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Naked Portrait: A Memoir of Lucian Freud
by Rose Boyt'I can’t think of an art book with an opening page like it. Lines land like detonation . . . The writing is hypnotic and propulsive . . . It’s so powerful, so horrible, the set-up compelling.’ - The Sunday TimesCleaning the studio made me feel special, downtrodden and loved for all the wrong reasons. The floor was marked with a brush and thinned paint to establish the position of any furniture that was in use, the painted hieroglyphics of no particular colour but indelible so that everything could be repositioned and put back between sittings, all the functional lines alive and purposeful like his handwriting.In Naked Portrait Rose Boyt explores her complicated relationship with her beloved father, Lucian Freud, through her diary and other accounts of sitting for him, naked or otherwise. Enthralled by his genius, it was only after his death that she began to question the version of events she had come to accept. The shock of the truth is profound but what emerges is her love and compassion not just for herself as a vulnerable young woman, but for the man himself, who is shown in all his brilliant complexity.
Namesake: Reflections on A Warrior Woman
by N.S. Nuseibeh'A wonderful book about the deep backstories and the tangled histories of N. S. Nuseibeh's own multiple identit[ies]' MARK HADDON 'Explores vulnerability, fragility, anxiety, and ambivalence as ways of beautifully coming to terms with the wounds and worries of the world' HOMI K. BHABHA I may not be brave enough, but somewhere deep inside of me there is, perhaps, the kernel of someone who is. That brave someone was the legendary Nusayba bint Ka’ab al Khazrajia, who fought alongside the Prophet Muhammad at the dawn of Islam, the author N.S Nuseibeh’s ancestor. In drawing on Nusayba's stories, Nuseibeh delves into the experience of being an Arab woman today and in the distant past – taking her from superheroes and the glorification of violence to the rise of Arab feminism, to what courage looks like in the context of interminable conflict. By seeking to understand her namesake in the context of her own twenty-first century concerns, Nuseibeh links our current ideas of Muslims and Arabs with their origins, exploring myth-making and identity, religion and nationhood, feminism and race. As intimate as they are thoughtful, these linked essays offer a dazzling exploration of heritage, gender and the idea of home, while also showing how connecting with our history can help us understand ourselves and others today.
Nefarious: A Life In Crime - My Life With Joey Pyle, The Krays And Other Faces
by Ronnie FieldProlific armed robber. Close ally of Joey Pyle. Friend and fellow inmate of the Kray twins. Last man to stand trial with a Kray brother. First prisoner in the notorious Belmarsh Unit … Welcome to Ronnie Field's world.
Nero: The author of the bestselling Emperor series returns to Rome
by Conn IgguldenTYRANTS AREN'T BORN. THEY'RE RAISED.Travel to the heart of a Roman dynasty drenched in danger and intrigue in master storyteller Conn Iggulden's bold and brilliant return to Rome as he tells the story of NERO – last of the the Julio-Claudian emperors . . . 'Deft and robust storytelling, that whips through the history with plenty of blood, guts and plot-twists' The Times'Epic and in a class of his own' Daily Mirror ---- ANCIENT ROME, AD 37 It begins with a man’s hand curled around another’s throat. Emperor Tiberius first dispatches a traitor. Then his whole family. Next all his friends. It is as if he never existed. THIS IS ROMAN JUSTICE. Into this fevered forum, a child is born. His mother is Agrippina, granddaughter of Emperor Augustus. But their imperial blood is no protection. The closer you are to the heart of the empire, the closer you are to power, intrigue, and danger. She faces soldiers, senators, rivals, silver-tongued pretenders, each vying for position. One mistake risks exile, incarceration, execution. Or, worst of all, the loss of her infant son. For Agrippina knows that opportunity waits, even in your darkest moments. Her son is everything. She can make this boy, shape him into Rome itself – the one all must kneel before. BUT FIRST, THEY MUST SURVIVE . . .This then is the story of Nero's birth and raising under the watchful and scheming eye of his mother Agrippina – a woman every man crossed at his peril. ---- PRAISE FOR CONN IGGULDEN'Breakthtakingly good’ Bernard Cornwell‘Magnificent’ The Times 'Pacy and propulsive, cracking with energy, violence and stirring speeches, Iggulden chronicles power struggles, political machinations and the bloodthirsty ravages of up-close combat' Daily MailReaders love Nero'Iggulden draws you into Rome, its brutality and its glory, and brings it back to life with such seamless ease' ***** Reader Review'Absolute quality from first to last page, atmospheric with a real feel for time and place' ***** Reader Review'It was fascinating to see the seeds being planted that will lead to the Nero becoming the tyrant we know through the ancient historians, but told in such a contemporary and accessible way' ***** Reader Review'An absolutely immersive experience throughout that throws you into the politics of Ancient Rome' ***** Reader Review
