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The MVP Machine: How Baseball's New Nonconformists Are Using Data to Build Better Players
by Ben Lindbergh Travis SawchikMove over, Moneyball -- a cutting-edge look at major league baseball's next revolution: the high-tech quest to build better players. As bestselling authors Ben Lindbergh and Travis Sawchik reveal in The MVP Machine, the Moneyball era is over. Fifteen years after Michael Lewis brought the Oakland Athletics' groundbreaking team-building strategies to light, every front office takes a data-driven approach to evaluating players, and the league's smarter teams no longer have a huge advantage in valuing past performance.Lindbergh and Sawchik's behind-the-scenes reporting reveals:How the 2017 Astros and 2018 Red Sox used cutting-edge technology to win the World SeriesHow undersized afterthoughts José Altuve and Mookie Betts became big sluggers and MVPsHow polarizing pitcher Trevor Bauer made himself a Cy Young contenderHow new analytical tools have overturned traditional pitching and hitting techniquesHow a wave of young talent is making MLB both better than ever and arguably worse to watchInstead of out-drafting, out-signing, and out-trading their rivals, baseball's best minds have turned to out-developing opponents, gaining greater edges than ever by perfecting prospects and eking extra runs out of older athletes who were once written off. Lindbergh and Sawchik take us inside the transformation of former fringe hitters into home-run kings, show how washed-up pitchers have emerged as aces, and document how coaching and scouting are being turned upside down. The MVP Machine charts the future of a sport and offers a lesson that goes beyond baseball: Success stems not from focusing on finished products, but from making the most of untapped potential.
MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend
by Rachel BertscheWhen Rachel Bertsche first moves to Chicago, she's thrilled to finally share a zip code, let alone an apartment, with her boyfriend. But shortly after getting married, Bertsche realizes that her new life is missing one thing: friends. Sure, she has plenty of BFFs--in New York and San Francisco and Boston and Washington, D.C. Still, in her adopted hometown, there's no one to call at the last minute for girl talk over brunch or a reality-TV marathon over a bottle of wine. Taking matters into her own hands, Bertsche develops a plan: She'll go on fifty-two friend-dates, one per week for a year, in hopes of meeting her new Best Friend Forever.In her thought-provoking, uproarious memoir, Bertsche blends the story of her girl-dates (whom she meets everywhere from improv class to friend rental websites) with the latest social research to examine how difficult--and hilariously awkward--it is to make new friends as an adult. In a time when women will happily announce they need a man but are embarrassed to admit they need a BFF, Bertsche uncovers the reality that no matter how great your love life is, you've gotta have friends.From the Trade Paperback edition.
My 16-Hour Workday
by Rochelle GroskreutzSmith Wilkinson was an actual 10-year-old factory worker when he started his first job at a Rhode Island cotton mill more than 200 years ago. It was common for children to work in factories during the Industrial Revolution. This is what Smith might have said about his life.
My 1980s & Other Essays
by Wayne KoestenbaumWayne Koestenbaum returns with a zesty and hyper-literate collection of personal and critical essays on the 1980s, including essays on major cultural figures such as Andy Warhol and Brigitte Bardot.Wayne Koestenbaum has been described as "an impossible lovechild from a late-night, drunken three-way between Joan Didion, Roland Barthes, and Susan Sontag" (Bidoun). In My 1980s and Other Essays, a collection of extravagant range and style, he rises to the challenge of that improbable description.My 1980s and Other Essays opens with a series of manifestos—or, perhaps more appropriately, a series of impassioned disclosures, intellectual and personal. It then proceeds to wrestle with a series of major cultural figures, the author's own lodestars and lodestones: literary (John Ashbery, Roberto Bolaño, James Schuyler), artistic (Diane Arbus, Cindy Sherman, Andy Warhol), and simply iconic (Brigitte Bardot, Cary Grant, Lana Turner). And then there is the personal—the voice, the style, the flair—that is unquestionably Koestenbaum. It amounts to a kind of intellectual autobiography that culminates in a string of passionate calls to creativity; arguments in favor of detail and nuance, and attention; a defense of pleasure, hunger, and desire in culture and experience.Koestenbaum is perched on the cusp of being a true public intellectual—his venues are more mainstream than academic, his style is eye-catching, his prose unfailingly witty and passionate, his interests profoundly wide-ranging and popular. My 1980s should be the book that pushes Koestenbaum off that cusp and truly into the public eye.
