Social Issues

A heartbreaking, powerful true story from Sunday Times bestseller, Maggie Hartley, Britain’s most-loved foster carer. Perfect for fans of Cathy Glass and Casey Watson.

Foster carer Maggie Hartley is used to all manner of children arriving on her doorstep, but nothing can prepare her for sisters Billy and Bo when they arrive at her home. It is clear from the moment she sets eyes on them four-year-old Bo and seven-year-old Billy have clearly been subjected to unimaginable neglect, and it takes all of Maggie’s skills as a foster carer to try to connect with the volatile little girls, who seem far younger than their years.

Over time, the little girls slowly emerge from their shells, and Maggie begins the difficult task of trying to gain their trust. But as time goes on, it becomes clear that there is something much darker going on, something that will call into question everything Maggie has ever learned in all her years as a foster carer…

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An international bestseller and winner of the Stonewall Book Award, which inspired an award-winning film
‘A heroic work of journalism on what must rank as one of the foremost catastrophes of modern history.’
The New York Times
‘Stunning … An impressively researched and richly detailed narrative.’ TIME
Randy Shilts was the first openly gay journalist dealing with gay issues for the San Francisco Chronicle. In 1981, the year when AIDS came to international attention, he quickly devoted himself to reporting on the developing epidemic, one which devastated his community and eventually took his life as well.

Shilts interviewed over 1,000 people, weaving together extensive research in the form of personal stories and political reportage. He was perfectly placed to understand the cultural, medical and political impact of the disease on the gay community and United States society as a whole.

And the Band Played On exposes why AIDS was allowed to spread while the medical and political authorities ignored and even denied the threat. This book remains one of the great works of contemporary journalism and provides the foundation for continuing debates over governmental failure in handling lethal epidemics.

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Ultimate “Tiger Mom” Abby Lee Miller—the passionate, unapologetically outspoken, tough-as-nails star of Lifetime’s phenomenal hit Dance Moms and Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition—offers inspirational, tough love guidance for parents who want to help their children succeed and for readers of all ages striving to become the best they can be.

If you want to help your kid reach the top, you can find no better coach than Abby Lee Miller. While some may criticize her methods, no one argues with her results. Her kids excel, her teams win, and her alumni go on to Broadway careers.

Organized by “Abbyisms,” her unique and effective philosophies on hard work, competition, and life, this straight-talking guide provides clear and proven advice for achieving success, from figuring out your child’s passion to laying the groundwork for an exciting future career. Abby answers tough questions from real moms, shares all the stories fans want to hear, and includes vignettes from shining alums who give their take on her unique approach and how it helped them make their dreams come true.

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OUR MOST NOTORIOUS CRIMINALS HAVE HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT.
UNTIL NOW…

‘Emily’ is a devoted single mother.

‘Jack’ starts a new job in a new town.

They both share the same secret:
neither of them are who they say they are.

They are among only nine criminals in the UK who have been granted lifelong anonymity, for their own safety, because of their terrible crimes.

But what if someone exposed their true identities to the families of their victims, who are desperate for revenge?

Probation officer Olivia Campbell is caught in the crossfire of this crisis – and as the search for the mole behind it all intensifies, so too does the hunt for the vigilante killers let loose by the leaks…

RIGHT OR WRONG?
CRIMINAL OR VICTIM?
REDEMPTION OR REVENGE?

*****

‘A big, bold, twisting thriller’ CHRIS WHITAKER
‘A thought-provoking masterclass’ DANIEL COLE

#EyeForAnEye

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Housing Conditions: tenants rights is the definitive legal guide to bad housing conditions in rented accommodation in England. It covers the private rented sector, council housing and homes let by housing associations or other social landlords. Previously titled Repairs: tenants rights, it has long been recognised as the essential text for all housing advisers and lawyers dealing with disrepair and other adverse conditions affecting residents in rented housing accommodation. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, which came into force in March 2019, is the biggest advance in tenants rights relating to housing conditions for a generation. Initially, it will require all new lettings to be of homes fit for habitation and that they be kept fit. It will further come to apply to virtually all residential tenancies whenever granted. This new edition takes a broader approach to housing conditions in the light of the new Act and this is reflected in the new title and also a significant revision and restructuring of the content. The text of the book is now concerned more generally with problems arising from the poor condition of much rented housing. It deals with fitness for human habitation and with health and safety issues going well beyond the traditional concern of lawyers and other advisers with the topic of repair/disrepair (while also dealing with those issues). Housing Conditions: tenants rights outlines what tenants can do to obtain better conditions themselves, but also what local councils, responsible for housing conditions in their areas, can do to help them achieve improved conditions. Contents include: landlords’ obligations enforcing rights private tenants: involving the local council funding proceedings under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 criminal proceedings and rogue landlords infestations, hazards and absence of amenities compensation Practical step-by-step guidance on how to bring a disrepair claim Extensive set of precedents with worked examples used at all stages of the court process, extracts from legislation and helpful guidance on technical information Housing Conditions: tenants rights is about bad housing conditions in rented accommodation in England. It is primarily written for the assistance of the occupiers of that housing and their advisers, but it will also be useful to landlords, providers of accommodation and to those who advise them. Written and structured in an accessible and practical way, it is an indispensable resource for both non-lawyers and busy practitioners.

