- Table View
- List View
Bad Data: How Governments, Politicians and the Rest of Us Get Misled by Numbers
by Georgina Sturge'Essential reading ... An incisive and urgently needed book' Tim Harford'[An] entertaining introduction to the uses (and misuses) of data ... a penetrating analysis of why statistical literacy matters to our politics and our daily lives' Professor Jonathan Portes Our politicians make vital decisions and declarations every day that rely on official data. But should all statistics be trusted?In BAD DATA, House of Commons Library statistician Georgina Sturge draws back the curtain on how governments of the past and present have been led astray by figures littered with inconsistency, guesswork and uncertainty.Discover how a Hungarian businessman's bright idea caused half a million people to go missing from UK migration statistics. Find out why it's possible for two politicians to disagree over whether poverty has gone up or down, using the same official numbers, and for both to be right at the same time. And hear about how policies like ID cards, super-casinos and stopping ex-convicts from reoffending failed to live up to their promise because they were based on shaky data.With stories that range from the troubling to the empowering to the downright absurd, BAD DATA reveals secrets from the usually closed-off world of policy-making. It also suggests how - once we understand the human story behind the numbers - we can make more informed choices about who to trust, and when.
Chasing Shadows: A true story of drugs, war and the secret world of international crime
by Miles Johnson'As breathless, complex and on-the-edge suspenseful as the finest thriller fiction - but it's all real, which makes it truly extraordinary' Lee Child'McMafia for the new age' Catherine Belton, author of Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then took on the West'Compelling, visceral and highly readable' Oliver Bullough, bestselling author of Moneyland'This astonishing and cinematic rollercoaster of a debut will bring Miles Johnson's talent into the brilliant light. Delivered with trademark verve and precision, it achieves that rare and precious thing that is the goal of all great reporting: it reveals the world to itself' Alex Perry, author of The Good Mothers'Miles has used his extensive Italian contacts to get a fully-fleshed out story in the Mafia section; likewise with the Hezbollah characters. He has interviewed over 100 people for the book, including many hours with Jack Kelly, the DEA investigator and hero of the book, which gives us an intimate look at a man dedicated to catching bad guys at the expense of his personal life' Dan McCrum, author of Money MenA compulsive true crime thriller about modern-day international drugs trafficking, terrorism and geopolitical intrigue following an investigation driven by one DEA agent, Jack Kelly. Three very different men battle to control their destinies as they hurtle through the hall of mirrors of the global shadow economy.Jack Kelly, a veteran US Drug Enforcement Administration agent, tasked with following a trail of dirty money across continents from a top-secret investigative unit based in Virginia.Salvatore Pititto is an ambitious Mafia capo working on a vast cocaine shipment who becomes unexpectedly pulled into an arms-smuggling conspiracy. Mustafa Badreddine is a ghost-like master terrorist wanted by governments across the world who has been secretly dispatched to Syria for his final mission. Each man, born in radically different circumstances in the 1960s, is in his own way grappling with the powerful and unstoppable forces that shape the world around us; forces which topple governments, send refugees fleeing across borders, and put guns in the hands of mercenaries and militias. Each has devoted his whole life to an institution-the DEA, the Mafia and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah-and each will eventually be destroyed or betrayed by the thing they believe in the most.Set during 2015 and 2016, as the global order began to implode under the pressures of the Syrian civil war and the European refugee crisis, CHASING SHADOWS looks back over the historical conflicts, events and personal histories that have shaped the lives of these three men. It's a book that shows the betrayals, the disillusionment and the violence as Jack Kelly hunts down his targets.
Chasing Shadows: A true story of drugs, war and the secret world of international crime
by Miles Johnson'As breathless, complex and on-the-edge suspenseful as the finest thriller fiction - but it's all real, which makes it truly extraordinary' Lee Child'McMafia for the new age' Catherine Belton, author of Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then took on the West'Compelling, visceral and highly readable' Oliver Bullough, bestselling author of Moneyland'This astonishing and cinematic rollercoaster of a debut will bring Miles Johnson's talent into the brilliant light. Delivered with trademark verve and precision, it achieves that rare and precious thing that is the goal of all great reporting: it reveals the world to itself' Alex Perry, author of The Good Mothers'Miles has used his extensive Italian contacts to get a fully-fleshed out story in the Mafia section; likewise with the Hezbollah characters. He has interviewed over 100 people for the book, including many hours with Jack Kelly, the DEA investigator and hero of the book, which gives us an intimate look at a man dedicated to catching bad guys at the expense of his personal life' Dan McCrum, author of Money MenA compulsive true crime thriller about modern-day international drugs trafficking, terrorism and geopolitical intrigue following an investigation driven by one DEA agent, Jack Kelly. Three very different men battle to control their destinies as they hurtle through the hall of mirrors of the global shadow economy.Jack Kelly, a veteran US Drug Enforcement Administration agent, tasked with following a trail of dirty money across continents from a top-secret investigative unit based in Virginia.Salvatore Pititto is an ambitious Mafia capo working on a vast cocaine shipment who becomes unexpectedly pulled into an arms-smuggling conspiracy. Mustafa Badreddine is a ghost-like master terrorist wanted by governments across the world who has been secretly dispatched to Syria for his final mission. Each man, born in radically different circumstances in the 1960s, is in his own way grappling with the powerful and unstoppable forces that shape the world around us; forces which topple governments, send refugees fleeing across borders, and put guns in the hands of mercenaries and militias. Each has devoted his whole life to an institution-the DEA, the Mafia and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah-and each will eventually be destroyed or betrayed by the thing they believe in the most.Set during 2015 and 2016, as the global order began to implode under the pressures of the Syrian civil war and the European refugee crisis, CHASING SHADOWS looks back over the historical conflicts, events and personal histories that have shaped the lives of these three men. It's a book that shows the betrayals, the disillusionment and the violence as Jack Kelly hunts down his targets.
Beliefism: How to stop hating the people we disagree with
by Paul Dolan'Brilliant, wise, humane, scientific, and kind. Beliefism is exactly what the doctor ordered - and it could change the world' Cass R. Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor, Harvard University"Repeated throughout is the fine principle that whatever position you wish to argue on an issue, you must be honest about what bad effects, as well as good, will follow." Steven Poole, The TimesBeliefism (noun): Discrimination against people who disagree with us Do you avoid people who are strongly against immigration? Or strongly for trans rights? Against abortion? For drug legalisation? We might like to think that we're tolerant, but many of us struggle to engage with people whose opinions differ strongly from our own-even if they might have something useful to contribute to the debate. That means we're falling victim to what behavioural scientist Professor Paul Dolan defines as Beliefism: discrimination against those with different beliefs to us.Drawing on the evidence from across the social sciences, Dolan shows how easy it is for us to divide ourselves into opposing camps - and how harmful that can be. Using the central metaphor of the duck-rabbit illusion-where the same image can be viewed as one animal or the other-the book shows that looking at an issue from only one perspective can lead to bad decisions and unnecessary conflict. The world would be a better place if there was less beliefism and Dolan shows how more tolerance is only possible "by design". We need to embed less beliefism into our organisations and lives and he provides a checklist called EMBRACE to help us do that.Combining curiosity, irreverence and warmth, Beliefism is a definitive behavioural science take by a leader in his field. Whether it's among friends, at university or at work, being less beliefist will make you a better partner or parent, and a more effective buddy or boss.
Beliefism: How to stop hating the people we disagree with
by Paul Dolan'Brilliant, wise, humane, scientific, and kind. Beliefism is exactly what the doctor ordered - and it could change the world' Cass R. Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor, Harvard University"Repeated throughout is the fine principle that whatever position you wish to argue on an issue, you must be honest about what bad effects, as well as good, will follow." Steven Poole, The TimesBeliefism (noun): Discrimination against people who disagree with us Do you avoid people who are strongly against immigration? Or strongly for trans rights? Against abortion? For drug legalisation? We might like to think that we're tolerant, but many of us struggle to engage with people whose opinions differ strongly from our own-even if they might have something useful to contribute to the debate. That means we're falling victim to what behavioural scientist Professor Paul Dolan defines as Beliefism: discrimination against those with different beliefs to us.Drawing on the evidence from across the social sciences, Dolan shows how easy it is for us to divide ourselves into opposing camps - and how harmful that can be. Using the central metaphor of the duck-rabbit illusion-where the same image can be viewed as one animal or the other-the book shows that looking at an issue from only one perspective can lead to bad decisions and unnecessary conflict. The world would be a better place if there was less beliefism and Dolan shows how more tolerance is only possible "by design". We need to embed less beliefism into our organisations and lives and he provides a checklist called EMBRACE to help us do that.Combining curiosity, irreverence and warmth, Beliefism is a definitive behavioural science take by a leader in his field. Whether it's among friends, at university or at work, being less beliefist will make you a better partner or parent, and a more effective buddy or boss.
Look Again: The Power of Noticing What was Always There
by Cass R. Sunstein Tali SharotFor fans of Thinking, Fast and Slow and The Power of Habit, a groundbreaking new study of how disrupting our well-worn routines, both good and bad, can rejuvenate our days and reset our brains to allow us to live happier and more fulfilling lives.Have you ever noticed that what is thrilling on Monday tends to become boring on Friday? Even exciting relationships, stimulating jobs, and breathtaking works of art lose their sparkle after a while. People stop noticing what is most wonderful in their own lives. They also stop noticing what is terrible. They get used to dirty air. They stay in abusive relationships. People grow to accept authoritarianism and take foolish risks. They become unconcerned by their own misconduct, blind to inequality, and are more liable to believe misinformation than ever before.But what if we could find a way to see everything anew? What if you could regain sensitivity, not only to the great things in your life, but also to the terrible things you stopped noticing and so don't try to change?
