2022 [Full article at https://alumni.ucalgary.ca/news/ordinary-deaths-anything]"Through LeBaron’s stories and the filter of his imagination, we witness his experiences as psychologist, physician and person. His clinical testimony makes us reflect: We may not want to look at death, but we can’t look away from it either. Our fascination with the death of others is often accompanied by the denial of our own death.... But the book is more than a memoir of how to face death: Ordinary Deaths is about how to face life." Tony Errichetti, The Intima, October 24, 2022 [Full review at https://www.theintima.org/book-reviews-intima/ordinarydeathbysamuellebaron]Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Magic Medicine 2. Worms 3. Voices 4. Under Water 5. In the Barn 6. Aunt Margie 7. Charlie Gough 8. In the Field 9. To Tell the Truth 10. The Laughing Cure 11. La Llorona 12. Día de Muertos 13. Second Chances 14. Permission to Breathe 15. The Ferryman 16. Winterreise 17. Fathers 18. Lost Horses 19. The River Styx 20. Dream Baby 21. Safe Harbor 22. The Tillandsia Epilogue Notes Appreciations"
£18.89
Granta Books The Philosopher and the Wolf: Lessons From the
Book SynopsisThis fascinating book charts the relationship between Mark Rowlands, a rootless philosopher, and Brenin, his extraordinarily well-travelled wolf. More than just an exotic pet, Brenin exerted an immense influence on Rowlands as both a person, and, strangely enough, as a philosopher, leading him to re-evaluate his attitude to love, happiness, nature and death. By turns funny (what do you do when your wolf eats your air-conditioning unit?) and poignant, this life-affirming classic of popular philosophy will make you reappraise what it means to be human.Trade ReviewThis year's most original and instructive work of popular philosophy ... a remarkable portrait of the bond that can exist between a human being and a beast ... [Rowlands is] a rare contemporary philosopher who is able to learn from everything he experiences in life, not just books and academic journals. That is what makes The Philosopher and the Wolf so refreshing * Financial Times *An extraordinary memoir * Daily Mail *A powerfully subversive critique of the unexamined assumption that shape the way most philosophers - along with most people - think about animals and themselves * Literary Review *Nothing short of human existence, survival and our relationship to all other creatures is examined here and it's all written in a beautifully elegiac way. The heart-strings will be pulled and the mind stimulated * City AM *The Philosopher and the Wolf has been one of the most intense reading experiences of my life. There is hardly a sentence in the book that did not engage me, stop me, make me think. It is a profound and beautiful book -- Jeffrey MassonAn absolute stunner of a book. Impossible not to be moved by the painfully personal narrative and the depth of reflection. Just enthralling and unputdownable -- Professor Andrew Linzey * Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics *Mark Rowlands has given us that rarest of things - a book that takes the reader beyond the human world, while exploring the deepest human emotions. This moving account of the life he lived with an adopted wolf will be recognized as a seminal work of philosophy that forces us to re-evaluate our view of the human animal -- John GrayThe Philosopher and the Wolf is a wonderful book. It's rare that a professor lets his hair down and weaves sentiment, heart, and love into deeper and supposedly more objective academic issues. Mark Rowlands does just this and I will be sharing his book widely -- Marc Bekoff, author of WILD JUSTICE: THE MORAL LIVES OF ANIMALSRarely has a single animal inspired such deep reflections on morality, mortality, and misanthropy ... a human memoir that reads like a tormented love affair with its animal star -- Frans de Waal, author of OUR INNER APEExtraordinary work of popular philosophy in which the author of Everything I Know I Learned From TV describes what he learned about life, the universe and everything while living with an adopted wolf, Brenin, at his side * The Bookseller *This book is about ... the fundamental questions of love, happiness, morality and human existence -- Lucy Hope * Big Issue in the North *A remarkably touching tale of nature, humanity and the potential for each to transform the other -- James Crabtree * New Humanist *An unusual little book ... It is perhaps best described as the autobiography of an idea, or rather a set of related ideas, about the relationship between human and non-human animals -- Jonathan Derbyshire * Guardian *A powerfully subversive critique of the unexamined assumptions that shape the way most philosophers - along with most people - think about animals and themselves -- John Gray * Literary Review *Rowlands' clarity of thought and his honesty ... are what make one's hitching a ride on this journey a mostly intriguing and seamless ride -- Tom Adair * Scotland on Sunday *A meditation on what it means to be lupine and how it reflects the human -- Janice Galloway * Scotsman *The book takes varyingly interesting diversions into philosophical territory ... Rowlands does a good job (with the help of Nietzsche) of questioning our attitude towards death -- Keith Ridgway * Daily Telegraph *Rowland's memoir is life-affirming, engrossing, thoughtful and moving ... The Philosopher and the Wolf could become a philosophical cult classic -- Mark Vernon * Times Literary Supplement *Rowlands communicates his ideas in a way that is humorous, compelling and moving ... [he] succeeds remarkably well in engaging the reader. Largely this is because of the emotional intensity of the narrative -- James Carney * Sunday Business Post (Ireland) *This fascinating and stimulating story of integrating a full-blooded wolf into the life of a philosophy professor veers between the profound and the hilarious. In turns touching and poignant ... this chronicle will make you think deeply about our relationship with domestic animals and about our responsibilities for them -- Roger Fletcher * Morning Star *An exceptionally moving saga * Times Higher Education Supplement *Moving and unsettling memoir * London Review of Books *An extraordinary, moving book -- Sarah Broadhurst * Bookseller *Thoroughly touching ... deeply moving -- Lianne Steinberg * Big Issue in the North *By turns moving and funny ... offers every reason to look again at how we view other animals ... Rowlands writes with real power of a profoundly intense and rewarding relationship -- Nick Churchill * Daily Echo *It is a remarkable book * Andover Advertiser *This moving and often unsettling memoir tells the story ... of how Rowlands's philosophy was transformed by this extended, intimate encounter with the wild * London Review of Books *Funny, engrossing ... heartbreaking ... enchanting and often disturbing ... and almost always beautifully written * The Age (Melbourne) *Rowlands is a passionate chronicler as he casts nets of meaning over the animal. But it is the wolf itself that leaps most vigorously off the page, eluding all fallible cages of human thought, captivating the reader -- Anita Sethi * Independent on Sunday *An amusing, yet profound story that is both thought-provoking and informative -- Helen Peacocke * Oxford Times *This book is a rare treat ... an unexpectedly provocative exploration of what it means to be human ... [Rowlands] writes with great humour and warmth as he maps out lessons learned on the nature of love, loss and human weakness -- Aimee Shalan * Guardian *A profound and searching meditation ... Rowlands writes with rare rigour and elegance. Held together by an exciting and often extremely moving narrative, this is one of the most thought-stirring and life-affirming books of philosophy that I know -- John Gray * Prospect *A ripping yarn for anyone who loves animals -- Fiona Dalzell * Veterinary Times *Goes to places no ordinary book about philosophy would dare to go ... a unique and precious book -- Jon Fordham * Sublime *A memoir of a professor who raised a wolf cub. He weaves fabulous details about training the animal into the philosophy of human life. A wolf lives in a very honest and straightforward way. There's something to be learned from that -- Amanda Donohue * Daily Express *
£10.44
Dorling Kindersley Ltd Down to Earth Gardening Wisdom
