From Austen to Zola, from medieval to the modern day - all genres are catered for between the covers of these coveted classics.
Classics Books
HarperCollins Publishers Daughters of Fire Discover a new favourite read
Book SynopsisThe sweeping new novel from the bestselling author of LADY OF HAY switches between Roman Britain and the present day where history dramatically impacts on the lives of three women.The Romans are landing in BritanniaCartimandua, the young woman destined to rule the great Brigantes tribe, watches the invaders come ever closer. Her life has always been a maelstrom of love, conflict and revenge, but it only becomes more turbulent and complicated with power. Her political skills are threatened by her personal choices, and Cartimandua finds she has made formidable enemies on all sides as she faces a decision which will change the futures of all around her.In the present day, historian Viv Lloyd Rees has immersed herself in the legends surrounding the Celtic queen. Viv struggles to hide her visions of Cartimandua and her conviction that they are real. But her obsession becomes more persistent when she finds an ancient brooch that carries a curse. Bitter rivalries and overwhelming passions areTrade ReviewPraise for ‘Daughters of Fire’: ‘Riveting timeslip novel.’ Fanny Blake, Woman and Home ‘A fascinating spotlight on a dark age.’ Bella Praise for Barbara Erskine: 'Her forte is mood, atmosphere and the toe-curling frisson.' Sunday Times ‘Readers of Barbara Erskine are held in thrall.’Woman’s Realm ‘Stephen King meeting Ruth Rendell.’ Frank Delaney 'Barbara Erskine's storytelling talent is undeniable.' The Times
£10.44
Alma Books Ltd Gulliver's Travels
Book SynopsisShipwrecked on an unknown island, Lemuel Gulliver wakes to find himself surrounded by its six-inch-tall natives, the Lilliputians. But this is only the first in a long line of wonderful discoveries, as his adventures take him to other far-off lands such as Brobdingnag, populated by a race of giants, Luggnagg, home to the eternally ageing Struldbrugs, and the country of the Houyhnhnms, a race of benevolent talking horses. Parodying the popular travel accounts of its time, Gulliver's Travels is not only a tour de force of imaginative and comic writing, which has thrilled readers of all ages for almost three centuries, but also a masterly, merciless satire on Western society and human nature.Trade ReviewIf I had to make a list of six books which were to be preserved when all others were destroyed, I would certainly put Gulliver's Travels among them. -- George Orwell
£6.99
Alma Books Ltd Tender is the Night
Book SynopsisWhile holidaying at a villa on the French Riviera, Dick and Nicole Diver, a wealthy American couple, meet the young film star Rosemary Hoyt. Her arrival causes a stir in their social circle and exposes the cracks in their fragile marriage. As their relationship unravels, glimpses of their troubled past emerge, and a series of disturbing events unfolds. Peopled by an unforgettable cast of aristocrats and high-fliers, Tender Is the Night is at once a scathing critique of the materialism and hypocrisy of the Roaring Twenties and a poignant and sensitive account of personal tragedy and disillusionment.Trade ReviewGatsby was a tour de force, but this is a confession of faith. -- Fitzgerald comment on Tender is the Night He was better than he knew, for in fact and in the literary sense he invented a generation. * The New York Times *
£7.99
Canongate Books The Bachelors
Book SynopsisThe Bachelors displays the best of Sparkian satire, placing her at the heart of a great literary tradition alongside Waugh and Trollope, Wilde and Wodehouse. It demands rediscovery.'It's easy to see why Waugh admired The Bachelors. On one level, it is a blithely carnivorous satire in the Waugh mould. The bachelors of the title - almost the only men we meet in the narrative - are the thirty-something male barristers, teachers, journalists and museum attendants of a small patch of West London. They lead inturned, doddery, superannuated lives, pottering between grocers, coffee-houses, bedsits and the houses of their mothers and aunts. But the comedy here is serious in a way that Waugh's satanically energetic comedies of misery rarely are . . . comedies of English manners have seldom been darker' Daily Telegraph'My admiration for Spark's contribution to world literature knows no bounds. She was peerless, sparkling, inventive and intelligent - the crème de la crème' Ian Rankin'Muriel Spark's novels linger in the mind as brilliant shards, decisive as a smashed glass is decisive' John Updike, New YorkerTrade ReviewA wholly original presence in modern literature -- ANDREW MOTIONMuriel Spark's novels linger in the mind as brilliant shards, decisive as a smashed glass is decisive -- JOHN UPDIKE * * New Yorker * *I am dazzled by The Bachelors. It is the cleverest and most elegant of all Mrs Spark's clever and elegant books -- EVELYN WAUGHShe has a receptive and wholly distinctive genius -- A N WILSON * * Spectator * *My admiration for Spark's contribution to world literature knows no bounds. She was peerless, sparkling, inventive and intelligent - the crème de la crème -- IAN RANKINA profoundly serious comic writer whose wit advances, never undermines or diminishes, her ideas * * New York Times Book Review * *The care with which she uses words is matched by a gloriously carefree attitude. It's all part of her sanity, her breezy authorial self-confidence; and because of this I think that reading a blast of her prose every morning is a far more restorative way to start a day than a shot of espresso * * Daily Telegraph * *Spark is a natural, a paradigm of that rare sort of artist from whom work of the highest quality flows as elementally as current through a circuit * * New Yorker * *It's easy to see why Waugh admired The Bachelors. But the comedy here is serious in a way that Waugh's satanically energetic comedies of misery rarely are . . . comedies of English manners have rarely been darker * * Daily Telegraph * *
£999.99
Pan Macmillan Sense and Sensibility
Book SynopsisTwo sisters of opposing temperament but who share the pangs of tragic love provide the subjects for Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful hardbacks make perfect gifts for book lovers, or wonderful additions to your own collection. Gorgeously illustrated by the celebrated Hugh Thomson, this edition also includes an afterword by author and critic Henry Hitchings.Elinor, practical and conventional, the epitome of sense, desires a man who is promised to another woman. Marianne, emotional and sentimental, the epitome of sensibility, loses her heart to a scoundrel who jilts her. A powerful drama of family life and growing up, Sense and Sensibility is at once a subtle comedy of manners and a striking critique of early nineteenth-century society.Trade ReviewAusten's genius lies in her style and elegance of mind -- Amanda Craig * Independent *Austen's oeuvre is inviolable – it can never be unwritten -- Francesca Segal * The Guardian *
£10.44
Flame Tree Publishing Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: Unabridged,
Book SynopsisA collector’s edition of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Through the Looking Glass, with letters, poems and a biography of their creator, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. Featuring over 100 black and white illustrations by Arthur Rackham, Sir John Tenniel, Henry Holiday and Arthur B. Frost.
