Sihle Khumalo loves a challenge. He likes to think on his feet and prefers to depart from what can only be called a wish list.

The plans for his trip to West Africa were lean on practical detail but grand in concept: 'to visit Five World Heritage Sites listed by UNESCO for their historical and cultural significance'. He had never set foot in Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin or Togo, but not to worry, he would inform himself about Francophone Africa as he went along, and conclude in an English speaking country.

Had he informed himself more thoroughly beforehand, pondered the implications of having next-to-no French in a part of the world where it is the lingua franca, or what public transport may be like in a country with no infrastructure to speak of, he might have set off less bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. But Sihle is not one to be deterred by setbacks and dead-ends.

His flexibility, irrepressible optimism and robust sense of humour, coupled with an unexpected sensitivity towards his host countries, see him reach all but one - no, two of his goals.

An irreverent look at psychoanalytic practice"On the surface, No Marchevsky has written a comical cartoon book, but as one allows oneself to revel in the stereotypes, we realize that he has in fact brilliantly captured some of the more perverse, sadistic, and narcissistic interpretative comments still rendered by so many contemporary mental health practitioners. This book should certainly be required reading for every trainee in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, but above all, it should be studied at length by qualified practitioners so that we may examine the ossified strategies that we use in practice, often beyond our awareness." -- Brett Kahr, Winnicott Clinic Senior Research Fellow in Psychotherapy, Regent 's College, London

THE SUNDAY TIMES-BESTSELLING BOOK BY ONE OF BRITAIN'S BEST-LOVED COMIC WRITERS **Pre-order now: David Mitchell's new book Dishonesty is the Second-best Policy** There are many aspects of modern life that trouble award-winning comedian David Mitchell, such as: Why is every film or TV programme a sequel or a remake? Why are people so f***ing hung up about swearing? Why do the asterisks in that sentence make it ok? Why do so many people want to stop other people doing things, and how can they be stopped from stopping them? Join Mitchell on a tour of the absurdities of our times - from Ryanair to Richard III, Downton Abbey to phone etiquette, UKIP to hotdogs made of cats. Funny, provocative and shot through with refreshing amounts of common sense, Thinking About It Only Makes It Worse celebrates and commiserates on the state of things in our not entirely glorious modern world. 'Mitchell is an exceptionally clever, eloquent and spot-on commentator. We should be grateful for him.' Daily Mail, Books of the Year

To mark the tenth anniversary of the smash-hit 50 People Who Stuffed Up South Africa, the original 50 People team brings you an all-new sequel: 50 People Who F***ed Up South Africa: The Lost Decade.

As witty, enlightening and entertaining as all the franchise books, this Christmas compendium is an eye-watering indictment of our tragicomic “last lost decade”, a time of ruinous and unprecedented national decline. Whereas it took more than 350 years to come up with the list of shame for the first book, they needed just ten more for the next 50 names, from Shaun Abrahams to Zuma, Zuma and Zuma. Shot through with the architects and beneficiaries of state capture – Magashula, Mahlobo, Mahumapelo, and not forgetting the Guptas – it is also features crisp takedowns of the individuals who represent the standout scandals in this time: the like of Nkandla, Marikana, Life Esidimeni, Steinhoff, Bosasa and VBS Mutual Bank.

The end result is a readable, accessible overview of the South Africa’s recent political and socioeconomic landscape. Because sometimes humour and a clearly painted picture really is the best coping mechanism…

'Horrific and hilarious ... a dystopic vision of an England that would have given Orwell the heebie-jeebies' Independent 'A brilliant work of satire' The Quietus A SCARFOLK SANCTIONED BOOK AUTHORISED EDITION, AS SEEN ON THE RADIO The Scarfolk Annual is the facsimile of a book discovered in a charity shop in the north west of England in August 2018. The shop, and indeed town, do not wish to be identified as they are keen to "discourage the 'occult-totalitarian tourism' that as afflicted other areas of Britain" as people hunt for further socio-archaeological traces of the mysterious, missing town of Scarfolk - Britain's own Brutalist Atlantis. Apart from the archive of Scarfolk materials which was sent anonymously to the late Dr Ben Motte and formed the basis of the book Discovering Scarfolk, this children's annual is, to date, the only complete artefact from Scarfolk ever to be unearthed 'in the wild'. It's clear The Scarfolk Annual was not written to entertain children at Christmastime; its purpose was to indoctrinate young minds; in fact, one might go as far as to say destroy young minds, to an end that has been lost to us.