Book SynopsisWritten as he talks, this is Monty Don right beside you in the garden, challenging norms and sharing advice.Discover Monty's thoughts and garden ideas around nature, seasons, color, design, pests, flowering shrubs, containers, and much more. Read about the month-by month jobs he does in his own garden that he hopes are relevant to you. Monty's intimate and lyrical writing is accompanied by photos of his garden, showing areas rarely seen on television. This is the perfect gift for the gardener in your life.I have written many gardening books but this is the distillation of 50 years of gardening experience. It has all the tips and essential pieces of knowledge that enable you to make your garden grow well, and it also shares my view that gardening is the secret to living well too. - MontyTable of Contents 1: Introduction 2: The Seasons 3: Weather 4: Nature 5: Place 6: Design 7: Walking and Sitting 8: Colour 9: A New Plot 10: The Small Town Garden 11: The Cottage Garden 12: The Exotic Garden 13: A Modern Urban Garden 14: Wildlife Gardening 15: Children 16: Containers 17: Climbers 18: Flowering Shrubs 19: Lawns 20: Weeds 21: Fungus 22: Pests 23: Compost 24: Tools 25: Planting 26: Growing 27: Pruning 28: Food 29: Grow your own Veg 30: Grow your own Herbs 31: Grow your own Top Fruit 32: Grow your own Soft Fruit 33: Names 34: The Months 1: January 2: February 3: March 4: April 5: May 6: June 7: July 8: August 9: September 10: October 11: November 12: December 35: Index 36: Acknowledgments
£14.31
Granta Books Somewhere Towards The End
Book Synopsis'There is a sense throughout Athill's work that you are making a new friend as much as reading a new story... A delight to read' Observer WINNER OF THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY PRIZE, the moving and witty memoir on what it means to grow old. Written in her nineties, when she was free from any inhibitions she may have once had, Diana Athill reflects frankly on the losses and occasionally the gains that old age can bring, and on the wisdom and fortitude required to face death. Lively, fearless and humorous, Somewhere Towards the End encapsulates the vibrant final decades of Athill's life. Filled with events, love and friendships, this is a memoir about maintaining hope, joy and vigour in later life, resisting regret, and questioning the beliefs and customs of your own generation. 'Informative, honest and lacking in the usual sorrow over old age. A remarkable woman' Beryl Bainbridge 'An honest joy to read' Alice Munro 'The book is a moving and humorous account of old age, unsparing about its indignities, unflinching from the inevitability that the end can not be many years away, but full of joy at the way life keeps on, at the most unexpected moments, renewing itself' Irish Times 'Her brilliant book is entirely lacking in the usual regrets, nostalgia and Hovis-ad recollections of old-timers. It is a little literary gem, penned by a marvellous, feisty old character... What a treasure' Daily MailTrade ReviewThere is a sense throughout Athill's work that you are making a new friend as much as reading a new story ... a delight to read * Observer *The book is a moving and humorous account of old age, unsparing about its indignities, unflinching from the inevitability that the end can not be many years away, but full of joy at the way life keeps on, at the most unexpected moments, renewing itself * Irish Times *Part exposé, part treatise on old age, the book is a ruminative read * Sunday Times *Her brilliant book is entirely lacking in the usual regrets, nostalgia and Hovis-ad recollections of old-timers. It is a little literary gem, penned by a marvellous, feisty old character ... What a treasure * Daily Mail *What sets her apart is the flagrancy and wit of her writing ... her memoirs display a vivacious appreciation of the life she has lived and what is still to come * New Statesman *Exhilarating and comforting, so much good sense, candour and liveliness of spirit in such clean, clear prose -- Simon Gray[She has] a cold eye for reality and no time for sentimental lies -- Jenny Diski * Sunday Times *A candid look at getting near the inevitable -- Fiona Phillps * Daily Express *Informative, honest and lacking in the usual sorrow over old age. A remarkable woman -- Beryl BainbridgeAn honest joy to read -- Alice MunroCaptivating * New York Times Book Review *Her eye is unflinching, her prose as clear and graceful as ever; her honesty is inspiring * Spectator *Brave, amusing and graceful * Sunday Telegraph *Full of clarity and wit, original thought and understated insight * Metro *[An] honest, clear-sighted book * Independent *Vive la Athill! * The Times *Invigorating * Financial Times *This is an inspiring book * Sunday Telegraph *Memoirs are many. This one is singular ... Her prose is practiced, clear and crisp. Epitomising what she preaches, the book is beautifully balanced in its brevity and well produced. Athill is refreshingly candid, but never prurient ... This book should encourage the old to speak up and the young to listen to what their elders have to say * The Times *Oddly uplifting ... Her sharp-witted musings on friendship, sex, sore feet, religion and death are infused with a curiosity for all that life brings and are a captivating read, whatever stage one is at * Guardian *So deftly drawn and perceptive that one feels better simply for having read them...It is impossible not to be engaged by Athill's vigorous reflections on such unlikely topics as sore feet, septuagenarian sex and the business of working out whether one is too old to drive a car ... a very funny book -- Elizabeth Day * Observer *
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers How To Be A Good Creature
Book Synopsis
£16.50
Random House USA Inc The Complete Persepolis
Book SynopsisHere, in one volume: Marjane Satrapi''s best-selling, internationally acclaimed graphic memoir of growing up as a girl in Iran during the revolution has for twenty years been a classroom staple, a feminist manifesto, and one of the most popular and widely known graphic novels of all time. A stunning graphic memoir...a wholly original achievement in the form. —The New York TimesPersepolis is the story of Satrapi''s unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming—both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a youn
£999.99
Persephone Books Ltd The World That Was Ours
Book Synopsis
£13.00
Inner Traditions Bear and Company The Spiritual Journey of Alejandro Jodorowsky:
Book SynopsisIn 1970, John Lennon introduced to the world Alejandro Jodorowsky and the movie, El Topo,that he wrote, starred in, and directed. The movie and its author instantly became a counterculture icon. The New York Timessaid the film "demands to be seen," and Newsweekcalled it "An Extraordinary Movie!" But that was only the beginning of the story and the controversy of El Topo, and the journey of its brilliant creator. His spiritual quest began with the Japanese master Ejo Takata, the man who introduced him to the practice of meditation, Zen Buddhism, and the wisdom of the koans. Yet in this autobiographical account of his spiritual journey, Jodorowsky reveals that it was a small group of wisewomen, far removed from the world of Buddhism, who initiated him and taught him how to put the wisdom he had learned from his master into practice. At the direction of Takata, Jodorowsky became a student of the surrealist painter Leonora Carrington, thus beginning a journey in which vital spiritual lessons were transmitted to him by various women who were masters of their particular crafts. These women included Doña Magdalena, who taught him "initiatic" or spiritual massage; the powerful Mexican actress known as La Tigresa (the "tigress"); and Reyna D'Assia, daughter of the famed spiritual teacher G. I. Gurdjieff. Other important wisewomen on Jodorowsky's spiritual path include María Sabina, the priestess of the sacred mushrooms; the healer Pachita; and the Chilean singer Violeta Parra. The teachings of these women enabled him to discard the emotional armor that was hindering his advancement on the path of spiritual awareness and enlightenment.Trade Review"Rather than clarifying the meaning of his imagery, this book only inspires readers to enjoy its 'mystery'. . . . a worthy read, filled with growing pains and crises that end in artistic triumph and achievement of wisdom and compassion." * Griselda Steiner, Scene4 Magazine, Jan 2009 *"Jodorowsky's interactions with the motley crew of magas are fascinating and his words are always entertaining . . . " * filmcomment, Film Society of Lincoln Center, NYC, Sep/Oct 2008 *"How this man has lived into the koan of his life is intriguing and vividly related." * Branches of Light, Issue 33, Fall-Winter-Spring 2008-09 *" . . . for anyone who enjoys reading memoirs about truly interesting and influential people, this is definitely a book to check out." * Curled Up with a Good Book, Nov 2008 *Table of ContentsPrologue 1 “Intellectual, Learn to Die!” 2 The Secret of Koans 3 A Surrealist Master 4 A Step in the Void 5 The Slashes of the Tigress’s Claws 6 The Donkey Was Not Ill-Tempered after So Many Blows from the Stick7 From Skin to Soul 8 Like Snow in a Silver Vase 9 Work on the Essence 10 Master to Disciple, Disciple to Master, Disciple to Disciple, Master to MasterAppendix: A Collection of Anecdotes The Works of Alejandro Jodorowsky Index
