We're bringing you a wealth of new non-fiction titles to get excited about this October. Firstly, there’s the book that’s causing a media storm, Michael Ashcroft and Isabel Oakeshott’s Call Me Dave; we also have bestselling author Michael Jago’s biography of Rab Butler, the great nearly- man of British Politics; Why the Tories Won by Tim Ross, an unprecedented examination of the Conservative’s victory in the May general election; Vin Arthey’s true life tale of Cold War espionage, Abel, which is a must read for those eagerly awaiting the release of Steven Spielberg’s new film Bridge of Spies, and much more besides – we’re sure you’ll find something to enjoy!
Call Me Dave: The Unauthorised Biography of David Cameron
By Michael Ashcroft and Isabel Oakeshott
Michael Ashcroft & Isabel Oakeshott's unauthorised biography of the PM arrives with the largest print run in Biteback's history. This explosive book provides an unparalleled insight into the life of David Cameron, from his blissful childhood in rural Berkshire, through Eton and Oxford; gap-year adventures in Russia, his early days as a party apparatchik, a stint as a PR man, and his rise to political power.
Abel: The True Story of the Spy They Traded for Gary Powers
By Vin Arthey
In February of 1962 an American pilot named Gary Powers was shot down in Soviet airspace, the condition of his release was the return of a Colonel Rudolf Abel, also known as Vilyam Fisher. The story of this infamous exchange is adapted to the big screen this month in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster Bridge of Spies. Abel reveals the true story behind this tale of Cold War espionage, tracing Vilyam’s tale from his childhood in Newcastle to Moscow, the streets of New York and back again.
Why the Tories Won: The Inside Story of the 2015 Election
By Tim Ross
Following the most closely fought general election in decades, senior political journalist Tim Ross endeavours to piece together the inside story of the election. Through new interviews with leading politicians and candid private accounts from key players in this most dramatic of battles, Ross explores why so many experts failed to predict the final result – not only a Conservative victory but their first majority in over two decades, a far cry from the ‘knife-edge’ result we were primed to expect.
1956: The Year that Changed Britain
By Francis Beckett and Tony Russell
Francis Beckett and Tony Russell's extraordinary volume 1956 transports us back in time on a whirlwind journey through the headlines and happenings of a defining year in British history. Read Francis Beckett on the changing attitudes to sex in the ‘50s in this exclusive blog post.
Rab Butler: The Best Prime Minister We Never Had?
By Michael Jago
In this robust and insightful biography of Richard Austen ‘Rab’ Butler bestselling author Michael Jago looks to answer whether Butler really was ‘The Best Prime Minister We Never Had’. The book details his political career, from his time as Education Minister, from which he emerged as the progressive face of the post-war Tory Party, to going on to spend four years at the Treasury before the gradual but relentless eclipse of his career after Anthony Eden’s accession.
My Way: Berlusconi in His Own Words
By Alan Friedman
An entertaining and revelatory portrait of a most controversial and intriguing figure, Alan Friedman captures the life of Silvio Berlusconi through interviews with friends and foes as well as hours of exclusive conversation with the man himself. Featuring revelations about Berlusconi’s most private moments, politics and front page scandals, this candid book divulges the unvarnished version of what is, by all accounts, a truly extraordinary life story.
Company Confessions: Revealing CIA Secrets
By Christopher Moran
Award-winning author Christopher Moran uses private correspondence and declassified files to examine how the CIA treads the fine line between justifiable censorship and overbearing redaction, while revealing the extreme lengths that the CIA has gone to in order to make sure its secrets are kept safe.