True stories of heroism, and endu Books

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Book SynopsisOn June 5, 2002, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart, the daughter of a close-knit Mormon family, was taken from her home by religious fanatic, Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. She was kept chained, dressed in disguise, repeatedly raped, and told she and her family would be killed if she tried to escape. Thid book tells her story.

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Book SynopsisThe Girl With Two Lives is the fourth book from well loved foster carer and Sunday Times bestselling author Angela Hart, in which she tells the story of one of her toughest placements yet.Twelve year old Danielle has been excluded from a special school and her former foster family can no longer cope. She arrives as an emergency placement at the home of foster carer Angela, who soon suspects that there is more to the young girl's disruptive behaviour than meets the eye. Can Angela's specialist training unlock the horrors of Danielle's past and help her start a brave new life?Another true story from the experienced and bestselling foster carer – sharing the tale of one of the many children she has fostered over the years. A story of the difference that quiet care, a watchful eye and sympathetic ear can make to those children whose upbringing has been less fortunate than others.Trade ReviewPraise for Angela Hart: A true tear-jerking tale of love and compassion * Sunday Mirror *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 WatsonA moving story that testifies to the redemptive power of love. I hope Angela Hart inspires many others to foster -- Torey Hayden

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Book SynopsisThis is the moving account of the horror of the Warsaw Ghetto -- written by the recognised archivist and historian of the area while he lived through it. Through anecdotes, stories, and notations -- some as brief as was slapped today in Zlota Street -- there emerges the agonising, eyewitness accounts of human beings caught in the furore of senseless, unrelenting brutality. In the Journal, there is the whole of life in the Ghetto, from the erection of the Wall, in November 1940, for hygienic reasons, through the brief period of deceptive calm to the eventual mass murders. It is a portrait of man tested by crisis, stained at times by the meanness of avarice and self-preservation, illumined more often by moments of nobility.

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Book SynopsisNew in Paperback: The harrowing adventure-at-sea memoir ("Terrific."-Daniel James Brown) recounting the 2013 search-and-rescue mission for lost Montauk fisherman John Aldridge."A Speck in the Sea is a terrific read-harrowing and inspiring at the same time. In the end it's a moving testament both to our individual will to survive and to our collective will to come to the aid of others in distress. I couldn't put it down." -Daniel James Brown, author of The Boys in the BoatIn the dead of night on July 24, 2013, John Aldridge was thrown off the back of the Anna Mary while his fishing partner, Anthony Sosinski, slept below. As desperate hours ticked by, Sosinski, the families, the local fishing community, and the U.S. Coast Guard in three states mobilized in an unprecedented search effort that culminated in a rare and exhilarating success.A tale of survival, perseverance, and community, A Speck in the Sea tells of one man's struggle to survive as friends and strangers work to bring him home. Aldridge's wrenching first-person account intertwines with the narrative of the massive, constantly evolving rescue operation designed to save him.Trade ReviewA Speck in the Sea is a terrific read-harrowing and inspiring at the same time. In the end it's a moving testament both to our individual will to survive and to our collective will to come to the aid of others in distress. I couldn't put it down. * Daniel James Brown, author of The Boys in the Boat *Sometimes being a hero means just hanging on and having faith--which is exactly what John Aldridge and Anthony Sosinski did on July 24, 2013. This is an amazing tale of survival, family, community, and friendship from two true American originals. * Paul Tough, New York Magazine *A robust portrait of working-class Montauk, the Long Island community... richly detailed. * Kirkus Review *A rich backstory-including complicated personal lives and deep family histories-adds depth to this page turner. * Publishers Weekly *This absolutely riveting book follows the increasingly desperate (and, at times, disorganized) rescue efforts as well as Aldridge's own odyssey (How does a man facing near-certain death keep himself believing he might survive?)... the book is... captivating. * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisThis book is fiction. The story that inspired it was not. In 1990, a box of very old documents was found on a small farm in the west of Ireland. They had been stored for well over a hundred years and told an incredible story of suffering, of love and of courage. In 1846, a young couple met during the worst days of the Great Irish Famine. The Killing Snows is a way to imagine what led to their meeting and what followed from it.Trade Review'Powerful and compelling' Sarah Hackett - The Irish Post 'Famine novel likened to Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath.' Connaught Telegraph 'A vital reminder of the fragility of life, love and survival.' The Irish Post

