True stories / true accounts of events Books

740 products


  • Tressa: The Twelve Year Old Mum: My Story

    John Blake Publishing Ltd Tressa: The Twelve Year Old Mum: My Story

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis'Nobody knew the truth. For all those years while people judged me, I protected those closest to me. Now it's time for the real story to be told. It's time for healing and forgiveness.' Tressa Middleton made UK history when she became Britain's youngest mum in 2006 aged just 12 years and 8 months. Her case provoked shock and outrage - but the truth behind the headlines was far sadder than anyone could ever have imagined. Born into a life of poverty and neglect, Tressa was forced to grow up fast when she taken into care at just four years old. She was returned to her mother's chaotic world but by the age of seven, she was being abused by her own brother and at 11 years old she fell pregnant with his child. For years she kept his dark secret in an attempt to hold her family together until the truth threatened to destroy her completely. In the years since the birth, Tressa has gone through more pain and turmoil than most adults experience in a lifetime - yet today she survives a brave, strong and compassionate young woman. Now, for the first time, Tressa Middleton tells her own harrowing yet poignant story - a story of hope, forgiveness and above all, love.

    15 in stock

    £8.99

  • Amazing Surfing Stories

    John Wiley & Sons Inc Amazing Surfing Stories

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisA treasure trove of tales of incredible waves and remarkable riders to stoke the fire of armchair surfers and hardcore wave-riders alike.Trade Review"Expect an exhilarating ride alongside surfing legends.” (Coast) “With tales of monster waves, deadly sharks and perfect breaks, this book alone gets every surfer stoked – even if there isn't a wave in the sea.” (Cornwall Today) “Entertainingly written and painstakingly researched: there's something for everyone.” (Carve Surfing) “Accessible and diverting. There are a great many stories here, all short and true. The language is at once literary and idiomatic...Wade comes across as so steeped in respect for the ocean that the overriding impression is of authenticity. The book succeeds through a confluence of subject matter and structure. Some of these stories will transport us, others may pass us by, and the feeling is eerily akin to that of surfing itself.” (Times Literary Supplement 2013)Table of ContentsPreface; Going to Extremes; Tragic Tales; When the Big Stuff Bites; Gonzo Interlude; Contests & Communities; Worldwide Waves; Obsessions; Inspiration

    1 in stock

    £13.49

  • Arthur the King

    John Murray Press Arthur the King

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis*THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND MAJOR MOTION MOVIE PICTURE ON AMAZON PRIME, STARRING MARK WAHLBERG, SIMU LIU, JULIET RYLANCE AND NATHALIE EMMANUEL*''A shaggy dog story with a lovely happy ending'' BBC BreakfastWhen you are racing 435 miles through the jungles and mountains of South America, the last thing you need is a stray dog tagging along. But that''s exactly what happened to Mikael Lindnord, captain of a Swedish adventure racing team, when he threw a scruffy but dignified mongrel a meatball one afternoon.When they left the next day, the dog followed. Try as they might, they couldn''t lose him - and soon Mikael realised that he didn''t want to. Crossing rivers, battling illness and injury, and struggling through some of the toughest terrain on the planet, the team and the dog walked together towards the finish line, where Mikael decided he would save Arthur and bring him back to his family in Sweden, whatever it took.Trade ReviewLindnord draws readers into his story, confiding the many ways that Arthur touched and enriched his life . . . [a] story about the powerful connection that can develop between people and dogs * Publishers Weekly *

    2 in stock

    £10.44

  • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas A Savage Journey

    Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas A Savage Journey

    4 in stock

    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.

    4 in stock

    £12.34

  • The Rabbis Daughter

    Hodder & Stoughton The Rabbis Daughter

    15 in stock

    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 *

    15 in stock

    £10.44

  • My Mad Fat Diary

    Hodder & Stoughton My Mad Fat Diary

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisIf Adrian Mole had a sister ....Hysterically funny, touching real-life teenage diary from 1989, now a major new E4 drama. .Trade Review'Funnier, sadder and ruder than Adrian Mole, this will delight teenagers past and present' * Financial Times *You wouldn't catch many people revealing their true teen thoughts. Hurray then for Rae Earl, who dug out her 1989 diary and published it in the raw. Hilarious and gut-wrenchingly familiar * In Style *Very funny * Elle *'Full of 80s nostalgia, this journal will make you laugh out loud' * Closer (four stars) *'Very funny - and sad' * Heat *'Full of teenage logic, bad poetry and 80s nostalgia, Rae's frank and hilarious trip down memory lane stands out from the current surge of memoirs' * The London Paper *This show actually is my mad fat diary. I have already pretty much lived this show, for real... Reminds you how rarely you see teenage girls on television doing anything other than looking sexy in short skirts, endlessly texting their friends about parties, or wailing "IT'S SO UNFAIR" when their parents won't buy them a car. * Caitlin Moran for The Times *

