Search results for ""Notorious""

South-east England, 1740s: war and heated politics bring the old practice of smuggling to new and dangerous heights. Violent gangs of smugglers terrorise communities and confound government attempts to stop them. The most famous of these, the Hawkhurst Gang, operate like a modern drug cartel fuelled by illegal tea. They threaten witnesses and authorities, brandish weapons in public, and fight battles in the streets, murdering and kidnapping those who get in their way.Enter a world filled with gangsters, corrupt politicians, crooked law enforcement, and vigilantes, brought to the brink by Britain's most notorious smuggling gang.

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THE DEFINITIVE ACCOUNT OF THE MOST INFAMOUS STREET GANG IN AMERICAIn the 1980s, El Salvador was involved in a bloody fight for control of the government. To escape the guerrilla assaults and death squads many fled to the US. As a survival instinct, they formed a group called the Mara Salvatrucha Stoners, a relatively harmless social network bound by rock and roll. But later, as they brushed against established local gangs, the group took on a harder edge, selling drugs, stealing cars and killing rivals who threatened their territories. As authorities cracked down, gang members were incarcerated and deported. But in the prison system, the group only grew stronger.Today, MS-13 is one of the most infamous street gangs on Earth, with tens of thousands of members operating in a half-dozen nations and two continents, and linked to thousands of grisly murders each year. Through the story of former gang member Norman and his family, journalist Steven Dudley brings readers inside the deadly group.

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Designed as a city dwelling for the modern age, Dolphin Square opened in London’s Pimlico in 1936. Boasting 1,250 hi-tech flats, a swimming pool, restaurant, gardens and shopping arcade, the complex quickly attracted a long list of the affluent and influential. But behind its veneer of respectability, the Square has become one of the country’s most notorious addresses; a place where the private lives of those from the highest of high society and the lowest depths of the underworld have collided and played out over the best part of a century.This is the story of the Square and its people, an ever-evolving cast of larger-than- life characters who have borne witness to, and played pivotal roles in, some of the most scandalous episodes of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. **From Oswald Mosley and the Carry On gang to allegations of systematic sexual abuse, it is a saga replete with mysterious deaths, exploitation, espionage, illicit love affairs and glamour, shining a light on the changing nature of British politics and society in the modern age.**

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‘Compelling, authoritative and as readable as the best airport thriller. It fizzes with crime, fame, power and illicit sex.’ Jeremy Vine‘A timely and important book. It’s quite remarkable how one building has played host to such debauchery. If only the walls could talk…’ Iain DaleDesigned as a city dwelling for the modern age, Dolphin Square opened in London’s Pimlico in 1936. Boasting 1,250 hi-tech flats, a swimming pool, restaurant, gardens and shopping arcade, the complex quickly attracted a long list of the affluent and influential. But behind its veneer of respectability, the Square has become one of the country’s most notorious addresses; a place where the private lives of those from the highest of high society and the lowest depths of the underworld have collided and played out over the best part of a century.This is the story of the Square and its people, an ever-evolving cast of larger-than- life characters who have borne witness to, and played pivotal roles in, some of the most scandalous episodes of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From Oswald Mosley and the Carry On gang to allegations of systematic sexual abuse, it is a saga replete with mysterious deaths, exploitation, espionage, illicit love affairs and glamour, shining a light on the changing nature of British politics and society in the modern age.

