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The Glitter and the Gold
By Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan. 2012
Consuelo Vanderbilt was young, beautiful and the heir to a vast family fortune. She was also deeply in love with…
an American suitor when her mother chose instead for her to fulfil her social ambitions and marry an English Duke. Leaving her life in America, she came to England as the Duchess of Marlborough in 1895 and took up residence in her new home - Blenheim Palace.The 9th Duchess gives unique first-hand insight into life at the very pinnacle of English society in the Edwardian era. An unsnobbish, but often amused observer of the intricate hierarchy both upstairs and downstairs at Blenheim Palace, she is also a revealing witness to the glittering balls, huge weekend parties and major state occasions she attended or hosted. Here are her encounters with every important figure of the day - from Queen Victoria, Edward V11 and Queen Alexandra to Tsar Nicholas, Prince Metternich and the young Winston Churchill.Causing a scandal by separating from the Duke after 11 years, Consuelo began her new life as philanthropist, public speaker and campaigner for women's suffrage. Her literary soirees would include H G Wells, JM Barrie and George Bernard Shaw. In 1921 she remarried aviator Jacques Balsan moving with him to a chateau in the South of France.This intimate, richly enjoyable memoir is a wonderfully revealing portrait of a golden age.Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle
By Countess Of Carnarvon. 2011
'Bright, breezy and unpretentious' Guardian'A loving and faithful portrait of Almina and her world' Countryfile magazine* * * * *…
*The story of the real Downton Abbey, told by Lady Fiona Carnarvon, chatelaine of Highclere Castle where the phenomentally successful TV series was filmed.Lady Fiona Carnarvon became the chatelaine of Highclere Castle - the setting of the hit series Downton Abbey - eight years ago. In that time she's become fascinated by the rich history of Highclere, and by the extraordinary people who lived there over the centuries. One person particularly captured Fiona's imagination - Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon. Almina was the illegitimate daughter of banking tycoon Alfred de Rothschild. She was his only daughter and he doted on her. She married the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, at 19, with an enormous dowry. At first, life at Highclere was a dizzying mix of sumptuous banquets for 500 and even the occasional royal visitor. Almina oversaw 80 members of staff - many of whom came from families who had worked at Highclere for generations. But when the First World War broke out, life at Highclere changed forever. History intervened and Almina and the staff of Highclere were thrown into one of the most turbulent times of the last century. Almina was forced to draw on her deepest reserves of courage in order to ensure her family, the staff and the castle survived. This is the remarkable story of a lost time. But Highclere remains and in this book, Fiona weaves Almina's journey and those of her family into the heritage and history of one of England's most exquisite Victorian castles.The King Maker: The Man Who Saved George VI
By Geordie Greig. 2011
Louis Greig, a war hero and rugby international, entered the privileged world of the British royal family as mentor, physician…
and friend to a young and hesitant Prince Albert, the man who became King George VI and whose challenges were so vividly brought to life in the award winning film, The King's Speech. Greig's influence helped to guide the prince from a stammering, shy schoolboy to become one of the most respected constitutional monarchs, seeing the nation through the Second World War and bringing the monarchy closer to the people. Geordie Greig, grandson of Louis Greig, has drawn on private family papers and public archives to reveal an intimate friendship which lasted almost half a century. Previously published as Louis and the Prince by Hodder and Stoughton.Sold to the Man With the Tin Leg
By Philip Serrell. 2007
When Philip Serrell - now well known for his television appearances - gave up teaching to become a professional auctioneer,…
he thought he was embarking on a sensible and safe career . . . a quiet life in the country with no surprises. In THE AUCTIONEER'S LOT we found out how wrong he was. SOLD TO THE MAN WITH THE TIN LEG Philip describes more of his extraordinary experiences as a country auctioneer, aided and abetted by some of the most colourful characters Worcestershire has to offer. From dodgy cars to fakes in the saleroom; angry livestock, mangled silverware and tortuous - not to mention muddy - experiences in local markets and farm sales, Philip has been there, done that and got the hoofprints on his suit to prove it. And of course, there's the return¬? Philip's tin-legged boss . . .My Story
