Other books that might interest you

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  Uses for Obsession - A Chef's...

  Ben Shewry

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  An intimate, searing and hopeful memoir meets manifesto that reframes the way we think about restaurants, cooking, hospitality, leadership and humanity from one of the most respected chefs in the world. 
   
  Chef and restaurateur Ben Shewry knows obsession well. Whether it's crispy-edged lasagne, saltwater crocodile ribs or the perfect potato, obsession is what motivates him and what makes him tick. It's also what has propelled his Melbourne restaurant Attica into the league of the most innovative, acclaimed dining experiences in the world, and one of the most vital in Australian history. 
   
  In this absorbing and wide-ranging memoir meets manifesto, Shewry applies his sometimes searing, sometimes comic eye to creative freedom in the kitchen, food journalism, sexism in hospitality, the fraud of the farm-to-table sustainability ethos, the cult of the chef, cooking as muse and the legendary Family Bolognese. 
   
  Raised on a farm in a close-knit rural New Zealand family, he shares how a childhood surrounded by nature and a reverence for First People's cultures has influenced his work, the values he lives by, and the meticulous, inventive multi-course menu that is synonymous with Attica. Uses for Obsession also tells the intimate, desperate story of how Attica survived 262 days with an empty dining room. How, during a time of epic hospitality transformation, it morphed into a takeaway food business, a merch shop and a summer camp. He was told it couldn't be done and that doubt both tortured and drove him. 
   
  At its heart, this is a positive story, an antidote to the macho chef culture that thrives on old ideas about leadership and success. Shewry prosecutes the compelling case for a new way forward. A bold blueprint for the restaurant - and workplace - of the future. One built on kindness, community, truth and a commitment to never giving up.

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  Alfred Dreyfus - The Man at the...

  Maurice Samuels

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  An insightful new biography of the central figure in the Dreyfus Affair, focused on the man himself and based on newly accessible documents 
   
   
    
  On January 5, 1895, Captain Alfred Dreyfus's cries of innocence were drowned out by a mob shouting "Death to Judas!" In this book, Maurice Samuels gives listeners new insight into Dreyfus himself—the man at the center of the affair. He tells the story of Dreyfus's early life in Paris, his promising career as a French officer, the false accusation leading to his imprisonment on Devil's Island, the fight to prove his innocence that divided the French nation, and his life of quiet obscurity after World War I. 
   
   
    
  Samuels's striking perspective is enriched by a newly available archive of more than three thousand documents and objects donated by the Dreyfus family. Unlike many historians, Samuels argues that Dreyfus was not an "assimilated" Jew. Rather, he epitomized a new model of Jewish identity made possible by the French Revolution, when France became the first European nation to grant Jews full legal equality. This book analyzes Dreyfus's complex relationship to Judaism and to antisemitism over the course of his life—a story that, as global antisemitism rises, echoes still. It also shows the profound effect of the Dreyfus Affair on the lives of Jews around the world.

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  A Knock at the Door

  Rob Parsons

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  ‘An incredible read. I laughed, I cried and my heart was truly touched by this beautifully written true story of hope and humanity at its best.’ Rosemary Conley CBE'An extraordinary story. Truly Inspirational' Tim Vine 
  An astonishing story of kindness, self-learning, pain, unbelievable hope and the sheer power of love to change a life. 
  Christmas 1975 and Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is riding high in the charts. In a residential street just outside Cardiff, a persistent knocking breaks the stillness of the evening …  
  When Rob Parsons, a young lawyer, opens his door he finds a man standing before him clutching a bag of belongings and a frozen chicken. Rob and his wife, Dianne, invite him into their home, cook his chicken and offer him shelter for the night. What happens next is an astonishing story of human kindness, self-learning, incredible pain, unbelievable hope and the sheer power of love to change a life. 
  A Knock at the Door is the true story of Ronnie Lockwood, a homeless man who entered the home of a young couple, became a dustman and lived as part of their family for over 45 years until his death. But this is not just Ronnie’s story – it is also that of Rob and his family. Outwardly the two men’s lives were worlds apart – as Ronnie emptied rubbish bins, Rob flew on Concorde – and yet, they discovered they had similar struggles. Then the day came, at the lowest moment of the couple’s lives, when they turned to the homeless man for help. 
  But there were also remarkable turnarounds. Ronnie spent much of his spare time volunteering, including at a homeless centre, and ended up having a £1.6 million well-being centre named after him. Rob left his law practice and he and Dianne began a charity that touches the lives of millions of people. 
  You will have never read a story like this before, but at its heart is a simple message: whether we are a lawyer or a dustman – tomorrow doesn’t always have to be like yesterday. 
  This autobiography is not just a tale of two men, but a testament to the power of empathy and kindness. It's a motivational and inspirational journey that delves deep into the realms of poverty, homelessness, and the social dynamics that bind us all. 
  For fans of Harry Benson (Scram!), Richard Foster (The Real Bettie Page), Max Lucado (Jesus), and Bear Grylls (Never Give Up). 
  HarperCollins 2024

