For more than thirty years, Toronto psychic medium Carolyn Molnar has been helping people whose friends and loved ones have crossed over. By bringing these people proof of spirit evidence that life continues past the transition we call death she has comforted thousands of clients by showing them that their loved ones are still with them. In this book, youll read positive, life-affirming true stories about the emotions that touch us all. From the ghost of a lost young boy to the mother who desperately wants to live long enough to see her daughter graduate high school, to the courageous young woman whose death is mourned by an entire community, these healing stories and others will demonstrate that even though we pass on, our love never dies.

The Personals reveals how classified ads are not just a few commercial lines of text in print or online - they can be a treasure trove of fascinating human stories; stories of love, loss, loneliness, redemption and hope. Some people do Sudoku, others watch Netflix. Brian O'Connell loves the classified ads. In an era of spin doctors and press releases, celebrities and social influencers, the classified ads can open a door into the lives of ordinary people with extraordinary stories. What draws Brian to the classified ads are the intriguing human stories he finds there, the unexpected twists and turns, the personalities, the curious objects and the range of human experience waiting to be discovered. The Personals is a diverse collection of compelling stories about the people and the lives behind the small ads.

Gleeful and noisy celebrations greeted several dozen nervous young women when, after 99 tumultuous days at sea aboard the Tynemouth, they stepped ashore in Victoria in September 1862. Immediately they were faced with an ordeal of a different kind -- walking in single file up the ceremonial pathway through a jostling crowd of boisterous, eager men. One astonished young woman, proposed to on the spot, accepted her suitor to the delighted cheers of the throng and married him the next day. However, it took most of the bride-ship women longer to find their new destinies. Why did these women leave everything behind in England and come to the west coast of Canada? The answers lie in the atrocious disruptions of industrial Britain, the conflicting aims of earnest Christians and early feminists, and the lusty turmoil of a gold-rush frontier. All three elements shaped this complex and intriguing true story. The hardships and happiness of Louisa and Charlotte Townsend, Isabel Curtis, Jane Saunders, Emma Tammadge, Minnie Gillan and others who left no records are brought to life in this book.

'AN EXTRAORDINARY BOOK' NIHAL ARTHANAYAKE 'SUCH AN INCREDIBLE READ' ZOE BALL 'ONE OF THE YEAR'S MOST INSPIRING BOOKS' HOLLY WILLOUGHBY With a foreword by 2021 Strictly Come Dancing winner Rose Ayling-Ellis, and including chapters on Rose and her mum, the 3 Dads Walking, Martin Hibbert, Paul and Nick Harvey, the heroes of Fishmongers' Hall, and Jimi Olubunmi-Adewole. Dan Walker is back, determined to keep shining a light on the kindness, compassion and selflessness which continue to characterise so many people and their actions right across the country. As one of the UK's leading journalists, Dan has made it his life work to focus on people who often act as the catalysts for change: the unheralded champions who frequently go without getting the recognition they deserve. The new book from the author of the bestselling Remarkable People contains a totally fresh batch of humble heroes whose actions, bravery and determination have helped shape their communities. Standing on the Shoulders asks who are these little-known marvels and what makes them tick? What do they have in common? What can we all learn from them? Is there something special in the chain of events? What does it take to make a lasting impact on others? History can be cruel and forgetful to those who don't shout about their own success or good deeds, but Standing on the Shoulders is a beautifully-written and illuminating celebration of ordinary people and the extraordinary things they do. It is also a timely reminder of the goodness and positivity that drives us forward during challenging times.

JOIN SAS LEGEND PHIL CAMPION AS HE SHARES HIS DEEPLY PERSONAL LIFE STORY, WARTS AND ALL In WHO DARES WINS Big Phil Campion reveals his chequered past, from terrible abuse suffered in a string of kids' homes to psychological abuse suffered at a top public school. Phil guides you through his soldiering career, from the so called "green army" to the brutal trial of SAS selection and all that followed. This includes years spent providing private military services across war-torn and risk-laden Africa; in between he was body-guarded the likes of Led Zep, Oasis, Kasabian, Dizzy Rascal and Pro Green. Phil takes you on his gripping, behind-the-scenes adventure acting as a roving reporter for Sky TV in Syria and Northern Iraq, more often than not under fire. Brave, riveting and truly revelatory, WHO DARES WINS is packed full of jaw-dropping stories to quicken the blood, while also telling of the psychological toll a life in conflict took on the author. 'One of the best first-hand accounts of life in combat ever written' Andy McNab on Born Fearless

