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Dear Michael, Love Dad: Letters, laughter and all the things we leave unsaid.
by Iain Maitland'A moving read - honest, funny and sad' Woman and Home'wonderful, moving, humorous ... extremely poignant' Charlie Mortimer, Dear Lupin'Iain's love for his son shines through every sentence of this affecting account, as does his guilt. He blames himself for being unable to demonstrate or verbalise his affection ... This is a wonderfully entertaining and moving book, with lessons for every parent.' Daily Mail'Raising the issue of men's mental health is important ... loving and well meant mix of letters and commentary.' ExpressDear Michael, Moving your whatnots et al into the flat has put paid to any improvements in my back. Still, at least it's done now. Your mother is already worrying how you'll cope and is at work on reams of notes on all sorts of matters from how to tel if meat has gone off to washing whites. Smell it and wear black is my advice. When Iain Maitland's eldest son left home for university he wrote regularly to him: funny, curmudgeonly letters chronicling their family life and giving Michael unsolicited advice on everything from car maintenance to women. He never expected a reply. What Iain didn't realise was that away from home his beloved boy was suffering from depression and anorexia. Only much later did it become apparent to Iain and his wife just how oblivious they had been, and for how long. Told through Iain's letters and the unfolding truth of Michael's situation, Dear Michael, Love Dad is a frank and moving account of how we may unwittingly fail our loved ones, despite our best intentions. Above all it offers the hope of reparation and expresses the unbreakable bond between a father and son.
The Arab of the Future 2: Volume 2: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1984-1985 - A Graphic Memoir (The Arab of the Future #2)
by Riad SattoufVOLUME 2 IN THE UNFORGETTABLE STORY OF AN EXTRAORDINARY CHILDHOODRiad Sattouf continues his heart-rending, darkly comic story of a childhood spent split between France and the Middle East in The Arab of the Future 2. 'I tore through it... The most enjoyable graphic novel I've read in a while' Zadie Smith'I joyously recommend this book to you' Mark Haddon'Riad Sattouf is one of the great creators of our time' Alain De Botton'Beautifully-written and drawn, witty, sad, fascinating... Brilliant' Simon Sebag MontefioreNow settled in his father's village of Ter Maaleh near Homs, Riad finally begins school, where he dedicates himself to becoming a true Syrian in the country of the dictator Hafez Al-Assad. Told simply yet with devastating effect, Riad's story takes in the sweep of Middle Eastern life of the 1980s, but it is steered by acutely observed small moments: the daily sadism of his schoolteachers, the cruelty and vulnerability of his fellow students, and the obsequiousness of his father in the company of those close to the regime. And as the family strains to fit in, one chilling, barbaric act drives the Sattoufs to take the most dramatic of steps. Immediate and gripping, The Arab of the Future 2 once again reveals the inner workings of a tormented country and a tormented family, delivered through Riad Sattouf 's dazzlingly original graphic style.Translated by Sam Taylor.***THE ARAB OF THE FUTURE - THE INTERNATIONAL SENSATION***A GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR | AN OBSERVER GRAPHIC BOOK OF THE YEAR | A NEW YORK TIMES CRITICS' TOP BOOKS OF THE YEAR | #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER | WINNER OF THE FAUVE D'OR PRIZE FOR BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR | WINNER OF THE LA TIMES BOOK PRIZE FOR GRAPHIC NOVELS | NOMINATED FOR 'BEST REALITY-BASED WORK' AT THE EISNER AWARDS
The Arab of the Future 3: Volume 3: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1985-1987 - A Graphic Memoir (The Arab of the Future #3)
by Riad SattoufVOLUME 3 IN THE UNFORGETTABLE STORY OF AN EXTRAORDINARY CHILDHOODPraise for The Arab of the Future series'I TORE THROUGH IT... THE MOST ENJOYABLE GRAPHIC NOVEL I'VE READ IN A WHILE' Zadie Smith'I JOYOUSLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO YOU' Mark Haddon'RIAD SATTOUF IS ONE OF THE GREAT CREATORS OF OUR TIME' Alain De Botton'A MASTERPIECE' Posy Simmonds | 'EXCELLENT' Guardian | 'Superb' SpectatorAfter having followed her husband to Libya and then to Syria, Riad's mother can't take any more of village life in Ter Maaleh: she wants to go back to France. Young Riad sees his father torn between his wife's aspirations and the weight of family traditions...The Arab of the Future tells the story of Riad Sattouf's childhood in the Middle East. The first volume covers the period from 1978 to 1984: from birth to the age of six, little Riad is shuttled between Libya, Brittany and Syria. The second volume tells the story of his first year of school in Syria (1984-1985). This third volume sees him between the ages of six and nine, the time he becomes aware of the society he is growing up in. Can you celebrate Christmas in Ter Maaleh? Were there video clubs in Homs? How do children of eight fast for Ramadan? Was Conan the Barbarian circumcised? Were Breton villagers kinder to their animals than their Syrian counterparts? How far will Riad go to please his father? And how far will his father go to become an important man in the Syria of Hafez Al-Assad?Translated by Sam Taylor.***THE ARAB OF THE FUTURE - THE INTERNATIONAL SENSATION***1 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE | #1 BESTSELLER IN FRANCE | GUARDIAN 'BEST GRAPHIC BOOKS OF 2015' PICK | NY TIMES EDITOR'S CHOICE |
Dear Michael, Love Dad: Letters, laughter and all the things we leave unsaid.
