Shelter from the Storm

So many accounts of the years of the Chinese Cultural Revolution focus on its violence and suffering. In this unusual story, Aili describes a happy early childhood in a community whose way of life, with its beliefs and traditions, had been cultivated through centuries. With equal innocence she is able to carry the reader from the intimacy of bedtime to the spectacle of a public shaming, from the facts of foot binding to the mythology of fishermen. Naïve as she must have been, she has no real understanding of the first irruptions of Mao’s bleak communist philosophy into a stable community, and can only hint at the terror, with its re-education and punishments, which accompanied it.

Big Fat Ted

Join Jake as he navigates through the seasons, discovering what magic pyjamas and imagination can achieve! As Big Fat Ted, under the full moon, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter are fun for him, but not for others – until he reaches Christmas, which is fun for everyone!

Delight in this unique, positive, and charming tale, with Jake being lively, energetic, and imaginative as Big Fat Ted. Monkeys, foxes, cats, and a whole pack of wolves all feature in this original and entertaining read, enjoyed by young readers and adult storytellers alike.

A charming narrative with a positive tone, larger-than-life characters, and a sense of fun!

A Miscellany of Musings

Oh! What a sorry state
We’re in, Britannia’s fate:
No longer great, but cool!

The trumpets blare new rules,
Empire days of pride innate
And long-slain dragons out of date.

St George is dead.
Long live the fools.

(‘Cool Britannia’)

A PROFUSION OF CONCLUSIONS
A COLLECTION OF REFLECTIONS
FROM LIFE EXPERIENCES
AND PERSONAL CONNECTIONS.

Life and Death

A young girl can’t stop bleeding, a husband has just found out his wife has terminal cancer.

A twenty-five-year-old has been permanently disfigured by her abusive boyfriend. A young nurse was found hanged in her room, the note she left stating stress from work and bullying.

I and my fellow colleagues have spent years trying to save these lives, and in turn help our colleagues; sometimes we succeed, sometimes God has other plans, or things become so embroiled that we are helpless to help. More so now with the added nightmare of battling the Covid-19 epidemic, things have become unbearable. Watching the young, elderly and fellow nurses and doctors die on a daily basis. Having to wear unbearable PPE for gruelling 14 hr shifts.

This is a story of hope, pain, death, and a twist of fate so unreal that it would change my life forever. I used to think good things and luck only happened to other people, until it happened to me. First I became ill myself, nearly died, survived through the sheer hard work of my colleagues, and had a stroke of luck so freaky that it would change my life forever.

Hope floats and good things do happen if you believe hard enough.

If Dogs Could Sing

Dogs love socialising with other dogs. So, when Ralph sets off for doggie day care he is very excited. He meets up with his usual doggie companions and a newcomer or two to the group. They all have a hilarious time together and howl to their favourite doggie songs while Johnny the carer sings and plays the guitar. They bounce jokes off each other and all have an amusing time together before they say goodbye before the Christmas break.

Gropius and the Spirit of TAC

This  study describes how Walter Gropius of former Bauhaus fame transformed himself from the image of the omnipotent “Master-Builder” to the humble “Grope” of later years. Having come as an emigree from his native Germany to the US, he had to cope with quite a different office culture based on teamwork: Not the “single genius” but a collective approach to problem solving was the order of the day, coupled with a conciliatory manner of debate among equals. With that, his legendary firm “The Architects Collaborative” (called TAC for short) in Boston was to become the star of the profession in the USA, over the course of some 50 years. Thanks to the combined  talent and vigorous input of seven younger partners, the firm succeeded in gaining large commissions at home and internationally.

The well-designed school and campus buildings in New England found their equivalent in large university projects such as in Baghdad and Tunisia. Internally, the special aura at TAC was personified by a strong collective spirit of individuals in their own right. In turn, the office attracted a highly motivated staff of apprentices from all around the world. Grope’s personal charm, his humor and encouragement of young people got him life-long affection. Not the least, his pledge for the role of women in the profession left its mark on a whole new generation of architects’ offices to follow.

The author was a member of this team from 1962 to 1964 and kept in touch with Grope until his death in 1969.  An eye-witness account setting straight TAC’s merits to “Mid-Century Modernism”.

