We understand the world through stories. All of our experiences, all of our insights – psychologically, we interpret them through specific lenses that have been curated, perfected and passed down throughout human history. Internationally bestselling author Professor Ben Ambridge has quantified those lenses into eight distinct masterplots that can apply to any experience.

The mother who wakes up an hour early every day to prep her child's breakfast? She's playing out the Sacrifice plot. The amateur sports team who go on to win the big trophy against all the odds? They're part of the Underdog narrative.

Ambridge uses examples from fiction, real life, and popular psychology research to demonstrate how we not only naturally gravitate towards the masterplot narratives, but how we actually use those narratives to manipulate the world around us – like the addict who uses the Monster plot to paint their illness as something to overcome, or the boxer who relies on the Revenge narrative to motivate themselves to fight their way back after an embarrassing defeat.

These masterplots do more for us than to help us understand the world; they’re vehicles through which humans have survived. The Stories of Your Life shares fascinating lessons about the nature of humanity, the power of psychology and – most importantly – the way we see ourselves.

THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A SPECTATOR AND FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOK OF 2022 'If you read just one book about how the modern world is driving us crazy, read this one' TELEGRAPH 'This book is exactly what the world needs right now' OPRAH WINFREY 'A beautifully researched and argued exploration of the breakdown of humankind's ability to pay attention' STEPHEN FRY 'A really important book . . . Everyone should read it' PHILIPPA PERRY Why have we lost our ability to focus? What are the causes? And, most importantly, how do we get it back? For Stolen Focus, internationally bestselling author Johann Hari went on a three-year journey to uncover the reasons behind our shortening attention spans. He interviewed the leading experts in the world on attention, and learned that everything we think about this subject is wrong. We think our inability to focus is a personal failing - a flaw in each one of us. It is not. This has been done to all of us by powerful external forces. Our focus has been stolen. Johann discovered there are twelve deep causes of this crisis, all of which have robbed some of our attention. He shows us how in a thrilling journey that ranges from Silicon Valley dissidents, to a favela in Rio where attention vanished, to an office in New Zealand that found a remarkable way to restore our attention. Crucially, he learned how - as individuals, and as a society - we can get our focus back, if we are determined to fight for it.

STOP TELLING STORIES. START SELLING THEM!

The world is rightly obsessed with the incredible power of a good story. Unfortunately too many of us take that to mean that it is our own story that’s important. It’s not. The magic happens not when we tell our customers the story of our past, but when we sell them a new story of their future. One in which we play a part.

As a salesperson (and make no mistake, you are a salesperson) you have two jobs. Job No. 2 of the storyseller is to help your clients and customers slay their dragon. Job No. 1 of the storyseller is to help them see their dragon.

You are in the dragon hunting business, but dragon hunting ain’t easy – there’s work to be done. In this short and highly practical book, renowned speaker Richard Mulholland shares with you how to use powerful stories to change minds, drive sales, and solve problems.

Here Be Dragons isn’t just a how-to book, it is far more a why-to, and mostly a what-to-do book.

Read the beautifully illustrated tale of a wise and aged wolf who takes a young, lost pup on an unforgettable journey.

“There are times when we have done everything we can do. Then we must learn to step back and allow the universe to play out in all its unfathomable wonder…”

Deep in the silent mountains wanders Amaya, a lost pup searching for her parents after a terrible snowstorm which, for the first time in her life, leaves her alone.

Until she meets a wise and aged wolf who, having saved her life, becomes her guide on an unforgettable adventure to follow the moon.

As they make their way through day and night across a wintery landscape, together they both learn profound lessons about love, sacrifice, life, loss and ultimately change.

James’s books and illustrations have inspired millions around the world, touching deep spiritual chords with readers. In this, his fourth book, he takes readers, old and new, on a quest that will stay with them forever.

'Groundbreaking' Tara Brach Depression. Anxiety. Chronic pain. Phobias. Obsessive thoughts. The evidence is compelling: the root of these difficulties may reside in the traumas of our parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents. The latest research affirms that traumatic experience is passed on to future generations and that this emotional inheritance, hidden in everything from our gene expression to everyday language, plays a greater role in our health than ever previously understood. Building on the work of leading experts in neuroscience and posttraumatic stress, Mark Wolynn has developed a pioneering approach to identifying and breaking these inherited family patterns. Having worked with individuals and groups on a therapeutic level for more than twenty years, It Didn't Start With You is his accessible, pragmatic and transformative guide to a method that has helped thousands of people reclaim their lives.

