Social and ethical issues Books

Book SynopsisA collection of sexual fantasies from women around the world, Want is a revelatory, sensational and game-changing exploration of women's sexuality that asks, and answers: How do women feel about sex when they have the freedom to be totally anonymous?

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Book SynopsisTHE 10 MILLION COPY BESTSELLERStop people-pleasing and achieve true happiness.Millions have already benefited from the wisdom dispensed in The Courage to Be Disliked, its simple yet profound advice showing us how to harness our inner power to become the person we would like to be.A philosopher and a student have a discussion. Their conversation reveals a profoundly liberating way of thinking: by developing the courage to change, set healthy boundaries and resist the impulse to please others, it is possible to find genuine and lasting happiness.Your life is not something that someone gives you, but something you choose yourself, and you are the one who decides how you live.Trade ReviewThe ideas proffered here will certainly make you think twice about the real cause of the emotional drama in yourlife. A thought-provoking read. * Mail on Sunday *Provides an enlightening and balanced argument that'll leave you much more aware of why you do the things you do. * Emerald Street *The Courage To Be Disliked can easily be consumed in an entire day, but its insightful, humanistic ideas will linger in the minds of readers. It's a self-help book of the most unusual variety, but by empowering people to realise that they hold all the keys to unlocking genuine happiness, it's also one of the most worthwhile things you'll read all year. * Culture Trip *This thoughtful book . . . is almost spookily relevant in this age of digital one upmanship and increasing anxiety. A real game-changer. * Marie Claire *an absorbing recent addition to the self-help subgenre . . . it is primarily an accessible exploration of the work of the Austrian psychotherapist Alfred Adler -- Oliver Burkeman * Guardian *

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

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

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Book SynopsisIt's time to remake the world the ground-breaking book on what steps we should all be taking for the autistic people in our lives.The modern world is built for neurotypicals: needless noise, bright flashing lights, small talk, phone calls, unspoken assumptions and unwritten rules it can be a nightmarish dystopia for the autistic population. In Untypical, Pete Wharmby lays bare the experience of being different', explaining with wit and warmth just how exhausting it is to fit in to a world not designed for you.But this book is more than an explanation. After a late diagnosis and a lifetime of masking', Pete is the perfect interlocutor to explain how our two worlds can meet, and what we can do for the many autistic people in our schools, workplaces and lives. The result: a practical handbook for all of us to make the world a simpler, better place for autistic people to navigate, and a call to arms for anyone who believes in an inclusive society and wants to be part of the solution.

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Book Synopsis*A SCOTSMAN TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR* Stranded at Schiphol airport, Ben Coates called up a friendly Dutch girl he'd met some months earlier. He stayed for dinner. Actually, he stayed for good. In the first book to consider the hidden heart and history of the Netherlands from a modern perspective, the author explores the length and breadth of his adopted homeland and discovers why one of the world's smallest countries is also so significant and so fascinating. It is a self-made country, the Dutch national character shaped by the ongoing battle to keep the water out from the love of dairy and beer to the attitude to nature and the famous tolerance. Ben Coates investigates what makes the Dutch the Dutch, why the Netherlands is much more than Holland and why the colour orange is so important. Along the way he reveals why they are the world's tallest people and have the best carnival outside Brazil. He learns why Amsterdam's brothels are going out of business, who really killed Anne Frank, and how the Dutch manage to be richer than almost everyone else despite working far less. He also discovers a country which is changing fast, with the Dutch now questioning many of the liberal policies which made their nation famous.A personal portrait of a fascinating people, a sideways history and an entertaining travelogue, Why the Dutch are Different is the story of an Englishman who went Dutch. And loved it.Trade ReviewIn Why the Dutch are Different, a torch beam of scrutiny plays across the country's past and its lesser known foibles. Author Ben Coates has produced an insightful gem. - Scotsman - Books of the YearA book as quietly appealing as its subject and full of fascinating details. Coates is entirely convincing in his affectionate portrait. - ProspectVivid and informative. Coates intertwines the nation s journey to its modern iteration with his own adaptation to the Dutch lifestyle. An accomplished debut. - GeographicalI thoroughly recommend this book. Why the Dutch are Different provides the answers to all the questions I had but didn't dare ask about the Netherlands. I eagerly sat up late into the night reading, laughing often and enjoying the ride into my adopted homeland. - DutchNewsFascinating. Thoroughly researched and well thought out, Why the Dutch are Different takes us on a journey that goes beyond red-lit windows and Anne Frank to the true depths of the country. Ben Coates's day-to-day life sits effortlessly alongside deeper dives into history and folklore. A friendly read that strikes the right balance between teaching and entertaining. - The BookbagOne of the few books on our near-neighbour, Coates gets under the skin of a nation renowned for its liberalism. - The Bookseller

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Book SynopsisRenowned political scientist Terri Givens calls for radical empathy' in bridging racial divides to understand the origins of our biases, including internalized oppression. Deftly weaving together her own experiences with the political, she offers practical steps to call out racism and bring about radical social change.Table of ContentsPrologue: Writing in a Time of Crisis Bridging Divides: From Racism to Empathy in the 21st Century Getting to Radical Empathy My Family’s Story: The Isolation of Internalized Oppression Racism and Health Disparities Finding Empathy in the Academy Love and Marriage Radical Empathy in Leadership: Creating Change Creating Change: Restorative Justice and Working Off the Past Revisiting the Path to Radical Empathy Epilogue: In the Aftermath of the U.S. Presidential Election

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Book SynopsisAward-winning historian Jules Gill-Peterson’s richly detailed narrative takes us from New York, London, and Paris to the colonial districts of the British Raj, the Philippines, and Hawai’i to tell a richly detailed story of the emergence of trans misogyny.

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Book Synopsis‘Funny, emotional and deeply inspiring, this is perfect for anyone wanting to break out of their comfort zone’ HeatWhat would happen if a shy introvert lived as an out-and-out extrovert for one year? Jessica Pan is about to find out… *When she found herself jobless and friendless, sitting in the familiar Jess-shaped crease on her sofa, she couldn't help but wonder what life might have looked like if she had been a little more open to new experiences and new people, a little less attached to going home instead of going to the pub.So, she made a vow: to push herself to live the life of an extrovert for a year. She wrote a list: improv, a solo holiday and... talking to strangers on the tube. She regretted it instantly. Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come follows Jess's hilarious and painful year of misadventures in extroverting, reporting back from the frontlines for all the introverts out there. But is life actually better or easier for the extroverts? Or is it the nightmare Jess always thought it would be?*‘In a world of self-care and nights in, this book will inspire and remind you to do some things that scare you every so often.’ Emma Gannon ‘Tender, courageous and extremely funny, this book will make us all braver.’ Daisy Buchanan‘A chronicle of Pan’s hilarious and painful year of being an extrovert.’ StylistTrade ReviewTender, courageous and extremely funny, this book will make us all braver. -- Daisy BuchananPainfully hilarious * Red *In a world of self-care and nights in, this book will inspire and remind you to do some things that scare you every so often. -- Emma GannonA chronicle of Pan’s hilarious and painful year of being an extrovert. * Stylist *Absolutely bloody great. As a textbook, concrete, public changing, foghorn extrovert, I find Jessica Pan’s descriptions of introversion and shyness fascinating and she is very funny. -- Nell FrizzellWell, I adored this. Beautifully written, fascinating and so, so funny. Had me properly guffawing on the bus. -- Lauren BravoSorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come achieves what so many books claim (but then frankly fail) to do: making you laugh, while at the same time managing to inspire. Pan is a gem, and her introvert's exploration of extroversion is all at once delightful and deftly rendered. -- Sara BarronRelatable, moving, and fantastically funny. -- Rhik SamadderHilarious, unexpected and ultimately life-affirming.Beautifully written and so funny! I related to it A LOT.You WILL laugh and laugh while reading this. * Sun *I loved it! It's such a wonderful title, and the book lives up to it. -- Nigella Lawson

