Diaries & Memoirs

An inside perspective to global diplomacy from one of the world's foremost diplomats

The first general interest reflective travel memoir about Colombia. Will appeal to readers who have enjoyed Raynor Winn's The Salt Path or Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods.

Jane Austen's Notebook is a biography with a difference, providing a full and detailed account of Austen's life and legacy in the form of a personal journal. It examines the author's personal life, with images of family and friends for clues about how she saw the world, and reveals hidden connections between real-life situations and her fictional works. Includes images of the locations Austen grew up in and visited, plus handwritten quotations and amusing anecdotes to bring the author to life more vividly than any ordinary biography. Reveals the woman behind the writing, how the Austen felt about being published, and examines the amazing impact and enduring legacy of her works.

James Longley got into a fight one night and ended up beingsent to prison. It could have destroyed him, but a chance meeting after hisrelease helped him turn his life round and make his fortune in an energybusiness. Having sold that business, he has now devoted himself to helpingprisoners break the cycle of reoffending

Embark on an unforgettable adventure along the east coast of Australia, starting at South Point, the southernmost tip of the mainland near Melbourne. The journey takes you by train through Canberra and on to Sydney, where iconic sights like the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Manly Beach await, along with countless cultural landmarks. A side trip inland offers the breathtaking views of the Blue Mountains.Continuing north by road, the first stop is Walkabout Park, where you'll have close encounters with koalas and kangaroos. In Newcastle, discover the world's largest coal export terminal.The adventure includes an immersive Aboriginal cultural experience, relaxing on the beaches of Byron Bay beneath its iconic lighthouse, and diving into the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. A visit inland reveals the stunning Atherton Tablelands, with its numerous waterfalls.North of Cairns, explore the Daintree National Park, the world's oldest rainforest, before capping off the journey with a thrilling 4X4 expedition to Cape York, the northernmost point of Australia.

An extraordinary tale of a merchant mariner, Born in British India unfolds during the final dark days of World War II. This gripping narrative includes high seas murders, showcasing courage and seamanship in stormy weather, and harrowing experiences like being stuck in ice in the North Atlantic.The story takes readers through visits to Chinese ports during Mao's China in the 1960s and recounts the sinking of the S.S. Pegasus in the Arabian Gulf. It details the perilous task of loading crude oil amid the Iran-Iraq tanker war and the misfortunes of the MV Marienfels, which caught fire, lost its rudder, and drifted aimlessly in the Atlantic.The mariner's adventures include spending seven days adrift on a dinghy in the Indian Ocean, witnessing Captain Gregg violating the U.N. oil embargo on Apartheid South Africa, and thwarting armed piracy on an oil tanker voyage from Nigeria to Uruguay. He also survived encounters with urban guerrillas in South America.Born in British India is a testament to resilience and adventure on the high seas, capturing the indomitable spirit and relentless determination of a life spent navigating the world's most treacherous waters.

One Good Friday, Randy crucified a lizard in the schoolyard with Popsicle sticks and push pins. By age fourteen he was an avowed atheist, yet entered a Benedictine monastery until he was expelled for heresy. He liked to piss in the Church's baptismal font and tell elaborate lies in the confessional. His father was a petty criminal, his mother a hopeless schizophrenic. Randy, himself, was committed to a mental hospital on several occasions when we were in high school. This memoir is a record of our life-long friendship, compiled from dusty old memories, letters, and photographs. While I pursued a career in writing and teaching, Randy achieved world-wide fame as an insect physiologist and author of several definitive works on the lives of bees and wasps. -David Ohle, 2024

