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Winging It
by Jenny GardinerA hilarious and poignant cautionary tale about two very different types of creatures, thrown together by fate, who learn to make the best of a challenging situation -- feather by feather. Like many new bird owners, Jenny and Scott Gardiner hoped for a smart, talkative, friendly companion. Instead, as they took on the unexpected task of raising a curmudgeonly wild African gray parrot and a newborn, they learned an important lesson: parrothood is way harder than parenthood. A gift from Scott's brother who was living in Zaire, Graycie arrived scrawny, pissed-off, and missing a lot of her feathers -- definitely not the Polly-wants-a-cracker type the Gardiners anticipated. Every day became a constant game of chicken with a bird that would do anything to ruffle their feathers. The old adage about not biting the hand that feeds you -- literally -- never applied to Graycie. But Jenny and Scott learned to adapt as the family grew to three children, a menagerie of dogs and cats, and, of course, Graycie. In this laugh-out-loud funny and touching memoir, Jenny vividly shares the many hazards of parrot ownership, from the endless avian latrine duty and the joyful day the bird learned to mimic the sound of the smoke detector, to the multiple ways a beak can pierce human flesh. Graycie is a court jester, a karaoke partner, an unusual audio record of their family history, and, at times, a nemesis. But most of all, she has taught the family volumes about tolerance, going with the flow, and realizing that you can no sooner make your child fit into a mold than you can turn a wild parrot into a docile house pet. Winging It is an utterly engrossing reminder of the importance of patience, loyalty, and humor when it comes to dealing with even the most unpleasant members of the family.
Winging It
by Catherine GoldhammerA ?strikingly imaginative? (O, The Oprah Magazine) and heartfelt memoir for every woman on the verge of becoming and empty nester In her critically acclaimed debut memoir, Still Life with Chickens, Catherine Goldhammer shared her recovery from the chaos of divorce: moving with her daughter Harper to a seaside New England town, renovating a rustic cottage, and raising six chickens. Winging It picks up when Harper begins her junior year of high school and Catherine suddenly realizes that both she and her daughter will be on their own in two short years. Like so many mothers, Catherine feels woefully unprepared for not only her daughter?s independence, but also her own. Yet as friends, ex-lovers, adventures, and opportunities emerge, Catherine begins to realize that her life will not end with her daughter?s departure, but begin anew. With wit, charm, and candor, she reveals her journey of rediscovering herself through one of life?s most universal transitions, including the lesson that letting go doesn?t have to mean losing those you love. .
The Wingmen: The Unlikely, Unusual, Unbreakable Friendship Between John Glenn and Ted Williams
by Adam LazarusThe untold story of the unique fifty-year friendship between two American icons: John Glenn, the unassailable pioneer of space exploration and Ted Williams, indisputably the greatest hitter in baseball history. It was 1953, the Korean War in full throttle, when two men—already experts in their fields—crossed the fabled 38th Parallel into Communist airspace aboard matching Panther jets. John Glenn was an ambitious operations officer with fifty-nine World War II combat missions under his belt. His wingman was Ted Williams, the two-time American League Triple Crown winner who, at the pinnacle of his career, was inexplicably recalled to active service in the United States Marine Corps. Together, the affable flier and the notoriously tempestuous left fielder soared into North Korea, creating a death-defying bond. Although, over the next half century, their contrasting lives were challenged by exhilarating highs and devastating lows, that bond would endure. Through unpublished letters, unit diaries, declassified military records, manuscripts, and new and illuminating interviews, The Wingmen reveals an epic and intimate portrait of two heroes—larger-than-life and yet ineffably human, ordinary men who accomplished the extraordinary. At its heart, this was a conflicted friendship that found commonality in mutual respect—throughout the perils of war, sports dominance, scientific innovation, cutthroat national politics, the burden of celebrity, and the meaning of bravery. Now, author Adam Lazaraus sheds light on a largely forgotten chapter in these legends&’ lives—as singular individuals, inspiring patriots, and eventually, however improbable, profoundly close friends.
