Preventa de eBooks de Biografías

Érase una vez unos reyes que no sentían vergüenza de serlo, ni pedían perdón por presentarse emperifollados majestuosamente entre pompa y boato. Monarcas que protagonizaron entradas triunfales, coron

La extraordinaria historia de un espía británico en el corazón de la Rusia revolucionaria¿Quién fue realmente Robert Bruce Lockhart? Diplomático, espía, periodista, propagandista y seductor incansable, Lockhart fue una figura central de los grandes conflictos politicos e ideologicos del siglo XX. Destinado a Moscu tras la Revolucion rusa, conspiro contra el nuevo regimen bolchevique y se convirtio en una pieza clave de la guerra secreta entre potencias en un mundo en transformacion.En Un espia de Moscu, James Crossland reconstruye por primera vez la biografia completa de Lockhart, desde su papel como agente britanico en Rusia y su colaboracion con figuras legendarias del espionaje como Sidney Reilly, hasta su liderazgo de la Political Warfare Executive durante la segunda guerra mundial, el organismo encargado de la propaganda y la desinformacion aliadas. A lo largo del relato emerge un personaje tan brillante como autodestructivo, marcado por una vida nocturna excesiva, multiples relaciones amorosas, profundas dudas personales y un talento extraordinario para moverse en los margenes del poder.Con un ritmo narrativo cercano al thriller y un solido respaldo documental, Crossland devuelve a Lockhart al lugar que le corresponde en la historia y ofrece una reflexion muy actual sobre el nacimiento de la propaganda moderna, la manipulacion informativa y los origenes de la guerra psicologica.

Después de la expulsión del paraíso, la tribu de Adán y Eva descubrió Acapulco, donde el pecado no siempre se castiga. Con una prosa vibrante, Brenda Ríos describe las contradicciones de su tierra: un infierno con aire acondicionado, un purgatorio conroom-service, un eden cuyo principal recurso es el humor. Sweet Acapulco narra la devastacion del huracan Otis y lo supera con otro, hecho de palabras.-Juan VilloroEsto no es una guia de viajes. Es la exploracion desde la viscera de un mito llamado Acapulco. Brenda Rios, nacida y criada en el puerto, desmonta el paraiso de pelicula para contarnos la verdad que el salitre no puede borrar: la de los maestros rurales de Ayotzinapa, los sueños de fuga, las infancias rotas en las periferias, las casas invadidas, el rugido de las motos que cobran piso y el murmullo de un mar bello y violento.Sweet Acapulco se debate entre el alla costero y el aca chilango, entre el huracan Otis y los corruptos politicos de guayabera blanca, entre los descabezados del narco y los decepcionantes recorridos turisticos que se aferran a lo que ya no es. Y, aun asi, estos textos no son un lamento: son cronicas sobre un pueblo mutable, encuentros entre la literatura de Maria Luisa Puga y los excompañeros de primaria a los cuales fingimos no conocer en una cantina treinta años despues; son preguntas sin respuesta que nos hacemos en la fila del super o mientras viajamos en camion huyendo del covid. Son la carta de amor aspera y necesaria de una hija que, al perder la casa familiar, comprende que hay paraisos que solo existen mientras alguien este dispuesto a contar la historia de sus escombros.

La mañana del 26 de diciembre de 2004, en la costa sur de Sri Lanka, Sonali Deraniyagala perdió a sus padres, a su marido y a sus dos hijos pequeños en el tsunami del que ella sobreviviómilagrosamente. En estas memorias, valientes y desgarradoramente sinceras, describe esos primeros instantes horribles y el largo camino que ha recorrido desde entonces. Un relato fascinante, sin sentimentalismos y maravillosamente equilibrado: primero lucha por superar los primeros meses tras la tragedia, aferrandose con furia a una realidad que no puede afrontar ni negar; despues, a lo largo de los años siguientes, narra como emerge a regañadientes, permitiendo poco a poco que sus recuerdos la transporten a la vida rica y feliz que llora, desde la casa de su familia en Londres hasta el nacimiento de sus hijos, el año en que conocio a su marido en Cambridge o su infancia en Colombo. Todo ello mientras aprende a conciliar los recuerdos casi insoportables de su perdida y la necesidad de mantener a su familia, de alguna manera, aun viva.

