True stories of heroism, and endu Books

Book SynopsisTHE TRUE STORY THAT INSPIRED THE NETFLIX FILM THE RED SEA DIVING RESORT. 'Secret missions, brazen deceptions and thrilling, clandestine operations - Red Sea Spies has it all. But it has something more important, too - a genuine human mission that made a difference.' David Hoffman, author of The Billion Dollar Spy'[A] thrilling and meticulous account.' The TimesIn the early 1980s on a remote part of the Sudanese coast, a new luxury holiday resort opened for business. Catering for divers, it attracted guests from around the world. Little did the holidaymakers know that the staff were undercover spies, working for the Mossad - the Israeli secret service. Providing a front for covert night-time activities, the holiday village allowed the agents to carry out an operation unlike any seen before. What began with one cryptic message pleading for help, turned into the secret evacuation of thousands of Ethiopian Jews who had been languishing in refugee camps, and the spiriting of them to Israel. Written in collaboration with operatives involved in the mission, endorsed as the definitive account and including an afterword from the commander who went on to become the head of the Mossad, this is the complete, never-before-heard, gripping tale of a top-secret and often hazardous operation.'Red Sea Spies is what really happened. There is none of the Hollywood colouring-in, and yet the book is all the more vivid for it ... part thriller, part dark comedy, all true ... Berg brings out the native drama in an improbable story of a clandestine homecoming.' SpectatorTrade ReviewRaffi Berg has, for the first time, managed to accomplish the herculean task of rendering a complex, manifold, full of human diversity story into a credible, readable, dynamic, passionate and well-documented book. -- Dani * Operation Commander *The true and most accurate story of the Mossad's Ethiopian Jewish rescue operation in Sudan over a period of around a decade has found a gifted and worthy author who deserves high praise for his monumental effort in unearthing so many key aspects that have never been publicly revealed till now. -- Efraim Halevy, Head of the Mossad 1998-2002, from his AfterwordSecret missions, brazen deceptions and thrilling, clandestine operations - Red Sea Spies has it all. But it has something more important, too - a genuine human mission that made a difference. -- David Hoffman, author of The Billion Dollar SpyRed Sea Spies is what really happened. There is none of the Hollywood colouring-in, and yet the book is all the more vivid for it ... part thriller, part dark comedy, all true ... Berg brings out the native drama in an improbable story of a clandestine homecoming. * The Spectator *An amazing story of the dogged behind-the-scenes workings of the Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence agency, from the late 1970s to the '90s ... From the first secret airlift until 1991, writes the author, who includes helpful maps and a list of the significant characters, 28,695 Ethiopian Jews were transported to Israel, "about 80 percent of their entire community." Berg's account of the operation - remarkable due to its duration, execution, and success - reads like a spy novel. * Kirkus *[A] thrilling and meticulous account. * The Times *[An] outstanding debut ... Berg's moving, well-researched book stands as the definitive account of this heroic rescue mission. It deserves a wide readership. * Publishers Weekly *A compelling portrayal ... providing a startling amount of detail of the day-to-day activities - putting the reader right there in the sand with the Mossad agents. * Jewish Chronicle *A tense and extraordinary story. * Choice *A book which should be on every Jewish bookshelf -- Rabbi Michael Laitner, Educational Director, United Synagogue

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Book Synopsis'Captivating, a John le Carre-esque yarn' Telegraph'A thoroughly good read' Michael Portillo, author of Portillo's Hidden History of Britain and presenter of Great British Railway Journeys'A compelling story of courage, determination and skill' Terry Waite CBE, author of Taken on TrustThe true story of a retired British army officer's private Somali-hostage rescue missionDuring the peak of the Somali piracy crisis, three ships - from Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan - were hijacked and then abandoned to their fate by their employers, who lacked the money to pay ransoms. All would still be there, were it not for Colonel John Steed, a retired British military attaché, who launched his own private mission to free them. At 65, Colonel Steed was hardly an ideal saviour. With no experience in hostage negotiations and no money behind him, he had to raise the ransom cash from scratch, running the operation from his spare room and ferrying million-dollar ransom payments around in the boot of his car. Drawing on first-hand interviews, former chief foreign correspondent of The Sunday Telegraph, Colin Freeman, who has himself spent time held hostage by Somali pirates, takes readers on an inside track into the world of hostage negotiation and one man's heroic rescue mission.Trade ReviewFreeman draws from extensive first-hand interviews with survivors to paint a vivid picture of this shadowy world with the clarity and panache of a seasoned reporter ... the story is captivating, a John le Carre-esque yarn. * Telegraph *A compelling story of courage, determination and skill. If any book shows that hostage negotiation is not for the faint hearted this is it. -- Terry Waite CBE, author of Taken on TrustA raw, gripping and profoundly moving book. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea tells the extraordinary story of Somalia's forgotten hostages, the pirates who tortured them for years, and the quietly heroic Britons who refused to give up on them. -- Andrew Harding, author of These Are Not Gentle People and The Mayor of MogadishuA thoroughly good read. -- Michael Portillo, author of Portillo's Hidden History of Britain and presenter of Great British Railway JourneyJohn Steed has led an exemplary retirement as a uniquely skilled volunteer, helping to free the seafarer hostages of Somali pirates who some governments wanted to forget. Colin Freeman's book about him is both wonderful and long overdue. -- Michael Scott Moore, author of The Desert and the Sea'A MUST READ book ... 5 stars, highly recommended!' -- Jordan Wylie, adventurer and author of Citadel: The true story of one man's war against the pirates of SomaliaTruly thrilling and fast moving ... a must read for those who seek to understand the complex history and environment in which piracy exploded in Somalia from 2008 to 2012. * Hiiraan Online *

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Book Synopsis100 of the most astonishing stories of human survival, adventure and exploration, chosen by Levison Wood. We are always captivated by tales of courage and bravery, of world-firsts and death-defying experiences. In this anthology, explorer and bestselling author Levison Wood has gathered 100 of the most fascinating accounts of human endurance throughout history. From the heroism of Antarctic explorers to pioneering women in the Middle East; from record-breaking athletes to survivors of war and torture, this wide-ranging collection embraces both classics of the genre, as well as new and neglected voices. The extracts are organised around a range of themes; you will find those who sought out new frontiers, or who purposely tested their physical limits in full knowledge of the dangers or risks they might face, but also those who endured persecution and suffering, or were thrust into life or death situations yet defied the odds to survive. Endurance is packed full of you-couldn't-make-it-up true stories and adventure fiction classics, from the high seas to the poles, from inhospitable jungles and deserts to the unknown realms of space, through physical and mental despair to euphoric highs. Yet all of these extraordinary stories celebrate the enduring nature of the human spirit, and show the mental and physical determination it sometimes takes to achieve one's aims. This varied and compelling collection will take you on an adventure around the world, but also on an emotional journey exploring what it means to be human. Includes extracts about and by Ernest Shackleton, Robert Falcon Scott, Sir Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay, Amelia Earhart, Marie Colvin, John Krakauer, Solomon Northrup, Ella Maillart, Freya Stark, Ed Stafford, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Aron Lee Ralston, María Elena Moyano, Gertrude Bell, Isabelle Eberhart, Nellie Bly, Alex Honnold, Nelson Mandela, David Nott, Jules Verne, Neil Armstrong and Scott Kelly.Trade ReviewRediscover old familiar classics, but then be blown away by a new adventure you've never heard of before (and wish you'd known about sooner) * Adventure 52 *PRAISE FOR LEVISON WOOD: 'Levison Wood has breathed new life into adventure travel' Michael Palin. 'Levison Wood is a great adventurer and a wonderful storyteller' Ranulph Fiennes. 'Britain's best-loved adventurer... He looks like a man who will stare danger in the face and soak up a lot of pain without complaint' * The Times *

