Amazing and Extraordinary Facts: Wales takes you on an absorbing journey around Wales to unearth the adventures, inventions, legends, firsts and birthplaces that have shaped the unique history of Wales. From the ancient mines of the Great Orme to the Severn crossing, the tsunami of the 1600s to the Turlough Lake, from bog snorkelling to Tom Jones' phone box, this intriguing compendium of facts and stories will give you a captivating insight into the Land of Song and the ideas and events that have shaped the individual identity of this remarkable country. Brief, accessible and entertaining pieces on a wide variety of subjects makes it the perfect book to dip in to. The amazing and extraordinary facts series presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.

'A deft, frequently dramatic tour' Nature 'A wonderfully clear and readable book . . . Gives a splendid overview of our Sun's planetary system, including its history and exploration' Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell * We have the impression that the solar system is perfectly regular like a clock, or a planetarium instrument. On a short timescale it is. But, seen in a longer perspective, the planets, and their satellites, have exciting lives, full of events - for example, did you know that Saturn's moon, Titan, boasts lakes which contain liquid methane surrounded by soaring hills and valleys, exactly as the earth did before life evolved on our fragile planet? Or that Mercury is the shyest planet? Or, that Mars' biggest volcano is 100 times the size of Earth's, or that its biggest canyon is 10 times the depth of the Grand Canyon, or that it wasn't always red, but blue? The culmination of a lifetime of astronomy and wonder, Paul Murdin's enchanting new book reveals everything you ever wanted to know about the planets, their satellites, and our place in the solar system.

The Nutcracker ballet, danced by guinea pigs

As the curtain rises, Clara is opening her presents under the Christmas tree. She falls in love with a present from her godfather Drosselmeyer: a wooden Nutcracker. When Clara falls asleep that night, she is swept up in a battle between the Nutcracker (who has become a handsome prince) and the terrible Mouse King. This leads to a magical trip into the realms of fantasy, a sweet-filled wonderland where the beautiful Sugarplum Fairy dances...

This is the world famous ballet, as you've never seen it before.

A stunning illustrated edition of the magical bestseller - a perfect gift for Christmas! Winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize Winner of the British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year Shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award Shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize Beautiful, thrilling and magical, Sunday Times bestselling-author Kiran Millwood Hargrave's critically-acclaimed first novel is a modern classic. 'Absolutely loved it from start to finish' TOM FLETCHER 'I read it, I loved it' MALORIE BLACKMAN 'Kiran Millwood Hargrave creates a spellbinding world of magic, myth and adventure' EMMA CARROLL Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella dreams of the faraway lands her cartographer father once mapped. When her friend disappears, she volunteers to guide the search. The world beyond the walls is a monster-filled wasteland - and beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a fire demon is stirring from its sleep. Soon, following her map, her heart and an ancient myth, Isabella discovers the true end of her journey: to save the island itself. A beautifully written, multi award-winning story of friendship, discovery, myths and magic for any age - perfect for fans of Philip Pullman, Frances Hardinge or Katherine Rundell A perfect gift for Christmas, illustrated in colour by Olia Muza, and featuring a bonus chapter From the author of Julia and the Shark, Leila and the Blue Fox and The Mercies, chosen for the Richard & Judy Book Club Set in an extensive and stunningly-imagined parallel world imbued with magical realism

Christmas is an ethical and political minefield. Luckily, this survival guide contains valuable advice on how to navigate the hazards of the holiday season. Learn how to... * launch a scathing dinner table takedown on your woefully unwoke relatives * craft your own sustainable decorations that bring festive cheer without compromising the 2050 Paris Agreement * splurge on Black Friday without propping up the neoliberal capitalist agenda * build a body-positive snowperson that isn't a straight white male for once * skilfully avoid eating meat or dairy without it becoming a whole thing you have to justify for an hour. Whether it's a stocking filler for a left-leaning loved one, or a Secret Santa gift for a painfully earnest colleague, A Snowflake's Guide to Christmas is the perfect gift for anyone with a bleeding heart (and a sense of humour) this holiday season.

