Biografier

An inspirational and gripping first-person account of determination, adversity and survival against the odds.

When discussing unsolved murders of women in late Victorian London, most people think of the depredations of Jack the Ripper, the Whitechapel Murderer, whose sanguineous exploits have spawned the creation of a small library of books.

The years 1980 until 1984, a time we call the New York days, are the final unknown piece of the jigsaw puzzle that was Freddie Mercury's life. (Rock superstar and always dynamic front man of Queen).In fact, the movie Bohemian Rhapsody basically skipped over this important time of his life, moving from 1980 to 1984 in maybe fifteen to twenty seconds. My close friends Lee Nolan, Joe Scardilli, and John Murphy were eager to meet Freddie when he returned in 1981 after I had first met him in 1980. Freddie and his twenty-four-hour attendant and loyal friend, Peter Freestone, liked our group and wanted very much to be a part of it. At that time, many of New York City's residents and day-trippers from Long Island and New Jersey knew Queen's music but could not identify the band members. Freddie felt free and absolutely cherished this newly found and so-unavailable-in-Europe nonrecognition. He had recently grown a mustache, cut his hair short, wore jeans and tee shirts, and blended in perfectly with the gay culture in New York--we mostly all looked alike! Freddie loved being just "one of the boys."Unfortunately, John and Joe have passed on. Lee and I, however, continued the relationship beyond 1986 when we were invited several times to Freddie's beloved Garden Lodge in the heart of London. Lee was the constant photographer and has preserved a great many of these photos, which have never been seen prior to our book. One of the last things that Freddie repeated to Lee on our last visit, June 1991, was to "make these photos work for you, darling!" You will see wonderful photos of Freddie, off the stage and participating in the real world. You will see fun and excitement in his face at every turn of the page.Enjoy!Thor Arnold and Lee Nolan

Always steered by Alex Paterson, The Orb were the mischief-making pioneers of the late 80s acid house revolution. Inventing "e;ambient house"e;, they took it to the top of the charts, before continuing its idiosyncratic flight path through subsequent decades, battling meteor storms en route. Babble On An' Ting, the first full account of Paterson's life, written by long-time friend Kris Needs in close collaboration with Alex, reveals a frequently astonishing journey from traumatic childhood through punk, Killing Joke and KLF to starting The Orb in 1988, then the five decade roller coaster that followed. Moving, shocking, hilarious and inspiring, at the heart of this story lies a true survivor doggedly following their musical passion.First-hand interviews include those with Youth, Andrew Weatherall, Primal Scream, Jah Wobble, Jimmy Cauty and a parade of friends, collaborators and starship mechanics.

A RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK'An affectionate and revealing account ... Funny, sad, real, rueful.' The Times'Warm, rambling and self-aware' GuardianThe long-awaited, rambling, tender, and very funny memoir from Adam Buxton

This is the remarkable true story of the Marriage Bureau; its successes, its rare failures and its many clients, told with wit and honesty.

A thought-provoking look at the biggest challenges facing society through the unique lens of an experienced police officer and hostage negotiator

A wonderfully honest and beautifully-written memoir from one of the most intriguing football managers of the last 25 years.

Writer's Letters is a collection of fascinating letters written by great writers, from Dickens to De Beauvoir

Marking the coronation of King Charles III, this is a lavishly illustrated celebration of the British Royal Family from the unrivalled archive of British Vogue.

A gripping and eye-opening insight into life as a forensic psychiatrist, from one of the most experienced doctors in the field

Two modern classics in one volume.

From near suicidal RAF attacks in 1939 through to the dawn of the jet age in 1945, FLAMES IN THE SKY captures the astonishing drama, intensity, heroism and incomparable exhilaration of the World War Two air war like no other book.

Southern Man tells the story of Alan Walden, one of the most colourful and influential personalities to emerge from the history of R&B and Southern rock n roll.

