Abbey's Advocate

What if the worst day of your life turns out to be the making of you?

Lillian heard her daughter's footsteps hurry up the passage. She ran her fingers underneath her eyes, ready to greet her son. But when Kate appeared in the doorway her face was white. 'Mum,' Kate said. 'You'd better come. It's the police.'

With two bright children, a beautiful home and a husband she's always depended on, Lillian Hogarth considers herself blessed. Until, on her son Jamie's final day of high school, he fails to come home. Hospitalised by a coward's punch, Jamie has been the victim of a muck-up day celebration that went too far.

Lillian's support is unflinching, even as her world begins to crumble. A son whose fate hangs in the balance, a teenage witness who refuses to name the one who threw the punch, and a husband who's hiding a secret that could destroy their marriage ...

Is this the end of the Hogarth family's good luck? Or will Jamie's determination-and Lillian's love-be the making of them?

Praise for The Mothers:

'The Mothers beautifully captures the desperation for a baby and the emotional roller-coaster of IVF ... In the style of Jodi Picoult, it's impossible to choose sides. These characters and their heart-wrenching dilemma will follow you off the page and have you asking what would you do? An intriguing, thought-provoking novel.' - Petronella McGovern, bestselling author of Six Minutes

'Engagingly and unflinchingly told, Gannon's new novel, The Mothers, is the story of every parent's worst nightmare. It is that novel that makes you muse on the most difficult of questions ... What makes a mother? And can you ever un-become one? Like all my favourite books, The Mothers is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and it leaves you with a lot to think about after you turn the final page. I sobbed my way through this wonderful book.' - Sally Hepworth, bestselling author of The Younger Wife

'Talk about a page-turner! We dare you to try putting this gripping family drama down. The ending is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.' - NW Magazine

'Poignant and provocative...[The Mothers] is an emotional exploration of themes such as infertility, marriage, family and motherhood. With empathy and respect, the author skilfully explores sides of the situation.' - Book'd Out

Life is full of downs and ups . . .

A compelling feel-good novel featuring a proud and gutsy heroine, for anyone who believes in the resilience of the human spirit.

A RESILIENT SPIRIT Dolly Jamieson is not homeless, she's merely between permanent abodes. The 78-year-old spends her days keeping warm at the local library, where she enjoys sparring with the officious head librarian and helping herself to the free morning tea. It's not so bad, really.

A FORGOTTEN STAR But it's certainly a far cry from the 1960s, when this humble girl from Geelong became an international star of the stage. As the acclaimed lead in the Broadway production of The Rose of France, all Dolly's dreams had come true.

So how, in her old age, did she end up here?

AN UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP When Jane Leveson, a well-to-do newcomer to the library, shows an interest in Dolly, the pair strike up an unlikely friendship - and soon Jane is offering to help Dolly write her memoirs.

Yet Dolly can detect a deep sadness in the younger woman's eyes. Perhaps by working together to recount the glittering highs, devastating lows and tragic secrets of Dolly's life, both women can finally face their pasts and start to heal . . .

'From the glamour of Broadway in the 1960s to the realities of life for the unhoused today, this is a riveting and heartbreaking story of friendship, second chances and hope.' KELLY RIMMER

'This novel had me from the first page. It's been years since a book has made me feel like this.' SALLY HEPWORTH

Set against the backdrop of the new millennium, a seductive summer read about obsession, sex, friendship and music from an exciting new talent.

'The cleverness is what's compulsive.' COURIER MAIL

'A smart, swaggering love letter to smart, swaggering youth, told in a voice that's racing hot, icy cool and always on the verge of losing its composure.' Ronnie Scott

'Strap in and let an unforgettable story of sex, drugs and electroclash rush past you like the wet neon blur beyond the windows of a speeding Trans Am.' Clare Fletcher

It's the turn of the new millennium, and the bright young things are partying like it's the end of the world. Dark glamour and debauched music reign, gigs culminating with everyone on stage - or undressed. Lucy, editor of a music magazine, is at the blazing neon centre, ecstatically seeking oblivion. But as her life (featuring a stalker, a not-quite ex-husband, and an affair with a cold, charismatic musician) veers from complicated to chaotic, she burns it all down, decamping to the remote seaside town of her childhood -- to start again.

In Abergele, Lucy recreates her old existence in hothouse miniature. Past friends and compulsions reappear, along with new fascinations. One of them is Robin, photographer and lonely son of a famous producer. Recognising in each other a fellow exile and a rich source of distraction, they fall into step on daily rambles across the cliffs. Their charged conversations about music and philosophy function as both high-stakes flirtation and a stealth mechanism for understanding themselves, resulting in an intense bond that disarms them both.

Compulsion is a razor-sharp debut about the transcendence of new highs, the allure of new lows, and the relentless power of our obsessions. Music, sex, food, drugs, fashion and nature coalesce to overwhelm the senses on every page.

A joyful, freewheeling, funny and profound new collection from ‘one of the most inventive, adventurous and accomplished fiction writers in the US today’ (Lionel Shriver)

For one woman, a cross-country train ride becomes a parallel journey into the dark psyche of American manhood. An old man and his neighbour enter strike up a friendship that might a more sinister battle of wits than he first thinks. A man, waiting for his wife in a bar on Valentine's Day, is plagued by a stranger who claims to be clairvoyant.

In electric prose T. C. Boyle explores myriad facets of society: greed and excess, parenthood and responsibility, the digital world and the way we understand our mortality. Roaming unrestrainedly through the present and near future, he inhabits his characters’ minds with a ventriloquist’s flair, skewering human motivations and revealing us to ourselves with empathy and wry humour.

From the internationally bestselling author of A Dog's Purpose and A Dog's Way Home comes Love, Clancy: Diary of a Good Dog, a deeply moving story with a brand new cast of characters, including one very good dog.

You've probably never met someone like Clancy. He's keeping a diary, he's falling in love, there are rivals for his affections, he lives with his best friend and his worst enemy - even taken together, these factors are maybe not that unusual, except that Clancy is a dog. His point of view is therefore perhaps . . . different.

Told in W. Bruce Cameron's signature style, a tremendous cast of wonderful characters find themselves jointly and separately navigating the challenges of life, of love, and . . . other pets, including Clancy's ""worst enemy"" - one very disdainful cat. It's a lot to keep track of, especially when things start to spin hilariously out of control, but fortunately, we've got the observations of Clancy, a very good dog, who shares a valuable perspective on what is really important.

In the summer of 1936, while the Nazis make secret plans for World War II, a courageous and daring young woman struggles to expose the lies behind the dazzling spectacle of the Berlin Olympics.

In the summer of 1936, while the Nazis make secret plans for World War II, a courageous and daring young woman struggles to expose the lies behind the dazzling spectacle of the Berlin Olympics.

German power is rising again, threatening a war that will be even worse than the last one. The English aristocracy turns to an age-old institution to stave off war and strengthen political bonds-marriage. Debutantes flock to Germany, including Viviane Alden. On holiday with her sister during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Viviane's true purpose is more clandestine. While many in England want to appease Hitler, others seek to prove Germany is rearming. But they need evidence, photographs to tell the tale, and Viviane is a genius with her trusty Leica. And who would suspect a pretty, young tourist taking holiday snaps of being a spy?

Viviane expects to find hatred and injustice, but during the Olympics, with the world watching, Germany is on its best behavior, graciously welcoming tourists to a festival of peace and goodwill. But first impressions can be deceiving, and it's up to Viviane and the journalist she's paired with-a daring man with a guarded heart-to reveal the truth.

But others have their own reasons for befriending Viviane, and her adventure takes a darker turn. Suddenly Viviane finds herself caught in a web of far more deadly games-and closer than she ever imagined to the brink of war.

YOU'D DIE FOR THEM. THEY'D KILL FOR YOU. . .

What is the cost of an extraordinary life if others have to pay?

Clare arrives at the University of Edinburgh with a secret. This is her chance for a blank slate - to finally become who she was meant to be.

And then she meets Tabitha.

Tabitha is charismatic, beautiful and intimidatingly rich. Soon Clare is sucked into her enigmatic circle of friends and their dizzying world of champagne on rooftops and summers in France.

Her new life has begun.

Then Tabitha reveals the little project they're working on, a project they need Clare's help with. And Clare can't say no.

Because they know what she did . . .

Annie Ernaux's father died exactly two months after she passed her exams for a teaching certificate. Barely educated and valued since childhood strictly for his labour, Ernaux's father had grown into a hard, practical man who showed his family little affection. Narrating his slow ascent towards material comfort, Ernaux's cold observation in A Man's Place reveals the shame that haunted her father throughout his life. She scrutinises the importance he attributed to manners and language that came so unnaturally to him as he struggled to provide for his family with a grocery store and cafe in rural France. Over the course of the book, Ernaux grows up to become the uncompromising observer now familiar to the world, while her father matures into old age with a staid appreciation for life as it is and for a daughter he cautiously, even reluctantly admires.

'Ernaux has inherited de Beauvoir's role of chronicler to a generation.' - Margaret Drabble

The dazzling new novel by the author of the modern classic War and Turpentine

In the summer of 1979, Stefan Hertmans fell in love with a dilapidated house in Ghent. He rescued it from decay and it became his peaceful sanctuary. Decades on, he learns that a bust of Hitler once sat on the mantelpiece, and a war criminal and his family relaxed in its rooms.

This shocking discovery sends Hertmans to the archives, where he uncovers the secrets of the house and the atrocities committed by its former owner Willem Verhulst. Drawing on the historical record and interviews with Verhulst’s family, Hertmans reimagines the life of a weak, narcissistic man who climbed the ranks of the SS. Hertmans also uncovers the marital drama that took place in the house: Verhulst’s commitment to the SS was at odds with the outlook of his wife, a deeply religious pacifist.

The Ascent is an immersive tale of war, family and individual fate, in which Hertmans demonstrates his mastery at spinning a personal story into an epic narrative.

The sweeping new saga of strong heroines and family secrets from the bestselling author of The Paris Model. While searching for her lost sister, art historian Wren Summers takes on the glittering world of New York's auction houses.

A missing girl, a hidden masterpiece, and the search for the truth

1965:

After escaping from anti-war turmoil and the suffocating weight of family expectations, a beautiful young couple embrace a life free of materialism and tradition by a sapphire lake in Italy. But the past does not always let go so easily ...

1987: When talented art historian Wren Summers lands her dream job at the Sydney Art Museum, it seems she can finally leave her wildly unconventional background behind – until a treacherous act threatens everything she has strived for.

The revelation of a monstrous family secret sees Wren head to New York, compelled to find the missing girl who holds the key to this shocking mystery – and to make a fresh start in the glittering realm of international art auctions. As she struggles to fulfil her quest, can she navigate this new, high-stakes world of swirling temptation, romance and deceit, danger and betrayal, while staying true to what she knows is right?

Praise for Alexandra Joel:

'A mesmerising storyteller' The Australian

'Exceptional research and great storytelling ... She has that rare flair for drawing the reader into sumptuous worlds from glamorous bygone eras' Better Reading

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED OPRAH DAILY PICK FOR 2023

'Ill-fated love and toxic family power struggles provide emotional drive for this big dynastic saga' JAKE ARNOTT, GUARDIAN

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'Huge, epic, immersive and absorbing . . . certain to be a book of the year' LEE CHILD, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

'Kapoor's violent and bitter story is deeply addictive' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (STARRED REVIEW)

This is the age of vice, where pleasure and power are everything, and the family ties that bind can also kill

New Delhi, 3 a.m. A speeding Mercedes jumps the kerb, and in the blink of an eye five people are dead. It's a rich man's car, but when the dust settles there is no rich man at all, just a shell-shocked servant who cannot explain the strange series of events that led to this crime. Nor can he foresee the dark drama that is about to unfold.

Deftly shifting through time and perspective in contemporary India, Age of Vice is an epic, action-packed story propelled by the seductive wealth, startling corruption, and bloodthirsty violence of the Wadia family-loved by some, loathed by others, feared by all.

In the shadow of lavish estates, extravagant parties, predatory business deals, and calculated political influence, three lives become dangerously intertwined: Ajay is the watchful servant, born into poverty, who rises through the family's ranks. Sunny is the playboy heir who dreams of outshining his father, whatever the cost. And Neda is the curious journalist caught between morality and desire. Against a sweeping plot fueled by loss, pleasure, greed, yearning, violence, and revenge, will these characters' connections become a path to escape, or a trigger of further destruction?

Equal parts crime thriller and family saga, transporting readers from the dusty villages of Uttar Pradesh to the urban energy of New Delhi, Age of Vice is an intoxicating novel of gangsters and lovers, false friendships, forbidden romance, and the consequences of corruption. It is binge-worthy entertainment at its literary best.

'A real jewel.' Irish Independent'A small miracle.' Sunday Times 'A thing of finely honed beauty.' Guardian 'Thrilling.' Richard Ford 'As good as Chekhov.' David Mitchell

From the author ofthe Booker-shortlisted Small Things Like These

It is a hot summer in rural Ireland. A girl is sent to live with foster parents on a farm, not knowing when she will return home. In the strangers' house, she finds a warmth and affection she has not known before and slowly begins to blossom in their care. But in a house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers how fragile her idyll is.

'Foster confirms Claire Keegan's talent. She creates luminous effects with spare material, so every line seems to be a lesson in the perfect deployment of both style and emotion' - Hilary Mantel

Nine lives are brought together by the mysterious appearance of a huge star in the sky in this exhilarating novel from the international bestseller.

Nine lives will be changed forever in the exhilarating new novel from the international bestseller.

'Addictive' Daily Telegraph

'Knausgaard retains the ability to lock you, as if in a tractor beam, into his storytelling' New York Times

One long night in August, Arne and Tove are staying with their children in their summer house in southern Norway. Kathrine, a priest, is flying home from a Bible seminar, questioning her marriage. Journalist Jostein is out drinking for the night, while his wife, Turid, a nurse at a psychiatric care unit, is on a nightshift when one of her patients escapes.

Above them all, a huge star suddenly appears blazing in the sky, and so begins a series of mysterious events. For these six, and three others, life is about to become ever more surprising and unruly...

'I read The Morning Star compulsively, and stayed awake all night after finishing it' Brandon Taylor, author of Real Life

'Brilliant storytelling... Epic' Independent

'Captivating' Observer

My name is Gary. I’m a thirty-year-old legal assistant with a firm of solicitors in London. To describe me as anonymous would be unfair but to notice me other than in passing would be a rarity. I did make a good connection with a girl, but that blew up in my face and smacked my arse with a fish slice.

Gary Thorn goes for a pint with a work acquaintance called Brendan. When Brendan leaves early, Gary meets a girl in the pub. He doesn’t catch her name, but falls for her anyway. When she suddenly disappears without saying goodbye, all Gary has to remember her by is the book she was reading: The Satsuma Complex. But when Brendan goes missing, Gary needs to track down the girl he now calls Satsuma to get some answers.

And so begins Gary’s quest, through the estates and pie shops of South London, to finally bring some love and excitement into his unremarkable life…

A page-turning story with a cast of unforgettable characters, The Satsuma Complex is the brilliantly funny first novel by bestselling author and comedian Bob Mortimer.

Who will save the fallen city?