£17.00
Alma Books Ltd The Eternal Husband
Book SynopsisDuring a stifling St Petersburg summer, the rich landowner Velchaninov is haunted by the figure of a man he keeps glimpsing in the street. When he receives a surprise visit from him late at night, he realizes he is an old friend, Trusotsky, whose late wife, Natalya, was his secret lover. As the two men renew their acquaintance, Velchaninov becomes aware that Trusotsky’s child is, in fact, his own daughter. From then on, the destinies of the two old friends become intertwined as they engage – at turns repelled and attracted by each other – in a dangerous game of cat and mouse that will lead to a final dramatic confrontation. Compelling, gripping, darkly humorous, The Eternal Husband – composed by the author at the peak of his writing powers, between The Idiot and Devils, and described by Dostoevsky’s biographer Joseph Frank as “a small masterpiece” – shows Dostoevsky at his best as a ruthless dissector of the quirks and foibles of the human character.Trade ReviewNo novelist ever wrestled with materialism more fiercely and intelligently than Dostoevsky. -- Jonathan Franzen
£7.59
Flame Tree Publishing Mary Shelley Horror Stories
Book SynopsisMary Shelley, whose Frankenstein is the foundation of modern SF, fantasy and horror fiction, was born to the writer William Godwin and social campaigner Mary Wollstonecraft. This new, special collection brings together extracts of her novels and short stories, with an emphasis on the supernatural.
£17.00
Pan Macmillan Our Mutual Friend
Book SynopsisComplete and unabridged.One of BBC's 100 Novels That Shaped Our World.Dickens exposes the corrupting power of money in his last complete novel, Our Mutual Friend, with its expansive cast of characters and interweaving plots.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition has an afterword by Lucinda Dickens Hawksley and original illustrations by Marcus Stone.John Harmon made his fortune collecting ‘dust’. On his death his estranged son is due to inherit his wealth on the condition that he marry Bella Wilfer, a young woman who he has never even met. But when his son is presumed dead, John’s riches pass to his servants Mr. and Mrs. Boffin and they in turn take Bella into their own home. They hire a secretive young man, John Rokesmith, to be Mr. Boffin’s secretary – but what is this man’s real identity and what is his interest in Bella?Trade ReviewI find it irresistible: the autumn evening closing in, the crazy little boat afloat on the filthy Thames, the strong young woman plying the oars and a ragged, grizzled man, her father, busying himself with something towed in the water behind them. You are some way into the narrative before it dawns on you that it is a drowned body. -- Shirley Hughes * Independent *Dickens's last completed novel is a marvel of play-acting and posturing, of taking on roles through delusion, calculation and ambition -- Philip Hensher * Guardian *
£11.69
Pan Macmillan Tender is the Night
Book SynopsisSet in the South of France in the decade after the First World War, Tender is the Night explores the new world of moneyed leisure found by the first generation of idle-rich Americans to take refuge in the French Riviera, bracketed between the horrors of the Great War and the Great Depression to come. It is the story of a brilliant and magnetic psychiatrist named Dick Diver; the bewitching, wealthy, and dangerously unstable mental patient, Nicole, who becomes his wife; and the beautiful, harrowing ten-year pas de deux they act out along the border between sanity and madness. F. Scott Fitzgerald deliberately set out to write the most ambitious and far-reaching novel of his career, experimenting radically with narrative conventions of chronology and point of view and drawing on early breakthroughs in psychiatry to enrich his account of the makeup and breakdown of character and culture.This stunning Macmillan Collector's Library edition of Tender is the Night features an afterword by Ned Halley.
£10.44
Pan Macmillan Vanity Fair
Book SynopsisA major TV series starring Olivia Cooke, Simon Russell Beale and Micheal Palin.Brilliant anti-heroine Becky Sharp will do anything to climb to society’s loftiest heights and couldn’t be more different from her rich, sweet-natured schoolmate, Amelia Sedley. Their parallel lives are marked by love, lust, marriage, fortune and loss, in all their different guises, as they navigate the corrupt circus of upper-class Regency England. Hailed as a literary masterpiece upon first publication, William Makepeace Thackeray’s Vanity Fair has never waned in popularity and remains a highly entertaining satire of early nineteenth-century high society. This gorgeous edition includes an afterword by the prizewinning author and critic, Henry Hitchings. Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector’s Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector’s Library are books to love and treasure.
