Perfection Is NOT the Word for It

Orchestral life in Britain is thriving and anarchic, in turns chaotic, hilarious and brutal. Perfection Is Not the Word for It is a personal, and mostly affectionate, account of life amongst the extraordinary characters who lead their over-stressed lives in this unusual world, surrounded by music but driven by everyday anxieties, and always defying the best efforts of administrators, bureaucrats and conductors to tame the unruly beast which is a professional orchestra.

Royal Engineer

As compelling as it is a delight to read, Royal Engineer is a military memoir that is truly a breath of fresh air and a ‘must’ read for anyone who has an interest in either the military or modern history, and for those who quite simply enjoy a good read.

Fascinating, honest, gripping, hard-hitting and never shying away from the truth, the author’s passion for chronicling his and others’ past events and experiences becomes abundantly clear from the very beginning. The unique style of writing and the way in which detailed narratives are brilliantly incorporated make Royal Engineer a powerful and moving memoir. Emotions, opinions, positives, and negatives are freely shared with the reader to ensure that there is no sugar-coating on subjects and matters that are of a sensitive and topical nature in today’s world.

Be prepared for a reading experience like no other because Royal Engineer is filled with comprehensive and engaging narratives that will have the reader mesmerised from the very first page, and it is also a remarkable piece of writing because of the honest approach and evocative language the author adopts throughout.

Songs Through the Night

We are all at some time or other faced with loss and trial. How do we deal with them? If these kinds of experiences are foreign to us now, they inevitably will come to us. What is it like for those who struggle with long-term illness and a doctor’s diagnosis?
This book handles these issues head-on from someone who has lived with Parkinson’s disease for over 20 years and who has been involved with facing many different kinds of loss. Where is God in all this? In this book the author reflects honestly on these issues – and more – and uses his battles with Parkinson’s as a place to start.

The Colours of Love

The Colours of Love is a real-life testimony on how a life should be lived and how it should not. It recounts my love for my parents, love for a woman that I loved more than my life, love for my daughter, friends, love for the countries where I lived. Love, crime and science-fiction-like experience, triggered by delusions and hallucinations, are interwoven in this narrative of life.

I wrote this book when I was 55 years old, as a culmination of my life. It recounts my utmost remorse for the things that I did, but I should not have done, and for things that I did not do, but I should have done. The consequences of my decisions resulted in extraordinary loss of property, physical and intellectual. I lost my share in five houses and one apartment; I lost my profession, my wife, my daughter, my social status and freedom. None of this was my desire. Why did this happen to me? I had all prerequisites to live a successful and wealthy life. My father was a medical doctor, my mother was a piano teacher; I was a medical doctor; my wife was a medical doctor. I had permanent residency permits in two countries, Sweden and Australia. However, I ended up in prison with almost nothing.

The book is written for adolescents who are just about to face challenges of their lives. It is also aimed at adults, as a mirror of how good or bad their lives are compared to a non-standard life.

The Life I Won

A gripping tale of strength, resilience and of how life can be devastating yet beautiful at the same time.

She was born to a working-class family in Manchester. Her father was her inspiration. She idolised this charismatic man, and he told her every day that she was special. Emulating her beloved father’s work ethic, Mandy worked on a market stall at thirteen years old, then went off to university at eighteen, always working to help financially. From nothing and nowhere she built a successful career in an unexpected place. She was admired, respected and had made it.

Then her world literally fell apart and life took her on a journey from abundance to rock bottom. There were lessons to be learned on this rocky road and if she wanted to stay alive, it was her duty to learn them.

Facing relentless challenges, losing people she loved and every penny she had, many would have given up. But not this woman, because her dad had told her she was special.

Heart-breaking, enlightening and ultimately uplifting, The Life I Won tells a story of success despite adversity. It will teach you that if you have the right attitude, you can play the game of life and win, no matter how bad it seems.

The Last of the Lucky Childhoods

This is the story of my childhood recollections while growing up in Glasgow. The streets were still for kids and we knew how to make our own fun, though some of the mischiefs we got up to may not be classed as fun nowadays.

If we were poor, we didn’t realise it; if we were ill-treated, we thought of it as normal. Kids didn’t complain in those days (or they got a ‘slap across the lug’). Kids knew their place, we just got on with life and enjoyed it to the fullest.

As Billy Connolly would say: “What I’m about to tell you is true…well mostly.”

If any of my old pals, relatives, or friends recognise themselves on these pages, you’re most likely right…but I have changed the names (in some instances) to protect the guilty!