Alexander the Great's sudden death has left his empire in chaos. The ragged survivors of war limp home on foot, while funeral pyres across Macedon sizzle with the bodies of great warriors. Meanwhile, the dead king's generals - cunning Seleukos, one-eyed Antigonos, jealous Kassandros - are scattered across different continents from Athens to the Nile, each hungry for power over the whole kingdom. Alliances and betrayals are rife, and if one man gains an advantage, the others will not hesitate to plot his downfall.

Mobilising their troops, the warlords cross deserts and seas, all marching in a single direction: towards the legendary city of Babylon. The key to controlling the East, behind its golden gates lie untold treasures. But it will take a hero to claim it - or maybe even the son of a god...

Babylon is the fourth book in a huge, brutal and bloodthirsty series about the fight to regain Alexander the Great's empire after his untimely death. Let the battles begin...

AD 265, Gaul - The Roman Empire is on the brink.

Emperor Gallienus has amassed a huge army across the Alps to seize back the mountains from the usurper Posthumus.

War has come.

Ballista and his cavalry are on the frontline, battling in the most brutal of conditions. But if he is to survive the campaign and finally retire to his beloved Sicily, it's not just the battlefield he needs to navigate.

As he and Praetorian Prefect Volusianus lay siege to Posthumus' armies, it becomes clear the greatest threat to Ballista's life might just come from within his ranks. After all, Volusianus has shown he will go to any distance for his own ends. Is Ballista just another pawn in his game?

From the bestselling, cancer-vanquishing Love Your Sister team, and edited by the indefatigable Samuel Johnson, comes Dear Lover, a funny, revealing and soul-stirring collection of letters written by notable Australians like Turia Pitt, Samuel Johnson, Susie Youssef, Hilde Hinton, Stuart Coupe, Jacqui Lambie, Larry Emdur, John Paul Young, Mandy Beaumont, Rhett Davis,

Adam Harvey, Mark Brandi and Kate Mildenhall, to name a few, just in time for Valentine's Day.

What would someone say to their childhood sweetheart, their life partner, their latest crush or their cherished soul mate? 'Thanks for everything?' 'Unravel your sports socks before you put them in the washing basket?' Anything goes in this collection of letters. If you could tell your lover anything, what would it be?

A big-hearted, comforting and uplifting collection of letters celebrating love. The perfect gift for the one you love.

An unforgettable story of the legacy of grief and guilt across generations, and the power of memory and faith.

Kristina Olsson's mother lost her infant son, Peter, when he was snatched from her arms as she boarded a train in the hot summer of 1950. Young and frightened and trying to escape a brutal marriage, she was not prepared for this final blow, this breathtaking punishment. She did not think she would see her son again.

Kristina was the first child of her mother's second, much gentler marriage and, like her siblings, grew up unaware of the reasons behind her mother's sorrow, though Peter's absence resounded through the family. Yvonne dreamt day and night of her son, while Peter grew up a thousand miles and a lifetime away, dreaming of his missing mother. Thirty-six years later he arrived at her front door.

Boy, Lost tells an unforgettable story of the legacy of grief and loss across generations, and is a tribute to the power of memory and faith.

"What happened next? It's the question Jill Stark has been asked most often since the publication of her acclaimed memoir, High Sobriety.

As one of the original pioneers in the 'quit lit' space, Jill started a national conversation about the role of alcohol in our lives, turning the lens on her own rocky relationship with booze and forensically dissecting the culture that gave rise to it.

Now, ten years after the book's first release, she fills in the gaps on where life took her after she unwittingly became the poster girl for sobriety. In this updated edition, Jill charts her struggle to become a moderate drinker, the crippling 'hangxiety' that led to her quitting alcohol for good, and the ever-evolving journey of self-discovery sobriety has taken her on.

Surviving six long lockdowns alcohol-free, Jill also looks at how a global pandemic tested her sobriety and shone a spotlight on the way alcohol has been sold as the panacea for all our troubles. At the same time, it helped accelerate a seismic change in the nation's drinking habits, with the rise of the sober-curious movement and a booming non-alcoholic drinks industry proving there is a growing appetite for abstinence.

After so long feeling like a social pariah, Jill embraces the joy of living life on the outer, and meets a new generation of sober rebels who are radically redefining what it means to be alcohol-free. Now she feels prompted to ask the question, has sobriety become cool?

'Journalist Stark chronicles a year of sobriety in this witty memoir ... Stark's candid reflections reveal the outsize role booze plays in many people's social lives. It's a spirited tale of kicking addiction.' -Publishers Weekly

'Higher Sobriety is a thought-provoking - no, deeply challenging - read for those of us involved in the promotion of alcohol and the perpetuation of Australia's drinking cultures (even those of us who like to think we're advocating sensible drinking - ""drinking less but better""). It's essential reading, really, for anyone, arguably more so now than a decade ago. Even if it doesn't convince you to give up the booze completely, it should give you greater insight into how and why you drink. And understanding is surely better than ignorance.' -Max Allen, The Australian Financial Review

Praise for High Sobriety- 'What gives this book resonance is Stark's ability to balance a serious agenda, backed by her interviews, statistics and the inside information to which a health reporter has access, with a personal narrative that is equally earnest in its intent but lighter in its execution ... High Sobriety is an entertaining and informative read about one woman's year of online dating, family reunions and beer gardens without a drink, and her account of the nation's attitude towards the thing she denies herself.' -The Sydney Morning Herald"

There is something different about adventurers; about the way their minds work. They look at the world as a place of challenges and though they know what fear is, they refuse to be hindered by it.

'Inspiring, personal and heartfelt' HERALD SUN

'A simple yet addictive narrative . . . stirring stuff' COURIER-MAIL

On 15 May 2010, after 210 days at sea and 24,285 nautical miles, sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson sailed her yacht, Ella's Pink Lady, triumphantly back into Sydney Harbour. She had become the youngest person to sail solo, unassisted and non-stop around the world, writing her name in the mostly male-dominated record books.

With a major feature film soon to be released, this book, told in Jessica's own words, shares with us her childhood, her dyslexia, her inspiration, her years of planning and her preparation. While many doubted her, she tells how a disaster at the very start gave her the confidence she needed to set sail. Taking us onboard the day-to-day of the journey and

disclosing her battle with sleep deprivation, gale-force winds, forty-foot waves and several knockdowns that saw the boat's mast go beneath the water, Jess reveals how she coped with the solitude, alone on a vast sea with no land to be seen and no help close at hand, to conquer the Everest of sailing.

True Spirit is an inspiring memoir that proves that we all have the power to live our dreams - no matter how small or how big they are.

'Ruth Wilson . . . emerges from this discreet, wry memoir as quietly defiant as any heroine from the Jane Austen novels she so admires.'

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

At the age of seventy, Ruth Wilson blew up her life. Confronting feelings of regret and unhappiness, she left her husband, bought a sunshine-yellow cottage in the Southern Highlands and resolved to re-read the books that had shaped her formative years: Jane Austen's six novels.

Over the next ten years, as Ruth read between the lines of both the novels and her own life, she slowly began to reclaim her identity.

Now aged ninety, Ruth shares her beautiful, life-affirming lessons in love, self-acceptance and the curative power of reading, as well as a timely reminder that it's never too late to seize a second chance.

'Brilliant . . . a tour de force memoir on the power of reading to light up a life at any age.'

DEVONEY LOOSER

'Beautiful and deep . . . A unique approach to Austen's books.'

BRI LEE

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Christopher Andersen comes a vivid and unsparing yet sympathetic portrait of one of the most complex and enigmatic figures of our time: Charles, who has taken his place on the throne after being the oldest and longest-serving heir in British history.

Since the day Charles Philip Arthur George was born, he has been groomed to be King. After more than seventy years of waiting, he finally ascends the throne.

The King examines the private life of this historically important and controversial figure, set against the grand, thousand-year sweep of the British monarchy. This richly detailed biography covers it all, from his military training to his marriage to Lady Diana, through their separation and her tragic death to his marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles. In the process, it provides a balanced but fully honest look into the life of the new monarch. This book will tell you what the King—a man who has remained something of an enigma, shrouded in speculation and intrigue—is really like.

The King is the first biography of Charles since he has become monarch and serves as an authoritative chronicle of his life.

Baggage chronicles the actor's life in Hollywood and the ways in which work has repeatedly whisked him away from personal calamities to sets and stages around the world. Taking us through the highs and lows of his career, his struggle with mental health, each failed relationship or encounter with a legend (Liza! X Men! Gore Vidal! Kubrick! Spice Girls!), every bad decision or moment of sensual joy, Cumming shows how every experience - good or bad - has shaped who he is today: a happy, flawed, vulnerable, fearless middle-aged man, with a lot of baggage. Startlingly honest, both poignant and joyous, Baggage shines a light on how to embrace the complicated messiness of life.

'To read Baggage is to spend time with the most engaging companion in the world. Charm, wit, insight, entrancingly disarming self-knowledge, hilarious stories by the basketful, Alan Cumming's attributes are endlessly enriching and enchanting. Only one negative, I just hated to see the right-hand page count, the pages yet to be read, thinning down and reminding me, like a tolling bell, that this joyous ride was coming to an end' - Stephen Fry

'It seems fundamentally unfair that Alan Cumming is, in addition to being a fine actor and a wicked performer, such a hell of a good writer. But he is. He's observant, honest, often trenchantly funny, always emotionally honest. He's an international treasure' - Neil Gaiman

Accessible, lively new biography of an under-served female writer, from a bestselling, acclaimed literary biographer

Published to celebrate Katherine Mansfield's centenary, this is a compact but comprehensive new portrait of her life, work, relevance and wonderfully inspiring personality

Restless outsider, masher-up of form and convention, Katherine Mansfield's short but dazzling career was characterised by struggle, insecurity and sacrifice ? alongside a glorious, relentless creative drive and openness.

She was the only writer Virginia Woolf admitted being jealous of, yet by the 1950s was so undervalued that Elizabeth Bowen was moved to ask, 'Where is she ? our missing contemporary?' Now, looking back over the hundred years since her death, it is evident how vital Mansfield was to the Modernist movement and how strikingly relevant she is today, helping us to see differently, to savour and to notice things.

In this dynamic and perceptive study, Claire Harman takes a fresh look at Mansfield's life and achievements side by side, through the form she did so much to revolutionise- the short story. Exploring ten pivotal works, we watch how Mansfield's desire to grow as a writer pushed her art into unknown territory, and how illness sharpened her extraordinary vitality- 'Would you not like to try all sorts of lives ? one is so very small.'

Inventive, intimate and informative, All Sorts of Lives is the perfect introduction for those who aren't familiar with Mansfield's work and, for those who are, it offers a new way of viewing and celebrating her and her legacy.

WITH A FOREWORD BY PHILIPPE SANDS AND AN INTRODUCTION BY ANDREY KURKOV

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'If you read only one book about the war, this is the one to read.' -Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm

'Unforgettable. An immediate history of a cruel war and a personal chronicle of unbearable loss' -Simon Sebag-Montefiore, author of The World

Killed by shrapnel as he served in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Olesya Khromeychuk's brother Volodymyr died on the frontline in eastern Ukraine. As Khromeychuk tries to come to terms with losing her brother, she also tries to process the Russian invasion of Ukraine: as a historian of war, as a woman and as a sister.

In a thoughtful blend of memoir and essay, Olesya Khromeychuk tells the story of her brother - and of Ukraine. Beautifully written and giving unique, poignant insight into the lives of those affected, it is an urgent act of resistance against the dehumanising cruelty of war.

'If you want to understand Ukraine's determination to resist, Olesya Khromeychuk's book is essential.' -Paul Mason, author of How to Stop Fascism

[A] tender and courageous book... Khromeychuk's clear-sighted prose expresses the pain that thousands, even millions, have felt in every conflict, past and present. -The Literary Review Magazine

'A touching and brilliantly written account about grief, and also about strength. I read it in one night.' -Olia Hercules

The final work of one of the greatest non-fiction writers of the last century is a stunningly original memoir and a moving exploration of family history

For decades, Janet Malcolm's books and dispatches for the New Yorker and the New York Review of Books poked and prodded at reportorial and biographical convention, gesturing towards the artifice that underpins both public and private selves. In Still Pictures, she turns her gimlet eye on her own life.

Beginning with the image of a morose young girl on her way from Prague to New York in 1939, to fitful early loves and her fascination with what it might mean to be a 'bad girl', Malcolm assembles a composite portrait of a New York childhood, one that never escapes the tug of Europe and the mysteries of fate and family. Later, she delves into the world of William Shawn's New Yorker and the infamous libel trial that saw her become a character in her own drama.

Written with Malcolm's peerless skill and sharp wit, this memoir from a titan of American letters is unlike any other.

In the most eagerly-awaited memoir of 2023, Prince Harry tells his version of the story about the tragic death of his mother Princess Diana, life within the Royal Family and his marriage to Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, with remarkable candour and directness.

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 It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on.

For Harry, this is that story at last.

Before losing his mother, twelve-year-old Prince Harry was known as the carefree one, the happy-go-lucky Spare to the more serious Heir. Grief changed everything. He struggled at school, struggled with anger, with loneliness—and, because he blamed the press for his mother’s death, he struggled to accept life in the spotlight.

At twenty-one, he joined the British Army. The discipline gave him structure, and two combat tours made him a hero at home. But he soon felt more lost than ever, suffering from post-traumatic stress and prone to crippling panic attacks. Above all, he couldn’t find true love. 

Then he met Meghan. The world was swept away by the couple’s cinematic romance and rejoiced in their fairy-tale wedding. But from the beginning, Harry and Meghan were preyed upon by the press, subjected to waves of abuse, racism, and lies. Watching his wife suffer, their safety and mental health at risk, Harry saw no other way to prevent the tragedy of history repeating itself but to flee his mother country. Over the centuries, leaving the Royal Family was an act few had dared. The last to try, in fact, had been his mother. . . .

For the first time, Prince Harry tells his own story, chronicling his journey with raw, unflinching honesty. A landmark publication, Spare is full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.

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Prince Harry wishes to support British charities with donations from his proceeds from Spare. The Duke of Sussex has donated $1,500,000 to Sentebale, an organisation he founded with Prince Seeiso in their mothers' legacies, which supports vulnerable children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana affected by HIV/AIDS. Prince Harry will also donate to the non-profit organisation WellChild in the amount of e300,000. WellChild, which he has been Royal patron of for fifteen years, makes it possible for children and young people with complex health needs to be cared for at home instead of hospital, wherever possible.

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He was one of the most eminent literary figures in the world. She was the kind of pioneering woman who knew she could make the world a better place; someone who was utterly fearless and straight-talking, even around Nobel Prize-winning poets.

In 1938, as T.S. Eliot was establishing himself as 'a Classic in his lifetime', he struck up a friendship with Mary Trevelyan. This passionately curious woman - an intrepid traveller - was Warden of the Student Movement House, mere yards from the poet and editor's office at Faber & Faber in Bloomsbury. Their relationship was domestic rather than artistic, characterised by churchgoing, conversation, record-playing, daytrips with Mary at the wheel, Eliot is his shirt-sleeves cooking up sausages for dinner. Over the years, their friendship deepened in intimacy and ambiguity. She wished for more than those glasses of gin, the cheerful chats. And she came to believe it might lead to something more - so much so that she proposed marriage twice. Eliot led her to understand that any such commitment would be an impossibility for him - hence Mary's shock when his marriage to Valerie Fletcher, his secretary nearly forty years his junior, was announced, and his ongoing attachment to Emily Hale, his youthful love, revealed.

