Author:Christian Donlan
'Remarkable and revelatory, a dazzling achievement. Quietly electrifying' Sunday Times
On the day his daughter takes her first steps Christian Donlan discovers he has an incurable neurological disease, multiple sclerosis. As his young daughter starts to investigate the world around her, he too finds himself exploring a new landscape - the shifting and bewildering territory of the brain.
Determined to master his new environment, Christian takes us on a fascinating and illuminating journey: through the history of neurology, the joys and anxieties of parenthood, and the ultimate realisation of what, after everything you take for granted has been stripped away from you, is truly important in life.
'This is not a tale of tragedy but one of re-engaging with the world - or realising what's truly important' Stylist
'An amazing and wonderful piece of writing. I could not put it down' Claire Tomalin
'Frank, thought-provoking and uplifting. Will resonate with other people with MS, and also, so importantly, with their family and friends... an invaluable resource' The Times Literary Supplement
An amazing and wonderful piece of writing. I could not put it down
—— Claire TomalinA wonderful, moving, powerful and immersive book which will help anyone who has or knows someone with MS. Christian Donlan's takes us inside his mind and his beautiful relationship with his daughter, helping us to look at our own relationships from a fresh perspective.
—— Julia SamuelAn unprecedented first-hand account of the effects of brain disease, and what it is like to have your thoughts shift from under you. Donlan brings us a poetic, compelling and wonderful book. Simply enchanting.
—— Daniel LevitinChristian Donlan tells a riveting adventure story as he explores the mysterious paths that connect the body and the brain-and the scary and joyous land of fatherhood. He writes with vivid candour and startling humour about topics that range from the history of neurology to the maddening grey zone between illness and diagnosis. At its heart, this is a book of awe - at how the body works and doesn't, how it grows and fails, and how even the most unwelcome events can sometimes help us break free from old ways of thinking to powerful new ones.
—— Will Schwalbe, New York Times bestselling author of The End of Your Life Book Club and Books for Living.Thoughtful and quietly moving
—— Daily TelegraphThis is not a tale of tragedy but one of re-engaging with the world - or realising what's truly important
—— StylistBeautiful and delicately written with the power to shift your world view
—— Emerald StreetRemarkable and revelatory, this is a dazzling achievement
—— The Sunday TimesThis is an inspiring tale of a man trying to wrestle an incurable disease into a kind of submission, using intellect and love and logic... [A] marvellous book
—— Daily MailA poignant account of living with MS... with a total lack of self pity and much gentle humour, Donlan explores the nooks and crannies of his behaviour.
—— The Times[An] excellent memoir... he describes the brain in vivid, poetic detail
—— Financial TimesA moving, gracefully written story
—— Publishers WeeklyIn this poignant book, Donlan finds in curiosity, writing, and family the surest salves for the terror of chronic illness and mortality
—— Kirkus ReviewsReally beautifully done; reminds me of When Breath Becomes Air. I love it
—— ReadItForwardPerhaps never before has the full palette of the inner ebb and flow of MS been so frankly exposed... Will resonate with other people with MS, and also, so importantly, with their family and friends... an invaluable resource
—— Times Literary SupplementHe recounts experiences in a gripping memoir that melds the personal and professional
—— The PeopleMust Read
—— Daily MailA brilliantly written and compelling account of a medical detective who has worked on many appalling crimes and human tragedies
—— Woman's WeeklyMust read
—— Daily MailNicholas Crane, current president of the Royal Geographical Society, has described Palin, one of his predecessors, as “the world’s most appealing practitioner of geographical curiosity”, and it’s that curiosity which drives his stirring new book . . . His account is written in crisp, unshowy prose.
—— Four star review , Daily TelegraphA great story . . . Told in a very relaxed and sometimes – as you might expect – very funny Palin style.
—— David Baddiel , Daily MailPalin has seized [the story] with relish: the distinctive dry humour familiar to his television audiences finds plenty of opportunities to emerge, and his easy assurance as a writer . . . keeps the pace sprightly.
—— Times Literary SupplementFascinating. Exciting. Authoritative.
—— All About HistoryA delightfully granular description of ship-board life, all told in a brisk, breezy style . . . A very readable and fascinating tale from the early years of polar exploration.
—— Book of the Month , GeographicalA great read . . . You feel you’re sitting in the pub with Michael Palin himself as he regales you with tales of the mighty seas.
—— The People’s FriendThe nicest Python with yet another deeply fascinating project
—— Northern SoulEveryone’s favourite Python tells the story of Erebus in his cheery prose style
—— Daily MirrorPalin, a skilled writer, makes extensive use of diaries, letters and other sources to anchor his story in clear detail in this highly recommended read.
—— Irish TimesPalin’s personality – that of a rather beloved Uncle who knows something about everything – can’t help shining through, but he never lets it over-shadow the weaving of this, the very definition of a ripping yarn.
—— Hot PressThese gloomy winter days have put me in the perfect mood for grim tales of desperate men in the frozen north, a craving satisfied in spades by Michael Palin's excellent Erebus . . . The book is a serious bit of history by Palin, backed up by proper research and genuine insight . . . a lovely piece of publishing by Hutchinson.
—— BookBrunchOne of my favourite reads/listens recently was Michael Palin's excellent Erebus. Highly recommended.
—— Denzil Meyrick , The HeraldA true tale that brings the main characters and events to life with wit, empathy and clarity . . . A beautifully written and researched book from a natural storyteller. I expected something fantastic and I got it.
—— Jim McKeller , Sorted MagazineProbably the most enjoyable non-fiction book I have ever read.
