Science & Nature Books

Book SynopsisThe book from the creator of the wildly popular science YouTube channel, Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell, a gorgeously illustrated deep dive into the immune system that will change how you think about your body forever.__________'A truly brilliant introduction to the human body's vast system for fighting infections and other threats'JOHN GREEN, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars'Reads as if it's a riveting sci-fi novel . . . a delightful treat for the curious'TIM URBAN, creator of Wait But Why__________You wake up and feel a tickle in your throat. Your head hurts. You're mildly annoyed as you get the kids ready for school and dress for work yourself. Meanwhile, an utterly epic war is being fought, just below your skin. Millions are fighting and dying for you to be able to complain as you drink your cup of tea and head out the door.So what, exactly, IS your immune system?Second only to the human brain in its complexity, it is one of the oldest and most critical facets of life on Earth. Without it, you would die within days. In Immune, Philipp Dettmer, the brains behind the most popular science channel on YouTube, takes readers on a journey through the fortress of the human body and its defences. There is a constant battle of staggering scale raging within us, full of stories of invasion, strategy, defeat, and noble self-sacrifice. In fact, in the time you've been reading this, your immune system has probably identified and eradicated a cancer cell that started to grow in your body.Each chapter delves deeply into an element of the immune system, including defences like antibodies and inflammation as well as threats like viruses, bacteria, allergies and cancer, as Dettmer reveals why boosting your immune system is actually nonsense, how parasites sneak their way past your body's defences, how viruses - including the coronavirus - work, and what goes on in your wounds when you cut yourself.Enlivened by engaging full-colour graphics and immersive descriptions, Immune turns one of the most intricate, interconnected, and confusing subjects - immunology - into a gripping adventure through an astonishing alien landscape.Challenging what you know and think about your own body and how it defends you against all sorts of maladies and how it might also eventually be your own downfall, Immune is a vital and remarkably fun crash course in what is arguably, and increasingly, the most important system in the body.__________Trade Review'Through wonderful analogies and a genius for clarifying complex ideas, Immune is a truly brilliant introduction to the human body's vast system for fighting infections and other threats. With his trademark wit and intellectual deft, Dettmer helps us understand not just the beautiful and strange mechanics of human immune responses, but also what works (and perhaps more importantly what doesn't work!) when seeking to bolster immunity.' -- John Green'Immune reads as if it's a riveting sci-fi novel, as Philipp Dettmer takes you on a journey into the body for an up-close look at the armies of expert warriors, rogue gladiators, and stealthy detectives that protect you in the daily war against trillions of ruthless microbe enemies. By the end of the book, I understood my entire body far better than I ever had before. Immune is a delightful treat for the curious' -- Tim Urban

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Book SynopsisThere is more folklore, mythology and magic associated with our trees and forests than with any other living things.Known throughout the world as dark and wild places where witches make mischief and eerie creatures dwell, forests are also places of sanctuary for the ancient magic and the most enchanting species of trees.Kew: Witch's Forest is a beautifully illustrated, captivating journey through the magical woodland and its stories, from birch broomsticks and the sacred olive, to alder doorways and the Tree of Life.Table of ContentsThe Ancient Groves • The World Tree • The Stations of the Year • The Managed Forest • The Enchanted Forest • Cures for the Body • The Sacred Grove • The Cunning Woman's Stillroom • The Dark Mirror • Trees of Hope

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Book SynopsisA thrilling account of a centuries-old rivalry - an exploration of scientific discovery and its evolution in an ever-changing and displaced world.

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Book Synopsis'An essential primer on humanity’s ongoing quest to understand the secrets of life . . . Excellent . . . Ball is a terrific writer.' – Adam Rutherford, The Guardian'Ball is a ferociously gifted science writer . . . There is so much [here] that is amazing . . . urgent . . . astonishing.' – The Sunday TimesA cutting-edge new vision of biology that proposes to revise our concept of what life is – from Science Book Prize winner Philip Ball.Biology is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. Several aspects of the standard picture of how life works have been exposed as incomplete, misleading, or wrong.In How Life Works, Philip Ball explores the new biology, revealing life to be a far richer, more ingenious affair than we had guessed. With this knowledge come new possibilities. Today we can redesign and reconfigure living systems, tissues, and organisms. We can reprogram cells, for instance, to carry out new tasks and grow into structures not seen in the natural world. Some researchers believe that ultimately we will be able to regenerate limbs and organs, and perhaps even create new life forms that evolution has never imagined.Incorporating the latest research and insights, How Life Works is a sweeping journey into this new frontier of the nature of life, a realm that will reshape our understanding of life as we know it.

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Book SynopsisA groundbreaking work in the field of physics and mathematics. In this monumental work, Newton formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation, laying the foundation for classical mechanics and revolutionizing our understanding of the physical world. The Principia remains one of the most significant scientific books ever written, influencing generations of scientists, and shaping the course of modern physics and mathematics. The Groundbreaking Work of Sir Isaac Newton Mathematical proofs and equations. Comprehensive coverage of planetary motion. Helps in understanding the principles of motion. Logical and rigorous approach to scientific inquiry. Studied and revered as a seminal work in the field of science.

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Book Synopsis''This is a book of miracles. Fascinating... An absorbing compendium of unlikely recoveries from physical and mental ailments offers evidence that the brain can heal... brings Oliver Sacks to mind'' Lisa Appignanesi, ObserverThe Brain''s Way of Healing explores the astonishing advances in the discovery of neuroplasticity, showing that the brain has its own unique way of healing, only recently uncovered. Norman Doidge discusses a series of remarkable recoveries: patients told they would never improve have years of chronic pain alleviated or damage from debilitating strokes undone, and symptoms of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson''s disease, brain injury, autism or learning disorders are reversed. He also shows how the risk of dementia can be lowered by 60%. Using stories to present cutting-edge science, Doidge illustrates principles that everyone can apply to improve their brain''s performance.Trade ReviewExhilarating science... In an era of ever-increasing medicalisation of the human mind, and the medication of it, the appeal of neuroplasticity outlined by Doidge is addictive. It is inspiring, page-turning stuff -- V.S. Ramachandran, neurologist and neuroscientist, author of 'The Tell-Tale Brain', Director of the Center for Brain and Cognition UCSD * Sunday Times *Brilliant and highly original. The book is a treasure-trove of the author's own deep insights and a clear bright light of optimism shines through every page -- V.S. Ramachandran, neurologist and neuroscientist, author of 'The Tell-Tale Brain', Director of the Center for Brain and Cognition UCSDBold, remarkable . . . paradigm challenging. The Brain's Way of Healing is brilliantly organized, scientifically documented, and a beautifully written narrative that captivates the reader, who is left with the profound message that the brain, similar to other organs, can heal -- Stephen W. Porges, author of 'The Polyvagal Theory'

