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The Man Who Climbs Trees
by James Aldred'A book of heart-stopping bravery and endurance' -- Helen Macdonald'A great read – incredible adventures and a dramatic new perspective' -- Chris Packham'[A] delightful, endlessly fascinating book' -- Daily Mail BOOK OF THE WEEKThis is the story of a professional British tree climber, cameraman and adventurer, who has made a career out of travelling the world, filming wildlife for the BBC and climbing trees with people like David Attenborough, Chris Packham and Helen Macdonald.James's climbs take him to breathtaking locations as he scales the most incredible and majestic trees on the planet. On the way he meets native tribes, gets attacked by African bees, climbs alongside gorillas, chased by elephants, and spends his nights in a hammock pitched high in the branches with only the stars above him.This book blends incredible stories of scrapes and bruises in the branches with a new way of looking at life high above the daily grind, up into the canopy of the forest.
Tony Ryan: Ireland's Aviator
by Richard AldousIn this authorised biography of one of the most remarkable Irishmen of the twentieth century, Richard Aldous is independent in his judgements and frank in his examination of his subject’s shortcomings and eccentricities. But most of all, he writes with verve and pace.Tony Ryan was born in a railwayman’s cottage and rose to enormous success, overseeing the spectacular making of two business fortunes and the dramatic loss of one.After an early spell in Aer Lingus, he set up an airline leasing company, Guinness Peat Aviation (GPA), which had its headquarters in Shannon and quickly became the largest such enterprise in the world. Ryan was a hard taskmaster and the company reflected his ferocious work ethic. Yet, despite a stellar board of directors, a botched and poorly timed Initial Public Offering in the 1990s saw GPA crash and burn.Ryan lost almost everything. All that remained was a little airline running massive deficits. Ryan set about turning Ryanair around, putting in one of his assistants, Michael O’Leary, to help knock it into shape. The rest is history.Ryan remade his fortune, lived lavishly and elegantly, was a generous patron of the arts, and in every respect larger than life. His spirit is one that Ireland needs more than ever today. As the nation strives for its own recovery, it can find inspiration in the story of how one of its most famous sons rose and fell, and then rose again. Not one to stand still or lament mistakes, Tony Ryan’s determination never to give up is the real lesson of this story. He was in so many ways Ireland’s Aviator.
Tunes Of Glory: The Life of Malcolm Sargent
by Richard AldousA worldwide television audience of millions saw England's most famous maestro take his poignant farewell at the 1967 Last Night of the Proms just weeks before his death. The brush-haired boy from the gasworks of Stamford had become Sir Malcolm Sargent, the nation's 'ambassador with a baton' and friend to royalty. Sleek and debonair, a carnation ever-present in his lapel, Sargent was despised by the musicalestablishment for his populism and showmanship. Yet ordinary music-lovers had been devoted to him, not least for his heroics during the Blitz. 'Flash Harry' is as much an exploration of celebrity and the English psyche as the story of one man. It is the defining work on an extraordinary life drawn from the author's exclusive and unlimited access to Sargent's private letters, photographs and diaries.
The Twinkling of an Eye: My Life As An Englishman (The Brian Aldiss Collection)
by Brian AldissWriter, soldier, bookseller, father: Brian Aldiss has earned many titles in his life. In the Twinkling of an Eye is a candid, vivid and charming look at the stories behind this distinctive writer of fiction.
When the Feast is Finished (The Brian Aldiss Collection)
by Brian AldissA moving account of the death of Brian Aldiss’ wife Margaret.
Michael Jackson – Legend, Hero, Icon: Legend, Hero, Icon: A Tribute To The King Of Pop
by James AldisA lavishly illustrated tribute to the greatest entertainer of a generation.
