True stories of heroism, and endu Books

Book SynopsisHolocaust survivor Eddie Jaku made a vow to smile every day and believed he was the ‘happiest man on earth’. In his inspirational memoir, he paid tribute to those who were lost by telling his story and sharing his wisdom.‘Eddie looked evil in the eye and met it with joy and kindness . . . [his] philosophy is life-affirming’ – Daily ExpressLife can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. It is up to you.Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, a Jew second. He was proud of his country. But all of that changed in November 1938, when he was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp.Over the next seven years, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors every day, first in Buchenwald, then in Auschwitz, then on a Nazi death march. He lost family, friends, his country.The Happiest Man on Earth is a powerful, heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful memoir of how happiness can be found even in the darkest of times.‘Australia’s answer to Captain Tom . . . a memoir that extols the power of hope, love and mutual support’ – The TimesTrade ReviewI have never met Eddie Jaku, but having read his book I feel like I have made a new friend . . . This is a beautiful book by a truly amazing man * Daily Telegraph *Eddie looked evil in the eye and met it with joy and kindness . . . [his] philosophy is life-affirming * Daily Express *A reminder of the power of love, kindness and hope . . . A life-affirming story, beautifully told * Sydney Morning Herald *His tale is compelling and particularly pertinent as we struggle to make sense of challenging times * Weekend Post *Jaku’s memoir can be our private celebration of evil that was ultimately vanquished * Country Style *This simple, moving account of a remarkable life offers plenty to think about and reflect on . . . Highly recommended * Canberra Weekly *Australia's answer to Captain Tom . . . a memoir that extols the power of hope, love and mutual support * The Times *Resilience, generosity of spirit and a belief, despite everything, in the fundamental goodness of humanity shine through this outstanding memoir -- Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisDiving Doctor on the Thai Cave Rescue (now a Netflix series) and former joint Australian of the Year explores the stories of other people who regularly risk their lives and what we can learn from their expertise. ‘Harry’ Harris – Thai Cave Rescuer, joint Australian of the Year – does something for fun that for the rest of us would trigger about four phobias. In near darkness and tight spaces, underwater and deep underground, he crawls through unexplored caves in what’s often described as the most dangerous sport in the world. To us, that’s a nightmare. To him, it’s recreation. He’s highly experienced, has done his research, controlled for all conceivable risks, and he’s completely focused. Flooded underground caves are his safe space. And the discipline involved – even the danger – leaves him better prepared to manage the day-to-day stresses of life in the twenty-first century. Is he the only one who feels that way? Come on the ultimate armchair adventure with Harris while he talks with other ‘risk-takers’ about why they do what they do, how they prepare, and how they’ve handled things going wrong. Harry talks with people like climber Alex Honnold (of ‘Free Solo’), sailor Jessica Watson, mountaineer James Scott, and film director, and deep-sea diver James Cameron, amongst many less familiar world-beaters, each of whom has a fascinating story. We meet base jumpers, drag-racers, snipers, surfers, and people adventuring from the highest of skies to the deepest of oceans. Harry’s conversations give us insights into what motivates these people and why a life without risk is no life at all. He believes that by doing ‘the hard things’ in life you can push yourself a little further and become stronger, more courageous, and more resilient.COMPELLING IDEA: why do deep-sea divers, free climbers, and big-wave surfers take the risks that they do? How do soldiers and firefighters manage risk? What can we learn from how they prepare and what they experience, what can we take into our own lives? The Art of Risk has important life lessons as well as gripping stories: Harris shows that in doing ‘the hard thing’, we become more resilient and courageous. Angela Duckworth’s Grit meets Alex Honnold film ‘Free Solo’THE ULTIMATE ARMCHAIR ADVENTURE: as well as having a fascinating argument, The Art of Risk tells ripping yarn after ripping yarn, guaranteed to get your heart pounding.EXPERT AUTHOR: Dr. Harry Harris was at the heart of the Thai Caves rescue, anesthetizing all the boys in order to get them out. A genuine hero and a former Australian of the year, Harry Harris explores flooded caves deep underground for fun. For most people, this is the definition of a nightmare. Because Harry understands and can prepare for the risks, for him it’s a pleasurable – even meditative - experience. And, as he says, he feels ‘carefully managed risk-taking gives me the courage to manage the day-to-day stresses of life in the 21st century’.REMARKABLE INTERVIEWEES: Harry talks with people like climber Alex Honnold, sailor Jessica Watson, mountaineer James Scott, film director, and deep-sea diver James Cameron, amongst many less familiar names, each of whom has a fascinating story. We meet base-jumpers, base-jumpers, drag racers, snipers, surfers, and people adventuring from the highest of skies to the deepest of oceans.MAN BEHIND THE NETFLIX SERIES: Thai Cave Rescue is fresh onto Netflix,  further pushing awareness of the story.

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of A Christmas Gift from Bob, the original bestseller and heartwarming story of the life-saving friendship between a man and his streetwise cat''[Bob] has entranced London like no feline since the days of Dick Whittington.'' (Evening Standard)''A heartwarming tale with a message of hope'' (Daily Mail)''Reminded me how amazing having a cat can be'' (Glamour)* * * * * * * *The uplifting true story of an unlikely friendship between a man on the streets of Covent Garden and the ginger cat who adopts him and helps him heal his life. Now a major motion picture starring Luke Treadaway.When James Bowen found an injured, ginger street cat curled up in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London and the last thing he needed was a peTrade ReviewAn instantly bestselling memoir that, beside its heart-warming tale of their friendship, offers an insight into the injustice of life on the streets that's by turns frustrating and life-affirming. * The Times *A heartwarming tale with a message of hope. * Daily Mail *A true story and ideal for anyone like me who's a bit mad when it comes to felines. * Glamour *

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Book Synopsis'A compelling, beautifully written story of resilience, friendship and survival.' Heather Morris, author of The Tattooist of AuschwitzThe thrilling story of how nine young women, captured by the Nazis for being part of the Resistance, launched a breathtakingly bold escape and found their way home.As the Second World War raged across Europe, and the Nazi regime tightened its reign of horror and oppression, nine women, some still in their teens, joined the French and Dutch Resistance. Caught out in heroic acts against the brutal occupiers, they were each tortured and sent east into Greater Germany to a concentration camp, where they formed a powerful friendship. In 1945, as the war turned against Hitler, they were forced on a Death March, facing starvation and almost certain death. Determined to survive, they made a bid for freedom, and so began one of the most breathtaking tales of escape and resilience of the Second World War. The author is the great-niece of one of the nine, and she interweaves their gripping flight across war-torn Europe with her own detective work, uncovering the heart-stopping escape and survival of these heroes who fought fearlessly against Nazi Germany and lived to tell the tale.---------'A truly extraordinary tale, beautifully written, one that chills and excites, [A] work of rare passion, power and principle' Philippe Sands, author of East-West Street and The Ratline'Utterly gripping' Anna Sebba author of Les Parisiennes'The Nine is poignant, powerful, and shattering, distilling the horror of the Holocaust through the lens of nine unforgettable women...' Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code and The Alice NetworkTrade ReviewA compelling, beautifully written story of resilience, friendship and survival. The story of Women's resistance during World War II needs to be told and The Nine accomplishes this in spades. -- Heather Morris * Author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz *The Nine is a triumph of the imagination... Strauss read memoirs and toured Europe in search of relatives to give the women literary immortality... It is an ingeniously constructed book... -- Christina Hardyment * The Times *This haunting account provides yet more evidence not only of the power of female friendship but that the often unrecorded courage and resilience of ordinary women must be honoured and celebrated. It's a most inspiring read, occasionally the horrific ordeal seems unbearable but then there's a moment of laughter. Utterly gripping. -- Anna Sebba * author of Les Parisiennes *The Nine is poignant, powerful, and shattering, distilling the horror of the Holocaust through the lens of nine unforgettable women. Banding together in the hellscape of Ravensbruck, the nine resistance fighters turned prisoners make a desperate bid for escape in the chaos of the war's end, embarking across battle-ravaged Germany toward home. Gwen Strauss melds a poet's pen and a decade of research into a tale of friendship, courage, and indomitable will. -- Kate Quinn * New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code and The Alice Network *I love this book. It delivers beauty, grace, horror, and suspense-an important work that also happens to be a hell of a read! -- Anthony Swofford * author of Jarhead *At this moment of worldwide chaos and despair, this is a book that reminds us about what is important, and about finding strength and purpose during the worst of times. Highly recommended. -- Goldie Goldbloom * author of Paperbark Shoe and On Division *It's high time we got our Band of Sisters, and there could be no better author to tell their story than the riveting and rigorous Strauss. Equal parts exhilarating, devastating, and inspiring. -- Lauren Sandler * author of This is All I Got *Strauss, niece of one of the nine heroines and third-generation 'Witness of the Witnesses', answers questions and challenges with great finesse. In a writing of rare historical accuracy and deep empathy, a woman of today tells the stories of yesterday. -- Agnès Triebel * Secretary General of the International Buchenwald-Dora Committee *With Gwen Strauss' book and the scope of her research, that whole unknown period came to me as a gift from heaven... The precision of the speech, the delicacy of the style, the joys and misfortunes brought tears that I was happy to shed. -- Marc Spijker * son of Guigui, one of the nine *'A paean to female bravery and live-saving friendship.' * The i *

