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Daily Wisdom: Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad
This attractive presentation of the Prophet Muhammad’s teachings engages the reader in a moment of daily reflection. With 365 traditions covering the whole year, Daily Wisdom explores Islamic morals and manners in all aspects of everyday life. Beautifully presented, this ideal gift item is a must for every home.
Abdur Raheem Kidwai is professor of English at the Aligarh Muslim University in India and a well-known author of many works on the Qur’an and Islam.
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£10.00£10.40Daily Wisdom: Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad
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Marilyn Monroe: A Life From Beginning to End: 1 (Biographies of Actors)
Marilyn Monroe
She vigorously played the dumb-blonde stereotype in her movie roles, but there is nothing at all dumb about Marilyn Monroe. Born to a single mother who suffered from severe mental illness, the odds were stacked against the girl originally named Norma Jeane from the very beginning. She became a ward of the state and bounced around from foster home to foster home. The fact that she rose from such impoverished beginnings to become one of the top-billed acts in Hollywood speaks for itself.Inside you will read about…
– From Foster Child to Movie Star
– The Scene with the White Dress
– Marilyn the Jew
– Diagnosis of Paranoid Schizophrenia
– Marilyn’s First Overdose
– The Presidential Affair
– Locked in the Psych Ward
And much more!Discover the life and legend that is Marilyn Monroe.
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The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939
The bestselling author of STALINGRAD and BERLIN: THE DOWNFALL on the Spanish Civil War, drawing on masses of newly discovered material from the Spanish, Russian and German archives.
The civil war that tore Spain apart between 1936 and 1939 and attracted liberals and socialists from across the world to support the cause against Franco was one of the most hard-fought and bitterest conflicts of the 20th century: a war of atrocities and political genocide and a military testing ground before WWII for the Russians, Italians and Germans, whose Condor Legion so notoriously destroyed Guernica.
Antony Beevor’s account narrates the origins of the Civil War and its violent and dramatic course from the coup d’etat in July 1936 through the savage fighting of the next three years which ended in catastrophic defeat for the Republicans in 1939. And he succeeds especially well in unravelling the complex political and regional forces that played such an important part in the origins and history of the war.
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The English Civil War: A People’s History
This popular history of the English Civil War tells the story of the bloody conflict between Oliver Cromwell and Charles I from the perspectives of those involved.
The compelling narrative draws on new sources such as letters, memoirs, ballads and plays to bring to life the Roundheads and Cavaliers, the foot soldiers, war widows and witchfinders of one of the most significant turning points in British history, culminating in Oliver Cromwell s triumph and the execution of Charles I.
By blending the political and the personal, Diane Purkiss illuminates both the ideologies behind the English Civil War and the fears of those who fought in it; the men who were destroyed by the conflict and those, such as Oliver Cromwell, who were defined by it.
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£9.70£14.20The English Civil War: A People’s History
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Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK‘A beautiful, gentle exploration of the dark season of life and the light of spring that eventually follows’ RAYNOR WINN
‘My favourite book of the last five years’ CAITLIN MORAN
Wintering is a poignant and comforting meditation on the fallow periods of life, times when we must retreat to care for and repair ourselves. Katherine May thoughtfully shows us how to come through these times with the wisdom of knowing that, like the seasons, our winters and summers are the ebb and flow of life.
‘Every bit as beautiful and healing as the season itself’ ELIZABETH GILBERT
‘Absolutely beautiful’ CHERYL STRAYED
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Politics On the Edge: The instant #1 Sunday Times bestseller from the host of hit podcast The Rest Is Politics
A searing insider’s account of ten extraordinary years in Parliament from Rory Stewart, former Cabinet minister and co-presenter of breakout hit podcast The Rest Is Politics
‘The most exceptional political memoir I’ve ever read’ ALAN JOHNSON
‘An instant classic’ MARINA HYDE
‘At last a politician who can write’ SEBASTIAN FAULKSThe Times pick for *The Biggest Books of the Autumn*
Over the course of a decade from 2010, Rory Stewart went from being a political outsider to standing for prime minister – before being sacked from a Conservative Party that he had come to barely recognise.
Tackling ministerial briefs on flood response and prison violence, engaging with conflict and poverty abroad as a foreign minister, and Brexit as a Cabinet minister, Stewart learned first-hand how profoundly hollow our democracy and government had become.
Cronyism, ignorance and sheer incompetence ran rampant. Around him, individual politicians laid the foundations for the political and economic chaos of today. Stewart emerged battered but with a profound affection for his constituency of Penrith and the Border, and a deep direct insight into the era of populism and global conflict.
Uncompromising, candid and darkly humorous, Politics On the Edge is his story of the challenges, absurdities and realities of political life and a remarkable portrait of our age.
**A FINANCIAL TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, TIMES, NEW STATESMAN, CHURCH TIMES AND SCOTSMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023**
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Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You: The Murky World of Online Romance Fraud
Online romance fraud is a problem across the globe. It causes financial and emotional devastation, yet many people refuse to take it seriously. This is the story of one middle-aged woman in a cardigan determined to understand this growing phenomenon.
No other woman has had so many online romances – from Keanu Reeves to Brad Pitt to Prince William – and Becky Holmes is a favourite among peacekeeping soldiers and oil rig workers who desperately need iTunes vouchers. By winding up scammers and investigating the truth behind their profiles, Becky shines a revealing, revolting and hilarious light on a very shady corner of the internet.
Featuring first-hand accounts of victims, examples of scripts used by fraudsters, a look into the psychology of fraud and of course plenty of Becky’s hysterical interactions with scammers, this is a must-read for anyone who needs a reminder that Keanu Reeves is NOT in love with them.
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Princess Margaret: A Life Unravelled
Elegant and sophisticated biography of Princess Margaret, the controversial sister of Queen Elizabeth II, the Princess Diana of her day
‘A fascinating insight into the life of the party girl who became an icon in postwar Britain’ DAILY EXPRESS
‘She was a witty, intelligent, stimulating companion – happily Tim Heald captures all these qualities in his admirably well-balanced biography’ LITERARY REVIEW
The almost universal conception is that the life of Princess Margaret (1930-2002) was a tragic failure, a history of unfulfilment.
Tim Heald’s vivid and elegant biography portrays a woman who was beautiful and sexually alluring – even more so than Princess Diana, years later – and whose reputation for naughtiness co-existed with the glamour. The mythology is that Margaret’s life was ‘ruined’ by her not being allowed to marry the one true love of her life – Group Captain Peter Townsend – and that therefore her marriage to Lord Snowdon and her well-attested relationships with Roddy Llewellyn and others were mere consolation prizes. Margaret’s often exotic personal life in places like Mustique is a key part of her story.
The author has had extraordinary help from those closest to Princess Margaret, including her family (Lord Snowdon and her son, Lord Linley), as well as three of her private secretaries and many of her ladies in waiting. These individuals have not talked to any previous biographer. He has also had the Queen’s permission to use the royal archives.
Heald asks why one of the most famous and loved little girls in the world, who became a juvenile wartime sweetheart, ended her life a sad wheelchair-bound figure, publicly reviled and ignored. This is a story of a life in which the private and the public seemed permanently in conflict. The biography is packed with good stories. Princess Margaret was never ignored; what she said and did has been remembered and recounted to Tim Heald.
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£9.60£10.40Princess Margaret: A Life Unravelled
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Britain’s Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy
Fascinating and authoritative of Britain’s royal families from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I to Queen Victoria, by leading popular historian Alison Weir
‘George III is alleged to have married secretly, on 17th April, 1759, a Quakeress called Hannah Lightfoot. If George III did make such a marriage…then his subsequent marriage to Queen Charlotte was bigamous, and every monarch of Britain since has been a usurper, the rightful heirs of George III being his children by Hannah Lightfoot…’
Britain’s Royal Families provides in one volume, complete genealogical details of all members of the royal houses of England, Scotland and Great Britain – from 800AD to the present. Drawing on countless authorities, both ancient and modern, Alison Weir explores the crown and royal family tree in unprecedented depth and provides a comprehensive guide to the heritage of today’s royal family – with fascinating insight and often scandalous secrets.
‘Staggeringly useful… combines solid information with tantalising appetisers.’ Mail on Sunday
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£9.60£10.40Britain’s Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy
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…And What Do You Do?: What the royal family don’t want you to know
The royal family: the quintessential British institution or an antiquated, overindulged drain on the taxpayer?
For all their foibles and idiosyncrasies, the royal family wield considerable influence and yet rather than facing the scrutiny their position merits, they enjoy sickeningly obsequious coverage which reports their activities with breathless awe.
And What Do You Do? is a provocative and hard-hitting analysis, exposing the royals extravagant use of public money and the highly dubious behaviour of some among their number. Former Minister of State and current Privy Counsellor Norman Baker breaks ranks to explore the wider role the royals play in society, including the link with House of Lords reform and the constitutional position of the monarch.
Now fully updated to include new material on Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, this irreverent and uncompromising account asks urgent questions about the future of the world s most famous royal family.
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The Ref’s Call: Memoir of an Irish Rugby Referee
‘A genuine presence on the field, Owen refereed with the perfect balance of respect and authority’ Keith Wood
‘Highly respected with vast experience and knowledge, Owen Doyle contributed hugely to the world of rugby refereeing, both on and off the field’ Nigel Owens
‘Owen Doyle was a highly respected referee who officiated matches with passion, commitment, knowledge and, occasionally, some great humour’ Will Carling
With a foreword by Donal Lenihan.
Owen Doyle is an Irish Times columnist and former Irish rugby Test match referee. Here in his frank, revealing and often humorous memoir, The Ref’s Call, he gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the high-pressured world of international rugby.
From the processes involved in becoming a referee, to officiating in the Five Nations, touring Internationals and a World Cup, Doyle takes us through the most memorable matches of his career and how, following his retirement, he became instrumental in coaching the most successful generation of referees in the IRFU’s history.
Covering over forty years of rugby, and written in his own inimitable style, Doyle looks at the challenges facing modern rugby, particularly the issues of concussion and dementia, to give a fascinating insight into the great game, told from a unique perspective.
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£9.60£10.40The Ref’s Call: Memoir of an Irish Rugby Referee
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Game On: The Unstoppable Rise of Women’s Sport: Shortlisted for the Sunday Times Sports Book of the Year & Longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year
Sport has an extraordinary, unique capacity to challenge and change society – to bring joy and hope; to improve physical and mental health, reduce loneliness and build self-esteem and happiness. It’s also a multi-billion-pound commercial industry that can transform lives, businesses, nations and regions. Why has half the population been deprived of access to something so culturally powerful?
In recent years, the landscape for women’s sport has finally begun to shift. We’ve seen significant increases in investment, spectators and media coverage. More women as professional athletes and taking influential roles as board directors, editors, officials and CEOs.
