True stories of survival of abuse and injustice Books
Transworld Publishers Ltd Kursk
Book SynopsisBut above all, he tells the nail-bitingly poignant human story of the families waiting ashore, of the desperate efforts of British, Norwegian and Russian rescuers, and of the Kursk sailors, trapped in the aft compartnemt, waiting for rescue, as a horrified world followed their battle to stay alive .Trade ReviewIt takes you through each nail biting moment, willing it to turn out differently. Heartbreaking, humane and, at times, all too vivid. I’ve rarely read such a gripping work of non fiction. -- COLIN FIRTHThe Kursk was once the pride of the Russian navy and a symbol of state power . . . her story, harrowingly detailed . . . stands as a testament to the bravery and loyalty of men to a nation that failed them -- Martin Robson * THE TIMES *Gripping . . . a moving tragedy redeemed by acts of extraordinary courage . . . has the plot, the tension and the excitement of a film -- Orlando Figes * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *
£9.49
Sam Manicom Distant Suns Adventure in the Vastness of Africa
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£13.99
Instant Apostle The Never Ending Journey Living with Brain Injury
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£7.59
Polperro Heritage Press KIKO
Book SynopsisIn March 2018 Kiko Matthews broke the world record for rowing the Atlantic solo after recovering from brain surgery
£19.00
Polperro Heritage Press Kiko
Book SynopsisIn March 2018 Kiko Matthews broke the world record for rowing the Atlantic solo after recovering from brain surgery
£12.30
Pan Macmillan Babes in the Wood
Book SynopsisGraham Bartlett was a Sussex police officer for thirty years. In 1989 he was posted to Brighton and Hove, becoming a detective the following year. Quite uniquely he served the city through every rank, rising to become a homicide senior investigating officer and Detective Superintendent for Public Protection as well as a strategic firearms and public order commander. He then achieved his life's ambition, as Chief Superintendent, to become the city's Police Commander or, as Peter James jokingly called him the 'Sheriff of Brighton', a job he held and loved for four years. He pioneered Operation Reduction, the enduring approach to slashing drugs deaths and reducing crime as well as cutting disorder at protests by adopting methods developed by one of the world's foremost crowd psychologists. He lives in Sussex.Synonymous with plot-twisting pageturners, Peter James has garnered an army of loyal fans throughout his storytelling career which also included stints writing for TV and producing films. He has won over forty awards for his work, including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award, Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger and a BAFTA nomination for The Merchant of Venice starring Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons for which he was an Executive Producer. Many of Peter's novels have been adapted for film, TV and stage.Trade ReviewThis book is an extremely well-written and detailed account of the thirty-year journey from the tragedy of the murder of two loved young girls, through a failed prosecution and a family’s tireless pursuit to see justice done, culminating in the complex and challenging Sussex Police investigation that led to the rightful conviction of Russell Bishop. It is a testament to what a family’s determination and police investigative skills can achieve in bringing justice -- Detective Superintendent Adam Hibbert, former head of Surrey and Sussex Major Crime TeamBabes in the Wood tells this harrowing and tragic story with great accuracy and sensitivity, revealing for the first time the inside story of how the police eventually brought justice for the two little girls. It is a story that needs to be told -- David Gaylor, retired detective chief superintendent for Sussex Police and ‘the real-life Roy Grace’Make no mistake, a criminal trial is not about finding the truth, it is only ever about the question of proof. Babes in the Wood highlights the painstaking and frustrating, slow and, on occasion, ponderous route to achieving the goals of both proof and truth. It is an excellent observation of professionalism and downright persistence . . . A triumph, this book is not just a testament to the police officers, but also to the parents and families of the victims. The authenticity of this book, the honesty, professionalism and persistent investigation displayed, the array of characters, frustrations and procedures – all these are a shining example of both the truth and accuracy of an investigation, leading to one of the most dramatic re-trials seen within the United Kingdom to date. Babes in the Wood should be required reading for all budding detectives -- Former DI Malcolm Bacon, investigating officer who saw Bishop jailed for life in 1990
£11.69
Headline Publishing Group Death in the Blood the most shocking scandal in
