Biography

John Muir is regarded as the 'father of America's national parks' and is a towering figure in the history of that country's involvement (read more)

John Muir is regarded as the 'father of America's national parks' and is a towering figure in the history of that country's involvement with ecology. Born into a harsh home in Dunbar, Scotland he would often escape to revel in the birds and wildlife of the area. When his father suddenly uprooted the family and moved to the United States, the oppression he associated with his childhood continued - and so did his involvement with the natural world.

Despite the difficulty of his formative years Muir grew up to be a man of great joy - first an inventor and then an explorer, he found his haven in the mountains of Sierra Nevada. He was a fascinating character: on the one hand a recluse, who sought solitude, and on the other a passionate activist, determined to save the places he loved. A strong believer in both God and the essential goodness of humanity, he was the founder and first president of the Sierra Club.
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Get your backstage pass at the ready as you go behind the scenes with Justin Bieber, in his brand new book - 100% official - and (read more)

Get your backstage pass at the ready as you go behind the scenes with Justin Bieber, in his brand new book - 100% official - and discover what life is really like as the world's hottest pop star! Justin Bieber has come a long way from being your average school kid, busking on the streets of the small town of Stratford, Ontario, in Canada. And he wouldn't be where he is today without his legion of loyal Beliebers - who have been with him every step of the way on this incredible journey. Now Justin wants to give something back to you, his very special fan - a VIP backstage peek at life behind the scenes, in his incredible new book.

Starting from the first night of his debut world tour, Justin invites you to follow him on his rollercoaster ride to superstardom - as he visits the far corners of the globe, makes his very own movie, records his new album, wins numerous awards and pens a bestselling book, to name just a few of the amazing feats he's achieved over the past few years. Justin Bieber: Just Getting Started is an exclusive peek inside Justin's phenomenal world. You'll share in the highs and lows of life on the road, reading Justin's innermost thoughts and feelings as he navigates life in the limelight. (hide)

The fascinating life story of professional cricketer Kevin Pietersen, MBE, from his childhood in South Africa to his recent experiences (read more)

The fascinating life story of professional cricketer Kevin Pietersen, MBE, from his childhood in South Africa to his recent experiences as one of the leading lights in the world of international cricket. Kevin was dropped from the England squad in February 2014, seemingly calling time on an international career that began nearly ten years earlier. The decision puzzled many observers - although the England team had failed miserably in the Ashes tour of 2013-14, Kevin was the tourists' leading run scorer across the series, and he remains the country's highest run scorer of all time across all formats of the game.

Kevin reveals all in his autobiography, telling the stories behind the many other highs and lows of his incredible career. Giving readers the full story of his life, from his childhood in South Africa to his experiences as one of the leading lights in the world of international cricket, KP is an autobiography that entertains and fascinates readers in equal measure. (hide)

Admitting you're a bell-end is the first step to salvation...KSI is one of the biggest and baddest YouTube stars on the planet. With (read more)

Admitting you're a bell-end is the first step to salvation...KSI is one of the biggest and baddest YouTube stars on the planet. With over a billion views and millions of subscribers to his name, he is the undisputed king of social media. But despite this success he is a self-confessed bell-end.

Excessively posting selfies, oversharing about his dead nan, spending all day scouring Tinder and suffering from red-hot Fifa rage, are just some of his undesirable online habits. However, with acceptance comes salvation and now KSI is blowing the doors off the internet to find the cure. No one is spared, as KSI takes down fellow YouTubers, trolls, paedos, Tinder catfishers and Nigerian scammers in an all-out assault on the online universe. (hide)

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week*An astonishing memoir about nursing and an urgent call for compassion and (read more)

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week*An astonishing memoir about nursing and an urgent call for compassion and kindness `It made me cry. It made me think. It made me laugh.

It encouraged me to appreciate this most underappreciated of professions more than ever' Adam Kay, author of This is Going to Hurt`A remarkable book about life and death and so brilliantly written it makes you hold your breath' Ruby WaxChristie Watson was a nurse for twenty years. Taking us from birth to death and from A&E to the mortuary, The Language of Kindness is an astounding account of a profession defined by acts of care, compassion and kindness. We watch Christie as she nurses a premature baby who has miraculously made it through the night, we stand by her side during her patient's agonising heart-lung transplant, and we hold our breath as she washes the hair of a child fatally injured in a fire, attempting to remove the toxic smell of smoke before the grieving family arrive. (hide)

What does it take to lead a team to world-class success over a sustained period of time? Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the few leaders (read more)

What does it take to lead a team to world-class success over a sustained period of time? Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the few leaders who truly knows. In his 38 years in management, Sir Alex won an astonishing 49 trophies and helped grow Manchester United into one of the biggest commercial brands in the world. In this inspirational and straight-talking new book, Sir Alex reveals the secrets behind his record-breaking career.

LEADING is structured around the key skills that Sir Alex values most highly. It includes subjects we immediately associate with his managerial style: Discipline, Control, Teamwork and Motivation. But it also addresses subjects that are less obvious but no less important when seeking success: Delegation, Data Analysis and Dealing with Failure. (hide)

Pub Date:12/01/2015 - In a series of more than 50 interviews that span seven decades, many never before seen in print, this is the (read more)

Pub Date:12/01/2015 - In a series of more than 50 interviews that span seven decades, many never before seen in print, this is the story of Led Zeppelin told by the people who knew it best - the members of the band. This book shoots down the folklore and assumptions about Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham, and presents the band's full history, from when Jimmy Page was playing skiffle to the day the band was honoured by the Kennedy Center for their contribution to American and global culture. Led Zeppelin on Led Zeppelin captures the ideas of all of the band's members at the time they created classics like "Whole Lot of Love," "Stairway to Heaven," and "Kashmir," but also captures the idea of the band itself as it created the music that changed popular culture. (hide)

Leonard Bernstein was a charismatic and versatile musician - a brilliant conductor who attained international super-star status, (read more)

Leonard Bernstein was a charismatic and versatile musician - a brilliant conductor who attained international super-star status, and a gifted composer of Broadway musicals (West Side Story), symphonies (Age of Anxiety), choral works (Chichester Psalms), film scores (On the Waterfront), and much more. Bernstein was also an enthusiastic letter writer, and this book is the first to present a wide-ranging selection of his correspondence. The letters have been chosen for the insights they offer into the passions of his life - musical and personal - and the extravagant scope of his musical and extra-musical activities.

Bernstein's letters tell much about this complex man, his collaborators, his mentors, and others close to him. His galaxy of correspondents encompassed, among others, Aaron Copland, Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Robbins, Thornton Wilder, Boris Pasternak, Bette Davis, Adolph Green, Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis, and family members including his wife Felicia and his sister Shirley. The majority of these letters have never been published before. (hide)

Przemysl, Poland, 1939. Two-year-old Renata is woken by her Mamusia in the middle of the night and bundled into the basement. The (read more)

Przemysl, Poland, 1939. Two-year-old Renata is woken by her Mamusia in the middle of the night and bundled into the basement. The peacock quilt she is wrapped in reminds her of a story about a giant who guards a mysterious place called the Underworld.

She drifts back to sleep as the sound of thunder rages around them. No one has explained to Renata what war is. She knows her Tatus, a doctor, is in Europe with the Polish Army and that her beautiful Mamusia is not allowed to work at the university anymore.

But, more than anything, she notices that their frequent visitors - among them Great Aunt Zuzia and Uncle Julek with their gifts of melon and lovely clothes - have stopped coming entirely. One morning Mamusia returns home with little yellow, six-pointed stars for them to wear. Renata thinks that they will keep them safe. (hide)

Letters to the Midwife is a wonderful collection of correspondence received by Jennifer Worth, offering a fascinating glimpse into (read more)

Letters to the Midwife is a wonderful collection of correspondence received by Jennifer Worth, offering a fascinating glimpse into a long-lost world. Along with readers' responses and personal histories, it is filled with all sorts of heart-warming gems. There are stories from other midwives, lorry drivers, even a seamstress, all with tales to tell.

Containing previously unpublished material describing her time spent in Paris and some journal entries, this is also a portrait of Jennifer herself, complete with a moving introduction by her family about the woman they knew and loved. (hide)