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Book Synopsis*THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* Could you leave behind all that you know and live in solitude for three decades? This is the extraordinary story of the last true hermit - Christopher Knight.  'This was a breath-taking book to read and many weeks later I am still thinking about the implications for our society and - by extension - for my own life'  Sebastian Junger, bestselling author of The Perfect Storm  'A wry meditation on one man's attempt to escape life's distractions and look inwards, to find meaning not by doing, but by being'Martin Sixsmith, bestselling author of Philomena and Ayesha's Gift 'Not all heroes wear capes. My latest one is a man called Christopher Knight – a silent idol for anyone who has felt the urge to just sack it all off and live the life of a her

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Book SynopsisAn incredible tale of one man's adversity and defiance, for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz.Horace Greasley escaped over 200 times from a notorious German prison camp to see the girl he loved. This is his incredible true story.A Sunday Times Bestseller - over 60,000 copies sold.Even in the most horrifying places on earth, hope still lingers in the darkness, waiting for the opportunity to take flight.When war was declared Horace Greasley was just twenty-years old. After seven weeks' training with the 2/5th Battalion, the Royal Leicestershire Regiment, Horace found himself facing the might of the German Army in a muddy field south of Cherbourg, in northern France, with just thirty rounds in his ammunition pouch.Horace's war didn't last long. . . On 25 May 1940 he was taken prisoner and so began the harrowing journey to a prisoner-of-war camp in Poland. Those who survived the gruelling ten-week march to the camp were left broken and exhausted, all chance of escape seemingly extinguished.But when Horace met Rosa, the daughter of one of his captors, his story changed; fate, it seemed, had thrown him a lifeline. Horace risked everything in order to steal out of the camp to see his love, bringing back supplies for his fellow prisoners. In doing so he offered hope to his comrades, and defiance to one of the most brutal regimes in history.

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Book Synopsis'Part memoir, part hugely entertaining self-help manual for these tough times' Roger Alton, Daily Mail'A bona fide badass' The Sunday TimesFormer Secret Service Special Agent Evy Poumpouras shares the insights and skills from one of the oldest elite security forces in the world - to help you prepare for stressful situations, instantly read people, influence how you're perceived, and live a more fearless life.From gruelling training to clandestine interrogation rooms, to protecting the President of the United States of America, Evy shares rare behind-the-scenes glimpses while also exploring the psychology of human behaviour and the strategies used by the best negotiators. Evy demonstrates how we can learn from these experiences to heighten our own natural instincts to detect BS, develop grit and become the most resilient and powerful version of ourselves.Becoming Bulletproof is a timely guide to empowerment, mental strength, and overcoming fear and abuse - a guide to becoming bulletproof.Trade Review'Part memoir, part hugely entertaining self-help manual for these tough times' -- Roger Alton, Daily MailA bona fide badass * The Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis'Immensely powerful and is an extraordinary testament to the human desire for survival' Daily MailA harrowing and inspiring true story of a young boy's abusive childhood, from internationally bestselling author Dave Pelzer. Brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother - Dave became a slave; he was no longer a boy, but an 'it'. His bed was an old army cot in the basement, his clothes were torn and unwashed, and when he was allowed the luxury of food it was scraps from the dog's bowl. The outside world knew nothing of the nightmare played out behind closed doors. But throughout Dave kept alive dreams of finding a family to love him. This book covers the early years of his life and is an affecting and inspirational book of the horrors of child abuse and the steadfast determination of one child to survive. It is the first book in the My Story trilogy.'Heartfelt... cannot fail to move you' HeatTrade ReviewThis heartfelt true story of one child's courage to survive cannot fail to move you - HEATHis tale will both break and warm your heart - DAILY MIRRORA remarkable true story... Truly touching, and emotionally shocking. A marvel - BESTWhat has made Dave Pelzer's story a bestseller is that it is also a story of redemption. It is a story where love, kindness, patience and endurance triumph - DAILY MAIL

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Book SynopsisIn May 1996 a number of expeditions attempted to climb Mount Everest on the Southeast Ridge route. Each group contained world class climbers and relative novices, some of whom had paid tens of thousands of pounds for the climb. As they neared the summit twenty-three men and women, including the expedition leaders, were caught in a ferocious blizzard. Disorientated, out of oxygen and depleted of supplied, the climbers struggled to find their way to safety. Experienced high-altitude guide Anatoli Boukreev led an exhausted and terrified group of climbers back to safety before going back out into the blizzard to help others stranded on the mountain. Rescuing a number of people from certain death, he emerged a hero. The Climb by Anatoli Boukreev is an honest and gripping account of true endurance and contains interviews with most of the surviving climbers, medical personnel, Sherpa guides, and families of the dead who experienced the tragedy.This edition also includes the transcript of the Mountain Madness debriefing, recorded five days after the tragedy, as well as G. Weston de Walt's response to Jon Krakauer.Trade ReviewPowerful . . . a breath of brisk, sometimes bitter clarity . . . Boukreev did the one thing that denies the void. He took action. He chose danger, and he saved lives. * New York Times *The Climb has a story that will grip and haunt you. -- Alex Garland, author of The Beach and The TesseractThis is essential reading for anyone who has read Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air . . . Krakauer painted Boukreev as an irresponsible Russian villain; but that night, Boukreev effected on of mountaineering history's most remarkable rescues. * Guardian *One of the most amazing rescues in mountaineering history, performed single-handedly a few hours after climbing Everest without oxygen by a man some describe as the Tiger Woods of Himalayan climbing. * Wall Street Journal *Boukreev acted with extraordinary heroism . . . [In The Climb] first-person anecdotes, plus excerpts from taped base-camp interviews, are skillfully fleshed out by co-author G. Weston DeWalt * Rock & Ice Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe incredible true survival story of one man's record-breaking fourteen months lost at sea.On 17th November, 2012, Salvador Alvarenga left the coast of Mexico for a two-day fishing trip. A vicious storm killed his engine and the current dragged his boat out to sea. The storm picked up and carried him West, deeper into the heart of the Pacific Ocean. Alvarenga would not touch solid ground again for fourteen months. When he was washed ashore on January 30th, 2014, he had drifted over 9,000 miles.Three dozen cruise ships and container vessels passed nearby. Not one stopped for the stranded fisherman. He considered suicide on multiple occasions – including offering himself up to a pack of circling sharks. But Alvarenga developed a method of survival that kept his body and mind intact long enough for the Pacific Ocean to spit him up onto a remote palm-studded island. Crawling ashore, he was saved by a local couple living in their own private castaway paradise.Based on dozens of hours of interviews with Alvarenga and his colleagues, search and rescue officials, the medical team that saved his life and the remote islanders who nursed him back to normality, 438 Days by Jonathan Franklin is an epic tale of survival and one man's incredible story of beating the ultimate odds.

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Book SynopsisAn unparalleled memoir that grapples with the complex relationships that exist within the mountaineering community. On 20 January 2003, at 10:45 a.m., a massive avalanche released from Tumbledown Mountain in the Selkirk Range of British Columbia. Tonnes of snow carried 13 members of two guided backcountry skiing groups down the 37-degree incline of a run called La Traviata and buried them. After a frantic hour of digging by remaining group members, an unthinkable outcome became reality. Seven people were dead. The tragedy made international news, splashing photos of the seven dead Canadian and us skiers on television screens and the pages of newspapers. The official analysis did not specifically note guide error as a contributing factor in the accident. This interpretation has been insufficient for some of the victims families, the public, and some members of the guiding community. Buried is the assistant guides story. It renders an answerable truth about what happened by delving deep into the human factors that played into putting people in harms way.

