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.

You will laugh, you will be curious, and you may even cry as you join Mickey Burns in his incredible journey from the South Beach Projects of Staten Island, to the exciting set of his celebrity interview show "Profiles", produced in Times Square, in the heart of New York City where he has interviewed over 500 celebrities. Mickey also shares his personal story of how sports helped him gain an education, leave the New York City Housing Projects, and achieve later success in life as a TV Host. He also shares many of his most memorable and favorite celebrity interviews over the years, with some of the biggest names in show business, such as: Smokey Robinson, Deepak Chopra, Kandi Burress, George Foreman, Kenny G, Mario Lopez, Tony Orlando and Misty Copeland just to mention a few. Mickey's stories will surprise you, entertain you and in some cases inspire you. The book's message is that through hard work and determination anyone can achieve success in life, no matter how humble their beginnings. It also reminds us that, when all is said and done, we are all in the game of life together and can learn from each other how to be our best person possible. "From The Projects To Profiles: A Memoir" by Mickey Burns is a great American Story!

"At a pace matching the flashing lights on a 911 console, Caroline Burau puts us in the hot seat and shows us the madness, the sadness, and the gallows humor of a profession that serves and protects in ways we never dream. And by telling us what goes on when the microphone is silent, she has taken the voice on the radio and given it heart." Michael Perry, author of "Population 485" and "Truck: A Love Story" "A witty, gritty look at life on the receiving end of our cries for help." "Reader's Digest" (Editor's Choice)
You answer a call from a fourteen-year-old boy asking for someone to arrest his mother, who is smoking crack in their bathroom. You talk with him until the cops arrive, making sure there are no weapons around and learning that his favorite subject in school is lunch. Five minutes later, you have to deal with someone complaining about his neighbor's clarinet practice. What is it like to be on the receiving end of desperate calls for help . . . every day? Caroline Burau, a former newspaper reporter and nursing student who couldn't stand the sight of blood, takes a job as an emergency dispatcher because she likes helping people. But on-the-job training at the comm center proves to be more than she bargained for. As she adjusts to a daily life of catastrophe and comedy, domestics and drunks, cops and robbers, junk food and sarcasm, lost cats and suicides, she discovers that crisis can become routine, that coworkers can be mean--that she must continue to care and, at times, learn how to let go. "The day may come when I have to dial 911. I hope to God that the person who answers is Caroline Burau or someone like her. Funny, honest, and elegantly simple, this book left me witha sense of grace and hope."--Alison McGhee, author of "Shadow Baby, Rainlight, Was It Beautiful? "and "Falling Boy" Caroline Burau is a 911 dispatch operator for the police and fire departments in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

Five thousand years of military history. The best elite unites that have fought across the globe. Their story told by acclaimed adventurer and ex-SAS officer, Ranulph Fiennes. Throughout human history the art of warfare has evolved into many forms across numerous theatres, gradually becoming more sophisticated and strategized as the centuries have progressed. From the Spartans of Ancient Greece with their code of valour fighting to the last man; to the US Navy SEALs who operate using the latest technology of the 21st-century. Across the vast array of military campaigns and battles one can see that the majority of organised armies have been comprised of enlisted men who would have their basic training. As time progressed all countries saw the need to also have units that were the 'best of the best', that would be fit and strong, and enjoy the best training and weaponry available. These elite units would be deployed to achieve extremely tough objectives; to guard a valuable fortification or person; or to act as a barrier in a crisis. The term 'elite' is the ultimate accolade and one to which only the toughest would try to aspire to: undergoing intensive and harsh physical training, and ultimately, sacrificing themselves for the given objective. Ranulph Fiennes himself served in Britain's toughest formation, the SAS. Since his military days he has won acclaim as an extraordinary brave and resourceful artic adventurer. It is fitting that he now looks back across 5000 years of military history to pinpoint and celebrate the best elite units that served and fought across the globe.

With more than 20 million followers across their social media channels, @WoodyandKleiny have established themselves as two of the world's foremost internet content creators. But how did they do it? The Social Struggle: How We Took Over The Internet shares their story of initial failure that through determination became success. From overcoming broken homes and broken dreams, filming blurry videos for no more than 100 views, working every hour of the day for four years to make a handful of loose change, @WoodyandKleiny's tale is sure to inspire readers around the world.

At the end of the Gulf War, the White House was confident that Saddam Hussein's days as Iraq's dictator were numbered. His army had been routed, his country had been bombed back into a pre-industrial age, his subjects were in bloody revolt, and his borders were sealed. World leaders waited confidently for the downfall of the pariah of Baghdad. Almost a decade later, they are still waiting.

