True stories / true accounts of events Books

Book SynopsisFrom the #1 international bestselling author of THE REVENANT – the book that inspired the award-winning movie – comes the fascinating story of America’s first battle over the environment.Trade ReviewPraise for Michael Punke’s THE REVENANT: ‘A spellbinding tale of heroism and obsessive retribution’ Publishers Weekly Praise for FIRE AND BRIMSTONE: ‘Compelling if horrifying account of the fire and the trapped men is the heart of this yarn, its soul is Punke’s historical contextualization’ PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

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Book SynopsisWhether in wartime or peace, tales of love, laughter and hardship from the girls in the Rowntrees factory in Yorkshire

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Book SynopsisOver the years, authors, artists and amblers aplenty have felt the pull of the Thames, and now travel writer Tom Chesshyre is following in their footsteps. He's walking the length of the river from the Cotswolds to the North Sea - a winding journey of over two hundred miles. Join him for an illuminating stroll past meadows, churches and palaces, country estates and council estates, factories and dockyards. Setting forth in the summer of Brexit, and meeting a host of interesting characters along the way, Chesshyre explores the living present and remarkable past of England's longest and most iconic river.Trade ReviewAn enjoyable refuge from everyday life * Clive Aslet, The Times *I found myself quickly falling into step beside Tom Chesshyre, charmed by his amiable meanderings, pointed observations and meetings with strangers along the way... but most of all Chesshyre champions the joys of a good walk through fascinating surroundings - with beer and blisters at the end of the day * BBC Countryfile Magazine - Fergus Collins *Readers should perhaps prepare themselves for a whole new wave of Whither England? type books in the months and years ahead, and Chesshyre's is a not unwelcome early attempt to answer that seemingly urgent question. * Ian Sansom, Times Literary Supplement *'Beautifully written and exquisite in observation, Tom Chesshyre's latest book, From Source to Sea is a fitting tribute to the mighty Thames that flows like a golden thread through the history of Britain. * Harry Bucknall, author of Like a Tramp, Like a Pilgrim *Chesshyre cuts an engaging figure... He has a true journalist's instinct for conversational encounters - Kurdistani picnickers in the river meadows upstream of London, pub thugs in the badlands of the lower Thames, other Thames Path pilgrims he rubs up against along the way. He also demonstrates a nose for a juicy tale, from a pre-Raphaelite ménage-àtrois at Kelmscott Manor to the discreet nookie column in the Marlow Free Press. Chesshyre's journey is rich in history and thick with characters, fables and happenstance - a highly readable and entertaining saunter along England's iconic river. * Christopher Somerville, author of Britain’s Best Walks *Chesshyre's book stands out from other accounts of walking the Thames Path in its contemporary (post-Brexit, pre-Trump) immediacy. A portrait of England and the English in our time, it is peppered with fascinating historical and literary markers. It's also a usefully opinionated guide to watering-holes and B&Bs from the sleepy Cotswold villages to the dystopian edgelands of the estuary. * Christina Hardyment, author of Writing the Thame *Journalist Tom Chesshyre has produced a readable, richly entertaining and highly informative book in From Source to Sea * Chris Gray, The Oxford Times *The result is this enjoyable travelogue, guiding the reader through the delightful towns and cities strung like pearls along the river, the 'liquid history' of the Thames from the Romans to the Profumo Affair and the beloved works of art and literature inspired by life on its banks, most famously Alice in Wonderland, Three Men in a Boat and The Wind in the Willows... a welcome addition to the Thames cannon. * Richard Tarrant, The Lady *Beautifully written and exquisite in observation, Tom Chesshyre's latest book, From Source to Sea is a fitting tribute to the mighty Thames that flows like a golden thread through the history of Britain. * Harry Bucknall, author of Like a Tramp, Like a Pilgrim *

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Book SynopsisMeet the girl from MI5 who had the gravy browning licked from her legs by Dylan Thomas; the barman who was appointed the keeper of Winston Churchill's private bottle of whisky; the East End Communist who marched with his comrades into the air-raid shelter of the Savoy; the throneless prince born in a suite at Claridge's declared...

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Book SynopsisWRITTEN WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY MARK BOSTRIDGE In her bestselling first volume of autobiography, Testament of Youth, Vera Brittain passionately recorded the agonising years of the First World War, lamenting the destruction of a generation which for her included those she most dearly loved - her lover, her brother and her closest friends.In Testament of Friendship Brittain tells the story of the woman who helped her survive those tragic years - the writer Winifred Holtby. They met at Somerville College, Oxford, immediately after the war. Their friendship continued through Vera's marriage and their separate but parallel writing careers until Winifred's untimely death at the age of thirty-seven. When she died, her fame as a writer was about to reach its peak with the publication of her greatest novel, South Riding. A moving record of a friendship between two women of courage, determination and intelligence and a wonderful portrait of a lifelong love. Testament of Friendship now takes its rightful place as a Virago Modern Classic.Trade ReviewThroughout their correspondence, the fragile Brittain is often painfully demanding - but the role of devoted supporter seems to gratify Holtby * Spectator *Holtby certainly helped Brittain write by looking after her children. But they also both helped each other work. And they each saved the other's best book * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisMeet the UK's most notorious football hooligans. Author Andrew Woods has come face-to-face with Millwall's most famous firm and now, for the first time, the Bushwackers reveal all about their bloodiest battles and fiercest rivalries - in their own words. But among the camaraderie, the battles of wits with the police and the exhilarating toe-to-toe run-ins with the opposition, this book also examines the history of hooliganism and why measures brought in to combat violence have failed. Packed with hilarious characters. shocking tales and plenty of excitement, no stone is left unturned in this journey into the dark side of football. With stories from the 1960s to the present day - including the infamous Luton riot of 1985, the 'Mad Season' of 2001/02 and the ongoing war with West Ham's ICF - No-one Likes Us, We Don't Care is the ultimate collection of tales from the terraces.

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE POLITICAL BOOK AWARDS POLITICAL HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR 2014.Published to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the Profumo scandal, An English Affair is a sharp-focused snapshot of a nation on the brink of social revolution.Britain in 1963 Harold Macmillan was the Prime Minister of a Conservative government, dedicated to tradition, hierarchy and, above all, old-fashioned morality. But a breakdown of social boundaries saw nightclub hostesses mixing with aristocrats, and middle-class professionals dabbling in criminality. Meanwhile, Cold War paranoia gripped the public imagination.The Profumo Affair was a perfect storm, and when it broke it rocked the Establishment. In An English Affair', the author of the critically-acclaimed Titainic Lives' Richard Davenport-Hines brings Swinging London to life. The cast of players includes the familiar louche doctor Stephen Ward, good-time girls Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies, and Secretary for War John Profumo himself. BTrade ReviewIndependent on Sunday Books of the Year ‘Wonderful and exacting’ Mail on Sunday Books of the Year ‘A breakneck thriller and a brilliant dissection of the times’ Independent on Sunday Books of the Year ‘This is more than simply an overview of the affair…Davenport-Hines skewers an entire society’ ‘A wonderful evocation of the period; a Rolls-Royce ride, with that hugely enjoyable sense of a writer being op top of his material and perfectly attuned to his subject’ David Kynaston, author of ‘Austerity Britain’ ‘An outstandingly evocative portrait of a hinge moment in our recent history, as well as a treasure trove of anecdotes’ Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times ‘Fascinating … a meticulous and witty portrait of a society built on the shaky foundations of snobbery, suspicion, hypocrisy and sexual anxiety’ Mail on Sunday ‘Mesmerising. Brilliantly researched, irresistibly readable, fiercely polemical, ‘An English Affair’ ought to sit on the desk of everyone who voices a view on the entanglement of politics, media and celebrity … No book about the British past this year will cast a fiercer light on the British present’ Independent ‘His research is impeccable and the story told with lip-smacking relish’ Daily Express ‘A superb book’ Evening Standard ‘[The Profumo Affair] has found a marvellous chronicler in Davenport-Hines, an incisive writer with a terrific eye for detail’ Sunday Telegraph ‘[A] superb account of the scandal’ Mail on Sunday, ‘[This] livid, lurid but enthralling history of “sex, class and power in the age of Profumo” boasts a rare passion and bravado’ Independent ‘Davenport-Hines is superb on the English … His eye is as shrewd and telling as Anthony Powell’s’ Times ‘It is written in a wonderfully sharp and witty style, and packed with illuminating details’ Craig Brown, Books of the year, Daily Mail

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Book Synopsis More extraordinary but true stories from London’s history. In this fascinating follow-up to his bestselling London’s Strangest Tales, Tom Quinn makes a further foray into the weirder side of the capital, bringing us a splendiforous collection of bizarre-but-true stories that explore a thousand years of London’s history. Discover the ghosts that stalk West End theatres, the mysterious mummy who lives in a City church cupboard, and secret tunnels under the Thames. Find out why there’s a TARDIS at Earl’s Court, why frogs once rained from the skies, and why the mulberry tree in the gardens at Buckingham Palace isn’t quite what it was supposed to be. A dip-in-and-outable treasure trove of London lore, London’s Truly Strangest Tales is both an ideal gift for dyed-in-the-wool Londoners who want to find out more about the great city they live in, and the perfect souvenir for people just passing through. Word count: 58,000

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Book SynopsisCorinne Hofmann describes her return to Switzerland and the difficulties that faced her there, detailing how she built a new life for herself and her daughter and overcame all obstacles, with the same courage and optimism with which she faced the demands of her life in the Kenyan outback.