Everything I Know About Love: The Sunday Times Top 5 Bestseller
by Dolly Alderton'A wonderful writer, who will surely inspire a generation the way that Caitlin Moran did before her' Julie Burchill'If Nora Ephron is the cool aunt you wish you'd had, Dolly Alderton is your favourite cousin. I loved it and I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't; it's a genuine delight' Kristen Roupenian, author of Cat Person'I can say with absolute certainty that you have to add it to your 2018 book list' The PoolWhen it comes to the trials and triumphs of becoming a grown up, journalist and former Sunday Times dating columnist Dolly Alderton has seen and tried it all. In her memoir, she vividly recounts falling in love, wrestling with self-sabotage, finding a job, throwing a socially disastrous Rod-Stewart themed house party, getting drunk, getting dumped, realising that Ivan from the corner shop is the only man you've ever been able to rely on, and finding that that your mates are always there at the end of every messy night out. It's a book about bad dates, good friends and - above all else - about recognising that you and you alone are enough.'With courageous honesty, Alderton documents her life up to now, the highs and the lows - the sex, the drugs, the nightmare landlords, the heartaches and the humiliations. Deeply funny, sometimes shocking, and admirably open-hearted and optimistic. A brilliant debut.' Daily Telegraph'This is the book we will thrust into our friends' hands, the book that will help heal a broken heart. She feels like a best friend and your older sister all rolled into one and her pages wrap around you like a warm hug' Evening Standard'It's so full of life and laughs - I gobbled up this book. Alderton has built something beautiful and true out of many fragments of daftness' Amy Liptrot
I Don't Want to Talk About Home: A migrant’s search for belonging
by Suad AldarraPowerful, fascinating and deeply moving - this book pushes aside our lazy images of human migration and refugees. I loved it. RODDY DOYLE, author of Love'I carry my troubled homeland within me; I hide it like a crime.'Growing up in conservative Saudi Arabia, Suad Aldarra felt stifled by the strictures placed on women. She yearned for the vibrant Syrian streets of her family's origin. When the opportunity arose to study at Damascus University, she jumped at the chance to move to a city she loved and to experience a degree of freedom she'd never known. But when the war started, everything changed. Suddenly Suad was thrown into a world of relentless pressure desperately looking for a way out. Her degree in software engineering was the saving grace that allowed her to travel to Ireland on a working visa. Yet reaching safety came at a price ... I Don't Want to Talk About Home is not a memoir about war and destruction. It's not about camps or boats. It's about the enduring love for a home that ceased to exist, building a life out of the rubble, and the parts of yourself you lose and find when integrating into a new world.Illuminating, vivid, and insightful, this is such a timely book. LOUISE O'NEILL, author of IdolFull of heart, honesty and hard-learnt wisdom... a captivating journey across continents, history and culture. I literally couldn't put this book down.JAN CARSON author of The Raptures
Full Out: Leadership lessons from America's favourite coach
by Monica AldamaFrom the breakout star of Netflix's Cheer, a motivational and inspiring guide to becoming a champion in all areas of life.In Full Out, Coach Monica Aldama shares how she built one of the most successful and beloved cheerleading programs in America. Her uncompromising brand of discipline and consistency goes far beyond the mat - showing how the principles of building a winning team apply to personal goals, the corporate world, parenting and all aspects of life.There's a lot of talk these days about short cuts and life hacks, but what really counts is commitment and integrity, helping your friends, and improving with your teammates. Coach Monica shares deeply personal stories of triumph and tragedy from divorce and remarriage to her husband, her challenges as a young mother working more than full time, and her strenuous weeks on Dancing with the Stars. She shares surprising behind-the-scenes moments from the Cheer docuseries, and insights gleaned from more than two decades of pushing students to succeed. A true force and inspiration who has captured hearts around the world, Coach Monica will show you how to take command of your talent, make the most of your potential, and find your drive to win.
Encounters with Fate and Destiny: A Life in International Politics
by Shukri Z. Al-DajaniShukri Z. Al-Dajani has led a most extraordinary life. His book depicts the realities of the endless torment of a refugee in search of security and a sense of belonging. It is a story of flight - at the age of twelve - from the Holy Land to Egypt, through Wales, East Africa and the Middle East, to a career at the International Labour Organization (ILO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, where he rose to the post of Assistant Director-General, responsible for the Arab States. He was the key player for the ILO in the Arab world at a time when the politics of the Middle East played a dominant role in the life of that organization.In this memoir, Al-Dajani recounts his interactions with a range of individuals including royalty, nation-builders and others in political power as well as adventurers, journalists and diplomats. His book presents a fine mosaic of the post-colonial world and the modern Middle East, and reveals the workings of politics at the highest of international diplomatic levels.The memoir includes a fascinating and intriguing analysis of the security and social problems that Europe, America and the Middle East are facing at present. It serves as an eye opener to the root causes of the current crises and presents a clear vision of the future ahead.