By Orla Tinsley. 2011
Orla Tinsley is well known as a campaigner for the rights of people with Cystic Fibrosis in Ireland. In her…
memoir, she takes us on a journey into the inner world of a child whose home from home was hospital, yet who from an early age refused to allow her illness to define her. It is also a story about coming of age in today's Ireland, as Orla takes us through school, college and the pursuit of a dream to become a writer. She describes how her love of poetry and drama sustained her through difficult times, and how writing in her journal was often a lifeline. She also tells of coming to terms with the loss of young friends through CF, and her at times maverick fight to improve an under-par health system that, for those with CF, delivers a lesser life expectancy in Ireland than anywhere else in Europe. Orla's family instilled in her a mind-over-matter philosophy from an early age: if you can't do something one way, keep trying until you find another. Salty Baby reveals the path of a young woman known for her fighting spirit: deeply personal, at times shocking, always honest, and ultimately hopeful.Prince William: An intimate portrait
By Penny Junor. 2012
Prince William has emerged as the people's prince, surfacing from a lifetime of scrutiny and speculation as a discerning and…
charming young man, determined to serve the nation he loves.His wedding to long-term sweetheart Kate Middleton last year was watched by over two billion people around the world. Protective of his new bride, William has emphasised that he's keen to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. William has inherited her instinctive empathy for others and in both his professional and personal life he has demonstrated a rare ability to get on with people from all walks of life.In BORN TO BE KING acclaimed royal writer Penny Junor tells his fascinating story - from growing up in the spotlight; the tragic death of his mother; his career serving in the RAF; the love story with Kate and their fairytale wedding.This is the definitive portrait of a remarkable young man.Gypsy Boy on the Run
By Mikey Walsh. 2011
This is the incredible story of a boy who escaped from a secret world.Mikey is a Romany Gypsy and grew…
up living in a caravan on sites across the UK. He adored his family and the rich and vibrant Romany culture he'd inherited. Eventually though he was forced to make a heartbreaking decision - to stay and keep secrets, or escape and find somewhere to finally belong.But Mikey quickly discovers that life in the outside world isn't all he expected. After learning his father had put a contract out on him and that he was being hunted down by gangs of thugs determined to claim their reward, Mikey realises that life will never be the same again.Brimming with unforgettable characters, this extraordinary coming-of-age story will remind you that sometimes it takes courage (and the odd Disney song) to be the person you were meant to be.Spoilt: The abandoned child who had nowhere to turn - an astonishing survival story
By Terry Denby. 2008
In the coming weeks and months I was further humiliated by Auntie Blodwen. The beatings were usually around the head…
or on the back of the legs, the arms or bare bottom. Auntie Agnes would hold me down in the office, the cloakroom, or in the cellar, while Auntie Blodwen laid into me. I was now totally exposed to the wilfulness and madness of these adults . . . I was in care. Terry begins life on an estate in East London known as 'The Buildings'. Rarely attending school, he wanders the streets for hours, collecting cigarette butts while his mother entertains men and sings in local pubs. But when he returns to find the 'welfare' on his door, he realises his troubles have only just begun . . . His mother gives him up without a fight and Terry finds himself in a care home run by the tyrannical Auntie Blodwen. Terry is brutally beaten on a regular basis and shut for hours in the coal cellar. His only strength gleaned from the children who share this nightmare, and his friendship with his guardian's dog, Jenny. Denied all the opportunities children so desperately need, Terry's story builds a picture of a bewildered and deeply troubled child who is let down time and time again by the very people he needs the most. But this powerful memoir shows how even the most deprived child can make their own luck and eventually find happiness.Sara Payne: A Mother's Story
