Memoirs Books

Book SynopsisEdward O. Wilson--winner of two Pulitzer prizes, champion of biodiversity, and Faculty Emeritus at Harvard University--is arguably one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century. Yet his celebrated career began not with an elite education but from an insatiable curiosity about the natural world and drive to explore its mysteries. Called "one of the finest scientific memoirs ever written" by the Los Angeles Times, Naturalist is a wise and personal account of Wilson's growth as a scientist and the evolution of the fields he helped define. This 25th Anniversary Edition celebrates Naturalist as a modern classic. Wilson traces the trajectory of his life--from a childhood spent exploring the Gulf Coast of Alabama and Florida to life as a tenured professor at Harvard--detailing how his youthful fascination with nature blossomed into a lifelong calling. With humor and insight, Wilson recounts his days as a student at the University of Alabama and decades at Harvard University, where he has achieved renown as both teacher and researcher. As the narrative of Wilson's life unfolds, the reader is treated to an inside look at the origin and development of ideas that guide today's biological research. Theories that are now widely accepted in the scientific world were once untested hypotheses emerging from one man's wide-ranging studies. At once practical and lyric, Naturalist provides fascinating insights into the making of a scientist, and a valuable look at some of the most thought-provoking ideas of our time. As relevant today as when it was first published, Naturalist is a poignant reminder of the deeply human side of science and an inspiring call to celebrate the little things of the worldTable of ContentsTable of Contents Prelude PART I. Daybreak in Alabama Chapter 1. Paradise Beach Chapter 2. Send Us the Boy Chapter 3. A Light in the Corner Chapter 4. A Magic Kingdom Chapter 5. To Do My Duty Chapter 6. Alabama Dreaming Chapter 7. The Hunters Chapter 8. Good-Bye to the South Chapter 9. Orizaba PART II. Storyteller Chapter 10. The South Pacific Chapter 11. The Forms of Things Unknown Chapter 12. The Molecular Wars Chapter 13. Islands Are the Key Chapter 14. The Florida Keys Experiment Chapter 15. Ants Chapter 16. Attaining Sociobiology Chapter 17. The Sociobiology Controversy Chapter 18. Biodiversity, Biophilia Afterword Acknowledgments Index

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Book Synopsis'Life is not defined by the bad things that happen to us. It certainly isn't for me.'Written for her young son so that he would know what had happened to his mother, Cynthia Banham's inspiring family memoir uncovers a true picture of what survival means:'This book tells a story that I tried to write many times before, but couldn't. For a long time, it was too painful to tell. It is also one I hadn't known how to tell. It had to be more than a story about surviving a plane crash, a random event without intrinsic meaning.'Unable until now to write her own story, Cynthia found that the lives of her Italian grandfather, Alfredo, and his intriguing older sister, Amelia, resonated with her own. Discovering their sacrifice, joy, fear and love, from Trieste to Germany and America, and finally to Australia, their stories mirror and illuminate Cynthia's own determination and courage in the face of overwhelming adversity.From a remarkable writer, and told with unflinching honesty and compassion, A Certain Light speaks to the heart of what really matters in life.Trade ReviewAs her book progresses, she is able to circle closer and closer to the event ­itself, to stare at the sun. The account she tenders is harrowing but clear-eyed. The inheritance Banham is determined to leave is not sorrow, but resilience anchored in a profound and fierce love. As A Certain Light powerfully attests, this was her inheritance, too. * The Australian *

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Book SynopsisSon of Mine is a beautiful, multi-layered account of what it means to be a family. Peter Papathanasiou successfully intertwines two life journeys – his own and his mother’s – over the course of nearly a hundred years, to tell the story of an astonishing act of kindness, and an incredible secret kept hidden for two decades. This exceptional memoir sensitively documents the migrant experience, both from the unfamiliar perspective of first-generation migrants and the tension felt by the second-generation trapped between two cultures. At its core, Son of Mine is about the search for identity – for what it means to be who you are when everything is torn down and questioned, and the wisdom we can pass on to the next generation.Son of Mine is a compelling account of unknown heritage, of life gifts and losses, and the reclamations of parenting. It is dramatic, poignant and uplifting. But above all, it is a memoir of shock, discovery and reconciliation, all delivered in exquisite prose.Trade ReviewAged 24, Peter Papathanasiou was summoned to his mother’s bedroom and told he was adopted. This kickstarts a search for identity that echoes across decades and continents as the author moves between his mother’s life in Greece and Australia. Though this is a unique family history, there’s something universal about this affecting memoir, particularly when Papathanasiou becomes a parent himself. The writing is graceful but never portentous, filling this debut with heart and meaning. -- Ben East * Observer *

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Book Synopsis‘One of the most compelling stories I’ve seen about what it’s actually like to serve the American people’ BARACK OBAMA A revelatory, behind-the-scenes account of the Obama presidency and a political memoir about the power of words to change our world This is a book about two people making the most important decisions in the world. One is Barack Obama. The other is Ben Rhodes. A young writer and Washington outsider, Rhodes was plucked from obscurity aged 29. For nearly ten years, he was at the centre of the Obama Administration – first as a speech-writer, then a policy maker, and finally a close collaborator. Here, Rhodes tells the full story of his partnership – and, ultimately, friendship – with a historic president. From the early days of the Obama campaign to the final hours in the Oval Office, he puts us in the room at the most tense and poignant moments in recent history. ‘Vivid, lucid, enjoyable… A compelling account of life in the Obama White House’ Justin Webb, The Times ‘A stylish, beautifully written political memoir’ Colum McCannTrade ReviewBen’s one of the few who’ve been with me since that first presidential campaign. His memoir is one of the most compelling stories I’ve seen about what it’s actually like to serve the American people for eight years in the White House -- BARACK OBAMABen Rhodes … has written a book that reflects the president he served — intelligent, amiable, compelling and principled … a classic coming-of-age story, about the journey from idealism to realism, told with candor and immediacy … There are anecdotes galore, but they illuminate rather than scandalize … Ben Rhodes is a charming and humble guide through an unprecedented presidency … As a result, his achievement is rare for a political memoir: He has written a humane and honorable book * New York Times *Vivid, lucid, enjoyable ... A compelling account of life in the Obama White House -- Justin Webb * The Times *Taut, compelling. -- Peter Conrad * Observer *A page-turning, unfiltered, altogether human look at Barack Obama’s presidency. Ben Rhodes — one of Obama’s closest and most important advisers — opens up the defining issues of the presidency: from the role of race and the rise of conspiracy theories to the hunt for bin Laden, the Syria “red line” debate, and the secret negotiations Ben himself led to normalize ties with Cuba. Insightful, funny, and moving, this is a beautifully observed, essential record of what it was like to be there. -- Samantha Power, Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations

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Book SynopsisThe author proves that age is just a number and that determination and grit can take a person to unexpected heights. For her, that meant conquering El Capitan at the age of 66. Wolownick's story of her drive to push her physical body beyond her mental limits will serve as a stimulant for those yearning to do more with their lives. A motivational tale of a woman who overcame her biggest critics, including her inner self, to achieve one dream after another.-Kirkus Reviews Wife and mother. Teacher and musician. Marathoner and rock climber. At 66, Dierdre Wolownick became the oldest woman to climb El Capitan in Yosemite--and in The Sharp End of Life: A Mother's Story, she shares her intimate journey, revealing how her climbing achievement reflects a broader story of courage and persistence. Dierdre grew up under the watchful eyes of a domineering mother and realized early on that her parents' plans for her future weren't what she wanted for herself. Later, what seemed like a storybook romance brought escape, with new experiences and eye-opening travel, but she quickly discovered that her husband was not the happy-go-lucky man he had first appeared. Adapting as best she could, Dierdre juggled work and raising two young children, encouraging them to be fearlessly confident. She noted with delight how her "little lady" Stasia took it upon herself to look out for her baby brother, and watched in amazement as Alex (Honnold of Free Solo fame) started climbing practically before he could crawl. After years of struggle in her marriage and her ultimate divorce, Dierdre found inspiration in her now-adult children's passions, as well as new depths within herself. At Stasia's urging, she took up running at age 54 and soon completed several marathons. Then at age 58, Alex led her on her first rock climbs. A world of friendship and support suddenly opened up to her within the climbing "tribe," culminating in her record-setting ascent of El Cap with her son. From confused young wife and busy but lonely mother to confident middle-aged athlete, Dierdre brings the reader along as she finds new strength, happiness, and community in the outdoors--and a life of learning, acceptance, and spirit.Trade Review[A] memoir about her metamorphosis from a self-effacing wife in an unhappy marriage to a confident athletic role model for her generation.... Wolownick fights her way through...to find a place to breathe, as both a woman and mother. The challenges she overcame seem to me as challenging as any rock wall.--John Glionna "Outside" A stirring autobiographical tale of a multitalented woman who ignores barriers and succeeds with the strength of her inner determination. [The Sharp End of Life] is an engrossing story written in absorbing prose that will fascinate the reader and trigger applause for the escapades of this liberated woman.--Aaron Row "Tulsa Book Review" At age 66, Wolownick set a record of her own on El Capitan - becoming the oldest woman ever to climb that sheer rock face. In rock climbing parlance, "the sharp end" refers to the lead climber, the one who is determining the route. And, finally, that is what Wolownick is doing with her own life. In "The Sharp End of Life," instead of retiring in her golden years, Wolownick is inspiring.--Barbara Lloyd McMichael, The Bookmonger "Coast Weekend" At times, [Dierdre Wolownick's] story is one of pain and loneliness...of putting the needs of others first to such an unfathomable degree that she was nearly friendless well into adulthood, sacrificing her sense of self in the process. But then--and this is the best part--there was liberation, reached through a deep and abiding resilience brought to the surface when Wolownick...starts following Alex up the walls of Yosemite.--Shawnte Salabert "Adventure Journal" Dierdre has recently put her thoughts on raising Alex, her life as a mother, and her new climbing passion in a book titled The Sharp End of Life: A Mother's Story... Dierdre talks about being the mother of perhaps the greatest climber ever to live, but she also relates being a beginner and dipping her own toes in the climbing life for the first time well into her 50s.--Chris Kalous "The Enormocast" From confused young wife and busy but lonely mother to confident middle-aged athlete, Dierdre brings the reader along as she finds new strength, happiness, and community in the outdoors--and a life of learning, acceptance, and spirit...a inherently fascinating life story that is at once instructional and inspirational.-- "Midwest Book Review" Honnold fans who enjoyed his memoir Alone on the Wall or saw the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo will appreciate [Dierdre] Wolownick's intimate stories. Others will find inspiration in her record as the oldest woman to climb El Capitan.--Margaret Atwater-Singer "Library Journal" I was drawn to the book to find out what it must be like to be the mother of the first person to free solo El Capitan, but ended up finding Dierdre's resilience the most intriguing and inspiring aspect.--Natalie Berry "UKC" In her new book [The Sharp End of Life], Wolownick shares her story of adventure and resilience--both on and off the rock.... Her intimate memoir is a story of the tricky cards that life sometimes deals, the reactions we choose, and the amazing things that can happen when we move step-by-step toward the things that make us come alive.--Hilary Oliver "REI Co-op Journal" Moving...Dierdre Wolownick is every bit the adventure badass her world-famous son is.... In her new memoir, The Sharp End of Life, Wolownick recounts not only her role as matriarch to the climbing world's king but also as a daughter and wife who struggled to find her own idea of happiness.--Adam Ruggiero "GearJunkie" The author proves that age is just a number and that determination and grit can take a person to unexpected heights. For her, that meant conquering El Capitan at the age of 66. Wolownick's story of her drive to push her physical body beyond her mental limits will serve as a stimulant for those yearning to do more with their lives. A motivational tale of a woman who overcame her biggest critics, including her inner self, to achieve one dream after another.-- "Kirkus Reviews" What must it be like to be Alex Honnold's mother? In this gripping memoir, Dierdre Wolownick answers this and many other questions... As Wolownick herself becomes more immersed in the sport, she develops a genuine passion; having taken up climbing at age 58, she recounts her one-day ascent, with Alex and a friend, of El Capitan's Lurking Fear.-- "Climbing" Words worth reading: The mother of extreme climber Alex Honnold, star of the documentary Free Solo, tells her own tale of conquering fear after learning to rock-climb at age 58.-- "People magazine" A testament to the transformative power of outdoor adventure.--Alex Honnold Inspired by her two children, both extreme athletes, Dierdre Wolownick literally marathon runs and rock climbs herself out of her fear, grief, and a difficult marriage. The Sharp End of Life is a story of mother-love, self-determination, and the refusal to simply endure. The world is well aware of the superhuman climbing feats of her son, Alex; now we can witness the awe-inspiring feats of his tenacious sixty-something mother. This is a story of unwavering belief: in one's children, in one's self, in the possibility of an extraordinary life.--Jan Redford, author of End of the Rope: Mountains, Marriage, and Motherhood