Wings and Rockets: The Story of Women in Air and Space
by Jeannine AtkinsCelebrating the hundredth anniversary of powered flight From Katharine Wright, sister of the Wright brothers, to Eileen Collins, the first woman commander of a spacecraft, scores of women have played critical roles in our country's history of aviation. Wilbur and Orville Wright, who pioneered powered flight in 1903, knew how much they owed to Katharine. "When the world speaks of the Wrights," said Orville, "they should not forget our sister. " Although Katharine Wright was among the first women to ride in an airplane, Blanche Stuart Scott was the first to sit at the controls. To achieve her dream, Blanche overcame sexism and other obstacles. The same can be said of every woman whose piloting career is highlighted here - Bessie Coleman, Amelia Earhart, Jackie Cochran, Ann Baumgartner Carl, Jerrie Cobb, Shannon Wells Lucid, and others. Their stories are sure to fire the imaginations of readers and encourage them to "follow their hearts into the sky" - or anywhere at all. This beautifully articulated history of American women who broke barriers to achieve an especially satisfying success is enhanced by clever, captivating halftone illustrations.
Wings Around the World: The Exhilarating Story of One Woman's Epic Flight From the North Pole to Antarctica
by Polly VacherOn May 6, 2003, Polly Vacher took off from Birmingham airport seeking to become the first pilot to complete a solo flight around the world via both Poles in a single-engine aircraft. Despite having only a few years of flying experience, Polly, a 59-year-old mother of three, had already completed a lateral solo circumnavigation of the world in 2001 for the charity Flying Scholarships for the Disabled; this second challenge, for the same charity, would make that achievement look like a casual jaunt. There would be no margin for error. Her voyage to the ice was a 35,000-mile adventure in her Piper Dakota that would take her to at least 30 different countries on every single continent. She had prepared meticulously for two years, was fully insured and had all the requisite permits and visas. With her kinetic enthusiasm, charm and persistence, she had already garnered multifarious sponsors ranging from multinationals such as Shell to private individuals. However, as she took off on that blustery spring day, flanked by a Hurricane and a Spitfire from the RAF Battle of Britain Flight, and waved off by her family and the Prince of Wales, she suddenly felt so alone. She had begun a remarkable expedition that would gain her three world records, but would also see her encounter extremes of weather and emotion, much kindness and obstruction and also a little political intrigue.
Wings In The Wilderness
by Arthur Gordon Marion Bond WestJ. V. Calvert, The Premonition Arthur Gordon, Seconds Away from Death Bill Carver, The Strip Miner Judy Armstrong, When the Bell Tolled Marion Bond West, The Gideon Bible Fred Nicholas, "She Knew You Were Coming" Alan Holland, What Stopped the Tractor? Ronald "Scotty" Bourne, A Dog Named Bandit Don Bell, The Steer in the Soaphole Edith M. Dean, Those Mysterious Numbers Doug Elliott, Wings in the Wilderness Charlotte Doty, The Yellow Rose David Moore, Pilot's Directions Kenneth Bishop, Someone's Kidding! Elva and Ben-David Weisiger, Warning at : Jose M. Sandoval, The Long Leap DeLinda Koster, Back Off! Stephen Saint, To the Ends of the Earth Edward A. Elliott, After Fifty Years Ron Bailey, Car Trouble Jacqueline Hewitt Allen, In Full Supply Carol Knapp, The Afterthought B. J. Connor, Stamp of Approval Agnes Huyser, The Sudden Freeze Muriel Lombardi, When Dad Changed His Mind Helen Lewis Coffer, His Broad Shoulders Andrew C. Sorelle, Jr., Out of Control! Mary Virag, "Someone Help Me!" Mary Helen Livingston, What on Earth Is Shoo-fly Pie, Anyway? Philip K. March, Her Playing Days Were Over Jeanne M. Dams, "She Couldn't Have Said a Word!" J. V. Calvert, The Premonition Arthur Gordon, Seconds Away from Death Bill Carver, The Strip Miner Judy Armstrong, When the Bell Tolled Marion Bond West, The Gideon Bible Fred Nicholas, "She Knew You Were Coming" Alan Holland, What Stopped the Tractor? Ronald "Scotty" Bourne, A Dog Named Bandit Don Bell, The Steer in the Soaphole Edith M. Dean, Those Mysterious Numbers Doug Elliott, Wings in the Wilderness Charlotte Doty, The Yellow Rose David Moore, Pilot's Directions Kenneth Bishop, Someone's Kidding! Elva and Ben-David Weisiger, Warning at : Jose M. Sandoval, The Long Leap DeLinda Koster, Back Off! Stephen Saint, To the Ends of the Earth Edward A. Elliott, After Fifty Years Ron Bailey, Car Trouble Jacqueline Hewitt Allen, In Full Supply Carol Knapp, The Afterthought B. J. Connor, Stamp of Approval Agnes Huyser, The Sudden Freeze Muriel Lombardi, When Dad Changed His Mind Helen Lewis Coffer, His Broad Shoulders Andrew C. Sorelle, Jr., Out of Control! Mary Virag, "Someone Help Me!" Mary Helen Livingston, What on Earth Is Shoo-fly Pie, Anyway? Philip K. March, Her Playing Days Were Over Jeanne M. Dams, "She Couldn't Have Said a Word!"