My 21 Years in the White House
by Alonzo FieldsMy 21 Years in the White House, first published in 1960, is the fascinating account by Alonzo Fields of his service as head butler under 4 presidents: Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, and Eisenhower. Fields (1900-1994) began his employment at the White House in 1931, and kept a journal of his meetings with the presidents and their families; he would also meet important people like Winston Churchill, Princess Elizabeth of England, Thomas Edison, John D. Rockefeller, presidential cabinet members, senators, representatives, and Supreme Court Justices. He would also witness presidential decision-making at critical times in American history -- the attack on Pearl Harbor, the death of Franklin Roosevelt, the desegregation of the military, and the outbreak of hostilities in Korea. As Fields often told his staff, “...remember that we are helping to make history. We have a small part ... but they can't do much here without us. They've got to eat, you know.” Included are sample menus prepared for visiting heads-of-state and foreign dignitaries.
My 2nd Chapter: The Matthew Ward Story
by Darlene ZschedhHow one family's tragedy ultimately revolutionized contemporary Christian music. Known for such classics as "Easter Song," the Second Chapter of Acts was one of the major music groups in the forefront of the Jesus movement. But what happened, in the wake of personal tragedy, to bring together a brother and his two sisters to sing so boldly for their Lord? And what was life really like for a major contemporary Christian band in those early days? In My Second Chapter, Matthew Ward tells his part of the storyfull of intriguing and humorous behind-the-scenes anecdotes and observations: growing up in a large family...orphaned at age twelve...finding the Lord in the California Jesus movement... becoming a music star...traveling the world...battling cancer...raising his own family ... and much more all revealing God's faithfulness in every circumstance. Join Matthew on his amazing personal journey from tragedy to dynamic faith that helped set contemporary Christian music on fire. And discover how God chooses whom he will to accomplish great and mighty acts.From the Trade Paperback edition.
MY .75 —Reminiscences Of A Gunner Of A .75 Mm. Battery In 1914
by Anon. Paul LintierThe renowned military correspondent of the Times Cyril Falls awarded this memoir two of his coveted stars (of three stars possible) and described it as follows:"** - Paul Lintier, a young field artilleryman doing his service when war broke out, kept a journal until the 22nd September when he was wounded, which is among the finest documents of its kind ever published. He is one of the few writers whose powers of description and of self-analysis are equally great. His battery was in the French IV Corps, and took part in the disastrous action of Virton. The details of the defeat, the pictures of the shaken infantry and of the roads blocked by fleeing country people, are wonderfully good. But defeat was not to be his sole experience. The exhausted battery was suddenly entrained with its division and moved through Paris to the left flank, where it formed part of General Maunoury's Army, and on the 9th September for the first time "got its own back" firing over open sights upon the enemy in mass. Then came the wild joy when it was discovered that the enemy had broken off the action. The advance to the Aisne followed. Just before Lintier was wounded there was another desperate action, in the course of which the battery was firing at a range of 800 metres. On returning to the front Lintier kept another journal, which was found on his body when he fell in action."--Cyril Falls, War Books, London 1930.
My 90 Year Journey
by Margaret MuirheadThis is the story of how a shy, un-noticed girl transformed herself into a strong and seemingly ageless woman; an inspiration to everyone she meets. Margaret Muirhead’s memoir lets you share her journey through different times and places, from early twentieth century Adelaide to pre-independence Papua New Guinea; from Canberra in the time of Whitlam to Darwin in the time of Tracy; from motherhood to management; from dirty nappies to dinner with the Queen. Join her as she re-traces her steps through the winding paths of a rich and fascinating life!
My A-Z of Cricket: A personal celebration of our glorious game
by Henry BlofeldLegendary cricket broadcaster Henry Blofeld takes the reader on a journey from A-Z through the world of cricket. In his trademark charming style, Blowers goes through the alphabet, explaining some of the puzzling cricket terminology and regaling his favourite anecdotes from his fifty years in the sport. This gift book is perfect for fans of cricket who want to understand the sport from Henry's unique point of view - this is a humorous and entertaining jaunt through the cricket landscape.
My A-Z of Cricket: A personal celebration of our glorious game
by Henry BlofeldLegendary cricket broadcaster Henry Blofeld takes the reader on a journey from A-Z through the world of cricket. In his trademark charming style, Blowers goes through the alphabet, explaining some of the puzzling cricket terminology and regaling his favourite anecdotes from his fifty years in the sport. This gift book is perfect for fans of cricket who want to understand the sport from Henry's unique point of view - this is a humorous and entertaining jaunt through the cricket landscape.
