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

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.The rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open'Victor Frankenstein's monster is stitched together from the limbs of the dead, taken from the dissecting room and the slaughter-house'. The result is a grotesque being who, rejected by his maker and starved of human companionship, sets out on a journey to seek his revenge. In the most famous gothic horror story ever told, Shelley confronts the limitations of science, the nature of human cruelty and the pathway to forgiveness.Written when Mary Shelley was only eighteen years old and published two years later, this chilling tale of a young scientist's desire to create life and the consequences of that creation still resonates today.

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Book Synopsis‘A wonderful book: Nancy Campbell is a fine storyteller with a rare physical intelligence. The extraordinary brilliance of her eye confers the reader a total immersion in the rimy realms she explores. Glaciers, Arctic floe, verglas, frost and snow — I can think of no better or warmer guide to the icy ends of the Earth’ Dan Richards, author of Climbing DaysA vivid and perceptive book combining memoir, scientific and cultural history with a bewitching account of landscape and place, which will appeal to readers of Robert Macfarlane, Roger Deakin and Olivia Laing.  Long captivated by the solid yet impermanent nature of ice, by its stark, rugged beauty, acclaimed poet and writer Nancy Campbell sets out from the world’s northernmost museum – at Upernavik in Greenland – to explore it in all its facets. From the Bodleian Library archives to the traces left by the great polar expeditions, from remote

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Book SynopsisTHE CRIMES. THE STORIES. THE LAWFascinating' Sunday TimesMasterful' Judith FlandersA page-turning read'' Prof. David WilsonTotally gripping and brilliantly told, Murder: The Biography is a gruesome and utterly captivating portrait of the legal history of murder.The stories and the people involved in the history of murder are stranger, darker and more compulsive than any crime fiction. There's Richard Parker, the cannibalized cabin boy whose death at the hands of his hungry crewmates led the Victorian courts to decisively outlaw a defence of necessity to murder. Dr Percy Bateman, the incompetent GP whose violent disregard for his patient changed the law on manslaughter. Ruth Ellis, the last woman hanged in England in the 1950s, played a crucial role in changes to the law around provocation in murder cases. And Archibald Kinloch, the deranged Scottish aristocrat whose fratricidal frenzy paved the way for the defence of diminished responsibility. These, and many more, are the people vTrade Review‘Brisk and fascinating… as befits a lawyer, Morgan’s real interest lies in the slippery concept of murder itself, which she carefully traces through the centuries.’ – Sunday Times 'A fascinating new history of homicide… Kate Morgan’s book is a detailed account of the subtle way that the law has changed over the years to embrace self-defence, insanity, diminished responsibility, medical incompetence, corporate manslaughter, dangerous driving, even death by bicycle.' – Daily Mail ‘Kate Morgan’s panoramic tour allows us to pull back and examine how our understanding is built on history, but also fiction and legend. Masterful.’ – Judith Flanders, author of The Invention of Murder ‘A page-turning read… A history that is framed by the Law but does not shy away from using popular culture and our endless fascination with murder and murderers to bring the story to life.’ – Prof. David Wilson, author of Signs of Murder ‘With Murder: The Biography author and lawyer Kate Morgan asks two essential questions: What exactly is the crime we know as murder? and how has it gained its current prominence in our criminal justice system? Weaving together fascinating historical cases and expert opinion on the subject, Morgan presents an account that will engross and titillate all those for whom murder is a passion…’ Vaseem Khan, author of Midnight at Malabar House ‘Fascinating reading… The pages come alive as the author drops in details about some well-known crimes – such as Ruth Ellis and Derek Bentley, and other more obscure cases and how they changed public opinion about the law… Morgan’s book will satisfy those who like grisly tales all in all it’s an excellent book which I highly recommend.’ TotalCrime.co.uk

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Book SynopsisWoman. Wife. Smuggler. Spy . . .TV SERIES IN DEVELOPMENT STARRING ELIZABETH DEBICKI (TENET, THE CROWN) AS NANCY WAKEA thrilling and heart-wrenching novel inspired by the astonishing real life story of Nancy Wake. Perfect for fans of Suzanne Goldring''s MY NAME IS EVA, Kate Quinn''s THE ALICE NETWORK and Imogen Kealey''s LIBERATION, soon to be a blockbuster movie. ''Lawhon breathes new life into Nancy Wake''s extraordinary story. Rich and thoroughly researched, an exciting, well-written account of wartime valour and the protagonist''s qualities shine through'' The Times''This is the next book I won''t be able to stop talking about...so, so good!'' 5 stars (Goodreads reviewer)''Readers will be transfixed by this story of a woman who should be a household name'' Library Journal''A gripping thrille

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Book SynopsisThe extraordinary tale of Oskar Schindler, the Aryan who saved hundreds of Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland, is now legendary, but as Tom Keneally reveals in this absorbing memoir, luck and the dogged persistence of one of ''Schindler''s Jews'' were vital in bringing it to the world''s attention through his Booker Prize-winning novel, SCHINDLER''S ARK and the subsequent film, SCHINDLER''S LIST.Entertaining, inspiring and filled with anecdotes about the many people involved, from the survivors Keneally interviewed to Steven Spielberg and Liam Neeson, Searching for Schindler gives a revealing insight into a writer''s mind and the creation of a modern classic. It also traces what happened in the decades after the war to Schindler, his wife, and the people they rescued - including Leopold Pfefferberg, who made it his mission to repay his priceless debt to Schindler. Above all, it sheds renewed light on a fascinatingly flawed man, and an instance of exceptional humanity amid the Trade ReviewHad I read SEARCHING FOR SCHINDLER before making the film, I may have made it an hour longer. I owe you so much. The world owes you more. * Steven Spielberg *Keneally is incapable of writing a dull book. This memoir, listed as his 38th publication, is no exception * Andrew Riemer, Sydney Morning Herald *a fascinating absorbing book, replete with anecdote and a quality of writing that continues to mark Keneally out as one of our finest living authors * Herald *

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Book SynopsisOn the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook's successful navigation to the coast of Australia, this is Alistair MacLean's absorbing story of one of Britain's great national heroes, from his obscure beginnings to his sudden and violent death at the age of fifty-one.When James Cook was hacked to death by Hawaiian islanders on 14 February 1779, he was already considered the greatest explorer of his age. Born in obscurity but gripped by a boundless passion for new horizons, he became the greatest combination of seaman, explorer, navigator, and cartographer that the world had ever known. He still is. He had driven himself mercilessly, and his men likewise, and yet the surgeon's mate on the Resolution was able to write: In every situation he stood unrivalled and alone; on him all eyes were turned; he was our leading star, which at its setting left us involved in darkness and despair'.Between 1768 and 1779, Captain Cook circumnavigated the globe three times in voyages of discovery that broke recTrade Review‘The words on Palliser’s monument to Cook – “the ablest and greatest navigator this or any country has produced” – will not seem extravagant after reading Mr MacLean’s book.’Times Educational Supplement

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Book SynopsisFeatures an exclusive interview with beloved author Judy Blume!_______________________________________To be a bookseller or librarian . . .You have to play detective.Be a treasure hunter. A matchmaker. A brilliant listener.A person who creates a kind of magic by pulling a book from a shelf, handing it to someone and saying, ''You''ve got to read this. You''re going to love it''.In this love letter to the heroes of literacy, James Patterson uncovers true stories from booksellers and librarians. Prepare to enter a world where you can feed your curiosities, discover new voices, and find whatever you need.Meet the smart and talented people who live between the shelves - and who can''t wait to help you find your next great read._________________________________PRAISE FOR JAMES PATTERSON''No one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades.''

