Viking

A globe-spanning narrative adventure about how the euphoria of cold water can transform - and even extend - your life. 'Mesmerizing. Chris Ballard does a deep dive into one of the most controversial health, fitness, and athletic crazes of our time. I still loathe cold water, but I loved this book.' Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and Hidden Potential Lifelong athlete and Sports Illustrated writer Chris Ballard worried his days of exercise were numbered. Then he received a fateful text message about a trend taking hold around the world: submerging in freezing cold water. It wasn't only thrill seekers or wellness gurus extolling its power. Swimmers have long known that when paired with cold, their sport delivers extraordinary rewards; now, modern research has shown that just a few minutes in cold water can deliver remarkable benefits: heightened energy and focus, reduced inflammation, and relief from depression and anxiety. In The Plunge, Ballard travels to laboratories and swims in waters around the world, from Portsmouth to the Pacific, tracing the roots of cold water swimming in ancient practices largely lost in the modern world. He immerses himself in the growing tribe of cold-water junkies of all ages, shapes and nationalities, from pioneers like Lynne Cox to visionaries like Ram Barkai, whose audacious dream of getting ice swimming into the Olympics edges closer to reality. And, from cold plunging to open water swimming to ice swimming, he tests his limits in this extreme sport, eventually becoming a US national champion, his body and mind transformed along the way. Blending history, cutting-edge science, colourful characters, and propulsive narrative storytelling, it's a rollicking, eye-opening adventure that reveals how a single act - stepping into cold water - can unlock resilience, connection, meaning and joy.

The first volume of a ground-breaking and truly global trilogy on the Second World War, from an exciting, prize-winning academic. Between 1931 and 1949, a series of crises threatened world order and the very functioning of states, as well as destroying or changing millions of ordinary people's lives. At the heart of these upheavals was an all-encompassing war that was a watershed moment in modern history. Collapse tells the story of the first part of this "Greater Second World War," from 1931-1941, weaving multiple international trends, theatres of war and home fronts into a single, compelling global narrative. It shows from all sides what influenced the key campaigns, and the great shifts in power and society that accompanied them. Combining brand new sources in 14 languages from over 50 archives around the world, and a highly original approach that explores the personal alongside the political, Professor Jonathan Fennell shows in vivid colour how a world that many considered civilised collapsed into barbarity. By using immersive storytelling and a cast of characters from well-known political and literary figures to everyday citizens around the world - including not only "bands of brothers" but also less well-known "sisters in arms" and "war-woven lovers" - he explores what it really meant to live through this violent upheaval. This is a landmark work from an outstanding historian that transforms our understanding of this monumental conflict.

The outrageous, jaw-dropping true story of the man who took on a corporate giant - and won. A dedicated and experienced Amazon employee, Chris Smalls had begun to feel frustrated by the inner workings of the retail giant - he kept being passed over for promotion, with little to no explanation. So when his colleagues and friends began falling ill in the Covid pandemic, and with no assurances of safety or even sick leave from the top, he made the only choice left available to him. He staged a walkout with friend Derrick Palmer, eventually finding himself on the picket line without a job. What began as a demand to keep essential employees safe in a crisis would grow into a movement devoted to achieving dignity and security for the wage worker, triggering a groundswell of organizers at Starbucks, Trader Joe's, Apple - and across the world. We follow Smalls's years of sacrifice and economic uncertainty as a father of three, from fighting warehouse managerial politics in an effort to make ends meet, to his ascension as the leader of a new generation's labour movement. When the Revolution Comes is the riveting inside story of how a young Black man from Hackensack, NJ with little-to-no resources led a scrappy band of Staten Island warehouse workers in an improbable fight against Amazon to create its first Labor Union. An exposé of life lived in the laboratory of capitalism and a terrifying depiction of what it's like to be working class in America, this book tells a new, empowering story of what is possible when the overworked, underpaid and disempowered join together, forming a movement born in community.

