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Mermaid Magic: Be Mermazing Every Day!
by Robin Lee'The Mermaid trend, nay, obsession, seemingly has no bounds' - Teen VogueChannel the power of your inner ocean goddess, their life and style, mythology and spirituality. Mermaid Magic will inspire you to create storms and make waves, as well as teaching you how to harness the mermaid's mystical energies to become more confident, empowered and connected to yourself.Complete with motivating quotes, mantras and beautiful illustrations. Why be ordinary when you can be a mermaid?
Mesmerized: Powers of Mind in Victorian Britain
by Alison WinterAcross Victorian Britain, apparently reasonable people twisted into bizarre postures, called out in unknown languages, and placidly bore assaults that should have caused unbearable pain all while they were mesmerized. Alison Winter's fascinating cultural history traces the history of mesmerism in Victorian society. Mesmerized is both a social history of the age and a lively exploration of the contested territory between science and pseudo-science. "Dazzling. . . . This splendid book . . . gives us a new form of historical understanding and a model for open and imaginative reading."—James R. Kinkaid, Boston Globe "A landmark in the history of science scholarship."—John Sutherland, The Independent "It is difficult to imagine the documentary side of the story being better done than by Winter's well-researched and generously illustrated study. . . . She is a lively and keen observer; and her book is a pleasure to read purely for its range of material and wealth of detail. . . . Fruitful and suggestive."—Daniel Karlin, Times Literary Supplement "An ambitious, sweeping and fascinating historical study. . . . Beautifully written, thoroughly researched, and well-illustrated."—Bernard Lightman, Washington Times
A Message of Hope from the Angels: The Sunday Times No. 1 Bestseller
by Lorna ByrneIn A Message of Hope from the Angels Irish mystic Lorna Byrne brings a vital, urgent communication from above for these challenging times. 'The Angel told me, 'Hope makes the impossible possibleLorna sees angels with as much clarity as the rest of us see people and she speaks to them every day. In the past Lorna has talked about her life, and how the angels prepared her to deliver a message to the world. This book contains her message of hope, and this message is for you. She writes about how she sees angels helping people when they are feeling tired, helpless, depressed, unloved, inadequate as a parent, struggling financially or simply too busyIn A Message of Hope from the Angels Lorna tells in a simple and direct way how you can call on this help to make your life better and happier.
The Messianic Legacy
by Henry Lincoln Michael Baigent Richard LeighThe startling, frighteningly convincing sequel to The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail that reveals the very nature of the Messianic Legacy. After the shocking revelations of The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail the authors, in their quest to determine the discrepancies between early and modern 'Christian' thought, found that they were forced to ask such questions as:*Was there more than one Christ?*Was Christ the founder of Christianity?*Were the disciples as peace-loving as it is traditionally assumed?*What links the Vatican, the CIA, the KGB, the Mafia, Freemasonry, P2, Opus Dei and the Knights Templar*What mysterious modern crusade implicates British industry, Churchill and de Gaulle, the EEC and Solidarity?The Messianic Legacy offers enthralling new investigations into the shadowy society of the 'Prieure de Sion' - 'The Guardians of the Holy Grail' - as the authors discover the murky world of politics, finance, freemasonry, and religion that exists beneath the most solid and conservative seeming of European institutions: the Church. The ominous global conspiracy of disinformations they uncovered ensures that The Messianic Legacy us an up-to-the-minute thriller and a work of biblical detection that is even more significant than The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail.
Messy: How to Be Creative and Resilient in a Tidy-Minded World
by Tim Harford'Ranging expertly across business, politics and the arts, Tim Harford makes a compelling case for the creative benefits of disorganization, improvisation and confusion. His liberating message: you'll be more successful if you stop struggling so hard to plan or control your success. Messy is a deeply researched, endlessly eye-opening adventure in the life-changing magic of not tidying up' Oliver BurkemanThe urge to tidiness seems to be rooted deep in the human psyche. Many of us feel threatened by anything that is vague, unplanned, scattered around or hard to describe. We find comfort in having a script to rely on, a system to follow, in being able to categorise and file away. We all benefit from tidy organisation - up to a point. A large library needs a reference system. Global trade needs the shipping container. Scientific collaboration needs measurement units. But the forces of tidiness have marched too far. Corporate middle managers and government bureaucrats have long tended to insist that everything must have a label, a number and a logical place in a logical system. Now that they are armed with computers and serial numbers, there is little to hold this tidy-mindedness in check. It's even spilling into our personal lives, as we corral our children into sanitised play areas or entrust our quest for love to the soulless algorithms of dating websites. Order is imposed when chaos would be more productive. Or if not chaos, then . . . messiness.The trouble with tidiness is that, in excess, it becomes rigid, fragile and sterile. In Messy, Tim Harford reveals how qualities we value more than ever - responsiveness, resilience and creativity - simply cannot be disentangled from the messy soil that produces them. This, then, is a book about the benefits of being messy: messy in our private lives; messy in the office, with piles of paper on the desk and unread spreadsheets; messy in the recording studio, the laboratory or in preparing for an important presentation; and messy in our approach to business, politics and economics, leaving things vague, diverse and uncomfortably made-up-on-the-spot. It's time to rediscover the benefits of a little mess.