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A Waterstones Best Book of 2023 'Brilliant - a must read' Tim Spector 'Ravenous is a truly important book ... we need a food revolution to ensure children don't go hungry, eat right, and reach their potential' Tom Kerridge The food system is no longer simply a means of sustenance. It is one of the most successful, most innovative and most destructive industries on earth. It sustains us, but it is also killing us. Diet-related disease is now the biggest cause of preventable illness and death in the developed world - far worse than smoking. The environmental damage done by the food system is also changing climate patterns and degrading the earth, risking our food security. In Ravenous, Henry Dimbleby takes us behind the scenes to reveal the mechanisms that act together to shape the modern diet - and therefore the world. He explains not just why the food system is leading us into disaster, but what can be done about it.Trade ReviewVitally important -- Waterstones 'Best Books of 2023'Shocking ... a highly readable account of what needs to be happen in order for us to both save the planet and fit into those old jeans again ... Dimbleby promises to show us how the crisis can be averted. [Ravenous] delivers on that promise * Guardian *Compelling reading -- 'Books of the Year 2023' * Waitrose Weekend *A call not only for a healthier food system, but for a more sustainable one * The Times *Fascinating . . .comprehensive and concise . . . a clear, reasoned and meticulously footnoted argument for a coherent food policy * FT *A rallying call for radical change * TLS *Excellent -- Gavin Essler * Perspective *[Ravenous] sets out how we can escape from the system we're trapped within which means that currently 60 per cent of adults in the UK are obese, with the number estimated to rise to 80 per cent by 2060. * i Paper *Gripping ... the scope of [Ravenous] is huge - climate change, the health crisis our diet has created, environmental damage wrought by intensive agriculture, damage done to the land, to rivers and to biodiversity ... accessible, fascinating, grim but not entirely without hope -- India Knight * The Times *Dimbleby is absolutely spitting feathers at the government's failure to confront the realities of our food system * Spectator *Sobering ... forceful ... with his experience as a food-system insider, Dimbleby is able to take us behind the scenes and show us how the mechanisms stretching across the vast supply chains of the food system act together to make us eat what we eat -- Dan Saladino * Literary Review *Food may well be one of the fundamental necessities of life, but our relationship with it is threatening not just our own lives but that of the planet. Fortunately, Henry Dimbleby knows how to get us back in shape * Men's Health *If you think it's your fault you sometimes eat badly, think again. A powerful, engaging and urgent mandate for fixing our broken food system -- Thomasina MiersA brilliant readable guide on how to reverse our food, obesity and climate crisis - a must-read -- Tim SpectorRavenous is a revelation: a fast-paced, entertaining and often jaw-dropping guide to the modern food system, why it is putting us all in danger, and how we can escape its clutches -- Andi Oliver, Chef and BroadcasterA brilliant, rigorous, masterful work, that opens our minds to some of the most important of all issues -- George Monbiot, author * Regenesis *Food should be a source of joy, but the way we eat is leading us into disaster. This is a delicious, highly digestible guide to building a better food system, for the sake of our bodies and our planet. -- Prue LeithWe need a food revolution to ensure children don't go hungry, eat right, and reach their potential. Ravenous is a truly important book -- Tom KerridgeAn important read that will change the way we look at food - for the better! -- Jamie OliverA critical investigation into the global food industry * Farmer's Guardian *Henry Dimbleby's latest book must be one of the most exhaustively researched works of all time - certainly when it comes to the food industry. * The Grocer *The complex truth behind the global food system * Living North *Henry Dimbleby calls for a rethink about how food is produced and consumed for the benefit of our health and the planet * Waitrose Weekend *Emerging from Dimbleby's work on food supply chains during the pandemic, Ravenous explores the structures of the global food system and how environmental, health and nutritional concerns can harmoniously coexist -- 'The Books to Read in 2023' * Financial Times *The author of the National Food Strategy and founder of Leon reveals the eye-opening truth about how our food systems shape the modern diet and the planet - and, crucially, what we can do about it -- 'The Best New Books in March' * i Paper *Ravenous is a fast-paced, well-evidenced call for a healthier, more sustainable food system -- 'Anthony Albanese’s 2023 reading list: what should be on the PM’s bookshelf this summer?' * Guardian *What we eat is damaging not only our personal health, but societal and environmental health too - a triple whammy. This book provides not only a compelling diagnosis of the damage being done by our current food eco-system, but a brilliant prescription of how a different food strategy could transform our personal, societal and environmental health. Economists like me often say that, in public policy, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Henry Dimbleby's book provides not only a free lunch for the nation, but a healthy one -- Andy Haldane, former chief economist of the Bank of EnglandOur food system lies in the centre of huge 21st century challenges, including global heating, mass extinction and public health. If we are to navigate these monster threats to civilisation then we need to move beyond our obsession with cheap food and illusory concepts of food security to embrace a genuinely sustainable food system. Shifting such a complex system isn't easy, but it is vital. Through the pages of Ravenous, Henry Dimbleby sets out with great clarity the why and how of the transition we must make -- Tony Juniper CBE, Chair of Natural EnglandPraise for Henry Dimbleby's National Food Strategy * : *From field to fork, extraordinary work is being done to try and build a better food system for everyone ... [including] Henry Dimbleby's ambitions for safe, healthy and affordable food -- HRH King Charles III * Today *This is a compelling and overdue plan of action. If the Government adopts it, we will, at last, be putting our food system on the right path to health and prosperity -- Prue LeithDimbleby has worked through an incredibly complex landscape and resulted in a set of comprehensive, eminently workable recommendations that are practical and will have a direct impact on our lives -- Tom KerridgeThere is a nutritional gap between rich and poor in this country, and it's a slowly unfolding tragedy. Dimbleby not only recognises this - he has a plan to do something about it -- Dame Louise CaseyAnalytically tight, empirically thorough ... [Dimbleby's] recommendations are detailed, convincing, and would be entirely implementable if we cared about ourselves and the world around us -- Sir Partha Dasgupta, Frank Ramsey Professor Emeritus at the University of Cambridge and author * The Economics of Biodiversity *

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Book Synopsis'Top-notch' Good Housekeeping BEST PARENTING BOOKS 'Helen has a way to take big ideas and convey them with warmth and wisdom' Dr Rangan Chatterjee 'A well researched study injected with humour and humanity' Mail on Sunday What do Vikings know about raising children? Turns out, quite a lot After a decade of living in Denmark and raising a family there, Helen Russell noticed that Nordic children are different. They eat differently. They learn differently. They run, jump and climb out in nature for hours a day, even though the weather is terrible and it's dark October to March. And then they grow up to be some of the happiest adults on the planet. Her question was: how? In How to Raise a Viking, Russell takes a deep dive into the parenting culture of Denmark and the other Nordic nations, from parental leave policies to school structure, screen time, and the

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Book SynopsisWith gorgeous pictures by a host of top illustrators, KIND is aninspiring activity book about the many ways children can be kind,from sharing their toys and games to making those from other countriesfeel welcome. Fifty pence from the sale of each printed copygoes to Three Peas, a charity which gives help to refugees fromwar-torn countries.