The Fall: The End of the Murdoch Empire
by Michael WolffTHE BOOK THAT BROUGHT DOWN RUPERT MURDOCHMeet the Murdochs and the disastrously dysfunctional family of Fox News. Until recently, they formed the most powerful media and political force in America. Now their empire is cracking up and crashing down. In his irresistible trilogy on the chaotic Trump presidency - Fire and Fury, Siege, and Landslide - the journalist Michael Wolff led readers deep into the twisted corridors of the White House. Drawing on years of unprecedented access to the Murdoch family and key players, he plunges us behind the scenes of another empire of influence, and the result is astonishing and unforgettable. Here is Rupert Murdoch, the ninety-two-year-old billionaire - concerned about his legacy, but more concerned about profits. Here are his contentious children, jockeying to take over when the old man is gone. Here is star anchor Tucker Carlson considering a run for the presidency while his bosses have other plans for him. Sean Hannity, the richest man in television, has his own plans: to put Trump back in office. While presenter Laura Ingraham is just trying to survive in a man's world. As the fallout from the 2020 election and the Dominion lawsuit pummels the reputation of the network, the battling Murdoch heirs position themselves for the final act in this riveting drama."Michael Wolff's books were my foundation and port of entry for working on Succession." Jeremy Strong ("Kendall Roy")Praise for Fire and Fury:#1 New York Times bestseller, a Book of the Year in the Guardian, Sunday Times, Observer, Financial Times'The pages of Wolff's book are littered with insults and intrigue, backstabbing and dysfunction' Washington Post'What makes the book significant is its sly, hilarious portrait of a hollow man, into the black hole of whose needy, greedy ego the whole world has virtually vanished' Guardian
The Sleep Room: A Very British Medical Scandal
by Jon Stock'Shocking... a damning portrait of a man who, in the name of psychiatric progress, left a trail of broken lives in his wake' Telegraph, five stars'Compelling' Sunday Times"A gripping expose" Financial Times'A beautifully researched, wildly unsettling study of a psychiatrist running amok' Sam Knight, author of The Premonitions BureauThe Royal Waterloo Hospital, London in the 1960s. Six young women lie asleep on low beds. Day and night no longer exist, extinguished by a potent cocktail of antipsychotic, sedative and anti-depressant drugs. The women are taken from their beds by the nurses and given electroconvulsive therapy before being put to sleep again. All under the predatory eye of Dr William Sargant.THE SLEEP ROOM is a chilling exposé of Sargant's bizarre psychiatric treatments that were inflicted on hundreds of women with mental illness - among them the actor Celia Imrie. At the story's centre is a sinister and charismatic doctor, who was a hugely influential figure in post-war British society - lauded by Robert Graves and Aldous Huxley as well regularly appearing on the BBC. When Sargant died in 1988, the obituaries were glowing.But since then, women treated without their consent and with often horrific side-effects lasting decades have been campaigning to tell the truth about Sargant. Author Jon Stock tells these women's stories as well delving into the murky history of Sargant's links with the CIA and M15, both of which took a close interest in his efforts to reprogramme the human mind.As compulsive as a thriller, The Sleep Room finally gets to the truth of a scandal at the heart of the British medical establishment.'A devastating account of the effects one unchecked psychiatrist had on vulnerable mental patients.'Lisa Appignanesi, author of Mad, Bad and Sad: A History of Women and the Mind Doctors'A gripping medical biography that encompasses sex, drugs, brainwashing, intelligence operations, murder and several scandals' Frank Tallis, author of Mortal Secrets: Freud, Vienna and the Discovery of the Modern Mind'A chilling case study in dangerous psychiatry, Stock's gripping exposé of the invasive and reckless interventions inflicted on women in the Sleep Room will keep you wide awake.' Cordelia Fine, author of Patriarchy Inc. and Testosterone Rex
Prosecuting the Powerful: War Crimes and the Battle for Justice
by Steve Crawshaw'Prosecuting The Powerful isn't just compelling and very moving, it has all the force of a well-crafted thriller. I literally couldn't stop reading it,' John Simpson, BBC World Affairs Editor'A compelling account of a revolutionary moment in history,' Philippe Sands, The Spectator 'Powerful, timely and moving,' Baroness Helena Kennedy KC'A tour de force,' Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor, Channel 4 NewsGuardian Book of the DayCould we ever see Vladimir Putin in the dock for his crimes? What about a Western ally like Benjamin Netanyahu? Putting a country's leader on trial once seemed unimaginable. But as Steve Crawshaw describes in Prosecuting the Powerful - a blend of powerful eyewitness reporting and gripping history - the possibilities of justice have been transformed.Crawshaw includes recent stories from the front lines of justice in Ukraine, Israel/Palestine and at The Hague, as well as his earlier encounters with war criminals like Slobodan Milošević. He tells the stories of those who have demanded protection for civilians and accountability for war criminals - from the Swiss businessman who is the reason why we have the Geneva Conventions today and the prosecutors at Nuremberg to the Syrian police photographer who helped put one of Bashar al-Assad's torturers behind bars. He also follows the extraordinary unfolding story of two of the world's most powerful and well-connected leaders currently under indictment at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. From Gaza to Bucha and beyond, survivors seek justice for the crimes committed against them. But for that to happen, governments must finally abandon their double standards and have the courage to support prosecutions of those who commit atrocities, whether opponents or allies. For all the current darkness, this is a historic opportunity. The scales of justice can and must be balanced. Now is the moment.
