A rugby history based on exclusive interviews that “takes the reader as close to the action as it is possible to get, short of invading the pitch” (The Scotsman). Based on exclusive interviews with players past and present, Behind the Thistle gives a unique insight into the drama and emotion of representing Scotland in that most rarefied of environments—Test match rugby. Drawing on firsthand interviews from a vast array of former and current players, from Russell Bruce and Frank Coutts in the 1940s all the way through to the present day, the authors uncover the heart and soul of Scottish rugby, recounting the ecstasy of victory and the despair of defeat, drawing out innumerable humorous anecdotes and heartwarming memories. Behind the Thistle provides inside access to the private moments in the changing and team rooms, on tour, and on the pitch itself. From the tension before kick-off to the tumultuous heat-of-battle and the high jinks thereafter, this is the story of what it is like to play for Scotland, and the sacrifices and joys experienced by those who have shed blood, sweat, and tears in pursuit of glory in the international jersey. Absorbing, illuminating, and compelling, this is a must-have for all supporters who have dreamed of playing for Scotland. “Really good reminiscences from hosts of Scottish rugby greats about a host of great Scotland rugby occasions.” —Sunday Times

For over 130 years the British & Irish Lions have stood out as a symbol of the ethics, values and romance at the heart of rugby union. To represent the Lions is the pinnacle for every international player in Britain and Ireland, and the dream of tens of thousands of avid fans who fol-low them. A Lions tour, undertaken every four years to the southern hemisphere, is more than a series of rugby matches played out on foreign fields; it is an epic crusade where the chosen few face a succession of mental and physical chal-lenges on their way to the Test arena, where they do battle with the superpowers of the world game. Behind the Lions sees seven esteemed rugby writers delve to the very heart of what it means to be a Lion, using diaries and letters from those who pioneered the concept, to interviews with a vast array of players who have followed in their footsteps. In so doing they have uncovered the passion, pride and honour experienced when taking up the unique challenge of a Lions tour. This is a tale of heart-break and ecstasy, humour and poignancy that is at once inspirational, moving and utterly compelling. And it is the only story worth hearing: the players' own.

*#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER *Winner, Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Nonfiction *Winner, Indigenous Voices Awards *Winner, High Plains Book Awards *Finalist, CBC Canada Reads *A Globe and Mail Book of the Year *An Indigo Book of the Year *A CBC Best Canadian Nonfiction Book of the Year In this extraordinary and inspiring debut memoir, Jesse Thistle, once a high school dropout and now a rising Indigenous scholar, chronicles his life on the streets and how he overcame trauma and addiction to discover the truth about who he is. If I can just make it to the next minute...then I might have a chance to live; I might have a chance to be something more than just a struggling crackhead. From the Ashes is a remarkable memoir about hope and resilience, and a revelatory look into the life of a Métis-Cree man who refused to give up. Abandoned by his parents as a toddler, Jesse Thistle briefly found himself in the foster-care system with his two brothers, cut off from all they had known. Eventually the children landed in the home of their paternal grandparents, whose tough-love attitudes quickly resulted in conflicts. Throughout it all, the ghost of Jesse’s drug-addicted father haunted the halls of the house and the memories of every family member. Struggling with all that had happened, Jesse succumbed to a self-destructive cycle of drug and alcohol addiction and petty crime, spending more than a decade on and off the streets, often homeless. Finally, he realized he would die unless he turned his life around. In this heartwarming and heart-wrenching memoir, Jesse Thistle writes honestly and fearlessly about his painful past, the abuse he endured, and how he uncovered the truth about his parents. Through sheer perseverance and education—and newfound love—he found his way back into the circle of his Indigenous culture and family. An eloquent exploration of the impact of prejudice and racism, From the Ashes is, in the end, about how love and support can help us find happiness despite the odds.

Thistle Tate is only seventeen, and a bestselling author. It's too bad she's also a liar. It seems like Thistle has everything. Her Lemonade Skies series is wildly popular, with droves of diehard fans waiting for the next--and final--book. She's even started dating her best friend, Liam, the one person who knows everything about her. Including Thistle's deepest secret: she's not really the author of the books. But as she gets to know one of her super-fans--and her handsome, charming brother Oliver--Thistle's guilt starts to weigh on her. How can she build friendships when her life is built on lies? All Thistle wants is for the last book to be written, so she can leave this ruse behind her for good. But as the book's deadline looms, a dramatic turn of events puts everything in jeopardy--Lemonade Skies, Thistle's relationships, and even her own identity. Is she a victim, a fraudster, or both? Lies, jealousy, secrets. . . It's only a matter of time before something gives--and Thistle's world comes undone. For fans of Rainbow Rowell and E. Lockhart, this suspenseful novel is a perfect read for teen bookworms everywhere. With an insider's look at the publishing world and a thrilling love triangle, The Undoing of Thistle Tate will keep you turning pages until the very end.

This collection of essays offers a comparative perspective on different forms of representation of social hybridity in contemporary novels through various cultural and linguistic lenses. It explores the various subcategories of their interdependent relationships, including power and domination between hegemony and marginality. The book revolves around five axes: namely, writing strategies and reterritorialization; marginality and intermediary spaces; revisited urban spaces; when periphery becomes center; and the modality of confrontation and construction of identity. It focuses on the identification and classification of spaces in order to understand their function in relation to the thematic strategy of the novel. Its main objective is identifying the textual representation of the challenge of center and periphery, as well as these concepts’ role and significance in diegesis. Thus, new light is shed on the subject and on the contemporary novel as a whole.

Focusing primarily on the close study of literary works presented in the broad cultural and historical context, Jacob's Ladder discusses the reflection of kabbalistic allegory in Russian literature and provides a detailed analysis of the evolution of the perception of Kabbalah in Russian consciousness. Aptekman investigates the questions of when, how and why Kabbalah has been used in Russian literary texts from Pre-Romanticism to Modernism and what particular role it played in the larger context of the Russian literary tradition. The correct understanding of this liaison helps the reader to clarify many enigmatic images in Russian literary works of the last two centuries and to understand the roots of a particular cultural falsification that played an important role in the anti-Semitic mythology of the twentieth century.