True stories of discovery Books

Book Synopsis''A practical and positive guide to using tech to change women''s lives for the better'' -Caroline Criado Perez, author of Invisible Women: exposing data bias in a world designed for men''A powerful and inspiring call to action from one of Britain''s brightest minds''- Yomi Adegoke, award-winning journalist, author of Slay in Your Lane etc.Why are women so under-represented in the tech world?Why does this matter?What can we do about it? A book that asks essential questions and provides long-overdue practical solutions. Perfect for readers of Invisible Women.Why do so many of us - particularly women - feel the tech world is beyond reach? Women are woefully under-represented in tech - they represent roughly a mere quarter of the UK STEM workforce. This means an ever-increasing series of big decisions are made by a small number of people, mainly men.So what are the chalTrade ReviewAn exceptional person. * Guardian *An energetic presence with no-nonsense impact. * Telegraph *A powerful and inspiring call to action from one of Britain's brightest minds - She's In Ctrl asks all the right questions about women in tech and Imafidon sets about providing practical, long overdue solutions. -- Yomi Adegoke, award-winning journalist, author of Slay in Your Lane etc.A practical and positive guide to using tech to change women's lives for the better -- Caroline Criado Perez, author of Invisible Women: exposing data bias in a world designed for menAnne-Marie is one of the UK's brilliant minds and has been at the forefront of tackling the STEM gender gap by demystifying the subject and making it accessible and fun for all, regardless of gender or background. Her's is a voice to be listened to. -- June Sarpong, author of The Power of Women: why gender equality works for everyone

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Book SynopsisIn the early hours of 15 April 1912, the Cunard steamship Carpathia receives a distress call from the new White Star liner Titanic. Captain Arthur Rostron immediately turns Carpathia northwest and sails full speed through the dark night, into waters laden with icebergs, on a rescue mission that will become legendary.Almost a century later, Carpathia''s wreck has finally been located. She''s over 500 feet down and only a few divers in the world can attain these depths. Among them is Englishman Ric Waring''s team. In this captivating and intensively researched story, we follow the dual narratives of Rostron and the daring rescue of the Titanic survivors by Carpathia, and of Waring''s team and their dangerous determination to reach the wreck. Rich in history and drama, the true story of Carpathia from her launching to the sensational events of 1912, World War I and beyond is a compelling narrative that moves at the page-turning pace of the very best fiction.Trade ReviewLudowyke's book is captivating and well-researched. * QWeekend *Ludowyke's book is captivating and well-researched. * QWeekend *This book, written and meticulously researched by the Sunshine Coast academic, will be enjoyed by a much wider audience. The reason is Ludowyke's charming way of breathing life into the scenes she writes about and the characters who form the focus of her narrative. * BW Magazine *This book, written and meticulously researched by the Sunshine Coast academic, will be enjoyed by a much wider audience. The reason is Ludowyke's charming way of breathing life into the scenes she writes about and the characters who form the focus of her narrative. * BW Magazine *Review TO COME * WHO Magazine *Review TO COME * QWeekend *This marvellous book recounts the many stories of this forgotten hero of the Titanic disaster. * The Daily Telegraph *a compelling narrative that moves at the page-turning pace of the very best fiction * Mildura Midweek *The dramatic and fascinating story * Law Society Journal *Beyond all the heroism and drama, this is ultimately a parable about a modest vessel which outclasses a superliner when it really counts. * Spectrum *

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Book SynopsisONE OF PEOPLE MAGAZINE'S BEST SUMMER READS 20225* 'A jaw-dropping memoir' - THE TELEGRAPH'One of the maddest memoirs you'll read this year... a beautiful, warm, funny book.' -The Times'A wholly absorbing page-turner that everyone will want to read. You should probably buy two.' -Kirkus Starred Review'A riveting debut.' -People Magazine'By turns hilarious, wrenching, and achingly tender.' -Susan Orlean, New York Times bestselling author'A remarkable and wise book, two memoirs braided together with such tendresse that readers will come to believe the ironic title in earnest' -LA TIMES'Riveting and hilariously funny' - The TimesFor most of her life, Chrysta Bilton was one member of a small, if dysfunctional, family of four. There was her sister, Kaitlyn, her hedonistic, glamorous, gay mum Debra, and Jeffrey, who Debra hand-picked, in an LA hairdressers, to be the father of her children. During Chrysta's unstable childhood, Debra struggled to keep the family afloat and Jeffrey wandered in and out of their lives.Then, in her twenties, Chrysta discovered that her father had secretly donated his sperm over 500 times - and that she had at least 35 other siblings.A Normal Family is a captivating coming-of-age memoir about Chrysta's reckoning with the secrets both parents had carefully kept from her. Heartfelt, warm and funny, it's a story of embracing the family we have, in all the forms we find it.Trade ReviewBilton's twisty life story is fascinating, and her eye for detail and ability to plumb her painful past for meaning make this a riveting debut. * PEOPLE magazine *This beautiful, warm, funny book is a testament to human resilience, forgiveness and humour. It is also a love letter to an extraordinary mother. * The Times *Is there anything original left to say about surviving a dysfunctional upbringing? A Normal Family by Chrysta Bilton takes this question almost as a dare. * BOOKPAGE *Vulnerable and omniscient * USA TODAY *Extraordinary * The Guardian *5* - A jaw-dropping memoir * The Telegraph *One of the maddest memoirs you'll read this year... a beautiful, warm, funny book. * The Times *

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Book SynopsisFifty stories showcasing the impact made by inspiring individuals and inventions on the development of the sailing world as we know it

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Book SynopsisOn 14th April 1912 the Titanic struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage and sank. Fifteen hundred passengers and crew lost their lives. As the order to abandon ship was given, the orchestra took their instruments on deck and continued to play. They were still playing when the ship went down.The violinist, 21 year-old Jock Hume, knew that his fiancée, Mary, was expecting their first child, the author''s mother.One hundred years later, Christopher Ward reveals a dramatic story of love, loss and betrayal, and the catastrophic impact of Jock''s death on two very different Scottish families. He paints a vivid portrait of an age in which class determined the way you lived - and died. An outstanding piece of historical detective work, AND THE BAND PLAYED ON is also a moving account of how the author''s quest to learn more about his grandfather revealed the shocking truth about a family he thought he knew, a truth that had been hidden for nearly a hundred yearsTrade ReviewTragedy has a long reach, and heroism is a great burden...Their story plainly told, is intended as a parallel to the events of 9/11 and the consequences for so many lives thereafter. * The Times *'This extraordinary book was bourne out of that research, revealing the enduring shadow that a tragedy like Titanic - and the ensuing corporate cover-up - casts over future generations of those involved'. * Woman's Weekly *Christopher Ward's book about his 21-year-old grandfather...has produced a fascinating tale. This is the moving story of Jock Hume, a member of the Titanic's band, which played on for as long as possible. Everyone of them died. * Press Association *A gripping and moving account not just of the sinking of the Titanic, and the wretched class system which bedevilled the aftermath, but of the long-term impact on survivors and dependants. What started out as a story for the author's children and grandchildren has turned into a terrific read for everyone. * Alastair Campbell *'A moving homage to all of the men, women and children who heard the last music played onboard the SS Titanic, and to the people they left behind'. * Scotsman *'Christopher Ward's clever and touching account of his grandfather's death'. * Scotsman *Gripping and in places deeply disturbing human stories of the Titanic disaster and its diverse sequels. A major contribution to family and to social history by the grandson of the young violinist playing in the Titanic as the ship sank. * Professor Asa Briggs, author of A Social History of England *'As Christopher Ward delved into his past he unearthed a story of true love, which turned to hate with the sinking of the Titanic'. * Sunday Express *A heartbreaking story, wonderfully told. * Julian Fellowes, author of Gosford Park *'A poignant memorial'. * Spectator *'As the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic moves closer, a significant number of publications focusing on the tragedy are appearing. However, Christopher Ward's new book on the disaster sets a high benchmark for the competition to follow... This is an interesting piece of genealogical research, as well as a gripping individual story from the tragedy'. * Family History Monthly *'Ward bring together both personal stories from his own family... with the wider history of the famous ship and its passengers... He excels in researching the period after the tragedy, and the way in which those who lost their lives were treated according to class'. * Your Family Tree *'A moving account of author Christopher Ward's quest to learn about his grandfather, a Scottish-born musician who played on board the Titanic'. * History Scotland *'Written by his grandson it tells a story of love, loss and the terrible impact Hume's death had on two families. A moving human story from the ship's disaster.' 5 stars * Daily Express *An outstanding piece of historical detective work by Christopher Ward about his family. An utterly absorbing read as the 100th anniversary approaches. * The Weekly *The devastating impact of Jock's death and the ensuing saga of family friction and duplicity that emerges add depth to the Titanic story. * The Good Book Guide *

