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Willie Brown: A Biography
Par James Richardson. 1996
This is the first comprehensive biography of Willie Brown, one of California's most enduring and controversial politicians. Audacious, driven, talented—Brown…
has dominated California politics longer and more completely than any other public figure. James Richardson, a senior writer for The Sacramento Bee, takes us from Brown's childhood, through his years as Speaker of the State Assembly, to his election as San Francisco's mayor. Along the way we get a riveting, behind-the-scenes account of three decades of California politics.Honoré Jaxon: Prairie Visionary
Par Donald Smith. 2023
Born in 1861 to a Methodist family, William Henry Jackson grew up in Ontario before moving to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan,…
where he sympathized with the Métis and became personal secretary to Louis Riel. After the Métis defeat a Regina court committed the young English Canadian idealist to the lunatic asylum at Lower Fort Garry. He eventually escaped to the United States, joined the labour union movement, and renounced his race. Self-identifying as Métis, he changed his name to the French-sounding “Honoré Jaxon” and devoted the remainder of his life to fighting for the working class and the Indigenous peoples of North America. In Honoré Jaxon, Donald B. Smith draws on extensive archival research and interviews with family members to present a definitive biography of this complex political man. The book follows Jaxon into the 1940s, where his life mission became the establishment of a library for the First Nations in Saskatchewan, collecting as many books, newspapers, and pamphlets relating to the Métis people as possible. In 1951, at age ninety, he was evicted from his apartment and his library discarded to the New York City dump. In poor health and broken in spirit, he died one month later. Heavily illustrated, Honoré Jaxon recounts the complicated story of a young English Canadian who imagined a society in which English and French, Indigenous and Métis would be equals.Memories: An Oasis in Time
Par Kamel Abu Jaber. 2023
The story of Kamel Abu Jaber (1932-2020) is in some ways the story of the modern day Kingdom of Jordan.…
In this short and sweet collection of memories, Kamel recounts his tribal past, being a Christian Bedouin family, his childhood, seeking better opportunities in the United States, returning to his homeland to become head of many educational establishments and later a major political figure. Full of humour wit and wise andecdotes, Kamel takes you on his life' s unexpected journey with all its twists and turns. These stories were barely finished before his passing in 2020, and were published posthumously with a collection of photographs compiled by his wife Loretta Pacifico Abu Jaber.Secretos de confesión: 50 años de la Operación Lobo
Par Fernando Rueda, Mikel Lejarza. 2022
La explosiva continuación de Yo confieso, las memorias de Mikel Lejarza, El Lobo. Secretos de confesión son las narraciones de…
la vida de Mikel Lejarza desde un punto de vista diferente, dando voz a personas que habían permanecido en la sombra, personas con las que ha compartido partes trascendentales de su vida. Jefes, colaboradores o familia que nunca habían hablado sobre su relación con él, personas que han hablado desde una perspectiva íntima y personal de unos hechos y sentimientos distintos a los expresados por Mikel.En 2023 se cumplen cincuenta años del inicio de la operación Lobo, cincuenta años del mayor éxito en la lucha contra ETA, cincuenta años del ingreso de Mikel Lejarza en el servicio de inteligencia. Esta segunda entrega de las trascendentales memorias de El Lobo también incluye historias novedosas y sorprendentes que no había querido desvelar y un capítulo extenso llamado «Charlas de café: vamos a contar verdades», en el que Mikel compartirá sus sentimientos, sus anécdotas, sus errores y aciertos, los temas que menos le gustan... en una conversación con Fernando desde lo más profundo de su corazón. El sonido de las palabras de Mikel, el agente negro más antiguo y de mayor prestigio en la historia de España, arrojará luz sobre esas cuestiones que nadie se había atrevido a preguntarle. El libro está marcado por la leyenda creada por ETA de que cualquiera de sus miembros siempre llevaba una bala reservada para matarlo. Una venganza que 50 años después no han podido ejecutar. La crítica ha dicho...