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book Synopsis**THE MILLION COPY BESTSELLER** 'Rattling. Heartbreaking. Beautiful.' Atul Gawande, bestselling author of Being Mortal What makes life worth living in the face of death? At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade's training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, the next he was a patient struggling to live. When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi's transformation from a medical student asking what makes a virtuous and meaningful life into a neurosurgeon working in the core of human identity - the brain - and finally into a patient and a new father. Paul Kalanithi died while working on this profoundly moving book, yet his words live on as a guide to us all. When Breath Becomes Air is a life-affirming reflection on facing our mortality and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a gifted writer who became both. 'A vital book about dying. Awe-inspiring and exquisite. Obligatory reading for the living' Nigella LawsonTrade ReviewA vital book about dying. Awe-inspiring and exquisite. Obligatory reading for the living. -- Nigella LawsonRattling. Heartbreaking. Beautiful. -- Atul Gawande, author of BEING MORTALA great, indelible book ... as intimate and illuminating as Atul Gawande’s “Being Mortal,” to cite only one recent example of a doctor’s book that has had exceptionally wide appeal ... I guarantee that finishing this book and then forgetting about it is simply not an option ... gripping from the start ... None of it is maudlin. Nothing is exaggerated. As he wrote to a friend: “It’s just tragic enough and just imaginable enough.” And just important enough to be unmissable. * New York Times *Powerful and poignant. * The Sunday Times *Less a memoir than a reflection on life and purpose… A vital book. * The Economist *Powerful and poignant… Elegantly written posthumous memoir… Should be compulsory for anyone who intends to be a doctor… A profound reflection on the meaning of life. -- Daisy Goodwin * Sunday Times *A stark, fascinating, well-written and heroic memoir. -- Stefanie Marsh * The Times *The power of this book lies in its eloquent insistence that we are all confronting our mortality every day, whether we know it or not. The real question we face, Kalanithi writes, is not how long, but rather how, we will live – and the answer does not appear in any medical textbook. -- Alice Okeeffe * Guardian *Exceptional. -- Katie Law * Evening Standard *When I came to the end of the last flawless paragraph of When Breath Becomes Air, all I could do was turn to the first page and read the whole thing again. Searingly intelligent, beautifully written, and beyond brave, I haven't been so marked by a book in years. -- Gabriel Weston, author of DIRECT REDA remarkable book… Kalanithi writes very well, in a plain and matter-of-fact way, without a trace of self-pity, and you are immediately gripped and carried along… [He] was clearly a deeply thoughtful and compassionate man, and his death is a great loss to medicine, but at least he has left this remarkable book behind. -- Dr Henry Marsh * Observer *A meditation on what makes a life worth living. * Guardian *It turns out not really to be about dying at all but about life and how to live it — though the closeness of death gives it an urgency and economy… When Breath Becomes Air is a Renaissance book from a Renaissance man. It is a work of philosophy and morality, a reconciliation of science and religion. There is even plot and excitement… It was only with the restrained, elegant epilogue written by his wife Lucy Kalanithi that I found myself weeping helplessly… When Breath Becomes Air tells us what means to live a good life, by giving us a glimpse into an exceptional one. -- Lucy Kellaway * Financial Times *A powerful and compelling read. * The Economist, Book of the Year *An astonishingly affecting memoir and eloquent examination of what it is to be human and confront your own mortality… This is a remarkable book by a man who was driven by his passion for his life, his loves and his career. His death is undoubtedly a tragedy but in writing this memoir he has guaranteed that his voice and the important story it tells will resonate for years to come. -- Mernie Gilmore * Daily Express *As thought-provoking as it was moving. The sheer exuberance of Kalnithi’s intellectual curiosity shone through in his writing. -- Katie Law * Evening Standard, Book of the Year *To the venerable canon of doctors who could write (from Chekhov to Oliver Sacks and Atul Gawande), another name can be added: that of Paul Kalanithi… Brilliantly written. -- Louise Carpenter * Sunday Telegraph *Paul Kalanithi’s memoir, When Breath Becomes Air… split my head open with its beauty. Truly. Madly. Deeply. -- Cheryl Strayed, author of WILDThanks to When Breath Becomes Air, those of us who never met Paul Kalanithi will both mourn his death and benefit from his life. This one of a handful of books I consider to be a universal donor - I would recommend it to anyone, everyone. -- Ann Patchett, author of BEL CANTOA remarkable book about what it means to live…a tour de force…The book will be compared inevitably to Sacks’ work and also to the iconic book that Joan Didion wrote about grief, The Year of Magical Thinking. And like that book, it’s destined to become an elegiac classic on the subject of mortality. But it’s a different feeling from Didion’s gorgeous, melancholy fog of war. When Breath Becomes Air is electrically alive in its anticipation of death. -- Lisa Chase * Elle *

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Book SynopsisPart of the best-selling '...for Beginners' series that brings to life the wide world of physics. Rather than explaining details about how to do physics, this book focusses on explaining what different branches of physics are about, how we know about them, and what mysteries remain for budding physicists to uncover. It doesn't shy away from the hard stuff, tackling black holes, quantum mechanics and even Einstein's theories of relativity.Table of ContentsWhat is physics?Asking questions?Physics is everywhereWhat do physicists do?Chapter 1: Forces & motionWhat makes things move, what makes things stop, and why some things move faster and easier than others.Chapter 2: WavesHow sounds travel, how light works, and the mysterious connection between electricity and magnetism.Chapter 3: The speed of light and the shape of the universeAlbert Einstein came up with two of the most significant theories in modern physics: special relativity, which explores the speed of light, and general relativity, which unpacks the shape of the universe. But what actually ARE these theories?Chapter 4: Nuclear and particle physicsIntroducing the very smallest things physicists have discovered, and seeing what happens when they try to break those things apart into even smaller pieces. Chapter 5: Quantum mechanicsThe smallest particles don't seem to follow the same rules as bigger things. So what rules do they follow, and why don't they seem to make sense?Chapter 6: SpaceWhat is out there, beyond the Earth? And where exactly did it all come from?Chapter 7: Unsolved mysteriesThere are plenty of things physicists don't understand about how things work, whether on Earth or out in space. Discover some of the mysteries that YOU might help to solve one day.GlossaryIndexAcknowledgments

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Book Synopsis''Science has never had an advocate quite like David Deutsch ... A computational physicist on a par with his touchstones Alan Turing and Richard Feynman, and a philosopher in the line of his greatest hero, Karl Popper. His arguments are so clear that to read him is to experience the thrill of the highest level of discourse available on this planet and to understand it'' Peter Forbes, IndependentIn our search for truth, how far have we advanced? This uniquely human quest for good explanations has driven amazing improvements in everything from scientific understanding and technology to politics, moral values and human welfare. But will progress end, either in catastrophe or completion - or will it continue infinitely?In this profound and seminal book, David Deutsch explores the furthest reaches of our current understanding, taking in the Infinity Hotel, supernovae and the nature of optimism, to instill in all of us a wonder at what we have achieved - and the fact that this is only the beginning of humanity''s infinite possibility.''This is Deutsch at his most ambitious, seeking to understand the implications of our scientific explanations of the world ... I enthusiastically recommend this rich, wide-ranging and elegantly written exposition of the unique insights of one of our most original intellectuals'' Michael Berry, Times Higher Education Supplement ''Bold ... profound ... provocative and persuasive'' Economist''David Deutsch may well go down in history as one of the great scientists of our age'' ScotsmanTrade ReviewExperience the thrill of the highest level of discourse available on this planet ... This is the great Life, the Universe and Everything book for our time * Independent *Bold ... profound ... provocative and persuasive. * The Economist *Science has never had an advocate quite like David Deutsch. He is a computational physicist on a par with his touchstones Alan Turing and Richard Feynman, and also a philosopher in the line of his greatest hero, Karl Popper. His arguments are so clear that to read him is to experience the thrill of the highest level of discourse available on this planet and to understand it. -- Peter Forbes * The Independent *This is Deutsch at his most ambitious, seeking to understand the implications of our scientific explanations of the world ... I enthusiastically recommend this rich, wide-ranging and elegantly written exposition of the unique insights of one of our most original intellectuals. -- Michael Berry * Times Higher Education Supplement *David Deutsch...may well go down in history as one of the great scientists of our age. -- Andrew Crumey * The Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisWith a new afterword, Why You Are Here: A speech on the opening of the COP26 climate summitAs a young man, I felt I was out there in the wild, experiencing the untouched natural world - but it was an illusion. The tragedy of our time has been happening all around us, barely noticeable from day to day - the loss of our planet's wild places, its biodiversity. I have been witness to this decline. A Life on Our Planet contains my witness statement, and my vision for the future - the story of how we came to make this, our greatest mistake, and how, if we act now, we can yet put it right.We have the opportunity to create the perfect home for ourselves and restore the wonderful world we inherited.All we need is the will do so.

