True stories of survival of abuse and injustice Books

Book SynopsisIn July 2017, Chloe Ayling, a 20-year-old model from South London, was drugged and kidnapped in Milan, Italy. She was there for a photo shoot, but ended up abducted, bundled into the boot of a car and driven to a remote farmhouse where she was held captive for six days. She was told she was being auctioned on the Dark Web as a sex slave, and that if she tried to escape, she'd be killed instantly by agents of the Black Death gang. Chloe was eventually set free by twisted fantasist Lukasz Herba, and her story became a tabloid obsession and a national conversation. On being freed, Chloe's version of events - along with some of the stranger circumstances of her kidnapping - drove the press into a frenzy. What Chloe has gone through is not trial by jury, but trial by media. One year on, her kidnapper, Lukasz Herba, has been found guilty and sentenced to sixteen years and nine months in jail, and Chloe is finally vindicated and able to tell the full story of her terrifying ordeal.

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Book SynopsisDON'T SAY A WORD is the empowering memoir of Kate Marshall, a mother-of-four from Manchester. Ripped from her many brothers and sisters at the age of eight, Kate's mother uproots her to a new life in which love and safety are not priorities. With little explanation, Kate is thrown into a world of chaos and neglect, a world which her Uncle Phil exploits through a campaign of shocking abuse over many years.The lessons Kate learns in those early years leave her extremely vulnerable and, while still a teenager, she marries an emotionally abusive, gaslighting fraudster, spending years in a controlled marriage punctuated by bulimia and a fierce desire to protect her beloved children. Finally finding the courage to leave, she seizes control of her own destiny by taking her paedophile uncle to court, where his guilt on all charges sees him finally brought to justice for what he has done. From that moment, Kate vows she will never again be the victim of those who chose to control and abuse her - that she will fight for herself and for others with every breath she has and will never be silenced again.

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Book Synopsis'BREATHTAKING' Dolly Alderton, 'REMARKABLE' Marian Keyes, 'LIFE-CHANGING' Emma Jane Unsworth, 'COMPELLING' Amy Liptrot, 'EXTRAORDINARY' Sali HughesTo everyone else, Terri White appeared to be living the dream - living in New York City, with a top job editing a major magazine. In reality, she was struggling with the trauma of an abusive childhood and rapidly skidding towards a mental health crisis that would land her in a psychiatric ward.Coming Undone is Terri's story of her unravelling, and her precarious journey back from a life in pieces.Trade ReviewA stunning memoir, hard reading in places, but it feels urgent and necessary . . . White writes like a blood-stained angel -- Cathy Rentzenbrink * * The Times * *A breathtaking read . . . her honesty and her eloquence is the thing that makes it such a privilege to read . . . a raw, shocking, beautiful book -- DOLLY ALDERTON * * The High Low * *Coming Undone by Terri White is possibly the most affecting, moving memoir I've ever read. Painful and exquisite, her writing about how childhood trauma shaped her got to me in a very visceral way. It's a remarkable book -- MARIAN KEYESRaw and remarkable * * Guardian, Book of the Year * *Powerful and moving, beautifully written, packed with stunning set-pieces and, I thought, a stinging-but-dazzling, complicated love-hate letter to NYC, and to how our dreams can too often deceive us. I found it bittersweet and raw, and radical as a memoir narrative: not so much a redemption tale as a chronicle of the real fallout of trauma: messy, difficult, intricate, infinite . . . [A] life-changing read -- EMMA JANE UNSWORTHI didn't put it down until finished. White's extraordinary memoir is gripping, unflinchingly honest and written with great wit -- SALI HUGHESUnique, painful, compelling -- AMY LIPTROTComing Undone is a beautiful, if uncomfortable, read and White writes with an unflinching, scalding frankness * * Irish Times * *Written with power, love and heart, it'll leave you wanting to read so much more by this extraordinary writer and woman * * Stylist * *Raw, brutally honest and beautifully written, in Coming Undone Terri White describes the devastating damage done to her and its lasting impact on her mental health and wellbeing * * Sunday Express * *

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Book SynopsisA Uyghur poet's piercing memoir of life under the most coercive surveillance regime in history***LITHUB'S #1 BEST-REVIEWED NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023******A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023******AN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023***'Essential reading' AI WEIWEI, author of 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows'Deserves to be read widely... Beautiful' FINANCIAL TIMESIf you took an Uber in Washington DC a few years ago, there's a chance your driver was one of the greatest living Uyghur poets, and one of only a handful from his minority Muslim community to escape the genocide being visited upon his homeland in western China.A successful filmmaker, innovative poet and prominent intellectual, Tahir Hamut Izgil had long been acquainted with state surveillance and violence, having spent three years in a labour camp on fabricated charges.But in 2017, the Chinese government's repression of its Uyghur citizens assumed a terrifying new intensity: critics were silenced; conversations became hushed; passports were confiscated; and Uyghurs were forced to provide DNA samples and biometric data.As Izgil's friends disappeared one by one, it became clear that fleeing the country was his family's only hope.Escape to America spared Izgil's family the internment camps that have swallowed over a million Uyghurs. It also allowed this rare personal testimony of the Xinjiang genocide to reach the wider world.Waiting to Be Arrested at Night charts the ongoing destruction of a community and a way of life. It is a call for the world to awaken to a humanitarian catastrophe, an unforgettable story of courage, escape and survival, and a moving tribute to Izgil's friends and fellow Uyghurs whose voices have been silenced.Trade ReviewAn urgent tale of survival and subversion * Economist, *Books of the Year* *Deserves to be read and listened to widely... This is a beautiful read. Izgil’s poetic gaze, and the elegant translation by Joshua L Freeman, together produce a compact, compelling prose that pushes you to keep reading on, even as you blink back tears * Financial Times *So much more than a thrilling account of a great escape. It is nothing less than a call to the West not to look away from one of the most terrible genocides of our times * Sunday Times *Izgil's memoir is a story about how to survive in, and to negotiate one's way through, a society in which repression has become routine, and the power of the state is unfettered. The book's restraint is also its strength * Guardian *I… devoured it in one night. It is a stunning work with its lyrical prose and elegiac translation, a page-turner that stands alongside any thriller for the skill with which it builds tension as a noose tightens round an entire community… Tahir reveals again the banality of evil * i *In the elegant, elliptical poems that appear throughout the text – translated, like the rest of the memoir, with great skill and subtlety by Joshua L. Freeman – Tahir both acknowledges and transforms the worsening political situation. Perhaps one of the most remarkable aspects of the book is its refreshing lack of political rhetoric: there are no pronouncements on the great evil of the Chinese state. Tahir lets the awful facts speak for themselves * Times Literary Supplement *A heart-wrenching but beautifully written memoir * Daily Telegraph *More than just a memoir... It is also the story of the Uyghur people and the political, social, and cultural destruction of their homeland by the Chinese state * TIME *To call this merely 'a good book' is an understatement - it is essential reading -- Ai Weiwei, author of 1000 Years of Joys and SorrowsAn outlier among books about human rights. This is in effect a psychological thriller, although the narrative unfolds like a classic horror movie as relative normalcy dissolves into a nightmare -- Barbara Demick, author of Nothing to EnvyA vital and urgent book about the tragedy of the Uyghur people, abandoned by the world and brutally oppressed by the Chinese government. The voice of Tahir Hamut Izgil is one that must be heard -- Janine di Giovanni, author of The Morning They Came for UsElegiac and deeply courageous, a most powerful literary indictment of the unfettered power of the state. A remarkable book -- Philippe Sands, author of East West StreetI was riveted and chastened by Tahir Hamut Izgil's memoir. Izgil's crystalline, courageous prose is a wake-up call for everyone invested in the myth - and also the possibility - of freedom -- Tracy K. Smith, Poet Laureate of the United States of AmericaThis powerful and poignant memoir is an instant classic. He lays bare the vicious genocidal persecution of the precious Uyghur people in a very personal and persuasive way -- Cornel West, author of Democracy MattersAn essential testimony to one of the defining crimes against humanity of the twenty-first century so far. The poet Tahir Hamut Izgil is one of the few Uyghurs who escaped just in time to tell us -- Philip Gourevitch, author of We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our FamiliesA terrifying, compelling read of one family's efforts to escape the jaws that were closing around them -- Ian Johnson, author of The Souls of ChinaAn exceptionally powerful, profoundly lyrical and beautifully translated book - I urge you to read it -- Julia Lovell, author of Maoism: A Global HistoryEven if we can't comprehend why this tragedy is happening in Xinjiang, Tahir Hamut Izgil reminds us why it matters -- Peter Hessler, author of River TownA lived-in page-turner with the slow, grim boil of a Le Carré novel (no shooting, but no hope of justice either, with plenty of code words and offstage violence). Lucid and quietly terrifying * Washington Post *A compelling account of Izgil’s ultimately successful escape to the US. It is a story of mounting fear, as friends disappear one by one, and he and others take to sleeping next to a pile of warm clothes that they can hastily put on if the doorbell rings in the night * Prospect *

