Published diaries, letters and journals Books
Cornerstone P.G. Wodehouse A Life in Letters
Book Synopsis''Wodehouse said letters make a wonderful oblique form for an autobiography, and Sophie Ratcliffe''s expertly edited collection amply proves the point.''SpectatorOne of the funniest and most admired writers of the twentieth century, P. G. Wodehouse always shied away from the idea of a biography. A quiet, retiring man, he expressed himself through the written word. His letters - collected here - provide an illuminating biographical accompaniment to legendary comic creations such as Jeeves, Wooster, Psmith and the Empress of Blandings. This is a book every lover of Wodehouse will want to possess.''The letters, gossipy in the kindliest, amused/bemused manner, bear true witness to the wide-ranging influences on Wodehouse''s'' best-known novels and best-loved characters.''The TimesTrade ReviewWodehouse said letters make "a wonderful oblique form for an autobiography," and Sophie Ratcliffe's expertly edited collection amply proves the point. * Spectator *Anybody requiring evidence of how much work PG Wodehouse put into his comic prose should read his letters. In her introduction to this definitive compendium of Wodehouse's correspondence, Sophie Ratcliffe warns that [the letters] display only on occasions the extraordinary stylistic elan that one finds in fiction. Indeed they do, although when the extraordinary elan bubbles briefly to the surface, it is worth waiting for. But Wodehouse was a dedicated craftsman. He wanted his published words to make people laugh, and he devoted hour after hour to making them fit that purpose. One suspects his personal epistles were often a happy relief from that discipline. * Scotland on Sunday *The great catastrophe of his life was of course, his broadcasting from Berlin in 1941, a slur on his reputation that never quite went goes away however often it is expunged. The whole saga is unravelled again here in Sophie Ratcliffe's excellent linking narrative. * Daily Mail *Filtered by some excellent editing, [these letters] are full of interest * Mail on Sunday *Sophie Ratcliffe has done an exemplary job in editing these letters * Sunday Telegraph *
£17.00
Penguin Books Ltd A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland and
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£11.69
Penguin Books Ltd Dad Tell Me
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£999.99
Penguin Books Ltd Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone
Book SynopsisA compilation of the subversive, important and entertaining writer of Hunter S. Thompson - renowned American writer of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas''It would not do to be found in the desert under these circumstances: firing wildly into the cactus from a car full of drugs...''Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone showcases the evolution of the writer of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Hell''s Angels, through his work at the magazine that he helped to put on the map. Jann S. Wenner, Hunter Thompson''s editor and friend for nearly thirty-five years, has chosen the pieces, including many never collected before. They show how Thompson''s Rolling Stone writing, when taken as a whole, forms an extended, allusive autobiography of the writer himself as he pursues his lifelong obsession, the king-hell story of them all: The Death of the American Dream.Trade ReviewAngry, prophetic, full of vitality and enormously funny [Praise for Kingdom of Fear] * Guardian *Absolutely brilliant ... Hunter S. Thompson has more fire and righteous outrage than most journalists half his age. Hard truths about America conveyed with tremendous wit [Praise for Kingdom of Fear] -- Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food NationThe fear and loathing have never seemed more apt ... he's still raging against the machine [Praise for Kingdom of Fear] * Literary Review *Fantastic ... I don't think anyone else in print has called George Bush a whore beast [Praise for Kingdom of Fear] * Newsnight Review *
£10.44
SPCK Publishing Letters to London Bonhoeffers Previously
Book SynopsisFirst edition of a group of previously unknown and unpublished letters by one of the world's most famous Christians. Throws light on Bonhoeffer's character and relationships, his practice as a pastor, and his theological and political thought, in a crucially important phase of his life.
£10.44
Yale University Press The Letters of Cole Porter
Book SynopsisTrade Review“[A] gorgeous book”—Roger Lewis, Daily Mail (Book of the Week)“[An] extensive commentary”—Clive Davis, The Times“an intimidating marvel of scholarship. . . . The Letters of Cole Porter amounts to the last word [on Porter], a work as disjointed and delightful as any of Porter’s unforgettable songs.”—David Kirby, Washington Post“Porter’s ghost could not ask for better care than he has been given in The Letters of Cole Porter . . . . Laid out with a meticulous scholarly apparatus, as though this were the correspondence of Grover Cleveland, every turn in the songwriter’s story is deep-dived for exact chronology, and every name casually dropped by Porter gets a worried, explicatory footnote.”—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker “The letters [. . .] reveal previously hidden details about the life and work of Cole Porter. [. . .] This extensive collection of letters uncovered by the researchers – most of which are being published for the first time – feature Cole’s correspondence with stars such as Irving Berlin, Ethel Merman and Orson Welles, as well as his friends and lovers”—Bigstamp“It is a thought-provoking portrait of a brave, well-intentioned, if often misguided queen”—Gareth Russell, The Times“Suavely edited by Cliff Eisen and Dominic McHugh [. . .] so detailed and precise that anyone wanting to write the story of Porter’s life could start here”—Christopher Bray, Spectator“This is an amazing feat of collation [. . .] brilliant scholarship”—Oliver Soden, Literary Review “Cole Porter was considered one of the greatest songwriters of his time, and the originality, wit, and artistry, of both his music and his lyrics, have lost none of their lustre in the ensuing years. Yet his personal life has been clouded in mystery and gossip, much of it exaggerated or simply untrue. This new book offers the perfect solution: by reproducing a rich selection of Porter's letters from across his life and activities, the editors have allowed him to speak in his own words.”—Kevin Kline, actor and singer“‘Well, did you evah!’ Cole Porter’s letters are full not just of delightful gossip but of the detail of working on Broadway and in Hollywood during the golden age of the American musical. ‘What a swell party it is!’—or at least was for Porter moving through high society across several continents. His words read as gloriously as his music sounds.”—Tim Carter, author of “Oklahoma!” The Making of an American Musical“The considerable legacy of Cole Porter remains a powerful force in American music and this new collection of his letters is revelatory. It’s the closest we’ll ever get to an autobiography and is fascinating how a group of letters, sometimes written casually, collectively unmask previously hidden details about the man.”—Michael Feinstein, singer and Ambassador of The Great American Songbook“A magnificently researched, compulsively readable, and delightfully “de-lovely” volume.”—Geoffrey Block, author of Richard Rodgers“Essential to understanding the private man behind the public myths Porter himself so persistently perpetuated.”—Kim H. Kowalke, editor of Speak Low: The Letters of Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya
£26.12
Zondervan The Weekly Habits Project