A revealing and controversial exposé of international white-collar crime.Alexander Lebedev continues his investigation of banksters (gangster-bankers) scams which he started in his autobiographical book, Hunt the Banker. Each chapter examines a different sophisticated fraudulent scheme whereby stolen billions are laundered in offshore tax havens and deposited in secret accounts with the major UK and US banks, invested in shares of blue-chip companies, and converted into mansions, yachts, private jets, works of art and luxury goods.The topics covered include the cheating of their customers by supposedly respectable financial institutions in Europe and America, their complicity in laundering illegal proceeds of corrupt officials from all over the world, the financial pyramid schemes of Bernie Madoff and other mega-fraudsters, and black holes in the charity universe.Lebedev investigates the phenomenon of the symbiosis of dirty money and the latest information technologies of the blockchain, which threatens the global financial system with a cryptocurrency apocalypse, and he describes the degradation of political elites inebriated by biased mainstream media and fake news stories.

History, they say, is written by the winners, but what dark deeds underlie that success? This book dives beneath the surface to reveal the mysterious and unexpected stories that lurk in the depths. Featuring accounts of rogues and reprobates, bloody battles and dank dungeons, this little history is an entertaining and informative sweep through Yorkshires historical dark side.

Learning to Drink and What Came After is an irreverent take on a life that has been lived across the pages of The Times, within the darkly glamorous haunts of Soho and behind the scenes at The Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.Geradines remarkable life has enjoyed a ringside seat in the drinking dens of Soho alongside artists and criminals, the last days (and nights) of 1970s Fleet Street, the lofty world of the Mayfair auction houses and the dangerous glamour of post-glasnost Saint Petersburg.

Labours greatest ever Prime Minister is seen afresh in this concise and illuminating account. Attlees government did not simply respond to hardship; it reshaped the state, creating the NHS, extending welfare and redefining the relationship between citizen and country.As Jason Cowley, former editor of the New Statesman, attests, Attlees revolution was understated, but its effects proved enduring a reminder that long-lasting social and political change are more achievable than we often think.

Houdini was quick to grasp the concept of entertainer as brand, where fame was an aim in itself. When others stole his act, he published a book of his handcuff secrets and quickly moved on to more extravagant escapes. He arranged many escapes with local merchants in the towns he visited on tour, in early mass tie-in marketing, and set up challenges with newspapers. He created his own magazine; became the president of Martinka & Co., Americas oldest magic tricks company; served nine successive terms as president of the Society of American Magicians; created his own unique escapes including the Chinese Water Torture and the Milk Can Escape; launched his own film career; and even became the first man to fly in an airplane in Australia. His debunking of fraudulent spiritualists gave him yet another outlet to promote his own fame while pursuing a righteous crusade. Houdini pioneered almost every marketing concept of the 20th century, but didnt live beyond its first quarter, dying on 31 October 1926 in controversial circumstances. This new study, timed for the centenary of his death, explores his unique life and position as both escapologist and marketing extraordinaire.

From the Mangrove Nine to Notting Hill Carnival, writer and social commentator Chanté Joseph takes us through the formative, radical histories of Black British activism. When the Windrush generation arrived in Britain, the concept of Black Britishness or Black British Culture did not yet exist. Fast forward to the present day, where a distinct and influential Black British identity exists. This concise and informative book traverses the crucial topics within Black British history and culture: exploring community activism, protests, Notting Hill Carnival, the Black British Panthers, Women of the movement, the Mangrove Nine and the Black British Arts. Celebrating and chronicling the fusion of social, political and artistic elements within Black activism in Britain, A Quick Ting On: British Black Power provides an insightful look at how the British Black Power movement first emerged and has developed since.

This varied collection brings together personal reminiscences, and extracts of fiction, folklore and poetry which look at the celebration of Christmas over the years in the county of Shropshire. Represented here are well-known Shropshire figures such as Ellis Peters and A.E. Housman, as well as those who have their own purely individual stories to relate. Included among the extracts are a medieval chronicle of Shrewsbury, an American visitors account of Christmas in Ludlow in 1851, and Oswestry-born Wilfred Owens letters home from the battlefront over Christmas 1916. There are memories of a postman delivering the mail on Christmas Day, a description of a Boxing Day meet of the Shropshire Beagles, and many references to local folklore and traditions over the festive season. This book is the perfect stocking filler for anyone spending Christmas in the county.

