Lives of the Luberon

Stanislas Yassukovich is an investment banker who spent some 20 years visiting and living with his family in the Luberon, the region of France made famous by the late Peter Mayle's seminal work, A Year in Provence. In his new book, Yassukovich chronicles his experiences, impressions and adventures in this unique corner of La Belle France, together with reminiscences of the fascinating and cosmopolitan characters who reside there permanently or part time. His anecdotal evocation of the great variety of elements that make this region one of the most sought after, in a country rich in holiday destinations, will entertain both those who know the area and those who don't yet. Malika Moine is a Provençal artist who has published several books of her water colours in Marseille. Her illustrations of the villages of the Luberon make the book, and the region, even more irresistible.

Living Through The Great War at Home: How the People of Bromley Faced the Challenges of War

Living Through the Great War at Home tells the story of the people of Bromley from the month before the outbreak of war to the Armistice in 1918 and the celebration of peace in July 1919. Although it shows how men were mobilised, volunteered, conscripted and left to ‘follow the colours’, it is a book about the people of Bromley and how their lives were challenged and changed during the war, how they supported their own boys in the army, how they dealt with the problems of war, the restrictions of DORA (Defence of the Realm Act) and the threat and reality of the Zeppelin raids. We learn of the generosity of the people in supporting their ‘boys’, caring for the Belgian refugees and the wounded—the VAD hospitals and how women rose to the challenge, both in terms of filling the gaps in the workforce left by the men and struggling to put food on the table as rising prices and shortages finally led to rationing. The work is based on real information from the local newspaper, together with research to put them into context and understand the stories better.

Love Beyond Love

This very personal and moving love story takes us from the anticipation of the very first date through to the moment of the very last breath. It encompasses sheer joy, romance, fortitude and sadness. But love and memories live on forever because this is a Love Beyond Love. – Jan Smith (a friend)

Magikal Mumbai Flavours

‘Food and culture go hand in hand; as life moves on, we win some and we  lose some. There are times where we have to learn to adapt, infusing our  life with flavours. So far, my life – including my journey from the  classroom to the restaurant – has been blessed with some very old as  well as very new recipes of warmth and love.‘Basic Indian cooking  revolves around a healthy lifestyle, and in this wholesome book you will  learn to cook old regional dishes like Malvani chicken (from  Maharashtra on India’s west coast), Mangshore jhol lamb (from Kolkata on  the east coast),  Laccha paratha (from the north), Kerala lamb curry  (from the south coast), as well as modern fusion dishes from the global  food village, such as Mexican chimichangas, Arabic ouzi, Mexican chaat,  butter chicken pizza and spiced pesto fried rice – all with an Indian  twist.‘It has been an absolute pleasure and source of pride to share  the tips and tricks I have inherited to make Indian cooking an  experience for you, whether you are cooking alone or with your family  and friends.’CHEF SEEMA DALVI

Me

Ron Pearson was born in Bramley, Leeds on August 12, 1924. He began writing this book on August 12, 2021, his 97^th 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.

Me and My Shadow

Me and My Shadow – Memoirs of a Cancer Survivor is a brutally honest account of one teenager’s struggle to understand and deal with the most feared diagnosis known to society: cancer.

At 18 years of age, John Walker Pattison was thrust onto a roller coaster ride of emotional turbulence – his innocence cruelly stripped from him; his fate woven into the tapestry of life.

After years of failed chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments that ravaged his physical frame and almost destroyed his psychological stability – his parents were told that he would not survive. Yet, today, he is one of the longest surviving cancer patients in the UK.

Eight years after his unexpected recovery, the news that all parents fear, his daughter is diagnosed with terminal leukaemia. Yet like her father, she too would defy the odds and go on to become an international swimmer.

Pattison turned his life full circle and became a cancer nurse specialist at the same hospital that made his diagnosis decades earlier. He prescribes chemotherapy and cares for individuals with the same cancers experienced by both him and his daughter.

Throughout his journey, Pattison’s inspirations were the space rock legends, Hawkwind. He would get to play on stage with his heroes at the Donnington Festival in 2007.

More significantly, he found solace throughout his cancer journey in the history and spirituality of the Lakota Sioux Nation. In 2018, he would spend time on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with the indigenous people of South Dakota. The same people who, unknowingly, supported him through life's greatest challenge: cancer.

Memoirs of a Failure

Tormented by an impoverished childhood, plagued by incessant bullying, and damaged by an abusive and violent relationship. Homelessness and broke, following failure after, failure, how does someone find the strength to keep coming back?

Memories of a National Service Doctor

Dr John Lunn, at the outset of his National Service, could not have imagined the events which lay ahead. He writes of his first year in the Suez Canal Zone, the last year of the British Army occupation. He describes his experience acting as medical officer on the tank-landing craft sailing the length of the Suez Canal to Aqaba, taking military equipment to Jordan. During his second year in the army, he was on active service in Cyprus during the EOKA campaign. Two life-threatening events are recalled. The book emphasises Dr Lunn’s deep admiration for the bravery of the young National Servicemen in Cyprus when severely wounded and, also, how they coped with the loss of their comrades. He concludes the book by saying how much his life’s experience was enriched by his National Service and how it gave him a lasting affection for the British Army.

Mental Health Workbook

Mental health is a critical component of everyone’s lives. If you have a brain and have ever felt feelings, then this is the workbook for you!
It is part coloring book, part entertainment, part journal, and part suggestions for when encountering difficult times and complex emotions. Its main goal is to be a fun, helpful and useful workbook that encourages the user.

Midlife Crisis

After 20 plus years of marriage you would think that we would have settled into a nice rhythm of life and that big life changes were all past us now! But no. The ride of our lives was unfolding before our eyes, from sports cars and Harley Davidsons to strippers in New Orleans, from shady goings-on within the workplace to a homeless pregnant girl. How can a marriage survive such things? The affair with the Thai massage therapist was a catalyst. All these things changed the course of our lives. What would you have done?

Mindfulness for Cat Lovers

Mindfulness for Cat Lovers invites you to find out more about mindfulness in a way that is fun and naturally fits with what you love: your cats. It contains simple exercises that can help you find peace in your day and build gratitude and happiness in your life.

Cats have a soothing influence and are all about the present moment, as such they make the perfect pet to demonstrate the principles and benefits of mindfulness.

This book is designed to be light, helpful and entertaining. It might even be the start for some on the path of a wonderful ‘mindful’ journey…

Modern Age Slavery

Modern Age Slavery is a marvellous opportunity for people to find out some of the most hidden, uncensored truths about a seaman’s life on board cruise ships. This poignant memoir will open a sensational perspective about the cruel operational standards of cruise line companies globally. It is an excellent chance to sneak “behind the curtain” and taste the actual bitterness of the seaman’s life, understand the big picture, and realise what the cruise liners are hiding under those glorious, sensational sailing lights. This inspiring book will also help you overcome your most significant life obstacles personally; it will motivate you to become more resilient and search deeper for your inner strengths and undiscovered potentials. After reading some eye-opening chapters, you will be motivated to keep pushing your limits in life to the next level, regardless of any difficult circumstances or adversity. Modern Age Slavery breaks the silence about many irregularities in the cruise ship industry. Behind those glorious and shiny lights of the guest area at the cruise ship, a dark part of the slavery regime still goes unnoticed and is kept away from the public. This book will give you an opportunity to discover the deviant daily life at sea.