True stories of discovery Books

Book SynopsisThe only contemporary history of the birth of Silicon Valley, from the reporter who had a ringside seat to it all. Over the past five decades, the tech industry has grown into one of the most important sectors of the global economy. Silicon Valley―replete with sprawling office parks, sky-high rents, and countless self-made millionaires―is home to many of its key players. But the origins of Silicon Valley and the tech sector are much humbler. At a time when tech companies’ influence continues to grow, The Big Score chronicles how they began. One of the first reporters on the tech industry beat at the San Jose Mercury-News, Michael S. Malone recounts the feverish efforts of young technologists and entrepreneurs to build something that would change the world―and score them a big payday. Starting with the birth of Hewlett-Packard in the 1930s, Malone illustrates how decades of technological innovation laid the foundation for the meteoric rise of the Valley in the 1970s. Drawing on exclusive, unvarnished interviews, Malone punctuates this history with incisive profiles of tech’s early luminaries―including Nobelist William Shockley and Apple’s Steve Jobs―when they were struggling entrepreneurs working 18-hour days in their garages. And he plunges us into the darker side of the Valley, where espionage, drugs, hellish working conditions, and shocking betrayals shaped the paths for winners and losers in a booming industry. A decades-long story with individual sacrifice, ingenuity, and big money at its core, The Big Score recounts the history of today’s most dynamic sector through its upstart beginnings.Trade Review"As Silicon Valley began its long march to global dominance, one writer was there to record it all--from the tiniest etchings on silicon wafers to the galaxy sized egos that built Apple, Intel, Google and others--and that writer, Mike Malone, turned it into a saga for the ages. He’s been called Silicon Valley’s Boswell, but I think Cecille B. DeMille captures Malone’s epic storytelling power." ―Rich Karlgaard, former Forbes publisher "The Big Score is the definitive chronicle of Silicon Valley’s origins, vividly brought to life by native son Mike Malone. The relentless cycles of invention and reinvention that have defined Silicon Valley for over a century suggest that little is permanent, yet the lessons of its genesis are timeless. In laying bare this dramatic history, Mike helps us understand why Silicon Valley ultimately transcended its geography and inspired the best and brightest to defy the limits of human ingenuity, wherever they are." ―Kim Polese, chairman, CrowdSmart "Mike Malone is the gold standard for telling Silicon Valley’s history. He has witnessed the evolution of the Valley from fruit groves to office parks and has cataloged the world’s dependency on the Valley’s innovative technology. Experience the growth of Silicon Valley through the eyes of a pioneer, friend, reporter, and mentor to so many of us early Valley entrepreneurs." ―Sandy Kurtzig, founder, CEO, and chairman of the ASK Group"Mike Malone’s epic depiction of Silicon Valley was a calling card for me and countless other young entrepreneurs with a background in tech. Malone’s stories captured the essence of Valley culture and the many outsized personalities who helped create this mecca of tech. Years later, this book is still relevant and offers insights into the Valley and its ongoing place in the world." ―Jeff Skoll, first president of eBay “Since 1985, when The Big Score was originally published, the dominant and seemingly enduring companies it documented have mostly fallen by the wayside, and the overall technological landscape is wildly different. And so, while The Big Score continues to exist as an encyclopedic and highly entertaining record of Silicon Valley’s origins, it also provides a glimpse of what’s to come. Nothing ever changes in Silicon Valley, it implicitly testifies, and nothing ever stays the same.” ―Reid Hoffman, partner at Greylock and co-author of Blitzscaling "From its discussion of the Valley's deep roots in the semiconductor industry, to the rise of start-ups, venture capital, and the emergence of new models of management, The Big Score documents the beginnings of a technological transformation. When the book was first published, the microprocessor was kickstaring the computer industry. Today, our greatest innovators continue to build on the work of these early pioneers." ―John Hennessy, president emeritus of Stanford University and chairman, Alphabet Inc. "This is a captivating contemporary history of the pre-internet computer industry. Now, 36 years later, it is a fascinating time capsule chronicling the roots of an explosion that is about to occur. Malone's refreshingly honest new foreword, describing retrospectively what he did and didn't get right, is by itself worth the price of admission." ―Len Shustek, founding chairman, Computer History Museum "The Big Score covers the people and companies that shaped many aspects of early Silicon Valley--people from humble beginnings who took huge risks to accomplish great things while dealing with their own fallibility. This book captures the can-do maker-spirit of the early tech industry and gives us a unique view into a key moment in time." ―Elad Gil, author of High Growth Handbook "The story of Silicon Valley and the digital transformation underway in every facet of our lives can be told from a thousand different vantage points. Read this book to learn that the essential element in the story may not, in fact, be silicon, but rather the people who made it." ―Dan'l Lewin, president and CEO, Computer History Museum "What’s remarkable about The Big Score? It’s truly the first, and by far the best, panoramic history of the Valley’s founding. But more than that, it shows the emergence of Mike Malone as the conscience of Silicon Valley, something the Valley needs now more than ever." ―Ed Clendaniel, editorial page editor, San Jose Mercury-News

