SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOARDMAN TASKER AWARD FOR MOUNTAIN LITERATURE'If Michael Palin had been a volcanologist, this is the book he would have written' LITERARY REVIEW'Gripping' THE ECONOMIST'Wonderful' PETER FRANKOPAN'Like a thriller ... This is terrific' SPECTATOR'Beautiful ... bursting with poetry, with storytelling' WERNER HERZOGWe are made of the same stuff as the breath and cinders of volcanoes. No matter where we live on the planet, they have shaped our history and might one day decide our destiny.World-famous volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer has worked at the crater's edge in the wildest places on Earth, close enough to feel the heat of the lava. In Mountains of Fire we join him on hair-singeing adventures from Italy to Antarctica to learn how deeply our stories are intertwined with volcanoes. Read more

The ultimate eye-opening journey through time and space, A Short History of Nearly Everything is the biggest-selling popular science book of the 21st century and has sold over 2 million copies.'Possibly the best scientific primer ever published.' Economist'Truly impressive...It's hard to imagine a better rough guide to science.' Guardian'A travelogue of science, with a witty, engaging, and well-informed guide' The TimesBill Bryson describes himself as a reluctant traveller, but even when he stays safely at home he can't contain his curiosity about the world around him. A Short History of Nearly Everything is his quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization - how we got from there, being nothing at all, to here, being us.Bill Bryson's challenge is to take subjects that normally bore the pants off most of us, like geology, chemistry and particle physics, and see if there isn't some way to render them comprehensible to people who have never thought they could be interested in science. As a result, A Short History of Nearly Everything reveals the world in a way most of us have never seen it before. Read more

Rocks and mountains have withstood aeons of life on our planet - gradually eroding, shifting, solidifying, and weathering. We might spend a little less time on earth, but humans are also weathering: evolving and changing as we're transformed by the shifting climates of our lives and experiences. So, what might these ancient natural forms have to teach us about resilience and change?In a stunning exploration of our own connection to these enduring forms, outdoor psychotherapist and geologist Ruth Allen takes us on a journey through deep time and ancient landscapes, showing how geology - which has formed the bedrock of her own adult life and approach to therapy - can offer us a new way of thinking about our own grief, change and boundaries.In a world shaken by physical, political, and medical disasters, Weathering argues for a deeper understanding of the ground beneath our feet to better serve ourselves and the world we live in. Read more

Dazzling, passionate nature writing – a celebration of Britain’s woods and forests and a rousing call to fight for them A Guardian Best Nature Book of the Year 'I loved it.' Tom Holland, co-host of The Rest is History The magic and mystery of the woods are embedded in culture, from ancient folklore to modern literature. They offer us refuge: a place to play, a place to think. They are the generous providers of timber and energy. They let us dream of other ways of living. Yet we now face a future where taking a walk in the woods is consigned to the tales we tell our children. Immersing himself in the beauty of woodland Britain, Peter Fiennes explores our long relationship with the woods and the sad and violent story of how so many have been lost. Just as we need them, our woods need us too. But who, if anyone, is looking out for them? *** ‘A passionate ramble through Britain’s complicated relationship with its woodland.’Daily Mail ‘Extraordinary… Fiennes’s book winningly combines autobiography, literary history and nature writing. It feels set to become a classic of the genre.’Observer ‘Steeped in poetry, science, folklore, history and magic, Fiennes is an eloquent, elegiac chronicler of copses, coppicing and the wildwood.’ Sunday Express Read more

