Slightly off-mint

An account of allergy as a ‘modern malady’, from its barely recognized status in the early 20th century to its explosion in the 1990s into a set of diseases of great of health care in the modern world.

One of the most influential artists working in the genre of ukiyo-e ('pictures of the floating world') in late 18th century Japan, Kitagawa Utamaro (c1753-1806) was renowned for his prints of beautiful women. In this book, Davis reinterprets Utamaro in the context of his times, reconstructing the place of the ukiyo-e artist within the world of the commercial print market. The study offers a new approach to issues such as the status of the artist and the construction of identity, gender, sexuality and celebrity in the Edo period.

Nick Caistor gives an even-handed assessment of Castro's life and politics, from leftist, anti-imperialist ideas he developed at university to more recent criticism of his pursuit of personal power. Critical Lives series.

In this book from the Critical Lives series, Stephen Hart provides new insight into the life and work of the Colombian Nobel Laureate Gabriel García Márquez (1927–2014) and describes how the political struggles of Latin America influenced his writing, from One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967) to Memories of My Melancholy Whores (2004).

Roelf Bolt's highly entertaining 'A to Z of 150 Case Studies' includes some surprising people - Einstein covering up bad lab results - along with real villains and the terrifying demon dentist.

This cultural study explores the evolution of Christmas. From its historical origins to the folklore of Santa Claus and the fiction of Scrooge, and from traditional trees and carols to Yuletide films and novelty singles, Tara Moore discusses the holiday as a unifying but also divisive event, and probes the tension between the sacred and the secular.

From Bram Stoker’s Dracula to The Lost Boys, True Blood and Twilight, this is an investigation into the popularity of vampires, examining folklore, literature, film, TV, world. some b&w

Part of the Critical Lives series, this illustrated book explores the key moments in Genet’s life, where his political beliefs were most prominent. Genet’s championing of marginalized people was made clear in works such as Our Lady of the Flowers and The Screens and his provocative writing, theatre and film projects influenced numerous writers and directors.

This concise, readable and timely book offers an in-depth treatment of environmental, social and demographic issues, discussing topics such as energy supplies, cross-border crime and immigration.