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Book SynopsisThe diary received widespread critical and popular attention on the appearance of its english language translation.

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Book SynopsisThe Third Man Factor tells the revealing story behind an extraordinary idea: that people at the very edge of death, often adventurers or explorers, experience a benevolent presence beside them who encourages them to make one final effort to survive. If only a handful of people had ever experienced the Third Man, it might be dismissed as an unusual delusion but over the years the experience has occurred again and again: to mountaineers, divers, polar explorers, prisoners of war, solo sailors, aviators, astronauts and 9/11 survivors. All have escaped traumatic events only to tell strikingly similar stories of having experienced the close presence of a helper or guardian. In The Third Man Factor John Geiger combines history, scientific analysis and great adventure stories to explain this secret to survival, the Third Man who - in the words of legendary Italian climber Reinhold Messner - 'leads you out of the impossible'.Trade ReviewFounded on astonishing near-death tales . . .The Third Man Factor is a more thoughtful investigation of a strange "presence" felt by lonely explorers. -- James McConnachie * * Sunday Times * *Geiger recounts many, many tales of people who have found themselves in extreme situations, and felt a ghostly presence helping them. Almost without exception, they are exciting, edge-of-the-seat tales. Some of them might be familiar, which is no bad thing; it's like revisiting the greatest hits of exploration and daredevilry, but from a new angle ... These are gripping tales, and Geiger tells them well -- Melanie McGrath * * Evening Standard * *Geiger seeks the opinion of a range of neurological researchers, and sets out these expert opinions with zest . . . There is interesting material here on the human organisms's capacity to endure. -- Sara Wheeler * * Literary Review * *Geiger's account combines history, scientific analysis and true-life tales to haunting effect. * * Bookseller * *Extraordinary . . . compelling . . . John Geiger's book combines history, scientific analysis and great adventure stories and produces much food for thought. -- Jane Tester * * ReFresh magazine * *Author John Geiger has now, for the first time, collected these stories in a remarkable new book. Whatever the explanation for this mysterious phenomenon such 'third man' experiences seem to be an extrememly powerful force for survival when death seems imminent . . . Some of the most amazing survival stories ever are told by John Geiger's 'The Third Man'. * * Weekly News * *Gripping. -- William Leith * * The Scotsman * *

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times Humour Book of the Year.Anyone can be a success, but it takes real and original genius to foul up big time. These are the all-time greats, Gods in the field of failure, surreal artists, who spurn mere drab success (''I''m a winner, Lord Sugar'') to explore the vast, magical, life-enhancing possibilities of getting it wrong. Any of us could make a mistake, but these great souls can turn the simplest everyday task into a scene of jaw-dropping wonder. These are the immortals.Stephen Pile, President of the Not Terribly Good Club of Great Britain and author of the number-one best-seller The Book of Heroic Failures, takes us on an all-new and mind-bendingly hilarious tour to celebrate the most spectacular and absurd failures of the last twenty-five years.Failure is everywhere. There are 235 stories in total spread from the Outer Hebrides to America, Ireland, Australia, Europe and Africa. The Syrian entry, for exam

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Book SynopsisOn 1 August 2017, former paratrooper Christian Lewis set off from Swansea to walk the entire coastline of the UK. Christian's search for self-discovery, and to raise awareness and funds for the veterans charity SSAFA, would become a journey beyond his or anyone's expectations. From raising over a quarter of a million pounds to adopting a dog called Jet, to finding love with fellow adventurer, Kate, he had no idea that when he started this once-in-a-lifetime experience he would be crossing the finish line (some five and a half years later) with a fiancee, a baby and renewed sense of purpose. His story is one of survival and hope, but it's also proof that, with the right mindset, anything is possible. Finding Hildasay is Christian's first book about his journey, which has already received worldwide attention, a BAFTA-nominated documentary and more.Trade ReviewThe word “inspiration” is often overused; Chris really is an inspiration. I urge you to read his tale -- Sir Andrew Gregory, CEO of the SSAFA charityExhilarating * The Observer *The real journey here is one of self-discovery * The Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisBased on a true story, The Forgotten Child is a heart-breaking memoir of an abandoned newborn baby left to die, his tempestuous upbringing, and how he came through the other side.It's a freezing winter's night in 1954. A baby boy, a few hours old, is left by his mother, wrapped in nothing but two sheets of newspaper and hidden amongst the undergrowth by a canal bank. An hour later, a late-shift postman is walking wearily home when he hears a faint cry. He finds the newspaper parcel and discovers the newborn, white-cold and whimpering, inside.After being rushed to hospital and against all odds, the baby survives. He's baptised by the hospital chaplain as Richard.Everything feels as though it's looking up; Richard is put into local authority care and regains his health. However, after nearly five blissful years in a rural care home filled with loving friends, it soon unfolds that his turbulent start in life is only the beginningBased on a devastating true story, this inspirational memoirTrade Review‘An incredible story of survival.’ The Sun

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Book SynopsisAfter years of physical and mental abuse, Jade thought her kindly foster mother would be the answer to her prayers. She was wrong this is her staggering true story.This must be what prison is like,' I thought as another hour crawled by. In fact, prison would be better at least you knew your sentence. You could tick off the days until you got out. In the Bad Room we had no idea how long we'd serve.After years of constant abuse, Jade thought her foster mother Linda Black would be the answer to her prayers. Loving and nurturing, she offered ten-year-old Jade a life free of fear.But once the regular social-worker checks stopped, Linda turned and over the next six years Jade and three other girls were kept prisoner in a bedroom they called the bad room'.Shut away for 16 hours at a time, they were starved, violently beaten, forbidden from speaking or using the toilet and routinely humiliated. Jade was left feeling broken and suicidal.This is the powerful true story of how one woman banishe

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Book SynopsisHailed as Newby''s ''masterpiece'', Love and War in the Apennines is the gripping real-life story of Newby''s imprisonment and escape from an Italian prison camp during World War II.After the Italian Armistice of 1943, Eric Newby escaped from the prison camp in which he''d been held for a year. He evaded the German army by hiding in the caves and forests of Fontanellato, in Italy''s Po Valley. Against this picturesque backdrop, he was sheltered for three months by an informal network of Italian peasants, who fed, supported and nursed him, before his eventual recapture.Love and War in the Apennines' is Newby''s tribute to the selfless and courageous people who were to be his saviours and companions during this troubled time and of their bleak and unchanging way of life. Of the cast of idiosyncratic characters, most notable was the beautiful local girl on a bike who would teach him the language, and eventually help him escape; two years later they were married and would spend the rest ofTrade Review'His masterpiece' Spectator 'Superbly funny … as civilizing, generous and affecting as “Vivere in Pace”, and the men, women and children, weather and woodsmoke are as fresh as yesterday' Observer 'A vivid description of Italian village life, full of notable characters … and the reactions of one sensitive man to being out of the war in the middle of one' Daily Telegraph 'It is necessary to state with emphasis that this is a very good book indeed' Times Literary Supplement 'An exciting story, superbly told. And wisdom, courage and generosity illuminate it' Punch

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Book SynopsisFrom the stars of A CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM BOB, starring Luke Treadaway as James and Bob himself, the original bestseller and heartwarming story of the life-saving friendship between a man and his streetwise cat.''[Bob] has entranced London like no feline since the days of Dick Whittington.'' (Evening Standard)''A heartwarming tale with a message of hope'' (Daily Mail)''Reminded me how amazing having a cat can be'' (Glamour)* * * * * * * *The uplifting true story of an unlikely friendship between a man on the streets of Covent Garden and the ginger cat who adopts him and helps him heal his life. Now a major motion picture starring Luke Treadaway.When James Bowen found an injured, ginger street cat curled up in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of LTrade ReviewAn instantly bestselling memoir that, beside its heart-warming tale of their friendship, offers an insight into the injustice of life on the streets that's by turns frustrating and life-affirming. * The Times *A heartwarming tale with a message of hope. * Daily Mail *A true story and ideal for anyone like me who's a bit mad when it comes to felines. * Glamour *

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Book SynopsisMeet the dogs who searched for life amongst the ruins of the Twin Towers.Many heroes were made on 9/11 and in the weeks that followed. Not all of them showed human courage. Some of them could only show that they were truly man's best friend. German Shepherds, Labradors and Spaniels accounted for the majority of the four-legged heroes.Over three hundred search and rescue dogs worked the pile at Ground Zero and the crash site at the Pentagon. For hours they searched, fighting off exhaustion with sheer determination and they continued every day long after the hope of finding survivors had passed.There were faithful Guide dogs who helped their sightless owners out of the Twin Towers and led them to safety showed unstinting devotion in the face of adversity. And later, therapy dogs arrived to bring comfort to the bereaved and confused. At every stage of the operation, dogs were there helping humankind in various roles. And invaluably, they provided comfort and reassurance and lifted spirits

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Book SynopsisThe sensational sequel to Papillon'.Banco' continues the adventures of Henri Charriere - nicknamed Papillon - in Venezuela, where he has finally won his freedom after thirteen years of escape and imprisonment. Despite his resolve to become an honest man, Charriere is soon involved in hair-raiding exploits with goldminers, gamblers, bank-robbers and revolutionaries - robbing and being robbed, his lust for life as strong as ever. He also runs night clubs in Caracas until an earthquake ruins him in 1967 - when he decides to write the book that brings his international fame.