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Book SynopsisWant to read just one book about autism? Read this. Written by Temple Grandin, one of the world's most accomplished and well-known adults with autism, this thought-provoking, insightful and inspirational book - with illustrative diagrams and key points pulled out for emphasis - will assist not only fellow autistics and families with affected members, but also researchers and physicians seeking to better understand the condition.'An extraordinary source of inspiration for autistic children, their parents - and all people' -- Time'The Autistic Brain can both enlighten readers with little exposure to autism and offer hope and compassion to those who live with the condition' -- Scientific American'Grandin has helped us understand autism not just as a phenomenon, but as a different but coherent mode of existence that otherwise confounds us...' -- New York Times'Enjoyable, insightful read' -- ***** Reader review'This book is a delight from start to finish' -- ***** Reader review'Superb, readable book' -- ***** Reader review'Great book. Very insightful and easy to follow' -- ***** Reader review********************************************************************************************It's estimated that one in almost a hundred people are diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum but there is far more hope for them today than ever before thanks to ground-breaking new research.In this fascinating and highly readable book, Temple Grandin offers her own experience as an autistic person alongside remarkable new discoveries about the autistic brain, as well as genetic research.She highlights long-ignored sensory problems as well as the need to treat autism symptom by symptom, rather than with an umbrella diagnosis. Most exciting of all, she argues that raising and educating children on the autistic spectrum needs to be less about focusing on their weaknesses, and more about fostering their unique contributions.Written in a clear, concise and accessible way, with illustrative diagrams and key points pulled out for emphasis, this is an all-encompassing guide that will change the perception of autism.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary source of inspiration for autistic children, their parents - and all people. * Time *The Autistic Brain can both enlighten readers with little exposure to autism and offer hope and compassion to those who live with the condition. * Scientific American *Grandin has reached a stunning level of sophistication about herself and the science of autism. Her observations will assist not only fellow autistics and families with affected members, but also researchers and physicians seeking to better understand the condition. -- Jerome Groopman * The New York Review of Books *Grandin has helped us understand autism not just as a phenomenon, but as a different but coherent mode of existence that otherwise confounds us…She excels at finding concrete examples that reveal the perceptual and social limitations of autistic and "neurotypical" people alike. * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.In a moment I was clutched by several hands, and there was no mistaking that they were trying to haul me back . . . You can scarce imagine how nauseatingly inhuman they looked those pale chinless faces and great, lidless, pinkish-grey eyes!An English scientist regales his dinner guests with the tale of his travels to the year 802,701, where he discovers that the human race has evolved into two distinct societies. The Eloi, elegant and peaceful, yet lacking spirit, are terrorised by the sinister, light-fearing Morlocks, who live underground, surrounded by industry. And when his time machine mysteriously vanishes, the scientist must descend to the realm of the Morlocks in order to find his only hope of escape . . .H. G. Wells is considered a founding father of modern science fiction, coining the term time machine' and popularising the idea of time travel in literature.Trade Review‘[Wells’ work is] astonishingly rich in human and historical interest … he foresaw the invention of, among other things, television, tanks, aerial warfare and the atom bomb’ David Lodge ‘[Wells] contrives to give over humanity into the clutches of the Impossible and yet manages to keep it down (or up) to its humanity, to its flesh, blood, sorrow, folly’ Joseph Conrad ‘I personally consider the greatest of English living writers [to be] H. G. Wells’ Upton Sinclair ‘The father of science fiction’ Guardian

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Book SynopsisA revelatory approach to geology, illuminated with untold stories of humanity's relationship with rock

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Book SynopsisFOYLES NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARA SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLERTHE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING - HIGHLY COMMENDEDLONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONA BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE SUNDAY TIMES, TELEGRAPH, PROSPECT, THE NEW YORKER AND BBC HISTORY WATERSTONES NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH''The best book on the history of life on Earth I have ever read'' Tom Holland''Epically cinematic... A book of almost unimaginable riches'' Sunday TimesThis is the past as we''ve never seen it before. Otherlands is an epic, exhilarating journey into deep time, showing us the Earth as it used to exist, and the worlds that were here before ours.Award-winning young palaeobiologist Thomas Halliday immerses us in a series of ancient landscapes, from the mammoth steppe in Ice Age Alaska to the lush rainforests of Eocene Antarctica, with its colonies of giant penguins, to Ediacaran Australia, where the moon is far brighter than ours today. We visit the birthplace of humanity; we hear the crashing of the highest waterfall the Earth has ever known; and we watch as life emerges again after the asteroid hits, and the age of the mammal dawns.Otherlands is a staggering imaginative feat: an emotional narrative that underscores the tenacity of life - yet also the fragility of seemingly permanent ecosystems, including our own. To read it is to see the last 500 million years not as an endless expanse of unfathomable time, but as a series of worlds, simultaneously fabulous and familiar.Sunday Times bestseller, March 2023Trade ReviewThis book takes us through the natural history of previous forms of life in the most beguiling way. It makes you think about the past differently and it certainly makes you think about the future differently. This is a monumental work and I suspect it will be a very important book for future generations -- Ray Mears, Chair of the Wainwright Prize for UK Nature WritingThe word "original" is really overworked. But Thomas Halliday has produced a book the like of which I have never come across -- Jeremy PaxmanAn extraordinary history of our almost-alien Earth... Epically cinematic... The writing is so palpably alive. A book of almost unimaginable riches. It is a book that will make its own solid and lasting contribution. It could well be the best I read in 2022 - and I know it's only January -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *A poet among palaeontologists -- David P. Barash * Wall Street Journal *A mesmerising journey into those vast stretches of Earth's pre-history that lie behind us, on such a scale that you experience a kind of temporal vertigo just thinking about it... [Halliday is] a brilliant writer, his lyrical style vividly conjuring myriad lost worlds... It's obviously a bit of a gamble choosing one's Book of the Year in March - but there's a very good chance already that mine will be Otherlands. Stunning -- Christopher Hart * Mail on Sunday *An impressive, tightly packed, long view of the natural world. In cinematic terms, this book would be a blockbuster... Riveting scientific reading; a remarkable achievement of imagination grounded in fact -- NJ McGarrigle * Irish Times *An immersive world tour of prehistoric life... Halliday never loses sight of the bigger picture, nimbly marshalling a huge array of insights thrown up by recent research. Each chapter gives not only a vivid snapshot of an ecosystem in action but also insights into geology, climate science, evolution and biochemistry... Mind-blowing -- Neville Hawcock * Financial Times *A sweeping, lyrical biography of Earth -- the geology, the biology, the extinctions and the ever-shifting ecology that defines our living planet -- Adam Rutherford * BBC Radio 4 Start the Week *Superb... [An] epic, near-hallucinatory natural history of the living earth... Dazzling -- Simon Ings * Telegraph *Remarkable... Ingenious... A work of immense imagination [...] rooted firmly in the actual science -- Stuart Kelly * Scotsman *A fascinating journey through Earth's history... [Halliday] is appropriately lavish in his depiction of the variety and resilience of life, without compromising on scientific accuracy... To read Otherlands is to marvel not only at these unfamiliar lands and creatures, but also that we have the science to bring them to life in such vivid detail -- Gege Li * New Scientist *Riveting... An intense and imaginative reading of fossils as runes that tell us about our own times, and possible future. Halliday is a Time Lord at heart, eager to lead us back to, say, the Permian or Oligocene epochs and unpack their lessons for 21st Century humanity. For all its scholarship, this is a very readable book, full of literary reference and accessible metaphor. Otherlands is also a wise manual for adaptive change rather than a prophecy of inevitable doom -- Matthew D'Ancona * Tortoise *Thomas Halliday offers a 550m-year tour of the incredible diversity of life that has existed on our planet... Halliday's trick is to tell his story in reverse. The first hominids exit early; the continents merge and drift and merge again; the sounds of the cretaceous forest fall silent as we pass beyond the evolution of birdsong. Life retreats from land to ocean, and the first eyes give way to the sightless world of the Ediacaran, an alien realm of crawling beings -- David Farrier * Prospect *A brilliant series of reconstructions of life in the deep past, richly imagined from the fine details of the fossil record... A real achievement... Reading Halliday's book is as near to the experience of visiting these ancient worlds as you are likely to get -- Jon Turney * Arts Desk *Writing with gusto and bravado [...] Halliday has honed a unique voice... Otherlands is a verbal feast. You feel like you are there on the Mammoth Steppe, some 20,000 years ago, as frigid winds blow off the glacial front... Along the way, we learn astounding facts -- Steve Brusatte * Scientific American *Vivid... An intricate analysis of our planet's interconnected past, it is impossible to come away from Otherlands without awe for what may lie ahead -- Amancai Biraben * Independent *Halliday takes us on a journey into deep time in this epic book, showing us Earth as it used to be and the worlds that were here before ours -- ‘The Hottest Books of the Year Ahead’ * Independent *This is a piece of nature writing that covers millions of years, from the very start of evolution, while capturing the almost unthinkable ways geography has shifted and changed over time. Epic in scope and executed with charming enthusiasm, Otherlands looks set to be a big talking point for fans of non-fiction in 2022 -- ‘The 15 New Novels And Non-Fiction Books To Read In 2022’ * Mr Porter *Palaeobiologist Thomas Halliday embraces a yet more epic timescale in Otherlands: A World in the Making, touring the many living worlds that preceded ours, from the mammoth steppe in glaciated Alaska to the lush rainforests of Eocene Antarctica. If you have ever wondered what sound a pterosaur's wings made in flight, this is the book for you -- 'The best science books coming your way in 2022’ * New Scientist *Full of wonder and fascination, exquisitely written, this is time travel of spectacular dimensions - a journey into our planet's evolution and the world in which we live. A compellingly important read -- Isabella Tree, author of WILDINGThe best book on the history of life on Earth I have ever read -- Tom Holland, author of DOMINIONThomas Halliday's debut is a kaleidoscopic and evocative journey into deep time. He takes quiet fossil records and complex scientific research and brings them alive - riotous, full-coloured and three-dimensional. You'll find yourself next to giant two-metre penguins in a forested Antarctica 41 million years ago or hearing singing icebergs in South Africa some 444 million years ago. Maybe most importantly, Otherlands is a timely reminder of our planet's impermanence and what we can learn from the past -- Andrea Wulf, author of THE INVENTION OF NATUREDeep time is very hard to capture - even to imagine - and yet Thomas Halliday has done so in this fascinating volume. He wears his grasp of vast scientific learning lightly; this is as close to time travel as you are likely to get -- Bill McKibben, author of FALTERAn absolutely gripping adventure story, exploring back through the changing vistas of our own planet's past. Earth has been many different worlds over its planetary history, and Thomas Halliday is the perfect tour guide to these past landscapes, and the extraordinary creatures that inhabited them. Otherlands is science writing at its very finest -- Lewis Dartnell, author of ORIGINSOtherlands is one of those rare books that's both deeply informative and daringly imaginative. It will change the way you look at the history of life, and perhaps also its future -- Elizabeth Kolbert, author of THE SIXTH EXTINCTIONThis stunning biography of our venerable Earth, detailing her many ages and moods, is an essential travel guide to the changing landscapes of our living world. As we hurtle into the Anthropocene, blindly at the helm of this inconstant planet, Halliday gives us our bearings within the panorama of deep time. Aeons buckle under his pen: the world before us made vivid; the paradox of our permanence and impermanence visceral. Wonderful -- Gaia Vince, author of TRANSCENDENCEStirring, surprising and beautifully written, Otherlands offers glimpses of times so different to our own they feel like parallel worlds. In its lyricism and the intimate attention it pays to nonhuman life, Thomas Halliday's book recalls Rachel Carson's Under the Sea Wind, and marks the arrival of an exciting new voice -- Cal Flynn, author of ISLANDS OF ABANDONMENTImaginative -- Andrew Robinson * Nature *This study of our prehistoric earth is "beyond cinematic", James McConnachie says. "It could well be the best book I read in 2022 -- Robbie Millen and Andrew Holgate, Books of the Year * Sunday Times *It's phenomenally difficult for human brains to grasp deep time. Even thousands of years seem unfathomable, with all human existence before the invention of writing deemed 'prehistory', a time we know very little about. Thomas Halliday's book Otherlands helps to ease our self-centred minds into these depths. Moving backwards in time, starting with the thawing plains of the Pleistocene (2.58 million - 12,000 years ago) and ending up in the marine world of the Ediacaran (635-541 mya), he devotes one chapter to each of the intervening epochs or periods and, like a thrilling nature documentary, presents a snapshot of life at that time. It's an immersive experience, told in the present tense, of these bizarre 'otherlands', populated by creatures and greenery unlike any on Earth today -- Books of the Year * Geographical *Each chapter of this literary time machine takes us further back in prehistory, telling vivid stories about ancient creatures and their alien ecologies, ending 550 million years ago -- The Telegraph Cultural Desk, Books of the Year * Telegraph *The largest-known asteroid impact on Earth is the one that killed the dinosaurs 65?million years ago, but that is a mere pit stop on Thomas Halliday's evocative journey into planetary history in Otherlands. Each chapter of this literary time machine takes us further back into the deep past, telling vivid stories about ancient creatures and their alien ecologies, until at last we arrive 550?million years ago in the desert of what is now Australia, where no plant life yet covers the land. Halliday notes the urgency of reducing carbon emissions in the present to protect our settled patterns of life, but adds: "The idea of a pristine Earth, unaffected by human biology and culture, is impossible." It's an epic lesson in the impermanence of all things -- Steven Poole, Books of the Year * Telegraph *The world on which we live is "undoubtedly a human planet", Thomas Halliday writes in this extraordinary debut. But "it has not always been, and perhaps will not always be". Humanity has dominated the Earth for a tiny fraction of its history. And that History is vast. We tend to lump all dinosaurs, for example, into one period in the distant past. But more time passed between the last diplodocus and the first tyrannosaurus than has passed between the last tyrannosaurus and the present day. A mind-boggling fact. This is a glorious, mesmerising guide to the past 500 million years bought to life by this young palaeobiologist's rich and cinematic writing -- Ben Spencer, Books of the Year * Sunday Times *A book that I really want to read but haven't yet bought - so I hope it goes into my Christmas stocking - is Otherlands: A World in the Making by Thomas Halliday. It sounds so amazing - a history of the world before history, before people. He's trying to write the history of the organisms and the plants and the creatures and everything else as the world grows from protozoic slime or whatever we emerged from. It sounds like an absolutely incredible effort of imagination. I think that Christmas presents should be books you can curl up with and get engrossed in and transported by - and Otherlands sounds like exactly that -- Michael Wood, Books of the Year * BBC History Magazine *But, of course, not all history is human history, Otherlands, by Thomas Halliday, casts its readers further and further back, past the mammoths, past the dinosaurs, back to an alien world of shifting rock and weird plants. It is a marvel -- Books of the Year * Prospect *

