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Calling The Horses: A Racing Autobiography
by Peter O'SullevanFor decades Peter O'Sullevan was one of the iconic sports commentators, providing the sound track for half a century of horseracing as he called home such legends of the sport as Arkle, Nijinsky, Red Rum and Desert Orchid. His rapid-fire commentary seemed to echo the sound of horses' hooves, and it was not long before he became known as 'The Voice of Racing'. But in addition to his legendary status as a TV personality, Peter O'Sullevan was also a notable journalist and much-admired writer, and it is a measure of his standing both within and beyond the world of racing that his compulsively readable autobiography Calling the Horses, first published in 1989 and reprinted eight times, reached the top of the SUNDAY TIMES non-fiction bestseller list. The most recent edition of Calling the Horses was published in 1994, and the twenty years since then have brought many fresh episodes in the ongoing Peter O'Sullevan story, including the last racing days of his great friend Lester Piggott in 1995, his commentary on the 'Bomb Scare' Grand National of 1997, and his retirement from the BBC. He also describes setting up the Sir Peter O'Sullevan Charitable Trust, which has raised over £3.5 million for animal welfare charities, as well as offering his appreciation of a new generation of racing heroes, including jockey AP McCoy, who has come to dominate jump racing in a manner unparalleled in any sport, and the wonder-horse Frankel. The heartening news for the legions of Peter O'Sullevan fans is that, despite his years, his enthusiasm for racing is undiminished, and so are the elegance, fluency and wit which infuse his writing style. This new and extensively updated edition of Calling the Horses is a very remarkable book by a very remarkable man.
Calling The Horses: A Racing Autobiography
by Peter O'SullevanFor decades Peter O'Sullevan was one of the iconic sports commentators, providing the sound track for half a century of horseracing as he called home such legends of the sport as Arkle, Nijinsky, Red Rum and Desert Orchid. His rapid-fire commentary seemed to echo the sound of horses' hooves, and it was not long before he became known as 'The Voice of Racing'. But in addition to his legendary status as a TV personality, Peter O'Sullevan was also a notable journalist and much-admired writer, and it is a measure of his standing both within and beyond the world of racing that his compulsively readable autobiography Calling the Horses, first published in 1989 and reprinted eight times, reached the top of the SUNDAY TIMES non-fiction bestseller list. The most recent edition of Calling the Horses was published in 1994, and the twenty years since then have brought many fresh episodes in the ongoing Peter O'Sullevan story, including the last racing days of his great friend Lester Piggott in 1995, his commentary on the 'Bomb Scare' Grand National of 1997, and his retirement from the BBC. He also describes setting up the Sir Peter O'Sullevan Charitable Trust, which has raised over ?3.5 million for animal welfare charities, as well as offering his appreciation of a new generation of racing heroes, including jockey AP McCoy, who has come to dominate jump racing in a manner unparalleled in any sport, and the wonder-horse Frankel. The heartening news for the legions of Peter O'Sullevan fans is that, despite his years, his enthusiasm for racing is undiminished, and so are the elegance, fluency and wit which infuse his writing style. This new and extensively updated edition of Calling the Horses is a very remarkable book by a very remarkable man.
The Afterlife of Billy Fingers: Life, Death and Everything Afterwards
by Annie KaganIn 2004, bad boy Billy Fingers Cohen, a homeless small-time drug dealer and addict in a state of drug induced euphoria ran into a busy intersection and was killed instantly by a speeding automobile. He left behind a grieving sister. For weeks she struggled with grief and tried to make sense of Billy's seemingly wasted life and tragic death.A few weeks after his death, William Cohen, aka Billy Fingers, woke his sister Annie at dawn. 'I'm drifting weightlessly through these glorious stars and galaxies and I feel a Divine Presence, a kind, loving beneficent presence, twinkling all around me.'Billy's ongoing after-death communications take his sister on an unprecedented journey into the bliss and wonder of life beyond death. Billy's profound, detailed description of the mystical realms he traverses, the Beings of Light that await him, and the wisdom he receives take the reader beyond the near-death experience. Billy is, indeed, as Dr. Raymond Moody points out in his foreword, explaining the phenomena we've known about since ancient times, an afterworld walker. A fascinating page-turner filled with wisdom, humour and hope, The Afterlife of Billy Fingers, will forever change your views about life, death and the hereafter.If I could give you a gift it would be to find the glory inside yourself, beyond the roles and the drama, so you can dance the dance of the game of life with a little more rhythm, a little more abandon, a little more shaking-those-hips.
