Reportage, journalism or collected columns Books

Book SynopsisThis book introduces practices that are now part of what people see as ‘21st Century Skills’. The enjoyable essays in this book provide a panoramic view over the subject of design. The essays are written to encourage designers and students of design to reflect upon their field. Fundamental questions are raised about the nature of design, about designers themselves, and about the role of design within the broader contexts of business and society. And design, these days, is not just for designers - many different fields are learning from design to build creative practices, and this book seeks to help to open up design practices for general use. The book is for designers (to help them reflect on their practices, and develop them further) and for students of design across all designing disciplines.

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Book SynopsisIn 1890, the thirty-year-old Chekhov, already knowing that he was ill with tuberculosis, undertook an arduous eleven-week journey from Moscow across Siberia to the penal colony on the island of Sakhalin. Now collected here in one volume are the fully annotated translations of his impressions of his trip through Siberia and the account of his three-month sojourn on Sakhalin Island, together with his notes and extracts from his letters to relatives and associates. Highly valuable both as a detailed depiction of the Tsarist system of penal servitude and as an insight into Chekhov’s motivations and objectives for visiting the colony and writing the exposé, Sakhalin Island is a haunting work which had a huge impact both on Chekhov’s career and on Russian society.Trade ReviewAs a work of literature, Sakhalin Island is a masterpiece of restrained, dignified, unsentimental prose … a work of complete seriousness, full of clear, humane, practical suggestions for reform. * The Observer *Mr Reeve’s work reminds one that Chekhov was as great a master of the documentary genre – and also of the best academic prose – as of drama and narrative fiction … Sakhalin Island will never eclipse The Cherry Orchard. But it is every bit as impressive a masterpiece, and this new version will surely make its merits more widely known. * TLS *

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Book SynopsisBased on the acclaimed RTE documentary, 'Shooting the Darkness', this landmark book presents the stories of leading photographers - Alan Lewis, Paul Faith, Martin Nangle, Stanley Matchett, Trevor Dickson, Hugh Russell and Crispin Rodwell - whose images captured some of the most important events of the Troubles. They talk, many of them for the first time, about the photographs they took - how they got the shot; what it cost them to take the photograph; and reflect on whether it was worth it. More broadly, they talk about what it was like to be a photographer during the Troubles: how the paramilitary groups dealt with them, the ethical dilemmas they faced, and the emotional fallout they experienced. The book includes the stories behind iconic images such as Bishop Edward Daly waving a blood-stained handkerchief on Bloody Sunday, Sean Downes being shot and killed by an RUC plastic bullet in Andersonstown in 1984, and the brutal attack of corporals Derek Wood and David Howes in March 1988.

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Book SynopsisJournalism remains a vital, irreplaceable institution in the public sphere, even though technology, political and economic trends, and globalization continue to impact it in negative ways. An Introduction to Journalismis the new go-to textbook for journalism studies.Organized around three thematic sections structures, practices, and change and continuity this textbook covers a broad range of issues central to the study of journalism. These include the nature of news as a socio-cultural construct; the impact of social forces (political, economic, technology, cultural) on journalistic practices and news content; the origin and the impact of journalistic norms, values, and ideologies; patterns of news access and consumption; the relation between journalism and public life; and the role of the press in democracy and authoritarianism. Taking a global perspective throughout, the textbook is grounded in the conviction that we need to examine developments across countries and regions, and understand how global forces shape news, journalism, and the news industry. Supported byextensive examples and clear case studies throughout, this accessible textbook, written by a leading scholar in the field, provides a comprehensive and analytical survey of the key themes that shape journalism. It is essential reading for undergraduate students of journalism studies.

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Book SynopsisThis comprehensive edition brings together for the first time three seminal collections by legendary essayist and journalist Joan Didion: Slouching toward Bethlehem, White Album and Sentimental Journeys. Prefaced with a new introduction by Joan Didion.Live and Learn comprises three of the personal essay collections that established Joan Didion as a major figure in the modern canon arranged in chronological order so that readers can appreciate not only the qualities of the essays per se, but also their evolution over time. It also includes a new introduction by Joan Didion herself.The stylistic masterpiece Slouching Towards Bethlehem (1968) has become a modern classic, capturing the mood of 1960s America and especially the center of its counterculture, California. The cornerstone essay, an extraordinary report on San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury, sets the agenda for the rest of this book depicting and America where, in some way or another, things are falling apart and the center cannot Trade Review'In her portraits of people, Didion is not out to expose but to understand ... A rich display of some of the best prose written today in this country' The New York Times Book Review 'All of the essays manifest not only [Didion's] intelligence but an instinct for details that continue to emit pulsations in the reader's memory and a style that is spare, subtly musical in its phrasing and exact ... the result is a voice like no other in contemporary journalism' Robert Towers, New York Times Book Review 'Didion manges to make the sorry stuff of troubled times (bike movies, for instance) as interesting and suggestive as the monuments that win her dazzled admiration (Georgia O'Keeffe, the Hoover Dam, the mountains around Bogota) ... A timely and elegant collection' New Yorker 'Didion is an original journalistic talent who can strike at the heart, or the absurdity, of a matter in our contemporary wasteland with quick, graceful strokes' San Francisco Chronicle

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisFinalist for theAEJMC Tankard Book Award Between 1925 and 1951, Kent Cooper transformed the Associated Press, making it the world's dominant news agency while changing the kind of journalism that millions of readers in the United States and other countries relied on. Gene Allen's biography is a globe-spanning account of how Cooper led and reshaped the most important institution in American--and eventually international--journalism in the mid-twentieth century. Allen critically assesses the many new approaches and causes that Cooper championed: introducing celebrity news and colorful features to a service previously known for stodgy reliability, pushing through disruptive technological innovations like the instantaneous transmission of news photos, and leading a crusade to bring American-style press freedom--inseparable from private ownership, in Cooper's view--to every country. His insistence on truthfulness and impartiality presents a sharp contrast to much of today's fractured journTrade Review"Highlighting historical facts and perspectives, showcasing a who's who in the news industry, Mr. Associated Press easily serves as required reading for journalism students. Bridging gaps of knowledge from one decade to the next, it offers insights into how an upstart news route expanded to cover the world, and why journalism -- rightly or wrongly -- has become nearly synonymous with 'the media'." --Project Censored“Allen uses the figure of Kent Cooper to narrate a compelling and important story of American news from the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century. An incredibly valuable book for scholars of communications, media, journalism, history, and American foreign relations.”--Heidi Tworek, author of News from Germany: The Competition to Control World Communications, 1900–1945Table of ContentsAcknowledgments “Fitting himself for the newspaper profession” Apprenticeship and Ascent Celebrity News and Competition: Transforming the Domestic News Service The Opposition International Ambitions The Japanese Gambit New Media Politics, External and Otherwise The Shadow of War The Government Suit The Crusade The Voice of America Mr. Associated Press Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisEce Temelkuran is one of Turkey's best-known authors and political commentators. She was previously a columnist for the Habertürk newspaper, before her outspoken criticism of government repression led to her losing her job. Her previous books in English include Deep Mountain: Across the TurkishArmenian Divide (2010) and the poetry collection Book of the Edge (2010). Ece has lived in Tunisia, Lebanon, Paris and Oxford to write her novels, which are published in several languages, and now divides her time between Istanbul and Zagreb.Trade ReviewA passionate nonfiction work...for readers with a particular interest in Turkish politics, or a more general curiosity about polarized democratic societies with authoritarian patriarchal rulers. * Books We Loved in 2016', The New Yorker *Combining personal reflection, popular culture and smaller vignettes...an insightful and informative study of modern Turkey. * Asian Review of Books *Temelkuran’s book does a masterful job of capturing the mood of the country...Temelkuran shines in describing the ways that Erdogan has exploited and exacerbated the country’s polarization...the piece de resistance is her portrait of the Gezi Park protests of 2013. * Bookforum *Temelkuran has written a primer for today’s chaos, a masterclass in expecting the unexpected. A coup attempt in 2016 seems less surprising when viewed against the four coups of the last six decades, all of which Temelkuran weaves into her mosaic of political history. * Financial Times *A profoundly unconventional piece of political commentary… a courageous reminder of the role creativity and the arts have to play in the collective memory of political events. * Frieze *A no-holds-barred insight into the psyche of a people. * New Internationalist *An intimate book. Each page has the same, almost sensuous, feel present in the works of the poet Nazim Hikmet but absent from some decorated recent Turkish writers. * Prospect *Through passionate and poetic prose, Temelkuran holds a mirror to Turkey. * Publishers Weekly *Temelkuran excels at understanding how emotional narrative plays into politics. * The Culture Trip *At times playful, but more often polemical...Temelkuran seethes on the front line of Turkey’s culture war. * The Economist *Astute...a representative example of what an intelligent observer in Turkey thinks and feels about the past fifteen years. * Times Literary Supplement *What a brave woman! And what a fine, stylish and intelligent writer! Mixing sarcasm, anger, wit, and irony as well as hard facts, Ece Temelkuran has provided us with an informative and moving account of Turkey’s seemingly inexorable drift into authoritarianism. * Donald Sassoon, author of The Culture of the Europeans *A vivid portrait of a nation in turmoil...a book that should be on the reading list of everyone who is sincerely interested in this troubled country. * Elif Safak, The Spectator *Ece Temelkuran stares modern Turkey squarely in the eye to give a clear-sighted view of the crisis gripping the country. Temelkuran's writing delights in using the riches of language and the power of the image to create vivid insights into Turkey’s turbulent past and present. * Jodie Ginsberg, Index on Censorship *Part guide, part confidante, Ece Temelkuran brilliantly captures the neurosis at the heart of her country. An important book for anyone who wants to understand modern Turkey. * Padraig Reidy, editor, Little Atoms *A wonderful book that gives a fascinating if frightening insight into the reasons why Turkey is becoming an authoritarian state. It gives an engrossing and intimate sense of the impact this development has on every aspect of life. * Patrick Cockburn, author of The Rise of Islamic State *Ece Temelkuran is a patriot - no other word will do - who, with this book, has become one with those who have stood up throughout history to despotic and criminal leaders. * Seymour Hersh, author of The Killing of Osama Bin Laden *Table of ContentsIntroduction Yesterday Today/Morning Tomorrow: "What Will Become of This Bridge of Ours?"