My A-Z of Cricket: A personal celebration of our glorious game
by Henry BlofeldLegendary cricket broadcaster Henry Blofeld takes the reader on a journey from A-Z through the world of cricket. In his trademark charming style, Blowers goes through the alphabet, explaining some of the puzzling cricket terminology and regaling his favourite anecdotes from his fifty years in the sport, covering the most important moments in the sport's history as well as the most entertaining and amusing. The book will also contain a glossary for those who want to make sure they know their googlys from their bouncers. This gift book is perfect for fans of cricket who want to understand the sport from Henry's unique point of view, it is a humorous and entertaining jaunt through the cricket landscape.(P) 2019 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
My Account: The official autobiography
by Coleen RooneyYou may think you know everything about the seemingly dazzling life of Coleen Rooney.From growing up in Liverpool, where she met her childhood sweetheart Wayne, her career as a successful columnist to raising a family, every detail of her life has been widely reported on. Now in her own words, Coleen reveals the reality of living under such intense public scrutiny and how it has affected her life as a wife, mother and friend.Most notably she reveals her deepest thoughts and feelings about an infamous tale of friendship and betrayal played out on the national stage.
My Ackee Tree: A Chef's Memoir of Finding Home in the Kitchen
by Suzanne BarrFor fans of The Measure of My Powers and Notes from a Young Black Chef, a memoir about food, family, and the recipes that brought one woman home when she needed it the most. Suzanne Barr&’s journey to become a chef started when she was 30. Her mother was diagnosed with cancer and she moved home to Florida to take care of her. Suzanne escorted her mother to doctor&’s appointments, bathed her, and kept her company, but the hardest part of the experience was that she didn&’t know how to cook for her. She didn&’t even know where to begin. Fast-forward to the summer of 2017 when Suzanne became the inaugural Chef-in-Residence at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. She wanted to create a menu that represented who she was as a chef and it emerged as a love letter to her mother. Her Rite of Passage Menu, as she called it, changed her. It started her on a journey that has brought her closer to her mother, to her ancestors, and to her Jamaican heritage. But a lot has happened before and since. My Ackee Tree tells the story of a woman who is always on the move, always seeking; who battles the stereotypes of being a Black female cook to become a culinary star in an industry beset by dated practices and landlords with too much power. From the ackee tree in front of her childhood home, through New York City, Atlanta, Hawaii, the Hamptons, and France, Suzanne takes us on her unpredictable journey, and at every turn, she finds light and comfort in the kitchen. Told in a voice as fresh and honest as her cooking, My Ackee Tree is a celebration of creativity, soul searching, and motherhood that asks, &“How can I keep the things I love?&”
My Adventures with God: A Personal Pentateuch
by Stephen TobolowskyFrom legendary character actor Stephen Tobolowsky—who currently appears on The Goldbergs, HBO’s Silicon Valley, and Norman Lear’s new One Day at a Time, author of The Dangerous Animals Club and The Tobolowsky Files podcast—My Adventures with God is a funny, introspective collection about love, catastrophe, and triumph, all told through the lens of his evolving relationship with the mystery that is “God.”As Tobolowsky explains, “It’s hard to believe in nothing. Even cats believe in suppertime. As much as we love certainty, we are often shaped by the invisible, the unexplainable—something we call faith. We are inclined to acknowledge the holy. Even if it is only a paper heart we find in an old suitcase.” My Adventures with God is a series of short stories exploring the idea that most people’s lives seem to fit into the template of the Old Testament. We all have powerful creation myths: tales of our childhood and family, our first battles won and lost. It is our Genesis. Then, like in the Book of Exodus, we go into slavery. Rather than building pyramids, we lose ourselves in fear and ambition—in first loves, first jobs, too many dreams mixed with too much beer. We eventually become free, only to wander in the wilderness. At some point we stop and proclaim to the universe who we are. This is our Leviticus moment. We reconcile what we thought we would be with what we have become. We often attempt a mid-course correction. Then, as in the Book of Numbers, we are shaped by mortality as we bear the loss of family and friends. Finally, we retell our stories to our children hoping to make sense of the journey, as Moses did in Deuteronomy. Tobolowsky’s stories tell of a boy growing up in the wilds of Texas, finding and losing love, losing and finding himself—all told through the prism of the Torah and Talmud, mixed with insights from science, and refined through a child’s sense of wonder. My Adventures with God not only shines a light into the life of one of America’s most beloved actors, but also provides a structure to evaluate our own lives and relationship with God.