«Si les gustan las historias de espías, traiciones, misterios, etc., este es su libro. La lectura de este libro no dejará indiferente a nadie.»Julia Navarro, escritora y periodista «Cuando Fernando Rueda habla con Mikel Lejarza, en esas conversaciones cruzadas, se acreditan muchas de las cosas que han ocurrido en el país, entre alcantarillas, por las azoteas, pero siempre al margen del primer plano dela actualidad, y que nos son develadas gracias a los varios libros ya que Fernando ha publicado.»Carlos Herrera, Herrera en COPE «Secretos de confesión y Yo confieso son dos obras imprescindibles para conocer los entresijos de uno de los episodios más trascendentales y terribles de la reciente historia de España.»R. Pérez Barredo, Diario de Burgos«Un libro imprescindible. Escrito desde el rigor periodístico, escrito desde el periodismo de investigación, y, sobre todo, con la participación de un testigo excepcional de la lucha antiterrorista, Mikel Lejarza.»David Felipe Arranz, Cautivos del mal, Periodista Digital «Incluye historias novedosas y sorprendentes que no había querido desvelar, dando voz a personas que habían permanecido en la sombra, personas con las que ha compartido partes trascendentales de su vida.»El Confidencial Digital«Unas nuevas narraciones de la vida de Lejarza desde un punto de vista más personal.» «El libro da voz a personas que habían permanecido en la sombra, personas con las que el espía compartió partes trascendentales.»Iñigo Aduriz, eldiarioesMalala Yousafzai (First Names)
Par Lisa Williamson. 2020
Meet the young activist who stood up for her rights—and changed millions of lives Before Malala Yousafzai (b. 1997) became…
the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, she was a girl fighting for her education in Pakistan. Growing up, Malala’s father encouraged her to be politically active and speak out about her educational rights. When she did, she was shot by a member of the Taliban and the story received worldwide media coverage. Protests and petitions from around the world helped to pass an educational-rights bill in Pakistan, and Malala used this platform to continue her activism and fight for women’s rights. Inspiring and moving, Malala Yousafzai tells the story of one girl’s bravery in her fight for equal rights. It includes a timeline, bibliography, glossary, and index.Roman Emperor Zeno: The Perils of Power Politics in Fifth-Century Constantinople
Par Peter Crawford. 2019
&“A very useful read for anyone interested in the Later Roman Empire, the fall of the Western Empire, and the emergence of…
the Byzantine State.&” —The NYMAS Review Peter Crawford examines the life and career of the fifth-century Roman emperor Zeno and the various problems he faced before and during his seventeen-year rule. Despite its length, his reign has hitherto been somewhat overlooked as being just a part of that gap between the Theodosian and Justinianic dynasties of the Eastern Roman Empire which is comparatively poorly furnished with historical sources. Reputedly brought in as a counterbalance to the generals who had dominated Constantinopolitan politics at the end of the Theodosian dynasty, the Isaurian Zeno quickly had to prove himself adept at dealing with the harsh realities of imperial power. Zeno&’s life and reign is littered with conflict and politicking with various groups—the enmity of both sides of his family; dealing with the fallout of the collapse of the Empire of Attila in Europe, especially the increasingly independent tribal groups established on the frontiers of, and even within, imperial territory; the end of the Western Empire; and the continuing religious strife within the Roman world. As a result, his reign was an eventful and significant one that deserves this long-overdue spotlight. &“Crawford&’s work on the life and reign of Zeno is a good introduction for a general audience to the complexities of the late fifth-century Roman Empire, telling a series of long and complex stories compellingly in a traditional fashion.&” —Bryn Mawr Classical ReviewThe Grand Alliance: The Second World War, Volume 3 (Winston S. Churchill The Second World Wa #3)
Par Winston S. Churchill. 2010
The British, Soviets, and Americans unite in this chapter of the six-volume WWII history by the legendary prime minister and…
Nobel Prize recipient. The Grand Alliance describes the end of an extraordinary period in British military history, in which Britain stood alone against Germany. Two crucial events brought an end to Britain&’s isolation. First was Hitler&’s decision to attack the Soviet Union, opening up a battle front in the East and forcing Stalin to look to the British for support. The second was the bombing of Pearl Harbor. US support had long been crucial to the British war effort, and here, Winston Churchill documents his efforts to draw the Americans to aid, including correspondence with President Roosevelt. This book is part of the six-volume account of World War II told from the unique viewpoint of a British prime minister who led his nation in the fight against tyranny. In addition to the correspondence with FDR, the series is enriched with extensive primary sources. We are presented with not only Churchill&’s retrospective analysis of the war, but also memos, letters, orders, speeches, and telegrams, day-by-day accounts of reactions as the drama intensifies. Throughout these volumes, we listen as strategies and counterstrategies unfold in response to Hitler&’s conquest of Europe, planned invasion of England, and assault on Russia, in a mesmerizing account of the crucial decisions made as the fate of the world hangs in the balance. &“A masterly piece of historical writing . . . complete with humor and wit.&” —The New YorkerA Matter of Appearance: A Memoir