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Book SynopsisRanson skillfully recreates his northern experience in strong, crisp stories that are humorous, quirky, and unique. Working North makes it clear why Ranson was moved to &quotpity the southerner who has never seen an arctic sun skipping along the earth, gathering all the colours of the prism and turning the land a warm purple.&quot Working North is an engaging and entertaining read for inexperienced southerners and northern travellers alike.

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Book Synopsis WINNER OF THE MARCO POLO OUTSTANDING GENERAL TRAVEL THEMED BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE 2018 EDWARD STANFORD TRAVEL WRITING AWARDS The story begins in a public square in New Delhi. On a cold December evening a young European woman of noble descent appears before an Indian street artist known locally as PK and asks him to paint her portrait – it is an encounter that will change their lives irrevocably. PK was not born in the city. He grew up in a small remote village on the edge of the jungle in East India, and his childhood as an untouchable was one of crushing hardship. He was forced to sit outside the classroom during school, would watch classmates wash themselves if they came into contact with him, and had stones thrown at him when he approached the village temple. According to the priests, PK dirtied everything that was pure and holy. But had PK not been an untouchable, his life would have turned out very differently. This is the remarkable true story of how love and courage led PK to overcome extreme poverty, caste prejudice and adversity – as well as a 7,000-mile, adventure-filled journey across continents and cultures – to be with the woman he loved.Trade Review'A feel-good story that’s so feel-good it makes other feel-good stories feel bad.' * New York Times Book Review *'A wonderful love story.' * National Geographic’s Best Books of 2017 *'A beautiful, epic tale of love and perseverance.' * Booklist *‘Charming…epic…a journey repeatedly facilitated by the kindness of strangers, but also fraught with danger and pitfalls…[a] 7,000-mile journey across continents, lasting almost five months – all in the name of love.’ * Daily Mail *'Often filled with sumptuous prose.' * Publishers Weekly *‘[This] is one of those genuinely illuminating stories that come along once in a while. At heart an against-all-odds love story, this wonderful book does so much to explain why Indian society is the way it is. The story of PK, growing up an 'untouchable' at a time when such labels should have been abolished, is touching, harrowing and ultimately enlightening. The writing is humorous and tender, the cast of characters joyous, and best of all – it's all true.’ * Vaseem Khan, author of The Baby Ganesh Detective Agency Series *‘A must-read because you won’t find any other love story that is so beautiful, touching, and – above all – true’ * Grazia *'This is a story of human connection that spans continents, class, and race.' * Library Journal *

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Book SynopsisThe 50th-anniversary edition of the classic, savagely comic account of a trip to Las Vegas that came to represent what happened to America in the 1960s—and a founding document of “gonzo journalism”—featuring the original artwork by Ralph Steadman and a new introduction by Caity Weaver   First published in Rolling Stone magazine in 1971, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is told through Hunter S. Thompson’s story of an assignment he undertook with his attorney to visit Las Vegas and “check it out.” The book stands as the final word on the highs and lows of that decade, one of the defining works of our time, and a stylistic and journalistic tour de force. As Christopher Lehmann-Haupt wrote in The New York Times, it has “a kind of mad, corrosive prose poetry that picks up where Norman Mailer’s An American Dream left off and explores what Tom Wolfe left out.” This 50th-anniversary Modern Library edition features Ralph Steadman’s original drawings, a new introduction by New York Times writer Caity Weaver, and three companion pieces selected by Thompson: “Jacket Copy for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” “Strange Rumblings in Aztlan,” and “The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved.”

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Book SynopsisOver the years, authors, artists and amblers aplenty have felt the pull of the Thames, and now travel writer Tom Chesshyre is following in their footsteps.He's walking the length of the river from the Cotswolds to the North Sea - a winding journey of over two hundred miles. Join him for an illuminating stroll past meadows, churches and palaces, country estates and council estates, factories and dockyards. Setting forth in the summer of Brexit, and meeting a host of interesting characters along the way, Chesshyre explores the living present and remarkable past of England's longest and most iconic river.Trade ReviewAn enjoyable refuge from everyday life * Clive Aslet, The Times *I found myself quickly falling into step beside Tom Chesshyre, charmed by his amiable meanderings, pointed observations and meetings with strangers along the way... but most of all Chesshyre champions the joys of a good walk through fascinating surroundings - with beer and blisters at the end of the day * BBC Countryfile Magazine - Fergus Collins *Readers should perhaps prepare themselves for a whole new wave of Whither England? type books in the months and years ahead, and Chesshyre's is a not unwelcome early attempt to answer that seemingly urgent question. * Ian Sansom, Times Literary Supplement *'Beautifully written and exquisite in observation, Tom Chesshyre's latest book, From Source to Sea is a fitting tribute to the mighty Thames that flows like a golden thread through the history of Britain. * Harry Bucknall, author of Like a Tramp, Like a Pilgrim *Chesshyre cuts an engaging figure... He has a true journalist's instinct for conversational encounters - Kurdistani picnickers in the river meadows upstream of London, pub thugs in the badlands of the lower Thames, other Thames Path pilgrims he rubs up against along the way. He also demonstrates a nose for a juicy tale, from a pre-Raphaelite ménage-àtrois at Kelmscott Manor to the discreet nookie column in the Marlow Free Press. Chesshyre's journey is rich in history and thick with characters, fables and happenstance - a highly readable and entertaining saunter along England's iconic river. * Christopher Somerville, author of Britain’s Best Walks *Chesshyre's book stands out from other accounts of walking the Thames Path in its contemporary (post-Brexit, pre-Trump) immediacy. A portrait of England and the English in our time, it is peppered with fascinating historical and literary markers. It's also a usefully opinionated guide to watering-holes and B&Bs from the sleepy Cotswold villages to the dystopian edgelands of the estuary. * Christina Hardyment, author of Writing the Thame *Journalist Tom Chesshyre has produced a readable, richly entertaining and highly informative book in From Source to Sea * Chris Gray, The Oxford Times *The result is this enjoyable travelogue, guiding the reader through the delightful towns and cities strung like pearls along the river, the 'liquid history' of the Thames from the Romans to the Profumo Affair and the beloved works of art and literature inspired by life on its banks, most famously Alice in Wonderland, Three Men in a Boat and The Wind in the Willows... a welcome addition to the Thames cannon. * Richard Tarrant, The Lady *Beautifully written and exquisite in observation, Tom Chesshyre's latest book, From Source to Sea is a fitting tribute to the mighty Thames that flows like a golden thread through the history of Britain. * Harry Bucknall, author of Like a Tramp, Like a Pilgrim *

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Book Synopsis''Frank Tallis brings a lifetime''s clinical experience and wise reflection to a condition that, by its own strange routes, leads us into the very heart of love itself. This is a brilliant, compelling book'' Ian McEwanLove is a great leveller. Everyone wants love, everyone falls in love, everyone loses love, and everyone knows something of love''s madness. But the experience of obsessive love is no trivial matter. In the course of his career psychologist Dr Frank Tallis has treated many unusual patients, whose stories have lessons for all of us.A barristers'' clerk becomes convinced that her dentist has fallen in love with her and they are destined to be together for eternity; a widow is visited by the ghost of her dead husband; an academic is besotted with his own reflection; a beautiful woman searches jealously for a rival who isn''t there; and a night porter is possessed by a lascivious demon. These are just some of the people whom we meet in an extraordinTrade ReviewCompelling

