In 1816, TF Salter abridged his earlier Angler’s Guide to provide the novice with this affordable work of ‘real practical Information on the Art of taking Fish’ (‘the words catch and caught are seldom used by anglers’, according to his glossary). There are chapters on each type of fish and appropriate techniques, with illustrations by the author.

It’s no wonder the ‘Combined Umbrella Handle and Railway Carriage Door Key’, or the ‘Continuous Stream Enema Fountain Syringe’, were never made, yet Victorian designers were ever hopeful of relieving life’s burdens. This fascinating collection of 240 illustrations, reproduced from the National Archives, features drawings of gadgets and appliances submitted to officialdom for copyright purposes but never realized as products. Domestic needs and health concerns are among the many aspects of Victorian life revealed by the quirky ingenuity on display.

The extravagant whiskers of prominent Victorians such as Charles Darwin and WG Grace seemed impossibly archaic until the recent 'hipster' fashion reinvented the wearing of long beards for young men for the first time since the hippies of the 1960s. This book traces the history of fashions in facial hair from the ancients to the present day.

What is the difference between Murphy’s Law and Sod’s Law? Why is the Pooh-Pooh Theory implausible? Will we fall victim to the Skyscraper Index? In chapters on everything from politics and economics to scuba diving, Philip Gooden sets out informal laws, unwritten rules and theories, and reveals their origins, the people responsible and what they mean – unless they are as inexplicable as Herblock’s Law: If it’s good, they’ll stop making it.

This collection of 90 unusual recipes from historical cookery books includes some extraordinary dishes, such as Artificial Asses' Milk Made with Bruised Snails (1747) and Porpoise with Wheat Porridge (1450). Recipes reveal a lot about their time, and here a perceptive commentary discusses their social and economic context. A foreword by Heston Blumenthal sheds light on the way our cuisine is constantly evolving in response to trends and new ingredients.