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Lucy Worsley

This is the story of a national obsession. 
 
Ever since the Ratcliffe Highway Murders caused a nation-wide panic in Regency England, the British have taken an almost ghoulish pleasure in 'a good murder'. This fascination helped create a whole new world of entertainment, inspiring novels, plays and films, puppet shows, paintings and true-crime journalism - as well as an army of fictional detectives who still enthrall us today. A Very British Murder is Lucy Worsley's captivating account of this curious national obsession. It is a tale of dark deeds and guilty pleasures, a riveting investigation into the British soul by one of our finest historians.

A Very British Murder

Tom Service

Music transports us and defines us. As a form of expression, it has been passed down through oral tradition, musical notation and recordings in a chain of connection that spans the globe, across the millennia. A History of the World in 50 Pieces follows that chain, collating 50 pieces of classical music that reflect our changing politics, social structures and technological development, and how composers, musicians and listeners have shaped those currents of history.From Bach to Beethoven, Songlines to Saariaho, Hildegard of Bingen to the Happy Birthday song, Tom Service offers a fresh take on pieces that many of us think we know, and many more we might not. With each short, sharp analysis, he expands the typical canon and tests the boundaries of what we understand to be ‘classical music’ – or even music at all, such as the sounds of the earth’s rotation, and the songs of humpback whales.An official BBC Radio 3 publication, A History of the World in 50 Pieces is a book for anyone curious about the power of music and how it shapes us and connects us.

A History of the World in 50 Pieces

The Classical Music That Shapes Us

Alan Titchmarsh

In When I Was a Nipper Alan Titchmarsh goes on a personal and nostalgic journey through post-War Britain in search of treasured values and traditions that were once the soul of society. With characteristic wit, warmth and humour he draws on the experience of his own childhood, and also takes a broader perspective, creating a wonderfully detailed and evocative portrait of a way of life that is fast disappearing, and asks what can we learn from this era of austerity to make our lives better today? 
 
Born in Yorkshire in 1949 and brought up in a Britain still recovering from World War 2, Alan remembers a time of relative calm, when it was enough to return home at night knowing that the house would still be standing. We were known throughout the world for our patience, resourcefulness and resilience. 'Mustn't grumble' was almost a national catchphrase, and queuing was second nature. Peppered with wonderful archive photographs and advertisements, When I Was a Nipper takes us back to those days, down high streets and through farmyards, on to trolley buses and into local pubs. 
 
As we move towards a global economy, as communities fragment and customs are lost, When I Was a Nipper captures a world that is fast receding into history. It's powerfully nostalgic for those who remember those days, but it's also Alan's timely call to all recession-hit Brits to heed the lessons of austerity Britain: 'make do and mend'; 'look on the bright side' and 'take the knocks on the chin'.

When I Was a Nipper

The Way We Were in Disappearing Britain

Guy Adams

This book is my humble attempt to shine a light on the work of the best and wisest I have ever known. He has, I think it is safe to say, elevated the science of detection into an art form. Having been at his side during some of his most remarkable cases, it has fallen to me to bring his achievements to the attention of the wider public. He is, quite simply, the Mozart of criminal investigation. 
 
 I would say more, but I am flattered and delighted to say that Sherlock Holmes himself has agreed to write a piece for the cover. John Watson 
 
 Don’t buy this book. The author has transformed what should have been a series of lectures into a gross and tasteless entertainment. The science of deduction is a branch of human achievement requiring serious analysis and yet here I find it lavishly illustrated, disfigured with humour and infested with gossip. 
 
 Apparently, this kind of sensationalism is required to engage the interest of the reading public, but it is rather like working an office romance into a paper on quantum physics. Only an idiot would be impressed. Help yourself. Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock: The Casebook

James Bluemel

Renad Mansour

In war, there is no easy victory. 
 
When troops invaded Iraq in 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein’s regime, most people expected an easy victory. Instead, the gamble we took was a grave mistake, and its ramifications continue to reverberate through the lives of millions, in Iraq and the West. As we gain more distance from those events, it can be argued that many of the issues facing us today – the rise of the Islamic State, increased Islamic terrorism, intensified violence in the Middle East, mass migration, and more – can be traced back to the decision to invade Iraq. 
 
