True stories / true accounts of events Books

Book SynopsisFalling madly in love, even when you know that by loving you risk all you have...it could happen to anyone. The Au Pair bravely goes where no other book has gone, and tells the story which so many women have experienced, with complete honesty. There is no other lesbian account that addresses the issues faced in the title as directly, and as openly. Furthermore, it is a tale that everyone who has encountered similar circumstances will be able to identify with, and benefit from. Whether it is a mother, whose daughter reveals herself to be gay, or a young woman, trying to come to terms with her sexuality. The Au Pair is a true story of a British wife and mother of three whose life is turned upside down when she meets and falls in love with her pretty and much younger Afrikaans au pair. In essence this is an unconventional love story, a candid memoir of how two women found each other at an inopportune time of their lives. How they overcame and faced reactions of their relationship from their families and friends; and ultimately dealing with their own guilt. Written as it happened, one can feel the urgency and passion woven intricately through the pages of this jaw-dropping and at times humorous memoir.

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Book SynopsisBrighid ''Biddy'' McLaughlin, the acclaimed Irish journalist and storyteller, has endured unthinkable tragedythe murder of her beloved sister Siobhan and the devastating drowning of her husband. Yet, in the face of overwhelming grief, McLaughlin refuses to be consumed by darkness. From behind the half-door of her enchanting Dalkey cottage, in exquisite and honest prose, McLaughlin reflects upon the cherished memories evoked by the objects surrounding her, carrying the reader along on a journey of grief, resilience and hope. From the delicate Madeleine tray that whispers Siobhan''s name to her own folk art illustrations that dance across the pages, McLaughlin''s memoir is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of storytelling to heal even the deepest wounds.As the late John B. Keane once remarked, Biddy had been a storyteller all her life. In drawings, words and painting, she has captured the tales of common and not-so-common folk caught up in the maelstrom of life.'McLaughlin''s memoir celebrates the people, places, and passions that sustained her: her unconventional background, her bohemian friends, her love of art and cooking, and the solace found within the walls of her cottage.Tales of a Patchwork Life is a must-read for anyone seeking inspiration and comfort. It offers a powerful reminder of the extraordinary strength that lies within.

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Book SynopsisThe story of two men who almost single-handedly saved their football club from extinction. In the early 80s David Kilpatrick and Graham Morris spied architects' plans to turn Spotland, the home of their beloved, beleaguered Rochdale AFC, into a housing estate. They set about saving the club but first had to take on the alleged 'enemy within'. They worked tirelessly, persuading companies to write off debts while securing loans and donations, a tricky proposition when your club is bottom of the Football League. Meanwhile, the town of Rochdale was on its knees, the last of the cotton mills closing down. The limit of most fans' investment in their club is routinely the price of a season ticket. Directors often risk their houses and businesses, sometimes forfeiting marriages, families and their health in the name of their club. People such as Kilpatrick and Morris - moderately wealthy local businessmen - who serve on football club boards are the unseen, unsung heroes of football, even in the modern age.

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Book SynopsisAs she lay on the bed, bruised and bleeding, she felt her strength come back, and her steely determination tightened inside. It was time to make a decision. Cecilia Chattergee (1876-1947) was a woman who defied convention. She was a lawyer in India, at a time when women didn't have careers. She was a Parsee who married outside of her religion. She lived as a widow when Indian society ostracised widows. She also endured unimaginable trauma and tragedy, yet never lost sight of her ambitions. Set against the backdrop of India's struggle for independence, this is the story of one woman's struggle for her own independence. Her fight to live her life her way and improve the life chances of her children. Bernie Morgan is Cecilia Chattergee's great-granddaughter. She hosts the podcast, Amazing Women, Invisible Lives. She wanted to bring Cecilia's amazing story to a wider audience and give her the recognition she deserves.

