Flying Fury: Five Years in the Royal Flying Corps


James McCudden - 1918
     From September 1916 until his death in July 1918 he shot down fifty-seven German planes. Flying Fury is his remarkable story, written a few months before his last flight, and records in fascinating detail the life of a World War One fighter pilot ace. McCudden’s account provides fascinating insight into the development of aerial warfare. He began his life with the Royal Flying Corps in 1913 as a engine-fitter and records the early flights that were made by the British military. At the outbreak of the First World War he left England for France and by 1915 he was in the sky as an observer and gunner. It was only in 1916 that he began to train as a pilot before he took to the skies and became an exceptional fighter pilot; on one occasion shooting down three enemies in as many minutes. His work records in brilliant detail the confusion of the dogfights, the camaraderie of the men who knew they were putting their lives on the lines, the boredom of being grounded and the thrill taking to the skies. Tragically McCudden’s life was cut short just four months before the end of the war, not during combat with enemy planes, but instead due to engine failure that caused his plane to plunge into the ground below. Flying Fury: Five Years in the Royal Flying Corps is essential reading for anyone interested in finding out more about the development of aerial combat and how one man rose to become one of the most formidable aces of the First World War. With his six British medals and one French, McCudden received more awards for gallantry than any other airman of British nationality serving in the First World War. He was also one of the longest serving. By 1918, in part due to a campaign by the Daily Mail newspaper, McCudden became one of the most famous airmen in the British Isles. He died on 9 July 1918 at the age of twenty-three. His work was posthumously published as Five Years in the Royal Flying Corps in 1919. “His skill and daring speak for themselves. Only the finest courage and an unsurpassed mastery of the art of flying and fighting in the air could account for such a record of unflagging work and incessant victory. His work was as thorough as it was brilliant and his thoroughness was an important cause of his success.” Lord Trenchard, Marshal of the Royal Flying Corps “I am confident that he would agree with me when I say that the secret of his remarkable success lay in the fact that he fought with his head as well as with his great heart.” Sir John Salmond, Chief Air Marshal

A Sense of Freedom


Jimmy Boyle - 1977
    All around him the world was drinking, fighting and thieving. To survive, he too had to fight and steal… Kids’ gangs led to trouble with the police. Approved schools led to Borstal, and Jimmy was on his way to a career in crime.By his twenties he was a hardened villain, sleeping with prostitutes, running shebeens and money-lending rackets. Then they nailed him for murder. The sentence was life – the brutal, degrading eternity of a broken spirit in the prisons of Peterhead and Inverness. Thankfully, Jimmy was able to turn his life around inside the prison walls and eventually released on parole.A Sense of Freedom is a searing indictment of a society that uses prison bars and brutality to destroy a man's humanity and at the same time an outstanding testament to one man's ability to survive, to find a new life, a new creativity, and a new alternative.

Force of Nature: The Life of Linus Pauling


Thomas Hager - 1995
    He decried the internment of Japanese-Americans in World War Two, agitated against nuclear weapons, promoted vitamin C as a cure for the common cold and researched the idea of DNA.

The Lost Son: A Life in Pursuit of Justice


Bernard B. Kerik - 2001
    A portrait of the 40th Police Commissioner of New York City details his mission to fight the injustice around him and to solve the mystery of his own mother, who abandoned him forty-one years ago, and includes an afterword about the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Appreciating Angels: Sarahs Story


Sally Asling - 2010
    Sarah’s experiences of rape, self harming, anorexia and bulimia draw the reader on a dramatic and moving journey which captures the attention from the moment you turn the first page. It is hard to imagine that anyone could emerge from such a process sane, never mind with the intelligence and bravery to share her story. Despite the frightening events of her youth, Sarah's spirit is powerful and a testament to the strength of human energy in the struggle against adversity. Sarah's story is a reminder to us all that challenges are placed in our paths to help us grow and evolve. Along the way, if we listen and pay attention, we are never far from angels and true love. Appreciating Angels will take you on a powerful journey demonstrating pain, loss, love, self discovery, intimacy, friendship and a deep appreciation for the people who cross our paths and touch our hearts. “The pain of unrequited love, as seen from both sides …” Despite the frightening events of her youth, Sarah’s spirit is powerful and a testament to the strength of human energy in the struggle against adversity. Sarah’s Story is a reminder to us all that challenges are placed in our paths to help us grow and evolve. Along the way, if we listen and pay attention, we are never far from guides and angels … and true love. Appreciating Angels, will take you on a powerful journey demonstrating pain, loss, love, self discovery, intimacy, friendship and a deep appreciation of the people who cross our paths and touch our hearts. “I’ve never read anything like this, thank heaven for its publication. With brutal honesty Sarah conveys the truth about her teenage and student life. Parts of which I’m sure many will relate to on one level or another. This is a lesson in forgiveness and letting go.” “Appreciating Angels has had a profound effect on me, drawing up emotions and memories. It has simultaneously brought a lump to my throat and filled my heart to overflowing.” “This book will reach many people – parents, daughters, sons, friends – listen and watch those around you who may be crying out for warmth, a hug and understanding – we can all learn to be Angels to one another as Sarah so beautifully shows us.” Authors Note 2014: It was always the intention that by sharing Sarah's Story, it would help others either by the subject content itself or by the royalties on every sale. All proceeds from this book will be gifted to B@ttitude - charity number 1140398 - an organisation that was set up through love to meet the needs of others and support them in a caring community helping people realise their dreams. For more information of the work of B@ttitude see their website: http://www.batitude.org/about-us

