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Ten Hag: The Biography
by Maarten MeijerGood is not good enough. You have to be even better - Erik ten HagWho is Erik ten Hag? Calm and cool-headed, he ignores critics, follows his own methods and relentlessly pursues perfection on the pitch. His uncanny ability to analyse and solve problems - the 'process' as Ten Hag calls it - has unfailingly led to breakthrough. There is no magic. There is only intelligence at work, personal devotion to players and near-obsessive attention to detail.At Ajax, Ten Hag brooked no dissent and moulded his team into a smoothly operating unit of attack. His team enjoyed an astonishing run, winning three league cups in a row and reaching the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in a quarter of a century. Along the way, they produced some of the brightest and most entertaining football seen in Europe for years.Maarten Meijer's definitive biography follows Erik ten Hag, from his upbringing in the Dutch countryside to his domestic triumphs and European victories. Meijer's book is the ultimate guide to the man with the momentous task of ending a decade of disappointment at Manchester United, and beginning a new era of great and winning football.
Lifescapes: A Biographer’s Search for the Soul
by Ann WroeThe acclaimed biographer and obituarist for The Economist reflects on a career spent pursuing life and capturing it on the page.It is soul that I go looking for. Or, to put it another way, real life.'She's a genius, I believe' HILARY MANTEL'A masterful celebration' JOHN BANVILLE'A rare and beautiful book' KAPKA KASSABOVA'What is life?' asked the poet Shelley, and could not come up with an answer. Scientists, too, for all their understanding of how life manifests, thrives and evolves, have still not plumbed that fundamental question. Yet biographers and obituarists continue to corral lives in a few columns, or a few hundred pages, aware all the time how fleeting and elusive their subject is.In this dazzlingly original blend of memoir, biography, observation and poetry, Ann Wroe reflects on the art and impossibility of capturing life on the page. Through her experiences and those of others, through people she has known, studied or merely glimpsed in windows, she movingly explores what makes a life and how that life lingers after.Animated by Wroe's rare imagination, eye for the telling detail, and the wit, beauty and clarity of her writing, Lifescapes is a luminous, deeply personal answer to Shelley's question.
Nowhere to Run: The ridiculous life of a semi-professional football club chairman
by Jonathan Sayer‘Captures the illogical romance of the sport’ NEW STATESMANEver wondered what it would be like to run your local football club?On the second oldest football pitch in the world, Jonathan Sayer stands atop a beer crate to address the assembled fans. As his initial optimism begins to slip through his fingers, the new chairman of Ashton United starts to realize the scale of the challenge ahead.With a fan-led mutiny on his hands, a star striker on crutches, and a record number of games without a win, Jonathan is forced to make a series of increasingly desperate decisions – from sinking his life savings into an ever-spiralling wage bill to inviting a local priest to perform a late-night exorcism on the pitch.Chronicling the euphoric highs and bitter disappointments of the less glamourous side of the beautiful game, Nowhere to Run is the hilarious, heart-warming tale of life in the hot seat of a non-league football club.‘A glorious chronicle of memorable highs, bitter disappointments and never-ending bills’MIRROR
Babi Yar: The Story of Ukraine's Holocaust
by A. AnatoliThis gripping story of Kyiv during the Second World War told by a young boy who saw it all.'Rightly hailed a masterpiece' Daily Mail'So here is my invitation: enter into my fate, imagine that you are twelve, that the world is at war and that nobody knows what is going to happen next...'When the German army rolled into Kyiv in 1941 the young Anatoli was just twelve years old. He began writing down what he saw in his journals.Within ten days of the invasion, the Nazis had begun their campaign of fear and murder in Ukraine. Babi Yar (Babyn Yar in Ukrainian) was the place where the executions of Jews and many others took place. It was one of the largest massacres in the history of the Holocaust. Anatoli could hear the machine guns from his house.Anatoli’s clear, compelling voice, honesty and determination guide us through the horrors of that time. Babi Yar has the compulsion and narration of fiction but everything recounted here is true.'Extraordinary' Orlando Figes, Guardian'A vivid first-hand account of life under one of the most savage of occupation regimes... A book which must be read and never forgotten' The TimesThis is the complete, uncensored version of Babi Yar - its history written into the text. Parts shown in bold are those cut by the Russian censors, parts in brackets show later additions.