Encounters with Fate and Destiny: A Life in International Politics
by Shukri Z. Al-DajaniShukri Z. Al-Dajani has led a most extraordinary life. His book depicts the realities of the endless torment of a refugee in search of security and a sense of belonging. It is a story of flight – at the age of twelve – from the Holy Land to Egypt, through Wales, East Africa and the Middle East, to a career at the International Labour Organization (ILO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, where he rose to the post of Assistant Director-General, responsible for the Arab States. He was the key player for the ILO in the Arab world at a time when the politics of the Middle East played a dominant role in the life of that organization. In this memoir, Al-Dajani recounts his interactions with a range of individuals including royalty, nation-builders and others in political power as well as adventurers, journalists and diplomats. His book presents a fine mosaic of the post-colonial world and the modern Middle East, and reveals the workings of politics at the highest of international diplomatic levels. The memoir includes a fascinating and intriguing analysis of the security and social problems that Europe, America and the Middle East are facing at present. It serves as an eye opener to the root causes of the current crises and presents a clear vision of the future ahead.
Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I've Learned
by Alan AldaHe's one of America's most recognisable and acclaimed actors-a star on Broadway, an Oscar nominee for The Aviator, and the only person to ever win Emmys for acting, writing, and directing during his eleven years on M*A*S*H. Now Alan Alda has written a memoir as elegant, funny, and affecting as his greatest performances. 'My mother didn't try to stab my father until I was six,' begins Alan Alda's irresistible story. The son of a popular actor and a loving, but mentally ill mother, he spent his early childhood backstage in the erotic and comic world of burlesque and went on after early struggles to achieve extraordinary success in his profession.Yet Never Have Your Dog Stuffed is not a memoir of show business ups and downs. It is a moving and funny story of a boy growing into a man who then realizes he has only begun to grow. It is the story of turning points in his life, events that would make him what he is - if only he could survive them.From the moment as a boy when his dead dog is returned from the taxidermist's shop with a hideous expression on his face, and he learns that death can't be undone, to the decades-long effort to find compassion for the mother he lived with but never knew, to his acceptance of his father in him, personally and professionally, he learns the hard way that change, uncertainty and transformation are what life is made of, and the good life is made of welcoming them.Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, filled with curiosity about Nature, good humour and honesty, is the crowning achievement of an actor, author, and director, but surprisingly, it is the story of a life more filled with turbulence and laughter than any he's ever played on the stage or screen.
Things I Overheard While Talking To Myself
by Alan Alda'The message is consistent: it's not what you do in life, but how you do it. Notice everything. Always be open to new ideas, new experiences. Alda is chatty, easygoing and humble ... His words of inspiration would be a perfect gift.' Publishers Weekly Acclaimed actor and internationally bestselling author Alan Alda has written a shrewd and funny account of some impossible questions he's asked himself over the years: what do I value? What, exactly, is the good life? (And what does that even mean?) Here, Alda listens in on things he's heard himself saying at critical points in his life - from the turbulence of the 60s, to his first Broadway show, to the birth of his children, and to the ache of September 11. He notices that 'doorways are where the truth is told', and wonders what one thing - art, activism, family, money, fame - could lead to a 'life of meaning'. In a book that is candid, wise and as questioning as it is incisive, Alda amuses and moves us with his uniquely witty meditations on questions great and small.
Hospital Sketches from the Civil War (Arcturus Classics)
by Louisa May AlcottA good fit of illness proves the value of health; real danger tries one's mettle; and self-sacrifice sweetens character.Through a series of letters sent home while serving as a volunteer nurse for the Union Army, Louisa May Alcott created a raw and honest story of battlefield medicine during the American Civil War. Featuring a series of compassionate portraits of the soldiers she encountered, Hospital Sketches both recounted the desperate struggles of hospital life during wartime and gave a personal narrative of women's growing role in medicine and the military.The letters brought Alcott immediate recognition and began an astonishingly successful literary career that culminated in the publication of Little Women.
