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1000 Coils of Fear
by Olivia Wenzel'I have more privilege than any person in my family. And I'm still screwed.' From award-winning author Olivia Wenzel comes a captivating and unsettling literary debut about race, politics, feminism, motherhood, nationality and enduring love.A young woman attends a play about the Berlin Wall coming down and is the only Black person in the audience.She is sitting with her boyfriend by a bathing lake and four neo-Nazis show up.In New York, she witnesses Trump's election victory in a strange hotel room and later awakes to panicked messages from friends.Engaging in a witty question and answer with herself, the narrator looks at our rapidly changing times and tells the story of her family: her mother, who was a punk in East Germany and never had the freedom she dreamed of and her absent Angolan father. But in the background of everything is the memory of her twin brother, who died when they were nineteen.Emotional and funny, Olivia Wenzel writes about loneliness and finding joy in life within the roles that society assigns you. 1000 Coils of Fear is a highly original novel both powerfully poetic and full of surprises.'So exuberant, inventive, brainy, sensitive and hilarious that it's like a pyrotechnic flare illuminating the whole woman, past and present, radiant, unique, a voice and a novel to take with us into the future.' FRANCISCO GOLDMAN, author of Monkey Boy 'Bold and exceptional . . . Her impressive writing, born of a brilliant mind, surprises - stylistically, and by its frankness and associations . . . I rode in the passenger seat, beside the beauty and strangeness of 1000 Coils of Fear.' LYNNE TILLMAN, author of Men and Apparitions and Mothercare 'An audacious and disturbing novel.' MICHELLE DE KRETSER, author of Scary Monsters 'An exciting, confident debut.' Publishers Weekly'Impressive, relentless, tender.' Faz
85 Not Out
by Ted DexterThis is the fascinating autobiography of none other than Ted Dexter — aka Lord Ted — the ferociously powerful and debonair former England international cricketer and captain.Dexter was a classical, hard-hitting batsman and right-arm swing bowler of the highest order. Having captained England in 1961-2, stood as England’s chairman of selectors from 1989-1993 and then becoming President of the MCC in 2001, he is undeniably one of England’s most prolific cricketers, playing alongside and standing in the same legacy as the iconic Fred Trueman, Peter May, Colin Cowdrey, Richie Benaud and Gary Sobers. But, as Ted is eager to stress in the introduction of his book, he also lived a rich, lively and fulfilling life outside of his sporting career. Featuring tales galore — of his various escapades along the French Rivera, his experience of running a sports PR company, flying planes (just “because he could”), playing championship golf, racing greyhounds, journalism, broadcasting and honestly so much more — you’ll wonder if there’s anything in life this man couldn’t do!Fresh, vivacious and ridiculously entertaining, this book is destined to unravel as a rip-roaring read not only for those who recall his sporting legacy, but for anyone who resonates with Ted’s fervent enthusiasm for both cricket and life.All book royalties will be donated to the MCC Foundation -- Enhancing Lives Through Cricket.
99 Immigrants Who Made Britain Great
by Louis Stewart Naomi KenyonA beautifully illustrated new book, with a foreword by Bonnie Greer, celebrates the achievements of inspirational characters who made a new life in Britain. From Hans Holbein to Raheem Sterling, Freddie Mercury to Judith Kerr, and Harry Selfridge to Kylie Minogue, they have helped to make our country. Many arrived broke, knowing little English. They achieved success by overcoming obstacles and working hard. And their legacies are still with us. Alec Issigonis designed the Mini car, while Henry Wellcome funded British science. Without Michael Marks, we wouldn’t have Marks & Spencer. Without Ludwig Guttmann, there would be no Paralympics. Each individual occupies a double-page spread, with a biography and a colour illustration. A reader can add a 100th individual - perhaps a friend, relative, colleague or neighbour.
Above the Clouds: The Nature Of Mountains, The Terrain Of An Athlete And How I Carved My Own Path To The Top Of The World
by Kilian JornetThe most accomplished mountain runner of all time contemplates his record-breaking climb of Mount Everest in this profound and free-flowing memoir—an intellectual and spiritual journey that moves from the earth’s highest peak to the soul’s deepest reaches.