Boris Johnson: The Adventure Where You Take Back Control
by Iain HollingsheadNow that Boris Johnson has left Downing Street to spend more time with his families, you can celebrate/lament his departure with this multiple-choice adventure where you take back control. Packed with 350 million* endings, this is the perfect stocking filler this Christmas.(* - this figure may be misleading).Yes, you are Boris Johnson, about to embark on a quest to fulfil your childhood ambition to be World King, a position so important that you will have to invent it first.It's not going to be easy.You will be entranced by a monster called Trump, bewitched by a sorceress called Carrie, captivated by your backbench Orcs - and royally shafted by a little hobgoblin called Michael Gove.Not everyone wants you to be World King.So watch out for those false turns which see you begging Prince Harry for a job, rotting in a Dubai jail, recruited by the KGB, wandering round Kabul trying to find 150 dogs to rescue, starting WWIII or mistaking wine, cheese, vomit and karaoke for a work event.And try instead to use your magical powers to become the Emperor of this land; the star of the hit musical "Boris on Broadway"; or even the PM who leads Britain back into the EU in 2024.Yes, you are The Neverending Tory.And this is your story.Kids of all ages love The Neverending Tory:"I read the endings where he doesn't become Prime Minister again and again"T. May, age 65, Maidenhead"I have never been Prime Minister, but this book gave me the chance to see what it might be like"J. Corbyn, age 73, The Allotment, North London
Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm: The powerful, emotional novel about the temptations of dangerous love
by LAURA WARRELLFinalist of the 2023 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction'Told in a rich array of voices, this gorgeously written debut explores the myriad syncopations of love and desire' Celeste Ng, author of Little Fires Everywhere'Beautifully and cleverly written...The novel's tender, sensual, enchanting prose entices you into a world of deep longing' Deesha Philyaw, author of The Secret Lives of Church LadiesLove is messy. Love can make us feel alive. It can also bring us down. Sometimes we look for it in all the wrong places. This is a novel about longing, desire and dreams; about passion and risk and all the places in between.Maggie is pregnant with Circus Palmer's child. This may be her last chance, but she craves her freedom.Pia is Circus's ex-wife, still in love with the fantasy of the man who conjured jazz tunes for her into the night, but who left many years before.Koko, Circus's daughter, is lost in the maelstrom of teenage years, the confusion of awakening desire and yearning for the father she barely knows.Peach is a barmaid who just wants someone to see the person she is inside.Odessa is on the run from a mistake that can't be undone.And then there's Circus, Circus Palmer, a jazz trumpeter whose moment of glory is fading. Selfish, damaged, scared, perhaps the only person Circus is fooling is himself.Delivered in a lush orchestration of diverse female voices, Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm is a provocative and gripping novel about the desire to be loved, and the need to belong.*****'An exceptional debut...This story is an example of how love, in all of its polyrhythms, can sometimes sound like song, and other times like noise. And this book is an example of how a great story can become a bass drum, kicking and thumping in your belly far after it's over. A modern masterpiece.' Jason Reynolds, author of Look Both Ways'Soulful... Elegant, unexpected and wrenching as the "fierce" sounds that emerge from Circus's trumpet . . . Unforgettable' New York Times Book Review'[An] emerging literary superstar . . . This sensual and sensuous debut is a kaleidoscopic character study, a polyphonic riff on the modern-day Casanova from the perspectives of the myriad women in his wake' Oprah Daily'A sultry and subversive debut. Laura Warrell's prose sparkles, but it's what she's got to say about sex and love and being a woman that will take your breath away. This book is a love song, and Warrell knows how to hold all the right notes.' Rachel Beanland, author of Florence Adler Swims Forever'Jazz music is to be played sweet, soft, plenty rhythm,' proclaimed Jelly Roll Morton, and Warrell plays her exceptional first novel with plenty of rhythm and tenderness, delivered in brisk, mordantly gorgeous language' Library Journal'A book about desire and about love, about where these emotions meet and part and sometimes interlace in inescapable ways...a classic in the making.' Brian Castleberry, author of Nine Shiny Objects
Abroad in Japan: The No. 1 Sunday Times Bestseller
