MP541 Week 3

'One of the most incredible and moving books that we've read, ever.' The High Performance Podcast 

 Sitting in the prison classroom each morning, reading the pages in my book, listening to the teacher, I could feel myself slowing down. I had achieved greatness. I had won three Wimbledon titles, two Aussie Opens, the US Open, two Davis Cups, an Olympic gold medal.

But where was I now?

Either I was some strange exception, a great man surrounded by lesser men, or I was not an exception at all. I fitted right in. And if I did, why was that?

Wimbledon champion at 17, six-time Grand Slam winner and former world number one – Boris Becker achieved unparalleled success, fame and wealth throughout his tennis career. But in April 2022, everything changed when he was sentenced to 30 months in prison over bankruptcy charges.

Inside offers a raw and unflinching account of Becker’s life behind bars, detailing the brutal realities of surviving two of the UK’s toughest prisons and the unexpected lessons in resilience that kept him going. Stripped of fame and fortune, Becker faced an entirely new world as inmate A2923EV, where nothing came easy.

More than a story of survival, Inside is about profound transformation. With brutal honesty, Becker reflects on the choices that led him to prison, confronting his mistakes and the price of fame. Through new relationships, hard-learned survival skills and the philosophy of Stoicism, he embarks on the difficult journey of rebuilding his life and shattered reputation.

This is the story of a legend who lost it all – how he survived, started again and found light in life’s darkest moments.

'It's a memoir, it's a thriller, it's a confessional, it's therapy. This book is unbelievable, [and] beautifully written. It couldn't be a crazier story…it's so gripping, I could not put it down.' Chris Evans

Inside: Winning. Losing. Starting again., By Boris Becker, Read by Boris Becker

'Chilling, atmospheric' Sunday Times

'Vivid and haunting' Emilia Hart

'Blisteringly brilliant' Anna Mazzola

Will she be damned by flame… or cursed by magic? 

 Innsbruck 1485

Helena should be doing what every other wealthy young wife is doing: keeping her husband’s house, bearing his children. But when their footman is found dead, Helena is accused of killing him. Worse, she is accused of being a witch.

Imprisoned with six other women, Helena is plunged into a world of terror. When a cursed witch totem is smuggled into the prison, the prisoners attempt to use it to escape only to unleash a malevolent spirit which places all their lives in danger.

Does Helena risk her life and the lives of others by standing up to the terrifying witchfinder and risk death at the stake if found guilty? Or is the real threat the world beyond this one…?

__________________________________

Readers LOVE The Last Witch:

"A phenomenal read” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"A magical blend of horror, psychological thriller and historical fiction” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Another spellbinding masterpiece from C.J. Cooke, it is as haunting as it is heartbreakingly beautiful” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"I must be in my witch phase, and this author has me hooked” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Another cracker by C.J. Cooke. I loved this one from beginning to end, rarely putting it down” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Last Witch, By C.J. Cooke, Read by Olivia Vinall

Peter Kay returns with his most entertaining autobiography yet!

The Collector’s Edition: The first hardback print run will feature an exclusive foiled board design. Order now to avoid missing out! 

 ‘Think of this autobiography as a twelve-month subscription to my memories and meanderings across the calendar year. With each month reflecting a different phase of my life, complete with dodgy decisions, bizarre plot twists and more than a few laugh-out-loud moments.’ 

Peter Kay is back – and funnier than ever – with his most heartfelt and hilarious autobiography yet. Take a whistlestop journey through his life, in a year. From hitting the gym in January, falling in love in February and a nostalgic trip to Ireland at Easter, to buying his first house in May. Then it’s summer holidays at Butlins, a September wedding and, before you know it, he’s packing away the Halloween decorations and sipping a glass of Bailey’s in front of the Christmas telly.

With his trademark warmth and wit, Peter offers a unique take on the calendar year – in a way only he can – cementing his place as one of Britain’s best-loved comedians and a true national treasure.

