https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?QRY=SU%3A%20(BIOGRAPHY%20%2B%2020TH%20%2B%20CENTURY)&QRYTEXT=Subject%3A%20Biography%20--%2020th%20century%20(Keywords)&SETLVL=SET&CF=BIB&SORTS=DTE.DATE1.DESC&NRECS=20 Spydus Search Results en © 2022 Civica Pty Limited. All rights reserved. https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=1101468&CF=BIB Subject: Born in 1922, Mary Soames is the only surviving child of Winston and Clementine Churchill. Her memoir draws us into the almost surreal worls where the ordinary details of family life proceed against a background of cataclysmic events. Subject: Born in 1922, Mary Soames is the only surviving child of Winston and Clementine Churchill. Her memoir draws us into the almost surreal worls where the ordinary details of family life proceed against a background of cataclysmic events.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Soames, Mary, 1922-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Black Swan, 2012.<br />524 p. ; 20 cm.<br /><br />Balfron Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 941.082092 - Available - 38048020756479<br />Central Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 941.082092 - Available - 38048020756461<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3738622&CF=BIB Written by her daughter Ruth and rich in social history, this is the story of a real-life woman police sergeant at the top of her game, guiding her WPCs through the immense societal changes of the early 1960s. Written by her daughter Ruth and rich in social history, this is the story of a real-life woman police sergeant at the top of her game, guiding her WPCs through the immense societal changes of the early 1960s.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>D'Alessandro, Ruth<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Welbeck, 2024.<br />383 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 20 cm<br /><br />Fallin Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 CRO - Available - 38048021990226<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3749146&CF=BIB Lesley Pearse didn't publish her first novel until she was 48. Now she has sold over ten million books around the world and is a constant presence on the bestseller chart. A writer of heart-stopping stories, Lesley's books are filled with heroines struggling to make it in a difficult world. Yet this description could apply to Lesley herself. In this, her first ever autobiography, she tells of growing up in an orphanage after her mother's death, her racy twenties in London during the swinging sixties and working as a bunny girl and dressmaker. Packed full of Lesley's signature warmth, wit and poignancy, this is the story of a woman and a writer fighting against the odds to achieve her dreams. Lesley Pearse didn't publish her first novel until she was 48. Now she has sold over ten million books around the world and is a constant presence on the bestseller chart. A writer of heart-stopping stories, Lesley's books are filled with heroines struggling to make it in a difficult world. Yet this description could apply to Lesley herself. In this, her first ever autobiography, she tells of growing up in an orphanage after her mother's death, her racy twenties in London during the swinging sixties and working as a bunny girl and dressmaker. Packed full of Lesley's signature warmth, wit and poignancy, this is the story of a woman and a writer fighting against the odds to achieve her dreams.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Pearse, Lesley<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>UK : Michael Joseph, 2024.<br />356 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white, and colour) ; 24 cm<br /><br />Balfron Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 PEA - Onloan - Due: 15 May 2024 - 38048021988824<br />Bridge of Allan Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 PEA - Available - 38048021988832<br />Central Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 PEA - Available - 38048021988840<br />Dunblane Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 PEA - Available - 38048021988857<br />Fallin Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 PEA - Available - 38048021989988<br />Outreach Services - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 PEA - Onloan - Due: 17 May 2024 - 38048021988816<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3807061&CF=BIB From his abusive childhood, his inevitable journey into crime and his role in the dangerous underworld of south London's gangland through to his eventful spells in many of Britain's most secure jails, Ronnie Field is ready to recount his incredible story for the very first time. It's a new take on the criminal fraternity of the 1970s and 80s from one of the last men standing. From his abusive childhood, his inevitable journey into crime and his role in the dangerous underworld of south London's gangland through to his eventful spells in many of Britain's most secure jails, Ronnie Field is ready to recount his incredible story for the very first time. It's a new take on the criminal fraternity of the 1970s and 80s from one of the last men standing.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Field, Ronnie<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : HarperElement, 2024.<br />320 pages : illustrations (colour) ; 24 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />Central Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 FIE - On order<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3825454&CF=BIB From longstanding political columnist and commentator Daniel Finkelstein, a powerful memoir exploring both his mother and his father's devastating experiences of persecution, resistance and survival during the Second World War. From longstanding political columnist and commentator Daniel Finkelstein, a powerful memoir exploring both his mother and his father's devastating experiences of persecution, resistance and survival during the Second World War.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Finkelstein, Daniel, 1962-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : William Collins, 2024.<br />496 pages : illustrations (black and white, and colour), maps (black and white) ; 20 cm<br /><br />Bridge of Allan Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 FIN - On order<br />Cornton Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 FIN - On order<br />Mobile Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 FIN - On order<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3828642&CF=BIB Here is the true story of the world's most prolific art thief, who accumulated a collection worth over $1.4 billion. For centuries, works of art have been stolen in countless ways from all over the world, but no one has been quite as successful at it as the master thief Stéphane Breitwieser. Carrying out more than 200 heists over nearly ten years - in museums and cathedrals all over Europe - Breitwieser, along with his girlfriend who worked as his lookout, stole more than 300 objects, until it all fell apart in spectacular fashion. In 'The Art Thief', Michael Finkel brings us into Breitwieser's strange and fascinating world. Unlike most thieves, he never stole for money, keeping all his treasures in his home, where he could admire them to his heart's content. Here is the true story of the world's most prolific art thief, who accumulated a collection worth over $1.4 billion. For centuries, works of art have been stolen in countless ways from all over the world, but no one has been quite as successful at it as the master thief Stéphane Breitwieser. Carrying out more than 200 heists over nearly ten years - in museums and cathedrals all over Europe - Breitwieser, along with his girlfriend who worked as his lookout, stole more than 300 objects, until it all fell apart in spectacular fashion. In 'The Art Thief', Michael Finkel brings us into Breitwieser's strange and fascinating world. Unlike most thieves, he never stole for money, keeping all his treasures in his home, where he could admire them to his heart's content.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Finkel, Michael<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Simon & Schuster UK Ltd., 2024.<br />240 pages : illustrations (colour) ; 20 cm<br /><br />Cambusbarron Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 BRE - On order<br />Doune Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 BRE - On order<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3868600&CF=BIB The coming of age story of Aasmah Mir's childhood growing up in 1970s Glasgow. From a vivacious child to a teenage loner, Aasmah candidly shares the highs and lows of growing up between two cultures - trying to fit in at school and retreating to the safe haven of a home inhabited by her precious but distant little brother and Helen, her family's Glaswegian guardian angel. Intricately woven into this moving memoir is the story of Aasmah's mother, as we follow her own life as a young girl in 1950s Pakistan to 1960s Scotland and beyond. Both mother and daughter fight, are defeated and triumph in different battles in this sharp and moving story. The coming of age story of Aasmah Mir's childhood growing up in 1970s Glasgow. From a vivacious child to a teenage loner, Aasmah candidly shares the highs and lows of growing up between two cultures - trying to fit in at school and retreating to the safe haven of a home inhabited by her precious but distant little brother and Helen, her family's Glaswegian guardian angel. Intricately woven into this moving memoir is the story of Aasmah's mother, as we follow her own life as a young girl in 1950s Pakistan to 1960s Scotland and beyond. Both mother and daughter fight, are defeated and triumph in different battles in this sharp and moving story.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Mir, Aasmah<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Headline, 2024.<br />362 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white, and colour) ; 20 cm<br /><br />Balfron Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 MIR - Available soon (Set: 04 May 2024) - 38048022000389<br />Bridge of Allan Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 MIR - Available soon (Set: 04 May 2024) - 38048022000397<br />Central Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 MIR - Available soon (Set: 04 May 2024) - 38048022000405<br />Dunblane Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 MIR - Available soon (Set: 04 May 2024) - 38048022000413<br />Mobile Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 MIR - Available soon (Set: 04 May 2024) - 38048022000421<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3639060&CF=BIB Meet Renée and Herta, two sisters who faced the unimaginable - together. This is their true story. As Jews living in 1940s Czechoslovakia, Renee, Herta and their parents were in immediate danger when the Holocaust came to their door. As the only hearing person in her family, Renée had to alert her parents and sister whenever the sound of Nazi boots approached their home so they could hide. But soon their parents were tragically taken away, and the two sisters went on the run, desperate to find a safe place to hide. Eventually they, too, would be captured and taken to the concentration camp Bergen-Belsen. Communicating in sign language and relying on each other for strength in the midst of illness, death and starvation, Renée and Herta would have to fight to survive the darkest of times. Meet Renée and Herta, two sisters who faced the unimaginable - together. This is their true story. As Jews living in 1940s Czechoslovakia, Renee, Herta and their parents were in immediate danger when the Holocaust came to their door. As the only hearing person in her family, Renée had to alert her parents and sister whenever the sound of Nazi boots approached their home so they could hide. But soon their parents were tragically taken away, and the two sisters went on the run, desperate to find a safe place to hide. Eventually they, too, would be captured and taken to the concentration camp Bergen-Belsen. Communicating in sign language and relying on each other for strength in the midst of illness, death and starvation, Renée and Herta would have to fight to survive the darkest of times.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Hartman, Renée G.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>New York : Scholastic, 2024.<br />128 pages ; 21 cm<br /><br />Bridge of Allan Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Junior Non Fiction - 940.531 - Available - 38048041012365<br />Cowie Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Junior Non Fiction - 940.531 - Available - 38048041015418<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3639310&CF=BIB In the wake of World War II, four agents were critical in helping build a new organisation now known as the CIA. Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier, called the 'wise gals' by their male colleagues because of their sharp sense of humour and even quicker intelligence, they were not the stereotypical femme fatale of spy novels. They were smart, courageous, and groundbreaking agents at the top of their class, instrumental in both developing innovative tools for intelligence gathering - and insisting (in their own unique ways) that they receive the credit and pay their expertise deserved. In the wake of World War II, four agents were critical in helping build a new organisation now known as the CIA. Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier, called the 'wise gals' by their male colleagues because of their sharp sense of humour and even quicker intelligence, they were not the stereotypical femme fatale of spy novels. They were smart, courageous, and groundbreaking agents at the top of their class, instrumental in both developing innovative tools for intelligence gathering - and insisting (in their own unique ways) that they receive the credit and pay their expertise deserved.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Holt, Nathalia, 1980-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Icon, 2023.<br />xiv, 382 pages : illustrations (black and white), maps (black and white) ; 20 cm<br /><br />Bridge of Allan Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 HAW - Available - 38048021970301<br />Fallin Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 HAW - Available - 38048021970319<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3584098&CF=BIB Here is a fresh portrait of the man behind James Bond, and his enduring impact, by an award-winning biographer with unprecedented access to the Fleming family papers. Ian Fleming's greatest creation, James Bond, has had an enormous and ongoing impact on our culture. What Bond represents about ideas of masculinity, the British national psyche and global politics has shifted over time, as has the interpretation of the life of his author. But Fleming himself was more mysterious and subtle than anything he wrote.Ian's childhood with his gifted brother Peter and his extraordinary mother set the pattern for his ambition to be 'the complete man', and he would strive for the means to achieve this 'completeness' all his life. Here is a fresh portrait of the man behind James Bond, and his enduring impact, by an award-winning biographer with unprecedented access to the Fleming family papers. Ian Fleming's greatest creation, James Bond, has had an enormous and ongoing impact on our culture. What Bond represents about ideas of masculinity, the British national psyche and global politics has shifted over time, as has the interpretation of the life of his author. But Fleming himself was more mysterious and subtle than anything he wrote.Ian's childhood with his gifted brother Peter and his extraordinary mother set the pattern for his ambition to be 'the complete man', and he would strive for the means to achieve this 'completeness' all his life.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Shakespeare, Nicholas, 1957-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Harvill Secker, 2023.<br />886 pages ; 24 cm<br /><br />Central Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 FLE - Available - 38048021960336<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3585589&CF=BIB With access to personal letters and papers that have rarely been seen, Lucy Worsley's biography is both authoritative and entertaining and makes us realise what an extraordinary pioneer Agatha Christie was - truly a woman who wrote the twentieth century. With access to personal letters and papers that have rarely been seen, Lucy Worsley's biography is both authoritative and entertaining and makes us realise what an extraordinary pioneer Agatha Christie was - truly a woman who wrote the twentieth century.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Worsley, Lucy<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Hodder, 2023.<br />xvi, 415 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white, and colour) ; 20 cm<br /><br />Bridge of Allan Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 CHR - Available - 38048021951731<br />Callander Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 CHR - Available - 38048021953331<br />Drymen Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 CHR - Available - 38048021951749<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3627299&CF=BIB 'The Lion Who Never Roared' is the heart-breaking yet inspiring story of Jack Leslie, who was selected for England in 1925. He was denied the chance due to his skin colour but bounced back scoring 137 goals in 400 games for Plymouth Argyle and became the first Black captain in the Football League. 'The Lion Who Never Roared' is the heart-breaking yet inspiring story of Jack Leslie, who was selected for England in 1925. He was denied the chance due to his skin colour but bounced back scoring 137 goals in 400 games for Plymouth Argyle and became the first Black captain in the Football League.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Tiller, Matt<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>Chichester, West Sussex : Pitch Publishing, 2023.<br />240 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 24 cm<br /><br />St Ninians Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 LES - Available - 38048021973214<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3629150&CF=BIB Secrecy came naturally to John le Carré, and there were some secrets that he fought fiercely to keep. Nowhere was this more so than in his private life. Apparently content in his marriage, the novelist conducted a string of love affairs over four decades. To keep these relationships secret, he made use of tradecraft that he had learned as a spy: code names and cover stories, cut outs, safe houses and dead letter boxes. Such affairs introduced both jeopardy and excitement into what was otherwise a quiet, ordered life. Adam Sisman's definitive biography, published in 2015, revealed much about the elusive spy-turned-novelist; yet le Carré was adamant that some subjects should remain hidden, at least during his lifetime. 