Winner of The Diverse Adult Book Award 2022‘Abdullah’s legal thrillers make John Grisham seem like a maiden aunt’ Sunday Times Crime Club ‘An enthralling, heartbreaking and thrilling courtroom drama that had me shouting out loud and gripped until the last page’ Nadine Matheson, author of The Jigsaw Man ‘Brilliantly tense, this is another clever page turner from Kia Abdullah that I couldn’t put down. Just superb’ Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City ‘Twists and turns aplenty . . . The author’s greatest strength lies in her sensitive and relatable description of the relationship between sisters Leila and Max’s mother Yasmin’ i ‘A tense, brilliant read’ Bella * * * * ON AN ORDINARY WORKING DAY… Leila Syed receives a call that cleaves her life in two. Her brother-in-law’s voice is filled with panic. His son’s nursery has called to ask where little Max is. YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE… Leila was supposed to drop Max off that morning. But she forgot. Racing to the carpark, she grasps the horror of what she has done. IS ABOUT TO COME TRUE… What follows is an explosive, high-profile trial that will tear the family apart. But as the case progresses it becomes clear there’s more to this incident than meets the eye… A gripping, brave and tense courtroom drama, Next of Kin will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final, heart-stopping page. * * * * Readers are GRIPPED by Next of Kin ‘Kia Abdullah is the absolute queen of the courtroom drama’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘WOW!! This book is astonishingly brilliant! An absolute masterpiece’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I couldn’t put this down and Kia Abdullah is becoming a firm favourite read’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Kia Abdullah is a writing maestro’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A gripping legal thriller that will leave you reeling. A book that will stay with you long after the last page. The ending is a stunner!’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Next of Kin

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ﻿‘A lasting work of social history’ THE TIMES ‘A genuinely new history of our nation’ DAN JONES ‘This celebration of women is a triumph of popular history’ SPECTATOR FROM THE MULTI-MILLION BESTSELLING HISTORICAL NOVELIST COMES THE CULMINATION OF HER LIFE’S WORK Did you know that there are more penises than women in the Bayeux Tapestry?That the Peasant’s Revolt was started and propelled by women, protesting a tax on women?Or that celebrated naturalist Charles Darwin believed not just that women were naturally inferior to men but that they’d evolve to become ever more inferior?These are just a few of the startling findings you will learn from reading Philippa Gregory’s Normal Women. In this ambitious and ground-breaking book, she tells the story of our nation over 900 years, but for the very first time women – some fifty per cent of the population – are no longer invisible in this history of England, but are at its beating heart. Using research skills honed in her work as one of our foremost historical novelists, Gregory trawled through court records to find highway women, beggars and shepherdesses, through newspapers and diaries to find murderers and brides, housewives and pirates, female husbands and hermits. The ‘normal women’ you will meet in her pages went to war, ploughed the fields, campaigned, wrote, and loved. They rode in jousts, flew Spitfires, issued their own currency and built ships, corn mills and houses as part of their everyday lives They committed crimes, or treason, worshipped many gods, cooked and nursed, invented things and rioted. A lot. They built our society to be as diverse and varied as the women themselves. They are there in the archives – if you look – and they made our history. ‘You’ll lose count of the number of things you learn about women and their skewed place in history as you read Philippa Gregory’s stunning Normal Women … the book reframes the past … an essential read’ INDEPENDENT, FIVE-STAR REVIEW

Normal Women

‘A superb legal thriller…crackles with tension’ Guardian ‘A topical and gritty story’ Observer 'A thought-provoking and sparklingly intelligent novel, with the welcome bonus of an unguessable ending’ Daily Telegraph ‘Razor-sharp…Much more than a courtroom thriller’ Christina Dalcher, Sunday Times bestselling author of VOX * * * * * IT’S TIME TO TAKE YOUR PLACE ON THE JURY.The victim: A sixteen-year-old girl with facial deformities, neglected by an alcoholic mother. Who accuses the boys of something unthinkable. The defendants: Four handsome teenage boys from hardworking immigrant families. All with corroborating stories. WHOSE SIDE WOULD YOU TAKE?* * * * * Readers are giving Take It Back five stars:‘The perfect book club read . . . will make for lively, thought-provoking discussions’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A skilfully written book that offers a big punch’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘You will feel like you are enveloped in this case and the unseen juror’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Brilliant, powerful, moving and intelligent’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Just when you think you've guessed correctly another twist appears’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A genuine five-star read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A brilliantly compelling, tense and thought-provoking read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Take It Back

Book one in the magnificent Empire Trilogy by bestselling authors Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts. Enter the mysterious and exotic world of Kelewan… Mara, the youngest child of the ancient and noble Acoma family, is about to take her pledge of servitude to the goddess Lashima when the ceremony is disrupted by news of her father and brother’s death in battle. Despite her grief, as the only surviving member of her house, Mara must now take up the mantles of Ruling Lady. But she soon discovers betrayal at the heart of her family’s loss, and the Acoma’s enemies have brought her house to the brink of utter destruction. Mara, an inexperienced political player, must draw on all her wit, intelligence and cunning to navigate the ruthless Game of the Council, regain the honour of House Acoma and secure the future of her family. But with assassins waiting around every corner, it might take everything Mara has simply to survive. Daughter of the Empire is the magnificent first book in The Empire Trilogy by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts.