Trevelyan left a unique document - of diaries, letters and pictures - charting their twenty year long relationship. Erica Wagner has brought this untold story together for the first time. Mary and Mr Eliot is a revelatory portrait of Eliot. It also introduces us to a fearless and energetic woman sidelined by history, whose experience of unrequited love - joy, misunderstanding, betrayal - feels utterly modern, and deeply human.

Ai Weiwei - one of the world's most famous artists and activists - tells a century-long epic tale of China through the story of his own extraordinary life and the legacy of his father Ai Qing, the nation's most celebrated poet

A FAMILY STORY AND THE TALE OF A NATION.

Ai Weiwei - one of the world's most famous artists and activists - weaves a century-long epic tale of China through the story of his own life and that of his father, Ai Qing, the nation's most celebrated poet.

'Engrossing...a remarkable story' Sunday Times

Here, through the sweeping lens of his own and his father's life, Ai Weiwei tells an epic tale of China over the last 100 years, from the Cultural Revolution to the modern-day Chinese Communist Party.

Here is the story of a childhood spent in desolate exile after his father, Ai Qing, once China's most celebrated poet, fell foul of the authorities. Here is his move to America as a young man and his return to China, his rise from unknown to art-world superstar and international rights activist. Here is his extraordinary account of how his work has been shaped by living under a totalitarian regime.

It's the story of a father and a son, of exceptional creativity and passionate belief, and of how two indomitable spirits enabled the world to understand their country.

'A story of inherited resilience and self-determination' Observer

'A majestic and exquisitely serious masterpiece about his China... One of the great voices of our time' Andrew Solomon

'Intimate, unflinching...an instant classic' Evan Osnos, author of Age of Ambition

Here at last is the story of one of the leading contemporary critics, literary and otherwise, who has become celebrated for his waspish and subversive writing. As a writer, Wilson is polymathic. As the literary editor of the Spectator and Evening Standard he pioneered the commissioning of celebrity reviewers like the former Duchess of Devonshire and her sister Diana Moseley. He has published a number of well received novels but he is also the master of the biographer's art. His prize-winning biographies of C. S. Lewis and Tolstoy remain classics, and for the latter he taught himself Russian.

But now, Wilson turns the light upon himself. At Oxford, he married his tutor but then entered St Stephen's House to train for the Anglican priesthood. His portrait of this Anglican seminary and its high camp ethos is hilarious and full of anecdote, yet he also describes how he was on the threshold of a stellar career as writer and critic.

His account of being a Booker Prize judge is witty and cynical, as is his description of how his close friend the novelist Beryl Bainbridge failed for the fifth time to get beyond the Booker shortlist and finally win. The bridesmaid who never became the bride.

This sharp and gossipy memoir will delight Wilson's admirers who are legion. But it will also give others an exceptional insight into the charade which is the literary and publishing world in our times.

Following the death of her beloved mother Jennifer Worth in 2011, Suzannah Worth discovered amongst her manuscripts a folder simply labelled 'Fifth Book'. Imagine her excitement when she sat down to read and her mother's distinctive voice came flooding back. She found herself once again immersed in the world of the 1950s East End of London. The voices of much loved, familiar characters spoke loud and clear, particularly that of Fred the boiler man, who features extensively in this joyful collection.

From Fred and Maisie's romance, to Fred's little earners including boat tours on the Thames, a fledgling singing career and raising pigs on the allotment, these new stories are as heart-warming and funny as the originals.

Published here for the first time and accompanied by a selection of Suzannah's favourite chapters from the original memoirs, featuring Chummy and Sister Monica Joan, this is a very special addition to the Call the Midwife family.

In this extraordinary work of non-fiction, we hear the unforgettable stories of everyday heroes who look after our families, our friends and ourselves in the most challenging circumstances imaginable

When we're at our worst, nurses are at their best.

Around the clock, highly skilled and compassionate men and women sacrifice and struggle for us and our loved ones.

You have never heard their true stories. Not like this. From big-city and small-town hospitals. These are stories told from the heart.

This book will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you understand the importance of the work they do.

The United Kingdom has been at the heart of global history for centuries – as a conqueror, an engine of international trade, and a symbol of modernity. It was the first industrial nation, the centre of the world’s biggest empire, and the home of an enduring and influential parliamentary democracy. Since 1945, the UK has faced unprecedented challenges as it has come to terms with the loss of great power status, the surrender of its colonial territories, the decline of its staple industries, and growing pressures threatening to tear apart the union holding together England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

In this book, Adrian Bingham guides readers through the key developments in British post-war history to reveal how the nation was shaped by the legacies and lessons of the past. The UK has become a more diverse, pluralistic, and mobile society, but it remains one struggling to come to terms with its changed position in the world, and unable to reach consensus around a vision for the future.

On July 4, 1961, the rising middle-class families of a Chicago neighborhood gathered before their flag-bedecked houses, a confident vision of the American Dream. That vision was shattered over the following decade, its inequities at home and arrogance abroad challenged by powerful civil rights and antiwar movements. Assassinations, social violence, and the blowback of a ""silent majority"" shredded the American fabric.

Covering the late 1950s through the early 1970s, The Shattering focuses on the period's fierce conflicts over race, sex, and war. The civil rights movement develops from the grassroots activism of Montgomery and the sit-ins, through the violence of Birmingham and the Edmund Pettus Bridge, to the frustrations of King's Chicago campaign, a rising Black nationalism, and the Nixon-era politics of busing and the Supreme Court. The Vietnam war unfolds as Cold War policy, high-stakes politics buffeted by powerful popular movements, and searing in-country experience. Americans' challenges to government regulation of sexuality yield landmark decisions on privacy rights, gay rights, contraception, and abortion.

Kevin Boyle captures the inspiring and brutal events of this passionate time with a remarkable empathy that restores the humanity of those making this history. Often they are everyday people like Elizabeth Eckford, enduring a hostile crowd outside her newly integrated high school in Little Rock, or Estelle Griswold, welcoming her arrest for dispensing birth control information in a Connecticut town. Political leaders also emerge in revealing detail: we track Richard Nixon's inheritances from Eisenhower and his debt to George Wallace, who forged a message of racism mixed with blue-collar grievance that Nixon imported into Republicanism.

The Shattering illuminates currents that still run through our politics. It is a history for our times.

In January 1993, the Australian government sent just under one thousand young men and women to serve under American command in a violent, impoverished, starving society.   Most males over the age of twelve either carried or had access to a gun, and most Somali men had been fighting a vicious civil war for years. 

Australian soldiers and their teams had to gain control of the streets of Baidoa and surrounding towns.  This contest was not 'find, fight and kill' warfare. There was no decisive victory or defeat.  The aim was to detect 'the bad boys' and deter and de-escalate their violence rather than escalate hostilities to success through 'body count'.  This mode of operation was not community policing by soldiers either. It involved adjusting attitudes forcefully and assuring uncomfortable consequences for bad behaviour and ultimately lethal responses to armed challenges.

The world looked over their shoulders. Corporals and diggers had to make split-second decisions to open or hold fire. Holding fire when provoked by punks constituted disciplined professional performance. Opening fire before understanding the situation, especially against unarmed provocateurs, constituted unprofessional conduct and possible condemnation, even criminal charges. These young Australians carried the international reputation of Australia and its army on their shoulders. Their actions would either enhance that reputation or create controversy, negative publicity and, potentially, international embarrassment and condemnation.  

After asserting a presence through rigorous patrolling and search-and-clear urban and rural operations, the Australians deterred a range of marauders from interfering with UN and NGO humanitarian activities, keeping expatriate staff safe and killing and wounding several Somali shooters in surprise clashes. After adjusting their own attitudes to balance aggression and compassion, fight leaders and their diggers forcefully adjusted Somali attitudes, secured a stalemate, and then took control for the time they were in Somalia Australian soldiers individually and collectively helped a traumatised society needing a 'fair go' and gave ordinary Somali men, women and children trying to survive a little bit of hope.

What is Italy without pasta? Come to think of it, where would the rest of us be without this staple of global cuisine?

The wheat-based dough first appeared in the Mediterranean in ancient times. Yet despite these ancient beginnings, pasta wasn't wedded to sauce until the nineteenth century. Once the food of peasants, it has been served everywhere from rural taverns to royal tables - and its surprising past holds a mirror up to the changing fortunes of its makers.

Full of mouthwatering recipes and outlandish anecdotes - from (literal) off-the-wall 1880s cooking techniques to spaghetti conveyer belts in 1940 and the international amatriciana scandal in 2021 - Luca Cesari embarks on a tantalising journey through time to detangle this culinary classic.

Born between 1885 and 1891, George Patton, Bernard Montgomery and Erwin Rommel all participated in the First World War and, like millions of others, were so affected by their wartime experiences that it became a fundamental influence on their lives. Yet none of the men were dissuaded by the carnage from seeking military careers when the guns finally fell silent. Each became wholly dedicated to the profession of arms and, being exceptional officers and leaders, they prospered.

Despite the broad similarities between them, there were some marked differences in their approach to leadership due to the individuality bestowed on them from their genes, upbringing, life experience and relationships. The Commanders reveals how these stimuli created three unique personalities which, in turn, each man came to draw from when they became among the most prominent officers in their armies.

Exploring the many and various influences that shaped these three officers as men, as soldiers and, principally, as leaders, Lloyd Clark tracks their progress - through war and peace - all the way up to their final confrontation on the battlefields of the Second World War.

Roman and Hunnic fighting men are assessed and compared in this fully illustrated study of Attila’s bid to conquer Europe in the 5th century AD.

The Huns burst on to the page of western European history in the 4th century AD. Fighting mostly on horseback, the Huns employed sophisticated tactics that harnessed the formidable power of their bows; they also gained a reputation for their fighting prowess at close quarters. Facing the Huns, the Roman Army fielded a variety of cavalry types, from heavily armed and armoured clibanarii and cataphractii to horse archers and missile cavalry. Many of these troops were recruited from client peoples or cultures, including the Huns themselves.

After carving out a polyglot empire in eastern and central Europe, the Huns repeatedly invaded Roman territory, besieging the city of Naissus in 443. With Constantinople itself threatened, the Romans agreed to pay a huge indemnity. In 447, Attila re-entered Roman territory, confronting the Romans at the battle of the Utus in Bulgaria. The Huns besieged Constantinople, but were unable to take the city. In 451, after Hunnic forces invaded the Western Roman Empire, an army led by the Roman general Aetius pursed the invaders, bringing the Huns to battle at the Catalaunian Plains.

Featuring specially commissioned artwork and maps, this study examines the origins, fighting methods and reputation of the two sides’ cavalry forces, with particular reference to the siege of Naissus, the battle of the Utus and the climactic encounter at the Catalaunian Plains.

Drawing upon the latest literary and archaeological research, this is an in-depth study of the Roman Army units based in the Eastern Provinces during the turbulent third century of the Roman Empire.

In this book, eminent Roman historian, Dr Raffaele D’Amato, looks at the notoriously under-represented history of the Roman armies during the middle 3rd Century whose records have been obscured by the chaotic civil wars of that period between usurpers to the Imperial authority of Rome. Following on from the previous title, MAA 527, Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (2): 3rd Century AD, this book considers the evidence for troops in the Eastern half of the Empire specifically around the Balkans, Mesopotamia, the Middle East and North Africa and looks at the weakness of Imperial central authority which inevitably led to local particularism and a wide range of appearance in regional commands.

Dr D'Amato uses literary, painted, sculptural and archaeological sources to reconstruct this little-understood period of Roman military history and, with the aid of meticulous coloured artwork, photos and detailed charts, reconstructs the appearance and campaigns of the Roman forces stationed in the East.

A compelling history of the British Army in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries—showing how the military gathered knowledge from campaigns across the globe

At the outbreak of the War of Austrian Succession in 1742, the British Army’s military tactics were tired and outdated, stultified after three decades of peace. The army’s leadership was conservative, resistant to change, and unable to match new military techniques developing on the continent. Losses were cataclysmic and the force was in dire need of modernization—both in terms of strategy and in leadership and technology.

 

In this wide-ranging and highly original account, Huw Davies traces the British Army’s accumulation of military knowledge across the following century. An essentially global force, British armies and soldiers continually gleaned and synthesized strategy from warzones the world over: from Europe to the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Davies records how the army and its officers put this globally acquired knowledge to use, exchanging information and developing into a remarkable vehicle of innovation—leading to the pinnacle of its military prowess in the nineteenth century.

Taking us behind drawing room doors and into high society ballrooms, The Game of Hearts follows six leading ladies and their family, friends, and contemporaries as they move from matchmaking to matrimony and beyond. Candid insights into the competitive world of the marriage mart; real stories of rakish husbands and rich heiresses; and true tales of lost and long-lasting love, reveal not just Regency courtship customs, but truly captivating lives.

Using diaries, letters and stories of scandal from the newspapers, author FelicityDay pieces together a rich and intimate view of this most beloved period of British history, showcasing the voices and opinions, hopes and desires of the real women who lived and loved in the Regency era.

The fascinating life of the dissident facing up to the Kremlin: a one-man embodiment of politics in Putin's Russia.

Who is Alexei Navalny? Poisoned in August 2020 and transported to Germany for treatment, the politician returned to Russia in January 2021 in the full glare of the world media. His immediate detention at passport control set the stage for an explosive showdown with Vladimir Putin.

But Navalny means very different things to different people. To some, he is a democratic hero. To others, he is betraying the Motherland. To others still, he is a dangerous nationalist. This book explores the many dimensions of Navalny's political life, from his pioneering anti-corruption investigations to his ideas and leadership of a political movement. It also looks at how his activities and the Kremlin's strategies have shaped one another.

Navalnymakes sense of this divisive character, revealing the contradictions of a man who is the second most important political figure in Russia-even when behind bars. In order to understand modern Russia, you need to understand Alexei Navalny.

'Paints a vivid picture of a Russian politician who is a necessarily courageous product of the internet age. [...] An engaging and timely book about Navalny the man, the politician and the protester.' - Luke Harding, The Observer

'Provides pithy insights into how Vladimir Putin's regime survives despite its greed and incompetence.' - Edward Lucas, The Times

'[Presents] the first serious attempt to explain to a general readership what has made Navalny stand out among Russian politicians and what made him a target for the authorities.' - BBC News Russian

'This is not just a book about Navalny's struggles with the Kremlin, it is the essential primer for anyone outside Russia trying to understand this astonishingly brave and complicated man and the role he plays in contemporary Russia.' - Dr Fiona Hill, Brookings Institution senior fellow and former advisor on Europe and Russia on the US National Security Council

'A brilliant and highly readable analysis of the most compelling political figure to emerge from Russia in many years.' - Gideon Rachman, chief foreign affairs commentator, Financial Times

Fully illustrated with colour maps and images, this is an accessible introduction to one of history’s most heavily romanticized and mythologized campaigns.

