RNIB National Library
Service
Giant Print 24
Non Fiction
Animals
Clunes, Martin
A dog's life. 2008. 2v.
Martin embarked on a worldwide quest to look
into the history of dogs, and link the pampered
pets of today with their wild ancestors painted
dogs in Tanzania, dingoes in Australia and wolves
in Yellowstone National Park, USA. He also
explores how humans have shaped the dog
breeds of today.
Gardner, Nuala
A friend like Henry. 2008. 3v.
This is the inspiring account of a family's struggle
to break into their son's autistic world. The
Gardner's lives were transformed when they
welcomed a gorgeous golden retriever into the
family. From taking a bath to saying 'I love you',
Henry helped introduce Dale to all the normal
activities most parents take for granted, and set
him on the road to being the charming and welladjusted young man he is today.
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Grogan, John
Marley and me: life and love with the world's
worst dog. 2006. 3v.
Follows the life story of an exuberant Labrador
retriever who gets into perpetual trouble and
experiences a range of inspiring adventures, from
shutting down an entire beach to guarding a
seventeen-year-old neighbour after a stabbing
attack.
Katz, Jon
A home for Rose: how my life turned upside
down for the love of a dog. 2008. 3v.
Jon Katz leaves the suburbs for a remote farm in
order to give Border Collie puppy Rose - along
with our friend Devon from A Dog Year - a true
taste of herding life. Rose's adventures start
early, going head to head with a head-butting ram
the day the sheep arrive. She soon establishes a
routine for the sheep, chickens and donkeys - and
Jon - that makes everything run like clockwork.
3
Myron, Vicki
Dewey: the small town library cat who
touched the world. 2008. 2v.
Vicki Myron, the new head librarian in Spencer,
Iowa, found a tiny kitten almost frozen to death in
the night drop box. Dewey, as the townspeople
named the kitten, quickly grew into a strutting,
adorable library cat whose antics kept patrons in
stitches, and whose sixth sense about those in
need created hundreds of deep and loving
Summers, Judith
My life with George: the inspirational story of
how a wilful dog brought joy to a bereaved
family. 2008. 3v.
When Judith Summers' husband and father both
died within the space of two weeks, life for her
and her eight-year-old son Joshua seemed
relentlessly bleak. Then George a loving Cavalier
King Charles Spanielbounced into their lives. Yet
Judith soon discovered that living with George
had its drawbacks.
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Biography
Acorah, Derek.
The psychic adventures of Derek Acorah: TV's
number one psychic. 2004. 2v.
Derek Acorah tells of his experiences with the
spirit world, from his one-to-one readings and
consultations to international performances and
renowned investigations for Living TV's reputedly
most haunted historical sites.
Angelou, Maya.
I know why the caged bird sings. 1995. 2v.
Growing up in the southern states of America in
the 1920s was a chancy business for a black
child. The author and her brother Bailey - who
gave her the nickname "Maya", meaning "mine" led a varied, colourful and at times frightening
existence, but her joy somehow survived.
Athill, Diana
Somewhere towards the end. 2009. 2v.
Diana Athill made her reputation as a writer with
the candour of her memoirs. This is a lively
narrative of events, lovers and friendships: the
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people and experiences that have taught her to
regret very little, to resist despondency and to
question the beliefs and customs of her own
generation.
Barnes, Julian.
Arthur & George. 2006. 5v.
Arthur and George grow up worlds apart in late
nineteenth century Britain: Arthur in shabbygenteel Edinburgh, George in the vicarage of a
small Staffordshire village. Arthur becomes a
doctor, hen a writer; George a solicitor in
Birmingham. Arthur is to become one of the most
famous men of his age, while George remains in
hard-working obscurity. However as the new
century begins, they are brought together by a
sequence of events which made sensational
headlines at the time as The Great Wyrley
Outrages.
Bauby, Jean-Dominique
The diving-bell and the butterfly. 2002. 1v.
The author, a father of two and editor-in-chief of
"Elle" magazine, suffered a massive stroke. When
he regained consciousness, he was only able to
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move one muscle: his left eyelid. Yet his mind
remained as active as ever. Signalling with his
eyelid, he "dictated" this book. His dispatches are
poignant and humorous.
Bennett, Alan.
Untold stories. 2006. 7v.
