Reinventing Capitalism In The Age Of Data by Viktor Mayer-Schönberger and Thomas Ramge

The Blurb On The Back:

Capitalism is dying.  Profits soar while inequality rises and innovation stalls.  Something has to give. 

For the past century, the story of capitalism has been the story of a market dominated by money and firms.  We use prices to judge goods, and what we’re willing to pay signals how useful a good is to us.  Firms coordinate massive efforts, such as mass-producing cars, by controlling the flow of information and centralising decision making, while providing stable employment.  But the data we generate about ourselves and the data manufacturers generate about their products enable algorithms to connect buyers and sellers much more efficiently than markets based on price ever could.  These same forces make the rigid control of information unnecessary, enabling ever-smaller groups of people to work together effectively.  Large, centralised firms could wither away to nothing more than a person and their computer: more AirBnB than Holiday Inn.

This fusion of big data and artificial intelligence will lead a new kind of capitalism: data capitalism.

This could mean a more sustainable, egalitarian economy, but the end of the firm – including the end of stable employment – carries great risks as well.  Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, the bestselling co-author of Big Data and Thomas Ramge, writer for The Economist, show how modern technological change is killing capitalism as we know it, and what comes next.  

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order REINVENTING CAPITALISM IN THE AGE OF BIG DATA by Viktor Mayer-Schönberger  and Thomas Ramge from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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I Am Enough by Sheridan Stewart

The Blurb On The Back:

I have enough.

I do enough.

I am enough.

In a world where people are always busy, always rushing, and never feel like they are a good enough friend, partner or employee, Sheridan Stewart’s I Am Enough helps harness and prioritise being calm, slowing down and focusing on self-care.

Drawing on the author’s own experiences, I Am Enough is the story of her 90-day challenge to have enough, do enough and be enough, hoping that her enriching experience will encourage and teach others.  Alongside Sheridan’s personal story, this book is also an inspiration and road map for readers to take up the I Am Enough quest themselves and change their lives by following in her footsteps on a journey towards contentment.  

I AM ENOUGH was released in the United Kingdom on 19th January 2023.  Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order I AM ENOUGH by Sheridan Stewart from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Cash Is Queen by Davinia Tomlinson

The Blurb On The Back:

Cash Is Queen is the definitive guide to money for girl, breaking down the basics of how young women can learn to understand and manage their money – an essential skill that will last them forever.

With clear explanations and empowering text by experienced financial expert Davinia Tomlinson, this book is vital reading for young girls everywhere as they enter adulthood and set out to make their mark in the world.

CASH IS QUEEN was released in the United Kingdom on 5th January 2023.  Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order CASH IS QUEEN by Davinia Tomlinson from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Be Confident Be You by Becky Goddard-Hill

The Blurb On The Back:

Increase the confidence level of the most important person you will ever meet …

YOU

(And then see your self-esteem soar!)

Packed full of ideas and practical activities to increase confidence, plus explanations of the science behind how and why they work.

BE CONFIDENT BE YOU was released in the United Kingdom on 5th January 2023.  Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order BE CONFIDENT, BE YOU by Becky Goddard-Hill from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Be More Harry by Satu Hämeenaho-Fox

The Blurb On The Back:

”What would Harry do?”

Songwriter, trendsetter, social activist, mindfulness master – we’d all love to be more like Harry Styles.  This “Golden” guide asked with Styles wisdom, will show you how.

Want to learn how to be your most authentic self, have the confidence to wear what you want, ad find inner peace?  Discover how Harry finds his sparkle, so you can too.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order BE MORE HARRY by Satu Hämeenaho-Fox from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Fake Law: The Truth About Justice In An Age Of Lies by The Secret Barrister

The Blurb On The Back:

Could the courts really order the death of your innocent baby?  Was there an illegal immigrant who couldn’t be deported because he had a pet cat?  Are unelected judges truly enemies of the people?

Most of us think the law is only relevant to criminals, if we even think of it at all.  But the law touches every area of our lives: from intimate family matters to the biggest issues in our society.

Our familiarity is dangerous because it makes us vulnerable to media spin, political lies and the kind of misinformation that frequently comes from loud-mouthed amateurs and those with vested interests.  This Fake Law allows the powerful and the ignorant to corrupt justice without our knowledge – worse, we risk letting them make us complicit.

Thankfully, the Secret Barrister is back to reveal the stupidity, malice and incompetence behind many of the biggest legal stores of recent years.  In Fake Law, the Secret Barrister debunks the lies and builds a defence again the abuse of our law, our rights and our democracy that is as entertaining as it is vital.  

You can order FAKE LAW: THE TRUTH ABOUT JUSTICE IN AN AGE OF LIES by The Secret Barrister from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Raise Your Voice curated by Nadia Jae

The Blurb On The Back:

Be empowered to tell your story!

