True stories / true accounts of events Books

Book SynopsisThe true story of 2 year-old Anna, abandoned by her natural parents, left alone in a neglected orphanage.

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Book SynopsisIn the tradition of The Perfect Storm and Into Thin Air, Rachel Slade's Into the Raging Sea is a nail-biting account of the sinking of the container ship El Faro, the crew of thirty-three who perished onboard, and the destructive forces of globalisation that put the ship in harm's way.On October 1, 2015, Hurricane Joaquin barreled into the Bermuda Triangle and swallowed the container ship El Faro whole, resulting in one of the worst shipping disasters in decades. No one could fathom how a vessel equipped with satellite communications, a sophisticated navigation system, and cutting-edge weather forecasting could suddenly vanish until now.Relying on hundreds of exclusive interviews with family members and maritime experts, as well as the words of the crew members themselves whose conversations were captured by the ship's data recorder journalist Rachel Slade unravels the mystery of the sinking of El Faro. As she recounts the final twenty-four hours onboard, Slade vividly depicts the oTrade Review‘An extraordinary piece of reporting. Slade has accomplished what very few authors ever attempt: to explain the loss of a ship with no survivors. I tore through it like a novel but with the inside knowledge of how insulated the shipping industry is, how well it protects secrets and of the countless nets it deploys to entangle journalists. Slade pushes through the waves, heavy seas, and military court imbroglio in the same way El Faro faced hurricane Joaquin – dead on at Full Speed Ahead’ John Konrad, author of Fire on the Horizon: The Untold Story Of Deepwater Horizon Disaster “The one account I’ve read that solves the riddle of El Faro convincingly and thoroughly. Rachel Slade mashes up The Perfect Storm with a suspenseful, page-turning thriller, cutting through the corporate double-speak to shine a light on how it was that thirty-three men and women sailed into Hurricane Joaquin. Superbly written, this deserves a place on the bookshelf of modern maritime classics. Even those who have followed El Faro closely will find major surprises here’ Robert Frump, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of Until the Sea Shall Free Them: Life, Death, and Survival in the Merchant Marine

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Book SynopsisThe Personals reveals how classified ads are not just a few commercial lines of text in print or online they can be a treasure trove of fascinating human stories; stories of love, loss, loneliness, redemption and hope.Some people do Sudoku, others watch Netflix. Brian O'Connell loves the classified ads.In an era of spin doctors and press releases, celebrities and social influencers, the classified ads can open a door into the lives of ordinary people with extraordinary stories.What draws Brian to the classified ads are the intriguing human stories he finds there, the unexpected twists and turns, the personalities, the curious objects and the range of human experience waiting to be discovered.The Personals is a diverse collection of compelling stories about the people and the lives behind the small ads.

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Book Synopsisinspiring stories alongside beautifully illustrated sweet and savoury recipes.' BBC GOOD FOOD[An] inspiring London bakery empowering tales are interspersed with illustrated recipes.' DELICIOUS.Inspirational stories. Irresistible bakes.From the perfect sponge cake to a foolproof focaccia, discover Luminary Bakery in over 70 delicious recipes. A social enterprise founded to support women experiencing disadvantage by teaching them how to bake, it has become a hub of creativity and community.Learn to create their iconic cinnamon buns, perfect pastries or a banoffee birthday cake. From simple bakes to showstoppers, the secrets of each bread, cake or stress-free dessert are accompanied by stories from the Luminary family.Heartwarming, joyful and above all, inspiring, every recipe in this classic collection is a story of Rising Hope.Trade Review‘inspiring stories … alongside beautifully illustrated sweet and savoury recipes.’ BBC GOOD FOOD ‘a mix of truly inspirational stories from the bakery and delicious cakes and bakes’ Bella ‘[An] inspiring London bakery … empowering tales are interspersed with illustrated recipes.’ DELICIOUS. ‘Stunning’ Heat ‘Inspirational’ Waitrose Weekend

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Book SynopsisLet Me Go is the powerful new memoir from foster carer and Sunday Times bestselling author Casey Watson.Harley is a troubled 13-year-old girl who wants to end her own life and there's only one woman who can find out why.When Harley is sectioned after attempting suicide, she ends up in Casey's care under a 28-day care order. But before Casey can even get her back to the safety of her home, Harley hurls herself out of the moving car.Harley has a family a widowed mother and older sister Milly. But Milly has left home and her mum, who has addiction issues, feels unable to cope.Despite the dysfunctional family, Casey suspects there is more to Harley's distress and after weeks of gentle coaching, a sudden breakthrough sheds light on the disturbing truth Milly and her mum are not the only people in Harley's life. There is a man, a very dangerous man indeed.

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Book SynopsisI knew dogs could make a difference to the children's lives. I knew it the moment I watched a little boy, exhausted by pain and sickness, stretch out his hand to touch my dog's paw, and thenhe smiled.'Lyndsey Uglow has endured and overcome mental health challenges and much personal pain, including her young son's battle with Leukaemia. Lyndsey knows only too well the emotional rollercoaster experienced by parents supporting their children through critical illness, but she also knows just how much the company of dogs can alleviate just some of their worry and pain.The healing bond with dogs that helped her, she now shares with others in the shape of a dynasty of exceptional Golden Retrievers, including the incredible Leo. Since 2012, Lyndsey has made it possible for therapy dogs to visit more than 10,000 children, many critically ill, bringing smiles of simple joy and a sense of normality to lives ruled by pain, sadness and uncertainty in paediatric intensive care, cancer wards and pal

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Book SynopsisA must-have gift for anyone interested in investigative journalism. The Sunday Times Insight team is famous for its investigative journalism. This book profiles the major stories – often a result of years of work and painstaking investigation – that ripped away the shrouds of secrecy, revealing the inconvenient truth.