Wings Of Fire
by A P J Abdul Kalam Arun TiwariThis is the story of Kalam's rise from obscurity and his personal and professional struggles, as well as the story of Agni, Prithvi, Akash, Trishul and Nag - missiles that have become household names in India and that have raised the nation to the level of a missile power of international reckoning.
Wings of Red
by James W. JenningsAn inventive and stylish debut written by a Black educator, Wings of Red is a clear-eyed, funny, imperfect, and observant work of autofiction that grapples with the absurdity of the New York City educational system as a substitute teacher—that, in the end, reads as an ode to the city itselfJune Papers is a twenty-eight-year-old MFA grad with a felony record, &“the classic young, Black and gifted American misfit.&” He&’s also a substitute teacher. He&’s also homeless. With dreams of becoming a writer, June endures a host of trials and dilemmas as he reluctantly realizes mentoring and teaching might actually be a path forward for him. Wings of Red is driven by June&’s unique narrative style, a propulsive voice that intimately and vulnerably guides readers through the condemned external reality of a Black educator&’s personal and professional world falling apart, and coming together again. Populated by a host of true-to-life characters who are attempting to realize their dreams despite precarious professional and financial realities, Wings of Red elucidates the fallacy of the American dream while serving as a reminder of how powerful and necessary autofiction can be. Directed at students and educators but written for any audience, Wings of Red is an inspiring and poetic tour de force and an unexpectedly necessary ode to New York City that features a texture, velocity, and immediacy that speaks to the author's authentic and lived perspective.
Wings of the Morning
by Orestes Lorenzo"A moving testament, his narrative provides an insider's look at the Castro regime's personality cult, its indoctrination of children and surveillance of ordinary Cubans. " - Publishers WeeklyIn December 1992 Orestes Lorenzo undertook the most daring journey of his life. More than a year earlier, while a major in the Cuban Air Force, he had escaped from Cuba by flying a MiG to the United States, and for twenty-one frantic months had been trying to get permission for his wife, Vicky, and their two sons to join him. When all his attempts to gain their freedom failed, Orestes decided to go back and rescue his family himself. Meanwhile, Vicky had been undergoing a terrifying ordeal back in Cuba, where the authorities were pressuring her to denounce her husband as a traitor. They informed her that she would never be allowed to leave, and that Raul Castro himself had declared: "If Lorenzo had the guts to leave with one of my MiGs, maybe he has the guts to come back and get his family." Desperate, Orestes Lorenzo did just that, flying an old twin-engine Cessna across the straits of Florida, avoiding Cuban radar, and landing on a busy highway in a breathtaking rescue. Wings of Morning is Lorenzo's account of this astonishing feat, but it is also the unforgettable odyssey of a young man growing up during the euphoria of the Cuban Revolution, marrying his sweetheart, and going off to train as a fighter pilot in the Soviet Union. Lorenzo movingly describes his growing disillusionment with communism, his religious awakening amidst the revelations of Perestroika, and the near-death of his beloved Vicky, as well as his increasing conviction that he must not let his children grow up in a country that denies any dignity or spiritual values in the individual, in the family, and to society.