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Book SynopsisLocked-in syndrome: paralysed from head to toe, the patient, his mind intact, is imprisoned inside his own body, unable to speak or move. In my case, blinking my left eyelid is my only means of communication.'In December 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby, editor-in-chief of French Elle' and the father of two young children, suffered a massive stroke and found himself paralysed and speechless, but entirely conscious, trapped by what doctors call locked-in syndrome'. Using his only functioning muscle his left eyelid he began dictating this remarkable story, painstakingly spelling it out letter by letter.His book offers a haunting, harrowing look inside the cruel prison of locked-in syndrome, but it is also a triumph of the human spirit. The acclaimed 2007 film adaptation, directed by Julian Schnabel, won Best Director at Cannes and was nominated for the Palme d'Or.Trade Review‘The most remarkable memoir of our time.’ Cynthia Ozick ‘Read this book and fall back in love with life.’ Edmund White ‘A staggering piece of work. It represents an almost inconceivable act of generosity, the gift of the mind and the spirit for which writing was designed.’ A. L. Kennedy ‘One of the great books of the century.’ Financial Times ‘Everyone in the country should own at least one copy.’ Guardian ‘We listen, because what he has to say goes to the core of what it means to be human.’ Robert McCrum, Observer ‘The most extraordinary book of the year.’ Daily Telegraph 'Life-enhancing and devastating in equal measure – everyone should read it.' Gloss magazine

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Book Synopsis**Soon to be a major film starring Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner - Girl Who Fell From the Sky**On December 24th 1971, the teenage Juliane boarded the packed flight in Peru to meet her father for Christmas. She and her mother fought to get some of the last seats available and felt thankful to have made the flight. The LANSA airplane flew into a heavy thunderstorm and went down in dense Amazon jungle hundreds of miles from civilization.She fell two miles from the sky, still strapped to her plane seat, into the jungle. She was the sole survivor among the 92 passengers, which included her mother. Juliane's unexplainable survival has been called a modern-day miracle.With incredible courage, instinct and ingenuity, she crawled and walked alone for 11 days in the green hell of the Amazon. She survived using the skills she'd learned in assisting her parents on their research trips into the jungle before coming across a loggers hut, and, with it, safety. Now she tells her fascinating story for the first time and shares not only the private moments of her survival and rescue but her inspiring life in the wake of the disaster.Trade ReviewShe did not leave the airplane, the airplane left her. -- Werner Herzog, director of Grizzly ManJuliane Koepcke writes compellingly of the crash and her unusual childhood * Financial Times (DE) *Exhilaratingly written. * Express (DE) *Her memoir is a gripping account of a harrowing adventure and an inspiring life. * Publishers Weekly *Her account of the 11-day trek is enthralling. In shock and suffering from injuries, she made it to a river s edge without her eyeglasses, wearing just a minidress and one sandal. It was rainy season, so there was no fruit to eat. She was either freezing or boiling, set upon by bugs. She contended with stingrays, snakes, king vultures and caimans. Eventually, local woodcutters found her and mistook her for a water goddess. Brought to safety, she became an international icon of hope. * Maclean's Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe Girl Who Just Wanted To Be Loved is a heart wrenching true story from foster mum and Sunday Times bestseller Angela Hart.Eight-year-old Keeley looks like the sweetest little girl you could wish to meet, but demons from the past make her behaviour far from angelic. She takes foster carer Angela on a rocky and very demanding emotional ride as she fights daily battles against her deep-rooted psychological problems. Can the love and specialist care Angela and husband Jonathan provide help Keeley triumph against the odds?This is a true story that shares the tale of one of the many children Angela has fostered over the years. Angela's stories show the difference that quiet care, a watchful eye and sympathetic ear can make to children who have had more difficult upbringings than most.Trade ReviewI hope Angela Hart inspires many others to foster * Torey Hayden, Sunday Times bestselling author *Table of ContentsChapter - 1: 'I'm never lucky!' Chapter - 2: 'I've hurt myself' Chapter - 3: 'Can I come and stay again?' Chapter - 4: 'We can't keep any secrets' Chapter - 5: 'You're a total bastard' Chapter - 6: 'Let's hope it keeps her out of mischief' Chapter - 7: 'Mum went mad lots of times' Chapter - 8: 'I'm worried about those bruises' Chapter - 9: 'I'm afraid there's been an incident' Chapter - 10: 'It's like living with Jekyll and Hyde' Chapter - 11: 'I told you he was weird, didn't I?' Chapter - 12: 'Go on, stab him!' Chapter - 13: 'You all hate me!' Chapter - 14: 'Everything was fine until he came in!' Chapter - 15: 'Is this what is wrong with Keeley?' Chapter - 16: We are out of our depth with Keeley, aren't we?' Chapter - 17: 'Eric made me do things if I lost at cards' Chapter - 18: 'You and Jonathan are bullying me' Chapter - 19: 'You don't know the half of it Angela' Chapter - 20: 'You can't solve everything, you know' Chapter - 21: 'I don't want to give up on her...' Chapter - 22: 'Can I have another cuddle?' Chapter - 23: 'I wish I could just live with Angela' Chapter - 24: 'I'm not sure I can take much more' Chapter - 25: 'You BITCH! I'm gonna get you' Chapter - 26: 'Who is Jonathan?' Chapter - 27: 'Keep your nose out, you nosy old cow!' Chapter - 28: 'You mean you didn't read my report' Chapter - 29: 'Don't let her drag you down Angela' Chapter - 31: 'Let's all try to get along and enjoy the holiday' Chapter - 32: 'Help! you need to pull over right now!' Section - i: Epilogue

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Book SynopsisSarah Forsyth has spent most of her life in fear. After overcoming the hurt and heartbreak of a horrific childhood, Sarah managed to build a new life for herself as a nursery nurse.Then, one day, she spotted a newspaper advert for a job in a crèche in Amsterdam. Excited by the prospect of a fresh start abroad, she eagerly signed up. But within minutes of stepping off the plane in Amsterdam her life began to fall apart...There was no crèche and no job. That night, at just nineteen years of age, her life - her real life, her life as Sarah Forsyth - ended. Fed cocaine and cannabis, and forced at gunpoint to work as a prostitute in the Red Light District of Amsterdam: Sarah was a victim of sex-trafficking.Sarah Forsyth is a survivor. This is her heartbreaking story.

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Book Synopsis THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER Otto Rosenberg is 9 and living in Berlin, poor but happy, when his family are first detained. All around them, Sinti and Roma families are being torn from their homes by Nazis , leaving behind schools, jobs, friends, and businesses to live in forced encampments outside the city. One by one, families are broken up, adults and children disappear or are 'sent East'.Otto arrives in Auschwitz aged 15 and is later transferred to Buechenwald and Bergen-Belsen. He works, scrounges food whenever he can, witnesses and suffers horrific violence and is driven close to death by illness more than once. Unbelievably, he also joins an armed revolt of prisoners who, facing the SS and certain death, refuse to back down. Somehow, through luck, sheer human will to live, or both, he survives.The stories of Sinti and Roma suffering in Nazi Germany are all too often lost or untold. In this haunting account, Otto shares his story with a remarkable simplicity. Deeply moving, A Gypsy in Auschwitz is the incredible story of how a young Sinti boy miraculously survived the unimaginable darkness of the Holocaust.

