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Book of the week

Book of the week

New Arrivals

Browse all New Arrivals (100 products)

Genghis Khan
His Conquests, His Empire, His Legacy
Frank McLynn
Although his name has become a byword for tyranny, Genghis Khan is also credited with creating the unified trade routes that brought the cultures of Europe, the Middle East and Asia into contact, as well as some enlightened lawmaking (by medieval standards). This account of the great conqueror explores the cultural background of the nomadic Mongolian tribes and analyses the Khan's personality as well as the events that saw him acquire and rule the largest contiguous empire in history.
$32.50
now£9.99
Waiting for the Albino Dunnock
How Birds Can Change Your Life
Rosamond Richardson
Despite having written many books about the countryside, including the bestselling Country Wisdom, Rosamond Richardson only picked up a pair of binoculars and started birdwatching in her sixties. In a series of lyrical prose poems, this book charts her growing engagement with the world of birds over a single year, and the joy and serenity it brought. The result is a precisely observed exploration of the importance of nature to one’s mental and emotional wellbeing.
£16.99
now£6.99
Grammar Rules
Writing with Military Precision
Craig Shrives
During his many years as an intelligence officer, Craig Shrives learned how to write clearly for the eyes of British and American generals. In this guide he shares his practical experience: he identifies common mistakes and ambiguities and offers suggestions for correcting and clarifying what you want to say, and a final section gives useful advice on easily confused words. (Previously sold in Postscript as Grammar for Grown-ups.)
£10.99
now£4.99
Samarkand
Recipes & Stories from Central Asia & The Caucasus
Caroline Eden;Eleanor Ford
Samarkand, the turquoise oasis in the valley of the Zerafshan River, Uzbekistan, has been a cultural crossroads for centuries. In this book, the authors have gathered the cuisines of seven ethnic groups that have left their mark on the city: the Tajiks, Russians, Turks, Jews, Koreans, Caucasians and native Uzbeks. The result is a wonderfully spiced and perfumed collection of recipes for soups, main courses, accompaniments, sweets and drinks.
£25.00
now£9.99
Boswell's London Journal
1762–1763
Ed. Frederick A Pottle
‘Friday 19 November 1762... When we came upon Highgate Hill and had a view of London, I was all life and joy.’ Fresh from Scotland and lodging in Downing Street, 22-year-old James Boswell revelled in London - its theatres, coffee houses and conversation, sexual adventures and freedom. His journal is a vivid portrayal of the city's high-life and low-life, rich and poor, and of his new acquaintances, from prostitutes to the great Dr Johnson.
$23.00
now£7.99
Rising Star
The Making of Barack Obama
David J Garrow
Barack Obama’s keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention catapulted the little-known senator into the national spotlight. Four years later, he would make history as America’s first black president. Drawing on encyclopaedic research and more than 1,000 interviews, this biography charts his upbringing in Hawaii, his formative time as a community organizer on Chicago’s tough South Side, his academic achievements and his first steps in politics, to present a penetrating portrait of the politician and the man.
£30.00
now£7.99
The Mackintosh Style
Decor & Design
Elizabeth Wilhide
Elizabeth Wilhide begins this study of Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868–1928) and his achievements in architecture and design by looking at how influences such as the Arts and Crafts and Aesthetic movements were forged into a new style and a ‘unique vocabulary of design and decoration’. The book goes on to give a detailed and richly illustrated account of buildings and interiors by Mackintosh, including The Glasgow School of Art, Windyhill, The Hill House and the Willow Tea Rooms.
£20.00
now£7.99
Paris
Then and Now
Peter Caine;Oriel Caine
Matching archive images of the landmarks of Paris with photographs taken from the same viewpoints today, this book captures the changes that have taken place in the French capital from the heady days of the Belle Epoque. Here are the great monuments such as Notre Dame and the Arc de Triomphe, alongside the atmospheric old streets of the Marais and the Left Bank. A detailed colour map shows the location of every view.
£14.99
now£6.99
Country House Life
A Century in Photographs
Elizabeth Drury;Francesca Scoones
With an engaging commentary and over 250 photographs of the people who lived and worked in houses such as Polesden Lacey, Lacock Abbey and Castle Drogo, this book offers an authentic picture of life in the English country house during its heyday. Drawn from family albums and collections and covering the period from the 1840s to 1945, the photographs record everyday life for the families and staff as well as family celebrations, garden parties, sporting events and the occasional visit by royalty.
£14.99
now£6.99
The Lost Border
The Landscape of The Iron Curtain
Brian Rose;Fore. Anthony Bailey
For almost half a century, the Iron Curtain divided the nations of Europe. Then, almost overnight, it vanished. During the 1980s, the photographer Brian Rose followed its course, before going on to record its disappearance. His images capture the eerie concrete and barbed-wire barriers running through mundane towns and villages, the tumultuous scenes as the Berlin Wall came down, and the ghostly traces that are all that remain today.
£28.00
now£12.99
Legacies of the First World War
Building for Total War 1914–18
Ed. Wayne Cocroft;Paul Stamper