The book provides a collection of prose. The title
piece is a poignant family memoir with an account
of the marriage of the authors parents, the lives
and deaths of his aunts and the uncovering of a
long-held family secret. Also included are his
diaries from 1996 to 2004, as well as essays,
reviews, lectures and reminiscences ranging from
childhood trips to the local cinema and a tour
around Leeds City Art Gallery to reflections on
writing, honours and his Westminster Abbey
eulogy for Thora Hird.
Brand, Jo.
Look back in hunger: the autobiography. 2009.
2v.
Raised in middle class comfort, she left home in
her teens to live with someone entirely
inappropriate. Her parents were aghast at her
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behaviour and attempted to rein in her excesses,
finally giving up when she demonstrated that she
was not headed for the life of a nun. From her
early years growing up in a small south coast
town with two brothers who toughened her up, to
emerging on stage as 'The Sea Monster', Jo
Brand tells it like it is.
Brooke, Rupert.
Letters from America: travels in the USA and
Canada. 2008. 1v.
In May 1913, Rupert Brooke embarked on a yearlong expedition of North America. He sent his
impressions home in a series of letters, describing
all his various experiences and reflections. He is
blunt in his judgements on society, business and
cities, playful in his accounts of Anglo-American
relations, and finally humbled by the vastness of
the landscape in which he finds himself.
Canoville, Paul.
Black and blue: how racism, drugs and
Cancer almost destroyed me. 2008. 3v.
Canoville was Chelsea's first black first-team
player, making his debut in 1982. But as he
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warmed up on the touchline, his own supporters
began chanting 'We don't want the nigger!' The
racist bile continued whenever he played, but
within a year he had won over the terraces with
his explosive pace and skill. Canoville fell out with
the Chelsea board and moved to Reading in
1986, where injury suddenly ended his career at
the age of 24. This started a downward spiral
including the death of his baby in his arms, two
bouts of life-threatening lymph cancer, drug
abuse and homelessness. But Canoville fought
back. In this book, Paul explains why, despite
everything, he is more positive than ever and has
remained a fervent Chelsea fan all his life.
Church, Charlotte.
Keep smiling: the autobiography. 2008. 3v.
Candid to the last, in this autobiography Charlotte
reveals herself as never before. She talks of her
life, career, family and loves and impending
motherhood with surprising intimacy and, being
true to her outspoken reputation, complete
honesty.
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Elliott, Jane.
The little prisoner: how a childhood was
stolen and a trust betrayed. 2005. 2v.
An inspirational true story of a four-year-old girl
who fell into the power of a man whose evil knew
no bounds. She encountered terrifying mental and
physical torture from her psychopathic stepfather
for a period of 17 years until she managed to
break free, her spirit still unbroken.
Frank, Anne.
The diary of a young girl. 1998. 3v.
In July 1942, thirteen year old Anne Frank and
her family fled from the horrors of Nazi
occupation, and went into hiding in an Amsterdam
warehouse. Over the next two years Anne vividly
describes in her diary the frustration of living in
such confined quarters.
French, Dawn
Dear Fatty. 2008. 3v.
This is a memoir of an event-packed life in the
form of a series of letters by French, conjuring her
transformation from a West Country RAF girl to a
star of the cult alternative comedy group The
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Comic Strip. We are invited into her most
personal relationships with (among others) her
mother and father, her husband (fellow comedian
Lenny Henry), and her comedic ally, Jennifer
Saunders.
Goodman, Len.
Better late than never: the autobiography.
2008. 3v.
This is the story of how a man born into poverty in
London's East End went on to find stardom late in
life when he was chosen to be head judge on
BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing. Len will be
telling all about his new found fame, not only his
experiences on Strictly Come Dancing, but also
on the no.1 US show Dancing with Stars and his
encounters with the likes of Heather MillsMcCartney. But the real story is in his East End
roots.
Graves, Robert.
Goodbye to all that. 1960. 4v.
This book has been described as one of the great
autobiographies of the 20th century. The text was
written when the author was about to leave
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England after much personal turmoil. In it the
intractable experience of the First World War is
digested by Graves' poetic imagination into
literature. At the same time, it is one of the most
candid self portraits ever drawn, while containing
vivid portraits of his close friends.
Hainsworth, Tessa.
Up with the larks: starting again in Cornwall.
2009. 3v.
