Autobiographies

`Pacy, witty and affectionate¿ GuardianRob Beckett never seems to fit in. At work, in the middle-class world of television and comedy, he¿s the laddy, cockney geezer but to his mates down the pub in south-east London, he¿s the theatrical one, a media luvvy. Even his wife and kids are posher than him.

An accessible and informative study of the life and work of this vaunted German philosopher. In this concise yet comprehensive critical biography, Ritchie Robertson examines the work of Friedrich Nietzsche within the context of his life. The book traces Nietzsche's development from outstanding classical scholar to cultural critic, who measured Imperial Germany by the standards of ancient Greece. It follows him on his path from a prophet (in the persona of Zarathustra) to a savage polemicist against modern liberal values, offering a "philosophy of the future." Robertson argues that Nietzsche's middle-period writings offer a subtle and searching analysis of his culture, more rewarding than the strident and often-controversial later works. The book also assesses Nietzsche's claim to be continuing the Enlightenment and shows that he valued reason, evidence, and fact, without which his historical case against Christianity would make no sense.

"A highly anticipated biography of the enigmatic and popular Swedish painter. The Swedish painter Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) was 44 years old when she broke with the academic tradition in which she had been trained. While her naturalistic landscapes and botanicals were shown during her lifetime, her body of radical, abstract works never received the same attention. Today, it is widely accepted that af Klint produced the earliest abstract paintings by a trained European artist. But this is only part of her story. Not only was she a successful woman artist, but she was also an avowed clairvoyant and mystic. Like many of the artists at the turn of the twentieth century who developed some version of abstract painting, af Klint studied Theosophy, which holds that science, art, and religion are all reflections of an underlying life-form that can be harnessed through meditation, study, and experimentation. Well before Kandinsky, Mondrian and Malevich declared themselves the inventors of abstraction, af Klint was working in a non-representational mode, producing a powerful visual language that continues to speak to audiences today. The exhibition of her work in 2018 at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City attracted more than 600,000 visitors, making it the most-attended show in the history of the museum/institution. Despite her enormous popularity, there has not yet been a biography of af Klint-until now. Inspired by her first encounter with the artist's work in 2008, Julia Voss set out to learn Swedish and research af Klint's life-not only who the artist was but what drove and inspired her. The result is a fascinating biography of an artist who is as great as she is enigmatic"--

I've been training puppies for years and I am yet to come across one who behaved perfectly at all times. With this book I really wanted to be realistic about the expectations we should have when training a puppy and demystify the process with clear, simple advice, based on science and experience. In this stress-free guide you will learn how to: Choose the right puppy for your lifestyle, including the benefits of a rescue dog Introduce them to the family, other pets and children Tackle separation anxiety Train your puppy, while building understanding and trust Socialise them, so they grow into a happy, well-adjusted dog Prevent behavioural problems later in life I love working with puppies because there is so much potential to make a lasting difference to a dog's life and to their owner's. If you can get it right (or right-ish), you are paving the way for a lifetime of reliably good behaviour. Happy training! Graeme Hall

An artist's record of the homes of 89 leading creatives from interior designers to ceramicists, antiques dealers, florists and chefs.

'A fascinating tale of poisons and poisonous deeds which both educates and entertains.' - Kathy Reichs

The late Gabrielle Roth, 1941-2012, was the creative force behind the worldwide community of thousands of people who loved and practiced The 5Rhythms┬«, a path of spiritual healing rooted in the body and movement. Inside these pages is a collection of personal, unforgettable, and often life-changing moments they experienced engaging with Gabrielle. She was known far and wide for being outrageous, profound, hilarious, mysterious and impenetrable, as well as utterly transparent and vulnerable. One of Gabrielle''s unique gifts was her ability to be totally attentive, present and loving with every person she encountered, whether for a fleeting moment in a taxi, or for decades on the dance floor. Invariably, each individual would leave their meeting with her feeling deeply seen, and connected, as if to a very special, life-long friend.

A fascinating journey into the life of H.G. Wells, from one of Britain''s best biographersHow did the first forty years of H. G. Wells'' life shape the father of science fiction?From his impoverished childhood in a working-class English family, to his determination to educate himself at any cost, to the serious ill health that dominated his twenties and thirties, his complicated marriages, and love affair with socialism, the first forty years of H. G. Wells'' extraordinary life would set him on a path to become one of the world''s most influential writers. The sudden success of The Time Machine and The War of The Worlds transformed his life and catapulted him to international fame; he became the writer who most inspired Orwell and countless others, and predicted men walking on the moon seventy years before it happened.In this remarkable, empathetic biography, Claire Tomalin paints a fascinating portrait of a man like no other, driven by curiosity and desiring reform, a socialist and a futurist whose new and imaginative worlds continue to inspire today.''The finest of biographers'' Hilary Mantel''A most intelligent and sympathetic biographer'' Daily Telegraph''One of the best biographers of her generation'' Guardian

Out now: the autobiography of the legendary sports promoter, Barry Hearn. 'I am the largest sports promoter in the world. I promote 11 sports to a global audience of billions of people every day of my life'__________A larger than life working class hero, Romford born and bred - always ready with the perfect soundbite - Barry Hearn was famously described as 'roguish but never a rogue'. Hearn is credited with turning snooker into one of the biggest sports in Britain. He essentially turned a sport in which competitors wear bowties into a massive, globally televised event. Away from the table, his promotions empire casts its net over a dozen sports - from professional boxing to darts, fishing to ten-pin bowling - and his career spans four decades. He also previously owned Leyton Orient football club. Packed with hilarious anecdotes from the golden age of snooker, and behind-the-scenes insight into boxing negotiations and darts bust-ups, Hearn's book is a joy to read from start to finish.

Reprint. Originally published Methuen Publications. [1976].