HarperCollins Publishers

Lucy has stumbled upon a marvellous land of fauns and centaurs, nymphs and talking animals. But soon she discovers that it is ruled by the cruel White Witch, and can only be freed by Aslan, the great Lion, and four children…

From bestselling author Bill Bryson comes this compelling short biography of William Shakespeare, our greatest dramatist and poet. Examining centuries of myths, half-truths and downright lies, Bill Bryson makes sense of the man behind the masterpieces. As he leads us through the crowded streets of Elizabethan England, he brings to life the places and characters that inspired Shakespeare's work. Along the way he delights in the inventiveness of Shakespeare's language, which has given us so many of the indispensable words and phrases we use today, and celebrates the Bard's legacy to our literature, culture and history. Drawing together information from a vast array of sources, this is a masterful account of the life and works of William Shakespeare, one of the most famous and most enigmatic people ever to have lived - not to mention a classic piece of Bill Bryson.

The Chronicles of Narnia" have enchanted millions of readers over the last fifty years and the magical events described in C.S. Lewis's immortal prose have left many a lasting memory for adults and children alike. Now you can enjoy all seven in this stunning bind up with a stunning film tie-in cover. For here is a world where a witch decrees eternal winter; where there are more talking animals than people; and where battles are fought by Centaurs, Giants and Fauns. Now you can discover the magic of the world of Narnia when you read all seven books in this exciting bind up. With a film tie-in cover, this book will be a hit with children and adults alike."

The first ever illustrated paperback of the critically acclaimed and beloved children's classic, featuring 26 colour paintings and over 30 pencil drawings by Alan Lee. Bilbo Baggins enjoys a quiet and contented life, with no desire to travel far from the comforts of home; then one day the wizard Gandalf and a band of dwarves arrive unexpectedly and enlist his services -- as a burglar -- on a dangerous expedition to raid the treasure-hoard of Smaug the dragon. Bilbo's life is never to be the same again. The Hobbit became an instant success when it was first published in 1937, and more than 60 years later Tolkien's epic tale of elves, dwarves, trolls, goblins, myth, magic and adventure, with its reluctant hero Bilbo Baggins, has lost none of its appeal. This classic edition is now available in a smart new livery, and is illustrated by Alan Lee throughout to complement the new paperback of The Children of Hurin.

How do creative people create?Where do they get their ideas?For many, "brainstorm" sessions are a starting point. But huge numbers of creative people go through creative annuals or other books showing large amounts of work by top creative people. (Author David Carter calls this process "solitary brainstorming.") The Big Book of New Design Ideas was created for this specific purpose. Each piece was selected based on its potential to trigger an idea in the mind of the reader. Look at the logo section: you'll see a lot of different techniques there. Suddenly, you see a logo that "triggers" an idea. And that idea may have nothing at all to do with the one you just saw. That's pretty much how this book works. For everybody who uses the works of others to inspire their own ideas, this book is the one that should be on the shelf.

The Chronicles of Narnia have enchanted millions of readers over the last fifty years and the magical events described in C.S. Lewis's immortal prose have left many a lasting memory for adults and children alike. All seven Chronicles are bound together in this new paperback edition (rebranded with HarperCollins logo). The Chronicles of Narnia have enchanted millions of readers over the last fifty years and the magical events described in C.S. Lewis's immortal prose have left many a lasting memory. For here is a world where a witch decrees eternal winter, where there are more talking animals than people, and where battles are fought by Centaurs, Giants and Fauns.

This is a new paperback edition of JRR Tolkien's fantasy masterpiece, The Hobbit". "The Hobbit" is a tale of high adventure, undertaken by a company of dwarves in search of dragon-guarded gold. A reluctant partner in this perilous quest is Bilbo Baggins, a comfort-loving unambitious hobbit, who surprises even himself by his resourcefulness and skill as a burglar. Encounters with trolls, goblins, dwarves, elves and giant spiders, conversations with the dragon, Smaug, and a rather unwilling presence at the Battle of Five Armies are just some of the adventures that befall Bilbo. Bilbo Baggins has taken his place among the ranks of the immortals of children's fiction. Written by Professor Tolkien for his own children, "The Hobbit" met with instant critical acclaim when published."

'The Return of the King' is the third part of JRR Tolkien's epic masterpiece 'The Lord of the Rings'. This paperback edition has the classic black cover featuring Tolkien's own design and includes the definitive edition of the text. The armies of the Dark Lord are massing as his evil shadow spreads even wider. Men, Dwarves, Elves and Ents unite forces to do battle against the Dark. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam struggle further into Mordor in their heroic quest to destroy the One Ring...JRR Tolkien's great work of imaginative fiction has been labelled both a heroic romance and a classic fantasy fiction. By turns comic and homely, epic and diabolic, the narrative moves through countless changes of scene and character in an imaginary world which is totally convincing in its detail. Tolkien created a vast new mythology in an invented world which has proved timeless in its appeal. Part of a set of three paperbacks, this popular edition is once again available in its classic black livery designed by Tolkien himself.

The forerunner to The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion fills in the background which lies behind the more popular work, and gives the earlier history of Middle-earth, introducing some of the key characters. The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien's World. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-Earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.