No one understands the challenges and frustrations of the outdoorsman's life like John Troy, and no one makes the maddening business of hunting so riotously funny. Anyone still kicking himself over a missed shot, anyone wishing that his hunting dog had paid more attention in obedience school, or anyone who has ever been confounded by the antics of a pesky squirrel will enjoy this hugely delightful collection. In typical John Troy style, readers are treated to one-panel lampoons of shooters who can't hit stuffed animals, bears that beat up hunters, and ducks that make their own decoys. They're funny because they're true. Hilarious Hunting Cartoons will delight both novice and experienced hunters and will make an excellent gift for the passionate hunter.

"Kingsley Amis's drink writing is better than anybody else's, ever..." Esquire Kingsley Amis was one of the great masters of comic prose, and no subject was dearer to him than the art and practice of imbibing. Everyday Drinking brings together the best of his writing on the subject: Kingsley Amis in Drink, Everyday Drinking and How's Your Glass? In one handsome package, the book covers a full shelf of the master's riotous and erudite thoughts on the drinking arts; along with a series of well-tested recipes (including a cocktail called the Lucky Jim) are Amis's musings on The Hangover, The Boozing Man's Diet, The Mean Sod's Guide, and (presumably as a matter of speculation) How Not to Get Drunk - all leavened with fun quizzes on the making and drinking of alcohol all over the world. Mixing practical know-how and hilarious opinionation, this is a delightful cocktail of wry humour and distilled knowledge, served by one of our great gimlet wits. With an introduction by Christopher Hitchens.

The newest entry in the multi-million-copy-selling 'No F*cks Given Guides' series from New York Times best-selling author Sarah Knight, showing how taking a little more responsibility can bring a lot more satisfaction to life.

Best-selling author Sarah Knight returns with her latest collection of hard-hitting advice for the modern adult who doesn't quite know how they got here. Whether you're searching for your ideal adult form, or just beginning to bridge the gulf between being fully dependent and gloriously independent, Sarah Knight has the hard-earned wisdom to get you from total helplessness to reliable resourcefulness.

Packed with key life hacks such as Communication, Personal Responsibility, and Life Experience, Grow the F*ck Up puts all the advice your parents tried to give you in one handy package that will help you get your life firing on all cylinders. Blissfully free of judgment and packed with the tools to identify mindset minefields and correct puerile proclivities that prevent one from becoming a truly mature, responsible, independent individual, this toolkit provides everything you need to succeed at being a fully-fledged, capital-a Adult.

The Dakota language owes much of its expansiveness to its verbs, or action words. Yet until now, students of Dakota have had few resources in verb usage and conjugation beyond nineteenth-century dictionaries compiled by missionaries. 550 Dakota Verbs provides students of Dakota--and the Lakota and Nakota dialects--the proper conjugations for 550 verbs from adi (to step or walk on) to zo (to whistle). Compiled by Dakota language teachers and students, the book is learner friendly and easy to use. It features clear explanations of Dakota pronoun and conjugation patterns, notes on traditional and modern usages, and handy Dakota-English and English-Dakota verb lists. Designed to enhance everyday conversation as well as contribute to the revitalization of this endangered language, 550 Dakota Verbs is an indispensable resource for all who are interested in Dakota and its dialects, and a compliment to A Dakota-English Dictionary.

'The most important and accessible mental health book in a generation. Truly life-changing.' - Osher Gunsberg Your Head is a Houseboat is a uniquely hilarious guide to what goes on in your brain, from illustration sensation Campbell Walker aka Struthless. The only truth we really know is that we're going to spend the rest of our lives in our own houseboat (our head) so it makes sense to make that houseboat as good as possible. The houseboat needs cleaning and maintenance, and it shouldn't be weighed down by junk (our own thoughts and other people's opinions). It has an unreliable and overworked Sea Captain, and a zoo of animalistic desires below the deck who are really steering. But it's your houseboat, so it's probably time for you to cast away and set sail (is that even how houseboats work?) on a journey to understanding it. In Your Head is a Houseboat, Cam demystifies brain functions, mental health, emotions, mindfulness and psychology - but with less complex terminology and more bizarre metaphors. It's a book filled with illustrations, journal exercises and words that will probably hit too close to home. At its core, this is a funny, accessible approach to understanding your head and making it a nicer place to live.

Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham (and breakout character from Into the Spider-Verse), arrives in this all-new, original graphic novel for younger readers! Experience a laugh-out-loud day in the life of Spider-Ham! After long being derided by the citizens of New York, Spider-Ham has finally been recognized for his outsized contribution to the city's safety, and receives the key to the city from none other than the mayor (and, being a cartoon universe, the key actually unlocks New York City's political and financial institutions). Sure, it's just a publicity stunt for the beleaguered mayor - and yeah, maybe every single other super hero was busy that day - but an award is an award! Of course, Spider-Ham isn't paying attention to the fine print telling him he didn't actually get to keep the key, and he swings off without returning the highly coveted oversized object. The next day, when the mayor's office finally gets in touch to ask for the key back, Spider-Ham realises he must have dropped it sometime in the last 24 hours. YIKES. Now, our notoriously empty-headed hero must retrace his steps from the past day, following his own trail to discover where he dropped the key before it falls into villainous hands. Did he lose it during a rooftop chase with the Black Catfish? Drop it in the middle of a tussle with the Green Gobbler? Leave it behind while visiting Croctor Strange's magic mansion? Accidentally store it next to May Porker's vacuum cleaner? Who knows? You'll have to read to find out! But one thing's for sure - Great Power, No Responsibility is an action-packed, hilarious adventure perfect for younger readers.

The deadliest ever dictionary of Irish slang! Can you tell your cute hoors from your chancers, or your gougers from your gurriers? Do you know a slapper, a snapper, a shaper or a sleeveen when you see one? No? Well, that's coola boola, because we've put together the most massive, mighty and manky collection of Irish slang in history, or at least in donkey's years. So stop acting the maggot and give it a lash! 'Side-splitting ... Irish Slang's the business!' The Sun

'An eerie yet witty tale of what the future might be like' Sun 'Such is the wit and exuberance of her writing, so engaging are her characters, it's easy to miss the sheer ingenuity that's gone into the science fiction element' The Times 'Smart, funny, scary and sweet. I LOVED it [...] Bethany Clift's wondrous imagination is matched by her pitch-perfect writing' Nikki May, author of Wahala 'I was hooked! A palm-tingly romance set in a believable future with nuanced, funny and surprising characters. BookTok is going to love it!' Kate Sawyer 'So fresh, so funny, so satisfying . . . Bethany Clift skilfully combines humour with heartfelt writing, a pacey plot and truly unforgettable characters. This smart and vibrant story explores big questions around love, friendship and ambition, and every page is a joy' Holly Miller An unforgettable story about love in all its chaotic glory from the author of Last One At The Party A book synopsis is fundamentally ridiculous. How can I possibly convey, in only 100 words, the events of the past year and their impact on my perfectly ordered existence? It is insufficient space to accurately detail how I was blackmailed into demonstrating my flawless algorithm to find a soulmate, despite having no desire for one. In my former life I avoided trivial human connections. I was alone, accomplished and brilliant. Unfortunately, that solitary and driven woman no longer exists. My name is Indiana Dylan and this is the extraordinary account of how I fell in love. There: 100 words exactly.

Maybe it's the behemoth copier at work. Or the one you use to print boarding passes at home. Or maybe it's the one that haunts your nightmares to this day, the one that never seemed to work, not since the first day you plugged it in. We all have a printer in our lives that we would love to see taken down a notch."You can print from an iPhone. It's the dumbest thing." - Bo Fahs, writer and host of Tele-Friends. From the moment we began to digitise our world, we created machines that worked tirelessly to pull all that information zooming around back to the physical world. Enter: the home printer. Perhaps as payback for forming a nonsensical dichotomy, these printers couldn't just work. Not without a fight, at least. No. They insisted on screeching at plane-like decibels, plopping out pages at an excruciatingly slow pace, streaking only the most important documents, and running out of ink when you know you JUST refilled the cartridge. From the first consumer inkjet to more modern monstrosities, Sh*tty Printers breaks down the worst offenders of our home offices. Featuring popular and exasperating home staples such as: The HP Thinkjet 2225A, The Lexmark Z22, The long forgotten Canon BJC-85, and many more. Each printer is beautifully photographed and ruthlessly torn to shreds as their individual strengths, weaknesses, and charisma are scored on sliding scales born from relatable frustration.