ABRAHAM Lincoln (First Names)
by Jonathan WeilTrue life stories of the most amazing people EVER! Meet ABRAHAM LINCOLN, the power-speaking President of the USA. He helped free millions of people from slavery, and his rags to riches tale is legendary. Find out: how he came up with one of the best speeches ever given; how he got the nickname 'Spotty Lincoln' and how wrestling and crowd-surfing helped him win votes.Get to know ABRAHAM on First Name terms.
Acme Attractions (Rough Trade Edition #42)
by Don Letts Jeannette LeeAcme Attractions tells the story of a place, and its people, that found themselves at the heart of one of the country’s great cultural moments. While living and working through a now-legendary period of the capital’s history, Don Letts and Jeannette Lee found themselves simultaneously experiencing the pleasures and pitfalls of youth while witnessing the birth and heady, early excitement of punk. Their story, told here through a conversation that is warm, intelligent and compelling, touches on the revolutionary feelings of that time, as fashion, politics, music and art were all re-made in real time and, as we now know, things would never be the same again.
ADA Lovelace (First Names)
by Ben JeapesTrue life stories of the most amazing people EVER!Meet ADA LOVELACE, fast-thinking mathematician, who predicted the power of computers long before they were even invented.Find out:Why her mum kept her away from her mega-famous celebrity dad.Why she was mesmerised by mesmerism.And what she planned to do with a MASSIVE machine that weighed four tons and had 20,000 moving parts.Get to know ADA on first name terms.
The Adrenalin Junkies: A Memoir of the South African Reserve Police Force in Durban 1979 to 1997
by Douglas WadeThis is a personal view of a time and a place. The author was for eighteen years (1979 – 1997) in the South African Reserve Police Force in Durban - an interesting time but now decidedly part of history. He had an unusually wide experience, starting as a raw constable, but later heading the Reserve unit in Durban’s red light district as well as running the training for the District. He has tried to place the actual police work in the context of the times, its people, their attitudes and language, as he experienced them. These tales can also serve, in a small way, as a record of, and tribute to the many members of the Reserve whose work has long vanished into dusty dockets. The results will, undoubtedly, not fit with popular preconceptions of policing, especially in South Africa, and may seem at times somewhat surreal. But this is what happened.
Adventuress: The Life and Loves of Lucy, Lady Houston
by Teresa CromptonIN the 1930s Lady Lucy Houston was one of the richest women in England and a household name, notorious for her virulent criticisms of the government. But politics had been far from her mind when, as young Fanny Radmall, she had set out to conquer the world. Armed with only looks and self-confidence, she exploited the wealth and status of successive lovers to push her way into high society. Brushing off scandal, she achieved public recognition as an ardent suffragette, war worker and philanthropist. Having won control of her third husband’s vast fortune, she enjoyed the trappings of wealth – jewellery, couture, racehorses and a luxury yacht – but she wanted more. Seeking influence in national politics, Lady Houston financed the first flight over Mount Everest, backed secret military research, and facilitated the development of the Spitfire aircraft. Engaging with famous contemporaries such as Winston Churchill and Oswald Mosley, Lucy sought her own public voice and so purchased a newspaper. Seeking to expose the Prime Minister as a Soviet agent and promote Edward VIII as England’s dictator, Lucy was loved as a patriot but loathed as a troublemaker. Adventuress draws upon hitherto unpublished archival material to reveal how Lucy Houston achieved her fame and fortune, and how she exploited them.
Against My Will: Groomed, Trapped And Abused. This Is My True Story Of Survival
by Sophie Crockett Douglas Wight‘Asperger’s made me a prisoner in my own home. When I finally entered the real world, evil was waiting.’ A shocking true account of one girl’s harrowing journey to survival.