by Iain MaitlandLetters, Laughter and all the things we leave unsaid...'wonderful, moving, humorous... extremely poignant' Charlie Mortimer, Dear LupinDear Michael,Moving your whatnots et al into the flat has put paid to any improvements in my back. Still, at least it's done now.Your mother is already worrying how you'll cope and is at work on reams of notes on all sorts of matters from how to tell if meat has gone off to washing whites. Smell it and wear black is my advice. Please do try to master the can opener and other basics before calling. You know how she worries.When Iain Maitland's eldest son left home for university he wrote regularly to him; funny, curmudgeonly letters chronicling their family life and giving Michael unsolicited and hopeless advice on everything from DIY to women. He never expected a reply - they were simply his way of continuing their relationship. What Iain didn't realise was that away from home his beloved boy was suffering from depression and anorexia. Only much later did it become apparent to Iain and his wife just how oblivious they had been, and for how very long.Told through Iain's letters and the unfolding reality of Michael's situation, Dear Michael, Love Dad forces us to question how well we can ever truly know our loved ones, but most of all expresses the unbreakable bond between a father and son.
Fully Functioning Human (Almost): Living in an Online/Offline World
by Melanie Murphy'I'm just a nitwit girl who's sort of stumbling through life learning that we all have our own roads to walk - but that it's still valuable, and rather lovely, to hear about other people's journeys...'Filled with honesty, wit and wisdom, Fully Functioning Human (Almost) - part memoir, part life guide - will show you the real Melanie Murphy: warm, fun, positive, honest, a girl who's got this whole adult thing down. Almost. Irish YouTuber Melanie Murphy regularly chronicles the ups and downs of her life on her popular channel, discussing topics such as sexuality, skincare, social media and self-esteem. Now, in her first book, she looks with her trademark humour and down-to-earth honesty at the experiences that have shaped her.From learning how to manage her online life, to giving up on the idea of perfection, living with anxiety and the lessons she has learned about relationships, Mel shows us that difficult times can teach us the most about who we are, and by learning to value ourselves, we can overcome whatever life throws at us.
Fully Functioning Human (Almost) (Almost): Living in an Online/Offline World
by Melanie Murphy'I'm just a nitwit girl who's sort-of stumbling through life learning that we all have our own roads to walk - but that it's still valuable, and rather lovely, to hear about other people's journeys . . . ' Growing up in an online age, becoming an internet sensation with half a million followers on her YouTube Channel, Irish girl Melanie Murphy's journey has been far from ordinary. Here, in her first book, she shares the ups and downs of her life. From dealing with online bullying, to living with anxiety and eating disorders to coping with acne and coming to terms with her sexuality, Melanie shows us how through difficult times we can learn the most about ourselves. And that, by learning to value and love ourselves, we can overcome whatever life throws at us.