Neuropsychological Consequences of COVID-19: Life After Stroke and Balint's Syndrome (ISSN)
by Jwala Narayanan Anjana Xavier Jonathan Evans Narinder Kapur Barbara WilsonNeuropsychological Consequences of COVID-19 focuses on Anjana’s journey as a COVID survivor following a brain injury that left her with a very rare neuropsychological syndrome called Balint’s syndrome, a disorder associated with difficulties in visual and spatial coordination. It is also the first book of its kind to provide a first-hand account from India on surviving brain injury, from diagnosis, recovery and rehabilitation, providing the therapeutic milieu in the Indian context and exploring cultural influences on rehabilitation.Written jointly by Anjana, her neuropsychologist and the international experts in the field of neuropsychology who were also involved in her diagnosis and care, the book highlights how COVID-19, a virus primarily affecting the respiratory system, can also result in a disabling brain injury. It describes Anjana’s recovery and the rehabilitation she received and provides a deeper understanding of this experience of a very rare condition through the views of Anjana herself. In addition, Anjana’s rehabilitation journey stumbles upon many important themes of rehabilitation including cultural sensitivity, personal identity, resilience, role of family and rehabilitation in a low to middle income country.This book is valuable reading for clinical and neuropsychologists, neurologists, other rehabilitation therapists including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses and social work professionals, particularly those interested in cross cultural rehabilitation. It will also be of interest to students in these fields.
Neuropsychological Consequences of COVID-19: Life After Stroke and Balint's Syndrome (ISSN)
by Jwala Narayanan Anjana Xavier Jonathan Evans Narinder Kapur Barbara WilsonNeuropsychological Consequences of COVID-19 focuses on Anjana’s journey as a COVID survivor following a brain injury that left her with a very rare neuropsychological syndrome called Balint’s syndrome, a disorder associated with difficulties in visual and spatial coordination. It is also the first book of its kind to provide a first-hand account from India on surviving brain injury, from diagnosis, recovery and rehabilitation, providing the therapeutic milieu in the Indian context and exploring cultural influences on rehabilitation.Written jointly by Anjana, her neuropsychologist and the international experts in the field of neuropsychology who were also involved in her diagnosis and care, the book highlights how COVID-19, a virus primarily affecting the respiratory system, can also result in a disabling brain injury. It describes Anjana’s recovery and the rehabilitation she received and provides a deeper understanding of this experience of a very rare condition through the views of Anjana herself. In addition, Anjana’s rehabilitation journey stumbles upon many important themes of rehabilitation including cultural sensitivity, personal identity, resilience, role of family and rehabilitation in a low to middle income country.This book is valuable reading for clinical and neuropsychologists, neurologists, other rehabilitation therapists including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses and social work professionals, particularly those interested in cross cultural rehabilitation. It will also be of interest to students in these fields.
Never Know Your Place: Memoir of a Rulebreaker
by Martin NaughtonEvery young person is looking for freedom, but some have to fight harder than others … In 1960s Ireland there was a special place for disabled children: behind the walls of an institution, cut off from the rest of society. At just nine years old, Martin Naughton was one of these children. Along with his younger sister Barbara he was sent to a Dublin institution, far away from his Irish-speaking home in Spiddal. But Martin wouldn't be sidelined. With the help of some unexpected characters – and an unlikely encounter with his Celtic Football heroes – he began to change the way a generation of young disabled people saw themselves. This is the story of a boy who not only won his own independence, but also led the fight for freedom for all disabled people. 'Martin was a formidable and tireless campaigner for the right of people with disabilities to live in their own communities and homes.' President Michael D. Higgins 'Martin Naughton was a protector, a leader, a gamechanger. In reading this narration of his life, tears filled my eyes.' Dr Rosaleen McDonagh, playwright, rights activist and author of Unsettled.
