Non-fiction Highlights

Non-fiction Highlights

A selection of new arrivals to our shelves.

As Kingfishers Catch Fire: Books and Birds. Alex Preston
Peppered with prose from celebrated authors and poets, and beautifully illustrated and illuminated by the celebrated graphic artist Neil Gower, this is a book to savour and delight in. 

C'est La Vie: The French Art of Letting Go. Fabrice Midal
The motto of this book is "give yourself a break"! Excellent advice is written in an engaging style.

Endurance: A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery. Scott Kelly
A candid memoir from the American record holder for consecutive days spent in space. The isolation, pressures of small space cohabitation, and feelings of helplessness are vividly recalled.

A Grandfather's Lessons: In the Kitchen with Shorey. Jacques Pepin
Clear and precise recipes, lovely line drawings, and delightful insights into the close relationship between a famous American cooking teacher and his 12 year old granddaughter - this is a winning combination!

How To Be Human: The Manual: A Monk, a Neuroscientist and Me. Ruby Wax
Ruby Wax, along with Ash (a neuroscientist) and Thubten (a monk), discuss and give advice to us all about disconnecting from the high-speed world we occupy and focusing on reconnecting with our humanity.

In Praise of Difficult Women: Life Lessons from 29 Heroines Who Dared To Break the Rules. Karen Karbo
The author chooses her personal inspirations and gives us insights into sassy, independent and ground-breaking women who dared to break the mould.

Legendary Authors and the Clothes They Wore. Terry Newman.
A book for lovers of fine literature and dedicated followers of fashion. It features a cast of stylish authors and their signature items of clothing.

The Life Project: The Extraordinary Story of Our Ordinary Lives. Helen Pearson
In 1946 some British scientists began a revolutionary longitudinal study of a group of children. This yielded so much interesting information that studies like this continue to this day, including our own Dunedin Study. This book is fascinating and very readable.

Robert Adam: Country House Design, Decoration and the Art of Elegance. Jeffrey Musson
A lavsihly-photographed celebration of the work of eighteenth century architect Robert Adam. It includes some of Britain's greatest country houses such as Syon House, Kedleston, Dumfries House, Mellerstain and Culzean Castle.

Vivian Maier:  A Photographer's Life and Afterlife. Pamela Bannos

Vivian Maier's photographic work was discovered after her death, when her storage lockers went into arrears. Portrayed as a mysterious and reclusive nanny who took photographs, in this authoritative biography she is revealed as a talented photographer who supported