Tales of Hardship, Love and Happiness in Tate & Lyle's East End Factories. The Sugar Girls went straight to No.10 in the Sunday Times Bestseller List, spending five weeks in the top ten. 'On an autumn day in 1944, Ethel Alleyne walked the short distance from her house to Tate & Lyle's refinery on the shining curve of the Thames. Looking up at the giant gates, Ethel felt like she had been preparing for this moment all her life. She smoothed down her frizzy hair, scraped a bit of dirt off the corner of her shoe and strode through. She was quite unprepared for the sight that met her eyes ...' In the years leading up to and after the Second World War thousands of women left school at fourteen to work in the bustling factories of London's East End. Despite long hours, hard and often hazardous work, factory life afforded exciting opportunities for independence, friendship and romance. Of all the factories that lined the docks, it was at Tate & Lyle's where you could earn the most generous wages and enjoy the best social life, and it was here where The Sugar Girls worked. Through the Blitz and on through the years of rationing The Sugar Girls kept Britain sweet. The work was back-breakingly hard, but Tate & Lyle was more than just a factory, it was a community, a calling, a place of love and support and an uproarious, tribal part of the East End. From young Ethel to love-worn Lillian, irrepressible Gladys to Miss Smith who tries to keep a workforce of flirtatious young men and women on the straight and narrow, this is an evocative, moving story of hunger, hardship and happiness. Tales of adversity, resilience and youthful high spirits are woven together to provide a moving insight into a lost way of life, as well as a timeless testament to the experience of being young and female. www.thesugargirls.com

In the tradition of The Perfect Storm and Into Thin Air, Rachel Slade's Into the Raging Sea is a nail-biting account of the sinking of the container ship El Faro, the crew of thirty-three who perished onboard, and the destructive forces of globalisation that put the ship in harm's way. On October 1, 2015, Hurricane Joaquin barreled into the Bermuda Triangle and swallowed the container ship El Faro whole, resulting in one of the worst shipping disasters in decades. No one could fathom how a vessel equipped with satellite communications, a sophisticated navigation system, and cutting-edge weather forecasting could suddenly vanish - until now. Relying on hundreds of exclusive interviews with family members and maritime experts, as well as the words of the crew members themselves - whose conversations were captured by the ship's data recorder - journalist Rachel Slade unravels the mystery of the sinking of El Faro. As she recounts the final twenty-four hours onboard, Slade vividly depicts the officers' anguish and fear as they struggled to carry out Captain Michael Davidson's increasingly bizarre commands, which, they knew, would steer them straight into the eye of the storm. Taking a hard look at America's aging merchant marine fleet, Slade also reveals the truth about modern shipping - a cutthroat industry plagued by razor-thin profits and ever more violent hurricanes fueled by global warming. A richly reported account of a singular tragedy, Into the Raging Sea takes us into the heart of an age-old American industry, casting new light on the hardworking crew of El Faro who paid the ultimate price in the name of profit.

In the tradition of the best writing on human behaviour and moral choices in the face of disaster, physician and reporter Sheri Fink reconstructs five days at New Orleans' Memorial Medical Center during Hurricane Katrina and draws the reader into the lives of those who struggled mightily to survive and to maintain life amidst chaos. After Katrina struck and the floodwaters rose, the power failed, and the heat climbed, exhausted caregivers chose to designate certain patients last for rescue. Months later, several health professionals faced criminal allegations that they deliberately injected numerous patients with drugs to hasten their deaths. Five Days at Memorial, the culmination of six years of reporting, unspools the mystery of what happened in those days, bringing the reader into a hospital fighting for its life and into a conversation about the most terrifying form of health care rationing. In a voice at once involving and fair, masterful and intimate, Fink exposes the hidden dilemmas of end-of-life care and reveals just how ill-prepared we are for the impact of large-scale disasters - and how we can do better. A remarkable book, engrossing from start to finish, Five Days at Memorial radically transforms our understanding of human nature in crisis.

