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Once a Warrior: How One Veteran Found a New Mission Closer to Home
by Jake Wood"The book that America needs right now."--Tom Brokaw, journalist and author of The Greatest GenerationWhen Marine sniper Jake Wood arrived in the States after two bloody tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, he wasn't leaving war behind him--far from it. Ten years after returning home, Jake's unit lost more men to suicide than to enemy hands overseas. He watched in horror as his best friend and fellow Marine, Clay Hunt, plunged into depression upon returning, stripped of his purpose, community, and sense of identity. Despite Jake's attempts to intervene, Clay died by suicide, alone. Reeling, Jake remembered how only one thing had given Clay a measure of hope: joining him in Haiti on a ragtag mission to save lives immediately following the 2010 earthquake. His military training had rendered him unusually effective in high-stakes situations. What if there was a way to help stricken communities while providing a new mission to veterans? In this inspiring memoir, Jake recounts how, over the past 10 years, he and his team have recruited over 130,000 volunteers to his disaster response organization Team Rubicon. Racing against the clock, these veterans battle hurricanes, tornados, wildfires, pandemics, and civil wars, while rediscovering their life's purpose along the way.Once a Warrior provides a gut-wrenching account of the true cost of our Forever Wars--and more importantly, a glimpse of what might become of America's next greatest generation.
Take Command
by Jake WoodWhat do elite members of the military, first responders in the disaster zone, and high-performing leaders in fast-paced, high-pressure, modern day organizations have in common?The ability to have clarity of mind and purpose when surrounded by chaos. To operate at peak performance under risk. To be able to see clearly when others are blinded by fear, and act when others are paralyzed. To craft plans even with incomplete information, then execute those plans decisively -while still being nimble and adaptable enough to iterate as the terrain changes. To deliver in the clutch. To build teams with high impact, and then inspire those teams to follow you into the fire.In this groundbreaking book on high-stakes leadership, Co-founder and CEO of Team Rubicon and former Marine Sniper Jake Wood, shows how to apply hard-learned lessons in leadership and teamwork from the battlefield and disaster zone to your professional life. While most of our jobs don't involve leading a tour of Marines through an ambush, or rushing into a relief zone just decimated by a hurricane, in today's fast-paced, hyper-competitive business environment, we are ALL on the front lines. And in an entrepreneurially-minded world where technology is constantly reinventing how we work, global competition is fierce, and industries are being disrupted overnight, success requires a new kind of leadership. This book is about how to become the kind of leader who gets results when the stakes are at their highest--how to Take Command.
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: Thirty Years Married to a Rolling Stone
by Jo WoodIn this wild, behind-the-scenes portrait of one of the biggest rock bands in history, Jo Wood comes clean about her three decades as the girlfriend and eventually the wife of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood. This startlingly honest, laugh-out-loud memoir vividly describes life on tour, in the studio, at the legendary parties—and every raucous moment in between. From teenage model to hard-partying rock 'n' roll devotee, through motherhood, marriage, breakdown, and the challenge of starting over again, Jo Wood has had a roller-coaster ride of a life. At the age of sixteen, Jo burst onto the British modeling scene and became a fixture at London's most glamorous parties. A few years later, just twenty-two years old and a single mom, she met Ronnie Wood and her life changed forever. Holding nothing back, Jo paints an astonishing picture of the sex, drugs, booze, groupies, and—above all—the fun that filled her thirty years as a member of the Stones' inner circle. Telling never-before-heard stories about what life on the road with the Stones was really like, she offers intimate portraits of the band's legendary cast of characters, including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Jerry Hall, and Patti Hansen. She recalls the excitement of getting to know international A-list celebrities like Kate Moss, Andy Warhol, Johnny Depp, and Slash. Jo also opens up about her family life with Ronnie: their passionate love affair, the demands of being a mother by day and a wild child by night, and eventually coping with Ronnie's increasingly difficult behavior as his addictions consumed him. For the first time, she reveals her heartbreaking account of what happened when Ronnie left her for an eighteen-year-old waitress, explaining how she was able to forgive, live without bitterness or regret, and find new happiness as an entrepreneur and organic beauty expert. Including never-before-seen photographs from Jo's personal collection, It's Only Rock 'n' Roll is a compelling piece of rock 'n' roll history from a woman with a backstage pass and front-row seat. Enchanting, candid, and moving, this page-turning fairy tale of fame and fortune has the best of the era's many euphoric and reckless moments within its pages.