By Sara Payne. 2004
'Thank God we have found her.' Sara Payne's words as she announced that the body of her daughter - snatched…
and murdered by paedophile, Roy Whiting - had finally been found. In this memoir, Sara tells her personal story. She describes the numbness as she waited for seventeen days, desperate to hear news of her missing daughter, and the terrible moment when her worst fears became reality. She explains how her family tried to cope with their grief and the stress placed upon them by the media campaign for Sarah's Law. As the family tried to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of tragedy, they found that each reminded the other of the child they had lost. Guilt and anger pushed Sarah's marriage into a spiral of alcohol abuse and violence. This is the ultimate story of a family's journey through hell, but Sara's strength is an inspiration as, despite everything, she and her family slowly found a way to go on.Captain Scott
By Ranulph Fiennes. 2003
Sir Ranulph Fiennes is uniquely qualified to write a new biography of Captain Scott. This is the first biography of…
Scott by someone who has experienced the deprivations, the stress and the sheer physical pain that Scott lived through; he has suffered all but the final tragedy endured by the much maligned Scott. He is determined to put the record straight. As well as being the definitive biography of Scott, written with the full and exclusive cooperation of the Scott Estate, this book traces the way that Scott's reputation has been attacked and his achievements distorted.An Auctioneer's Lot
By Philip Serrell. 2006
From priceless eighteenth-century dining tables hidden away in decaying farm sheds to tattooed travellers with a penchant for Wedgewood china,…
professional auctioneer Philip Serrell has seen it all. In An Auctioneer's Lot he brings to life a world in which the most valuable antiques frequently turn up in the most unlikely places - and accompanied by the most unlikely people. For over twenty years he has uncovered a huge range of priceless (and occasionally worthless) antiques, and he has met, done business with and befriended people from some odd corners of English life. Funny, startling and sometimes poignant, these stories of ordinary people with extraordinary possessions are also the perfect inspiration for anyone who's ever wondered whether they might just be sitting on a fortune . . .A Friend Like Henry
By Nuala Gardner. 2007
This is the inspiring account of a family's struggle to break into their son's autistic world - and how a…
beautiful retreiver dog made the real difference.Dale was still a baby when his parents realised that something wasn't right. Worried, his mother Nuala took him to see several doctors, before finally hearing the word 'autism' for the first time. Scared but determined that Dale should live a fulfilling life, Nuala describes her despair at her son's condition, her struggle to prevent Dale being excluded from a 'normal' education and her sense of hopeless isolation. Dale's autism was severe and violent and family life was a daily battleground.But the Gardner's lives were transformed when they welcomed a gorgeous Golden Retriever into the family. The special bond between Dale and his dog Henry helped them to produce the breakthrough in Dale they had long sought. From taking a bath to saying 'I love you', Henry helped introduce Dale to all the normal activities most parents take for granted, and set him on the road to being the charming and well-adjusted young man he is today.This is a heartrending and fascinating account of how one devoted and talented dog helped a little boy conquer his autism.Nabeel's Song: A Family Story of Survival in Iraq
By Jo Tatchell. 2007
NABEEL'S SONG is an epic true story of one family's experience of life before, during and after the regime of…
Saddam Hussein. Nabeel Yasin had an ordinary childhood, in a middle-class neighbourhood in 1950s Baghdad. He showed an early gift for poetry and as a young man became famous for it. But by the end of the 1970s Saddam's rise to power was encroaching on his life, and that of his family. Nabeel's brothers were arrested and he himself was denounced as an enemy of the state and fled Iraq in 1980. NABEEL'S SONG tells his story, and that of the family that he left behind; his matriarch of a mother Sabria, his four brothers and their rebellion against Saddam's regime, and his two sisters - all ordinary people living in extraordinary and difficult times. This is a moving family story of exile and endurance. 'Jo Tatchell's moving narrative, from Nabeel's mouth, tells of endurance, literary resistance and the courage of a loving, close-knit family opporessed by tyranny and war' The TimesBiography Of Peter Cook
