Title search results
Showing 1 - 20 of 34 items
Believe: Boxing, Olympics and my life outside the ring
By Nicola Adams. 2017
THE STORY BEHIND THE WOMAN WHO CHANGED THE FACE OF BOXING FOREVER, OBE NICOLA ADAMSAt London 2012, Nicola Adams made…
history when she became the first woman ever to win an Olympic Gold medal for boxing. In Rio 2016, with the nation cheering her on, she did it all over again. Years of relentless training, fundraising and determination have seen Nicola battle through injury, prejudice and defeat to become one of Britain best-loved athletes and an inspiration to all those who are chasing after a seemingly impossible dream. From a leisure centre in Leeds to the Olympic Stadium in Rio, Nicola with her famous smile has become an LGBTQ+ icon and the poster girl for women in sport. This is her story of grit, talent and the real person behind the smile.Nicola partnered Katya Jones in BBC's Strictly Come Dancing first same-sex couple. ____________________WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT NICOLA:'One book every woman or girl should read' Reader Review'Fascinating to see how Nicola and her family had to fight to get women's boxing recognised' Reader Review'Nicola tells this story from the heart, very honest, very open' Reader Review'The positivity, strength, determination of Nicola is uplifting. I really appreciated how she fought for women's rights to do boxing' Reader ReviewAccess Your Drive and Enjoy the Ride: A Guide on Achieving Your Dreams from a Person with a Disability
By Lauren Lolo Spencer. 2023
Tools for People with Disabilities from a Person with a Disability"Access Your Drive and Enjoy the Ride is fun, practical, and…
no-nonsense."—Stephanie Thomas, TEDx Speaker and founder, stylist, and editor-in-chief of the disability fashion lifestyle website, CUR8ABLE#1 New Release in Physically Disabled EducationLauren “Lolo'' Spencer provides a candid and real inside look into the life of being a person with a disability. This disability advocate embarks on the importance of visibility for the disabled community because representation matters!Words from someone doing the work. Lolo Spencer gained popularity as a YouTube personality. On her platform, Sitting Pretty, she encourages viewers to achieve their dreams through making strong choices. Lolo shares how she navigates daily life with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). You are more than your limits. Choosing to see herself as more than a person with a disability and wheelchair user, Lolo chooses to live a bold and courageous life now because representation matters. She created this intersectional guide to provide tools for people with disabilities to thrive in personal growth, independence, and community building. Add this guide to your list of inclusion books!Inside, you’ll find:An intersectional guide on how to grow personally and professionallyTools for people with disabilities to live a full life despite limitations and expectationsWords from the inspiring Lauren “Lolo” Spencer, your favorite disability advocateIf you're looking for gifts for people with disabilities to get encouraged like Disability Visibility, Demystifying Disability, or Rolling Warrior, you’ll love Access Your Drive and Enjoy the Ride.The Life of Rylan
By Rylan Clark-Neal. 2016
*The Sunday Times Number One Bestseller*Well hark at you, stumbling upon my autobiography. Bet you wouldn't have put money on…
that three years ago, eh?! Please don't stress yourself out too much, though, it's actually socially acceptable nowadays that you're interested. Firstly I'd like to emphasise that I have WRITTEN THIS BOOK MYSELF, so be assured you're getting the TOOTH, the WHOLE TOOTH and NOTHING BUT THE TOOTH! (Which was my original choice of title, but babe, we're so over that.) This book documents my story, year by year, from my humble beginnings growing up in the East End of London, becoming one of the nation's most talked-about people overnight to finally moving up the spectrum from guilty pleasure, and getting nearer to national treasure.It will make you laugh, cry, and most importantly you'll discover who I really am. If it doesn't do any of those things you're not legally entitled to a refund - just clearing that up ;-).I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I have enjoyed writing it. This book has been like therapy, and LORD was I in need. Enjoy!Home From War: How Love Conquered the Horrors of a Soldier's Afghan Nightmare
By Marnie Summerfield Smith, Martyn Compton, Michelle Compton. 2011