Wings of Thought
by Kahlil GibranA critical exploration of the life&’s work of one of the twentieth century&’s most important philosophers and poets, Kahlil Gibran Through his fiction, essays, poems, and art, Kahlil Gibran inspired a devoted international following and transformed modern Arabic literature. In this book, Joseph P. Ghougassian brings together the philosophical elements present across Gibran&’s diverse writings, including his bestselling work The Prophet, as well as other significant works such as The Broken Wings, which tells the story of doomed young lovers, and the collection of aphorisms in Sand and Foam. Excerpts from Gibran&’s letters provide a window into his mind, heart, and soul, creating a biography of this groundbreaking, mystical writer unlike any other. This systematic collection introduces Gibran as a &“people&’s philosopher,&” who used simple, straightforward language to reveal a worldview of rich, deep meaning.
Wings of War: An Airman's Diary of the Last Year of the War (Vintage Aviation Library)
by Rudolf StarkA rare day-to-day account by a young German squadron leader in Jagdstaffel 35 during the grim last year of World War I. Originally published in 1933, Wings of War provides minute descriptions of kills, losses, and the Germans&’ step-by-step retreat in the face of increasingly overwhelming Allied forces in the air. Brutally honest and vividly written, Rudolf Stark&’s account of the endgame of the Imperial German Army Air Service provides an intimate, front-row glimpse of the death-throes of a once-feared corps. This book also contains reproductions of some of the author&’s paintings depicting life on the Western Front. &“A work of depth and insight, illustrated with the author&’s own photographs and paintings from a cockpit perspective . . . League members are highly encouraged to read this classic of aviation history literature.&” —Over the Front &“Provides a thoughtful look at the decline of Germany, its military, and its air force in the last half of 1918.&” —World War One Illustrated
Wings on My Sleeve: The World's Greatest Test Pilot tells his story
by Captain Eric BrownThe autobiography of one of the greatest pilots in history.In 1939 Eric Brown was on a University of Edinburgh exchange course in Germany, and the first he knew of the war was when the Gestapo came to arrest him. They released him, not realising he was a pilot in the RAF volunteer reserve: and the rest is history. Eric Brown joined the Fleet Air Arm and went on to be the greatest test pilot in history, flying more different aircraft types than anyone else. During his lifetime he made a record-breaking 2,407 aircraft carrier landings and survived eleven plane crashes. One of Britain's few German-speaking airmen, he went to Germany in 1945 to test the Nazi jets, interviewing (among others) Hermann Goering and Hanna Reitsch. He flew the suicidally dangerous Me 163 rocket plane, and tested the first British jets. WINGS ON MY SLEEVE is 'Winkle' Brown's incredible story.
Wings on My Sleeve: The World's Greatest Test Pilot tells his story
by Captain Eric BrownThe autobiography of one of the greatest pilots in history.In 1939 Eric Brown was on a University of Edinburgh exchange course in Germany, and the first he knew of the war was when the Gestapo came to arrest him. They released him, not realising he was a pilot in the RAF volunteer reserve: and the rest is history. Eric Brown joined the Fleet Air Arm and went on to be the greatest test pilot in history, flying more different aircraft types than anyone else. During his lifetime he made a record-breaking 2,407 aircraft carrier landings and survived eleven plane crashes. One of Britain's few German-speaking airmen, he went to Germany in 1945 to test the Nazi jets, interviewing (among others) Hermann Goering and Hanna Reitsch. He flew the suicidally dangerous Me 163 rocket plane, and tested the first British jets. WINGS ON MY SLEEVE is 'Winkle' Brown's incredible story.(p) 2016 Orion Publishing Group
Wings On My Sleeve: The World's Greatest Test Pilot tells his story
by Eric BrownThe autobiography of one of the greatest pilots in history.In 1939 Eric Brown was on a University of Edinburgh exchange course in Germany, and the first he knew of the war was when the Gestapo came to arrest him. They released him, not realising he was a pilot in the RAF volunteer reserve: and the rest is history. Eric Brown joined the Fleet Air Arm and went on to be the greatest test pilot in history, flying more different aircraft types than anyone else. During his lifetime he made a record-breaking 2,407 aircraft carrier landings and survived eleven plane crashes. One of Britain's few German-speaking airmen, he went to Germany in 1945 to test the Nazi jets, interviewing (among others) Hermann Goering and Hanna Reitsch. He flew the suicidally dangerous Me 163 rocket plane, and tested the first British jets. WINGS ON MY SLEEVE is 'Winkle' Brown's incredible story.