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Book SynopsisJournalism remains a vital, irreplaceable institution in the public sphere, even though technology, political and economic trends, and globalization continue to impact it in negative ways. An Introduction to Journalismis the new go-to textbook for journalism studies.Organized around three thematic sections structures, practices, and change and continuity this textbook covers a broad range of issues central to the study of journalism. These include the nature of news as a socio-cultural construct; the impact of social forces (political, economic, technology, cultural) on journalistic practices and news content; the origin and the impact of journalistic norms, values, and ideologies; patterns of news access and consumption; the relation between journalism and public life; and the role of the press in democracy and authoritarianism. Taking a global perspective throughout, the textbook is grounded in the conviction that we need to examine developments across countries and regions, and understand how global forces shape news, journalism, and the news industry. Supported byextensive examples and clear case studies throughout, this accessible textbook, written by a leading scholar in the field, provides a comprehensive and analytical survey of the key themes that shape journalism. It is essential reading for undergraduate students of journalism studies.

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Book Synopsis Sports Illustrated, the most respected voice in sports journalism, has covered Major League Baseballfor over seven decades, documenting its heroes, villains, great characters, and iconic moments. A wide-ranging portrait of America''s pastime, this anthology features the best baseball writing from the SI archives by nationally renowned journalists includingFrank Deford, Mark Kram, George Plimpton, Peter Gammons, and Tom Verducci.

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Book SynopsisEverything Must Change! brings together prominent commentators from around the world to present a rich and nuanced weighing of progressive possibilities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In these pages you’ll encounter influential voices across the left, ranging from Roger Waters to Noam Chomsky, Slavoj Žižek to Saskia Sassen. Gael García Bernal, Brian Eno, and Larry Charles examine the pandemic’s more cultural and artistic consequences, touching on topics of love, play, comedy, dreaming, and time. Their words sit alongside analyses of the paradoxes and possibilities of debt, internationalism, and solidarity by Astra Taylor, David Graeber, Vijay Prashad, and Stephanie Kelton. Burgeoning surveillance and control measures in the name of public health are a concern for many of the contributors here, including Shoshana Zuboff and Evgeny Morozov, as are the opportunities presented by the crisis for exploitation by financiers, technocrats, and the far right. Against a return to the normal and, indeed, the notion that there ever was such a thing, these conversations insist that urgent, systemic change is needed to tackle not only the pandemics arising from the human destruction of nature, but also the ceaseless debilitations of contemporary global capitalism. Contributors: Tariq Ali, David Adler, Gael García Bernal, Larry Charles, Noam Chomsky, Brian Eno, Daniel Ellsberg, Kenneth Goldsmith, David Graeber, Johann Hari, Maja Kantar, Stephanie Kelton, Stefania Maurizi, Evgeny Morozov, Maja Pelević, Vijay Prashad , Angela Richter, Saskia Sassen, Saša Savanović, Jeremy Scahill, Richard Sennett, John Shipton, Astra Taylor, Ece Temelkuran, Yanis Varoufakis, Roger Waters, Slavoj Žižek, and Shoshana Zuboff.Trade Review“The left’s big beasts tackle a post-pandemic future” — featured as the Observer Book of the Day “A pick’n’mix of intellectual stimulation, provocation and inquiry.” — recommended by Matthew d’Ancona in Tortoise “An adventurous proposal to seize the Covid-19 crises as, in the words of Saskia Sassen, ‘an invitation to think.'” — reviewed in Modern Times Review “Surveillance capitalism and the role social media plays in disinformation” — contributor Shoshana Zuboff interviewed on Morning Joe “Prominent commentators from around the world weigh progressive possibilities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic” — featured on Climate & Capitalism’s Ecosocialist Bookshelf “An urgent new collection of dialogues” — reviewed by OpEd News

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Book SynopsisFirst English translation (by Kathleen Shields) of a classic book on Paris by the celebrated French poet Jean Follain (1903-71).

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Book SynopsisAlexander Cockburn was without question one of the most influential journalists of his generation, whose writing stems from the best tradition of Mark Twain, H. L. Mencken and Tom Paine. Colossal Wreck, his final work, finished shortly before his death in July 2012, exemplifies the prodigious literary brio that made Cockburn's name.Whether ruthlessly exposing Beltway hypocrisy, pricking the pomposity of those in power, or tirelessly defending the rights of the oppressed, Cockburn never pulled his punches and always landed a blow where it mattered. In this panoramic work, covering nearly two decades of American culture and politics, he explores subjects as varied as the sex life of Bill Clinton and the best way to cook wild turkey. He stands up for the rights of prisoners on death row and exposes the chicanery of the media and the duplicity of the political elite. As he pursues a serpentine path through the nation, he charts the fortunes of friends, famous relatives, and sworn enemies alike to hilarious effect.This is a thrilling trip through the reefs and shoals of politics and everyday life. Combining a passion for the places, the food and the people he encountered on dozens of cross-country journeys, Cockburn reports back over seventeen years of tumultuous change among what he affectionately called the "thousand landscapes" of the United States.Trade ReviewA Colossal Wreck provides ample evidence for Cockburn's standing as one of the left's most perceptive and entertaining commentators. * Guardian *Alexander Cockburn set a high standard of crusading journalism for fifty years ... With his Wildean wit, love of elegant women, penchant for hunting and fondness for P.G. Wodehouse, Cockburn defied the stereotype of the disgruntled left-wing scribe. * Independent *Whether journeying to Key West, Fla., Humboldt County, Calif., Ireland or Istanbul, Mr. Cockburn is a warrior/freethinker, armed with courage and gifted prose to cut down the hypocrisies of tyrants. He is a Marxist Mencken-a composite of comic-poet Andrei Condrescu, the erudite Christopher Hitchens and the gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. * New York Times *Probably the most gifted polemicist writing in English today. * Times Literary Supplement *An overflowing goodie basket of wit, expert deprecation, intellectual comradeship ... and incisive ramble. -- James Wolcott * Vanity Fair *Alex struck American journalism like lightning. -- Michael Tomasky * Daily Beast *Always surprising, outrageous, brilliant and yet strangely compassionate. He weaves together the public and the private with a sustained comic ingenuity that is matchless. -- Edward SaidHe had the courage to take on anything and anyone, from the most powerful organisations in the world to his closest friends, and the energy and persistence to follow his own path wherever it took him. * Guardian *Cockburn essentially pioneered the modern persona for which Christopher Hitchens became much better known: the fancily Oxford-educated leftie Brit litte?rateur/journalist who would say all the outrageous things his bland Yank counterparts lacked the wit, courage, erudition, or e?pater-spirit to utter on their own ... Cockburn was far more committed and purposeful in his outrageousness. -- James Fallows * Atlantic *Cockburn's stylish prose is full of erudition, ribald gossip, and pithy insight... [his] gleefully contrarian punditry makes for an entertaining read. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisIntroduction by Neal AschersonIn our globalised but increasingly polarised age, Kapuscinski shows how the Other remains one of the most compelling ideas of our times.In this reflection on a lifetime of travel, the renown travel writer takes a fresh look at the Western idea of the Other: the non-European or non-American. Looking at this concept through the lens of his own encounters in Africa, Asia and Latin America, Kapuscinski traces how the West has understood the Other from classical times to colonialism, from the Age of Enlightenment to the postmodern global village.Trade Review' He has given the truest, least partial, most comprehensive and vivid account of what life is like on our planet . . .A great imaginative writer, he goes way beyond the material he is processing. -- Geoff Dyer * Guardian *Kapuscinski trascends the limitations of journalism and writes with the narrative power of a Conrad or Kipling or Orwell -- Blake MorrisonThe 20th century's most telling spokesman for the millions of ordinary people who are trapped in the vagaries of authoritarian regimes * Independent *The true master of journalism -- Gabriel Garcia MarquezKapuscinski saw more, and more clearly, if not always perfectly, than nearly any writer one can think to name. Few have written more beautifully of unspeakable things. Few have had his courage, almost none his talent. His books changed the way many of us think about nonfiction -- Tom Bissel * New York Times Book Review *In this short, simple, extraordinarily intelligent book, Kapuscinksi explores what it is to be European, to be non-European, to be colonised, to be the coloniser, to have or to impose an identity. -- Jason Burke * Observer *Intelligently written. * Guardian *A powerful, quasi-religious, meditation on the power of humbling oneself in the face of the unknown. * Independent *

