Biography Books

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Book Synopsis''Part memoir, part shoe leather investigative journalism, Mafiopoli is a vital exploration of how organised crime takes hold of a society from the bottom up and spreads around the world.'' -Miles Johnson, author of Chasing Shadows''Beautifully written, excellently researched.'' -Mick Van Wely''An exceptional investigation into the global muscle of the Calabrian mafia.'' -StrongWords book of the week''It''s easy to think you''re listening to a thriller or TV drama but this is real life... impeccably researched... [Sanne de Boer is] an unstoppable force with an unstoppable audiobook'' -Bookriot The ''Ndrangheta mafia is one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the world. Bound together by blood ties, sworn to a code of silence and steeped in religious ritual, they are the force behind a litany of violence and corruption. In Mafiopoli, journalist Sanne De Boer takes us deep ins

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Book SynopsisThe Palace of the Republic, that once housed the East German parliament, is demolished. A grandmother's laughter passes from life into memory. Furniture that once made a home is taken to the tip. A friendship drops into silence. Old ways are erased by the new. In this fascinating collection of essays, most of them written for her column in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Jenny Erpenbeck meditates, with a sense of both deep melancholy and wry humour, on the disappearance and impermanence of things. Whether recalling the shop that used to darn tights in the days before you could just buy a new pair, reflecting on changing social attitudes, or considering the mysterious vanishing of a piece of cheese from her fridge, Jenny Erpenbeck's sharp intelligence, eye for telling detail, and her nuanced perspective on her country's past and present imbue these brief pieces with lasting power.

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Book Synopsis'Ben Alldis is a force. His attitude and drive are contagious.' - Max La Manna, author of You Can Cook This! 'Ben is never shy of sharing his positive energy, it's infectious and this book will help lift all spirits, not just physically but emotionally too' - Aimee Fuller, snowboarder and 2xOlympian'A relatable story on building resilience and finding your way in life and fitness' - David Birtwistle, Health & Performance Coach'Ben is so knowledgeable and passionate about fitness, Raise The Bar gives valuable tips and guidance on how to stay focused and in control of your fitness goals' - Susie Chan, Endurance Runner & Peloton instructor'This is more than a self-help book, it is a transformational paradigm shift that will shape how you live the rest of your life' - Dr. Will Cole, leading functional medicine expert, NYT-bestselling author, 

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Book SynopsisJenni Fagan was born in Scotland. Jenni was selected as one of Granta's Best Young British Novelists after the publication of her debut novel, The Panopticon, which was shortlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize and the James Tait Black Prize. The Sunlight Pilgrims, her second novel, was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature Encore Award and the Saltire Fiction Book of the Year Award and saw her win Scottish Author of the Year at the Herald Culture Awards. Luckenbooth was shortlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize 2021. Jenni Fagan is a Doctor of Philosophy, she lives in Edinburgh with her son.

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Book SynopsisTo be a bookseller or librarian . . .You have to play detective.Be a treasure hunter. A matchmaker. A brilliant listener.A person who creates a kind of magic by pulling a book from a shelf, handing it to someone and saying, ''You''ve got to read this. You''re going to love it''.In this love letter to the heroes of literacy, James Patterson uncovers true stories from booksellers and librarians. Prepare to enter a world where you can feed your curiosities, discover new voices, and find whatever you need.Meet the smart and talented people who live between the shelves - and who can''t wait to help you find your next great read._________________________________PRAISE FOR JAMES PATTERSON''No one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades.'' LEE CHILD''James Patterson is The Boss. End of.'' IAN RANKIN''The master storyteller of our times'' HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON''One of the greatest storytellers of all time'' PATRICIA CORNWELL''Patterson is in a class by himself'' GUARDIAN

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Book SynopsisTHE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE CWA GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION 2023'Wendy Joseph's gripping account of the law at work reads like a cliffhanger.' Sunday Times'Absolutely superb. 5 stars for sheer readability alone. Her Honour entertains as she educates us about murder, about the law and about how we human beings are shaped as we create the culture we live with.' PHILIPPA PERRY, author of THE BOOK YOU WISH YOUR PARENTS HAD READ___________________________________________________________________________________'Every day in the UK lives are suddenly, brutally, wickedly taken away. Victims are shot or stabbed. Less often they are strangled or suffocated or beaten to death. Rarely they are poisoned, pushed off high buildings, drowned or set alight. Then there are the many who are killed by dangerous drivers, or corporate gross negligence. There are a lot of ways you can kill someone. I know because I've seen most of them at close quarters.'High-profile murder cases all too often grab our attention in dramatic media headlines - for every unlawful death tells a story. But, unlike most of us, a judge doesn't get to turn the page and move on. Nor does the defendant, or the family of the victim, nor the many other people who populate the court room.And yet, each of us has a vested interest in what happens there. And while most people have only the sketchiest idea of what happens inside a Crown Court, any one of us could end up in the witness-box or even in the dock.With breath-taking skill and deep compassion, the author describes how cases unfold and illustrates exactly what it's like to be a murder trial judge and a witness to human good and bad. Sometimes very bad.The fracture lines that run through our society are becoming harder and harder to ignore. From a unique vantage point, the author warns that we do so at our peril._____________________________________________________________________________________________'The most exceptional book I have read in a long time.' CLARE MACKINTOSH'A very rare gem. written with authority, humility and compassion. Compellingly clever and sharply honest.' PROFESSOR DAME SUE BLACK, author of ALL THAT REMAINS'Riveting, thought-provoking, and very, very entertaining. I loved it.' RODDY DOYLE'Will make you question all the fundamentals that you've come to take for granted about offenders, the crimes that they commit - especially murder - and the punishment they deserve. A page turner that will leave you wanting to know more.' EMERITUS PROFESSOR DAVID WILSON, author of MY LIFE WITH MURDERERSThe instant Sunday Times bestseller, March 2023Trade ReviewJudge Wendy Joseph's gripping account of the law at work reads like a cliffhanger ... Joseph is a deft deployer of suspense and nuance ... She is funny too, with a keen eye for the absurdities of the human condition -- Kathryn Hughes * Sunday Times *'UNLAWFUL KILLINGS reads like a really terrific novel. It is riveting, thought-provoking, and very, very entertaining. I loved it.' -- Roddy DoyleAbsolutely superb. 5 stars for sheer readability alone. Her Honour entertains as she educates us about murder, about the law and about how we human beings are shaped as we create the culture we live with. -- Philippa Perry, author of The Book You Wish Your Parents Had ReadFascinating, propulsive and beautifully written, this is an extraordinary insight into the heart and mind of a judge as they witness the best and worst of humanity. I couldn't put it down. -- Sarah Langford, author of In Your DefenceFresh, compelling, well-written and unflinchingly authentic. -- Emily Penninck * the i newspaper *

