The Holy Longing

The Holy Longing is a debut collection of poems form actress and poet Vera Graziadei.

Wow. Just absolutely... wow! I just went for an invigorating, yet also relaxing, swim in a warm sea made up entirely of words, thoughts, ideas and emotions.

Vera's poems are unique. They compel, they learn, yet they also teach at the same time. By accident instead of "teach" I typed "reach." And yet I quickly realised that this was no mistake, for the poems of this remarkable person also "reach", too. They reach forward and upward, but also backward, as well.

There's love, pain loss, humility, grace, passion, spirit and spirituality in these poems.

In these poems you will learn, live and love.

There's not one style of poetry in this remarkable collection, not one form or format. Which helps to make the collection of poems come alive with crackling vibrancy.

It's published by Matador at £8.99. If you only ever buy one book of poetry in your life, please let this be that one book of poems. You'll not regret your decision. Honestly.

Sir Humphrey's Last Stand

In Sir Humphrey's Last Stand we meet Sir Humphrey was is, as it happens, making his last stand.

The book is set in Medieval times, but experts in the history of those far off, distant times might be in for a bit of a torrid time as the author, Jonathan Forth, cheerfully acknowledges that his book has only a somewhat limited grip on history and reality and perhaps might upset the more literalist of its readers.

However, having said that, there is much to recommend this book to the reader.

The French Kings has decided to remove the English. And he has, pretty much, succeeded in his aim. Pretty much? Yes, pretty much, because there's the somewhat inconvenient fact that Sir Humphrey and his merry, or morose, men on Mon St Bernard are still on French soil.

The King has sent his spies to infiltrate the English camp at Mont St Bernard but their Continental good looks and charming ways have caused the hearts of the lustful (but unfulfilled)  women of the castle to flutter more than a little bit.

The area's Mayor is in a quandary, to be frank. He doesn't know if he should support the English or the French.

However, on to the scene come a knight and a lady. Can they save the day? What can the pirates and the parrot do? And what was that man doing with a human foot in his pocket? And why did the butcher want with it?

The best way to describe this book is that it's a bit of a madcap romp. And that it's probably not too far removed from the reality of Medieval life.

It costs £9.99 and is published by Matador.

The Slow Death of Maxwell Carrick

The Slow Death of Maxwell Carrick is a new novel from well-known author Jan Harvey.

Martha Nelson is a journalist. Or rather, she was a journalist until she decided to retire.

But now Martha is feeling at a bit of a loss over what to do with the rest of her life, adapting to the quieter life of not being a harassed and on deadline journalist.

So when the local history group ask her if she would like to compile a book about the history of the village she lives in, she is delighted.

She then accidentally finds the ruinous Lapston Manor and finds a frisson of interest. Why was the manor allowed to fall into decay?

Talk of unexpected deaths and the change of ownership of the property and a mysterious woman called Madam Roussell add fire to the journalistic ideal of getting to the heart of any story!

And, as with many good stories, the seeds of it were sown in the past. Not the distant past in this case, but the more recent past, during the closing days of the Second World War.

The villagers and inhabitants of Lapston were captivated and intrigued by the arrival of a mysterious and extremely beautiful woman called Cecile Roussell who has arrived from Paris to visit the home of her dearly loved 'Henri'.

The family of the man they know as Henry and their companion, Maxwell Carrick, seem to be in her thrall, or certain they are somewhat in awe of her.

But strange things are coming ot the surface and all is not quite what it appears with their beautiful visitor. And soon the family and those closest to them are torn asunder by the person who they, perhaps unwisely, welcomed inot their family bosom.

The book is very well researched and also very well written. Jan Harvey brings her characters to vibrant life.

It's published by Troubador at £9.99.

The Spell of Whirldungen

The Spell of Whirldungen is a novel for children aged nine years and over from A. J. Madelin.

Young Chris Spratt gets a life-changing letter delivered to him during the summer holidays.

He, with his friends Rosie, Ollie and Will, are all given special places at a rather unusual school called Cluifers, which is under the control of Dr. Black.

Whilst at the school they discover that Dr Black is a wicked person who, using his magical powers, created the school with the sole purpose of destroying them.

They realise that, in order to defeat Dr Black, they must find a rather nasty spell, the spell of Whirldungen, before Dr Black finds it

But where, exactly, is the spell? Aided by their magical friends, the shape-shifting moggy-clogs, Chris' very own personal genie and a talking book (a talking book who knew Chris' missing father) you'll travel on a mystical and scary journey with Chris and his friends as they have to make their way to the wonderful Library of Leaves which is in the Academy of Mandria, a magical, yet also somewhat risky place to be in.

There are gargoyles with the distressing habit of coming to life, clothing with the ability to kill you, not to mention the spell they are trying to find, Chris and his band of friends and helpers are on a very dangerous path. But it's a path that they must follow if they are to defeat the vile and evil Dr Black.

But can they succeed? Read this book with your children (It's a great book for sharing) and find out!

It's published by Matador at £8.99.

Inferno Inside You

Inferno Inside You Is a unique book that is a synthesis of the talents of author Peter Jobling and artist Monika Konieczna.

It is an amazing reinterpretation of Dante's Comedy. In his original work Dante referred to the chapters of his book songs.

In it, art and literature marry and produce some excellent offspring.

This new book contains the first 17 songs of The Comedy Project, making up the first part of the Inferno Inside You.

Is it designed as an art book which contains a saga? Or a Saga which contains an art book? In truth, both descriptions would be valid.

It takes you through the remarkable stories that were fundamental to the messages that Dante wished to convey to readers.

It's about folks and their ways, about love, envy, greed, the human condition, in short.

It's a great book, large in format and beautifully bound with a hard cover.

It's published by Matador at £21.00 and deserves to have a wide readership.

The Red Chairs Mystery

The Red Chairs Mystery is a new novel from former GP, hospital doctor and psychiatrist-turned mystery writer. L. D. Culliford. And he uses his experiences in these fields to craft a very satisfying mystery novel.

The discovery of two red leather armchairs on a renowned golf course in leafy Sussex is a noteworthy event in itself.

What made this event even more worthy of note is the fact that in one of the red leather armchairs there is the corpse of a woman.

Who is she? How did she die? What is the significance of the red leather armchairs and is the location of the corpse on the golf course of significance or not?

Detective Holly Angel is given the task of finding out the answers to all of these questions. And many more, besides.

The owner of the golf club, Jamie Royle seems to be a contender for the role of villain in the story, but as he is over in Chicago watching the 2012 Ryder Cup victory over the American team, who can possibly say?

