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Don't Tell Mummy: A True Story of the Ultimate Betrayal

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Biography
by: Toni Maguire

March 05, 2007
This book is beautifully written and I was desperate to read Toni's sequel as I needed to find out if she ever did manage to get answers from her mother or a resolution over her father's actions.

The book is damning indigtment of the Northern Irish Protestant family that ostracised her for "shaming" her father by reporting the abuse when he had made her pregnant.

A step above many of the Memoirs of misery that currently flood the market.

I hope this book enables others to face the fear and speak out for themselves, or helps others to not keep secrets when they KNOW other family members or friends are being abused.

I applaud Toni Maguire, she is an inspiration.

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Waterlog: A Swimmer's Journey Through Britain

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Biography
by: Roger Deakin

May 18, 2000
If you're the kind of person who sees water and immediately wants to go in, this is the book for you. It's practically a bible for the wild swimmer; full of marvellous places and written with such likable enthusiasm and fascinating detail that I really wished it were longer. Such a shame that he won't be writing any more.

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Muscle

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Biography
by: Carlton Leach

March 14, 2003
It took me a couple of days to read this book. It is a real eye opener into the underworld of gangsterism and mafia. At times the statements were a little scary but, I felt, truthful.
This book tells the story of Carlton Leach and his friendship with Nigel Benn and the Essex boys. There are stories of his life and how the underworld of drugs functions. His account of the murders and his days of the doorman and security at the famous Ministry of Sound is excellent.
I am now reading Bloggs 19. These books are recommended for anyone interested in gangland accounts. Highly recommended.

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Homage to Catalonia (Penguin Modern Classics)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Biography
by: George Orwell

June 05, 2003
Note how the great Orwell never says anything positive about those doing the bulk of the fighting against Franco - in fact, note how he barely mentions Franco and fascism at all! In the course of the events he descibes in this book, he spends most of his time doing nothing, like the rest of his Trotskyist and anarchist friends. Meanwhile, the Republicans, whom he slanders from afar, were fighting and dying in the front line against the Nazi and Italian forces who enabled Franco's victory. Note also how he never says a positive word about the Soviet Union, which was the only country to help the Republic, while the British and French governments helped Hitler and Mussolini to intervene.

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A Piece of Cake

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Biography
by: Cupcake Brown

October 02, 2006
You have to read this book, it will make you experience a rollercoaster of emotions you, will laugh, you will cry but hopefully by the end of it you will feel inspired. I couldn't believe that one person (Cupcake) could experience so much adversity and come out on the other side. This book was pleasure to read, I had read Ugly by Constance Briscoe prior to this and was left feeling let down by the basic text but WOW Cupcake came and restored my faith, it was a joy to read a book that was so well written. I am not going to give the plot away just read it, you won't regret it.

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Persepolis

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Biography
by: Marjane Satrapi

March 06, 2008
This is a very touching book, very illuminating and very inspiring. It humanises a people that, unfortunately, we often feel to be nothing more than crazy islamic fundamentals and murderers. This is obviously not the case and it is nice to read a book that gently explains this...though there are plenty examples of the horror one would expect from living under such a regime.

the only gripe i have with this book is it's format. They have published this as a book rather than a graphic novel. As such the art and the text are tiny, and it can be physically difficult to read and pick up on the subtlties of the (lovely) artwork contained within. They must have done this so that people can read this on trains or what have you and avoid the 'comic book' ... Read More:

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Every Second Counts

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Biography
by: Lance Armstrong

July 01, 2004
I had already read Lance's first book but after being diagnosed with cancer myself I decided to read this one too.

It is the quickest I have ever read a book in my life, I really couldn't put it down. Very easy to read and made me feel much better about by situation. Would highly recommend to anyone who wants a bit of a 'pick me up'!

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The Heart of the Dales

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Biography
by: Gervase Phinn

June 26, 2008
This is a very welcome return to the Yorkshire Dales and the people - both young and old - who inhabit them. This book is imbued with the love, laughter, hardship, tears and honesty that his previous books have been filled with.

"Mester Phinn" is a very good story-teller and has an easy style about his writing. The love he has for the people and places he writes about is thee for all to see. The characters and characterisations are as colourful and fulsome as in his previous outings.

This book is a wonderful way to spend a pleasant few hours after a hard day at work, or just a good book to become lost in at any time of the day.

The ending has the feeling of the last in the series, although there are one or two 'loose ends' that could ... Read More:

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Being Jordan

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Biography
by: Katie Price

July 01, 2005
This was the first book of katie's that i read and i really enjoyed it. She is very forward about everything she says and isn't afraid to speak what's on her mind! Thats what i love about it, it's just about her. It's a great read and i would recommend anyone to get it, it would be money well spent! :)

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Me Talk Pretty One Day

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Biography
by: David Sedaris

January 03, 2002
Me Talk Pretty One Day is the first Sedaris book I've read. It is a series of anecdotes and reminicences and, as such, the chapters are rather uneven. The best of them (towards the end of the book) are genuinely laugh-out-loud funny; when Seadris pulls it off he creates that magical mixture of insightfulness, charm, bitchiness and wit that makes you wish he were singing for his supper at one of your dinner parties.

Clear-eyed observation of both the eccentricities of family and friends, and the moments we all can relate to, however obliquely, is at the base of the best humour and Sedaris definitely has this.

Inevitably, he does not quite pull it off with all his stories, which can then seem slight, rather staged and a little mannered.

I've given ... Read More: