Mark Davis

The Kray Twins aka Ronnie and Reggie ruled London’s Gangland underworld during the 1960s with a ruthlessness rod of iron that still shocks yet captivates young and old alike to this very day. Their calculated rise to power involved fear, extortion, violence and murder as-well as developing a cult like celebrity status, which thrived in the heart of the swinging 60s nightclub scene and beyond. Although some may say their story may have been told many times over, the crime scene locations and background in which their lives unfolded and evolved has been largely abandoned to the past. For the first time in over half a century we can finally uncover what still remains of Britain’s most notorious brothers in crime and using the original police reports, eyewitness testimony and files from the public archives we aim in this book to separate fact from fiction to present the real story behind the ‘Firm’. True crime and social historians Richard C Cobb and Mark Davis return to the Krays old stomping ground in East London and take the reader behind the scenes on a step by step journey through the avenues and alleyways of their “Manor” As the past meets the present, they uncover key locations forgotten in time and present the truth about the rise and demise of the Kray brothers. From humble East End beginnings, to becoming the Godfathers of London's underworld, to their eventual downfall culminating in life imprisonment. Cobb and Davis explore the most charismatic part of East London, uncovering a cockney culture and a personality that has never left the area, where even today the shadow of the Krays still lurk around every corner embedded in the very streets they virtually owned. The Legend is everything…

This book is arguably the definitive guide to understanding consumerism as a way of life in the twenty-first century. In his original and accessible introduction to the field, Mark Davis takes the reader on a tour of major theories of consumerism to show how they each offer enlightenment in our dark times of social, economic, and environmental crises.Drawing upon critical thinkers such as Adorno, Baudrillard, Bauman, Marcuse, Ritzer, and Žižek, Davis explores the various ways in which consumerism impacts upon, and shapes our perception of, the everyday social world, including: the rise and fall of ‘reality’ TV; the enduring global dominance of the marketing and advertising industries; trends in so-called ‘ethical consumerism’; credit cards and new forms of e-shopping; and, the wider impact of new communications technologies on our human relationships.Consumerism: A Critical Introduction invites the reader to rethink how and why we now live the way we do and will be of particular interest to students of sociology, social policy, political theory, cultural studies, media / communications studies, and human geography.

This book is arguably the definitive guide to understanding consumerism as a way of life in the twenty-first century. In his original and accessible introduction to the field, Mark Davis takes the reader on a tour of major theories of consumerism to show how they each offer enlightenment in our dark times of social, economic, and environmental crises.Drawing upon critical thinkers such as Adorno, Baudrillard, Bauman, Marcuse, Ritzer, and Žižek, Davis explores the various ways in which consumerism impacts upon, and shapes our perception of, the everyday social world, including: the rise and fall of ‘reality’ TV; the enduring global dominance of the marketing and advertising industries; trends in so-called ‘ethical consumerism’; credit cards and new forms of e-shopping; and, the wider impact of new communications technologies on our human relationships.Consumerism: A Critical Introduction invites the reader to rethink how and why we now live the way we do and will be of particular interest to students of sociology, social policy, political theory, cultural studies, media / communications studies, and human geography.

Although the story of the Brontë sisters Charlotte, Emily and Anne has been told many times, their birthplace and first home is less well known. This book is a photographic exploration of the house where the Brontë sisters were born and the surrounding area on the edge of Bradford where the family lived for five of their happiest years. In 1815 Patrick Brontë became vicar of St James’s Church in Thornton, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and he and his wife moved into the parsonage in Market Street, Thornton. It was in this house that the three sisters Charlotte, Emily and Anne whose genius has left an enduring literacy legacy, were born and spent their formative years. Today the Brontë Birthplace has been preserved for the community and photographer Mark Davis created a superb photographic record of the house and the area around Thornton and Bradford. This is a record the birthplace of dreams, a literary shrine of the humble beginnings of genius, of three writers who created stories that still resonate today.

Although the story of Jack the Ripper has been told many times, the crime scene locations and the killing ground which he and his unfortunate victims would have been familiar with has been largely left unknown. This book is the literary equivalent of a walking tour around the sites that would have been frequented by those who lived in Whitechapel in 1888. Using the original police reports, new images, maps and diagrams the book takes the reader deep inside Jack the Ripper’s London and presents the truth about what actually happened in the autumn of 1888 and what remains of the notorious killer’s London today. The focus is on the ever-changing face of London’s East End, giving the reader a real sense of how the past meets the present in arguably London’s most vibrant and cultural quarter, where the shadow of the Ripper is never too far away… Jack the Ripper’s London features previously unseen images from the authors’ own collections and detailed crime scene reconstructions that have never been published before. This will be the perfect companion for anyone wanting to visit the East End of London or those who wish to get a sense of where everything happened in Jack the Ripper’s day.