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Book Synopsis'No other person who has flown in space has captured the experience so vividly' - New York Times Book Review In July 1969, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins piloted the Apollo 11 spacecraft to the moon. Fifty years later, it is still one of the greatest achievements in human history.In this remarkable memoir, Michael Collins conveys, in a very personal way, the drama, beauty, and humour of that adventure. He also traces his development from his first flight experiences in the air force, through his days as a test pilot, to his involvement in Project Gemini and his first spaceflight on Gemini 10. He presents an evocative picture of the famous Apollo 11 spacewalk, detailing the joys of flight and a new perspective on time, light, and movement from someone who has seen the fragile Earth from the other side of the moon.Updated with a new preface to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon-landing, Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins is the utterly absorbing and truly compelling classic account of what it was like to be a member of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon.Trade ReviewCollins tells what his space journeys meant to him as a human being [and] discusses the role of man amid the multitudinous mechanical marvels . . . Profoundly affecting * The New Yorker *Michael Collins can write . . . No other person who has flown in space has captured the experience so vividly * The New York Times Book Review *A splendid and affirmative book . . . A magnificent piece of exposition alive with humour, candid in its anxiety, very sensitive in its appreciation of the men involved. -- Edward Weeks * The Atlantic Monthly *

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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 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 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 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 SynopsisIn this “thought-provoking blend of history, biography, women’s studies, and travelogue” (Library Journal) Mia Kankimäki recounts her enchanting travels in Japan, Kenya, and Italy while retracing the steps of ten remarkable female pioneers from history.What can a forty-something childless woman do? Bored with her life and feeling stuck, Mia Kankimäki leaves her job, sells her apartment, and decides to travel the world, following the paths of the female explorers and artists from history who have long inspired her. She flies to Tanzania and then to Kenya to see where Karen Blixen—of Out of Africa fame—lived in the 1920s. In Japan, Mia attempts to cure her depression while researching Yayoi Kusama, the contemporary artist who has voluntarily lived in a psychiatric hospital for decades. In Italy, Mia spends her days looking for the works of forgotten Renaissance women painters of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and finally finds her heroines in the portraits of Sofonisba Anguissola, Lavinia Fontana, and Atremisia Gentileschi. If these women could make it in the world hundreds of years ago, why can’t Mia? The Women I Think About at Night is “an astute, entertaining…[and] insightful” (Publishers Weekly) exploration of the lost women adventurers of history who defied expectations in order to see—and change—the world.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewSELECTED AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY: JIM CRACE, GUARDIAN – ‘A whole wide world of significance’ SARAH SANDS, NEW STATESMAN – ‘Sheer delight’ MICHAEL PRODGER, EVENING STANDARD – ‘Picaresque history’ DAN JONES, DAILY TELEGRAPH – ‘Tremendously inventive’ LEV GROSSMAN, TIME MAGAZINE – ‘Thrilling history’ CHLOE SCHAMA, NEW REPUBLIC – ‘Unadulterated delight’ KIRKUS – ‘Gripping’ MAIL ON SUNDAY – ‘Tragic’ ‘A book as delightful as it is unexpected … [an] extraordinary cabinet of drifting aerial wonderment, a book that will linger and last, as it floats ever upward in the mind’ Simon Winchester, Wall Street Journal ‘Holmes presents a full-blown, lyrical history of the same subject, investigating the strangeness, detachment and powerful romance of ‘falling upwards’ into a seemingly alien and uninhabitable element. He lovingly charts … a history full of awe and inefficiency … A truly masterly storyteller’ Evening Standard ‘Endlessly exhilarating … packed full of swashbuckling stories, as well as fascinating historical accounts of the use of balloons. It is also a singularly beautiful book, wonderfully designed and illustrated and quite clearly a product of love’ Mail on Sunday ‘What Holmes teases out … is that ballooning gave us, quite literally, a different point of view … This exhilarating book, wonderfully written, generously illustrated and beautifully published, captures all that and more’ Spectator ‘Holmes conjures an extraordinarily vivid, violent, thrilling history, full of bizarre personalities, narrow escapes and fatal plunges. A peerless prose artist, infectiously curious’ Time Magazine

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Book SynopsisAn extraordinary, eye-opening account of the Holocaust. A new edition of Jack Fairweather's Costa Book of the Year for children aged 12 and up.

