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What Dementia Teaches Us About Love: What Dementia Teaches Us About Love
by Nicci Gerrard'Essential reading about love, life and care' Kate Mosse'Nobody has written on dementia as well as Nicci Gerrard in this new book' Andrew Marr'Dementia is all around us, in our families and in our genes; perhaps in our own futures. If it's not you or me, it's someone we love.'After her own father's death from dementia, the writer and campaigner Nicci Gerrard set out to explore the illness that now touches millions of us, yet which we still struggle to speak about. What does dementia mean, for those who live with it, and those who care for them?This truthful, humane book is an attempt to understand. It is filled with stories, both moving and optimistic: from those living with dementia to those planning the end of life, from the scientists unlocking the mysteries of the brain to the therapists using art and music to enrich the lives of sufferers, from the campaigners battling for greater compassion in care to the families trying to make sense of this 'incomprehensible de-creation of the self'. It explores memory, language, identity, ageing and the notion of what it truly means to care. And it asks, how do we begin to value those who become old, invisible, forgotten? What do we owe them, and each other as humans? What, in the end, really matters?
Your No Guilt Pregnancy Plan: A revolutionary guide to pregnancy, birth and the weeks that follow
by Rebecca SchillerProviding you with everything you've ever wanted to know about pregnancy, this is the definitive guide from conception to the first few weeks' at home with your newborn*** 'I wish there'd been a book like this when I was pregnant. It almost makes me want to have another child. Almost' Bryony Gordon ***Your No Guilt Pregnancy Plan is a revolutionary new guide to pregnancy and childbirth that puts the power firmly in your hands. It won't tell you what fruit your baby resembles week-by-week, but it will cover the huge shifts happening in your relationships, body, work and emotional life right now, giving you practical tools, tips and real stories to help you make a plan that is uniquely yours yet flexible enough to accommodate whatever your pregnancy, birth and life throw at you.***Further Praise for Your No Guilt Pregnancy Plan***'The book has everything a pregnant woman needs ... I'm sure this will be the go-to book for women in years to come' - Helen Thorn host of the Scummy Mummies podcast'Rebecca is a living, breathing Wonder Woman heroine. In a sea of complicated, important and sometimes angry debate around childbirth, she is a mast to hold onto.' - Cherry Healey, presenter and author of Letters to My FannyI can't think of a panicky question I had thought of through either of my pregnancies (and I thought of them at a rate of five per second) that wouldn't have been answered by this book. I wish I had had it, in fact. A very empowering guide to becoming a mother.' - Robyn Wilder, The Pool
The Stress Solution: The 4 Steps to Reset Your Body, Mind, Relationships and Purpose
by Dr Rangan Chatterjee**From the author of the Sunday Times bestselling The 4 Pillar Plan**"Small changes make a big difference - we can all benefit from reading this" - Jamie Oliver "Dr Chatterjee tackles stress through clear explanations and immediately actionable advice" - Matthew Walker, bestselling author of Why We Sleep "It's thought that between 70 and 90% of GP consultations are related to stress"This has to change.Dr Rangan Chatterjee knows this better than anyone. As a practising GP he's seen first-hand how stress affects his patients and has found simple but effective methods to help them.Now he's on a mission to show that combatting stress is easier than you think.He shows how a small change in the way you approach yourBODYMINDRELATIONSHIPSPURPOSEcan help you lead a more fulfilled, calmer life.In The Stress Solution, Rangan offers simple and achievable interventions to help you re-set your life, offering simple tools for how to cope with modern-life, including:· How to design your morning routine effectively· How to keep a touch diary· How to mute your digital world and make maoi mates· How to eat the alphabetPacked with personal accounts and patient cases, this book will become your blueprint on how to live stress-free in the modern world."Life's constant pressures can get to much. This book will help you stay calm and sane in this chaotic, busy world" - Amelia Freer, author of Cook. Nourish. Glow
The Forgotten Girls: A Memoir of Friendship and Lost Promise in Rural America
by Monica PottsTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA PROSPECT BOOK OF THE YEAR'I couldn't put it down. . . an important book, raw and simple enough that you can't help but feel it deeply' James Rebanks, author of The Shepherd's LifeTalented and ambitious, Monica Potts and her best friend, Darci, were both determined to make something of themselves. How did their lives turn out so different? Growing up gifted and working-class in the foothills of the Ozarks, Monica and Darci became fast friends. Bonding over a shared love of learning, they pored over the giant map in their classroom, tracing their fingers over the world that awaited them, vowing to escape their broken town. In the end, Monica left Clinton for university and fulfilled her dreams. Darci, along with many in their circle of friends, did not. Years later, working as a journalist covering poverty, Monica discovers what she already intuitively knew about the women in Arkansas. Their life expectancy had steeply declined -- the sharpest such fall in a century. As she returns to Clinton to report the story, she reconnects with Darci, and finds that her once talented and ambitious best friend is now a statistic: a single mother of two, addicted to meth, jobless and nearly homeless. Deeply aware that Darci's fate could have been hers, she retraces the moments in each of their lives that led such similar women toward such different destinies. Why did Monica make it out while Darci became ensnared in a cycle of poverty and opioid abuse? Gripping and unforgettable, The Forgotten Girls is a story of friendship and lost promise in 21st century America.