My Adventures With Your Money
by George Graham RiceAn Autobigraphical look at the great American Swindler, George Graham Rice.
My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind
by Scott StosselA riveting, revelatory, and moving account of the author's struggles with anxiety, and of the history of efforts by scientists, philosophers, and writers to understand the condition <P><P>As recently as thirty-five years ago, anxiety did not exist as a diagnostic category. Today, it is the most common form of officially classified mental illness. Scott Stossel gracefully guides us across the terrain of an affliction that is pervasive yet too often misunderstood. Drawing on his own long-standing battle with anxiety, Stossel presents an astonishing history, at once intimate and authoritative, of the efforts to understand the condition from medical, cultural, philosophical, and experiential perspectives. <P><P>He ranges from the earliest medical reports of Galen and Hippocrates, through later observations by Robert Burton and Søren Kierkegaard, to the investigations by great nineteenth-century scientists, such as Charles Darwin, William James, and Sigmund Freud, as they began to explore its sources and causes, to the latest research by neuroscientists and geneticists. <P><P>Stossel reports on famous individuals who struggled with anxiety, as well as on the afflicted generations of his own family. His portrait of anxiety reveals not only the emotion's myriad manifestations and the anguish anxiety produces but also the countless psychotherapies, medications, and other (often outlandish) treatments that have been developed to counteract it. <P><P> Stossel vividly depicts anxiety's human toll--its crippling impact, its devastating power to paralyze--while at the same time exploring how those who suffer from it find ways to manage and control it. My Age of Anxiety is learned and empathetic, humorous and inspirational, offering the reader great insight into the biological, cultural, and environmental factors that contribute to the affliction.
My Almost Certainly Real Imaginary Jesus
by Kelly BarthKelly Barth, like many American kids, went to Sunday school, sang songs about Zaccheas, and was tucked in with bedtime prayers. A typical Christian kid, that is, until she developed a searingly deep crush on another little girl playing afterhours in church, and more importantly, until Jesus--a tiny, imaginary Jesus, one that stays "safely tucked behind the baseboard or the petals of a peony"--became her invisible friend and constant companion. Heartbreakingly honest and hilarious, My Almost Certainly Real Imaginary Jesus shows just how easy it can be to fall headlong into fundamentalism, venturing into the very heart of enemy territory and the church's false promises of altar calls and sexual cures. In the spirit of Anne Lamott's Traveling Mercies, this debut memoir is plainspoken, speaking with candor and insight. Barth particularly addresses the disconnect between the radical and very human Jesus of history and the church's supernatural savior. She asks the question to all in the closet--both closet Christians and closet homosexuals: Which is more difficult, admitting to being Christian or admitting to being gay? An answer is found in her own hard-won journey, a hopeful answer that is an "attempt to leave a record of the early signs of the turning and softening of a collective heart. " Giving voice to many who have searched for sanctuary in a church that has largely rejected them, this story pauses at the threshold of one of a growing number of churches which, in opening the door to her and other homosexuals, welcome Jesus back inside as well.
My Alphabet: A Life from A to Z
by Nick HewerFrom Nick Hewer, the star of Countdown and The Apprentice, comes a superb new memoir, taking the reader on a brilliant, amusing and evocative journey from A to Z of his life. As one of Lord Sugar's closest advisers, Nick Hewer came late to wider public attention when he was recruited to work with him on The Apprentice, joining from the first series that aired in 2005 and staying with the show for ten seasons. He quickly developed a reputation for his wry sense of humour, while his astute insights into the foibles and failings of the apprentices won him a cult following. Now, in Hewer's first book, he takes us through his life from A for Apprentice (of course) to Z for Zed list. Along the way, he discusses Determination and how to get it, offers insights from growing Old, reveals his greatest Regrets, talks about Tottenham and much else besides. There are chapters on Frights, Nicotine, the Queen and even one on Underwear! Equally at home on Question Time or Have I Got News For You, in the boardroom or chatting to a Mongolian policeman, Hewer shows himself to be a natural writer, too.