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Book SynopsisThe Innocence of Memories is an important addition to the oeuvre of Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk. Comprised of the screenplay of the acclaimed film by Grant Gee from 2015 (by the same name), a transcript of the author and filmmaker in conversation, and captivating colour stills, it is an essential volume for understanding Pamuk's work.Drawing on the themes from Pamuk's best-selling books, The Museum of Innocence, Istanbul and The Black Book, this book is both an accompaniment to the author's previous publications and a wonderfully revelatory exploration of Orhan Pamuk's key ideas about art, love, and memory.

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Book SynopsisA riveting memoir by the popular veteran BBC correspondent, examining his desire to become a war reporter and how the nature of the job has changed. Currently presenting the BBC Radio 4 series'Our Man In The Middle East'.

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Book SynopsisNON-FICTION WINNER OF THE OCM BOCAS PRIZE FOR CARIBBEAN LITERATURE AND A FINALIST FOR THE HILARY WESTON WRITERS’ TRUST PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION What does it mean to belong? All her life, Tessa McWatt has been asked, ‘What are you?’ Born in Guyana to a family with Scottish, African, French, Chinese, Indian, Portuguese, and Native American heritage, she grew up in a white suburb, out of place, longing to fit in. As an adult, she moved to the UK, still pursued by questions about her identity. In this deeply personal reckoning with race and belonging, Tessa interweaves her own experiences as a mixed-race woman with a stark and unvarnished history of slavery and indenture, as well as observations on literature and popular culture. This powerful memoir of being mixed race in a predominantly white society is a necessary exploration of who and what we truly are.Trade Review‘Eloquent and moving.’ -- Barbara Taylor * The Guardian *‘Political, personal, intellectual, and critical.’ -- Bernardine Evaristo, author of Girl, Woman, Other‘This remarkable meditation on beautiful, human bodies formed by the violence of slavery and by colonial shame resists categorisation, even as it shows up the ways in which categories of race and identity are no more than empty methods of social control. Reading this book I felt a profound sense of relief: that someone as wise as Tessa McWatt had the compassion and courage to write it. Though she doesn’t spare us, her ancestors or herself, as she travels from British Guiana to China, India and Scotland, we must go with her: and realise the power of recovering female lineage, and realise that there is no centre, except the one we ourselves can make with all the various stories we contain. It is a deeply moving, urgent and important book.’ -- Preti Taneja, author of We That Are Young‘She is one of our greatest black female writers … She’s a deeply thoughtful woman and deeply radical in her thinking. She’s not on the fence about her politics.’ -- Monique Roffey * The Observer *‘Interrogating our ideas of race through the lens of her own multi-racial identity, critically acclaimed novelist Tessa McWatt turns her eye on herself, her body and this world in a powerful new work of non-fiction.’ -- Layla Saad, author of Me and White Supremacy‘Superb.’ -- Emma Dabiri, author of Don’t Touch My Hair‘Stunningly beautiful … Her flowing, lyrical first-person prose is as close to poetry as prose can be, deeply evocative and laden with imagery without weighing the narrative down … Deeply compelling and strikingly original.’ -- Becky Long * The Irish Times *‘Shame on Me offers alternative routes into black life and suggests that there’s still space for … reflections on the politics of race presented in tangential ways.’ -- Colin Grant * TLS *‘Executed with mellifluous scholarship and an eagle’s eye for affecting detail.’ -- Stephanie Sy-Quia * Brixton Review of Books *‘Heartstopping and wise, exquisitely written, compellingly told, Shame on Me rises to a crescendo of such beauty and grace in its final chapter — a call to activism and resistance — that it left me breathless with the intensity of my own listening.’ -- Rebecca Stott, author of In the Days of Rain‘A brave indictment, both passionate and reflective, of the category of race and the prison that identity can become.’ -- Lisa Appignanesi, author of Mad, Bad, and Sad‘There have been many books about race and identity in recent years, but none quite like this one. Shame On Me is part memoir, part essay, and partly a challenge to think beyond the current parameters of “identity” in our contemporary world. Told from the perspective of a writer whose own inheritance confounds established identities at every turn, it is a perceptive, poignant and deeply profound meditation on how the race-thinking of the plantation continues to structure our sense of ourselves “all the way down”. It is an essential intervention on behalf of those of us who wish to confront and overcome the resurgence of racism today.’ -- Anshuman Mondal, Professor of Modern Literature at UEA‘Shame on Me is one of the most moving and intellectually profound books of its kind. As an ‘anatomy,’ it operates with surgical precision upon the necrotic legacies of race, affirming kinship and solidarity against the ongoing violence of silence and denigration. Courageously intimate and beautifully written, it is everything I admire in Tessa McWatt.’ -- David Chariandy, author of I've Been Meaning to Tell You‘Poignant, provocative, beautifully written, Tessa McWatt's new memoir Shame on Me is an important, original and deeply thoughtful book. McWatt asks the toughest, most searching of questions about race and belonging and offers answers that surprise and challenge us. I loved it.' -- Jill Dawson, author of The Language of Birds‘Her prose is lyrical and haunting ... McWatt forcefully demonstrates how we all have a stake in dismantling the status quo and creating new paths towards true freedom: “a place outside both the master’s house and the field”. Shame on Me is a tale of our time, yet also timeless.’ -- Shu-Ling Chua * The Saturday Paper *‘Powerful and provocative.’ * Sunday Life *‘Beautifully written, profoundly moving, and deeply reflective.’ * 2020 OCM Bocas Prize jury citation *‘Beautifully written and courageously told.’ * 2020 Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction jury citation *‘This is a fierce, remarkable and poetic take on racial identity.’ -- Susan Dale * Bad Form *‘A personal and powerful exploration of history and identity.’ * The Globe and Mail ‘Books of the Year’ *Praise for Higher Ed: ‘[C]ombines campus novel (historically a distinctly white-male genre) with a Zadie Smith-like sense of a thoroughly multicultural London … satirises with sharp wit the precariousness of academic life.’ * The Age *Praise for Higher Ed: ‘A wryly passionate, slyly political and engrossing concatenation of London lives, that only a Londoner by choice could have written.’ * China Miéville *