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Book Synopsis From the Sunday Times bestselling author 'This refreshing, unusual book needs to exist. A culture shift which repositions a single person as someone who is relationship-free, complete, and not lacking is long overdue.' - The i'Absolutely f*cking brilliant' - Florence GivenHaving a secret single freak-out? Feeling the red, heart-shaped urgency intensify as the years roll on by? Oh hi! You're in the right place.Over half of Brits aged 25-44 are now single. It's become the norm to remain solo until much later in life, given the average marriage ages of 35 (women) and 38 (men). Many of us are choosing never to marry at all. But society, films, song lyrics and our parents are adamant that a happy ending has to be couple-shaped. That we're incomplete without an 'other half'*, like a bisected panto pony. Cue: single sorrow. Dating like it's a job. Spending half our lives waiting for somebody-we-fancy to text us back. Feeling haunted by the terms 'spinster' or 'confirmed bachelor.'Catherine Gray took a whole year off dating to find single satisfaction. She lifted the lid on the reasons behind the global single revolution, explored the bizarre ways cultures single-shame, detached from 'all the good ones are gone!' panic and debunked the myth that married people are much happier.Let's start the reverse brainwash, in order to locate - and luxuriate in - single happiness. Are you in?*Spoiler: you're already wholePRAISE FOR CATHERINE GRAY'S WRITING:"Fascinating." - Bryony Gordon"Not remotely preachy." - The Times"Jaunty, shrewd and convincing." - The Telegraph "Admirably honest, light, bubbly and remarkably rarely annoying." - The Guardian"Truthful, modern and real." - Stylist"Brave, witty and brilliantly written." - Marie Claire"Haunting, admirable and enlightening." - The Pool Trade ReviewAbsolutely f*cking brilliant. -- Florence GivenThis refreshing, unusual book needs to exist. A culture shift which repositions a single person as someone who is relationship-free, complete, and not lacking is long overdue. -- The i

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Book SynopsisA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERAs Heard on NPR's This American Life'The delights he extols here (music, laughter, generosity, poetry, lots of nature) are bulwarks against casual cruelties . . . contagious in their joy' New York TimesThe winner of the NBCC Award for Poetry offers up a spirited collection of short lyric essays, written daily over a tumultuous year, reminding us of the purpose and pleasure of praising, extolling, and celebrating ordinary wonders.Among Gay's funny, poetic, philosophical delights: a friend's unabashed use of air quotes, cradling a tomato seedling aboard an aeroplane, the silent nod of acknowledgement between the only two black people in a room. But Gay never dismisses the complexities, even the terrors, of living in America as a black man or the ecological and psychic violence of our consumer culture or the loss of those he loves. More than anything other subject, though, Gay celebrates the beauty of the natural world - his garden, the flowers peeking out of the sidewalk, the hypnotic movements of a praying mantis.The Book of Delights is about our shared bonds, and the rewards that come from a life closely observed. These remarkable pieces serve as a powerful and necessary reminder that we can, and should, stake out a space in our lives for delight.***'These charming, digressive "essayettes" surprise and challenge more than a reader might expect . . . experiences of "delight," recorded daily for a year, vary widely but yield revealing patterns through insights about everything from nature and the body to race and masculinity.' New Yorker'Pure balm for your soul. Savor one at a time every morning, this summer, or wolf them all down en masse on a gorgeous sunny day.' Celeste Ng'A reminder of what the personal essay is best at: finding the profound in the mundane . . . His delight is infectious. It's hard to read Gay and not to be won over.' Seattle TimesTrade ReviewThe delights he extols here (music, laughter, generosity, poetry, lots of nature) are bulwarks against casual cruelties. As such they feel purposeful and imperative as well as contagious in their joy * The New York Times Book Review *These charming, digressive 'essayettes,' in the manner of Montaigne, surprise and challenge . . . Gay, an award-winning poet, knows the value of formal constraint: his experiences of 'delight,' recorded daily for a year, vary widely but yield revealing patterns through insights about everything from nature and the body to race and masculinity. The fruits of this experiment-for which gardens and gardening provide a frequent, apt metaphor-attest to an imagination cultivated in hostile conditions. Gay's optimism is as easy as it is improbable, his 'heart cooing like a pigeon nestled on a windowsill where the spikes rusted off. * New Yorker *Ross Gay's poems are little celebrations of joy, and this book of mini-essays - each centering around a particular 'delight,' from sleeping in your clothes to planting tomato seedlings to the nod of greeting between the only two black people in a room - is a pure balm for your soul. Savor one at a time every morning, this summer, or wolf them all down en masse on a gorgeous sunny day. -- Celeste NgEveryone could use a bit more delight in their days . . . Gay, who is the winner of the NBCC Award for Poetry, is here to provide just that, with essays celebrating everything from air quotes to candy wrappers to pickup basketball games * New York Post *The Book of Delights is both practice and perfection in an unassuming package . . . These pieces reflect and examine the natural world, masculinity, racism, and other topics with vibrancy. Most essays are a few paragraphs, a page or two at maximum, but it's not the width or length of the pieces that ultimately grabbed my attention. It was the heart and intelligence found within his daily introspections * The Rumpus *A reminder of what the personal essay is best at: finding the profound in the mundane . . . his delight is infectious. It's hard to read Gay and not to be won over. * Seattle Times *The shock of Gay's writing . . . is his seamless shift from breezy, affable observation to sober (and admittedly still affable) profundity . . . I want to say that Gay's writing is magical because that's the way it feels when I read it. But . . . calling it magic undercuts Gay's craft, the effort that goes into producing literature that feels as fluent and familiar as a chat with a close friend. His voice has integrity, in both senses of the word: a completeness or consistency, true to itself; and an honesty and compassion so frankly subjective that it produces an incorruptible vision. Gay's loose-limbed sentences diagram his delight, partaking in numerous asides - some as paragraph-long parentheticals - and equally numerous asides within asides, as well as nested subordinate clauses that are the purview of intimate conversation, not written prose. They are clauses and asides in which, as Gay writes them, you feel his hand on your arm, you feel him lean in toward you, conspiratorially or simply to emphasize his meaning * The New York Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisIn Burning Questions Atwood aims her constant curiosity and impish humour at our world and reports back to us on what she finds.In it she seeks answers to Burning Questions such as: Why do people everywhere, in all cultures, tell stories? How can we live on our planet? What do zombies have to do with authoritarianism? The roller-coaster period covered in the collection brought an end to the end of history, a financial crash, the rise of Trump and a pandemic. From debt to tech, the climate crisis to freedom; from when to dispense advice to the young (answer: only when asked) to how to define granola, we have no better questioner of the many and varied mysteries of our human universe.INCLUDES NEW MATERIAL FOR PAPERBACK‘A wonderfully written insight into everything from zombies to the climate crisis’ Stylist‘The mighty Margaret Atwood writes about everything from granola to Trump' The TimesTrade ReviewThis isn't just a collection of essays for Atwood fans. Rather, this is an attempt to make sense of the world, taking in with characteristic verve everything from Anne of Green Gables to Donald Trump, zombies to censorship . . . While the tone skates from surreal off-kilter wit to impassioned gravity, Atwood always makes the idea of big questions a little more digestible . . . The collection is polyphonic, enthusiastic, illuminating -- Sophie Macintosh * i News *Margaret Atwood was recently described in a Guardian interview as "arguably the most famous living literary novelist in the world", and she is undoubtedly the most venerable . . . It's fascinating to read Atwood's reflections on her own novels and their continued relevance . . . but equally striking to see how many pieces she has included here generously celebrating other writers -- Stephanie Merritt * Observer *If there's one person in the world from whom you'd want a hot take on the most pressing issues, it would surely be Margaret Atwood . . . She answers our burning questions on climate change, the rise of Trump and on to debt and tech -- Joanna Taylor * Evening Standard *With her bold imagination, calm insight, and wit, Atwood gathers diverse strands into a marvellous collection ranging from the history of forests to the nature of science fiction and beyond. Burning Questions is a delicious antidote to intellectual fragmentation that left me inspired -- Merlin Sheldrake, author of Entangled LifeA compilation of essays that pick the brain of Booker Prize-winning author Margaret Atwood, this is a wonderfully written insight into everything from zombies to the climate crisis * Stylist *

