The Gatehouse Boy

In The Gatehouse Boy, readers are transported to a distant, misty town on the river, where the sound of industry fills the air. This town is home to a shipyard, where a young boy grows up and shares his experiences of life in a bustling, prosperous place. Through the magic of words, he invites readers on a journey through his past, from his childhood in the shipyard to his adventures in other forgotten places of work. Along the way, he shares tales of happiness, sorrow, excitement, routine, humour, and horror, offering a glimpse into the life of a young man growing up in a time long gone. So, stick on your ovys (overalls), put on your takkities (boots), pull up a seat round the brazier and join the boys doon the yard for a few wee tales.

The Force of Art - A Life For Painting

In the early 1960s, Van Den reached the pinnacle of his career and was regarded as South Vietnam’s premier artist. His path to success had been long and tortuous. He was born in 1919 in the French colonial time and left his humble village home in the Mekong Delta at an early age to attend a boarding school. Eking out a living as a physical education teacher, with a devouring passion for painting and confident about his talent, he ventured to go to Paris and show his works to the examination board of the city’s world-famous École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. He was admitted, at the age of 30, to pursue his only formal art studies. After his highly acclaimed debut exhibition in Paris in 1952, he returned to Saigon and struggled hard before gaining recognition for his novel aesthetic. His success came in the shadow of the Vietnam War, which started massively escalating, shattering his world.

The Fascinating History of My Direct Royal Ancestors and Their Descendants

The author traces his direct ancestors for 40 generations, commencing with Egbert Saxon, king of Wessex in generation 1. King Edward III is described in generation 18. He was the last monarch in the author’s Direct family tree. He and his wife, Philippa of Hanault, are the author’s 21 times great grandparents. The author narrates the history of his direct ancestors up to his grandparents in generation 39, from English royalty to Scottish nobility, ending with the Krio elite in the former British colony of Sierra Leone. This was as a result of the acting governor of Sierra Leone, the Scottish Kenneth Macaulay, the author’s 4 times great-grandfather, having a relationship with a liberated African, which led to the birth of the author’s 3 times great-grandmother Charlotte Macaulay, who was of mixed race. The book is an entertaining, fascinating and accessible piece of family history with a wide-ranging scope and engaging manner of dialogue, which will be of interest, not only to historians and genealogists, but also to non-fiction readers in general.

The Day the Sun Fell

The Day the Sun Fell captures on a deeply human and personal level the devastating effects of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945. The author, who at fourteen was seriously injured by the A-bomb, skilfully combines tender lyricism and stark realism to recount her own experiences and those of other members of her immediate and extended family in the aftermath of the bombing, and decades later. Not only a harrowing depiction of tragic historical events, nor just a remarkable story of survival, The Day the Sun Fell reveals aspects of the bombing never aired openly before, forcing the reader to pause to reflect on these haunting events and their continuing legacy seventy years on. It also makes for inspiring reading, for Hashizume never fails to discover hope and joy in living even in the darkest of moments.

The Complete Response

Stanley lives life to the full--working hard, playing hard. In 2016, his life was turned upside down with a serious medical diagnosis; he had a stage 4 bowel cancer which had spread extensively to his liver and was inoperable. Many people might have given up but Stanley looked at the challenge of beating cancer with positivity. Stanley carried on working throughout the medical process ahead of him and developed his own strategy with the help of others around him and his life experiences. The plan of attack worked, which ultimately led to his survival and a complete response to treatment. No viable trace of the disease remained, a very rare 100% response. Stanley carried on living as before and is still free from cancer. The Complete Response will inspire anyone looking to overcome the unthinkable!

The Bule Diaries

The Bule Diaries.

This is a brutally honest account of expectations of living in Jakarta—an over-populated, buzzing hub of brilliantness, and it’s just sitting there waiting for you to explore it!

In case you wondered, ‘bule’ is a term to describe a white person in Indonesia. At first, I thought it meant foreigner, but it doesn’t, because I called an Indian guy ‘bule’ once and he laughed at me and promptly corrected me, “Noooo, it’s just white people, like you!”

This book has two main purposes: to tell you about my experiences and exploration throughout Indonesia thus far and to inform you of how I do what I do, what to do and what items you should bring whether you’re travelling or working here. Enjoy!

The Boy Who Refused to Die

On 17 December 2007, 13-year-old Alby Dobinson left his home to make his daily journey to school. Later that day, during his return journey, something happened that would change his life forever.

This story charts the remarkable journey undertaken by Alby and those closest to him. Life is always a mixture of good times and bad, laughter and sadness, and Alby’s story reflects this rainbow of human emotion, from suffering to euphoria.

As a biography, written in the style of a novel, this book details years of rehabilitation as family members recount their own experiences with humour, regret and acceptance, plumbing the depths of despair and soaring to the heights of joy.

The Daily Mail headline “The boy who wouldn’t die” was detested by Alby’s family. However, a small change to it illustrated Alby’s determination. He did not travel his road alone but was accompanied by his mother and stepfather, Lisa and Mark; his younger brother, Jimmy; and his grandparents. What happened to Alby had a profound effect on them all and each has their own special story, including the amusing tale of how Lisa and Mark met and the response to Mark’s declaration that he would run the London Marathon: “You’ve never done more than run for a bus!”