A Christmas Gift from Bob: NOW A MAJOR FILM
by James BowenFrom the day James rescued a street cat abandoned in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, they began a friendship which has transformed both their lives and, through the bestselling books A STREET CAT NAMED BOB and THE WORLD ACCORDING TO BOB, touched millions around the world. In this new story from their journey together, James looks back at an early Christmas they spent on the streets and how Bob helped him through one of his toughest times - teaching him the true meaning of Christmas and bringing home him to in how many ways Bob has saved his life.(P)2014 Hodder & Stoughton
The Lovers
by Rod NordlandA riveting, real-life equivalent of The Kite Runner-an astonishingly powerful and profoundly moving story of a young couple willing to risk everything for love that puts a human face on the ongoing debate about women's rights in the Muslim world."She is his Juliet and he is her Romeo, and her family has threatened to kill them both..."This is the heartrending account of Zakia and Mohammad Ali, a couple from opposing Islamic sects, who defying their society's norms have left behind everything they know and are quite literally risking their lives for their love.She is a Sunni, he is a Shia, but as friends from childhood Zakia and Mohammad Ali could never have predicted that their love would anger their families so much that they would be forced to leave their homes finding refuge in the harsh terrain of the Afghani mountains. Without money or passports they rely on the kindness of strangers to house them for a couple of days at a time as they remain on the run, never deterred.New York Times journalist, Rod Nordland, has chronicled the plight of the young lovers telling their extraordinary story of courage, perseverance and love in one of the world's most troubled countries. This moving love story is told against the bigger backdrop of the horrific but widespread practices that women are subjected to in Afghanistan.
Beyoncé: The Biography
by Anna Pointer'Everything you ever wanted to know about the world's biggest singing star.' 5* - BestBeyoncé: Running The World is the full story of Houston born-and-bred Beyoncé's extraordinary life, which saw her join her first pop group at the age of nine before fronting the girl band Destiny's Child - the biggest-selling female group of all time. After embarking on a solo career in 2003, Beyoncé's status as a superstar was sealed and to date she has won more than 220 awards internationally and the hearts of millions of fans the world over. The most definitive and up-to-date telling of Beyoncé's story ever written, this book provides an intimate close-up on both her professional and personal life, with the inside story on how she and rapper husband Jay-Z became the biggest power couple on earth. With reports that their marriage was crumbling before the world's eyes on their 2014 joint tour, On The Run, it pieces together the split rumours that plagued them at every turn and documents exactly how they coped with such intense public scrutiny.The book also analyses Beyoncé's role as a mother to young daughter Blue Ivy and explores the hidden heartbreaks of her past, including a tragic miscarriage, a lengthy battle with depression and an agonising rift with her manager father Mathew.While celebrating Beyoncé's greatest triumphs Beyoncé: Running The World uncovers the truth behind the headlines, finding out exactly who 'Queen Bey' is and what really goes on behind the scenes...Contains an extra chapter with the most up-to-date information on the world's biggest star.