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Book SynopsisThe mental health system is in trouble. Most people who need help are receiving inadequate treatment, years behind the latest thinking. This life-changing book reveals what really works, and how it can help you.Completely brilliant. Everyone should read it' Cathy RentzenbrinkHoratio is as wise as he is compassionate' Chris van TullekenSpurred into researching this topic following his own journey from breakdown to recovery, award-winning writer and broadcaster Horatio Clare speaks to experts from across the system to show how to put together the best treatment plan for you or a loved one.Whether your interest is in anxiety, depression, burnout, insomnia, self-harm, psychosis, an eating disorder, or any one of many conditions of the mind which can be hell to endure, or support someone through, this vital and beautifully written book is for you.A selfless, hopeful book by a writer of vast heart and quiet brilliance, which over its course creates a cartography of the ''paths to recovery'' that are open to us all' Robert Macfarlane

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Book SynopsisThis book develops a very particular concept of sociality: a holistic way of understanding how human beings have come to care about and collectively provide for their welfare as a species and to recognise each other's needs in terms of shared social rights. It tells not so much a success story as a hopeful story. It provides a new way of looking at how our rights to life's essentials have been in the past, are now and can in the future be understood. It is, potentially, a book for anyone interested in the human condition but will be especially interesting for those engaged in human service provision, community action, social development, welfare law and political debate, and particularly useful to students of social policy and human rights.It is a radically revised edition of Social Rights and Human Welfare, first published in 2015. It provides modified, re-organised and updated versions of chapters from that book while offering a wholly new underlying narrative throug

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Book SynopsisA playful guide to understanding the ways of normal people', The Autist's Guide to the Galaxy flips our usual scripts about neurodiversity. Following on from her internationally successful memoir, The Autists, Clara Törnvall has written a fun, comprehensive, and accessible explanation of neurotypical, or normal', behaviour. Full of facts, tips, and tests, and developed with input from other autists, this book places the difficulties autists face in the context of a world built for the neurotypical majority. It will help neurodiverse people and their families, friends, and loved ones navigate this world, nurture stronger relationships, and thrive.

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Book Synopsis488 Rules for Life is Kitty Flanagan''s way of making the world a more pleasant place to live.Providing you with the antidote to every annoying little thing, these rules are not made to be broken. 488 Rules for Life is not a self-help book, because it''s not you who needs help, it''s other people. Whether they''re walking and texting, asphyxiating you on public transport with their noxious perfume cloud, or leaving one useless square of toilet paper on the roll, a lot of people just don''t know the rules.But thanks to Kitty Flanagan''s comprehensive guide to modern behaviour, our world will soon be a much better place. A place where people don''t ruin the fruit salad by putting banana in it where your co-workers respect your olfactory system and don''t reheat their fish curry in the office microwave where middle aged men don''t have ponytails Other rules to live by include:1. Men must wear shorts over leggingsThe gym is no place for people to discover whether or not you are circumcisTrade Review ‘A brilliant and hilarious guide to life, and a perfect present for anyone.’ Gill Sims, bestselling author of Why Mummy Drinks

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Book Synopsis''Completely brilliant. Everyone should read it'' Cathy Rentzenbrink''Horatio is as wise as he is compassionate'' Chris van TullekenThe mental health system is in trouble. Most people who need help are receiving inadequate treatment, years behind the latest thinking. This life-changing book reveals what really works, and how it can help you.Spurred into researching this topic following his own journey from breakdown to recovery, award-winning writer and broadcaster Horatio Clare speaks to experts from across the system to show how to put together the best treatment plan for you or a loved one.Whether your interest is in anxiety, depression, burnout, insomnia, self-harm, psychosis, an eating disorder, or any one of many conditions of the mind which can be hell to endure, or support someone through, this vital and beautifully written book is for you.

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Book SynopsisHow is it we humans only arrived after 99.995% of the time there's been life on earth - and yet we're now so dominant? If mutations take generations to have an effect, how did we manage to change so completely in just a blink in time? And why were our rulers and societies always so horrible - yet we endlessly put up with them? Book One of The Secrets of Life quartet began the long narrative of existence by showing how the forces that Big Bang unleashed drove the Earth's evolutionary developments, and how after 3.8 billion years of life and the extinction of many billions of species, our obscure forest-dwelling ancestors emerged in East Africa. Yet what, Book Two asks, were the steps that led to us humans becoming so totally different to anything that had appeared before? If we really were just another kind of animal off the production line of life, then what were the revolutions that turbo-charged our unique abilities? How did we evolve so that we could alter ourselves in an instant, and avoid being stuck in an evolutionary niche like every other organism? How did we manage to create the intelligence and insights that allowed us to make our own decisions in life? And where did the free will come from that would let us override the drives of our animal pasts? We alone of all the world's species have ever been able to predict the future, and then change our behaviour so that it suited our ambitions. But how did we grow our brains and imaginations so greatly that we could achieve this? And only we have evolved the capacity to reject the genetic instructions that shaped us. But why do we think this helps - and how has it affected our lives? Now, using the same easy-going conversational style of the other books in the series, O'Connor answers these and other questions to explain how we evolved to break away from everything that had existed before us. And yet why the effects of our heritage so often still emerge in how we exist.

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Book SynopsisA Spectator Best Book of the Year; An Aspects of History Best Book of the Year; An Engelsberg Ideas Best Book of the Year

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Book Synopsis''The greatest story of our age ... Be very afraid'' John Arlidge, Sunday TimesMichael Lewis''s epic bestseller tells the outrageous story of the multi-millionaires and whizz kids who scammed the banking system in the blink of an eye - and the whistleblowers who tried to stop them. It''s hilarious, terrifying and it''s all true.''Thrilling, a masterclass'' Robert McCrum, Observer, Books of the Year ''Jaw-dropping, astonishing ... Lewis has lit the touch paper'' Liam Halligan, Spectator''The kind of writer who creates his own weather system'' John Lanchester, London Review of Books''I read Michael Lewis for the same reasons I watch Tiger Woods. I''ll never play like that. But it''s good to be reminded every now and again what genius looks like'' Malcolm GladwellTrade ReviewA beautiful narrative, so well-written. You've got to get this -- Jon Stewart * The Daily Show *Dazzling... guaranteed to make blood boil... riveting -- Janet Maslin * The New York Times *Enthralling -- John Naughton * Observer *Michael Lewis knows how to tell a story * Vanity Fair *This book has the potential to spark a cultural uprising . . . More than five years on from the Lehman collapse, Lewis has lit the touch paper on the mother of all debates about Wall Street and global finance -- Liam Halligan * Spectator *Compelling, a great yarn from beginning to end -- Daniel Finkelstein * The Times *When the stories of our times are told, there will be no more seminal documents than the books of Michael Lewis * Guardian *Who knew high-frequency trading was such a sexy subject? * Bloomberg Business Week *Michael Lewis is one of the premier chroniclers of our age * Huffington Post *Michael Lewis is a genius, and his book will give high-frequency trading a much-needed turn under the microscope -- Kevin Roose * New York Magazine *Flash Boys is remarkable for its moral outrage as it reveals how high-frequency traders have hoodwinked both investors and the public . . . He is that rare beast: an insider who writes lucid, jargon-free prose and who never loses track of his ultimate responsibility to the story * Daily Telegraph *Remarkable . . . Michael Lewis has a spellbinding talent for finding emotional dramas in complex, highly technical subjects * Financial Times *He tracks down the men who worked out what was going wrong and exposed it -- John Arlidge * Sunday Times *Score one for the humans! Critics of high speed, computer-driven trading have a new champion * CNN Money *If you own stock, you need to read Flash Boys . . . and then call your broker * Entertainment Weekly *Important to public debate about Wall Street . . . in exposing what one of his central characters calls the 'Pandora's box of ridiculousness' that financial exchanges have become -- Philip Delves Broughton * The Wall Street Journal *I read Michael Lewis for the same reasons I watch Tiger Woods. I'll never play like that. But it's good to be reminded every now and again what genius looks like -- Malcolm GladwellProbably the best current writer in America -- Tom Wolfe