New Approaches to Decolonizing Fashion History and Period Styles: Re-Fashioning Pedagogies
New Approaches to Decolonizing Fashion History and Period Styles: Re-Fashioning Pedagogies offers a wide array of inclusive, global, practical approaches for teaching costume and fashion history. Costume designers, technicians, and historians have spent the last several years re-evaluating how they teach costume and fashion history, acknowledging the need to refocus the discourse to include a more global perspective. This book is a collection of pedagogical methods aimed to do just that, with an emphasis on easy reference, accessible activities, and rubrics, and containing a variety of ways to restructure the course. Each chapter offers a course description, syllabus calendar, course objectives, and learning outcomes, as well as sample activities from instructors across the country who have made major changes to their coursework. Using a combination of personal narratives, examples from their work, bibliographies of helpful texts, and student responses, contributors suggest a variety of ways to decolonize the traditionally Western-focused fashion history syllabus. This collection of pedagogical approaches is intended to support and inspire instructors teaching costume design, costume history, fashion history, period styles, and other aesthetic histories in the arts.
New Approaches to Decolonizing Fashion History and Period Styles: Re-Fashioning Pedagogies
by Ashley BelletNew Approaches to Decolonizing Fashion History and Period Styles: Re-Fashioning Pedagogies offers a wide array of inclusive, global, practical approaches for teaching costume and fashion history. Costume designers, technicians, and historians have spent the last several years re-evaluating how they teach costume and fashion history, acknowledging the need to refocus the discourse to include a more global perspective. This book is a collection of pedagogical methods aimed to do just that, with an emphasis on easy reference, accessible activities, and rubrics, and containing a variety of ways to restructure the course. Each chapter offers a course description, syllabus calendar, course objectives, and learning outcomes, as well as sample activities from instructors across the country who have made major changes to their coursework. Using a combination of personal narratives, examples from their work, bibliographies of helpful texts, and student responses, contributors suggest a variety of ways to decolonize the traditionally Western-focused fashion history syllabus. This collection of pedagogical approaches is intended to support and inspire instructors teaching costume design, costume history, fashion history, period styles, and other aesthetic histories in the arts.
Newborn: Running Away, Breaking with the Past, Building a New Family
by Kerry Hudson‘It was always going to be difficult to follow Lowborn, but Kerry Hudson is Kerry Hudson and she has done it – cleverly, honestly, brilliantly’ RODDY DOYLE'Filled with colour: food, Prague, illness, love, the challenges of having a baby in a foreign country and making your own story' AMY LIPTROTIn Newborn, prizewinning writer Kerry Hudson navigates trying to build a nourishing, safe and loving family - without a blueprint to work fromKerry Hudson is celebrated for her emotionally and politically powerful writing about growing up in poverty. Her books and journalism have changed the conversation and touched countless lives.In this new book she asks: what next, after a childhood like hers? What hope is there of creating a different life for herself, let alone future generations? We see how Kerry found love, what it took to decide to start a family of her own and how fragile every step of the journey towards parenthood was. All along the way, she faces obstacles that would test the strongest foundations, from struggles with fertility to being locked down in a Prague maternity hospital to a marriage in crisis. But over and over again, her love, hope, fight -- and determination to break patterns and give her son a different life -- win through and light her path.Newborn is a beautiful, empowering memoir about creating a family in the midst of chaos, and learning new ways to find happiness. It continues the journey Kerry started in her bestselling memoir Lowborn, illuminating her experiences of becoming a mother, reshaping her future and reclaiming her identity.PRAISE FOR KERRY HUDSON:‘It’s not just Kerry Hudson’s writing that is vibrant, authentic and true, it’s the person herself, it’s where the writing comes from; a wise and generous heart’ KIT DE WAAL'Hudson’s resilience, grace and humility are staggering. She’s an absolute inspiration’ DOUGLAS STUART‘Kerry Hudson blew me away, opened my eyes’ PHILIPPA PERRY
No-brainer: A Footballer's Story of Life, Love and Brain Injury
