GROWING UP IN THE 1950S, 60s and 70s in that enigmatic, wondrous hive of industrial activity in the West Midlands, Andrew Edwards was a reporter for The County Express newspaper based in Stourbridge and Brierley Hill.
It was his first job as a teenager, given a chance by proprietor Lt. Col Moody of the Mark and Moody hierarchy, it propelled Andrew to a lifelong journalist career.
In this, his second book, he tells of his roots, born in a wobbly house in Amblecote, and his job in provincial journalism, which took him all over the Black Country. This was a time before computers or mobile phones, when any form of desktop digital publishing was far in the future. Printing presses were mechanical things bigger than double decker buses and stories were set in hot metal!
These are his reminiscences, meeting Black Country characters like mayors, aldermen, golden wedding couples, pub landlords, criminals and even an emerging rock star.
Andrew researches his own family - from his parents love of cycling and sport and his father's lifetime passion with local Black Country athletic clubs of which he was a founder member, to glass makers, when the area produced the best handmade blown glass products in the world. We also meet his aunty, an assistant matron, steelmaking, book printing, a founder member of the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War, and an army Captain in the Second; his godfather sunk in the South China sea, canal boatman, a TV and radio comedy gag (joke) writer, with gritty labourers, nailers and puddlers, going back to 1727.
Plus there's a mysterious family-owned book about agriculture, written in London just after the Great Fire of London, in 1666.
This book is an eclectic mix of Black Country stories and tales, told in a humorous style by the author.
Andrew Edwards' first book MCN Days Speedway Nights is available from Amazon and all good bookshops.
As a Soviet-style economic and social collapse tears America apart, Grayson, equal parts philosopher and warrior, but legitimately neither, makes a death-bed promise to watch over a couple with a child on the way.
In his determination to make good his promise, Grayson runs headlong not only into the nexus of the hostile elite takeover, its third- country mercenaries and hunter/killer teams, but also into the subterranean realms of child, organ, and drug trafficking in which the conspirators and mercenaries operate.
Driven forward by his own prior losses, Grayson must measure himself against the most austere philosophical ideals, create or discover them anew, and allow for the psychic consequences.
Upon the backdrop of the hallucinatory yet beautiful, southern Utah desert, King of Dogs explores the ancient codes of honor and loyalty and delivers a powerful commentary on man's approach to God, social atomization, and surviving the collapse of a civilization.
Balancing elements of the apocalyptic, epic, western and crime subgenres with more ambitious, literary sentence-to-sentence writing and substructure, King of Dogs will appeal to readers who enjoy the aesthetics of Cormac McCarthy, as well as those who appreciate the challenge and reward found in writers as diverse as Joseph Conrad, Charles Bowden, and Paul Harding.
Rising up from the heart of the Mediterranean, Sicily has a rich and ancient history spanning over 2,000 years. A bounty prized by invaders from the Greeks, Romans and Vandals to the Byzantines, Arabs and Normans, Sicily's violently beautiful landscapes are haunted by a vibrant mix of cultures and her soil has always been fertile ground for the literary and artistic imagination.
This compelling guide uncovers the island's multi-faceted personality through those literary figures who have managed to get under her skin - from Pindar, Cicero and Aeschylus to Shakespeare and Cervantes; DH Lawrence, Coleridge and Oscar Wilde to Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Ezra Pound and Lawrence Durrell; as well as local writers who have defined the modern Italian novel - Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa and Leonardo Sciascia. Through their words and lives we witness the beauty, pain and power of the Sicilian cultural landscape and discover how the potent mix of influences on the island's society has been preserved forever in literature.Design Thinking has been a popular approach to problem-solving that helps entrepreneurs, teams, and leaders to drive meaningful change. This book is a go-to resource for understanding the core principles of Design Thinking, as well as its power in business. Using this book, readers will learn how to leverage the 5-step framework, leadership principles, empathy mapping, user insight and more to design effective and impactful solutions. Beyond the technical aspects, people can also discover how to build an inspired culture and meaningful relationships around their work.
By reading this book you'll be able to unlock the power of Design Thinking and turn it into practical solutions that are tailored to your specific needs. Entrepreneurs, teams, and leaders get an in-depth look into Design Thinking and how it can be used to create a real impact on their business and in the world. Through concrete, specific examples, readers can gain insight into the process, learn how to translate user insight into actionable strategies, and find out how to implement Design Thinking in an effective and efficient way.
This book will give you the competitive edge to use Design Thinking in the most effective way and drive lasting, meaningful results. So, if you're ready to start thinking differently, this is the book for you! Get your copy of What is Design Thinking, and Why is it so Popular? and unlock the power of Design Thinking to transform your business.
Is it time to start feeling better? Do you want to get rid of anger, stress, and anxiety?
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Happy reading and good luck
Down to the Sunless Sea explores the time Coleridge spent in Gibraltar, Malta, Sicily and mainland Italy, where he had planned to recover his health, escape the clutches of opium and gain inspiration from the landscape; however, the reality would prove very different. After his short sojourn in Gibraltar, Coleridge arrived in Malta, where he became acquainted with the British Governor, Alexander Ball. He settled into Maltese life, initially taking on the role of acting Under-Secretary. Travelling to Sicily, Coleridge embraced the island's landscapes but was shaken to find the opium poppy was an important local crop. The Mediterranean would not prove the solution to his addiction. He visited the Consul, G. F. Leckie, and was invited to stay with him at a house on the site of Timoleon's Greek villa. The poet visited the antiquities of Syracuse and at the opera house encountered the soprano, Anna-Cecilia Bertozzi, nearly succumbing to her charms. Back in Malta, he was offered rooms in the Treasury building (now the Casino Maltese) and took up the post of Public Secretary. Legal pronouncements in Italian bear Coleridge's signature. Leaving behind these matters of state, he drifted through the Italian peninsula, engaging with a coterie of artistic ex-pats when in Rome. His listless, half-hearted, and financially embarrassed attempts at the Grand Tour included a narrow escape from French troops. Coleridge's Mediterranean sojourn impacted on his life and writing, not to mention his health, which saw a marked decline, leading to his final years in Highgate under the roof of a friendly doctor. Down to the Sunless Sea is a literary reflection on the fact that the sun-filled Mediterranean was not the tonic he had first imagined.