A life-affirming collection of inspiring quotes from one of the world's best-loved public figures. As a student, she excelled; as a lawyer, she rose through the ranks; as a mother, she inspired and nurtured two girls; and as the First Lady of the United States, she used her platform to disseminate her strongly held beliefs. Intelligence, generosity, strength, bravery, confidence, and hard work are all key attributes associated with Michelle Obama, and this book serves to cement her place as one of the strongest voices on the global stage today. 'When you are struggling and you start thinking about giving up, I want you to remember something ... and that is the power of hope.' Final speech as First Lady of the United States, January 2017.

A stunning collection of portraits of favourite trees from around Britain by photographer Adrian Houston. --- 'This is a wonderful book: beautiful and important' - Joanna Lumley 'A must-read for all conservationists, environmentalists and nature lovers' - Sir Richard Branson 'Adrian's stunning photographs capture the majesty of these iconic trees.' - Geraint Richards, Chair of Action Oak --- A Portrait of the Tree is a repository of memories, and a testament to the British landscape. Trees are revealed as religious signifiers, historical landmarks, national emblems. Sparked by a simple question: 'What is your favourite tree?', photographer Adrian Houston discovered a wealth of fascinating stories enmeshed with these giants of the natural world - some of miraculous survival, others of sheltering royalty, or witnessing history, or simply of personal grief and renewal. Adrian photographed each nominated tree looking utterly glorious: spotlit by night, bathed in morning sunshine, wreathed in delicate mist or blazing with autumn colour. From the cedars of Highclere Castle to the plane trees of London, ancient pine woods of the Scottish Highlands to veteran oaks that have stood witness to time; from native stalwarts such as the monumental beech to endangered giant redwoods. This stunning celebration bears witness to the might and majesty of the lungs of the earth - the tree. Includes: Joanna Lumley, Tony Kirkham, Dr George McGavin, Antony Gormley, Jasper Conran, Alice Temperley, Alan Titchmarsh, Sir Richard Carew Pole, the Reverend Lucy Winkett

The indispensable guide to everything we knew and loved before modern life got in the way. This gorgeous and beautifully illustrated countryside miscellany is the perfect purchase for anyone wanting to go back to their roots and rediscover a lost world... 'Beautiful book' -- ***** Reader review 'A delightful book with some lovely illustrations' -- ***** Reader review 'A heart-warming read, I love this book' -- ***** Reader review 'Magical' -- ***** Reader review 'Lovely book to just DELVE into' -- ***** Reader review 'A little gem!' -- ***** Reader review 'Sheer delight!' -- ***** Reader review **************************************************************************************************** Ever wondered how to predict the weather just by looking at the sky? Or wanted to attract butterflies to your garden? Is there a knack to building the perfect bonfire? And how exactly do you race a ferret? In this world of traffic tailbacks, supermarket shopping and 24-hour internet access, it's easy to feel disconnected from the beauty and rhythms of the natural world. If you have ever gazed in awe at stars in the night's sky, tried to catch a perfect snowflake or longed for the comfort of a roaring log fire, then this is the book for you. From spotting Britain's five kinds of owl to gardening by the phases of the moon, from curing a cold to brewing your own ale, and from navigating by the stars to making sloe gin, Red Sky at Night is packed with instructions and lists, ancient customs and old wives tales, making it an indispensable guide to countryside lore.

Bill Hicks asks: 'Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn't the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit... unnatural?'

The Little Book of Weed looks at marijuana use from its first ever references to parents naming their children after their favourite varietals and asks the same question.