From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars
by Virginia Hanlon GrohlVirginia Grohl, mother of Dave Grohl, had not seen any of it coming. Not the arenas of screaming fans, not Nirvana or the Foo Fighters, not the induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and certainly not her son, Dave, performing with Sir Paul McCartney at The White House. Theirs had always been a life full of music - the Grohl family sang together on long car trips, harmonising to Motown and David Bowie - yet Virginia never expected her son to become a musician. But when Virginia saw Nirvana play for the first time to crazed applause from thousands of screaming fans, she knew nothing would ever be the same. She was the mother of a rock star.And as Virginia watched her son's star rise, she often wondered about the other mothers who raised sons and daughters who became rock stars. Were they as surprised as she was about their children's fame? Virginia often wondered about the mystical force that urges some of us to listen, to play, to surround ourselves with music. She wanted to talk about it with the other mothers whose sons and daughters were sharing stages with Dave, and she decided to seek them out wherever they were. So began a two-year odyssey, where she had conversations with such women from all over the world as Verna Griffin, Dr Dre's mother, Carolyn Williams, Pharell William's mother, Janis Winehouse, Amy Winehouse's mother, Patsy Noah, Adam Levine's mother, Donna Haim, mother to the Haim sisters and Hester Diamond, Mike D of The Beastie Boys' mother, to name just a few. From Cradle to Stage will appeal to mothers everywhere, but particularly to those with children who march (or play) to the beat of their own drum; and it's for those children who have their mothers to thank for everything. For music lovers and rock fans, it's the ultimate backstage pass-for anyone who has wondered what it's like to be on the inside...looking out at a packed arena. Featuring a foreword by Dave Grohl and exclusive family photographs, interviews are interwoven with the Grohl family story and the resultant book is a very intimate portrait of what makes a rock star.
Parsnips, Buttered: Laugh-out-loud reading from TV's funniest man
by Joe Lycett**THE BRILLIANT & IRREVERENT GUIDE FROM AWARD-WINNING COMEDIAN AND STAR OF THE GREAT BRITISH SEWING BEE AND JOE LYCETT'S GOT YOUR BACK **Also seen on Epic Win, The Time it Takes, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Taskmaster. He's seen everywhere in fact. 'Joe is nothing short of hilarious' SARAH MILLICAN'I Lycett, I Lycett a lot' HARRY HILL'We were snorting with laughter like a happy pig throughout. Lots more of the same please Joe! 5*s' HEAT MAGAZINE* * * * * *Dear Reader,Life is hard. We are a bombarded generation: Facebook, billboards, Twitter, Instagram, taxes, newspapers, watches monitoring our sleep, apps that read our pulse, terrorism. There's such an onslaught to the senses these days it's a marvel any of us manage to get out of bed. I love bed.While we are overwhelmed and confused by the miasmic cloud of information, there are those that seek to take advantage: there are parking fines, hate Tweets, Nigerian email scams and Christmas newsletters from old school friends about their ugly kids. And just as we're getting round to doing something about it, we're distracted again.I, Joe Lycett, comedian, wordsmith, and professional complainer, am here to help. During my short life of doing largely nothing I've discovered solutions to many of life's problems, which I impart to you, dear Reader. Containing a centurion of complaint letters to unsuspecting celebrities, companies and anyone brave enough to clog up my phone, as well as illustrations, one-liners , jokes and life hacks, this little gem offers you a collection of tips and advice* for all manner of modern woe. By the time you have finished reading this book you will have learnt how to:- Reverse a parking fine - Manipulate the tabloid press - Navigate social media - Respond to hate mail - Out-weird internet trolls - Contest a so-called ripe avocado - Send the perfect Christmas newsletter - Defeat ISIS - Take down multi-national companiesAND MUCH, MUCH MORE!Joe Lycett x* If you are looking for guidance with taxes, quitting smoking, moving house, love, divorce, education, healthcare or anything actually important may I recommend speaking to friends or family members and not consulting a book by a comedian who eats halloumi at least twice a day.