Dr Gregory Fremont-Barnes presents a detailed overview of the Forty-five Rebellion, dispelling the myths that have grown up around battles like Culloden and the figures of the Highlanders. Led by the charismatic Bonnie Prince Charlie and fought in the main by clansmen loyal to the Stuarts, the revolt initially saw government forces outmanoeuvred and outfought before the Prince’s march on London halted at Derby. But the following spring, pursued back into the Highlands by the Duke of Cumberland, the Prince’s army made its doomed last stand on the moor of Culloden. Fremont-Barnes examines this key turning point in British history, analysing the dynastic struggle of two royal houses, the Rebellion’s manoeuvres and battles and the tragic

aftermath for the Highlands.

Updated and revised for the new edition, with full-colour maps and 30 new images, this is an accessible introduction to the famous campaign which saw the Stuart dynasty’s final attempt to regain the British throne, and the end of the Highland clans’ way of life.

In the Shadow of the Empress is the sweeping family saga of beautiful Maria Theresa, the only woman to inherit and rule the vast Habsburg empire in her own name, and three of her remarkable daughters: lovely, talented Maria Christina, governor general of the Austrian Netherlands; spirited Maria Carolina, the resolute queen of Naples; and the youngest, Marie Antoinette, the glamorous, tragic queen of France, perhaps the most famous princess in history. Unfolding against an irresistible backdrop of courts from Vienna to Versailles, this epic history of Maria Theresa and her daughters is a tour de force of desire, adventure, ambition, treachery, sorrow and glory.

A beautifully produced account of the history and importance of Hadrian's Wall, by a bestselling author and expert on Ancient Rome.

Located at the far-flung and wild edge of the Roman Empire, Hadrian's Wall was constructed by Emperor Hadrian in the 120s AD. Vast in size and stretching from the east to the west coast of the northern part of Britannia, it is the largest monument left by the Roman empire – all the more striking because it lies so far from Rome. Today, it is one of the most visited heritage sites in the country.

Yet the story of the Wall is far more than the development of a line of fortifications and the defence of a troublesome imperial frontier. Generation after generation of soldiers served there, with their families as well as traders and other foreign and local civilians in and around the army bases. The glimpses of this vibrant, multinational community in Adrian Goldsworthy's masterly book bring the bare stones to life.

Goldsworthy also considers why and how the wall was built, and discusses the fascinating history, afterlife and archaeology of this unique ancient monument.

The Hess affair requires an understanding of a variety of disciplines and practices: Wartime aviation, political history and human psychology to name but three. Harris and Wilbourn have over an extended period tried to learn as much as possible about all relevant aspects of what is in concert a complicated subject, one that has not yet been satisfactorily explained even after more than 80 years.

In the past there have been works that have concentrated on single aspects of the affair; usually in great detail, but in Conspiracy, Calamity and Cover-up the authors’ work on the individual components provides the best ever yet plausible explanation of the affair as a whole.

Official secrecy on the grounds of ‘National Security’, obfuscation and downright lying have all played a part in preserving the truth behind the flight. Through dogged perseverance and endeavour Harris and Wilbourn now present what they believe is the ultimate truth behind the affair.

An illuminating exploration of the surprisingly familiar sex lives of ordinary medieval people.

The medieval humoral system of medicine suggested that it was possible to die from having too much - or too little - sex, while the Roman Catholic Church taught that virginity was the ideal state. Holy men and women committed themselves to lifelong abstinence in the name of religion. Everyone was forced to conform to restrictive rules about whom they could have sex with, in what way, how often, and even when, and could be harshly punished for getting it wrong. Other experiences are more familiar. Like us, medieval people faced challenges in finding a suitable partner or trying to get pregnant (or trying not to). They also struggled with many of the same social issues, such as whether prostitution should be legalised. Above all, they shared our fondness for dirty jokes and erotic images. By exploring their sex lives, the book brings ordinary medieval people to life, and reveals details of their most personal thoughts and experiences. Ultimately, it provides us with an important and intimate connection to the past.

A comprehensive guide to understanding Vietnam's long and tumultuous history

A Brief History of Vietnam explores the turbulent history of a land that has risen from the ashes of war to become the newest Asian tiger economy. This book expertly examines the history of a people and a nation with ancient roots which only took its current shape in the 19th century under French colonial rule, and its current name in 1945.

Before that, Vietnam was known by many names, under many rulers. Located in the geographic center of Southeast Asia, the country we call ""Vietnam"" was ruled by China, then by a series of Vietnamese emperors, and by the French. A devastating, decades-long conflict for independence ensued, ending with the conclusion of the Vietnam War in 1975. Key topics discussed in this fascinating book include:

China's ancient conquest of Vietnam and the millennia-long struggle of the Vietnamese for independence from their powerful neighbor to the north The reign of the Nguyen dynasty, the last dynasty to rule Vietnam, with its capital at the ancient city of Hue, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site The story of Ho Chi Minh, educated in France, who attended the Treaty of Versailles to advocate for independence and became Vietnam's first president after the French were defeated The country's miraculous emergence from three decades of war and how it has embarked on the path to becoming one of the world's fastest-growing economies today

Journalist Bill Hayton's accessible prose makes A Brief History of Vietnam an essential study of a complex culture at the heart of Southeast Asia--and the roots of its current economic dynamism.

This book examines the US infantry against the Chinese Army amid the unforgiving terrain of Korea during the first real clash of the Cold War.

On June 25, 1950, North Korean troops invaded South Korea, triggering a bitter conflict that drew in US and other United Nations forces in support of the South, and soon prompted the Chinese to intervene on the side of the North. Featuring specially commissioned artwork, this study assesses the US and Chinese forces that clashed at Chipyongni (February 13–15, 1951), Triangle Hill (October 14–25, 1952), and Pork Chop Hill (July 6–11, 1953), casting light on the origins, doctrine, and combat effectiveness of these two very different forces during the struggle for victory in Korea.

The Chinese forces fighting in Korea were composed of experienced, confident soldiers buoyed by the Communists’ success in the recent Chinese Civil War. Initially armed and equipped with much the same weaponry and doctrine that they had employed in World War II, US Army units in Korea would often find themselves outnumbered, fighting in extremely difficult terrain that precluded the widespread use of armor. Both sides would be tested to the limit by the demands of fighting in such a formidable setting.

Out of the Depths explores all aspects of shipwrecks across 4,000 years, examining their historical context and significance, and showing how shipwrecks can be time capsules, shedding new light on long-departed societies and civilisations. Alan G. Jamieson not only informs readers of the technological developments over the last sixty years that have made the true appreciation of shipwrecks possible, but covers shipwrecks in culture, maritime archaeology, treasure hunters and their environmental impacts. Although shipwrecks have become less common in recent decades, their implications have become more wide-ranging: since the 1960s, foundering supertankers have caused massive environmental disasters, and in 2021 the blocking of the Suez Canal by the giant container ship Ever Given had a serious impact on global trade.

'Kershaw’s book is a welcome rebalancing; a thoughtful, well-researched and well-written contribution to a narrative that has long been too one-sided and too mired in national mythology.' - The Times

The British evacuation from the beaches of the small French port town of Dunkirk is one of the iconic moments of military history. The battle has captured the popular imagination through LIFE magazine photo spreads, the fiction of Ian McEwan and, of course, Christopher Nolan’s hugely successful Hollywood blockbuster. But what is the German view of this stunning Allied escape? Drawing on German interviews, diaries and unit post-action reports, Robert Kershaw creates a page-turning history of a battle that we thought we knew.

Dünkirchen 1940 is the first major history on what went wrong for the Germans at Dunkirk. As supreme military commander, Hitler had seemingly achieved a miracle after the swift capitulation of Holland and Belgium, but with just seven kilometres before the panzers captured Dunkirk – the only port through which the trapped British Expeditionary force might escape – they came to a shuddering stop. Only a detailed interpretation of the German perspective – historically lacking to date – can provide answers as to why.

Dünkirchen 1940 delves into the under-evaluated major German miscalculation both strategically and tactically that arguably cost Hitler the war.

This illustrated history explores the cruiser forces of the Italian and British Royal navies, the jack-of-all trades warships of the Mediterranean Naval War.

In 1940, when Italy entered World War II, the Royal Navy was badly overstretched, and its Mediterranean Fleet had to face both the Italian Navy and the German and Italian Air Forces in a battle for supremacy. Although the British and Italian battle fleets squared off against each other, they were both often held in reserve, in case the enemy fleet put to sea. So, it was left to the cruisers to wage their own naval war in the Mediterranean. This involved a range of missions, from escorting convoys and hunting enemy ones, to fighting for control of the sea around key locations such as the waters off Malta and Crete.

This superbly illustrated study, written by renowned naval expert Angus Konstam, compares and contrasts the design, weapon technologies and combat performance of the opposing cruiser forces. It also documents several major clashes between British, Commonwealth and Italian cruisers, including spirited actions fought off Cape Spada in 1940, a string of actions in the Gulf of Sirte throughout 1941, battles against Axis convoys in 1941–42, and the Battle of Pantelleria in 1942. Among the subjects of the specially commissioned colour artworks are HMAS Sydney, HMS Naiad, RM Trento and RM Raimondo Montecuccoli.

A new history of the most crucial few months of the Arctic Convoys, when Germany's air power forced the Allies to retreat to the cover of winter.

Between spring and autumn 1942, Germany was winning the battle of the

Arctic Convoys. Half of PQ-15 was sunk in May, PQ-17 was virtually

obliterated in July, and in September 30 percent of PQ-18 was sunk. The

Allies were forced to suspend the convoys until December, when the long

Arctic nights would shield them.

Mark Lardas argues that in 1942, it was Luftwaffe air power that made

the difference. With convoys sailing in endless daylight, German strike

aircraft now equipped and trained for torpedo attacks, and bases in northern

Norway available, the Luftwaffe could wreak havoc. Three-quarters of the

losses of PQ-18 were due to air attacks. But in November, the Luftwaffe was

redeployed south to challenge the Allied landings in North Africa, and the

advantage was lost. Despite that, the Allies never again sailed an Arctic

convoy in the summer months.

Fully illustrated with archive

photos, striking new artwork, maps and diagrams, this is the remarkable

history of the Luftwaffe's last strategic victory of World War II.

Updated and revised, with all new images throughout, this is a complete study of the Chinese Civil War, a defining conflict in world history that resulted in the creation of The People’s Republic of China.

Out of the ashes of Imperial China arose two new contenders to lead a reformed nation: the Chinese Nationalist Party, the Kuomintang, and the Chinese Communist Party. In 1927, the inevitable clash between these two political parties led to a bitter civil war that would last for 23 years, through World War II and into the Cold War period. The brutal struggle finally concluded when Communist forces captured Nanjing, capital of the Nationalist Republic of China, irrevocably altering the course of China’s future. Dr Michael Lynch sheds light on this cruel civil war, one of the bloodiest conflicts of the twentieth century, and its significant repercussions.

A joint project with the Indigenous Literary Foundation, Murli la is a beautifully designed gift book that celebrates the culture of the Tiwi Islands through song. The songs presented in this book hold cultural, genealogical, geographical and spiritual knowledge that has been passed down through thousands of years of Tiwi storytelling, ceremony and in the songlines that circle the islands.

 

As custodians of the songs, the Ngarukuruwala Women’s Group in partnership with Dr Genevieve Campbell have recorded over 40 songs in language for the first time – each with an introduction and English translation. A one-of-a-kind map of the islands, with areas marked in language, gives further intimate knowledge into Tiwi culture.

 

Dr Campbell shares beautiful insights into the Tiwi Islands and her words are accompanied by intimate photographs from the time she has spent with the women. Murli la is the essential introduction to the wonderfully rich Tiwi culture and a glimpse into many lifetimes of sung knowledge.  

The perfect companion to Masters of the Air on Apple TV+, this is a superbly illustrated examination of the aircraft, pilots, crews and operations of the US Eighth Air Force.

The US Eighth Air Force—known as the “Mighty Eighth”—was a combat air force activated in Georgia, USA on January 28, 1942. Its bomber command soon moved to Northern Europe to conduct strategic bombing missions, seeking to destroy Germany’s ability to wage war. Among the major operations it participated in were “Big Week” in February 1944; the D-Day landings in June 1944; and the defeat of the Luftwaffe and destruction of German industry. Eighth Air Force was the largest of the deployed combat Army Air Forces in numbers of personnel, aircraft, and equipment. At peak strength, Eighth Air Force had 40 heavy bomber groups, 15 fighter groups, and four specialized support groups.

This work provides a superbly illustrated and fully comprehensive exploration of the Mighty Eighth’s bomber and fighter planes, its incredibly brave pilots and crew, and its daring and dramatic operations. It also explores the careers of key personalities associated with the Mighty Eighth, such as Earle Partridge, James Doolittle, and William Kepner. Packed with hundreds of color aircraft profiles, battlescene artworks, and period photographs, The Mighty Eighth provides a truly comprehensive look at the illustrious history of the US Eighth Air Force.

Family patriarch John Horniman established the tea company that bore his name in 1826, which went on to become one of the best-known brands of nineteenth-century Britain. His son Frederick created the eclectic and wonderful Horniman Museum in London, and his granddaughter Annie was a theatrical impresario responsible for founding Ireland’s national theatre, the Abbey. Across more than a century, the family embodied changing middle-class attitudes from patriarchy to the new spirit of modernity; and their progress mirrored the high point of Victorian entrepreneurialism and the changes ushered in by the Edwardian age.

Drawing on her years of research and unfettered access to the family archive, Clare Paterson has written a riveting tale of trade, collecting, the stage, sex and politics in Victorian Britain. For the first time, Mr Horniman’s Walrus unpicks the lives of this fascinating family, including their slips from grace as well as their astounding achievements. It’s a story of capital and culture, philanthropy and empire, but also bankruptcy, betrayal, intrigue, lunacy and deep involvement in the esoterica of the occult.

The Iron Curtain divided the continent of Europe, north to south, with the Berlin Wall as its most visible, infamous manifestation. Since the Cold War ended and these borders came down, Europe has transformed itself. New generations have grown up, freed from the tensions and restrictions of the past. But what do the Curtain and the Wall mean today? What has happened to the people and places they divided? What have they left in their wake?

In a major new book, Timothy Phillips travels the route of the Iron Curtain from deep inside the Arctic Circle to the meeting point of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. He explores the borderlands where the clash of civilisations was at its most intense between 1945 and 1989, and where the world's most powerful ideologies became tangible in reinforced concrete and barbed wire. He looks at the new Europe that emerged from the ruins. The people he meets bear vivid witness to times of change. There are those who look back on the Cold War with nostalgia and affection. Others despise it, unable to forgive the hard and sometimes lost decades that their families, friends and nations endured. These old fault lines have much to tell us about Europe now and about our societies' current disputes - over borders, and about belonging and the meaning of progress.

The Curtain and the Wall transports the reader across 5,000 kilometres of Europe and through eight decades, to show how one of the defining stories of the 20th century continues to shape our world today.

