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  You Can't Win - The Classic...

  Jack Black

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  You Can't Win is the pioneering American criminal underworld memoir written by Jack Black, a burglar, drifter and criminal active in early 1900's America. Black's astonishing accounts of hopping trains, cracking safes, escaping prison cells, and drug addiction offers an unusually vivid portrait of American underworld life over a century ago. Beat legend William S. Burroughs ('Junkie') cited the book as influential in his life and writing. 
  In his striking, deadpan and humorous memoir, the author recaptures the transient underworld of the early twentieth century. In You Can't Win, the reader will meet unforgettable underworld characters as diverse and fascinating as: 'Foot and a Half George'; 'Salt Chunk Mary'; 'The Sanctimonious Kid'; 'Soldier Johnnie'; and others. 
  With an accompanying bonus Glossary of Hobo, Tramp, and Transient Terminology, You Can't Win tells of Black's experiences in the hobo and criminal underworld, freight-hopping around North America in the early 1900's. The book is among the first to introduce the fascinating 'yegg' subculture, a prototypical form of criminal Hobo or bum prevalent in the USA around the turn of the century. You Can't Win is a must-listen for fans of true crime, American history, Beat writers, and hobo-yegg culture. 
  The main criminal activity of Black's life and of the book is thievery, which leads to discussions of various technical aspects of the thief's trade, including: the casing of prospects (surveillance of targets), safe-cracking, fencing of stolen goods, the disposal of evidence, maintaining aliases and avoiding attention or traceability, the social networks of criminals, and doing time in jails and prisons. The vices and addictions Black reveals include alcoholism, abuse of opium ('hop'), gambling, prostitution, and stealing. 
  *NOTE: Potentially offensive ethnic slang appearing in the original text has been modified

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  The Transplantable Roots of...

  Susan Karen Burton

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  Since the first 'Welch' sailor set foot on Japanese shores in the seventeenth century to the present-day presence of high-tech Japanese companies in the Valleys, Wales and Japan are two nations with deeply entwined roots.
  
  Captured in this groundbreaking book is a chorus of modern-day Welsh migrants to Japan. There is Catharine who, in 1965, followed her Japanese husband to an 'out of kilter' house in the seaside town of Zushi; Jac, the 'capitalist ski bum', who guides tourists through the bear-infested wilds of snowy Hokkaidō, while on a volcanic island in the Seto Inland Sea, Simon clears jungle vines to develop his vegan farm.
  
  There are also actors, writers, teachers, an ex-bouncer turned martial artist, a filmmaker, a games localiser, and many more. There are even Japanese fans who promote Welsh culture in their homeland. Together they form a polyphonic group portrait based on oral-history techniques, mixing travel writing, character study and reportage, while proving an ear for natural speech.
  
  Fresh, engaging, with a strong sense of space and place, but above all, a knack for crafting a life story, this volume of documentary literature presents universal themes of work, adventure, reinvention and survival. Here are people discovering and negotiating the land, the life and the culture of Japan, and putting down 'transplantable roots'.
  
  INCLUDES 45 B&W IMAGES

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  True Crime Mayhem Episodes 3 -...

  Manuel Coman.

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  True Crime Mayhem Episodes 3 
  Dark, Disturbing and Murder stories. 
  In the depths of human depravity lie stories that shock and haunt us, tales that reveal the darkest corners of the human psyche. Welcome to True Crime Mayhem, a collection of chilling narratives that delve into the sinister world of crime, murder, and the unrelenting pursuit of justice. Each Volume is a gripping journey into the abyss, where the unimaginable becomes real and the seemingly ordinary transforms into something sinister. 
  Within these pages, you will encounter a tapestry of true crime stories that will send shivers down your spine. Each chapter unravels a different tale, drawing you closer to the enigmatic minds of killers and the tragic victims they leave in their wake. Dark and disturbing, these stories delve into the depths of human nature, exposing the intricate webs of motives, passions, and the relentless quest for power. 
  The Valley of the Shadow of Death: Has Kari Baker, who was grieving the loss of her daughter, killed herself? Or was she murdered by her accused sexual predator spouse Matt, a Baptist minister in Waco? Her family is certain that he did it, and they claim they will pursue him until justice is served, despite his denials. 
  The Night In Question: Agent Jose Gamez Jr. of the Border Patrol was murdered thirty years ago, and his corpse was thrown in an irrigation canal. His companion is still curious. Those who believe his spouse could have been involved would agree with this as well. 
  Plus more intriguing stories 
  Scroll up to get your copy!

