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J.G. Ballard was a literary giant. His novels were unique and surprising. To the journalists and admirers who sought him out, Ballard was the ‘seer of Shepperton’; his home the vantage from which he observed the rising suburban tide, part of a changing society captured and second-guessed so plausibly in his fiction.Such acuity was not exclusive to his novels and, as this book reminds us, Ballard’s restive intelligence sharpened itself in dialogue. He entertained many with insights into the world as he saw it, and speculated, often correctly, about its future. Some of these observations earned Ballard an oracular reputation, and continue to yield an uncannily accurate commentary today.Now, for the first time, ‘Extreme Metaphors’ collects the finest interviews of his career. Conversations with cultural figureheads such as Will Self, Jon Savage, Iain Sinclair and John Gray, and collaborators like David Cronenberg, are a reminder of his wit and humanity, testament to Ballard’s profound worldliness as much as his otherworldly imagination. This collection is an indispensable tribute to one of recent history’s most incisive and original thinkers.

To mark the 20th anniversary of Kenneth Williams’ death, a beautiful coffee table book celebrating his life, including never-before-seen photographs, sketches and personal testimony from Williams’ closest friends, for the very first time.2008 marks the 20th anniversary of the death of legendary comic actor and broadcaster Kenneth Williams. Among the actor's bequests, in a will which itself was controversial enough to require re-examination, was a large cache of private papers and memorabilia inherited by his godson, Robert Chiddell, and subsequently acquired by the broadcaster and Williams fanatic, Wesley Butters.This material, none of which has been seen before, includes scripts and drafts by Williams, lectures and speeches delivered by him (to an audience of policemen, in a couple of cases), a large number of superb photographs from all phases of his career, and creative writing which even extends to a fictional recreation of his own turbulent Cockney childhood.Without ever arranging it formally Williams had unwittingly assembled a brilliant scrapbook of his life. Kenneth Williams Unseen is that scrapbook, enlarged and emboldened by contributions from those who knew and loved him and is a must for every fan of the great man himself. This is the first authorised book on Williams in over a decade and will re-define the Williams legacy.

Trapped, the first in a series of highly anticipated new titles from foster carer Rosie Lewis, plus The Boy No One Loved, the first title in the bestselling series from foster carer Casey Watson, now combined into a single eBook-only volume.Trapped is story of Phoebe, an autistic nine-year-old girl who is taken into police protection after a chance comment to one of her teachers alerts the authorities that all might not be what it seems in her comfortable, middle-class home. Experienced foster carer Rosie accepts the youngster as an emergency placement knowing that her autism will present a challenge.But after several shocking incidents of self-harming, Pica and threats to kill, Phoebe opens up about her horrific past, and her foster carer begins to suspect that Phoebe may not be suffering from autism at all.The Boy No One Loved is the true story of Justin who was taken into care at the age of 5 after deliberately burning down his family home. Six years on, after 20 failed placements, Justin arrives at Casey’s home. A childhood of hurt and rejection has made him aggressive, but this is only the tip of a chilling iceberg.

In the follow up to the Sunday Times bestseller, The Gift, we are taken on a journey further into the psychic world of Mia Dolan, one of Britain's most gifted psychics. Mia’s World is an amazing psychic adventure which reveals the truth about the spirit world.In Mia’s World, Mia Dolan takes on a student – Roz Chissick, a writer with absolutely no previous psychic training, and teaches her how to tap into her innate psychic gift. The result is an exciting psychic adventure not only for Roz but also for you the reader.Mia reveals more of her fascinating experiences of ghosts, spirits and explains the truth about the darker forces from the other side. We are taken on ghost-busts, to the mystical site of Avalon and astral travels to the home of her spirit guide.Mia reveals how we find happiness in this world and answers profound questions about life, death and psychic phenomena:– What is it like to die?– How can we still communicate with loved ones after death?– Do angels and demons exist?– Is there such a thing as a soul mate?– Is there such a thing as destiny or do we control our own fate?– What happens to our souls after we die?'I wish there was some way I could share my ability to see things other people can't. We all have a guide, but not everyone can see or hear theirs. I've no idea what opened up the link between Eric and me, but I consider it a gift.' Mia Dolan in Real magazine

