The poor boy who made his fortune . . . not just once but twice.
Little Jeff Pearce grew up in a post-war Liverpool slum. His father lived the life of an affluent gentleman whilst his mother was forced to steal bread to feed her starving children. Life was tough and from the moment Jeff could walk he learned to go door to door, begging rags from the rich, which he sold down the markets. 
Leaving school at the age of fourteen, he embarked on an extraordinary journey, and found himself, before the age of thirty, a millionaire.
Then, after a cruel twist of fate left him penniless, he, his wife and children were forced out of their beautiful home . . .
With nothing but holes in his pockets, Jeff had no alternative but to go back down the markets and start all over again. Did he still have what it took? Could he really get back everything he had lost?
A Pocketful of Holes and Dreams is the heartwarming true story of a little boy who had nothing but gained everything and proof that, sometimes, rags can be turned into riches . . . ______________
'An inspirational tale of hard work and determination' 5* reader review 
'I just loved this book from the first chapter - I was gripped' 5* reader review

A Pocketful of Holes and Dreams

Biographies & Memoirs

Pearce, Jeff

Historical

Penguin Random House UK

Professionals & Academics

Penguin

It was the war that changed everything, and yet it’s been mostly forgotten: in 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia. It dominated newspaper headlines and newsreels. It inspired mass marches in Harlem, a play on Broadway, and independence movements in Africa. As the British Navy sailed into the Mediterranean for a white-knuckle showdown with Italian ships, riots broke out in major cities all over the United States. Italian planes dropped poison gas on Ethiopian troops, bombed Red Cross hospitals, and committed atrocities that were never deemed worthy of a war crimes tribunal. But unlike the many other depressing tales of Africa that crowd book shelves, this is a gripping thriller, a rousing tale of real-life heroism in which the Ethiopians come back from near destruction and win. Tunnelling through archive records, tracking down survivors still alive today, and uncovering never-before-seen photos, Jeff Pearce recreates a remarkable era and reveals astonishing new findings. He shows how the British Foreign Office abandoned the Ethiopians to their fate, while Franklin Roosevelt had an ambitious peace plan that could have changed the course of world historyhad Chamberlain not blocked him with his policy on Ethiopia. And Pearce shows how modern propaganda techniques, the post-war African world, and modern peace movements all were influenced by this crucial conflicta war in Africa that truly changed the world. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory over Mussolini's Invasion, 1935-1941

History

Africa

Skyhorse

After Dale Burnett's abusive common-law wife and innocent son are killed in a car accident, he finds the courage at last to express his bisexuality. And London is a city of hope and potential for a young American. But when a blind date goes horribly wrong, Dale is rescued by Phirun, a British Cambodian who has the astonishing ability to manipulate water. Dragons walk the streets, and they've taken human form to live in the world of Man. As two kinds of dragon wage a secret and vicious war, Phirun needs Dale's help for his side to win, and the stakes include the very survival of the human race. But one dragon crime boss won't stop until he gets his hands on the American, who has a mysterious yet vital role to play. As Dale investigates, he grows closer to Phirun, but also to a compassionate female detective of the London police. If the battle is won, Dale must choose between a beautiful female cop who offers stability, affection, and a chance at a new family, or a gorgeous, unpredictable being who is more than man, who has given him ecstasy he has never known before.

Dragon Streets

Literature & Fiction

Erotica

Dreamspinner Pr

It was the war that changed everything, and yet it’s been mostly forgotten: in 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia. It dominated newspaper headlines and newsreels. It inspired mass marches in Harlem, a play on Broadway, and independence movements in Africa. As the British Navy sailed into the Mediterranean for a white-knuckle showdown with Italian ships, riots broke out in major cities all over the United States. Italian planes dropped poison gas on Ethiopian troops, bombed Red Cross hospitals, and committed atrocities that were never deemed worthy of a war crimes tribunal. But unlike the many other depressing tales of Africa that crowd book shelves, this is a gripping thriller, a rousing tale of real-life heroism in which the Ethiopians come back from near destruction and win. Tunnelling through archive records, tracking down survivors still alive today, and uncovering never-before-seen photos, Jeff Pearce recreates a remarkable era and reveals astonishing new findings. He shows how the British Foreign Office abandoned the Ethiopians to their fate, while Franklin Roosevelt had an ambitious peace plan that could have changed the course of world historyhad Chamberlain not blocked him with his policy on Ethiopia. And Pearce shows how modern propaganda techniques, the post-war African world, and modern peace movements all were influenced by this crucial conflicta war in Africa that truly changed the world. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory over Mussolini's Invasion, 1935-?1941

In the summer of 1839, Henry Layard-just twenty-two years old-left England for eastern Europe and distant lands of the Ottoman Empire. He had never set foot in these regions before and wasn't fluent in their languages. But he would experience one dramatic adventure after another, narrowly escaping death, combatting murderous thieves, riding with Bakhtiari warriors in Persia, and going on secret missions for the British embassy in Turkey. Layard made some of the most important archaeology discoveries ever, uncovering the ruins of Nineveh in 1845, as well as the lost Assyrian capital of Ashur. It's thanks to his secret efforts that scores of Yezidi refugees were saved from persecution. When he returned to England, his personal account of his finds at Nineveh became a bestseller. He went on to witness the famous Charge of the Light Brigade, investigated the Indian Mutiny, and as Britain's diplomat, he played a key role in saving Istanbul from destruction and looting during a war. Real-life Indiana Jones meets Lawrence of Arabia in Winged Bull, the first biography in half a century to tell the story of Henry Layard and his daring adventures. While you may not know his name, you likely have seen his work. The winged bulls, lions and priceless treasures of art and jewellery that he found make up permanent collections in institutions such as the British Museum, Britain's National Gallery and New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Layard may have also been the first "archaeologist with a conscience." While better known figures either stole their discoveries or bribed their way into ruins, Layard sought formal permission from local authorities. His books and letters draw a picture of a man who deeply respected the lands and cultures he explored. Using Layard's own letters as well as archival materials and never-before-published documents, author Jeff Pearce captures the life of a man who was never at rest, whether galloping off with tribal rulers or standing up for the poor and downtrodden as a British MP. Discover the life of Henry Layard in this gripping tale of astonishing discoveries, swashbuckling exploits, and political intrigue.