Agatha Christie’s Poirot: The Greatest Detective In The World
by Mark AldridgeFrom the very first book publication in 1920 to the film release of Death on the Nile in December 2020, this investigation into Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot celebrates a century of probably the world’s favourite fictional detective.
The Age of Creativity: Art, Memory, My Father, and Me
by Emily UrquhartA moving portrait of a father and daughter relationship and a case for late-stage creativity from Emily Urquhart, the bestselling author of Beyond the Pale: Folklore, Family, and the Mystery of Our Hidden Genes. “The fundamental misunderstanding of our time is that we belong to one age group or another. We all grow old. There is no us and them. There was only ever an us.” — from The Age of CreativityIt has long been thought that artistic output declines in old age. When Emily Urquhart and her family celebrated the eightieth birthday of her father, the illustrious painter Tony Urquhart, she found it remarkable that, although his pace had slowed, he was continuing his daily art practice of drawing, painting, and constructing large-scale sculptures, and was even innovating his style. Was he defying the odds, or is it possible that some assumptions about the elderly are flat-out wrong? After all, many well-known visual artists completed their best work in the last decade of their lives, Turner, Monet, and Cézanne among them. With the eye of a memoirist and the curiosity of a journalist, Urquhart began an investigation into late-stage creativity, asking: Is it possible that our best work is ahead of us? Is there an expiry date on creativity? Do we ever really know when we’ve done anything for the last time?The Age of Creativity is a graceful, intimate blend of research on ageing and creativity, including on progressive senior-led organizations, such as a home for elderly theatre performers and a gallery in New York City that only represents artists over sixty, and her experiences living and travelling with her father. Emily Urquhart reveals how creative work, both amateur and professional, sustains people in the third act of their lives, and tells a new story about the possibilities of elder-hood.
Agent Molière: The Life of John Cairncross, the Fifth Man of the Cambridge Spy Circle
by Geoff AndrewsThe Cambridge Spies continue to fascinate - but one of them, John Cairncross, has always been more of an enigma than the others. He worked alone and was driven by his hostility to Fascism rather than to the promotion of Communism. During his war-time work at Bletchley Park, he passed documents to the Soviets which went on to influence the Battle of Kursk. Now, Geoff Andrews has access to the Cairncross papers and secrets, and has spoken to friends, relatives and former colleagues. A complex individual emerges – a scholar as well as a spy – whose motivations have often been misunderstood. After his resignation from the Civil Service, Cairncross moved to Italy and here he rebuilt his life as a foreign correspondent, editor and university professor. This gave him new circles and friendships – which included the writer Graham Greene – while he always lived with the fear that his earlier espionage would come to light. The full account of Cairncross's spying, his confession and his dramatic public exposure as the 'fifth man' will be told here for the first time, while also unveiling the story of his post-espionage life.
Alexander's Legacy: To The Strongest (Alexander's Legacy #1)
by Robert Fabbri'An excellent new series by the consistently brilliant Robert Fabbri' Sunday Sport_____________________________Let the battles begin...'I foresee great struggles at my funeral games.'Babylon, 323 BC: Alexander the Great is dead, leaving behind him the largest, and most fearsome, empire the world has ever seen. As his final breaths fade in a room of seven bodyguards, Alexander refuses to name a successor. But without a natural heir, who will take the reins?As the news of the king's sudden and unexpected death ripples across the land, leaving all in disbelief, the ruthless battle for the throne begins. What follows is a devious, tangled web of scheming and plotting, with alliances quickly made and easily broken, each rival with their own agenda.But who will emerge victorious: the half-chosen; the one-eyed; the wildcat; the general; the bastard; the regent? In the end, only one man, or indeed woman, will be left standing...