Wings over the Waves: The Biography and Letters of Lieut. Com. Roy Baker-Falkner DSO DSC RN
by Graham DruckerThis is the biography of one of the Royal Navys legendary pilots. BF or Daddy as he was known, started his career at Dartmouth and then spent his early seagoing years in Hong Kong, Nagasaki and Hiroshima. His wartime experiences as a Fleet Air pilot aboard HMS Glorious included the historic air strike at Taranto and the search for the Graf Spee. In May 1940 he was loaned to Coastal Command and attacked German Panzer tanks in a biplane, defended Allied troops over Dunkirk and was one of only a few naval officers to fight in the Battle of Britain. After a period as a test pilot at Boscombe Down he became one of only four Wing Leaders in the Royal Navy. His successful leadership lead to many more successes, not least the crippling of Tirpitz as part of a diversionary plan in the lead up to D-Day.He was a superb pilot, loved by all the air and ground crew under his command. His reputation as a fearless and dynamic leader remains a legend today. The book contains detailed and graphic accounts of aerial sorties and strikes throughout the dark days over Nazi Europe. Tragically he was killed in action in July 1944, one week prior to promotion and a job ashore. The book includes many of his letters and extracts from his diary.
Wingspread: A. B. Simpson: A Study in Spiritual Altitude
by A. W. TozerAlbert Benjamin Simpson was God's man. From inauspicious beginnings in Bayview, Prince Edward Island, Canada, he rose to prominence through Presbyterian pastorages in Hamilton, Ontario, Louisville, Kentucky, and New York City.But God had other plans for Simpson. He resigned from his comfortable pulpit to launch a ministry aimed at reaching the world's lost multitudes.Wingspread is Simpson's story—a story of one of God's chosen leaders, written by another man of God, A. W. Tozer. It will captivate and challenge you, inspiring you to rise up and attempt something great for God.
Wingspread: A. B. Simpson: A Study in Spiritual Altitude
by A. W. TozerAlbert Benjamin Simpson was God's man. From inauspicious beginnings in Bayview, Prince Edward Island, Canada, he rose to prominence through Presbyterian pastorages in Hamilton, Ontario, Louisville, Kentucky, and New York City.But God had other plans for Simpson. He resigned from his comfortable pulpit to launch a ministry aimed at reaching the world's lost multitudes.Wingspread is Simpson's story—a story of one of God's chosen leaders, written by another man of God, A. W. Tozer. It will captivate and challenge you, inspiring you to rise up and attempt something great for God.
Winifred Sanford: The Life and Times of a Texas Writer
by Betty Holland WiesepapeWinifred Sanford is generally regarded by critics as one of the best and most important early twentieth-century Texas women writers, despite publishing only a handful of short stories before slipping into relative obscurity. First championed by her mentor, H. L. Mencken, and published in his magazine, The American Mercury, many of Sanford's stories were set during the Texas oil boom of the 1920s and 1930s and offer a unique perspective on life in the boomtowns during that period. Four of her stories were listed in The Best American Short Stories of 1926. Questioning the sudden end to Sanford's writing career, Wiesepape, a leading literary historian of Texas women writers, delved into the author's previously unexamined private papers and emerged with an insightful and revealing study that sheds light on both Sanford's abbreviated career and the domestic lives of women at the time. The first in-depth account of Sanford's life and work, Wiesepape's biography discusses Sanford's fiction through the sociohistorical contexts that shaped and inspired it. In addition, Wiesepape has included two previously unpublished stories as well as eighteen previously unpublished letters to Sanford from Mencken. Winifred Sanford is an illuminating biography of one of the state's unsung literary jewels and an important and much-needed addition to the often overlooked field of Texas women's writing.
