Explore new places with handy pocket maps from Collins.Handy little full colour map of the popular North Coast 500 route. A perfect guide for travelling around Northern Scotland. Detailed mapping and tourist information ideal for any road trip.Main features of this map include:• Clear mapping• Tourist attractions located and described• Ideal for touring with castles, museums, gardens, monuments, mountains, golf courses, walks and camping/caravan sites all on the map• Photographs of the main attractions along the route• Index to places of interest and place namesEssential for those planning a trip on the North Coast 500. Read more

'Fascinating' TOM HOLLAND | 'A delight from start to finish' MIRANDA SAWYER'A novel and fascinating perspective on world history' BILL BRYSON'By turns surprising, funny, bleak, ridiculous, or all four of those at once' GIDEON DEFOE'Elledge writes with wry humour and infectious enthusiasm' OBSERVERPeople have been drawing lines on maps for as long as there have been maps to draw on. Sometimes rooted in physical geography, sometimes entirely arbitrary, these lines might often have looked very different if a war or treaty or the decisions of a handful of tired Europeans had gone a different way. By telling the stories of these borders, we can learn a lot about how political identities are shaped, why the world looks the way it does - and about the scale of human folly.From the Roman attempts to define the boundaries of civilisation, to the secret British-French agreement to carve up the Ottoman Empire during the First World War, to the reason why landlocked Bolivia still maintains a navy, this is a fascinating, witty and surprising look at the history of the world told through its borders.More endorsements for 47 BORDERS: 'Fascinating and hugely entertaining' MARINA HYDE 'You'll never look at a map the same way again' STEPHEN BUSH '[A] clever, confounding history' PATRICK MAGUIRE'A witty grand tour' DORIAN LYNSKEY 'Warm, funny and sharply political' PHIL TINLINEIn the press:'[A] sprightly telling' New Statesman'Open and inviting' History Today'Wonderfully nerdy - and at times shocking' Byline Times'A diverting and informative read' theartsdesk.com Read more

One of the most talked about books of the decade, an inspiring true story of hope and the healing powers of the natural world.OVER 2 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDETHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERINCLUDED IN THE SUNDAY TIMES 2024 LIST OF THE TOP 100 BOOKS OF THE PAST FIFTY YEARSWINNER OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE CHRISTOPHER BLAND PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITINGSHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD_________Just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, their home is taken away and they lose their livelihood. With nothing left and little time, they make the brave and impulsive decision to walk the 630 miles of the sea-swept South West Coast Path, from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall.Carrying only the essentials for survival on their backs, they live wild in the ancient, weathered landscape of cliffs, sea and sky. Yet through every step, every encounter and every test along the way, their walk becomes a remarkable journey.The Salt Path is an honest and life-affirming true story of coming to terms with grief and the healing power of the natural world. Ultimately, it is a portrayal of home, and how it can be lost, rebuilt and rediscovered in the most unexpected ways._________'A beautiful, thoughtful, lyrical story of homelessness, human strength and endurance' Guardian'A tale of triumph: of hope over despair; of love over everything' Sunday Times'Mesmerising. It is one of the most uplifting, inspiring books that I've ever read' i'The most inspirational book of this year' The Times'Luminescent. A literary phenomenon' Mail on Sunday'This is what you need right now to muster hope and resilience . . . a beautiful story and a reminder that humans can endure adversity' Stylist'A beautiful book, it really lives up to the hype . . . an enjoyable, gentle yet moving read' Pandora Sykes on The High Low_________Sunday Times bestseller, September 2023Winner, Royal Society of Literature Christopher Bland Prize, 2018Raynor Winn's books have sold over two million copies across all formats and languages, March 2025 Read more

THE PHENOMENAL INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER – 3 MILLION COPIES SOLDThe iconic bestseller Prisoners of Geography, now fully updated with brand new content to reflect the changing global geopolitical landscape since it was first published in 2015‘One of the best books about geopolitics you could imagine.’ Evening StandardPrisoners of Geography is the book people need to understand what’s happening in the news today, from China’s ambitions to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.Bestselling author and geopolitics expert Tim Marshall looks at the past, present and future to offer crucial insights into one of the major factors that determines world history – because if you don’t know geography, you’ll never have the full picture.This completely revised and updated edition brings the classic text up to date with the events and trends of the past decade, with new material including: • the Russia–Ukraine war and Moscow's alliances with authoritarian states • the conflicts in the Middle East • China’s growing military and strategic power, and its stance on Taiwan • American global power and pivot to the Pacific • Europe’s leaning towards more extreme politics, increased defence spending, and the new ‘Iron Curtain’ • Japan's remilitarisation and increasing power • great power play in Africa • the growth of Indian economic and military strengthRead Tim Marshall’s geopolitical primers (Prisoners of Geography, The Power of Geography and The Future of Geography) to understand what’s happening in our fast-changing world.*Want to test your world knowledge? Challenge friends and family with Prisoners of Geography: The Quiz Book, and discover who is the ultimate armchair explorer! * Read more