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Book Synopsis'A book of big questions, and big answers' Yuval Noah Harari, bestselling author of Sapiens Why has human history unfolded so differently across the globe?Trade ReviewThe most absorbing account on offer of the emergence of a world divided between have and have-nots... Never before put together so coherently, with such a combination of expertise, charm and compassion * The Times *A book of remarkable scope... One of the most important and readable works on the human past * Nature *A prodigious, convincing work, conceived on a grand scale * Observer *This is the book that turned me from a historian of medieval warfare into a student of humankind -- Yuval Noah Harari * Week *Fascinating, coherent, compassionate and completely accessible * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisA compact, lightweight and informative guide to 310 of the most common birds found in the UK. RSPB Pocket Guide to British Birds is a compact, lightweight and informative field guide, featuring 310 bird species regularly seen in the UK. Species are illustrated in all distinct plumage forms likely to be observed in the wild by renowned bird artist Stephen Message, and a detailed distribution map for the British Isles is also provided. Concise text covers appearance, behaviour and voice focusing on key identification points and also outlines where you will find the species, describes its seasonal movements and includes the latest UK population data. Finally, confusion species are cross-referenced, with their most important and easily noted differences from the subject species described. A comprehensive introduction provides a guide on how and where to find birds, and how to make the most useful and rewarding observations for newcomers to Trade ReviewIdeal for taking with you wherever you are […] every casual birder should have one. -- John Miles * Bird Watching *Excellent. -- Stephen MossThis small book packs quite a punch … it’s nice to think [it] might be found in car glove boxes, jacket pockets and thousands of rucksacks across the UK. -- Steve Willis * British Trust for Ornithology *Like a condensed version of the RSPB’s excellent Handbook of British Birds, this will be especially useful for the improving birder! -- Steve Willis * British Trust for Ornithology *Table of ContentsHow to use this book Bird topography Watching and identifying birds Identification techniques Recording your observations Getting help Laws Safety in the field Glossary of terms Species accounts Rarities Escapees and oddities Index

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Book SynopsisThe fascinating physics behind everyday life - how to brew the perfect coffee, how to finally rid your garden of snails, and what physics reveals about love and relationships

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Book SynopsisExplore one of biology''s most remarkable creations in this fascinating hardback guide to brain science, richly illustrated in full-colour.The brain regulates the processes essential to life, gives rise to thoughts and feelings, and is at the very core of who we are. In Discovering the Brain, you will learn about its anatomy, functions, and processes and begin to uncover the mysteries that are being laid bare by modern neuroscience. You will learn about the brain''s development over time, its use of the information presented by our senses, and the diseases and disorders that can prevent it from functioning correctly.Beautifully illustrated throughout with stunning photographs as well as a range of diagrams and infographics to aid understanding, this is a superb introduction to the miracle of the human brain. ABOUT THE SERIES: Arcturus'' Discovering... series brings together spectacular hardback guides which explore the science behi