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  LOUD - How a Shy Nerd Came to...

  Angelo Cataldi

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  For over three decades, Angelo Cataldi was the on-air voice of Philadelphia sports fans, leading the charge with unabashed zeal and infectious energy. He was the maestro of the mania, the conductor of the symphony of vitriol that blared through car radios every morning in the most misunderstood yet passionate sports city in America. 
   
   
   
  It made him his share of enemies, but he walked away from the microphone with enough stories for several lifetimes—or one jam-packed, lively memoir. 
   
   
   
  LOUD is an exuberant chronicle of Cataldi's life, from his childhood as a self-described "king nerd" in Providence, Rhode Island, to the traditional newspaper career he left behind, and his eventual rise to the top of the Philadelphia sports radio scene on WIP. 
   
   
   
  Through it all, Cataldi remained dedicated to his mission of talking about what the city was talking about, in the same tone. And that tone was loud, passionate, and unapologetically real. 
   
   
   
  Full of encounters with athletes, personalities, and power brokers as well as candid reflections, LOUD is a must-listen for die-hard Philadelphia sports fans and anyone who appreciates a good story.

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  Finding Hester - The Incredible...

  Jack Lawrence, Greg Callus,...

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  Finding Hester explores the untold story of Hester Leggatt, a woman who helped trick the Nazis, and is a fascinating read for fans of West End musical Operation Mincemeat and anyone with an interest in women’s war stories 
   
  Operation Mincemeat is one of the stranger tales to come out of the Second World War. A corpse dressed as a British pilot was dropped in the ocean near Spain, with the forged documents he carried landing in the hands of the Germans to convince them to move their troops to the advantage of the allied forces. 
   
  It is an event perhaps most popularly told in Ben Macintyre’s 2010 book Operation Mincemeat: The True Spy Story That Changed the Course of World War II, but it has recently been retold in a 2021 film and is currently the plot of an Olivier-winning West End musical. Operation Mincemeat has never been more familiar to the public. 
   
  To sell the ruse of the corpse, MI5 had to create a credible backstory for their fictitious pilot. They filled his briefcase with receipts, cigarettes, a photograph, and, importantly, two fabricated love letters. 
   
  An interview with MI5 secretary Jean Leslie, conducted by Macintyre for his book, revealed the name of the woman behind those letters to be a ‘Hester Leggett’. This has been repeated ever since, including in both the film and the musical. 
   
  Hester Leggett does not exist. 
   
  The false identity was discovered by a group of fans of the musical. While we know much about the other key figures portrayed in the musical, Hester was always more of a mystery and once the group started to research her, they discovered she was actually Hester Leggatt. 
   
  This misplaced vowel made all the difference and we uncovered a huge amount about the real Hester. This book tells the story of how the musical fanbase found her school records, her family, her real love letters from the Second World War, and definitive confirmation from MI5 that they had the right person.

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  From Broken Spirit to Finding a...

  Renee M. Pinkley

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  From Broken Spirit to Finding a Path to Freedom is a deeply moving autobiography that chronicles the life of Renee Pinkley. With raw honesty and vulnerability, Renee shares her journey—from her strict Christian upbringing to marriage, raising three children, and ultimately confronting the painful realization, after 30 years of marriage, that it was time to walk away. Through her story, Renee reveals how the person she thought she knew was merely a façade. She provides powerful insights and guidance, offering a window into the emotionally and mentally draining process of recognizing and breaking free from a toxic relationship. This book is more than just a personal narrative; it is a heartfelt resource for empathetic souls, urging caution and awareness to avoid the pain of a shattered spirit. Renee’s courage to face her struggles and her determination to find freedom will resonate deeply with readers, inspiring hope, strength, and the possibility of healing.

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