Having given up a high-powered job and the
lifestyle to match, Tessa Hainsworth had no idea
how hard she would struggle when, full of
optimism, she fulfilled her dream of moving to
rural Cornwall with her young family one
September. Within months, she is almost ready to
return to London, tail between her legs: her
husband is still out of work, her children are
struggling in a cold, damp, tumbledown house
and the family is running out of money - fast. But
a chance encounter in the local post office leads
her to accept the unlikeliest of job offers.
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Hayden, Torey
The tiger's child. 2005. 3v.
Sheila was a deeply disturbed six-year old when
she came into Torey Hayden's life - then Torey
lost touch with the child she had helped to free
from a hellish inner prison of rage and silence.
Seven years later, Sheila was back, no longer
broken and lost but still troubled and searching for
answers.
Herriot, James.
If only they could talk. 1970. 2v.
When newly qualified vet James Herriot arrives in
the small Yorkshire village of Darrowby, he has
no idea what to expect. How will he get on with
his new boss?
Hewitt, Paolo.
The looked after kid. 2003. 2v.
A true story of Paolo Hewitt's deeply moving tale
of his life in care during the 70's. Often humorous,
perceptive and entertaining, this is the book about
chance and luck, promises and anger, loyalty
amongst friends, love amongst the loveless.
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Contains language that some readers may find
offensive.
Johnson, Martin.
Martin Johnson. 2003. 4v.
Martin Johnson has achieved all there is to
achieve in rugby since making his England debut
in 1992. He has captained his club, Leicester,
he's led England with huge success, he looks at
how the sport has changed since going
professional in 1995 and the issues this has
raised.
Kay, Peter.
Saturday night Peter. 2009. 3v.
Picking up from where Peter's autobiography
"The Sound of Laughter" left off, "Saturday Night
Peter" charts the hilarious journey his career took
as he developed and honed his comedy skills by
taking to the road and trying out his stand up
material in pubs and clubs across the country.
Each Saturday night would present Peter with a
new venue, a new audience to win over, other
acts appearing and the ever changing and all
important performance itself. But behind the
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scenes there were the digs and landladies, the
preparation for the show, the anxious drive there
and of course the inspiration for the material itself.
Lee, Laurie.
Cider with Rosie. 2002. 2v.
Growing up amongst the fields and woods and
characters of the place, this memoir is about the
authors childhood in a remote Cotswold village, a
village before electricity or cars, a timeless place
on the verge of change.
Madeley, Richard.
Fathers and sons. 2008. 3v.
Richard Madeley is fascinated by the speed of
change in family life and how being a father has
changed since the time of his father and
grandfather. Richard's grandfather had a
childhood of betrayal and sadness. His family
abandoned him as a child to older relatives and
emigrated without telling him. Without any positive
parenting role models, he passed on to his son a
sense of his discomfort and occasional frustration
and anger. He remembers no affection, or
endearments from his dad and was packed off to
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a desolate boarding school in an echo of his own
father's betrayal. In a bucking of the family trend,
Richard's mother, a Canadian, introduced more
loving and demonstrative relationships which
Richard has continued with his own son and stepsons.
McCourt, Frank.
Angela’s ashes: a memoir of a childhood.
1997. 3v.
In this memoir Frank McCourt tells of his first
eighteen years growing up in New York in the
1930s and Ireland in the 1940s. It is story of
hunger, poverty and social deprivation - too many
children, too little money, his mother barely
coping as his father's drinking bouts brought the
family close to disaster. But it is also about the
celebration of the human spirit, laughter and
human kindness.
Niven, David.
The moon's a balloon. 2005. 4v.
Takes readers back to David Niven's childhood
days, his humiliating expulsion from school and to
his army years and wartime service. After the war,
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he returned to America and there came his
Hollywood success in films such as "Wuthering
Heights" and "Around the World in 80 Days".
Ralston, Aron.
Between a rock and a hard place:
my survival in Blue John Canyon. 2004. 4v.
A mountaineer who survived a near-fatal accident
by amputating his arm when it became trapped
behind a boulder in Utah describes how he
endured five days of hypothermia, dehydration,
and hallucinations before managing his own
rescue.
Thatcher, Carol.
A swim-on part in the goldfish bowl: a
memoir. 2008. 3v.
Carol Thatcher has one of the most famous
surnames in the world. In this memoir, she tells us
about what it was like to grow up as The Milk
Snatcher's daughter, to be the sister of the more
(in)famous Mark, and to live a life that she
describes as a 'swim-on part in the goldfish bowl'.