F*ck Yes or No: A Counterintuitive Approach to Your Relationships and Maybe Your Life


Mark Manson - 2019
    

The Ticket: Full Disclosure: The Completely True Story of the Marconi-winning Little Ticket, A.k.a., the Station That Got Your Mom to Say 'Stay Hard'


Scott Boyter - 2009
    From the boys at the back of the bus to one of the most imitated sports talk radio stations on the air today, get the full story as told by the guys you tune in to hear on 1310 AM every day.On the occasion of The Ticket’s 15th anniversary, Ticketheads finally have a book revealing all the history and behind-the-scenes hijinks of the Marconi-winning radio station. The ultimate bathroom book for every good, strong P1, this is the true, unvarnished Ticket story of how Mike Rhyner and the gang evolved from press-box yuk monkeys to forming the core of one of the nation’s most popular radio stations.

The Lost Soul of Eamonn Magee


Paul D. Gibson - 2018
    It may be hard to believe but it was against the background of all this that Eamonn won the WBU world welterweight and Commonwealth light welterweight titles. The author, Paul Gibson, has managed to decipher a very dark, very troubled, very flawed individual who happened to have an exceptional gift to box at the highest world level. The Lost Soul of Eamonn Magee reads like the screenplay of the kind of gritty rags-to-riches-to-rags boxing story that Hollywood producers seem to love.

Where Have I Gone?


Pauline Quirke - 2012
    Yes, the 'F' word. Tipping the scales at nearly 20 stone, with creaking knees and a dodgy ankle to boot, at the beginning of 2011 Pauline had reached a crisis point. Something had to change, and fast. It was never going to be an easy ride, but with her trademark warmth and sense of humour, Pauline recounts the highs and lows of the rollercoaster year in which she whips herself, and her life, into shape - with a fair few tales from her celebrated forty-year acting career thrown into the bargain. She reveals all: from the strain of working long hours away from home on one of Britain's most popular soaps to renewing her wedding vows and reuniting with her Birds of a Feather co-stars; from battling the bulge and facing the naysayers to rediscovering the joys of airline travel . . . without a seatbelt extension.Honest and revealing, Where Have I Gone? is brimming with brilliantly funny anecdotes and truly moving moments. So put your feet up and join Pauline as she embarks on the most incredible year of her life.

Disturber of the Peace (Commonwealth Classics in Biography)


William Manchester - 1950
    Mencken This fine biography of H.L. Mencken tells of how he rose to his unique position as comic genius and pre-eminent critic of American culture.

No One's Perfect


Hirotada Ototake - 1998
    Most parents would be delighted; his were shocked. After all, Oto was born with no arms and no legs. But as this extraordinary young man has proven again and again, hard work, humor, versatility, and an upbeat approach to life are as valuable as limbs. No One's Perfect is his true account of how he slam-dunked one challenge after another, including basketball.In a style purposefully meant to reach all ages, Oto writes about his unique childhood in Japan, a country that traditionally has shielded the disabled from the public eye. But hide Oto? Try hiding the sun! From his earliest days, he brought such a winning optimism into the crowds around him-curious kindergartners, skeptical members of the public school board, gaping passersby-that it was hard to resist him.Now, as a young adult, Oto has taken on the work of establishing a barrier-free environment for others, in the government, in the media, in the eyes of all he meets. His book has sold over four million copies in Japan, where he has utterly changed the way people view the disabled.Unsentimental and understated (you know the day-to-day routine can't have been as easy as he makes it sound), Oto's message nonetheless hits the heart. And though you need bravery and constant energy to overcome disabilities, you also need the understanding of those around you. Strong parents and unconventional teachers bucked the rigid status quo to give Oto a chance at a normal life, and he took it from there. Running races, learning to swim, even getting into fights, he made his classmates feel He's one of us, so they were willing to join forces with him to help break down the barriers he faced.

Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue with His Century Volume 2: The Man Who Learned Better


William H. Patterson Jr. - 2014
    

Playing with Water


James Hamilton-Paterson - 1987
    "A wonderful inner journey in the outer light and color of a remote coast, uncommonly well written."--Peter Matthiessen

Lovely Things in Ugly Places


Mattie Montgomery - 2016
    In Lovely Things in Ugly Places, he invites us to come with him as he revisits the moments in his ministry (some incredible, some hilarious, and some tragic), that shaped him most substantially. Known for his bold and fearless proclamation of the Gospel, Montgomery writes with vulnerability and transparency, beckoning the Body of Christ into a radical lifestyle of love. He challenges his readers to lay down the labels we use to identify people, and to see them (and ourselves) as God does, reminding us that if we are willing to look, we too will find Lovely Things in Ugly Places.

Warren Buffett: 43 Lessons for Business & Life


Keith Lard - 2018
    Buffett has managed to rise to the top of the ranks in stellar fashion, confounding the critics and earning the adulation of millions.As a leader, entrepreneur, potential investor, student, or whatever your calling may be, you stand to learn from the many life lessons of one of the most successful investors of all time, and one who is still very active and at the top of his game. The wisdom in this book can literally change your life.43 of his most valuable and inspiring life lessons relating to investment, human relationships and overall betterment have been de-constructed and explained including actionable information as to how you can implement the lessons into your day-to-day life.The aim of this book is to be educational and inspirational with actionable principles you can incorporate into your own life straight from the great man himself. Don't wait - grab your copy today!