Messy Connections: Creating Atmospheres of Addiction Recovery Through Performance Practice (ISSN)
by Cathy SloanThis book examines performance practices that involve people in recovery from addiction, theorising such practices as recovery-engaged.Focusing on examples of practice from a growing movement of UK-based recovery arts practitioners and performers, it highlights a unique approach to performance that infuses an understanding of lived experiences of addiction and recovery with creative practice. It offers a philosophy of being in recovery that understands lived experience, and performance practice, as a dynamic system of interrelations with the human and nonhuman elements that make up the societal settings in which recovery communities struggle to exist. It thereby frames the process of recovery, and recovery-engaged performance, as an affective ecology – a system of messy connections. Building upon ideas from posthumanist research on addiction, cultural theory on identity and new materialist interpretations of performance practice, it considers how such contemporary theory might offer additional ways of thinking and doing arts practice with people affected by addiction. The discussion highlights the distinct aesthetics, ethics and politics of this area of performance practice.This study will be of great interest to students and scholars in Applied Theatre and Critical Arts and Mental Health studies.
Messy Connections: Creating Atmospheres of Addiction Recovery Through Performance Practice (ISSN)
by Cathy SloanThis book examines performance practices that involve people in recovery from addiction, theorising such practices as recovery-engaged.Focusing on examples of practice from a growing movement of UK-based recovery arts practitioners and performers, it highlights a unique approach to performance that infuses an understanding of lived experiences of addiction and recovery with creative practice. It offers a philosophy of being in recovery that understands lived experience, and performance practice, as a dynamic system of interrelations with the human and nonhuman elements that make up the societal settings in which recovery communities struggle to exist. It thereby frames the process of recovery, and recovery-engaged performance, as an affective ecology – a system of messy connections. Building upon ideas from posthumanist research on addiction, cultural theory on identity and new materialist interpretations of performance practice, it considers how such contemporary theory might offer additional ways of thinking and doing arts practice with people affected by addiction. The discussion highlights the distinct aesthetics, ethics and politics of this area of performance practice.This study will be of great interest to students and scholars in Applied Theatre and Critical Arts and Mental Health studies.
Metamorphosis of The Memory In The Life After Death
by Rudolf SteinerA single lecture taken from the volume Life Beyond Death.
Metaphysical Bible Dictionary (Dover Empower Your Life Ser.)
by Charles FillmoreA notable product of the 19th-century New Thought revolution, Charles Fillmore's Unity movement combined esoteric and metaphysical principles with traditional Christian elements. This key to Fillmore's original form of religious expression, a core text of the Unity movement, interprets the hidden meanings of the Bible's myriad names, places, and events.
Michael: A Tale of the Masterful Monk
by Owen DudleyAgain, as in his tremendously popular earlier books, Owen Francis Dudley deals with the problems of human happiness. In this new novel his talent for storytelling seeks its expression in highly dramatic incidents which take place in a variety of settings and with a fresh cast of fascinating characters.The action moves across half a world, from England to the South Seas, and begins on a steamer bound for New Zealand, where Father Thornton becomes a confidant of Michael St. Helier. Introverted and unfriendly, this young man in an accident on shipboard behaves in a manner which is interpreted as cowardice. The Masterful Monk finds that extreme sensitivity and an unhappy home life have brought about a morbid revulsion from ugliness and violence and a refusal to accept pain or sacrifice. Recognizing the psychological problem involved, he takes young St. Helier in hand and becomes his friend and mentor. With unflagging interest the reader follows the steps by which, through many trials and adventures, Michael is brought face to face with his own problems and is able, in the end, to confront his future with courage. A tender love story is interwoven in this compelling novel.
