Oneworld Publications

In an era of instability, how do we build a better futur? e live in a time of unprecedented technological change and uncertainty, from AI to transhumanism. Humankind is faced with the question of what the future will be like and – more burningly – should be like. We confront increasing dangers from geopolitical instability, war and the climate crisis that threaten to render these developments either irrelevant or deadly. The answer can’t just be to call a halt. A. C. Grayling asks the question no one else is asking. What do we wish to keep from yesterday that will help us decide today what we want and don't want tomorrow. How we might navigate the complexities to build a fairer, more equal, sustainable future.

Vernice and Annie, two motherless daughters raised in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, have been best friends and neighbors since earliest childhood, but are fated to live starkly different lives. Raised by a fierce aunt determined to give her a stable home in the wake of her mother’s death, Vernice leaves Atlanta at eighteen for Spelman College, where she joins a sisterhood of powerfully connected Black women and marries into an affluent family. Annie, abandoned by her dissolute mother as a child, and fixated on the idea of finding her and filling the bottomless hole left by her absence, sets off on a journey that will take her into a world of peril and adversity, as well as love and adventure, and culminate in a battle for her life.

THE SPELLBINDING NEW NOVEL FROM THE WOMEN'S PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE* 'This is Tayari Jones's very best work.' ANN PATCHETT, author of Tom Lake* 'Kin is a masterpiece of a novel.' OPRAH WINFREY* 'A future classic.' ROISIN O'DONNELL, author of Nesting*'An exquisite gift.' TIME MAGAZINEA Most Anticipated Book for 2026 according to the New York Times, New Statesman, Guardian, Independent, Financial Times and USA TodayA yearning for their missing mothers pulls Vernice and Annie apart. It will take a devastating tragedy to bring them back together. Vernice and Annie are 'cradle friends', born days apart in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, both destined never to know their mothers. The girls are inseparable, bound by a friendship far deeper than sisterhood. But this is the American south in the 1950s. Black girls like Vernice and Annie have to fight for every opportunity they can, and neither one can build the future they hope for in Honeysuckle. Gradually, inevitably, the girls drift apart. Vernice pursues her education; Annie is lured by the promise of a heady first love affair and a growing obsession with finding her mother. But her search pulls her even further into a world of danger that soon leaves her oldest friend battling to save her. Tayari Jones returns with an exuberant, richly told story about mothers, daughters, and a lifelong friendship that is as dangerous as it is unbreakable.

The first non-fiction book to explore the joys and complexities of adult sibling relationships'Truly enlightening, charming and moving. I’ve learned so much…but I’m still angry with my sister for reading my diary!' Jane Garvey'It is our least discussed and most formative relationship and Catherine’s work is a hilarious, moving and fascinating guide through it.' Chris and Xand van Tulleken'Whether you're a sibling or an only child, Catherine Carr's book will leave you wiser and feeling more at home in the world.' Oliver Burkeman'Eye-opening and true. I wouldn’t be who I am today if it weren’t for my brother.' Gok WanFor most of us, our sibling relationships are the longest we will ever have. Whether loving or fraught, competitive or codependent, these bonds shape us in lasting ways. In this heartfelt, judgment-free book, Catherine Carr invites us to look at our brothers and sisters beyond the labels assigned in childhood. Combining real-life stories with expert insight, she explores birth-order stereotypes, favouritism, trauma, blended families, only children, siblings with additional needs, and the pain of estrangement and bereavement. Thinking about these relationships more deeply may help us better understand ourselves and the world around us. *Interwoven with candid interviews with sibling pairs taken from her hit podcast, Relatively, such as Chris and Xand van Tulleken, Johnny and Lillie Flynn, Nick and Gill Hornby, Manni and Reuben Coe, and more*

The Secret History meets Saltburn in this captivating and darkly seductive tale of art, obsession and the perilous cost of reinvention. 'A cautionary tale of fakery of all kinds…  the perils of hero-worship have rarely been demonstrated with such intensity and style.' The Times'Lucien is thrilling in every way—the propulsive narrative, the knife-sharp prose, the nuanced and multi-faceted characters, the unflinching exploration of class, ego, art, and authenticity ... an utterly original and deeply affecting novel.' Bret Anthony JohnstonHis greatest gift was the art of deceit... When Christopher “Atlas” Novotny arrives at Harvard, he is completely unprepared for the privileged world that awaits him. There he meets his roommate, Lucien Orsini-Conti, who is bold, confident and sophisticated – everything Atlas wishes he could be. In awe of Lucien, Atlas is soon swept into a glittering new world of lavish parties and elite social clubs. But when he struggles to afford his new lifestyle, Lucien, sensing a willing disciple, offers a daring solution. As their underhand methods draw them into a dangerous game of deceit, Lucien’s behaviour grows more erratic. Is Lucien all that he seems, or does his charismatic façade conceal something much more sinister?