The Riftwar Cycle: The Empire Trilogy

Daughter of the Empire

‘A gripping page-turner about nightmare neighbours’ Platinum ‘A small act of malice between suburban neighbours snowballs, bringing tension and terror. Terrific and hugely thought-provoking’ Ian Rankin ‘One of my ten best reads of the year. Easy five stars’ Lisa Jewell * Waterstones Thriller of the Month – August 2023 *‘Intelligent, clever, poignant, sharp, and thought-provoking, right through to the perfect final line. Another sure hit for Kia Abdullah’ Andrea Mara ‘Brilliantly pacey and wonderfully written with a lovely big twist. Highly recommended’ Neil Lancaster * * * You can choose your house. Not your neighbours. WELCOME TO YOUR DREAM HOME . . . Salma Khatun is extremely hopeful about Blenheim, the safe suburban development to which she, her husband and their son have just moved. Their family needs a fresh start, and Blenheim feels like the right place. MEET YOUR NEW NEIGHBOURS . . . Shortly after they move in, Salma spots her neighbour, Tom Hutton, ripping out the anti-racist banner in their front garden. Choosing not to confront Tom, Salma takes the banner inside and puts it in her window. But the next morning she wakes up to find her window smeared with paint. AND PREPARE FOR THE NIGHTMARE TO BEGIN . . . This time she does confront Tom, and the battle lines between the two families are drawn. As things begin to escalate and the stakes become higher, it's clear that a reckoning is coming… And someone is going to get hurt. A gripping thriller about nightmare neighbours, Those People Next Door explores the loss of innocence and how far we’d go to defend ourselves and the people we love. * * * Praise for Those People Next Door: ‘This powerful social drama about racism and microaggression in today’s society is a must-read’ Prima ‘A stunning, thought-provoking and morally challenging read. It had me guessing until the ingenious reveal – a world-class story’ Graham Bartlett, author of Bad For Good ‘A tense, clever tale about the seething underbelly of a picture-perfect suburban town’ Country and Town House

Those People Next Door

Book two in the magnificent Empire Trilogy by bestselling authors Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts. Nobody knows how to play the Game of the Council better than Mara of the Acoma. Through bloody political manoeuvring she has become a powerful force within the Empire; but surrounded by deadly rivals, Mara has to be the best simply to stay alive. But Lady Mara must contend with battles on two fronts: in the hotbed of intrigue and treachery that is the court of Tsurani; and in her heart, where her affection for a barbarian slave from the enemy world of Midkemia leads her to question the principles by which she lives. Servant of the Empire is the second in Feist and Wurts’ wonderful epic trilogy – one of the most successful fantasy collaborations of all time. The trilogy concludes with the third book, Mistress of the Empire.

Servant of the Empire

Book three in the magnificent Empire Trilogy by bestselling authors Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts. Welcome to the final play of the game. Now revered as the Servant of the Empire, Mara of the Acoma is in more danger than ever before. Not only does she face threats from the brotherhood of assassins and the cunning spies of rival ruling houses, but she has attracted the attention of the awesome Assembly of Magicians, who see her as a threat to their power. But Mara has not reached her position through luck or accident of fate. Surrounded on all sides by enemies determined to bring her down, Mara must draw on her deepest resources to secure her place as Mistress of the Empire once and for all. Mistress of the Empire is the stunning final book in Feist and Wurts’ epic trilogy – one of the most successful fantasy collaborations of all time.