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Book SynopsisIn 2009 Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill became a top global news story. Two years later Hillary Clinton declared “Gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights,” but still today there is little consensus on how to advance those rights beyond the U.S. and Europe. The fact is that international LGBT activism and allies have created winners and losers. In Africa those who easily identify with the identities of the global movement find support, funding and care. Those whose sexualities don’t align so neatly don’t. In this faithful and moving investigation, award winning journalist Robbie Corey-Boulet shows that LGBT liberation does not look the same in Africa as it does in the United States or Europe. At a time when there is a groundswell of interest in LGBT life in Africa and attempts at reversing LGBT rights across much of the ‘developed’ world Corey-Boulet lays bare past failures. To the extent that there exists a right way to engage on LGBT issues in Africa—and, indeed, worldwide—Love Falls on Us is for those looking to learn what it is.Trade ReviewAt last, a book with fresh reporting and nuanced insight on the LGBT community in Africa. Corey-Boulet launches the reader into the fight for the rights of queer Africans, with thoughtful attention to the global and local dynamics of activism across cultures. Even better, he gives us more stories of ordinary African lives, animating them with context and charm. This is an important book. * Dayo Olopade, author of The Bright Continent: Breaking Rules and Making Change in Modern Africa *In Africa, gay rights – like most other human rights – exist in a tenuous state, merely tolerated in the best of times, violently repressed in the worst. But beneath the surface, gay lives go on, and unique forms of gay culture thrive even in hostile environments, as Robbie Corey-Boulet writes in this vivid and important book. Their voices are heard in Loves Falls on Us, loudly and irreverently, revealing surprising truths about Africa – and the people who misjudge it from afar. * Andrew Rice, author of The Teeth May Smile But the Heart Does Not Forget *Corey-Boulet offers a rare insight into the lives of queer men and women in three African countries. These moving life stories defy stereotypes of African queer people as passive victims in need of liberation, and show how the geopolitics of LGBTQ rights can inadvertently harm the very people they aim to help. Crafted by a gifted and sensitive writer, Love Falls On Us is a landmark of journalism that illuminates the deep story behind a sensationalistic issue drawing on both long-term investigative journalism and social studies. It will be essential reading for those involved in the global fight to combat homophobia but also to human rights activists, postcolonial scholars, and students of contemporary Africa. * Professor Vinh-Kim Nguyen, Department of Anthropology, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies *Love Falls on Us offers moving accounts of LGBT Africans’ lives and loves, while demystifying the complexity of gender and sexual diversity politics on the continent. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in LGBT rights and activism. * Ashley Currier, author of Politicizing Sex in Contemporary Africa and Out in Africa *This book provides a gripping portrait of queer life in West Africa, and an intimate insight into the resilience, courage and creativity of those who are marginalized, not only by societal norms of gender and sexuality, but also by global narratives of LGBT rights. * Adriaan Van Klinken, Associate Professor of Religion and African Studies, University of Leeds *Robbie is a meticulous researcher with an unparalleled knowledge of LGBT rights in Africa, a deep connection with local activists, and an understanding of the complex relationship between well-intended outside human rights groups and the local activist community. * Corinne Dufka, Human Rights Watch, Associate Director, West Africa *Explores with nuance and sophistication the paradoxical effects of transnational LGBT rights activism. * Graeme Reid, LGBT Programme Director, Human Rights Watch *Robbie is a meticulous researcher with an unparalleled knowledge of LGBT rights in Africa, a deep connection with local activists, and an understanding of the complex relationship between well-intended outside human rights groups and the local activist community. * Corinne Dufka, Human Rights Watch, Associate Director, West Africa *“Love Falls on Us” deepens our understanding of these lives beyond the persecution described in Western media. Corey-Boulet’s work more than rises to the challenge by elevating the extraordinary ordinariness of L.G.B.T.Q. Africans who are trying to live full, peaceful and free lives in the places they call home. * Uzodinma Iweala, The New York Times *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part 1: Cameroon 1. Indomitable Lions 2. Do No Harm 3. More Fear Than Joy 4. Human Rights Feeds on Horror 5. Love Falls On Us Part 2: Côte d’Ivoire 6. Here in the Realm of Art 7. L’Affaire pédophilie 8. A Life for Two 9. Winners and Losers 10. Brahima du jardin Part 3: Liberia 11. Everybody Will Carry Their Own Burden 12. Anti-Liberian, Anti-God 13. Let That Awareness Be Created 14. Grown Woman 15. Finding Our Own Champions

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Book SynopsisLimited edition of 100 numbered copies, signed by the author, clothbound and slipcased with a 1904 penny inset on the cover. In 1904, the sending, receiving and collecting of postcards had become an essential part of life in Edwardian Dublin. In an age of few private telephones, the postcard was a popular and reliable form of communication – in Dublin there were six mail deliveries a day, and one on Sunday. To celebrate James Joyce and the centenary of Bloomsday, Niall Murphy has assembled a dazzling selection of 240 postcards, all of them posted in the Dublin area during 1904, four of them sent on 16 June that year. Here are the messages of ordinary people who walked the streets of Dublin side-by-side with the characters of Ulysses, with their words eerily mirroring the novel’s events. There is a rescue from drowning in Kingston; crime and punishment in Grafton Street; the Great Storm of 1903; King Edward’s visit; and memories of a ‘departed day’ spent in Howth. Among the many tales of love, three are enacted in varying degrees of intimacy: Millicent and Francisque de Boissieu, Jack Miller and Maud Tighe, and Ina and John McGregor – echoing Joyce’s use of postcards to establish the blossoming romance between Milly Bloom and Alec Bannon. Published in association with the National Library of Ireland, ‘A Bloomsday Postcard’ features the work of the legendary postcard artists – Louis Wain’s strange human cats; Lance Thackery’s satires of upper-class life; and C. Dana Gibson’s exquisite drawings of beautiful women. Here also are cards depicting the Russo-Japanese War, Yukon gold miners, the Dublin Horse Show, and life in Connemara – creating a mesmerizing full-colour mosaic that brings to life the world of Bloomsday, 1904 like never before.