This is a story that will amaze and inspire. It is tinged with sadness but the overwhelming message is one of courage and the triumph of one very determined young man and his family.

The Bitterest PLC To Swallow

If you’ve ever worked in a pub, currently work in one, or simply have an interest in the history and evolution of pubs, Neil’s book is a must-read. In this insightful and entertaining memoir, Neil shares his experiences and observations about working in local estate pubs during a time when they were the heart and soul of their respective communities.

Through humorous anecdotes and blunt opinions, Neil highlights the many challenges faced by pub owners and workers in the modern era. From policies that leave him screaming to people who make him swear, Neil pulls no punches in his assessment of the pub industry.

The book also explores the transformation of local estate pubs into modern-day branded establishments, such as curry houses and convenience stores. Neil’s revelations are sure to surprise and shock readers, and may even cause them to question the value and quality of the food and drink they pay for in these establishments.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Neil takes readers on a trip down memory lane, revisiting the fun pubs of the 80s before they became bitter PLCs. Through Neil’s vivid storytelling, readers will laugh, cringe, and even taste the history of these once-beloved establishments.

In the end, Neil offers his take on what happened to pubs and what they have become. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history and evolution of pubs, and may just make you think twice about where you choose to spend your hard-earned wages.

Ted Harrison's Rainbow Road

Jan Stirling and Ted Harrison, the celebrated Canadian painter, met in 2007 and felt an immediate connection. Jan spent more and more time with him, oblivious of their age difference, always feeling his acceptance of her quirky, candid nature. As a jazz musician, she appreciated his ability to improvise with words, without fear of making a mistake. She would suggest a subject and then write down in shorthand what he had to say. Although never edited, these improvs were called poems. They showed that even as his physical freedom diminished, he had a very rich mental life.

After Ted passed on, Jan revisited these poems, writing about her experiences with him up to her final visit in January 2015, the last day Ted was conscious. Each chapter is interspersed with Ted’s poems. The book shows an intimate side of Ted that deepens our appreciation for his life and work.

Taxi to Broadway

“Hey, did anyone tell you look like James Dean!”

It happened once in a while. I had just lit a cigarette… (can’t resist the slice of ham). Drawing into myself; playing the dead actor behind the wheel, cigarette dangling loosely from my pouting lips; angry at life… scowling at the world!

Christy Jones was no James Dean, but he could proudly tell people in his taxi that he was an actor nonetheless. And driving wasn’t the only time he could play a character.

The author of this memoir found a passion for acting and made it to Stella Adler’s Academy for Theater in the early ’60s. But to make a decent living he drove a taxi across New York for six years. Christy never had an accident, though he had plenty of narrow escapes during his six years of driving. He preferred driving at night, so he could make the rounds of agents and producers during the day. But the streets can be treacherous... and dangerous. A cab only lasts a couple of years on New York City streets. After a long time spent dropping people off at their destinations, he finally arrived at his own: Broadway.

Taxi to Broadway is a story of fleeting conversations and adventurous nocturnal driving, but in the end, it is what all great stories should be – a tale about following your passions.

Strength to be Myself

Born into harshness and born into suffering, a warrior’s soul struggles to keep true to himself. A soul born into modern times, trying to hold tightly onto that which is him, that which is beyond his pain, to see the real him. This is the story about a person who through the most difficult of environments finds the strength to stay true to himself, to stay true to the very essence of his soul. The years of life from birth to late teens are when the environment plays a major role in a person’s development, a soul’s growth. In this first book of an emotionally turbulent series, those first years of my life are expressed here. This book tells some of the story from my early years. It’s not the pain I want to show, but rather how I found the strength to go beyond that pain to embrace all that is good and loving about me. A person must be able to keep a clear focus on his/her actions, his/her abilities and, most importantly, on his/her true self throughout the most testing of times. This is my story; this is my testimony; this is how I found the strength to be myself.

Strange But True

Written clearly, the aim of the book “Strange but True” is to highlight some points.
There are many incidences that occurred in the hospitals which are of general interest to the general readers. The author is conscious that some points may be sensitive so he made it clear that the book is not meant to insult, degrade, defame or anything like this to anyone. The author believes that this world and this country (U.K.) have given him so much, which he wants to give back to the world/country for the benefit of other people.
As a Muslim, the author has questioned many beliefs common among Asian Muslims, which are frequently addressed in the mosques, written in so-called Islamic literature and believed by many Muslims.
In addition to his professional knowledge as a medical doctor, the author’s overall general knowledge and knowledge in sciences is of high standard. He was selected to be trained as a magistrate, went through two stages of interviews, but because of his heavy workload as a consultant in the NHS, could not complete his training.
His consultant colleagues from his last hospital, the manager of that hospital and the consultants from his previous jobs in NHS, where he worked as a junior doctor, speak very highly about him.