Sum of Us: A History of the UK in Data
by Georgina SturgeWhat has data ever done for us?Georgina Sturge, House of Commons Library statistician and author of the critically acclaimed Bad Data, explores the rich history of the times the UK has counted itself - from the revolutionary first census of 1801 to modern worries over technological surveillance.Condensing a whole society into numbers brought hidden problems to light: mapping cholera deaths in Soho led researchers to a single deadly water pump; Florence Nightingale stunned the Victorian establishment with her diagrams showing disease was the soldier's hidden enemy; and the discovery that industries like firework-making were almost entirely staffed by women helped improve workers' rights.The census also reveals the people left out of the nation's story. Records reveal the remarkable presence of escaped American slaves living in nineteenth century Leeds, and that by 1901 there were 600 professional Italian cooks in the UK. More recent data has acknowledged religion, ethnicity, and LGBT identity for the first time. Sturge also tracks those who have resisted the state's attempts at tabulation - people burning survey forms, stripping naked in protest and, in the case of 500 Suffragettes, avoiding the 1911 census by skating all night round Aldwych roller rink.Full of fascinating social detail, Sum of Us draws out the human stories captured in the vast tangle of data the UK has collected over two centuries. It provides a vital snapshot not of who we imagine ourselves to be - but who we really are.
The Kiss of the Nightingale
by Adi DennerA stolen magical gem transforms an orphan's destiny... A stunning and completely unputdownable romantasy novel set in an alternative historical Paris, The Kiss of the Nightingale weaves together the seduction of Bridgerton and the magic of Raven Kennedy's Gild.1890, Lutèce: In this city, Talents are everything: precious gems that gift unrivalled skills to their owners. The most coveted, Elite Talents, are claimed by the aristocracy, passed through generations by blood magic.Cleodora dreamed of inheriting her father's Tailoring Talent, but when he died, the magic died with him. Now she's left with empty promises, a dress shop she can't keep afloat, and her bed-ridden younger sister.But everything changes when she meets the dark-eyed Lady Dahlia Sibille. Dahlia offers Cleodora a Singing Talent - a chance to save her beloved sister and rewrite her own fate. From the first instant, Cleodora is bewitched... There's just one catch: she needs to steal an Elite Talent from the prestigious Lenoir family.As Lutèce's nightingale, Cleodora is the star of the opera's galas and balls, worlds away from the darkness and dust of home. But the handsome yet infuriating Vicomte Lenoir is nothing like she expected.Soon, the Vicomte's teasing smiles win her over, even as Dahlia's seductive whispers linger in her ears. Torn between Dahlia, who gave her everything, and the Vicomte, who holds the price of her freedom, is Cleodora in danger of losing it all? Or can she prove that magic isn't the only gift that counts?
The Kiss of the Nightingale
by Adi DennerA stolen magical gem transforms an orphan's destiny... A stunning and completely unputdownable romantasy novel set in an alternative historical Paris, The Kiss of the Nightingale weaves together the seduction of Bridgerton and the magic of Raven Kennedy's Gild.1890, Lutèce: In this city, Talents are everything: precious gems that gift unrivalled skills to their owners. The most coveted, Elite Talents, are claimed by the aristocracy, passed through generations by blood magic.Cleodora dreamed of inheriting her father's Tailoring Talent, but when he died, the magic died with him. Now she's left with empty promises, a dress shop she can't keep afloat, and her bed-ridden younger sister.But everything changes when she meets the dark-eyed Lady Dahlia Sibille. Dahlia offers Cleodora a Singing Talent - a chance to save her beloved sister and rewrite her own fate. From the first instant, Cleodora is bewitched... There's just one catch: she needs to steal an Elite Talent from the prestigious Lenoir family.As Lutèce's nightingale, Cleodora is the star of the opera's galas and balls, worlds away from the darkness and dust of home. But the handsome yet infuriating Vicomte Lenoir is nothing like she expected.Soon, the Vicomte's teasing smiles win her over, even as Dahlia's seductive whispers linger in her ears. Torn between Dahlia, who gave her everything, and the Vicomte, who holds the price of her freedom, is Cleodora in danger of losing it all? Or can she prove that magic isn't the only gift that counts?