Stoned: Photographs and treasures from life with the Rolling Stones
by Jo Wood"These images are great and have been tucked away for years"RONNIE WOOD "The REAL Rolling Stones... Consider this your AAA pass to touring with Mick 'n' Keith 'n' co."THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH Take a look inside rock 'n' roll history with over 500 never-before-seen photographs, notes, artworks, diary entries and mementoes from life behind the scenes of the Rolling Stones.Married to legendary Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood for 30 years, Jo Wood lived the rock star life. Her incredible collection of treasures from that time is a once-in-a-lifetime look inside the biggest band in the world.Accompanied by personal memories and behind the scenes anecdotes from Jo, Stoned is a love letter to the rock 'n' roll life and a truly unique window into the eye of the Rolling Stones hurricane.
Stoned: Photographs and treasures from life with the Rolling Stones
by Jo Wood"These images are great and have been tucked away for years"RONNIE WOOD "The REAL Rolling Stones... Consider this your AAA pass to touring with Mick 'n' Keith 'n' co."THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH Take a look inside rock 'n' roll history with over 500 never-before-seen photographs, notes, artworks, diary entries and mementoes from life behind the scenes of the Rolling Stones.Married to legendary Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood for 30 years, Jo Wood lived the rock star life. Her incredible collection of treasures from that time is a once-in-a-lifetime look inside the biggest band in the world.Accompanied by personal memories and behind the scenes anecdotes from Jo, Stoned is a love letter to the rock 'n' roll life and a truly unique window into the eye of the Rolling Stones hurricane.
Little Sister: My Investigation into the Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood
by Lana WoodIn this memoir, Lana Wood investigates the mysterious drowning of her sister, the actress Natalie Wood, and clears up the myths and misconceptions behind one of the most notorious celebrity deaths of our time. On the night of November 29, 1981, Natalie Wood disappeared from her yacht, the Splendour, while visiting Catalina Island with her husband, Robert “R.J.” Wagner and their friend, Christopher Walken. The beloved movie star’s tragic drowning shook America, inspiring troves of magazine covers and media pieces. What was originally believed to be an open-and-shut case of accidental drowning has been called into question over the years, and in 2011 the investigation was reopened. In 2018, at the urging of the public, it was reclassified as “suspicious.”Ever since, the question has remained: What really happened to Natalie Wood?Lana Wood, Natalie’s younger sister, long suspected nefarious circumstances surrounding her sister’s death. Her closest confidante from childhood, Lana stood witness to Natalie’s life: the successes, the heartache, and her deepest pain. But there was tremendous fear about investigating the case. Uncertain of what her own search would unravel, and frightened of the possibilities, Lana stayed silent for years, until she no longer could. She realized she was ignoring what was in front of her, and that the best way to honor her sister's legacy would be uncovering the secrets behind the very end of Natalie’s life.By elucidating previously unknown complications of Natalie’s life, and offering new evidence from key parties involved in the investigation—including the boat’s captain and other witnesses—Little Sister recounts Lana’s search for the truth and brings to light explosive details that have been suppressed for decades. Ranging from the bonds that hold family together, to inconsistencies in interviews with detectives to complications with evidence, this story of sisterhood and mystery presents a fresh perspective on a night that has long been fodder for Hollywood lore.
Murder & Mayhem in Southeast Kansas (Murder & Mayhem)
by Larry E. WoodFrom railroad towns like Ladore to cow towns like Newton and Wichita, southeast Kansas pulsed with rowdy activity during the late nineteenth century. The unruly atmosphere drew outlaws, including the Dalton Gang, and even crazed serial killers the likes of the Bender clan. Violent incidents, from gunfights to lynchings, punctuated the region's Wild West era, and the allure of the frontier also attracted the everyday people whose passions sometimes spawned bloodshed as well. Award-winning author Larry E. Wood explores thirteen of these remarkable episodes in the criminal history of southeast Kansas.