A tree is not just a type of being, it is also a way of being - one that is wildly creative, fantastically resilient, and most of all, deeply rooted... From bestselling author Robert Moor comes a wondrous journey through the wilds of nature and the gnarls of history, exploring how trees - from the tiniest bonsai to the mightiest sequoia - teach us to grow wise. One day, on a whim, Robert Moor set out to climb a tree near his home, unwittingly embarking on what would become a decade-long, globe-spanning adventure. Drawing on an astonishing range of thinkers, from cutting-edge scientists to ancient philosophers, Moor explores how trees have shaped human lives for millennia - and how they can guide us into the future. His hunt for the 'wisdom of trees' takes him from the Lake District to Ethiopia, Tanzania, Papua and Japan. He dines with David Attenborough, naps with chimpanzees and risks his life to save an ancient forest. Along the way, Moor investigates some of humanity's oldest mysteries: What is the secret to growing old well? How do we set down roots in an increasingly chaotic world? And most importantly, how should we - as individuals, as communities, as stewards of the Earth - live? What begins as an ode to the miracle of trees blossoms into a joyous, daring, fiercely hopeful endeavour to broaden our minds and deepen our connections. To truly grasp the wisdom of a tree, this bold new classic announces, you must learn to think like one.

From the #1 bestselling author comes an epic story of love and war as two opposing deities find themselves drawn to each other against all odds. Because when Aphrodite and Ares fall in love, sparks are bound to fly. This is the oldest love story of all time . . . Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, wields unparalleled power over every divine and mortal heart. Though her world is one of beauty, she is the most dangerous god of all, ruled by passion regardless of the consequences. Ares, God of War, is her perfect contradiction: feared, unwanted and relentless in his devotion to chaos. Where she breathes life into longing, he thrives in destruction. And yet gods are no more immune to love and loss than anyone else, and soon their lives collide. But even divine love can't protect them from the fates of Mount Olympus, and whilst the God of War may be capable of greater love than anyone else, so may the Goddess of Love be capable of the gravest mistakes . . .

During WWII, a young Tuscan woman falls in love with a man from the rural depths of southern Italy. As the conflict finally draws to a close, the two travel from Rome to finally meet with his family. But very quickly a dawning realisation breaks: her in-laws and their friends are eccentric in the extreme. They barely leave the house and they rarely speak to their son, fretting instead about their 'daughter' - a loud little dog - and worrying constantly, incessantly, about the weather. And, worst of all, they speak with a nostalgic warmth about the region's recently overthrown fascist regime… Translated by Ann Goldstein, the world-renowned translator of Elena Ferrante, A House in Sicily is a brilliantly funny, razor sharp examination of family life in the shadow of the darkest period of modern Italian history, and the most exciting rediscovered European classic in decades.

Artie Dam is a man with a secret. He spends his days teaching history to high schoolers, expanding their young minds, correcting their casual cruelties, and lending a kind word to those who need it most. He goes to holiday parties with his wife of three decades, makes small talk with neighbours, and, on weekends, takes his sailboat out on the beautiful Massachusetts Bay. He is, by all appearances, present and alive. But inside, Artie is plagued by feelings of isolation. He looks out at a world gone mad-at himself and the people around him-and turns a question over and over in his mind: how is it that we know so little about one another, even those closest to us? And then, one day, Artie learns that life has been keeping a secret from him, one that threatens to upend his entire world. Once he learns it, he is forced to chart a new course, to reconsider the relationships he holds most dear-and to make peace with the mysteries at the heart of our existence. With exquisite prose and profound insight, Elizabeth Strout captures the way grief reverberates through decades, the comfort found in deep friendships and the freedom that comes when we break free of our secrets. The Things We Never Say is a stunning new novel from one of our most acclaimed observers of the human heart.

John Robins is a critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, Taskmaster champion, and an award-winning broadcaster. He is also an alcoholic. But what does that mean? What is an alcoholic? In Thirst, John tells the story of his life through the lens of alcohol, the drinks that made him, and those that broke him. From his earliest drinking experiences - pretending to be drunk after a sip of champagne aged five, spraying aftershave into his mouth at the school play afterparty, and university nights spent downing red wine alone in his room - to his last drink in 2022 and the journey into sobriety that followed, John explores our relationship with alcohol through reflections on decades of his own drinking. From hazy memory to sudden clarity he sheds light on subjects from mental health to friendship, from creativity to the lies we tell ourselves, and answers questions such as: are alcoholics born or made? How can we make sense of youthful missteps? And can Buddhism provide relief when dealing with haemorrhoids? Filled with insights and epiphanies from the world of addiction and recovery, Thirst blends John's trademark raw honesty and hilarious digressions with the collective wisdom of alcoholics and those around them to offer a compelling, powerful and morbidly funny narrative for anyone who has ever asked 'why do we drink?', 'why do I drink?' or 'do I drink too much?'.

