Meik Wiking founded the world's first Happiness Research Institute in 2013, in Copenhagen, Denmark and is a New York Times and Sunday Times Bestselling author. Meik has been called The Indiana Jones of Smiles and probably the World's Happiest Man by The Times. He is the author of four globally bestselling books which have sold over 2 million copies worldwide: The Little Book of Hygge, The Little Book of Lykke, The Art of Making Memories and My Hygge Home.

Meik Wiking

Sue Meikle has always been obsessed with picture books, and after working as an Early Years Specialist for over 25 years, she has read stories to children from Stockport to South Africa. In schools, in early years centres, while on forest school adventures... Sue has even read stories on a travelling play bus! So, perhaps it was always in the stars for Sue to not just read books, but write them, too! When she's not reading or writing stories, Sue can be found walking her dog or chauffeuring her teenagers around the Greater Manchester area (because that’s where they live… in a home that they made from a derelict barn!)

Sue Meikle

David Meikle is a TV scriptwriter and Sunday Times bestselling author. He has written and co-written seven books, including the autobiographies of Charlie Richardson and Bobby Cummines.

David Meikle

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John Lewis-Stempel

Is there any bird more mysterious than the cuckoo? 
 
It is invariably heard, and not seen. And if seen, it is mistaken for a sharp-winged hawk. The female cuckoo - by a trick that borders on alchemy - is able to disguise its egg as another's. In Greek myth the god Zeus assumed the form of a cuckoo to seduce Hera. 
 
But we forgive the cuckoo its con-artistry, because it is the true herald of spring. It is the bird that uplifts our wintered hearts, with that first two-note 'cuk-koo' unmistakable as it sounds across the country. 
 
In The Curious Life of the Cuckoo, John Lewis-Stempel explains one of nature's greatest enigmas in vivid, lyrical prose, and celebrates this iconic bird.

The Curious Life of the Cuckoo

Kate Atkinson

The perfect Christmas stocking filler: three festive tales from the brilliant pen of Kate Atkinson. 
 
'Lucy would have challenged anyone not to cry at the sight of their child in a Nativity play. Even a sheepish Maude, even a scowling Beatrice – currently attempting a Chinese burn on an adjacent angel. A shepherd shouted something incomprehensible to Joseph. One of the Wise Men wet himself. Beatrice waved enthusiastically – a little too enthusiastically – at Lucy from the angelic choir. It was better than any religion, Lucy thought.' 
 
From the award-winning author of LIFE AFTER LIFE, SHRINES OF GAIETY and DEATH AT THE SIGN OF THE ROOK

Festive Spirits

Three Christmas Stories

Syou Ishida

Cats once again prove to be the best medicine in the wonderful third book following the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel We’ll Prescribe You a Cat. 
 
When you are lost, the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul will find for you. 
 
Dr. Nikké and his clinic are always ready to offer their unconventional approach to healing. Although one never quite understands how they ended up there, each person who has walked through the door has left with a cat and a deeper understanding of themselves. Every time, the clinic reaffirms that the unbreakable bond between cats and people has the potential to heal and transform lives. 
 
With Dr. Nikké as the constant that weaves each of these stories together, we meet a woman anxious about an upcoming competition, an overwhelmed young father, an illustrator questioning her career, and a young woman burdened with guilt. Digging ever deeper into the complicated minds of humans - and the love of their feline companions—this poignant story provides something richer and more challenging than mere comfort: compassion. 
 
 Translated by E. Madison Shimoda with illustrations by @LevysFriends

Welcome to the Kokoro Cat Clinic

Philippe Collin

An Immediate Bestseller | A Bloomberg Best Book of 2025 
 
'Philippe Collin is a magnificent storyteller. This novel fascinates at every turn.' Elle 
 
When the Ritz becomes the Nazis’ favourite spot, its Jewish bartender has no choice but to keep working. 
 
Paris, 1940. Despite the Occupation, the prestigious Ritz Hotel has managed to remain open. Its bar becomes a favourite spot for Nazis eager for a taste of French refinement. Its celebrated barman, Frank Meier, is forced to adapt to this new clientele. But he is hiding a secret that no one can find out: he is Jewish. 
 
With every word and smile, the atmosphere becomes more and more suffocating. Yet Frank refuses to flee. With the unwitting help of the Nazis, Frank eventually uncovers secrets that help keep him and his loved ones alive — especially Luciano, his young apprentice, and Blanche, wife of the director of the Ritz and Frank’s impossible love — both of whom are Jewish too. 
 
Betrayal, lies, and backstabbing raise the stakes for the bartender — with Frank always just one step ahead of fate. 
 
Based on a true story, The Barman of the Ritz is as chilling as it is fascinating.

The Barman of the Ritz

Kim Ryeo-ryeong

**NOW A MAJOR NETFLIX TV SERIES, STARRING GONG YU AND SEO HYUN-JIN ** 
 
Read the gripping international feminist satire for fans of KIM JIYOUNG BORN 1982, CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN and YELLOWFACE. 
 
‘So this is the world we live in, where even spouses can be rented’ 
 
Meet Noh Inji: thirty years old, five wedding rings so far, and she’s never once been in love. 
 