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Book SynopsisIn the early hours of the morning of June 3rd 1949, General Harold Alexander was alongside the quay at Dunkirk as he lifted a megaphone and called "Is anyone there? Is anyone there?" There was no reply. He had directed the evacuation and was the last to leave Dunkirk.The very next day Churchill stood at the dispatch and gave his "We Shall Fight Them on The Beaches" speech.Tradition tells us that the dramatic events of the evacuation of Dunkirk, in which 300,000 BEF servicemen escaped the Nazis, was a victory gained from the jaws of defeat.  Rather than telling the tale of those who escaped, Peter Smith reveals a story of those sacrificed in the rear-guard battles.For us the Battle for France was not over. In Jun-1940 there were still 41,000 British soldiers fighting the Germans alongside their French allies. Mounting a vigorous counterattack at Abbeville and then conducting a tough defence between the Somme front and the Seine, Peter was fighting a very uncertain battle for mere survival for an even more uncertain future.Peter Smith tells his own story and captures the drama of those military operations and subsequent capture by Rommel''s 7th Panzer Division (the infamous ''Ghost Division'') who moved with clandestine stealth towards their objectives.Nothing prepares a man for war and there can be little doubt, Peter was not prepared, even less so for a life as a POW. "I lost my freedom that day on the June 8th 1940 when we were told it was every man-for-himself and didn''t regain it until April 1945 when I was rescued by Americans near Halberstadt, having walked 1,600km along the Baltic coast from East Prussia."Silent for nearly 80 years, Peter tells his story about his five lost years: the terrible things he saw at Thorn, Stuttoff, Stettin and Halberstadt; working on farms, Peter experienced first had the East Prussian way of life; his period in solitary confinement for ''stealing apple''; the disintegration and collapse of a whole way of life in East Prussia in the face of the Soviet invasion; and the terrible Long March, when 80,000 British POWs were forced to trek through a vicious winter westwards across Poland, alongside 2 million East German refugees as the Soviets approached."We were all prisoners, as POWs, and refugees alike embraced a dance with death in the coldest winter for 50 years as we all trudged west, and similarly the German Army as it battled to save its population."Peter''s story is also about friendship, of physical and mental resilience and of compassion for everyone who suffered. It was a difficult march undertaken in unimaginable wintery arctic conditions, where lack of food, the cold, and death were constant companions.

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Book SynopsisOff the coast of Oregon, the Columbia River flows into the Pacific Ocean and forms the Columbia River Bar: a watery collision so turbulent and deadly that it's nicknamed the Graveyard of the Pacific.Two thousand ships have been wrecked on the bar since the first European ship dared to try to cross it in the late 18th century. Since then, the commercial importance of the Columbia River has only grown, and the bar remains a site of shipwrecks and dramatic rescues as well as power struggles between small fishermen, powerful shipowners, local communities, the Coast Guard and the Columbia River Bar Pilots - a small group of highly skilled navigators.When Randall Sullivan and a friend set out to cross the bar in a two-man kayak, they're met with scepticism and concern. But on a clear day in July 2021, when the tides and weather seem right, they embark. As they plunge through the currents that have taken so many lives, Randall commemorates the brave sailors that made the crossing before him - including his own abusive father - and reflects on toxic masculinity, fatherhood and what drives men to extremes.Trade ReviewA riveting story of maritime tragedies and a personal passage...it is Sullivan's gripping, vividly detailed accounts of nautical disasters at the Columbia Bar that make the book such an achievement for the three-time Pulitzer Prize nominee...A strikingly rendered tale of the hard and lasting costs of courage. * Kirkus Reviews *Vividly evoking Sullivan's deep fascination with the Pacific Northwest and thirst for friendship and adventure, this is a thrill ride * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisPerfect for readers of Last Stop Auschwitz, The Volunteer and The Tattooist of Auschwitz'This is an extraordinary biography. A gripping narrative that opens as derring-do wartime escape drama rapidly turns into a horror story about man's inhumanity to man...Important and unforgettable' JONATHAN DIMBLEBYThe awe-inspiring and gripping true story of the young man who survived not one, but three concentration camps, only - in the final days of the war - to be bombed while aboard a Nazi prison boat. Stowed away on top of a train, twenty-year-old Wim Aloserij escapes the obligatory work camps in Nazi-ruled Germany in 1943. The young man from Amsterdam then goes into hiding on a farm - sleeping in a wooden chest hidden underground. But it's not to last.In the cover of night, Wim is captured during a raid and transported to the infamous Gestapo prison in Amsterdam. There, his life changes forever as he is thrown into the nightmare of the Holocaust and transported to Camp Amersfoort - the first of three concentration camps he must endure. Drawing on the lessons he learned as a child as the victim of an alcoholic and abusive father, Wim is forced to adapt quickly and urgently to his hellish surroundings. However, it is with the end of the war in sight, that Wim must draw on every last strength he has when he finds himself caught in the very centre of Allied-Nazi crossfire. At the age of 94, Wim finally felt ready to tell his incredible story, which he kept secret for most of his life. A true story of bravery, courage and resilience, The Last Survivor will leave you amazed by one young man's determination - against the odds - to survive.Trade ReviewThis is an extraordinary biography. A gripping narrative that opens as derring-do wartime escape drama rapidly turns into a horror story about man's inhumanity to man. Vividly told in spare prose, The Last Survivor charts one young man's unspeakable torment at the hands of the SS and his astonishing survival against all the odds. Important and unforgettable. * Jonathan Dimbleby *