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There is a fascination surrounding the subject of pirates and pirate lore that centers around the romanticized impression of lawless, brutal ruffians pillaging ships, hunting for gold and treasure, and traveling in massive ships waving the skull-and-bones flag. The golden age of piracy produced many grandiose and notorious characters whose incredible stories have found their way into this one-of-a-kind book.Originally published in 1735, The History and Lives of Notorious Pirates and Their Crews grippingly chronicles the adventures and misadventures of the most infamous pirates who ruled the high seas at the turn of the eighteenth century. From Captain Spriggs’ rampant use of torture on his victims, to Bartholomew Robert’s incredibly successful pirating career, Blackbeard’s legendary fearsome demeanor, and Captain Kidd’s tragic end, these truly enthralling stories of privateers turned bandits will leave readers on the edge of their seats.Though the author’s true identity is still debated, his book helped shape the very concept we hold of pirates today—influencing such writers as J. M. Barrie, Rafael Sabatini, and Robert Louis Stevenson.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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Celebrate thirty years of the world's most notorious rock band with the deluxe collectors' edition of The Dirt-the outrageous, legendary, no-holds-barred autobiography of Motley Crue. Fans have gotten glimpses into the band's crazy world of backstage scandals, celebrity love affairs, rollercoaster drug addictions, and immortal music in Motley Crue books like Tommyland and The Heroin Diaries, but now the full spectrum of sin and success by Tommy Lee, Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, and Mick Mars is an open book in The Dirt. Even fans already familiar with earlier editions of the bestselling expose will treasure this gorgeous deluxe edition. Joe Levy at Rolling Stone calls The Dirt "without a doubt ...the most detailed account of the awesome pleasures and perils of rock & roll stardom I have ever read. It is completely compelling and utterly revolting."

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AS SEEN ON BBC BREAKFASTStep inside one of Britain's most renowned prisons...During her time as a prison teacher Mim Skinner met people from all walks of life - what united them, was that they had committed a serious crime. But Mim's job was not to judge them, it was to teach.In this compelling, inspirational memoir Mim takes you behind the bars. From drugs and violence to pregnancy and heartbreak, Mim's classroom saw it all. With high drama but also candid humour The Prison Teacher is full of eye-opening stories of those without a voice, revealing the human side of our country's most controversial institution.'Shocking, poignant and darkly funny' Woman & Home'Full of nitty-gritty details of life inside' The Guardian'Humbling, hopeful and wryly hilarious' The Herald'Very real and powerful account' Kate Paradine, CEO of Women in Prison'A humane, sometimes humorous, and always perceptive account of prison life' Ken Loach'Very funny and important' Pandora Sykes, co-host The High Low ShowA STYLIST NON-FICTION BOOK OF YEAR 2020

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The trial of the year in 1950 was of Donald Hume, a North London petty thief accused of stabbing car dealer Stanley Setty to death, of cutting up his corpse and dropping his body parts from an aeroplane. The press and public were horrified and fascinated by the details. But Hume was convicted and gaoled as an accessory - he later claimed his wife was guilty of the crime. He then fled Switzerland, taking up with a Swiss woman in Zurich, but he needed money to finance his lavish lifestyle and he returned to robbery. He carried out two armed robberies, shooting a member of the bank staff, but getting clean away. Then in 1959 his attempt to rob a bank failed and he shot dead a bystander. Arrested, he stood trial and was sentenced to life, but was later deemed criminally insane and was returned to Britain and to Broadmoor. Jonathan Oates's compelling account of Hume's notorious life of crime is based on extensive primary research. It sheds new light on Hume and his crimes, especially the murder of Setty, and gives the reader a rare insight into the criminal underworld of the time.

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During the First World War, Etaples, a coastal fishing port situated on the North-East French coast, 15 miles south of Boulogne, was a base camp for the British Army, as well as a major medical facility for wounded and sick troops, including both British and Canadian hospitals. The Etaples camp also included a military cemetery, which by the end of the war contained the graves of more than 11,000 British and British Imperial soldiers. Soldiers crossing the Channel on their way to the battlefields of the Western Front found themselves at the Etaples camp, where they would stay an average of two weeks undergoing further training and drills. The training staff who oversaw them had a bad reputation for either their training methods or their lack of genuine military experience at the Front. The Etaples camp was also part of the route taken by men on their way back to the UK. Opportunities for leisure and recreation activities for soldiers away from the camp could be found in Etaples town. Officers, meanwhile, headed to the slightly more up-market beach resort of nearby Le Touquet, which was separated from the Etaples area by the river Canche, and accessible by a bridge. To ensure it remained 'just for officers,' pickets, usually members of the Military Police, were placed on the bridge to enforce its exclusiveness. The men's overall treatment, conditions in the camp and the poor relationship between them and members of the Military Police, was a cocktail for disaster, culminating in a number of incidents in September 1917, which have collectively become known as the Etaples Mutiny, the full story of which can be found in this book.