Book SynopsisCelebrate progress over perfection with this beautiful year-long guided journal to build life-giving habits, set achievable goals, and enjoy spiritual growth with each grace-filled step forward.Over the next 52 weeks, you''ll build the spiritual, mental, and emotional habits you''ve been longing to cultivate. Reflection prompts and calming imagery provide a compassionate place for you to set and celebrate goals related to time, prayer, technology, fears, discouragement, and relationships.Each entry in The Weekly Habits Project includes: A practical theme to focus on for godly growth A short but powerful Bible verse for reflection and meditation Inspiration to guide your thoughts and jumpstart your habit project Journaling prompts and room to chronicle your journey toward real, lasting change This guided journal: Showcases colorful photography and gentle watercolors
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group Theft by Finding Diaries Volume One
Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ''He''s like an American Alan Bennett, in that his own fastidiousness becomes the joke, as per the taxi encounter, or his diary entry about waiting interminably in a coffee-bar queue'' Guardian review of An Evening with David Sedaris The point is to find out who you are and to be true to that person. Because so often you can''t. Won''t people turn away if they know the real me? you wonder. The me that hates my own child, that put my perfectly healthy dog to sleep? The me who thinks, deep down, that maybe The Wire was overrated?For nearly four decades, David Sedaris has faithfully kept a diary in which he records his thoughts and observations on the odd and funny events he witnesses. Anyone who has attended a live Sedaris event knows that his diary readings are often among the most joyful parts of the evening. In Theft by Finding, Sedaris brings us his favouritTrade ReviewThe writing here is funnier, (even) sharper . . . There isn't a dull word among these pages -- India Knight * Sunday Times *Could there be a more delightful American import than the memoirist David Sedaris? Not since the peanut butter and jelly sandwich have we inherited something so sweet and comforting yet so wickedly naughty * The Times *This first of two volumes of his copious diaries takes us from 1977 to 2002, and sees him grow from a despondent21-year-old in menial jobs into the man recognised as possibly the best humorist of the 2000s * Daily Telegraph, Best Books Under the Sun, Summer 2017 *So often Sedaris's phrasing is beautiful in its piquancy and minimalism...His life is extraordinary in so many ways - the drug addiction, the eccentric family, the crazy jobs, the fame, the globetrotting - but one of the more unlikely achievements here is in making it all seem quite ordinary. Ultimately, his masterstroke is in acting as a bystander in his own story * Book of the Day, Guardian *He is the American Alan Bennett - or would be, if Bennett had a history of serious substance abuse and a higher tolerance for sick humour * Times Literary Supplement *He makes me laugh so much. In an era when US satire is outpacing our own he's a sharp, humane and hilarious voice that never fails to make you smile - and sometimes weep. Apparently effortless humour is difficult, and precious. He's the real thing -- James Naughtie * Radio Times *A deadpan, darkly comical portrait of the American underbelly . . . Sedaris shares something of [Alan] Bennett's detached curiosity, and they both have a thirst for amusement -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *It's like gossiping with an old friend - if that friend were a rather sexy American Alan Bennett with lots of good drug stories -- Melissa Katsoulis * The Times *Cool, very funnv, sardonic, yet open . . . there is an echo of Truman Capote or Tennessee Williams - with extra quirk. Or even Lewis Carroll . . . one of the biggest comedy writers of his generation -- Peter Bradshaw * Spectator *Just as in his essays and stories, the young Sedaris is both scandalising and scandalised, surprisingly profound, and very, very funny . . . Sedaris fans will not be surprised to know that he can do darkness and profundity as well as humour. Theft by Finding is full of all three, but what makes it so good is Sedaris's gift for sidling up them all from the least expected angle * Daily Telegraph *A typically hilarious first volume of diaries from the brilliant American humourist * Spectator, Summer Reading pick *There are some passages in the diaries that remind me that his perspective on life and family, being gay and being an artist were there from the start. That savage, biting commentary, as well as deep reserves of compassion, are all there. I can pick up any collection of David Sedaris's essays and be very happy. He keeps surprising me with how much, after all these years, he still really makes me laugh * Guardian *Theft By Finding is an eye-opening journey through crazy jobs, geographic transitions, family dynamics and homophobic prejudice * Sunday Herald *David Sedaris will make you properly laugh - his new diaries are pure joy * Stylist *Sedaris's gift is to make you stop and think one moment and laugh out loud the next * Daily Mail *The perfect book to dip in and out of in between dipping in and out of the pool * Red *It's a pretty perfect encapsulation of all that is great and hilarious about him as a writer * Esquire *Hilarious . . . with Sedaris a now-established bestselling author and world traveler, the prickly Southern wit is still intact and sparkling -- Patton Oswalt * New York Times Book Review *It's an astounding feat to stay funny-wildly, wickedly, ingeniously so-for more than 20 years. Yet David Sedaris has somehow pulled it off . . . with eviscerating wit and radiant humanity . . . Fans will no doubt delight in the entries that will turn into Sedaris's most beloved essays * O, The Oprah Magazine *A master of incisive and comic cultural criticism . . . Theft by Finding reveals intimate details of this literary luminary's life and mind-all told with his singular sense of humor * Harper's Bazaar *It is the ultimate Sedaris source book. Observant, diligent, funny - proof, yet again, that life is a lot stranger than fiction -- Helen Davies * Sunday Times *
£10.99
Cambridge University Press The Letters of Sidney and Beatrice Webb
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£46.54
Faber & Faber Selected Essays
Book SynopsisIn this magisterial volume, first published in 1932, Eliot gathered his choice of the miscellaneous reviews and literary essays he had written since 1917 when he became assistant editor of The Egoist. In his preface to the third edition in 1951 he wrote: ''For myself this book is a kind of historical record of my interests and opinions.'' The text includes some of his most important criticism, especially parts of The Sacred Wood, Homage to John Dryden, the essays on Elizabethan and Jacobean dramatists, For Lancelot Andrewes and Essays Ancient and Modern.
£17.00
Faber & Faber Dai Greatcoat A SelfPortrait of David Jones in
Book SynopsisThe mind of David Jones is capable of such breathtaking leaps across the centuries, that nothing can appear incongruous in his writings and they all help to shed light on him as an artist and as a poet.' ApolloThrough a selection of letters to friends and literary peers, Dai Greatcoat presents a rare insight into the life and work of David Jones, and in so doing offers an autobiographical portrait of the author in his own words. Dai Greatcoat is the Welsh soldier of In Parenthesis, Jones's acclaimed narrative of the Great War, but the sturdy yet all too vulnerable figure, wrapped close in his misfit outsize greatcoat', is an apt symbol for the great poet and artist who died in 1974. In this volume covering the last fifty years of his life, Jones's correspondence has been edited and arranged with a linking commentary to form a remarkable biographical portrait. The letters merry, irreverent, sometimes sombre and anxious, always amazingly open are unfaili
£16.19
Faber & Faber The Dolphin Letters 19701979
Book SynopsisThe illuminating letters of Elizabeth Hardwick and Robert Lowell, including the dramatic breakup of their 21-year marriage and their extraordinary reconciliation.