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Book SynopsisThe story of intrepid palaeontologists, the discoverers of prehistoric life, and the revelations found through their research. Table of ContentsThe Delicate Roots of Palaeontology • From a Dubious Start, Giants Slowly Emerge • The Rise of the Lizard-Like Dinosaurs • The Concept of 'Terrible Reptiles' • Flying Dinosaurs? • A Revolutionary Portrait • Titans of American Palaeontology Boom to Bust • Titans of American Palaeontology Bust to Boom • The Great American Bone Wars • The 'First Family' of Dinosaur Collecting • King of Collectors • Clues Contained in Trace Fossils • Discovery and Destruction • Immense Beasts from Equatorial Africa • To the Heart of Asia • The First Family Portrait • Dinosaurs Return to the Global Stage • A Modern-day Makeover • Following in Andrews' Footsteps and Beyond • Unscrambling a Mystery • Extreme Dinosaurs • Asian Windows on the Mesozoic World • Flocks of Fabulous Fossils • The Tiniest Giants • African Evolution • The Great Murder Mystery • Jurassic Park.

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Book SynopsisA virologist's insight into how viruses evolve and why global epidemics are inevitableIn 1993 a previously healthy young man was drowning in the middle of a desert, in fluids produced by his own lungs. This was the beginning of the terrifying Sin Nombre hantavirus epidemic and the start of a scientific journey that would forever change our understanding of what it means to be human.After witnessing the Sin Nombre outbreak, Dr Frank Ryan began researching viral evolution and was astonished to discover that it's inextricable from the evolution of all life on Earth. From AIDS and Ebola to the common cold, Ryan explores the role of the virus within every ecosystem on the planet. His gripping conclusions shed new light on the natural world, proving that what doesn't kill you really does make you (and your species) stronger.Trade ReviewPraise for Virusphere: ‘A fascinating book that is well structured … absorbing … [and] makes an engrossing and fervent argument’ The Inquisitive Biologist Praise for Frank Ryan: 'Extremely well written … Frank Ryan has the page-turning and spine-chilling ability of a good novelist'Sunday Telegraph 'Ryan is very good at making technical matters comprehensible to the lay reader, but more impressive still is the away he conveys the intellectual excitement and elation of scientific discovery'Literary Review ‘Dr Ryan writes well in a difficult technical field, weaving the technicalities of scientific history, medicine, molecular biology and evolution into the human narratives … Very readable and disturbing’New York Times…

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Book Synopsis''A roaring tale ... remains as vivid and exciting today as it was on publication in 1697'' GuardianThe pirate and adventurer William Dampier circumnavigated the globe three times, and took notes wherever he went. This is his frank, vivid account of his buccaneering sea voyages around the world, from the Caribbean to the Pacific and East Indies. Filled with accounts of raids, escapes, wrecks and storms, it also contains precise observations of people, places, animals and food (including the first English accounts of guacamole, mango chutney and chopsticks). A bestseller on publication, this unique record of the colonial age influenced Robinson Crusoe, Gulliver''s Travels and consequently the whole of English literature.Edited with an Introduction by Nicholas Thomas

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Book Synopsis'Filled with wonderment and awe ... Greene's eloquent memoir is equal parts escape and comfort.' Publishers WeeklyA powerful reflection on life in isolation, in pursuit of the dream of Mars.In 2013 Kate Greene moved to Mars.On NASA's first HI-SEAS simulated Mars mission in Hawaii, she lived for four months in an isolated geodesic dome with her crewmates, gaining incredible insight into human behaviour in tight quarters, as well as the nature of boredom, dreams and isolation that arise amidst the promise of scientific progress and glory.Greene draws on her experience to contemplate what makes an astronaut, the challenges of freeze-dried eggs and time-lagged correspondence, the cost of shooting for a Planet B.The result is a story of space and life, of the slippage between dreams and reality, of bodies in space, and of humanity's incredible impulse to explore. From trying out life on Mars, Greene examines what it is to live on Earth.'In her thoughtful, well-written account of the mission, Greene reflects on what this and other space missions can teach us about ourselves and life on Earth.' Physics TodayTrade ReviewGreene is a talented writer, and her words shine throughout -- Library JournalIn her thoughtful, well-written account of the mission, Greene reflects on what this and other space missions can teach us about ourselves and life on Earth. -- Physics TodayFilled with wonderment and awe ... Greene's eloquent memoir is equal parts escape and comfort. -- Publishers WeeklyLooking for a relatable isolation read after enduring so much pandemic-fueled social isolation? This may be just the book you need. Kate Greene's memoir recounts her time spent as a research participant for NASA in a Mars simulation study. Over the course of four months, Kate lived in insolation with a handful of other participants inside a geodesic dome perched along a Hawaiian volcanic slope. Kate pairs her story of simulating life on Mars with reflections on her queer identity, her brother's disability, and more. -- Book Riot

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Book SynopsisStars and planets, vast skies and new horizons. A distant future with secrets in its past. A house sitter intercepts a message from a lost craft, while a tree holds the key to an alien invasion. Then a curlew rises from a starlit reedbed, before a child dreams of the moon landings, and a robot uncovers a lie which may just change everything ... Full of mystery and adventure, true memories and poetry, this is a brilliant and far-ranging collection about our present and future relationship with space

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Book SynopsisIn 1845 Captain Sir John Franklin led a large, well equipped expedition to complete the conquest of the Canadian Arctic, to find the fabled North West Passage connecting the North Atlantic to the North Pacific. Yet Franklin, his ships and his men were fated never to return. The cause of their loss remains a mystery. In Franklin, Andrew Lambert presents a gripping account of the worst catastrophe in the history of British exploration, and the dark tales of cannibalism that surround the fate of those involved.Shocked by the disappearance of all 129 officers and men, and sickened by reports of cannibalism, the Victorians re-created Franklin as the brave Christian hero who laid down his life, and those of his men. Later generations have been more sceptical about Franklin and his supposed selfless devotion to duty. But does either view really explain why this outstanding scientific navigator found his ships trapped in pack ice seventy miles from magnetic north?In 2