As a schoolgirl, student, journalist and now TV
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personality and indefatigable world traveller, she
lives life to the full.
Pelzer, Dave.
A child called ‘It’. 1995. 1v.
Book 1. Dave Pelzer's story is the story of a child
brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally
unstable, alcoholic mother, a mother who played
tortuous, unpredictable games - games that left
one of her sons nearly dead. The outside world
knew nothing of the nightmare played out behind
closed doors. But throughout Dave kept alive
dreams of finding a family to love him.
Contains violence.
Pelzer, Dave.
The lost boy. 2001. 2v.
Book 2. Dave Pelzer describes his life in foster
care. He moves through five different homes and
describes his heart-rending encounters with other
foster parents and children, some of whom resent
his presence, some of whom help him. Through it
all he is pursued by his mother. Eventually he
finds a life for himself, having come to terms with
the terrible things inflicted on him.
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Contains violence.
Pelzer, Dave.
A man named Dave. 2001. 2v.
Book 3. The conclusion to Dave Pelzer's trilogy of
memoirs. With extraordinary generosity of spirit,
Dave takes us on his journey confronting his past.
In a dramatic reunion he confronts his father and
ultimately faces the mother who so brutally
abused him. Finally Dave finds the courage to
break the chains of the past and learn to love,
trust and live for the future.
Price, Katie.
Jordan: a whole new world. 2006. 3v.
This book takes up where the last ended,
detailing what she really made of her jungle
experiences, the truth behind the romance with
Peter Andre, her excitement over their new baby,
the glamour behind their up-coming wedding, and
her heartbreak over the continuing medical
traumas concerning her oldest son Harvey.
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Mah, Adeline Yen.
Chinese Cinderella: the secret story of an
unwanted daughter. 1999. 2v.
The story of a Chinese woman and how she
suffered appalling emotional deprivation and
rejection by her family, as a child growing up in
China and Hong Kong. She tells of the
consequences in her adult life, which she rose
above to make a happy marriage and become a
successful doctor in the USA.
Obama, Barack
Dreams from my father: a story of race and
inheritance. 2008. 5v.
The son of a black African father and a white
American mother, Obama was only two years old
when his father walked out on the family. Many
years later, Obama receives a phone call from
Nairobi: his father is dead. This sudden news
inspires an emotional odyssey for Obama,
determined to learn the truth of his father's life
and reconcile his divided inheritance.
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Parkinson, Michael
Parky: my autobiography. 2009. 3v.
Michael Parkinson's career spans over four
decades the man from a humble but colourful
Yorkshire mining family who can tease out the
secrets of even the most reticent star guest, at
last reveals his own story. His distinguished
career has involved working on highly acclaimed
current affairs and film programmes. His wide
interests and expertise include jazz, film, football
and cricket.
Seth, Vikram
Two lives. 2006. 5v.
The book is both a history of a violent century
seen through eyes of two survivors as well as an
intimate portrait of their friendship, marriage and
abiding yet complex love. Shanti Behari Seth
brought up in India in the late years of the Raj,
was sent by his family in the 1930s to Berlin to
study medicine and dentistry. It was here, before
he migrated to Britain, that Shanti's path first
crossed that of his future wife, Henny Gerda
Caro.
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Stewart, Jackie
Winning is not enough: the autobiography.
2007. 6v.
Sir Jackie Stewart is winner of three F1 World
Championships, 27 Grands Prix and ranked in the
top five drivers of all time. On retiring from the
circuit, he went on to build an equally impressive
international business career. Beyond the sport
his life is a compelling tale of battling against the
odds and achieving world-wide recognition as an
outstanding sportsman, a role model and a highly
accomplished and respected businessman.
Strachey, Lytton.
Eminent Victorians. 2008. 3v.
Lytton Strachey approached his subjects with
scepticism rather than reverence, and his
iconoclastic wit and engaging narratives thrilled
as well as shocked his contemporaries.
Debunking Church, Public School and Empire, his
portraits of Cardinal Manning, Florence
Nightingale, Dr Arnold of Rugby, and General
Gordon of Khartoum changed perceptions of the
Victorians for a generation.
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Trollope, Anthony.
Autobiography of Anthony Trollope. 2008. 3v.
