Nestled in the embrace of Table Bay, not far from the sweeping sands of Bloubergstrand, Robben Island is a haven for sea birds and seals. For centuries, it was also a harsh place of banishment and isolation. This rocky outcrop so close to Cape Town, surrounded by the icy, pounding Atlantic surf that made escape virtually impossible, became a convenient prison for anyone the authorities deemed unsavoury – from lowly convicts and rebellious Khoekhoen to lepers, from members of the Indonesian nobility and imams thought to be inciting mutiny in the East Indies to regal Xhosa chieftains, and later scores of anti-apartheid activists and prominent black leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Robert Sobukwe. Today, the actual prison building stands deserted and the lime quarry bakes in the midday sun – mute testaments to the indomitable spirit of humanity and the will to endure, silent reminders of injustices that must never happen again.

Lincolnshire is a largely rural county, which was reflected in the early history of the railway lines. The main lines mostly passed through on their way to somewhere else and the local traffic was handled by a large number of branch lines. Author Alan Stennett explores the history of the railways in Lincolnshire, starting with the very early days when it was expected that Lincoln would be on a main line to the north, only to lose out to what we now know as the East Coast Main Line. Using archive maps, original photographs and other sources, he traces the development of railways in the county, and their role in serving the great fishing port of Grimsby, 'bracing' East Coast resorts such as Cleethorpes and Skegness, the iron and steel industries of Scunthorpe and the agricultural heartland of the Fens. The network saw many early closures before being savaged by the Beeching cuts, but the story continues to the present day, where new developments offer renewed hope for what is left of the system.

Singapore Then and Now brings together rare archival images of this global city-state and matches them with specially commissioned photos of the same sites as they appear today. Vaughan Grylls (author/photographer of Oxford Then and Now, Cambridge Then and Now and Hong Kong Then and Now) has rounded up all of the key sites that make up this fascinating and diverse place, from gleaming new skyscrapers and shopping malls to magnificent temples and ancient rainforests. The breathtaking contrast between past and present make this a fascinating addition to the long-running Then and Now series. Sites include: Elgin Bridge, Empress Place Building, Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, Fullerton Hotel, Johnston's Pier, Singapore Cricket Club, the Supreme Court, Capitol Theatre, Raffles Hotel, Masjid Sultan Mosque, Ellison Building, Coleman Bridge, Fort Canning, National Museum, YMCA Building, Cathay Building, Thian Hock Keng Temple, Sri Mariamman Temple, Tanjong Pagar Dock, Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Johor-Singapore Causeway, Ford Factory, Changi Village.