This is the first in-depth account of what went wrong. Drawing on the authors' firsthand experiences on the ground inside Iraq (often under fire) and their interviews with key players--ranging from members of Saddam's own family to senior officials of the CIA--Out of the Ashes tells what happened when the smoke cleared from the battlefields of the Gulf War. This tale of high drama, labyrinthine intrigue, and fatal blunders has been played out amid one of the greatest man-made tragedies of our times-one where, so long as Saddam Hussein remains in power, the Iraqi people will pay the price. Out of the Ashes makes chillingly clear just how terrible that price has been.

Neal Koblitz is a co-inventor of one of the two most popular forms of encryption and digital signature, and his autobiographical memoirs are collected in this volume. Besides his own personal career in mathematics and cryptography, Koblitz details his travels to the Soviet Union, Latin America, Vietnam and elsewhere; political activism; and academic controversies relating to math education, the C. P. Snow "two-culture" problem, and mistreatment of women in academia. These engaging stories fully capture the experiences of a student and later a scientist caught up in the tumultuous events of his generation.

'In my darkest hour, I reached for a hand and found your paw' When Nicola found Buddy, abandoned and broken, she vowed to do all she could to help save him. What she didn't know at the time was that this little dog would in turn save her. This is the story of Buddy and me: a remarkable true story of survival, hope, and never giving up, no matter how hard life gets.

'[It] manages to be funny, moving, activist, and challenging.' Harriet Minter, TalkRadio 'I loved this book - I thought it was really interesting' Jane Garvey, BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour Health Visiting is one of those professions that most people think is a bit of a non-job. 'You just sit on sofas and drink tea, don't you? It's not like you're a real nurse, in hospital.' Well, Health Visitors are real nurses, with at least three years' training, and they are out there, on their own. No back-up team or support structures to call for help if they're in a dicey situation. No warm lights, tea breaks spent chatting in the canteen, nobody else to ask, 'is this okay, what do you think?' Over 40 years working in the NHS, Rachael Hearson has been chased down an isolated stairwell by crack-fuelled drug-addicted pimps, threatened by a knife-wielding wife-beater in a hostel, unwittingly visited a brothel... And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

THE SEQUEL TO THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, 1963: A SLICE OF BREAD AND JAM Placing a child in care doesn't mean caring for a child. When little Tommy Rhattigan was taken into care in 1963 aged just 7, he entered a closed off world of institutionalised sexual abuse. Moved between a care home in Manchester and a reform school in Liverpool, the state was supposed to pick up the duty of care that his parents had failed to give him. But instead, separated from his siblings, young Tommy was thrown to the wolves. Tommy Rhattigan takes us, in his own inimitable way, back to his own childhood of pranks, cruelty and laughter, grown from a need to survive his daily torment and to stick two fingers up to the system that was failing him so spectacularly. Reader can't get enough of Boy Number 26: 'A heart-wrenching story' 'This is a good book that definitely needs to be read by anyone who cares about children or mental health' 'Rhattigan is honest and brutal in his writing' (Real reader reviews taken from NetGalley.co.uk)

The Elephant in the Room is a collection of short stories that creatively communicate the cancer patient's journey. The stories, based on real-life accounts, are built around the idiosyncratic relationships between patients and their doctors. Using humor, empathy and wisdom, Jonathan Waxman explores the very human side of cancer as well as providing expert commentary on the clinical aspects of diagnosis and therapy of this disease. These stories comfort and entertain, inform and engage, and are a treat to read for anyone whose life has been affected by cancer.

At age 28, Frances Kermeen gave up her life in California to follow her dream of owning an inn - little did she realize that she was being drawn to her destiny. In the eight years that Frances owned the Myrtles Plantation, she was confronted by phenomena's far stranger than just ghosts - incredible encounters that blew away her core beliefs. But not only did she have spiritual adventures, she also had her real life to deal with: betrayal, the infidelity of her spouse, the tragic loss of friends, rape, racism, and death threats from the Ku Klux Klan. Join Frances as the explosive ending to this real-life drama erupts and her past and present converge into one catastrophic event Frances's journey is the stuff of the very best ghost stories - only these events are as real as the Myrtles Plantation itself.

Roofless is the new non-fiction book by Stewart Harvey, and is a series of real-life accounts and interviews given by people who have faced the brutal realities of homelessness at some point in their lives. Compiled by the charity First Stop Darlington, the true identities of the protagonists are kept secret, but their stories always make for difficult and bleak reading. Documenting both the successes and failures of people who attempt to make a life for themselves while battling homelessness, Roofless is a disturbing reality check for people who may often turn a blind eye to this ever-increasing issue. "...Harrowing and calling out for change, Roofless serves as a reminder that anyone can be homeless, especially in times of economic uncertainty and welfare cut-backs..."