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Book SynopsisA heartbreaking account of a poor and illiterate young West African’s odyssey to Europe, translated by one of Britain’s most celebrated playwrights. Ibrahima, whose family live in a village in the West African country of Guinea, helps his father sell shoes at a street stall in the capital, Conakry. At the sudden death of his father, he becomes the head of the family and picks up various skills, always alone and away from home, although his dream is to be a truck driver in his country. But when his little brother, Alhassane, suddenly disappears, heading for Europe in a bid to earn money for the family, Ibrahima leaves everything behind to try to find him and convince him to go back to their village and continue his education. In an epic journey, Ibrahima risks his life many times searching for his little brother. Each waystation that Ibrahima passes through takes him to another world, with different customs, other languages, other landscapes, other currencies, and new challenges to overcome. His willpower is astonishing, and the friendship and generosity of strangers he encounters on the way help him to keep going. After enduring many trials and tribulations, he learns of Alhassane’s fate. Unable to return home, he embarks on the journey to Europe himself. Little Brother is a testimonial account that gives a voice, heart, and soul, and flesh and bones to the seemingly nameless masses of people struggling and dying, trying only to achieve a better life for themselves and their families.Trade Review‘The charm of this wonderful book is both in the simplicity and the innocence of the storytelling. Ibrahima’s quest is at times heartbreaking, at times amusing, but steadfastly fascinating and admirable. His stream-of-consciousness delivery, with no detail too small to omit, will captivate readers and keep them turning the pages. This inspirational book should be mandatory reading at every school in the country.’ -- Robin Yocum, award-winning author of The Essay‘Who among us could have walked half so far, survived half so many perils, as Ibrahima Balde? Told with innocence and honesty, his is an astounding story of kindness, cruelty, and everything in between.’ -- Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author of Refugee‘A deeply moving novel that reminds us of the power of perseverance and love in the face of violent borders. This is an important book.’ -- Reece Jones, author of White Borders‘A breathtaking and eye-opening account in the best tradition of storytelling, where a true story is told simply and without embellishment, for Balde's painful journey needs none. Along the way, we are brought into a world where, despite unimaginable cruelty and violence, compassion is found in the slightest of places and where people who have so little to give always find a way to do so. Above all, perhaps, it is an incredible story of dedication, loyalty, and one boy's determination to do the right thing, despite all odds.’ -- Mark R. Thornton, author of Kid Moses‘A heartbreaking account of a poor West African's journey to Europe, prompted by the disappearance of his younger brother who had gone ahead. From a remote village in Guinea, Ibrahima's journey takes in a range of cultures, languages and dangers in a story that says far more than dehumanising statistics ever could.’ * The New European *‘Balde’s narration is concise and unemotional, but its lightness of touch belies the weight of worry and expectation he has carried since the age of 13.’ * New Internationalist *

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Book SynopsisA shocking depiction of one of the world’s most ruthless regimes — and the story of one woman’s fight to survive. I will never forget the camp. I cannot forget the eyes of the prisoners, expecting me to do something for them. They are innocent. I have to tell their story, to tell about the darkness they are in. It is so easy to suffocate us with the demons of powerlessness, shame, and guilt. But we aren’t the ones who should feel ashamed. Born in China’s north-western province, Sayragul Sauytbay trained as a doctor before being appointed a senior civil servant. But her life was upended when the Chinese authorities incarcerated her. Her crime: being Kazakh, one of China’s ethnic minorities. The north-western province borders the largest number of foreign nations and is the point in China that is the closest to Europe. In recent years it has become home to over 1,200 penal camps — modern-day gulags that are estimated to house three million members of the Kazakh and Uyghur minorities. Imprisoned solely due to their ethnicity, inmates are subjected to relentless punishment and torture, including being beaten, raped, and used as subjects for medical experiments. The camps represent the greatest systematic incarceration of an entire people since the Third Reich. In prison, Sauytbay was put to work teaching Chinese language, culture, and politics, in the course of which she gained access to secret information that revealed Beijing’s long-term plans to undermine not only its minorities, but democracies around the world. Upon her escape to Europe she was reunited with her family, but still lives under the constant threat of reprisal. This rare testimony from the biggest surveillance state in the world reveals not only the full, frightening scope of China’s tyrannical ambitions, but also the resilience and courage of its author.Trade Review‘The Chief Witness is a deeply disturbing insight into the dark heart of the Chinese Communist Party and its reign of terror in Xinjiang. It will rank historically along with the great literary exposés of the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps and the Soviet gulag. If you thought another Holocaust could never happen, pick up this book. Told with an aching honesty, Sayragul Sautbay’s account of her experience in China’s concentration camps in Xinjiang wounds the soul.’ -- Clive Hamilton‘An extraordinary testament to Sauytbay’s bravery.’ -- Edward Lucas * The Times *‘A remarkable story of a woman’s pride, suffering, and resilience … It is only through accounts such as this one … that the world can sift the evidence.’ -- Michael Sheridan * The Sunday Times *‘Stunning.’ -- Ed Needham * Strong Words *

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Book SynopsisBarby Keel is used to all manner of creatures arriving at the door of the Barby Keel Animal Sanctuary where she lives and works, deep within the Sussex countryside. Nothing can prepare her for the arrival of Teddy, however, a neglected, traumatised puppy who is dumped at the gates of the sanctuary in a filthy box, terrified and desperate for someone to love.Despite his scruffy appearance, Barby can''t help but feel a spark of affection for the overgrown puppy. But with Barby living in a caravan along with her four other dogs, she knows in her heart of hearts that Teddy deserves a more stable forever home. Wiping away tears, she waves Teddy away to his new life with a young couple, knowing that she''s done what''s best for the animal. But barely a few days later, Teddy is returned to the sanctuary, his new family unable to cope with his boisterous behaviour and his ever-growing size. Barby tries desperately to re-home him, but Teddy is rejected over and over again by

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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 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 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 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 SynopsisThe Honey Bus: A Girl Raised by Bees is a memoir about a girl's journey into the heart of a beehive to find herself.When she was five years old, Meredith May was abandoned by both parents. Her father left for the other side of the country. Her mother disappeared into herself.But when Meredith discovered the rusted old bus where her grandpa kept bees, her world changed forever.Family duty. Compassion and sacrifice. Unconditional love. The life of a honeybee displays it all. As her grandpa showed her the sacrifices bees make for their colony and the bonds they form with their keeper, Meredith discovered what family really means.A rich and lyrical coming-of-age story, combined with spellbinding nature writing, The Honey Bus is the extraordinary story of a girl who journeyed into the hive and found herself.Trade Review‘Sweet, tender, and with the kind of clear-eyed honesty that comes from a compassionate soul.’ Sunday Express ‘The wounded feminine, the missing masculine, healed by a relationship with honeybees. An innocent child’s hard won journey to adulthood – clear eyed, often very funny, and agonisingly compassionate. The Honey Bus is all these things and more – so if you’ve ever been a lonely child, or want the world to become a kinder place, here is your book.’ Laline Paull, author of The Bees ‘A book of revelations, clear-eyed, eloquent and so touching… a wise, touching, beautiful reminiscence – and a cry for help for nature’s wonder workers.’ SAGA Magazine ‘Filled with hope, grace, beauty, and wisdom, this book is like warm honey in the sunshine. It beautifully illustrates how nature – even honeybees – can teach and heal us, if only we open our minds and hearts. It's the kind of book that stays with you long after you've finished it – a rare treasure – and you don't have to be a bee lover to be deeply moved by May’s wonderful story. I'm recommending it to everyone I know.’ Stacey O’Brien, New York Times bestselling author of Wesley the Owl ‘Captivating and surprising… If you've ever been stung by a bee you will instantly forget the venom and remember forever the sweetness and redemption bees offer in this extraordinary book.’ Sy Montgomery, New York Times bestselling author of How To Be A Good Creature and The Soul of an Octopus ‘If Meredith May's book was simply an ethology of bees I would devour every word; her prose is tender, thoughtful and transporting. But The Honey Bus is so much more – a memoir of aching loneliness, reckoning and redemption. Beautiful and brave.’ Domenica Ruta, New York Times bestselling author of With or Without You: A Memoir