Wînipêk: Visions of Canada from an Indigenous Centre
by Niigaan SinclairNATIONAL BESTSELLERFrom ground zero of this country's most important project: reconciliationNiigaan Sinclair has been called provocative, revolutionary, and one of this country's most influential thinkers on the issues impacting Indigenous cultures, communities, and reconciliation in Canada. In his debut collection of stories, observations, and thoughts about Winnipeg, the place he calls "ground zero" of Canada's future, read about the complex history and contributions of this place alongside the radical solutions to injustice and violence found here, presenting solutions for a country that has forgotten principles of treaty and inclusivity. It is here, in the place where Canada began—where the land, water, people, and animals meet— that a path "from the centre" is happening for all to see.At a crucial and fragile moment in Canada's long history with Indigenous peoples, one of our most essential writers begins at the centre, capturing a web spanning centuries of community, art, and resistance. Based on years' worth of columns, Niigaan Sinclair delivers a defining essay collection on the resilience of Indigenous peoples. Here, we meet the creators, leaders, and everyday people preserving the beauty of their heritage one day at a time. But we also meet the ugliest side of colonialism, the Indian Act, and the communities who suffer most from its atrocities. Sinclair uses the story of Winnipeg to illuminate the reality of Indigenous life all over what is called Canada. This is a book that demands change and celebrates those fighting for it, that reminds us of what must be reconciled and holds accountable those who must do the work. It's a book that reminds us of the power that comes from loving a place, even as that place is violently taken away from you, and the magic of fighting your way back to it.
Winisk: On the Shore of Hudson Bay
by Mildred Young HubbertThe northern community known as Peawanuck (Cree for Flint) is located approximately 32 kilometres up river from the former village of Winisk on the shore of Hudson Bay. There, prior to a devastating flood on May 16, 1986, the First Nations residents of Winisk had carried on with a traditional lifestyle built largely around hunting and trapping seasons.The late Mildred Young Hubbert of Markdale, Ontario, first visited Winisk in the 1960s as a classroom consultant with the then Department of Indian Affairs. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine the scenario some three years later that found her experiencing an odd sort of honeymoon at Winisk and ultimately her first three years of marriage to the wonderful and highly unorthodox teacher, George Hubbert, all six foot six of him. Together the two teachers came to be a vital part of the village during the mid-1970s, a story lovingly and engagingly told by Millie Hubbert in a manuscript completed just prior to her passing.Winisk: On the Shore of Hudson Bay is charmingly told in the same anecdotal writing style that delighted readers of several previous books by the same author. This is vintage Millie Hubbert!
Winkle: The Extraordinary Life of Britain’s Greatest Pilot
by Paul BeaverDiscover the daring life story and astonishing adventures of Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown - Britain's greatest-ever pilot 'Winkle Brown's astonishing adventures make for fascinating reading' SUNDAY TIMES'[A] thumping great biography by Britain's leading aviation historian' DAILY MAIL, 'BOOK OF THE WEEK'*MARITIME MEDIA AWARDS BEST BOOK NOMINEE*--Small in stature but immense in reputation and talent, there was more to Eric 'Winkle' Brown than met the eye.From shooting down Luftwaffe bombers from the deck of a carrier in the Battle of the Atlantic and narrowly escaping death when his ship was torpedoed, to accumulating a never-to-be repeated litany of world records and firsts as a test pilot, his unparalleled flying career saw him take the controls of over four hundred different kinds of aircraft - more than any other pilot in history.A rival to Chuck Yeager and hero to Neil Armstrong, by the time of his appearance on Desert Island Discs' 1000th episode Winkle had become a legend in his own lifetime, and by his death, a national treasure.But despite his enormous fame, there have always been mysteries at the heart of Winkle's story.Now, drawing on previously unseen documents and unfettered access to Winkle's own personal archive, Paul Beaver uncovers the complex and enigmatic man behind the legend - the real story of Britain's greatest pilot.A story Winkle insisted could only be told after his death . . .----------'Compelling, fascinating and frequently jaw-dropping. A brilliant and revelatory biography' JAMES HOLLAND'Beaver recounts the story of a man he regarded as a mentor in unshowy but fascinating detail, and restores a British hero to his rightful place' OBSERVER'An excellent biography' PATRICK BISHOP, DAILY TELEGRAPH'The extraordinary story [of] a fearless pilot and decorated war hero. Epic' THE HERALD'A thrilling new biography' DAILY EXPRESS'A thumping great biography of the flying ace who made Top Gun look tame ... enthralling' DAILY MAIL'Riveting ... one of those must-read books, compelling and full of incidents that leave you gasping with surprise ... an incredible story' FLYER'An incredible life ... Brown took a secret to the grave that makes his story all the more remarkable' THE SUN
Winner: My Racing Life (ebook)
by A. P. MccoyAt Sandown Park on the 25 April 2015, riding Box Office, two jumps from home, the realisation hit me. This is it. This is really the end.I was now a matter of seconds away from the moment all the numbers stopped for ever. My career total of National Hunt winners would remain at 4,348 after this, my 17,546th ride. All the stats, the numbers that had governed my life for the last two decades, they were just a few hundred yards from being stilled for ever. My whole career, my whole adult life, had been built on making those numbers click upwards as fast as I could, but in a couple of furlongs they would never move again.Deciding to retire was the most difficult decision I've ever had to make. Fortunately I was able to go out at the very top, and being able to say that makes me a very, very lucky man indeed. And now, in this book, I've been able to look back over my entire career - both good and bad moments - and see it in its entirety: the biggest wins, the disappointments, the injuries and the tragedies, my wonderful family, and the amazing horses and the fantastic personalities I've worked with.18,000 people turned up to that final race at Sandown, and I can now look back on my career with immense pride and gratitude. But that chapter of my life is closed. This book is the final word on my riding career - it's time to move forward.