The Power of Things Unseen: Tales of Choosing Crazy Over Normal
by Leanne R. WoodThe Power of Things Unseen tells a riveting true story about a woman whose inner voice leads her on an enthralling and nerve-racking journey, pursuing what is written in her heart. Chock-full of tales combining raw emotion, unbridled humor, and miraculous intervention, she regales the reader with her exploits as an aid worker in post-communist Romania and as a business entrepreneur in the USA. It takes courage to follow your gut, buck the “right way” of doing things, and step out into the unknown, but it is only then that you can really live to your full potential. This compelling narrative of a young mother who takes an intuitive path with almost no resources will inspire you to follow your own inner voice and unleash The Power of Things Unseen.
Arabia: A Journey Through The Heart of the Middle East
by Levison WoodShortlisted for the 2019 Edward Stanford Award '[A] rollicking Boys' Own adventure' - Spectator'This heart-stopping personal account of historic Arabia today.' - Compass MagazineFollowing in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia and Wilfred Thesiger, Arabia is an insight into Levison Wood's most complex and daring expedition yet: an epic and unprecedented 5000-mile journey through 13 countries, circumnavigating the Arabian Peninsula.Honest, reflective and poignant, Arabia is a historical, religious and spiritual journey, through some of the harshest and most beautiful environments on Earth. Exploring the Middle East through the lives, hearts and hopes of its people, Levison Wood challenges the perceptions of an often misunderstood part of the world, seeing how the region has changed and examining the stories we don't often hear about in the media.
Arabia: A Journey Through The Heart of the Middle East
by Levison WoodThe award-winning TV adventurer and travel writer's enthralling account of his 5,000-mile expedition around the Arabian Peninsula, from Iraq to Lebanon.Following in the footsteps of great explorers such as Lawrence of Arabia and Wilfred Thesiger, Arabia is Levison Wood's account of his most complex expedition yet: circumnavigating the Arabian Peninsula. Travelling through some of the harshest and most beautiful environments on earth, he seeks to challenge our perceptions of an often misunderstood part of the world, seeing how the region has changed and examining the stories we don't often hear about in the media. (P)2018 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
An Arabian Journey: One Man's Quest Through the Heart of the Middle East
by Levison WoodThe acclaimed author of Walking the Americas shares his epic journey through the war-torn Arabian Peninsula in this fascinating travelogue.Following in the footsteps of famed explorers such as Lawrence of Arabia and Wilfred Thesiger, British explorer Levison Wood brings us along on his most complex expedition yet: a circumnavigation of the Arabian Peninsula. Starting in September 2017 in a city in Northern Syria, a stone’s throw away from Turkey and amidst a deadly war, Wood set forth on a 5,000-mile trek through the most contested region on the planet.Wood moved through the Middle East for six months, from ISIS-occupied Iraq through Kuwait and along the jagged coastlines of the Emirates and Oman; across Yemen—in the midst of civil war—and on to Saudia Arabia, Jordan, and Israel, before ending on the shores of the Mediterranean in Lebanon. Like his predecessors, Wood travelled through some of the harshest and most beautiful environments on earth, seeking to challenge our perceptions of this part of the world. Through the people he meets—and the personal histories and local mythologies they share—Wood examines how the region has changed over thousands of years and what it means to its people today.
