Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time: an international hero whose lifelong dedication to the fight against racial oppression in South Africa won him the Nobel Peace Prize and the presidency of his country. Since his triumphant release in 1990 from more than a quarter-century of imprisonment, Mandela has been at the center of the most compelling and inspiring political drama in the world. As president of the African National Congress and head of South Africa's antiapartheid movement, he was instrumental in moving the nation toward multiracial government and majority rule. He is revered everywhere as a vital force in the fight for human rights and racial equality. LONG WALK TO FREEDOM is his moving and exhilarating autobiography, destined to take its place among the finest memoirs of history's greatest figures. Here for the first time, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela tells the extraordinary story of his life--an epic of struggle, setback, renewed hope, and ultimate triumph. RIP Nelson Mandela 18 July 1918 - 5 December 2013 (aged 95)
Ten: A Lean and Sculptured Body in Ten Weeks – Vincent Ng
TEN is a comprehensive, easy-to-follow fitness plan that works. Tried and tested by former national athlete and MediaCorp artiste, Vincent Ng, TEN combines the principles of nutrition, weight and cardiovascular exercise into a training system developed to help you burn fat and build muscle in just ten weeks. With unique insights from his sporting and entertainment careers, Vincent shows you what works and what doesn't, while debunking the many fitness myths that may be stopping you from getting that lean, hard and chiselled body you deserve. Be inspired by Vincent's candid account of his ten weeks on the programme as he guides you on every step of your journey to fitness. Through TEN, Vincent shows us that with determination and the right techniques, it is easy to achieve results that you can flaunt.
Last Of The Few – Max Arthur
After the fall of France in May 1940, the British Expeditionary Force was miraculously evacuated from Dunkirk. Britain now stood alone to face Hitler’s inevitable invasion attempt. For the German army to land across the channel, Hitler needed mastery of the skies—the Royal Air Force would have to be broken. So every day throughout the summer, German bombers pounded the RAF air bases in the southern counties. Greatly outnumbered by the Luftwaffe, the pilots of RAF Fighter Command scrambled as many as five times a day, and civilians watched skies crisscrossed with the contrails from the constant dogfights between Spitfires and Me–109s. Britain’s very freedom depended on the outcome of that summer’s battle: Its air defenses were badly battered and nearly broken, but against all odds, "The Few," as they came to be known, bought Britain’s freedom–many with their lives. More than a fifth of the British and Allied pilots died during the Battle of Britain. These are the personal accounts of the pilots who fought and survived that battle. Their stories are as riveting, as vivid, and as poignant as they were seventy years ago. We will not see their like again.
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies – Jared Diamond
Life isn't fair--here's why: Since 1500, Europeans have, for better & worse, called the tune that the world has danced to. In Guns, Germs & Steel, Jared Diamond explains the reasons why things worked out that way. It's an elemental question. Diamond is certainly not the 1st to ask it. However, he performs a singular service by relying on scientific fact rather than specious theories of European genetic superiority. Diamond, a UCLA physiologist, suggests that the geography of Eurasia was best suited to farming, the domestication of animals & the free flow of information. The more populous cultures that developed as a result had more complex forms of government & communication, & increased resistance to disease. Finally, fragmented Europe harnessed the power of competitive innovation in ways that China didn't. (For example, the Europeans used the Chinese invention of gunpowder to create guns & subjugate the New World.) Diamond's book is complex & a bit overwhelming. But the thesis he methodically puts forth--examining the "positive feedback loop" of farming, then domestication, then population density, then innovation etc.--makes sense. Written without bias, Guns, Germs & Steel is good global history. BooksAvenue price: S$10 (50% Discount) With delivery charge of S$3.00 per title (or FREE local pickup at Yishun MRT), PLUS, Book wrap service available at S$2/- Free delivery for purchase over S$50 Don’t forget to ‘Like’ us on Facebook~! 🙂 Click here to order (Opens in a new window) ———————————————————-
The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama
In this nuanced and complex portrait of Barack Obama, Pulitzer Prize-winner David Remnick offers a thorough, intricate, and riveting account of the unique experiences that shaped our nation’s first African American president. Through extensive on-the-record interviews with friends and teachers, mentors and disparagers, family members and Obama himself, Remnick explores the elite institutions that first exposed Obama to social tensions, and the intellectual currents that contributed to his identity. Using America’s racial history as a backdrop for Obama’s own story, Remnick further reveals how an initially rootless and confused young man built on the experiences of an earlier generation of black leaders to become one of the central figures of our time. Masterfully written and eminently readable, The Bridge is destined to be a lasting and illuminating work for years to come, by a writer with an unparalleled gift for revealing the historical significance of our present moment.
Mao’s Last Dancer – Li Cun Xin
For everyone who has been fascinated by the grace of ballet dancers, here's a true story which details the sweat and tears which goes on before the big jumps and standing ovations. Li Cun Xin made it his life's dream to dream in the biggest stage ever, and as a result being deemed a traitor by his homeland. But with his hailing accomplishments in the world of ballet together with the revolution in China, his final dream to dance once more in his country will be fulfilled. A great read for the culture and live of a growing country.
Mao’s Last Dancer – Li Cun Xin
For everyone who has been fascinated by the grace of ballet dancers, here's a true story which details the sweat and tears which goes on before the big jumps and standing ovations. Li Cun Xin made it his life's dream to dream in the biggest stage ever, and as a result being deemed a traitor by his homeland. But with his hailing accomplishments in the world of ballet together with the revolution in China, his final dream to dance once more in his country will be fulfilled. A great read for the culture and live of a growing country.
The Last Season – Phil Jackson
It was never meant to be easy, meshing talents old and new on-the-fly into a championship ring. But damn, did they get close to their dreams. Phil Jackson provides an insight on the big personalities and egos which comes with the immense talents and personal sacrifices each player has to bring to the team, carrying them to a final showdown. It was the start to a beautiful, tragic ending.
Too Big To Fail: The Inside Story Of How Wall Street And Washington Fought To Save The Financial System And Themselves – Andrew Ross Sorkin
Sorkin writes about the months after the sale of the Bear Stearns brokerage firm, up through the collapse of Lehman Brothers...and, finally, to "the bailout," or what government officials prefer to call "TARP"—Troubled Asset Relief Program. It was a desperate time, one which turned conventional politics on its head. Both parties—voting against their deepest-held beliefs—nearly nationalized the banks (say Republicans) or subsidized the wealthy (say Democrats). What makes the story such fun—oh, yes, it's fun!—are portraits of outsized personalities—brilliant, driven men and women, who get where they've gotten by grueling work schedules, mentors, cut-throat infighting, alliances, and stunning betrayals. In the days leading up to the bailout, we're privy to blow-by-blow accounts of these titans as they clash, curse, plead on bended knee, and wretch over toilet bowls. Finally, reluctantly, politicians, government officials, and bankers forge an agreement. There are no particular villains but plenty of arrogance, blindness, and irresponsibility to go around. There are, however, heroes—Henry Paulson and his team at Treasury; Timothy Geitner, then head of NY-Federal Reserve; and Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve chairman. This is an ambitious undertaking for any book club. But if you're up to it, Too Big Too Fail is an extraordinary tale about how close, how very close, we came to a total global meltdown.
The Unauthorised Autobiography – Julian Assange
This autobiography begins with a note from the publisher, explaining that this work is too personal and have decided to withdraw co-operation. However, since legal settlements of the publication contract have been settled, the publisher decided to honour it. As such, this is the "unauthorised first draft... passionate, provocative and opinionated - like its author." Assange describled his childhood days, upbringing and changing environments, which led and molded to his current self. Being curious and hungry for knowledge, he taught himself computer programming, and eventually hacking. Artfully, he supplied childhood scenes to explain the adult outlaw. In the later part of the autobiography, he met other activists while " taking a walk" in some government servers. Towards the end, it gets personal, explaining how his rape allegations were motivated. Clearly, readers can feel his frustration and disappointments. Justified by his sense of justice and his view on authorities, he explained the purpose of leaking these cables. There is also an appendix consisting of the leaks, ranging from Iraq war dairies, to embassy cables, to Raja Petra Kamarudin statutory declaration on Altantuya Shaariibuu murder. The appendix also includes some tinyurl links to some of the above mentioned documents.
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