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Book SynopsisThe Nearly Man is the true, yet almost unbelievable, story of one man's incredible life, beginning in rural Scotland in the reign of Queen Victoria, and ending on the west coast of Canada in the 1970s. In one of the 20th century's great untold stories we travel with Francis Metcalfe on an amazing journey from the great estates of Scotland to the battlefields of Flanders, and the trenches of the Somme. His associations with the soon-to-be famous and his brushes with death were followed by his heroics in the ice fields of Arctic Russia, wasted years in post-war London, and a narrow escape from being murdered by Sinn Fein in Ireland. After a spell in prison for fraud, Metcalfe became a fugitive from Scottish Law as he engineered a daring escape to France, while the attention of the police was diverted. After hiding in Paris during the 1920s, among the 'Lost Generation' of writers, Metcalfe was arrested at gunpoint and thrown in France's most notorious jail. In his own words, Metcalfe tells the astounding story of his flight from justice, his subsequent trial, imprisonment, followed by release, his second escape from the police, his capture and his decision to start a new life in Canada. . . . only to become embroiled in Communist riots, the hardship of the depression, the infamous 'Ottawa Trek', and the impending war. The Nearly Man tells the story of one man's adventures through some of the last century's lesser- known conflicts, and his encounters with the famous thinkers, writers and soldiers of his time. But it also shows how his exploits impacted the people around him. Francis Metcalfe almost became one of Britain's notable war heroes, poets, writers, adventurers, businessmen and criminals. If Metcalfe had succeeded, he would doubtless be immortalised in history. Instead, his incredible adventures through some of history's forgotten events had become lost in time, until his story was painstakingly unearthed for this book.

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Book SynopsisA hilarious assortment of the weirdest and wackiest tales ever to come out of the classroom – and they’re all true. Featuring the flamboyant swimming teacher who spent his spare time fighting bears, the story of how a fight with his teacher paved the way for Al Capone’s infamous crime empire, and the bizarre tale of the American teacher who sued her own pupils for not paying attention in her lesson, this book is a real education. An ideal end-of-year teacher gift, this fascinating book is also a must-read for anyone who’s ever been to school. So stop talking at the back, pay attention and start reading! Word count: 45,000

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Book SynopsisLondon’s Strangest Tales takes a walk on London’s weirder side with an absorbing collection of curious tales from one of the world’s greatest cities. This fascinating book is packed with amazing things you didn’t know about Britain’s capital, like the fact that it’s still forbidden to run, carry an umbrella or whistle in the Burlington Arcade, and the fat lamppost at the corner of Trafalgar Square that is secretly a tiny prison cell. And did you know that the entrance to Buckingham Palace you see from the Mall is actually the back door and not the front? The stories within these pages are bizarre, fascinating, hilarious and, most importantly, true. This brand new edition, redesigned in splendid hardback for 2018, is a brilliant alternative guide to the city, whether you’re a visitor, a daily commuter or one of its 8 million inhabitants. Word count: 45,000

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Book SynopsisA prodigious talent stalked by controversy, celebrity chef John Burton-Race has always lived life on the edge, and remains nothing if not pragmatic. "I wear people down. I'm a bit of a basket case." Born in Singapore in 1957 to a British diplomat father, Burton-Race helped the family chef while being exposed to global tastes and flavours that still influence his style of cooking. He worked under renowned chef Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons and when Blanc opened Le Petit Blanc in Oxford, he turned to Burton-Race to head the kitchen. Here the young, aspiring chef would win his first Michelin star. Three years later he opened his own restaurant, L'Ortolan in Berkshire.Awarded two Michelin stars, the achievement was repeated in 2000 at John Burton-Race Restaurant at London's Landmark Hotel. Television viewers, however, bore witness to his mercurial nature in the fly-on-the-wall series French Leave and Return of the Chef, and an appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here ended in disaster when his second wife closed his Devon restaurant while he was in the Australian bush. Possessed of an innate talent for self destruction, John Burton-Race is still driven, still complex, still controversial, still living life at 100 miles an hour. This is his story.