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Book SynopsisFROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF REBECCA'Daphne du Maurier has no equal' DAILY TELEGRAPH'Miss du Maurier has brought to the art of the biography the narrative urgency' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW ' . . . she is unravelling a long distorted mystery' KIRKUS REVIEWS Pursued by the twin demons of drink and madness, Branwell Bronte created a private world that was indeed infernal. As a bold and gifted child, his promise seemed boundless to the three adoring sisters over whom his rule was complete. But as an adult, the precocious flame of genius distorted and burned low. With neither the strength nor the resources to counter rejection, unable to sell his paintings or publish his books, Branwell became a spectre in the Bronte story, in pathetic contrast with the astonishing achievements of Charlotte, Emily and Anne. Daphne du Maurier concentrates all her biographer's skill on the shadowy figure of Branwell Bronte. No reader could fail to be intensely moved by Branwell's final retreat into laudanum, alcohol and death. Trade ReviewMiss du Maurier has brought to the art of the biography the narrative urgency which gives such animation to her storytelling * New York Times Book Review *Daphne du Maurier has no equal * Daily Telegraph *Her craftsmanship has made of the material something more than a case of literary research; almost one feels that she is unravelling a long distorted mystery * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisA beautifully illustrated account of the letters and correspondence of Jane Austen. It has been said that Jane Austen the woman and Jane Austen the author are all of a piece, and nowhere is this more evident to the lovers of her novels than in the pages of her letters. This handsome celebration of Austen's letters is illustrated with portraits, facsimile letters, topographical engravings and fashion plates, all helping to bring to life the world Jane Austen inhabited. The letters, with an accompanying commentary by Penelope Hughes-Hallett, are separated into six periods of Jane Austen's life, between the years 1796, when she was twenty, and 1817, the year of her death. They celebrate Jane Austen's talent for expressing exactly what she perceived, making this an illuminating companion to her novels. Although the book follows a broadly chronological scheme, the letters are arranged round visual themes, including the Hampshire countryside, social life in Bath and London, domestic pursuits, paying visits and travelling by carriage. The author, who was born in Jane Austen's Hampshire village of Steventon, lectured on English Literature for the Open University and the Oxford University Department of External Studies. Trade Review‘It’s a fascinating insight into [Jane Austen’s] life and what influenced her.’ * The People's Friend *'Thoughtful and Attractive.' * Best of British *'This is a wondrous mixture of personal opinion, informed commentary and illuminating illustrations... a volume to dip into and enjoy again and again' * Jane Austen’s Regency World Review *

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Book SynopsisThe first woman to be elected First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon’s impact on the future of Scotland and the United Kingdom makes her words essential reading. Independently selected by editor Robert Davidson, this collection of speeches from her time as First Minister addresses such crucial matters as the climate crisis, education, human rights and the European Union. Women Hold Up Half the Sky depicts a leader tackling not only immediate, pressing concerns but also mapping out a progressive agenda for the future.Trade Review‘[These speeches are] truly striking in their eloquence and breadth of vision.’ * Scotland on Sunday *‘If you want to get to know the woman who leads the Scottish Government, this is a good place to start.’

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Book SynopsisMoments of clarity are rare and fleeting; how can we become comfortable outside of them, in the more general condition of uncertainty within which we make our lives? Written by critic Emily Ogden while her children were small, On Not Knowing forays into this rich, ambivalent space. Each of her sharply observed essays invites the reader to think with her about questions she can't set aside: not knowing how to give birth, to listen, to hold it together, to love. Unapologetically capacious in her range of reference and idiosyncratic in the canon she draws on, Ogden moves nimbly among the registers of experience, from the operation of a breast pump to the art of herding cattle; from one-night stands to the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. Committed to the accumulation of knowledge, Ogden nonetheless finds that knowingness for her can be a way of getting stuck, a way of not really living. Rather than the defensiveness of wilful ignorance, On Not Knowing celebrates the defencelessness of not knowing yet - which, Ogden suggests, may be a form of love.Trade Review'Ogden's essays are remarkable for their subtle and ingenious curiosity. Her willingness to be at once candid, lucid, and utterly intriguing - in a language lyrical and exact - makes these essays irresistibly compelling. The vision and revision that is her writing renews the essay as a vital form.' Adam Phillips

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Book SynopsisThe Life of Australia's Pioneer Aviator and Wartime Commander Air Vice-Marshal Don Bennett CB CBE DSO FRAeS

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Book SynopsisNow filmed as ''The Irishman'' starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci ''I heard you paint houses'' are the first words Jimmy Hoffa ever spoke to Frank ''the Irishman'' Sheeran. To paint a house is to kill a man. The paint is the blood that splatters on the wall and floors. In the course of nearly five years of recorded interviews Frank Sheeran confessed to Charles Brandt that he handled more than twenty-five hits for the Mob, and for his friend Hoffa. Sheeran learned to kill in the US Army, where he saw an astonishing 411 days of active combat during World War 2. After returning home he became a hustler and a hit man, working for legenday crime boss Russell Bufalino. Eventually Sheeran would rise to a position of such prominence that he was named as one of only two non-Italians on a list of the twenty-six most wanted Mob figures. When Bufalino ordered Sheeran to kill Hoffa, the Irishman did the deed, knowing that if he refused, he would haveTrade ReviewOn July 30, 1975, Hoffa disappeared. Sheeran explains how he did it in prose reminiscent of the best gangster films. * The Associated Press *Brandt's book gives new meaning to the term "guilty pleasure." * New York Times *Told with such economy and chilling force as to make The Sopranos suddenly seem overwrought and theatrical. * New York Daily News ***** * Metro *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTELLERUtterly brilliant. We all need to read this book' CLAUDIA WINKLEMAN''Patrick's book is fascinating and sobering and makes a compelling argument for going back to basics' JOE LYCETTWe used to care a lot about our clothes. We didn't have many but those we had were important to us. We'd cherish them, repair them and pass them on. And making them provided fulfilling work for millions of skilled people locally. ?Today the average person has nearly five times as many clothes as they did just 50 years ago. Last year, 100 billion garments were produced worldwide, most made from oil, 30% of which were not even sold, and the equivalent of one bin lorry full of clothing is dumped in landfill or burned every single second. Our wardrobes are full to bursting with clothes we never wear so why do we keep buying more?In this passionate and revealing book about loving clothes but despairing of a broken global system Patrick Grant considers the crisis of consumption and quality

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Book SynopsisDava Sobel, acclaimed and bestselling author of Longitude, chronicles the life and work of the most famous woman in the history of science and the untold story of the young women who trained in her laboratory.For decades Marie Curie was the only woman in the room at international scientific gatherings, and despite constant illness she travelled far and wide to share the secrets of radioactivity, a term she coined. She is still the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two scientific fields.Her ingenuity extended far beyond the laboratory walls; grieving the death of her husband, Pierre, she took his place as professor of physics at the Sorbonne, devotedly raised two daughters, drove a van she outfitted with x-ray equipment to the front lines of World War I, befriended Albert Einstein and inspired generations of young women to pursue science as a way of life.Approaching Marie Curie from a unique angle, Sobel navigates her remarkable discoveries and fame alongside the women who became her

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Book SynopsisMichael's newfound career started with an impulsive move to Barcelona, a vanished job assignment, no work visa, and an Hermes scarf sold on eBay to generate some quick cash. But soon the resourceful Michael discovered the truth about the waiting list and figured out the secret to getting Hermes to part with one of these precious bags.Trade Review"Funny, whip-smart... Both a hilarious raid on fashion's strongholds and a memoir that satisfies like a novel. Fashion die-hards, and many others, will be delighted from beginning to end." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "The one-step, one-stop shop guide to buying a Birkin." -- Huffington Post "The one-step, one-stop shop guide to buying a Birkin." -- Arianna Huffington, Huffington Post " [Tonello] reveals the key to scoring that Holy Grail of handbags in a clever memoir." -- Boston Herald "In his peppy, addictive memoir ... [Tonello] details the comical lengths to which he's gone to snag hundreds of Birkins that he then sells (with a steep mark-up) on eBay." -- moderntonic.com "The perfect, fluffy and fun beach read." -- glamour.com "A witty and engaging retrospective on [Tonello's] long career traipsing the globe as a purveyor of the Birkin bag." -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "[A] sunny memoir... The prose is vivid, the tone lighthearted. Mr. Tonello comes off as the fantasy gay best friend immortalized in contemporary women's fiction: sassy, plucky, optimistic-oh, and he can get you a Birkin." -- Wall Street Journal "[A] memoir of ... madcap travels, triumphs and humiliations. [Tonello] peels back the layers of pretension at the eminent design house... Anyone who's ever stepped into a luxury boutique and felt the sting of the doorman's disapproval will find a hero in Tonello." -- Miami Herald "Tonello recounts the strange and serendipitous tale of how he went from cleaning out his closet to being one of the busiest Internet resellers of Birkin bags in the world." -- The Globe and Mail Boston Globe bestseller -- No Source "Fascinating... The sassy and resourceful Tonello built a very lucrative eBay resale business from his apartment, specializing in Hermes scarves and the French luxury purveyor's highly desired Birkin bag. It's hard not to be swept up in his delightful one-man Birkin Brigades." -- Minneapolis Star Tribune "A deliciously addictive true tale of continent-hopping, celebrity-schmoozing, and a crazy-like-a-fox quest for that Hermes "it" bag, the Birkin. Haute read, indeed." -- straight.com "This summer's most adorable chick-lit book... It's smart. It's fizzy. It's amusingly snarky, with attitude to burn. " -- New York Times "Part comedy, part history, part treasure hunt, Michael Tonello's memoir is a romping sociological inquiry. If you're like me, you'll be transfixed and wanting more!" -- Tim Gunn "Hermes' worst nightmare." -- New York Daily News "I devoured, and adored Bringing Home the Birkin, the story of how one man turned the fashionable set's obsession with Hermes' signature handbag into a handsome, globe-trotting career." -- Jennifer Weiner, Author of Good in Bed and In Her Shoes "A deliciously quick nonfiction read." -- Charlotte Observer "Funny, thrilling, chock-full of great cocktail-party stories told with the flair of a natural raconteur." -- "The Year in Books 2008," Chicago Center for Literature and Photography "The fashion world is about to be handed its own Da Vinci Code with Bringing Home the Birkin." -- Maclean's