£28.00
Gill Dear Gay
Book SynopsisFor 25 years, Gay Byrne received thousands of letters from listeners all over Ireland. Some of these letters were light-hearted and innocent, but others were more challenging. While many people didn't feel comfortable sharing their issues with their closest family and friends, they felt that they could trust Gay. And, so, they wrote in their droves With his trademark balance of compassion, empathy and humour, Gay read out letters on subjects such as women's rights, domestic and institutional abuse, mental health and homosexuality, sparking nationwide conversation and debate. The letters here have been lovingly compiled by Gay's daughter Suzy, who provides commentary about the impact they made, on a personal and national level, once they were read on air.Dear Gay is a sweeping handwritten history of a radically changed Ireland and a fitting tribute to Ireland's best-loved broadcaster.
£22.09
Tuttle Publishing Bruce Lee Words of the Dragon
Book SynopsisWords of the Dragon is an anthology of newspaper and magazine interviews from 1958 to 1973 revealing Bruce Lee''s own fascinating words and explanations about Bruce himself, his art and philosophy.Interesting and insightful, Words of the Dragon provides the reader a means to understand the real Bruce Lee, offering us a unique keyhole through which to view the private life and personal struggles of the late martial arts superstar. These interviews provide us with Lee''s own interpretations of life, the martial arts, international stardom, and his cross-cultural marriage during a time of racism. This Bruce Lee book is part of the Bruce Lee Library which also features: Bruce Lee''s Striking Thoughts Bruce Lee''s The Tao of Gung Fu Bruce Lee Artist of Life Bruce Lee Letters of the Dragon Bruce Lee The Art of Expressing the Human Body Bruce Lee Jeet Kune Do Trade Review"The strength of this book, I felt, was in the interesting footnotes the editor provided at the end of each chapter. The footnotes shed more light and context…and include many interesting anecdotes themselves." --Man of la Book blog"If you know nothing of Bruce Lee, this book can work as a different introduction to his life. One thing many would find interesting as fans of Bruce Lee is the way the interviews highlight the world at that time. All the while you get a sense for the Lee family's goals and outlooks at the time each article is written as they look forward to a bright future. Overall, the book seems to connect the reader to the Lee family in total quite well, not just Bruce. It's pretty interesting to read" --Martial Arts & Action Movies blog
£7.59
University of Virginia Press The Papers of George Washington v.5 Presidential
Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. September 1788-March 1789 -- 2. April-June 1789 -- 3. June-September 1789 -- 4. September 1789-January 1790 -- 7. December 1790-March 1791 -- 8. March-September 1791.
£94.95
Wesleyan University Press Letters from Amherst
Book SynopsisAlong with commentary on his own work and the work of other writers, he ponders the state of America, discusses friends who are facing AIDS and other ailments, and comments on the politics of working in academia.
£12.82
Transworld The Positive Student Planner
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£17.00
Day Books Wings Over the Western Front The First World War
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£10.00
Wagtail Press Thomas Irvings Journal
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£9.99
Michael Walmer Letters to the Sphinx
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£17.05
Cambridge University Press The Year That Shaped the Victorian Age
Book SynopsisWhat was special about 1845 and why does it deserve particular scrutiny? In his much-anticipated new book, one of the leading authorities on the Victorian age argues that this was the critical year in a decade which witnessed revolution on continental Europe, the threat of mass insurrection at home and radical developments in railway transport, communications, religion, literature and the arts. The effects of the new poor law now became visible in the workhouses; a potato blight started in Ireland, heralding the Great Famine; and the Church of England was rocked to its foundations by John Henry Newman''s conversion to Roman Catholicism. What Victorian England became was moulded, says Michael Wheeler, in the crucible of 1845. Exploring pivotal correspondence, together with pamphlets, articles and cartoons, the author tells the riveting story of a seismic epoch through the lives, loves and letters of leading contemporaneous figures.Trade Review'This lively account shows how a single year came to epitomise so many of the overarching themes of the Victorian age. An inviting read even for those already familiar with the episodes depicted, this is a meticulous and thoroughly-researched tour de force of scholarship by an author who always has new things to say.' Rohan McWilliam, Professor of Modern British History, Anglia Ruskin University'Remarkably informative, interesting, well-researched, and well-expressed, this study complements the many existing books on Victorian life and culture with both well- known and little-known material approached from a fresh point of view and supplemented in places by the use of hitherto unpublished documents.' Rosemary Ashton, Emeritus Quain Professor of English Language and Literature, University College LondonTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. Public Scandals: 1. Opening Mazzini's mail: Sir James Graham and the Post Office; 2. The railway juggernaut: Delane, Dickens and the press; 3. Poor law bastille: the Andover workhouse scandal; Part II. Private Lives: 4. Love by post: Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning; 5. Letters from the Continent: Ruskin in Italy; 6. Letters of the living and the dead: Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle; Part III. Oxford Movements: 7. Established church in crisis: William George Ward and the Oxford Movement; 8. A dangerous correspondence: Newman on the road to Rome; Part IV. Irish Questions: 9. Educating papist priests: Gladstone and the Maynooth grant; 10. From our own Commissioner: Daniel O'Connell and The Times; 11. A prime minister resigns: Peel and the Corn Laws; Afterword.
£29.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Everyday Life in the Covid19 Pandemic
Book SynopsisHow will the Covid-19 pandemic be remembered? What did it mean to people? How did it feel? This book provides a compelling account of the pandemic as it was experienced in the UK. Everyday Life in the Covid-19 Pandemic is a democratic history based on the 5,000 diaries collected by Mass Observation on 12 May 2020. It is a record of what many of these diarists wrote, from a wide range of positions, in a variety of voices and on a wealth of different subjects. The book shines a light on their lives on the day in question, their experiences during the first two months of the pandemic, and their hopes and fears for the coming months and years. The diaries capture much of everyday life in the pandemic for millions of people in the UK and beyond: the activities, events, and rituals (from funerals to working from home); the sites and stages (from shops to Zoom); the roles and categories (from key workers' to vulnerable groups'); the frames (from luck to the new normal'); and
£18.99
Pen & Sword Books Ltd A Falklands Family at War
Book SynopsisFirst-hand account of life in the Falklands during the Argentine occupation.
£21.25
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Eyewitness at Dieppe
Book SynopsisAugust 2022 will mark the 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid.
£17.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Stanley Spencers Great War Diary 19151918
Book SynopsisA superb first hand infantryman's account of life and death on the Western Front 1915-1918.