Clues and evidence seem to be in short supply, that is until the perpetrator makes themselves known, again.

Who was the killer? What was Jimmie Royle's involvement in the case, if any? And what, exactly, was the case?

And there are some very interesting twists and turns before you reach the last page.

This is a very readable and enjoyable novel and is an introduction to a series of novels about Detective Holly Angel. Which mystery novel fans will wait for eagerly.

The book is published by Matador at £8.99. It will be an excellent gift for the mystery reader in your life, or a great present to yourself, if yo are that mystery buff.

Reflections

Reflections is a new novel from Jim Pennells.

Diana and Ed have it all. They have their youth, their personal happiness and successful careers.

But their lives were thrown into total chaos and meltdown when they give birth to a daughter who is brain-damaged.

Diana feels unable to cope. She flees from her responsibilities, taking up a new post with the UN in Bangkok. This causes her to feel even more cut off and isolated.

Ed loves their new daughter and he cannot fathom out why Diana is pulling away from them, is, in effect, separating herself from her family.

Due to an unfortunate misunderstanding Ed is mistaken for a blood bank buyer by a criminal gang who deals in human blood sales throughout the world.

Ed suddenly finds himself thrust into a world were kidnapped children are forcibly milked of their blood at so-called blood farms, their precious blood sold through an evil network.

Life is cheap, people are murdered. Will Ed and Diana and their daughter survive this nightmare existence?

This is a gritty page turner of a book with many twists and turns.

It's published by Matador at £7.99.

Trashed

They say that one's man's trash is another man's treasure.

In Trashed, Norman Townsend's exciting and vibrant debut crime novel, we learn what happens when trash becomes a reason to kill.

Paul Stafford is ex-military. And unlike some former servicemen, Paul rather rapidly returns to life on Civvy Street.

He opens a small recycling outfit which ruffles feathers, causes some ripples and raisers a fair few hackles when he unexpectedly wins the contract to run five waste tips in the county of Hampshire.

However, he soon finds himself facing a gang of ruthless criminals. A gang which had used the waste tips as a cover for their various nefarious activities.

And they'll stop at nothing to ensure that Paul's company is pushed out of operating the tips, launching a campaign of intimidation and violence against Paul and his staff members and their nearest and dearest.

In fact, the gang are willing to go to any lengths to re-establish control of the tips to keep their multi-million pound crime enterprise in operation.

Bombs are exploded, murder committed and a maelstrom of mayhem is unleashed on Paul and his staffers. And to add to the problems an executive from the local council has vanished.

But it's likely that the gang have never come across someone as wily and as skilled an adversary as Paul Stafford. They think they have him cornered. Will the might of an internationally connected gang of criminals prevail against Paul Stafford? Or have they bitten off more than they can chew?

This is one hell of an exciting read. I think we have found, in Norman Townsend, a new and very important voice in crime thriller fiction writing.

The book is a remarkably modest £8.99 (388 pages) and is published by Matador.

A Song for Demeter

A Song for Demeter is an interesting book from Richard Kemble.

It's an autobiography that serves multiple purposes. It's a mystical, spiritual journey that uncovers teachings that are normally kept hidden from the gazing eye of the public.

When he became an adult, Richard Kemble became something of a lost soul. A wanderer with no sense of direction, no sense of purpose, no sense of hope, no sense of ambition.

In fact, he seemed to be a young man without a future or a clue of what he should do with his life.

But somehow Richard is able to gather (or re-gather, perhaps?)  himself and to gradually and slowly reform himself and to evolve into someone who did have a purpose after all.

This occurred due to education and and the obtaining of some mystical spiritual training.

With new vigor he was able to forge a new pathway for himself which ultimately resulted in him becoming a school teacher teaching children who had special needs.

The book includes intimate spiritual notes and stories, some poetry and even a quite short play that he wrote whilst he was a student.

Richard also includes stories revealed to him by a range of people from clairvoyants to healers.

The book is very moving, it contains stories that will inspire and also bewilder. For example, what ever did happen to the autistic boy, Osho and his family after they apparently just abandoned their home, even leaving the lights on? Not even the police was able to establish what happened.

I highly recommend this autobiography. It's published by Matador at £9.95.

Am I Unique?

Am I Unique? is a novel from Collin Wallace.

It tells the story of George Wilson. His life is suddenly blighted by the unexpected and tragic death of his childhood love and fiancee.

As a result, he leaves home to travel on a journey of discovery, finding himself in North Africa.

He is tricked into becoming a drug mule and ends up being jailed in Spain as a result.

After his release from prison, he decides to join the French Foreign Legion. He is posted to Algeria during the troubled times of the Algerian War of Independence.

He swiftly becomes disillusioned with the policies of the French government and decides, after saving the lives of an Algerian girl and her brother, to join the freedom fighters.

After many escapades involving himself and the Algerian girl who he loves with a strong passion, he is captured by the French Foreign Legion and placed in detention. And he finds himself facing a court martial.

But after his guilty verdict, what would happen next? He thought his life was over. But what if it wasn't?

This novel is full of twists and turns and is based against the backdrop of the real events of the Algerian War of Independence.

It is published by Matador at £8.99.

Devil's Bridge

Devil's Bridge is a fast-paced adventure thriller that is based on real-life events.

Tom Cheke served as one of the RAF's top test pilots. After inheriting a derelict Antiguan plantation he decides to move to the Caribbean.

Still governed by the fact that he signed the Official Secrets Act, he is trusted by the British government to help a large American-based insurance outfit to search for a fugitive by the name of Kevin McIlroy and to return him to justice.

Using the resources of the Royal Navy and with the assistance of an American heiress and a former Australian pilot, he uses his own considerable skills as an ace pilot to hunt down Mcilroy.

The author, Lauri Seago-Taylor is a former pilot and is a retired businessman who had considerable experience living and working in both Australia and in the Caribbean, the latter being what inspired him to create this book.

It's a great and exciting read and will be in many suitcases heading out for the summer holidays.

It's published by The Book Guild at £8.99.

River Baker and the Warriors of Rala

River Baker and the Warriors of Rala Mali Baker's debut fantasy novel is a wonderful read and is aimed at children ages nine years and over.

There is a purpose behind this book. The author's noble intention is to promote the concept of belief and faith in the self.

River Baker is eleven. And, to be truthful,  she is not very enamoured of the idea of spending a long, potentially very boring, weekend at the home of her grandparents.

However, it suddenly ceases to be boring because River discovers the key to the room of her Great Aunt Violet. A room which she is forbidden to enter.

