Other Non Fiction

Seabirds are the living links between land, air and sea. They enjoy a freedom that even humans, with all our technological assistance, (read more)

Seabirds are the living links between land, air and sea. They enjoy a freedom that even humans, with all our technological assistance, can barely imagine. Many species travel mind-boggling distances across the length and breadth of our planet before returning to land to breed in large, deafening and confusingly crowded colonies.

Yet within this commotion each mated pair forms a bond of extreme closeness and tenderness that survives separation each winter and may persist for decades. The long and geologically varied coastline of the British Isles provides homes for internationally important numbers of breeding seabirds. Visiting their colonies is always unforgettable, whether they are cliff-faces packed with Guillemots, islands white-capped by clustered Gannets on their nests, flat beaches crowded with screaming Arctic Terns or seaside rooftops overlaid with a second townscape of nesting gulls.
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Otters by Nicola Chester is an accessible and lively account of an intriguing and much-loved animal that, surprisingly, is still (read more)

Otters by Nicola Chester is an accessible and lively account of an intriguing and much-loved animal that, surprisingly, is still endangered and rarely seen despite a recent resurgence that has seen it expand from the remote countryside into our cities. Nicola's charming, informed text brings this elusive and exciting mammal into sharper focus revealing what an otter is, and how they live, feed, play and breed. Nicola reflects on how otters exist in our imaginations culturally and how that has changed over the years. (hide)

There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting and enslaving than the life at sea,' wrote Joseph Conrad. There is certainly nothing (read more)

There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting and enslaving than the life at sea,' wrote Joseph Conrad. There is certainly nothing more integral to the development of the modern world. In The Sea: A Cultural History, John Mack considers those great expanses that both unite and divide us, and the ways in which human beings interact because of the sea, from navigation to colonization to trade.

Much of the world's population lives on or near the coast, and people inhabit and engage with the sea in a variety of ways. The Sea explores the diversity of seas themselves, maritime technologies (especially the practice of navigation), and different cultures surrounding the sea. Seafarers have characteristic social and technical practices, as well as having distinctive language and customs. (hide)

06/08/2015 - The outspoken anonymous author is back with the ultimate book to challenge conventional footballing wisdom. With his (read more)

06/08/2015 - The outspoken anonymous author is back with the ultimate book to challenge conventional footballing wisdom. With his trademark wit, intelligence and candour, the Secret Footballer will guide you through formations, tactics, mind games and everything else you need to know about what it takes to be a pro. Includes: in-depth analysis of modern tactics; insight into the psychology of players on and off the pitch; tips on nutrition and fitness; how to deal with fans (including what it's like to play in each Premier League ground in England); a guide to modern footballing language; and a remarkable expose of the finances involved in the commercial game.

If you want to know how to stop a player like Cristiano Ronaldo, or why exactly Rooney is worth GBP300,000 a week, or who the greatest player of all time is, you will find it all here. Fully illustrated with line drawings showing the technical aspects of the game, this will be the perfect Christmas gift for aspiring football stars and armchair pundits alike. (hide)

There is no wildlife closer to us than that found in our gardens - or indeed, in our houses - so it follows that many of those creatures (read more)

There is no wildlife closer to us than that found in our gardens - or indeed, in our houses - so it follows that many of those creatures we love, such as foxes and ladybirds, are literally household names. However, despite this familiarity, many of the characters reveal surprising lifestyles if you take a closer look, and there is more going on in our precious backyards that we might imagine. Did you know that slugs and snails have spine-tingly good sex; that mosquitoes can dodge raindrops and that Grey Squirrels have regular sleepovers with their neighbours? Did you realise that unemployment causes the breakdown of society in wasps, or that it takes the average spider only one hour to build a web from scratch? Perhaps it would even surprise you to know that, in this day and age, it is still possible to have three Old Ladies stuck in your lavatory? (They are moths.) Written in an engaging style and illustrated with photographs and stunning colour paintings by Peter Partington, this book reveals, month by month, the extraordinary hidden world of our most familiar garden wildlife.

You will never look at your garden neighbours in the same way again. (hide)

inclair McKay's Bletchley Park Brainteasers was the runaway quiz book bestseller of 2017, now it's time to pit your wits against (read more)

inclair McKay's Bletchley Park Brainteasers was the runaway quiz book bestseller of 2017, now it's time to pit your wits against the secret heroes of MI5 and MI6 and find out if YOU have what it takes to be a spy!If you cracked the GCHQ Puzzle Book and followed the Ordnance Survey Puzzle Book, you MUST show off your James Bond credentials with Secret Service Brainteasers ... Whether you have linguistic flair, an instinct for technology or good old common sense, pit your wits against some of the greatest minds of our time with ingenious brainteasers including secret languages, sabotage themed brain bogglers, deadly countdowns and hidden codes. (hide)

Welcome home. A place 200 million years in the making. Long ago, our planet had only one gigantic land mass. Then something monumental (read more)

Welcome home. A place 200 million years in the making. Long ago, our planet had only one gigantic land mass.

Then something monumental happened. That supercontinent ruptured and seven different worlds were born. Each of those worlds - or continents - evolved, and continues to evolve, its own way of life. (hide)

In SHARE, Santos serves up the unique communal dining he has made his signature in his Lower East Side restaurants. This cookbook (read more)

In SHARE, Santos serves up the unique communal dining he has made his signature in his Lower East Side restaurants. This cookbook offers over 100 extraordinary "big platter" recipes for his creative take on old school favorites, specifically made for family-style dining, as well as small plates that are fun to serve when entertaining. From Crab Cake Corn Dogs to Spicy Lamb Souvlaki with Tzatziki; from Grilled Cheese Dumplings and Tomato Soup to Korean Short Rib Tacos with Classic Kimchi, SHARE is comfort food at its highest level.

These scrumptious dishes will have everyone at the table reaching for seconds!

Pub Date:23/02/2017 (hide)

Find yourself, in your shed. Turn your she-shed or man cave into your own private escape with 101 simple, practical ideas. Take some (read more)

Find yourself, in your shed. Turn your she-shed or man cave into your own private escape with 101 simple, practical ideas. Take some well-deserved alone time and learn to preserve lemons and chillies, whittle a butter knife, tie your own fishing flies, keep chickens, plant a roof garden or make a camera obscura.

Why not transform your shed itself? This book is full of inspiration for anyone who has dreamed of having an observatory, a sauna, a pub - or just a bit of peace and quiet at the bottom of the garden. The perfect gift for anyone who would rather be in their shed. (hide)

'Armed with this intrepid survey, we can see a brave new world down there on the beach ... Exquisite revelation, of the most wonderful, (read more)

'Armed with this intrepid survey, we can see a brave new world down there on the beach ... Exquisite revelation, of the most wonderful, watery kind.' - Philip HoareFor many, the highlights of seaside holidays are rockpooling and gathering the glorious array of shells left strewn on the beach after the receding tide. Attracted by the infinite variety of shapes and colours, visitors can never resist making a souvenir collection of their own - but little do they suspect the fascinating lives of the animals who once occupied them.

What if each shell had a story of its own to tell us, if only we knew the language? Mr Street's delightful, informative guide uncovers the secret history of each common shell, revealing not only which marine creature once inhabited it but the unique challenges of its watery habitat it had to solve. (hide)