Over 170 quotes and fascinating facts about the creative genius who gave us the Little Black Dress and Chanel No. 5. Almost 50 years after her death, Coco Chanel remains one of the world's most influential fashion designers. Her story is one of creative brilliance and innovation – she was a driving force in freeing women from the restrictive clothing they had been obliged to wear for generations. 'In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different,' Chanel would say, and throughout her life she demonstrated extraordinary passion and determination to change the world around her.This little book is packed with memorable facts about Coco Chanel's life and influence, and full of quotes from the icon herself and some of the many people inspired by her. There is much wisdom to glean from Chanel's self-reflections, while her sharp wit and joie de vivre will amuse, surprise and inspire in equal measure.'Fashion changes, but style endures.'As seen on vogue.co.uk, 18 August 2017, by Julia Neel.'Nobody has ever told Coco Chanel what to think.'As seen on dailymail.co.uk, 10 September 2019, by Caroline Howe.'A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.'As seen on marieclaire.co.uk, 4 October 2016, by Mariel Reed.'The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.'As seen on harpersbazaar.com, 12 August 2017. Read more

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER‘Joyful, hilarious, effervescent, brilliant and deeply wise’ Glennon Doyle, on Alua ArthurThinking deeply about your death – whether it’s imminent or not – will breathe wild new potential into your life.Warm, generous and funny, Alua Arthur is a death doula supporting people at the end of the world. What emerges in these tender moments is the unfi nished business of life, when enduring regrets, secret loves and simple pleasures are uttered aloud, in resignation or delight.Weaving together these vivid experiences along with her own personal life path full of wonder, Briefly Perfectly Human is a soul-gathering memoir. Alua’s intimate storytelling, compassion and wisdom are a beacon of comfort to us all as well as a tour de force appeal to cherish every part of who we are, including our own mortality.‘Hold that truth in your mind,’ Alua says, ‘and wondrous things will begin to grow around it.’ Read more

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'With brutal, beautiful honesty, Clover articulates how bereavement shocks and dislocates - and in all the pain, there's SO much life.' MARIAN KEYES'MUST READ ... A remarkable acount of love and grief.' - DAILY MAIL'She is a vigorous and fearless writer, grabbing us by the throat to describe life's horrors and her responses to them, filling her pages with the magnetic force of her own life as wife, lover and mother of five which somehow has to go on.' SPECTATOR...............................................'Can death bring something good to my life?'A few weeks before Christmas, Clover's sister died of breast cancer, aged forty-six. Just days before, she had been given years to live. Her sudden death split Clover's life apart. The Red of My Blood charts Clover's fearless passage through the first year after her sister's death.It is a book about what life feels like when death interrupts it, and about bearing the unbearable and describing an experience that seems beyond words. Lyrical, hopeful, it is also about the magical way in which death and life exist so vividly beside one another, and the wonder of being human.'A beautiful addition to the literature of loss. It will serve as a lit match, to be passed from one person to the next in the darkest moments.' THE SUNDAY TIMES Read more

KNOWING GOD is one of the most significant and popular Christian books of our time and has deepened the faith and understanding of millions of people around the world.'Dr Packer says we're cruel to ourselves if we try to live in his world without knowing about the God whose world it is and who runs it. I'm convinced we're cruel if we deny ourselves the wisdom contained in this Christian classic.' Rico Tice Read more

WINNER OF THE ORWELL PRIZE FOR FICTION 2021 LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE 2021 A once-in-a-generation series, Ali Smith's Seasonal quartet is a tour-de-force about love, time, art, politics, and how we live now. 'A maestra's portrait of her age . . . remarkable' GuardianIn the present, Sacha knows the world's in trouble. Her brother Robert just is trouble. Their mother and father are having trouble. Meanwhile the world's in meltdown - and the real meltdown hasn't even started yet. In the past, a lovely summer. A different brother and sister know they're living on borrowed time. This is a story about people on the brink of change. They're family, but they think they're strangers. So: where does family begin? And what do people who think they've got nothing in common have in common? Summer. Discover all four instalments: Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer. Ali Smith's new novel, Companion piece, is available now.*****'The first great coronavirus novel - a book to savour, a literary tour de force' Evening Standard'Exquisite. Smith is in a class of her own' Nicola Sturgeon 'An astonishing finale to a prescient series . . . Ali Smith brilliantly weaves strands of joy and celebration to end her Seasonal Quartet'Irish Times Read more

Read Costa Award-winning author Christie Watson's incredible No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling memoir of nursing today. 'It made me cry. It made me think. It made me laugh' Adam Kay, author of This is Going to Hurt and Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas Christie Watson was a nurse for twenty years. Taking us from birth to death and from A&E to the mortuary, The Language of Kindness is an astounding account of a profession defined by acts of care, compassion and kindness. We watch Christie as she nurses a premature baby who has miraculously made it through the night, we stand by her side during her patient's agonising heart-lung transplant, and we hold our breath as she washes the hair of a child fatally injured in a fire, attempting to remove the toxic smell of smoke before the grieving family arrive. In our most extreme moments, when life is lived most intensely, Christie is with us. She is a guide, mentor and friend. And in these dark days of division and isolationism, she encourages us all to stretch out a hand.'A powerful insight into the life of nurses' The Times, Books of the Year'A remarkable book about life and death and so brilliantly written it makes you hold your breath' Ruby Wax Read more

In this surprisingly upbeat book about a usually downbeat subject, The Wall Street Journal’s veteran obituary writer, James R. Hagerty, shares his unique skills with those who want to have the last word by crafting their own stories in their own voices—with flourish, honesty, and even humor.   Someday, your life story is likely to be boiled down to a few lines. If you leave things to chance, your obituary is almost sure to be solemn, formulaic, and full of errors—an obligatory final chapter written in haste by others. James R. Hagerty, longtime obit writer for The Wall Street Journal, knows how to get the job done right: Do it yourself, starting now, while you still can.    In this heartfelt and reassuring guide, Hagerty explains how to preserve your personal history—from crafting a brief obituary for newspapers and websites, to a more thoughtful and detailed mini-memoir for those close to you. Through his personal stories, on-the-job anecdotes, and insights, you will learn what to include, what to leave out, and how to provide historical context, record oral histories and make the most of details, all with candor and wit. Best of all, you’ll find that reviewing your life story helps you think about what you’re doing with your time on Earth and whether you’re on the right path. It isn’t too late to improve the narrative with a stronger ending.   Telling your story your way can be the best gift you ever give to friends and loved ones—and yourself.   Read more

Richard McCann's account of his childhood became a massive UK bestseller. In it he told the harrowing story of how he and his sisters were left motherless when the Yorkshire Ripper killed his first victim, Richard's mother Wilma McCann. Just A Boy was praised for its unflinching and unself-pitying account of a neglected childhood at the hands of an abusive father and uncaring authorities. The Boy Grows Up is an account of how Richard used the success of Just A Boy to try and save his sister, and of his attempts to make sense of his past whilst learning more about the effects of traumatic childhoods and loss. Read more

Physical description; 416 pages ; 22 cm. Subject; Soldiers. Read more

A story of hope, forgiveness and kindness, Lost Property reminds us to keep our loved ones (along with our bags and umbrellas) close...'An enthralling read, full of rich descriptions and characters you can't help but love' Hazel Prior, bestselling author of Away with the Penguins'A lovely novel about loss and reconnection...both satisfying and joyful' Lissa Evans----------------One lost purse. One lost woman.A chance encounter that changes everything.Dot Watson has lost her way. Wracked with guilt and struggling with grief, she has tucked herself away in the London Transport Lost Property office, finding solace in the process of cataloguing misplaced things. It's not glamorous or exciting, but it's solitary - just the way Dot likes it.That is, until elderly Mr Appleby walks through the door in search of his late wife's purse and Dot immediately feels a connection to him. Determined to help, she sets off on an extraordinary journey, one that could lead Dot to reclaim her life and find where she truly belongs...Perfect for fans of Matt Haig, Rachel Joyce and AJ Pearce, this is a moving and uplifting novel about finding your place in the world.Readers have fallen in love with Lost Property:***** 'A beautiful book and one of my best reads this year'***** 'An emotional journey that had me hooked'***** 'A wonderful, uplifting debut novel'***** 'Dot is an inspiration'***** 'Full of sorrow, love and a light humour'***** 'I am so pleased to have found Dot' Read more