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Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERThe legendary oracle of technological change explains how AI will transform our species beyond recognition within two decades.The best person I know at predicting the future of AI' BILL GATES''Essential reading to understand our exponential times'' MUSTAFA SULEYMAN''Fascinating . . . raises the most profound philosophical questions'' YUVAL NOAH HARARIWhat will it mean to live free from the limits of our bodies? Who will we become if our minds can be stored and duplicated? What new realms of beauty, connection and wonder might we inhabit? How will we navigate the risks presented by such awesomely powerful technology?By the end of this decade, AI will exceed human levels of intelligence. During the 2030s, it will become superintelligent', vastly outstripping our capabilities and enabling dramatic interventions in our bodies. By 2045, we will be able to connect our brains directly with AI, enhancing our intelligence a millionfold and expanding our consciousness in ways we can barely imagine. This is the Singularity.Ray Kurzweil is one of the greatest inventors of our time with over 60 years' experience in the field of Artificial Intelligence. Dozens of his long-range predictions about the rise of the internet, AI and bioengineering have been borne out. In this visionary and fundamentally optimistic book, Kurzweil explains how the Singularity will occur, explores what it will mean to live free from the limits of biology and argues that we can and will transform life on Earth profoundly for the better.''The greatest oracle of our digital age'' PETER H. DIAMANDIS, founder of XPRIZE''Curious about the future? Read this book'' VINT CERF, Chief Internet Evangelist, Google

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE BRITISH PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY AWARD 2022A SUNDAY TIMES BEST PAPERBACK OF 2023 A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEKA FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOK OF 2022: HEALTH AND WELLBEINGA WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2022: POPULAR SCIENCE---People who believe ageing brings wisdom live longer.Lucky charms really do improve an athlete's performance.Taking a placebo, even when you know it is a placebo, can still improve your health.Welcome to The Expectation Effect.David Robson takes us on a tour of the cutting-edge research happening right now that suggests our expectations shape our experience. Of course, you can't just think yourself thinner, happier or fitter, but using this book you can reframe many different facets of your life. These easy-to-use skills will help you on your way to becoming the person you want to be, living the life you want to live.Trade ReviewThis book is entertaining, eye-opening, extremely useful and best of all, evidence-based -- CLAUDIA HAMMONDAs David Robson makes plain in this compelling book, the way we think about the world can profoundly shape how we navigate it. Based in science and packed with smart advice, The Expectation Effect will expand your mind - and maybe even extend your life -- DANIEL H. PINKMind-changing science . . . One of Robson's many strengths as a chronicler of science is to take what might seem familiar and show - to his own evident excitement, as well - just how much deeper the rabbit hole goes . . . Compelling -- OLIVER BURKEMAN * * Guardian * *This is an utterly riveting and transformative book. You can't afford not to read it! -- NIGELLA LAWSONA revelatory pop-science book on the idea that it's not so much what happens to us as what we expect to happen that determines our health and wellbeing * * Guardian * *Intriguing . . . Extraordinary stories of the brain and its power to control the body * * Sunday Times * *I have not been able to stop thinking about it . . . Jaw-dropping . . . So many studies in the book left me speechless -- PANDORA SYKES * * Doing It Right * *Already threatening to be book of the year - visionary, original and exciting -- WILL STORRInteresting . . . Robson marshals a huge range of diverse evidence here and describes it very well. I learned a lot and enjoyed the book hugely -- TIM HARFORDAn intriguing account of the role of expectation (and perception in general) in a wide panorama of experience. Beautifully written, science-based and a gripping read. I loved it! -- DR MITHU STORONI, author of STRESS-PROOF

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Book SynopsisSTEVE PARKER graduated with a BSc (Honours, First Class) in Zoology and is a Senior Scientific Fellow of the Zoological Society of London. He has written more than 200 books and edited or contributed to over 100 more, including DK titles such as The Human Body Atlas, Eyewitness Medicine, and the bestselling Kill or Cure. Steve's other publishers include the BBC, Boots, the Smithsonian Institution, and WWF. He has been shortlisted for the Rhone-Poulenc Science Book of the Year and Times Educational Supplement Information Book of the Year.

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Book SynopsisA fascinating and comprehensive guide to the sun – our home star – which remains the greatest mystery in the solar system, and why understanding it is pivotal to our future existence here on Earth.In 1869, a great mystery was born. As astronomers observed a total solar eclipse, for the first time they saw the faint glow of the solar corona, the sun’s outer atmosphere. Measurements of a previously unknown wavelength that made up this solar light sparked hot debate among scientists, but it was another sixty years before they discovered that this wavelength was in fact iron being burned at a staggering 3 million degrees Celsius. With the sun’s surface only 6,000 degrees, this shouldn’t be possible. What we now knew about the sun appeared to defy the laws of physics – and nature.But as well as being shrouded in intriguing mystery, the unpredictable nature of the sun’s corona poses a serious threat to our life here on earth – the destructive potential of solar storms, caused by solar material travelling out into space at around 1 million miles an hour, is huge. Remaining beyond our reach until now, a new generation of ambitious solar missions are currently travelling closer to the sun than any previous spacecraft in history. As we enter this unprecedented era of heliophysics, there has never been a better time to get to grips with the workings of our home star.Trade ReviewA highly readable and topical account of the life and times of our neighbourhood nuclear furnace, on which all life on Earth depends – the sun. Colin Stuart pulls together an amazing amount of physics in an enjoyable narrative which conveys information painlessly. I read it at a sitting, and look forward to a more leisurely second look. * John Gribbin *Surprisingly, considering its fundamental importance to life on Earth, the sun has been the Cinderella of astronomical popular science. In this fascinating and in-depth exploration of our friendly neighbourhood star, Colin Stuart makes sure that Cinderella gets to the ball. * Brian Clegg *A thrilling story of not only the sun’s inner workings and how it affects the Earth, but how we’ve come to understand the raw power of our local star. Beautifully written – Colin Stuart explains these mind-expanding details with crystal clarity. * Lewis Dartnell *An exceptionally clear and comprehensive account of how science has unpicked the manifold secrets of the sun. * Dr Paul Parsons, author of 30-Second Theories *A deep-dive into what we currently know about the workings of our sun, and some of the big questions that remain unanswered. Indispensable for solar enthusiasts. * Melanie Windridge, author of Aurora: In Search of the Northern Lights *A compelling portrait of the Sun * Nature Magazine *

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Book SynopsisPretty much indispensable to a birder travelling in the subcontinent - British BirdsWith a wide range of habitats and a dazzling and diverse avifauna, the Indian subcontinent is one of the world''s greatest birding hotspots. This second edition of Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp''s ground-breaking work is a comprehensive field guide to the region, covering all species known to occur in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.Fully revised and updated, this authoritative book includes more than 240 colour plates of detailed illustrations, alongside concise species accounts describing key identification features, range, habitat and voice with accurate range maps for each species.Peerless in the scope of its coverage yet still portable enough for field use, Field Guide to Birds of the Indian Subcontinent is an essential companion for any birdwatcher tackling the mountains, rainforests, plains, wetlands or deserts of this magical

