NOW A MAJOR FILM STARRING STEVE COOGAN AND JONATHAN PRYCETHIS IS THE TRUE STORY OF THE UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN A FLIGHTLTESS BIRD AND A TEACHER OUT OF HIS DEPTH . . . 'I can't remember the last time I read a book that made me smile so continuously' 5***** Reader Review 'How could a penguin transform so many lives? Read it and see. You'll not regret it' 5***** Reader Review 'Delightful, uplifting, enjoyable, fun and beautifully written' 5***** Reader Review_______Tom Michell is in his roaring twenties: single, free-spirited and seeking adventure. He has a plane ticket to South America, a teaching position in a prestigious Argentine boarding school, and endless summer holidays. What he doesn't need is a pet. What he really doesn't need is a pet penguin. But while on holiday in Uruguay he spots a penguin struggling in an oil slick and knows he has to help. And then the penguin refuses to leave his side . . . Clearly Tom has no choice but to smuggle it across the border, through customs, and back to school. He names him Juan Salvador. Whether it's as the rugby team's mascot, the housekeeper's confidant, the host at Tom's parties or the most flamboyant swimming coach in world history, Juan Salvador transforms the lives of all he meets - including Tom, who discovers a compadre like no other . . . _______ AS HEARD ON BBC RADIO 2 'A much-beloved tale about a much-beloved bird . . . Heart-warmingly eccentric' Guardian 'So touching that I didn't want it to end. I really loved this book' Michael Bond, creator of Paddington 'Charming' Daily Mail 'One of the most touching tales we've read all year' Heat Read more

NOW A MAJOR FILM STARRING STEVE COOGAN AND JONATHAN PRYCEThis is the true story of the unlikely friendship between a flightless bird and a teacher out of his depth…'So touching that I didn't want it to end. I really loved this book' Michael Bond, creator of Paddington'Heartwarmingly eccentric' Guardian'Charming' Daily Mail-Tom Michell is in his roaring twenties: single, free-spirited and seeking adventure. He has a plane ticket to South America, a teaching position in a prestigious Argentine boarding school, and endless summer holidays.What he doesn't need is a pet. What he really doesn't need is a pet penguin.But while on holiday in Uruguay he spots a penguin struggling in an oil slick and knows he has to help. And then the penguin refuses to leave his side . . .Clearly Tom has no choice but to smuggle it across the border, through customs, and back to school. He names him Juan Salvador.Whether it's as the rugby team's mascot, the housekeeper's confidant, the host at Tom's parties or the most flamboyant swimming coach in world history, Juan Salvador transforms the lives of all he meets - including Tom, who discovers a compadre like no other . . .–Readers adore The Penguin Lessons:'I can't remember the last time I read a book that made me smile so continuously' 5***** Reader Review'How could a penguin transform so many lives? Read it and see. You'll not regret it' 5***** Reader Review'Delightful, uplifting, enjoyable, fun and beautifully written' 5***** Reader ReviewPraise for The Penguin Lessons'Lively and endearing' Publishers Weekly'Warm and unique ... it's hard not to wish you were there' Bookseller'One of the most touching tales we've read all year' Heat Read more

'There's never been a more honest or raw memoir . . . and it may just save lives' Daily Mail'Funny, fascinating, compelling . . . also a wonderful read for fans of Friends' The Times'HI, MY NAME IS MATTHEW, although you may know me by my full name. My friends call me Matty.'So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who travelled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us . . . and so much more.In an extraordinary story that only he could tell - and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it - Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he's found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humour, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fuelled it despite seemingly having it all.'An unflinching and often harrowing must-read for 90s pop culture fans' Guardian'Written with Chandler's trademark sarcasm and self-deprecation' Telegraph'A hopeful read . . . I started to think of [it] not as a celebrity memoir about addiction, but as an addiction memoir written by a man who understands his own history through the prism of showbiz' Independent Read more