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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 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 SynopsisA Sunday Times Book of the Year As featured on the BBC Radio 2 Book Club Dr James Barry: Inspector General of Hospitals, army surgeon, duellist, reformer, ladykiller, eccentric. He performed the first successful Caesarean in the British Empire, outraged the military establishment and gave Florence Nightingale a dressing down at Scutari. At home he was surrounded by a menagerie of animals, including a cat, a goat, a parrot and a terrier. Long ago in Cork, Ireland, he had also been a mother. This is the amazing tale of Margaret Anne Bulkley, the young woman who broke the rules of Georgian society to become one of the most respected surgeons of the century. In an extraordinary life, she crossed paths with the British Empire’s great and good, royalty and rebels, soldiers and slaves. A medical pioneer, she rose to a position that no woman before her had been allowed to occupy, but for all her successes, her long, audacious deception also left her isolated, even costing her the chance to be with the man she loved.Trade Review‘A scintillating portrait of Barry’s life…that feels almost Dickensian in style.’ * Guardian *‘An astounding story – of obstinacy, ambition, genius, fearlessness and pioneering feminism.’ * Daily Mail *‘Thoroughly engaging.’ * Sunday Times, Books of the Year *‘Gripping, unusual, moving.’ * Times, Books of the Year *‘A comprehensive account.’ * London Review of Books *'Fascinating’. * History Today *‘Thoroughly researched, stimulating…Highly recommended’. * The Lady *‘Fascinating’ * Irish Independent *‘An irresistible little byway in 18th-century medical and social history’. * Oldie *‘An elegant and sensitive biography…du Preez and Dronfield have done Margaret Buckley and her alter ego proud in this absorbing book.’ * The Times *‘At each turn of this quite gripping biography I found myself gasping in disbelief…the excavations of Michael du Preez…and Jeremy Dronfield…have yielded startling new evidence about the period…Their research is authoritative and prodigious’. * Literary Review *‘This fantastic book is so much more than a biography of a very remarkable woman. The thread of her personal story weaves its way through a meticulously researched record of a fascinating period in world history…compulsive reading.’ -- Dame Margaret Turner-Warwick, first female President, Royal College of Physicians‘A cracking story’. -- Maggie Fergusson * Spectator *‘This is a fascinating account of the life and career of Dr James Barry as a doctor working in the early nineteenth century. Although Dr Barry obtained a Diploma from this College in 1813 it is only now through this book we are able to fully understand and recognise her achievements.’ -- Clare Marx, President, the Royal College of Surgeons of England‘I found the book immensely enjoyable. It’s a fascinating story, told with verve, sensitivity and skill – the result of an awe-inspiring amount of research and detective work, managed with delicacy and flair. I felt the book had a real feel for the times and I appreciated its firm historical grounding, and the way in which imagination and a rigorous approach to fact played so well together. A marvellous read, and a story worth telling.’ -- Rodney Bolt, author of The Impossible Life of Mary Benson‘This is the extraordinary and remarkable story of the transformation of Margaret Bulkley, a red-haired Irish girl from Cork, into Dr James Barry, physician, medical reformer, friend of the rich, friend of the poor and fearless and irascible scourge of the stupidity, complacency, ineptitude and greed of Britain’s Colonial establishment. Dr James Barry kept his great secret for over fifty years and the truth that he was, in fact, a woman was only revealed to an incredulous public after his death. Meticulously researched and written with great verve, this biography is about as good as it gets.’ -- Neil McKenna, author of Fanny & Stella: The Young Men Who Shocked Victorian England'Extensively researched, a fascinating story of a woman taking extreme measures to work in a man’s world.’ -- Richard Hollingham, author of Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery

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Book SynopsisThis entertaining and informative book tells the dramatic tale of explosives from gunpowder to the H-bomb. Laying the emphasis on the lives of the people involved, on the diverse uses of explosives and on their social and historical impact, the author relates a story of remarkable international and human endeavour. Many of those involved - Roger Bacon, Guy Fawkes, Alfred Nobel, Robert Oppenheimer - are famed worldwide; others, such as C F Schonbein, William Bickford, Sir Frederick Abel and Charles E Munroe, though less well-known, also played critical roles. Alongside their achievements, this book highlights the uses and impact of explosives in both war and terrorism, and in civil engineering, quarrying, mining, demolition, fireworks manufacture and shooting for sport. In many cases explosives are seen to have had a significant historical impact as, for example, in the early use of gunpowder in the American Civil War, the defeat of the Spanish Armada, and the worldwide opening up of ca

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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 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 SynopsisThe incredible story of the King of the Pirates, who burst from the waters of early Canada to become a terror of the seas.He was tall, dark, and handsome, he wore fine velvets and lace, and in four tumultuous years he tore the guts out of the Atlantic. Bartholomew Roberts took over four hundred ships and rarely lost a fight at sea in his short, spectacular reign. Black Flag of the North tells the story of Roberts's dramatic life, from his boyhood in rural South Wales through his days at sea in the slave trade. He set the Atlantic aflame from the Grand Banks to Brazil, and by blood and fire won his reputation as the fearless and feared king of the pirates.Trade ReviewBlack Flag of the North provides a good overview of the period, while succinctly entertaining readers with the meteoric rise and fall of the man often referred to as ‘King of the Pirates.' * Privates and Privateers blog *Table of Contents Chapter 1: Drawn to the Sea Chapter 2: A Dark Enterprise Chapter 3: The Sweet Trade Chapter 4: Piracy and Canada Chapter 5: The Blade Unsheathed Chapter 6: Armed to the Teeth Chapter 7: A Grim Vengeance Chapter 8: Plunder and Loot Chapter 9: The Bloody End Chapter 10: The Lasting Myth Notes Select Bibliography Image Credits Index

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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 SynopsisFifty stories showcasing the impact made by inspiring individuals and inventions on the development of the sailing world as we know it

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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 SynopsisTrade ReviewPraise for The Curse of Oak Island: “Sullivan writes with open-minded balance, rendering the Oak Island story into a weirdly fascinating mystery.” —Booklist “The Curse of Oak Island is a definitive read for fans of the History Channel television show. Sullivan delves deeper into the history, personalities, and theories presented only briefly on the show. His approach is mostly unbiased, though he does tell the reader his thoughts on some of the theories and the theorists that he thoroughly researches and debunks. The book is incredibly well researched and the presentation . . . is very readable. If you’ve watched The Curse of Oak Island and were frustrated that snippets and possibilities were left tantalizingly unexplored, this is the book for you.” —Heather Cover, Homewood Library (Birmingham, Alabama) “Sullivan isn’t writing about Oak Island the TV show; his subject is Oak Island the place, largely as seen and imagined by the show’s viewers. So, if you’ve ever been more entranced by the show’s long trips into history and theoretical island encounters across history, Sullivan’s book probably needs to be on your Christmas list.” —Starcasm Praise for Randall Sullivan: “Compelling . . . No single source presents so complete or damning a record as LAbyrinth.” —Entertainment Weekly on LAbyrinth “As a forceful author, Sullivan does a masterly job of juggling the dense thicket of facts and navigating the crowded chronology of the case.” —Salon.com on LAbryinth “Sullivan’s reportage is extraordinary, his narrative enthralling.” —Rolling Stone on The Price of Experience “Sullivan’s riveting tale is amazingly detailed and artfully presented. . . You can hardly turn the page fast enough . . . Contiporary history, brilliantly written.” —Playboy on The Price of Experience “[An] engrossing, damning tale . . . Exhaustively researched, the book methodically weaves a disturbing story of corruption, intimidation, and murder.” —Boston Globe on LAbyrinth “Worthy of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sullivan captures the essence of the world in which Hunt and the BBC operated.” —Chicago Tribune on The Price of Experience “A stunning mix of the personal and the historic, interviews and experiences, with Sullivan incredibly nimble at making the worlds overlap.” —Booklist (starred review) on The Miracle Detective “Well-told and expertly researched.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Miracle Detective

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Book SynopsisFew people have changed the world like the Nobel Prize winners. Each of them has a unique story to tell, combining advice and inspiration, challenges and discoveries, eureka moments and failures. A call from Stockholm turned a group of twenty-four academics into Nobel Prize winners. This is their call to the next generations worldwide.Trade Review'Stefano Sandrone's wonderful gift to the readers of this book is an opportunity to spend a few precious private moments with 24 Nobel Prize winners. There are wisdom and valuable advice in each chapter, but it is the insights into each Nobelist as a real person, with real life stories, that makes this book very special.' Magdalena Skipper, Editor-in-Chief of Nature'Nobel Life offers tantalising glimpses into the Nobel Prize winners' works, their ideas and their personalities. Showing the humanity of some and the humanness of all, we see curiosity and creativity, collaboration and competition, selfishness and generosity, graciousness and haughtiness.' Shirley M. Malcom, Head of Education and Human Resources Programs of the American Association for the Advancement of Science'In these touching conversational portraits of Nobel Laureates, the reader is invited to follow their scientific quest and personal life trajectories, often marked by unexpected turns. Stefano Sandrone succeeds in revealing the human side of brilliant scientists who emerge as individuals with their passions and quirks, yet humble and with a sense of social responsibility.' Helga Nowotny, Professor emerita at ETH Zurich and Former President of the European Research Council'No interviews have ever discussed all the facets of the lives of these explorers of unknown territories in science and medicine. Stefano Sandrone has formulated intelligent questions for intelligent people.' Anders Bárány, Professor emeritus at Stockholm University and Former Scientific Secretary to the Nobel Committee for Physics'An interesting collection of interviews of Nobel Prize winners. An insight into their minds. Their struggles. Their findings and science. What they were doing when they got the call. All have one thing is common. They are humble and thankful. A wonderful read to enlighten readers.' Amit V, NetGalley Reader'This would make a superlative choice for library acquisition, as well as for readers who enjoy science writing and biography … Five stars. Well written and interesting with insights into a world most of us will never experience.' Annie Buchanan, Goodreads'The book includes much vivid detail about the human side of science.' Matthew Reisz, Times Higher Education'sometimes funny, occasionally poignant, and always insightful … Highly recommended for all readers.' Z. B. Johnson, Choice ConnectTable of Contents1. The periodic table Roald Hoffmann; 2. Eureka in Disney world Peter Agre; 3. Flying high Richard Ernst; 4. I'll show you what a woman can do Françoise Barré-Sinoussi; 5. Toys' stories Aaron Ciechanover and Edmond Fischer; 6. Clarity Tim Hunt; 7. Mentoring Martin Chalfie, Hamilton Smith and Johann Deisenhofer; 8. A stroke of colour Roger Tsien; 9. Impact factors Randy Schekman; 10. Know thyself Venkatraman Ramakrishnan; 11. Memory and vision Eric Kandel and Torsten Wiesel; 12. Words and people Daniel Kahneman; 13. Christmas and carol Elizabeth Blackburn and Hamilton Smith; 14. Rocket science Kary Mullis; 15. The big bang practice Arno Penzias, Hamilton Smith and David Gross; 16. Houston, we have a solution and many questions John Mather; 17. À la recherche of space and time Brian Schmidt; 18. Leadership and society Roger Myerson; 19. Of kings and cabbages Bob Solow; 20. Foreword to the future; Index.

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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 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 SynopsisThe inspiration behind the powerful new film starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson and Emily Watson, this is the story of Dido Belle, whose adoption by an aristocratic family challenged the conventions of 18th century England.In one of the most famous portraits in the world, a pretty girl walks through the grounds of Kenwood House, a vision of aristocratic refinement. But the eye is drawn to the beautiful woman on her right. Pointing at her own cheek, she playfully acknowledges her remarkable position in eighteenth-century society. For Dido Belle was the illegitimate, mixed-race daughter of a Royal Navy captain and a slave woman, adopted by the Earl of Mansfield. As Lord Chief Justice of England he would preside over the notorious Zong case the drowning of 142 slaves by an unscrupulous shipping company. His ruling provided the legal underpinning to the abolition of slavery in Britain.From the privileged yet unequal lives of Dido and her cousin Elizabeth, to the horrific treatment ofTrade Review‘A touching account … artfully constructed’ Sunday Times ‘The theatrical zest of the narrative, which is a tie-in with a movie of the same name, holds it all together’ The Times Praise for film previews of ‘Belle’: ‘A lovely, female-centric romance that completely reinvents the period movie in a way that will resound for quite some time’ Empire ‘Elegant and emotionally satisfying … this handsome period piece tells a continually fascinating, unusually layered story’ Variety Praise for Paula Byrne’s ‘The Real Jane Austen’: ‘The portrait of Austen that emerges is sparklingly multi-faceted, catching the light in intriguing ways … her Jane is far less likely to go for a quiet walk in the garden than she is to be whisked into town in search of a velvet cushion, a necklace or a smart new dress’ Mail on Sunday ‘Engaging, compelling, a delightful and engrossing book. Of course we all know that the "real" Jane Austen will forever be a mystery, but most 21st century Janeites will adore this one. Byrne's passion is nothing if not persuasive’ Sunday Times ‘Brilliantly illuminating … riveting. By focusing, chapter by chapter, on one thread or another of Austen's experience, Byrne allows us to grasp the richness of her inner life’ Simon Callow, Guardian

