https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?QRY=(BIBCOLX%3A%20AB)%20%2B%20(PD%3A%20%22%20%3E%20TODAY(-365)%22)&QRYTEXT=Biography&SETLVL=SET&CF=BIB&SORTS=DTE.DATE1.DESC&NRECS=20&ISGLB=0 Spydus Search Results en © 2022 Civica Pty Limited. All rights reserved. https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3383211&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 Based on four years of reporting; extensive travels with President Zelensky to the front; and dozens of interviews with him, his wife, his friends and enemies, his advisers, ministers and military commanders, 'The Showman' tells an intimate and eye-opening story of the President's evolution from a slapstick actor to a symbol of resilience, revealing how he managed to rally the world's democracies behind his cause. Clear-eyed about the President's early failures as a peacemaker and his willingness to silence political dissent, the book offers a complex picture of a man struggling to break what he sees as a historical cycle of oppression that began generations before he was born. Based on four years of reporting; extensive travels with President Zelensky to the front; and dozens of interviews with him, his wife, his friends and enemies, his advisers, ministers and military commanders, 'The Showman' tells an intimate and eye-opening story of the President's evolution from a slapstick actor to a symbol of resilience, revealing how he managed to rally the world's democracies behind his cause. Clear-eyed about the President's early failures as a peacemaker and his willingness to silence political dissent, the book offers a complex picture of a man struggling to break what he sees as a historical cycle of oppression that began generations before he was born.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Shuster, Simon<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : William Collins, 2024.<br />xx, 363 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white, and colour), maps (black and white) ; 24 cm<br /><br />HQ-New Stock - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B ZEL - Available - 4064008<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3577992&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 This is a book about how being a woman gets in the way of people's expectation of what autism should look like and, equally, how being autistic gets in the way of people's expectations of what a woman should look like. 'Strong Female Character' is a game-changing memoir on sexism and neurodiversity. Fern Brady will use her voice as a neurodivergent, working-class woman from Scotland to bring issues such as sex work, abusive relationships and her time spent in teenage mental health units to the page. It will take a sledgehammer to the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope which is mistakenly applied to neurodiverse women. It will also look at how her lack of regard for social expectations ultimately meant she surpassed any limitations of what a Scottish working-class woman can do. This is a book about how being a woman gets in the way of people's expectation of what autism should look like and, equally, how being autistic gets in the way of people's expectations of what a woman should look like. 'Strong Female Character' is a game-changing memoir on sexism and neurodiversity. Fern Brady will use her voice as a neurodivergent, working-class woman from Scotland to bring issues such as sex work, abusive relationships and her time spent in teenage mental health units to the page. It will take a sledgehammer to the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope which is mistakenly applied to neurodiverse women. It will also look at how her lack of regard for social expectations ultimately meant she surpassed any limitations of what a Scottish working-class woman can do.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Brady, Fern, 1986-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Brazen, 2024.<br />287 pages ; 20 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />Central Procurement - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B BRA - Physical Processing (Set: 10 May 2024) - 4066736<br />Central Procurement - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B BRA - Physical Processing (Set: 10 May 2024) - 4066738<br />Peterhead Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B BRA - Available - 4064635<br />Westhill Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B BRA - Onloan - Due: 29 May 2024 - 4064636<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3584132&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 When Amy returns to Orkney after more than a decade away, she is drawn back to the sheep farm where she grew up. Approaching the land that was once home, memories of her childhood merge with the recent events that have set her on this journey. Amy was shaped by the cycle of the seasons, birth and death on the farm, and her father's mental illness, which were as much a part of her childhood as the wild, carefree existence on Orkney. But as she grew up, she longed to leave this remote life. She moved to London and found herself in a hedonistic cycle. Unable to control her drinking, alcohol gradually took over. Now 30, she finds herself washed up back home on Orkney, trying to come to terms with what happened to her in London. When Amy returns to Orkney after more than a decade away, she is drawn back to the sheep farm where she grew up. Approaching the land that was once home, memories of her childhood merge with the recent events that have set her on this journey. Amy was shaped by the cycle of the seasons, birth and death on the farm, and her father's mental illness, which were as much a part of her childhood as the wild, carefree existence on Orkney. But as she grew up, she longed to leave this remote life. She moved to London and found herself in a hedonistic cycle. Unable to control her drinking, alcohol gradually took over. Now 30, she finds herself washed up back home on Orkney, trying to come to terms with what happened to her in London.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Liptrot, Amy<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>Edinburgh : Canongate, 2024.