Edgelands

by Paul Farley & Michael Symmons eye opening and hugely enjoyable The title of this eye-opening and hugely enjoyable book summarises neatly what the book describes – the places on the margins of our supposedly civilized world. Places that most of us ignore or even fail to notice at all. A fascinating, if rather unsettling, journey round the edges. Retail price £8.99  |  Our price £7.99  

Mr Brigg’s Hat

by Kate Colquhoun the story of murder on a London train… This thrilling book, which reads at times like a good Victorian novel, is the story of the murder on a London train, in 1864, of a bank clerk called Thomas Briggs. The chief suspect is identified quite early on – so it is more of a “did-he-do-it” than a “who-dunnit”. Nevertheless it is consistently surprising and evokes a fascinagting era. If you enjoy the Sherlock Holmes stories here is one for real – complete with outstanding atmosperics! Published price: £8.99  |  Our price: £7.99    

Cables from Kabul

by Sherard Cowper-Coles Ever wonder exactly what we are doing in Afghanistan? This fascinating book by the British Ambassador in 2007 – since fallen from grace with his political masters – succinctly sets out the view of the senior diplomat on the ground that an almost complete lack of strategic planning and absence of coherent policies makes any credible outcome an impossibility. Highly recommended. Published price:£8.99   |  Our price: £7.99

The Etymologicon

What is the actual connection between gruntled and disgruntled?

The Last Gunfight

The definitive work on the Wild West’s greatest shoot-out…

Pure

An enthralling historical novel set in Paris shortly before the French revolution…

Dickens’s Victorian London

As the celebrations of Charles Dickens’s bicentenary kick in this month, this new book looks at the London he lived in and so vividly described.

Bring Up the Bodies

by Hilary Mantel   The long awaited sequel to Wolf Hall. In “Bring Up the Bodies” Hilary Mantel explores one of the most mystifying and frightening episodes of English History – the destruction of Anne Boleyn. Neither Minister nor King will emerge undamaged from the bloody theatre of Anne’s final days…… Due out on the 10th May 2012 this is a “must read” for anyone interested in superbly researched, brilliantly written historical fiction. Copies can be pre-ordered in the shop. Published price: £20.00  |  Our price: £17.00

India: A Portrait

by Patrick French In his portrait of India, French brings vast knowledge, plus a sensitivity to the country’s subtler nuances and a wealth of research. He explores how India pulls at the old restraints, yet remains tied to established patterns. Poverty is a fact, and tradition still has a powerful grip on all classes. This is a balanced, authoritative account of a nation looking both forward and backward. An excellent read for anyone interested in the world’s shifting economic power bases as well as a fascinating study of the vast sub-continent. Published price: £10.99  |  Our price: £9.99  

Reprobates: The Cavaliers of the English Civil War

by John Stubbs Cavaliers – foppish romantics/drunken roaring boys With almost effortless brilliance Stubb’s explores the gilded artistic world of the court of CharlesI. He explores in detail the conflicting views generated by the word “cavaliers”, men seen either as foppish romantics fighting for a doomed cause or caricatured as drunken yobs threatening public order. As the book so effectively demonstrates neither image reflects the truth. The primary focus is less on the actual Civil War and more on the fascinating lives of men such as gifted poet John Suckling and William Davenant – a man who, having contracted syphilis, managed to burn off his own nose by inhaling mercury fumes while in search of…