Yet still, female athletes don’t get equal funding or opportunities. In many sports, women receive less prize money, lower sponsorship revenues and a tiny fraction of the media coverage.
Drawing on her own experiences, and interviews with high profile Olympic and Paralympic champions, broadcasters, journalists, sports scientists, CEOs, officials and sponsors, Sue Anstiss investigates why women have been excluded from the world of sport for centuries – and why we are now witnessing positive change as never before.
Game On is a celebration of the trailblazing women opening doors for others and a manifesto for women’s sport – a rallying cry to ensure the progress we are currently seeing goes from strength to strength.
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The Wood Life: WINNER OF THE 2023 SPORTS BOOK AWARDS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BOOK OF THE YEAR
*WINNER OF THE 2023 SPORTS BOOK AWARDS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BOOK OF THE YEAR*
*FOREWORD BY BEN STOKES*
Hallo – I’m Mark Wood. As an England and Durham cricketer who was born, raised and refined in Ashington, Northumberland, my life has been quite unique. Over the course of my career so far, I’ve won an Ashes and a World Cup in an international career that at the time of writing is going on seven years and counting.
Being a fast bowler like myself is up there with the toughest of all sporting pursuits, like being Tyson Fury’s punchbag or working behind the bar during the darts at Ally Pally.
Being a cricketer? There’s nothing like it. And doing it for England? Well, I’m lucky to call it a profession. There’s been a lot of hard work along the way. Plenty of sacrifices and pain to accompany the good times that make them all worthwhile.
I’ve been everywhere, from Barbados to Brisbane, Chester-le-Street to Chennai, waiting rooms to operating tables. I’ve played in some of the most exotic locations in the world and eaten margherita pizzas in every single one of them.
To be honest, it’s amazing I’ve waited this long to bring out my own self-help book.
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Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story
In his signature larger-than-life style, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Total Recall is a revealing self-portrait of his illustrious, controversial and truly unique life.Born in a small Austrian town in 1947, a year of famine, he was the son of an austere police chief. He dreamed of moving to America to become a bodybuilding champion and a movie star. By the age of 21, he was living in Los Angeles and had been crowned Mr Universe. Within five years, he had learned English and become the greatest bodybuilder in the world. Within ten years, he had earned his college degree and was a millionaire from his business enterprises in real estate, landscaping and bodybuilding. He was also the winner of a Golden Globe Award for his debut as a dramatic actor in Stay Hungry.
But that was only the beginning. The Terminator spawned numerous sequels and made him one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, as he had a series of hit films including Predator, Total Recall, True Lies and Twins. He married Maria Shriver, becoming part of the Kennedy clan, while going on to become the Republican governor of California, where he led the state through a budget crisis, natural disasters and political turmoil.
It is the greatest immigrant success story of our time. His story is unique, and uniquely entertaining, and he tells it brilliantly in these pages. Until now, he has never told the full story of his life, in his own voice. Here is Arnold, with total recall.
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£9.60£10.40Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story
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Bigger than Hitler – Better than Christ
In this electrifying autobiography, Rik stands naked in front of his vast legions of fans and disciples and invites them to take communion with the blood he has spilled for them during his thirty year war on show business.
He invented alternative comedy with The Young Ones, he brought down the Thatcher administration with The New Statesman and he changed the face of global culture with his masterpiece Bottom. Not only was his number one single ‘Living Doll’ the saviour of rock ‘n’ roll but he also rescued the British film industry with the vast revenues created by his legendary movie Drop Dead Fred. In 1998, he survived an assassination attempt and spent five days in a coma before he literally came back from the dead. Having completed countless phenomenal feature films, TV series, live extravaganzas and radio voice-overs since then, Rik Mayall is now poised on the brink of a whole new epoch-shattering revolution.
For the first time ever, Rik reveals in print the deep inner truth behind his gargantuan ascent to the pinnacle of international light entertainment – the mental hospitals he has broken out of, the television executives he has assaulted, the drugs he has definitely not taken, the charities he has bankrupted, the countless pregnancies he has engendered, and so much more.
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£9.60£10.40Bigger than Hitler – Better than Christ
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Great-Uncle Harry: A Tale of War and Empire
‘An important historical record and a well-paced story in its own right, Great-Uncle Harry is also much more than that: a tremendous act of love.’ Guardian
___________________________________From the time, many years ago, when Michael Palin first heard that his grandfather had a brother, Harry, he was determined to find out more about him.
The quest that followed involved hundreds of hours of painstaking detective work. Michael dug out every bit of family gossip and correspondence he could. He studied every relevant official document. He tracked down what remained of his great-uncle Harry’s diaries and letters, and pored over photographs of First World War battle scenes to see whether Harry appeared in any of them. He walked the route Harry took on that fatal, final day of his life amid the mud of northern France. And as he did so, a life that had previously existed in the shadows was revealed to him.
Great-Uncle Harry is an utterly compelling account of an ordinary man who led an extraordinary life. A blend of biography, history, travelogue and personal memoir this is Michael Palin at his very finest.
___________________________________________
PRAISE FOR EREBUS:
‘Beyond terrific. I didn’t want it to end.’ BILL BRYSON
‘Magisterial . . . Palin brings energy, wit and humanity to a story that has never ceased to tantalise people.’ THE TIMES
‘Everybody’s talking about it . . . A brilliant book.’ CHRIS EVANS
‘I absolutely loved it: I had to read it at one sitting.’ LORRAINE KELLYRead more
£9.60£10.40Great-Uncle Harry: A Tale of War and Empire
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The Devil Rides Out: Wickedly funny and painfully honest stories from Paul O’Grady
Birkenhead, 1973. The eighteen-year-old Paul O’Grady gets ready for a big Saturday night out on the town. New white T-shirt, freshly ironed jeans, looking good. As he bids farewell to his mum, who’s on the phone to his auntie, and wanders off down the street in a cloud of aftershave, he hears her familiar cry: ‘Oh, the devil rides out tonight, Annie. The devil rides out!’
The further adventures of Paul O’Grady – following on from the million-copy-selling At My Mother’s Knee – are, if anything, even more hilarious and outrageous than what has come before.To say that The Devil Rides Out is action-packed is an understatement. Its extraordinary cast of characters includes lords and ladies, the legendary Vera, a serial killer, more prostitutes than you can shake a stick at and drag queens of every shape and size. Wickedly funny, often moving, and searingly honest, Paul’s tales of the unexpected will make your jaw drop and your hair stand on end. And you’ll laugh like a drain. The Devil Rides Out is one hell of a read!
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Conversations on Love: with Philippa Perry, Dolly Alderton, Roxane Gay, Stephen Grosz, Esther Perel, and many more
*THE TOP 10 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*
‘This book might just change your life’ Sunday Times
‘Wise, wonderful, moving and brilliant… will leave your heart in a much better place’ Stylist
After years of feeling that love was always out of reach, journalist Natasha Lunn set out to understand how relationships work and evolve over a lifetime. She turned to authors and experts to learn about their experiences, as well as drawing on her own, asking: How do we find love? How do we sustain it? And how do we survive when we lose it?
In Conversations on Love she began to find the answers:
Philippa Perry on falling in love slowly
Dolly Alderton on vulnerability
Stephen Grosz on accepting change
Candice Carty-Williams on friendship
Lisa Taddeo on the loneliness of loss
Diana Evans on parenthood
Emily Nagoski on the science of sex
Alain de Botton on the psychology of being alone
Esther Perel on unrealistic expectations
Roxane Gay on redefining romance
and many more…‘A gorgeous, richly layered book about all forms of love. You can pick it up and turn to any page – literally any – and find a gem to soothe and fortify your soul’ Pandora Sykes, Sunday Times bestselling author of ‘How Do We Know We’re Doing It Right?’
‘Hopeful and uplifting… this deep dive into the human heart will expand and enrich your perspective on love’ Evening Standard
‘I underlined passages on almost every page of this wide-ranging, tender-hearted book’ The Times, Books of the Year
‘Uplifting… You’ll laugh, cry and recommend it to your friends’ Refinery29
‘Wonderful’ Julia Samuel, bestselling author of GRIEF WORKS and THIS TOO SHALL PASS
‘This eclectic and heartwarming collection explores love in all its forms, from romantic and parental love to friendship and loss’Observer
‘Conversations on Love made me laugh, shed tears, think deeply. I want every person I love to read this book’ Dr Kathryn Mannix, Sunday Times bestselling author of WITH THE END IN MIND
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The Institute: Stephen King
‘It does everything you’d expect of a masterpiece – and it is one’ Sunday Express
‘Hums and crackles with delicious unease’ Independent
‘Captivating’ The Sunday Times
‘An absorbing thriller’ Mail on Sunday
NO ONE HAS EVER ESCAPED FROM THE INSTITUTE.
Luke Ellis, a super-smart twelve-year-old with an exceptional gift, is the latest in a long line of kids abducted and taken to a secret government facility, hidden deep in the forest in Maine.
Here, kids with special talents – telekinesis and telepathy – like Luke’s new friends Kalisha, Nick and Iris, are subjected to a series of experiments.
There seems to be no hope of escape. Until Luke teams up with an even younger boy whose powers of telepathy are off the scale.
Meanwhile, far away in a small town in South Carolina, former cop Tim Jamieson, looking for the quiet life, has taken a job working for the local sheriff. He doesn’t know he’s about to take on the biggest case of his career . . .
THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY OUT.
‘An epic tale of childhood betrayal and hope regained… an immersive tale full of suspense and thrills that will keep readers up late at night racing towards a heartbreaking yet glorious finale… a dazzling achievement’ – Daily Express
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£9.60£10.40The Institute: Stephen King
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Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing: ‘Funny, fascinating and compelling’ The Times
‘There’s never been a more honest or raw memoir … and it may just save lives’ Daily Mail
‘Funny, fascinating, compelling … also a wonderful read for fans of Friends’ The Times
The beloved star of Friends takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this candid, funny, and revelatory memoir that delivers a powerful message of hope and persistence.
This is the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, who takes us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who travelled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.
In an extraordinary story that only he could tell – and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it – Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humour, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fuelled it despite seemingly having it all.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening – as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for.