The incredible story of how one doctor won her own personal battle against cancer through the power of prayer.Mary Self was first diagnosed with bone cancer in 1983 and underwent above-knee amputation and intensive chemotherapy. Believing that she had beaten the disease she went on to complete her studies in medicine, married her college sweetheart and, in defiance of medical assertions that she was sterile, gave birth to two beautiful children.In February 1999 however, her nightmare was to return as cancer once again ravaged her body. After surgery to remove an affected part of her lung, investigations revealed another tumour in her pelvis. Mary was told that the cancer would no longer respond to treatment and that she was terminally ill. She returned home to her family to make final arrangements, and fulfilled a wish to take her son back to Australia to show him where he had been born.After coming home from Australia, Mary's condition rapidly worsened and she was admitted to a hospice for pain control. She asked the elders of her church to visit and pray for her. They in turn asked the members of other churches to pray for Mary. Still in terrible pain she was admitted to the Birmingham bone care unit but told that there was nothing anyone could do for her. In extreme despair, Mary began to drink heavily in an attempt to blot out the prospect of death, she cried out to God for help.Shortly afterward, Mary received a call from the hospital to say that her most recent bone scan showed a shrinking of the tumour. Over the next three weeks the symptoms vanished and the pain disappeared. When she returned to Birmingham for a repeat bone scan the test was completely clear! The doctors were amazed and agreed that there was no medical explanation for her complete recovery. When she suggested to her specialist that the healing had occurred because of the prayers made on her behalf, he could only reply, 'I'll buy that!'This is a remarkable and uplifting story of how one woman looked into the face of death and survived. Her courage and faith are inspirational.

An updated edition of the bestselling autobiography of Charlie Kray, elder brother of the Kray twins, Ronnie and Reggie, who are brought to the screen this autumn in a major motion picture.Charlie Kray was the only person who knew the truth behind the terrifying violence of his notorious twin brothers, Ronnie and Reggie.In his dying days, reflecting on how the Kray name destroyed his life, Charlie reveals what he really thought about the twins – and why they treated him so badly.Today, 40 years after the arrests that ended their so-called reign of terror, the power the Krays wielded is part of criminal folklore – and the fascination with them lives on.Charlie knew them better than anyone – from the extortion racket that provided riches beyond their dreams and the sexual liaison that took them into the corridors of power to the murderous mayhem the twins embarked on as they came to see themselves as beyond the law.In this fully updated edition of his best-selling autobiography, Charlie Kray reveals a side of Ronnie and Reggie that not even their closest henchmen ever saw.

‘When I was very young I took my uncles for granted, and it never occurred to me that everyone else in the world was not like them.’In this, only her second book, Penelope Fitzgerald turned her novelist’s gaze on the quite extraordinary lives of her father and his three brothers. A masterly work of biography, within which we see Penelope Fitzgerald exercising her pen magnificently before she began her novel-writing career.Edmund Knox, her father, was one of the most successful editors of Punch. Dillwyn, a Cambridge Greek scholar, was the first to crack the Nazi’s message decoding system, Enigma, and in so doing, is estimated to have shortened the Second World War by six months. Wilfred became an Anglo-Catholic priest and an active welfare worker in the East End of London. Ronald, the best known of the four during his lifetime, was Roman Catholic chaplain to Oxford University’s student body, preacher, wit, scholar, crime-writer and translator of the Bible.A homage to a long-forgotten world and a fascinating account of the generation straddling the divide between late Victorian and Edwardian.

The most intimate account of a serving prime minister ever published, this is the gripping inside story of David Cameron’s government as told by senior figures, including the Prime Minister, George Osborne and Boris Johnson.Spanning the early days of the coalition to a bitterly contested general election, and ending with the astonishing EU Referendum story, ‘Cameron at 10’ tells the full story of a momentous premiership. From riots in London to the withdrawal from Afghanistan to the gambles of two seismic referenda – the youngest prime minister since 1812 faced an exceptionally turbulent period in British politics. With insights into his relationships with EU leaders, the Brexit camp and Barack Obama, this is the essential blueprint for understanding the rise and fall of the Cameron government.