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Book SynopsisExam board: OCRLevel: A-levelSubject: Religious StudiesFirst teaching: September 2016First exams: Summer 2018 Strengthen and refine the understanding and skills that your students require to excel in OCR A Level Religious Studies.Written by subject specialists with examining experience, this time-saving Workbook can be used flexibly for classwork or homework, throughout the course or for revision and exam practice.- Review knowledge with content summaries that will provide a concise overview of what students need to know for the exam- Develop exam skills with practice questions that check understanding and highlight common pitfalls- Build exam confidence as students work through the exam-style questions provided, giving them the chance to practise and perfect their technique- Save marking time and help students understand how to improve their responses by consulting the online answers supplied for all questions

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Book SynopsisWhy is life like a poker game? How did a failed robbery help to explain human nature? Why are we so certain bad men will win - and yet we're so wrong? In this, the third volume of The Secrets of Life quartet, SS O'Connor once more uses his easy-going, conversational style to explain how the science of decision analysis developed, and why it has come to show us not only the reasoning behind how humans arrive at their choices in life, but why so much of the apparently bizarre behaviour of the natural world has the same hard logic to it. Instead of the confusion and chaos one might expect, O'Connor lays out how the options organisms face when they interact can actually be analysed, and how we humans then refined this process through the addition of our intelligence and language skills. Starting with the extraordinary new ways of thinking that Adam Smith opened the world's eyes to, the book progresses to the 20th century - and shows how the mathematical reasoning behind our thought processes was revealed at a time when the very future of the world was at stake. From these earliest investigations, through to the fevered disagreements of later experts, this third volume of the Secrets of Life series explains how the science of game theory illuminates the reasons for our behaviour. In particular, the book provides insights into how the interests of the individual should be balanced against those of the group, and why the mechanism of trading would extend far further into our lives than we could ever have imagined. As the story unfolds it becomes ever clearer how cooperation has evolved to be the catalyst at every level of life. It explains how it was the force that built our world, and why it would settle so deeply in our hardwiring that it's become instinctive and innate in us. Perhaps most pleasingly, the same logic also shows that the benefits of collaboration are always bound to ratchet upwards - and how this will inevitably lead humans to ever-increasing levels of moral behaviour.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review'A scholarly, compassionate and courageous examination of a subject that’s sparked an unhelpful civil war within the LGBTQ community. Unlike those of her online counterparts, Joyce’s arguments are well researched, soundly made and avoid the toxicity that mars so much conversation on this topic.’ * Observer, Books of the Year *‘A frighteningly necessary book: well-written, thoroughly-researched, passionate and very brave.’ -- Richard Dawkins‘A courageous, intelligent and important work, rooted in good science and common sense.’ -- Jenni Murray'I'm off the fence...This rigorous and brave book nails the absurd idea that sex is just a “social construct”' -- David Aaronovitch, The Times'A superlative critical analysis...With this fact-filled, humane, and brave book, a grown-up has entered the room.' -- The Telegraph'Reasonable, methodical, sane, and utterly unintimidated by extremist orthodoxy, Trans is also a riveting read.' -- Lionel Shriver‘Thank goodness for Helen Joyce… Trans is a searing and at times devastating analysis of an ideological shift that has had a profound influence on many institutions in the West… With the rigour of an investigative journalist, she looks at the history of the trans movement over the past century.’ -- Christina Patterson, Sunday Times'A tour de force. With a fine eye for detail, she brings all the elements of gender ideology together with clarity and precision...simply a must-read' -- Evening Standard‘anyone wanting to understand how transgender rights became such a flashpoint in identity politics – and why a generation of feminists is so determined to stand its ground – should start here with this polemical book by Helen Joyce.’ -- Patrick Maguire * Times, Books of the Year 2021 *'An intelligent, thorough rejoinder to an idea that has swept across much of the liberal world seemingly overnight. Even those outraged by Joyce’s positions would benefit from understanding them...Open conversation about such fraught issues is the only realistic path forward.' -- Jesse Singal, New York Times'A passionate defence' * Financial Times *‘Incisive, compassionate and nuanced…In the first decade of this century, it was unthinkable that a gender-critical book could even be published by a prominent publishing house, let alone become a bestseller.’ -- Louise Perry, New Statesman‘I was knocked out by Trans… Biology vs magical thinking has become such a violent debate that most people involved (myself included) can’t set verbal foot in it without effing and jeffing till the air is blue. But Joyce is always cool, calm and in complete possession of her extensive collection of facts.’ -- Spectator Books of the Year'A sane, humane book.' -- Daniel Dennett, author of Consciousness Explained‘There are few subjects which need treatment that is at once delicate, thoughtful and brave. Helen Joyce manages all of these things in Trans. Anyone looking to understand this most fraught of issues should start here.’ -- Douglas Murray, author of The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race, Identity'How do we want to live? How do we want our children to live? Helen Joyce tackles this matter. Buy her book for your teenagers. Give it to your boss. Send it to the head of HR. Place it on a bench at the Royal Academy. Sex matters. Tell everyone.' -- The Article'Helen Joyce has written a very important, enlightened and powerfully-argued book on one of the most controversial issues of our times. For anyone who wants to understand the spirit of the age, its complexities and challenges, and how to map a truly progressive way forward. Riveting from start to finish.' -- Matthew d'Ancona, Editor and Partner, Tortoise Media‘A searing analysis of the transgender debate that has dominated much of public discourse in Scotland in recent years, at least among feminists… I urge you to read Helen Joyce’s book… It may well offer you a new perspective on this most troubling of national conversations. It may even change your mind.’ -- Susan Dalgety addressing Nicola Sturgeon in the Scotsman‘This is the book every woman should read. It explains how we’re being erased, how our arguments are being distorted, and the cost of standing up...Brilliant, coruscating, brave.’ -- Joan Smith, author of Misogynies'The author brave enough to take on the trans lobby' -- Mail Online‘If… you look to grasp the extent to which gender identity ideology, both academic and popular, bears comparison with the worst sort of pseudoscience, then Joyce is your pick… Perhaps because of her use of biology, Joyce’s feminism is disciplined and thoughtful… [a] careful use of science.’ -- CapX'Well-researched, compelling...a deeply compassionate reminder that there are real trade-offs to be made in human rights activism.’ -- Ayaan Hirsi Ali‘[Joyce] is sharp, lucid and brilliant in analysing how the recent surge of sexual ‘transitioning’ and insistence on self-declared ‘gender identity’, has undermined feminism’s achievements.’ * Spiked *'The book I wish I’d had the foresight to pitch and the insight to write.' -- Jo Bartosch, The Critic'An ambitious, wide-ranging, yet incredibly economical book… Trans is an enormously readable and widely accessible book, full of righteous anger and common-sense feminism.' -- The Radical Notion

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Book Synopsis'An empowering guide'Laura Bates'A great, thought-provoking read'Stephanie YeboahA practical, inspiring roadmap for changing the conversation on social justice issues.'Not all men''I don't see colour''To play devil's advocate...''Climate change is coming'From the persistent to the insidious, too often, antagonistic responses threaten to distract and derail the most urgent conversations.Tackling twenty of the most enduring conversation-stoppers, No Offence, But... equips readers with the knowledge, tools and context to respond with confidence. Alongside other trailblazing writers, educators and advocates, acclaimed campaigner Gina Martin helps us to unpick these phrases, understand why they are harmful and feel empowered enough to change the conversation.Featuring chapters from Aja Barber, Ben Hurst, Cathy Reay, Charlie Craggs, Daze Aghaji, Ione Gamble, Koa Beck, Mariam Kemple Hardy and Azadeh Hosseini, Nova Reid and Salma El-Wardany.Trade ReviewAn empowering guide to navigating difficult conversations from climate naysayers to the #notallmen brigade, featuring chapters from brilliant writers and activists like Cathy Reay, Ben Hurst, Salma El-Wardany and many others I admire. * Laura Bates *Powerful writing that really causes you to think about how we process certain conversations given some of the privileges we have ... a great, thought-provoking read * Stephanie Yeboah *Gina Martin is a force of nature; a living, breathing, campaigning example of how a single individual can bring about vital change in our justice system... my admiration for her courage and brilliance knows no bounds. * The Secret Barrister *Transformative change maker; a true feminist working for the rights of girls and women. * Annie Lennox *Gina is a total inspiration - an example of how one person CAN change things. * Emma Gannon *