In The Iraq War, award-winning documentary maker James Bluemel collects first-hand testimony from those who lived through the horrors of the invasion and whose actions were dictated by such extreme circumstances. It takes in all sides of the conflict – working class Iraqi families watching their country erupt into civil war; soldiers and journalists on the ground; American families dealing with the grief of losing their son or daughter; parents of a suicide bomber coming to terms with unfathomable events – to create the most in-depth and multi-faceted portrait of the Iraq War to date. Accompanying a major BBC series, James Bluemel’s book is an essential account of a conflict that continues to shape our world, and a startling reminder of the consequences of our past decisions.

Once Upon a Time in Iraq

Stacey Dooley

From the acclaimed filmmaker and Sunday Times bestselling author comes a frank, insightful and heartwarming exploration of the myriad issues surrounding contemporary motherhood. 
 
 
"It was the first time I’d ever signed ‘Mummy’, and it was a goodbye letter." 
"I feel so honoured to have carried you both for nine months and delivered you safely into the arms of your parents." 
"I knew I had to be in that little girl's life. The next time I got out, I never used drugs again." 
"As a refugee, I say to my daughter, 'You have been born in a safe place. Never take that for granted.'” 
 
 
After having her first child, Stacey Dooley had a new understanding of what family means – but not everyone’s experience of motherhood is the same. In Dear Minnie, Stacey brings her trademark empathy and investigative skill to an entirely new ‘frontline’, exploring the varied perspectives of mothers of all experiences. Using letters that each mother has written to their child as her starting point, Stacey’s frank, honest, and moving inquiry takes in experiences from pregnancy to birth and beyond, uncovering the messy truths and different emotional journeys women take, as well as the common bonds they all share. 
 
Dear Minnie shines a light on the quiet selflessness, resilience, pain, trauma, grief, and joy of every kind of mother, to tell a story that transcends culture and geography, and speaks to us all.

Dear Minnie

Conversations with Remarkable Mothers

Alison Maloney

For the last 70 years, the guests of Woman’s Hour have been entertaining listeners with their compelling combination of wit, warmth, insight and humour. Woman’s Hour has interviewed many of the biggest female names from entertainment, politics, the arts and beyond. 
 
Words from Wise, Witty and Wonderful Women is a collection of quotes and extracts from 70 years of the Woman’s Hour archive, featuring some of the most memorable guests to appear on the programme, from Doris Lessing to Nora Ephron, Hilary Clinton to J.K. Rowling, and Bette Davis to Meryl Streep. Charting the social and political revolution that has taken place in women’s lives over the past 70 years, as well as the perennial aspects of female life, such as love, family, relationships, the workplace, sex, ageing, and food, this delightful book shares fascinating insights and sage advice from the wise and wonderful women that have graced the Woman’s Hour airwaves over the decades.

Woman's Hour: Words from Wise, Witty and Wonderful Women

Simon Cox

BASED ON THE CELEBRATED BBC NEWS INVESTIGATION 
 
'gripping and bitingly cold… full of fine detail and outrage' – Sunday Times 
 
'Gripping' - Evening Standard 
 
 A true story of false memories. 
 
‘Over decades and decades in Iceland people have gone missing without anyone finding anything out. They just sort of disappear...’ 
 
In 1974, 18-year-old Gudmundur disappears after a boozy night in a fishing town near Reykjavik. Eleven months later Geirfinnur, a quiet family man, goes missing from Keflavik harbour in the southwest of Iceland after being summoned by a mysterious phone call from home. Both men are eventually presumed dead, but their bodies are never found. 
 
This quiet island is in an uproar - two disappearances with no forensics, no leads, no clue what has happened. Soon, the vanishings set in motion an almost surreal series of events, a remarkable tale of corruption, forced confession, false memory and madness that stretches over 40 years. 
 
Based on author Simon Cox's celebrated BBC News investigation, The Reykjavik Confessions is a chilling journey of discovery into a dark corner of Icelandic history, and a riveting true-crime thriller that will have you gripped until the very last page.

The Reykjavik Confessions

The Incredible True Story of Iceland’s Most Notorious Murder Case

Gabriel Gatehouse

‘A grand and somewhat terrifying narrative of misfits, misinformation and manipulation’ - The Guardian‘A magnificent storyteller’ - The Telegraph‘Gabriel goes down our dark American rabbit hole armed with nothing but his very British charm. He comes out with a story that is revelatory, scary, and brilliantly told.’ - Jon Stewart 
Is this how democracy dies? 
 