£13.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Gurkha Diaries of Robert Atkins MC
Book SynopsisUnique diaries of a decorated British Gurkha officer covering two significant periods of active service.
£17.00
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Man with the Golden Typewriter
Book Synopsis''Constantly entertaining ... So much here to amuse and inform'' Observer''These friendly, knockabout letters are a treat'' Sunday Telegraph''Irresistible'' New York Times________________________Before the world-famous Bond films came the world-famous novels. This book tells the story of the man who wrote them and how he created spy fiction''s most compelling hero.In August 1952, Ian Fleming bought a gold-plated typewriter as a present to himself for finishing his first novel, Casino Royale. It marked in glamorous style the arrival of James Bond, agent 007, and the start of a career that saw Fleming become one of the world's most celebrated thriller writers. Before his death in 1964 he produced fourteen bestselling Bond books, two works of non-fiction and the famous children's story Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang. Fleming's output was matched by an equally energetic flow of letters. He wrote constantly, to his wife, Trade ReviewIan Fleming writes with a kind of pushing, bloodcurdling elegance. His thrillers are models of fastidious murder * New York Times *Fleming is splendid; he stops at nothing * New Statesman *Entertaining and revealing * The Times *Constantly entertaining … still so much here to amuse and inform … But it is Fleming’s replies to his picky readers that supply the most fun … The most sobering and self-effacing appraisal of Fleming’s achievements emerges from his correspondence with Raymond Chandler, to which Fergus Fleming devotes a brilliant chapter * Observer *It has great appeal … These friendly, knockabout letters are a treat, although the steely eyed attention of the editors makes it difficult to go back to the Bond books with a straight face … Writing to fans and friends, Fleming is modest, quick-witted and able to stand at substantial ironic distance from the books he refers to as “opuscula” * Sunday Telegraph *To anyone who has ever worked on a book — writing one, editing one, marketing one, publishing one — or, heck, even just read one, this volume is a giant stalk of catnip ... Irresistible ... Fergus Fleming, Ian’s nephew and an author in his own right, writes the introduction and serves as the collection’s Jeeves throughout, providing his services when droll and illuminating context is required but otherwise quietly stepping out of the way * New York Times *A revelation … The letters are full of good jokes … Interesting and entertaining -- Nicholas Lezard * Guardian *If Bond was Fleming's carbon copy, then this book is the photographic negative of the novels ... Edited and elaborated upon by his nephew Fergus, this book collates those letters, painting a fascinating portrait of Bond's creator, revealing a man of keen wit and charm ... they progress in tandem with the Bond saga, offering insight into his bestselling series * Gentleman's Journal *
£15.29
Amberley Publishing The Jane Austen Files
Book SynopsisNew paperback edition - A fascinating insight into the life of Jane in the words of the people who knew her.Trade ReviewA comprehensive anthology of letters, family recollections and early biographies … handsomely produced * Jane Austen's Regency World *
£13.49
Christian Focus Publications Ltd William Wilberforce: His Unpublished Spiritual
Book SynopsisThese spiritual journals will give readers insight into the heart and mind of one of Britain’s leading abolitionists. William Wilberforce (1759–1833) is best remembered as a leading figure in the movement to have the slave trade abolished throughout the British Empire. He was a Member of Parliament from the age of 21 until he retired due to ill health at the age of 66. His conversion in 1785 caused him to change his lifestyle and to commit his future life and work to the service of God. He wrote a series of spiritual journals as a record of his spiritual pilgrimage. These journals are an honest record of Wilberforce’s spiritual life: the Scriptures and Christian books he read; people he met; people he witnessed to; his spiritual and physical struggles; and many other fascinating insights. Throughout his writings his constant desire to be a better Christian is striking. This man, admired by many, saw himself as a sinner, and his diaries are filled with his striving to put this sin to death. He follows a Puritan pattern of self–introspection and his journals are form of spiritual confession. Michael McMullen has transcribed the original manuscripts and has added many helpful annotations and footnotes. Scripture passages, book titles, names of people and events are clarified. These annotations will assist the reader to better understand the context and value of the journals. This work gives an invaluable insight into the life and motivations of William Wilberforce. There is much to be gleaned from his example in life and culture today.Trade ReviewDespite the numerous demands and pressures of parliamentary business, social contacts and family commitments on his time, Wilberforce consistently set aside over an hour each day, and many more on Sundays, for personal and family Bible reading, prayer and meditation. It is a tremendous service to have this Journal transcribed and a bonus to have the excellent introductions to each section. -- Marylynn Rouse (Director, John Newton Project)William Wilberforce was a man marked by a wonderful integrity between the private and the public. Now more than ever, integrity amongst all who bear the name of Jesus is needed. William Wilberforce has so much to teach the church today, and Michael McMullen has performed a significant task in making this possible by transcribing and explaining Wilberforce’s journals. As the rector of the church where Wilberforce once worshipped, I am deeply grateful for Michael’s work. -- Jago Wynne (Rector of Holy Trinity Clapham, London)William Wilberforce has long been regarded as the classic example of evangelical activism in the long eighteenth century. His tenacious fight against the barbarous inhumanity of the slave trade and slavery have made him an iconic hero for many in our day. But what is often not remembered is the spiritual matrix out of which Wilberforce drew the resources to wage his indomitable battle for justice and social righteousness. Prof McMullen has put us all in his debt by editing these previously–unpublished diaries of this great human being. They reveal that Wilberforce’s love for the African people was intimately tied to his ardent Christian spirituality. Wilberforce was a man who lived life coram deo. May the reading of these diaries inspire many in our day to do likewise and attempt great things for God. -- Michael A. G. Haykin (Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky)William Wilberforce recorded many intimate details about his spiritual life, and thanks to Michael McMullen’s painstaking work, many of them are published here for the first time. This book is an inestimable treasure – it draws back the curtain on Wilberforce’s struggles and rejoicings in his own words as he wrestled both with himself and all that God had called him to be and do. -- Eric Metaxas (Author of Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery and host of the nationally syndicated Eric Metaxas Radio Show)William Wilberforce, the leader of the campaign for the abolition of the slave trade, was a devoted Evangelical Christian. His spiritual journals between 1785 and 1833 open a window on the inward life of this public man. -- David Bebbington (Professor of History, University of Stirling, Stirling)In these pages we see a man, an undeniably fruitful man, abiding in Christ. Believers will find a brother travelling the path that they have known, and will be inspired to press on, rejoicing by faith in the One who brings fruit into sight. I can’t think of a more thrilling or important publication from the last ten years. -- Ben Virgo (Director, Christian Heritage London)The spiritual journals synthesized by Dr. McMullen provide timeless applications for the young men I work with who seek to impact their own culture. -- Tim Echols (Vice–chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission, creator of TeenPact, co–founder of the Wilberforce Fellowship)These remarkable journals of William Wilberforce, all carefully edited and some published here for the first time, allow us to chart the spiritual life of perhaps the most consequential shaper of practical Christianity since the Reformation. Here is … a pattern of devotion in the royal service of Christ. -- Timothy George (Founding Dean of Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama)Michael McMullen’s detailed labour of love for the first time makes widely accessible the inspiring and fascinating inner spiritual life of one of the greatest public figures of the later Hanoverian era. -- John Wolffe (Professor of Religious History, The Open University)
£999.99
Mahee Island Midnight Again: The Wartime Letters of Helen
Book Synopsis''a momentous book, a truly significant recovered voice from the 1930s and 1940s''Gerald Dawe, Dublin Review of Books''Professor Foster has done a wonderful job in presenting and annotating the letters and what comes leaping from the page is a portrait, a place, an era and a society rarely seen in such close-up.''Gillian Reynolds CBE''Midnight Again'' is a selection of the alert and animated letters that Helen Ramsey Turtle wrote back to her family in Denver, Colorado from Northern Ireland during the Second World War, edited by John Wilson Foster.The letters home kept her American family abreast of her domestic life in Belfast and on Mahee Island, Strangford Lough where she lived with her husband, the naturalist and stockbroker, Lancelot Turtle, and young daughters. And abreast, too, of the conduct of the war on the home front as well as the European front: its impact on everyday life through blackout, rationing, travel restrictions and the departure of friends'' fathers, sons and siblings to the war.An American liberal pacifist, she was converted to the cause of the war and hoped her country would join the war against Hitler''s Germany. Being unable to travel to her native land, she was overjoyed when the first American troops to arrive in the United Kingdom landed in Northern Ireland and brought with them energy, hope and colour. All the while an avid reader, picture, theatre and concert goer, and convivial hostess, Helen Turtle brings to life in her letters a Northern Irish culture rarely depicted.Her early death in 1946 deprived family and friends of a spirited presence, but her letters remain to preserve the thoughts, observations and feelings of a remarkable personality.
£999.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd Left on Tenth: A Second Chance at Life
Book SynopsisA story of hope, love and life in the face of cancer, and the miracle of second chances.Soon to be a major movie!When Delia's beloved first husband Jerry died of cancer in 2015, after thirty-three years of marriage, she struggled without him. Floored by grief, it never occurred to her she would find love again. But fate had other ideas. An article she published about the pain of shutting down Jerry's landline sparked a series of emails with a widower she'd dated in college fifty years ago, and they fell deeply in love.Delia and Peter found themselves soul mates in their seventies, but as their whirlwind romance came into bloom, Delia was diagnosed with leukaemia - the same that had claimed the life of her sister Nora.See-sawing between tears and laughter, Left on Tenth is the spirited story of Delia's second chance at love, and a heartfelt and inspirational account of life after cancer.'A tale of brilliant hope, of heartache and uplift, so refreshing - it is a wonderful read.' Mariella Frostrup'Illuminating, generous, sparkling with wit, wisdom, humanity and wonder' Rachel Joyce'I absolutely loved this book. All of life and death and everything in between is in the pages' Clover Stroud'Tender, witty and romantic ... makes you immediately want to get cosy, slow down and shut off the world for a moment.' Emma Gannon'If it's possible to fall in love with someone by reading their story, I just have.' Sam BakerTrade ReviewA tale of brilliant hope, of heartache and uplift, so refreshing - it is a wonderful read. -- Mariella Frostrup * Times Radio *A beautiful story of finding love again in your seventies ... a story of giddy highs and suicidal lows.' -- Gwendolyn Smith * i newspaper *Commendable for its bracingly blunt humour ... A searingly honest memoir of a battle against cancer, and a testament to the sustaining power of love. -- Chloe Walker * Culturefly *A most anticipated book of 2022 * TIME magazine *Best Non-fiction for 2022 * Daily Mail *
£10.44
BenBella Books Longshot: How Political Nobodies Took Andrew Yang
Book SynopsisIn Longshot, Andrew Yang’s campaign manager takes you on a tour through the ups, the downs, and the math of Yang’s 2020 campaign for president, and shares the playbook his team used to navigate the attention economy.Andrew Yang did not win the 2020 Democratic primary, let alone the presidency of the United States. But chances are you know who Andrew Yang is, and you may well be part of the 75 percent of Americans who now support Universal Basic Income—both facts that would have seemed beyond unlikely at the start of Yang’s campaign. That campaign was helmed by Zach Graumann: entrepreneur, marketing expert, and, at the time, political nonentity. In fact, when Graumann joined Yang 2020, no one on the team was an expert in campaigning, but they all shared a fervent desire to change the future. Yet, despite that inexperience, by the time Yang dropped out of the race in early 2020, he’d not only outlasted six senators, four governors, and three members of Congress, he’d become one of the most recognizable, popular political figures in the country. Now, for the first time, Graumann tells the story of how Yang went from nobody to national presence, breathing life into the behind-the-scenes antics of the unusual campaign that started a movement. In the process, he demystifies the world of political campaigns and provides takeaways that will help not only the next generation of campaign managers, but anyone who wants to break into a new industry—or stand out in their current one. A book for everyone from members of the Yang Gang who want the inside story to businesspeople looking for self-improvement to anyone who has ever had a dream that felt bigger than they were, Longshot reminds you that sometimes, longshots aren’t quite as long as you think.