Parsnips, Buttered: How to win at modern life, one email at a time
by Joe Lycett'Joe is nothing short of hilarious' -Sarah Millican'I Lycett, I Lycett a lot' -Harry Hill'His uniquely wry and witty humour rolls merrily out from the very first page and we were snorting with laughter like a happy pig throughout. Lots more of the same please Joe! 5*s' -HeatDear Reader,Life is hard. We are a bombarded generation: Facebook, billboards, Twitter, Instagram, taxes, newspapers, watches monitoring our sleep, apps that read our pulse, terrorism. There's such an onslaught to the senses these days it's a marvel any of us manage to get out of bed. I love bed.While we are overwhelmed and confused by the miasmic cloud of information, there are those that seek to take advantage: there are parking fines, hate Tweets, Nigerian email scams and Christmas newsletters from old school friends about their ugly kids. And just as we're getting round to doing something about it, we're distracted again.I, Joe Lycett, comedian, wordsmith, and professional complainer, am here to help. During my short life of doing largely nothing I've discovered solutions to many of life's problems, which I impart to you, dear Reader. Containing a centurion of complaint letters to unsuspecting celebrities, companies and anyone brave enough to clog up my phone, as well as illustrations, one-liners , jokes and life hacks, this little gem offers you a collection of tips and advice* for all manner of modern woe. By the time you have finished reading this book you will have learnt how to:- Reverse a parking fine - Manipulate the tabloid press - Navigate social media - Respond to hate mail - Out-weird internet trolls - Contest a so-called ripe avocado - Send the perfect Christmas newsletter - Defeat ISIS - Take down multi-national companiesAND MUCH, MUCH MORE!Joe Lycett x* If you are looking for guidance with taxes, quitting smoking, moving house, love, divorce, education, healthcare or anything actually important may I recommend speaking to friends or family members and not consulting a book by a comedian who eats halloumi at least twice a day.
Nigel: my family and other dogs
by Monty DonTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLEWhen Monty Don's golden retriever Nigel became the surprise star of BBC Gardeners' World, inspiring huge interest, fan mail and his own social media accounts, Monty Don wanted to explore what makes us connect with animals quite so deeply. In many respects Nigel was a very ordinary dog; charming, handsome and obedient, as so many are. He was a much loved family pet. He was also a star. By telling Nigel's story, Monty relates his relationships with the other special dogs in his life in a memoir of his dogs past and very much present. Since it was first released in 2016, Monty Don's Nigel: my family and other dogs has sold over a quarter of a million copies, with Nigel, who sadly passed away in 2020, ensuring his place in the hearts of readers and dog lovers everywhere. This life-affirming memoir of the importance of dogs in Monty's life and in all our lives, is never more true than now.'I have always had a dog, or dogs. I cannot imagine life without them. I am just as much a fan of Nigel as any besotted viewer. In the book I explore why we love dogs and what they mean to us emotionally and domestically. I look back on all the dogs in my life - all of which I have loved deeply and which have been an essential part of my life. So, this is the book of Nigel - but also the book of all our dogs in every British family and a celebration of the deep love we feel for them' Monty Don
Nigel: my family and other dogs
by Monty DonTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERWhen Monty Don's golden retriever Nigel became the surprise star of BBC Gardeners' World, inspiring huge interest, fan mail and his own social media accounts, Monty Don wanted to explore what makes us connect with animals quite so deeply. In many respects Nigel was a very ordinary dog; charming, handsome and obedient, as so many are. He was a much loved family pet. He was also a star. By telling Nigel's story, Monty relates his relationships with the other special dogs in his life in a memoir of his dogs past and very much present. Since it was first released in 2016, Monty Don's Nigel: my family and other dogs has sold over a quarter of a million copies, with Nigel, who sadly passed away in 2020, ensuring his place in the hearts of readers and dog lovers everywhere. This life-affirming memoir of the importance of dogs in Monty's life and in all our lives, is never more true than now.'I have always had a dog, or dogs. I cannot imagine life without them. I am just as much a fan of Nigel as any besotted viewer. In the book I explore why we love dogs and what they mean to us emotionally and domestically. I look back on all the dogs in my life - all of which I have loved deeply and which have been an essential part of my life. So, this is the book of Nigel - but also the book of all our dogs in every British family and a celebration of the deep love we feel for them' Monty Don
Parsnips, Buttered: Joe Lycett: the artist, comedian, consumers' rights defender, political firebrand, the people's revolutionary