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Book Synopsis**NOW A BBC2 DOCUMENTARY: A KILLING IN TIGER BAY** A NOTORIOUS MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE AND THE UK'S BIGGEST-EVER POLICE CORRUPTION TRIAL Bloody Valentine is the story of the murder of a young woman called Lynette White in the Cardiff docklands (aka Tiger Bay) on Valentine's Day 1988....Trade ReviewBloody Valentine shows Williams' impressive eye for detail to its best advantage * Arena *Bloody Valentine is a bloody good book -- Benjamin ZephaniahComplex, emotional and moving. Read it -- David PeaceA powerful and gripping investigation... has all the narrative drive of a good thriller * Yorkshire Post *A sharp-edged social inquiry as much as a crime story * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisRichard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett''s The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone is the most influential and talked-about book on society in the last decade - now updated with a new chapter on the controversy the book has ignited. Why do we mistrust people more in the UK than in Japan? Why do Americans have higher rates of teenage pregnancy than the French? What makes the Swedish thinner than the Australians? The answer: inequality. This groundbreaking book, based on years of research, provides hard evidence to show: How almost everything - from life expectancy to mental illness, violence to illiteracy - is affected not by how wealthy a society is, but how equal it isThat societies with a bigger gap between rich and poor are bad for everyone in them - including the well-off How we can find positive solutions and move towards a happier, fairer future Urgent, provocative and genuinely uplifting, The Spirit Level has been heralded as providing a new way of thinking about ourselves and our communities, and could change the way you see the world. ''A big idea, big enough to change political thinking'' - Guardian ''A remarkable new book ... the implications are profound'' - Will Hutton, Observer ''The evidence is hard to dispute'' - EconomistRichard Wilkinson studied economic history at the London School of Economics before training in epidemiology and is Professor Emeritus at the University of Nottingham Medical School and Honorary Professor at University College London.Kate Pickett is a Professor of Epidemiology at the University of York and a National Institute for Health Research Career Scientist. Her work with Richard Wilkinson on The Spirit Level was shortlisted for Research Project of the Year 2009 by the Times Higher Education Supplement, and their book was chosen as one of the Top Ten Books of the Decade by the New Statesman.

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Book SynopsisWhy are humans neither 'good' nor 'bad'? How can so much chaos and confusion in the world actually lead to order? Why are we so often wrong when we're asked if the world's getting better? In this, the last book in The Secrets of Life quartet, SS O'Connor pulls together the threads of genetic and cultural evolution, and then adds to these the conclusions of evolutionary game theory. As he does this, he ends with an intertwined narrative that explains why so many of the phenomena of our existence may not be the mysteries we think they are, but could in fact have the same underlying logic to them. By examining the great currents at work in our collective story, the role that competition and cooperation have always played in the development of the world, and why each behavioural strategy is rational in what it's attempting to achieve, the book shows that the same cycles of collaboration and destruction have been present since time began. But while the success of these strategies may ebb and flow, it is their interaction that results in the balance and order we see around us. This current is also the consistent vector of our human history. Although we may have animal origins, and are also driven by the same need to respond to the profound Laws of Thermodynamics, we have developed our culture to the point where we can now choose to overrule so many of the instructions of our genes. Why do we do this? What are the problems that arise from our free will? How have we come to realise that self-interest is quite different from selfishness? Why have we become obsessed with the need for fairness and trust in our societies? And how have these forces resulted in us making the world a better place? Few of us believe this can be the case. But as the evidence of our progress becomes ever clearer, the series concludes by showing us why we are often wrong in our view of each other, and why we're so frequently mistaken in our pessimism about the future.

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Book Synopsis**THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**'The visionary author of How to Do Nothing returns to challenge the notion that ‘time is money.’ . . . Expect to feel changed by this radical way of seeing' EsquireWe're living on the wrong clock. And it's destroying us.Our life is dominated by the corporate clock that so many of us contort ourselves to fit inside. It wasn't devised for people, but for profit. We need to embrace a whole new concept of time: one that gives us and our planet a brighter future.In Saving Time, Jenny Odell, bestselling author of How to Do Nothing, examines how we got to the point where time became money. Taking inspiration from the pre-industrial, ecological and geological rhythms of our world, she offers us radical new models to live by that make a more humane, more hopeful existence seem possible.Now is our moment to rethink. And if we do, time might just save us.'An inimitable gift' Jia Tolentino, author of Trick Mirror'One of the most important books I've read in my life' Ed Yong, author of An Immense World'To read it is ... to experience how freedom might feel' Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand WeeksTrade ReviewIt is in the gap between present and future, where outcomes are not yet determined, that Jenny Odell enters with her paradigm-destroying new book ... [A] grand, eclectic, wide-ranging work * New York Times *In a work both magisterial and elliptical, Odell takes on the concept of 'time' from every conceivable angle ... This is both an irresistible big-idea book an a guide to rethinking a burning world * LA Times *A penetrating, provocative investigation into the subject of time - how to understand and live with it - on both an individual and societal level ... impressive * Shelf Awareness *Temporal structure has its comforts, particularly following a tumultuous three years ... That yo-you effect [of the last few years] drew me to Saving Time, Jenny Odell's sharp book tracing the cultural forces that shape our conception of time * Laura Regensdorf, Vanity Fair *Odell fights to provide us with an alternative way to experience the time we have * i Paper *

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Book SynopsisWhy does the gene behave like a hedge fund manager? Why are mutations like a gambling scam? Why does nothing ever become top dog in life and win forever? Humans only arrived after 99.99% of the time there's been life on earth. So what was here before us? And how did these species, and the evolutionary process that created them, end up with the unpromising creatures that were our ancestors? In this, the first book of The Secrets of Life quartet, SS O'Connor brings his outsider's, questioning eye to reveal the great forces that lie behind life: from the laws that arose with Big Bang, through to the 'decisions' that organisms make to determine their chances. But how did everything come about? And what made some life forms succeed - while others would join the 99.9% of species that appeared, yet went on to become extinct? The story goes right back to our single-celled forebears - the only things that were on the planet for 80% of its existence, and then continues as it lays out the ways that successive transmissions built increasing complexity, and how the resulting species found their synergistic ways of coexisting. In an easy-going, conversational style, O'Connor explains in lay-man's language how the gene is the great conductor of life's orchestra, how it helped millions of life forms to refine themselves - yet why it also sees failure, death and extinctions as opportunities rather than disasters. Lastly, the book tells the story of the men who unpicked the mysteries, what they meant by fitness and 'the fittest', but why they continued to be baffled by organisms that broke the rules by helping each other. Why would some even choose to be sterile when producing the next generation was the overriding compulsion in life? And how does the answer to this question explain why altruism is the proof for the 'gene-based theory of evolution' - and why cooperation would become the strongest force in life?