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Book Synopsis'Remarkable . . . Infidel shows that a determined woman can change more history than her own' Christopher Hitchens, Sunday Times 'If there is one book that really addresses the existential issues of our civilisation, then Hirsi Ali's autobiography is it' Michael Burleigh, Sunday Telegraph Ayaan Hirsi Ali is one of today's most admired and controversial political figures. She burst into international headlines following the murder of Theo van Gogh by an Islamist who threatened she would be next. An international bestseller, her life story INFIDEL shows the coming of age of this elegant, distinguished – and sometimes reviled – political superstar and champion of free speech. Ultimately a celebration of triumph over adversity, Hirsi Ali's story tells how a bright, curious, dutiful little girl evolves into a pioneering freedom fighter. As Western governments struggle to balance democratic ideals wi

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Book SynopsisHe is one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court, but from early childhood Andre Agassi hated the game. Now, in his frank and revealing autobiography, Agassi tells the story of a life framed by triumphs, obsession and personal struggles. He is one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court - but from early childhood Andre Agassi hated the game. Coaxed to swing a racket while still in the crib, forced to hit hundreds of balls a day while still in grade school, Agassi resented the constant pressure even as he drove himself to become a prodigy, an inner conflict that would define him. Now, in his beautiful, haunting autobiography, Agassi tells the story of a life framed by such conflicts. Agassi makes us feel his panic as an undersized seven-year-old in Las Vegas, practicing all day under the obsessive gaze of his violent father. We see him at thirteen, banished to a Florida tennis camp. Lonely, scared, a ninth-Trade Review‘engaging, thrilling…a superbly written book’–Michael Atherton, The Times ‘stunningly good’–Lynne Truss, The Times ‘Honest in a way that such books seldom are . . . An uncommonly well-written sports memoir.’-Charles McGrath, The New York Times ‘Agassi weaves a fascinating tale of professional tennis and personal adversity . . . His tale shows that success is measured both on and off the court.’–Doree Shafrir, New York Post ‘An ace autobiography’–London Lite

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Book SynopsisHeart-breaking, hopeful and horrifying, I Shall Not Hate is a Palestinian doctor''s inspiring account of his extraordinary life, growing up in poverty but determined to treat his patients in Gaza and Israel regardless of their ethnic origin. A London University- and Harvard-trained Palestinian doctor who was born and raised in the Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza Strip and who has devoted his life to medicine and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians'' (New York Times), Abuelaish is an infertility specialist who lives in Gaza but works in Israel. On the strip of land he calls home (where 1.5 million Gazan refugees are crammed into a few square miles) the Gaza doctor has been crossing the lines in the sand that divide Israelis and Palestinians for most of his life - as a physician who treats patients on both sides of the line, as a humanitarian who sees the need for improved health and education for women as the way forward in the Middle East. AnTrade Review'This story is a necessary lesson against hatred and revenge.' * Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize laureate *'In this book, Doctor Abuelaish has expressed a remarkable commitment to forgiveness and reconciliation that describes the foundation for a permanent peace in the Holy Land.' * President Jimmy Carter *‘A remarkable study of compassion, and of daily life in the Gaza Strip' * Sunday Times *If there is to be peace in the Middle East, it will come through men and women of his giant moral stature and epic capacity for forgiveness. I urge everybody to read this wonderful book.' * Peter Oborne, Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERUPDATED PAPERBACK FEATURING NEW CONTENTA Daily Mail Royal Book of the Year, 2021A Spectator Book of the Year, 2021'Briskly written and compulsively readable' - A.N. Wilson, TLS'Meticulously researched' - Spectator'Entertaining, convincing, timely' - Evening StandardDecember 1936. The King of England, Edward VIII, has given up his Crown, foregoing his duty for the love of Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée. Their courtship has been dogged by controversy and scandal, but with Edward's abdication, they can live happily ever after. But do they?In Traitor King, bestselling historian Andrew Lownie draws on hitherto unexplored archives to uncover the dramatic world of the Windsors post-abdication. Lownie reveals a couple obsessed with their status, financially exploiting their position and manipulating the media. Filled with treachery and betrayal, this is a story of an exiled Royal and the Nazi attempts to recruit him to their cause. And of why the Royal family never forgave the Duke for choosing love over duty.Trade ReviewMeticulously researched * Spectator *Lownie expertly captures the extravagance (they never travelled with fewer than 73 pieces of luggage), the sense of entitlement, the snobbery, the vanity, the selfpity, the bone-idle laziness, the fundamental uselessness of their lives as outcasts. 'I never saw a man so bored,' said one acquaintance. Should this be required reading in a certain household in Montecito, California? * Daily Mail History Books of the Year *Briskly written and compulsively readable...Does Andrew Lownie persuade me that it is worth telling the story again, and that he has made out the case for his unforgiving title? The answer is an unambiguous yes. -- A.N. Wilson * TLS *Entertaining... convincing... timely. Urgent reading for royals * Evening Standard *Darkly compelling...hundreds of eye-popping details...Gripping though it is, this is an unrelentingly damning portrait of the Windsors * Daily Mail *Compelling... a devastating portrait of the duke and duchess... a timely point of comparison when set against the ongoing trials and tribulations of the House of Windsor * The Tablet *Lownie reveals Edward not as a dupe of the Nazis, but an active and culpable collaborator...The list of individuals interviewed and archives consulted is formidable. The more impressive then, that this is a wonderfully readable and succinct story * BBC History Magazine *Thoroughly researched and compelling narrative of one of the most controversial periods in royal history. -- Andrew MortonAndrew Lownie has a remarkable ability to fashion a compelling narrative from raw archive text and personal reminiscence. His Traitor King (Blink, £25), about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and their questionable cohorts, is every bit as absorbing as his earlier history of the Mountbattens. -- Andrew Lycett, Spectator Books of the Year'definitively answering some of the enduring mysteries ...Lownie fearlessly yet fairly provides the answers. Lownie appears to have red every book ever written about the Windsors and drilled deep into unpublished archives as well...Lownie has dug into the couple's complex love lives just as deeply...The full ghastly truth about them has remained obscure until now, partly thanks to a judicious cover-up by the British Establishment...' -- History TodayMeticulously researched and with so much new material on one of the most controversial Royals of the 20th century. Lownie reveals shocking new aspects to the life of Edward, Duke of Windsor, and firmly placed the Duke as a traitor to his country. -- Aspects of Historythis "explosive new royal biography" (front-cover blurb) by the highly regarded author of books about Guy Burgess and the Mountbattens,.. a biographer as serious and scholarly as Andrew Lownie ...Lownie gives heft to George Orwell's famous observation that the England of that time was a family, but one "with the wrong members in control" * Times Book of the Week *"Andrew Lownie's compelling volume... an unflattering portrait of this entitled couple." * Daily Mail Books of the Year 2021 *Through meticulous research Lownie makes a convincing argument for the duke's treachery...Edward is revealed for what he was: a traitor to the British people and an ally to Hitler....Academic in its tone and shocking in its contents Lownie goes where no royal biography has gone before. It sheds new light on British history and during the Second World War and would make for a stellar tv series. * The Lady *Compelling and conclusive. * Clive Irving, bestselling author of The Last Queen *Andrew Lownie does not pull his punches. His well researched biography of the former Edward V111, before and after his abdication, will shock even the most loyal royalist. * Sir Christopher Ondaatje, author of The Last Colonial *An absorbing and easily digestible book * Telegraph *This readable, damning synthesis confirms that Edward's abdication was the free world's good fortune. * Wall St Journal *Compelling and conclusive. Wallis Simpson performed a great service to the Windsors by removing Edward VIII from the throne. As Andrew Lownie definitively proves, he was totally unfit to be king and his willingness to be Hitler's satrap would have finished the monarchy. * Clive Irving, bestselling author of The Last Queen *Lownie has uncovered an array of new sources regarding the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and he exhibits a sovereign command of the existing biographies. Tackling the most sensitive subjects-the Duke and Duchess' sexuality, their pro-Nazi views, their problematic behavior during the war, and the complicated nature of their relationship-Lownie has painted the most convincing portrait of the couple to date. The results are fascinating. * Jonathan Petropoulos, author of Royals and the Reich: The Princes von Hessen in Nazi Germany *"Lownie gathers convincing evidence of Edward's collaboration with Germany and amasses a wealth of new material, including intimate details about the Duchess's affair with American socialite James Donahue. Royal watchers will be riveted." * Publishers Weekly *Lownie's well-researched and comprehensive book proves there's more to learn about the couple. Readers will find not salacious gossip but careful analysis and an accurate portrait of an unpleasant, grasping, manipulative couple trying to find purpose in their lives. Edward later publicly renounced the worst Nazi offenses, but his friendships, comments, and antisemitism reveal another truth. Crisp prose, meticulous research, and careful objectivity make Lownie's biography accessible to all readers. * Library Journal *'Does anyone want to read yet another book about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor? Perhaps not, but if you tackle this most recent one, there will be no need to read any more on the subject. Among the dozens of biographies, memoirs, diaries, novels, documentaries, interviews, musicals, dramas, and films that have emerged over the last eighty years, none-until Andrew Lownie's book Traitor King-has fully uncovered the devastating truth of what the two were really up to in their collaboration with Hitler and the Nazi Party' * Criterion *'...admirably detached and well supported by evidence....an agreeably unsentimental approach to the narrative.' * Jonathan Keates *