£17.59
David Zwirner My Friend Van Gogh
Book SynopsisAn intimate testament to the power of friendship between two creative forces“I exaggerate, I sometimes make changes to the subject, but I still don’t invent the whole of painting; on the contrary, I find it ready-made—but to be untangled—in the real world.” —Vincent van Gogh to Émile Bernard The painter and poet Émile Bernard’s firsthand account of the beloved painter Vincent van Gogh’s life offers deep perspective into the Dutch artist’s process, artistic preoccupations, and difficulties. In the 1890s, Bernard penned prefaces for collections of letters from Van Gogh, some of which were published while others were not. In 1911, Bernard gathered together these prefaces for a new publication, to which he also contributed a new introductory text, of the artist’s letters and sketches which he enclosed in his correspondence. This volume comprises these prefaces, published in English for the first t
£10.40
Baraka Books Arsenic mon amour
Book Synopsis
£8.50
Vintage Publishing Darling Pol: Letters of Mary Wesley and Eric
Book SynopsisBefore her death in 2002, Mary Wesley told her biographer Patrick Marnham: 'after I met Eric I never looked at anyone else again. We lived our ups and downs but life was never boring'. Eric Siepmann was her second husband and their correspondence charted their life together (and apart) with unusual candour and spirit. These remarkable letters, which were inspired by Mary's great love story with Eric, were also the means by which the novelist found her voice. Entrusted to Marnham in two size -5 shoe boxes, this is one of the great surviving post-war correspondences.Trade ReviewPassionate, erotic, honest, funny and also supremely sad... superbly edited by Wesley's biographer Patrick Marnham -- Nicholas Shakespeare * Spectator *a lovely, entertaining and moving book -- Sara Wheeler * Literary Review *It seems extraordinary that Mary Wesley had to wait until she was in her seventies to become an acclaimed author. These letters, written to her lover Eric Siepmann, and edited by her biographer Patrick Marnham, show that she was already a brilliant writer in her thirties -- Lynn Barber * Sunday Times *Highly readable -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail *Her letters are cheerful, resilient and funny, full of sharply observed vignettes of her life in Devon. -- Jane Shilling * The Oldie *
£10.44
Biteback Publishing Alastair Campbell Diaries: Volume 7: From Crash
Book SynopsisCaught in the no man's land between being a key figure in Downing Street and the relative anonymity of the world outside politics, Alastair Campbell finds himself being torn in several directions. Having succeeded Tony Blair as Prime Minister, Gordon Brown wants Campbell at his side. Campbell resists, flooding his reservoir of guilt as a general election looms and Brown's indecision and fluctuating moods suggest the Labour administration is seriously threatened by the Tory `posh boy', David Cameron. Soon Campbell is earning not only praise but big money from motivational speaking and writing novels which darkly reflect the personal mood swings that continue to concern to both him and his family. Serious journalism across platforms old and new puts him back in the public eye and together with live appearances and a love of sport - his enduring love affair with Burnley Football Club still smoulders - sees him board a celebrity merry-go-round that often leaves him far from his comfort zone. With politics constantly tugging his sleeve, he eventually returns to the front line to marshal a party in disarray. The intensity of the months leading up to 6 May 2010 is as dramatic as any screenplay, with Campbell chronicling Brown's struggle to win over a disillusioned nation and then his dignified departure from the main stage. For Campbell, another chapter closes. So what next?
£21.25
Jessica Kingsley Publishers The Recovery Letters: Addressed to People
Book SynopsisWorld Book Night 2018 In 2012, The Recovery Letters was launched to host a series of letters online written by people recovering from depression, addressed to those currently affected by a mental health condition. Addressed to 'Dear You', the inspirational and heartfelt letters provided hope and support to those experiencing depression and were testament that recovery was possible. Now for the first time, these letters have been compiled into an anthology for people living with depression and are interspersed with motivating quotes and additional resources as well as new material written specifically for the book. This powerful collection of personal letters from people with first-hand experiences of depression will serve as a comforting resource for anyone on the journey to recovery.Trade ReviewWriting or reading a letter strikes at the sense of isolation which is at the root of despair. Read this book, buy it for others, it's rare and powerful medication. -- Gwyneth Lewis, author of Sunbathing in the Rain: A Cheerful Book about DepressionThis book contains messages of hope from the dark side, an antidote of rational belief to fight the lack of faith all depressives feel. The Recovery Letters, I have no doubt, has the power to save lives. -- Tim Lott, journalist and authorThese letters are full of friendship and intimacy. It is possible to mend your way out of depression, and, believe me, you'll be all the better for it: more thoughtful, more receptive, and more at peace. -- Dr Neel Burton, author of Growing from DepressionI found the letters so helpful when I was ill; one of the few things that reached me across the void. -- Charlotte Garrett, Research PsychologistPowerful letters from people who've been there who know from experience that you won't always feel this way. Just one letter that really speaks to you could make a difference. -- Claudia Hammond, broadcaster and writerMoving, beautiful in places and valuable: in a world in which effective treatment for the mentally ill remains as elusive as ever, this book has something rather important to offer. More than anything, the depression sufferer wants reassurance that recovery is possible. These letters from fellow travellers show that it is not just possible, but probable, that you are not alone, that others have been here, survived, recovered, and rejoined their lives. Their message: you can do the same. -- Mark Rice-Oxley, author of Underneath the Lemon Tree: A Memoir of Depression and RecoveryThe people writing these letters describe depression in a way that only survivors can. The words are authentic and will give hope and encouragement to those who read them. -- Douglas Bloch M.A., author of Healing From Depression: 12 Weeks to a Better MoodTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Introduction: Why I Started The Recovery Letters, James Withey. Introduction: Writing Letters: A Subtle Therapy, Olivia Sagan. Letters. Afterword: There's Life in Letters, G. Thomas Couser.
£16.16
Canongate Books Letters of Note: Love
Book SynopsisIn Letters of Note: Love, Shaun Usher gathers together some of the most powerful messages about love ever composed, whether inspired by love's first blush or the recriminations at its ending, the regrets of unrequited feelings and the joys of passions known.Includes letters by:Simone de Beauvoir, Frida Kahlo Georgia O'Keeffe, Zora Neale Hurston Evelyn Waugh, Vita Sackville-West Nelson Mandela, John Steinbeck & many moreTrade ReviewPraise for Letters of Note: Quite literally the most enjoyable volume it is possible to imagine. Every page is a marvel * * Spectator * *It is inspiring, and often sad, funny, and occasionally quite surreal * * GQ * *A truly extraordinary reading experience * * Big Issue * *Witty, tragic, educational, inspirational * * The List * *Addictive, like dipping into a bag of variously tempting assorted candies, knowing that the next one will always bring surprise and pleasure * * New Yorker * *A gloriously presented compilation * * Financial Times * *The literary equivalent of a box of chocolates - bite-sized and pure addictive pleasure . . . The result is beautifully produced, with photographs and colour facsimiles of much of the correspondence. A gorgeous Christmas present * * The Sunday Times * *It is hard to see how Letters Of Note could ever be surpassed * * Mail on Sunday * *Funny, tragic, brilliantly incisive, historic, lyrical, romantic and studiedly offensive, this stupendous compendium of letters ancient and modern is my book of the year. You will never tire of it -- Stephen FryA wonderful collection of magical missives . . . It'll have you reaching for pen and paper * * Evening Standard * *
£6.99
Headline Publishing Group Letters of Great Women: Extraordinary
Book SynopsisOver 2,000 years of history seen through the eyes of 50 extraordinary women. Was Jane Austen a fan of her own work? What did Harriet Tubman want to tell Abraham Lincoln? And how did Greta Thunberg respond to her critics? This carefully curated selection of correspondence on politics, literature, art, entertainment, activism and science provides insight into the personal and professional lives of some of history's most influential names. Each entry includes images and transcripts of the letters themselves along with a biography by celebrated historian Lucinda Hawksley exploring the lives and writings of each woman.Letters of Great Women brings together 50 key female voices on the most significant moments in history, and the everyday joys, sorrows and struggles of women's lives.
