Search results for ""author sly"
Running Press Harry Potter Locket Horcrux Kit and Sticker Book
Wear or display this finely detailed, full-size collectible replica of Lord Voldemort''s horcrux locket on necklace chain.Kit includes:- A replica of the Horcrux locket on chain- Book of 8 photographic stickers highlighting Harry, Ron, and Hermione''s journey to track down Slytherin''s locket
£9.94
Andersen Press Ltd The Great Sheep Shenanigans
"A lamb for my supper will taste mighty fine!" Thought a wily old wolf by the name of Lou Pine. As he sneakily, slyly snuck up on the flock - But it wasn't the sheep that were in for a shock... With a stunningly cunning plan, Lou Pine, finds a disguise that is sure to deliver a lamb stew or two. But this flock of sheep aren't quite the dumb mutton they seem...
£6.99
Penguin Books Ltd Fairy Tales
Containing an enchanting mix of familiar favourites and hidden gems, the Penguin Classics edition of Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales is translated by Tiina Nunnally and edited with an introduction by Jackie Wullschlager.The first writer to create timeless, universal fairy tales from his own imagination, Hans Christian Andersen conjured up a world of icy queens, match girls and tin soldiers, rewarded virtue and unfulfilled desire. Rich with popular tales such as 'The Emperor's New Clothes' and 'The Ugly Duckling', this revelatory new collection contains many later, darker and rarely collected stories, such as 'Auntie Toothache' and 'The Shadow', in which a man's shadow slyly takes over his life.This sparkling new translation captures the eccentric charm of Andersen's original, colloquial Danish style as never before. The introduction vividly describes his changing style and there are notes on every tale.'Truly scrumptious, a proper treasury ... Read on with eyes as big as teacups'Guardian'This translation gives me, for the first time, a real sense of the range and variety of Andersen's style'A.S. Byatt'There have been some capable versions in English, but Tiina Nunnally's seems to me the best. Jackie Wullschlager's introduction will be of enormous value'Harold Bloom
£9.99
Image Text Ithaca Hannah Whitaker: Ursula
These beautiful, unsettling and playful photographs show how certain sci-fi tropes—from digital servants to sex robots—have been consistently gendered as female The latest photobook from Brooklyn-based photographer Hannah Whitaker (born 1980) imagines the embodied forms of personified technology which have long been central to sci-fi narratives: digital servants, sex robots, machine-learning projects. Ursula addresses the consistency with which these figures are gendered as female, subservient and sexualized, and slyly points to our society's insidious failures to fully see women without imposing such roles and distinctions. Immersed in techno-futuristic design tropes, Whitaker's photographs—at once playful, maximalist and estranging—are accompanied by texts by David Levine and Dawn Chan.
£36.00
Penguin Books Ltd Henry VI Part Two
The second play in Shakespeare's tetralogy dealing with the Hundred Years War and the Wars of the Roses, Henry VI Part Two is arguably the best introduction to the playwright's genius as a writer of history plays. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by Norman Saunders with an introduction by Michael Taylor.'My mouth shall be the parliament of Enland'Henry VI is tricked into marrying Margaret - lover of the Earl of Suffolk, who hopes to rule the kingdom through her influence. There is one great obstacle in Suffolk's path, however - the noble Lord Protector, whom he slyly orders to be murdered. Discovering this betrayal, Henry banishes Suffolk, but with his Lord Protector gone the unworldly young King must face his greatest challenge: impending civil war and the rising threat of the House of York.This book includes a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Henry VI, Part Two, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay by Rebecca Brown discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was born to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden some time in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote about 38 plays (the precise number is uncertain), many of which are regarded as the most exceptional works of drama ever produced, including Romeo and Juliet (1595), Henry V (1599), Hamlet (1601), Othello (1604), King Lear (1606) and Macbeth (1606), as well as a collection of 154 sonnets, which number among the most profound and influential love poetry in English.'We go to Shakespeare to find out about ourselves' Jeanette Winterson
£9.04
Scholastic US Harry Potter: Houses of Hogwarts Creativity Journal
Packed with prompts, pages for doodling, and guided lists of favourite movie moments, this hardcover guided journal is perfect for fans looking to show their house pride! Inside you'll find information about house history, accomplishments and profiles of famous alums, as well as brackets for Quidditch predictions and a log for house points. Tear-out activity pages to share with other Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Slytherins and Hufflepuffs make this journal a magical must-have.
£9.31
Scholastic Harry Potter: All About the Hogwarts Houses
Discover everything you need to know about the four Houses of Hogwarts in this awesome official activity book! Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff – together, these are the four Houses of Hogwarts. As Professor McGonagall says in the first film, “Now while you’re here, your House will be like your family.” With two sheets of stickers, this fantastic Harry Potter activity book is a must-have for fans. It features stunning, eye-catching moments from throughout the films in an all-new art style. Colour in and test your knowledge on the Wizarding World Features beloved characters and magical moments from the films Perfect for fans old and new.