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Book SynopsisThe true, eye-opening account of how the NHS has been failed and what we can do to save it.The NHS is an institution. But it's also a political football, kicked back and forth between politicians for the past 75 years. It's a burden to some and a potent vote-winner for others. It's a construct, framed in the media. It's a set of ideas and a logo. It's a workplace for many and the birthplace of almost all of us. It's become a valued part of our society, it is extraordinarily special and it's being destroyed.' The NHS is at crisis point. In the 75 years since it was founded on the dream of making healthcare accessible to everyone, its principles have been chipped away at and disregarded by successive political leaders. The result: an underfunded, understaffed, exhausted workforce, a decimation of patient services and the infiltration of privatisation within our public healthcare system. We are now in danger of losing what we have come to depend upon: the NHS is collapsing and a two-tierTrade Review‘Brilliant. Everyone who cares about the NHS should read this brilliant book’ – Peter Stefanovic ‘If you’re a campaigner for the NHS, this new book, Critical, is a must-read. And if you’re not a campaigner for the NHS, this new book, Critical, is a must-read. Be informed; be angry; fight.’ – Dominic Minghella ‘A fantastic read for anyone interested in what’s happening to our NHS’ – Jemma Forte ‘Recommended reading. Angry but not shouty, terrifically researched and written’ – Russ Jones ‘An incredibly important book about the demise of our NHS and what we must do to reverse the damage that’s being done to it. A sobering and important read. I can highly recommend it’ – Kit Yates ‘Exceptional … a must read’ – Grace Blakeley ‘Critical is a superb, concise, yet informative and passionate piece of work. It neatly outlines just why politicians and successive governments have vandalised and decimated our NHS. However, more importantly, it shows the reader that there is another way – and that there is also something still left to fight for.’ Canary ‘Julia Grace Patterson has written a book reminding us just why we need a well-funded, state-run NHS of the sort neither major political party in the UK now supports. She's right.’ Richard Murphy

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Book SynopsisFirst published as magazine articles in 1907, Bat Masterson''s illustrated collection of mini-biographies reveals fascinating details about legendary gunslingers Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Luke Short, Bill Tilghman, Ben Thompson, and others. These colorful tales of history and adventure paint a vivid portrait of the Old West, a world of sharpshooters, cattle rustlers, and Dodge City justice.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewDelightfully horrifying. * Popular Science *A delightful romp through a myriad of entertaining, arcane and obscure medical anecdotes. Fascinating and entertaining... a curious window into a vitalistic era of medical practice. -- Adrian Woolfson * Wall Street Journal *A witty account of bizarre medical tales from history. Read it, weep and be very grateful for modern medicine. * Daily Express *Blending fascinating history with cutting wit, surgical historian Thomas Morris mines the medical journals and explores some of the strangest cases that have perplexed doctors across the world. * Big Issue *A Ripley-esque collection of 'compellingly disgusting, hilarious, or downright bizarre' medical oddities... accompanied by the author's witty and often humorous, colloquial commentary. * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisThe Ship Beneath the Ice is the extraordinary story of how the world’s most famous shipwreck was found, told by the search's Director of Exploration.Trade ReviewAs thrilling as any tale from the heroic age of exploration . . . Bound’s account is a triumph. The storytelling is piano-wire taut, the writing saturated with polar moodiness * Sunday Times *Bound has a natural flair for storytelling and his narrative cracks along with the pace of a well-crafted thriller . . . Captivating and engrossing -- Mail on SundayThe story of Shackleton’s Endurance is one of the most extraordinary in the history of exploration. This is more than just an astonishing sequel. It is a tale just as powerful, and one which redefines the meaning of impossible -- Sir Michael PalinGloriously written . . . Written with the verve of a thriller, Bound's narrative deftly weaves together his voyages and Shackleton's . . . Bound is blessed with a poet's ear for richly evocative language -- Times Literary SupplementThe juxtaposition of the original Shackleton expedition with the quest to find the wreck of the Endurance is utterly compelling -- Professor Alice Roberts, Sunday Times bestseller author of Ancestors and TV PresenterUtterly spellbinding and a rollercoaster of a story. This gripping tale of international collaboration at its best oozes the steely resolve of a modern explorer and is a massive accolade to all involved in bringing the Endurance back into our lives -- Pippa Wordie, granddaughter of James Wordie, the geologist and chief scientist on the EnduranceAn enthralling tale of an extraordinary venture which brings Shackleton’s epic story bang up to the present day -- Camilla Nichol, Chief Executive, UK Antarctic Heritage TrustBound's passion . . . for the most unexplored geography on Earth is evident on every page. His writing blends the required scientific explanations with what touches on poetry . . . Captivating * Daily Mail *Mensun Bound tells [his] story with passion and flair . . . Evocative * Washington Post *An acclaimed book -- ObserverRemarkable . . . Bound’s account has a bittersweet intensity -- The Australian

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Book SynopsisTravel writing matters Explore the world through this beautiful collection of the finest travel writing published in British media in the 21st century – as judged by some of the most respected travel writers in the world: Levison Wood, Monisha Rajesh, Jessica Vincent and Simon Willmore The world has changed, but our desire to explore new places remains as strong as ever. The Best British Travel Writing of the 21st Century includes 30 outstanding travel stories published in British media over the last two decades, as chosen by some of the top names in travel writing today. Through travel’s most talented storytellers, you’ll face adversity along the Congo’s raging River Lulua, make new friends aboard Iraq’s night train, and embark on life-changing pilgrimages from India to Saudi Arabia. This book is an ode to travel and all that it offers, but it’s also a celebration of a genre that brings the world closer to us. At its best, travel writing encourages empathy and inspires change. Join our award-winning writers in marvelling at the power and beauty of travel, and let them inspire you to fall in love with the world all over again.Trade ReviewI greatly enjoyed journeying vicariously through this marvellous collection of travel pieces. * Source Paul Theroux *

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Book Synopsis A true-life scientific adventure story, this thrilling book takes the reader deep into South African caves to discover fossil remains that compel a monumental reframing of the human family tree.In the summer of 2022, Lee Berger lost 50 pounds in order to wriggle though impossibly small openings in the Rising Star cave complex in South Africa—spaces where his team has been unearthing the remains of Homo naledi, a proto-human likely to have coexisted with Homo sapiens some 250,000 years ago. The lead researcher on the site, still Berger had never made his way into the dark, cramped, dangerous underground spaces where many of the naledi fossils had been found. Now he was ready to do so. Once inside the cave, Berger made shocking new discoveries that expand our understanding of this early hominid—discoveries that stand to alter our fundamental understanding of what makes us human. So what does it all mean?Join B

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Book SynopsisGerald Durrell, director and owner of Jersey Zoo, was internationally famous for his amusing books about collecting wild animals. The Overloaded Ark, his first, remains his funniest book. It describes an expedition to the remote territory of the Cameroons in West Africa, before independence.''A delightful book . . . You can feel his bush-shirt sticking to his back . . . Bagging a monitor, smoking out a Pangolin (scaly anteater), celebrating the capture of the rare Angwantibo (small lemur), bird liming for Giant Kingfishers on the warm, milky waters of Lake Soden: he communicates every detail of his experiences with just the right degree of zest.'' New Statesman