Explore Britain with easy-to-read mapping from Collins.This easy-to-use, handy A5 road atlas with spiral binding features extremely clear route planning maps of Britain and Ireland, and fits neatly into your glove box or bag.The maps of Britain are at 10 miles to 1 inch (1:625,000) and the whole of Ireland is covered at 15.8 miles to 1 inch (1:1,000,000). There are also a selection of more detailed urban area maps at 4.5 miles to 1 inch (1:285,000) to aid route planning in these busy areas.Main features:Road maps that focus on the main roads, motorways and settlementsMore detailed maps of London, Manchester, Merseyside and West MidlandsUpdated Park & Ride locations, new rail stations and extensions to tram lines in Blackpool and EdinburghHandy distance calculator chart highlighting distances between the major townsOver 30 categories of places of interest including castles, theme parks, sports venues and surfing beaches Read more

This all-new 2025 children’s annual is loaded with jaw-dropping, eye-popping, believe it or not facts and bright, bold photography!•Combining the planet’s weirdest facts with the coolest and strangest true stories•From from peculiar plants and curious caterpillars to accidental inventions, marvellous metals and strange superstitions.•Explores animals, geography, science, the environment, human achievement and lots more•The perfect book for fans of Guinness World Records and Ripley’s Believe It or Not!Whether it's weird wildlife, strange sculptures, bizarre sports or out of this world discoveries, this 2025 children's annual is sure to entertain! Read more

Explore Britain with easy-to-read mapping from Collins.The ultimate 3.2 miles to 1 inch scale large-format, spiral-bound road atlas of Britain, featuring Collins’ popular and well established road mapping, and designed for exceptional clarity and ease of use.The atlas has a wide range of urban area maps at even larger scale and 64 detailed town centre street plans.This fully updated road atlas covers the whole of Britain with each scale of mapping colour-coded for ease of use. The smallest scale maps are great for long distance route planning and the street plans help you locate your final destination.Main features:Easy to use, clear road maps at a scale of 3.2 miles to 1 inch of England, Wales and Southern Scotland. Northern Scotland is shown at 5 miles to 1 inchRoute planning section including maps at a scale of 15.8 miles to 1 inch, motorway services information and a handy distance calculator22 urban area approach maps at 1 mile to 1 inch which clearly show the best routes through and into urban areas64 street maps focused on town centres showing places of interest, car park locations and one-way streetsUpdated Park & Ride locations, new rail stations and extensions to tram lines in Blackpool and EdinburghOver 30 categories of places of interest including castles, theme parks, sports venues and surfing beachesFull postcodes for the top 1000 places of interest – ideal for use alongside sat-nav systems Read more

From the alleyways of Soho to the medieval remains of Moorgate, the new book by Sunday Times bestselling author Jack Chesher takes you on a journey through London and its history, showing you its hidden corners. Explore the fascinating history of the city with the creator of the ever-popular @LivingLondonHistory. Have you ever wondered where a notorious Victorian murderer was captured? Or in which backstreet you can find the pub that hid the masterminds behind the Great Train Robbery? Or perhaps which pocket park contains the remains of a great medieval monastery? Have your questions answered and let London: The Hidden Corners reveal the capital’s unique and shadowy mysteries.throughout and complete with a selection of maps to help you discover your new favourite locations, London: The Hidden Corners promises to bring the city to life for intrepid explorers and local Londoners alike.Whether you are new to the city or a seasoned traveller, London: The Hidden Corners is a must-have guide for anyone looking to uncover something beyond the familiar. So, in true @LivingLondonHistory style, turn the page and get ready to transform the city into the museum you never knew you had. Read more