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Book SynopsisBex and Laura really have pieced together the parachute we all need to help us land safely after falling into the world of loss and fertility struggles.' Elle Wright, author of A Bump In The RoadA practical and emotional self-help guide for anyone affected by miscarriage and pregnancy loss, from the co-hosts of the successful podcast, The Worst Girl Gang Ever.Following pregnancy loss, it can feel like you've forgotten how to speak and need to learn a new language. You can tell your story to a room full of people but if no-one speaks this new language, they won't understand. They will try but ultimately, they won't fully grasp what you are saying.This is us. This is our new language. It is a language built from pain, and it is a language we need to teach others. Welcome to our gang.We are so, so sorry that you've found yourself here. It's the gang you'd never chose to join but it is also a community chock-a-block full of kind, supportive, warrior women just like you.We are here to tell Trade Review‘Bex and Laura really have pieced together the parachute we all need to help us land safely after falling into the world of loss and fertility struggles. It’s like the kind friend who climbs down into the hole with you through the worst parts, and gives you a leg back up when you’re ready to try again. Thoughtful, helpful, and a little bit sweary… my kind of manual!’ Elle Wright, Feathering the Empty Nest and author of A Bump In The Road ‘Buckingham and Gunn are part of a growing group of women helping to change the place of miscarriage in public consciousness.’ Nell Frizzell, Vogue ‘[Bex and Laura] are here to offer support to others and smash the stigma of baby loss, with their powerful mantra: “We get you. And we’ve got you.”’OK

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Book SynopsisBobby Griffith was an all-American boy ...and he was gay. Faced with an irresolvable conflict-for both his family and his religion taught him that being gay was wrong-Bobby chose to take his own life. Prayers for Bobby, nominated for a 1996 Lambda Literary Award, is the story of the emotional journey that led Bobby to this tragic conclusion. But it is also the story of Bobby''s mother, a fearful churchgoer who first prayed that her son would be healed, then anguished over his suicide, and ultimately transformed herself into a national crusader for gay and lesbian youth. As told through Bobby''s poignant journal entries and his mother''s reminiscences, Prayers for Bobby is at once a moving personal story, a true profile in courage, and a call to arms to parents everywhere.

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Book SynopsisContains more than twenty real-life accounts of sea kayaking accidents that offers you potentially life-saving lessons. This book contains selected articles drawn from "Sea Kayaker" magazine. It answers the questions: What did the paddlers do wrong? What did they do right? And, how might the accident have been prevented?Table of ContentsPreface by Christopher CunninghamIntroduction: Kayaking Safety; Index to Safety Sidebars1 Drifting with the Current2 Another Lesson from the School of Hard Knocks3 Of Risk, Knowledge, Choice . . . And Special Vulnerability4 A Tale of Two Rescues5 The Open Coast, or, All Your Eggs in One Kayak6 Risks Compounded7 Sea Caves, Arches, and Narrow Passages8 Long Swims9 Rough Passages10 The Phantom Barge11 Run-in with a Great White12 Double Fatality in Prince William Sound13 Happy Endings14 Surf Zone Accidents15 Saved by a Drysuit16 Vanished17 Ferry Rescue in the San Juans18 Rosario Strait Rescue19 Nightime Accident on Willapa Bay20 Lessons in Judgment21 Ice Fall in Blackstone Bay22 Carried to SafelyIndexAbout the Authors and Contributors

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Book SynopsisIt seemed like any other season on Mount Everest. Ten expeditions from around the world were preparing for their summit push, gathered together to try for mountaineering''s ultimate prize. Twenty-four hours later, eight of those climbers were dead, victims of the most devastating storm ever to hit Everest. On the North face of the mountain, a British expedition found itself in the thick of the drama. Against all odds, film-maker Matt Dickinson and professional climber Alan Hinkes managed to battle through hurricane-force winds to reach the summit. In Death Zone, Matt Dickinson describes the extraordinary event that put the disaster on the front cover of Time and Newsweek. The desperate attempts of teams on the southern side of the mountain, fatal errors that led to the deaths of three Indian climbers on the North Ridge and the moving story of Rob Hall, the New Zealand guide who stayed with his stricken client, and paid with his life. Based on interviews with the suTrade ReviewDickinson's book reads like a thriller, pacy and exciting, [...] a real page turner * The Guardian *A gripping account of filming - and surviving - in the death zone * Mail on Sunday *Takes off like an F-16...After the first chapter I was starving for more and had trouble putting the book down * Wanderlust *

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Book SynopsisKevin Lewis grew up on a council estate in South London. Beaten and starved by his parents, ignored by the social services and bullied at school, he was offered a chance to escape this nightmare world and was put into care. Despite his best efforts to make things work out, his life spiralled out of control. At the age of 17 he became caught up in the criminal underworld of London, where he was known as ''The Kid''. From the violent anger he suffered at the hands of his mother and father, to the continuous torments at school; from the way in which he coped with rejection from people he trusted, to suffering from bulimia and a wish to take his own life, Kevin succeeded in making a better life for himself. This is his story ..

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Book SynopsisEd Husain''s The Islamist is the shocking inside story of British Islamic fundamentalism, told by a former radical. ''When I was sixteen I became an Islamic fundamentalist. Five years later, after much emotional turmoil, I rejected fundamentalist teachings and returned to normal life and my family. As I recovered my faith and mind, I tried to put my experiences behind me, but as the events of 7/7 unfolded it became clear to me that Islamist groups pose a threat to this country that we - Muslims and non-Muslims alike - do not yet understand.'' ''Why are young British Muslims becoming extremists? What are the risks of another home-grown terrorist attack on British soil? By describing my experiences inside these groups and the reasons I joined them, I hope to explain the appeal of extremist thought, how fanatics penetrate Muslim communities and the truth behind their agenda of subverting the West and moderate Islam. Writing candidly about life after extremism, I illustrate the depth of the problem that now grips Muslim hearts and minds and lay bare what politicians and Muslim ''community leaders'' do not want you to know.'' ''A complete eye-opener''  The Times ''Captivating, and terrifyingly honest''  Observer ''Persuasive and stimulating''  Martin Amis ''Read this articulate and impassioned book''  Simon Jenkins, Sunday Times Ed Husain was an Islamist radical for five years in his late teens and early twenties. Having rejected extremism he travelled widely in the Middle East and worked for the British Council in Syria and Saudi Arabia. Husain received wide and various acclaim for The Islamist, which was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize for political writing and the PEN/Ackerley Prize for literary autobiography, amongst others.