Mistress of the Empire

Don’t miss the brand-new gripping thriller and courtroom drama full of twists and turns that will keep you up at night!‘An impeccable blend of courtroom drama, mystery thriller and social commentary … a true masterpiece’ Andrea Mara 'Timely … Suspenseful and unpredictable' iPaper 'A brilliantly thought-provoking read' Crime Monthly 'The kind of crime fiction that eventually becomes social history' Literary Review * * * * Lily and Safa were best friends growing up. Now, Lily is the nation’s favourite breakfast TV presenter and Safa, once a renowned journalist, is reeling from a recent fall from grace. When news breaks about suspicious bruises on Lily’s body, Safa attempts to rekindle their old friendship. But Lily claims the bruises are nothing to worry about. And then one night the police are called to Lily’s home. Lily is strangely calm – and a body lies dead at her feet. Lily pleads not guilty, and then says nothing more. Driven by her desire to give a voice to all victims, Safa begins her own investigation into what happened that night. But Safa is not prepared for what her quest for justice will uncover … * * * * Praise for Kia Abdullah ‘One of my ten best reads of the year. Easy five stars’ Lisa Jewell ‘Terrific and hugely thought-provoking’ Ian Rankin ‘Rich in drama and intrigue. Kept me turning the pages long into the night. Bloody superb’ Graham Bartlett, author of Bad For Good 'Abdullah draws out the truth with compassion, charting with notable understanding the ever-changing currents in human relations’ The Times ‘Timely and powerful, Abdullah’s fourth novel lets no one off the hook’ Guardian ‘Gripping’ Woman’s Weekly

What Happens in the Dark

Dare you enter the world of MONSTERS? The beloved World’s Worst series has captivated millions of readers. You’ve met the world’s worst children, the world’s worst parents, the world’s worst teachers and the world’s worst pets – but are you ready for the world’s worst monsters? If you don’t like ghosts, ogres, zombies, vampires, aliens, werewolves or mummies, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. Laugh along to these ten terrifying tales of marvellous monsters, brought to you by David Walliams. The World’s Worst Pets was the bestselling children’s book of 2022 (UK TCM Chart, 27 December 2022). David Walliams was most recently UK Children’s number one bestseller with Robodog (TCM Chart, 11 April 2023). This laugh-out-loud collection solidifies Walliams' status as the last word in bestselling children's juvenile fiction, and secures his work among the great Sunday reads for kids craving New York Times top bestsellers with a delightful twist. Witness the greatness unfold in these pages filled with the most memorable and humorous short tales that teach powerful lessons about friendship. For fans of Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid), Tom Fletcher (The Creakers), Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Ben Miller (Adventures of a Christmas Elf) and Shane Devries (The Christmasaurus).

The World’s Worst Monsters

From intelligence to emotion, for centuries science has told us that men and women are fundamentally different. But this is not the whole story. Shedding light on controversial research and investigating the ferocious gender wars in biology, psychology and anthropology, Angela Saini takes readers on an eye-opening journey to uncover how women are being rediscovered. She explores what these revelations mean for us as individuals and as a society, revealing an alternative view of science in which women are included, rather than excluded.

Inferior

Shortlisted for The Diverse Book Awards 2021‘Bold and brave, shocking and heartfelt . . . A very special book from a very special author’ Chris Whitaker, bestselling author of Waterstones Thriller of the Month We Begin at the End ‘Abdullah's legal thrillers make John Grisham seem like a maiden aunt’ Sunday Times Crime Club ‘Vividly examines some of the issues that shape (and deform) society . . . A gritty, extremely hard-hitting drama’ Adele Parks, Platinum magazine ‘A masterpiece [and] a triumph . . . When you get to the final chapters, buckle up . . . She writes with such intelligence, research and compassion’ Daily Record * * * * * ARE YOU READY TO START THIS CONVERSATION?Kamran Hadid feels invincible. He attends Hampton school, an elite all-boys boarding school in London, he comes from a wealthy family, and he has a place at Oxford next year. The world is at his feet. And then a night of revelry leads to a drunken encounter and he must ask himself a horrific question. With the help of assault counsellor, Zara Kaleel, Kamran reports the incident in the hopes that will be the end of it. But it’s only the beginning… Powerful, explosive and important, Truth Be Told is a contemporary courtroom drama that vividly captures today’s society. You will not stop thinking about it for a long time to come. * * * * * More praise for Truth Be Told: ‘The court scenes are pacy and atmospheric, and there is more than one unexpected twist’ i ‘Brave, compelling and absolutely riveting’ A A Dhand, bestselling author of Streets of Darkness ‘Tense, harrowing and brilliantly written. A powerful story’ Khurrum Rahman, author of East of Hounslow ‘An excellent and intelligent novel’ The Literary Review ‘A deeply profound and thought-provoking read’ Heat

Truth Be Told

'Wow. Just wow. If you liked Me Before You, you'll love You Me Everything. Heartbreakingly beautiful' Sunday Times bestseller Clare Mackintosh You and me, we have history. We have a child together. We have kept secrets from each other for far too long. This summer, in the beautiful hills of the Dordogne, it is time for everything to change. You Me Everything is a heartfelt and unforgettable story about the lengths we are prepared to go to for those we love. Guaranteed to make you laugh and cry, this is novel you will never forget. Rights have sold in over twenty-two countries internationally and a film is in progress with Lionsgate. 'Everything you need for a moving, funny, heartbreaking, and ultimately joyous read. Set in one of the world's most magical places, it's a story that celebrates the power of love to overcome any fear' Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author of Map of the Heart 'What a beautiful, heart-wrenching read' Rea's Book Reviews 'I'm in pieces; such a stunningly eloquent, heartfelt story. This will be the book everyone is talking about' Penny Parkes 'Emotional and powerful - and also hugely enjoyable. It's a love story in every sense of the word' Claire Frost 'You broke my heart AND made it soar! Isabelle Broom 'Fabulous, you are all in for a major treat' Milly Johnson 'One to watch out for' Book Angel