When Inji takes a job at Wedding & Life, the popular matchmaking service, she never imagines her role will be with NM, their secretive marriage division that rents out ‘field spouses’ for a fixed period to their elite clientele. Just like a real marriage, Inji’s assignments involve a wedding, some sex and a spot of housework. It’s all tailored exactly to the client’s desires - no legal battles, no fights, no emotional baggage. 
 
In no way is Inji interested in finding real love, because accidents happen when you mistakenly assume that you are somehow special. 
 
When one of Inji’s old husbands, a mysterious high-profile music producer, requests her back for another year of marriage, Inji’s own dark past will begin to unravel – as well as the sinister underbelly of the NM management, who will stop at nothing to preserve their reputation - and that of their wealthiest clients … 
 
Readers love THE TRUNK!!!: 
 
‘It enraged me, it made me laugh, it was everything’ 
‘Intriguing and gripping’ 
‘Unique and intriguing and perfect for fans of Kim Jiyoung, born 1982’ 
‘Absorbing and consistently fascinating’ 
‘Really interesting book full of social commentary, rich characters … I had vibes of The Handmaid's Tale meets Convenience Store Woman’ 
___________

The Trunk

"How to describe the ecstatic song of larks? How the writers and poets have tried..." 
 
Skylarks are the heralds of our countryside. Their music is the quintessential sound of spring. The spirit of English pastoralism, they inspire poets, composers and farmers alike. In the trenches of World War I they were a reminder of the chattering meadows of home. 
 
Perhaps you were up with the lark, or as happy as one. History has seen us poeticise and musicise the bird, but also capture and eat them. We watch as they climb the sky, delight in their joyful singing, and yet we harm them too. 
 
 The Soaring life of the Lark explores the music and poetry; the breath-taking heights and struggle to survive of one of Britain's most iconic songbirds. 
 
PRAISE FOR JOHN LEWIS-STEMPEL 
 
'Britain's finest living nature writer' - The Times 
 
'Lewis-Stempel is a fourth-generation farmer gifted with an extraordinary ability to write prose that soars and sings' - Daily Mail

The Soaring Life of the Lark

Michiko Aoyama

Much-loved modern classic by the author of WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IS IN THE LIBRARY for fans of BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD 
 
Readers love HOT CHOCOLATE ON THURSDAY: 
‘Slipped into my heart and warmed me, just like a cup of cocoa’ ***** 
‘I definitely recommend this book!’ ***** 
‘Thursday is the beginning of the second half of the week. I felt restored reading this’ ***** 
‘Reminds you that everyone is living their own daily joy and pain. Heartwarming’ ***** 
‘This made me realise how we magically influence each other’s lives without realising it’ ***** 
___________ 
 
'I learned first-hand how people, flora, and fauna interact. All that breathes on this Earth is interconnected' 
 
Across a bridge in a quiet neighbourhood in Tokyo, a seasonal cherry blossom sits on the river. Nearby is the Marble Cafe, where a woman writes in a notebook and a young waiter prepares her favourite hot drink. Both wonder about each other and about the other lives of the clientele who frequent this charming little cafe behind the trees... 
 
Taking a walk along the river, cooking the best tamagoyaki, ordering hot chocolate, forgetting to remove our nail polish... The small, everyday acts that we do can lead to unexpected encounters and reverberate far beyond our own lives to make a real difference in the world. 
 
Hot Chocolate on Thursday is a tapestry of slice-of-life moments that open and close with a woman ordering her regular hot chocolate at the mysterious Marble Cafe. 
 
What happens in between will touch and swell your heart, as we connect with a community of untold unfolding lives.

Hot Chocolate on Thursday

Yoon Ina

In this world, there are two types of food: ramen and non-ramen. 
 
Yoon Ina takes ramen seriously. She makes sure to try new flavours as soon as they come out, always has enough packets stocked in the pantry, has developed her own principles and theories for making good ramen, and even keeps up to date with ramen news. 
 
This book is an ode to her obsession. With a contagious enthusiasm, Ina teaches us how to prepare the perfect serving of instant noodles, from choosing the type of ramen, to boiling the water, to deciding whether to add noodles or seasoning first. 
 
But bubbling under the surface is a rich narrative of a life-long relationship with ramen. We find warm, generous, humorous stories from the author’s life – narratives about family and friends, about working life, about being a woman in modern society, and about finding a way to live comfortably with who you are. 
 
Ramen Makes Us Complete is a funny, comforting and moreish celebration of the hugely popular dish that will have you craving a steaming bowl of instant noodles before you know it.

Ramen Makes us Complete

Terry Pratchett

A Discworld series tie-in book exploring the city of Ankh-Morpork with full colour illustrations and fold out map. Go beyond the novels to discover more about the fantastically funny and gloriously inventive world of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. 
 
Essential for any fan of Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld, this stunning and beautifully illustrated gift book - complete with pull out map - details everything you could possibly want and need to know about Ankh-Morpork, Discworld's principal city. Maps, directories, walking tours, accommodation, food and drink - everything is included. No traveller destined for Ankh-Morpork should leave home without it! 
 