She was only nine when her world fell apart. The struggle to understand took a lifetime.In 1960s Bristol, Susan's family was like any other with its joys and frustrations, and fierce loyalties. Then tragedy struck and left a legacy that was to last a lifetime.Susan was only nine when her mother died. A year later she was sent away to school. She didn't want to go, and didn't understand why she had to. In her struggle to cope with an uncertain world - a world where nothing seemed to make sense any more - she pushed away the one person she loved best, her father. It wasn't until adulthood beckoned that she realised that, in order to turn their relationship around, she had to learn to love - and trust - again. Read more

Aidyn Kelley is talented, ambitious, and ready for a more serious assignment than the fluff pieces she's been getting as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. In her eagerness, she pushes too hard, earning herself the menial task of writing an obituary for an unremarkable woman who's just entered hospice care. But there's more to Clara Kip than meets the eye. The spirited septuagenarian may be dying, but she's not quite ready to cash it in yet. Never one to shy away from an assignment herself, she can see that God brought the young reporter into her life for a reason. And if it's a story Aidyn Kelley wants, that's just what Mrs. Kip will give her--but she's going to have to work for it. Debut author Sara Brunsvold delights with this emotional multigenerational story that shows that the very best life is made up of thousands of little deaths to self. You'll want to be just like Mrs. Kip when you grow up! Read more

Discover the lives of some of the most fascinating and unconventional characters of recent times, with 85 obituaries carefully curated from The Times archive. Be they dons, pop stars, vicars, MPs, rugby players or aristocrats, each has marched to the beat of their own drum and led a life far from ordinary.The Times obituaries have given readers throughout the world an instant picture of a life for more than 150 years. Meet the mavericks, rogues and eccentrics from recent history, including:Baroness Trumpington, the codebreaking, chainsmoking, two-finger-flicking grande dame of British politics‘Magic Alex’ Mardas, inventor who was the Beatles’ ‘scientific guru’Zsa Zsa Gábor, Hungarian socialite and actress who made a success out of celebrity and was best known for having married nine timesJohn Lucas, influential philosopher who argued against determinism and had a reputation for being the most eccentric don in OxfordBrigadier Jack Thomas, military police commander who survived a landmine, bullet, rhino and faulty parachute and liked to watch TV with an owl on his headApril Ashley, model, socialite and transgender rights campaigner whose reassignment surgery was part of a rollercoaster life of lovers and high dramaJordan Mooney, punk muse known as ‘the original Sex Pistol’ who appeared on stage with them, guided their ‘look’ and then became a veterinary nurseAuthoritative, insightful and endlessly engaging, this book is a must for anyone with an interest in the eccentrics and unique characters of recent times. Read more

Halloween is Avery Shaw’s favorite time of year. What’s not to love? Slasher movies, hot chocolate and corn mazes. She’s addicted to them all. During a visit to one of those mazes, she runs across several men trying to kidnap a teenage girl. In true Avery fashion, she intervenes … resulting in a severe injury. While she’s on the mend, she starts tracking information on a group of people working in the area. Avery can’t decide if she’s on to something or imagining things. The attack leaves her weaker than she would like, something she refuses to acknowledge, and questioning her investigative mind. Eliot Kane, her live-in love, decides to help. As much as he wants her safe, he understands she needs to take control. Together, they’re going to dig until they find the information they need. Unfortunately for both of them, the deeper they get, the more they start to wonder just how big of an operation they’re dealing with. Information pours in, leading to questions about missing girls from years before … and an odd woman serving as an oracle for the Halloween fans in the present. She’s keeping a secret, too, and Avery is determined to figure out what it is. As she’s proven her entire life, Avery won’t quit until she wins. This time, however, the battle is going to be long, dark and deadly. She won’t ever give up … even if the search for the truth ultimately kills her. Read more