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A first-hand look at some of Britain’s darkest moments. Some of the world’s most notorious crimes have taken place in Britain, and the names of the perpetrators are now synonymous with murder and mayhem. From the sensationalist trials of Dr Crippen and George Joseph Smith, to gang warfare and audacious bank heists, Criminal Britain is a photographic journey through our most infamous crimes, using photographs from Mirrorpix’s impressive archive.

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Who guards the guardian angel?New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is on the trail of a con-man in Notorious Nineteenth, the nineteenth sizzling adventure in the hilarious Stephanie Plum series by bestselling author Janet Evanovich. The perfect series for fans of Sue Grafton and Harlan Coben. Praise for Evanovich: 'Evanovich is a clever writer with a strong streak of laugh out loud sardonic humour' (Melbourne Weekly); 'Non-stop laughs with plenty of high jinks' (USA Today); 'As smart and sassy as high gloss wet paint' (Time Out).Tracking down a multi-million-dollar fraudster who somehow walked out of hospital after major surgery should be easy, right? But Stephanie's got more pressing work: her unbearably handsome mentor Ranger has been getting death threats from a fellow ex-Special Forces operative. Suddenly, she's meant to be the one looking out for him.But between her attraction to Ranger and the killer's determination, she'll be lucky if she makes it through the week...What readers are saying about Notorious Nineteen:'As usual once I started I couldn't put it down''Excellent read - kept me in hysterics''Hilarious, understated and well-written'

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THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERHotel K - Bali's most notorious jail - is Hell in Paradise.Welcome to Hotel Kerobokan, or Hotel K, Bali's most notorious jail. Its walls touch paradise; sparkling oceans, surf beaches and palm trees on one side, while on the other it's a dark, bizarre and truly frightening underworld of sex, drugs, violence and squalor. Hotel K's filthy and disease ridden cells have been home to the infamous and the tragic: a Balinese King, Gordon Ramsay's brother, Muslim terror bombers, beautiful women tourists and surfers from across the globe. Petty thieves share cells with killers, rapists, and gangsters. Hardened drug traffickers sleep alongside unlucky tourists, who've seen their holiday turn from paradise to hell over one ecstasy pill. Hotel K is the shocking inside story of the jail and its inmates, revealing the wild 'sex nights' organised by corrupt guards for the prisoners who have cash to pay, the jail's ecstasy factory, the killings made to look like suicides, the days out at the beach, the escapes and the corruption that means anything is for sale - including a fully catered Italian jail wedding, or a luxury cell upgrade with a Bose sound system. The truth about the dark heart of Bali explodes off the page.

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What started as the angry scribblings of a caterer in Florida evolved into much more as the infamous Al-Qaeda soon became Scott Creney's closest confidante in this accidental memoir of letters to the world’s most notorious terror organization. Scott lived in Florida in 2004 and worked as a caterer. In a world where nothing seemed to make sense anymore, and even television seemed like another hostile face of humanity, Scott began writing to someone whom he imagined was as bitter and confused as he: Al-Qaeda. Alone, in debt and utterly broke, Scott's day-to-day struggles to stay afloat, both financially and mentally, are a fascinating look at America from an outsider’s perspective. Through engaging and at times disarmingly beautiful prose, Scott represents the voice of a new class of Americans—college-educated, but in debt and often unemployed. He is a member of an emerging generation of Americans who are worse-off than their parents, and who are struggling just to clear the poverty line. He puts his finger on the pulse of what it means to be an American, and how confused those meanings have become to all of us.