A classic tale from Doris Lessing, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, of a family torn apart by the arrival of Ben, their feral fifth child. 'Listening to the laughter, the sounds of children playing, Harriet and David would reach for each other's hand, and smile, and breathe happiness.' Four children, a beautiful old house, the love of relatives and friends - Harriet and David Lovatt's life is a glorious hymn to domestic bliss and old-fashioned family values. But when their fifth child is born, a sickly and implacable shadow is cast over this tender idyll. Large and ugly, violent and uncontrollable, the infant Ben, 'full of cold dislike', tears at Harriet's breast. Struggling to care for her new-born child, faced with a darkness and a strange defiance she has never known before, Harriet is deeply afraid of what, exactly, she has brought into the world ...

The million-copy bestseller, which is a ground-breaking meditation on war, memory, imagination, and the redemptive power of storytelling. 'The Things They Carried' is, on its surface, a sequence of award-winning stories about the madness of the Vietnam War; at the same time it has the cumulative power and unity of a novel, with recurring characters and interwoven strands of plot and theme. But while Vietnam is central to 'The Things They Carried', it is not simply a book about war. It is also a book about the human heart - about the terrible weight of those things we carry through our lives.

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics. 'It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow.' Living in Ancient Greece in the 5th Century BC, Aesop was said to be a slave and story-teller. His much-loved, enduring fables are revered the world over and remain popular as moral tales for children. With infamous vignettes, such as the race between the hare and the tortoise, the vain jackdaw, and the wolf in sheep's clothing, the themes of the fables remain as fresh today as when they were first told and give an insight into the Ancient Greek world.

HarperCollins is proud to present its range of best-loved, essential classics. 'The reaches opened before us and closed behind, as if the forest had stepped leisurely across the water to bar the way for our return. We penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness.' At the peak of European Imperialism, steamboat captain Charles Marlow travels deep into the African Congo on his way to relieve the elusive Mr Kurtz, an ivory trader renowned for his fearsome reputation. On his journey into the unknown Marlow takes a terrifying trip into his own subconscious, overwhelmed by his menacing, perilous and horrifying surroundings. The landscape and the people he meets force him to reflect on human nature and society, and in turn Conrad writes revealingly about the dangers of imperialism.

Develop key speaking skills and become more confident when speaking in English. To improve your speaking skills you need to learn how to get your message across in the right way and make sure people understand what you say. With Collins Speaking (A2) you will learn what to say and how to say it, by practising the right words, phrases and pronunciation. Includes practice on: * meeting new people * buying and ordering things * speaking on the phone * apologizing * asking for and giving opinions * making a complaint * agreeing and disagreeing * * Twenty units with a clear design in full colour. * Recordings of both native and non-native speakers of English, covering a wide variety of accents from around the world. * Appendices contain detailed advice targeting specific speaking skills. * Mini-dictionary with definitions of the most difficult words in each unit, taken from the Collins COBUILD dictionary. * Answer key Collins Speaking (A2) is part of the English for Life series. It is suitable for self-study and classroom use, and can help towards Cambridge ESOL KET preparation. Suitable for pre-intermediate learners of English (CEF level A2). The English for Life series uses authentic material from the Collins Corpus. The 4.5-billion-word Collins Corpus is the world's largest database of the English language and is updated every month. Also available in the Collins English for Life series: For Pre-Intermediate (A2) learners: Reading * Writing * Listening For Intermediate (B1+) learners: Reading * Writing * Listening * Speaking

An activity book to accompany Collins First English Words, winner of the Best Entry for Young Learners prize at HRH The Duke of Edinburgh English Language Book Awards 2012. Encourage a love for learning English and capture the imagination of children. Through fun and engaging activities, young learners can practise the English words they need to learn with the help of Ben, Daisy and Keekee the monkey. * Covers the first English words children need to learn * Words grouped into themes * Fun, varied and engaging activities, written specifically to help young children develop their skills of analysis and improve their linguistic awareness * Beautiful illustrations * Plenty of space for children to practise their writing and drawing skills * Notes for parents and teachers Collins First English Words Activity Book 1 can be used independently or alongside the beautifully-illustrated dictionary, Collins First English Words. Activity Book 1 contains simple but engaging activities that will encourage children to look and read, and to pick up a pencil and write. It is the ideal starting point for developing a love of learning English, reading and writing for young children. Also available: First English Words, First English Words Activity Book 2, First English Words Teacher's Book, First English Words Activity Pack.

Real English for life beyond the classroom English in the real world is constantly evolving, and learners need to move with it. But sometimes the English you can learn from your coursebook just isn't enough for real life. Being able to understand English as it is really spoken will give you the confidence to succeed in any English-speaking environment. Using a wide range of authentic, unscripted recordings of everyday people from around the world, Collins Listening (B2+) will help you to feel confident and prepared for anything. > Hear the language people really use when they are speaking > CD with over 40 authentic recordings in a wide variety of scenarios > Useful tips to increase your understanding of tone, slang and context Units are divided into the following themes: * Lifestyle * Practical advice and information * Attitudes and behaviour * Passions * Memorable experiences Each of these areas includes analysis of high-level, natural recordings between one, two and three people. Some conversations took place face-to-face while others were over the phone. All are 100% unscripted and unedited and do not use actors. About the series: What is it? Collins' innovative English for Life series adds the extra bit of authenticity to your studies that traditional coursebooks often lack. The series includes helpful up-to-date and relevant topics needed to get by in English and uses authentic material from the Collins Corpus, the world's largest database of the English language. How can the series be used? The series can be used for independent study (self-study) and extra assignments, it's a great supplement to existing coursebooks, and the books can also be used as stand-alone coursebooks for short courses. All books have accompanying teacher resources available online. What levels are available? There are three levels available: A2 (Pre-intermediate) B1+ (Intermediate) B2+ (Upper intermediate)