£999.99
Scribner Book Company The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly: Life Wisdom
Book SynopsisFrom New York Times bestselling author of The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning—now a TV series developed by Amy Poehler and Scout Productions—a book of humorous and charming advice for embracing life and aging joyfully.In her international bestseller The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning Margareta Magnusson introduced the world to the Swedish tradition of döstädning, or “death cleaning”—clearing out your unnecessary belongings so others don’t have to do it for you. Now, unburdened by (literal and emotional) baggage, Magnusson is able to focus on what makes each day worth living. In her new book she reveals her discoveries about aging—some difficult to accept, many rather wondrous. She reflects on her idyllic childhood on the west coast of Sweden, the fullness of her life with her husband and five children, and learning how to live alone. Throughout, she offers advice on how to age gracefully, such as: wear stripes, don’t resist new technology, let go of what doesn’t matter, and more. As with death cleaning, it’s never too early to begin. The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly shows all readers how to prepare for and understand the process of growing older and the joys and sorrows it can bring. While Magnusson still recommends decluttering (your loved ones will thank you!), her ultimate message is that we should not live in fear of death but rather focus on appreciating beauty, connecting with our loved ones, and enjoying our time together. Wise, funny, and eminently practical, The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly is a gentle and welcome reminder that, no matter your age, there are always fresh discoveries ahead, and pleasures both new and familiar to be encountered every day.
£16.99
Yale University Press Poilu
Book SynopsisThe harrowing first-person account of a French foot soldier who survived four years in the trenches of the First World WarTrade Review"A century after the guns of August first boomed, World War I has lost none of its power to boggle the mind. . . . Louis Barthas, an enlisted man from southwestern France, managed to reduce the conflict to human scale with a pen and 19 notebooks. . . . With Edward M. Strauss’s translation of Poilu, English-language readers now have access to a classic account of the war, a day-to-day chronicle of life in the trenches and a richly detailed answer to the seemingly unanswerable question: What was it like?"—William Grimes, New York Times"Barthas was an ordinary working man, a barrel maker of socialist inclinations, and there was nothing about him to suggest he harbored literary gifts or genius. But his notebooks, assembled under the title Poilu, are among the great works of the war, deserving a place of mention with memoirs like Guy Chapman’s A Passionate Prodigality and Ernst Jünger’s Storm of Steel."—Geoffrey Norman, Wall Street Journal"Nothing ever written provides a more accurate, raw and close-in account of the beastly life of the common soldier. . ."—Marc Wortman, Daily Beast"One wonders why it took so long for an English translation—this is clearly one of the most readable and indispensable accounts of the death of the glory of war."—Nicholas Mancuso, Daily Beast"This translation of the diaries and letters of a French corporal on the Western front in World War I brings the gritty reality of trench warfare to an English-speaking audience in a manner unparalleled even in the best soldier writings from that war. The reader feels and smells and hears the mud, the blood, the fear, the deafening noise of exploding shells, the clatter of machine guns, the cries of the wounded and dying. Here is the war as the men in the trenches experienced it."—James McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom"An exceptionally vivid memoir of a French soldier's experience of the First World War."—Max Hastings, author of Catastrophe 1914: Europe Goes to War"Louis Barthas, cooper, citizen, cynic and reluctant reservist, is one of the truly authentic voices of the Great War. A classic in France from its first publication, his account of the fighting (and he saw more of it than most) speaks not only for the 'poilu' but for all solders of the conflict."—Hew Strachan, author of The First World War"A revelatory book that brings the French experience of the Great War to life as you read. However much we may think the British and Americans suffered, their agony was shorter and less intense than the tragedy that overwhelmed the French nation in 1914-1918."—Peter Hart, author of The Great War: A Combat History of the First World War"Ah, the notebooks of Louis Barthas! This book has profound historic value. It is also a genuine work of literature."—François Mitterrand, former president of France
£14.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc With God In Russia
Book Synopsis?. . . a human and historical document of compelling interest.? ?The AtlanticPowerful and inspirational,With God in Russiacaptures the heroic patience, endurance, and religious conviction of a man whose life embodied the Christian ideals that sustained him.While ministering in Eastern Europe during World War II, Polish-American priest Walter Ciszek, S.J., was arrested by the NKVD, the Russian secret police, shortly after the war ended. Accused of being an American spy and charged with agitation with intent to subvert, he was held in Moscow?s notorious Lubyanka prison for five years. The Catholic priest was then sentenced without trial to ten more years of hard labor and transported to Siberia, where he would become a prisoner within the forced labor camp system made famous in Alexsandr Solzhenitsyn?s Nobel Prize?winning bookThe Gulag Archipelago.InWith God in Russia, Ciszek reflects on his daily life as a prisoner, the labor he endured while working in the mines and on construction gangs, his unwavering faith in God, and his firm devotion to his vows and vocation. Enduring brutal conditions, Ciszek risked his life to offer spiritual guidance to fellow prisoners who could easily have exposed him for their own gains. He chronicles these experiences with grace, humility, and candor, from his secret work leading mass and hearing confessions within the prison grounds, to his participation in a major gulag uprising, to his own resurrection?his eventual release in a prisoner exchange in October 1963 which astonished all who had feared he was dead.?More than a superbly interesting adventure story,With God in Russiais a moving document of a man?s faith in his God and his God?s goodness in allowing him to live through his ordeal.? ?The Advocate
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Sex with Shakespeare