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Book SynopsisIn 1963, Annie Ernaux, 23 and unattached, realizes she is pregnant. Shame arises in her like a plague: understanding that her pregnancy will mark her and her family as social failures, she knows she cannot keep that child. This is the story, written forty years later, of a trauma Ernaux never overcame. In a France where abortion was illegal, she attempted, in vain, to self-administer the abortion with a knitting needle. Fearful and desperate, she finally located an abortionist, and ends up in a hospital emergency ward where she nearly dies. In Happening, Ernaux sifts through her memories and her journal entries dating from those days. Clearly, cleanly, she gleans the meanings of her experience. Trade Review‘The author of one of the most important oeuvres in French literature, Annie Ernaux’s work is as powerful as it is devastating, as subtle as it is seething.’ — Édouard Louis, author of The End of Eddy‘Happening is gripping and painfully inevitable to read – like a thriller. I felt close to Annie Duchesne, in her aloneness, in a way I’ve rarely felt close to a character in a book. Women will be grateful to Ernaux for her wisdom, concision, and commitment to writing about death and life.’ — Daisy Hildyard, author of Emergency‘I’ve just finished Happening by Annie Ernaux, in which she writes about her experience of unwanted pregnancy and illegal abortion in 1960s France. The Years was one of my favourite reads of last year and that same rigorous clarity of vision – even when dealing with the complex or ambiguous – is just as evident here again. The experience of living simultaneously on the inside and outside of your own body is very particular to the female experience I think – and not only in relation to pregnancy but in myriad other ways too. I like the measured, unforgiving way she works her way through the logic, or illogic, of that. I find her work extraordinary.’ — Eimear McBride, author of Strange Hotel‘Universal, primeval and courageous, Happening is a fiercely dislocating, profoundly relevant work — as much of art as of human experience. It should be compulsory reading.’ — Catherine Taylor, Financial Times‘Meticulous catalogues of longing, humiliation, class anxiety and emotional distress, Ernaux’s books are unsparing in detail, pitiless in tone. In contrast to those of so many of her confession-minded peers, her shock tactics feel principled, driven less by narcissism or the need for self-justification than by some loftier impulse: a desire to capture the past as it was, undistorted by faulty memories, moral judgments or decorative literary flourishes.’ — Emily Eakin, New York Times Book Review‘Ernaux’s work is an attempt at truth. Not a narrative bend on truth, but an “endeavour to revisit every single image”.... Ernaux’s work is important. Not just because of her subject matter, but because of the way she hands it over: the subtle contradictions; her dispassionate stoicism, mixed with savagery; her detailed telling, mixed with spare, fragmented text.’ — Niamh Donnelly, Irish Times‘This short book ... is one of the most powerful memoirs I have ever read. Ernaux is famed in France, and is gathering fame abroad ... as an autobiographer of unusual talent and insight, virtually creating (although she disavows the term) a genre called “autofiction”, a hybrid style mixing, as the name suggests, autobiography and fiction, although there is nothing in Happening that suggests any fictional element. This is the truth, as bare as it can be told, although every so often Ernaux reminds us, carefully, that memory is slippery.’ — Nicholas Lezard, Dhaka Tribune

