Talking BooksBooklist: Autobiographies and biographies 4

The titles in this booklist are just a selection of the titles available for loan from the RNIB National Library Talking Book Service.

Don’t forget you are allowed to have up to 6 books on loan. When you return a title, you will then receive another one.

If you would like to read any of these titles then please contact the Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or email helpline@rnib.org.uk.

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For any further help in selecting books please contact the Reader Services Team on 01733 37 5333 or email libraryinfo@rnib.org.uk

Contents

Entertainment page 2Authors and journalists page 7Artists and music ians page 8Science page 12Political page 13Royalty page 14Religion page 15Sport page 16War page 20Courage and inspiration page 21Crime page 23Miscellaneous page 24

Entertainment

Boyle, Frankie. My sh*t life so far. 2010. TB 7926.Outspoken, outrageous and brilliantly inappropriate, Frankie Boyle, the dark heart of Mock the Week, says the unsayable as only he can. From the TV programmes he would like to see made, to his native Scotland and the Mayor of London, nothing and no one is safe from Frankie's fearless assault. Contains strong language. Read by Angus King. 6 hours 53 minutes. TB 7926

Bruce, Ken. Tracks of my years. 2010. TB 19091.The Ken Bruce Show on Radio 2 is a national institution, much loved by millions of loyal listeners. Here, Ken reveals how his dream of working in radio kept him going through the wilderness years of accountancy, his stint at a car hire company, and finally a job at Radio Scotland before his move to Radio 2. Read by Crawford Logan. 7 hours 32.minutes. TB 19091

Buford, Kate. Burt Lancaster: an American life. 2008. TB 18363.This biography offers a portrait of the star of Atlantic City, From Here to Eternity and Elmer Gantry (for which he won a Best Actor Oscar). Lancaster emerges as a man of restless energy, relentless curiosity and continual development as an actor: a star every bit as interesting off-screen as on. Contains strong language. Read by Bill Roberts. 19 hours 46 minutes. TB 18363

Carr, Alan. Look who it is! my story. 2009. TB 17029. Alan Carr tells his life story in his own words, from growing up in a football-mad family in Northampton to his rise as one of Britain's best-loved comedians. Contains strong language. Read by Gareth Jameson. 7 hours 20 minutes. TB 17029

Dench, Judi. And furthermore. 2010. TB 18200.From the moment Judi Dench appeared as a teenager in the York Mystery Plays it was clear that acting would be her career. Trained at London's Central School of Speech and Drama it was her performance in her twenties as Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's memorable Old Vic production that turned her into a star. This book is, however, much more than a career record. Her marriage,

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their daughter, and her impish sense of humour contribute vividly to her account as Britain's best-loved actress. Read by Jane Markham. 7 hours 22 minutes. TB 18200

Eliot, Marc Cary Grant: a biography. 2006. TB 18351.Cary Grant is Hollywood's most fascinating and timeless star. Born Archibald Leach in Bristol, he went on to become the movies’ favourite romantic lead, for over thirty-five years. As this new biography shows, however, Grant's sparkling on-screen image hid a tumultuous private life and a tortured soul: five marriages, numerous affairs and even an eleven-year relationship with Randolph Scott. Read by Kenneth Jay. 16 hours 37 minutes. TB 18351

Evans, Chris. Memoirs of a fruitcake: the wilderness years 2000-2010: (plus a bit before but it didn't sound as good). 2010. TB 405047.In this second part of his autobiography, fired by the station he once owned and embroiled in the ensuing bitter court case, Chris's long held childhood dreams of a job in radio lay in tatters. An endless drink fuelled lifestyle with an array of so-called 'mates' began to take its toll. Bored and creatively frustrated, the shooting star of British broadcasting had plunged into a downward spiral so deep that escape seemed almost impossible. Until, along came his salvation in the form of a young singer called Billie Piper. Read by volunteers. TB405047

Grylls, Bear. Mud, sweat and tears. 2011. TB 19410.This is the extraordinary life story of the world's most intrepid young explorer, Bear Grylls.2011. Read by David Thorpe. 10 hours 6 minutes.

Havers, Nigel. Playing with fire. 2007. TB 19280.Nigel Havers shares in a memoir that is as charming, mischievous and engaging as the man himself. In a career that has taken him from a schoolboy production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" to the red carpet on Oscar Night with "Chariots of Fire", Nigel Havers has become a household name. With characteristic modesty and a captivating eye for the absurd, he treats us to the highlights and lowlights of a life like no other. Contains strong language. Read by Charles Armstrong. 8 hours 32 minutes. TB 19280.

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Hudd, Roy. A fart in a colander: the autobiography. 2010. TB 18662. Roy Hudd's career began in the 1950s and since then he has worked with most of the major stars of the last forty years. His career as an entertainer began as a Butlin's "Redcoat" with Cliff Richard, and since then he has worked with such greats as Tommy Cooper, Larry Grayson and Morecambe and Wise, and has become one of Britain's best-loved entertainers. Contains strong language.Read by Roy Hudd. 9 hours 34 minutes. TB 18662.

Kelly, Lorraine. Lorraine: between you and me: the autobiography. 2009. TB 17087. From her working-class childhood to her early career in journalism during which she covered the tragedies of Lockerbie and Dunblane, and her emergence as the undisputed Queen of Morning TV, Lorraine reveals a life like no other with characteristic warmth and charm. Entertaining, funny and a little bit mischievous, her anecdotes are garnered from a lifetime of meeting, greeting and interrogating the famous and infamous. Contains strong language.Read by Jennifer Dick. 7 hours 55 minutes. TB 17087.

Levy, Shawn. Paul Newman: a life. 2010. TB 18374. Paul Newman wasn't just the famously blue-eyed Hollywood actor who turned in some of the great performances in modern cinema in films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Cool Hand Luke. He was that rare contradiction: a humble celebrity, and also, in the rest of his life, a generous philanthropist. This biography provides insight into Newman's fierce dedication to acting, his famously enduring marriage and his heartbreak over the death of his son. Contains strong language.Read by Michael Fitzpatrick.17 hours 28 minutes. TB 18374.