    1 in stock

    £10.44

  • Fastnet Force 10

    WW Norton & Co Fastnet Force 10

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisIn August 1979, 303 yachts began the 600-mile Fastnet Race from the Isle of Wight off the southwest coast of England to Fastnet Rock off the Irish coast and back.Trade Review"John Rousmaniere's gripping account of that calamitous race is a must-read for anyone thinking about sailing offshore. This richly detailed account provides inspiration for all sailors to thoroughly prepare and use good sense at sea." -- Gary Jobson, ESPN sailing commentator"There are few new lessons in safety at sea. What we teach is the accumulated wisdom of centuries, passed down to us by those who took the trouble to think and then to write. [Fastnet, Force 10] is still the best single source of those lessons, in my view.... Thanks for a great book and a lifetime of caring for those who go down to the sea in ships." -- John Bonds, Safety-at-sea expert and former director of the U.S. Sailing Association and the U.S. Naval Academy sailing program"I reread Fastnet, Force 10 for at least the fourth time, with pleasure and admiration, as always. For a long time now, it has been a huge favorite of mine; as a writer, I'm dazzled by [John Rousmaniere]'s sure-footed handling of a complex narrative, with multiple points of view, all beautifully woven into a continuous and powerful story. After twenty years, it still reads as freshly as ever." -- Jonathan Raban, author of Passage to Juneau, Coasting, and Old Glory and editor of The Oxford Book of the Sea

    Out of stock

    £13.29

  • Last Stand George Bird Grinnell the Battle to

    HarperCollins Publishers Last Stand George Bird Grinnell the Battle to

    2 in stock

    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

    2 in stock

    £8.24

  • The Sweethearts Tales of love laughter and hardship from the Yorkshire Rowntrees girls

    HarperCollins Publishers The Sweethearts Tales of love laughter and hardship from the Yorkshire Rowntrees girls

    15 in stock

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

    15 in stock

    £8.54

  • From Source to Sea: Notes from a 215-Mile Walk

    Octopus Publishing Group From Source to Sea: Notes from a 215-Mile Walk

    1 in stock

    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 *

    1 in stock

    £14.44

  • Coming through Slaughter Vintage International

    Random House USA Inc Coming through Slaughter Vintage International

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisBringing to life the fabulous, colorful panorama of New Orleans in the first flush of the jazz era, this book tells the story of Buddy Bolden, the first of the great trumpet players--some say the originator of jazz--who was, in any case, the genius, the guiding spirit, and the king of that time and place. In this fictionalized meditation, Bolden, an unrecorded father of Jazz, remains throughout a tantalizingly ungraspable phantom, the central mysteries of his life, his art, and his madness remaining felt but never quite pinned down. Ondaatje's prose is at times startlingly lyrical, and as he chases Bolden through documents and scenes, the novel partakes of the very best sort of modern detective novel--one where the enigma is never resolved, but allowed to manifest in its fullness. Though more 'experimental' in form than either The English Patient or In the Skin of a Lion, it is a fitting addition to the renowned Ondaatje oeuvre.

