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THE FIVE-DAY WORKING WEEK MUST CHANGE: HERE’S HOW.‘Fingers crossed that this book will shake up the five-day working week.’ - Sir Christopher Pissarides, 2010 Nobel Laureate in EconomicsFriday is the New Saturday makes a compelling, provocative and timely case for societal change. Drawing on an eclectic range of economic theory, history and data, Dr Pedro Gomes argues that a four-day working week will bring about a powerful economic renewal for the benefit of all society. It will stimulate demand, productivity, innovation and wages, whilst reducing unemployment and crushing populist movements. The arguments come from both the left and right of the political spectrum to show that a polarised society can still find common ground.In the 1800s, people in the West worked six days each week, resting on Sundays. In the 1900s, firms began to give workers Saturdays off as well, realising that a two-day weekend helped the economy. In the 2000s, Friday will become the new Saturday, and we will never look back.

'Fluently written and convincingly argued, Blood and Iron is a brilliant account of an important period of history, and one that marks the arrival of a major new talent.' - Daily Telegraph'The best biography of the Second Reich in years ... It will undoubtedly become the essential account of this vitally important part of European history.' - Andrew Roberts'Outstanding, authoritative and gripping.' - Simon Sebag MontefioreBefore 1871, Germany was not yet a nation but simply an idea. Otto von Bismarck had a formidable task at hand. How would he bring thirty-nine individual states under the yoke of a single Kaiser, convincing proud Prussians, Bavarians and Rhinelanders to become Germans? Once united, could the young European nation wield enough power to rival the empires of Britain and France – all without destroying itself in the process?In a unique study of five decades that changed the course of modern history, Katja Hoyer tells the story of the German Empire from its violent beginnings to its calamitous defeat in the First World War. This often-startling narrative is a dramatic tale of national self-discovery, social upheaval and realpolitik that ended, as it started, in blood and iron.

‘A fresh look at the author’s enduring grip on our imagination.’ – SUNDAY MIRRORLondon had a special place in Agatha Christie’s heart. In her childhood, she would visit the capital to stay with her Auntie Grannie; as an adult, she owned several homes in the city. A reoccurring location in her stories, London is where Poirot and Hastings, and Tommy and Tuppence reside, and even Miss Marple cannot resist a trip up to town to shop in its department stores.Avoid red herrings, examine the clues to discover several of her former homes, use your little grey cells to detect where she worked during the Second World War, and probe where the former ‘Detection Club’ met. Gather the evidence to reveal the fashionable restaurants, luxury hotels and other locations that she and her characters frequented.On completion of your investigation, your denouement will reveal the final twist: just how important London was to Agatha and her stories.

On the night of 14–15 April 1912, Titanic, a brand-new, supposedly unsinkable ship, the largest and most luxurious vessel in the world at the time, collided with an iceberg and sank on her maiden voyage. Of the 2,208 people on board, only 712 were saved. The rest perished in the icy-cold waters of the North Atlantic, and the tragedy has fascinated and perplexed the world ever since.This stunning book tells the story of not just the Titanic, but also of its sister ships, Olympic and Britannic. Maritime experts J. Kent Layton, Tad Fitch, and Bill Wormstedt tell the stories of these legendary liners with a compelling narrative alongside original artwork from up-and-coming artists, bringing to life the design, construction and service of the ships together with the wrecks of the ill-fated Titanic and Britannic.From the cold, starry night when Titanic collided with her iceberg to the tragic wartime loss of Britannic and the impressive reliability of the long-lived Olympic, this cinematic and immersive new study captures all of the glory and drama of the Olympic-class age and allows readers to visualise Titanic and her sisters like never before.

Within these pages you will find New York City’s artsy enclaves, chic boutiques and gorgeous eateries, all waiting to be brought to life with your colors. Discover hidden pockets of beauty in the world’s most famous city and take your imagination on a journey along its prettiest streets.Featuring intricate hand-drawn line illustrations and handy neighborhood tips, this is the perfect book to help you unwind and color your way to peace and calm.

Now the subject of a major new film starring Colin Firth as Ewen Montagu in Operation Mincemeat.In the early hours of 30 April 1943, a corpse wearing the uniform of an officer in the Royal Marines was slipped into the waters off the south-west coast of Spain. With it was a briefcase, in which were papers detailing an imminent Allied invasion of Greece.As the British had anticipated, the supposedly neutral government of Fascist Spain turned the papers over to the Nazi High Command, who swallowed the story whole. It was perhaps the most decisive bluff of all time, for the Allies had no such plan: the purpose of ‘Operation Mincemeat’ was to blind the German High Command to their true objective – an attack on Southern Europe through Sicily. Though officially shrouded in secrecy, the operation soon became legendary (in part owing to Churchill’s habit of telling the story at dinner). Ewen Montagu was the operation’s mastermind, and in his celebrated post-war memoir, The Man Who Never Was, he reveals the incredible true story behind ‘Operation Mincemeat’.