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A SPECTATOR AND FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOK OF 2022 A WATERSTONES NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH ‘If you read just one book about how the modern world is driving us crazy, read this one’ TELEGRAPH ‘This book is exactly what the world needs right now’ OPRAH WINFREY ‘A beautifully researched and argued exploration of the breakdown of humankind's ability to pay attention’ STEPHEN FRY ‘A really important book . . . Everyone should read it’ PHILIPPA PERRY --- Is your ability to focus and pay attention in free fall? You are not alone. The average office worker now focuses on any one task for just three minutes. But it’s not your fault. Your attention didn’t collapse. It has been stolen. Internationally bestselling author Johann Hari shows twelve deep factors harming our focus. Once we understand them, together, we can take back our minds.Trade ReviewA brilliant book about one of the most important topics of our time -- Dr Rangan ChatterjeeThis mind-blowing book explains everything. Read it and be free -- Simon AmstellThere's so much in this book . . . Unbelievable, juicy dynamite that you have to read -- Chris EvansI think this book is exactly what the world needs right now . . . I hope everybody buys the book. I promise you it will be worth your time and certainly worth your focus -- Oprah WinfreyJohann Hari writes like a dream. He’s both lyricist and storyteller – but also an indefatigable investigator of one of the world’s greatest problems: the systematic destruction of our attention. Read this book to save your mind -- Susan CainI don’t know anyone thinking more deeply, or more holistically, about the crisis of our collective attention than Johann Hari. And this is a crisis that we must address if we are to meet any of the other pressing emergencies we face as a species, whether ecological or social. Which means that this book could not be more vital. Please sit with it, and focus -- Naomi KleinA story that so many of us have felt needs to be told, but whose cause and consequences are hard to capture and articulate without guesswork, prejudice or ideology. Hari not only achieves this and more, but he does so it with the pace, sparkle and energy of the best kind of thriller writer. I can’t remember reading a book which made me shout out “yes! That’s it!” quite so many times -- Stephen FryA highly original and wide-ranging investigation into the causes of our epidemic of flagging attention. Written with Hari’s trademark incisive prose, indefatigable search for scientific evidence vividly presented, and illustrated with telling anecdotes, Stolen Focus is a bracing and necessary wake-up call to us all -- Gabor Maté M.D.A fascinating journey into the mind and how it is being manipulated with devastating effects. Hari’s subject is something that is affecting us all and this seminal work will be one of the defining books of our era . . . Get off social media, switch off the TV, put down your smart phone and do one thing – read this book’ -- Dr Max PembertonStop whatever you’re doing and read this book. A deeply researched, disturbing, and yet ultimately hopeful exploration of the primal crisis of our time: our diminishing ability to focus on what really matters -- Rutger Bregman, author of HUMANKINDIf you want to get your attention and focus back, you need to read this remarkable book . . . [Hari] has cracked the code of why we’re in this crisis, and how to get out of it. We all need to hear this message -- Arianna Huffington, Founder & CEO, Thrive GlobalAn unbelievable storyteller . . . It might just change your life -- Steven BartlettThanks to this brilliant book, I have got to know myself and my fellow humans better. It educates and entertains you - the stories will suck any reader in, and then slowly change your mind. Everyone should read it. It has changed my habits - way beyond just putting away my phone more. Stolen Focus is a really important book -- Philippa PerryIn his unique voice, Johann Hari tackles the profound dangers facing humanity from information technology and rings the alarm bell for what all of us must do to protect ourselves, our children and our democracies -- Hillary Clinton, former US Secretary of StateAn entirely necessary book, a miracle of clarity and depth, a resonant, deeply researched warning followed by a truly inspiring clarion-call to action. Read it and weep, then dry your eyes and join in -- Emma ThompsonA visionary, systemic, revolutionary and practical guide for creating the new world. Through tireless research and genius insight Johann Hari certainly snapped me to attention. A life changing book -- V, author of THE VAGINA MONOLOGUESProvided a staggering insight into the misery occasioned by our addiction to the idiocies of the web. If you have kids please read it * Spectator *This is a book for those of us (all of us?), who feel we are spending too much time staring at our phones — and are losing the capacity to concentrate * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisJim Clark is a Cambridge graduate with over 30 years of teaching experience at this level. He was Head of Chemistry and then Head of Science at Truro School in Cornwall. He took early retirement in 1997 and has since concentrated on writing.

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Book Synopsis''This book is an important contribution, and I hope it will open many minds. What is particularly important in it are the discussions of David Bohm, of bioplasma, biophotons, and bioelectronics.'' - PROFESSOR ZBIGNIEW WOLKOWSKI, Sorbonne University, ParisAnswers so many questions, scientific and esoteric, about the true nature of our reality... A seminal work... Will revolutionise how we frame reality and the thinking of everyone on this planet. Kudos to Professor Temple for striking the first match to light the fire. - NEW DAWNThe story of the science of plasma and its revolutionary implications for the way we understand the universe and our place in it.Histories of science in the 20th century have focused on relativity and quantum mechanics. But, quietly in the background, there has been a third area of exploration which has equally important implications for our understanding of the universe. It is unknown to the general public despite the fact tha

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Book Synopsis''Beautifully clear explanations of famously difficult things ... It almost makes you think you could have been a Newton yourself'' John Gribbin Here is the ultimate master class in modern physics. World-class physicist and father of string theory Leonard Susskind and citizen-scientist George Hrabovsky combine forces in a primer that teaches the skills you need to do physics yourself.Combining crystal-clear explanations of the laws of the universe with basic exercises (including essential equations and maths), the authors cover the minimum that readers should master. They introduce the key concepts of modern physics, from classical mechanics to general relativity to quantum theory, and provide a practical toolkit that you won''t find in any other popular science book. ''A good and noble book'' Sunday Times ''A wonderful and unique resource. For anyone who is determined to learn physics for real, looking beyond conventional popularizations, this is the ideal place to start'' Sean Carroll, physicist and author of The Particle at the End of the Universe''Very readable ... provides a clear description of advanced classical physics concepts, and gives readers who want a challenge the opportunity to exercise their brain'' Physics WorldTrade ReviewSo what do you do if you enjoyed science at school or college but ended up with a different career and are still wondering what makes the universe tick? . . . The Theoretical Minimum is the book for you. -- John Gribbin * Wall Street Journal *A pleasure to read....a beautiful, high-level overview of the entire subject * Physics Today *What a wonderful and unique resource. For anyone who is determined to learn physics for real, looking beyond conventional popularizations, this is the ideal place to start. It gets directly to the important points, with nuggets of deep insight scattered along the way. * Sean Carroll, author of The Particle at the End of the Universe *

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Book SynopsisIs there a secret visual language all around us? What's so special about the shape of the Great Pyramid? Why is there something so sixy about circles? How many ways can you tile the plane? Lavishly illustrated by the author, this enchanting small introduction to one of the oldest and most widely-used ancient traditions on Earth will forever change the way you look at a triangle, arch, window, fabric repeat, ceramic pattern, graphic design, painting, spiral or flower. WOODEN BOOKS are small but packed with information. "Fascinating" FINANCIAL TIMES. "Beautiful" LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS. "Rich and Artful" THE LANCET. "Genuinely mind-expanding" FORTEAN TIMES. "Excellent" NEW SCIENTIST. "Stunning" NEW YORK TIMES. Small books, big ideas.

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Book SynopsisDavid Rooney is a historian and museum curator. Born in north-east England, he moved to London in 1995 to take a traineeship at the Science Museum, where he first encountered the aeroplane that completed the Big Hop in 1919. Over an almost thirty-year career, David has curated timekeeping, transport and engineering collections at institutions from the National Maritime Museum to the Science Museum, bringing historical stories vividly alive. He is the author of About Time: A History of Civilization in Twelve Clocks (2021), which has been translated into eleven languages. About The Big Hop, David says: It is 30 years since I first walked beneath the canvas wings of an ungainly biplane and wondered what must have possessed two young men to fly it across the Atlantic. Writing this book is my way of paying tribute to the pioneers of aviation men and women from all walks of life who risked everything: for freedom, for progress, and for us.'

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Book SynopsisCats Work Like This is for cat lovers who know that even after ten thousand years of living with cats, no one really has a clue what their cat is thinking. In this insider''s guide to the habits of these puzzling animals, the authors offer insights from two generations of watching their cats work. They share the sometimes hilarious and often astonishing observations on cats that have accumulated over ages, and offer some useful insights into how to understand your own cat. Though there are many famous felines, it is the day to day cat which provides the most enduring interest. Though each one''s behaviour and mannerisms are unique, we can find enough practices in common to guide you to becoming an expert in how cats work.Chapters include Habits, with an insight into how cats train you to have the right ones; and The Scientific Cat, with observations and empirical learning following the classic scientific method, as cats don''t listen well enough to be subjects in any other kind of experimentation.Learn how cats practice their values and explore what your cats know about you. Find out what cats do while you sleep, what a cat''s eyes can tell you and what there is to understand about political and & eco'' cats. With a focus on attention, emotion, cute affection, manipulation, cunning and cussedness, Cats Work Like This gives a rare insight into the workings of a cat''s elusive mind.