You Me Everything

A Quick Reads story from award winning author Kia Abdullah ‘Abdullah’s legal thrillers make John Grisham seem like a maiden aunt’ Sunday Times Crime Club ‘Intelligent, clever, poignant, sharp, and thought-provoking, right through to the perfect final line. Another sure hit for Kia Abdullah’ Andrea Mara ‘Brilliantly pacey and wonderfully written with a lovely big twist. Highly recommended’ Neil Lancaster * * * WELCOME TO YOUR DREAM HOME … MEET YOUR NEW NEIGHBOURS … AND PREPARE FOR THE NIGHTMARE TO BEGIN … Salma Khatun is extremely hopeful about Hampton, the safe district to which she, her husband and their son have just moved. But soon Salma sees her neighbour throw a ball at the anti-racist banner her son put in their front garden. She doesn’t complain because she wants her family to fit in. But then worse things start to happen – things Salma can’t ignore. A battle begins and quickly turns into a deadly nightmare. A gripping thriller about nightmare neighbours, Those People Next Door explores the loss of innocence and how far we’re prepared to go to defend ourselves and the people we love. * * * Praise for Those People Next Door: ‘This powerful social drama about racism and microaggression in today’s society is a must-read’ Prima ‘A stunning, thought-provoking and morally challenging read. It had me guessing until the ingenious reveal – a world-class story’ Graham Bartlett, author of Bad For Good ‘A tense, clever tale about the seething underbelly of a picture-perfect suburban town’ Country and Town House

THE REMARKABLE NEW WORK OF FICTION FROM THE BOOKER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF LAST ORDERS, WATERLAND, HERE WE ARE and MOTHERING SUNDAY In the aftermath of the Second World War Private Joseph Caan, a young Jewish soldier stationed in Germany, seeks the truth about lost family members; in the 1960s a father focuses on his daughter’s wedding even as the Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink of disaster; in 2001, while planes fly into the Twin Towers, a maid working for US Embassy staff in London wonders if her birth on the day of the Kennedy assassination shaped her life; and at the height of a pandemic lockdown, Dr. Cole, a retired specialist in respiratory disease, returns to work and recalls a formative childhood encounter with illness and much more. These are just a few of the challenged characters we meet in Graham Swift’s Twelve Post-war Tales. Tender, humane, funny and moving, Swift’s latest work of fiction displays his quietly commanding ability to set the personal and the ordinary against the harsh sweep of history. It is an outstanding achievement, confirming his status as one of the great, most subtle voices of our age. Praise for Swift's most recent novel, Here We Are 'A magical piece of writing: the work of a novelist on scintillating form.' Guardian ‘Here We Are smuggles within the pages of a seemingly commonplace tale depths of emotion and narrative complexity that take the breath away.’ Observer ‘The book’s power comes precisely from the fact that it performs its magic in front of your eyes, leaving nowhere to hide . . . you wonder how he does it.’ Financial Times ‘With a wizardry of his own, Swift conjures up an about-to-disappear little world and turns it into something of wider resonance.’ Sunday Times 'Swift has no equal in evoking the atmosphere of an era while probing human psychology with irony and tenderness.' L’Express, France ‘Swift doesn’t write, he whispers’, Corriere della Sera, Italy “In a dozen pages Swift can embrace a whole life”, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany

Twelve Post-War Tales

In this ingenious stand-alone thriller from the internationally bestselling author and “razor sharp” master of suspense (People), a grieving wife is forced to ask: Which is worse—infidelity or murder? Ellie Falkner’s world has been destroyed. Her husband, Greg, died in a car crash—and he wasn’t alone. In the passenger seat was the body of Milena Livingstone, a woman Ellie’s never heard of. But Ellie refuses to leap to the obvious conclusion, despite the whispers and suspicions of those around her. Maybe it’s the grief, but Ellie has to find out who this woman was—and prove Greg wasn’t having an affair. And soon she is chillingly certain their deaths were no accident. Are Ellie’s accusations of murder her way of avoiding the truth about her marriage? Or does an even more sinister discovery await her?