Unlike her twin sister, Kit, River is somewhat rebellious and she dares to use the key to unlock the door and enter the forbidden room. Follow closely by her twin.

However, what they find is something utterly mindblowing, they find a hidden, secret portal into the secret world of RALA.

When the two sisters enter RALA they find it to be a world in tumult, Eleon, a giant, has absconded with a crystal of great power which imbues the person who possesses it with the power to journey between worlds.

Eleon decides to kidnap Kit and River must take her courage to help save her sister from the giant.

She seeks the assistance of the Warriors of RALA. They reveal the shocking information that River's Great Aunt Violet had been a Warrior Princess who had vanished 56 years earlier when she had been travelling to RALA.

With the assistance of her Warrior Friends River discovers that, just like her Great Aunt, she is also a Warrior Princess and that she, too, possesses special powers.

What she must do is to learn to believe in herself and to trust herself. Then she can face the challenges of being a Warrior Princess, saving her sister, defeating Eleon and returning home with her sister.

But there are some more surprises for the twins before the end of their adventure.

It's published by Matador Children's Books at a very modest £7.99 and is a remarkable debut novel from a new voice in children's literature.

Neurones, Art and Morality

Neurones, Art and Morality is a new book by Graham Walker.

It takes the reader inside the brain of a person who is viewing art.

In his very interesting book, Walker applies up-to-date, modern scientific research into the biology of the human brain and mind to explain the impacts of art on the human mind.

It also takes a look at how artists employ brushstrokes, how they employ colours and different shapes to work with an,d to an extent, manipulate, our emotions.

It also deals with the concepts of how art has been used to morally guide the illiterate and, more latterly, used as a propaganda tool and as a way to promulgate protests.

It also looks at how the neurological system plays a role in how we view art and how it relates to our moral development and also how this impacts on communities throughout history.

Graham Walker employs his expertise as a head and neck surgeon and the holder of a Masters degree in ethics to produce this book which, although it is academically rigorous it is also highly readable.

It is also very well illustrated with examples of art that are used to prove the points of the thesis.

It is published by Matador at £24.99.

Dangerous Deceits

Thank goodness! Another Cherith Baldry novel about novel about her character Gwaine St Clair!

In Dangerous Deceits we are taken to the North Downs. A vicar has vanished from his vestry, mere moments before he was due to take the Sunday Morning Service.

Eventually the corpse of Thomas Coates, former incumbent of St Paul's, Ellingwood, is discovered on the North Downs.

And it falls on to our hapless and unwilling amateur sleuth, Gwaine, along with his companions, to find out who might have had motive an opportunity to murder the late vicar.

But who could it have been? Frank Reed, angry because he felt had slighted his wife over a doctrinal matter? John Bretton who had his own problems with the vicar? Or What about a pair of adulterers?

And what of the church treasurer who somehow appears to have more money than he should have?

Or might the murderer have been closer to home, a member of the victims own family?

But the situation is made even more cloudy by the suicide of the local doctor's receptionist. Might her death be linked to the murder?

And how is it that the pectoral cross of the vicar is missing? What is the significance? And could there be more people involved in the murder?

Cherith Baldry has a swift, no nonsense style and you'll be wondering who the murderer is and if there are characters in the novel who might know more than they are letting on.

Gwaine is drawn with such precision and clarity that it would be utterly impossible for women not to want to send him scented notes and for men to want to take him out for a pint.

If you are a fan of good mystery novels, or if you have someone in your life who is, you really do need to buy this book.

It's published by Matador at £8.99.

Wise Me Up To Cold Calling

Wise Me Up To Cold Calling is a fascinating book from businesswoman Shea Heer.

It tells sales staff all they need to know about the cold calling sales technique. What makes it such a challenge, why it can appear to be so scary, and how to get over the fear of making cold calls on business prospects.

Shea has two decades of experience in business and she has trained many sales professionals in the art of the cold call sales technique.

Using some examples culled from real life, Shea uses her book to explore the natural human reactions and to assist her readers to learn about and understand why people react to cold calls in the varied ways that they do.

Readers are encouraged to examine their own behaviour patterns and to identify how they can achieve greater results. Especially with the important field of telephone lead generation.

This book is small enough not to intimidate, but big enough to contain a lot of highly useful information, but in a very readable style.

She points out what sales professionals should do and also what they should not to both before, during and after the sales call.

Got someone in sales? Looking for a Christmas present for them? You just found it! And at only £8.99, this'll be the best Christmas present they'll receive this year!

It is published by The Book Guild. Incidentally, if you run a sales department, you will need to buy multiple copies of this book for all of your sales staff.

The Dreams of the Eternal City

The Dreams of the Eternal City is a dystopian Science Fiction novel from Mark Reece.

What would happen if you were an enforcer for a sinister organisation that, as part of a government scheme to bring about economic growth in Britain, forces the populace to follow the Sleep Code, part of laws that regulate when people have to sleep?

And what would happen if you, yourself, developed a sleep disorder?

This is what happens to Ethan Thomas, sleep enforcer in the harsh economic realities of the Britain of the year 2040.

Ethan is a dedicated, fanatical employee, driven to pursue sleep criminals and his own, lazy colleagues. Often to the detriment of his own personal life and his relationships.

Due to his hard driven nature, his superiors believe him to be the ideal candidate to work on a new project which is aimed at rooting out a group of dangerous subversives who are working to undermine the very foundations of the Sleep Code.

Ethan finds himself involved in matters that were beyond his ken. The secret services and shadowy groups and individuals with loyalties that are at best questionable make him question himself and what he is doing.

Then Ethan develops a sleep disorder and becomes the type of person he was previously dedicated to investigating.

He begins to realise that the way the law is enforced is not honest, that the system is quite corrupt.

So, what can Ethan do? Can he still remain loyal to the system that he passionately believes in? If he does, can he be true to himself?

This book is a very compelling read and will make a great Christmas gift for any lover of intelligent, plot and character driven Sci-Fi, who likes a good read.

It's published by Matador and Mark Reece is a name I will have to keep an eye out for.

The book costs £9.99.

The Song of the Lost Boy

The Song of the Lost Boy is a novel from Maggie Allder that tackles the twin evils of persecution and homelessness.

It explores these problems through the eyes of a young boy, Giorgio.

He lives in an encampment for the homeless on the edge of the city of Winchester. He has become separated from his mother and father so he determines that he will set off on an adventure to find his parents.

However, the country has devolved into a neo-fascist nightmare which adds to his problems. After all, what clues does he have? He knows his name, he has a necklace and he recalls a fragment of a song that he remembers.