Michael Murphy's Book of Dreams: Unlock the hidden meaning of your dreams
by Michael MurphyIn Michael Murphy’s Book of Dreams, the author, broadcaster and psychoanalyst examines 65 dreams, unlocking the fascinating insights they offer. His accessible style and expert analysis will help you understand the unconscious thoughts that lead to dreams and explore how their hidden meaning can guide you in your daily life.Discover how to analyse your own dreams and how to make sense of the seemingly random material that derives from the unconscious. Learn the meaning of recurring dreams and identify those that signal change is needed. There are dreams about pop stars, relationships, dead people, animals, addiction, the apocalypse, holidays, the Leaving Cert and more. This book will encourage you to work with your dreams in order to reach a deeper understanding of what you really want in life and discover how to achieve it.
Michaelmas: An Introductory Reader
by Rudolf SteinerRudolf Steiner, the often undervalued, multifaceted genius of modern times, contributed much to the regeneration of culture. In addition to his philosophical teachings, he provided ideas for the development of many practical activities, including education - both general and special - agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science, religion and the arts. Steiner's original contribution to human knowledge was based on his ability to conduct 'spiritual research', the investigation of metaphysical dimensions of existence. With his scientific and philosophical training, he brought a new systematic discipline to the field, allowing for conscious methods and comprehensive results. A natural seer from childhood, he cultivated his spiritual vision to a high degree, enabling him to speak with authority on previously veiled mysteries of life. Samples of Steiner's work are to be found in this introductory reader in which Matthew Barton brings together excerpts from Steiner's many talks and writings on Michaelmas. The volume also features an editorial introduction, afterword, commentary and notes. Chapters: Sinking Earth, Rising Spirit; Michael and the Dragon; Michael, Spirit of Our Age; Towards a Michael Festival.
Micro Activism: How You Can Make a Difference in the World without a Bullhorn
by Omkari L. WilliamsEveryone can be an activist with the guidance of Omkari Williams, a life coach who guides readers in identifying their "activist archetype" and mapping a personal action plan for engaging in small, change-making activities with potentially big impacts. In this age of social justice, those who don't necessarily want to lead a movement or join a protest march are left wondering, "How can I make an impact?" In Micro Activism, former political consultant turned activism coach Omkari Williams shares her expertise in empowering introverts and highly sensitive people to help each of us, no matter our temperament, find our most satisfying and effective activist role. Using Williams's Activist Archetype tool, readers discover their unique strengths and use this to develop a personal strategy. To ensure sustainable involvement, Williams encourages starting small, working collaboratively, and beginning locally. Advice on self-care practices, burn-out prevention, and profiles of activists engaged in a range of activities and causes (from voter registration to craftivism, literacy programs, community gardens, and more), provide readers with the inspiration and practical know-how needed to engage in small, doable actions that make a lasting impact.
Micro-Resilience: Minor Shifts for Major Boosts in Focus, Drive and Energy
by Bonnie St. John Allen P. Haines'Micro-Resilience is a powerful book that will help you rethink the drive-until-you-drop approach to work. By re-framing your thinking, you can learn to learn bounce back from setbacks and create a life of power and meaning' Daniel Pink, author of Drive and To Sell is HumanAs leadership consultants and executive trainers, Bonnie St. John and Allen Haines have heard the same complaints from clients for years; periodic burnout, lack of focus and low energy. So they dug into the latest research on neuroscience, psychology and physiology looking for big answers. Instead they found small answers; proof that small adjustments in daily routines, including thought patterns, food and drink, rest and movement can fight the forces that sap our energy and store focus and drive. They call these amazing efficient restorative techniques 'micro-resilience.'Thousands of men and women from all walks of life have already found effortless ways to incorporate these little changes into the busiest of schedules. Dozens of entertaining anecdotes from real people using micro-resilience demonstrate that when our brains fire faster, our energy increases and we can cope with almost any surprise, pressure or crisis, no matter how big or small.
Microfoundations of Institutions (Research in the Sociology of Organizations #65, Part A)
by Patrick Haack Jost Sieweke Lauri WesselThe notion of microfoundations has received growing interest in neo-institutional theory (NIT) along with an increasing interest in microfoundational research in disciplines such as strategic management and organizational economics. However, despite reference to the same term, there are decisive differences in how microfoundations have been addressed across different disciplines. The aim of this double volume is to explore in more depth what the microfoundations of institutions are and what it takes to actually develop sound microfoundations. To this end, this double volume sets off by exploring the recent well-spring of micro-level research in NIT (i.e., research on the individual, practice and group level). While intimately related, micro-level research and microfoundations are not necessarily the same thing. Hence, the double volume seeks to bring to the fore different perspectives in micro-level research in order to tease out what these perspectives imply for building microfoundations, where they converge and where they diverge.