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Book SynopsisLondon is a safe haven for Indian fugitives like Mallya and Modi. "Escaped" book reveals their lavish lifestyles, legal battles, and evasion tactics. It discusses extradition loopholes, historical cases, and challenges in bringing fugitives back to India.

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Book SynopsisDecorated officer Vishwas Nangre Patil's journey from humble beginnings to becoming an IPS officer, recounting his role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the challenges he faced along the way. His story is detailed in the book "Head Held High," offering inspiration to those aspiring to join the Indian civil services.

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Book Synopsis''Ground-breaking. Everyone should read this book'' Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the ScoreWhen it comes to understanding the connection between our mental and physical health, we should be looking at the exceptions, not the rules.Dr Jeff Rediger, a world-leading Harvard psychiatrist, has spent the last fifteen years studying thousands of individuals from around the world, examining the stories behind extraordinary cases of recovery from terminal illness.Observing the common denominators of people who have beaten the odds, Dr Rediger reveals the immense power of our immune system and unlocks the secrets of the mind-body connection. In Cured, he explains the vital role that nutrition plays in boosting our immunity and fighting off disease, and he also outlines how stress, trauma and identity affect our physical health.In analysing the remarkable science of recovery, Dr Rediger reveals the power of our mind to heal our body and shows us the keys to good health.''In an era of incurable chronic diseases causing 60% of all deaths worldwide, this book provides one potential way out'' Dr Mark Hyman, author of The Blood Sugar Solution''Seasoned with the author''s penetrating insights about healing, clearly articulated science and illuminating case histories, Cured opens genuine vistas of transforming illness into health'' Gabor Maté, author of When the Body Says NoTrade ReviewAn amazing piece of work ... Cured is packed with cutting-edge science and powerful, eye-opening real life case studies. Dr Jeff Rediger offers ground-breaking and scientifically-backed evidence of how trauma can have long-lasting effects on our bodies. This is a hopeful tale of how through resilience and meaningful lifestyle adjustments even the most serious of cases can be redeemed. Timely and beautifully written ... Everyone should read this book. * Bessel van der Kolk, author of 'The Body Keeps the Score' *Seasoned with the author's penetrating insights about healing, clearly articulated science and illuminating case histories, Cured opens genuine vistas of transforming illness into health even in the face of diagnoses conventional medical thinking habitually dismisses as hopeless * Gabor Maté, author of international bestseller 'When the Body Says No: Exploring the Cost of Hidden Stress' *Cured is a rare glimpse into the mysteries of human health and disease. Why do some people with incurable disease suddenly heal? In an era of incurable chronic diseases causing 60% of all deaths worldwide, this book provides one potential way out. * Dr Mark Hyman, author of #1 New York Times Bestseller 'The Blood Sugar Solution' *Cured is one of the most important books I've ever read. Dr Rediger presents dozens of case studies of people who defied the odds, many making complete recoveries even after being told to go home and get their affairs in order. In this book, he shows us why they recovered but he also gives us insights into how we, too, can tap into this amazing curative and regenerative power of the human body. This is a deeply inspiring book. I could hardly put it down. * David R Hamilton, PhD, author of 'How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body' *The reversal of chronic illness or remission is now well documented. The mechanism in all cases seems to be restoration of homeostasis and self regulation, along with reduction of chronic inflammation. Dr. Rediger's book is an excellent guide to self healing * Deepak Chopra, author of 'The Seven Spiritual Laws Of Success' *Fascinating bioscience on the phenomenon of spontaneous healing...[Cured] doubles as a pragmatic guide to improving general health...[and the author's] expert analysis drives much of this intriguing volume... Arrestingly written and chockablock with practical, empowering medical information, this thought-provoking and convincing chronicle of disease avoidance and 'remarkable recovery' will give even skeptics something to ponder. * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisFor Art Spiegelman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Maus, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 were both highly personal and intensely political. In the Shadow of No Towers, his first new book of comics since the groundbreaking Maus, is a masterful and moving account of the events and aftermath of that tragic day.Spiegelman and his family bore witness to the attacks in their lower Manhattan neighborhood: his teenage daughter had started school directly below the towers days earlier, and they had lived in the area for years. But the horrors they survived that morning were only the beginning for Spiegelman, as his anguish was quickly displaced by fury at the U.S. government, which shamelessly co-opted the events for its own preconceived agenda.He responded in the way he knows best. In an oversized, two-page-spread format that echoes the scale of the earliest newspaper comics (which Spiegelman says brought him solace after the attacks), Trade ReviewArt Spiegelman...to the comics world is a Michelangelo and a Medici both, an influential artist who is also an impresario and an enabler of others...[Maus's] great innovation-unmatched and possibly unmatchable-was in its combination of style and subject....It would be almost impossible to overstate the influence of Maus among other artists * New York Times Magazine *Spiegelman has become one of The New Yorker's most sensational artists, in recent years drawing illustrations for covers that are meant not just to be plainly understood but also to reach up and tattoo your eyeballs with images....From his Holocaust saga [Maus] in which Jewish mice are exterminated by Nazi cats, to the The New Yorker covers guaranteed to offend, to a wild party that ends in murder: Art Spiegelman's cartoons don't fool around * Los Angeles Times *A startling and provocative work * Newsday *For one moment on an otherwise perfect fall day in Manhattan, time stood absolutely still, and since then history has rushed past too quickly for any artist to keep up. This disjunction between experience and understanding gives In the Shadow of No Towers something so much more than a linear narrative: It is a love letter to a city that this artist, no matter his fears, could not bring himself to leave * Paper Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe shocking true story of the infected blood scandal: the worst treatment disaster in NHS history, which saw people infected with HIV by a revolutionary medical treatment and a cover-up from governments and the multi-billion-dollar plasma industry.''The Poison Line is the gripping tale of a terrible scandal'' Jonathan Freedland, author of The Escape ArtistBooks are routinely described as extraordinary, but this one really is' John Preston, author of Fall________________Factor VIII was billed as a medical miracle when it was put on the market in the late 1960s: a revolutionary treatment that meant people with haemophilia no longer feared a bleed might prove fatal. But as the treatment was rolled out, haemophiliacs began to contract hepatitis and AIDS in terrifying numbers. Even as medical bodies and pharmaceutical companies tried to discredit whistleblowers and diminish the evidence, it became abundantly clear that the miracle treatment was infected. Factor VIII was killing the very people it promised to protect. And government embarked on a cover-up on an industrial scale.Award-winning investigative journalist Cara McGoogan follows the survivors-turned-campaigners, the small-town lawyers and the fearless journalists who took on some of the most powerful interests in the world to uncover what really happened in the infected blood scandal.