Ganja, weed, cannabis, Mary Jane, blunt, chronic. The list of nicknames for marijuana is as numerous and varied as the users it appeals to. Grown in fields and hotboxes around the world, weed's influence on culture is far beyond teenagers trying pot for the very first time or chronic hippies fully immersed in the lifestyle. Howlers from politicians struggling to balance reality with perception, hilarious stand-up comedians in smoke-filled clubs, musicians whose albums defined eras and movies that put it all on film owe much of their infamy to the infamous herb. So sit back, chill out and roll up roll up for the Little Book of Weed as it emblazons the leafs.

THE FOURTH COLLECTION FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERS @DADSAYSJOKES Q: How does a penguin build a house? A: Igloos it together. The global Instagram sensation, @DadSaysJokes, returns for another collection of side-splitting gags to share with friends and family. Guaranteed to keep the laughs and groans coming in equal measure, the cheesy jokes inside will not disappoint. @DadSaysJokes is a community-run dad jokes network on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, with over 5 million followers, inspired by the daily jokes of author Kit Chilvers' dad, Andrew. Every day, followers submit their jokes and the team picks their favourites - or Dad just drops in his own zinger! Kit, a young social networking influencer, started his career at the tender age of 14 when he created his original platform, Football.Newz. He has since added another fourteen platforms, including @PubityPets and monster meme page @Pubity with its 31 million followers. This is his fourth book.

Space is spectacular This short, informative and engaging guide to the wonders of the universe will fascinate and inspire readers of all ages There's never been a more exciting time to learn about space. As new rockets are launched and fresh discoveries are made, humanity's urge to explore and understand what's going on out there keeps evolving and expanding. But you don't need to have Einstein-level training to grasp the science and ponder the big questions. This little book covers everything from the Big Bang and the formation of the planets in our solar system, and how to spot them in the night sky, to a timeline of firsts and major events, including the Apollo missions, Elon Musk's SpaceX programme and Tim Peake's Principia mission. Packed with awe-inspiring facts and profiles of key figures, it will take you on an out-of-this-world adventure to the stars and back. Among the many fascinating questions the book will answer are these: How big is the universe and how was it formed? How many meteorites crash into Earth every day? Could humans one day live on Mars? Are we alone in the universe?

Criminally good advice from the sharpest minds in business. The Little Book of Badass Business features more than 170 quotes from a variety of moguls, millionaires and titans of industry - both legitimate and less so... From advice on building your empire from self-made men like Breaking Bad's Walter White, to tips on the art of negotiation from seasoned dealmakers like The Godfather's Don Vito Corleone, this collection of bite-sized quips is essential reading for anyone looking to make their mark in the corporate, cut-throat world of business. 'Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.' Gordon Gekko outlines the virtues of avarice when it comes to cold, hard cash. Wall Street (1987) 20th Century Fox. 'You're born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Til one day you're up in the rarefied atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like.' Eddie Temple explains the path to success for up-and-coming entrepreneurs. Layer Cake (2004) Sony Pictures. 'Come at the king, you best not miss.' Omar Little offers some words of warning in the face of a hostile takeover. The Wire, Season 1 Episode 8: 'Lessons'.

A beautifully presented, practical gift guide to the age-old art of whittling. There are 50 projects featured in the book, ranging from quick makes to more elaborate projects, and even a chapter on creating things from cork. The 8 main themes are: Quick Things - including a doorstop, a bookmark and a gift-box book; Into The Woods - including a willow whistle, walking stick, fish hook and slingshot; Around The House - including chopsticks, coat and crochet hooks; Cork Creations - including a succulent pot, stamp, and earphones spool; Ornamental Carving - including a boat, a deer and a spinning top; Kitchen Carving - including a carrot flute, apple candle and onion flower; The Natural World - including a bird feeder and instructions to prepare a fish for cooking, a graft an apple tree. The projects cater for a range of skill levels and the instructions are complemented by smart step-by-step illustrations, which highlight the tactile quality of the material in hand. The book also includes an introduction with advice on selecting a penknife, maintaining your blade, choosing your caving material, and carving techniques. Featuring the ultimate crossover of cool craftsmanship and savvy survival-skill projects, this book is the perfect gift for creative adventurers.

