Massive congratulations to our alumni authors who have had their books published.
Take a look at the latest books available from our alumni authors:
Vassos Alexander (Russian, 1996) has published Swimmingly: Adventures in Water.
Sports and Virgin Radio Breakfast Show presenter Vassos Alexander found solace and distraction swimming in the Thames during a difficult summer, and was bitten by the bug. Now he can’t pass a body of water without wanting to jump in. Told through the story of training for a solo Channel swim, Swimmingly takes you on a journey across the world from Bournemouth Beach to San Francisco Bay. Vassos discovers that outdoor swimming is not about being the fastest or the best, it’s about finding that little bit of magic in every stroke.
This book is available to be purchased online.
Richard McColl (Spanish & French, 2000) has published The Mompos Project: A Tale of Love, Hotels and Madness in Colombia.
When British foreign correspondent Richard McColl purchased, on a whim, a ruined colonial building in the rural Colombian town of Mompós, he imagined a lifestyle of relaxation, with idle afternoons reading the works of Gabriel García Márquez, writing glib observations and enjoying the hypnotic momentum of a Caribbean tropical narrative, swaying in a hammock and the promise of an ice cold beer never far away. He was mistaken.
This book is available to be purchased online.
Dr Patrick Dillon (PhD Economic History, 1991, now Emeritus Professor in the School of Education) has published Cultural Ecologies of the Land. A Restless Dynamic of People and Place.
Cultural Ecologies of the Land is a radical and challenging reassessment of the way we relate to the land and to infrastructure. There was a time when the land defined us. Now, with each passing year, we are increasingly detached from it. It was once the centre stage of humanity; now it is the setting for a technological drama. What has happened, and why does it matter?
This book is available to be purchased online.
Adam Hart (History & International Relations, 2021) has published Operation Pimento: My Great Grandfather’s Great Escape.
On 14 August 1943, Adam Hart’s great-grandfather Frank Griffiths took off from RAF Tempsford, the SOE ‘Special Duties’ airbase in rural England. Frank and his crew were on a secret midnight mission codenamed Operation Pimento, but they were shot down near Annecy in southeast France. Only Frank survived. Though seriously injured, Frank felt it was his duty to get back to England to continue the fight against the Nazis. He embarked on a perilous, 1,200-mile, 108-day escape across Europe, via the attic of a brothel, a Frenchwoman’s chimney and a Spanish prison cell.
Seventy-nine years later, Frank’s 22-year-old great-grandson Adam Hart retraced the epic escape through France, Switzerland and Spain. His emotional encounters with descendants of people who’d risked their lives to help his great-grandfather reveal the enduring legacy of Operation Pimento and how we should never forget their sacrifice. Operation Pimento is not only a riveting true story, but also a vivid account of one young man’s journey to discover more about a man he’d never met, but always knew to be a hero.
We caught up with Adam to hear more about this remarkable story here.
This book is available to be purchased online.
Anne Cadwallader (English, 1978), has published Lethal Allies: British Collusion in Ireland.
Farmers, shopkeepers, publicans and businessmen were slaughtered in a bloody decade of bombings and shootings in the counties of Tyrone and Armagh in the 1970s. Four families each lost three relatives; in other cases, children were left orphaned after both parents were murdered. For years, there were claims that loyalists were helped and guided by the RUC and Ulster Defence Regiment members. But, until now, there was no proof.
Drawing on 15 years of research, and using forensic and ballistic information never before published, this book includes official documents showing that the highest in the land knew of the collusion and names those whose fingers were on the trigger and who detonated the bombs. It draws on previously unpublished reports written by the PSNI’s own Historical Enquiries Team. It also includes heartbreaking interviews with the bereaved families whose lives were shattered by this cold and calculated campaign.
This book is available to be purchased online.
Felix Knight (Theology, 1977) has published Power of the Pyramid.
These ancient structures have withstood the test of time. Magnificent and mystifying together, they have been shown to hold powers that are not fully understood. Scientists, archaeologists and fans of esoterics have studied them for centuries. In this work, Felix Knight, has brought together not only the results of others’ work, but also his own experiments and experiences which he hopes will encourage you, the inquisitive reader, to delve further into this fascinating world.
This book is available to be purchased online.
Sue Heaser (Geography, 1974) has published 18 major craft books since 1995. This summer, she will be publishing a further book, which is the result of seven years of research on Anglo-Saxon beads. She published her bestseller, The Polymer Clay Techniques Book, in 1999.
Discover the wealth of creative possibilities that versatile and colourful polymer clay has to offer. Here are all the techniques you need to create oven-clay projects: buttons, beads, jewellery, figurines, boxes, mosaics, and frames. The book begins with some basic techniques to get you started, including rolling, baking, and gluing. It then moves on to marbling effects, simulating textiles, making frames, building miniature pots, and creating faux stones. Inspirational examples of work from some of the best polymer clay artists in the world will fire your imagination and provide ideas for developing your own designs.
This book is available to be purchased online.
Mohammed Abdullah Alzahrani (MSc in Educational Research, 2017 and PhD in Education, 2023) has recently published two books in Arabic: Writing Literature Reviews: Process and Procedures and Mixed Methods Research in Social and Educational Fields.
These books provide structured guidance for researchers, particularly those working in social and educational fields, to navigate literature reviews and mixed methods research effectively.
Both books are available to be purchased online: Writing Literature Reviews; Mixed Methods Research in Social and Educational Fields.