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)
by Laurie Collier HillstromSince mid-2018, when she registered one of the biggest primary election upsets in the nation, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has emerged as one of the most influential voices of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.Few politicians have experienced a rise as meteoric as the one that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (or AOC, as she is commonly known) has experienced since her June 2018 Democratic primary upset victory over a powerful, longtime incumbent and her subsequent triumph in the November 2018 midterms. This book examines how the telegenic lawmaker—a life-long New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent—engineered that startling victory, why her life story and ideas made her such a focus of national attention, how she has used Twitter and other social media to amplify her calls for economic justice and civil rights equality, and why, since she took office in January 2019, she has come to be regarded as one of the most consequential and influential lawmakers in Congress. It will also help readers understand AOC's most deeply held political convictions, policymaking priorities, and personal principles.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)
by Laurie Collier HillstromSince mid-2018, when she registered one of the biggest primary election upsets in the nation, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has emerged as one of the most influential voices of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.Few politicians have experienced a rise as meteoric as the one that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (or AOC, as she is commonly known) has experienced since her June 2018 Democratic primary upset victory over a powerful, longtime incumbent and her subsequent triumph in the November 2018 midterms. This book examines how the telegenic lawmaker—a life-long New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent—engineered that startling victory, why her life story and ideas made her such a focus of national attention, how she has used Twitter and other social media to amplify her calls for economic justice and civil rights equality, and why, since she took office in January 2019, she has come to be regarded as one of the most consequential and influential lawmakers in Congress. It will also help readers understand AOC's most deeply held political convictions, policymaking priorities, and personal principles.
Alice's Book: How the Nazis Stole My Grandmother's Cookbook
by Karina Urbach"Unputdownable . . . Urbach has also retold the tragic Holocaust story in quite unforgettable lines" A.N. Wilson"A gripping piece of 20th-century family history but also something much more original: a rare insight into the 'Aryanisation' of Jewish-authored books during the Nazi regime" Financial TimesWhat happened to the books that were too valuable to burn?Alice Urbach had her own cooking school in Vienna, but in 1938 she was forced to flee to England, like so many others. Her younger son was imprisoned in Dachau, and her older son, having emigrated to the United States, became an intelligence officer in the struggle against the Nazis. Returning to the ruins of Vienna in the late 1940s, she discovers that her bestselling cookbook has been published under someone else's name. Now, eighty years later, the historian Karina Urbach - Alice's granddaughter - sets out to uncover the truth behind the stolen cookbook, and tells the story of a family torn apart by the Nazi regime, of a woman who, with her unwavering passion for cooking, survived the horror and losses of the Holocaust to begin a new life in America. Impeccably researched and incredibly moving, Alice's Book sheds light on an untold chapter in the history of Nazi crimes against Jewish authors."As this engaging memoir makes clear, the theft of the cookbook remained for Alice's entire life the symbol of everything that had been taken from her" TLS"A remarkable book" SpiegelTranslated from the German by Jamie Bulloch
All About the Story: News, Power, Politics, and the Washington Post
by Leonard Downie JrAt a time when the role of journalism is especially critical, the former executive editor of the Washington Post writes about his nearly 50 years at the newspaper and the importance of getting at the truth. In 1964, as a 22-year-old Ohio State graduate with working-class Cleveland roots and a family to support, Len Downie landed an internship with the Washington Post. He would become a pioneering investigative reporter, news editor, foreign correspondent, and managing editor, before succeeding the legendary Ben Bradlee as executive editor. Downie's leadership style differed from Bradlee's, but he played an equally important role over more than four decades in making the Post one of the world's leading news organizations. He was one of the editors on the historic Watergate story and drove coverage of the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. He wrestled with the Unabomber's threat to kill more people unless the Post published a rambling 30,000-word manifesto and he published important national security stories in defiance of presidents and top officials. He managed the Post's ascendency to the pinnacle of influence, circulation, and profitability, producing prizewinning investigative reporting with deep impact on American life, before the digital transformation of news media threatened the Post's future.At a dangerous time, when health and economic crises and partisanship are challenging the news media, Downie's judgment, fairness, and commitment to truth will inspire anyone who wants to know how journalism, at its best, works.