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Book Synopsis'Stella is just like a tiny bird. This is my first impression of her. A quiet little sparrow of a girl.'In her brand-new series 'Thrown Away Children', Louise Allen shares the harrowing stories she is exposed to as a foster mother.The first in the series, Stella's Story, tells the astonishing true story of a young girl scarred by an abusive past.Named after the lager that christened her at birth, Stella's life is characterised instability and neglect. Her teenage mother abandons her in the first few weeks of her life, and left in the 'care' of her father, she ends up lying deserted in a house with no food, no water, no clothes, and no warmth.She eventually lands in the care of foster carer Louise, who is determined to change her life for the better. Things seem to be going well - but when Stella has a startling response to having her photo taken, it becomes clear the scars of her abuse run deeper than anyone could have ever guessed.

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Book SynopsisShe doesn't want this baby.She can't look after this baby.She will never be able to love this baby.Little Abby's life begins badly, then just gets worse.Now foster mum Louise and her family must help her deal with the truth of her past to give her the chance of a future.Abby's Story is the latest book in the series THROWN AWAY CHILDREN by author and foster mum Louise Allen.

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Book SynopsisAshley is a young single mum raising her daughter, Eden, and working hard to do the very best job she can – until one night she can't find a babysitter and makes the decision to leave Eden home alone for a couple of hours, asleep inside a wardrobe. It is an action that begins a terrible downward spiral for both of them. When Eden arrives at experienced foster carer Louise Allen's home, she has entered the care system because her mother is in prison. Eden is five years old and will not speak to any human. She begins exhibiting some other disturbing behaviours alongside the mutism, too, including torturing the family pets she loves. This eventually leads Louise to discover the pain and tragic reality behind Eden's Story.

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Book SynopsisThis updated edition features a new introduction, and an exclusive interview with long-distance runner Paula Radcliffe. It is the world's most iconic road race. It is twenty-six-point-two miles of iconic landmarks, cheers, tears, sweat, pain, courage, determination and inspiration. It is triumph over adversity on a colossal scale. It is the London Marathon - and it's an event unlike any other. Running The Smoke tells the story of what it's like to take part in this race in the most enlightening and enriching way possible: from the perspectives of twenty-six different people who have participated in it since its inception in 1981. Candid and inspiring if you are preparing for your first marathon or your 100th, Running The Smoke will give you the encouragement, insight and belief you need to cross that line.Trade Review'Reveals inspirational stories of endurance and triumph . . . heart-breaking and heartwarming' * Athletics Weekly *'Remarkable stories of endurance and joy' * The Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisLouise gets a frantic call to take in a damaged and destructive young girl. Separated from her siblings, Sparkle is hostile and angry. A short while after settling in, Sparkle begins to identify as pansexual. A revolution is underway in the Allen household, with Sparkle’s transition motivating all of the young people to explore what becoming an adult means for them. But it’s Sparkle’s escalating behaviour that causes concern. Discovering a dark fact about Sparkle’s birth and the shocking events that the children in her house were part of, Louise is desperate for more help – and not just for the child in her care. As Sparkle’s erratic and violent behaviour increases, Louise finds herself and her homelife under serious threat.

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Book SynopsisTrip Hazard tells the story of how a working-class boy, turned successful businessman, has become the world''s most prolific extreme location adventurer.

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Book SynopsisIn this book, Neeraj Kumar, one of India's most well-respected and accomplished police officers a former BCCI anti-corruption chief takes us inside the seamy world of corruption in cricket. What one encounters is an ungentlemanly game of cops and robbers: swindlers who cheat young players while the BCCI looks the other way, sham matches held just for the sake of betting and top administrators who care more for commerce than the integrity of the sport.

