Dance in the Land of Bull Killers

In 2011, a wave of protests hit the Arab countries that had been silently living under dictatorships. Al-Buazizi ignited a spark of opposition that swept across the entire region to reach Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Syria. The ruling regimes responded with more oppression and extreme violence, and the demands for overthrowing these regimes escalated. While reforms were introduced in some countries, other revolutions were hijacked by radical terrorist organizations, which turned the peaceful protests into horrifying conflicts, some of which are still ongoing, like in Syria.

Today, despite war, conflict and displacement, people who initiated utterly overlooked revolutions in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Chile and others continue to create, love and dream of a better future.

This is a story of how a Syrian civil society activist met an Iraqi contemporary dancer facing displacement, war, visa restrictions and global asylum restraints. Akiles and Sirine had to work very hard to maintain a relationship that was the only coping mechanism for two people who had lost their sense of security from being safe in their homelands. Their relationship sprung up in the midst of an armed conflict, and it was extremely challenging for them to stay together due to the ongoing chaos.

Dealing with a Head injury at Nine Years Old

After suffering a severe head injury at nine years old, Henry has embraced the difficulties of his condition. In this book, he depicts what it was like growing up between the ages of thirteen and twenty-five with a small learning disability. His quirky and bold writing style makes the reader engage their critical thinking, as they wonder whether he will win out in the end.

Unlike most memoir writers, Henry chooses not to end his story; he wonders if he will ever need an ending. Brain damage is a tricky topic and Henry certainly isn’t easy on himself. After reading his first-person account of waking up from a coma, the reader may wonder how he has been able to accomplish so much. In the end, and in the light of his parents’ support, Henry will never know how much his head Injury has really affected his life.

Death by Dementia

You have two extremely active individuals, mid-60s, looking to many more years of future travel, boating, loyal companionship and retirement. How things can change! Not feeling well in one instance, forgetting what one did with the car keys in the other.

A routine unconcerned visit to the GP, subsequent referral to a specialist and in 48 hours your life is in turmoil.

“You have dementia Mrs Mclean, it’s in the early stages and in your case the CT scans have identified Alzheimer’s. No, there is presently no cure.”

We then roll the dice once more. “You have a carcinoid tumour Mr Mclean. Its metastatic and barely noticeable. However, we have made an appointment for you to see a leading professor of oncology who may put you on trial for a new form of tumour suppressant.”

It’s the two words that everyone fears dementia and cancer.

This, therefore, is a deadly personal journey dealing with the many and varied implications of dementia. In this instance it meant caring for my best friend, confidant, advisor, lover and wife of 50 years, whilst fighting my own diagnosis.

Misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, misunderstood and often denied, this killer with no conscience, now mainstream, leaves but an empty shell as a memory.

If you know anyone with dementia, have been diagnosed in the early stages of dementia or if you are caring for a person with dementia, then you should definitely read this story of love, loyalty, passion and patience. A tale of never-ending belief in the future.

Don't Go Into Town, Tonto!

Born just prior to the outbreak of World War II and inspired by his hero, a Captain of a firefighting vessel, the author joined the Royal Navy at 15 years of age, purely to experience the life at sea as told by his hero and the great wide mysterious world depicted in the Encyclopaedia.

Hugh shares the rigours of the training ship “Ganges”, the excitement of his first war ship in the Mediterranean and several other drafts including being present at the Cyprus Emergency and the infamous Suez Crisis. This was also the time of his coming of age, the pain of unrequited love and the bewildering initiation by an older woman who should have known better.

Life as a merchant seaman followed, expanding his horizons even further, eventually merging with the diaspora of eager sunseekers to Australia in 1963. Worked in a copper mine in Queensland before the sea beckoned once more. Then south to Tasmania and enjoyed a different sea life as a lobster fisherman.

The author shared many unexpected encounters with colourful characters and events which taught him life lessons in an entertaining, humorous and honest manner.

A lusty account of a young recalcitrant, desperate to become a worthy human.

Don't Push Me Out

In the depths of institutional bullying, resilience and fortitude are tested. Across the globe, in myriad professions, individuals face a silent struggle that can shatter confidence, well-being, and personal relationships. Yet, amidst the silent tears and the unspoken pain, there lies a compelling tale of courage and tenacity.

A manager’s duty extends beyond just running the workforce; it’s about leading with dignity, respecting the needs of the business, and valuing every individual under their care. While managers are human and imperfect, prejudice and discrimination have no place in the workplace. Every individual should be assessed based on their worth, integrity, and capabilities, ensuring no room for regret.

As you delve into this narrative, you may find yourself questioning my endurance and wondering how I confronted the adversities thrown my way. I remain eternally grateful for the strength, determination, and blessings that guided me through both personal and professional triumphs. This is my story, unfiltered and real, shedding light on a pervasive issue while offering hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Drawing Breath

A book of memories.

Growing up in the 1950s and 60s, childhood is peppered with untold freedom and strict codes of behaviour. There are fears of not being accepted, not conforming and for those suffering from gender dysphoria, there is nowhere to turn.

A convent education brings Jennifer intense friendships, unrequited love and tussles with belief and disbelief in a higher being. She finds diversion in play acting and searching for adventure in the role of her alter ego.