'This is the story of our ocean and we must write its next chapter together. For if we save the sea, we save our world. After a lifetime of filming our planet, I'm sure that nothing is more important.'From the icy seas of our poles to remote coral islands, David Attenborough has filmed in every ocean habitat on planet earth. Now, with long-term collaborator Colin Butfield, he shares the story of our last great wilderness - the one which shapes the land we live on, regulates our climate and creates the air we breathe.Dive into eight unique saltwater habitats, swim through kelp forest, mangroves and coral reefs and down almost 11,000 feet to the deepest corners of the most unexplored ecosystem on our planet.Experience a journey of wonder and discovery, populated by green turtles and blue whales; clownfish and bioluminescent jellyfish; the vampire squid and the 'head-less chicken monster' - a strange form of sea cucumber that lives at the very bottom of the ocean.With the warmth, intelligence and awe that characterises all of David Attenborough's landmark series, Ocean shows us a world which is both desperately fragile yet astonishingly resilient, with an extraordinary capacity to repair itself. It's not too late to restore our most vital habitat. If we treat it with respect, our marine world will be even richer and more spectacular than we can imagine.A book almost a century in the making, but one that has never been more urgently needed. Read more

Discover the many wonders Planet Earth has to offer in this inviting sticker book. Travel to dusty deserts, the icy Arctic and lush tropical rainforests to find out about the incredible plants and animals that live there. Add over 150 stickers to bring the scenes to life. Read more

With fully-updated, large-scale mapping, there has never been an easier way to explore Europe by road.This super-clear, detailed road mapping covers all the top European tourist destinations in a large, easy-to-read format. Bask on the French Riviera, relax in sunny Sicily or discover the Dalmatian Coast; plot any of these trips with this comprehensive and accessible A3, spiral-bound atlas.With main mapping at a scale of 12 miles to the inch, this Road Atlas of Europe is our clearest yet.Main features116 super-size main mapping pages12 additional pages of route planning mapping for long distancesAccessible, large print fontClarifies toll and toll free motorways for ease of useScenic routes identified and highlightedEasy-to-use, large A3 size with handy spiral bindingFull road classificationLocal town and city names match up with local road signs to aid navigationLegible and easy to read indexMajor European routes shownCoverage of the whole of Europe at route planning scale with super-scale mapping of mainland Europe from France and Spain in the west, through Germany and Italy, to Poland, the Balkans and Greece in the Southeast.Mapping Scales116 pages of super-scale mapping – 12 miles to the inch (1:760,000)12 pages of route planning maps – 55 miles to the inch (1:3,500,000) Read more

‘A dazzlingly inventive work of literature’ Robert Macfarlane, author of The Old Ways'A wonderful, epic braiding of history, geography and personal memoir' James Rebanks, author of English Pastoral'Stunning...weaving an intricate tapestry of tarmac, humanity and time, as rich as the dark earth on which his many threads lie. It will stay with me.’ Raynor Winn, author of The Salt Path _____________________________________________________________________At the heart of this book is a highway. The A1; The Great North Road. A 400-mile multiplicity of ancient trackway, Roman road, pilgrim path, coach route and motorway that has run like a backbone through Britain for the last 2,000 years.In this genre-defying and profoundly personal book, Cowen follows this ghost road from beginning to end on a journey through history, place, people and time. Weaving his own histories and memories with the layered landscapes he moves through, this is the story of an age, of coming to terms with time past and time passing, and the roads that lead us to where we find ourselves.Written in kaleidoscopic prose, The North Road is an unforgettable exploration of Britain’s great highway.__________________________________________________________________________'This is an astonishing book in its scope and vitality. It’s one to relish and revisit.' The Telegraph 'A remarkable, post-Covid, post-Brexit state of the nation literary archaeology.' Financial Times'Stunning and utterly unique. The North Road sits in a genre of one' Benjamin Myers, author of The Gallows Pole 'A dazzling, dogged, layered account of one road’s passage through place, time and an ordinary family’s history, The North Road truly is a trip' Melissa Harrison, author of All Among The Barley'Thought-provoking and beautiful' Matt Gaw, author of Under The Stars'A beautifully woven and mesmerising book' Tom Bullough, author of Sarn Helen'Sweeping, sensitive and enduring' Tristan Gooley, author of How To Read A Tree Read more

THE #2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER‘As gripping as any thriller. History doesn't get any better than this’ BILL BRYSON’A brilliant read … Game of Thrones but in the real world’ ANTHONY HOROWITZPICKED AS A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020 BY THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE GUARDIAN, THE DAILY MAIL AND THE DAILY EXPRESS.The sinking of the White Ship in 1120 is one of the greatest disasters England has ever suffered. In one catastrophic night, the king’s heir and the flower of Anglo-Norman society were drowned and the future of the crown was thrown violently off course.In a riveting narrative, Charles Spencer follows the story from the Norman Conquest through to the decades that would become known as the Anarchy: a civil war of untold violence that saw families turn in on each other with English and Norman barons, rebellious Welsh princes and the Scottish king all playing a part in a desperate game of thrones. All because of the loss of one vessel – the White Ship – the medieval Titanic.‘Highly enjoyable’ Simon Heffer‘Brilliant’ Dan Jones‘Fascinating’ Tom BowerThe #2 Sunday Times bestseller on Sunday 18 June 2021Charles Spencer's book 'A Very Private School' was a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2024-03-18. Read more