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Book SynopsisIn 1913, just before the outbreak of the First World War, a 19-year-old Czech Jew named Jiri Langer left his assimilated family to live in the remote village of Belz, Galicia (now Ukraine). He had gone to live under the Chassidic (or Hasidic) Rokeach dynasty, a line of Rabbis that survives to this day. Nine Gates is the record of Langer''s time amongst these isolated Chassidic mystics of Eastern Galicia, and a window into their world. Langer tells of their enthusiasm, their simple faith, their ecstasies, their austerities, their feasts, their wonder-working Holy Rabbis and their esoteric wisdom. Most of all, he recounts a collection of shrewd and earthy folk tales told by the holy men who ruled these little spiritual kingdoms for generation after generation.Over 80 years since its original publication in Czech, this translation by Stephen Jolly remains the definitive English version of this towering work of Jewish introspection. Nine Gates is a document from another time and place, andTrade Review'Lo! As he reached the roof, an unknown hand gave him a light' Nine Gates is not primarily for those whose approach to Hasidism is detached and analytical, although it would even be interesting to them. It is a book for the reader who wants to breathe Hasidic air. . . . Like the Rebbe Reb Shmelke, the reader of the Nine Gates is given the light without realizing from whence it comes. Isaac Bashevis SingerTable of ContentsForeword by Frantisek Langer Introduction - A Youth from Prague among the Chassidim Gate I - Of diamonds in the Lord's crown the costliest, the holy Reb Sholem of Belz Gate II - Child of God, our dearest, the holy Mayerl of Przemysl Gate III - Heart of our mirth, the holy Reb Naftali of Ropshitz Gate IV - Blazing lion of the heavenly Academy, the holy Reb Urele of Strelisk (also the holy Reb Jude Hersch of Stretena) Gate V - Two golden trambones in the angelic choir, the holy Rebe Reb Meshulem Sussya of Anipol and the holy Rebe Reb Melech of Lizensk Gate VI - Mystic twain, the holy Rebe Reb Schmelke of Mikulov and the holy Rebe Reb Pinchas of Frankfurt Gate VII - Three tall tamarisks in the broad plain, the holy Yismach Moyshe of Ihel - the holy Ohev Yisroel of Apta - and the Saint of Kalev Gate VIII - Mystic shining mirror, the holy Reb Jacob Yitzhak, the Seer of Lublin (also the holy Dyvre Chayyim of Sanz) Gate IX - Most secret brain of Greatness and Wisdom, the holy Reb Pinchas of Koritz (ah! the saints at Slavuta) The City of Wisdom - Gold and silver and pearls and all the precious stones of Kotsk - or the holy Reb Moyshe Yide Lieb of Sassov - Reb Simche Binem of Pzhysha - the Holy Jew - Mendele of Kotsk - and the wise Rim of Gora Kalwariye

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Book SynopsisSPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE COLLECTOR''S EDITION to mark the 800th anniversary of William Marshal''s death.A ''Director''s Cut'' of Elizabeth Chadwick''s bestselling and best-loved novel.''An author who makes history come gloriously alive'' The Times''Stunning'' Barbara Erskine***Elizabeth''s new novel TEMPLAR SILKS is OUT NOW in hardback, ebook and audio, and available to pre-order in paperback.*** ************************************Normandy, 1167 A penniless young knight with few prospects, William Marshal is plucked from obscurity when he saves the life of Henry II''s formidable queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine. In gratitude, she appoints him tutor to the heir to the throne. However, being a royal favourite brings its share of conflict and envy as well as fame and reward. William''s influence over the volatile, fickle Prince Henry and his young wife is resented by less favTrade ReviewElizabeth Chadwick is a disciplined and hugely talented storyteller...highly recommended. - HISTORICAL NOVEL REVIEWElizabeth Chadwick knows exactly how to write convincing and compelling historical fiction - Marina OliverThe author blends authentic period detail with a modern convnention for emotional drama. - MAIL ON SUNDAYAn author who makes history come gloriously alive. - THE TIMES

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Book SynopsisIn a world known for its conformism and complacency, questioning through the writing of poetry is a most courageous and dangerous act. Poets are brave spirits, fighting against tyrannies, wars and violence. Perhaps no one exemplifies this more than South Korean poet Ko Un. His poems, touching upon the themes of life, nature, mortality and echoes of tradition, are firmly rooted in Korean life, fulfilling the function of historical memory. In the past 30 years, he has been translated into 35 languages, and is the recipient of dozens of literary prizes and honours.In Conversations with Ko Un, renowned philosopher Ramin Jahanbegloo talks to the poet about his life, vision, aesthetics, travails and anxieties.

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Book SynopsisPhoebe Hoban’s definitive biography of the renowned American painter Alice Neel tells the unforgettable story of an artist whose life spanned the twentieth century, from women’s suffrage through the Depression, McCarthyism, the civil rights movement, the sexual revolution, and feminism. Throughout her life and work, Neel constantly challenged convention, ultimately gaining an enduring place in the canon. Alice Neel’s stated goal was to “capture the zeitgeist.” Born into a proper Victorian family at the turn of the twentieth century, Neel reached voting age during suffrage. A quintessential bohemian, she was one of the first artists participating in the Easel Project of the Works Progress Administration, documenting the challenges of life during the Depression. An avowed humanist, Neel chose to paint the world around her, sticking to figurative work even during the peak of abstract expressionism. Neel never ceased pushing the envelope, creating a unique chronicle of her time. Neel was fiercely democratic in selecting her subjects, who represent an extraordinarily diverse population—from such legendary figures as Joe Gould to her Spanish Harlem neighbors in the 1940s, the art critic Meyer Shapiro, Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling, Andy Warhol, and major figures of the labor, civil rights and feminist movements—producing an indelible portrait of twentieth-century America. By dictating her own terms, Neel was able to transcend such personal tragedy as the death of her infant daughter, Santillana, a nervous breakdown and suicide attempts, and the separation from her second child, Isabetta. After spending much of her career in relative obscurity, Neel finally received a major museum retrospective in 1974, at the Whitney Museum of American Art, in New York. In this first paperback edition of the authoritative biography of Alice Neel, which serves also as a cultural history of twentieth-century New York, the author Phoebe Hoban documents the tumultuous life of the artist in vivid detail, creating a portrait of the artist as incisive as Neel’s relentlessly honest paintings. With a new introduction by Hoban that explores Neel’s enduring relevance, this biography is essential to understanding and appreciating the life and work of one of America’s foremost artists.Table of ContentsIntroduction; Studio Still Life; Childhood's Canvas; Designing Women; En Plein Air; Limbo; Tropical Soul; (You Can Go) Home Again; Futility of Effort; The Bell Jar; Resurrection; Next Stop, Geenwich Village; The Easel Project; A Man's Man for All That; Moving On; Jose and Spanish Harlem; More Truth; Enter Sam; Painting in Oblivion; Domestic Dramas; Monsters and Victims; In the Middle of the Road; Romancero Guajiro; Pull My Daisy (From Flower to Power; Their Balls Are Just Higher Up; Vindication; Bowing Out; Last Look; Coda; Epilogue; Notes; Acknowledgements; Index

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Book SynopsisTo the outside world, Anthony Allen Shore was an average guy: a twice-divorced father who drove a tow truck in suburban Houston. Handsome and charismatic, he generally kept a low profile. But in his mind he was a superstar . . .   A musical prodigy who never realized his potential, Shore found a way to outsmart society—by getting away with murder. And he wanted the whole world to know it. After brutally killing a 16-year-old girl, he called the local NBC affiliate and told an editor precisely where to find her body.   Eight years passed before DNA evidence caught up with Shore. Subsequent police investigations revealed a violent megalomaniac who had sexually abused his own daughters. He confessed to murdering four females, one only nine years old. And he hinted at many, many more—leading authorities to believe that Anthony Allen Shore could even be the notorious “I-45 Serial Killer,” whose bloody legacy had earned for one

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Book SynopsisOn 26 December 1900, the vessel Hesperus arrived at Eilean Mor in the remote Outer Hebrides with a relief lighthouseman and fresh provisions. The relief keeper, Joseph Moore, found the lighthouse to be completely deserted, and a subsequent search of the island failed to reveal any sign of what had happened to the three keepers.