The Art of Exploration: Lessons in Curiosity, Leadership and Getting Things Done
by Levison WoodLevison Wood's most personal story yet, as he shares his most valuable rules to live life by, learned from fifteen years travelling through a hundred countries.In The Art of Exploration ex-soldier and explorer Levison Wood collates all the lessons he has learned from his journeys so far. Having written five books on his individual journeys, Levison recalls the most important learning points, on themes ranging from leadership and team-building to conceptual risk and spirituality, drawing on examples and anecdotes from across continents and cultures.Levison has always been inspired by the travels and tales of legendary explorers from Livingstone, Shackleton and Scott to modern-day figures like Ranulph Fiennes and John Blashford-Snell, and passes on lessons he has learned both from them and his own experiences on the road, to the next generation of explorers. 'By travelling at the slowest means on my journeys I have had the joy and pleasure of meeting thousands of inspiring and hopeful individuals along the way, in some of the most poverty-stricken and war-torn countries in the world. It's from these humbling characters - shepherds, soldiers and fishermen; and my walking companions like Boston, the Congolese refugee and Binod my Nepali guide that I have learnt so much about how to approach life both on the road and back home.'Many lessons of course are learned the hard way, through trial and error - and making plenty of mistakes. It's through tragedy and loss that the biggest lessons are learned. In this audiobook he talks about his own regrets and blunders that have resulted in growth and development and made him a better person. The Art of Exploration will bare all on the tough times and how Levison ended up dealing with them, providing both a reflective and entertaining account of life on the road.(P) 2021 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
The Art of Exploration: Lessons in Curiosity, Leadership and Getting Things Done
by Levison Wood'Forget routine; now is the time to embrace the unknown, step out of your comfort zone and open the gateway to the Art of Exploration.''Britain's best loved adventurer' (The Times) talks about his secrets of discovery for the first time in this revealing manual of what it means to be an explorer in the modern age. The man who has walked the Nile, the Himalayas and the Americas discusses his lessons from a life on the road, how he managed to turn a passion into a lifestyle, and what inspired and motivated him along the way. Wood explains how he and other explorers face up to life's challenges, often in extraordinary circumstances and demonstrate resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. He shares examples of pioneers in many fields, using their work to show how we can all develop our own explorers mindset and how these lessons can be applied in daily life. With chapters on curiosity, teamwork, resilience and positivity this is a book that provides a tool kit - no matter your age or profession. As Levison says, 'these lessons can help you to fulfil your potential for living a happy life, regardless of your circumstances'.
Eastern Horizons: Shortlisted for the 2018 Edward Stanford Award
by Levison WoodLevison Wood was only 22 when he decided to hitch-hike from England to India through Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, but he wasn't the conventional follower of the hippy trail. A fascination with the deeds of the early explorers, a history degree in the bag, an army career already planned and a shoestring budget of £750 - including for the flight home - he was determined to find out more about the countries of the Caucasus and beyond - and meet the people who lived and worked there.EASTERN HORIZONS is a true traveller's tale in the tradition of the best of the genre, populated by a cast of eccentric characters; from mujahideen fighters to the Russian mafia. Along the way he meets some people who showed great hospitality, while others would rather have murdered him...
Eastern Horizons: Shortlisted for the 2018 Edward Stanford Award
by Levison WoodAward-winning TV adventurer and travel writer's enthralling account of his youthful expedition to Central Asia.Levison Wood was only 22 when he decided to hitch-hike from England to India through Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, but he wasn't the conventional follower of the hippy trail. A fascination with the deeds of the early explorers, a history degree in the bag, an army career already planned and a shoestring budget of £750 - including for the flight home - he was determined to find out more about the countries of the Caucasus and beyond - and meet the people who lived and worked there.EASTERN HORIZONS is a true traveller's tale in the tradition of the best of the genre, populated by a cast of eccentric characters; from mujahideen fighters to the Russian mafia. Along the way he meets some people who showed great hospitality, while others would rather have murdered him...This book confirms that Levison Wood, Winner of the 2016 Edward Stanford Adventure Travel Book Of The Year Award, has indeed 'breathed new life into adventure travel ' (Michael Palin) (P)2017 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
Walking the Himalayas: An Adventure of Survival and Endurance
by Levison WoodWINNER OF THE 2016 EDWARD STANFORD ADVENTURE TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD'Levison Wood has breathed new life into adventure travel.' Michael Palin'Levison Wood is a great adventurer and a wonderful storyteller.' Sir Ranulph Fiennes'Britain's best-loved adventurer... he looks like a man who will stare danger in the face and soak up a lot of pain without complaint.' The TimesFollowing in in the footsteps of the great explorers, WALKING THE HIMALAYAS is Levison Wood's enthralling account of crossing the Himalayas on foot. His journey of discovery along the path of the ancient trade route of the Silk Road to the forgotten kingdom of Bhutan led him beyond the safety of the tourist trail. There lies the real world of the Himalayas, where ex-paratrooper Levison Wood encountered natural disasters, extremists, nomadic goat herders, shamans (and the Dalai Lama) in his 1,700-mile trek across the roof of the world. WALKING THE HIMALAYAS is a tale of courage, stamina and the kindness of strangers that will appeal to the adventurer in us all.