Just how many deaths does it take to close a holiday park? All Lacy wants is to escape to Paris and be with her older sister. But she needs to make some money first, so she takes a summer job at a caravan park in North Wales. When one of the guests is brutally murdered, rumours start to swirl about the park being haunted. There are sightings of a mysterious figure walking along the clifftops at night and Lacy can’t shake off the feeling that she’s being watched. Could there be some truth to the stories? And can she discover who – or what – the killer is before she becomes the next victim?

A STUNNING HISTORICAL NOVEL FROM WOMEN'S PRIZE LONGLISTED AUTHOR ‘An epic, perilous odyssey.' Guardian, Book of the Day* One of BBC's '12 books you need to read in 2026' * A Guardian Book of the Day* A BookBub 'Best Historical Fiction of 2026' selection'This book is a triumph.' Laila Lalami, author of The Dream HotelA spellbinding story about two outsiders who venture into the Forbidden Kingdom of Tibet, both driven by a motive they are desperate to keep secret. In 1869, the mountainous territory of Tibet is closed to foreigners, an infuriating obstacle to Europeans racing to expand their empires. In response, Britain begins training Indians – permitted to cross borders that white men may not – to undertake illicit, perilous expeditions within Tibet. Balram is one such surveyor-spy, recruited to guide an English captain on a foolhardy mission. His path will soon cross with that of another unlikely explorer, Katherine. Fleeing a life of frustrated ambition, belittled by her male peers, Katherine has a plan to secure her legacy as the first European woman to reach Lhasa and the legendary Potala Palace. As they battle to survive, Balram and Katherine face storms and bandits, snow leopards and soldiers, fevers and frostbite. But nothing is more dangerous than the secrets that snap at their heels, in this unforgettable story about the obsessions of the colonial enterprise, and the ways we endeavour to leave a mark on the world.

From the bestselling author of The Paris Wife comes an irresistible story of love, courage and resistance on the streets of Paris – and in the secret network of tunnels that lies beneath* A Good Morning America Book Club pick for January 2026! *'A real treat' The Times1664: Alouette Voland is the daughter of a master dyer at Paris' famed Gobelins Tapestry Works. With a gift for her craft and a drive to prove she is as good as the male dyers controlling the industry, Alouette dreams of creating her own masterpiece. But her boldness will put everyone she loves at risk. 1939: Kristof Larson is starting his medical residency in the same Parisian neighbourhood once dominated by the tapestry works. The shadows of his past have left him determined to improve conditions for the patients of the infamous Salpetriere asylum. But as war breaks out across Europe and Nazi forces descend on Paris, he could lose his career – and his life. Alouette and Kristof are both ambitious, idealistic and brave. But faced with authorities who will do anything to silence them, the secret web of tunnels lying beneath the shimmering streets of Paris might be their only hope of survival. Skylark is a spellbinding story about defiance and love that beautifully uncovers the hidden history of the City of Light.

THE WAIT IS OVER. ZETIAN IS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE. 'Pulse-pounding, thought-provoking, ambitious and outrageous, this huge YA sci-fi tale amply delivers on the promise of the first volume.' Guardian, best new children's and teens booksShe is hated by both men and gods, and heaven and earth cannot allow her to exist. After suffering devastating loss and making drastic decisions, Zetian finds herself on the seat of power in Huaxia, but she has also learned that her world is not as it seems. Revelations about an enemy who dangles one of her loved ones as a hostage force Zetian to share power with a dangerous man she cannot simply depose. Despite their mutual dislike and distrust, the two must work together to take down their common enemy and stoke a revolution against the systems of exploitation that plague their world. However, power is not so easy to wield once seized, and a revolution is not so easy to control once unleashed. As Huaxia’s former elites strike back and the common people's fervour for justice turns bloody and paranoid, can Zetian remain a fair and just ruler? Or will she be forced to rely on fear and violence and succumb to her darker instincts in her quest for vengeance and liberatio? HE EPIC SEQUEL TO IRON WIDOW. Praise for the series:‘This is the historical-inspired, futuristic sci-fi mash-up of my wildest dreams.’ Chloe Gong‘Raging against the patriarchy in spectacular style.’ Observer, best books of the year‘Think The Handmaid’s Tale meets Pacific Rim and buckle up.’ Shelley Parker-ChanA New York Times bestseller, December 28, 2024

A salt-tinged Gothic fantasy romance for fans of A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid and House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig. Corith Fraine has the power to control water with her words. Corith has spent much of her life in an elite magic institution, training to serve one of the realm's noble households. When she secures a post with House Shearwater, an aristocratic family living on a wave-battered island, she feels honoured. Until she discovers that her predecessor drowned in mysterious circumstances. To avoid the same fate, Corith must harness the wild, unforgiving tides and cater to the whims of the enigmatic Shearwater siblings. But as she starts to unravel their secrets, she finds herself drawn to the brooding youngest brother, Llir. With her loyalties pushed to breaking point, these treacherous waters may just pull Corith under…