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In September 1868, the remains of Jacob and Nancy Jane Young were found lying near the banks of Indiana's White River. It was a gruesome scene. Part of Jacob's face had been blown off, apparently by the shotgun that lay a few feet away. Spiders and black beetles crawled over his wound. Smoke rose from his wife's smoldering body, which was so badly burned that her intestines were exposed, the flesh on her thighs gone, and the bones partially reduced to powder. Suspicion for both deaths turned to Nancy Clem, a housewife who was also one of Mr. Young's former business partners. In The Notorious Mrs. Clem, Wendy Gamber chronicles the life and times of this charming and persuasive Gilded Age confidence woman, who became famous not only as an accused murderess but also as an itinerant peddler of patent medicine and the supposed originator of the Ponzi scheme. Clem's story is a shocking tale of friendship and betrayal, crime and punishment, courtroom drama and partisan politicking, get-rich-quick schemes and shady business deals. It also raises fascinating questions about women's place in an evolving urban economy. As they argued over Clem's guilt or innocence, lawyers, jurors, and ordinary citizens pondered competing ideas about gender, money, and marriage. Was Clem on trial because she allegedly murdered her business partner? Or was she on trial because she engaged in business? Along the way, Gamber introduces a host of equally compelling characters, from prosecuting attorney and future U.S. president Benjamin Harrison to folksy defense lawyer John Hanna, daring detective Peter Wilkins, pioneering "lady news writer" Laura Ream, and female-remedy manufacturer Michael Slavin. Based on extensive sources, including newspapers, trial documents, and local histories, this gripping account of a seemingly typical woman who achieved extraordinary notoriety will appeal to true crime lovers and historians alike.

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"What did happen here there have been so many tales and outright lies told. It has been hard to see through the smoke to see the truth. Now memory, memory is like a loaded pistol it can turn again who's a-holdin' it." - J. Sidna Allen in Thunder in the Hills by Frank Levering On March 14, 1912, Hillsville, Virginia, native Floyd Allen (1856–1913) was convicted of three criminal charges: assault, maiming, and the rescue of prisoners in custody. What had begun as a scuffle between Allen's nephews over a young woman ended with him being charged as the guilty party after he allegedly hit a deputy in the head with a pistol. When the jury returned with the verdict, Allen stood up and announced, "Gentleman, I ain't a-goin." A gunfight ensued in the crowded courtroom which claimed the lives of the judge, prosecuting attorney, sheriff, a juror, and a witness, and wounded seven other people. The men of the Allen family fled the scene, but detectives from the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency apprehended the men two months later. The state of Virginia put Floyd and Claude Allen to death by electrocution the following spring.Within days of the shootout, local and national media sensationalized the event, maligning the Allen men as rough, uncouth residents of impoverished Appalachia. More than a century later, the "Hillsville Massacre" - as it was dubbed - continues to impact the citizens and communities of the area as local newspapers recirculate the sordid story and give credence to annual public reenactments that continue to negatively impact the national perception of the region.Hillsville Remembered: Public Memory, Historical Silence, and Appalachia's Most Notorious Shootout is the first book-length scholarly review of the Hillsville Massacre. This comprehensive study examines a variety of sources written about and inspired by the event and casts light on how the incident helped reinforce the nation's conception of the region through depictions of this sensational moment in history. Author Travis A. Rountree uses rhetorical analyses to trace and reflect on the texts and contexts surrounding the events that have been reported, preserved, interpreted, and reinterpreted with different voices in various formats. In all, this book provides an extensive analysis of the Hillsville Massacre and reveals new understandings of the production of memories and stories that evolved from the event.

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A harrowing account of Afghanistan's notorious Pul-e-Charkhi prison, written by its longest-serving western inmate.Former soldier Rob Langdon was working as a security contractor in Afghanistan when he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death in a case that would have been ruled a clear miscarriage of justice in the British legal system. His sentence was commuted to 20 years in jail, and he served his time in Kabul's most notorious prison, Pul-e-Charkhi, described as the world's worst place to be a westerner. Rob was there for seven years, the longest sentence served by a westerner since the fall of the Taliban, and every one of those 2,500 days was an act of extraordinary survival in a jail filled with Afghanistan's most dangerous extremists and murderers. In 2016 Robert was pardoned and returned to Australia. In this highly-anticipated book he will talk about his experiences for the first time.