‘An unflinching and often harrowing must-read for 90s pop culture fans’ Guardian
‘Written with Chandler’s trademark sarcasm and self-deprecation’ Telegraph
‘A hopeful read … I started to think of [it] not as a celebrity memoir about addiction, but as an addiction memoir written by a man who understands his own history through the prism of showbiz’ Independent
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The Winter War: The Russo-Finnish War of 1939-40
On 30 November 1939, Soviet bombers unloaded their bombs on Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Stalin’s ultimatum, demanding the cession of huge tracts of territory as a buffer zone against Nazi Germany, had been rejected by the Finnish government, and now a small Baltic republic was at war with the giant Soviet military machine. But this forgotten war, fought under brutal, sub-arctic conditions, often with great heroism on both sides, proved one of the most astonishing in military history. Using guerrilla fighters on skis, even reindeer to haul supplies on sleds, heroic single-handed attacks on tanks, and with unfathomable endurance and the charismatic leadership of one of the 20th century’s true military geniuses, Finland not only kept at bay but won an epic, if short-lived, victory over the hapless Russian conscripts. Its surreal engagements included the legendary “Sausage Battle”, when starving Soviet troops who had over-run a Finnish encampment couldn’t resist the cauldrons of hot sausage soup left behind by their opponents – and were ambushed as they stopped to sup. Although by sheer attritional weight of numbers Stalin eventually prevailed over the Finns, their pointed resistance enabled their country to remain free, even as other countries fell one by one.
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A Teenager’s War: The true story of an 18 year old lad from Huddersfield fighting during WW2 in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany with the 5th … the Liberation of Europe…
This book is a tribute to my Uncle Jim, Private James Watson 14428202 5th Black Watch, 51st Highland Division. All the stories are true as they are based on War Records, Soldiers Diaries, conversations with Veterans of 51st Highland Division and family and friends. You can learn more about the Black Watch at www.theblackwatch.co.uk. The Black Watch Museum is housed in the dramatic and historic Balhousie Castle. The Castle is set in its own beautiful gardens and grounds. A visit to this ancestral home of The Black Watch brings this glorious Regiment’s past vibrantly to life.Read more
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A Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Edition: 1926-2022 The Life and Reign of Her Majesty (Fox Chapel Publishing) Articles, Stunning Photos, Family Tree, Timelines,…
The most complete collection of in-depth content regarding Queen Elizabeth II.
- A commemorative keepsake and tribute to the childhood, life, royal family, and reign of Queen Elizabeth II
- Fascinating articles detailing historical events, major milestones, the royal family tree and timeline, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, her legacy, the modern monarchy, and more
- Never-before-seen photographs, stunning illustrations, timelines, family trees, and other insightful visuals
- Profiles of George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Prince Philip, and other members of the royal family and line of succession
With these pages, we remember a queen who devoted herself to her country and the people within it.
In 1926, a princess was born in Mayfair, London. Named Elizabeth after her mother, she was third in line to the throne, but expected to be pushed further down the line of succession when her uncle had his own children. From the meeting and wedding of her parents in 1923 to her birth in 1926 and details of her childhood, upbringing, and education, read about the young princess who was originally third in line to the throne.
Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952 at 25 years old after the death of her adored father. This tribute carefully details the monumental events that followed, including her coronation that took 18 months to plan, the birth of the Commonwealth, her influential role as one of the most experienced heads of state in the world, pivotal moments such as her iconic state visit to China in 1986 that improved relations between the two countries, and more.
In this touching tribute to one of Britain’s most loved monarchs, we explore the woman who has ruled over generations, her legacy, the history of her royal family, and more, with expertly written articles by the most knowledgeable historians and royal family experts, including Scott Reeves, June Woolerton, Jon Wright, and others.
A Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Edition is the ultimate, jam-packed resource for history lovers and admirers of Queen Elizabeth II.
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Britain’s Royal Heritage: An A to Z of the Monarchy
This book is more than a biography of kings and queens; it is an encyclopaedic work on every aspect of monarchy in Britain from semi-legendary times to the present day. Arranged in an A-Z format, it includes mini biographies on each of the forty-two kings and queens who have ruled since the Norman Conquest, details of the royal lines in Scotland before the Act of Union, the background to the royal houses of Britain and the consorts – largely foreign – who have married into the monarchy. Royal scandals, wars, ceremonies, households, tombs and insignia make fascinating reading, and this book is the ideal reference work for all those who want to know more about individual monarchs and the impressive legacy of myths, traditions, beliefs and practices that have grown up around the institution of the monarchy.
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Kammy: The Funny and Moving Autobiography by the Broadcasting Legend
Foreword by Ben Shephard
‘Everyone loves Kammy . . . Full of humour and endless blunders’ – The Times
‘What a man, what a life, what a story, and what a great read’ – Paddy McGuinnessPresenter, commentator, (sometimes masked) singer, footballer, manager and campaigner, Kammy has done it all. His irrepressible enthusiasm – and a couple of legendary gaffes on Sky Sports – have seen him become broadcasting royalty.
Now Kammy reveals all in this funny and moving autobiography. What happens when you double cross José Mourinho? What it’s like to play with Vinnie Jones? Who comes off better: Kammy or a rampaging gorilla? How did Kammy end up releasing his own top-ten record? What’s the real story behind his infamous line, ‘I don’t know, Jeff!’?
But despite the crazy tales, it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Kammy had a tough upbringing, faced racism during his playing career and has, in recent years, dealt with a rare brain condition – apraxia – that has affected his speech and seen him say goodbye to Sky Sports. Relating his battle against the condition, Kammy shows how he’s met every challenge with courage, determination and his infectious smile.
Packed with hilarious stories and featuring a cast of famous names, from Elton John to Channing Tatum, this is a book about friendship, courage and why it’s always important to have a good laugh.