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Book SynopsisThe astonishing true story of Beverli Rhodes, child victim of a sick, high-profile paedophilia ring and, years later, of the London Tube Bombings, who rebuilt her life with the help of one very special animal - the horse. Horses saved Beverli Rhodes' mind, and life. As a child, her world consisted of sexually abusive men, and her beautiful saviour horses. She survived to make a life for herself - only to suffer a second, devastating blow when she was caught up in the London Underground bombings of 7 July 2005, in which she was seriously injured. With the British healthcare system failing her, she sought other avenues to cop with severe post-traumatic stress disorder, her recovery directly resulting from contact with horses. She is now able to live a peaceful life, and continues to maintain her strong connection with the animals that helped save her. Moving and at times horrific, The Horse Girl is an extraordinary story of hate redeemed by love, as well as a testament to the triumph of the human spirit over the most terrible adversity.

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Book Synopsis'I can tell you exactly the day it all went wrong - the day my mum attacked my dad with a kitchen knife. In those few, short seconds, a black hole opened up in my life and I fell right in.' Tina McGuff's life was perfect - or so she thought. Living in Dundee with her devoted parents and three younger sisters, she was a happy, healthy and confident thirteen-year-old. But all that changed in one horrifying act of revenge and Tina's world collapsed overnight. Terrified, lost and confused, she turned to the one thing she thought she could control - food. And so began the biggest fight of her life. Tina's life-or-death struggle with anorexia is told with devastating honesty in this extraordinary account of a girl at war with herself. Through her years in and out of psychiatric wards, Tina takes us to some of the darkest places of the mind. But in the end her courage, conviction and sheer determination win out. It took Tina seconds to snap and a lifetime to recover - but today, as a passionate campaigner for mental health, she is living proof that there is always a reason to hope that one day, things will get better.Trade ReviewThis book is inspiring and empowering. Tina takes you on a journey through her darkness and into the light, offering much needed insight and hope to those on a similar path. Thank you Tina for sharing your story with such open honest and clarity. You are a gift. -- Fi Munro * Author & public speaker *This book was exactly what I needed when I needed it. It was there for me when I felt alone. It gave me hope when I thought all hope was lost. So raw, honest, and inspiring. More books like this need to be written and shared. Thank you, Tina. -- Haven Marah * Model *Mother, Grandmother, and speaker sharing the lessons she has passed on to her daughters around working hard, spreading kindness, and finding your own positivity, confidence, and beauty - I read Tina McGuff's survival story with awe. She is truly a war-survivor. A veteran in the battle against mental illness in the form of anorexia. Like many of us, her feud takes place on the battlefield of her mind against an invisible enemy who strikes with words of inadequacy, failure, and fear. In a time where we are all struggling to understand mental illness, McGuff's courageous and candid story speaks to what it is like to face down an enemy that lurks in the hidden places of your mind and destroys you from within. This timely and important story is universal. For who among us has not heard an inner-voice whisper "You're not good enough" and wondered if it wasn't true? -- Linda Graham * . *What is exceptional about this book is that it's not only a heartwarming true story and a gripping read, but that it manages to be both while providing hope for so many by helping us understand so much about the psychology of this terrible disease. -- Gary Clark * Musician *Congrats on so many things, will keep reading your harrowing yet compelling tale. My pleasure Tina - your story is shocking and affirming in equal measure and I am sure a big help to many people who find themselves in similar situations. Congrats again. -- Dom Holland * Comedian, Author and Broadcaster *What an amazing book written with such honesty - you are such a strong and inspiring lady, thank you for sharing your story, I am sure it was not easy to be so open and honest but the help and hope it will give anyone going through a tough time is so important. -- Tana Ramsay * Author and broadcaster *

