Non-fiction Highlights
The Boy Who Played With Fusion:
Extreme Science, Extreme Parenting, and How to Make a Star. Tom Clynes
A biography of a gifted boy, a history of
nuclear physics, and a parenting guide – all in one. Superbly written by a
science journalist, this is an extraordinary story of a highly intelligent boy
who has been fully supported by his parents. Now aged nineteen, who knows what
he will achieve?
Classic New Zealand Cycle Trails: A
Guide to 46 Fantastic Holidays. The Kennett Brothers
A
guide to the nationwide network of cycleways, with itineraries, fact files and
support services to help you plan your next cycling holiday.
Cooking As Fast As I Can: A Chef’s
Story of Family, Food and Forgiveness. Cat Cora
Honest,
refreshing, and sometimes painful this memoir takes you on an absorbing journey
through the life of the first female Iron Chef. Born in Jackson Mississippi,
Cathy combines Greek heritage with a Southern upbringing. Cooking gives her
solace and the strength to overcome hardships.
The Cultural Lives of Whales and
Dolphins. Hal Whitehead
This
fascinating insight into the way cetaceans interact and transmit information is
written by two marine biologists. It has all the scientific backing you want as
well as being humbling and inspiring.
Find the Good: Unexpected Life Lessons from a Small-Town Obituary Writer. Heather Lende
A delightful memoir from a small fishing village in Alaska. A quick read but full of heartwarming insights and beautiful stories of people's lives.
Foggydale Farm Jam Sessions. Lynda Hallinan
Fun, witty and full of practical wisdom, this sumptuous book is a joy to look at. It is packed full of gorgeous illustrations, great recipes and gardening tips too. There are old favourites plus new things to try – try greengage vanilla jam and easy microwave lemon curd. Yum.
The Girl Who Lived. Susan Berg
This
is a dramatic and powerful memoir of a girl who lost her family in a boating
accident. Wracked with survivor guilt, she heads down a path of
self-destruction, becomes a mother at aged twenty, and continues to struggle
with self-loathing. Her story is an emotional read.
The Givenness of Things: Essays. Marilynne Robinson
This celebrated American fiction writer gives us insights into her life and her craft. The essays are wise, beautifully written and full of surprises.
The Glass Cage: How Our Computers are
Changing Us. Nicholas Carr
Take
a step back and look at how what it means to be human is threatened by
increasing technology. This is definite food for thought!
The Goddess Pose: The Audacious Life
of Indra Devi, the Woman Who Helped Bring Yoga to the West. Michelle Goldberg
Eugenia
Peterson was born in Russia in 1899 and lived through some of the most
turbulent times in human history. She fled the revolution as a teenager,
bravely travelled alone to India and as Indra Devi she spread her knowledge of
yoga to the West.
A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War:
How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship and Heroism in
the Cataclysm of 1914-1918. Joe Loconte
This
is for fans of Lord of the Rings and Narnia, and anyone interested in the huge
social impact of World War One. The horror of war is clearly seen in the
writings of these great men.
Humans of New York, Stories
More
stunning photos and longer stories from photographer Brandon Stanton and his
phenomenal blog, Humans of New York.
Landskipping: Painters, Ploughmen and Places. Anna Pavord
This popular British gardening writer explores some of Britain's most iconic landscapes in the past, in the present, and in literature. This is a fascinating read for travellers, history lovers and gardeners alike.
Lessons From Great Gardeners: Forty
Gardening Icons and What They Teach Us. Matthew Biggs
This
beautiful book is packed with stunning photographs of gardens, botanical
illustrations, gardening facts and tips, and most of all - inspiration.
M Train. Patti Smith
National
Book Award winner and poet laureate of punk, Patti Smith, seated in her
favourite cafés with pen, polaroid camera, napkins and coffee in hand, muses
about her life.
Oscar de la Renta: His Legendary World
of Style. André Leon Talley
A
catalogue of beautiful gowns and day dresses designed by American icon Oscar de
la Renta, which were displayed in an exhibition celebrating the work of this
legendary couturier at the Savannah College of Art.
Bite-sized biographies give the reader a real sense of the people in this book - their emotions, motivations and accomplishments.
Red: A History of the Redhead. Jack
Colliss Harvey
The
captivating original story of the power and mythology of red hair through the
ages in history, art, literature, religion, and culture.
Rust: The Longest War. Jonathan Waldman
Who knew that corrosion could be so interesting! Read all about the ongoing battle with an enemy that costs the world billions and shapes the modern world.
A courageous memoir that tells the harrowing story of Alex's experiences in a residential treatment programme where fellow Mormon's attempted to "save" her from her homosexuality.
Spinster: Making a Life of One’s Own. Kate
Bolick
Kate
Bolick, contributing editor to The Atlantic, writes about her life as an
unmarried woman, and the lives of the five pioneering women writers who inspire
her. Critics have compared her book to The
Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan.
Weatherland: Writers & Artists
Under English Skies. Alexandra Harris
A
celebration of English weather, and in turn, culture and history, through the
words and art of English writers and artists from Anglo-Saxon through to modern
times.
Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind. Scott Kaufman
Each highly readable chapter explores one of the ten attributes and habits of highly creative people: Imaginative Play; Passion; Daydreaming; Solitude; Intuition; Openness to Experience; Mindfulness; Sensitivity; Turning Adversity into Advantage; Thinking Differently.