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Book SynopsisTHE UNTOLD STORY OF BRITAIN'S MOST SECRETIVE SPECIAL FORCES UNITJune 1942. The shadow of the Third Reich falls across Europe. In desperation, Winston Churchill and his chief of staff form an unusual plan - a new commando unit made up of Jewish refugees. This top secret unit becomes known as X Troop. Others simply call them a suicide squad.From British internment camps, to the beaches of Normandy, the battlefields of Italy and Holland, and the hellscape of Terezin concentration camp, Leah Garrett follows this band of brothers who will stop at nothing to defeat the Nazis.'A thrilling, stirring story' Daily Telegraph'Gripping... Garrett's chief strength is her ability to relight the lamps of the past so that they glow anew' The TimesTrade ReviewX Troop is brilliantly researched, utterly gripping history * Alex Kershaw, author of The First Wave *Gripping... Garrett's chief strength is her ability to relight the lamps of the past so that they glow anew * The Times *This is Inglourious Basterds but much better. Because it is the real story of clandestine Jewish fighters wreaking havoc against the Nazi war machine * Norman Ohler, author of Blitzed *This dramatic, previously untold story of extraordinary covert valour and victory takes readers all across the European front... A rousing and redefining portrait of an, until now, overlooked group of dedicated warriors * Booklist *A compelling read... Garrett's evocation of the tension and drama of the many clandestine operations in Europe undertaken by X-Troopers is gripping * Sydney Morning Herald *Gripping... Garrett's chief strength is her ability to relight the lamps of the past so that they glow anew -- James Owen * The Times *Leah Garrett's X Troop is brilliantly researched, utterly gripping history: the first full account of a remarkable group of Jewish refugees-a top-secret band of brothers-who waged war on Hitler -- Alex Kershaw, New York Times best-selling author of The Longest Winter, The Bedford Boys, and The LiberatorThis is Inglorious Basterds-but much better. Because it is the real story of clandestine Jewish fighters wreaking havoc against the Nazi war machine -- Norman Ohler, New York Times best-selling author of Blitzed and The BohemiansA compelling read . . . Garrett's evocation of the tension and drama of the many clandestine operations in Europe undertaken by X-Troopers is gripping * Sydney Morning Herald *Part history and part mystery, X-Troop: The Secret Jewish Commandos of World War II tells a compelling and little known story about an improbable group of "British" soldiers who made an important contribution to the war effort. Their transformation from interned "enemy aliens" to soldiers with high security clearances is fascinating -- Deborah E. Lipstadt, author of Antisemitism Here and Now

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Book SynopsisDiscover inspiring stories of heroism, adventure, endurance and survival from throughout history. Captain Robert Falcon Scott didn''t start out life as a hero. In fact, as a boy he was considered small, frail and shy. So what was it that turned this ordinary man into a legend? Through his gripping account of how this modest naval officer became Scott of the Antarctic, Neil Oliver vividly relates the awe-inspiring tales of brave men that inspired Britain''s greatest hero, including Nelson, Sir John Moore, and the Demons of Camerone. And alongside these epic stories of courage, fortitude and sacrifice, Oliver recounts how the spirit of Scott lives on - from Neil Armstrong and the Apollo 13 mission, to the SAS and the Battle of Mirbat. Young and old alike will enjoy reading these brave stories of men who understood - as Scott always did - that it was more important to die a hero than live a coward''s life.________ ''A joy from sta

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Book Synopsis'Heartbreaking and powerful - Ashley is an inspiration', Fearne Cotton'Ashley's psychological and emotional resilience is unparalleled, truly in the 0.1 percent', Ant MiddletonSTRENGTH, RESILIENCE, POWER Strong is the moving and heartbreaking memoir from celebrity campaigner, endurance athlete, and father of an angel, Ashley Cain. Charting his daughter's birth and the fight for her life when she was diagnosed with leukaemia at 7 weeks old, Ashley reflects on his life and his own struggles since Azaylia's passing in 2021.Ashley embodies strength and resilience - recently setting up The Azaylia Foundation and taking part in extreme physical challenges to raise crucial funds and awareness for children fighting cancer - so though Strong is a moving tribute to his daughter, it will also encompass the practical and positive mindset that Ashley now embodies, tying his emotional and physical grief into his extreme challenges, in order to provide inspiration and comfort to others struggling with loss and other mental health challenges.A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to The Azaylia Foundation.

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Book SynopsisA tiny puppy, neglected and abused, and the foster carer determined to heal her. When tiny puppy Princess is dumped at the doors of the Barby Keel Animal Sanctuary by her owners, the brown and white boxer is suffering from horrendous injuries resulting from a car accident. Having been operated on by an incompetent vet, her front leg has been amputated in a botched surgery, leaving her weak and barely able to stand. With gentle love and care, Barby and her team at the Sanctuary work hard to give this brave little dog a second lease of life. Playful and loving, despite her difficult start in life, Princess is desperate for a forever family to call her own. But Barby is heartbroken as she watches Princess get rejected over and over again by potential owners who are put off by her terrible injury. Will Princess ever find someone to love her?

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Book SynopsisSunday Times bestselling author and foster carer Casey Watson's first heartbreaking memoir.Justin was five years old; his brothers two and three. Their mother, a heroin addict, had left them alone again. Later that day, after trying to burn down the family home, Justin was taken into care.Justin was taken into care at the age of five after deliberately burning down his family home. Six years on, after 20 failed placements, Justin arrives at Casey's home. Casey and her husband Mike are specialist foster carers. They practice a new style of foster care that focuses on modifying the behaviour of profoundly damaged children. They are Justin's last hope, and it quickly becomes clear that they are facing a big challenge.Try as they might to make him welcome, he seems determined to strip his life of all the comforts they bring him, violently lashing out at schoolmates and family and throwing any affection they offer him back in their faces. After a childhood filled with hurt and rejection, Ju

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Book SynopsisAfter all this time Frankie Dettori still ranks amongst the all-time greats of the sport' LESTER PIGGOTTAn autobiography as gripping as any Dick Francis thriller' YORKSHIRE POSTEndearingly honest a fastpaced, funny autobiography' COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINELegendary jockey, Frankie Dettori, shares his remarkable life story in this astonishingly intimate autobiography.When Lanfranco Frankie' Dettori arrived on British shores in 1985, aged just 14, he couldn't speak a word of English. Having left school just a year earlier and following in the footsteps of his father, he was eager to become a stable boy and apprentice jockey, willing to do everything it took to make it. This was his first, but certainly not his last, leap of faith.Despite his slight size, Frankie's impact upon the British racing scene was immediate and significant. Brimming with confidence, charisma and personality, and with what was clearly a precocious talent, in 1990 he became the first teenager since Lester Piggot to win o