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Book SynopsisCairo, 1963: Enayat al-Zayyat's suicide becomes a byword for talent tragically cut down, even as Love and Silence, her only novel, languishes unpublished. Four years after al-Zayyat's death, the novel will be brought out, adapted for film and radio, praised, and then, cursorily, forgotten. For the next three decades it's as if al-Zayyat never existed. Yet when poet Iman Mersal stumbles across Love and Silence in the nineties, she is immediately hooked. Who was Enayat? Did the thought of her novel's rejection really lead to her suicide? Where did this startling voice come from? And why did Love and Silence disappear from literary history? To answer these questions, Mersal traces Enayat's life, interviews family members and friends, reconstructs the afterlife of Enayat in the media, and tracks down the flats, schools, archaeological institutes, and sanatoriums among which Enayat divided her days. Touching on everything from dubious antidepressants to domestic abuse and divorce law, from rubbish-strewn squats in the City of the Dead to the glamour of golden-age Egyptian cinema, this wide-ranging, unclassifiable masterpiece gives us a remarkable portrait of a woman artist striving to live on her own terms. Blending research with imagination, and adding a great deal of empathy, the award-winning Egyptian poet Iman Mersal has created an unclassifiable masterpiece.Trade Review'A brooding, atmospheric read charged with a singular magical beauty. Iman Mersal conjures up the zeitgeist of artistic Cairo after the July revolution and reveals a merciless and inflexible world behind the genteel, cultivated image.' Leila Aboulela ---- 'With the deft sensibilities of an archaeologist, the narrator of Traces of Enayat sifts through layers of history and heritage, traversing the shifting geographies of cities and memories in search of the writer Enayat Al Zayyat, the mystery at the center of this transporting book. The reader is drawn in the wake of Iman Mersal's inspired, circuitous, and relentless journey, heeding the call of the "weeping heard on the other side of a wall."' Fowzia Karimi ---- Praise for Iman Mersal ---- 'Undeceived, ironic, daring, Mersal's poems are animated by a singular sensibility. They deal candidly with real life - migration, dying parents, emotional entanglements - and discover general truths among the fine particulars.' Nick Laird ---- 'Long recognized throughout the Arab world and in Europe, Mersal is one of the strongest confessional (or postconfessional) poets we now have, in any language: her poems are fueled by a mordant wit, sensual vibrancy, and feminist brio.' Maureen N. McLane ---- 'Mersal's poems are many things - sensuous, cerebral, intimate, angry and disorientating. They provide food for thought and elicit laughter in the dark . . . [The Threshold is] a perfect entry point for readers new to her work.' Malcolm Forbes, The National

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Book SynopsisThe first book ever written about FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover by a member of his personal staff—his former assistant, Paul Letersky—offers unprecedented, “clear-eyed and compelling” (Mark Olshaker, coauthor of Mindhunter) insight into an American legend.The 1960s and 1970s were arguably among America’s most turbulent post-Civil War decades. While the Vietnam War continued seemingly without end, protests and riots ravaged most cities, the Kennedys and MLK were assassinated, and corruption found its way to the highest levels of politics, culminating in Watergate. In 1965, at the beginning of the chaos, twenty-two-year-old Paul Letersky was assigned to assist the legendary FBI director J. Edgar Hoover who’d just turned seventy and had, by then, led the Bureau for an incredible forty-one years. Hoover was a rare and complex man who walked confidently among the most powerful. His personal privacy was more tightly guarded than the secret “files” he carefully collected—and that were so feared by politicians and celebrities. Through Letersky’s close working relationship with Hoover, and the trust and confidence he gained from Hoover’s most loyal senior assistant, Helen Gandy, Paul became one of the few able to enter the Director’s secretive—and sometimes perilous—world. Since Hoover’s death half a century ago, millions of words have been written about the man and hundreds of hours of TV dramas and A-list Hollywood films produced. But until now, there has been virtually no account from someone who, for a period of years, spent hours with the Director on a daily basis. Balanced, honest, and keenly observed, this “vivid, foibles-and-all portrait of the fabled scourge of gangsters, Klansmen, and communists” (The Wall Street Journal) sheds new light on one of the most powerful law enforcement figures in American history.Trade Review“There has never been an account quite like The Director…Letersky has mined his experience to draw a vivid, foibles-and-all portrait of the fabled scourge of gangsters, Klansmen, and communists.” —Wall Street Journal“[Recounts] Letersky’s years in the FBI’s innermost circles….A fly-on-the-wall portrait of interest to students of crime—and rumor.” —Kirkus Reviews“A fascinating and long overdue look, from the inner sanctum, at J. Edgar Hoover’s decades-spanning dictatorial grip on the FBI. Paul Letersky takes you deep inside the psyche of the man who knew all the secrets and played them like a card shark. With a fistful of aces, Hoover imposed his will while protecting his own mysterious inner life.” —Tom Brokaw, Special Correspondent for NBC News and bestselling author of The Greatest Generation“There have been plenty of books about J. Edgar Hoover but this one brings new meaning to the term, ‘the devil is in the details’…. Letersky is a fine writer and storyteller and he told me things I never knew about the man—love him or hate him—who was a major figure in American history.” —Bob Schieffer, CBS News“Fascinating and engaging… Letersky brings to life a bygone era of G-Men, galoots, and molls—and, delightfully, Hoover's motherly gatekeeper “Miss Gandy,” who plays Moneypenny to the author's Bond.” —Chris Whipple, New York Times bestselling author of The Gatekeepers and The Spymasters“I have been writing about the FBI for a quarter century, and as a kid I even trick-or-treated at J. Edgar Hoover’s house. Even so, I discovered in former Special Agent Paul Letersky’s The Director new and fascinating insights...Neither a paean nor a hatchet job, this clear-eyed and compelling account of the author’s years with the director, followed by his adventures as a street agent, is a welcome contribution to the history of law enforcement and the culture of its most famous agency.” —Mark Olshaker, coauthor of Mindhunter, The Killer Across the Table, and The Killer’s Shadow“I entered the FBI under Mr. Hoover who turned out to be the best Director I served under in my twenty-seven years at the Bureau. This book is an honest and accurate portrayal of Hoover's personality and acts of kindness as well as the control he had over not just the FBI but politicians. A must read.” —Joe Pistone aka Donnie Brasco, former FBI Special Agent“Folksy and fascinating. Letersky had unusual personal access to Hoover and he documents many of his boss’ worst instincts and rigid eccentricities, but also debunks some of the pointless and nasty rumors.” —Sanford J. Ungar, former Director of Voice of America and host of “All Things Considered,” and author of FBI: An Uncensored Look Behind the Walls“For a span of decades that defies belief, J. Edgar Hoover wielded more power than any other lawman in American history. Paul Letersky’s rich eyewitness stories of a supercop who could be both steel-fisted and strangely soft makes this by far the most illuminating portrait of Hoover I’ve read.” —Don Brown, former prosecutor and bestselling author of Travesty of Justice“Though I worked for the FBI for a quarter century, I found many of the things Letersky talks about in The Director shockingly new, simply because no one dared speak them until now. The book rounds out what we know about J. Edgar Hoover. Yes, he was demanding, odd at times, secretive, and vindictive, but he was far more complex than most people imagine. Only could a person working by his side, who answered his phone and read his mail and dealt with his fits of pique and bursts of enthusiasm, give us this insight.” —Joe Navarro, former Special Agent and author of Three Minutes to Doomsday“Letersky draws back the curtain of history to offer a rare, cinematic glimpse into the psychology and motivation of the Bureau’s first Director, J. Edgar Hoover….A must read for anyone interested in the most celebrated of American law enforcement agencies.” —Robert K. Wittman, Founder of the FBI Art Crime Team and New York Times bestselling author of Priceless and The Devil’s Diary“Anyone interested in American history will find fascinating what the book reveals about ‘The Director’ and his agents. As a former member of Special Operations who learned to make maximum use of intel, I found entertaining what Letersky shows about the power of secrets.” —Tom Satterly, author of All Secure and, also, retired Delta Force operator whose life was portrayed in Black Hawk Down

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Book SynopsisA wronged woman?s voice is reclaimed in this gripping tale of revenge and romance?a medieval Gone Girl. Highland Scotland was no place for a woman in the early 1500s. Life was turbulent and short, battles were waged, and sisters and daughters were traded as pawns in marriage. Catherine Campbell was one such young bride, betrothed to Lachlan Maclean and sent from her fine home to join him on the Isle of Mull, to bear his sons and heirs. But Lachlan proved to be nothing like the man of Catherine?s dreams, and she was forced to resign herself to enduring life with him for the sake of duty. Until the day when he threatened to take away the one thing she couldn?t sacrifice: her daughter. Casting a fascinating light on the ruthless Highlands, this sweeping drama by one of Scotland''s best-loved novelists explores love, ambition and betrayal and highlights the precarious position of 16th-century women