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Highly illustrated with colour images and specially commissioned maps throughout, this is a unique exploration of the pirate world. Often romanticised in print and on the silver screen, real-life pirates were a brutal menace that plagued the high seas. In this book, Angus Konstam separates myth from reality, tracing the history of piracy through the centuries, from the pirates who plagued the Ancient Egyptians to the Viking raids and on to the era of privateers. He discusses the so-called 'Golden Age of Piracy' and colourful characters such as Blackbeard and Captain Kidd, before examining the West's initial encounters with Eastern pirates off the Chinese coast and the phenomenon of the modern pirate.

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Pain, torment, and torture. Cruelty, brutality, and violence. The twisted psyches, murder. and yes, even the ability to charm people. Take a deep dive into the terrifyingly real serial murderers, spree killers, and true faces of evil! Serial Killers: The Minds, Methods, and Mayhem of History's Most Notorious Murderers delves into the global phenomenon of serial and spree murderers.

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The war between Noel and the Mafia begins, thanks to the machinations of the mad clown Finocchio. Lacking the skills to represent himself in a duel of honor, crime boss Albert orders Koga to fight in his place, setting in motion Noel and Koga’s long awaited rematch. The two Seekers have come to respect one another, but Koga dare not hold back if he wants to live. If the Mafia doesn’t waste him, that coldhearted handsome devil Noel might! It’s the ultimate warrior versus the most notorious talker in a fight to the death!

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FOR MY FRIENDS, EVERYTHING: FOR MY ENEMIES, THE LAW!Noel Stollen, that coldhearted handsome devil, will stop at nothing to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and become the world’s strongest seeker. Though a mere Talker with buffing abilities, he takes over the party of adventurers known as Blue Beyond. But when the former leader and his woman steal party funds, Noel arranges for the most horrific of punishments—selling them into legal slavery! Now in need of new teammates, can Noel resist the offer of Alma, who claims to be the descendent of the world’s most notorious…assassin?

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A cunning, ruthless boy does whatever it takes to leave his mark on the world in this swords-and-sorcery tale! (And don't miss the light novels, also from Seven Seas!) Young Noel is the grandson of the empire's mightiest hero, and promised his dying grandfather to become the world's greatest adventurer. But Noel has been assigned to the weakest class of adventurers: a Talker, whose only skill is to enhance the abilities of other heroes. How can he possibly find glory with only support skills? By being ruthless with them! Good, evil, it's all the same to Noel as he manipulates his allies, controls his friends, and outfoxes endless monsters from the deepest Abysses. Noel will stop at nothing to grow strong enough to save the world-and dominate it!

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The bitter and public court battle waged between Nina and James Walker of Newport, Rhode Island from 1909 to 1916 created a sensation throughout the nation with lurid accounts of—and gossip about—their marital troubles. The ordeal of this high-society couple, who wed as much for status as for love, is one of the prime examples of the growing trend of women seeking divorce during the early twentieth century. Gross Misbehavior and Wickedness—the charges Nina levied at James for his adultery (with the family governess) and extreme cruelty—recounts the protracted legal proceedings in juicy detail. Jean Elson uses court documents, correspondence, journals, and interviews with descendants to recount the salacious case. In the process, she underscores how divorce—in an era when women needed husbands for economic support—was associated with women’s aspirations for independence and rights. The Walkers’ dispute, replete with plot twists and memorable characters, sheds light on a critical period in the evolution of American culture.

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Famed as the ultimate penalty for traitors, heretics and royalty alike, being sent to the Tower is known to have been experienced by no less than 8,000 unfortunate souls. Many of those who were imprisoned in the Tower never returned to civilisation and those who did, often did so without their head! It is hardly surprising that the Tower has earned itself a reputation among the most infamous buildings on the planet. There have, of course, been other towers. Practically every castle ever built has consisted of at least one; indeed, even by the late 14th century, the Tower proudly boasted no less than 21. Yet even as early as the 1100s, the effect that the first Tower had on the psyche of the local population was considerable. The sight of the dark four-pointed citadel - at the time the largest building in London - as it appeared against the backdrop of the expanding city gave rise to many legends, ranging from the exact circumstances of its creation to what went on within its strong walls. In ten centuries what once consisted of a solitary keep has developed into a complex castle around which the history of England has continuously evolved. So revered has it become that legend has it that should the Tower fall, so would the kingdom. Beginning with the early tales surrounding its creation, this book investigates the private life of an English icon. Concentrating on the Tower's developing role throughout the centuries, not in terms of its physical expansion into a site of unique architectural majesty or many purposes but through the eyes of those who experienced its darker side, it pieces together the, often seldom-told, human story and how the fates of many of those who stayed within its walls contributed to its lasting effect on England's - and later the UK's - destiny. From ruthless traitors to unjustly killed Jesuits, vanished treasures to disappeared princes and jaded wives to star-crossed lovers, this book provides a raw and at times unsettling insight into its unsolved mysteries and the lot of its unfortunate victims, thus explaining how this once typical castle came to be the place we will always remember as THE TOWER.