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Book SynopsisThe Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is one of the greatest shows on earth. Around 220,000 people attend each year. It is seen on TV by a further 100 million. Alasdair Hutton is the Voice of the Tattoo. This book is the story of the Tattoo, told by the Narrator and prefaced by a short history of tattoos pre-Edinburgh and a history of the Tattoo pre-Alasdair. With an ever-changing cast of over 1,000 performers, each year’s show is unique. Some elements remain unchanged – the spine-tingling Lone Piper playing on the Castle ramparts, the cacophony of sound that is the closing massed pipes and drums, the welcoming voice of Alasdair Hutton as you arrive. Ladies and gentlemen, take your seats, the Greatest Show on Earth is about to begin. For the last 25 years, Alasdair Hutton has told our story to each of our audiences since he started in 1992 – a total live audience of over 5 million people. Not only has he been behind the microphone without fail, in Edinburgh and when we have taken the show abroad, but he has also researched and written the script. Alasdair’s most precious talents are his voice, his sense of timing and his feel for occasion. Alasdair Hutton is above all one of life’s great gentlemen. Not only is he impeccably polite but he has great charisma, values and a wonderful sense of purpose. This book, which is Alasdair’s own story – only a small part of it! – gives a sense of the huge contribution he has made to the remarkable institution of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. From the foreword by brigadier David AllfreyTrade Review.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Foreword Introduction First Act - A Brief History of Tattoos Second Act - Why Edinburgh? Third Act - 1992 How I Got the Job Fourth Act - 1992–94 Major Michael Parker Fifth Act - 1995–99 Brigadier Melville Jameson Sixth Act - 2000–06 Brigadier Melville Jameson Seventh Act - 2007–10 Major General Euan Loudon Eighth Act - 2011–16 to the Present Brigadier David Allfrey Ninth Act - Edinburgh Military Tattoos Overseas Tenth Act - Mini Tattoos and Others in the UK Eleventh Act - Other Tattoos Overseas Twelfth Act - The Silver Year

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Book Synopsis'Goodbye! There's my good girl.' The German got hold of Papa's arm roughly and said, 'Come on!' They got in the car and sped away, leaving the two breathless girls standing on the street corner, staring at where the car had been. 'What on earth was all that about? Why has my Daddy gone with that German?' It made no sense. It made no sense at all. France, 1940: The British have retreated, evacuating their forces from Dunkirk. Nell and her girls stand on the beach on a clear day and see the outline of Dover Castle but it will be four and a half long years before they return to Britain. Jeanne, her sisters and their mother Nell are left to fend for themselves in occupied France when her father is arrested by the Nazis and taken to an internment camp.Proudly British, they have also been raised speaking French. Nell is determined to keep going, keep food on the table and see her girls continue in education. She takes in washing, teaches English and tries growing vegetables but the soil is too poor. They apply for Red Cross Parcels but are told, as they are not behind barbed wire, they don't qualify.Yet amid the struggles come great friendships and pleasure in the smallest things; the rare treat of a piece of cake or tart, a Christmas tree decorated with cotton or singing in church. Jeanne's sisters are distinct personalities, one bookish and quiet, the other outgoing. Letters from her interned husband Tom Sarginson and occasional visits to see him only temporarily eases the pain of being parted. Nell falls in love with a kindly German soldier. When liberation comes in 1944 Nell and the girls' excitement is tempered by a shocking event in their then home village of Rieux-en-Cambresis. There follows an exhilarating and frustrating stay in newly liberated Paris and the shock of arriving back in the war weary Britain of late 1944. Nell and the Girls is a remarkable, dramatic and heartwarming true story of a family told from the viewpoint of young Jeanne Sarginson, later Gask.