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Book SynopsisThe only contemporary history of the birth of Silicon Valley, from the reporter who had a ringside seat to it all. Over the past five decades, the tech industry has grown into one of the most important sectors of the global economy. Silicon Valley―replete with sprawling office parks, sky-high rents, and countless self-made millionaires―is home to many of its key players. But the origins of Silicon Valley and the tech sector are much humbler. At a time when tech companies’ influence continues to grow, The Big Score chronicles how they began. One of the first reporters on the tech industry beat at the San Jose Mercury-News, Michael S. Malone recounts the feverish efforts of young technologists and entrepreneurs to build something that would change the world―and score them a big payday. Starting with the birth of Hewlett-Packard in the 1930s, Malone illustrates how decades of technological innovation laid the foundation for the meteoric rise of the Valley in the 1970s. Drawing on exclusive, unvarnished interviews, Malone punctuates this history with incisive profiles of tech’s early luminaries―including Nobelist William Shockley and Apple’s Steve Jobs―when they were struggling entrepreneurs working 18-hour days in their garages. And he plunges us into the darker side of the Valley, where espionage, drugs, hellish working conditions, and shocking betrayals shaped the paths for winners and losers in a booming industry. A decades-long story with individual sacrifice, ingenuity, and big money at its core, The Big Score recounts the history of today’s most dynamic sector through its upstart beginnings.Trade Review"As Silicon Valley began its long march to global dominance, one writer was there to record it all--from the tiniest etchings on silicon wafers to the galaxy sized egos that built Apple, Intel, Google and others--and that writer, Mike Malone, turned it into a saga for the ages. He’s been called Silicon Valley’s Boswell, but I think Cecille B. DeMille captures Malone’s epic storytelling power." ―Rich Karlgaard, former Forbes publisher "The Big Score is the definitive chronicle of Silicon Valley’s origins, vividly brought to life by native son Mike Malone. The relentless cycles of invention and reinvention that have defined Silicon Valley for over a century suggest that little is permanent, yet the lessons of its genesis are timeless. In laying bare this dramatic history, Mike helps us understand why Silicon Valley ultimately transcended its geography and inspired the best and brightest to defy the limits of human ingenuity, wherever they are." ―Kim Polese, chairman, CrowdSmart "Mike Malone is the gold standard for telling Silicon Valley’s history. He has witnessed the evolution of the Valley from fruit groves to office parks and has cataloged the world’s dependency on the Valley’s innovative technology. Experience the growth of Silicon Valley through the eyes of a pioneer, friend, reporter, and mentor to so many of us early Valley entrepreneurs." ―Sandy Kurtzig, founder, CEO, and chairman of the ASK Group"Mike Malone’s epic depiction of Silicon Valley was a calling card for me and countless other young entrepreneurs with a background in tech. Malone’s stories captured the essence of Valley culture and the many outsized personalities who helped create this mecca of tech. Years later, this book is still relevant and offers insights into the Valley and its ongoing place in the world." ―Jeff Skoll, first president of eBay “Since 1985, when The Big Score was originally published, the dominant and seemingly enduring companies it documented have mostly fallen by the wayside, and the overall technological landscape is wildly different. And so, while The Big Score continues to exist as an encyclopedic and highly entertaining record of Silicon Valley’s origins, it also provides a glimpse of what’s to come. Nothing ever changes in Silicon Valley, it implicitly testifies, and nothing ever stays the same.” ―Reid Hoffman, partner at Greylock and co-author of Blitzscaling "From its discussion of the Valley's deep roots in the semiconductor industry, to the rise of start-ups, venture capital, and the emergence of new models of management, The Big Score documents the beginnings of a technological transformation. When the book was first published, the microprocessor was kickstaring the computer industry. Today, our greatest innovators continue to build on the work of these early pioneers." ―John Hennessy, president emeritus of Stanford University and chairman, Alphabet Inc. "This is a captivating contemporary history of the pre-internet computer industry. Now, 36 years later, it is a fascinating time capsule chronicling the roots of an explosion that is about to occur. Malone's refreshingly honest new foreword, describing retrospectively what he did and didn't get right, is by itself worth the price of admission." ―Len Shustek, founding chairman, Computer History Museum "The Big Score covers the people and companies that shaped many aspects of early Silicon Valley--people from humble beginnings who took huge risks to accomplish great things while dealing with their own fallibility. This book captures the can-do maker-spirit of the early tech industry and gives us a unique view into a key moment in time." ―Elad Gil, author of High Growth Handbook "The story of Silicon Valley and the digital transformation underway in every facet of our lives can be told from a thousand different vantage points. Read this book to learn that the essential element in the story may not, in fact, be silicon, but rather the people who made it." ―Dan'l Lewin, president and CEO, Computer History Museum "What’s remarkable about The Big Score? It’s truly the first, and by far the best, panoramic history of the Valley’s founding. But more than that, it shows the emergence of Mike Malone as the conscience of Silicon Valley, something the Valley needs now more than ever." ―Ed Clendaniel, editorial page editor, San Jose Mercury-News

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewSELECTED AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY: JIM CRACE, GUARDIAN – ‘A whole wide world of significance’ SARAH SANDS, NEW STATESMAN – ‘Sheer delight’ MICHAEL PRODGER, EVENING STANDARD – ‘Picaresque history’ DAN JONES, DAILY TELEGRAPH – ‘Tremendously inventive’ LEV GROSSMAN, TIME MAGAZINE – ‘Thrilling history’ CHLOE SCHAMA, NEW REPUBLIC – ‘Unadulterated delight’ KIRKUS – ‘Gripping’ MAIL ON SUNDAY – ‘Tragic’ ‘A book as delightful as it is unexpected … [an] extraordinary cabinet of drifting aerial wonderment, a book that will linger and last, as it floats ever upward in the mind’ Simon Winchester, Wall Street Journal ‘Holmes presents a full-blown, lyrical history of the same subject, investigating the strangeness, detachment and powerful romance of ‘falling upwards’ into a seemingly alien and uninhabitable element. He lovingly charts … a history full of awe and inefficiency … A truly masterly storyteller’ Evening Standard ‘Endlessly exhilarating … packed full of swashbuckling stories, as well as fascinating historical accounts of the use of balloons. It is also a singularly beautiful book, wonderfully designed and illustrated and quite clearly a product of love’ Mail on Sunday ‘What Holmes teases out … is that ballooning gave us, quite literally, a different point of view … This exhilarating book, wonderfully written, generously illustrated and beautifully published, captures all that and more’ Spectator ‘Holmes conjures an extraordinarily vivid, violent, thrilling history, full of bizarre personalities, narrow escapes and fatal plunges. A peerless prose artist, infectiously curious’ Time Magazine

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPraise for The Curse of Oak Island: “Sullivan writes with open-minded balance, rendering the Oak Island story into a weirdly fascinating mystery.” —Booklist “The Curse of Oak Island is a definitive read for fans of the History Channel television show. Sullivan delves deeper into the history, personalities, and theories presented only briefly on the show. His approach is mostly unbiased, though he does tell the reader his thoughts on some of the theories and the theorists that he thoroughly researches and debunks. The book is incredibly well researched and the presentation . . . is very readable. If you’ve watched The Curse of Oak Island and were frustrated that snippets and possibilities were left tantalizingly unexplored, this is the book for you.” —Heather Cover, Homewood Library (Birmingham, Alabama) “Sullivan isn’t writing about Oak Island the TV show; his subject is Oak Island the place, largely as seen and imagined by the show’s viewers. So, if you’ve ever been more entranced by the show’s long trips into history and theoretical island encounters across history, Sullivan’s book probably needs to be on your Christmas list.” —Starcasm Praise for Randall Sullivan: “Compelling . . . No single source presents so complete or damning a record as LAbyrinth.” —Entertainment Weekly on LAbyrinth “As a forceful author, Sullivan does a masterly job of juggling the dense thicket of facts and navigating the crowded chronology of the case.” —Salon.com on LAbryinth “Sullivan’s reportage is extraordinary, his narrative enthralling.” —Rolling Stone on The Price of Experience “Sullivan’s riveting tale is amazingly detailed and artfully presented. . . You can hardly turn the page fast enough . . . Contiporary history, brilliantly written.” —Playboy on The Price of Experience “[An] engrossing, damning tale . . . Exhaustively researched, the book methodically weaves a disturbing story of corruption, intimidation, and murder.” —Boston Globe on LAbyrinth “Worthy of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sullivan captures the essence of the world in which Hunt and the BBC operated.” —Chicago Tribune on The Price of Experience “A stunning mix of the personal and the historic, interviews and experiences, with Sullivan incredibly nimble at making the worlds overlap.” —Booklist (starred review) on The Miracle Detective “Well-told and expertly researched.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Miracle Detective