She has to be OK, I pleaded silently to myself. She has to be. 'We've alerted the RNLI and they're sending a lifeboat out.' 'The RNLI?' I said, surprised. 'They do that?' Saved from the Waves is a heart-warming collection of first-hand accounts from RNLI volunteers of the myriad dangers they face during each mission to save beloved pets, wildlife and livestock. This remarkable book shines a light on the bravery of the volunteers, and the necessity of these rescues - not only to save animals at risk of drowning, but to prevent people putting themselves in danger when trying to save a cherished furry friend. Each mission requires courage, determination and an unrelenting commitment to helping those in danger. Each day brings a new challenge for the extraordinary volunteer crews who are the lifeblood of the RNLI.

This is a classic real-life story of derring do on the high seas, complete with extreme risk, last-minute ingenuity and many near-misses.

Beginning in the 1960s, this book tells of the real life adventures of the author as a boy - a time of boarding schools, long holidays and an unbelievable (to today's parents) amount of freedom and danger. Encouraged by his parents (who lived abroad) to become more independent and self-sufficient, Peter decided to see how far he could get in his family's small open dinghy Calypso. Aged 16, he spent a winter restoring her, before pootling straight out into a force 7 gale and very nearly capsizing, after which he headed back to land to plan even more extreme adventures.

Calypso was a Wayfarer, a small (16ft) and very popular class of open dinghy; a boat designed for pottering around coastlines and estuaries during the day. But along with the occasional brave crewmate, Peter managed to sail her across the Channel, through the Bay of Biscay, down the French canals and into the Mediterranean, then up into the North Sea and the Baltic to Oslo, living aboard for three months at a time. These were some of the longest voyages that anyone had ever achieved in an open boat, where (as Peter says) you 'have to be like a tightrope walker, concentrating on balance day and night, fully aware of the consequence of relaxing your vigilance'. He survived huge waves, nine rudder breakages in heavy seas, dismasting, capsizes, and hallucinations caused by sleep deprivation. He also managed it on a tiny budget, working as a farm labourer, hitchhiking everywhere, and at times living on one meal of cereal a day, to save the maximum amount for his boat.

Charming, quite British in style, beautifully written and a lovely insight into a seemingly golden time, this is primarily a great read, but will be of huge practical use to anyone wanting to go that bit further in their dinghy. It also includes a lovely Foreword by world-famous yachtsman Brian Thompson.

Whether it's the joy-filled decision to welcome a child into your arms or the difficult decision to give your child another home-adoption is making the choice to love unselfishly and unconditionally. Loved by Choice offers a clear and uplifting look at adoption through true stories told from virtually every perspective. Birth parents, adoptive parents, grandparents, adopted children, families working out an overseas adoption, and those creating interracial families are among those who share their joys and difficulties. The collection is a tender celebration of adoption, led by those who understand it best. "Heartwarming and inspirational. By translating true stories from different perspectives, Horner and Martindale intensely convey to the reader the emotions that these people have felt-emotions ranging from desperation to elation, from abandonment to fulfillment. Loved by Choice is not only educational, it's an emotional read that, for maybe the first time, discusses in-depth the impact that adoption has on families and communities." Bill Owens, Governor of Colorado "Loved by Choice is a perfect example of God's adoption of us as his children and how the choice of love is extended to women in unplanned pregnancies. It is a powerful review of how God uses lives to save lives."Carol Everett, president of The Heidi Group "The reader, at the end of this book, has learned a great deal about the process of adoption, but that pales in comparison with the impact of the stories on the heart itself. And that's the real reason we should all read the book: to understand for the very first time what it really means to be Loved by Choice." Joe Wheeler, Ph. D., editor/compiler of the Heart to Heartseries of anthologies

For over ten years Jane Quinn has been sharing a cup of tea with some of the biggest names in the music and entertainment world as she has engaged them in a long running series of intimate interviews that go beyond the public image to reveal the person within. Originally appearing each month in The Beat magazine, this is the first time the interviews have been compiled into book form. With interviewees ranging from Leo Sayer, Steve Harley, Madeline Bell, Micky Dolenz, Chris Montez, Don McLean, Pat Boone, Melanie, Hazel O'Connor, Jackie DeShannon, Peter Asher, Petula Clark, and Kiki Dee, this book captures a unique look behind the scenes of many of the most extraordinary entertainers of the past 60 years.