McGiffin, Carol. Oh, Carol! life, love and telling it like it is. 2010. TB 18822. In this autobiography Carol McGiffin opens up about her marriage to Chris Evans, and reveals why it eventually broke down; she also talks about her infamous seven years of celibacy and why she's never been frightened of being single. She's now found happiness with Mark and strongly believes that it's not how old you are that

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counts, it's your outlook on life that keeps you young. Contains strong language.Read by Annie Aldington. 10 hours 57 minutes. TB 18822.

Merriman, Andy. Margaret Rutherford: dreadnought with good manners: a biography. 2010. TB 18972. Margaret Rutherford was without a doubt one of Britain's best-loved comic actresses. But behind the kindly, serene front she presented to the world lay a life of trauma and repeated nervous breakdown - the legacy of family tragedy that saw her father murder her grandfather during a bout of mental illness and her depressive mother later kill herself. This is a portrait of one of our most individual actresses. Contains strong language.Read by Peter Wickham. 10 hours 52 minutes. TB 18972.

Nolan, Coleen. Upfront and personal. 2009. TB 403729.Coleen describes her eventful life, from joining her sisters' band The Nolans when she was only nine to growing up in the spotlight as they went on to chart-topping success around the world. Coleen reveals how she coped with her tumultuous marriage to Shane Richie and how, after they split she was left a single parent struggling to get through each day. She landed the job of presenter on "This Morning" and was just finding her feet when she was sacked, plunging her into depression as she lost all confidence. A way out finally came in the form of chat show "Loose Women", where Coleen reclaimed her place in the nation's hearts.Read by volunteers. 10 hours 29 minutes. TB 403729.

O'Grady, Paul. The devil rides out. 2010. TB 18155. Sequel to: At my mother’s knee - and other low joints.As Paul struggles to get to grips with unexpected fatherhood and bereavement, he searches high and low for a job that lasts and somehow finds himself getting married in the process. Work takes him from an abattoir to a children’s home, from a hospital to a nightclub, and from penthouse to pavement. Along the way, he takes his first-Savage steps on stage, tastes the exotic delights of Manila and invades Poland. Contains strong language.Read by Peter Kenny. 8 hours 30 minutes. TB 18155.

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Richie, Shane. Rags to Richie: the story so far. 2003. TB 404039.The son of a road sweeper, Shane Richie has come a long way from the streets of London's council estates. As 'Eastenders' loveable rogue Alfie Moon he is now the 'darling' of every soap fan in Britain. In this candid autobiography, Shane reveals the highs and the lows of his life; a life that saw him move from Pontins to Palladium in just four years. From Daz ads to Danny Zuko, from sleeping rough on the south coast, to touring comedy clubs on America's west coast, from warm-up man to West End star. Read by volunteers. 12 hours. TB 404039.

Secombe, Harry. Strawberries and Cheam: an autobiography. 1996. TB 404062."Strawberries and Cheam" covers the years from 1951 - a broad canvas on which Harry Secombe paints the major events of his life, some hilarious, some moving and all entertaining. He tells of the early Goon days, of family life in Cheam, the time when he lost his voice and the Queen said it would be a pity when he got it back, and about his long-running television series "Highway".Read by volunteers. 7 hours 9 minutes. TB 404062.

Spencer, June. The road to Ambridge: My life, Peggy and the Archers. 2010. TB 404377. Born back when milk was collected in a jug from the local store, June takes us back in time as she affectionately recalls the slower pace of childhood, life during the Second World War, and coping with the return from Burma of a husband she barely knew. June also talks about 60 years of life with the Archers, telling all about characters, classic storylines and her own life, from playing Mary Queen of Scots and bringing up children, to meeting the Queen.Read by volunteers. 6 hours 25 minutes. TB 404377

Sugar, Alan. What you see is what you get: my autobiography. 2010. TB 404632.Alan Sugar describes his amazing journey, from schoolboy enterprises like making and selling his own ginger beer to setting up his own company at nineteen; from Amstrad's groundbreaking ventures in hi-fi and computers, which made him the darling of the stock exchange, to the dark days when he nearly lost it all; from his

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pioneering deal with Rupert Murdoch to his boardroom battles at Tottenham Hotspur FC. He takes us into the world of The Apprentice, and describes his appointment as advisor to the government and elevation to the peerage.Read by volunteers. 29 hours 51 minutes. TB 404632.

Authors and journalists

Burgess, Anthony. Little Wilson and big God: being the first part of the confessions of Anthony Burgess. 1988. TB 404262.The first volume of this projected two-volume autobiography by Anthony Burgess tells of a disaffected Manchester Catholic from his birth in 1917. It is a candid book of confessions, evocative of English life up to the start of his career as a professional writer in 1959.Read by volunteers. 22 hours 1 minute. TB 404262.

Burgess, Anthony. You've had your time: being the second part of the confessions of Anthony Burgess. 1991. TB 404356.This second and final volume of the autobiography of Anthony Burgess begins in 1959, with the author's return from Brunei and the start of a professional writing career. It ends in 1982 with the centenary celebrations of James Joyce's birth, which prompt the author to certain conclusions about the relationship between literature and life.Read by volunteers. 21 hours 12 minutes. TB 404356.

Holmes, Richard. Shelley: the pursuit. 2005. TB 18812.Shelley, the most neglected of all the great Romantic poets, was born in Sussex in 1792 and died in Tuscany in 1822, a brief life packed with love affairs, alarums and excursions. This biography offers a serious and critical reappraisal of Shelley as a man and a writer; all his prose and poetry is carefully re-examined, his sense of spiritual and geographical isolation described and a detailed portrait of his macabre imaginative life slowly assembled.Read by Greg Wagland. 40 hours 48 minutes. TB 18812.

