Archives

Jerusalem The Biography

(2020) A new, updated, revised edition of JERUSALEM: THE BIOGRAPHY, the wider history of the Middle East through the lens of the Holy City, covering from pre-history to 2020, from King David to Donald Trump.

The story of Jerusalem is the story of the world.

Jerusalem is the universal city, the capital of two peoples, the shrine of three faiths; it is the site of Judgement Day and the battlefield of today’s clash of civilisations. How did this small, remote town become the Holy City, the ‘centre of the world’ and now the key to peace in the Middle East? Drawing on new archives and a lifetime’s study, Montefiore reveals this ever-changing city through the wars, love affairs and revelations of the kings, empresses, prophets, poets, saints, conquerors and whores who created, destroyed, chronicled and believed in Jerusalem.

A classic of modern literature, this is not only the epic story of 3,000 years of faith, slaughter, fanaticism and co-existence, but also a freshly-updated history of the entire Middle East, from King David to the twenty-first century, from the birth of Judaism, Christianity and Islam to the Israel-Palestine conflict and the wars of today. This is how Jerusalem became Jerusalem – the only city that exists twice – in heaven and on earth.

Stop Reading the News

(2020) In 2013 Rolf Dobelli stood in front of a roomful of journalists and proclaimed that he did not read the news. It caused a riot. Now he finally sets down his philosophy in detail. And he practises what he preaches: he hasn’t read the news for a decade.

Stop Reading the News is Dobelli’s manifesto about the dangers of the most toxic form of information – news. He shows the damage it does to our concentration and well-being, and how a misplaced sense of duty can misdirect our behaviour.

From the author of the bestselling The Art of Thinking Clearly, Rolf Dobelli’s book offers the reader guidance about how to live without news, and the many potential gains to be had: less disruption, more time, less anxiety, more insights. In a world of increasing disruption and division, Stop Reading the News is a welcome voice of calm and wisdom.

This Book Will (Help) Make You

(2021) Discover how you can cut the stress, catch up on sleep and breathe a little easier with 50 practical tips to really make you feel happier!

The world is a pretty stressful place, especially right now, and we all need some help reminding us to take care of ourselves. But the good news is that there are loads of easy tips and tricks to keep yourself feeling happy, from customising your own bedtime ritual to how to resolve arguments with your parents. Complete with simple breathing exercises, yoga poses and even advice on the best food to eat when you’re feeling down, this is a one-stop guide to transform worried kids into happy, confident ones.

Author Suzy Reading, a mum of two as well as being a chartered psychologist and yoga teacher, knows that the emotional wellbeing of children is just as important as their physical health. Good mental health allows children to develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them and grow into well-rounded, healthy adults. Funny, engaging and practical – and brought to life with illustrations by Alex Paterson – this is the ideal book to help readers cope with their emotions and face each day raring to go.

Ickabog

(2021) The Ickabog is coming… A mythical monster, a kingdom in peril, an adventure that will test two children’s bravery to the limit. Discover a brilliantly original fairy tale about the power of hope and friendship to triumph against all odds, from one of the world’s best storytellers.

The kingdom of Cornucopia was once the happiest in the world. It had plenty of gold, a king with the finest moustaches you could possibly imagine, and butchers, bakers and cheesemongers whose exquisite foods made a person dance with delight when they ate them.

Everything was perfect – except for the misty Marshlands to the north which, according to legend, were home to the monstrous Ickabog. Anyone sensible knew that the Ickabog was just a myth, to scare children into behaving. But the funny thing about myths is that sometimes they take on a life of their own.

Could a myth unseat a beloved king? Could a myth bring a once happy country to its knees? Could a myth thrust two children into an adventure they didn’t ask for and never expected?

If you’re feeling brave, step into the pages of this book to find out…

A beautiful hardback edition, perfect for sharing and gift-giving. Brought to life with full-colour illustrations by the young winners of The Ickabog competition.

Rewire Your Anxious Brain

(2015) Do you ever wonder what is happening inside your brain when you feel anxious, panicked, and worried? In Rewire Your Anxious Brain, psychologist Catherine Pittman and author Elizabeth Karle offer a unique, evidence-based solution to overcoming anxiety based in cutting-edge neuroscience and research.

In the book, you will learn how the amygdala and cortex (both important parts of the brain) are essential players in the neuropsychology of anxiety. The amygdala acts as a primal response, and oftentimes, when this part of the brain processes fear, you may not even understand why you are afraid. By comparison, the cortex is the center of “worry.”

