Steve Roud was Local Studies Librarian for the London Borough of Croydon and served as Honorary Librarian of the Folklore Society for over fifteen years. He has been researching British folklore for over thirty years and is the joint author of the Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore, plus other books on traditional drama and folk song, and the Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland, which won the Katharine Briggs Folklore Award in 2004. His publications include London Lore (2008) and The Lore of the Playground (2010). He also compiles the Folk Song Index and the Broadside Index, two internationally acclaimed computer databases of traditional folk and popular song. He lives in Sussex.

Steve Roud

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Lissa Evans

Three decades after it first appeared on screen, Father Ted is still cherished, quoted and endlessly re-watched. Its beloved main characters, unforgettable lines and extraordinary visual jokes have given birth to a thousand gifs and t-shirts and a million catchphrases. 
 
Unforgettable to watch, it was also unforgettable to work on. Lissa Evans, as producer of the second and third series, spent three years hovering anxiously over every moment, from the first glimpse of script to the last revolution of a runaway milk-float round a specially-built plywood roundabout. There was no ‘average Father Ted episode’ – each of them was stuffed with challenges; endless rain, lustful rabbits, clerics crashing through windows, sheep doubles, collapsing crosses and a never-ending stream of eccentric priests – and the work that went into its creation was often nearly as bizarre as what was happening on screen. 
 
Picnic on Craggy Island is a hugely affectionate and anecdotal account of what lay behind some of those moments of comic genius – so pull on your kagoule, spread out your blanket, unwrap the sandwiches (they’re all egg) and enjoy the picnic…

Picnic on Craggy Island

The Surreal Joys of Producing Father Ted

Bella Jackson

There is a narrative we’ve become comfortable with: Mental health services are underfunded and understaffed. But that is only half the story. The other half is messy and confronting; uncomfortable enough to make us look sharply away. 
 
It is the story of the staff who believed they could make a difference, but were worn down by morally ambiguous tasks, impossible workloads and a systemic resistance to change. It is the story of the patients who are failed by hastily made diagnoses, overreliance on medication, coercion, stigma and inconsistency of care, and of the inspiring individuals struggling for justice and revolution. 
 
Beautifully wrought and staggeringly urgent , Fragile Minds documents Bella Jackson's time as a trainee mental health nurse, and the devastation and hope she encountered in winding corridors and behind locked doors. With compassion and care Bella introduces us to a vivid cast of staff and patients, prompting us to look closer, ask questions and demand more for them.

Fragile Minds

Stories from an NHS mental health ward

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

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

John Crace

John Sutherland

‘Give me the daggers and I’ll pin the blame/ On Duncan’s grooms who both are also slain. /A little water clears us of this deed /Though a large scotch might also do the trick...’  To celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, this is the first of a new collection of the Bard's greatest plays, digested to a few thousand words with invaluable side notes from John Sutherland.  Funny and incredibly clever, these parodies are a joy for those who know their Shakespeare, perfect for the theatre goer needing a quick recap, and a massive relief for those just desperate to pass their English exam.

Incomplete Shakespeare: Macbeth

Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson goes to Kenya at the invitation of CARE International, the charity dedicated to working with local communities to eradicate poverty around the world. Kenya, generally regarded as the cradle of humankind, is a land of stunning landscapes, famous game reserves, and a vibrant culture, but it also has many serious problems, including refugees, AIDS, drought and grinding poverty. It also provides plenty to worry a nervous traveller like Bill Bryson: hair-raising rides in light aircraft, tropical diseases, snakes, insects and large predators. 
 
Bryson casts his inimitable eye on a continent new to him, and the resultant diary, though short in length, contains all his trademark laugh-out-loud wit, wry observation and curious insight. 
 
All the author’s royalties from this book, as well as all profits, will go to CARE International.

Bill Bryson's African Diary

Cease I say, cantankerous old fools / 
Thy deeds hath made our streets a no go zone / 
No more shall Montagues and Capulets / 
Enact their West Side Story Sharks and Jets / 
Or else shall pay the forfeit of the peace.To celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, this is the second of a new collection of the Bard's greatest plays, digested to a few thousand words with invaluable footnotes from John Sutherland. Funny and incredibly clever, these parodies are a joy for those who know their Shakespeare, perfect for the theatre goer needing a quick recap, and a massive relief for those just desperate to pass their English exam.

Incomplete Shakespeare: Romeo & Juliet

Paul Kidby

Go behind the scenes of the iconic Discworld series with this beautiful, illustrated hardback, the perfect gift book for any fantasy fan this holiday season. 
 
'It's still magic, even if you know how it's done' SIR TERRY PRATCHETT 
 
Sir Terry Pratchett was one of the world's best-loved and bestselling fantasy writers, author of the iconic Discworld series. Now, for the first time, go behind the scenes of the incredible partnership between Pratchett and his ‘artist of choice’, Paul Kidby. 
 
This stunning new book shows how the Discworld was brought to visual life - from the earliest sketches to the final magnificent masterpieces - and how Terry and Paul absorbed influences from art and pop culture, fusing them into the Discworld landscape. 
 
Whilst Terry was the undisputed creative fountainhead, for three decades Paul has been the artistic force taking the people, places and piece of man-eating luggage from Terry's ever-fertile imagination right into our world. 
 
And, in a special final chapter, Designing Terry Pratchett's Discworld also outlines the images that we never got to see - the early covers of the great unwritten novels, taken from the world before their time. 
 
Packed full of hitherto unseen art and the real stories behind it, this is a unique insight into one of the greatest literary partnerships. 
 