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Book SynopsisIn 2004, Maggie Lane fell to her death from the cliffs at Beachy Head. While trying to come to terms with his wife's tragic death, Keith Lane sought solace by going back to the spot from which she had jumped. It was then that he spotted a woman about to take her own life and persuaded her not to go through with it. From this point on, Keith made it his mission to patrol the area in the hope of saving more lives. For nearly four years, Keith dedicated his life to helping those who felt that they had reached the point of no return. Dedicated and determined, he would be on his watch come rain or shine, whatever the circumstances - nothing fazed this remarkable man. In total, Keith has prevented a remarkable 29 people from going over the edge. In this dramatic and heart-rending book, Keith tells of his own personal despair at the loss of Maggie and how, in his darkest hour, his only wish was to join her in ending his own life; he tells of how his own existence was given meaning once more when he realised that he could help those in desperate need; he recalls with clarity and emotion those he has assisted and he tells of finding love and hope in the form of new wife Val.

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Book SynopsisTHE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT: Narrative that is direct, candid, unpretentious. A member of a highly privileged caste in Soviet society... reduced to a 'mozho' girl mixing with foreigners, with instructions to report on them... the real story is in the simple, graphic and almost entirely persuasive account of her observations - some amusing and others horribly or pitifully gruesome. In the unforgiving WWII climate of 1940, 21-year old Nora is faced with a perilous ultimatum: Enlist with Stalin's secret police as a honey trap, or face the death of her family. Despairingly she agrees. Nora finds herself struggling to seduce her target, John Murray, a British Embassy cypher in Moscow. As two disparate lives intertwine, their desperate escape leads the couple through frozen Arctic wastelands, clutching forged papers and hopes not just for survival but for a future together.Trade ReviewTimes Literary Supplement: Narrative that is direct, candid, unpretentious. The real story is in the simple, graphic and almost entirely persuasive account of her observations as a member of a highly privileged caste in Soviet society; * Oxford Mail: A woman of infinite ingenuity, persistence and great courage. The book would make an admirable film on the lines of "Odette"; * Yorkshire Observer: As a work of fiction one would have regarded it as highly exciting and admirably constructed. Yet, astonishingly, every word is true; * Yorkshire Evening Press: How she fell in love and married the man she was forced to spy on is admirably told, but nothing could be more thrilling than her ultimate escape from the secret police; * Yorkshire Post: Told with a simplicity that carries conviction, and with a narrative skill that makes it as absorbing as any novel; * Aberdeen Express: A remarkable story of personal courage. The revelations are grim and often terrifying; * Birmingham Gazette: A curious story, dramatic, moving and always interesting; * Cambridge Daily News: A curious human story; * Good Housekeeper: Told without melodrama or hysterics and indeed with a calmness and sympathy that is surprising. The story is of an immensely courageous woman; * STAFFORD EVENING SENTINEL: confirms much of what has already been written about the grim conditions of life under the Soviet system; * LIVERPOOL ECHO: Lieut.-General Sir Noel Mason-Macfarlane "As an example of initiative, drive and sheer pluck Nora's adventures and success were truly remarkable"; * PEOPLE: Thrilling and true

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Book SynopsisChildren of the Revolution is a book of converging worlds. In it you discover the very human weave of courage, perseverance and vision, woven with a delightful touch of humour and surprise. It also has the beguiling pattern of a journey unfolding. And as it unfolds, you learn. And you are inspired. Children of the Revolution, by Feroze Dada, is a story which begins with a chance meeting at a family gathering in Burma (Myanmar) with a freedom fighter from the Pa’O region in the northeast of the country, and which then takes you on to a monastery on the shores of beautiful Inle Lake in Shan State. There, at the Buddhist monastery of Phaya Taung, the head monk Phongyi is passionately caring for and teaching more than 600 orphaned and refugee children of the revolutionary wars. You discover that both the freedom fighter and the Buddhist monk are in their different ways forces of nature, or men of action, and while you learn about their lives, you also find the human goodness that shines in the darkness of war, and you witness the path of the dhamma in the world. You cannot fail to be encouraged by Phongyi’s example to `go beyond one’s imagination because there is no limit’. But at the same time, another story is unfolding, and that is the journey of self-discovery of Feroze Dada, who moves with his Burmese wife MuMu between his metropolitan western life and Taunggyi in the northeast of Burma, where her family live, and in doing so finds a new reality and purpose. Feroze is a man of action too, as you will discover. And he has written an inspirational story which is all the more powerful when you consider that his reasons for making the journey are literally a world away from what transpired. There are no accidents, the law of karma tells us, but we’re not the sole cause of our experiences either.Trade ReviewEndorsed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