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.

The inside story of the world's most notorious cults. The strange and sinister world of cults is a source of endless fascination. Their secrets, rituals and shadowy hierarchies make for some of the most disturbing and shocking revelations in history. Most chilling of all is the fact that many of their followers forfeit all independence in order to carry out the often sadistic bidding of a mysterious master manipulator - and continue to defend their leader to this day. From Charles Manson, who instructed his followers to murder seven people, including a heavily pregnant Sharon Tate, to Aum Shinrikyo, the Japanese doomsday cult that carried out deadly terror attacks, and the People's Temple, these cults and their leaders transfix us with their extreme ability to commit savage acts of cruelty and depravity in the name of a self-appointed higher power. Many shocking and international cults are brought to life, including: - The Manson Family - People's Temple - Colonia Dignidad - Thuggees - Aum Shinrikyo - Skopsty - Raelism - Heaven's Gate

#1 "NEW YORK TIMES" BESTSELLER
Harry de Leyer first saw the horse he would name Snowman on a truck bound for the slaughterhouse. The recent Dutch immigrant recognized the spark in the eye of the beaten-up nag and bought him for eighty dollars. On Harry's modest farm on Long Island, he ultimately taught Snowman how to fly. Here is the dramatic and inspiring rise to stardom of an unlikely duo. One show at a time, against extraordinary odds and some of the most expensive thoroughbreds alive, the pair climbed to the very top of the sport of show jumping. Their story captured the heart of Cold War-era America--a story of unstoppable hope, inconceivable dreams, and the chance to have it all. They were the longest of all longshots--and their win was the stuff of legend.

'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.

Big Beat was once one of the biggest, but ironically, perhaps most misunderstood musical movements of the Mid-Late 1990's, lead by some of the biggest artists the Electronic Dance Music scene has ever seen, such as Fatboy Slim (AKA Norman Cook), The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy. It's loud, eclectic sound with it's syncopated beats was a smash around the world, leading to nights of boozy (but good natured) hedonism, and it was the soundtrack to the advertising world of the late 1990's and early 2000's. But, somewhere along the way, the genre got a massive backlash from critics, leading to a very quick and painful death, and became the very victim of it's own success. Where did it go wrong and is there a chance for the scene to experience a revival? With new and exclusive interviews with Rory Hoy from 120 of those who were in the thick of it (including Fatboy Slim and Liam Howlett and Keith Flint from The Prodigy) - this is a celebratory (and sometimes humorous) look at a music scene that was short lived . . but had a very big impact.

Schaefer shares the individual stories of seven people-rancher, sheepherder, homesteader, town settler, soldier, miner, and cowboy-in this collection. He tells the tales as they can only be told: in the open spaces of the Old West. In these memorable narratives Schaefer depicts the unique conflicts of settler life and captures the spirit of the resolute, willful, determined, and broken characters found on the Western frontier.

Through intimate portraits of four exonerated prisoners, journalist Alison Flowers explores what happens to innocent people when the state flings open the jailhouse door and tosses them back, empty-handed, into the unknown. These stories reveal serious gaps in the criminal justice system. Flowers depicts the collateral damage of wrongful convictions on families and communities, challenging the deeper problem of mass incarceration in the United States, vividly showing that release from prison is not always a happy ending, or indeed an ending at all.

Dit is nie 'n gewone lewensverhaal die nie. Jy as leser word geneem op 'n begeleide toer deur die diepste tonnels van dominee Klasie se binneste. Daar deel jy die gedagtestrome wat niemand tot dusver kon ken nie; daar bevind jy jou saam met "oom Klasie" in 'n nuwe oorlogsone: "Dikwels is dit angs wat in ons lewe oorneem. Angs vir verlies … Dan ontspring emosies wat vir ons laat voel dat God ver is, iewers daar bo en ons hieronder alleen en vergete" Klasie is tegelyk 'n geestelike leier, wat daagliks die saak onstuimig met God moet uitklaar, hy kan nie anders nie. Om verlies gelowig te hanteer, is nie gebruikersvriendelik nie. Jy moet jou siel skoonskraap, maar juis so kry God opnuut kans om jou innerlik te lei om grense oor te steek, verby die oorlogwrakke vorentoe. Hierdie innerlike grensoorlog gee ons 'n kyk in die hart van die mense wat agterbly – wat die verlies moet hanteer. Uiteindelik besef 'n mens: Klasie Steenkamp se storie is die van almal wat verlies ervaar het – die dood, siekte of onmag weens skielike werkloosheid. Dit kan ook jou storie wees.