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Book Synopsis'Uplifting and honest, [Tender is] about resilience and learning to look after oneself so as to be better able to care for others.' KATE MOSSE'A beautiful and important book that is both deeply engaging and usefully practical. I loved it.' CATHY RENTZENBRINK'An insightful and well-timed book ... forces us to confront the stereotypes - and prejudices - we hold.' SUNDAY TIMES'profoundly important...full of wisdom and bright insights on what it really means to love someone, by a fearless and generous writer. ' CLOVER STROUD'A beautiful and timely reminder that each and every one of us has the ability to care, the capacity for empathy, and the potential to grow.' ANDY PUDDICOMBE, FOUNDER OF HEADSPACE'A wonderful book: compassionate, honest, carefully-reasoned and genuinely helpful... This will benefit many people.' KATHERINE MAY, author of WINTERING 'An invaluable tool for any invisible carers or anyone who wants to learn how to better support their loved ones... we ALL have many, many things to learn from Penny's beautiful, wise, charming, thoughtful words' - SCARLETT CURTIS, Sunday Times bestselling author'Moving and beautifully written, nuanced and wise, alert to every paradox at the heart of love. A hugely important book not only for current or future carers, but anyone learning to accept that life tends to resist our control.' - OLIVIA SUDJIC, author of EXPOSURE'Tender captures the powerful capacity of people to care for others, and all the heartbreaking and heartwarming complexity that this involves. Penny brings the crucial, yet often overlooked, role of caring into our collective consciousness and, in doing so, demonstrates what it means to be human.' -DR EMMA HEPBURN, author of A TOOLKIT FOR MODERN LIFE'Penny Wincer's TENDER manages to combine both unromanticised honesty about the realities of care with a genuine uplifting hopefulness... is a must-read.'- RUTH WHIPPMAN, author of THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESSWe are all likely - at some point in our lives - to face the prospect of caring for another, whether it's a parent, child or partner. It is estimated that there are 7 million people in the UK caring for loved ones. And yet these are the unpaid, unsung people whose number is rising all the time. In Tender: the imperfect art of caring, Penny Wincer combines her own experiences as a carer with the experiences of others to offer real and transformative tools and insights for navigating a situation that many of us are either facing or will face at some time. Penny Wincer has twice been a carer: first to her mother, and now as a single parent to her autistic son. Tender shows how looking after oneself is a fundamental part of caring for another, and describes the qualities that we can look to cultivate in ourselves through what may otherwise feel to be an exhausting task. Weaving her lived experience with research into resilience, perfectionism and self-compassion, Penny combines the stories of other carers alongside those who receive support - offering an often surprising and hopeful perspective.Penny hosts a podcast Not Too Busy To Write.Trade ReviewAn insightful and well-timed book ... forces us to confront the stereotypes - and prejudices - we hold - Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisWhile celebrating her 26th birthday, Thea listens on as her thirty-something friends discuss their lives. Their conversation leads her to realise she’s been drifting through life and hasn’t grown up. In addition, she can’t tell where she ends and her mother begins. The realisation gradually takes its toll and several months later, she’s diagnosed with depression. Refusing medication, she leaves her soul-constricting job and pursues a more meaningful path. Along the way she discovers spirituality – in particular, Japanese Energy healing – but with a fragile sense of Self, lacks the confidence and belief required to cross the threshold to a new life. Instead, she unquestioningly accepts others’ views on life and slides back into a mundane existence. Three years later a terrifying nightmare provides another wake-up call. This time with no game plan, she sells her house, leaves her 9-5 job and embarks on a relationship that takes her to Santa Fe (US). Once there, she encounters several mentors who introduce her to Jungian psychology, Greek mythology, BodySoul work, fairytales, folk tales and alchemical symbolism. Soon after, overweight and unable to run more than a few metres at a time, she impulsively signs up for three marathons – New York, Rome and Athens – with the first only months away. What unfolds over the next eighteen months is an inspiring rite of passage into conscious womanhood: an unintentional pilgrimage healing old wounds, and a revelatory experience with her deep Self. The book is a personal narrative accompanied by examinations of myth and depth psychology, in which life illuminates ancient tales and archetypes find form in modern experience.

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Book Synopsis"One day Jack asked me, 'What color do you see for Monday?' 'What?' I said distractedly. 'Do you see days as colors?"Raising five children would be challenge enough for most parents, but when one of them has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, life becomes a bit more chaotic, a lot more emotional, and full of fascinating glimpses into a unique child's different way of thinking. In this moving memoir, Carrie Cariello invites us to take a peek into exactly what it takes to get through each day juggling the needs of her whole family. Through hilarious mishaps, honest insights, and heartfelt letters addressed to her children, she shows us the beauty and wonder of raising a child who views the world through a different lens, and how ultimately autism changed her family for the better.Trade ReviewCariello's autistic son, Jack, sees days of the week as colors; fixates on shampoos, birthdays, cars, and calendars; and is animal phobic. Here, she grants readers intimate access to his unique mind; quirky, sometimes frustrating, behaviors; and his special personality. Cariello intuitively sensed "something was amiss with adorable little boy," specifically "language deficiency,...limited eye contact,...horrific outbursts", and his inability to seek comfort. She and her husband, Joe, were relieved to have a diagnosis, and moved quickly to obtain services. Cariello shares her family's more humorous and trying experiences with swimming and karate lessons, the YMCA, water parks, and a Disney cruise, all with five children, ages 3-9. She also discusses how she and Joe learned to cope with marital stress and her struggle to make therapists, teachers and the world see Jack "in all his autistic glory," not simply as "the child." Ironically, Cariello explains, "in my quest to help him reach his full potential, I'm actually reaching my own"; she reflects on her tenacity, and choosing to "embrace, not conquer" autism. -- Publishers WeeklyOne in 88 children receives an autism diagnosis, according to a 2008 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though so many families are affected, there doesn't seem to be enough information or support to relieve the sense of isolation intrinsic to the diagnosis. Cariello's second son, Jack, who is on the autism spectrum, sees the days of the week as colors, hence the title of her book. This family memoir is a heartfelt, honest, often tongue-in-cheek view of life with an autistic child, showcasing Jack's laugh-out-loud escapades and his keep-your-hanky-handy triumphs. The thematic visual of snowflakes-"similar but unique...drifting, melting, re-crystallizing"-is used to represent his autism, and is particularly poignant. However, the worry and frustration that are an inevitable part of parenting, and most especially special-needs parenting, are not glossed over, but celebrated as signs of growth for the family as a whole. A short glossary defines terms that may be unfamiliar to readers. VERDICT This upbeat, inspirational title will appeal to those interested in autism, family dynamics, and parenting. -- Library JournalAs the Cariello family faces challenges and fears, readers find wisdom and inspiration in an ingenious love that never gives up. This is a family you'll hold to your heart long after you've turned the book's last page -- Mary Johnson, author of An Unquenchable Thirst: A Memoir... a positive perspective on the challenges of raising a child with autism... The strength of Carrie and Joe and the love that they obviously share for each other and their family are incredibly inspiring. -- Doug Flutie, The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for AutismTable of ContentsNote to Self. Early Days. Jack. Beware the Busy Urologist. Snowflakes. Making Progress: Stretch, Don't Break. My Paper Boy. When We Can't Find the Words. Cookies for Dad. A Letter to Henry. Lessons at the YMCA. The People We Meet. Dogs on Parade. A Letter to Joey. What Does Heaven Look Like? Obsession. Karate. A Letter to Rose. Anxiety and Medication. Cariello Cruise. A Letter To Charlie. Believe and Breathe. The Autism in All of Us. Signs. A Letter From Joey. Where We Are Now. A Letter to Jack. Glossary of Terms.