Peter Kay’s Diary: The Monthly Memoir of a Boy from Bolton, By Peter Kay, Read by Peter Kay

The gripping new novel from internationally bestselling master of historical fiction Bernard Cornwell. 

 ‘There is everything here that Sharpe fans will love. If this really is the last time Sharpe wields his heavy cavalry sword, he will be sorely missed’ The Times

If any man can do the impossible it’s Richard Sharpe …

The year is 1813. France is a battlefield, and winter shows no mercy. Amidst brutal conditions, Major Richard Sharpe finds himself saddled with an unexpected burden: Rear-Admiral Sir Joel Chase, dispatched by the Admiralty with sealed orders, unshakable confidence, and a frankly terrifying enthusiasm for combat.

Sharpe’s mission from Wellington is clear, yet anything but simple: keep Sir Joel alive.

Sir Joel could hold the key to defeating Napoleon once and for all. But to pull off his audacious plan, he needs someone who knows how to fight dirty, think fast, and survive the impossible.

He needs Sharpe …

_____________________________

Real readers love the Sharpe series:

'Non-stop action from cover to cover' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Cornwell is a master … and heroic Sharpe doesn't disappoint' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Bernard is a great story teller and historian' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'This is first class story-telling' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Engrossing, fast paced. And with a hero like no other' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sharpe’s Storm, By Bernard Cornwell, Read by Rupert Farley

“A great leap forward in understanding and contextualizing Mary’s life, after two millennia of her being dismissed and rewritten by patriarchal power structures.” James Cameron 

 “Tabor restores her voice, her faith, her motherhood, and, most of all, her humanity, in this groundbreaking portrait that challenges everything we thought we knew about the origins of Christianity.” – Reza Aslan

A world-renowned historian of early Christianity and ancient Judaism lifts the veil on the life of Mary – revealing her revolutionary role as the matriarch of the Jesus movement.

Mary, mother of Jesus, is the best known – and least known – woman in history. Revered and worshipped by millions, she remains a figment of the imagination, the ethereal subject of Raphaels and Botticellis, bathed in heavenly light, too virginal and too pure to move among us.

But what about the real Mary?

In The Lost Mary, James D. Tabor corrects the record, laying out the results of his intensive textual and archaeological sleuthing over the past three decades, including new evidence regarding Mary’s genealogy (which may be hiding in plain sight in the New Testament!). Tabor’s quest for the historical Mary offers a transformative perspective on Jesus and his early followers, and recovers the nature and essence of earliest Christianity.

“In recovering her story, we discover not only the hidden roots of Christianity but also a model of resilience that speaks across time. Mary, Tabor shows, reminds us that behind every movement are women whose voices have been silenced, whose influence has been hidden in plain sight.” – Candida Moss, National Geographic

"The Lost Mary effects an imaginative repatriation of this ancient and elusive figure, vividly conjuring both her character and the times that she lived in. Tabor’s Mary is ‘lost’ no more.” – Paula Fredriksen, author of When Christians Were Jews: The First Generation

The Lost Mary: Rediscovering the Mother of Jesus, By James D. Tabor, Read by James D. Tabor

Is a fake boyfriend really just for Christmas? 

 One fake romance. One magical Christmas. One chance to fall in love. 

Laura was all set for a quiet solo Christmas – just her, a bottle of wine, and flat-sitting for a stranger. But when the stranger’s parents mistake her for his mystery girlfriend, she’s swept off to the snowy Scottish Highlands with Callum and his whole family.

Between the cosy sleeper train, charming pubs and breathtaking views, this could be the no-strings-attached Christmas of Laura’s dreams.

But stranger Callum is hot, hilarious and their ‘fake’ chemistry is off the charts.

So is this just a Christmas fling? Or the start of something more?

