Simon Akam – författare

Simon Akam was almost killed on Russia's highest mountain in 2017. It was a narrow escape from a near-fatal accident on a commercial skiing expedition – and it provided a reckoning. Rather than turn away from the mountains, Akam resolved to go back. This time, though, he wanted to do it properly.He would go with the right people – alpine natives, not carpetbagging Anglophones. He would learn the right skills and serve a proper apprenticeship, aimed at true autonomy: months in France and Switzerland, perfecting his French and German while honing his mountain craft. His goal was the Patrouille des Glaciers, a gruelling race along the legendary Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt, undertaken in a single continuous push.Woven through this personal journey is the story of the sport and the route itself: a tale that slalomed from Scandinavia to the Alps, east to Asia, west to the New World, and up and down to the poles. It is about how a select group of men, and a few women – often bound by dynasty as much as skill – negotiated the long twentieth century, on the mountains and off. It is about which of winter's myriad hazards can be controlled, and which cannot, and at what cost control is maintained. And it is about whether the mastery you believe you hold over your environment, your body and your mind is truly as strong as you think.Blending high-altitude adventure with narrative history, Snowlines is a gripping account of risk, mastery and reinvention – and of testing yourself against a landscape that can never be fully tamed

‘This book is about mountains and madness. Specifically, it is a book about ski mountaineering – the use of specially adapted equipment to ski uphill as well as down, in order to traverse winter mountain terrain that would otherwise be completely impassable – and about the complicated, albeit profound, distinction between fear and anxiety.’… Praise for The Changing of the Guard Winner of the Templer First Book Award 2021 ‘A “state-of-the-nation” book of resounding power, deep conviction and far-reaching significance.’ Richard Davenport-Hines, TLS Books of the Year, 2021[An] excellent and valuable book.' Jason Burke, The Guardian‘A passionate book.’ Max Hastings, The Sunday Times‘Akam is an angry young man and the book is better for it.’ Roger Boyes, The Times

'Inspiring' - Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of Write It All Down'Fascinating and useful' - Joe Moran, author of First You Write A SentenceBestselling and award-winning authors share the secrets to their success, and the hard lessons they have learnt along the way.Where do the best ideas come from? How do you stay motivated? What does it take to become a published author? And how do you actually make money from your writing? For over five years the hosts of Always Take Notes podcast have posed their nosiest questions to some of the world's greatest writers. The result is a compendium of frank and frequently entertaining guidance for living a creative life. From the early failures that shaped them to the daily challenges of writing and the habits that keep them on track, literary luminaries offer guidance to inspire.Featuring:Alexander McCall Smith, Anne Enright, Candice Carty-Williams, Christina Lamb, Colin Thubron, Colum McCann, David Mitchell, Elif Shafak, George Packer, Hadley Freeman, Hollie McNish, Ian McEwan, Ian Rankin, Irvine Welsh, Jeffrey Archer, Joanne Harris, Kate Mosse, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Kit de Waal, Louise Doughty, Lucy Hughes-Hallett, Maggie Fergusson, Mark Haddon, Marlon James, Max Hastings, May Jeong, Merve Emre, Monica Ali, Niall Ferguson, Nikesh Shukla, Oliver Bullough, Orlando Figes, Patrick Kingsley, Rory Stewart, Rosie Nixon, Ruth Ozeki, Ruth Padel, Sam Knight, Samanth Subramanian, Samira Shackle, Sara Baume, Sebastian Junger, Simon Lancaster, Simon Scarrow, Stig Abell, Terri White, Tessa Hadley, Tim Rice, Toby Young, Tracy Chevalier, William Boyd, William Dalrymple, and many more...

''Inspiring'' - Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of Write It All Down''Fascinating and useful'' - Joe Moran, author of First You Write A SentenceBestselling and award-winning authors share the secrets to their success, and the hard lessons they have learnt along the way.Where do the best ideas come from? How do you stay motivated? What does it take to become a published author? And how do you actually make money from your writing? For over five years the hosts of Always Take Notes podcast have posed their nosiest questions to some of the world''s greatest writers. The result is a compendium of frank and frequently entertaining guidance for living a creative life. From the early failures that shaped them to the daily challenges of writing and the habits that keep them on track, literary luminaries offer guidance to inspire.Featuring:Alexander McCall Smith, Anne Enright, Candice Carty-Williams, Christina Lamb, Colin Thubron, Colum McCann, David Mitchell, Elif Shafak, George Packer, Hadley Freeman, Hollie McNish, Ian McEwan, Ian Rankin, Irvine Welsh, Jeffrey Archer, Joanne Harris, Kate Mosse, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Kit de Waal, Louise Doughty, Lucy Hughes-Hallett, Maggie Fergusson, Mark Haddon, Marlon James, Max Hastings, May Jeong, Merve Emre, Monica Ali, Niall Ferguson, Nikesh Shukla, Oliver Bullough, Orlando Figes, Patrick Kingsley, Rory Stewart, Rosie Nixon, Ruth Ozeki, Ruth Padel, Sam Knight, Samanth Subramanian, Samira Shackle, Sara Baume, Sebastian Junger, Simon Lancaster, Simon Scarrow, Stig Abell, Terri White, Tessa Hadley, Tim Rice, Toby Young, Tracy Chevalier, William Boyd, William Dalrymple, and many more...