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Nokes, David. Jane Austen: a life. 1997. TB 404667.Re-examining the letters and documents of her life as well as her novels, in order to trace the inner sources of her work's imaginative vitality and emotional power, the author has produced an intensely personal portrait. He argues that the seductive power of Austen's fiction comes from her struggle to create images of harmony out of the disruptions and upheavals of her private life. Her novels, for all their triumphant artifice, betray many disturbing reminders of the frustrations of female hopes and the penalties of social dependency.Read by volunteers. 30 hours 59 minutes. TB 404667.

Spurling, Hilary. Secrets of a woman's heart: the later life of Ivy Compton-Burnett: 1920-1969. 1984. TB 5500. Sequel to: Ivy when young. Ivy Compton-Burnett's development as a major novelist is explored. In her personal life she had a long relationship with Margaret Jourdain which ended only with the latter's death in 1951 and enjoyed vibrant friendships with individuals such as Angus Wilson and Rosamund Lehmann.Read by Rosalind Shanks. 14 hours 23 minutes. TB 5500.

Sturrock, Donald. Storyteller: the life of Roald Dahl. 2010. TB 18300.Donald Sturrock reveals many hidden aspects of Roald Dahl's life: his terrifying experiences as a fighter pilot; the mental anguish caused by the death of his seven-year-old daughter; his work for military intelligence at the end of the war and more. Written with exclusive access to his private papers and manuscripts as well as with reference to hundreds of newly-discovered letters, Dahl lives on every page of this utterly compelling book, which reveals the man as we've never seen before. Contains strong language.Read by Andrew Wincott. 26 hours 8 minutes. TB 18300.

Artists and musicians

Barlow, Gary. My take. 2006. TB 404283.Gary Barlow was Take That’s secret weapon: their gifted, down-to-earth front man who not only wrote most of their greatest hits but sang them too. But the band decided to quit at the height of

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their fame. What followed for Gary is an inspiring journey of highs and lows: from the promising start of his solo career to his crisis in confidence. The public who had once worshipped him almost seemed to forget he existed. For the first time, Gary tells his full story from his childhood in Cheshire to life after Take That.Read by volunteers. 8 hours 59 minutes. TB 404283.

Boyle, Susan. The woman I was born to be. 2010. TB 404909.In April 2009, a modest middle-aged woman was catapulted to global fame when the YouTube video of her audition for Britain’s Got Talent touched the hearts of millions all over the world. From singing karaoke in local pubs to live performance with an eighty-piece orchestra in Japan's legendary Budokan arena and a record-breaking debut album, Susan Boyle has become an international superstar. Now, for the first time, Susan tells the story of her life and the challenges she has struggled to overcome with faith, fortitude and an unfailing sense of humour.Read by Morvern White. 9 hours 42 minutes. TB 404909.

Fischer, Jens Malte. Gustav Mahler. 2011. TB 19199.Fischer explores Mahler's early life, his relationship to literature, his achievements as a conductor in Vienna and New York, his unhappy marriage, and his work with the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic in his later years.Read by Richard Burnip. 41hours 1minute. TB 19199.

Holst, Imogen. Gustav Holst: a biography. 2008. TB 19105.A biography of the composer Gustav Holst (1874-1934) by his daughter, Imogen, in which she relates his life chronologically, quoting from his letters to friends, particularly Ralph Vaughan Williams and telling of his life as a teacher, performances of his works and his struggles against ill-health.Read by Helen Bourne. 7 hours 53 minutes. TB 19105.

Carley, Lionel. Edvard Grieg in England. 2006. TB 19150.Presents an exploration of Grieg's visits to England and what the country meant to him, showing how it had a far greater impact on his life and career than has hitherto been recorded.

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Read by Robin Houston. 22 hours 30 minutes. TB 19150.

Johnson, Brian. Rockers and rollers. 2010. TB 19725. By night, Brian Johnson sings in the biggest rock and roll band on the planet. But by day, AC/DC's front man gets to indulge his passion for all things automotive. Starting in Tyneside, with an old steering wheel and his imagination, a lifelong passion took root early through cramped teenage fumbles in an old mini and clapped-out, hygienically challenged tour vans, to chauffeur-driven, leather-trimmed limos. Rockers and Rollers is the story of man with an insatiable appetite for life and a glimpse into the extraordinary world of AC/DC. Contains strong language.Read by Mark Elstob. 4 hours 54 minutes. TB 19725.

Lucas, John. Thomas Beecham: an obsession with music. 2008. TB 404694.Beecham was one of Britain's greatest conductors of orchestral music and opera as well as an entrepreneur and impresario of exceptional energy and wit. This new life untangles the web of his financial and musical adventures and corrects the stories and myths, many of them of Beecham's own making, that have grown up around this uniquely gifted and controversial figure. New light is shed on his visits to Nazi Germany and his view of its leaders.Read by volunteers. 29 hours 7 minutes. TB 404694.

Lynn, Vera. Some sunny day: my autobiography. 2009. TB 16787.Born Vera Welch on 20 March, 1917 in the East End of London, Dame Vera Lynn's career was set from an early age - along with her father, who also did a 'turn', she sang in Working Men's Clubs from just seven years old. She had a successful radio career with Joe Loss and Charlie Kunz in the ‘20s and '30s, but it was with World War II that she became the iconic figure that captured the imagination of the national public.Read by Diana Bishop. 7 hours 38 minutes. TB 16787.

McKay, Elizabeth Norman. Franz Schubert: a biography. 1996. TB 19117.This biography paints a vivid portrait of Schubert. It explores his family background, his education and musical upbringing, the

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nature of his friendships, effects of the repressive roles of Church and State, and the musical and artistic world of his day.Read by Monica Kendall. 17 hours 56 minutes. TB 19117.