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  History of France - Significant...

  Kelly Mass

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  This book consists of four titles, which are: 
  Franco-Prussian War - The Franco-Prussian War, also known as the Franco-German War or, in France, the War of 1870, was a pivotal conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation, which was led by the Kingdom of Prussia. This war lasted from 19 July 1870 to 28 January 1871, and its consequences would shape European geopolitics for decades. The primary cause of the war stemmed from France's desire to reaffirm its dominance in continental Europe, which had been seriously challenged after Prussia's decisive victory over Austria in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. This defeat shifted the balance of power in Europe, making France anxious about its standing. 
  Jean-Jacques Rousseau - Jean-Jacques Rousseau, born in 1712 in Geneva, Switzerland, was a philosopher, author, and composer whose work had a profound impact on the intellectual and political landscape of the 18th century. He is best known for his political philosophy, which laid the groundwork for many of the principles that influenced the Enlightenment and later shaped the French Revolution.  
  The Basques - The Basques are an ethnic group indigenous to Southwestern Europe, distinguished by their unique genetic heritage, ancient language (Euskara), and distinct cultural practices. Their homeland, known as the Basque Country (Euskal Herria), spans both sides of the Pyrenees, covering areas in north-central Spain and southwestern France, and lies along the Bay of Biscay. 
  The Seven Years' War - The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) marked a global struggle for supremacy between two major powers of the time: Great Britain and France. This conflict unfolded across continents and influenced various colonial and European theaters, laying the groundwork for modern geopolitics.

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  From Mohair Suits to Kinky Boots...

  Geoff Deane

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  As the lead singer of Modern Romance he toured the world, as the screenwriter of Kinky Boots he conquered Hollywood, now comes Geoff Deane's latest act as a quite brilliant and witty ranconteur in his hilarious memoir From Mohair Suits to Kinky Boots…. 
   
  Geoff has been a fly-pitcher working out of a suitcase, and flogged suits on Brick Lane market in London's East End. He was the singer in a much-loved culty punk band the Leyton Buzzards, a floppy-haired pop star in Modern Romance, a songwriter, and record producer. He wrote a gay anthem for John Waters drag queen muse Divine, worked as journalist and restaurant critic for style magazines The Face and Arena, before becoming a successful writer and producer of TV comedy. And then hewrote a couple of films, one of which, Kinky Boots became a Tony Award winning Broadway stage show. 
   
  This is the tale of life lived large, a collection of uproarious and often moving stories from Geoff's youth as a clothes obsessed Jewish suedehead, hanging out in Tottenham dancehalls, via straight Bowie Boy frequenting London's gay clubs, gender confusion in Manhattan's Studio 54, and on to huge career success as a screenwriter. 
   
  With a cast ranging from local oddballs to international celebrities, Geoff Deane's unique take on the world is only matched by his extraordinarily rich use of language, with a smattering of Cockney rhyming slang, Yiddish and Polari. 
   
  Introduction by Maurice Gran 
   
  ‘A very funny book packed with very funny stories, written by a very funny and often peculiar man' - Jonathan Ross 
  The missing link between Micky Flanagan and David Sedaris' - Kimberley Chamber 
  ‘From Mohair Suits to Kinky Boots is to London's east end as early Mamet is to Chicago. Your morning coffee WILL come out of your nose repeatedly' - George Wendt (Norm from Cheers) 
  ‘The Samuel Pepys of East London' - Maurice Gran 
  ‘There are worse groups than Modern Romance. But can anyone seriously think of one?' - Morrissey

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  Me & The Buried Art of Thinking...

  Kerry Anne Boer

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  Me & The Art of Thinking Differently is a beautifully reflective journey through the eyes of a girl who never quite fit the mold—and perhaps was never meant to. 
  In this heartfelt and often humorous memoir, the author shares her unconventional path through childhood, grief, creativity, and academic success—all shaped by a unique way of learning and seeing the world. From being Dux of Business College to earning a Master of Arts with Excellence, she reveals how “thinking differently” wasn’t a setback, but a quiet superpower that guided her healing, her teaching, and her creative life. 
  This story is part of the Buried Treasures series, a tender collection of true tales about resilience, identity, and uncovering the hidden gifts buried in life’s hardest seasons. 
  Told with warmth, wit, and honesty, this audiobook will resonate with listeners who have ever felt out of step with the world—and offers encouragement to anyone learning to trust their own way of being. It’s a celebration of different thinkers, gentle rebels, and the buried art of living deeply in a noisy world.

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