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS 2021The riveting story of a nation at a crucial crossroadsFrom the start of his stint as RTÉ''s Washington Correspondent Brian O''Donovan''s lively and authoritative reporting of a tumultuous period in American life has been must-watch TV.Four Years in the Cauldron is his account of four busy years working in the US. He draws a compelling picture, full of telling colour and detail, of covering its fractured politics, particularly the extraordinary presidency of Donald Trump and the knife-edge election of Joe Biden. And he gives his unique perspective on big stories such as the Covid emergency, the Capitol riot, the murder of George Floyd and trial and conviction of his police killer.He also provides a visceral sense of what it''s like living in a country shaped by guns, God, far-fetched conspiracy theories and the running sore of racism. Yet, drawing on his network of contacts, neighbours, f

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Book SynopsisFrom the international bestselling author of Gomorrah, this is a deeply personal and candid portrait of Italy today: a place of trafficking and toxic waste, where votes can be bought and sold, where organized crime ravages both north and south - yet also where many courageous individuals defy the system, and millions work tirelessly for a better future. 'Saviano is a blazingly vivid and courageous writer' Independent 'A national hero' Umberto Eco'Saviano has an astonishing ability to write luminously yet subtly about terrible things' Le Parisien 'Brave and passionate' Guardian 'One of the world's finest investigative journalists' GQTrade ReviewA symbol of the writer as crusader; brave, unyielding, shining a light into some of the world's darkest corners. -- Josh Glancy * The Times *After reading Saviano, it becomes impossible to see Italy, and the global market, in the same way again. * The New York Times *Saviano is a blazingly vivid and courageous writer. * Independent *A national hero. -- Umberto EcoBrave and passionate. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisHerman Bang (1857-1912) was a sharp-witted observer of the society and manners of his age; with an eye for telling details, he could at one moment mercilessly puncture hypocrisy and arrogance, at the next invoke indignant sympathy for the outcasts and failures of a ruthlessly competitive world. In his novels and especially in his short stories he often takes as his protagonist an unremarkable character who might be dismissed by a casual observer as uninteresting: a failed ballet dancer who scrapes a living as a peripatetic dance teacher in outlying villages ('Irene Holm'), or a lodging-house-keeper's daughter who toils from dawn to dusk to make ends meet ('Froken Caja'). He can also make wicked fun of pretensions and plots, as in 'The Ravens', where the family of the aging Froken Sejer are scheming to have her declared incapable, whilst she is selling off her valuables behind their backs to cheat them of their inheritance. His wide-ranging journalism has many targets, alerting readers to the wretched poverty hidden just a few steps from the thriving city shops or the ineptitude of Europe's ruling houses - as well as celebrating the innovations of the modern age, such as the automobile or the department store. Bang was well known throughout Europe in his lifetime, especially in Germany, where his works were translated early. In the English-speaking world he has had little impact, partly no doubt because of his homosexuality. Even now, only a couple of his novels have been translated. This volume is an attempt to remedy this lack by introducing a broad selection of his short stories and journalism to a new public.

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Book SynopsisThe deeply moving memoir of an award-winning war correspondent turned activist — and her rousing defence of human rights in times of resurgent authoritarianism. As a broadcast journalist for Sky News and Al Jazeera, Sherine Tadros was trained to tell only the facts, as dispassionately as possible. But how can you remain neutral when reporting from war zones, or witnessing brutal state repression? For twenty-six years, Tadros grew up in the quiet surroundings of her family’s London home, and yet injustice was something her Egyptian immigrant parents could never shelter her from. From her first journalistic assignment trapped inside a war zone in the Gaza Strip, to covering the Arab uprisings that changed the course of history, Tadros searched for ways to make a difference in people’s lives. But it wasn’t until her fiancé left her on their wedding day, and her life fell apart, that she found the courage to pursue her true purpose. It was the beginning of a journey leading to her current work for Amnesty International at the United Nations, where she lobbies governments to ensure that human rights are protected around the world. With the compassion and verve of a clear-sighted campaigner and a natural storyteller, Tadros shares her remarkable journey from witnessing injustice to fighting it head-on in the corridors of power.Trade Review‘An engaging, intelligent, and intensely personal story set against the backdrop of conflict in Lebanon, Gaza, and Egypt.’ -- Lara Marlowe * The Irish Times *‘Sherine Tadros has written a gripping and powerful memoir of her journey through journalism, hope, and despair to activism. It’s a candid guidebook that will empower anyone who wants to make the world a better place.’ -- Kim Ghattas, author of Black Wave‘Taking Sides isn’t just a memoir but a call to action. It’s a testimony to how fighting inequality and injustice takes continuous engagement by those who choose to step up.’ -- Leymah Gbowee, activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate‘I read this exquisite and courageous book in one sitting: I could not put it down.’ -- Arwa Damon, humanitarian and former senior international correspondent for CNN‘As a journalist and powerful storyteller, Sherine Tadros immerses us in some of the Middle East’s most compelling recent periods — Hezbollah’s struggle for power in Lebanon, Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, the Tahrir Square pro-democracy protests in Egypt. Yet after living through these dramatic moments, she recognises that recording them is not enough. She decides to abandon the neutrality of journalism to become a human rights advocate, so she can contribute her remarkable communication skills to those seeking justice. A captivating story told with humility, passion, and flair.’ -- Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch‘Full of compassion, heart, and intellect. This is an important book about what it takes to be a conflict reporter, a woman, and the holder of a tender heart. As well as providing a window into the world of global journalism and international organisations, Sherine Tadros is a truth-teller working on the frontlines of storytelling, human rights, and advocacy.’ -- Janine di Giovanni, executive director of The Reckoning Project and author of The Vanishing‘Superbly written, with great thoughtfulness and yet such tempo. Sherine Tadros’s telling of her story as a television journalist in war and a human rights activist at the UN deserves to be read widely. Her honesty and her clarity of thought will make this a classic among journalists, and those mulling the thorny dilemmas she probes with enormous skill.’ -- Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, CEO of the International Peace Institute and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights‘Sherine Tadros is a profile in courage. Her story is for anyone who has found themselves looking for a way to make an impact while surmounting personal struggles and heartbreak. In her journalism and now in her activism, she has always succeeded in telling people’s stories and changing the course of history. She has highlighted injustice and worked to redress it. Taking Sides is a guidebook on how to make the world a better place and the sacrifices you have to make along the way.’ -- Lulu Garcia-Navarro, journalist and host of New York Times Podcast First Person‘While delivering an engaging memoir — told with self-deprecating humour and much self-awareness — Tadros also provides sober and important insights into the modern “Middle East”. She makes accessible to any reader the region’s overlooked humanity and triumphs, as well as its all-too-frequent heartbreaks, from those suffered collectively to intensely personal ones — bravely, Tadros also includes her own. You cannot but cheer her on in her new vocation, even as she leaves journalism — a field she so excelled in and which misses her already.’ -- Alia Malek, journalist and author of The Home That Was Our Country‘[A] mixture of memoir, confession and, unsurprisingly, astute political observation.’ -- Steven Carroll * The Sydney Morning Herald *‘A riveting coming-of-age chronicle which catches your breath, warms your heart, and leaves you full of admiration.’ -- Lyse Doucet, BBC Chief International Correspondent and senior presenter‘A natural storyteller, Tadros’s story of her time as a reporter and an activist is readily readable, insightful and deeply moving. A powerful memoir.’ -- Jeff Popple * Canberra Weekly Magazine *‘Impassioned recollections of a war correspondent and geopolitical advocate … The author’s writing is clear and passionate … A solid contribution to current conversations about privilege and consensus-building for international crises.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘This memoir by human-rights advocate Tadros, deputy director of advocacy and representative to the United Nations for Amnesty International, illuminates horrific war crimes, brutal state repression, and more, without ever losing sight of humanity’s power to create meaningful, systems-based change … More than a memoir, this book demonstrates why stories matter and how to utilise them for positive change. A vital read for activists.’ -- Library Journal, starred review