'The Secret Life of John le Carre' is the story of what was left out, and offers reflections on the difficult relationship between biographer and subject. Secrecy came naturally to John le Carré, and there were some secrets that he fought fiercely to keep. Nowhere was this more so than in his private life. Apparently content in his marriage, the novelist conducted a string of love affairs over four decades. To keep these relationships secret, he made use of tradecraft that he had learned as a spy: code names and cover stories, cut outs, safe houses and dead letter boxes. Such affairs introduced both jeopardy and excitement into what was otherwise a quiet, ordered life. Adam Sisman's definitive biography, published in 2015, revealed much about the elusive spy-turned-novelist; yet le Carré was adamant that some subjects should remain hidden, at least during his lifetime. 'The Secret Life of John le Carre' is the story of what was left out, and offers reflections on the difficult relationship between biographer and subject.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Sisman, Adam<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Profile Books, 2023.<br />195 pages ; 22 cm<br /><br />Central Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 823.914 - Available - 38048021961912<br />Drymen Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 823.914 - Available - 38048021967208<br />Outreach Services - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 823.914 - Onloan - Due: 31 May 2024 - 38048021968883<br />Thomas Graham Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 823.914 - Onloan - Due: 14 May 2024 - 38048021967216<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3462966&CF=BIB It is 1982 and in the Kingdom Hall we are Jehovah's Witnesses. The state of the world shows us the end is close, and Satan is like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us. Ali Millar is waiting for Armageddon. Born into the Jehovah's Witnesses in a town in the Scottish Borders, her childhood revolves around regular meetings in the Kingdom Hall, where she is haunted by vivid images of the Second Coming, her mind populated by the bodies that will litter the earth upon Jehovah's return. In this frightening, cloistered world Ali grows older. As she does, she starts to question the ways of the Witnesses, and their control over the most intimate aspects of her life. As she marries and has a daughter within the religion, she finds herself pulled deeper and deeper into its dark undertow, her mind tormented by one question: is it possible to escape the life you are born into? It is 1982 and in the Kingdom Hall we are Jehovah's Witnesses. The state of the world shows us the end is close, and Satan is like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us. Ali Millar is waiting for Armageddon. Born into the Jehovah's Witnesses in a town in the Scottish Borders, her childhood revolves around regular meetings in the Kingdom Hall, where she is haunted by vivid images of the Second Coming, her mind populated by the bodies that will litter the earth upon Jehovah's return. In this frightening, cloistered world Ali grows older. As she does, she starts to question the ways of the Witnesses, and their control over the most intimate aspects of her life. As she marries and has a daughter within the religion, she finds herself pulled deeper and deeper into its dark undertow, her mind tormented by one question: is it possible to escape the life you are born into?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Millar, Ali<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Ebury Press, 2023.<br />388 pages ; 20 cm<br /><br />Cambusbarron Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 MIL - Onloan - Due: 27 May 2024 - 38048021934307<br />Mobile Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 MIL - Available - 38048021946046<br />St Ninians Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 MIL - Available - 38048021934323<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3471075&CF=BIB The biography of R.B. Cunninghame Graham; writer, adventurer, politician; co-founder of the Labour Party and of the Scottish National Party, written by his great, great nephew. The biography of R.B. Cunninghame Graham; writer, adventurer, politician; co-founder of the Labour Party and of the Scottish National Party, written by his great, great nephew.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Jauncey, James<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>Edinburgh : Scotland Street Press, 2023.<br />352 pages : illustrations (colour) ; 24 cm<br /><br />Bridge of Allan Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 CUN - Onloan - Due: 27 May 2024 - 38048021964957<br />Central Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 CUN - Available - 38048021964940<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3481481&CF=BIB Bright, attractive and well-connected, in any other family the Churchill girls - Diana, Sarah, Marigold and Mary - would have shone. But they were not in any other family, they were Churchills and neither they nor anyone else could ever forget it. From their father - 'the greatest Englishman' - to their brother, golden boy Randolph, to their eccentric and exciting cousins, the Mitford Girls, they were surrounded by a clan of larger-than-life characters which often saw them overlooked. While Marigold died too young to achieve her potential the other daughters lived lives full of passion, drama and tragedy. Diana, intense and diffident; Sarah, glamorous and stubborn; Mary, dependable yet determined - each so different but each imbued with a sense of responsibility toward each other and their country. Bright, attractive and well-connected, in any other family the Churchill girls - Diana, Sarah, Marigold and Mary - would have shone. But they were not in any other family, they were Churchills and neither they nor anyone else could ever forget it. From their father - 'the greatest Englishman' - to their brother, golden boy Randolph, to their eccentric and exciting cousins, the Mitford Girls, they were surrounded by a clan of larger-than-life characters which often saw them overlooked. While Marigold died too young to achieve her potential the other daughters lived lives full of passion, drama and tragedy. Diana, intense and diffident; Sarah, glamorous and stubborn; Mary, dependable yet determined - each so different but each imbued with a sense of responsibility toward each other and their country.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Trethewey, Rachel<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>Cheltenham : The History Press, 2023.