He follows these clues, ever-mindful that if he attracts the attention of the authorites they would put him into the care system.

What does he find out on his journey of discovery? He meets some very interesting companions, many of whom are homeless for a variety of reasons.

Does he find his parents? If he can't, can he find some kind of resolution in his young life?

The book is published by Matador at £9.99.



 

The Old Dragon's Head

The Old Dragon's Head is a new fantasy novel from author Justin Newland.

Set in the China of ancient days, the novel tells the story of the Great Wall of China and the Dragon Master of that era.

A Dragon Master is given birth to. He is imbued with heavenly powers, and he is the only person who can summon the Old Dragon, but only if he is in possession of the special dragon pearl.

However, all is not right. In the year 1400 the Old Dragon, the dragon pearl and the Dragon Master himself have not been seen for two decades.

Bolin is a young man who is troubled by visions of ghostly apparitions. It is believed that he has paranormal gifts.

Bolin's Lord, the Prince of Yan, rebels against his blood nephew, the Jianwan emperor which brings about a bitter war to see who will succeed to the throne.

But the Dragon Throne can only ever truly be earned by a Heavenly Mandate and with the support of the Old Dragon.

But who, or what, is Bolin? Is he the Dragon Master? If he is, can he help save China?

It's an exceptionally well-written book which takes one back to the China of the year 1400.

It's published by Matador at £9.99 and will make an excellent Christmas gift for those who enjoy fantasy, but which has a basis in reality.

That's Christmas: The Original Christmas Present

That's Christmas: The Original Christmas Present: The Original Christmas Present is a stunning a sumptuous Christmas book by Augustus Trembling. It is subtitled The Original Christmas Pres...

The Life of Sir Basil Brooke

The Life of Sir Basil Brooke tells the life story of a very extraordinary man, Sir Basil Brooke, written by Sam Logan.

His family originated in England and he was born in Ireland, into a family which had military service through its very DNA.

One of his relatives earned a VC and he himself had an amazing record during World War 1.

It was 1919 when he left the British army and took his bride back to his country estate in Ireland.

He became the County Commandant of the B Specials, in order to fight against the IRA in the area.

It was perhaps a natural progression for him to enter the world of politics and he entered Stormont in 1929, and in 1933 he was to become a member of Lord Craigavon's cabinet.

Comment in the book is made about the speech at about that time on The Twelfth that earned him no little amount of infamy, at least in some quarters. The author examines in great detail the reasons behind what some would view as Sir Basil's antipathy toward people of the Catholic faith and does go a long way to explain what may have been the root cause/

He worked tirelessly to ensure the victory of the Allies against the Axis forces, earning fulsome praise from Churchill himself. In fact Sir Basil became Prime Minister in Stormont in 1943.

The postwar peace brought him no little amount of concern, as he was very uneasy about the Labour government in Whitehall, even though the government did make some decisions that were of considerable benefit to Northern Ireland.

Eventually he was ennobled by Churchill, becoming Viscount Brookeborough of Colebrooke.

It is a very interesting book, but it might have benefited from the inclusion of some images, but this is only a minor point.

It is published by The Book Guild at £15.95 (hardback) and will make a very good Chirstmas present for those interested in the history of the British Isles.

The Teenage Girls Survival Guide

The Teenage Girls Survival Guide is a fantastic new book from Jane Bradley who has, for a while, left off from being a top make-up artist to the stars, to produce this book.

She aims to use this book to reach girls about boys, being with them, break-up from them, and so forth.

They'll learn about how to deal with friendships and relationships, how to cope with the very real problem of bullying, what to do if a panic attack threatens, self-esteem and depression.

There's also advice on dressing yourself, fashion, how to deal with body problems from whiffy breath to whiffy bodies, make-up, periods, contraception, pregnancy, health issues, what to do or not to do when you go out, how to be 'streetwise', what to think about when faced with the possibilities of tattoos or body piercing, what to do should drugs make an appearance, etc.

There are also tips on dating, including on line dating and much more besides.

The book is aimed at teaching teenage girls how to survive and thrive during their teenage years, but it is written in a friendly, humorous and honest style.

It's available now and really should be in the top ten Christmas present list for the female teenager in your life.

It's in hardback from Matador and costs a very reasonable £15.99.

A Most Unladylike Occupation

A Most Unladylike Occupation is an absolutely brilliant and highly important book from Lisa Wright.

It details the life and times of Lucy Deane, who was one of the first female factory inspectors in Victorian Britain.

Lucy Deane was appointed to the role of Factory Inspector in 1983 by Herbert Asquith, when he was Home Secretary.

She was sent to inspect and issue reports on the condition of women workers in factories all over the British Isles.

Some of the male factory inspectors were upset and appalled by what they perceived as this encroachment by females on what they believed was a male only preserve.

Lucy had four other female Factory Inspector colleagues. There were no precedents for what they were doing and nor was any specialist training available.

Lucy's family, which was of a somewhat upper class, were in the main upset and horrified about what they considered as her "unladylike occupation."

Someone had given Lucy a very useful tip when she started her new role. They had advised her to keep her own private records on every aspect of her job, what she did, the people she met and interacted with.

She kept these notes in a total of 23 cheap exercise books. It was these notes made between 1893 to 1898 that form the basis for this biography of her life as as a female factory inspector.

Her notes cover her day-to-day working life, the factories she visited, her home life with her sister Hyacinth, the problems she had with keeping her bicycles from crashing, her travels to and from work and noting how, over time, how the opinions of her male colleagues changed toward her as they eventually realised what an  asset she was.

She was awarded a CBE for her efforts during World War 1 when she had the onerous task of organising the Women's Land Army.

There are also a collection of illustrations to accompany this remarkable biography.

It is published by The Book Guild at £9.99. This book will be of interest to anyone interested in Victorian history, feminist history, the early days of factory inspection or those who love a good biography. It'll make a fantastic Christmas gift.

A Journey With Brendan

A Journey With Brendan is a book by paediatrician Dr May Ng about her own personal account of life with her son Brendan who is autistic.

It's known that 1 in 60 children are somewhere on the autism spectrum.

Unfortunately in the UK there is a waiting period of anywhere between two years to 36 months for the condition to be diagnosed.

Many families of children on the autistic spectrum are bewildered by what is happening and are, understandably, desperate for help, advice and reassurance.

It is Dr Ng's hope and intention that her book will help to fill the very real gap that exists.

Based on her expertise and knowledge as an award-winning top paediatrician and her own personal experiences of raising her son, Brendan, May Ng offers readers a very helpful insight in to what it is like to  be the parent of a child on the autism spectrum, what resources are available to families and also offers some very welcome practical advice based on her own experiences.

