Art & Literature

One morning in February 1952, a journalist called Ian Fleming sat down at his desk and set about creating a fictional secret agent. James Bond was born and would go on to become one of the most successful, enduring and lucrative creations in literature.

Brilliantly compiled and edited, and filled with detail and anecdote, Daily Rituals is irresistible, addictive, magically inspiring....

In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley....

An inspiring, honest and intimate memoir about family, love and rising from the ashes.

In this book, C.S. Lewis tells of his search for joy, a spiritual journey that led him from the Christianity of his early youth into atheism and then back to Christianity....

Thoreau's classic account of the solitary life describes his attempts to simplify his life and sort out his priorities by living alone in a cabin beside Walden Pond for nearly two years....

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth, Lucy Worsley has written an Introduction to her Sunday Times Bestselling biography - the book that leads us into the rooms from which our best-loved novelist quietly changed the world.

Françoise Gilot was in her early 20s when she met the 61-year-old Pablo Picasso in 1943. Brought up in a well-to-do, upper-middle-class family, who had sent her to Cambridge and the Sorbonne and hoped that she would go into law, the young woman defied their wishes....

Una Marson was a true trailblazer: she made history by becoming the first Black female broadcaster at the BBC and paved the way for Black women and the amplification of Black voices in the media. Despite all this, though, her story has been all but forgotten by history.

From CNN’s veteran Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta, an explosive, first-hand account of the dangers he faces reporting on the current White House while fighting on the front lines in President Trump’s war on truth....

Social mobility is not a train you get to board after you've scraped together enough for the ticket. You have to build the whole bloody engine, with nothing but a spoon and hand-me-down psychological distress....

A quarter of a century after the plane crash that claimed the lives of John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn, and her sister Lauren, the magnitude of this tragedy remains fresh. Yet, Carolyn is still an enigmatic figure, a woman whose life in the spotlight was besieged with misogyny and cruelty.

With this dynamic and engaging recording, you can listen to beloved poet and philosopher John O'Donohue as he shares stories and experiences from Ireland that gave rise to his body of writing—and inspired his acclaimed book Anam Cara....

Long days of boredom in confinement, the general inefficiency of prison bureaucracy and a critically over-stretched prison service. The...

Catherine Gray took a whole year off dating to find single satisfaction. She lifted the lid on the reasons behind the global single revolution....

A searing confessional infused with the darkest humor, Permanent Midnight chronicles the opiated abyss of a Hollywood screenwriter and his formidable climb into sobriety. Made into a film starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, Permanent Midnight is revered by critics....

First published in 1986 and updated several times since, Don’t Panic is in an in-depth exploration of Douglas Adams’s cultural phenomenon The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy....

Part tell-all memoir and part entrepreneur crash course, the founder of The RealReal offers an emboldening story of perspective and triumph.

A remarkable story of race and the American dream, The Fire Is upon Us reveals the deep roots and lasting legacy of a conflict that continues to haunt our politics....

In this transcendent memoir, grounded in tribal myth and ancestry, music and poetry, Joy Harjo, one of our leading Native American voices, details her journey to becoming a poet....

An illuminating new biography of one of the greatest American poets of the 20th century, Elizabeth Bishop....

Irish journalist and broadcaster Charlie Bird reflects on his life and phenomenal broadcast career in this poignant and introspective memoir....

Bloomsbury presents The Loves of My Life by the legendary author Edmund White, a stunning, revelatory memoir of a lifetime of gay love and sex. Read by Joel Froomkin.

The Swedish painter Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) was forty-four years old when she broke with the academic tradition in which she had been trained to produce a body of radical, abstract works the likes of which had never been seen before....

Walden records the doctrines of transcendentalism that Thoreau lived, supported, and for which he became famous. He focuses on the concept of self-knowledge and encourages all people to find some way to learn more about themselves and the world around them....

One morning in February 1952, a journalist called Ian Fleming sat down at his desk and set about creating a fictional secret agent. James Bond was born and would go on to become one of the most successful, enduring and lucrative creations in literature. But Bond's world of glamour and romance, gadgets and cocktails, espionage and villainy wasn't entirely drawn from imagination: Fleming's background and his experiences as an intelligence officer during the Second World War were all formative parts in the creation of the world's most famous spy.

Die Familie Thomas Mann hat ein Haus am Tegernsee gemietet. Die Kinder schwimmen und angeln Rotaugen, der Vater rudert, geht spazieren und besteigt erstmals einen Berg, die Mutter kümmert sich um das neue Baby, und Bauschan, der Hund, döst im Schatten, während ihn Thomas Mann gerade zum Helden seiner Erzählung »Herr und Hund« macht. Den Schriftsteller plagen Sorgen. Die deutsche Niederlage im Ersten Weltkrieg steht bevor, Revolution liegt in der Luft, und mit seinem antidemokratischen Manifest »Betrachtungen eines Unpolitischen« sitzt Thomas Mann historisch auf dem falschen Dampfer.