    Out of stock

    £15.20

  • The West End Front

    Faber & Faber The West End Front

    2 in stock

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

    2 in stock

    £12.34

  • Testament of Friendship: The Story of Winifred

    Little, Brown Book Group Testament of Friendship: The Story of Winifred

    1 in stock

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

    1 in stock

    £12.34

  • No One Likes Us, We Don't Care

    John Blake Publishing Ltd No One Likes Us, We Don't Care

    1 in stock

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

    1 in stock

    £8.54

  • An English Affair

    HarperCollins Publishers An English Affair

    2 in stock

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

    2 in stock

    £11.39

  • Good Cop, Bad War

    Ebury Publishing Good Cop, Bad War

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis'Undercover, you're never just acting; you're only ever a different version of yourself.'Neil Woods spent fourteen years (1993-2007) infiltrating drug gangs as an undercover policeman, befriending and gaining the trust of some of the most violent, unpredictable criminals in Britain. But Neil was never your stereotypical gung-ho, tough-guy copper. This is the story of how a thoughtful, idealistic character learned to use his empathetic nature to master some of the roughest, most dangerous work in law enforcement. There was no training, no manual and no plan for when things went wrong; he was just dropped at a corner and told to make connections. But, inevitably, having swords thrust against his jugular, witnessing beatings, stabbings, and gangsters burning suspected rats with acid took its toll.Drawing on Neil’s experiences, with the insight that can only come from having fought on the front lines, GOOD COP, BAD WAR is at once a narrative-driven true crime read and a fascinating story of a character under pressure.Trade ReviewThis is the best book ever written about the British war on drugs. -- Johann HariGripping exposé of the disastrous reality of the drug war -- Decca Aitkenhead * Guardian *

    1 in stock

    £13.49

  • London's Truly Strangest Tales

    HarperCollins Publishers London's Truly Strangest Tales

    2 in stock

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

    2 in stock

    £9.25

  • Silent Shock: The Men Behind the Thalidomide

    Text Publishing Silent Shock: The Men Behind the Thalidomide

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis

    Out of stock

    £11.69

  • Back from Africa

    Quercus Publishing Back from Africa

    15 in stock

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

    15 in stock

    £10.48

  • Working North: DEW Line to Drill Ship

    NeWest Press Working North: DEW Line to Drill Ship

    1 in stock

    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.

    1 in stock

    £12.79

  • The Amazing Story of the Man Who Cycled from

    Oneworld Publications The Amazing Story of the Man Who Cycled from

    7 in stock

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

    7 in stock

    £9.49

  • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Other American

    Random House Publishing Group Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Other American

    4 in stock

    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.”

    4 in stock

    £18.52

  • Last Swill  Testament

    Music Mentor Books Last Swill Testament

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    15 in stock

    £17.09

  • From Source to Sea: Notes from a 215-Mile Walk

    Octopus Publishing Group From Source to Sea: Notes from a 215-Mile Walk

    15 in stock

    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 *

    15 in stock

    £9.89

  • The Incurable Romantic and Other Unsettling

    Little, Brown Book Group The Incurable Romantic and Other Unsettling

    1 in stock

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

    1 in stock

    £10.44

  • Nine Gates

    James Clarke & Co Ltd Nine Gates

    1 in stock

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

    1 in stock

    £22.32

  • The Greatest Knight

    Little, Brown Book Group The Greatest Knight

    15 in stock

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

    15 in stock

    £9.99

  • The Boy in 7 Billion: A true story of love,

    Mirror Books The Boy in 7 Billion: A true story of love,

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisDeryn Blackwell is a walking, talking miracle.At the age of 10, he was diagnosed with Leukaemia.Then, 18 months later, he developed another rare form of cancer called Langerhan's cell sarcoma. Only five other people in the world have it. He is the youngest of them all, and the only person in the world known to be fighting it alongside another cancer......making him one in seven billion.He and his parents were told that there was no hope of survival. And so, at the age of 14, after four years of intensive treatment, exhausted by the fight and with just days to live, Deryn planned his own funeral.But on the point of death, Deryn's condition suddenly and dramatically changed. His medical team had deemed this an impossibility. His recovery was nothing short of a miracle. Unexplainable.However, Deryn's desperate mother, Callie was hiding a secret...An inspirational story that will grip you from the very first pages.Table of ContentsChapters 1 - 44 Epilogue Acknowledgements

    Out of stock

    £9.93

  • Conversations with Ko Un

    Orient Blackswan Pvt Ltd Conversations with Ko Un

    7 in stock

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

    7 in stock

    £17.99

  • Escape from Pretoria

    Jacana Media (Pty) Ltd Escape from Pretoria

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisIn this jaw-dropping classic of prison escape literature, Tim Jenkin tells of how he, Stephen Lee and Alexander Moumbaris, using a series of hand-made wooden keys, got through nine locked doors inside Pretoria Central, taking them to Mozambique and finally to London.

