Summer Reads

Henry III was a medieval king whose long reign continues to have a profound impact on us today. He was on the throne for 56 years and during this time England was transformed from being the private play-thing of a French speaking dynasty into a medieval...

George I was not the most charismatic of the Hanoverian monarchs to have reigned in England but he was probably the most important. He was certainly the luckiest.Born the youngest son of a landless German duke, he was taken by repeated strokes of good...

The acclaimed Penguin Monarchs series: short, fresh, expert accounts of England's rulers - now in paperbackHenry VIII's reign transformed the physical and spiritual landscape of England. Magnificent, tyrannical, a strong ruler, a 'pillager of the...

The acclaimed Penguin Monarchs series: short, fresh, expert accounts of England's rulers - now in paperback   Richard II (1377-99) came to the throne as a child, following the long, domineering, martial reign of his grandfather Edward III. He suffered...

(Available after 3-20 days)In September 2015 Queen Elizabeth II becomes Britain's longest-reigning monarch. During her long lifetime Britain and the world have changed beyond recognition, yet throughout she has stood steadfast as a lasting emblem of...

The acclaimed Penguin Monarchs series: short, fresh, expert accounts of England's rulers - now in paperbackLike his mother Queen Victoria, Edward VII defined an era. Both reflected the personalities of their central figures: hers grand, imperial and...

'To provide splendid settings for their displays of majesty, kings had great halls built, and none more so than Rufus'William II, or William Rufus, son and successor to William the Conqueror, is most famous for his death: killed by an arrow while out...

'He had brought nothing but trouble to the navy: how would he fare as King?'Known as the 'Sailor King', William IV was sent to join the navy by his father to discipline him, but instead became notorious for his calamitous years of service, his debts and...

'He seems to have laboured under an almost child-like misapprehension about the size of his world. Had greatness not been thrust upon him, he might have lived a life of great harmlessness'The reign of Edward II was a succession of disasters. Inept in...

'No other medieval king had such demonstrably serious mental health issues; no other king was so notoriously susceptible to those around him; no other king was so clearly uninterested in the business of government'Henry VI, son of the all-conquering...

The acclaimed Penguin Monarchs series: short, fresh, expert accounts of England's rulers - now in paperbackCharles II has always been one of the most instantly recognisable British kings - both in his physical appearance, disseminated through endless...

London 1946. An actress is murdered, not just on camera but in full view of a crowded film set. Only six people had an opportunity to administer the poison yet not one of them had a conceivable motive. As Evadne Mount, bestselling crime novelist,...

The Nobel Prize winner's most influential and enduring lectures and speeches, newly translated by Quintin Hoare, in what is the first English language publication of this collection.Albert Camus (1913-1960) is unsurpassed among writers for a body of work...

The stories of Exile and the Kingdom explore the dilemma of being an outsider - even in one's own country - and of allegiance. With intense power and lyricism, Camus evokes beautiful but harsh landscapes, whether the shimmering deserts of his native...

(Available after 3-20 days)Penguin Island is a satirical novel by Anatole France first published in 1908. The book details the history of the penguins and is written as a critique of human nature, and is also a satire on France's political history,...

A Penguin ClassicIt is April 1793 and the final power struggle of the French Revolution is taking hold: the aristocrats are dead and the poor are fighting for bread in the streets. In a Paris swept by fear and hunger lives Gamelin, a revolutionary young...

(Available after 3-20 days)In July 1947, fresh out of college and long before he would win the Pulitzer Prize and become known as one of America's finest historians, Stanley Karnow boarded a freighter bound for France, planning to stay for the summer. He...

Reach your goals with Kaizen—the Japanese art of gentle self-improvementFrom Hygge to Ikigai, positive philosophies have taken the world by storm. Now, Kaizen—meaning “good change”—will help you transform your habits, without being too hard on yourself...

The definitive guide that teaches you how to use the Japanese concept of wabi sabi to reshape every area of your life and find happiness right where you are.Fed up with the exhausting challenges of our fast-paced, consumption-driven existence, millions...

** FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR ****Previously published as The Little Book of Lykke**"A wonderful guide to happy living. It's based on hard evidence and written with a wonderful sense of fun" Richard Layard, Centre for Economic...