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Book Synopsis'Merriman excels at recreating the physicality of their experiences: the smell of dense clay, the click-clack of a woman walking down the street above in high heels... Merriman has burrowed her way deep into interviews, news reports and Stasi files to fashion an impressive real life page-turner.' Guardian'An audacious and compelling tale, told with narrative tension and novelistic drive, creating a fascinating portrayal of life in Berlin in the early days of the Wall.' Observer'A fantastic story, exceedingly well told...more gripping than a thriller. The story arc, through betrayal and disaster to triumph, is perfect...a cracking tale that deserves retelling.' The Times'Helena Merriman's book is a tour de force... The chapters on the day of the escape are possibly the most suspenseful I have ever read, in fiction as well as nonfiction.' Scotsman'its skilful blend of a dynamic protagonist, intrigue, spooks, deception, and a love divided imbues Tunnel 29 with all the qualities of a taut Cold War spy thriller.' Sunday Business Post'Captivating... Ms Merriman's well-crafted book does justice to the extraordinary bravery of her characters.' Economist'This new book... allows readers to slip into Joachim's shoes as if living this extraordinary experience... This is a remarkable tale, beautifully told and utterly compelling.' BBC History Magazine-------------------------He's just escaped from one of the world's most brutal regimes.Now, he decides to tunnel back in.It's summer, 1962, and Joachim Rudolph, a student, is digging a tunnel under the Berlin Wall. Waiting on the other side in East Berlin - dozens of men, women and children; all willing to risk everything to escape.From the award-winning creator of the acclaimed BBC Radio 4 podcast, Tunnel 29 is the true story of the most remarkable escape tunnel dug under the Berlin Wall. Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews with the survivors, and thousands of pages of Stasi documents, Helena Merriman brilliantly reveals the stranger-than-fiction story of the ingenious group of student-diggers, the glamorous red-haired messenger, the American News network which films the escape, and the Stasi spy who betrays it. For what Joachim doesn't know as he burrows closer to East Germany, is that the escape operation has been infiltrated. As the escapees prepare to crawl through the cold, wet darkness, above them, the Stasi are closing in.Tunnel 29 is about what happens when people lose their freedom - and how some will do anything to win it back.Acclaim for the TUNNEL 29 podcast:'Combining the fun of a thriller that we know will end happily with grim perspective on history and tyranny... stunning.' New Yorker'Reminiscent of a savvy Netflix block buster series.' Evening Standard'A truly exciting yarn... creates a sense for the listener of being right there in the tunnel, experiencing the dangers.' Observer

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Book SynopsisThe book that inspired major motion picture ONE LIFE, starring Sir Anthony Hopkins and Helena Bonham Carter.''Remarkable'' - GuardianSir Nicholas Winton rescued 669 children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia at the brink of World War II. Most never saw their parents again; nearly all left behind were murdered. This is his story.In 1938, 29-year-old ''Nicky'' cancelled a ski holiday and instead spent nine months masterminding a seemingly impossible plan to rescue hundreds of Jewish children and find them homes in the UK. Over 6,000 people are alive today because of his efforts.What motivated an ordinary man to do something so extraordinary? This book, written by his daughter, Barbara, explores the 106-year life of an incredible humanitarian, a man whose legacy only came to public light decades later.His life story is a clarion call to choose action over apathy in the face of injustice, and a reminder that every one of us ca

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Book Synopsis“A truly inspiring journey that celebrates the healing power of adventure. A must-read.” – Levison Wood “Wonderfully relatable on so many levels. Simon’s wanderlust, mental roller coaster and reactions to a fast-changing world had me enthralled in his journey, but very much reflecting on my own over the past few years. A brilliantly crafted book which holds a mirror up to the world we live in.” - Mark Beaumont "Simon’s cycle ride around his own country is a fine demonstration that adventure and transformation begins on your own doorstep.” - Alastair Humphreys The remarkable and inspirational true story of how one man battled grief and anxiety, one pedal stroke at a time, on a 3,500-mile adventure around Britain In March 2020, as Britain entered its first lockdown, Simon Parker’s life fell apart; his travel journalism career vanished overnight and shortly afterwards he received the tragic news that a close friend had died. With a long-suppressed anxiety disorder starting to rear its head, he turned to the only therapies he knew and trusted: travel and exercise. Setting off on his bike from the northernmost point of Shetland with only a sleeping bag and a camping stove, Simon would end up cycling 3,427 miles around Britain. En route, he would meet hundreds of resilient Britons, who were all, in their own way, riding out the storm just like he was. Even in his gloomiest moments he began to see that a chink of light was never too far away. Riding Out is a story of optimism and hope, and a ground-level portrait of Britain as it transforms from a country in crisis to a nation on the mend. From Shetland to the Scillies, Dover to Durness, Simon learns that life’s sharpest corners are best navigated at the gentle pace of a bicycle.Trade ReviewIf you've recently bought a 'lockdown bike' and realise you've not been using it enough, this inspirational, down-to-earth and touching book may give you a few ideas. * Tom Chesshyre *Simon's cycle ride around his own country is a fine demonstration that adventure and transformation begins on your own doorstep. * Alastair Humphreys *[Riding Out is] both hugely inspirational yet still relatable... Simon's vulnerability at times will show many readers - myself included - that they aren't alone in feeling lost these past 18 months. How he has managed this vulnerability with humour throughout the book drew me in, as did his ability to capture the spirit of the people he met along the way. His ability to describe challenging moments with honesty makes it feel like you're hearing an old friend regale the trip over dinner. * Alex Outhwaite *A truly inspiring journey that celebrates the healing power of adventure. A must-read. * Levison Wood *In Riding Out, Simon Parker holds a humane mirror to a fractured Britain as it adjusts to a strange, isolated new world. * Jon Dunn, author of The Glitter in the Green *Wonderfully relatable on so many levels. Simon's wanderlust, mental roller coaster and reactions to a fast-changing world had me enthralled in his journey, but very much reflecting on my own over the past few years. A brilliantly crafted book which holds a mirror up to the world we live in. * Mark Beaumont *

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Book SynopsisA teenage boy lies on the pavement, bleeding from a stab wound; a distraught mum watches, in mute shock, as her daughter suffers a terrifying fatal asthma attack; a young girl is gang-raped and her stricken boyfriend takes an overdose; a disturbed young man flings himself in front of a speeding train at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.Few people can imagine living in a world where such situations are part of everyday life. Yet for veteran paramedic Lysa Walder, these and thousands of other emergency call outs are part of a day's work: scenes of tragedy, heroism loss and horror - but also stories of triumph and humour.Lysa has been a paramedic for over twenty years, working for the London Ambulance service - the world's biggest and busiest free service - for much of that time. Here, she reveals what it's really like to work in a job that brings paramedic teams face-to-face with death - and destiny - every day.

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Book SynopsisThe Hachette Essentials series comprises a collection of titles that are regarded as modern classics. A carefully and lovingly curated selection of distinctive, ground-breaking fiction and non-fiction titles published since 1950. Timeless. Relevant. Passionate. Unified as a series - distinctive as books. A good book is great. A great book is essential.In the shadow of Auschwitz, a flamboyant German industrialist grew into a living legend to the Jews of Cracow. He was a womaniser, a heavy-drinker and a bon viveur, but to them he became a saviour. This is the extraordinary story of Oskar Schindler, who risked his life to protect Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland and who was transformed by the war into a man with a mission, a compassionate angel of mercy.Thomas Keneally's novel first brought the story of Oskar Schindler to international attention in 1982, when it won the Booker Prize. It was made by Steven Spielberg into the Oscar-winning film Schindler's List in 1993, the year Schindler and his wife were named Righteous Among the Nations.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary achievement -- Graham Greene, author of BRIGHTON ROCKBrilliantly detailed, moving, powerful and gripping * The Times *Thomas Keneally has done marvellous justice to a marvellous story * Sunday Times *This remarkable book has the immediacy and the almost unbearable detail of a thousand eye witnesses who forgot nothing * New York Times Book Review *Keneally is a superb storyteller. With Schindler's Ark he has given us his best book yet, a magnificent novel which held me from the first page to the last -- Alan Sillitoe, author of SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNINGAn extraordinary tale . . .no summary can adequately convey the stratagems and reverses and sudden twists of fortune . . . A notable achievement * New York Review of Books *A magnificent book, powerful, harrowing and beautifully written * Sunday Express *A fine and moving story * Evening Standard *Fascinating, expertly told and impossible to put down * Bookseller *Magnificent . . . Beautifully written * Mail on Sunday *A masterful account of the growth of the human soul * Los Angeles Times *An astounding story . . . in this case the truth is far more powerful than anything the imagination could invent * Newsweek *