Are you wondering how you can cut through the noise and make your unique self known? 

Raise Your Voice offers essential advice on how to boost your confidence and put your best self forward.  Led by BBC Radio 1Xtra host Nadia Jae, read personal stories and advice from prominent figures in sport, broadcasting, and entertainment and discover how you too can speak up and stand out. 

RAISE YOUR VOICE: MAKE YOURSELF HEARD IN A NOISY WORLD was released in the United Kingdom on 21st July 2022.  Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order RAISE YOUR VOICE: MAKE YOURSELF HEARD IN A NOISY WORLD curated by Nadia Jae from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Nothing But The Truth by The Secret Barrister

The Blurb On The Back:

What compels someone to become a barrister?

How does it feel to successfully defend a person who is freed and then kills?

How might prosecuting society’s most dangerous criminals change a person’s beliefs about justice?

This tell-all memoir is the third book from the Secret Barrister.  In hilarious and tragic stories from the criminal courts, it lifts the lid on what it’s really like to pursue a career at the Bar, and reveals the uncomfortable and surprising truth about life in our opaque criminal justice system.

Nothing But The Truth charts an outsider’s progress down the winding path towards practising at the Bar.  It takes in the sometimes absurd traditions of the Inns of Court, where every meal mandates a glass of port and a toast to the Queen, and the Hunger Games-type contest for pupillage, through to the endlessly frustrating experience of being a junior criminal barrister – as a creaking, ailing justice system begins to convince the that something has to change …

Full of hilarious, shocking and surprising stories from the Secret Barrister’s working life, Nothing But The Truth asks questions about what we understand by justice, and what it takes to change our minds.  It reveals the darker side of working in criminal law and how the things our justice system gets wrong are not the things most people expect.  And it tracks the Secret Barrister’s transformation from hang-‘em-and-flog-‘em, austerity-supporting twenty-something to campaigning, bestselling, reforming author, whose progressive writing in defence of the law is celebrated around the globe.

You can order NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH: STORIES OF CRIME, GUILT AND THE LOSS OF INNOCENCE by The Secret Barrister from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Star Wars: I Am Your Father by Amy Richau and Dan Zehr

The Blurb On The Back:

Caring for others can be complicated.  Whether your Padawan is losing focus, your child needs a bit of inspiration, or your student is heading towards the dark side, learn how to set them back on the right track.

Ideal for Jedi Knights, parents, guardians, and mentors, this book offers lighthearted advice from a galaxy far, far away.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order STAR WARS: I AM YOUR FATHER by Amy Richau and Dan Zehr from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Well Documented: The Essential Documentaries That Prove The Truth Is More Fascinating Than Fiction by Ian Haydn Smith

The Blurb On The Back:

Documentaries have the power to change the way you think, to stop you in your tracks, bring tears to your eyes and put your heart in your mouth.

Well Documented brings together a collection of films by international directors that have been astounding viewers for the last 100 years, delving deep into how these films were made, why you should see them and what you should watch next.

Featuring a range of powerful tales, from Barbara Kopple’s Oscar-winning gritty depiction of working-class America in Harlan County, USA to James Marsh’s breathtaking Man on Wire, plights of human endurance such as Kevin Macdonald’s Touching the Void or stories of injustice like Ava DuVernay’s 13th, Ian Haydn Smith writes with passion and knowledge, while images highlight what makes these films so unique.  From Oscar winners to unseen gems, each of these documentaries will make you tell people, ‘You NEED to see this film’.

WELL DOCUMENTED: THE ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTARIES THAT PROVE THE TRUTH IS MORE FASCINATING THAN FICTION was released in the United Kingdom on 4th October 2022.  Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order WELL DOCUMENTED: THE ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTARIES THAT PROVE THE TRUTH IS MORE FASCINATING THAN FICTION by Ian Haydn Smith from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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The Future Of Capitalism by Paul Collier

The Blurb On The Back:

Deep new rifts are tearing apart the fabric of Britain and other Western societies: thriving cities versus the provinces, the highly skilled elite versus the less-educated, wealthy versus developing countries.  So far these rifts have been answered only by the stale politics of left vs right.  We have heard many critiques of capitalism but no one has laid out a realistic way to fix it, until now.

In this passionate and polemical book, Paul Collier outlines original and ethical ways of healing these rifts with the cool head of pragmatism, rather than the fervour of ideological revivalism.  He reveals how he has personally lived across these three divides, moving from working class Sheffield to hyper-competitive Oxford, and working between Britain and Africa.  Drawing on his own solutions as well as ideas from some of the world’s greatest social scientists, he shows us how to save capitalism from itself.  

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order THE FUTURE OF CAPITALISM by Paul Collier from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Don’t Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri

The Blurb On The Back:

Straightened.  Stigmatised.  “Tamed”.  Celebrated.  Fetishised.  Forever misunderstood.