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Book SynopsisTwo Weeks in Novemberis the thrilling, surreal, unbelievable and often very funny true story of four would-be enemies - a high ranking politician, an exiled human rights lawyer, a dangerous spy and a low-key white businessman turned political fixer - who team up to help unseat one of Africa's longest serving dictators, Robert Mugabe.What begins as an improbable adventure destined for failure, marked by a mixture of bravery, strategic cunning and bumbling naiveté, soon turns into the most sophisticated political-military operation in African history. By virtue of their being together, the unlikely team of misfit rivals is suddenly in position to spin what might have been seen as an illegal coup into a mass popular uprising that the world - and millions of Zimbabweans - will enthusiastically support.Impeccably researched, deftly written, and told in the style of a contemporary political thriller, Two Weeks in November throws you into the very heart of ‘the game’, a dangerous hidden world that makes you question what is real, what is choreographed, and whether anything can really change in a country where the same players are still dictating the rules.

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Book SynopsisBorn in 1953 to Anglo-Jewish/Nigerian parents, Pauline Black was subsequently adopted by a white, working class family in Romford. Never quite at home there, she escaped her small town background and discovered a different way of life - making music. Lead singer for platinum-selling band The Selecter, Pauline Black was the Queen of British Ska. The only woman in a movement dominated by men, she toured with The Specials, Madness, Dexy's Midnight Runners when they were at the top of the charts - and, sometimes, on their worst behaviour. From childhood to fame, from singing to acting and broadcasting, from adoption to her recent search for her birth parents, Black By Design is a funny and enlightening story of music, race, family and roots.Trade ReviewGritty, witty and compelling * Elle *Black paints a vivid portrait of simmering racial tension in Britain after the Second World War ... Intelligent and affecting * Independent *Stories aplenty ... fascinating * Metro *The story of a brave, intelligent woman's struggle to make sense of the world around her * Mojo *

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Book SynopsisPreviously unseen letters, documents and photographs trace the life and artistic evolution of Elliott Carter, and capture his friendships with fellow musicians and others. Born in New York in December 1908, the venerable but still active American composer Elliott Carter is one of the most highly regarded figures in the music of our time. His works span more than seven decades and have been the subject of many analyses, and most of his writings have appeared in carefully edited collections. In contrast, few of the documents on his life and music, largely preserved at the Paul Sacher Foundation in Basel, are known to the public. This body of material forms the main source of the present volume, which offers a richly annotated selection of Carter's correspondence and other documents, including unpublished writings, facsimiles of music manuscripts, and photographs. The book traces the biographical, intellectual, and artistic evolution of a composer who, building on American modernism and interacting with the latest developments in Europe, has forged a distinctive, highly sophisticated musical language, and captures his friendships with fellow musicians and friends such as Charles Ives, Nadia Boulanger, John Kirkpatrick, Aaron Copland, Nicolas Nabokov, and more recently, Pierre Boulez, Oliver Knussen, Heinz Holliger, Daniel Barenboim, and James Levine. Published in association with the Paul Sacher Foundation.Trade ReviewThere is much to be appreciated in this book, with its great quantity of information and its generous helping of photographs of people and of manuscripts of Carter's works. * TEMPO *A detailed visual image of Carter's career, interspersed with discussions of many of the works. The photographs and the letters make up a wonderfully personal account of a lifetime...The last hundred pages...are a witness to the passion that Carter's music has stimulated in so many performers...[the book] excels in its account of Carter's steady development and his integration into the musical life of the last half of the twentieth century. -- Charles Rosen * NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS *For committed Carterites, the only acceptable Christmas present will be the lavishly illustrated, handsomely documented and superbly annotated Elliott Carter. * FINANCIAL TIMES *As a guide to Carter's evolution as a composer the book is marvellous. * BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE *The large selection of documents, most of which were previously unpublished, provide much insight into the composer's views on a variety of topics.The elegant volume will also appeal to a wide audience.[it] is a considerable achievement and likely to find a place in most libraries and on the shelves of many Carter enthusiasts. * JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR AMERICAN MUSIC *The carefully selected materials...and the commentaries that accompany them provide much insight into the composer's working methods...this volume is a considerable achievement. * AMERICAN MUSIC REVIEW *Such capable and well-informed editors...a wealth of documentary materials ...placed in the context of an editorial commentary that is unfailingly clear and to the point. * MUSIC & LETTERS *Exquisite...the authors have provided fresh material...while simultaneously creating an accessible volume that is an excellent overview of the composer's first hundred years. * SIGNAL TO NOISE *Tatsächlich ein 'Muss' für alle, die an der musikalischen Moderne interessiert sind...nicht nur eine faszinierende tour d'horizon durch Carters Leben und Laufbahn, sondern wirft 'nebenbei' auch einen neuen Blick auf die Musikgeschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts. * POSITIONEN *Should be in the library of every contemporary music lover. * NOTES *

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Book SynopsisAs a boy growing up in 1970s Johannesburg Mark Gevisser would play 'Dispatcher', a game that involved sitting in his father's parked car (or in the study) and sending imaginary couriers on routes across the city, mapped out from Holmden's Register of Johannesburg. As the imaginary fleet made its way across the troubled city and its tightly bound geographies, so too did the young dispatcher begin to figure out his own place in the world. At the centre of Lost and Found in Johannesburg is the account of a young boy who is obsessed with maps and books, and other boys. Mark Gevisser's account of growing up as the gay son of Jewish immigrants, in a society deeply affected - on a daily basis - by apartheid and its legacy, provides a uniquely layered understanding of place and history. It explores a young man's maturation into a fully engaged and self-aware citizen, first of his city, then of his country and the world beyond. This is a story of memory, identity and an intensely personal relationship with the City of Gold. It is also the story of a violent home invasion and its aftermath, and of a man's determination to reclaim his home town.