She has tried many different forms of treatment, some mainstream, some alternative, and can offer her own tips as to what works and what doesn't work.

Thankfully, Brendan is, at 13, a happy boy and is in a school that is dedicated to teaching children who have autism.

The book is a must have for parents of children with autism, GPs, paediatricians and school teachers.

It is £8.99 and is published by The Book Guild.

The Veterinary Detectives A Vet in Peru

The Veterinary Detectives A Vet in Peru is an amazingly readable book from Roger S. Windsor.

You'll possibly have read his previous work, The Veterinary Detectives: More Sherlock Holmes Than James Herriot. Which your reviewer can also heartily recommend.

In this book we read of Roger's further adventures, this time in Peru.

It tells the story of how Roger came to be awarded a richly deserved MBE for his work as a vet in Peru, where he gathered together a team of young and highly motivated team of young Peruvian vets and how he encouraged them, under his skilled leadership, to create and establish a new veterinary service to assist farmers in an area which was the size of the whole of England.

Of course, nothing worthwhile is ever easy and the newly established team faces not only the challenges of attempting to create such a service under troubled economic circumstances, scepticism from officials in both Britain and Peru, there is also a very real threat from the Shining Path terror gang who are a threat to both the farmers and the members of the team of dedicated and highly motivated team of vets and their support workers.

However, against the odds, Roger and his team (not to mention his concert pianist wife, Maxine!) are able to succeed in achieving what they set out to achieve, to create and manage a service of benefit to farmers, animals and the country of Peru. A land which Roger came to admire and love.

The book is very well illustrated and will make a superb Christmas present for the animal lover and vet in your life.

It's published by The Book Guild in hardback at £16.95.

The Grumpy Gnome's Garden

The Grumpy Gnome's Garden is a delightful novel for children about a Gnome who is grumpy and who has a garden.

But! Into the life of the grumpy and sometimes lonely Gnome comes a Fairy Princess who has more than a touch of magic about her.

The Gnome is disappointed in his garden. He knows what he wants his garden to look like, he wants it to be a green paradise, the reality is that it is an overgrown mess and he hasn't the first idea of what  he can to to even start making it look better.

Fortunately for the Grumpy Gnome the Fairy Princess is a dab hand at gardening and when she comes to stay with him in his charming cottage she is able to help him to start to transform his messy garden into a garden to be proud of.

Whilst they are working on the garden they both benefit from learning about the changing of the seasons, the wonders of nature and the pure joys that a gardener can learn from growing their own plants.

Although this is a fun to read book for children and adults of all ages, it's also designed to help to introduce children to the pleasures and joys of gardening and it is wonderfully illustrated with some very colourful pictures. The author, Della Jayne Hayes has created a work of great charm and magic.

This book will make a great Christmas present and will be enjoyed as a book for sharing people children and adults.

It is published by Matador at £6.99.

A Stone Called Fred

A Stone Called Fred is a debut novel from author Sheila Locke, which is aimed at children and young adults.

Teenager Jack Watts is prone to jump to conclusions far, far too quickly.

One morning he finds something on the kitchen table of his family home which Jack decides looks like an explosive device of some kind.

Jack warns the rest of the family about his discovery. But the device isn't, after all, an explosive device. However, it is an object of considerable mystery that propels Jack into a world of unexpected adventures and a considerable amount of trouble.

Joe, Jack's neighbour who lives downstairs, is more prone to be sceptical about the whole story. He appears to have been proven correct, for the "explosive device" turns out to be a common stone, often found in gardens or on the beach.

However, Jack thinks differently. After all, didn't he, later that same day, have some strange experiences with an unusual visitor who Jack decided to name "Fred"?

Fiona is Jack's girlfriend who is a journalist. When she returns home from an assignment she becomes impressed by the apparent power that the stone exudes and she decides to convince the others that it would be an awfully good idea to spy on members of the Royal Family at a theatrical event. However, things do not go according to her cunning plan.

Eventually Jack and Fred travel backward through time and end up in the early 20th century.

This is a very well-written book and will be a must have for many Christmas stockings this year.

Apparently it took author S. M. Locke 12 years to write this book from when she first had the idea. It is to be hoped that he second book, and other subsequent books, do not take 12 years to finish because she has a unique and very readable style.

It is published by Matador at £7.99.

The Kung Fu Diaries the Life and Times of a Dragon Master (1920 - 2001)

The Kung Fu Diaries the Life and Times of a Dragon Master (1920 - 2001) is a book that will be of great interest to all serious students of the martial arts and Eastern philosophies.

It is based on the life story of the Dragon Master and was written by a most trusted student.

Not long before his death the Dragon Master of the ancient art of Shaolin Chan Kung Fu entrusted an archive of his private papers to the safekeeping of a most trusted and favoured student.

He left instructions with his student that he should use the papers to write a full account of his life and of the ideals and aims of the art that he had devoted his whole life to.

However, the student is shocked to learn that within the papers are diaries that contain personal information that shock and appal the student, he learns that the Dragon Master had an obsession that call the principles that he claimed to adhere to during his life into extreme doubt.

Can the student square the circle? Can he find a way to come to terms with the apparent inconsistency and contradictions between the ideals of the Dragon Master and the reality of what he actually did with his life, or at least the part of his life which he kept secret?

The book is written by Patrick Grant and whether or not it is a total fiction or based on the notes from the student it is a highly compelling read.

It is published by The Book Guild at £8.99.

An Ordinary Life...?

An Ordinary Life...? is an inspirational and uplifting memoir from Andrew Michael Doig.

Andrew is a spiritual healing medium and, through his book, he hopes to allow others to look into the world of spiritualism.

Andrew has visited many spiritualist centres throughout Britain and also in Sweden.

As a result he has participated in hundreds of seances and in many different groups.

He reveals how he made his first steps into spiritualism, how he was able to witness things that would defy so-called rational explanation, from mediumship to becoming involved in what he describes as rescue work.

He has developed his own skills such as clairvoyance and clairsentience and also enjoyed allowing spirits to use him to create psychic artworks.

It is a fascinating book and will make a superb Christmas gift for someone who is interested in spiritual matters.

It is published by Matador at £12.99.

Gathering Clouds

Gathering Clouds is the first part of the Nethergate Trilogy, which explores a tale of slavery and the American Civil War.

The Nethergate tobacco plantation is prepared for troubles as the rumbling threat of civil war becomes an ever present danger.