Third World Child: Born White, Zulu Bred
by GG AlcockGG Alcock's parents, Creina and Neil, were humanitarians who gave up comfortable lives to move to rural Zululand. In a place called Msinga, a dry rock-strewn wilderness and one of the most violent places in Africa, they lived and worked among the Mchunu and Mthembu tribes, fighting for the rights of people displaced by the apartheid government's policy of "forced removals". They also fought against the corruption of police and government officials, as well as local farmers, which did not sit well with their white fellow citizens. When GG was fourteen his father was assassinated by rival tribesmen. GG's early life in rural Zululand in the 1970s and 80s can only be described as unique. He and his brother Khonya, both initially home-schooled by their mother, grew up as Zulu kids, herding goats and playing with the children of their neighbours, learning to speak fluent Zulu, learning to become Zulu men under the guidance of Zulu elders, and learning the customs and history of their adopted tribes. Armed with their father's only legacy - the skills to survive in Africa - both young men were ultimately forced to move into the "white" world which was largely unknown to them. In many ways, GG Alcock's story mirrors that of many of his people, the journey of a tribal society learning to embrace the first world. He does not shy away from the violence and death that coloured his childhood years surrounded by savage faction fighting, nor how they affected his adult life. His story in Third World Child is one of heartbreak and tragedy and, paradoxically, of vibrant hope and compassion. A restless energy and sardonic humour permeate his writing, which is compelling in its honesty and spontaneity.
My African Conquest: Cape to Cairo at 80
by Julia Albu‘Next year I’m going to be 80 years old. My car will be 20 years old. Together we’ll be 100. We’re going to drive to London.’‘ ‘And what route are you going to take?’‘ ‘I have no idea. I think I’ll keep to the right.’When 80-year old Julia Albu calls into her favourite radio show with a zany, half-baked idea, she has no idea that it will lead her to the adventure of a lifetime. With her trusty 20-year-old old Toyota Conquest, Tracy, a giant map and unbounded enthusiasm, Julia sets off on the long drive through Africa and into the UK where she hopes to meet the Queen of England.Beginning in South Africa, she travels through deserts, over mountains and across grassy plains. All along the way, she is accompanied by family and friends. She stays in hotels and hovels, breakfasts with a giraffe and hangs out with baboons, and meets a host of colourful characters who all can’t help but be drawn to the charming, white-haired octogenarian in their midst.My African Conquest is a funny, feel-good story about adventuring through life – and never acting your age.
Simone Forti: Improvising a Life
by Ann Cooper AlbrightSimone Forti, groundbreaking improvisor, has spent a lifetime weaving together the movement of her mind with the movement of her body to create a unique oeuvre situated at the intersection of dancing and art practices. Her seminal Dance Constructions from the 1960s crafted a new approach to dance composition and helped inspire the investigations of Judson Dance Theater. In the 1970s, Forti's explorations of animal movements expanded that legacy to launch improvisation as a valuable artform in its own right. From her early forays into vocal accompaniment to her News Animations, Forti has long integrated gesture and text into compelling performances that consistently stretched the boundaries of dance to layer abstract movement with story-telling and political commentary. Her "Land Portraits" series brought an immersive ecological experience to New York City stages in the 1980s, and she is a beloved teacher and mentor whose Body, Mind, World workshops have inspired dancers around the world. In this beautifully written book, author Ann Cooper Albright braids archival research, extensive interviews, and detailed movement analyses of Forti's performances to provide the first kinesthetically-informed and critically-nuanced history of Forti's multifaceted and extensive career.Publication of this book is funded by the Beatrice Fox Auerbach Foundation Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family
by Mitch AlbomChika Jeune was born three days before the devastating earthquake that decimated Haiti in 2010. She spent her infancy in extreme poverty, and when her mother died giving birth to a baby brother, Chika was brought to the Have Faith Haiti Orphanage that Mitch and his wife, Janine operate.Chika's arrival made a quick impression. Brave and self-assured, even as a three-year-old, she delighted the other kids and teachers. But at age five, Chika was suddenly diagnosed with a terminal disease that no doctor in Haiti could help with.Mitch and Janine took Chika to America, hoping that treatment there would enable her to go back home. Instead, Chika became a permanent part of their lives, as they embarked on a two-year, around-the-world journey to find a cure. As Chika's boundless optimism and humour taught Mitch the joys of caring for a child, he learnt that a relationship built on love, no matter what blows it takes, can never be lost.This is Mitch Albom at his most poignant, powerful and personal. Chika is a celebration of a girl, her adoptive guardians, and the incredible bond they formed - a devastatingly beautiful portrait of what it means to be a family, regardless of how it is made.
