Other books that might interest you

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  The Dead Beside Us: - A Memoir...

  Tony Doherty

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  In this sequel to the hugely-popular
  This Man's Wee Boy, young Tony Doherty struggles to come to terms with the murder of his father, Paddy, on Bloody Sunday and the impact it has on his mother, Eileen, and his brothers and sisters. At nine years old, he knows a terrible wrong has been committed against his family but lacks the understanding
  
  or
  the means to do anything about it – yet. For his fractured family, life goes on, with Tony determined to preserve the memory of his father and the bond they shared, even as he becomes increasingly immersed in the violent conflict raging on Derry's streets. As the 1970s unfold his father's absence remains the backdrop to the teenage Tony's newfound friendships and relationships, an ever-present ache amidst the craic and excitement of Sunday dances, first kisses and a trip to Butlins. Then, at seventeen, Tony decides it's time to join the fight.

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  Being Hal Ashby - Life of a...

  Nick Dawson

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  The story of the director behind Harold and Maude, Being There, and other quirky classics: “A superb biography of this troubled, talented man.” —Tucson Citizen   Hal Ashby set the standard for subsequent independent filmmakers by crafting unique, thoughtful, and challenging films that continue to influence new generations of directors. Initially finding success as an editor, Ashby won an Academy Award for editing 1967’s In the Heat of the Night, and translated his skills into a career as one of the quintessential directors of 1970s.   Perhaps best remembered for the enduring cult classic Harold and Maude, Ashby quickly became known for melding quirky comedy and intense drama with performances from A-list actors such as Jack Nicholson in The Last Detail, Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn in Shampoo, Jon Voight and Jane Fonda in Coming Home, and Peter Sellers and Shirley MacLaine in Being There. But Ashby’s personal life was difficult. After enduring his parents’ divorce, his father’s suicide, and his own failed marriage all before the age of nineteen, he became notorious for his drug abuse, which contributed to the decline of his career near the end of his life.   Ashby always operated outside Hollywood’s conventions, and though his output was tragically limited, the quality of his films continues to inspire modern directors as varied and talented as Judd Apatow and Wes Anderson, both of whom acknowledge Ashby as a primary influence. In Being Hal Ashby: Life of a Hollywood Rebel, the first full-length biography of the maverick filmmaker, Nick Dawson masterfully tells the turbulent story of Ashby’s life and career.

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  The Beatle Bandit - A Serial...

  Nate Hendley

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  The sensational true story of how a bank robber killed a man in a wild shootout, sparking a national debate around gun control and the death penalty.On July 24, 1964, twenty-four-year-old Matthew Kerry Smith disguised himself with a mask and a Beatle wig, hoisted a semi-automatic rifle, then held up a bank in North York, Ontario.The intelligent but troubled son of a businessman and mentally ill mother, Smith was a navy veteran with a young Indigenous wife and a hazy plan for violent revolution.Outside the bank, Smith was confronted by Jack Blanc, a former member of the Canadian and Israeli armies, who brandished a revolver. During a wild shootout, Blanc was killed, and Smith escaped—only to become the object of the largest manhunt in the history of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force.Dubbed "The Beatle Bandit," Smith was eventually captured, tried, and sentenced to hang. His murderous rampage had tragic consequences for multiple families and fueled a national debate about the death penalty, gun control, and the insanity defense.

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  Pixie Dust - a memoir

  Bronwyn MacRitchie

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  How do children survive a mother's abandonment and a stepmother's cruelty in an outback town in the 1950's? With imagination, a strong sibling bond, and humourous adventures, they escape a bleak home life. This book will take you on a comical and poignant journey 
  Bonnie is a child raised in a small town in New South Wales in the fifties with her five siblings. Her oldest brother Keith, returns to boarding school and her mother leaves without warning, taking the the two youngest, Zilla and Tippy, with her. Bonnie and her brother Ross learn to survive the new live-in partner and isolation with a spate of chemistry experiments and imaginative adolescent pranks. This results in severe punishment and greater reason to explore the realms of their magic. Adventures unfold around simpler times where the freedom of the bush and a bleak emotional upbringing join to create a bond between brother and sister that will take you on a comical and heart wrenching journey.