Beyoncé: Running the World
by Anna PointerAs a painfully shy six-year-old singing in her parents' kitchen back in the late eighties, it was impossible to imagine the meteoric rise that Beyoncé Knowles would go on to achieve. Fast forward 25 years and not only has she sold 75 million albums, making her one of the most successful recording artists of all time, but she is also an actress, fashion icon, producer and doting mother. <p><p> Beyoncé: Running The World is the full story of Houston born-and-bred Beyoncé's extraordinary life, which saw her join her first pop group at the age of nine before fronting the girl band Destiny's Child - the biggest-selling female group of all time. After embarking on a solo career in 2003, Beyoncé's status as a superstar was sealed and to date she has won more than 220 awards internationally and the hearts of millions of fans the world over. As the world's biggest star, Beyoncé continues to scale new heights and her latest album, Beyoncé, broke all records after hitting No.1 in more than 100 countries. Echoing the sentiment of her 2011 hit single, she really is running the music world right now. <p> The most definitive and up-to-date telling of Beyoncé's story ever written, this book provides an intimate close-up on both her professional and personal life, with the inside story on how she and rapper husband Jay-Z became the biggest power couple on earth. With reports that their marriage was crumbling before the world's eyes on their 2014 joint tour, On The Run, it pieces together the split rumours that plagued them at every turn and documents exactly how they coped with such intense public scrutiny. The book also analyses Beyoncé's role as a mother to young daughter Blue Ivy and explores the hidden heartbreaks of her past, including a tragic miscarriage, a lengthy battle with depression and an agonising rift with her manager father Mathew. <p> While celebrating Beyoncé's greatest triumphs Beyoncé: Running The World uncovers the truth behind the headlines, finding out exactly who 'Queen Bey' is and what really goes on behind the scenes...
In Real Life: Love, Lies & Identity in the Digital Age
by Nev SchulmanIf there's anyone who knows about the darker side of online dating, it's Nev Schulman. The 29-year-old rose to fame after his documentary Catfish, about an online flirtation of his which turned sour, became a breakout hit. He followed it up with a series on MTV which followed similar stories of digital deception across America.Nev has become the go-to expert in online relationships for millennials, a generation who have never known a world without Facebook. His clout in this area springs from his own experience which led him to coin the term 'catfish', referring to someone who creates a false online persona to reel someone into a romantic relationship. Now Nev takes his investigation to the page. Woven throughout with Nev's personal stories this book explores relationships in the era of social media, delving deeply into the complexities of dating in a digital age and continuing the cultural dialogue his show has begun about how we interact with each other online.In IN REAL LIFE Nev explores the pressing issue of connectivity versus genuine connection which is plaguing our relationships with each other, and he provides the advice that his fans have been desperately seeking.
Lie With Me: The must-read Richard & Judy Bookclub Pick
by Sabine DurrantThe truth is, we all tell lies... take a deep breath and get ready for the most twisty, tense and unsettling book of the summer. 'If, like me, you have been longing for a psycho-thriller of genius since you finished Gone Girl, then the wait is finally over. There are very few books in this world that are impossible to put down. Lie With Me is one of them.' Tony ParsonsIt starts with a lie. The kind we've all told - to a former acquaintance we can't quite place but still, for some reason, feel the need to impress. The story of our life, embellished for the benefit of the happily married lawyer with the kids and the lovely home.And the next thing you know, you're having dinner at their house, and accepting an invitation to join them on holiday - swept up in their perfect life, the kind you always dreamed of...Which turns out to be less than perfect. But by the time you're trapped and sweating in the relentless Greek sun, burning to escape the tension all around you - by the time you start to realise that, however painful the truth might be, it's the lies that cause the real damage...... well, by then, it could just be too late.(P) 2016 Hodder & Stoughton
There's Something I've Been Dying to Tell You: The uplifting bestseller
by Lynda BellinghamBy turns, it is riotous, deeply serious, practical and sad. Reading it is like being at her kitchen table with a glass of wine to hand. (Daily Telegraph)Lynda Bellingham was a tremendously gifted storyteller with a rich collection of tales of love, loss and laughter and this memoir brings her kind heart, courage and emotion to the page in vivid detail. There's Something I've Been Dying To Tell You is a brave memoir about Lynda's battle with cancer, facing death she found joy and shared it with millions. Her story is an affecting and at times heart-breaking one but it is so often laugh-out-loud too and ultimately the way Lynda told her life story serves as a great inspiration to us all. Woven into this very moving and brave story are extraordinary, colourful tales of her acting and family life that will enlighten and entertain as well as the journey that Lynda has taken to find the family of her birth father having already suffered heartache in her search for her birth mother. In the search for her father's family, Lynda finds a family with a history in entertainment showing that acting was always in the blood.This book was written in Lynda's final months and revealed for the first time, and in great detail, her fight with cancer and how her life was transformed since her diagnosis. This edition includes a brand new chapter written by Lynda's husband Michael about his love for her, her love of life and her glorious final send-off.