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Book SynopsisSammy Woodhouse was just 14 when she met Arshid Hussain. Ten years older, he promised to take care of her. Sammy thought she was in love, but in reality she was being groomed by a ringleader of Britain's most notorious child sex ring.Just A Child tells the heartbreaking story of how a young girl from Rotherham was abused by her drug-dealing 'boyfriend', eventually giving birth to his baby, right under the nose of the very authorities who were meant to protect her. When reality dawned and Sammy realised she was one of countless vulnerable child victims - many of whom were trafficked around the north of England - she took it upon herself to blow the whistle and save others from a similar fate.Thanks to Sammy's bravery, the gang was fully exposed, as well as the authorities that did little to help her. Her shocking account of how these events came to pass will enrage and sadden but, above all, it will offer hope and show why this must never happen again.

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Book SynopsisThe incredible true story of one man's imprisonment for the gospel; his brokenness, God's faithfulness and his eventual freedom. In 1993, Andrew Brunson was asked to travel to Turkey, the largest unevangelised country in the world, to serve as a missionary. Though hesitant because of the daunting and dangerous task that lay ahead, Andrew and his wife, Norine, believed this was God's plan for them. What followed was a string of threats and attacks,but also successes in starting new churches in a place where many people had never met a Christian. As their work with refugees from Syria, including Kurds, gained attention and suspicion, Andrew and Norine acknowledged the threat but accepted the risk, determining to stay unless God told them to leave. In 2016, they were arrested. Though the State eventually released Norine, who remained in Turkey, Andrew was imprisoned. Accused of being a spy and being among the plotters of the attempted coup, he became a political pawn whose story soon became known around the world. This is Andrew's remarkable story of his imprisonment and journey of faith.

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Book Synopsis'Della's story is tragic, shocking and heart-breaking, but she must be heard. Della is an inspirational and dedicated campaigner who I've been proud to support. Her book eloquently portrays her past vulnerability and her steadfast determination to help others. A must read' Sarah Champion, MP'I'd been the unwanted child, the little girl who got in the way. I swore I'd put my abuser behind bars and I'd fight with every breath in my body against the life sentence he'd given me. This was my time.'Della Wright is an incredible campaigner for the rights of abuse victims after suffering a lifetime of betrayal.Left alone at home for the first time at only two years old by those tasked with her care, Della was let down first by social services. When known paedophile Terry Price entered her life when she was six, moving into her home, he would groom and sexually abuse her for the next five years. Even the sight of a little girl going to his probation meetings wasn't enough to make the authorities act.After a lifetime of violent relationships and mental health problems, Della eventually managed to put her childhood abuser behind bars for 22 years, a decade after first going to the police. He had changed his name multiple times to evade detection for his many crimes.As an ambassador for the Safeguarding Alliance, Della now campaigns to ensure offenders cannot slip through the net by giving themselves new identities. She has vowed to try and stop anyone experiencing the same neglect, betrayal and abuse she did.Trade Review'Della's story is tragic, shocking and heart-breaking, but she must be heard. Della is an inspirational and dedicated campaigner who I've been proud to support. Her book eloquently portrays her past vulnerability and her steadfast determination to help others. A must read' * Sarah Champion, MP *

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Book SynopsisFrom No.1 bestselling author Toni Maguire comes a new true story of abuse and survival.'Small children have no say in the direction their lives take. Even before they have learnt to walk and talk, they are trained to obey'Daisy was only four when her parents told her and her older brother that they were moving halfway across the world to Australia for a better life. Leaving everything behind, including her beloved grandparents, she stepped into an unfamiliar world. Daisy's close and unbreakable bond with her disabled brother helped her navigate her new life, until tragedy repeatedly struck the family.After her parents' split and she was introduced to her new stepfather, nothing could have prepared her for what followed. All alone in 300 acres of wilderness, Daisy's only wish was to return home to her grandparents and their love. This is her true story of fear, abuse and, finally, escape.

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Book SynopsisFrom No.1 bestselling author Toni Maguire comes a new true story of abuse and survival.'Whatever you do, don't go back to him, not this time. If not for your sake, then for your children's.'Ava Thomas knew leaving was the right decision. Trapped and manipulated in her relationship, and after yet another violent beating whilst she was pregnant, Ava was helped to a women's refuge with her children.Listening to the stories of other women there, Ava began thinking back to where it all started to go wrong. Brought up by a mother who never loved her, Ava sought that missing care and warmth elsewhere. Running away to her father's home as a teenager, she thought she might finally be safe. But after being abused by her own brother, she was thrown out onto the streets. Ava searched for the love she had been desperately missing her whole life, and ended up in a relationship controlled by domestic violence.Lifted by the strength of the other women around her, Ava found a new home, a fresh start and never looked back - with her loving children by her side.*In aid of the NSPCC: for each paperback book sold, Bonnier Books UK shall donate 2.5% of its net receipts to the NSPCC (registered charity numbers 216401 and SC037717).*

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Book SynopsisFrom No.1 bestselling author Toni Maguire comes a new true story of abuse and survival. Gerry was only a young girl when she was first abused by her father. His evil acts were followed by abuse from her local priest, arranged by her father. After her mother found out about the abuse, and believing there was nothing she could do to help her child, she committed suicide. Gerry and her siblings were split up and placed in different foster homes, all knowing they were unlikely to see each other ever again. Told that her mother had committed a grave sin, her foster parents were far from kind to her. She experienced years of loneliness, feeling completely abandoned. The abuse Gerry experienced was so extensive it led to her needing an operation to repair the damage her body went through. When asked who or what had been responsible, she responded 'the priest'. But she was not believed in her small northern town in the 60s, where everyone believed a priest took his orders directly from God. After finally meeting her kind and caring husband a few years ago, and after celebrating her 60th birthday, Gerry decided it was time for her story to be told. This is her true story of survival.

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Book Synopsis'Very occasionally a journalist starts an avalanche with a single gunshot... Chris Mullin and his TV colleagues belong in the glorious company."-The Observer'One of the greatest feats ever achieved by an investigative reporter'-Sebastian Faulks, the Independent on Sunday'Whoever planted the bombs in Birmingham...also planted a bomb under the British legal establishment'-Robert Harris, Sunday TimesError of Judgment lit a fire under the establishment when it was first published, shattering the prosecution case against six Irishmen charged with the Birmingham Bombings and going on to change the course of British legal history.On the evening of 21st November 1974, bombs planted by the IRA in two crowded Birmingham pubs exploded, killing 21 people and injuring at least 170. Within a day of the explosion, six men - Paddy Hill, Gerry Hunter, Richard McIlkenny, Billy Power, Johnny Walker and Hughie Callaghan - were arrested and charged. All were found guilty.Methodically, with total clarity and a tone that is both gripping and impassioned, then investigative journalist Mullin unpicked every detail of the case, revealing gaping holes in the prosecution case and the horrifying consequences of an establishment determined to close ranks.Now 50 years on from the Birmingham Bombings and with new writing from Mullin, this classic edition of Error of Judgement tells the complete story of one of the most significant miscarriages of justice ever. As relevant now as it was when it was first published, it's an essential text on corruption, violence and bias in British policing and justice.Trade ReviewVery occasionally a journalist starts an avalanche with a single gunshot: William Howard Russell of The Times on the condition of the British Army in the Crimea in the 1850s; WT Stead of the Pall Mall Gazette on child prostitution in London in the 1890s; a handful of others. Chris Mullin and his TV colleagues belong in the glorious company * The Observer *One of the greatest feats ever achieved by an investigative reporter * Sebastian Faulks, the Independent On Sunday *Whoever planted the bombs in Birmingham...also planted a bomb under the British legal establishment * Robert Harris, Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisIn March 1972, four young black men were arrested by a specialist pickpocket squad at Oval Underground Station and charged with theft and assault of police officers. Sentenced to two years in prison, the case seemed straightforward and credible to the judge and jury who convicted them – but these young men were completely innocent, victims of endemic police corruption. The real criminal in this case was the notorious DS Derek Ridgewell, later proven to be heavily involved in organised crime.Graham Satchwell, at one time Britain’s most senior railway detective, has worked with Oval Four victim Winston Trew to reveal the rotten culture that not only enabled Ridgewell to operate as he did, but also to subsequently organise major thefts of property worth in excess of £1 million. Winston Trew’s case was finally overturned in December 2019, but the far-reaching ramifications of Ridgewell’s shocking activities has irreparably damaged many lives and must never be forgotten.