Book SynopsisA provocative, moving, kinky, and often absurdly funny memoir about Shakespeare, love, obsession, and spankingWhen it came to understanding love, a teenage Jillian Keenan had nothing to guide her—until a production of The Tempest sent Shakespeare’s language flowing through her blood for the first time.Trade Review"An English major's dream!...You may have studied Shakespeare in high school, but it's almost guaranteed that your literary analysis wasn't anything like this...The connection to Shakespeare is a fascinating foil for Keenan's life...[Her] writing is clear, relatable, and steady, even when conveying painful events in her past." -- Library Journal (starred review) "Visceral, funny, and perceptive, this startling and very personal take on Shakespeare is genuinely revealing-not only about the author, but even more about the plays. Keenan notices and responds to things that criticism on the whole ignores. An enjoyable and impressive book." -- Stephen Orgel, Ph.D., Jackson Eli Reynolds Professor in Humanities at Stanford University and author of Imagining Shakespeare "Moving and funny...Keenan's original takes on Shakespeare are just as fascinating and insightful as her takes on sex, lust, and love. Fans (kinky or not) of Shakespeare will love reading this book, and anyone directing Shakespeare should be required to read it." -- Dan Savage, columnist, "Savage Love," and author most recently of American Savage "Explicit and often harrowing...Keenan writes, she says, so others like her will not have to feel alone...By demonstrating the elasticity with which sexual undertones in Shakespeare can be read, she makes a case for a more expansive definition of sexual identity." -- Booklist "Keenan's excellent writing and humor make this a book enjoyable for fetishists and vanillas alike- especially if you like Shakespeare... A powerful tool in the growing arsenal of identity acceptance...This is an important book to have been written and to be read." -- AVclub.com "Keenan's intimate conversations with Shakespeare offer new and often startling insights into his plays. They are also deeply moving, and deeply courageous, challenging us to rethink sexuality in fundamental ways." -- Ania Loomba, Ph.D., Catherine Bryson Professor of English, University of Pennsylvania, and author of Shakespeare, Race, and Colonialism "Keenan serves up a smart, sexy cocktail of a memoir that is one part spanking fetish, another part Shakespeare, and goes down like a dirty martini that leaves the reader both shaken and stirred." -- Ian Kerner, Ph.D., author of She Comes First "A raunchy memoir revealing a visceral connection to the Bard." -- Kirkus "Jillian Keenan reveals how the revered playwright helped her come to terms with her sexual identity. Full of humor, her memoir explores the lessons she learned from the Bard, ranging from fetish to communication to love." -- Bustle.com "Insightful and refreshing...Keenan's mix of fearless and emotionally resonant personal revelations, cheeky (no pun intended) good humor, and deep literary knowledge make Sex with Shakespeare highly original and engaging." -- Karla Kane, Bitch Media "Shakespeare may seem like an unusual focus for a memoir about kink and sexual identity, but those who've really read his plays know they're full to the brim with raunch and innuendo...So Sex with Shakespeare makes perfect sense." -- Daily News "Honest as a diary, provocative as a dirty magazine...Keenan relates her struggles seamlessly to the ones faced by some of the Bard's most famous characters. This book is her journey to self-acceptance." -- Quartz.com "Funny and insightful...In Keenan's treatment of Shakespeare's plays, they become instruments of self-knowledge... By juxtaposing the plays and kink, Keenan frames sexual behaviour as performance- a performance that can be as much about language as about the body." -- National Post (Canada) "A true Shakespeare lover and connoisseur... [Keenan] interweaves her own personal experiences with plot lines from the Bard's works, creatively building tension and intrigue... Her perspective is provocative and fascinating." -- Bustle.com "If you: have ever been either bewitched or bewildered by Shakespeare's work...or are merely curious about sexuality; or enjoy personal essay as well as magical realism and literary criticism, then Jillian Keenan's Sex with Shakespeare is for you... a memoir that cannot be described with that label alone." -- Refinery 29 "Keenan is at her most confident. Her prose soars with a clarity of vision and purpose... Keenan writes a story of language and lust, and the pain of trying to get to that thing you want but you can't quite put into words." -- The New Republic "You'll laugh, you'll blush, and you'll never see Shakespeare quite the same way again-and we're pretty sure you'll also fall in love with Keenan's candor and wit...this is the perfect way to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death." -- Bookish "Part examination of BDSM in Shakespeare (you'll rethink what you think you know about The Taming of the Shrew, I tell you what), part memoir of a woman whose sexuality is under-or-misrepresented in mainstream media. I was so fascinated, I read it in one sitting." -- Book Riot "If ever there was an ideal spanking ambassador for the kink-curious mainstream, it's Keenan... Writing publicly about something that most people don't dare to acknowledge even privately... is difficult and generous... What shines through is the story of a young woman looking to be made whole by love." -- New York Times "A rollicking memoir...[including] daring readings of Shakespeare, a lot of kink, and many, many laugh-out-loud funny moments...But along the way, Keenan also talks about more somber topics-including, centrally, child abuse...a highly charged issue, and one that Keenan is passionate about." -- The Establishment "Jillian Keenan's two obsessions: spanking and Shakespeare. You may think those two don't go together, but Keenan weaves them together to bring us a story about discovering your truest desires and what happens when you try to hide them." -- Popsugar.com "Keenan's memoir is an intellectual exploration of Shakespeare frosted with playful humor. It's the perfect vacation book: sexy, thrilling and insightful...a sublime summer beach read for anyone who enjoys smart writing about love, travel and sex." -- Mic.com
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Beyond Belief
Book SynopsisJenna Miscavige Hill, niece of Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige, was raised as a Scientologist but left the controversial religion in 2005. In Beyond Belief, she shares her true story of life inside the upper ranks of the sect, details her experiences as a member Sea Org—the church's highest ministry, speaks of her "disconnection" from family outside of the organization, and tells the story of her ultimate escape.In this tell-all memoir, complete with family photographs from her time in the Church, Jenna Miscavige Hill, a prominent critic of Scientology who now helps others leave the organization, offers an insider's profile of the beliefs, rituals, and secrets of the religion that has captured the fascination of millions, including some of Hollywood's brightest stars such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta.
£15.26
John Murray Press The Last Lecture
Book SynopsisThe phenomenal international bestseller - with over 8 million copies sold.What legacy would you choose to leave behind for your children?When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give ''a last lecture'' lecture, he didn''t have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. But the lecture he gave, ''Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams'', wasn''t about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because time is all you have and you may find one day that you have less than you think). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.A lot of professors give talks titled ''The Last Lecture''. Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy?In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humour, inspiration, and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come.Trade ReviewInspiring * The Guardian *Incredibly moving * Daily Record *
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Book Synopsis
£14.24
HarperCollins Publishers Nobodys Son
Book SynopsisBorn in a prison and removed from his drug-dependent mother, rejection is all that 7-year-old Alex knows.When Cathy is asked to foster little Alex, aged 7, her immediate reaction is: Why can't he stay with his present carers for the last month? He's already had many moves since coming into care as a toddler and he'll only be with her a short while before he goes to live with his permanent adoptive family. But the present carers are expecting a baby and the foster mother isn't coping, so Alex goes to live with Cathy.He settles easily and is very much looking forward to having a forever family of his own. The introductions and move to his adoptive family go well. But Alex is only with them for a week when problems begin. What happens next is both shocking and upsetting, and calls into question the whole adoption process.