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Book SynopsisDonna J. Haraway refigures our current epoch, moving away from the Anthropocene toward the Chthulucene: an epoch in which we stay with the trouble of living and dying on a damaged earth while living with and understanding the nonhuman in complex ways conducive to building more livable futures.Trade Review"In Staying with the Trouble, we find real SF: science fiction, science fact, science fantasy, speculative feminism, speculative fabulation, string figures, so far. So many ways to look at the world and ourselves, so many complicated ideas on how we critters will survive and thrive and die in the disturbing Chthulucene. Haraway is difficult to read. But the effort required is worth it." -- Nancy Jane Moore * Cascadia Subduction Zone *"Chthulucene is not a simple word, yet it is a productive motif for Haraway. With it she laces ideas from urban pigeons, woolen coral reefs, writing workshops, Inupiat computer games, canine estrogen and Black Mesa sheep. The thready and the tentacular form the subject and the framework of her theory-making, as well as the structure of her writing." -- Archie Davies * Antipode *"Staying with the Trouble is Haraway at her most accessible. Readers familiar with her work with recognize her characteristic style and language, polysemous metaphors co-mingle with evocative refrains, deep etymological readings, and even the occasional sentence with internal rhyme schemes. . . . This is a work to provoke and inspire. It is a call to arms (or pseudopods as the case may be)!" -- Matt Thompson * Savage Minds *"[W]e should take seriously the implications of kin versus family, of kin as encompassing all non-human relations. There is an ethics here, on a micro and macro level. Haraway is no moralist, but replacing 'human relations' with 'kin' arguably brings about a transformation in our hierarchies and priorities - why not care as much about a wildflower as you do about your niece? If it is not a zero-sum game, and let us hope it is not, we can make room for all kinds of lives, and all kinds of ways of living. Staying with the trouble is also a matter of sticking with all the things that currently live and will die alongside us, whether we cause it or notice it or not." -- Nina Power * Spike *"Haraway models like few others deep intellectual generosity and curiosity. Staying with the Trouble cites students, thinks with community activists and artists, and writes alongside scientists and fiction writers. Haraway does not want you to read her; she wants you to read with her. She also insists on conversations with all kinds of storytellers: academics or not, humans or not, environmental humanities scholars or not." -- Astrida Neimanis * Australian Feminist Studies *"The book enacts different forms of analysis and activism. It is not only that the book transcends disciplinary boundaries of biology, sciences studies, art history, philosophy and dense descriptions of political activism most often found in social sciences. These approaches are interwoven in a very rich and exquisite manner for which the author is well known." -- Waltraud Ernst * Angelaki *"Haraway is probably as aware as a writer can be that what she has to offer at the moment is nowhere near enough to engage with all the ‘trouble’ that needs to be engaged with. All she can do, she seems to be saying, is to stay with it a while, worrying at the very edges of her capacity, and then pass it on. ‘We need each other’s risk-taking support, in conflict and collaboration, big time,’ is how she ends that infamous two-page endnote. ‘The answer to the trust of the held-out hand’, as she also puts it. ‘Think we must.’" -- Jenny Turner * London Review of Books *"Staying with the Trouble is a kind of Whole Earth Catalogue of thought devices for attuning our senses to the damaged ecosystem of the still-blue planet. It makes It makes inspiring and imaginative use of science fiction, art projects, geology, evolutionary theory, developmental biology, science and technology studies, anthropology, environmental activism, philosophy, feminism, horticulture, linguistics, pigeon fancying, and many other ways of thinking and knowing about ourselves, our worlds, and the many imbricate relations through which life on earth comes into being and dies." -- Sarah Franklin * American Anthropologist *"In advancing an approach that is at once hopeful but grounded, attuned to the realities of history but open to the possibility of alternative futures—in other words, in adamantly insisting on 'staying with the trouble' of the present—Haraway provides a ray of light in an otherwise- gloomy world of Anthropocene scholarship." -- Leah Aronowsky * Endeavor *"For anthropologists Haraway’s book will read as an invitation to think and write in terms that allow for symbiosis throughout.... Readers may not find clear road maps that guide them to struggle for more just flourishings or to understand the powerful and violent articulations of economies and ecologies in the Capitalocene. But they will perhaps rethink and expand the diverse relationalities that constitute the very preconditions of collective action. This is an invitation both to theorize and to make unexpected collaborations." -- Caterina Scaramelli * American Ethnologist *"Haraway’s kinships offer a brave opening in feminist theory.... Haraway has a long history of making brave moves—and winning feminism over." -- Paulla Ebron and Anna Tsing * Feminist Studies *"As always [Haraway's] work is capacious, sharp, inventive, and informed." -- Kyla Tompkins * American Quarterly *"As someone who has spent many years thinking about how we could live on Mars, I can assure you that there is no planet B. Adjusting ourselves and our society to the planet we actually live on will require us to create and enact a new structure of feeling. The feminist theorist Donna Haraway urges us to take care of our animal cousins in her provocative study Staying With the Trouble. We must establish enduring relationships between generations and species, she argues, and recognise that an improved political economy is both necessary and possible." -- Kim Stanley Robinson * The Guardian *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 1. Playing String Figures with Companion Species 9 2. Tentacular Thinking: Anthropocene, Capitalocene, Chthulucene 30 3. Sympoiesis: Symbiogenesis and the Lively Arts of Staying with the Trouble 58 4. Making Kin: Anthropocene, Capitalocene, Plantationocene, Chthulucene 99 5. Awash in Urine: DES and Premarin in Multispecies Response-ability 104 6. Sowing Worlds: A Seed Bag for Terraforming with Earth Others 117 7. A Curious Practice 126 8. The Camille Stories: Children of Compost 134 Notes 169 Bibliography 229 Index 265

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Book SynopsisFrom the man dubbed the ‘Sleep Whisperer’ comes a brand-new approach to fixing your sleep, once and for all. Challenging the reader to take control and to stop hiding behind excuses for a bad night’s sleep, neurologist W. Chris Winter explains the basic, often-counterintuitive rules of sleep science. Dr Winter explores revolutionary findings, including surprising solutions for insomnia and other sleep disturbances, empowering readers to stop taking sleeping pills and enjoy the best sleep of their lives. Written in a clear and entertaining way, The Sleep Solution contains tips, tricks, exercises, and illustrations throughout. Dr Winter is an international expert on sleep and has helped thousands of patients — including professional athletes — rest better at night. Now, he's ready to help you.Trade Review‘I call Dr. Winter a sleep whisperer. Through his work with top athletes, he’s found an amazingly effective way to show that sleep can be the ultimate performance enhancer — in sports, at work, and in every aspect of our lives.’ -- Arianna Huffington‘[I]rreverent but still rooted in clinical science … [Winter’s] no-nonsense advice can be quickly summoned at 3.07am when the temptation to check Facebook or raid the biscuit tin can feel overwhelming.’ * Evening Standard *‘Until I met Chris Winter, I slept like a baby: I woke every two hours and cried. And then Dr. Winter … helped me. He was my sleep solution; this book will be yours.’ * Peter Moore, co-author The Eight-Hour Diet *‘[The Sleep Solution] is already being hailed as a ‘solution’ to insomnia. It's a no-nonsense, colloquial approach to sleep difficulties that aims to change the narrative around sleep in order to make it more manageable.’ -- Jess Commons * Refinery29 *‘Chris is world class in his field; he is incredibly pragmatic in his application of medicine to real world, high-performance settings.’ -- Mark Simpson, LA Clippers Director of Performance and former Head of Strength and Conditioning for the British Cycling Team‘Dr. Winter has spent his career bringing attention to the benefits of sleep and for the first time, this book brings it all together. He has written an important resource for athletic trainers and professional athletes alike. His professional experiences and research has assisted with bringing to light the impact sleep has on our athletes within their sport.’ -- Ben Potenziano, Assistant Athletic Trainer, Pittsburgh Pirates‘Dr. Winter's ‘personal touch’ [is] his … touch of humor and true caring about improving … lives through ‘healthy sleep.’’ -- Herm Schneider, Head Athletic Trainer Chicago White Sox‘Dr. Chris Winter’s new work, The Sleep Solution, is a jewel of a book for anyone who has struggled with sleep issues.’ -- Ron Adams, veteran coach of the Golden State Warriors‘Dr. Winter is our go-to sleep specialist. In The Sleep Solution, you will find much of what he has shared with our athletes as he has helped us navigate the rigorous NBA schedule.’ -- Donald S. Strack, DPT, ATC Director of Medical Services Oklahoma City Thunder‘In the baseball industry, the travel, change in time zones and just sleeping in a different bed is not easy. I have leaned on Dr. Winter many times. Thank you Chris.’ -- Ron Porterfield, Athletic Trainer Tampa Bay Rays

