-
Two Worlds Collide
The story is told through the words of the author’s dad, John Shirley, a Sub-lieutenant in the Royal Navy on board the Alnwick Castle; and Herbert Lochner, a mechanical engineer on the submarine U425.
They fought separate wars, but were brought together in one dramatic and tragic incident that changed their lives forever.
Find yourself immersed in life aboard a Royal Navy minesweeper on the River Thames and an Arctic convoy Royal Navy corvette. Experience life as a German submariner, below the waves in a U-boat. Immerse yourself in the emotions of both combatants, their humour and their appreciation of the beauty of the Arctic Ocean.
This account is richly illustrated by John Shirley, with original water colours, painted from memory and based on sketches made at the time.
£3.50 -
Two Women
This is the story of the lives of two women. They suffered loss, prejudice and adversity. Determination and humour got them through. They were born worlds apart. One in Barbados and one in England. They met and formed a friendship that was both special and unusual at that time. The story is told over 38 years, capturing world events along the way. Although there are sad times, this is a heartwarming and inspiring story. These two amazing women are my mums.
£3.50 -
Two Old Ladies and a Hedge
This small book tells the story of a big adventure. Two old ladies seeking a challenge in life as it shortens, set out to walk the South West Coast Path from start to finish. Against convention, they planned to sleep out under the stars for the most part of the journey instead of the usual tent or bed and breakfast accommodation.
They used bivvy bags, umbrellas and a tarpaulin for shelter from the elements. Stumbling along, carrying huge rucksacks, they had many experiences including sleeping with slugs, enduring gales and downpours, seeing shooting stars and meeting tramps, hippies and celebrities.
Join them on their journey and see what can be achieved as you approach your dotage!
£3.50 -
Two Marriages: From Paradise into Hell and Back Again
In Two Marriages: From Paradise to Hell and Back Again, Jette tells the story of her journey through love and heartbreak. The first third of the book is written from the perspective of a narrator and details Jette’s career, social life, and the betrayal by her first husband. The last two thirds, written by Jette in the first person, is a tribute to her second husband, Ernest Edward John Paradine, a former Major of the British Royal Artillery, who was honored by the Queen in 1981 with an MBE. Jette recounts the couple’s move to England and her experiences travelling with Ernest to India, Pakistan, Brunei, Singapore, and Jordan. Along the way, the reader learns of Ernest’s family secrets and Jette’s love for England and classical music. The book is a true love story and a glimpse into life in ‘third world countries’ from 1988 to 2000, with unbelievable coincidences playing a role in both Jette and Ernest’s lives.
£3.50 -
Two Left Shoes
Discover the story of a determined mother who fought hard to keep her family together during wartime and its aftermath, with hardly any support from others. The battle didn’t end with the war; it extended into my own life. Growing up in poverty, I faced my own set of challenges that made every step towards success feel like a steep climb. However, these trials pushed me to strive harder and sparked a desire to help others. This tale follows our family’s journey through hard times, my own fight to achieve my goals, and how these experiences ignited a passion for giving back.
£3.50 -
Twinship and Consciousness
Do you think you are born a one-off, a unique individual entirely different from all others? Do you feel apart from others, or part of them, that you belong to yourself – responsible for yourself alone, or that you belong with and for others?
For the author, who, as an identical twin, was factually one and the same as her twin before the egg split, these questions as to what constitutes the self and how it emerges from the cosmos have been particularly pressing. In separate cots, they cried every night for three years till put into the same bed. It was like a marriage from birth. In this one life on Earth, should these twins ever have been parted? Does science offer any clues as to what underlies the superficial appearance of separate consciousness, of separate people?
This book is both a description of the transformative experience the author went through and a serious quest for understanding, enquiring into psychotherapy, philosophy and quantum physics. As this dilemma of separateness and relatedness is the human predicament intensified in twins, this story is about all of us.
£3.50 -
Truth & Li(e)bor
Truth & Li(e)bor is the story of the author’s personal journey and legal battles which consumed over six years of his life.