Nollen, Scott Allen. Jethro Tull: a history of the band, 1968-2001. 2002. TB 404405.This is a history of the band written by an acquaintance of several of its members. The book includes a chronology of all the band's recordings and information on all accompanying tours, with the author's critiques as well as the band's own reminiscences and opinions of each album. Also included are previously unpublished interviews with founder Ian Anderson, long-time band member David Pegg, other band members Glenn Cornick, Andy Giddings and Doane Perry and more.Read by volunteers. 17 hours 48 minutes. TB 404405.

Sutherland, Bryony. Annie Lennox: the biography. 2002. TB 17980.This book presents a complex, living biography of the working-class girl from Aberdeen who has become a pop legend. Ex-lovers, musicians, photographers, stylists, record company executives, producers and directors were interviewed to present the full story from childhood to the reformation of the Eurythmics.Read by Carolyn Bonnyman. 18 hours 39 minutes. TB 17980.

Swafford, Jan. Johannes Brahms: a biography. 2003. TB 19299.This biography of Brahms reveals a man of contradictions. He was obsessed with biography, hoarding the manuscripts and letters of other composers. He actively prevented documentation of his own history, however. This book examines his life, looking at an era of cultural absolutes.Read by Hayward Morse. 32 hours 22 minutes. TB 19299.

Turner, Ike. Takin' back my name: the confessions of Ike Turner. 1999. TB 404701.Born in Mississippi in the days of entrenched Southern racism, Ike Turner escaped poverty via his songwriting genius when he discovered a singing talent named Little Ann Bullock, renamed her Tina, and made her a global superstar. Yet the Ike and Tina

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partnership and ‘marriage’ went sour, and Ike Turner became a social pariah when Tina's autobiography, and hit movie accused him of serial adultery, drug addiction and domestic violence. Read by volunteers. 11 hours 15 minutes. TB 404701.

Wood, Bruce. Purcell: an extraordinary life. 2009. TB 19157.By interweaving the events during an unparalleled period of social and political change with the life and music of Purcell, this book creates an account of this elusive English genius that is hard to put down.Read by Ian Robertson. 8 hours 34 minutes. TB 19157.

Science

Hamilton, James. Faraday: the life. 2009. TB 19716.A biography of Michael Faraday, one of the giants of 19th century science and discoverer of electricity, who was at the centre of a scientific renaissance in London. Read by Bob Rolett. 18 hours 59 minutes. TB 19716.

Isaacson, Walter. Einstein: his life and universe. 2008. TB 19724.Einstein was a rebel and nonconformist from boyhood days, and these character traits drove both his life and his science. In this narrative, Walter Isaacson explains how his mind worked and the mysteries of the universe that he discovered.Read by Richard Burnip. 26 hours 14 minutes. TB 19724.

Weightman, Gavin. Signor Marconi's magic box: how an amateur inventor defied scientists and began the radio revolution. 2003. TB 407905.London 1896, a young Italian gave the first public demonstration of a device he had created in his family home. It consisted of two wooden boxes, one of which could apparently transmit messages to the other. Many of those in the audience suspected that they were witnessing a mere conjuring trick. None can have guessed that Signor Marconi's magic box would be regarded as the most

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remarkable invention of the nineteenth century, and that he himself would become one of the most famous men in the world.Read by volunteers. 10 hours 37 minutes. TB 407905.

Political

Livingstone, Ken. You can't say that: memoirs. 2011. TB 19288.Contains strong language. From his eccentric South London working class childhood to running one of the biggest cities in the world, Ken Livingstone delivers the turbulent true story of his life as one of Britain's foremost politicians.Read by Chad Clark. 22 hours 56 minutes. TB 19288. Paisley, Rhonda. Ian Paisley, my father. 1988. TB 404769.Ian Paisley’s strength of opinion and rock-hard resolve have made the "big man" a larger than life feature of political life today. But there is another side: the affectionate husband, father, the off duty public figure walking his dogs, the faithful preacher. Rhonda Paisley takes us right into the family home. She describes what it's like to live under constant police protection and with death threats an everyday fact of life.Read by volunteers. 4 hours 26 minutes. TB 404769.

Sebag Montefiore, Simon. Stalin: the court of the Red Tsar. 2004. TB 18149. There have been many biographies of Stalin, but the court that surrounded him is untravelled ground. Simon Sebag Montefiore has unearthed the vast underpinning that sustained Stalin. Not only ministers such as Molotov or secret service chiefs such as Beria, but men and women whose loyalty he trusted only until the next purge. Contains strong language. Read by Steve Hodson. 37 hours 2 minutes. TB 18149.

Sharrock, David. Man of war, man of peace: the unauthorized biography of Gerry Adams. 1998. TB 404841.Gerry Adams is widely regarded as the most controversial figure in modern Irish history. While commentators and politicians have

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condemned him and all he stood for, few know what sort of man he really is. Now, readers can judge for themselves.Read by volunteers. 21 hours 12 minutes. TB 404841.

Wallach, Janet. Desert queen: the extraordinary life of Gertrude Bell, adventurer, adviser to kings, ally of Lawrence of Arabia. 1997. TB 18605.Gertrude Bell explored, mapped and excavated the world of the Arabs, winning the trust of Arab sheiks and chieftains along the way. When the First World War erupted and the British needed the loyalty of Arab leaders, Gertrude provided the intelligence for T.E. Lawrence's military activities. After the war, she played a major role in creating the modern Middle East, and was generally considered the most powerful woman in the British Empire. Read by Monica Kendall. 17 hours 15 minutes. TB 18605.

Ziegler, Philip. Edward Heath: the authorised biography. 2010. TB 18390.Beginning with the early years - his childhood in Kent, student days in Oxford, wartime military service and short business career - Ziegler goes on to chart Heath's effortless rise through the Conservative Party. He captures his rivalry with Harold Wilson and the drama of 1974, two elections and a hung parliament. Politics consumed Heath’s life but he found time for other pursuits, becoming an accomplished conductor and yachtsman.Read by Charles Armstrong. 22 hours 33 minutes. TB 18390.