Yoga saved my life. May it help you to live yours.If you've ever asked yourself, "Is there more to life than this?" this book is your answer. With a blend of personal anecdotes, expert yogic teachings, and reflective exercises, it's a companion for every phase of life. Embrace the opportunity-take this journey, explore your inner world, and redefine your reality.With Kundalini Yoga, you can find your authentic voice and true self, alter your engrained narratives, and upshift your own life higher and higher. With dedication and devotion, the practices in this book help you to release blockages that become stored in the physical and mental bodies, resulting in suppression, separation, and pain.From being photographed by Pamela Hanson for my first professional portfolio in the wheat fields of Colorado, I have navigated a journey of fantastic and sometimes blistering experiences with over four decades of yoga, meditation, and Ayurvedic diet. I started blind in Paris on a one-way ticket to "make it" as a professional model. After months of fruitless auditioning, on pluck and providence, Guy Bourdin considered one of France's most famous fashion artists and photographers, took one concerted look at me and booked me for 6 months at French Vogue. From his photos and legacy, my image is now in museums worldwide.Then contracted as a model with Eileen Ford, who brought me from Paris to New York, exuberant and riding high on the energy, I broke both arms pedaling a bike down Fifth Avenue to a Mademoiselle shoot. Always intent on "Showing Up," I went to the Ralph Lauren show the very next day, as I was cast to walk the runway and sadly had to observe instead, double-casted. This immediately sparked my advocacy for model protection, and I was one of the first to advocate for emergency insurance. When privacy on set for models became a reoccurring issue, I used my voice and championed those privacy rights along with Jerry Hall.In my next "stage," I stood on my head to audition for The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School where I graced the same boards as Sir Daniel Day-Lewis and Sir Anthony Hopkins. While still modeling and acting, I raised two very young children, living a very full householder life. I happened to be the daughter-in-law of Laura Ashley who created a fashion empire and left us a legacy championing women, a reason you often saw Princess Diana wearing Laura Ashley.Hopefully, my stories of being poked, provoked, and confronted, which eventually led to surrender, change, and elevated awakening, will resonate with your experiences and provide guidance and support as you find a way in and through your challenges to make your life full of love, humor, and forgiveness, compassionately honoring yourself, others, and the planet more carefully and intimately. Let us meet and greet each other with love along the way, blending our hearts, communities, and paths into One.

True story of a wee Glasgow guy who left school with no formal qualifications and had many jobs before ending up running a business in Australia and New Zealand. There are many coincidences along the way, including meeting famous people and also people from growing up - some I'd not seen or spoken to for 50 years! And also family who have a habit of dying on certain days. Set initially in Glasgow and moving around the city, encountering many strange day-to-day scenarios and events to ending up on a beach in Sydney and then on to Redland Bay in between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Jobs at this time took me all around Australia and New Zealand with trips also to Japan and four times per year back to the UK for a week for company meetings. Birthdays in later life were special times with my 40th in Glasgow, 50th on the Gold Coast and 60th in Melbourne at the famous horse race. My disabled brother, Alexander, was my hero growing up and still is after his achievements in the world of darts. Read about his exploits and be mesmerised by where he ended up having such a short sports career. My family have been strong throughout and my friends are all wacky, but in a really funny kind of way. If you are still wondering about this book, then just let me say - I would like to thank my parents for the gift of life. And thank the gift of life for me having so much fun. Thank fun for giving me a wonderful life. Thank a wonderful life for the opportunity to write this book. Thank this book for giving other people the chance to enjoy my life.

During his teenage summers, Michael Barnett discovered his passion lay far from the monotonous environment of a UK shipping company office where he observed the disheartened older employees.Choosing to pursue a love for the outdoors and a talent in mathematics and sciences, he embarked on a civil engineering career that took him around the globe. This first instalment of a two-part memoir spans his life and career from 1943 to 1984, detailing his adventures and professional growth from advanced studies in Chicago to diverse construction sites worldwide, including Samoa, Spain, Saudi Arabia, and more.Through journal entries and letters, Barnett shares the rich tapestry of emotions and experiences that shaped his journey.

A memoir which reveals the hidden aspects to being a 'singing waiter', and the many challenges for singers that hang on to the bottom rung of the operatic ladder. From an author who has experience of both performing with English National Opera to busking in the grimy streets of Covent Garden market.