£11.39
Alma Books Ltd The Mother
Book SynopsisInspired by real events and centring on the figure of Pelageya Vlasova – the mother of the title – and her son Pavel, Gorky’s masterpiece describes the brutal life of ordinary Russian factory workers in the years leading to the 1905 Revolution and explores the rise of the proletariat, the role of women in society and the lower classes’ struggle for self-affirmation. A book of the utmost importance, in the words of Lenin, and a landmark in Russian literature, The Mother – here presented in a brilliant new version by Hugh Aplin, the first English translation in almost a century – will enchant modern readers both for its historical significance and its intrinsic value as a work of art.Trade Review“Rereading The Mother in Hugh Aplin’s new translation, I found it surprisingly topical.” – The Spectator
£9.49
Alma Books Ltd Petersburg Tales: New Translation: Newly
Book SynopsisWritten in the 1830s and early 1840s, these comic stories tackle life behind the cold and elegant façade of the Imperial capital from the viewpoints of various characters, such as a collegiate assessor who one day finds that his nose has detached itself from his face and risen the ranks to become a state councillor (‘The Nose’), a painter and a lieutenant whose romantic pursuits meet with contrasting degrees of success (‘Nevsky Prospect’) and a lowly civil servant whose existence desperately unravels when he loses his prized new coat (‘The Overcoat’). Also including the ‘Diary of Madman’, these Petersburg Tales paint a critical yet hilarious portrait of a city riddled with pomposity and self-importance, masterfully juxtaposing nineteenth-century realism with madcap surrealism, and combining absurdist farce with biting satire.Trade ReviewGogol was a strange creature, but then genius is always strange. -- Vladimir NabokovTable of ContentsContains: Nevsky Prospect, The Nose, The Overcoat, Diary of a Madman
£6.99
Vintage Publishing Midnight's Children: A special edition of the
Book SynopsisA beautiful hardback edition of a modern Indian classic and winner of 'The Best of the Booker' - the best novel from Booker Prize history.Born at the stroke of midnight at the exact moment of India's independence, Saleem Sinai is a special child. However, this coincidence of birth has consequences he is not prepared for: telepathic powers connect him with 1,000 other 'midnight's children' all of whom are endowed with unusual gifts. Inextricably linked to his nation, Saleem's story is a whirlwind of disasters and triumphs that mirrors the course of modern India at its most impossible and glorious.'A wonderful, rich and humane novel that is safe to call a classic' GuardianVINTAGE QUARTERBOUND CLASSICS: Bound to be beautiful
£17.09
British Library Publishing Roads of Destiny
Book SynopsisDelving into the strange imaginings of Arthur Conan Doyle, Joyce Carol Oates, Sarban, Robert Holdstock and many more, this new collection brings together fourteen tales traversing uncanny collateral fates, weird eddies of alternative history, realms of Dark Fantasy and the unsettling otherworlds bordering our own reality.
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Letter
Book SynopsisWill its words uncover a dark family secret?Readers love Josephine Cox!'Loved the story and the characters''Family secrets hidden away for years. I really loved this story''I was hooked from start to finish''This one goes to the top of my list a five star read'Another gripping and dramatic family drama from the Sunday Times bestsellerBella can't wait to be married to her fiancée Sidney, and dreams of the day she will walk up the aisle to be given away by her widowed father, with her bookish sister Alice as her bridesmaid.Their lives are disturbed when they receive a letter from their fifteen-year-old cousin Millie. Taken in by her austere aunt and uncle when her parents were killed in an accident, Millie says she is being badly treated and pleads to be rescued.When the two sisters take a trip to find out the truth, things take a troubling turn. Millie is brought home to live with them, her only possessions her ill-fitting clothes and a tatty suitcase.But soon they are questioning thisTrade ReviewReader reviews for The Letter: ‘Loved the story and the characters’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars ‘It's so well written and the story line was addictive.’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars ‘What a brilliant book – so many rollercoasters, emotional, funny and sad’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars ‘A definite read again book on my shelf’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars Praise for Josephine Cox: 'Thanks to her near faultless writing … readers will find it impossible to tear themselves away.' News of the World 'Another hit for Josephine Cox' Sunday Express ‘Cox's talent as storyteller never lets you escape the spell' Daily Mail 'Another masterpiece' Best ‘Another beautifully spun family epic' Scottish Daily Echo 'A born storyteller' Bedfordshire Times ‘A surefire winner' Woman's Weekly
£8.54
Alma Books Ltd Carmen: Accompanied by another famous novella by
Book SynopsisWhen the Basque dragoon Don José meets a Gypsy woman at the factory he is guarding, he is immediately ensnared by her wiles. After she is arrested for injuring a co-worker and he helps her to flee, he is imprisoned and demoted, but she repays him at their next meeting with a day of excess and a night of love. As Carmen continues to exert her spell, José is dragged further and further into a seedy world of smugglers, robbers, fiery passions and uncontrollable jealousy – one that he will find difficult to escape alive. Carmen, the archetype of the amoral femme fatale, is Prosper Mérimée’s highest creation, and a model for many subsequent literary heroines. First published in 1846, this story of crime and desire – here accompanied by another famous novella by Mérimée, The Venus of Ille – has been adapted into a number of dramatic works, including the famous 1875 opera of the same name by Georges Bizet.
