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Books > Biography
In Eccentric Wealth, Alastair Scott traces the life of Lancashire
industrialist Sir George Bullough in this absorbing biography which
explores his family's connection with the Hebridean island of Rum,
particularly the building of Kinloch Castle, the most intact
preserve of Edwardian highliving to be found in Britain. Based on
new information, the book offers a fascinating insight into the
life and times of one of the great eccentrics of his age, including
the Bullough myths and scandals which continue to make
extraordinary reading more than a hundred years later.
'Have I succeeded, in my own life? I don't know. I don't think so. I'm
in my eighties now and I just don't know. But then, maybe "success" is
the wrong way of framing it. You just try, and when you fail, you keep
trying.'
Over the course of eight years, Martin Scorsese and Jesuit theologian
Antonio Spadaro discussed filmmaking and faith.
From his Catholic upbringing amidst the brutality of 1950s New York to
the heights of Hollywood, Scorsese sketches a unique self-portrait. And
from Mean Streets to Killers of the Flower Moon - and especially the
spiritual reckonings of The Last Temptation of Christ and Silence - he
grants readers a new understanding of his films.
Reflecting on grace and violence, fear and hope, passion and belief,
these rich and intimate conversations offer a remarkable insight into
the director's life and work.
Written by Cape Town journalist Miles Masterson, The Oom reveals the
extraordinary life of John Whitmore, a visionary who transformed South
Africa’s relationship with ocean sport and beach culture.
This richly illustrated biography is a must-have for anyone who loves
the sea, adventure and local history.
John Whitmore was the first person to ride a surfboard on the Cape’s
Atlantic coast, and his passion for surfing sparked a movement that
would echo across generations. He established the country’s first
surfboard brand, identified world-class breaks like Elands Bay and
Jeffreys Bay, and nurtured the rise of Springbok surfing, opening the
door for South African talent on the global stage.
For two decades, listeners tuned in to his daily surf report on Radio
Good Hope, making him a trusted voice in the surf community. His
appearance in Bruce Brown’s iconic film The Endless Summer introduced
him to the world and cemented his status as a trailblazer.
Affectionately known as ‘The Doyen’, Whitmore continued to innovate by
bringing the Hobie Cat and Morey Boogie to South Africa, sparking new
waves of ocean-sport enthusiasm.
The Oom is not only the biography of a man ahead of his time, it is a
celebration of the coastal lifestyle that so many South Africans
cherish today. It will inspire long-time surfers, weekend wave chasers,
sailing and beach culture fans, and anyone interested in the story of
how a single person can change a country’s sporting identity.
Jan Ullrich: The Best There Never Was is the first biography of Jan
Ullrich, arguably the most naturally talented cyclist of his
generation, and also one of the most controversial champions of the
Tour de France. In 1997, Jan Ullrich announced himself to the world
by obliterating his rivals in the first mountain stage of the Tour
de France. So awesome was his display that it sent shockwaves
throughout the world of cycling and invited headlines such as
L'Equipe's 'The New Giant'. He went on to become Germany's first
ever Tour winner, storming to victory in that edition by almost ten
minutes, a result that was greeted as an era-defining changing of
the guard. Everyone agreed: Jan Ullrich was the future of cycling.
He was soon also voted Germany's most popular sportsperson of all
time, and his rivalry with Lance Armstrong defined the most
controversial years of the Tour de France. Now, Daniel Friebe - who
has covered twenty-one editions of the Tour de France - has gone in
search of the man who was said in 1997 would go on to dominate his
sport for a generation, but never quite managed it. Just what did
happen to the best who never was? This is a gripping account of how
unbearable expectation, mental and physical fragility, the effects
of a complicated childhood, a morally corrupt sport and one
individual - Lance Armstrong - can conspire to reroute destiny.
Daniel Friebe takes us from the legacy of East Germany's drugs
programme to the pinnacle of pro cycling and asks: what price can
you give sporting immortality?
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