- Table View
- List View
Survivor on the River Kwai: The Incredible Story of Life on the Burma Railway
by Reg TwiggSurvivor on the River Kwai is the heartbreaking story of Reg Twigg, one of the last men standing from a forgotten war. Called up in 1940, Reg expected to be fighting Germans. Instead, he found himself caught up in the worst military defeat in modern British history - the fall of Singapore to the Japanese.What followed were three years of hell, moving from one camp to another along the Kwai river, building the infamous Burma railway for the all-conquering Japanese Imperial Army. Some prisoners coped with the endless brutality of the code of Bushido by turning to God; others clung to whatever was left of the regimental structure. Reg made the deadly jungle, with its malaria, cholera, swollen rivers, lethal snakes and exhausting heat, work for him. With an ingenuity that is astonishing, he trapped and ate lizards, harvested pumpkins from the canteen rubbish heap and with his homemade razor became camp barber.That Reg survived is testimony to his own courage and determination, his will to beat the alien brutality of camp guards who had nothing but contempt for him and his fellow POWs. He was a risk taker whose survival strategies sometimes bordered on genius. Reg's story is unique.Reg Twigg was born at Wigston (Leicester) barracks on 16 December 1913. He was called up to the Leicestershire Regiment in 1940 but instead of fighting Hitler he was sent to the Far East, stationed at Singapore. When captured by the Japanese, he decided he would do everything to survive.After his repatriation from the Far East, Reg returned to Leicester. With his family he returned to Thailand in 2006, and revisited the sites of the POW camps. Reg died in 2013, at the age of ninety-nine, two weeks before the publication of this book.
Sushi at Home: The Beginner's Guide to Perfect, Simple Sushi
by Yuki GomiA beautifully designed cookbook that will show, for the first time, how easy it is to make sushi at home! Do you miss buying sushi for lunch, enjoying Japanese restaurants, but think sushi is too difficult to make at home? Well, think again! In Sushi at Home, Japanese chef and sushi teacher Yuki Gomi shows you just how easy - and inexpensive - making delicious and beautiful looking sushi can be. You'll learn: - Everything you need to know about how to buy and prepare fish, from salmon and scallops to tuna - The joys of cling film and why a hairdryer is essential for making the all-important perfect rice - Clever alternatives to traditional sushi styles (handball sushi; vegetarian sushi; soba sushi) - Fresh twists on classic recipes (miso soup with clams; prawn salad with tahini mustard dressing) This book is all you need to master the art of making light, delicious and healthy sushi in your own kitchen.
Swim, Bike, Run: Our Triathlon Story
by Alistair Brownlee Jonathan BrownleeSwim, Bike, Run is the ultimate triathlon book, from Olympic heroes the Brownlee brothersThe Olympic Triathlon, Hyde Park, LondonAugust 7th 2012'We jogged to our positions on the pontoon: two brothers, side by side, the world and everyone we ever cared about looking on. Eighteen years of training, culminating in this single race. Noise from the crowd impossible to imagine. Hearts thumping. Swim-hats pulled tight, goggles lowered. Into a crouch, poised for the hooter. Three. Two. One...'This is the story of how two skinny lads from west Yorkshire became the best triathletes in the world.Meet the Brownlees: Olympic Champion Alistair, World Champion Jonny. Brothers, training partners, rivals. They have obliterated the competition and set new standards for swimming, biking and running.But the Brownlee brothers have never forgotten their roots. They still do their schoolboy hill runs and Dales rides; still train harder and longer than anyone; still push each other to new heights.In this revealing, often very funny book they take us inside their world and inside their races. It's both a riveting story of brotherly rivalry and a rare insight into what it takes to be the best.Swim, Bike, Run is also packed with training secrets. Whether you are thinking about your first triathlon or are a seasoned competitor, here are unique sections on how to swim, bike and run, and advice on nutrition, injury, and mental approach. With the Brownlees in your corner, you will do more than you ever thought possible. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in swimming, cycling and running and will be loved by readers of Mark Cavendish's Boy Racer and Running with the Kenyans.Alistair Brownlee, 24, is a British triathlete from Yorkshire. He is the reigning Olympic champion, a back-to-back European champion and a two-time World champion. Jonathan Brownlee, 22, is also a British triathlete from Yorkshire. He is the reigning World Champion, a two-time World Sprint champion and an Olympic bronze medalist.'Sport has two new heroes: a couple of nice lads from Yorkshire 'The Times