What to Do When Someone Dies

The Sunday Times bestseller From the bestselling authors of The Sugar Girls, G.I. Brides weaves together the real-life stories of four women who crossed the ocean for love, providing a moving true tale of romance and resilience. The ‘friendly invasion’ of Britain by over a million American G.I.s caused a sensation amongst a generation of young women deprived of male company during the Second World War. With their exotic accents, smart uniforms and aura of Hollywood glamour, the G.I.s soon had the local girls queuing up for a date, and the British boys off fighting abroad turning green with envy. But American soldiers offered something even more tantalising than a ready supply of chocolate, chewing gum and nylon stockings. Becoming a G.I. bride provided an escape route from Blitz-ravaged Britain, an opportunity for a whole new life in America – a country that was more affluent, more modern and less class-ridden than home. Some 70,000 G.I. brides crossed the Atlantic at the end of the war to join the men who had captured their hearts – but the long voyage was just the beginning of a much bigger journey. Once there, the women would have to adapt to a foreign culture and a new way of life thousands of miles away from family and friends, with a man they hardly knew out of uniform. Some struggled with the isolation of life in rural America, or found their heroic soldier was less appealing once he returned to Civvy Street. But most persevered, determined to turn their wartime romance into a lifelong love affair, and prove to those back home that it really was possible to have a Hollywood ending.

GI Brides

The bestselling author of Close To Me returns with another stunning psychological drama. Full of secrets, obsession and betrayal, Lying To You will hold you in its grip till the final, breath-taking twist. Perfect for fans for HE SAID/SHE SAID, CLOSE TO HOME, and THE HUSBAND'S SECRET. The lies we tell ourselves are the worst kind, for we have all the time in the world to convince ourselves they are true... When Jess Tidy was Mark Winter's student, she made a shocking accusation. Mark maintained his innocence, but the damage was done. Karen Winter stood by her husband through everything, determined to protect her family. Now, ten years later, Jess is back. And the truth about that night is finally going to come out...

Lying To You

*** The wonderful new novel from the acclaimed author of The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton *** ‘Incredibly moving and atmospheric’ Beth O'Leary 'Absorbing and original' Katie Fforde 'Simply stunning’ Fionnuala Kearney 'Utterly enchanting' Heidi Swain One summer. One house. One family learning to love again. Cate Morris and her son, Leo, are homeless, adrift. They’ve packed up the boxes from their London home, said goodbye to friends and colleagues, and now they are on their way to ‘Hatters Museum of the Wide Wide World – to stay just for the summer. Cate doesn’t want to be there, in Richard’s family home without Richard to guide her any more. And she knows for sure that Araminta, the retainer of the collection of dusty objects and stuffed animals, has taken against them. But they have nowhere else to go. They have to make the best of it. But Richard hasn’t told Cate the truth about his family’s history. And something about the house starts to work its way under her skin. Can she really walk away, once she knows the truth? Praise for Anstey Harris 'Glorious on so many levels' A J Pearce 'Full of hope and charm' Libby Page 'Brilliantly and movingly written' Dorothy Koomson 'Elegant and uplifting . . . I was both engrossed in and moved by this fabulous debut' Catherine Isaac 'A moving, beautifully written, uplifting debut about mending broken hearts through friendship. The twists and turns make it impossible to put down' Sarah J. Harris 'What a total joy!' Fanny Blake

Where We Belong

A FINALIST FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE A FINALIST FOR THE MOORE PRIZE A NEW STATESMAN BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 'A gripping and rigorous crime story about the murder of a once thriving democracy, exposing an arsenal of lethal weapons, some wielded on the streets, others in the courts and press' NAOMI KLEIN ‘Essential reading' YANIS VAROUFAKIS The world’s largest democracy is facing the greatest challenge since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. ﻿The Incarcerations pulls back the curtain on Indian democracy to tell the remarkable and chilling story of the Bhima Koregaon case, in which 16 human rights defenders (the BK-16) – professors, lawyers, journalists, poets – have been imprisoned, without credible evidence and without trial, as Maoist terrorists. Alpa Shah unravels how these alleged terrorists were charged with inciting violence at a public commemoration in 2018, accused of waging a war against the Indian state, and plotting to kill the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Expertly leading us through the case, Shah exposes some of the world’s most shocking revelations of cyber warfare research, which show not only hacking of emails and mobile phones of the BK-16, but also implantation of the electronic evidence that was used to incarcerate them. Through the life histories of the BK-16, Shah dives deep into the issues they fought for and tells the story of India’s three main minorities – Adivasi, Dalits and Muslims – and what the search for democracy entails for them. Essential and urgent, The Incarcerations reveals how this case is a bellwether for the collapse of democracy in India, as for the first time in the nation’s history there is a multi-pronged, coordinated attack on key defenders of various pillars of democracy. In so doing, Shah shows that democracy today must be not only about protecting freedom of expression and democratic institutions, but also about supporting and safeguarding the social movements that question our global inequalities. ‘A chilling, meticulously documented account of the arrest and ongoing trial of some of India’s most exceptional citizens. The Incarcerations shows us that the BK-16 pose a danger to the current Hindu Nationalist regime not for what they have done, but for daring to have a different dream about what kind of country India should be. Alpa Shah’s book is about the criminalisation and incarceration of dissent itself. It does us a great service’ Arundhati Roy

