'Compelling' The Daily Mail 'So many gripping moments... a real cracker' The Evening Standard The jaw-dropping and inspiring story of accidental queer icon Norman Scott (the hero of TV drama A Very English Scandal) and the part he played in one of the greatest political scandals of the 20th century. In October 1975 an assassin tried to murder Norman Scott on Exmoor but the trigger failed and he only succeeded in shooting Scott's beloved dog, Rinka. Scott subsequently found himself at the centre of a major political scandal and became an unlikely queer icon. But this was never his intention... He was born in 1940 into a poor, dysfunctional and abusive family. Aged sixteen he began an equestrian career, animals having been the one source of comfort in his childhood. By the age of twenty he had run into debts and had suffered a nervous breakdown. In 1960 Scott began a sexual affair with Jeremy Thorpe. By the time of the attempted assassination of Scott, Thorpe was married, leader of the Liberal Party and a figure at the heart of the establishment. He was embarrassed by their former relationship and wanted to cover it up. But he failed. The assassination attempt culminated in a sensational trial in 1979, where Thorpe was tried for conspiracy to murder. The press labelled Scott a madman and the establishment protected Thorpe, who was acquitted. Only recently has Scott's version of events been vindicated. An Accidental Icon tells a story that is inspiring and jaw droppingly unbelievable: it is the tale of the courage and survival of one man who took on the establishment

In this jaw-dropping classic of prison escape literature (originally poublished in 1987 and now a major movie starring Daniel Radcliffe), Tim Jenkin tells of how he, Stephen Lee and Alexander Moumbaris, using a series of hand-made wooden keys, got through nine locked doors inside Pretoria Central, taking them to Mozambique and finally to London.

This fast-paced thriller begins with Jenkin’s Cape Town childhood and the growth of his political awareness, his university days and his friendship with Stephen Lee. Both men left South Africa after university for London to join the African National Congress. Jenkin and Lee, after training in London, became expert pamphlet bombers in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and it was after several successful years of raising awareness about apartheid and the ANC that they were caught and eventually sentenced to 12 years in jail. It is after Lee’s father visits his son in prison, bringing him a copy of another escape classic, Papillon, that Jenkin begins to seriously form an escape plan. Months and months of planning, testing, failing, testing again and lucky breaks meant that, finally, the escape was on.

The recently late Denis Goldberg was a friend and supporter of the men, and kept a warder busy as they began their escape. Apart from locking the doors behind them, they never looked back…

John Birmingham is a master of good writing and funny lines. He has written a thousand stories, some true, some not so much. These are the best ones and they're so good, and so funny, there has been no barrel-scraping involved. Really, this book could have been much longer. The pieces contained within these pages run the gamut from the early felafel days to the shiny age we live in where Donald Trump is the President of the USA. And it does not shy away from the greatest controversy of our age: potato cake vs potato scallop. These hilarious pieces cover a wide range of topics from food to fitness and politics to pork, in all its glories. And, of course, fashion. Ever the equal opportunist, John Birmingham skewers them all. Sales Points John Birmingham has 60,000 twitter followers and a devoted blog following. Local and International fans of John Birmingham's blog will jump on this hilarious collection. Extraordinarily diverse collection of pieces ends up being more than a sum of its parts. He can be politically-charged one minute and make observations about home life that will make readers grimace and guffaw at once. The book will appeal to Gen-X readers as well as those - older and younger - who are into Richard Glover, Benjamin Law, David Sedaris, Amy Schumer. Pieces are both timeless (yes to a '90s revival) and timely (imagine Paul Keating on the phone to Donald Trump). Quite a few of them will make you snort coffee through your nose from laughter. Really. The title 'Stranger Thingies' is inspired by the popular TV series Stranger Things, binge-watched by millions, but stands on its own.