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Tour the Upper Midwest to explore the blood-soaked halls of hideous history through twenty dark and demented stories from the corridors of criminal infamy. This expose of true crime examines a historical roster of the bad and the brutal: from old-time con men and gunslingers, to hardcore serial killers of the modern era. Meet the redoubtable Ed Gein; the haunting and harrowing Honeymoon Killers, Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck; the "Gruesome Gal of the Western Plains," Calamity Jane; Wild Bill Hickok; serial sex killer John Norman Collins; Al Capone; Carl Panzram; Larry Eyler; Gwendolyn Graham; George Lester (Babyface Nelsen); John Dillinger; and Frank Gilmer—villains that will leave you infuriated and intrigued at their infernal notoriety. Join the author on a round-up of the rotten as you take a thrill-ride of historic significance in a world gone mad.

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James Crosbie was Britain's most wanted man in 1974. With a successful business and an enviable lifestyle, he seemed to have everything going for him - until he got bored with his life and turned to armed robbery. He ended up in Peterhead Prison, doing time with some of the hardest, and funniest, men in crime. Peterhead Porridge is a remarkable account of the people he met. People like The Saughton Harrier who escaped from prison by dressing up as a runner, complete with running vest and number, and joining in as a race went by. And another escapee, Tweety Pie, was so-called because, when he flew the coop, he had a nasty case of jaundice. Then there's Square Go, the prison warder who was always up for a fight. And discover the practical jokes that were the trademark of Glasgow's Godfather Arthur Thompson and what really happened when someone poured their porridge over his head in the breakfast queue. Funny, sad and at times barely believable, Peterhead Porridge is a unique insight into the other side of prison life.

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The rise and fall of Henry's notorious minister - the most corrupt Chancellor in English history'Gripping... Hutchinson tells his story with infectious relish and vividly evokes the politics and personalities of this extraordinary decade' LITERARY REVIEW'Hutchinson tells the horrible story admirably and compellingly, acknowledging Cromwell's rare abilities, while making no excuses for his character' OBSERVERThe son of a brewer, Cromwell rose from obscurity to become Earl of Essex, Vice-Regent and High Chamberlain of England, Keep of the Privy Seal and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He maneuvered his way to the top by intrigue, bribery and sheer force of personality in a court dominated by the malevolent King Henry.Cromwell pursued the interests of the king with single-minded energy and little subtlety. Tasked with engineering the judicial murder of Anne Boleyn when she had worn out her welcome in the royal chamber, he tortured her servants and relations, then organised a 'show trial' of Stalinist efficiency. He orchestrated the 'greatest act of privatisation in English history': the seizure of the monasteries. Their enormous wealth was used to cement the loyalty of the English nobility, and to enrich the crown. Cromwell made himself a fortune too, soliciting colossal bribes and binding the noble families to him with easy loans. He came home from court literally weighed down with gold.