Loving with Demons
by Hana Mahmood'I have no words. It is definitely one of the best books I have ever read. It was written so beautifully and it was like seeing the reflection of my last relationship on every page. Truly amazing' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My heart let down its hundreds of walls. But all I was loving were his demons.I met him at a party, staring at me from across the room; eyes the colour of midnight. Like I was an undiscovered species that had fallen in his lap at the exact moment he was searching for his prey. The way he pursued me was fatal.Our minds and souls were attracted like magnets. I had no idea I was selling my soul to the devil.At first, our love burned beautifully. Furiously. But then the fire grew out of control. It destroyed everything we created.The flames uncovered the truth about the man I gave my heart to. They exposed the demons hiding in the darkest parts of him.Nero. The love of my life. The narcissist.Loving him left me broken. Lost in the ashes of our relationship. Picking up the pieces of myself I had killed to be with him. The versions that had died in Nero's arms.But my story doesn't end there. This phoenix rose from the ashes, and rebuilt her life.I have my battle scars, but I'm free. I am Livia Dahlia. And I finally choose me.This is not a love story. It's a cautionary tale. Loving With Demons is an emotional, seductive and completely unputdownable page-turner. This is a story about dark desires, deadly obsession and the dangerous line between love and hatred. Perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover's It Ends With Us, Verity and Never Never.Readers are obsessed with Loving with Demons: 'Truly beautiful, haunting, and lyrical''It really was beautifully written''This book was like having therapy''A masterpiece''Truly amazing''I loved reading this book''Exceptional'
Loving with Demons
by Hana Mahmood'I have no words. It is definitely one of the best books I have ever read. It was written so beautifully and it was like seeing the reflection of my last relationship on every page. Truly amazing' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My heart let down its hundreds of walls. But all I was loving were his demons.I met him at a party, staring at me from across the room; eyes the colour of midnight. Like I was an undiscovered species that had fallen in his lap at the exact moment he was searching for his prey. The way he pursued me was fatal.Our minds and souls were attracted like magnets. I had no idea I was selling my soul to the devil.At first, our love burned beautifully. Furiously. But then the fire grew out of control. It destroyed everything we created.The flames uncovered the truth about the man I gave my heart to. They exposed the demons hiding in the darkest parts of him.Nero. The love of my life. The narcissist.Loving him left me broken. Lost in the ashes of our relationship. Picking up the pieces of myself I had killed to be with him. The versions that had died in Nero's arms.But my story doesn't end there. This phoenix rose from the ashes, and rebuilt her life.I have my battle scars, but I'm free. I am Livia Dahlia. And I finally choose me.This is not a love story. It's a cautionary tale. Loving With Demons is an emotional, seductive and completely unputdownable page-turner. This is a story about dark desires, deadly obsession and the dangerous line between love and hatred. Perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover's It Ends With Us, Verity and Never Never.Readers are obsessed with Loving with Demons: 'Truly beautiful, haunting, and lyrical''It really was beautifully written''This book was like having therapy''A masterpiece''Truly amazing''I loved reading this book''Exceptional'
Loving with Demons
by Hana Mahmood'I have no words. It is definitely one of the best books I have ever read. It was written so beautifully and it was like seeing the reflection of my last relationship on every page. Truly amazing' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My heart let down its hundreds of walls. But all I was loving were his demons.I met him at a party, staring at me from across the room; eyes the colour of midnight. Like I was an undiscovered species that had fallen in his lap at the exact moment he was searching for his prey. The way he pursued me was fatal.Our minds and souls were attracted like magnets. I had no idea I was selling my soul to the devil.At first, our love burned beautifully. Furiously. But then the fire grew out of control. It destroyed everything we created.The flames uncovered the truth about the man I gave my heart to. They exposed the demons hiding in the darkest parts of him.Nero. The love of my life. The narcissist.Loving him left me broken. Lost in the ashes of our relationship. Picking up the pieces of myself I had killed to be with him. The versions that had died in Nero's arms.But my story doesn't end there. This phoenix rose from the ashes, and rebuilt her life.I have my battle scars, but I'm free. I am Livia Dahlia. And I finally choose me.This is not a love story. It's a cautionary tale. Loving With Demons is an emotional, seductive and completely unputdownable page-turner. This is a story about dark desires, deadly obsession and the dangerous line between love and hatred. Perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover's It Ends With Us, Verity and Never Never.Readers are obsessed with Loving with Demons: 'Truly beautiful, haunting, and lyrical''It really was beautifully written''This book was like having therapy''A masterpiece''Truly amazing''I loved reading this book''Exceptional'
Advocate: A voice from the margins
by Lennina OforiPart-memoir, part-manifesto, Advocate demonstrates how we can all be a voice for change in an increasingly divided worldLennina Ofori is a force of nature. A teen mother, a supportive older sister, a PhD student, a support system, a working woman, a survivor, above all, she is an Advocate. She has spent her life working for those who do not have a voice, for those relegated to the margins, and in this audiobook, she lends her voice to them.Starting with her own life story, from her beautiful family, to her hardest struggles, Ofori opens the door to intersections that are familiar to many: race, class and gender, and uses her expertise to explain and embolden listeners to make active change in their own lives. Utilising expertise from across the globe, from the teachings of bell hooks to government reports, Ofori makes accessible topics that are so often ignored. From her unique perspective as a Black woman who has lived many lives, Ofori is a daring voice for change, and a voice for hope, in modern life.Advocate is a tale of personal resistance, but also a manifesto for action. With great candour, wit and beautiful language, Ofori will call you to make change not just for your own sake, but for those in the margins.(P)2023 Little Brown Book Group Limited for and on behalf of Dialogue Books
