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Marathon des Sables – A Type 1 Diabetes Adventure
After being entranced by the exotic allure of life in the Middle East during a five-year stint in Saudi Arabia, an irresistible opportunity for an extreme adventure in the Moroccan Sahara presents itself. Coupled with the unexpected eruption of a volcano in Iceland, the stage is set for a non-stop, exhilarating journey from beginning to end. What was meant to be a leisurely plane ride back to the tranquil Lake District in England transforms into an unforgettable cross-country odyssey through the captivating landscapes of Morocco and Spain. From planes to trains and overnight ferries, this tale of adventure is so extraordinary, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was fiction.
£9.99 -
The Four Ships
In this poignant and compelling true story, Tanya Mullins opens the door to her heart, sharing a journey marked by unimaginable loss, unyielding strength, and the enduring pursuit of survival. As she grapples with the devastating death of one of her children, Tanya faces the harsh reality of poverty and mounting bills, her world shrouded in shadows.
Amidst the trials of life, Tanya discovers an inner strength that propels her forward. Just when it seems that life has granted her the gift of true love, tragedy strikes once again, plunging her into a vortex of grief, loss, and the profound challenges of mental health. Yet, against the tempest of despair, Tanya’s resilience shines through.
Reluctantly compelled to engage with life’s relentless lessons, Tanya confronts her deepest fears and inner demons, seeking redemption in the face of adversity. Her story is a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to endure, learn, and emerge stronger. Through the darkness and into the light, Tanya’s journey is a beacon of hope and inspiration for anyone grappling with the complexities of life, loss, and the arduous path to healing.
£7.99 -
Mosul Dreaming: An Australian Psychologist in Iraq
In 2017 Diane Hanna was offered a role to provide psychological services to international surgical team, 15km from the front line during the last battle of Mosul, Iraq. The mission had provided her with a restored sense of meaning and purpose, which compelled her to return and continue working in the largest humanitarian crisis since the second world war.
In temperatures above 48 degrees celsius, she forged ahead, recruiting members of her mental health team from the camps of those displaced during the conflict. She established programs and activities, for thousands of women and children who were wounded and traumatised by ISIS. On her day off, she often sat in bed and painted those whom she met from Mosul, whilst unable to leave the guesthouse due to the ongoing dangers outside.
When funding to her mission was cut suddenly, Diane made the decision to stay in Iraq which would change her life forever. Alone, and with a life-threatening condition she was now facing a corrupt medical system, and an increasingly volatile environment. Trapped in one of them most hostile countries in the world, she would need to muster all her strength, knowledge and skills, to negotiate her way out.
Her story will astonish and inspire you. It will make you reassess what it means to serve as a humanitarian worker, and remind you that whatever happens, you must keep fighting and never give up.
£10.99 -
Raising Seven
How would you feel if a complete stranger approached you and revealed a secret only you knew? And then said, “You need to get moving on it.” After this encounter in 2009, I knew I had to start writing my memoir and Raising Seven was born.
Our five sons came first and then there were the years of longing and praying for those evasive daughters. I did hear from God during those years that He would fulfil my heart’s desire. He just did not tell me when.
My husband, Al, passed away during the writing of our story. The memoir covers our first meeting in 1966 at the beach town in Lavallette, New Jersey, to the present.
Having seven children was not popular then, or even now. For Al and I thought, this was a blessing not a curse. With the help of scripture, faith in God, the encouragement of family and friends, those years for us became years of joy. The happiness, adventures, pitfalls and struggles of our rambunctious family of seven is the heartbeat of this book.
£6.99 -
Reflections On El Camino
‘El Camino’ is the pilgrim’s route across northern Spain to reach the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. This was built on the site where the body of the disciple St James was buried after he was martyred in Jerusalem in 44AD. His remains lay unmarked and unknown for eight centuries until a miraculous light led a shepherd to discover the bones in a cave. A cathedral was built over the spot where the bones were found and it became one of the prime destinations for pilgrims in the medieval era. But the way to Santiago de Compostela was fraught with danger for those pilgrims, with the notoriously bad weather in the Pyrenees, warring kingdoms in the north, civil war and the ever-present danger of invasion from the Muslim Moors who controlled the southern half of the Iberian Peninsula.
This book is a long-distance trek through the countryside, culture and history of the area: from St Jean Pied de Port on the French side of the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela, then onwards to the Atlantic coast of Spain, and finally to Finisterre – or ‘the end of the world’, as it was known in the times of the Roman Empire. It is a journey of over 900 kilometres. But what is the route like today for the modern pilgrim?
£9.99 -
Two Old Ladies and a Hedge
This small book tells the story of a big adventure. Two old ladies seeking a challenge in life as it shortens, set out to walk the South West Coast Path from start to finish. Against convention, they planned to sleep out under the stars for the most part of the journey instead of the usual tent or bed and breakfast accommodation.
They used bivvy bags, umbrellas and a tarpaulin for shelter from the elements. Stumbling along, carrying huge rucksacks, they had many experiences including sleeping with slugs, enduring gales and downpours, seeing shooting stars and meeting tramps, hippies and celebrities.
Join them on their journey and see what can be achieved as you approach your dotage!
£6.99 -
Where's Me Teeth
From the mystery of the missing teeth to the urine sample for a goldfish. From the hapless gardener who mows through a power cable, to the debate over fresh or frozen ice to be used in a drink. Why can’t you send an octopus through the post, yet you can take your parrot for a walk?
The frustration caused by the jobsworths of this world and automatic/robotic telephone answering machines.
A humorous and tongue-in-cheek observation of daily life and society. You could not make this up. Life is really stranger and funnier than fiction.
£7.99 -
All at Sea in Arctic Waters
This book is experiences of the author aboard a destroyer on the Murmansk Arctic convoys of WWII. In spite of it being related to war, the content of the book is really to show what life was like for the ordinary ratings and their tasks, not the fighting. Many of the happenings are strangely amusing, depending on how they are read. Most of the occurrences were just everyday duties or chores that somehow went wrong or were the result of naivety of the crew, most of whom had never reached the age of 20 years and were thrown into doing things they had never contemplated before. So this book is really short yarns, mostly of amusing instances of life aboard a ship at war. These yarns are short, but the book as a whole is unique in as much as it is history as far as life was concerned on small RN ships in WWII, much of which few people have ever looked into or even heard about. The author’s work dealt with intercepting messages from and locating German submarines by shortwave radio direction finding. This was specialised, little of which has ever been reported, although closely related to the work at Bletchley Park. Here it is dealt with extensively.
£8.99 -
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