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Book Synopsis'Exquisite' – Daily MailShortlisted for the Walter Scott PrizeBased on true events, The Good People is Hannah Kent's engrossing novel about superstition and devoted love.Ireland, 1825. Nóra, bereft after the sudden death of her husband, finds herself alone and caring for her young grandson Micheál, who cannot speak or walk. What happened to the healthy, happy grandson she met when her daughter was still alive?Mary arrives in the valley to help Nóra just as the whispers are spreading: stories of unexplained misfortunes, of illnesses, and rumours that Micheál is a changeling child who is bringing bad luck to the valley.Nance has lived in the valley all of her life. She is a healer who knows how to use the plants and berries of the woodland; she understands the magic in the old ways. And she might be able to help Micheál . . .As these three women are Trade ReviewExceptional . . . The Good People is an even better novel than Burial Rites — a starkly realised tale of love, grief and misconceived beliefs * Sunday Times *Lyrical and unsettling . . . A literary novel with the pace and tension of a thriller . . . I am in awe of Kent's gifts as a storyteller. -- Paula Hawkins, bestselling author of The Girl on the TrainAn imaginative tour-de-force that recreates a way of perceiving the world with extraordinary vividness . . . With its exquisite prose, this harrowing, haunting narrative of love and suffering is sure to be a prize-winner * Daily Mail *Kent has a terrific feel for the language of her setting. The prose is richly textured with evocative vocabulary . . . A serious and compelling novel about how those in desperate circumstances cling to ritual as a bulwark against their own powerlessness -- Graeme Macrae Burnet * Guardian *Hannah Kent's second novel is a thorough study of the faiths and rituals of a rural community, as well as a poignant portrayal of grief * Financial Times *The Good People lies somewhere between Andrew Michael Hurley's gothic The Loney and Emma Donoghue's The Wonder . . . an absorbing and imaginative novel about superstition and the old ways * The Times *A thoroughly engrossing entrée into the macabre nature of a vanished society, its virtues and its follies and its lethal impulses . . . utterly unexpected -- Thomas Keneally, Booker Prize-author of Schindler's ArkBeautiful . . . the setting and the characters drew me in immediately and kept me completely absorbed -- Claire King, author of The Night RainbowAn immersive, startlingly lyrical portrait of a time when the borders between logic and superstition were dangerously porous . . . thrillingly alive * Metro *Remarkable . . . Kent displays an uncanny ability to immerse herself in an unfamiliar landscape and to give that landscape a life - a voice - that is utterly convincing . . . a haunting novel, shrewdly conceived and beautifully written * The Australian *A sensitively drawn tale of love, grief, and terrible loss * The Age *The Good People is a sensitively drawn tale of love, grief, and terrible loss, set in a tiny Irish village in the early 19th century . . . filled with descriptions of ritual and rhythm * Canberra Times *

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Book SynopsisThe moving true story of an ordinary Welsh woman who dreamed of breeding a race horse, and Dream Alliance, who defied the odds to become a champion and brought a community together.Janet Vokes was working behind the bar in her local working men’s club in the small Welsh mining community of Cefn Fforest when she fixed upon the idea of breeding a racehorse. She'd always loved animals, having dabbled in showing whippets and racing pigeons, and her husband Brian used to be a rag and bone man with a horse of his own. Why shouldn't a working-class horse take on the high flyers in the rarified world of racing? She bought a mare for £350, paired her up with a pedigree stallion and helped to create a syndicate of twenty-three friends from the village – each paying £10 a week – to raise the resulting foal, Dream Alliance. He may have grown up on an allotment but Dream Alliance had star quality, beating all the odds to become a winner at a number of world-class racetracks. Then a terrible injury to his leg threatened not just his career but his life. Refusing to have him put down, the syndicate paid for experimental surgery and Dream Alliance went on to not only make a full recovery but win the Welsh Grand National.Funny and charming, Dream Horse by Janet Vokes is the extraordinary story of a woman who defied the snobbery of the racing world to breed a champion, and a remarkable horse who brought a community together.

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Book SynopsisFROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF REBECCA' ... a writer of fearless originality' GUARDIAN 'Unlike many authors of popular historical biographies, du Maurier resembled Antonia Fraser in being an indefatigable researcher' FRANCIS KING'du Maurier has no equal' SUNDAY TELEGRAPHIt wasn't until he was forty-five that Bacon's feet found the first step on that staircase, when King James I made him Solicitor-General, from where he rose through the ranks to become Lord Chancellor.Many accounts of the life of Sir Francis Bacon have been written for scholars, but du Maurier's aim was to paint a vivid portrait of this remarkable man for the common reader. In The Winding Stair, she illuminates the considerable achievements of this Renaissance man as a writer, lawyer, philosopher, scientist, and politician.To her book, she brought the same gifts of imagination and perception that made her earlier biography, Golden Lads, so immensely readable, skilfully threading into her narrative extracts from contemporary documents and from Bacon's own writings. This also sets her account of his life within a vivid contemporary framework.This is truly history made alive.Trade Review... a writer of fearless originality * Guardian *Unlike many authors of popular historical biographies, du Maurier resembled Antonia Fraser in being an indefatigable researcher -- Francis Kingdu Maurier has no equal * Sunday Telegraph *Unlike many authors of popular historical biographies, du Maurier resembled Antonia Fraser in being an indefatigable researcher * Francis King *

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Book SynopsisIn Through Her Eyes Australian women correspondents tell their own stories from the frontline – covering the breaking news, the issues and the events that are changing the world. They tell of Russian tanks and Ukrainian mothers fleeing with their children, vicious Afghan warlords, anti-government rebels in Central Africa, terrorist attacks in the United States, and the chaos faced by ordinary people caught up in disasters and political upheaval. While a woman strapping on a reporters’ flak jacket is now a common sight, there was a time when they were locked out of the big stories because of their gender. Unlike their male counterparts, they needed single-minded determination to score a plum assignment or win a posting to a foreign bureau. Through Her Eyes tells of the exhilaration that comes with a big story but also the dangers, the risks, the struggle and the big issues women still face, from vicious media trolling to threats of sexual violence. Through Her Eyes includes well-known women correspondents for major media organisations inside and outside Australia including the ABC, BBC, SBS, CNN, The Associated Press of America, UPI, Reuters, The Times of London, Al Jazeera, China Global Television Network, The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and the Australian Financial Review.