RoyaltyEade, Philip. Young Prince Philip: his turbulent early life. 2011. TB 18846.The author recounts the prince's extraordinary upbringing in Greece, France, Nazi Germany and Britain, where he inhabited a strikingly colourful milieu yet was beset by continual turbulence and a succession of family tragedies.Read by Peter Wickham. 10 hours 16 minutes. TB 18846.

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Penn, Thomas. Winter king: the dawn of Tudor England. 2011. TB 19435.Thomas Penn tells the story of the transformation of Prince Henry into the aggressive teenager who would become Henry VIII, and of Catherine of Aragon, his future queen. At its heart is Henry VII - controlling, paranoid, avaricious, with a Machiavellian charm and will to power. It is the story of the birth of Tudor England.Read by Andrew Cullum. 16 hours 31 minutes. TB 19435.

Somerset, Anne. Queen Anne: a biography. 2012. TB 19643.The author uses the framework of the intense relationship between Queen Anne and her lady-in-waiting and closest friend, Sarah Marlborough, to rescue Queen Anne from long-held perceptions of her as indecisive and easily manipulated.Read by Joannoa Mackie. 31 hours 26 minutes. TB 19643.

St Aubyn, Giles. Queen Victoria: a portrait. 1991. TB 9359.It is in the paradoxes and contradictions of Queen Victoria that St Aubyn finds the key to understanding her. This brilliant portrait is a study of her personality, rather than an account of her reign. The spotlight is on her family life, her relationships with her ministers and servants, her impact on them and on her subjects, her traits of character and her taste and beliefs.Read by Ronald Markham. 29 hours 6 minutes. TB 9359.

ReligionArmstrong, Karen. Buddha. 2002. TB 404658.Buddha stands with Socrates, Confucius and Lao Tzu as one who revolutionised the religious ideas of his time to advocate a new way of living. All that is known about Buddha comes from a collection of ancient writings that fuse history, biography and myth. Karen Armstrong distils from these the chief events of Buddha's life, and introduces the key tenets of Buddhism.Read by volunteers. 8 hours 2 minutes. TB 404658.

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Hackney, Stephen. Through my eyes: A husband's diary of faith hope, love and loss. 2011. TB 404626.Stephen Hackney shares with honesty the difficult journey following his wife Lesley's diagnosis of terminal cancer and how our faith sustains us during life's greatest trials. He reminds us of the role of prayer, the mystery of suffering, the importance of living with no regrets and the eternal truth that in life and death, love never fails; that whatever happens, God can be trusted.Read by volunteers. 7 hours 43 minutes. TB 404626.

Sport

Aird, Alistair. Ally McCoist: portrait of a hero. 2009. TB 404392.This biography looks at the events that helped to shape his life - overcoming homesickness when first playing for an English club, the effects his parents' separation had on him and how he coped when his young son had to undergo several life-saving operations. Having hung up his boots, Ally's vibrant personality made him a natural for television. Now, however, he has come full circle and returned 'home' to be assistant manager at his beloved Rangers.Read by volunteers. 15 hours 58 minutes. TB 404392.

Best, Barbara. Our George: a family memoir. 2009. TB 404293.This biography reveals for the first time the real story of George Best - as told by those who knew him best and loved him most. It's the inside story of the ordinary Belfast family whose love for, and contact with, their famous son and brother never wavered through the years. It's the story of a family desperately helping him as he battled the illness that also claimed the life of their beloved mother.Read by volunteers. 8 hours 15 minutes. TB 404293.

Bower, Tom. No angel: the secret life of Bernie Ecclestone. 2011. TB 18641. Ecclestone has never before revealed how he graduated from selling second-hand cars in London's notorious Warren Street to become the major player he is today. He has finally decided to

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reveal his secrets: the deals, the marriages, the disasters and the successes on race tracks. Contains strong language.Read by Rupert Bush. 14 hours 40 minutes. TB 18641.

Calzaghe, Joe. No ordinary Joe: the autobiography of the greatest British boxer of our time. 2008. TB 18644. This is the story of Calzaghe's extraordinary life, from his humble beginnings to his ascent to personal greatness, becoming the first super middleweight boxer to win the prized belt awarded by The Ring. For the first time Calzaghe reveals his fears and motivations and the real extent of the hand injuries that have dogged his career. Contains strong language.Read by Tomos James. 7 hours 45 minutes. TB 18644.

Carson, Willie. Willie Carson up front: a racing autobiography. 1993. TB 18036.From winning the 1979 Epsom and Irish Derby on Troy, to victory in the 1989 Derby on Nashwan, his never-say-die racing tactics have endeared him to many fans. Carson's switch to Royal trainer Major Dick Hern in 1977 was an unqualified success when, in Jubilee Year, he won the Oaks and St Leger on the Queen's filly, Dunfermline, and he has remained a loyal supporter of the Major.Read by John Cormack and Jon Cartwright. 6 hours 18 minutes. TB 18036.

Derbyshire, Oliver. Michael Owen: the biography. 2010. TB 18006. Signing for Liverpool at the tender age of 17, Michael Owen soon made his mark at the highest level; in the 1997/98 season he was joint top goal scorer in the Premiership and was voted PFA Young Player of the Year. The first British player in twenty years to be crowned European Footballer of the Year, Michael then helped Liverpool to League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup victories. With silverware in the cabinet, he sought a fresh challenge with a move to join Real Madrid in 2004. Read by Tom Stanley. 9 hours 30 minutes. TB 18006.