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Book SynopsisGroomed and procured by a woman, raped by several men and labelled one of the most abused girl in Rotherham', now Elizabeth Harper is fighting for answers as to why so many people paid to protect our children simply turned a blind eye.Aged just 15, lonely and bullied by her peers, Elizabeth El' Harper felt like an outcast. But then a chance encounter in the street with a friendly woman suddenly brought hope to her world. A friendship between El and this benevolent stranger blossomed, and life began to feel worth living again.As the months passed, El grew more and more distant from her family. One day, she didn't return home to her parents at all Snatched is the shocking true story of how a young girl was taken from the streets and groomed into Britain's biggest sex-trafficking ring, all at the hands of a woman.It is also an inspiring account of how trauma can turn vulnerability to strength in the most extraordinary of ways.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A heart-breaking story of courage and compassion from the front line of the toughest battle our nurses have had to fight. Anthea Allen's writing is raw, honest and full of love for those she cares for.' Susanna ReidAn extraordinarily powerful memoir based on the diaries of intensive care nurse Anthea Allen, who worked on the front line of one of the largest hospitals in Europe during the Covid crisis.A nurse for 25 years, Anthea thought she had seen it all. But with Covid came the greatest trial, personally and professionally, of her life. Thrust into hourly challenges many a matter of life and death while on the Critical Care units of St George's in south London, Anthea processed her shocking experiences through writing. It started with an email to request biscuits. But her appeal to help boost the morale of her fellow nurses soon turned into a series of astonishingly moving stories detailing the realities of being a front line worker.It wasn't long beforTrade Review‘[These] words will live on as an important history of Covid for generations to come’ – Sir Richard Branson ‘Vivid, loving, raw, opinionated. There have been several very good books written by doctors during the pandemic, but nothing as visceral as this.’ – The Times ‘A moving and awe-inspiring account’ –Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisOne October night in 1975 Richard, aged five, was alone in the house with his three sisters. It was 3am and their mother hadn''t come home yet. Next morning, the police arrived to take the children away. Their mother had become the first victim of a serial killer soon to become known as the ''Yorkshire Ripper''. Passed from one violent home to another, the children were forgotten by all except the press. As the salacious headlines multiplied, Richard and his sisters were never able to recover from their mother''s murder. Whilst Richard tried to handle the terror of his violent upbringing, his sister struggled to deal with memories of sexual abuse. Without love or support they spiralled away from help or happiness. Then one day Richard McCann, having reached suicidal rock bottom, decided no one was going to rescue their lives but him. It was the beginning of an inspirational transformation. Now he is able to tell the story of how the forgotten children of violence sufTrade ReviewHarrowing * The Sun *Heart-rending * Woman's Weekly *

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Book Synopsis''I was nine and the big sister. I wanted to keep her safe. He basically promised me that if I let him abuse me, he wouldn''t touch my sister again.'' Debbie Grafham's childhood had been far from normal, but when she was just nine years old her life changed forever. Debbie discovered that her neighbour was abusing her younger sister, Laraine and there was a price to pay to make him stop. Alone and scared, she made a decision that was to haunt her life, and send her spiralling out of control. But after nearly forty years of harbouring her shocking secret, Debbie found the courage to tell her sister and together they made the decision to fight for justice.

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Book Synopsis''It will be seen in these pages that I have lived several lives in one: first, the life of slavery; secondly, the life of a fugitive from slavery; thirdly, the life of comparative freedom; fourthly, the life of conflict and battle; and, fifthly, the life of victory, if not complete, at least assured.''First published in 1892, Life and Times of Frederick Douglass Written By Himself is the final autobiography written by Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), a man who was born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland. Securing his self-liberation at twenty years of age in 1838, he went on to become the most renowned antislavery activist, social justice campaigner, author, orator, philosopher, essayist, historian, intellectual, statesman, and liberator in U.S. history. A powerful literary work, Douglass'' final autobiography shares the stories of his ''several lives in one.'' Beginning with his war against ''the hell-black system of human bondage,'' Douglass bears witness to his personal experieTable of ContentsIntroduction Note on the Text Select Bibliography A Chronology of Frederick Douglass LIFE AND TIMES OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS Appendix: Lessons of the Hour Explanatory Notes

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Book Synopsis''I was the shadow child no one ever saw...''From the day she was born until she escaped aged 30, Katy Morgan-Davies knew nothing but a life in captivity. Her father was the deluded and cruel leader of a cult based in South London who brainwashed those around him.Her father''s paranoia and his need to completely control others led to Katy being imprisoned indoors and denied any kind of love or friendship. From a young age, Katy''s father subjected her to violence and mental abuse. She was not permitted contact with anyone outside the house and on the rare occasions she did have to go out, she was always chaperoned. Katy never gave up hope of one day breaking free from her father''s cruel clutches and finally found her freedom. This is her true story of endurance and survival.

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Book SynopsisFrom the time she was a little girl, Maryam rebelled against the terrible second-class existence that was her destiny as an Afghan woman.She had witnessed the miserable fate of her grandmother and three aunts, and wished she had been born a boy. As a feisty teenager in Kabul, she was outraged when the Russians invaded her country. After she made a public show of defiance, she had to flee the country for her life.A new life of freedom seemed within her grasp,but her father arranged a traditional marriage to a fellow Afghan, who turned out to be a violent man. Beaten, raped and abused, Maryam found joy in the birth of a baby son. But then her brutal husband stole him away far beyond his mother''s reach. For many long years she searched for her lost son, while civil war and Taliban oppression raged back home in Afghanistan. Set against a landscape littered with tragic tales of horrific suffering, Jean Sasson, author of Princess, chronicles the story of

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Book SynopsisAll successful people are the same (you know, drive, will to win, determination) ? it?s just too dull to contemplate. But everyone who messes up big time does so in a way that is completely individual.Step forward the fifty Mexican convicts who dug an escape tunnel out of their jail and came up in the courtroom before the judge who sentenced them.Please welcome the world?s worst tourist who spent two days in New York believing he was in Rome.Be thrilled by the man who wrote an English-Portuguese phrasebook without either knowing English or owning an English-Portuguese dictionary.And marvel at the least successful kamikaze pilot who returned from eleven suicide missions, lived to the age of 93 and went on to write an autobiography in which he claimed planes were unsafe.The Not Terribly Good Book of Heroic Failures shows that there really is no limit to what humanity can achieve, celebrating the vast, life-enhancing possibilities of getting it wrong.

