Richard Askwith – författare

A moving memoir from a woman who made a fortune in a man''s world and then gave it all away...soon to be turned into a filmIn 1962, Stephanie ''Steve'' Shirley created a software company when the concept of software barely existed. Freelance Programmers employed women to work on complex projects such as Concorde''s black box recorder from the comfort of their own home. Shirley empowered a generation of women in technology, giving them unheard of freedom to choose their own hours and manage their own workloads. The business thrived and Shirley gradually transferred ownership to her staff, creating 70 millionaires in the process.Let It Go explores Shirley''s trail blazing career as an entrepreneur but it also charts her incredible personal story - her dramatic arrival in England as an unaccompanied Kindertransport refugee during World War Two and the tragic loss of her only child who suffered severely from Autism.Today, Dame Stephanie Shirley is one of Britain''s leading philanthropists, devoting most of her time, energy and wealth to charities that are close to her heart. In Let It Go, Shirley tells her inspirational story and explains why giving her wealth away - letting it go - has brought her infinitely more happiness and fulfilment than acquiring it in the first place.Co-written with Richard Askwith, the former Executive Editor of The Independent and the award-winning author of seven books in his own name, including biographies of Emil Zátopek and Lata Brandisová.''An extraordinary tale of creativity and resilience'' - Guardian''This engrossing story of an extraordinary life is filled with lessons in what it means to be human'' - Financial Times

Brought to you by Penguin. An exploration of the art of running, and a quest to ensure you can continue for a lifetimeNever before have so many people run so many miles, or set themselves such ambitious targets, in pursuit of self-fulfillment: marathons, ultra-marathons, extreme adventures. And never before have people had such high hopes of remaining vigorous and active - young in all but name - long after retiring from the work-place. Yet that last goal, perhaps more precious than any of the others, remains elusive.It can be done, but only a few succeed. Most runners succumb to injury or illness in middle age; others are defeated by dwindling energy levels, or by the gradual falling-off of their peers. They can only envy the charmed few who continue to enjoy the life-enhancing joys of running well into what used to be considered extreme old age.Horrified by the thought of breaking off his life-long love-affair with running, Richard Askwith began to think seriously about a question with profound implications for every enthusiastic runner: how can you keep running, happily and well, for the rest of your life - ideally, well into your nineties and beyond?Askwith''s quest for the secrets of running longevity takes him on a long, mystifying journey: to laboratories and running tracks, cities and remote mountain villages, on several continents. He meets scientists and coaches, gurus and cranks, ninety-year-old sprinters and hundred-year-old marathon runners - and with each passing month his quest grows more urgent.© Richard Askwith 2023 (P) Penguin Audio 2023