Book Synopsis''This book should rock Whitehall to its foundations.'' - Andy Burnham''This is crusading journalism at its best.'' - Lord OwenIn the 1970s and 1980s almost 5,000 people in the UK contracted HIV or hepatitis C after being infected by contaminated NHS blood products, including the notorious Factor VIII, yet no organisation or individual has ever been held to account. So far, more than 2,800 are known to have died, while tens of thousands more lives have been destroyed in the families of those affected.Caroline Wheeler has been reporting on this scandal - the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS - for over two decades. She has been integral to the campaign for justice for the victims and their families, and played a pivotal role in persuading Prime Minister Theresa May to agree to the infected blood inquiry in 2019, the findings of which are expected to be published in late 2023.Death in the Blood will be based Trade ReviewThis book should rock Whitehall to its foundations. It shows it was complicit in a criminal cover-up on an industrial scale lasting five decades. It should prompt major changes to the way Britain is run - starting with a duty of candour on all public servants. -- Andy Burnham, Mayor of Great ManchesterThis is crusading journalism at its best. Caroline Wheeler, a rookie reporter in Birmingham, hearing that contaminated blood transfusions had given hepatitis and HIV to a haemophiliac began to campaign for justice and has continued today as Political Editor of The Sunday Times. This book chronicles the long campaign, the denials and obstruction and why the Infected Blood Inquiry will soon bring some comfort to sufferers and their families. -- Lord OwenThis is the definitive analysis of the worst health scandal in British history. The terrifying lengths that the state went to to hide this outrage should chill us all. Wheeler's compassion in her approach to the horror she uncovered will stay with me forever. -- Professor Lucy Easthope, author of When the Dust SettlesCaroline shines a fierce light on the darkest of episodes. This is an important account based on years of meticulous investigation. It exposes the shame of how some of the most vulnerable were failed - and reveals the long fight to give a voice to those whose pain was silenced. -- Laura KuenssbergCaroline has been so supportive to the victims and survivors of the NHS contaminated blood scandal. She has been an integral part of our long fight for justice and enabled people like me to speak out with confidence, when there was little confidence before -- Ade Goodyear, former pupil at Treloar SchoolA gripping narrative, strengthened by Wheeler's longstanding connection to the story * Financial Times *Moving, angering * The Times *
£18.70
Cockshutts Press The Story of a Honeymoon in 1814
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£22.50
St Martin's Press Breathing Fire
Book SynopsisA dramatic, revelatory account of the female inmate firefighters who battle California wildfires.Shawna was overcome by the claustrophobia, the heat, the smoke, the fire, all just down the canyon and up the ravine. She was feeling the adrenaline, but also the terror of doing something for the first time. She knew how to run with a backpack; they had trained her physically. But that's not training for flames. That's not live fire.California's fire season gets hotter, longer, and more extreme every year fire season is now year-round. Of the thousands of firefighters who battle California's blazes every year, roughly 30 percent of the on-the-ground wildland crews are inmates earning a dollar an hour. Approximately 200 of those firefighters are women serving on all-female crews. In Breathing Fire, Jaime Lowe expands on her revelatory work for The New York Times Magazine. She has spent years getting to know dozens of women who have par
£13.29
Scholastic US Girl Who Fought Back Vladka Meed and the Warsaw
Book SynopsisA Junior Library Guild Selection!The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising is one of history''s most powerful acts of resistance. Here, author Joshua M. Greene (Signs of Survival) tells the true story of a young Jewish woman who was instrumental in the uprising as a smuggler of messages and weapons into and out of the Warsaw Ghetto.Warsaw, Poland, 1940s: The Nazis are on the march, determined to wipe out the Jewish people of Europe. Teenage Vladka and her family are among the thousands of Jews forced to relocate behind the walls of the Warsaw Ghetto, a cramped, oppressive space full of starvation, suffering, and death.When Vladka's family is deported to concentration camps, Vladka joins up with other young people in the ghetto who are part of the Jewish underground: a group determined to fight back against the Nazis, no matter the cost.Vladka's role in the underground? To pass as a non-Jew, sneaking out of the ghetto to blend into Polish soci
£13.49
Scholastic US The Battle of DDay 1944
Book SynopsisA bold graphic novel adaptation of Lauren Tarshis''s bestselling I Survived the Battle of D-Day, 1944 with text adapted by Georgia Ball and art by Brian Churilla.A battle that changes the course of the war...Paul Colbert's French village has been under Nazi control for years. His Jewish best friend has disappeared. Food is scarce. And there doesn't seem to be anything Paul can do to make things better.Then Paul finds an American paratrooper stuck in a tree. When Paul helps the soldier, he discovers a secret resistance movementand he learns the Allies have a plan to crush the Nazis. But first, the resistance needs Paul's help.This is Paul's chance to make a difference. Soon he finds himself in the midst of the largest invasion in history. Can he do his part to turn horror into hope?Lauren Tarshis''s New York Times bestselling I Survived series comes to vivid life in graphic novel editions. Perfect for reader
£9.99
Capstone Global Library Ltd The Tragic Trip of the Donner Party
Book SynopsisIn the spring of 1846, the Donner and Reed families joined a wagon train bound for California in the hope of finding a better life. But when the party took an untested shortcut, it set them down a tragic path. As they crossed the Sierra Nevada, heavy snow fell in the mountain pass. They were trapped. Supplies were already low, and now they faced a winter of starvation. Told through a gripping, full-colour graphic novel format, this Deadly Expeditions tale transports readers back in time to follow the Donner Party's disastrous trek west and their struggle to survive, bringing history to life for even the most reluctant and struggling readers.