£9.31
Walker Books Ltd Triangle
Multi-award-winning, bestselling duo Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen conspire again on a slyly funny tale about some very sneaky shapes.“Picture book lovers will find much to like in Triangle” GuardianFrom the award-winning team behind Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, and illustrated by Jon Klassen, the Kate Greenaway-winning creator of This Is Not My Hat and I Want My Hat Back, comes the first tale in an exciting new trilogy. Meet Triangle. He is going to play a sneaky trick on his friend, Square. Or so Triangle thinks... Visually stunning and full of wry humour, here is a perfectly-paced treat that flips the traditional concept book, and approaches it from a whole new angle.
£7.99
Running Press Harry Potter Talking Sorting Hat and Sticker Book
Get sorted into House Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin, with this delightfully magic talking sorting hat, just like in the Harry Potter films! This collectible kit includes:- 3-inch miniature replica of the Sorting Hat, featuring the voice from the film saying the names of the 4 houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at random for proper sorting- 16-page sticker book featuring 8 full-color photographic stickers
£10.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd Shelf Life
______________'An impressive, Sally Rooney-esque debut novel' New Statesman'Shelf Life is whip-smart, slyly heartbreaking, and I felt the truth of it in my bones.
£12.99
Ebury Publishing Groucho and Me: The Autobiography
'The temptation to write about yourself is irresistible, especially when you are prodded into it by a crafty publisher who has slyly baited you into doing it with a miserly advance of fifty dollars and a box of cheap cigars' - Groucho MarxGroucho Marx's autobiography is a rags-to-riches story with a difference. The most outrageous and voluble of the legendary Marx Brothers had a career that stretched from Vaudeville to gameshow, conquering Hollywood on the way. From the triumphs and disasters of a life spent in show business to his unconsummated loves, Groucho's story is told with humour and wit and in Groucho's own unique style. As TS Eliot said of him: 'The mind boggles'.
£13.99
Simon & Schuster A Toni Morrison Treasury: The Big Box; The Ant or the Grasshopper?; The Lion or the Mouse?; Poppy or the Snake?; Peeny Butter Fudge; The Tortoise or the Hare; Little Cloud and Lady Wind; Please, Louise
Presidential Medal of Freedom, Nobel Prize, and Pulitzer Prize recipient Toni Morrison’s eight children’s books, cowritten with her son, are collected in one hardcover volume for the first time in this beautiful keepsake treasury with a foreword by Oprah Winfrey!The three Who’s Got Game books slyly and exuberantly retell some of Aesop’s fables. Three of the stories feature illustrations by Pascal Lemaitre: The Ant or the Grasshopper? examines friendship, betrayal, and survival while The Lion or the Mouse? takes a hilarious, subversive look at bullying and ego, big and small, and The Poppy or the Snake? shows how an accidental injury spirals into a battle of wills. In The Tortoise or the Hare?, illustrated by Joe Cepeda, slow and steady wins the race…or does it? Peeny Butter Fudge, also illustrated by Joe Cepeda, celebrates the relationship between three kids and their Nana. Nana can take an ordinary afternoon and make it extra special! Nap time, story time, and playtime are transformed by fairies, dragons, dancing, and pretending—and then mixing and fixing yummy, yummy fudge just like Nana and Mommy did not so many years ago. A lot can happen when Nana is left in charge! Little Cloud and Lady Wind features artwork by Sean Qualls and follows Little Cloud, who likes her own place in the sky. Away from the other clouds, the sky is all hers. Can Lady Wind show Little Cloud the power of being with others? Shadra Strickland’s charming illustrations illuminate Please, Louise. One gray afternoon, Louise makes a trip to the library. With the help of a new library card and through the transformative power of books, what started out as a dull day turns into one of surprises, ideas, and curiosity! This engaging picture book celebrates the wonders of reading, the enchanting capacity of the imagination, and, of course, the splendor of libraries. Toni Morrison’s first book for children, The Big Box, illustrated by Giselle Potter, introduces three feisty children who show grown-ups what it really means to be a kid.
£22.50
Roaring Brook Press Leave Me Alone
A grandmother leaves her tiny home and her very big family and journeys to the moon and beyond to find peace and quiet to finish her knitting. Along the way, she encounters ravenous bears, obnoxious goats, and even hordes of aliens! But nothing stops grandma from accomplishing her goal - knitting sweaters for her many grandchildren to keep them warm and toasty for the coming winter. This slyly clever and unexpectedly funny modern folktale is perfect for fans of Extra Yarn and is certain to warm even the coldest of hearts.
