New Non-Fiction

New and recommended reading from our non-fiction collections.

Days Like These: A Comforting, Practical Companion for Tired and Terrific Mums Pip Lincolne
Supportive and full of constructive guidance, this is a book for all mothers.

Earth's Wild Music: Celebrating and Defending the Songs of the Natural World, New and Selected Essays Kathleen Moore
This is a passionate plea on behalf of all creatures to not allow the silencing of the music of the world.

Fabric: the Hidden History of the Material World Victoria Finlay
The author of Colour: Travels Through the Paintbox interweaves stories of our relationship with cloth to fabricate a fascinating and unique patchwork of history, creativity, community and utility.

Far Side of the Moon: Apollo 8 Commander Frank Borman and the Woman Who Gave Him Wings Liisa Jorgensen
Frank Borman was the commander of Apollo 8, the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon. Here is the honest and very readable biography of Frank and Susan Borman, especially bringing to light the enormous toll on Susan's mental health as she had to project the image of perfection to the world.

Fox & I: An Uncommon Friendship Catherine Raven
A young woman flees an abusive home life, studies biology, then builds her own cottage in a solitary valley. There she forms a beautiful relationship with a wild fox.

Fully Human: A New Way of Using Your Mind Steve Biddulph
Australian family psychologist and successful author of The New Manhood and other works, gives us a relatable and insightful look at our intuition or "supersense". He bases his book on personal stories and those of clients.

Henry VIII in 100 Objects: The Tyrant King Who Had Six WivesPaul Kendall
A diverse compilation of palaces, castles, events, people, locations, paintings and documents. Each object ranges from the glories of Henry VIII's reign - Hampton Court Palace, the Field of the Cloth of Gold, Dover Castle - to the sinister - Traitor's Gate, Tyburn memorial, the rack, Tower Green.

Italian Renaissance Masterworks Peter Crack
This book is a feast for the eyes, with sumptuously illustrated colour paintings from Italian artists of the Renaissance period, beginning with Cimabue and ending on the cusp of the Baroque with Caravaggio.

Journeys to Impossible Places: In Life and Every Adventure Simon Reeve
Before becoming the popular television presenter and author that he is today, adventurous Simon Reeve suffered depression and unemployment as a teenager. Writing with his trademark compassion and curiosity he shares how his unique experiences and encounters have taught him to embrace life, risk and opportunities. 

Sea State: A Memoir Tabitha Lasley
Lasley, a journalist, quits her London job and heads to Aberdeen Scotland to experience the masculine world of oil rigs and offshore life. This raw and honest memoir is a real insight into that world.

Tarantino: A Retrospective Tom Shone
A tribute to one of the most influential and original filmmakers at work today. Includes commentaries on the 10 films he has directed to date, from Reservoir Dogs, now a cult classic, to Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood.

The Amur River: Between Russia and China Colin Thubron
Poetically and elegantly written, Thubron undertakes a journey following the course of the Amur River which forms the longest fortified frontier on Earth, 1,100 miles of barbed wire between the massive countries of Russia and China. He encounters Mongols, Russians and Chinese, and reveals the history and culture of this remote and sparsely inhabited region little known to the Western world.

The Nutmeg's Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis Amitav Ghosh
Using the nutmeg as an example of the dangerous and all-pervasive influence of Western colonialism, Ghosh weaves a convincing and sobering story that leads to the world of today. Amitav Ghosh is an acclaimed fiction writer.

The Secret History of Food: Strange but True Stories about the Origins of Everything We Eat Matt Siegel
This is a really fascinating exploration of the food that we eat, told in an entertaining way by a popular food writer who used to be an English professor. 

The Women I Think About at Night: Travelling the Paths of My Heroes Mia Kankimäki
Mia leaves her job to travel in the paths of her "guardian angels", women who have inspired her with their feats of exploration or artistic achievements. 

What We Did in Bed: A Horizontal History Brian Fagan and Nadia Durrani
Beds are where we sleep for one third of our lives, and also often where we are are born, have sex and die. Historically they were an indication of our social status - the higher above the ground you slept, the higher your social status. The book also covers communal bed-sharing with strangers, and cultural purposes that beds have been used for - Louis IV's public bedchamber, John and Yoko's peace bed.