First published Open Access under a Creative Commons license as What is Narrative Research?, this title is now also available as part of the Bloomsbury Research Methods series.Narrative research has become a catchword in the social sciences today, promising new fields of inquiry and creative solutions to persistent problems. This book brings together ideas about narrative from a variety of contexts across the social sciences and synthesizes understandings of the field. Rather than focusing on theory, it examines how narrative research is conducted and applied. It operates as a practical introductory guide, basic enough for first-time researchers, but also as a window onto the more complex questions and difficulties that all researchers in this area face. The authors guide readers through current debates about how to obtain and analyse narrative data, about the nature of narrative, the place of the researcher, the limits of researcher interpretations, and the significance of narrative work in applied and in broader political contexts.This new edition includes updated references and a greater focus on digitality throughout. It addresses social justice and decoloniality more explicitly, centrally and consistently, drawing on examples around Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, climate change and Extinction Rebellion, and Covid and pandemic narratives.

First published Open Access under a Creative Commons license as What is Narrative Research?, this title is now also available as part of the Bloomsbury Research Methods series.Narrative research has become a catchword in the social sciences today, promising new fields of inquiry and creative solutions to persistent problems. This book brings together ideas about narrative from a variety of contexts across the social sciences and synthesizes understandings of the field. Rather than focusing on theory, it examines how narrative research is conducted and applied. It operates as a practical introductory guide, basic enough for first-time researchers, but also as a window onto the more complex questions and difficulties that all researchers in this area face. The authors guide readers through current debates about how to obtain and analyse narrative data, about the nature of narrative, the place of the researcher, the limits of researcher interpretations, and the significance of narrative work in applied and in broader political contexts.This new edition includes updated references and a greater focus on digitality throughout. It addresses social justice and decoloniality more explicitly, centrally and consistently, drawing on examples around Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, climate change and Extinction Rebellion, and Covid and pandemic narratives.

FOR 134 YEARS, THE MURDERS committed in London’s East End by the infamous ‘Jack the Ripper’ have baffled the world. The Ripper murders commenced in August and continued freely until the beginning of November 1888 when inexplicably the murders stopped. Five women were brutally murdered and savagely mutilated in and around Whitechapel. The killer was never caught despite the very best intentions of the police and thousands of would-be detectives following his trail. Since 1888, much has changed and the crime scene locations known to the Ripper and his victims would be quite unrecognisable to them now. Equally, to the modern-day Londoner or visitor, the locations would remain largely unknown…until now. True crime and social historians Richard C Cobb and Mark Davis return to the Whitechapel of 1888 to see what remains from this dark time in London’s history and to take the reader on a step-by-step tour of the modern world of Jack the Ripper. Using the original police reports, state of the art photographs, unseen images and diagrams, they present the truth about what actually happened in the autumn of 1888 and take a look at other victims that may have been killed by the same man. Cobb and Davis give the reader a real sense of how the past meets the present in arguably London’s most vibrant and cultural quarter - where the shadow of the Ripper is never too far away.

The inimitable Charles Dickens is regarded by many as the finest novelist of the Victorian era. His ability to weave magic with words makes him as popular as ever. Born in 1812 in what many would describe as humble circumstances, he went on to create some of the world’s best-known fictional characters in his impressive collection of novels. It is a testament to his huge following that when he died just over 150 years ago in June 1870, his grave at Westminster Abbey was kept open for three days so the many thousands of people who mourned his passing could pay their last respects. It has been said that Dickens’ geographical knowledge of London was both extensive and encyclopaedic; he knew it all, from Bow to Brentford. He drew his knowledge from experience: he visited the magistrates’ courts, observed the poverty and injustice of the workhouses and prisons, and was a hearty campaigner for the wretched and downtrodden. Here was the man who brought Scrooge to the Christmas table, and he never left. The place that inspired Dickens during his most prolific writing was, of course, good old London Town. Join us as we mark the sesquicentennial anniversary of his death and explore Charles Dickens’ very own landscape.