£7.59
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC In the Spell of the Barkley
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA compelling account of one of the world's most enigmatic races, captured by an author fully in thrall * Michael Crawley, author of Out of Thin Air *The engrossing story of his fascination with, and multiple attempts to complete, the world’s most difficult ultramarathon race ... highly recommend * Frozen Ed Furtaw, the first person to finish the Barkley marathon *A wonderful, compelling read * Vassos Alexander *
£19.20
Orion Publishing Co Wheres My Mummy
Book Synopsis''Mum and Dad. Gone?'' asked Louisa.''Yes,'' I nodded. ''They''re gone.'' After a horrific car crash, thirteen-year-old Louisa is left fighting for her life in hospital. She wakes to find that her loving, happy family has been shattered overnight, with both of her parents now dead. With no one to care for her, Louisa is entirely alone. Britain''s most-loved foster carer Maggie Hartley is called in to help Louisa cope with her devastating new life. Can Maggie find a way to bond with Louisa, overwhelmed with anger and grief? Or will she regret making decisions that will affect both her and Louisa for the rest of their lives?A true story of hope from Sunday Times bestselling author Maggie Hartley, a foster carer for over 20 years.''Excellent read. Didn''t want it to end'' 5* Amazon reader review
£7.59
Orion Publishing Co The Orphanage
Book SynopsisThe heartbreaking and inspiring account of a young girl who suffered at the hands of nuns in the Nazareth House Convent. Frances Reilly and her sisters were abandoned by their mother outside Nazareth House Convent - a Belfast orphanage run by nuns. Little did they know the unimaginable cruelty they'd endure within its walls. Frances suffered horrifically at the hands of the Sisters: brutally beaten, worked like a slave, abused and molested, the convent regime stripped her of everything - education, innocence and childhood. But the hope of rescue or escape never left her. Years later, Frances would face her demons in court, bringing to account those who so viciously stole her youth. This is her gripping and moving story of one child's spirit of survival.Trade ReviewAs the true story of abuse in a convent upbringing, this is a particularly harrowing account...the pain and fear that Reilly felt during this period is almost tangible in her frank prose. * BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH *
£9.49
Hodder & Stoughton Behind these Doors
Book Synopsis*As heard on Radio 4''s Book of the Week*''A true, compassionate and honest account of what it is to work in our prisons.'' Dr Gwen Adshead, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Devil You Know''A vivid, unsentimental insight into a world that needs to be seen . . . a powerful reminder of how far we are from rehabilitating our prisons.'' The Observer''A superb, compelling book . . . powerful.'' Daily Mail''This is a beautifully written account about hope and optimism, of humanity, realism, resilience and the complexity of people.'' Professor David Wilson__________''The men I have worked with and the staff I''ve worked alongside over the last ten years in prison have taught me strength, compassion, courage, and fundamentally, the need to talk, the need to share and the need to tell these stories. These are the stories of lives lived, lost and taken, behind walTrade Review'This beautiful book really resonated for me as a true, compassionate and honest account of what it is to work in our prisons; and the massive political challenges that go with incarceration.' Dr. Gwen Adshead, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Devil You Know'This is a beautifully written account about hope and optimism, of humanity, realism, resilience and the complexity of people - some of whom wear a uniform and others who don't. Oh and it's also an account that's personal, warm and inspiring and so perhaps you'll be surprised when I tell you it's a book about prison and the people who live and work there. I'm just sorry that not all Prison Officers are like Alex South.' Professor David Wilson'I was completely gripped whilst reading it - it's such a powerful memoir and one that shines a light into a world most of the public rarely see, but need a greater understanding of if the system is to change for the better. A fascinating and heart-breaking insight into those who work in the prison system as well as those incarcerated within it.' Nikki Smith, author of The Beach Party'A vivid, unsentimental insight into a world that needs to be seen.' The Observer'Brilliant' Radio Times
£15.29
Smartdial Limited The Amazing Adventures of Stick Daring
Book SynopsisAn inspirational true story. Neil Peters transforms himself into a real-life superhero, Stick Daring, to undertake a journey of epic proportions. He takes on a near impossible task to sail around Britain in a 13 foot, 50 year old Laser sailing dinghy, purchased for 50. A humorous, touching and gritty story of determination.
£17.09
Thomas Nelson Publishers Leaving Cloud 9
Book SynopsisA powerful, heartbreaking, and redemptive account of a boy who endured a childhood of poverty and abuse in an American Southwest trailer park named Cloud 9.Abandoned by his father at age two, Rick Sylvester lived with an abusive mother whose struggles as a member of the working poor led her to drugs, alcohol, theft, and prostitution--and eventually attempted suicide. Rick battled depression, anxiety, and PTSD as the chaos, neglect, and unpredictability of his childhood seemed to doom him to follow in his mother''s footsteps.Well into adulthood, Rick stumbled through unemployment and divorce, using drugs and alcohol to numb the pain until he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Miraculously, though, he overcame the odds and today is a happy husband and father. How did this happen? Rick''s answer is this: It was the Lord.A message of hope to those who are drowning from an undeserved childhood, Leaving Cloud 9 speaks to millions who grew u
£17.09
Penguin Books Ltd Arctic Survival
Book SynopsisTHE ULTIMATE SURVIVAL GUIDE for anyone who thinks they''d survive the world''s most hostile environments - or at least imagine they could do.-----------------------------First issued to airmen in the 1950s, the Air Ministry''s Sea Survival guide includes original and authentic emergency advice to crew operating over the ocean. With original illustrations and text, these survival guides provide an insight to military survival techniques from a by-gone era. Packed with original line drawings and instruction in:- The best faces to pull to prevent frostbite and when you can expect bits of you to ''fall off'', should you fail- How to build a structurally sound igloo- How to fashion a mask to prevent snowblindnessFocussing on the harshest of situations one can find oneself in, Arctic Survival is one of four reprints of The Air Ministry''s emergency survival pamphlets. Others include:Jungle SurvivalDeTrade Review**The Air Ministry's emergency survival series makes the perfect gift for those who think they'd survive the world's most hostile environments - or at least imagine they could do!**First issued to airmen in the 1950s, the Air Ministry's Sea Survival guide includes original and authentic emergency advice to crew operating over the ocean. With original illustrations and text, these survival guides provide an insight to military survival techniques from a by-gone era. * from the publisher's description *
£6.23
Penguin Books Ltd The Salt Path
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£10.44
Orion Publishing Co 72 Hours
Book SynopsisThe Royal Navy''s dramatic race to save the crew of a trapped Russian submarine.5 August 2005. On a secret mission to an underwater military installation 30 miles off the coast of Kamchatka, Russian Navy submersible AS-28 ran into a web of cables and stuck fast. With 600 feet of freezing water above them, there was no escape for the seven crew. Trapped in a titanium tomb, all they could do was wait as their air supply slowly dwindled.For more than 24 hours the Russian Navy tried to reach them. Finally - still haunted by the loss of the nuclear submarine Kursk five years before - they requested international assistance. On the other side of the world Commander Ian Riches, leader of the Royal Navy''s Submarine Rescue Service, got the call: there was a sub down.With the expertise and specialist equipment available to him Riches knew his team had a chance to save the men, but Kamchatka was at the very limit of their range and time was running out. A
£12.10
Orion Publishing Co Tiny Prisoners
Book SynopsisEvie and Elliot are scrawny, filthy and wide-eyed with fear when they turn up on foster carer Maggie Hartley''s doorstep. Aged just two and three years old, this brother and sister have hardly set foot outside their own home. They have been prisoners, locked in a terrifying world of abuse, violence and neglect. Maggie soon realises that Evie and Elliot are lacking the basic life skills we all take for granted. The outside world terrifies them; the sound of the doorbell sends them into a panic that takes hours to abate. Gradually unlocking the truth of their heart-breaking upbringing, Maggie tells their shocking true story.From emotionally scarred and damaged little children, we see how - with warmth and dedication - Maggie transforms their lives. As this moving story unfolds, we share Maggie''s joy when these children finally smile again, when they realise they do have a future after all.A true story of hope from Sunday Times bestselling author Ma
£8.54
Orion Publishing Co The Little Ghost Girl
Book Synopsis An abused little girl desperate for someone to love her, and the foster carer who refused to give up on her. A heartbreaking true story by Sunday Times bestselling author Maggie Hartley. Perfect for fans of Cathy Glass, Casey Watson, Angela Hart and Rosie Lewis. *****Abused, starved and neglected. Ruth was a little ghost of a girl when she arrived into foster mother Maggie Hartley''s care. As soon as Ruth arrived on her doorstep, it was clear to foster carer Maggie Hartley that Ruth had seen and experienced things that no 11-year-old should have to. Pale, frail and withdrawn, Ruth had been conditioned to ''see no evil, speak no evil''. Raised by a cruel stepmother and father, Ruth had been abused, underfed and ignored, while her half-siblings lived a life of luxury. Ruth is in desperate need of help, but can Maggie get through to her and unlock the harrowing secret she carries? With no one left in the
£11.07
Orion Publishing Co Too Young to be a Mum
Book SynopsisWhen sixteen-year-old Jess arrives on foster carer Maggie Hartley''s doorstep with her newborn son Jimmy, she has nowhere else to go. Arriving straight from the hospital having just given birth, Jess is like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Scared, alone, and practically a child herself, she is overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for a newborn without the support of a loving family or her beloved boyfriend. With social services threatening to take baby Jimmy into care, Jess knows that Maggie is her only chance of keeping her son.Maggie can see that Jess loves her boyfriend and wants to be a good mother to her son. Can Maggie help Jess learn to become a mum? Will the family ever be allowed to live together?A true story of hope from Sunday Times bestselling author Maggie Hartley, a foster carer for over 20 years.''Didn''t want it to end'' 5* Amazon reader review
£11.07
Orion Publishing Co Denied a Mummy
Book SynopsisWhen Maggie''s latest placement arrives on her doorstep, it is clear that Sean, Dougie and their big sister Mary have been through unspeakable traumas in their short lives. Violent and malnourished, the siblings have been left to fend for themselves by their drug-addicted parents. Maggie must use all of her skills and experience as a foster carer to help these damaged siblings to learn to be children again. With much love, care and patience, their behaviour gradually starts to improve and social services start looking for a forever family for them. But alarm bells start to ring when Maggie meets the couple who have been matched to adopt the siblings. It is clear that they''re looking for the perfect, ready-made family, and they''re not going to get it with these vulnerable brothers and sister. Despite raising her concerns with social services, Maggie is powerless to prevent the adoption from going ahead and she must put aside her own fears to help the siblings settle in with
£8.54
Orion Publishing Co Gabby The Little Dog that had to Learn to Bark
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 *
£8.99
Orion Publishing Co Will You Love Me The Rescue Dog that Rescued Me
Book SynopsisRain is lashing down when Barby Keel is called out to an emergency unfolding at the gates of her animal sanctuary, deep in the Sussex countryside. A greyhound had been dumped under the cover of darkness, and is at death''s door.In the 37 years she has dedicated her life to the welfare of animals, Barby has witnessed the horrors that humans are capable of, but never has she seen anything as barbaric as this poor dog''s condition. Cigarette burns scar his flank, and he is so malnourished that he struggles to stand, every rib showing through his patchy fur. It''s touch-and-go whether he will survive the night.The dog, who Barby names Bailey, proves he has a fighting spirit and, slowly but surely, begins the long road to recovery. But Barby is facing her own battle with ill health - one that threatens the future of the entire sanctuary...Will You Love Me? is an emotional, joyful true story of the deepest bond that exists between humans and animals, and sho
£8.54
Orion Publishing Co Please Dont Take My Sisters
Book SynopsisThree-year-old Lexie, five-year-old Amelie and thirteen-year-old Leo come to Maggie after Leo confesses to a teacher that his mother''s addiction problems and her latest violent relationship has left him as the sole carer to his younger sisters. Maggie welcomes the three children into her home, and is touched by the gentle care Leo shows to the two little girls. It is clear that Lexie and Amelie adore their big brother, and rely on him for comfort and reassurance. But Leo has experienced the neglect and abuse of his mother and her partner for far longer than his sisters, and is struggling with an eating disorder and showing signs of OCD.When Social Services begin to look at adoptive families for the children, Maggie is horrified when they suggest that the two angelic little girls will have a much better chance of being adopted without their damaged older brother. Knowing the impact that losing his sisters forever will have on vulnerable Leo, they face the ultimate di
£11.07
Orion Publishing Co The Puppy No One Wanted
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
£8.54
Hodder & Stoughton Deep Down Dark The Untold Stories of 33 Men
Book SynopsisNOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING JULIETTE BINOCHE AND ANTONIO BANDERASTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA NEW YORK TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR LA TIMES BOOK PRIZE FINALIST''Riveting ...The best book I''ve read all year.'' Ann Patchett''An astonishing tale of survival'' Spectator THE STORY THAT GRIPPED THE GLOBEAugust 2010: the San Jose mine in Chile collapses trapping 33 men half a mile underground for 69 days. Faced with the possibility of starvation and even death, the miners make a pact: if they survive, they will only share their story collectively, as ''the 33''.1 billion people watch the international rescue mission. Somehow, all 33 men make it out alive, in one of the most daring and dramatic rescue efforts even seen.Pulitzer-prize-winning journalist Héctor Tobar is the man they choose to tell their story.'' An eloquent testamenTrade Review. . . an eloquent testament to the human spirit. * The Times *Riveting . . . The best book I've read all year. * Ann Patchett *Riveting... Tobar vividly narrates the miners' lives post-rescue as they come to terms with their life-changing experience and the media frenzy surrounding it. Rich in local color, this is a sensitive, suspenseful rendering of a legendary story. * Publishers Weekly, Most Anticipated Books of 2014 *..fascinating... (The ) narrative cracks along at a suitably breathless pace * Irish Mail *Héctor Tobar takes us so far down into the story and lives of the Chilean miners that his reconstruction of a workplace disaster becomes a riveting meditation on universal human themes.Deep Down Dark is an extraordinary piece of work. * George Packer *In this masterful dissection of the 2010's dramatic sixty-nine day ordeal by thirty-three trapped Chilean miners, Héctor Tobar weaves a suspenseful narrative that moves back and forth between the waking nightmares of the buried men, and those of their families on the earth's surface. In Deep Down Dark, Héctor Tobar takes us deftly to the very cliff-edge of human survival. * Jon Lee Anderson *It's almost hard to believe that Héctor Tobar wasn't himself one of the trapped Chilean miners, so vivid, immediate, terrifying, emotional, and convincing is his Homeric narration of this extraordinary incident. Deep Down Dark is a literary masterpiece of narrative journalism, surgical in its reconstruction, novelistic in its explorations of human personality and nuance. In a manner that feels spiritual, Tobar puts himself at the service of his story, and his fidelity to and unquenchable curiosity about every fact and detail generates unforgettable wonderment and awe. * Francisco Goldman *A gripping narrative, taut to the point of explosion . . . An electrifying, empathetic work of journalism that makes a four-year-old story feel fresh. * Kirkus *
£12.10
Hodder & Stoughton Wylie
Book SynopsisFrom the founder of the Nowzad animal charity, Pen Farthing, come the remarkable true story of Wylie, a dog who endured horrific cruelty in Afghanistan and survived against the odds to become top dog at the 2014 Scruffts 'Family Crossbread of the Year' competition.
£10.44
Pan Macmillan My Secret Sister
Book SynopsisA heartbreaking and moving true story of two sisters separated at birth, and their journey towards finding each other, celebrating the true meaning of family.Helen Edwards grew up in a pit village in Tyneside in the post-war years, with her gran, aunties and uncles living nearby. She felt safe with them, but they could not protect her from her neglectful mother and violent father. Behind closed doors, she suffered years of abuse. Sometimes she talked to an imaginary sister, the only one who understood her pain. Jenny was adopted at six weeks and grew up in Newcastle. An only child, she knew she was loved, and with the support of her parents she went on to become a golfing champion, but still she felt that something was missing. . . Neither woman knew of the other's existence until, in her fifties, Jenny went looking for her birth family and found her sister Helen. Together they searched for the truth about Jenny's birth - and uncovered a legacy
£9.49
Pan Macmillan Philomena
Book SynopsisThe extraordinary true story that inspired an acclaimed film starring Steve Coogan and Judi Dench, Philomena, by Martin Sixsmith, is a gripping tale of heartache, hypocrisy and ultimately, redemption. It follows the lives of Philomena Lee, who, after falling pregnant in 1952, was treated as a fallen woman by Irish Catholic society, and her son, torn from her by the Church and swept across the Atlantic as one among many forced adoptions.Philomena, shamed and coerced into signing a document promising never to attempt to see her son again, wages a secret, decades-long battle to reconnect with her lost, beloved son. Unbeknownst to her, her son has been renamed Michael Hess, and grew up to become a high-powered lawyer in the homophobic climate of the Reagan and Bush administrations. But he was a gay man in a homophobic party where he had to conceal not only his sexuality but, eventually, the fact that he had AIDS. With little time left, he returned to Irelan
£9.49
Pan Macmillan The Diary of Lena Mukhina
Book SynopsisLena Mukhina was a sixteen-year-old student and living in Leningrad when the German army invaded the USSR in 1941.Trade ReviewSixteen-year-old Lena Mukhina's diary is to the Siege of Leningrad what Anne Frank's was to Nazi-occupied Amsterdam ... A must read for young adults and their parents everywhere. * Rachel Holmes, author of Eleanor Marx: A Life *Even at the height of the Leningrad Siege, starving and surrounded by death and destruction, Lena Mukhina somehow continued to keep a diary. Her story, though searing, is an inspiration. * Robert Service, author of Stalin: A Biography *The Anne Frank of Leningrad ... Almost unbearably moving ... Her suffering is real and terrible. As we read on, we can feel something important sapping out of her. Call it spirit, if you like, or the optimism of youth. But adversity does not strengthen her; it corrodes her. She gets away, but the best of her, we suspect, she has left behind. -- Marcus Berkmann * Mail on Sunday *Lena's diary, sustained by emotional stamina and driven by daily drama, describes one of the worst civilian horrors of modern wartime. -- Iain Finlayson * The Times *Russia's Anne Frank - harrowing and philosophical. * Daily Telegraph *
£10.44
Pan Macmillan You Cant Have My Daughter
Book SynopsisA personal account of a mother''s determination to never give up on her daughter.