Our pets are our family. They love us, comfort us and make us laugh - so it's no wonder that letting them go is so hard. But amazing and inspirational true stories from Jacky Newcomb show that we will be reunited with them again. From dreams to visitations, there have been numerous accounts of furry friends appearing to their owners from heaven. Old dogs have been rejuvenated to puppies, injured cats restored to their former selves, and there have even been stories of horses being cared for by loved ones who have gone ahead before us. Magical, comforting and truly incredible, Dogs in Heaven reveals the uplifting truth behind your prayers.

Many women expect to become mothers but are childless through social rather than biological reasons - perhaps they haven't met the right person or they prioritised career or education earlier in life. Featuring international interviews by grief counsellor and researcher Lois Tonkin, this collection of first-person stories provides insight into the under-discussed situation of being childless by circumstance. Each story highlights the different aspects of being childless by circumstance, as women move through their 30s, 40s, and 50s, and beyond their ages of fertility. The book explores feelings of grief and loss, and also how women adapt positively to their changed life expectations, finding excitement in the alternative, rich and complex shapes their lives have taken.

Have you ever wondered where we go when we cross through the light at the end of the tunnel? Or what - and who - is waiting for us on the other side? Angel expert Jacky Newcomb brings light where there was darkness with more unique and incredible true stories from the world beyond the veil. Through the miraculous accounts of those brought back from the brink of death, and the astonishing stories of those who've experienced visits from loved ones who've passed on, Jacky shares with us the glimpses of heaven we could only imagine until now - and the life changing effects they have had on those lucky enough to experience them. Beautifully told and compelling in nature, "Touching Heaven" is as beguiling as it is revealing.

Behind the notorious Hudson men who dominated the Canterbury Estate for over 30 years were the girls, and my mam Shirley. Whether marrying into or determined to escape from it, the third instalment of this gritty series recounts the incredible stories of the unflinching women behind the legendary Hudson family. The Canterbury Estate in Bradford during the '50s and '60s was a tight-knit community reared on poverty, crime and violence, and at the top of the heap were the infamous Hudson family. But it wasn't just the boys who had a story to tell: from matriarch Annie, who gave birth to 13 children, to daughters Margaret and Eunice, who married up and out, each had a personality as indomitable as the last. Then came Shirley Read, who was just 17 when she fell in love with Keith, one of the Hudson lads. To Shirley, the only child of affluent parents, the poverty of the unruly estate was as exciting as it was mysterious; newspapers for tablecloths, jam jars for cups, and, even by that time, no electricity. But it was a friendship forged with Annie and June, the younger Hudson sisters, that would teach Shirley not only to how to survive, Canterbury-style, but would also give her the strength to overcome an unexpected personal tragedy that would soon become a nightmare for women across the world... Eye-opening and warm, this is the vivid account of the 'Tucker' girls; the resourceful women at the helm of a notorious Bradford family who will never be forgotten.

If you lived on the notorious Canterbury Estate in the '40s and '50s, then you knew there was one man you did not want to cross: Charlie Hudson. A solitary man, feared and respected by the gangsters of the time, Charlie was a boxer who never lost a fight, in or out of the ring - the most infamous of The Canterbury Warriors. My Uncle Charlie, the second title in the explosive series unravels a story of debauchery, crime and self-destruction. Charlie Hudson was a born leader. The eldest of eight brothers and four sisters and with a boxer for a father, fighting was in his blood. And as the young protege of local Italian gangster, Mr Cappovanni, Charlie not only learned to knock every opponent out, he also learned the tools of the crime and extortion trade well; emerging into adulthood in the middle of the war years as a natural heir: running cons, illegal books and a band of prostitutes. But when Charlie met Betty, a sweet, caring girl, he was determined to be a better man for her. He'd still deal with 'business' but no more would he bed his working girls, and the birth of their baby girl, Elizabeth, sealed it: he knew life could not get any better. But for a man who had only ever lived in the belly of the Canterbury Estate underworld, it could definitely get worse... Gritty and engrossing, book two of the Hudson family saga delves deeper into history of the infamous Canterbury Warriors; the true story of one man's ascendancy to power, and the tragedy that brought it all crashing down.