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Book SynopsisFor the first time, a Rohingya speaks up to expose the persecution facing his people. ‘I am three years old and will have to grow up with the hostility of others. I am already an outlaw in my own country, an outlaw in the world. I am three years old, and don’t yet know that I am stateless.’ Habiburahman was born in 1979 and raised in a small village in western Burma. When he was three years old, the country’s military leader declared that his people, the Rohingya, were not one of the 135 recognised ethnic groups that formed the eight ‘national races’. He was left stateless in his own country. Since 1982, millions of Rohingya have had to flee their homes as a result of extreme prejudice and persecution. In 2016 and 2017, the government intensified the process of ethnic cleansing, and over 600,000 Rohingya people were forced to cross the border into Bangladesh. Here, for the first time, a Rohingya speaks up to expose the truth behind this global humanitarian crisis. Through the eyes of a child, we learn about the historic persecution of the Rohingya people and witness the violence Habiburahman endured throughout his life until he escaped the country in 2000. First, They Erased Our Name is an urgent, moving memoir about what it feels like to be repressed in one’s own country and a refugee in others. It gives voice to the voiceless.Trade Review‘Habiburahman’s book is a rare first-hand account of what the Rohingya have had to endure over the past few decades, and especially valuable because the events it describes took place long before most of the world had heard of them. Told in short, punchy chapters, written in an urgent present tense …’ -- David Eimer * The Spectator *‘Here is the first account by a Rohingya of the decades-long oppression of his people, as well as a memoir of his own journey. Chilling and eye-opening.’ * i *‘This is the gripping, chilling inside story of the incubation of a genocide. In a corner of Asia where hatred has raged for decades, Habib’s moving family history emerges as a powerful and, to my knowledge, unique historical document. His compelling storytelling relates how playground prejudice against the Muslim Rohingya of Arakan escalated into pogroms, terror, and apartheid. As he makes his arduous and dangerous escape, he writes “death is always snapping at our heels”. What an incredible story. There are many who, after the killing fields of Cambodia, Bosnia, or Rwanda have said “Never again”. It just did, in Burma, and here’s how.’ -- Jonathan Miller, Foreign Affairs Correspondent * Channel 4 News *‘Written in a simple style appropriate to the childhood it records, the memoir is a devastating testimony of persecution.’ -- David McKechnie * The Irish Times *‘The book is written in simple language and tells the story without embellishment. There is no need for flourishes; it is relentless.’ -- Gay Alcorn * The Guardian *‘Habiburahman is a vivid storyteller … It is a book that should be read the world over until the Rohingyas get justice … An essential read.’ -- Liam Heylin * Irish Examiner *‘An astonishing story … a moving read.’ -- Paul Ross, talkRADIO‘The remarkable first personal account from a Rohingya of his people’s persecution in Burma.’ * i *‘The greatest barriers to stories such as Habiburahman’s being heard, though. Are invalidation and indifference. Do not be indifferent to this urgent, humane book. Read it, share it, talk about what has been happening — and in so doing safeguard the humanity of Habiburahman, the Rohingya and all asylum seekers, as well as the imperilled humanity of this country.’ -- Maria Takolander * The Saturday Paper *‘[First, They Erased Our Name] tells the first-hand truth behind the global humanitarian crisis.’ * Business Standard *‘For the first time, Habib’s book gives written voice to the history of fate and his people who have been left stateless in their own country. Habib’s own story is an odyssey of danger, resistance, torture and courage.’ -- James Taylor * Surf Coast Times *‘Compelling.’ -- Robyn Douglass * SA Weekend, starred review *‘Habiburahman was a boy when Myanmar outlawed his ethnic group, the Rohingya, stripping its members of citizenship and turning them into a stateless people. His book is a rare account of growing up during the subsequent catastrophe for the Rohingya … a useful addition to the literature of human rights abuses.’ * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisIn this gripping memoir, originally published in 1957, the Dutch author, codename ‘Zip’, recounts her extraordinary journey. A young fighter for the resistance during World War II, Zip is captured and held prisoner as part of the ‘Night and Fog’ unit, political prisoners who wait out the war in a crowded, secret cell. During their long days and nights, each creates a secret embroidery telling the story of their war, including when they are moved from place to place, writing each other’s names in morse code out of contraband black thread. Upon liberation, Zip must find her way back to Holland with her three companions, scant belongings, and any food they can ‘liberate’ or are given by the goodwill of soldiers or villagers along the way. In cinematic, sweeping prose, Zip reveals all the details of the time, including the camaraderie of fellow political prisoners upon release: the Dutch prisoners of war who have kept their uniforms intact; the French p.o.w.s in threadbare yet debonair getups; the French women resistance fighters who break out in song (‘La Marseillaise’) to reunite a hungry mob; not to mention the Russian liberators, and the American soldiers. The world they enter has turned upside down. The jovial spirit and giddiness they share at being free is uplifting and unforgettable. An adroit, page-turning and heroic tale of humanity – after the darkness, there is so much light. The Walls Came Tumbling Down is a true World War II classic.Trade Review‘You feel the life seeping back into these wasted, emaciated, exhausted friends like spring itself … You marvel at the capillary action that one caring human being can create in another with simple kindness, but in the end, pure luck, like a blessing, rains down from the heavens.’ -- Susan Salter Reynolds * Los Angeles Times *‘Gripping and beautiful, Roosenburg’s memoir is a tale of bravery that will make you care deeply about its protagonists, even make you weep at their ordeal and homecoming. It is one of the unjustly neglected gems of Second World War literature.’ -- James Mustich, author of 1,000 Books To Read Before You Die‘Here is a book full of utterly unselfconscious heroism.’ * The Washington Post *‘I wept — tears of pride — while reading Henriette Roosenburg’s The Walls Came Tumbling Down. Pride? Yes, pride that human beings can rise to such heights.’ -- Noel Perrin * Los Angeles Times *‘Scribe has done readers a great service by reprinting the unjustly forgotten The Walls Came Tumbling Down by Henriette Roosenburg, nicknamed ‘Zip’ for the frequency with which she once secretly criss-crossed Nazi-held borders, narrates the incredible events that follow her liberation from a German prison by the Soviet military with casual simplicity and a touch of humour … [A] moving, often funny book, despite the circumstances, told by a brave and truly remarkable woman who deserves to be remembered.’ -- Hank Stephenson * Shelf Awareness *‘[A] gripping memoir.’ * Australian Jewish News *‘[R]eading Henriette Roosenburg’s gripping memoir of her postwar journey home to Holland from the Waldheim camp in Germany, I feel … awe at the human courage and indefatigable quest for home that pervades the book … The tone of this memoir is upbeat, and surprisingly amusing. The joy of freedom and her delight in being able to take independent action after their long captivity pervades each chapter … Highly recommended.’ -- Lisa Hill * ANZ LitLovers *