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Book Synopsis'Uplifting and utterly defiant' Matt Nixson, Daily Express 'Immediate and important ... This is an insider's account of how an ordinary life became extraordinary' Helen Davies, The TimesThis journal of the invasion, a collection of Andrey Kurkov's writings and broadcasts from Kyiv, is a remarkable record of a brilliant writer at the forefront of a 21st-century war. Andrey Kurkov has been a consistent satirical commentator on his adopted country of Ukraine. His most recent work, Grey Bees, is a dark foreshadowing of the devastation in the eastern part of Ukraine in which only two villagers remain in a village bombed to smithereens. The author has lived in Kyiv and in the remote countryside of Ukraine throughout the Russian invasion. He has also been able to fly to European capitals where he has been working to raise money for charities and to address crowded halls. Kurkov has been asked to write for every English newspaper, as also to be interviewed all over Europe. He has become an important voice for his people.Kurkov sees every video and every posted message, and he spends the sleepless nights of continuous bombardment of his city delivering the truth about this invasion to the world.Trade Review'Ukraine's greatest living novelist' -- Charlie Connelly, New European Books of the Year'No one with the slightest interest in this war, or the nation on which it is being waged, should fail to read Andrey Kurkov' -- Dominic Lawson, Daily Mail'A vivid, moving and sometimes funny account of the reality of life during Russia's invasion' -- Marc Bennetts, The Times'The author's on-the-ground account is packed with surprising details about the human effects of the Russian assault ... His voice is genial but also impassioned, never more so than when deploring Putin's efforts to erase Ukrainian culture and history. Ukraine, he says, "will either be free, independent and European, or it will not exist at all". That's why the war has to be fought, with no concession of territory. And he remains quietly hopeful that it will be won' -- Blake Morrison, Guardian'It is little wonder [...] Kurkov, known for his keen eye for the absurdities of life, would pack his diary of the war with fascinating and eccentric details ... yet what makes Kurkov's diary memorable is its departures into the more quotidian gossip-filled trips to the sauna, Ukraine's morale-boosting victory in the Eurovision Song Contest, ruminations on the status of Ukrainian literature amid paper shortages, and ploys to protect animals in the country's shuttered zoos' -- Megan Gibson, New Statesman'Uplifting and utterly defiant' -- Matt Nixson, Daily Express'Immediate and important ... This is an insider's account of how an ordinary life became extraordinary' -- Helen Davies, Times

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Book SynopsisFrom fleeing the Warsaw Ghetto and living underground to fighting for social justice in 1960s’ Seattle and helping smash the communist system in 1980s’ Poland, this is a narrative that erupts into critical moments in Jewish, Polish, and American history. It is also a story of the hidden anguish that accompanies and courses through that history, of the living haunted by the dead. The story is told through a conversation, often contentious, between Michael Steinlauf, historian of Polish-Jewish culture and child of Holocaust survivors, and the anthropologist and artist Elżbieta Janicka. It is illustrated with scores of photographs and documents.Table of Contents1. Poland, 1980s 2. Columbia, 1960s 3. Seattle, first half of the 1970s 4. Brighton Beach, 1950s 5. Brandeis, 1979-88 6. Bondage to the Dead, first time around 7. Bondage to the Dead, second time around 8. Moses, Moyshe, Michał, Maryś, Michel, Michael first time around 9. Moses, Moyshe, Michał, Maryś, Michel, Michael second time around 10. PostscriptsAcknowledgements

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Book Synopsis*Large format edition*The most famous sports book in the world, Wisden Cricketers'' Almanack has been published every year since 1864. Highlights from this year''s edition include Gideon Haigh on the men''s Ashes, former England captain Mike Brearley on the captaincy of Ben Stokes, Jonathan Liew on the departure of Stuart Broad, Michael Collins on English cricket''s equity problem, as well as articles by Ebony Rainford-Brent, Emma John, Harry Pearson, Sir Hilary Beckles and many more of the world''s best sportswriters.As usual, Wisden includes the thought-provoking Notes by the Editor, the famous Cricketers of the Year awards, and the authoritative obituaries. And, as ever, there are reports and scorecards for every Test, together with forthright opinion, compelling features and comprehensive records.There can''t really be any doubt about the cricket book of the year, any year: it''s obviously Wisden. Andrew Baker in The Daily Telegraph

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the 2017 Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature. 'How much risk is worth taking for so beautiful a prize?' The Magician's Glass by award-winning writer Ed Douglas is a collection of eight recent essays on some of the biggest stories and best-known personalities in the world of climbing. In the title essay, he writes about failure on Annapurna III in 1981, one of the boldest attempts in Himalayan mountaineering on one of the most beautiful lines - a line that remains unclimbed to this day. Douglas writes about bitter controversies, like that surrounding Ueli Steck's disputed solo ascent of the south face of Annapurna, the fate of Toni Egger on Cerro Torre in 1959 - when Cesare Maestri claimed the pair had made the first ascent, and the rise and fall of Slovenian ace Tomaz Humar. There are profiles of two stars of the 1980s: the much-loved German Kurt Albert, the father of the 'redpoint', and the enigmatic rock star Patrick Edlinger, a national hero in his native France who lost his way. In Crazy Wisdom, Douglas offers fresh perspectives on the impact mountaineering has on local communities and the role climbers play in the developing world. The final essay explores the relationship between art and alpinism as a way of understanding why it is that people climb mountains.Table of ContentsForeword by Katie Ives; 1 The Magician's Glass; 2 Stealing Toni Egger; 3 Searching for Tomaz Humar; 4 Big Guts; 5 Crazy Wisdom; 6 What's eating Ueli Steck?; 7 Lone Wolf; 8 Lines of Beauty: The Art of Climbing; Acknowledgements.

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Book SynopsisIn the first posthumous monograph on Ryszard Kapuściński’s life and work, Beata Nowacka and Zygmunt Ziątek confront the mixed reception of the writer’s use of the Polish concept of literary reportage, located on the border between journalism and artistic prose, and identify this tension as the driving force behind Kapuściński’s legacy.Trade Review“An exceedingly subtle, richly empathetic, and methodically thoroughgoing work, Ryszard Kapuściński succeeds in painting an engrossing portrait of a man who, as the authors claim, was protean and extraordinarily difficult to pin down. In so doing they demystify his status as a modern Herodotus – an impression that is enhanced by Lindsay Davidson’s virtuoso translation. This work, offering glimpses into Kapuściński’s life in a periodization that follows the trajectories of his reportage, is a true page turner.” George Gasyna, University of Illinois and author of Polish, Hybrid, and Otherwise: Exilic Discourse in Joseph Conrad and Witold Gombrowicz“This artistic biography of the renowned Polish poet, writer, and journalist was inspired by his oeuvre. To signal their reliance on Kapuściński’s creative output, which is historical as well as personal, Nowacka and Ziątek use quotes from relevant works as titles of the book's chapters. The idea is to demonstrate the simultaneity of the processes of the deepening and broadening of Kapuściński’s explorations of the world and his inner self. Highly recommended.” Choice

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Book SynopsisA detailed account of labor corruption in the 1930s and the zealous journalist who railed against itTrade ReviewWinner of Labor History's Prize for the best book on labor history, 2010. "An engaging and illuminating work on a crucial episode in the development of the image of organized labor in the U.S."--EH.Net"Through creative use of FBI and court records, Witwer carefully peels open the intricate layers of several high profile labor scandals that Westbrook Pegler exposed in the World War II era, exploring how organized crime came to control two important unions. Well conceived and judiciously argued."--Elizabeth Fones-Wolf, author of Waves of Opposition: Labor and the Struggle for Democratic Radio"David Witwer is a remarkably energetic and insightful historian, and his study of Westbrook Pegler and the role he played in the construction of a New Deal era discourse of corruption and racketeering within the house of labor is an extremely provocative and path-breaking book."--Nelson Lichtenstein, author of State of the Union: A Century of American LaborTable of ContentsAcknowledgments vi Introduction: "Peglerized" 1 1. The Columnist: A Crusading Jouranlist 15 2. The Outfit: Organized Crime and Labor Racketeering 37 3. Browne, Bioff, and Scalise: The Dynamics of Union Corruption 59 4. The Hollywood Case: Racketeering in the 1930s from a Business Perspective 83 5. Union Members and Corruption: Exploitation and Disillusionment 103 6. Union Members and Corruption: The Potential for Reform 119 7. The Newsmen: "Molders of Public Opinion" 147 8. The Scandal's Political Impact: Pegler and Antiunionism 175 9. "Labor Must Clean House": The Challenge of Responding to Pegler 205 Conclusion: Opportunities Lost and Opportunities Taken 233 Notes 255 Index 319