A teenage boy lies on the pavement, bleeding from a stab wound; a distraught mum watches, in mute shock, as her daughter suffers a terrifying fatal asthma attack; a young girl is gang-raped and her stricken boyfriend takes an overdose; a disturbed young man flings himself in front of a speeding train at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. Few people can imagine living in a world where such situations are part of everyday life. Yet for veteran paramedic Lysa Walder, these and thousands of other emergency call outs are part of a day's work: scenes of tragedy, heroism loss and horror - but also stories of triumph and humour. Lysa has been a paramedic for over twenty years, working for the London Ambulance service - the world's biggest and busiest free service - for much of that time. Here, she reveals what it's really like to work in a job that brings paramedic teams face-to-face with death - and destiny - every day.

They did what?! That would never happen here. Yes it can, and it certainly will if you don't become proactive in learning how to avoid the disastrous scenarios befalling companies every day. Written by a seasoned HR expert and employment attorney, Hard-Won Wisdom takes you inside the messy reality of situations gone wrong, including: * A joking comment taken as a command* An email exchange that escalates ridiculously out of control* A request for confidentiality that backfires in a big way* The right employee fired the wrong way* The wrong employee fired the right wayBut this collection of real-life war stories doesn't stop there. The sometimes funny, but always cautionary tales are also used to reinforce crucial lessons for managers. From failing to give feedback and withholding key information to exercising poor judgment and making faulty assumptions, every story highlights the role management plays in exacerbating (or easing) trouble. Through many unfortunate situations, other managers have learned the hard way how to better motivate underachievers, defuse angry employees, discipline without inviting legal action, and handle many other employee problems. But you don't have to learn the way they did! Learn from their hard-won wisdom before it's too late!

'It's not me then?' she says. A little bit of my heart breaks, and I struggle to swallow down the lump in my throat. 'No Jane, it's not you. You were right.' Why won't he ever let you use his phone? Why is he always going on about that girl from work? Is he cheating on you? There's one way to find out - ask him. Then (when he lies) call Rebecca Jane, founder and owner of the Lady Detective Agency. The Agency is one of the UK's most successful female private detective services. It exists for one purpose: to find the truth. Whether that means trailing a transsexual prostitute through the streets of London, following suspected cheats on stag parties, tracking down someone's beloved pet ferret or uncovering famous people's affairs, Rebecca and her elite team will help. Whatever it takes. Their extraordinary dedication stems from first-hand experience of deception. Here Rebecca not only reveals her clients' fascinating stories, but her own rollercoaster journey too - from early success to crushing failure, scandal, abuse and affairs, and ultimately to finding true love. At times heartbreaking, hilarious and eye-opening, this vibrantly-written compilation of stories introduces us to a sparkling and witty new voice in Rebecca and her crack team of female detectives who are always ready to solve any case, no matter how big or small. For the first time, the Agency is opening its doors and revealing its secrets. Guilty consciences beware.

As American astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, television cameras focused on the brave smiles of their wives. Overnight, these women were transformed from shy military spouses to American royalty: having tea with Jackie Kennedy, attending high society galas, and being featured on the cover of Life magazine. They quickly grew into fashion icons, donning sherbet-swirled Pucci dresses and lacquering their hair into extravagant rocket styles (to match their husbands' spaceships). Annie Glenn was the envy of the other wives, with her many magazine features; platinum-blonde bombshell Rene Carpenter was proclaimed JFK's favourite; homely Betty Grissom worried her husband was having affairs; Louise Shepard just wanted to be left alone to her card games; and licensed pilot Trudy Cooper arrived on base with a dirty secret. Together they rallied to form the Astronaut Wives Club, which has now turned into over 40 years of enduring friendship. Sexy and sophisticated, rich in melodrama, and set against the uniquely atmospheric backdrop of the Space Age, THE ASTRONAUTS' WIVES CLUB tells the real story behind some of the biggest heroes in American history, chronicling their romantic, domestic, and public dramas during the Mad Men era.