    Out of stock

    £14.20

  • Alice Neel: The Art of Not Sitting Pretty

    David Zwirner Alice Neel: The Art of Not Sitting Pretty

    2 in stock

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

    2 in stock

    £21.25

  • Keeping My Mandarin Alive: Lee Kuan Yew's

    World Scientific Publishing Co Pte Ltd Keeping My Mandarin Alive: Lee Kuan Yew's

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisLearn Mandarin while you brush your teeth or shave? Read how Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew does it!A Prime Minister as an interpreter? Find out when and why MM Lee had to do it.For the first time, this towering figure of the island-state's politics gives a first-hand account of How he has learnt Mandarin over the last 50 years and kept it alive. He also tells When and Why he decided to learn the language, Where he got hold of the learning materials from, Whom he practises his Mandarin with and What spurs him on.MM Lee goes beyond these 5Ws and 1H in Keeping My Mandarin Alive, to share the agony of a mature Chinese language student and how he has overcome the difficulties — he strove to learn Mandarin only at age 32 (from 1955) and Hokkien at age 38 (from 1961).The comprehensive package also details how the English-educated MM Lee has been relating Mandarin to his master language in an effort to grasp the former and unravels how the latest technology has helped him in his quest.Edited by Dr Chua Chee Lay, one of MM Lee's Chinese tutors, Keeping My Mandarin Alive comprises:Table of ContentsInterview; Tutors' Views; Reading Materials; Resources

    Out of stock

    £45.60

  • Testament Of Youth

    Little, Brown Book Group Testament Of Youth

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisOne of the most famous autobiographies of the First World War - much filmed, much studied and much loved. This classic memoir is now a major motion picture starring Alicia Vikander and Kit Harington.Trade ReviewRemains one of the most powerful and widely read war memoirs of all time * Guardian *Vera Brittain's heart-rending account of the way her generation's lives changed is still as shocking and moving as ever -- Stella Magazine * Sunday Telegraph *A heartbreaking account of the impact of the First World War on a stout-hearted, high-minded young woman * Sunday Times *Like the much-misunderstood poppy, Testament both memorializes and warns ... to remain uninformed is actually life-threatening * Times Literary Supplement *Sublimely moving . . . this is a truly great book . . . should be compulsory reading for the nation's debauched and aimless yobs and yobettes -- Val Hennessy * Daily Mail *Essential reading, not just as an anti-war polemic but as a portrait of a whole generation of young people who were totally ill-prepared and whose lives were utterly changed within four momentous years * Historical Novels Review *

    Out of stock

    £13.49

  • Strangler

    Kensington Publishing Strangler

    10 in stock

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

    10 in stock

    £7.59

  • The Lighthouse

    The History Press Ltd The Lighthouse

    5 in stock

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

    5 in stock

    £11.69

  • The Good People

    Pan Macmillan The Good People

    5 in stock

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

    5 in stock

    £10.44

  • Dream Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream

    Pan Macmillan Dream Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream

    1 in stock

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

    1 in stock

    £8.54

  • An Octopus in My Ouzo: Loving Life on a Greek

    Octopus Publishing Group An Octopus in My Ouzo: Loving Life on a Greek

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisEscape to the sunlight and colour of a wild island in the south Aegean.When Jennifer moves alone into the Honey Factory on a tiny Greek island, bringing a laptop, her hiking boots and plans for a peaceful life, she has no idea what surprises are in store.Diving into an exciting new life with a fisherman, she learns something every day. Joining the dancing at local festivals and helping at a café on the beach, surviving winter storms and finding a canine companion, she is faced with both challenges and rewards, and discovers that to become an island woman she must live small and think big.Trade ReviewA seductive evocation of Greek island life and an honest exploration of what it means to try to live differently. An Octopus in My Ouzo is about diving into the unknown and staying afloat, even when the enticing blue waters of the Aegean become clouded and choppy. * Lizzie Enfield *Romantic, sun-drenched and mouth-watering... a true feast for the senses.' * Emma Woolf *Poetic, touching, enlightening: Jennifer's very personal journey into Greece's deep heartland will give even the most couch-bound armchair traveller itchy feet.' * Anne Zouroudi *This book has re-awakened my love of travel writing, and for that I can only thank Jennifer Barclay. * Rachel’s Random Reads Blog *This book does what any good travel book should do, not only do you feel that you are there, it makes you want to go to that place at the first opportunity * Nudge *