Walking the Himalayas: An Adventure of Survival and Endurance
by Levison WoodLevison Wood's most challenging expedition yet begins along the Silk Road route of Afghanistan and travels through five countries. Following in the footsteps of the great explorers, Levison walks the entire length of the Himalayas in an adventure of survival and endurance. A personal story of discovery, Levison forges strong bonds with local guides, porters, mountain men, soldiers, farmers, smugglers and shepherds. By travelling on foot, and following the same footpaths that locals use, he uncovers stories that might otherwise remain hidden. Along the way he also reveals the history of the Himalayas and two millennia of exploration, and examines a continent in crisis in the 21st century.Packed with action and emotion, more than anything Walking the Himalayas is a story of personal adventure and striving beyond the limits of convention.(P)2016 Hodder & Stoughton
Love and Addiction: A Memoir
by Lorraine WoodA woman can be a mother, wife, friend, a force in business, a spiritual guide and a person who found peace and redemption in recovery. Every month, Lorraine Wood tells the story of her devastating family legacy of addiction in the hopes that it will inspire people to start, and stay, on their own difficult path to addiction recovery. Love & Addiction is her heart-wrenching memoir that records her story. Born to alcoholic parents Lorraine struggled through childhood as the eldest of six children living on a rural farm in New Zealand. Like most ‘good girls’ in the 1950s, she married young and quickly had four daughters. The view out her window offered nothing but cows and she longed for more. After months of persuasion the family finally moved to the city of Auckland. There, fate introduced her to her true soul mate, Bill. The only problem was that Bill was also a married man, and with three daughters of his own. But their love could not be denied and before long, two divorces were navigated and one family of seven children was formed in Sydney to start afresh. It was then that the cracks began to show. Bill, also a former alcoholic, had transferred his addictive tendencies to financial risk, racking up a millions of dollars in debt. An intervention was needed. For both of them. It was only at this stage, at 50 years of age, that Lorraine understood the true generational damage of addiction. When one person is addicted, an entire family suffers and need their own rehabilitation and support to truly recover and heal. Lorraine’s purpose in life was born. In 1993 she and Bill took the greatest financial risk of all and opened South Pacific Private – a hospital that specializes in addiction treatments. Since Bill’s tragic death, Lorraine continues to run the hospital solo, now known as the only Australian equivalent to the renowned US treatment facility, The Meadows. With engaging, heartwarming anecdotes Lorraine opens up her life and bares her soul in Love & Addiction, a memoir.
The Wood Life: A Not so Helpful How-To Guide on Surviving Cricket, Life and Everything in Between
by Mark WoodFrom one-of-a-kind England cricketer Mark Wood comes a one-of-a-kind self-help book. The kind no one knew they needed, until now.Need to know how to propel a cricket ball at unimaginable speeds? How to give the perfect speech at a wedding? What to feed an imaginary horse? The best way to celebrate an Ashes win? The worst way to watch a World Cup final chase? Planning the perfect date? What to do when you come across a dead body in the middle of Ashington? Answers to all these vital questions are here, and more. Full of laugh-out-loud anecdotes, The Wood Life is a hilarious guide to life by one of English cricket's most beloved characters.