Black hair is never ‘just hair’.  It’s time we understood why.

Recent years have seen the conversation around black hair reach tipping point, yet detractors still proclaim “It’s only hair!” when it never is.  This book is about why black hair matters and how it can be viewed as a blueprint for decolonisation.  Emma Dabiri takes us from pre-colonial Africa, through the Harlem Renaissance, Black Power and into today’s Natural Hair Movement, the Cultural Appropriation Wars and beyond.

Touching on everything from women’s solidarity and friendship, to forgotten African scholars, to the dubious provenance of Kim Kardashian’s braids, Don’t Touch My Hair proves that far from being only hair, black hairstyling culture can be understood as an allegory for black oppression and, ultimately, liberation. 

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order DON’T TOUCH MY HAIR by Emma Dabiri from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Critical Thinking: The Essential Guide by Tom Chatfield

The Blurb On The Back:

Your updated guide to better thinking.

– Think twice about what’s in front of you.

Sift through the digital deluge.

Strengthen your arguments.

Overcome information overload.

– Deliver clear and confident critical writing.

Equip yourself for life after study.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order CRITICAL THINKING: YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE by Tom Chatfield from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Legacies: Black British Pioneers by Lania Narjee

The Blurb On The Back:

Discover amazing people who made their mark on the world!

From scientists to sports stars, artists to activists, read all about Black British people who set records, broke new ground, and lifted others up.  Find out what it means to create a legacy with these inspiring stories of incredible people and their hugely informative achievements.

LEGACIES – BLACK BRITISH PIONEERS was released in the United Kingdom on 4th August 2022.  Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order LEGACIES – BLACK BRITISH PIONEERS by Lania Narjee from Amazon UK, or Waterstone’s.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Artists: Inspiring Stories Of Their Lives And Works by Susie Hodge

The Blurb On The Back:

Meet the creative minds behind famous works of art.

Who inspired Henri Matisse?  Why did Rembrandt die poor?  How did Frida Kahlo discover that she liked painting?  Find out in this enthralling book, which tells the colourful stories of more than 50 brilliant artists, from ancient times to the present day.

Their work has enriched the lives of many – and might just change how you see the world.  

ARTISTS: INSPIRING STORIES OF THEIR LIVES AND WORKS was released in the United Kingdom on 7th July 2022.  Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order ARTISTS: INSPIRING STORIES OF THEIR LIVES AND WORKS by Susie Hodge from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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What You Did Not Tell: A Russian Past And The Journey Home by Mark Mazower

The Blurb On The Back:

This is the remarkable story of a family, and the sacrifices and silences that marked a generation and their descendants.  Mark Mazower uncovers the history of his ancestors, who fate drove into the siege of Stalingrad, the Vilna ghetto, occupied Paris, and even into the ranks of the Wehrmacht.  His British father was the lucky one, the son of Russian Jewish emigrants who settled in London after escaping the civil war and revolution.  Max, the grandfather, had started out as a socialist and manned the barricades against tsarist troops, but never spoke of it.  His wife, Frouma, came from a family ravaged by the Great Terror yet somehow making its way in Soviet society.  

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order WHAT YOU DID NOT TELL: A RUSSIAN PAST AND THE JOURNEY HOME by Mark Mazower from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Anti-Racism by Arike Oke

The Blurb On The Back:

Maybe you are being bullied and you think it could be racial bullying.  Perhaps you know someone who is being treated badly because of racism and you want to help them.

Being anti-racist means being active against racism.  This books gives some tips about how to be anti-racist in a positive and safe way.

THE KIDS’ GUIDE: ANTI-RACISM was released in the United Kingdom on 22nd September 2022.  Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order THE KIDS’ GUIDE: ANTI-RACISM by Arike Oke from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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This Book Is Not Rubbish by Isabel Thomas

The Blurb On The Back:

Our planet is in peril and it needs your help!

But the good news is that there are loads of easy ways that you can get involved and make a difference!

From ditching straws and banning glitter to appointing yourself chief of recycling or hosting a plastic-free birthday party, helping to save the planet is not as difficult as you think.

So take control of your future!  Become an eco-warrior not an eco-worrier and help to save the world from rubbish!

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order THIS BOOK IS NOT RUBBISH by Isabel Thomas from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy Of White Male Power by Ijeoma Oluo

The Blurb On The Back:

Introducing:

Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male Power

White men lead our ineffective government with almost guaranteed re-election.

They lead our corrupt and violent criminal justice system with little risk of facing justice themselves.

And they run our increasingly polarised and misinforming media, winning awards for perpetrating the idea that things run best when white men are in charge.