________________This is a vital account of the infected blood scandal and subsequent cover-up . . . The truth must be told' Andy Burnham''McGoogan''s work serves as a beacon for those of us dedicated to uncovering facts in the service of justice and human rights'' Eliot Higgins, author of We Are Bellingcat''The definitive account of one of modern medicine''s most chilling scandals'' Gerald Posner, author of PharmaShortlisted for the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize 2024A Financial Times and Prospect 2023 Book of the YearTrade ReviewBeautifully written, as vivid as it is light-fingered, this is also a devastating piece of reportage. Books are routinely described as extraordinary, but this one really is -- John Preston, author of FallTold with page-turning pace, a forensic grasp of detail and deep human compassion, The Poison Line is the gripping tale of a terrible scandal. It turns on the hubris of doctors, the folly of politicians and, above all, the greed of some of the world's biggest drug companies. At its centre, are the people - many of them children - who trusted those who promised to heal them and paid an unforgivable price for that trust. In telling their story, and laying bare a cover-up maintained over four decades, Cara McGoogan has done them - and all of us - an essential service -- Jonathan Freedland, author of The Escape ArtistIn The Poison Line, Cara McGoogan masterfully unveils the depths of a scandal with precision and clarity. Through meticulous investigation and compelling storytelling, McGoogan not only brings to light the grave injustices suffered by victims but also underscores the vital importance of transparency and accountability in a world all too willing to hide uncomfortable truths. Her work serves as a beacon for those of us dedicated to uncovering facts in the service of justice and human rights -- Eliot Higgins, author of We Are BellingcatA revelatory work of non-fiction . . . The Poison Line renders personal tragedy on a mass scale: it’s a shuddering achievement -- Simon Ings * Telegraph *Factor VIII was supposed to be a miracle treatment for the clotting disorder haemophilia but instead became an agent of death . . . pharmaceutical companies, governments and medical bodies conspired to keep the global scandal under wraps, despite whistleblower evidence. A deeply shocking account of medical injustice -- Anjana Ahuja * Financial Times, Best Books of 2023 *This is a vital account of the infected blood scandal and subsequent cover-up, which caused enormous harm to so many people. The truth must be told, no matter how hard it is, for the system to change -- Andy BurnhamThe motivation of the companies producing Factor VIII in the US was clear: profit . . . As McGoogan points out, the parallels with the present-day opioid crisis in the US are clear -- Florence Sutcliffe-Braithwaite * London Review of Books *Both a riveting thriller and a devastating investigation that is all the more infuriating and gripping because everything in its pages happened to innocent children and their families, in corporations' careless quest for profits. Once you plunge into this story, you will be holding onto your seat and turning the pages to see what terrible fate will befall young hemophiliacs who were kept in the dark for actual years about the fatal virus lurking in their medical treatments, and whether the doctors who violated their oath to protect their patients and the pharmaceutical companies who lied about their contaminated blood will finally get just punishment -- Carol Leonnig, author of Zero Fail and three-time Pulitzer Prize winnerCara McGoogan’s The Poison Line is a brilliant act of investigative cartography, tracking the virus-ridden blood packs from their source (a prison in Louisiana) to patients in the US, the UK and beyond * Prospect, Books of the Year 2023 *This is an absolutely invaluable work of investigation, a book that terrifies and enrages, and a ferociously brave model of truth-telling -- Juliet Nicolson * author of Frostquake *This deeply moving account of the infected blood scandal is a must read. Though devastating, the humanity and courage of the patients and campaigners shines through on every page. I loved this book -- Dr Jim Down * author of Life in the Balance *Cara McGoogan is an indefatigable detective and a born storyteller -- Steve Coll, author of Ghost Wars, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, staff writer at The New YorkerThe distressing details are laid out in forensic and heart-wrenching detail . . . McGoogan documents the near-incomprehensible scale of lies and deception that define this scandal – most egregiously the cover-up by doctors, pharmaceutical companies and governments who went on allowing infectious products to be used while aware they were potentially deadly -- Phoebe Davis * Tortoise *A hugely impressive work of reportage, The Poison Line is a gripping and moving account of a shocking true story. Cara McGoogan’s meticulous research and skilful writing are made all the more powerful by her deep compassion for the victims of this appalling and maddening tragedy -- Ben Hinshaw, author of Exactly What You MeanA riveting story of pharmaceutical and government malfeasance and cover up that left a trail of death and misery in its wake. Cara McGoogan's in-depth reporting and seamless writing makes The Poison Line the definitive account of one of modern medicine's most chilling scandals -- Gerald Posner, Pulitzer Prize Finalist and author of Pharma: Greed, Lies, and the Poisoning of AmericaI’ll never be the same. No one who reads it will -- Tom Mull, lawyer at Mull & Mull who fought Alpha, Armour, Baxter and Bayer for a decadeAn incredibly powerful and important piece of reporting filled with so much anger and sadness from the first to last page -- Heather Darwent, author of The Things We Do To Our FriendsA fluidly written, deeply reported and ambitious exposé . . . The author displays an eye for the poignant detail -- Sarah Neville * Financial Times *Tells the full story of the infected blood scandal over more than 40 years -- Eleanor Peake * i *My first introduction to Cara McGoogan's work was her expertly researched and presented Bed of Lies, not only a masterclass in compelling storytelling in audio but also on holding power to account. Her journalistic instinct to illuminate corruption and institutional abuse, partnered with her delicate and nuanced style, makes her work unmissable -- Alice Levine, TV and radio presenter, and host of the Wondery podcast British ScandalCara McGoogan is a dogged reporter whose investigation is a timely one. I can't wait to read her book -- Joshua Hunt, author of University of NikeMcGoogan tenaciously tells the appalling story of this scandal and the lengths to which Big Pharma and governments went to cover it up -- Bookseller