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Book SynopsisArriving in the UK from Jamaica at the tender age of 14, Keisha shares her empowering lived experiences growing up with undiagnosed Dyslexia and Dyspraxia.

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Book SynopsisThe incredible story of a breathtaking rescue in the frenzied final hours of the US evacuation of Afghanistan — and how a brave Afghan mother and a compassionate American officer engineered a daring escape. When the US began its withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Afghan army instantly collapsed, Homeira Qaderi was marked for death at the hands of the Taliban. A celebrated author, academic, and champion for women’s liberation, Homeira had achieved celebrity in her home country by winning custody of her son in a contentious divorce, a rarity in Afghanistan’s patriarchal society. Despite her fierce determination to stay in her homeland, it finally became clear to Homeira that escaping was the only way she and her family would survive. However, like so many, she was mired in the chaos that ensued at Kabul Airport, struggling to get on a plane with her eight-year-old son, Siawash, along with her parents and the rest of their family. Meanwhile, a young US foreign service officer, Sam Aronson, who had volunteered to help rescue the more than 100,000 Americans and their Afghan helpers stranded in Kabul, learned that the CIA had established a secret entrance into Kabul Airport two miles away from the desperate crowds crushing toward the gates. He started bringing families directly through, and on the very last day of the evacuation, Sam was contacted by Homeira’s literary agent, who persuaded him to help Homeira get out. The story that follows is unbelievable but true. Zuckoff’s firsthand accounts come exclusively and directly from Homeira, Aronson, and Homeira’s literary agent. The Secret Gate is beyond riveting, and will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Trade Review‘In Mitchell Zuckoff’s capable hands, here is an unforgettable account of a daring attempt to temper the brutality of war. It’s all here: the impossible moral choices; the desperation and the ingenuity; the courage to step in and help when it’s most needed; the anguish of those who must uproot themselves and take the struggle for freedom to another shore. The Secret Gate is inspiring on every level.’ -- Robert Kolker, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road‘Mitchell Zuckoff’s The Secret Gate is the harrowing and emotional true-life story of survival during the Afghanistan evacuation. The fast-paced drama centres around the American diplomat Sam Aronson and the Afghan women’s rights activist Homeira Qaderi. This riveting book has major motion picture written all over it. A must read!’ -- Douglas Brinkley, New York Times bestselling author of Silent Spring Revolution and American Moonshot‘Mitchell Zuckoff has located a genuinely thrilling tale, told with style, grace, and empathy. The Secret Gate will get your blood pumping.’ -- Hampton Sides, New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Soldiers and On Desperate Ground‘An American diplomat intervenes to help a women’s rights activist and her son flee Kabul before it falls to the Taliban in this taut account from journalist Zuckoff … Drawing on extensive interviews with Aronson and Qaderi, Zuckoff reveals the human side of geopolitics. Readers won’t be able to put this down.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘A suspenseful chronicle of a dramatic rescue at the end of America’s evacuation of Afghanistan in 2021 … An uplifting account of genuine heroics in the latest American military debacle.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘Reads like a thriller … Zuckoff does a remarkable job not only of describing the chaos and confusion at Kabul airport, but also of framing the fraught choices faced by Afghans and Americans alike. The Secret Gate describes, in compelling detail, the excruciating decisions faced by members of the diplomatic corps and military as they decided who to evacuate and who to leave behind; however, the book doesn’t fall into the trap of allowing the American narrative to subsume the Afghan one. [It] is a fast-paced escape narrative, but it is also a morally complex interrogation of Homeira’s wrenching choice.’ * The Washington Post *Praise for Fall and Rise: the story of 9/11: ‘With his rigorous research and moral clarity, Mitchell Zuckoff has provided us with an invaluable service. He has deepened our understanding of what happened on 9/11 and recorded the voices of the victims and the survivors. What's more, he has ensured that we never forget.’ -- David Grann, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower MoonPraise for Fall and Rise: the story of 9/11: ‘The 9/11 book we’ve been waiting for. A terrific storyteller and gifted researcher, Mitchell Zuckoff has rendered that world-changing day on a scale both intimate and monumental. This is narrative history at its very best.’ -- Cokie Roberts, New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winning journalistPraise for Fall and Rise: the story of 9/11: ‘Inspiring, depressing, heartbreaking, and simply astonishing … Zuckoff delivers a master-class in long-form historical journalism.’ * The Sydney Morning Herald *Praise for 13 Hours: the inside account of what really happened in Benghazi: ‘A crisply written, gripping narrative of the events of the battle in Benghazi that adds considerable detail to the public record of what happened there … [an] authoritative account.’ * The Wall Street Journal *Praise for 13 Hours: the inside account of what really happened in Benghazi: ‘A great number of journalists and government instrumentalities have tilted at Benghazi … All of those efforts look fragmentary when placed side-by-side with 13 Hours.’ * The Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisAbandoned by her parents, Sameem Ali spent six and a half years growing up in a children''s home. When she was told that her family wanted to take her back she couldn''t wait to start her new life with them. Instead, she returned to a dirty house where she was subjected to endless chores. Her mother began to beat her and her unhappiness drove her to self-harm. So Sameem was excited when she boarded a plane with her mother to visit Pakistan for the first time. It was only after they arrived in her family''s village that she realised she wasn''t there on holiday. Aged just thirteen, Sameem was forced to marry a complete stranger. When pregnant, two months later, she was made to return to Glasgow where she suffered further abuse from her family.After finding true love, Sameem fled the violence at home and escaped to Manchester with her young son. She believed she had put her horrific experiences behind her, but was unprepared for the consequences of violating her familyTrade Review'The very real threat of an honour killing. Misery rating 4 stars' * Eve *'In Belonging, Sameem Ali describes her experience of forced marriage, a subject that is rarely written about by those who have been involved in it. It is a powerful and courageous account and offers a unique perspective on this important issue' * Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, Co-Chairman of the HM Government's working group on forced marriage 2001 *'Sam Ali's story is a moving, human one which puts a real person into the often sensationalised media story of forced marriage. Sam has told her own life story in a way which will evoke variously, sympathy and sadness from people from all backgrounds.' * Tony Lloyd MP, Manchester Central *