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Book SynopsisA New York Times bestseller and a Book of the Year for the Evening Standard and The Times. Is getting a little less comfortable the key to living a happier, healthier life? When journalist Scott Carney came across a picture of a man in his fifties sitting on a glacier in just his underwear, he assumed it must be a hoax. Dutch guru Wim Hof claimed he could control his body temperature using his mind and teach others to do the same. Sceptical, Carney signed up to Hof’s one-week course, not realising that it would be the start of a four-year journey to unlock his own evolutionary potential. From hyperventilating in a Polish farmhouse to underwater weight training in California, and eventually climbing Mt Kilimanjaro wearing just shorts and running shoes, Carney travelled the world testing out unorthodox methods of body transformation and discovering the science behind them. In What Doesn’t Kill Us he explains how getting a little less comfortable can help us to unlock our lost evolutionary strength.Trade Review'[Wim Hof] has become a phenomenon, and Carney is an entertaining guide to his world and his followers.’ * The Times 'Book of the Week' *‘I always knew that jumping into freezing water makes you feel brilliant afterwards, but now I know why.’ -- William Leith * The Spectator *‘When it's cold outside, do you turn the heating up? Do you always put a coat on before going out? Do you think your comfortable life is good for you? If so, you have to read Scott Carney's What Doesn't Kill Us. Through some great stories — which often involve Carney in the snow without much on — and some serious research, he shows us how to escape the bland, shuffling gait of our centrally-heated, fleece-jacketed, molly-coddled lives by diving head first into the ice-cold, axe-sharp, scary experiences that made our ancestors' hearts beat faster every day. If we do that, we can awake from the dull slumber of modern life, and open our eyes to a better, healthier dawn of crisp air, better circulation, and the ability to truly mean it when we say: I'm alive. Buy this book, and you'll emerge a stronger, healthier, more human human.’ -- James Wallman * author of Stuffocation: Living More With Less *‘Climbing a mountain in nothing but a pair of shorts seems idiotic to most, but for Wim Hof and his companions, it’s just another day. When investigative journalist and anthropologist Carney heard about Hof’s mind-boggling methods and claims that he could ‘hack’ the human body, he knew he had to venture to Poland to expose this fraud. But in just a few days, Hof changed Carney’s mind, and so began a friendship and a new adventure. Carney now chronicles his journey to push himself mentally and physically using Wim Hof’s method of cold exposure, breath-holding, and meditation to tap into our primal selves. Our ancestors survived harsh conditions without modern technology, while we live in comfortable bubbles with little to struggle against and wonder how they survived. The question is, ‘What happens when we push our bodies to the limit?’ Carney calls on evolutionary biology and other modern scientific disciplines to explore and explain Hof’s unconventional methods. Fresh and exciting, this book has wide appeal for readers interested in health, sports, self-improvement, and extreme challenges.’ * Booklist *‘As this engaging autoethnography relates, anthropologist and investigative journalist Carney was skeptical upon encountering a photo of a nearly naked Wim Hof sitting on a glacier in the Arctic Circle. Hof, a Dutch fitness guru who runs a training camp in Poland’s wilderness, claims he can control his body temperature and immune system solely with his mind; though Carney set out to prove Hof a charlatan, he was instead won over. Carney documents his interactions with Hof and the many others who have learned to control their bodies in seemingly impossible ways: he learned Hof’s breathing techniques for tricking the body into doing things it isn’t evolutionarily designed for, and underwent training to face extreme cold while barely clothed. It is this training that enables Hof and Carney to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro in 28 hours while wearing shorts. This is part guide and part popular science book; readers will learn about how Neanderthals used the body’s ‘brown fat’ to keep warm and how exposure nearly reverses the symptoms of diabetes. The accomplishments Carney documents are unbelievable and fascinating; this isn’t a how-to for those looking to perform extraordinary feats, but it is an entertaining account that will appeal to the adventurous.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Scott Carney is so curious about getting to the truth of things that he is willing to endure great pain and suffering to get there. While investigating the controversial methods of Wim Hof and others operating on the scientific fringe, Carney entered a skeptic yet emerged a true believer. In What Doesn't Kill Us, readers get to follow him along on his transformational journey, and the insights are truly fascinating. Informative, fun, and with a healthy degree of danger, this is a book for the adventurer in all of us.’ -- Gabriel Reece * Co-founder of XPT (Extreme Performance Training) *‘The further we get from the harsh environmental conditions that once threatened our existence, the more we need them. I see this every weekend at a Spartan Race somewhere in the world. Millions of otherwise sane people line up to suffer and push themselves to their physical limits, and it feels good. What Doesn't Kill Us is a fascinating investigation into the innate urge that drives people like these, and reveals how some have managed to use environmental conditioning to accomplish truly extraordinary things.’ -- John DeSena * founder of Spartan Race *‘As a Navy SEAL, you live by the mantra ‘What doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger.’ We would hear this phrase and repeat it, but we never had any proof that it was factual. Yet through comprehensive study, Scott Carney has brilliantly documented how engaging in environmental conditioning, breathing, meditation, and other techniques can actually make us physically and mentally stronger. What Doesn’t Kill Us is a fascinating book that will captivate all who read it and that will be of immense value to those in the military, those who are active in sports, and those who seek an alternate means of developing greater mental and physical strength.’ -- Don D. Mann * Don D. Mann, New York Times bestselling author, Inside SEAL Team SIX *‘The narrative is filled with personal details that will engage, astonish, and even repel readers … Couch potatoes take warning: the experiences described in this testimonial are often tough to read about, and the conclusions, while sometimes convincing, might best be taken with a touch of skepticism.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘Carney writes with considerable narrative verve, slamming home the misery of what he has witnessed with passion and visceral detail.’ * The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisJohn Douglas is the FBI''s pioneer and master of investigative profiling' Patricia CornwellGET INSIDE THE MINDS OF PSYCHOPATHS WITH THE GODFATHER OF CRIMINAL PROFILINGIn The Killer Across the Table, legendary FBI criminal profiler and number one bestselling author John Douglas delves deep into the lives and crimes of four complex predatory killers, offering never-before-revealed details about his profiling process and divulging the strategies used to crack some of his most challenging cases.In this riveting work of true crime, Douglas spotlights four very different criminals he's confronted over the course of his career, and explains how they helped him to put together the puzzle of how psychopaths and predators think.Taking us inside the interrogation room and demonstrating the unique techniques he uses to understand the workings of the most terrifying and incomprehensible minds, The Killer Across the Table is an unputdownable journey into the darkest reaches of criminal profiling andTrade Review‘John Douglas is the FBI's pioneer and master of investigative profiling, and one of the most exciting figures in law enforcement I've had the privilege of knowing’ Patricia Cornwell ‘John Douglas knows more about serial killers than anybody in the world’ Jonathan Demme, Director of The Silence of the Lambs ‘Douglas was instrumental in expanding our understanding of murderous psychopathy. He even coined the term “serial killer”’ Telegraph

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Book SynopsisThe world-champion freestyle skateboarder and the man who brought the ollie - the trick that revolutionised the sport by taking it from the ground to the air - to street skating shares the history of skateboarding, as he tells the dramatic story of his life.

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Book SynopsisA biography of venture capitalist and entrepreneur Peter Thiel, the enigmatic, controversial and hugely influential power broker who sits at the dynamic intersection of tech, business and politics Since the days of the dot-com bubble in the late 1990s, no industry has made a greater global impact than Silicon Valley. And few individuals have done more to shape Silicon Valley than billionaire venture capitalist and entrepreneur Peter Thiel. From the technologies we use every day to the delicate power balance between Silicon Valley, Wall Street and Washington, Thiel has been a behind-the-scenes operator influencing countless aspects of contemporary life. But despite his power and the ubiquity of his projects, no public figure is quite so mysterious. In the first major biography of Thiel, Max Chafkin traces the trajectory of the innovator's singular life and worldview, from his upbringing as the child of immigrant parents and years at Stanford as a burgeoning conservative thought leader to his founding of PayPal and Palantir, early investment in Facebook and SpaceX, and relationships with fellow tech titans Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and Eric Schmidt. The Contrarian illuminates the extent to which Thiel has sought to export his values to the corridors of power beyond Silicon Valley, such as funding the lawsuit that bankrupted the blog Gawker to strenuously backing far-right political candidates, including Donald Trump for president. Eye-opening and deeply reported, The Contrarian is a revelatory biography of a one-of-a-kind leader and an incisive portrait of a tech industry whose explosive growth and power is both thrilling and fraught with controversy.Trade Review[Chafkin] does an excellent job of unpicking the disparate elements of the Thiel mythology -- David Runciman, London Review of Books[A] deeply reported and gripping biography . . . It offers essential insights for anyone who wants to understand what Silicon Valley’s global ascendance has wrought—and it’s a really great read -- Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster BetterThe Contrarian is much more than a consistently shocking biography of Peter Thiel . . . It’s also a disturbing history of Silicon Valley that will make you reconsider the ideological foundations of America’s relentless engine of creative destruction -- Brad Stone, author of The Everything Store and Amazon UnboundA captivating, incisive, rigorously reported examination of Silicon Valley’s most mysterious and controversial powerbroker -- Joshua Green, author of Devil’s BargainIn The Contrarian, Max Chafkin takes us on a fascinating journey into the life and mind of one of the most influential, and least understood, figures in business and politics’ -- Sheelah Kolhatkar, author of Black EdgeA dogged reporter and an entertaining writer, [Chafkin] weaves an epic tale filled with startling ambition, cold calculation, and a large helping of contrarian—and contradictory—opinions -- Emily Chang, author of Brotopia