Par Emily Wells. 2023
A dazzling memoir of chronic illness that explores the fraught intersection between pain, language, and gender, by a debut author.Emily…
Wells spent her childhood dancing through intense pain she assumed was normal for a ballerina pushing her body to its limits. For years, no doctor could tell Wells what was wrong with her, or they told her it was all in her head.In A Matter of Appearance, Wells traces her journey as she tries to understand and define the chronic pain she has lived with all her life. She draws on the critical works of Freud, Sontag, and others to explore the intersection between gender, pain, and language, and she traces a direct line from the &“hysteria patients&” at the Salpêtrière Hospital in nineteenth-century Paris to the contemporary New Age healers in Los Angeles, her stomping ground. At the crux of Wells&’ literary project is the dilemma of how to diagnose an experience that is both private and public, subjective and quantifiable, and how to express all this in words.&“Gorgeously written and brilliantly argued, A Matter of Appearance uses chronic illness as a lever to investigate the life of a body. It&’s complex, inconclusive, and incredibly clear-eyed. Moving fluidly between histories of psychoanalysis, desire, ambition, pathology, Wells reminds us of the liminal state we all live in between sickness and health.&”—Chris Kraus, author of Aliens & Anorexia and Summer of HateNetwork of Lies: The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump, and the Battle for American Democracy
Par Brian Stelter. 2023
Fox News paid almost a billion dollars in legal settlements to bury the contents of this explosive account of the…
network&’s blatant attempts to manipulate the truth, mislead the public, and influence our elections—from the New York Times bestselling author of Hoax.The ongoing criminal trials of Donald Trump are also a trial for the nation he once led. We are undergoing a stress test of American democracy, the rule of law, and the very notion of a shared political reality. Can we achieve accountability for premeditated assaults on democracy and what forms should accountability take? In Network of Lies, New York Times bestselling author Brian Stelter answers these questions by weaving together private texts, unpublished emails, depositions, and other primary sources to tell the chilling story of Trump&’s alleged conspiracy to steal the 2020 election, and the right-wing media&’s mission to put him back in office in 2024. Trump couldn&’t have convinced millions of Americans of the Big Lie without Fox News. From the moment Joe Biden became president-elect in 2020, Fox hosts fueled a fire of misinformation and violence by spreading Trump&’s tales of election fraud and suppressing the truth. Come January, Sean Hannity insisted Trump needed to stop listening to &“crazy people&” who swore he could stay in power, but it was too late—thousands of Trump&’s deluded followers had stormed the Capitol and Trump operatives had breached Dominion Voting Systems&’ voting machines in Georgia. Now the 2020 lies are at the center of numerous indictments and his reelection campaign, but Trump is not the only one under fire. The once-untouchable Rupert Murdoch has been held accountable. Dominion&’s legal war, chronicled in-depth for the first time here, revealed that the ninety-two-year-old Fox chairman knew Trump&’s lies were dangerous but he allowed the lies to fill Fox&’s airwaves because, as his &“pain sponge&” Suzanne Scott admitted, telling the truth was &“bad for business.&” Network of Lies goes inside the chat rooms, board rooms, and court rooms where the pro-Trump media&’s greed and selfishness were exposed. Featuring Stelter&’s &“thorough and damning&” (The New York Times) investigative prowess and direct quotations so shocking they read like fiction, Network of Lies is the definitive origin story of Trump&’s attempt to tear down the guardrails of American democracy, and an urgent plea to learn from past mistakes as we head into 2024&’s pivotal presidential election.Chasing Shadows: My Life Tracking the Great White Shark
Par Greg Skomal, Ret Talbot. 2023
“At last: the story of tracking the ocean’s most charismatic and controversial predator, compellingly told by the man who has…