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR Thrown Away Child is a memoir covering Louise Allen's abusive childhood in a foster home, how she survived - using her love of art as a sanctuary - and how she hopes to right old wrongs now by fostering children herself and campaigning for the improvement of foster care services. It is a compelling and inspirational story. This book gives a voice to the many children who grew up unhappily in care.

This is an account of how an angry young man can cross the line that divides theoretical support for violence from a state of 'killing rage', in which the murder of neighbour becomes thinkable. Over 3000 people have died in Northern Ireland since 1969, and most of them have died at the hands of their neighbours. The intimacy of the Ulster conflict, what it means to carry out a political murder when in all probability the victim is personally known, or lives in a nearby street, is described accurately by an honest participant. The book does not attempt to soften the impact of the events it describes through euphemism or rhetoric. It is a truthful picture of the brutality and waste caused by the IRA's unwinnable campaign, and of its human consequences. It is also a self-portrait of the despair and disintegration, the hardening to conscience and grief, that accompany political violence.

Set amidst South Australia's beautiful but isolated mid-north, The Railway Dog tells the true story of Bob, a scruffy brown stray, bought on impulse by a local railway man as a gift for his wife - and setting in motion the beginnings of a legend...Recognised near and far for his cheery bark, waving tail, and devotion to train travel - Bob quickly became a beloved member of the tight knit railway community. Charming, humorous, and at times intensely moving, the adventures of Bob the Railway Dog, entwined with the lives of the fascinating people he meets on his journeys - make for an inspiring and touching Australian story.

The amazing true story of how London became home to the Russian super-rich. A dazzling tale of incredible wealth, ferocious disputes, beautiful women, private jets, mega-yachts, the world s best footballers and chauffeur-driven Range Rovers with tinted windows.

A group of buccaneering Russian oligarchs made colossal fortunes after the collapse of communism and many of them came to London to enjoy their new-found wealth. Londongrad tells for the first time the true story of their journeys from Moscow and St Petersburg to mansions in Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Surrey and takes you into a shimmering world of audacious multi-billion pound deals, outrageous spending and rancorous feuds.

But while London's flashiest restaurants echoed to Russian laughter and Bond Street shop-owners totted up their profits, darker events also played themselves out. The killing of ex-KGB man Alexander Litvinenko in London to the death in a helicopter crash he all but predicted of Stephen Curtis, the lawyer to many of Britain's richest Russians, chilled London's Russians and many of those who know them.

This is the story of how Russia's wealth was harvested and brought to London some of it spent by Roman Abramovich on his beloved Chelsea Football Club, some of it spent by Boris Berezovsky in his battles with Russia's all-powerful Vladimir Putin. Londongrad is a must-read for anyone interested in how vast wealth is created, the luxury it can buy and the power and intrigue it produces."

A true account of Felicity's search for justice following the murder of her husband, Victor Prazak, in Libya. Victor died on the 22nd of December 1992 when the passenger plane he was travelling on was brought down by a Libyan military MiG. Victor, the only Westerner on board the plane, was buried in a mass grave in the Libyan Desert without Felicity's consent. She was not even allowed to attend the burial. After nineteen years of fighting to uncover the truth, the recent uprising in Libya has brought to light the facts of the case. She is still petitioning the British government for an inquest, and is involved in legal action against the Libyan state.