Emerging from the protective arms of a white middle class family, she confronts the harsh realities of life with a charismatic young man as her cicerone. After four years of teaching bring feelings of inadequacy, of not being up to the job and finding no place in heterosexual British society, Jennifer decides to start afresh and to leave England.

Drivin’ Daughters and Parkinson’s

“I have Parkinson’s Disease…”

The words kept hitting me like a hammer on my forehead.

Parkinson’s Disease… PARKINSON’S DISEASE… PARKINSON’S DISEASE.

When Marco Preshevski was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, his life fell to pieces. He had just turned 30 years old.

Drivin’ Daughters and Parkinson’s is the remarkable story of Marco’s rollercoaster journey through life before, during and after his diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. Beginning on that fateful day in March 2001, Marco tells the fascinating story of how Parkinson’s Disease slipped into his life, how it made its presence known and the unending battle he has fought balancing symptom relief with side effect control, using various medications and cutting-edge surgery.

Marco explains in detail the destructive psychological consequences he experienced at the hands of Parkinson’s and the devastating effect this had on his personal relationships. Often going into deep, intimate detail, Marco tells us how Parkinson’s Disease drove him to the edge of his life, until he discovered the reason for his existence on earth.

Told through the eyes of an ‘ordinary’ man, Drivin’ Daughters and Parkinson’s is a fresh look at personal experience of this difficult-to-handle medical condition. Hilarious, wholly inspirational and at times difficult to believe, this book should be read by anyone whose life has been touched by Parkinson’s, by those who want to understand the disease better and by those who want to appreciate the patient’s point of view.

Exploitation

In Exploitation, readers are taken on a heart-wrenching journey through the mind and experiences of a frontline soldier. Through intense and extreme pressure, the soldier must navigate their way through the challenges of combat and emerge on the other side. With raw and emotional storytelling, this book offers a unique insight into the thoughts and actions of those on the front lines, leaving readers with a deeper understanding of the challenges and sacrifices of military service.

Fastovski's Tales of Hampstead

Imagine that Isaac Babel’s Cossacks wassail together with Runyonesque Liverpool Jews outside the plate-glass window of a Hampstead café where a Klezmer band is playing to a packed and tea-drinking congregation of jazzmen, Hasidic scholars, surrealists, old soldiers, and retired strippers; and you have the tone and temperature of this unique and unclassifiable memoir – no, not memoir, more a stream-of-consciousness novella – no, not a novella but a piece of autobiographical fiction – no, not autobiography but a picaresque drama conquered from the unreliable and fertile brain of the eponymous Fastovski.

And who is Fastovski? Is he real or invented? Is he perhaps the alter-ego of real-life jazz pianist, Klezmer swinger, big band leader and flaneur, Wallace Fields, who stares at us from the book’s frontispiece in shades, Diaghilev coat and moustache, over a cup of strong black coffee? Fastovski’s not telling and anyway, who cares.

This is a book to be devoured, disseminated, denounced, and delighted in. It belongs to all who think art and life are one and that the Arch-Savant of Canterbury, Issy Bonn, Rashid the Manic Berber Chef of NW3, and Mrs Karl Popper, have an equal claim on history. I haven’t had such a good time since I shared Sir Ralph Richardson’s motorbike with a parrot and a striking grandmother clock.

Piers Plowright
August 2008

Fighting for Hanne

Hanne Schafer, 63, had just retired as a psychologist from her position in a mental health clinic. Youthful and energetic, she looked forward to engaging in more travel, socializing, hiking and ballroom dancing with her partner, Daniel Laurin. When Hanne received a devastating diagnosis, she asked Daniel and Mary, her long-time friends, for help in dealing with a grim reality. She asked them for the ‘unthinkable’.

How would you respond? What would help you deal with one obstacle after another?

This memoir, written from Mary’s perspective, is based primarily on Hanne’s emails to Mary over a three-year period. It details how Hanne, Daniel and Mary persisted in pursuing Hanne’s goal of remaining in charge of her life.

Canada passed assisted dying legislation in June 2016, but some obstacles still remain and impede a person’s choice to die with dignity. Further legislation is anticipated. Hanne’s receipt of a court-ordered exemption in February 2016 is one facet of Canada’s history of assisted dying. Telling Hanne’s story reflects our mutual desire to eliminate obstacles that others may encounter.

Fought a Million Battles

This book covers over fifteen years of service as a volunteer with the Royal Green Jackets and Great Britain’s elite Special Air Service. The author was a trained parachutist with the UK, US and French Army. A qualified marksman and a silver standard cross-country skier, he was trained in explosives and was a specialist in long-distance communication.

Free Radical

A fascinating account of life in a period of great social and political change. Gabrielle Walsh discusses her personal experiences of pursuing feminism and gay rights amidst the stigma and tradition of a patriarchal society. Traversing the period from the beginning of the 1950s until the present, it is the story of an activist who also honours those who contributed to the great social and political movements aimed at freeing our world. The discussion of sexual liberation and race relations are equally thought-provoking. The anecdotes and details of family life, set against the backdrop of pivotal historical events, provides an insight into the personal inherent in every political situation. This work shares a progressive political tradition with a cheeky storytelling genre found in Anglo-Irish literature. It is exuberant, lively and amusing. Written with warmth and compassion, this work provides a platform for important conversations still necessary for our society today.