‘A talented (and daft) lad from the Boro who has entertained the nation for decades, on and off the pitch. So get the tissues ready – this book will make you laugh and cry in equal measure’ – Steph McGovern
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Aisha: The Wife, The Companion, The Scholar
This book portrays one of the most significant personalities in the history of Islam. Taking the misunderstandings and defamation about her into consideration, Aisha needs to be understood correctly. This study by Dr Resit Haylamaz, an expert on the life of the Prophet and his leading Companions, reflects her life in various aspects based on reliable reports. The book clarifies her critical role at establishing the Islamic teaching, with particular reference to her role in the transmission of private matters concerning women and marital relations, as well as recording the authentic sayings of the Prophet. As her sensitivity at practising religion is related in a rich variety of examples, much disputed issues like her marriage age and her stance about Ali ibn Abi Talib are covered as separate topics.Read more
£9.50£10.40Aisha: The Wife, The Companion, The Scholar
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Watching the Tree: A Chinese Daughter Reflects on Happiness, Spiritual Beliefs and Universal Wisdom
Author of bestselling ‘Falling Leaves’ weaves together for the same audience her own personal experiences with the best of Chinese philosophy.
Adeline Yen Mah, whose autobiography ‘Falling Leaves’ is an international bestseller, here interweaves her own experiences with her views on Chinese thought and wisdom to create an illuminating and highly personal guide for Western readers.
Adeline Yen Mah was born in Tianjin, and through the conversations and wisdom of her grandfather and aunt learnt a great deal of traditional Chinese thought, history and religion. Through her father’s second marriage to a Eurasian woman, and their subsequent move to Hong Kong, she learnt more about the Chinese attitudes to business and to family, and the strength of the Chinese in exile.
Since living in London and California, Adeline Yen Mah has studied Chinese thought, looking at both the strengths and weaknesses which it gives those who follow it and now, in ‘Watching the Tree’, she takes us on a journey through the Chinese language, religions and history, using both Chinese proverbs and her own experiences, to bring to us an understanding of the richness of China and the ways that we can take and use some of the wisdom for ourselves in the West.
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What Now
What Now is written to assist people through times of change. It’s particularly relevant in these very trying times of COVID-19. It is not a how-to manual; it’s an entertaining and humbling account of how one person discovered the most powerful transformation force of all! How he recreated himself after being unceremoniously sacked from the job he had dreamed about as a teenager. What Now tells the story of how a barefoot and frightened little boy from the remote bush of Australia went on to play State of Origin for Queensland, represent Australia and achieve his dream of being a Head Coach, leading the London Broncos alongside Sir Richard Branson onto the hallowed turf of Wembley Stadium. After tragically losing his father at the tender age of three, he unconsciously sought out older people as role models. In his story, Dan Stains reflects on his quest in search of the most powerful transformational force available. The lessons he uncovered on this journey lead the reader on a path to reveal their own What Now. The rollercoaster ride takes the reader on a sometimes uneasy and humbling path. From the foothills of East Cooyar, to the raucous applause of screaming fans at the best football stadiums in the world, Dan discovers that the ‘open sesame’ to change is by simply loving all of life, including and especially yourself, and the rest is taken care of.Read more
£9.50What Now
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Charlie Faulkner: The 1 and Only
Immortalised in Max Boyce’s ‘The Pontypool Front Row’, Charlie Faulkner was a key member of the 1970s Wales team which dominated Northern Hemisphere rugby, winning all four of the Five Nations Championships he played in, with three Triple Crowns and two Grand Slams. The early days, the glory years with Pontypool, Wales and the 1977 Lions, his time as a coach – in this long-awaited autobiography, Faulkner takes us behind the scenes and tells us in his own words how it was, with his trademark humility and humour. In progress when Faulkner died in early 2023 aged 81, the book has been completed by co-author Greg Lewis with input from teammates, friends and family.Read more
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ROB BURROW BIOGRAPHY: The Ups and Downs of An English Former Rugby League Player.
Robert Geoffrey Burrow is a former professional rugby league player for the England national team.He played for England and Great Britain for 16 years, making over 400 games with Leeds Rhinos in the Super League between 2001 and 2017.
Burrow, who stood at just 5 feet, 5 inches (165 centimetres) and weighed less than 11 kg (70 kilogrammes; 150 pounds), held the title of “the smallest player in Super League” for many years.
Despite this, he was among the most successful players in the history of the tournament, having won eight Super League titles, two Challenge Cups, being selected to the Super League Dream Team three times, and taking home the Harry Sunderland Trophy on two separate occasions.
On December 19 2019, Burrow announced his diagnosis with motor neurone disease (MND).
For his contributions to the Rugby League and the MND community, he was appointed on December 30, 2020, as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2021 New Year’s Honours List.
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Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics
‘MASTERFUL’ Time Out
‘REVELATORY’ Scotland on Sunday
‘GLORIOUSLY READABLE’ Metro
‘FASCINATING’ Independent
‘EXCELLENT’ Telegraph
‘ABSORBING’ GuardianWinner of the British Sports Book Awards
Football Book of the YearThe fifteenth anniversary edition, fully revised and updated, of Jonathan Wilson’s modern classic.
In the modern classic, Jonathan Wilson pulls apart the finer details of the world’s game, tracing the global history of tactics, from modern pioneers right back to the beginning, when chaos reigned. Along the way, he looks at the lives of great players and thinkers who shaped the sport, and probes why the English, in particular, have proved themselves unwilling to grapple with the abstract.
Fully revised and updated, this fifteenth-anniversary edition analyses the evolution of modern international football, including the 2022 World Cup, charting the influence of the great Spanish, German and Portuguese tacticians of the last decade, whilst pondering the effects of football’s increased globalisation and commercialisation.