£21.25
Quercus Publishing Journal 1887-1910 (riverrun editions): an
Book Synopsis'As a mayor, I am responsible for the upkeep of rural roads; as poet, I prefer to see them neglected.'Jules Renard was a French literary figure of the late nineteenth century. Not a Parisian but a committed countryman, he was elected mayor in 1904 of the tiny village of Citry-le-Mines in a remote part of northern Burgundy. He had the soul of a rustic bourgeois but the ambition of a metropolitan, and his wife's money allowed him to move in elevated circles, though he seemed an awkward customer, a badger, and looked like one. He wrote fiction, journalism and drama, very successfully, but the Journal is Renard's masterpiece, the least categorizable work of the French fin de siècle.The Journal constitutes a profusion of entries, without stitching or pattern: mordant reflections on style, literature and theatre; portraits of family, friends and the Parisian literary scene; quasi-ethnographical observations on village life and notations of the natural world which are unlike anything except themselves.Samuel Beckett spoke of Renard in the same breath as Proust and Celine, wrote of the Journal that 'for me it is as inexhaustible as Boswell ' and believed his style was learnt from despair. Gide said the Journal was 'not a river but a distillery'. Sartre wrote that 'He invented the literature of silence'. But above all it is a moving and splintery piece of self-scrutiny.Julian Barnes has admired the Journal for many years and has made this new selection from the twelve hundred page Pléiade edition. Theo Cuffe's translation will help bring this fierce judge of human foibles to a new generation of readers.Trade ReviewWell over 100 years later, his writing is still fresh because it retains the tang of curiosity... He writes with such grace, and with such attention, that before long you begin to feel his Journals are not just writings about life, but life itself. * Mail on Sunday *
£11.69
Jessica Kingsley Publishers Letters from the Grief Club: How we live with
Book SynopsisWelcome to the club you never wanted to join. When someone you love dies, it may seem impossible to know what will happen next and how you will cope. Losing someone in early adulthood, you may feel even more alone, when no-one around you seems to have had the same experience. Our letters don't have all the answers, but they do have some - because we've been through it ourselves. Some of us have written to ourselves back on that first day of grief, with the reassurance that we will get through those awful first months. Others share snippets from our grief journeys - from the experience of therapy, to the power of getting creative. Encompassing all types of loss, these stories show that there is no one way to grieve. They talk honestly about grief - the sad, the bad, and the surprisingly beautiful. Welcome to the Grief Club, we're so glad you've found us.Trade ReviewProfound, moving and utterly compelling. A beautiful reminder that despite how it may feel, in grief you are not alone. -- Gary Andrews, author and illustrator of Finding JoyBeautiful and heartfelt. I know each one of these letters will help someone in the Grief Club. -- Cariad Lloyd, host of GriefcastThis book truly and authentically opens the conversation about why we need to talk about grief and impactfully highlights the power of shared experience and connection when we experience loss. -- Dr Radha Modgil, media personality, NHS GP, medical expert for BBC Radio1 Lifehacks, and campaigner for wellbeingThis book is lovely... a great asset to discussions about grief and normalising grief responses. It certainly is powerful reading and mirrors a lot of what we hear in support sessions - Child Bereavement UKLetters from the Grief Club is an important book as it explores life after loss, growth and acceptance. It creates a sense of community and shows how loss can happen to anyone at any time, age or stage in life. The reader is taken on a journey through different experiences of loss and they're even given tips along the way. The contributors and editors have done a great job! -- Rachel Faturoti, author of Sadé and Her Shadow BeastsTable of Contents1. Foreword by Hussain Manawer2. Introduction 3. Grief 1014. Am I the only one feeling like this? 5. Is my loss valid? 6. Will I ever be happy again? 7. Who am I without them? 8. What is next on the grief journey? 9. Conclusion and Afterword
£15.29
Bonnier Books Ltd Letter To My Younger Self: The Big Issue
Book SynopsisNOW INCLUDES BONUS MATERIAL FROM RICHARD OSMAN, DOLLY PARTON, DAVE GROHL AND MANY MORE. Over 10 years ago, The Big Issue began to ask well-known figures to give advice, offer hope and share a few jokes with their younger selves. They opened up in ways they never had, reflecting on their lives and themselves with affection, sympathy and, sometimes, disbelief.This collection of 100 incredible letters includes Paul McCartney on how he found inspiration, Olivia Colman on overcoming confidence problems, Mo Farah on the importance of losing, Diane Abbott on self-belief, Jamie Oliver on trusting your instinct, and so much more.Letter to My Younger Self is a revelatory and profound exploration into the wit and wisdom that age brings, and of the unique insights that looking back can reveal.
£9.49
Troubador Publishing Letters from Helfenberg: A Family Correspondence
Book SynopsisLetters from Helfenberg tells the story of a family and a house, and between the lines also of two countries, Germany and England, over a span of forty years. Starting in Berlin in 1909, when the shops were full of ‘modern hats with big brims and ostrich feathers, delicious fruit from southern lands, English jams and all kinds of fish in aspic, poultry, venison, sausages, partridge and pheasant pie’, it reaches its end again in Berlin in 1948, when survival depended on dangerous foraging for fruit or bartering with cigarettes and reels of cotton. Between these two extremes, the correspondence records the intervening years of war and peace, when marriage had led one part of the von Lippe family from Dresden to Cambridge. From operas to zeppelins, potato harvests to elections, the letters describe events as the family experienced them, together with a rich overlay of literary allusions and philosophical reflections. Their home in Helfenberg and its surrounding countryside are a constant theme, giving inspiration and support in times of joy and sorrow. Letters from a brother in the German navy also give a colourful picture of his voyages to the Americas in the decade before the First World War. From an age in which letters were the principal method of communication, this collection presents a vivid picture of social and family life in the shadow of great international events.