The magical bestseller: a classic story to read again and again. Winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2017 Winner of the British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year 2017 Shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award Shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize   Beautiful, thrilling and magical, Sunday Times bestselling-author Kiran Millwood Hargrave's critically-acclaimed first novel is a modern classic. 'Absolutely loved it from start to finish' TOM FLETCHER 'I read it, I loved it' MALORIE BLACKMAN 'Kiran Millwood Hargrave creates a spellbinding world of magic, myth and adventure' EMMA CARROLL Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella dreams of the faraway lands her cartographer father once mapped. When her friend disappears, she volunteers to guide the search. The world beyond the walls is a monster-filled wasteland – and beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a fire demon is stirring from its sleep. Soon, following her map, her heart and an ancient myth, Isabella discovers the true end of her journey: to save the island itself. A beautifully written, multi award-winning story of friendship, discovery, myths and magic for any age – perfect for fans of Philip Pullman, Frances Hardinge or Katherine Rundell From the author of Julia and the Shark and The Mercies, chosen for the Richard & Judy Book Club Set in an extensive and stunningly-imagined parallel world imbued with magical realism A gorgeous gift with intricate star-chart illustrations throughout - a present for young and old, which will stay with you long after reading   'One of those timeless stories that feels like a real myth' SAMANTHA SHANNON 'FANTASTIC!' CARRIE HOPE FLETCHER 'Absolutely stunning' CATHERINE DOYLE 'So beautiful and magical' PIERS TORDAY Read more

Follow Robert Macfarlane to the furthest corners of the globe.... A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2019WINNER OF THE STANFORD DOLMAN TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2020'You'd be crazy not to read this book' The Sunday TimesA Guardian Best Book of the 21st CenturyIn Underland, Robert Macfarlane takes us on a journey into the worlds beneath our feet. From the ice-blue depths of Greenland's glaciers, to the underground networks by which trees communicate, from Bronze Age burial chambers to the rock art of remote Arctic sea-caves, this is a deep-time voyage into the planet's past and future. Global in its geography, gripping in its voice and haunting in its implications, Underland is a work of huge range and power, and a remarkable new chapter in Macfarlane's long-term exploration of landscape and the human heart.SHORTLISTED FOR THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE 2020 'Macfarlane has invented a new kind of book, really a new genre entirely' The Irish Times'He is the great nature writer, and nature poet, of this generation' Wall Street Journal 'Macfarlane has shown how utterly beautiful a brilliantly written travel book can still be' Observer on The Old Ways'Irradiated by a profound sense of wonder... Few books give such a sense of enchantment; it is a book to give to many, and to return to repeatedly' Independent on Landmarks'It sets the imagination tingling...like reading a prose Odyssey sprinkled with imagist poems' The Sunday Times on The Old Ways Read more

‘Lisa Kaltenegger offers first-hand access to her expertise on the search for planets in the universe, and the life they may contain. Along the way, Lisa's breezy narrative style invites you to experience with her the challenges and joys of being a scientist on the frontier of discovery’ Neil deGrasse Tyson, AstrophysicistFor thousands of years, humans have wondered whether we're alone in the cosmos. Now, for the first time, we have the technology to investigate. The question should have an obvious answer: yes or no. But once you try to find life elsewhere, you realize it is not so simple. How do you find it over cosmic distances? What actually is life?Astronomer Lisa Kaltenegger works from Carl Sagan’s former office at Cornell University, where she built a team of tenacious scientists from many disciplines to find life on faraway worlds, using Earth’s diverse biosphere and its history as a Rosetta Stone. With infectious enthusiasm, she provides an eye-opening insider’s guide to the most unusual exoplanets that have shaken our worldview – planets covered in oceans of lava, lonely wanderers lost in space, and others with more than one sun in their sky – as well as the best contenders for Alien Earths. She also shows how close imagined scifi worlds come to reality.We live in an incredible new epoch of exploration. As our witty and knowledgeable tour guide, Professor Kaltenegger shows how we discover not merely new continents, like the explorers of old, but whole new worlds circling other stars – and how we could spot life there. Worlds from where aliens may even be gazing back at us. What if we're not alone? Read more

