Search results for ""macmillan""

'American storytelling at its era-spanning best . . . An immersive, multi-layered portrait of a marriage, Nathan Hill’s follow-up to The Nix is a work of quiet genius.' – The Observer'The incredible scope of this dazzlingly detailed state-of-the-nation satire almost defies description . . . Brilliant doesn’t begin to describe it, but I’ll say it anyway.' – Daily Mail'I doubt I'll enjoy many books this year as much as Wellness.' – The TimesAn Oprah's Book Club Pick.A powerfully affecting novel about how we change, grow and age, Wellness is a story of marriage, middle age, our tech-obsessed health culture, and the bonds that keep people together.When Jack and Elizabeth meet as college students in the 90s, the two quickly join forces and hold on tight, each eager to claim a place in Chicago’s thriving underground art scene with an appreciative kindred spirit. Fast-forward twenty years to married life, and the no-longer-youthful dreamers are forced to face their demons, from unfulfilled career ambitions to painful childhood memories of their own dysfunctional families. In the process, Jack and Elizabeth must undertake separate, personal excavations, or risk losing the best thing in their lives: each other.Moving from the gritty 90s Chicago art scene to a suburbia of detox diets and home renovation hysteria, Wellness mines the absurdities of modern technology and modern love to reveal profound, startling truths about intimacy and connection. In this follow-up to Nathan Hill’s electric debut The Nix, Wellness reimagines the love story with healthy doses of insight, irony and heart.

Read more less

'A punchy and very funny campus novel which manages to satirise the culture wars without ever making too clear which side of the cancel-culture v anti-woke divide the author stands on' – Nicola Sturgeon'Taranto’s hilarious, provocative debut novel, is at once bracingly contemporary and reassuringly familiar . . . The novel’s peculiar genius lies in how you’re never entirely sure where Taranto’s sympathies lie.' – The Times'A hit, a very palpable hit' – The SpectatorJulius Taranto’s wickedly satirical and refreshingly irreverent debut novel, a young physicist follows her mentor to an island research institute that gives safe harbour to ‘cancelled’ artists and scientists.Helen, a graduate student on a quest to save the planet, is one of the best minds of her generation. But when her irreplaceable advisor’s student sex scandal is exposed, she must choose whether to give up on her work or accompany him to RIP, a research institute which grants safe harbour to the disgraced and the deplorable.As Helen settles into life at the institute alongside her partner Hew, she develops a crush on an older novelist, while he is drawn to an increasingly violent protest movement. As the rift between them deepens, they both face major – and potentially world-altering – choices.Hilarious, provocative and thought-provoking, How I Won A Nobel Prize approaches the issues of our times in a genuine and fresh way, examining the price we’re willing to pay for progress and what it means, in the end, to be a good person.‘A stunning new talent, announcing itself fully formed’ – Jonathan Lethem, author of Motherless Brooklyn

Read more less

A super silly this-or-that choosing book – the perfect Halloween treat for little monsters everywhere!Would you rather have eight legs to scurry through the night?Or would you rather spread your wings and take a midnight flight?Spider or bat? Skeleton or monster? Cute cat or wily werewolf? Get ready to play Would You Rather: Halloween! In this laugh-out-loud rhyming picture book, preschool readers are given a fun choice on each page, with bouncy read-aloud text, bright, colourful illustrations and loads to spot along the way.Would You Rather? Halloween by Donna David and Eamonn O'Neill is packed full of spooky fun, plus an amazing fold-out game at the end and reading tips for grown-ups.

Read more less

Prepare to go on a journey of self-exploration with Vex King, the No.1 bestselling author of Good Vibes, Good Life. With social media star, Kaushal, the husband and wife duo come together on their first ever project with The Greatest Self-Help Book, a game-changing daily journal that allows you to write your own self-help book.'An incredible book that helps to unlock your life lessons.' – Dr Lalitaa Suglani, @dr.lalitaa'A creative, compassionate and loving guide.' – Dr Tasha Bailey, @realtalk.therapistFilled with exercises, activities and visual prompts, this journal will help you to understand and regulate your emotions, build and maintain routines and habits that work for you, shift negative mindsets and cultivate positive thought patterns, track personal growth, build self-awareness and carve out time to practise self-love and gratitude.A journal like no other, expect to find:- Daily gratitude and positive affirmations- Therapy-led exercises and interactive mindful activities- Monthly self-reflections to track personal growth- Mind, body and spirit check-insThink of this as your companion to help you build a healthier relationship with yourself and others. The Greatest Self-Help Book is the one written by you.With its minimalistic and luxurious design, complete with a beautiful cloth fabric hardback cover and a ribbon bookmark, this journal is the perfect gift for loved ones. Made using mineral oil-free ink and paper manufactured from pulp, sourced from legally and sustainably managed forests.