by Chris BroadTHE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER'Chris Broad explores Japan in all its quirky glory..Endlessly fascinating!'Will Ferguson, author of Hokkaido Highway Blues'Carves a unique path across Japan bringing him into contact with far too many cats, heartening renewal in Tohoku, and even pizza with Ken Watanabe.'Iain Maloney, author of The Only Gaijin in the Village'Fascinating, fact-packed and very funny..An excellent and enjoyable read for the Japan-curious. I loved it and learned a lot.'Sam Baldwin, author of For Fukui's Sake: Two years in rural JapanWhen Englishman Chris Broad landed in a rural village in northern Japan he wondered if he'd made a huge mistake. With no knowledge of the language and zero teaching experience, was he about to be the most quickly fired English teacher in Japan's history?Abroad in Japan charts a decade of living in a foreign land and the chaos and culture clash that came with it. Packed with hilarious and fascinating stories, this book seeks out to unravel one the world's most complex cultures.Spanning ten years and all forty-seven prefectures, Chris takes us from the lush rice fields of the countryside to the frenetic neon-lit streets of Tokyo. With blockbuster moments such as a terrifying North Korean missile incident, a mortifying experience at a love hotel and a week spent with Japan's biggest movie star, Abroad in Japan is an extraordinary and informative journey through the Land of the Rising Sun.Number one Sunday Times bestseller, August 2023
A Head Full of Music: The soundtrack to my life
by Cliff RichardForeword by Bob StanleyOn a sunny Saturday morning in May 1956, a fifteen-year-old, then called Harry Webb, was mooching down Waltham Cross High Street. He heard some music blaring out of a parked car. It stopped him in his tracks.The song was 'Heartbreak Hotel' by Elvis Presley. It sounded like nothing he had ever heard before. In that instant, the schoolboy who was destined to take the hit parade by storm as Cliff Richard fell in love with rock and roll. It gave him the thrill, the purpose and the mission that has shaped his life ever since.Cliff lives in and for music. And with 65 years as a hitmaker, the music filling his head is a broad category. His soundtrack begins by blasting us all back into that first life-changing explosion of rock and also includes great soul soul stars such as Aretha Franklin, longtime colleagues like Elton John, and much-missed close friends Cilla Black and Olivia Newton-John.This book is meaningful to Cliff on many levels. The 30 or so songs here that make up the soundtrack to his life have each moved him deeply, but it's also about the legendary artists he met, and often got to know. He shares those stories and memories with you, too.A Head Full of Music is a vibrant personal journey for Cliff, and it's a joy to accompany him on it. Get wired for sound with him and read on.
The Talk: from the winner of the Pulitzer Prize
by Darrin BellFor readers of The Hate U Give and The New Jim Crow, an urgent graphic memoir on police brutality and anti-Blackness in twenty-first-century Amerikkka'The Ta-Nehisi Coates of comics' Garry Trudeau, creator of Doonesbury'You won't be able to put it down' Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home'I loved this book. You will too' Victor LaValle, author of The ChangelingDarrin Bell was six years old when he had The Talk: his mother told him he couldn't have a realistic water gun. She said she feared for his safety, that police tend to think of little Black boys as older and less innocent than they really are.Through evocative illustrations and sharp humour, Bell examines how The Talk shaped intimate and public moments from childhood to adulthood. While coming of age in Los Angeles - and finding a voice through cartooning - Bell becomes painfully aware of being regarded as dangerous by white teachers, neighbours and police officers, and thus of his mortality. Drawing attention to the brutal murders of African Americans, and showcasing revealing insights and cartoons along the way, he brings us up to the moment of reckoning when people took to the streets protesting the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.And now Bell must decide whether he and his own six-year-old son are ready to have The Talk.
Older and Bolder: My A-Z of surviving almost everything
by Esther RantzenBe bolder as you grow older, and make sure you float above any challenges that threaten to overwhelm you. Multi-award-winning broadcaster, founder of Childline and The Silver Line, campaigner, mother, grandmother and joyous trailblazer of our times, Dame Esther Rantzen dazzles in the glory of getting older and ever bolder.And now in this energising A-Z, she time-travels through her most signi?cant memories, from meeting Princess Diana to creating a national outrage with a mischievous short ?lm about a driving dog, and re?ects with candour and humour on the life lessons she's learned, revealing the hints, hacks and personal philosophies that have been her secrets to surviving almost everything.We may not all achieve what Dame Esther has, but here we can soak up her wisdom, laugh with her, learn from her, embrace the passing years and march boldly on.