Warm, funny and moving; the perfect summer read. For fans of Arthur, Finding Gobi and Damien Lewis' A Dog Called Hope. When Steve Jamieson met Bilbo, a chocolate Newfoundland puppy, little did he know that the small bundle of fluff would grow to take up a huge space in his heart and change his life forever. The pair were inseparable, with Bilbo accompanying Steve to his job as head lifeguard of Sennen beach in Cornwall every day. With his webbed paws and thick, double layer of fur, Bilbo was an excellent swimmer and he was soon promoted to honorary lifeguard. He was even credited with saving the lives of three people. Word about Bilbo spread and fans flocked from miles around to meet the friendly giant. But Bilbo and Steve couldn't have foreseen the obstacles that life would throw at them. Together, they would have to gather every bit of their strength to fight for their livelihood. Warm, heartfelt and moving, Bilbo the Lifeguard Dog is a tale of heroism and friendship, and is one man's tribute to his extraordinary dog.

Most people understand that what an emergency is and only call out the police, fire brigade or ambulance when they really need to. However, there is a weird minority who will dial 911 if they lose their keys, if their phone isn't working, if they need a lift home from a party or even if they have become hopelessly trapped in their own duvet! This hilarious collection of true stories brings together some of the world's most ridiculous emergency calls, including: - The woman who called the police because MacDonalds was out of Chicken Mcnuggets. - The priest who dialed 999 because WHSmiths at Manchester Airporte wouldn't let him use their toilet - The boy who called an ambulance because his poodle was looking sad. - The man whose watch read the same time for three hours who called the police to report that...wait for it...time was standing still - Then there was the man who had taken too much viagra...

The calamity that almost crushes her is the shocking revelation that she has contracted H.I.V. This story tells of Florence overcoming almost impossible obstacles and impending disasters, only to win through with enormous courage and tremendous stamina to beat the odds against her.

**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER** **SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD** 'A modern masterpiece' Guardian Uncovering the mystery of her mother's disappearance as a child: Laura Cumming, prize-winning author and art critic, takes a closer look at her family story. Autumn 1929 - a young girl is kidnapped from a beach. Five agonising days go by before she is discovered safe and well in a nearby village. The child remembers nothing of these events and at home, nobody ever speaks of them again. Decades later, Laura Cumming delves into the mystery surrounding her mother's disappearance. Examining everything from old family photos to letters, tickets and recipes, she uncovers a series of secrets and lies perpetuated not just by her family but by the whole community and in doing so unlocks a mystery almost a century old. 'A moving, many-sided human story of great depth and tenderness, and a revelation of how art enriches life' Sunday Times Shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction Shortlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize Longlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize

Lost in Spain is the result of the dying wish of author Dave Hadfield's oldest friend's wife, Barb, to have her ashes scattered along the route traced by Laurie Lee when he walked from Gloucester to the Mediterranean in the 1930s.That original journey provided the material for As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning, the book upon which, as well as Cider with Rosie, Lee's glittering reputation rests.Lost in Spain is a story of friendship and late-flowering love that is by turns informative, poignant, elegiac and laugh-out-loud funny.These days freed from the constraints of daily journalism, Hadfield has no plans to stop writing. Of his ten books so far, five have been written since he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2008.

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.

This epic saga of brotherhood and rivalry, of loyalty and treachery, of victory and death forms part of the indelible core of classical Chinese culture and continues to fascinate modern-day readers. In 220 EC, the 400-year-old rule of the mighty Han dynasty came to an end and three kingdoms contested for control of China. Liu Pei, the legitimate heir to the Han throne, elects to fight for his birthright and enlists the aid of his sworn brothers, the impulsive giant Chang Fei and the invincible knight Kuan Yu. The brave band faces a formidable array of enemies, foremost among them the treacherous and bloodthirsty Ts'ao Ts'ao. The bold struggle of the three heroes seems doomed until the reclusive wizard Chuko Liang offers his counsel, and the tide begins to turn. Romance of the Three Kingdoms is China's oldest novel and the first of a great tradition of historical fiction. Believed to have been compiled by the play-wright Lo Kuan-chung in the late fourteenth century, it is indebted to the great San-kuo chi (Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms) completed by the historian Ch'en Shou just before his death in 297 CE. The novel first appeared in print in 1522. This edition, translated in the mid-1920s by C. H. Brewitt-Taylor, is based on a shortened and simplified version which appeared in the 1670s. An Introduction to this reprint by Robert E. Hegel, Professor of Chinese and Comparative Literature at Washington University, provides an insightful commentary on the historical background to the novel, its literary origins and its main characters.

