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Navid Kermani’s In the Other Direction Now is a remarkable work of literary non-fiction that follows the author through a vast arc of East Africa, charting the emotional, environmental, and political fault lines that define the region.
For Celia Imrie, travel is not simply a passion, it’s a way of life. She is never happier than when on the move. Jump on board with Celia as she journeys back in time and shares the most memorable adventures of her life, riding ocean waves and iconic railways around the world. From tours across Australia with Glenda Jackson, Arctic quests in search of the Northern lights and chaotic cross-country journeys through Europe; to rolling through America’s sweeping plains on Amtrak, glamorous voyages on the Queen Mary 2, and unforgettable trips on India’s legendary trains. All told with Celia’s signature wit and humour, the journeys may be long, but they are never dull – especially when her travel companion Fidelis Morgan is in tow.
On the 29th of October 1908, a party of four men, led by Ernest Shackleton, set out to be the first to reach the South Pole. Three months later, their mission was in ruins and they faced certain death if they carried on. Just 97 miles from the South Pole, Shackleton turned back. One hundred years on, a team that included descendants of that original party, led by Henry Worsley, set out from Shackleton’s hut to celebrate the centenary of his expedition by retracing the exact 870 mile route and going on to finish the last 97 miles. This book tells the story of the original expedition and its failure, while also capturing the meticulous planning, fundraising and training for the new expedition.
Michael Palin’s latest adventure sees him exploring one of the most fascinatingly complex and contradictory countries on earth: the Philippines. It’s a popular tourist destination, but also a place of extreme poverty for many. It’s a nation where religious beliefs are strongly held and divorce is illegal, but where political unrest and violence regularly mar everyday life. And, of course, it’s a country still dominated by the legacy of the Marcos family, not least the infamous husband and wife team of Ferdinand and Imelda, whose 21-year rule was dominated by scandal and allegations of corruption. In the course of Michael’s epic journey he gets to see the Philippines archipelago in all its beauty, variety and many paradoxes. He meets some of the warmest and friendliest people he has ever encountered. And at the very end, he finds himself as close to the Marcos family as it’s possible to get – in a meeting that he never thought possible.
Japan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with millions flocking there every month to follow the same cookie-cutter itinerary. But beyond the well-trodden tourist trail lies a country made up of 47 unique prefectures. Each one has its own story to tell, shaped by centuries of squabbling lords, impenetrable topography and a fierce local pride. On his quest to show the world that there’s so much more to Japan than Tokyo and Kyoto, Chris Broad has visited these beaten paths himself. Now, in this work, he takes us with him on an epic adventure that spans every corner of the country.
More than 50 authentic, elegant recipes for classic Sicilian dishes, presented by the ultimate authority in Italian home cooking
Each May in Gloucestershire, contestants embark on an ankle-shattering pursuit of an enormous wheel of cheese down a 26-degree hill. In August, a man utterly covered in burdock seeds and burrs ambles nine miles through Queensferry, getting progressively drunker on whisky offered by locals. On Bonfire Night, foolhardy residents of Ottery St Mary process through the streets with flaming tar barrels on their backs. These are just a few of Britain’s folk customs, many of them centuries old. From the profound to the baffling, this handbook brings together over 100 rituals and traditions that mark changing seasons, unite communities and offer insight into Britain’s wonderfully weird cultural identity.
In 1971, two years after the launch of Monty Python’s Flying Circus made his comedy troupe global superstars – and made all their lives a little more complicated – Eric Idle decided to buy a ramshackle property in the south of France. In search of a simpler, quieter life, what followed was a story akin to ‘A Year in Provence’, but with more disaster, more heartbreak, more laughs – and much more spam. A tale spanning a fifty-year quest of home-building, friendship-making and bad-French-learning, ‘Idle in Provence’ is a hilarious, tender and unforgettable memoir of Eric Idle’s very own escape to the country.
Monsters, in all their terrifying glory, have preoccupied humans since we began telling stories. But where did these stories come from? In this book, Nicholas Jubber goes on a journey to discover more about the monsters we’ve invented, lurking in the dark and the wild places of the earth – giants, dragons, ogres, zombies, ghosts, demons – all with one thing in common: their ability to terrify. His far-ranging adventure takes him across the world. He sits on the thrones of giants in Cornwall, visits the shrine of a beheaded ogre near Kyoto, travels to an 18th-century Balkan vampire’s forest dwelling, and paddles among the shapeshifters of the Louisiana bayous. On his travels, he discovers that the stories of the people and places that birthed them are just as fascinating as the creatures themselves.
A fascinating journey through the landscapes and communities of the Domesday Book from the author of King in the North
Mariana Enriquez blends journalistic rigour and her fascination with the macabre as we encounter famous graveyards steeped in history, such as Montparnasse in Paris, Highgate in London, and the Jewish cemetery in Prague, as well as more remote, decrepit, hidden, or secretly beautiful ones. These pages are full of the graves of famous figures – Elvis in Memphis, Karl Marx in London – mournful sculptures, traces of voodoo, catacombs, skeletons and an array of legends and stories. Mariana’s personal journey weaves through haunting narratives, transforming burial grounds into spaces of reflection, obsession, and emotional discovery between the living and the dead. From the haunting statues of Staglieno in Genoa to the eerie silence of Rottnest Island’s hidden Aboriginal cemetery, Enriquez’s narrative shifts effortlessly between travelogue, essay, and memoir.
Bestselling historian and social media sensation Alice Loxton embarks on an epic walk, retracing the funeral route of England's most forgotten Queen and uncovering historical secrets along the way.
Most people in the United Kingdom live and work in towns. Only a handful ordinarily qualify as conventional tourist destinations, with most deemed too plain, run down, or unfun to be worthy of a leisure visit; but they have much to offer for the inquisitive traveller. Travelling from Warrington, Birkenhead and Slough to Paisley, Armagh, Newport and beyond, Chris Moss seeks out Britain’s ‘unloved’ towns. As he encounters the rich stories and spirits of these places, peeling back layers of history and culture, he considers why the hidden pleasures they have to offer have been ignored by most. ‘Where Tourists Seldom Tread’ is an invitation to move away from our preferences for major cities and rural idylls, offering a new field guide to the country.
From the author of the smash-hit Around the World in 80 Trains comes a new globetrotting journey – this time celebrating the peculiar magic and mayhem of the night train.
As Kim Willis drifts from the traditional path of marriage and motherhood, she yearns for a new set of stories to light her way. Here, she is pulled towards the source of the Severn, hearing whispers of ancient matriarchs: shape-shifting enchantresses, scaly nymphs and goddesses who once commanded our lands. These are no fair maidens, but powerful warrioresses and animalistic beasts, snaking along the edges of watery places where we meet the otherworld in the shadows. As she uncovers the ancient myths hidden in the rugged landscapes of the British Isles, the stories of women like Arianrhod, Melusine and Cerridwen awaken a forgotten power. Journeying from the Severn to Skye, Eryri to Northumberland, Kim discovers new magic in the tales of old, unveiling forgotten truths about grief and healing, while charting a new course through sisterhood and sexuality, fertility and freedom.
Winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2025
A Sunday Times Best Book of 2025
A Guardian Best Sports Book 2025
A unique memoir from British cycling’s most fascinating competitor.