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Book SynopsisHis violin saved his life. August 1914: Renowned violinist Lucien Durosoir (1878-1955) was taking a break from his busy concert schedule in a small town in Brittany with his mother, when the world and his life changed forever. In the space of a two or three days, he was off to the front. Good luck, his companion throughout four hard years of war, placed him in a regiment led by officers who loved music, and Lucien was asked to create a chamber music ensemble. Luck also placed around him other excellent musicians, and, within a few months they were playing some of the great chamber music repertoire. Lucien wrote his first letter to his mother as soon as he got out of the cattle car and officially became part of the fighting force, and until the end of the war he wrote at least daily. She, in turn, replied in lengthy, daily letters, sharing news and offering maternal guidance. This translation brings the story of these two strong-willed, loving, troubled, people to the English-speaking world for the first time. It provides a unique perspective on war, music, and a mother-son relationship. This is an account of the horrors of the Great War from someone who managed to create beauty within its gruesome trenches. This is the first English translation of their letters.Trade ReviewPraise for Ma Chere Maman – Mon Cher Enfant: "Lucien Durosoir is not nearly as well- known as a composer in the English-speaking world as he should be. In the lyricism and sheer beauty of his music, he can remind the listener of Edward Elgar. But unlike Elgar, Durosoir was young enough to serve in the trenches of the Great War. Like millions of his comrades, he was also a prolific letter writer. The letters between him and his mother, Louise, are elegantly translated and wonderfully presented here. They present a rich tapestry of the grim circumstances in and out of the trenches of the Great War. They also present strategies of survival, physical and emotional, but also romantic. Elizabeth Schoonmaker Auld has done us a great service by making these letters available. They can only increase our admiration for this great composer and exemplary survivor of this horrible conflict."--Leonard V. Smith, Professor of History, Oberlin College; "These letters provide important first-person perspective on both a typical and atypical experience of a solider at the front and a musician fulfilling national duty. We see the evolving relationship between a mother and a son, initial optimism, moments of deep grief for lost friends, and more, all in a highly readable translation."--Joseph T. Acquisto, Professor of French, University of Vermont;"A professional violinist in his mid-thirties is called to fight in the 'Great War'. Suddenly wrenched from a career and a widowed mother, many musicians would not have had the strength of character to withstand the long years of deprivation and trauma. Lucien Durosoir's extended correspondence with his mother reveals his exceptional courage and leadership as a soldier, as well as his ingenuity in finding ways to make music amidst the deprivations of war. Via his vivid descriptive writing, and Elizabeth Auld's superb translation, we experience the immediacy of war through the eyes (and ears) of a mature and artistic spirit."--Linda Laurent, Professor Emerita of Music, Central Connecticut State University

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Book SynopsisA study of the institution of the President of India, this book is based on the author''s term as Deputy Secretary to the seventh president, Giani Zail Singh. In particular, it examines the President''s role when authoritarian governments are voted in power. Things are all the more challenging for a president with a popular prime minister who has an overwhelming majority, as happened in the case of Zail Singh and Rajiv Gandhi.

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Book SynopsisThrough his years as a college student in Delhi, where being denied apartments because of his name was the norm; to ultimately becoming a journalist documenting history of his country as it happened.

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Book SynopsisOn 21 December 1988, Pan Am flight 103 departed London Heathrow for New York. Shortly after take-off, a bomb detonated, killing all aboard and devastating the small Scottish town of Lockerbie below. Only one man has ever been convicted of the crime: Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, though few believe that he acted alone.In 2009, a request was made by Libya for al-Megrahi's release from prison on compassionate grounds after he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. The decision to grant or deny that request fell squarely and exclusively on the shoulders of one man: Kenny MacAskill, Scotland's Justice Secretary from 2007 to 2014.Detailing the build-up to the atrocity and the carnage left in its wake, MacAskill narrates the international investigation that followed and the diplomatic intrigue that saw a Scottish court convened in the Netherlands. He describes the controversial release of al-Megrahi, explains the international dimensions involved and lays bare the commercial and security interests that ran in the background throughout the investigation and trial. Finally, he answers how and why it happened - and who was really responsible for the worst terrorist attack to have occurred on British soil before or since.Trade Review"Kenny MacAskill was a hero of principle surrounding the release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi - the only man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing, who was then dying of cancer. Now he has written a gripping and revealing account of the bombing, telling the whole story with honesty and compassion, as well as a forensic attention to detail. Essential reading for anyone with unanswered questions about the worst terrorist attack ever to be perpetrated in Britain." - Clive Stafford Smith; "This book details the duplicity of UK and US governments who condemned the release while negotiating commercial deals with the Gaddafi regime. It tells of the pressures on the judicial system of Scotland from the global controversy and a Justice Secretary's search for justice. It ends with the most credible explanation yet published of who was really responsible for the downing of Pan Am flight 103. A must-read book by the man in the eye of the storm." - Alex Salmond

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Book SynopsisBeing a housewife in the 1950s was quite a different experience to today. A 1950s Housewife collects heart-warming personal anecdotes from women who embarked on married life during this fascinating post-war period, providing a trip down memory lane for any wife or child of the 1950s.