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Book SynopsisFrom one of China's most celebrated and silenced literary authors, Murong Xuecun, Deadly Quiet City is an unforgettable collection of true stories from the early months of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan. On 23 January 2020, Wuhan was placed in total lockdown. The city of eleven million – the centre of China’s coronavirus outbreak – was cut off from the world. As cherry blossoms fell on silent streets, people were left anxious and afraid, struggling to find medicine, food or information about the virus that had trapped them in their homes. In April 2020, Murong Xuecun bravely travelled to the locked-down city, covertly interviewing people from all walks of life on their experiences as the catastrophe unfolded. An exhausted doctor in a small hospital, battling the virus while sick. An illegal motorcycle taxi driver, ferrying people around the empty city. A citizen journalist fighting to reveal the truth of what happened during that endless spring. The result is eight stories that capture the voices and griefs of a city, and that Murong had to leave China in order to publish. Vivid and haunting, Deadly Quiet City is a unique piece of literary history that reveals so much about the lives of people, the pandemic and China today. Includes editor’s note from Professor Clive Hamilton, author of Hidden Hand. Trade Review'… reads like a message in a bottle from a secret state.' -Seven Carroll, Sydney Morning Herald 'People who are curious to know why China is so resistant to outside investigation should read this book.' - Anita Chan, The Conversation'Deadly Quiet City is a heartfelt book about Chinese people by a Chinese writer' - Michael Smith, Australian Financial Review 'A harrowing snapshot of life in the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic. . . . This is a masterful exposé.' - Publishers Weekly… reads like a message in a bottle from a secret state. -- Steven Carroll * Sydney Morning Herald *People who are curious to know why China is so resistant to outside investigation should read this book. -- Anita Chan * The Conversation *'Deadly Quiet City is a heartfelt book about Chinese people by a Chinese writer' - Michael Smith, Australian Financial Review -- Michael Smith * Australian Financial Review *'A harrowing snapshot of life in the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic. . . . This is a masterful exposé.' - Publishers Weekly * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisUsing real stories, expert opinion, politics, psychology and the author’s own insights, Forgiveness explores the messy, complex and gripping subject of forgiveness. 'Cantacuzino's gift for empathy shines through her conversations... She tackles her complex [message] with clear prose and an open heart... This nuance feels like a cool breeze in a heatwave. If there is a message here, it's to listen more, think more and preach less'Sunday Times  ‘This is an utterly memorable book – beautifully written, fascinating in its insights, and extraordinarily moving. We all need to forgive, and this book, through its recounting of the stories of people who have something really significant to forgive, will be an inspiration to help us reach a state of forgiveness. This is a book that will stay with the reader for a very long time’Alexander McCall SmithTrade Review‘There have been few more appropriate and vital moments for this fascinating book to emerge than now as we bear witness to so many acts requiring forgiveness – the complexity of the practice of forgiveness, its meanings, its measure as a force for change are all here – and most of all, its power to prevent the repetition of the worst in our human behaviour and the possibility of finding freedom from hatred’ -- Emma Thompson'Cantacuzino's gift for empathy shines... A clear message, she suggests, is not possible without dangerous oversimplification. She tackles her complex one with clear prose and an open heart... This nuance feels like a cool breeze in a heatwave. If there is a message here, it's to listen more, think more and preach less' * Sunday Times *Tender, valuable, and often beautiful, Forgiveness shows how we can get tangled up in hate, and how we might cut ourselves free. -- Gavin Francis‘This is an utterly memorable book – beautifully written, fascinating in its insights, and extraordinarily moving. We all need to forgive, and this book, through its recounting of the stories of people who have something really significant to forgive, will be an inspiration to help us reach a state of forgiveness. This is a book that will stay with the reader for a very long time’ -- Alexander McCall Smith‘A wise and generous investigation of one of life’s most difficult but necessary experiences’ -- Richard Holloway‘This important book will speak to anyone who has ever suffered harm, or caused harm to others; which is all of us. The work is unflinching in its honesty and emphasis on forgiveness as a process that cannot be imposed; but it is also immensely hopeful as it invites us to see the possibilities of forgiveness as a human stance that offers hope and freedom from hatred. Anyone with a serious interest in human cruelty and suffering should read this book; it will stretch your mind’ -- Gwen Adshead, author of The Devil You Know‘This reassuring and uplifting book testifies to the truth of forgiveness . . . Both provocative and full of hope’ -- Jon Snow‘A profoundly moving and important book’ -- Professor Anthony Costello‘It is absolutely remarkable how Marina Cantacuzino navigates the vast and complex terrain of forgiveness with such sensitivity, honesty and insight. By skilfully drawing together the threads of personal stories with their infinite nuance and seeming contradictions, she enables and inspires her readers to explore the option of forgiveness within their own lives. I cannot think of a more relevant subject for these challenging times in which humanity’s needs for hope, love and renewal seem stronger than ever’ -- Angela Findlay, author of In My Grandfather’s Shadow‘This is a book of compelling stories, beautifully told, illustrating the myriad aspects of forgiveness. What it is not is a self-help “how to forgive” manual. Rather it is something more subtle, gentle and ultimately more inspiring. It invites each of us to delve deep and investigate the contours of forgiveness in our own minds. The result is a revelatory read – one that might even be life-changing’ -- Rachel Kelly, mental health advocate and author of Sunday Times bestseller Black Rainbow‘This book is so profoundly for the current moment that I encourage you to read it without delay. What is forgiveness? Impossible yet necessary; difficult yet obvious; painful yet alive with promise. Compelling, convincing and compassionate, this book will make you to examine your relationship with yourself, with others, and with the world. A work as beautiful as it is important’ -- Tessa McWatt, author of Shame on Me‘This book is a beautiful tour de force about a very hard subject — an important read for everyone who has wrestled with forgiving, being forgiven, or both’ -- Sally Kohn, activist and author of The Opposite Of Hate: A Field Guide To Repairing Our Humanity‘What marks Marina Cantacuzino’s book on forgiveness is that it is an enquiry rather than a persuasion. With journalistic skill, she observes, questions and considers stories; offering insights, but never prescribing. She amplifies stories we never want to hear, but desperately need to hear, offering wisdom from a human tradition that is as embodied as it is enduring: how to survive what we think is unsurvivable. I’ve followed her work for years, and this brilliant book is a remarkable exploration of her decades-long fascination with Forgiveness, its complications and its gifts’ -- Pádraig Ó Tuama‘Not only is this book exceptional for its human interest and accessibility, it is full of profound insights into the complexity of forgiveness and its wide range of meanings, problems and benefits. Every page exudes the empathy-filled curiosity that has characterized Marina’s exploration of forgiveness over the last two decades. Few will be able to read it without catching some of the empathy or sharing the curiosity, and no one will read it without becoming a little wiser and more humane’ -- The Reverend Dr Stephen Cherry, Dean, King’s College, Cambridge‘A book of true beauty. A powerful reminder of how forgiveness can transform lives and restore hope. Important, moving and profoundly humane’ -- Francesca Martinez'Profound, spellbinding and deeply moving. Essential reading for anyone wanting to deepen their understanding of what it is to be human. Cantacuzino is a consummate storyteller weaving gold from the stories of those who’ve taken the courageous messy journey to the freedom that forgiveness ultimately yields. Inspiring, compelling and superbly written, I couldn't put it down’ -- Jennifer Nadel, author, broadcaster, campaigner and co-founder Compassion in Politics‘Marina Cantacuzino is a passionate advocate of the value of forgiveness. In this highly readable book she explores how individuals achieve forgiveness and how it can break the cycle of hate, revenge and retaliation, and how it can transform the lives of both the perpetrator and the victim or their loved ones.’ -- Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, Cambridge University and author of Zero Degrees of Empathy‘Forgiveness is a profoundly thought-provoking and beautifully written book. Cantacuzino leads us through stories of pain and stories of forgiveness with such a light footstep and so much nuanced reflection. She is never dogmatic; never moralises, never tells us what ought to be done, but creates a work in which we examine our own stance and feelings about the role of forgiveness in life. A wonderful, heart-breaking, elevating read’ -- Bea Setton, author of Berlin

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Book Synopsis[F]or anyone who has ever sat in a city office dreaming of owning a smallholding one day and living off the land, this book will inspire them to take the plunge. Rated 5 stars by The Telegraph I raced through this beautiful story with mounting awe and excitement. What Lynn and Sandra have achieved on their croft in Scotland is a miracle of rebirth on land Isabella Tree, author of Wilding The inspiring story of two courageous women who took the leap and embraced a whole new way of life. Kate Humble, author of Home Cooked As seen on the BBC’s This Farming Life Our Wild Farming Life is what happens when you follow your dreams of living on the land; a story of how two people became farmers – and how they learned to make a living from it, their way. Lynn and Sandra left their friends, family and jobs in England to travel north to Scotland to find a small piece of land they could call their own. They had no money, no plan and no experience in farming. They had in mind keeping a few chickens, a kitchen garden and renting out some camping space, but instead, they fell in love with Lynbreck Croft – 150 acres of wild Scottish Highlands filled with opportunity and beauty, shrouded by the Cairngorms mountains. This is the inspirational true story of Lynbreck Croft – a regenerative Scottish croft rooted in local food and community – and the dreams of two women in search of a new, wilder existence. In Our Wild Farming Life, Lynn and Sandra recount their experiences as they rebuild their new home and work out what kind of farmers they want to be. They learn how to work with Highland cattle, become part of the crofting community and begin to truly understand how they can farm in harmony with nature to produce wonderful food for themselves and the people around them. Through efforts like these, Lynn and Sandra have been able to combine regenerative farming practices with old crofting traditions to keep their own personal values intact.Trade Review‘I raced through this beautiful story with mounting awe and excitement. What Lynn and Sandra have achieved on their croft in Scotland is a miracle of rebirth on land that most would have considered beyond hope. Their success is testament to the wisdom of working with nature rather than battling against it and their pragmatism, honesty and openness to new and old ideas shines through on every page. I hope it inspires legions of new farmers.’—Isabella Tree, author of Wilding‘A ripping good account of the guts, luck and perseverance it takes to create a productive and healthy farm or croft that jumps the rails of our conventional industrial agriculture.’—Nick Offerman‘Full of refreshing honesty and a burning passion to reconnect food, communities and nature, what Lynn and Sandra have achieved is nothing short of incredible. These two are the real deal; humble pioneers during a critical time working selflessly to empower others. Lynbreck Croft is the embodiment of how humans should approach food production, and this book serves as an invaluable resource for anybody who has an interest in a regenerative future.’—Huw Richards, author of The Vegetable Grower’s Handbook‘The inspiring story of two courageous women who took the leap and embraced a whole new way of life. Lynn and Sandra, I salute you!’—Kate Humble, broadcaster and author of Home Cooked‘This is a story that needed to be told. I defy anyone to be in the presence of Lynn and Sandra for ten minutes and not come away inspired and with a smile. Arriving in the Highlands with a dream and very little else apart from determination, enthusiasm, passion, warmth and humility, they were not afraid to learn from mistakes and to seek help and advice. ‘The Highlands can be a welcoming place, but you have to earn it. Folk here won’t beat a path to your door unless you leave it wide open. And they did it. Neighbours embraced their dream and wanted to make it happen. To be a part of it. The gift of a cow. The gift of fuel. The gift of thousands of years of experience, knowledge and a love for the land.’—Euan McIlwraith, BBC TV and Radio presenter‘Many of us dream of going “back” to the land. Lynn Cassells and Sandra Baer have made it happen. In this inspirational, honest and quietly revelatory book they show how farming is not a lifestyle fantasy but a way of living, working and eating that is in partnership – with the land, the community, animals and each other. This is not a step back but the key to all our futures.’—Patrick Barkham, author of Wild Child "Their work on the croft is a true community endeavor....Our Wild Farming Life is a warm yet realistic chronicle of the world of the small-time farmer, sharing a vision of how we humans can feed ourselves sustainably and ethically while living in harmony with the natural world."—Booklist