Hugo Award winning editor and horror legend Ellen Datlow presents this chilling horror anthology of 19 original short stories from a world-class line-up of the masters of horror, delving into the histories and traditions of the spookiest season of the year.Featuring stories by Josh Malerman, Stephen Graham Jones, Garth Nix and many more.Halloween, Samhain, Dia de los Muertosfestivals across the world where we can commune with those we have lost, when spirits can cross over, and when the boundary between the living and the dead is far, far too thin.A young boy encounters a woman with an ancient and terrifying link to the holiday, a group of college students attend a Halloween party to die for, and a troubled girl exploits a local urban legend to try and turn her life around.From America to New Zealand via the rural Romanian wilderness, this anthology explores our worldwide obsession with the spookiest season of the year, when the veil is lifted and the spirits come alive. Featuring 19 original stories from bestselling and award-winning masters of the genre, and from Hugo, World Fantasy, Locus, Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson award-winning editor and horror legend Ellen Datlow, this anthology invites you to carve a pumpkin, light the lanterns and welcome in trick or treaters from across the world. With stories by: Josh Malerman Lee Murray Rich Larson Clay McLeod Chapman Livia Llewellyn Michael Marshall Smith Stephen Graham Jones Linda D. Addison Christopher Golden Alma Katsu Brian Evenson Siobhan Carroll Chkdl Emelmad Theresa DeLucci Garth Nix Jeffrey Ford Richard Kadrey Nathan Ballingrud John Langan

In December of 1926, Agatha Christie vanished. Eleven days later, after frenzied media speculation, she was discovered alive and well. A century on, there are questions that have never been answered.Now Christie biographer Laura Thompson seeks to penetrate the story of the greatest mystery ever created by the greatest ever mystery writer. In a new approach, Thompson undertakes a re-enactment of Christies movements: from the moment of driving away from her marital home, to the abandonment of her car and her arrival the following night at a Harrogate hotel. Based on conversations with people close to Christie including her interviews with Christies only child, Rosalind Eleven Days includes entirely new information about Christies first marriage.Eleven episodes examine every aspect of the famous disappearance, seeking as far as is possible to penetrate the blank space in Agatha Christies long and brilliant life, which leaves her ever more emblematic of the genre that she defines.This is a short, stylish book an examination of a myth; a gleaming sliver of biography; an irresistible puzzle that the reader, too, will feel compelled to try and solve.

A true story based on a false storyLate one night in February 2018, the award-winning Irish journalist Olaf Tyaransen returned home to find his name trending on Twitter.To his horror, he discovered that Brooke Magnanti - controversial author of the Belle de Jour books - had published an article accusing him of physically and sexually assaulting another woman a few years earlier.Tyaransen had never met Magnanti, and the woman in question had recently died in tragic circumstances. While the allegation was completely untrue, it was already going viral. Hundreds of people were rushing to judgement and sharing Magnantis article.In a painfully honest and compelling memoir, Tyaransen details the emotional, social and professional impact of that false accusation.His lacerating, unflinching account highlights the importance of due process, the mindless cruelty of crowds and the potentially fatal consequences of online vigilantism

The leading authority on our contemporary prime ministers Dominic Grieve, GuardianAfter almost a decade and a half of Tory rule, the 2024 General Election saw the Conservatives suffer their worst-ever defeat: they received 7.14 million fewer votes than in 2019; 23.7 per cent is their lowest ever vote share; and their current 121 MP contingent is their smallest since 1832. Meanwhile, the rise of Reform threatens the partys very existence.How did it all go wrong so quickly, following Boris Johnsons record-setting win in 2019?From taking office amidst the cost of living and energy supply crises and the panic caused by Liz Trusss disastrous mini-budget, through the agenda-dominating Ukraine and Gaza wars and the Rwanda Asylum Plan, to the stunning 2023 local election results, Sunak at 10 is the definitive and jaw-dropping window into Rishi Sunaks premiership.