learned more about the Atlantic great white shark than any other person alive. You must not miss this fantastic book!” —Sy Montgomery, New York Times bestselling author of The Soul of an OctopusDr. Greg Skomal, one of the leading great white shark experts in the country, reveals the true nature of these mysterious apex predators, as well as the fascinating story behind their history and startling resurgence With its quaint villages, local restaurants serving up lobster rolls, and miles and miles of warm, sandy beaches, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is famous for being America’s carefree seaside getaway. But in August 2012, the first confirmed white shark attack in almost eighty years occurred in the region. As shark sightings quickly began to increase on Cape Cod and elsewhere, and large beachside billboards warning about the growing shark population became a common sight, a boogie boarder died after being attacked by a great white shark in Cape Cod’s shallow waters.What had changed to cause news of human-shark interactions to go from being a rarity to being the new normal? As some citizens called for shark culls, nets, drone surveillance, and other extreme solutions, interactions between local residents and scientists, politicians, and those responsible for public safety became tense and frantic.Dr. Greg Skomal, a shark biologist whose lifelong passion has been to gain a more refined understanding of great white sharks, was at the center of it all. This is the story of the great white shark’s return to the eastern seaboard, told through the life of the scientist who found himself in the oftentimes thankless position of having to balance conservation efforts and the drive to do important science with panic and fear in the court of public opinion. Greg has spent decades on a quest to tag, track, and demystify this animal, using every high- and low-tech method at his disposal, including those he invented, and he frequently comes face-to-face with these shadows of the deep. He leaves no stone unturned in his pursuit of the secrets behind the largely unknown lives of these charismatic creatures and in his duty to solve the intricate puzzle of how humans can coexist alongside them.Chasing Shadows is a too-rare conservation success story about restoring an apex predator to an ecosystem that provides a profound, new understanding of a beast so notoriously fierce that it’s nearly impossible to imagine how vulnerable it truly is.Einstein in Time and Space: A Life in 99 Particles
Par Samuel Graydon. 1995
Walter Isaacson&’s Einstein meets Craig Brown&’s 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret, in this innovative biography of the famous physicist told…
in ninety-nine dazzling vignettes.Most of us would agree that Albert Einstein&’s name is synonymous with &“genius&” and that his likeness is often used as a shorthand for all scientists, appearing everywhere from cartoons to textbooks. He has become more myth than man. That being the case, how best to capture his essence? In Einstein in Time and Space, talented young science journalist Samuel Graydon answers that question with an illuminating mosaic—99 intriguingly different particles that cumulatively reveal Einstein&’s contradictory and multitudinous nature. Glimpsed among these shards: a slacker who failed every subject but math, a job seeker who couldn&’t get hired, a lothario who courted many women, and a charmer who was the life of the party. As brilliant as he was inconsistent, Einstein was simultaneously an avid supporter of the NAACP and the fight for civil rights and someone capable of great prejudice. He was loved by many, known by few, and inspirational to a generation of young physicists. Graydon reveals every corner of Einstein&’s world: the false reporting that rocketed Einstein to fame nearly overnight, his effect on people he met merely in passing, even the remarkable posthumous journey of the famed physicist&’s brain. Entertaining, comforting, bolstering, and shocking, Einstein in Time and Space is the unique story of a man who redefined how we view our universe and our place within it.Diabetes and Me: Living a Healthy and Empowered Life in the Face of Diabetes
Par David Novak, Wendy Louise Novak. 2023
"Children with diabetes can live full, happy, productive lives. I hope my story can stand as proof of that fact."Diagnosed…
