Barbarians At The Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco

The battle for the control of RJR Nabisco in the Autumn of 1988 which became the largest and most dramatic corporate takeover in American history sent shock-waves through the international business world and became a symbol of the greed excess and egotism of the eighties. Barbarians at the Gate recounts this two-month battle with breathtaking pace and flair and transports back to the Wall Street empire before it crumbled through the boardroom doors into the midnight meetings the betrayals the deal makers and publicity flaks into a world where - as Nabisco CEO Ross Johnson put it - 'a few million dollars are lost in the sands of time'. Twenty years on the world is once again recovering from a period of financial extravagance and irresponsibility. This revised edition brings the ultimate business thriller up to date for a new generation of readers.

 

Kafka on the Shore: Haruki Murakami (Vintage Magic)

Kafka on the Shore follows the fortunes of two remarkable characters. Kafka Tamura runs away from home at fifteen under the shadow of his father's dark prophesy. The aging Nakata tracker of lost cats who never recovered from a bizarre childhood affliction finds his pleasantly simplified life suddenly turned upside down. Their parallel odysseys are enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerising dramas. Cats converse with people; fish tumble from the sky; a ghostlike pimp deploys a Hegel-spouting girl of the night; a forest harbours soldiers apparently un-aged since WWII. There is a savage killing but the identity of both victim and killer is a riddle. Murakami's new novel is at once a classic tale of quest but it is also a bold exploration of mythic and contemporary taboos of patricide of mother-love of sister-love. Above all it is an entertainment of a very high order.

 

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

**THE MULTI-MILLION COPY BESTSELLER**Discover the book that inspired Gareth Southgate's leadership style. 'Interesting and provocative... It gives you a sense of how briefly we've been on this Earth' Barack Obama What makes us brilliant? What makes us deadly? What makes us Sapiens? Yuval Noah Harari challenges everything we know about being human in the perfect read for these unprecedented times. Earth is 4.5 billion years old. In just a fraction of that time one species among countless others has conquered it: us. In this bold and provocative book Yuval Noah Harari explores who we are how we got here and where we're going. ________________ PRAISE FOR SAPIENS: 'Jaw-dropping from the first word to the last... It may be the best book I've ever read' Chris Evans 'Sweeps the cobwebs out of your brain... Radiates power and clarity' Sunday Times 'It altered how I view our species and our world' Guardian 'Startling... It changes the way you look at the world' Simon Mayo 'I would recommend Sapiens to anyone who's interested in the history and future of our species' Bill Gates **ONE OF THE GUARDIAN'S 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21st CENTURY**

 

Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst

**NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**Why do human beings behave as they do? 'Awe-inspiring You will learn more about human nature than in any other book I can think of' Henry Marsh bestselling author of Do No Harm We are capable of savage acts of violence but also spectacular feats of kindness: is one side of our nature destined to win out over the other? Every act of human behaviour has multiple layers of causation spiralling back seconds minutes hours days months years even centuries right back to the dawn of time and the origins of our species. In the epic sweep of history how does our biology affect the arc of war and peace justice and persecution? How have our brains evolved alongside our cultures? This is the exhilarating story of human morality and the science underpinning the biggest question of all: what makes us human?'One of the best scientist-writers of our time' Oliver Sacks

 

Working Effectively with Legacy Code (Robert C. Martin)

In this book Michael Feathers offers start-to-finish strategies for working more effectively with large untested legacy code bases. This book draws on material Michael created for his own renowned Object Mentor seminars: techniques Michael has used in mentoring to help hundreds of developers technical managers and testers bring their legacy systems under control.This book also includes a catalog of twenty-four dependency-breaking techniques that help you work with program elements in isolation and make safer changes.

 

The C Programming Language. (Prentice Hall Software)

Introduces the features of the C programming language discusses data types variables operators control flow functions pointers arrays and structures and looks at the UNIX system interface

 

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values

An odyssey into life's challenging philosophical questions during an unforgettable summer motorcycle trip Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance transformed a generation and continues to inspire millions.One of the most influential books written in the past half-century Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a powerful examination of how we live and a breathtaking meditation on how to live better. Following a father and his young son on a summer motorcycle trip across America's Northwest to complete the Chautauqua spiritual journey it is a story of love fear growth discovery and acceptance. Both personal and philosophical it is a compelling study of relationships values and eventually enlightenment and meaning resonant with the confusions and wonders of existence. Acclaimed as one of the most exciting books in the history of American letters this modern epic became an instant bestseller upon publication in 1974. The book is inspired originalthe analogies with Moby-Dick are patent New YorkerMr Pirsig has written a work of great perhaps urgent importance... Read this book Observer

 

My Policeman: Soon to be a film starring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin

An exquisitely told tragic tale of thwarted love My Policeman is soon to be adapted into film by Amazon Prime starring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin.It is in 1950s' Brighton that Marion first catches sight of Tom. He teaches her to swim in the shadow of the pier and Marion is smitten - determined her love will be enough for them both. A few years later in Brighton Museum Patrick meets Tom. Patrick is besotted with Tom and opens his eyes to a glamorous sophisticated new world. Tom is their policeman and in this age it is safer for him to marry Marion. The two lovers must share him until one of them breaks and three lives are destroyed.'A moving story of longing and frustration' Observer

 

Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2

PRINCE2 is an easy-to-use project management methodology that provides the essentials for managing any project in any industry. This complete guide is fully aligned with the PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner exams and acts as a day-to-day reference tool to manage and deliver projects successfully.

 

Persepolis I & II: The Story of a Childhood and The Story of a Return

CHOSEN BY EMMA WATSON FOR 'OUR SHARED SHELF' FEMINIST BOOK CLUBThe Story of a Childhood and The Story of a ReturnThe intelligent and outspoken child of radical Marxists and the great-grandaughter of Iran's last emperor Satrapi bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country. Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. This is a beautiful and intimate story full of tragedy and humour - raw honest and incredibly illuminating.