Sh*t Joe Rogan Says: An Unauthorized Collection of Quotes and Common Sense from the Man Who Talks to Everybody
by Mary Wood&“The answer is not to silence me. . . . The answer is for you to have better arguments.&”Go the Joe Rogan way. Sh*t Joe Rogan Says is a book of motivation, inspiration, and reflections from the man who talks to everybody. Not one to back down from a conversation or an f-bomb, Joe Rogan tells it like it is and gives everyone a fair shake.From years of discipline and expertise in martial arts, to unabashed comedy and showing people how to face their fears, to his stratospheric ascent to podcast greatness, Joe Rogan knows a little something about life, discipline, hard work, and an unrelenting pursuit of personal freedoms and free thought. Get Joe Rogan&’s take on philosophy, comedy, politics, free speech, mind-altering experiences, censorship, and happiness with this collection of his most influential quotes and ideas. Get your hands on 150 Joe Rogan-isms on life, free thought, and common senseFind motivation, momentum, and real talk in Joe Rogan&’s no-nonsense reflectionsFollow the Joe Rogan route to achieve confidence, nonconformity, and an uncensored life
In the Footsteps of Du Fu
by Michael WoodA beautifully illustrated travelogue, chronicling the life and work of one of the world greatest poets. Du Fu (712-70) is one of China&’s greatest poets. His career coincided with periods of famine, war and huge upheaval, yet his secular philosophical vision, combined with his empathy for the common folk of his nation, ensured that he soon became revered. Like Shakespeare or Dante, his poetry resonates in a timeless manner that ensures it is always relevant and offers something new to the modern generation. Now, in this beautifully illustrated book, broadcaster and historian Michael Wood follows in his footsteps to try to understand the places that inspired Du Fu to write some of the most famous and best-loved poetry the world has known. The themes he wrote about – friendship, family, human suffering – are universal and in our troubled times are just as relevant as they were almost 1,300 years ago.
Love's Work
by Michael Wood Gillian RoseLove's Work is at once a memoir and a book of philosophy. Written by the English philosopher Gillian Rose as she was dying of cancer, it is a book about both the fallibility and endurance of love, love that becomes real and endures through an ongoing reckoning with its own limitations. Rose looks back on her childhood, the complications of her parents' divorce and her dyslexia, and her deep and divided feelings about what it means to be Jewish. She tells the stories of several friends also laboring under the sentence of death. From the sometimes conflicting vantage points of her own and her friends' tales, she seeks to work out (seeks, because the work can never be complete--to be alive means to be incomplete) a distinctive outlook on life, one that will do justice to our yearning both for autonomy and for connection to others. With droll self knowledge ("I am highly qualified in unhappy love affairs," Rose writes, "My earliest unhappy love affair was with Roy Rogers") and with unsettling wisdom ("To live, to love, is to be failed"), Rose has written a beautiful, tender, tough, and intricately wrought survival kit packed with necessary but unanswerable questions.
A Soldier's Story: Neville ‘Timber' Wood's War, from Dunkirk to D-Day
by Mike Wood'This captivating account . . . is the story of an ordinary soldier, but an extraordinary man. I commend this book most warmly.'Richard Dannatt, General The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL, Chief of the General Staff 2006-9'The amazing account of a young man, Neville 'Timber' Wood, who, despite fighting in many of the major engagements of the Second World War, including Dunkirk, El Alamein and D-Day, survived to become a much-loved husband and father . . . brilliantly written . . . I highly recommend it'Eleanor TomlinsonThe son of a Hull butcher, Neville 'Timber' Wood volunteered in 1939, at the age of eighteen, to join the British Army's Tyne-Tees 50th Northumbrian Division. Timber was in many ways an entirely unremarkable soldier - he won no medals for gallantry, though he exhibited conspicuous bravery day after day, for years, and he rose no higher through the ranks than Lance Corporal. Nonetheless, he had an extraordinary war. As a driver for the Royal Army Service Corps, Timber's job was to get ammunition and high explosives to the front line. It was a job with a high casualty rate, sometimes higher than front-line troops. The 50th Division was the principal fighting division of the British Army in the Second World War. Four men of the 50th were awarded Victoria Crosses, more than any other division. It was last off the beach at Dunkirk and the first back on it on D-Day; the division was at the heart of El Alamein and the major actions which followed; it took part in the invasion of Sicily and fought all the way from Normandy to Germany, where Timber saw first-hand the horrors of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Timber's story is pretty much the British war experience from the point of view of an ordinary soldier. He was even captured, saw Rommel and escaped. This book, written by his son Mike, is based on Neville's extensive wartime diaries and original documents he retained from the war as well as on long conversations between the two of them when Mike transcribed the diaries as a gift for his father in 2006. Timber died in 2015.