That is obsessing, ruminating, and dwelling on things that may or may not happen. In the book, Pittman and Karle make it simple by offering specific examples of how to manage fear by tapping into both of these pathways in the brain.

As you read, you’ll gain a greater understanding how anxiety is created in the brain, and as a result, you will feel empowered and motivated to overcome it. The brain is a powerful tool, and the more you work to change the way you respond to fear, the more resilient you will become. Using the practical self-assessments and proven-effective techniques in this book, you will learn to literally “rewire” the brain processes that lie at the root of your fears.

Book of Ichigo Ichie

(2019) Every moment in our life happens only once, and if we let it slip away, we lose it forever – an idea captured by the Japanese phrase ichigo ichie (pronounced itchy-GO itchy-A). Often spoken in Japan when greeting someone or saying goodbye, to convey that the encounter is unique and special, it is a tenet of Zen Buddhism and is attributed to a 16th-century master of the Japanese tea ceremony, or “ceremony of attention”, whose intricate rituals compel us to focus on the present moment.

From this age-old concept comes a new kind of mindfulness. In The Book of Ichigo Ichie, you will learn to…

appreciate the beauty of the fleeting, the way the Japanese celebrate the cherry blossoms for two weeks every April, knowing they’ll have to wait a whole year to see them again;

use all five senses to anchor yourself in the present, helping you to let go of fear, sadness, anger, and other negative emotions fueled by fixating on the past or the future;

be alert to the magic of coincidences, which help us find meaning among the disconnected events of our lives;

use ichigo ichie to help you discover your ikigai, or life’s purpose – because it’s only by learning to be present, to be tuned into what catches your attention and excites you in the moment, that you can identify what it is that most motivates you and brings you happiness.

Every one of us contains a key that can open the door to attention, harmony with others, and love of life. And that key is ichigo ichie.

Girl Serpent Thorn

(2021) SOMETIMES THE PRINCESS IS THE MONSTER

From the author of Girls Made of Snow and Glass, this captivating and utterly original Persian-inspired fairy tale about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch is perfect for fans of Natasha Ngan and Naomi Novik.

‘Monstrously beautiful and enchanting’ Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand

There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away from everyone, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.

As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.

Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming . . . human or demon.

Princess or monster.

Damned

(2021) New York Times bestselling author Renee Ahdieh returns with the second installment of her new sumptuous, sultry and romantic series, The Beautiful.

‘Captivating . . . Ahdieh’s darkest and most compelling novel yet’ Cultress on The Beautiful

Following the events of The Beautiful, Sebastien Saint Germain is now cursed and forever changed. The treaty between the Fallen and the Brotherhood has been broken, and war between the immortals seems imminent. The price of loving Celine was costly.

But Celine has also paid a high price for loving Bastien. Still recovering from injuries sustained during a night she can’t quite remember, her dreams are troubled. And she doesn’t know she has inadvertently set into motion a chain of events that could lead to her demise and unveil a truth about herself she’s not quite ready to learn.

Forces hiding in the shadows have been patiently waiting for this moment for centuries. And just as Bastien and Celine begin to uncover the danger around them, they learn their love could tear them apart.

The Damned, the latest installment in The Beautiful series, is just as decadent, thrilling, and mysterious as the last.

Art of Happiness

(2020) In this unique and important book, now celebrating its 20th anniversary, one of the world’s great spiritual leaders offers his practical wisdom and advice on how we can overcome everyday human problems and achieve lasting happiness.

The Art of Happiness is a highly accessible guide for a western audience, combining the Dalai Lama’s eastern spiritual tradition with Dr Howard C. Cutler’s western perspective. Covering all key areas of human experience, they apply the principles of Tibetan Buddhism to everyday problems and reveal how one can find balance and complete spiritual and mental freedom.

For the many who wish to understand more about the Dalai Lama’s approach to living, there has never been a book which brings his beliefs so vividly into the real world.

Breaking Dawn

(2010) Twilight tempted the imagination . . . New Moon made readers thirsty for more . . . Eclipse turned the saga into a worldwide phenomenon . . . And now – the book that everyone has been waiting for . . . Breaking Dawn.

In the much anticipated fourth book in Stephenie Meyer’s love story, questions will be answered and the fate of Bella and Edward will be revealed.