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Book SynopsisA sparkling new translation of the most famous travel book ever writtenMarco Poloâ??s voyages began in 1271 with a visit to China. Afterward, he served Kublai Khan on numerous diplomatic missions in the Far East. His subsequent account of his travels offers a fascinating glimpse of what he encountered abroad: unfamiliar religions; new customs and societies; the spices and silks of the East; the precious gems, exotic vegetation, and wild beasts of faraway lands. Evoking a remote and long-vanished world with color and immediacy, Marco Poloâ??s book revolutionized Western ideas about the then-unknown East and remains one of the greatest travel accounts of all time. Nigel Cliffâ??s new translation, based on the original medieval sources, is a fresh, authoritative rendering, with a lively introduction and notes.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin CTrade ReviewThe translation is excellent. The English is clear and modern, but preserves the flavour of the original ... It will doubtless become a standard work and will deservedly take its place as one of the best English translations of Marco Polo's account of his travels -- Stephen G. Haw

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Book SynopsisCSI meets Who Do You Think You Are? meets Time Team meets The Antiques Roadshow. Two-dimensional works of art become three-dimensional thrillers.Philip Mould is an international art dealer who has lived the high stakes game of art sleuthing for twenty years. In Sleuth, we encounter the fascinating dealers, experts, auctioneers and restorers who risk fortunes and reputations to turn overlooked artworks into coveted treasures.Sleuth is laced with dramas: Gainsborough''s earliest picture emerges in a Los Angeles saleroom - the author has three days to find the missing facts and decide what to pay. The most powerful man in the art establishment, with the influence to elevate a copy into a priceless original, is asked to look at a ''fake'' Rembrandt self portrait: if he says yes a 5,000 picture turns into 5 million masterpiece. A Vermont professor unlocks the door of a defunct Catholic church to reveal a hidden cache of 300 portraits. An auctioneer notices from the upper story of a bus thatTrade Review“Reviewing can make you hate books – the grim spectre of the copy deadline means that other tasks (cleaning the fridge is popular) can seem attractive compared with just getting on reading the book. Sleuth was different. I could not wait to get back to it” Sunday Telegraph ‘timely … exciting’ Country Life ‘a fast-paced and fascinating account of the race to uncover ‘lost’ treasures’ Independent on Sunday ‘this absorbing and fast-paced narrative … an extremely enjoyable read’ British Art Journal ‘This is no dry treatise and Mould is a first-class scene setter … There is an immediacy to much of the writing, which draws the reader in … the sort of book that may well do more to attract future talent to the world of art dealing than any number of university art history courses’ Antiques Trade Gazette

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Book SynopsisIn 1945 Eric Brown led the team from the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough which scoured the British Zone of Occupation in post war Germany for captured Luftwaffe aircraft and aeronautical installations. They uncovered an Aladdin''s cave of aviation riches and amazed by the advanced level of technology and production they found, brought back over a hundred aircraft for detailed testing and analysis. Of particular interest were the high-speed wind tunnels, which had allowed the Germans to develop such ground-breaking aircraft as the rocket powered Me 163B and the first production jetfighter, the Me 262. The information gathered by this small group of aviators and scientists has influenced aircraft design to this day.Wings of the Luftwaffe is a unique and definitive appraisal of the background and characteristics of all the major German aircraft of World War II, written by probably Britain''s most outstanding test pilot and the only pilot to have flown them all. Covering 11 manufacturers and 33 types, this new edition with over 250 photographs, colour profiles, cockpit layouts and sectional drawings provides an in-depth assessment of the contribution made to the annals of military aviation in the late 1930s and early 1940s by the innovative German aircraft industry.

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Book SynopsisA sparkling new translation of one of the greatest travel books ever written: Marco Polo''s seminal account of his journeys in the east, in a collectible clothbound edition. Marco Polo was the most famous traveller of his time. His voyages began in 1271 with a visit to China, after which he served the Kublai Khan on numerous diplomatic missions. On his return to the West he was made a prisoner of war and met Rustichello of Pisa, with whom he collaborated on this book. His account of his travels offers a fascinating glimpse of what he encountered abroad: unfamiliar religions, customs and societies; the spices and silks of the East; the precious gems, exotic vegetation and wild beasts of faraway lands. Evoking a remote and long-vanished world with colour and immediacy, Marco''s book revolutionized western ideas about the then unknown East and is still one of the greatest travel accounts of all time.For this edition - the first completely new English translation of the Travels in over fifty years - Nigel Cliff has gone back to the original manuscript sources to produce a fresh, authoritative new version. The volume also contains invaluable editorial materials, including an introduction describing the world as it stood on the eve of Polo''s departure, and examining the fantastical notions the West had developed of the East.Marco Polo was born in 1254, joining his father on a journey to China in 1271. He spent the next twenty years travelling in the service of Kublai Khan. There is evidence that Marco travelled extensively in the Mongol Empire and it is fairly certain he visited India. He wrote his famous Travels whilst a prisoner in Genoa.Nigel Cliff was previously a theatre and film critic for The Times and a regular writer for The Economist, among other publications, and now writes historical nonfiction books. His first book, The Shakespeare Riots, was published in 2007 and shortlisted for the Washington-based National Award for Arts Writing. His second book, The Last Crusade: Vasco da Gama and the Birth of the Modern World appeared in 2011 and was shortlisted for the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize.Trade ReviewFew books can truly be said to have changed the world; for all its naysayers, Marco Polo's Travels is one of them -- Nigel Cliff

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Book SynopsisSpring 1958: a mysterious individual believed to be high up in the Polish secret service began passing Soviet secrets to the West. His name was Michal Goleniewski and he remains one of the most important, yet least known and most misunderstood spies of the Cold War. Even his death is shrouded in mystery and he has been written out of the history of Cold War espionage - until now. Tim Tate draws on a wealth of previously-unpublished primary source documents to tell the dramatic true story of the best spy the west ever lost - of how Goleniewski exposed hundreds of KGB agents operating undercover in the West; from George Blake and the ''Portland Spy Ring'', to a senior Swedish Air Force and NATO officer and a traitor inside the Israeli government. The information he produced devastated intelligence services on both sides of the Iron Curtain.Bringing together love and loyalty, courage and treachery, betrayal, greed and, ultimately, insanity, Trade ReviewThe larger than life story of one of the West's most productive Cold War counter-intelligence agents - a man who to the CIA's embarrassment turned out also to be a bigamist and a romancer who claimed publicly to be the last descendent of the Russian Czar and heir to his fortune. A made for Hollywood page turner, it's a fascinating read and highly recommended. -- SIR DAVID OMAND, author of How Spies Think: Ten Lessons in IntelligenceTotally gripping . . . a masterpiece. Tate lifts the lid on one of the most important and complex spies of the Cold War, who passed secrets to the West and finally unmasked traitor George Blake. -- HELEN FRY, author of MI9: A History of the Secret Service for Escape and Evasion in World War TwoA brilliant and gripping exploration of one of the last great espionage enigmas of the twentieth century. Unputdownable. -- TREVOR BARNES, author of Dead DoublesA wonderful and at times mind-boggling account of a bizarre and almost forgotten spy - right up to the time when he's living undercover in Queens, New York and claiming to be the last of the Romanoffs. -- SIMON KUPER, author of The Happy TraitorA highly readable and thoroughly researched account of one of the Cold War's most intriguing and tragic spy stories. -- OWEN MATTHEWS, author of An Impeccable Spy