£8.54
HarperCollins Publishers A Big Little Life
Book SynopsisDean Koontz's first ever nonfiction book, the deeply moving story of his life with his good dog TrixieDean Koontz is known for exploring the dark side of human nature in his fiction. But his softer, playful side comes out when he talks about his beloved dog, Trixie, a golden retriever.Trixie had a special place in Dean''s heart. And now, in this, his first non-fiction book, Dean opens his heart to his readers to give us memories of Trixie, of the glorious dog who changed him and changed his life.There''s everything in this memoir: adventure, mischief, emotion, and sadness too. Dean will talk with joy about the many gifts Trixie gave him and the lessons she taught and he''ll talk with sadness at losing his beloved pet.The loss of a dog is a heartbreak that''s been experienced by a great many people, and Dean''s delving into that loss is a powerful part of this book, and a cathartic experience for those of us who have loved and lost an animal companion.Trixie had a big little life and Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR DEAN KOONTZ’S NOVELS: 'Dean Koontz is not just a master of our darkest dreams, but also a literary juggler' The Times ‘Dean Koontz straddles the genres, and pretty successfully, too … Odd Thomas is certainly a page-turner – this is a read-at-a-sitting novel – with a terrific final twist’ The Observer ‘Psychologically complex, masterly and satisfying’ The New York Times 'Near Dickensian powers of description.' Los Angeles Times
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Crying for Help
Book SynopsisThe second book from Sunday Times bestselling author Casey Watson.Two weeks after saying farewell to her first foster child, Casey is asked to look after Sophia, a troubled 12-year-old with a sad past. Sophia's actions are disturbing and provocative and, before long, Casey and her family find themselves in a dark and dangerous situation.Two years ago Sophia's mother had a terrible accident. Sophia has been in care ever since.Right away, Casey feels something isn't right. Sophia's a well-developed girl, who looks more like 18 than 12. She only seems to have eyes and ears for men, and treats all women with contempt and disgust. And she has everyone around her jumping through hoops.Over time, as more details begin to emerge about Sophia's past, it becomes clear that her behaviour is a front for an early life filled with pain and suffering. But although Casey feels she is gradually breaking through to Sophia and getting her to open up about things she has never spoken about before, her vio
£10.44
Simon & Schuster UK The Art of Power
Book SynopsisThe revelatory new book from the first woman Speaker of the House.
£16.14
Canongate Books Brothers and Keepers
Book SynopsisBrothers and Keepers is John Edgar Wideman's seminal memoir about two brothers - one an award-winning novelist, the other a fugitive. Wideman recalls the capture of his younger brother Robby, details the subsequent trials that resulted in a sentence of life in prison, and provides vivid views of the American prison system.A gripping, unsettling account, Brothers and Keepers weighs the bonds of blood, tenderness and guilt that connect him to his brother and measures the distance that lies between them.Trade ReviewA master storyteller, both a witness and a prophet -- CARYL PHILLIPSA rare triumph . . . Wideman has succeeded in both understanding his brother's life and coming to terms with his own * * New York Times * *Powerful and disturbing . . . Brothers and Keepers is guaranteed to shock and sadden * * Washington Post * *Brave and brilliant, an almost frightening thing to behold * * Philadelphia Enquirer * *A profound writer -- RICHARD FORDA great American writer -- JOY WILLIAMSOne of my favourite books of non-fiction -- MITCHELL JACKSON
£999.99
Rowman & Littlefield Titanic Survivor
Book SynopsisViolet Jessop's life is an inspiring story of survival. Born in 1887 in Argentina, the eldest child of Irish immigrants, at the age of 21 she became the breadwinner for her widowed mother and five siblings when she commenced a career as a stewardess and nurse on some of the most famous ocean going vessels of the day. Throughout her 40 year time at sea she survived an unbelievable series of events including the sinking of the TITANIC. “One awful moment of empty, misty blackness enveloped us in its loneliness, then an unforgettable, agonizing cry went up from 1500 despairing throats, a long wail and then silence and our tiny craft tossing about at the mercy of the ice field.” For most people one sinking would be enough. But four years later Violet, now a nurse with the British Red Cross, was on board the World War I hospital ship BRITANNIC when it struck a mine and sank to the bottom of the Aegean. To her, this disaster was even more horrifying-- “Just as life seeming nothing but a whirling, choking ache, I rose to the light of day, my nose barely above the little lapping waves. I opened my eyes on an indescribable scene of slaughter, which made me shut them again to keep it out." By the end of her story we have a met a woman who could handle whatever life threw at her with determination and good humor. She knew that only by her own strength of character would she survive. But Titanic Survivor is much more. A unique autobiography for those who want to know how it really felt, a story that could be told only by a Titanic Survivor.Trade ReviewAside from the disasters, there is much in her memoirs to enjoy; from her tales of travel, to the ships themselves, and to the many characters she met in a fascinating lifetime at sea. * Sailing *Compelling...a fresh, indispensable chapter to the legend...invaluable. * Publishers Weekly *Table of ContentsNew Preface Preface Introduction Chapter 1: The Early Years Chapter 2: The Railway Interval Chapter 3: Buenos Aires Chapter 4: In the Mountains Chapter 5: Illness and Death Chapter 6: Repatriation Chapter 7: In Charge Chapter 8: Convent Days Chapter 9: Choosing a Career Chapter 10: To Sea at Last Chapter 11: Enter Ned Chapter 12: Insufferable Passengers Chapter 13: Troubled Voyage Chapter 14: The South American Run Chapter 15: The White Star Line Chapter 16: Cabin Drama Chapter 17: Olympic Chapter 18: (This chapter is missing) Chapter 19: Polemic and Lament Chapter 20: Titanic Chapter 21: Into the Lifeboat Chapter 22: Rescue Chapter 23: Australia and Ned Chapter 24: Shipboard Romance Chapter 25: A Nurse in the Great War Chapter 26: Britannic Chapter 27: Aftermath Chapter 28: Peace and Prohibition Chapter 29: Tim Goes Missing Chapter 30: World Cruise Chapter 31: At Sea Chapter 32: The Jinrikisha Man Chapter 33: The Baroness Chapter 34: Tom's Downfall Epilogue Appendix I Appendix II Bibliography Index
£13.29
St Martin's Press Coreyography
Book SynopsisSpares no details. Starred Publishers Weekly ReviewAn incredible read. Richard Donner, DirectorPeople always ask me about life after childhood stardom. What would I say to parents of children in the industry? My only advice, honestly, is to get these kids out of Hollywood and let them lead normal lives. Corey FeldmanA deeply personal and revealing Hollywood-survival story.Lovable child star by age ten, international teen idol by fifteen, and to this day a perennial pop-culture staple, Corey Feldman has not only spent the entirety of his life in the spotlight, he''s become just as famous for his off-screen exploits as for his roles in such classic films as Gremlins, The Goonies, and Stand by Me. He''s been linked to a slew of Hollywood starlets (including Drew Barrymore, Vanessa Marcil, and adult entertainer Ginger Lynn), shared a highly publicized friendship with Michael Jackson, and with his frequent cost
£15.29
Jessica Kingsley Publishers Hearing Voices, Living Fully: Living with the