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Book SynopsisBGE Irish Sports Book of the Year and eir Sports Book of the YearIn The Choice Dubs star Philly McMahon shares the deeply personal story of his brother, John, a heroin addict who died at the age of 31. Structured as a series of choices in sport, in education and in life the book delves into the contrasting lives of the brothers and how the opportunities presented to Philly through sport and education opened up a world of choice that protected him from the dangers of growing up in Ballymun at the height of the heroin epidemic.As well as offering sports fans fresh insights into one of GAA's most fascinating characters, The Choice is an inspiration for anyone struggling with addiction. Raw, vivid and intensely moving, it is an epic story of triumph in the face of adversity and loss, and a tribute to the redemptive power of sport.Should be on the curriculum for all transition year student boys it's a book about life phenomenal.' DAMIEN O'MEARA, RTÉ SPORTPhilly McMahon should be placed on a pedestal and be a beacon of inspiration to all young sports stars in the country.' THE IRISH INDEPENDENT

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Book SynopsisWinner of the An Post Irish Sports Book of the Year AwardLonglisted for The William Hill Sports Book of the Year AwardNot only the sports book of the year, the book of the year.'Paul HowardUnputdownable,'The Last Word, Today FMYou'll go a long way to find a better autobiography. It's raw, unfiltered honesty from start to finish, a captivating account of one man's story that will resonate with so many more.'The Irish IndependentThe bravest book I''ve read in a long time. A really quality read written by a man who happened to be a footballer rather than a book necessarily about football.'Damien O'Meara, RTÉStorytelling of the highest calibre.Richie Sadlier's autobiography is a judiciously layered and thoughtful examination of how to live a life and develop as a person despite everything. It's also relentlessly entertaining. A rare and precious example of a sports book that has both story and stories in abundance.'Malachy Clerkin,The Irish TimesThe kind of book to stop you in your tracks.'TheIrish Farmers JournalWhen a career-ending injury saw former Ireland and Millwall striker Richie Sadlier retire from football at age 24, his life spiraled out of control. Without structure or a sense of purpose, and fueled by a dependency on alcohol, he spent years running from the dark memories and feelings that had haunted him since childhood. Until one day, he hit rock bottom and decided to confront his demons.Now a successful soccer pundit, psychotherapist and mental-fitness teacher, Recovering is about a life shaped by efforts to escape, and how it is possible to rebuild a life, piece by piece, with the right help. Inspiring and groundbreaking, it is an important reflection on the need to move away from perceptions of shame in our discussions about mental health, sex, relationships and addiction.

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Book SynopsisAt 10.30 p.m. on 12 January 2016 Acting Sergeant Luke Warburton thought he was taking his last breath. A decorated New South Wales Police Officer, the father of three was looking death in the face after a bullet pierced his femoral vein. If it wasn''t for the fact that it happened in the Emergency Ward of Sydney''s Nepean Hospital, Warburton would probably have been dead already. An hour earlier, he''d walked to his police van with his ever-faithful German shepherd, Chuck, trotting alongside. Later, Luke would be awarded the Commissioner''s Valour Award for conspicuous merit and exceptional bravery in the line of duty. He would maintain he was just a copper doing his job. So, too, was Chuck, who was nationally recognised for bringing down Australia''s most wanted man, Malcolm Naden, after a manhunt lasting more than seven years.MAN''S BEST FRIEND is Luke and Chuck''s story. It''s the story of a boy who dreamed of one day being a policeman, of his love

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Book SynopsisKeren Blankfeld is a long-form journalist with a special interest in investigative narrative nonfiction. A former staff writer for Forbes Magazine, her stories have appeared in the New York Times, Forbes, Reuters, The Toronto Star, and others. She teaches reporting and writing at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and has also taught at the New York University's Graduate School. She has been a guest on CNN, BBC World News, and E! Entertainment. In 2013, Keren served as a creative executive at New Regency Productions, where she worked with screenwriters and playwrights to develop material for movies and TV shows. She holds a B.A. in International Relations and English from Tufts University and an M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University. She now lives in New York with her husband and two sons.Trade ReviewLovers in Auschwitz adds to the history of resistance during the Holocaust, and is an example of a rare story of joy during an incredibly dark time. * TIME Magazine *Haunting and powerfully resonant: an extraordinary story of human light and love shining even in the foulest darkness. Written with magnetic sensitivity, this is a story not just of remarkable individuals, but also a tribute to the wider indomitability of the human spirit at the darkest moment in European history. * Sinclair McKay, Sunday Times bestselling author of Dresden, The Secret Life of Bletchley Park and Berlin *A love story like no other, this profoundly moving book teaches us how the human spirit can never be entirely extinguished - even in the hell of Auschwitz. * Julia Boyd, Sunday Times bestselling author of Travellers in the Third Reich: The Rise of Fascism through the Eyes of Everyday People and A Village in the Third Reich: How Ordinary Lives were Transformed by the Rise of Fascism *Zippi and David are both lovingly rendered. And in focusing on them, the book does implicitly honor the full humanity of two survivors — recapturing the texture of their origins, their hopes and dreams, and their complex lives, rather than merely their presence at one of history’s most unfathomable, tragic episodes. * The Washington Post *A complicated, important story, told with great care. * The Los Angeles Times *A story of instant love and poignant loss…[Lovers in Auschwitz] captures the miracle of love in a place of horror and reminds us that, at the very moment the world is tearing us apart, certain forces might bring us back together. * Jewish Book Council *Moving and tragic … A true tale of love amid unimaginable suffering. * Kirkus Reviews *A story of hope in one of humanity’s most hopeless places, Lovers in Auschwitz honors those who were lost while producing fresh insights into the nature of survival, the resilience of memory, the unseen debts we all owe one another, and, yes, the transformative power of love. * Robert Kolker, New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road and Lost Girls *At its heart, Lovers in Auschwitz is a story of resistance—for what could be a greater act of defiance than two young, Jewish inmates finding love in a Nazi concentration camp? Brutal and moving, Zippi and David's accounts of survival bring to light a great deal more than their connection to each other. With skill and painstaking research, Blankfeld introduces her readers to the extraordinary women and men interned at Auschwitz who, in the face of endless degradation and death, worked to undermine the Nazis, risking what little hope of life they had left to help save each other. Anyone meeting these individuals on Blankfeld's pages will not forget them. * Rebecca Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of Into the Forest *In Lovers in Auschwitz, Keren Blankfeld offers a vivid portrait of the brutality of daily life at Auschwitz, alongside formidable tales of people who risked their lives to save others—even strangers—through sabotage, sympathy, and love. Mesmerizing and inspirational. * Judy Batalion, New York Times bestselling author of The Light of Days *

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Book SynopsisValor is the magnificent story of a genuine American hero who survived the fall of the Philippines and brutal captivity under the Japanese, from New York Times bestselling author Dan Hampton.Lieutenant William Frederick Bill Harris was 25 years old when captured by Japanese forces during the Battle of Corregidor in May 1942. This son of a decorated Marine general escaped from hell on earth by swimming eight hours through a shark-infested bay; but his harrowing ordeal had just begun.Shipwrecked on the southern coast of the Philippines, he was sheltered by a Filipino aristocrat, engaged in guerilla fighting, and eventually set off through hostile waters to China. After 29 days of misadventures and violent storms, Harris and his crew limped into a friendly fishing village in the southern Philippines. Evading and fighting for months, he embarked on another agonizing voyage to Australia, but was betrayed by treacherous islanders and handed over to the

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Book Synopsis'A hilarious insight into the everyday heroics of firefighter who put their lives on the line for us all'Russell BrandWARNING: MAY CONTAIN CATS UP TREES Leigh Hosy-Pickett has seen it all in his twenty-five years as a firefighter. He's battled infernos and pulled people from the wreckage of twisted metal but the closest he ever came to death was at the hands of a confused hen do. Now he's here to tell us the funniest, most eye-opening and moving stories from a life lived amongst the smoke. From blazes involving sex toys, to navigating cannabis farm security measures, this brilliantly warm and entertaining book by a third-generation firefighter is a celebration of the everyday heroism of our Fire Service. But it is also a clear-eyed and honest record of the many sacrifices made in the line of duty and the consequences of that heroism. 'A likeable and illuminating account... one that will leave readerTrade ReviewA firefighter's life is well worth a book. Firefighters may be lionized and occasionally fetishized, but on the whole their work is less known or written about than that of the other emergency services. They see all of human life, often in its rawest and most extreme states...Up in Smoke is a likeable and illuminating account, nevertheless - one that will leave readers admiring of firefighters' skill and grit * TLS *

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Book SynopsisLiving alone in the forest of Jämtland, northern Sweden, Markus Torgeby found silence, stillness and the sense of self he'd been searching for. This beautifully illustrated book is the story of his time living wild in the woods, how he discovered an inner peace and the healing power of nature.