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Mental Health Law in England and Wales is a comprehensive guide to the Mental Health Act 1983 for any mental health professional – from social workers, psychologists and occupational therapists, to doctors and nurses. The book aims to simplify mental health law so that it’s accessible to busy professionals at all stages of practice as well as those affected by mental health law.

Key chapters include details on who operates the Act, who is affected by it, how the law governs issues of capacity and consent to treatment, how to appeal against compulsion, and the role of the nearest relative. There are also important chapters on advocacy, children and human rights issues, as well as extensive appendices which provide access to the 1983 Act itself, important rules and regulations, and a summary of key cases.

This Fifth Edition includes: 
– Practical advice and checklists for working with the Act.
– An updated text of the Mental Health Act and relevant Rules and Regulations.
– Recent case law including the Devon judgment on Mental Health Act assessments.
– A summary of the Human Rights Act 1998.
– Guidance on the interface between the Mental Health Act and the Mental Capacity Act.
– Recent case law concerning the ‘relevant information’ when assessing for incapacity.

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‘Mummy! Where did you go? Please come back, Mummy.’

When police are called to a local supermarket late one evening, they find an angry shopkeeper and a silent young woman. It’s the third time 24-year-old Zoe has been caught stealing in the past few days. Eyes filled with panic, Zoe has been hiding bread, milk, Calpol and nappies under her coat. As police officers break down the door of Zoe’s flat they find seven-year-old Coco and two-year-old Lola, home alone, huddled on the floor in a freezing cold bedroom, crying out for their mummy.

When Social Services are called in, the girls are taken into care and are soon tucked up safely in bed at Maggie’s house. It looks like a simple case of neglect, but things aren’t always what they seem and, with Maggie’s help, can Zoe convince Social Services that love is enough to be a good mum?

A new true story of hope from Sunday Times bestselling author Maggie Hartley, a foster carer for over 20 years.

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Zara H. Phillips seemed to live a charmed life – backing singer to the stars with an incredible career here and across the Atlantic – but her smile masked a difficult childhood and the reality that she was adopted as a baby in the 60s. Her life soon spiralled and as a teenager she suffered from drug and alcohol addiction, as she struggled to find her birth parents and her true identity.

Somebody’s Daughter is a fascinating and revealing account of how a beautiful woman’s life has been dominated by her adoption and how it has affected her and those around her. Hard-hitting and emotional, Zara’s memoir explores the needs of adopted children, with her characteristic warmth and wit, and the true journey it takes to find where you belong.

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‘Absorbing and brilliant… this book is an absolute must-read not only for the general public but for foster carers and social workers alike’ Sarah Anderson, Independent Foster Carers Alliance

‘Stella is just like a tiny bird. This is my first impression of her. A quiet little sparrow of a girl.’

In her brand new series ‘Thrown Away Children’, Louise Allen shares the harrowing stories she is exposed to as a foster mother. The first in the series, Stella’s Story, tells the astonishing true story of a young girl scarred by an abusive past.

Named after the lager that christened her at birth, Stella’s life is characterised instability and neglect. Her teenage mother abandons her in the first few weeks of her life, and left in the ‘care’ of her father, she ends up lying deserted in a house with no food, no water, no clothes, and no warmth.

She eventually lands in the care of foster carer Louise, who is determined to change her life for the better. Things seem to be going well – but when Stella has a startling response to having her photo taken, it becomes clear the scars of her abuse run deeper than anyone could have ever guessed.