Swimming Pool Summer
by The Estate of Rebecca FarnworthFrankie hasn’t had a proper relationship for years. But though she tells everyone this is how she wants it, secretly she’s in love with her best friend Patrick. Tor didn’t think she could have a baby, but now she is pregnant by her younger lover. Could this mean the end of a romance that has started to mean more to her than she expected?Leila seems to have it all – a happy marriage, a beautiful daughter and a successful career. But Leila is harbouring a secret that could destroy her marriage forever.On an idyllic Greek island, the three women try to keep their secrets hidden. But emotions are running high, and when an unexpected guest arrives, events start to spin out of control…
Sword of Rome: (Gaius Valerius Verrens 4): an enthralling, action-packed Roman adventure that will have you hooked to the very last page (Gaius Valerius Verrens #4)
by Douglas JacksonBestselling author Douglas Jackson expertly brings the Roman Empire to life in this brutal and bloody historical adventure. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow, Ben Kane and Conn Iggulden. Readers are loving Gaius Valerius Verrens! "Breakneck action, vivid characters, a fresh, believable perspective, and a fabulous plot with a stunning, unexpected end. Don't want to read it yet? Are you barking mad?" - 5 STARS"A page turner that makes you want more" - 5 STARS"I couldn't put the book down" - 5 STARS"A cracking read" - 5 STARS"Hugely enjoyable" - 5 STARS******************************************************************AMIDST THE CHAOS AND CARNAGE OF CIVIL WAR, WHERE DO A HERO'S LOYALTIES LIE? AD 68: The Emperor Nero's erratic and bloody reign is in its death throes when Gaius Valerius Verrens is dispatched to Rome on a mission that will bring it to a close. With Nero dead, the city and the Empire hold their breath, pray for peace and await the arrival of his successor, Servius Sulpicius Galba, governor of Hispania. But they pray in vain. Galba promises stability and prosperity, but his rule begins with a massacre and ends only months later in chaos and carnage. And so starts the Year of the Four Emperors: a time of civil war which will tear Rome apart and test Valerius's skills and loyalties to their very limit. Fortunate to survive Galba's fall, Valerius is sent on a mission by Rome's new Emperor, Otho, to persuade his old friend Vitellius to halt his armies, stop them marching in the north and therefore prevent inevitable confrontation and disruption. In an epic adventure that will take him the length and breadth of a divided land, the one-armed Roman fights to stay alive and stave off a bloodbath as he is stalked by the most implacable enemy he has ever faced.Gaius Valerius Verrens's adventures continue in Enemy of Rome.
Tales of Hoffmann
by E.T.A. HoffmannThis selection of Hoffmann's finest short stories vividly demonstrates his intense imagination and preoccupation with the supernatural, placing him at the forefront of both surrealism and the modern horror genre. Suspense dominates tales such as Mademoiselle de Scudery, in which an apprentice goldsmith and a female novelist find themselves caught up in a series of jewel thefts and murders. In the sinister Sandman, a young man's sanity is tormented by fears about a mysterious chemist, while in The Choosing of a Bride a greedy father preys on the weaknesses of his daughter's suitors. Master of the bizarre, Hoffman creates a sinister and unsettling world combining love and madness, black humour and bewildering illusion.
Talking Dirty
by Carole McKenzie‘Women should be obscene and not heard’ – John Lennon‘The only unnatural act is that which you cannot perform' – Alfred Kinsey‘Fat people are brilliant in bed: if I’m sitting on top of you, who’s going to argue?' – Jo Brand‘What most women want is not a man who ties you to the bed but one who unstacks the dishes while you watch The Great British Bake Off’ – Harriet HarmanThroughout the centuries, talk of sex has proved irresistible, producing wide-ranging responses, contradictory remarks, denouncements and appraisals; something seen as harmless by one is often condemned as damnable by another.Whatever your sexual preferences, Talking Dirty is a hugely entertaining treasury of wit on this endlessly entertaining and controversial topic.