<br />1 volume : illustrations (black and white) ; 20 cm<br /><br />Dunblane Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 CHU - Available - 38048021936252<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3484428&CF=BIB In a series of vignettes full of affection, irony, and good humour, Donna Leon narrates a remarkable life she feels has rather more happened to her than been planned. Having recently celebrated her eightieth birthday, Leon now confronts the dual challenges and pleasures of aging. Complete with a brief letter dissuading those hoping to meet Guido Brunetti at the Questura, and always suffused with music, food, and her fierce sense of humor, Wandering Through Life offers Donna Leon at her most personal. In a series of vignettes full of affection, irony, and good humour, Donna Leon narrates a remarkable life she feels has rather more happened to her than been planned. Having recently celebrated her eightieth birthday, Leon now confronts the dual challenges and pleasures of aging. Complete with a brief letter dissuading those hoping to meet Guido Brunetti at the Questura, and always suffused with music, food, and her fierce sense of humor, Wandering Through Life offers Donna Leon at her most personal. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Leon, Donna<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Hutchinson Heinemann, 2023.<br />xi, 193 pages ; 23 cm<br /><br />Bridge of Allan Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 LEO - Onloan - Due: 11 May 2024 - 38048021956433<br />Dunblane Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 LEO - Available - 38048021956441<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3219734&CF=BIB The son of Afghan parents, Osman Yousefzada was raised in post-industrial Birmingham. Osman's father was a carpenter, and his mother, to help make ends meet, took up sewing and became a seamstress. Women from Indian-East African, Israeli, Shia and Afghan communities came together in the Yousefzada household to have clothes made and mended by his mother. Osman learned the craft at her knee and became enraptured by what was deemed a woman's job, and increasingly found himself at odds with the highly patriarchal culture he grew up in. Whether secretly bringing his sister books and magazines from the local library, lusting after forbidden jelly in the local shop, or chatting to the area's prostitutes, Osman quietly weaved in and out of different spheres. But no one can be a go-between forever, and Osman's is a story of finding your own way, even if it means turning your back on the world you know. The son of Afghan parents, Osman Yousefzada was raised in post-industrial Birmingham. Osman's father was a carpenter, and his mother, to help make ends meet, took up sewing and became a seamstress. Women from Indian-East African, Israeli, Shia and Afghan communities came together in the Yousefzada household to have clothes made and mended by his mother. Osman learned the craft at her knee and became enraptured by what was deemed a woman's job, and increasingly found himself at odds with the highly patriarchal culture he grew up in. Whether secretly bringing his sister books and magazines from the local library, lusting after forbidden jelly in the local shop, or chatting to the area's prostitutes, Osman quietly weaved in and out of different spheres. But no one can be a go-between forever, and Osman's is a story of finding your own way, even if it means turning your back on the world you know.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Yousefzada, Osman, 1971-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>Edinburgh : Canongate, 2023.<br />358 pages ; 20 cm<br /><br />Thomas Graham Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 YOU - Available - 38048021892927<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3243470&CF=BIB The voice, the dressing-gown, the cigarette in its holder, remain unmistakable. There is rarely a week when one of 'Private Lives', 'Hay Fever', and 'Blithe Spirit' is not in production somewhere in the world. Phrases from Noël Coward's songs - 'Mad About The Boy', 'Mad Dogs and Englishman' - are forever lodged in the public consciousness. He was at one point the most highly paid author in the world. Yet some of his most striking and daring writing remains unfamiliar. As T.S. Eliot said, in 1954, 'there are things you can learn from Noël Coward that you won't learn from Shakespeare'. In Oliver Soden's story-packed book, the master finally gets his due. The voice, the dressing-gown, the cigarette in its holder, remain unmistakable. There is rarely a week when one of 'Private Lives', 'Hay Fever', and 'Blithe Spirit' is not in production somewhere in the world. Phrases from Noël Coward's songs - 'Mad About The Boy', 'Mad Dogs and Englishman' - are forever lodged in the public consciousness. He was at one point the most highly paid author in the world. Yet some of his most striking and daring writing remains unfamiliar. As T.S. Eliot said, in 1954, 'there are things you can learn from Noël Coward that you won't learn from Shakespeare'. In Oliver Soden's story-packed book, the master finally gets his due.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Soden, Oliver<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2023.<br />634 pages ; 24 cm<br /><br />Central Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 COW - Available - 38048021910604<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3254731&CF=BIB 'A Pebble In The Throat' is two stories told in unison. Aasmah Mir growing up in Glasgow - the place of her birth - and the upbringing of her mother in Pakistan a generation before. It is an emotional and thought-provoking narrative on what it is like to live in two very different cultures whilst all the time aware of racism, prejudice and stereotyping of gender from the 1960s onwards. 'A Pebble In The Throat' is two stories told in unison. Aasmah Mir growing up in Glasgow - the place of her birth - and the upbringing of her mother in Pakistan a generation before. It is an emotional and thought-provoking narrative on what it is like to live in two very different cultures whilst all the time aware of racism, prejudice and stereotyping of gender from the 1960s onwards.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Mir, Aasmah<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Headline, 2023.