We meet a cast of disparate characters. There is Silas Killcaid, the Chief Overseer of slaves. He has a position of dominance at Nethergate, due to a combination of cruelty and cunning.

Due to the death of one master and the murder of another Killcaid increases his grip on the plantation, but even he cannot control the forces that threaten his position of power.

There's also the problem of the slave called Matthew Styles. He has a strong will and he is not the kind of man to accept his status as a slave. This earns him the hatred of Killcaid.

But new alliances are made and new relationships forged against the backdrop of the imminent civil war.

And when the civil war does come, Nethergate becomes a very dangerous place to be, with rebellion and murder.

Who will win? Killcaid or Styles?

Readers will be eager for the second parts of this trilogy.

It's published by The Book Guild at £8.99 and will make a great Christmas present.

English From Afar

In English From Afar experienced tutor and trainer Bruce Peterson, a graduate of the University of Wales, provides a fun and entertaining book that explores the various methods that readers can employ to learn English as a second language.

It is Bruce's contention that learning English is of vital importance because, internationally, English is the de facto language for international business contracts, international contract law and international contract arbitration.

Bruce also states that, after a couple of decades of living and working in Malaysia, he came to realise that a major problem is not the words that are used but in making meaning and sincerity clear.

He believes passionately that getting one's meaning over is of much greater importance than the words that are actually used.

In his book he explains that "sorry could you repeat that?" is the most important question any learner can be asked and should be nothing to be afraid of.

The book focuses on how one can make learning English as a second language a fun task. Whilst also striving to put the English language in context to give the reader a genuine insight into the complex and, sometimes, odd people that British people can be.

He points out in his book that there is no need for the teaching of languages to be the boring, painful trial that they so often are. And shows ways that teaching langues (in this case, specifically ESOL) can be made something that will be fun and, as pain free as possible.

This book will be of great value to any teacher of ESOL, any ESOL student and also ot any teacher or lecturer of English, because there is much of general value in this book.

It is published bu Matador at £12.99 and should be bought as library stock by any organisation that teaches English.

And it will make a great stocking filler for this Christmas.

Tales From an Old Hack

Tales From an Old Hack is a wonderful autobiography from journalist Barbara Fisher.

A teacher from Birmingham, she decided to change her career to that of a full time journalist in West London.

How did she make the transition from a teacher to a journalist? She had worked as a teacher in Ealing for a number of years, but she had written a weekly schools' page for the Uxbridge Gazette. An editor liked her work and suggested that she consider entering the world of journalism. Which she did. (Reviewer's note: A similar incident happened to your reviewer, which is why I made the switch to journalism, too.) 

Barbara spent the next couple of decades writing for the paper, eventually becoming Chief Reporter before becoming Deputy News Editor.

The book is a whirlwind of a read, taking in the mundane points of local newspaper journalism, but also covering weightier matters such as the death of Princess Diana, and with her photographer colleague, faced the wrath of the ever fickle British public.

There were other incidents including meeting Nelson Mandela, covering hostage situations, being thrown in at the deep end on her first week, by being tasked to find a front page story, no pressure, then?

There were human interest stories, meeting with some great characters (such as Screaming Lord Sutch) learning all about the vagaries of the new data protection laws, coping with people who had just received devastating news, receiving hairstyles from celebrity hairdressers, dealing with alleged spies.

It's a very good read from a highly skilled writer and it was a real pleasure to read. (However, as a fellow hack journalist and fellow Brummie, I may well be a little bit biased!) 

However, this book is a fantastic autobiography (complete with some relevant illustrations) and it is published by The Book Guild at £9.99.

It'll make a great Christmas present for the readers in your life.

Loving

Loving is a new collection of poems from Suffolk-based author Heather Goddin.

The poems in this collection are all about the many different facets of love.

There's romantic love, love which is tinged by tragedy, of loss, of the mundane, the different and the quirky and poems of joy and of healing.

Although all from the same poet, the poems are in a range of vastly different voices, from poems of love lost, love found, love regained or not regained.

At £8.99 (published by Matador) this is an ideal introduction to the world of poetry and poems and it will make a very good Christmas stocking filler.

Out of Mecklenburg

Out of Mecklenburg is a spy novel with a difference. The author, James Remmer, has a three decade career in the investigative field of the security and intelligence field, experiences which he has skilfully employed in the writing of his novel.

It's more than 'just' a spy novel, as it interweaves adventure, elements of the thriller novel, heroism, romance, suspense and with a hint of political intrigue to make an extremely fulfilling read.

Carl von Menen has it all, or so it appears. Handsome, suave, wealthy, aristocratic and a high flying member of the German Foreign Office. All perfectly normal for a man of his calibre. All except for the fact that he has an utter hatred of Adolph Hitler and longs to assassinate him.

His longing for a Germany free from Hitler and his Nazi government seems to him to be an impossible dream. However, things might change from von Menen, when he is suddenly given an assignment in Argentina. The Nazis are interested in the rise to prominence in Argentina of the United Officers Group (OGU) a pro Nazi faction of the Argentinian military, under the guidance of Juan Domingo Peron.

But when he arrives in Buenos Aires, von Menen finds himself rapidly sucked into a vortex of deceit, treachery and the threat of revolution.

He meets with the apparently helpful and obliging Colonel Filipe Vidal. But what game is Vidal playing? Can he be trusted or does he have an agenda of his own, is he plotting to take the country for himself?

If so, can he trick von Menen into helping him with a honey trap?

Managing to scheme his return to Europe, von Menen is horrified to find his beloved Berlin in utter ruination and that the Gestapo are everywhere, even whilst the pitiless Red Army are closing in on the capital city of Germany.

Von Menen seeks vengeance and, at great personal risk, he works to convince the desperate Nazi leadership that Colonel Vidal can offer them a pro-Nazi deal that could save them.

All it requires is a daring robbery of the Reichsbank, a secret and highly dangerous submarine journey from Germany to Argentina and some unfinished business back in Buenos Aires.

Can von Menen succeed? Can he even survive?

At £9.99 this is an excellent adventure novel published by Matador.

A Hedgehog Story Hedgehog Queen

A Hedgehog Story Hedgehog Queen is an absolutely charming debut novel (and the first in a planned series) of the adventures of hedgehogs with some gorgeous hand-drawn illustrations.

The book, written by David Hills, is aimed at children aged 5 to 7.

It begins with a hedgehog called Hamish, awaking from his winter hibernation. He has tow goals. To have some fun, playing and to seek out 'the chosen one.'