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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 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 SynopsisOn 14th April 1912 the Titanic struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage and sank. Fifteen hundred passengers and crew lost their lives. As the order to abandon ship was given, the orchestra took their instruments on deck and continued to play. They were still playing when the ship went down.The violinist, 21 year-old Jock Hume, knew that his fiancée, Mary, was expecting their first child, the author''s mother.One hundred years later, Christopher Ward reveals a dramatic story of love, loss and betrayal, and the catastrophic impact of Jock''s death on two very different Scottish families. He paints a vivid portrait of an age in which class determined the way you lived - and died. An outstanding piece of historical detective work, AND THE BAND PLAYED ON is also a moving account of how the author''s quest to learn more about his grandfather revealed the shocking truth about a family he thought he knew, a truth that had been hidden for nearly a hundred yearsTrade ReviewTragedy has a long reach, and heroism is a great burden...Their story plainly told, is intended as a parallel to the events of 9/11 and the consequences for so many lives thereafter. * The Times *'This extraordinary book was bourne out of that research, revealing the enduring shadow that a tragedy like Titanic - and the ensuing corporate cover-up - casts over future generations of those involved'. * Woman's Weekly *Christopher Ward's book about his 21-year-old grandfather...has produced a fascinating tale. This is the moving story of Jock Hume, a member of the Titanic's band, which played on for as long as possible. Everyone of them died. * Press Association *A gripping and moving account not just of the sinking of the Titanic, and the wretched class system which bedevilled the aftermath, but of the long-term impact on survivors and dependants. What started out as a story for the author's children and grandchildren has turned into a terrific read for everyone. * Alastair Campbell *'A moving homage to all of the men, women and children who heard the last music played onboard the SS Titanic, and to the people they left behind'. * Scotsman *'Christopher Ward's clever and touching account of his grandfather's death'. * Scotsman *Gripping and in places deeply disturbing human stories of the Titanic disaster and its diverse sequels. A major contribution to family and to social history by the grandson of the young violinist playing in the Titanic as the ship sank. * Professor Asa Briggs, author of A Social History of England *'As Christopher Ward delved into his past he unearthed a story of true love, which turned to hate with the sinking of the Titanic'. * Sunday Express *A heartbreaking story, wonderfully told. * Julian Fellowes, author of Gosford Park *'A poignant memorial'. * Spectator *'As the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic moves closer, a significant number of publications focusing on the tragedy are appearing. However, Christopher Ward's new book on the disaster sets a high benchmark for the competition to follow... This is an interesting piece of genealogical research, as well as a gripping individual story from the tragedy'. * Family History Monthly *'Ward bring together both personal stories from his own family... with the wider history of the famous ship and its passengers... He excels in researching the period after the tragedy, and the way in which those who lost their lives were treated according to class'. * Your Family Tree *'A moving account of author Christopher Ward's quest to learn about his grandfather, a Scottish-born musician who played on board the Titanic'. * History Scotland *'Written by his grandson it tells a story of love, loss and the terrible impact Hume's death had on two families. A moving human story from the ship's disaster.' 5 stars * Daily Express *An outstanding piece of historical detective work by Christopher Ward about his family. An utterly absorbing read as the 100th anniversary approaches. * The Weekly *The devastating impact of Jock's death and the ensuing saga of family friction and duplicity that emerges add depth to the Titanic story. * The Good Book Guide *

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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 SynopsisOffers, for the first time, a book-length study of an infamous cause célèbre in seventeenth-century Rome, how it resonated then and has continued to resonate: the 1659 investigation and prosecution of Gironima Spana and dozens of Roman widows, who shared a particularly effective poison to murder their husbands.