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION A spectacular, definitive portrait of ordinary life within one of the world's most repressive states - North Korea. 'A most perceptive and eye-opening account of everyday life in North Korea' Jung Chang North Korea is Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four made reality: it is the only country in the world not connected to the internet; where Gone with the Wind is a dangerous, banned book; and where during political rallies, spies study your expression to check your sincerity. Nothing to Envy weaves together the stories of adversity and resilience of six residents of Chongin, North Korea's third-largest city. From extensive interviews and with tenacious investigative work, Barbara Demick has recreated the concerns, culture and lifestyles of North Korean citizens in a gripping narrative, and vividly reconstructed the inner workings of this extraordinary and secretive country. Includes an updated afterword by the author. 'Impossible to put down... Helps restore humanity to some of the world's most oppressed people' ObserverTrade ReviewA rare and valuable insight ... Nothing to Envy is a searchlight shining on a country cloaked in darkness -- Alastair Mabbott * Herald *Barbara Demick's achievement is to restore a measure of humanity to 23 million human beings. Many scholars have pored over North Korea's atrocious history, its fearful politics, abysmal economics and blood-curdling propaganda. No writer I know has done a better job of clothing these academic concerns with the rich detail of the lives of ordinary people - explaining, simply, what it feels like to be a citizen of the cruellest, most repressive and most retrograde country in the world -- Richard Lloyd Parry * The Times *A most perceptive and eye-opening account of everyday life in North Korea -- Jung ChangThis report on the lives of six of the citizens of totalitarian penal colony is unputdownable and deeply affecting, a worthy winner this week of the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-fiction -- David Sexton * Evening Standard *Taking the cases of six individuals and their families, Demick constructs a harrowing narrative of the North's slide into famine following the death of the elder Kim in 1994 ... The Kim dynasty, whose Stalinist cruelty Demick graphically chronicles, has shown remarkable staying power -- Simon Scott Plummer * Daily Telegraph *I loved it - I couldn't pull myself away. This is the first book I've read which tells me about the inner lives of individual North Koreans and the universal cruelty of that regime. Reading this book, I've learnt something about how it feels to be North Korean - it's not unimaginable anymore, but it's even more painful than I could have predicted -- Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor, Channel 4 NewsDemick weaves stories derived from interviews and conversations, conducted over a number of years, into a compelling narrative. Her book is a reminder that oral history is one of our greatest resources. Its use in Nothing to Envy makes for a valuable contribution to the literature on North Korea -- Charlotte Middlehurst * New Statesman *A fascinating study in the oral history of Korea in the last decade of the twentieth century ... Nothing to Envy is a fascinating work which highlights in the lives of the individuals concerned the triumph of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity -- Oliver Rafferty * Irish Times *The shroud of silence and misinformation surrounding North Korea means these stories of six lives inside the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as told to Los Angeles Times journalist Barbara Demick by "defectors", are a revelation -- Emmanuelle Smith * Financial Times *Barbara Demick, the Beijing bureau chief of the Los Angeles Times, has occasionally been to the north, but on visits so strictly controlled as to be worthless. Talking with émigrés and escapees now living in the south has provided the material for this terrific, often gruelling work of reportage. It gives a harrowing, surreal glimpse of what she calls "this hermit kingdom", which is so secretive and little known that it is the only country on earth not connected to the internet -- Christopher Hart * Sunday Times *A fair, modest and informative book about North Korea, a country little known and less understood ... most of what her informants say is repeated in indirect speech, and I found their testimonies varied and convincing ... There is much to learn form this carefully written book that draws few conclusions beyond well-grounded individual cases. Barbara Demick says that in satellite pictures of the Far East, North Korea is an "area of darkness". She makes this black hole at least medium grey -- Jonathan Mirsky * Literary Review *Beijing-based journalist Demick draws on extensive interviews with North Koreans who have defected to the South, revealing the truth of ordinary life within Kim Jong-Il's bizarre and repressive Stalinist state * New Humanist *A lovely work of narrative non-fiction ... that offers extensive evidence of the author's deep knowledge of this country while keeping its sights firmly on individual stories and human details -- Dwight Garner * Scotland on Sunday *Eye-opening portrait of the downtrodden and monochrome lives of six ordinary citizens of North Korea ... Granta's comparisons with Stasiland are apt and you keep having to remind yourself this isn't fiction -- Caroline Sanderson * Bookseller *Nothing To Envy is based on her in-depth interviews with defectors - and their accounts are as harrowing as you would expect -- Siobhan Murphy * Metro *Writing a properly researched book on North Korea seems next to impossible. But in Nothing to Envy, Barbara Demick has done it ... Demick is thorough and fair on the troubled history of Korea -- Roger Hutchinson * Scotsman *In a detailed account of North Korea, Demick looks beyond the country's politics to engage with the human experience and suffering of its residents * Sunday Times *This remarkable book confirms our fears but does much more and is the deserving winner of the 2010 BBC Samuel Johnson Prize ... Barbara Demick is a reporter of impressive tenacity and thoroughness ... Many of those who defected have found their freedom hard to handle. Theirs have been lives twice blighted. But Demick does them proud -- Joan Bakewell * The Times *Barbara Demick, who has an easy winning style, introduces us to a county of suppressed impulses and state propaganda ... This compelling book, a worthy winner of the BBC Samuel Johnson prize, details the experiences of six North Koreans who defected to China or South Korea -- Ian Pindar * Guardian *I've never read anything quite like it ... Demick has unearthed some heartbreaking human stories -- William Leith * Evening Standard *Awarded this year's Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction, this book by the former Korea correspondent of the Los Angeles Times uses the accounts of six defectors to reconstruct everyday life under the secretive communist regime * New Statesman *A fascinating portrait of a population bred from birth to be state automatons ... Alongside the daring prison breaks and midnight escapes through icy rivers to reach China, the tales of everyday love and loss make Nothing to Envy impossible to put down ... Demick's important book, by illuminating previously hidden aspects of North Korean life, helps restore humanity to some of the world's most oppressed people -- Imogen Carter * Observer *This is an extreme book ... I've never read anything like it ... Demick has unearthed some heartbreaking human stories * Scotsman *This compelling account of life and death in Korea is eye-opening and often heart-rending. Demick's perceptiveness in describing the inner life of individual North Koreans both enthrals and horrifies. One of the most fascinating books of the year * Independent on Sunday *An elegant, honourable and meticulously referenced account of a country the author calls "grimly dysfunctional". It is an inspiring read. -- Celia Brayfield * The Times *Thoroughly deserving winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize. * Independent on Sunday *Much-praised 2010 winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction, this is a painstakingly researched and gruelling account of the hardships and cruelties of life in the world's most isolated, eccentric and oppressive state -- Gideon Rachman * Financial Times *A story of epic stoicism and suffering and illuminated by such jaw-dropping details as the doctors who have to donate their own skin to conduct operations -- Brian Schofield * Sunday Times *A brilliant, timely work of very modern history and a deserving winner of the 2010 BBC Samuel Johnson prize -- Rob Attar * BBC History Magazine *Amy Bloom turned her unflinching gaze on the map of the human heart, finding solace in our ability to love no matter what -- Claire Allfree * Metro *gripping, revealing, enraging and unexpectedly inspiring -- Ursula Doyle, editorial director of Virago as the 2010 book she wished she had published * Guardian *A vivid picture of life in the Hermit Kingdom. It deserved the awards it has been winning * The Times *Redolent and disturbing, an account of real lives drawn from interviews with defectors from the shadowy (actually dark) and sinister world of North Korea -- Pete Irvine * Scotland on Sunday *A rare light on so hidden a country, and all the more remarkable for its unfailingly engaging humanity * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisLike most all of Rebecca West's reportage, A Train of Powder approaches great literature. Written between 1946 and 1954, these accounts of four controversial trials explore the nature of crime and punishment, innocence and guilt, retribution and forgiveness. The centerpiece of the book is "Greenhouse with Cyclamens," a three-part essay on the Nuremberg trials written with precision, clarity, and daring insight. She also reports on two particularly brutal murder trials — one for a lynching in North Carolina, the other for a "torso murder" in England — and the espionage trial of a British telegrapher. Throughout, the question of guilt inspires Ms. West to feats of psychological detection wherein unerring craftsmanship and a powerful narrative sense combine to a high purpose — the pursuit of truth. "An astonishing book.... As compelling as Court TV but without the frisson of voyeurism (and with the compensatory satisfactions of West's breathtakingly lucid prose style), these elegant narratives remind us of the preciousness and fragility of our right to trial by jury."—Francine Prose. "It is her unique magic to combine impressionism and precision, as if Monet and Ingres could somehow be fused. Time and again a passage begins as a sort of iridescent cloud, and culminates in a diamond point."—Telford Taylor, Saturday Review. "Rebecca West...has raised journalism to a high art, breathing into it a depth, a poetry, a subtlety, and an understanding and compassion for human beings and their endless follies and tragedies that give it a legitimate place in contemporary literature."—William L. Shirer.Trade ReviewAn astonishing book...Elegant narratives with lucid prose. -- Francine ProseA beautiful example of journalism transformed into great art. -- Carl RollysonBrilliant and thought-provoking. * The Christian Science Monitor *West is a powerful and deadly serious writer, aware that our age has a beast in view...this belongs to the art of the really superb journalist. -- Maurice Dolbier * Harpers Wine & Spirit *Indisputably the world's Number 1 woman writer. * Time *