'A guide for living an upright and noble life' The New Yorker 'An easy and endearing read' Publishers Weekly 'Never announce you are a Knight, simply behave as one. You are better than no one, and no one is better than you.' On the eve of a battle from which he fears he may not return, Sir Thomas Lemuel Hawke writes a letter to his children so that he may pass on his-hard won lessons on knighthood. Drawing on philosophy and the great writings of our time, the letter provides instructions on living a life full of adventure, inspiration and, most importantly, love. Rules for a Knight is a beautiful fable by Ethan Hawke. 'Philosophy lovers will enjoy the Eastern and Western philosophical musings, but everyone will enjoy the touching storyline' Metro

(This book is a parody and is not authorised by the Estate of Winston S. Churchill) THE PERFECT GIFT FOR DADS THIS FATHER'S DAY Dear Winston, We've just started our baby on solids and I'm about to change his first nappy since then. What pep talk can I give myself? Reyansh, Chatham, 26 WC: Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say: 'This was their finest hour'. --- Winston Churchill, oft-named greatest Briton of all time, had wisdom in abundance. Now, for the first time, that wisdom is being applied to the people most in need: FATHERS. Whether you're a 28-year-old newbie after advice on how to remove your toddler's dummy, a 40-year-old long-timer wishing your teenager would try harder at their GCSEs, or a 63-year-old veteran wanting to know how best to put the fear of God into your daughter's new fiance, you can trust Winston to have all the answers you need. --- Dear Winston, My daughter's boyfriend has just broken up with her and I want to say something that will cheer her up. Any ideas? Alan, 47, Nether Wallop WC: He looks like a female llama who has just been surprised in her bath.

Pumpkin spice is more than a flavour, it's a feeling. Like hygge, it is nostalgically evocative of family, comfort food, home and hearth. Relax into the harvest season with this celebratory book full of sugar and pumpkin spice and all things nice. With the smell and taste of autumn itself, it is no wonder that pumpkin spice has become the must-have treat when the leaves start to fall. The spice blend may have had a traditional culinary origin as an ingredient in pumpkin pie and then popularized in latte, but it's more than a flavour, it's a feeling. Like an old familiar friend, it is evocatively nostalgic, warm and inviting, and here you will find ways to celebrate pumpkin spice in life, from fun facts and food and drink recipes to home fragrance and lifestyle hacks.

Challenge yourself at home with word puzzles

A super-sized challenge for crossword lovers, selected by the Times2 Crossword Editor John Grimshaw.

This Crossword appears weekly in the Saturday edition of The Times. The puzzles offer the same challenge as the times2 daily crossword but the larger grid packs an extra punch!

The clues are also a little more testing than the daily times2 crossword, to stretch the crossword enthusiast just a bit further, and provide hours of entertainment.

The Dalai Lama is one of the most renowned and loved spiritual leaders in the world. This book is one of a series of bite-sized introductions that make his writing accessible to everybody. In The Dalai Lama'a Book of Love and Compassion, His Holiness describes how to bring love and compassion into our daily lives. He explores the fundamentals of the Buddha's teaching, from basic advice on how to love more fully to the importance of compassion. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, this book has something for you. Simply and clearly, The Dalai Lama explains: The need to balance spiritual and material values. Compassion as the basis for human happiness

From hairstyles to heartbreak, sisters are jolly spiffing and this tip-top collection of retro photos and frightfully funny captions captures everything to love about the trials and tribulations of having a sister. The Wit and Wisdom of... is a series of terrifically humorous books for adults brought to you by the rip-roaringly funny folks behind the best-selling On-the-Ceiling greetings cards Also available: The Wit and Wisdom of Brother The Wit and Wisdom of Grandma The Wit and Wisdom of Grandad The Wit and Wisdom of Mum The Wit and Wisdom of Dad The Wit and Wisdom of the Wife The Wit and Wisdom of the Husband The Wit and Wisdom of Beer The Wit and Wisdom of Wine The Wit and Wisdom of Prosecco The Wit and Wisdom of Gin

Join brilliant young naturalist Dara McAnulty – winner of the 2020 Wainwright Prize for his book Diary of a Young Naturalist – on a nature walk and experience the joy of connecting with the natural world on your multi sensory journey.