The sixteenth century in Europe was a time of chronic destabilization in which institutions of traditional authority were challenged and religious wars seemed unending. Yet it also witnessed the remarkable flowering of a pacifist culture, cultivated by a cohort of extraordinary women rulers-most notably, Mary Tudor; Elizabeth I; Mary, Queen of Scots; and Catherine de' Medici-whose lives were intertwined not only by blood and marriage, but by a shared recognition that their premier places in the world of just a few dozen European monarchs required them to bond together, as women, against the forces seeking to destroy them, if not the foundations of monarchy itself.

Recasting the complex relationships among these four queens, Maureen Quilligan, a leading scholar of the Renaissance, rewrites centuries of historical analysis that sought to depict their governments as riven by personal jealousies and petty revenges. Instead, When Women Ruled the World shows how these regents carefully engendered a culture of mutual respect, focusing on the gift-giving by which they aimed to ensure ties of friendship and alliance. As Quilligan demonstrates, gifts were no mere signals of affection, but inalienable possessions, often handed down through generations, that served as agents in the creation of a steep social hierarchy that allowed women to assume political authority beyond the confines of their gender.

""With brilliant panache"" (Amanda Foreman), Quilligan reveals how eleven-year-old Elizabeth I's gift of a handmade book to her stepmother, Katherine Parr, helped facilitate peace within the tumultuous Tudor dynasty, and how Catherine de' Medici's gift of the Valois tapestries to her granddaughter, the soon-to-be Grand Duchess of Tuscany, both solidified and enhanced the Medici family's prestige. Quilligan even uncovers a book of poetry given to Elizabeth I by Catherine de' Medici as a warning against the concerted attack launched by her closest counselor, William Cecil, on the divine right of kings-an attack that ultimately resulted in the execution of her sister, Mary, Queen of Scots.

Beyond gifts, When Women Ruled the World delves into the connections the regents created among themselves, connections that historians have long considered beneath notice. ""Like fellow soldiers in a sororal troop,"" Quilligan writes, these women protected and aided each other. Aware of the leveling patriarchal power of the Reformation, they consolidated forces, governing as ""sisters"" within a royal family that exercised power by virtue of inherited right-the very right that Protestantism rejected as a basis for rule.

Vibrantly chronicling the artistic creativity and political ingenuity that flourished in the pockets of peace created by these four queens, Quilligan's lavishly illustrated work offers a new perspective on the glorious sixteenth century and, crucially, the women who helped create it.

A lively new biography of Tutankhamun - published for the 100th anniversary of his tomb's modern discovery


The discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 sparked people's imagination across the globe. While Howard Carter emptied its treasures, Tut-mania gripped the world - and in many ways, never left. But who was the boy king, and what was his life really like?

Garry Shaw tells the full story of Tutankhamun's reign and his modern rediscovery. As pharaoh, Tutankhamun had to manage an empire, navigate influential courtiers and suffered the pain of losing at least two children - all before his 19th birthday.

Shaw explores the boy king's treasures and possessions, from a lock of his grandmother's hair to a reed cut with his own hands. He looks too at Ankhesenamun, Tutankhamun's wife, and the power held by queens.

The Story of Tutankhamun is a compelling new biography that weaves together intriguing details about ancient Egyptian culture, its beliefs and its place in the wider world.

On 8 June AD218 a fourteen-year-old Syrian boy led an army to battle in a Roman civil war. Rallying his retreating troops in person, against all expectations, he was victorious.

Varius Avitus Bassianus, known to the modern world as Heliogabalus, was proclaimed emperor. The next four years were to be the strangest in the history of the empire.

Heliogabalus humiliated the prestigious Senators and threw extravagant dinner parties for his lower-class friends. He ousted Jupiter from his summit among the gods and replaced him with Elagabal. He married a Vestal Virgin – twice. Rumours abounded that he was a prostitute, that he enjoyed sex with men, that he wanted his physicians to give him a vagina. His contemporaries were unanimous: Heliogabalus was the worst emperor ever. For Antonin Artaud, his life was ‘anarchy in action’.

But we’ve forgotten all about him. How did a teenager from an obscure imperial outpost rise up to the very top? In the first biography of Heliogabalus in over half a century, Harry Sidebottom unveils the high drama of sex, religion, power and culture in Ancient Rome as we’ve never seen it before.

It has been claimed that around 14,500 wars have been fought since 3,500 BC. Humanity has only experienced 300 years of peace on Earth. During the twentieth century more people in total, were killed in wars, than during any previous century. Relatively, though we kill each other less often now. Are we gradually becoming more peaceful? Regardless of the number of people killed, and the technology used to do it, we can rest assured that wars will be continued to be fought. Can the causes of war be found in society or in biology, in a competition for economic or sexual resources, in historical circumstances - or in a universal violent instinct?

The essays in this anthology originate from the internationally renowned Engelsberg Seminar of 2015, and are written by international historians, journalists, thinkers, researchers, and authors. From the conflicts of antiquity to the dynamics of modern terrorism, this book is about war as a creator and destroyer of states and civilizations. Edited by Kurt Almqvist and Alexander Linklater.

In 2017, the Government's attempt to trigger Article 50 and so leave the European Union resulted in a judgement by the Supreme Court, which stated that the Government was unentitled to do so without the consent of Parliament, directly citing the Bill of Rights in its judgement.

Ironically, the Bill of Rights, enacted in 1689 to address abuses by the Crown, was successfully invoked in the twenty-first century to curb a perceived abuse by Government, acting in the name of the Crown.

Passed shortly after the Glorious Revolution, the Bill sets out the balance of power between Parliament and the Crown, prohibiting the sovereign from levying taxes, recruiting troops or suspending laws without Parliamentary consent. Establishing Parliament as the ultimate source of power in the land and enshrining basic civil rights first set out in Magna Carta but subsequently abridged, the Bill document can justly claim to serve as the origin of Britain's democracy.

Published here with an introduction by Jonathan Sumption providing the historical context of the document and its influence over the centuries

particularly on the United States Bill of Rights

this edition shows how a number of the original clauses find renewed relevance in contemporary events.

This stunning exhibition unveils the remarkable art and historical legacy of two mysterious kingdoms of ancient China.

  Phoenix Kingdoms brings to life the distinctive Bronze Age cultures that flourished along the middle course of the Yangzi River in South Central China about 2,500 years ago. With over 150 objects on loan from five major Chinese museums, Phoenix Kingdoms explores the artistic and spiritual landscape of the southern borderland of the fabled Zhou dynasty, featuring remarkable archaeological finds unearthed from aristocratic tombs of the phoenix-worshipping Zeng and Chu kingdoms. By revealing the splendid material cultures of these legendary states, whose history has only recently been recovered, Phoenix Kingdoms highlights the importance of this region in forming a southern style that influenced centuries of Chinese art.

 

This exhibition catalogue includes six essays that contextualize the stylistically rich material—mythical creatures, elaborate patterns, and elegant forms—and introduces readers to the technologically and artistically sophisticated cultures that thrived before China’s first empire. Lavishly illustrated with over 240 images, Phoenix Kingdoms showcases works from the exhibition across six categories—jades, bronze ritual vessels, musical instruments and weapons, lacquerware for luxury and ceremony, funerary bronze and wood objects, and textiles and unique objects featuring distinctive designs—many of which are considered national treasures.

 

Published in association with the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.

  Exhibition dates:

 

Asian Art Museum of San Francisco August 26, 2022 – February 6, 2023

 

The hidden costs of artificial intelligence—from natural resources and labor to privacy, equality, and freedom

""This study argues that [artificial intelligence] is neither artificial nor particularly intelligent. . . . A fascinating history of the data on which machine-learning systems are trained.""—New Yorker

""A valuable corrective to much of the hype surrounding AI and a useful instruction manual for the future.""—John Thornhill, Financial Times

""It’s a masterpiece, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.""—Karen Hao, senior editor, MIT Tech Review

What happens when artificial intelligence saturates political life and depletes the planet? How is AI shaping our understanding of ourselves and our societies? Drawing on more than a decade of research, award‑winning scholar Kate Crawford reveals how AI is a technology of extraction: from the minerals drawn from the earth, to the labor pulled from low-wage information workers, to the data taken from every action and expression. This book reveals how this planetary network is fueling a shift toward undemocratic governance and increased inequity. Rather than taking a narrow focus on code and algorithms, Crawford offers us a material and political perspective on what it takes to make AI and how it centralizes power. This is an urgent account of what is at stake as technology companies use artificial intelligence to reshape the world.

Surprisingly, time travel is not forbidden by the laws of physics - and John Gribbin argues that if it is not impossible then it must be possible.

Gribbin brilliantly illustrates the possibilities of time travel by comparing familiar themes from science fiction with their real-world scientific counterparts, including Einstein's theories of relativity, black holes, quantum physics, and the multiverse, illuminated by examples from the fictional tales of Robert Heinlein, Larry Niven, Carl Sagan and others.

The result is an entertaining guide to some deep mysteries of the Universe which may leave you wondering whether time actually passes at all, and if it does, whether we are moving forwards or backwards. A must-read for science fiction fans and anyone intrigued by deep science.

From the former news policy lead at Google, an “informative and often harrowing wake-up call” (Publishers Weekly) that explains the high-stakes global cyberwar brewing between Western democracies and the authoritarian regimes of China and Russia that could potentially crush democracy.

From 2016 to 2020, Jacob Helberg led Google’s global internal product policy efforts to combat disinformation and foreign interference. During this time, he found himself in the midst of what can only be described as a quickly escalating two-front technology cold war between democracy and autocracy.

On the front-end, we’re fighting to control the software—applications, news information, social media platforms, and more—of what we see on the screens of our computers, tablets, and phones, a clash which started out primarily with Russia but now increasingly includes China and Iran. Even more ominously, we’re also engaged in a hidden back-end battle—largely with China—to control the internet’s hardware, which includes devices like cellular phones, satellites, fiber-optic cables, and 5G networks.

This tech-fueled war will shape the world’s balance of power for the coming century as autocracies exploit 21st-century methods to redivide the world into 20th-century-style spheres of influence. Without a firm partnership with the government, Silicon Valley is unable to protect democracy from the autocrats looking to sabotage it from Beijing to Moscow and Tehran. Helberg offers “unnervingly convincing evidence that time is running out in the ‘gray war’ with the enemies of freedom” (Kirkus Reviews) which could affect every meaningful aspect of our lives, including our economy, our infrastructure, our national security, and ultimately, our national sovereignty.

The human brain is made up of 85 billion neurons, which are connected by over 100 trillion synapses.

For more than a century, a diverse array of researchers searched for a language that could be used to capture the essence of what these neurons do and how they communicate – and how those communications create thoughts, perceptions and actions. The language they were looking for was mathematics, and we would not be able to understand the brain as we do today without it.

In Models of the Mind, author and computational neuroscientist Grace Lindsay explains how mathematical models have allowed scientists to understand and describe many of the brain’s processes, including decision-making, sensory processing, quantifying memory, and more. She introduces readers to the most important concepts in modern neuroscience, and highlights the tensions that arise when the abstract world of mathematical modelling collides with the messy details of biology.

Each chapter of Models of the Mind focuses on mathematical tools that have been applied in a particular area of neuroscience, progressing from the simplest building block of the brain – the individual neuron – through to circuits of interacting neurons, whole brain areas and even the behaviours that brains command.

Lindsay examines the history of the field, starting with experiments done on frog legs in the late eighteenth century and building to the large models of artificial neural networks that form the basis of modern artificial intelligence. Throughout, she reveals the value of using the elegant language of mathematics to describe the machinery of neuroscience.

FINALIST for the Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books

'This book shows that chemistry is not just relevant to life; it's really, really interesting.' - Foreword Reviews, starred review

A perfect book for readers of The Physics of Everyday Things and Storm in a Teacup.

Have you ever wondered why your alarm clock sends you spiralling? Or how toothpaste works on your teeth? Why do cakes and cookies sometimes turn out dry? (Hint: you may not be adding enough sugar.) In Chemistry for Breakfast, award-winning chemist and science communicator Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim reveals the amazing chemistry behind everyday things (like baking and toothpaste) and not-so-everyday things (like space travel). With a relatable, funny, and conversational style, she explains essential chemical processes everyone should know - and turns the ordinary into extraordinary.

Over the course of a single day, Mai shows us that chemistry is everywhere: we just have to look for it. In the morning, her partner's much-too-loud alarm prompts a deep dive into biological clocks, fight-or-flight responses, and melatonin's role in making us sleepy. Before heading to the lab, she explains how the stress hormone cortisol helps wake us up, and brews her morning coffee with a side of heat conduction and states of matter.

Mai continues her day with explainers of cell phone technology, food preservation, body odour, baking, the effects of alcohol, and the chemistry behind the expression 'love drunk'. All the while, she shows us what it's really like to be a working chemist, and fights against the stereotype of a nerd playing with test tubes in a lab coat.

Filled with charming illustrations, laughter, and plenty of surprises, Chemistry for Breakfast is a perfect book for anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of chemistry without having prior knowledge of the science. With Mai as your guide, you'll find something fascinating everywhere around you.

'A rare and magical book. I didn't want it to end.' - Bill Bryson

A pangolin's tongue is longer than its body. It keeps it furled in a nifty pouch near the hip

A swift flies 200,000 miles in its lifetime. That's far enough to get to the moon and back - then back to the moon.

There's a fable that storks deliver babies. In fact, the Nazis used them to air-drop propaganda.

Each of these animals is extraordinary. And each of them may soon disappear from the earth.

A lavishly illustrated compendium of the staggering lives of some of the world's most endangered animals, The Golden Mole is a chance to be awestruck and lovestruck - to fall for the likes of the wondrous Pygmy Hippo, the seahorse, the narwhal and, as astonishing and endangered as them all, the human.

"This groundbreaking new book from New York Times bestselling author Daniel J. Siegel introduces readers to his pioneering, science-based meditation practice.

Aware provides practical instruction for mastering the Wheel of Awareness, a life-changing tool for cultivating more focus, presence, and peace in one's day-to-day life.

An in-depth look at the science that underlies meditation's effectiveness, this book teaches readers how to harness the power of the principle 'Where attention goes, neural firing flows, and neural connection grows.' Siegel reveals how developing a Wheel of Awareness practice to focus attention, open awareness, and cultivate kind intention can literally help you grow a healthier brain and reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in your life.

Whether you have no experience with a reflective practice or are an experienced practitioner, Aware is a hands-on guide that will enable you to become more focussed and present, as well as more energised and emotionally resilient in the face of stress and the everyday challenges life throws your way.

'This is a Dan Siegel masterpiece. He integrates decades of science and wisdom about the nature of our mind and optimal wellbeing into an easy to read personal journey. At the cornerstone is ""The Wheel of Awareness,"" a simple yet profound visual map of the mind, which enables people, including children, to experience of presence, self knowledge, and compassion. Aware will awaken and enrich your life immeasurably!' -Elissa Epel, professor at UCSF, member of the National Academy of Science, co-author of New York Times bestseller The Telomere Effect

'Aware enables you to successfully search inside yourself to cultivate wellbeing and a deeper understanding of the mind with an exciting new approach to meditation. The Wheel of Awareness provides a comprehensive, science-based way to develop the focused attention, open awareness, and kind intention that research reveals can help bring health and resilience into your life.' -Chade-Meng Tan, New York Times bestselling author of Joy on Demand and Search Inside Yourself

'Dan is a brilliant integrator and Aware is a visionary blend of neuroscience, physics and cutting edge psychology combined with creative approaches to mindfulness and compassion. The practice of the Wheel brings together many skillful and wise elements of meditation, all rolled into one.' -Jack Kornfield, author of The Wise Heart and No Time Like the Present"

'Stewart is Britain's most brilliant and prolific populariser of maths' - Alex Bellos

'The instructive equivalent of a Michelin-starred tasting menu' - Tim Radford

Many people think mathematics is useless. They're wrong. In the UK, the 2.8 million people employed in mathematical science occupations contributed £208 billion to the economy in a single year - that's 10 per cent of the workforce contributing 16 per cent of the economy.

