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''This is a gorgeous book about some of the world’s most gorgeous birds.'' JARED DIAMONDSunbirds are among the most striking of all bird groups; their dazzling iridescent plumage and long curved bills are conspicuous when the birds visit garden flowers on sunny days to feed on nectar. Some species - especially the females - are duller in appearance and harder to spot, feeding mostly on insects high up in forest canopies. Spiderhunters, as their name suggests, feed extensively on spiders, while sunbirds'' other close relatives, the flowerpeckers, are especially partial to mistletoe berries.This book is the last word on sunbird identification, ecology and behaviour. Now in its second edition, it has been fully revised and updated to reflect the many developments that have occurred in sunbird taxonomy, as well as the new research that has been published on their biology. It covers all 218 currently recognised species, providing details of key identification features, voice, habitat, distribution, conservation status, movements, food and behaviour. New colour art by award-winning artist Richard Allen has been added, and hundreds of high-quality colour photographs beautifully capture every species. Maps accurately depict geographical distributions of each taxon to subspecies level.This beautiful book is the definitive reference to the sunbirds, flowerpeckers, spiderhunters and sugarbirds of the world, and is essential reading for researchers, birders and conservationists alike.

Wong Kar-wai''s In the Mood for Love (2000) is a film that luxuriates in the feeling of being in love – without ever turning into a love story. Its central characters, Mr Chow and Mrs Chan, are tenants in next-door apartments in Hong Kong who discover that their respective spouses are having an affair. As they try to make sense of their partners'' behaviour, they also struggle to control their growing feelings for each other. Hailed by the press as ''the consummate unconsummated love story of the new millennium'', this film about desire repressed has become a firmly established classic of the twenty-first century. In his sharp and revealing analysis of In the Mood for Love, Tony Rayns draws on his considerable expertise in East Asian cinema and on his proximity to Wong Kar-wai and his colleagues at production company Jet Tone during the film''s long and complicated genesis. He delivers a personal and highly original commentary on the film and its production, complete with insights into Wong''s idiosyncratic working methods and influences. He also places the film in the context of Wong''s other work, with sidelights on its place in Hong Kong cinema as a whole. This new edition features an afterword by the author, looking back on In the Mood for Love 25 years after its first release.

We are all afraid that new dangers pose a threat to our hard-won freedoms, so what deserves attention is precisely the notion of freedom.The concept of freedom is deceptively simple. We think we understand it, but the moment we try and define it we encounter contradictions. In this new philosophical exploration, Slavoj Žižek argues that the experience of true, radical freedom is transient and fragile. Countering the idea of libertarian individualism, Žižek draws on philosophers Hegel, Kierkegaard and Heidegger, as well as the work of Kandinsky and Agatha Christie to examine the many facets of freedom and what we can learn from each of them.Today, with the latest advances in digital control, our social activity can be controlled and regulated to such a degree that the liberal notion of a free individual becomes obsolete and even meaningless. How will we be obliged to reinvent (or limit) the contours of our freedom?Tracing its connection to everything from capitalism and war to the state and environmental breakdown, Žižek takes us on an illuminating and entertaining journey that shows how a deeper understanding of freedom can offer hope in dark times.

A TIMES BOOK OF THE MONTHNew York lawyer Nora Carleton faces her biggest case yet in this gripping legal thriller from the critically acclaimed author of Central Park West and former director of the FBI, James Comey.EVEN FREE SPEECH HAS ITS PRICE.Nora Carleton is back working as a federal prosecutor in New York, but her city is in turmoil. Extremism is on the rise, funded from the shadows and growing in momentum online, with one person in particular fanning the flames.Radio and podcast host Samuel Buchanan uses his platform to spread disinformation and incite violence – and his mission is succeeding, with disturbances, clashes, and hate crimes rising across the country.As the threat of a major attack grows, and a United Nations rally is targeted, it seems Nora is the only one who can stop the spread. She must successfully convince a jury that some speech should be treated as a crime – or see her country torn apart.A powerful novel about the realities facing modern America, perfect for fans of Grisham, Connelly and Coben.''Comey''s best book yet'' The TimesReviews for James Comey''Truly outstanding'' Harlan Coben''Vivid and compelling'' Ian Rankin''Reads like Grisham'' Daily Mail