Cured: The Remarkable Science and Stories of Spontaneous Healing and Recovery
by Dr Jeff Rediger'Clearly articulated science ... illuminating' Gabor Maté, bestselling author of When the Body Says No_______________________________________________________________________As a society, we push aside stories of remarkable recovery which don't fit our paradigm of one cause, one cure.In the history of medicine, we have almost never used the tools of rigorous science to investigate remarkable recoveries from incurable illnesses. But, Dr Jeff Rediger, a world-leading Harvard medic, psychiatrist and theologian, has spent the last fifteen years studying thousands of individuals from around the world and examining the stories behind these extraordinary cases of spontaneous remission.From retiree Claire, diagnosed with a violent form of pancreatic cancer and given weeks to live, to 23-year-old Matt, given a 2 per cent chance of surviving a lethal brain tumour. Both rejected chemotherapy and radiation, and went home to try to prepare themselves for acceptance and a peaceful death. Both are alive over a decade later, their bodies absent of all tumours.Dr Rediger doesn't classify people like Claire or Matt as 'flukes' or 'outliers' but has analysed what they - and thousands of others - have done to cure themselves and reveals the common denominators of people who have beaten the odds, unlocking the secrets behind the mind-body connection and discovering the immense power of the immune system.
Life Lessons from a Brain Surgeon: The New Science and Stories of the Brain
by Dr Rahul JandialTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*As heard on Chris Evans' Virgin Radio*'You're amazing I could talk to you (Rahul) all day' Chris Evans'This is a gripping new book' The TimesWorld-leading neuroscientist and neurosurgeon Dr Rahul Jandial draws on his years of work with patients suffering from the most extreme cases of brain damage, disorders and illnesses to reveal what they can tell us about the science of the mind. From a languages teacher who has to choose whether to lose her ability to speak Spanish or English after brain surgery, to a former TV exec, now homeless, who discovers that his life-altering despondency is the result of a tumour, to a fainting teen who learns that deep breathing can mean the difference between life or death, these stories uncover the secret workings of the brain. Blending cutting-edge research and beautiful storytelling, Life Lessons from a Brain Surgeon is a vital resource on the best ways to boost your memory, control stress and emotions, minimize pain, unleash your creativity, raise smart kids and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's. This is a deeply practical and readable book, which will take you on an expedition through the anatomy of the most fascinating - and mysterious - of organs.Rahul's new book Life on a Knife's Edge is out now.
Shinrin-Yoku: The Art and Science of Forest Bathing
by Dr Qing LiShinrin = Forest Yoku = Bathing Shinrin-Yoku or forest bathing is the practice of spending time in the forest for better health, happiness and a sense of calm. A pillar of Japanese culture for decades, Shinrin-Yoku is a way to reconnect with nature, from walking mindfully in the woods, to a break in your local park, to walking barefoot on your lawn. Forest Medicine expert, Dr Qing Li's research has proven that spending time around trees (even filling your home with house plants and vaporising essential tree oils) can reduce blood pressure, lower stress, boost energy, boost immune system and even help you to lose weight. Along with his years of ground-breaking research, anecdotes on the life-changing power of trees, Dr Li provides here the practical ways for you to try Shinrin-Yoku for yourself.
Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future
by Kate Brown'Remarkable . . . grips with the force of a thriller' Robert MacFarlaneAn astonishing exposé of the aftermath of Chernobyl - and the plot to cover up the truthThe official death toll of the 1986 Chernobyl accident, 'the worst nuclear disaster in history', is only 54, and stories today commonly suggest that nature is thriving there. Yet award-winning historian Kate Brown uncovers a much more disturbing story, one in which radioactive isotopes caused hundreds of thousands of casualties, and the magnitude of this human and ecological catastrophe has been actively suppressed.Based on a decade of archival and on-the-ground research, Manual for Survival is a gripping account of the consequences of nuclear radiation in the wake of Chernobyl - and the plot to cover it up. As Brown discovers, Soviet scientists, bureaucrats, and civilians documented staggering increases in cases of birth defects, child mortality, cancers and a multitude of life-altering diseases years after the disaster. Worried that this evidence would blow the lid on the effects of massive radiation release from weapons-testing during the Cold War, scientists and diplomats from international organizations, including the UN, tried to bury or discredit it. Yet Brown also encounters many everyday heroes, often women, who fought to bring attention to the ballooning health catastrophe, and adapt to life in a post-nuclear landscape, where dangerously radioactive radioactive berries, distorted trees and birth defects still persist today.An astonishing historical detective story, Manual for Survival makes clear the irreversible impact of nuclear energy on every living thing, not just from Chernobyl, but from eight decades of radiaoactive fallout from weapons development.
Spare Parts: A Surprising History of Transplants
by Paul Craddock'Spare Parts is a fascinating read filled with adventure, delight and surprise' RAHUL JANDIAL, surgeon author of 'Life on a Knife's Edge''This is a joyful romp through a fascinating slice of medical history' WENDY MOORE, author of 'The Knife Man'_______________________________________________________________How did an architect help pioneer blood transfusion in the 1660s?Why did eighteenth-century dentists buy the live teeth of poor children?And what role did a sausage skin and an enamel bath play in making kidney transplants a reality?We think of transplant surgery as one of the medical wonders of the modern world. But transplant surgery is as ancient as the pyramids, with a history more surprising than we might expect. Paul Craddock takes us on a journey - from sixteenth-century skin grafting to contemporary stem cell transplants - uncovering stories of operations performed by unexpected people in unexpected places. Bringing together philosophy, science and cultural history, Spare Parts explores how transplant surgery constantly tested the boundaries between human, animal and machine, and continues to do so today.Witty, entertaining and at times delightfully macabre, Spare Parts shows us that the history - and future - of transplant surgery is tied up with questions about not only who we are, but also what we are, and what we might become. . .
Daughters of Liverpool
by Kate EasthamFrom the author of The Liverpool Nightingales comes an uplifting and emotional tale, perfect for fans of Call the Midwife, Downton Abbey and Annie Groves. Is a mother's love enough to protect her child? ___________Liverpool 1868.Shrouded in secrecy Alice Sampson gives birth to a beautiful baby girl.But the former nurse's happiness is blighted by the knowledge that as a penniless, unwed mother, her future, and that of her child, can only be one of shame and disgrace.Then a knock at the door brings a miracle: she is invited to return to the Liverpool Royal Infirmary and her beloved ward.With the help of her friends and the welcome attentions of Reverend Seed, the hospital Chaplain, Alice slowly starts to rebuild her life.Everything is looking up, until her baby's father unexpectedly shows up to claim the child he knew nothing about.Suddenly Alice is in danger of losing her baby, her position and her whole future . . .Praise for Kate Eastham'Deftly written and moving' Woman's Own 'A heartwarming and tear-inducing tale with wonderfully realistic characters' Woman
Coming Home to Liverpool
by Kate EasthamA stirring and inspiring story perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Call The MidwifeHeartbroken but determined, Maud Linklater returns to her hometown of Liverpool intent on healing the sick and building a new life for herself and her son, AlfieLiverpool 1872After spending time training at the Infirmary for Women in New York, Maud can't wait to put her new-found skills to the test. But in a city built and run by men she must work hard to be accepted.Whilst her nurse friends welcome her back with open arms there are others who do not wish her well, including the spiteful Nancy Sellers.Nancy resented Maud's talents as a nurse and seeing her arrive back with such fanfare puts her nose firmly out of joint. She will stop at nothing to sabotage Maud's life and soon turns her attention to those Maud holds most dear.Maud Linklater is made of strong stuff. But as she resettles back into life in her hometown, can she overcome any obstacle Nancy, and Liverpool, might throw her way?Praise for Kate Eastham'Deftly written and moving' Woman's Own'A heart-warming and tear-inducing tale with wonderfully realistic characters' WomanDiscover other books in The Nursing Series: Miss Nightingale's Nurses, The Liverpool Nightingale's and Daughters of Liverpool.