Read more less

This colorful first nature picture book, written by Judy Allen and illustrated by Tudor Humphries, gives children aged 4 to 7 an inside look at the everyday life of a honeybee.Ideal for reading aloud or as a first reader, the detailed illustrations bring this familiar creature to life in a truly memorable way. Children will discover how a young bee faces many challenges as it takes its place in the hive and joins in the work of the bee community. They will learn about honeybee life cycles and behavior, and the witty, interactive text will encourage them to explore the similarities and differences between themselves and these fascinating animals.And if you love insects, why not collect all ten titles in the Backyard Books series?

Read more less

This essential title from award-winning author Clive Gifford provides children with all the information they need to know how the world works!We are surrounded by amazing things in the natural world, and we live in an age of exciting advances in science, engineering and technology. But do we really understand how and why things happen the way they do? This book explains all!- Witness the formation of Earth and the evolution of living things- See how animals and plants have adapted to live in every corner of the planet- Learn how ancient people lived and created their technology- Discover today’s incredible scientific and eco-friendly advancesCovering a range of children's favourite subjects, including space, nature, wildlife, dinosaurs, volcanoes, technology and much more, How the World Works is guaranteed to provide the answers to a world of tricky How? and Why? questions!

Read more less

From Adventures on Trains author and British Book Award winner Sam Sedgman comes a beautiful and fact-filled book encapsulating the excitement and wonder of adventure and travel – all seen through the world's most epic train journeys.So climb on board and travel across six continents, 34 countries and numerous cities via twelve of the world's most awe-inspiring railways. Bestselling author Sam Sedgman brings to life these astonishing feats of railway engineering, including the Eurostar (London to Amsterdam), Orient Express (Paris to Istanbul), the first Transcontinental Railroad (Chicago to San Francisco) and the Rejuvenation Express (Beijing to Hong Kong).Each locomotive adventure reveals some of the rich history, culture, landscape and wildlife of the countries travelled. Take in the safari sights of Southern Africa, wrap up warm in the Arctic Circle, cross scorching deserts on the California Zephyr, and taste tea in India whilst on a toy train – there's a whole world to discover when travelling by train!Detailed, colourful illustrations by Sam Brewster bring the facts and journeys to life. Epic Adventures will appeal to culture, travel and locomotive fans aged 7+!

Read more less

The bestselling I Wonder Why series has the answers to all the questions you’ve ever wanted to ask about the natural world, history, space, and more!What are stars made of? How hot is the Sun? Which planet’s moons look like potatoes? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this fascinating question-and-answer book all about space. Information is presented in bite-sized nuggets, making it ideal for dipping in and out.Colourful illustrations by award-winning artist Marie-Ève Tremblay bring space to life, from amazing alien planets to incredible rockets. This is the ideal book for kids who are curious about the mysteries of the universe.Other titles in the I Wonder Why series include The Sea Is Salty, Snakes Shed Their Skin, The Sun Rises and Camels Have Humps.

Read more less

Discover how space is part of our daily lives with Everyday STEM Science — Space, filled with facts, stories and experiments to try at home!Everyone knows there are planets and stars and space rocks, but how do these, and everything else in space, affect us on Earth? From the beginning of the universe and the origins of the planets, to the latest research and space missions, journey through space and uncover what is really out there . . .Discover how we're made of stars, find out how old you would be if you lived on Mars, and how time travel can happen in space. Plus, meet the explorers, astronomers and scientists whose discoveries have given us this fascinating space knowledge, including Mae Jemison, Stephen Hawking and Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin. Readers can also carry out cool astronomical experiments at home.With easy-to-understand text written by science communicator and podcaster Izzie Clarke, and lots of colourful artworks, photos and diagrams, readers can best explore where we encounter space and why it’s even important at all.The Everyday STEM series makes science relevant to tweens. Instead of telling kids STEM is important and is the key to their future success, these books show readers how we use science, technology, engineering and maths in our everyday lives. While the topics sound high-level and complex, this series makes these concepts age-appropriate and accessible. So, while we can’t promise to teach 9 to 11-year-olds quantum physics, we can explain in the simplest terms the practical applications of STEM.