<br />304 pages : maps (black and white) ; 20 cm<br /><br />Central Procurement - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B LIP - On order<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3637070&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 When Clair Wills was in her twenties, she discovered she had a cousin she had never met. Born in a Mother and Baby Home in 1950s Ireland, Mary grew up in an institution not far from the farm where Clair spent happy childhood summers. Yet she was never told of her existence. How could a whole family - a whole country - abandon unmarried mothers and their children, erasing them from history? To discover the missing pieces of her family's story, Clair searched across archives and nations, in a journey that would take her from the 1890s to the 1980s, from West Cork to rural Suffolk and Massachusetts, from absent fathers to the grief of a lost child. There are some experiences that do not want to be remembered. What began as an effort to piece together the facts became an act of decoding the most unreliable of evidence - stories, secrets, silences. When Clair Wills was in her twenties, she discovered she had a cousin she had never met. Born in a Mother and Baby Home in 1950s Ireland, Mary grew up in an institution not far from the farm where Clair spent happy childhood summers. Yet she was never told of her existence. How could a whole family - a whole country - abandon unmarried mothers and their children, erasing them from history? To discover the missing pieces of her family's story, Clair searched across archives and nations, in a journey that would take her from the 1890s to the 1980s, from West Cork to rural Suffolk and Massachusetts, from absent fathers to the grief of a lost child. There are some experiences that do not want to be remembered. What began as an effort to piece together the facts became an act of decoding the most unreliable of evidence - stories, secrets, silences.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Wills, Clair<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>UK : Allen Lane, 2024.<br />183 pages : illustrations (black and white), map (black and white) ; 23 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />Banff Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B WIL - On reserve shelf at Banff Library - 4064076<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3638600&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 In the summer of 1957, anxious to impress an admirer who had moved to Paris, while rebelling against her family, Gill Johnson, aged twenty-five, gave up her comfortable job at the National Gallery in London and travelled to Venice to take up a job teaching English to an aristocratic Italian family. 'Love from Venice' is her vivid evocation of that summer, the last hurrah of the European Grand Tour, when the international jet set lit upon the city for their fun. In the summer of 1957, anxious to impress an admirer who had moved to Paris, while rebelling against her family, Gill Johnson, aged twenty-five, gave up her comfortable job at the National Gallery in London and travelled to Venice to take up a job teaching English to an aristocratic Italian family. 'Love from Venice' is her vivid evocation of that summer, the last hurrah of the European Grand Tour, when the international jet set lit upon the city for their fun.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Johnson, Gill<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Hodder & Stoughton, 2024.<br />x, 357 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 24 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />Library-Headquarters - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B JOH - On order<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3639273&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 'I'm Black, so you don't have to be', Colin Grant's uncle Castus used to tell him. For Colin, born in Britain to Jamaican parents, things were supposed to be different. If he worked hard and became a doctor, he was told, his race would become invisible; he would shake off the burden he believed his parents' generation had carried. The reality turned out to be very different. This is a memoir told through a series of intimate intergenerational portraits. We meet Grant's mother Ethlyn, disappointed by working-class life in Luton, who dreams of returning to Jamaica; his father Bageye, a small-time criminal with a violent temper; his sister Selma, who refashioned herself as an African princess; his great uncle Percy, estranged from his family through his own pride. Each character we meet is navigating their own path. Each life informs Grant's own shifting sense of his identity. 'I'm Black, so you don't have to be', Colin Grant's uncle Castus used to tell him. For Colin, born in Britain to Jamaican parents, things were supposed to be different. If he worked hard and became a doctor, he was told, his race would become invisible; he would shake off the burden he believed his parents' generation had carried. The reality turned out to be very different. This is a memoir told through a series of intimate intergenerational portraits. We meet Grant's mother Ethlyn, disappointed by working-class life in Luton, who dreams of returning to Jamaica; his father Bageye, a small-time criminal with a violent temper; his sister Selma, who refashioned herself as an African princess; his great uncle Percy, estranged from his family through his own pride. Each character we meet is navigating their own path. Each life informs Grant's own shifting sense of his identity.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Grant, Colin, 1961-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Vintage, 2024.<br />ix, 240 pages ; 20 cm<br /><br />HQ-New Stock - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B GRA - Available - 4064077<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3639278&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 In 2008 the Playboy mansion became Crystal Harris's sanctuary - a shimmering vestige of power and opportunity. Within months she had ascended its hierarchical system to become Hugh Hefner's top girlfriend. But her new home came at a cost. Forced to follow strict rules which governed everything from her appearance to behaviour, she began to lose her identity. By the time she married Hef in 2012, the mansion had become her prison. Before he passed away in 2017, Hef made Crystal promise to only say good things about the decade she spent in his world. After years of silence, in this gripping and honest memoir Crystal finally exposes the toxic culture at Playboy's core and the devastating effect it had on her health. In 2008 the Playboy mansion became Crystal Harris's sanctuary - a shimmering vestige of power and opportunity. Within months she had ascended its hierarchical system to become Hugh Hefner's top girlfriend. But her new home came at a cost. Forced to follow strict rules which governed everything from her appearance to behaviour, she began to lose her identity. By the time she married Hef in 2012, the mansion had become her prison. Before he passed away in 2017, Hef made Crystal promise to only say good things about the decade she spent in his world. After years of silence, in this gripping and honest memoir Crystal finally exposes the toxic culture at Playboy's core and the devastating effect it had on her health.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Hefner, Crystal<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Ebury Spotlight, 2024.