The Incarcerations

'Neima’s book, impeccably researched and beautifully written, will be an inspiration for anyone looking to an alternative future today.' - Stella Tillyard, author of Aristocrats and The Great Level 'Deeply interesting and a pleasure to read, The Utopians illuminates the history of “social dreaming” at a time when it has never been more needed.' - Alison Light, author of A Radical Romance, Common People and Mrs. Woolf and the Servants The Utopians is the remarkable story of six experimental communities – Santiniketan-Sriniketan in India, Dartington Hall in England, Atarashiki Mura in Japan, the Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man in France, the Bruderhof in Germany and Trabuco College in America – that sprang up in the aftermath of the First World War. Each was led by charismatic figures who dreamed of a new way of living. Rabindranath Tagore, Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst, Mushanokoji Saneatsu, G. I. Gurdjieff, Eberhard and Emmy Arnold and Gerald Heard all struggled to turn ambitious ideals into reality. They – and their fellow communards – left their jobs, their homes and their social circles. They faced mockery and persecution, penury, hunger and discomfort, and their own doubts about whether their efforts to change society would ever make a difference. Anna Neima’s absorbing and vivid account of these collectives, from creation to collapse, reveals them to be full of eccentric characters, outlandish lifestyles and unchecked idealism. They were dramatic, fractious places where high ideals collided with the need to feed the chickens, clean the toilets, bring up squabbling children and grow the grain for the daily bread. These communities were small in scale and dismissed in their time. Yet, a century later, their influence still resonates in realms as disparate as progressive education, environmentalism, medical research and mindfulness training. They provided, and continue to provide, a rich store of inspiration for those who aspire to improve the world. Without them, the post-war world would have been a poorer place.

The Utopians

Grace Atherton has fallen out of love... and into life Between the simple melody of running her violin shop and the full-blown orchestra of her romantic interludes in Paris with David, her devoted partner of eight years, Grace Atherton has always set her life to music. Her world revolves entirely around David, for Grace’s own secrets have kept everyone else at bay. Until, suddenly and shockingly, one act tips Grace’s life upside down, and the music seems to stop. It takes a vivacious old man and a straight-talking teenager to kickstart a new chapter for Grace. In the process, she learns that she is not as alone in the world as she had once thought, that no mistake is insurmountable, and that the quiet moments in life can be something to shout about … For fans of The Keeper of Lost Things, The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton is the story of a woman who has her heart broken, but then puts it back together again in the most uplifting and exquisite way.

The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton

‘A wonderful book: Nancy Campbell is a fine storyteller with a rare physical intelligence. The extraordinary brilliance of her eye confers the reader a total immersion in the rimy realms she explores. Glaciers, Arctic floe, verglas, frost and snow — I can think of no better or warmer guide to the icy ends of the Earth’ Dan Richards, author of Climbing Days A vivid and perceptive book combining memoir, scientific and cultural history with a bewitching account of landscape and place, which will appeal to readers of Robert Macfarlane, Roger Deakin and Olivia Laing. Long captivated by the solid yet impermanent nature of ice, by its stark, rugged beauty, acclaimed poet and writer Nancy Campbell sets out from the world’s northernmost museum – at Upernavik in Greenland – to explore it in all its facets. From the Bodleian Library archives to the traces left by the great polar expeditions, from remote Arctic settlements to the ice houses of Calcutta, she examines the impact of ice on our lives at a time when it is itself under threat from climate change. The Library of Ice is a fascinating and beautifully rendered evocation of the interplay of people and their environment on a fragile planet, and of a writer’s quest to define the value of her work in a disappearing landscape. ‘The Library of Ice instantly transported me elsewhere... This luminous book is both beautifully written and astute in its observations, turning the pages of time backwards and revealing, like the archive of the earth’s climate stored in layers of solidified water, the embedded meanings of the world’s icy realms. It is a book as urgently relevant as it is wondrous’ Julian Hoffman, author of The Heart of Small Things ‘An extraordinary work not only for the perspicacity and innate experience of the author who leads the reader carefully across intertwined icy tracks of crystallised geographics, melting myths and frozen exploration histories, but through her own tender diagnostics of what reading ice can show us in these times … Perilous in its scope, exacting in its observation, wild in intellect, The Library of Ice captures the reader’s attention almost as if caught in ice itself’ Kirsten Macgillivray, poet ‘This is travel writing to be treasured. A biography of ice, the element that has another life, with hard facts thawed and warmed by a poet's voice. Campbell's writing is companionable, curious, deeply researched and with no bragging about the intrepidity that has taken her between winter-dark Greenland, Polar libaries, Scottish curling rinks, Alpine glaciers and Henry Thoreau's pond at Walden’ Jasper Winn, author of Paddle