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Book SynopsisA NEW YORK TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARA New York Times bestseller, the incredible true story of a couple that escaped slavery in the South and eventually made their way to the UK, Africa and beyond.The remarkable true story of Ellen and William Craft, who escaped slavery through daring, determination, and disguise, with Ellen passing as a wealthy, disabled White man and William posing as "his" slave.In 1848, a year of international democratic revolt, a young, enslaved couple, Ellen and William Craft, achieved one of the boldest feats of self-emancipation in history. Posing as master and slave, while sustained by their love as husband and wife, they made their escape together across more than 1,000 miles, riding steamboats, carriages, and trains that took them from bondage in Georgia to the free states of the North.Along the way, they dodged slave traders, military officers, and even friends of their enslavers, who might have revealed their true identities. The tale of their adventure soon made them celebrities, and generated headlines around the country. Audiences could not get enough of this charismatic young couple, who travelled the country drawing thunderous applause as they spoke alongside some of the greatest abolitionists of the day.But even then, they were not out of danger. With the passage of an infamous new Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, all Americans became accountable for returning refugees like the Crafts to slavery. Then yet another adventure began, as the Crafts fled to England to embark upon a new life.With three epic journeys compressed into one monumental bid for freedom, Master Slave Husband Wife recounts both a ground-breaking quest for liberty and justice, and an unforgettable love story.Trade Review'Ellen and William Craft loved each other, but also loved freedom, and knew one was impossible without the other ... we readers gasp in amazement and wonder at the tragedy and triumph' -- Marlon James, winner of The Booker Prize'A feat of ... storytelling, sympathy and insight' * The New York Times *'Woo's history draws from a variety of sources, including the Crafts' own account, to reconstruct a 'journey of mutual self-emancipation', while artfully sketching the background of a nation careering toward civil war' * The New Yorker *'Phenomenal' -- Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois'A suspenseful, sensitively rendered account . . . Woo tells the story [with] a cinematic eye' -- W. Caleb McDaniel * The New York Times Book Review *'Superbly researched and masterfully written' * Library Journal *'A gripping adventure. . . . suspenseful and wonderfully told' * Kirkus Reviews *'A pathbreaking book ... Riveting' -- Stuart Miller * The Los Angeles Times *'A narrative of such courage and resourcefulness it seems too dashing to be true. But it is... The story is so richly dramatic, and Ms. Woo so skilled at spinning it out, that at times it's a genuine nail-biter' -- Priscilla M. Jensen * The Wall Street Journal *'Master Slave Husband Wife tells one of the most important stories of American slavery and freedom. With prose that is suspenseful, brilliantly detailed, historically precise, and simply gorgeous, Woo depicts the Crafts and their historic role in antebellum America stunningly. This is a story that will stay with you for a lifetime' -- Imani Perry * author of South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation *'Details of the history of 19th-century American slavery and the courage of those who suffered it and the inhuman vileness of those who were responsible for it' -- Patrick Stewart * interviewed in The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisOn Thursday 9th October 1986, Michelle Hadaway's worst fears came true. After watching her daughter Karen playing in the neighbour's garden with her best friend Nicola, Michelle returned to cook dinner for her family. Unbeknownst to her, this would be the last time she would ever see Karen alive.In the following days and months, shocking details would come to light about the nature of Karen and Nicola's murders, and the case which had come to be known as 'the Babes in the Wood murders' would lead to one of the most infamous and cruellest miscarriages of justice in British history.For decades, Michelle fought tirelessly to bring justice to her daughter's murder, shining light on countless police failings and media manipulations in the process. Finally, in 2018 after 32 years of suffering, Russell Bishop, the man Michelle had long known to be guilty, was sentenced in court.This is the story of two stolen lives, of the long road to justice, but most of all the story of a mother's love and determination.

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Book Synopsis'Powerful' Financial Times'More twists and turns than a Hollywood spy thriller' Spectator'A story we all need to hear' New Statesman'Gripping... Araujo's accretion of detail has a powerful effect' New York Times'Excellent' Kirkus ReviewsDeep in the heart of the Amazon, an entire region has lived under the control of one notorious land baron: Josélio de Barros. Josélio cut a grisly path to success: having arrived in the jungle with a shady past, he quickly made a name for himself as an invincible thug who grabbed massive tracts of public land, burned down the jungle and executed or enslaved anyone trying to stop him.Enter Dezinho, the leader of a small but robust farm workers' union fighting against land grabs, ecological destruction, and blatant human rights abuses. When Dezinho was killed in a shocking assassination, the local community held its breath. Would Josélio, whom everyone knew had ordered the hit, finally be brought to account? Or would authorities look the other way, as they had hundreds of times before?Dezinho's widow, Dona Joelma, was not about to let that happen. After his murder, she stepped into the spotlight, orchestrating a huge push to bring national media attention to the injustices in the Amazon.Set against the backdrop of Bolsonaro's devastating cuts to environmental protections, Brazil's rapidly changing place in the geopolitical spectrum, and the Amazon's crucial role in climate change, Masters of the Lost Land is both a gripping epic into one of the last wild places on Earth and an urgent illustration of how people are fighting for - and winning - justice for their futures and the environment.Trade ReviewGripping... Araujo's accretion of detail has a powerful effect * New York Times *Heriberto Araújo tells a story you likely haven't heard before... this book is uniquely informative about one of the most important social conflicts of our time * Prospect *A compelling and forensically researched piece of investigative reporting... [with] more twists and turns than a Hollywood spy thriller. * Spectator *Such narrative diligence feels like a necessary corrective to a reality mired in crime and cover-up... this book tells a story we all need to hear. * New Statesman *A meticulously researched, vivid and complex picture of the violence and corruption at the heart of the Amazon * Geographical *[A] deeply researched report from the front lines of the battle for the Amazon. * Publishers Weekly *An arresting examination of the history of extreme deforestation and violence in the Brazilian Amazon... Excellent * Kirkus Reviews *A gripping true crime mystery that transports readers into the heart of the Amazon to witness the human toll of its destruction and the incredible will of its people to fight for the future of this unique place - and the planet. Masterfully reported and engagingly written, this is a must-read. * Greg Grandin, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The End of the Myth *This is journalism at its absolute best, made even more impressive when one considers the obstacles, obfuscation and threats so often encountered there when trying to ferret out the truth... an essential book. * Joe Jackson, author of The Thief at the End of the World: Rubber, Power, and the Seeds of Empire *With a journalist's insight and a scholar's scrutiny, Heriberto Araujo tells the timeless story of dominance, displacement, murder and social injustice that drive large-scale environmental destruction * Roman Dial, author of The Adventurer’s Son *A tour de force... Araújo's masterful reporting from the frontlines in the war for the world's most important tropical biome should be required reading for policy makers, and for anyone who cares about the fight for social and environmental justice for Amazonia's forest peoples. * Jeremy M. Campbell, author of Conjuring Property: Speculation and Environmental Futures in the Brazilian Amazon *Heriberto Araújo, drawing on his years of research, has written an essential journalistic account of the murder, mayhem and mind-boggling corruption surrounding the assault on the Amazon. * Dr. Gary Sick, Columbia University, Board Member of Human Rights Watch *Heriberto Araujo does a significant service to Amazonia by providing a look into the social hell that accompanies the destruction of the Amazon rainforest... No one can read this account without coming to the conclusion that we must prevent such events from continuing. * Philip M. Fearnside, National Institute for Research in the Amazon *Highly readable * The Economist on China's Silent Army *Fascinating and vivid * Spectator on China's Silent Army *Truly impressive * Financial Times on China's Silent Army *Table of Contents1: The Escape 2: The Criminal Syndicate 3: Terror on the Nut Road 4: The Chainsaw Murder 5: The Boomtown 6: Early Challenges 7: Crickets and Cattle 8: No Longer Meek 9: Hunting Souza 10: Nowhere to Hide 11: Nothing Shining in Eldorado 12: Death and Salvation 13: An Unusual Case 14: The Evidence Man 15: A Cause Larger Than Death 16: The Law of the Gun 17: Land or We Burn the Jungle 18: Amazonian Justice 19: Sink or Swim 20: The Widow Must Fall 21: "Load the Trucks" 22: She Is Out 23: The Trial 24: A Certain Sense of Justice 25: Epilogue