The Coming Storm is Gabriel Gatehouse’s brilliant exploration of how conspiracy theories became weaponised and used as wrecking balls to the liberal world order. As Donald Trump lays siege to the institutions of the American state, Gatehouse traces the roots of a radical new political movement. Winding his way from the early years of the Clinton administration into the murky depths of the 6 January storming of the US Capitol and beyond, The Coming Storm reveals a loose alliance of tech bros, internet trolls and white supremacists preparing the ground for a period of epochal change. Behind the chaos and the bombast, at the nexus of politics and new technology, democracy is becoming a thing of the past. On the cusp of a new era, Gatehouse peers into our imminent future, where a group of Silicon Valley titans have hijacked power, even reality itself.

The Coming Storm

Inside America’s Radical New Politics of Paranoia

A Journey into the Heart of the Conspiracy Machine

Peter Molloy

There was life before the fall. 
 
1989 was a year of astonishing and rapid change: the fall of the Berlin Wall marked the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and an end to an entire way of life for millions of people behind the Iron Curtain. Bloc Life collects first hand testimony of the people who lived in East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Romania during the Cold War era, and reveals a rich tapestry of experience that goes beyond the headlines of spies and surveillance, secret police and political corruption. In fact, many of the people remember their lives under communism as 'perfectly ordinary' and even hanker for the 'security' that it offered. 
 
From political leaders, athletes and pop stars, to cooks, miners and cosmonauts, the stories collected in Bloc Life evoke the moods, preoccupations and experiences of a world that vanished almost overnight.

Bloc Life

Stories from the Lost World of Communism

In this inspirational and practical guide to country life, passionate and hugely knowledgeable countryman Alan Titchmarsh explores the heritage of rural Britain, its landscapes and wildlife, its traditions, customs and crafts. 
The Lost Skills and Crafts Handbook will help you rediscover your love of the countryside, including: 
 
- a checklist of British butterflies and where to find them 
- how to keep chickens, ducks, goats and sheep 
- how to make soap, candles and your own herbal remedies 
- how to track animals and forage for food 
- essential knot tying 
- how to build a campfire without matches 
- how to create a kitchen garden 
- the origins of country superstitions 
 
And much more. With beautiful line art illustrations throughout, this compendium of the British countryside and its delights will be an essential read for any nature lover in your life.

Lost Skills and Crafts Handbook

Jeremy Paxman

Jeremy Paxman's unique portrait of the Victorian age takes readers on an exciting journey through the birth of modern Britain. Using the paintings of the era as a starting point, he tells us stories of urban life, family, faith, industry and empire that helped define the Victorian spirit and imagination. 
 
To Paxman, these paintings were the television of their day, and his exploration of Victorian art and society shows how these artists were chronicling a world changing before their eyes. This enthralling history is Paxman at his best - opinionated, informed, witty, surprising - and a glorious reminder of how the Victorians made us who we are today.

The Victorians

Sally Wainwright

Anne Choma

The real Anne Lister, and the official companion to the hit BBC series created by Sally Wainwright and starring Suranne Jones. 
 
In Gentleman Jack, historian and series consultant Anne Choma draws from the explosive diaries of Anne Lister to recreate the life and times of one of the most fascinating figures of the 19th century. Anne’s remarkable diaries, partly written in a secret code, detailed her innermost thoughts on everything from sex, menstruation and money to relationships, politics and society. As Choma shows, they have opened up a previously unknown world to us. 
 
Fearless, charismatic and determined to explore her lesbian sexuality, Anne forged her own path in a society that had no language to define her. This is the real Gentleman Jack, following Anne from her crumbling ancestral home in Yorkshire to the glittering courts of Denmark as she resolves to put past heartbreak behind her and find herself a wife. The official companion to the first series, it also features unpublished journal extracts decrypted for the first time, as well as a foreword by series creator Sally Wainwright.

Gentleman Jack

The Real Anne Lister The Official Companion to the BBC Series

Andrea Begley

Andrea Begley stunned the nation with her unique voice and was the brilliant winner of series two of The Voice UK. This is the exclusive story of her journey to the top. From her childhood in Ireland, coming to terms with the loss of 90% of her vision, to her university days and her passion for politics and above all, music. 
 