£17.00
Summersdale Publishers How to Find Confidence in Five Minutes a Day
Book SynopsisGrow your confidence and embrace self-love with this proactive guide to becoming a stronger, more empowered youLow self-confidence affects us all from time to time, but studies have shown that women are even more likely to avoid self-promotion and less likely to champion themselves. If you''re someone who struggles to be your own cheerleader, then look no further. This empowering little book will teach you all you need to know to become the most confident version of yourself.Filled with practical tips and inspiring quotes, How to Find Confidence in Five Minutes a Day is a must-read for any woman who has struggled to make her voice heard. The advice inside will help you discover your full potential and learn to be authentically and unapologetically yourself.This book will teach you to: Silence your inner critic and fully embrace who you are Celebrate your successes and stop comparing yourself to others Confidently articulate you
£8.54
Crumps Barn Studio Following a Thread of Gold: The 'deeply textured,
Book SynopsisThis is an extraordinary account of a spiritual journey. Caroline Sherwood examines the path that led her to seek spiritual teachers and healers, both traditional and maverick. Based on diaries and journals, and written over the course of a lifetime, decades of study and practice are set against the day-to-day details of a memoir in a uniquely powerful combination. How do we go beyond our current sense of powerlessness to become a conscious and active teacher? What is the essential reality of our relationship to ourselves and the wider world? How can we help and heal ourselves, while also helping others? Whether you are just starting your spiritual journey, or are a life-long practitioner - this is a candid and thoughtful account of following a thread of gold.Trade Review"A deeply textured, well written, no-holds-barred spiritual odyssey that tells it as it really is, and then some. No fairy-gloss here, just the unadulterated facts of a journey through light and darkness that has resulted in a work of extraordinary exploratory power and penetration" Douglas Lockhart, author of The Dark Side of God and The Mar Saba Codex; "Fluid and articulate and deeply thoughtful" Philip Carr-Gomm, former head of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids; "Reading the book you're taken by the hand and come to discover what it means to embark on a journey that leads to a deeper and deeper understanding of our real nature" Johanna van der Schaft, Astrologer and Teacher
£13.49
Granta Books Joseph Roth: A Life in Letters
Book SynopsisThe legendary Austro-Hungarian novelist and essayist, Joseph Roth, was born in Ukraine in 1894 and died tragically in Paris in 1939. These letters span the breadth of Roth's life, from the schoolboy to the veteran of 44, marked by war, poverty, alcoholism, the loss of his wife through madness, and two decades of prolific work. It is a deeply moving portrait of the life of the writer as an outsider, in exile from a world he no longer recognized as his own.
£11.69
Icon Books Harry's Last Stand: How the world my generation
Book Synopsis'A kind of epic poem, one that moves in circular fashion from passionate denunciation to intense autobiographical reflection ... should be required reading for every MP, peer, councillor, civil servant and commentator. The fury and sense of powerlessness that so many people feel at government policy beam out of every page.' The Guardian'It is not enough to read Harry's record of the struggles and hopes of a generation - we have to re-assert his principles of common ownership and the welfare state. If Harry can do it, we should too!' Ken Loach, Director of I, Daniel Blake'As one of the last remaining survivors of the Great Depression and the Second World War, I will not go gently into that good night. I want to tell you what the world looks like through my eyes, so that you can help change it.' In November 2013, 91-year-old Yorkshireman, RAF veteran and ex-carpet salesman Harry Leslie Smith's Guardian article - 'This year, I will wear a poppy for the last time' - was shared over 80,000 times on Facebook and started a huge debate about the state of society.Now he brings his unique perspective to bear on NHS cutbacks, benefits policy, political corruption, food poverty, the cost of education - and much more. From the deprivation of 1930s Barnsley and the terror of war to the creation of our welfare state, Harry has experienced how a great civilisation can rise from the rubble. But at the end of his life, he fears how easily it is being eroded. Harry's Last Stand is a lyrical, searing modern invective that shows what the past can teach us, and how the future is ours for the taking.'Smith's unwavering will to turn things around makes for inspirational reading.' Big Issue North'[With] sheer emotional power ... Harry Leslie Smith reminds us what society without good public services actually looks and feels like.' New StatesmanTrade ReviewA kind of epic poem, one that moves in circular fashion from passionate denunciation to intense autobiographical reflection ... should be required reading for every MP, peer, councillor, civil servant and commentator. The fury and sense of powerlessness that so many people feel at government policy beam out of every page. * Melissa Benn, Guardian *Smith's unwavering will to turn things around makes for inspirational reading. * Big Issue North *[With] sheer emotional power ... Harry Leslie Smith reminds us what society without good public services actually looks and feels like. -- Melissa Benn * Books of the Year *Mr Smith's is a rousing, earthy writing that's part Tony Harrison, part Dennis Skinner * NudgeMeNow.com *This hymn of wrath against the toxic nexus of money and power in austerity UK from a Bradford pauper's son, excommunicated from the Catholic church for marrying an "enemy" woman in post-war Germany, is a compelling life-verdict. * Paul Routledge, The Tablet *Harry's Last Stand is fast becoming a well-deserved publishing phenomenon. It is a breathtaking argument, brilliantly delivered, who said only the new generation have the capacity to make a difference? -- Mark Perryman * Left Futures *A moving first-person account from 91-year-old Harry Leslie Smith of growing up before the creation of the welfare state and NHS. Making a simple, emotive case for progressive politics, Smith was the star turn at this year's Labour party conference. * Guardian [Best Political Books of 2014] *Harry Leslie Smith is absolutely one of my heroes. Everyone should read this and be humbled. -- Annie LennoxIt is not enough to read Harry's record of the struggles and hopes of a generation - we have to re-assert his principles of common ownership and the welfare state. If Harry can do it, we should too! -- Ken LoachI read Harry's Last Stand in a single sitting. Labour should read to get fire in bellies. Tories should read in shame. -- Alastair CampbellSeek this one out. If it doesn't make you angry there's something wrong with you. It's inspirational stuff. -- Rick O'Shea * Radio 1 Presenter *
£8.54
New Island Books The Presidents' Letters: An Unexpected History of
Book SynopsisShortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards Irish-Published Book of the Year A TREASURE TROVE OF LETTERS TO AND FROM OUR NINE PRESIDENTS FROM 1938 TO THE PRESENT DAY With over 400 letters, memos, cards, telegrams, drawings, notes and photographs, The Presidents’ Letters reveals a personal and unexpected story of Ireland since the inauguration of our first president, Douglas Hyde. Most of these have never been published before and a handful have never been seen by the public. They are letters of congratulations, of resignation, of sympathy. A handwritten note from a president to a queen, a message sent to the moon, a fond farewell from a poet. There are letters of joy and loss, begging letters and threatening ones, sent from palaces, parliaments and prisons, from war zones, refugee camps and homeless shelters. Meticulously researched and hand-picked for this unique book, these correspondences bring to life our presidents, Áras an Uachtaráin and all those who have passed through its doors. The Presidents’ Letters is a beautiful homage to the art of the letter, exploring how each of our presidents defined their eras and how they strengthened the relationship between Ireland and all who identify as Irish. The book is divided into thematic sections, rather than separate chapters on the individual presidencies and featuring contributions in the form of one-page chapter introductions to contextualise the correspondence. Contributors include: David McCullagh Rory Montgomery Martina Devlin Catriona Crowe Samantha Barry Joseph O’Connor Harry McGee Lise Hand Justine McCarthy Paul Rouse Terri Kearney
£16.99