<br />304 pages, 16 pages of plates ; 24 cm<br /><br />Huntly Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B HEF - Available - 4064091<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3639316&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 Here is an English language edition of a lost memoir by an Auschwitz survivor, offering a shocking and deeply moving perspective on life within the camps. Here is an English language edition of a lost memoir by an Auschwitz survivor, offering a shocking and deeply moving perspective on life within the camps.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Debreczeni, József, 1905-1978<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Jonathan Cape, 2024.<br />245 pages : illustrations, maps ; 22 cm<br /><br />Ellon Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B DEB - Available - 4063910<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3639363&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 When Jade's partner leaves the barn that they moved into just weeks before, he leaves a dent in the wall and her life unravelled. Numbed from years in a destructive, abusive relationship, she faces an uncertain future and complete solitude. Slowly, with the help of Devon's salted cliffs and damp forested footpaths, Jade comes back to life and discovers the power of being alone. As Jade reacclimatizes, she considers what it means to live alone. Through conversations with other hermits across the world, Fitton sheds light on the myriad - and often misunderstood - ways of living alone: from monks to hikikomori, and the largely ignored female hermit. Jade questions whether hermitic living is possible in an era of constant communication and increased housing costs as she finds herself financially unstable and itinerant. When Jade's partner leaves the barn that they moved into just weeks before, he leaves a dent in the wall and her life unravelled. Numbed from years in a destructive, abusive relationship, she faces an uncertain future and complete solitude. Slowly, with the help of Devon's salted cliffs and damp forested footpaths, Jade comes back to life and discovers the power of being alone. As Jade reacclimatizes, she considers what it means to live alone. Through conversations with other hermits across the world, Fitton sheds light on the myriad - and often misunderstood - ways of living alone: from monks to hikikomori, and the largely ignored female hermit. Jade questions whether hermitic living is possible in an era of constant communication and increased housing costs as she finds herself financially unstable and itinerant.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Fitton, Jade Angeles<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Penguin Books, 2024.<br />304 pages ; 20 cm<br /><br />Banff Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B FIT - Pending (Set: 08 May 2024) - 4064079<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3640063&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 An unbelievable tale of romance, sacrifice, loss, and resilience, 'Lovers in Auschwitz' is a saga of two young people who found themselves trapped inside a waking nightmare of the Nazis' creation, yet who nevertheless discovered a love that sustained them through history's darkest hour. An unbelievable tale of romance, sacrifice, loss, and resilience, 'Lovers in Auschwitz' is a saga of two young people who found themselves trapped inside a waking nightmare of the Nazis' creation, yet who nevertheless discovered a love that sustained them through history's darkest hour.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Blankfeld, Keren<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : WH Allen, 2024.<br />xi, 388 pages : illustrations (black and white), maps (black and white) ; 25 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">4 reserves</span><br /><br />Turriff Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B SPI - In-transit from Turriff Library to Ellon Library (Set: 07 May 2024) - 4064074<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3583943&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 A celebration of King Charles's first year, exploring the achievements and challenges of the modern monarchy, from royal expert and bestselling author Robert Hardman. A celebration of King Charles's first year, exploring the achievements and challenges of the modern monarchy, from royal expert and bestselling author Robert Hardman.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Hardman, Robert<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Macmillan, 2024.<br />453 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (colour) ; 24 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">4 reserves</span><br /><br />Inverbervie Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B CHA - Onloan - Due: 21 May 2024 - 4064085<br />Mearns Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B CHA - On reserve shelf at Mearns Library - 4064086<br />Portlethen Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B CHA - Onloan - Due: 27 May 2024 - 4064087<br />Stonehaven Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B CHA - In-transit from Stonehaven Library to Ballater Library (Set: 03 May 2024) - 4063914<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3640241&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 At the outbreak of WW2, the British monarchy was in a state of turmoil. The previous king, Edward VIII, had abdicated the throne, leaving his unprepared and terrified brother Bertie to become George VI. Meanwhile, as the now-Duke of Windsor awaited the decree that would allow him to marry his mistress Wallis Simpson, he took an increasing interest in the expansionist plans of the Führer of Germany. 'The Windsors at War' tells the story of the turbulent and seismic decade in between 1937 and 1947, including the bombing of Buckingham Palace in May 1940, the Duke of Windsor's ill-advised visit to Germany in October 1937 and the death of the Duke of Kent in a plane crash in August 1942. At the outbreak of WW2, the British monarchy was in a state of turmoil. The previous king, Edward VIII, had abdicated the throne, leaving his unprepared and terrified brother Bertie to become George VI. Meanwhile, as the now-Duke of Windsor awaited the decree that would allow him to marry his mistress Wallis Simpson, he took an increasing interest in the expansionist plans of the Führer of Germany. 'The Windsors at War' tells the story of the turbulent and seismic decade in between 1937 and 1947, including the bombing of Buckingham Palace in May 1940, the Duke of Windsor's ill-advised visit to Germany in October 1937 and the death of the Duke of Kent in a plane crash in August 1942.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Larman, Alexander, 1981-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2024.