-
Now and Evermore
Embark on a thrilling journey through the kaleidoscope of Sarojini’s extraordinary life, where happiness dances hand in hand with adventure, and every page brims with excitement and wonder. From the heartwarming highs to the adrenaline-pumping escapades, she has been graced with a life overflowing with joy and contentment.
Prepare to be swept away by the enchanting tapestry of Sarojini’s remarkable adventures and captivating experiences. This book isn’t just a story; it’s an invitation to join her on a rollercoaster of emotions, where every moment is a treasure waiting to be uncovered.
So, dear reader, fasten your seatbelt and get ready for a ride of a lifetime. Dive into the pages of Sarojini’s book and let the magic of her world ignite your own sense of wonder and delight.
Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Happy reading!£3.50 -
Surviving Smoking Mirrors: My Reflection
Surviving Smoking Mirrors: My Reflection is a candid chronicle of Alliey’s tumultuous relationship with Josh, tracing its journey from the beginning to its bitter end, and the myriad challenges she faced along the way. Following the collapse of their marriage, Alliey finds herself entangled in a complex property settlement while enduring ongoing gaslighting and abuse from Josh. Concurrently, Josh plunges into a hedonistic lifestyle.
Amidst these trials, Alliey’s son, Camden, begins to show worrying injuries following visits with Josh, adding to her mounting concerns. As Alliey grapples with supporting Camden, her own battle with anorexia spirals dangerously out of control, threatening to cost her everything. This story is a raw and unflinching exploration of the struggles faced in the aftermath of a tumultuous relationship, highlighting the resilience and determination needed to persevere through adversity.
£3.50 -
The Story of My Working Life
Embark on a riveting journey of ambition and valour that takes a young sailor from the humblest beginnings in the Merchant Navy to the apex of the marine world. This tale of ascent is punctuated by thrilling perils at sea: accidents, collisions, blazes, and even the perils of war.
As the first North Sea Oil makes landfall in Orkney, our protagonist steers mammoth oil tankers through some of the planet’s most treacherous waters, skilfully averting near-catastrophes and environmental hazards with expertise. His career crescendos as he assumes the mantle of authority over one of the U.K.’s most multifaceted Harbour Authorities, overseeing port operations, towage, ferries, and the burgeoning oil sector.
A highlight of his tenure includes securing the prestigious BP contract to tranship the first North Atlantic Crude Oil into the Flotta Oil Terminal, a testament to his professional acumen. This narrative is a testament to the power of resolve, proving that with unwavering dedication, the path to extraordinary achievement is always navigable.
£3.50 -
The Tale of a Tale
The Tale of a Tale is a companion to The Tale of a Hip (published 2018). It expands on the theme of taking up ballroom dancing seriously in middle age, and the problem of misaligned bones, a limiting factor in many aspects of Pamela’s life, leading ultimately to hip replacement. Despite difficulties, she and John go on to take professional exams in both ballroom and Latin American dancing, and teach for more than twenty years, offering the joy, companionship, and relief from worldly cares they have experienced themselves to a large number of people.
A second strand of the book follows major current events, notably Brexit and COVID-19, and shows an old person’s take on social change, and the march of technology. Controversial issues related to equality and diversity are explored from a then-and-now perspective, with humour, and respect.
£3.50 -
Walking the Camera in the South Pennines
The South Pennines covers the hill country between Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, easily accessible but less well known than other walking hot spots. This is an area of high moorland with deep, often wooded valleys and drained by fast-flowing rivers such as the Colne and Calder.
Early textile industry took place in isolated farms and small collections of houses dotted around the countryside, where income from farming often marginal land was supplemented by handloom weaving; the workshops often ran along the top storey of a terrace of cottages with the typical rows of mullioned windows.
There were so many of these isolated settlements with people needing to travel between them and to the cloth markets, such as Halifax’s magnificent PIece Hall, that there is a dense network of footpaths, so inviting for exploration on foot.
Later, textile production moved to water-driven mills, now abandoned but providing a unique landscape as they are being reclaimed by nature, such as at Crimsworth Dene or Healey Dell. Steam power using the plentiful water and coal resources meant that huge factories could be built for textile production; these are themselves now being adapted for other uses, including housing such as the Titanic Mill at Slaithwaite.
Stuart and his wife Jean spent many hours walking the paths and byways of this magical area, with Stuart’s camera recording the many beautiful and interesting sights they encountered. This book is a testament to a couple’s love of rambling for almost 40 years in the magical South Pennines.
£3.50 -
Memories of a Clackmannan Lad 1947 – 1958
A childhood experience, from the 1940s post-war infant years to the raging 1950s. My mother told me that I had actually come into the world with a bang. It happened during one very early morning in 1943 when German bombers were flying overhead, and the spent rounds of anti-aircraft bullets were clattering on the tiled roof above her. Dad also said that he could hear bombs dropping somewhere between Edinburgh and Glasgow. So, it seems that I had come into the world with a bang! A few years later, I was to enter another experience: the teenage years.
