Losing a leg in a lawnmower accident would be catastrophic for most people. But swimming star Sophie Pascoe believes it?s the best thing that has happened to her. She reveals how her family helped her turn a negative into a positive and how she developed the drive to become one of the world?s greatest Paralympians. And, of course, she talks about bursting on to the international sporting stage with three gold medals and a silver as a schoolgirl at the Beijing Paralympic Games in 2008, her brush with losing her other leg and the mental strength she had to summon to go on to break a swag of world records and reap three further gold medals at the 2012 London Paralympics.

Losing a leg in a lawnmower accident would be catastrophic for most people. But swimming star Sophie Pascoe believes it’s the best thing that has happened to her. She reveals how her family helped her turn a negative into a positive and how she developed the drive to become one of the world’s greatest Paralympians. And, of course, she talks about bursting on to the international sporting stage with three gold medals and a silver as a schoolgirl at the Beijing Paralympic Games in 2008, her brush with losing her other leg and the mental strength she had to summon to go on to break a swag of world records and reap three further gold medals at the 2012 London Paralympics.

Now in its 147th edition Whitaker's Almanack is the definitive reference guide containing a comprehensive overview of every aspect of UK infrastructure and an excellent introduction to world politics. Available only as ebooks, Whitaker's Shorts are selected themed sections from Whitaker's Almanack 2015: portable and perfect for those with specific interests within the print edition. Whitaker's Shorts 2015: The Year in Review includes a digest of the 2013-14 year's events in the UK and abroad and articles covering subjects as diverse as Archaeology, Conservation, Business and Finance, Opera, Dance, Film and Weather. There is also an A-Z listing of all the results for the major sporting events from Alpine Skiing through to Fencing, Football, Horse Racing, Polo and Tennis.

Dive deep into the world of swimming with open water swimmer and coach Mikael Rosén as he explores the sport through eight different perspectives. With topics ranging from the vigorous mental and physical demands of the sport to gender and race politics, no reader will be left treading water. Rosén also provides a look into the lives of professional swimmers such as Michael Phelps and Sarah Sjöström, sharing insights into what makes these greats super swimmers. Packed with interesting history, science, and trivia, as well as useful charts, maps, sidebars, tips, and strategies—plus plenty of photos sprinkled throughout—this compendium is a must-have for any athlete or swimming fanatic.

Boys will be boys and girls will be girls? Not in this book. The follow-up to Ben Brooks's New York Times bestselling Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different, this book offers more extraordinary true stories of amazing people who broke the mold and changed the world for the better. The resulting message? Be yourself, and your dreams might come true. With the help of Quinton Winter's striking full-color illustrations, Brooks offers an accessible compilation of 76 famous and not-so-famous influencers from the past to the present day, every single one of them a rule-breaker and stereotype-smasher in his or her own way. Entries include Emma Gonzalez, Andy Warhol, Bjork, Hans Christian Andersen, Sally Ride, and so many more -- heroes from all walks of life and from all over the world.

Draws on eighteen months of research in a racially diverse working-class high school to explore the meaning of masculinity and the social practices associated with it, discussing how homophobia is used to enforce gender conformity.

Diverse elements have created New Zealand’s distinctive political and social culture. First is New Zealand’s journey as a colony, and the various impacts this had on settler and Maori society. The second theme is the quest for what one prominent historian has labelled ‘national obsessions’ – equality and security, both individual and collective. The third, and more recent, theme is New Zealand’s emergence as a nation with a unique identity. New Zealand’s small geographic size and relative isolation from other societies, the dominant influence of British culture, the resurgence of Maori language and culture, the endemic instability of an economy based on a narrow range of pastoral products, and the dominance of the state in the lives of its people, all help to explain much of the present-day New Zealand psyche. This third edition of Historical Dictionary of New Zealand contains a chronology, an introduction, appendix, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 800 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about New Zealand.