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Book SynopsisNow a major motion picture, directed by George Clooney.From the Great Depression to Nazi Germany, The Boys in the Boat is the astonishing true story of the 1936 American men's eight rowing team on their quest for Olympic gold.'It is impossible not to get wrapped up in the emotion' – The TimesIt is considered one of the most difficult sports in the world. For Joe Rantz, it might be his only choice.Cast aside by his family at an early age, Joe was abandoned, left to fend for himself in the woods of Washington State. Like so many, he had to work his way through college. The rowing team offered money – and a home.An extraordinary journey follows, as Joe and eight other working-class boys exchange the sweat and dust of life in 1930s America for the promise of glory on the team – and at the Berlin Olympics, in the heart of Hitler’s Germany.With the weight of history on his shoulders, sTrade ReviewChariots of Fire – with oars [Brown’s] descriptions of the key races are exciting and dramatic, and it is impossible not to get wrapped up in the emotion * The Times *Like Laura Hillenbrand’s Seabiscuit and Michael Lewis’s Moneyball before it, The Boys in the Boat has all the ingredients for a film adaptation . . . a moving, enlightening and gripping tale. * Financial Times *Daniel James Brown has written a robust, emotional snapshot of an era, a book you will recommend to your best friends. -- James Bradley, Flags of Our Fathers, Flyboys, The Imperial CruiseA fine-grained portrait of the Depression era . . . inspiring * Guardian *The Boys in the Boat is a triumph of great writing matched with a magnificent story. Daniel James Brown strokes the keyboard like a master oarsman, blending power and grace to propel readers toward a heart-pounding finish. -- Mitchell Zuckoff, author of Lost in Shangri-La and Frozen in Time.For this nautical version of Chariots of Fire, Brown crafts an evocative, cinematic prose … studded with engrossing explanations of rowing technique and strategy, exciting come-from-behind race scenes, and the requisite hymns to "mystic bands of trust and affection" forged on the water. * Publishers Weekly *A story this breathtaking demands an equally compelling author, and Brown does not disappoint. The narrative rises inexorably, with the final 50 pages blurring by with white-knuckled suspense as these all-American underdogs pull off the unimaginable. * The Seattle Times *

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Book SynopsisHere is a survivor''s vivid account of the greatest maritime disaster in history. The information contained in Gracie''s account is available from no other source. He provides details of those final moments, including names of passengers pulled from the ocean and of those men who, in a panic, jumped into lifeboats as they were being lowered, causing injury and further danger to life. Walter Lord, author of ''A Night to Remember'', comments that Gracie''s book - written shortly before he died from the exposure he suffered on the night - is invaluable for chasing down who went in what boat, and calls Gracie an indefatigable detective.

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Book Synopsis“I've told you before, and I will tell you again, if you are unable to read the Holy Book you will be punished.” The teacher’s face was a mask of anger. “Understand?”Trade Review‘Told with searing honesty, heartfelt emotion and bucket loads of wit. [Alex] has risked death threats to tell this tale. It was worth the risk.’The Sun ‘This book will challenge how you think and cause you to question your moral values.’Steve McLaughlin, author of ‘Squaddie’ ‘A true story of courage and inspiration’Jasvinder Sanghera, author of ‘Shame’ and founder of Karma Nirvana

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Book SynopsisBorn in a prison and removed from his drug-dependent mother, rejection is all that 7-year-old Alex knows.When Cathy is asked to foster little Alex, aged 7, her immediate reaction is: Why can't he stay with his present carers for the last month? He's already had many moves since coming into care as a toddler and he'll only be with her a short while before he goes to live with his permanent adoptive family. But the present carers are expecting a baby and the foster mother isn't coping, so Alex goes to live with Cathy.He settles easily and is very much looking forward to having a forever family of his own. The introductions and move to his adoptive family go well. But Alex is only with them for a week when problems begin. What happens next is both shocking and upsetting, and calls into question the whole adoption process.

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Book SynopsisThe second book from Sunday Times bestselling author Casey Watson.Two weeks after saying farewell to her first foster child, Casey is asked to look after Sophia, a troubled 12-year-old with a sad past. Sophia's actions are disturbing and provocative and, before long, Casey and her family find themselves in a dark and dangerous situation.Two years ago Sophia's mother had a terrible accident. Sophia has been in care ever since.Right away, Casey feels something isn't right. Sophia's a well-developed girl, who looks more like 18 than 12. She only seems to have eyes and ears for men, and treats all women with contempt and disgust. And she has everyone around her jumping through hoops.Over time, as more details begin to emerge about Sophia's past, it becomes clear that her behaviour is a front for an early life filled with pain and suffering. But although Casey feels she is gradually breaking through to Sophia and getting her to open up about things she has never spoken about before, her vio

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Book SynopsisAfter their fantastic trip round the world in 2004, fellow actors and bike fanatics Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman couldn''t shake the travel bug. And after an inspirational UNICEF visit to Africa, they knew they had to go back and experience this extraordinary continent in more depth. And so they set off on their 15,000-mile journey with two new BMWs loaded up for the trip. Joining up with producer/directors Russ Malkin and David Alexanian and the Long Way Round team, their route took them from John O''Groats at the northernmost tip of Scotland to Cape Agulhas on the southernmost tip of South Africa. Riding through spectacular scenery, often in extreme temperatures, Ewan and Charley faced their hardest challenges yet. With their trademark humour and honesty they tell their story - the drama, the dangers and the sheer exhilaration of riding together again, through a continent filled with magic and wonder.Trade ReviewA great book BELLA

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times bestseller, Terrified is the first book from well-loved foster carer Angela Hart. It tells the emotionally devastating but ultimately uplifting true story of Vicky, a little girl who arrives on Angela's doorstep unwanted and unloved after suffering years of emotional abuse at the hands of her mother. Desperate never to return home, Vicky is haunted by many demons and waking nightmares. This book tells the moving story of Angela's determination to set Vicky free.'A no holds barred insight into the reality of looking after someone else's children. A remarkable story from a remarkable woman, it brought back a lot of memories for me.' – Casey Watson, author of A Dark Secret.'A moving story that testifies to the redemptive power of love. I hope Angela Hart inspires many others to foster.' – Torey Hayden, author of Lost Child.Trade ReviewAngela Hart gives a no holds barred insight into the reality of looking after someone else's children. A remarkable story from a remarkable woman, it brought back a lot of memories for me. * Casey Watson, Sunday Times bestselling author *A moving story that testifies to the redemptive power of love. I hope Angela Hart inspires many others to foster. * Torey Hayden, Sunday Times bestselling author *A true tear-jerking tale of love and compassion. * Sunday Mirror *Table of ContentsSection - 1: 'What have we done?' Section - 2: 'I'm not staying long' Section - 3: 'She was always there for me' Section - 4: 'My mum frightened me' Section - 5: 'I had to lie to keep myself' Section - 6: 'STOP! I'M GETTING OUT...!' Section - 7: 'She made me watch' Section - 8: 'Vicky can go to hell!' Section - 9: 'You're the biggest mistake I ever made' Section - 10: 'I don't want to know about Vicky' Section - 11: 'It's too much to take' Section - 12: 'You don't know how much she terrified me' Section - 13: 'When I was living with her I had to be resourceful' Section - 14: 'My head hurt a lot when I was little' Section - 15: 'I don't want to talk about it or think about it or ANYTHING!' Section - 16: 'It was our mum who did this' Section - 17: 'It's not fair! It's torture!' Section - 18: 'I used to live in a scary house' Section - 19: 'Everything is different' Section - i: Epilogue

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Book SynopsisThe shocking first-hand account of one man's remarkable fight for freedom; now an award-winning motion picture.Trade Review‘The most remarkable book ever issued from the American press.’ Detroit Tribune ‘For sheer drama, few accounts of slavery match Solomon Northup's tale of abduction from freedom and forcible enslavement.’ Ira Berlin