by Joe LycettDear Listener,Using letters, emails, tweets and telegrams I will show you how the things in your life that make you sad, low or anxious can soon appear trivial, insignificant and like a fish. In short, I will butter your parsnips. Life is hard. We are a bombarded generation: Facebook, billboards, Twitter, Instagram, taxes, newspapers, watches monitoring our sleep, apps that read our pulse, terrorism. There's such an onslaught to the senses these days it's a marvel any of us manage to get out of bed. I love bed.While we are overwhelmed and confused by the miasmic cloud of information, there are those that seek to take advantage: there are parking fines, hate Tweets, Nigerian email scams and Christmas newsletters from old school friends about their ugly kids. And just as we're getting round to doing something about it, we're distracted again.I, Joe Lycett, comedian, wordsmith, and professional complainer, am here to help. During my short life of doing largely nothing I've discovered solutions to many of life's problems, which I impart to you, dear Listener. Containing a centurion of complaint letters to unsuspecting celebrities, companies and anyone brave enough to clog up my phone, as well as illustrations, one-liners , jokes and life hacks, this little gem offers you a collection of tips and advice* for all manner of modern woe. By the time you have finished listening to this book you will have learnt how to:- Reverse a parking fine - Manipulate the tabloid press - Navigate social media - Respond to hate mail - Out-weird internet trolls - Contest a so-called ripe avocado - Send the perfect Christmas newsletter - Defeat ISIS - Take down multi-national companiesAND MUCH, MUCH MORE!Joe Lycett x* If you are looking for guidance with taxes, quitting smoking, moving house, love, divorce, education, healthcare or anything actually important may I recommend speaking to friends or family members and not consulting a book by a comedian who eats halloumi at least twice a day.(P)2016 Hodder & Stoughton
The Owl at the Window: A memoir of loss and hope
by Carl GorhamThe Owl at the Window is a dramatic, moving and funny memoir. An emotional, ultimately uplifting tale of loss and hope.'Amazing and completely compelling...both funny and sad, and so moving, I couldn't put it down.' - Alison Steadman'Devastatingly moving and hilarious in equal measure. I have laughed and cried during the reading of a single sentence.' - Caroline QuentinWinner of Best Memoir at the East Anglian Book Awards'She is dead. She was here just now and she was alive. How can she suddenly be dead? People in history are dead. Old people are dead. Grandparents are dead. Other people are dead. Not people like me. Not this person. The person I was married to. Had a child with. Not the person who was standing next to me. Chatting. Laughing. Being.'Shock is just one of many emotions explored in award-winning TV comedy writer Carl Gorham's account of his bereavement which is by turns deeply moving and darkly humorous.Part love story, part widower's diary, part tales of single parenting, it tells of his wife's cancer, her premature death and his attempts to rebuild his life afterwards with his six -year old daughter. Realised in a series of vivid snapshots, it takes the reader on an extraordinary journey from Oxford to Australia, from Norfolk to Hong Kong through fear, despair, pain and anger to hope, laughter and renewal.The Owl at the Window is a fresh and original exploration of what it means to lose a partner in your forties, and how Carl learned to live again.
The Owl at the Window: A memoir of loss and hope
by Carl GorhamThe Owl at the Window is a dramatic, moving and funny memoir. An emotional, ultimately uplifting tale of loss and hope.'Amazing and completely compelling...both funny and sad, and so moving, I couldn't put it down.' - Alison Steadman'Devastatingly moving and hilarious in equal measure. I have laughed and cried during the reading of a single sentence.' - Caroline QuentinWinner of Best Memoir at the East Anglian Book Awards'She is dead. She was here just now and she was alive. How can she suddenly be dead? People in history are dead. Old people are dead. Grandparents are dead. Other people are dead. Not people like me. Not this person. The person I was married to. Had a child with. Not the person who was standing next to me. Chatting. Laughing. Being.'Shock is just one of many emotions explored in award-winning TV comedy writer Carl Gorham's account of his bereavement which is by turns deeply moving and darkly humorous.Part love story, part widower's diary, part tales of single parenting, it tells of his wife's cancer, her premature death and his attempts to rebuild his life afterwards with his six -year old daughter. Realised in a series of vivid snapshots, it takes the reader on an extraordinary journey from Oxford to Australia, from Norfolk to Hong Kong through fear, despair, pain and anger to hope, laughter and renewal.The Owl at the Window is a fresh and original exploration of what it means to lose a partner in your forties, and how Carl learned to live again.
