Other Non Fiction

A journey into the weird, wonderful and truly astonishing lives of the small but mighty creatures who keep the world turning. Out (read more)

A journey into the weird, wonderful and truly astonishing lives of the small but mighty creatures who keep the world turning. Out of sight, underfoot, unseen beyond fleeting scuttles or darting flights, insects occupy a hidden world, yet are essential to sustaining life on earth. Insects influence our ecosystem like a ripple effect on water.

They arrived when life first moved to dry land, they preceded - and survived - the dinosaurs, they outnumber the grains of sand on all the world's beaches, and they will be here long after us. Working quietly but tirelessly, they give us food, uphold our ecosystems, can heal our wounds and even digest plastic. They could also provide us with new solutions to the antibiotics crisis, assist in disaster zones and inspire airforce engineers with their flying techniques.
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Seventy per cent of the earth's surface is covered by water. This vast aquatic realm is inhabited by a multitude of strange creatures (read more)

Seventy per cent of the earth's surface is covered by water. This vast aquatic realm is inhabited by a multitude of strange creatures and reigning supreme among them are the fish. There are giants that live for centuries and thumb-sized tiddlers that survive only weeks; they can be pancake-flat or inflatable balloons; they can shout with colours or hide in plain sight, cheat and dance, remember and say sorry; some rarely budge while others travel the globe restlessly.

And yet the mesmerising and complex lives of fish remain largely underrated and unseen, living hidden beneath the waterline, out of sight and out of mind. Helen Scales is our guide on an underwater journey, as we fathom the depths and watch these animals going about the glorious business of being fish. As well as the fish, we meet devoted fishwatchers past and present, from voodoo zombie potion hunters and scientists who taught fish how to walk to nonagenarian explorers of the deep sea. (hide)

The lives and activities of seabirds as you've never seen them beforeSeabirds evoke the spirit of the earth's wildest places. They (read more)

The lives and activities of seabirds as you've never seen them beforeSeabirds evoke the spirit of the earth's wildest places. They spend large portions of their lives at sea, often far from land, and nest on remote islands that humans rarely visit. Thanks to increasingly sophisticated and miniaturized devices that can track their every movement and behavior, it is now possible to observe the mysterious lives of these remarkable creatures as never before.

Published:4 Nov 2020 (hide)

Sometimes the best way to stick it to the man is by doing well for yourself. There's just one problem: it's hard to do well for yourself (read more)

Sometimes the best way to stick it to the man is by doing well for yourself. There's just one problem: it's hard to do well for yourself when systemic oppression has placed innumerable hurdles between you and your aspirations. THE FEMINIST FINANCIAL HANDBOOK provides actionable tips for overcoming these obstacles without dulling the visceral experience of the real-life struggles women face as they try to master their money and their lives.
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Heartwarming, inspirational and genuinely touching, Finding Harmony is the remarkable true story of an extraordinary dog that rescued (read more)

Heartwarming, inspirational and genuinely touching, Finding Harmony is the remarkable true story of an extraordinary dog that rescued a woman from the depths of depression and transformed a family for ever. A keen mountaineer, Sally Hyder was in her prime and loving life. She shared her passion for climbing with her partner Andrew and it was a dream come true when Andrew proposed at Everest Base Camp.

For them, climbing mountains made anything seem possible and represented their attitude to life. But a year after Sally and Andrew were married Sally was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She was only 28 and was training to be a Macmillan nurse - she wanted to care for the terminally ill.

But Sally was determined the disease wouldn't slow her down: she went back to work looking after others and, despite warnings that her condition could deteriorate in pregnancy, went on to have three beautiful children. But it was when her youngest child Melissa was diagnosed with severe autism that Sally began to spiral into depression. Sally felt guilty about the pressures faced by her elder daughter Clara in her role as carer. (hide)

Enid Blyton's books are beloved the world over and The Famous Five have been the perennial favourite of her fans. Now, in this new (read more)

Enid Blyton's books are beloved the world over and The Famous Five have been the perennial favourite of her fans. Now, in this new series of Enid Blyton for Grown-Ups, George, Dick, Anne, Julian and Timmy confront a new challenge: give up the booze. Give up alcohol you say? Why, of course they can! Talk about an easy challenge! Five old friends set about this simple task and find all of a sudden that: the days are longer; they get to see each other for who they really are; the empty laughter of ordinary conversation is so much harder to fake.

Yes, they're saving money and losing weight, but the world itself seems to take on a slow, dreary inevitability. Soon they begin to snap at each other, and then fight - until they begin to wonder, have the Five at last found the challenge that will defeat them? The perfect gift for anyone who has woken up and promised themselves that they will never drink again. Or at least until next weekend. (hide)

Offering a fresh perspective on one of the most prolific and well-loved catalogues of songs in the rock 'n' roll canon, Fleetwood (read more)

Offering a fresh perspective on one of the most prolific and well-loved catalogues of songs in the rock 'n' roll canon, Fleetwood Mac FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Iconic Rock Survivors digs deeper than your average music compendium and sidesteps the tediousness of most generalized band histories. Professional yet playful, the book's most unique feature is its structure: a hybrid of historical breakdowns, Q and As, music criticism, and best of lists chronicling the band's influence and legacy. No Fleetwood Mac book would be complete without addressing the sensationalism of Rumours or the mythic psychological breakdown of Peter Green.

Published:7 Jan 2019 (hide)

A former aircraft engineer exposes the dangerous breakdown in airline safety due to lapses in maintenance and quality control. This (read more)

A former aircraft engineer exposes the dangerous breakdown in airline safety due to lapses in maintenance and quality control. This book chronicles maintenance-related accidents caused by individual, corporate, or governmental negligence and brings the industry's current state of affairs into sharp focus. The author, a former aviation engineer, examines how failures of the smallest of parts have brought down airliners, explaining sometimes esoteric mechanical issues for readers with no technical background.

Vividly describing the terror of accidents and close calls, the author then follows the painstaking investigations to determine causes. He focuses on maintenance errors, which rank as one of the top three causes of airline accidents, and points to the factors that have led to an alarming situation-- continued reduction of licensed mechanics, the shutting down of maintenance bases in the United States, and the outsourcing of maintenance to lowballing contractors. Outsourcing has forced thousands of licensed mechanics into retirement or different careers.

Published:19 Jun 2020 (hide)

Discover the extraordinary diversity of the plant world - and how plants work - with this photographic celebration of the trees, (read more)

Discover the extraordinary diversity of the plant world - and how plants work - with this photographic celebration of the trees, flowers, and foliage plants that share our planet. From tiny mosses and delicate ferns to vibrant blooms and stately palms, Flora invites you to explore the plant kingdom from the ground up, and from root to leaf tip. DK's elegant introduction to botany is packed with sumptuous photos and crystal-clear artworks that explain the mechanics of photosynthesis, why leaves change colour, how cacti store water, and how seeds know when to grow.
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The whole world has gone colouring crazy. Once considered the favourite pastime of children, the colouring craze has now extended (read more)

The whole world has gone colouring crazy. Once considered the favourite pastime of children, the colouring craze has now extended to include 'kids of all ages', thanks to its well-known therapeutic properties. This fresh and exciting series of titles, designed especially for grown-ups, is the perfect way to relax after a hard day at work and a creative antidote to staring too long at a computer screen.

Covering a range of distinct and fascinating subject areas these stylish activity books are a brilliant way to bring some creativity and colour into your life...as well as improve your rusty art skills. With more than 125 classic and contemporary designs to put your own unique spin on, this adult activity book is a unique source of flowers and nature themed artwork and the perfect gift for anyone who enjoys getting creative in the great outdoors. (hide)