by Mike Amos"A heart-breaking but still inspiring insight into the real-life impact of the biggest issue facing the world's biggest sport."Jeremy Wilson, Chief Sports Reporter, The Telegraph This is the story of the 'real' Bill Gates. A famous footballer, a successful millionaire and a global philanthropist. This is the story of an incredible man and his remarkable wife, who in his final years made a commitment to use his brain to save the next generation of football players. Bill was Britain's first £50 a week teenage superstar who played 333 games for Middlesbrough, where he was the PFA representative. He was the first entrepreneur/businessman to make sports shops the centre of high-street fashion. He was a philanthropist who travelled the world using football to change the lives of millions of children in over 100 countries. But in 2017 his life changed when he was diagnosed with football's best-kept secret, probable Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, caused by repetitive head impacts including headers, a brain disease with no cure. Author Mike Amos perfectly captures the incredible life of Bill and Judith, from a coal mining village in Ferryhill in the 1950s, a brilliant 13-year professional career in the 60s and 70s, a chain of sports shops in the 80s, to a millionaire's lifestyle on 7 mile beach on Grand Cayman in the 90s, to their most difficult journey together to ensure the future of the beautiful game. He shares Judith's work, designing the Billion Pound Game of Football that captured the attention of media around the globe and highlighted the need for changes in sport. Their ground-breaking Head Safe Football charity has led to research and education, and supported families of players with CTE. Designed to protect the future of the game, Head Safe Football educates players, coaches, sports scientists, and parents to recognise that CTE begins in young footballers and can be prevented with common sense Head Safe Football policies and training. No-Brainer explains how one man and his family have galvanised the football world around facts and science to impact player care and child safeguarding policies for both males and females. If you have ever headed a football, if your child or grandchild are heading footballs, then this is the one book that you need to read. Reviews "A heart-breaking but still inspiring insight into the real-life impact of the biggest issue facing the world's biggest sport. But does football care enough about its former heroes to take sufficient action?" Jeremy Wilson, Chief Sports Reporter, The Telegraph "What a brilliant read. Took me through every emotion from laughing and smiling to tears of true sadness. A great insight into the dark and oh so sad side of the beautiful game. A must-read, not only for the light-hearted reminiscing of football anecdotes and memories, but to learn the startling truth behind a game touching so many lives, and the devastation it can cause." Hilary Maddren, widow of Willie Maddren, Middlesbrough player and manager who died of neurodegenerative disease "Not just an important read for football fans, but for anyone whose life has been touched by the slowly unfolding despair of dementia." Harry Pearson, author of The Far Corner "No Brainer is a meticulous and moving read that exposes the cost of football's collective failure to protect players. One day, football will thank women like Dr Judith Gates who fought to spare future generations the pain they suffered as they watched their loved ones slowly succumb to diseases like CTE." Warren Manger, Daily Mirror "Bill and Judith Gates are the opposites who stayed attracted for more than 60 years together, but both in their very different ways have become titans in the world of football. This book is a vivid and vital account of their work together to improve the lives of footballers, young and old" Michael Aylwin, sportswriter, The Guardian
No Way Out: Brexit: From the Backstop to Boris
by null Tim Shipman'Meticulously sourced, merciless and revelatory. It is a closely observed study of power, and how it is gained, used and lost' FINANCIAL TIMES The unmissable next instalment of Tim Shipman’s #1 bestselling Brexit quartet. To follow his bestselling books All Out War and Fall Out, this book launches off from 2017 to offer an unflinching, unfiltered account of some of the most turbulent years of British politics. In the company of all the key players and with countless never-before-revealed insights, No Way Out traces the unprecedented disasters and triumphs of Theresa May’s tenure. Spun with characteristic wit and wisdom, Shipman tells the story of May’s three great negotiations – first, with her cabinet, then with the EU and finally with parliament – and chronicles her fall in thrilling detail. This is the ultimate insider narrative to three of the most turbulent and impactful years of government, revealing the strategies, gambles, mistakes, mindsets and scandals that have shaped and shaken Britain. As always, political insider and chief political commentator for the Sunday Times Tim Shipman unleashes a slew of insight – and gossip – to reveal the democratic drama as it really happened.