After education at Harrow and Winchester, his
father's debts forced Trollope to take a job as a
Post Office clerk. In his autobiography he reveals
the amazing tasks he set himself in his
determination to write, as well as work in the Post
Office, and how later his novels brought him fame
and fortune.
Vonnegut, Kurt
A man without a country. 2006. 1v.
Written over five years in the form of a loose
memoir, with the examples of Mark Twain, Jesus
Christ, Abraham Lincoln, and a saintly doctor
named Ignaz Semmelweis powerfully in mind, "A
man without a country" is an intimate and tender
communication from one individual to his fellow
humans - sometimes kidding, at other times
despairing, always searching.
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Crime
Capote, Truman.
In cold blood: a true account of a multiple
murder and its consequences. 1967. 4v.
On a November night in 1959 a wealthy Kansas
farmer, his wife and their 2 teenage daughters
were shot and killed. The two young men who
had murdered them were eventually hanged for
the crime. In the 6 year interim, Truman Capote
researched and wrote this book, an investigative
classic which raises as many compelling
and horrifying questions as it answers.
Childcare
Frost, Jo.
Supernanny: how to get the best from your
children. 2005. 2v.
With over fifteen years' experience, Jo Frost
knows exactly what to do - whether your tenmonth-old won't sleep through the night, or your
two-year-old is on the rampage.
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Drama
Russell, Willy
Shirley Valentine. 1991. 2v.
The filmscript specially adapted by Willy Russell
into a full-length play. Shirley Valentine has no
one to talk to but the kitchen wall. Surely there's
more to life than egg and chips on Tuesdays and
steak on Thursdays? On a Greek island, husband
left behind, her dream of escape turns into reality.
Essays
Bacon, Francis, Viscount St Albans.
Essays. 2008. 2v.
Bacon's discourse on a wide range of subjects,
from marriage to death, from truth to atheism, is
written in prose of genuine beauty and clarity that
made his work, for centuries after his death, an
essential study for scholars of English literature.
His insights remain pertinent to the reader even in
the 21st Century.
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Historical
Cooke, Alistair.
Alistair Cooke's American journey: life on the
home front in the Second World War. 2007. 4v.
Intertwined with his reflections on changing
landscapes and cityscapes and with his unique
storytelling skills and insight, his acute ability to
define detail and catch the sounds and syntax of
different regional accents, this is Alistair Cooke
moving into his prime as a reporter and a writer.
His prescient observations on what was
happening and considerations on where America
was headed provide a clearer understanding of a
critical moment in world history just prior to the
dropping of the Atomic bomb.
Procopius.
The secret history. 2007. 2v.
"The secret history" portrays the great lawgiver
Justinian as a rampant king of corruption and
tyranny, the Empress Theodora as a sorceress
and whore, and the brilliant general Belisarius as
the pliable dupe of his scheming wife Antonina. A
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work of explosive energy, depicting holy
Byzantium as a hell of murder and misrule.
Humour
Clarkson, Jeremy.
The world according to Clarkson. 2005. 3v.
In The World According to Clarkson, one of the
country's funniest comic writers has free reign to
expose absurdity, celebrate eccentricity and
entertain richly in the process. And the net is cast
wide: from the chronic unsuitability of men to look
after children for long periods or as operators of
'white goods', Nimbyism, cricket and PlayStations,
to astronomy, David Beckham, 70's rock, the
demise of Concorde, the burden of an Eton
education and the shocking failure of Tom Clancy
to make it on to the Booker shortlist. The World
According to Clarkson is a hilarious snapshot of
the life in the 21st century that will have readers
wincing with embarrassed recognition and crying
with laughter.
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Phinn, Gervase.
Twinkle, twinkle, little stars. 2008. 1v.
A collection of Gervase Phinn's favourite stories
about children from his bestselling Dales books,
and some poems from his Puffin poetry books.
The stories have one thing in common, the
wonderfully funny (and usually innocent) things
that children say. Whether they are stories about
children who cannot read very well but know the
names of many breeds of sheep, or children who
are more privileged (coming to school in a Wolls
Woyce) they will make you look at life through a
child's eyes.
Literature
Mortimer, John
In other words. 2008. 1v.
A book of verse, anecdotes and memories based
on Mortimer's long-running one-man charity
show. Stories of seedy criminals and the even
seedier criminal justice system, of boyhood and
Mortimer's remarkable father, of passion and
politics, and most of all English eccentrics from
Lord Byron to the present day.