What readers are saying... 
'Marvellous - had me giggling like a loon for hours' -- ***** Reader review 
'A work of art' -- ***** Reader review 
'I started laughing 2 seconds after opening this book' -- ***** Reader review 
'Sumptuous' -- ***** Reader review 
'Amazing' -- ***** Reader review 
'A must have for all Discworld fans' -- ***** Reader review 
 
******************************************************************************** 
Greetings, adventurer! We lay before you this most comprehensive gazetteer encompassing all the streets of Ankh-Morpork, as well as information on its principal businesses, hotels, taverns, inns, and places of entertainment and refreshment - all enhanced by the all-new and compleat map of our great city state. 
 
We ask that when you pore over this glorious work, you spare some thought for the humble cartographers and surveyors who made journeys into the darker corners of our metropolis - no less dangerous than the wilds of Skund or Bhangbhangduc. To some the only memorial is the map you now possess. Others, in their quest for knowledge, paid the highest price that scholarship demands, which is to say, a day off in lieu. 
 
And so we dedicate this map and these accompanying words to the officers, councillors and members of the Merchants' Guild and to all who will find in its pages paths yet to tread and places yet to explore within the magnificent wonder that is the city of Ankh-Morpork. 
 
A gift like no other, this stunning package expertly conjures up the sights, sounds, people and places of Ankh-Morpork in ways fans have previously only been able to imagine.

The Compleat Ankh-Morpork

the essential guide to the principal city of Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, Ankh-Morpork

Bernard Pearson

A Discworld tie-in book. Go beyond the novels to discover more about the fantastically funny and gloriously inventive world of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. 
 
This ultimate guide to the Year of the Prawn is a veritable cornucopia of advice, direction and wisdom - a must have not only for all inhabitants of Ankh-Morpork and the Sto Plains, but also anyone wanting to immerse themselves in the whimsical and wonderful ways of Sir Terry Pratchett's incredible Discworld. 
 
What fans are saying: 
'Brilliant, typical Pratchett' - ***** Reader review 
'Insightful and funny as always from Terry Pratchett' - ***** Reader review 
'Amazing' - ***** Reader review 
 
************************************************************** 
 
This is the definitive Almanak to the Common Year of the Prawn: a Compendium to all Knowledge. Not only a sure means of ensuring fertility of crops & livestock it is also a boon companion in affairs of the heart and health and full to the brim with information as will render this Publication a staunch companion to Townsman & Tiller of Soil alike. 
 
Including: 
*homemade remedies for common ailments 
*recipes 
*horoscopes 
*scientific discoveries 
*a calendar 
*strange tales 
*valuable facts about the cabbage 
 
Beautifully illustrated, this is an artistically presented package guaranteed to tickle the funny bone of all Pratchett fans.

The Discworld Almanak

The Year of The Prawn

Kang Jiyoung

A hilariously unsettling tale of love, food and one woman's unconventional quest to support her family. 
_____________ 
 
I am no ordinary ajumma. I am a killer 
 
When Mrs Shim - widowed, unemployed, with two children at home and a fridge to fill - answers a job ad at the Smile Detective Agency, she boosts its fortunes forever. For Mrs Shim is sharp as a blade, handles business cleanly and is like a padlock when it comes to keeping secrets. 
 
By day, she prepares kimchi for her family and her neighbour with dementia; by night Mrs Shim is out on a contract. 
 
But what starts as a need for survival escalates into a thirst for vengeance. For Mrs. Shim is done with being everyone’s doormat. 
 
Diving headfirst into her new career among petty criminals, crooked cops, ghosts and assassins, Mrs Shim's past comes hurtling towards her. 
 
Savage and unexpectedly moving, Kang Jiyoung presents a kaleidoscopic tale of twisted love, unhinged loathing and hopeful reinvention. Her world of endearing misfits, dead bodies and good food marks the exuberant arrival of a major new international literary voice.

Mrs Shim is a Killer

Kim Hana

Hwang Sunwoo

‘Gently inspiring for showing women living outside social norms and having a great time while doing so.' Evening Standard 
 
'Beneath the warmth likes a radical proposition: that their partnership should be treated like any family.' - Guardian 
 
At some point between living alone and becoming single, Hwang Sunwoo and Kim Hana found each other, and decided to live together in a nice apartment where their four cats would finally have the freedom to run around. Together they became a family - and redefined it. 
 
At a time housing costs have skyrocketed whilst the birth rates plummets, these two independent Korean women in their late forties share their views on society and its expectations of them. And, intent neither to marry or to live alone, they reflect on the comfort of their cohabiting friendship as it blossoms into a life full of joy and meaning. 
 
Quietly radical, full of warmth and wit, Two Women Living Together celebrates carving out your own path, cats, female friendship, and a different kind of family. 
 
'Two Women Living Together is a wonderfully calming and cosy read. I always adore stories of women who choose to live beyond the confines of cultural expectation—and this book might just be my new favourite!' 
- Emma Gannon, Sunday Times bestselling author of both fiction and non-fiction, and a former judge for the 2025 Women's Prize. 
 