There's Something I've Been Dying to Tell You: The uplifting bestseller
by Lynda BellinghamBy turns, it is riotous, deeply serious, practical and sad. Reading it is like being at her kitchen table with a glass of wine to hand. (Daily Telegraph)Lynda Bellingham was a tremendously gifted storyteller with a rich collection of tales of love, loss and laughter and this memoir brings her kind heart, courage and emotion to the page in vivid detail. There's Something I've Been Dying To Tell You is a brave memoir about Lynda's battle with cancer, facing death she found joy and shared it with millions. Her story is an affecting and at times heart-breaking one but it is so often laugh-out-loud too and ultimately the way Lynda told her life story serves as a great inspiration to us all. Woven into this very moving and brave story are extraordinary, colourful tales of her acting and family life that will enlighten and entertain as well as the journey that Lynda has taken to find the family of her birth father having already suffered heartache in her search for her birth mother. In the search for her father's family, Lynda finds a family with a history in entertainment showing that acting was always in the blood.This book was written in Lynda's final months and revealed for the first time, and in great detail, her fight with cancer and how her life was transformed since her diagnosis. This edition includes a brand new chapter written by Lynda's husband Michael about his love for her, her love of life and her glorious final send-off.
There's Something I've Been Dying to Tell You: The uplifting bestseller
by Lynda BellinghamBy turns, it is riotous, deeply serious, practical and sad. Reading it is like being at her kitchen table with a glass of wine to hand. (Daily Telegraph)Lynda Bellingham was a tremendously gifted storyteller with a rich collection of tales of love, loss and laughter and this memoir brings her kind heart, courage and emotion to the page in vivid detail. There's Something I've Been Dying To Tell You is a brave memoir about Lynda's battle with cancer, facing death she found joy and shared it with millions. Her story is an affecting and at times heart-breaking one but it is so often laugh-out-loud too and ultimately the way Lynda told her life story serves as a great inspiration to us all. Woven into this very moving and brave story are extraordinary, colourful tales of her acting and family life that will enlighten and entertain as well as the journey that Lynda has taken to find the family of her birth father having already suffered heartache in her search for her birth mother. In the search for her father's family, Lynda finds a family with a history in entertainment showing that acting was always in the blood.This book was written in Lynda's final months and revealed for the first time, and in great detail, her fight with cancer and how her life was transformed since her diagnosis. This edition includes a brand new chapter written by Lynda's husband Michael about his love for her, her love of life and her glorious final send-off.
Conversations with McCartney
by Paul Du NoyerIn June 1989, Paul Du Noyer was contacted by Paul McCartney's office in London and asked to interview the star as they had met once before and enjoyed a good raport. In the years that followed, Paul Du Noyer continued to meet, interview and work for Paul McCartney on a regular basis, producing magazine articles, tour programmes, album liner notes, press materials and website editorial. It's likely that Du Noyer has spent more hours in formal, recorded conversation with McCartney than any other writer. Conversations with McCartney is the culmination of Du Noyer's long association with McCartney and his music. It draws from their interview sessions across 35 years, coupling McCartney's own, candid thoughts with his observations and analysis.
Conversations with McCartney
by Paul Du NoyerIn June 1989, Paul Du Noyer was contacted by Paul McCartney's office in London and asked to interview the star as they had met once before and enjoyed a good raport. In the years that followed, Paul Du Noyer continued to meet, interview and work for Paul McCartney on a regular basis, producing magazine articles, tour programmes, album liner notes, press materials and website editorial. It's likely that Du Noyer has spent more hours in formal, recorded conversation with McCartney than any other writer. Conversations with McCartney is the culmination of Du Noyer's long association with McCartney and his music. It draws from their interview sessions across 35 years, coupling McCartney's own, candid thoughts with his observations and analysis.