'A mistress of wry observation and scalding wit ... The Pillow Book retains its fresh, authentic appeal more than 1,000 years after its inception' Japan TimesWritten by the court gentlewoman Sei Shonagon as a journal for her own amusement, The Pillow Book is one of the greatest works of Japanese literature. A fascinating exploration of life amongst the nobility at the height of the idyllic Heian period, it describes the exquisite pleasures of a confined world in which poetry, love, fashion and whim dominated. From brief reflections to longer, lyrical tales, Shonagon moves elegantly across themes including nature, society and her own flirtations and frustrations, to provide a witty, unique insight into a woman's life at court in classical Japan.Translated with an introduction by Meredith McKinney Read more

‘The best biography I’ve read recently’ – Colin Bateman, Sunday Independent'An excellent examination of Mayne… Ross corrects many of the myths about him that have flourished over the years' - History of War magazine‘This welcome reassessment, officially backed and well-researched, sets the record straight’ – Soldier Magazine‘Paddy’ Mayne was one of the most outstanding special forces leaders of the Second World War. Hamish Ross’s authoritative study follows Mayne from solicitor and rugby international to troop commander in the Commandos and then the SAS, whose leader he later became and whose annals he graced, winning the DSO and three bars, the Croix de Guerre and the Légion d’Honneur.Mayne’s achievements attracted attention, and after his early death legends emerged, based largely on anecdote and assertion. Hamish Ross’s closely researched biography challenges much of the received version, using contemporary sources, the official war diaries, the chronicle of 1 SAS, Mayne’s papers and diaries, and a number of extended interviews with key contemporaries.Ross’s analysis shows Mayne to be a dynamic, yet principled and thoughtful man, committed to the unit’s original concepts. He was far from flawless, but his leadership and tactical brilliance in the field secured the reputation of the SAS, proving he was every bit a rogue hero. Read more

'An uplifting, joyful and life-changing book. Lucinda's warmth, wisdom and kindness just leaps from every page. Completely beautiful.' Vicky Pattison'A must-have. Trust me. You will feel hugged and comforted as though she is in the room with you.' Donna AshworthLet Lucinda Light guide you towards deeper emotional intelligence and genuine self-love in this interactive journal Does true connection ever feel just out of reach? Take Lucinda Light’s hand as she illuminates the path to deeper, more meaningful relationships – starting with the one you have with yourself.Brimming with thought-provoking prompts and tools, unique hand-drawn illustrations, and Lu’s soulful wisdom – shaped by her wildly rich life – this guided emotional intelligence journal will leave you feeling truly gorgeous!Open up and see your light shine! Read more

A SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED FOR THE WESTMINSTER BOOK AWARDSA TABLET BOOK OF THE YEAR'One of the best memoirs I've read in years’ SATHNAM SANGHERA‘Beautifully written, emotional and deeply personal, yet universal … One can't help but be moved by this story of upheaval and transformation’ SADIQ KHANAn extraordinary family memoir from acclaimed newsreader and journalist, Mishal Husain, uncovering the story of her grandparents' lives amidst empire, political upheaval and partition.‘I witnessed the dwindling glow of the British Empire. I saw small men entrusted with great jobs, playing with the destiny of millions’The lives of Mishal Husain’s grandparents changed forever in 1947, as the new nation states of India and Pakistan were born. For years she had a partial story, a patchwork of memories and anecdotes: hurried departures, lucky escapes from violence and homes never seen again.Decades later, the fragment of an old sari sent Mishal on a journey through time, using letters, diaries, memoirs and audio tapes to trace four lives shaped by the Raj, a world war, independence and partition.Mumtaz rejects the marriage arranged for him as he forges a life with Mary, a devout Catholic from an Anglo-Indian family, while Tahirah and Shahid watch the politics of pre-partition Delhi unfold at close quarters. As freedom comes, bonds fray and communities are divided, leaving two couples to forge new identities, while never forgetting the shared heritage of the past.‘Husain has written an arresting family memoir … her explanation of partition is more level-headed than that of many professional historians’ THE TIMES‘A spectacular achievement. It is an incisive and carefully researched historical account, and as moving and true a personal narrative’ GUARDIAN'[Husain] has managed to make such a complex story so accessible' OBSERVER‘I was so moved by this stirring and deeply moving account that is at once a love story as well as a chronicle of one of the most cataclysmic events in South Asia’ BARKHA DUTT'Like silks in the precious fragment of the heirloom sari of its title, Broken Threads is woven from rich sources. It is a beautiful book, informed and informative, cool and factual, poetic and elegiac' FINANCIAL TIMES‘A deeply engrossing book … I was completely gripped by it’ INDIA KNIGHTMishal Husain's book 'Broken Threads' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2024-06-10. Read more

A SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED FOR THE WESTMINSTER BOOK AWARDSA TABLET BOOK OF THE YEAR'One of the best memoirs I've read in years’ SATHNAM SANGHERA‘Beautifully written, emotional and deeply personal, yet universal … One can't help but be moved by this story of upheaval and transformation’ SADIQ KHANAn extraordinary family memoir from acclaimed newsreader and journalist, Mishal Husain, uncovering the story of her grandparents' lives amidst empire, political upheaval and partition.‘I witnessed the dwindling glow of the British Empire. I saw small men entrusted with great jobs, playing with the destiny of millions’The lives of Mishal Husain’s grandparents changed forever in 1947, as the new nation states of India and Pakistan were born. For years she had a partial story, a patchwork of memories and anecdotes: hurried departures, lucky escapes from violence and homes never seen again.Decades later, the fragment of an old sari sent Mishal on a journey through time, using letters, diaries, memoirs and audio tapes to trace four lives shaped by the Raj, a world war, independence and partition.Mumtaz rejects the marriage arranged for him as he forges a life with Mary, a devout Catholic from an Anglo-Indian family, while Tahirah and Shahid watch the politics of pre-partition Delhi unfold at close quarters. As freedom comes, bonds fray and communities are divided, leaving two couples to forge new identities, while never forgetting the shared heritage of the past.‘Husain has written an arresting family memoir … her explanation of partition is more level-headed than that of many professional historians’ THE TIMES‘A spectacular achievement. It is an incisive and carefully researched historical account, and as moving and true a personal narrative’ GUARDIAN'[Husain] has managed to make such a complex story so accessible' OBSERVER‘I was so moved by this stirring and deeply moving account that is at once a love story as well as a chronicle of one of the most cataclysmic events in South Asia’ BARKHA DUTT'Like silks in the precious fragment of the heirloom sari of its title, Broken Threads is woven from rich sources. It is a beautiful book, informed and informative, cool and factual, poetic and elegiac' FINANCIAL TIMES‘A deeply engrossing book … I was completely gripped by it’ INDIA KNIGHTMishal Husain's book 'Broken Threads' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2024-06-10. Read more

'Please read this joyful, tragic account of life in Gaza' MIRIAM MARGOLYES'Transforms pain into poetry' RUPI KAURIn early October 2023, Palestinian Plestia Alaqad was a recent graduate with dreams of becoming a successful journalist. By the end of November, her social media posts depicting daily life in Gaza, amid Israel's deadly invasion and bombardment, would profoundly move millions of people. She would be internationally known as the 'Eyes of Gaza'. Written as a series of diary extracts, The Eyes of Gaza relates the horrors of her experiences while showcasing the indomitable spirit of the men, women and children who share her communities. From the epicentre of turmoil, while bombs rain around her and devastation grips her people, she is witness to their emotions, their gentle acts of quiet, necessary heroism, and the moments of unexpected tenderness and vulnerability amid the chaos.Through the raw honesty and vulnerability of a normal 21-year-old woman trying to make her way through a human tragedy, The Eyes of Gaza is a potent reminder of the horrors of violence and a powerful testament to the human spirit. It recounts a harrowing experience, but it is not a heart-breaking lamentation. Rather, it is a deeply intimate love letter to a girl's home: demolished before her eyes, yes, but forever present in her heart.'Left me both devastated and inspired' MACKLEMORE Read more