FEATURING BRAND NEW UPDATED CONTENT EXCLUSIVE TO THIS EDITION 'Inspiring' - Cathy Rentzenbrink'Fascinating' - Joe Moran'A very lovely book' - Kate MosseBestselling and award-winning authors share the secrets to their success, and the hard lessons they have learnt along the way.Where do the best ideas come from? How do you stay motivated? What does it take to become a published author? And how do you actually make money from your writing? For over five years the hosts of Always Take Notes podcast have posed their nosiest questions to some of the world's greatest writers. The result is a compendium of frank and frequently entertaining guidance for living a creative life. FEATURING Alexander McCall Smith, Anne Enright, Candice Carty-Williams, Christina Lamb, Colin Thubron, Colum McCann, David Mitchell, Elif Shafak, George Packer, Hadley Freeman, Hollie McNish, Ian McEwan, Ian Rankin, Irvine Welsh, Jeffrey Archer, Joanne Harris, Kate Mosse, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Kit de Waal, Louise Doughty, Lucy Hughes-Hallett, Maggie Fergusson, Mark Haddon, Marlon James, Max Hastings, May Jeong, Merve Emre, Monica Ali, Niall Ferguson, Nikesh Shukla, Oliver Bullough, Orlando Figes, Patrick Kingsley, Rory Stewart, Rosie Nixon, Ruth Ozeki, Ruth Padel, Sam Knight, Samanth Subramanian, Samira Shackle, Sara Baume, Sebastian Junger, Simon Lancaster, Simon Scarrow, Stig Abell, Terri White, Tessa Hadley, Tim Rice, Toby Young, Tracy Chevalier, William Boyd, William Dalrymple and many more ... PLUS BRAND NEW BONUS INTERVIEWS WITH Harlan Coben, Victoria Hislop, Lee Child, Megan Nolan, Jhumpa Lahiri, Philippa Gregory, Jo Nesbø, Paul Theroux, Hisham Matar, Bettany Hughes.

English Football has over 92 fully professional clubs. Players in the Premier League teams now earn an average salary of GBP2.3 million per annum. Meanwhile, on the bottom rung, entire squads make less in a year than Wayne Rooney takes home in a month. An army of young players sacrifice their education and prospects outside of sport for the dream of football success, despite that fact that 85% will be released from their contracts within five years. Simon Akam's book shows what the beautiful game really means for most players. Luton Town Football Club played a vital role in bringing this book to life by opening their doors and allowing a Newsweek Europe journalist to embed with them: a generous act, which has resulted in a remarkable glimpse into life in a lower league club, and the community around it.

A TLS and a Prospect Book of the YearA revelatory, explosive new analysis of the military today.Over the first two decades of the twenty-first century, Britain has changed enormously. During this time, the British Army fought two campaigns, in Iraq and Afghanistan, at considerable financial and human cost. Yet neither war achieved its objectives. This book questions why, and provides challenging but necessary answers.Composed from assiduous documentary research, field reportage, and hundreds of interviews with many soldiers and officers who served, as well as the politicians who directed them, the allies who accompanied them, and the family members who loved and — on occasion — lost them, it is a strikingly rich, nuanced portrait of one of our pivotal national institutions in a time of great stress.Award-winning journalist Simon Akam, who spent a year in the army when he was 18, returned a decade later to see how the institution had changed. His book examines the relevance of the armed forces today — their social, economic, political, and cultural role. This is as much a book about Britain, and about the politics of failure, as it is about the military.

A TLS and a Prospect Book of the YearA revelatory, explosive new analysis of the military today.Over the first two decades of the twenty-first century the British Army fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, at considerable financial and human cost. Yet neither war achieved its objectives. Award-winning journalist Simon Akam questions why, and provides challenging but necessary answers. Composed from assiduous documentary research, field reportage, and hundreds of interviews, this book is a strikingly rich, nuanced portrait of one of our pivotal national institutions in a time of great stress.This is as much a book about Britain, and about the politics of failure, as it is about the military.