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Dillon-Malone, A. Whirlwind: the incredible story of Jimmy White. 2009. TB 18665.Jimmy "Whirlwind" White has enthralled audiences the world over for three decades with his electrifying brilliance. He has won ten world ranking events, although famously he lost six Crucible World Championship finals. Die-hard fan Aubrey Malone examines White's background, illiteracy, drinking, tempestuous relationship with his wife and his incredible rise to the top of snooker's pantheon of heroes in the 1980s. Contains strong language.Read by John Cormack. 7 hours 56 minutes. TB 18665.

Fogle, Ben. The accidental adventurer. 2011. TB 19694.Ben Fogle has had a life for which the word extraordinary is barely adequate. How did a cripplingly shy, geeky, perennially homesick, spotty boy end up achieving all this? Ben's still not entirely sure himself, but this book will undoubtedly strike a chord with anyone who puzzles about their life, and how to live it differently.Read by Sean Baker. 10 hours 3 minutes. TB 19694.

Gascoigne, Paul. Glorious: my world, football and me. 2011. TB 19057. Even people who don't know football know who 'Gazza' is. The man born as Paul John Gascoigne to a working-class family in the North-East has found headlines on the front pages almost as often as the back pages throughout his life, thanks in great part to his more than colourful lifestyle. Contains strong language.Read by Ivan Wilkinson. 4 hours 48 minutes. TB 19057.

Gray, Dennis. Tight rope! the fun of climbing. 1993. TB 404747.Dennis Gray has pursued climbing with astonishing single-mindedness, and he has shown equal enthusiasm for boisterous humour. From his early teens until his forties he shared ropes with the foremost climbers of the day and all have contributed to his fund of often hilarious and sometimes scary epics. It overflows with tales of hard climbers finding fun both in and out of the mountains.Read by volunteers. 7 hours 52 minutes. TB 404747.

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McCain, Ginger. My colourful life: from red to amber. 2006. TB 18679. Red Rum's win in the 1977 Grand National is the stuff of sporting legend. Red’s charismatic trainer became a sporting hero. 27 years later when Ginger won his fourth National he took the sporting world by storm. Ginger himself is a remarkable individual - charming, forthright and an entertaining raconteur. Contains strong language.Read by Ian Redford. 10 hours 2 minutes. TB 18679.

McGuigan, Barry. Cyclone: my story. 2011. TB 18864. On a hot summer's night, in June 1985, in one of the most emotionally charged fights of all time, Barry McGuigan beat Eusebio Pedroza to become the Featherweight Champion of the World. Contains strong language.Read by Peter Vollebregt. 8 hours 26 minutes. TB 18864.

Montgomerie, Colin. Monty: an autobiography. 2012. It is the story of both a prodigious talent and complex personality who, at 47, remains determined to add to his already impressive achievements.Read by Tom Carter. 8 hours 2 minutes. TB 19923.

Rubython, Tom. Shunt: the story of James Hunt. 2010. TB 18600. This is a new biography of James Hunt, the most colourful and charismatic driver ever to have raced in Formula One. Contains strong language.Read by Greg Wagland. 34 hours 49 minutes. TB 18600.

Whitbread, Fatima. Survivor: the shocking and inspiring story of a true champion. 2012. TB 19902.Fatima competed in 3 Olympics, winning bronze in 1984. In 1986 she set a world record, and the following year became World Champion. After the cheering stopped, she faced prejudice, penury, scandal and heartbreak. 'Survivor' describes how she defeated all her demons to rise from the ashes once again, this time as Queen of the Jungle.Read by Teresa Quigley. 8 hours 37 minutes. TB 19902.

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Wilkinson, Jonny. Jonny: my autobiography. 2011. TB 19363. Jonny Wilkinson's career has crossed 3 decades and 4 World Cups. He's accumulated phenomenal achievements, points records, and a drop goal that'll be remembered forever. But the calmness with which he played the game masked a different reality. In 'Jonny', he reveals the psychology he had to tame in order to be able to dominate his sport. Contains strong language.Read by Ian Prosser. 14 hours 56 minutes. TB 19363.

Williams, Serena. My life: queen of the court. 2010. TB 18684.Serena Williams has captured every major title. From growing up in a tough neighbourhood, being trained by her father on courts littered with broken glass to becoming the top women's player in the world, Serena has proven to be an inspiration. She's applied the same determination to her successful pursuits in philanthropy, fashion, television, and film. Serena takes an empowering look at her extraordinary life and what is still to come.Read by Siri Steinmo. 8 hours 52 minutes. TB 18684.

WarDillon, Martin. Rogue warrior of the SAS: the Blair Mayne legend. 2003. TB 404286.Lt Col. Robert Blair Mayne is still regarded as one of the greatest soldiers in the history of military special operations. He was the most decorated British soldier of the Second World War and he pioneered tactics used today by the SAS. Drawing on personal letters and family papers, declassified SAS files together with the Official SAS Diary compiled in wartime and eyewitness accounts, the picture emerges of one of the most distinctive combatants of the campaigns in the Western Desert and Europe.Read by volunteers. 9 hours 12 minutes. TB 404286.

Kilduff, Peter. The Red Baron: beyond the legend. 1999. TB 404263.First World War fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen shot down a record 80 enemy aircraft in little over a year. Fighting over the front lines, using a deadly combination of marksmanship, steel-hard

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nerves and his outstanding talent for the new art of aerial combat, he became a legend in his own short lifetime. With accounts of open-cockpit dogfights including some of Richthofen's letters and writings, plus his Air Combat Operations Manual, it shows how the Red Baron helped shape air warfare through to the present day.Read by volunteers. 17 hours 14 minutes. TB 404263.

Courage and inspiration

Abuelaish, Izzeldin. I shall not hate: a Gaza doctor's journey on the road to peace and human dignity. 2011. TB 18851. Abuelaish is an infertility specialist who lives in Gaza but works in Israel. His three daughters were killed by Israeli shells on 16 January 2009, during Israel's incursion into the Gaza Strip. It was his response to this tragedy that made news and won him humanitarian awards around the world. He called for the people in the region to start talking to each other. His deepest hope is that his daughters will be 'the last sacrifice on the road to peace between Palestinians and Israelis'. Unsuitable for family reading.Read by Chad Clark. 9 hours 14 minutes. TB 18851.