A Purposeful Life: What I’ve Learned About Breaking Barriers and Inspiring Change
by Dawn Butler'Dawn Butler is a history-making, game-changing, ceiling-smashing politician.This powerful book offers a fascinating insight into both the personal and political sides of her journey.'Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London'When I was younger my parents taught me to be resilient and my brothers told me to be resistant, and now I think it's time for a revolution. Let's complete the power of three.'The third Black woman ever to be elected as an MP, Dawn Butler is a pioneer who speaks truth to power. Famously ejected from the House of Commons for calling Boris Johnson a liar, Dawn’s sense of purpose has carried her over countless hurdles to help her stand up for what is right and influence transformation, from the Met Police to the NHS.Now, for the first time she recalls the pivotal moments in her life, to give others the courage and conviction to dream big and improve the world around them. Revealing how traditional routes to success and power are outdated, Dawn’s story shows that by celebrating the strength of diverse communities, looking at an issue from all angles and embracing intersectionality, it’s easier than we think to disrupt a broken system.This uplifting and hopeful read shows how anybody can make positive change, even when the world around us feels fractured beyond repair.
Face the Music: My Story
by Alfie BoeThe Sunday Times bestsellerThe intimate and uplifting memoir from one of Britain's most loved singers - this is Alfie, off stage.Bringing his characteristic sense of cheeky humour to the page, in this heartfelt book Alfie describes for the first time the highs and lows of over a decade singing and performing across the world. From personal dinners with Queen Elizabeth II and following in the steps of King of Rock 'n' Roll Elvis in Vegas to mischievous antics with Michael Ball, Alfie's book takes us backstage to witness his brilliant career memories.But this book is also a heartfelt insight to Alfie's unmasked truth for the first time ever. His unflinching honesty reveals not only the success stories, but also the pressures and how, through challenging times, he learned more about himself than he ever thought possible.Laying bare the events that have shaped Alfie into the performer he is today, Face the Music demonstrates to us all that it's not our mistakes that define us - but instead, how we choose to come back from them.
Word Monkey
by Christopher FowlerThis is the memoir Christopher Fowler always wanted to write about 'writing'.It's the story of how a young bookworm growing up in a house where there was nothing to read but knitting pamphlets and motorcycle manuals became a writer - a 'word monkey' - and pursued a sort of career in popular fiction. It's a book full of brilliant insights and sharp observations about the highs and lows and pitfalls and pleasures of his profession and about his favourite (and not-so-favourite) novelists. For would-be writers, Word Monkey is a treasure trove of sage advice on what to watch out for, to approach with caution or, indeed, to avoid at all costs.But woven into this hugely entertaining, inspiring and politely opinionated account of a writer's life is an altogether darker thread. Because in Spring 2020, as the world went into lockdown, Chris was diagnosed with terminal cancer and his world was turned upside down. And yet Word Monkey is anything but a misery memoir. In prose as light as air, he recounts with candour, grace and typically self-deprecating humour what he came to realise would be the final chapter in his story. The result is a deeply moving, often very funny and surprisingly uplifting account of someone suddenly having to confront and come to terms with their own mortality.
Lesbian Love Story: A Queer History of Sapphic Romance
by Amelia Possanza'A RARE TREAT ... UTTERLY FASCINATING' Julia Armfield | 'GORGEOUSLY, QUINTESESSENTIALLY LESBIAN' Lily Lindon | 'THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE' Paula Akpan | 'PASSIONATE' Kate Charlesworth | 'A RADICAL ACT OF QUEER LOVE' Kestral Gaian | 'AN INCREDIBLE, AFFIRMING BOOK' Lois ShearingA TIME MAGAZINE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2023 * A BUZZFEED MOST ANTICIPATED LGBTQ+ BOOK OF 2023 * A ZIBBY MAG MOST ANTICIPATEDLesbian Love Story is a genre-defying history of sapphic romance like no other. On her quest to discovering lesbian role models from the past, Amelia Possanza uncovers seven incredible love stories in the archives. Expertly blending her subjects' own words with richly imagined and vigorously researched moments from recorded archives and other fragments, Possanza weaves together a vivid narrative around the construction of lesbianism. She takes us with her as she uncovers each lesbian's story, yearning and longing alongside them and growing into her own queerness.This is a celebration of women who love women - sapphics - and a paean to those who have long existed outside of traditional definitions of sexuality and gender, defying the confines of heteronormativity. Each of the lesbians in this collection moved through the world in their own way and helped the world. Their stories illuminate a forgotten and demonised history and show us all a new way to understand what love means when there is nothing material to be gained.