The House of Eve: Totally heartbreaking and unputdownable historical fiction
by Sadeqa Johnson'Amazing' Reese Witherspoon'Heart-rending' Taylor Jenkins Reid 'Luminous and moving!' Kate Quinn'Unforgettable' Kristen HarmelThe heartbreaking and completely unputdownable instant New York Times bestseller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick about the pain and sacrifice of forbidden love, the lengths a mother will go to protect her child, and survival against the toughest of odds.Philadelphia, 1948: Fifteen-year-old Ruby's dreams are almost within reach. She's going to be the first in her family to attend college, despite having a mother more interested in keeping a man than raising her only daughter. But falling madly in love with the one boy she is forbidden from threatens to pull Ruby back into poverty and desperation. When she's imprisoned in a home for unwed mothers - locked in the House of Eve with other 'fallen girls' - everything she's worked so hard for starts slipping through her fingers.Washington, DC, 1948: Eleanor arrives in the city with ambition, hope and a past she's trying her hardest to run from. When she meets William at Howard University, with his inky black eyes and broad shoulders, it's love at first sight. But William hails from one of Washington, DC's elite Black families, who don't let just anyone into their inner circle - especially not a girl from 'the wrong side of the tracks'. Eleanor hopes that a baby will mean they finally accept her, and that her secrets won't see the light of day - but fate has other plans in store...In the dawn of the 1950s, Ruby and Eleanor are complete strangers - until their paths unexpectedly collide. Forced to make the most heartbreaking decisions of their lives, will their choices save them... or be their undoing?Fans of Kate Quinn, Lisa Wingate and Kristin Harmel will fall head over heels for this totally gripping and heart-wrenching historical-fiction page-turner.Readers love The House of Eve:'All the stars!!!... It absolutely blew me away. I finished it several days ago and am still thinking about it! I still don't have the exact words to describe how it made me feel... So many emotions... It will hit your heart hard... Will have your heart breaking time and again. I could not put it down' Goodreads reviewer, *****'5 brilliant stars! I'm definitely not crying right now. That's a lie. I totally am' Goodreads reviewer, *****'Everything. This book was everything. The House of Eve will not only be a favourite of the year, but a favourite of all-time. I ADORED THIS BOOK. You can't tell me that Ruby and Eleanor aren't real people because they're real in my heart, and I will never forget them. I'm jealous of you all who get to read this for the first time. ALL THE STARS' Goodreads reviewer, *****'I read this book in one sitting and loved it!!... I was blown away... I couldn't read it fast enough' Goodreads reviewer, *****'WOW! I'm still processing this book! I devoured it in three days' Goodreads reviewer, *****'I LOVED THIS BOOK!... Grabs you from the first page and holds you until the satisfying conclusion. The House of Eve is a timely, redemptive, powerful, beautifully written yet haunting novel of resilience and sacrifices women make' Goodreads reviewer, *****'I really gobbled up this book. PAGE-TURNER! I absolutely loved this story... Amazing... Impossible for me to put down' Goodreads reviewer, *****'I LOVED THIS BOOK!' Goodreads reviewer, *****
The House of Eve: Totally heartbreaking and unputdownable historical fiction
by Sadeqa Johnson'Amazing' Reese Witherspoon'Heart-rending' Taylor Jenkins Reid 'Luminous and moving!' Kate Quinn'Unforgettable' Kristen HarmelThe heartbreaking and completely unputdownable instant New York Times bestseller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick about the pain and sacrifice of forbidden love, the lengths a mother will go to protect her child, and survival against the odds.Philadelphia, 1948: Fifteen-year-old Ruby's dreams are almost within reach. She's going to be the first in her family to attend college, despite having a mother more interested in keeping a man than raising her only daughter. But falling madly in love with the one boy she is forbidden from threatens to pull Ruby back into poverty and desperation. When she's imprisoned in a home for unwed mothers - locked in the House of Eve with other 'fallen girls' - everything she's worked so hard for starts slipping through her fingers.Washington, DC, 1948: Eleanor arrives in the city with ambition, hope and a past she's trying her hardest to run from. When she meets William at Howard University, with his inky black eyes and broad shoulders, it's love at first sight. But William hails from one of Washington, DC's elite Black families, who don't let just anyone into their inner circle - especially not a girl from 'the wrong side of the tracks'. Eleanor hopes that a baby will mean they finally accept her, and that her secrets won't see the light of day - but fate has other plans in store...In the dawn of the 1950s, Ruby and Eleanor are complete strangers - until their paths unexpectedly collide. Forced to make the most heartbreaking decisions of their lives, will their choices save them... or be their undoing?Fans of Kate Quinn, Lisa Wingate and Kristin Harmel will fall head over heels for this totally gripping and heart-wrenching historical-fiction page-turner.(P)2023 Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Yellow Wife: Totally gripping and heart-wrenching historical fiction