<br />xxii, 406 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white, and colour) ; 20 cm<br /><br />HQ-New Stock - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B WIN - Available - 4064015<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3640933&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 'Twelve Moons' follows a year spent caught between the wild sea and the changing moon of the wide Northumberland skies. Caro Giles lives on the far edge of the country, with her tribe of daughters: The Mermaid, The Whirlwind, The Caulbearer and The Littlest One. She is at once alone and yet surrounded. Bound by circumstance, financial constraints, illness and the challenges of single motherhood, she has nowhere to go but the fierce landscape that surrounds her. Over the course of the year, the moon becomes her fellow traveller through dark times, and companion through joyful ones - and even when the sky is wreathed in cloud, the moon is still felt in the pull of the tides. 'Twelve Moons' follows a year spent caught between the wild sea and the changing moon of the wide Northumberland skies. Caro Giles lives on the far edge of the country, with her tribe of daughters: The Mermaid, The Whirlwind, The Caulbearer and The Littlest One. She is at once alone and yet surrounded. Bound by circumstance, financial constraints, illness and the challenges of single motherhood, she has nowhere to go but the fierce landscape that surrounds her. Over the course of the year, the moon becomes her fellow traveller through dark times, and companion through joyful ones - and even when the sky is wreathed in cloud, the moon is still felt in the pull of the tides.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Giles, Caro<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>Manchester : HarperNorth, 2024.<br />304 pages ; 20 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />Library-Headquarters - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B GIL - On order<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3641654&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 Sir Nicholas Winton rescued 669 Jewish children from Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia at the brink of World War II. Most never saw their parents again. This is his story. In 1938, 29-year-old 'Nicky' cancelled a ski holiday and instead spent 9 months masterminding a seemingly impossible plan to rescue hundreds of children and find them homes in the UK. There are around 6000 people who are alive today because of him. What motivated an ordinary man to do something so extraordinary? This book, written by his daughter, Barbara, explores the 106-year life of an incredible humanitarian, a man whose astounding feats only came to public light decades later. His legacy is to encourage us all to act when we see injustice or need, and to remind us that every one of us can change the world for the better.'If something is not impossible, then there must be a way to do it.' Sir Nicholas Winton rescued 669 Jewish children from Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia at the brink of World War II. Most never saw their parents again. This is his story. In 1938, 29-year-old 'Nicky' cancelled a ski holiday and instead spent 9 months masterminding a seemingly impossible plan to rescue hundreds of children and find them homes in the UK. There are around 6000 people who are alive today because of him. What motivated an ordinary man to do something so extraordinary? This book, written by his daughter, Barbara, explores the 106-year life of an incredible humanitarian, a man whose astounding feats only came to public light decades later. His legacy is to encourage us all to act when we see injustice or need, and to remind us that every one of us can change the world for the better.'If something is not impossible, then there must be a way to do it.'<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Winton, Barbara, 1953-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Robinson, 2024.<br />280 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 20 cm<br /><br />Ellon Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B WIN - Available - 4063614<br />Peterhead Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B WIN - Available - 4063615<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3653636&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 Known for her glamorous beauty, soap-opera personal life and magnetic screen presence, Elizabeth Taylor was the 20th century's most famous film star. Including unseen photographs and unread private reflections, this authorised biography is a fascinating and complete portrait worthy of the legend and her legacy. Elizabeth Taylor captures this intelligent, empathetic, tenacious, volatile and complex woman as never before, from her rise to massive fame at the age of 12 in National Velvet to becoming the first actor to negotiate a million-dollar salary for a film, from her eight marriages and enduring love affair with Richard Burton to her lifelong battle with addiction and her courageous efforts as an AIDS activist. Known for her glamorous beauty, soap-opera personal life and magnetic screen presence, Elizabeth Taylor was the 20th century's most famous film star. Including unseen photographs and unread private reflections, this authorised biography is a fascinating and complete portrait worthy of the legend and her legacy. Elizabeth Taylor captures this intelligent, empathetic, tenacious, volatile and complex woman as never before, from her rise to massive fame at the age of 12 in National Velvet to becoming the first actor to negotiate a million-dollar salary for a film, from her eight marriages and enduring love affair with Richard Burton to her lifelong battle with addiction and her courageous efforts as an AIDS activist.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Brower, Kate Andersen<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : HarperCollinsPublishers, 2024.<br />xiv, 495 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white, and colour) ; 20 cm<br /><br />Peterhead Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B TAY - Available - 4064349<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3653662&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 An authoritative study of a man who now stands on the brink of becoming Britain's next Prime Minister. If he succeeds, Starmer will be the first Labour leader in a generation to win power, even though most voters still say they don't know much about him. It not only tells Starmer's story but also examines the paradox of a politician often uncomfortable with politics, someone who is both remarkably ordinary and capable of defying all efforts to define him. An authoritative study of a man who now stands on the brink of becoming Britain's next Prime Minister. If he succeeds, Starmer will be the first Labour leader in a generation to win power, even though most voters still say they don't know much about him. It not only tells Starmer's story but also examines the paradox of a politician often uncomfortable with politics, someone who is both remarkably ordinary and capable of defying all efforts to define him.