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Book Synopsis'Powerful and Important' Guardian'Powerful' Financial Times'More twists and turns than a Hollywood spy thriller' Spectator'A story we all need to hear' New Statesman'Gripping... Araujo's accretion of detail has a powerful effect' New York Times*Shortlisted for the Moore Prize for Human Rights Writing*Deep in the heart of the Amazon, an entire region has lived under the control of one notorious land baron: Josélio de Barros. Josélio cut a grisly path to success: having arrived in the jungle with a shady past, he quickly made a name for himself as an invincible thug who grabbed massive tracts of public land, burned down the jungle and executed or enslaved anyone trying to stop him.Enter Dezinho, the leader of a small but robust farm workers' union fighting against land grabs, ecological destruction, and blatant human rights abuses. When Dezinho was killed in a shocking assassination, the local community held its breath. Would Josélio, whom everyone knew had ordered the hit, finally be brought to account? Or would authorities look the other way, as they had hundreds of times before?Dezinho's widow, Dona Joelma, was not about to let that happen. After his murder, she stepped into the spotlight, orchestrating a huge push to bring national media attention to the injustices in the Amazon.Set against the backdrop of Bolsonaro's devastating cuts to environmental protections, Brazil's rapidly changing place in the geopolitical spectrum, and the Amazon's crucial role in climate change, Masters of the Lost Land is both a gripping epic into one of the last wild places on Earth and an urgent illustration of how people are fighting for - and winning - justice for their futures and the environment.Trade ReviewGripping... Araujo's accretion of detail has a powerful effect * New York Times *Heriberto Araújo tells a story you likely haven't heard before... this book is uniquely informative about one of the most important social conflicts of our time * Prospect *A compelling and forensically researched piece of investigative reporting... [with] more twists and turns than a Hollywood spy thriller. * Spectator *Such narrative diligence feels like a necessary corrective to a reality mired in crime and cover-up... this book tells a story we all need to hear. * New Statesman *A meticulously researched, vivid and complex picture of the violence and corruption at the heart of the Amazon * Geographical *[A] deeply researched report from the front lines of the battle for the Amazon. * Publishers Weekly *An arresting examination of the history of extreme deforestation and violence in the Brazilian Amazon... Excellent * Kirkus Reviews *A gripping true crime mystery that transports readers into the heart of the Amazon to witness the human toll of its destruction and the incredible will of its people to fight for the future of this unique place - and the planet. Masterfully reported and engagingly written, this is a must-read. * Greg Grandin, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The End of the Myth *This is journalism at its absolute best, made even more impressive when one considers the obstacles, obfuscation and threats so often encountered there when trying to ferret out the truth... an essential book. * Joe Jackson, author of The Thief at the End of the World: Rubber, Power, and the Seeds of Empire *With a journalist's insight and a scholar's scrutiny, Heriberto Araujo tells the timeless story of dominance, displacement, murder and social injustice that drive large-scale environmental destruction * Roman Dial, author of The Adventurer’s Son *A tour de force... Araújo's masterful reporting from the frontlines in the war for the world's most important tropical biome should be required reading for policy makers, and for anyone who cares about the fight for social and environmental justice for Amazonia's forest peoples. * Jeremy M. Campbell, author of Conjuring Property: Speculation and Environmental Futures in the Brazilian Amazon *Heriberto Araújo, drawing on his years of research, has written an essential journalistic account of the murder, mayhem and mind-boggling corruption surrounding the assault on the Amazon. * Dr. Gary Sick, Columbia University, Board Member of Human Rights Watch *Heriberto Araujo does a significant service to Amazonia by providing a look into the social hell that accompanies the destruction of the Amazon rainforest... No one can read this account without coming to the conclusion that we must prevent such events from continuing. * Philip M. Fearnside, National Institute for Research in the Amazon *Highly readable * The Economist on China's Silent Army *Fascinating and vivid * Spectator on China's Silent Army *Truly impressive * Financial Times on China's Silent Army *Table of Contents1: The Escape 2: The Criminal Syndicate 3: Terror on the Nut Road 4: The Chainsaw Murder 5: The Boomtown 6: Early Challenges 7: Crickets and Cattle 8: No Longer Meek 9: Hunting Souza 10: Nowhere to Hide 11: Nothing Shining in Eldorado 12: Death and Salvation 13: An Unusual Case 14: The Evidence Man 15: A Cause Larger Than Death 16: The Law of the Gun 17: Land or We Burn the Jungle 18: Amazonian Justice 19: Sink or Swim 20: The Widow Must Fall 21: "Load the Trucks" 22: She Is Out 23: The Trial 24: A Certain Sense of Justice 25: Epilogue

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Book SynopsisPraise for Luke and Ryan Hart's memoir:'A powerful, searing account from incredible brothers and an important contribution to our understanding of domestic abuse' Victoria Derbyshire'... a courageous account of domestic abuse and the devasting impact it has on families' Jeremy Corbyn MP'Relevant and inspiring' Chris Green, White Ribbon UKOn 19 July 2016, Claire and Charlotte Hart were murdered, in broad daylight, by the family's father. He shot his wife and daughter with a sawn-off shotgun before committing suicide.REMEMBERED FOREVER is the shocking story of what led to this terrible crime. Luke and Ryan Hart, the family's two surviving sons, lived under the terror of coercive control. Their father believed that his family members were simply possessions, never referring to them by their names ... just as Woman, Boy, Girl. Written by the boys, but laced with the voices of Claire and Charlotte, this gripping and moving account brings deeper understanding to the shocking crime of domestic abuse and homicide.Luke and Ryan Hart have become spokespeople for the victims who are so often silenced but must never be forgotten.Trade ReviewIn the words of the great Angela Davis, "I'm no longer accepting the things I cannot change, I'm changing the things I cannot accept", and it is with this boldness that Luke and Ryan have used their own experience of domestic abuse to help others. - Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of Labour PartyA powerful, searing account from incredible brothers and an important contribution to our understanding of domestic abuse. - BBCA determination to create light from darkness. - Suzanne Jacob OBE, Chief Executive SafeLivesI have been working at Refuge for 35 years, yet I am humbled by the sheer courage and sense of righteousness Luke and Ryan have shown since their mother and sister were brutally killed at the hands of their father. - Sandra Horley CBE, Chief Executive RefugeWhat Luke and Ryan have achieved by writing their memoir is to give their mother and sister a voice. Luke and Ryan Hart become the lighthouse in this book, courageously sending out their warning signal about the danger of coercive control and why it must always be taken seriously. - Katie Ghose, Chief Executive Women's AidI knew that their story was one which millions should hear. It is the most relevant and inspiring account that I have heard in the 15 years I have been active in challenging men's abuse and violence towards women and girls. - Chris Green OBE, Founder White Ribbon UK

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Book Synopsis''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 Dimbleby, bestselling authorThe international bestseller that is perfect for readers of Last Stop Auschwitz, The Volunteer and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.---- The 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 for months 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 t

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Book SynopsisPeter Clutterbuck recounts his lifelong experience and love of adventure as he crosses oceans, mountain ranges and continents. This is an astonishing story of risk, jeopardy, achievement and wonder.

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Book SynopsisThis book follows the gripping stories of two different Australian nursing sisters, who overcame the challenging adversities of two very different circumstances. In the 1930s, Marjorie Silver was employed by The Far West Childrens Health Scheme and became their first permanent flying sister, based in Bourke. She fought a single-handed war against heat, dust and isolation of the outback to bring vital medical assistance to the far west of New South Wales, before moving on to central Queensland where she established a clinic at Mt Margaret station, in close co-operation with the flying doctor, based at Charleville. In 1964, she moved to Brunette Downs, Northern Territory, where she continued to make use of her nursing skills at the Aboriginal Camp and in the stations hospital. This previously untold story also involves the topical Nancy Bird, who was employed as the sister''s pilot for the first nine months. Whilst Sister Silver was fighting a battle against the harsh elements of the bus

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Book SynopsisFollowing disaster in a storm, a story of courage emerges. This true tale of a seemingly impossible underwater rescue explores the determined spirit and the unwavering power of hope.

