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Books > Fiction > True stories > General
You think you know her story. You ve read the Brothers Grimm, you
ve watched the Disney cartoons, and you cheered as these virtuous
women lived happily ever after. But real princesses didn t always
get happy endings. Sure, plenty were graceful and benevolent
leaders, but just as many were ruthless in their quest for power
and all of them had skeletons rattling in their royal closets.
Princess Stephanie von Hohenlohe was a Nazi spy. Empress Elisabeth
of the Austro-Hungarian empire slept wearing a mask of raw veal.
Princess Olga of Kiev slaughtered her way to sainthood while
Princess Lakshmibai waged war on the battlefield, charging into
combat with her toddler son strapped to her back. Princesses
Behaving Badly offers true tales of all these princesses and dozens
more in a fascinating read that s perfect for history buffs,
feminists, and anyone seeking a different kind of bedtime story.
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.
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Back from Africa
(Paperback)
Corinne Hofmann; Translated by Peter Millar
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R285
Discovery Miles 2 850
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Corinne Hofmann describes her return to Switzerland and the
difficulties that faced her there, detailing how she built a new
life for herself and her daughter and overcame all obstacles, with
the same courage and optimism with which she faced the demands of
her life in the Kenyan outback.
Exploring Toronto's history through tantalizing true tales of
romance, marriage, and lust. Toronto's past is filled with passion
and heartache. The Toronto Book of Love brings the history of the
city to life with fascinating true tales of romance, marriage, and
lust: from the scandalous love affairs of the city's early settlers
to the prime minister's wife partying with rock stars on her
anniversary; from ancient First Nations wedding ceremonies to a
pastor wearing a bulletproof vest to perform one of Canada's first
same-sex marriage ceremonies. Home to adulterous movie stars,
faithful rebels, and heartbroken spies, Toronto has been shaped by
crushes, jealousies, and flirtations. The Toronto Book of Love
explores the evolution of the city from a remote colonial outpost
to a booming modern metropolis through the stories of those who
have fallen in love among its ravines, church spires, and
skyscrapers.
On July 12, 1969, Ruth Davis, a young American volunteer at Dr.
Jane Goodall's famous chimpanzee research camp in the Gombe Stream
National Park of Tanzania, East Africa, walked out of camp to
follow a chimpanzee into the forest. Six days later, her body was
found floating in a pool at the base of a high waterfall. With
careful detail, The Ghosts of Gombe reveals for the first time the
full story of day-to-day life in Goodall's wilderness camp-the
people and the animals, the stresses and excitements, the social
conflicts and cultural alignments, and the astonishing friendships
that developed between three of the researchers and some of the
chimpanzees-during the months preceding that tragic event. Was
Ruth's death an accident? Did she jump? Was she pushed? In an
extended act of literary forensics, Goodall biographer Dale
Peterson examines how Ruth's death might have happened and explores
some of the painful sequelae that haunted two of the survivors for
the rest of their lives.
'I was twenty-six years old and an associate beauty editor at
Lucky, one of the top fashion magazines in America. That's all that
most people knew about me. But beneath the surface, I was full of
secrets: I was a drug addict, for one. A pillhead. I was also an
alcoholic-in-training who guzzled warm Veuve Clicquot after work
alone in my boss's office with the door closed; a conniving and
manipulative uptown doctor-shopper; a salami-and-provolone-puking
bulimic who spent a hundred dollars a day on binge foods when
things got bad (and they got bad often); a weepy, wobbly, wildly
hallucination-prone insomniac; a tweaky self-mutilator; a slutty
and self-loathing downtown party girl; and - perhaps most of all -
a lonely weirdo. But, you know, I had access to some really
fantastic self-tanner.' By the age of 15, Cat Marnell longed to
work in the glamorous world of women's magazines - but was also
addicted to the ADHD meds prescribed by her father. Within 10 years
she was living it up in New York as a beauty editor at Conde Nast,
with a talent for 'doctor-shopping' that secured her a never-ending
supply of prescribed amphetamines. Her life had become a twisted
merry-go-round of parties and pills at night, while she struggled
to hold down her high-profile job during the day. Witty, magnetic
and penetrating - prompting comparisons to Bret Easton Ellis and
Charles Bukowski - Cat Marnell reveals essential truths about her
generation, brilliantly uncovering the many aspects of being an
addict with pin-sharp humour and beguiling style. 'New York's
enfant terrible...Her talent has resided in her uncanny ability to
write about addiction from the untidy, unsafe, unhappy epicentre of
the disease, rather than from some writerly remove.' Telegraph 'I
LOVE this book' Catriona Innes, Cosmopolitan Magazine UK 'An
unputdownable, brilliantly written rollercoaster' Shappi Khorsandi
'Brilliantly written and harrowing and funny and honest' Louise
France, The Times Magazine 'Easily one of the most anticipated
memoirs of the year...[Marnell's] got an inimitable style (and oh
my god, so many have tried) and a level of talent so high, it's
impossible not to be rooting for her.' NYLON
It has been ten years since Rachael Keogh was catapulted into the
public consciousness, when a shocking image of her needle-ravaged
arms - skin burnt from injecting heroin into her wasted veins -
made front pages around the country. Desperate for help, she made a
public appeal to get one of 27 detox beds in Ireland so that she
could reclaim her life from the drugs that had ravaged it. What
followed was an extraordinary story of grit and determination as
she embarked on her recovery journey. Her story became an instant
bestseller and has resonated with readers ever since. This edition
contains a new introduction from Rachael where she reflects on her
story and considers what has changed for her and in the drugs
culture in Ireland over the last decade. 'The best book by far
about the drugs explosion in Dublin' Irish Independent 'This book
should be on the school curriculum' Evening Echo
"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.