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR NONFICTION 2020WINNER OF THE WINDHAM-CAMPBELL PRIZE FOR NONFICTION 2020FINALIST FOR THE PEN / JEAN STEIN BOOK AWARD 2020''Profound and unforgettable'' Sally Rooney''A classic . . . I have long thought of Boyer as a genius'' Patricia Lockwood''An outraged, beautiful, and brilliant work of embodied critique'' Ben Lerner''Some of the most perceptive and beautiful writing about illness and pain that I have ever read'' Hari KunzruBlending memoir with critique, an award-winning poet and essayist''s devastating exploration of sickness and health, cancer and the cancer industry, in the modern worldA week after her 41st birthday, Anne Boyer was diagnosed with highly aggressive triple-negative breast cancer. For a single mother living payslip to payslip, the condition was both a crisis and an initiation into new ideas about mortality and the gendered politics of illness.In The Undying - at once her harrowing memoir of survival, and a 21st-century Illness as Metaphor - Boyer draws on sources from ancient Roman dream diarists to cancer vloggers to explore the experience of illness. She investigates the quackeries, casualties and ecological costs of cancer under capitalism, and dives into the long line of women writing about their own illnesses and deaths, among them Audre Lorde, Kathy Acker and Susan Sontag.Genre-bending, devastating and profoundly humane, The Undying is an unmissably insightful meditation on cancer, the cancer industry and the sicknesses and glories of contemporary life.Trade ReviewAnne Boyer is an essential voice, and this is an essential book: one body's urgent attempt at finding a language to tell us what it knows -- Jonathan Lethem, author of The Feral DetectiveThis is a powerful, timely, and troubling book. Boyer's unflinching account of the market-driven brutality of American cancer care sits beside some of the most perceptive and beautiful writing about illness and pain that I have ever read -- Hari Kunzru, author of White Tears

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Book SynopsisEverything drug cartels do to survive and prosper they’ve learnt from big business – brand value and franchising from McDonald’s, supply chain management from Walmart, diversification from Coca-Cola. Whether it’s human resourcing, R&D, corporate social responsibility, off-shoring, problems with e-commerce or troublesome changes in legislation, the drug lords face the same strategic concerns companies like Ryanair or Apple. So when the drug cartels start to think like big business, the only way to understand them is using economics. In Narconomics, Tom Wainwright meets everyone from coca farmers in secret Andean locations, deluded heads of state in presidential palaces, journalists with a price on their head, gang leaders who run their empires from dangerous prisons and teenage hitmen on city streets - all in search of the economic truth.Trade ReviewAn economics manual for the Breaking Bad generation… a fascinating account. * The Times *One of the pithiest and most persuasive arguments for drug law reform I have ever read. -- Misha Glenny * New York Times *A lively and engaging book. * Wall Street Journal *Great fun… He reveals how drug barons run their illegal multi-billion dollar global businesses in much the same way as Fortune 500 chief executives. * Sunday Times *Superb. One of the most original and smart takes I have read on the drugs world. -- Moisés Naím, author of 'Illicit'

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Book SynopsisRick Bucklers autobiography is the first from a member of The Jam, who some considered were the ultimate Mod band. Rick tells The Jam story from growing up in Woking and meeting fellow members Paul Weller and Bruce Foxton at school, through their formation in 1972 and tells of the band's early years before signing to Polydor records. He provides a year by year account of The Jam's progress whilst describing what it was like being a part of the music industry during the 70's and 80's and some of the characters who he met along the way including the Ramones, John Enwistle, Sid Vicious, Blondie, Boy George and Paul McCartney. Rick shares his own experiences and thoughts about what it was like to be in one of the UK's most successful bands who spent a great deal of time recording, performing and touring. Following The Jam's split in 1982, Rick gives a candid account of how he coped and his subsequent relationship with Paul and Bruce. All three members of The Jam stayed within the music industry and Rick takes the reader through his years in Time UK and various other bands up until forming From the Jam. A must read for any Jam fan.

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Book Synopsis*THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER**A Times Best Music Book of 2023*'This is the most glorious of books. I am besotted by the life I never knew he had.' -Elton John'Every page of Scattershot is a delight, a joy, a name-dropper fan's delight. Divine. I couldn't put it down.' -Pete Townshend'Hilarious and so emotionally true, Scattershot is like a letter from a cherished friend. You'll want to keep it close, so you can read it again and again.' -Cameron Crowe'Touching. Charming. Humble. Witty. And exquisitely written. Taupin's words need no musical accompaniment. They sing with a poets voice.' -Gary Oldman'Eloquent and inspiring' -Robert Hilburn, author of Johnny Cash: The Life'A funny, zippy narrative' -MOJO'An entertaining ride that doesn't spare the horses' -RTE Guide'Sharply written' -The Independent'Self deprecating and refreshingly honest' - Sunday TimesThis is the memoir music fans have been waiting for. Half of one of the greatest creative partnerships in popular music, Bernie Taupin is the man who wrote the lyrics for Elton John, who conceived the ideas that spawned countless hits, and sold millions and millions of records. Together, they were a duo, a unit, an immovable object. Their extraordinary, half-century-and-counting creative relationship has been chronicled in biopics (like 2019's Rocketman) and even John's own autobiography, Me. But Taupin, a famously private person, has kept his own account of their adventures close to his chest, until now.Written with honesty and candour, Scatterhot allows the reader to witness events unfolding from Taupin's singular perspective, sometimes front and center, sometimes from the edge, yet always described vibrantly, with an infectious energy that only a vivid songwriter's prose could offer. From his childhood in the East Midlands of England whose imagination was sparked and forever informed by the distinctly American mythopoetics of country music and cowboys, to the glittering, star-studded fishbowl of '70s and '80s Beverly Hills, Scattershot is simultaneously a Tom Jones­-like picaresque journey across a landscape of unforgettable characters, as well as a striking, first-hand account of a creative era like no other and one man's experience at the core of it.An exciting, multi-decade whirlwind, Scattershot whizzes around the world as we ride shotgun with Bernie on his extraordinary life. We visit New York with him and Elton on the cusp of global fame. We spend time with him in Australia almost in residency at an infamous rock 'n' roll hotel in an endless blizzard of drugs. And we spend late, late night hours with John Lennon, with Bob Marley, and hanging with Frank Sinatra. And beyond the world of popular music, we witness memorable encounters with writers like Graham Greene, painters like Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali, and scores of notable misfits, miscreants, eccentrics, and geniuses, known and unknown. Even if they're not famous in their own right, they are stars on the page, and we discover how they inspired the indelible lyrics to songs such as "Tiny Dancer," "Candle in the Wind," "Bennie and The Jets," and so many more.Unique and utterly compelling, Scattershot will transport the reader across the decades and around the globe, along the way meeting some of the greatest creative minds of the 20th century, and into the vivid imaginings of one of music's most legendary lyricists.Trade ReviewOrgasmic. Every page of Scattershot is a delight, a joy, a name-dropper fan's delight. Divine. I couldn't put it down * Pete Townshend *In Bernie Taupin's miraculous memoir Scattershot you'll meet legends, cowboys, geniuses, unforgettable faces in the night, shady purveyors of outrageous fortune, warriors of the heart, and most of all, Taupin himself. Hilarious and so emotionally true, Scattershot is like a letter from a cherished friend. You'll want to keep it close, so you can read it again and again * Cameron Crowe *Touching. Charming. Humble. Witty. And exquisitely written. Taupin's words need no musical accompaniment. They sing with a poets voice. * Gary Oldman *Eloquent and inspiring, Scattershot is a freewheeling memoir that is as warm and evocative as Bernie Taupin's most memorable lyrics. A born storyteller, Taupin gives us the life of an artist whose outlook was shaped by a rare but fascinating blend of lifelong innocence and endless intellectual curiosity * Robert Hilburn, author of Johnny Cash: The Life *I simply wouldn't write songs without Bernie Taupin. I've read every word he's ever written and there could never be enough of them to satiate my need for Bernie's way of seeing the world. Scattershot, though, is a lifting of the veil, as beautifully written as it is honest and rugged. Reading this book brought me face to face with who he truly is: an empathic genius who speaks to the everyman. * Brandi Carlile *This is the most glorious of books. I am besotted by the life I never knew he had. * Elton John *Written in a highly entertaining, articulate style with a wickedly acidic sense of humor, this book sets a new standard for rock biographies. * LIBRARY JOURNAL *Scattershot takes a non-linear approach and is all the better for it. It's funny too (one cokey chapter is titled Days Of Wine And Noses), and encounters with Salvador Dali and Princess Margaret colour the zippy narrative. There's a sense Taupin can't quite believe it all happened... * MOJO *An entertaining ride that doesn't spare the horses -- RTE GuideSharply Written * The Independent *Evocative * The Guardian *Engaging and poetic * The Times *Compellingly written - Scattershot is a thoroughly enjoyable read * Record Collector Magazine *Bernie is well-read, highly literate and, on the evidence of his memoir, a man of wise, sensitive intelligence. -- Roger Lewis, Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisBorn in Salford in 1956, Bernard Sumner went on to be a founder member of Joy Division and the singer and lead guitarist of New Order.Trade ReviewContains poignantly rendered family tragedies, told with warm humour and without self-pity... As well as showing a life saved and made by rock'n'roll, it illustrates someone almost effortlessly negotiating the rapids of success and stardom, armed only with street smarts and laconic Manc wit... A must for Joy Division and New Order fans' -- Irvine Welsh * Esquire *A fascinating memoir...The book is filled with memories of every kind -- Mark Ellen * The Times *

