Burberry Days

At the end of the 1950s the 100-year-old clothing firm Burberry was a troubled company with an uncertain future, whose new owners did not know what to do with it once they had secured it.Brian Kitson joined Burberry in 1958 expecting a temporary summer job and stayed for over twenty years. His research into the company's distinguished past, encouraged by the last Mr Burberry, began to suggest a possible direction for regeneration...Written with great verve and wit, Burberry Days tells of the author's unexpected adventures as an international travelling Burberry salesman throughout the 1960s and '70s, as well as exploring the origins of the company's emblematic trench coat and the familiar house check.The book also offers some controversial reasons why Britain, with so much to offer - from the Savile Row suit, the Jermyn Street shirt and Scottish cashmere to workforce skills and great design talent - can still only count Burberry in the premier league of international fashion houses.

Last Touch

Dean Jamieson was murdered on 04/04/2006, leaving an irreplaceable void in the lives of those who held him dear. Dean's mother, Josephine, pens a devastating novel that is a deeply intimate and personal examination of the life and death of her child and the grief that accompanies such a loss.Jamieson critiques the landscape following an untimely death; the support of the social sector and the police, the role of the media and reportage and the effect on family.Jamieson's prose, whilst at times visceral, portrays the emotional weight of burying a child but offers, amongst the darkness, hope. This is a work, whilst being intimate, that transcends the personal and offers solidarity to those who have suffered the loss of a loved one.

My Life Without Drink

In My Life Without Drink the author takes the reader through a life where insecurity in childhood is carried forward to the adult years when alcohol is taken up as a means of coping. Through marriage, childbirth, estrangement and brushes with the law, the author slides in and out of dependency but always succumbs to the craving described as trying “to get that ‘high’ feeling again and again but it is well-nigh impossible.”How she turns things around must be an inspiration to those who can see no way out of a terrible ‘disease’ that can afflict anyone at any time.A short book on a long and painful story with an ending full of hope: “I walked out free and have been sober for seventeen years.”The author has also written a delightful children’s story called ‘Bertie the Croc’, which you will find towards the end of this book.

Two Lives: A Social and Financial Memoir

Dimitri Yassukovich is exiled by the Bolshevik Revolution, builds a new life and career as a Wall Street investment banker, and lays the foundations in Europe for one of the great investment banking houses of the City. His son Stanislas, after an inglorious youth in the Gatsby land of Long Island, joins his father's firm White, Weld & Co., finds himself at the epicentre of the City's revival from postwar doldrums, and becomes an architect of the Euromarkets. His highly personal and anecdotal chronicle of these two lives leads us through the history of high finance and its revival, and the heady days of the internationalisation of the City, through the ‘Big Bang' and its aftermath. Two Lives is a serious, and yet light-hearted account of a critical period in 20th century finance and of two unusual personalities.  

Who Cares Who Wins

Adventures start at some point!The author was born just after the end of World War Two.He used to leave home at 4am at eight years of age on the horse and carts and in the evenings would go chimney sweeping.When he was older he spent a few years in the military. Multiple migrations, including the ‘Ten Pound Poms’ program then followed.After this came over 30 years of global ‘itchy foot syndrome’ full of exciting ever-changing lifestyles ranging from: rich, skint, happy, and sad.In the following 30 years, there came numerous diagnoses: anxiety, depression, Parkinson’s, mental health issues, strokes, various dementia and divorce.Then along came Mike’s saviours: grandchildren, hiding and losing his disabilities within their love and warm hugs.Every day’s an adventure.

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!

The House Is Burning

It’s the 1950s and mounting political unrest consumes Rwanda. With fading monarchy, intensifying colonial rule and whispers of rebellion, countless native families find age-old traditions under attack.

For Abel A. Nkunda’s family, the shifting climate grows increasingly hostile. As powers vie for control around them, they face a painful choice: take flight to save all they cherish or stay to watch it burn.

Venturing into remote wilds in search of refuge, grandparents lead young Abel towards an uncertain future. With each step into the unknown, doubts arise. Can a foreign haven truly preserve their sacred cattle herding heritage from extinction?

Follow the Nkundas’ quest across a changing landscape where long-held customs blink at the brink. Will new mountains shelter this household from escalating threats? Or will the life they knew go up in smoke? Immerse yourself in one family’s struggle to find safe harbour for endangered livelihoods and identity before the house left behind is reduced to ashes.

Me

Ron Pearson was born in Bramley, Leeds on August 12, 1924. He began writing this book on August 12, 2021, his 97th birthday. After a childhood beset by illness, he left school at 14, and took a job packing parcels in a multiple tailoring factory, not for him. He moved on to packing parcels general muggins at an advertising agency at 50 pence a week, which he loved. His career in advertising was interrupted by a four-and-a-half-year spell in the army on ‘Special Operations’. Returning to civvy street, his career culminated in being appointed Managing Director and then Chairman of one of Yorkshire’s most respected advertising agencies. He was a local actor for almost 50 years including the renowned Bradford Alhambra and Playhouse.There are some sad moments outnumbered by many hilarious ones. Ron’s beloved wife, Pat, died in 2017 after 66 years of happy marriage.The list of ‘celebrities’ he has met is impressive, including Princess Margaret, Prince Charles, Hollywood’s Marlene Dietrich, George Raft, Sir Ralph Richardson, George Best, Jackie Charlton, Harry Worth, Alan Bennett etc.

Surviving the Asylum

In this raw and poignant memoir, Michael recounts his harrowing journey through the psychiatric system and his struggle to find purpose after losing custody of his beloved autistic grandson.

After a suicide attempt lands him in a geriatric psychiatric ward for the third time in recent years, Michael finds himself cut off from the outside world and the grandson he raised for three decades. Facing abuse and isolation, he contemplates ending it all.

But a lifeline appears in the form of his vocal coach and support worker, who encourage him to channel his pain into art. As Michael discovers new passions in singing, painting, and poetry, he forges an unexpected friendship with a fellow patient that reignites his will to live.

This powerful story of resilience and reinvention shows how creativity and human connection can offer hope even in the darkest of times. Michael’s journey reminds us that it’s never too late to find a new voice and a reason to keep singing.