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Book SynopsisFrom Diana Darke, the acclaimed author of My House in Damascus and The Merchant of Syria, comes the extraordinary true story of a heroic ambulance driver who created a cat sanctuary in the midst of war-torn Aleppo.I''ll stay with them no matter what happens. Someone who has mercy in his heart for humans has mercy for every living thing.When war came to Alaa Aljaleel''s hometown, he made a remarkable decision to stay behind, caring for the people and animals caught in the crossfire. While thousands were forced to flee, Alaa spent his days carrying out perilous rescue missions in his makeshift ambulance and building a sanctuary for the city''s abandoned cats. In turn, he created something unique: a place of tranquility for children living through the bombardment and a glimmer of hope for those watching in horror around the world. As word of Alaa''s courage and dedication spread, the kindness of strangers enabled him to feed thousandsTrade ReviewThe Last Sanctuary in Aleppo is a gentle, easy read... awe-inspiring and heart-­warming... The tragic stories are leavened in part by Aljaleel's gentle sense of humour. * The National (AE) *The cat man of Aleppo, Mohammad Aljaleel, touched the hearts of millions * BBC News *

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Book SynopsisLonglisted for the 2020 William Hill Sports Book of the Year''A gripping history'' THE ECONOMIST ''The World Beneath Their Feet contains plenty of rollicking stories'' THE TIMES''Gripping'' THE SUNDAY TIMES''So far as adventure stories go, this book is tops.'' Winston Groom, author of Forrest Gump''[Ellsworth] recasts the era as a great Himalayan race...[and] it works brilliantly...his account of the 1953 ascent of Everest...feels unusually fresh'' THE SUNDAY TIMES ''Like if Jon Krakauer''s Into Thin Air met Lauren Hillenbrand''s Unbroken ... an inviting and engrossing read'' SPORTS ILLUSTRATEDOne of the most compelling international dramas of the 20th century and an unforgettable saga of survival, technological innovation, and breathtaking human physical achievement-all seTrade Review[Ellsworth] recasts the era as a great Himalayan race ... [and] it works brilliantly ... his account of the 1953 ascent of Everest ... feels unusually fresh * Sunday Times *Like if Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air met Lauren Hillenbrand's Unbroken, it's an inviting and engrossing read * Sports Illustrated *The dramatic saga of the race between nations to climb the planet's highest mountains...In vivid, novelistic prose, the author describes the significant expeditions and delivers engaging portraits of climbers from many different countries and their invaluable Sherpas * Kirkus *Gripping * Sunday Times *An exceptional account of trailblazing mountaineers who persevered during a turbulent time in history * Booklist *Plenty of rollicking stories * The Times *

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Book SynopsisA searingly honest memoir of the uplifting highs and crushing lows of a life spent policing on the front lineTrade ReviewThis courageous and finely written book is a timely invitation to think more deeply about what we ask of our police -- Jane Shilling * DAILY MAIL *A stark account of a talented police officer's breakdown . . . This is a startlingly honest book and the final two chapters are heartbreaking -- Richard Morrison * THE TIMES *I read BLUE more or less in one sitting. I thought it was wonderful - very powerful, deeply moving and utterly honest -- Henry Marsh, author of DO NO HARMAdmirably honest and movingly human . . . Sutherland asks us to look behind the faceless blue and see the individual people * SPECTATOR *A remarkable book: a magnum opus on belief and success, on depression and despair. It is well written and intellectually demanding, profound and deeply moving. In places, it is funny; everywhere, it is thoughtful. It has as much to tell us about mental illness as it does about policing. And there is much love in it: for friends, for family, for life -- Alastair StewartAn honest look at the vulnerability that comes with bravery * THE I *Brave and very honest -- Bear GryllsThe effect of this honesty is to leave us both more appreciative of police officers and more concerned for their well-being, as well as encouraged that such a compassionate man was promoted so vertiginously. [Sutherland] describes police work as "fulfilling, humbling, inspiring, daunting, shattering, rewarding and soul-stirring" which is also a fair description of his book * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *Courageous and moving -- Tom Harper, THE SUNDAY TIMES Home Affairs CorrespondentJohn Sutherland lays out the human cost of working as a police officer in simple, devastating terms * HUFFINGTON POST *A gripping book . . . moving and really powerful . . . I highly recommend it -- Jumoke Fashola * BBC LONDON *Will expand people's understanding of what it means to be a police officer in Britain today, revealing the truth about the toll that a career in policing can have on those tasked with the responsibility of tackling crime. This is a brave and compelling account of policing from a very senior officer in the most renowned police force in the world -- Colin Taylor, author of LIFE OF A SCILLY SERGEANTI commend it to the public. It's a great book -- Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police ServiceA superb book -- Charles CummingA remarkable, revealing and inspiring insight into the worlds of the police and the policed. The stories told are by turns heart-warming and saddening, moving and maddening - it is an account of the very best and the very worst of our society. It is a book which should be required reading for all who aspire to public office, in any sector and at every level -- John Nichol, author of TORNADO DOWNA fascinating, powerful and beautifully written insight into the life of a police officer -- Dan Walker, journalist and broadcasterA remarkable, honest account of twenty years in policing -- Sophy Ridge, journalist and broadcaster

