Biography & Memoir

Illuminating and absorbing, Black Spartacus is a definitive new biography of Toussaint Louverture – a revolutionary slave hero, military mastermind and the first leader of the independent Black state of Haiti. Winner of the Wolfson History...

Relating the extraordinary story of a Japanese woman who defied social conventions to forge her own path in life, Stranger in the Shogun’s City is also a fascinating window on the birth of Tokyo as a modern metropolis. Shortlisted for the Baillie...

In this riveting biography, veteran journalist Zachary D. Carter unearths the lost legacy of one of history's greatest minds. John Maynard Keynes's vibrant, deeply human vision of democracy, art, and the good life has been obscured by technical debates,...

Drawing on a wealth of fresh material, Clark’s revisionist biography of the iconic poet is perceptive life-writing at its finest and refuses to paint Plath as a figure preordained for a tragic end.    The first biography of this great and tragic poet...

FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDIn 1960, Harvard’s sister college, Radcliffe, announced the founding of an Institute for Independent Study, a “messy experiment” in women’s education that offered paid fellowships to those with a PhD or...

The extraordinary life of the man who founded Islam, and the world he inhabited - and remade.Muhammad's was a life of almost unparalleled historical importance; yet for all the iconic power of his name, the intensely dramatic story of the prophet of...

Furnishing rebel girls with fresh inspiration, this treasury of inspiring immigrant women – from Josephine Baker to Madeline Albright – is a marvellous addition to the beloved Good Night Stories family.   Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100...

(Available after 3-20 days)Versace. The very name conjures up images of outrageous glamour and bold sexuality, opulence and daring. All of course true, but only half the story. Versace is also the legacy of a great creative genius from a poor, backward...

(Available after 3-29 days)A passionate account of the toxic culture of bullying and overwork that junior doctors can experience in the workplace as part of their training. Yumiko Kadota was every Asian parent's dream: model student, top of her class in...

Longlisted for the Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award 2020 Can the Asian giant beat Apple? Based on years of reporting on Samsung for the Economist, the Wall Street Journal, and Time from his base in South Korea, and his...

Inspired by her acclaimed Edinburgh Festival lecture, Michaela Coel’s passionately argued and devastatingly articulate manifesto for greater transparency and honesty is a clarion call for speaking truth to power.     'Razor-sharp and as funny as I...

(Available after 3-20 days)Plutarch's Lives, written at the beginning of the second century A.D., is a brilliant social history of the ancient world by one of the greatest biographers and moralists of all time. In what is by far his most famous and...

Plutarch's Lives, written at the beginning of the second century A.D., is a brilliant social history of the ancient world by one of the greatest biographers and moralists of all time. In what is by far his most famous and influential work, Plutarch...

A deeply personal meditation on love, loss, stars and the solace of connection, The Smallest Light in the Universe is a deeply moving memoir from world-leading astrophysicist Sara Seager.   Sara Seager has made it her life's work to peer into the...

A Wall Street Journal Best Book of the YearThe Pixar Touch is a lively chronicle of Pixar Animation Studios' history and evolution, and the "fraternity of geeks" who shaped it. With the help of animating genius John Lasseter and visionary businessman...

In his New York Times bestselling memoir, A Work in Progress, Connor Franta shared his journey from small-town Midwestern boy to full-fledged Internet sensation. Exploring his past with humor and astounding insight, Connor reminded his fans of why they...

A stunning illustrated journey through one young woman's year of feelings--from the saturated highs of early summer to the gray isolation of late winter. "Feelings is a visual and emotional treat, full of gorgeous artwork and soothing insight."--Mari...

Twelve early pieces never before collected that offer an illuminating glimpse into the mind and process of Joan Didion. Mostly drawn from the earliest part of her astonishing five-decade career, the wide-ranging pieces in this collection include Didion...

The plot of this memoir MIGHT sound like a shaggy dog story told in a bar. Part Gonzo journalism of Hunter S. Thompson, the hit-the-dirt reporting of a Ken Burns documentary and the twinkle of an eye from Frank McCourt of Angela’s Ashes fame. Donohue’s...

Bestselling travel writer Richard Grant “sensitively probes the complex and troubled history of the oldest city on the Mississippi River through the eyes of a cast of eccentric and unexpected characters” (Newsweek).Natchez, Mississippi, once had more...