A searing, inventive memoir that interrogates misogyny, heroism and women’s power in an often-unsafe world through the lens of Vicky’s Foster’s own traumatic background.How do you get close to people when the people close to you keep shattering your world?Vicky Foster thought she’d finally escaped violence when her abusive ex-partner was murdered. Vicky was 25. She tried to draw a line under the past and move on with her life. This meant overcoming PTSD, trusting people again, building her career and ultimately, learning to return to herself. But, 16 years later, the past came crashing down on her, when one of her ex-partner’s murderers hit the headlines. This time, as the ''hero'' of the 2019 London Bridge terrorist attack.Lyrical and raw, It Happened Like This is a book about misogyny in all its forms, about heroism and villainy, about class and the climate of neglect created by austerity, but most importantly it’s a book about women and their power, explored through the prism of Vicky’s story.

Kilkenny, 1939. Ireland might be neutral, but Kitty Flynn is caught in her own war. Forced to give up her child at seventeen, she escaped to London in search of a fresh start.However, in 1941, upon hearing that her brother, Anthony, who had been injured during the Spanish Civil War, is now gravely ill, Kitty must return home to care for him. In a time where food and medicine are scarce, Kitty is relieved to secure a nursing job – that is, until G2, the Irish Intelligence notices her proficiency in German…G2 are determined to use Kitty’s translation skills to extract information from the German internees at The Curragh Military Camp, even using Anthony as leverage.Before she knows it, Kitty finds herself in the treacherous world of espionage. And soon Kitty must decide: will she sacrifice herself to save her brother?Inspired by real life events Kitty''s War is the new sweeping historical novel by the bestselling author of Dublin''s Girl, Eimear Lawlor.***Readers LOVE Kitty''s War:''Wonderful and emotional... I never wanted to stop reading'' NetGalley review''Gorgeously written'' NetGalley review''Brilliant'' NetGalley review''Fascinating'' NetGalley review''This book had it all!'' NetGalley review

''A hugely enjoyable love letter to swimming and open water adventures'' – Sophie RaworthSports and Virgin Radio Breakfast Show presenter Vassos Alexander found solace and distraction swimming in the Thames during a difficult summer, and was bitten by the bug. Now he can''t pass a body of water without wanting to jump in.Told through the story of training for a solo Channel swim, Swimmingly takes you on a journey across the world from Bournemouth Beach to San Francisco Bay. Vassos discovers that outdoor swimming is not about being the fastest or the best, it''s about finding that little bit of magic in every stroke.Working with elite coaches and interviewing the great and the good of swimming, he uncovers the massive sense of community at the heart of this time-honoured pastime. He meets Olympic champions and Channel legends – including Diana Nyad, who in her 60s became the first person to swim between Cuba and Florida; Lewis Pugh, the UN Patron of the Oceans and Lynne Cox, a woman who went for a swim and saved the world.It''s about the everyday swims, too – the tips shared and friendships forged over coffee and cake after a morning dip with the Teddington Bluetits or the sea swimmers of Whitstable. With the sport exploding in popularity over recent years, we all know someone (or are that someone!) who swims outside throughout the year.Swimmingly will leave you with a renewed sense of connection to the world, and perhaps even inspire you to dive into your nearest lake, river or sea with gleeful abandon.

The perfect follow-up for fans of Fourteen Wolves, this uplifting eco story follows the amazing true tale of three endangered sun bear cubs. Meet Tan-Tan ''the tiny one'', Kitud ''the quiet one'' and Boboi ''the big brother'', and follow them from their heartbreaking beginnings as little cubs stolen from their natural habitat, through to their heroic rescue by Dr Wong before being released back into the wild Bornean rainforest where they belong. Featuring insightful fact pages about the amazing flora and fauna of the rainforest and its importance to the ecosystem, alongside inspiring information about how to save the bears.

''A cleverly observed and deeply authentic novel about a marriage in turmoil, and the power the past can have over our present. Arresting and engaging ... Convincing characters and layers of intrigue'' HOLLY MILLERTristan and Izzy are on the brink of marital breakdown. Sex has become less than perfunctory and distance shadows their interactions. The arrival of their new neighbour may just be their salvation: or, will she be their undoing?Vivacious, enigmatic and enticing, Viv piques both Tristan and Izzy’s interest, her appearance in their lives offering them diversion from their faltering marriage and a window into the people they might be were it not for each other.But as Viv becomes an ever-increasing presence in their lives, the couple are forced to confront the long-ignored truths about themselves, each other and their pasts that have been a silent, spectral presence between them for years. At this fork in their marriage, they will face the most difficult decision: to cleave together for the sake of their union, or to walk away.A story about how the ripples in a relationship can become waves, The Single Neighbour holds a mirror up to the promise of domestic bliss, and asks whether an extinguished spark can ever be relit.__________________________________________________________________Praise for Hotel 21:''Beautifully told'' HEAT''Fresh, funny and touching'' HOLLY MILLER''Dark and joyous'' WOMAN''S WEEKLY

A Times, Telegraph, Financial Times, Observer, Guardian and Tablet Book of the Summer''Absolutely mesmerising. I was possessed by this book in the same way that I suspect its author was possessed by Spark. It still hasn’t put me down'' SPECTATOR''Unputdownable'' FINANCIAL TIMES''Joyously, brilliantly intelligent. In Wilson, Spark has met her true match'' ANNE ENRIGHTFrom one of our leading biographers and critics comes an exhilarating, landmark new look at Muriel Spark.The word most commonly used to describe Muriel Spark is ‘puzzling’. Spark was a puzzle, and so too are her books. She dealt in word games, tricks, and ciphers; her life was composed of weird accidents, strange coincidences and spooky events. Evelyn Waugh thought she was a saint, Bernard Levin said she was a witch, and she described herself as ‘Muriel the Marvel with her X-ray eyes’. Following the clues, riddles, and instructions Spark planted for posterity in her biographies, fiction, autobiography and archives, Frances Wilson aims to crack her code.Electric Spark explores not the celebrated Dame Muriel but the apprentice mage discovering her powers. We return to her early years when everything was piled on: divorce, madness, murder, espionage, poverty, skulduggery, blackmail, love affairs, revenge, and a major religious conversion. If this sounds like a novel by Muriel Spark it is because the experiences of the 1940s and 1950s became, alchemically reduced, the material of her art. *A 2025 HIGHLIGHT FOR: Telegraph, Financial Times, Guardian, Observer and Scotsman*''A brilliant, wonderfully shrewd biography'' WILLIAM BOYD''Pitch-perfect, electrifying. Reconfirms Wilson''s pre-eminence as Maestra of British biography'' RACHEL HOLMES

Perfect lawn stripesCrisps in sandwichesBarbeques in the rainNot making a fussCold pints in a beer garden These are a few of Fred Sirieix’s favourite things about the British. Ever since he boarded a P&O ferry bound for Dover with a one-way ticket and just two suitcases, this Frenchman has fallen head over heels for the UK.Seriously British is his love letter to the country’s food, landscapes, culture, food and drink (yes, a sparkling white wine from Cornwall can be as crisp and delicious as a French champagne). Full of personal insight, fascinating history and hilarious stories, this is a book that celebrates all the great things about our unique country.‘Moving here was the best decision I have ever made. Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité is still dear to my heart, but so is my personal motto: learn forever, enjoy life and make a difference. I’ve got Britain to thank for that.’

Birds have long inspired our emotional and imaginative connections to physical environments, but where did it all begin?Hidden in the names of English towns and villages, in copses, fields, lanes and hills, are the ghostly traces of birds conjuring powerful identities for people in ancient landscapes. What are their stories and secrets? How did people encounter birds over a thousand years ago? In The Cuckoo’s Lea, Michael J. Warren sets out on the trail of these ghosts. Captivated and guided by the secrets of place names, he finds their stories entangled with his own explorations of places through birds all across England. The past is hauntingly and movingly present on timeless marshes where curlews cry, where goshawks are breeding again for the first time in centuries, through silent cuckoo-woods lost under concrete sprawl, in the winter roosts of corvids and an owl village that vanished centuries ago.Weaving together early literature, history and ornithology, this book takes readers on a journey far into the past to contemplate the nature of place and to discover a fascinating heritage that matters deeply to us now when so many places and their birds are threatened or already gone.

