A Promised Land by Barack Obama

$59.99 NZD

$69.99 (14% off)

Category: Biographies & Memoirs | Reading Level: Easy

In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of th e first term of his historic presidency - a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil.  ...Show more

Wild at Heart - The Dangers and Delights of a Nomadic Life by Miriam Lancewood

$36.99 NZD

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

Gripping sequel to the international bestseller Woman in the Wilderness, Miriam Lancewood's story of the quest for a simple life, unfettered by society's norms. Miriam Lancewood's first book Woman in the Wilderness told her story of living for seven years in the wilderness of New Zealand with her husba nd, hunting and gathering, and roaming the mountains like nomads. Miriam and Peter left New Zealand to explore other wild places. They walked 2000 km through the forests of Europe and along the coast of Turkey, mostly camping under trees and cooking by fire. They lived on the edge, embracing insecurity, and found the unexpected: sometimes it was pure bliss, sometimes it was terrifying. But when they moved on to the Australian desert, they met with disaster. This gripping story is about life and death, courage and the power of love ...Show more

My Garden World by Monty Don

$37.99 NZD

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

'One of the most thrilling moments occurred ten years ago when I found a single wild flower growing on a grassy bank. It was not particularly rare - a common spotted orchid - but it was like discovering a pot of gold - or perhaps, more accurately, the promise of gold. It was a sign that recovery was pos sible from even the most inauspicious situation.' Spend a year in the garden with Monty Don - the UK's favourite gardener, writer and broadcaster - accompanied by his beloved dogs, Nigel and Nellie. A breath of fresh country air. Each season has something different to delight in - from the primroses and bluebells of spring, to butterflies that colour summer skies and the crowds of migrating swallows that herald the coming of autumn - all have a place alongside the yearly cycle of growth and renewal. My Garden World is an ode to the ever-surprising and comforting presence of nature. In exquisitely written prose, reflecting the best of nature writing, this book offers an opportunity to walk alongside Monty, month by month, and experience the commonplace miracles and rhythms of nature through his eyes. ...Show more

The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku

$37.99 NZD

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

Life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. It is up to you. Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, a Jew second. He was proud of his country. But all of that changed on 9 November 1938, when he was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp. Over the next seven years, Eddie fa ced unimaginable horrors every day, first in Buchenwald, then in Auschwitz, then on the Nazi death march. He lost family, friends, his country. Because he survived, Eddie made the vow to smile every day. He pays tribute to those who were lost by telling his story, sharing his wisdom and living his best possible life. He now believes he is the 'happiest man on earth'. Published as Eddie turns 100, this is a powerful, heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful memoir of how happiness can be found even in the darkest of times.                 ...Show more

The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris

$26.00 NZD

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

A New York Times bestseller   From Kamala Harris, one of America's most inspiring political leaders and Joe Biden's pick for his 2020 running mate, a book about the core truths that unite us, and the long struggle to discern what those truths are and how best to act upon them, in her own life and acro ss the life of our country   Senator Kamala Harris's commitment to speaking truth is informed by her upbringing. The daughter of immigrants, she was raised in an Oakland, California community that cared deeply about social justice; her parents--an esteemed economist from Jamaica and an admired cancer researcher from India--met as activists in the civil rights movement when they were graduate students at Berkeley. Growing up, Harris herself never hid her passion for justice, and when she became a prosecutor out of law school, a deputy district attorney, she quickly established herself as one of the most innovative change agents in American law enforcement. She progressed rapidly to become the elected District Attorney for San Francisco, and then the chief law enforcement officer of the state of California as a whole. Known for bringing a voice to the voiceless, she took on the big banks during the foreclosure crisis, winning a historic settlement for California's working families. Her hallmarks were applying a holistic, data-driven approach to many of California's thorniest issues, always eschewing stale "tough on crime" rhetoric as presenting a series of false choices. Neither "tough" nor "soft" but smart on crime became her mantra. Being smart means learning the truths that can make us better as a community, and supporting those truths with all our might. That has been the pole star that guided Harris to a transformational career as the top law enforcement official in California, and it is guiding her now as a transformational United States Senator, grappling with an array of complex issues that affect her state, our country, and the world, from health care and the new economy to immigration, national security, the opioid crisis, and accelerating inequality.   By reckoning with the big challenges we face together, drawing on the hard-won wisdom and insight from her own career and the work of those who have most inspired her, Kamala Harris offers in THE TRUTHS WE HOLD a master class in problem solving, in crisis management, and leadership in challenging times. Through the arc of her own life, on into the great work of our day, she communicates a vision of shared struggle, shared purpose, and shared values. In a book rich in many home truths, not least is that a relatively small number of people work very hard to convince a great many of us that we have less in common than we actually do, but it falls to us to look past them and get on with the good work of living our common truth. When we do, our shared effort will continue to sustain us and this great nation, now and in the years to come. ...Show more