'A novel that will be read and loved for the next one hundred years, and essential reading for right now. I could not have loved it more.' Coco Mellors, author of Blue Sisters 'This story left me thinking about the ways we overcome setbacks and redefine what truly matters.' Reese Witherspoon A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK FOR DECEMBER 2024 * A HARPER'S BAZAAR BEST BOOK OF 2024 Slowly recovering from a terrible accident, Natalia is faced with a devastating choice - to return to the cutthroat world of Russian ballet that nearly broke her, or to walk away forever - in this sweeping novel of love and redemption Prima ballerina Natalia Leonova was once celebrated across the world, her signature bravura in demand on stages from St. Petersburg to Paris to New York. But at the top of her career, an accident forces her into sudden retirement. Injured and alone, she turns to pills and alcohol to numb the pain of her past, still haunted by her relationships with two gifted dancers, Dmitri and Alexander. These men were responsible for her soaring highs, her darkest hours and, ultimately, both played their part in her downfall. So when Dmitri resurfaces with a tantalising offer for Natalia, she must decide what she is willing to sacrifice in order to dance again - and for the chance to return to the great love of her life. Painting a vivid portrait of a world in which ruthless ambition, desire and sublime artistry collide, City of Night Birds unveils the making of a dancer with profound intimacy and breathtaking scope. From the author of Beasts of a Little Land, winner of the Yasnaya Polyana Award

An explosive story about seeking justice for a past that won't let you go. Lucy Smith is on the run. Years in foster care have taught her to be smart, cautious. But when the kind-eyed Jamie Jameson and his "friend-not-friend" Daunis track her down and show interest in her case, Lucy begins to wonder if things could be different. They tell her the truth about her father, and the family that has been hidden from her all this time. But Lucy is being followed. As the secrets mount and threaten to swallow her whole, Lucy must decide what she's willing to sacrifice to protect the people she loves. You can read Angeline Boulley's bestselling Firekeeper's Daughter, Warrior Girl Unearthed and Sisters of the Wind in any order you like; but like the world itself, there are echoes within each for the other stories. Pick this up if you enjoy: - quiet girls with dark pasts - explosive opening scenes - wolves in sheep's clothing

Winter Moon dreams of escape. She works every shift she can get, longing for the day she can finally take flight. But when her money is stolen, Winter makes a deal with the last person she wants to see. Time with the father who walked away years ago, in exchange for cash. Simple. Except it's not. Her one comfort is Joon, the new boy at school who cuts straight through her defences. Broken things can't always be fixed. But maybe, just maybe, Winter can pick up the pieces and turn them into something beautiful.

In a creaky old house on a small, damp island, someone - or something - is waiting… A Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week "Thrillingly scary and impossible to put down. Don't read it alone!" Jonathan Stroud, author of Lockwood & Co A grieving family. A decaying house. A babysitter with a monstrous secret. Nothing on Gloam Island is quite what it seems... Gwen doesn't need anyone to help her look after her younger siblings. And she isn't fooled by the beautiful babysitter with the hungry eyes and sharp teeth. But everyone else is. So if Gwen wants Esme Laverne gone, she'll have to handle it herself. As Esme's power grows, Gwen must embrace her deepest fears before she can defeat the monster in her home for good. Because as everyone knows, it's impossible to be brave unless you're already afraid.

1854: When Mulanyin meets the beautiful Nita in Brisbane - or Edenglassie, as it was once briefly known - his community still outnumbers the British settlers. Tensions are simmering just beneath the surface of a fragile peace, but hopes for independence are running high. Yet when colonial unrest tears through the region, Mulanyin's passion for his new bride clashes with his loyalty to a homeland in danger. Two centuries later, fiery activist Winona meets Dr Johnny when her grandmother Eddie has a serious fall. Winona just wants the obstinate centenarian back on her feet, but a shrewd journalist has other ideas. Eddie becomes a local celebrity, dominating the headlines as 'Queensland's Oldest Aboriginal'. Her time in the spotlight brings past and present crashing together, the legacy of Nita and Mulanyin's tragic past reaching into Winona and Eddie's lives with consequences they couldn't have predicted.

A group of young, Black British friends navigate their way through the ups and downs of modern London life, in this richly imagined collection of linked stories. From the tingling excitement of a new relationship to the challenges – and humour – of online dating, from workplace racism to isolation and loneliness, Niah and her friends are there for each other. They're young, they're smart, and they're part of a tight friendship group determined to make the most of everyday. The world is full of possibilities when the pandemic hits, and snatches away everything they take for granted. Shani Akilah's spectacular collection of stories bursts with romance, friendship and warmth. For Such a Time as This offers a powerful snapshot of a moment, a city and a group of friends who sustain each other through bad times and good.