Crossing the White Line

In his debut book, Zesh Rehman, achieves the ultimate blend of autobiography and self-help guide. Do you want to learn how to take ownership of your life? Then look no further. Using his personal and professional experiences, across different continents and within an extremely competitive industry, Zesh presents twelve easy to follow guides to help you overcome obstacles, remain focussed, and excel in your chosen discipline.

He is also sharing insights into his journey, through candid accounts and extracts from his personal journal. From exploring his own journey and his ‘why’, to overcoming cultural barriers within football and society, to surviving abroad, Zesh uses his learning (and positive behaviours guides), to inspire you to take the next step and commit to overcoming your biggest challenges.

Setbacks occur in every walk of life, but it is how you react that makes the difference. Goal setting and journal keeping are just some of the techniques that are explained that you can use to apply to your own circumstances. Clear examples of how to embrace life and deal with the ever-changing situations arising are covered in detail as well learning how to remain positive to go over, around or through obstacles.

Practical and easy to follow steps that can be used as a road map to long term achievement. Read it, use it, and win – on and off the field.

Cuentos

Dilapidated buildings. Classic American cars. Rum and cigars. Fidel Castro and Che Guevara.

Aspects of Cuba, to be sure, but superficial ones at best. Beneath these clichés live the Cuban people, each with a fascinating story that reveals the challenges of surviving day to day in this country, how Cubans innovatively and creatively meet those challenges, and how they refuse to allow circumstances to colour their outlook on life.

Within this book are vignettes of some of these people, presented as word-picture diptychs, each photograph accompanied by a compelling story, each story with an illustrative photograph. The reader will discover that while some Cubans live in dirty, dark, tenement-like conditions, others find the resources to improve and maintain their homes, and that those with the means keeps houses as clean as any on the planet. The reader will also learn how Cuban mechanics adapt and improvise to keep those wonderful old cars running, despite the difficulties of obtaining repair parts, and about the uniquely Cuban construct of resolver through which they survive and even prosper.

But most importantly, it will be seen that Cubans have an indomitable spirit that allows them to remain happy and optimistic, despite the adversities of conquest and occupation, the interference of foreign governments, and the oppression of their own government for over five hundred years.

My Daddy's a Lineman

“Getting ready for the day, they all grab their stuff, to work on power lines, you sure gotta be tough!”

My Daddy’s a Linemen gives children a peek into a day at work with their Daddy.

From sunrise to sunset, children learn about how truly special it is to have a Daddy who is a Linemen.

Consciousness Influences Epigenetics in the Development of Disease

Your mind and body are inextricably linked. Ignore your inner voice, and your body will pay the price.

Ingrid Fredriksson’s groundbreaking research on the link between consciousness and epigenetics was met with acclaim at a scientific conference in Tucson. Academics and independent researchers alike agreed: ‘This must be shared with the world!’ This book is your chance to learn more.

Explore the invisible forces that shape our lives, delving into the world of epigenetics and how our genes are activated or silenced by everything from cell type and disease to physiological and psychological stimuli.

This book pays special attention to the impact of emotions on health, exploring how trauma, stress, and negativity affect our well-being at the cellular level. Discover how cultivating positivity can lead to a longer, happier life.

Fredriksson’s groundbreaking study – likely the first of its kind – reveals the practical, everyday implications of epigenetics, demonstrating how our consciousness and emotions influence our health and well-being. This is essential knowledge for everyone, especially healthcare professionals.

Birds in Flight

Where do the birds go to on their flight?

Out over the sea with no land in sight?

Or high above clouds to feel the sunlight?

How do they find their way home for the night?

Birds in Flight has a simple rhyming scheme,

to assist with learning to read and beginning to spell.

With a combination of beautiful illustrations and an easy flowing story, 

This book is also a perfect bedtime read.

How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off

The book starts with a detailed description of the optimal way to lose weight and information on how to keep it off. However, you are strongly advised to read the subsequent chapters as referenced in Chapter 1. The author has noted that his patients find it both helpful and liberating to have an understanding of the regulation of body weight, of the causes of obesity, the health problems that obesity causes and the biological mechanisms that make it difficult to maintain weight loss.  

All of the information provided in this book is backed by published scientific evidence. References are provided at the end of the book that can be freely accessed through searchable medical databases such as PubMed or Google Scholar. For the lay reader, much of what is written in scientific articles may be overly technical, however many can be helped in the interpretation and meaning of the information by their family doctor who will play a key role in their weight loss journey.