What's the Use? asks why there is such a vast gulf between public perceptions of mathematics and reality. It shows how mathematics is vital, often in surprising ways, behind the scenes of daily life. How politicians pick their voters. How an absurd little puzzle solved 300 years ago leads to efficient methods for kidney transplants. And how a bizarre, infinitely wiggly curve helps to optimise deliveries to your door.

Australia's bestselling anxiety and mental health expert, Bev Aisbett, tackles a growing mental health emergency: burnout.

Burnout happens when we take on too much, when we think we can do the impossible, at the cost of our wellbeing, our health and even our quality of life. Although the term is often casually tossed about, burnout is no joke – it can impact every area of your life and leave you depleted in every way.

After two years of the pandemic and lockdowns, working from home, homeschooling, widespread stress and being on our computers and devices 24/7 and constantly available, the danger of burnout for so many of us is all too real. It can happen to anyone.

Using humour, straightforward language and her signature illustrations, Bev clearly explains what burnout is, who is at risk, how to recognise the danger signs and, finally, how to step back from the brink, providing insight and techniques to ease burnout and stop yourself going up in smoke.

It turns out music isn't just about entertainment-it's a deeply embedded, subtly powerful means of communication. Songs resonate with your brain wave patterns and drive changes in your brain: creating your moods, consolidating your memories, strengthening your habits (the good ones and the bad ones alike) . . . even making you fall in or out of love. Your music is molding you, at a subconscious level, all day long. And now, for the first time ever, you can take charge. From executive editor Peter Gabriel and the minds behind It's All in Your Head (the ultimate user's guide for your brain), Reverberation unlocks a world where you can actively leverage the power of music to improve and enhance every aspect of your life. You'll learn specific songs and techniques to help you sleep better, induce creative breakthroughs, be more productive, have better sex, and a whole lot more. You'll discover the amazing work happening at the intersection of music, science, technology, and medicine. The authors spoke to dozens of neuroscientists making exciting breakthroughs, as well as top recording artists like David Byrne, Branford Marsalis, Hans Zimmer, Mick Fleetwood, and Sheila E. to gain the music maker's perspective. And you'll learn how music is already being strategically applied to break addiction and reverse the effects of Alzheimer's, build more productive and creative teams, develop intuitive personalized technology, and is otherwise changing . . . well, everything.

The inspiration for a Netflix series starring Celeste Barber, Wellmania is an in-depth, entertaining, laugh-out-loud-funny exploration of wellness culture.

Now with a new preface by the author.

Cold-pressed juices, quitting sugar, Paleo, hot yoga, mindfulness ... if you embrace these things you will be happy, you will be well - just ask Instagram. Wellness has become a global mega-industry. But does any of this stuff actually work?

Feeling exhausted, anxious and a bit flabby, journalist Brigid Delaney decides to find out - using herself as the guinea pig. Starting with a brutal 101-day fast, Brigid tests things that are meant to make us clean, lean and serene. Travelling the world, she tries colonics, meditation, silent retreats, group psychotherapy and oodles of yoga, working out what is helpful and what is just expensive hype.

In monasteries and health farms, on hiking trails and massage tables, she asks, why do so many of us swing from indulgence to detox and back again? Is it possible to integrate good habits into your daily life? What does our obsession with wellness say about us? And why do you smell so bad when you haven't eaten in seven days?

Wellmania is the highly entertaining and occasionally dangerous exploration of one of the most fascinating trends in our culture.

'Brigid Delaney is the queen of calamity and a fearless, sane guide into the bizarre heart of our modern obsessions. This will make you groan in horror as much as it'll make you laugh out loud.' -Benjamin Law

'A bloody entertaining read that leaves you wondering whether you want to do yoga and meditation or get mindlessly drunk and despair at the state of the world. Basically I wish that I'd written it.' -Judith Lucy

'At last! A funny, well-written book about all the health and serenity treatments you've been too feeble personally to undertake.' -Annabel Crabb

Follow Your Breath is a practical introduction to life-changing breathing techniques, offering a 'breathwork menu' so you can turn to the page according to what you need at any given time and access this incredible life hack.

Whether it’s calming down, sparking up, preparing for physical activity, settling in for a deep meditation, dealing with a health or sinus issue, focusing for a test, managing insomnia or wanting to get a natural euphoric high, Follow Your Breath has you covered. Breath activates communication pathways between the mind and body to positively affect our emotions, and we can even use the breath as a vehicle to shift our level of consciousness. In Follow Your Breath you are offered a range of easy-to-follow practices with step-by-step instructions, diagrams and post-practice notes so you can start shifting your mental state today. 

By using this book you’ll unlock one of the greatest – and most accessible – life hacks. Your breath will become your personal, pocket-ready superpower that you can pull out anywhere, anytime – no complicated equipment needed.

Life After Birth is your essential guide to the wide and diverse spectrum of motherhood.

  

In this companion, Jessica Prescott and Vaughne Geary share their evidence-based approach to the lost but ever important art of caring for yourself as a mother, including recipes from their postpartum food delivery service Mama Goodness. They cover everything from herbal wisdom and nutritional support, to sleep and breastfeeding tips, communication tools, managing siblings, how to nourish your body, parent on your period, and so much more.

A stunning hardback with full colour photography, Life After Birth will help you prepare, not just for the first six weeks following your birth, but for the months and years that follow. By tuning into your body, nourishing it, celebrating it and honouring the cyclical nature of womanhood, this book will help you thrive in your new role as a mother.

Many famed music producers are known for a particular sound that has its day and then ages out. Rick Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can home in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed expectations in order to reconnect with a state of innocence from which the surprising becomes inevitable.

Over the years, as he has thought deeply about where creativity comes from and where it doesn't, he has learned that being an artist isn't about your specific output; it's about your relationship to the world. Creativity has a place in everyone's life, and everyone can make that place larger. In fact, there are few more important responsibilities.

The Creative Act is a beautiful and generous course of study that illuminates the path of the artist as a road we all can follow. It distils the wisdom gleaned from a lifetime's work into a luminous reading experience that puts the power to create moments - and lifetimes - of exhilaration and transcendence within closer reach for all of us.


Industry Reviews

'You'll probably read this extraordinary book four times. The first time, you'll gobble it up. The second time, you'll savour it. The third time, you'll take notes in the margins. But the fourth time, the fourth time it will be part of you as you create the work you were ready to ship' - SETH GODIN

'A gorgeous, delicious and wildly practical interrogation of the creative process. A master of his craft, Rubin supplies rich insights, sound advice, helpful suggestions and supreme comfort to anyone living to create, or endeavoring to live creatively.' - JJ ABRAMS

'Rick Rubin is the definition of a creative genius and he has put his wisdom in one place and it is possibly the most inspiring book on creativity I have ever read. The Creative Act is up there with Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird and Stephen King's On Writing...The advice in here is brilliant... For those wanting to feel some new life and confidence in their creative bones, this book is a godsend.' - MATT HAIG

'I am reading The Creative Act and truly loving it. I want my kids to read it. I want everyone to read it. It is a manual for creativity and creative thinking. A reference book for now which will continue to be of service in the future. Much needed.' - MIKE D, THE BEASTIE BOYS

'This book is a companion to anyone on the creative path; for me, Rick Rubin's attention, consideration, ideas have dug themselves down deep into my consciousness and grown with my work, so that over time, I have found myself in the shelter of a huge resplendent tree, and remembered that it all started with a word or two from a person who really, really listened. May it start something similar in you.' - KAE TEMPEST

Climate change, polarised politics, social isolation and growing inequality – it can be hard to get excited about the future right now. But Jess Scully has seen glimpses of a future worth fighting for, and she wants to share them with you. All over the planet, people are reimagining the way we live, putting humans back at the heart of decisions made about our future. Drawing on innovative approaches to work, care, finance, government, urban planning and communication that are already taking place, this book is a guiding light of pragmatic but radical change. Essential reading for all who dream of – and are willing to work towards – a better and fairer society.

Glimpses of Utopia is a call for optimism. Humans everywhere are rising up to reshape our world to be fair and sustainable. This book shows us how.

How do you know if you're just feeling a bit sad or if you are depressed? What level of sadness is 'normal'? How do you work out what's going on when you feel down? What kinds of treatment are available? How do you help a family member or friend who is depressed?

Psychologist Gwendoline Smith answers these questions and many more. She specifically addresses postnatal blues and depression; depression in children, teens and older people; and depression in relation to gender and sexuality. She covers the full range of treatment options, from psychiatry through to natural therapies.

With her characteristic humorous approach, examples and anecdotes, Gwendoline offers powerful strategies for addressing these issues.

In Gwendoline's words: 'Depression knows no bounds. It is oblivious to gender, race, age, religion, sexual orientation. Just try to understand and be kind.'

An era-defining book on happiness based on a top 10 most watched TED talk of all time with over 40 million views.

'In a crowded field of life advice and even life advice based on scientific research, Schulz and Waldinger stand apart' Angela Duckworth, author of Grit

What makes for a fulfilling and meaningful life? A good life?

Based on findings from the 80-year-long Harvard Study of Adult Development, this landmark book reveals the simple yet surprising truth- the stronger our relationships, the more likely we are to live happy, satisfying and overall healthier lives.

Revealing the ground-breaking research behind the world's longest study on happiness, programme directors Dr Robert Waldinger and Dr Marc Schulz bring together scientific precision, traditional wisdom, incredible real-life stories and actionable insights to prove once and for all that our own wellbeing and ability to flourish is absolutely within our control.

'An outstanding book. It combines the longest and richest study of human lives anywhere with two remarkable authors of extraordinary breadth' Richard Layard, author of Can We Be Happier?

'This captivating, powerful book shows us scientifically and practically how to define, create and most importantly live the good life' Jay Shetty

An illuminating guide to happier relationships and greater belonging, from Australia's leading connection scientist.

Our lives are filled with relationships and daily interactions. They form a vital part of our wellbeing. But very few of us understand how we connect best, who we are really compatible with, and why.

From the workplace, to friendships old and new, to family, to dating and long-term romantic partners, this groundbreaking book will explain and transform all of the connections in your life - the clicks and the clashes.

Using her unique Connection Type model, human connection scientist Dr Ali Walker reveals the tools for understanding your personal connection style and those of others, recognising who you are compatible with, and strengthening your sense of belonging.

Prepare to discover-

- the 17 Connection Types - including yours - your individual frequency and intensity preferences - why you bond easily with some people but have friction with others - how we make friends and fall in love - the four types of belonging (and how to achieve them) - the three types of loneliness (and how to avoid them) - how to communicate in true alignment with who you are.

Based on fascinating new research, and filled with real-life examples and practical advice, Click or Clash? is for anyone seeking healthy, happy, fulfilling relationships of any kind.

Discover how to save $1000+ with Joel Gibson’s easy, quick money-saving tips. Maximise your budget in the cost-of-living crisis and reduce your bills as inflation and interest rates continue to rise.

 

Australian households are facing the toughest cost of living crisis in years, but most of us are still spending more than we need to on household costs. Easy Money is here to help you get some of that money back, with minimal effort and speedy results.

 

Joel Gibson, Australia’s #1 money-saving expert, will teach you the seven simple steps to saving $1000+ in just one afternoon.

 

Some of Joel’s tips include:

The easiest ways to slash energy, telco, insurance and housing costs

Simple new money-saving hacks for getting a better deal on groceries and petrol

How to save hundreds on streaming and pay TV

How to get ‘free money’ from government rebates

Easy Money is a practical, simple guide that will help you save money without any stress.

A groundbreaking examination of austerity’s dark intellectual origins. 

For more than a century, governments facing financial crisis have resorted to the economic policies of austerity—cuts to wages, fiscal spending, and public benefits—as a path to solvency. While these policies have been successful in appeasing creditors, they’ve had devastating effects on social and economic welfare in countries all over the world. Today, as austerity remains a favored policy among troubled states, an important question remains: what if solvency was never really the goal? 

In The Capital Order, political economist Clara E. Mattei explores the intellectual origins of austerity to uncover its originating motives: the protection of capital—and indeed capitalism—in times of social upheaval from below. 

Mattei traces modern austerity to its origins in interwar Britain and Italy, revealing how the threat of working-class power in the years after World War I animated a set of top-down economic policies that elevated owners, smothered workers, and imposed a rigid economic hierarchy across their societies. Where these policies “succeeded,” relatively speaking, was in their enrichment of certain parties, including employers and foreign-trade interests, who accumulated power and capital at the expense of labor. Here, Mattei argues, is where the true value of austerity can be observed: its insulation of entrenched privilege and its elimination of all alternatives to capitalism. 

Drawing on newly uncovered archival material from Britain and Italy, much of it translated for the first time, The Capital Order offers a damning and essential new account of the rise of austerity—and of modern economics—at the levers of contemporary political power.

As we look toward a future of hybrid or virtual offices, a timely call to rethink the very nature and design of the workplace.

Over the past hundred years, the office has been integral to the development of modern society. It has shaped the architecture of our cities, the behaviour of our organisations and the everyday movements of millions of people. In 2020, however, the global pandemic brought our attendance in the office to an abrupt halt and triggered a complete re-evaluation of the purpose of the workplace. This book offers a panoramic view of the office and explores what happens next. The authors advance a manifesto for 'unworking' - unlearning old habits and rituals established for an outdated office and creating new ones fit for an age of digital technology, design innovation and diverse workforces.

'A timely new book about how to reinvent the office [by] veteran observers of the future of work.'

- Andrew Hill, Financial Times

'By examining 10 forces of change that all business leaders should understand, the authors encourage us to reflect on and rid ourselves of defunct habits and rituals established by an outdated office...a must-read.' - Elite Business Magazine

'This book could not be more timely as the world grapples with what the post-pandemic workplace should look like. Jeremy Myerson and Philip Ross give us a scholarly yet deeply engaging account of the past, present and future shape of the office. Essential reading for those planning the new office environment- and anyone who's going to have to live in it.' - Rory Cellan-Jones, former BBC News technology correspondent and author of Always On: Hope and Fear in the Social Smartphone Era

'Brimming with ideas, insights, examples and wisdom, this is the go-to book for everyone interested in the future of the office and curious about the future development of work.' - Professor Lynda Gratton, London Business School and author of Redesigning Work

'A must-read for understanding the forces that influence how we work. Myerson and Ross expertly examine the facets reshaping the office landscape with a view into ""What's Next"". Unworking is an invaluable guide for anyone interested in the workplaces needed to help people thrive.' - Harald Becker, Director of Customer Engagements & Insights, Microsoft

'Philip Ross and Jeremy Myerson capture the most significant changes in the world of the office for decades. Their understanding of the social, economic, technology changes and the roles of home and office is unsurpassed.' - Sir Stuart Lipton, Lipton Rogers Developments

You’re young and you want to master the money game. There is just one problem — you don’t know where to start. 