Winner: My Racing Life
by A.P. McCoyFully updated with a new chapter on A.P.'s knighthood, the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement award and his new role as a TV punditWhen Tony 'A.P.' McCoy announced his retirement from racing, the shockwaves reverberated across the world of sport. With more than 4,300 winners to his name, McCoy seemed to be at the peak of his powers when he suddenly brought down the curtain on an extraordinary career.But then A.P. McCoy has always done things his way. In Winner: My Racing Life, AP reflects upon his unparalleled career, taking the reader from his humble beginnings in County Antrim to the emotional day at Sandown when horse racing bade a tearful farewell to arguably its greatest ever star. McCoy relates in forensic detail the process that led to his decision to retire, recalls some of his greatest rides, lifts the lid on his family life and looks ahead to a future no longer driven by the constant pursuit of victory. The result is a remarkable insight into the private and public life of a true winner.
Winner: My Racing Life
by A.P. McCoyTony (A.P.) McCoy has collected a record twenty consecutive jump jockey titles to date, and since 1992 he has ridden over 4,300 winners. This powerfully honest memoir looks at life at the very top in National Hunt racing - and beyond, discussing fatherhood, writing novels and his decision to retire while he's still a long way ahead. It is a definitive autobiography that is themed around AP's ten most important races: his first ride, first race, first fall, first win, greatest disappointment - and greatest triumph.These are the memoirs of a true champion, an icon of sport, whose astonishing achievements over the past twenty years are unlikely to be surpassed. It is a great story of courage and triumphs, setbacks and pain, the private and public life of a riding phenomenon.Read by Stephen Armstrong(p) 2015 Orion Publishing Group
Winner Takes All: How Casino Mogul Steve Wynn Wonand Lostthe High Stakes Gamble to Own Las Vegas
by Christina BinkleyFrom Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and culture critic Christina Binkley comes an updated edition of her New York Times bestselling account of sex, drugs, and the rise of Las Vegas. With a new prologue on the rise and fall of Steve Wynn.The Strip. Home to some of the world's grandest, flashiest, and most lucrative casino resorts, Las Vegas, with its multitude of attractions, draws millions of tourists from around the world every year. But Sin City hasn't always been booming: modern Vegas exists largely thanks to the extraordinary vision, and remarkable hubris, of three competing business moguls: Kirk Kerkorian, Dr. Gary Loveman, and Steve Wynn. And in the wake of #MeToo revelations, not all empires survive.Having had personal access to all three tycoons, Binkley explains how their audacious efforts to reach the top-and to top one another-shaped the city as it stands. She takes us inside their grandest schemes, their riskiest deals, and the personalities that drove them to their greatest successes, and their most painful defeats. In this updated edition, she reveals the inside story of how Steve Wynn, the winner who took all, ultimately lost everything-twice. Sharp, insightful, and revealing, Winner Takes All is the gripping story of how billions of dollars and the unparalleled drive for power turned dreams into larger-than-life reality."It's a great drama on the greatest stage. . . Wynn, Kerkorian, and Loveman represent three opposing business personalities, three styles of achieving success. On the Vegas Strip, they're pitted against one another like gladiators, and we've got front-row seats. Kapow!" - bestselling author Po Bronson