Lance Corporal Martyn Compton's life was changed beyond recognition when he was blown up in a Taliban ambush that killed…
three of his colleagues. His survival was described as a 'miracle', as he suffered third-degree burns to 75 per cent of his body. He endured 15 operations and doctors used shark cartilage as a base for new skin on his face.But he did not have to face this gruelling ordeal alone. From the moment she heard of his near-fatal wounds, Martyn's fiancée Michelle Clifford found an inner strength to help them both face the future. During Martyn's treatment, Michelle kept a diary in which she revealed the innermost thoughts and emotions she wished she could relay to her wounded partner.Home From War gives a rare insight into the story behind the headlines when soldiers die or are injured. It is also the account of Martyn's battle for adequate compensation. This exploration of how one courageous man came to terms with losing his handsome young face cannot fail to inspire.Go the Way Your Blood Beats
By Emmett De Monterey. 2023
AN EXTRAORDINARILY MOVING AND ORIGINAL MEMOIR OF GROWING UP GAY AND DISABLED IN 1980s LONDONSHORTLISTED FOR THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST…
BIOGRAPHY PRIZE 2023 When Emmett de Monterey is eighteen months old, a doctor diagnoses him with cerebral palsy. Words too heavy for his twenty-five-year-old artist parents and their happy, smiling baby.Growing up in south-east London in the 1980s, Emmett is spat at on the street and prayed over at church. At his mainstream school, teachers refuse to schedule his classes on the ground floor, and he loses a stone from the effort of getting up the stairs. At his sixth form college for disabled students, he's told he will be expelled if the rumours are true, if he's gay.And then Emmett is chosen for a first-of-its-kind surgery in America which he hopes will 'cure' him, enable him to walk unaided. He hopes for a miracle: to walk, to dance, to be able to leave the house when it rains. To have a body that's everyday beautiful, to hold hands in the street. To not be gay, which feels like another word for loneliness. But the 'miracle' doesn't occur, and Emmett must reckon with a world which views disabled people as invisible, unworthy of desire. He must fight to be seen.'Vivid, engaging... this insightful memoir sheds light on the author's life as a disabled gay man who is often rendered invisible' Andrew McMillan, Guardian Book of the Day'A frank and intimate memoir written with an incredible clear-eyed intensity' Claire FullerEmma and I
By Sheila Hocken. 1977
As a girl, Sheila never let her gradual descent into blindness prevent her from trying to do everything a sighted…
person could do. Then at 17, unable to see to find her way around the house she grew up in, she found herself dreading her future in an 'ever darkening vacuum'.But then the remarkable Emma enters her life, and Sheila begins a journey that brings her the independence, love and happiness she never dreamed possible.Emma and I is the moving and inspirational story of the unique bond between Sheila and her dog, and shows that, sometimes, miracles do happen.WINNER of the Polari First Book Prize 2021WINNER of the LAMBDA 2021 Literary Award for Best Gay Memoir/BiographyA Dutiful Boy…
is Mohsin's personal journey from denial to acceptance: a revelatory memoir about the power of love, belonging, and living every part of your identity.Growing up in a devout Muslim household, it felt impossible for Mohsin to be gay. Unable to be open with his family, and with difficult conditions at school, he felt his opportunities closing around him. Despite the odds, Mohsin's perseverance led him to become the first person from his school to attend Oxford University, where new experiences and encounters helped him to discover who he truly wanted to be. Mohsin was confronted with the biggest decision he would ever make: to live the life that was expected of him or to live as his authentic self.A Guardian, GQ, and New Statesman Book of the Year'Genuinely inspiring... Beautifully written, dignified and ultimately redemptive, this challenging story abounds with light and love' Attitude | 'An Incredibly important read' Jyoti PatelFalling and Laughing: The Restoration of Edwyn Collins
By Grace Maxwell. 2009
In February 2005, Edwyn Collins suffered two devastating brain haemorrhages. He should have died. Doctors advised that if he did…