On a Saturday morning in May 1980, Melanie Bowen, a pretty fifteen year old, ran down the stairs of her parents' home in Port Talbot, grabbed her leather jacket and crash helmet, yelled a goodbye, and then walked out of the front door into the sunshine for what was to be the last time in her life. Never Say Die is the true story of what followed... Since the motorcycle crash that left her paralysed from the chest down, Melanie's life has been one of extremes. On the down side, she has endured 5 horrific months of despair and indignity in rehabilitation, undergone a colostomy at 23, been in another serious car crash, suffered syringomyelia and the terrifying prospect of full quadriplegia, been diagnosed with breast cancer and broken several bones. On the plus side, however, she's won medals in athletics for Wales, been humbled and inspired by Falklands veterans at RAF Chessington, raised thousands for charity, become a major disability poster girl in America, dabbled with the film world and been screen tested for a movie, met the Queen, and set up her own rehabilitation charity, whose patrons include the acclaimed actor Michael Sheen, Dame Tanni Grey Thompson and former Welsh Rugby captain, Gwyn Jones. She has also, against all the odds, found lasting happiness, having fallen in love with and married the surgeon who 25 years earlier told her she would never walk again.

Inspiring and powerful true stories of communication with beings from the Afterlife from one of the country's most successful and sought after psychics. Includes amazing accounts of guardian angel interventions, mysterious rescues, miraculous recoveries, unexplained powers of psychic children and animals. In her new book, outstanding psychic Dorothy Chitty presents an incredible collection of real-life stories taken from both her own life and from others who have experienced the power of the Afterlife. Find out the truth behind what happens when our guardian angels appear to us in various guises when we need them most - and often when we least expect it. Stories include: Guardian angels we know - like the woman's family who cheated death on the Zeebrugge ferry when she heard her mother's warning from beyond the grave Not our time to go - when unknown forces save us, like the rock climber who was saved when he was lifted up by invisible hands when he fell thirty feet Healing miracles - when asking the angels for help can save us, like the young woman with a brain tumour who asked the spirits for and her next scan showed it had gone, leaving just a cross where it had been Guidance from the other side - signs that point you on your life path, like the man who's life changed when he was told to go to Canada and he discovered his ideal career Psychic children - how children are more open to seeing spirits and guardian angels, like the little girl who saw how she had died in a previous life, and now passed on messages from her dead brother Psychic animals - the bond between animals and their owners that continues after death, like the man whose dead dog carried on leaving his newspaper on the front porch

The story of two men who almost single-handedly saved their football club from extinction. In the early 80s David Kilpatrick and Graham Morris spied architects' plans to turn Spotland, the home of their beloved, beleaguered Rochdale AFC, into a housing estate. They set about saving the club but first had to take on the alleged 'enemy within'. They worked tirelessly, persuading companies to write off debts while securing loans and donations, a tricky proposition when your club is bottom of the Football League. Meanwhile, the town of Rochdale was on its knees, the last of the cotton mills closing down. The limit of most fans' investment in their club is routinely the price of a season ticket. Directors often risk their houses and businesses, sometimes forfeiting marriages, families and their health in the name of their club. People such as Kilpatrick and Morris - moderately wealthy local businessmen - who serve on football club boards are the unseen, unsung heroes of football, even in the modern age.

The true story of a young police officer's imprisonment for a crime he did not commit It was Michael Bunting's life ambition to follow in his father's footsteps and become a police officer. But six years after his family watch him pass out and begin his life's dream, he is serving a sentence for a crime he didn't commit. This is his story. Beaten almost senseless as he tried to arrest a violent criminal, the 23-year-old PC was left with head injuries and blurred vision that took him months to recover from. Back at work he was astounded to learn that his attacker had filed a complaint against him and that the Police Discipline and Complaints Department were following up the allegation. Two years later he was found guilty of common assault against his assailant and received a prison sentence that left him living his devastated life amongst the criminals he had previously sought to keep off the streets. Hard-hitting and at times heart-breaking the book is a graphic account of life behind bars for a policeman in one of England's hardest prisons. An extract from A Fair Cop: "The prisoner arrived once more with the trolley and placed the plate of food on to my hatch. 'Bunting,' he shouted pleasantly. I wasn't fooled. 'Thanks,' I said, as I walked across the cell to collect it. As I put my hand out to reach for the plate he snatched it away. He held it up to the hatch and peered through at me. 'PC Bunting, isn't it?' he asked, and then took a deep breath to muster as much saliva from the back of his throat as he could. With one swift movement he spat a big glob in to the middle of the food. The white phlegm floated around in brown gravy. 'Hey lads, I'm feeding the pig,' he said. With this, two other prisoners came to my cell hatch. They looked at me, sniggering. They then spat in my food too. The first prisoner put the plate on the hatch and gestured for me to come closer. 'You're in our territory now, you f***ing filth, and we're gonna f***ing carve you up.'