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Book Synopsis''Hilarious and heart-breaking at the same time, Nimko has blown apart all taboos, blown apart the echo chamber and included all women in the feminist conversation. Essential reading for everyone'' - Scarlett Curtis, author of Feminists Don''t Wear Pink14 countries, 42 women, each with a story no one has heard before. What do you do when you''re living on the streets and on your period? What does it feel like to have a poo after you''ve given birth? How do we learn to love our bodies again after they''ve been abused? And, how do you know if you''ve ever really orgasmed? We all have questions about our bodies but often women''s voices are silenced for being impolite or improper What We''re Told Not To Talk About (But We''re Going To Anyway) is an important, taboo-breaking book that gives voice to the experiences of women from all walks of life, whose stories might not ordinarily be heard. Alongside Nimko''s story of livinTrade ReviewHilarious and heart-breaking at the same time, Nimko has blown apart all taboos ... Essential reading for everyone -- Scarlett Curtis, author of Feminists Don't Wear PinkA beautiful book with such a wide range of uplifting but often heart-breaking stories. Made us cry and think in equal measure.Nimko Ali: a heroine for our time destroys the notion of things being too rude to discuss -- Caitlin Moran, author of How to Be a WomanRude is going to shift the conversation around women's bodies. -- Amika George, founder of Free Periods CampaignNimko says it how it is. There is no subject too rude for her to tackle. We should all be talking about our vaginas and she is leading the way. -- Bryony Gordon, author of Mad GirlNimko Ali is my hero! She's an anti-FGM activist and is responsible for changing laws across the globe! She is also hilarious and wonderful. -- Zoe Sugg (Zoella)

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Book SynopsisThe shocking true story of the infected blood scandal: the worst treatment disaster in NHS history, which saw people infected with HIV by a revolutionary medical treatment and a cover-up from governments and the multi-billion-dollar plasma industry.''The Poison Line is the gripping tale of a terrible scandal'' Jonathan Freedland, author of The Escape ArtistBooks are routinely described as extraordinary, but this one really is' John Preston, author of Fall________________Factor VIII was billed as a medical miracle when it was put on the market in the late 1960s: a revolutionary treatment that meant people with haemophilia no longer feared a bleed might prove fatal. But as the treatment was rolled out, haemophiliacs began to contract hepatitis and AIDS in terrifying numbers. Even as medical bodies and pharmaceutical companies tried to discredit whistleblowers and diminish the evidence, it becam

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Book SynopsisRelates the story of a juvenile gorilla named Pongo, brought to Europe in 1876 and housed at the Unter den Linden Aquarium in Berlin. Examines human-animal interactions and science at a time when the theory of evolution was first gaining ground.Trade Review“Haikal has, with brevity, drawn together around one animal important issues relating to nineteenth-century scientific interest in primates; ideas about gorillas in popular culture and imagination; the nature of zoos and animal exhibition; the popular, scientific, and civic politics and economics of such exhibitions; and the relationships between natural history, exploration, and the colonial enterprise at the time. This is no mere story of a gorilla.”—Garry Marvin,University of Roehampton“Haikal’s history of the small, sleepy, playful little gorilla who became known as Master Pongo shows how a single animal could challenge expectations and change the way Western scientists and the general public thought about these enigmatic creatures. The book is a compelling read and outstanding example of how to recover the life story of an animal from the past.”—Nigel Rothfels,author of Elephant HouseTable of ContentsAcknowledgments1. “Gorilla Fever”2. The Discovery of a Monster3. The Research Station on the Coast of Loango4. A Valuable Present5. Darwin’s Felicitations6. The Aquarium “Unter den Linden”7. The Most Popular Resident of Berlin8. Under Observation9. “The Only Gorilla Is Coming”10. Final CertaintyAfterword: The “Giant Apes”Short BiographiesNotesBibliographyCredits

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Book SynopsisRobert Baer was known inside the CIA as perhaps the best operative working the Middle East. Over several decades he served everywhere from Iraq to New Delhi and racked up such an impressive list of accomplishments that he was eventually awarded the Career Intelligence Medal.  But if his career was everything a spy might aspire to, his personal life was a brutal illustration of everything a spy is asked to sacrifice. Bob had few enduring non-work friendships, only contacts and acquaintances. His prolonged absences destroyed his marriage, and he felt intense guilt at spending so little time with his children. Sworn to secrecy and constantly driven by ulterior motives, he was a man apart wherever he went. Dayna Williamson thought of herself as just an ordinary California girl -- admittedly one born into a comfortable lifestyle.  But she was always looking to get closer to the edge.  When she joined the CIA, she was initially tasked with Agency background checks

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Book SynopsisA memoir that chronicles the exploits of a flamboyant Jewish family, from its bold arrival in cosmopolitan Alexandria to its defeated exodus three generations later.Trade Review"It Is Mr. Aciman's great achievement that he has re-created a world gone forever now, and given us an ironical and affectionate portrait of those who were exiled from it." The New York Times Book Review"

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Book SynopsisA shocking exposé of the dangerously under-regulated medical device industry, revealing the corruption, greed, and deceit that has helped make medical interventions a leading cause of death in America.