A Soldier's Story: Neville ‘Timber' Wood's War, from Dunkirk to D-Day
by Mike Wood'This captivating account . . . is the story of an ordinary soldier, but an extraordinary man. I commend this book most warmly.'Richard Dannatt, General The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL, Chief of the General Staff 2006-9'The amazing account of a young man, Neville 'Timber' Wood, who, despite fighting in many of the major engagements of the Second World War, including Dunkirk, El Alamein and D-Day, survived to become a much-loved husband and father . . . brilliantly written . . . I highly recommend it'Eleanor TomlinsonThe son of a Hull butcher, Neville 'Timber' Wood volunteered in 1939, at the age of eighteen, to join the British Army's Tyne-Tees 50th Northumbrian Division. Timber was in many ways an entirely unremarkable soldier - he won no medals for gallantry, though he exhibited conspicuous bravery day after day, for years, and he rose no higher through the ranks than Lance Corporal. Nonetheless, he had an extraordinary war. As a driver for the Royal Army Service Corps, Timber's job was to get ammunition and high explosives to the front line. It was a job with a high casualty rate, sometimes higher than front-line troops. The 50th Division was the principal fighting division of the British Army in the Second World War. Four men of the 50th were awarded Victoria Crosses, more than any other division. It was last off the beach at Dunkirk and the first back on it on D-Day; the division was at the heart of El Alamein and the major actions which followed; it took part in the invasion of Sicily and fought all the way from Normandy to Germany, where Timber saw first-hand the horrors of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Timber's story is pretty much the British war experience from the point of view of an ordinary soldier. He was even captured, saw Rommel and escaped. This book, written by his son Mike, is based on Neville's extensive wartime diaries and original documents he retained from the war as well as on long conversations between the two of them when Mike transcribed the diaries as a gift for his father in 2006. Timber died in 2015.
When We Were the Kennedys: A moving family memoir of love, loss and strength
by Monica WoodWHEN WE WERE THE KENNEDYS is a brilliant, award-winning memoir about the death of a father and the healing of a family, by Monica Wood, the acclaimed author of THE ONE-IN-A-MILLION BOY. Perfect for those who loved Cathy Rentzenbrink's THE LAST ACT OF LOVE or Helen Macdonald's H IS FOR HAWK. 'It's a pleasure to linger with her elegant prose, keen eye and grace of thought' Reader's Digest 'Intimate but expansive ... A tender memoir of a very different time' O, the Oprah Magazine 1963. The Wood family is much like their neighbours, all dependent on the fathers' wages from the local mill. But when Dad suddenly dies on his way to work one April morning, Mum and the four deeply connected Wood daughters are set adrift.And then, come November - the family still overwhelmed by grief, the country shocked by the assassination of President Kennedy - Mum announces an unprecedented family road trip. Inspired by the televised grace of Jackie Kennedy, herself a new widow with young children, Mum and her girls head to Washington, DC, to do some rescuing of their own. WHEN WE WERE THE KENNEDYS is a funny, moving and imaginative memoir about how one family and one country, each shocked by the unimaginable, find the strength to move on.What readers are saying about WHEN WE WERE THE KENNEDYS: 'A beautifully written, thought-provoking book''Filled with great love - of family, friends and the ability to bounce back even with many setbacks. Wood's words are so beautiful they literally lift off the pages''Compelling, profound, beautiful'