On Bette Midler: An Opinionated Guide
by Kevin WinklerBette Midler today is a beloved legacy star, best known for her comic witch in Disney's Hocus Pocus (1993) and its 2022 sequel. She has also gained prominence for sentimental, anthemic ballads like "Wind Beneath My Wings," her initiation of green space projects in New York City, and tussling with Donald Trump on Twitter. Her profile is that of an articulate, civic-minded matriarch enjoying thoroughly mainstream stardom. But more than fifty years earlier she emerged from the steam of the subterranean Continental Baths as the Divine Miss M, the bawdy, campy, fearless alter ego she created in front of an audience of towel-clad gay men who came to the baths seeking not just sex, but a sense of community and safety from an often-harrowing outside world. "I was able to take chances on that stage that I could not have taken anywhere else," she later wrote. "Ironically, I was freed from fear by people who, at the time, were ruled by fear. And for that I will always be grateful." Overnight, Bette Midler became a much-loved icon of the gay community. The Divine Miss M coalesced gay, Jewish, feminist, and show business sensibilities into an outrageously funny and emotionally compelling persona that travelled with surprising ease from the cultural margins to the entertainment mainstream. Her embrace by mom-and-pop audiences, rock fans and critics, and the guardians of middle-of-the-road show business demonstrates just how deeply the tastes and sensibilities of her original audience have been absorbed into popular culture. On Bette Midler: An Opinionated Guide traces the early development of Midler's performing ethos from New York's downtown experimental theater scene and examines her impact across media, with chapters on the soaring highs (and occasional cringe-worthy lows) of her stage work, movies, recordings, and television appearances, and considers her influence as an environmental activist and social media presence. On Bette Midler features performance analysis and deeply researched background information, all of it supporting informed--and divinely opinionated--consideration of Midler the artist. It judges her work by the highest standards: those she established for herself.
On Elizabeth Taylor: An Opinionated Guide
by Matthew KennedyA sweeping look at the career of a truly singular Hollywood star In the oceans of ink devoted to the monumental movie star/businesswoman/political activist Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (1932-2011), her beauty and not-so-private life frequently overshadowed her movies. While she knew how to generate publicity like no other, her personal life is set aside in this volume in favor of her professional oeuvre and unique screen dynamism. In On Elizabeth Taylor: An Opinionated Guide, her marriages, illnesses, media firestorms, perfume empire, violet eyes, and AIDS advocacy take a back seat to Elizabeth Taylor, the actress. Taylor's big screen credits span over fifty years, from her pre-adolescent debut in There's One Born Every Minute (1942) to her cameo in The Flintstones (1994). She worked steadily in everything from the biggest production in film history (Cleopatra in 1963) to a humble daytime TV soap opera (General Hospital in 1981). Each of her sixty-seven film appearances is recapped here with background on their inception, production, release, and critical and financial outcome. On Elizabeth Taylor: An Opinionated Guide is a cradle-to-grave chronology of Taylor's life, noting key events, achievements, and milestones. This book offers a work-by-work analysis of her entire career told in chronological order, each film headlined with year of release, distributing studio, and director. This in-depth overview provides an invaluable new way of understanding Taylor's full life and work, as well as the history and nuances of the film industry as it existed in the twentieth century. Kennedy engagingly reassesses Taylor's acting and the nuances she brought to the screen - this includes a consideration of her specific art, the development of her voice, her relationship to the camera, and her canny understanding of the effect she had on audiences worldwide. Kennedy also provides an elucidating guide to her entire filmography, one that speaks to the quality of her performances, their contours and shading, and their context within her extraordinary life and career. On Elizabeth Taylor is a beautifully comprehensive overview of a singular actress of the twentieth century, offering new ways to see and appreciate her skill and peerless charisma, in turn placing her among the greatest film stars of all time.
