The Book of Job – Dale Stafford (The Principal Department, £19.95) In the author’s own words, this is a book “packed with priceless perspicuity about the business of people for people in business”. It’s a handbag-sized book with a limited-edition run of 1,000 so it feels special and the enthusiasm of the writer is obvious. […]

Strategic Partnering – Luc, Raphaël and Guillaume Bardin (Kogan Page, £24.99) Luc Bardin writes from experience – more than 35 years at some of the world’s foremost businesses ensures this book conveys both knowledge and gravitas. Bardin is committed to helping organisations build strategic value opportunities and his passion for doing so makes it an […]

The Girl’s Guide to Homelessness – Brianna Karp (Harlequin, £9.99) Who could fail to be moved by the heartbreaking memoir of Brianna Karp, a highly intelligent, resilient person from California. Brianna had an amazing, well-paid job, but during the recession in 2009 she found herself suddenly out of work and homeless. She takes advantage of […]

Warm Bodies – Isaac Marion (Vintage, £7.99) If you’re a fan of existential ramblings, you’ll love this book. It tells the story of R, a zombie living in an airport after a virus all but wipes out the human race. He lives a simple life, shuffling here and there and grunting at his undead companions. […]

The Chamber of Celebrity PA Secrets – Donna Coulling (Ambassador International, £2.45 – eBook) PAs in all industries will find the advice in this quick read invaluable. Donna writes from experience, so everything comes across as reliable and her writing is accessible – there was never a moment when I felt out of my depth. […]

The Athena Doctrine – John Gerzema and Michael D’Antonio (Jossey Bass, £18.99) The foundation of this book is a survey of 64,000 people across 13 countries, conducted in order to categorise leadership traits as either “feminine” (collaborative, supportive, empathetic) or “masculine” (competitive, analytical, decisive). The findings are detailed in the introduction, while the chapters provide […]

The Shock of the Fall – Nathan Filer (HarperCollins, £12.99) This book is quite simply stunning and was a worthy winner of the 2013 Costa Book Prize. Nathan Filer, in addition to being a successful author, is also a mental health nurse and it is his experience of, and insight into, the private world of […]

Reasons She Goes to the Woods – Deborah Kay Davies (Oneworld Publications, £8.99) Pearl is a disturbed girl, growing up with all sorts of issues. The journey on which the reader is taken is dark and sinister as we are exposed to this little girl’s working mind. She sees her father as the sole person […]

In a competitive job market, standing out from other applicants is not an easy task, so former high-profile celebrity personal assistant Brian Daniel has set out to help PAs land elite roles. Brian’s book, How to Find the Best Jobs: secrets to working with the high-net-worth, outlines tips for PAs on writing a fantastic CV […]

Heels of Steel: surviving & thriving in the corporate world – Vanessa Vallely (Panoma Press, £14.99) Intrigued by the title of this book, I am pleased to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is actually two books in one. The first is an entertaining autobiography of the author’s journey from council estate tearaway to COO […]

Clarity – Jamie Smart (Wiley, £10.99) Jamie Smart believes that when your mind is clear you can focus, solve problems and succeed – and he’s right. However, you need a lot of focus to get through his book. This is a true personal help book; at 265 pages it’s long and is written in the […]

Heroic Measures – Jo-Ann Power (The Wild Rose Press, £14.99) The story follows Gwen Spencer on her journey from student to World War I nurse, travelling from her home town to the battlefields of France. The tale is a powerful and accurate depiction of the struggles of the medical professionals who lived in the same […]

The Engagements – J Courtney Sullivan (Virago, £13.99) If you have ever pressed your nose up against a jewellery shop window and wondered who has worn that antique diamond engagement ring then this book is for you. We follow one ring’s journey through the 20th century as we are given touching insights into the people’s […]

The vast majority of office employees (72%) rate being happy in their job as one of the most important factors in their work life, but in fact just 8% feel they’re in their dream role and more than 40% of us waste up to four hours a week fantasising about what we could be doing […]

Writing a good executive assistant job description sometimes stumps employers because they don’t know exactly what will attract suitable candidates. Brian Daniel, former celebrity PA and headhunter to the stars, has written a guide to help businesses get applications from top job seekers. “It continues to amaze me that many employers don’t know how to […]

Congratulations to the November/December competition winners: Debra Jacobs at RBS wins a Paella Fella party for up to 20 people; Sophie Duffy at Town and Country Fine Foods gets a Redness Therapy facial at Fredrick’s Spa; Joanna Theodoulou at William Hill enjoys a VIP stay at a De Vere Hotels location (pictured); and Silvia Murador, […]

ACC Aviation provides bespoke charter flights on all types and sizes of aircraft, from private jets and helicopters to large commercial planes. And now, the company is offering three lucky readers the chance to win a helicopter flight over London. This fantastic prize includes an aerial sightseeing tour of the city’s most iconic landmarks during […]

Deliveroo brings a variety of high-quality, super-tasty restaurant food to your office, quickly and reliably. Right now, it’s giving PA Life readers the chance to be a hero at work and win £500 worth of food. The company partners with thousands of London’s best-loved restaurants, including Gaucho, Ping Pong, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Busaba Eathai and […]