He has thrown Hollywood actresses out of his restaurants and is notorious for his anger, but his food has been served to numerous heads of state, and he is one of only three chefs in England whose restaurant is rated at three Michelin stars. In this illuminating work, Ramsay discusses the violent, alcoholic, absent father who died just days after the pair had been reconciled as adults; the best friend and protégé whose bizarre suicide came hours after the two had shared a final meal; the decade-long battle to save his younger brother from heroin addiction and crime; and the real reason why he has not attended the birth of any of his four children. Sometimes hilarious and frequently heartbreaking, this is Gordon Ramsay’s full life, from tenements and poverty to top-notch restaurants and fame.

    Though curious about Bali's culture, its warm people and its mouthwatering cuisine, she didn't expect to fall in love with a Balinese man and make a new life there. Now, years later, Janet and her husband have four children and run two of the most successful restaurants in Bali.In this delightful memoir, Janet shares entertaining stories of being 'gently shaped like warm rice for offerings' as she adapts to another culture and way of life. She offers insights into the ancient myths and rituals still alive in Bali today and passes on delicious recipes handed down through generations of her husband's family. Fragrant Rice shows how the love, hope and warmth that makes this island such a special place is still very much alive today.Family recipes included are:Ayam Gerang Asem (Sour Chicken Stew)Bubur Injin (Black Rice Pudding)Ikan Mekuah (Fish Soup)Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice)Satay Manis (Beef Satay)Babi Kecap (Pork in Sweet Chilli Sauce)Gado-Gado (Vegetables in Peanut Sauce)Bregedel Tahu (Tofu Fritters)Kolak (Fruits in Coconut Milk)

    She vividly evokes Midland's brash, rugged culture, her close relationship with her father, and the bonds of early friendships that sustain her to this day. For the first time, in heart-wrenching detail, she writes about the devastating high school car accident that left her friend Mike Douglas dead and about her decades of unspoken grief.When Laura Welch first left West Texas in 1964, she never imagined that her journey would lead her to the world stage and the White House. After graduating from Southern Methodist University in 1968, in the thick of student rebellions across the country and at the dawn of the women's movement, she became an elementary school teacher, working in inner-city schools, then trained to be a librarian. At age thirty, she met George W. Bush, whom she had last passed in the hallway in seventh grade. Three months later, "the old maid of Midland married Midland's most eligible bachelor." With rare intimacy and candor, Laura Bush writes about her early married life as she was thrust into one of America's most prominent political families, as well as her deep longing for children and her husband's decision to give up drinking. By 1993, she found herself in the full glare of the political spotlight. But just as her husband won the Texas governorship in a stunning upset victory, her father, Harold Welch, was dying in Midland.In 2001, after one of the closest elections in American history, Laura Bush moved into the White House. Here she captures presidential life in the harrowing days and weeks after 9/11, when fighter-jet cover echoed through the walls and security scares sent the family to an underground shelter. She writes openly about the White House during wartime, the withering and relentless media spotlight, and the transformation of her role as she began to understand the power of the first lady. One of the first U.S. officials to visit war-torn Afghanistan, she also reached out to disease-stricken African nations and tirelessly advocated for women in the Middle East and dissidents in Burma. She championed programs to get kids out of gangs and to stop urban violence. And she was a major force in rebuilding Gulf Coast schools and libraries post-Katrina. Movingly, she writes of her visits with U.S. troops and their loved ones, and of her empathy for and immense gratitude to military families.With deft humor and a sharp eye, Laura Bush lifts the curtain on what really happens inside the White House, from presidential finances to the 175-year-old tradition of separate bedrooms for presidents and their wives to the antics of some White House guests and even a few members of Congress. She writes with honesty and eloquence about her family, her public triumphs, and her personal tribulations. Laura Bush's compassion, her sense of humor, her grace, and her uncommon willingness to bare her heart make this story revelatory, beautifully rendered, and unlike any other first lady's memoir ever written.