The Owl at the Window: A memoir of loss and hope
by Carl GorhamWinner of Best Memoir at the East Anglian Book Awards'She is dead. She was here just now and she was alive. How can she suddenly be dead? People in history are dead. Old people are dead. Grandparents are dead. Other people are dead. Not people like me. Not this person. The person I was married to. Had a child with. Not the person who was standing next to me. Chatting. Laughing. Being.' Shock is just one of many emotions explored in award-winning TV comedy writer Carl Gorham's account of his bereavement which is by turns deeply moving and darkly humorous.Part love story, part widower's diary, part tales of single parenting, it tells of his wife's cancer, her premature death and his attempts to rebuild his life afterwards with his six -year old daughter. Realised in a series of vivid snapshots, it takes the reader on an extraordinary journey from Oxford to Australia, from Norfolk to Hong Kong through fear, despair, pain and anger to hope, laughter and renewal.The Owl at the Window is a fresh and original exploration of what it means to lose a partner in your forties, and how Carl learned to live again.(P)2017 Hodder & Stoughton
The Jimmy Hill Story: On and Off the Field
by Jimmy Hill'In many ways Jimmy Hill was football. He was a true great of the game.' - Greg Dyke, Chairman of the Football AssociationJimmy Hill died on 19th December 2015 but very much remains a household name. Renowned for his outspoken views, recognised the world over by his famous profile, only he saw football from every side: as player, coach, manager, chairman, television executive and broadcaster.A versatile player with Brentford and Fulham in the fifties, he was a qualified coach by the age of 24.In the sixties his innovative management technique took Coventry from the bottom of the Third to the First Division, where they stayed for 32 years. For over twenty years, at different times, he was a director and chairman of Coventry, Charlton and Fulham. As chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association he took on the authorities and successfully fought for freedom of contract and the abolition of the maximum wage.But it is as a TV presenter that Jimmy became best known. After five years as Head of Sport at LWT, he moved to the BBC to become a national institution in the seventies and eighties on Match of the Day. Tragically Jimmy Hill succumbed to Alzheimer's Disease in his last few years, A moving epilogue has been included which reflects on Jimmy's remarkable life.Jimmy tells the story of his rise from humble beginnings to distinction both on and off the field with modesty and humour.
The Jimmy Hill Story: On and Off the Field
by Jimmy Hill'In many ways Jimmy Hill was football. He was a true great of the game.' - Greg Dyke, Chairman of the Football AssociationJimmy Hill died on 19th December 2015 but very much remains a household name. Renowned for his outspoken views, recognised the world over by his famous profile, only he saw football from every side: as player, coach, manager, chairman, television executive and broadcaster.A versatile player with Brentford and Fulham in the fifties, he was a qualified coach by the age of 24.In the sixties his innovative management technique took Coventry from the bottom of the Third to the First Division, where they stayed for 32 years. For over twenty years, at different times, he was a director and chairman of Coventry, Charlton and Fulham. As chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association he took on the authorities and successfully fought for freedom of contract and the abolition of the maximum wage.But it is as a TV presenter that Jimmy became best known. After five years as Head of Sport at LWT, he moved to the BBC to become a national institution in the seventies and eighties on Match of the Day. Tragically Jimmy Hill succumbed to Alzheimer's Disease in his last few years, A moving epilogue has been included which reflects on Jimmy's remarkable life.Jimmy tells the story of his rise from humble beginnings to distinction both on and off the field with modesty and humour.
Outskirts: Living Life on the Edge of the Green Belt
by John GrindrodForgotten edgelands, furious battles, suburban mysteries - discover the secret history of our green belts.Green belts are part of the landscape and psyche of post-war Britain, but have led to conflicts at every level of society - between conservationists and developers, town and country, politicians and people, nimbys and the forces of progress.Growing up on 'the last road in London' on an estate at the edge of the woods, John Grindrod had a childhood that mirrored these tensions. His family, too, seemed caught between two worlds: his wheelchair-bound mother and soft hearted father had moved from the inner city and had trouble adjusting. His warring brothers struggled too: there was the sporty one who loved the outdoors, and the agoraphobic who hated it. And then there was John, an unremarkable boy on the edge of it all discovering something magical.In the green belts John discovers strange hidden places, from nuclear bunkers to buried landfill sites, and along the way meets planners, protestors, foresters and residents whose passions for and against the green belt tell a fascinating tale of Britain today.The first book to tell the story of Britain's green belts, Outskirts is at once a fascinating social history, a stirring evocation of the natural world, and a poignant tale of growing up in a place, and within a family, like no other.