‘Everything about this compelling, curious, beautiful story of two women moving in together, in midlife, is delightful ... I loved every moment!' 
- Clover Stroud, author of My Wild & Sleepless Nights, The Red of my Blood, and The Giant on the Skyline

Two Women Living Together

Sonoko Machida

The mega-bestselling winner of the Japan Booksellers' Award and author of THE CONVENIENCE STORE BY THE SEA: a deeply moving story of survival and found family. 
 
Readers adore THE WOMAN, THE BOY AND THE WHALE: 
 
'If you have to work tomorrow, don't read this, since your eyes will be swollen up the next day. I read this in a single sitting and it saved me from the loneliness I had in my heart' Reader review ***** 
 
'A wonderful, beautiful story of what is both ugly and precious about humanity, filled with what we need most' Reader review ***** 
 
HALF A MILLION COPIES SOLD 
THE BESTSELLING WINNER OF THE JAPAN BOOKSELLERS' AWARD 
MADE INTO AN AWARD-NOMINATED FILM 
 
Emotional rescue is a two-way street 
 
Kiko has run away from her Tokyo life to a rural village by the sea and rumours are flying among the locals about this mysterious newcomer. When she comes across an abandoned boy who is unable to speak, an unusual bond develops as she shares a tale of the lonely whale whose song is too high-pitched for others to hear. While she unpicks the boy's story, and he unravels hers, a gripping and powerful history of strength, survival and finding your voice begins to unfold.

The Woman, the Boy and the Whale

For fans of THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES, discover the award-winning Japanese sensation - a charming celebration of the HEALING POWER of CATS. 
 
A cat a day keeps the doctor away ... 
 
On the top floor of an old building at the end of a cobbled alley in Kyoto lies the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. Only a select few - those who feel genuine emotional pain - can find it. 
 
The mysterious centre offers a unique treatment for its troubled patients: it prescribes cats as medication. 
 
Get ready to fall in love: 
- Bee, an eight-year-old female, mixed breed helps a disheartened businessman as he finds unexpected joy in physical labour; 
- Margot, muscly like a lightweight boxer, helps a middle-aged callcentre worker stay relevant at work and at home; 
- Koyuki, an exquisite white cat brings closure to a young mother troubled by the memory of the rescue kitten she was forced to abandon; 
- Tank and Tangerine bring peace to a hardened handbag designer, as she learns to be kinder to herself; 
- Mimita, the Scottish Fold kitten helps a broken-hearted Geisha to stop blaming herself for the cat she lost years ago; 
 
As the clinic's patients navigate their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them towards healing, self-discovery and newfound hope. 
 
**Contains five exquisite cat line-drawings** 
 
Japanese bestseller, October 2023 
 
Readers adore WE'LL PRESCRIBE YOU A CAT: 
‘The most wonderful book I've ever read’ ***** 
‘A terrific idea, a powerful ending, brilliant storytelling’ ***** 
‘The story drew me in instantly, and I laughed so much’ ***** 
‘I definitely want everyone to read this book’ ***** 
‘There are so many wonderful lines to underscore, but if I write them here, there will be spoilers!’ *****

We'll Prescribe You a Cat

The highly anticipated new novel - The Kokoro Clinic for the Soul reopens in this delightful follow-up to the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel We'll Prescribe You a Cat for fans of The Travelling Cat Chronicles and The Cat Who Saved Books 
 
It’s time to revisit the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. 
 
Though it is mysteriously located at an uncertain address, the Kokoro clinic can always be found by those who need it. And it has proven time after time that a prescribed cat has the power to heal the emotional wounds of all its patients. 
 
This irresistible sequel introduces a new loveable cast of healing cats, from Kotetsu, a four-month-old Bengal who unleashes his energy by demolishing bed linen, to curious Shasha, who won't let her tiny size stop her, and lazy Ms. Michiko, who is as soft and comforting as mochi. 
 
As characters from one chapter re-appear as side characters in the next, we follow a young woman who cannot help pushing away the man who loves her; a recently widowed grandfather whose grandson refuses to leave his room; and an anxious man working at a cat shelter who seeks to show how difficult cats can be the most rewarding. 
 
This moving, magical novel proves just how eternally unknowable cats are for we humans, even while we continue to cherish their special gift of transforming our lives. 
 
**Contains five exquisite line drawings by artist Alissa Levy @levysfriends

We'll Prescribe You Another Cat

Hye-Young Pyun

Fall into the chilling and claustrophobic psychological novel and Korean bestseller from the award-winning author, perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson, Stephen King, and Olga Ravn. 
 
WINNER OF THE SHIRLEY JACKSON AWARD 
SOON TO BE A MAJOR FILM STARRING THEO JAMES AND SQUID GAME'S HOYEON 
 
'A superbly insidious and atmospheric chiller about caring and cruelty: grief, isolation, helplessness and existential fear' Guardian 
 
‘Korea's answer to Stephen King . . . a thoughtful and elegant exploration of a relationship . . . increasingly unnerving’ Observer 
 
‘Beautifully haunting… Probably my favourite book I’ve ever read.’ 5-star reader review 
 
Following a devastating car crash that killed his wife, Oghi wakes in hospital to find himself trapped in his own body and under the control of his vengeful mother-in-law as she grieves the loss of her only child. 
 
Isolated from his friends and neglected by his nurse, Oghi’s world shrinks to the room he lies in and his memories of his wife, a sensitive woman who found solace in cultivating her garden. 
 
But as Oghi remains alone and paralysed, his mother-in-law is hard at work in the now-abandoned garden, uprooting what her daughter had worked so hard to plant and obsessively digging larger and larger holes… 
 
A bestseller in Korea, The Hole is a superbly crafted and deeply unnerving novel about the horrors of isolation and neglect in all of its banal and brutal forms. 
 
Praise for The Hole 
 
‘A gripping read for fans of literary horror’ The Bookseller 
 
‘Will stay with you long after you turn the last page’ Heather Parry, author of Carrion Crow and Orpheus Builds a Girl 
 
‘Masterfully unsettling.’ Leon Craig, author of Parallel Hells 
 
'Like Hitchcock or Abe, Pyun peers head on into the unnerving depths of human grief' Blake Butler, author of 300,000,000 
 
'A Korean take on Misery' Time 
 
'Suspenseful, eerie and surprisingly profound' Big Issue 
 
'While reading The Hole, you’ll find yourself suddenly doubting everything' Kyung-sook Shin, New York Times bestselling author of Please Look After Mother 
 
‘A chilling psychological thriller . . . the reader is drawn in deeper with each new revelation’ PA Media

The Hole

Hiro Arikawa

THE PERFECT READ FOR ALL CAT-LOVERS 
 
'Bewitching... as self-possessed and comforting as - well, a cat' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 
 
'A book about kindness and love, and how the smallest things can provide happiness' STYLIST 
___ 
 
It's not the journey that counts, but who's at your side. 
 
Nana is on a road trip, but he is not sure where he is going. All that matters is that he can sit beside his beloved owner Satoru in the front seat of his silver van. 
 
Satoru is keen to visit three old friends from his youth, though Nana doesn't know why and Satoru won't say. 
 
Set against the backdrop of Japan's changing seasons and narrated with a rare gentleness and humour, Nana's story explores the wonder and thrill of life's unexpected detours. It is about the value of friendship and solitude, and knowing when to give and when to take. 
 
At the heart of this book is a powerful message about the importance of kindness. It shows, above all, how acts of love, both great and small, can transform our lives. 
___ 
 
Readers love THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES: 
 
'Delightful, insightful, full of warmth with plenty of humour' 5 stars ***** 
'Uplifting and heart wrenching in equal measure' 5 stars ***** 
'It had me in floods of tears but filled me with hope too' 5 stars *****

The Travelling Cat Chronicles

The uplifting million-copy bestselling Japanese translated story

Komail Aijazuddin

Discover the must-read, coming-of-age queer memoir about learning how to love yourself in a world that doesn’t want you to. 
 
‘A beautiful celebration of being different.’ TOM ALLEN 
 
‘An important story, told with a sharp wit and disarming humour’ MOHSIN ZAIDI author of A Dutiful Boy 
 
‘Brilliant, spectacularly witty and genuinely moving. I loved it.’ MATTHEW TODD, author of Straight Jacket 
 
I’m just a man, standing in front of a salad, asking it to be a cake. 
 
What do you do when you’re too gay for Pakistan, too Pakistani to be gay in America and you’re ashamed of your body everywhere? 
 
Even as a young child in Lahore, Komail Aijazuddin knew he was different. Other boys didn’t pirouette off their desks, get bullied for their ‘manboobs’ or spontaneously burst into songs from The Little Mermaid. Other boys didn’t play together like that. 
 
Starved of a crucial part of himself, he ate. And ate. Before long, his own body became another burden to carry everywhere and to hide. Komail began to believe his only chance at a happy, meaningful life would be found elsewhere: in America, land of the free, home of the gays. But he would soon learn that finding happiness takes a lot more than a plane ticket. 
 
This is Aijazuddin’s riotous, intelligent memoir of searching for his place between two worlds while navigating a minefield of expectations, prejudice and self-doubt. In Manboobs, Aijazuddin confidently announces himself as a sharp new voice in humour with his moving, wickedly funny search for love and the bravery required to be yourself.

Manboobs

A very queer memoir

Sverker Sörlin

A beautiful and profound natural history of snow from the bestselling, award-winning Swedish environmentalist Sverker Sörlin, exploring the cultural, scientific, artistic and existential significance of what is, due to climate-change, fast-becoming a vanishing fact of nature. 
 
Selected as one of the Financial Times Best Books on the Environment. 
 
‘Amazing anecdotes … thrilling and moving.’ Nature 
 
'Snö is full of character, as condensed with detail as firn (compacted, heavy, old snow) and as beautifully constructed as a snowflake.' Times Literary Supplement 
 
Snow. A single word, for an infinite variety of water formulations, frozen in air. The study of snow is physics, chemistry, meteorology, anthropology, geography, poetry and art. It is hope – annually renewed. And it is history, too. 
 
Earth saw its first snowfall 2.4 billion years ago. The world's oldest skis, made by hand five thousand four hundred years old, pre-date the pyramids of ancient Egypt. To humanity, snow has variously been an ally and an adversary; an inspiration to countless artists and a place of breathtaking tragedy and survival. But it’s always been there. And now it is melting. 
 
In 1927, the snow was already more than nine metres deep on Japan's Mount Ibuki when a remarkable 230cm fell in 24 hours, bringing about the greatest depth of snow - 11.82m - ever recorded. Yet it is a fact today that, ironically not only has this mountain's resort been forced to close due to lack of snow, most people in the world have never been near snow: never felt the soft crunch of snow underfoot, never held snow to see it melt in their hands, let alone stood on a pair of skis. 
 
As the seasons lose their rhythm, and whole landscapes risk vanishing, shrinking too our planet's ability to reflect sunlight, Swedish environmentalist Sverker Sörlin urges that we take the time to look - really look - at what it is we’re losing, in all its multifaceted wonder. And to question, what comes next? 
 
'Part a love letter to snow, part a goodbye, Snö is extraordinary.' Sally Coulthard - Author of The Secret World of Twilight: A Natural History of Dusk & Dawn 
 
'Arresting facts and extraordinary insights. Sverker Sörlin is a scholar and writer at the height of his creative powers.' Klaus Dodds, Professor of Geopolitics, Royal Holloway, University of London

A History

Naoko Higashi

A JAPANESE MODERN CLASSIC 
 
Discover the original and moving literary gem for fans of Banana Yoshimoto and Kawaguchi's BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD 
 
What if you could come back after death to watch over your loved one, installing yourself in a treasured mug, for example, or perhaps your mother's hearing aid, a diary, or even a climbing frame, to feel the clambering limbs of a beloved younger sister? 
 
Eleven recently deceased protagonists find themselves floating in the afterlife where a nameless ghost offers them a joyous reunion with their loved ones. 
 
But not as you would expect. 
 
In a world where souls linger restlessly around after death, unwilling to depart, The Soul Catchers is a comforting, witty, and surprisingly sensual take on the Japanese folk belief that objects can be inhabited by human presences. Utterly charming and feelgood, Higashi's classic is an original exploration of our eternal reluctance to let go.

The Soul Catchers

THE INSTANT TIMES BESTSELLER 
 
DISCOVER YOUR NEXT FEELGOOD JAPANESE NOVEL, BY THE AUTHOR OF THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES 
 
Over 1.4 million copies sold in Japan 
 
'You will be wrapped in laughter and tears' Reader review***** 
'What I love about it is its Kindness' Reader review***** 
'I wanted to tap the shoulders of the characters' Reader review***** 
‘Imagine Murder on the Orient Express without the untimely fatalities and you'll be halfway towards this cosy and affecting read' Harper's Bazaar 
_________ 
 
The contents of each traveller's heart is a mystery known only to themselves 
 
Trundling through the scenic countryside of Kyoto and Osaka is the Hankyu line, a burgundy-coloured electric train that has been carrying its commuters to their destinations for decades. 
 
Over the course of a single journey in springtime, and the return journey six months later just as the leaves begin to fall: 
 
- a young man meets the woman who happens to take out the last copy of the library book he was about to borrow; 
- an angry wedding guest dresses in a white gown to upstage the bride; 
- a university student leaves home for the first time; 
- a twenty-something finally grows the courage to walk away from an abusive partner 
- a widow learns independence, as she and her granddaughter discuss their new dog. 
 
As the seasons and the landscapes change, passengers jostle and connect, as this timeless train carries each one forward towards the person they intend to become.

The Passengers on the Hankyu Line

Kim Willis

'This book is an act of excavation, and an act of remembering.' 
 
As Kim Willis drifts from the traditional path of marriage and motherhood, she yearns for a new set of stories to light her way. Here, she is pulled towards the source of the Severn, hearing whispers of ancient matriarchs: shape-shifting enchantresses, scaly nymphs and goddesses who once commanded our lands. These are no fair maidens, but powerful warrioresses and animalistic beasts, snaking along the edges of watery places where we meet the otherworld in the shadows. 
 
As she uncovers the ancient myths hidden in the rugged landscapes of the British Isles, the stories of women like Arianrhod, Melusine and Cerridwen awaken a forgotten power. Journeying from the Severn to Skye, Eryri to Northumberland, Kim discovers new magic in the tales of old, unveiling forgotten truths about grief and healing, while charting a new course through sisterhood and sexuality, fertility and freedom. 
 
Through the threads of folklore, history and landscape, Kim identifies a better way of being for modern women, and crafts a new vision for Britain where women are - and always were - a force of nature.

No Fair Maidens

A wild journey with the lost goddesses of Britain

The perfect gift for nature lovers - The Book of the Owl is a beautifully illustrated small format hardback exploring the legend and history of the owl. A true celebration of this magnificent creature - its natural powers and its mythical glory. Fans of Stephen Moss and Fiona Stafford will not be disappointed. 
 
'In this short, beautiful little book, the farmer and nature writer introduces us to the wisdom of owls.. every question you might ask ... is answered with economy and insight and the cultural references and quotations are as rich as you would expect from this brilliant writer.' -- Daily Mail 
 
'John Lewis-Stempel is one of the best nature writers of his generation' -- Country Life 
 
'One of our finest nature writers with an essay length portrait of a bird that has fascinated humans for millennia.' -- Mail on Sunday 
 
'An absolute pleasure to read' -- ***** Reader review 
'Hypnotic reading' -- ***** Reader review 
'Absolutely fascinating' -- ***** Reader review 
'Hard to put down once opened, it is finished all too quickly' -- ***** Reader review 
******************************************************************************* 
 'Dusk is filling the valley. It is the time of the gloaming, the owl-light. 
 Out in the wood, the resident tawny has started calling, Hoo-hoo-hoo-h-o-o-o.' 
 
 There is something about owls. They feature in every major culture from the Stone Age onwards. They are creatures of the night, and thus of magic. They are the birds of ill-tidings, the avian messengers from the Other Side. 
But owls - with the sapient flatness of their faces, their big, round eyes, their paternal expressions - are also reassuringly familiar. We see them as wise, like Athena's owl, and loyal, like Harry Potter's Hedwig. Human-like, in other words. 
 
 No other species has so captivated us.

The Secret Life of the Owl

a beautifully illustrated and lyrical celebration of this mythical creature from bestselling and prize-winning author John Lewis-Stempel

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR NATURE LOVERS 
 
‘To see a hare sit still as stone, to watch a hare boxing on a frosty March morning, to witness a hare bolt . . . these are great things. Every field should have a hare.’ 
 
The hare, a night creature and country-dweller, is a rare sight for most people. We know them only from legends and stories. They are shape-shifters, witches’ familiars and symbols of fertility. They are arrogant, as in Aesop’s The Hare and the Tortoise, and absurd, as in Lewis Carroll’s Mad March Hare. In the absence of observed facts, speculation and fantasy have flourished. But real hares? What are they like? 
 
In The Private Life of the Hare, John Lewis-Stempel explores myths, history and the reality of the hare. And in vivid, elegant prose he celebrates how, in an age when television cameras have revealed so much in our landscape, the hare remains as elusive and magical as ever.

The Private Life of the Hare

**THE SPECIAL EDITION HARDBACK FOR ALL CAT-LOVERS !** 
 
Discover the fabulous new double volume hardback gifting edition containing two bestsellers by Hiro Arikawa: The Travelling Cat Chronicles and The Goodbye Cat. 
 
This edition includes extra sparkle and elegance, with brand new front-cover illustrations, full-colour inside endpapers and sprayed edges 
 
‘Bewitching... as self-possessed and comforting as - well, a cat’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 
‘A book about kindness and love, and how the smallest things can provide happiness’ STYLIST 
‘Quirky and life-enhancing’ THE TIMES 
___ 
 
Set against the backdrop of Japan’s changing seasons and narrated with a rare gentleness and humour, The Travelling Cat Chronicles explores the wonder and thrill of life's unexpected detours. It is about the value of friendship and solitude, and knowing when to give and when to take. 
 
In The Goodbye Cat, seven cats weave their way through their owners' lives. Bursting with empathy and love, it explores the unstoppable cycle of life as we see how the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down. 
 
Both huge bestsellers in Japan, at the heart of these books is a powerful message about the importance of kindness. Every page is a joyous celebration of cats and how we cannot resist sharing our lives with them. 
 
___ 
 
Readers adore THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES and THE GOODBYE CAT: 
 
‘Delightful, insightful, full of warmth with plenty of humour’ 5 stars ***** 
‘Uplifting and heart wrenching in equal measure’ 5 stars ***** 
‘It had me in floods of tears yet filled me with hope too’ 5 stars ***** 
‘Wonderful! These cats are charming and truly come alive. The book is full of human - or rather, cat kindness’ ***** 
‘Irresistible. This is the first time since The Travelling Cat Chronicles that I cried my eyes out over a book’ ***** 
‘I’m glad I didn't read it outside because I couldn't stop crying. Truly life-enhancing’ *****

The Travelling Cat Chronicles and The Goodbye Cat

At night the senses become reordered. 
Hearing, touch, smell are privileged over vision. It is after dark that we humans become more sensitive to nature, more ‘animal’. But the lights of the modern world are obliterating any meaningful connection to the night. We have lost touch with its wonders as well as its terrors. 
 
In this enchanting follow-up to Nightwalking, John Lewis-Stempel once again ventures out into the night to discover the natural world after dark, its rarely seen spectacles and curiosities. There are hares boxing under stars, night jars hunting moths in the summer wood, wintry moons with halos, rock-pool creatures glowing neon under UV light, barley fields shimmering in moonshine … 
 
In Night Life, Lewis-Stempel wanders his familiar farmland, and goes further afield too, exploring the Lake District, the Welsh coast, London’s Thames. Everywhere, he shows us why the night is precious, and what it is to be human in the dark.