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Book SynopsisOn 22 June 2013, Corporal Cameron Baird was a 2nd Commando Regiment Special Forces soldier when he led his platoon into a known Taliban stronghold to back-up another Australian unit under heavy fire. In the prolonged firefight, Cameron was mortally wounded. In 2014, Cameron''s bravery and courage under fire saw him posthumously awarded the 100th Victoria Cross, our highest award possible for bravery in the presence of the enemy. Cameron Baird died how he lived - at the front, giving it his all, without any indecision. He will forever be remembered by his mates and the soldiers he served with in the 2nd Commando Regiment. THE COMMANDO reveals Cameron''s life, from young boy and aspiring AFL player, who only missed out on being drafted because of injury, to exemplary soldier and leader. Cameron''s story and that of 4RAR and 2nd Commando personifies the courage and character of the men and women who go to war and will show us the good man we have lost.Trade ReviewWell researched, with input from family and fellow soldiers, this is a worthy tribute to a good man, a selfless soldier and a genuine hero. * Qantas Magazine *

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Book SynopsisA collection of tragic and forgotten historic disasters around Britain, from the 1800s to the twenty-first century

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Book SynopsisNightscape is one of the world's most exciting and inspirational online creators. His YouTube videos have received over thirty million views. He has over a million followers.Table of ContentsIntroduction - i: Introduction Section - ii: Before the craziness begins Section - iii: Top of the world Unit - 1: Ground Level - Starting Out Chapter - 1: In the beginning Chapter - 2: Risk Chapter - 3: Fail, get up, fail harder Chapter - 4: Avoid comfort zones Chapter - 5: Dancing with concrete Chapter - 6: Expand your possibilities Chapter - 7: Luck Chapter - 8: The city is a playground Unit - 2: Rooftoops - Finding My Way Chapter - 9: Getting higher Chapter - 10: Find something you love more than sleep Chapter - 11: Why art? Chapter - 12: No rehersals Chapter - 13: In love with the city Chapter - 14: Don't be ashamed of passion Chapter - 15: Fear Chapter - 16: Respect Chapter - 17: Life in the penthouse Unit - 3: Rooftops - Spreading My Wings Chapter - 18: Up in the clouds Chapter - 19: Perspective Chapter - 20: Outlaws Chapter - 21: Believe Chapter - 22: Opinions Chapter - 23: Your passion might no be someone else's Chapter - 24: Balfron Tower Chapter - 25: Petticoat Tower Chapter - 26: A bridge, Startford Chapter - 27: Residential building, Elephant and Castle Chapter - 28: Barbican Estate Unit - 4: Skyscrapers Chapter - 29: The City within the city Chapter - 30: Rebels Chapter - 31: London Stadium Chapter - 32: The Sidemen Tower Chapter - 33: Humber Bridge Chapter - 34: One Canada Square Unit - 5: Seeing the World Chapter - 35: Jakarta Chapter - 36: Santorini Chapter - 37: Make it challenging Chapter - 38: Dubai Chapter - 39: Shanghai Unit - 6: Behind the Scenes Chapter - 40: Kit Chapter - 41: Editing Chapter - 42: What's next?