survive, there would be little of him left. If that wasn't enough, he went on to contract MRSA as a result of an operation to his skull and spent six months in hospital. Initially, Edwyn couldn't speak, read, write, walk, sit up or feed himself. He had lost all movement in his right side and was suffering from aphasia - an inability to use or understand language. When he initially recovered consciousness the only words he could say were 'Grace', 'Maxwell', 'yes' and 'no'.But with the help of his partner Grace and their son Will, Edwyn fought back. Slowly, and with monumental effort, he began to teach his brain to read and speak all over again - with some areas of his mind it was if he had been a slate wiped utterly clean. Through a long and arduous road of therapy he began to re-inhabit his body until he could walk again. Grace's story is an intimate and inspiring account of what you do to survive when your husband is all but taken away without warning by a stroke.A Drag Queen's Guide to Life: A Drag Queen's Guide To Life
By Bimini Bon Boulash. 2021
The perfect gift for Bimini and Drag Race fans!'MAGIC! A fun, fierce, honest origin story of how to drag yourself…
up out of trouble and become an icon' Katherine Ryan'A triumph for UK queer culture' Travis Alabanza'Eye-opening, intelligent, thoughtful as well as sassy and surprising - a must read' Lorraine Kelly_______________________________________A witty and inspiring guide to transforming your life through lessons from drag, by the UK's favourite drag queen and star of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Bimini Bon Boulash.From being told she couldn't have dance lessons as a kid in Great Yarmouth to having to conform to the stereotypes of the gay scene in London's East End, people have always been trying to put Bimini Bon Boulash in a box. It was only through discovering the art of drag that she began to fight back against those preconceptions, and understand that she had the power to define herself.In A Drag Queen's Guide to Life, Bimini tells the story of how drag took her from the brink of self-destruction to become a gag-inducing, death-dropping, plant-based superstar. Drawing on her own experience as a nonbinary person in a binary world, as well as inspirational stories from history, politics, pop culture and fashion, she uses all her wit, charm and kindness to show us how to lead the lives we wish we could lead, through the life-changing magic of dragging up._______________________________________'Radical, life-affirming, and utterly important for this time' Riyadh Khalaf'A very important read' Gottmik'She's a superstar' Kathy Burke'You will always be our winner' Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London'A force of nature' James AcasterSunday Times Bestseller, October 2021A Body of Work: Dancing to the Edge and Back
By David Hallberg. 2017
David Hallberg, the first American to join the famed Bolshoi Ballet as a principal dancer and the dazzling artist The…
New Yorker described as &“the most exciting male dancer in the western world,&” presents a look at his artistic life—up to the moment he returns to the stage after a devastating injury that almost cost him his career.Beginning with his real-life Billy Elliot childhood—an all-American story marred by intense bullying—and culminating in his hard-won comeback, Hallberg&’s &“moving and intelligent&” (Daniel Mendelsohn) memoir dives deep into life as an artist as he wrestles with ego, pushes the limits of his body, and searches for ecstatic perfection and fulfillment as one of the world&’s most acclaimed ballet dancers.Rich in detail ballet fans will adore, Hallberg presents an &“unsparing…inside look&” (The New York Times) and also reflects on universal and relatable themes like inspiration, self-doubt, and perfectionism as he takes you into daily classes, rigorous rehearsals, and triumphant performances, searching for new interpretations of ballet&’s greatest roles. He reveals the loneliness he felt as a teenager leaving America to join the Paris Opera Ballet School, the ambition he had to tame as a new member of American Ballet Theatre, and the reasons behind his headline-grabbing decision to be the first American to join the top rank of Bolshoi Ballet, tendered by the Artistic Director who would later be the victim of a vicious acid attack. Then, as Hallberg performed throughout the world at the peak of his abilities, he suffered a crippling ankle injury and botched surgery leading to an agonizing retreat from ballet and an honest reexamination of his entire life.Combining his powers of observation and memory with emotional honesty and artistic insight, Hallberg has written a great ballet memoir and an intimate portrait of an artist in all his vulnerability, passion, and wisdom. &“Candid and engrossing&” (The Washington Post), A Body of Work is a memoir &“for everyone with a heart&” (DC Metro Theater Arts).Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America