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Book SynopsisFew have written more beautifully about the British countryside than Francis Kilvert. A country clergyman born in 1840, Kilvert spent much of his time visiting parishioners, walking the lanes and fields of Herefordshire and writing in his diary. Full of passionate delight in the natural world and the glory of the changing seasons, his diaries are as generous, spontaneous and vivacious as Kilvert himself. He is an irresistible companion.This new edition of William Plomer’s original selection contains new archival material as well as a fascinating introduction illuminating Kilvert’s world and the history of the diaries.‘One of the best books in English’ Sunday Times'Kilvert has touched and delighted (and mildly shocked) readers of his diaries ever since they were first published. New readers are in for a treat' Alan BennettTrade ReviewKilvert has touched and delighted and (mildly shocked) readers of his diaries ever since they were first published. New readers are in for a treatOne of the most enchanting portraits of English rural life ever written...Kilvert's lyrical nature writing is recognised for its Wordsworthian sensibility * Guardian *One of the best books in English * Sunday Times *Funny, lyrical, witty and wise, Robert Kilvert’s diaries are a treasure-house of vital fieldwork and social observation. Parochial is the best sense, he joyed in the natural wonders of his parish, recording the trials and splendours of his day-to-day. As such, the diary is a marvel of observance; a hybrid hymn to a world now lost and a vibrant counterpoint to fellow poet-cleric, Gerard Manley HopkinsThe best picture of quiet vicarage life in Victorian England that has yet been given to us

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Book SynopsisInspired by forests, leaves, roots, and seeds, The Language of Trees is a gorgeously illustrated collection, a love letter to the wonder of trees and how they make our world, stretch our minds and rewild our landscapes and lives.

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Book SynopsisWITH A FOREWORD BY PATRICK BARKHAMAnd an essay by Welsh hill farmer, Dafydd Morris-Jones'One of the great no-holds-barred life-adventures in the wilds of the British landscape.' ADAM NICOLSONWritten on the eve of the Second World War, this memoir tells the remarkable story of how 21-year-old Thomas Firbank decided on impulse to purchase a 2,400-acre hill farm in the rugged, inhospitable mountains of Snowdonia, and how he and his wife struggled to build it back into prosperity. The book became an international bestseller, selling over half-a-million copies worldwide and pioneered the genre of 'good life' rural escape literature. This new edition is introduced with a foreword by the award-winning nature writer, Patrick Barkham, and includes an afterword by contemporary Welsh sheep farmer, Dafydd Morris-Jones.I Bought a Mountain is a thrilling human tale of tragedy and triumph, as well as a portrait of a lost era when farming was a communal endeavour, offering precious insights into conservation and sustainability relevant for today.Trade Review'"There's nothing so fine as courage," Thomas Firbank writes in I Bought a Mountain and that is the motto of the book: challenge after challenge faced, suffered and, in part anyway, relished for its stimulus. One of the great no-holds-barred life-adventures in the wilds of the British landscape. Every page is alive with the presence of the Welsh mountains and and their people, every chapter with the insistent, often beautiful, often savage realities of the natural world.' * Adam Nicolson *'One of the most compelling and successful 20th-century versions of the urge to escape to the country... deeply inspiring... highly pertinent.' * PATRICK BARKHAM *'Extraordinarily relevant... this book could have been written in 2022, with Firbank talking angrily of a country that needed to improve its self-sufficiency... Above all, however, he describes so movingly the privilege of farming this miraculous landscape.' -- Kate Green * Country LIfe *'A delightful book, full of vivid experiences.' * Telegraph *'Vitally convincing and exhilarating.' * OBSERVER *

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Book SynopsisA book about intense physical and personal experience, narrating how Victoria Whitworth began swimming in the cold waters of Orkney as a means of escaping a failing marriage. This is a memoir of intense physical and personal experience, exploring how swimming with seals, gulls and orcas in the cold waters off Orkney provided Victoria Whitworth with an escape from a series of life crises and helped her to deal with intolerable loss. It is also a treasure chest of history and myth, local folklore and archaeological clues, giving us tantalising glimpses of Pictish and Viking men and women, those people lost to history, whose long-hidden secrets are sometimes yielded up by the land and sea.Trade ReviewThere's no shortage of books about wild swimming... Perhaps the most intriguing of the lot is Swimming with Seals' * Scotland on Sunday *onderfully evocative... Fascinating... The writing is consistently alert and engaging' * Scotsman *Attentive, astute and beautiful... I adored it' -- Amy Liptrot, author of The OutrunI finished this book wanting to find a cold lido, or jump into a lake, or walk into the cold sea and stay there for as long as I could stand it, and then do it again * Guardian *Each little "dreamlike postcard" in this captivating book takes you deeper into the world novelist Victoria Whitworth experienced as a sea-swimmer in the wild waters of Orkney' * Sainsbury's Magazine *The author's descriptions of the coastline in Orkney and the savannah in Kenya, where she spent some of her childhood, are sharp and original... enjoy wallowing in the richness of her theological, philosophical and literary knowledge' * The National *An eloquent celebration of swimming in the cold waters of Orkney and a fascinating memoir * Half Man Half Book *A tale of redemption through nature and water's powerful ability to heal * Outdoor Photography *Intelligent, wide-reaching memoir... somehow refreshing, and calming, even in its introspection' * The Bookseller. *Absorbing and thrilling -- Ella Foote, Outdoor SwimmingThe first thing that hooked me into this story was the sea... An unusual [memoir]' * Evening Standard *She writes beautifully of selkies and mermaids * Guardian *This isn't really a book about swimming at all, but a book about how we are controlled by the voices of the dead; about how the whole of life is necessarily a seance. That's a humbling perspective * Five Books *An extraordinary book * TLS *An intensely painful and personal memoir... This tapestry of myth, folklore and history, woven alongside her own story, imbues it with extra meaning and emotion. You'll be raring to jump into the freezing cold sea after reading this' * Scotland Magazine *