By Harry Thompson. 1997
There are those who say - and Peter Cook himself was among them - that most of his humour was…
autobiographical. Others - and Peter Cook himself was among them -contend that this simply isn't the case. The truth, of course, lies somewhere in the middle. Peter Cook made President Kennedy wait in line to see him and visited Elizabeth Taylor in her dressing room. He befriended tramps and fundraised for CND. He was capable of extraordinary kindnesses and occasional cruelties. He helped define comedy and satire for a generation, but ended his life a recluse. Harry Thompson has produced the first ever comprehensive biography of this influential and fascinating subject who came up with some of the funniest sketches and greatest jokes of all time.So Me
By Graham Norton. 2004
Graham Norton, whose impish charm and quick wit has earned him a place in our hearts, looks back at his…
life so far. In his own words, SO ME is 'a real romp through a journey from living in a cockroach-infested council flat in Hackney to buying Claudia Schiffer's townhouse in Manhattan, from my mother dragging me to school to me dragging her to Sharon Stone's house for New Year's brunch'.From a not-so miserable Irish childhood to dropping out of Cork University and joining a commune of hippies in San Francisco, from his disastrous attempts at becoming a serious actor to the rise of his comedy career in London, this is a hilarious, insightful and moving account of a colourful life.Mummy's Boy: My Autobiography
By Larry Lamb. 2012
Acting wasn't a long-held childhood dream for Larry Lamb, instead his childhood memories are filled with recollections of his parents…
continuously fighting. Life in the Lamb household veered from laughter and happy moments to hysterical outbursts. Larry was only too often caught in the middle and found himself at the centre of his father's raging anger, tormented by a man who struggled with the enormity of fatherhood. When his parents' marriage finally broke down, Larry's mother moved out. For years Larry didn't know where his mum lived and he didn't dare talk of her at home, his mother's absence left a gaping hole. As soon as Larry was old enough, he left home. Putting as much distance as he could between himself and his volatile childhood, he set off on a journey - looking for the close female companionship he'd missed out on with his mother as he went - that would take him to work as an encyclopaedia salesman in Germany, in the oil business in Libya and Nova Scotia until he found himself starring on Broadway. In time it would take him to Hollywood too and bring him leading roles on the Square in Eastenders and in Billericay in the much-loved comedy Gavin and Stacey.How I Escaped a Girl Gang: Rolling in a London Girl Gang
By Chyna. 2011
My name is Chyna. When I was thirteen years old I became part of a girl gang. This is my…
story. Chyna was born in the middle of gangland UK. From a young age she saw people all around her in gangs. They had the status, the ghetto-fabulous look and the money. So when girls from a rival school started picking on Chyna and her friends, they decided to take control of their lives and form their own gang. They called it Nothing 2 Lose. Soon Chyna was caught up in a world of tiefing phones, shoplifting and shanks. She rolled tight with her fam. The risk of arrest and beatings was always present, but so were the rewards: fast p's, bare liquor and draw, and the thrill of being above the law. Then boys came into their lives, and Chyna and her friends were attracted to some of gangland's most notorious boys. Now Chyna and found herself in a very glamorous world with VIP tables at the most exclusive clubs, big p's lavished on bling and champagne. She was living the highlife as the girlfriend of one of London's most feared gangstas. The deeper she got into this world, the more she discovered the dark side. The guns, the vicious drug dealers, the constant threat of prison: Chyna knew she had to find a way out. But it would take a devastating tragedy - one that ripped apart her world- before Chyna found the courage to leave gangland behind once and for all.The Happy Hoofer
By Celia Imrie. 2011
'I've always been wilful...I've always been stubborn and always determined'One of our best-loved actresses, Celia Imrie would rather have been…