Nowhere's Child: The inspiring story of how one woman survived Hitler's breeding camps and found an Irish home
by Kari Rosvall Naomi LinehanKari Rosvall's early life was shrouded in mystery until, at age 64, she received a letter through the post. In it was a photograph of herself as a young baby - the only one she had ever seen. This was the first step towards her discovery of the dark secret of her conception.Kari soon learned that she was a Lebensborn child, part of Hitler's 'Spring of Life' programme, which encouraged Nazi soldiers to have children with Scandinavian women in order to create an Aryan race. And so began a journey back to her roots: to Norway, where she was taken from her mother and sent to Germany in a crate to join the other Lebensborn children, and to post-war Germany and her eventual rescue by the Red Cross from an attic.Nowhere's Child is a remarkable story of reconciliation and of forging new beginnings from a dark past. Ultimately, for this woman who set up a new life in Ireland, it is the life-affirming account of what it really means to find a place called home.
Girl in the Cellar - The Natascha Kampusch Story: The Natascha Kampusch Story
by Allan Hall Michael LeidigWhen Natascha Kampusch made her bid for freedom on 23 August 2006 after eight years held captive in a seemingly ordinary Austrian suburban house, her story horrified and astonished the entire world. How did she survive a childhood locked in a cellar What sort of young woman had emerged What kind of man was Wolfgang Priklopil, her abductor - and what demands had he made of her As the days and weeks passed and Natascha's TV interview failed to quell the curiosity, so the questions began to change. What exactly was the relationship between abductor and hostage Why had Natascha waited so long to escape when it seemed there had been other, earlier opportunities Did Natascha's parents know Priklopil before he kidnapped their daughter Allan Hall and Michael Leidig have tracked the story from the days of the 10-year-old's disappearance. They have spoken to police investigators, lawyers, psychiatrists, and to the family members closest to Natascha. They have come as close as possible to uncovering the full, shocking story. It is a story that tests the limits of our understanding of how human beings behave - and makes our hearts bleed for the plight of an innocent child caught up in a horror story almost beyond our imagining.
Life, Love and The Archers: recollections, reviews and other prose
by Wendy Cope'IS IT ANY WONDER THAT SO MANY OF US LOVE HER?' Francis Wheen, Mail on SundayWendy Cope has long been one of the nation's best-loved poets, with her sharp eye for human foibles and wry sense of humour. For the first time, Life, Love and the Archers brings together the best of her prose - recollections, reviews and essays from the light-hearted to the serious, taken from a lifetime of published and unpublished work, and all with Cope's lightness of touch. Here readers can meet the Enid-Blyton-obsessed schoolgirl, the ambivalent daughter, the amused teacher, the sensitive journalist, the cynical romantic and the sardonic television critic, as well as touching on books and writers who have informed a lifetime of reading and writing. Wendy Cope is a master of the one-liner as well as the couplet, the telling review as well as the sonnet, and Life, Love and the Archers gives us a wonderfully entertaining and unforgettable portrait of one of England's favourite writers.A book for anyone who's ever fallen in love, tried to give up smoking, or consoled themselves that they'll never be quite as old as Mick Jagger.(P)2014 John Murray Press
Play On: Now, Then and Fleetwood Mac
by Mick Fleetwood"After forty-six years of being on the road, now is the right time to look back in a way I've never done before: now and then. I'm looking forward to sharing it with you." Mick Fleetwood has been part of one of the world's most successful and adored bands for over four decades. Here he tells the full and candid story of that life, and what it is to be part of the ever evolving Fleetwood Mac. His all-access autobiography spans the career of one of classic rock's greatest drummers and band leaders, the co-founder of the deeply loved super group that bears his name. In this intimate portrait of a life lived in music, Fleetwood vividly recalls his upbringing in Cornwall, Egypt and Norway tapping along to whatever song was playing on the radio; his experiences as a musician in Sixties London; the early days of the band featuring Peter Green, and his close friendship with George Harrison and seemingly all of music royalty. Play On sheds new light on Fleetwood Mac's raucous history describing the highs and lows of being part of a band that he often single-handedly kept together. His love affair with Stevie Nicks, the creation of landmark albums like Rumours and Tusk, and the many incredible and outrageous moments of recording, touring, fighting, and loving with Fleetwood Mac: all are here. He describes his life's moments with the honesty and immediacy that his fans expect, taking us to the very heart of this multi layered life. It's been a tumultuous journey with the excesses of the band's huge success at times threatening to destroy what they strived so hard to create. But through it all it's been the drive to play on that has won out. Now, then, and always, it's Fleetwood Mac.