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Book Synopsis'We were just sacks of flesh existing as punchbags for their rage, or toys for their entertainment'Chris Wild lost his dad aged 11, leaving him to grow up in the care system. There, he witnessed the incessant physical and sexual abuse of children, with the only escape leading to the streets. So many others like him, failed by the systems put in place to protect them, ended up with nothing but drink, drugs, prostitution and crime as their normality.Later, working in a care home himself became the only way Chris could help, but he was shocked to discover little had changed and vulnerable children were still being failed. In Damaged, he shares heartbreaking memories of the care system along with the stories of all the boys, girls, men and women he met along the way - exposing why we must take action now to protect all of Britain's forgotten children.Trade ReviewA powerful book that pulls on your heartstrings * Denise Welch *Chris Wild's searing exposé of life in and around the children's care system in the early 1990s... this no-holds-barred, often distressingly graphic depiction of young lives lost to neglect and abuse in the north of England. The reader is at once moved, outraged and ashamed. Moved, because you would need a granite heart not to weep at the brutal destruction of innocence; outraged at how the perpetrators could get away with so much for so long, and how the system's indifference facilitated such horrors, and ashamed because chances are that you and I have, at some point, walked past and ignored these lost souls on the high street or in our local park...Read the book, get angry, and do anything and everything to ensure that, even in times of austerity and budget cuts, that those charged with caring for our nation's children remain scrutinised and accountable to the public. * outnewsglobal.com *

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Book SynopsisA treasure trove of the most exciting tales of adventure afloat: from mountainous seas to a tropical paradise; from the majestic square rigger to the humble homemade yacht. The exploits of sailing's greatest names are recounted, along with an eclectic mix of voyages that never made the headlines yet make compelling reading. Now back in hardback.

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Book SynopsisJean-Luc Van Den Heede has rounded Cape Horn 12 times and completed 6 solo circumnavigations, achieving 5 race podiums and 1 world record (circumnavigation against the prevailing winds and currents, which he still holds). He finished third then second in the VendÃe Globe and won the retro (âas in 1968â) Golden Globe Race in 2019 at the age of 73.

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Book SynopsisMy mother was a prostitute. My grandmother and great-grandmother were prostitutes.Maybe I should have given the family business a chance...BBC RADIO 4 PICK OF THE WEEK, Katie Puckrik'Eliska's story is an extraordinary and powerful read. It's the ultimate book about survival and an against-all-odds fight to make it in life. Highly recommend.' Clover Stroud'A scintillating, devastating memoir, and a fiercely witty and unabashed tribute to the toughness of the human spirit.' Damian Le Bas__________________________________________________To westerners, being Gypsy means being wild, romantic and free.To Eliska Tanzer, it means being rented out to dance for older men. It means living without running water. It means not being allowed a job or an education. It means being stuffed into a bare room with all your aunts and cousins, fighting over the thin, stained blanket the way you fight over the last piece of half-mouldy bread.It means joining the family prostitution ring when you're still a child.But Eliska was given a way out. Slung out of Hoe School and shipped to England in a washing machine box, she thought she had made it. But her dream soon turned into a nightmare.A moving and timely memoir from a powerful new voice in literature.Trade Review'A remarkable book about the hardest of beginnings written in a voice that is vibrant, sparkling, full of irrepressible humour, compassionate intelligence and ultimately forgiveness' Catherine Simpson -- Catherine Simpson'A scintillating, devastating memoir, and a fiercely witty and unabashed tribute to the toughness of the human spirit.' Damian Le Bas'Eliska's story is an extraordinary and powerful read. It's the ultimate book about survival and an against-all-odds fight to make it in life. Highly recommend.' Clover Stroud

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Book SynopsisA true story of resilience, survival and achievement, and a heartbreaking tale of a father's complicity in his own family's disintegration.In Yorkshire in the 1950s, Suz Evasdaughter, aged just 5, is moved to a children's home with her brothers. Confused, little Suz begins to blame herself for her mother's death. Her father eventually brings them back, but instead of finding a safe haven to rebuild their family, Suz finds herself plunged into a life of misery at the mercy of an uncaring and brutal stepmother.Unwanted tells the story of Suz's struggle to escape from her broken home and leave her fractured past behind her. But lurking in the shadows is a dark family secret...

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Book SynopsisA compelling true story of one woman’s battle with the aftermath of childhood trauma, which gives a gripping account of the often controversial and misunderstood condition of dissociative identity disorder (DID), formerly known as multiple personality disorder (MPD). This emotional but ultimately uplifting journey details the unforeseen twists and turns of the effects of therapy and how it can help in coming to terms with the past and its unsettling echoes in the present. Heartwarming and lucid, it’s an inspiring tale for all to read. Through its clinical rigour, professional therapists will also gain insight into the various treatment options for DID, including the innovative use of energy therapy. The book contains 32 colour illustrations, including 24 drawings by The Girls. The star of this book is an extraordinary, bright-spirited, and entertaining six-year-old girl, called Little Vivvi, who experienced shocking abuse from members of her family. Yet Little Vivvi lives within Vivian, a middle-aged woman who has struggled with DID for many years. The challenging process of psychotherapy is laid bare, as Little Vivvi wrestles with overwhelming memories of childhood abuse. Alongside talking therapy, energy treatment, which she calls Wooshing, is utilised to astonishing effect, becoming the enigmatic ingredient that finally enables Little Vivvi to find relief from the distress and fear that had dominated her existence. As therapy seems to draw to a close, Izzy appears. A very sensitive, thoughtful and mature eight-year-old, Izzy too needs love, support and treatment to speak about her trauma. After overcoming her understandable distrust, Izzy enables an exceptional ending to the therapeutic journey, far beyond anything Vivian and her therapist, Gill, could have dreamed. Little Vivvi and Izzy will make you want to laugh out loud as well as cry. Their story teaches so much about suffering, dissociation and survival. Their aim is to enlighten, inspire and offer hope to others through reading their incredible tales, which reveal the astonishing power of The Girls within.Trade ReviewWritten by counsellor, psychotherapist and clinical tutor Gill Frost, The Girls Within relates the moving case study of Vivian, a woman struggling with the impact of extreme childhood trauma. The tough subject is handled with extraordinary compassion, and written in a compellingly clear, warm style that will engage laypeople and psychotherapy professionals alike. While Vivian’s childhood experiences and resulting adulthood disorders are affectingly harrowing, the restorative twelve-year relationship between patient and therapist brings waves of joy. ‘After a horrific childhood, Vivian went on to a nursing career with no signs of trauma until she and her husband began couple therapy. It was then Vivian first spoke of the emotional, physical and sexual abuse she suffered as a child, and began to experience flashbacks, seizures and dissociative identity disorder (DID). As the author explains, “Dissociating is something we all do at times when we are feeling uncomfortable or in pain, either physically or emotionally… in order to relieve the discomfort we would otherwise experience”, but in extreme cases like Vivian’s, “dissociation can evolve into dissociative identity disorder (DID).” ‘This tells the story of two girls living within Vivian: six-year-old Little Vivvi (whose drawings are featured in the book) and teenage Izzy, and of the innovative therapies that spoke to Vivian during therapy, most notably Advanced Integrative Therapy, a form of “energy psychology” that holistically links body and mind, and draws on traditional knowledge like chakras. The twelve-year connection between patient and therapist recounted here is a complex, looping, juddering rollercoaster ride; a journey readers will feel deeply invested in, and much compassion for. -- Joanne Owen, LoveReading.co.ukIt takes a unique kind of courage to go to deep places with a client who becomes a constellation of clients. Gill Frost has that courage, allied to the bravery of Vivian, Little Vivvi, Izzy, and others. The result is a compelling account of therapy that touches the soul. -- Alistair Ross, Associate Professor – Psychotherapy, Oxford UniversityThis book is a gift to people living and working with dissociative identity disorder. Thank you to Vivian and all her internal family for allowing Gill to share their incredible journey. The genuineness and power of this story captures the innate drive to survive a childhood that is beyond horrendous. ‘Gill’s honesty with her own challenging journey, which runs parallel to that of Vivian and her internal family, allows the reader to share her roller coaster of emotions: elation, confusion, total despair, sadness, frustration, and, at times, peace and joy. ‘Clinicians reading this book will welcome how Gill continually emphasises the importance of the therapeutic relationship with all the parts and how, when this is firmly established and in partnership with Vivian, she introduces advanced integrative therapy (AIT), “Wooshing” to little Vivvi and “Calming Therapy” to Izzy. This offers a unique insight into how other therapies can support the core therapy when the conditions are right. Gill’s respectful curiosity and loving approach at all times is validating for each part, enabling trust to be experienced for the first time in their lives. Her firm and consistent boundaries, which are at the heart of the healing process, provide the bedrock on which this amazing journey unfolds. Making the links to difficulties in adult Vivian’s life helps us all to understand the impact of unresolved childhood abuse that continues to have an impact on every hour of every day. ‘This book has captured the way different personalities have developed, how important each role was in survival, and how logical they are within the context of Vivian’s childhood. The beauty of this story is tangible on every page and I want to thank Vivian, Little Vivvi, Izzy, and the other parts for allowing us to hear and share their story. I also want to thank the whole team because this book will offer hope and insight to survivors, therapists, and many others. Through the humane storytelling, we can all, whatever depths we plunge to, know things can change and to always hold onto this. ‘“Tough emotions are our contact with life,” says Susan David, psychologist – be mindful of this when reading this book. -- Melanie Goodwin, co-founder and chair of First Person PluralGill Frost, with her client Vivian and internal family, have written a remarkable book – a full and detailed account of a successful but lengthy psychotherapy of dissociative identity disorder (DID), resulting in a harmonious association of previously dissociated personality parts. This engaging narrative describes the inevitable challenges to the therapist’s assumptions, theoretical framework, and technique presented by DID – and the need to adapt and respond to the particular traumas, roles and functions, and age-specific cognitions of different dissociative alters. A crucial component was the use of an energy psychology modality, known as AIT but internally called ‘Whooshing’. The resulting text is a very significant contribution to the literature in the three areas of trauma, DID, and energy psychotherapy. -- Phil Mollon, PhD, psychoanalyst and energy psychotherapist. author of ‘Multiple Selves, Multiple Voices’This is an inspirational book which tells gripping, interweaving real-life stories. First, it is about the respectful relationship between a thoughtful therapist and a courageous patient (and parts of a patient) with dissociative identity disorder. Second, with the subject hardly included in UK trainings, it helpfully shows Gill Frost’s responsible and reflective ways of making sense of what is happening, the hopes and hurdles. Third, we witness the hard work and integrity of all “the girls within” as they dare to tell their stories and offer their pieces of the jigsaw. At times harrowing, although never gratuitously, and ultimately hopeful, the unfolding account of “the girls within” will help professionals and survivors alike. -- Dr Valerie Sinason 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award ISSTDTable of ContentsIntroduction: Distant memories – devastated lives Part I: The comings and goings of Little Vivvi 1. First meeting 2. New room 3. Trauma treatment 4. Telephone talks 5. Greek tragedy 6. The aftermath 7. The problem with being a girl 8. Dark nights 9. Christmas 2013 10. Cabin fever 11. Preparing ground 12. Breaking news 13. The fallout 14. The three faces of Vivian 15. Just Angry 16. New boundaries 17. Increasing integration 18. The book 19. An exorcism 20. The fear of being alone 21. Role reversal 22. Mothers and daughters 23. Team work 24. Talk! Talk! Part II: And then there was Izzy 25. Black shadows of the night 26. Striking a deal 27. Out of hiding 28. Belief after betrayal 29. Poor Baby 30. A slipped disc 31. Internal family systems 32. The joy of being inside out 33. Night terrors 34. A burning rage 35. Down to the wire 36. Beyond the chequered flag Postscript Epilogue by Vivian The last word from Little Vivvi Family trees Acknowledgements About the author References Glossary Resources