Read more less

From the incredible England women's national football team to individual superstars such as Lucy Bronze, Beth Mead, Alex Morgan and Sam Kerr, this all-action book is an essential purchase for every young fan of women’s football.Women's Football Superstars is packed with photos of the game’s most popular teams and players, plus hundreds of quickfire facts and incredible records: goal-scoring feats in leagues around the world, record winning streaks, record-breaking matches, and much more.Discover which teams have come out on top at the FIFA Women's World Cup, the Olympics, and the UEFA Women's EUROs. Get all the info you need about the NWSL, the FA Women's Super League, and other top leagues such as the Frauen-Bundesliga.At the end of the book, take the quiz to test your women's football know-how, and pick the best women's football team of all time!

Read more less

Are you smart enough to help Zane, Kiran, Ethan and Cassia escape from Dinosaur Island in this fast-moving puzzle adventure?Escape Room Puzzles: Dinosaur Island is packed with all kinds of puzzles, including fiendish mazes, cunning logic problems, tricky memory challenges and much more. To escape from Dinosaur Island, you will need every ounce of brainpower to progress through the challenges, navigating through five locations to the final exit - and watch out for dangerous kid-eating dinosaurs as you go! Throughout the book, nuggets of non-fiction dino information are scattered on the pages. This is the perfect book to entertain readers aged 7+ both at home and on the go, while giving their brains a workout at the same time.Help the team escape further quests with the Escape Room Puzzle series! The adventures include Ocean Reef Radiers, Eco Dome Disaster, Space Station X and Mega Bugs.

Read more less

Roar and roam as you join ferocious prehistoric monsters in It’s all about… Dangerous Dinosaurs! Find out about everything from gentle giants such as Diplodocus to deadly killing machines such as Allosaurus and the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex. Packed with detailed photography, the latest bite-size facts, and a free audio download, this book has everything a dinosaur mad kid could need.It’s all about… is a collectable series filled with up-to-date stats and facts about a wide range of hot topics, including animals, history, technology and vehicles. Each book comes with a free audio download so children can take their book wherever they go, as well as glossary that’s perfect for teaching and learning.Check out the other titles in the It’s all about… series and see if you can collect them all!

Read more less

Dive into the exhilarating world of this deadly, deep-sea predator in It’s all about… Snappy Sharks! Find out who’s who in the shark world, how predator sharks hunt their prey, which shark weighs more than three adult elephants, and so much more. Packed with detailed photography, the latest bite-size facts, and a free audio download, this book has everything a shark mad kid could need.It’s all about… is a collectable series filled with up-to-date stats and facts about a wide range of hot topics, including animals, history, technology and vehicles. Each book comes with a free audio download so your child can take their book wherever they go, as well as glossary that’s perfect for teaching and learning.Check out the other titles in the It’s all about… series and see if you can collect them all!

Read more less

How many legs does an insect have? What's the difference between an arachnid and an arthropod? Why do monarch caterpillars only eat milkweed plants? Find out the answers to these questions and lots more, in this book featuring slimy, scary, stinky and strange creepy-crawlies on land and in water.Wow! is a fantastic series not only filled with the best and most amazing facts about popular science topics, but each book also includes beautiful illustrations with fun and interactive artwork clues that lead readers through the book and stimulate discussion. This appealing series is certain to make readers say "Wow!"over and over again.

Read more less

Beautifully illustrated by Anthony Lewis, First Animal Picture Atlas explains where animals come from and how they live in their habitats. An adorable penguin-shaped bookmark takes young readers on a journey around the globe, helping them identify animals in an absorbing look-and-find game. Large, colourful maps show the world's continents and introduce children to important map concepts such as grids, scales and keys. Superb full-page illustrations take readers deeper into the different habitats to provide an early introduction to the basics of ecosystems. This atlas will delight young children and is the perfect reference book for both home and school.

Read more less

This five-level graded reading series, launched in January 2012, is sure to grip children’s interest. Developed with literacy experts, the series will guide young readers as they build confidence and fluency in their literacy skills and progress towards reading alone.

Read more less

Say hello to the bullet system: a revolutionary organization method that will increase both your efficiency and your creativity. At its simplest, the bullet method will provide you with a fool proof to-do list that will ensure you never miss a task or appointment again. Take it just a step further and its principals will let you organize your present, take note of the past and plan your future. The 365 Bullet Guide is an easy-to-follow book that will teach you the bullet system. There's an exercise for every day of the year and each takes 365 seconds or less to complete. With simple, clear instructions, this book will show you how to incorporate the bullet method into your life as gradually or quickly as you like. The joy of bulleting is that it is both holistic and completely customizable to your own aesthetics and habits, so you can create your own journal from scratch and put into practice as many of the hundreds of ideas and techniques as your like such as habit trackers, sleep logs, handwriting exercises, and much more!Whether you’re a secret scribbler or a to-the-point minimalist, The 365 Bullet Guide is your indispensable guide to an elegantly organized life. With contemporary illustrations by Marcia Mihotich, this book will help you to build a better life.Grab a notebook and pen, and get bulleting!