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Book Synopsis'An extraordinary book . . . It will shake up your most fundamental beliefs about everyday experience, and it just might change your life.' Paul Bloom___For the millions of people who want spirituality without religion, Sam Harris's new book is a guide to meditation as a rational spiritual practice informed by neuroscience and psychology. Throughout the book, Harris argues that there are important truths to be found in the experience of contemplatives such as Jesus, Buddha and other saints and sages of history-and, therefore, that there is more to understanding reality than science and secular culture generally allow.Waking Up is part seeker's memoir and part exploration of the scientific underpinnings of spirituality. No other book marries contemplative wisdom and modern science in this way, and no author other than Sam Harris-a scientist, philosopher, and famous sceptic-could write it. ___'A demanding, illusion-shattering book.' Kirkus Reviews'A pleasure to read.' Huffington PostTrade ReviewSam Harris reminds us that awakening does not depend on religious belief. With his usual probing clarity, Sam points out the rational methodology for exploring the nature of consciousness. -- Joseph Goldstein, author of 'Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening' and 'One Dharma'So entirely of this moment, so keenly in touch with the growing number ... who are willing to say that they do not find the succor they crave, or a truth that makes sense to them, in organized religion. -- Frank Bruni * New York Times *Sam Harris ranks as my favourite sceptic, bar none. In Waking Up he gives us a clear-headed, no-holds-barred look at the spiritual supermarket, calling out what amounts to junk food and showing us where real nutrition can be found. Anyone who realizes the value of a spiritual life will find much to savour here – and those who see no value in it will find much to reflect on. * Daniel Goleman, Author of 'Emotional Intelligence' and 'Focus' *Harris shows how our egos are illusions [and] how abandoning this illusion can wake us up to a richer life, more connected to everything around us. * Jerry Coyne, Professor of Biology at the University of Chicago *Waking Up is an extraordinary book ... It will shake up your most fundamental beliefs about everyday experience, and it just might change your life. * Paul Bloom, Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale University *

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Book SynopsisFrom the Sunday Times bestselling author of Surrounded by IdiotsAre you overshadowed by the narcissists in your life? Are you worn out by their constant demands for attention, their absolute belief they are right (even when clearly they are not), their determination to do what they want (regardless of impact), and their baffling need to control everyone and everything around them?In this thought-provoking, sanity-saving book, Thomas Erikson helps you understand what makes narcissists tick and, crucially, how to handle them without wearing yourself out in the process. With the help of the behavioural model made famous in Surrounded by Idiots, Erikson provides all the tools you need to manage not just the narcissists around you but everyday narcissism as well - itself becoming more widespread in this age of social media. Engaging and practical, Surrounded by Narcissists will help you free yourself from narcissistic agendas so you can pursue a happier, more fulfilling and successful life.Trade Review'Outstanding . . . Erikson impresses with his trademark facility for making research-based discussions accessible and entertaining, and readers will appreciate the insightful guidance. This is another home run from Erikson.' * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisA beautiful new hardback anniversary edition of the multi-million copy sensationINCLUDES A NEW AFTERWORD FROM YUVAL NOAH HARARIWhat makes us brilliant? What makes us deadly? What makes us Sapiens?One of the world's preeminent historians and thinkers, Yuval Noah Harari challenges everything we know about being human. Earth is 4.5 billion years old. In just a fraction of that time, one species among countless others has conquered it: us.In this bold and provocative book, Yuval Noah Harari explores who we are, how we got here and where we're going.PRAISE FOR SAPIENS:'Interesting and provocative... It gives you a sense of how briefly we've been on this Earth' Barack Obama'Jaw-dropping from the first word to the last... It may be the best book I've ever read' Chris Evans'Startling... It changes the way you look at the world' Simon Mayo'I would recommend Sapiens to anyone who's interested in the history and future of our species' Bill GatesTrade ReviewSapiens is a starburst of a book, as enjoyable as it is stimulating * Sunday Express *Unforgettably vivid language. I urge everyone to read it * H Edition *A fantastic book about how homo sapiens came to conquer the world * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisIn Our Mathematical Universe, Max Tegmark, one of the most original physicists at work today, leads us on an astonishing journey to explore the mysteries uncovered by cosmology and to discover the nature of realityPart-history of the cosmos, part-intellectual adventure, Our Mathematical Universe travels from the Big Bang to the distant future via parallel worlds, across every possible scale - from the sub-atomic to the intergalactic - showing how mathematics provides the answers to our questions about the world. Where do we come from? What makes the universe the way it is? In essence, why are we here? With dazzling clarity, Max Tegmark ponders these deep mysteries and allows us to grasp the most cutting-edge and mind-boggling theories of physics. What he proposes is an elegant and fascinating idea: that our physical world not only is described by mathematics, but that it is mathematics. ''Our Mathematical Universe is nothing if not impressive. Brilliantly argued and beautifully written, it is never less than thought-provoking about the greatest mysteries of our existence'' - New York Times ''An amazing ride through the rich landscape of contemporary cosmology... Physics could do with more characters like Tegmark... an imaginative intellect and a charismatic presence'' - Clive Cookson, Financial Times Max Tegmark is author or co-author of more than 200 technical papers, twelve of which have been cited more than 500 times. He has featured in dozens of science documentaries, and his work with the SDSS collaboration on galaxy clustering shared the first prize in Science magazine''s Breakthrough of the Year: 2003. He holds a Ph.D from the University of California, Berkeley, and is a physics professor at MIT.Trade ReviewOur Mathematical Universe is nothing if not impressive. Brilliantly argued and beautifully written, it is never less than thought-provoking about the greatest mysteries of our existence * New York Times *An amazing ride through the rich landscape of contemporary cosmology... Physics could do with more characters like Tegmark... an imaginative intellect and a charismatic presence -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times *Tegmark is one of the rock gods of cosmology, a select group of thinkers who are using their mathematical prowess to tear up all our cherished notions about the universe, and replace it with a cosmos that is so bewilderingly weird that it makes the plot of most science-fiction novels look like an Ikea instruction leaflet * Telegraph *Our Mathematical Universe boldly confronts one of the deepest questions: why is mathematics so spectacularly successful at describing the cosmos? Through lively writing and wonderfully accessible explanations, Max Tegmark - one of the world's leading theoretical physicists - guides the reader to a possible answer, and reveals how, if it's right, our understanding of reality itself would be radically altered -- Brian Greene

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Book SynopsisExplore the incredible world of bugs in this latest addition to Lonely Planet Kids'' The Fact Book series.From giant millipedes to deadly spiders; jewel-like beetles to jungle leaf-insects; come and take a mini safari across the continents to uncover the incredible array of insects, arachnids and myriapods that roam our planet. If it crawls, scuttles, flutters or stings, you'll find it in The Bugs Book.Inside The Bugs Book: Travel across six bug-tastic continents - North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and learn about the few bugs found in Antarctica! Discover fact-packed bug profiles with fascinating size, habitat and diet stats to wow your friends Features stunning macro photography so you can see each of the insects up close Detailed illustrations by Daniel Limon bring these amazing minibeasts to life Daniel has created artwork for numerous nature and animal books including Lonely Planet Kids'' The Ocean Book and Ocean Animal Atlas Written by Nancy Dickmann, author of Lonely Planet Kids' Amazing Night Sky Atlas, Amazing Ancient History Atlas, and The Rocks Book Contents include: North America Hickory Horned Devil; Black Widow; Monarch Butterfly. South America Goliath Birdeater Tarantula; Fire Ant; Giant Water Bug. Europe Hummingbird Hawkmoth; Cuckoo Wasp; Western Honeybee. Africa Deathstalker Scorpion; Rainbow Shield Bug; Desert Locust. Asia Giant Stick Insect; Orchid Mantis; Atlas Moth. Oceania Smurf Bug; Termite; Gumleaf Skelotonizer; and more Learn all about the minibeasts we share our planet with in this awesome study of creepy-crawlies. This is the perfect gift for curious kids who are fascinated by all things bugs!

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