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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 SynopsisOn Valentine’s Day in 1981, a fire in the Stardust nightclub in Dublin killed 48 young people, and left behind one orphan, Lisa Lawlor. Now, on the 40th anniversary, Lisa tells her story of the tragic events of that evening and how they have shaped her life.She was just seventeen months old when the Stardust nightclub went up in flames. Her parents, Francis and Maureen Lawlor, were a young couple very much in love. Since Lisa’s birth, they rarely went out at night, but this time they allowed a friend to persuade them to go for a few drinks at the Stardust. They never came home. In the wake of the disaster, Lisa’s paternal grandparents stepped in and took care of her. Throughout her childhood, they tried to fill the gaping hole in her life with gifts, but nothing really helped — and inevitably resentment started to simmer in the extended family. As several members of her family succumbed to addiction and crime, she suffered abuse and struggled to find her own path. Stardust Baby is the heart-breaking story of a woman whose every waking moment has taken place in the shadow of those awful flames and of an extended family that toppled into dysfunction in the overwhelming face of tragedy. It is also an uplifting story of resilience, hope, love and determination — as, despite it all, Lisa found the strength to carry on, for herself and her children. A percentage of the royalties from sales of the book will be donated to the Stardust campaign.

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Book SynopsisJoanne Phillips’ ordeal began aged 13 when she was gang-raped in her bedroom by local boys. Following the trauma, she dropped out of school, was befriended by an older man and was forced into prostitution aged 16. Over the next six years, she was raped by over 500 men, starved, beaten, and transported around the country to brothels. Forced to have sex with men from all walks of life including lawyers, stockbrokers, doctors, a parish councillor, Joanne was even made to have sex with her former school headteacher – who didn’t recognise her. Every attempt to flee failed. Police warned her mother and stepdad she had chosen the lifestyle and even threatened to charge her parents with living off immoral earnings if they allowed her to move back. Escape seemed impossible, until one day she couldn’t take any more. Just before her 21st birthday, Joanne eventually escaped her enslavement. After being left alone briefly in a London flat, where she was expected to work, she took a chance after finding a bag of money and a handgun. Fearing for her life, she fled into the night with nothing but a plastic bag of cash. After catching a train to Northern Ireland, she found her real dad and hid at his home from her pimp. Desperate to readjust to normal life, she found a job and went on to study at university. But when she tried to explain to a new boyfriend about her past, he didn’t believe any of it was true, so she vowed to keep the abuse a secret – until years later, a conversation with one of her own teenage daughters changed her life...

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Book SynopsisSince August 2020, the intimidation of witnesses and journalists has surged in Sri Lanka. Twelve Cries from Home navigates the memories and stories of twelve war survivors, mostly women and relatives of the disappeared, who wished to have their stories retold so that a permanent record might be made, and so that those outside the country might understand their experiences. The outcome of a journey across the island in late 2018 by writer and Professor of Literature Minoli Salgado, who was revisiting her ancestral home, Twelve Cries from Home is deeply-layered and localised work of travelling witness. It returns to the concept of home as a place of belonging and security, which is a lost ideal for most, and uses a Sri Lankan measure of distance – the call, or hoowa – to ask how we might attend to stories that are difficult to tell and to hear. Exploring the bitter complexity of war by presenting stories from four regions of Sri Lanka, it reveals the complex network of relationships between the agents of conflict and their victims, as well as the blurred boundary between victims and perpetrators, the role of informers and the process of ethical repair after traumatic experience. Twelve Cries from Home offers a rare glimpse into a country subject to enforced self-censorship, allowing us to take stock of social and political developments in Sri Lanka and what has and has not been achieved in light of the transitional justice mechanisms promised to the UN.Trade Review"This collection of true stories is the vital afterwork of any war. Here, Salgado collects and records testimony from those caught up. We gasp at what is being shared. It must be shared, read, heard, collected, disseminated. This is prize-winning work.”"A deeply sensitive and sensitizing book that offers a sophisticated understanding of real pain. Twelve Cries From Home is driven by a humanity that provides moral anchor in a terrain where the darkest instincts reign free.""A valuable document of testimony gathered during a brief time of greater openness in a country still shattered by war and cruelty.""A masterpiece."