Microfoundations of Institutions (Research in the Sociology of Organizations #65, Part A)
by Patrick Haack Jost Sieweke Lauri WesselThe notion of microfoundations has received growing interest in neo-institutional theory (NIT) along with an increasing interest in microfoundational research in disciplines such as strategic management and organizational economics. However, despite reference to the same term, there are decisive differences in how microfoundations have been addressed across different disciplines. The aim of this double volume is to explore in more depth what the microfoundations of institutions are and what it takes to actually develop sound microfoundations. To this end, this double volume sets off by exploring the recent well-spring of micro-level research in NIT (i.e., research on the individual, practice and group level). While intimately related, micro-level research and microfoundations are not necessarily the same thing. Hence, the double volume seeks to bring to the fore different perspectives in micro-level research in order to tease out what these perspectives imply for building microfoundations, where they converge and where they diverge.
Microjoys: Finding Hope (Especially) When Life is Not Okay
by Cyndie SpiegelBighearted and hopeful. Unflinchingly honest and healing. A profound compendium of intimate, inspiring essays and thoughtful prompts that will keep you afloat in difficult times and sustain you in the everyday.Microjoys are a practice of uncovering joy and finding hope at any moment. They are accessible to everyone, despite all else. When we hone the ability to look for them, they are always available. Microjoys are the hidden wisdom, deep memories, subtle treasure, and ordinary delights that surround us: a polka-dot dress on a thrift store shelf. A dear friend's kindness at just the right time. The neighborhood spice shop. A beloved family tradition. The simple quietude of being in love. A cherished recipe.Cyndie Spiegel first began taking note of microjoys during the most difficult year of her life - when she experienced back-to-back unprecedented and devastating losses - and she found that these fleeting moments of hope helped her move through each day with a semblance of comfort and a lot more joy.Through beautifully written chapters and prompts, Cyndie shares the microjoys that have kept her going through tough times and shows us how we can learn to see the microjoys in our own lives. Microjoys don't change the truth of loss or make grief any more convenient, but they allow us to temporarily touch joy, keeping us buoyed and moving forward, one moment at a time.
Micromastery: 39 Little Skills to Help You Find Happiness
by Robert Twigger'Micromastery is a triumph. I read it with delight, and instantly vowed to put more conviction into the latest thing I'm trying, which is using a plectrum when I play the guitar'Philip PullmanWant to learn how to cook? Start by making an omelette.Want to able to dance? First learn the Tango Walk.Want to be more creative, smarter and happier? Read this book.Micromastery is the inspiring new way to approach any kind of challenge or skill. With this simple, accessible technique you can get a grip on new subjects quickly, then experiment and grow.Whether it's making a perfect soufflé, painting a door or lighting a fire -- just three of the thirty nine little skills this book will teach you -- you'll find that cultivating micro areas of expertise is life-changing. Become a fearless learner, spot more creative opportunities, and improve your brain health and wellbeing.Start small. Start specific. But start - and you'll be on the path to mastery.'A brilliantly smart, cunningly simple idea. Conquering every skill, talent, and life hack in seconds is what the modern man yearns for'Jim Allen, MD, RDF Television'Robert Twigger is an inspiring author. Read this book!'Nick Hodgson, Kaiser Chiefs'Brilliant. . . . mastering a series of small tasks has created pockets of perfection through my day, and made me calmer and happier in the process'Rachel Kelly, author of Walking on Sunshine: 52 Small Steps to HappinessRobert Twigger is an author, adventure traveller and apprentice micromaster. His first book, Angry White Pyjamas, about a year spent in a Japanese martial arts dojo, won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award and the Somerset Maugham Award. He has lectured on risk management, polymathics and leadership at Oxford Brookes Business School, Oxford University, the Royal College of Art, and to companies including P&G, Maersk shipping, Oracle computing and SAB Miller.