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Book SynopsisFew people have changed the world like the Nobel Prize winners. Each of them has a unique story to tell, combining advice and inspiration, challenges and discoveries, eureka moments and failures. A call from Stockholm turned a group of twenty-four academics into Nobel Prize winners. This is their call to the next generations worldwide.Trade Review'Stefano Sandrone's wonderful gift to the readers of this book is an opportunity to spend a few precious private moments with 24 Nobel Prize winners. There are wisdom and valuable advice in each chapter, but it is the insights into each Nobelist as a real person, with real life stories, that makes this book very special.' Magdalena Skipper, Editor-in-Chief of Nature'Nobel Life offers tantalising glimpses into the Nobel Prize winners' works, their ideas and their personalities. Showing the humanity of some and the humanness of all, we see curiosity and creativity, collaboration and competition, selfishness and generosity, graciousness and haughtiness.' Shirley M. Malcom, Head of Education and Human Resources Programs of the American Association for the Advancement of Science'In these touching conversational portraits of Nobel Laureates, the reader is invited to follow their scientific quest and personal life trajectories, often marked by unexpected turns. Stefano Sandrone succeeds in revealing the human side of brilliant scientists who emerge as individuals with their passions and quirks, yet humble and with a sense of social responsibility.' Helga Nowotny, Professor emerita at ETH Zurich and Former President of the European Research Council'No interviews have ever discussed all the facets of the lives of these explorers of unknown territories in science and medicine. Stefano Sandrone has formulated intelligent questions for intelligent people.' Anders Bárány, Professor emeritus at Stockholm University and Former Scientific Secretary to the Nobel Committee for Physics'An interesting collection of interviews of Nobel Prize winners. An insight into their minds. Their struggles. Their findings and science. What they were doing when they got the call. All have one thing is common. They are humble and thankful. A wonderful read to enlighten readers.' Amit V, NetGalley Reader'This would make a superlative choice for library acquisition, as well as for readers who enjoy science writing and biography … Five stars. Well written and interesting with insights into a world most of us will never experience.' Annie Buchanan, Goodreads'The book includes much vivid detail about the human side of science.' Matthew Reisz, Times Higher Education'sometimes funny, occasionally poignant, and always insightful … Highly recommended for all readers.' Z. B. Johnson, Choice ConnectTable of Contents1. The periodic table Roald Hoffmann; 2. Eureka in Disney world Peter Agre; 3. Flying high Richard Ernst; 4. I'll show you what a woman can do Françoise Barré-Sinoussi; 5. Toys' stories Aaron Ciechanover and Edmond Fischer; 6. Clarity Tim Hunt; 7. Mentoring Martin Chalfie, Hamilton Smith and Johann Deisenhofer; 8. A stroke of colour Roger Tsien; 9. Impact factors Randy Schekman; 10. Know thyself Venkatraman Ramakrishnan; 11. Memory and vision Eric Kandel and Torsten Wiesel; 12. Words and people Daniel Kahneman; 13. Christmas and carol Elizabeth Blackburn and Hamilton Smith; 14. Rocket science Kary Mullis; 15. The big bang practice Arno Penzias, Hamilton Smith and David Gross; 16. Houston, we have a solution and many questions John Mather; 17. À la recherche of space and time Brian Schmidt; 18. Leadership and society Roger Myerson; 19. Of kings and cabbages Bob Solow; 20. Foreword to the future; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe inspiration behind the powerful new film starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson and Emily Watson, this is the story of Dido Belle, whose adoption by an aristocratic family challenged the conventions of 18th century England.In one of the most famous portraits in the world, a pretty girl walks through the grounds of Kenwood House, a vision of aristocratic refinement. But the eye is drawn to the beautiful woman on her right. Pointing at her own cheek, she playfully acknowledges her remarkable position in eighteenth-century society. For Dido Belle was the illegitimate, mixed-race daughter of a Royal Navy captain and a slave woman, adopted by the Earl of Mansfield. As Lord Chief Justice of England he would preside over the notorious Zong case the drowning of 142 slaves by an unscrupulous shipping company. His ruling provided the legal underpinning to the abolition of slavery in Britain.From the privileged yet unequal lives of Dido and her cousin Elizabeth, to the horrific treatment ofTrade Review‘A touching account … artfully constructed’ Sunday Times ‘The theatrical zest of the narrative, which is a tie-in with a movie of the same name, holds it all together’ The Times Praise for film previews of ‘Belle’: ‘A lovely, female-centric romance that completely reinvents the period movie in a way that will resound for quite some time’ Empire ‘Elegant and emotionally satisfying … this handsome period piece tells a continually fascinating, unusually layered story’ Variety Praise for Paula Byrne’s ‘The Real Jane Austen’: ‘The portrait of Austen that emerges is sparklingly multi-faceted, catching the light in intriguing ways … her Jane is far less likely to go for a quiet walk in the garden than she is to be whisked into town in search of a velvet cushion, a necklace or a smart new dress’ Mail on Sunday ‘Engaging, compelling, a delightful and engrossing book. Of course we all know that the "real" Jane Austen will forever be a mystery, but most 21st century Janeites will adore this one. Byrne's passion is nothing if not persuasive’ Sunday Times ‘Brilliantly illuminating … riveting. By focusing, chapter by chapter, on one thread or another of Austen's experience, Byrne allows us to grasp the richness of her inner life’ Simon Callow, Guardian

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Book SynopsisThis under-documented expedition was a pivotal moment in the annals of polar exploration and was the starting point, in historical terms, of revealing the great unknown continent of Antarctica. It was the first time in nearly 70 years since Captain James Cook had circumnavigated Antarctica, that a Royal Naval voyage of discovery had ventured so far South. They set a new 'furthest south' record in the process beating the one set up by James Weddell in a whaling ship in 1823. The expedition set sail from Greenwich in 1839. It consisted of two wooden sailing ships commanded by Captain James Clark Ross and Commander Francis Crozier. The ships were manned exclusively by Royal Naval personnel and each ship had a complement of 64 men and officers. Their primary task was of a scientific nature to study the Earth's magnetic field and build up a set of results that could provide a greater understanding of the effects of magnetism on compasses and their use in navigating the world's oceans. This voyage had a set of planned targets and all were accomplished. In the process a vast amount of scientific information was collected. Many exotic places were visited during the voyage amongst them Madeira, St Helena, Cape Town, Kerguelen island, New Zealand, Australia and the Falkland Islands but the pinnacle was the discovery of the Ross Sea, The Ross Ice Shelf and the mighty volcanoes of Erebus and Terror (named after the two ships). The crews experienced the dangers of navigating in ice-strewn waters and narrowly escaping being crushed by icebergs. Illness was kept at bay although several lives were lost due to accidents. It would be another 60 years before the scenes of their greatest discoveries were visited again and then the Golden Age of Discovery was ushered in with the likes of Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen.Table of ContentsPart 1 - The Expedition. In the Beginning; Targets and instructions; James Clark Ross and Francis Crozier; Setting sail to Madeira and the Atlantic Islands; Cape Town and beyond; Next stop - Hobart, Tasmania; First taste of the ice; Amazing discoveries and wonders to behold; Turning North; South again to the Great Ice Barrier; Impending Disaster; Wild cattle hunt and a third winter away; Return to the Antarctic. Part 2 - The sailors' stories. Part 3 - The sailors' ships