Selling Immunity Self, Culture and Economy in Healthcare and Medicine provides a groundbreaking study of the ways in which immunity shapes life. Through its up-to-date discussion of immunity cultures, alongside detailed real-world examples, the book demonstrates how immunity is enmeshed in concepts of possessive individualism, self-defence and health consumerism. The book explores the rich metaphorical powers of immunity and the life narratives it inspires with reference to the talk of scientists, immunology texts and popular science magazines. The author provides a detailed overview of the ways in which digital media can shape the immune self with reference to cultural and social theories, providing insight into how immunitary knowledge and products are consumed and the benefits and drawbacks this has for healthcare. The book considers the significance of immunity for individuals navigating the threats to health that arise with pandemics and superbugs, with a keen look into how these ideas surface in everyday life across the globe. Finally, the book also discusses economic bases of healthcare technologies bent towards the protection and restoration of immunity. This book is essential reading for professionals within the fields of psychology, sociology, biomedical science, healthcare and other related disciplines. A broader audience will appreciate the book’s attention on the ways immunity is understood to be a personal possession, an object of life craft, and the basis for healthcare consumerism.

Selling Immunity Self, Culture and Economy in Healthcare and Medicine provides a groundbreaking study of the ways in which immunity shapes life. Through its up-to-date discussion of immunity cultures, alongside detailed real-world examples, the book demonstrates how immunity is enmeshed in concepts of possessive individualism, self-defence and health consumerism. The book explores the rich metaphorical powers of immunity and the life narratives it inspires with reference to the talk of scientists, immunology texts and popular science magazines. The author provides a detailed overview of the ways in which digital media can shape the immune self with reference to cultural and social theories, providing insight into how immunitary knowledge and products are consumed and the benefits and drawbacks this has for healthcare. The book considers the significance of immunity for individuals navigating the threats to health that arise with pandemics and superbugs, with a keen look into how these ideas surface in everyday life across the globe. Finally, the book also discusses economic bases of healthcare technologies bent towards the protection and restoration of immunity. This book is essential reading for professionals within the fields of psychology, sociology, biomedical science, healthcare and other related disciplines. A broader audience will appreciate the book’s attention on the ways immunity is understood to be a personal possession, an object of life craft, and the basis for healthcare consumerism.

Do you know where your money is? More importantly, do you know what your money is doing? Most of us feel confident that we know what money is. But few of us feel confident in taking responsibility for what our money does. We hand over the power of money to banks and mainstream finance with real, often damaging, consequences for people and planet. A unique collaboration between an academic and a practitioner, this book tells the story of money, from ancient Athens to the Bitcoin revolution, to explain how crowdfunding is the way for people to reclaim the power of their money in pursuit of a fairer and greener society.

Mark and his Dad are going hiking, but there's just one problem: Mark has never been hiking before Join Mark as he works through his anxiety about trying something new, and as him and his Dad come across a not so fun surprise on the trails: trash everywhere

It's time for the Christmas gift exchange party, and Mark can't stop worrying about what to get his best friend This time, the anxious thoughts get too much to bear and causes Mark to get an anxiety attack. Read on to see how Mom and Dad help Anxious Mark stay calm when the thoughts become too much to handle.

In the city of Myrefall, the fate of Foodmanity is in danger. The Mains and the Snacks are on the brink of war, and the beloved King Burrito lies murdered in his home. Someone must solve this case before it reaches the public eye and causes the biggest food fight Myrefall has ever seen...That someone... is a Bean and Cheese Burrito.Detective Burrito is on the case

Research suggests that future influenza pandemics are inevitable as strains of the virus mutate in new ways. With this uncomfortable reality in mind, this book examines how the general public experienced the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus outbreak by bringing together stories about individuals' perception of their illness, as well as reflections on news, vaccination, social isolation, and other infection control measures. The book also charts the story-telling of public life, including the 'be alert, not alarmed' messages from the beginning of the outbreak through to the narratives that emerged later when the virus turned out to be less serious than initially thought. Providing unprecedented insight into the lives of ordinary people faced with the specter of a potentially lethal virus and drawing on currents in sociocultural scholarship of narrative, illness narrative, and narrative medicine, Pandemics, Publics, and Narrative develops a novel 'public health narrative' approach of interest to health communicators and researchers across the social and health sciences.

Are you a public speaker, trainer, or coach who is having trouble getting bookings? We excel at our profession, we offer awesome value ... but we are terrible marketers. No matter how well we speak or how powerful our offer is, we still need an audience.This book won't teach you how to speak, train, or coach. You already know how to do that. And we won't encourage you to give away your services for free.This book is all about paid bookings. We share the real-world case studies and techniques we use to keep our calendars filled with paid bookings. With 12 different methods, you can choose which strategy fits your personality and business style.Stop staring at an empty appointment calendar and waiting for the telephone to ring. Stop refreshing messages every 15 minutes hoping a "lead" will magically appear. Avoid making time-consuming cold calls and sending unsolicited messages.Instead, activate networks and connections that work. It is the personal interactions, with real people, that get bookings fast. This book gets you in front of the right prospects for your business.