November 2015. As police and the national press investigated the 'missing millions' loaned by local government - for an unfinished stand - and the borough council understandably demanded their money back, things were looking bleak at Northampton Town Football Club. With staff unpaid and fans demanding answers in vain, HMRC's winding-up order threatened to send the club into administration or even oblivion. Against a backdrop more fitting for a soap opera, there emerged a unique, almost surreal story of solidarity and success. Five months later - shattering a host of club records in the process - the Cobblers were champions before any other League club had even sealed promotion. The Year of the Cobbler reflects upon life as a lower division football fan and, more specifically, a season which both nightmares and sweet dreams are made of... 'Forget Leicester - Northampton Town are English football's story of the season.' (The Sun)

The man behind the iconic shoe brand recounts his rise to the top, struggle with addiction, time in prison, and ultimate recovery in this candid memoir. Everyone knows Steve Madden’s shoes, but few are familiar with the man behind the brand. Over the past thirty years, Madden has taken his eponymous shoe company from a fledgling startup he founded with a mere $1,100 to a global, multibillion-dollar enterprise. But Madden’s mistakes, from his battle with addiction to the financial shortcuts that landed him in prison, are as important to his story as his most iconic designs. In this raw, intimate, and ultimately inspiring book, Madden holds nothing back as he shares how he got where he is and the lessons he’s learned along the way. From his unconventional hiring strategies to his slavish devotion to product, Madden offers a business perspective that is as unique as his style. In The Cobbler, readers are treated to the wild ride though Madden’s meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and stunning comeback. But they will also walk away uplifted by a man who owns up to his mistakes, determined to give back and use his hard-won platform to create positive change.

The Cobbler’s Daughter by Josanne Wilson In search of a better life, young travelers make the journey from Italy to America in the late 1800s. Not only do Guiseppe and Josephine find that better life – they also find each other. What begins as a few stolen glances on the ship soon becomes a clandestine affair. When Josephine realizes she’s pregnant, they both worry about how her abusive husband will react. Enjoy reading the story of how they each make a home in their new homeland, how each endure hardships but find prosperity through hope, love, and a belief in God. Understand that life is short and it’s important to follow your heart.

A poor cobbler and his three sons worry about having food for their Christmas feast, until a playful goblin king pays them a visit.

Progress...Not So Much In times past, the shoemaker, or cobbler, was as important as a cooper (barrel maker), blacksmith, lumberman, or cattleman. In fact, maybe he was more important since all the other trades needed his services to perform theirs. Everyone needed shoes, but where would the lumberman be without proper boots, belts, and suspenders? How about the chaps the range riders used to protect their legs from briars and thistles? Halters, bridles, reigns, buggy whips, and saddles were just some of the products a cobbler would produce. And in time they would all need repair. Gloves and many types of protective gear were made of leather. Hides were abundantly available from buffalo, bison, deer, elk, and smaller animals, such as rabbit, raccoon, fox, coyote, wolf, and other small species. Many cobblers were artists with the ability to transform raw material into something beautiful and comfortable with the expertise of a tailor or dressmaker. Doctors would write prescriptions for special attention in balancing a patient's stand by modifying their shoes. And someone had to be able to change the color of a leather product to comply with a customer's needs. This book opens the door on the private lives of two cobblers. My father and grandfather enjoyed the work they did, and as world production of inexpensive and inferior shoes took over the market, they found it too costly to compete. Aurel Dikin Sr. was the younger, but taller of the two shoemakers. The stories are my parents' stories, which I promised I would put together and share in my memory and love for them. Both have passed away years ago, and I'm honored to share their memories.

A poor shoemaker becomes successful with the help of two elves who finish his shoes during the night.

She must risk it all to keep them safe... Liverpool 1920s: Michael Quinn the cobbler returns home after the First World War forever changed by his experiences on the front line. He moves his family from their comfortable home to live over a shop in Liverpool's notorious Scotland Road. Though admired and liked by his customers, behind closed doors he rules his family with a fist of steel. Fourteen-year-old Vera Quinn longs for a life of her own. But when their mother dies, she must keep house for her father Michael and her brothers, Eddy and young Benny. So begins a life of hardship, until an unexpected series of events leads Vera to discover she is far stronger than she could have ever known...