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Book Synopsis** Chosen as a May 2021 pick for The Fearless Book Club by Nobel Peace Prize-Winner, Malala Yousafzai **Travel writer Julia Cooke's exhilarating portrait of Pan Am stewardesses in the Mad Men era.Glamour, danger, liberation: in the Jet Age, Pan Am offered young women the world. Come Fly the World tells the story of the stewardesses who served on the iconic Pan American Airways between 1966 and 1975 - and of the unseen diplomatic role they played on the world stage.Alongside the glamour was real danger, as they flew soldiers to and from Vietnam and staffed Operation Babylift - the dramatic evacuation of 2,000 children during the fall of Saigon. Cooke's storytelling weaves together the true stories of women like Lynne Totten, a science major who decided life in a lab was not for her, to Hazel Bowie, one of the relatively few African American stewardesses of the era, as they embraced the liberation of a jet-set life.In the process, Cooke shows how the sexualized coffee-tea-or-me stereotype was at odds with the importance of what they did, and with the freedom, power and sisterhood they achieved.Trade Review...In confident, clear-eyed, multi-layered prose, Julia Cooke brings to life the true stories of unforgettable Pan-Am stewardesses who defied convention, to seek more from life than they were given. This is a well-researched and fascinating history of air travel, gender equality, and so much more. -- – Rachel Khong, author of GOODBYE VITAMINCome Fly the World is a pop passport to another time. Take a social history flight with the women of Pan Am. -- – Lily Koppel, author of New York Times bestseller THE ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUBBefore second-wave feminism came along to challenge the admissions policies of law, medical, and business schools, there were stewardesses-women every bit as daring and determined as their later counterparts in the professions, and having more fun... [Come Fly the World is] a rollicking, rambunctious ride down the runway of mid-century modern life. -- – Megan Marshall, author of Pulitzer Prize-winning MARGARET FULLER: A New American Life and ELIZABETH BISHOP: A Miracle for BreakfastThis engrossing account, which reads like a novel, offers a combination of riveting personal stories and little-known history, and will draw in readers from the first page. -- - Library Journal'Here's the chance to travel-in time and in the sky-vicariously. Julia Cooke's intimate storytelling weaves together the real-life tales of a memorable cast of Pan Am flight attendants as they embraced the liberation of their new jet-set life. The nonfiction work also unearths little-known stories about how Pan Am flight attendants went above and beyond, including their role in the Vietnam War.' -- Fortune

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Book SynopsisLonglisted for the Andrew 2024 Carnegie Medal for Non-FictionThe shocking, never-before-told story of America's thalidomide victimsIn Germany on Christmas Day 1956 a baby girl was born without ears. She was the first victim of the notorious thalidomide epidemic. There would be over 10,000 more across 46 countries.For years the world believed the United States had avoided the catastrophe. After Frances Kelsey at the Food and Drug Administration became suspicious of the dangers of thalidomide in 1960, she led a successful fight to block its commercial approval.But now, having probed government and corporate archives and interviewed hundreds of key players, Jennifer Vanderbes reveals a darker truth that lay buried for decades. The toxic sedative ostensibly never sold' in America was widely distributed for over five years under the guise of clinical trials, reaching hundreds of pregnant women. Scores of American babies were, in fact, born with birth defects likely caused by the drug.WonderTrade Review‘Both a first-rate medical thriller and the searing account of a forgotten American tragedy. Drawing on six years of groundbreaking research and guided by a keen eye for the indelible detail and an unwavering moral conviction, Vanderbes has produced a shocking saga of pharmaceutical malpractice.’ Patrick Radden Keefe, author of EMPIRE OF PAIN ‘Narrative nonfiction at its most compelling.’ Margot Lee Shetterly, author of HIDDEN FIGURES ‘Thorough investigative work and lucid prose bring to life a little-known American tragedy … A compelling read.’ Abraham Verghese, author of CUTTING FOR STONE ‘A powerful and deeply reported book – Vanderbes’s dogged investigation has finally exposed the true scale of this public health catastrophe.’ Charles Graeber, author of THE GOOD NURSE and THE BREAKTHROUGH ‘Not only a page-turner, but a much-needed call for accountability and justice – an essential addition to our understanding of medical history.’ Megan O’Rourke, author of THE INVISIBLE KINGDOM ‘A deeply researched and chilling must-read.’ Publishers Weekly ‘Will leave you grateful for strong-minded scientists and epidemiology nerds — people who actually take the time to look at the data — and for dedicated pediatricians, parents who won’t take no for an answer and curious, persistent, investigative journalists like Vanderbes who can follow even long-buried and carefully hidden stories that need to be told.’ Washington Post ‘A significant work … The author weaves the various strands of her riveting tale together with aplomb, and she clearly explains even the most puzzling aspects of it.’Kirkus ‘Exhaustively reported… Vanderbes makes a complex and important story understandable, ending with an epilogue about thalidomide today. This is a medical must-read.’ Booklist ‘Vanderbes, previously a novelist, tells her story with verve, power, and empathy’ Harvard Public Health ‘Deft and thorough’ The Globe and Mail

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Book SynopsisI went for a walk around the garden. A great tit warbled above a patch of coltsfoot. I felt a thousand discoveries awaited''Notes from a Summer Cottage by Nina Burton is a beautifully written nature memoir about the time spent renovating a cottage in the Swedish countryside, and all the species that she encountered her during her stay.Did you know that there are more ants altogether than the number of seconds that have passed since the Big Bang? And that in relation to their size, their anthill cities can be larger than London and New York? Or, that a bird's migratory instinct is so strong that an injured stork once escaped captivity and was found six weeks later having walked 150 kilometres, following the migratory path of his flock on foot? What begins with a renovation of a an old summer cottage swiftly turns into an exploration of nature, life and philosophy, in which Nina Burton reveals the inner lives and hitherto unknown habits of the animals with which she shares.Within the wal

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Book SynopsisWe are an astonishing species. Over the past millennium of plagues and exploration, revolution and scientific discovery, woman's rights and technological advances, human society has changed beyond recognition.Sweeping through the last thousand years of human development, Human Race is a treasure chest of the lunar leaps and lightbulb moments that, for better or worse, have sent humanity swerving down a path that no one could ever have predicted.But which of the last ten centuries saw the greatest changes in human history?History's greatest tour guide, Ian Mortimer, knows what answer he would give. But what's yours?Trade ReviewMortimer is an entertaining guide on this superb time-travel journey of human innovations -- Julia Richardson * Daily Mail *An ambitious study of the last millennium * Evening Standard *An excellent romp through the past millennium of British (and particularly English) history… Highly entertaining, well written and packed with lively characters and surprising facts. -- Ian Morris * BBC History Magazine *I loved this book... It will enable you to understand your past, your place in it and that of your ancestors as never before. A modern classic -- FIVE STARS, James Delingpole * Mail on Sunday *Provocative and enjoyable... Almost every page of this engaging book sets your mind racing -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis''Thrilling, inspiring and informative page-turner.'' Walter Isaacson, author of The Code BreakerYou know what went wrong.This is the untold story of what went right.Few were ready when a mysterious respiratory illness emerged in Wuhan, China, in January 2020. Politicians, government officials, business leaders and public-health professionals were unprepared for the most devastating pandemic in a century. Many of the world''s biggest drug and vaccine makers were slow to react or couldn''t muster an effective response.It was up to a small group of unlikely and untested scientists and executives to save civilization. A French businessman dismissed by many as a fabulist. A Turkish immigrant with little virus experience. A quirky Midwesterner obsessed with insect cells. A Boston scientist employing questionable techniques. A British scientist resented by his peers. Far from the limelight, each had spent years developing innovatTrade ReviewThe race to develop a COVID vaccine is one of the most exciting dramas in medical history, and A Shot to Save the World is a thrilling account based on great reporting and access to all of the teams. An inspiring and informative page-turner. * Walter Isaacson, author of The Code Breaker *An appropriately breathless account of the business and scientific rivalries between researchers and companies behind the successful coronavirus vaccines. Zuckerman shows how a global catastrophe transformed the fortunes of tiny, visionary ventures, and huge pharmaceutical enterprises, as they raced to stem the pandemic's spread. -- Andrew Hill * Financial Times *Zuckerman conveys decades of complex scientific research in a gripping fashion. His focus on the slow burn of discovery makes for a fascinating angle and offers plenty of inspiration. The result is tough to put down. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisThe seven chapters in this second of two volumes contain biographies of Irish women who were at the cutting edge of the aeronautical revolution that swept these islands in the early twentieth century. Their stories are told against the backdrop of Irish economic, social and political life. Some enjoyed a lavish and aristocratic lifestyle, while for others it was a struggle.Adelaide Pollock married into the wealthy Belfast Cleaver family. In 1929 she bought her own open-cockpit aircraft and undertook a return journey to India. This was followed by a transcontinental flight from New York to California.Galway born Shamrock Trench earned the distinction of becoming the first woman to earn an Aviator''s Certificate in the newly established Irish Free State.Cathleen Bryan hailed from County Wexford and operated a flying school and commercial aviation business in north County Dublin. She gave aeronautical experience to many and thus brought aviation to hundreds of Iris

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Book SynopsisThe recent discovery and filming of Frankin's HMS 'Terror' has brought the tragic story of the expedition into the international spotlight. The only man who knows the true narrative is Ernest Coleman.