£16.14
Pan Macmillan The Little Captive
Book SynopsisHow one little girl survived a Japanese Prisoner of War camp. A powerful true storyTrade ReviewUnflinching . . . a devastating portrayal of a child's loss of innocence * The Observer *
£13.49
Pan Macmillan Truevine
Book SynopsisAn extraordinary and moving story of two brothers from the American South who were stolen away to become circus freaks.Trade ReviewWhat makes her account compelling, however, is the history it offers of the lives black people had to endure in the decades following slavery, a history that seems all the more poignant in the aftermath of last year’s Black Lives Matter debates … [An] extraordinary tale of courage and grace John Burnside, Spectator -- John Burnside * Spectator *Jaw-dropping * Glasgow Herald *Pitiless about life in the Jim Crow South where, even in the 1920s, thousands of black Americans, some for crimes as trivial as hopping a train, were sold into labour camps and sent down slave mines … It is quite some story, and Macy has told it skilfully, vividly, compassionately -- Sukhdev Sandhu * Guardian *Compelling * Observer *Macy is a gifted storyteller and a dogged researcher and readers will be riveted by Harriet Muse's struggle to find her sons. * New York Times *A sturdy, passionate, and penetrating narrative. This first-rate journey into human trafficking, slavery, and familial bonding is an engrossing example of spirited, determined reportage * Kirkus *"It's the best story in town," a colleague told Beth Macy decades ago, "but no one has been able to get it." She now has, with tenacity and sensitivity. She gives a singular sideshow its due, offering these "Ambassadors from Mars" a remarkable, deeply affecting afterlife. -- Stacy SchiffAs compelling as Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks . . . both are absolutely stunning examples of narrative nonfiction at its best . . . Certain to be among the most memorable books of the year. -- Connie Fletcher * Booklist *Table of ContentsIntroduction - i: Prologue: I Am the True Vine Chapter - 1: Sit Down and Shut Up Chapter - 2: White Peoples Is Hateful Chapter - 3: And Still the Cry Against Us Continues Chapter - 4: your Momma Is Dead Chapter - 5: Some Serious Secrets Chapter - 6: A Paying Proposition Chapter - 7: He Who Hustleth While He Waiteth Chapter - 8: Comma, Colored Chapter - 9: The Prodigal Sons Chapter - 10: Not One Single, Solitary, Red Penny Chapter - 11: Adultery's Siamese Twin Chapter - 12: Housekeeping! Chapter - 13: Practically Imbeciles Chapter - 14: Very Good Old Colored Woman Chapter - 15: Wilbur and John Chapter - 16: God is Good to Me Section - ii: Epilogue: Markers Acknowledgements - iii: Acknowledgements Section - iv: Notes Index - v: Index
£8.54
Simon & Schuster Ltd Tainted Love
Book SynopsisPowerful true-life stories of children who were saved by the British care system
£8.54
Simon & Schuster Ltd Neglected
Book Synopsis'No matter how bad things are, Molloy tells those afflicted by neglect, there is always hope. And with hope, there is the possibility to heal and to build a new and better kind of life' Lancashire Evening Post Following on from her previous bestselling books, Hackney Child and Tainted Love, written under the name Hope Daniels, which told the stories of kids in children's homes who fought against the odds in their struggle to survive, Jenny Molloy's book Neglected gives harrowing accounts of what happens when children fall in love with the wrong people, and how the role of social workers in their lives can bring them back to an understanding of what love really means. Readers will be introduced to several brave and inspirational children: Jemma, taken into care after her father tried to kill her; Angelika,Trade Review'From a childhood spent in and out of the care system to a Sunday Times bestselling author of three novels, one woman is battling the negative stereotypes placed on children that go into care with her own success story' * Hackney Gazette *'No matter how bad things are, Molloy tells those afflicted by neglect, there is always hope. And with hope, there is the possibility to heal and to build a new and better kind of life' * Lancashire Evening Post *
£7.59
Simon & Schuster Ltd Under the Open Skies
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.