Explore World War II in unprecedented detail with this compelling geographical guide.If you're interested in finding out more about one of the deadliest wars in history, then this war book is perfect for you. World War II Map by Map is an intricately detailed history book, that will encourage you to get a sense of the magnitude, mobility and speed at which the colossal armies swept through these vast landscapes during a war that claimed millions of lives and spanned through many areas globally. Follow the key developments of World War II in unprecedented visual detail, with more than 100 specially created historical maps covering all major theatres of war. Discover how the conflict raged around the globe on land, air, and sea, while timelines provide an in-depth chronology of events. Beautiful archival photographs, contemporary artifacts, and profiles of famous leaders reveal the full story of the war that shaped the modern world. So what are you waiting for? Journey back in time and uncover:- 9 main contemporary maps, including battle maps from both Allies and Axis countries, explain key events. - Easy-to-read text panels to accompany the maps for a deeper understanding of each topic. - Set out into 5 Chapters with 11 narrative overviews- 30 photo feature spreads exploring topics beyond the WarBursting with striking illustrations and full of fascinating detail, this world war 2 book is the ultimate gift for history students, general readers, and military history enthusiasts. Whether you enjoy watching military documents, or you're looking for the perfect gift for the history lover in your life, World War II Map by Map can be enjoyed by adults and children aged 12+ alike. Written by a team of historians headed by Richard Overy as a consultant, this history book for adults examines in detail how the most destructive conflict in history changed the face of our world.At DK, we believe in the power of discovery.So why stop there? The Map by Map series includes other titles such as History of the World Map by Map and Battles Map by Map, each detailing historical events and placing them in the context of geography. DK's luxurious Map by Map books are fantastic history gifts, packed with fascinating facts, high-quality photography, and detailed profiles and descriptions of people and events. Read more

BBC R4 Book of the Week‘Brilliant’ Guardian‘Fascinating and often delightful’ The TimesWhat if intelligent life on Earth evolved not once, but twice? The octopus is the closest we will come to meeting an intelligent alien. What can we learn from the encounter?In Other Minds, Peter Godfrey-Smith, a distinguished philosopher of science and a skilled scuba diver, tells a bold new story of how nature became aware of itself – a story that largely occurs in the ocean, where animals first appeared.Tracking the mind’s fitful development from unruly clumps of seaborne cells to the first evolved nervous systems in ancient relatives of jellyfish, he explores the incredible evolutionary journey of the cephalopods, which began as inconspicuous molluscs who would later abandon their shells to rise above the ocean floor, searching for prey and acquiring the greater intelligence needed to do so – a journey completely independent from the route that mammals and birds would later take.But what kind of intelligence do cephalopods possess? How did the octopus, a solitary creature with little social life, become so smart? What is it like to have eight tentacles that are so packed with neurons that they virtually ‘think for themselves’? By tracing the question of inner life back to its roots and comparing human beings with our most remarkable animal relatives, Godfrey-Smith casts crucial new light on the octopus mind – and on our own. Read more

'EXCELLENT' - THE TLS'HUGELY IMPRESSIVE' - THE INDEPENDENT'AN ASTONISHINGLY FINE HISTORY' - COUNTRY LIFE'FASCINATING' - DAILY MAILThe history of the world's most successful military alliance, from the wrecked Europe of 1945 to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.As they signed NATO into being after World War II, its founders fervently believed that only if the West's democracies banded permanently together could they avoid a catastrophic global atomic conflict. Over the 75 years since, the alliance has indeed avoided war with Russia, also becoming a major political, strategic and diplomatic player well beyond its borders. It has survived disagreements between leaders from Eisenhower, Churchill and de Gaulle to Trump, Stoltenberg and Merkel, faced down Kremlin foes from Stalin to Putin and endured unending questions and debate over what new nations might be allowed to join.Deterring Armageddon takes the reader from backroom deals that led to NATO's creation, through the Cold War, the Balkans and Afghanistan to the current confrontation with the Kremlin following the invasion of Ukraine. It examines the tightrope walked by alliance leaders between a powerful United States sometimes flirting with isolationism and European nations with their ever-evolving wishes for autonomy and influence. Having spent much of its life preparing for conflicts that might never come, NATO has sometimes found itself in wars that few had predicted - and with its members now again planning for a potential major European conflict.It is a tale of tension, danger, rivalry, conflict, big personalities and high-stakes military and diplomatic posturing - as well as espionage, politics and protest. From the Korean War to the pandemic, the Berlin and Cuba crises to the chaotic evacuation from Kabul, Deterring Armageddon tells how the alliance has shaped and been shaped by history - and looks ahead to what might be the most dangerous era it has ever faced.'Utterly eye-opening - compelling, haunting and continually illuminating. As Peter Apps so brilliantly demonstrates in this gripping book, the story of the NATO alliance is in many ways a parallel global history of the last 75 years. As well as all the outbreaks of seething tension between the US and its European allies - and the counter-moves of rival powers - this is also an account of just how often in those postwar years that we all stood on the edge of the most terrible abyss. With mesmerising fluency, and dazzling research, Apps follows the criss-crossing threads of the Cold War and beyond. Those threads converge in our shadowed present, and the conflict in Ukraine. In order to fathom today's dark world, Apps has explored a labyrinth of once-classified history, and he brings dazzling clarity.' - Sinclair McKay Read more