Growing Pains: Making Sense of Childhood A Psychiatrists Story
by Dr Mike Shooter'A remarkable, powerful, tender and insightful book that will change lives' Stephen Fry'A unique book . . . The stories [Shooter] tells are poignant and powerful testimonies to the resilience of the human spirit' Marjorie Wallace, CBE'Through fascinating case studies, Dr Mike Shooter explores issues such as grief, bullying, family breakdown and self-harm. It's a compelling and fascinating glimpse into his career, but is also full of insights into the minds of children, the struggles of growing up and the challenges of parenting'Max Pemberton, Daily Mail'An excellent read for psychiatrists and other mental health professionals, whether they work with children or adults'MDEdge* * * * * * * * * *Child psychiatrist Dr Mike Shooter sheds light on the painful issues and universal experience of growing up, through the stories of his patients and their families.Growing up isn't easy. We can be at our most vulnerable and confused. And the right help isn't always there when we need it most. For over forty years psychiatrist Mike Shooter has listened to children and adolescents in crisis, helping them to find their stories and begin to make sense of their lives. Mike Shooter's own life has been shaped by his battle with depression. It makes him question received wisdom. He knows labels won't always fit and one diagnosis will not work for all. His patients' stories are at the heart of this book. Mike Shooter shares their journey as, through therapy, they confront everything from loss and family breakdown to bullying, grief and illness. We see how children begin to make breakthroughs with depression or anxiety, destructive, even sometimes violent behaviour.Growing Pains is compelling and compassionate - a book to make us wiser and braver, and to help us see how children's stories can find happier endings.
Growing Pains: Making Sense of Childhood – A Psychiatrist's Story
by Dr Mike Shooter'A remarkable, powerful, tender and insightful book that will change lives' Stephen Fry'A unique book . . . The stories [Shooter] tells are poignant and powerful testimonies to the resilience of the human spirit' Marjorie Wallace, CBE'Through fascinating case studies, Dr Mike Shooter explores issues such as grief, bullying, family breakdown and self-harm. It's a compelling and fascinating glimpse into his career, but is also full of insights into the minds of children, the struggles of growing up and the challenges of parenting'Max Pemberton, Daily Mail'An excellent read for psychiatrists and other mental health professionals, whether they work with children or adults'MDEdge* * * * * * * * * *Child psychiatrist Dr Mike Shooter sheds light on the painful issues and universal experience of growing up, through the stories of his patients and their families.Growing up isn't easy. We can be at our most vulnerable and confused. And the right help isn't always there when we need it most. For over forty years psychiatrist Mike Shooter has listened to children and adolescents in crisis, helping them to find their stories and begin to make sense of their lives. Mike Shooter's own life has been shaped by his battle with depression. It makes him question received wisdom. He knows labels won't always fit and one diagnosis will not work for all. His patients' stories are at the heart of this book. Mike Shooter shares their journey as, through therapy, they confront everything from loss and family breakdown to bullying, grief and illness. We see how children begin to make breakthroughs with depression or anxiety, destructive, even sometimes violent behaviour.Growing Pains is compelling and compassionate - a book to make us wiser and braver, and to help us see how children's stories can find happier endings.