Have A Little Faith: A True Story
by Mitch AlbomWill you do my eulogy?With those words, Mitch Albom begins his long-awaited return to non-fiction. His journey to honour the last request of a beloved clergyman ultimately leads him to rekindle his own long-ignored faith. Albom spends years exploring churches and synagogues, the suburbs and the city, the "us" versus "them" of religion. Slowly, he gravitates to an inner-city pastor of a crumbling church that houses the homeless, and is stunned at how similar belief can be. As his own beloved cleric slowly lets go, Albom writes his final farewell, having learned that a faithful heart comes in many forms and places.
Tuesdays With Morrie: An old man, a young man, and life's greatest lesson
by Mitch AlbomMaybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher or a colleague? Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, and gave you sound advice to help you make your way through it? For Mitch Albom, that person was Morrie Schwartz, his college professor from nearly twenty years ago.Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded. Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you? Mitch Albom had that second chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man's life. Knowing he was dying of ALS - or motor neurone disease - Mitch visited Morrie in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college. Their rekindled relationship turned into one final 'class': lessons in how to live.TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE is a magical chronicle of their time together, through which Mitch shares Morrie's lasting gift with the world.Praise for Tuesdays with Morrie: 'This is a true story that shines and leaves you forever warmed by its afterglow' Amy Tan'A moving tribute to embracing life' Glasgow Herald'An extraordinary contribution to the literature of death' Boston Globe 'A beautifully written book of great clarity and wisdom that lovingly captures the simplicity beyond life's complexities' M Scott Peck
Brian Eno: Oblique Music (PDF)
by Sean Albiez David PattieOn the back of his published diary Brian Eno describes himself variously as: a mammal, a father, an artist, a celebrity, a pragmatist, a computer-user, an interviewee, and a 'drifting clarifier'. To this list we might add rock star (on the first two Roxy Music albums); the creator of lastingly influential music (Another Green World; Music for Airports); a trusted producer (for Talking Heads, U2, Coldplay and a host of other artists); the maker of large-scale video and installation artworks; a maker of apps and interactive software; and so on. He is one of the most feted and influential musical figures of the past forty years, even though he has described himself on more than one occasion as a non-musician. This volume examines Eno's work as a musician, as a theoretician, as a collaborator, and as a producer. Brian Eno is one of the most influential figures in popular music; an updated examination of his work on this scale is long overdue. 9781441117458 9781441155344 9781441148063
Brian Eno: Oblique Music
by Sean Albiez David PattieOn the back of his published diary Brian Eno describes himself variously as: a mammal, a father, an artist, a celebrity, a pragmatist, a computer-user, an interviewee, and a 'drifting clarifier'. To this list we might add rock star (on the first two Roxy Music albums); the creator of lastingly influential music (Another Green World; Music for Airports); a trusted producer (for Talking Heads, U2, Coldplay and a host of other artists); the maker of large-scale video and installation artworks; a maker of apps and interactive software; and so on. He is one of the most feted and influential musical figures of the past forty years, even though he has described himself on more than one occasion as a non-musician. This volume examines Eno's work as a musician, as a theoretician, as a collaborator, and as a producer. Brian Eno is one of the most influential figures in popular music; an updated examination of his work on this scale is long overdue.
Brian Eno: Oblique Music
by Sean Albiez David PattieOn the back of his published diary Brian Eno describes himself variously as: a mammal, a father, an artist, a celebrity, a pragmatist, a computer-user, an interviewee, and a 'drifting clarifier'. To this list we might add rock star (on the first two Roxy Music albums); the creator of lastingly influential music (Another Green World; Music for Airports); a trusted producer (for Talking Heads, U2, Coldplay and a host of other artists); the maker of large-scale video and installation artworks; a maker of apps and interactive software; and so on. He is one of the most feted and influential musical figures of the past forty years, even though he has described himself on more than one occasion as a non-musician. This volume examines Eno's work as a musician, as a theoretician, as a collaborator, and as a producer. Brian Eno is one of the most influential figures in popular music; an updated examination of his work on this scale is long overdue.
