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Audiobooks Narrated by Anna Cordell
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A biography of the remarkable, and in her time scandalous, seventeenth-century writer Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle.
'My ambition is not only to be Empress, but Authoress of a whole world' - Margaret Cavendish
Margaret Cavendish, then Lucas, was born in 1623 to an aristocratic family. In 1644, as England descended into civil war, she joined the court of the formidable Queen Henrietta Maria at Oxford. With the rest of the court she went into self-imposed exile in France. Her family's wealth and lands were forfeited by Parliament. It was in France that she met her much older partner, William Cavendish, Marquess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a marriage that would remain at the heart of both her life and career.
Cavendish was a passionate writer. She wrote extensively on gender, science, philosophy, and published under her own name at a time when women simply did not do so. Her greatest work was The Blazing World, published in 1666, a utopian proto-novel that is thought to be one of the earliest works of science fiction. Yet hers is a legacy that divides opinion. And history has largely forgotten her, an undeserved fate for a brilliant, courageous proto-feminist.
In Pure Wit, Francesca Peacock shines a spotlight on the fascinating, pioneering, yet often complex and controversial life of Margaret Cavendish.
Dr Liz O'Riordan is a breast cancer surgeon who has battled against social, physical and mental challenges to practise at the top of her field. Under the Knife charts Liz's incredible highs: performing like a couture dressmaker as she moulded and reshaped women's breasts, while saving their lives; to the heart-breaking lows of telling ten women a day that they had cancer.
But this memoir is more than just an eye-opening look at the realities of training to be a female surgeon in a man's world. In addition to this high-powered, high-pressured role, Liz faced her own breast cancer diagnosis, severe depression and suicidal thoughts, in tandem with commonplace sexual harassment and bullying. And by revealing how she coped when her life crashed around her, she demonstrates there is always hope.
Tracey Curtis-Taylor has created headlines around the world with three epic flights in a 1942 Boeing Stearman biplane. Paying homage to two historic female aviators, she flew from Cape Town to Goodwood in 2013, from London to Australia in 2015 and, two years later, completed a transcontinental flight across the USA, after surviving a plane crash during the expedition.
But her daring exploits came at a huge personal cost.
From the moment the Light Aircraft Association (LAA) awarded her a prestigious trophy for ‘navigation, a feat of aviation, endurance and tenacity', several men with personal grudges made it their mission not just to strip Tracey of her award but to destroy her reputation.
Now, for the first time and with searing honesty, Tracey tells, in breath-taking detail, the remarkable story of how she overcame extreme adversity to complete her three epic journeys. And she charts the bitter campaign waged against her, revealing the rank misogyny and hypocrisy that exists in British aviation.
In Bird, her unique and action-packed memoir, she also tells how:
She cheated death twice – once in a high-speed boating accident and again when her historic Stearman crashed in the Arizona desert.
Her unconventional upbringing sparked her spirit of adventure – but a shocking secret drove her family apart
She fulfilled her dreams only after overcoming a series of near-critical setbacks
Tracey took her first flying lesson at 16 but it was in New Zealand where she properly learned to fly and had her first taste of piloting historic aircraft
Overcoming a series of traumatic events, including a failed marriage, Tracey returned to England and, in 2009, was determined to emulate the heroics of Lady Heath, the first UK woman to hold a pilot's licence and the first person to fly from Cape Town to London in an open-cockpit aircraft.
The Number 1 International Bestseller.
The heartbreaking, inspiring true story of a girl sent to Auschwitz who survived Mengele's evil experiments. With a foreword written by His Holiness Pope Francis.
Lidia was just three years old when she arrived in Auschwitz-Birkenau with her mother, grandparents and foster brother. They were from Belarus, their 'crime' that they supported the partisan resistance to Nazi occupation. Lidia was picked by Dr Josef Mengele for his experiments and sent to the children's block where she survived eighteen months of hell. Injected with infectious diseases, desperately malnourished, she came close to death. Her mother - who risked her life to secretly visit Lidia - was her only tie to humanity.
By the time Birkenau was liberated her family had disappeared. Even her mother was presumed dead. Lidia was adopted by a woman from the nearby town of Oswiecim. Too traumatised to feel emotion, she was not an easy child to care for but she came to love her adoptive mother and her new home. Then, in 1962, she discovered that her birth parents were still alive in the USSR and wanted her back. Lidia was faced with an agonising choice . . .