For much of his life, Mike McRoberts felt burdened by not knowing his own language—te reo Māori. Growing up at a time when te reo was scarcely spoken in daily conversations, and within a mixed-race family with little connection to Māoritanga, his experience mirrored that of many other New Zealanders of his generation. In later years, as a journalist and presenter of Newshub's six o'clock news, his confident television persona masked the anxiety he felt greeting viewers with the simple phrase, 'Kia ora, good evening.'

This is the first book to closely examine the curatorial work that the celebrated poet Frank O'Hara (1926-1966) undertook for the Museum of Modern Art in New York and abroad. Upon his premature death, the New York Times obituary ran with the headline: 'Frank O'Hara, 40, Museum Curator / Exhibitions Aide at Modern Art Dies – Also a Poet'. However, in the half a century since, O'Hara's fascinating career as a curator has been eclipsed by the critical attention given over to his poetry.

«Una notte ho sognato un demone che mangiava i libri di casa mia.» E al risveglio, questo sogno diventa per l'autore un rovello: un ipotetico demone come sceglierebbe i titoli da aggredire? E quali sarebbe necessario salvare? Ma la cosa più importante che fanno i classici è renderci la vita insieme più intensa e più semplice, insegnandoci senza averne l'aria lezioni importantissime: cos'è l'identità, cos'è la politica, come si forma la coscienza di un popolo – e come esplode la sua ribellione.

Initially published in 1775, A Journey to the Western Isles recounts a three-month trip to upper Scotland that Samuel Johnson undertook with James Boswell a couple of years previously. During their adventure, they discover a novel culture, stunning landscapes and welcoming locals – all described in Johnson's captivating prose.

As the first Black woman to consistently write and publish in the field of science fiction, Octavia Butler was a trailblazer. With her deft pen, she created stories speculating the devolution of the American empire, using it as an apt metaphor for the best and worst of humanity—our innovation and ingenuity, our naked greed and ambition, our propensity for violence and hierarchy. In this outstanding work, Susana M. Morris places Butler’s story firmly within the cultural, social, and historical context that shaped her life.

Julia Ruhs war stets überzeugt, ganz normale Meinungen zu vertreten – bis sie Journalistin wurde. Sie sprach sich als Volontärin in der ARD gegen das Gendern aus und warnte später in einem Kommentar der "Tagesthemen" vor illegaler Einwanderung. Sie sprach sachlich und mit Bedacht Themen an, die viele Menschen im Lande bewegen. Aber plötzlich war sie eine Exotin im Metier. Die Reaktion war ein linker "Shitstorm", leider Normalität heutzutage. Die Politikjournalistin Julia Ruhs ist Reporterin beim Bayerischen Rundfunk sowie Kolumnistin für Focus Online.

The Golden Age of Detection has enjoyed a great resurgence of interest in recent years, with publishers mining back catalogues to bring the best of yesteryear to very receptive new audiences. What is it about a literary movement that took off in the 1920s that still appeals to book lovers in the 2020s? In this authoritative new study, John Curran reveals that it is the ludic qualities of classic crime fiction that continue to intrigue.

Discover the extraordinary life of America's greatest storyteller in this captivating biography of Mark Twain. From his Mississippi riverboat days to becoming the voice of a nation, explore how Samuel Clemens transformed into the legendary author of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Uncover the wit, wisdom, and contradictions of the man who defined American humor while grappling with personal tragedy, financial ruin, and the social upheavals of the Gilded Age. A compelling portrait of the complex genius behind the white suit and cigar.

Soon after Henk Pröpper moves from Amsterdam to Paris, both the world and his heart almost come to a full stop. He undergoes major surgery and awakes in an empty city in lockdown. Paris is transformed into an abandoned stage. To quicken his recovery, Pröpper begins walking. He combs his immediate surroundings, he hunts for the past, discovering countless commemorative plaques and monuments that honour well- and lesser-known Parisians and keep their histories alive. Pröpper also reflects on his own life and the literature that has shaped him.

This is the story of how John Madden and Pat Summerall got to CBS and, although very different, how they became the greatest broadcast team of all time. It is told by Rich Podolsky, who worked alongside them both at CBS. Separately, they were great. Together, they were the greatest ever. Madden & Summerall is about two stalwarts of the game, but their story is not without controversy.

Written by the former Deputy Head of Make-Up and Wigs at the National Theatre, this book opens up a process that very few people will otherwise be privy to, giving perspectives on the preparation before a production and responsibilities during, as well as looking more widely at training, career opportunities and success. From designing and fitting wigs to managing lightning-fast quick changes, hair, wigs and make-up people are a major part of the creation of any theatrical production.

Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands is the bold, witty memoir of Mary Seacole, a Jamaican nurse and businesswoman who defied racism and sexism to care for soldiers during the Crimean War in the 1850s. Writing in her own voice, Seacole recounts her travels across the Caribbean, Central America, and Europe, sharing vivid stories of healing, hardship, and independence.