Read more less

The bestselling adult colouring book!Working with your hands is one of the best ways to soothe anxiety and eliminate stress. This stunning, pocket-sized colouring book offers a practical exercise in mindfulness that draws on your creativity and hones your focus.Beautifully illustrated by Emma Farrarons, The Mindfulness Colouring Book is filled with templates for exquisite scenes and intricate, sophisticated patterns, prompting you to meditate on your artwork as you mindfully and creatively fill these pages with colour. Take a few minutes out of your day, wherever you are, and colour your way to peace and calm.

Read more less

In this work, Antony Alcock recounts the historical development of Europe from the Greek city states through to the 2000 Nice Treaty on European Integration and the attack on New York of 11 September 2001. This Short History of Europe is told simply and accessibly, yet provides the political, economic, social and cultural context for Europe's increasing integration, based on the three pillars of Greek political thought, Roman law and the Christian religion, including analysis of new material, Antony Alcock brings his history fully up-to-date looking at such issues as the collapse of Yugoslavia, immigration and asylum seekers and finally consideration of the future of Europe in the twenty first century.

Read more less

With the end of the Second World War, a new world was born. The peace agreements that brought the conflict to an end implemented decisions that not only shaped the second half of the twentieth century, but continue to affect our world today and impact on its future. In 1946 the Cold War began, the state of Israel was conceived, the independence of India was all but confirmed and Chinese Communists gained a decisive upper hand in their fight for power. It was a pivotal year in modern history in which countries were reborn and created, national and ideological boundaries were redrawn and people across the globe began to rebuild their lives.In this remarkable history, the foreign correspondent and historian Victor Sebestyen draws on contemporary documents from around the world - including Stalin's personal notes from the Potsdam peace conference - to examine what lay behind the political decision-making. Sebestyen uses a vast array of archival material and personal testimonies to explore how the lives of generations of people across continents were shaped by the events of 1946. Taking readers from Berlin to London, from Paris to Moscow, from Washington to Jerusalem and from Delhi to Shanghai, this is a vivid and wide-ranging account of both powerbrokers and ordinary men and women from an acclaimed author.

Read more less

The second epic fantasy in The Faithful and the Fallen series, Valour by John Gwynne carries all of the excitement of the first.The Banished Lands are torn by war as the army of High King Nathair sweeps the realm challenging all who oppose his holy crusade. Allied with the manipulative Queen Rhin of Cambren, there are few who can stand against him. But Rhin is playing her own games and has her eyes on a far greater prize . . .Left for dead – her kin have fled and her country is overrun with enemies – Cywen fights to survive. But any chance of escape is futile once Nathair and his disquieting advisor Calidus realize who she is. They have no intention of letting such a prize slip from their grasp. For she may be their one chance at killing the biggest threat to their power.Meanwhile, the young warrior Corban flees from his conquered homeland with his exiled companions, heading for the only place that may offer them sanctuary. But to get there they must travel through Cambren, avoiding warbands, giants and the vicious wolven of the mountains. And all the while Corban struggles to become the man that everyone believes him to be – the Bright Star and saviour of the Banished Lands.Embroiled in struggles for power and survival, the mortal world is unaware of the greatest threat of all. In the Otherworld, dark forces scheme to bring a host of the Fallen into the world of flesh to end the war with the Faithful, once and for all.Continue the fantasy series with Ruin and Wrath, start the series with Malice.

Read more less

Only the lawless will survive . . . It is 1975 and Ruby Darke is struggling to deal with the brutal murder of her lover, Michael Ward.As her children, Daisy and Kit, battle their own demons, her retail empire starts to crumble.Meanwhile, after the revenge killing of Tito Danieri, Kit is the lowest he's ever been. But soon doubt is thrown over whether Kit killed the right person, and now the Danieris are out for his blood and the blood of the entire Darke family. As the bodies pile up, the chase is on – can the Darkes resolve their own family conflicts and find Michael Ward's true killer before the vengeful Danieris kill them? Or will they take the law into their own hands . . . Lawless is the heart-racing sequel to Nameless, from bestselling crime author Jessie Keane.