LONGLISTED FOR THE CWA ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION 2026‘A fascinating and meticulously researched look at the biggest gay scandal to hit the headlines until Oscar Wilde. Absolutely a must-read.’ – Paul Donnelley, author of 501 Most Notorious CrimesIt’s the summer of 1889, and the royal family is in crisis.It is well known in polite society that the Prince of Wales’s eldest son and his aristocratic acolytes are regulars at 19 Cleveland Street – a male brothel in London’s West End. Bad behaviour by the gentry is accepted, but it must stay behind closed doors; they can do what they wish, but the rule that rules all is silence. The Establishment has always closed ranks – a word here and there from powerful people will put rumours swiftly to bed.But not this time.Onto this stage walks Detective Inspector Frederick Abberline of Scotland Yard, fresh from leading the disastrous Jack the Ripper investigation the previous year. Now the reputations of men who rule half the world are under threat from a scandal that stretches all the way to the corridors of Buckingham Palace.

‘Meet the people connected to Titanic in a very personal way. Through a tremendous display of memorabilia items – some of them very personal – you will feel the Titanic disaster as you never have before. A fresh, unique tour de force in the annals of Titanic literature!’ – J. KENT LAYTON, co-author of Recreating the TitanicThe basic facts of the Titanic’s story are well known: in April 1912 the largest ship in the world, described as ‘practically unsinkable’, set off on her maiden trip to New York. She would never make it there. Instead she would strike an iceberg just days into her journey and sink to the depths of the North Atlantic Ocean, taking nearly 1,500 people with her. She would remain there undisturbed for seventy-three years.Titanic Collections: Fragments of History is a two-part series showcasing rare and important artefacts relating to the history of RMS Titanic. Many collectors prefer to hide their treasures away, but the items presented in these beautiful books have been gathered by six well-known and respected researchers, authors, historians and collectors who want to share their acquisitions with the world.The People is a tribute to those connected with the ship, whether passengers or crew, through the items they left behind. It goes beyond the five-day voyage that they are forever entwined with to look at their whole lives, using letters, photographs and personal effects to tell their stories and highlight the real human cost of one of the world’s most famous tragedies. Each beautifully photographed item brings the story of the Titanic to life, and all come together as a museum for your bookshelf.

‘A wonderful gallery of period items related to the Titanic and Olympic, presented and shared by some of the top researchers and collectors in the field. Many of these items are quite rare or unique, and are not often seen by the general public.’ – Bill Wormstedt, co-author of Recreating the TitanicThe basic facts of the Titanic’s story are well known: in April 1912 the largest ship in the world, described as ‘practically unsinkable’, set off on her maiden trip to New York. She would never make it there. Instead she would strike an iceberg just days into her journey and sink to the depths of the North Atlantic Ocean, taking nearly 1,500 people with her. She would remain there undisturbed for seventy-three years.Titanic Collections: Fragments of History is a two-part series showcasing rare and important artefacts relating to the history of RMS Titanic. Many collectors prefer to hide their treasures away, but the items presented in these beautiful books have been gathered by six well-known and respected researchers, authors, historians and collectors who want to share their acquisitions with the world.The Ship focuses on artefacts relating to the Titanic herself, ranging from carpet squares and floor tiles to crockery and bath tickets. Each beautifully photographed item brings the story of the Titanic to life, and all come together as a museum for your bookshelf.

The garden is an oasis, a pocket of nature in our busy modern lives, full of plants, animals, insects – and a fair bit of magic.Folk Tales from the Garden follows the seasons through a year of stories, garden lore and legends. Explore the changing face of nature just outside your front door, from the tale of the Creator painting her birds and the merits of kissing an old toad, to pixies sleeping in the tulips, and an unusually large turnip.

‘... brings the medieval world vividly to life, recreating the always fascinating and sometimes dangerous world in which Joanna moved.’ - All About HistoryRichard the Lionheart travelled to far-flung realms, went on crusade, met kings and popes, and exerted a great deal of influence on the world around him … and so did his sister.The sons of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine have been the subject of much historical attention, but their daughters have been curiously overlooked. The youngest of them, Joanna, led a particularly extraordinary life full of adventure and danger – and not a little controversy – that was more than a match for those of any of her brothers, including the famed Lionheart himself.Lionessheart is Joanna’s story, and also an exploration of the wider world of the twelfth century as seen through the eyes of a woman who was a princess and a pioneer, a warrior and a wife, a captive and a queen.

