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Beef Cubes And Burdock
The rural landscape of John Phillpott’s boyhood has changed irrevocably over the last half-century.The elm – that celebrated ‘Warwickshire Weed’ of folklore – has been lost to disease, urban sprawl continues apace and motorways now disturb the tranquillity of fields that once knew only the sound of cattle, birdsong and the rumble of the farmer’s tractor.But paradise lost? Not quite, because the river flows on through the valley as it has done for millennia, the rook ‘parliaments’ can still be seen high overhead and the bells of the church that has stood on the hill looking out over the Swift Valley for a thousand years still call out to the faithful.Beef Cubes and Burdock is an affectionate glance over the shoulder back to a time when the pace of life was still dictated by the rhythm of the seasons rather than the touch of a computer keyboard.
£8.99 -
Go for It - My Journey
It was at dessert time when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew older. Still today, I do remember my answer, “An engineer, because with my Meccano set, I can build so many things.”In Go for It, Dominick Dehette recalls the heady days of the 1980s and early 1990s, when his work as an engineering consultant took him to southern Africa, China and all over Asia at especially interesting political times.Dehette’s account combines an engaged eye for detail with the more-philosophical viewpoint of the seasoned traveller.
£35.99 -
The Sherman Farm
In The Sherman Farm, Leza Turini writes of her teenage years spent on the farm, in the town of Burrillville, which was possessed by the spirits of past occupiers. We learn of the cruel, omnipotent Sumner Sherman, who still walks the corridors of the old farmhouse, grieving for his lost love"”his daughter-in-law, Amanda. We share the haunting screams of this young, tormented woman who was finally killed on the stairs by a falling chandelier; was it an accident or was she murdered by the witch seeking revenge for her broken promise?Leza and her family witnessed terrifying paranormal activities during this time, which eventually led to the death of her beloved, hardworking father, Angelo.For those interested in the world of the supernatural or who enjoy a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat, The Sherman Farm is a compelling read and one that is not for the fainthearted.
£8.99 -
Methadone and a Mobile Phone
In Methadone and a Mobile Phone, delve into the turbulent world of Melissa Jane, a woman ensnared by choices that lead her astray. As life’s winding path becomes a treacherous terrain, Melissa grapples with the weight of addiction, an affliction that touches countless souls globally.
While many bear the scars of this battle, the decision to heal and rise is deeply personal. Melissa, tethered to methadone’s deceptive solace, overlooks the commitment needed to truly reclaim herself, descending further into the abyss of her own making.
A poignant reflection on the fragility of human spirit, choices, and the battles we wage within, this narrative is a heart-wrenching reminder of the cost of surrendering to one’s demons.
£6.99 -
Life Blood
Life Blood, written by a renowned leukaemia physician, tells unforgettable stories of his leukaemia patients’ battles to be cured but also uniquely describes the stresses that doctors face when looking after extremely ill young people during an extraordinary time in their lives.
In reflecting on his long and illustrious career, Professor Marks’ memoir offers frank descriptions of his own medical family, some personal experiences of ill-health and his relationships with colleagues and patients in the NHS. Partly written during the Covid pandemic and as he approached retirement, Life Blood offers highly informed and compassionate views on modern medicine, from a pivotal point in both the author’s own professional life and the history of healthcare.
Uniquely, through these real-life stories, we enter the world of the leukaemia patient, to understand what it is like to be diagnosed and treated for a life-threatening yet frequently curable cancer. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia or ALL was the first cancer to be consistently cured in children and is a model for much of modern cancer therapy given that more than half of us will develop cancer in our lifetime. Looking to the future we read of Nitya, whose treatment-refractory leukaemia was cured by CAR T cells, a modern immunotherapy using genetically modified white blood cells, which is now being adapted to treat breast, lung and colon cancer.
£9.99 -
The Essence and Duke Ellington
I worked, toured, and recorded with Duke Ellington for the last two years of his life – a period that was the highlight of my career. In my memoirs, The Essence and Duke Ellington, I aim to convey the spirit within the heart of the jazz musician, particularly Duke Ellington. I want to show what drove him and other musicians, past and present, to play and compose this wonderful music. I also depict Duke Ellington’s greatness as a human being, not as some super-human being, which he may well have been. I recount stories and reflect on my own experiences, expounding on what working with and learning from him and so many other jazz greats has meant to me.
£12.99 -
Milestone
Join Hugh on his hilarious adventures in the UK haulage industry in the 1970s and 80s. From securing his truck license on a disused airfield to traversing the country on colourful escapades, Hugh recounts rollicking tales with unforgettable characters.
We follow Hugh through a whirlwind of trucking jobs, from the docks of Watchet to the remotest corners of Scotland. Laugh along as he fumbles his way as a rookie and gains wisdom from wizened veterans. Hugh sheds light on seldom-seen slices of British life, whether struggling through blizzards or protecting his virtue from overtures by an amorous Spanish policeman.
With sharp wit and captivating storytelling, Hugh chronicles the trucker’s lot: gruelling but rewarding work peppered with uproarious mishaps and camaraderie. His adventures barrel on through faltering family businesses, runaway cargoes, and navigating narrow country lanes in oversized rigs. Hugh takes it all in stride, with plenty of hijinks along the way.
Strap yourself in for a rollicking ride packed with distinctly British humour and characters so colourful you’ll never forget them. Hugh’s memoir offers a glimpse of a hard-working but light-hearted era through one intrepid trucker’s escapades on the road.