An extraordinary heart-breaking and heart-mending memoir of the turmoil of grief and the power of love Julia SamuelI love this book. So moving. So precise. Hannah has put her broken heart on the page so beautifully and I think it will help a lot of people Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of The Last Act of LoveWarmth, truth and wisdom live on every page...this profoundly generous book tells the deeper story of all our lives. It will leave you feeling more human Chris Cleave, author of The Other HandAs beautiful as it is heartbreaking... Perfect for fans of Cathy Rentzenbrink and Joan Didion Juliette Bottomley, Mr Bs EmporiumA beautiful memoir that will make you contemplate life and all the joy and grief in it. Simply stunning Georgina Moore, author of The Garnett GirlsThis is hands down the book anyone grieving needs to read, or better still to gift a loved one who may be navigating the awful, lonely path of grief Sarah Gwonyoma, @whatsarahreadnextHannah Richell was lost in writing her new novel when the outside world finally broke in to tell her that her husband, Matt, had been killed in a surfing accident. This is the story of the grief journey she travelled over the first two years of loss, but it is also an account of what happens beyond those early years, when time and distance have offered some perspective and healing.Not just a love letter to her late husband, but a love letter to the country that stole her heart, to motherhood, and to the healing power of creative endeavours. More than anything, its a story of recovery and hope.

We all know from the Bible about Augustus and Tiberius ruling at the time of Jesus Christ. We are also familiar with Caligula and Claudius and Nero.But what about the philosopher Marcus Aurelius musing in his favourite villa on the Danube in Austria? How about the wretched Valerian, used as a mounting block for the King of Persia before being flayed alive? Or Thrax, the seven-foot giant? Or Elegalabus, the sun-worshipping transgender Emperor?He who took the poisoned chalice of the Imperial purple was feared and respected. They were no ordinary rulers. They were ambitious, cunning, ruthless and cruel. Fear was their watchword and raw power, through the dangerous Praetorian Guard or the legendary Legions, their enforcers. Few died peacefully in bed, some honourably in battle, most darkly murdered by rivals, or, often, by members of their own family.Rome and her emperors were anything but little, but The Little Book of Roman Emperors packs them all in with a punch discover both the key players and lesser-known figures behind one of the greatest empires ever known. Full of fascinating insights, this insightful compendium is essential reading for everyone interested in the history of Rome.

From the hopeful beginnings of Britains entry into the European project to the bitterness of Brexit, Continental Drift is a vivid, personal account of a political life spent at the heart of the European Parliament.As Europes longest-serving MEP, Bill Newton-Dunn offers a front-row view of the shifting tides in Britains often uneasy relationship with its continental neighbours. Spanning the four decades from 1979 to 2020, this lively memoir chronicles the currents of Euroscepticism, internal wranglings of UK delegations and the complex dance between Westminster and Brussels.But Continental Drift is more than political history: it is also rich with behind-the-scenes stories, sharp observations and colourful pen portraits of the characters who shaped Europe, from British premiers and fiery backbenchers to European visionaries and bureaucratic bruisers, not to mention impassioned Communists and rumoured Mafiosi. With dry wit and unsparing honesty, Newton-Dunn brings to life the dramas, debates and diplomatic showdowns that marked a turbulent era.Candid, compelling and frequently funny, Continental Drift is a timely reflection on Britains place in Europe and what was lost when the flag came down.

Quando o povo decide assumir o poder.Fome, desigualdade, privilégios e um sistema político incapaz de responder às demandas da população. Foi nesse cenário de tensão crescente que a França do século

What if your best friend turned out to be a master of deception? In 2005, Jim Phillips co-founded a marketing company with an old friend. Business boomed, contracts poured in and their client list expanded to include high-profile international brands.But as his partners behaviour became increasingly erratic, Jim began to wonder: did he really know the man he had built his business with? Then, in 2013, everything fell apart when he found himself in front of a judge at the Old Bailey, trapped in a living nightmare.From impersonating bank officials and a Chinese government minister to fabricating multi-million-pound contracts and feigning cancer, his business partner had orchestrated an elaborate con with devastating consequences.In this raw and unflinching cautionary tale, Phillips unravels a mind-boggling web of lies and offers a blow-by-blow account of how he uncovered the shocking truth about a man he once trusted.