A hilarious, fully illustrated book full of tongue-in-cheek advice for surviving life as a cat parent – the perfect gift for any cat lover You have the best cat in the world, it’s true. But there’s no avoiding the fact that, perfect and adorable as they may be, there are certain elements of being a cat owner that you could do without. Those thoughtful “gifts� you find in the kitchen. The scratch-marks on the couch. Their hairballs clogging up your vacuum cleaner. Luckily, this no-nonsense guide is here to teach you all the tricks you’ll ever need to help you navigate life with your furry friend, so you can focus on the positives – like giving them head-scritches and cooing over their little toe beans. With pearls of wisdom like these, you’ll be a pro cat parent in no time: As a cat parent, you will need to work out the golden number of tummy rubs your cat will allow before they turn into an uncontrollable scratch-monster Your cat may look cute and innocent, but there’s an evil mastermind secretly at work behind all that fluff Items placed on a surface are highly offensive to cats and will be quickly dispatched to the floor, where they belong

"One of the sharpest, funniest voices on YouTube" ("Forbes"), comedian Grace Helbig offers an irreverent and illustrated guide to life for anyone faced with the challenge of growing up.
Face it--being a young adult in the digital era is one of the hardest things to be. Well, maybe there are harder things in life...but being an adult is difficult So Grace Helbig has written a guide that's perfect for anyone who is faced with the daunting task of becoming an adult.
Infused with her trademark saucy, sweet, and funny voice, "Grace's Guide" is a tongue-in-cheek handbook for millennials, encompassing everything a young or new (or regular or old) adult needs to know, from surviving a breakup to recovering from a hangover. Beautifully illustrated and full-color, "Grace's Guide" features interactive elements and exclusive stories from Grace's own misadventures--like losing her virginity solely because her date took her to a Macaroni Grill--and many other hilarious lessons she learned the hard way.
Amusing and unexpectedly educational, this refreshing and colorful guide proves that becoming an adult doesn't necessarily mean you have to grow up.

For fans of the perceptive comedy of Hannah Gadsby, Lindy West, and Sarah Silverman, Academy Award–nominated and acclaimed stand-up comedian Jena Friedman presents a witty and insightful collection of essays on the cultural flashpoints of today. Jena Friedman’s life in comedy began with her senior thesis on inequity in the Chicago comedy scene. It was, in short, not funny, but it anticipated her career as a writer and comedian with acerbic wit and a keen, cutting eye for social observation. Now, she brings her trademark whip-smart humor and cultural criticism to this brainy and laugh-out-loud funny essay collection. Friedman effortlessly takes us just beyond the edge of the uncomfortable with explorations on everything from why some celebrities get buried for their indiscretions while others get a second (third, and fourth…) chance, how we should think about lines of appropriateness crossed decades ago, living in the post- (post-) #MeToo world of today, and the power we hand to silence when we’re told not to joke about reproductive rights, gender, privilege, or class. Not Funny is a witty and bold collection, challenging us to deeply consider why we do and do not laugh, from a rising star of comedy always ready to call out hypocrisy wherever she finds it. And knows how to get a laugh while she does it.

The perfect gift for all those big and little kids in your life who ask 'why...?'. With an introduction from Zoe Ball.

The QI Elves are the brains behind the enduringly popular BBC TV panel show QI.

Every Wednesday the Elves appear on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show where they answer the ponderings and wonderings of BBC Radio 2's most inquisitive listeners.

Dive into this splendid collection of listeners' unusual questions and some unexpected answers that are sure to make your head spin on topics ranging from goosebumps to grapefruit, pizza to pirates and everything in-between. Generously sprinkled with extra facts and questions from the Elves, Funny You Should Ask . . . is essential reading for the incurably curious.

How much water would you need to put out the Sun?
If spiders can walk on the ceiling, why can't they get out of the bath?
Why do dads make such bad jokes?
Why does red mean 'stop' and green mean 'go'?
Can I dig a tunnel to the other side of the Earth?
How do plant seeds know which way is up?
Can you fill up a black hole?
Who popularised the recorder, and where can I get hold of them?

For more from the team behind QI, visit qi.com. You can also follow QI's fact-filled Twitter account @qikipedia and listen to their weekly podcast at nosuchthingasafish.com

For more mind-boggling nuggets of wisdom check out the QI FACTS SERIES

In these difficult times, there's only one proven path to ridiculous amounts of money: Cheating. Everyone's doing it--from sleazy CEOs to 'roided-up home run kings, silicone-enhanced starlets, and backroom-dealing congressmen--so why not you? "Get Rich Cheating" is your definitive guide to the illegal, immoral, and fun, detailing the schemes that have proven time and time again to generate more cash than God, Google, and the Treasury combined.

No one ever bought a fleet of Bentleys with hard work, perseverance, and honesty. Simply by purchasing this book, you've already done more than most "ethical" people dare. Open it, savor the moment, and inhale deeply in the musk of your impending wealth--it's time to "Get Rich Cheating."