One hundred colourful portraits of the cricketing characters whom Ian Botham has come across in his eventful career and who have influenced the game for good in his time: from top players, umpires and coaches to pop stars, writers and philanthropists.Among the cast of characters who will feature in Botham’s own Who’s Who of cricket will be top players such as Viv Richards, Brian Close and Shane Warne.Umpire Dickie Bird and the late John Arlott will also have a place in Beefy’s Hall of Fame. Others associated with cricket include Mick Jagger, Sir Paul Getty and Nancy (who used to cook the lunches at Lord’s and was responsible for many a cricketer’s expanding waistline); and many more who in Beefy’s opinion have been a positive influence in the game during his era.Witty, entertaining and controversial, these portraits are sure to incite a plethora of opinions from those both inside and outside the game.Lavishly illustrated, this book will be a treasured item for all cricket fans in the lead up to Christmas 2001.

Originally published in 2000 and now available as an ebook. The bestselling autobiography of cricketing legend Ian Botham, includes his first-hand insight into the 1999/2000 winter tour to South Africa.Ian Botham’s bestselling autobiography is an intriguing cocktail of sex and drugs allegations, personal upheavals, confrontations with his peers, and remarkable achievements both on and off the field.From his heroic deeds against the Aussies art Headingly in 1981 through to the dark clouds surrounding the court case with Imran Khan, from battling in the mud for Scunthorpe United FC to walking half the length of the country for Leukaemia Research, it’s all here in this unforgettable story of a truly larger-than-life character.In an extra chapter for this revised edition, Botham digs deep to unravel the reasons behind the sorry state of English cricket, and provides a compulsive insight into the 1999/2000 winter tour to South Africa where England attempt to recover from a traumatic year under the new leadership of Nasser Hussain.

An explosive and shocking biography of Jose Mourinho – revealing the dark side of 'the special one'.When José Mourinho announced his return to English football, it sparked celebrations from fans and press alike. As one of the most charismatic figures in the game, his reappearance could surely only be a good thing…But is there a darker side to the Mourinho? A mischievous, scheming, even tyrannical quality to the man beneath the veneer of charm?As part of El Pais, Diego Torres is one of the premier investigative journalists in Spanish football, and in this explosive biography of 'the special one' he uncovers secrets and lies that will change the way we see Mourinho.From dodgy dealings to assassinations of players both outside and within his own team, and other shocking revelations, Prepare To Lose reveals Mourinho as a man far removed from the hero so many people consider him to be.

A name synonymous with ground-breaking music, Tony Visconti has worked with the most dynamic and influential names in pop, from T.Rex and Iggy Pop to David Bowie and U2. This is the compelling life story of the man who helped shape music history, and gives a unique, first-hand insight into life in London during the late 1960s and '70s.This memoir takes you on a roller-coaster journey through the glory days of pop music, when men wore sequins and pop could truly rock. Featuring behind-the-scenes stories of big names such as Bowie, Visconti's unique access to the hottest talent, both on stage and off, for over five decades is complemented by unseen photographs from his own personal archive, offering a glimpse at music history that few have witnessed so intimately.Soon after abandoning his native New York to pursue his musical career in the UK, Visconti was soon in the thick of the emerging glam rock movement, launching T.Rex to commercial success and working with the then-unknown David Bowie.Since his fateful move to the land of tea and beer drunk straight from the can, Visconti has worked with such names as T.Rex, Thin Lizzy, Wings, The Boomtown Rats, Marsha Hunt, Procol Harum, and more recently Ziggy Marley, Mercury Rev, the Manic Street Preachers and Morrissey on his acclaimed new album 'Ringleader of the Tormentors'.Even Visconti's personal life betrays an existence utterly immersed in music. Married to first to Siegrid Berman, then to Mary Hopkin and later to May Pang, he counts many of the musicians and producers he has worked with as close friends and is himself a celebrated musician.