One Hundred Years of Argonauts: Malinowski, Ethnography and Economic Anthropology (Max Planck Studies in Anthropology and Economy #13)
by Deborah James Chris HannMalinowski’s Argonauts of the Western Pacific was a major contribution to anthropological theory and method, while simultaneously establishing the sub-field of economic anthropology. Even a century after its publication, Malinowski’s pioneering work remains critical for anthropology in a postcolonial age. This volume uses ethnographic studies from around the world to contextualize the work politically and intellectually, examining its gestation and influence from multiple perspectives. It critically explores the meaning of “economy” for Malinowski from his formation in the Austro-Hungarian Empire to his path-breaking fieldwork in Melanesia and ensuing career in London.
One Hundred Years of Argonauts: Malinowski, Ethnography and Economic Anthropology (Max Planck Studies in Anthropology and Economy #13)
by Chris Hann and Deborah JamesMalinowski’s Argonauts of the Western Pacific was a major contribution to anthropological theory and method, while simultaneously establishing the sub-field of economic anthropology. Even a century after its publication, Malinowski’s pioneering work remains critical for anthropology in a postcolonial age. This volume uses ethnographic studies from around the world to contextualize the work politically and intellectually, examining its gestation and influence from multiple perspectives. It critically explores the meaning of “economy” for Malinowski from his formation in the Austro-Hungarian Empire to his path-breaking fieldwork in Melanesia and ensuing career in London.
One Soul We Divided: A Critical Edition of the Diary of Michael Field
by Michael FieldThe first book-length selection from the extraordinary unpublished diary of the late-Victorian writer “Michael Field”—the pen name of two female coauthors and romantic partnersMichael Field was known to late-Victorian readers as a superb poet and playwright—until Robert Browning let slip Field’s secret identity: in fact, “Michael Field” was a pseudonym for Katharine Bradley (1846–1914) and Edith Cooper (1862–1913), who were lovers, a devoted couple, and aunt and niece. For thirty years, they kept a joint diary titled Works and Days that eventually reached almost 10,000 pages. One Soul We Divided is the first critical edition of selections from this remarkable unpublished work.A fascinating personal and literary experiment, the diary tells the extraordinary story of the love, art, ambitions, and domestic life of a queer couple in fin de siècle London. It also tells vivid firsthand stories of the literary and artistic worlds Bradley and Cooper inhabited and of their encounters with such celebrities as Browning, Oscar Wilde, W. B. Yeats, Aubrey Beardsley, and Bernard Berenson. Carolyn Dever provides essential context, including explanatory notes, a cast of characters, a family tree, and a timeline.An unforgettable portrait of two writers and their unexpected romantic, literary, and artistic marriage, One Soul We Divided rewrites what we think we know about Victorian women, intimacy, and sexuality.
One Soul We Divided: A Critical Edition of the Diary of Michael Field
by Michael FieldThe first book-length selection from the extraordinary unpublished diary of the late-Victorian writer “Michael Field”—the pen name of two female coauthors and romantic partnersMichael Field was known to late-Victorian readers as a superb poet and playwright—until Robert Browning let slip Field’s secret identity: in fact, “Michael Field” was a pseudonym for Katharine Bradley (1846–1914) and Edith Cooper (1862–1913), who were lovers, a devoted couple, and aunt and niece. For thirty years, they kept a joint diary titled Works and Days that eventually reached almost 10,000 pages. One Soul We Divided is the first critical edition of selections from this remarkable unpublished work.A fascinating personal and literary experiment, the diary tells the extraordinary story of the love, art, ambitions, and domestic life of a queer couple in fin de siècle London. It also tells vivid firsthand stories of the literary and artistic worlds Bradley and Cooper inhabited and of their encounters with such celebrities as Browning, Oscar Wilde, W. B. Yeats, Aubrey Beardsley, and Bernard Berenson. Carolyn Dever provides essential context, including explanatory notes, a cast of characters, a family tree, and a timeline.An unforgettable portrait of two writers and their unexpected romantic, literary, and artistic marriage, One Soul We Divided rewrites what we think we know about Victorian women, intimacy, and sexuality.
Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and finding myself
by Crystal HefnerA fascinating demythologising of the Playboy brand and Hefner himself - Pandora Sykes'I was 21 years old when I found myself on the front stoop of the Playboy Mansion. I want to tell the real story of my time there - the good and the bad, the dark and the light.'In 2008 the Playboy mansion became Crystal Harris's sanctuary - a shimmering vestige of opportunity. Within months she had ascended its hierarchy to become Hugh Hefner's top girlfriend. But her new home came at a cost. Forced to follow strict rules that governed everything from her appearance to behaviour, she began to lose her identity. By the time she married Hef in 2012, the mansion had become her prison.Having made a promise to Only Say Good Things, for years Crystal suppressed the truth of what really happened behind the mansion's closed doors. Now, in this raw and honest memoir, she's finally ready to expose it all.Laying bare the devastating impact that a culture of relentless objectification and misogyny had on her health, Crystal's extraordinary story carries powerful lessons that are relevant to us all.
Operation Biting: The 1942 Parachute Assault to Capture Hitler’s Radar
by null Max HastingsOperation Biting was one of the most thrilling British commando raids of World War II, and probably the most successful. In February 1942 RAF intelligence was baffled by a newly-identified radar network on the coast of Nazi-occupied Europe, codenamed Würzburg. The brilliant scientist Dr RV Jones proposed an assault to capture key components. The nearest accessible enemy set stood upon a steep cliff at Bruneval in Normandy. Winston Churchill enthused, as did Lord Louis Mountbatten, chief of Combined Operations. A company of the newly-formed Airborne Forces was committed to the operation, which took place on the night of 27/28 February. Amid heavy snow 120 men landed, some of whom were misdropped almost two miles from their objective. They nonetheless launched the assault, dismantled the German radar, and after three nail-biting hours in France and a fierce battle with Wehrmacht defenders, escaped in the nick of time by landing-craft across stormy seas to Portsmouth. Max Hastings recounts this cliffhanging tale in a wealth of previously unchronicled detail. He portrays its remarkable personalities: the ‘boffin’ RV Jones; the peacock Mountbatten; the troubled husband of Daphne Du Maurier, Gen. ’Boy’ Browning, who commanded the Airborne Division; ‘Colonel Remy’, the French secret agent whose men reconnoitered Bruneval at mortal risk; Major John Frost, who led the paras into action; Charlie Cox, the little RAF technician who stripped the Würzburg and became an unexpected hero; Wing-Commander Charles Pickard, a legendary bomber pilot who led the drop squadron. Seldom have so many fascinating personalities been brought together to fulfil a mission that became a front-page triumph in a season of British defeats. Recounted in Hastings’ familiar best-selling blend of top-down and bottom-up action detail, Operation Biting tells a story that has become almost forgotten yet deserves to rank among the epic tales of courage and daring that took place in the greatest conflict in history.
Our Fight: The new inspirational memoir from the UFC and WWE icon for 2024
by Ronda RouseyFrom Sunday Times bestselling author, British Sports Book of the Year Award winner, and trailblazing athlete Ronda Rousey, an unfiltered and entertaining chronicle of her last decade, tackling not only UFC and WWE but also parenthood, overcoming adversity, and finding meaning in life’s journey. ‘Rousey has rewritten her story arc, and along the way learned that self-reliance and independence is real freedom.’ Guardian'Gripping and, at its best, offers a raw personal history of concussion.' Donald McRae, Guardian From the moment she burst onto the MMA scene, Ronda Rousey was unbeatable. She repeatedly strung together back-to-back flawless victories, racking up a collection of records and forever changing the face of sports as the UFC’s first female champion. A superstar in her sport, she transcended athletics, appearing in blockbuster films and becoming a role model for women everywhere. Then, on November 15, 2015, it all came crashing down.In OUR FIGHT, Rousey explores the greatest challenge of her life and, ultimately, how she rebuilt her career into something better in the aftermath. She recounts how she replaced her pursuit of perfection with the pursuit of happiness and found a blessing in disguise amongst the wreckage. Following Rousey’s relatable journey, OUR FIGHT is a courageous narrative of career changes, marriage, motherhood, and facing your fears.