Paradise Now: The Extraordinary Life of Karl Lagerfeld
by William Middleton'A deep knowledge of and feeling for his subject' Sunday TimesKarl Lagerfeld, Chanel's iconic Creative Director for thirty-five years, was a cultural luminary like no other. Larger than life, Lagerfeld was legendary not only for reinventing Chanel but also for his idiosyncratic personal style and captivating life, which featured a cast of the world's most famous, fabulous and fascinating people. Not least his cat, Choupette, who herself became a fashion icon.Journalist and author William Middleton spent years working in Paris for Women's Wear Daily, W, and Harper's Bazaar. During his time there, he interviewed and socialized with Lagerfeld, coming to to see a side the elusive designer kept private from the world.In this deliciously entertaining book, Middleton takes us inside the most exclusive rooms in the fashion industry, behind the catwalk, and into a world of brilliantly talented artists, stylish socialites, and famous stars-some of the most elusive and unforgettable figures of fashion's inner circle for the past four decades.
Drive to Succeed
by Mohamed Mansour Andrew CaveMohamed Mansour has spent his life fighting adversity. Born in Egypt in the post-war period, his childhood was halted abruptly when, aged ten, he almost lost a leg in a devastating car accident. At 18, he had to support himself through college in the US when his family's assets were seized by the Egyptian government. Aged 20, he fought cancer. Then, at 25, he returned to Egypt to help revive the fortunes of his family's once thriving business group as it steadily diversified into sectors from automobiles to construction equipment, fast food to venture capital.Almost five decades on, he and his family stand at the helm of some of the largest companies in North Africa and the Middle East. They have partnered with global brands from General Motors and Caterpillar to McDonald's and invested early in Silicon Valley successes such as Facebook, Uber and Airbnb. He also served as Egypt's Transport Minister from 2005 to 2009.Filled with hard-won wisdoms, Mohamed Mansour's inspirational story demonstrates the importance of learning from experience and never giving up in the drive to succeed.
Haaland: The incredible story behind the world’s greatest striker
by Lars SivertsenThe man who can't stop scoring goals for funIn his debut season with Manchester City, Norwegian sensation Erling Haaland has set the footballing world ablaze. The 23-year-old striker, known for his unique blend of speed and strength, has redefined the art of goal-scoring.Highly regarded football journalist Lars Sivertsen follows Haaland’s meteoric rise to stardom in this biography, a tale that begins in the small Norwegian town of Bryne where they both grew up. Born to former Manchester City player Alfie Haaland, Erling started his journey at hometown club Bryne FK in 2016 and later moved to Molde FK, Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund before Manchester City announced his arrival in the Premier League.In his first Premier League season with Manchester City, Haaland has shattered records and achieved his ultimate dream: winning the treble in his first season with the club. This accomplishment solidifies his status as one of the most exceptional talents in football history, and demonstrates that a boy from Bryne can indeed conquer the world of football.In Haaland, Sivertsen delves into Haaland's roots, providing insights from those close to him, and gets to the heart of what makes him tick.
Variable Valve Timings: Memoirs of a car tragic
by Chris Harris'What defines the car-saddo condition is not being able to recall a time when the toy-car-era of your life actually ended. Because for us sufferers, it never does.' Nobody knows cars like Chris Harris does. He calls it 'unhinged geekery', but the rest of the world call it infectious enthusiasm, adrenalin fuelled escapism and rigorous journalistic integrity.And then there are his famous skills at the wheel, from city cars to rally cars, not forgetting the Guinness World Record 3.4km sideways in an electric car.And now for the first time, Harris takes us down the road of his life-long obssession with the automobile - along surprising diversions, around hazards and obstructions, down the fast lane collecting Gs and back to the lock-up to prep the stock.From the six-year-old who could recite the stats from What Car? magazine to the YouTube car guru whose honest reviews got him banned by Ferrari. From the Scalextric track of his childhood, to podiums as a racing driver out in the world. From behind his garage doors to the floodlit Top Gear studio.Variable Valve Timings brings you an incredibly engaging story of adventure and petrolhead joy, told with wit, warmth and disarming honesty. This book is a true one-off, just like Chris.