Carry on, Warrior: The Real Truth About Being a Woman by Glennon Doyle

$24.00 NZD

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

The inspiring and universal true story of the transformative power of a mother's love.   On Mother's Day, 2002, Glennon Melton was unmarried, addicted to drugs, booze, food and bad love. Never comfortable with reality, her criminal record had grown steadily more muddied in her desperate quest for esca pism. But by a strange twist of fate, it was on this day that she discovered she was pregnant. After twenty years of wilful self-destruction, how could Glennon rise to the challenge of looking after the helpless, innocent child growing within her, when she couldn't even look after herself?   Carry On, Warrior is the remarkable and inspiring story of a mother who, for the love of her child, was determined to change her life forever. This is a true woman's book, which touches on the universal themes of friendship, marriage and family in a way that is unique and enlightening. ...Show more

House of Music: Raising the Kanneh-Masons by Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason

$32.99 NZD

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

Seven brothers and sisters. All of them classically trained musicians. One was Young Musician of the Year and performed for the royal family. The eldest has released her first album, showcasing the works of Clara Schumann. These siblings don't come from the rarefied environment of elite music schools, b ut from a state comprehensive in Nottingham. How did they do it? Their mother, Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, opens up about what it takes to raise a musical family in a Britain divided by class and race. What comes out is a beautiful and heartrending memoir of the power of determination, camaraderie and a lot of hard work. The Kanneh-Masons are a remarkable family. But what truly sparkles in this eloquent memoir is the joyous affirmation that children are a gift and we must do all we can to nurture them. ...Show more

A Coroner Speaks for The Dead to Protect The Living

$39.99 NZD

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

Wallace Bain retired in early 2020 after 28 distinguished years as a Coroner, most recently in Rotorua. During these years Mr Bain developed a national reputation for his sensitivity and compassion in dealing with difficult cases such as those of Nia Glassie and Moko Rangitoheriri. That a child is kille d in New Zealand as a result of abuse every five weeks he finds “unacceptable”. He has also developed a reputation for being “a Coroner on the warpath” for his forthright demands from time to time that New Zealand’s laws and regulations be changed to protect ordinary citizens. His work as a Coroner, says Wallace Bain, has been to speak for the dead to take care of the living. “After climbing the mountain I can finally enjoy the view.” ...Show more

David Thorp as Metaphor by Jeshel Forrester

$9.99 NZD

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

Becoming (PB) by Michelle Obama

$30.00 NZD

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

Now in paperback featuring a new introduction by Michelle Obama, a letter from the author to her younger self, and a book club guide with 20 discussion questions and a 5-question Q&A, the intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United StatesThe No. 1 BestsellerBritis h Book Awards, Non-Fiction Book of the YearThe Sunday Times, Memoir of the YearBooks of the Year- The Times, Observer, Guardian, Evenings StandardIn her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her - from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world's most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it - in her own words and on her own terms.Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations - and whose story inspires us to do the same. ...Show more

Promises to Keep by Joe Biden

$40.00 NZD

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

President-elect Joe Biden tells the story of his extraordinary life and career prior to his emergence as Barack Obama's beloved, influential vice president. 'I remain captivated by the possibilities of politics and public service. In fact, I believe that my chosen profession is a noble calling.' - Joe B iden Joe Biden has both witnessed and participated in a momentous epoch of American history. In Promises to Keep, he reveals what these experiences taught him about himself, his colleagues, and the institutions of government. With his customary honesty and wit, Biden movingly and eloquently recounts growing up in a staunchly Catholic multigenerational household in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware; overcoming personal tragedy, life-threatening illness, and career setbacks; his relationships with presidents, world leaders, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle; and his leadership of powerful Senate committees. Through these and other recollections, Biden shows us how the guiding principles he learned early in life - to work to make people's lives better; to honour family and faith; to value persistence, candour, and honesty - are the foundation on which he has based his life's work as husband, father, and public servant. Promises to Keep is an intimate series of reflections from a politician who surmounted numerous challenges to become one of America's most effective leaders and who refuses to be cynical about politics. It is also a stirring testament to the promise of the United States. ...Show more

Saving Justice: Truth, Transparency and Trust by James Comey

$39.99 NZD

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

This will not come as a surprise to anyone, including even to the President's most ardent defenders: Donald Trump lied to me from the start Saving Justice is James Comey's searing memoir and guide to reclaiming truth in the institutions of justice, which have been so badly damaged under Trump. Whether o r not Donald Trump occupies the White House after the November election at least one part of his legacy will outlast him. He has managed to convince millions of Americas that our federal justice system doesn't operate with integrity and that its leaders routinely fail to tell the truth. That is a dangerous situation that must be addressed and corrected. This book is an attempt to do that - to remind Americans of how our institutions of justice should work, and how its leaders must behave. James Comey has worked in government in Republican and Democratic administrations - as a line federal prosecutor, a United States Attorney, Justice Department official, and Director of the FBI - and he shares stories from his career that illuminate the indispensable core values of America's justice institutions and why we must overcome and repair the corrosive damage Trump and his underlings have done with deception, alternative facts, dishonesty, political payback, and amorality. ...Show more