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Book SynopsisOur world as it once was In August 2014, Farida was, like any ordinary teenager, enjoying the last days of summer before her final year at school. However, her peaceful mountain village in northern Iraq was an ISIS target as their genocide against the Yazidi people began. The catastropheISIS murdered the men and boys in the village, including Farida's father and brother, and took the women hostage. Farida was one of them. She was held in a slave camp, in the homes of ISIS members and finally in a desert training camp. Continually she struggled, resisted and fought against her captors, showing unimaginable strength and bravery. This is my storyEventually, Farida managed to plot her escape and fled into the desert with five young girls in her care, but defeating ISIS was just the first step in her journey. In this book she tells her remarkable and inspiring story.Trade ReviewTruly a triumph of the human spirit over terror * Irish Times *Farida's story needs to be told * The Times *This is one of those rare volumes that offers astonishing insights into the human spirit * Observer *A compelling testament to the suffering of ordinary people caught up in violence far beyond their control * Guardian *Mesmerising * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisDrawing on decades of personal and professional experience, Dr. Mark Epstein considers how his practice of psychotherapy and meditation can be used in tandem to lead his patients, and himself, to greater awareness and fulfillment.For much of his career, Dr. Mark Epstein kept his beliefs as a Buddhist separate from his work as a psychiatrist. But as he became more forthcoming with his patients about his personal spiritual leanings, he was surprised to find how many of them were eager to learn more. The divisions between the psychological, emotional, and the spiritual, he soon realized, were not as distinct as one might think.In The Zen of Therapy, Dr. Epstein reflects on a year’s worth of selected sessions with his patients and observes how, in a given hour, his Buddhist background influences his work. He emphasizes how Western therapy can be considered a two-person meditation, and how mindfulness, much like a good therapist, can

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times bestseller by Jay Blades, the beloved star of hit BBC One show The Repair Shop. Making It is an inspirational memoir about beating the odds and turning things around even when it all seems hopeless.We had our hardships, and there were times that we didn’t have a lot of food and didn’t have a lot of money. But that didn’t stop me having the time of my life.In his book, Jay shares the details of his life, from his childhood growing up sheltered and innocent on a council estate in Hackney, to his adolescence when he was introduced to violent racism at secondary school, to being brutalized by police as a teen, to finally becoming the presenter of the hit primetime show The Repair Shop.Jay reflects on strength, weakness and what it means to be a man. He questions the boundaries society places on male vulnerability and how letting himself be nurtured helped him flourish into the person he is today. An expert at giving a second life to cherished items, Jay’s positivity, pragmatism and kindness shine through these pages and show that with care and love, anything can be mended.Trade ReviewMoving and beguiling * The Bookseller *An incredible story of triumph over adversity, I couldn't put it down. -- Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Little MixJay can teach us all something about the simple power of compassion and creativity. -- Radio Times

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Book SynopsisThere is also a candid, never-revealed-before account of the Bhopal gas tragedy from someone who played a pivotal role in its aftermath. This delightful first-hand narrative is in its essence the history of nature conservation in India, by a person who was part of it and contributed to it, during its most tumultuous period.

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Book Synopsis'This book left me stunned. Breathtaking in its scope and generosity . . . We are in the midst of a transcendent talent.' Maaza Mengiste, author of the Booker Prize-shortlisted The Shadow King 'Rapturous . . . [Horn] is the mystic's David Attenborough.' New York Times Book ReviewLars Horn's Voice of the Fish, winner of the Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize, is a kaleidoscopic, hallucinatory memoir that explores the trans experience through meditations upon aquatic life and mythology, set against the backdrop of travels in Russia and a debilitating injury that left Horn temporarily unable to speak, read and write. In their adept hands, these poignant, allusive shards take shape as a unified whole: short vignettes about fish, reliquaries and antiquities serve as interludes between - and subtle reflections upon - longer memories of their life, knitting together a sinuous, wave-like form that flows across the book.Horn swims through a range of subjects; across marine history, theology, questions of the body and gender, sexuality, transmasculinity and illness. From their childhood modelling for their mother's art installations - immersed in a bath with dead squid; encased in a full-body plaster cast - to their travels before they were out as trans, these beguiling fragments are linked by a desire to interrogate the physical, and to identify the current beneath. Horn re-examines presumptions about the body, privileging instead ways of seeing and being that resist binaries, ways that falter, fracture, mutate. Sensuous and immersive, Voice of the Fish is unique: a masterful and moving achievement.Trade ReviewThis book left me stunned. Breathtaking in its scope and generosity . . . a luminous and compassionate reckoning with borders and boundaries. And all of this written in achingly beautiful prose that catches the light in even the darkest of moments. We are in the midst of a rare and transcendent talent, and how lucky we are that Lars Horn exists. -- Maaza Mengiste * author of the Booker Prize-shortlisted The Shadow King *Rapturous . . . [Horn] is the mystic's David Attenborough. * New York Times Book Review *Ocean-deep and brimming with beauty, Voice of the Fish is a wondrous book, formed with the expansiveness and strong currents of a vast body of water. I didn't want to leave until I'd seen every glowing image. -- Elissa Washuta * author of White Magic *A sonorous meditation on living a fluid life. * Publishers Weekly *Horn's story sparkles with emotional intensity. * Kirkus Reviews *Casting a wide net into the realms of knowing and existing, trawling the depths of the past and the body, Lars Horn steers us in pristine prose to places where the body is washed up, transformed, reborn. Voice of the Fishis a dazzling assemblage. -- Jenny Boully * author of Betwixt-and-Between *Voice of the Fish is a mighty and innovative work . . . adventurous, bold, anti-authoritarian, and physical, we would all be well served to take note of this generation of new writers to which Horn belongs, sending us missives from the future of language and storytelling - more exacting, broad and excellent than we have yet imagined. -- Casey Legler * author of Godspeed: A Memoir *Lars Horn has written a slippery text, one alive with brilliance and originality about the body, the mind, and how we inhabit ourselves in this world. I read Voice of the Fish with an underlining pencil in one hand and a gasp in my throat. Its wisdom refracts, mutates, shimmers. I know I'll be thinking about it for years to come. -- Alex Marzano-LesnevichMesmerising - a transformative exploration of gender, genre and art, filled with shifting currents and ancient creatures of the deep. Lars Horn is an exceptional voice. -- Liam Konnemann * author of The Arena of the Unwell *