One dead body. One witness. One answer.Early one morning, DS Robin Butler is summoned to a crime scene. Not as a policeman, but as best friend to renowned meteorologist, Dr Finn Mason. The morning after studying an enormous storm, Finn has locked himself in a van. Bloodied, confused, and with no memory of how he came to be there. And alongside him – a dead body.Butler sets out to prove Finn’s innocence, his friend now accused of murder. Meanwhile, DC Freya West is struggling to cope. She has been plagued by nightmares since the events of nine months ago. Freya assists her boss on his quest to clear Finn’s name, but while Butler becomes increasingly desperate to help his boyhood friend, Freya is crumbling under the weight of the secrets she is keeping.As the past threatens to consume them both, do both detectives stand to lose more than they can bear?A tense and atmospheric police procedural from the author of the unforgettable Last Place You Look.Praise for Under a Dark Cloud 'A great and unique locked room mystery that had me guessing all the way through to a fantastic ending. Under a Dark Cloud is full of drama, mystery and tension. One of my favourite series around.' James Delargy‘A coiled and wholly satisfying mystery, elevated by melancholic piquancy. The authentic police thrills and teasing dynamics of the characters are handled with the same elegance as the rueful climax, which long after the book is closed still feels perfect and inevitable.’ Dominic Nolan ‘Once again Louisa Scarr has created a thoroughly believable world in which to set a brilliantly compulsive story. The characters are so well-drawn that it’s a pleasure to spend time with them, and I can’t wait for number three!’ Alison Belsham'Characters I care about, inventive plot and expert storytelling –a big thumbs up from me.' Fliss Chester‘A fast-paced and deft meteorological mystery that twists its way to a brilliant conclusion. Scarr’s characters are beautifully realised, flawed and complex – their stories make the quiet moments every bit as rewarding as the dramatic ones. If you haven’t already read Butler & West, you’re in for a treat…’ Heather Critchlow‘A must read for fans of U.K. Crime Fiction. A fast paced addictive story. A locked room murder with an original twist’ NetGalley review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘The plot is original, superbly woven and the cast of characters is made up of well developed and engaging individuals. Overall, a captivating, suspenseful and atmospheric page-turner with more than enough going on to keep you invested. Highly recommended.’ NetGalley Review‘I absolutely loved this!’ NetGalley Review‘I read this very happily in two sessions and am await more in the series. Well worth reading!’ NetGalley Review‘Great premise. Well written. A page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing .The ending leaving everything tied up left me satisfied. Definitely will read her next offering.’ NetGalley Review Read more

* THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * 'Another masterpiece from one of my favorite authors . . . If you want a brief but thorough education in numeric thinking about many of the fundamental forces that shape human life, this is the book to read. It's a tour de force' BILL GATES __________ We have never had so much information at our fingertips and yet most of us don't know how the world really works. This book explains seven of the most fundamental realities governing our survival and prosperity. From energy and food production, through our material world and its globalization, to risks, our environment and its future, How the World Really Works offers a much-needed reality check - because before we can tackle problems effectively, we must understand the facts. In this ambitious and thought-provoking book we see, for example, that globalization isn't inevitable and that our societies have been steadily increasing their dependence on fossil fuels, making their complete and rapid elimination unlikely. Drawing on the latest science and tackling sources of misinformation head on - from Yuval Noah Harari to Noam Chomsky - ultimately Smil answers the most profound question of our age: are we irrevocably doomed or is a brighter utopia ahead? __________ 'Very informative and eye-opening in many ways' HA-JOON CHANG, author of 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism 'If you are anxious about the future, and infuriated that we aren't doing enough about it, please read this book' PAUL COLLIER, author of The Future of Capitalism Read more

‘Somerville’s infectious enthusiasm and wry humour infuse his journey from the Isle of Lewis to southern England, revealing our rich geological history with vibrant local and natural history’ Observer‘A meticulous exploration of the ground beneath our feet. Glorious’ Katharine Norbury‘A remarkable achievement’ Tom Chesshyre‘His writing is utterly enticing’ Country Walking...............................................................................................................................................The influence Britain’s geology has had on our daily lives is profound. While we may be unaware of it, every aspect of our history has been affected by events that happened ten thousand, a million, or a thousand million years ago.In Walking the Bones of Britain, Christopher Somerville takes a journey of a thousand miles, beginning in the far north, at the three-billion-year-old rocks of the Isle of Lewis, formed when the world was still molten, and travelling south-eastwards to the furthest corner of Essex, where new land is being formed. Crossing bogs, scaling peaks and skirting quarry pits, he unearths the stories bound up in the layers of rock beneath our feet, and examines how they have influenced everything from how we farm to how we build our houses, from the Industrial Revolution to the current climate crisis.Told with characteristic humour and insight, this gripping exploration of the British landscape and its remarkable history cannot fail to change the way you see the world beyond your door.‘Somerville is a walker’s writer’ Nicholas Crane Read more