Lifting: Becoming the World's Strongest Brothers
by Luke Stoltman Tom StoltmanWhen Loch Morlich freezes over, we cut a hole in the ice and jump in.Tom 'The Albatross' and Luke 'The Highland Oak' Stoltman are the world's strongest brothers. Between them, they've won everything there is to win in the mighty world of Strongman. Tom can deadlift a 430kg bar to hip height, equivalent to about seven washing machines. Luke isn't far behind. Yet for the Stoltmans, being strong is about more than pure muscle. It's about overcoming adversity. And it's about honouring their biggest fan: their mother, who died in 2016 leaving the family devastated. They've also transcended the sport, not least through launching the hugely successful online Stoltman Strength Academy. Through it all, they've stayed true to their roots in the Highlands of Scotland, giving back to their community, their family, and each other. But it wasn't always like this. Back in 2010, Luke worked full time on oil rigs in the North Sea, and Tom was a teenager contending with the challenges posed by his autism. So, how did two lads from Invergordon conquer the world? Simple. They started lifting. In their autobiography, Tom and Luke Stoltman show you how to lift: how to lift the lid on life with autism. How to lift yourself out of the darkness of bereavement. How to lift the trophy at the World's Strongest Man.
We Need To Talk About Xi: What we need to know about the world’s most powerful leader
by Michael DillonMeet the most powerful leader in the world. Chinese premier Xi Jinping graces our television screens and news headlines on a regular basis. But even after a decade in power, he remains shrouded in mystery.From growing up with a father purged in Mao's Cultural Revolution and his mission to eradicate poverty, to his persecution of Uyghur Muslims and paranoia about being likened to Winnie-the-Pooh, Xi Jinping is a man obscured by caricatures. In this short, essential primer, historian and writer Michael Dillon unveils the character of Xi Jinping - arguably the world's most powerful man - to truly understand his grip on China, what he wants and how the West gets him wrong.But this is not just the story of Xi; this is the story of today's largest economic powerhouse, which dives into the crux of the issue - what does Xi's leadership of China mean for the rest of the world, and what will he do next?
Grit, Rigour & Humour: The INEOS Story
by Sir Jim Ratcliffe Dominic O'Connell Quentin Willson Patrick Barclay Sebastian Coe Andrew Likierman Sean Keach Steph McGovern'Manual for success' The AthleticWith an opening chapter by Sir Jim RatcliffeTo mark the 25th Anniversary of the founding of INEOS in 1998, seven leading specialist authors explore the main strands of INEOS's business, including its core chemical business to its ventures into sport, automotive, consumer goods, sustainability, next generation and philanthropy.* Dominic O'Connell on INEOS' core petrochemicals and energy business* Patrick Barclay on INEOS's involvement in sport from the America's Cup to cycling, athletics to Formula 1 and football* Quentin Willson on the building of the Grenadier from scratch in response to the demise of the Land Rover Defender* Steph McGovern on INEOS' move into the consumer goods sector with brands such as Belstaff and INEOS Hygienics, so vital during the pandemic* Sean Keach on INEOS' journey to Net Zero and sustainable investment* Lord Sebastian Coe on the vital importance of exercise for the next generation, with a particular focus on INEOS's worldwide children's exercise initiative, 'The Daily Mile', and the 'Forgotten 40', the 40% of the UK's young who are affected by a lack of basic resources to remain fit and healthy* Sir Andrew Likierman on INEOS' philanthropic projects and investmentsGrit, Rigour & Humour offers an extraordinary and balanced insight into the rise of one of the world's most successful companies, which produces the essential building blocks used in most of the products you use daily from medical products and packaging to electronics and transport, and has expanded rapidly over the past decade into one with interests in many diverse walks of life.
Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones
by Dolly Parton'I hope that as you gaze upon my life in clothing, it will inspire you to develop, and celebrate, your own sense of style. I value my freedom to look like and be my own true self more than anything else, and I hope this book will also give you the confidence to look like and be the person you want to be. Whoever you are, be that! And enjoy your journey behind the seams' - DollyA beautifully illustrated celebration of Dolly Parton's iconic sense of style through entertaining personal stories and 450 full-color photographs, including exclusive images from her private costume archive.In Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones, global superstar Dolly Parton shares, for the first time, the full story behind her lifelong passion for fashion, including how she developed her own, distinctly Dolly style, which has defied convention and endeared her to fans around the world.Featuring behind-the-scenes stories from Dolly Parton's life and career, and the largest reveal of her private costume archive, this gorgeously photographed book spotlights her most unforgettable looks from the 1960s to now. The sky-high heels, famous wigs, bold makeup, eye-catching stage clothes - she shares them all. Along the way, Parton discusses memorable outfits from her past, from the clothes her mother would sew out of feed sacks (including her "Coat of Many Colors") and the bold dresses and hairdos that shook up Nashville, to the bunny suit on the cover of Playboy, evening wear at Studio 54, costumes from her most famous film and TV roles, and the daring styles that continue to entertain and inspire today.Filled with candor, humor, and lots and lots of rhinestones, Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones is a shining tribute to one of the most beloved musicians in history, a treasured keepsake for anyone who loves Dolly Parton, and an indispensable guide to forging your own path to beauty and confidence.