Tapas Revolution: 120 Simple Classic Spanish Recipes
by Omar AllibhoyPrepare to fall in love with Spanish food! With stunning photography, easy-to-follow, step-by-step recipes and a real sense of love for the cuisine, this is the perfect book for anyone wanting to bring a little bit of Spain into the home. Your next 'go-to' cookbook!'This is real fast food for people who care about eating' -- Tom Parker Bowles'The Antonio Banderas of cooking' -- Gordon Ramsay'The ease with which it can be made at home is a revelation' -- Daily Mail Online'Delicious' -- The Sun'Lovely authentic Spanish recipes' -- ***** Reader review'Awesome recipes' -- ***** Reader review'Absolutely fantastic' -- ***** Reader review'If you want to venture into Spanish cooking, this is the book you should have at home' -- ***** Reader review'Fantastic book, engaging writing and recipes that actually work. Definitely recommend'-- ***** Reader review********************************************************************************************************Tapas Revolution is the breakthrough book on simple Spanish cookery. Using everyday store cupboard ingredients, Omar offers a new take on the classics like tortilla de patatas (Spanish tortilla), making this iconic dish easier than ever, and brings a twist to favourites like pinchos morunos (pork skewers) and pollo con salsa (chicken in tomato sauce).With sections covering vegetables, salads, rice dishes, meat, fish, cakes and desserts, the emphasis is on simplicity of ingredients and methods - reinforcing the fact that absolutely anyone can cook this versatile and accessible food.Omar Allibhoy - trained at El Bulli - is charismatic, effusive, passionate and wants to bring Spanish food to the people of the UK.TAPAS NOT PASTA!
A Taste for Intrigue: The Multiple Lives of François Mitterrand
by Philip ShortThe man who changed the course of modern FranceIn 1981, François Mitterrand became France's first popularly elected socialist president. By the time he completed his mandate, he had led the country for 14 years, longer than any other French head of state in modern times. Mitterrand mirrored France in all its imperfections and tragedies, its cowardice and glory, its weakness and its strength.In the wake of the Observatory affair (in which he orchestrated his own assassination attempt), his secretiveness and mistrust grew more pronounced, especially when details of a second family came to light; he was a mixture of "Machiavelli, Don Corleone, Casanova and the Little Prince," said his doctor.During the German occupation, Mitterrand hedged his bets by joining Petain's Vichy government. Later in 1943, under the nom de guerre of Morland (and 30 other aliases), Mitterrand quit Vichy for the Resistance and a paramilitary organization.He changed the ground rules of French social and political debate in ways more far-reaching and fundamental than any other modern leader before him, helping set the agenda for France and Europe for generations to come. Philip Short's A Taste for Intrigue will fill the gap and become the standard against which all other Mitterrand biographies are set.
Teacher, Teacher!
by Jack SheffieldIt's 1977 and Jack Sheffield is appointed headmaster of a small village primary school in North Yorkshire. So begins Jack's eventful journey through the school year and his attempts to overcome the many problems that face him as a young and inexperienced headmaster.The many colourful chapters include Ruby the 20 stone caretaker with an acute spelling problem, a secretary who worships Margaret Thatcher, a villager who grows giant carrots, a barmaid/parent who requests sex lessons, and a five-year-old boy whose language is colourful in the extreme. And then there's also beautiful, bright Beth Henderson, who is irresistibly attractive to the young headmaster...Warm, funny and nostalgic, Teacher, Teacher is a delightful read that is guaranteed to make you feel better, whatever kind of day you've had.
Tell Me (Pierce Reed/Nikki Gillette #3)
by Lisa JacksonWhen Savannah, Georgia&’s most hated woman is set free, one mother&’s long ago crime ignites a new killing spree in #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson&’s blockbuster Southern thriller featuring crime writer Nikki Gillette and Detective Pierce Reed. Now in paperback and perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Sandra Brown, and Lisa Gardner. The most hated woman in Savannah, Georgia, is about to be set free. Twenty years ago, Blondell O&’Henry was convicted of murdering her eldest daughter, Amity, and wounding her two other children. The prosecution argued that beautiful, selfish Blondell wanted to be rid of them to be with her lover. But Blondell&’s son has now recanted his testimony and demolished the case in the process . . . Reporter Nikki Gillette is determined to get the truth, and not just for professional reasons. Amity was Nikki&’s childhood friend. The night she died, Amity begged Nikki to meet with her, insisting she had a secret to tell, but Nikki didn&’t go. Wracked with guilt, as Nikki digs for answers, her fiancé, Detective Pierce Reed, worries for her safety. Everyone involved seems to have secrets. And somehow, the events of that tragic night connect to Nikki&’s own fractured family. But now the killing has begun again. Is Amity&’s murderer still at large, or is this a new, darker danger? Soon Nikki will discover what really happened twenty years ago, but the answers may come too late to save her life . . .