This is not a stroke of white male luck; this is how our white male supremacist systems have been designed to work.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order MEDIOCRE: THE DANGEROUS LEGACY OF WHITE MALE AMERICA by Ijeoma Oluo from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Lost Kingdom: A History Of Russian Nationalism From Ivan The Great To Vladimir Putin by Serhii Plokhy

The Blurb On The Back:

An astonishing wide-ranging history of Russian nationalism from a pre-eminent scholar of Eastern Europe.

In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea and attempted to seize a portion of Ukraine.  While the world watched in outrage, this violation of national sovereignty was in fact only the latest iteration of a centuries-long effort to expand Russian boundaries and create a pan-Russian nation.  In Lost Kingdom, award-winning historian Serhii Plokhy argues that we can only understand the merging of imperialism and nationalism in Russia today by delving into its history.  Spanning over two thousand years, from the end of the Mongol rule to the present day, Plokhy shows how leaders from Ivan the Terrible to Joseph Stalin to Vladimir Putin have exploited existing forms of identity, warfare and territorial expansion to achieve imperial supremacy.  A strikingly ambitious book, Lost Kingdom chronicles the long and belligerent history of Russia’s empire and nation-building quest.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order LOST KINGDOM: A HISTORY OF RUSSIAN NATIONALISM FROM IVAN THE GREAT TO VLADIMIR PUTIN by Serhii Plokhy from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Enemies And Neighbours: Arabs And Jews In Palestine And Israel, 1917 – 2017 by Ian Black

The Blurb On The Back:

On the centenary of Britain’s Balfour Declaration – promising a Jewish ‘national home’ in Palestine – comes a major new history of the Palestinians and Israelis.

In Enemies and Neighbours, Ian Black has written a gripping and timely account of the most polarising conflict of our age: the unresolved and unequal struggle between Arabs and Jews in the Holy Land.  Beginning in the final years of Ottoman rule, he sheds fresh light on critical developments from the Arab rebellion of the 1930s and the watersheds of the 1948 and 1967 wars up to the present day.  Drawing on a wide range of sources, from oral testimonies to Black’s own decades of reporting, Enemies and Neighbours illuminates a bitter conflict that shows no sign of ending – which is why it is essential that we understand it.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order ENEMIES AND NEIGHBOURS: ARABS AND JEWS IN PALESTINE AND ISRAEL, 1917 – 2017 by Ian Black from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Be Climate Clever by Amy and Ella Meek

The Blurb On The Back:

Everything you need to know about climate change!

Join teenage activists Amy and Ella Meek on their mission to save the planet in this inspiring book, perfect for budding eco-warriors.

Be Climate Clever teaches young activists about the need to tackle global warning and cut carbon emissions.  It shows kids what they can do to help and how to find their voice.

Along the way, Amy and Ella will share stories about their incredible journey from starting the charity Kids Against Plastic to winning the Pride of Britain Green Champion award.

BE CLIMATE CLEVER was released in the United Kingdom on 7th April 2022.  Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order BE CLIMATE CLEVER by Amy Meek and Ella Meek from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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The Uncounted by Alex Cobham

The Blurb On The Back:

What we count matters – and, in a world where policies and decisions are underpinned by numbers, statistics, and data, if you’re not counted, you don’t count.

Alex Cobham argues that systematic gaps in economic and demographic data lead us not only to understate a wide range of damaging inequalities, but also to actively exacerbate them.  He shows how, in statistics ranging from electoral registers to household surveys and census data, people from disadvantaged groups, such as indigenous populations, women and people living with disabilities, are consistently underrepresented.  This further marginalises them, reducing everything from their political power to their weight in public spending decisions.  Meanwhile, corporations and the ultra rich seek ever greater complexity and opacity in their financial affairs – and when their wealth goes unallied, it means they can avoid regulation and taxation.

This brilliantly researched book shows how what we do and don’t count is not a neutral or ‘technical’ question: the numbers that rule our world are skewed by raw politics.  Cobham forensically lays bare how these issues strike at the heart of our democracy, entrenching inequality and injustice – and outlines what we can do about it.  

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order THE UNCOUNTED by Alex Cobham from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Me And My World: Life Online by Sarah Ridley, Anne Rooney and Ryan Wheatcroft

The Blurb On The Back:

Life Online

What do you do to keep safe online?

What should you share online?  How do you search safely?  How can you be a good online friend?  In this book find out all about Internet safety and how to behave in an online world.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order LIFE ONLINE by Sarah Ridley, Anne Rooney and Ryan Wheatcroft from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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Marie Curie by Nell Walker

The Blurb On The Back:

Discover the fascinating story of MARIE CURIE a trailblazing scientist who discovered two radioactive elements.

Did you know that Marie studied science at a secret university? 

Or that she invented portable x-ray machines that helped save many soldiers’ lives during the First World War?

Packed with facts, photographs, illustrations and more, DK Life Stories take you beyond the basics to find out all about history’s most amazing people.  

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order MARIE CURIE by Nell Walker from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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