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Music and entertainment
Hornby, Nick.
31 songs. 2003. 2v.
Here, Nick Hornby writes about 31 songs - most
of them loved, some of them once loved, all of
them significant to him, such as Van Morrison and
Nelly Furtado, and songs as different as "Thunder
Road" and "Puff the Magic Dragon" (reggae
style). He discusses, among other things, guitar
solos, singers whose teeth whistle and the sort of
music you hear in the Body Shop.
Personal
Noseda, Holly
Adoption & fostering: a parent's guide. 2008.
1v.
Need-2-know series. Packed with practical advice
and the latest information, this book takes you
through the entire process of adoption and
fostering: from making initial inquires and starting
an application to the approval process and the
first days at home. The legislative maze is fully
29
explained and guidance is given on planning for
your new family - both emotionally and practically.
Dragon's Den: your road to success. 2009.
The Dragons' Den stars reveal their personal
stories of success but also the failures they have
overcome.
Philosophy
Descartes, Rene.
Discourse on the method. 2008. 1v.
Descartes was a central figure in the scientific
revolution of the seventeenth century. In his
Discourse on the method he outlines the contrast
between mathematics and experimental sciences,
Descartes developed the hypothetical method
that characterizes modern science, and this soon
came to replace the traditional techniques derived
from Aristotle.
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Plays
Miller, Arthur.
A view from the bridge/ All my sons. 2000. 2v.
A play dealing with the problem of illegal
immigration into America. The presence of two
Italian immigrants brings to the surface the hidden
tensions within an American family, and leads to
eventual tragedy.
Shakespeare, William.
Julius Caesar. 2010. 1v.
A historic tragedy, leading up to the assassination
of this Roman general.
Shakespeare, William.
Measure for measure. 2010. 1v.
Although "Measure for Measure" ends like a
comedy, with reconciliations, forgiveness and
marriages, it has often been regarded as one of
Shakespeare's problem plays. The drama shows
the difficulty of effecting an appropriate balance
between judicial severity and mercy, between
sexual repression and decadence, and between
political vigilance and social manipulation.
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Shakespeare, William.
Othello. 2010. 1v.
One of the most staged of all Shakespeare's
plays, Othello is a tale of love and betrayal,
secrets, passions, and intrigue. Psychology and
wit pit strength and virtue against jealousy and
evil agendas. The results leave no winners, only
tragedy in the lives of the jealous Moor, Othello,
and his wife, Desdemona.
Shakespeare, William.
Richard II. 2010. 1v.
The historical tragedy begins with a quarrel and
the exiling of Bolingbroke & Mowbray; it ends with
Richard relinquishing his crown to Bolingbroke
some years later.
Sheridan, Richard Brinsley.
The school for scandal. 2004. 2v.
Comedy of contrasts in which brothers Joseph
and Charles Surface contend for Maria, with
hilariously differing intentions and results. Also a
work of acute comic irony.
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Wilde, Oscar.
Lady Windermere's fan. 2010. 1v.
Beautiful, aristocratic, an adored wife and young
mother, Lady Windermere is 'a fascinating puritan'
whose severe moral code leads her to the brink of
social suicide. The only one who can save her is
the mysterious Mrs Erlynne whose scandalous
relationship with Lord Windermere has prompted
her fatal impulse. And Mrs Erlynne has a secret a secret Lady Windermere must never know if
she is to retain her peace of mind.
Poetry
Burns, Robert.
Poems and songs of Robert Burns. 2008. 5v.
Angry or compassionate, sentimental or satirical,
romantic or bawdy, Burns' poetry transcends the
Scottish dialect in which it is written.
Foulds, Adam
The broken word. 2008. 1v.
Set in the 1950s, "The broken word" is a poetic
sequence that animates and illuminates a dark,
terrifying period in British colonial history. Tom
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has returned to his family's farm in Kenya for the
summer vacation between school and university
when he is swept up by the events of the Mau
Mau uprising.
Larkin, Philip.
The Whitsun weddings.1964.1v.
A collection of poems from a "tenderly observant"
poet who writes about what all of us can
understand. The title poem describes the poet's
journey by train from Hull to London, using the
tones and rhythms of ordinary speech and
focusing on the urban landscape of the industrial
north.
Science
New Scientist.
Does anything eat wasps? And 101 other
questions. 2005. 2v.