(P)2014 Hodder & Stoughton
The Soundtrack to My Life
by Dermot O'LearyThis is the story of Dermot's life so far, from growing up in semi rural Colchester with his Irish born parents, to landing one of the biggets jobs in television. Throughout this journey, music has been a constant companion: a best friend, confidant, a really annoying sibling, and at times a tormentor. Here Dermot shows that really it is the songs that choose you., not the other way round. These are the tracks that have a hold on us because they have become inextricably linked to the most important moments of our lives and spark the memories and stories that shape us. With a wonderful gift for storytelling Dermot describes with humour and brilliant detail, what it was like to grow up a second generation Irishman in 70s England. The Pope, rebel songs and Irish dancing were all part of everyday life, along with the usual brand of chlidhood nostalgia, like endless summers, freshly cut grass and the occasional dead animal found in a ditch. Dermot's homelife was filled with music which was to set the scene for the years ahead. From Irish folk singer Brendan Shine's Catch Me If You Can to The Smiths, Elbow and Dermot's hero Bruce Springsteen, in Now Playing Dermot shares with us his musical DNA. (P)2014 Hodder & Stoughton
There's Something I've Been Dying to Tell You: The uplifting bestseller
by Lynda BellinghamIn 2013 Lynda Bellingham was diagnosed with cancer. Having kept the details of her illness private, now for the very first time Lynda talks with beautiful poignancy about her life since her diagnosis, her family and how together they came to terms with a future they hadn't planned. Having been told that she only has a matter of months left to live and writing this in what will sadly be her final days, There's Something I've Been Dying To Tell You is a brave and brutally honest memoir and yet Lynda also manages to spread her infectious warmth and humour, bringing light to a very dark time. Woven into this very moving and brave story are extraordinary, colourful tales of her acting and family life that will enlighten and entertain as well as the journey that Lynda has taken to find the family of her birth father having already suffered heartache in her search for her birth mother. In the search for her father's family, Lynda finds a family with a history in entertainment showing that acting was always in the blood.Lynda Bellingham is a tremendously gifted storyteller with a rich collection of tales of love, loss and laughter and this book brings her kind heart, courage and emotion to the page in vivid detail. Lynda's story is an affecting and at times heart-breaking one but it is so often laugh-out-loud too and ultimately the way Lynda tells her life story will serve as a great inspiration.(P)2014 Hodder & Stoughton
NYPD Green: The True Story of an Irish Detective Working in one of the Toughest Police Departments in the World
by Luke Waters'Luke Waters had more than 20 years on the job. What he saw, what he heard and what he did will make you sit up, stay up and keep reading - and that's only what he can tell you.' - Ed Conlon, Bestselling Author of Blue Blood.Finglas native Luke Waters dreamed of following his grandfather and brother into An Garda Siochana, until, as for so many other Irish men and women in the 1980s, America beckoned. But Luke never lost sight of his dream and, in spite of the hurdles he had to overcome, in August 1993 he joined the ranks of New York's finest.As Waters rose through the ranks to become a homicide detective in one of the toughest places in the world, The Bronx, he would see the best and the worst: the heroism of fellow detectives, the ravages of crack cocaine, and the terrible fallout of 9/11. NYPD Green is a no-holds-barred account of the people and the cases, but also an insight into the dark side of a job where corruption and bravery often go hand in hand. The story of an Irishman made good, of the American dream, NYPD Green also pays tribute to one of the hardest jobs there is.