Sunday Times BestsellerHow did life on Earth begin? What is the nature of space and time? What are the chances that we will discover life on other worlds?Think you know our planet?Think again.Forces of Nature takes you from the mid-Atlantic ridge in Iceland, the volcanoes of Indonesia and the precipitous cliffs in Nepal, to the manatees off the coast of Florida and the northern lights of the Arctic, in search of the fundamental laws that govern our world.These universal laws shape everything, from the structure of snowflakes to the elegant spirals of the galaxies. By seeking to understand the everyday world – the colours, structure, behaviour and history of our home – we can step beyond the everyday and approach the Universe beyond. Read more

Ever wondered why we yawn and have eyebrows, what happens at absolute zero and why some tunes get stuck in our heads?If you've spent your days searching for the answers to these and life's other big questions then look no further.Yawns Freeze Your Brain from the bestselling author of Does Anything Eat Wasps and Farts Aren't Invisible is the gift of enlightenment that you never knew you needed!Shining a light on some of life's trickiest questions across science, history, life and the universe. Uncover the mysteries woven into the fabric of our very existence with answers to questions such as;How much fuel does the sun burn in a second?What are the most misheard song lyrics?Why does cheese smell?Why is the Eiffel Tower 15cm taller in summer than winter?Who on earth invented existentialism (and what is it)?Increase your IQ and win pub quizzes with this perfect blend of wit, wisdom and wonder.The perfect gift for brainiacs. Read more

Sit back, relax and allow yourself to be swept away to Italy! Includes all three books in the heartwarming Escape to Tuscany series; Under A Siena Sun, Second Chances in Chianti and Secrets on the Italian Island.Under A Siena Sun: Doctors Without Borders has been Lucy Young’s life for the past four years. After being rescued from a conflict zone, she’s making a change from saving lives under gunfire to practising medicine in safe, serene Siena. Now treating wealthy patients at a private clinic, she's never felt less comfortable. She’s used to helping those in dire need – not those in need of a nip and tuck. Her turmoil grows when she encounters injured tennis star David Lorenzo. She’s soon falling for the sportsman but is she losing herself in this world of excess? All she’s ever wanted was to help the underprivileged, so can she stay in Siena at the clinic – with David?Second Chances in Chianti: Alice Butler starred in a successful US sitcom until tensions in the cast and crew caused the show to be cancelled. Now, five years later and working towards her dream job in art history, she’s called back for a revival of the show. It can only end in disaster, surely? Flown to a villa in Chianti to meet with the rest of the cast, Alice must decide if her future lies in Hollywood with her boyfriend, David, who laps up the star-studded company, or in Chianti with the mysterious Matt, who shies away from public attention?Secrets on the Italian Island: Anna’s job as a geologist takes her all over the world, including to the beautiful island of Elba. The island isn’t the only thing that’s gorgeous – she can’t believe her luck when she meets windsurfer Marco and sparks fly. But Anna must keep her role on Elba a secret to avoid upsetting the locals, which means lying to Marco. When her old friend Toby visits, Anna suddenly finds herself torn between the attentions of the two men. However, Anna’s not the only one keeping secrets. Is Marco being entirely honest with her? And why did Toby really come to visit?A fun and escapist romance series perfect for fans of Lucy Coleman, Trisha Ashley and Alex Brown.Praise for T.A. Williams‘Let T.A. Williams whisk you away this summer with this brilliant escapist read. Fantastic descriptions of scenery and surroundings; I could picture myself there among the action! A great summer read, romance and adventure galore.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘Fabulous. I could feel the sun and taste the food!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘I'm always excited to be able to be whisked away in a T.A. Williams book. Another gem of a series from this rare and precious author!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘Once more this highly talented author has written a fabulous series that whisked me away. A total delight to read, including a beautiful setting, delicious food, fantastic characters and plenty of surprises.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘There is just something so wonderful about how T.A. Williams writes his characters and the way he describes the scenery makes you feel that you are there. The story flows along at a great pace, drawing you in.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review Read more