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Book SynopsisGraham Robb was born in Manchester in 1958 and is a former Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford. He has published widely on French literature and history. His 2007 book The Discovery of France won both the Duff Cooper and Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prizes. For Parisians the City of Paris awarded him the Grande Médaille de la Ville de Paris. He lives on the English-Scottish border.Trade ReviewQuirky, amused and très British. -- Julian Barnes, author of The Sense of an Ending'A collection of true stories, culled from Robb's insatiable historical reading and lit by his imagination . . . So richly pleasurable that you feel it might emit a warm glow if you left it in a dark room. -- John Carey, Book of the Week * Sunday Times *This book is the sort of triumph that we have no right to expect to come from anyone in the steady way that Robb's masterly books come from him. -- Philip Hensher * Daily Telegraph *As Parisian and as bracing as a freshly mixed Pernod and water. * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisNew and updated, the paperback edition of the bestselling true story of the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, told with heart-rending honesty by Holly's father Kevin.Trade ReviewA brutally honest account of what happens when innocence meets evil. Kevin Wells' book is about a father's love, a family's loss and a nation's horror. If you want to know the true story of Soham then read it. * Sarah Oliver, Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisBeware the women who are called witches, or those who claim the name for themselves...Banshees - a howling night-witch and harbinger of death; She-devils - Lilith and her daughters; or Bitches - Hecate, whose chariot is drawn by dogs.Alluring women, enchantresses, seekers of revenge, wise old women and badly-behaved girls. As Shahrukh Husain says, witches are ''womanhood in all its complexity''.Over fifty stories of crones and nixies, shape shifters and beauties are here, including the loving fox witch of Japan; Italy''s Witch-Bea-Witch; Scotland''s Goodwife of Laggan; Biddy Earl and the terrifying Kali and Baba Yaga who comes in many forms to haunt, entice, possess, transform and challenge. From every corner of the globe, with tom-foolery, fun, strife and victory, these folklore and legends celebrate women who step out of line.Trade ReviewShahrukh Husain gives us a delightful array of witches of all kinds from across the globe - from the kindly to the cruel, from the wise to the wicked. A collection of stories that won't fail to entertain. -- Elizabeth Lee, author of Cunning Women

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Book Synopsis''Wry and droll, fascinating and funny, by bringing us Alexander''s nether parts this novel gives momentous matters unforgettable life'' - Ross Leckie''Witty, ironic ... and achieves a deeply felt authenticity'' - NEW YORK TIMESWhen his father dies, and he is reduced at a stroke from prosperity to penury, Euxenus decides to leave Athens and seek his fortune elsewhere. As a philosopher and intellectual of some note, he has no difficulty getting a job as tutor to a young prince in the wealthy but utterly provincial court of King Philip of Macedon. The young prince is called Alexander, and the rest is history. Or is it? Alexander conquered Greece, Egypt and the Persian Empire in the course of eight years, amassing a huge army along the way, and leaving behind him the foundations of countless new cities named after him. He proclaimed himself a deity, and died at the age of 33. In ALEXANDER AT THE WORLD''S END, Tom Holt tells thTrade ReviewWitty, ironic ... and achieves a deeply felt authenticity * NEW YORK TIMES *A fascinating, gripping, moving story * THE TIMES *Wry and droll, fascinating and funny, by bringing us Alexander's nether parts this novel gives momentous matters unforgettable life * ROSS LECKIE *Read The Walled Orchard, so you can tell your descendants, "I was there when the historical novel started holding its head up with the rest of literature" * The Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisBIG DEAL is the mesmerising story of a year spent by bestselling biographer Anthony Holden in the tough world of the professional poker player. He spent days and nights in the poker paradise of Las Vegas, in Malta and Morocco, even shipboard, mingling with the legendary greats, sharpening his game, perfecting his repartee, and learning a great deal about himself in the process.Poker, Holden would insist, is not gambling. Like chess it is a paradigm of life at its most intense, a gladiatorial contest that brings out the best as well as the worst in people. Its heroes, its eccentrics and is comedians stalk the pages of this remarkable book, along with all the hair-raising, nail-biting excitement of the games themselves.A classic of the genre, BIG DEAL is here reissued with a new introduction by the author.Trade ReviewA very good book and an important addition to the literature of gambling * David Mamet *A remarkable odyssey - part Damon Runyon, part Dostoevsky * VANITY FAIR *The best book about poker I've ever read * Walter Matthau *BIG DEAL is the classic book on big stakes poker. Praised from high and low, all players love this book, and all those wannabes, dreaming of raking in that monster pot, will eat it up * IRISH TIMES *

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Book SynopsisIn July 1967, seven young menmembers of Joe Wilcox's twelve-man expeditiondied on Mt. McKinley, North America's highest peak.