A little boy called Alistair finds Hamish in his back garden. They soon become fast friends and set out on a range of adventures and Alistair learns a great deal about the lifestyle of hedgehogs, including an invitation ot a very special secret hedgehog party.

And Alistair is granted the privilege if an audience with the Queen of the Hedgehogs. And the Queen gives Alistair a very special award. Which you will be able ot find out about when you read this delightful book.

It is published by The Book Guild at £6.99 and it's a must buy Christmas gift.

A Monster's Tale

A Monster's Tale is the story of Brett Kelso. Brett is 32. He is quite a rarity in his community. He is an honest man who does an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. Although his job in the care industry is poorly paid and he lives from pay-day to pay-day, even though some of the wouldbe gangsters in his town never seem to be short of a bob or two.

His life is beset by stresses form both his work life and his personal life. His loving bond with his sister Maria is the one thing in his life that brings him joy and comfort. But Brett wishes that her boyfriend was not the abusive jerk that he is.

Brett is also bedevilled by his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Lisa. They share the responsibility for raising their daughter (who is only four)  but it is Brett's worry that Lisa is more fond of being a good time party girl rather than a mother to their child.

To make matters worse a local bully decides that he is going to goad Brett in public, trying to deliberate humiliate him informant of an ex-girlfriend in the public setting of a local public house.

Brett, somehow, keeps his cool. After all, he has his daughter to think about.

But what if the circumstances changed? What would happen then? What if a situation arose where the tables were turned and Brett decided that he was not going to take any more nonsense from bullies? Or, at least, one particular bully?

What if he were to metamorphose from a bullied care worker into an extremely dangerous nemesis?

After all, if you bully a man who has nothing to lose, what can you, actually, expect him to do?

This is an extremely well-written novel from Kelso Simon, it's gritty and gripping an although a fictional story it does carry the ring of truth.

It's published by The Book Guild at £8.99 and will make a super Christmas present for those who like gritty, slice of life novels.

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Hand made model circus to go up for auction

A unique, miniature circus featuring hand-crafted, moving figures has been rescued from a field in South Devon.

Silvers Model Circus took its creator David Hardie and his family almost 50 years to lovingly construct.

David Hardie was apprenticed to his family’s tent-making business in Sydney, Australia, and he began constructing the first part of the circus back in 1931 when he was only seventeen years of age.

Eventually David moved to the UK and with help from members of his family, they extended the circus down through the years.

It first went on public display back in 1982, after which event it toured the UK.

In 1984 it formed the centrepiece of the Christmas display in Cheltenham and was officially opened by Earl Spencer,Princess Diana's father.

The entire model is powered by a single engine. The circus is operated by a complex system of belts and pulleys all linked o a single drive-shaft.

Each item of the model was hand-crafted and is to 1:24 scale.

After David Hardie’s death in 2002, the model was stored in a variety of locations until, finally, it ended up in a storage container on a piece of wasteland next to a riding stable.

In 2017, Lucy Townsend, Hardie’s grand-daughter began researching the model and learned where it was.

Lucy said: “I persuaded my mother and uncle to take me to look at the model and see whether it was still in a condition that could be saved."

“When I first saw the container, my heart sank as it was half-buried by the dung from the stables but, eventually, we reached the boxes containing the model.

“Miraculously, much of the model was still in good condition and after months of cleaning and renovating, the circus has been restored to its former glory.”

The family have decided that they would rather see the model go to a new home than return to its container so it is going to be auctioned in London by Roseberys on 22nd November.

https://www.roseberys.co.uk/craft-tradition/news-silvers-model-circus/

A Journey Through South-East England

A Journey Through South-East England is exactly as the title says. You can follow along with author Brian J. Rance as he takes a walking tour through South East England.

It's a fair old trek you'll be sharing with him, about 125 miles worth, from Broadstairs all the way along to Lewes.

This book is a successor volume to his two previous works Finding My Place and Walking My Patch. Combining the three books together you'll cover  a very respectable 1,000+ miles of the countryside of Kent and East Susses.

The book is very sensibly broken down into four distinct chapters starting with Broadstairs to Canterbury, then Canterbury to Bethersden, Bethersden to Bexhill and the final leg of the journey, the walk from Bexhill to Lewes.

It's much more than a "mere" walking book. It's a travelogue, yes, but it also contains some of his original poetry pieces that are all inspired by particular aspects and features of his walking travels.

There are also highly detailed and well coloured walking maps (a curious omission in some walking guides, it has to be acknowledged) and there are some nice photographs taken by the author.

There's also a fund of interesting anecdotes and tales that he collected on his travels.

This well-researched and well-written book will be a welcome addition in the knapsack of anyone who is interested in walking and it will make an excellent Christmas gift for the walker in your life.

It is published by The Book Guild at £14.95.

Magnus and the Jewelled Book of the Universe

In Magnus and the Jewelled Book of the Universe, a book by S. L. Browne, readers will meet Magnus.

The planet Earth is overheated and dying. He is taken from the Earth by Marlo, who is his mentor.

But! Magnus discovers that all was not quite as he had thought.

For Magnus is not a human from the planet Earth. In reality he is a member of a race called the Guardians of the Universe who are not only from a different planet, they are actually from a different dimension.

Wizardly Marlo is being hard on himself as he feels somewhat responsible for the fact that Murdamond was able to destroy the Earth, because Murdamond cannot resist taking anything that looks beautiful and shiny.

When they arrive at the village of Deruweld, Magnus finds that humans haven't evolved just yet and that dinosaurs are still roaming round the countryside.

To make matters more complicated Murdamond has already arrived and he has captured Magnus' parents and is holding them imprisoned in the dungeon of his new castle.

Magnus realises that he must use all of his powers and wisdom to defeat Murdamond. With the help of Marlo, some friendly dinosaurs and the Jewelled Book of the Universe. Even though it thought it might be helpful if it decided to change itself into the shape of a girl.

This is the first book in a trilogy about Magnus and his friends and will make a great Christmas present for children aged 7 to 9.

It is published by Matador at £6.99.

Surrogacy: Our Family's Journey

Surrogacy: Our Family's Journey is a very moving and very personal account of one family's story regarding surrogacy.

It starts with the initial thoughts about the possibilities of surrogacy and then proceeds through the decision to employ a surrogate to help create a family.

This is the story of James Phillips, from a single man, then as part of a same-sex couple and then onward to the story of how he met and fell in love with Krzysztof part way through the process and how they work together to create a family with the help pf a surrogate in Bangkok, and how they manage to deal with international red tape and navigate a variety of obstacles from the health of the surrogate to a bewildering array of rules and regulations.