This is the story of one man's fight against a multibillion dollar
colossus. A man who stood up for what was right, whatever the cost.
The brilliant young forensic pathologist had no idea that the body
on the slab in front of him would change his life, and ultimately
change the world. The body belonged to legendary American
Footballer Mike Webster, whose mental health had rapidly declined
after he had stopped playing - he had ended up Tasering himself to
relieve his chronic back pain and fixing his rotting teeth with
Superglue. Dr Bennet Omalu found that the psychosis suffered by
"Iron Mike" was no accident. His autopsy unearthed evidence of a
trauma-related disease - the direct result of years of blows to the
head in games. He knew it would keep killing scores of other
sportsmen unless something was done. He believed that the NFL
(National Football League), one of the most powerful corporations
in America, would welcome the discovery. But it was the one truth
they wanted to ignore. Omalu himself became a target. 'This is
classic David and Goliath stuff, and as exciting as a great
courtroom drama. A riveting, powerful human tale . . . a
masterclass on how to tell a story' Charles Duhigg, New York Times
columnist and bestselling author of The Power of Habit
'Woodward's story is one of the most important of recent
years...heartbreakingly powerful' THE TIMES 'Harrowing, brave,
hugely important book' HENRY WINTER 'Haunting' SUNDAY TIMES
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL AWARD AND THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS
BOOK AWARD 2020 A brave and moving account by football's first
whistle blower, breaking the silence on the scandal of sexual abuse
in youth clubs and junior teams. Andy Woodward was a wide eyed,
hopeful footballer playing for Stockport Boys, when Barry Bennell
first noticed him. Andy was 11 years old, and Bennell a youth coach
with a big reputation for spotting and nurturing young footballing
talent. The clubs Bennell worked for and the parents of the boys he
coached, trusted and believed in him, inviting him into their lives
and their homes. But behind the charismatic mask was a profoundly
evil man willing to go to any lengths to satisfy his own dark
appetites. Andy has been heralded a hero for speaking up about his
horrific experiences at the hands of Bennell, but also at going
further to expose the long hidden abuse buried within our nations'
best loved sport. His story is only the tip of the iceberg. Andy's
childhood was shattered by what happened to him and by the fear and
silence that surrounded it. His youthful dreams of playing the game
he loved were utterly broken, and years of living with the terrible
secret and shame all but destroyed him. He hopes that by coming
forward he might encourage others in similar situations to find the
courage to speak out. A compelling and relevant story of the dark
secret at the heart of football and another chapter in the ongoing
expose of institutionalised corruption.
Moving, honest and inspiring - this is a nurse's true story of life
in a busy A&E department during the Covid-19 crisis. Working in
A&E is a challenging job but nurse Louise Curtis loves it. She
was newly qualified as an advanced clinical practitioner,
responsible for life or death decisions about the patients she saw,
when the unthinkable happened and the country was hit by the
Covid-19 pandemic. The stress on the NHS was huge and for the first
time in her life, the job was going to take a toll on Louise
herself. In A Nurse's Story she describes what happened next, as
the trickle of Covid patients became a flood. And just as
tragically, staff in A&E were faced with the effects of
lockdown on society. They worried about their regulars, now
missing, and saw an increase in domestic abuse victims and suicide
attempts as loneliness hit people hard. By turns heartbreaking and
heartwarming, this book shines a light on the compassion and
dedication of hospital staff during such dark times. 'An important
memoir that we all need to read right now.' - Closer
This book commemorates the enduring legacy of the world's most
famous ship - TITANIC. Her story is one of all those bound together
on that fateful voyage. On board were: writers, artists,
honeymooners, sportsmen, priests, reverends, fashion designers,
aristocrats, millionaires, children, crew and emigrants looking for
a better life. This book tells of their lives, and shines the
spotlight on: Some of the great ship's surprising treasures Her
feted voyage from Belfast's Harland & Wolff shipyard The
fascinating museums devoted to her memory, including Titanic
Belfast The iconic music and movies Her winged and four-legged
passengers The sister ships of Olympic and Britannic Tales of
heroism Theories surrounding Titanic's fatal collision The
lifeboats and just how close the SS Californian was on that tragic
night How Arctic explorer Ernest Shackleton and the inquiries
viewed events These stories and much more lie inside.