£17.00
Little, Brown Book Group I Had to Survive
Book SynopsisOn 12 October 1972, a Uruguayan Air Force plane carrying members of the ''Old Christians'' rugby team (and many of their friends and family members) crashed into the Andes mountains. I Had to Survive offers a gripping and heartrending recollection of the harrowing brink-of-death experience that propelled survivor Roberto Canessa to become one of the world''s leading paediatric cardiologists.Canessa, a second-year medical student at the time, tended to his wounded teammates amidst the devastating carnage of the wreck and played a key role in safeguarding his fellow survivors, eventually trekking with a companion across the hostile mountain range for help.This fine line between life and death became the catalyst for the rest of his life.This uplifting tale of hope and determination, solidarity and ingenuity gives vivid insight into a world famous story. Canessa also draws a unique and fascinating parallel between his work as a doctor performing arduous hTrade ReviewA haunting and deeply moving book - Daily Mail
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group Alone
Book Synopsis''That''s what happened, I think, struggling to stay afloat as the ocean pummels me from all sides. I must have blacked out -- exhausted, dehydrated, even a little delirious -- and hit the water.And no one saw it happen.''''When I heard Brett had fallen overboard, after twelve hours I said, There''s no way anyone can survive longer than that in the ocean - I certainly couldn''t do it. This is an incredible, incredible story.''Oscar Chalupsky, Twelve times Molokai Paddleboard World ChampionIn April 2013, fifty-year-old Brett Archibald was on board a surf-charter boat, making a night-time crossing of the Mentawai Strait off Sumatra, Indonesia. In the middle of a storm, ill with severe food poisoning, Brett was being sick overboard when, for a moment, he blacked out. When he came to, he found himself alone in the raging sea, being spun as if in a washing machine. Sixty miles from shore, Brett saw the lights of his boat disappearing into the darTrade ReviewTerrifying and awe-inspiring. * Wall Street Journal *A compelling book. * Times *One of the most compelling stories of survival you will read. * Daily Mail *When I heard Brett had fallen overboard, after twelve hours I said, 'There's no way anyone can survive longer than that in the ocean -- I certainly couldn't do it.' This is an incredible, incredible story. -- Oscar Chalupsky, twelve-time Molokai Challenge surfski world champion
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group Rowing the Pacific
Book SynopsisStorms, fatigue, equipment failure, intense hunger, and lack of water are just a few of the challenges that ocean rower Mick Dawson endured whilst attempting to complete one of the World''s ''Last Great Firsts''.In this nail-biting true story of man versus nature, former Royal Marine commando Dawson, a Guinness World Record-holder for ocean-rowing and high-seas adventurer takes on the Atlantic and ultimately the North Pacific.It took Dawson three attempts and a back-breaking voyage of over six months to finally cross the mighty North Pacific for the first time. Dawson and his rowing partner Chris Martin spent 189 days, 10 hours and 55 minutes rowing around the clock, facing the destruction of their small boat and near-certain death every mile of the way, before finally reaching the iconic span of San Francisco''s Golden Gate Bridge. Dawson''s thrilling account of his epic adventure details how he and Chris propelled their fragile craft, stroke by stroke for tTrade ReviewMick's account of the gruelling journey is compelling. You'll feel that you're there with them, through the near-death experiences and the equipment failures, battling extreme fatigue, frightening storms and an ocean the consistency of liquid cement * Lifeboat Magazine *A nail-biting story of man versus nature * Globe & Laurel *
£9.99
Little, Brown Book Group After...
Book Synopsis''A kind, tough, brave, important little story ... it will be a godsend to so many people, grown, growing and very young'' - Joanna Lumley OBEI want to talk about the things that are happening to you... to us.As a little girl, Libby Moore was sexually abused by someone she should have been able to trust. Sadly, her experience is not uncommon. Many vulnerable children find themselves trapped in similarly devastating situations.Abuse leaves indelible marks; Libby lives with severe low self-esteem that has affected her relationships, career and choices into adulthood. She wishes that she could have supported and comforted her younger self, and explained that even when darkness seems all around light still exists. After... is Libby''s way of reaching out and reconnecting with her younger self - and to all other survivors of child abuse.Essential and heart-breaking, with powerful and expressive illustrations by acclaimed cartoonTrade Review'A kind, tough, brave, important little story, so beautifully illustrated by Tony Husband and so powerfully told by Libby Moore. It will be a godsend to so many people, grown, growing and very young. It will help people to understand the trauma and shame that settles on the abused, and it offers guidance and comfort' - Joanna Lumley OBE'Every survivor of childhood sexual abuse has his or her own journey to make in their recovery. I am sure that this great little book will help some begin that journey; for others it will become a thought-provoking companion for the steps along their way' - Donald Findlater, Director, Stop It Now! UK & Ireland'Libby's journey with her 'little me' is a touching and important illustration of how you can break the shackles of the past and move on with your life. Libby realises that she doesn't have to let the past dictate her future and with the help of her inner child she sets a new and positive course. Every survivor of childhood abuse should read this book. Its power is in its simplicity' - National Association for People Abused in Childhood'After... puts across the feelings of self-hatred and the negative thinking which can stay with someone when they've experienced traumatic events in their childhood. However, I love the fact that it has a positive message about moving forward and tackling those negative thoughts and feelings. Recovery is hard, and can take a long time, but the process is a vital one if people are to reclaim their lives after trauma. The book also touches a little on the feelings of guilt which are common and some of the hidden and uncomfortable feelings which abuse victims confront as part of their recovery. I think that someone who has suffered abuse would certainly identify with the character(s) in the book and feel understood' - Linda Wilson, General Manager/CEO, Moodswings, Manchester'Poignant, powerful and beautifully told with thoughtful and sensitive illustrations. I had goosebumps reading it' - Dr Fiona Wardell, Standards Lead, Healthcare Improvement Scotland'For many children who are currently or previously part of the care system, anything that supports them to move forward with their life and begin to recover from experiences in their early years is a significant and positive help. Congratulations to Libby for creating this powerful, brave story and to Tony for his sensitive illustrations. The combination is a very moving and impactful book which will undoubtedly be a huge help to many' - Anonymous adoptive parent