A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARAN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR SO FAR FOR 2024LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR NONFICTION, AND THE FT BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDThe trillion-dollar battle for the resources to power our future.Oil and gas defined the twentieth century. Now lithium, copper, cobalt, rare earths and nickel will define the twenty-first.The world is moving towards replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy. But building electric vehicles, solar panels, and millions of other devices requires digging more mines. Critical minerals are vital to many sustainable technologies, and the competition for them is intensifying.Nations which aspire to energy independence are ever more intertwined: a hedge fund manager's attempt to revive rare earths mining in California needs Chinese expertise, and international reliance on Africa's mining sector persists despite concern over child labour. Meanwhile, ecological dilemmas abound: a proposed lithium mine in Nevada would help global car manufacturers slash their dependence on fossil fuels, but developing that mine could cause the extinction of a flower found nowhere else on the planet.As investors attempt to predict how the geopolitics of resource extraction will unfold, this is a story of the industry giants, researchers, and policymakers at the forefront of the new energy wars. Read more

If you suspect that human-caused climate change has been greatly exaggerated by politicians and the media, you’re right.Climate change alarmism is based not on scientific methods, such as careful observation and measurement, but on computer modeling. Weather and climate are extremely complicated and cannot be modeled accurately.Even worse: agencies such as NASA and NOAA have admitted to tampering with temperature data. Their “adjustments” have lowered older temperatures and raised recent ones, greatly exaggerating the increase that has actually occurred. There would be no need for this if their premise was correct.In the 1970s we were told that the carbon dioxide we were releasing by burning "fossil fuels" was causing the earth to cool down. Although temperatures were declining, the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was increasing.Then, when the temperatures warmed slightly in the 1980s, the climate fear mongers changed their tune in lockstep, telling us we were causing global warming. That term became "climate change" when the warming stopped around the year 2000.In an 8 1/2 x 11 inch format, this richly illustrated book explains why:the world is not running out of petroleum,wind and solar farms are not the answer to the world’s energy needs. They are not only impractical and unsustainable, but also destructive to the environment.many prominent scientists – even Nobel laureates - have been demonized for telling the truth that there is no climate emergency.Those in power who are pushing this narrative have even stated that “climate change” is not an environmental issue but an attempt to gain total control over every aspect of our lives.This valuable resource will open your eyes to the facts behind the "climate change" narrative and empower you, as a voter or policy maker, to make informed decisions about the future of our planet. Read more

Booker focuses his attention on the mother of all environmental scares: global warming.This original book considers one of the most extraordinary scientific and political stories of our time: how in the 1980s a handful of scientists came to believe that mankind faced catastrophe from runaway global warming, and how today this has persuaded politicians to land us with what promises to be the biggest bill in history.Christopher Booker interweaves the science of global warming with that of its growing political consequences, showing how just when the politicians are threatening to change our Western way of life beyond recognition, the scientific evidence behind the global warming theory is being challenged like never before.The book exposes the myth that the global warming theory is supported by a 'consensus of the world's top climate scientists'. It shows how the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is run by a small group of 'global warming' zealots, who have repeatedly rigged evidence to support their theory. But the politicians, pushed by the media, have so fallen for its propaganda that, short of dramatic change, our Western world now faces an unprecedented disaster. Read more