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Book Synopsis RHS Staff Pick of the Year 2021 Spectator Gardening Book of the year 2021 'A refreshingly insightful history of plant introductions.' - Roy Lancaster Travel the world with extraordinary tales of the botanical discoveries that have shaped empires, built (and destroyed) economies, revolutionised medicine and advanced our understanding of science.Circling the globe from Australia's Botany Bay to the Tibetan plateau, from the deserts of Southern Africa to the jungles of Brazil, this book presents an incredible cast of characters - dedicated researchers and reckless adventurers, physicians, lovers and thieves. Meet dauntless Scots explorer David Douglas and visionary Prussian thinker Alexander von Humboldt, the 'Green Samurai' Mikinori Ogisu and the intrepid 17th century entomologist Maria Sibylla Merian - the first woman known to have made a living from science.Beautifully illustrated with over 100 botanical artworks from the archives of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, this absorbing book tells the stories of how plants have travelled across the world - from the missions of the Pharaohs right up to 21st century seed-banks and the many new and endangered species being named every year.***THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW is a world-famous research organisation and a major international visitor attraction. It harnesses the power of its science, the rich diversity of its gardens and collections to unearth why plants and fungi matter to everyone. Its aspiration is to end the extinction crisis and help create a world where nature and biodiversity are protected, valued and managed sustainably.Trade Review'A well-conceived book that acts as a thought-provoking introduction to a pertinent topic and a timely reminder of our dependency on plants.' - Rory Dusoir, gardener and writer (Gardens Illustrated)'The prose sparkles . . . [Edwards] combines intellectual rigour with a lively style.' * The Spectator *

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Book SynopsisComing to cinemas in November 2019, under the title LE MANS ''66 ____________________In the 1960s Enzo Ferrari emerged as the dominant force in sports cars in the world, creating speed machines that were unbeatable on the race track. In America, the Ford Motor Company was quickly losing ground as the pre-eminent brand. Henry Ford II saw a solution. He decided to declare war on Ferrari, to build a faster car than anything Ferrari had brought to the track, and to beat him at the world''s biggest race, Le Mans. Ferrari was just as determined to see off this challenge from across the Atlantic.With practically no safety regulations in place in the European Grand Prix races, horrific accidents were routine, with both drivers and spectators killed in many races. The stakes were incredibly high, money and men were thrown at the competition, neither Ford or Ferrari would accept anything but victory. The battle to become the fastest in the world trulTrade ReviewA must-buy for any motorsports fan * Daily Express *All I can say is: Wow!...If you like cars - nay, if you have ever seen a car - you must read this book! -- Garth Stein, bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the RainGo Like Hell is a wonder, chuck-a-block with great heroes and villains, a pedal-to-the metal account of greed and gumption, a chronicle of obsession and vain glory. Don't worry about that seat belt. Just go for the ride. -- Leigh Montville, author of At the Altar of SpeedReliving the titanic battles between Ford and Ferrari that payed out in the mid-sixties at Le Mans . . . a riveting read * Choice Magazine *

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Book SynopsisA riveting account of a landmark expedition that left only one survivor, now back in print for the first time in decades.Arabia Felix is the spellbinding true story of a scientific expedition gone disastrously awry. On a winter morning in 1761 six men leave Copenhagen by sea—a botanist, a philologist, an astronomer, a doctor, an artist, and their manservant—an ill-assorted band of men who dislike and distrust one another from the start. These are the members of the Danish expedition to Arabia Felix, as Yemen was then known, the first organized foray into a corner of the world unknown to Europeans. The expedition made its way to Turkey and Egypt, by which time its members were already actively seeking to undercut and even kill one another, before disappearing into the harsh desert that was their destination. Nearly seven years later a single survivor returned to Denmark to find himself forgotten and all the specimens that had been sent back ruined by neglect. Based on diaries, notebooks, and sketches that lay unread in Danish archives until the twentieth century, Arabia Felix is a tale of intellectual rivalry and a comedy of very bad manners, as well as an utterly absorbing adventure.Arabia Felix includes 33 line drawings and maps.

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Book SynopsisUtilizing forensic evidence that was ignored by the police, and documents that have never before been released to the public, Alan Strachan has produced the horrific account of a man who was wrongfully executed for rape and murder -- even though it is quite possible that there was neither a rape nor a murder.

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Book SynopsisAs a boy growing up near Liverpool in the 1950s, Andrew Lees would visit the docks with his father to watch the ships from Brazil unload their exotic cargo of coffee, cotton bales, molasses, cocoa - the ships’ names and goods noted down in loving detail in his exercise book. One day, his father gave him a dog-eared book called Exploration Fawcett. The book told the true story of Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Fawcett, a British explorer who in 1925 had gone in search of a lost city in the Amazon, and never returned. The riveting story of Fawcett’s encounters with deadly animals and hostile tribes, his mission to discover an Atlantean civilization, and the many who lost their own lives when they went in search of him, inspired the young Lees to believe that there were still earthly places where one could ‘fall off the edge’.Lees travelled to Manaus in Fawcett’s footsteps. After a time-bending psychedelic experience in the forest, he understood that his yearning for the imaginary Brazil of his boyhood, like Fawcett’s search for an earthly paradise, was a nostalgia for what never was. Part travelogue, part memoir, Lees paints a portrait of an elusive Brazil, and a flawed explorer whose doomed mission ruined lives.Trade Review"A. J. Lees’s new book Brazil That Never Was is an engaging treasure, urgent in its message, thrilling in its telling. His masterful tale marries the grandeur of the natural historian with the passion of the outlier poet. Like the physician Arthur Conan Doyle, and friend and fellow neurologist Oliver Sacks, Lees is a detective, tracking the mysteries of the human mind....We follow two journeys: Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett’s and Lees’s own...Lees’s eloquent tale urges: support Native peoples, protect other species, help win this battle. For soon the real tropical cornucopia of Brazil will likely be lost, as if it never was." —Kathelin Gray, Los Angeles Review of Books “This is a book about daydreams, melancholy and nostalgia in the very best sense. It is also a dramatic travelogue, from boyhood fantasy about an imagined Brazil to its flawed but life-transforming reality. It is a poetic meditation on time past and present, beautifully written and expertly composed.” —Andrew Hussey “This book is about the quest for a place that, like the mythical Lake Parima on ancient maps of South America, is only an illusion. Following in the maddening footsteps of the lost explorer Percy Harrison Fawcett, Andrew Lees explores his own life, and his longing for the deepest places of the mind and the remotest places on Earth. The trip is beautiful even if, in the end, that place is nowhere to be found.” —Héctor Abad “What begins as a personal reflection on the western world's endless fascination with Amazonia and its mysteries, develops in a most unexpected way, as Andrew Lees' prose becomes our Virgil, taking the reader for a leap into the unknown, way further than any other expedition has ever dreamed of.” —Ciro Guerra, director of the Academy Award–nominated Embrace of the Serpent “Reality is no match, it seems, for the rapture of existence conveyed in a long-ago book. Dr. Lees’s own writing can be such an exercise in enthrallment. . . . sentences in Dr. Lees’s elegy for vanished youth flare up and shimmer with revelation, like lost arrowheads upturned by the plow.” —Danny Heitman, The Wall Street Journal