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Book SynopsisNew in paperback - The recent discovery and filming of Franklin's HMS 'Terror' has brought the tragic story of the expedition into the international spotlight. The only man who knows the true narrative is Ernest Coleman.Trade Review‘An extraordinary story of determination… highly recommended’ -- Sea Breezes

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Book SynopsisFootsteps in the Snow recounts a life shaped and dominated by Antarctica, a multi-facetted account of a life dedicated to Antarctic science, policy and governance. It is also the story of growth from callow youth to Antarctic professional in the most challenging of environments. Joining the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) straight from university in 1966 meant two years as a scientist at an isolated British research station with all the challenges of wintering in the hostile environment half a century ago. After just two years he became one of the youngest men to be made a base commander, and as Sir Vivian Fuchs (then Director of BAS) recounts ‘proved himself one of the best we ever had under the most testing conditions’. The story recounts the many challenges of those testing conditions, while developing scientific ideas and accomplishing engineering feats with his team and on occasion looking death in the face and surviving. There were new developments in building research stations on the ice shelf, and the discovery of the ozone hole that gripped the world. Then followed the transition from research scientist to policy maker and diplomat when he became Deputy Director of BAS and advisor to the British delegation at the Antarctic Treaty. Tragedy struck at a base resulting in the author leading the first ever British midwinter flight into Antarctica. Since retiral, the author has become a polar historian “of repute”, and his efforts have been directed to writing and being a guide for Antarctic tourism. This book allows the reader to feel the wonder, awe, excitement and passion for Antarctica which drove John Dudeney throughout his career, and which is as fresh today as it was on first encounter half a century ago.

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Book SynopsisThe recorded history of the diving industry has been fundamentally corrupted over the past 150 years. The result is a complete misunderstanding of how it all began. Who invented the diving helmet? Refer to any encyclopaedia or history book and the answer you will find will almost certainly be wrong. The First Treasure Divers reveals the true and fascinating story. It blows away the myths and deliberate misinformation that have crept into the historical record. Thanks to the painstaking research the author has carried out over the past 25 years, the falsehoods are peeled away to unveil the true, definitive account. It follows the lives of two brothers as they struggle to turn their newly-invented diving helmet to advantage and how they wrestle with apathetic and even hostile authorities for recognition of their invention. It thunders through sunken treasure adventures to the heroism and horrors of the Crimean War. The impact of the invention of the diving helmet is immense. In the 180 years since the Deane brothers carried out the first ever commercial helmet dive off the Isle of Wight on the south coast of England, the diving business has expanded to a global industry with an annual turnover in excess of $3,000,000,000. From another point of view, the life-support technology developed in the diving industry provided the knowledge for keeping the pioneering, high altitude pilots alive, which in turn evolved into the life-support systems of the astronauts who walked on the moon.Table of ContentsPart One Breathing Fire and Water 1 Sweepers and Smugglers 2 Sunken Treasure 3 Breathing Fire 4 Breathing Water 5 Bombay or the Isle of Wight 6 Rubber Dresses 7 HMS Royal George Visit Part Two Struggle and Strife 8 Blind Eyes, Deaf Ears 9 Treasure Island 10 HMS Royal George Revisited 11 The Mary Rose Mystery 12 The Royal Engineers attack HMS Royal George Part Three Competition and Catastrophe 13 Open and close 14 The Pain 15 Up and Down Part Four Horrors and Heroism 16 Back to Whitstable 17 It's War 18 First Blood 19 Sebastopol 20 Home

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Book SynopsisAs the first Chinese female scientist to win a Nobel prize (in physiology or medicine) in 2015, what were Tu Youyou’s formative experiences and the major events that shaped her life? How did this remarkable woman − without a medical degree, doctorate or overseas work experience – makesuch a valuable contribution to the control of malaria? This book explores the extraordinary career of this modest, frugal and very unconventional scientist and records her inspirational work.During early clinical trials, Tu traveled to malaria-endemic areas of Hainan and was the first to test her medicine on herself to ensure it was safe after the drug had shown promising results in mice and monkeys. Only then were the clinical trials expanded to include other humans.Afflicted with tuberculosis at the age of 16, Tu Youyou recovered two years later with a determination to make up for lost time. In fact, the illness was the making of her in that it sparked an interest in medicine and pharmacology and a desire to help save the lives of others. Indifferent to fame and wealth, and courageous in the pursuit of truth, she went on to make remarkable scientific achievements.Although born in Ningbo at a time of turmoil, Tu Youyou was among the first intake of female college students in the new China. She made the most of this good fortune by devoting herself to decades of quiet and patient labor in which she embraced Chairman Mao Zedong’s quest for the country to combine traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine.Separated from her family, she led a national research group codenamed ‘Mission 523’ tasked with developing antimalarial drugs from Chinese medicines. Exposing themselves to considerable hardship and danger, the team’s pioneering work led to the discovery of artemisinin, a drug therapy that has since saved millions of lives across the globe, especially in developing countries.

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Book SynopsisA novel about eccentric 19th-century Englishman Alexander Hare: a trader and slave-owner in the East and a friend of Thomas Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore, but Hare's chief claim to fame is as the creator of a harem of women from throughout Asia.

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Book Synopsis‘Dickens’s Favourite Blacking Factory’ is the extraordinary story of Charles Day, a self-made nineteenth-century boot-blacking entrepreneur, the dispute over whose Will led Charles Dickens to create the apparently endless case of ‘Jarndyce and Jarndyce’ in his novel ‘Bleak House’. In this remarkable and highly imaginative telling of a true story, after a decades-long search for information on his ancestor, the author makes a fluke discovery, revealing a sweeping story of Regency and early-Victorian London. An actual 170,000-word document uncovered in the National Archives exposes the tragic last two months of the life of Charles Day. This includes his deteriorating mental faculties resulting from tertiary syphilis, his remarkable philanthropy, blackmail by a dodgy solicitor, the inertia of the contemporary legal system and the shame of illegitimacy, particularly in the wealthy classes. Perhaps the plot of Dickens’s ‘Bleak House’ even reflects aspects of Charles Day’s own life?Table of ContentsIllustrations 11 Family Trees 13 Maps 17 Preface 23 I. Prologue 29 II. Life 39 1. Small beginnings to big success 40 2. Introductions in Regency times 55 3. Competition and intellectual property 71 4. Edgware and the Peake sisters 84 5. The Peakes of Stafford, a likeness and lavish living 95 6. Births, deaths and almshouses 111 7. The troublesome daughter and making provisions 132 8. Towards the end 147 III. Death 167 The diary of William Foote 168 Preface 169 Dramatis Personae 171 Introduction 173 The Diary 187 IV. Aftermath 285 1. The beginnings of legal proceedings 286 2. Dufaur 300 3. The Price boys and a census 306 4. The Court of Chancery 316 5. Caterham 331 6. The destination of Charles Day’s fortune 339 7. The Dickens connection 354 V. Epilogue 371 The Unmasking of John (or Charles) Price 372 Appendix One The responses of Susannah Peake in PC53 402 Appendix Two The Will and Codicils of Charles Day 414 Sources, notes and references 440 Bibliography 453 Acknowledgements 455 Table of Contents Preface 3 Chapter 1: On Optimism, Hope, and False Hope 9 Chapter 2: On People and Human Nature 19 Chapter 3: On Negotiation and Cooperation 37 Chapter 4: On Stupidity 45 Chapter 5: On Creation of Artifacts and Things 49 Chapter 6: On Futility and Exasperation 59 Chapter 7: On Acceptance 79 Chapter 8: On Being Poor 85 Chapter 9: On the Value of Discipline 91 Chapter 10: On the False Promise of First Impressions 101 Chapter 11: On Wisdom 105 Chapter 12: On Competition 113 Chapter 13: On Trying to be Something You’re Not 125 Chapter 14: On Caution, Omens, and Sympathy 131 Chapter 15: On Leaders & Leadership 137 Chapter 16: On Patience 143 Chapter 17: On Making the Best of a Bad Situation 147 Chapter 18: On Accepting Consequences 151 Chapter 19: On Burdens, Luck & Fate 157 Glossary 165 Gloss: On Optimism, Hope, and False Hope 167 Gloss: On People and Human Nature 173 Gloss: On Negotiation and Cooperation 185 Gloss: On Stupidity 191 Gloss: On Creation of Artifacts and Things 195 Gloss: On Futility and Exasperation 201 Gloss: On Acceptance 215 Gloss: On Being Poor 219 Gloss: On the Value of Discipline 223 Gloss: On the False Promise of First Impressions 229 Gloss: On Wisdom 231 Gloss: On Competition 237 Gloss: On Trying to be Something You’re not 245 Gloss: On Caution, Omens, and Sympathy 249 Gloss: On Leaders & Leadership 253 Gloss: On Patience 257 Gloss: On Making Best of a Bad Situation 261 Gloss: On Accepting Consequences 263 Gloss: On Burdens, Luck & Fate 267 About the authors 272