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Book SynopsisThe story of a classic motorcycle racer who was fortunate enough to be able to ride many of the best machines from the period, at the highest level, and on many of the most famous road racing courses in the world. There are tales of success, friendships, and the loss of racing pals. Machine preparation and mechanical failures feature heavily, and the story recounts the author's frustrations and joys. Andy Reynolds maintained and built many of the bikes he raced, and ultimately retired from riding to become both a machine scrutineer and a sponsor. All aspects of motorcycle racing are covered in the author's easy-to-read and entertaining narrative, and it is a fascinating read for any motorcycle enthusiast. Come into the world of Classic Racing Motorcycles - but bring your cheque book and medical insurance!Trade ReviewThe book is an exciting adventure about one man and his passion for racing classic motorcycles ... - Classic Trial Magazine. --- it is one of the best books ever written about racing at grass roots level and something of a bargain at GBP15.99. - Ian Kerr --- a fascinating read for any motorcycle enthusiast ... It is a personal account of one man's dedication and ambition - which he achieved. - Fishtail --- The book is thick on detail which paints an interesting picture of life in the past half century, and is well written and easy to read. Anyone with even a slight interest in the Classic Racing world will find it great entertainment. Old Bike Australasia --- a true-to-life story told with humor, clarity, and passion. Reynolds is relatable to everyone who rides and is inspirational to anyone who longs to give racing of about any type a try. - Ultimate MotorCycling --- Wow, this is quite a book! ... RCM is a good read ... Get the book, you'll love it! - The Jampot Magazine --- this is a fascinating read, lavishly illustrated, and thoroughly entertaining. - Old Bike MartTable of ContentsChapter 1. Formative years 2. Road racing at last. Plus a new career. 3.Grass track racing and Velocette adventures. 4. The Lotus Elan and building the Seeley-Matchless 5. The beginning of the Seeley years and Pete 6. Such sadness and some good racing 7. Seeley racing and improvement 8. Credibility and the downside 9. Good racing but with some pain 10. Adventures in Europe and other painful experiences 11. The Petty Norton 12. Meeting 'Bobby Lad' plus the TT 13. The Paton. Part 1. 100 mph! 14. The Paton Part 2. Job Done! 15. The TAB Honda. 16. A new Manx Norton 17. Stories from the Manx Norton years 18. My little Italian beauty. The Aermacchi 19. Goodwood Revival adventures 20. The Spanner men 21. The sponsors. The list is endless 22. The final laps 23. The future and the TZ Yamaha 24. The End!

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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 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 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 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 SynopsisThis under-documented expedition was a pivotal moment in the annals of polar exploration and was the starting point, in historical terms, of revealing the great unknown continent of Antarctica. It was the first time in nearly 70 years since Captain James Cook had circumnavigated Antarctica, that a Royal Naval voyage of discovery had ventured so far South. They set a new 'furthest south' record in the process beating the one set up by James Weddell in a whaling ship in 1823. The expedition set sail from Greenwich in 1839. It consisted of two wooden sailing ships commanded by Captain James Clark Ross and Commander Francis Crozier. The ships were manned exclusively by Royal Naval personnel and each ship had a complement of 64 men and officers. Their primary task was of a scientific nature to study the Earth's magnetic field and build up a set of results that could provide a greater understanding of the effects of magnetism on compasses and their use in navigating the world's oceans. This voyage had a set of planned targets and all were accomplished. In the process a vast amount of scientific information was collected. Many exotic places were visited during the voyage amongst them Madeira, St Helena, Cape Town, Kerguelen island, New Zealand, Australia and the Falkland Islands but the pinnacle was the discovery of the Ross Sea, The Ross Ice Shelf and the mighty volcanoes of Erebus and Terror (named after the two ships). The crews experienced the dangers of navigating in ice-strewn waters and narrowly escaping being crushed by icebergs. Illness was kept at bay although several lives were lost due to accidents. It would be another 60 years before the scenes of their greatest discoveries were visited again and then the Golden Age of Discovery was ushered in with the likes of Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen.Table of ContentsPart 1 - The Expedition. In the Beginning; Targets and instructions; James Clark Ross and Francis Crozier; Setting sail to Madeira and the Atlantic Islands; Cape Town and beyond; Next stop - Hobart, Tasmania; First taste of the ice; Amazing discoveries and wonders to behold; Turning North; South again to the Great Ice Barrier; Impending Disaster; Wild cattle hunt and a third winter away; Return to the Antarctic. Part 2 - The sailors' stories. Part 3 - The sailors' ships