Building your financial future can be challenging. There is just so much information out there that it’s impossible to take it all in, especially at this time in your life when so much is going on.

The good news is that it’s actually not that difficult — if you follow these 10 simple steps.

All you need is the courage to start, and the discipline to continue.

In this book you will learn:

• The one simple strategy that will immediately put you in the top 20% of wealth builders

• How to use the miracle of compounding to turbocharge your savings

• What your enemies are and how to fight them off

• The difference between good debt and bad debt

• How goals can change your life

• The secrets of successful investing

And much, much more...

Younger than 40? Excellent — you’re sitting on a gold mine! You just need to pick up the shovel.

It’s time to change your thinking from “easy come, easy go” to “easy come, easy grow”

A bracing account of liberalism’s most radical critics introducing one of the most controversial movements of the twentieth century

  “Powerful. . . . Bracing. . . . Part of the book’s eerie relevance comes from the role Russia plays throughout.”—Ezra Klein, New York Times

  “One of the best books I’ve read this year. . . . Its importance at this critical moment in our history cannot be overstated.”—Rod Dreher, American Conservative

 

In this eye-opening book, Matthew Rose introduces us to one of the most controversial intellectual movements of the twentieth century, the “radical right,” and discusses its adherents’ different attempts to imagine political societies after the death or decline of liberalism.  Rose shows how such thinkers are animated by religious aspirations and anxieties that are ultimately in tension with Christian teachings and the secular values those teachings birthed in modernity.

European integration has had many successes and failures, Brexit being one of the biggest failures. Despite the setbacks, the EU has been acquiring more functions and members and has now reached a stage where it needs to become a political adult.

In this book, one of the world’s leading authorities on Europe provides a lucid and wide-ranging appraisal of contemporary European affairs – of how the EU became what it is today and the key challenges Europeans must now confront. These challenges include the search for a common foreign and security policy that will also require a more symmetrical transatlantic relationship; the search for democracy beyond the nation state; more inclusive societies; the development of the euro into a fully fledged currency; a higher degree of autonomy in high technology; and the greening of economies.

In Tsoukalis’ view, what is at stake in these challenges is whether the EU can exercise effective political power in a multipolar, highly asymmetrical and increasingly unstable world, and whether it can find a workable relationship between global markets and domestic social contracts. Willing and able countries should lead the way. The stakes are high – and not just for Europe. A declining and marginalized Europe would not be able to defend fundamental interests and values, including freedom and security for its citizens. And the world would greatly benefit from the moderating influence of a regional power that operates on the basis of broad consensus and compromise.

This bold and ambitious book, based on extensive experience of European affairs, will be of value to anyone interested in Europe and its future as well as anyone concerned with the great political challenges of our time.

Stoicism, the most influential philosophy of the Roman Empire, offers refreshingly modern ways to strengthen our inner character in the face of an unpredictable world. Widely recognized as the most talented and humane writer of the Stoic tradition, Seneca teaches us to live with freedom and purpose. His most enduring work, over a hundred ""Letters from a Stoic"" written to a close friend, explains how to handle adversity; overcome grief, anxiety, and anger; transform setbacks into opportunities for growth; and recognize the true nature of friendship.

In Breakfast with Seneca, philosopher David Fideler mines Seneca's classic works in a series of focused chapters, clearly explaining Seneca's ideas without oversimplifying them. Best enjoyed as a daily ritual, like an energizing cup of coffee, Seneca's wisdom provides us with a steady stream of time-tested advice about the human condition-which, as it turns out, hasn't changed much over the past two thousand years.

From Halloween expert Morton, a level-headed and entertaining history of our desire and attempts to hold conversations with the dead.

Calling the Spirits investigates the eerie history of our conversations with the dead, from necromancy in Homer's Odyssey to the emergence of Spiritualism - when Victorians were entranced by mediums and the seance was born. Among our cast are the Fox sisters, teenagers surrounded by 'spirit rappings'; Daniel Dunglas Home, the 'greatest medium of all time'; Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, whose unlikely friendship was forged, then riven, by the afterlife; and Helen Duncan, the medium whose trial in 1944 for witchcraft proved more popular to the public than news about the war. The book also considers Ouija boards, modern psychics, and paranormal investigations, and is illustrated with engravings, fine art (from beyond), and photographs. Hugely entertaining, it begs the question: is anybody there...?

Throughout history, Jesus of Nazareth has unquestionably been the most inspirational subject of great works of art and literature. His life and message have strongly permeated Western art of all periods, influencing giants such as Fra Angelico, Picasso, Tolstoy, and Houellebecq. In this richly illustrated book, Pierre-Marie Dumont has chosen nearly one hundred eclectic iconographic works of art, analyzing and comparing them to passages from the Bible and excerpts from great literary texts. It offers the reader an extraordinary variety of aesthetic interpretations of the life of Jesus and his teaching, from early Christian to modern art. Through works as diverse as The Hand of God by Auguste Rodin, The Resurrection of Lazarus by Rembrandt, and the ""Hidden God"" by Blaise Pascal, Mr. Dumont highlights the evocative power of the figure of Jesus, who for Christians is the ""Christ of God.""

The Great Gatsby has sold 25 million copies worldwide and sells 500,000 copies annually. The book has been made into three movies and produced for the theatre. It is considered the Greatest American Novel ever written. Yet, the story of how The Great Gatsby was written has not been told except as embedded chapters of much larger biographies. This story is one of heartbreak, infidelity, struggle, alcoholism, financial hardship, and one man's perseverance to be faithful to the raw diamond of his talent in circumstances that would have crushed others.

The story of the writing of The Great Gatsby is a story in itself. Fitzgerald had descended into an alcoholic run of parties on Great Neck, New York, where he and Zelda had taken a home. His main source of income was writing for the ""slicks,"" or magazines of the day, the main source being the Saturday Evening Post, where Fitzgerald's name on a story got him as much as $4,000. Then on May 1, 1924, he, Zelda, and baby daughter Scottie quietly slipped away from New York on a ""dry"" steamer to France, the writer in search of sobriety, sanity, and his muse, resulting in the publication of The Great Gatsby a year later.

If you feel like you've got the wrong tone of voice, don't understand the ins-and-outs of grammar, or just don't feel confident writing about yourself without sounding like an idiot, read this book.

Copywriter Tait Ischia is brief and to the point in an interesting and engaging way. Which is exactly what you want the words on your website/marketing stuff/professional bio to be too, right? Feel confident in what you say and how you say it when you put fingers to the keyboard. Waffling on should really be reserved for weekend breakfast.

' T his is an easy to follow introduction to copywriting by an accomplished Australian author that will provide a solid foundation that may lead to a deeper exploration down the track.' -Carpe Librum

'A fantastic way to up your copywriting game and grow more confident in your ability to use the right words.' -Michael Bascetta, small business owner at Worksmith

'Some of the best copywriting advice I've read. A great resource and a good read, too.' -Penny Modra, The Good Copy

An investigation into the transformation of publishing in the United States from a field in which Jews were systematically excluded to one in which they became ubiquitous

In the 1960s and 1970s, complaints about a “Jewish literary mafia” were everywhere. Although a conspiracy of Jews colluding to control publishing in the United States never actually existed, such accusations reflected a genuine transformation from an industry notorious for excluding Jews to one in which they are arguably the most influential figures.

 

Josh Lambert examines the dynamics between Jewish editors and Jewish writers; how Jewish women exposed the misogyny they faced from publishers; and how children of literary parents have struggled with and benefited from their inheritances. Drawing on interviews and tens of thousands of pages of letters and manuscripts, The Literary Mafia offers striking new discoveries about celebrated figures such as Lionel Trilling and Gordon Lish, and neglected fiction by writers like Ivan Gold, Ann Birstein, and Trudy Gertler.

 

In the end, we learn how the success of one minority group has lessons for all who would like to see American literature become more equitable.

There are so many Latin phrases in everyday use that often we use them without understanding the background and context within which they were actually used. 'Carpe diem'; 'Stet'; 'Memento mori'; 'Et tu Brute' – examples would fill a book. And often these phrases are also used in English translation: 'The dye is cast'; 'crossing the Rubicon'; 'Rome was not built in a day'.

Many of these phrases are humorous, but they are also a rich source of wisdom: the wisdom of the ancients. The chapters of this book include: Life’s Misfortunes and how to deal with them; How to deal with old age (Cicero); Why Death is nothing to fear (Lucretius); The Stoic guide to life. Each chapter starts with a quotation and is lightly sprinkled with many more, with accompanying English translations.

The background to each quotation is explained so that the context is fully understood. Who crossed the Rubicon and why, for example? At a time of great political and social turbulence, more and more people are turning back to ancient wisdom as a guide to life. Here they are in touch with two classical scholars of distinction who have the common touch.

Abandon Every Hope mournfully investigates the literatures of the slaughterhouse and a world motivated by profitable death, to ultimately ask- where does this horror begin and how can it end?

Can anyone smell the suffering of souls? Of sadness, of hell on earth? Hell, I imagine, has a smell that bloats into infinity. Has a nasty sting of corpses. What was it Dante wrote?

Abandon Every Hope is a lament, an elegy, a deranged encyclopedia, and a diary of anxiety. How can anyone document the vastness of violence against animals in a bloated industrial age?

Across a series of essays, Hayley Singer investigates the literatures of the slaughterhouse to map the contours of a world cut to pieces by organised and profitable death. A compelling debut in poetic prose, Singer asks how we may write the life of the dead; the smell of an egg factory; of multispecies PTSD; of planetary harm and self-harm- of the horror we make on earth. Where does the slaughterhouse begin and how can it end?

""Singer writes with a magnificent intensity, moving between different registers in order to bear witness to the pain and suffering of the slaughterhouse."" Stephanie King, Readings

""Abandon Every Hope takes the form of a thanatography - an attempt to write death - which Hayley Singer describes as having a ""nearness to biography."" Fiona Wright, The Saturday Paper

""A quietly ambitious book about suffering."" Ben Brooker, Australian Book Review

""Singer's skill likes in controlling the level of discomfort in the essays to the point where you feel it as a reader but don't put the book down for a breath of fresh air or a long stare out the window, reflecting on your own part in all this."" Jasper Linde, The Canberra Times

""Experimental and jostling in its use of poetic, lyric, academic and reflective writing styles, this book grapples with the industrial meat complex."" -Stella Prize Judges comments

We all think we know Poe-the most popular American writer around the world, dissolute puzzle-maker, pioneer of detective fiction, and author of haunting, atmospheric verse. But what if there was another side to the man who wrote ""The Raven"" and ""The Fall of the House of Usher""? What if Poe were as well known for his speculations about the birth of the universe or his ""Sonnet-to Science""?

In The Reason for the Darkness of the Night: Edgar Allan Poe and the Forging of American Science, John Tresch offers a bold new life of one of the nineteenth century's most iconic writers. By shining a spotlight on a time when the line between speculative endeavors and scientific inquiry was blurred, Tresch reveals Poe to have been much more than a practitioner of science fiction-in fact, he was an avid commentator on scientific developments, publishing and circulating in literary milieux that also played host to lectures and demonstrations by the era's most prominent scientists, semi-scientists, and pseudo-intellectual rogues. As one newspaper put it, ""Mr. Poe is not merely a man of science-not merely a poet-not merely a man of letters. He is all combined; and perhaps he is something more.""

Beginning with his study of mathematics and engineering at West Point, and taking us through the tumultuous years leading up to publication of ""The Raven,"" Tresch shows that Poe nurtured a fascination with science from his earliest days as a writer. In works such as ""A Descent into the Maelstrom"" and ""Mesmeric Revelation,"" Poe explored subjects ranging from the physics of vortices to occult psychology, later turning his attention to the origins of the universe in a dazzling lecture that would win the admiration of Albert Einstein and other twentieth-century physicists. Throughout, he lived and suffered for his ideas, and remained a figure of brilliant contradiction: he gleefully exposed the hoaxes of the era's pseudo-scientific fraudsters even as he perpetrated hoaxes himself.

The Reason for the Darkness of the Night is the richest portrait yet of a writer whose life is synonymous with mystery and an entertaining, erudite tour of the world of American science just as it was beginning to come into its own.

In this first of a groundbreaking multivolume set, THE MCCARTNEY LEGACY, VOL 1: 1969-73 captures the life of Paul McCartney in the years immediately following the dissolution of the Beatles, a period in which McCartney recreated himself as both a man and a musician. Informed by hundreds of interviews, extensive ground up research, and thousands of never-before-seen documents THE MCCARTNEY LEGACY, VOL 1 is an in depth, revealing exploration of McCartney’s creative and personal lives beyond the Beatles.

When Paul McCartney issued a press release in April 1970 announcing that the world’s most beloved band, the Beatles, had broken up no one could have predicted that McCartney himself would go on to have one of the most successful solo careers in music history. Yet in the years after the Fab Four disbanded, Paul McCartney became a legend in his own right. Now journalist and world-renowned Beatles’ historian Allan Kozinn and award-winning documentarian Adrian Sinclair chronicle in technicolor McCartney’s pivotal years from 1969 to 1973, as he recreated himself in the immediate aftermath of the Beatles breakup – a period when, newly married and with a growing family, he conquered depression and self-doubt, formed a new band, Wings, and recorded five epochal albums culminating in the triumphant smash, Band on the Run.

Part 1 of a multivolume set, THE MCCARTNEY LEGACY, VOL. 1 documents a pivotal moment in the life of a man whose legacy grows increasingly more relevant as his influence on music and pop culture remains as relevant as ever. It is the first truly comprehensive biography, and the most finely detailed exploration of McCartney’s creative life beyond the Beatles, ever undertaken.

Everyone loves romantic music: the sweet melody of a Schubert song, the heroine dying for love in an Italian opera, the swooning orchestration of a Tchaikovsky symphony. But as Stephen Walsh - author of the highly praised Debussy: A Painter in Sound - points out in this intensely absorbing study, there is infinitely more to romantic music than meets the eye. The Beloved Vision amounts to a complete, entertaining and singularly readable account of the whole phase in music history that has become the mainstay of the twentieth and twenty-first century concert and operatic repertoire, with some little help from earlier times.

The narrative begins in the eighteenth century, with C.P.E.

Bach, Haydn and the literary movement known as Sturm und Drang, seen as a reaction of the individual artist to the confident certainties of the Enlightenment. The windows are flung open, and everything to do with style, form, even technique, is exposed to the emotional and intellectual weather, the impulses and preferences of the individual composer. Risk taking - the braving of the unknown - was certainly an important part of what the composers wanted to do, as true of Chopin and Verdi as it is of Berlioz and Wagner. It's an exciting, colourful, story, told with passion but also with the precision and clarity of detail for which this author is so widely admired.

From the ancient barbarians responsible for the fall of Rome, to the black-lipped teenager updating their Instagram from a graveyard, Goths have been with us for a long time. Ideas about what is Gothic have changed and mutated, but a fascination with the dark and dramatic has remained a constant. A History of Gothic Fashion charts Gothic dress from its ancient and medieval origins to its various revivals and romanticised rebirths, examining its cultural inspirations including folk lore, 19th-century novels, the silver screen and rock music.

