Search results for ""john blake publishing""
John Blake Publishing Ltd Operation Insanity: The Dramatic True Story of the Mission That Saved Ten Thousand Lives
In the summer of 1995, the Bosnian town of Gorazde, found itself under attack from Serbian forces despite being designated a Safe Area by the United Nations. Members of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, sent to the area as UN Peacekeepers, began to be taken hostage. Richard Westley, then a thirty-three year old Major, knew he had to act quickly and decisively to have any chance of saving the lives of Gorazde’s 45,000 inhabitants. That he did, and was awarded a Military Cross for his gallantry and leadership.Richard’s reflections on a horrendous period of modern history are harrowing and unforgettable. However, they are also human, from the gallows humour of the SAS troop to his recollections of the friendship with Selma, a female Muslim interpreter, which sustained him. Two decades on, his story is as relevant as ever, and serves as a true warning about what can happen when the world fails to react with sufficient collective strength.
£13.09
John Blake Publishing Ltd Diana: Closely Guarded Secret
Inspector Ken Wharfe, the first royalty protection officer to publish a memoir, was a crucial figure in the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, for nearly seven years. In that time, he became a close friend and trusted confidant who shared her most private moments. His first-hand contradicts many of the so-called 'facts' about the Princess and provides an affectionate, if not always uncritical, insight into this complex, troubled, but ultimately fascinating woman. Here is the authentic voice of a man who played an important role during Diana's most trying times, and in her beloved sons' formative years, and who shows himself to be an exceptionally perceptive observer of the events that unfolded around the Princess. After Inspector Wharfe resigned his position in 1993 (making headline news), Diana announced her withdrawal from public life and axed her Scotland Yard protection - a decision her former 'top cop' believes led ultimately to her death. This account presents the most intimate portrait of Diana to date, as well as a fitting tribute to one of the outstanding figures of our age.
£10.99
John Blake Publishing Ltd Queen Unseen - My Life with the Greatest Rock Band of the 20th Century: Revised and with Added Material
Imagine being alongside one of the greatest bands in the history of rock, touring the world and being there as they perform at some of the best and biggest music venues in the world. Peter Hince didn't have to imagine: for more than a decade, he lived a life that other people can only dream of as he worked with Queen as head of their road crew. In 1973, Queen was the support act for Mott the Hoople, for whom Peter was a roadie. Back then, Queen had to content themselves with being second on the bill and the world had not yet woken up to the flamboyant talent of Freddie Mercury. Peter started working full time for Queen just as they were making A Night at the Opera, the album which catapulted them to international stardom. In this intimate and affectionate book, Peter recalls the highlights of his years with the band. He was with Freddie when he composed 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'; he was responsible for making sure that Freddie's stage performances went without a hitch - and was often there to witness his famed tantrums! He was also party to the sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll which are invariably part of life on the road with a rock band.
£10.99
John Blake Publishing Ltd Love of Blood: The True Story of Notorious Serial Killer Joanne Dennehy
The stuff of nightmares...A man alone in a bedsit with a young woman friend, who suddenly unleashes a deadly onslaught, without warning or reason. The stabs don't hurt. They seem more like punches. Then he realises that the red liquid pumping out of his body and on to the floor is his blood. He doesn't realise, as he drifts into unconsciousness before death supervenes, that he'll never wake up again ...In March 2013, Joanne Dennehy stabbed three Peterborough men to death within the space of a few days. One was her landlord, Kevin Lee. Dennehy and her sidekick, Gary Stretch, put the body into a wheelie bin and dumped his corpse in a ditch close to White Post Road in the Parish of Newborough. Lukasz Slaboszewski and John Chapman were stabbed to death and disposed of in a farmland ditch several miles away. She then attempted to murder two other men. By the grace of God they survived. Jo Dennehy is unique, for she now ranks alongside Myra Hindley and Rosemary West as one of the most heinous female serial killers in British criminal history. Only her death will bring about her release from prison. This book, by a leading criminologist and expert on serial killers, has been written with the full cooperation of the police involved in the case, and many of those who knew Joanne Dennehy and her victims.
£7.99
John Blake Publishing Ltd Street Fighting Man
At a fighting weight of little more than 11 stone, Paddy Monaghan was not immediately as intimidating as bare-knuckle boxers like Lenny McLean or Roy Shaw. But if anyone dared to underestimate this man - as many foolish opponents did - the full force of the hardest man in Ireland, a fine and ferocious fighting machine, would be unleashed. His unbroken record of 114 bare-knuckle fight wins is not only testimony to his exceptional strategic skill and fearsome punching ability, but also to his sheer determination and passion. Paddy Monaghan simply has something inside him that will not allow defeat. Life has been far from easy - although the Monaghans were originally a wealthy family, by the time Paddy was born it had all been wasted away through fraud and gambling. A wiry youngster, Paddy left school with a reputation for fighting, but with no qualifications. Many years later, Paddy single-handedly taught himself how to read and write, beginning with books designed for children. Paddy, a staunch Muhammad Ali fan, displayed he same tenacity when he launched a one-man campaign to protest the stripping of Ali's boxing licence in 1967.Paddy' actions came to the attention of the great man himself. and the next time Ali came to the UK, he went to meet Paddy at his council house in Abingdon. Two men who were socially worlds apart came together in a friendship based on mutual respect and admiration.
£7.99
John Blake Publishing Ltd Tom Hardy: Rise of a Legend
There is a man blazing a trail across the silver screen, delivering performances of such electric intensity that he has united critics and casual movie goers alike. That man is Tom Hardy. Starring roles as Britain's most dangerous prisoner in Bronson, both Kray twins in Legend and the villainous brute Bane in The Dark Knight Rises have showcased his raw talent, edginess and ability to utterly inhabit his characters. He has also cemented his status as that rare thing: the man that women want and men want to be. His appeal is endless. But things weren't always so promising. Cloistered in a life of suburban predictability, a teenage Tom began getting his thrills from drugs and petty crime. He made his first mark in the award-winning series Band of Brothers but, in 2003, Tom collapsed on the streets of Soho, brought low by drug abuse. Yet, with the single-minded commitment that has come to characterise his acting performances, Tom banished his demons once and for all. Now, with the title role in the long-awaited Mad Max: Fury Road under his belt, and Hollywood at his feet, there is just no stopping this magnetic figure.This affectionate and in-depth biography reveals all the faces of Tom Hardy: the wayward boy he was, the driven professional he now is and the all-time legend he is sure to become.
£9.99
John Blake Publishing Ltd Talking with Serial Killers: Dead Men Talking: Death Row’s worst killers – in their own words
Leading crime expert Christopher Berry-Dee gained the trust of some of the most infamous convicted killers, having corresponded with them and even entered their prison lairs to discuss their horrific crimes in detail. In this book, he presents six unforgettable prisoners and allows them to tell their stories, as well as giving the details and background of their terrifying cases - making this a must-read for aficionados of the genre and anyone fascinated by the extremes of human behaviour.Beyond the headlines, once the drama of the courtroom has subsided and the prison gates have been locked behind these killers for good, Talking With Serial Killers: Dead Men Talking allows the reader to get up close and personal with torturers, sexual psychopaths and mass murderers, to read the stories that are rarely heard and get the last word from some of the world's most pitiless killers.