How long can I live on beer alone? Why do
people have eyebrows? Has nature invented any
wheels? Every year, readers send in thousands of
questions to "New Scientist", the world's bestselling science weekly.
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O'Hare, Mick.
Why don't penguins' feet freeze? And 114
other questions. 2006. 2v.
This book includes recent answers never before
published in book form, as well as old favourites
from the columns early days.
Sport
McIlvanney, Hugh
McIlvanney on boxing. 2002. 5v.
The book features in-depth analysis of the buildup, climax and aftermath of over 25 classic
showdowns, tracing decades of boxing history
and recreating the drama and spectacle of such
encounters as Ali v. Cooper, Frazier v. Ali and
Foreman v. Norton. It also covers clashes from
more modern times, such as the epic contests of
the '80s between Pedroza and McGuigan, and
Tyson and Bruno.
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Society
Kyle, Jeremy
I'm only being honest. 2009. 3v.
Jeremy Kyle takes a hard look at the social
problems blighting modern Britain and seeks a
route towards their solution. He stresses the need
for the firm hand and unconditional love that
seems so absent from certain young parents and
questions the morals of those who see having
children purely as a money-making exercise.
Travel
Blixen, Karen.
Out of Africa. 2001. 4v.
The author sets out in middle age to record the
central experience of her life in which, with her
husband, she went out to Kenya to manage a
coffee plantation close to the Ngong Hills near
Nairobi, and continued to do so for ten years after
her divorce. The result is a poignant evocation of
a vanishing land and its peoples, the destiny of
whom seems almost to echo her own
preoccupations.
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Fogle, Bruce
A dog abroad: one man and his dog journey
into the heart of Europe. 2007. 3v.
Macy, an endearing and vivacious golden
retriever, and her master, the bestselling vet
Bruce Fogle, journey into the very heart of Europe
in search of the Fogle ancestors.
Hawes, Annie
Extra virgin. 2001. 5v.
When Annie Hawes buys a hillside cottage in Italy
for no more than the price of a dodgy secondhand car, a capable young Englishwoman
becomes a surprisingly incapable Ligurian
"signorina" - in the overgrown garden of a small,
stone house amongst the olive groves of Liguria.
Fortunately the hard-core olive-farming folk of
Diano San Pietro are on hand to ply her with huge
meals, plenty of ridicule and all the old-fashioned
know-how needed to get by.
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Hawes, Annie
Ripe for the picking. 2003. 3v.
Englishwoman Annie Hawes spent ten years
living and working amongst the people of Diano
San Pietro in northern Italy. She'd bought and
renovated a house, tended her own olive grove,
and spoke the Ligurian dialect like a native. But a
decade is the blink of an eye in a land where
rituals and customs go back hundreds,
sometimes thousands of years.
Mayle, Peter.
A year in Provence. 2000. 2v.
First, a dream of life in Provence, and then a
home to match the dream. Moving into an old
farmhouse at the foot of the Luberon Mountains
between Avignon and Aix was the beginning of an
exotic and bewildering new life for Peter Mayle
and his wife. "A year in Provence" is Peter
Mayle's own hilarious description of their
pleasurable and occasionally frustrating
experiences.
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Palin, Michael.
Around the world in 80 days. 1989. 3v.
In the autumn of 1988, Michael Palin set out from
the Reform Club to circumnavigate the world,
following the route taken by Phileas Fogg 115
years earlier. Fogg brought back a Princess. Palin
a lot of dirty laundry and a television series that
stands as an unparalleled tribute to man's ability
to make life difficult for himself.
Stevenson, Robert Louis.
Travels with a donkey. 2008. 1v.
In 1878 Stevenson set out from to tramp through
the wild region of the Cevennes. His only
companion was a small donkey to carry basic
necessities, and a commodious sleeping sack. In
the next 12 days, at a pace dictated by the
donkey and carrying most of the supplies himself,
he travelled 120 miles across rivers, mountains
and forests.
Thubron, Colin.
Shadow of the Silk Road. 2007. 4v.
Shadow of the Silk Road records a journey along
the greatest land route on earth. Out of the heart
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of China into the mountains of Central Asia,
across northern Afghanistan and the plains of Iran
and into Kurdish Turkey, Colin Thubron travels
from the Tomb of the Yellow Emperor to the
ancient Mediterranean port of Antioch, going by
local bus, truck, car, donkey-cart or camel.
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