Read more less

House of Small Shadows is the disturbing novel about a modern phobia – the fear of dolls and puppets – from award-winning horror author Adam Nevill.The Red House: home to the damaged genius of the late M. H. Mason, master taxidermist and puppeteer, where he lived and created some of his most disturbing works. The building and its treasure trove of antiques is long forgotten, but the time has come for his creations to rise from the darkness. Catherine Howard can't believe her luck when she's invited to value the contents of the house. When she first sees the elaborate displays of posed, costumed and preserved animals and macabre puppets, she's both thrilled and terrified. It's an opportunity to die for. But the Red House has secrets, secrets as dreadful and dark as those from Catherine's own past. At night the building comes alive with noises and movements: footsteps, and the fleeting glimpses of small shadows on the stairs. And soon the barriers between reality, sanity and nightmare begin to collapse . . .'Adam Nevill is a fantastic storyteller, a master of slow-building tension, and he's written a fever dream of a book. House of Small Shadows is chilling, disorienting, and deeply creepy.' – Scott Smith, author of The Ruins

Read more less

Rebellion and war race to take control of New Crobuzon in the award-winning Iron Council by China Miéville.It is a time of revolts and revolutions, conflict and intrigue. New Crobuzon is being ripped apart from without and within. War with the shadowy city-state of Tesh and rioting on the streets at home are pushing the teeming metropolis to the brink. In the midst of this turmoil, a mysterious masked figure spurs strange rebellion, while treachery and violence incubate in unexpected places. In desperation, a small group of renegades escapes from the city and crosses strange and alien continents in the search for a lost hope, an undying legend. In the blood and violence of New Crobuzon's most dangerous hour, there are whispers. It is the time of the Iron Council.

Read more less

The Flight is the fourth thrilling installment in Matthew Hall's gripping, CWA Gold Dagger shortlisted Coroner Jenny Cooper series, from the creator of BBC One's Keeping Faith.A tragic accident or a terrible crime? When Flight 189 plunges into the Severn Estuary, Coroner Jenny Cooper finds herself handling the case of a lone sailor whose boat appears to have been sunk by the stricken plane, and drawn into the mysterious fate of a ten year-old girl, Amy Patterson, a passenger on 189, whose largely unmarked body is washed up alongside his. While a massive and highly secretive operation is launched to recover clues from the wreckage, Jenny begins to ask questions the official investigation doesn’t want answered. How could such a high tech plane – virtually impregnable against human error – fail? What linked the high powered passengers who found themselves on this ill-fated flight? And how did Amy Patterson survive the crash, only to perish hours later? Under pressure from Amy’s grieving mother, and opposed by those at the very highest levels of government, Jenny must race against time to seek the truth behind this terrible disaster, before it can happen again . . .The Flight is followed by the fifth book in the Coroner Jenny Cooper series, The Chosen Dead.The Jenny Cooper novels have been adapted into a hit TV series, Coroner, made for CBC and NBC Universal starring Serinda Swan and Roger Cross.

Read more less

After their thrilling exploits in Matthew Reilly’s bestseller Seven Ancient Wonders, super-soldier Jack West and his loyal team of adventurers are back, and now they face an all-but impossible challenge. For a mysterious ceremony in an unknown location has triggered a catastrophic countdown that will climax in the destruction of all life on Earth. But there is one last hope. If Jack’s team can find and rebuild a legendary ancient device known only as the 'Machine', they might be able to ward off this coming Armageddon. The only clues to its location, however, are held within the fabled Six Sacred Stones, long lost in the fog of history. And so the hunt begins . . . From Stonehenge in England, to the deserts of Egypt, to the spectacular Three Gorges region of China, The Six Sacred Stones will take you on a non-stop rollercoaster ride through ancient history, modern military hardware, and some of the fastest and most mind-blowing action you will ever read.