with type 1 diabetes at age seven, Wendy Louise Novak had to create her own path in a world defined by stigma, struggle, and hope.With little public awareness of her condition, Wendy's only role model was her fiercely independent father, who grew up in an era when diabetes meant a difficult, and often short, life. He taught her to "follow the rules" and stay self-reliant. That sense of independence carried Wendy through college to a successful career, globetrotting excitement, and a whirlwind romance with her husband, David.Wendy built a loving family as she navigated the highs and lows of a condition that was still widely misunderstood. Despite tough times, she learned to balance following the rules with following her passions, saying, "I never wanted to be the kind of person who stayed home and worried about whether or not I could take it, and so I didn't."Today, Wendy is the face of the Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute, which supports groundbreaking clinical services, education, and research to ensure young people with diabetes can thrive. In this honest but uplifting account of a life well lived, Wendy shares what she has learned, including practical tips for managing diabetes.With a foreword by the author's husband, businessman and philanthropist David Novak, Diabetes and Me shows patients and families that a diagnosis doesn't define your life."There are always ways to experience the joys in life, no matter what it throws at you."A unique biography of the military commander and politician who remains one of Britain&’s most controversial figures centuries after his…
death. One of the most important figures in British history, Oliver Cromwell was both soldier and politician and the only non-Royal ruler of Britain in a thousand years. His actions and ideas still have political and social consequences today, and his legacy still divides people. Love him or loathe him, Cromwell still matters. This book is a history of his life through the places in Britain and Ireland where he lived, visited, ruled, or fought. Following in the Footsteps of Oliver Cromwell begins in Huntingdon in 1599, with the respectable but unimportant Cromwell family living under the shadow of richer relatives. Civil War and Cromwell&’s controversial successes at Marston Moor, Naseby, Basing House, and Worcester transform him into the most powerful person in Britain, saving him from obscurity and moving him from a modest house in Ely to Hampton Court Palace. Cromwell is involved in the execution of King Charles I outside the Banqueting House, his own coronation in Westminster Hall, and bloody slaughter in Ireland. Even his death in 1658 does not end the controversy—as his enemies take revenge on his corpse and the debate about his legacy begins.Mary Queen of Scots' Secretary: William Maitland—Politician, Reformer and Conspirator
Par Robert Stedall. 2021
“It’s as good as a Philippa Gregory, and tells you so much more about Mary Queen of Scots and the…
people with whom she surrounded herself.” —Books MonthlyWilliam Maitland of Lethington was the most able politician and diplomat during the lifetime of Mary Queen of Scots. It was he who masterminded the Scottish Reformation by breaking the ‘Auld Alliance’ with France, which presaged Scotland’s lasting union with England.Although he gained English support to defeat French troops defending Mary’s Scottish throne, he backed her return to Scotland, as the widowed Queen of France. His attempts to gain recognition for her as heir to the English crown were thwarted by her determined adherence to Catholicism.After her remarriage, he spearheaded the plotting to bring down her objectionable husband, Lord Darnley, leading to his murder, after concluding that English and Scottish interests were best served by creating a Protestant regency for their son, Prince James. With encouragement from Cecil in England and the Protestant Lords in Scotland, he concocted evidence to implicate her in her husband’s murder, resulting in her imprisonment and deposition from the Scottish throne.This is the thrilling biography of a complicated man whose loyalty wavered between queen and country and whose behind-the-throne machinations may have caused her undoing—and his own . . . “A modern, convincing—I must also use that popular buzzword ‘game-changing’—biography that combines page-turning narrative with convincing, sophisticated, scholarly argument.” —Steven Veerapen, Professor of History, Strathclyde UniversityThe Essential Wisdom of the First Ladies (Essential Wisdom)
Par Carol Kelly-Gangi. 2020
Inspiring, poignant, and sometimes-funny quotations by first ladies from Martha to Melania. The iconic women who’ve made an indelible mark…
on our country are richly represented in this collection—as are the lesser-known first ladies, whose powerful words often reveal tragic personal circumstances. The excerpts, compiled from speeches, interviews, books, letters, and other sources, are arranged thematically, touching upon a diverse array of subjects, including government and democracy; freedom, rights, equality and justice, hardship and hope; happiness, success, and life’s pleasures, and more. Together, they offer an insightful glimpse into the public and private lives of the women in the White House who have had such a profound influence on the leaders—and the historic course—of our great country.Wicked Capitol Hill: An Unruly History of Behaving Badly (Wicked Ser.)
Par Robert S. Pohl. 2012
&“Chronicles some of Capitol Hill&’s most legendary scandals, ranging from duels to murder to sex&” (Roll Call). Local historian…
and Walking Shtick tour guide Robert S. Pohl brings us Wicked Capitol Hill. Pohl includes such historic crimes as the affair between the congressman and the Capitol Hill cobbler&’s daughter that ended in murder at the hands of the press. Tales range from the backrooms of Congress and the docks of the Naval Yard to the bars of 8th Street and the grave of an infamous madam buried at the Congressional Cemetery. Pohl balances the tales between those of government officials misbehaving on the Hill and of truly local crimes. Includes photos!Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America
Par Steve Inskeep. 2023
An instant New York Times bestsellerA compelling and nuanced exploration of Abraham Lincoln&’s political acumen, illuminating a great politician&’s strategy…
in a country divided—and lessons for our own disorderly presentIn 1855, with the United States at odds over slavery, the lawyer Abraham Lincoln wrote a note to his best friend, the son of a Kentucky slaveowner. Lincoln rebuked his friend for failing to oppose slavery. But he added: &“If for this you and I must differ, differ we must,&” and said they would be friends forever. Throughout his life and political career, Lincoln often agreed to disagree. Democracy demanded it, since even an adversary had a vote. The man who went on to become America&’s sixteenth president has assumed many roles in our historical consciousness, but most notable is that he was, unapologetically, a politician. And as Steve Inskeep argues, it was because he was willing to engage in politics—meeting with critics, sometimes working with them and other times outwitting them—that he was able to lead a social revolution.In Differ We Must, Inskeep illuminates Lincoln&’s life through sixteen encounters, some well-known, some obscure, but all imbued with new significance here. Each interaction was with a person who differed from Lincoln, and in each someone wanted something from the other. While Lincoln didn&’t always change his critics&’ beliefs—many went to war against him—he did learn how to make his beliefs actionable. He told jokes, relied on sarcasm, and often made fun of himself—but behind the banter was a distinguished storyteller who carefully chose what to say and what to withhold. He knew his limitations and, as history came to prove, he knew how to prioritize. Many of his greatest acts came about through his engagement with people who disagreed with him—meaning that in these meetings, Lincoln became the Lincoln we know.As the host of NPR&’s Morning Edition for almost two decades, Inskeep has mastered the art of bridging divides and building constructive debate in interviews; in Differ We Must, he brings his skills to bear on a prior master, forming a fresh and compelling narrative of Lincoln&’s life. With rich detail and enlightening commentary, Inskeep expands our understanding of a politician who held strong to his moral compass while navigating between corrosive political factions, one who began his career in the minority party and not only won the majority but succeeded in uniting a nation.Turning: A Year in the Water
Par Jessica J. Lee. 2017
Longlisted for the 2018 Frank Hegyi Award for Emerging Authors&“Jessica J. Lee is a writer of rare and exhilarating grace. In…
Turning, she sounds the depths of lakes and her own life, never flinching from darkness, surfacing to fresh understandings of her place in the welter of natural and human history. A beautiful, moody, bracing debut.&” —Kate Harris, award-winning author of Lands of Lost BordersThrough the heat of summer to the frozen depths of winter, Lee traces her journey swimming through 52 lakes in a single year, swimming through fear and heartbreak to find her place in the worldJessica J. Lee swims through all four seasons and especially loves the winter. "I long for the ice. The sharp cut of freezing water on my feet. The immeasurable black of the lake at its coldest. Swimming then means cold, and pain, and elation." At the age of twenty-eight, Jessica, who grew up in Canada and lived in England, finds herself in Berlin. Alone. Lonely, with lowered spirits thanks to some family history and a broken heart, she is there, ostensibly, to write a thesis. And though that is what she does daily, what increasingly occupies her is swimming. So she makes a decision that she believes will win her back her confidence and independence: she will swim fifty-two of the lakes around Berlin, no matter what the weather or season. She is aware that this particular landscape is not without its own ghosts and history. This is the story of a beautiful obsession: of the thrill of a still, turquoise lake, of cracking the ice before submerging, of floating under blue skies, of tangled weeds and murkiness, of cool, fresh, spring swimming—of facing past fears of near-drowning and of breaking free. When she completes her year of swimming, Jessica finds she has new strength, and she has also found friends and has gained some understanding of how the landscape both haunts and holds us. This book is for everyone who loves swimming, who wishes they could push themselves beyond caution, who understands the deep pleasure of using the body's strength, who knows what it is to abandon all thought and float home to the surface.Very Bad People: The Inside Story of the Fight Against the World’s Network of Corruption