As the story unfolded, the author slowly began to understand that even though he was charged with “conspiracy to defraud”, the real conspiracy might have been elsewhere. Was he one of the conveniently selected scapegoats thrown under the bus, allowing others to escape untouched? Had it been a well-executed plan involving individuals from all over the globe and in many different roles? Was it a coincidence that the LIBOR “scandal” emerged shortly after the Great Financial Crisis of 2008? Why has the practice of “lowballing” been seemingly buried within the media?
One of the author’s main tasks is to put readers in his shoes and make them ask themselves a few simple questions: “How would I react to the events that are unfolding? Would I have carried out my professional duties like he did? Would I have done something different if I was in his shoes? How would I have coped with the adversity?”£3.50 -
Transitions in My Life
How does one move forward to a big and open world with many possibilities? Mary was always determined to broaden her horizons from her life in a tiny village in Guam. Mary is entrusted with a religious upbringing, and this is how she made connections to her world. You will see how the glimpses of a village girl made an abrupt and meaningful change to womanhood which gifted her a new perspective in life. Her simplicity of life took her to many milestones beyond this village.
Mary’s professional aspirations empowered her to be more than a teacher role model. Mary embraced a childhood trauma from the school she attended. She relates this experience engagingly and memorably. She named it a project to herself. This task instilled her love for Second Language Teaching, making her a winner. These footsteps she walked allowed her to create adventure, to seek knowledge, to acknowledge receptivity to change and to find love.
£3.50 -
Touch Down
Touchdown of Apollo 11 had many unknowns for the first lunar landing. Dodging the craters and boulders on the moon to land on a firm surface without totally running out of fuel for the return to Earth was a breathtaking experience. The author recounts his press briefing to the world's journalists prior to the 1969 launch at Cape Kennedy, followed by how he became an aerospace engineer. Building a suit to protect the astronauts from the unknowns encountered in the extremes of space and on the lunar surface was an ongoing challenge. Details such as the effects of cosmic rays, thermal extremes and micro-meteoroids on the human body were addressed as they were discovered over the eight-year period following JFK's challenge. Key engineering changes to meet the new requirements for the space suit that had to be tested and implemented before each mission are described. Applications of the new technologies, materials and processes developed in the space programs adapted to industrial and consumer products are also delineated.
£3.50 -
Tony's Choice
Tony’s Choice offers a powerful and inspiring journey of self-discovery. Written with the intention of helping others overcome life’s struggles, this book delves into the struggles of low confidence and teaches readers how to find the answers they need to lead a happier and more fulfilling life. Tony shares his own personal experiences and insights, providing a roadmap for readers to overcome unhappiness and unexplained pain, and ultimately find freedom and enjoyment in life. Don’t suffer in silence, let Tony’s Choice guide you to a better life.
£3.50 -
To Ride a Red Engine
This book tells you what it is like to do just that. The author, who served for twenty-seven years at busy inner-London fire stations, gives a fascinating account of his life as a London Fireman. From attending the biggest fire in post-war London to achieving the Chief Officer’s Commendation for bravery, this book takes you through the highs of saving lives to the lows of multiple child deaths. Skillfully blending drama with farce, it will have you chuckling out loud.
Described in American reviews as, ‘the best first-person account of firefighting ever!’
Warning: Not recommended for long train or aeroplane journeys, where continuous chuckling out loud might be considered anti-social behaviour.
£3.50 -
To Hell And Back For Charity!
From an almost completely impulsive moment of madness, self-employed family man Brian Morgan decided to leave his family behind and embark on a crazy challenge of walking 335 miles in 12 days, all in aid of a good cause.
Battling against the odds and thwarted right from the start, exciting adventure soon became a grueling journey of pain and despair. Hampered by storms, injuries, dehydration, trench foot, cramp, crippling blisters and more, staying on track seemed ever more unlikely day by day, yet somehow through sheer determination and pure willpower he triumphed in what he set out to do as failure was almost inconceivable!
“I never set out to write a book” said Mr Morgan, “but so much happened along the way and with barely a dull moment, I just felt I just had to share my experience with others. One thing that kept me going was the pure kindness from some of the most amazing people I met, and the generosity and thoughtfulness of one man in particular just blow me away as you’ll find out!”
£3.50