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Book SynopsisEl libro definitivo sobre el fenómeno de las Experiencias Cercanas a la Muerte (ECM) y su poder para transformar nuestras vidas.El doctor Manel Sans Segarra, prestigioso cirujano y pionero en la investigación de la supraconciencia, junto con el periodista Juan Carlos Cebrián, explora las Experiencias Cercanas a la Muerte (ECM) desde una perspectiva científica y espiritual. A través de casos documentados y el estudio de la física cuántica, este libro ofrece una nueva comprensión de la conciencia y la vida después de la muerte, desafiando las concepciones tradicionales y proporcionando una guía para superar los miedos y ayudarnos a reflexionar sobre nuestra propia vida.

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Book SynopsisEmergency is a collection of true stories about events where disaster seems imminent. Yet each situation is concluded without loss of life thanks to the skill of the pilots and their crews, whose bravery and resourcefulness have earned them well deserved commendations.

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Book Synopsis50th Anniversary Edition • With an introduction by Caity Weaver, acclaimed New York Times journalistThis cult classic of gonzo journalism is the best chronicle of drug-soaked, addle-brained, rollicking good times ever committed to the printed page.  It is also the tale of a long weekend road trip that has gone down in the annals of American pop culture as one of the strangest journeys ever undertaken.Also a major motion picture directed by Terry Gilliam, starring Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro.

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Book Synopsis'Hard to put down - it's so personal and raw.' Sunday Times MagazineTrade ReviewSometimes shocking, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes very funny, Reva Mann's story is a fascinating glimpse into a hidden world, * Elle Magazine *Fascinating and harrowing in equal measure... * Daily Express *An incredible journey of rediscovery. * This Morning, ITV *There are moments of profound insight . . . read this book and then hide it from the kids! * Jewish Telegraph *The mantra of sex'n'drugs'n'rock'n'roll might have been coined for Reva Mann . . . the book at times makes one gasp aloud, she has done a service by opening a window on the strictly Orthodox world. * Jewish Chronicle *Gripping, harrowing and devastatingly honest. * Naomi Alderman *A fascinating journey . . . This is a searingly honest account of one woman's struggle with her faith and her health. * The Good Book Guide *Makes for riveting, compulsive reading. * Elle Magazine USA *For all her industrious bad behaviour, it is the quieter episodes of this candid memoir that are the most interesting; illuminating a quest of universal interest and fascinating local detail * Daily Mail *

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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 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 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 SynopsisAn explosive account of Putin's presidency and his long-term ambitions, including first-hand reporting from the invasion of Ukraine. A gripping and explosive account of Vladimir Putin's tyranny, charting his rise from spy to tsar, exposing the events that led to his invasion of Ukraine and his assault on Europe. In Killer in the Kremlin, award-winning journalist John Sweeney takes readers from the heart of Putin's Russia to the killing fields of Chechnya, to the embattled cities of an invaded Ukraine. In a disturbing expose of Putin's sinister ambition, Sweeney draws on thirty years of his own reporting - from the Moscow apartment bombings to the atrocities committed by the Russian Army in Chechnya, to the annexation of Crimea and a confrontation with Putin over the shooting down of flight MH17 - to understand the true extent of Putin's long war. Drawing on eyewitness accounts and compelling testimony from those who have suffered at Putin's hand, we see the heroism of the Ru

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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 SynopsisTry Not to Think of a Pink Elephantis a collection of real-life stories about living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Contributors are Martin Ingle on OCD and sexual intimacy; Dani Leever on contamination-based OCD; Patrick Marlborough on living with OCD in NYC; Katharine Pollock on over-achievement and control of food and body; and Sienna Rose Scully on the untimely death of her mother, an event that actualised her most persistent OCD obsession.