£6.99
Alma Books Ltd Three Men in a Boat
Book SynopsisWhat could be better during the golden age of boating on the Thames than a relaxing row up the river? So think J., George and Harris - not forgetting Montmorency the dog - but little do they suspect the mishaps, the scrapes and the japes that lie along the way. From becoming impossibly lost in the maze at Hampton Court to battles with tins of pineapple chunks, all the while attempting to limit the destruction wrought by the mischievous Montmorency, Jerome K. Jerome's classic novel of humorous misadventures and comedic authorial digressions is a paean to the banalities of everyday life and has entertained readers for more than a century.Trade ReviewThree Men in a Boat is one of those rare classics that seems to come, as it were, out of nowhere, and to defy the odds. -- Robert McCrum
£6.99
Alma Books Ltd The Last Day of a Condemned Man
Book SynopsisA first-person diary of a prisoner's final day before being executed for an unspecified crime, Victor Hugo's poignant tale vividly conveys the mental anguish of a man confronted with the intransigent mechanism of justice, as his mind seeks refuge in recollections from his past and philosophical musings on his inevitable fate. As relevant today as when it was first published in 1829, The Last Day of a Condemned Man is an eloquent plea for compassion and a masterpiece of realist fiction. This edition includes the Preface to the 1832 edition of the book, a manifest of Hugo's personal opinions, 'A Comedy about a Tragedy' and 'Claude Gueux', an early example of "true crime" fiction.
£6.99
Penguin Books Ltd Ivanhoe Penguin Classics
Book SynopsisFight on, brave knights! Man dies, but glory lives!Banished from England for seeking to marry against his father's wishes, Ivanhoe joins Richard the Lion Heart on a crusade in the Holy Land. On his return, his passionate desire is to be reunited with the beautiful but forbidden lady Rowena, but he soon finds himself playing a more dangerous game as he is drawn into a bitter power struggle between the noble King Richard and his evil and scheming brother John. The first of Scott's novels to address a purely English subject, Ivanhoe is set in a highly romanticized medieval world of tournaments and sieges, chivalry and adventure where dispossessed Saxons are pitted against their Norman overlords, and where the historical and fictional seamlessly merge.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Little House
Book SynopsisA contemporary psychological thriller in the style of Ruth Rendell, from one of today's most versatile and compelling storytellers.It was easy for Elizabeth. She married the man she loved, bore him two children and made a home for him which was the envy of their friends.It was harder for Ruth. She married Elizabeth's son and then found that, somehow, she could never quite measure upIsolation, deceit and betrayal fill the gaps between the two individual women and between their different worlds. In this complex thriller, Philippa Gregory deploys all her insight into what women want and what women fear, as Ruth confronts the shifting borders of her own sanity. Laying bare the comfortable conventions of rural England, this spine-tingling novel pulses with suspense until the whiplash double-twist of the denouement.Trade Review‘Fiendishly plotted… this is Gregory at her most convincing. Sunday lunch with the in-laws will never be the same again’Cosmopolitan ‘Insidiously gripping’ Independent ‘Brilliant psychological chiller… utterly, nail-nibblingly plausible. You will relish its explosive climax and be gripped through to its final superb double-twist finish’ Daily Mail
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows A hilarious and
Book SynopsisReese Witherspoon's March Book Club Pick!Big-hearted, earthy and funny A rattlingly good story' Deborah Moggach, The Best Exotic Marigold HotelEvery woman has a secret lifeWhen Nikki takes a creative writing job at her local temple, with visions of emancipating the women of the community she left behind as a self-important teenager, she's shocked to discover a group of barely literate women who have no interest in her ideals.Yet to her surprise, the white dupatta of the widow hides more than just their modesty these are women who have spent their lives in the shadows of fathers, brothers and husbands; being dutiful, raising children and going to temple, but whose inner lives are as rich and fruitful as their untold stories. But as they begin to open up to each other about womanhood, sexuality, and the dark secrets within the community, Nikki realises that the illicit nature of the class may place them all in danger.East meets west and tradition clashes with modernity in a thought-provTrade Review‘Big-hearted, earthy and funny: turns so many preconceptions upside down. A rattlingly good story’ Deborah Moggach, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ‘Warm and hilariously funny’ Good Housekeeping ‘Charming, hilarious and thoughtful’ The Pool ‘Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows balances darkness and light, social commentary and ecstatic escapism… funny and moving tale of desire and its discontents’ The Economist ‘Sensual, authentic and hilarious, I will never look at an aubergine in the same way again – 5 stars’ The Sun ‘Enlightening and entertaining’ Woman & Home ‘A dark comedy… about empowerment and friendship’ Tatler ‘A page turner… Tackles serious themes with a light and funny touch’ Glamour ‘Funny yet serious, this is a fab book about women, culture and secrets’ Prima ‘By turns erotic, romantic, and mysterious, this tale of women defying patriarchal strictures enchants’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Compulsive, funny and wonderfully original – this novel glows with witty sensuality. I love it ’ Helen Lederer, Losing It ‘Poignant, intelligent yet wickedly funny – a delightful read that reignites one's belief in the power of sisterhood’ June Sarpong
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers A Pocket Full of Rye Book 7 Marple
Book SynopsisA wealthy familyA fatal cup of teaRex Fortescue was enjoying his morning cup of tea when he met his untimely end.Suspicions naturally turn to his wife. He was filthy rich, after all.Then she too is found dead.Strange clues have Scotland Yard's finest minds scratching their heads. Poisoned marmalade. Dead blackbirds. A victim found with a pocketful of rye.It's up to Jane Marple to put the pieces of this strange puzzle togetherNever underestimate Miss MarpleCaptivating and addictive, Agatha Christie''s work never fails to delight.'Jean KwokThis is the best of the novels starring Christie's Miss Marple.'New York TimesTrade Review‘Without a doubt, the greatest mystery writer of all time’ – Ragnar Jonasson ‘A hundred years after her first novel, and we are all still standing in her shadow’ – Andrew Taylor ‘She gives us an insight into human nature that few, if any, have surpassed’ – Susan Lewis ‘Dame Agatha has sold more books than all besides Shakespeare and the Bible’ – David Baldacci ‘All crime fiction writers around the globe owe Agatha Christie a massive debt’ – Peter James ‘Reading a perfectly plotted Agatha Christie is like crunching into a perfect apple: that pure, crisp, absolute satisfaction.’ – Tana French
£12.99
Penguin Books Ltd Tales from the Thousand and One Nights Arabian
Book SynopsisThe tales told by Scheherazade over a thousand and one nights to delay her execution by the vengeful King Shahryar have become among the most popular in both Eastern and Western literature. From the epic adventures of 'Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp' to the farcical 'Young Woman and her Five Lovers' and the social criticism of 'The Tale of the Hunchback', the stories depict a fabulous world of all-powerful sorcerers, jinns imprisoned in bottles and enchanting princesses. But despite their imaginative extravagance, the Tales are also anchored to everyday life by their bawdiness and realism, providing a full and intimate record of medieval Eastern world. Offering unexpurgated translations of the best-loved tales, including such classics as 'Sindbad the Sailor', Tales from the Thousand and One Nights - sometimes known as the Arabian Nights - is translated with an introduction by N.J. Dawood in Penguin Classics. In this selection, Dawood presents the reader wiTable of ContentsTales from the Thousand and One NightsIntroductionInvocationPrologueThe Tale of King Shahriyar and his Brother ShahzamanThe Fable of the Donkey, the Ox, and the FarmerThe Tale of the HunchbackThe Tailor's TaleThe Tale of the Lame Young Man and the Barber of BaghdadThe Barber's TaleThe Tale of Bakbook, the Barber's First BrotherThe Tale of Al-Haddar, the Barber's Second BrotherThe Tale of Bakbak, the Barber's Third BrotherThe Tale of Al-Kuz, the Barber's Fourth BrotherThe Tale of Shakashik, the Barber's Sixth BrotherThe DonkeyThe Fisherman and the JinneeThe Tale of King Yunan and Duban the DoctorThe Tale of King Sindbad and the FalconThe Tale of the Enchanted KingThe Young Woman and Her Five Lovers Sindbad the Sailor and Sindbad the PorterThe First Voyage of Sindbad the SailorThe Second Voyage of Sindbad the SailorThe Third Voyage of Sindbad the SailorThe Fourth Voyage of Sindbad the SailorThe Fifth Voyage of Sindbad the SailorThe Sixth Voyage of Sindbad the SailorThe Last Voyage of Sindbad the SailorThe Historic Fart Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp The Tale of Kafur the Black EunuchThe Porter and the Three Girls of BaghdadThe Tale of the First DervishThe Tale of the Second DervishThe Tale of the Third DervishThe Tale of the First GirlThe Tale of the Second GirlThe Tale of Khalifah the Fisherman The DreamThe Tale of Judar and His BrothersThe Tale of Ma'Aruf the Cobbler Epilogue
£9.99
Penguin Books Ltd The Yellow Dog Inspector Maigret 5
Book Synopsis“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The GuardianA gripping mystery from Georges Simenon in which Inspector Maigret must go up against small town suspicion—and revengeIn a small, seaside town in the northwest of France, the local wine dealer is wounded by a gunshot while retuning home drunk from a hotel bar. Maigret, who is heading up a mobile squad of the Paris police force, is called in by the mayor to solve the crime. But upon settling down in the hotel, Maigret quickly discovers a curious cast of characters awaits him there—and they all have something to hide.In the course of this strange case, a customs official is shot, a retired journalist is lost and found, and a vagrant is attested, but through it all Maigret has his sights setTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)
£8.54
Penguin Books Ltd Maigret
Book Synopsis''The father of contemporary European detective fiction'' Ann Cleeves Maigret shrugged his shoulders, buried his hands in his pockets and went off without answering. He had just spent one of the most wretched days in his life. For hours, in his corner he had felt old and feeble, without idea or incentive. But now a tiny flame flickered. ''You bet we''ll see'' he growled.Maigret''s peaceful retirement in the countryside is disrupted when a relative unwittingly embroils himself in a crime he did not commit and the inspector returns to Police Headquarters in Paris once again.Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations. This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret Returns.''Compelling, remorseless, brilliant'' John Gray''One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories'' Guardian ''A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness'' IndependentTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)
£8.54
Penguin Books Ltd Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales from Burns to
Book SynopsisMystery and excitement abound in this lively collection of fairy tales, folklore and legends, which celebrate Scotland''s enormously rich oral tradition and offers a carefully chosen combination of old favourites such as Tam Lin, Thomas Rymer and Adam Bell, as well as more modern stories by master story-tellers like Andrew Lang, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and John Buchan.