'A fantastic, feminist dance through history.' - Julia Quinn, author of BridgertonWhat queens would England have had if firstborn daughters, not firstborn sons, had inherited the throne?We may think of princesses as dutiful and elegant, wearing long flowing dresses, but the eldest daughters of England’s kings have been very different.Political intriguers. Abducted nuns who demanded divorces. Murderers.It’s time we rediscovered the politicians we lost, the masterminds we see negotiating nunneries not armies, the personalities shining brilliantly even hundreds of years later: the queens who should have been.Let’s meet them.

‘An excellent and comprehensive exploration of this fascinating subject.’ - Philip Carr-Gomm, author of Druid Mysteries‘Samhain was the entry point into winter, a time of hardship, cold and hunger … It was also a time of introspection, of communing with the dead and the otherworld – themes that have somehow survived, albeit distorted, into the modern era.’The modern celebration of Halloween is derived from the ancient festival of the dead known in Ireland as Samhain. It is from Ireland that we have inherited most of our Halloween traditions, mainly through the diaspora. Delving into the ancient past, this book uncovers the history of this festival in Britain, Ireland and Brittany, including the forgotten goddess Tlachtga and the sacred temple of the Druids in Co. Meath, where the first Halloween fires were lit.

‘Jo Stanley has fearlessly explored the depths of maritime history, discovering treasures along the way. Read this book and find out why.’ – Marcus Rediker, author of The Slave Ship: A Human HistoryTraditionally, a woman’s place was never on stormy seas. But actually thousands of dancers, purserettes, doctors, stewardesses, captains and conductresses have taken to the waves on everything from floating palaces to battered windjammers.Their daring story is barely known, even by today’s seawomen. From before the 1750s, women fancying an oceangoing life had either to disguise themselves as cabin ‘boys’ or acquire a co-operative husband with a ship attached. Early pioneers faced superstition and discrimination in the briny ‘monasteries’.Today women captain cruise ships as big as towns and work at the highest level in the global maritime industry; indeed, the first woman vice-admiral in the UK was appointed as recently as 2025. This comprehensive exploration views the Merchant Navy alongside the Royal Navy and showcases the unremitting resolve of generations of seagoing women.Using a wide variety of interviews and sources, and fully updated to reflect the lives of and opportunities for women today, Seafaring Women Through History vividly reveals the incredible journey across time taken by these brave and lively women salts.

‘A few tools and a wide range of skills can achieve many things …’If you've ever wanted to make your own bow and arrows, learn to create fire using friction, or mix up glue and dyes from the natural resources that surround us, then this is the book for you. John Rhyder has taught traditional woodcraft skills for several decades and can now teach you in this no-nonsense, amusing and easy-to-follow guide.Woodcraft will take you on a practical learning journey – from the safe use of tools and sustainable harvesting of wood to the subsequent uses for roots, bark and timber. This step-by-step account is suitable for the student of woodcraft, the naturalist and the practitioner of bushcraft skills.

‘I feel you have captured the essence of my Great Aunt Helen.’ – Howard Ostby, descendant of Titanic survivor Helen OstbyThe early 1900s were a man’s world, and the Titanic was no exception. Even today, the stories we know about that fateful night mostly revolve around men and their actions, despite there having been nearly 500 women and girls on board.From the stewardess who survived three different maritime disasters to the mother whose young children were kidnapped and taken aboard the Titanic, and from the Carpathia passenger whose reports on the Titanic started a journalism career to the woman who went down with the ship but who no one remembered seeing, Melinda E. Ratchford tells the stories of women whose lives were inextricably linked to the sinking, revealing the world as it was for women in 1912.Titanic Women’s Stories is an investigation into the lives of these women before, during and after the tragedy that irrevocably changed both their world and ours.

This enchanting collection of stories gathers together legends from across Scotland in one special volume. Drawn from The History Press’ popular Folk Tales series, herein lies a treasure trove of tales from a wealth of talented storytellers. From the Spaeman’s peculiar advice and a laird who is transformed into a frog, to a fugitive hiding in a dark cave and the stoor worm battling with Assipattle, this book celebrates the distinct character of Scotland's different customs, beliefs and dialects, and is a treat for all who enjoy a well-told story.