To Cry No More

Can you remember the last time you cried?

Life can take many directions. Each path leads to a different result. Which one you choose is determined by the previous path. 

How do we decide which path to take?

Linda’s paths could have been determined from her birth, her upbringing or the tears that flowed from her falls and tumbles or the joys and jubilations.

This is the true story about Mazie, who demonstrates that no matter what life throws at you, there is always another door to walk through, another path to follow. She shows that strength and willpower can turn any bad experience around and that no matter how hard, sometimes it’s just best to walk away.

Linda’s successes were through pure fight and determination. Her courage allowed her to see through her horrific childhood, her traumatic motherhood and her final moments with her true love.

Follow Linda’s paths entwined with pure emotion. Which path would you have taken? How many tears would you have shed?

Not Abandoned Nor Forgotten

Have you ever wondered if God exists?Has your faith been tested to the limit?Is your life in a dark place despite having faith?Are you waiting for answers to prayers?Are you feeling hopeless, still waiting for breakthrough?Lynn Attwood engages readers through vivid descriptions of rejection, health issues, torment and despair, thwarted opportunities and a life which, essentially, was a ‘wilderness experience’ in which she felt separated from God and isolated from others. Quotations from Scripture illustrate God’s promises and intentions and how these were evident in her life during specific time periods and critical events.Having faith, Lynn persevered in prayer, holding fast to God’s promises. Eventually her life changed. Hope is stirred as Lynn’s experiences unfold to reveal the heart of God.If you want your life to change, draw inspiration from how God turned Lynn’s life around.Through her own story, Lynn illustrates the truth of God’s word in her life – His love, faithfulness, goodness and mercy.

Jumping Out of the Window

We put our faith in Britain’s educators to teach our children the Three Rs. But what if they could teach us as well?

Jonathan opens up about life as a teacher, and in the process teaches some important lessons about leadership for everyone.

From a knife flying across the classroom to outstanding inspection results, Jonathan has helped turn around four major schools from inadequate inspection reports, to being excellent in all areas.

This isn’t theory, this is the story of a life, with tales from a varied and successful career. It certainly doesn’t pull any punches. Jonathan has taught in tough state schools and one of the best independents in the country. During that time, he encountered brilliant students with terrible parents, terrible students with brilliant parents, incompetent governors and mad headteachers. Join him as he talks about undercover operations in school, mafia gangs, false accusations, and the excitement of working with young people in some of the most difficult, as well as some of the most prestigious schools in the world. Through it all, there are leadership lessons for everyone, taken from the place everyone has experience of: their high school.

There’s no rocket science in taking a school through to excellence. Through the lens of an educator, Jonathan offers practical and honest examples of how to develop leadership in yourself and in others and this book shows exactly how to do it.

On with the Show

On with the Show follows on from the first volume of Love and Music, a joint autobiography of singers Christopher Davies and Barbara Kendall.

In 1965, Barbara graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and joined Chris in the musical profession. They had gotten married in 1963 and this is the interesting story of how they coped with what was bound to be a demanding way of life.

Passive Conflict

Born on the serene island of Jersey, Irene Camus Smith’s life took an unexpected turn as the shadows of war descended upon her homeland. The Channel Islands, Britain’s oldest possessions, faced the threat of Hitler’s invasion during World War II. When the islands were demilitarized and left defenceless, German forces swiftly occupied them for five arduous years, marking Hitler’s triumph of setting foot on British soil after centuries.

The Channel Islanders endured unimaginable hardships under occupation, particularly during the siege that followed the Allied invasion of Normandy. Facing starvation and struggling to survive, their resilience was tested to the core. Among the countless stories of struggle, Irene’s family narrative unfolds, capturing the essence of the islanders’ collective experience.

Through their journey, we witness the strength of the human spirit amid adversity, as bonds are tested, and sacrifices made. In this poignant tale of survival and hope, Irene Camus Smith’s remarkable story stands as a testament to the unwavering resilience of the Channel Islanders during one of history’s darkest chapters.

Refuge in the Land of Silver

Time and again, history comes back to haunt us. How we choose to deal with it often shapes our own happiness. Can we learn to live with our own decisions and the actions of others? Is there a difference between the need to know and the want to know?

James fights to hold on to memories, which are slowly but surely being stolen from him. Will he make peace with his past before it is too late? Can this happen through telling the story of someone he barely knows?

Will Lorena cope with what she discovers about her family history? Or will it destroy her and her loved ones? Are you defined by the sins of your forefathers?