'Pure holiday magic, it's not Christmas without Kelk' Julie Soto

'A absolute knockout, full of belly laughs and sizzling chemistry. CHRISTMAS FLING is insanely addictive and delivers on every level – her best yet!' Rosie Walsh

'When it comes to fabulously funny romcoms, Lindsey Kelk is the gift that keeps on giving! A festive treat of a book, I loved it!' Alexandra Potter

'The perfect book this holiday season' Kate Goldbeck

'Her absolute best – rip roaringly funny, taking us on an adventure with a bonus dose of holiday magic' Ali Rosen

'Hilarious, heart-warming and addictive' Woman & Home

'Funny and heart-warming' Woman's Weekly

'Lindsey Kelk weaves a festive romcom that's both heartwarming and hilarious' Woman's Own

Christmas Fling, By Lindsey Kelk, Read by Heather Long

A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

A Waterstones Best Nature & Travel Writing Book 2025

'Educational, smart and funny’ Richard Osman

‘This book is superb’ Charlie Brooker

‘Brilliant. Fascinating. Hilarious.’ Jonn Elledge, bestselling author of A History of the World in 47 Borders 

 The debut book from the YouTube sensation and all-round cartographical nerds, The Map Men!

Hello, we're the Map Men, and in the following pages we've selected what we believe to be some of the very best wrong maps. Some of them are decades old, some are centuries old and some are so recent they're being published today (or yesterday, if you’re reading this tomorrow).

They include world maps, colonial maps, corporate maps, Soviet maps, pioneer maps, news maps and maps whose intended use was hijacked for a French surrealist political movement in the 1950s. Whether you’re an avid map junkie or simply ‘map-curious’, you will uncover a unique tale of adventure, error and unexpected humour in each chapter, as we attempt to answer the question: ‘What on earth happened here?’

So, ditch the compass (or disable location services) and set out on a journey with us, the Map Men, into a world of cartographic chaos and mappy mishaps.

Because the worst maps are the best maps.

This Way Up: When Maps Go Wrong (and Why it Matters), By Map Men, Read by Map Men

HERCULES IS BACK. AND YOU'RE BOUND TO LOVE HER.
In this hotly anticipated follow-up to Jasmine Mas’s BLOOD OF HERCULES, the stakes are higher and the villains darker than ever… 

 Every hero has their monsters.

And Alexis is bound to hers: tied eternally, irrevocably to the Underworld’s dark heirs in a marriage that has shaken the foundations of Olympus – and everything Alexis once believed. Reeling, she enlists in the Assembly of Death with her mentors, set on wrecking vengeance on her husbands and uncovering the truth behind her deadly powers.

She will soon teach them all that a god can’t be manacled. And a monster can’t be caged…

Bonds of Hercules, By Jasmine Mas, Read by Teddy Hamilton, JT Londale, Tristan Morris, Allie Shae, Aiden Snow and Meg Sylvan

From the author of the word-of-mouth sensation The Book of Beginnings, comes an uplifting, festive short story that will melt your heart this winter.

A single Christmas can change everything… 

 This Christmas, Malcolm is determined to give his dearest friend Rev Ruth the perfect festive lunch – a heartfelt thank-you for her boundless generosity.

But when Ruth’s kind spirit turns their quiet meal into a community feast, Malcolm’s dreams – and nerves – begin to unravel.

As snow begins to fall, tensions rise with the arrival of more unexpected guests…

But new beginnings often come wrapped in chaos. If Malcolm can find the courage to open his heart, he might find the most magical Christmas gift of all…

Readers LOVE New Beginnings for Christmas!
‘An absolutely perfect Christmas cracker! A gentle tale that brings out the sparkly, magic and joy of Christmas and spending it with the ones you love’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Brought tears to my eyes… can’t wait to read more by Sally Page’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A beautiful Christmas story. It is brilliant read. Just read it’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is wonderful! Festive, funny, touching and warm’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This book is a balm for your soul, and it’s made me feel all Christmassy’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Beautifully and very cleverly written. It's definitely one that will put you in the mood to celebrate Christmas’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

MP541 Week 3

DrKassel

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