Other books that might interest you

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  Born Into Crisis - A Memoir

  Kenneth Nixon

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  The American mental health system is in crisis, and those affected by its shortcomings are drowning without the tools and resources they deserve and need to thrive. In Born Into Crisis, author Kenneth Nixon shares his story of growing up with a mother with severe mental illness and a family stuck in an enduring cycle of trauma. He knows firsthand the impact trauma can have on a person's life. Kenneth not only takes you on a powerful journey through his stories but also provides cogent and practical strategies for creating lasting change in our mental health system. Born Into Crisis is more than just a story of resiliency. It's also a call to action.

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  A Source of Irritation - From...

  Stacy Aumonier

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  The bookshelves of British literature are incredible collections that have gathered together centuries of very talented authors.  From these Isles their fame spread and whilst among their number many are now forgotten or neglected their talents endure.  Among them is Stacy Aumonier.

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  Breaking Bread - A Memoir

  Jonathan Jansen

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  Professor. Pundit. Public nuisance. In his columns, books and on social media, Jonathan Jansen is prolific, and he likes to speak his mind about schools and universities, race, politics and our complex South African society. 
    
  He has brought incisive analysis, compassion and a sense of humour to some of the most controversial issues in our country for many years. And now, in this memoir, Jansen goes back to his early years: growing up in a loving, fiercely evangelical family on the Cape Flats, being put on the road to purpose by an inspiring school teacher and becoming the first of his generation to go to university. Journey with Jansen as he finds his passion for teaching high school and becomes a leading academic and thinker amid great transformation in post-apartheid South Africa. 
    
  His gift for story-telling and his interactions with people from different walks of life offer moving insights into the intricacies of South African society, insights that are filled with wisdom and leadership lessons. Jansen’s patchwork of memories tells a bigger story than that of his own life. It’s a tale of learning the value of ‘breaking bread’ with others, of finding mutual recognition in our different fears and faiths, our fumbles and fortitude, our hurts and our hopes.

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  The Lame Priest - Settlers and...

  Susan Morrow writing as S Carleton

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  Susan Morrow was born in Halifax in Nova Scotia in 1864.   
   
  Little is known of her life although she preferred to write under pseudonyms, one of which she shared with her sister, or as S Carleton, an abbreviated version of her name which gave the illusion of a male identity presumably to give her books a more rugged and male personality given their content. 
   
  Her books only seem to have been published from 1900 onwards when she was in her mid-30’s by which time she had married and became Susan Carleton Jones. 
   
  She died in 1926.   
   
  In ‘The Lame Priest, a story of life on harsh terrain is amplified by the possibility that a werewolf lurks nearby.

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  Roy Orbison - King of Hearts

  Jeff Apter

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  Clad in black with dark shades, Roy Orbison had a mystique, style, and voice that were unmistakable and singularly different from his famous peers of the 1950s and '60s. Born in Vernon, Texas, Roy was the son of a guitar-playing oil worker. Already a music fan by age six, Roy went on to form a high school band. Honky-tonk gigs followed. Then a contract at Elvis Presley's label, Sun Records, where Roy found mentors and friends among the likes of Carl Perkins. Following a shift to Monument Records, he shared a bill with a group called the Beatles, who were huge fans of his.After experimenting with different styles, Roy edged closer to a sound all his own. He found it with smash hits, including "Only the Lonely," "Crying," and "Oh, Pretty Woman," songs heavy with pathos and remarkable vocals. It was gold. But what lay ahead was a professional downswing, and personal tragedy with the death of his wife and two sons. Twenty lean years followed. Yet Roy Orbison was far from over. Amid the rockabilly revival of the 1980s and the formation of the British-American supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, Roy's comeback was legendary. Asked how he'd like to be remembered, Roy said, "One day when they are mentioning people who had an impact, if they just mention me among the rest of the guys and gals, it would be great." He got his wish. Roy Orbison: King of Hearts seals it.

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  Pyotr: The Life and Music of...

  Steve Moretti, Paul van Geldrop

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  Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was bestowed with a rare musical gift, but burdened by demons of self-doubt and passions forbidden in 19th century Russia. 
  He struggled to release the music inside his head. And equally, to find romantic fulfillment that always remained just beyond his reach. He was deeply affected by the women in his life – those he loved, those he despised, and those whose affection he longed so badly to hold. Yet, aside from music, his truest passion was reserved only for men. 
  Tchaikovsky refused to abide by the rules of the musical establishment of his time. Assailed by critics as being ‘neither Russian nor German,’ he endured scathing criticism, which he often took to heart, destroying many of his own ‘imperfect’ compositions. 
  This compelling new work takes you inside the head of Pyotr – from age seven to his untimely death at fifty-three. It also provides a layman’s guide to his music and his musical influences, and the techniques Tchaikovsky used to chart his musical destiny. 
  Reader comments: 
  “I love it! It's moving and makes me want to hear the music.” 
  "Flawlessly researched and completely engaging." 
  “You cry out in anguish as your mother and sisters disappear into the distance, leaving you all alone in a strange place, at such a tender young age; or wince in pain with lashings from the tutor.” 
  “As a musician myself, I nodded in understanding as Pyotr describes how the music of Mozart moves him to tears, while the notes appear as pictures in his mind.” 
  “I appreciated the intimate focus on Pyotr.” 
  “I felt compelled to play some Tchaikovsky after reading this, and settled on the first movement of the Manfred symphony.” 
  Go behind the scenes and journey into the life and music of one of the world’s most popular composers with Pyotr - The Life and Music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

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