This beautiful gift book, illustrated in full colour by Barry Falls, is divided into five sections: looking out of the window, venturing out into the garden, walking in the woods, investigating heathland and wandering on the river bank.

Dara pauses to tell you about each habitat and provides fantastic facts about the native birds, animals and plants you will find there – including wrens, blackbirds, butterflies, tadpoles, bluebells, bees, hen harriers, otters, dandelions, oak trees and many more.

Each section contains a discovery section where you will have a closer look at natural phenomenon such as metamorphoses and migration, learn about categorization in the animal kingdom or become an expert on the collective nouns for birds.

Each section finishes with an activity to do when you get home: plant wild flowers, make a bird feeder, try pond dipping, make a journey stick and build a vivarium.

Dara ends the book with advice for young conservationists and how to follow the countryside code.

This invaluable guide will solve the perennial 'What to wear?' problem for women everywhere. A woman who is immaculately dressed and impeccably groomed will appear confident, sophisticated and chic. Witty and informative, Tracy Martin offers practical advice on how to appraise every situation and dress accordingly – from classic to extravagant. Learn how to adapt your style according to your inspirations and personality and avoid fashion faux pas. Starting with the classic Little Black Dress, with tips on how to wear and accessorise it, each part of your wardrobe is explored, from dresses and skirts, suits, and shirts to those all-important bags, shoes, scarves, and jewellery that finish a look perfectly. Plus, don’t forget what’s underneath – your lingerie is just as important as your outfit, and every element of underwear is covered here, including how to obtain a seam-free silhouette. So whether your style icon is Audrey Hepburn, Grace Coddington, or Kate Moss, you’ll learn how to put together an outfit with confidence and ease, knowing you have just the right Instagram-perfect look.

A paper diary is a beautiful thing, a chance to plot your time and mark the days – to do what you can with what there is, as Hemingway says.

This 2021 diary features gorgeous book covers from Vintage Classics, reading lists for each month and plenty of space to note appointments. As you make your way through the year each page will provide inspiration from the best writers in the world.

Complete with a flexible, cloth-finish cover, wraparound elastic band and a ribbon.

‘Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.’ The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway

A rip-roaring Roman mystery from Historical Association Young Quills Award-winning author Ally Sherrick. PRAISE FOR BLACK POWDER - WINNER OF THE HISTORIAL ASSOCIATION YOUNG QUILLS AWARD: ' ... a wonderfully explosive adventure set in the turbulent year of the gunpowder plot in Black Powder with impossibly divided loyalties.' JULIA GOLDING, AUTHOR OF THE DIAMOND OF DRURY LANE 'With its constant reversals and twists and turns, Tom's story is almost as complex as the pliot and counter-plot of the Gunpowder Treason itself ... The writing is lively and the pace never flags.' HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY Vita longs to write plays and poetry - but as a high-born girl in Roman Londinium, her fate is sealed: marriage and children. Then her father is murdered, her mother and brother disappear, and Vita flees from a shadowy enemy. Disguised as a slave at the gladiator's arena, she forges an unlikely bond with Brea, a native Briton gladiatrix - and her wolf. Together, they resolve to discover and bring the killer to justice before Vita's identity is revealed ... A rip-roaring adventure set in Roman London from the rising queen of middle-grade historical fiction, Ally Sherrick Vita, nicknamed 'Little Owl' by her father, is an unlikely hero - but when her father is murdered she has to uncover the truth, even if it means finding unlikely friends Themes of deceit, storytelling and fighting justice