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times bestseller. An astonishing account of the sailors, scientists and inventors who sought to understand the weather.**Book of the Week on Radio 4**''Gripping'' The Times''Exhilarating'' Sunday TimesIn an age when a storm was evidence of God's wrath, pioneering meteorologists had to fight against convention and religious dogma to realise their ambitions. But buoyed by the achievements of the Enlightenment, a generation of mavericks set out to unlock the secrets of the atmosphere. Meet Luke Howard, the first to classify the clouds, Francis Beaufort, quantifier of the winds, James Glaisher, explorer of the upper atmosphere by way of a hot air balloon, Samuel Morse, whose electric telegraph gave scientists the means by which to transmit weather warnings, and at the centre of it all Admiral Robert FitzRoy: master sailor, scientific pioneer and founder of the Met Office. Peter MoTrade ReviewRichly researched, exciting... It is both scientific and cultural history, of prizewinning potential and as fresh and exhilarating throughout as a strong sea breeze. -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *Superbly researched and grippingly written... Moore is at least as interested in the personalities and their rivalries, and the sheer spendour and catastrophies of weather itself - storms and shipwrecks, heatwaves and floods (all vividly described) - as by the science. And he weaves it together, deftly picking up threads left dangling in earlier chapters, darting across continents, embracing swashbuckling sea captains and fastidious bureaucrats, penny-pinching politians and mad inventors, with as sharp an eye for eccentricity, absurdity and tragedy as for genius. The result is a panorama of the entire Victorian era. -- Richard Morrison * The Times *The Weather Experiment is a genuinely gripping read and demonstrates how scientific ideas can come ahead of the time -- Gavin Pretor, 4 stars * Mail on Sunday *Moore is the rare science writer who can describe dew point so poetically you feel you’re with him in a twinkling field of white clover on a cool summer morning… Evocative and full of wisdom for modern times. -- New York Times Book ReviewThe Weather Experiment is not the first book to have been written about FitzRoy…but Moore’s achievement is to imbue him and his work with palpable narrative life, while surrounding him with a large supporting cast of contemporaries * The Times Literary Supplement *A skilful, detailed account of a complex story, in which scientific advances are far from inevitable in a world of flawed humans and bad luck... Moore's engaging, often surprising work of storytelling, written with such care and pleasure, is a fine tribute -- Daniel Hahn * Spectator *Impressive -- Ben East * Guardian Weekly *Thought-provoking… Rich and informative … Arnold Toynbee once railed against the view that ‘History is just one damned thing after another’. Recording weather data day in, day out must feel like one damn temperature reading after another. Yet Moore has skilfully converted decades of routine monotony into a gripping tale of derring-do. -- Patricia Fara * Literary Review, Book of the Month *Elegantly constructed … The Weather Experiment surprises constantly, often by weaving together the famous and the obscure -- Mike Jay * Wall St Journal *Prepare for turbulence in this history of Britain’s seminal contribution to weather forecasting * Nature *This biography is an impressive achievement -- 4 stars * BBC Focus *Moore’s enthusiasm for his subject and the astonishing audacity of those long ago storm chasers make the book a deeply enjoyable read. * Daily Beast *Moore writes about this band of ad hoc scientists with brio, and it’s hard not to be awed and charmed by their united quest to prove that earth’s atmosphere was not chaotic beyond comprehension, that it could be studied, understood and, ultimately, predicted … Detailed and insightful, this book is as relevant as ever in this era of rapid climate change. * Kirkus Reviews *Rich and enlightening, I’ll never look at a dewy morning in the same way again. -- Sarah BakewellFor illuminating a byway of scientific history that many scarcely knew existed we must thank Peter Moore, whose superbly researched an grippingly written book is more than a dusty account of early meteorologists -- Richard Morrison * The Times *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARDMussolini was not only ruthless: he was subtle and manipulative. Black-shirted thugs did his dirty work for him: arson, murder, destruction of homes and offices, bribes and intimidation. His opponents including editors, union representatives, lawyers and judges were beaten into submission. But the tide turned in 1924 when his assassins went too far, horror spread across Italy, and antifascist resistance was born. Among those whose disgust hardened into bold and uncompromising resistance was a family from Florence: Amelia, Carlo and Nello Rosselli. Caroline Moorehead draws readers into the lives of this remarkable family their loves, their loyalties, their laughter and their ultimate sacrifice.Trade ReviewA gripping tale of intrigue… I was enormously moved * Observer *Expertly alternating vivid domestic detail with lucid exposition of the gradual evolution of totalitarianism… It feels like the book she was born to write -- Lucy Hughes-Hallett * Guardian *The creepy description by the author of the naivety of the good and the seductive powers of the bad touches a nerve. A Bold and Dangerous Family is a haunting reminder of the fragility of liberty and the dangers of complaisance -- Leanda De Lisle * The Times *Moorehead’s book, written with sensitivity, erudition and balance, is a fine tribute to the Rosselli family * Financial Times *Much has been written about life under fascist rule… But the study of a nation can never be as emotionally compelling as the study of a family… Expertly alternating vivid domestic detail with lucid exposition of the gradual evolution of totalitarianism, Caroline Moorehead allows her readers not only to know, but also to feel, how it was to endure fascist oppression… A prolific author who has always combined seriousness of purpose with a warm, human touch, she is drawn to good-hearted troublemakers… A Bold and Dangerous Family is animated by the evident admiration and affection she feels for her subjects. It feels like the book she was born to write -- Lucy Hughes-Hallett * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe Interesting Narrative is a first-hand account of the horrors of slavery, published on the eve of the British abolition debate in 1789. The most important African autobiography of the 18th century, it recounts Equiano's adventures on land and sea. This edition's introduction surveys recent debates about Equiano's birthplace and identity.Trade ReviewThe appetite for Equiano and his memoir shows no signs of abating, as this new edition shows. * James Walvin, The Times *The book adds to the body of knowledge about a great man, Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, The African. Students now have a wider chose of resources as they study his complex but interesting life. * Arthur Torrington, The Equiano Society *This book will change our assumptions about slavery and affect, and also change our sense of what works can be connected to this vast enterprise. It makes for what is sometimes surprising reading, but it also makes so much sense that the century will never again look quite the same as it did before this book. * George E. Haggerty, SEL Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 *This edition of Equiano's The Interesting Narrative, paired with Carey's introduction and explanatory materials, provides a text that is meaningful across educational levels and backgrounds. It should help to ensure that Equiano's text, with its relevance to multiple disciplines and areas of inquiry, does not again disappear from our awareness. * International Journal of African Historical Studies *

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Book SynopsisThe true story of the wife of the Shah of Iran and how the collapse of their relationship influenced the end of the Shahâs rule.