An odyssey into life's challenging philosophical questions during an unforgettable summer motorcycle trip, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance transformed a generation and continues to inspire millions.One of the most influential books written in the past half-century, Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a powerful examination of how we live and a breathtaking meditation on how to live better. Following a father and his young son on a summer motorcycle trip across America's Northwest, to complete the Chautauqua spiritual journey, it is a story of love, fear, growth, discovery and acceptance. Both personal and philosophical, it is a compelling study of relationships, values, and eventually, enlightenment and meaning - resonant with the confusions and wonders of existence.Acclaimed as one of the most exciting books in the history of American letters, this modern epic became an instant bestseller upon publication in 1974.'The book is inspired, original...the analogies with Moby-Dick are patent' New Yorker'Mr Pirsig has written a work of great, perhaps urgent, importance... Read this book' Observer Read more

Holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku made a vow to smile every day and believed he was the ‘happiest man on earth’. In his inspirational memoir, he paid tribute to those who were lost by telling his story and sharing his wisdom.‘Eddie looked evil in the eye and met it with joy and kindness . . . [his] philosophy is life-affirming’ – Daily ExpressLife can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. It is up to you.Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, a Jew second. He was proud of his country. But all of that changed in November 1938, when he was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp.Over the next seven years, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors every day, first in Buchenwald, then in Auschwitz, then on a Nazi death march. He lost family, friends, his country.The Happiest Man on Earth is a powerful, heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful memoir of how happiness can be found even in the darkest of times.'I have never met Eddie Jaku, but having read his book I feel like I have made a new friend . . . This is a beautiful book by a truly amazing man' - The Daily Telegraph Read more

Now a major BBC comedy-drama starring Ben Whishaw. The multi-million copy bestseller and Book of the Year at The National Book Awards.‘Painfully funny. The pain and the funniness somehow add up to something entirely good, entirely noble and entirely loveable.' - Stephen FryWelcome to the life of a junior doctor: 97-hour weeks, life and death decisions, a constant tsunami of bodily fluids, and the hospital parking meter earns more than you.Scribbled in secret after endless days, sleepless nights and missed weekends, Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt provides a no-holds-barred account of his time on the NHS front line. Hilarious, horrifying and heartbreaking, this diary is everything you wanted to know – and more than a few things you didn't – about life on and off the hospital ward.Sunday Times Number One Bestseller for over eight months and winner of a record FOUR National Book Awards: Book of the Year, Non-Fiction Book of the Year, New Writer of the Year and Zoe Ball Book Club Book of the Year.This edition includes extra diary entries and an afterword by the author. Read more

'There's never been a more honest or raw memoir . . . and it may just save lives' Daily Mail'Funny, fascinating, compelling . . . also a wonderful read for fans of Friends' The Times'HI, MY NAME IS MATTHEW, although you may know me by my full name. My friends call me Matty.'So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who travelled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us . . . and so much more.In an extraordinary story that only he could tell - and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it - Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he's found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humour, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fuelled it despite seemingly having it all.'An unflinching and often harrowing must-read for 90s pop culture fans' Guardian'Written with Chandler's trademark sarcasm and self-deprecation' Telegraph'A hopeful read . . . I started to think of [it] not as a celebrity memoir about addiction, but as an addiction memoir written by a man who understands his own history through the prism of showbiz' Independent Read more