Drawing together studies by English Heritage and Historic England’s archaeologists and historians, this volume explores the physical effects of the First World War on the English countryside and built environments. Among the topics discussed in the ten illustrated essays are army camps, airfields and coastal defences; munitions factories, civic and civilian building during wartime and the impact of enemy blockade on the nation’s agriculture; and a final essay examines the building of war memorials.
£30.00
now£14.99
The Five Giants
A Biography of the Welfare State
Nicholas Timmins
Five giants loomed over the reconstruction of postwar Britain: want, disease, ignorance, squalor and idleness. The battle against them was fought by five great programmes at the core of the Welfare State: social security, health, education, housing and full employment. Meticulously researched and vividly written, this award-winning history charts the epic struggle to forge a fair and decent society from the ashes of war, and chronicles the highs and lows of the decades that followed.
£12.99
now£5.99
The Liberation of Europe 1944–1945
The Photographers Who Captured History from D-Day to Berlin
Mark Barnes
This collection of archival images from The Times and Kemsley Newspapers, many published here for the first time, documents remarkable scenes from the Allies’ invasion of Europe, including the capture of Berlin, where a sombre Churchill inspects the site at which Hitler’s body was burnt. Set against a backdrop of devastation, action shots of airdrops, beach landings, tank battles and troop manoeuvres contrast with the delighted faces of liberated civilians, telling stories as compelling as they are harrowing.
£25.00
now£9.99
Postcards on Parchment
The Social Lives of Medieval Books
Kathryn M Rudy
The miniature paintings on parchment that were often slipped into medieval prayer books are identified by Kathryn Rudy as ‘postcards’: colourful, usually devotional pictures sent or given by one person to another, often with a greeting inscribed on the reverse. Illustrated with almost 300 examples of postcards and manuscript pages, this volume explores the production of such paintings, the social contexts in which they were exchanged as gifts and the new functions they assumed as images independent of a text.
£60.00
now£30.00
The World of Mummies
From Ötzi to Lenin
Albert Zink;Trans. Cordula Werschkun
Mummies are found not only in ancient Egyptian tombs but all around the world, in locations as varied as the mountains of South America, European churches and the ice of Greenland. This introduction to the subject, by a distinguished mummy-researcher, explains the natural and artificial processes by which human remains are preserved. The book features colour photographs of several mummies, together with case studies that reveal what scientific analysis of their bodies can teach us about these people’s lives, deaths and diseases.
£19.99
now£5.99
Bloody Scotland
Crime in 19th Century Scotland
Malcolm Archibald
This true crime book investigates some of the lesser-known murders, robberies and misdemeanours committed in 19th-century Scotland; and while it pursues a thematic approach to crime, including poisoning, rural murders and drink-related offences, it also reserves stand-alone chapters for the Dundee Museum Robbery and the Siege of John Street. Archibald is keen to contrast the romantic ‘glens and bens’ notion of Scotland with the reality of a cruel and desperate criminal underworld.
£9.99
now£4.99
Irreplaceable: A History of England in 100 Places
Philip Wilkinson
Launched by Historic England and Ecclesiastical, the History of England in 100 Places project called on the public to nominate sites that have played a crucial role in the nation’s science, industry, arts and culture. The final list, selected by a team of judges including Tanni Grey-Tompson, Monica Ali, Mary Beard and Tristram Hunt, includes both familiar landmarks such as Stonehenge and St Paul’s, and lesser-known but crucially important places such as the ICI research laboratory in Widnes.
£20.00
now£9.99
Mary Queen of Scots
Susan Watkins;Photo. Mark Fiennes
‘No man saw her without love,’ wrote a contemporary French chronicler, ‘or will read her story without pity.’ More than four centuries after her death, Mary, Queen of Scots remains a compelling figure. This book recreates her dramatic life and the courtly, intrigue-ridden world in which she lived. Its 194 colour illustrations include portraits, sketches and colour photographs of the castles and palaces in England, Scotland and France where her tragic story was played out. Off-mint.
£19.95
now£9.99
Mars
Making Contact
Rod Pyle
The inhospitable atmosphere and violent climate on Mars have not prevented numerous space probes and orbiters from visiting the planet over the last 50 years, their data-gathering abilities growing ever more sophisticated. From the successful Mariner and Viking programs of the 1960s and 1970s, to human missions being planned today, Rod Pyle charts the history of Martian exploration, lists the key scientific discoveries made and presents striking images of the Red Planet from space and from the surface.
£25.00
now£9.99
Animals
A Visual Guide to the Animal Kingdom
Keith Laidler
Beginning with cells – ‘the smallest units of independent existence’ – and covering all animal life, from simple sponges to the great apes (gorilla, chimpanzees and orang-utan), this carefully designed, large-format guide is arranged by scientific classification in a way that illuminates the place of each family and species within the animal kingdom. The deeply informative and very accessible text is accompanied by over 350 colour photographs taken in the animals’ natural habitats by leading wildlife photographers.
£30.00
now£12.99

Bestsellers

Browse all Bestsellers (100 products)

BBC Proms 2019
BBC
Published annually to accompany the world's greatest classical music festival, the Festival Guide contains illustrated articles on composers and performers and complete listings for over 150 concerts, ranging from folk music to classical symphonies, concerti and choral works. The Guide also provides booking information and broadcast programme times.
£7.00
now£2.99
The English and Their History
Robert Tombs
In this much-acclaimed work, Robert Tombs traces England’s development from ‘an idea’ to a kingdom, a country, a people and a culture, and he makes collective memory an inherent part of the story. Emphasizing the role of memory creators and carriers such as language, literature, law, religious and political institutions, and historical writing, Tombs focuses on four ‘themes’: the aftermath of the Norman Conquest; the English Civil War; empire; and the recent sense of the nation in decline. American cut pages and felt-tip mark on lower trimmed edge. Off-mint.
$45.00
now£4.99
The Word Detective
A Life in Words: From Serendipity to Selfie
John Simpson
The former chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, John Simpson spent almost four decades immersed in the intricacies of language. His memoir describes the career of a lexicographer who revels in the excitement of historical dictionary work. It is also a celebration of the English language, describing how words come and go; how culture shapes the language we use; and how technology has transformed not only the way we speak and write but also how words are made.
£18.99
now£3.99
Evolving English Wordbank
A Glossary of Present-Day English Dialect and Slang
Jonathan Robinson
Jonathan Robinson curates the British Museum's archive of sound recordings illustrating British accents and dialects. He has compiled this quirky yet fascinating glossary by using such audio material collected from present-day dialect speakers, as well as old dictionaries' evidence of historical usage, so that the Wordbank not only provides a snapshot of vernacular English in the early 21st century but also reveals the ancient origins of many words and phrases in use today.
£12.99
now£2.99
Our History of the 20th Century
As Told in Diaries, Journals and Letters
Ed. Travis Elborough
From Queen Victoria’s journal entry for 1 January 1900, (‘full of anxiety & fear of what may be before us!’) to MP Oona King’s lament at spending the end of the millennium in a queue, Elborough’s compilation presents personal, contemporary and candid responses to world history as it happened. The book features over 100 diarists and provides one or more writers’ reaction to every major event or trend, whether a world war, the 1975 Europe Referendum or the latest Star Wars movie.
£25.00
now£3.99
Magnificent Creatures
Animals on the Move!
Anna Wright
A special bridge on Christmas Island provides safe passage for migrating crabs. A jellyfish, when split in two, can create two new jellyfish. Facts about sea turtles, zebras, bumblebees and many other creatures sit alongside beautiful, imaginative pictures by Scottish illustrator Anna Wright, who has used scraps of fabric, feathers, watercolour washes, and pen and ink to produce this informative and inspiring book. Age 4+
£7.99
now£2.50
Last Hope Island
Lynne Olson
In this epic narrative – a former Mail on Sunday Book of the Year – the American popular historian Lynne Olson focuses on the relationships between Britain and the governments from occupied Europe that found refuge in London during the Second World War. She explores their valuable contributions to the Allied war effort, as well as Britain’s staunch resistance to Hitler, and the exploits of the fighters across Europe who were inspired by the British ‘beacon of hope’.
£10.99
now£2.99
Word Play
A Cornucopia of Puns, Anagrams and Other Curiosities of the English Language
Gyles Brandreth
Taking English speakers' most frequently used greetings as his starting point, Gyles Brandreth embarks on an entertaining journey through nonsense words, cryptic crosswords, spoonerisms, malapropisms, famous last words and candidates for the world's most powerful word – 'love', 'freedom' or 'money'? In this audio version, the book's text alternates with clips from the master raconteur's Word Power stage show, recorded live at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe. Unabridged.