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Book SynopsisThe impossibly moving story of how Judy, World War Two's only animal POW, brought hope in the midst of hell.Judy, a beautiful liver and white English pointer, and the only animal POW of WWII, truly was a dog in a million, cherished and adored by the British, Australian, American and other Allied servicemen who fought to survive alongside her. Viewed largely as human by those who shared her extraordinary life, Judy's uncanny ability to sense danger, matched with her quick-thinking and impossible daring saved countless lives. She was a close companion to men who became like a family to her, sharing in both the tragedies and joys they faced. It was in recognition of the extraordinary friendship and protection she offered amidst the unforgiving and savage environment of a Japanese prison camp in Indonesia that she gained her formal status as a POW. Judy's unique combination of courage, kindness and fun repaid that honour a thousand times over and her incredible story is one of the most heartwarming and inspiring tales you will ever read.Trade ReviewThe dog of war whose sixth sense saved hundreds of British lives * Mail on Sunday *One of the most famous animals of the Second World War * Daily Express *The extraordinary story of the only animal POW held during the Second World War * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis'Enthralling' Daily MailIn 1998, Françoise Malby-Anthony founded a game reserve with her late husband, dedicating their lives to the protection of these beautiful, troubled animals. The Elephants of Thula Thula is the profound, compelling story of their life's work.Françoise Malby-Anthony is the owner of a game reserve in South Africa with a remarkable family of elephants whose adventures have touched hearts around the world. The herd’s feisty matriarch Frankie knows who’s in charge at Thula Thula, and it’s not Françoise. But when Frankie becomes ill, and the authorities threaten to remove or cull some of the herd if the reserve doesn’t expand, Françoise is in a race against time to save her beloved elephants . . .The joys and challenges of a life dedicated to conservation are vividly described in this charming and moving book. The search is on to get a girlfriend for orphaned rhino Thabo – and then, as his behaviour becomes increasingly boisterous, a big brother to teach him manners. Françoise realizes a dream with the arrival of Savannah the cheetah – an endangered species not seen in the area since the 1940s – and finds herself rescuing meerkats kept as pets. But will Thula Thula survive the pandemic, an invasion from poachers and the threat from a mining company wanting access to its land?As Françoise faces her toughest years yet, she realizes once again that with their wisdom, resilience and communal bonds, the elephants have much to teach us.Trade ReviewFrançoise’s descriptions of the empathetic behaviour of elephants, both towards each other and towards the humans who love them, are beguiling * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisJanuary, 1945. 14-year-old Moshe Kessler steps off the train at Buchenwald concentration camp. Having endured the horrors of Auschwitz-Birkenau, lost touch with his entire family, and survived the death march in the freezing European winter, he has seen more than his share of tragedy. Moshe knows only one thing about Buchenwald. Everyone knows it. If you want to survive, you have to get to Block 66. The Germans are cruel and determined – but they are not prepared for Buchenwald’s secret resistance, which rises up with one mission only: to protect the camp’s children from harm. This is the incredible true story of Moshe Kessler and Block 66 – the children’s block that was at the forefront of one of the most shocking and inspiring stories of Holocaust survival.Trade Review'An incredible and chilling story' -- Daily Express

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Book SynopsisIn the tradition of Agent Zigzag' comes a breathtaking biography of WWII's Scarlet Pimpernel' as fast-paced and emotionally intuitive as the best spy thrillers. This celebrates unsung hero Robert de La Rochefoucauld, an aristocrat turned anti-Nazi saboteur, and his exploits as a British Special Operations Executive-trained resistantWhen the Nazis invaded France during the Second World War and imprisoned his father, Robert de La Rochefoucauld a scion of one of the oldest aristocratic families in France escaped to England and trained in the dark arts of anarchy and combat. Under the guidance of SOE spies, he learned to crack safes, plant bombs and kill enemies with his bare hands.Then, back in France, he organised Resistance cells, killed Nazi officers and interfered with German missions. He survived unbearable torture and escaped Nazi confinement on not one but two occasions, to live well into his eighties. The adventures of de La Rochefoucauld offer rare insight into a unique moment Trade Review‘Kix has produced a narrative that is both chilling and powerful … This is first-class adventure writing, which, coupled with a true-life narrative of danger and intrigue, adds up to all-night reading’ New York Times ‘’The Saboteur’ is completely engrossing and elegantly told, which means any reader of this work will inevitably want more and more’ Washington Post ‘A mesmerizing book that builds up propulsive momentum until its final twists. It was a joy to disappear into this story. Like only the very best historical biographers, Paul Kix has turned years of deep reporting into a tightly coiled narrative that you never want to put down’ Eli Saslow, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of Ten Letters: The Stories Americans Tell Their President ‘Kix had to do first-class detective work using primary sources to create this riveting story. Fans of World War II history will eagerly read this story, which is almost as exciting as a James Bond novel’ Library Journal ‘Set in motion by a steamed-open letter and a burning hatred of Hitler, a dashing young aristocrat embarks on a campaign of clandestine warfare. The Saboteur sounds like a World War II spy thriller, but in fact it is a rip-roaring true story, wonderfully told’ Mitchell Zuckoff, New York Times bestselling author of 13 Hours and Lost in Shangri-La ‘A winner: the stories are fascinating, the pages nearly turn themselves, and La Rochefoucauld is a true hero’ Kirkus Reviews (starred review) ‘Kix’s sharp, well-paced writing is perfect for telling La Rochefoucauld’s story. But this is more than a gripping yarn of daring-do. La Rochefoucauld was a complex character, and Kix’s portrait is nuanced and moving… [posing] the big questions: What is duty? What is courage? What is loyalty?’ BookPage

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Book SynopsisThe outrageous sequel to Don't Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs (She Thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Whorehouse) brings more great stories from the far side of civilization - hilarious, full of humour, colourful characters and dramatic action! Just another glorious day in the oilfield for Paul Carter! He's stuck in the middle of the Russian sea on a rig staffed by a crew from Azerbaijan. The choppers are older than him and can only fly by line of sight, turning back regularly due to the weather which gets particuarly interesting when they are past the point of no return with half there fuel gone and they are committed to finding the rig in a fog that's thicker than a Big Brother housemate. The closest thing to a hotel for miles around is the Asylum, a former soviet mental institution that now houses offshore personnel en-route to the rig, where his room mates are Vodka Bob - who drinks Guinness for breakfast when he's not on the rig - Sick Boy, who snores like a pit bull being hot-waxed and Sealbasher. In his inimitable style Paul Carter regales us with his colourful adventures from the front line of thee oil industry and the far side of civilization!Trade ReviewIf you're looking for a rip-roaring, rollicking roster of drunken antics, tropical diseases and bad behaviour, you won't go far wrong. * Amazon reviews *Get ready for loosely connected, bawdy stories about the author and his outrageous friends. Some tales come from the oil rigs Carter worked on, but most take place in bars, where misogynistic alpha males drown themselves in a sea of liquor. How about the one where a bloke with a glass eye pops it into someone's beer, and the crowd waits until the victim quaffs the last ounce to see it staring at him from the bottom of his glass? Carter narrates the audiobook in his working-class Australian accent, loaded with the national vocabulary of 'mates', 'queuing', 'boiled sweets', and 'rubbing one out' (think gas). His rapid narrative style leaves the listener little time to ponder the novel metaphors, similes, and analogies. * Audiofile Magazine *

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Book SynopsisGrowing up with him was like being in my own war zone, living in perpetual fear of when the bombs would fall.Trade Review“Brilliant and harrowing” Davina McCall "Breathtaking writing. Beautiful and life changing.” Robert Rinder, Talk TV "Highly recommended" Robin Ince, broadcaster and writer "Emotional and brilliant" Hugo Rifkind, Times Radio "A truly remarkable book" Alastair Campbell, Former Downing Street Communications Director and mental health campaigner "It's the unvarnished truth on every page and is enormously powerful. In a way, it makes it own genre, and it's a genre that's accessible without being dumbed down. At their best, authors like Hemingway and Hornby do this." Matthew Parris, The Spectator "Powerful and honest" Rob Crossan, Sunday Express "A beautiful book and in the end one of the most hopeful. I tore through it" Chris Van Tulleken, TV doctor

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLERA Divorced Woman. A Dangerous Man. A Devastating Affair.You're right. It is totally extraordinary. My life is like a film; you couldn't make it up But there's something I have to tell you,' he confided, as he leaned across the table towards me. I'm not normal.'Carolyn Woods was living happily in a quiet Cotswolds village when an attractive stranger abruptly arrived in her life.Introducing himself as Mark Conway, he exuded confidence and to her surprise Carolyn quickly became captivated by this mysterious man. A rich Swiss banker (who later confessed to being a spy), he offered Carolyn companionship and introduced her to an exciting, glamorous world.In fact, some things were so astonishing she began to question her new lover. Was all as it seemed?The truth was even harder to believe. For a start, his real name was Mark Acklom, he was wanted by Interpol, and he was rich but for one reason onlyA true-crime story that reads like a thriller, Sleeping with

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Book SynopsisEric Ngalle thought he was leaving Cameroon for a better life... Instead of arriving in Belgium to study for a degree in economics he ended up in one of the last countries he would have chosen to visit - Russia. Having seen his passport stolen, Eric endured nearly two years battling a hostile environment as an illegal immigrant while struggling with the betrayal that tore his family apart and prompted his exit. This painfully honest and often brutal account of being trapped in a subculture of deceit and crime gives a rare glimpse behind the headlines of a global concern.