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Baldwin, Tom<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : William Collins, 2024.<br />xiii, 429 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white, and colour) ; 24 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />Ellon Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B STA - Onloan - Due: 30 May 2024 - 4064995<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3653806&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 Helen Skelton is no stranger to doing hard things, from kayaking the entire length of the Amazon to competing in a boxing match for Sports Relief. Her ability to dig deep and find the inner strength and to carry on no matter the challenge - physical, mental, or emotional - is nothing short of remarkable. Helen grew up on a farm in Cumbria and credits her deep connection with nature and family for grounding her throughout the experiences in her life. 'In My Stride' explores the lessons Helen has learned through life and adventure, sharing how getting out in nature can help us heal, grow, and find the resilience to move through challenging times in our lives. It tells stories of finding confidence, authenticity, courage, resilience, acceptance, community, and freedom against the backdrop of life's peaks and troughs and through the power of the natural world. Helen Skelton is no stranger to doing hard things, from kayaking the entire length of the Amazon to competing in a boxing match for Sports Relief. Her ability to dig deep and find the inner strength and to carry on no matter the challenge - physical, mental, or emotional - is nothing short of remarkable. Helen grew up on a farm in Cumbria and credits her deep connection with nature and family for grounding her throughout the experiences in her life. 'In My Stride' explores the lessons Helen has learned through life and adventure, sharing how getting out in nature can help us heal, grow, and find the resilience to move through challenging times in our lives. It tells stories of finding confidence, authenticity, courage, resilience, acceptance, community, and freedom against the backdrop of life's peaks and troughs and through the power of the natural world.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Skelton, Helen<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Headline, 2024.<br />viii, 296 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white) ; 20 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />Mearns Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B SKE - In-transit from Mearns Library to Insch Library (Set: 09 May 2024) - 4065675<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3653912&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 When the history of British codebreaking is told, the story is often a men-only preserve. That perception completely ignores the fact that the vast majority of codebreakers were in fact women. And foremost among them was one who is largely unknown to the public, and whose activities were a secret even to her closest contacts - Emily Anderson. Anderson was a leading member of British intelligence for over three decades. She played key roles in both World Wars, worked in Bletchley Park and in the Middle East, and was reckoned among the top three female codebreakers in the world. Her work coincided with her other great love - music. She is famous in musicology circles as being the first to effectively decipher the letters and diaries of Mozart and Beethoven. This narrative of her life places Emily Anderson at the forefront of great British codebreakers. When the history of British codebreaking is told, the story is often a men-only preserve. That perception completely ignores the fact that the vast majority of codebreakers were in fact women. And foremost among them was one who is largely unknown to the public, and whose activities were a secret even to her closest contacts - Emily Anderson. Anderson was a leading member of British intelligence for over three decades. She played key roles in both World Wars, worked in Bletchley Park and in the Middle East, and was reckoned among the top three female codebreakers in the world. Her work coincided with her other great love - music. She is famous in musicology circles as being the first to effectively decipher the letters and diaries of Mozart and Beethoven. This narrative of her life places Emily Anderson at the forefront of great British codebreakers.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Uí Chionna, Jackie<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Headline, 2024.<br />418 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white) ; 20 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />Ellon Academy - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B AND - Available - 4064638<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3654003&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 The Doctor of Hiroshima is the extraordinary true story of Dr Michihiko Hachiya, whose hospital was less than a mile from the centre of the atomic bomb that hit on that warm August day. In immense shock and pain, he and his wife Yaeko dragged themselves to the devastated hospital building and what colleagues they could find. In time, they begin to heal, and start to treat the impossible numbers of patients - a small girl covered in burns, an elderly man with pneumonia, a young boy and his little sister looking for their parents. They also began to investigate the strange unexplainable symptoms afflicting his patients. Told simply and poignantly in Dr Hachiya's own words, The Doctor of Hiroshima is a unique and deeply moving human story of survival about a small, committed band of hospital staff in the face of unthinkable destruction and loss. The Doctor of Hiroshima is the extraordinary true story of Dr Michihiko Hachiya, whose hospital was less than a mile from the centre of the atomic bomb that hit on that warm August day. In immense shock and pain, he and his wife Yaeko dragged themselves to the devastated hospital building and what colleagues they could find. In time, they begin to heal, and start to treat the impossible numbers of patients - a small girl covered in burns, an elderly man with pneumonia, a young boy and his little sister looking for their parents. They also began to investigate the strange unexplainable symptoms afflicting his patients. Told simply and poignantly in Dr Hachiya's own words, The Doctor of Hiroshima is a unique and deeply moving human story of survival about a small, committed band of hospital staff in the face of unthinkable destruction and loss.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Hachiya, Michihiko, 1903-1980<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Monoray, 2024.