Ann Head was a celebrated Southern author whose nuanced portrayals of women’s lives captivated listeners in the mid-20th century. Born in Beaufort, South Carolina, she drew deeply from her Lowcountry roots to craft compelling fiction that appeared in major national publications such as Redbook, Cosmopolitan, and Ladies’ Home Journal. Her most famous work, Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones (1967), became a groundbreaking young adult novel and was adapted into a television movie.

In One City, One Shot, former journalist Jonathan Horn shares his decade-long journey from earning $40 per article at a weekly newspaper to trusted on-air TV reporter—all while staying rooted in his hometown of San Diego. With honesty, humor, and sharp storytelling, Horn brings listeners behind the scenes of local news: the chaos of breaking stories, the heartbreak of tragedy coverage, the scramble of daily deadlines, and the newsroom camaraderie that holds it all together.

He died broke, bleeding, and unknown. Now he’s priceless. Van Gogh: A Life in Color, Pain, and Immortality isn’t your typical artist biography. It’s a raw, unfiltered journey into the soul of a man we turned into a myth — and what we lost when we did. This book peels away the poster boy tragedy, the swirling clichés, and the pop-culture memes to reveal the real Vincent: a failed preacher, a frantic letter-writer, a man who lived on bread crusts and absinthe — and painted like the stars were screaming.

Step into a space where truth finds its voice and creativity becomes a force of healing. In this deeply personal and transformative collection, J.S. Nathaniel pulls back the curtain on the writing life—sharing raw, unguarded reflections on beauty, struggle, and the bold act of telling your own story.

In Ik weet zeker dat het liefde was vraagt ze zich af: hoe beïnvloedt de ene relatie de andere? Hoe werkt een verlies door in je (liefdes)leven? Deze meeslepende memoires zijn niet alleen een reconstructie van opgroeien zonder moeder, maar ook een pijnlijk herkenbare zoektocht naar het verlangen om gezien te worden en naar intimiteit in allerlei uitingsvormen.

Step into the life of one of history’s greatest thinkers and discover how a curious boy from a small village in Italy changed the world forever. From the delicate brushstrokes of the Mona Lisa to the engineering marvels scribbled into secret notebooks, Leonardo da Vinci didn’t just create art—he imagined the future. In this richly detailed and accessible biography, listeners young and old will explore ten fascinating aspects of Leonardo’s genius. Each chapter unlocks a new side of the man whose mind refused to be confined by any single label.

What if the world’s most beloved children’s author was quietly teaching millions of kids to question everything? Behind the Hat isn’t a takedown. It’s a deep dive. Into the life, legacy, and low-key rebellion of Dr. Seuss — a man who went from drawing war propaganda to writing bedtime stories about revolution, empathy, and resistance. From Horton to Yertle, Sneetches to the Cat, this book explores the hidden messages, strange contradictions, and unexpected fire hiding in the stripes. If you grew up on Seuss, this might rewire how you see him. If you didn’t — buckle in.

Это история простого деревенского мальчишки. Внебрачного сына нотариуса и рабыни, сильной, юной женщины, чужестранки из дальних краев. Леонардо, имя, означающее свободу, вероятно, дала сыну именно она.

Nearly a decade ago, infamous literary 'it' girl Caroline Calloway created the proposal for a book she called School Girl while cutting up lines of Adderall with her Cambridge student ID. She promised followers and publishers alike that her life was a perfect fairytale up until the day she went to rehab. As her 2015 book deal crumpled without a manuscript, Calloway was called a scammer, a fraud and a one-woman Fyre Fest, although during this time she managed to get and remain 'amphetamine-sober'. She also promised herself that she would never again sell a book without a finished manuscript.

Утром 12 октября 1654 года в городе Делфт раздался «раскат грома». Колоссальный взрыв на пороховом складе разрушил целый квартал, унеся сотни жизней и покалечив еще тысячи. Среди жертв был молодой ученик Рембрандта, автор знаменитого шедевра «Щегол», — Карел Фабрициус. Ему суждено пролежать под развалинами, среди дыма и удушающей пыли, рядом с собственным полотном, долгие шесть часов. Помощь пришла слишком поздно.

Vibrante icône dont l'anticonformisme délicieusement scandaleux et le mode de vie solaire ont incarné les rêves de plusieurs générations depuis l'après-guerre, Françoise Sagan habite notre imaginaire. Marie-Dominique Lelièvre l'a prise en filature et revisite son mythe. Menant une enquête littéraire à suspense, elle a eu accès à des archives confidentielles. Elle a rencontré les amis intimes de Sagan, Florence Malraux et Bernard Frank, mais aussi ses secrétaires, sa dernière compagne, son fils, sa banquière, ses médecins, ses éditeurs, sa gouvernante.