Showing titles in Biographies & Memoirs

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of East of Croydon written and read by Sue Perkins. A few years ago I was asked if I'd like to make a documentary on the Mekong River, travelling from the vast delta in Vietnam to the remote and snowy peaks of Tibet. Up until that point, the farthest East...

One April morning in 1943, a sardine fisherman spotted the corpse of a British soldier floating in the sea off the coast of Spain and set in train a course of events that would change the course of the Second World War. Ben Macintyre, bestselling author of Agent Zigzag, weaves together private documents, memories, letters and diaries, as well as newly released material from the intelligence files of MI5 and Naval Intelligence, to tell for the first time the full story of Operation Mincemeat.

Brought to you by Penguin. One of the world’s bestselling storytellers, Lesley Pearse writes brilliantly about survivors. Why? Because she is one herself . . . Born during the Second World War, Lesley’s innocence came to an abrupt end when a neighbour found her, aged 3, coatless in the snow...

Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse have been friends for 30 years, but when life intervened, what was once a joyous and spontaneous friendship dwindled to the odd phone call or occasional catch up. Then, Glory Be! They were both diagnosed with heart disease and realised that time is short. They'd better spend it fishing...So they dusted off their kits, chucked on their waders and ventured into the achingly beautiful British countryside to fish, rediscover the joys of their friendship and ruminate on some of life's most profound questions....

Anne Boleyn is the most notorious of England’s queens, but more famous for her death as an adulterer than for her life. Henry’s second wife and mother of Elizabeth I, Anne, was the first English queen to be publicly executed. Yet what do we know of the achievements and the legacy of her short reign? In The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn: The Most Happy, Eric Ives provides the most detailed and convincing portrait we have of the queen.

Colin Maclachlan autobiography starts with his troubled childhood and escape to the military where, as a fifteen year-old boy, he grows up and matures into the SAS soldier we now recognise. Early chapters describe physical, mental and sexual abuse and Colin could easily have ended up in a home but despite the odds and with the help of both the Children's Panels, NSPCC and some diligent schoolteachers, Colin escaped to the army.

Brought to you by Penguin. THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER Packed with hard-won wisdoms and gentle truths, this is Miranda’s honest exploration of the lessons she has learned on her journey from illness to recovery. Hello to you, I am with news. I have a new book: I Haven’t Been Entirely...

Drunk Women Solving Crime is a true crime podcast with a twist...of lime. Join writer/comedian hosts Hannah George and Taylor Glenn as they welcome top guests from comedians to crime writers to test out their drunk detective skills. Each episode sees the boozed up panel tackle personal crime stories, solve true crime cases, and seek justice for your listener crimes. When women sit around and drink we try to solve the world’s problems. So we’re taking back the night and putting our inebriation to good use. You’re welcome.Find us on other platforms here - https://audioalways.lnk.to/...

Many aspire to serve with the Special Air Service, arguably the world's most prestigious regiment, but few achieve their aim. In this inspiring memoir veteran Tony Shaw recounts how he left school without any qualifications and embarked on a 30 year career much of it spent in Hereford, including four years in 'The Regiment'. Against the odds he rose through the ranks before being commissioned and eventually retiring as a Major. A brilliant and important account of one man's unique career which provides a fascinating insight into elite special forces soldiering.

The author was drawn into the United States Army through ROTC, and he went through training to fly helicopters in combat over Vietnam. His experiences are notable because he flew both Huey “Slicks” and Huey “Gunships”: the former on defense as he flew troops into battle, and the latter on offense as he took the battle to the enemy. Through this book, the author relives his experiences flying and fighting, with special attention given to his and other pilots’ day-to-day lives.

Mobster Al "Scarface" Capone, "Machine Gun" Kelly, Robert Stroud, aka the Birdman: only the most violent, desperate criminals went to Alcatraz Island, called "The Rock" and known for its harsh conditions. This gripping true crime classic, originally written in 1963 and newly reissued, tells the story of life on The Rock and of 14 ingenious escape attempts by the prisoners.

The shocking first true account from one of the young girls who lived through and survived the Rotherham sex abuse scandal. In the summer of 2014, the Rotherham sex abuse scandal sent shockwaves through the nation. A report revealed that, since the 1990s, up to 1,400 young girls in the town had...

As a boy, Fred fell in love with the game of cricket, it gave him his route through life; out on the pitch he felt at home. Through his eyes we see: the very first time he picks up a bat, getting out first ball; the walk on to the pitch to face the Aussies in 2005; face-downs with rivals; run-ins with the media; the doctors telling him he can't continue to play. After retiring, Fred thought he'd left the game behind, relaunching himself in the world of entertainment, but following the car crash that turned his life upside down, it was cricket to which he returned.

Author and historian Michael Esslinger spent seven years conducting interviews with Whitey Bulger following his capture in 2011. Their conversations captured Bulger's memories of an early life in crime, his years as a prisoner on Alcatraz, and his life as one of the FBI's Most Wanted fugitives. The Last Interviews is a collection of Bulger's own memories, transcribed directly from personal interviews that chronicle a lifetime spent in crime. It is a scrapbook weaved together from prison documents, personal letters, and candid conversations that offer intimate details about his life.

Brought to you by Penguin THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER Discover the incredible true story of WW2's most extraordinary spy - from the bestselling author of The Spy and the Traitor. From planning an assassination attempt on Hitler in Switzerland, to spying on the Japanese in Manchuria, to...

Brought to you by Penguin. *NARRATED BY BBC RADIO 1 PRESENTER, GREG JAMES* A brilliantly warm-hearted celebration of the lost art of having fun When Greg James was ten years old, his nylon shell suit-clad idols the Chuckle Brothers ('to me, to you') signed an autograph (from them, to him) with...

Bestselling author Guy Evans ('NITRO') returns with a monumental volume on World Championship Wrestling, bringing to light scores of revelatory insights in the process. Informed by over 100 new interviews, hundreds of internal company documents, confidential corporate materials, and never-before-seen financial records, BEYOND NITRO goes to places that no pro wrestling book has!

The paranormal comes to life as husband-wife duo Dan Cummins (acclaimed standup comedian and true horror fan) and Lynze Cummins (costume and wardrobe stylist for numerous film and television productions) share terrifying stories that will leave you sleeping with the lights on. Dan’s goal? To scare Lynze with creepy accounts of demonic possession, shadow people, and other eerie phenomena. And when he’s done, Lynze fights back with chilling fan-submitted tales of true horror. Together, they explore the darkest corners of the web, dusty old books, and even their own eerie surroundings—a ...

A thrilling memoir from one of the last living WW2 pilots, published to mark his 105th birthday 'Colin Bell DFC is one of the most remarkable people I've ever met' JAMES HOLLAND 'A terrific read, combining laugh-out-loud reminiscences with jaw-dropping accounts of aerial warfare' JOHN NICHOL...

What makes you a heretic? Journalist Andrew Gold talks to everyone from cult defectors and politicians to mainstream celebrities—people who’ve challenged the expected script and lived with the consequences. Guests include Robbie Williams, Chris Packham, David Baddiel, Richard Dawkins, Bonnie Blue, and former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss.