Wellcome Collection – serie

'A beautifully written and thought provoking journey' Professor Sue Black, author of All That Remains'There surely won't be a better history of the subject than Conisbee's' Literary Review'Richly researched ... an intimate chronology' TLSThe lost art of 'dying well' was common knowledge to our ancestors - who, living closer to death than we do, had an intimate and integrated relationship with the afterlife. For centuries, cycles of death, dying and disposal have shaped society, from the death-watchers of the Middle Age to the pomp of Victorian funeral wear.Ranging from the plague pit to the grave-robbery, from consecrated ground to the hangman's drop, No Ordinary Deaths is a groundbreaking work of social history which asks: how did our ancestors live, and die? How might the old ways help prepare us for our own ends?

*A Waterstones Best Book of 2023**A BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week**A New York Times Editor's Pick*'Terrific' SARAH DUNANT'Lively and intriguing ... You'll never look at Renaissance portraits in the same way' MAGGIE O'FARRELL'Highlights a rich tapestry of female experience that encompasses everyone from artisans to aristocrats ...' THE TIMESThis is the story of the Renaissance, but not as you know it. Discover overlooked and silenced women from this extraordinary moment in history and how they forged opportunities for creativity, community and resistance. From the bedchamber to the court, they give us an intimate window into what life was really like - and hold a mirror up to our contemporary obsession with how we look.'A witty and engaging history of cosmetics and beauty ... lavishly illustrated and hugely entertaining' IRISH TIMES'A total eye-opener, I loved it' NUALA McGOVERN

'A handbook for the modern world' i Paper'Elegant ... calm and generous' Mary Beard, GuardianThe must-read, pocket-sized Big Think book of 2020One of the Guardian's 'Best Books to Inspire Compassion'One of Independent's Books of the MonthA Cosmopolitan 'Revolutionary Read'Ours is the age of contagious anxiety. We feel overwhelmed by the events around us, by injustice, by suffering, by an endless feeling of crisis. So, how can we nurture the parts of ourselves that hope, trust and believe in something better? And how can we stay sane in this age of division? In this powerful, uplifting plea for conscious optimism, Booker Prize-nominated novelist and activist Elif Shafak draws on her own memories and delves into the power of stories to bring us together. In the process, she reveals how listening to each other can nurture democracy, empathy and our faith in a kinder and wiser future.

The dead talk. To the right listener, they tell us all about themselves: where they came from, how they lived, how they died - and who killed them. Forensic scientists can unlock the mysteries of the past and help justice to be done using the messages left by a corpse, a crime scene or the faintest of human traces. Forensics draws on interviews with top-level professionals, ground-breaking research and Val McDermid's own experience to lay bare the secrets of this fascinating science. And, along the way, she wonders at how maggots collected from a corpse can help determine time of death, how a DNA trace a millionth the size of a grain of salt can be used to convict a killer and how a team of young Argentine scientists led by a maverick American anthropologist uncovered the victims of a genocide.In her novels, McDermid has been solving complex crimes and confronting unimaginable evil for years. Now, she's looking at the people who do it for real. It's a journey that will take her to war zones, fire scenes and autopsy suites, and bring her into contact with extraordinary bravery and wickedness, as she traces the history of forensics from its earliest beginnings to the cutting-edge science of the modern day.

A SUNDAY TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR'A triumph' Guardian'Glorious ... makes the past at once familiar, exotic and thrilling.' Dominic Sandbrook'A brilliant book' Mail on SundayJust like us, medieval men and women worried about growing old, got blisters and indigestion, fell in love and had children. And yet their lives were full of miraculous and richly metaphorical experiences radically different to our own, unfolding in a world where deadly wounds might be healed overnight by divine intervention, or the heart of a king, plucked from his corpse, could be held aloft as a powerful symbol of political rule.In this richly-illustrated and unusual history, Jack Hartnell uncovers the fascinating ways in which people thought about, explored and experienced their physical selves in the Middle Ages, from Constantinople to Cairo and Canterbury. Unfolding like a medieval pageant, and filled with saints, soldiers, caliphs, queens, monks and monstrous beasts, it throws light on the medieval body from head to toe - revealing the surprisingly sophisticated medical knowledge of the time in the process.Bringing together medicine, art, music, politics, philosophy and social history, there is no better guide to what life was really like for the men and women who lived and died in the Middle Ages.Medieval Bodies is published in association with Wellcome Collection.

The full story of how our relationship with light shapes our health, productivity and mood.'A sparkling and illuminating study, one of those rare books that could genuinely improve your life' Sunday Times'Life changing' Daily Mail'Fascinating and readable ... Geddes's lovely book will fill you with longing!' The TimesSince the dawn of time, humans have worshipped the sun. And with good reason. Our biology is set up to work in partnership with it. From our sleep cycles to our immune systems and our mental health, access to sunlight is crucial for living a happy and fulfilling life. New research suggests that our sun exposure over a lifetime - even before we were born - may shape our risk of developing a range of different illnesses, from depression to diabetes.Bursting with cutting-edge science and eye-opening advice, Chasing the Sun explores the extraordinary significance of sunlight, from ancient solstice celebrations to modern sleep labs, and from the unexpected health benefits of sun exposure to what the Amish know about sleep that the rest of us don't.As more of us move into light-polluted cities, spending our days in dim offices and our evenings watching brightly lit screens, we are in danger of losing something vital: our connection to the star that gave us life. It's a loss that could have far-reaching consequences that we're only just beginning to grasp.

An Observer Book of the YearA Times Science Book of the YearA New Statesman Book of the YearA Financial Times Science Book of the Year'Astonishingly bold' Daily Mail'It is hard to imagine a more timely book ... much of the modern world will make more sense having read it.' The TimesWe live in a world that's more interconnected than ever before. Our lives are shaped by outbreaks - of disease, of misinformation, even of violence - that appear, spread and fade away with bewildering speed. To understand them, we need to learn the hidden laws that govern them. From 'superspreaders' who might spark a pandemic or bring down a financial system to the social dynamics that make loneliness catch on, The Rules of Contagion offers compelling insights into human behaviour and explains how we can get better at predicting what happens next.Along the way, Adam Kucharski explores how innovations spread through friendship networks, what links computer viruses with folk stories - and why the most useful predictions aren't necessarily the ones that come true.Now revised and updated with content on Covid-19.

Today, we don't get nearly enough play in our lives. At school, kids are drilled on exams, while at home we're all glued to our phones and screens. Former children's laureate and bestselling author, Michael Rosen, is here to show us how to put this right - and why it matters so much for creativity, resilience and much more.Packed with silliness, activities and prompts for creative indoor and outdoor play for all ages - with specially illustrated pages for everything from doodling to word play and after-dinner games.

*As heard on BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour**A Blackwell's and Waterstones Best Popular Science Book of 2022*'Excellent ... one of those rare pop-science books that make you look at the whole world differently' The Daily Telegraph *****'Riveting' Mail on Sunday *****'Captivating' Guardian, Book of the Day'Compelling' ObserverSarah Chaney takes us on an eye-opening and surprising journey into the history of science, revisiting the studies, landmark experiments and tests that proliferated from the early 19th century to find answers to the question: what's normal? These include a census of hallucinations - and even a UK beauty map (which claimed the women in Aberdeen were "the most repellent"). On the way she exposes many of the hangovers that are still with us from these dubious endeavours, from IQ tests to the BMI.Interrogating how the notion and science of standardisation has shaped us all, as individuals and as a society, this book challenges why we ever thought that normal might be a desirable thing to be.

Loneliness is an epidemic. It's changing our politics, our culture and our health. It's killing us. So how do we fix it?'A classic' - MALCOLM GLADWELL'Essential reading' - ATUL GAWANDE'A gift' - SUSAN CAINThis elegant, profound book will revolutionise everything you thought you knew about physical health, public policy and the human condition.Loneliness is an epidemic, whose impact on our health is on par with tobacco. No one is untouched: our healthcare system, our politics and our culture are buckling under its effects. And it has never been more urgent to address - this ground-breaking book shows the way.Dr Vivek Murthy has been at the forefront of identifying and tackling the global loneliness crisis: as the chief medical doctor of the US under both Obama and Biden, he witnessed first-hand its impact on everyday lives. Tracing the links between loneliness, health and some of our greatest personal and social challenges - from addiction to depression, obesity, anxiety and violence - here he talks to doctors, scientists and community leaders to reveal the solutions. Human connection is simple, and it is within everyone's power to enact - the tools in this book will transform lives, but only if you apply them.

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR ALL BIBLIOMANIACSA BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, SPECTATOR AND DAILY MAILA WATERSTONES BEST POPULAR SCIENCE BOOK Plunge into this rich and thought-provoking A-Z compendium to discover how our fixations have taken shape, from the Middle Ages to the present day, as bestselling author Kate Summerscale deftly traces the threads between the past and present, the psychological and social, the personal and the political.'Fascinating' Malcolm Gaskill, author of the No. 1 bestseller The Ruin of All Witches'Fascinating' Observer'An endlessly intriguing book ... All the bibliomanes (book nutters) I know will love it' Daily Mail

'Illuminating, thoughtful and scholarly' FINANCIAL TIMES'Does a fascinating job of exploring the history of women's bodies' GREG JENNER'Mind-blowing, fascinating stuff' BBC WOMAN'S HOUR'Authoritative, rich and wide-ranging, this is an immensely impressive work of scholarship' GUARDIANThroughout history, religious scholars, medical men and - occasionally - women themselves, have moulded thought on what 'makes' a woman. She has been called the weaker sex, the fairer sex, the purer sex, among many other monikers. Often, she has been defined simply as 'Not A Man'.Today, we are more aware than ever of the complex relationship between our bodies and our identities. But contrary to what some may believe, what makes a woman is a question that has always been open-ended.Immaculate Forms examines all the ways in which medicine and religion have played a gatekeeping role over women's organs. It explores how the womb was seen as both the most miraculous organ in the body and as a sewer; uncovers breasts' legacies as maternal or sexual organs - or both; probes the mystery of the disappearing hymen, and asks, did the clitoris need to be discovered at all?

A Waterstones Best Popular Science Book of 2024 Pick - from the bestselling author of BORN ON A BLUE DAY and THINKING IN NUMBERS'Bursting with feeling and possibility' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH'Nine Minds offers something that autistic people urgently need: it humanises us' KATHERINE MAY'Tammet's exquisite portraits remind us that the variety of brains is every bit as essential as any other form of diversity' ANDREW SOLOMON'A book as beautiful as the minds it portrays' AMY TANA Japanese researcher in psychology sets out to measure loneliness while drawing on her own experience of autism. A quirky boy growing up in 1950s Ottawa sows the seeds of his future Hollywood stardom. In the US, a non-verbal man explores body language, gesture by eloquent gesture, in his mother's yoga classes. Nine Minds delves into the extraordinary lives of nine neurodivergent men and women from around the globe. From a Fields Medal-winning mathematician to a murder detective, a pioneering surgeon to a bestselling novelist, each is remarkable in their field, and each is changing how the world sees those on the spectrum.Exploding the tired stereotypes of autism, Daniel Tammet - acclaimed author and an autistic savant himself - reaches across the divides of age, gender, sexuality and nationality to draw out the inner worlds of his subjects. Telling stories as richly diverse as the spectrum itself, this illuminating, life-affirming work of narrative nonfiction celebrates the power and beauty of the neurodivergent mind, and the daring freedom with which these individuals have built their lives. 'Nine Minds reminds us of the diversity within neurodiversity' GRAEME SIMSION

A Waterstones Best Popular Science Book of 2024 Pick - from the bestselling author of BORN ON A BLUE DAY and THINKING IN NUMBERSA Japanese researcher in psychology sets out to measure loneliness while drawing on her own experience of autism. A quirky boy growing up in 1950s Ottawa sows the seeds of his future Hollywood stardom. In the US, a non-verbal man explores body language, gesture by eloquent gesture, in his mother's yoga classes. Nine Minds delves into the extraordinary lives of nine neurodivergent men and women from around the globe. From a Fields Medal-winning mathematician to a murder detective, a pioneering surgeon to a bestselling novelist, each is remarkable in their field, and each is changing how the world sees those on the spectrum.Exploding the tired stereotypes of autism, Daniel Tammet - acclaimed author and an autistic savant himself - reaches across the divides of age, gender, sexuality and nationality to draw out the inner worlds of his subjects. Telling stories as richly diverse as the spectrum itself, this illuminating, life-affirming work of narrative nonfiction celebrates the power and beauty of the neurodivergent mind, and the daring freedom with which these individuals have built their lives.

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR ALL BIBLIOMANES A BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, SPECTATOR AND DAILY MAILAS HEARD ON BBC RADIO 4 WOMAN'S HOUR AND START THE WEEKPlunge into this rich, surprising and stunningly designed A-Z compendium to discover how our fixations have taken shape, from the Middle Ages to the present day, as bestselling author Kate Summerscale deftly traces the threads between the past and present, the psychological and social, the personal and the political.'Fascinating ... Phobias and manias create a magical space between us and the world' Malcolm Gaskill, author of the No. 1 bestseller The Ruin of All Witches'Fascinating' Observer'An endlessly intriguing book ... All the bibliomanes (book nutters) I know will love it' Daily Mail

History is dominated by A-list deaths: queens beheaded; archdukes assassinated. But what about everyone else? How did ordinary people depart this life and grieve for loved ones - and which of the old ways might help us prepare for the end?Our ancestors, living closer to death than we do, had a more intimate and integrated relationship with death as a familiar presence in daily life. From the death-watchers of the Middle Ages to the pomp of Victorian funeral wear, by way of plague pits, grave-robberies and wakes, historian and bereavement counsellor Molly Conisbee explores how cycles of dying, death and disposal have shaped - and been shaped by - society. She examines, through the prism of past deaths, their interweaving with our beliefs and politics, our most fervent hopes and deepest fears and, ultimately, what it means to 'die well'.A groundbreaking new work of social history, No Ordinary Deaths paints a rich picture of the lives of our forebears, skilfully bringing the lost art of death to life today.

An unmissable essay from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Don't Touch My Hair and What White People Can Do Next'A magnificent text' KATY HESSEL'This is so sharp, and funny, and will be so generously liberating for so many - read it!' KATHERINE RUNDELL'A must-read' PSYCHOLOGIESFor too long, beauty has been entangled in the forces of patriarchy and capitalism: objectification, shame, control, competition and consumerism. We need to find a way to do beauty differently. This radical, deeply personal and empowering essay points to ways we can all embrace our unruly beauty and enjoy our magnificent, disobedient bodies.'This call to joyful disobedience is proof that Dabiri is one of our most important thinkers and writers ... Fresh, new and important' IRISH TIMES'Radical, incisive, thoughtful ... I can't recommend enough' VICKY SPRATT