'Paul Kidby has enriched us Discworld readers by visualizing the landscapes of our imagination . . . he has paved roads that allow us to walk throughout Discworld' 
from the Foreword by Colin Morgan

Designing Terry Pratchett’s Discworld

Terry Pratchett

A pocket Discworld quote book. Go beyond the novels to discover more about the fantastically funny and gloriously inventive world of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. 
 
‘I’ll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there’s evidence of any thinking going on inside it.’ 
The most quotable writer of our time, Terry Pratchett’s unique brand of wit made him both a bestseller and an enduring, endearing source of modern wisdom. This collection is filled with his funniest and most memorable words about life, the universe and snoring.

Seriously Funny

The Endlessly Quotable Terry Pratchett

Nora Ephron

From the writer of When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle, a collection of classic quotes for every occasion and season – the perfect gift for all women. 
 
We all want a best friend like Nora Ephron: frank but forgiving, wry but caring, someone who knows not only what to say but how to say it. 
 
Don’t know what to wear? 
‘Black matches with everything, especially black.’ 
 
Trouble in love? 
‘You can never know the truth of anyone’s marriage, including your own.’ 
 
Searching for a new belief system? 
‘My religion is Get Over It.’ 
 
Here is the best of Nora for every season of life, across her storied career, from her early days in the news media to her cult classic novel, to her unexpected turn as a legendary Hollywood writer. Nora saw it all, and with a wicked sense of humour and shrewd intellect, she made it all deliciously funny. 
 
Filled with unforgettable lines, this is a celebration of Nora’s singular wit and generosity – start at the beginning or flip to any page for instant delight. 
 
Praise for Nora Ephron: 
 
‘Triggered me to write my own book, and ask myself questions about who I was, and what kind of woman I am and how the world has shaped me.’ LILY ALLEN 
 
‘I am only one of millions of women who will miss Nora’s voice.’ LENA DUNHAM 
 
‘Funny, knowing and smart.’ INDIA KNIGHT 
 
‘Nobody does it funnier.’ MAUREEN LIPMAN

Some Day This Will Be A Funny Story

the quotable Nora Ephron

Dr Lucy Rogers

'Entertaining and unusual' Tristan Gooley, author of The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs 
 
'Lucy Rogers’s book, Up, does something genuinely amazing: she changes your perspective on life by encouraging you to tilt your head backwards and look – really look – at what is going on above us ... I learned so much from this book.' Tim Minshall, author of Your Life is Manufactured 
 
 
The sky is a world of endless wonder. From the intricate dance of clouds and the vibrant hues of the aurora borealis to the marvel of effortless soaring birds and the silent majesty of the stars, it is a living storybook. 
 
In Up, inventor and engineer Dr Lucy Rogers explores the beauty, science, and surprises of the world above. 
 
Join her on a marvellous adventure through a kite market in India, creep through the Borneo jungle to witness millions of bats pour out of a cave at dusk, venture to Tornado Alley to chase the raw power of storms, and journey to Mexico to stand in awe of a total solar eclipse. 
 
Up is for anyone who has ever paused to marvel at a shooting star, wondered about the ingenuity of human flight, or dreamed of touching a rainbow. Bringing rich insights, personal stories, and a very real sense of awe for the natural world, Dr Rogers explores the science behind these phenomena and reveals all there is to discover if you look Up. 
 
'My only complaint about the writing of Lucy Rogers is that there isn't enough of it' Tim Radford, Guardian

A scientist's guide to the magic above us

John Lewis-Stempel

"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

Anthony Delaney

Mother Clap's Holborn coffee house is open to all comers, a place of companionship and community, until a tip-off leads to a midnight raid. 
 
Two women, exiled from their families, set up a utopian homestead in a remote Welsh cottage, inspiring a generation of Romantic poets. 
 
The celebrated Chevalier d'Eon, soldier, diplomat and spy, challenges a rival to a fencing match. The sweepstake is not over who will win, but whether the Chevalier is a man or a woman. 
 
In this dazzling work of restorative history, Dr Anthony Delaney has traced the stories of people daring to challenge society's expectations, unearthing archives and court records to reveal the tragedies and the joys of queer life three centuries ago. Breathing new life into the forgotten and offering radical new interpretations of celebrated figures such as Anne Lister, Queer Georgians is an invitation to view our shared history in a whole new light.

Queer Georgians

A hidden history of lovers, lawbreakers and homemakers

Virginia Roberts Giuffre

‘If books can shape history, this is one.’ DAILY MAIL 
 
‘Both devastating and uplifting … fearless and frank - angry and empowering. It speaks to the thousands of other victims out there about how to start fighting back.’ EMILY MAITLISDaughter. Prisoner. Survivor. Warrior. Nobody’s Girl ... This is Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s last word. 
 
In 2011, Virginia Roberts Giuffre hit the headlines as Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s most outspoken victim: the woman whose decision to speak out helped send both serial abusers to prison and whose photograph with Prince Andrew catalyzed his fall from grace. But first and foremost, she became known as a voice of courage and resilience for women everywhere. This is her story, in her own words. A story that has never been told in full before now. It demonstrates with extraordinary power that victims are made, not born. And that once you come to truly understand the horrifying impact of abuse, you will never again question why a victim stays, or returns over and over again. 
 
In April 2025, Giuffre took her own life. She left behind a memoir written in the years preceding her death and stated unequivocally that she wanted it published. This is the powerful story of an ordinary girl who would grow up to confront adversity and trauma of the darkest form, yet found the strength to move forwards, reclaim her voice and shine a light on evil – advocating for others and fighting for a safer, fairer world. 
 
Nobody’s Girl is a remarkable recounting of one woman’s fortitude in the face of depravity and despair, and the legacy she leaves behind. 
 
THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 
THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

Nobody's Girl

A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice

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.

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