The funny, touching and entertaining story of how Jo Hardy, the star of BBC2's Young Vets, gets to grips with animals big and small, friendly and not-at-all-happy, on the road to becoming a fully qualified vet. 'Stand well clear. Keep your eyes on them. Oh, and make sure you have insurance.' Not the most comforting words of wisdom, but probably the most useful for a trainee vet, Jo would say. From well-equipped surgeries to windswept hills and ramshackle barns, Jo has to be able to diagnose and treat any animal, at any time of the day or night. It's not quite as easy as James Herriot made it seem. Jo's final year of training saw her race from rectal examinations of cows to spine surgery on a Great Dane, and from treating an eventing horse with a heart problem to inserting a contraceptive implant into a monkey. And then there were the owners - the tough guy who sobbed when his cat was diagnosed with cancer, the woman who was convinced her dog was embarrassed by its stomach upset, and the farmer who loved his cows as much as anyone loves their pets. Gruelling days of animal treatments and visits combined with long nights of study and revision made Jo's final year of training the most demanding and rewarding year of her life. Her book tells of the highs and lows, the pets that stole her heart, and the lifelong friends that she made - with two legs and four.

Following on from the hugely popular 'Angel Saved My Life' series comes a moving new collection of real-life stories from the Afterlife. Following the bestsellers An Angel by My Side and An Angel Held My Hand comes a brand new collection of heartwarming and inspiring real-life dramas about people who have had 'a little help' from the other side when they most needed it. Stories include: The shouting angel whose playful antics saved a young girl from falling down the stairs. The angel who prevented a woman's bad judgement becoming a tragedy. The whispering angel who helped a serial dieter lose weight for good. The angel voice that quietly guided a woman to her soul mate. The group of friends whose guardian angels revealed their purpose in life. The laughing angel who helped a lost boy find his way home. These are just some of the miraculous accounts in this inspiring new collection of true stories.

For the first time, the UK's number one TV psychic shares some of his most personal stories and terrifying encounters with the spirit world, and what it's really like to be 'possessed'. The star of LIVINGtv's 'Most Haunted' and 'Ghost Towns' goes on a new journey that will chill you to the bone. Derek takes us with him into the darkest places of the spirit world where he confronts people taken over by demonic entities, the spirits of ancient Egyptians whose malevolent presence reaches beyond the tomb, those evil ghosts with unfinished business who are terrorising the living, and the dead who are determined to come back from the other side, and take Derek with them if they can... If you thought you'd already seen Derek's most terrifying battles with the dark side - think again.

THE FIGHT FOR FORDHALL FARM is the astonishing story of a young brother and sister faced with an unimaginable task - escaping eviction from their home that had been in their family since the 1700s, and saving their livelihood. Ben & Charlotte's father, Arthur Hollins, ran Fordhall Farm in Shropshire from the age of 14 until his death aged 90 in 2005, and inspired his children with his zeal for organic farming. So when their landlord informed them in 2005 that they would have to achieve the seemingly impossible and raise GBP800,000 to buy the farm or face eviction, 20- and 22-year-old Ben and Charlotte refused to give in without a fight. Aided by the Community Development Manager Sophie Hopkins and volunteers from across the country, the Hollinses set up the Fordhall Community Land Initiative, which allows members of the public to buy a GBP50 non-profit share in the farm. With an appeal in national newspapers and on television, the cheques were soon flooding in as the community rallied to save this special piece of farming history. Today more than 8,000 people across the world own a stake in Fordhall, and with supporters including a number of celebrities - HRH Prince Charles, Sting, Prunella Scales and Monty Don to name a few - the farm's future has been secured for the next 100 years.