Clean Young Englishman
by John GaleFirst published in 1965 John Gale's autobiography is one the brilliant evocations of English life. From growing up in rural Kent to joining the Coldstream Guards and drunkenly dancing with the young Princess Elizabeth at Windsor Castle, Gale's early years seemed untroubled by darker shadows. But later, as a foreign correspondent in Algeria, Egypt and the Far East, he witnessed scenes of such horror that his comfortable world - and his sanity - were shaken to their very foundations. Witty, ironic, sharply observed and deeply moving, John Gale's memoir is a unique record of a young man struggling to make sense of the world.
The Modi Effect: Inside Narendra Modi's campaign to transform India
by Lance PriceHow did a 'chai wallah' who sold tea on trains as a boy become Prime Minister of India? On May 16, 2014, Narendra Modi was declared the winner of the largest election ever conducted anywhere in the world, having fought a campaign unlike any before. Political parties in Britain, Australia and North America pride themselves on the sophistication of their election strategies, but Modi's campaign was a master-class in modern electioneering. His team created an election machine that broke new ground in the use of social media, the Internet, mobile phones and digital technologies. Modi took part in thousands of public events, but in such a vast country it was impossible to visit every town and village. The solution? A 'virtual Modi' - a life-size 3D hologram - beamed to parts he could not reach in person. These pioneering techniques brought millions of young people to the ballot box - the holy grail of election strategists everywhere - as Modi trounced the governing Congress Party led by the Gandhi dynasty. Former BBC correspondent and Downing Street communications expert Lance Price has been granted exclusive access to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team of advisers. With complete freedom to tell it as he finds it, he details Modi's rise to power, the extraordinary election victory and its aftermath. The Modi Effect: Inside Narendra Modi's campaign to transform India lifts the lid on a whole new box of tricks, where message-management and IT wizardry combined to create a vote-winning colossus of awesome potency.
The Modi Effect: Inside Narendra Modi's campaign to transform India
by Lance PriceHow did a 'chai wallah' who sold tea on trains as a boy become Prime Minister of India? On May 16, 2014, Narendra Modi was declared the winner of the largest election ever conducted anywhere in the world, having fought a campaign unlike any before. Political parties in Britain, Australia and North America pride themselves on the sophistication of their election strategies, but Modi's campaign was a master-class in modern electioneering. His team created an election machine that broke new ground in the use of social media, the Internet, mobile phones and digital technologies. Modi took part in thousands of public events, but in such a vast country it was impossible to visit every town and village. The solution? A 'virtual Modi' - a life-size 3D hologram - beamed to parts he could not reach in person. These pioneering techniques brought millions of young people to the ballot box - the holy grail of election strategists everywhere - as Modi trounced the governing Congress Party led by the Gandhi dynasty. Former BBC correspondent and Downing Street communications expert Lance Price has been granted exclusive access to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team of advisers. With complete freedom to tell it as he finds it, he details Modi's rise to power, the extraordinary election victory and its aftermath. The Modi Effect: Inside Narendra Modi's campaign to transform India lifts the lid on a whole new box of tricks, where message-management and IT wizardry combined to create a vote-winning colossus of awesome potency.
Mariner: A Voyage with Samuel Taylor Coleridge
by Reverend Dr Malcolm Guite'The story of Coleridge's life does undoubtedly echo that of his poem; this is a book that provides rewarding rereadings of both' - The Sunday TimesA new biography of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, shaped and structured around the story he himself tells in his most famous poem, 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'. Though the 'Mariner' was written in 1797 when Coleridge was only twenty-five, it was an astonishingly prescient poem. As Coleridge himself came to realise much later, this tale - of a journey that starts in high hopes and good spirits, but leads to a profound encounter with human fallibility, darkness, alienation, loneliness and dread, before coming home to a renewal of faith and vocation - was to be the shape of his own life. In this rich new biography, academic, priest and poet Malcolm Guite draws out how with an uncanny clarity, image after image and event after event in the poem became emblems of what Coleridge was later to suffer and discover. Of course 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' is more than just an individual's story: it is also a profound exploration of the human condition and, as Coleridge says in his gloss, our 'loneliness and fixedness'. But the poem also offers hope, release, and recovery; and Guite also draws out the continuing relevance of Coleridge's life and writing to our own time.'Forcefully and convincingly argued' - The Telegraph