Par Patrick Alley. 2022
*****'Reads like a John le Carré novel but is, in fact, very real.' - The Big Issue'Very Bad People would…
be a hugely enjoyable thriller if it wasn't all true.' - Isabella Tree, author of Wilding'Global Witness are fearless.' - Gordon Roddick, Campaigner and Co-Founder of the Body Shop'Part true crime tale, part investigative procedural, this is the account of the brilliant and necessary superheroes of Global Witness, whose superpower is the truth.' - Edward Zwick, Director of Blood Diamond 'Very Bad People reads like a non-stop high-speed chase as our fighters against corruption hunt down a litany of criminals and con-men, some on the fringes of our society, some embedded high up within it. It's a great story and an important one.' - David Farr, Screenwriter, The Night Manager'The story told in this book of three youthful idealists who go from eating cold baked beans in a drafty London flat to the Thai-Cambodian border where they posed as traders in illegally felled timber is simply riveting. Don't miss it.' - Misha Glenny, author of McMafia'Alley has produced a clear-eyed account of a world poisoned by dark money, and a welcome reminder that resistance is possible. As it turns out, his book is even more timely than he could have hoped.' - Irish Times'This book is inspirational. It shows how young people with sufficient passion and intelligence have the capacity to go after some of the most powerful governments and corporations and shame, humiliate and just push governments to support important reforms that can make this a more decent world.' - Frank Vogl, Co-Founder of Transparency InternationalArms trafficking, offshore accounts and luxury property deals. Super-yachts, private jets and super-car collections. Blood diamonds, suspect oil deals, deforestation and murder. This is the world of Global Witness, the award-winning organisation dedicated to rooting out worldwide corruption. And this is co-founder Patrick Alley's revealing inside track on a breath-taking catalogue of modern super-crimes - and the 'shadow network' that enables them. VERY BAD PEOPLE is about following the money, going undercover in the world's most dangerous places, and bringing down the people behind the crimes. Case by case we see maverick investigators pitched against warlords, grifters and super-villains who bear every resemblance to The Night Manager's Richard Roper. One dictator's son spent $700 million in just four years on his luxury lifestyle.As they unravel crooked deals of labyrinthine complexity, the team encounter well-known corporations whose operations are no less criminal than the Mafia. This network of lawyers, bankers and real estate agents help park dirty money in London, New York, or in offshore accounts, safe from prying eyes.Patrick Alley's book is a brilliant, authoritative and fearless investigation into the darkest workings of our world - and an inspiration to all of us who want to fight back.Concorde, A Designer's Life: The Journey to Mach 2
Par Ted Talbot. 2013
Do you remember the time we used to do New York in three hours?Even twenty years after its final flight,…
Concorde remains the pinnacle of aviation design. The aircraft is still unmatched, which has led to a vast swathe of material being written about the aeroplane itself. However, relatively little has been said about the people who designed it.Concorde, A Designer’s Life is an autobiography peppered with anecdotes from the team, humorous life stories and several ‘technibits’, all covering the design period of Concorde. Ted Talbot, who began his career at BAC as an aerodynamicist and later became chief design engineer, has combined the technical narrative with personal and family reminiscences to remind the reader that engineers have lives too.The path to Mach 2 was bumpy, with threats of cancellation and opposition from the Americans and the Russians, but this generally indicated to the Concorde team that they were on the right path! This informative, witty and thoroughly enjoyable peek into an unusual life is a valuable addition to any bookshelf.