Andrew Norman

In August 1914, Arthur Pearson, a former newspaper magnate, learned of a Belgian soldier who was languishing in a London hospital. The man had been blinded by a rifle bullet during the siege of Liege, and Pearson felt sympathy for the man, having himself been blinded by glaucoma. He resolved to work to prevent blinded Allied servicemen from returning home, only to slip into 'hopeless and useless lives'. He therefore opened St Dunstan's in 1915, a hostel where returning soldiers could 'learn to be blind', where they were taught Braille and a trade, equipping them to re-enter the world as useful and self-respecting citizens. When Pearson died in 1921, no less than 1,800 St Dunstaners attended his funeral. Father of the Blind is the biography of an extraordinary man who refused to consider blindness an affliction, but rather a handicap which could be overcome. His charitable work has continued long after his passing.

Jane Austen is regarded as one of the greatest novelists in the English literary canon, and recent film and television adaptations of her works have brought them to a new audience almost two hundred years after her untimely death. Yet much remains unknown about her life, and there is considerable interest in the romantic history of the creator of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy. Andrew Norman here presents a new account of her life, breaking new ground by proposing that she and her sister, Cassandra, fell out over a young clergyman, who he identifies for the first time. He also suggests that, along with the Addison's Disease that killed her, Jane Austen suffered from TB. Written by a consummate biographer, Jane Austen: an Unrequited Love is a must-read for all lovers of the author and her works.

In Agatha Christie: The Finished Portrait, Dr Andrew Norman delves deep into the crime writer’s past to discover the desperate insecurity that sparked her disappearance in 1926. Agatha Christie suffered from recurrent nightmares where she was petrified that one or other of her family would be replaced by a terrifying figure called the ‘Gunman’ and lost to her forever. She was reminded of this figure both when her father died, and when her husband Archie demanded a divorce. This event precipitated such a crisis in Agatha’s mind that she became temporarily unhinged. She lost her memory and assumed a new identity: that of her husband’s mistress. Only now, thirty years after Agatha’s death, is it possible to explain fully, in the light of scientific knowledge, her behaviour during her troubled disappearance, when she lived incognito in a Harrogate hotel.One of Agatha’s novels, Unfinished Portrait, which is largely autobiographical, gives a unique insight into how the heroine, Celia (who is really Agatha in disguise), may have managed finally to rid herself of the Gunman and go on to lead a happier and more fulfilled life. By deciphering clues from this and her other works, Agatha Christie: The Finished Portrait sheds light on what is perhaps the greatest mystery of all to be associated with Agatha Christie, namely that of the person herself.

In this ground breaking book, the author bring medical science to bear on Adolf Hitler, and sheds an entirely new light on 'The Fuhrer' in terms of his physical and psychological make-up, proving that he suffered from a serious medical disorder and inbreeding. Hitler's pathological, racial prejudices led to the deaths of over 30 million people in World War II.His colossal military blunders prevented his commanders from driving home their advantage at Dunkirk and Stalingrad. Throughout his life he failed to make close friends. He failed to make satisfactory relationships with women whom he used to indulge his bizarre sexual perversions. He exhibited peculiar mannerisms and gesticulations and outbursts of temper. In this revolutionary re-appraisal of Hitler, the author explains such bizarre behaviour by postulating that Hitler was in fact suffering from a serious mental disorder, which in turn was due to the adverse genetic effects of inbreeding in his family.

Instead of leading his people to the "promised land," Mugabe, the first prime minister of the newly-named Zimbabwe, has amassed a fortune for himself, his family and followers and has presided over the murder, torture and starvation of those who oppose him. This biography offers some explanations for Mugabe's behavior. With the death of his wife in 1992, a moderating influence was lost, and as the years go by, he continues to show himself intolerant of any opposition as he proceeds toward the creation of a one-party state, even though evidence suggests that his country is in terminal decline.

A new examination of the history and sinking of the seemingly invincible epitome of British naval power, the HMS "Hood", which was attacked and destroyed by the" Bismarck" and the "Prince Eugen" in may 1941. The sinking of the "Hood" was a severe blow to Britain's maritime reputation.