The story of an incredible friendship between one man and a wild robin, and a beautiful celebration of Britain’s favorite bird"When a robin appears, a loved one is near" In 2019, Tony Putman was working as a gardener in Edenbridge, Kent, when he noticed a bold robin sitting on a branch of an old plum tree. The robin glanced in his direction as he approached, but he didn't move, so Tony grabbed his camera and took a photo. This would be the first of hundreds of photos that Tony would take of Bob the robin - and the start of an extraordinary friendship that would last for years. As Tony shared his pictures on his social media account, Putman and Robin, he witnessed an outpouring the love - not just for Bob, but for robins everywhere, who populate our gardens with song and movement even on the direst winter days. In this book, Tony shares his touching journey with Bob, and tells the story of our unwavering affection for these magnificent creatures. This is an informative book about the life of a robin, as well as a beautiful love letter to these spirited and lively birds - who offer us a connection with nature, a moment of contact and a great source of comfort and joy. Read more

SHORTLISTED FOR AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR AT THE SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2025'Extraordinary . . . entertaining and inspiring.' Daily Express'Neil's book has given me a new-found appreciation of how he used the "Razor" alter ego to mask what he was going through. The recent turnaround in him, both physical and mental, is a revelation.' ALAN SHEARER'Love Neil Ruddock. One of the old school. He's honest and funny as f**k. A beautiful read and a strong bit of memoir. Well done son.' DANNY DYER'You think you know "Razor" Ruddock? Well, think again. This is a courageous and fascinating autobiography by my ex-teammate, a book which will inspire so many others to confront their past and change their life.' ROBBIE FOWLER'Neil has always been the life and soul of the party but I can't tell you how much Toxic has given me a more rounded picture of him. To have the strength and determination to transform his life is a special thing.' ROBBIE WILLIAMS'Neil's book blew my mind. Now I understand my friend's journey to finally being comfortable in his own skin.' IAN WRIGHTNeil 'Razor' Ruddock tells the inspiring and uplifting story of how he faced the battle of his life: to become a different person.In this inspiring and uplifting memoir, Neil Ruddock charts his toxic journey of self-destruction, a path littered with food addiction, plummeting self-confidence and a dangerous relationship with drink which took him to the brink of death.'Razor' was his caricature of the larger-than-life football hardman, a persona which turned from a natural extension of Ruddock's character to a comfort blanket to smother every mood, every emotion. When his front door closed, the laughter stopped. He was depressed and despairing. Football had institutionalised him. Talking about his inner feelings wasn't an option, owning up to mental health issues was an absolute no-no.In a remarkable series of confessions, and with his trademark humour and brutal honesty, Ruddock recounts how he spiralled so far out of control that he lost sight of who he really was. No matter how he was feeling, he reached for the same old answer - the mask of 'Razor' and a big night out.Following the fitting of a pacemaker and drastic stomach surgery, Ruddock has lost nine stones, firmly pressed the reset button on his life, and found the strength to free himself of the shackles of the bloke he thought he needed to be in order to become the man he always knew he was.Toxic tells the story of how Ruddock faced the battle of his life: to become a different person. No longer does he feel the need to be anything but his true self. As he now says: I'm half the man I used to be, but twice the man I used to be.' Read more

‘An incredible read. I laughed, I cried and my heart was truly touched by this beautifully written true story of hope and humanity at its best.’ Rosemary Conley CBE'An extraordinary story. Truly Inspirational' Tim VineAn astonishing story of kindness, self-learning, pain, unbelievable hope and the sheer power of love to change a life.Christmas 1975 and Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is riding high in the charts. In a residential street just outside Cardiff, a persistent knocking breaks the stillness of the evening … When Rob Parsons, a young lawyer, opens his door he finds a man standing before him clutching a bag of belongings and a frozen chicken. Rob and his wife, Dianne, invite him into their home, cook his chicken and offer him shelter for the night. What happens next is an astonishing story of human kindness, self-learning, incredible pain, unbelievable hope and the sheer power of love to change a life.A Knock at the Door is the true story of Ronnie Lockwood, a homeless man who entered the home of a young couple, became a dustman and lived as part of their family for over 45 years until his death. But this is not just Ronnie’s story – it is also that of Rob and his family. Outwardly the two men’s lives were worlds apart – as Ronnie emptied rubbish bins, Rob flew on Concorde – and yet, they discovered they had similar struggles. Then the day came, at the lowest moment of the couple’s lives, when they turned to the homeless man for help.But there were also remarkable turnarounds. Ronnie spent much of his spare time volunteering, including at a homeless centre, and ended up having a £1.6 million well-being centre named after him. Rob left his law practice and he and Dianne began a charity that touches the lives of millions of people.You will have never read a story like this before, but at its heart is a simple message: whether we are a lawyer or a dustman – tomorrow doesn’t always have to be like yesterday. Read more