 The Voice was the opportunity Andrea had been waiting for and she made sure nothing would hold her back. In this book, Andrea reveals the moments of terror and triumph, the pressure and euphoria, what it’s really like to work with Danny O’Donoghue and what it feels like to have finally achieved her dream against all odds. 
 
 An incredible voice, an incredible woman. This is her story.

I Didn’t See That Coming

Patrick Aryee

Expand your understanding of the natural world with this fact-filled book as you discover how wild animals like elephants, hedgehogs, and geckos are supercharging human innovation.Written by wildlife TV presenter Patrick Aryee, each chapter is packed with incredible nature-inspired inventions that are helping to improve our daily lives: from mosquito mouthparts inspiring pain-free injections to the kingfisher beak that helped Japan’s high-speed bullet trains to travel even faster.You’ll also join Patrick on his thrilling wildlife adventures, from filming great white sharks and Egyptian fruit bats to swimming with humpback whales and manta rays, and even exploring deep inside the towering mounds of termites.Explore how animal adaptations – from sea sponges to octopuses and pangolins to camels – are sparking groundbreaking new technologies. Detailed illustrations bring these fascinating adaptations to life, showcasing remarkable creatures like the tardigrade, wandering albatross, and stunning blue morpho butterfly.This collection of stories is a must-read nature book for pop science enthusiasts and young minds alike, that’s jam-packed with amazing facts about British wildlife and animals worldwide.

30 Animals That Made Us Smarter

Jon Sopel

'You see, if only they didn’t speak English in America, then we’d treat it as a foreign country – and probably understand it a lot better’ 
 
‘the sanest man in America’ – Bill Bryson 
‘Jon Sopel nails it’ – Emily Maitlis 
 
**With a brand new chapter, charting Trump's first year in power** 
 
As the BBC’s North America Editor, Jon Sopel has had a pretty busy time of it lately. In the time it’s taken for a reality star to go from laughing stock to leader of the free world, Jon has travelled the length and breadth of the United States, experiencing it from a perspective that most of us could only dream of: he has flown aboard Air Force One, interviewed President Obama and has even been described as ‘a beauty’ by none other than Donald Trump. 
 
Through music, film, literature, TV and even through the food we eat and the clothes that we wear we all have a highly developed sense of what America is and through our shared, tangled history we claim a special relationship. But America today feels about as alien a country as you could imagine. It is fearful, angry and impatient for change. 
 
In this fascinating, insightful portrait of American life and politics, Jon Sopel sets out to answer our questions about a country that once stood for the grandest of dreams, but which is now mired in a storm of political extremism, racial division and increasingly perverse beliefs.

If Only They Didn't Speak English

Notes From Trump's America

Jonathan Morris

Simon Guerrier

Una McCormack

Welcome to the Whoniverse. First stop: everywhere. 
 
Six decades may only be a handful of heartbeats to a Time Lord, but for Doctor Who it's the adventure of several lifetimes. Evolving over 60 years, the world's longest-running sci-fi TV show has gifted us a universe of menacing monsters and unforgettable heroes. You might even call it a 'Whotopia'. 
 
Now you can roam free through the Doctor's dimension as never before in this special commemorative book for Doctor Who's diamond anniversary. Join all the Doctors as each tells their own story. Learn about their legions of legendary allies - and hear from the monsters' own mouths about what makes them tick. Find danger on alien worlds and threats here on Earth in all eras. And explore the gadgets, robots, spaceships, computers and mind-blowing creations that crowd the never-ending corridors of Whotopia. 
 
Crammed with exciting new images and in full colour throughout, Whotopia: The Ultimate Guide to the Whoniverse is the essential celebration of 60 years of Doctor Who.

Doctor Who: Whotopia

Joseph Bullman

Neil Hegarty

Brian Hill

The Secret History of Our Streets explores six roads spread across inner London - from Camberwell, Holland Park and Islington to Shoreditch, Deptford and Bermondsey - through the experiences of the people who lived there. Stories of poverty and violence, faith, love and hope, this is an intimate examination of our capital and the changing lives of its inhabitants. The history of over a hundred years of social change, this is the untold history of the sreets beneath our feet. 
 
You'll never look at your own street the same way again.

The Secret History of Our Streets: London

For 75 years, Woman’s Hour has brought us the most iconic and inspirational women from all over the world, delving into their lives and opinions, desires and lessons to others. Now, their wise words are brought to you each day in this daily guide. 
 