Paradise of the Damned: The True Story of an Obsessive Quest for El Dorado, the Legendary City of Gold
by Keith ThomsonA &“rollicking,&” &“vividly re-created,&” and &“enticing romp&” that tells the true story of an obsessive quest to find El Dorado, set against the backdrop of Elizabethan political intrigue and a competition with Spanish conquistadors for the legendary city&’s treasure, all in a &“breezy narration that makes the historical subject matter sizzle&” (Publishers Weekly) As early as 1530, reports of El Dorado, a city of gold in the South American interior, beckoned to European explorers. Whether there was any truth to the stories remained to be seen, but the allure of unimaginable riches was enough to ensnare dozens of would-be heroes and glory hounds in the desperate hunt. Among them was Sir Walter Raleigh: ambitious courtier, confidant to Queen Elizabeth, and, before long, El Dorado fanatic. Entering the Elizabethan court as an upstart from a family whose days of nobility were far behind them, Raleigh used his military acumen, good looks, and sheer audacity to scramble into the limelight. Yet that same swagger proved to be his undoing, as his secret marriage to a lady-in-waiting enraged Queen Elizabeth and landed him in the Tower of London. Between his ensuing grim prospects at court and his underlying lust for adventure, the legend of El Dorado became an unwavering siren song that hypnotized Raleigh. On securing his release, he journeyed across an ocean to find the fabled city, gambling his painstakingly acquired wealth, hard-won domestic bliss, and his very life. What awaited him in the so-called New World were endless miles of hot, dense jungle packed with deadly flora and fauna, warring Spanish conquistadors and Indigenous civilizations, and other unforeseen dangers. Meanwhile, back at home, his multitude of rivals plotted his demise. Paradise of the Damned, like Keith Thomson&’s critically acclaimed Born to Be Hanged, brings this story to life in lush and captivating detail. The book charts Raleigh&’s obsessive search for El Dorado—as well as the many doomed expeditions that preceded and accompanied his—providing not only an invaluable history but also a gripping narrative of traveling to the ends of the earth only to realize, too late, that what lies at home is the greatest treasure of all.
Paranoia: A Journey Into Extreme Mistrust And Anxiety (Maudsley Ser.)
by Daniel Freeman'A TRULY IMPORTANT BOOK’ JOHN HUMPHRYS 'FASCINATING… SHOCKING' SPECTATOR What is paranoia? What makes us mistrustful? How can this be overcome?
Parcels in the Post: Growing Up With Fifty Siblings
by Fiona NearyWelcome to the house of fun. It's the early 1980s and Fiona Neary and her family have recently moved back from England to the family farm. Fiona's huge-hearted mum decides to take in foster children – a decision that will change all their lives. Over the next decade, a procession of faces passes through the house. Every child has their own story, and each story claims a little piece of Fiona's heart. Some stay a few weeks; some months, and then years. All these children, as well as Fiona and her family, must pass through a chaotic system: where a judge's decision can alter a child's life, for better or worse; where emergency placements can break up siblings; where the foster family are often left in the dark and with little back-up. Filled with pathos and humour, Parcels in the Post is both a memoir of a loving household and snapshot of the fostering system in Ireland, from someone at the very heart of it all.
PDA in the Family: Life After the Lightbulb Moment
by Steph CurtisIn this honest and open account of life with her PDA daughter, Sasha, Steph Curtis reveals the everyday struggles and explores the milestones of raising a child diagnosed with Pathological Demand Avoidance. This book guides you through the Curtis family's 'lightbulb moment' of recognising Sasha's PDA profile following her autism diagnosis at the age of two, their experiences of various education settings and attempts to access support, everyday life at home and relationships with family and friends. Bursting with practical takeaways and advice from creating personal profiles for your child to help them transition through schools and other settings to the reasonable adjustments you can actually ask for to help make life easier for your PDA child.With unique insights from Sasha's father, sister, and Sasha herself, this book offers insider knowledge, understanding and advice from one family to another. It would also be helpful for those in education, healthcare or other settings to gain a better understanding of Pathological Demand Avoidance.