<br />362 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white, and colour) ; 25 cm<br /><br />Central Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 MIR - Available - 38048021925305<br />Mobile Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 MIR - Available - 38048021925297<br />St Ninians Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 MIR - Available - 38048021925289<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3255190&CF=BIB Melvyn Bragg's first ever memoir - an elegiac, intimate account of growing up in post-war Cumbria, which lyrically evokes a vanished world. In this captivating memoir, Melvyn Bragg recalls growing up in the Cumbrian market town of Wigton, from his early childhood during the war to the moment he had to decide between staying on or spreading his wings. This is the tale of a boy who lived in a pub and expected to leave school at fifteen yet won a scholarship to Oxford. Derailed by a severe breakdown when he was thirteen, he developed a passion for reading and study - though that didn't stop him playing in a skiffle band or falling in love. It is equally the tale of the people and place that formed him. Melvyn Bragg's first ever memoir - an elegiac, intimate account of growing up in post-war Cumbria, which lyrically evokes a vanished world. In this captivating memoir, Melvyn Bragg recalls growing up in the Cumbrian market town of Wigton, from his early childhood during the war to the moment he had to decide between staying on or spreading his wings. This is the tale of a boy who lived in a pub and expected to leave school at fifteen yet won a scholarship to Oxford. Derailed by a severe breakdown when he was thirteen, he developed a passion for reading and study - though that didn't stop him playing in a skiffle band or falling in love. It is equally the tale of the people and place that formed him.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Bragg, Melvyn, 1939-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Sceptre, 2023.<br />408 pages ; 20 cm<br /><br />Outreach Services - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 BRA - Available - 38048021904532<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3255301&CF=BIB The story of a real-life female police detective in post-war Britain, as she navigates a man's world. After five years serving as one of Britain's first policewomen, Gwen Crockford becomes one of its first female detectives. The story of a real-life female police detective in post-war Britain, as she navigates a man's world. After five years serving as one of Britain's first policewomen, Gwen Crockford becomes one of its first female detectives.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>D'Alessandro, Ruth<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Welbeck, 2023.<br />404 pages ; 20 cm<br /><br />Outreach Services - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 CRO - Available - 38048021908046<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3264778&CF=BIB With access to personal letters and papers that have rarely been seen, Lucy Worsley's biography is both authoritative and entertaining and makes us realise what an extraordinary pioneer Agatha Christie was - truly a woman who wrote the twentieth century. With access to personal letters and papers that have rarely been seen, Lucy Worsley's biography is both authoritative and entertaining and makes us realise what an extraordinary pioneer Agatha Christie was - truly a woman who wrote the twentieth century.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Worsley, Lucy<br />Unabridged edition.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>Oxford : ISIS Audio Books, 2023.<br />1 CD (13 hr., 47 min.) : digital, MP3 file<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 reserve</span><br /><br />Cowie Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Audiobook - R99686 - Available - 38048050116289<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3303682&CF=BIB When the history of British codebreaking is told, the story is often a men-only preserve. That perception completely ignores the fact that the vast majority of codebreakers were in fact women. And foremost among them was one who is largely unknown to the public, and whose activities were a secret even to her closest contacts - Emily Anderson. Anderson was a leading member of British intelligence for over three decades. She played key roles in both World Wars, worked in Bletchley Park and in the Middle East, and was reckoned among the top three female codebreakers in the world. Her work coincided with her other great love - music. She is famous in musicology circles as being the first to effectively decipher the letters and diaries of Mozart and Beethoven. This narrative of her life places Emily Anderson at the forefront of great British codebreakers. When the history of British codebreaking is told, the story is often a men-only preserve. That perception completely ignores the fact that the vast majority of codebreakers were in fact women. And foremost among them was one who is largely unknown to the public, and whose activities were a secret even to her closest contacts - Emily Anderson. Anderson was a leading member of British intelligence for over three decades. She played key roles in both World Wars, worked in Bletchley Park and in the Middle East, and was reckoned among the top three female codebreakers in the world. Her work coincided with her other great love - music. She is famous in musicology circles as being the first to effectively decipher the letters and diaries of Mozart and Beethoven. This narrative of her life places Emily Anderson at the forefront of great British codebreakers.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Ui Chionna, Jackie<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Headline, 2023.<br />418 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white) ; 25 cm<br /><br />Bridge of Allan Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 327.1241 - Available - 38048021914887<br />Mobile Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 327.1241 - Available - 38048021914895<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3370079&CF=BIB ** TO BE READ ON BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK FROM 30 JAN 2023 **'As much le Carr as it is Hidden Figures.' AMARYLLIS FOX, author of Life Undercover 'A sweeping epic of a book [which] rescues five remarkable women from obscurity and finally gives them their rightful place in world history ... A book you won't regret reading. Five women you won't forget.' KATE MOORE, author of The Radium Girls'As entertaining as it is instructive.' GENERAL STANLEY MCCRYSTALThe never-before-told story of a small cadre of influential female spies in the precarious early days of the CIA - women who helped create the template for cutting-edge espionage (and blazed new paths for equality in the workplace). In the wake of World War II, four agents were critical in helping build a new organisation now known as the CIA. Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier, called the 'wise gals' by their male colleagues because of their sharp sense of humour and even quicker intelligence, were not the stereotypical femme fatale of spy novels. They were smart, courageous, and groundbreaking agents at the top of their class, instrumental in both developing innovative tools for intelligence gathering - and insisting (in their own unique ways) that they receive the credit and pay their expertise deserved.Adelaide rose through the ranks, developing new cryptosystems that advanced how spies communicate with each other. Mary worked overseas in Europe and Asia, building partnerships and allegiances that would last decades. Elizabeth would risk her life in the Middle East in order to gain intelligence on deadly Soviet weaponry. Eloise would wield influence on scientific and technical operations worldwide, ultimately exposing global terrorism threats.Meticulously researched and beautifully told, Holt uses firsthand interviews with past and present officials and declassified government documents to uncover the stories of these four inspirational women. Wise Gals sheds a light on the untold history of the women whose daring foreign intrigues, domestic persistence, and fighting spirit have been and continue to be instrumental to the world's security. ** TO BE READ ON BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK FROM 30 JAN 2023 **'As much le Carr as it is Hidden Figures.' AMARYLLIS FOX, author of Life Undercover 'A sweeping epic of a book [which] rescues five remarkable women from obscurity and finally gives them their rightful place in world history ... A book you won't regret reading. Five women you won't forget.' KATE MOORE, author of The Radium Girls'As entertaining as it is instructive.' GENERAL STANLEY MCCRYSTALThe never-before-told story of a small cadre of influential female spies in the precarious early days of the CIA - women who helped create the template for cutting-edge espionage (and blazed new paths for equality in the workplace). In the wake of World War II, four agents were critical in helping build a new organisation now known as the CIA. Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier, called the 'wise gals' by their male colleagues because of their sharp sense of humour and even quicker intelligence, were not the stereotypical femme fatale of spy novels. They were smart, courageous, and groundbreaking agents at the top of their class, instrumental in both developing innovative tools for intelligence gathering - and insisting (in their own unique ways) that they receive the credit and pay their expertise deserved.Adelaide rose through the ranks, developing new cryptosystems that advanced how spies communicate with each other. Mary worked overseas in Europe and Asia, building partnerships and allegiances that would last decades. Elizabeth would risk her life in the Middle East in order to gain intelligence on deadly Soviet weaponry. Eloise would wield influence on scientific and technical operations worldwide, ultimately exposing global terrorism threats.Meticulously researched and beautifully told, Holt uses firsthand interviews with past and present officials and declassified government documents to uncover the stories of these four inspirational women. Wise Gals sheds a light on the untold history of the women whose daring foreign intrigues, domestic persistence, and fighting spirit have been and continue to be instrumental to the world's security.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Holt, Nathalia, 1980-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Icon Books, 2023.<br />400 pages ; 24 cm<br /><br />Central Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 327.12 - Available - 38048021906214<br />Drymen Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 327.12 - Available - 38048021906222<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3380535&CF=BIB Esther Simpson - Tess to her friends - devoted her life to resettling academic refugees, whom she thought of as her family. By the end of her life, Tess could count among her 'children' sixteen Nobel Prize winners, eighteen knights of the realm, seventy-four fellows of the royal society, thirty-four fellows of the British academy. From a humble upbringing in Leeds to Russian immigrant parents, Simpson took on secretarial roles that saw her move to London, then Vienna and finally Geneva. But when Hitler came to power she found her calling and joined the Academic Assistance Council for a salary that paid a third of what she was previously earning. Her work over more than five decades seeking refuge for many thousands of displaced academics had a profound impact on twentieth-century physics, philosophy, architecture, art history and molecular biology to name just a handful of disciplines. Esther Simpson - Tess to her friends - devoted her life to resettling academic refugees, whom she thought of as her family. By the end of her life, Tess could count among her 'children' sixteen Nobel Prize winners, eighteen knights of the realm, seventy-four fellows of the royal society, thirty-four fellows of the British academy. From a humble upbringing in Leeds to Russian immigrant parents, Simpson took on secretarial roles that saw her move to London, then Vienna and finally Geneva. But when Hitler came to power she found her calling and joined the Academic Assistance Council for a salary that paid a third of what she was previously earning. Her work over more than five decades seeking refuge for many thousands of displaced academics had a profound impact on twentieth-century physics, philosophy, architecture, art history and molecular biology to name just a handful of disciplines.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Eidinow, John<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : Robinson, 2023.<br />416 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm<br /><br />Thomas Graham Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 362.8752 - Available - 38048021937821<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3400596&CF=BIB From longstanding political columnist and commentator Daniel Finkelstein, a powerful memoir exploring both his mother and his father's devastating experiences of persecution, resistance and survival during the Second World War. From longstanding political columnist and commentator Daniel Finkelstein, a powerful memoir exploring both his mother and his father's devastating experiences of persecution, resistance and survival during the Second World War.