The Gilded Chalet: Off-piste in Literary Switzerland
by Padraig RooneyPart detective work, part treasure chest, full of history and scandal, The Gilded Chalet takes you on a grand tour of two centuries of great writing by both Swiss and foreign authors and shows how Switzerland has always been at the center of literary Europe. Two centuries after the Romantics went there to invent Gothic horror, the lure of Switzerland hasn't left us. Writers from the Fitzgeralds to Fleming, Highsmith to Hemingway, Conan Doyle to le Carré, came to escape world wars, political persecution, tuberculosis. They came for sanctuary (from oppression or the tax man), for fresh air and nude sunbathing, for scenery resembling, as Rooney puts it, 'Mother Nature on steroids.' Patricia Highsmith spent her last years in a granite home in Ticino with a fridge containing little but peanut butter and vodka. Hermann Hesse had himself buried to the neck as a cure for alcoholism. Nabokov chased butterflies and played tennis on the hotel courts. When it comes to literature, it seems all roads lead to Switzerland. Padraig Rooney peers through the chalet windows and discovers how Switzerland has influenced some of the greatest authors and characters of literature.
The Real Warren Buffett: Managing Capital, Leading People
by James O'LoughlinThe Real Warren Buffett unveils the secret of how Warren Buffett led Berkshire Hathaway to staggering success. Zeroing in on his original management style and leadership approach, author James O'Loughlin exposes the powerful and practical lessons of Buffett, demonstrating how he became the second richest man in America.
The Deals that Made the World
by Jacques Peretti'The book to read' GQ'A revelatory book' John Lewis-StempelWhile the laws that guide our lives are written by the politicians we elect, much of the world around us - from the food we eat to the products we buy to the medications we take - is shaped by private negotiations and business deals few of us know about.For twenty years, Peretti has interviewed the people behind the decisions that have altered our world, from CEOs of multinational corporations to politicians, economists, and scientists. In The Deals that Made the World, Peretti draws on his vast knowledge to reveal a host of fascinating and startling connections, from how Wall Street's actions on food commodities helped spark the Arab Spring to the link between the AIDS epidemic in 1980s San Francisco and the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008. He proves a sure guide, combining both eye-opening on-the-ground reporting and a narrative flair that makes esoteric financial and business concepts clear and understandable.Like Steven Levitt, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Brad Stone, Michael Lewis, and Malcolm Gladwell, Peretti takes the ordinary and turns it inside out to give us a compelling new perspective on our lives and our world.
Little Bird of Auschwitz: How My Mother Escaped Death and Found Our Family
by Jacques Peretti'That nickname . . .''"Little bird." It wasn't mine. I found out later he gave it to every little girl that came in to be injected. "Little Bird" didn't mean anything. It was a trick. There were thousands of "little birds", just like me, all thinking they were the only one.'As a reporter, Jacques Peretti has spent his life investigating important stories. But there was one story, heard in scattered fragments throughout his childhood, that he never thought to investigate. The story of how his mother survived Auschwitz.In the few last months of the Second World War, thirteen-year-old Alina Peretti, along with her mother and sister, was one of thirteen thousand non-Jewish Poles sent to Auschwitz. Her experiences there cast a shadow over the rest of her life.Now ninety, Alina has been diagnosed with dementia. Together, mother and son begin a race against time to record her memories and preserve her family's story. Along the way, Jacques learns long-hidden secrets about his mother's family. He gains an understanding of his mother through retracing her past, learning more about the woman who would never let him call her 'Mum'.
Every Word is a Bird We Teach to Sing: Encounters with the Mysteries & Meanings of Language
by Daniel Tammet'Full of charm and fascination . . . a veritable verbal treasure house' -The BooksellerA mind-expanding, deeply humane tour of language(s) - and those who speak, study, and invent them - by the bestselling author of Born on a Blue Day and Thinking in Numbers.Is vocabulary destiny? Why do clocks 'talk' to the Nahua people of Mexico? Will A.I. researchers ever produce true human-machine dialogue? In this mesmerizing collection of essays, Daniel Tammet answers these and many other questions about the intricacy and profound power of language. In Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing, Tammet goes back in time to explore the numeric language of his autistic childhood; in Iceland, he learns why the name Blær became a court case; in Canada, he meets one of the world's most accomplished lip readers. He chats with chatbots; contrives an 'e'-less essay on lipograms; studies the grammar of the telephone; contemplates the significance of disappearing dialects; and corresponds with native Esperanto speakers - in their mother tongue. A joyous romp through the world of words, letters, stories, and meanings, Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing explores the way communication shapes reality. From the art of translation to the lyricism of sign language, these essays display the stunning range of Tammet's literary and polyglot talents.(P)2017 Hodder & Stoughton