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HMS to HMP: 33 Years of Gambling Addiction
This is my story, warts and all, to share my journey and battle with a 33 year long gambling addiction.
I wish it was a story, I wish I had exaggerated and falsified parts of it, but unfortunately, it is my life, I have lived it, and those around me have lived it and experienced every bit of hurt.
From the age of 9, my life was dominated and I was controlled by gambling. My teenage years and young adulthood seen the beginning of behaviors that would cause hurt and anguish for those I loved. I joined the Navy at 18 and could have had an amazing career had it not been for my addict. I had many opportunities to change and ask for help but I ignored them as my addicts ego was huge. This ego would win along with my addict to take me to what I believed would be my lowest point by being sent to prison in 2018 but this wouldn’t be the end of the hurt.
This book covers my childhood, young adulthood, 13 years in the Royal Navy and my pathway to prison. There are stories of addiction, domestic arguments, emotional abuse and even an episode of physical violence.
For the addict reading this, I try to explain the thought processes, the feelings and the emotions that drove my behavior, as well as identifying areas that you, yourself could identify and work on to avoid these same behaviors.
For the affected others, I hope that by sharing my thought processes, and explaining the way I manipulated others, that this will help you to recognise the signs in your loved ones, to assist you in getting them the help they need, or if needs be, to leave and protect yourself, before you are broken by the addict inside of them.
I mention my ‘addict’ as we are two completely different people; my addict is horrible, he manipulates, lies, commits fraud and will hurt anyone without a second thought to protect his love of gambling and his addiction. I wouldn’t want to spend a single day in his company and I despise his behavior. I don’t look to blame him solely or to use him as an excuse as I’m a grown adult who made bad decisions, but they were dominated by his influence and the gambling industry who have very little in the way of morals, who even today, continue to prey on the vulnerable addicts amongst us.
The real Andy or ‘Drew’ as I have now been affectionately known as, is a completely different person; he is loving, caring, empathetic, intelligent, thoughtful, honest and he has a real desire to use his understanding of his addicts behavior to help others avoid hitting the same depths that he did.
For those of you thinking, it’s not a big deal and an easy addiction to control and break, the chances are you are the lucky one as you have not been touched by it; if you touch it, you will get burnt. ‘Just stop’ is not possible.
If you have been, then you will know the truth. A gambling addiction is like all others, it is relentless, cruel and shows no mercy; it is hard to spot and easy to hide.
I was a manipulative monster who would lie, cheat and take everything and anything I needed to feed it; it will destroy loved ones, relationships, careers and ultimately, it takes lives through suicide.
It is not though, impossible to understand it, to identify the trauma or behaviors that allow it to flourish and to take back control. Recovery is possible; it will be hard, it will take time and there will be many hurdles to overcome but it is worth it.
There is always hope, help and a way out if you choose to ask for and accept the help available. I could never achieve abstinence alone, let alone recovery.
My support network is huge, the people involved care and my peers are my idols. I am now in recovery and thriving thanks to all of these people and the help they have given me.Jonny, you are a legend and Dave, all I can say is, we all need to ‘be more Dave’.
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Kelly Holmes: Unique – A Memoir
In national treasure Dame Kelly Holmes’ most personal book yet, she tells the true story behind her extraordinary life from army recruit to Olympic hero and much-loved TV personality.
Last year, Dame Kelly came out publicly as being gay and revealed that for the first 52 years of her life she’d been living a LIFE OF FEAR. Now in a heart-rending and inspirational new memoir she tells of her journey from hiding her sexuality as a young soldier at a time when being gay in the military was illegal, to her fears of being outed as she stood on the podium at the Athens Olympics, the games which catapulted her to fame as a double-gold medallist.
Dame Kelly tells how she has managed to find happiness and inner peace as she has opened herself to a world where she’s finally free to be herself, and proud. In the last year she has become an unofficial ambassador for the LGBT community and has become one of the best- loved faces of daytime TV, joining the regular panel of ITV’s Loose Women.
This honest memoir is a tale of self-discovery, overcoming struggles and learning to be true to yourself.
This honest memoir is a tale of self-discovery, overcoming struggles and learning to be true to yourself. Dame Kelly says: “80,000 people were chanting my name as I stood on top of a double-decker bus and did a victory lap of my hometown. I’d won two Olympic gold medals, the first woman the UK to ever do that, and I should have been on top of the world at my homecoming parade but even in that magical moment I had this deep fear that someone was going to go to the media and out me for being gay.
“All my life I lived with that fear and anxiety of not being accepted if I lived publicly as my true self. But 18 years later I was standing on stage in Trafalgar Square at London Pride, and people were chanting for me again, this time for the person I have become and I was finally free to be me. Nothing is perfect, the journey continues and I’m learning every day about the community I’m now proud to be part of. But I’m being true to myself and that means everything.”
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£9.50£20.90Kelly Holmes: Unique – A Memoir
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The Rescue: The True Story of the SAS Mission to Save Hostages from the Taliban
The thrilling retelling of a real-life hostage rescue mission, by SAS hero and million-selling author, Andy McNab.
It is 2012 and in Northern Afghanistan, an international crisis has erupted.
A group of aid workers have been kidnapped by local insurgents and are now hidden in a winding mountain region. After attempts to negotiate a deal with the bandits fail, and with the lives of the hostages hanging in the balance, there is only option…
SAS and Navy SEALs are sent in to find and free them.