<br />approximately 285 pages ; 20 cm<br /><br />Library-Headquarters - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B HAC - Physical Processing (Set: 10 May 2024) - 4066751<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3654442&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 In June 1992 Chris Patten went to Hong Kong as the last British governor, to try to prepare it not (as other British colonies over the decades) for independence, but for handing back in 1997 to the Chinese, from whom most of its territory had been leased 99 years previously. Over the next five years he kept this diary, which describes in detail how Hong Kong was run as a British colony and what happened as the handover approached. The book gives unprecedented insights into negotiating with the Chinese, about how the institutions of democracy in Hong Kong were (belatedly) strengthened and how Patten sought to ensure that a strong degree of self-government would continue after 1997. In June 1992 Chris Patten went to Hong Kong as the last British governor, to try to prepare it not (as other British colonies over the decades) for independence, but for handing back in 1997 to the Chinese, from whom most of its territory had been leased 99 years previously. Over the next five years he kept this diary, which describes in detail how Hong Kong was run as a British colony and what happened as the handover approached. The book gives unprecedented insights into negotiating with the Chinese, about how the institutions of democracy in Hong Kong were (belatedly) strengthened and how Patten sought to ensure that a strong degree of self-government would continue after 1997.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Patten, Chris<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>UK : Penguin Books, 2024.<br />xxix, 522 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (colour), maps (black and white) ; 20 cm<br /><br />HQ-New Stock - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B PAT - Available - 4065105<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3654463&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 Ever since he was a kid, kicking broken footballs on the streets of East London in the shadow of Canary Wharf's skyscrapers, Gary wanted something better. Something a whole lot bigger. Then he won a competition run by a bank: 'The Trading Game'. The prize: a golden ticket to a new life, as the youngest trader in the whole city. A place where you could make more money than you'd ever imagined. Where your colleagues are dysfunctional maths geniuses, overfed public schoolboys and borderline psychopaths, yet they start to feel like family. Where soon you're the bank's most profitable trader, dealing in nearly a trillion dollars. A day. Where you dream of numbers in your sleep - and then stop sleeping at all. But what happens when winning starts to feel like losing? The story of the dark heart of an intoxicating world - from someone who survived the game and then blew it all wide open. Ever since he was a kid, kicking broken footballs on the streets of East London in the shadow of Canary Wharf's skyscrapers, Gary wanted something better. Something a whole lot bigger. Then he won a competition run by a bank: 'The Trading Game'. The prize: a golden ticket to a new life, as the youngest trader in the whole city. A place where you could make more money than you'd ever imagined. Where your colleagues are dysfunctional maths geniuses, overfed public schoolboys and borderline psychopaths, yet they start to feel like family. Where soon you're the bank's most profitable trader, dealing in nearly a trillion dollars. A day. Where you dream of numbers in your sleep - and then stop sleeping at all. But what happens when winning starts to feel like losing? The story of the dark heart of an intoxicating world - from someone who survived the game and then blew it all wide open.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Stevenson, Gary (Economist)<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>UK : Allen Lane, 2024.<br />407 pages ; 24 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />Library-Headquarters - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B STE - On order<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3654660&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 Sam Delaney was Jack the Lad. He was confident, loud and funny; an absolute legend, to be honest. Or at least that was what he pretended to be. But when he reached his thirties, work, relationships and fatherhood started to take their toll. Like so many blokes who seemed to be totally fine, he often felt like a complete failure whose life was out of control; anxiety and depression had secretly plagued him for years. Turning to drink and drugs only made things worse. Then he began to open up and share his story with others. Soon his life started to get better and better. Now, he's written this book to help you do the same. Sam Delaney was Jack the Lad. He was confident, loud and funny; an absolute legend, to be honest. Or at least that was what he pretended to be. But when he reached his thirties, work, relationships and fatherhood started to take their toll. Like so many blokes who seemed to be totally fine, he often felt like a complete failure whose life was out of control; anxiety and depression had secretly plagued him for years. Turning to drink and drugs only made things worse. Then he began to open up and share his story with others. Soon his life started to get better and better. Now, he's written this book to help you do the same.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Delaney, Sam<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Constable, 2024.<br />ix, 294 pages ; 20 cm<br /><br />HQ-New Stock - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B DEL - Available - 4064233<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3654863&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 Born into the slums of Glasgow in the late '70s, four-year-old John's life is filled with the debris of alcoholism and poverty. Soon after witnessing a drowning, his mother's addictions take over their lives, leaving him starving in their flat, awaiting her return. A concerned neighbour reports her, and he is forcibly taken away from his mother and placed into the care system. There, he dreams of being reunited with her. His mind is consumed with images and memories he can't process or understand, which his eventual adoptive parents silence out of fear as he grows into a young man within a strict Catholic and Romany Gypsy community. This memoir is about how John found his way to his true identity, Juano Diaz, and how, against all odds, his unstoppable love for his mother sets him free. Born into the slums of Glasgow in the late '70s, four-year-old John's life is filled with the debris of alcoholism and poverty. Soon after witnessing a drowning, his mother's addictions take over their lives, leaving him starving in their flat, awaiting her return. A concerned neighbour reports her, and he is forcibly taken away from his mother and placed into the care system. There, he dreams of being reunited with her. His mind is consumed with images and memories he can't process or understand, which his eventual adoptive parents silence out of fear as he grows into a young man within a strict Catholic and Romany Gypsy community. This memoir is about how John found his way to his true identity, Juano Diaz, and how, against all odds, his unstoppable love for his mother sets him free.