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Book SynopsisONE OF PEOPLE MAGAZINE'S BEST SUMMER READS 20225* 'A jaw-dropping memoir' - THE TELEGRAPH'One of the maddest memoirs you'll read this year... a beautiful, warm, funny book.' -The Times'Extraordinary' -The Guardian'A wholly absorbing page-turner that everyone will want to read. You should probably buy two.' -Kirkus Starred Review'A riveting debut.' -People Magazine'By turns hilarious, wrenching, and achingly tender.' -Susan Orlean, New York Times bestselling author'A remarkable and wise book, two memoirs braided together with such tendresse that readers will come to believe the ironic title in earnest' -LA TIMES'Riveting and hilariously funny' - The TimesFor most of her life, Chrysta Bilton was one member of a small, if dysfunctional, family of four. There was her sister, Kaitlyn, her hedonistic, glamorous, gay mum Debra, and Jeffrey, who Debra hand-picked, in an LA hairdressers, to be the father of her children. During Chrysta's unstable childhood, Debra struggled to keep the family afloat and Jeffrey wandered in and out of their lives.Then, in her twenties, Chrysta discovered that her father had secretly donated his sperm over 500 times - and that she had at least 35 other siblings.A Normal Family is a captivating coming-of-age memoir about Chrysta's reckoning with the secrets both parents had carefully kept from her. Heartfelt, warm and funny, it's a story of embracing the family we have, in all the forms we find it.Trade ReviewBilton's twisty life story is fascinating, and her eye for detail and ability to plumb her painful past for meaning make this a riveting debut. * PEOPLE magazine *This beautiful, warm, funny book is a testament to human resilience, forgiveness and humour. It is also a love letter to an extraordinary mother. * The Times *Is there anything original left to say about surviving a dysfunctional upbringing? A Normal Family by Chrysta Bilton takes this question almost as a dare. * BOOKPAGE *Vulnerable and omniscient * USA TODAY *Extraordinary * The Guardian *5* - A jaw-dropping memoir * The Telegraph *One of the maddest memoirs you'll read this year... a beautiful, warm, funny book. * The Times *A wholly absorbing page-turner that everyone will want to read. You should probably buy two. * Kirkus *I thought my family was complicated until I read Chrysta Bilton's wonderful memoir about the unique collection of irresistible characters in her life. Bilton has a big heart, gentle wisdom, keen eye and lovely wit. She's a gifted writer with an astonishing story to tell. * David Sheff, author of Beautiful Boy *By turns hilarious, wrenching, and achingly tender, this is a memoir about family that turns the whole idea of family upside down. Bilton writes beautifully, with sharp insight and a light touch, about her harrowing, astonishing journey into understanding her parents, her (very) extended family, and herself. * Susan Orlean, New York Times bestselling author of 'On Animals' and 'Rin Tin Tin' *A Normal Family had me absolutely riveted from beginning to end. Chrysta Bilton has woven an impeccable narrative about the explosion of love, betrayal, addiction, and menagerie of animals that made up her madcap and calamitous childhood. The story is dominated by Bilton's hedonistic, cult-inclined, womanizing, unstable and uncanny lesbian single mother, who had to make it up as she went along, and is surely one of the most mesmerizing "characters" in recent memoir. A Normal Family narrowly escapes being a tragedy, redeemed by Bilton's compassionate storytelling and unwavering love for her untraditional family. * Stephanie Danler, author of 'Sweetbitter' *It's hard to put into words the many ways this book spoke to me. Normal Family reads like a thriller with its core mystery being the very meaning of life itself: vividly specific but also universal, with family as protagonist and antagonist, but always the hero. * Ry Russo-Young, filmmaker (Nuclear Family) *Chrysta Bilton's astonishing, wildly unpredictable memoir Normal Family starts out as rollicking and suspenseful and only ramps up from there, becoming by turns frightening, riotously funny, and finally quite moving. * Robert Kolker, New York Times bestselling author of 'Hidden Valley Road' *Eloquently written and compulsively readable, Bilton's jaw-dropping coming-of-age memoir-and the love and survival found within its pages-is one readers won't soon forget. * Library Journal *A remarkable and wise book, two memoirs braided together with such tendresse that readers will come to believe the ironic title in earnest * LA Times *An ebullient debut that proves it's love, not DNA, that makes a family * PEOPLE magazine *

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Book SynopsisAt a time when that 1960s notion of air travel as decadent and exceptional is experiencing an unexpected revival, this book ... could be the G&T in a plastic glass you need.' The SpectatorTravel writer Julia Cooke's exhilarating portrait of Pan Am stewardesses in the Mad Men era.Come Fly the World tells the story of the stewardesses who served on the iconic Pan American Airways between 1966 and 1975 - and of the unseen diplomatic role they played on the world stage.Alongside the glamour was real danger, as they flew soldiers to and from Vietnam and staffed Operation Babylift - the dramatic evacuation of 2,000 children during the fall of Saigon. Cooke's storytelling weaves together the true stories of women like Lynne Totten, a science major who decided life in a lab was not for her, to Hazel Bowie, one of the relatively few African American stewardesses of the era, as they embraced the liberation of a jet-set life.In the process, Cooke shows how the sexualized coffee-tea-or-me stereotype was at odds with the importance of what they did, and with the freedom, power and sisterhood they achieved.Trade ReviewJulia Cooke's entertaining, sexism-skewering history shows how female flight attendants were also flag-flying diplomats' * Financial Times *Cooke is good on the way an industry with rigid, deep-rooted notions about female service, looks and behaviour became a ticket to unparalleled independence . At a time when that 1960s notion of air travel as decadent and exceptional is experiencing an unexpected revival, this book . could be the G&T in a plastic glass you need.' * The Spectator *

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Book SynopsisHenry Morton Stanley was a cruel imperialist - a bad man of Africa. Or so we think: but as Tim Jeal brilliantly shows, the reality of Stanley''s life is yet more extraordinary. Few people know of his dazzling trans-Africa journey, a heart-breaking epic of human endurance which solved virtually every one of the continent''s remaining geographical puzzles. With new documentary evidence, Jeal explores the very nature of exploration and reappraises a reputation, in a way that is both moving and truly majestic.Trade Review"'Superb... Tim Jeal's absorbing biography will surely be definitive.' Sunday Telegraph"

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Book Synopsis''Åsne Seierstad is the supreme non-fiction writer of her generation ... Two Sisters isn''t only the story of how a pair of teenage girls became radicalised but an unsparing portrait of our own society - of its failings and its joys'' Luke HardingOn 17 October 2013, teenage sisters Ayan and Leila Juma left their family home near Oslo, seemingly as usual. Later that day they sent an email to their unsuspecting parents, confessing they were on their way to Syria. They had been planning the trip for months in secret.Åsne Seierstad - working closely with the family - followed the story through its many dramatic twists and turns. This is, in part, a story about Syria. But most of all it is a story of what happens to apparently ordinary people when their lives are turned upside down by conflict and tragedy.''A masterpiece and a masterclass in investigative journalism'' Christina Lamb, Sunday Times''Meticulously documented, fulTrade ReviewHauntingly written, this book is both a masterpiece and a masterclass in investigative journalism * Christina Lamb, Sunday Times *A modern tragedy. And a universal one ... None of us truly knows what teenagers think, behind their closed doors, nor what tomorrow will bring * The Times *Meticulously documented, full of drama ... filled with smuggling, violence, ever-changing loyalties and tension ... this is a tale fluently told, and a thriller as well * Kate Adie, Literary Review *Intricate, compelling * Observer *Åsne Seierstad is the supreme non-fiction writer of her generation. Her latest work is haunting, luminously written and compelling. A brilliant book. Two Sisters isn't only the story of how a pair of teenage girls became radicalised but an unsparing portrait of our own society - of its failings and its joys * Luke Harding, author of Collusion *Two Sisters is a masterwork. Brilliantly conceived, scrupulously reported and beautifully written, this book is compulsive reading ... Seierstad fixes her lens on one of the most disturbing conundrums of our time - what leads ordinary people to become terrorists? * Jon Lee Anderson *Simply magnificent ... One of the most important books of our time * Svenska Dagbladet *

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Book SynopsisPeople often say that non-fiction books read like fast-moving thrillers, but this one genuinely does This is a splendid book and highly recommended.' Daily MailA remarkable piece of investigative journalism into one of the most pervasive and troubling mysteries of recent memory.01:20am, 8 March 2014. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, carrying 239 passengers, disappeared into the night, never to be seen or heard from again.The incident was inexplicable. In a world defined by advanced technology and interconnectedness, how could an entire aircraft become untraceable? Had the flight been subject to a perfect hijack? Perhaps the pilots lost control? And if the plane did crash, where was the wreckage?Writing for Le Monde in the days and months after the plane's disappearance, journalist Florence de Changy closely documented the chaotic international investigation that followed, uncovering more questions than answers. Riddled with inconsistencies, contradictions and a lack of basic communicatioTrade Review‘Totally brilliant, if unnerving, The Disappearing Act, must be read by anyone wishing to understand one of the greatest mystery of the 21st century.’ Edward Jay Epstein, New York Times bestselling author and investigative journalist ‘With ruthless forensic skill, Florence de Changy has dismantled and discredited the official versions of what happened to the ill-fated flight MH370.’ Victor Mallet, Financial Times Paris bureau chief ‘Based on dozens of clues about the disappearance of MH370, gathered from a wide range of sources, this book hints at an international cover-up where our loved ones have just been collateral damage. For years, the families have been longing to know what really happened whilst being shamelessly strung along by the governments involved. This book brings us closer to the truth than we have ever been. As unpleasant and painful as the real truth may be, The Disappearing Act proves beyond doubt that the official version served to the families was just an incredible string of lies. The authorities must give us answers.’ Ghyslain Wattrelos, author and spokesperson for the families of the missing MH370 passengers ‘This is the definitive book on the disappearance of MH370, which at last demystifies the world’s greatest aviation secret. Florence de Changy was a journalist on the spot who has followed the saga from its opening stages with professional tenacity and an open mind. Her dispassionate and clear-headed unravelling of the evidence and events, which are brought together for the first time into a comprehensive account, makes for a thrilling read and her astonishing conclusions are compelling, if terrifying.’ Clare Rewcastle Brown, Editor, The Sarawak Report ‘In this eerie yet brilliant work of investigative journalism, de Changy pieces together the truth behind the greatest mystery in the history of modern aviation.’New Statesman