Night Life

Walking Britain’s wild landscapes after dark

The uplifting new cat novel from the multi-million-copy bestselling author of The Travelling Cat Chronicles 
 
'Quirky and life-enhancing' THE TIMES Biggest Books of the Autumn 
_____________________ 
Against changing seasons in Japan, seven cats weave their way through their owners' lives. 
 
- A needy kitten rescued from the recycling bin teaches a new father how to parent his own human baby 
- An elderly cat hatches a plan to pass into the next world as a spirit so that he and his owner may be together for ever 
- A colony of wild cats on a holiday island shows a young boy not to stand in nature's way 
- A family is perplexed by their cat's devotion to their charismatic but uncaring father 
- A woman curses how her cat constantly visits her at night 
 
Bursting with empathy and love, THE GOODBYE CAT explores the unstoppable cycle of life as we see how the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down. 
 
A huge bestseller in Japan, every page is a joyous celebration of cats and how we cannot resist sharing our lives with them. 
 
'A book for every cat lover. An enchanting insight into the mysterious world of cats and their humans' CELIA HADDON, author of Being Your Cat 
 
**Includes seven beautiful cat drawings** 
_____________________ 
READERS ADORE THE GOODBYE CAT 
 
- 'Wonderful! These cats are charming and truly come alive. The book is full of human - or rather, cat kindness' ***** 
- 'Irresistible. This is the first time since The Travelling Cat Chronicles that I cried my eyes out over a book' ***** 
- 'I'm glad I didn't read it outside because I couldn't stop crying. Truly life-enhancing' *****

The Goodbye Cat

The uplifting tale of wise cats and their humans by the global bestselling author of THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES

James Aldred

Join James Aldred on a captivating journey, encountering master craftsmen, British wildlife, and a deep passion for a remarkable landscape. 
 
There are some moments in childhood that are frozen in time, vivid and vital, an anchor. When James Aldred tracked down an old Romani wagon he once played in, he found himself inside one such moment again. Though brambles had overtaken its rotted boards and its wheels were barely there, it transported him to a magical summer in the New Forest forty years ago and awakened in him the possibility of reliving it with his young family. Pairing an ambition to restore the wagon to its former glory with a determination to share the Forest with his children, he embarked on a remarkable journey. 
 
In his evocative memoir, Aldred chronicles his return to a cherished childhood landscape, rich with the history of the Romani families who once roamed freely there. As he painstakingly restores the wagon, Aldred delves into both the New Forest's natural history and storied past, tracing its roots back to the 16th century and even further to the time of William the Conqueror. Camera traps reveal otters hunting in the brook, while the nearby goshawk nest and fox earth speak to the area's thriving wildlife. 
 
Masterfully observed, A Wagon in the Woods is a celebration of both people and place, and the timeless bond between land, history and the enduring spirit of adventure.

A Wagon in the Woods

Pursuing a dream in an ancient forest

It’s the summer of 1951 and everyone is looking to put the dark days of the war behind them. The government’s solution: The Festival of Britain, a celebration of the country’s creativity, grit and ingenuity. 
 
For foreign correspondent turned war reporter Harry Flynn, it might offer the chance of redemption after a bad war in the Far East and a peace that is proving no easier to negotiate. Having failed to resume his journalistic career, he reluctantly joins an oddball team of misfits, ne’er-do-wells and downright chancers helping to ready the Festival of Britain for launch. 
 
Flynn’s attempts to resume some semblance of a romantic life also founder when one of his dates goes missing and he is deemed to be the last person to have seen her alive. Could he have been in some way responsible for her disappearance? 
 
Little does he realize that the answer to some of his mounting problems may lie in the hands of a precocious, straight-talking thirteen-year-old called Veronica and a rather scruffy terrier who goes by the name of Mrs Betty… 
 
Brilliantly plotted, witty and compelling, Our Noble Selves reaffirms Kate Atkinson’s place as one of the greatest chroniclers of our times.

Our Noble Selves

Caryl Lewis

From the multi award-winning author of Drift, winner of the Welsh Book of the Year 
 
'Extraordinary…this book will absolutely tug at your soul. One to re-read and treasure….glorious, heart-breaking, yet ultimately full of hope.' Liz Hyder, author of The Twelve 
 
'A gentle and tender novel about the power of forgiveness and how humans might thrive when given the space to grow. Richly rewarding fiction.' Kirsty Capes, author of Careless and Girls 
____ 
 
‘A seed in the heart of an apple is an orchard invisible’ Old Welsh Proverb 
 
Hannah has lived at Berllan Deg all her life, her husband came to live at the orchard when they got married. Tonight, she prepares for his funeral as he lies in the parlour. Over fifty years of marriage, a lifetime of memories dissipating in the impossibility of his stillness. He was a writer and a beekeeper who came to understand the world through the language of bees. He has left her eleven letters; the exact same number as there are frames in a bee’s nest. Each letter is an examination of an aspect of their marriage. The morning of the funeral, Sadie, Hannah’s estranged little sister comes back home for the service. As the letters unfold, they reveal a devastating secret that will make Hannah have to re-evaluate her whole life. 
 
Bitter Honey is a novel which brings three very different women together into a broken Eden and examines how they rebuild it on their own terms.

Bitter Honey

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