The Little Girl Who Could Not Cry is powerful, moving and ultimately hopeful, as Lidia comes to terms with the past and finds the strength to share her story - even making headlines when she meets Pope Francis, who kisses her tattoo. Above all she refuses to hate those who hurt her so badly, saying, 'Hate only brings more hate. Love, on the other hand, has the power to redeem.'
With a foreword written and read by HRH The Prince of Wales, Patron of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust
'A stunningly moving book about the power of hope and love to overcome the very worst of mankind' Piers Morgan
When Holocaust survivor Lily Ebert was liberated in 1945, a Jewish-American soldier gave her a banknote on which he’d written ‘Good luck and happiness’. And when her great-grandson, Dov, decided to use social media to track down the family of the GI, 96-year-old Lily found herself making headlines round the world. Lily had promised herself that if she survived Auschwitz she would tell everyone the truth about the camp. Now was her chance.
In Lily’s Promise she writes movingly about her happy childhood in Hungary, the death of her mother and two youngest siblings on their arrival at Auschwitz in 1944 and her determination to keep her two other sisters safe. She describes the inhumanity of the camp and the small acts of defiance that gave her strength. From there she and her sisters became slave labour in a munitions factory, and then faced a death march that they barely survived.
Lily lost so much, but she built a new life for herself and her family, first in Israel and then in London. It wasn’t easy; the pain of her past was always with her, but this extraordinary woman found the strength to speak out in the hope that such evil would never happen again.
Lily's story is brought to life by actress Anna Cordell in this audiobook, alongside Dov Forman, with Lily reading her dedication.
'Utterly compelling, heartbreaking, truthful and yet redemptive, a memoir of the Holocaust, a testimony of irrepressible spirit and an unforgettable family chronicle, written in lucid prose by a truly remarkable woman about her life from Hungary to Auschwitz, Israel to London. I couldn't stop reading it.' Simon Sebag Montefiore
The Village Green Bookshop is a heartwarming story of good books and good friends, by the bestselling author of The Telephone Box Library, Rachael Lucas.
'It is a warm, gorgeous hug of a book with all the feels. I loved it' Liz Fenwick, author of The Cornish House
'A gorgeous, big-hearted romantic read, full of characters you'll be rooting for. The perfect escapist read set in a beautiful Cotswolds village' - Tasmina Perry
Frustrated that she spends all her time as either a mum to a football-obsessed teenager or a wife to a workaholic husband, Hannah wants something for herself. When the chance comes to take over the Post Office in Little Maudley, a charming Cotswold village, Hannah grabs it with both hands. She'll have a career at last and also get her son Ben away from his trouble-making mates.
But village life is not so picture-perfect after all: Hannah finds herself an outsider in this tight-knit community where the height of your hedge is a gossip-worthy subject. Even her idea to introduce a small bookshop to the Post Office causes a stir. At least Ben seems to have found his place as he joins the local football team, coached by ex-professional Jake Lovatt. But a shocking secret from their past threatens to uproot the new life they've made for themselves, and has drastic consequences...
Set in the same village as The Telephone Box Library and featuring some of the same much-loved characters, this is a charming, big-hearted novel from bestselling author Rachael Lucas.
Praise for The Telephone Box Library
'Delightful' Cathy Bramley, bestselling author of The Lemon Tree Café
'Heartfelt' Woman & Home
'Transporting' Woman
How can we challenge the judgements we don't even know we're making?
Unconscious bias affects us all. From the smallest assumption to the most sweeping generalization, the way we think about others can unknowingly influence our behaviour and shape our culture. Acting as your mentor and guide, this book will take you through the most common forms of prejudice, including gender, race, size, age and sexuality. It also explores the psychology behind our biases and provides actionable tips and simple exercises to help you combat implicit judgements.
You will learn:
Why our biases matter
How to identify your own biases
Techniques to mitigate unconscious bias
How to make objective decisions
A page-turning, emotional WW2 novel for fans of Barbara Taylor Bradford, Lucinda Riley and Kathryn Hughes
A view to the past…
When Izzie Dean’s beloved nan, Molly Blackshaw, passes away, Izzie returns to the Blackpool bungalow where she grew up, to say goodbye once and for all. When Izzie’s homecoming reunites her with her first love, Justin Swift, every emotion that Izzie has repressed since the day he broke her heart comes rushing to the surface. But then an unexpected discovery changes everything.