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors at a psychic reading? Meet 'Selfridges Psychic' Jayne Wallace who reads for over 100 international clients every week - from CID officers to media moguls, housewives to royalty and celebrities. Now she opens her client casebook to share the most shocking, touching and simply amazing readings that will make you laugh and cry - and leave you in no doubt that the spirit lives on. Jayne is renowned for getting straight to the point, with no preamble - she has seen spirits since the age of five and connects quickly to a person's loved ones who have passed, bringing important messages and healing. In My Psychic Casebook, Jayne tells the stories exactly as they happened, and explains the techniques she uses to link with her clients. Just like a good novel, you'll be instantly engrossed - except that all these stories are true. As the only department store medium in the world, in this short story, Jayne offers a unique insight into the work of a top clairvoyant, as well as shining a light on the remarkable truths behind the questions that concern us all.

John McLaren has dedicated his life to rescuing mistreated donkeys. When he finds Pollyanne at a livestock auction - unloved and horribly frail - he knows immediately that if he doesn't take her home to the sanctuary he has made his life's work, she stands little chance of surviving. John soon discovers that despite her terrible start in life, Pollyanne has the X factor: she is destined for more than the local nativity play. The bright lights of the West End beckon and before long, Pollyanne is appearing onstage with opera's biggest stars. She may have hit the animal A-list, but Pollyanne's no diva. When the curtain comes down, there's nowhere she'd rather be than at home with John and her four-legged friends. Sarah Oliver's Pollyanne is a heart-warming true story of unconditional love - and a Little Donkey with star quality.

Run Like A Girl is about the impact that participating in sports has on women,how the confidence and strength that it helps to build makes us stronger and better prepared for life's many challenges. In this inspiring book, Mina Samuels uses the personal stories of women and girls of all ages and backgrounds,as well as her own,to take a broad look at the power sports have to help us overcome obstacles in all arenas of life. Run Like A Girl includes the stories of a US-ranked amateur triathlete who's raising an autistic son a thirteen-year-old girl who falls in love with cross-country running a woman who runs her first marathon at age sixty an investment banker who quit her job to become a yoga teacher and adopt a daughter on her own a young mother with scoliosis who cycled her way back to health and became a jewellery designer along the way and countless other women,including Kathrine Switzer, Rebecca Rusch, and Molly Barker,who have been changed by their experiences with sports. Run Like A Girl argues that physical strength lends itself to psychological strength, and that for many women, participating in sports translates into leading a happier, more fulfilling life.

One day" "in Ventura, California, Jonell McLain saw a beautiful diamond necklace in a jewelry store window and wondered: Why are personal luxuries so plentiful yet accessible to so few? What if we shared what we desired? Several weeks, dozens of phone calls, and one great leap of faith later, Jonell and twelve other women bought the necklace together-to be passed along among them all.
The dazzling treasure weaves in and out of each woman's life, reflecting her past, defining her present, making promises for her future. Lending sparkle in surprising and unexpected ways, the necklace comes to mean something dramatically different to each of the thirteen women. With vastly dissimilar histories and lives, they transcend their individual personalities and politics to join together in an uncommon journey-and what started as a quirky social experiment becomes something far richer and deeper.

Master storyteller Ralph Moody tells the thrilling story of a plucky horse who refused to quit, a down-on-his-luck jockey who didn't let horrendous accidents keep him out of the saddle, and a taciturn trainer who brought out the best in both. During the Great Depression, Seabiscuit captured the hearts of Americans from the streets to the White House, winning more money than any horse at that time and shattering speed records across the country. In this real-life story Moody captures the hoof-pounding excitement of the explosive early races to an unforgettable showdown with the feared Triple Crown winner War Admiral. Moving and inspirational, Come on Seabiscuit! is a reminder of the qualities that make a real American champion. Ralph Moody is best known for his eight Little Britches books, which have delighted generations of readers and are all available in Bison Books editions. Ralph Moody captured the hearts of young readers everywhere with his beloved Little Britches saga. In this Bison Books edition of his 1963 classic, Moody brings to life the story of a knobby-kneed little colt called Seabiscuit, who against all odds became one of the most celebrated racehorses of all time. Although Seabiscuit was the grandson of the legendary Man O' War, he was neither handsome nor graceful. His head was too big, his legs too short, and his gallop was awkward. His owners gave up on Seabiscuit when he was two, raced him too heavily, and tried unsuccessfully to sell him. It took the keen eyes of trainer Tom Smith to recognize the heart, courage, and gallant determination of Seabiscuit, the qualities of a truly great horse. Smith's unfailing patience and astute treatments, the love and skill of jockey Red Pollard, and the continued support of owner Charles Howard forged Seabiscuit into a champion. Purchase the audio edition.