£21.09
John Blake Publishing Ltd The State of It: Stories from the Frontline of a Broken Care System
'The authentic inside track... Gripping' Lemn Sissay'An important and hugely powerful book... So inspiring, I loved The State of It' Neil Morrissey'Incredibly compelling' Denise WelchCAN WE FIX HOW WE LOOK AFTER CHILDREN IN CARE?Government cuts, unregulated care homes, inadequate staff training - campaigner and care home consultant Chris Wild has seen it all. The low standards and frequent abuse of children in care has long been a focal point of his loud message: we are failing our young people and something needs to change.Chris delves deep into the lives of care home kids, from experiences with county lines, drugs, trafficking, knife crime, gang violence to child exploitation and sexual abuse. He tells the stories of the voiceless, the children who have been left behind, compounded by his own experiences of growing up in care.How is the care system failing our young people and controlling just who and what they can become? What help do we really give children after their time in care is over, left to fend for themselves? Is it too late to fix the state of it?URGENT AND CRITICAL, THE STATE OF IT WILL BE THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK YOU READ THIS YEAR.In support of Become, the charity for children in care and young care leavers, a charity registered in England and Wales, charity number 1010518.
£16.99
John Blake Publishing Ltd Raw Speed - The Autobiography of the Three-Times World Speedway Champion
Following in his late father's footsteps, Tai Woffinden made his name as Britain's most successful speedway rider ever. Known for his speed on the tracks and his quirky tattoos, he is a popular figure within the sport and beyond it.With a vast array of titles to his name, including youngest ever Grand Prix World Champion, achieved at the age of twenty-three, Tai has come a long way from his Scunthorpe roots. His love affair with speedway began when his family emigrated to Australia while he was a child, where he became a local champion while still at school. He has not been without his share of struggles, however. In 2010, he lost his father, the popular speedway rider Rob Woffinden, to cancer, which, combined with issues within his team, resulted in a difficult season. Then, in 2019, during his defence of his World Championship, he crashed heavily during a race in Poland and was badly injured, breaking his back.Such setbacks do not keep true champions down for long, however - Tai will be back, to dazzle his thousands of fans with his unique combination of flamboyant skill and raw courage. Told with his trademark honesty and directness, his autobiography provides an eye-opening insight into the life of one of speedway's greatest talents and most beloved stars.© images; not to be copied or reproduced without permission.
£16.99
John Blake Publishing Ltd Killing Doctor Death: The Amazing True Story of the Death Squad That Tracked Down and Killed a Nazi War Criminal
Infamous Nazi war criminal Dr Aribert Heim carried out grotesque, sadistic medical experiments on Jewish prisoners at the Mauthausen concentration camp, including the removal of human organs without anaesthetic, decapitating one murdered prisoner and using the skull as an exhibit, and even removing the tattooed flesh from another victim to make seat coverings for the camp commandant's private flat. Alerted of his imminent arrest in 1962, Heim disappeared, and there were alleged sightings over the following years in Egypt, Uruguay, Chile and Spain. Here, for the first time, is the dramatic true story of how a clandestine organisation operating outside of international law tracked down the 'Butcher of Mauthausen' and assassinated him. A secretive cell called 'The Owl' comprised of Vietnam War veterans and ex- secret agents, was created by a former concentration camp prisoner who later became a wealthy oil magnate and dedicated an unlimited budget to eliminating Nazis who had fled justice after World War II.In this astonishingly vivid and controversial book, retired Israeli Defence Force (IDF) colonel Danny Baz tells his extraordinary tale of the tireless manhunt that took him from New York to Baden-Baden, from Jerusalem to Quebec via Alaska, to apprehend and execute the wicked fugitive known as 'Dr Death'.
£13.41
John Blake Publishing Ltd Do Turtles Really Breathe Out Of Their Bums? And Other Crazy, Creepy and Cool Animal Facts
Part of Dr Dino's Learnatorium series, Do Turtles Really Breathe Out Of Their Bums? is the ultimate collection of totally awesome, totally useless animal facts. Ever wanted to know how much electricity an electric eel generates? Want to amaze your friends by telling them all about the world's most venomous frog? No animal is too crazy and no trivia is too trivial for Noel Botham, author of the hugely successful Book of Useless Information. Decorated throughout with eye-catching hand illustrations, this book is packed with the funniest, grossest and most amazing facts about all kinds of favourite animals!
£6.63