All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-manifesto
by George M. JohnsonThis powerful YA memoir-manifesto follows journalist and LGBTQ+ activist George M. Johnson as they explore their childhood, adolescence, and college years, growing up under the duality of being black and queer. From memories of getting their teeth kicked out by bullies at age five to their loving relationship with their grandmother, to their first sexual experience, the stories wrestle with triumph and tragedy and cover topics such as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, inequality, consent, and Black joy.PRAISE FOR ALL BOYS AREN'T BLUE An exuberant, unapologetic memoir infused with a deep but cleareyed love for its subjects. The New York Times An empowering read . . . All Boys Aren't Blue is an unflinching testimony that carves out space for Black queer kids to be seen. Huffington Post Powerful . . . All Boys Aren't Blue is a game changer. Bitch Magazine All Boys Aren't Blue is a balm and testimony to young readers as allies in the fight for equality. Publishers Weekly
All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-manifesto
by George M. Johnson George M Johnsonn a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys. Both a primer for teens eager to be allies as well as a reassuring testimony for young queer men of color, All Boys Aren't Blue covers topics such as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, consent, and Black joy. Johnson's emotionally frank style of writing will appeal directly to young adults.
All the Horrors of War: A Jewish Girl, a British Doctor, and the Liberation of Bergen-Belsen
by Bernice LernerOn April 15, 1945, Brigadier H. L. Glyn Hughes entered Bergen-Belsen for the first time. Waiting for him were 10,000 unburied, putrefying corpses and 60,000 living prisoners, starving and sick. One month earlier, 15-year-old Rachel Genuth arrived at Bergen-Belsen; deported with her family from Sighet, Transylvania, in May of 1944, Rachel had by then already endured Auschwitz, the Christianstadt labor camp, and a forced march through the Sudetenland. In All the Horrors of War, Bernice Lerner follows both Hughes and Genuth as they move across Europe toward Bergen-Belsen in the final, brutal year of World War II. The book begins at the end: with Hughes's searing testimony at the September 1945 trial of Josef Kramer, commandant of Bergen-Belsen, along with forty-four SS (Schutzstaffel) members and guards. "I have been a doctor for thirty years and seen all the horrors of war," Hughes said, "but I have never seen anything to touch it." The narrative then jumps back to the spring of 1944, following both Hughes and Rachel as they navigate their respective forms of wartime hell until confronting the worst: Christianstadt's prisoners, including Rachel, are deposited in Bergen-Belsen, and the British Second Army, having finally breached the fortress of Germany, assumes control of the ghastly camp after a negotiated surrender. Though they never met, it was Hughes's commitment to helping as many prisoners as possible that saved Rachel's life. Drawing on a wealth of sources, including Hughes's papers, war diaries, oral histories, and interviews, this gripping volume combines scholarly research with narrative storytelling in describing the suffering of Nazi victims, the overwhelming presence of death at Bergen-Belsen, and characters who exemplify the human capacity for fortitude. Lerner, Rachel's daughter, has special insight into the torment her mother suffered. The first book to pair the story of a Holocaust victim with that of a liberator, All the Horrors of War compels readers to consider the full, complex humanity of both.
All the Young Men: How One Woman Risked It All To Care For The Dying
by Ruth Coker Burks'If I have one message with this book it's that we all have to care for one another. Today, not just in 1986. Life is about caring for each other, and I learned more about life from the dying than I ever learned from the living. It's in an elephant ride, it's in those wildflowers dancing on their way to the shared grave of two men in love, and it's in caring for that young man who just needed information without judgement.' In 1986, 26-year-old Ruth Coker Burks visits a friend in hospital when she notices that the door to one of the patient's rooms is painted red. The nurses are reluctant to enter, drawing straws to decide who will tend to the sick person inside. Out of impulse, Ruth herself enters the quarantined space and begins to care for the young man who cries for his mother in the last moments of his life. And in doing so, Ruth's own life changes forever. As word spreads in the community that she is the only person willing to help the young men afflicted by the growing AIDS crisis, Ruth goes from being an ordinary young mother to an accidental activist. Forging deep friendships with the men she helps, Ruth works to find them housing and jobs, and then funeral homes willing to take their bodies - often in the middle of the night. She prepares and delivers meals to 'her guys,' supplementing her own income with discarded food found in the dumpsters behind supermarkets. She defies local pastors and the medical community to store rare medications for her most urgent patients, and teaches sex education to drag queens after hours at secret bars. Emboldened by the weight of their collective pain, she fervently advocates for their safety and visibility, ultimately advising Governor Bill Clinton on the national HIV-AIDS crisis, and in doing so becomes a beacon of hope to an otherwise spurned group of ailing gay men on the fringes of society. Ruth kept her story a secret for years, fearful of repercussions within her deeply conservative community. But at a time when it's more important than ever to stand up for those who can't, Ruth has found the courage to have her voice - and the voices of those who were stigmatised, rejected and abandoned - heard.