Telling Our Way to the Sea: A Voyage of Discovery in the Sea of Cortez
by Aaron HirshA luminous and revelatory journey into the science of life and the depths of the human experienceBy turns epic and intimate, Telling Our Way to the Sea is both a staggering revelation of unraveling ecosystems and a profound meditation on our changing relationships with nature—and with one another.When the biologists Aaron Hirsh and Veronica Volny, along with their friend Graham Burnett, a historian of science, lead twelve college students to a remote fishing village on the Sea of Cortez, they come upon a bay of dazzling beauty and richness. But as the group pursues various threads of investigation—ecological and evolutionary studies of the sea, the desert, and their various species of animals and plants; the stories of local villagers; the journals of conquistadors and explorers—they recognize that the bay, spectacular and pristine though it seems, is but a ghost of what it once was. Life in the Sea of Cortez, they realize, has been reshaped by complex human ideas and decisions—the laws and economics of fishing, property, and water; the dreams of developers and the fantasies of tourists seeking the wild; even efforts to retrieve species from the brink of extinction—all of which have caused dramatic upheavals in the ecosystem. It is a painful realization, but the students discover a way forward. After weathering a hurricane and encountering a rare whale in its wake, they come to see that the bay's best chance of recovery may in fact reside in our own human stories, which can weave a compelling memory of the place. Glimpsing the intricate and ever-shifting web of human connections with the Sea of Cortez, the students comprehend anew their own place in the natural world—suspended between past and future, teetering between abundance and loss. The redemption in their difficult realization is that as they find their places in a profoundly altered environment, they also recognize their roles in the path ahead, and ultimately come to see one another, and themselves, in a new light.In Telling Our Way to the Sea, Hirsh's voice resounds with compassionate humanity, capturing the complex beauty of both the marine world he explores and the people he explores it with. Vibrantly alive with sensitivity and nuance, Telling Our Way to the Sea transcends its genre to become literature.
Thank You for Your Service
by David FinkelNow a Major Motion Picture Directed by American Sniper Writer Jason Hall and Starring Miles Teller No journalist has reckoned with the psychology of war as intimately as David Finkel. In The Good Soldiers, his bestselling account from the front lines of Baghdad, Finkel embedded with the men of the 2-16 Infantry Battalion as they carried out the infamous “surge”. Now, in Thank You for Your Service, Finkel tells the true story of those men as they return home from the front-lines of Baghdad and struggle to reintegrate--both into their family lives and into American society at large. Finkel is with these veterans in their most intimate, painful, and hopeful moments as they try to recover, and in doing so, he creates an indelible, essential portrait of what life after war is like--not just for these soldiers, but for their wives, widows, children, and friends, and for the professionals who are truly trying, and to a great degree failing, to undo the damage that has been done. Thank You for Your Service is an act of understanding, and it offers a more complete picture than we have ever had of two essential questions: When we ask young men and women to go to war, what are we asking of them? And when they return, what are we thanking them for? “Finkel sketches a panoramic view of postwar life....A book that every American should read.” —Jake Tapper, Los Angeles Times Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the New York Public Library Helen Bernstein Award for Excellence in Journalism. One of Ten Favorite Books of 2013 by Michiko Kakutani (The New York Times), a Washington Post Top Ten Book of the Year, and a New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the Year
That's More Of It Now: The Second Book Of Irish Mammies
by Colm O'ReganColm O’Regan’s massive bestseller Isn’t It Well For Ye? The Book of Irish Mammies brought the wonderful world of the Irish Mammy to homes across Ireland, where it took pride of place alongside the good scissors and the bit of string that might come in handy someday. And now, before you can say “Is it that time already?”, Irish Mammy is back with more words of wisdom. That’s More Of It Now: The Second Book of Irish Mammies takes us even deeper into this parallel universe, with advice on everything from how to tell Mammy she is about to become a Granny to how to discipline a child (aged 0–45), touching on Irish Mammies’ role in the worlds of sport, the workplace, technology, religion and culture. Enjoy popular fairy-tales retold with an Irish Mammy at the centre of them; marvel at exclusive, not-yet-released scenes from the epic Game of Scones; and find some essential apps for the Modern Mammy’s tablet.Probably the most important sequel since The Godfather Part II, or at least Fifty Shades Darker, That’s More Of It Now will find a place in everybody’s heart (and stocking). Just don’t leave it on a damp step.
Theatre of the Gods
by M. SuddainThis is the story of M. Francisco Fabrigas, explorer, philosopher, heretical physicist, who took a shipful of children on a frightening voyage to the next dimension, assisted by a teenaged Captain, a brave deaf boy, a cunning blind girl, and a sultry botanist, all the while pursued by the Pope of the universe and a well-dressed mesmerist.Dark plots, demonic cults, murderous jungles, quantum mayhem, the birth of creation, the death of time, and a creature called the Sweety: all this and more waits beyond the veil of reality.