‘There are so many insights – even hardcore Bond fans will be surprised. Indispensable.’ – David Lowbridge-Ellis MBEOnly six men can lay claim to wearing the famous Savile Row tuxedo of James Bond; more people have stepped on the Moon. Yet, hundreds more came within an inch of winning the coveted 007 role – the pinnacle for so many actors.The Search for Bond tells the extraordinary story of how cinema’s most famous secret agent was cast, featuring exclusive interviews with many of the actors who were at one time considered to play Bond, interviewed for the role, or went as far as to be screen tested. From Ranulph Fiennes to Colin Firth, their memories and stories give a fascinating insiders’ glimpse into the process of how the Bond producers, Broccoli and Saltzman, came up with the right man to play their famous spy.

The Little Book of Aviation is a collection of facts, figures and interesting stories from the world of flight. Sad, humorous, baffling and astounding stories abound, from the pioneering days of the Wright Brothers to the present day, and covering everything from great milestones, famous names who’ve served, and the greatest of aircraft icons; phantom pilots and aircraft and a glossary of slang; the origins of plane-spotting and unusual aircraft names; great feats and enduring mysteries; lucky escapes and great aircraft in the movies… the trivia is limitless and will appeal to everyone, whether you want help telling your Spitfire from your Messerschmitt or you know a Spitfire I from a Spitfire II!

Born in 1904, von Mellenthin joined the Seventh Cavalry Regiment in 1924. In 1935, he began his general staff training and in 1939 was an intelligence officer. By the end of the war, he had risen in rank to Major General and was Chief of General Staff, Fifth Panzer Army, on the Western Front. Active in the Polish campaign of 1939, the conquest of France, the Balkans, the desert with Rommel, as well as in Russia, at Stalingrad and Kursk, he was in a unique position to write Panzer Battles, having been present at every major panzer campaign. In 1944, he was moved to the Western Front under Field Marshall von Rundstedt. Captured in 1945 by the Americans, he moved to South Africa after the war and became an executive for a major German airline.

Once upon a time in the quiet coastal town of Whitstable, previously known for oysters and fingering, a bunch of (mostly) novice embroiderers but accomplished swearers came together to sew, drink and swear. And amidst all the stitching and laughing, friendships flourished and beautiful, irreverent pieces of art were created, adding a contemporary flavour to the ancient art of embroidery. F*ck Off, I’m Sewing! brings you the highlights and lowlifes of the Profanity Embroidery Group. Often funny, at times moving and always profane, their colourful embroidery will leave you in stitches.

New York City is known for many things: its urban, high -rise landscape; bustling atmosphere; and busy business and tourist spots. Pretty tree-lined avenues, cute shops, and serene getaways do not immediately come to mind for this cosmopolitan city – but they are there if you know where to look. Filled with stunning images, prettycitynewyork uncovers the beautiful, the quaint, and the downright pretty that is scattered throughout the world’s most famous city. Travel down secluded alleys, peruse markets and artisan boutiques, and discover the gems hidden in this bustling metropolis. Along with helpful tips for budding photographers and advice on how to plan your own prettycitynewyork experience, this book is perfect for visitors on foot and armchair travelers alike.

Sheffield’s story is one of fierce independence and a revolutionary spirit, its industrial origins having their roots in the same forests as the legends of Robin Hood. From Huntsman’s crucible steel in the eighteenth century, to Brearley’s stainless steel in the twentieth, Sheffield forged the very fabric of the modern world.As the industrial age drew to a close the city’s reputation for rebelliousness spawned its popular reputation as capital of the ‘People’s Republic of South Yorkshire’. Yet in the wake of the Miners’ Strike and the Hillsborough Disaster, the early twenty-first century has seen Sheffield retain its unique character while reinventing itself as a centre of education, creativity and innovation.

THE STORY OF HOW A WILD MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE EVOLVED INTO AN ELITE OLYMPIC SPORT'Why is the best blood of England to waste itself in scaling hitherto inaccessible peaks, in staining the eternal snow, and reaching the unfathomable abyss never to return?’ - The Times, 1865In the 1950s, rock climbing was a wild mountain adventure that was defined by a rebellious, bohemian culture and practised by small groups of amateur enthusiasts. Today, rock-climbing has become a professionalised, high-performance, mass-participation Olympic sport. There are now more than 400 climbing walls and over 500,000 people climb regularly in the UK.Ascent tells the story of this remarkable transformation.Anthony King – a dedicated climber himself – traces the sport’s evolution through decades of rebellion, innovation and achievement to its place today as a vibrant, diverse culture. His own experiences colour the narrative; we discover not just how climbing developed, but what it feels like to climb and be a climber. More than just a history of the sport, through this story we also see how British society itself has changed.Expansive, immediate and deeply engaging, Ascent is both cultural sport history and lived experience.