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Book SynopsisThis book offers an intimate portrait of early twentieth-century Harbin, a city in Manchuria where Russian colonialists, and later refugees from the Revolution, met with Chinese migrants. The deep social and intellectual fissures between the Russian and Chinese worlds were matched by a multitude of small efforts to cross the divide as the city underwent a wide range of social and political changes. Using surviving letters, archival photographs, and rare publications, this book also tells the personal story of a forgotten city resident, Baron Roger Budberg, a physician who, being neither Russian nor Chinese, nevertheless stood at the very centre of the cross-cultural divide in Harbin. The biography of an important city, fleshing out its place in the global history of East-West contacts and twentieth-century diasporas, this book is also the history of an individual life and an original experiment in historical writing. Trade Review"This is a fascinating and well-researched exploration of the Russian [and] Chinese cultural encounter in Harbin, based on the extensive use of sources in both Russian and Chinese." -- Austin Jersild, Old Dominion University * H-Soz-Kult *"Specialists will draw much eclectic material about Harbin from Gamsa and enjoy the author’s often insightful ideas about cross-cultural contact and more." -- David Wolff, Hokkaido University * Slavic Review *"There are many reasons to like this book. The writing is elegant, with frequent memorable turns of phrase. The research in Russian, Chinese, and European-language sources is deep and rich, and Gamsa’s feel for his subject is remarkable. One senses on every page his balanced affection for Harbin and even for Budberg, despite his frankness about their many shared imperfections." -- Willard Sunderland, University of Cincinnati * Journal of Modern History *“The book builds on impressive research, contains stimulating discussions of the relationship between biography and general history, and thus deserves to be read not only as the story of a remarkable man but also, more broadly, as a fascinating attempt to understand the life of an individual in the context of his multicultural environment.” -- Stig Thøgersen, Aarhus University * H-Net Reviews *“Harbin: A Cross-Cultural Biography is a remarkable feat of research across multiple languages and archives, as well as a compellingly original, stylishly written, and surprisingly intimate book.” -- Edward Tyerman, University of California, Berkeley * Twentieth-Century China *"The book is a masterful analysis of the consequences that traumatic shifts in power relations could have for the life of individuals." -- N. Pianciola, Nazarbayev University * Slavonic and East European Review *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Introduction 1. Of Ethnicity and Identity 2. Beginnings 3. Intermediaries and Channels of Communication 4. A Chinese-German Flower 5. Daily Life in a Mixed City 6. Trials and Endings 7. Russians and Chinese under Japanese Rule 8. Kharbintsy and Ha’erbin ren Epilogue: The General and the Particular Notes Glossary of Chinese Terms Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2022A SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE TIMES AND THE GUARDIANThe remarkable untold story of the mercurial cycling prodigy Frank Vandenbroucke, written by William Hill award-winning author Andy McGrath.They called him God. For his grace on a bicycle, for his divine talent, for his heavenly looks. Frank Vandenbroucke had it all, and in the late Nineties he raced with dazzling speed and lived even faster.The Belgian won several of cycling''s most illustrious races, including Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Paris-Nice and Ghent-Wevelgem. He was a mix of poise and panache who enthralled a generation of cycling fans. Off the bike, he only had one enemy - himself. Vandenbroucke dabbled in nocturnal party sessions mixing sleeping pills and alcohol and regularly fell out with team managers. By 1999 his team had suspended him and this proved to be the start of a long, eventful fall from grace. Depression, a Trade ReviewHow doping killed cycling's 'golden boy'. A shocking, clear-sighted and sympathetic account of a talent destroyed by drugs. -- Melanie Reid * The Times *'With his talent, Frank is the Johan Cruyff of cycling. He could win anything.' * Eddy Merckx *A stunning biography of this troubled individual. 320 pages of brilliance. * Washing Machine Post *Superb. A riveting, warts-an-all dive into a complex, deeply flawed rider and man during professional cycling's lowest ebb. * Cycling Plus *The fact that we know the tragically opaque ending of this story from the start is what lends such a devastating quality to McGrath's careful biography. Soberly told and with a clear affection for its wayward subject, McGrath's account explores the narcotically corrupting power of sport itself. -- Jonathan Liew * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisAn iron-willed mother, an ageing grandmother, a pair of mismatched dogs and 90 mu of less-than-ideal farmland: these are Li Juan’s companions on the steppes of the Gobi Desert.Writing out of a yurt under Xinjiang’s endless horizons, she documents her family’s quest to extract a bounty of sunflowers amid the harsh beauty and barren expanses of China’s northwest frontier. Success must be eked out in the face of life’s unnegotiable realities: sandstorms, locusts and death.While this small tribe is held at the mercy of these headwinds, they discover the cheer and dignity hidden in each other. But will their ceaseless labours deliver blooming fields of green and yellow? Or will their dreams prove as distant as they are fragile?Trade ReviewDistant Sunflower Fields is like Nan Shepherd’s The Living Mountain ... you unconsciously forget the daily hubbub and sink silently into the embrace of the world her words have brought to being.Xinran | author of The Good Women of China

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Book SynopsisPAPERBACK EDITION INCLUDES AN AFTERWORD WITH NEW INFORMATION ON THE KELLY CASE. A DAILY TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEAR. 'A compelling, authoritative insight into possibly the most controversial death in Britain this century' The Observer. 'Goslett's like Poirot; he asks questions... Spooky and scary' Evening Standard. 'Masterful... This book made me proud of my trade as a journalist' Daily Mail. 'This searing excavation of the mysterious death of Dr David Kelly is investigative journalism at its best. It is brave, relentless, dazzlingly revealing' Peter Oborne. In March 2003 British forces invaded Iraq after Tony Blair said the country could deploy weapons of mass destruction at 45 minutes' notice. A few months later, government scientist Dr David Kelly was unmasked by Blair's officials as the assumed source of a BBC news report challenging this claim. Within days, Dr Kelly was found dead in a wood near his home. Blair immediately convened the controversial Hutton Inquiry, which concluded Dr Kelly committed suicide. Yet key questions remain: could Dr Kelly really have taken his life in the manner declared? And why did Blair's government derail the coroner's inquest into Dr Kelly's death? In this meticulous account, award-winning journalist Miles Goslett shows why we should be sceptical of the official story of what happened in that desperate summer of 2003.Trade ReviewA compelling, authoritative insight into possibly the most controversial death in Britain this century * Observer *Masterful... This book made me proud of my trade as a journalist' * Daily Mail *A notable contribution to contemporary political history * Open Democracy *This searing excavation of the mysterious death of Dr David Kelly is investigative journalism at its best. It is brave, relentless, dazzlingly revealing -- Peter OborneEveryone, from Tony Blair downwards, was insistent that Dr Kelly had committed suicide yet the evidence, which Goslett examines in scrupulous detail in this gripping narrative, suggests otherwise -- Richard IngramsGoslett confines himself to the demand for an inquest, and his fine book eloquently spells out why all of us, including Dr Kelly's family, friends and colleagues, deserve one * The Lobster *Goslett's well-researched book about the death in 2003 of the weapons expert Dr David Kelly raises troubling questions about abuse of process * Daily Telegraph, Books of the Year *This book takes us back to those weeks when New Labour 'spin' seemed to generate its darkest, most frantic moments... Goslett argues convincingly that potentially important witnesses were not called and inconsistencies in evidence were left unexplored' * Mail on Sunday *Award-winning investigative journalist Miles Goslett draws together the facts in an intriguing and profoundly disturbing narrative that poses many questions that are yet to be answered * Daily Mail. *Drawing heavily on medical expertise, Goslett carefully unpicks the gaps in Hutton's probe. He finds enough contradictions in the inquiry [...] to leave the reader deeply uneasy about how the scientist ended up dead in the woods * Morning Star. *