Thérèse Raquin
by Emile ZolaMysterious disappearances, domestic cases, noiseless, bloodless snuffings-out… the law can look as deep as it likes, but when the crime itself goes unsuspected… oh yes, there's many a murderer basking in the sun...When Thérèse Raquin is forced to marry the sickly Camille, she sees a bare life stretching out before her, leading every evening to the same cold bed and every morning to the same empty day. Escape comes in the form of her husband’s friend, Laurent, and Thérèse throws herself headlong into an affair. There seems only one obstacle to their happiness; Camille. They plot to be rid of him. But in destroying Camille they kill the very desire that connects them…First published in 1867, Thérèse Raquin has lost none of its power to enthral. Adam Thorpe’s unflinching translation brings Zola’s dark and shocking masterwork to life.A NEW TRANSLATION BY ADAM THORPE‘Adam Thorpe's version deserves to become the standard English text’ Daily Telegraph
Thick and Thin
by Sarah HarteThick and Thick is the follow-up to Sarah Harte's hit debut, The Better Half, and it is a gripping story of what happens between life-long friends when their world is hit by a bomshell. It's combines the compulsive 'what would you do' appeal of a Jodi Picoult novel with wonderfully sharp social observation and real heart.As students, Marianne Dillon and Clare McMahon become instant and unlikely friends. Marianne's generosity and Clare's steadfastness are the glue of a friendship that sees them through twenty-five years of love and loss, successes and disappointments, marriage and motherhood. The secret of their friendship, they believe, is that they are complete opposites.But when a life-altering crisis hits their relationship - a crisis that involves their husbands, children and indeed the lives they have created - the crack that was there all along tears them apart. Each must face catastrophe without the support of the best friend she would always turn to. Is it possible that a relationship that was so central to their lives was built on sand? And can they rescue something from the wreckage?Sarah Harte's debut, The Better Half, had critics raving about her ability to get under the skin of women who appear to have it all, but underneath are barely coping in their gilded cages. Thick and Thin is an even more thought-provoking and ambitious story set in the same shiny world.
This Girl
by Colleen HooverFrom the New York Times bestselling author of It Ends With Us, Colleen Hoover&’s bestselling Slammed series comes to its gripping conclusion. There are two sides to every love story. Now hear Will&’s. Layken and Will&’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances, and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can&’t resist his wife&’s pleas, and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from his point of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final instalment of the beloved Slammed series.
The Three Musketeers
by Alexandre DumasAll for one, and one for all!The young D'Artagnan and the legendary musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis are 'the inseparables' - ready to sacrifice everything in a duel or game of dice in order to defend their honour or that of the King and Queen of France. Handsome and hot-tempered, they dive into raging battles or back-street conspiracies with gusto, especially if by their daring deeds they can thwart the wicked devices of their arch-enemy, Cardinal Richelieu, and his mysterious accomplice, Milady de Winter.'Pure swashbuckling pleasure' Daily TelegraphTRANSLATED BY WILL HOBSONVINTAGE FRENCH CLASSICS - six masterpieces of French fiction in gorgeous new gift editions.
The Three Musketeers
by Alexandre DumasThe young Gascon d'Artagnan and the legendary musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis are ready to sacrifice everything for love, glory and the common good. The wicked machinations of Cardinal Richelieu and his accomplice, the magnetic Milady de Winter, propel the devoted friends across seas and battlefields from masked balls to a remote convent, in order to defend the honour of the Queen and the life of Constance Bonacieux, d'Artagnan's true love.Dashing, knockabout, romantic, violent, chilling and tragic, this buoyant new translation of The Three Musketeers brings Dumas' masterpiece to joyful life.