£12.34
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Over the Top
Book SynopsisOnly one person has ever sailed vertically around the world singlehandedly - Adrian Flanagan. Sailing horizontally is difficult enough, crossing thousands of miles of ocean only to get near land at the Capes and battle treacherous currents. However, hundreds of sailors have still managed it. Adrian became obsessed with the idea of sailing vertically around the world as a boy, before he even knew whether it was possible. Thirty years later he managed it. This is his own account of his remarkable adventure. It was an epic challenge, sailing through the perilous waters around Cape Horn and across the remote, hostile stretch of the Russian Arctic. He survived being washed overboard, capsizing, a close encounter with pirates, and also managed to treat not one but two dislocated wrists - all of this alone, a thousand miles or more from anyone who could help him complete his quest. It wasn't all high drama, however. Adrian experienced moments of awe-inspiring beauty - being accompanied byTrade ReviewOne of the best-written and most gripping tales of recent years. * Yachting World *
£10.44
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Coming Clean
Book Synopsis''Raw, unflinching, incredibly brave'' - BBC Woman''s Hour''Visceral and gripping'' Amy Liptrot, author of The OutrunComing Clean is a searingly honest memoir of loving an alcoholic both through the heaviest drinking years and into recovery. When Liz Fraser''s partner fell into a catastrophic vortex of depression and alcoholism, Liz found herself in a relentless hailstorm of lies, loneliness and fear, looking after their young child on her own, heartbroken, mentally shattered and with no idea what was happening or what to do.As she and her family moved between Cambridge, Venice and Oxford, she kept the often shocking truth entirely to herself for a long time, trying in vain to help her partner find a path to sobriety, until she herself finally broke from the trauma and started to speak out only to find she was one of hundreds experiencing similar things, also living in silence and fear. Part diary, part travel journal and part love letter, Coming CleTrade ReviewVisceral and gripping. -- Amy Liptrot * author of The Outrun *Raw, unflinching, incredibly brave -- Anita Rani * BBC Woman's Hour *An extraordinary book – deeply painful and loving. -- Adam Kay[Coming Clean] sheds light on the reverberating effects of addiction and sobriety in this glowing memoir that unravels her experience falling in – and at times, out of – love with an alcoholic ... Fraser illuminates the complexities of loving an addict and why she 'didn’t run a mile' when his illness became apparent ... In the end, her wry prose, sharp self-reflection, and affinity for the uncertain reshapes her fraught experience into a nuanced story of resilience. This will be a beacon of hope for those whose lives have been touched by addiction. * Publishers Weekly *A remarkably frank, emotionally charged foray into one woman’s battle to come to terms with her partner’s alcoholism; a desperate fight to protect herself and her child, and to create a world where they could be enough for one another. -- Charlotte PhilbyA blistering account of damaged love, that will console anyone who lives with an addict. It's heartbreaking, eloquent and blackly funny. A book in search of the limits of compassion, finding none. An extraordinary achievement. -- Rhik Samadder * author of I Never Said I Loved You *Liz Fraser’s memoir will break your heart into a million pieces and then gently squeeze it back together. Heart-rending and sad. A wonderful book. -- Charlie CondouTable of ContentsPrologue Introduction Part One: Cambridge Part Two: Venice Part Three: Madness Part Four: Scandinavia Part Five: Shutting the Door Part Six: The Eternal Chaos of the Broken Mind Part Seven: Rock Bottom Part Eight: Sobriety Part Nine: Lockdown and Breakdown Part Ten: Recovery Epilogue Resources
£15.29
Hodder & Stoughton The Lovers
Book SynopsisA riveting, real-life equivalent of The Kite Runner-an astonishingly powerful and profoundly moving story of a young couple willing to risk everything for love that puts a human face on the ongoing debate about women''s rights in the Muslim world.She is his Juliet and he is her Romeo, and her family has threatened to kill them both...This is the heartrending account of Zakia and Mohammad Ali, a couple from opposing Islamic sects, who defying their society''s norms have left behind everything they know and are quite literally risking their lives for their love.She is a Sunni, he is a Shia, but as friends from childhood Zakia and Mohammad Ali could never have predicted that their love would anger their families so much that they would be forced to leave their homes finding refuge in the harsh terrain of the Afghani mountains. Without money or passports they rely on the kindness of strangers to house them for a couple of days at a time as they remaTrade ReviewWith keen and nuanced insight, Nordland details the tortuous road that Zakia and Ali travelled...Nordland became the pair's chronicler and, later, their unofficial protector when, straining the limits of his professional involvement with them, he began to help the pair financially. Meticulously reported and written, Nordland's book is an exceptionally well-delineated glimpse into the marriage practices of a closed patriarchal society and the suffering it has caused women. The author thoughtfully considers the extent to which the West, acting from the outside, can effect social reform in Muslim fundamentalist cultures. A provocative, well-told story of love at all costs and an incisive examination of the continued violation of women's rights in Afghanistan. * Kirkus *In Nordland's telling, the pair emerge as fully rounded characters even while serving as symbols of Afghan culture's stifling restraints. From the couple's initial elopement to their unexpected elevation to media prominence ... Nordland's storytelling remains gripping, with more than a hint of Shakespearean drama. The couple's survival, in the face of familial and societal condemnation, provides a happy if incomplete resolution... less uplifting is Nordland's reporting on the overall situation for women in Afghanistan, a country that Massouda Jalal, former Afghan minister for women's affairs, calls "the worst place in the world to be a woman. * Publishers Weekly *
£8.99
Hodder & Stoughton In the Beginning
Book SynopsisFrom the acclaimed poet and dissident Irina Ratushinskaya, In The Beginning looks back at life before her imprisonment in a labour camp, to her formative years in Odessa.
£8.49