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERAN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEARA NEW STATESMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR''This book is about a whole new way of studying the mind ... Endlessly fascinating'' Steven Pinker''A whirlwind tour of the modern human psyche'' EconomistEverybody lies, to friends, lovers, doctors, pollsters and to themselves. In Internet searches, however, people confess the truth.Insightful, funny and always surprising, Everybody Lies explores how this huge collection of data, unprecedented in human history, could just be the most important ever collected. It offers astonishing insights into the human psyche, revealing the biases deeply embedded within us, the questions we''re afraid to ask that might be essential to our well-being, and the information we can use to change our culture for the better.Trade ReviewTime and again my preconceptions about my country and my species were turned upside-down by Stephens-Davidowitz's discoveries -- Steven Pinker, author of The Better Angels of Our NatureAbsorbing and impassioned ... as an introduction to our fascinating new universe of data, Everybody Lies is hard to beat * Financial Times *Everybody Lies is an astoundingly clever and mischievous exploration of what big data tells us about everyday life. Seth Stephens-Davidowitz is as good a data storyteller as I have ever met -- Steven Levitt, co-author, FreakonomicsMove over Freakonomics. Move over Moneyball. This brilliant book is the best demonstration yet of how big data plus cleverness can illuminate and then move the world. Read it and you'll see life in a new way -- Lawrence Summers, President Emeritus of Harvard UniversityA whirlwind tour of the modern human psyche … The empirical findings in Everybody Lies are so intriguing that the book would be a page-turner even if it were structured as a mere laundry list * Economist *Everybody Lies relies on big data to rip the veneer of what we like to think of as our civilized selves. A book that is fascinating, shocking, sometimes horrifying, but above all, revealing -- Tim Wu, author of The Attention MerchantsFreakonomics on steroids - this book shows how big data can give us surprising new answers to important and interesting questions. Seth Stephens-Davidowitz brings data analysis alive in a crisp, witty manner, providing a terrific introduction to how big data is shaping social science -- Raj Chetty, Professor of Economics at Stanford UniversityA sobering guide to how much of ourselves we're putting online and what private companies might do with that information -- Helen Lewis * New Statesman 'Books of the Year' *Everybody Lies is a spirited and enthralling examination of the data of our lives. Drawing on a wide variety of revelatory sources, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz will make you cringe, chuckle, and wince at the people you thought we were -- Christian Rudder, author of DataclysmA tour de force - a well-written and entertaining journey through big data that, along the way, happens to put forward an important new perspective on human behaviour itself -- Peter Orszag, Managing Director, LazardBrimming with intriguing anecdotes and counterintuitive facts, Stephens-Davidowitz does his level best to help usher in a new age of human understanding, one digital data point at a time -- Fortune, Best New Business BooksStephens-Davidowitz, a former data scientist at Google, has spent the last four years poring over Internet search data . . . What he found is that Internet search data might be the Holy Grail when it comes to understanding the true nature of humanity * New York Post *It’s a wonderful book, but I would say that, wouldn’t I? -- Danny DoyleStephens-Davidowitz censures academics and other researchers for ignoring the largest data set ever collected, and he is probably not overstating it when he claims that the continuing study of these searches “will radically expand our understanding of mankind”. This undemanding book is a useful first step towards that knowledge’ -- Oliver Thring * Sunday Times *Seth Stephens-Davidowitz in his book “Everybody Lies,” tackles the discrepancy between the ideal version of ourselves we present to the world via social media and the confessions that we would never post there -- Judy Ketteler * International New York Times *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE IN BIOGRAPHY WINNER OF THE RATHBONES FOLIO PRIZE SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARDSHORTLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FOR AUTOBIOGRAPHYWINNER OF THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES'' TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2016 The Return is at once a universal and an intensely personal tale. It is an exquisite meditation on how history and politics can bear down on an individual life. And yet Hisham Matar''s memoir isn''t just about the burden of the past, but the consolation of love, literature and art. It is the story of what it is to be human.Hisham Matar was nineteen when his father was kidnapped and taken to prison in Libya. He would never see him again. Twenty-two years later, the fall of Gaddafi meant he was finally able to return to his homeland. In this moving memoir, the author takes us on an illuminating journey, both physical and psychological; a journey to find his father and rediscover his country.''A beautifully-written memoir that skillfully balances a graceful guide through Libya''s recent history with the author''s dogged quest to find his father'' Barack ObamaHisham Matar''s new novel My Friends is available now!Trade ReviewWhat a brilliant book. The Return reads as easily as a thriller, but is a story that will stick; a person is lost but gravity and resonance remain -- Hilary MantelIt is likely to become a classic. -- Colm TóibínA total work of art. It reminded me of Solzhenitsyn. It is of the same importance. I love it. -- James RebanksWise and agonizing and thrilling to read -- Zadie SmithBristles with arresting wisdom -- Jeremy PaxmanA treasure for the ages -- Peter CareyTremendously powerful -- Nadeem AslamA magnificent memoir of exile and loss -- Rawi HageOne of the essential books of our times -- Adam FouldsA profound and powerful meditation on love, loss and exile * Sunday Express *A truly remarkable book * Daily Telegraph *Stands comparison with the best literature of exile * Prospect *[An] extraordinary memoir -- Financial TimesMarvellously well-handled memoir * Evening Standard *A tale of mighty love, loyalty and courage * Spectator *A masterful memoir, a searing meditation on loss, exile, grief, guilt, belonging and, above all, family. * Book of the Week, Sunday Times *Beautifully written * Economist *Exquisite * Observer *An astonishing political thriller * Mail on Sunday *[A] profound work of witnessing and grief... leaves a deep emotional imprint * Newsday *A moving, unflinching memoir of a family torn apart by the savage realities of today's middle east -- Kazuo IshiguroI have always admired Matar's tender and compassionate but equally strong and compelling voice -- Elif ShafakMr. Matar is not a wonderful writer because his father disappeared or because his homeland is a mess: he is a brilliant narrative architect and prose stylist, his pared-down approach and measured pace a striking complement to the emotional tumult of his material . . . This book is an extraordinary gift for us all * Wall Street Journal *Breathtaking memoir... an elegy by a son who, through his eloquence, defies the men who wanted to erase his father and gifts him with a kind of immortality * Washington Post 10 Best Books of 2016 *The Return moved me to tears and taught me about love and home -- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie * Guardian Books of the Year *A desolating and powerful account of his son's search for his father, in life and death -- Hilary Mantel * New Statesman Books of the Year *Is it a sign, or a consequence, of this dreadful year that the best books displayed stern lucidity in the face of darkness and death? Hisham Matar's search for his "disappeared" father in The Return (note how badly British politicians come out of it) -- Julian Barnes * Guardian Books of the Year *A masterpiece . . . Its concision and reserve only heighten the power of a gripping and agonising story -- Alan Hollinghurst * Guardian Books of the Year *The Return is the self portrait of a haunting, a kind of political ghost story - made more unbearable by the beauty of its prose * Daily Telegraph Books of the Year *The intelligence and grace of Matar's writing is fuelled by a fierce and valid rage -- Rupert Thomson * Observer Books of the Year *For Matar, hope depends on individuals and families standing by cherished values -- Jonathan Benthall * Times Literary Supplement Books of the Year *A haunting and terrifying story, told with courage, anger, dignity and unswerving determination -- Blake Morrison * Guardian Books of the Year *Among the best of the year's writing... This book is his masterful ink-stained resistance * The Sunday Times *A beautifully-written memoir that skillfully balances a graceful guide through Libya's recent history with the author's dogged quest to find his father' -- Barack Obama

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Book Synopsis''In the journal I do not just express myself more openly than I could do to any person; I create myself''Intimate, vulnerable and unsparing, Reborn bears witness to the evolution of Susan Sontag.With entries dating from 1947-1963, the first instalment from Susan Sontag''s diaries charts her ascension from early adolescence to her early thirties. Unabashed, though thoroughly self-reflective, Sontag''s diaries reveal the inner workings of her mind, her insecurities and her passions. This compelling account of the evolution of America''s greatest post-war intellectual allows us to behold the moral and political awakening of the artist and critic.''An exceptionally vivid, and often moving, account of a young woman''s painful journey towards acceptance of her own nature'' Sunday Telegraph''Moving on several levels . . . thrilling . . . fascinating . . . often reads like a brilliant postmodern bildungsroman'' New YoTrade ReviewFascinating. One can feel Sontag's mind beginning to ripen and bloom, and the full force of the intellectual originality that would be her hallmark emerging * Guardian *Inspirational. Sontag shows us not just the importance, but the exhilaration of being earnest * New Statesman *A fascinating document of her apprenticeship, charting her earnest quest for education, identity, and voice. Reborn is overwhelmingly a record of an inner landscape. * New York Review of Books *

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