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Book Synopsis*With a foreword by Sir Peter Jackson*Buckle up, grab a dram, and get ready for another unforgettable wild ride.They're back! Stars of Outlander, Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish are no strangers to the rugged beauty of Scotland. But this time they're setting their sights on a new horizon: New Zealand.Join our intrepid Scotsmen on their latest epic adventure across The Land of the Long White Cloud in this thrilling follow-up to Clanlands. Setting out to explore a country that Graham calls home, and that Sam has longed to visit, these sturdy friends immerse themselves in all that New Zealand has to offer: stunning landscapes, rich history, world-class food and drink, and - much to Graham's mounting anxiety and Sam's deep satisfaction - famously adrenaline-fuelled activities! As ever there's not nearly enough space in their trusty camper van and with plenty of good-natured competition and tormenting to go around, Sam and Graham's friendship is put to the test once again. Along the way we learn about the length and breadth of this jewel of the Southern Seas, exploring the fascinating story of its people while testing the very limits of Graham's sanity.Like the very best buddy movie sequel, this latest instalment is full of unforgettable experiences and loveable characters and promises to be an even more memorable ride with two of the most entertaining travel companions around.So, say goodbye to your inhibitions and kia ora to New Zealand like you've never seen it before.Trade ReviewUnforgettable and lovable -- USA Today

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Book SynopsisWhen Amanda Held Opelt suffered a season of loss-including three miscarriages and the unexpected death of her sister, New York Times bestselling writer Rachel Held Evans-she was confronted with sorrow she didn't know to how face. Opelt struggled to process her grief and accept the reality of the pain in the world. She also wrestled with some unexpectedly difficult questions: What does it mean to truly grieve and to grieve well? Why is it so hard to move on? Why didn't my faith prepare me for this kind of pain? And what am I supposed to do now?Her search for answers led her to discover that generations past embraced rituals that served as vessels for pain and aided in the process of grieving and healing. Today, many of these traditions have been lost as religious practice declines, cultures amalgamate, death is sanitized, and pain is averted. In this raw and authentic memoir of bereavement, Opelt explores the history of human grief practices and how previous generations have journeyed through periods of suffering. She explores grief rituals and customs from various cultures, including:- the Irish tradition of keening, or wailing in grief, which teaches her that healing can only begin when we dive headfirst into our grief- the Victorian tradition of post-mortem photographs and how we struggle to recall a loved one as they were- the Jewish tradition of sitting shiva, which reminds her to rest in the strength of her community even when God feels absent- the tradition of mourning clothing, which set the bereaved apart in society for a time, allowing them space to honour their griefAs Opelt explores each bereavement practice, it gives her a framework for processing her own pain. She shares how, in spite of her doubt and anger, God met her in the midst of sorrow and grieved along with her, and shows that when we carefully and honestly attend to our losses, we are able to expand our capacity for love, faith, and healing.

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Book SynopsisAfter years on the road performing at sold-out venues, Tyson Motsenbocker returned home to the impending death of his 57-year-old hero and mother. He begged God to heal her, but she died anyway. When they buried her body, Tyson also buried the childhood version of his faith.Shortly before her death, however, Tyson became intrigued by the complicated legacy of Father Junipero Serra, the 18th-century Franciscan monk and canonized saint who dedicated his life to the idea that tragedy and suffering are portals to renewal. Father Serra built Missions up and down the California coast, spreading Christianity, as well as enabling and aiding in the oppression and colonization of the native Californians. Tyson discovered Serra's "El Camino Real," a 600-mile pilgrimage route up the California coast that had been largely forgotten for more than 200 years.Two days after they buried his mother, Tyson set out on a pilgrimage of sorts, intending to walk from San Diego to San Francisco along the El Camino, following in the footsteps of the saint. Tyson's journey takes him down smog-choked highways, across fog-laden beaches, past multi-million-dollar coastal estates, and along the towering cliffs of Big Sur. And as he walks, Tyson also wrestles with his faith, questioning the pat answers and easy prayers he once readily accepted, trying to understand how hope and tragedy can all be wrapped up in the same God. The people he meets along the way challenge his understanding of the meaning of security, of what it means to live a meaningful life, and of the legacies we all leave behind.Where the Waves Turn Back is both part journal and part spiritual memoir, and ultimately, a thrilling and deeply satisfying read that asks questions that will resonate with readers seeking meaning in an utterly disorienting age.

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Book SynopsisPaloma Faith is an award-winning singer, songwriter, actor and TV personality, as well as one of the UK's best-loved musical artists. London-born Paloma has released five critically acclaimed platinum-selling albums since 2009, beginning with her debut, Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? As well as collecting dozens of awards in the last decade, including a BRIT Award, Paloma has reached a wider audience as a judge on The Voice UK as well as The Voice Kids, and as an actor in films such as Pennyworth, St Trinian's and The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus. Gearing up for another monumental chapter, 2024 saw the release of her sixth bestselling studio album The Glorification of Sadness.

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