£14.99
now£3.99
Into the Abyss
The Story of the First World War, Volume One
GJ Meyer
Volume one of this authoritative account of the First World War covers 1914 and 1915, examining the machinations of the belligerent parties, from the Habsburgs and the Serbs to the Hohenzollerns and the Ottoman Turks, in the 34 days leading up to outbreak. Each chapter presents extensive background information on people, places and events, including the French and British military commanders, pre-war London and Paris, the war at sea, and the technology that assured both deadlock and mutual destruction.
£16.99
now£3.99
Fungi of Britain and Northern Europe
Field Naturalist's Library
Paul Sterry
Part of the Field Naturalist's Library, this practical, easy to use and fully illustrated guide describes more than 250 commonly seen species of fungi. The entry for each fungus gives its common and Latin names and a description of its characteristics, range and habitat, including information on whether the species is edible or not and a chart showing when the fruit bodies are present. The clear plastic book jacket makes the guide ideal for field use.
£5.99
now£2.50
Living on Paper
Letters from Iris Murdoch 1934–1995
Iris Murdoch
The philosopher and novelist Iris Murdoch (1919–1999) would spend up to four hours a day on her correspondence, writing to friends, lovers, students, fans and even casual acquaintances. This selection of her letters, edited and introduced by Avril Horner and Anne Rowe, gives a kaleidoscopic portrait of a life lived to capacity and marked by numerous emotional imbroglios and intense friendships with fellow philosopher Philippa Foot and novelist Brigid Brophy, alongside a long and stable marriage to John Bayley.
£25.00
now£3.99
Abbotsford to Zion
The Story of Scottish Place Names Around the World
Elspeth Wills
Despite the A–Z of the title, this book takes a thematic approach as it tells the stories behind a selection of Scottish names of far-flung places. Starting with the explorers and pioneers who opened up wilderness lands, from Sir Alexander Mackenzie in Canada to Dundee Island in Antarctica, chapters describe the Scottish traders and migrants to North America, Australia and New Zealand who named places after themselves, their heroes or their homeland.
£9.99
now£1.99
Ravilious: The Boat Race Rowers Journal
The English painter and designer Eric Ravilious (1903–42) created several series of artworks for ceramics by Wedgwood, including Boat Race Day in 1938. The covers and endpapers of this journal feature reproductions of original designs from that series, now in the Wedgwood Museum Trust Collection. The sturdy hardback has 200 pages of lined, cream paper, an expandable rear pocket for loose papers and elastic closure.
now£3.99
The Most Beautiful Universities in the World
Photo. Guillaume de Laubier;Jean Serroy
From the ancient Italian and Spanish universities of Bologna and Salamanca, to the ultramodern Rolex Learning Centre, part of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology opened in 2010, the architecture of universities has reflected a striving for cultural and intellectual excellence. In this selection of 23 universities from 15 countries, Guillaume de Laubier presents photographic studies of their facades, libraries, ceremonial halls and teaching buildings, while writer Jean Serroy outlines the history of each institution and its architecture.
£30.00
now£7.99
Albion's Glorious Ile
The Shyres of England & Wales in IV Volumes
Ed. Anne Louise Avery;Illus. William Hole
Each of these four volumes begins with verses from Poly-Olbion – a 17th-century poem by Michael Drayton – accompanied by black-and-white maps of the various regions of England, showing geographical features represented by gods, nymphs and faeries. These are colouring books, but not in the contemporary sense: the black-line images should be carefully washed over with watercolours, according to cartographic tradition. Slipcased.
£15.99
now£3.99

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