By Mel White. 1994
&“Compelling…eloquent and compassionate…We learn as much about growing up in the Christian right as we do about gay life in…
Mel White&’s heartfelt and revealing memoir.&” —San Francisco ExaminerUntil Christmas Eve 1991, Mel White was regarded by the leaders of the religious right as one of their most talented and productive supporters. He penned the speeches of Oliver North. He was a ghostwriter for Jerry Falwell, worked with Jim Bakker, flew in Pat Robertson&’s private jet, walked sandy beaches with Billy Graham. What these men didn&’t know was that Mel White—evangelical minister, committed Christian, family man—was gay. &“An engrossing journey to unite sexuality with faith&” (Dallas Morning News), Stranger at the Gate details Mel White&’s twenty-five years of being counseled, exorcised, electric-shocked, prayed for, and nearly driven to suicide because his church said homosexuality was wrong. But his salvation—to be openly gay and Christian—is more than a unique coming-out story. It is a chilling exposé that goes right into the secret meetings and hidden agendas of the religious right. Told by an eyewitness and sure to anger those Mel White once knew best, Stranger at the Gate is a warning about where the politics of hate may lead America…an important book by a brave man whose words can make us both richer in spirit and much wiser too.Release the Beast: A Drag Queen's Guide to Life
By Bimini Bon Boulash. 2021
THE BIMINI BON BESTSELLER (Sunday Times official!)A hilarious and inspiring guide to transforming your life through lessons from drag, by…
the UK's favourite drag queen and star of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Bimini Bon Boulash.'MAGIC! A fun, fierce, honest origin story of how to drag yourself up out of trouble and become an icon' Katherine Ryan 'A triumph for UK queer culture' Travis Alabanza'Eye-opening, intelligent, thoughtful as well as sassy and surprising - a must read' Lorraine Kelly_______________________________________Bimini Bon Boulash is the nation's sweetheart, capturing hearts and minds as the gag-inducing, death-dropping, plant-based breakout star of RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 2. Not only did she make us laugh and cry, she showed us how to develop a Positive Mental Attitude and live happily and healthily outside society's idea of 'normal'.Telling the story of how drag took her from the brink of self-destruction to the mainstage, as well as life lessons drawing on convention-breaking icons from Kate Moss to Katie Price, in this book Bimini uses all her wit, charm and kindness to show us how to lead the lives we wish we could lead, through the life-changing magic of dragging up._______________________________________'Radical, life-affirming, and utterly important for this time' Riyadh Khalaf'A very important read' Gottmik 'She's a superstar' Kathy Burke'You will always be our winner' Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London'A force of nature' James AcasterSunday Times Bestseller, October 2021Proud: My Autobiography
By Gareth Thomas. 2014
**WINNER British Sports Book Awards SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR****Shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award**Gareth…
Thomas had it all. He was a national hero, a sporting icon. He was a leader of men, captain of Wales and the British Lions. To him, rugby was an expression of cultural identity, a sacred code. It was no mere ball game. It gave him everything, except the freedom to be himself.This is the story of a man with a secret that was slowly killing him. Something that might devastate not only his own life but the lives of his wife, family, friends and teammates. The only place where he could find any refuge from the pain and guilt of the lie he was living was on the pitch, playing the sport he loved. But all his success didn’t make the strain of hiding who he really was go away. His fear that telling the truth about his sexuality would lose him everything he loved almost sent him over the edge.The deceit ended when Gareth became the world’s most prominent athlete to come out as a gay man. His gesture has strengthened strangers, and given him a fresh perspective. Gareth’s inspiring and moving story transcends the world of sport to tell a universal truth about feeling like an outsider, and facing up to who you really are.Peter 2.0: The Human Cyborg
By Peter Scott-Morgan. 2021
The incredible book behind the primetime Channel 4 documentary, Peter: The Human Cyborg'A remarkable account of what it means to…
be human and what technology can really achieve' Sunday Telegraph'Peter's story is one of the most extraordinary you will ever hear. I urge people to read it' Stephen Fry'A remarkable story . . . you're left desperate to take nothing for granted' Radio Times __________ Peter, a brilliant scientist, is told that he will lose everything he loves. His husband. His family. His friends. His ability to travel the world. All will be gone. But Peter will not give up. He vows that this will not be the end and instead seeks a completely new beginning . . . Peter has Motor Neurone Disease, a condition universally considered by doctors to be terminal. He is told it will destroy his nerve cells and that within about two years, it will take his life too. But, face-to-face with death, he decides there is another way. Using his background in science and technology, he navigates a new path, one that will enable him not just to survive, but to thrive. This is the astonishing true story about Peter Scott-Morgan: the first person to combine his very humanity with artificial intelligence and robotics to become a full Cyborg. His discovery means that his terminal diagnosis is negotiable, something that will rewrite the future.And change the world. By embracing love, life and hope rather than fear, tragedy and despair, he will become Peter 2.0. __________'Compelling . . . Scott-Morgan is a true one-off. It is in the telling of the love story, rather than the technical details of becoming a cyborg, that this book succeeds' The Times 'What's striking is Peter's constant optimism, bravery and his ability to find radical answers to problems that have confounded Britain's brightest minds' Daily Telegraph 'A soaring love story' Financial Times 'Fascinating and extremely moving' Sun'An extraordinary story of transformation and inner strength' - KATIE PIPER'Well worth reading: a tale of real heroism and obstacles…
overcome' - THE MAIL ON SUNDAY'Truly remarkable and so helpful' - FEARNE COTTON'Finding self-acceptance hasn't always been easy. I was abandoned at birth with a facial difference, and as I got older, I began to hate my face and the world I lived in.Gradually, through trial and error, random moments with strangers, and some tragic haircuts, I've found self-love and happiness.This book is the story of how I found my way out of difficult times, and how you can do the same.'Jono Lancaster was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome - a condition that affects facial appearence - and at only two weeks old, he found himself in foster care. In his remarkable story, Jono shares the highs and lows of his journey and how he turned his differences into his greatest strengths.Inspirational, empowering and moving - this is an extraordinary memoir with a powerful message: you are strong enough to become your own hero. (Cape optional.)Neck and Back Problems
By Jan De Vries. 1986
In Neck and Back Problems Jan de Vries deals with many of the most common problems relating to the spine.…
Drawing on his own vast experience of helping patients overcome their suffering and on various case histories, this book contains practical advice for those millions who endure the agony of backache. Simple exercises and remedies are outlined, together with proven hints towards self-treatment. Slipped discs, tennis elbow, 'whiplash', bursitis and problems with vertigo are all discussed in layman's terms. Neck and Back is a veritable treasure trove of information from one of the world's leading practitioners in this field.My Story: The official story of inspirational Olympic legend Tom Daley
By Tom Daley. 2013
DIVE INTO THE REMARKABLE FIRST OFFICIAL MEMOIR OF OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST TOM DALEY AND DISCOVER WHERE IT ALL BEGAN'I laughed,…
I cried, I loved it! Probably the most inspirational book I have ever read' 5***** Reader Review'You feel like you're there with Tom through the highs and lows of his life' 5***** Reader Review_______In 2012, at the age of eighteen, Tom Daley had the whole country behind him as he won bronze at the Olympic Games in London.A double Commonwealth gold medal winner, he was already one of the sport's most exciting athletes.But behind his rise to sporting stardom, there is also a heartbreaking and inspiring story of a young man coping with the death of his father whilst under the glare of the world's media spotlight.In this, Tom's first official memoir, he writes honestly and openly about the pressures, challenges and fascinating experiences of being a world-class Olympian. From his day-to-day schedule, to his hobbies and family life, to sharing his hopes and dreams in the build-up to the London Olympics, this book offers a unique chance to get close to Tom.You already know him as the legendary Olympic athlete. Now, get the know the man behind the medals.Looking Up: A Humorous and Unflinching Account of Learning to Live Again With Sudden Disability