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  The Lambs - My Father a Farm and...

  Carole George

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  "An enchanting book—please read." —Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE; Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace 
  In this touching audiobook memoir about the relationship between father, daughter, and animals, Carole George explores life after adopting thirteen pet Karakul lambs. Throughout her years with the lambs and her aging father, she comes to realize the distinct personality of each creature, and to understand more fully the almost spiritual bond between man and animals. 
  This beautiful audiobook will touch the hearts of listeners everywhere. 
  "In her new book, The Lambs, Carole George shares the fulfillment she has experienced over years tending a flock of sheep. I hope that this book will inspire readers to become more compassionate toward the living beings deprived of the many privileges we humans enjoy." —His Holiness The Dalai Lama 
  "The Lambs is beautifully written, and right on target as an example of the natural—pastoral—world where we may achieve the fullness of human experience. Our descendants may gravitate toward the equivalent of [Carole's] Virginia farm." —Edward O. Wilson, University Research Professor Emeritus, Harvard University

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  Lovers Dreamers Fighters

  Lo Carmen

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  A beautiful and moving memoir about passion, creativity and fearlessness from one of Australia's true creatives, singer/songwriter Lo Carmen, inspired by the lives and careers of other remarkable Australian women - such as Renee Geyer, Chrissy Amphlett, Robyn Archer and Wendy Saddington. 
    
  'If you don't know Lo, you don't know sh*t. This is the best music book of the year, a dream-like celebration of women and song. A triumph.' Noah Taylor 
  'We've all got them, the lighters of the way, those mythological wonders who glow in our dark. These are the ones I got to be close to, whether in a real or allusive sense; these are the ones that got to me in a way that still flows through my veins. I think you'll understand why soon...' 
  Lo Carmen was discovered at sixteen working in a Kings Cross pizza bar and cast as in the seminal Australian film The Year My Voice Broke, for which she was nominated for an AFI award. But even before that, Lo has lived a bigger life than most. From being backstage at Rolling Stones concerts when she was a baby to writing her first song at eight; performing an original song onstage at nine; having a baby while barely out of her teens; forming her first band at twenty one; touring Europe without a manager, funds or a safety net; and all the while making music her life and her art. In all this, Lo has been inspired by a handful of women - all icons, one way or another, of modern Australian life. 
  Lo Carmen weaves her own remarkable story as a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter together with compelling portraits of the women who have influenced her life and career: bold creative visionaries, trailblazers, provocateurs, pioneers, feminists and activists such as Renee Geyer, Chrissy Amphlett, Robyn Archer and Sallie-Anne Huckstepp, exploring the often complex lives of these fascinating women as a way of understanding her own life and choices. 
  A tender, joyous, messy, vibrant and wholly inspiring investigation of creativity, passion, purpose, art and music. 
  'A hard won account of the mess, glory and risk of making art. Lo tells her story by telling the stories of all those who've lit and tended her flame. She knows that worship is at the heart of creation. And she writes like a river.' Paul Kelly 
  'Loene has always been unique. Lovers Dreamers Fighters is beautifully written.' Don Walker 
  'There is an electricity and trueness to Loene's voice you can't fake. It involves her passion for art and music, but also a love for outsiders who have something special to give. Her intense humanity and feel for unexpected intimate detail goes to your core.' Mark Mordue, Boy on Fire 
  'A little bit country, a little bit rock n roll, Loene Carmen's writing is vivid, sassy and intimate. From the studios of Nashville to the grimy bars of the Cross, Lovers Dreamers Fighters is a memoir about the power of song, family and spiritual connection, but most of all a love letter to the soul-sisters who have shaped Lo's creative spirit, and Australia's cultural history, through the generations.' Kirsten Krauth, Almost a Mirror 
    
  HarperCollins Australia 2022

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