by Sadeqa JohnsonVirginia, 1850: 'Ain't many choices for a slave woman. Just know everything I do is for you. You are meant to see freedom. I's makin' sure.'Pheby Delores Brown was born on the Bell Plantation in Charles City, Virginia. The daughter of the estate's medicine woman, and cherished by the Master's sister, her days as an enslaved girl are almost over... She has been promised freedom on her eighteenth birthday.But when she finally turns eighteen, the life she has dreamed of is tragically torn from her. Instead of being free, she is thrust into the bowels of slavery at the infamous Devil's Half-Acre, a jail where slaves are broken, tortured and sold every day.Her life flashing before her eyes, Pheby is forced to become the mistress of the jailor, the brutal man who owns the prison. Yet even in hell, Pheby never loses sight of her freedom. But how much will she have to sacrifice? And in the face of such darkness, will she survive?Just as transfixing as it is devastating, this page-turner is inspired by the true story Mary Lumpkin, the enslaved woman who forged her own path to freedom. Perfect for fans of The Help and The Forest of Vanishing Stars, this heartbreaking read is about hope in a world of hate and the heart-wrenching price of survival.Readers love Yellow Wife:'Will literally stay with you forever. It was absolutely heartbreaking... I could not put it down. My heart was pounding throughout the entire book.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'Uhhhhhhh... My heart aches!! This was such a powerful and heart-wrenching read... Amazing read!' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'Whew... One of the best historical fiction novels that I've ever read... Phenomenal.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'The fastest page-turner ever and a heart-pounding read... With riveting prose, the pages fly and your heart races.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'I ended up crying all the way through... Yes, I cried over these pages.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'My heart aches!! Such a powerful and heart-wrenching read.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'I was completely captivated by the first page and couldn't put this book down.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'Beyond amazing.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'A harrowing, emotional, incredible historical saga!... I felt I right there with Pheby every step of the way. Equal parts heartbreaking and triumphant and inspiring.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
Yellow Wife
by Sadeqa JohnsonIn the tradition of Wrench and Twelve Years a Slave, this harrowing yet utterly unputdownable story follows an enslaved woman forced to barter love and freedom while living in the most infamous slave jail in Virginia.Born on a plantation in Charles City, Virginia, Pheby Brown was promised her freedom on her eighteenth birthday. But when her birthday finally comes around, instead of the idyllic life she was hoping for with her true love, she finds herself thrust into the bowels of slavery at the infamous Devil's Half-Acre, a jail where slaves are broken, tortured, and sold every day.Forced to become the mistress of the brutal man who owns the jail, Pheby faces the ultimate sacrifice to protect her heart in this powerful, gripping and heartbreaking story of one slave's fight for freedom.A completely transfixing page-turner about love in the face of darkness, hope in a world of hate, and the heart-wrenching price of survival. Perfect for fans of The Help and The Forest of Vanishing Stars.(P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc
Alter Ego: An unputdownable page-turner that will make you laugh and cry
by Helen Heckety'I adored Alter Ego. A book that can truly make you both laugh and cry. Written with such honesty and warmth, it's powerful, joyful, heartbreaking and so funny all at once. A brilliant debut' SARA NISHA ADAMS, author of The Reading List'Every now and then a book comes along that changes the way you see the world, and this is one of them... Uplifting and angry, hilarious and heartbreaking. I absolutely adored it' FREYA SAMPSON, author of The Last LibrarySix months ago, something happened that changed everything for Hattie. The next morning, she came up with The Plan. It was time for a whole new life. That's how Hattie ends up in a little cabin in the middle of nowhere, where the woodland stretches for miles and stars light up the night sky. Here, Hattie can be whoever she wants to be.At two years old, Hattie was diagnosed with a condition that would alter the course of her life. Ever since then she's had to constantly explain herself and pretend that the pitying looks don't bother her.If she wants The Plan to work, nobody back home can know why she really left, and nobody in her new life can know the truth about her.But it's not long before she's caught in her lies - trapped between who she really is, and who she so desperately wants to be. When everything falls apart, can she piece herself back together?If you've ever felt a little lost, wanted to hide, or struggled to accept yourself, you will see yourself in the pages of this book. Perfect for fans of Kirsty Capes and Daisy Buchanan, this unputdownable, hilarious and achingly relatable page-turner will break your heart, mend it anew and leave you with a smile on your face.'An uncompromising, sharp and funny novel that took me from laughter to heart-aching tenderness... A fresh voice on the contemporary scene full of sharp insight and deeply funny bones' Abigail Mann, author of The Lonely Fajita'Filled with heart and depth, this joyous book will stay with me for a very long time!' Tess Amy, author of The Confidence Games'Sharp, witty and raw . . . This is a book everyone should pick off the shelves' Rebecca Netley, author of The Whistling
Alter Ego: An unputdownable page-turner that will make you laugh and cry