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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 Synopsis'America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.' – Abraham Lincoln Is the story of the United States that of George Washington, John Adams and Barack Obama? Or of slave rebel Nat Turner, of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King? Or Sitting Bull and Al Capone? Or Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and OJ Simpson? Of course, it is the story of all these, of both civil war and world war, of gold rush and dust bowl, of the Pilgrim Fathers and religious cults, of Prohibition and the Mafia, of the Salem Witch Trials and the McCarthy-era witch-hunts. From the Iroquois and early European settlers to the Revolutionary War and Civil War, from slavery to segregation, from the frontier to the Reservations, The History of America is a chronological examination of the United States through politics, labour, big business, crime and culture. Featuring such varied characters as Thomas Jefferson and John Brown, Bugsy Siegel and J P Morgan, Calamity Jane, Chuck Berry and Bonnie & Clyde, it tells the story of the first ‘new nation’, the first major colony to revolt successfully against colonial rule, and how it became the world’s most powerful country. Extensively researched and illustrated with 180 black-&-white artworks and illustrations, The History of America is a lively and fascinating account of the darker side of the story of the United States.Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION A NEW WORLD THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION THE CONSTITUTION GOING WEST THE CIVIL WAR CAPITALISM AND THE CLOSING FRONTIER THE NEW AGE WORLD WAR II THE EARLY COLD WAR DISILLUSIONMENT AND REVIVAL FALLEN HEROES AND FALSE PROPHETS THE NEW MILLENNIUM Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisBig Beat was once one of the biggest, but ironically, perhaps most misunderstood musical movements of the Mid-Late 1990's, lead by some of the biggest artists the Electronic Dance Music scene has ever seen, such as Fatboy Slim (AKA Norman Cook), The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy. It's loud, eclectic sound with it's syncopated beats was a smash around the world, leading to nights of boozy (but good natured) hedonism, and it was the soundtrack to the advertising world of the late 1990's and early 2000's. But, somewhere along the way, the genre got a massive backlash from critics, leading to a very quick and painful death, and became the very victim of it's own success. Where did it go wrong and is there a chance for the scene to experience a revival? With new and exclusive interviews with Rory Hoy from 120 of those who were in the thick of it (including Fatboy Slim and Liam Howlett and Keith Flint from The Prodigy) - this is a celebratory (and sometimes humorous) look at a music scene that was short lived . . but had a very big impact.

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Book SynopsisImagine a time before the whole world knew The Beatles - you are in 1960s Liverpool, standing in an overcrowded, dark, sweaty cellar, waiting for John, Paul, George and Pete to take to the stage - about to witness the face of popular music, and your own life, changing forever. This is the story of Mike and Bernadette Byrne's amazing and uniquely personal journey. They not only witnessed music history being made but they went on to build The Beatles Story, the most successful Beatle exhibition in the world. With no money of their own, little experience, and hardly any support from the city, they succeeded. Bernadette was a Cavern regular who went on to date George and Paul, while Mike was a fellow Merseybeat musician and acquaintance of The Beatles. Like scenes in a Beatles film yet to be made, Bernie was caught with her hair in rollers by George Harrison, Paul McCartney nearly burned her parents' house down and Mike was backed by a 21-year-old Ringo while playing at Butlins Holiday Camp. From escaping screaming fans in George Harrison's car and organising 14 labourers to carry Ringo's customised Mini up an escalator in a Dallas mall, to secret meetings with senior Beatle bosses in a London crypt, this journey is packed with unseen pictures and many untold stories about The Beatles - and how a Liverpool couple helped Liverpool fall in love with the Beatles again. The book is a large, coffee table size hardcover with full colour interior, full of rare and magnificent images.

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Book SynopsisV. R. Reddy, a prominent figure in the legal community, made significant contributions to legal education and served in various high-ranking positions. His memoir recounts his journey from rural beginnings to practicing law at the Supreme Court, highlighting his personal and professional experiences with candor and warmth.

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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 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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