My Family and Other Animals is the bewitching account of a rare and magical childhood on the island of Corfu by treasured British conservationist Gerald Durrell. Escaping the ills of the British climate, the Durrell family - acne-ridden Margo, gun-toting Leslie, bookworm Lawrence and budding naturalist Gerry, along with their long-suffering mother and Roger the dog - take off for the island of Corfu.But the Durrells find that, reluctantly, they must share their various villas with a menagerie of local fauna - among them scorpions, geckos, toads, bats and butterflies.Recounted with immense humour and charm My Family and Other Animals is a wonderful account of a rare, magical childhood.'Durrell has an uncanny knack of discovering human as well as animal eccentricities' Sunday Telegraph'A bewitching book' Sunday Times Read more

Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl is an inspiring and tragic account of an ordinary life lived in extraordinary circumstances that has enthralled readers for generations. This Penguin Classics edition is edited by Otto H. Frank and Mirjam Pressler, translated by Susan Massotty, and includes an introduction by Elie Wiesel, author of Night.'June, 1942: I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support.'In Amsterdam, in the summer of 1942, the Nazis forced teenager Anne Frank and her family into hiding. For over two years, they, another family and a German dentist lived in a 'secret annexe', fearing discovery. All that time, Anne kept a diary. Since its publication in 1947, Anne Frank's diary has been read by tens of millions of people. This Definitive Edition restores substantial material omitted from the original edition, giving us a deeper insight into Anne Frank's world. Her curiosity about her emerging sexuality, the conflicts with her mother, her passion for Peter, a boy whose family hid with hers, and her acute portraits of her fellow prisoners reveal Anne as more human, more vulnerable and more vital than ever.'One of the greatest books of the twentieth century'Guardian'A modern classic'Julia Neuberger, The Times Read more

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE 2017 SHORTLISTED FOR THE LONDON HELLENIC PRIZE 2017 WINNER OF THE PRIX MÉDITERRANÉE 2018From the award-winning, best-selling writer: a deeply moving tale of a father and son’s transformative journey in reading – and reliving – Homer’s epic masterpiece.When eighty-one-year-old retired scientist Jay unexpectedly enrols in his estranged classicist son Daniel’s course on the Odyssey, the journey of a lifetime commences. Professor and student glean life lessons from the page over a semester and, that summer, son and father take to the sea to follow Odysseus’s epic trail. Reading Homer becomes their chance to understand each other before it’s too late. Theirs is a moving and erudite story of filial love and the importance of the classics. Rich with literary and emotional insight and weaving themes of deception and recognition, marriage and children, the pleasures of travel and the meaning of home, this is memoir writing at its finest. Read more

George Orwell's vivid memoir of his time living among the desperately poor and destitute, Down and Out in Paris and London is a moving tour of the underworld of society.'You have talked so often of going to the dogs - and well, here are the dogs, and you have reached them.' Written when Orwell was a struggling writer in his twenties, it documents his 'first contact with poverty'. Here, he painstakingly documents a world of unrelenting drudgery and squalor - sleeping in bug-infested hostels and doss houses of last resort, working as a dishwasher in Paris's vile 'Hôtel X', surviving on scraps and cigarette butts, living alongside tramps, a star-gazing pavement artist and a starving Russian ex-army captain. Exposing a shocking, previously-hidden world to his readers, Orwell gave a human face to the statistics of poverty for the first time - and in doing so, found his voice as a writer. Read more