Book SynopsisWhen Claire Bien first began hearing voices, they were infrequent, benign and seemingly just curious about her life and the world around her. But the more attention Claire paid, the more frequently they began to speak, and the darker their intentions became... Despite escalating paranoia, an initial diagnosis of Schizophreniform Disorder and taking medication with debilitating side effects, Claire learned to face her demons and manage her condition without the need for long-term medication. In this gripping memoir, Claire recounts with eloquence her most troubled times. She explains how she managed to regain control over her mind and her life even while intermittently hearing voices, through self-guided and professional therapy and with the support of family and friends. Challenging a purely medical understanding of hearing voices, Claire advocates for an end to the stigma of those who experience auditory verbal hallucinations, and a change of thinking from the professionals who treat the condition.Trade ReviewBien's memoir witnesses to the resilience of the human spirit and her determination to live a full life, thus illustrating that a person is more than a diagnosis. Therapy, medication, relationships and work are all critical components that enable a person to regain a life despite debilitating symptoms. She is a woman of courage. -- Nancy Kehoe RSCJ, PhD, Author of Wrestling with Our Inner Angels: Faith, Mental Illness and the Journey to WholenessRemarkable and inspiring. In a clear and resonant narrative voice, Claire Bien tells how she struggled and eventually surmounted auditory hallucinations and severe emotional turmoil while living a full life: maturing in the first generation of a Chinese-American family, marrying, working full-time, and nurturing a son in a supportive family and community. -- Selby C. Jacobs, MD, MPH, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Public Health, Yale School of Medicine, Department of PsychiatryThis is a revolutionary book, written by Claire Bien, who has experienced and dealt with auditory hallucinations-latterly without medication. Now living with a son and successful career, it tells of her determination not to let the disease beat her. ...Some of the book can be graphic, as Claire provides a full picture of the 'degree of horror' such a condition can engender; however, she also provides hope of recovery, 'even the most horrifying and bizarre beliefs are not sign and symptom of an irreparably broken mind.' -- New York Journal of BooksIn this candid, informative memoir, Bien, a trained facilitator for the Hearing Voices Network, describes experiencing auditory verbal hallucinations throughout much of her adult life. Having eventually learned to manage this condition, she aims to bring hope to others in the same circumstances. Bien details the most difficult and embarrassing periods of her life, including the deaths of close family members and her two troubled marriages, both which ended in divorce. The book chronologically documents Bien's life from her early years, through college, to her struggle to find a vocational calling, alongside the time line of her voices: their first appearance, her first hospitalization, and her subsequent recoveries. Bien's tone is matter-of-fact and often rings flat throughout her comprehensive accounts; the sentences are mostly declarative and devoid of much emotion. Bien is lucid and calm in looking back at her life and battles, displaying an admirably unflinching self-awareness. She's able to understand how she "was primed to hear voices" by biological and life triggers associated with her condition, and her journey will appeal to others struggling to overcome or better understand the same affliction. -- Publishers WeeklyTable of ContentsForeword. Preface. Prologue. 1. Background and Early Years. 2. College. 3. The Graduate. 4. Searching for a Career. 5. My Father's Death. 6. Transitions. 7. Marriage. 8. Discovering Family and Heritage. 9. Jean. 10. Anger and Shame. 11. Early Voices. 12. Pineywoods. 13. Waiting for a Yale Bed. 14. Yale-New Haven Hospital. 15. Finding a Career and Recovery. 16. A Skirmish with the Voices in Europe. 17. The Working Mother. 18. If It's Just a Metaphor. 19. The Power of Love. 20. If You Start to Get Scared, Stop Listening. 21. Divorce. 22. Finding Community and a Measure of Faith. 23. Growing Up with Paul. 24. Arthur. 25. Tilting with the Shadows. 26. Understanding the Voices.
£14.99
Random House USA Inc Open
Book Synopsis#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Far more than a superb memoir about the highest levels of professional tennis, Open is the engrossing story of a remarkable life. • Agassi’s memoir is just as entrancing as his tennis game.” —Time “Honest in a way that such books seldom are.” —The New York Times Andre Agassi had his life mapped out for him before he left the crib. Groomed to be a tennis champion by his moody and demanding father, by the age of twenty-two Agassi had won the first of his eight grand slams and achieved wealth, celebrity, and the game’s highest honors. But as he reveals in this searching autobiography, off the court he was often unhappy and confused, unfulfilled by his great achievements in a sport he had come to resent. Agassi writes candidly about his early success and his uncomfortable relationship with fame, his marriage to Brooke Shields, his growing interest in philanthropy, and—described in haunting, point-by-point detail—the highs and lows of his celebrated career.
£11.40
Farrar, Straus and Giroux The Odd Woman and the City
Book SynopsisA finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, AutobiographyA contentious, deeply moving ode to friendship, love, and urban life in the spirit of Fierce AttachmentsA memoir of self-discovery and the dilemma of connection in our time, The Odd Woman and the City explores the rhythms, chance encounters, and ever-changing friendships of urban life that forge the sensibility of a fiercely independent woman who has lived out her conflicts, not her fantasies, in a city (New York) that has done the same. Running steadily through the book is Vivian Gornick''s exchange of more than twenty years with Leonard, a gay man who is sophisticated about his own unhappiness, whose friendship has shed more light on the mysterious nature of ordinary human relations than has any other intimacy she has known. The exchange between Gornick and Leonard acts as a Greek chorus to the main action of the narrator''s continual engagement on the street with grocers, derelicts, and doormen; people on the bus, cross-dressers on the corner, and acquaintances by the handful. In Leonard she sees herself reflected plain; out on the street she makes sense of what she sees. Written as a narrative collage that includes meditative pieces on the making of a modern feminist, the role of the flaneur in urban literature, and the evolution of friendship over the past two centuries, The Odd Woman and the City beautifully bookends Gornick''s acclaimed Fierce Attachments, in which we first encountered her rich relationship with the ultimate metropolis.
£14.40
Scribner The Journal of Best Practices
Book Synopsis*A New York Times Bestseller* A warm and hilarious memoir by a man diagnosed with Asperger syndrome who sets out to save his relationship.Five years after David Finch married Kristen, the love of his life, they learned that he has Asperger syndrome. The diagnosis explained David’s ever-growing list of quirks and compulsions, but it didn’t make him any easier to live with. Determined to change, David set out to understand Asperger syndrome and learn to be a better husband with an endearing zeal. His methods for improving his marriage involve excessive note-taking, performance reviews, and most of all, the Journal of Best Practices: a collection of hundreds of maxims and hard-won epiphanies, including “Don’t change the radio station when she’s singing along” and “Apologies do not count when you shout them.” David transforms himself from the world’s most trying husband to the husband who tries t
£999.99
Sounds True Inc Walking Each Other Home: Conversations on Loving
Book SynopsisWe all sit on the edge of a mystery. We have only known this life, so dying scares us-and we are all dying. But what if dying were perfectly safe? What would it look like if you could approach dying with curiosity and love, in service of other beings? Ram Dass and Mirabai Bush began their friendship more than four decades ago at the foot of their guru, Neem Karoli Baba, also known as Maharaj-ji. After impacting millions of people through the years with their teachings, these friends reunited to share an extraordinary dialogue on the dying process-which became the foundation for Walking Each Other Home. In this book, published just a year before Ram Dass passed, readers will learn about: guidelines for being a "loving rock" for the dying, how to grieve fully and authentically, how to transform a fear of death, leaving a spiritual legacy, creating a sacred space for dying, and much more. "Everybody you have ever loved is a part of the fabric of your being now," says Ram Dass. The body may die, but the soul remains. Death is an invitation to a new kind of relationship, in the place where we are all One. Experience a profound exploration by two lifelong friends and spiritual luminaries on what it means to live and die consciously, remember who we really are, and illuminate the path we walk together.