    Out of stock

    £10.44

  • In the Running: Stories of Extraordinary Runners

    Octopus Publishing Group In the Running: Stories of Extraordinary Runners

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisRunning isn't a hobby, it's a way of life.Runners run to be the best they can be, to challenge who they are, to inspire others and to champion their cause.From the woman who ran for three and a half days without sleep, to the 61-year-old man who broke records in an 875-km ultramarathon, this collection of unforgettable stories will inspire anyone who's ever pounded the pavement to keep on running and enjoy every minute of this liberating sport.Trade ReviewWhat a marvellous idea for a book about the most fascinating characters in the history of distance running! No one is better fitted to tell their stories than Phil Hewitt, a brilliant wordsmith devoted to the sport. * Peter Lovesey, novelist and athletics historian *A fascinating look at the limits of human endurance - informative, inspiring but above all entertaining. * Kate Mosse, author and broadcaster *A highly inspirational and touching legacy to the many long distance runners who have achieved great triumphs against the odds. A gem for the running community at large - of which I belong. * Anna Nicholas, author and journalist *An eclectic runnerpedia of astounding facts and inspirational stories, Hewitt's book reveals characters prepared to do just that little bit more to reach their chosen running goal. Sourced from a vast array of running lore, even the most seasoned reader will find something new and wondrous here. I read it from cover to cover, but you could just as easily dip in whenever you want. Enjoy. * Charles Rodmell, gearselected.com *An inspiring celebration of the milestones and motivation of running's greatest stars, In The Running also lauds the everyday heroes at the back of the pack. Encyclopaedic and engaging, you'll delight in its many tales of courage, camaraderie and sheer craziness. * Lisa Jackson, author of Your Pace or Mine? *For women, it's not just about running. It's about changing their lives. Phil Hewitt captures this in his compelling narrative of these astonishing women who have created this sport. * Kathrine Switzer, first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon, winner of the 1974 New York marathon, and leader of the 261 Fearless Movement *A passion for running and runners shines through this book, a timely reminder that at its essence it is the purest, most simple of sports. Through its legion of subjects, all hugely accomplished in their different ways, Phil Hewitt engagingly captures running's soul. * Stephen Brenkley, enthusiastic runner of five marathons and former cricket correspondent of The Independent *

    Out of stock

    £9.99

  • The Winding Stair: Francis Bacon, His Rise and

    Little, Brown Book Group The Winding Stair: Francis Bacon, His Rise and

    7 in stock

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

    7 in stock

    £10.44

  • Killer in the Kremlin

    Transworld Publishers Ltd Killer in the Kremlin

    Out of stock

    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

    Out of stock

    £13.49

  • Through Her Eyes: Australia's Women

    Hardie Grant Books Through Her Eyes: Australia's Women

    5 in stock

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

    5 in stock

    £16.00

  • The Clapham Train Accident

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Clapham Train Accident

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisClapham was a pivotal point in British railway history. Much technology had been invented and applied to accident prevention by 1988; much more was to come. The Clapham Train Accident considers Clapham in its wider context, using official reports and expert interviews to describe both the causes and the terrible effects. It looks beyond the railway to the external factors acting not only on British Rail, but also the government of the time, and considers the safety improvements that came about as a result.Finally, the book brings the story up to date and looks at why the lessons learned over thirty years ago still need to be retained in an industry where the baton of safety is all-too-easily dropped during re-organisation, re-branding and after the departure of those who lived through darker days to make ours shine more brightly.The concatenation of events, the errors, the reorganisations, the financial constraints, that led to Clapham could happen to any business in any industry. On t

    1 in stock

    £21.25

  • Deadly Quiet City: Stories From Wuhan, COVID

    Hardie Grant Books Deadly Quiet City: Stories From Wuhan, COVID

    15 in stock

    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 *

    15 in stock

    £12.74

  • Forgiveness

    Simon & Schuster Ltd Forgiveness

    7 in stock

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

    7 in stock

    £9.49

  • The 24th Mile: An Indian Doctor's Heroism in

    HarperCollins India The 24th Mile: An Indian Doctor's Heroism in

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    15 in stock

    £8.99

  • Try Not to Think of a Pink Elephant: Stories

    Fremantle Press Try Not to Think of a Pink Elephant: Stories

    Out of stock

    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.

    Out of stock

    £18.69

  • Our Wild Farming Life: Adventures on a Scottish

    Chelsea Green Publishing Co Our Wild Farming Life: Adventures on a Scottish

    15 in stock

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

    15 in stock

    £15.19

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