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THE INSPIRATIONAL NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER

The extraordinary memoir of the sporting icon, devoted friend and fundraising hero who has inspired the nation in his fight against MND

‘An inspirational and life-affirming read. What Kevin Sinfield has achieved on and off the field is truly remarkable. His inspiring leadership and relentless focus on fundraising for MND shows how we should all strive to care more for each other’ Gareth Southgate

‘If you want inspiring, uplifting and empowering… give this amazing man some of your time’ Jake Humphrey

‘Kevin Sinfield is adored and respected . . . he is the best of men’ Brian Moore, Daily Telegraph

‘I’ve always thought Kevin Sinfield was a hero. His quiet, calm, committed leadership makes people want to support him and we are all doing that as he supports Rob Burrow and everyone living with MND’ Clare Balding

‘The friendship between Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow gives you faith in humankind’ Sir Chris Hoy

The Extra Mile is no ordinary sports memoir. But Kevin Sinfield is no ordinary sportsman. A one-club legend of Leeds Rhinos, who has now crossed codes as a defence coach for the England national rugby union team, Kevin Sinfield is a rugby icon. But in recent years has shown heroism of a very different kind through his selfless and extraordinary fundraising for motor neurone disease (MND), the terminal illness that has affected his best mate and former teammate Rob Burrow.

Sinfield’s epic challenges have included running 7 ultra marathons in 7 days, and running over 101 miles in 24 hours. In the process, Sinfield has captured the hearts of the nation and over £7 million for MND. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday honours for his efforts, along with the Freedom of Leeds and a special BBC Award for his fundraising.

Told with Sinfield’s characteristic warmth, dry wit and inspirational leadership, The Extra Mile is the story of an astonishing life, of an enduring friendship, of perseverance against the most difficult of challenges, and of a remarkable, humble human being who has defied the odds. The book equips readers with the tools and the mindset to embrace togetherness and to overcome their own challenges. It leaves the reader with the urgent question: Who would you go the extra mile for to help in life?

PRAISE FOR KEVIN SINFIELD
‘Inspirational does not do him justice, he’s that and much, much more’ Matt Dickinson

‘Kevin Sinfield is an incredible human being’ Gabby Logan

‘A total hero’ Yvette Cooper

‘Britain’s greatest sportsman (off the pitch) … Kevin Sinfield’s fundraising is a poignant story of friendship and human endeavour’ The Times

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The emergence of Britain as a fully-fledged home-owning society at the end of the last century has major implications for how people think about and use their housing not just as a home but as an asset. Housing has become a ‘bank’ which households use for various purposes, including: as a pension fund; to provide resources for care needs at all stages of life; to sponsor access to private education and other privately provided services; and, to draw on in emergencies. As a result the home has become a lynchpin of modern family life and the 21st century welfare state. The key debate in this important and timely book is whether social policy and people’s homes should be so closely connected in this way, especially when housing markets are so volatile. This book begins by outlining some of the fundamentals of housing policy and housing markets. It then describes reasons for the emergence of Britain as a home- owning society and, in a parallel development, the growth of council housing. It outlines the reasons behind the withdrawal of support for council housing and its ‘residualisation’ into a social safety net. The next chapter argues that a new social map has been drawn in Britain due to the connection between the home owning society and the conversion of the country to a service-based economy. The link is debated between housing and welfare state development, including comparisons between Britain and other countries. Finally this book reflects on the position of housing and housing policy in the post-credit crunch era with the Brown government seeking to expand a social housing programme and revive the housing market. This book argues that housing, having been a relatively neglected field of public policy, is now rightfully re-established at the forefront of public policy and as a major pillar of the post-industrial welfare state.

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In this impressive book, Edward S. Herman and David Peterson examine the uses and abuses of the word “genocide.” They argue persuasively that the label is highly politicized and that in the United States it is used by the government, journalists, and academics to brand as evil those nations and political movements that in one way or another interfere with the imperial interests of U.S. capitalism. Thus the word “genocide” is seldom applied when the perpetrators are U.S. allies (or even the United States itself), while it is used almost indiscriminately when murders are committed or are alleged to have been committed by enemies of the United States and U.S. business interests. One set of rules applies to cases such as U.S. aggression in Vietnam, Israeli oppression of Palestinians, Indonesian slaughter of so-called communists and the people of East Timor, U.S. bombings in Serbia and Kosovo, the U.S. war of “liberation” in Iraq, and mass murders committed by U.S. allies in Rwanda and the Republic of Congo. Another set applies to cases such as Serbian aggression in Kosovo and Bosnia, killings carried out by U.S. enemies in Rwanda and Darfur, Saddam Hussein, any and all actions by Iran, and a host of others. With its careful and voluminous documentation, close reading of the U.S. media and political and scholarly writing on the subject, and clear and incisive charts, The Politics of Genocide is both a damning condemnation and stunning exposé of a deeply rooted and effective system of propaganda aimed at deceiving the population while promoting the expansion of a cruel and heartless imperial system.

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