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Book SynopsisA thought-provoking look at the biggest challenges facing society through the unique lens of an experienced police officer and hostage negotiatorTrade ReviewHonest and sensible . . . without being sensationalist or sentimental, Sutherland lifts the lid on that underworld of despair, degradation and needless death. It's a read that should shame anyone with a conscience -- Richard Morrison * THE TIMES *A love letter to police officers and the most vulnerable people they protect and serve -- CHRISTIE WATSON, author of THE LANGUAGE OF KINDNESSThis book will change the way you think about the police. A rich and reflective account, full of anecdote and lessons learned about society from someone who spent his career working at its fringes. Anyone who cares about justice - whether citizen or politician - should read this book -- SARAH LANGFORD, author of IN YOUR DEFENCEUrgent and compelling. We all have lessons to learn from this book -- SIMON MAYOI've never heard the job described better by anyone. John Sutherland gives a unique and personal insight into what it really means to be a police officer in modern England. The adrenaline rushes, the dreadful tedium of bureaucracy, walking on eggshells for fear of offending anyone, the moments of stark horror or overwhelming sadness; the indescribable thrill of making a difference to someone's life and the depths of despair when you fail. The overwhelming workload and the emotional overload, seeing more things daily than most people will ever see in a lifetime. Running towards danger when everyone else is running away. A job that on any given day can send your spirits soaring to the heavens, or leave your soul scarred forever -- PETER JAMESThe most comprehensive insight into policing I have read . . . well researched and crafted with the deftness of an exceptionally fine writer . . . compelling * DAILY EXPRESS *Tough, earnest, thought-provoking and moving * i NEWSPAPER *This is an important book, one that should be read by the Home Secretary and every member of Parliament, as well as every newspaper editor and crime correspondent. John Sutherland is someone who after twenty-five years of police experience has a remarkable story to tell . . . one that we ignore at our peril -- JEFFREY ARCHERAn incredibly thoughtful, eloquent, and revealing book about policing. Not only is it absolutely fascinating, there are also a whole heap of lessons that can and should be learned within its pages. Accessible, considered, meaningful, shocking, inspiring * LOVEREADING, Book of the Month *Tough, earnest, thought-provoking and moving, this is a book that lingers * PRESS ASSOCIATION *

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Book SynopsisMy Lovely Wife is a powerful memoir of one man's overwhelming love for his wife through mental illness and psychosis.Mark and Giulia fell for each other in their teens, married in their 20s, and didn't realize what their love would demand of them until Giulia suffered a terrifying and unexpected psychotic break at the age of twenty-seven. Hospitalized for almost a month, she was tormented by delusions and paranoia. Upon release, she sunk into an extended suicidal depression during which Mark, struggling to support Giulia, was torn between the demands of keeping her safe and following doctor's orders, and honouring her independence and making her feel loved.Eventually, Giulia fully recovered, and the couple had a son. Soon after Jonas was born, Giulia had another breakdown, and then a third a few years after that. Pushed to the edge of the abyss, everything the couple had once taken for granted was upended. In My Lovely Wife, Mark Lukach takes us through these harrowing years with compassion and candour, as he and Giulia renegotiate their relationship, anchored by an abiding devotion to each other and their family.A story of the fragility of the mind, and the tenacity of the human spirit, My Lovely Wife is, above all, a love story that raises profound questions: How do we best care for the people we love? What and who do we live for? Breathtaking in its honesty, radiant with compassion, written with dazzling lyricism, this intensely personal odyssey offers much-needed insight into the caregiving side of mental illness, and affirms the power of love.Trade ReviewA dazzling, loving and hugely courageous book -- The TimesA compassionate and deeply honest account -- Guardian This gorgeous memoir gives readers a raw and unvarnished account of what it’s like to live with and love someone with a severe mental illness. There are moments of gut-wrenching sadness—but, ultimately, the story is hopeful, even triumphant. This book basically tore out my heart and then lovingly sewed it back in place -- Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on FireIt’s possible that understanding the terrifying and excruciating process of being placed in a mental institution can be best understood by the person who loves you most. Mark Lukach lyrically transforms our understanding of love, mental illness, patience, and devotion in this stunning memoir which chronicles falling in love with a woman whose mental condition eventually changed their lives forever. With moving and touching prose, this book truly describes what it’s like to have the picture of your life smashed in an instant and subsequently reassembled miraculously. -- Mayim Bialik, PhD, neuroscientist, actress and New York Times bestselling authorIt absolutely gutted me. It was so many things at once: an adorably devoted love story, a memoir of mental illness, an admittance of anger and guilt, a story of resilience. It offered a perspective I feel is underserved in mental health writing, and while I found it hard emotionally to continue at times, it will stay with me for a long time. – Nikki Goerz -- New York Times – Readers Recommend their Favorite Books of 2017An honest and rewarding memoir of a couple’s compassion and love for each other -- KirkusHonest and heartfelt, My Lovely Wife tells the difficult story of a marriage tested by mental illness, and reminds us that true love is never easy -- Kyle Boelte, author of The Beautiful UnseenMy Lovely Wife is a compelling memoir and a heartrending tale of love, madness, and redemption. Like a long-distance trail runner, Mark Lukach embarks on a harrowing journey deep into the woods of psychosis and through the dark twists and turns of his wife’s illness and gradual recovery. But his loyalty to her never wavers, and his story is a testament to the healing power of love and endurance. -- Stuart H. Coleman, author of Eddie Would Go

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Book SynopsisWarm, funny and moving; the perfect summer read. For fans of Arthur, Finding Gobi and Damien Lewis' A Dog Called Hope.When Steve Jamieson met Bilbo, a chocolate Newfoundland puppy, little did he know that the small bundle of fluff would grow to take up a huge space in his heart and change his life forever. The pair were inseparable, with Bilbo accompanying Steve to his job as head lifeguard of Sennen beach in Cornwall every day. With his webbed paws and thick, double layer of fur, Bilbo was an excellent swimmer and he was soon promoted to honorary lifeguard. He was even credited with saving the lives of three people.Word about Bilbo spread and fans flocked from miles around to meet the friendly giant. But Bilbo and Steve couldn't have foreseen the obstacles that life would throw at them. Together, they would have to gather every bit of their strength to fight for their livelihood. Warm, heartfelt and moving, Bilbo the Lifeguard Dog is a tale of heroism and friendship, and is one man's tribute to his extraordinary dog.

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Book SynopsisIt was Tuesday, 15 July 1919 and for the residents of Clifden on Ireland's west coast this was not to be a normal day. Just before 08.40 hours, descending out of the gloom, came a large, twin-engine aeroplane lining up for final approach. One or two on-lookers recognised the danger straight away for this was an area of soft bog, but their attempts to alert the pilot were in vain. The aircraft began to sink and, with a squelch, came to a sudden stop, the tail rearing up in the air. Dazed and with fuel filling the cockpit the two-man crew scrambled out, grabbing what they could. After a flight lasting 16 hours and 28 minutes, Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten-Brown had won the race to be the first to fly non-stop across the Atlantic. It was a rough ending for a race that began in April 1913 when Lord Rothermere, aviation philanthropist and owner of the Daily Mail, offered a prize of 10,000, roughly equivalent to $1,000,000 in today's money, to the aviator who shall first cross the Atlantic in an aeroplane in flight from any point in the United States of America, Canada or Newfoundland to any point in Great Britain or Ireland in 72 continuous hours'. Illustrated by many unique photographs this book tells the story of the race, delayed for almost six years by the First World War. Many aircraft would be entered but few would even get off the ground. The teams faced great difficulties in preparing for the challenge of crossing one of the most hostile stretches of ocean on Earth. The authors not only reveal tales of failures and technical difficulties, but of the intense frustration of waiting for the perfect weather-window. And even when finally airborne, Alcock and Brown's flight almost ended in disaster on several occasions as weather conditions almost conspired to cast them down into the grey, cold waters of the Atlantic and almost certain death.

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