£14.82
Skyhorse Publishing The Unofficial Joke Book for Fans of Harry Potter 4-Book Box Set: Includes Volumes 1–4
Your favorite Gryffindor guffaws, stupefying shenanigans, Hufflepuff hilarity, and Riddikulus Ravenclaw riddles, all in one place! You won’t need the tickling charm after reading this collection! This fantastical box set contains all four of the Unofficial Harry Potter Joke Books: Great Guffaws for Gryffindor Stupefying Shenanigans for Slytherin Howling Hilarity for Hufflepuff Raucous Jokes and Riddikulus Riddles for Ravenclaw From Dumbledore to Umbridge, from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade, from Harry Potter to Draco Malfoy, every aspect of the Harry Potter universe is contained in these four fantastic books. One-liners, quips, and wisecracks will have you and your friends and family spellbound. So Accio this box set and crack up at the wizard world! Featuring hundreds of jokes and more than fifty fantastic illustrations, each joke book provides endless amounts of fun and clean humor for readers and fans of the bestselling series.
£13.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Yellow Wall-Paper, Herland, and Selected Writings
Wonderfully sardonic and slyly humorous, the writings of landmark American feminist and socialist thinker Charlotte Perkins Gilman were penned in response to her frustrations with the gender-based double standard that prevailed in America as the twentieth century began. Perhaps best known for her chilling depiction of a woman's mental breakdown in her unforgettable 1892 short story 'The Yellow Wall-Paper', Gilman also wrote Herland, a wry novel that imagines a peaceful, progressive country from which men have been absent for 2,000 years. Both are included in this volume, along with a selection of Gilman's major short stories and her poems.
£9.99
Dorling Kindersley Ltd LEGO Harry Potter Visual Dictionary
Explore the magical world of LEGO Harry Potter!LEGO Harry Potter Visual Dictionary is the definitive guide to LEGO Harry Potter, packed with spellbinding sets, minifigures, and magical accessories, with an exclusive LEGO Harry Potter minifigure! Meet all the classic LEGO Harry Potter characters - from Hermione to Hagrid. Discover amazing details of fan-favourite sets from the Hogwarts Express, 4 Privet Drive, Diagon Alley, and the epic 6000+ piece Hogwarts Castle. Learn how these magical sets are created in a behind-the-scenes chapter, which features an interview with the award-winning LEGO Harry Potter team. Whether you see yourself as a brave Gryffindor, a loyal Hufflepuff, a clever Ravenclaw, or a cunning Slytherin, find out everything you need to know about LEGO Harry Potter in this must-have book. This Visual Dictionary is a fully updated and expanded edition of LEGO Harry Potter Magical Treasury and features LEGO Harry Potter sets from 2018 to the
£19.99
Running Press,U.S. Harry Potter Dark Arts Collectible Set
You don''t have to be a Dark Wizard, Death Eater, or even a Slytherin to appreciate the Dark Arts!Spotlighting the magical darker side of the Wizarding World, this deluxe kit includes:Keepsake box with molded Death Eater mask embedded into the top, and closing latch. (Mask is not removable.)5-1/4 x 8, 176-page, flexibound replica of Tom Riddle''s diary. It features Dark Arts quotes, descriptions of the 7 horcruxes, and photos and illustrations throughout, plus plenty of space for writing. Also includes a reproduction of the messages between Harry Potter and Tom Riddle, as seen in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.Basilisk fang pen.Metallic-ink Dark Mark stickers.
£28.80
Editions Didier Millet Pte Ltd The Painted Alphabet: A Mythical Story of Bali
Magic, depravity, spiritual ambition, sensuality, and love - It binds mythic and modern time together in a rich, slyly suggestive novel based on an old Balinese poem. In a fresh and startling picture of Bali - where witches coexist with tourists and talking animals - the novel explores a kaleidoscope of vanity, desire, and the longing for goodness.
£10.62
Knock Knock Knock Knock Paper Tantrum Nifty Notes
When it comes to meltdowns, babies get all the excuses: "She's hungry." "He's overtired." "She needs a change." Reclaim your right to throw a fit at any age with this expressive pad, while maintaining your reputation for professionalism and maturity. Why be direct? Passive-aggressive notes get your point across slyly. Equally effective as a full-blown hissy fit! 4 x 5.25 inches, 50 sheets
£5.69
Chronicle Books Museum Bums: A Cheeky Look at Butts in Art
Based on the eponymous viral Twitter account, Museum Bums, a celebration of classical art, history, and shapely derrieres, encourages readers to learn something new while still managing to have a chuckle. What do Hieronymus Bosch, the Roman cult of Antinous, and the peach emoji all have in common? But of course, butts, of course! Divided into six categories of keisters, this humorous history book takes you on a whirlwind tour of the finest rear ends in museums around the world - from the lusciously rendered bottoms of Renaissance painting to the abstract curves of contemporary art. Heritage scholars and art educators Mark Small and Jack Shoulder pair illuminating social commentary, historical context, and lively captions with captivating depictions of tasteful - and sometimes cheeky - bums in art. Including an angel slyly copping a feel in a sixteenth-century triptych, a twenty-five thousand-year-old bodacious Venus, and Cezanne's dreamy booty-ful bathers, this assortment of artistic behinds is both a celebration and study of the bounty of beautiful bums and their everlasting impressions. Museum Bums invites readers to admire, appreciate, and have a good laugh, all while learning a bit about art and history - a perfect gift for anyone who likes fine arts, museums, and butts.