For a subculture associated with literature and historical fashion, there are surprisingly few books that focus solely on Gothic fashion. A History of Gothic Fashion provides an in-depth overview of the evolution of the darker side of style.

What could be more romantic than watching the sun rise and set over the sea, the mountains or the endless desert from a stylish little getaway shack with the ones you love?

In this beautifully illustrated book, design journalist, author and lifestyle editor Susan Redman not only inspires readers with many decorating ideas - collected from the most gorgeous getaway homes across Europe, the Americas and Australasia - she also delves deeply to reveal the personal stories of creative couples and individuals who have built, styled or restored their special hideaways.

From rustic retreats and dreamy beach houses to retro getaways and bespoke architectural havens, the diverse range of love shacks featured here offer design inspiration for your own home-away-from-home.

Providing readers with an authentic perspective, the 'shack' owners share design visions and decorating tips on how to awaken your inner stylist by combing the natural environment, local markets and vintage fairs to source love shack treasures.

Along with stunning photographs, Love Shacks also features interesting notes on the wild and natural setting of each love shack, so you can immerse yourself in the gorgeous surrounds of each home and find out how the people who live there connect with nature in their sanctuary.

This compelling book gives a unique insight into the desire to escape the urban jungle for a holiday home of one's own making in a remote or wild location, while exploring the role of design and creative vision in the process, making it perfect for anyone with a similar dream!

AUTHOR:
Susan Redman is a journalist and editor with a passion for architecture and design. This has led to an extraordinary career writing about homes, and the people who design, decorate and live in them. She has worked as a design columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Vogue Australia and The Japan Times, and has been a regular contributor to various home, fashion and lifestyle publications and magazines (print and digital), including Country Style, Home Beautiful, Vogue Living, Belle, Gardening Australia, plus Houzz and Domain. She also writes about art, travel and pop culture, and wrote My Dream Kombi, a book celebrating this retro design icon and the fascinating stories of the surfies, hippies and celebrities who travelled in them.

FEATURES:
Reveals 22 beautiful hideaways and retreats from around the globe, including Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam. Includes interviews with homeowners, revealing their personal stories and the design journey they took to make their haven happen. Richly photographed in luscious full-colour throughout, with 'Wild Notes' on each project detailing aspects of the scenery and identifying a natural feature of the location surrounding each home.

THE COMPANION RECIPE BOOK TO THE INTERNATIONAL NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER, FAST 800 KETO

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Following Dr Michael Mosley's No.1 bestselling Fast 800 Keto, in which he added a turbo-charged keto element to his hugely popular Fast 800 programme, this companion cookbook by Dr Clare Bailey offers delicious low-carb Mediterranean-style recipes to help you go into ketosis, reduce your appetite and accelerate weight loss.

From satisfying savoury dishes to indulgent treats, the meals are quick and simple to make, and rich in protein, fibre and essential nutrients. There are four weeks of menu plans - with options for intermittent fasting - plus an index by calories, and lots of advice and tips to help keep you motivated and reach your goals.

Whether you are embarking on an intensive weight-loss programme to bring your blood pressure, blood sugars and cholesterol down, or you simply want to get in better shape physically and mentally, The Fast 800 Keto Recipe Book will inspire you to embrace a whole new way of eating.

England has more ancient native oak trees than the rest of Europe combined. How did that come about? The reasons are all historical, and nothing to do with climate or soil factors. This story goes back to the Norman conquest of England in 1066. They created Royal Forests, chases and deer parks, where only the nobility could hunt or keep deer and it was forbidden to cut the trees. This was, if you like, an early form of nature conservation, but for the sake of privileged hunting. Preservation of these oaks further continued through a combination of private ownership of thousands of parks, conservatism of the landowners, overseas timber availability and the absence of ruining wars on the English landscape; the majority of which had been confined to the continent. Modernisation of forestry in England only took hold after 1920, and by that stage too late to destroy all of the old and worthless hollow trees. In contrast, modern forestry was introduced on the continent at least 200 years earlier, with devastating results for ancient trees. We owe the ancient oaks to all these circumstances which created a unique ‘population’ of ancient oaks, highly important for biodiversity and an asset unique to England.

Plan the perfect once-in-a-lifetime trip to Lisbon with this portable travel guide.

Whether you want to stroll through the jumbled streets of Alfama, take in the fantastic views from Castelo de S o Jorge, or sample the city's iconic custard tarts, Pasteis de Nata, at Belem, your DK Eyewitness travel guide makes sure you experience all that Lisbon has to offer.

Inside the pages of this Lisbon travel guide, you'll discover-

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Our pick of Lisbon's must-sees, top experiences, hidden gems, and the best spots to eat, drink, shop, and stay

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Detailed maps and walks make navigating the city easy

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Easy-to-follow itineraries to help you plan your trip

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Expert advice and travel tips to help you get ready, get around, and stay safe

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Color-coded chapters to every part of Lisbon, from Alfama and Baixa to Bairro Alto and Belem

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Available in a handy format that is lightweight and portable

Your next favourite holiday destination is Lisbon

Hip, innovative, and affordable, Lisbon is definitely a bucket list destination! DK Eyewitness- Lisbon is the ideal pocket companion for your trip to the gorgeous Portuguese capital. Full color and packed with expert insights, travel advice, and detailed breakdowns of all the must-see sights and experiences, this guide will transport you there like no other.

One of the most charismatic and vibrant cities in Europe, Lisbon has an incredible mix of historic museums, colorful buildings, eclectic music and nightlife, squares, and cafes to watch the world go by. Hop on one of the city's yellow trams, see a traditional Fado show or take a day trip to the fairy tale village of Sintra. Lisbon is ready to take your breath away!

DK Eyewitness Lisbon has been updated regularly to make sure the information is as up-to-date as possible following the COVID-19 outbreak.

More locations to Eyewitness

For more than two decades, DK Eyewitness guides have helped travelers experience the world through the history, art, architecture, and culture of their destinations. Expert travel writers and researchers provide independent advice, recommendations, and reviews. Discover guidebooks to hundreds of places around the globe!

In August 2021, Anthony Seldon set out on a gruelling 35-day pilgrimage from the Swiss border to the English Channel, following the historic route of the Western Front.

From sumptuous towns in eastern France to the haunting trenches of the Somme and Ypres, the walk took in many important sites from World War I, as well as some of Europe's most beautiful scenery.

The Path of Peace is the extraordinary story of his epic walk, combining memoir, nature writing and travel, and touching on grief, loss and legacy of war in a profoundly moving act of remembrance.

Based on the hit ABC KIDS TV show!

Bluey and Bingo tell us why they love their family in this sweet and cheeky book.

A gorgeous hardback book for kids of all ages.

Bluey is an award-winning preschool show about Bluey, a blue heeler pup, and her family. Airing on ABC KIDS, the show has amassed legions of dedicated fans and hugely popular ranges of books, toys, clothes, games and more.

Based on the hit ABC KIDS TV show!

Bluey and her family are playing Swim School! Can they learn to swim without dobbing?

A gorgeous board book for kids of all ages.

Bluey has been a phenomenal success since airing on ABC KIDS in October 2018, amassing legions of dedicated fans and hugely popular ranges of books, toys, clothes, games and more. It holds the coveted position of being the most watched program ever on ABC iView, with over 260 million plays for Series One, and is the winner of an International Emmy for Most Outstanding Children's Programme.

A beautifully crafted epic adventure spiced with magic from the acclaimed author of Hour of the Bees.

Fished from the river as an infant and raised by a roving band of street urchins who call themselves the Crowns, eight-year-old Duck keeps her head down and her mouth shut. It’s a rollicking life, always thieving, always on the run – until the ragtag Crowns infiltrate an abandoned cathedral in the city of Odierne and decide to put down roots. It’s all part of the bold new plan hatched by the Crowns’ fearless leader, Gnat, to ensure the Crowns always have a steady supply of food and money. But no sooner is Duck apprenticed to the kindly local baker than her allegiances start to blur. Who is she really: a Crown or an apprentice baker? And who does she want to be? Meanwhile, high above the streets of Odierne, on the roof of the unfinished cathedral, an old and ugly gargoyle grows weary of waiting to fulfil his own destiny to watch and protect. Told in alternating viewpoints, this exquisite novel evokes a timeless tale of love, self-discovery, and what it means to be rescued.

An exhilarating, awe-inspiring debut from a master storyteller writing for children for the first time, perfect for fans of Philip Pullman, Katherine Rundell and Eva Ibbotson.

A truly unforgettable journey of wonder, courage and magic from a master storyteller, perfect for fans of Katherine Rundell and Philip Pullman. Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize.

Plunged into danger when they help their father steal a forbidden book, Rachel and Robert are forced to go on the run. To save their father from prison, they must discover the truth about The Book of Stolen Dreams.

But the cruel and powerful President Malstain knows its secrets and will stop at nothing to snatch the book's magic for himself. The hunt is on. Rachel and Robert face a desperate battle to stop the book falling into Malstain's hands - for if it does, he could destroy everything.""A new and important voice for young people."" Michael Morpurgo ""Dazzling! An instant classic. An eye-wateringly funny and jaw-droppingly fantastical adventure, chock-a-block with rare books, airships, and penguin-shaped hats."" Ben Miller ""A wonderful story. Gripping and magical."" Anthony Horowitz

Long ago, there was the Age of Dinosaurs. Tiny explorers can discover the many different types of dinosaurs that existed in the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretacious periods. This sturdy board book will hold up to hours and hours of use as toddlers pore over basic dinosaur facts.

According to The Washington Post, Gail Gibbons ""has taught more preschoolers and early readers about the world than any other children's writer-illustrator."" In her experienced hands, the perennially popular subject of dinosaurs gets a clear, simple, and visually appealing treatment for the very youngest readers and listeners.

The perfect book for little hands on that most fascinating of creatures, dinosaurs.

Long ago, there was the Age of Dinosaurs. Tiny explorers can discover the many different types of dinosaurs that existed in the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretacious periods. This sturdy board book will hold up to hours and hours of use as toddlers pore over basic dinosaur facts.

According to The Washington Post, Gail Gibbons ""has taught more preschoolers and early readers about the world than any other children's writer-illustrator."" In her experienced hands, the perennially popular subject of dinosaurs gets a clear, simple, and visually appealing treatment for the very youngest readers and listeners.

The Little Things is a reassuring reminder that there is plenty in the world to make us smile and give us hope.

On days the sunshine stays away,

you wake up feeling sad and grey,

you'll find the small things can delight –

those little things that feel just right.

The Little Things celebrates the joy and comfort to be found in life’s simple moments, whether it’s spitting cherry pips or bubbly baths on rainy nights. A rhyming text that calls on our senses and travels through the seasons, The Little Things is beautifully illustrated and invites readers to find solace and delight in the small but special moments of our everyday lives.

A 2024 CBCA Early Childhood Book of the Year: Notable Book

A Bookstagram Best Illustrated Book of 2023!

 

Adventure, imagination and loads of fun.

Willa has the perfect solution for kids who don't have someone to bring to Grandparents' Day at school - hire an oldie from the retirement village next to her house!

But things aren't exactly going to plan. Frank, her best old-age friend, won't let her borrow him and something strange is going on with her best four-legged friend and trusty sidekick, Woof.

She'll need her most imaginative ideas yet (and the help of Tae, her best same-age friend) to sort everything out in time!

Can Willa make Grandparents' Day a big success?

Misfits and murder meet in a brilliantly fun new mystery series by debut author Lis Jardine. A perfect next read for fans of Sharna Jackson, Fleur Hitchcock, and Robin Stevens.

Misfits and murder meet in this brilliantly fun new mystery series by debut author Lis Jardine. A perfect next read for fans of Sharna Jackson's The High-Rise Mysteries, Fleur Hitchcock's Murder in Midwinter, and Robin Stevens' Murder Most Unladylike.

Finding a dead body at my new school was a pretty rubbish way to start. But actually getting mixed up in the case? I was bound to get into deep, deep trouble for that!

Murder comes to Hanbridge High, and three Year Seven misfits want to solve the crime-

New boy Jonno hopes playing detective will convince his parents that moving to Hanbridge was a big mistake. School reporter Lydia thinks her news story will sweep everything else off the front page. And young carer Daniel needs the police to arrest the right culprit - for his mum's sake.

They may not be friends, but they're about to become. . .

The Detention Detectives.

A fun, wild adventure challenging the stereotypical image of the poised, preened damsel; this princess takes life into her own hands without waiting around for anybody else.

We begin our story in a fairy tale world like any other – princesses in distress are rescued by valiant and dashing princes and live happily ever after. But for Tilly, sitting around waiting to be rescued by a prince is BORING. So … Tilly simply rescues herself! “This puny prison can’t hold me!” And it’s not long before word of Tilly’s exploits spreads across the kingdom and inspires other princesses to take their fate into their own hands, too.

This stunning picture book is the perfect introduction for little ones to Lunar New Year celebrations. The most colourful time of the year is celebrated in communities around the world and you can now discover how it's celebrated through the eyes of the children who live there.

Meet families in China, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, as well as in bustling cities like San Francisco, London, Sydney and Toronto and join them in their celebrations at home and on the streets in parades, lantern festivals and in temples. Packed with fascinating facts, young readers will love finding out all about different Lunar New Year traditions in this gorgeously illustrated picture book.

A suspenseful and atmospheric horror perfect for younger fans of Stranger Things, from New York Times bestselling author and the Decemberists’ lead singer/songwriter Colin Meloy.

Maybe Archie Coomes has been watching too many horror movies.

All of a sudden, the most ordinary things have taken on a sinister edge: a penny on a doormat. A man in a brown suit under a streetlamp. The persistent sound of an axe chopping in the middle of the night.

He keeps telling himself that this is Seaham, a sleepy seaside town where nothing ever happens. Or at least nothing did, until his dad’s construction company opened up the cliff beneath the old – some say cursed – Langdon place.

Soon, though, he and his friends can’t deny it: more and more of the adults in town are acting strangely. An ancient, long-buried evil has been unleashed upon the community, and it’s up to the kids to stop it before it’s too late . . .

From Bondi Beach to the Opera House, there's so much to explore in spectacular Sydney!

Join this colourful counting adventure across one of the world's most beautiful cities.

What will you spot along the way?

The highly anticipated, unforgettable new story from the internationally bestselling, multi-award-winning author of WONDER.

When Silas Bird wakes in the dead of night, he watches powerlessly as three strangers take his father away. Silas is left shaken, scared and alone, except for the presence of his companion, Mittenwool . . . who happens to be a ghost. But then a mysterious pony shows up at his door, and Silas knows what he has to do. So begins a perilous journey to find his father - a journey that will connect him with his past, his future, and the unknowable world around him.

PONY is destined to become a future classic.

A story about seeing what life is like on the other side of the window. Now in paperback!

Two very different cats, Winston, a free-spirited explorer, and The Indoor Cat, lover of leisure, form a friendship and show each other how different their lives could be. Can The Indoor Cat be enticed by outdoor adventure? Will Winston be tempted by a life of indoor luxury?