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Book Synopsis'As inspiring as it is enraging, Emily Hunt turns trauma into action, exposing a criminal justice system that fails women, and a culture that enables violence against us. A rallying call for change, and a powerful lesson in perseverance from a woman who would not give up.' The Guardian Emily was in a restaurant, having lunch with her father – the next thing she remembers is waking up, naked, in a strange hotel room, next to a man she did not know. She suspected she had been drugged, raped and later found out she had been filmed without her consent. What happened to her that night could have happened to anyone. What came next happens to far too many victims, as failures by the police, CPS and other parts of the system, led to Emily doubting she would ever find justice. Six years after her attack, Emily is an adviser to the UK Government on sexual violence. Part memoir and part investigation, We Need To Talk looks at how rape is a mainstream, everyday problem deeply damaging victims, their families, their workplaces and the economy. This is a conversation starter about why we don’t talk about rape; that the only cause of rape is rapists, not rape victims; who commits rape and why; the reasons why society defaults to blaming the victim; and ultimately how we need to change and humanise the way we talk about rape in order to truly hear and support victims and end the current epidemic of sexual violence. Trade Review'I have just had the privilege of reading Emily's book, which should be mandatory reading for anyone working within the criminal justice system and third sector support organisations. Parents should discuss the issues it raises with their adult/adolescent children and every one of us should applaud Emily's bravery and unimaginable strength of character in achieving what she has over the past 6 plus years.' * Brian McKirdy, Governor, HMP Inverness *'Addressing the national crisis, affecting one in five women, that is rape begins with speaking its truth, of personal suffering and institutional indifference. It begins with books like We Need To Talk.' * Jolyon Maugham, Barrister, Director of the Good Law Project *"As inspiring as it is enraging, Emily Hunt turns trauma into action, exposing a criminal justice system that fails women, and a culture that enables violence against us. A rallying call for change, and a powerful lesson in perseverance from a woman who would not give up." * The Guardian, Emine Saner, journalist *'Essential reading for anyone teaching Consent and RSE in schools today. It shows with absolute clarity not only the devastating consequences of sexual violence but also the worrying lack of support available for victims.' * Luke Ramsden, Trustee of the Schools Consent Project *'Emily has a lot to say about something few want to hear. And speak she does so we can learn so much. Pain, resilience and hope throughout. Emily challenges us to talk about sexual violence, and after reading this book, you will want to have that conversation.' * Professor Betsy Stanko OBE, Academic lead of Operation Soteria Bluestone *'What a tour de force! Incredible. Emily combines what was a painful and extended trauma, with such an eloquent and clear poetic and angry voice.' * Professor Joanna Bourke, Historian & Author *'Written with such openness and vulnerable that as a survivor myself I feel so connected to her. This is an important book that is not only written in a way that brings the much overused phrase ‘lived experience’ to actual real life in a way I haven’t seen before, and that is with 15 years of existing in the sexual violence arena; but an important reference for all those who are invested in supporting all victims/survivors on their healing journey.' * Duncan Craig OBE *'Emily’s compelling account of what happened to her lays bare the systemic barriers to justice that rape victims experience. Her analysis of the failings of the criminal justice system and how she experienced them is a call to action – as a nation we must do better than this.' * Diana Fawcett, CEO Victim Support *'Emily is one of the bravest and most determined people I have ever met. This tells the unvarnished truth of her battle for justice and the barriers which were put in her way, and shows what one person can achieve.' * Philip Davies, MP *'Emily Hunt’s We Need to Talk is a clear-eyed and addictive account of injustice heaped upon injustice: how the systems designed to protect victims of rape repeatedly fail us. The book opens with the haunting moment when Emily wakes up drugged in a hotel room and expands to encompass her tireless fight for change — not just for herself but for the many victims whose stories are disbelieved and ignored by the criminal justice system. Persuasive, eye-opening, and poignant.' * Winnie M Li, Activist, survivor, and award-winning author of Complicit and Dark Chapter *

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Book Synopsis'Interesting. Fascinating. I wanted to hold Michelle's hand and say “We can do this"' - Louise Allen In 1972, Michelle Pearson gave up her son for adoption. As ‘one of those girls’, she was expected to hide her shame with secrecy. No one should ever find out she’d had a child. But she never forgot the son who was taken from her. In the years that followed she struggled with PTSD, traumatic memory loss, agoraphobia and anxiety – impacting every area of her life. This is Michelle’s story of love, loss and hope; of how over 50 years she has managed the consequences of living with her secret, survived the emotional pain, and finally, after being reunited with her son, the journey to rebuild their lives together.Trade Review'Michelle's story is powerful, deeply moving and the tip of the iceberg as far as the national scandal of forced adoption in Britain is concerned.' * Dr Michael Lambert *'Interesting. Fascinating. I wanted to hold Michelle's hand and say “We can do this"' * Louise Allen, author *

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Book SynopsisFrom the internationally bestselling author of The Radium Girls comes a dark but ultimately uplifting tale of a woman whose incredible journey still resonates today. Elizabeth Packard was an ordinary Victorian housewife and mother of six. That was, until the first Woman’s Rights Convention was held in 1848, inspiring Elizabeth and many other women to dream of greater freedoms. She began voicing her opinions on politics and religion — opinions that her husband did not share. Incensed and deeply threatened by her growing independence, he had her declared ‘slightly insane’ and committed to an asylum. Inside the Illinois State Hospital, Elizabeth found many other perfectly lucid women who, like her, had been betrayed by their husbands and incarcerated for daring to have a voice. But just because you are sane, doesn’t mean that you can escape a madhouse … Fighting the stigma of her gender and her supposed madness, Elizabeth embarked on a ceaseless quest for justice. It not only challenged the medical science of the day and saved untold others from suffering her fate, it ultimately led to a giant leap forward in human rights the world over.Trade Review'A fascinating story ... the writing is exquisite.’ * BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour *‘What an incredible narrative about a singular historical woman. In The Woman They Could Not Silence, Kate Moore once again utilises her astonishing talent in discovering the important, forgotten women of history. In bringing to life the account of Elizabeth Packard, wife and mother of six, Moore shares the stories of many sane women committed to insane asylums simply because they did not abide by the societal expectations about women and the one woman who successfully challenged these practices. Through these pages, Moore enthralls as she ensures that such women will be silent no more.’ -- Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie‘I have waited fifty years for this full-length biography of Elizabeth Parsons Ware Packard, and Kate Moore's The Woman They Could Not Silence is simply magnificent. It reads like a suspense novel: one is on the edge of her seat at all times; one cannot believe what happens next — and then after that. History comes alive as does the tragedy of women who were falsely judged "mad" and then incarcerated and tortured in 19th century American Insane Asylums. Moore's research is impeccable. She tells us the whole terrifying and thrilling story: the cost of battle, the triumph of cruel and corrupt misogynists, the nature of feminist victory. It is a complicated story and one brilliantly told. This book reads like a movie and it should be made into one.’ -- Phyllis Chesler, bestselling author and feminist leader‘With path-breaking research and electric prose, Kate Moore reveals just how crazy marriage laws once were — and how one unbeaten heroine helped make them sane.’ -- Elizabeth Cobbs, New York Times bestselling author of The Hello Girls: America's first women soldiers‘What a story — and what a telling! Kate Moore has hit another one out of the park. In the best tradition of The Radium Girls, Moore recounts the stunning true account of a woman who fought back against a tyrannical husband, a complicit doctor, and 19th-century laws that gave men shocking power to silence and confine their wives. By challenging these norms, Elizabeth Packard became a heroine on the scale of the suffragists. In Moore's expert hands, this beautifully-written tale unspools with drama and power, and puts Elizabeth Packard on the map at the most relevant moment imaginable. You will be riveted — and inspired. Bravo!’ -- Liza Mundy, New York Times bestselling author of Code Girls‘The Woman They Could Not Silence tells the captivating story of Elizabeth Packard, a forgotten heroine whose harrowing ordeal in an insane asylum seems straight from the mind of Stephen King — except every word is true. Blending impeccable research with novelistic flair, Kate Moore brings the indomitable Packard to brilliant life, and proves she belongs among our most celebrated women leaders.’ -- Abbott Kahler, author (as Karen Abbott) of The Ghosts of Eden Park‘This book will fill you with rage, despair, and determination. Moore has written a masterpiece of nonfiction, giving voice to the life of Elizabeth Packard, a crusader of humanity, who countless men tried to subdue. With elegant prose, and an epilogue that will leave you reeling, The Woman They Could Not Silence will linger long after the last page is read.’ -- Nathalia Holt, New York Times bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls‘Heartbreaking and devastatingly important — Kate Moore has a rare gift for combining impeccable research and brilliantly mesmerising storytelling. The Woman They Could Not Silence yanks back the curtain on the tragic and once-hidden injustices that ruined women's lives — and gives even more power to the one brave and undaunted voice that refused to be silent. You will cry, and then you will cheer, and then your life will be changed forever.’ -- Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of The First to Lie and Her Perfect Life‘Told with the urgency and passion of a novel, Kate Moore's deeply researched and thrilling study of Elizabeth Packard's fight against the power of psychiatric patriarchy in 19th century America will keep you up at night and illuminate women's ongoing battles for authority and respect.’ -- Elaine Showalter, literary critic, Professor Emerita at Princeton University, and author of The Female Malady‘The Woman They Could Not Silence is a remarkable story of perseverance in an unjust and hostile world. This book is rich with detail, powerful, and expertly researched, as Kate Moore describes the near-unbelievable nightmare of an "inconvenient" woman's commitment to a mental hospital and her subsequent fight for freedom against all odds. This book may take place 160 years ago, but it has so much to teach us about gender, misogyny, and medicine today. Thanks to Kate Moore's powerful work, Elizabeth Packard's name will live on in the minds of a new generation of readers.’ -- Susannah Cahalan, New York Times bestselling author of Brain on Fire and The Great Pretender‘Long overdue and completely worth the wait … This unnerving and inspirational saga from the 19th century still resonates with palpable urgency in the 21st. All credit to Kate Moore's keen research eye and narrative gifts for bringing this ever-relevant story to piercing light, one perfectly suited to this moment in our history.’ -- Denise Kiernan, New York Times bestselling author of We Gather Together‘A thrilling story.’ -- Kathryn Hughes * Mail on Sunday *‘The author of The Radium Girls returns with an inspiring story of the tireless 19th-century woman who fought against gender-based injustices … a vivid look at the life and times of a little-known pioneer of women's rights.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘Moore's expert research and impassioned storytelling combine to create an absolutely unputdownable account of Packard's harrowing experience. Readers will be shocked, horrified, and inspired. A veritable tour de force about how far women's rights have come and how far we still have to go … Put this book in the hands of every young feminist.’ * Booklist, starred review *‘In 1860, wife and mother Elizabeth Packard was committed to an insane asylum by her husband, who couldn't tolerate her insistence on speaking her mind. At the Illinois State Hospital, Elizabeth encountered women like her committed strictly as a means of control, and after winning her freedom she became an advocate for such women and for women's rights generally. From the author of the New York Times bestselling Radium Girls.’ * Library Journal *‘A riveting chronicle … Moore packs in plenty of drama without sacrificing historical fidelity, and paints Elizabeth's fierce intelligence and unflagging ambition with vibrant brushstrokes. Readers will be thrilled to discover this undersung early feminist hero.’ * Publishers Weekly, starred review *‘A must-read for anybody interested in women’s history or the history of reform in the United States. Like Radium Girls, this volume is a page-turner.’ -- Chad E. Statler * Library Journal, starred review *‘As this country waged war against slavery, a quiet heroine fought for the rights of women. A must read for all!’ -- Fran Ziegler, Titcomb's Bookshop‘[A]n inspiring portrait of someone who fought the system and won.’ -- Petra Mayer * NPR Books *‘Moore’s extensive research for this book is clear … she has produced such a compelling and emotional narrative that at times it’s easy to forget that you’re reading a piece of non-fiction … Packard’s story is a timely must-read.’ * All About History *‘[B]y the end of the book I was completely persuaded by the superhuman resilience and determination of our real-life heroine, who not only fights for her own freedom but for those of her fellow inmates and fellow wives.’ -- Maria Takolander * The Saturday Paper *‘Kate Moore's book is an important one, that deserves to be widely read.’ -- Penelope Cottier * The Canberra Times *‘Harrowing … fascinating … I simply adore Kate Moore’s writing.’ * Alpha Reader, starred reader *Praise for The Radium Girls: ‘Thrilling and carefully crafted.’ * Mail on Sunday *Praise for The Radium Girls: ‘Fascinating social history.’ * The Sunday Times *Praise for The Radium Girls: ‘Heartbreaking.’ * BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour *Praise for The Radium Girls: ‘Tragic but ultimately uplifting.’ * The Spectator *Praise for The Radium Girls: ‘Powerful.’ * Times Literary Supplement *Praise for The Radium Girls: ‘Heartfelt.’ * Sunday Telegraph *Praise for The Radium Girls: ‘Fascinating yet tragic.’ * The Sun *