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Book SynopsisOft erzählen Bilder Geschichten. Bilder haben aber auch selbst eine Geschichte, wenn sie auf dem Weg in ein Museum durch viele Hände gegangen sind. Sie verfügen über eigene Biografien. Der Autor, der sich auf Ergebnisse einschlägiger Provenienzforschung stützt, geht den Lebensbeschreibungen von Kunstwerken aus dem Wallraf-Richartz-Museum Köln auf die Spur: So musste die Stadt Köln 19 Jahre um ein Gemälde von Cranach gegen die Tochter Hermann Görings prozessieren; der Erwerb eines anderen Gemäldes musste teuer bezahlt werden, weil man es als Geschenk nicht haben wollte, und ein mutiger Museumsdirektor setzte seine Kunstankäufe gegen viele Widerstände durch. In diesem Buch für alle Museumsbesucher und Leser, die mehr über die Exponate erfahren wollen, werden die Geschichten hinter den Bildern lebendig.

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times Book of the Year As featured on the BBC Radio 2 Book Club Dr James Barry: Inspector General of Hospitals, army surgeon, duellist, reformer, ladykiller, eccentric. He performed the first successful Caesarean in the British Empire, outraged the military establishment and gave Florence Nightingale a dressing down at Scutari. At home he was surrounded by a menagerie of animals, including a cat, a goat, a parrot and a terrier. Long ago in Cork, Ireland, he had also been a mother. This is the amazing tale of Margaret Anne Bulkley, the young woman who broke the rules of Georgian society to become one of the most respected surgeons of the century. In an extraordinary life, she crossed paths with the British Empire’s great and good, royalty and rebels, soldiers and slaves. A medical pioneer, she rose to a position that no woman before her had been allowed to occupy, but for all her successes, her long, audacious deception also left her isolated, even costing her the chance to be with the man she loved.Trade Review‘A scintillating portrait of Barry’s life…that feels almost Dickensian in style.’ * Guardian *‘An astounding story – of obstinacy, ambition, genius, fearlessness and pioneering feminism.’ * Daily Mail *‘Thoroughly engaging.’ * Sunday Times, Books of the Year *‘Gripping, unusual, moving.’ * Times, Books of the Year *‘A comprehensive account.’ * London Review of Books *'Fascinating’. * History Today *‘Thoroughly researched, stimulating…Highly recommended’. * The Lady *‘Fascinating’ * Irish Independent *‘An irresistible little byway in 18th-century medical and social history’. * Oldie *‘An elegant and sensitive biography…du Preez and Dronfield have done Margaret Buckley and her alter ego proud in this absorbing book.’ * The Times *‘At each turn of this quite gripping biography I found myself gasping in disbelief…the excavations of Michael du Preez…and Jeremy Dronfield…have yielded startling new evidence about the period…Their research is authoritative and prodigious’. * Literary Review *‘This fantastic book is so much more than a biography of a very remarkable woman. The thread of her personal story weaves its way through a meticulously researched record of a fascinating period in world history…compulsive reading.’ -- Dame Margaret Turner-Warwick, first female President, Royal College of Physicians‘A cracking story’. -- Maggie Fergusson * Spectator *‘This is a fascinating account of the life and career of Dr James Barry as a doctor working in the early nineteenth century. Although Dr Barry obtained a Diploma from this College in 1813 it is only now through this book we are able to fully understand and recognise her achievements.’ -- Clare Marx, President, the Royal College of Surgeons of England‘I found the book immensely enjoyable. It’s a fascinating story, told with verve, sensitivity and skill – the result of an awe-inspiring amount of research and detective work, managed with delicacy and flair. I felt the book had a real feel for the times and I appreciated its firm historical grounding, and the way in which imagination and a rigorous approach to fact played so well together. A marvellous read, and a story worth telling.’ -- Rodney Bolt, author of The Impossible Life of Mary Benson‘This is the extraordinary and remarkable story of the transformation of Margaret Bulkley, a red-haired Irish girl from Cork, into Dr James Barry, physician, medical reformer, friend of the rich, friend of the poor and fearless and irascible scourge of the stupidity, complacency, ineptitude and greed of Britain’s Colonial establishment. Dr James Barry kept his great secret for over fifty years and the truth that he was, in fact, a woman was only revealed to an incredulous public after his death. Meticulously researched and written with great verve, this biography is about as good as it gets.’ -- Neil McKenna, author of Fanny & Stella: The Young Men Who Shocked Victorian England'Extensively researched, a fascinating story of a woman taking extreme measures to work in a man’s world.’ -- Richard Hollingham, author of Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery

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Book SynopsisThe story of a classic motorcycle racer who was fortunate enough to be able to ride many of the best machines from the period, at the highest level, and on many of the most famous road racing courses in the world. There are tales of success, friendships, and the loss of racing pals. Machine preparation and mechanical failures feature heavily, and the story recounts the author's frustrations and joys. Andy Reynolds maintained and built many of the bikes he raced, and ultimately retired from riding to become both a machine scrutineer and a sponsor. All aspects of motorcycle racing are covered in the author's easy-to-read and entertaining narrative, and it is a fascinating read for any motorcycle enthusiast. Come into the world of Classic Racing Motorcycles - but bring your cheque book and medical insurance!Trade ReviewThe book is an exciting adventure about one man and his passion for racing classic motorcycles ... - Classic Trial Magazine. --- it is one of the best books ever written about racing at grass roots level and something of a bargain at GBP15.99. - Ian Kerr --- a fascinating read for any motorcycle enthusiast ... It is a personal account of one man's dedication and ambition - which he achieved. - Fishtail --- The book is thick on detail which paints an interesting picture of life in the past half century, and is well written and easy to read. Anyone with even a slight interest in the Classic Racing world will find it great entertainment. Old Bike Australasia --- a true-to-life story told with humor, clarity, and passion. Reynolds is relatable to everyone who rides and is inspirational to anyone who longs to give racing of about any type a try. - Ultimate MotorCycling --- Wow, this is quite a book! ... RCM is a good read ... Get the book, you'll love it! - The Jampot Magazine --- this is a fascinating read, lavishly illustrated, and thoroughly entertaining. - Old Bike MartTable of ContentsChapter 1. Formative years 2. Road racing at last. Plus a new career. 3.Grass track racing and Velocette adventures. 4. The Lotus Elan and building the Seeley-Matchless 5. The beginning of the Seeley years and Pete 6. Such sadness and some good racing 7. Seeley racing and improvement 8. Credibility and the downside 9. Good racing but with some pain 10. Adventures in Europe and other painful experiences 11. The Petty Norton 12. Meeting 'Bobby Lad' plus the TT 13. The Paton. Part 1. 100 mph! 14. The Paton Part 2. Job Done! 15. The TAB Honda. 16. A new Manx Norton 17. Stories from the Manx Norton years 18. My little Italian beauty. The Aermacchi 19. Goodwood Revival adventures 20. The Spanner men 21. The sponsors. The list is endless 22. The final laps 23. The future and the TZ Yamaha 24. The End!