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Book SynopsisThe story of one man's evolution from naïve and ambitious young intern to world-class neurosurgeon.Trade Review"Dramatic, moving, and utterly fascinating." -- New York Times Book Review"By turns comic and tragic, this memoir…is a must-read for neurosurgeons but also of interest to most clinicians." -- Chris Barrett - The BMJ"Dr. Frank Vertosick provides an amusing, insightful and honest inside view of the training of the neurosurgeon. This highly readable account of daily life on the wards shows all the humility, fortitude, and humanity that genuinely underlies this sometimes not well-understood but genuinely wonderful profession." -- Dr. David W. Roberts, professor of surgery (neurosurgery), Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center"When the Air Hits Your Brain lets you feel the pain, grief and joy of practicing medicine. This book should be read by every medical student, doctor and present or potential patient. In other words, by all of us." -- Dr. Bernie Siegel, author of Love, Medicine and Miracles"Writing with humor and compassion, but without sentimentality, Vertosick shows us that neurosurgeons, those gods of the operating room, are humans, too." -- Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisWinner of the National Outdoor Book Award Grand Prize Winner, Banff Mountain Book Festival Forever on the Mountain grips even non-climbers with its harrowing scenes of thorny relationships tested by extraordinary circumstances. Washington PostTrade Review"A shrewd and penetrating investigation of one of climbing’s greatest tragedies, Forever on the Mountain grapples with the most fundamental questions of risk and responsibility." -- David Roberts, author of Limits of the Known"Just as good as Into Thin Air…A spell binder." -- The Sun Times"Some welcome perspective on an enduringly painful episode of mountaineering history…Tabor analyzes this debacle with the doggedness of an investigative reporter and the technical knowledge of an experienced climber." -- Wall Street Journal"A powerful case study in how quickly cracks in a team’s solidarity can lead to disaster." -- Outside"As he negotiates his way through egotism, sabotage, freak weather, and staggering courage, Tabor maintains a cool head and, even more importantly in this case, an open heart. This is a maddening, terrifying book, and also a deeply compassionate one." -- John Vaillant, author of The Golden Spruce"This harrowing tale of the 1967 catastrophe on the slopes of McKinley will leave you breathless…A great detective story that offers a shocking twist to a long-unsolved mystery." -- Gay Salisbury, coauthor of The Cruelest Miles

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Book SynopsisOne Navy admiral called itone of the greatest unsolved sea mysteries of our era.&rdquo The U.S. Navy officially describes it an inexplicable accident. For decades, the real story of the disaster eluded journalists, historians, and the family members of the lost crew. But a small handful of Navy and government officials knew the truth: The sinking of the U.S.S. Scorpion on May 22, 1968, was an act of war. In Scorpion Down , military reporter Ed Offley reveals that the true cause of the Scorpion''s sinking was buried by the U.S. government in an attempt to keep the Cold War from turning hot. For five months, the families of the Scorpion crew waited while the Navy searched feverishly for the missing submarine. For the first time, Offley reveals that entire search was cover-up, devised to conceal that fact that the Scorpion had been torpedoed by the Soviets. In this gripping and controversial book, Offley takes the reader inside the shadowy world of the Cold War military, where riv

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Book SynopsisExplore and experience 100 extraordinary surfing tales and adventures from around the globe with stunning photography.Trade Review"A thrilling journey around the world's best surf spots." (Carve Magazine, December 2010) "Inspiring reading for everyone from hardcore wave riders to couch surfers" (Alex Wade) "These epic shots and inspiring stories will get you seeking adventure around the next headland and beyond!" (Gabe Davies)Table of ContentsTropical Waters; Temperate Waters; Cold Waters

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Book SynopsisAn unforgettable book on a rarely visited subject: the personal accounts of those who have witnessed the death of a loved one. Some of the interviews are religious, some are not, some encouraged their loved ones to accept death, others to fight it.

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Book SynopsisThe stunning true story of a murder that rocked the Mississippi Delta and forever shaped one author’s life and perception of home.“Mix together a bloody murder in a privileged white family, a false accusation against a Black man, a suspicious town, a sensational trial with colorful lawyers, and a punishment that didn’t fit the crime, and you have the best of southern gothic fiction. But the very best part is that the story is true.” —John GrishamIn 1948, in the most stubbornly Dixiefied corner of the Jim Crow south, society matron Idella Thompson was viciously murdered in her own home: stabbed at least 150 times and left facedown in one of the bathrooms. Her daughter, Ruth Dickins, was the only other person in the house. She told authorities a Black man she didn’t recognize had fled the scene, but no evidence of the man's presence was uncovered. When Dickins herself was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, the comm

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Book SynopsisHeard the one about the airline that has introduced 'corpse cupboards' on new planes to cope with the number of people who die in the air?Trade ReviewBitchy, bolshy and fun * Refresh *Lifts the lid on the airline industry, the scams, the hedonistic lifestyle of the staff and the treatment of the passengers * Bath Chronicle *A shocking but fantastic book that should be read before you go on holiday! * Star Magazine *For real life debauchery, the perfect in-flight read (or maybe not...) has to be Air Babylon * What's On *Lifts the lid on what cabin-crews really get up to in the galley * Esquire *

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Book SynopsisCOMING TO NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ON 27 MAY 2019_________In March 2014, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa was first reported.Trade ReviewOne of the most terrifying books I've ever read. Move over Stephen King and Michael Crichton - this really happened, within sight of the Washington Monument. And sooner or later it will happen again -- Arthur C. ClarkeReads like a nightmarish Stephen King thriller...It will keep you awake at night because you know that this is not a figment of the author's imagination * Today *A nightmarish scenario...dramatic...frightening * Daily Mail *The spookiest story of 1994...A terrifying premonition of what might come out of the woods * The Sunday Times *The first chapter of The Hot Zone is one of the most horrifying things I've read in my entire life...And then it gets worse. What a remarkable piece of work. I devoured it in two or three sittings and have a feeling the memories will linger a long time -- Stephen King