Few soldiers are deemed good enough to be selected and trained as snipers and even fewer qualify. As a result, snipers are regarded as the elite of their units and their skills command the ungrudging respect of their fellows - and the enemy. The Author is one such man who recently served a full tour of duty with 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. James describes the highs and lows of almost daily front line action experienced by our soldiers deployed on active service in arguably the most dangerous area of the world. As part of the Battle Group’s crack Mobile Operations Group, James’s mission was to liquidate as many Taliban as possible. The reader experiences sniper tactics and actions, whether in ambush or quick pre-planned strikes, amid the ever present lethal danger of IEDs. His book, the first to be written by a trained sniper in Afghanistan, reveals the psychological pressures and awesome life-and-death responsibility of his role and, in particular, the deadly cat-and-mouse ‘games’ with the enemy snipers intent on their own kills. These involved the clinical killing of targets at ranges of 1,000 meters or greater. Sniper in Helmand is a thrilling action-packed, yet very human, account of both front line service in the intense Afghanistan war and first-hand sniper action. Andy McNab inspired James to join the army and has written a moving foreword.

In this powerful and timely personal essay, best-selling author Otegha Uwagba reflects on racism, whiteness, and the mental labour required of Black people to navigate the two.

The Alaska Journals of James A. Carroll, 1911-1922

'A thrilling, stirring story, well told' Daily Telegraph'Gripping... Garrett's chief strength is her ability to relight the lamps of the past so that they glow anew' The Times'Extraordinary' Jewish ChronicleTHE THRILLING TRUE STORY OF THE SECRET JEWISH COMMANDOS WHO HELPED DEFEAT THE NAZIS DURING WW2June 1942. The shadow of the Third Reich has fallen across the entire European continent. In desperation, Winston Churchill and his chief of staff form an unusual plan: a new commando unit made up of Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria who escaped to Britain just before the War. Many have lost their families, their homes - their whole worlds. And now, in the crucial final battles against the Nazis, they will stop at nothing to defeat them. Trained in counterintelligence and advanced combat, this top secret unit becomes known as X Troop. Some simply call them a suicide squad.Drawing on extensive original research, including interviews with the last surviving members, Leah Garrett follows this unique band of brothers from Europe to England and back again, with stops at British internment camps, the beaches of Normandy, the battlefields of Italy and Holland, and the hellscape of Terezin concentration camp - the scene of one of the most dramatic, untold rescues of the war. For the first time, X Troop tells the astonishing story of these secret shock troops and their devastating blows against the Nazis.

In the space of just five years, Twice have taken the K-Pop world by storm.With hundreds of millions of views on YouTube, a sell-out world tour and record-breaking album sales under their belts, Twice have well and truly earned their place in the K-Pop hall of fame. And they're only just getting started.Twice: The Story of K-Pop's Greatest Girl Group tells the amazing story behind one of the most-loved groups of our time. Covering their triumphs and setbacks, the making of everyone's favourite tracks - including 'Like Ooh-Aah', 'Cheer Up' and 'Likey' - and their unique sense of style, this in-depth, unofficial guide is the perfect gift for any Twice fan.With dedicated profiles of each band member, Twice looks at how these talented and unique superstars have grown, and what's to come in their bright future.

Introduced by leading historian Helen Graham, Homage to Catalonia is Orwell's first-hand account of the Spanish Civil War.

Barely educated and valued since childhood strictly for his labour, Ernaux's father had grown into a hard, practical man who showed his family little affection. Narrating his slow ascent towards material comfort, Ernaux's cold observation in A MAN'S PLACE reveals the shame that haunted her father throughout his life.

The gruesome stories of the hardest, most ruthless rugby players from around the world since World War I. As talented as they were fiery, many were just as lively off the pitch as on it. In our era of citing commissioners, super slow-motion replays and trial by social media, some of their actions are quite hard to believe! Foreword by Nigel Owens.

The extraordinary life of one of the world's greatest music and literary icons, in the words of those who knew him best.

A powerful, raw and unflinchingly honest account of a life coming undone

An inside look at sexual practices in medieval Europe

Captain Janeway of the USS Voyager tells the story of her life in Starfleet, for fans of Star Trek.