£10.44
Oxford University Press The Adventures of Roderick Random
Book SynopsisRoderick Random (1748), Smollett''s first novel, is full of the dazzling vitality characteristics of all his work, as well as of his own life. Roderick is the boisterous and unprincipled hero who answers life''s many misfortunes with a sledgehammer. Left penniless, he leaves his native Scotland for London and on the way meets Strap, and old schoolfellow. Together they undergo many adventures at the hands of scoundrels and rogues. Roderick qualifies as a surgeon''s mate and is pressed as a common soldier on bord the man-of-war Thunder. In a tale of romance as well as adventure, Roderick also finds time to fall in love... Smollett drew on his own experiences as a surgeon''s mate in the navy for the memorable scenes on board ship, and the novel combines documentary realism with great humour and panache. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
£13.49
Penguin Books Ltd Félicie
Book Synopsis''Compelling, remorseless, brilliant'' John Gray In his mind''s eye he would see that slim figure in the striking clothes, those wide eyes the colour of forget-me-not, the pert nose and especially the hat, that giddy, crimson bonnet perched on the top of her head with a bronze-green feather shaped like a blade stuck in it . . . Félicie had given him more trouble than all the ''hard'' men who had been put behind bars.This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret and the Toy Village.''One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century'' Guardian ''A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness'' IndependentTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)
£8.99
Penguin Books Ltd Maigrets Dead Man
Book SynopsisThat shoeless foot looked incongruous lying on the pavement next to another foot encased in a shoe made of black kid leather. It was naked, private... A series of strange phone calls leads Inspector Maigret through the Paris streets towards a man out of his depth amid a network of merciless criminals.Trade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)
£8.99
Penguin Books Ltd Maigret Lognon and the Gangsters
Book Synopsis''His artistry is supreme'' John Banville''You''re a good soul, inspector, and when you''re up against the second-rate criminals you get here in Paris, you''re a crack policeman. But this business isn''t for you. These guys play rough and they may hurt you. Just drop it! What concern is it of yours, anyway?''When Maigret learns that his hapless colleague Inspector Lognon is being menaced by some notorious American mobsters, he makes it his mission to bring them to justice - despite threatening warnings that he is out of his depth. This novel has been published in a previous translation as Inspector Maigret and the Killers.''A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness'' IndependentTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)
£8.99
Penguin Books Ltd Maigret Travels
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewOne of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories * Guardian *A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness * Independent *The most addictive of writers . . . a unique teller of tales * Observer *
£8.99
Penguin Books Ltd Maigrets Patience
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewOne of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories * Guardian *A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness * Independent *The most addictive of writers . . . a unique teller of tales * Observer *
£8.99
Penguin Books Ltd Maigret and the Loner
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewOne of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories * Guardian *A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness * Independent *The most addictive of writers . . . a unique teller of tales * Observer *
£8.99
Penguin Books Ltd The Song of Kieu
Book SynopsisTrade Review'Tim Allen's new translation of THE SONG OF KIEU is lively and absorbing. It reinvigorates a classic and wonderfully conveys the romance, adventure, tragedy, and wisdom of the poem that all Vietnamese know.' * Viet Thanh Nguyen *'Tim Allen has done what most literary translators can only aspire to do. He has secured a place for a major foreign work in the stock of his mother tongue.' -- David Constantine'Timothy Allen's supple and imaginative translation has re-energised Nguyên Du's lyricism in meticulous free verse that evokes the five senses' * The Poetry Review *'For elegance and sheer readability I doubt if it could be equalled. English readers already familiar with Kieu will be delighted by its musicality. And those who have not previously encountered Kieu will wonder how such a masterpiece could so long have eluded them.''Timothy Allen's translation of the Vietnamese epic The Song of Kieu is magnificent. [In language] capable of exquisitely beautiful love scenes, throat-catchingly eloquent nature passages and moments of humour, he renders an obscure masterpiece into a strikingly contemporary one.'
£9.99
Penguin Books Ltd Passage of Arms Penguin Modern Classics
Book Synopsis''The man who lit the way for us all'' Len DeightonAn Indian clerk, Girija Krishnan, sees the opportunity of his lifetime when he stumbles on an abandoned cache of arms hidden in the Malayan jungle. If he can sell the weapons, he will be able to achieve his lifelong dream of owning a bus company - although the penalty for gun-running is death. Soon his decision becomes the catalyst for a chain of events involving an entrepreneurial Chinese family, a corrupt Colonel and, finally, a naïve couple of American tourists who find themselves horribly out of their depth.Trade ReviewThe source on which we all draw -- John le CarréUnquestionably our best thriller writer -- Graham GreeneMr. Ambler is phenomenal -- Alfred HitchcockA taut and extraordinary piece of writing * Sunday Times *Ambler is, quite simply, the best * The New Yorker *
£9.49
Penguin Random House Children's UK The Enormous Crocodile
Book SynopsisI have secret plans and clever tricks.'This beautiful edition of The Enormous Crocodile, part of The Roald Dahl Classic Collection, features official archive material from the Roald Dahl Museum and is perfect for Dahl fans old and new.So, enter a world where invention and mischief can be found on every page and where magic might be at the very tips of your fingers . . .The Roald Dahl Classic Collection reinstates the versions of Dahl's books that were published before the 2022 Puffin editions, aimed at newly independent young readers.
£7.99
Penguin Books Ltd The Sign of Four
Book Synopsis''You are a wronged woman and shall have justice. Do not bring police. If you do, all will be in vain. Your unknown friend.''When a beautiful young woman is sent a letter inviting her to a sinister assignation, she immediately seeks the advice of the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes. For this is not the first mysterious item Mary Marston has received in the post. Every year for the last six years an anonymous benefactor has sent her a large lustrous pearl. Now it appears the sender of the pearls would like to meet her to right a wrong. But when Sherlock Holmes and his faithful sidekick Watson, aiding Miss Marston, attend the assignation, they embark on a dark and mysterious adventure involving a one-legged ruffian, some hidden treasure, deadly poison darts and a thrilling race along the River Thames.Trade ReviewPerhaps the greatest of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries is this: that when we talk of him we invariably fall into the fancy of his existence -- T. S. Eliot
£8.54
Penguin Books Ltd Mrs Osmond
Book SynopsisA MASTERFUL TALE OF BETRAYAL AND CORRUPTION BY THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE SEA''Banville is one of the writers I admire the most'' Hanya Yanahigara, author of A Little Life ''A brilliant feat of literary ventriloquism'' The Times Having fled Rome and a stultifying marriage, Isabel Osmond is in London, brooding on the recent disclosure of her husband''s shocking, years-long betrayal of her. What should she do now, and which way should she turn, in the emotional labyrinth where she has been trapped for so long? Reawakened by grief and the knowledge of having been grievously wronged, she determines to resume her youthful quest for freedom and independence. Soon Isabel must return to Italy and confront her husband, and seek to break his powerful hold on her. But will she succeed in outwitting him, and securing her revenge?Mrs Osmond is a masterly novel of betrayal, corruption aTrade ReviewA worthy sequel... His book is not only an impressive recreation of James's atmospheres and pacing, but also full of minor cliff-hangers and page-turning suspenses that keep you guessing * Observer *A brilliant feat of literary ventriloquism... Richly enjoyable and enthralling, this exercise in creative empathy is a sequel of very high finish * Sunday Times *John Banville is one of the best novelists in English, and an expert ventriloquist, among other things . . . Mrs Osmond is both a remarkable novel in its own right and a superb pastiche -- Edmund White * Guardian *It's brilliant. It's John Banville camouflaged as Henry James - it's very, very interesting -- Cillian Murphy, star of Peaky Blinders and DunkirkWritten with near-Jamesian elegance * Mail on Sunday *John Banville has long been the most distinctive Irish novelist of his generation * Irish Independent *This is a superbly written novel ... Mrs Osmond represents an important contribution to Banville's impressive oeuvre * Evening Standard *John Banville is simply the finest writer at work today, a prolific prose stylist whose work has only deepened in quality throughout his career -- John Boyne * Irish Times *Banville is one of the writers I admire the most - few people can create an image as beautifully or precisely -- Hanya Yanagihara, author of the Booker-shortlisted 'A Little Life'This engrossing and often beautiful novel is a true work of art that rewards careful reading * Daily Telegraph on 'Blue Guitar' *The Booker prize winning author - widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in English today - has produced what many already consider a literary masterpiece * Sunday Independent on 'Ancient Light' *Banville's sequel to Henry James's "Portrait of a Lady" follows Isabel Archer back to Rome and the possible end of her marriage * New York Times Books of the Year *An astonishing act of literary ventriloquism * Observer Books of the Year *Uncannily good at replicating James's style, it pays appealing tribute to his genius * Sunday Times Books of the Year *John Banville channelled Henry James in the Portrait of a Lady sequel * Guardian Books of the Year *
£9.49
Faber & Faber Gender Swapped Fairy Tales
Book SynopsisDiscover a collection of fairy tales unlike the ones you''ve read before . . . Once upon a time, in the middle of winter, a King sat at a window and sewed. As he sewed and gazed out onto the landscape, he pricked his finger with the needle, and three drops of blood fell onto the snow outside.People have been telling fairy tales to their children for hundreds of years. And for almost as long, people have been rewriting those fairy tales to help their children imagine a world where they are the heroes. Karrie and Jon were reading their child these stories when they hit upon a dilemma, something previous versions of these stories were missing, and so they decided to make one vital change . . . They haven't rewritten the stories in this book. They haven't reimagined endings, or reinvented characters. What they have done is switch all the genders. It might not sound like that much of a change, but you'll be dazzled by the world this swap cre
£17.00
British Library Publishing The Whisperers and Other Stories
Book SynopsisIn this collection of his most atmospheric and uneasy tales, Mike Ashley provides the facts of Blackwood's life which inspired each story - including experiences as an intelligence agent in the First World War and adventures in New York - to tell the parallel tale of the author's lifetime of the supernatural.