Read more less

With a preface by the author. V. S. Naipaul’s legendary command of broad comedy and acute social observation is on abundant display in these classic works of fiction – two novels and a collection of stories – that capture the rhythms of life in the Caribbean and England with impressive subtlety and humour. The Suffrage of Elvira is Naipaul’s hilarious take on an electoral campaign in the back country of Trinidad, where the candidates’ tactics include blatant vote-buying and supernatural sabotage. The eponymous protagonist of Mr Stone and the Knights Companion is an ageing Englishman of ponderously regular habits whose life is thrown into upheaval by a sudden marriage and an unanticipated professional advancement. And the stories in A Flag on the Island take us from a Chinese bakery in Trinidad – whose black proprietor faces bankruptcy until he takes a Chinese name – to a rooming house in London, where the genteel landlady plays a nasty Darwinian game with her budgerigars. Unfailingly stylish, filled with intelligence and feeling, The Nightwatchman's Occurrence Book is the work of a writer who can do just about anything that can be done with language. ‘V. S. Naipaul has a substantial claim as a comic writer . . . This humour, conducted throughout with the utmost stylistic quietude, is completely original’ Kingsley Amis, Spectator

Read more less

Chilling and disturbing, meet the demons in Master of Horror James Herbert's Creed.Sometimes horror is in the mind. And sometimes it's real. Telling the difference isn't always easy. It wasn't for freelance photographer Joe Creed. He'd just photographed the unreal. Now he had to pay the price. Because he always thought that demons were just a joke. But the joke was on him. And it wasn't very funny. It was deadly . . .

Read more less

In The Making of Modern Britain, Andrew Marr paints a fascinating portrait of life in Britain during the first half of the twentieth century as the country recovered from the grand wreckage of the British Empire. Between the death of Queen Victoria and the end of the Second World War, the nation was shaken by war and peace. The two wars were the worst we had ever known and the episodes of peace among the most turbulent and surprising. As the political forum moved from Edwardian smoking rooms to an increasingly democratic Westminster, the people of Britain experimented with extreme ideas as they struggled to answer the question ‘How should we live?’ Socialism? Fascism? Feminism? Meanwhile, fads such as eugenics, vegetarianism and nudism were gripping the nation, while the popularity of the music hall soared. It was also a time that witnessed the birth of the media as we know it today and the beginnings of the welfare state. Beyond trenches, flappers and Spitfires, this is a story of strange cults and economic madness, of revolutionaries and heroic inventors, sexual experiments and raucous stage heroines. From organic food to drugs, nightclubs and celebrities to package holidays, crooked bankers to sleazy politicians, the echoes of today's Britain ring from almost every page.

Read more less

Field Marshal William Slim stands alongside Montgomery as the outstanding British field commander of World War II. Defeat Into Victory is his classic account of the Burma campaign: a story of retreat, attrition and final hard-fought victory over the Japanese. Told by a commander always at the centre of events, this is a narrative which captures both the high drama and the harsh reality of war.

Read more less

'An incredible story of musical instruments, how they're made and what people make of them' - Keith Richards Everyone knows of the legendary quality and unbelievable price tag of a Stradivarius violin. In this, the first popular account of the Stradivari phenomena, Toby Faber explores the life and methods of this unsurpassed craftsman. Following the life of his instruments as they pass through the hands of many of the greatest musicians that have ever lived, we learn how and why they have become objects of such veneration and desire. It is a dramatic tale of grand artistry, fantastic music, shady dealers, forgery and science.'Fascinating, accessible and enjoyable' - Tracy Chevalier 'A captivating book . . . An extraordinary accomplishment and a compelling read' - TE Cahart, author of The Piano Shop On The Left Bank 'An inspired idea for a book' - Telegraph 'Faber has found in the Strad a delightful leitmotif for an original comedie humaine' - Financial Times 'Faber pitches the story just right, neither patronising nor baffling the reader' - Times

Read more less

From the author whose books inspired the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small, Vet in Harness is the fourth volume of James Herriot's classic memoirs; a book for all those who find laughter and joy in animals, and who love the magic and beauty of Britain’s wild places.The Yorkshire dales have never seemed more beautiful for James – now he has a lovely wife by his side, a partner's plate on the gate and the usual menagerie of farm animals, pets and owners demanding his constant attention and teaching him a few lessons along the way.All of the old Darrowby friends are on top form – Siegfried thrashes round the practice, Tristan occasionally buckles down for finals and James is signed up for a local cricket team.'I grew up reading James Herriot's books and I'm delighted that thirty years on, they are still every bit as charming, heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny as they were then' – Kate Humble'Herriot's enchanting tales of life in the Dales are deservedly classics. Full of extraordinary characters, animal and human, the books never fail to delight' – Amanda Owen, bestselling author of The Yorkshire Shepherdess

Read more less

Revolutionary practitioner, theorist, factional chief, sparkling writer, ‘ladies’ man’ (e.g., his affair with Frieda Kahlo), icon of the Revolution, anti-Jewish Jew, philosopher of everyday life, grand seigneur of his household, father and hunted victim, Trotsky lived a brilliant life in extraordinary times. Robert Service draws on hitherto unexamined archives and on his profound understanding of Russian history to draw a portrait of the man and his legacy, revealing that though his followers have represented Trotsky as a pure revolutionary soul and a powerful intellect unjustly hounded into exile by Stalin and his henchmen. The reality is very different, as this masterful and compelling biography reveals.