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Book SynopsisThis book tells the stories of forty heroes, all awarded bravery medals for their conduct during Special Forces missions over the last 150 years. Often covert hit-and-run operations involving very small numbers of highly skilled men, those who partake in these missions know that their goals involve a high level of risk. They are men who would die for their country, no questions asked. With many incredible stories, particularly from the Second World War, including the Cockleshell Heroes, and other conflicts from the twentieth century, such as the Iranian Embassy siege, this collection of real-life action adventure brings the bravery of Britain''s heroes to life.Every medal in Lord Ashcroft''s extensive collection tells a story and these are some of the most thrilling.Trade Review'I have no doubt that Lord Ashcroft's book will set the pulse racing of all who read it. It certainly did mine.' * Daily Express *'A deeply-felt tribute' * Yorkshire Evening Post *'Compelling' * Good Book Guide *

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Book SynopsisMandy McMillan was not a fighter. She was ordinary: a hairdresser, a party girl, a bit of a coward when it came to all things medical. The worst she''d ever fought was a cold.Then she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 27 - the second in her group of five friends to be struck down by the disease. She''d had a one in 1,900 chance of getting it. Her cancer was incurable; chemotherapy almost killed her, her body was so ravaged that she almost gave up, but Mandy battled on. Her one stroke of good fortune? The arrival of new wonder-drug, Herceptin.Then a miracle happened: Mandy gave birth to Britain''s first Herceptin baby, a little girl conceived, carried and born to a mum on long-term treatment. A drug saved Mandy McMillan, now a daughter called Holly is keeping her alive. And she will fight every single day to see her child grow up.

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Book SynopsisA moving, heart-warming and redemptive true story that celebrates the healing power of love between humans and animals.Trade ReviewA roller-coaster of emotions, this book is a real page turner. A must-read for any animal lover. * Dogs Monthly *

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Book SynopsisA moving true story of love on the front lines.It was July 1944 when Madge stepped onto a troopship that was to carry her thousands of miles away from home. Only twenty years old and not long qualified as a nurse, she had signed up to serve in the Burma Campaign. She would be based on the Indian border, near the frontline where a fierce battle was raging between Allied forces and the Japanese.As Madge arrived in Chittagong, she wondered how she would adapt to the ever present danger of invasion and to life in a military hospital. She spent long, exhausting hours nursing the badly-injured young soldiers in her care, but found strength in her friendship with the other nurses. And then, one day, she met Captain Basil Lambert . . . Could their fragile, new found romance survive the terrifying final months of war? Heart-warming and poignant, Some Sunny Day by Madge Lambert is a story of courage, sacrifice and the power of true love.

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Book SynopsisThe international bestseller.From the Sunday Times bestselling author Beezy Marsh, comes a moving true story of two women fighting to survive scandal, poverty and war.When Annie marries Harry after years of heartache in a London slum she believes she's found her happy ever after. But the horrors of the Blitz soon threaten everything they hold dear. The terrible sights Harry witnesses as an air raid warden bring back traumatic memories of his time during the First World War. Suddenly Annie finds herself struggling to cope not only with life in wartime and two little children, but also with a husband who seems like a stranger.Kitty has always been protective of her little brother Harry. Hiding the scandal about their father from the world was the only way to survive as they were growing up in Newcastle. But when she discovers Harry too has a shocking secret, she is torn. Meanwhile Annie wonders why Harry refuses to discuss his life before their marriage and why she has never met his sister. Will the truth ever come to light?From the bombed-out terraces of London to the docks of Newcastle, Her Father's Daughter is Beezy Marsh's moving and poignant true story about the unbreakable bonds of family, and the power of love to heal the worst wounds.

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