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Book SynopsisLonglisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2021 Running away from your problems doesn’t solve anything – but sometimes it’s more fun than dealing with them Elise was spending a lot of time crying on buses. She had just graduated from university; she had a shiny new flat, her first proper job and a budding relationship – and they were all making her utterly miserable. Sitting at work one day, she hit upon the obvious solution: Run 5,000 miles around the coast of Britain, carrying her kit on her back. Six months later Elise set off, with absolutely no ultra-running experience, unable to read a map and having never pitched a tent alone before. Over the 301 days that followed she developed a debilitating fear of farmyard animals, cried on a lot of beaches and saw Britain at its most wild and wonderful. Coasting is about putting one foot in front of the other, even when it feels impossible, and trying to enjoy it too. With heart and humour, Elise explores the thrill of taking risks and putting your trust in total strangers, and learns some home truths along the way. 'A true Great British Adventure, with humour and heart.' Sir Ranulph Fiennes 'Elise Downing has achieved the impossible – leaving you in awe at her superhuman achievements, but also convincing you that you could probably do the same.' Emily Chappell 'A hugely enjoyable jaunt around Britain, that proves that you can find adventure right on your doorstep.' Alastair Humphreys 'Elise Downing has reminded us all of the most crucial aspects of adventure: 1) You don't have to be an expert. 2) It's all about the people. 3) However hard, tough, excruciating and doubt-driven a challenge might be, at heart it's a funny, funny story.' Dave Cornthwaite 'Reading Coasting is like listening to a friend tell a tale down the pub that you can’t quite believe. Elise’s storytelling is hilarious, warm-hearted and wonderfully down-to-earth. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to lace up your trainers and start running towards that mad idea you once had. There’s no doubt that Elise’s gung-ho attitude is her superpower. Her kryptonite? Cows.' Anna McNuff, author and adventurer 'Elise's irresistibly readable adventures are both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. She's an inspiration.' Damian Hall, author and ultrarunner 'Funny and engaging and inspiring... an absolute gem.' Vassos Alexander, presenter, author and runner 'A beautifully observed and blisteringly truthful account of what happens when you decide to combine adventure and endurance. Absolutely brilliant.' Jake Tyler, author of A Walk from the Wild Edge 'An honest and exciting tale of how a dream became an awesome reality. Definitely worth a read!' Ben Smith, founder of The 401 Challenge 'I was already laughing at the Dedication and this continued all the way to the very last page. Elise Downing is a comedy genius and has a heart of gold!' Danny Bent, author, runner and founder of Project Awesome 'Elise tells her story with such good-humoured light-heartedness that you could be forgiven for forgetting that what she is describing is a feat of real endurance. Running 5,000 miles is a truly remarkable achievement, and the fact that Elise emerged from it with a smile on her face and a total lack of ego speaks wonders to her character. This is an incredible tale told with total humility. Running around the coast of Great Britain was a mad thing to do, but not buying this book would be madder still.' Tim Moss, author, adventurer and founder of The Next Challenge 'Like any epic journey worth sharing, Elise encountered the same doubts, setbacks and fears that leave many dreams stuck on the drawing board. One foot after the other, Elise set out to achieve the extraordinary many miles over. Coasting shares the literal highs and lows as she finds her rite of passage to the world of ultra-running, with an endearing vulnerability and hilarious flair that brings places to life. In the same way that countless strangers felt compelled to join her around the UK, Coasting carries the reader along and inspires us all to ask 'why not?' in pursuit of our own home-grown adventures.' Alex Staniforth, adventurer and author 'A wonderfully honest tale of courage, perseverance and self-discovery.' Dr Juliet McGrattan, author and runner 'Elise brings so much fun and energy, as well as raw honesty, to the world of adventure books, and her incredible journey is an inspiration to young (and old!) adventurers.' Jenny Tough, author, adventurer and editor of Tough Women Adventure Stories 'Thoughtful, funny and beautifully written. Just goes to show that there’s a ram-spinning, swashbuckling adventure right there on your doorstep.' Huw Jack Brassington, writer, presenter and adventurerTrade ReviewA beautifully observed and blisteringly truthful account of what happens when you decide to combine adventure and endurance. Absolutely brilliant.. * Jake Tyler, author of A Walk from the Wild Edge *A hugely enjoyable jaunt around Britain, that proves that you can find adventure right on your doorstep. * Alastair Humphreys *A true Great British Adventure, with humour and heart. * Sir Ranulph Fiennes *A wonderfully honest tale of courage, perseverance and self-discovery. * Dr Juliet McGrattan, author and runner *An honest and exciting tale of how a dream became an awesome reality. Definitely worth a read! * Ben Smith, founder of The 401 Challenge *Elise brings so much fun and energy, as well as raw honesty, to the world of adventure books, and her incredible journey is an inspiration to young (and old!) adventurers. * Jenny Tough, author, adventurer and editor of Tough Women Adventure Stories *Elise Downing has achieved the impossible - leaving you in awe at her superhuman achievements, but also convincing you that you could probably do the same. * Emily Chappell *Elise Downing has reminded us all of the most crucial aspects of adventure: 1) You don't have to be an expert. 2) It's all about the people. 3) However hard, tough, excruciating and doubt-driven a challenge might be, at heart it's a funny, funny story. * Dave Cornthwaite *Elise tells her story with such good-humoured light-heartedness that you could be forgiven for forgetting that what she is describing is a feat of real endurance. Running 5,000 miles is a truly remarkable achievement, and the fact that Elise emerged from it with a smile on her face and a total lack of ego speaks wonders to her character. This is an incredible tale told with total humility. Running around the coast of Great Britain was a mad thing to do, but not buying this book would be madder still. * Tim Moss, author, adventurer and founder of The Next Challenge *Elise's irresistibly readable adventures are both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. She's an inspiration. * Damian Hall, author and ultrarunner *Funny and engaging and inspiring... an absolute gem. * Vassos Alexander, presenter, author and runner *I was already laughing at the Dedication and this continued all the way to the very last page. Elise Downing is a comedy genius and has a heart of gold! * Danny Bent, author, runner and founder of Project Awesome *Like any epic journey worth sharing, Elise encountered the same doubts, setbacks and fears that leave many dreams stuck on the drawing board. One foot after the other, Elise set out to achieve the extraordinary many miles over. Coasting shares the literal highs and lows as she finds her rite of passage to the world of ultra-running, with an endearing vulnerability and hilarious flair that brings places to life. In the same way that countless strangers felt compelled to join her around the UK, Coasting carries the reader along and inspires us all to ask 'why not?' in pursuit of our own home-grown adventures. * Alex Staniforth, adventurer and author *Reading Coasting is like listening to a friend tell a tale down the pub that you can't quite believe. Elise's storytelling is hilarious, warm-hearted and wonderfully down-to-earth. It's the kind of book that makes you want to lace up your trainers and start running towards that mad idea you once had. There's no doubt that Elise's gung-ho attitude is her superpower. Her kryptonite? Cows. * Anna McNuff, author and adventurer *Thoughtful, funny and beautifully written. Just goes to show that there's a ram-spinning, swashbuckling adventure right there on your doorstep. * Huw Jack Brassington, writer, presenter and adventurer *

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