Into the Forest: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness
by Dr Qing LiHumans are increasingly becoming an indoor species. We spend 90 per cent of our life indoors. And, on average, we dedicate eight hours a day looking at screens. Our increasingly domestic lives are having huge consequences to our health. In Into the Forest, Immunologist and Forest Medicine expert, Dr Qing Li, examines the unprecedented benefits of the world's largest natural health resource: the great outdoors.Applying cutting-edge research and emerging science, Dr Li explores the inherent connection between nature and improved wellbeing. This practical guide will help you overcome some of life's most problematic health issues, including how to: · reduce blood pressure; · lower stress;· improve energy levels;· and boost the immune system. From mindful strolls in your local park to listening to the wind, from watching the sunset to walking barefoot in the grass, Dr Li reveals the life-improving advantages of spending time around trees, for a healthier and happier you.
The Changing Mind: A Neuroscientist's Guide to Ageing Well
by Daniel LevitinTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER'Everyone we know needs this remarkable book ... An essential book for the rest of your life' Daniel H. Pink, author of When and Drive'The secrets of ageing well ... a serious, evidence-based guide to what really works and why' Sunday Times____________________________________________ We have long been encouraged to think of old age as synonymous with deterioration. Yet, recent studies show that our decision-making skills improve as we age and our happiness levels peak in our eighties. What really happens to our brains as we get older?More of us are living into our eighties than ever before. In The Changing Mind, neuroscientist, psychologist and internationally-bestselling author Daniel Levitin invites us to dramatically shift our understanding of growing older, demonstrating its many cognitive benefits. He draws on cutting-edge research to challenge common and flawed beliefs, including assumptions around memory loss and the focus on lifespan instead of 'healthspan'.Levitin reveals the evolving power of the human brain from infancy to late adulthood. Distilling the findings from over 4000 papers, he explains the importance of personality traits, lifestyle, memory and community on ageing, offering actionable tips that we can all start now, at any age.Featuring compelling insights from individuals who have thrived far beyond the conventional age of retirement, this book offers realistic guidelines and practical cognition-enhancing tricks for everyone to follow during every decade of their life. This is a radical exploration of what we all can learn from those who age joyously.
The Pelvic Floor Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Prevent and Cure Problems at Every Stage in Your Life
by Jane SimpsonHave you ever laughed so much you wet yourself - just a little bit? Or found yourself crossing your legs on the doorstep frantically searching for your keys? Do you get up at night to go to the toilet more than once?An estimated 200 million people around the world suffer from some form of urinary incontinence. It's an embarrassing problem that affects women disproportionately as a result of pregnancy and childbirth. In The Pelvic Floor Bible, Jane Simpson argues that it's time for us all to feel the squeeze and celebrate the wonder of our pelvic floor muscles. She shows you how to incorporate pelvic floor exercises as part of your daily routine in order to prevent issues in later life and cure existing problems now. Learn how to treat common problems such as stress incontinence, overactive bladder and prolapse, get back into shape post-pregnancy and enjoy a healthy sex life at every stage of your life. Incontinence is both preventable and curable through pelvic floor exercises and rehabilitation but too many people assume nothing can be done, follow incorrect advice or are ashamed to seek help. We need to end the taboo now.