£3.50 -
Hijabs, Hitchhiking and Hangovers: Lessons from Iran
‘Are you foreign? Why would you come to Iran? Please tell your friends back home that we are nothing like the Western media.’
These were among the phrases that Rose would hear almost daily in Tehran.
Hijabs, Hitchhiking and Hangovers: Lessons from Iran is a coming-of-age travel adventure. At the age of 20, Rose was part of the first group of Cambridge students to study in Iran after Iran re-opened its borders to the West. Navigating Foreign Office warnings and nuclear sanctions, she was at first a rather reluctant traveller, overwhelmed by the culture clashes, language barriers and Islamic law.
Through a collection of short stories, Rose tells of how she makes a home in Iran, experiences unexpected kindness and gets to grips with the Farsi language. At times amusing and at others, tragically telling of the harsh realities of Iranian society, Hijabs, Hitchhiking and Hangovers is a gripping account of self-reliance and the often dangerous impact of politics on travel abroad.
£3.50 -
Hanging on the Ledge of Life
Out of the ranks of the middle class, wise honest leaders will rise.
Truckers, labourers, bikers, night club bouncers, football players and soldiers.
Read this book to see how such people who once lived by a code can make North America great again by embracing new careers in religion and or politics.
£3.50 -
My Life, and Its Ups and Downs
Who would have thought that growing up could be such fun? Especially in a village where you knew everyone, and we all looked out for each other. It appears with today’s hardships and crime that the fifties were the best years to be alive. It was safe to walk about the streets, even as a five-year-old at school. The pace of life was a lot slower and more genteel. Not so many cars were on the roads, and jobs were easy to change if you didn’t like the one you were in.
In this heartwarming memoir, Anna Goddard takes us through the ups and downs of her life journey, from her humble beginnings in a Kentish village to her varied career pursuits, whirlwind romances, and the joys and challenges of raising a young family. With refreshing candour and humour, Anna reflects on coming of age in post-war Britain, training as a nurse, her unplanned twin pregnancy, and navigating young motherhood. As times change, so do attitudes, fashions, and relationships. Through it all, Anna retains her wit, warmth, and lust for life.
Brimming with nostalgia and hard-won wisdom, this is the story of an ordinary yet extraordinary woman making her way through extraordinary times. Her account offers a window into a bygone era and reminds us of the resilience of the human spirit.
£3.50 -
Finding Myself
In the second book of this ongoing series, Royce continues his journey of self-discovery from age 14 to 18, as trauma lurks trying to hide him from himself.
Navigating life’s pains, strains and hardships while attempting to find oneself is a winding path travelled as best one can. Though often unaware, Royce moves slowly yet steadily forward despite the darkness. Dangers explode without warning - hidden perils that scar his soul and edge him further away from himself.
Not wanting to lose himself, Royce needs his inner warrior. He needs love - for himself and the world around him - though the concept of love remains unclear, given his parents’ hateful expressions of pain. Thankful for what little love comes his way, Royce intuits its importance. For it is love that helps one remember the self that dwells within. Being harsh or unkind to oneself betrays the heart of self-love.
Through his ongoing trials, Royce journeys toward the light of self-understanding. It is only by embracing one’s full humanity that true healing can begin.
£3.50 -
Learning from Albi
Scruffy, deaf, and homeless, life on the streets is tough for young Albi. What could the future possibly hold for an abandoned Spanish Podenco puppy that has been hit by a car and can’t hear? Yet despite a traumatic start, Albi’s life changes when he is rescued, brought to the UK, and fostered by Lois Sinclair, founder of the rescue charity, Gracehounds, and a passionate dog lover who has shared her life and home with numerous canine companions. Before long, Lois and Albi’s lives become interwoven.
With Lois’s nursing background and Albi’s intuitive nature, the pair soon find themselves volunteering in the animal healthcare sector. Albi also develops a reputation as a transition dog, offering support to other dogs and their owners during times of loss.
But Albi is a free spirit. He also has health issues. And while his sensitive nature earns him many friends and admirers, there will be challenges ahead, including surgery. As Albi continues to enrich Lois’s life, questions remain. Albi may have found a forever home but can the love and hope which bind him and Lois sustain him? And does this unique animal have the strength to live the life that every dog deserves?
£3.50 -
Riding Through the Storm
During World War Two, a young girl was seen around the Stoke Bishop area of Bristol riding her bike or a pony; climbing trees; building dens, playing with the ‘gang’ in Blaise Castle Woods, and a lot more besides! This seemingly carefree life had its darker side as the storm clouds of war thickened and broke overhead.
Riding Through the Storm recalls the author’s life before, during and after the war. It is tinged with humour and remarkable occurrences and mirrors that time with insights into how people lived during those dark days. Nearly eighty years after the storm subsided, the full significance of what the author had lived alongside came to light and propelled this drama almost into the realms of make-believe!
£3.50