Other books that might interest you

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  Other Ways to Win - A...

  Lee Craigie

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  'I rode back down the hill to the athlete's village. Some of Team Scotland had been watching on the big screen and I arrived to hugs of congratulations. I went inside for a shower and ceremoniously dropped my heart rate monitor into the bin. It was the first day of the rest of my life.'
  A little before 1.30 p.m. on Sunday 21 July 2013, Lee Craigie crossed the finish line at Cathkin Braes in the southern outskirts of Glasgow several minutes ahead of her nearest competitor to become the British cross-country mountain bike champion. Lee's win was the culmination of seven years of training and sacrifice, but it marked the beginning of the end of her competitive career; less than a year later, at the same venue, this time representing her native Scotland at the Commonwealth Games, she crossed the line and quit professional bike racing for good.
  Lee Craigie is one of Scotland's great bike racers, yet she has accomplished much more since retiring. In Other Ways to Win she tells her story of growing up near Glasgow and discovering the freedom of cycling – skipping French lessons and heading off into the Campsie Fells to see just how far she could ride. These teenage adventures established cycling as the thread which would run through her life – not only through her racing life and into a new life of two-wheeled adventure, but also through the positive impact she would have on the lives of others, particularly encouraging other women through her work with the Adventure Syndicate. Written with breathtaking honesty, she recounts epic adventures along the Tour Divide, Silk Road and the Highland Trail 550, and examines themes of friendship, loss, identity and the power of the outdoors – and, of course, cycling.
  Lee Craigie's story is a welcome reminder that there is more than one way to win at cycling – and life.

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  The Control of Nature

  John McPhee

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  The Control of Nature is John McPhee's bestselling account of places where people are locked in combat with nature. Taking us deep into these contested territories, McPhee details the strategies and tactics through which people attempt to control nature. Most striking is his depiction of the main contestants: nature in complex and awesome guises, and those attempting to wrest control from her—stubborn, sometimes foolhardy, more often ingenious, and always arresting characters.

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  America’s Greatest First Ladies

  Editors Charles River

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  American presidents have shaped the course of global affairs for generations, but as the saying goes, behind every great man there’s a great woman. While the First Ladies often remain overshadowed by their husbands, some have carved unique niches in their time and left their own lasting legacy. Dolley Madison helped establish the role of the First Lady in the early 1800s, Eleanor Roosevelt gave voice to policy issues in a way that made her a forerunner of First Ladies like Hillary Clinton, and Jackie Kennedy created glamorous trends that made her more popular than her husband.  
  	Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton may have been the most politically active First Ladies in American history, but Abigail Adams was the first to act as political advisor for her husband and the first to be dubbed “Mrs. President”. Indeed, Abigail was politically inclined to degree highly unusual among women of the 18th and 19th century, and she had originally impressed her future husband John because she was so well versed in poetry, philosophy and politics. Abigail was also very progressive, championing women’s rights and abolition long before they became widely held views even in traditionally liberal Massachusetts.  
  	In addition to being instrumental in decorating the White House, Dolley Madison also set the standard for the First Lady’s traditional hosting and ceremonial duties. 150 years later, Jackie Kennedy was largely credited for helping boost her husband’s popularity during their time in the White House, but the same could easily be said about Dolley, who was renowned for her social graces and her hospitality. Having helped boost her husband’s popularity during his presidency, Dolley went about maintaining his legacy after 1836, collecting and organizing the papers and notes of the Constitution’s most influential drafter, and eventually selling them to the government in full. 

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  Flat Out Fascinating - The World...

  Skyler Bosse

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  The contents of this book are intended for entertainment, curiosity, and a healthy dose of critical thinking. While Flat Out Fascinating dives into the peculiar world of Flat Earth beliefs, it is not an endorsement of, nor a scientific argument for, pancake-shaped planets or domed skies. No globes were harmed in the making of this book, though a few flat surfaces might have been questioned. 
  Any resemblance to actual Flat Earthers, conspiracies, or rogue Antarctic penguins is purely coincidental – or the result of an elaborate algorithmic conspiracy. Readers are advised to bring their sense of humor, a grain of salt (or several), and, if necessary, a compass. 
  For questions, concerns, or existential crises caused by the material herein, please consult your nearest globe.

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  The Divine Comedy Purgatory

  Dante Alighieri

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  Purgatorio (Italian: [purɡaˈtɔːrjo]; Italian for "Purgatory") is the second part of Dante's Divine Comedy, following the Inferno, and preceding the Paradiso. The poem was written in the early 14th century. It is an allegory telling of the climb of Dante up the Mount of Purgatory, guided by the Roman poet Virgil, except for the last four cantos at which point Beatrice takes over as Dante's guide.Purgatory in the poem is depicted as a mountain in the Southern Hemisphere, consisting of a bottom section (Ante-Purgatory), seven levels of suffering and spiritual growth (associated with the seven deadly sins), and finally the Earthly Paradise at the top. Allegorically, the Purgatorio represents the penitent Christian life. In describing the climb Dante discusses the nature of sin, examples of vice and virtue, as well as moral issues in politics and in the Church. The poem outlines a theory that all sins arise from love – either perverted love directed towards others' harm, or deficient love, or the disordered or excessive love of good things.

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  Heston Russell - Forging The...

  Heston Russell

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  Forging the Will to Fight 
  By Heston Russell 
  In Forging the Will to Fight, retired Special Forces Major Heston Russell delivers a raw and deeply personal memoir that cuts through the mythology of war to reveal the real human cost — and courage — of leadership in combat and beyond. 
  From commanding elite Australian commandos in Afghanistan and Iraq to facing the internal battles of identity, purpose, and public scrutiny, Heston’s story is one of intense service, sacrifice, and the lifelong pursuit of integrity. Through powerful firsthand accounts, the book captures the adrenaline of missions, the heartbreak of loss, and the heavy responsibility of leading others through the most unforgiving conditions. 
  But the battlefield is only the beginning. 
  Returning home, Heston finds himself in a new kind of fight — for justice, for truth, and for the honour of his platoon. His landmark Federal Court defamation victory against the ABC is not just a legal case but a stand against the erosion of trust, truth, and the dignity of those who serve. 
  Forging the Will to Fight is more than a military memoir. It is a guide to resilience, a reflection on leadership forged in adversity, and a call to live with courage, character, and conviction. This is a story for anyone who has ever questioned their purpose — and fought to find it.

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