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Book SynopsisA sparkling collection of journalism from the critically acclaimed author of BAD BLOOD and MOMENTS OF TRUTH.Trade ReviewPraise for GOOD AS HER WORD: 'A tremendous and bracing read that almost brings Sage back to life … Dazzling, erudite pieces.' Observer 'A brilliant collection … When reading her reviews, you get a wonderful feeling of collusion, of attending the best kind of party which mixes great warmth with sophistication.' Time Out 'Smart …. At her epigrammatic best' Daily Telegraph Praise for MOMENTS OF TRUTH ‘Packed with razor-sharp observations and exhilerating humour.’ Sunday Times ‘Thank goodness for Lorna Sage’s brilliant ‘Moments of Truth’. Going into a book with her is like going into a gloomy church, say, in some some foreign city: her eyes adjust to the light so fast she can see the frescoes, and describe them to you in vivd detail, while you are still blinking like a mole.’ Financial Times This is writerly criticism – down to earth, incisive, peppered with memorable phrases – and it makes exhilarating reading.’ Irish Times ‘An apt memorial to a brilliant and stimulating mind.’ Literary Review

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Book SynopsisFinalist for the Man Booker International Prize 2015 Alain Mabanckou left Congo in 1989, at the age of twenty-two, not to return until a quarter of a century later. When at last he comes home to Pointe-Noire, a bustling port town on Congo's south-eastern coast, he finds a country that in some ways has changed beyond recognition: the cinema where, as a child, Mabanckou gorged on glamorous American culture has become a Pentecostal temple, and his secondary school has been re-named in honour of a previously despised colonial ruler. But many things remain unchanged, not least the swirling mythology of Congolese culture which still informs everyday life in Pointe-Noire. Mabanckou though, now a decorated French-Congolese writer and esteemed professor at UCLA, finds he can only look on as an outsider at the place where he grew up. As he delves into his childhood, into the life of his departed mother and into the strange mix of belonging and absence that informs his return to Congo, Mabanckou slowly builds a stirring exploration of the way home never leaves us, however long ago we left home.Trade ReviewThis is a beautiful book, the past hauntingly re-entered, the present truthfully faced, and the translation rises gorgeously to the challenge. * Salman Rushdie *Novels such as African Psycho, Memoirs of a Porcupine and (my favourite) Broken Glass have made his name as a hugely engaging storyteller whose humour, mischief and sheer bravura only throw the melancholy of his forlorn migrant heroes into even bolder relief. Now he, justly, stands among the finalists for the Man Booker International Prize, announced next week...Now he has written an overt memoir, but one that shares with his novels a glorious polyphony of voices and a winning amalgam of frankness and tenderness - deftly carried into English again by his regular translator, Helen Stevenson -- Boyd Tonkin * Independent *Mabanckou is one of the continent's greatest writers and he's getting better with each book * Guardian *One of Africa's liveliest and most original voices * The Times *Mabanckou is, in fact, incomparable * Financial Times *In search of his past, Mabanckou evokes the light and shadow of Pointe-Noire, his "lost paradise" * Radio France Internationale *A literary blow to the solar plexus ... undulating and poignant, raw and poetic' * La Presse *At the end of this journey, the conclusion is clear - the country that lives within him is no longer his own, but Mabanckou remains loyal to his mother's last wish: "Never forget that hot water was once cold." * Télérama *A rich and astonishing book * L’Express *

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Book SynopsisSomewhere in the tangle of the subject's burden and the subject's desire is your story.Alex TizonEvery human being has an epic story. The late Pulitzer Prizewinning writer Alex Tizon told the epic stories of marginalized peoplefrom lonely immigrants struggling to forge a new American identity to a high school custodian who penned a New Yorker short story. Edited by Tizon's friend and former colleague Sam Howe Verhovek, Invisible People collects the best of Tizon's rich, empathetic accountsincluding My Family's Slave, the Atlantic magazine cover story about the woman who raised him and his siblings under conditions that amounted to indentured servitude. Mining his Filipino American background, Tizon tells the stories of immigrants from Cambodia and Laos. He gives a fascinating account of the Beltway sniper and insightful profiles of Surfers for Jesus and a man who tracks UFOs. His articlesmany originally published in the Seattle Times and the Los Angeles Timesare brimming with enlightTrade Review“Alex Tizon is the master of the telling detail that penetrates the surface and makes us understand something or someone—and ultimately ourselves—in a deeper way. Tizon’s beautiful book is as powerful as they come.”—Cheryl Strayed"[B]oth longtime fans and those relatively new to Tizon’s work will come away from this collection with an appreciation for his unquestionable ability to narrate unusual stories in memorable ways."--Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisIf American journalism were a religion, as it has been called, then its supreme deity would be "objectivity." This book draws on high profile cases, showing the degree to which journalism and its evolving commitment to objectivity altered - and in some cases limited - the public's understanding of events and issues.Trade Review"Few issues are as central to our understanding of journalism as the debate over objectivity. In this original and engaging book, David Mindich extends our understanding of it in many directions." -- Mitchell Stephens,author of A History of News"Refreshing, imaginative and thoughtful, David Mindich here reveals intriguing pictures of America's past as he probes terrain generally obscured beneath unquestioned generalizations. He takes readers on a guided tour of nineteenth-century American culture and journalism as he explores changes in print news structure and presentation through a focus on reportage of major events and ideas across nearly seven decades." -- Hazel Dicken-Garcia,Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota"Superb. . . . Mindich links history to contemporary practice by examining the current debate about objectivity through his 100-year-old lens." -- Steve Weinberg * The Christian Science Monitor *"Taking a fresh, panoramic view of objectivity, David Mindich improves our understanding of a key journalistic concept. This perceptive book offers both intriguing stories and a helpful historical framework for current debates on press performance." -- Jeffery Smith,University of Iowa"There is a growing unhappiness about the direction of news coverage. Readers and viewers want 'objectivity' back. The first step toward doing that is to understand where 'objective' journalism came from in the first place. Just the Facts is a good place to begin." -- Jonathan Alter * The Washington Monthly *

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Book Synopsis'This insightful and superb book takes you to World Cups, to conflicts in war-torn countries, to division in Trump's America... A terrific read.' - Gary LinekerFor over thirty years, Mark Austin has covered the biggest stories in the world for ITN and Sky News. As a foreign correspondent and anchorman he has witnessed first-hand some of the most significant events of our times, including the Iraq War, the historic transition in South Africa from the brutality of apartheid to democracy, the horrors of the Rwandan genocide, and natural disasters such as the Haiti earthquake and the Mozambique floods.Full of high drama, raw emotion and the sometimes hilarious happenings from the life of a veteran reporter, Mark Austin's memoir gives startling insight into the stories behind the headlines.'A must read.' - Sir Trevor McDonaldTrade ReviewMark Austin is one of the very finest television journalists anywhere, and his charming, insightful view of the world, as laid back yet gutsy as the man himself, is a delight to read. -- John SimpsonMark Austin made his name as a distinguished journalist and one of the popular news anchors on Independent Television News... His great good fortune was to get sent to Washington to report on the Trump administration, surely one of the most unorthodox presidencies of our time. For this alone his book is a must read. -- Sir Trevor McDonaldAuthoritative, searching and honest - Austin writes as brilliantly about the personal as about the professional encounters he's had. -- Emily MaitlisThis insightful and superb book takes you to World Cups, to conflicts in war-torn countries, to division in Trump's America... A terrific read. -- Gary LinekerMark Austin is a brilliant journalist and a great guy. Read this book to be informed, entertained - and moved. -- Jeremy Bowen

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Book SynopsisFor avid readers and the uninitiated alike, this is a chance to reengage with classic literature and to stay inspired and entertained.The concept of the magazine is simple: the first half is a long-form interview with a notable book fanatic and the second half explores one classic work of literature from an array of surprising and invigorating angles.