The Middle: How to keep going in pursuit of your goals
by Travis GaleOn 1 January 1999, Travis Gale (aged 17) and Stephen Bonaconsa (aged 27) left Johannesburg on a mission to cycle across four continents and raise R1 million for children living with, and affected by HIV/AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal. They pedalled out of Johannesburg, riding mountain bikes equipped with panniers, carrying the basic requirements for an adventure. They rode unsupported. No Instagram or Facebook. It was just the two of them and the open road. The pair successfully cycled over 16 000 kilometres, across four continents, through 16 countries, raising R1.7 million for their cause.When asked to share about his experience, Travis very rarely spends time talking about the start or the finish of the tour. The stories Travis shares are from The Middle. It’s The Middle that tests us with challenges, yielding a multitude of emotions. It’s The Middle that involves the raw and often painful need to dig deep, to push through the barriers that stand in our way, and show ourselves what we are capable of. The Middle is what we, as human beings, were designed for.We can all pitch up at start lines. We can all celebrate a finish. But no finish is without a Middle and every Middle is where WHO WE ARE is revealed.This book, The Middle, includes eight stories, drawn from eight key days of a world cycle tour, which will encourage and equip people through The Middle, the territory we must navigate in pursuit of our goals.Keep going.Increase momentum towards meaningful goals.Develop grit and resilience in the midst of tough terrain.Push through barriers that consistently get in the way.Learn practical frameworks for making things happen.Stretch yourself to do more than you thought possible.Finish well!
The Midheaven: Spotlight On Success
by Frank C. CliffordThe Midheaven (MC) is a fundamental, but rarely examined, point in the horoscope. As the most elevated angle of the chart, it is the area associated with success, achievement and recognition.As part of the MC/IC axis, it has much to say about our reputation and public image as well as early parental messages and our psychological inheritance. Our MC reveals the ways in which we can contribute meaningfully to the world around us, while the IC shows that which might drive us unconsciously or areas we are prone to ignore. The challenge of the MC/IC axis is to grow and become our own construct (MC) without putting the past in the shade (IC).In this absorbing volume, astrologer, teacher and consultant Frank Clifford offers many original insights from his years of research into: the signs on the MC/IC; aspects from the planets; and the ways in which the MC works with the Sun and Ascendant signs.
Midnight Chicken: & Other Recipes Worth Living For
by Ella Risbridger Elisa Cunningham'A moving testimonial to the redemptive power of cooking. Risbridger knows that it offers not just solace but a map; cooking can save you. Generous, honest and uplifting. I wish I'd had this book when I was in my twenties' Diana HenryRecipes that reveal the life-changing happiness of cooking There are lots of ways to start a story, but this one begins with a chicken… There was a time when, for Ella Risbridger, the world had become overwhelming. Sounds were too loud, colours were too bright, everyone moved too fast. One night she found herself lying on her kitchen floor, wondering if she would ever get up – and it was the thought of a chicken, of roasting it, and of eating it, that got her to her feet and made her want to be alive. Midnight Chicken is a cookbook. Or, at least, you'll flick through these pages and find recipes so inviting that you will head straight for the kitchen: roast garlic and tomato soup, uplifting chilli-lemon spaghetti, charred leek lasagne, squash skillet pie, spicy fish finger sandwiches and burnt-butter brownies. It's the kind of cooking you can do a little bit drunk, that is probably better if you've got a bottle of wine open and a hunk of bread to mop up the sauce. But if you settle down and read it with a cup of tea (or a glass of that wine), you'll also discover that it's an annotated list of things worth living for – a manifesto of moments worth living for. This is a cookbook to make you fall in love with the world again.
Midnight Lullabies: Moments of Peace for Moms
by Lauren EberspacherUsher the peace of Jesus back into motherhood with Lauren Eberspacher's 31-day devotional, MIDNIGHT LULLABIES.Often, mothers are told about the joyful, exciting things that they are about to embark on as they enter into parenthood. What people fail to share is the hard seasons of motherhood: loneliness, anxiety, depression, insecurity, comparison, disconnect with the Lord and their husbands, and loss of identity. These seasons can consume their hearts and steal their joy, leaving them hopeless and full of shame. Most mothers hide during this time, thinking that they are alone or that something is wrong with them. The simple truth is that having children changes everything. But so does Jesus. His Word can breathe life into every space, and Midnight Lullabies meets the weary mama in the trenches of motherhood while she does Kingdom work within the four walls of her home, shining light and giving hope when it seems most far away.In Midnight Lullabies, over 31 days, Lauren Eberspacher explores those places of motherhood that are often left unspoken. While embarking on her own journey of being a mama, she has encountered seasons that shocked and surprised her. But there is always hope. As a storyteller, Lauren takes the everyday moments and gives biblical insight to the mother facing these hard seasons, giving the reader a sense that they are having a conversation with a friend around a cozy kitchen table.Mothers often just want to hear another mom say she's in it with them. And when Eberspacher addresses these hard issues, she not only says, "I've been there; I understand," but she follows it with, "But God." Eberspacher shows that Jesus can be found in every moment of motherhood and that His strength and His Word are enough for you.