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF BOOKSHOP.ORG''S NON-FICTION ANNUAL INDIE CHAMPIONS AWARDFor too long, representations of climate action in the mainstream media have been white-washed, green-washed and diluted to be made compatible with capitalism. We are living in an economic system which pursues profit above all else; harmful, oppressive systems that heavily contribute to the climate crisis, and environmental consequences that have been toned down to the masses. Tackling the climate crisis requires us to visit the roots of poverty, capitalist exploitation, police brutality and legal injustice. Climate justice offers the real possibility of huge leaps towards racial equality and collective liberation as it aims to dismantle the very foundations of these issues.In this book, Mikaela Loach offers a fresh and radical perspective for real climate action that could drastically change the world as we know it for the benefit of us all. Written with candour and hope, It''s Not TTrade Review“Practical, urgent: a clarion call for transformation from the front lines of the fight for people and planet.” -- Naomi Klein"Her debut book is a long-awaited read for anyone who is keen to understand the systemic causes of climate degradation and what we can do about it." -- Adele Walton * DAZED *"Practical and urgent - this is a clarion call for transformation from the front lines of the fight for people and planet. I have no doubt It's Not That Radical will become an indispensable toolkit for a new generation of activists" * Naomi Klein, author of This Changes Everything *“It’s Not That Radical is an empowering call to action for liberation for us all.” -- Nadia Whittome MP“This book will give you hope that a new world is possible.” -- Layla F. Saad“It’s refreshing to read someone who is educational, well-read and, crucially, hopeful about the future.” -- Aisling Bea“Outstanding, accessible and radical to the core” -- Tori Tsui“Mikaela is the real deal!” -- Emma Dabiri“An enlightening, emphatic must-read for everyone.” -- Yomi Adegoke“An accessible, practical toolkit that shows us the responsibility we all have in working towards a better climate future.” -- Cathy Reay“Grounding and groundbreaking.” -- Xiye Bastida“This book is not just world changing, it’s world saving.” -- Charlie Craggs“A powerful guide to climate activism and the true meaning of climate justice.” -- Jack Harries“A necessary read.” -- Leah Thomas“Climate justice made simple.” -- Kenny Ethan Jones“Mikaela’s transformative book reinvigorated by activism.” -- Bonnie Wright

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Book SynopsisBen Judah was born in London. He has travelled widely in Russia, Central Asia and the Levant. His writing has featured widely, including the New York Times, the Evening Standard, the Financial Times and Standpoint. In 2016, Ben was chosen as one of Forbes magazine's 30 under 30 in European media. His first book, Fragile Empire, was published by Yale University Press in 2013.Trade ReviewIt is hard to overstate the value of what Judah has done . . . This is London is an important and impressive book * Sunday Telegraph *A revelatory work, full of nuggets of unexpected information about the lives of others . . . [Judah] is a fine, intrepid reporter * Financial Times *Judah has succeeded in opening reader's eyes to the hardships experienced by many and ignored by most * Independent *This is of my favourite books on London, largely because of the quality of the writing – such sass, such soaring confidence and style . . . Judah listens and observes with acute loyalty to depicting truth, so that no matter who’s talking, the dialogue seems brilliantly accurate. Well researched, it covers all corners of London in forensic detail -- Diana Evans, author of Ordinary PeopleAn epic account of London as a place where global migrants come to scratch a subsistence living or, occasionally, spend a shady fortune. We are far, far beyond the Windrush generation here. Arabs, Afghans, Nigerians, Poles, Romanians and Russians pour out their stories – often terrifying, mostly sad, occasionally funny – while Judah writes it all down in compulsive, shocking detail. We’re back in Mayhew’s London, but now watercress sellers and mudlarks have been replaced by sleepy Africans catching the early morning night bus to their office cleaning jobs four zones over on the other side of town. * Guardian, included in the ten best non-fiction books about London feature *Work of this sort really is necessary; this is the stuff we must think about it we are ever to get to grips (assuming it's not too late already) with what lies ahead for our cities. Every MP should be given a copy immediately. On every page lies and uncomfortable truth, in every paragraph sheer horror. It is a book that demonstrably improves the eyesight. Read it, and the streets will look different: I guarantee it. Above all, more than I can possibly say, I admired its author's pluck, determination, compassion and refusal to judge - and I'd like him to know that some of the stories he told will haunt me for a long time to come -- Rachel Cooke * New Statesman *However well you think you know the city, you’ll see it afresh after reading this immersive account by Judah . . . by turns heartbreaking and heartening, and sometimes both in the space of a page. It’s a fizzing, buzzing, choralaccount of the 21st-century capital * Daily Telegraph *This truly extraordinary book is as raw, powerful, unflinching, witty, engaging, shocking, in-your-face and occasionally both heartwarming and heartbreaking as the great but complex and flawed city it chronicles. I've lived in London for three decades yet found something I didn't know about it on virtually every page -- Andrew Roberts, author of Napoleon the GreatAn eye-opening investigation into the hidden immigrant life of the city . . . You won't read a more succinct analysis * Sunday Times *Having spent the last year meeting people along several of the world's busiest migration trails, it is fascinating to read Ben Judah's powerful account of where some of them end up. Judah has created an alternative and essential guide to London, and Londoners, in 2015.' -- Patrick Kingsley * Guardian *Mesmerising, trenchant and deeply compassionate -- Book of the Month * Bookseller *A vital, almost overwhelming panorama of brutality and injustice * Metro *Ben Judah offers no answers; but bears witness. He reports the stories of London's immigrants with a smart mind, a light touch and a brave and compassionate heart. These statements deserve to be heard. This is London is an important, state of the nation, eye-opening report from our increasingly ghettoized capital city -- Dan Boothby, author of Island of DreamsThis Is London is an exhilarating account of the British capital . . . His writing is visceral, and at its best echoes the immersive style of the great Polish reporter and author Ryszard Kapuscinski . . . He treats his subjects with great sensitivity . . . an important, unflinching piece of reportage. Judah digs deep into parts of London that a less adventurous journalist would avoid, unearthing some of the many tragic narratives shaping a city at the turbulent forefront of globalisation * The National (Scotland) *[Judah travels through the city, coaxing astonishing interviews from a wide range of migrants . . . He captures the different voices with great skill . . . His observations are acute . . . His interviews are always psychologically telling . . . Most remarkable is Judah's obvious compassion, to which his subjects respond, opening their hearts and letting their voices "tumble" into his tape recorder . . . London emerges from this book as a disturbing, dramatically changing city . . . It is an extraordinary portrait of a city and a rare treat to come across a book in which the ideas are as compelling and fresh as the writing. This is London is a game changer. No longer can we stroll past villages of sleeping Roma and pretend they do not exist. This is London today and Ben Judah is its chronicler * Literary Review *Amazing -- Peter PomerantsevA chronicle of the capital so incisively up-to-date it is disconcerting, invigorating, and depressing all at once . . . Judah allows the new Londoners to speak for themselves and, in so doing, shines a light on the dark corners of the city -- Lilian Pizzichini * Mail on Sunday *Judah is brilliant at winning the confidence of London's immigrant poor and encouraging them to talk . . . In terms of getting under the skin of a small part of England, Judah has written the most impressive book since Nick Davies' Dark Heart . . . Work like this is vital in reminding the middle classes that poverty - the filthy and beggarly poverty of soul-destroying drudgery and an empty stomach - is more than a set of figures in the negative column of the UK PLC balance sheet. It is an ineradicable feature of the economic system on which much of the middle classes' own prosperity depends * Little Atoms *Compassionate, fresh and courageous * Spectator *Judah grabs hold of London and shakes out its secrets. He has a gift for ingratiating himself into very foreign surroundings and teasing out stories. . .Judah has done an important service in capturing the voices of those swept to the margins by economic forces beyond their control * Economist *A wonderfully-written, fascinating account of modern-day life, offering a glimpse of the world from those arriving in the city hoping for a better life. . .an important, detailed read on the stories of those often unheard -- Simon Peach * Press Association *Astonishing. . .Judah has travelled the length and breadth of the city, talking to and empathising with those too often airbrushed from the picture. . .As a former foreign correspondent, Judah is the ideal guide to this new landscape. . .important and impressive * Sunday Telegraph *People say Ben Judah is Orwellian. They're Right. . . . He's a superb reporter. -- William Leith * Evening Standard *This is an important book - one that should open our eyes to the price others often pay for our comfort. * Daily Telegraph *The lower depths of London today are brilliantly eviscerated in Ben Judah’s This Is London, an Orwell for our grim times. -- Roy Foster * Times Literary Supplement - Books of the Year 2017 *Brilliant -- Hanif Kureishi, author of The Buddha of Suburbia