—— Radio TimesTrigger warning: when scientists conclude that yesterday's worst-case scenario for global warming is probably unwarranted optimism, it's time to ask Scotty to beam you up. At least that was my reaction upon finishing Wallace-Wells' brilliant and unsparing analysis of a nightmare that is no longer a distant future but our chaotic, burning present.
—— Mike DavisA lucid and thorough description of our unprecedented crisis, and of the mechanisms of denial with which we seek to avoid its fullest recognition.
—— William GibsonPinker is right ... Much good news today tends to be underreported, even unreported. Human beings today lead longer, safer, healthier, wealthier and indeed happier lives than at any point in recorded history ... Pinker surveys the stupendous advancements that the human race has made in modern times according to a dizzying range of metrics
—— NationAn engaging, compelling set of reasons to be cheerful ... it is a welcome antidote
—— NatureThe world is better than ever before. And Steven Pinker can prove it.
—— VoxA substantial and wide-ranging book on the state of our world today ... In forensic detail, Pinker enumerates the myriad ways in which life is getting better ... The book is packed with statistics vaunting the gifts of progress
—— Irish TimesAfter devouring all 453 pages and 75 graphs of psychologist Steven Pinker's Enlightenment Now, I admit defeat. The defeat of defeatism. This man has done the math. Since the 18th century things have been getting better in pretty much every dimension of human wellbeing.
—— Big ThinkSteven Pinker has a cure for your despair ... life is better than it has ever been. Pinker's case is compelling
—— ProspectUseful and exciting ... Pinker doesn't declaim, he demonstrates - with dozens of graphs and charts - that humankind has spent two centuries winning the battle against entropy in all fields: from health to peace, the environment to democracy, wealth to happiness, to equality between men and women. He asks us crucial questions ... Steven Pinker is right
—— El Mundo (Spain)Enlightenment Now seeks to undo, with facts and figures, the pessimism that has paralysed the world ... We must read this book and absorb its message
—— El Pais (Colombia)Guys, it's really not that bad. In fact, it's the best it's ever been ... Pinker urges people to look at the bigger picture and dive into the data
—— New York PostThings are not as bad as your Facebook news feed makes them seem ... a cheerful, contrarian tract for dark times
—— Niall Ferguson , Boston GlobeCompelling ... At a moment when liberal Enlightenment values are under attack, from the right and the left, this is a very important contribution ... An impressive and useful accomplishment
—— AtlanticWhat makes Invisible Women so compelling is the mountain of data she draws on… a brilliant exposé
—— Ian Sample , Guardian, *Books of the Year*Every man should read this book… [Invisible Women] chats, in page after steely, meticulous page, precisely how the world…is designed around men, and how this puts women at an impossible disadvantage
—— James McConnachie , Sunday Times, *Books of the Year*Funny, exasperating and anger-inducing, there is something for everyone
—— Eleanor Parsons , New ScientistThe essential book of the year, mayhap the decade
—— Marina Vaizey , Tablet, *Books of the Year*A staggering expose of design prejudice and an impassioned call to action
—— ListPerez takes the truism that ours is a world designed for men and backs it with evidence. Impressively collating vast amounts of research
—— Prospect, *Books of the Year*A must-read for men and women alike
—— Hannah Beckerman , Sunday ExpressThis calm, dispassionate, hilarious, entertaining, maddening, infuriating narrative is a highly readable manifesto for real change
—— Marina Vaizey , The Arts Desk, *Books of the Year*This well-researched book turns everything we accept as normal on its head…[Invisible Women] succeeds in making a powerful case for change in a non-preachy, educative style… It is not entertainment; it is a thesis – and a powerful one at that
—— Alison Herbert and Dr Phyl Hughes , Law Society GazetteThis incredibly well-researched and engaging book highlights how the lack of gender-focused data results in the needs of more than half of the population being ignored. The numerous examples cited by Criado-Perez – ranging from infrastructure to healthcare – are shocking and sobering… Invisible Women offers valuable insight into the transformative power of diversity and equality to drive better economic outcomes
—— Christie Guimond , BriefingSuch an insightful book and a good read for everyone
—— Julie Stewart , Business TimesIncredibly topical and relevant in a rapidly changing world, Criado Perez’s multi-award-winning exposé on data bias has seen her become an authority on modern day inequalities
—— CapacityInvisible Women...is already a classic, but I can't recommend it enough
—— Sarah Pedersen , Times Higher EducationA powerful, insightful book
—— Tim Harford , WeekCompelling... revelatory... Criado Perez provides bountiful evidence of her thesis
—— Mariel McKone Leonard , London School of EconomicsA huge eye-opener
—— Jojo de Noronha , GrocerA witty, furious page-turner
—— Emma Donoghue , WeekInvisible Women is highly recommended to both men and women as an incredibly readable piece of journalism... Many of you will also find you cannot put down this passionate and informative book until you've finished it... illuminating and engaging
—— Platinum Business MagazineCompelling
—— Dr Mariel McKone Leonard , London School of EconomicsFilled with hair raising facts and figures, [Invisible Women] investigates the jarring matter of discrepancy and representation in our modern world... make no mistake, once you begin reading, it's hard to stop
—— Reilly Dufresne , Glasgow Guardian, *Christmas Gift Guide 2020*A deeply important and useful book... Fast, funny, angry and vital... A proper game-changer.
—— Caitlin Moran , Foyles, *Author Picks for Christmas*Criado Perez keeps the gobsmacking revelations flowing in a conversational manner, making the reader feel like she’s having lunch with a funny, knowledgeable and passionate friend
—— Science News