By Tim Rushby-Smith. 2008
Tim Rushby-Smith is six foot two and highly active, with a love of high places and the great outdoors. Three…
years ago, with a booming garden design and landscaping business and his wife five months pregnant with their first child, Tim fell six metres out of a tree and broke his back, confining him to a wheelchair. As he came to terms with his injury, treatment and rehabilitation, Tim faced an entirely new life, in which suddenly many of life's simplest tasks became monumental challenges. This is Tim's very human story of learning to live with disability, from overwhelming feelings of anger and despair, to learning how to face the future head on, and watching his daughter take her first steps. Emotional but never self-pitying, this is his unflinchingly honest account of how he built a new life; as a man, a husband and a father.As a Woman: What I Learned about Power, Sex, and the Patriarchy after I Transitioned
By Paula Stone Williams. 2021
This moving and unforgettable memoir of a transgender pastor&’s transition from male to female is an &“audacious, gripping, and profoundly…
real journey that speaks to the mind, heart, and soul&” (Joshua J. Dickson, director of Faith Based Initiatives, Biden Campaign)—perfect for fans of Redefining Realness and There Is Room for You.As a father of three, married to a wonderful woman, and holding several prominent jobs within the Christian community, Dr. Paula Stone Williams made the life-changing decision to physically transition from male to female at the age of sixty. Almost instantly, her power and influence in the evangelical world disappeared and her family had to grapple with intense feelings of loss and confusion.Feeling utterly alone after being expelled from the evangelical churches she had once spearheaded, Paula struggled to create a new safe space for herself where she could reconcile her faith, her identity, and her desire to be a leader. Much to her surprise, the key to her new career as a woman came with a deeper awareness of the inequities she had overlooked before her transition. Where her opinions were once celebrated and amplified, now she found herself sidelined and ignored. New questions emerged. Why are women&’s opinions devalued in favor of men&’s? Why does love and intimacy feel so different? And, was it possible to find a new spirituality in her own image?In As a Woman, Paula&’s &“critical questions about gender, personhood, and place are relevant to anyone. Her writing insightfully reveals aspects of our gender socialization and culture that often go unexamined, but that need to be talked about, challenged, and changed&” (Soraya Chemaly, author of Rage Becomes Her) in order to fully understand what it means to be male, female, and simply, human.Ma Lineal: A Memoir of Race, Activism, and Queer Family
By Faith S. Holsaert. 2024
Through her childhood spent in 1940s New York being raised by two mothers, her work with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating…
Committee during the Civil Rights Movement, and raising her own children in the coalfields of West Virginia, Faith S. Holsaert has been defined by the intertwined forces of race, activism, and family. As a young woman on the front line of the Civil Rights Movement, she learned the power of contested narratives and came to understand her whiteness, her queer identity, and her stakes in overturning racism. Later in life, she confronted sexual abuse and mental illness across three generations of women in her family to find that these painful histories have played a significant role in the development of her identity as a woman, activist, and mother. Through a lifetime laid bare in prose and poetry, Holsaert beautifully quilts memoir, social history, and historic events into a gripping and inspirational narrative. This powerful and structurally innovative work lends new categories of meaning to those who would strive to find their place, hope, and sense of belonging in efforts to fight against systemic racism and lead lives characterized by openness and love.