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Diaz, Juano<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Brazen, 2024.<br />245 pages ; 24 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2 reserves</span><br /><br />Banchory Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B DIA - In-transit from Banchory Library to New Pitsligo Library (Set: 07 May 2024) - 4064997<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3655289&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 Francisco first became acquainted with the East End of Glasgow as a child, through his aunt's stories about her first social work job in the city during the early 1990s. Two decades later he moved there to study for his Masters in the mid-2010s. It was around then that Francisco heard the story of Bible John for the first time. He instantly became obsessed with one of the city's most infamous legends. The story launched Francisco's career and now comes a spectacular deep dive into the case of Bible John. Bible John's shadow loomed across Glasgow from the tail end of the 1960s. For a time, it seemed as if the killer's carefully constructed image was everywhere you turned, leering from newspaper front pages or beamed across TV screens. In this book, Francisco delves into how Bible John has morphed across generations and interrogates our collective obsession with 'solving' historic crimes. Francisco first became acquainted with the East End of Glasgow as a child, through his aunt's stories about her first social work job in the city during the early 1990s. Two decades later he moved there to study for his Masters in the mid-2010s. It was around then that Francisco heard the story of Bible John for the first time. He instantly became obsessed with one of the city's most infamous legends. The story launched Francisco's career and now comes a spectacular deep dive into the case of Bible John. Bible John's shadow loomed across Glasgow from the tail end of the 1960s. For a time, it seemed as if the killer's carefully constructed image was everywhere you turned, leering from newspaper front pages or beamed across TV screens. In this book, Francisco delves into how Bible John has morphed across generations and interrogates our collective obsession with 'solving' historic crimes.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Garcia, Francisco<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Mudlark, 2024.<br />x, 308 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 20 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />Alford Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B BIB - On reserve shelf at Alford Library - 4064838<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3655386&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 How do you become a human mole, a forensic genius with a bloodhound's nose for clues? Recovering bodies, finding discarded remains, identifying unmarked graves and saving people from locations and situations too dangerous for the normal emergency services are all in a day's work for Peter Faulding. So how did a boy with a love of unmapped systems of ancient disused mines under South-East England find himself, years later, as one of the UK's most prolific cold-case forensic investigators? In this memoir, Peter tells his extraordinary life story in fascinating detail. How do you become a human mole, a forensic genius with a bloodhound's nose for clues? Recovering bodies, finding discarded remains, identifying unmarked graves and saving people from locations and situations too dangerous for the normal emergency services are all in a day's work for Peter Faulding. So how did a boy with a love of unmapped systems of ancient disused mines under South-East England find himself, years later, as one of the UK's most prolific cold-case forensic investigators? In this memoir, Peter tells his extraordinary life story in fascinating detail.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Faulding, Peter<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Pan Books, 2024.<br />293 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white, and colour) ; 20 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />Banff Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B FAU - Available - 4064847<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3655453&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 The upbringing of an heir is especially important and places an extra burden on top of all the cares of motherhood. The demands placed on the monarch are unique and there was no one better placed to know this than the late Queen. She knew that not only must they be figureheads, but they must be seen to care for others less fortunate than themselves. They are also expected to uphold family values. Princess Elizabeth made it a point of maternal honour to try and build her routine around her young son while doing her duty. When she became Queen, it was a more delicate balance, but one which she eventually learnt to sustain. Unlike his self-contained mother, who always put duty above personal happiness, King Charles needed love and support to function properly. This is the story of how Charles was shaped and moulded by his heritage. The upbringing of an heir is especially important and places an extra burden on top of all the cares of motherhood. The demands placed on the monarch are unique and there was no one better placed to know this than the late Queen. She knew that not only must they be figureheads, but they must be seen to care for others less fortunate than themselves. They are also expected to uphold family values. Princess Elizabeth made it a point of maternal honour to try and build her routine around her young son while doing her duty. When she became Queen, it was a more delicate balance, but one which she eventually learnt to sustain. Unlike his self-contained mother, who always put duty above personal happiness, King Charles needed love and support to function properly. This is the story of how Charles was shaped and moulded by his heritage.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Seward, Ingrid<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Simon & Schuster, 2024.