I opened my mouth and it came. It wasn't a cry, or even a sob. It
came from deep in my soul... It was the sound of a mother helpless
to save her child from danger. I asked the same unanswered
questions over and again. Where was he? Where was my Damien? On 2
November 1996, sixteen-year-old Damien Nettles went out for the
evening in his home town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight. CCTV
recorded him in a chip shop at 23:40 and on the High Street just
after midnight. He has never been seen since. His mother, Valerie,
has spent over two decades desperately trying to find out what
happened to her son. Arrests have been made, and suspects released
without charge. Despite years of research by journalists and a
private investigator, Damien's vanishing remains a mystery. In this
hugely moving and compelling account, Valerie Nettles tells the
full, perplexing story of her son's disappearance. Someone must
know what happened to Damien. Will the truth ever emerge from the
shadows?
"Wasting Libby" chronicles decades of neglect by state and
federal agencies, which allowed the Grace corporation to reap
millions in profits from the largest vermiculite mine in the world,
while knowingly exposing generations of Montana residents to fatal
levels of asbestos-contaminated dust. Libby's story, which
culminates in the 2009 criminal trial of the corporation's
executives, is ultimately the tale of the families who fought Grace
for justice, who refused to sacrifice their dignity even as they
lost their lives.
With an introduction by actor and environmentalist Jeff
Bridges.
Andrea Peacock is the co-author, with Doug Peacock, of "The
Essential Grizzly."
In his first book, Time to Talk, Michael Healy-Rae established
himself as part of the great tradition of Kerry storytellers with
his chronicles of life in rural Ireland. Now, in his second book,
his superior storytelling skills come to the fore once again as he
shares more stories of what he's witnessed and heard in the heart
of the country. From his Kerry childhood to musings on rural
Ireland today, A Listening Ear brings readers back to the
countryside and characters that we have grown to love. With his
quick wit and remarkable observations, Michael is a consummate
chronicler of country life and the charm of local heroes.
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.
Ed Husain's The Islamist is the shocking inside story of British
Islamic fundamentalism, told by a former radical. 'When I was
sixteen I became an Islamic fundamentalist. Five years later, after
much emotional turmoil, I rejected fundamentalist teachings and
returned to normal life and my family. As I recovered my faith and
mind, I tried to put my experiences behind me, but as the events of
7/7 unfolded it became clear to me that Islamist groups pose a
threat to this country that we - Muslims and non-Muslims alike - do
not yet understand.' 'Why are young British Muslims becoming
extremists? What are the risks of another home-grown terrorist
attack on British soil? By describing my experiences inside these
groups and the reasons I joined them, I hope to explain the appeal
of extremist thought, how fanatics penetrate Muslim communities and
the truth behind their agenda of subverting the West and moderate
Islam. Writing candidly about life after extremism, I illustrate
the depth of the problem that now grips Muslim hearts and minds and
lay bare what politicians and Muslim 'community leaders' do not
want you to know.' 'A complete eye-opener' The Times 'Captivating,
and terrifyingly honest' Observer 'Persuasive and stimulating'
Martin Amis 'Read this articulate and impassioned book' Simon
Jenkins, Sunday Times Ed Husain was an Islamist radical for five
years in his late teens and early twenties. Having rejected
extremism he travelled widely in the Middle East and worked for the
British Council in Syria and Saudi Arabia. Husain received wide and
various acclaim for The Islamist, which was shortlisted for the
Orwell Prize for political writing and the PEN/Ackerley Prize for
literary autobiography, amongst others.
Until recently, no figure loomed larger on Wall Street than Richard
Grasso, the former head of the New York Stock Exchange. Though
short in stature, his power and influence was immense. During his
35 years at the exchange, the last seven as its Chairman, Grasso
was known on the floor of the Exchange as The Little Guy in the
Dark Suit who commanded the attention of politicians, brokered
deals with the nation's most influential businessmen, became a
national hero for his work helping Wall Street recover from the
9/11 terrorist attacks, and then emerged as a symbol of corporate
excess over the details of his enormous compensation
package.Chronicling the amazing rise, fall, and possible rise again
of Richard Grasso, and also tells the modern history of the
all-powerful institution that he came to symbolize: The New York
Stock Exchange. Known as The Club, the NYSE is the world's biggest
stock market, where trillions of dollars of stocks of the nation's
largest companies are priced and traded each day between its 9:30
am opening bell and its 4 pm close. Richard Grasso began his career
as a clerk on the floor of the Exchange, where screaming traders
match buyers and sellers of stocks each day.Even as he rose through
the ranks of the Club, Grasso never seemed to leave the floor too
far behind. During his three decade career at the Exchange, Grasso
fought tooth and nail to keep traders and the NYSE in business,
underscored by his outlandish publicity stunts - and even more
important, by his perennial public and private battles with various
top players in the Club, including its most powerful member,
Goldman Sachs CEO Hank Paulson.
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Discovery Miles 2 210
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