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Book SynopsisThe second edition of the Sunday Times Sports Book of the Year is updated with a new chapter describing Nick's eventual completion of the Fastnet Race thirty years after his first, ill-fated attempt. The world-famous Fastnet Race takes yachts from the Isle of Wight to the Fastnet Rock off the southwest coast of Ireland and back. The 1979 race began in perfect conditions, but was soon engulfed by the deadliest storm in the history of modern sailing. By the time it passed, the havoc caused was immeasurable, and fifteen sailors had lost their lives. It had been Nick Ward's childhood ambition to sail in the Fastnet Race, and being asked to join the crew of the 30-foot yacht Grimalkin was a dream come true. But then the storm hit. Grimalkin was capsized again and again. With the skipper lost overboard, after hours of struggle three of the crew decided to abandon the boat for the liferaft. Nick and another crewmember, both unconscious, were left on the beleaguered yacht in the middle of Trade Review'Nick has told the story of his amazing survival in his book Left for Dead, which he has re-released to include a new chapter about his epic challenge 30 years later.' * The Irish Sun (July 2010) *'Unsettling but compelling reading. Essential reading for those sailors who can't help thinking "What if?"' * Sailing Today (November 2010) *'This book is a gripping read from start to finish.' * Compass Magazine (2010) *

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Book SynopsisOn the scorching February day in 2009 that became known as Black Saturday, a man lit two fires in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley, then sat on the roof of his house to watch the inferno. In the Valley, where the rates of crime were the highest in the state, more than thirty people were known to police as firebugs. But the detectives soon found themselves on the trail of a man they didn’t know. The Arsonist takes readers on the hunt for this man, and inside the strange puzzle of his mind. It is also the story of fire in Australia, and of a community that owed its existence to that very element. The command of fire has defined and sustained us as a species – understanding its abuse will define our future. A powerful real-life thriller written with Hooper’s trademark lyric detail and nuance, The Arsonist is a reminder that in an age of fire, all of Trade Review‘We will all learn something from the devastating events that scorched a community and the way in which her storytelling draws a reaction.’ * The Times *‘As gripping as any work of fiction.’ * Crime Monthly *‘Hooper gives a cool appraisal of a hot issue . . . even-handed and nuanced.’ * The Guardian *‘The book tells the story of the 2009 Black Saturday blazes in Victoria, which rank among Australia’s most deadly bushfires . . . But it is also the story of post-industrial, semi-rural communities and lack of government regulation in the Anthropocene. The Arsonist‘s environmental setting may help readers understand the context for Australia’s current bushfire emergency.’ * Chicago Review of Books *‘Brilliant and moving.’ * Australian Book Review *‘A masterclass in engaging true crime.’ * Herald Sun *‘By turns a fascinating real-life thriller, police procedural, intense sociological study and the long-overdue story of fire in Australia . . . Powerful and nuanced . . . In Hooper's sure hands the grimmest details become exquisite imagery.’ * Sydney Morning Herald *‘Gripping, gritty and unsparing but never gratuitous in its details, this is true crime writing at its best. But Hooper goes beyond the procedurals and the scene setting to examine the greater context of the tragedy.’ * The Saturday Paper *‘Add The Arsonist to Australia’s illustrious literature on bushfires. With skill and sensitivity, Chloe Hooper has managed to find an unexpectedly human face and heart amid the blackest depths of Black Saturday.’ -- Stephen Pyne, author of Fire: A Brief History‘Hooper drops the reader inside the Black Saturday brushfires to terrifying effect, then masterfully shifts from the physical realm to the existential – namely, how and why a particular evil manifests. Visceral and terrifying.’ -- Maureen Callahan, author of American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century‘Demonstrates why literature still matters.’ -- Jeff Sparrow * The Age *

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Book Synopsis**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER****SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD**Uncovering the mystery of her mother's disappearance as a child: Laura Cumming, prize-winning author and art critic, takes a closer look at her family story.'A modern masterpiece' GuardianAutumn 1929 - a young girl is kidnapped from a beach. Five agonising days go by before she is discovered safe and well in a nearby village. The child remembers nothing of these events and at home, nobody ever speaks of them again.Decades later, Laura Cumming delves into the mystery surrounding her mother's disappearance. Examining everything from old family photos to letters, tickets and recipes, she uncovers a series of secrets and lies perpetuated not just by her family but by the whole community and in doing so unlocks a mystery almost a century old.'A moving, many-sided human story of great depth and tenderness, and a revelation of how art enriches life' Sunday TimesShortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-FictionShortlisted for the Rathbones Folio PrizeLonglisted for the RSL Ondaatje PrizeTrade Review*Memoir of the Year* How we see -- and who see and what secrets they choose to share -- is at the heart of this exquisitely composed memoir... A peerless detective story that keeps you guessing to the end * The Sunday Times *On Chapel Sands is much more than a search for truth. It is a moving, many-sided human story of great depth and tenderness, and a revelation of how art enriches life. In short, a masterpiece -- John Carey * Sunday Times *Cumming skilfully withholds key twists in the tale, revealing them at just the right moment. There are surprises, but no shocks. Her prose is too elegant for such gaudiness – composed and restrained but empathetic -- Leaf Arbuthnot * The Times *Brilliant... This book is a love letter to her [Cumming's] mother, whose warmth, articulacy and survival instincts shine though. It's also an intimate portrait of a village community, with its storybook characters (butcher, baker, dairyman, bell-ringer, gravedigger) and their wonderful old-fashioned names -- Blake Morrison * Guardian *By turns beautiful, wistful, and ominous… the reasons behind the kidnap, and the repurcussions, are every bit as complex as any served up by fiction, and, oddly enough, the dénouement -- or succession of dénouements -- is just as satisfying, perhaps more so... a meditation on the way some people disappear, and time erases memory... so familiar as to be universal, and will probably ring bells with all but the sunniest reader (***** Five Stars) -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *

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Book Synopsis'A powerful, inspiring book' ObserverGeorges Salines lost his daughter Lola in the attack on the Bataclan Theatre in Paris on 13th November 2015. Azdyne Amimour lost his son. Both were aged 28. Lola was one of the 90 victims, Amimour's son one of the attackers.   From his meeting with Azdyne Amimour, an unprecedented dialogue emerged. Georges Salines carries the memory of his daughter and many other victims, while Azdyne Amimour seeks to understand how his son was able to commit acts which he condemns without appeal. Driven by mutual curiosity, the two tell their stories and unfold the story of 'their' 13th November.   In the course of this conversation, a deep respect was born between these two fathers whom everything should nevertheless have opposed. Their testimony feeds a peaceful reflection on radicalization, education and mourning.Because if there are words left,Trade Review'A powerful, inspiring book.' -- Agnes Poirier * The Observer *

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Book SynopsisA terrifically engaging and original biography about one of England's greatest novelists, and the glamorous, eccentric, debauched and ultimately tragic family that provided him with the most significant friendships of his life and inspired his masterpiece, Brideshead Revisited'.Evelyn Waugh was already famous when Brideshead Revisited' was published in 1945. Written at the height of the war, the novel was, he admitted, of no immediate propaganda value'. Instead, it was the story of a household, a family and a journey of religious faith an elegy, in many ways, for a vanishing world and a testimony to a family he had fallen in love with a decade earlier.The Lygons of Madresfield were every bit as glamorous, eccentric and compelling as their counterparts in Brideshead Revisited'. In this engrossing biography, Paula Byrne takes an innovative approach to her subject, setting out to capture Waugh through those friendships that mattered most to him. Far from the snobbish misanthropist of popTrade Review'Byrne's gift as a writer is her ability to combine scholarship with turbo-driven narrative power. "Mad World" is vibrant, absorbing, stranger than fiction' Sunday Times 'Paula Byrne has written a highly accomplished book about the family that came to inspire the Flytes of Brideshead … a marvellous book, warm, witty, and enormously readable' Daily Telegraph 'Paula Byrne is the latest to explore the people and the story that inspired the book, and she does so with acuity and panache … a lively introduction to Waugh and to Brideshead' Observer ‘"Mad World" is full of fascinating anecdotes … Paula Byrne has produced a strong and romantic book that is at once a touching story of deep friendships, an astute piece of literary criticism and an important contribution to the canon of Waugh biography" Alexander Waugh, Literary Review '[A] gripping account of Evelyn Waugh's life' Philip Hoare ‘vibrant, absorbing and stranger than fiction’'Byrne's gift as a writer is her ability to combine scholarship with turbo-driven narrative power. "Mad World" is vibrant, absorbing, stranger than fiction' Sunday Times 'Paula Byrne has written a highly accomplished book about the family that came to inspire the Flytes of Brideshead … a marvellous book, warm, witty, and enormously readable' Daily Telegraph 'Paula Byrne is the latest to explore the people and the story that inspired the book, and she does so with acuity and panache … a lively introduction to Waugh and to Brideshead' Observer ‘"Mad World" is full of fascinating anecdotes … Paula Byrne has produced a strong and romantic book that is at once a touching story of deep friendships, an astute piece of literary criticism and an important contribution to the canon of Waugh biography" Alexander Waugh, Literary Review '[A] gripping account of Evelyn Waugh's life' Philip Hoare ‘vibrant, absorbing and stranger than fiction’The Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisGetting Into Guinness is the hilarious true story of record breaking attempts, how record obsession has become a global phenomenon, the weird and wonderful characters that set records and the history of the Guinness Book of World Records.Trade Review'A funny and revealing look at the reference classic of everyone's childhood. I read it straight through in exactly 5 hours and 21 minutes, with hourly rest breaks. While balancing a milk bottle on my head. And riding a unicycle.' Ken Jennings, author of Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs 'Larry Olmsted is a gifted storyteller who captures the heart and soul of the wonderful, wacky world of Guinness records. As a two-time record holder himself, he paints a vivid and hilarious picture of the silliness and absurdity of the global quest for fame. Brimming with unforgettable characters and delicious stories, you'll want to devour this book as fast as record holder Tom Waes can consume an entire pizza…19.91 seconds!' Ben Sherwood, author of The Man Who Ate the 747 'Getting into Guinness is a full-throttle joyride through the bizarre world behind the records. These people are delightfully misguided, and Olmsted is one of them. But his obsession is his greatest advantage as a storyteller: he goes off the deep end and takes us with him.' Michael Roberts, Executive Editor, Outside magazine 'This book records the minute-by-minute physical agony of Olmsted's own feats while setting records of its own-funniest, quirkiest, most interesting and most practical guide to what is arguably the world's best known book, after the Bible. From Olmsted's many astonishing accounts of record seekers there emerges something both touching and profound-the desire of ordinary men and women to escape the humdrum, to show their stuff, to be noticed and remembered.' Tom Powers, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of The Man Who Kept the Secrets