£17.09
HarperCollins Publishers Inc My Life Among the Underdogs
Book SynopsisTrade Review“Readers get to know Torres through the stories of dogs who played special roles in her life.... Each pit bull profiled shows the potential in rescue dogs, regardless of their backgrounds. Animal-loving readers will be drawn to Torres’s commitment to the ‘underdogs’ she has spent her life caring for.” — Library Journal “Torres does vital, admirable work, and fans of her show as well as animal lovers in general will enjoy these warm-hearted recollections.” — Booklist
£10.99
Seven Stories Press,U.S. The Years
Book SynopsisThe latest, astonishing and award-winning book by acclaimed French author Annie Ernaux.
£14.29
Random House USA Inc Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race to Turn Hope
Book SynopsisLOS ANGELES TIMES AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER • The powerful memoir of a young doctor and former college athlete diagnosed with a rare disease who spearheaded the search for a cure—and became a champion for a new approach to medical research.“A wonderful and moving chronicle of a doctor’s relentless pursuit, this book serves both patients and physicians in demystifying the science that lies behind medicine.”—Siddhartha Mukherjee, New York Times bestselling author of The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene David Fajgenbaum, a former Georgetown quarterback, was nicknamed the Beast in medical school, where he was also known for his unmatched mental stamina. But things changed dramatically when he began suffering from inexplicable fatigue. In a matter of weeks, his organs were failing and he was read his last rites. Doctors were baffled by his condition, which they had yet to even diagnose. Floating in and out of consciousness, Fajgenbaum prayed for a second chance, the equivalent of a dramatic play to second the game into overtime.Miraculously, Fajgenbaum survived—only to endure repeated near-death relapses from what would eventually be identified as a form of Castleman disease, an extremely deadly and rare condition that acts like a cross between cancer and an autoimmune disorder. When he relapsed while on the only drug in development and realized that the medical community was unlikely to make progress in time to save his life, Fajgenbaum turned his desperate hope for a cure into concrete action: Between hospitalizations he studied his own charts and tested his own blood samples, looking for clues that could unlock a new treatment. With the help of family, friends, and mentors, he also reached out to other Castleman disease patients and physicians, and eventually came up with an ambitious plan to crowdsource the most promising research questions and recruit world-class researchers to tackle them. Instead of waiting for the scientific stars to align, he would attempt to align them himself. More than five years later and now married to his college sweetheart, Fajgenbaum has seen his hard work pay off: A treatment he identified has induced a tentative remission and his novel approach to collaborative scientific inquiry has become a blueprint for advancing rare disease research. His incredible story demonstrates the potency of hope, and what can happen when the forces of determination, love, family, faith, and serendipity collide.Praise for Chasing My Cure“A page-turning chronicle of living, nearly dying, and discovering what it really means to be invincible in hope.”—Angela Duckworth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grit“[A] remarkable memoir . . . Fajgenbaum writes lucidly and movingly . . . Fajgenbaum’s stirring account of his illness will inspire readers.”—Publishers Weekly
£14.39
Mountaineers Books Forget Me Not: A Memoir
Book SynopsisHaving suddenly lost her husband, Alex Lowe, in a tragic mountaineering accident, Jennifer Lowe struggled to hold her family together and deal with her grief. At the same time Alex's best friend, famed climber Conrad Anker, was dealing with the terrible loss as well as feelings of survivor's guilt. Jenni and Conrad gradually, and unexpectedly, found solace in one another. "Forget Me Not" spans continents and tells the story of three people whose lives intertwine to a degree they could never have imagined. Jennifer Lowe-Anker is an artist whose often whimsical paintings are rendered in vivid colour and rich texture inspired by her Montana upbringing. This is the paperback edition. Winner of the National Outdoor Book Award, it features an 8-page black & white photo section.
£15.19
Pan Macmillan Lets Pretend This Never Happened
Book SynopsisEven when I was funny, I wasn't this funny'Augusten Burroughs, author of Running With Scissors Have you ever embarrassed yourself so badly you thought you'd never get over it? Have you ever wished your family could be just like everyone else's? Have you ever been followed to school by your father's herd of turkeys, mistaken a marriage proposal for an attempted murder or got your arm stuck inside a cow? OK, maybe that's just Jenny Lawson . . . The bestselling memoir from one of America's most outlandishly hilarious writers.Trade ReviewYou shouldn't be laughing and probably you'll go to hell for laughing, so maybe you shouldn't read it. That would be safer and wiser -- Neil GaimanHilarious . . . totally inappropriate * Marie Claire *A skewering but deeply affectionate portrait of her family, in the vein of David Sedaris . . . blends surprising honesty with acerbic wit * New York Times *Jenny Lawson is the QUEEN of saying too much, and then saying something even worse. And that is why I adore her -- Caitlin MoranGET READY. Jenny Lawson has such a disturbing, ill-mannered, rich sense of humor you will wonder, "Am I the sick one for laughing?" Everyone I gave the book to confirmed: We must all be sick, because this book IS HYSTERICAL . . . and yet it was also strangely touching at times. It's one of my favorite books in the past five years -- Kathryn Stockett, # 1 New York Times bestselling author of The HelpPoignant, funny and insane... a celebration of the strength and character it takes to withstand life's curveballs * Stylist *Even when I was funny, I wasn't this funny -- Augusten Burroughs, author of Running With ScissorsDisplays the wit that's made her a hit on the Web... hilarious * Booklist *Lawson writes with a rambling irreverence that makes you wish she were your best friend * Entertainment Weekly *Endlessly entertaining and consistently jaw-dropping * Glamour *There's something wrong with Jenny Lawson - magnificently wrong. I defy you to read her work and not hurt yourself laughing -- Jen LancasterFucked up in the best possible way. Adorably offensive -- Jesus (Jesus is Jenny Lawson’s hairdresser. He pronounces his name differently from that other Jesus.)Jenny Lawson's writing is nothing less than revolutionary... I say this without a hint of exaggeration: she may be one of the most progressive women's voices of our time -- Karen Walrond, author of The Beauty of DifferentFunny, irreverent. . . a comic character that readers will engage with in shocked dismay as they gratefully turn the pages * Kirkus *The funniest memoir ever about a talking squirrel, anxiety disorder, couch etiquette, and more. Believe us, Lawson is hilarious * Ladies' Home Journal *Jenny Lawson is hilarious, snarky, witty, totally inappropriate * Marie Claire *‘The Bloggess writes stuff that actually is laugh-out-loud, but you know that really you shouldn’t be laughing and probably you’ll go to hell for laughing, so maybe you shouldn’t read it. That would be safer and wiser.’ Neil Gaiman‘[A] wondrous knack for bawdy storytelling… Lawson’s self-deprecating humour is not only gaspingly funny and wonderfully inappropriate; it also allows her to speak about subjects like depression, anxiety and infertility in a real and raw way’. O Magazine‘Take one part David Sedaris and two parts Chelsea Handler and you’ll have some inkling of the cockeyed humor of Jenny Lawson… [She] flaunts the sort of fearless comedic chops that will make you spurt Diet Coke through your nose.’ Parade‘Funny, raunchy and unexpectedly uplifting… will leave you hoping that Lawson’s next book happens, and soon'. People Magazine‘Zany… hilarious… takes cues from the memoirs of Tina Fey and David Sedaris’. Reuters‘Frankly, it would be hard to grow up free of eccentricities if one’s strongest memories of childhood involved a taxidermist father bringing home all manner of fierce creatures, alive and dead… The best and funniest parts of this memoir are the childhood reminiscences…but Lawson also wrings much amusement from the challenge of balancing her eccentricities with the demands of being grown up and having a family of her own’ The Herald‘Bawdy, irreverent, searingly honest, big and loud… she keeps her readers in stitches’. The Huffington Post‘A skewering, but deeply affectionate portrait of her family, in the vein of David Sedaris… blends surprising honesty with acerbic wit’. The New York Times ‘Lawson’s sweet-at-the-core book is really about valuing your family, however crazy they may be’ Whole Living Magazine‘Clever is my kryptonite, and Jenny is one of the most clever people on the Internet’. Wil Wheaton