<br />296 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white, and colour) ; 24 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />Cairnbulg Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B CHA - In-transit from Cairnbulg Library to Inverurie Library (Set: 13 May 2024) - 4064713<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3655472&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 When police are called to a local supermarket late one evening, they find an angry shopkeeper and a silent young woman. It's the third time 24-year-old Zoe has been caught stealing in the past few days. Eyes filled with panic, Zoe has been hiding bread, milk, Calpol and nappies under her coat. As police officers break down the door of Zoe's flat they find seven-year-old Coco and two-year-old Lola, home alone, huddled on the floor in a freezing cold bedroom, crying out for their mummy. When Social Services are called in, the girls are taken into care and are soon tucked up safely in bed at Maggie's house. It looks like a simple case of neglect, but things aren't always what they seem and, with Maggie's help, can Zoe convince Social Services that love is enough to be a good mum? When police are called to a local supermarket late one evening, they find an angry shopkeeper and a silent young woman. It's the third time 24-year-old Zoe has been caught stealing in the past few days. Eyes filled with panic, Zoe has been hiding bread, milk, Calpol and nappies under her coat. As police officers break down the door of Zoe's flat they find seven-year-old Coco and two-year-old Lola, home alone, huddled on the floor in a freezing cold bedroom, crying out for their mummy. When Social Services are called in, the girls are taken into care and are soon tucked up safely in bed at Maggie's house. It looks like a simple case of neglect, but things aren't always what they seem and, with Maggie's help, can Zoe convince Social Services that love is enough to be a good mum?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Hartley, Maggie<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Seven Dials, 2024.<br />ix, 246 pages ; 20 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />New Pitsligo Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B HAR - Onloan - Due: 20 May 2024 - 4065115<br />Peterhead Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B HAR - In-transit from Peterhead Library to Banff Library (Set: 11 May 2024) - 4065114<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3655508&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 Her blond bombshell image was ubiquitous in the 1990s. Discovered in the stands of a football game, she was immediately rocket launched into fame, becoming Playboy's favourite cover girl and an emblem of Hollywood glamour and sexuality. But what happens when you lose grip on your own life - and the image the notoriety machine creates for you is not who you really are? Her blond bombshell image was ubiquitous in the 1990s. Discovered in the stands of a football game, she was immediately rocket launched into fame, becoming Playboy's favourite cover girl and an emblem of Hollywood glamour and sexuality. But what happens when you lose grip on your own life - and the image the notoriety machine creates for you is not who you really are?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Anderson, Pamela, 1967-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Headline, 2024.<br />240 pages : illustration (black and white) ; 20 cm<br /><br />HQ-Circulation - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B AND - Available - 4064081<br />Mintlaw Library @ MACBI - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B AND - Available - 4064082<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3655541&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 During his 25-year career, Welsh vet Siôn Rowlands has experienced almost every animal medical issue imaginable, from rescuing an injured horse from the edge of a cliff to moisturising a baby elephant. He's also witnessed ridiculous moments, surreal situations and the real toll it can take on a person. Frank, funny and moving in equal measure, 'Letting the Cat Out of the Bag' is a rare glimpse behind the scenes of the uniquely pressurised world of being a vet. During his 25-year career, Welsh vet Siôn Rowlands has experienced almost every animal medical issue imaginable, from rescuing an injured horse from the edge of a cliff to moisturising a baby elephant. He's also witnessed ridiculous moments, surreal situations and the real toll it can take on a person. Frank, funny and moving in equal measure, 'Letting the Cat Out of the Bag' is a rare glimpse behind the scenes of the uniquely pressurised world of being a vet.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Rowlands, Siôn<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Two Roads, 2024.<br />vii, 287 pages ; 20 cm<br /><br />Peterhead Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B ROW - Available - 4064839<br /> https://aberdeenshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3655587&CF=BIB&ISGLB=0 Maurice and Maralyn couldn't be more different. He is as cautious and awkward as she is charismatic and forceful. It seems an unlikely romance, but it works. Bored of 1970s suburban life, Maralyn has an idea: sell the house, build a boat, leave England - and its oil crisis, industrial strikes and inflation - forever. It is hard work, turning dreams into reality, but finally they set sail for New Zealand. Then, halfway there, their beloved boat is struck by a whale. It sinks within an hour, and the pair are cast adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. On their tiny raft, over the course of days, then months, their love is put to the test. Filled with danger, spirit and tenderness, this is a book about human connection and the human condition; about how we survive - not just at sea, but in life. Maurice and Maralyn couldn't be more different. He is as cautious and awkward as she is charismatic and forceful. It seems an unlikely romance, but it works. Bored of 1970s suburban life, Maralyn has an idea: sell the house, build a boat, leave England - and its oil crisis, industrial strikes and inflation - forever. It is hard work, turning dreams into reality, but finally they set sail for New Zealand. Then, halfway there, their beloved boat is struck by a whale. It sinks within an hour, and the pair are cast adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. On their tiny raft, over the course of days, then months, their love is put to the test. Filled with danger, spirit and tenderness, this is a book about human connection and the human condition; about how we survive - not just at sea, but in life.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Elmhirst, Sophie<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Chatto & Windus, 2024.<br />261 pages : map (colour) ; 23 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">9 reserves</span><br /><br />Inverurie Library - (Aberdeenshire Libraries) - Biography - B BAI - On reserve shelf at Inverurie Library - 4065103<br />