£13.49
University of Iowa Press Stories No One Hopes Are about Them
At once playfully dark and slyly hopeful, Stories No One Hopes Are about Them explores convergences of power, privilege, and place. Characters who are ni de aquí, ni de allá—neither from here nor there—straddle competing worlds, disrupt paradigms, and transition from objects of other people’s stories to active subjects and protagonists of their own. Narratives of humanity and environment entwine with nuanced themes of colonization, queerness, and evolution at the forefront. Big things happen in this collection. But it’s also a collection of small intimacies: misremembered names, chipped teeth, and private rituals; unexpected alliances and barely touched knees beneath uniform skirts; minutiae of the natural world; incidents that quietly, achingly, and delightfully transgress the familiar.
£18.29
Headline Publishing Group Holy Cow
Holy Cow by David Duchovny is a comic delight that will thrill fans of Jasper Fforde and Ben Aaronovitch. And anyone who enjoys a witty wisecrack in a novel.Elsie Bovary is a cow and a pretty happy one at that. Until one night, Elsie sneaks out of the pasture and finds herself drawn to the farmhouse. Through the window, she sees the farmer's family gathered around a bright Box God - and what the Box God reveals about something called an 'industrial meat farm' shakes Elsie's understanding of her world to its core.The only solution? To escape to a better, safer world. And so a motley crew is formed: Elsie; Shalom, a grumpy pig who's recently converted to Judaism; and Tom, a suave turkey who can't fly, but can work an iPhone with his beak. Toting stolen passports and slapdash human disguises, they head for the airport ...Elsie is a wise-cracking, slyly witty narrator; Tom dispenses psychiatric advice in a fake German accent; and Shalom ends up unexpectedly uniting Israelis and Palestinians. David Duchovny's charismatic creatures point the way toward a mutual understanding and acceptance the world desperately needs.
£9.99
Vintage Publishing Shakey: Neil Young's Biography
Neil Young is one of rock and roll's most important, influential and enigmatic figures, an intensely reticent artist who has granted no writer access to his inner sanctum - until now. Shakey is the whole story of Young's incredible life and career: from his childhood in Canada to the founding of folk-rock pioneers Buffalo Springfield; the bleary conglomeration of Crazy Horse and the monstrous success of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young; to the depths of the Tonight's the Night depravity and the Geffen years; and Young's unprecedented nineties 'comeback'. Shakey (the title refers to one of Young's many aliases) is also the compelling human story of a lonely kid for whom music was the only outlet, a driven yet tortured figure who controlled his epilepsy via 'mind over matter', an oddly passionate model train mogul who, inspired by his own son's struggle with cerebral palsy, became a major activist in the quest to help those with the condition. This long-awaited, unprecedented story of a rock 'n' roll legend is uniquely told through the interwoven voices of McDonough - biographer, critic, historian, obsessive fan - and the ever-cantankerous (but slyly funny) Young himself.
£16.99
Media Lab Books The Unofficial Harry Potter Hogwarts Handbook: MuggleNet's complete guide to the Wizarding World's most famous school
Certain to make reading (or re-reading) the Harry Potter series that much more intriguing, this book explores the traditional and extraordinary in equal measure, uncovering details about the school that readers will savor, including: - The history and traditions of Hogwarts, including notable alumni - Details of the four founders, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin - How the school is organized with teachers, prefects, headboys and headgirls - Holidays, feasts and celebrations - The castle layout, classrooms, common rooms, courtyards, dungeons, secret rooms and more - Details into the "living" artwork throughout the castle - Artifacts, enchantments, protections and secret passageways - Hagrid's Hut, the Whomping Willow, The Forbidden Forest and beyond! - A visitor's guide to Hogsmeade - Castle inhabitants, including professors, ghosts and staff - Details of student life, academics, text books and much more!
£11.69
Groundwood Books Ltd ,Canada Coyote Tales
Two tales, set in a time “when animals and human beings still talked to each other,” display Thomas King’s cheeky humor and master storytelling skills. Freshly illustrated and reissued as an early chapter book, these stories are perfect for newly independent readers. In Coyote Sings to the Moon, Old Woman and the animals sing to the moon each night. Coyote attempts to join them, but his voice is so terrible they beg him to stop. He is crushed and lashes out — who needs Moon anyway? Furious, Moon dives into a pond, plunging the world into darkness. But clever Old Woman comes up with a plan to send Moon back up into the sky and, thanks to Coyote, there she stays. In Coyote’s New Suit, mischievous Raven wreaks havoc when she suggests that Coyote’s toasty brown suit is not the finest in the forest, thus prompting him to steal suits belonging to all the other animals. Meanwhile, Raven tells the other animals to borrow clothes from the humans’ camp. When Coyote finds that his closet is too full, Raven slyly suggests he hold a yard sale, then sends the human beings (in their underwear) and the animals (in their ill-fitting human clothes) along for the fun. A hilarious illustration of the consequences of wanting more than we need. Key Text Features table of contents illustrations Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5 Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
£12.99
Dorling Kindersley Ltd LEGO Harry Potter A Spellbinding Guide to Hogwarts Houses: With Exclusive Percy Weasley Minifigure
Delve into the world of the four Hogwarts school houses - Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw - in this enchanting guide featuring recent LEGO® Harry Potter™ sets and minifigures. Learn all about the Sorting Ceremony, when each young witch and wizard is put in the house they naturally belong to.Explore the magical world of Hogwart's houses:- Key characters, locations, events, and items.- Presents the Hogwarts founders and their history.- Comes with an exclusive Percy Weasley minifigure in his prefect robes.Find out about the four founders of Hogwarts and the personality traits associated with each house's students. From Ron Weasley to Draco Malfoy, learn which house your favourite LEGO Harry Potter minifigures are in, and discover fun facts about students, teachers, creatures, and locations. Explore the school's magical classrooms, the cosy Gryffindor common room, and the Great Hall with its house tables. Plus, join students for a game of Quidditch. LEGO Harry Potter: A Spellbinding Guide to Hogwarts Houses comes with an exclusive Percy Weasley minifigure, too.A must-have book for children aged 7-9 years, and a perfect addition to the library of any young LEGO Harry Potter fans, LEGO Harry Potter: A Spellbinding Guide to Hogwarts Houses is sure to delight.
£12.99
Penguin Books Ltd After the Party
'I always wanted to be friends with both my sisters. Perhaps that was the source, really, of all the troubles of my life...'It is the summer of 1938 and Phyllis Forrester has returned to England after years abroad. Moving into her sister's grand country house, she soon finds herself entangled in a new world of idealistic beliefs and seemingly innocent friendships. Fevered talk of another war infiltrates their small, privileged circle, giving way to a thrilling solution: a great and charismatic leader, who will restore England to its former glory. At a party hosted by her new friends, Phyllis lets down her guard for a single moment, with devastating consequences. Years later, Phyllis, alone and embittered, recounts the dramatic events which led to her imprisonment and changed the course of her life forever.'Wonderfully subtle and compelling' Linda Grant'Uncanny, evocative, atmospheric' Sunday Times'Connolly is a terrifically subtle writer... [she] slyly sweeps her readers into the period drama as tensions tauten between families and social classes' Daily Telegraph 'Wonderful, tragicomic... beautifully researched' The Times
£9.99
Little, Brown Book Group Assholes
In this, er, 'unique' illustrated potted history of the human race, Twitter icon James Felton uses his inimitable brand of banter to unveil the slyest, creepiest and/or nastiest specimens who've ever lived.Enter the 16th Century Chinese Emperor Zhegende, whose harem was so big some of the women within it died of starvation, King Charles II's executioner who would only give you a clean beheading if you paid properly for it beforehand, and llya Ivanovich Ivanov, the 19th Century scientist who was a mega asshole and if you buy the book you'll find out why.Darkly funny, highly informative and always unbelievable, these are the dead people you should be mad at.
£12.99
Parthian Books Small
We all have our favourite demons. A desperate Romeo circles the bushes below Juliet's balcony, hoping for a glimpse of her bare body, 'nipples stiffening on powdered ribs'. Adamant of his own sanity, Hamlet chatters away to his oldest friend - the squat skull grinning in his palm. Andromache screams for her only child, 'spiralling like sycamore' from the walls of Troy, her husband brutally dragged to death in the dirt that rises around her. All the while, weaved throughout this collection, the narrator is haunted by her biggest demon of all: the gargantuan Small. Told with a rawness and honesty that sears, the secretive nature of living with an eating disorder is yanked out into the open and given the voice that only ever hisses darkly inside the skull. Through relationship breakdowns, bath-times, the cacophonous dazzle of Delhi and the fug of hospital waiting rooms, Small is always, there slyly riding on the shoulders of a woman running for miles to get away - yet forever haunted by hunger.
£9.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Perfect Golden Circle: Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers Book Club 2022
**Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers 2022** **The BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick** **Longlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize 2022** 'In this folksy, magnetic tale, two outsiders seek healing and enlightenment by creating crop formations in a Wiltshire field ... A memorable hymn to beauty' OBSERVER 'The pleasures of this bountiful novel are like a glass of cool water on a parched summer day' THE TIMES ‘A spirited and anarchic novel... a roiling, rollicking crop-circle folk tale’ GUARDIAN England, 1989. Over the course of a burning hot summer, two very different men – traumatized Falklands veteran Calvert, and affable, chaotic Redbone – set out nightly in a clapped-out camper van to undertake an extraordinary project. Under cover of darkness, the two men traverse the fields of rural England in secret, forming crop circles in elaborate and mysterious patterns. As the summer wears on, and their designs grow ever more ambitious, the two men find that their work has become a cult international sensation – and that an unlikely and beautiful friendship has taken root as the wheat ripens from green to gold. Moving and exhilarating, tender and slyly witty, The Perfect Golden Circle is a captivating novel about the futility of war, the destruction of the English countryside, class inequality – and the power of beauty to heal trauma and fight power. 'Brilliantly constructed and steeped in rural atmosphere' FINANCIAL TIMES, Best summer books of 2022
£17.77
Little, Brown Book Group The Frangipani Tree Mystery
First in a delightfully charming crime series set in 1930s Singapore, introducing amateur sleuth Su Lin, a local girl stepping in as governess for the Acting Governor of Singapore.1936 in the Crown Colony of Singapore, and the British abdication crisis and rising Japanese threat seem very far away. When the Irish nanny looking after Acting Governor Palin's daughter dies suddenly - and in mysterious circumstances - mission school-educated local girl Su Lin - an aspiring journalist trying to escape an arranged marriage - is invited to take her place. But then another murder at the residence occurs and it seems very likely that a killer is stalking the corridors of Government House. It now takes all Su Lin's traditional skills and intelligence to help British-born Chief Inspector Thomas LeFroy solve the murders - and escape with her own life.'Simply glorious. Every nook and cranny of 1930s Singapore is brought richly to life, without ever getting in the way of a classic puzzle plot. But what's a setting without a jewel? Chen Su Lin is a true gem. Her slyly witty voice and her admirable, sometimes heartbreaking, practicality make her the most beguiling narrator heroine I've met in a long while.' Catriona McPherson'Charming and fascinating with great authentic feel. Ovidia Yu's teenage Chinese sleuth gives us an insight into a very different culture and time. This book is exactly why I love historical novels.' Rhys Bowen
£9.99
Peter Lang AG Creating Magical Worlds: Otherness and Othering in "Harry Potter"
A huge success in both bookshops and cinemas, the Harry Potter-series has drawn millions of readers and viewers into its magical world. In constructing this world, however, J. K. Rowling has created Harry and his friends in sharp contrast to other members of the magical and non-magical world. Creating Magical Worlds: Otherness and Othering in Harry Potter argues that the identities of the heroes are mainly based on delimitation from and rivalry to other characters: the Slytherins and Deatheaters, foreign students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, magical races such as the house-elves and centaurs, Muggles and Squibs as well as, to a certain extent, girls and women. Apart from explaining the social psychological and psychoanalytical reasons behind this exclusion, Creating Magical Worlds also shows in how far this delimitation is necessary for the action and the plot of the series.
£31.45
Penguin Books Ltd Gut Feelings: Short Cuts to Better Decision Making
In Gut Feelings: Short Cuts to Better Decision Making psychologist and behavioural expert Gerd Gigerenzer reveals the secrets of fast and effective decision-making. A sportsman can catch a ball without calculating its speed or distance. A group of amateurs beat the experts at playing the stock market. A man falls for the right woman even though she's 'wrong' on paper. All these people succeeded by trusting their instincts - but how does it work? As Gerd Gigerenzer explains, in an uncertain world, sometimes we have to ignore too much information and rely on our brain's 'short cut', or heuristic. By explaining how intuition works and analyzing the techniques that people use to make good decisions - whether it's in personnel selection or heart surgery - Gigerenzer will show you the hidden intelligence of the unconscious mind. 'Fascinating and provocative ... Gut Feelings may well be the recipe for a simpler, less stressful life' Sunday Times 'Gigerenzer's writing is catchily optimistic and slyly funny ... Devilish' Steven Poole, Guardian 'The science behind the phenomenon cited in the bestseller Blink ... useful and clearly written' Business Week 'Gigerenzer is brilliant' Stephen Pinker Gerd Gigerenzer is Director of the Center for Adaptive Behavior and Cognition at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin and former Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago. He has published two academic books on heuristics, Simple Heuristics That Make Us Smart and Bounded Rationality: The Adaptive Toolbox as well as a popular science book, Reckoning with Risk.
£10.99
Allison & Busby Evil Never Dies: The gripping paranormal mystery
The village of Slyford St James is no stranger to supernatural happenings, as long-time residents Jed and Emma know all too well. When Jed receives a letter from an old friend, he is intrigued. Though he and Simon were like brothers during their army days, they have lost touch over the years. However, the invitation to the Pomeroy family estate isn't quite the reunion he was hoping for - Simon's eldest brother has been brutally murdered, and he wants Jed to use his connection to the dead to help solve the crime. When they arrive at the estate, Jed is shocked by how fragile and fearful his friend has become. As Jed calls upon the spirit world, the results are dramatic, and a gruesome warning reveals dark and dangerous family secrets that threaten the safety of them all.
£19.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Farm
A gripping story about race, money and motherhood that asks: what would you sacrifice for a new life? 'A firecracker of a novel' Madeline Miller 'Intelligent, thought-provoking, slyly satirical' Sunday Times 'About everything a book should be about: race and class, power and inequality - and it's dark and funny' Joanna Cannon 'An unsettling, unputdownable read' Elle 'Ramos has crafted a real page-turner' The Times Ambitious businesswoman Mae Yu runs Golden Oaks - a luxury retreat transforming the fertility industry. There, women get the very best of everything: organic meals, fitness trainers, daily massages and big money. Provided they dedicate themselves to producing the perfect baby. For someone else. Jane is a young immigrant in search of a better future. Stuck living in a cramped dorm with her baby daughter and her shrewd aunt Ate, she sees an unmissable chance to change her life. But at what cost? Chosen as a book of the summer by the Guardian, Telegraph, Evening Standard and Cosmopolitan
£9.55
Little, Brown Book Group Duke of Sin
A MAN OF SIN Devastatingly handsome. Vain. Unscrupulous. Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, is the man London whispers about in boudoirs and back alleys. A notorious rake and blackmailer, Montgomery has returned from exile, intent on seeking revenge on those who have wronged him. But what he finds in his own bedroom may lay waste to all his plans. A WOMAN OF HONOUR Born a bastard, housekeeper Bridget Crumb is clever, bold and fiercely loyal. When her aristocratic mother becomes the target of extortion, Bridget joins the Duke of Montgomery's household to search for the incriminating evidence - and uncovers something far more dangerous. A SECRET THAT THREATENS TO DESTROY THEM BOTH Astonished by the deceptively prim - and surprisingly witty - domestic spy in his chambers, Montgomery is intrigued. And try as she might, Bridget can't resist the slyly charming duke. Now as the two begin their treacherous game of cat and mouse, they soon realise that they both have secrets, and neither may be as nefarious - or as innocent - as they appear ...
£9.99
Little, Brown Book Group The Paper Bark Tree Mystery
'Simply glorious. Every nook and cranny of 1930s Singapore is brought richly to life' Catriona McphersonSu Lin is doing her dream job: assistant at Singapore's brand new detective agency. Until Bald Bernie decides a 'local girl' can't be trusted with private investigations, and replaces her with a new secretary - pretty, privileged, and white. So Su Lin's not the only person finding it hard to mourn Bernie after he's found dead in the filing room. And when her best friend's dad is accused, she gets up to some sleuthing work of her own in a bid to clear his name. Su Lin finds out that Bernie may have been working undercover, trading stolen diamonds for explosives from enemy troops. Was he really the upright English citizen he claimed to be? Meanwhile, a famous assassin commits his worst crime yet, and disappears into thin air. Rumours spread that he may be dangerously close to home.Beneath the stifling, cloudless Singaporean summer, earthquakes of chaos and political unrest are breaking out. When a tragic loss shakes Su Lin's personal world to its core, she becomes determined to find the truth. But in dark, hate-filled times, truth has a price - and Su Lin must decide how much she's willing to pay for it. Praise for Ovidia Yu:'Chen Su Lin is a true gem. Her slyly witty voice and her admirable, sometimes heartbreaking, practicality make her the most beguiling narrator heroine I've met in a long while' Catriona McPherson'Charming and fascinating with great authentic feel. Ovidia Yu's teenage Chinese sleuth gives us an insight into a very different culture and time. This book is exactly why I love historical novels' Rhys Bowen'A wonderful detective novel . . . a book that introduces one of the most likeable heroines in modern literature and should be on everyone's Must Read list' Scotsman
£9.04
Little, Brown Book Group The Lie of the Land: ‘A very good read indeed' Matt Haig
'Terrific, page-turning, slyly funny' India Knight'As satisfying a novel as I have read in years' Sarah Perry'Absolutely magnificent' Marian KeyesQuentin and Lottie Bredin, like many modern couples, can't afford to divorce. Having lost their jobs in the recession, they can't afford to go on living in London; instead, they must downsize and move their three children to a house in a remote part of Devon. Arrogant and adulterous, Quentin can't understand why Lottie is so angry; devastated and humiliated, Lottie feels herself to have been intolerably wounded.Mud, mice and quarrels are one thing - but why is their rent so low? What is the mystery surrounding their unappealing new home? The beauty of the landscape is ravishing, yet it conceals a dark side involving poverty, revenge, abuse and violence which will rise up to threaten them.Sally Verity, happily married but unhappily childless knows a different side to country life, as both a Health Visitor and a sheep farmer's wife; and when Lottie's innocent teenage son Xan gets a zero-hours contract at a local pie factory, he sees yet another. At the end of their year, the lives of all will be changed for ever. A suspenseful black comedy, this is a rich, compassionate and enthralling novel in its depiction of the English countryside, and the potentially lethal interplay between money and marriage.