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Book Synopsis** Chosen as a May 2021 pick for The Fearless Book Club by Nobel Peace Prize-Winner, Malala Yousafzai **Travel writer Julia Cooke's exhilarating portrait of Pan Am stewardesses in the Mad Men era.Glamour, danger, liberation: in the Jet Age, Pan Am offered young women the world. 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 Review...In confident, clear-eyed, multi-layered prose, Julia Cooke brings to life the true stories of unforgettable Pan-Am stewardesses who defied convention, to seek more from life than they were given. This is a well-researched and fascinating history of air travel, gender equality, and so much more. -- – Rachel Khong, author of GOODBYE VITAMINCome Fly the World is a pop passport to another time. Take a social history flight with the women of Pan Am. -- – Lily Koppel, author of New York Times bestseller THE ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUBBefore second-wave feminism came along to challenge the admissions policies of law, medical, and business schools, there were stewardesses-women every bit as daring and determined as their later counterparts in the professions, and having more fun... [Come Fly the World is] a rollicking, rambunctious ride down the runway of mid-century modern life. -- – Megan Marshall, author of Pulitzer Prize-winning MARGARET FULLER: A New American Life and ELIZABETH BISHOP: A Miracle for BreakfastThis engrossing account, which reads like a novel, offers a combination of riveting personal stories and little-known history, and will draw in readers from the first page. -- - Library Journal'Here's the chance to travel-in time and in the sky-vicariously. Julia Cooke's intimate storytelling weaves together the real-life tales of a memorable cast of Pan Am flight attendants as they embraced the liberation of their new jet-set life. The nonfiction work also unearths little-known stories about how Pan Am flight attendants went above and beyond, including their role in the Vietnam War.' -- Fortune

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Book SynopsisThe story of intrepid palaeontologists, the discoverers of prehistoric life, and the revelations found through their research. Table of ContentsThe Delicate Roots of Palaeontology • From a Dubious Start, Giants Slowly Emerge • The Rise of the Lizard-Like Dinosaurs • The Concept of 'Terrible Reptiles' • Flying Dinosaurs? • A Revolutionary Portrait • Titans of American Palaeontology Boom to Bust • Titans of American Palaeontology Bust to Boom • The Great American Bone Wars • The 'First Family' of Dinosaur Collecting • King of Collectors • Clues Contained in Trace Fossils • Discovery and Destruction • Immense Beasts from Equatorial Africa • To the Heart of Asia • The First Family Portrait • Dinosaurs Return to the Global Stage • A Modern-day Makeover • Following in Andrews' Footsteps and Beyond • Unscrambling a Mystery • Extreme Dinosaurs • Asian Windows on the Mesozoic World • Flocks of Fabulous Fossils • The Tiniest Giants • African Evolution • The Great Murder Mystery • Jurassic Park.

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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 SynopsisProfessor Tudor Parfitt, a real-life British Indiana Jones, has made the biggest discovery of the last 3,000 years – what became of the fabled Ark of the Covenant. This is the amazing story of his quest.Trade ReviewReviews for Tudor Parfitt’s previous books: ‘Parfitt …is a British Indiana Jones seeking the Lost Tribes of Israel' Wall Street Journal 'A rare mixture of scholarship and travelogue. There isn't a dull line in the book.' Sunday Telegraph 'Parfitt reveals a rare talent for combining rigorous academic standards with a sense of drama, an elegant style and, most pleasing of all, the eye for fine detail of a first-class travel writer.' Mail on Sunday 'This is an exceptionally good book, lucidly written and exhibiting all the craftsmanship of a first-rate detective novel.' Weekend Telegraph

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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 heart-warming story of a woman who devoted her life to helping others. This is the memoir of Joan, who started nursing in the 1940s and whose experiences took her into the Yorkshire mining pits and through the tumult of the 1984-85 miners’ strike.

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Book SynopsisA wonderfully quixotic, charming and surprisingly uplifting travelogue which sees Jack Cooke, author of the much-loved The 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.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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