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1962, one year after the rise of the Berlin Wall, a group of daring young West Germans risked prison, Stasi torture and even death to liberate friends, lovers, and strangers in East Berlin by digging tunnels under the Wall. This book tells their story.Trade ReviewA story with so much inherent drama it sounds far-fetched even for a Hollywood thriller... Mitchell tells a kaleidoscopic cold war story from 1962, recreating a world seemingly on the edge of a third world war. * The Guardian *This book serves as a stark reminder that barriers can never cut people off entirely but only succeed in driving them underground. * New York Times *The Tunnels is one of the great untold stories of the Cold War. Brilliantly researched and told with great flair, Greg Mitchell’s non-fiction narrative reads like the best spy thriller, something le Carre might have imagined. Easily the best book I’ve read all year.Every hour of my year in East Berlin - 1963/64 - the escape tunnels beneath our feet were being dug. This is their story: those who dug them, those who used them and those who betrayed them to the Stasi. Fascinating - and it is all true.A fascinating and complex picture of the interplay between politics and media in the Cold War era. * The Washington Post *I was stunned by the tunnelling exploits detailed by Greg Mitchell. This intricately detailed account was eye-opening and an exhilarating read. Not knowing who made it out of the East, and who was arrested, or worse, kept me glued to this book until the last page. [An] important work. -- Antonio Mendez, author of ArgoAn extraordinarily revealing political thriller... Mitchell presents us with a radically changed perspective on one of the Cold War’s most dramatic episodes. His book is both priceless as history and just about impossible to beat for sheer narrative grip. -- Frederick Taylor, author of The Berlin WallGreg Mitchell's The Tunnels uncovers an unexplored underworld of Cold War intrigue. As nuclear tensions grip Berlin, a whole realm of heroes and villains, of plot and counterplot, unfolds beneath the surface of the city. True historical drama. -- Ron Rosenbaum, author of Explaining Hitler and How The End BeginsWhen you have read the last page of Greg Mitchell's The Tunnels you will close the book. But not until then. -- Alan Furst, author of A Hero of France and Night SoldiersGreg Mitchell is the best kind of historian, a true storyteller. The Tunnels is a gripping tale about heroic individuals defying an authoritarian state at a critical moment in the Cold War. A brilliantly told thriller—but all true. -- Kai Bird, author of The Good SpyA compelling look at a wrenching chapter of the Cold War that chronicles the desperate flights for freedom beneath the streets of post-war Berlin and the costs that politics extracted in lives -- Barry Meier, author of Missing ManA riveting story. Mitchell, an exemplary journalist, goes deep into the political dynamics of Cold War Berlin. John Le Carré couldn’t have done it better. -- Bill MoyersA narrative full of interest and acute observation. -- Allan Massie * The Scotsman *Tense, fascinating... Mitchell delivers a gripping, blow-by-blow account. * Publishers Weekly *A gripping page-turner that thrills like fiction. * Kirkus Reviews *One of the most gripping stories of the Cold War. * Omnivoracious - The Amazon Book Review *

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Book SynopsisA New York Times BestsellerFrom the beloved New Yorker cartoonist comes a collection of paintings and stories from some of the world’s most cherished bookstores. This collection of 75 evocative paintings and colorful anecdotes invites you into the heart and soul of every community: the local bookshop, each with its own quirks, charms, and legendary stories. The book features an incredible roster of great bookstores from across the globe and stories from writers, thinkers and artists of our time, including David Bowie, Tom Wolfe, Jonathan Lethem, Roz Chast, Deepak Chopra, Bob Odenkirk, Philip Glass, Jonathan Ames, Terry Gross, Mark Maron, Neil Gaiman, Ann Patchett, Chris Ware, Molly Crabapple, Amitav Ghosh, Alice Munro, Dave Eggers, and many more.  Page by page, Eckstein perfectly captures our lifelong love affair with books, bookstores, and book-sellers that is at once heartfelt, bittersw

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Book SynopsisChosen by Paul Auster out of the four thousand stories submitted to his radio programme on National Public Radio, these 180 stories provide a wonderful portrait of America in the twentieth century. The requirement for selection was that each of the stories should be true, and each of the writers should not have been previously published. The collection that has emerged provides a richly varied and authentic voice for the American people, whose lives, loves, griefs, regrets, joys and sense of humour are vividly and honestly recounted throughout, and adeptly organised by Auster into themed sections. The section composed of war stories stretches as far back as the Civil War, still the defining moment in American history; while the sequence of ''Meditations'' conclude the volume with a true and abiding sense of transcendence.The resultant anthology is both an enduring hymn to the strange everyday of contemporary American life and a masterclass in the art of storytelling.Trade Review'It is difficult to think of another book published this year, and probably any book to be published next year, that is so simple and so obvious, so excellent in intention and so elegant in its execution, and which displays such wisdom and such knowledge of human life in all its varieties.' Ian Sansom, Guardian; 'Fantastic... Glows with the truth of shared human experience.' The Face; 'Astonishing... This is writing at its very finest.' Independent

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Book SynopsisIn this acclaimed memoir from the award-winning author of Fragrant Harbour and Capital, John Lanchester pieces together his family''s past and uncovers their extraordinary secrets - from his grandparents'' life in colonial Rhodesia to his mother''s time as a nun - with clear-eyed compassion. A true story of family intrigues, of secrets and lies, as they unfold across three generations.

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Book SynopsisUproarious.' The TimesTerrifically entertaining.' Evening StandardIrresistible.' Daily MailGripping.' Sunday Telegraph''A scintillating gem: a cracking page-turner, historically illuminating, culturally fascinating, and a book which effortlessly passes comment on today.'' HeraldLondon, April 1870: Fanny and Stella were no ordinary Victorian women. They were young men who liked to dress as women: Frederick Park and Ernest Boulton. Stella was the most beautiful female impersonator of her day, Fanny her inseparable companion.But the Metropolitan Police were plotting their downfall. Fanny and Stella were arrested and subjected to a sensational trial where every lascivious detail of their lives was lapped up by the public.With a cast of peers and politicians, detectives and drag queens, Fanny and Stella is a dazzling and enthralling story of cross ex

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Book SynopsisBeautifully written, impeccably researched, and told with the air of suspense that few writers can handle, Wastelands is a story I wish I had written. —From the Foreword by John Grisham  The once idyllic coastal plain of North Carolina is home to a close-knit, rural community that for more than a generation has battled the polluting practices of large-scale farming taking place in its own backyard. After years of frustration and futility, an impassioned cadre of local residents, led by a team of intrepid and dedicated lawyers, filed a lawsuit against one of the world’s most powerful companies—and, miraculously, they won. As vivid and fast-paced as a thriller, Wastelands takes us into the heart of a legal battle over the future of America’s farmland and into the lives of the people who found the courage to fight.There is Elsie Herring, the most outspoken of the neighbors, who has endured racial slurs and th

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