A unique account of the opening weeks of history’s largest, most brutal conflict, told through the eyes of those who were there and based on original source material from across Europe.Opening the Gates of Hell is based on over a decade’s research in archives and sites across Europe. It is a ground-breaking examination of the start of the Nazi–Soviet conflict, a narrative history not just of the fighting, but also the impact on civilians, the atrocities committed by both sides and ethnic cleansing carried out by the inhabitants of the regions invaded. This fascinating history tells the stories of bravery, cowardice, misery and horror through the eyes of those who were there including ordinary soldiers, generals, leaders, politicians and civilians on both sides. The book draws on published and unpublished sources from across Germany and Eastern Europe with the majority of the material never having appeared in English-language accounts of the conflict before. The combination of combat accounts, analysis of high-level diplomacy and leadership and the visceral accounts of the atrocities committed by both sides gives this book a unique approach to the war on the Eastern Front and will ensure that it is regarded as the definitive work on the subject for many years to come.

2025''s most-anticipated new debut romantic fantasy is the epic, unmissable story of hope after heartbreak, secrets, betrayal, dancing - and the touch of a goddess of death.My protector is gone, revealed to be a monster. But I remind myself that I am not a damsel. I’m no princess bound within a tower.I am a shadow.Vasalie Moran was once a dancer in King Illian’s court – until he framed her for murder. Barely surviving her two years in the dungeons, she’s suddenly called to face her King. He offers her a deal: become his spy at the month-long royal Gathering and he’ll grant her freedom.As Illian’s orders grow bloody and dangerous, forcing her to harm and betray those around her, Vasalie discovers the monster she serves may be aligned with a bigger monster – one far closer to home. With her world threatened, Vasalie enlists the help of Illian’s brother and greatest adversary, the King of the East.As the rivalry between brothers escalates with Vasalie caught in the middle, the truth of her past comes to light. If she wants to survive, she must decide who to trust, who to fight for, and how much of her soul she’s willing to damn in the processPraise for A Dance of Lies''A breathtaking debut! Dance of Lies is beautifully written and filled with intrigue, with an incredible protagonist who is both vulnerable and resilient. Romantic, heartrending, and riveting - prepare to be swept away by this captivating fantasy'' - Sue Lynn Tan, Sunday Times bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.A Dance of Lies, Sunday Times bestseller, July 2025

''[A] thrilling story... a must-read for 8+ year olds'' School Reading ListMeet ocean explorer Sandy Fin, silver-scaled diver of the deep, puzzler of puzzles and hero of a new hilarious middle grade series from Martin Stewart, illustrated by Santy GutierrezSandy Fin lives in the Museum of Seaside Stories with the famous explorer Emile du Pont and their collection of treasures. Sandy and his best friend Lily are being taught the art of ocean exploration by Emile, aided by his ingenious inventions.When the museum''s future is in peril, it is up to Sandy and Lily to save it. But then slippery Albo Start arrives with secret plans for sandy''s home and the town''s marine life.Sensing something sinister, Sandy and Lily set out to stop Start, armed with banana sandwiches, moonlit sneezes and noses for danger.

''Full of secrets, Cornwall, and wonderful detail.'' Katie Fforde''Gloriously rich and layered.'' Liz Fenwick''Characters to fall in love with.'' Jackie Morris Time has forgotten this remote corner of West Cornwall, and left its many secrets undisturbed. Until now...Ezra Curnow has lived in the little cottage on the Trengrose estate all his life. He was born there, as was hisfather, and his grandfather before that. It is his own little Cornish paradise. Then the mistress of the estate, Eliza, dies without leaving a will, putting the cottage’s ownership into question. London financier Toby and his wife Minty are soon enticed by Trengrose’s charm and, worse still, see a lucrative rental opportunity in Ezra’s cottage.But Ezra is prepared to battle to save his beloved home, and has a number of secret weapons in his armoury. What Ezra doesn’t know is that Eliza also took some secrets to her grave – and she doesn’t intend to rest quietly until they come to light...A sumptuous Cornish tale packed with heart, relationships and mysteries from the past, from the bestselling author of The Sea Gate.READERS LOVE SECRETS OF THE BEES:''Without a doubt my favourite book of the year so far.''''***** ''A gorgeous, compassionate and surprising novel.''*****''Great twists... I can''t praise this book enough. Read it''*****''I loved every bit of this book from start to finish.''*****''One of the best stories I have read in a while... heartwarming''*****''A lovely read... one to help you lose yourself for a while''*****