My America
by Hugh Downs"Some of these essays are powerful and poetic. Some seem to reflect a stunned condition on the part of the contributor. But all of them share a newborn or reawakened feeling about the country we live in -- an underlying concern for it, whether that concern is rooted in anger and fear, or in a sensed and urgent need for action, or internal correction, or wagon-circling. Some are personal narratives that explain and justify the patriotism of the writer. Some examine and praise the values that make the country great." -- Hugh Downs, from the Introduction What is the essence of America? In this fascinating new collection inspired by one of our most trusted and beloved commentators, 150 diverse Americans -- from top politicians and entertainers to firefighters and teachers -- express in their own words what America means to them. My America includes candid insights from television journalists such as Mike Wallace and Barbara Walters; politicians including former president George Bush and John Glenn; writers such as Walter Anderson and Anita Diamant; and entertainers, among them Dave Brubeck and Patricia Neal; as well as lesser-known citizens from all over the country. These frank and thought-provoking observations from Americans of every age, race, religion, and social position compellingly illustrate the American mosaic and offer a glimpse into the subconscious mind of this unique and wonderful nation. This touching volume, celebrating the similarities and the differences of a people, reflects our core values and is sure to inspire pride in America. Edited and with an introduction and an epilogue by Hugh Downs -- who coanchored ABC's 20/20, hosted NBC's Today show, and has been an important American voice for more than half a century -- My America explores the values, ideals, and dreams that all Americans share. At a time when people are reassessing their patriotism and rediscovering their national allegiance, emotions regarding the United States are stronger and more poignant than they have been in years, and this sentiment has been captured in these pages. My America is a timely collection for anyone who wants to reflect on America's past, or celebrate its future.
My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food
by Lidia Matticchio BastianichFrom the best-selling cookbook author, beloved and award-winning television personality, and hugely successful restaurateur--a heartwarming, emotional, revelatory memoir told with all her hallmark warmth and gusto.Lidia's story begins with her upbringing in Pula, a formerly Italian city turned Yugoslavian under Tito's communist regime. She enjoys a childhood surrounded by love and security--despite the family's poverty--learning everything about Italian cooking from her beloved grandmother, Nonna Rosa. When the communist regime begins investigating the family, they flee to Trieste, Italy, where they spend two years in a refugee camp waiting for visas to enter the United States--an experience that will shape Lidia for the rest of her life. At age 12, Lidia starts a new life in New York. She soon begins working in restaurants as a young teenager, the first step toward the creation of her own American dream. And she tells in great, vivid detail the fulfillment of that dream: her close-knit family, her dedication and endless passion for food that ultimately leads to multiple restaurants, many cookbooks, and twenty years on public television as the host of her own cooking show. An absolute must-have for the millions of Lidia fans.
My American Journey: An Autobiography
by Colin L. Powell Joseph E. Persico"A GREAT AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY ... AN ENDEARING AND WELL-WRITTEN BOOK." --The New York Times Book Review. Colin Powell is the embodiment of the American dream. He was born in Harlem to immigrant parents from Jamaica. He knew the rough life of the streets. He overcame a barely average start at school. Then he joined the Army. The rest is history--Vietnam, the Pentagon, Panama, Desert Storm--but a history that until now has been known only on the surface. Here, for the first time, Colin Powell himself tells us how it happened, in a memoir distinguished by a heartfelt love of country and family, warm good humor, and a soldier's directness. MY AMERICAN JOURNEY is the powerful story of a life well lived and well told. It is also a view from the mountaintop of the political landscape of America. At a time when Americans feel disenchanted with their leaders, General Powell's passionate views on family, personal responsibility, and, in his own words, "the greatness of America and the opportunities it offers" inspire hope and present a blueprint for the future. An utterly absorbing account, it is history with a vision. "The stirring, only-in-America story of one determined man's journey from the South Bronx to directing the mightiest of military forces ... Fascinating."--The Washington Post Book World.
My American Life
by Congresswoman Lauren BoebertHow Lauren Boebert, the gun-toting Congresswoman from Rifle, Colorado, joined the fight to make sure we never live in a socialist country.Lauren Boebert is the Republican, gun-toting Congresswoman from Rifle, Colorado who overcame difficult life circumstances to be a leading voice for personal freedom and our 2nd Amendment rights. Raised on welfare in a Democrat household, young Lauren learned from her first job at McDonald&’s that she could provide for herself better than the government ever could. She gained national attention after wearing a Glock on her hip and telling Democrat presidential candidate Beto O&’Rourke, &“Hell no, you aren&’t taking our guns.&” A self-taught conservative and small business owner, Lauren Boebert&’s My American Life describes in vivid detail why Lauren dropped out of high school, the success of Shooters Grill (where her restaurant staff open-carries live firearms), and how she came to be a United States Congresswoman making sure her four boys never grow up in a socialist country. Lauren Boebert is a true believer in the opportunity of an America based on the beliefs in God, family, and country, where a one-hundred-pound, five-foot-nothing mom who had never been elected to public office suddenly had the opportunity, in Congress, to stand up for our core conservative beliefs and call Nancy Pelosi, AOC, and the rest of the crazy liberals out on all their bullcrap.