A beautifully illustrated, geography book full of flaps to lift to find answers to questions such as "When can I see a shooting star?", "Where is the tallest waterfall?", and "What are clouds made of?". - Over 50 flaps to lift answer who, what, when, why and where questions about weather and seasons, countries and languages, what the Earth is made of and lots more.- With a map of the world showing many of the features mentioned in the book.- Part of Usborne's Lift-the-Flap Question and Answer series with over 15 topics to explore, from dinosaurs and animals, to bodies and space.- Supports KS1 geography curriculum Read more

Longlisted for the National Book Award 2024'Passionate and absorbing'SUNDAY TIMES'I learned more about the Moon by reading this book than after a lifetime of study'CHRIS HADFIELD, author of An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth'Superb: as much a feat of imagination as it is a work of globe-trotting scholarship'TELEGRAPH'Boyle's writing shines, shifting through time and space, science and sentiment; a luminous read'REBECCA WRAGG SYKES, author of Kindred'You will never look at the Moon the same way again . . . fascinating'NEW STATESMAN'A riveting feat of science writing'ED YONG, author of An Immense World'Engrossing'INDEPENDENTEvery living being throughout history, across time and geography, has gazed up at the same moon.From the first prehistoric life that crawled onto land guided by the power of the tides, to the division of time into months and seasons for the first humans, the moon has driven the expansion and development of our world.It has inspired scientific discovery and culture from the ancient astronomers to the scientific revolution of Copernicus and Galileo, from the 1969 Apollo landings to writers and artists, and stirred an inexhaustible desire to know where we come from and how we got here.And as astronauts around the world prepare to return to the Moon - opening up new frontiers of discovery, profit and politics - Our Moon tells the dazzling story of how the Moon has shaped life as we know it, fuelled dramatic change across the globe and could be the key to humanity's future. Read more

Discover new places in France with easy-to-read mapping from Collins.A fully revised and updated colour road map of France at 18 miles to 1 inch / 11km to 1cm (1:1,120,000). The map shows individual department by name. All cities, towns, roads, European route numbers, motorways and toll motorways are clearly shown, making it the ideal map for planning and route-finding.The map shows the road network in detail for easy route planning. With its political colouring of departments, it is ideal for reference and business users also.This map includes:• Fully revised and updatedClear, detailed road networkDistance chart giving distances in kilometres between main townsKey to department names and numbers, and list of regionsInternet links to further informationFull Index to place namesMap key in English, French and GermanArea of coverage:Covers the whole of France from the Belgian and German borders in the north to the Spanish border in the south, and from the Brest Peninsula in the west to the Italian and Swiss borders in the east. Also includes the island of Corsica. Read more

'Interesting and provocative... It gives you a sense of how briefly we've been on this Earth' Barack ObamaWhat makes us brilliant? What makes us deadly? What makes us Sapiens?One of the world's preeminent historians and thinkers, Yuval Noah Harari challenges everything we know about being human.Earth is 4.5 billion years old. In just a fraction of that time, one species among countless others has conquered it: us.In this bold and provocative book, Yuval Noah Harari explores who we are, how we got here and where we're going.**ONE OF THE GUARDIAN'S 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21st CENTURY**PRAISE FOR SAPIENS:'Jaw-dropping from the first word to the last... It may be the best book I've ever read' Chris Evans'Startling... It changes the way you look at the world' Simon Mayo'I would recommend Sapiens to anyone who's interested in the history and future of our species' Bill GatesOver 2 million copies sold since publication [Nielsen BookScan UK, Circana BookScan US, April 2024] Read more