The Library of Ice

Spanning a century, The Immortal King Rao tells an epic story about power, modernity and family lineage, and introduces a bold new voice. Vauhini Vara's lyrical and thought-provoking debut novel begins in India in the 1950s, following a young man born into a Dalit family of coconut farmers in a remote village in Andhra Pradesh. King Rao, as he comes to be known, later moves to the US, where he studies in Seattle, meeting the love of his life and his business partner, the smart and self-assured Margie. King Rao ultimately rises up through Silicon Valley to become the most famous tech CEO in the world and the leader of a powerful, corporate-owned global government. Yet he ultimately ends up living on a remote island off the coast of Washington state, an exile from the world which he has helped build. There, in a beautiful home on an otherwise deserted island, he brings up his brilliant daughter, Athena. Shielded from the world's glances, in many ways she has an idyllic childhood, but she will be forced to reexamine her father's past and take steps to try to decide her own future. She is unlike other girls, and she will find the outside world much more hostile than her father did when he left the coconut grove he called home. A profound and moving novel about technology, consciousness and revolution, The Immortal King Rao asks how we build the worlds in which we live, and whether we ever have the power to leave them? “A brilliant and beautifully written book about capitalism and the patriarchy, about Dalit India and digital America, about power and family and love.” OBSERVER

The Immortal King Rao

Xanthe loves visiting her grandmother in her tower-block flat with its lush rooftop garden. And when Nani is diagnosed with dementia, Xanthe is determined to help her remember who she is, and her family history. A mysterious cat leads Xanthe to some unexpected answers: secret mementoes from Nani's past reveal her as a girl who, long ago, was forced to leave everything she loved behind . . .

Xanthe & the Ruby Crown

The personal accounts of three young women who joined up in 1940. In the summer of 1940, Britain stood alone against Germany. The British Army stood at just over one and a half million men, while the Germans had three times that many, and a population almost twice the size of ours from which to draw new waves of soldiers. Clearly, in the fight against Hitler, manpower alone wasn’t going to be enough. Eighteen-year-old Jessie Ward defied her mother to join the ATS, Margery Pott signed up for the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, and nanny Kathleen Skin the WRNS. They left quiet homes for the rigours of training, the camaraderie of the young women who worked together so closely and to face a war that would change their lives for ever. Overall, more than half a million women served in the armed forces during the Second World War. This book tells the story of just three of them – one from the Army, one from the Navy and one from the Air Force. But in their stories are reflected the lives of hundreds of thousands of others like them – ordinary girls who went to war, wearing their uniforms with pride.

The Girls Who Went to War

Listen to the book that inspired the upcoming film 'The Railway Children Return' starring Jenny Agutter, John Bradley, Tom Courtenay and BAFTA-winning actress Sheridan Smith. When Roberta, Phyllis and Peter's father is accused of being a spy and sent to prison, the children and their mother are forced to leave their comfortable city life for the countryside. They move into a small cottage called "Three Chimneys" close to a railway station. As the children settle into their new home, the railway soon becomes the centre of their lives: promising new friends, plenty of adventures, and perhaps even the key to bringing their father home... "The Railway Children" is a heart-warming, timeless classic of friendship, family and bravery.

The Railway Children - a Children's Classic

* International Bestseller * A Book of the Month Club Pick* The Little Paris Bookshop meets Jojo Moyes in Goodbye, Paris, an utterly charming novel that proves that sometimes you have to break your heart to make it whole. From the simple melody of running her violin shop to the full-blown orchestra of her romantic interludes in Paris with David, her devoted partner of eight years, Grace Atherton has always set her life to music. Her world revolves entirely around David, for Grace’s own secrets have kept everyone else at bay. Until, suddenly and shockingly, one act tips Grace’s life upside down, and the music seems to stop. It takes a vivacious old man and a straight-talking teenager to kick-start a new song for Grace. In the process, she learns that she is not as alone in the world as she had once thought, that no mistake is insurmountable, and that the quiet moments in life can be something to shout about… Filled with charming and lovably flawed characters—and illuminated with the undeniable romance and magic of Paris—Goodbye, Paris is a poignant, compulsively readable novel that shows us that when it comes to love, there’s more than one way to find happiness.