£16.99
Surrey Books,U.S. Even the Terrible Things Seem Beautiful to Me Now: On Hope, Loss, and Wearing Sunscreen
What it means when your father dies. How it feels when summer comes. What it’s like to live in a great but troubled American city. The value of wearing sunscreen. These are just a few of the topics that Mary Schmich addresses in this second, expanded edition of Even the Terrible Things Seem Beautiful to Me Now, a collection of her columns from the Chicago Tribune, including the 10 that won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for commentary. Schmich is the rare newspaper columnist whose writing resonates long after it’s published and far beyond the place she lives. She may be best known for a column widely called “Wear Sunscreen”—misattributed to Kurt Vonnegut and turned into a hit recording by Baz Luhrmann—but her writing ranges as widely as life itself. It can be slyly humorous, deeply moving, or tough. She addresses subjects as varied as family love, sexual harassment, long friendships, poverty, and Chicago violence. Every city has its voices, the enduring writers who both explain and create a city’s culture. Chicago has had many, including the legendary Mike Royko and Studs Terkel. Mary Schmich is among them. In a hectic age, her writing lifts us, calms us, and helps us understand.
£19.99
BenBella Books Smart Pop Explains Harry Potter Books and Movies
Who is Snape? What’s a horcrux? When did Sirius Black escape from Azkaban? Why was Hermione sorted into Gryffindor?It’s easy for new fans to get overwhelmed by the sprawling mythology and complexity of the Harry Potter movies and books. Unlike encyclopedias and guides that offer diehard fans trivia, details, and deep dives into every on-screen moment, this first-of-its-kind explainer is an easy, fun, and accessible introduction to the hundreds of characters, plots, and interconnected stories that make up one of the greatest pop culture franchises of all time. Maybe you’re a First Year and need an entry level class on the magical Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Are you trying to figure out why Slytherins are so slippery? Trying to parcel out parceltongue? Having trouble sorting out when Dumbledore battled Grindelwald? Or maybe you’re a confident Ravenclaw who wants to understand why it’s leviOsa, not levioSA! If you’re a Muggle, witch, or wizard looking for an easy entry into what literally everyone is talking about then this is the book for you. As the perfect and unauthorized resource to keep on hand when watching something for the first—or tenth—time, Smart Pop ExplainsHarry Potter Movies and Books to you like no one could!
£12.99
Penguin Books Ltd Grand Union
A treasure trove of outstanding stories from 'the best writer of our generation' (Gary Shteyngart) - the perfect gift for the Zadie Smith fan in your life'She's already one of our best novelists and essayists, this reminds us that her short stories are right up there too' Observer'Sexy and hilarious. There is no moment in Grand Union when we are not entertained, or doubt that we are in the company of one of our best contemporary writers' Guardian'Brilliant. Another slam dunk. Street life, patois, music, food, clothes, hair: Smith has her finger on the pulse of life and the utter weirdness of whatever has just become normal. This is a book of and for the times, sobering in its clarity but bracingly witty and clever' Evening Standard'Smith's dialogue crackles with mordant wit. This dazzling collection of stories will leave you with plenty to think about' IndependentInterleaving ten completely new and unpublished stories with some of her best-loved pieces from the New Yorker and elsewhere, Zadie Smith presents a dizzyingly rich and varied collection of fiction. Moving exhilaratingly across genres and perspectives, from the historic to the vividly current to the slyly dystopian, Grand Union is a sharply alert and prescient collection about time and place, identity and rebirth, the persistent legacies that haunt our present selves and the uncanny futures that rush up to meet us.
£9.99