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Book SynopsisIt started with a comment on social media, actually, that's not true, it had started long before then, but that comment led to a message, which led to several calls and ended with him driving his car into my house. Through the use of genuine text messages, I've opened up my life to show what I went through in the last two years, with an aggressive, lying, stealing, borderline alcoholic, sociopathic husband. I begin by taking you back to the start, where life was good, well, okay at least and as the story unfolds, you can see how not only his behaviour deteriorates, but how the drip drip effect led me to almost lose myself, in a painful and sometimes violent relationship. I show how you can move from a place where you hide your purse under your pillow, and go out with your passport in your handbag to a place of happiness, and I do this through the willingness to share my pain, my confusion and the struggles I went through in order to come out the other side. My Life with a Sociopath gives you access to the raw, unedited messages between me and my husband, which together with my honest commentary, provides an insight into psychological abuse. I hope that it may help those who find themselves in a similar situation and will be a voice for those who may have lost theirs.

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Book SynopsisCombining moment-by-moment drama with an emotional story of friendship and bravery,Escape from Kabulis also a searing insight into the captive fate of women in Afghanistan. In the twenty years since 2001, Afghan women obtained legal degrees, became judges and set out to transform their country - tackling corruption, and reducing horrifying levels of violence against women and children. These educated and powerful women led the mission to build a modern democracy that respected the rule of law and human rights.However, when Western forces withdrew in August 2021, the women judges of Afghanistan faced mortal danger. Escape from Kabul is the extraordinary, never-before-told story of their escape, and the shocking fates of those who were unable to flee. Bestselling, veteran journalist Karen Bartlett has had unique access to many of the women involved,including those in exile and the judges still trapped in Afghanistan, as well as the international network of women judges who were vital to the escape effort.

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Book SynopsisPart of the Hero Classics series?Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.?Douglass cultivated himself to such an extent that the listeners of his lectures doubted if his narratives were true. His autobiography is both a compelling tale of a slave and a contribution to the public discourse on slavery. His language is poetic and precise honed in its simplicity as if something artificially put together but immensely natural at the same time. Opening this book is opening the door into Douglass''s consciousness and tracking his inner journey of finding himself in the world: a story of his childhood and youth ? a long and laborious path to freedom. Douglass talks about the explicit punishments and tortures that slaves were exposed to. Despite the suffering, he emphasizes the power of self-education and continuous resistance that pushes one to fight their predicament. The publication of this book was such an unprecedented event that the author had to leave the US for Europe for about two years. The fact that Douglass''s experience and meditations were issued in print gave him a wider audience, not restricting dissemination of his beliefs to those who could physically come to his public speeches.The Hero Classics series: Meditations The Prophet A Room of One?s Own Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl The Art of War The Life of Charlotte Bronte The Republic The Prince Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

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Book Synopsis"It was like going through a door which had been locked all my life. I had walked past it every single day, afraid to even rattle the handle. Now I was smashing the locks, I was wrenching it from the hinges, and I was marching through. Here I am!" A woman whose mother twice tried to kill her as a child has won a ground-breaking battle in the supreme courts for the right to claim compensation. Monica Allan’s legal victory set a precedent and has opened the floodgates for others to claim in her wake. Thanks to her 12-year legal fight, other victims now have hope. Other victims now have a voice. In her memoir, Monica, 54, tells the story of her childhood, when her mother, Betty Mount, forced her head under running bathroom taps and tried to strangle her. She had previously tried to kill Monica as a baby. Monica was taken into foster care, where her new parents ran a brutal regime. To the outside world, the family was devoutly religious and respectable, but behind closed doors, Monica was physically and sexually abused. Failed by a second mother figure, she moved into her own home aged 18 and went on to have four children. Monica loved her children but battled constantly with the demons from her past. She carried her dark secrets around with her for 40 years until in 2010, haunted by her trauma, she finally decided to seek justice. She was told she could not seek compensation because of the ‘same roof’ rule, meaning victims who lived with their attackers up to 1979 were ineligible for pay-outs. For the past 12 years Monica has been fighting her case through the Supreme Courts and was recently awarded compensation from CICA in respect of the sexual abuse she suffered in foster care. She is awaiting a second settlement for the attacks by her mother.

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Book SynopsisMaike Mullenders was just twenty-one when police broke the devastating news her father had taken his own life. Not only that, but he also left behind a handwritten confession suggesting that he had been ‘physically inappropriate with my daughter’. Maike was painfully aware of her father’s troubled life, but this came as a complete shock – she loved him and had no conscious memory of any sexual abuse. Thrown into personal turmoil, and questioning her identity and place in the world, she spent the next twenty years trying to uncover the truth. Had he broken her trust in the worst way imaginable? Was it a symptom of his mental anguish? Or had he constructed a story to make her hate him so her loss might be more manageable? Through deeply personal counselling sessions, extensive research, yoga and meditation she explored the darkest reaches of her subconscious and unearthed ‘memories’ long buried, yet emerged with an ‘answer’ that enabled her to live again, free from the agonising burden of The Confession. This is Maike’s remarkable journey to hope and peace after her father’s chilling final message pushed her to the brink of insanity.

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