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Book SynopsisFantastic It explains the misperception of stacked odds and personal powerlessness that stops individuals challenging bad behaviour. Stunning. Humbling. Thought-provoking'Kathryn Mannix, author of With the End in MindIn the face of discrimination, bad behaviour, evil and abuse, why do good people so often do nothing? Every day, we see examples of bad or immoral behaviour from sexual harassment to political corruption, from negligence to bullying.Why did no one stop the abduction of Jamie Bulger, despite many witnesses reporting they felt uneasy seeing the two-year-old''s distress? How did the USA gymnastics team doctor, Larry Nassar, abuse hundreds of young women under his care for so long? Why didn''t anyone intervene when David Dao, an innocent sixty-nine-year-old man, was forcibly removed from his seat on a United Airlines aeroplane and dragged down the aisle by security officers? How did large crowds of men get away with sexually assaulting an estimated 1,200 women in Cologne durTrade Review‘Look out for this fantastic book, due April 2020. It explains the misperception of stacked odds and personal powerlessness that stops individuals challenging bad behaviour. Stunning. Humbling. Thought-provoking.’Kathryn Mannix, author of With the End in Mind ‘A fascinating look at why some of us will go to others’ aid, while others do nothing… very readable… encouraging… a surprisingly positive book’ Sunday Times ‘An examination of moral courage and its disappointing scarcity’ Economist ‘In this powerful, well-written book, Catherine Sanderson explains what psychology has taught us about why good people so often do nothing… If you have ever regretted being silent (and who hasn't?) this is the book for you’Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice ‘Thoughtful and beautifully written … A smart and practical guide to becoming a better and braver version of ourselves’Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness ‘Catherine Sanderson, like no other psychologist, invades our minds. Her riveting storytelling challenges us to rethink why we avert our eyes to evil, tolerate bullying, and excuse unforgivable workplace behaviour’Walter V. Robinson, former editor of the Pulitzer-winning Boston Globe team ‘Brilliant … The unrelenting rigor of her analysis, sweeping breadth of research and evocative lucidity empower us to act – and also give us hope. This book comes not a moral moment too soon’Cornell William Brooks, former President of the NAACP ‘Makes a powerful argument for building, as early as possible, the ability to stand up for what’s right in the face of peer pressure, corrupt authority, and even family apathy. Citing case after case revealing how easy it is for people’s moral instincts to be muted, and detailing how that silence is visible on brain scans, Sanderson guides readers toward her inevitable conclusion: We can do better’Psychology Today

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Book SynopsisWhat does Japan's 2011 nuclear accident have in common with the 2005 flooding of New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina? This thought-provoking book presents a compelling account of recent and historical disasters, both natural and human-caused, drawing out common themes and providing a holistic understanding of hazards, disasters and mitigation, for anyone interested in this important and topical subject. Based on his on-the-ground experience with several major recent disasters, Timothy H. Dixon explores the science, politics and economics behind a variety of disasters and environmental issues, arguing that many of the worst effects are avoidable. He describes examples of planning and safety failures, provides forecasts of future disasters and proposes solutions for hazard mitigation. The book shows how billions of dollars and countless lives could be saved by adopting longer-term thinking for infrastructure planning and building, and argues that better communication is vital in reducing Trade Review'In Curbing Catastrophe, Timothy H. Dixon, a leading natural hazard scientist, gives a clear, calm, and thoughtful discussion of natural hazards facing societies around the world. The book nicely explains the science of hazards including earthquakes, tsunamis, coastal flooding, and other effects of global warming. It looks at specific cases, and generalizes them to make sensible suggestions of how to reduce the risk they pose to people and property. Dixon draws on his personal experiences and research results to make an easily readable and insightful book. Anyone interested in natural hazard science and policy will enjoy reading the book - and will gain new insights, even on topics with which they are familiar.' Seth Stein, President of the American Geophysical Union Natural Hazards Focus Group, William Deering Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Institute for Policy Studies Associate, Northwestern University, Illinois'Timothy H. Dixon provides a cogent and practical presentation of the risks we face with both natural and human-contributed disasters that kill, harm and cost us, especially if we do nothing. The takeaway message is: if you love this Earth and want to continue to rely on it, get to know it better and learn what we can do to protect ourselves from future calamities. Dixon explains in understandable fashion how the Earth works geologically; how, historically, we have taken the easy and convenient path to occupy it; and why we are so unprepared for its physical upheavals. Most significantly he provides solutions that make sense for now and for the future. The Earth will never stand still; should we not learn to work with it instead of against it? Our resistance to accommodating physical reality is our own self-destructing problem. Dixon helps us see this without shaming, and provides solutions that can help ourselves and our progeny.' John Hofmeister, Former President of Shell Oil Company and Founder and CEO of Citizens for Affordable Energy'This book covers risk theory, the basics of natural disasters, uncertainty, and vulnerability of humans. Dixon looks specifically at Fukushima and the more general problem of untoward geological events and nuclear power plants, and other aspects of tsunamis … He makes the point, correctly, that for various reasons the increase in price of fossil fuels that would ultimately drive, through market forces, the development of non-fossil fuel sources of electricity and motion is not going to happen for a very long time on its own. Environmentalists who assume there will be a huge increase in fossil fuel costs any time now are almost certainly mistaken. … [the author] makes valid and important points about science communication, time lags and long-term thinking …' Greg Laden , Greg Laden's Blog, Science Blogs (www.scienceblogs.com)'This book was written more for the general reader than the specialist. As such, it is a most useful book … [Dixon's] practical experience supplements his scientific knowledge in demonstrating how better communication about pending threats could have greatly mitigated the dire consequences of natural disasters …[the] book proceeds methodically, structured as a primer, and with due scientific detachment. He is demonstrating, not lecturing. He begins by defining long-term risks and their real-world impacts (e.g., on markets), sets out the practical implications of the differences between natural and man-made disasters, underlines the role scientific uncertainty plays … Th[e] concluding chapter is packed with practical solutions (helpfully summarized on pages 268-69), aimed at demonstrating to the recalcitrant how it would be to their interests in the here-and-now to heed expert advice … As an examination of our own problems at home and their solutions through better communication, this book is the model.' G. T. Dempsey, GeoLounge (www.geolounge.com)'Dixon covers a wide range of natural (and a few man-made) hazards with recent examples of major disasters as the vehicle to provide context and consequences. The examples are carefully chosen to allow Dixon to explore how societal behaviour did or can make the hazards catastrophic … I see this book serving several important roles. First … it is a recommended read for most geoscientists, and others who have an interest in how the Earth works on human timescales. Second … as a thought provoking read for graduate students, helping them develop a good understanding of the broader impacts of their science. The combination of rigorous science, intriguing perspective, and societal relevance make Curbing Catastrophe a valued addition to the literature of natural hazards.' Kevin P. Furlong, International Geology ReviewTable of ContentsPreface; 1. Black and white swans, evolution, and markets; 2. What is a natural disaster? Where do they occur, and why? Are they different from human-made disasters?; 3. If we know so much about natural disasters, why are we so vulnerable?; 4. Japanese earthquakes and nuclear power plant failures; 5. Future earthquake disasters in Seattle and Istanbul; 6. Nuclear power, coal, and tuna: the concept of relative risk; 7. Past and future coastal flooding: Galveston, New Orleans, Bangladesh, and the specter of sea level rise; 8. What's all the fuss about global warming?; 9. Solutions; References and further reading; Index; Online appendices: Appendix 1. Additional background material and exercises for students; Appendix 2. Colour figures.

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