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Book SynopsisOn a Saturday morning in May 1980, Melanie Bowen, a pretty fifteen year old, ran down the stairs of her parents’ home in Port Talbot, grabbed her leather jacket and crash helmet, yelled a goodbye, and then walked out of the front door into the sunshine for what was to be the last time in her life. Never Say Die is the true story of what followed…

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Book SynopsisThe harrowing true story of a travelling Irish family bonded by love, broken apart by life, and then betrayed by their carers in a cruel convent in Ireland.

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Book SynopsisMillions of people around the world have experienced contact from the other side. In this inspiring and uplifting short story leading expert Jacky Newcomb shares some of the stories she's received about contact and life after death.When a loved one is taken away suddenly, people often tell Jacky of their regrets about not having the opportunity to say goodbye. Yet people all over the world have stories of loved ones who come back to say Hello or Goodbye from heaven.They appear in dreams, visions, meditation and sometimes when we're wide awake. Those who are lucky enough to experience it consider it a gift they will remember for the rest of their lives.Here for the first time Jacky will share these extraordinary stories along with the amazing and bizarre reasons for why our loved ones visit.

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Book SynopsisOur pets are our family. They love us, comfort us and make us laugh – so it’s no wonder that letting them go is so hard. But amazing and inspirational true stories from Jacky Newcomb show that we will be reunited with them again.

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the 2017 PEN Ackerley PrizeThe thing to remember about this story is that every word is true. If I never told it to a soul, and this book did not exist, it would not cease to be true. I don't mind at all if you forget this.The important thing is that I don't.'On a hot still morning on a beautiful beach in Jamaica, Decca Aitkenhead's life changed for ever.Her four-year-old boy was paddling peacefully at the water's edge when a wave pulled him out to sea. Her partner, Tony, swam out and saved their son's life then drowned before her eyes.When Decca and Tony first met a decade earlier, they became the most improbable couple in London. She was an award-winning Guardian journalist, famous for interviewing leading politicians. He was a dreadlocked criminal with a history of drug-dealing and violence. No one thought the romance would last, but it did. Until the tide swept Tony away, plunging Decca into the dark chasm of random tragedy.Exploring race and redemption, privilege Trade Review‘If I read a sadder, truer, wiser chapter in a book this year I will count myself fortunate … Aitkenhead’s loss was our gain’ The Times ‘An exemplary memoir … However magnificent and powerful the book, you know it pales in comparison with the loss’ Sunday Times ‘This book is impossible to forget … It reminds one that grief is about transformation, the loss of old moorings, a new permission to put the heart first- a sea change’ Observer ‘Astonishing…. Aitkenhead has produced a work of art’ Evening Standard ‘An extraordinary memoir, a beautifully written account of life, love and what is left of both after tragedy …Utterly heart-breaking but it’s also a brave and honest account of grief and its aftermath that will stay with you long after you finish the last page’ Daily Express ‘Finely observed, emotionally truthful and beautifully written, her memoir is testament to the extraordinary power of love that doesn’t vanish when life of the beloved ends, but endures as long as memory itself’ Mail on Sunday ‘A story of absolute heartbreak, but also a story of unbelievable courage’ Davina McCall ‘An entrancing love story; a horrifying death story; a book about class, family, growing up, taking risks and learning how to be strong. Read it once, and it will be inside your head forever’ Andrew Marr ‘If you buy just one book this year, make it this one. I have never read anything like it and wished it would never end’ Jennifer Saunders ‘A brave book about emotional truth. It brought a tear to my eye, and will be deeply empowering for those who read it’ Tanya Byron ‘Anyone who has loved, lost or grieved – that's all of us – should read it.’ Alastair Campbell ‘A remarkable story of sudden tragedy and grief, of love and resilience’ Arianna Huffington ‘Beautiful’ Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisThe funny, touching and entertaining story of how Jo Hardy, the star of BBC2's Young Vets, gets to grips with animals big and small, friendly and not-at-all-happy, on the road to becoming a fully qualified vet.Stand well clear. Keep your eyes on them. Oh, and make sure you have insurance.'Not the most comforting words of wisdom, but probably the most useful for a trainee vet, Jo would say. From well-equipped surgeries to windswept hills and ramshackle barns, Jo has to be able to diagnose and treat any animal, at any time of the day or night. It's not quite as easy as James Herriot made it seem.Jo's final year of training saw her race from rectal examinations of cows to spine surgery on a Great Dane, and from treating an eventing horse with a heart problem to inserting a contraceptive implant into a monkey.And then there were the owners the tough guy who sobbed when his cat was diagnosed with cancer, the woman who was convinced her dog was embarrassed by its stomach upset, and the farmer who loved his cows as much as anyone loves their pets.Gruelling days of animal treatments and visits combined with long nights of study and revision made Jo's final year of training the most demanding and rewarding year of her life. Her book tells of the highs and lows, the pets that stole her heart, and the lifelong friends that she made with two legs and four.

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Book SynopsisIt’s 1971 and seventeen-year-old Christine is about to give birth to her son. When her family throw her out, Christine has the biggest fight of her life to bring up her son safe on the infamous Canterbury Estate in Bradford, rife with crime, alcohol and drugs, a place where family is everything and nothing.

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Book SynopsisPreviously published as Becky, this is the heartbreaking story behind the murder of 16-year-old Bristol schoolgirl Becky Watts, a crime that shocked the nation and tore a family in two.A vulnerable and shy girl, Becky Watts was brutally murdered and dismembered by her own step-brother on 19 February 2015. As her father Darren discovered the horrific details of what happened to his darling girl, his world fell apart.Writing about the darkest hours, Darren uncovers what Becky's relationship with her step-brother Nathan, a child he had raised as his own son, was really like. He recalls the devastation of discovering the truth about the depravity with which Becky was torn from him in the safety of her own home. And he recounts the torment of the legal battle to see his step-son sentenced to life behind bars.Both heartfelt and haunting, searingly honest and unflinching, this is the ultimate story of a family tragedy.

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Book SynopsisThe true story of 2 year-old Anna, abandoned by her natural parents, left alone in a neglected orphanage.Elaine and Ian had travelled half way round the world to adopt little Anna. She couldn't have been more wanted, loved and cherished. So why was she now in foster care and living with me? It didn't make sense.Until I learned what had happened. Dressed only in nappies and ragged T-shirts the children were incarcerated in their cots. Their large eyes stared out blankly from emaciated faces. Some were obviously disabled, others not, but all were badly undernourished. Flies circled around the broken ceiling fans and buzzed against the grids covering the windows. The only toys were a few balls and a handful of building bricks, but no child played with them. The silence was deafening and unnatural. Not one of the thirty or so infants cried, let alone spoke.

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