Read more less

It's an extraordinary tale of yeast-obsessed monks and teetotal prime ministers; of how pale ale fuelled an Empire and weak bitter won a world war; of exploding breweries, a bear in a yellow nylon jacket and a Canadian bloke who changed the dringking habits of a nation. It's also the story of the rise of the pub from humble origins through an epic, thousand-year struggle to survive misunderstanding, bad government and misguided commerce. The history of beer in Britain is a social history of the nation itself, full of catastrophe, heroism and an awful lot of hangovers. 'a pleasant antidote to more po-faced histories of beer' Guardian 'Like a good drinking companion, Brown tells a remarkable story: a stream of fascinating facts, etymologies and pub-related urban phenomena' TLS 'Packed with bar-room bet-winning facts and entertaining digressions, this is a book into which every pub-goer will want to dip.' Express

Read more less

‘Banville is superb . . . there are not many historical novels of which it can be said that they illuminate both the time that forms their subject matter and the time in which they are read: Doctor Copernicus is among the very best of them’ The EconomistThe first in John Banville Revolutions Trilogy and winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, Doctor Copernicus is a rich historical novel that explores the life of one of history's greatest scientists. The work of Nicholas Koppernigk, better known as Copernicus, shattered the medieval view of the universe and led to the formulation of the image of the solar system we know today. Here his life is powerfully evoked in a novel that offers a vivid portrait of a man of painful reticence, haunted by a malevolent brother and baffled by the conspiracies that rage around him and his ideas while he searches for the secret of life.

Read more less

‘Superbly illuminates the man, the time, and the everlasting quest for knowledge’ Observer Johannes Kepler, born in 1571 in south Germany, was one of the world’s greatest mathematicians and astronomers. The novel Kepler, by John Banville, brilliantly recreates his life and his incredible drive to chart the orbits of the planets and the geometry of the universe while being driven from exile to exile by religious and domestic strife. At the same time it illuminates the harsh realities of the Renaissance world; rich in imaginative daring but rooted in poverty, squalor and the tyrannical power of emperors.

Read more less

This is the story of England’s most famous, and notorious, king. The facts of Henry VIII’s life and reign were more astonishing, poignant and outlandish than the plot twists of most fiction. Henry’s character was complex: he was a charismatic, ardent – and brash – young lover who married six times; a scholar with a deep love of poetry and music; an energetic hunter who loved the outdoors; a monarch whose lack of a male heir haunted him incessantly; and a ruthless leader who would stop at nothing to achieve his desires. His monumental decision to split from Rome and the Catholic Church was one that would forever shape the religious and political landscape of Britain. Combining magnificent storytelling with an extraordinary grasp of the pleasures and perils of power, Margaret George delivers a vivid portrait of Henry VIII and Tudor England and the powerhouse of players on its stage: Thomas Cromwell, Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas More and Anne Boleyn. It is also a narrative told from an original perspective: Margaret George writes from the King’s point of view, injecting irreverent comments from Will Somers – Henry’s jester and confidant.

Read more less

An entrancing travelogue from celebrated writer Jonathan Raban.First published in 1999, Passage to Juneau is an account of Raban's personal journey from Seattle to the Alaskan Capital by boat through the meandering sea route, the Inside Passage, told in parallel to the same voyage taken by Captain George Vancouver in the late eighteenth century.Described by Ian McEwan as 'Raban at his best', this is extraordinary travel writing, told from two very different perspectives. A book about the idea of loss, Raban is home but still, he is very much still at sea.

Read more less

Funny, honest, brilliant and opinionated, A Drink with Shane MacGowan is the highly-acclaimed memoir of a true music icon.'One of the freshest, most original biographies I've ever read' - Lynne Barber, Observer'His candour, coupled with an acerbic wit, makes him an ideal guide through an unmistakably colourful life' - Time OutShane MacGowan was an intensely talented songwriter whose band, The Pogues, merged punk with Irish folk music to create a sound uniquely their own. An anarchic hellraiser with the soul of a poet, he is forever associated with Christmas after the chart-topping success of 'Fairytale of New York', his duet with Kirsty McColl.He grew up on a small farm in Tipperary, won a scholarship to Westminster, was rapidly expelled, became a rent boy, then a central figure of punk and the hugely influential star of The Pogues - until his bandmates got so fed up of his behaviour they kicked him out for a time. MacGowan's music, innovative and powerful, is as distinctive as his chaotic, breakdown-scarred, drug and alcohol-fuelled lifestyle.Written with his girlfriend (and later wife) Victoria Mary Clarke, A Drink With Shane MacGowan is a joyful celebration of a charming musician with a remarkable perspective on the world.'An enormously vivid and descriptive picture of his life and dramatic times' - Irish Times'This endearing memoir . . . is Irish rock distilled' - Sunday Times