Be Useful: Seven tools for life
by Arnold SchwarzeneggerTHE INSTANT NUMBER ONE BESTSELLERThe seven rules to follow to realise your true purpose in life-distilled by Arnold Schwarzenegger from his own journey of ceaseless reinvention and extraordinary achievement, and available for absolutely anyone.The world's greatest bodybuilder. The world's highest paid movie star. The leader of the world's sixth largest economy. That these are the same person sounds like the setup to a joke. But this is no joke. This is Arnold Schwarzenegger. And this did not happen by accident.Arnold's stratospheric success happened as part of a process. As the result of clear vision, big thinking, hard work, direct communication, resilient problem-solving, open-minded curiosity, and a commitment to giving back. All of it guided by the one lesson Arnold's father hammered into him above all: be useful. As Arnold conquered every realm he entered, he kept his father's adage close to his heart.Written with his uniquely earnest, blunt, powerful voice, BE USEFUL takes readers on an inspirational tour through Arnold's toolkit for a meaningful life. Arnold shows us how to put those tools to work, in service of whatever fulfilling future we can dream up for ourselves. He brings his insights to vivid life with compelling personal stories, life-changing successes and life-threatening failures alike--some of them famous, some told here for the first time ever.Too many of us struggle to disconnect from our self-pity and connect to our purpose. At an early age, Arnold forged the mental tools to build the ladder out of the poverty and narrow-mindedness of his rural Austrian hometown, tools he used to add rung after rung from there. Now he has shared that wisdom with all of us. As he puts it, no one is going to come rescue you -- you only have yourself. The good news, it turns out, is that you are all you need.The instant number 1 Sunday Times bestseller, October 2023
Putin's Prisoner: My Time as a Prisoner of War in Ukraine
by Aiden Aslin John SweeneyBrought to you by Penguin.Aiden Aslin joined the Ukrainian marines in 2018, compelled to defend his adopted homeland from the growing threat of Russian invasion. In February 2022, as Russia mounted a full-scale offensive, Aiden and his unit were stationed at the frontline at Mariupol.Pinned down at a Mariupol steelworks, after a month-long siege and running out of supplies, Aiden was part of the mass surrender of over a thousand Ukrainian troops, in April 2022. Then his real ordeal began.Singled out for his British passport, Aiden was interrogated, tortured, stabbed, turned into a propaganda zombie, tried by a kangaroo court and then sentenced to death. A victim of a catalogue of abuses of international law, Aiden struggled to cling on to any hope of survival. Certain that he was going to be executed, he was eventually freed in a prisoner exchange and permitted to return home.In Putin's Prisoner, Aiden will tell the full, harrowing story of his time fighting in Putin's war, of his six months in Russian captivity, and of his hardened resolve to defend the freedoms of the people of Ukraine.©2023 Aiden Aslin & John Sweeney (P)2023 Penguin Audio
The Art of Peace
by Sir David KhaliliIn 1967, Sir David Khalili finished his military service in Iran and travelled to study in the United States with $750 - his remaining royalties from a book he wrote when he was just 14. Over the course of the next five decades he single-handedly, piece by piece, assembled eight of the finest art collections in their field, ultimately becoming one of the world's greatest collectors, about whom Queen Elizabeth II once said: 'It is scary how much this gentleman knows about art.'For the first time, Sir David shares his extraordinary journey: one that has taken him through the souks of North Africa, the auction houses of Europe and the United States, the bazaars of South Asia, and far beyond. Through a riveting collection of real-life adventures, he reveals his collecting strategy, business ethics and what motivates him to continuously collect, conserve, research, publish and exhibit the treasures in his collections. Through his story, Sir David questions how the undeniable power of art can be harnessed to foster greater peace and unity worldwide. No one is better placed to enlighten us.