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Finkelstein, Daniel, 1962-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>London : William Collins, 2023.<br />500 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white, and colour), maps (black and white) ; 25 cm<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Average rating: </span><span style="vertical-align: middle;"><img style="margin:0;" src="https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/gifs/small-star.gif" alt="★" /><img style="margin:0;" src="https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/gifs/small-star.gif" alt="★" /><img style="margin:0;" src="https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/gifs/small-star.gif" alt="★" /><img style="margin:0;" src="https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/gifs/small-star.gif" alt="★" /><img style="margin:0;" src="https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/gifs/small-star.gif" alt="★" /><img style="margin:0;" src="https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/gifs/small-star.gif" alt="★" /><img style="margin:0;" src="https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/gifs/small-star.gif" alt="★" /><img style="margin:0;" src="https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/gifs/small-star.gif" alt="★" /><img style="margin:0;" src="https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/gifs/small-star.gif" alt="★" /><img style="margin:0;" src="https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/gifs/small-blankstar.gif" alt="☆" /></span> (1 review)<br /><br />Central Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 FIN - Available - 38048021927251<br />Dunblane Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 FIN - Onloan - Due: 14 May 2024 - 38048021927244<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3415370&CF=BIB With access to personal letters and papers that have rarely been seen, Lucy Worsley's biography is both authoritative and entertaining and makes us realise what an extraordinary pioneer Agatha Christie was - truly a woman who wrote the twentieth century. With access to personal letters and papers that have rarely been seen, Lucy Worsley's biography is both authoritative and entertaining and makes us realise what an extraordinary pioneer Agatha Christie was - truly a woman who wrote the twentieth century.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Worsley, Lucy<br />Large print edition.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>Leicester : Charnwood, 2023.<br />522 pages (large print) ; 24 cm<br /><br />Outreach Services - (Stirling Libraries) - Large Print - 920 CHR - Onloan - Due: 20 May 2024 - 38048050117667<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3225309&CF=BIB Much has been written about the Titanic disaster, and it has been the subject matter for several films. The author is well-known for his depth of research and his attention to detail, and in a new style of format, he has selected fifty people involved in the disaster, and by using their specific eyewitness accounts he has managed to make the confusing situation much clearer, making it possible for the reader to experience the dreadful events as they unfolded. The book also includes biographical tributes to the fifty people, who came from all walks of life and geographical regions, telling who they were, their experiences during the disaster, and what happened to those who were fortunate enough to survive. Much has been written about the Titanic disaster, and it has been the subject matter for several films. The author is well-known for his depth of research and his attention to detail, and in a new style of format, he has selected fifty people involved in the disaster, and by using their specific eyewitness accounts he has managed to make the confusing situation much clearer, making it possible for the reader to experience the dreadful events as they unfolded. The book also includes biographical tributes to the fifty people, who came from all walks of life and geographical regions, telling who they were, their experiences during the disaster, and what happened to those who were fortunate enough to survive.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Bancroft, James W., 1953-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>Barnsley : Frontline Books, 2022.<br />240 pages ; 24 cm<br /><br />Cowie Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 TIT - Available - 38048021884569<br /> https://stirling.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=3012258&CF=BIB Kerri ní Dochartaigh was born in Derry at the very height of the Troubles. One parent was Catholic, the other Protestant. In the space of a year Kerri's family were forced out of two homes and when she was eleven a homemade petrol bomb was thrown through her bedroom window. For families like hers, terror was in the very fabric of the city. In this book, Kerri explores how nature kept her sane and helped her heal, and how we are again allowing our borders to become hard and terror to creep back in. Kerri asks us to reclaim and rejoice in our landscape, and to remember that the land we fight over is much more than lines on a map. Kerri ní Dochartaigh was born in Derry at the very height of the Troubles. One parent was Catholic, the other Protestant. In the space of a year Kerri's family were forced out of two homes and when she was eleven a homemade petrol bomb was thrown through her bedroom window. For families like hers, terror was in the very fabric of the city. In this book, Kerri explores how nature kept her sane and helped her heal, and how we are again allowing our borders to become hard and terror to creep back in. Kerri asks us to reclaim and rejoice in our landscape, and to remember that the land we fight over is much more than lines on a map.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Author: </span>Dochartaigh, Kerri ní, 1983-<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Published: </span>Edinburgh : Canongate, 2022.<br />xvi, 255 pages ; 20 cm<br /><br />Central Library - (Stirling Libraries) - Adult Non Fiction - 920 DOC - Available - 38048021775858<br />