Bowen, James. A street cat named Bob. 2012. TB 19905.The moving, uplifting true story of an unlikely friendship between a man on the streets and the ginger cat who adopts him and helps him heal his life.Read by Nick Gylaw. 6 hours. TB 19905.

Dryburgh, Nicole. Talk to the hand. 2010. TB 18256.Nicole went through surgery to remove a malignant tumour on her spine; radiotherapy; a brain haemorrhage; blindness; loss of movement; chemotherapy; loss of hearing. Nicole also: raised thousands of pounds for charity; passed GCSE English after just 6 months' study; won numerous national and local awards; and worked for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Talk to the Hand continues Nicole’s very full life story and her tips for overcoming setbacks. Read by Bethany Minelle. 2 hours 44 minutes. TB 18256.

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Hughes, David. In which language does a child cry? 2003. TB 18620.The life story of Alice Sahhar is fascinating and compelling, particularly amid the current activities in Palestine. Throughout the years of violence and carnage, Alice has lived a devout life caring for unwanted and forgotten young people attempting to give them a stable life of love and care in a land where such sentiments are scarce. It is a story of faith, love and devotion.Read by Ian Cullen. 2 hours 45 minutes. TB 18620.

Hingson, Michael. Thunder dog: the true story of a blind man, his guide dog, and the triumph of trust at ground zero. 2011. TB 20319. On the 78th floor of the World Trade Centre's north tower, no alarms sounded and no one had information about what had happened at 8.46am on September 11, 2001. Blind since birth Michael couldn't see a thing, but he could hear the sounds of shattering glass, falling debris and terrified people. His guide dog Roselle sat calmly beside him and in that moment Michael chose to trust Roselle's judgement and not to panic. This is their story. Read by Jeff Harding, 7 hours 22 minutes. TB 20319.

Isaacson, Rupert. The horse boy: the true story of a father's miraculous journey to heal his son. 2010. TB 18116.When their son Rowan was born, Rupert and Kristin's dream had come true. But the dream became a nightmare when their beautiful boy developed a disorder that left him incapable of communication, tormented by raging fits, requiring 24-hour care - and shattering their lives. Then, one day, father and son were walking in the woods near their house and stumbled across their neighbour's old brown horse, Betsy. What happened next was unlike anything Rupert had ever seen.Read by Alistair Petrie. 11 hours 30 minutes. TB 18116.

Kuusisto, Stephen. Planet of the blind. 1998. TB 11361.A haunting memoir about coming to terms with near-blindness, this is the story of a lonely childhood spent behind bottle-lens glasses, and the fear of ridicule. The author has managed to translate his

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opaque, kaleidoscopic world of shape and colour into poetic and luminous prose. The book conveys life as it is lived by one whose visual impressions are 'at once beautiful and largely useless', and for whom normality is continuously transformed into an intense aesthetic experience.Read by John Chancer. 6 hours 18 minutes. TB 11361.

Crime

Dugard, Jaycee Lee. A stolen life: a memoir. 2011. TB 19046. This is Jaycee Dugard's raw and powerful memoir. It tells her own story of being kidnapped as an 11 year old and held captive for over 18 years. Unsuitable for family reading.Read by Stephanie Ellyne. 6 hours 42 minutes. TB 19046.

Jeffrey, Robert. Gentle Johnny Ramensky: the extraordinary true story of the safe blower who became a war hero. 2010. TB 404396.Gentle Johnny Ramensky is the astonishing tale of a boy reared in the poverty of the Gorbals who became one of the world's most extraordinary safe blowers. He spent more than 40 years in jail. He served his country with exceptional bravery and skill in the Second World War. Recruited into the Commandos, he was parachuted behind enemy lines to break into the safes of the German High Command to steal vital documents from Rommel and Goering. Back in civvy street he could not resist a return to the excitement of roaming darkened rooftops and breaking open the toughest of safes. Read by volunteers. 7 hours 52 minutes. TB 404396.

Lamothe, Lee. Bloodlines: the rise and fall of the Mafia's Royal family. 2001. TB 18439.A gripping tale that criss-crosses Europe, Latin America, the United States and Canada, Bloodlines underscores the complexity and sophistication of organized crime at its highest levels. It illustrates how the Caruana-Cuntrera family operates in the netherworld where the financial engineering that supports the

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global economy bumps up against the billions of dollars of criminal proceeds that need to be laundered.Read by Paul Klippenstein. 14 hours 45 minutes. TB 18439.

Lee, Carol Ann. One of your own: the life and death of Myra Hindley. 2010. TB 17901.On 15 November 2002, Myra Hindley died in prison, one of the rare women whose crimes were deemed so indefensible that 'life' really did mean 'life'. This book draws on a range of resources, including Hindley’s own unseen writings, recently released prison files, fresh interviews and new research to provide an in-depth study of Hindley, returning her humanity to her and thereby revealing her crimes as even more incomprehensible. Contains violence. Read by Victoria Gillmon. 16 hours 34 minutes. TB 17901.

Miscellaneous

Birchall, Cathy. Touching the world: a blind woman, two wheels and 25,000 miles. 2012. TB 19740. Cathy Birchall is the first blind person ever to circumnavigate the globe on a motorcycle, covering 26,385 miles, 31 countries and 5 continents with her companion Bernard on an 18 year old motorcycle. 'Touching the World' takes you on a journey of extraordinary beauty and interest, full of surprises. Contains strong language.Read by Sherry Baines and Philip Bretherton. 19 hours10 minutes. TB 19740.