As the owner of Celebrity Talent Agency, a venture 25 years in the making, Mark Green's story is one of perseverance and innovation.Hailing from Hackensack, NJ, Mark Green embarked on his career in 1977 as a DJ, performing at high school events and local parties around Bergen County. His early exposure to rapping came from a competition in the Bronx, which he brought back to New Jersey, becoming a mentor to future Hip-Hop legends like Guy O'Brien, aka Master Gee of the Sugarhill Gang. Green's influence on O'Brien helped shape the early Hip-Hop scene. Green's professional career began with an internship at Sugar Hill Records, the label behind the first major Hip-Hop single, "Rapper's Delight." He went on to work full-time at Hush Productions, where he handled various roles, including project management, artist development, and road management. His work with notable artists such as Melba Moore, Freddie Jackson, Dru Hill, Prince, Al B Sure, Grandmaster Flash, and Usher solidified his reputation in the industry. This experience paved the way for his next role at Associated Booking Corp, where his talent for spotting rising stars led to the signing of chart-topping acts like Salt-N-Pepa, Roxanne Shante, Kid & Play, and DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. Green moved on to EMI/Capitol Records, where he was the Director of Marketing and held roles in Radio Promotions, Jazz, and Rap, earning accolades such as the Promotions Person of the Year in 1992. His work at EMI included producing, writing, and publishing successful tracks like "Remember the First Time" for Eric Gable and "Midnight Hour" for Spice MC. In 1997, Green ventured into independent marketing and promotions consulting and secured a record deal with Light Year/Warner Brothers for his independent label, with Teena Marie as his first artist. One year later, as a consultant at Northstar Distribution, Green became General Manager, distributing music for Prince's independent label, which included Chaka Khan and Larry Graham on NPG Records. This role laid the groundwork for launching Celebrity Talent Agency, which represents a wide array of stars, and secures talent for tours, festivals, and commercials globally. Currently, Green serves as Associate Director/General Manager of Lehman Performing Arts Center, Chairman of Artist Relations for The Hip-Hop Museum (THHM), and maintains ownership of Celebrity Talent Agency. He continues to influence the entertainment industry profoundly because, The Show Must Go On!

The recollections of Australia's leading public intellectualRobert Manne is one of Australia's most profound political analysts. His memoir traces his intellectual roots, revealing how his family background and early years informed the questions he would spend his life trying to answer. It also provides a fascinating portrait of key political controversies, including intellectual combat over Pol Pot, Wilfred Burchett, Quadrant, the Stolen Generations, Manning Clark, the Howard government, the Murdoch press and much more.During the Cold War and the culture wars, Manne clashed with some of the most influential thinkers, writers and polemicists - Noam Chomsky, Les Murray, Leonie Kramer, Tom Keneally, Isi Leibler, Helen "Demidenko" Darville, Peter Craven, Paddy McGuinness, Keith Windschuttle and Andrew Bolt. This memoir recounts with surprising and unknown detail what really happened and why.Often subverting conventional notions of left and right, Manne is an original thinker who has helped shape the nation's discourse for decades. This is the inside story of a life of engagement and reflection, and a book for anyone interested in the shape and meaning of the past nearly fifty years of politics.

Have you ever woken up wondering what the day will bring? If this includes fishing around inside someone's intestines, being sent photos of bodily fluids, or even pretending to be dead, then you may just happen to be a surgeon. If it includes retrieving arrows, knives, and other foreign bodies from various anatomical locations, then you may be a trauma surgeon. If it also includes rescuing patients from spitting monks and overdosing pharmacists, then you probably work as a doctor in Southeast Asia.From the relative safety of a 1970s UK medical school to the extremes of modern-day Cambodia, enter the world of funny, sad, baffling, and, at times, unbelievable encounters with patients, teachers, and colleagues over five decades.

"In the early 1930s, Charlie May Simon, who would come to be known as an author of children's books, moved to the Arkansas Ozarks from New York City to wait out the Great Depression. Straw in the Sun, first published in 1945, is her back-to-the-lander's memoir of homesteading in the hill community where her grandparents had once lived. This memoir not only offers a window into rural life during the Depression but also poignantly hints at the losses that ensued in the war years that followed. This engaging reissue, edited by Aleshia O'Neal, includes a new introduction and an earlier account from Simon about life on the homestead"--

In this engaging scientific memoir, Kenneth Ford recounts the time when, in his mid-twenties, he was a member of the team that designed and built the first hydrogen bomb.