The Facemaker: One Surgeon's Battle to Mend the Disfigured Soldiers of World War I
by Lindsey FitzharrisThe poignant story of the visionary surgeon who rebuilt the faces of the First World War's injured heroes, and in the process ushered in the modern era of plastic surgeryFrom the moment the first machine gun rang out over the Western Front, one thing was clear: mankind's military technology had wildly surpassed its medical capabilities. The war's new weaponry, from tanks to shrapnel, enabled slaughter on an industrial scale, and given the nature of trench warfare, thousands of soldiers sustained facial injuries. Medical advances meant that more survived their wounds than ever before, yet disfigured soldiers did not receive the hero's welcome they deserved.In The Facemaker, award-winning historian Lindsey Fitzharris tells the astonishing story of the pioneering plastic surgeon Harold Gillies, who dedicated himself to restoring the faces - and the identities - of a brutalized generation. Gillies, a Cambridge-educated New Zealander, became interested in the nascent field of plastic surgery after encountering the human wreckage on the front. Returning to Britain, he established one of the world's first hospitals dedicated entirely to facial reconstruction in Sidcup, south-east England. There, Gillies assembled a unique group of doctors, nurses and artists whose task was to recreate what had been torn apart. At a time when losing a limb made a soldier a hero, but losing a face made him a monster to a society largely intolerant of disfigurement, Gillies restored not just the faces of the wounded but also their spirits. Meticulously researched and grippingly told, The Facemaker places Gillies's ingenious surgical innovations alongside the poignant stories of soldiers whose lives were wrecked and repaired. The result is a vivid account of how medicine and art can merge, and of what courage and imagination can accomplish in the presence of relentless horror.
The Undying: A Meditation on Modern Illness
by Anne Boyer'Profound and unforgettable' Sally Rooney'A classic . . . I have long thought of Boyer as a genius' Patricia Lockwood'An outraged, beautiful, and brilliant work of embodied critique' Ben Lerner'Some of the most perceptive and beautiful writing about illness and pain that I have ever read' Hari KunzruBlending memoir with critique, an award-winning poet and essayist's devastating exploration of sickness and health, cancer and the cancer industry, in the modern worldA week after her 41st birthday, Anne Boyer was diagnosed with highly aggressive triple-negative breast cancer. For a single mother living payslip to payslip, the condition was both a crisis and an initiation into new ideas about mortality and the gendered politics of illness.In The Undying - at once her harrowing memoir of survival, and a 21st-century Illness as Metaphor - Boyer draws on sources from ancient Roman dream diarists to cancer vloggers to explore the experience of illness. She investigates the quackeries, casualties and ecological costs of cancer under capitalism, and dives into the long line of women writing about their own illnesses and deaths, among them Audre Lorde, Kathy Acker and Susan Sontag.Genre-bending, devastating and profoundly humane, The Undying is an unmissably insightful meditation on cancer, the cancer industry and the sicknesses and glories of contemporary life.
Brave New Girl: Seven Steps to Confidence
by Chloe BrotheridgeThe NEW book from renowned hypnotherapist, anxiety expert and bestselling author of The Anxiety SolutionIt's time to be the most confident version of yourself . . . Confidence is not something we either have or don't have - it can be built, and this straightforward guide will show you how. Renowned clinical hypnotherapist Chloe Brotheridge has helped hundreds of clients with anxiety and low self-confidence, and in this book will use her own stories, scientific research, and the experiences of other women to show you how to: · Feel more confident· Spend less time worrying and people-pleasing· Build self-belief · Reach your full potential · Assertively set boundaries for a happier, healthier youBrave New Girl reveals how everyone can follow their path to confidence. Praise for The Anxiety Solution: 'Remarkable, pioneering, could change your life' Daily Mail
Why We Eat (Too Much): The New Science of Appetite
by Dr Andrew Jenkinson'Articulate, clear, a joy to read, this is a book that really needed written' Joanna Blythman, author of Swallow ThisA practical, accessible guide to understanding the diet myth and the secret to lasting weight loss.For over two decades, weight loss surgeon Dr Andrew Jenkinson has treated thousands of people who have become trapped in the endless cycle of dieting. Why We Eat (Too Much), combines case studies from his practice and the new science of metabolism to illuminate how our appetite really works. Debunking the great myths of the body, and systematically explaining why dieting is counter-productive, this unflinching book investigates every aspect of nutrition. From the difference between good and bad fats to the impact of genes and genetic mutation on our weight and what happens to our hormones long after a diet ends, Dr Jenkinson explores the fields of agriculture, pharma, anthropology and medicine to uncover the truth behind our bad food habits and the escalating obesity crisis.