Huntington's Disease (HD) is a hereditary illness passed on via a defective gene. There is a fifty per cent chance of inheriting it from a parent and there is yet no cure. Learning to Live with Huntington's Disease is one family's poignant story of coping with the symptoms, the diagnosis and the effects of HD. This book presents the struggles and strengths of the whole family when one member loses their future to a terminal illness. Told by the sufferer and other significant family members, the individuals describe the burden of watching yourself and others for symptoms of HD, including involuntary movements, depression, clumsiness, weight loss, slurred speech and sometimes violent tendencies. The family recounts the challenge to remain united and describes how they approached issues such as whether or not to be tested for HD, how much information to disclose to relatives, whether to have children or not and guilt if one sibling inherits the illness and one does not. Both honest and positive, the author stresses the importance of re-inventing yourself and your present, prioritizing relationships and retaining a sense of humor.

Prison is a word which conjures up different things to the people who hear it. To some, it is a place where people are simply locked away for a period of time, away from society. Others may think it is place where torture, fear, violence and hopelessness are common place, whereas some may think it a place of rehabilitation. Then there are those who believe it is a state of mind. In the best-selling '34 Years In Hell', author Jamie Morgan Kane told the story of how, after being born on the Isle of Man, he was taken to Canada as a baby and then transported into the United States of America where, at the age of 14, he was sold to an American couple to replace, as he found out many years later, a child they had previously adopted who had mysteriously disappeared. He recounted how he had joined the US military the day he left school in the belief that he was an American citizen; how circumstances persuaded him to plead guilty to a crime he did not commit, and how that had resulted in him being sentenced to prison for more than three decades. Since then, he has been asked many times: "But what was prison really like?" This new follow-up book attempts to answer that question. This is the ultimate guide to what it's like to be behind bars in America. It lays bare the day-to-day existence of prisoners and the hustles they get up to in order to survive. It is a fascinating, sometimes shocking and raw account of life at its most brutal.

Chosen by Paul Auster out of the four thousand stories submitted to his radio programme on National Public Radio, these 180 stories provide a wonderful portrait of America in the twentieth century. The requirement for selection was that each of the stories should be true, and each of the writers should not have been previously published. The collection that has emerged provides a richly varied and authentic voice for the American people, whose lives, loves, griefs, regrets, joys and sense of humour are vividly and honestly recounted throughout, and adeptly organised by Auster into themed sections. The section composed of war stories stretches as far back as the Civil War, still the defining moment in American history; while the sequence of 'Meditations' conclude the volume with a true and abiding sense of transcendence. The resultant anthology is both an enduring hymn to the strange everyday of contemporary American life and a masterclass in the art of storytelling.

Let Me Go is the powerful new memoir from foster carer and Sunday Times bestselling author Casey Watson. Harley is a troubled 13-year-old girl who wants to end her own life and there's only one woman who can find out why. When Harley is sectioned after attempting suicide, she ends up in Casey's care under a 28-day care order. But before Casey can even get her back to the safety of her home, Harley hurls herself out of the moving car. Harley has a family - a widowed mother and older sister Milly. But Milly has left home and her mum, who has addiction issues, feels unable to cope. Despite the dysfunctional family, Casey suspects there is more to Harley's distress and after weeks of gentle coaching, a sudden breakthrough sheds light on the disturbing truth - Milly and her mum are not the only people in Harley's life. There is a man, a very dangerous man indeed.

"A Year Without "Made in China"" provides you with a thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining account of how the most populous nation on Earth influences almost every aspect of our daily lives. Drawing on her years as an award-winning journalist, author Sara Bongiorni fills this book with engaging stories and anecdotes of her family's attempt to outrun China's reach-by boycotting Chinese made products-and does a remarkable job of taking a decidedly big-picture issue and breaking it down to a personal level.