by Helen Heckety'I adored Alter Ego. A book that can truly make you both laugh and cry. Written with such honesty and warmth, it's powerful, joyful, heartbreaking and so funny all at once. A brilliant debut' SARA NISHA ADAMS, author of The Reading List'Every now and then a book comes along that changes the way you see the world, and this is one of them... Uplifting and angry, hilarious and heartbreaking. I absolutely adored it' FREYA SAMPSON, author of The Last LibrarySix months ago, something happened that changed everything for Hattie. The next morning, she came up with The Plan. It was time for a whole new life. That's how Hattie ends up in a little cabin in the middle of nowhere, where the woodland stretches for miles and stars light up the night sky. Here, Hattie can be whoever she wants to be.At two years old, Hattie was diagnosed with a condition that would alter the course of her life. Ever since then she's had to constantly explain herself and pretend that the pitying looks don't bother her.If she wants The Plan to work, nobody back home can know why she really left, and nobody in her new life can know the truth about her.But it's not long before she's caught in her lies - trapped between who she really is, and who she so desperately wants to be. When everything falls apart, can she piece herself back together?If you've ever felt a little lost, wanted to hide, or struggled to accept yourself, you will see yourself in the pages of this book. Perfect for fans of Kirsty Capes and Daisy Buchanan, this unputdownable, hilarious and achingly relatable page-turner will break your heart, mend it anew and leave you with a smile on your face.'An uncompromising, sharp and funny novel that took me from laughter to heart-aching tenderness... A fresh voice on the contemporary scene full of sharp insight and deeply funny bones' Abigail Mann, author of The Lonely Fajita'Filled with heart and depth, this joyous book will stay with me for a very long time!' Tess Amy, author of The Confidence Games'Sharp, witty and raw . . . This is a book everyone should pick off the shelves' Rebecca Netley, author of The Whistling
Wolf Hustle: A Black Woman on Wall Street
by Cin FabréFrom the South Bronx projects to the boardroom at only nineteen years old, Cin Fabré ran with the wolves of Wall Street.Growing up, Cin Fabré didn't know anything about the stock market. But she learned how to hustle from her immigrant parents, saving money so that one day she could escape her abusive father and poverty in the Bronx.Through a tip from a friend, Cin pushed her way into brokerage firm VTR Capital?an offshoot of Stratton Oakmont, the company where the Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan Belfort, had reigned. She was shocked to find an army of young workers, mostly Black and Brown, with no real prospects for promotion sitting at phones doing the drudge work of finding investment leads for white male brokers. But she felt the pull of profit and knew she would do whatever she had to do to be successful.Pulling back the curtain on the inequities she and so many others faced, Wolf Hustle reveals how Cin worked gruelling hours, ascending from cold caller to stockbroker, becoming the only Black woman to do so at her firm. She also discloses the excesses she took part in on 1990s Wall Street?the strip clubs, the Hamptons parties, the Gucci shopping sprees?while revelling in the thrill of making money.From landing clients worth hundreds of millions to gaining, losing, then gaining back fortunes in seconds, Cin examines her years spent trading frantically and hustling successfully, grappling with what it takes to build a rich life, and, ultimately, beating Wall Street at its own game.(P) 2022 Macmillan Audio
Hot Springs Drive
by Lindsay Hunter'Truly brilliant, sexy and sly storytelling' Deesha Philyaw'Intoxicating' Claire Fuller'Everything you could want in a book, delivered when you least expect it' Diane Cooke'I f***ing loved this. Thrilling and gorgeously observed' A.E. OsworthToday, she walks in on her husband and best friend having an affair. Tomorrow, her body is found.Seven years ago, Theresa and Jackie meet in a maternity ward. Sleep-deprived new mothers; instant friends.Then they become neighbours on Hot Springs Drive - a nice street in a nice neighbourhood, filled with flower boxes and emerald lawns.The story ends like this: in the depths of a sweltering heatwave, Theresa discovers that her husband and Jackie are having an affair. The next day, Theresa's body is found.The truth lies somewhere between the picket fences and pink blossoms, where friendships twist into tragic jealousies and barbecues hide bed hopping and bloodshed. By summer's end, the residents of Hot Springs Drive will never be the same...An unputdownable, unmissable, vicious blade of a novel that peels back the fragile veneer of two suburban families and the deadly secrets roiling between them.Readers are obsessed with Hot Springs Drive:'FIVE HUNDRED STARS ... I lost my goddamn mind ... I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH and am incapable of doing it justice without sounding like an absolute f***ing maniac, so I will leave it at: this is one of my favourite books of the year. READ IT' *****'Incredible ... I kept making my friend take her headphones off so I could read her a line or paragraph' *****'So compelling I read it in one sitting. The writing makes this such a thrilling, engrossing read - my heart was in my throat the entire time' *****'I'm utterly enraptured ... I'm wowed' *****'A real page-turner that keeps you guessing ... I couldn't put it down!' *****'Definitely in my top ten reads of the year ... Everyone is going to love this' *****'This novel is really oh so good. A compulsively readable, can't-put-it-down story that manages to be super sharp and smart. Such fascinating character studies, such subtle but piercing insight on the way our society sees mothers, such a sucker punch' *****
Hot Springs Drive
by Lindsay HunterAn unputdownable, dark and pulse-pounding page-turner that peels back the fragile veneer of two suburban families - next-door neighbours and best friends - and the secrets between them. By the end of the summer, the residents of Hot Springs Drive will never be the same again...Today, she walks in on her husband and best friend having an affair. Tomorrow, her body is found.Seven years ago, Theresa and Jackie meet in a maternity ward. Sleep-deprived new mothers; instant friends.Then they become neighbours on Hot Springs Drive - a nice street in a nice neighbourhood, filled with flower boxes and emerald lawns.The story ends like this: in the depths of a sweltering heatwave, Theresa discovers that her husband and Jackie are having an affair. The next day, Theresa's body is found.The truth lies somewhere between the picket fences and pink blossoms, where friendships twist into tragic jealousies and barbecues hide bed hopping and bloodshed. By summer's end, the residents of Hot Springs Drive will never be the same...(P) 2023 Little Brown Book Group Limited for and on behalf of Dialogue Books