Goodbye, Paris

“Moving.” —Booklist (starred review) At Hatters Museum of the Wide Wide World, where the animals never age but time takes its toll, one woman must find the courage to overcome the greatest loss of her life. Four years after her husband Richard’s death, Cate Morris is let go from her teaching job and unable to pay rent on the London flat she shares with her son, Leo. With nowhere else to turn, they pack up and venture to Richard’s ancestral Victorian museum in the small town of Crouch-on-Sea. Despite growing pains and a grouchy caretaker, Cate begins to fall in love with the quirky taxidermy exhibits and sprawling grounds, and she makes it her mission to revive them. But threats from both inside and outside the museum derail her plans and send her spiraling into self-doubt. As Cate becomes more invested in Hatters, she must finally confront the reality of Richard’s death—and the role she played in it—in order to reimagine her future. Perfect for fans of Katherine Center and Evvie Drake Starts Over.

The Museum of Forgotten Memories

The #1 New York Times bestselling historical novelist delivers her magnum opus—a landmark work of feminist nonfiction that radically redefines our understanding of the extraordinary roles ordinary women played throughout British history and “should be included in every history lesson” (Glamour UK) “As author and lead narrator, Gregory’s passion for this topic is evidence in her confident narration. . . . This audio should be savored. . . . This stellar work will be of interest to feminists, historians, Anglophiles, and those who like learning more about women throughout history.” —Booklist (starred review) Did you know that there are more penises than women in the Bayeux Tapestry? That the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 was started and propelled by women who were protesting a tax on women? Or that celebrated naturalist Charles Darwin believed not just that women were naturally inferior to men, but that they’d evolve to become ever more inferior? These are just a few of the startling findings you will learn from reading Philippa Gregory’s Normal Women. In this ambitious and groundbreaking book, she tells the story of England over 900 years, for the very first time placing women—some fifty per cent of the population—center stage. Using research skills honed in her work as one of our foremost historical novelists, Gregory trawled through court records, newspapers, and journals to find highwaywomen and beggars, murderers and brides, housewives and pirates, female husbands and hermits. The “normal women” you will meet in these pages went to war, ploughed the fields, campaigned, wrote, and loved. They rode in jousts, flew Spitfires, issued their own currency, and built ships, corn mills and houses. They committed crimes or treason, worshipped many gods, cooked and nursed, invented things, and rioted. A lot. A landmark work of scholarship and storytelling, Normal Women chronicles centuries of social and cultural change—from 1066 to modern times—powered by the determination, persistence, and effectiveness of women. “Lively, timely and gloriously energetic. Each page bursts with life, and every chapter swirls with personalities left out of traditional narratives of Britain’s past. Philippa Gregory has produced something rare and wonderful: a genuinely new history of [Britain], with women at its beating heart.” —Dan Jones, New York Times bestselling author of The Plantagenets “Stunning. . . . Full of surprises. . . . A brilliant, essential read.” —The Independent (UK)

Sharp, gripping, and disturbing, THE EDGE is the third book in The Anomaly Quartet. Years ago, a vast and mysterious object known as the Anomaly was discovered in deep space. All missions to explore and explain it failed. Now, the Anomaly has almost reached Earth, threatening to swallow the planet whole. On an orbital research station, a team of scientists desperately search for a way to stop it or destroy it. One of the crew, Ali, has lost faith in the mission. Following the death of a close friend, her only interest is returning to the ground – to her young son. But strange events, both inside the station and in the void beyond, force Ali to pursue a new mystery. And as the truth starts to make itself clear, as deadly secrets are uncovered, Ali is forced to ask if she can trust anybody: her crewmates, her friends … even herself.

The Anomaly Quartet

The Edge

For readers enchanted by the bestsellers The Astronaut Wives Club, The Girls of Atomic City, and Summer at Tiffany’s, an absorbing tale of romance and resilience—the true story of four British women who crossed the Atlantic for love, coming to America at the end of World War II to make a new life with the American servicemen they married. The “friendly invasion” of Britain by over a million American G.I.s bewitched a generation of young women deprived of male company during the Second World War. With their exotic accents, smart uniforms, and aura of Hollywood glamour, the G.I.s easily conquered their hearts, leaving British boys fighting abroad green with envy. But for girls like Sylvia, Margaret, Gwendolyn, and even the skeptical Rae, American soldiers offered something even more tantalizing than chocolate, chewing gum, and nylon stockings: an escape route from Blitz-ravaged Britain, an opportunity for a new life in affluent, modern America. Through the stories of these four women, G.I. Brides illuminates the experiences of war brides who found themselves in a foreign culture thousands of miles away from family and friends, with men they hardly knew. Some struggled with the isolation of life in rural America, or found their soldier less than heroic in civilian life. But most persevered, determined to turn their wartime romance into a lifelong love affair, and prove to those back home that a Hollywood ending of their own was possible. G.I. Brides includes an eight-pages insert that features 45-black-and-white photos.

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