Alexander the Great conquered Greece, Egypt and the Persian Empire in the course of eight years. Although he died at the age of 33, he left behind a legacy that would change the world. For some people, however, life can be very different ...

This is the story of two remarkable men, one of whom conquered empires with apparent ease and one of whom struggled with the day-to-day problems of a small provincial town. It is the story of two men whose paths crossed only briefly, but whose encounter changed both their lives - and the course of history. And it is a story which throws an extraordinary new light on the man who became Alexander the Great.
 

Zara H. Phillips seemed to live a charmed life - backing singer to the stars with an incredible career here and across the Atlantic - but her smile masked a difficult childhood and the reality that she was adopted as a baby in the 60s. Her life soon spiralled and as a teenager she suffered from drug and alcohol addiction, as she struggled to find her birth parents and her true identity. Somebody's Daughter is a fascinating and revealing account of how a beautiful woman's life has been dominated by her adoption and how it has affected her and those around her. Hard-hitting and emotional, Zara's memoir explores the needs of adopted children, with her characteristic warmth and wit, and the true journey it takes to find where you belong.

For fourteen years, Jayne Senior tried to help girls from Rotherham who had been groomed, raped, tortured, pimped and threatened with violence by sex traffickers. As the manager of Risky Business, which was set up to work with vulnerable teens, she heard heartbreaking and shocking stories of abuse and assiduously kept notes and details of the perpetrators, passing information on to the authorities in the belief that they would do something. Eventually, when she lost hope that the authorities would take action against the gangs she had identified as the abusers, she became a whistleblower for The Times investigative reporter Andrew Norfolk. Now, in her powerful memoir Broken and Betrayed, she describes a life spent working to protect Rotherham's girls, the pressure put on her to stop rocking the boat, and why she risked prison in the hope that she could help end the appalling child exploitation in the town.

A real-life "Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Company We Keep" is a portrait by bestselling CIA operative Robert Baer ("See No Evil") and his CIA shooter wife, Dayna, of life as it's really lived by a CIA couple.

Everest was, to George Mallory, 'the wildest dream'. This gentleman adventurer was obsessed with taming the unconquered peak. But in 1924 he and climbing partner Sandy Irvine disappeared forever into the clouds encircling the peak. Might they have reached the summit before their tragedy? It is mountaineering's greatest mystery. Seventy-five years later, Conrad Anker made an extraordinary discovery. He spotted 'a patch of white' on Everest's North Face. It was Mallory's frozen body. Artefacts found on Mallory's body implied that he might have made it to the top. But that route had never since been climbed without modern equipment. Was it possible? To find out Anker returned to Everest, with death-defying young 'rock star' of climbing Leo Houlding as his partner. Kitted out in period clothing, they set off to replicate the unaided climb. Mallory's fate was a chilling reminder of the mountain's might. But they knew that to solve Everest's greatest mystery they must push their very limits.

It's a seemingly smaller planet we inhabit these days, a world in which there's hardly an unexplored square inch left (or from which you can't surf the World Wide Web or cell-phone a friend). Classic Exploration Stories returns us to a time when there were places still to be discovered, when brave travellers could venture into uncharted regions. Among the sources from which editor Stephen Brennan has selected excerpts for this stirring anthology are: The Voyages of St. Brendan; The Icelandic Sagas; The Travels of Marco Polo; The Voyages of Jacques Cartier; Charles Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle; The Life of Captain Mathew; Flinders; The Perry Expedition To Japan; Edward S. Ellis's The Life of Kit Carson; Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad; Fridtjof Nansen's Farthest North; Ernest Shackleton's South; Richard Harding Davis's Real Soldiers of Fortune