Bolt, Rodney. As good as God, as clever as the devil: the impossible life of Mary Benson. 2011. TB 18956.Through her marriage to Edward, whose career would take him from success as a young head schoolmaster to become Archbishop of Canterbury, Mary Benson came to preside over Lambeth Palace and a social circle that ranged from famous politicians and celebrated writers to Queen Victoria herself. Bolt tells the story of one woman and her trajectory through the often surprising opportunities and the remarkable limitations of a Victorian woman's life.

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Read by Greg Wagland. 10 hours 41minutes. TB 18956.

Bryson, Bill. A walk in the woods. 1997. TB 11837.The longest continuous footpath in the world, the Appalachian Trail, stretches along the East Coast of the United States through some of the most arresting landscapes in America. In the remote mountain wilderness filled with bears, rattlesnakes and poisonous plants, facing savage weather and unreliable maps, Bryson gamely struggled through the wilderness to achieve a lifetime's ambition - not to die outdoors. Contains strong language.Read by William Roberts. 10 hours 2 minutes. TB 11837.

Craig, Jennifer. Yes sister, no sister: my life as a trainee nurse in 1950s Yorkshire. 2010. TB 404689.Based on the author's own experiences, this is the fascinating story of one young nurse who enters training in 1952 and eventually progresses to become ward sister.Read by volunteers. 9 hours 44 minutes. TB 404689.

Grant, David. Tales from the animal hospital. 1997. TB 11400.Vet David Grant, familiar to viewers of the television programme 'Animal Hospital', tells the stories of many of the animals featured in the programme, including what happened after the cameras were switched off. There are plenty of new stories too. He also takes the reader behind the scenes at this busy hospital, and looks at the work of the ambulance teams and the RSPCA inspectors.Read by David Grant. 5 hours 41 minutes. TB 11400.

Haigh, J C. Wrestling with rhinos: the adventures of a Glasgow vet in Kenya. 2002. TB 18694. In 1965 Jerry Haigh graduated from veterinary college in Glasgow, Scotland, and within four days - armed with enthusiasm but little experience - returned to his birth country, Kenya. While working at a veterinary facility in Kabete, he met and married a Dutch doctor, and they often combined their medical skills to treat both human and animal patients, and each other. Haigh practiced on a wide array of species, including horses, dogs, lions, giraffes, rhinos, and elephants.Read by Al Redmond. 13 hours 36 minutes. TB 18694.

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Higham, Charles. Howard Hughes: the secret life. 2004. TB 19212. Howard Hughes had various personas: aviator, film producer, entrepreneur and recluse. Revealing the private scandals, his affairs with Hollywood stars and his involvement in Watergate, this book ties in with the release of a film about Hughes' early life - 'The Aviator' starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Contains strong language.Read by Stephen Greif. 15 hours 56 minutes. TB 19212.

Kay, Jackie. Red dust road. 2011. TB 18617. From the moment when, as a little girl, she realizes that her skin is a different colour from that of her beloved mum and dad, to the tracing and finding of her birth parents, her Highland mother and Nigerian father, Jackie Kay's journey in Red Dust Road is one of unexpected twists, turns and deep emotions. In a book remarkable for its warmth and candour, she discovers that inheritance is about much more than genes: that we are shaped by songs as much as by cells, and that what triumphs, ultimately, is love.Read by Jackie Kay. 8 hours 5 minutes. TB 18617.

Mansfield, Michael. Memoirs of a radical lawyer. 2010. TB 18666. Michael Mansfield, QC, is Britain's most high-profile defence lawyer, whose unparalleled commitment to his clients and radical approach to forensics, evidence and disclosure have made him a scourge of the establishment and a champion of the individual in many miscarriages of justice cases. Passionate about unveiling corruption and unafraid to challenge received wisdom, he has taken on many of the most controversial cases of our times, including Jill Dando and Barry George, Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana, Stephen Lawrence and, most recently, the tragic death of Jean Charles de Menezes. Contains strong language.Read by Bob Rollett. 21hours 39 minutes. TB 18666.

Moffat, Jackie. The funny farm: the laughter and tears of one woman's farm in Cumbria. 2004. TB 19621.In 1982, Jackie Moffat and her family moved from London and went North, to Cumbria. In this work she writes about her rural life, her wacky take on it and the trials, tribulations and pleasures of running a farm.

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Read by Lucy Tregear. 7 hours 3 minutes. TB 19621.

Pey, Tom. Bang! you're dead. 2001. TB 404728.In the early 1960s, during a game of cowboys, Tom falls to the ground and hits his head. Years later Tom, now a successful investment banker, finds he will soon become blind as a result of that childhood game. Stricken by depression and disbelief Tom struggles to come to terms with the one-in-a million accident that would rob him of everything that he had fought to achieve.Read by volunteers. 5 hours 54 minutes. TB 404728.

Petulengro, Eva. The girl in the painted caravan: memories of a Romany childhood. 2011. TB 18825.Born into a Romany gypsy family in 1939, Eva Petulengro's childhood seemed to her to be idyllic in every way. She didn't go to school or visit a doctor when she was unwell. Instead her family would gather wild herbs to make traditional remedies, hunt game and rabbits, and while the men tended horses to make a living, the young girls would join the women in reading palms. But Eva's perfect world would be turned upside down as the countryside became increasingly hostile to all travellers.Read by Anna Harwich. 7 hours 58 minutes. TB 18825.

Stiles, T J. The first tycoon: the epic life of Cornelius Vanderbilt. 2010. TB 18118.T J Stiles tells the dramatic story of Cornelius "Commodore" Vanderbilt, the combative man and American icon who did more than perhaps any other individual to create modern capitalism. From Vanderbilt's humble birth during the presidency of George Washington to his death as one of the richest men in American history, we see how the Commodore helped to launch the transportation revolution, propel the Gold Rush, reshape Manhattan and invent the modern corporation.Read by Garrick Hagon. 34 hours 10 minutes. TB 18118.

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