And what happens when it is revealed there is not one baby on the way, but two, as they will be having twins!

This is an interesting at heartwarming book which will be of use to anyone who is interested in the field of surrogacy.

It is published by Matador at £11.99.

What's Left Unsaid

What's Left Unsaid is a fascinating novel from Deborah Stone.

Throughout the novel Deborah takes her readers on a journey through the lives of a range of highly interesting people who are all, in one way or another, deeply damaged or disturbed in one way or another.

There's Sasha who is doing her best to keep her life together. She is raising her teenage son Zac. Although she isn't a single parent, she might as well be, as her husband is absent.

Then there's the problems presented by her elderly mother who is not only temperamental, her alcoholism also compounds the problems she presents.

But why has Zac destroyed a pair of scissors as he attempted to break in to a valuable antique desk which he has caused terrible damage to?

What was he searching for? What dreadful secrets does he believe that his mother is keeping hidden from him?

And what about Sasha? Does she have a dark secret from her past that she needs to keep hidden?

Her mother, Annie, is beginning to have problems with the past and the present, as they seem to coalesce together. What is true? What is untrue? Annie doesn't seem to know, any more.

She is certain of one thing. That Joe, her late husband, is waiting for her and watching over her. But is he? And what of a dreadful secret that she kept from Joe? How can she go to him with that on her conscience?

It's an interesting novel that takes the reader through the history of Sasha's family over several decades.

Old traumas are revealed and relived and once hidden secrets are brought to the surface, again.

It's published by Matador at £9.99.

That's Christmas: An ideal gift for the book reading women in your l...

That's Christmas: An ideal gift for the book reading women in your l...: It’s Christmas and you’re looking for the ideal gift for the women in your life. We have the solution to all of the women in your life! ...

Badger and Crab's Adventure

Badger and Crab's Adventure is a fantastic new children's book from Catherine Trimby.

It's aimed at children from ages 7 to 9 years old and it tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a badger and a crab and the amazing adventures that they enjoy together.

Badgers in the UK are under threat due to a campaign to cull them to stop bovine tuberculosis.

Badger finds himself a long way away from his normal night time feeding area. He is hungry and finds himself searching for food on a beach at high tide.

However, he hears someone calling for help. He doesn't want to abandon his search for food, he is very hungry, but he is a decent person and decides to halt his search for food to try to find the person who is crying out for help.

He finds a crab trapped under a rock and has a hard time in freeing him.

Crab later overhears a conversation between two moonfaces plotting an attack on a badger's sett that is not far away.

Crab realises that the badger who saved his life could be in danger, so Crab sets off to try to save his new friend.

Can he succeed?

This is a well written book that contains clear environmental messages in a fashion that is understandable by children.

It is well illustrated by Carol Davies and will make a super Christmas gift. It is published by Matador at £7.99.

The Snow Foresters

The Snow Foresters are a set of 20 new ghost stories from the pen of David Phelps, who is a traditional storyteller.

They are all set in the Welsh Marches and, although newly written, the stories are all based on ancient folk stories from the area.

There are the deathly cold Snow Foresters, a problem with some unwanted guests and what happened when the Goddess Sekhmet became involved in the life of a somewhat prideful Methodist minister.

There's the dreadful story of what happens when a body is not treated with respect, the luck (bad or good) that comes with the discovery of a lost golden sovereign, the correct method of dealing with ghosts.

Plus there is the tale of the sin-eater and the Cwn Annwn, the spectral hounds of Annwn and what happened to a boy named Posthumous when he meets them when he was stealing firewood from a Lord's own forest.

It is perfectly clear that David Phelps has a deep understanding and an even deeper love of the folk tales of the Welsh Marches and the peoples thereof.

Each story is perfectly illustrated with a well-chosen line drawing from Veronique Avon.

The book is published by Matador at £7.50.

It's an ideal Christmas present for lovers of traditional folktales.

You can learn more about David Phelps at www.davidphelpswrites.co.uk
and about Veronique Avon at www.atelierveronique.co.uk

Galleon

Galleon is a debut steampunk novel from Ruby Smith.

It takes place in Gallow which is in a word called Eera. The populous is facing a time of great change.

No more so than in the capital city of Cerrano. Cerrano is an amazing place, peopled largely by immigrants and inventors.

There are some people there who do not have any magical abilities and they are starting to wonder about their lowly status in society. They are beginning to question the fairness of their situation.

Ruby examines the situation by using the lens of three key protagonists, Lara Key who as a Greycoat cadet has been trained all of her life to be a perfect officer, but finds that, after all, perhaps that's not what she wants.

There's Watterson Teach, who is the joint leader of the highly influential Steam Syndicate who is the father to Evie a liberationist agitator. Teach finds himself facing difficulties after the death of his business partner.

There is Ridley Ripley who is a Shadow, a member of a very distinct and intriguing race of people from the far north of the planet.

It's a novel of soaring themes, of love, of hatred and of loss.

I believe Ruby Smith is a name we will be hearing more of in the future.

It's published by Matador at £7.99.
 

Human Resource Alignment

In his book Human Resource Alignment human resources guru Stephen M Flynn offers his readers a highly useful, practical advice on how to configure a more commercially viable HR strategy.

Nearly two decades ago when he was first appointed to work as an HR director, Stephen M Flynn was faced by a challenge. He had to devise a completely new Human Resources strategy for his employer which would work with and support the organisation's business plans.

All he needed to do, he thought, was to find the books that would help him by telling him what he needed to do. Unfortunately he discovered that, 18 years ago, there was no practical guidebooks on the market that would be able to help him.

But that was then, this is now. And now, based on Stephen's 18 years of hard-won personal and practical experience,  such a book now exists.

Stephen has noticed that many organisation's strategies are expressed solely in marketing or financial terms. In some cases, they don't even have a strategy. This means that there are problems with translating this into the plan of the HR department.

This books offers practical advice to HR practitioners and professionals to assist them in creating a HR plan that meshes in with the organisation's business strategy.

He offers several new concepts, including that of "organisational maturity" by which means the HR department and the organisation can translate the strategy of the business inot HR practice.

Readers will be shown how they can identify their organisation's current level of maturity from the pattern of work practices that are evident in their own organisation.

Readers are then guided in various techniques of  how to choose suitable PR practices that align with what Stephen describes as: "the organisation's maturity level."

At the end of the book readers will learn how to structure their HR department in such a way as they will be able to deliver the newly-minted HR plan/

This is a highly practical HR guide book by a 36 year veteran in the field, the last two decades at Senior HR Director level.

The book is published by Matador at £14.99.