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Book SynopsisWill Storr is a longform journalist and novelist. His features have appeared in various publications, including Guardian Weekend, The Times Magazine, Observer Magazine, GQ, Marie Claire and the Sydney Morning Herald. He is a contributing editor at Esquire magazine. He has been named New Journalist of the Year and Feature Writer of the Year, and has won a National Press Club award for excellence. In 2010, his investigation into the kangaroo meat industry won the Australian Food Media award for Best Investigative Journalism and, in 2012, he was presented with the One World Press award and the Amnesty International award for his work on sexual violence against men. He is also the author of Selfie, an investigation into social media, and the history of individualism.Trade Review‘I loved it . . . funny, serious, richly vivid . . . Read this book.’ Daily TelegraphAn investigation not only of outlandish belief systems, but of all belief systems . . . engaging' Sunday Times'Storr can open chapters like a stage conjurer, and his prose has an easy, laconic style embracing Jon Ronson's taste for the fabulously weird and Louis Theroux's ability to put his subjects at ease. He is a funny and companionable guide . . . [who] confounds expectations.' Guardian'Incontrovertibly brilliant' Esquire'Brilliant' Grazia'The Heretics throws new and salutary light on all our conceits and beliefs. Very valuable, and a great read to boot, this is investigative journalism of the highest order.' Independent, Book of the Week'Utterly engrossing . . . The Heretics is an accessible and absolutely compelling read, Storr leaving us with a distinct lack of trust in the verity of our own beliefs. The most dangerous thing anyone can do is dismiss as stupid the beliefs of fringe extremists.' Daily Express‘I don't totally agree with The Heretics, which is why I enjoyed it so much, it pinpricked my mind from some of its lazy slumbering’ Robin Ince'Storr takes his personal experiences on a Louis-Theroux type ride . . . [and] opens up his life as another source of irrationality, leading the reader to question their own core beliefs.' Stylist‘[Storr] seeks not to mock strange convictions, but to get inside the minds of those who hold them. The result is an entertaining journey dotted with some fascinating reportage . . . Storr remains sufficiently dubious of improbable claims, but sufficiently open to the genuine distress of those who make them, to explore alternative explanations for their plight’ Observer'Read this and never trust your own mind again.' Q Magazine'The Heretics is essentially a book about belief written by a sceptic questioning his own scepticism . . . At first glance Storr covers much the same territory as those other explorers of the outer realms of belief, Jon Ronson and Louis Theroux, but his tone is both less sneery and more genuinely exploratory than either . . . This is a humane and generous book and in the face of those ultra-rationalists and materialists who wish to rob us of the wonder of human existence, its insightful exploration of lives lived “beyond the facts” is to be celebrated.' Sunday Telegraph'Will Storr is a versatile, imaginative, committed long-form journalist with a populist touch. He is often brave with regard to his article choices . . . a talented, ambitious writer.' IndependentImpressive . . . brilliant . . . Storr makes you think about the people on both sides of the debate . . . Very astute. * Evening Standard *Impressive * The Scotsman *Storr combines hard investigative journalism with a degree of compassion and self-deprecation that is rarely found in this genre. He's also very funny. -- Ed Yong, bestselling author of I Contain MultitudesA very funny, scientific look, with personal stories, about why people have different opinions and whether you can ever change somebody’s mind. -- Sara Pascoe * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis is a paean to a lost age of wild rock'n'roll and decadent rock'n'roll journalism -- Louis Wise * Sunday Times - Music Book of the Year 2017 *Allan Jones’s wildly entertaining account of observing the excesses and eccentricities of rock stars at close quarters throughout the boom years of the 1970s and 80s, and barely hanging on to his health and sanity in the process. -- Richard Wise * The Guardian *Allan Jones' collection of stories lovingly evoke the hell and hedonism of music journalism at the peak of rock'n'roll's excess -- Dylan Jones * GQ Magazine *These inglorious glory days are long gone, but with this book, Jones throws them one hell of a wake. -- Victoria Segal * The Sunday Times *Mercifully he had a sense of humour, and lived to tell the tale, one of outrageous egos, unbound hedonism and an era lost to history. * Choice Magazine *Melody Maker editor Allan Jones has a wealth of often hilarious anecdotes to tell of his backstage encounters with many of the top rock stars of the Seventies and Eighties. * Choice Magazine *The full madness and lunacy from a time that is long gone is laid out here in all its bare-arsed glory. It is a deliciously good read. * Electronic Sound *It is a seriously entertaining book and one that lovingly evokes a period ... when working for one of the big music papers was a real badge of honour ... it is a tremendous giggle and I urge you to read it. * British GQ *hilarious. I was laughing out loud as I turned the pages * just backdated *a music journalist’s riotously entertaining tales from the heyday of rock. * The Sunday Times *His hilarious new book Can't Stand Up For Falling Down recounts his career and life around the music industry, mixing with some of the most famous faces on the planet and launching the careers of some of the most celebrated artists in the music world. * The MALESTRÖM *As well as being a celebration of excess, this is also, of course, an exercise in nostalgia * Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsIntroduction Leonard Cohen: London, June 1974 Tony Iommi: Iommi Mansions, Warwickshire, July 1974 Van Morrison: Knebworth, July 1974 Ray Davies: London, September 1974 Roxy Music: Cardiff, September 1974 KC and The Sunshine Band: London, October 1974 Lemmy: London, January 1975 John Martyn: Leeds, February 1975 Dave Brock: Devon, February 1975 Joe Strummer: London, February 1975 Wayne Nutt: Aberdeen, March 1975 Mick Ronson: Newcastle, April 1975 Alex Harvey: Glasgow, September 1975 Gordon Lightfoot: London, October 1975 Be-Bop Deluxe: Shrewsbury, January 1976 Patti Smith: London, May 1976 Phil Lynott’s Mum: Manchester, August 1976 Bryan Ferry: London, January 1977 The Byrds: London, April 1977 Angie Bowie: Somerset, April 1977 Lou Reed: London | Stockholm, April 1977 Olivia Newton-John: Lake Tahoe, Nevada, April 1977 The Sex Pistols: London, May 1977 Elvis Costello: London, June 1977 The Sex Pistols: London, June 1977 Stiff Records: London, July 1977 The Mont De Marsan Punk Festival: Southern France, August 1977 David Bowie: London, September 1977 Dr Feelgood: Leicester, September 1977 Nick Lowe: Glasgow, October 1977 Gregg Allman and Cher: London, November 1977 Nick Lowe: Finland, February 1978 Tony Iommi: Glasgow, March 1978 Elvis Costello: Belfast, March 1978 Lou Reed: Philadelphia | New York, May 1978 Kenny Everett: London, July 1978 John Peel: London, August 1978 The Legendary Ariola Juncket: New York |Los Angeles | Portland, August 1978 Al Stewart: Los Angeles, September 1978 The Clash: London, November 1978 XTC: New York, December 1978 The Boomtown Rats: Los Angeles | Atlanta | Dallas, January 1979 The Clash: Cleveland | Washington DC, January 1979 Mike Oldfield: Berlin, April 1979 Lou Reed and David Bowie: London, April 1979 Robert Fripp: Bournemouth, April 1979 The Pretenders: Chester | Blackburn, July 1979 The Searchers: Rhydyfelen, South Wales, November 1979 Jerry Dammers: Hemel Hempstead, December 1979 London Calling: Melody Maker HQ, December 1979 Squeeze: Australia, February 1980 Def Leppard: Glasgow, February 1980 The Police: Bombay, March 1980 The Police: Cairo, March 1980 The Police: Milan, April 1980 Elvis Costello | The Specials | Rockpile: Montreux, July 1980 Monsters of Rock Festival: Castle Donnington, August 1980 Ozzy Osbourne: Texas, March 1982 Morrissey: Reading, February 1984 Johnny Marr: Reading, February 1984 R.E.M.: Athens, GA, June 1985 Van Morrison: London, June 1986 Eddie Grant: Barbados, October 1986 Townes Van Zandt: London, October 1987 Lou Reed: London, February 1989 Neil Young: London, October 1989 R.E.M.: Athens, Georgia, December 1991 Warren Zevon: London, September 1992 Bob Dylan: New York, October 1992 Neil Young: London, October 1992 Pearl Jam: New York, April 1994 The Afterglow

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Book SynopsisA stunning classic set in Italy's most vibrant and turbulent metropolis - Naples - in the immediate aftermath of World War Two. These lively and superbly written stories helped inspire Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan novels. Ortese's work was also championed by Italo Calvino, who was her Italian editor. The stories and reportage collected in this volume form a powerful portrait of ordinary lives, both high and low, family dramas, love affairs, and struggles to pay the rent, set against the crumbling courtyards of the city itself, and the dramatic landscape of Naples Bay. This classic is exquisitely rendered in English by Ann Goldstein and Jenny McPhee, two of the leading translators working from Italian today. Included in the collection is 'A Pair of Eyeglasses', one of the most widely praised Italian short stories of the last century.

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