Finding it difficult to begin writing? This book gives you the knowledge and tools you need to be able to understand the root of your writing anxiety, overcome your writer′s block and write with ease.
Super Quick Skills provides the essential building blocks you need to succeed at university - fast. Packed with practical, positive advice on core academic and life skills, you'll discover focused tips and strategies to use straight away. Whether it's writing great essays, understanding referencing or managing your wellbeing, find out how to build good habits and progress your skills throughout your studies.
Super Quick Skills gives you the foundations you need to confidently navigate the ups and downs of university life.
During his time as speedway reporter for MCN, Andrew Edwards travelled extensively witnessing first hand the thrills and spills of world class speedway, meeting the top riders and hearing and reporting on stories of epic euphoric success and sometimes tragedy.
Here Andrew recounts his own story from humble beginnings in provincial journalism in the West Midlands to national newspaper reporting of Grand Prix world meetings with anecdotes and characters described in his own style with a fair bit of humour along the way.
How he met with some of the greatest headline makers over decades of speedway reporting becoming great friends of many along the way including legendary names like Ivan Mauger, Barry Briggs, Bruce Penhall, Peter Collins, Simon Wigg, Jason Crump and Kenny Carter.
There is also the story of how Andrew experienced major changes in the publishing industry, from hot metal presses, the days when clanky ink ribbon typewriters were the latest technology and even before mobile phones were invented, right through to a new dawn of the new digital printing revolution.
In a world filled with constant change and evolving priorities, finding your North Star, your guiding light, is essential for navigating the turbulent seas of business and life. Charting Your North Star is your compass to help you establish a clear and inspiring vision and guide your team or organization towards a brighter future. This comprehensive guide takes you on a journey through the intricacies of vision crafting, empathy building, and workshop facilitation.
Section 1: The Purpose and Value of a North Star Vision
In this section, we explore the very essence of a North Star Vision, differentiating it from mission statements. Discover why it's a fundamental key to your success. Learn how to kick off your vision-setting journey and the value of ice breaker activities. What's your superpower? - an exciting activity that sets the stage for self-discovery and collaboration.
Section 2: Collecting Insight to Build a Vision
Understanding the types of visions is crucial. This section delves into how to use empathy to build a vision, whether it's for products, services, or teams. Engage in an empathy mapping exercise and fast forward to envision the future, exploring new perspectives and ideas.
Section 3: Writing an Actionable Vision Statement
Crafting a powerful vision statement is the heart of your North Star journey. Uncover the magic behind a breakthrough vision and use the Breakthrough Vision Blueprint activity to guide your vision's development. Engage your users and stakeholders, fostering collaboration and alignment. Learn how to check in with stakeholders and define what will guide your ship towards success.
Section 4: Plan Brilliant Workshops
To turn your vision into reality, you need to rally your team around it. Learn how to get attendees in the right mindset, facilitating like a pro with expert tips. Find workshop recipes, including Kick Off, Set the Vision, and Get Feedback workshops that ensure your vision remains front and center. Conclude your journey with the Key Takeaways section, summarizing the essential points and providing a roadmap for applying these insights.
Charting Your North Star is your comprehensive guide to achieving your goals and leading your team with clarity, purpose, and inspiration. Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned executive, or a community leader, this book will equip you with the tools and knowledge needed to set a compelling vision, gather insights, and plan and conduct effective workshops.
Embrace the power of a North Star Vision and transform your future with confidence. Take the first step in steering your ship towards success by purchasing Charting Your North Star today. Your voyage to a brighter, more purposeful future begins now.
At the age of four, Andrew Edwards was diagnosed with autism. Go home and watch Rain Man, the specialist told his mother. In all probability your son will be institutionalised. Determined to prove the specialist wrong, Andrew's mother set out to give her son the best life possible.
I've got a Stat for You is an honest and compelling autobiography of one young man's journey to manage his autism and achieve his goals. Raised in a single parent household and encountering bureaucracy, bullying, and a lack of understanding from many around him, Andrew emerged from a turbulent childhood to win a Welsh National Young Volunteer Award, give speeches on his condition, and secure his dream job as a statistician at Manchester United Television.
From Wrexham to Buckingham Palace, and incorporating stories of The Simpsons, sport, music, and strange smells - I've got a Stat for You is a powerful and inspirational tale that shows how determination, a positive outlook, and the will to succeed can overcome all odds!
Exercise training has greatly helped Andrew Edwards manage his autism, his anxiety levels, and the depression he has experienced in spells throughout his adult life. With this in mind, A Vision of Exercise sees Andrew explore inspiring stories of individuals and organisations - with a particular emphasis on disability sport - who have taken sport and exercise in new, interesting, and valuable directions.
With help from the first Welsh footballer to win the European Cup, a Rio 2016 Paralympic Medallist, International Wheelchair Rugby League Players, England International Disability Cricketers, a former European-level Triathlete, and many others, Andrew finds out how the power of exercise can positively influence both body and mind.
Andrew also discusses his personal journey with exercise. In particular, the weight loss and health improvements he has achieved since working with Geraint Roberts at Number One Health Strength Performance.
The book's foreword is by Sarah Taylor, three-time Ashes winning, and four-time World Cup winning cricketer.