All Things Bright and Beautiful: The Classic Memoirs of a Yorkshire Country Vet (All Creatures Great And Small Ser. #2)
by James Herriot** Now a major TV series on Channel 5 **Now settled into the sleepy Yorkshire village of Darrowby, and married to Helen the farmer’s daughter, James Herriot thinks he’s finally got himself sorted. But life as a vet in the 1930s was never going to be easy. Quite aside from his unpredictable colleagues, brothers Siegfried and Tristan Farnon, he must contend with new-fangled medical techniques, delivering calves after far too much home-made wine, and a grudge-holding dog called Magnus who never forgets. And then, with Britain on the verge of war, James faces a decision that could separate him from Darrowby – and Helen – for ever . . . Since they were first published, James Herriot’s memoirs have sold millions of copies and entranced generations of animal lovers. Charming, funny and touching, All Things Bright and Beautiful is a heart-warming story of determination, love and companionship from one of Britain’s best-loved authors.'I grew up reading James Herriot's books and I'm delighted that thirty years on they are still every bit as charming, heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny as they were then' – Kate Humble'Herriot's enchanting tales of life in the Dales are deservedly classics. Full of extraordinary characters, animal and human, the books never fail to delight' – Amanda Owen, bestselling author of The Yorkshire Shepherdess
Allenby: Making the Modern Middle East
by C. Brad FaughtEdmund Allenby, Viscount Allenby of Megiddo and Felixstowe, as he became later, was the principal British military figure in the Middle East from 1917 to 1919. He fulfilled a similar proconsular role in Egypt from the latter year until 1925. In these two roles Allenby's eight years in the Middle East were of great impact, and in probing his life an especially revealing window can be found through which to observe closely and understand more fully the history that has resulted in the terminal roil afflicting the Middle East and international affairs today. In this biography Brad Faught explores the events and actions of Allenby's life, examining his thinking on both the British Empire and the post-World War I international order. Faught brings clarity to Allenby's decisive impact on British imperial policy in the making of the modern Middle East, and thereby on the long arc of the region's continuing and controversial place in world affairs.
Alma: The Wind Rises
by Timothée de FombelleFROM THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING WINNER OF THE PRIX SORCIÈRES From Europe to Africa, to the Caribbean, Alma tells a gripping story of hope, perseverance, and love. “Vivid and exact…this is a book about heroism.”—The New York Times 1786. Alma lives with her family in an African valley, isolated from the rest of the world. Her days are spent exploring their blissful homeland; until her little brother finds the only way out. Meanwhile, in Lisbon, the petty thief Joseph Mars manages to get himself on board the Douce Amélie, a slave ship, to look for a fabulous treasure. The ship's captain, Lazare Gardel, is also hunting for treasure, that of the notorious pirate Luc de Lerne. Alma sets out on his trail, when she comes face to face with groups of Ashanti hunters, who capture and enslave everyone they meet. The journey to bring her brother home quickly becomes an intricate mission of self-preservation. While everyone is searching for something, Alma and Joseph's lives become intertwined on land and sea. In a whirlwind of adventures between Africa, Europe and the Caribbean, their quests and their destinies lead them irresistibly towards each other.