Read more less

During the Second World War, Churchill's cigar was such an important beacon of resistance that MI5, together with the nation's top scientists, tested the Prime Minister's supplies on mice rather than risk sabotage. Today Winston Churchill and his cigar remains a global icon, memorialised by a 107 foot statue of a cigar in Australia, while his cigar stubs are treasured as relics. Using original archival research and exclusive interviews with Churchill's staff, Stephen McGinty, an award-winning journalist, explores Churchill's passion for cigars and the solace they brought. He also examines Churchill’s lasting friendship with Antonio Giraudier, the Cuban businessman who for twenty years stocked Churchill's humidor, before fleeing Castro's revolution.

Read more less

A fun-packed space adventure – with lots of funny details for little readers to spot, and a BIG fold-out rocket ending!Buckle up and blast into space with Ivy the inventor, and her trusty canine sidekick, Eddie...But when Ivy meets some very messy aliens, can she help them clean up their planet?And, of course, help them fix their super-duper hundred decker rocket?!A brilliantly inventive story with a subtle message about keeping our planet clean. From the creator of The Hundred Decker Bus.

Read more less

Though his monarchy was toppled in 1979 and he died in 1980, Mohammad-Reza Shah Pahlevi, the last Shah of Iran, remains relevant today. He was a social reformer, a romantic egomaniac, and a deeply conflicted man and leader. Here, internationally respected author Abbas Milani gives us the definitive biography, more than ten years in the making, of the monarch who shaped Iran's modern age and with it the contemporary politics of the Middle East. The Shah's was a life filled with contradiction - he built schools, increased equality for women, and greatly reduced the power of the Shia clergy. He made Iran a global power and nationalized his country's many natural resources. But he was deeply conflicted and insecure in his powerful role. Intolerant of political dissent, he was eventually overthrown by the very people whose loyalty he so desperately sought. This comprehensive and gripping account shows us how Iran went from politically moderate monarchy to totalitarian Islamic republic. Milani reveals the complex and sweeping road that would bring the United States and Iran to where they are today.

Read more less

Spanning a lifetime of love and loss, crossing borders and oceans, Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt, co-authored by her son Harry Whittaker, draws Lucinda Riley's Seven Sisters series to its stunning, unforgettable conclusion.1928, ParisA boy is found, moments from death, and taken in by a kindly family. Gentle, precocious, talented, he flourishes in his new home, and the family show him a life he hadn’t dreamed possible. But he refuses to speak a word about who he really is.As he grows into a young man, falling in love and taking classes at the prestigious Conservatoire de Paris, he can almost forget the terrors of his past, or the promise he has vowed to keep. But across Europe an evil is rising, and no-one’s safety is certain. In his heart, he knows the time will come where he must flee once more.2008, the AegeanThe seven sisters are gathered together for the first time, on board the Titan to say a final goodbye to the enigmatic father they loved so dearly.To the surprise of everyone, it is the missing sister who Pa Salt has chosen to entrust with the clue to their pasts. But for every truth revealed, another question emerges. The sisters must confront the idea that their adored father was someone they barely knew. And even more shockingly: that these long-buried secrets may still have consequences for them today.

Read more less

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERThings No One Taught Us About Love distils the ideas found in Vex King's Closer to Love, re-edited and presented in the warm, relatable style of his No. 1 bestseller Good Vibes, Good Life.This extraordinary book is for anyone looking to harness the power of the universe, and their own self-understanding, to manifest stronger, deeper relationships.Bestselling author of Good Vibes, Good Life, Vex King is back with a life-changing guide to strengthening your relationships by learning to love yourself, and understanding the true nature of love.Many of us expect romantic love to solve our problems and validate our worth. This burden strains modern relationships. Partners become frustrated when unable to meet each other’s idealized and impossible demands. Broken dreams of a life-long romance can leave people feeling incomplete and hopping from one partner to another.It&rs

Read more less