a dancer. As a child she planned to join the Royal Ballet and marry Rudolf Nureyev. Now she has become one of our finest and funniest performers, on stage, TV and screen - adored for her roles inAcorn Antiques anddinnerladies, as well as films includingCalendar Girls andNanny McPhee.In her hugely entertaining autobiography Celia Imrie recounts a life hurtling (not always intentionally) into adventures both on stage and off. Whether it's finding herself on stage with half the scenery stuck to her cardigan, or being kidnapped on her way to location. Somehow she emerges from the chaos that can lie in her wake almost unscathed.Acting, she admits, is a mad, chaotic profession and it is her refreshing honesty, sense of mischief, fun and almost unruffled determination in the face of it all that makes this autobiography a never-ending delight.The Fight of My Life
By Barbara Clark. 2006
Barbara Clark is a former nurse, foster carer and mother of two children, one with special needs, and was diagnosed…
with an aggressive form of breast cancer in February 2005. During her treatment, she found that there was a drug existing, Herceptin, that would double survival chances for her particular form of cancer from 14%. However, it wasn't available on the NHS and therefore, for Barbara, unaffordable. In the midst of aggressive chemotherapy, Barbara, incredibly, found the strength to fight not just the NHS but the government, and to win the right to be prescribed the drug on the NHS, not just for herself but for thousands of other women. THE FIGHT OF MY LIFE will tell the story behind those headlines. It will tell how she first found her cancer, and what it was that gave her the will to battle on and take on, not just the disease but the authorities who were prepared to let her die for want of a drug. Barbara's reasons for living are her three children, two of whom she fosters and who have special needs: their stories and how they dealt with her cancer will also be central to this an amazing, uplifting, inspiring book. Herceptin has treated Barbara's cancer, but it doesn't guarantee a complete cure - rather, it buys her more time to care for the people who are most precious to her, to help other women and to pursue what she calls her 'passion for life'. THE FIGHT OF MY LIFE is the story of an extraordinary woman and of great human courage in the face of despair.A Fish Supper and a Chippy Smile
By Cathryn Kemp, Hilda Kemp. 2012
'Oi, Hilda, the sign outside says you're frying today but I ain't seeing nothing done in ere!' The voice cut…
through my daydream, startling me into remembering where I was: standing in the fish-and-chip shop I worked in. We opened for business at 5 p.m. and already there was a queue of hungry customers on the cobbled street of London's East End. In 1950s and 60s Bermondsey, the fish-and-chip shop was at the centre of the community. And at the heart of the chippy itself was 'Hooray' Hilda Kemp, a spirited matriarch who dispensed fish suppers and an abundance of sympathy to a now-vanished world of East Enders. For 'Hooray' Hilda knew all to well what it was like to feel real, aching hunger. Growing up in the slums of 1920s south-east London, the daughter of a violent alcoholic who drank away his wages rather than put food on the table, she could spot when a customer was in need and would sneak them an extra big portion of chips, on the house. As Hilda works in the chippy six days a week - cutting the potatoes and frying the fish, yesterday's rag becoming today's dinner plate - she hears all the gossip from the close-knit community. There are rumours that the gang wars are hotting up: the Richardsons and the Krays are playing out their fights across south-east London. And the industrial strike is carrying on for a painfully long time for the mothers with many mouths to feed. At home, Hilda's children are latchkey kids, letting themselves in from school and helping themselves to whatever is in the larder until she gets in from her long, hard day at work. Despite tragedy striking her family, Hilda never complained of the loss of her daughter at a tragically young age, nor the tough upbringing she narrowly escaped. With a cast of colourful characters - dirty ragamuffins, struggling housewives, rough-diamond gang members - 'Hooray' Hilda's story is one of grit, romance, nostalgia and British endurance. Told to her granddaughter Cathryn, this memoir is the uplifting sequel to 'WE AIN'T GOT NO DRINK, PA' and is a testament to a woman who lived life to the full, who enjoyed laughter and loved fiercely - even though her heart was broken many times over.