'A beacon of hope in a dark world' Cathy Rentzenbrink, The PoolOne night in November 2015, when Antoine Leiris was at home looking after his baby son, his wife Hélène was killed, along with 88 other people, at the Bataclan Theatre in Paris. Three days later, Antoine wrote an open letter to his wife’s killers on Facebook. He refused to be cowed or to let his baby son’s life be defined by their acts. ‘For as long as he lives, this little boy will insult you with his happiness and freedom,’ he wrote. Instantly, that short post caught fire and was shared thousands of times around the world. An extraordinary and heartbreaking memoir, You Will Not Have My Hate is a universal message of hope and resilience in our troubled times. Read more

'The Light Beyond' is based on more than a thousand case studies of adults and children who clinically reached the point of death and survived, as well as amazing new research. It shows the many striking similarities shared by all near-death experiences (NDEs), and uncovers secrets and opens the doors to a powerful message of love from the frontier between life and death. Raymond Moody's research throws new light on the following topics:--how recent findings in medicine, psychiatry and sociology bring us closer to unravelling mankind's greatest mystery: what happens to us after we die?--Startling, newly confirmed phenomena such as: the experience of meeting one's loved ones in the afterlife and the ability to 'tap into' knowledge of any sort--What the moving near-death experiences of children can teach us--Why NDE's inspire permanent change, greater appreciation of life, more concern for others, increased belief in an afterlife, and decreased fear of death--Why doctors want more research into near-death experiences-and much more Based on Dr Moody's groundbreaking studies, 'The Light Beyond' offers both answers and peace of mind to anyone who has ever wondered about death and beyond. Read more

A richly unpredictable medley of twentieth-century lives, a study in miniature, reflecting the last century at its most picturesque, poignant and absurd. 'Like going on an all-night spree with alluring strangers one has just met in a smart bar: unpredictable, vivacious, happy, with glimpses of a world of sumptuous elegance and hints of romance, but above all lingeringly memorable.' TLS' '[Hugh Massingberd's] series of obituaries... have proved themselves to be marvellously durable bedside books , . His touch, both as an author and an editor, was invariably light . Although the foibles and eccentricities of the dead were often hilariously evoked (and the latest book, like its predecessors, makes you roar - shake - with laughter), it never nudges you in the ribs, never comes dancing up to you arrayed in cap and bells. It is in every sense a labour of love. An authentic Massingberd obituary never belittles its subject.' Literary Review Read more

This title gathers together some of the, often amusing, obituaries that have appeared in "The Daily Telegraph". Read more

A celebration of the life of Queen Elizabeth II, showing us that the Queen's qualities of duty, self-sacrifice and love of country were present in her from an early age.'The moments in life of "knowing". On Bognor Beach, with Grandpa England, she had "known" that he, and Papa, and she, would carry something on, something given, something bigger than themselves.'Lilibet: a carefree child, a lover of horses and dogs, devoted to her family. And the girl who would be Queen.A.N. Wilson, one of England's most beloved writers, imagines the Queen reflecting on her early life. We watch as she discovers, at the tender age of ten, that she is heir to the throne. We witness her meet the dashing Prince Phillip of Greece, who she loved steadfastly from the age of fifteen, and see their friendship blossom into passionate love. Above all, we learn of her astonishing sense of vocation and public duty, which grew during the dark years of WWII and her father's subsequent years of ill health.Honouring the life of Her Majesty the Queen and her illustrious reign, Lilibet: The Girl Who Would be Queen is by turns funny, tender and heartfelt.'Superb... captures our Queen better than any biography' - Sunday Telegraph'It's packed with detail and conversations that bring to life all those who have been most important to her.' - Daily Mail Read more