On 19 November 1995, the world learned the name Gianluigi Buffon. At the tender age of seventeen he made his Serie A debut for Parma against European giants Milan, facing down the likes of Roberto Baggio and George Weah, keeping a clean sheet. During his twenty-eight-year long career Buffon broke many records including: - The most capped goalkeeper of all time and the most appearance for Italy (176) - The most Serie A titles (10) - The longest time in Serie A without conceding a goal (974 minutes) The numbers, however, only tell half the story of a player famously nicknamed "Superman" for his athletic prowess. In Saved Buffon reveals that even superheroes struggle with their inner demons. Beyond his individual triumphs with Parma, Juventus and PSG - the famous World Cup win in 2006 - Buffon reflects on his deeply human challenges off the pitch. He describes being devoured by depression between games and the psychological toll of being a goalkeeper - the loneliest position in football - often finding solace in talking to his gloves. He opens up about his gambling, smoking during matches and the strains on his relationships which became fodder for the press. Buffon's are the struggles of a man whose talents and flaws co-exit. Saved is both a meditation on the art of goalkeeping and a love letter to the golden age of Italian football.

On 19 November 1995, the world learned the name Gianluigi Buffon. At the tender age of seventeen he made his Serie A debut for Parma against European giants Milan, facing down the likes of Roberto Baggio and George Weah, keeping a clean sheet. During his twenty-eight-year long career Buffon broke many records including: - The most capped goalkeeper of all time and the most appearance for Italy (176) - The most Serie A titles (10) - The longest time in Serie A without conceding a goal (974 minutes) The numbers, however, only tell half the story of a player famously nicknamed "Superman" for his athletic prowess. In Saved Buffon reveals that even superheroes struggle with their inner demons. Beyond his individual triumphs with Parma, Juventus and PSG - the famous World Cup win in 2006 - Buffon reflects on his deeply human challenges off the pitch. He describes being devoured by depression between games and the psychological toll of being a goalkeeper - the loneliest position in football - often finding solace in talking to his gloves. He opens up about his gambling, smoking during matches and the strains on his relationships which became fodder for the press. Buffon's are the struggles of a man whose talents and flaws co-exit. Saved is both a meditation on the art of goalkeeping and a love letter to the golden age of Italian football.

You ve heard of the men who kill, but what about the women who loved them? It s a baking hot summer in 1960s California and three women have formed an unlikely friendship. From the outside, Beverley, Elsie and Margot lead idyllic lives, but behind the false smiles and glittering pools lies the truth: their husbands are some of the country s most notorious convicted killers. Amidst neighbourhood gossip and pointed fingers, the women are fighting to forge new paths for themselves. Wide-eyed Beverley is raising two young children under the long shadow of their father s crimes. Bookish Elsie is determined to make a name for herself in the patriarchal newsroom, while Hollywood party-girl Margot has a penchant for an early morning margarita anything to quieten the shame of her ex-husband s deceit. But when a string of local killings hits the news, the women underestimated and overlooked are hurled into an investigation of their own. After all, who better to catch a killer than those who have shared their lives with one?

Twelve stories. Twelve months. Once chance to heal her heart... When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there's a birthday gift from her husband waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn't come as more of a shock. Partly, because she can't remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. Mainly, because Joe died five months ago… The gift is simple - twelve carefully chosen books from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him. And so begins a reading-inspired journey that takes Tilly around the world; from bustling sidewalks in New York and the tree-lined avenues of Paris to the tranquil Tuscan countryside and the white sands of Bali. With the help of the bookshop owner, Alfie, Tilly starts to discover who she is now, after Joe. But can Tilly's year of books show her how to love again?

Prepare to view the world through a new lens - SPEED - a groundbreaking exploration that challenges your perceptions of life's driving force, from the internationally bestselling author 'There is no author whose books I look forward to more' Bill Gates 'There is perhaps no other academic who paints pictures with numbers like Smil' Guardian In a world that feels like it's moving faster than ever, Smil examines how our relentless pursuit of speed - in areas such as production, travel and communication - shapes not only our technological landscape but also our social and environmental realities. And through engaging anecdotes and striking statistics, Smil challenges the assumption that faster is always better. He invites readers to reconsider the implications of our collective obsession with speed, and its intricate relationship with nature and innovation. For example, he highlights the surprising fact that erosion can actually accelerate mountain growth, and he points out that the rapid adoption of mobile phones - achieving 90 per cent penetration in just nineteen years - reflects historical patterns of technological adoption, suggesting that our world may not be moving significantly faster than in the past. Whether exploring the tiny mites that can traverse 300 times their body length in a second or the societal impacts of high-frequency trading, Speed invites readers to engage in a more balanced conversation about the role of speed in our lives, in an age defined by haste.

Unlike anything you’ve read before, The Wax Child is an extraordinary tale of witchcraft from one of the most visionary writers at work today It was a black night in the year 1620 when Christenze Krukow made the wax child, when she melted down beeswax and set it in the image of a small human. For days, she carried it tucked beneath her arm, shaping it with the warmth of her flesh, giving it life. She fashioned for it eyes and ears that cannot open, and yet – it watches and listens. It looks on as Christenze is haunted by rumour, it hears what the people whisper. It sees how, in the candlelight, she gazes with love at her friends, and hears the things they say in the shadows. It knows pine forest, misty fjord and the crackle of the burning pyre. It observes the violence in men’s eyes and the cruelty of their laws. In time, it begins to understand that once a suspicion of witchcraft has taken hold, it can prove impossible to shake… Based on an infamous seventeenth century Danish witch trial, The Wax Child is the extraordinary new novel from Olga Ravn, one of the most acclaimed and original writers at work today: a mesmerising, frightening vision of a time when witches and magic were as real to the human mind as soil and seawater.

The global powerhouse that is the United States of America is younger even than the British Museum, Guinness and the flushing toilet. In 2026 it will celebrate its 250th birthday. How did this vast land, long inhabited by diverse indigenous cultures, come to be dominated by English speakers? How has it grappled with the stark contradictions between its ideals of liberty and the grim reality of genocide and slavery? This extraordinary collection of fifty distinct states has weathered immense - and recent - challenges, including a Civil War that was still raging as the first London Underground station opened. How did this melting pot of peoples and ideas not only endure but rise to dominate global politics, commerce, culture and warfare? What insights does this rich history offer about an increasingly divided nation - and the world that moves to its rhythm? Is this the twilight of American supremacy, signalling a shift toward a more introspective nation? A Short History of America is rich with vivid characters - from arrogant conquistadors and idealistic revolutionaries to imperial presidents - and presents a narrative so astonishing it often feels like fake news. This is a gripping must-read for anyone seeking to make sense of our world today.

SET TO BE A MAJOR MOVIE STARRING EMILY BADER AND TOM BLYTH and now in this stunning hardcover collector's edition featuring: A gorgeous revamped cover Sunset endpapers and sprayed edges Foil stamped case, and... A new introduction from the author and a bonus postcard from Poppy Two friends. Ten trips. Their last chance to fall in love... *Also known as People We Meet On Vacation* 12 YEARS AGO: Poppy and Alex meet. They hate each other, and are pretty confident they'll never speak again. 11 YEARS AGO: They're forced to share a ride home from college and by the end of it a friendship is formed. And a pact: every year, one vacation together. 10 YEARS AGO: Alex discovers his fear of flying on the way to Vancouver. Poppy holds his hand the whole way. 7 YEARS AGO: They get far too drunk and narrowly avoid getting matching tattoos in New Orleans. 2 YEARS AGO: It all goes wrong. THIS YEAR: Poppy asks Alex to join her on one last trip. A trip that will determine the rest of their lives. You and Me on Vacation is a New York Times bestselling love story for fans of When Harry Met Sally, One Day and Casey McQuiston. Get ready to travel the world, snort with laughter and - most of all - lose your heart to Poppy and Alex.