Marilou is Everywhere: A Novel
by Sarah Elaine SmithRichly atmospheric and darkly unforgettable, an astonishing American debut about lost innocence and life on the ragged margins of society'Lyrical, sexy, humane, and just a total pleasure to read' Elif Batuman, author of The Idiot 'Remarkable. Fiction debuts this accomplished don't come along very often... Smith is a writer of immense talent and rare imagination [and] this novel reads like a miracle' - NPR 'To be honest, we just weren't looking that hard. Nobody knew where to search and it was summer vacation anyway - but that wasn't the reason nobody looked for Jude.' One summer, a teenager disappears from Deep Valley, Pennsylvania. Jude is beautiful, intelligent, and mixed race. The cops search for her - but not as hard as they would if she were a white girl. Watching this mystery unfold is Cindy, a younger girl from a white trash family, who has idolised Jude for years. And so, in the absence of anyone to give a damn about her, Cindy starts to slip out of her own life and into the space Jude left behind...Marilou Is Everywhere is a story about the desperation to escape - and the terrible, intimate crimes we commit to do so. Swimming in the rich melancholia of rural America, it is a fall from grace, a moral provocation, and a heartbreaking account of life in the margins.
Neal's Yard Remedies Healing Herbs: Treat Yourself Naturally With Homemade Herbal Remedies
by Neal'S Yard Remedies
Can We Be Happier?: Evidence and Ethics (Pelican Books)
by Richard Layard George WardFrom the bestselling author of Happiness and co-editor of the annual World Happiness ReportMost people now realize that economic growth, however desirable, will not solve all our problems. Instead, we need a philosophy and a science which encompasses a much fuller range of human need and experience.This book argues that the goal for a society must be the greatest possible all-round happiness, and shows how each of us can become more effective creators of happiness, both as citizens and in our own organizations.Written with Richard Layard's characteristic clarity, it provides hard evidence that increasing happiness is the right aim, and that it can be achieved. Its language is simple, its evidence impressive, its effect inspiring.'In this book 'Can We Be Happier?' which is part of Richard Layard's excellent, ongoing exploration of what happiness is and how it can be achieved, he provides evidence that if you have peace of mind and are full of joy, your health will be good, your family will be happy and that happiness will affect the atmosphere of the community in which you live.' The Dalai Lama
Intact: A Defence of the Unmodified Body
by Clare Chambers'A must-read for psychotherapists, doctors and everyone else who enjoys connecting ideas' Philippa Perry'Compassionate and challenging, warmly human and coolly rigorous. . . I am now thinking afresh about how I live in my own body, in a world where, as Clare Chambers argues, nobody's body is ever allowed to be good enough, just as it is' Timandra HarknessWhat would it take for your body to be good enough?The pressure to change our bodies is overwhelming. We strive to defy ageing, build our biceps, cure our disabilities, conceal our quirks. Surrounded by filtered photos and surgically-enhanced features, we must contort our physical selves to prejudiced standards of beauty. Perfection is impossible, and even an acceptable body seems out of reach.In this mind-expanding book, Cambridge philosopher Clare Chambers argues that the unmodified body is a key political principle. While defending our right to change our bodies, she argues that the social pressures to modify undermine equality. She shows how the connected ideas of the natural body, the normal body, and the whole body have been used both to disrupt and to maintain social hierarchies - sometimes oppressing, other times liberating. The body becomes a site of political importance: a place where hierarchies of sex, gender, race, disability, age, and class are reinforced. Through a thought-provoking analysis of the power dynamics that structure our society, and with examples ranging widely from bodybuilding to breast implants, deafness to male circumcision, Intact stresses that we must break away from the oppressive forces that demand we alter our bodies. Instead, it offers a bold, transformative vision of the human body that is equal without expectation.