Three Souls: A Novel
by Janie ChangAn absorbing novel of romance and revolution, loyalty and family, sacrifice and undying loveWe have three souls, or so I'd been told. But only in death could I confirm this....So begins the haunting and captivating tale, set in 1935 China, of the ghost of a young woman named Leiyin, who watches her own funeral from above and wonders why she is being denied entry to the afterlife. Beside her are three souls—stern and scholarly yang; impulsive, romantic yin; and wise, shining hun—who will guide her toward understanding. She must, they tell her, make amends.As Leiyin delves back in time with the three souls to review her life, she sees the spoiled and privileged teenager she once was, a girl who is concerned with her own desires while China is fractured by civil war and social upheaval. At a party, she meets Hanchin, a captivating left-wing poet and translator, and instantly falls in love with him.When Leiyin defies her father to pursue Hanchin, she learns the harsh truth—that she is powerless over her fate. Her punishment for disobedience leads to exile, an unwanted marriage, a pregnancy, and, ultimately, her death. And when she discovers what she must do to be released from limbo into the afterlife, Leiyin realizes that the time for making amends is shorter than she thought.Suffused with history and literature, Three Souls is an epic tale of revenge and betrayal, forbidden love, and the price we are willing to pay for freedom.
Thrill Seeker
by Kristina Lloyd‘I’d never set out to snag Mr Right but I’d veered so far off that track I was now at the mercy of Mr Dangerously Wrong...’Betrayed by her lover, Natalie Lovell finds herself exploring the world of internet dating. Then she meets a dark sexy stranger online who promises all the danger, excitement and dominance she craves. But how far will Natalie go to get the ultimate in thrills...?A sexy and controversial erotic thriller – Fifty Shades Darker than E L James and Sylvia Day.Includes a bonus short story: ‘Forbidden’ by S. M. Taylor – the winning entry of the Black Lace/You Magazineshort story competition
To Seek A Master: Black Lace Classics
by Monica BelleWork hard, play harder. . .Eclipsed by the high-powered businesspeople that surround her, shy Laura Irving spends her time absorbed in her own workplace-fantasies.So when the masterful and arrogant man known as ‘The Devil’ begins to show interest she is both terrified and thrilled. And there is nothing she wants more than to call him ‘Master’.A classic Black Lace tale of a love-hate affair and an explosive relationship.
Tommy Doc: The Controversial and Colourful Life of One of Football's Most Dominant Personalities
by David TossellTommy ‘The Doc’ Docherty was a combative Scotland international wing-half who became a brilliant but erratic manager. His 1960s Chelsea team was a glorious reflection of his colourful personality, and a decade later he reinvented his relegated Manchester United side as a vibrant attacking force.He was also, however, a hostage to his own decision-making, costing Chelsea a shot at the First Division title when he banned eight players for breaking their curfew. Most famously, he was fired by United after FA Cup glory because he’d fallen in love with the physiotherapist’s wife. He was a much-travelled manager, and ‘I’ve had more clubs than Jack Nicklaus’ was among the well-worn one-liners that created the image of ‘The Doc’ as football’s stand-up comedian. But in Tommy Doc, David Tossell looks beyond the wisecracks, interviewing Docherty himself, as well as former players and colleagues, to examine a remarkable career and reveal the personal heartaches behind the laughter.
Too Many Tears
by Fiona DoyleAs heard on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour'Ireland and its people know that Fiona Doyle is a trailblazer' Sunday Independent'A wrenching read ... Doyle resists giving her story a Hollywood gloss' Irish Independent'[A] hopeful, horrific read' Ray D'Arcy, Today FM'A testament to her resolve and courage. A remarkable story by a remarkable woman' Irish Times'Always inspirational' National Women's Council of Ireland @NWCI'Fiona Doyle is a hero' Roisin Ingle @roisiningle'Well worth reading' Colette Fitzpatrick, MidWeek, TV3Too Many Tears is the moving and inspiring story of how Fiona Doyle came through the agony and humiliation of being sexually abused by her father, how she foudn the strength to seek justice, and how she coped when, at the final hurdle, it appeared that he was about to escape prison.For as long as she can remember, and well into her teens, Fiona's father raped and abused her. Her mother blamed Fiona for leading him on. The effects on her life were catastrophic.Fiona first reported her father, Patrick O'Brien, to the authorities in the early nineties but the police investigation went nowhere. She made a second complaint in 2010 and this time, it appeared, O'Brien would face the consequences of his crimes . He, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting his daughter and Fiona assumed the next time she came to court, he would be going to jail.Instead, shockingly, having suspended nine years of a twelve-year sentence, the judge released O'Brien on bail. Three days later, following a national outcry and questions in parliament, the presiding judge expressed his 'profound regret' to Fiona Doyle and sent O'Brien to jail.Too Many Tears is Fiona Doyle's story of abuse and its aftermath - the turmoil and isolation she experienced as a child and young girl, the devastating price she continued to pay in her adult life, and how finally she had the courage and tenacity to take on her father - and the authorities - to make him face up to what he had done. It is a startling and inspiring story of survival and hope against the odds.