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Heirs to the renowned German-American Bergdoll Beer fortune at a young age, the Bergdoll boys used their millions to become champion racing car drivers and pioneer aviation heroes in the early 1900s. Grover, the most notorious, is celebrated for his daring record-setting flights in a Wright Brothers airplane. Erwin drove a powerful Benz to win a prestigious race, the equivalent of the Daytona 500. Then, just as Grover was trying to buy a bigger plane and attempt to fly to Europe a decade before Lindbergh, they were snared by vengeful local military draft officials. Running and hiding from their war duty, the fugitives were so reviled by nationalistic Americans that two older brothers changed their names to avoid infamy.Eluding capture for years with financial help from their wealthy German mother, the Bergdoll boys were entangled with kidnapping and murder, federal agents and bounty hunters, Nazis, and Congressional investigators. There was an incredible story of release and escape from an Army jail with bribery, and tales of the search for buried gold went all the way up to the White House.Hounded by the unsympathetic press and public, and congress, the Bergdoll fortune was confiscated by the federal government, but Grover remained one step ahead of bungling lawmen by hiding in Germany until the start of World War II. This first, full history offers an intriguing insight into the downfall of this once famed and immensely wealthy family, set against the backdrop of the U.S. draft in World War I and the inter-war years.

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The unvarnished history of America’s most notorious palace and its American queenMoments before the Roaring Twenties sunk into the Great Depression, socialite heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and financier E.F. Hutton constructed an estate to outdo all estates. To the tune of $4 million (about $68 million today) and four years of labor they called forth a 118-room mansion in a conflated Spanish, Portuguese, and Venetian design over a coral reef in hurricane-prone Palm Beach County. They named it Mar-a-Lago—a winter haven where corporate titans, the glitterati, and nobility gathered. But the honeymoon didn’t last long. In American Castle, Pulitzer Prize finalist Mary C. Shanklin reveals a century of controversy, politics, and lifestyles of the super-rich and powerful after Mar-a-Lago became a part-time residence and party place upon Post’s divorce from Hutton over mutual adultery. It’s a story of an American royal who, at the age of 27, inherited a cereal company that would later become the General Foods Corporation and spent a lifetime in business, art collection, philanthropy, and the management of multiple estates—including her white elephant, Mar-a-Lago. Though she tried time again, as Shanklin covers in riveting detail, Post could not offload the behemoth due to its extraordinary maintenance costs and the uppity Palm Beach neighbors.Drawing from previously untapped interviews, documents, and recordings, Shanklin follows Mar-a-Lago’s evolution as it collides with the Kennedys, the state of Florida, a potential make-over as The Mar-a-Lago Center for Advanced Scholars, Lady Bird Johnson, Richard Nixon, the National Park Service, and—of course—Donald Trump, who pursued subdivision, threatened to sell to Reverend Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church, hosted Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley, made it a for-profit club, received scandalous dinner guests, turned it into his Winter White House, and watched the FBI raid before holding a home-court presser as the first former president to face criminal charges.How did the Palm Beach hamlet so lacquered in grace and elegance come to find itself rooted in American Castle: One Hundred Years of Mar-a-Lago.

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Koga, though magically enslaved to serve as a Mafia enforcer, finds himself drawn to Noel’s unyielding strength of will. When mob boss Albert Gambino decides to eliminate Noel, he calls upon Koga to do the deed! A fierce battle ensues, and only Alma’s timely intervention keeps the fight from being fatal. Noel discovers the conspiracy that put Albert Gambino at the head of the Gambino family and pushes for a rematch with the Longswordsman. But Noel’s latest plans are about to be complicated by the appearance of a certain scheming clown who will not be talked out of bloodshed! Series Overview: Young Noel is the grandson of the empire’s mightiest hero, and promised his dying grandfather to become the world’s greatest adventurer. But Noel has been assigned to the weakest class of adventurers: a Talker, whose only skill is to enhance the abilities of other heroes. How can he possibly find glory with only support skills? By being ruthless with them! Good, evil, it’s all the same to Noel as he manipulates his allies, controls his friends, and outfoxes endless monsters from the deepest Abysses. Noel will stop at nothing to grow strong enough to save the world—and dominate it!

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Young Noel is the grandson of the empire’s mightiest hero, and promised his dying grandfather to become the world’s greatest adventurer. But Noel has been assigned to the weakest class of adventurers: a Talker, whose only skill is to enhance the abilities of other heroes. How can he possibly find glory with only support skills? By being ruthless with them! Good, evil, it’s all the same to Noel as he manipulates his allies, controls his friends, and outfoxes endless monsters from the deepest Abysses. Noel will stop at nothing to grow strong enough to save the world — and dominate it!

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