Winged Bull: The Extraordinary Life of Henry Layard, the Adventurer Who Discovered the Lost City of Nineveh

Prometheus

"The West will begin to understand Africa when it realizes it's not talking to a child--it's talking to its mother."So writes Jeff Pearce in the introduction to his fascinating, groundbreaking work, The Gifts of Africa: How a Continent and Its People Changed the World.We learn early on in school how Europe and Asia gave us important literature, science, and art, and how their nations changed the course of history. But what about Africa? There are plenty of books that detail its colonialism, corruption, famine, and war, but few that discuss the debt owed to African thinkers and innovators. In The Gifts of Africa, we meet Zera Yacob, an Ethiopian philosopher who developed the same critical approach and several of the same ideas as René Descartes. We consider how Somalis traded with China, and we meet the African warrior queens who still inspire national pride. We explore how Liberia's Edward Wilmot Blyden deeply influenced Marcus Garvey, and we sneak into the galleries and theaters of 1920s Paris, where African art and dance first began to make huge impacts on the world. Relying on meticulous research, Pearce brings to life a rich intellectual legacy and profiles modern innovators like acclaimed griot Papa Susso and renowned economist George Ayittey from Ghana. From the ancient Nubians to a Nigerian superstar in modern painting and sculpture, from the father of sociology in the Maghreb to how the Mau Mau in Kenya influenced Malcom X, The Gifts of Africa is bold, engaging, and takes the reader on a journey of thousands of years up to the present day. Past works have reinforced misconceptions about Africa, from its oral traditions and languages to its resistance to colonial powers. Other books have treated African achievements as a parade of honorable mentions and novelties. This book is different--refreshingly different. It tells the stories behind the milestones and provides insights into how great Africans thought, and how they passed along what they learned. Provocative and entertaining, The Gifts of Africa at last gives the continent its due, and it should change the way we learn about the interactions of cultures and how we teach the history of the world.

The Gifts of Africa: How a Continent and Its People Changed the World

Jeff Pearce's book is a humungous, hilarious and controversial wave of the Maple Leaf and reveals that Canadian nationalism is in the end... fun. Next time you're in a bar with an American who is putting down our money, our health care system or our lack of Tec-9 semi-automatics available to 12-year-olds, you can say, 'Oh, yeah? Did you know that according to the United Nations survey on such-and-such...?' Provocative and insightful, Canada vs United States demonstrates how Canada holds its own and even outperforms the U.S. in such areas as the economy, arts, quality of life, banking, law enforcement and even sex (ahem, especially sex). You may know that Canada is BIGGER in land mass and has WAY MORE natural resources; BUT, you may not know... -- Canadians have less debt -- Canadians are better educated -- Canadians get more vacation days and yet we work harder -- The Canadian military hasn't cared about gays in the ranks for years, and that same military kicked the Americans back across the border each time they invaded! -- Our health care system is better -- Our national police force, the RCMP, has a better reputation -- Canada is known and respected for its peacekeeping and peacemaking -- AND... Canadians even live longer!

Canada vs United States: How Canada is So Much Better than America

Americas

Folklore Publishing

In Gangs in Canada, Jeff Pearce draws a portrait of an epidemic spreading across the country and infecting our youth. He shows how police, ex-gang members and organizations are reclaiming our young people and showing them ways out of a violent, doomed lifestyle. This is the most gripping, up-to-date chronicle of what is happening on our streets: -- Trace the rise and fall of Vancouver's notorious Bindy Johal, a vicious crime leader who is perversely idolized by up-and-coming gangsters and wannabes years after he was shot dead. -- Winnipeg's Jessie McKay, once known as a crazy punk rocker chick and muscle for the Indian Posse, has reinvented herself as a caring mother and activist trying to save Aboriginal youth. -- One Ontario neo-Nazi succeeded in manipulating the media beyond his wildest dreams when he fooled Fox News into interviewing him as a ''free-speech advocate.'' -- Meet a Calgary constable who visits gang members and youth at risk and sees their potential with touching humanity. -- Since beating down the Rock Machine and running the Outlaws out of town, the Hells Angels have acquired a near-monopoly over the drug trade in Montreal. -- The Marriott and Melvin families of Halifax have been the source of gang-related activity--drug smuggling and trafficking--for many years. Gangs in Canada goes beyond the headlines and news clips. It picks up the discussion over causes, history and media influences and shakes out fresh new perspectives on strategies for intervention.

Gangs in Canada

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Quagmire Press

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Pearce, Jeff. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Pearce, Jeff

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Pearce, Jeff. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

A Pocketful of Holes and Dreams

A Pocketful of Holes and Dreams

Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory over Mussolini's Invasion, 1935-1941

Dragon Streets

Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory over Mussolini's Invasion, 1935-?1941

Winged Bull: The Extraordinary Life of Henry Layard, the Adventurer Who Discovered the Lost City of Nineveh

The Gifts of Africa: How a Continent and Its People Changed the World

Canada vs United States: How Canada is So Much Better than America

Gangs in Canada