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Book SynopsisTriumphs and disasters in the deep seaThis is a journey through time and water, to the bottom of the ocean and the future of our planet.We do not see the ocean when we look at the water that blankets more than two thirds of our planet. We only see the entrance to it. Beyond that entrance is a world hostile to humans, yet critical to our survival. The first divers to enter that world held their breath and splashed beneath the surface, often clutching rocks to pull them down. Over centuries, they invented wooden diving bells, clumsy diving suits, and unwieldy contraptions in attempts to go deeper and stay longer. But each advance was fraught with danger, as the intruders had to survive the crushing weight of water, or the deadly physiological effects of breathing compressed air. The vertical odyssey continued when explorers squeezed into heavy steel balls dangling on cables, or slung beneath floats filled with flammable gasoline. Plunging into the narrow trenches between the tectonic plaTrade Review‘Superb’ Engineering & Technology ‘Enthralling’ InDEPTH ‘A brisk tour through the history of diving and submersibles. The cast of characters is wide and wild’ International Journal of Science ‘On every page of this book there is an “I-didn’t-know-that” moment’ Sydney Daily Telegraph ‘Keeps you turning each page, diving deeper into history’ Melbourne Herald Sun ‘Maynard has given us a tour of the horizon on the history and practice of mankind’s quest to go ever deeper in the sea’ Don Walsh, the first person to reach the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Praise for Antarctica’s Lost Aviator ‘Filled with a sumptuous cast of real-life adventurers, this is an engrossing and stirring tale’ Kirkus Reviews ‘A simply fascinating and inherently riveting read from beginning to end. Exceptionally well researched, written, organized, and presented’ Midwest Book Review ‘Maynard teases out the skeletons in Ellsworth’s closet while layering obstacle upon obstacle’ Publishers Weekly Praise for The Unseen Anzac ‘A wonderfully researched book. Every Australian should read it. Almost every page leaves you astonished’ The Age Praise for Wings of Ice ‘This polar adventure classic is begging to be read. A ripping yarn’ Sydney Morning Herald

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Book SynopsisIn his quest to define sporting greatness', double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee has spent nearly 4 years interviewing and training with some of the greatest minds in sport to discover what it takes to become and remain a champion.Featuring:Ian Botham Mark Cavendish Alastair Cook Alex Danson Richard Dunwoody Donna Fraser Chris Froome Anna Hemmings Denis Irwin Michael Johnson Kílian Jornet Stuart Lancaster AP McCoy Ronnie O'Sullivan Michael Owen Adam Peaty Ian Poulter Paula Radcliffe Ian Thorpe Mark Webber Shane WilliamsFrom an early age Alistair Brownlee has been obsessed with being the very best, and not just improving his sporting performance across his three specialist triathlon disciplines of swimming, cycling and running, but also understanding how a winner becomes a dominant champion. Winning gold in consecutive Olympic Games has only strengthened this need and desire.Over the last 4 years Alistair has been on a journey to learn from the best, talking t

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Book SynopsisWhen the volcano Vesuvius erupted 2,000 years ago, the city of Pompeii disappeared under the ash. Four hundred years ago, Pompeii was rediscovered. The ash had preserved Pompeii so well that buildings, mosaics, statues and other artefacts have survived to the present day. So step back in time and discover what life was like in the Roman times.This is a Band 06/Orange book in the Collins Big Cat reading programme which offers varied text and characters, with action sustained over several pages. This is an information book with a timeline of events on pages 22 and 23, from eruption to discovering the lost city in the present day, allowing children to recap and discuss. This book supports discussions around history and what homes were like a long time ago. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader. For more guided reading books in this Collins Big Cat band, try Fire! Fire! (9780007186037) by Maureen Haselhurst.

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Book SynopsisA wonderfully quixotic, charming and surprisingly uplifting travelogue which sees Jack Cooke, author of the much-lovedThe Treeclimbers Guide, drive around the British Isles in a clapped-out forty-year old hearse in search of famous and not so famous tombs, graves and burial sites.Along the way, he launches a daredevil trespass into Highgate Cemetery at night, stumbles across the remains of the Welsh Druid who popularised cremation and has time to sit and ponder the imponderables at the graveside of the Lady of Hoy, an 18thcentury suicide victim whose body was kept in near condition by the bog in which she was buried. A truly unique, beautifully written and wonderfully imagined book.Trade Review‘An entertaining and strangely cheering read… full of fascinating stories’ – Country Life ‘A unique insight into Britain’s landscape’ – The Observer , '…utterly compelling – The Oldie Magazine ‘If a younger, more upbeat Bill Bryson was happy to travel Britain while using a hearse as a mobile home, this is the kind of book we’d get.’ – Reader review ‘Who’d have thought a trip in a hearse would be so enjoyable?’ – Reader review ‘A fantastic read for anyone who has loved spending a while looking through old graveyards and soaking up all the history within.’ – Reader review

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Book Synopsis*THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*A GUARDIAN AND SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARAn astonishing book' James O'BrienA gripping, devastating read' Sunday TimesThe inside story of the UK's response to the pandemic from the Insight investigations unit at The Sunday TimesFailures of State recounts the extraordinary political decisions taken at the heart of Boris Johnson's government during the global pandemic.Fully updated and corroborated by hundreds of sources, this is the insider's account of how the government sleepwalked into disaster and tried to cover up its role in the tragedy. Thrillingly told, it exposes one of the most scandalous failures of political leadership in British history.A damning indictment' Alan Johnson, ObserverA devastating piece of journalism' Andrew MarrThis is a scandal' Piers MorganTrade Review‘An astonishing book that you absolutely have to buy … the nearest we’ll get to an inquiry.’ James O’Brien ‘Failures of State is a Christmas-at-Argos sized catalogue of the government’s errors, page after page filled with its mistakes, misjudgments and even its possibly actionable crimes.’ Jonathan Freedland, Guardian ‘This book is superb. Painful but necessary reading.’ Rachel Clarke ‘A masterpiece. This is one of the most important books of our time.’ Owen Jones ‘A brilliantly presented indictment of the UK’s fumbling attempt to meet the Covid challenge.’ Kazuo Ishiguro, Guardian ‘Failures of State is a gripping, devastating read. It’s a piece of first-class investigative journalism… this is a work of history. It’s witness. It’s also a kind of catharsis.’ Christina Patterson, Sunday Times ‘Incredibly reported and wildly damning … It is impossible to read Failures of State, the frequently jaw-dropping book by Sunday Times journalists Jonathan Calvert and George Arbuthnott, and not conclude that the British people deserved far, far better from the government’ Marina Hyde, Guardian ‘A frightening and detailed account of the failures of the last 12 months. Some of the revelations are sickening and shocking.’ Armando Iannucci, satirist and writer ‘A damning indictment’ Alan Johnson, Observer ‘Superb journalism … a truly remarkable book.’ Professor Devi Sridhar, Chair of Global Public Health ‘Buy it and read it so you’re never tempted to forget’ John Crace, Guardian journalist ‘A devastating new account of Year Covid exposes the Prime Minister’s utter failure to meet the nation’s greatest health crisis for a century.’ Paul Routledge, Daily Mirror ‘I cannot recommend this book enough’ David Schneider, comedian and writer

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Book Synopsis

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