Woman’s Hour: Daily Meditations from Wise, Witty and Wonderful Women gives you a memorable quote to start your day, from a woman that has made us laugh, made us think and made us act, paired a thoughtful reflection on what that quote is teaching us. Featuring names such as Rosamund Pike, Jacqueline Wilson, Nina Simone, Annie Lennox, Mary Quant, Toni Morrison, Philippa Perry, Sandi Toksvig, Malala Yousafzai, Emma Thompson and many more, the topics range from the workplace to family, friendships to love, ageing to food, and just about everything in between. 
 
Start your day with the wisdom of these witty and wonderful women, from over 75 years of Woman’s Hour.

Woman's Hour

Daily Meditations from Wise, Witty and Wonderful Women

Dan Waddell

Do you know where you came from? 
 
Who Do You Think You Are? has been a BBC hit since its first series in 2004, which ignited an extraordinary boom in researching family history in the UK. Since then, the world of genealogy has transformed and while our sources of information remain the same, our ways of accessing them have multiplied and changed beyond recognition. In this practical, easy-to-use handbook, the WDYTYA? team share their experience and expertise, essential for anyone who would like to discover their family’s history. 
 
Drawing on celebrity stories to illustrate and inspire, and providing hints, tips and practical step-by-steps this pocket handbook will bring family history to life for fans of the show, and for any amateur sleuths starting out on their own journey of discovery.

Who Do You Think You Are?

The Genealogy Handbook

Gavin Weightman

BBC TWO's Restoration Home goes on an extraordinary journey of discovery with six new owners of crumbling listed buildings, as they restore them into beautiful 21st Century homes, and uncover, layer by layer, a rich and detailed history of the house and its former occupants. 
 
These stories are fascinating, but what lies behind your own front door? What secrets are held in your own four walls? This official companion to the TV series provides all the information you need to take your own home back in time, to discover who built it, how it was used, and even how it looked. 
 
Includes: 
 
How to use maps to track the changing landscape of your area 
 
How to identify the style of your home and when it was built 
 
Detailed information on key resources, including maps, censuses, deeds and Post Office directories, 
 
A photographic checklist of architectural features to look out for

Restoration Home

The Essential Guide to Tracing the History of Your House

We are not OK... 
 
I've been fortunate enough to meet many remarkable people over the last decade of making documentaries - sometimes in incredibly hostile environments, where they've been really up against it - and I've seen the devastating effect that poverty, trauma, violence, abuse, stigma, stress, prejudice and discrimination can have on people's mental health. It has always been the common thread. 
 
Every week, 1 in 10 young people in the UK experiences symptoms of a common mental health problem, such as anxiety or depression, and 1 in 5 have considered taking their own life at some point. In this book, Stacey Dooley opens up the conversation about mental health in young people, to challenge the stigma and stereotypes around it. 
 
Working in collaboration with mental health experts and charities, Stacey talks to young people across the UK directly affected by mental health issues, and helps tell their stories responsibly, in order to shine a light on life on the mental health frontline and give a voice to young people throughout the UK who are living with mental health conditions across the spectrum. 
 
As well as hearing about their experiences directly, Stacey speaks to medical experts, counsellors, campaigners and health practitioners who can give detailed insights into the conditions profiled and explore the environmental factors that play a part - including poverty, addiction, identity, pressures of social media and the impact of Covid-19.

Are You Really OK?

Understanding Britain’s Mental Health Emergency

Karen Farrington

Bargain Hunt is a British institution, entertaining audiences for over 20 years, and encouraging us to look for diamonds in the rough at antique fairs and shops across the country. A Bargain Hunt is more than just a quest for cash, though - from traveller's trunks and tea caddies to walking canes, coins and quirky costumes, each of the items chosen has their own story to tell, forming a small part of our collective social history. 
 
The Bargain Hunt Spotter's Guide to Antiques is packed with essential information from the Bargain Hunt experts on identifying quality across a range of antiques. From makers' marks and tell-tale historical styles to details in foils and finials, this will be your one-stop guide to making good choices on your own bargain hunt - while also delving into the fascinating stories behind many of our favourite antiques. 
 
With a foreword from Natasha Raskin Sharp, as well as tips, advice, and stories throughout from each of the show's experts (including 'league tables' of best and worst finds), this is the essential companion to all your future Bargain Hunts!

Bargain Hunt: The Spotter's Guide to Antiques

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