Between the pages of the battered secret diary Molly kept during WWII, Izzie discovers a story of love, heartbreak, and the incomparable hardship of life in a world at war. Reading her grandmother’s words soon puts her own story into perspective, and suddenly Izzie realises that the only thing holding her back from happiness, might be herself. Now she just has to convince Justin that they deserve a second chance at forever…
Readers are loving The Secret Notebook:
‘I loved this book from beginning to end! I couldn't put it down’ Laureen
‘A truly lovely, sweet and romantic story…A gorgeous, relaxing read’ Jenn
‘An excellent and heart-warming read filled with love, secrets, betrayals, and growth’ Etta
‘Made me feel very nostalgic for the place I grew up in’ Ruth
‘A great read that should be at the top of your summer book list’ Meredith
‘A beautiful story, I loved every word!’ Laura
The party was supposed to be the highlight of the summer. If only I'd known that night would destroy our lives...
All the neighbours were laughing, drinking out of plastic glasses and getting along. I almost felt happy. Almost forgot about the terrible argument earlier and the sinister messages I'd been receiving from a strange address all week, threatening to expose the lies behind my perfect life.
As we finished with the red and gold fireworks and welcomed everyone back to our house, I believed that everything would be okay.
But I didn't know who I was inviting in.
I never could have imagined what would happen here, in our home, after I'd gone up to bed.
Everyone saw something different.
It's my daughter's word against the story the boy from down the road is telling. But how can I find out what really happened that night without everyone finding out the truth about me?
An absolutely gripping story of the secrets you would do anything to keep hidden, with a twist you just won't see coming. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, Big Little Lies and The Girl on the Train.
‘This is such a delightful book to read, that booklovers will all enjoy… I loved it’ NetGalley reviewer, five stars
Can their friendship survive the darkest days of war?
When Abigail arrives for a new start in Bristol in the late 1930s, she knows life won’t be easy – particularly as she is the unmarried mother of three-year-old Emily Grace.
But as the war starts to take over the city and threaten their very existence, will Abigail’s new friends, Carrie and Eileen, be enough to keep herself and her daughter safe?
Fans of Rosie Clarke, Nancy Revell and Elaine Everest will love Rosie James!
Readers love The War Girls!
‘If you love war books [and] family saga this book is definitely for you. I felt like I was friends with the characters and didn't want the story to end. Roll on the next one’ NetGalley reviewer, five stars
‘The War Girls by Rosie James is a fabulous historical novel that will entertain from the start’ NetGalley reviewer, five stars
‘Another fabulous book from Rosie’ NetGalley reviewer, five stars
‘War efforts and the relationships she makes along the way help to transport the reader back in time. A really enjoyable, excellent book’ NetGalley reviewer, five stars
‘A great story of friendship and love. Fantastic read that will stay with you long after you finish’ NetGalley reviewer, five stars
‘An uplifting novel of friendship and starting afresh. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this’ NetGalley reviewer
‘A story of friendship, kindness and believing in your self-worth. An easy story to read and lovely characters’ NetGalley reviewer
My dear Isabelle, in the attic you will find a box with your name on it.
Isabelle's archaeologist father dies leaving a puzzle: a mysterious African amulet. But what is it? And why did he want her to have it? On impulse she takes a plane to Morocco to find out. But has Isabelle's curiosity got the better of her?
Almost killed in an accident which damages the amulet (revealing more of its secrets), she realises she must be careful. But when her rescuer, Taïb, who knows the dunes and their peoples, offers to help uncover the amulet's history, she cannot resist uncovering the story of Tin Hanan - She of the Tents - who made a legendary desert crossing alone, and her descendant Mariata.
Across years and over hot, shifting sands, tracking the Salt Road, the stories of Isabelle and Taïb, Mariata and her lover, become entangled with that of the lost amulet. It is a tale of souls wounded by history and of love blossoming on barren ground.
2021 Head of Zeus
This is the book of Y.O.U. (Your Own Universe) which is designed to track and compound your life's capital.
The reason for this book is to make you aware of your Spirituality and Consciousness. The analogy of currency to our basic life's capital is a representation of the wealth of our spirit and the height of our consciousness. The book will take you on a journey to explore your belief systems regarding a variety of topics including Trust, Gratitude, Acknowledgment, Relationships, Sex, Energy, Presence... You will find exercises which may assist you in evaluating your personal development and increasing and maintaining your spiritual performance.
The exercises are short, thought provoking and easy to complete. Feel free to rewrite and edit these sessions as your self-awareness grows. Unlike other academic exercises, there are no grades or wrong answers; so be candid and enjoy the revelations or what we like to call, "ah hah" moments. These moments of clarity and discovery will happen more frequently as your Spiritual Currency grows and Your Own Universe reveals itself.