Keeping Your Head in the Game: Untold Stories of the Highs and Lows of a Life in Sport
by Gary BloomDrawing on his work with elite athletes, the world's first sports psychotherapist on what to do when life throws you a curveball'Cracking tales, a great read' Nigel Owens MBE, rugby union referee'Absolutely fascinating . . . a genuine must-read for anyone interested in the human side of sport' Peter Drury, football commentatorElite athletes play out their lives in the most public of arenas. Everything they do is analysed in real time and then picked apart in the pub and in the press afterwards. 'Why did they miss that penalty?', 'What made them fall at the first jump?', 'That press conference was a bit weird.' We can all speculate, but what's really going on? In Keeping Your Head in the Game we peer into this highly confidential world. We follow the journeys of ten athletes in their therapy sessions with sports psychotherapist Gary Bloom, from a rugby player arrested for a drunken brawl, through a homesick cricketer on tour, to a snooker player struggling with his feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.Structured around the emotions we all experience on a daily basis - shame, anger, fear, jealousy and envy, love - chapter by chapter, the book reveals, explains and attempts to resolve the inner traumas that have an impact on the performance of these sports personalities. Seeing how they overcome their demons is a powerful way of tackling our own and, as Gary says, happier players play better - in sport and in life.'For anyone interested in competitive sport, what people have to do to get to the top and what that can do to the human psyche' Catherine Jackson, journalist and former editor of Therapy Today 'It's amazing how clubs invest in repairing the bodies of their players whilst largely ignoring their minds. Elite athletes are just as fragile as the rest of us. Happily change is on the way and this must-read book will only accelerate that' Jon Champion, football commentator
Life on a Knife’s Edge: A Brain Surgeon’s Reflections on Life, Loss and Survival
by Dr Rahul Jandial'Wonderous and wild. I loved this book' James Nestor, bestselling author of Breath 'Moving, raw and unflinching' Julia Samuel, bestselling author of This Too Shall Pass'Incredible storytelling' Dr Rangan Chatterjee, bestselling author of Feel Better in 5____________________________________________________________________________How do you carry on when things go deadly wrong?When Dr Rahul Jandial operated on Karina, an eleven-year-old girl whose spinal cord was splitting in two, he had to make an impossible decision. He followed his head over his gut and Karina was left permanently paralysed, altering both patient and surgeon's lives for ever. This decision would haunt Rahul for decades, a constant reminder of the fine line between saving and damaging a life.As one of the world's leading brain surgeons, Rahul is the last hope for patients with extreme forms of cancer. In treating them, he has observed humanity at its most raw and most robust. He has journeyed to unimaginable extremes with them, guiding them through the darkest moments of their lives.Life on a Knife's Edge is Rahul's beautifully written account of the resilience, courage and belief he has witnessed in his patients, and the lessons about human nature he has learned from them. It is about the impossible choices he has to make, and the fateful consequences he is forced to live with.From challenging the ethics of surgical practices, to helping a patient with locked-in syndrome communicate her dying wish to her family, Rahul shares his extraordinary experiences, revealing the depths of a surgeon's psyche that is continuously pushed to its limits.
Catching Cold: 1918's Forgotten Tragedy and the Scientific Hunt for the Virus That Caused It
by Pete Davies'Superb . . . Rich in interest and truly alarming . . . This is a book that deserves to be read' OBSERVERThe world is no stranger to the fight needed to tackle a pandemic.In 1918, the Spanish Flu killed over forty million people - more Americans than all the wars the US fought in the entire twentieth century. Ever since, scientists have agreed that the next pandemic is not a question of if, but when.And they were right.As our planet faces another devastating pandemic, Catching Cold tells the extraordinary story of the urgent and unrelenting global effort to try to protect us.From the inhospitable wastes of the Norwegian Arctic circle to the frenzied food markets of Hong Kong, Davies tracks a small community of experts, working against the clock to uncover what turns a virus into a worldwide disaster, and how best to prevent it - because knowing something's coming is not at all the same thing as being ready for it.