My American Life: From Rage to Entitlement
by Price M. CobbsPrice M. Cobbs, M.D., coauthor, with William H. Grier, of Black Rage-- one of the twentieth century's most profound examinations of black life in America -- has been a witness to some of the most important events in American history. Now, thirty years later, for the first time he reconsiders his extraordinary life and career, offering a moving account of his journey -- as one of the nation's foremost authorities in the field of psychiatry -- from rage to entitlement. An African American pioneer in the field of psychiatry, Dr. Cobbs in his lifetime has grown up during the Great Depression, felt the dramatic effects of World War II, and witnessed the dismantling of Jim Crow laws and the impact of Brown vs. Board of Education. He watched the rise of Martin Luther King Jr. and the heroism of Rosa Parks in the civil rights movement. He followed the life of Malcolm X and "searched avidly for what animated the ideas beneath his fiery rhetoric." Every experience of his early life and education led to an auspicious partnership with a colleague, William H. Grier, who shared his convictions and the work involved in producing what the New York Times would call "one of the most important books on [blacks]." Written at the height of the black power movement, Black Rage has sold over one million copies and remains a relevant study of race relations. Dr. Cobbs has lived through decades of profound social, political, and cultural transformation in America. A second-generation doctor, Cobbs has at once written a classic portrait of an amazing family and the making of a healer and community and business leader. As a psychiatrist, he has pioneered methods for studying the psychology of race and gender. So, while My American Life is a heartfelt memoir of a loving father and husband, it is also a chronicle of the black experience in America.
My Amy: The Life We Shared
by Tyler JamesA moving, intimate look at the life of Amy Winehouse by her best friend. The death of icon Amy Winehouse at age just twenty-seven rocked the music world. Through the headlines the world thought they watched a car crash: a girl hell-bent on self-destruction. But the truth is far more complicated. Now, her best friend and constant companion Tyler James wants to tell the real story, because she can't. From their first encounter singing together at stage school, through to their wayward teenage years and Amy's dramatic rise to stardom, Tyler was with her through it all. Living with her right up until her death, he was the only one there by her side, day-after-day. He supported her through her career highs—the massive success of Back to Black and her five Grammy wins—and personal lows—her lifelong struggles with addiction, insecurity, and eating disorders. Written with love, My Amy is a heartbreaking look at friendship and fame and provides an illuminating portrait of the woman behind the music—a unique, uncompromising force-of-nature.This is the definitive story of what really happened to Amy Winehouse.
My Animals and Other Family
by Clare BaldingMy Animals and Other Family by Clare Balding is a funny, brave, tender story of self-discovery'I had spent most of my childhood thinking I was a dog, and suspect I had aged in dog years. 'Clare Balding grew up in a rather unusual household. Her father a champion trainer, she shared her life with more than 100 thoroughbred racehorses, mares, foals and ponies, as well as an ever-present pack of boxers and lurchers. As a toddler she would happily ride the legendary Mill Reef and take breakfast with the Queen. She and her younger brother came very low down the pecking order. Left to their own devices, they had to learn life's toughest lessons through the animals, and through their adventures in the stables and the idyllic Hampshire Downs. From the protective Candy to the pot-bellied Valkyrie and the frisky Hattie, each horse and each dog had their own character and their own special part to play. The running family joke was that "women ain't people". Clare had to prove them wrong, to make her voice heard - but first she had to make sure she had something to say. 'Moving, funny and larger than life' Michael Morpurgo'Magical, enchanting, riotously eccentric' Daily Mail'Funny and unexpectedly wise. Balding has lots of good stories to tell. It is impossible not to admire her honesty Mail on Sunday'The reading equivalent of snuggling by the fire with a labrador' The GuardianClare Balding is an award-winning broadcaster and writer. She has been a lead presenter for the Olympics, Paralympics, Winter Olympics and Commonwealth Games. For more than twelve years, she has hiked across the countryside for the BBC Radio 4 series Ramblings. Clare has presented Countryfile, Britain's Hidden Heritage, Britain By Bike, Crufts, and Famous & Fearless, and has appeared on QI, Have I Got News for You and Sport Relief. She has been voted RTS Sports Presenter of the Year and Racing Broadcaster of the Year. She lives in West London with her partner Alice, their wayward Tibetan Terrier Archie and a cat who couldn't give a damn called Itty. My Animals and Other Family is Clare's first book.