£14.24
The History Press Ltd The Wind in the Willows
Book SynopsisA captivating new series to spark the imagination and breathe new life into classic works
£10.80
Canongate Books The ConeGatherers
Book SynopsisIn the shadow of a war that rages through Europe, brothers Calum and Neil work to gather pine cones in the grounds of a Scottish estate. When Calum releases two mutilated rabbits from a snare, he comes face to face with Duror, the gamekeeper. In retaliation, in the depths of the wood, Duror lays a trap for the cone-gatherers.Neil prophesises that forces of evil will encroach upon the harmony of their lives. It is a prophesy that comes true when Duror commits an act so brutal it destroys all sense of humanity in the once thriving wood. Powerful and unforgettable, Robin Jenkins'' masterpiece is a haunting story of love and violence, and an investigation of class-conflict, war and envy.Trade ReviewLet me alert everyone to the best-kept secret in modern British literature. If you love the novel; if you are interested in books that are humane and wise, not slick and cynical; then treat yourself this year to some Robin Jenkins -- Andrew MarrLike all great masters, his skill is lightly worn, his sentences singing with what he does not say * * The Times * *A masterpiece of concision and terrible pathos -- Isobel MurrayFew novels in our heritage have the bell-like harmonies of this book . . . it has a strange haunting poetic quality, conjuring from a few props a fable of eternal significance -- Iain Crichton SmithIt would not be too demonstrative to claim that The Cone-Gatherers is Scotland's Cherry Orchard . . . It feels as eerily prescient today as it did when it was first published in the 1950s and is the kind of book that offers up new, modern meanings with every reading -- STUART COSGROVE * * The List * *
£9.49
Oneworld Publications Poison for Breakfast
Book SynopsisA brand-new book from the bestselling author of A Series of Unfortunate Events – a cautionary tale about his own demise. For curious children and adults alike.Trade Review‘Reading this little book feels like opening a window to let in air and light. It’s filled with curious information and powerful feelings, and is humorous, sad, meditative and rapturous by turns – with ambiguous questions to be mulled and savoured.’ -- Guardian‘A wittily macabre treatise about philosophy, creativity, connectivity, gratitude and bravely facing one’s demise while living as well as possible in the meantime.’ -- Financial Times‘a genial, discursive ramble of a book… The tone throughout is Vonnegutian – bewildered, amused, quizzical – and if the book fails to deliver any startling philosophical breakthrough, that’s rather the point, since it’s more about the journey than the destination. A bit like life, then.’ -- James Lovegrove * FT *‘Poison for Breakfast is a strange, beguiling, beautiful book. No one else could have written it, or anything even a little like it. If Lemony Snicket didn’t exist, we’d have to invent him.’ -- Anthony McGowan, author of Lark‘Poison for Breakfast is a book to savour. Every sentence is perfectly balanced to surprise, delight, intrigue and, yes, bewilder the reader. A book about impending death which captures the simple, but profound, joys of being alive. I am a long-time Lemony Snicket fan and this is his best yet.’ -- Sarah Hagger-Holt, author of Nothing Ever Happens Here‘Witty, clever and unsettling – it’s Lemony Snicket at his finest, and bright minds that love dark delights will gobble it right up.’ -- Rachel Delahaye, author of Mort the Meek‘Poison for Breakfast is a murder mystery like no other, which will bewilder and beguile both children and adults alike. It’ll have you questioning everything – from whether or not you can outrun death, to even bigger questions such as whether or not you are choosing the most respectable method to cook your eggs each morning.’ -- Hana Tooke, author of The Unadoptables‘Full of Snickety goodness, philosophical acrobatics and wry wit. A veritable treasure trove for fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events.’ -- Gareth Osborne, Bath Children's Novel Award Winner‘Poison for Breakfast is a delicious read with sentences to savour and philosophical questions to keep you awake long past midnight snack-time... It’s diabolically good.’ -- Jack Meggitt-Phillips, author of The Beast and the Bethany‘Fans who have grown up with his novels may appreciate the opportunity to explore [Lemony Snicket’s] mind.’ -- Books for Keeps
£7.59
Pan Macmillan Tales of Mystery and Imagination: A Collection of
Book Synopsis**Featuring Edgar Allan Poe's short story which inspired The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix**This collection of Poe's work contains some of the most exciting and haunting short stories ever written. They range from the poetic to the mysterious to the darkly comic, yet all possess the genius for the grotesque that defines Poe's writing. They are filled with social outcasts, obsessed with nameless terrors or preoccupied with seemingly unsolvable mysteries. 'The Tell-Tale Heart' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher' are frightening stories, while in the 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' and 'The Mystery of Marie Roget' we find the origins of modern detective fiction. Collectively, these tales represent the best of Edgar Allan Poe's prose work before his premature death in 1849.This beautiful Macmillan Collector's Library edition of Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination features an afterword by Jonty Claypole.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.
£10.44
Pan Macmillan Around the World in Eighty Days
Book SynopsisNow on BBC! Watch Jules Verne's exciting classic adventure reimagined as an eight-part series starring David Tennant as Phileas Fogg.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition of Around the World in Eighty Days features an afterword from John Grant.On a seemingly normal day at the exclusive Reform Club, Phileas Fogg, a gentleman of great wealth and exacting tastes, makes an extraordinary £20,000 wager; he will perform an impossible feat and circumnavigate the globe in just eighty days. Accompanied only by his new French valet, the steady Passepartout, he sets off on a thrilling journey. Adventure, chaos and romance ensue as Fogg and Passepartout harness the new power of steam to escape their ever-increasing enemies and beat the clock.
£10.44
Pan Macmillan The Count of Monte Cristo
Book SynopsisThe Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is the ultimate novel of retribution. Based on a true story, it recounts the story of Edouard Dantes, his betrayal and imprisonment in the sinister Chateau d'If. Years later, Paris is intrigued by the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo, who bursts onto the Paris social scene with his millions. He encounters the three principal betrayers of Dantes who have prospered in the post-Napoleonic boom and, one by one, their lives fall apart. The book was a huge, popular success when it was first serialized in 1844, and remains the greatest tale of revenge.This beautiful, abridged Macmillan Collector's Library edition of The Count of Monte Cristo features an afterword by Marcus Clapham.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.
£10.79
Pan Macmillan Heidi
Book SynopsisWritten as a book 'for children and those who love children', Johanna Spyri’s affectionate account of Swiss mountain life is one of the bestselling books ever written, and a joyous portrait of the innocence of childhood.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much-loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure. This edition of Heidi is translated by Marian Edwardes and features charming line-drawn illustrations, and an afterword by editor Marcus Clapham.At the age of six, little orphan Heidi is sent to live with her grandfather in the Alps. Everyone in the village is afraid of him, but Heidi – fascinated by his long beard and bushy grey eyebrows – takes to him immediately and soon earns his love in return. She adores her life in the mountains, playing in the sunshine and growing up among the goats and birds, but one terrible day Heidi is collected by her aunt and forced to live with a new family in town. Heartbroken by the loss of her Alpine life, she must do everything she can to return to her grandfather.
£10.44