£9.49
Random House USA Inc Finding the Mother Tree
Book Synopsis
£13.50
Pan Macmillan Tanqueray
Book SynopsisReeling from a brutal childhood, immersed in a world of go-go dancers and hustlers, dirty cops and gangsters, Stephanie Johnson was determined to become the fiercest thing the city had ever seen. And she succeeded. This is her story.The storytelling phenomenon Humans of New York has captivated a global audience of millions with personal narratives that illuminate the human condition. But one story stands apart from the rest . . .She is a woman as fabulous, unbowed, and irresistible as the city she lives in.Meet Tanqueray.Humans of New York featured a photo of a woman in an outrageous fur coat and hat she made herself. She instantly captured the attention of millions. Her name is Stephanie Johnson, but she’s better known as 'Tanqueray,' a born performer who emerged from a troubled youth to become one of the best-known burlesque dancers in New York City.Real, raw, and unapologetically honest, this is the full story of Tanqueray as told by Brandon Stanton – a memoir filled with never-before-told stories of Tanqueray's struggles and triumphs through good times and bad, personal photos from her own collection, and glimpses of New York City from back in the day when the name 'Tanqueray' was on everyone’s lips.Trade ReviewA deeply touching memoir . . . A beautiful, sometimes shocking story, kept out of the lily-white, upper crust canon of literature — until now -- Washington PostOutrageously funny, raw and unfiltered, and quintessentially New York City, the true-life story of Tanqueray will seduce and fascinate you -- Reader's Digest 'Reader's Pick'Hypnotizing . . . this has it all: humor, intrigue, and heart * Publishers Weekly *A frank, deadpan and often melancholy memoir * New York Times *
£18.75
C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd Daughter of the Agunmukha
Book SynopsisHow does a girl from a tiny Bangladeshi island end up reading Tagore, Marx and de Beauvoir and become a leading feminist campaigner? This is the riveting personal story of Noorjahan Bose, born in 1938 in present-day Bangladesh to a farming family, near the mouth of the ferocious River Agunmukha—Fire Mouth River. Abused by male relatives and raised by a mother who was herself a child bride, Noorjahan struggled for her education and autonomy. Nurtured joyfully and creatively by her mother, and mentored by local activists, she found her way into the progressive movements that would one day take her around the world. From the pain of partition to her husband’s death when she was only 18 and pregnant, to the devastating cyclones threatening her family’s home and livelihood, Noorjahan’s life has not been easy. Yet her courage shines through the pages of her memoir, whether she is promoting Bangla language rights, enduring Bangladesh’s liberation war, or marrying outside her family’s faith. This moving, gripping book tells a powerful story of trauma, loss, resilience and empowerment.Trade Review'A personal story of struggle and resilience…representing Bangladesh’s contemporary history from a woman’s point of view.' -- Asian Review of Books‘A moving account of [Bose’s] personal triumph to piece together her shattered life.’ -- Deccan Herald'An absolutely stunning and mesmerising account of life in a Bengal consumed by climate change and extractive greed. With lyrical prose and rich detail, Bose tells the captivating story of her life, revealing the fortitude and strength of the women she knew and the woman she herself has become.' -- Rafia Zakaria, attorney, political philosopher and author of 'Against White Feminism''A riveting and moving read. Noorjahan's compelling life journey is a story of courage and resilience and is a true inspiration to feminist activists around the world.' -- Jaspreet Kaur, poet, educator and author of 'Brown Girl Like Me''Knowing Noorjahan Bose through this fiercely honest autobiography is an honour. Her impossible journey is a heroic testament to the unbreakable spirit of the human soul. A gem of a book: inspirational, indomitable and tender.' -- Leesa Gazi, actor, filmmaker and author of 'Hellfire''Bose's memoir unlocks a hidden nation before its identity was regionally and religiously determined. It's an incantation of love and violence, family secrets and resilience—by a deltaic daughter at the confluence of "rivers of fire".' -- Lipika Pelham, journalist, historian and author of 'Passing: An Alternative History of Identity''Uncovering multiple dimensions of the varied landscapes of Bangladesh, England and the United States, Daughter of the Agunmukha tells the personal and political story of a life spanning the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.' -- Yasmin Saikia, Hardt-Nickachos Chair in Peace Studies, Arizona State University, and author of 'Women, War, and the Making of Bangladesh'
£18.04
HarperCollins India Charaiveti: An Academic's Global Journey
Book SynopsisThe word 'charaiveti', from an ancient Sanskrit hymn, means 'keep moving', in search of self-realization. The leading Indian economist and public intellectual Pranab Bardhan invokes this in his moving narrative of a personal and professional journey.
£20.42
Cambridge University Press A Tattoo on My Brain
Book SynopsisDr Daniel Gibbs is one of 50 million people worldwide with an Alzheimer''s disease diagnosis. Unlike most patients with Alzheimer''s, however, Dr Gibbs worked as a neurologist for twenty-five years, caring for patients with the very disease now affecting him. Also unusual is that Dr Gibbs had begun to suspect he had Alzheimer''s several years before any official diagnosis could be made. Forewarned by genetic testing showing he carried alleles that increased the risk of developing the disease, he noticed symptoms of mild cognitive impairment long before any tests would have alerted him. In this highly personal account, Dr Gibbs documents the effect his diagnosis has had on his life and explains his advocacy for improving early recognition of Alzheimer''s. Weaving clinical knowledge from decades caring for dementia patients with his personal experience of the disease, this is an optimistic tale of one man''s journey with early-stage Alzheimer''s disease. Soon to be a documentary film on MTV/Paramount +.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; Introduction; Prologue; 1. Beacon Rock; 2. Forewarned and Forearmed; 3. The Smell of Baking Bread; 4. Sneak Preview; 5. A Stubborn Puzzle; 6. The Locked Box and the Family Tree; 7. The Measure of Memory; 8. Orcas, Nonetheless; 9. My Brain, My Self; 10. The Reveal; 11. Cognitive Reserve: Brain Cells in the Bank; 12. My Experimental Life; 13. When ARIA is More Than an Operatic Solo; 14. My Experiential Life: Living with Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease; 15. Madeleines, Music and African Doves; 16. It's Only Scary if You Look Down; 17. Beyond DNA: Family History Reconsidered; 18. NEWS AT 5: Retired Neurologist Battles Alzheimer's; 19. The Forest, the Trees and the Ground Beneath My Feet; 20. What's in a Name? Alzheimer's Reimagined; 21. A Meaningful Outcome; Epilogue: The Writing Life; Epilogue: The Writing Life Act II; Appendix: The MIND Diet Basics; Resources; Index.
£9.49