£10.99 -
Squat Toilets and Chopsticks
How many times have you stood outside your door, or looked out the window and realised that all you see is just a little piece of sky? There is so much more than what you see above where you are. Under every little piece is a different culture, a different way of life, new experiences, places to see and a world of opportunity.
Travelling is perhaps one of the greatest opportunities to live a fulfilled life.
Experiencing different cultures or moving to a different country where nobody knows who you are allows you to live and enjoy an amazing life. Breaking out of comfort zones allows you to achieve so much. Perhaps you are seeking a change of career, new challenges, more exciting adventures, or a fresh start.
In his book, Squat Toilets and Chopsticks: Experiencing Life Through Travel, Philip Bryan takes you on a journey from a life-changing trip to Jordan and other countries including Cambodia, Australia, Israel and finally to China where he works as a high school English teacher.
This book shares his experiences, struggles, views, and life-changing moments.
In life, we are faced with many problems and uncertainties both in our personal and professional lives. Travelling can provide you with an opportunity to solve those and realise there is more to life. There is a world out there. Get out and live it.
£9.99 -
In the Steps of Alan Turing: Working in the Digital Age
Computing has developed at an astonishing pace over the last 40 years and Professor Alty has been involved in most aspects from working at the bits/bytes level to higher level management. As a member of the Computer Board for Universities and Research Councils between 1976 and 1981, he chaired a very influential working party on microtechnology which had a major impact both in universities and in industry. One commentator wrote, “This report should be tattooed on the DTI’s backside”! In 1976, he and his team were the first to recognise that the postcode was much more important than assisting the posting of letters, and they pioneered its commercial use. He spent a great deal of effort making computers easier to use for the average person. Between 1984 and 1990, he was Executive Director of the Turing Institute for Artificial Intelligence and became very involved with artificial intelligence research around the world. Between 1990 and 2000, his research team made significant improvements to critical computer interfaces in power stations and aircraft. In the 1990s, Professor Alty examined the techniques of musical composition and showed that they could be used in computer interfaces. In 1996, he pioneered the commercial use of digital radio, producing with Roberts Radio the first successful DAB radio, one of which is on display in the British Science Museum. Finally, in 2000 he and his team performed some important research into dyslexia, which is still highly quoted even today. This book provides an interesting insight into working in the digital age.
£10.99 -
Back in Three Months
Join us on a true story of a seven-year cruise from Norwich to Africa aboard a 25-year-old motor cruiser. The decision to sacrifice a comfortable middle-aged life for an impractical and seemingly impossible dream led to many ups and downs, much humour, some drama, and even tragedy. This isn’t a tale of heroics or ocean crossings, but rather the story of two ordinary people who find themselves in a variety of unexpected situations, striving to cope with whatever life throws at them.
The book traces their 1,000-mile journey through the French waterways from Dunkerque to Séte on the Mediterranean. The serene beauty of the rivers and canals was breathtaking, culminating in a winter spent with a small, quirky international boating community in Provence, where they participated in some unexpected activities.
The following spring brought their first taste of the Mediterranean Sea. Wild and unpredictable, it was far from the flat calm pond they had imagined. They encountered rough seas, thick fog, pirates, tsunamis, Spanish paratroopers, and even the French Foreign Legion. A near-death experience and abandoning ships in a marina were certainly not part of their plan. However, the variety of people they met, the places they visited, and the incredible sights of large pods of dolphins, whales, turtles, and a two-ton sunfish made it all worthwhile. The whole experience gave them the best and worst times of their lives.
£9.99 -
Nationality: Medicine
'Medicine transcends all barriers; it knows no frontiers, it respects all credos and, most importantly, it treats all human beings as equals. Despite the tremendous socio-economic inequalities that I encountered and experienced in each one of the four countries where I’ve lived and practised medicine (Peru, United States, Spain and the UK), I’ve always been proud to find that the Hippocratic Oath is unwavering and equally applied to all citizens. My identity never came from having a certain nationality, speaking a specific language or even from my family genealogy. It came (and still does) from the set of values that the medical profession professes and that I, as a doctor, hold close to my heart. These values are the building blocks of society; without them, everything else crumbles. My “nationality” is medicine and my allegiance is to the human race. The lives and the clinical cases in this book are all real and they tell the story of how the Hippocratic Oath prevails even in the most challenging conditions. They remind us that no matter how much adversity lies before us (poverty, socio-economic instability, lack of resources, etc.), with sufficient effort, creativity and perseverance, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. After all, altruism – the bedrock of medicine – is free of charge, independent of location and always available for anyone who’s willing to use it.'
Dr Carlo Canepa£13.99 -
Of Ships and Shoes and Scotland
The author is a Scot from the small (two shop) village of Whins of Milton, two miles south of the Royal Burgh of Stirling. He has always loved the sea and ships, and was master of the first Australian flag anchor handler, operating in offshore oilfields around Australia.
The book covers a wheen o’ topics – growing up in the Whins, then living in Australia, to which he emigrated in 1968 with his wife and family, to his wanderings in the countries of the Pacific Basin. Later, it also makes some comments on Australians, their character and contentment (and pride) as to who they are as a race of people, living under the Southern Cross.
Ships and the sea are never far away. Also part of this story is the Greek Tragedy of the demise of Alfred Holt, the author having been indentured to that heroic and exemplary Liverpool company as a deck apprentice in 1957. The note, Welcome to Country, says it all as to his worldview of Australians, an attitude almost Caledonian in its sense of directness and curiosity, particularly regarding the workings of the vast world which is all around us.
£22.99