The Rescue is the action-packed story of the special forces’ attempts to save the hostages from almost certain death. Drawing on classified sources and using his own personal insight into the inner-workings of these units, Andy McNab gives a page-turning account of this incredible mission.
A heart-pounding true story of covert scouting missions, dangerous parachute jumps and fighting to survive in the face of impossible odds, this is the SAS like you’ve never read before.
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The Last Word: The Sunday Times bestseller telling the true and honest story of Katie Price from a mother’s perspective revealing untold and new facts
Raw and unflinching
This is a mother’s account of her daughter’s life
And of Katie Price and her turbulent rise to fame
The Sunday Times bestselling memoir from Amy Price.
Katie Price’s life has long been lived in the public eye, documented both by her own books, reality tv, and the tabloids. But what does this story look like from the inside?
While battling a terminal illness, Katie’s mother, Amy Price, has the last word in this honest and insightful memoir, where she reveals how her family’s past has shaped her daughter’s future.
The Last Word is the definitive story of how Katrina Amy Alexandria Alexis Infield became Katie Price. It documents how her life has been shaped by a tradition of strong women, by cycles of abuse which have been repeated through generations, and by the impact of fame and trauma on a close family unit.
The Last Word was Number 2 in the Sunday Times Hardback Non-Fiction bestseller list on Sunday 16th July.
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When Fury Takes Over: Life, the Furys and Me
Get up close and personal with Big John Fury, Gypsy Warrior and the inspiration and driving force behind boxing champion Tyson Fury.
If you’re six foot three like me, twenty stone, and you like to stand up for yourself, you’re gonna get into trouble, aren’t ya? If you’ve got Fury DNA, you’re not shy of a fight. I’ll have a fight with anybody. Win, lose or draw. I’m out there, shirt off, done and dusted. I’m a traveller, a bare knuckle boxer and my life has been anything but ordinary. Now I’m setting the record straight.
From Netflix’s At Home With The Furys this is the Gypsy Warrior, unfiltered and in his own words. When Fury Takes Over is the insider story of the Fury family, from Tyson and Paris to Tommy and Molly-Mae, and an honest and unforgettable look at the Gyspy way of life.
‘MY DAD IS TRULY A MAN AMONGST MEN’ – TYSON FURY
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£9.50£20.90When Fury Takes Over: Life, the Furys and Me
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The Strength of Love: Embracing an Uncertain Future with Resilience and Optimism
*** The Sunday Times Bestseller ***
‘Intimate, tender and brutally honest … a remarkable book.’ Decca Aitkenhead, The Sunday Times‘These are probably the toughest times we have faced in many decades, and we all have to find within us the strength and resilience to get through and to find happiness and love in our futures, whatever life throws at us.’
Kate Garraway has had to learn how to adapt ever since her husband Derek began his fight against the devastating impact of Covid, a condition that has left him needing 24-hour care at home and long spells in hospital. Every day brings uncertainty and new challenges to test Kate and her family’s resolve.
In The Strength of Love, Kate explores issues that resonate with so many of us. She looks at the impact of trauma as well as the importance of resilience, adaptability, curiosity and positivity when recovering from it. She talks about identity, purpose, how to embrace uncertainty and take back control of our lives. Through her and Derek’s story, she provides comfort and wisdom that will help anyone who has ever felt desperate, lonely or experienced profound loss, or who is fearful about what the future holds.
Despite all that she and her family have had to endure, Kate shows us that love truly is the most powerful and resilient emotion of all.
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Confessions of a Mask: Yukio Mishima (Penguin Modern Classics)
‘There is in this world a kind of desire like stinging pain’
A Japanese teenager is overcome with longing for his male classmate. He imagines his body punctured with arrows, like the body of St Sebastian in the painting that obsesses him. Over and over again, each night in his private fantasies, the objects of his lust are tortured, killed and maimed. But, in the rigid world of imperial wartime Japan there is no place for such transgressive desires. He must wear a false mask and hide his true nature, whatever the cost.
‘A terrific and astringent work of beauty’ The Times Literary Supplement
‘Mishima is lucid in the midst of emotional confusion, funny in the midst of despair’ Christopher Isherwood
‘Never has a “confession” been freer from self-pity’ Sunday Times
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Are You Really OK?: Understanding Britain’s Mental Health Emergency
We are not OK…
I’ve been fortunate enough to meet many remarkable people over the last decade of making documentaries – sometimes in incredibly hostile environments, where they’ve been really up against it – and I’ve seen the devastating effect that poverty, trauma, violence, abuse, stigma, stress, prejudice and discrimination can have on people’s mental health. It has always been the common thread.
Every week, 1 in 10 young people in the UK experiences symptoms of a common mental health problem, such as anxiety or depression, and 1 in 5 have considered taking their own life at some point. In this book, Stacey Dooley opens up the conversation about mental health in young people, to challenge the stigma and stereotypes around it.
Working in collaboration with mental health experts and charities, Stacey talks to young people across the UK directly affected by mental health issues, and helps tell their stories responsibly, in order to shine a light on life on the mental health frontline and give a voice to young people throughout the UK who are living with mental health conditions across the spectrum.
As well as hearing about their experiences directly, Stacey speaks to medical experts, counsellors, campaigners and health practitioners who can give detailed insights into the conditions profiled and explore the environmental factors that play a part – including poverty, addiction, identity, pressures of social media and the impact of Covid-19.
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