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Book SynopsisDiscover why Britain''s remaining marginally wild equine herda are facing extinction in their semi-natural habitats, and how we might protect them.Explore informally, during rendezvous with expects, inspiring facets of a landscape partially shaped by the ancestors of Britain''s modern-day native houyhnhnms.

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Book SynopsisThere are many powerful stories in Mine to Die. They include the contrast between the lives of the rich mine owners and their families and the poor mining communities; the Camborne riot of 1873; the Cornish miners digging under enemy trenches in the First World War; the end-time for Cornish tin mining in the 20th century; and the mining disasters.

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Book SynopsisRaising the Poisoned Dead maps out the complex contours of a still unresolved mid-Victorian murder mystery which challenges the reader to work out just what took place in an obscure corner of nineteenth-century Lincolnshire.

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Book SynopsisWilliam Balfour Baikie was a surgeon, naturalist, linguist, writer, explorer and government consul who played a key role in opening Africa to the Europeans. As an explorer he mapped and charted large sections of the Niger River system as well as the overland routes from Lagos and Lokoja to the major trading centres of Kano, Timbuctu and Sokoto. As a naturalist, major beneficiaries of his work included Kew Gardens and the British Museum for the rare and undiscovered plant and animal species and yet today he remains largely unknown. On 10th December, 1864 Baikie was on his way back to London and was living in his temporary quarters in Sierra Leone. There he worked to regain his health and to complete the various reports and publications expected by the Colonial and Foreign Offices. He had been away from England for seven years and living conditions in West Africa had caused his health to suffer. While his wife and children waited for his return 600 miles away in Lokoja, the city in Nige-ria he had founded, his father waited for his return to Kirkwall, Orkney. Baikie would never return to his wife, nor ever see his father again. In two days, he would be dead and buried at Sierra Leone before his fortieth birthday. In his short life Baikie became such a hero among the Nigerian people 150 years ago that white visitors to the region today are still greeted warmly as 'Baikie'. After studying at University of Edinburgh he was assigned to the Royal Hospital Haslar where he worked with the noted explorers Sir John Richardson and Sir Edward Perry. Baikie's reputation as a naturalist, and the sphere of influence provided by Richardson and Perry, allowed him to enter the elite British scientific community where he also worked alongside the most famous naturalist of the time, Charles Darwin. During his time at Haslar, Baikie made two voyages exploring the Niger and Benue Rivers to establish trading centres for the Liverpool merchant Macgregor Laird. The first was a resounding success. He conducted the first clinical trial using quinine as a preventative for malaria. For the first time in history, his initial exploration of these rivers was conducted without the loss of a single life to fever. Returning to London to a hero's welcome, he was nominated for one of the Royal Geographic Society's prestigious awards. His second voyage was a pure disaster. His ship was wrecked; members of the expedition died and he was stranded for over a year in the vast remote territory known as the Sokoto Caliphate. Following his rescue, he elected to remain alone in Africa for what would be his final years in order to complete his personal mission. Although he was born 4,000 miles away in Orkney, Baikie was designated the King of Lokoja by the ruler of the Sokoto Caliphate. This book defines the man and his accomplishments and reveals how he is so fondly remembered by the Nigerians and yet apparently so totally forgotten by the rest of the world.

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Book SynopsisIt is widely believed that people living in the Middle Ages seldom traveled. But, as Medieval Travel and Travelers reveals, many medieval people and not only Marco Polo were on the move for a variety of different reasons. Assuming no previous knowledge of medieval civilizations, this volume allows readers to experience the excitement of men and women who ventured into new lands. By addressing cross-cultural interaction, religion, and travel literature, the collection sheds light on how travel shaped the way we perceive the world, while also connecting history to the contemporary era of globalization. Including a mix of complete sources, excerpts, and images, Medieval Travel and Travelers provides readers with opportunities for further reflection on what medieval people expected to find in foreign locales, while sparking curiosity about undiscovered spaces and cultures.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Chapter One: Mapping Out Journeys 1. Maps a. T-O World Map b. Osma Beatus World Map c. Sawley (or Henry of Mainz) World Map d. Al-Idrisi World Map e. Carte pisane 2. Woodcuts of Cities (Parens [Poreč ], Corfu, Modon [Methoni]) 3. Woodcuts of People a. “Exotic” People (Saracens [Muslims], Jews, Greeks, Syrians, Ethiopians, Turks) b. Monsters 4. Cosmas Indikopleustes, The Christian Topography of Cosmas 5. Einsiedeln Itinerary 6. Einhard, The Translation and Miracles of Marcellinus and Peter 7. Paris Conversations 8. Richer of St-Rémi, Histories 9. Jordanus of Severac, Mirabilia descripta 10. Book of the Knowledge of All Kingdoms, Lands, and Lordships That Are in the World Chapter Two: Religious Journeys 11. Travel Prayers in the Gregorian Sacramentary 12. The Vision of Adamnán 13. Life of Anskar 14. The Western European Monk Bernard’s Journey to Jerusalem 15. Al-Tabari, The Prophet Ascends to the Seventh Heaven 16. The Seafarer 17. The Russian Primary Chronicle 18. Life of Saint Christopher 19. Benedict the Pole, Narrative 20. Pascal de Vitoria, Letter 21. The Book of Margery Kempe Chapter Three: Business Journeys 22. Ibn Khurraddadhbih, Book of Routes and Realms 23. The Reports of Ohthere and Wulfstan 24. Letters from Jewish Merchants in the Cairo Geniza 25. Marco Polo, Travels 26. Francesco Balducci Pegolotti, Merchant Handbook 27. Afanasy Nikitin, Voyage beyond Three Seas Chapter Four: Diplomatic Journeys 28. Ibn Fadlan, Mission to the Volga 29. Liudprand of Cremona, Retribution and Embassy 30. Rabban Sauma, Travelogue 31. Ghiyyath al-Din Naqqash, A Persian Embassy to China 32. Abd-al-Razzaq Samarqandi, Narrative of the Journey Chapter Five: Journeys of Discovery and Adventure 33. Saga of the Greenlanders 34. Nasir-i Khusraw, Book of Travels 35. Benjamin of Tudela, Itinerary 36. Ibn Jubayr, Travels 37. Ibn Battuta, Rihla 38. Petrarch, Ascent of Mt. Ventoux 39. Pero Tafur, Voyages and Adventures 40. Jörg von Ehingen, Diary Sources Index of Topics

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Book Synopsis'No other person who has flown in space has captured the experience so vividly' - New York Times Book Review In July 1969, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins piloted the Apollo 11 spacecraft to the moon. Fifty years later, it is still one of the greatest achievements in human history.In this remarkable memoir, Michael Collins conveys, in a very personal way, the drama, beauty, and humour of that adventure. He also traces his development from his first flight experiences in the air force, through his days as a test pilot, to his involvement in Project Gemini and his first spaceflight on Gemini 10. He presents an evocative picture of the famous Apollo 11 spacewalk, detailing the joys of flight and a new perspective on time, light, and movement from someone who has seen the fragile Earth from the other side of the moon.Updated with a new preface to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon-landing, Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins is the utterly absorbing and truly compelling classic account of what it was like to be a member of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon.Trade ReviewCollins tells what his space journeys meant to him as a human being [and] discusses the role of man amid the multitudinous mechanical marvels . . . Profoundly affecting * The New Yorker *Michael Collins can write . . . No other person who has flown in space has captured the experience so vividly * The New York Times Book Review *A splendid and affirmative book . . . A magnificent piece of exposition alive with humour, candid in its anxiety, very sensitive in its appreciation of the men involved. -- Edward Weeks * The Atlantic Monthly *

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