This book draws extensively on the little-known but important Suffragette Fellowship Collection of archive photographs, newspapers, personal correspondence, artefacts and memoirs, to present a vivid picture of Suffragette life. The strength of the book is its rare images of the Suffragette campaign leading to the outbreak of the First World War. The book also documents leading personalities in the Suffragette movement, such as Emmeline Pankhurst, Annie Kenney and Emily Wilding Davison, the behind-the-scenes activities at the Women’s Social and Political Union, their public propaganda work, the brilliant set-piece demonstrations and the escalation of militancy from ‘pestering the politicians’ to burning down buildings and attacking works of art. The book also explores what happened to these incredible women after their war was won and the vote was granted to them.

Some 66 million years ago, an asteroid some seven miles across slammed into the Earth, leaving a geologic wound over 50 miles in diameter. In the terrible mass extinction that followed, more than half of known species vanish seemingly overnight. But this worst single day in the history of life of Earth was as critical for us as it was for the dinosaurs, as it allowed for evolutionary opportunities that were closed for the previous 100 million years. In The Last Days of the Dinosaurs, Riley Black walks readers through what happened in the days, the years, the centuries and the million years after the impact. Life’s losses were sharp and deeply felt, but the hope carried by the beings that survived sets the stage for the world as we know it now.

‘Refreshingly clear-eyed … Faking It is an insightful and intelligent book that’s a must for those looking for facts about AI hype.’ – Books+Publishing‘AI will be as big a game-changer as the smart phone and the personal computer – or bigger! This book will help you navigate the revolution.’ – Dr Karl KruszelnickiArtificial intelligence is, as the name suggests, artificial and fundamentally different to human intelligence. Yet often the goal of AI is to fake human intelligence. This deceit has been there from the very beginning. We’ve been trying to fake it since Alan Turing answered the question ‘Can machines think?’ by proposing that machines pretend to be humans.Now we are starting to build AI that truly deceives us. Powerful AIs such as ChatGPT can convince us they are intelligent and blur the distinction between what is real and what is simulated. In reality, they lack true understanding, sentience and common sense. But this doesn’t mean they can’t change the world.Can AI systems ever be creative? Can they be moral? What can we do to ensure they are not harmful? In this fun and fascinating book, Professor Toby Walsh explores all the ways AI fakes it, and what this means for humanity – now and in the future.

'Extraordinary and thrilling ... This story should be known to every man, woman and child' - Lemn SissayIn 1868, British troops charged into the mountain empire of Ethiopia, stormed the citadel of its monarch Tewodros II and grabbed piles of his treasures and sacred manuscripts. They also took his son – six-year-old Prince Alamayu – and brought the boy back with them to the cold shores of England.For the first time, Andrew Heavens tells the whole story of Alamayu, from his early days in his father’s fortress on the roof of Africa to his new home across the seas, where he charmed Queen Victoria, chatted with Lord Tennyson and travelled with his towering red-headed guardian Captain Speedy. The orphan prince was celebrated but stereotyped and never allowed to go home.The book also follows the loot – Ethiopia’s ‘Elgin Marbles’ – and tracks it down to its current hiding places in bank vaults, museum store cupboards and a boarded-up cavity in Westminster Abbey.A story of adventure, trauma and tragedy, The Prince and the Plunder is also a tale for our times, as we re-examine Britain’s past, pull down statues of imperial grandees and look for other figures to commemorate and celebrate in their place.

‘Brilliantly researched, lovingly written, a wonderful behind-the-scenes look at some of the magnificent, unsung queer artists who worked on the iconic franchise.’ - Tom Rob SmithAn original, warm-witted and illuminating chronicle about the queer talents that have shaped the James Bond phenomenon in all its forms.Blending historical insight with new observations and interviews, Bond commentator and author Mark O’Connell presents a dynamic and entertaining James Bond compendium full of new perspectives and imagery, as well as an alternative timeline of 007 history few know exists.In Bond, Queer Bond, what might begin as a thoughtful dive into an adjacent world of 007 fast becomes a rich, colourful and compelling manifesto about the queer DNA of a cultural icon– with LGBTQ names and beats, such as Lionel Bart, Richard Chopping, Truman Capote, Peter Hunt, Tom Ford, Doris Fish, Harvey Milk, John Sex, the AIDS crisis, the ballroom scene, pop art icons, and many more, forming the rainbow crosshairs of this book.Joining O’Connell are guest contributions from the likes of Barbara Broccoli, David Arnold, Mark Gatiss, Putter Smith, Peaches Christ, John Glen, Ann Magnuson, Jon Lys Turner, Jany Temime, Maud Adams and more. The other history of a spy has never been so fabulous.