A tour of the Solar System's tallest, hottest, coldest and weirdest volcanoes – and a look inside what makes them erupt.The volcano – among the most familiar and perhaps the most terrifying of all geological phenomena. However, Earth isn't the only planet to harbour volcanoes. In fact, the Solar System, and probably the entire Universe, is littered with them. Our own Moon, which is now a dormant piece of rock, had lava flowing across its surface billions of years ago, while Mars can be credited with the largest volcano in the Solar System, Olympus Mons, which stands 25km high. While Mars's volcanoes are long dead, volcanic activity continues in almost every other corner of the Solar System, in the most unexpected of locations. We tend to think of Earth volcanoes as erupting hot, molten lava and emitting huge, billowing clouds of incandescent ash. However, it isn't necessarily the same across the rest of the Solar System. For a start, some volcanoes aren't even particularly hot. Those on Pluto, for example, erupt an icy slush of substances such as water, methane, nitrogen or ammonia, that freeze to form ice mountains as hard as rock. While others, like the volcanoes on one of Jupiter's moons, Io, erupt the hottest lavas in the Solar System onto a surface covered in a frosty coating of sulphur.Whether they are formed of fire or ice, volcanoes are of huge importance for scientists trying to picture the inner workings of a planet or moon. Volcanoes dredge up materials from the otherwise inaccessible depths and helpfully deliver them to the surface. The way in which they erupt, and the products they generate, can even help scientists ponder bigger questions on the possibility of life elsewhere in the Solar System.Fire and Ice is an exploration of the Solar System's volcanoes, from the highest peaks of Mars to the intensely inhospitable surface of Venus and the red-hot summits of Io, to the coldest, seemingly dormant icy carapaces of Enceladus and Europa, an unusual look at how these cosmic features are made, and whether such active planetary systems might host life. Read more

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE PRIZE 2022'A joyful collision of science, history and nature writing' Helen Gordon, author of Notes from Deep TimeAdam Sedgwick was a priest and scholar. Roderick Murchison was a retired soldier. Charles Lapworth was a schoolteacher. It was their personal and intellectual rivalry, pursued on treks through Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, Devon and parts of western Russia, that revealed the narrative structure of the Paleozoic Era, the 300-million-year period during which life on Earth became recognisably itself. Nick Davidson follows in their footsteps and draws on maps, diaries, letters, field notes and contemporary accounts to bring the ideas and characters alive. But this is more than a history of geology. As we travel through some of the most spectacular scenery in Britain, it's a celebration of the sheer visceral pleasure generations of geologists have found, and continue to find, in noticing the earth beneath our feet. Read more

Humans are increasingly becoming an indoor species. We spend 90 per cent of our life indoors. And, on average, we dedicate eight hours a day looking at screens. Our increasingly domestic lives are having huge consequences to our health. In Into the Forest, Immunologist and Forest Medicine expert, Dr Qing Li, examines the unprecedented benefits of the world's largest natural health resource: the great outdoors.Applying cutting-edge research and emerging science, Dr Li explores the inherent connection between nature and improved wellbeing. This practical guide will help you overcome some of life's most problematic health issues, including how to: · reduce blood pressure; · lower stress;· improve energy levels;· and boost the immune system. From mindful strolls in your local park to listening to the wind, from watching the sunset to walking barefoot in the grass, Dr Li reveals the life-improving advantages of spending time around trees, for a healthier and happier you. Read more

'A very well written book about geology and geological history' Sir David Attenborough, The Times'I travelled to Haverfordwest to get to the past. From Paddington Station a Great Western locomotive took me on a journey westwards from London further and further back into geological time, from the age of mammals to the age of trilobites...'So begins this enthralling exploration of time and place in which Richard Fortey peels away the top layer of the land to reveal the hidden landscape - the rocks which contain the story of distant events, which dictate not only the personality of the landscape, but the nature of the soil, the plants that grow in it and the regional characteristics of the buildings. We travel with him as our guide throughout the British Isles and as the rocks change so we learn to read the clues they contain: that Britain was once divided into two parts separated by an ocean, that Scottish malt whisky, Harris tweed, slate roofs and thatched cottages can be traced back to tumultuous events which took place many millions of years ago. The Hidden Landscape has become a classic in popular geology since its first publication in 1993. This new edition is fully updated and beautifully illustrated. Read more