Midnight Lullabies: Moments of Peace for Moms
by Lauren EberspacherUsher the peace of Jesus back into motherhood with Lauren Eberspacher's 31-day devotional, Midnight Lullibies.Often, mothers are told about the joyful, exciting things that they are about to embark on as they enter into parenthood. What people fail to share is the hard seasons of motherhood: loneliness, anxiety, depression, insecurity, comparison, disconnect with the Lord and their husbands, and loss of identity. These seasons can consume their hearts and steal their joy, leaving them hopeless and full of shame. Most mothers hide during this time, thinking that they are alone or that something is wrong with them. The simple truth is that having children changes everything. But so does Jesus. His Word can breathe life into every space, and Midnight Lullabies meets the weary mama in the trenches of motherhood while she does Kingdom work within the four walls of her home, shining light and giving hope when it seems most far away.In Midnight Lullabies, over 31 days, Lauren Eberspacher explores those places of motherhood that are often left unspoken. While embarking on her own journey of being a mama, she has encountered seasons that shocked and surprised her. But there is always hope. As a storyteller, Lauren takes the everyday moments and gives biblical insight to the mother facing these hard seasons, giving the reader a sense that they are having a conversation with a friend around a cozy kitchen table.Mothers often just want to hear another mom say she's in it with them. And when Eberspacher addresses these hard issues, she not only says, "I've been there; I understand," but she follows it with, "But God." Eberspacher shows that Jesus can be found in every moment of motherhood and that His strength and His Word are enough for you.
Might Bite: The Secret Life of a Gambling Addict
by Patrick Foster'A no-holds barred journey through gambling addiction and into the hope of recovery' Paul Merson 'Patrick's story will stop you in your tracks' Sam Billings, England cricketerThis is the shocking story of a life secretly shattered by pathological gambling addiction, and the first steps to putting the pieces back together.For more than 12 years, Patrick Foster lived a double life. Turning 31, a popular and sociable young teacher and former professional cricketer, he had a lovely girlfriend and a supportive family. But he was hiding a secret and debilitating gambling addiction from even those closest to him.Huge bets had led to huge debts, thousands of lies and mental health issues that pushed him to the edge of the platform at Slough station, where he was moments from taking his own life in March 2018. That month he had turned a £30 bet into £28,000, then lost £58,000 on a single horse, Might Bite, in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, watching the race ina silent classroom as his students undertook a mock exam in front of him.Gambling addiction affects more than 1.4 million people per year in the UK alone. It is a growing and pervasive issue: gamblers are getting younger, more women are betting every day, and the industry is worth more than £14 billion.This book explores the reasons behind gambling addiction and its terrible consequences, through the eyes of one man – who almost didn't survive.
Might Bite: The Secret Life of a Gambling Addict
by Patrick Foster'A no-holds barred journey through gambling addiction and into the hope of recovery' Paul Merson 'Patrick's story will stop you in your tracks' Sam Billings, England cricketerThis is the shocking story of a life secretly shattered by pathological gambling addiction, and the first steps to putting the pieces back together.For more than 12 years, Patrick Foster lived a double life. Turning 31, a popular and sociable young teacher and former professional cricketer, he had a lovely girlfriend and a supportive family. But he was hiding a secret and debilitating gambling addiction from even those closest to him.Huge bets had led to huge debts, thousands of lies and mental health issues that pushed him to the edge of the platform at Slough station, where he was moments from taking his own life in March 2018. That month he had turned a £30 bet into £28,000, then lost £58,000 on a single horse, Might Bite, in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, watching the race ina silent classroom as his students undertook a mock exam in front of him.Gambling addiction affects more than 1.4 million people per year in the UK alone. It is a growing and pervasive issue: gamblers are getting younger, more women are betting every day, and the industry is worth more than £14 billion.This book explores the reasons behind gambling addiction and its terrible consequences, through the eyes of one man – who almost didn't survive.