We all use road signs every day; they guide and direct, instruct and protect us as we travel by car and on foot. Both learner and experienced drivers always need to catch up on the latest information about traffic signs and Know Your Road Signs is an ideal companion and builds on the information provided in the AA's edition of the Highway Code. The book is divided into 17 clear and easy-to-use sections along with a short guide about the best ways to plan a route. AA Know Your Road Signs covers warning signs; regulatory signs; speed limit signs; low bridge signs; level crossing signs; tram signs, bus and cycle signs; pedestrian zone signs; on-street parking; traffic calming; motorway signs; direction and tourist signs; signs for cyclists and pedestrians; information signs; and tidal flow lane control.

A beautiful, thoughtful guide to finding your perfect next read, no matter what life’s throwing at you, from the founder of Aphra a.k.a. ‘your inclusive AF feminist book club’.

Through turbulent times, stories keep us afloat. Books, particularly, console and guide us, feed our souls, and open our eyes to worlds, possibilities and experiences we may never have considered before. Many of us have been self-medicating with books for years without identifying the practice as ‘bibliotherapy’.

This carefully curated collection will help you to identify the right reads for the right time. Whether you are in the throes of first love or the depths of heartbreak, embarking on a new beginning or questioning which path to take, use this guide to lose yourself in literature and find yourself anew, and discover the books that will always matter to you.

Includes celebrated classics, as well as overlooked modern masterpieces, with a focus on underrepresented voices. Recommended reads, include:
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
Good Morning, Midnight by Jean Rhys
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Letter to my Daughter by Maya Angelou
The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante
Be Not Afraid of Love by Mimi Zhu

'Will Storr is one of our best journalists of ideas ... The Status Game might be his best yet' James Marriott, Books of the Year, The Times What drives our political and moral beliefs? What shapes our bitterest conflicts and wildest dreams? What makes you, you? Across the world, from Papua New Guinea to Tokyo and Manhattan, humans compete for status. Through games of dominance, virtue and success, it's an obsession that has driven the best and worst of us: the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution as well as spree killers and tyrants at the gates of Europe. But what makes status an all-consuming prize? And how can we wield our desire for it to improve our relationships, win social media battles and be the best in the workplace? A breathtaking rethink of human psychology, The Status Game will change how you see others - and how you see yourself.

Network your way to personal and professional success.

Whether you are going after your dream job, branching out and starting your own business or you simply want to meet new people, "Brilliant Networking" is your stepping stone to raising your profile in all aspects of life. It's packed full of tips and techniques from the most successful networkers around - you'll find everything you need to network confidently and effectively. The second edition now includes two bonus chapters on how to increase your social capital, and networking activities.

BRILLIANT OUTCOMES

• Get the vision and motivation of a brilliant networker
• Learn the art of networking conversation
• Successfully build and maintain your network

'After reading this book you'll want to say YES to any networking opportunity.'

John Bird MBE, founder of "The Big Issue"

The landmark self-help bestseller that has inspired and enhanced the lives of more than 30 million readers.

In this updated edition, with a new introduction and editorial commentary by Matt Furey, president of the Psycho-Cybernetics Foundation, the original 1960 text has been annotated and amplified to make Maxwell Maltz's message even more relevant for the contemporary reader.

Maltz was the first researcher and author to explain how the self-image (a term he popularized) has complete control over an individual's ability to achieve, or fail to achieve, any goal. He developed techniques for improving and managing self-image visualization, mental rehearsal and relaxation which have informed and inspired countless motivational gurus, sports psychologists, and self-help practitioners for more than sixty years.

Rooted in solid science, the classic teachings in Psycho-Cybernetics continue to provide a prescription for thinking and acting that lead to life-enhancing, quantifiable results.

Which sort of seducer could you be: *Siren? *Rake? *Cold Coquette? *Star? *Comedian? *Charismatic? or *Saint? This book will show you which. 'Charm, persuasion, the ability to create illusions: these are some of the many dazzling gifts of the Seducer, the compelling figure who is able to manipulate, mislead and give pleasure all at once. When raised to the level of art, seduction, an indirect and subtle form of power, has toppled empires, won elections and enslaved great minds. In this beautiful, sensually designed book, Greene unearths the two sides of seduction: the characters and the process. Discover who you, or your pursuer, most resembles. Learn, too, the pitfalls of the anti-Seducer. In part II, immerse yourself in the twenty-four manoeuvres and strategies of the seductive process, the ritual by which a seducer gains mastery over their target. Understand how to 'Choose the Right Victim', 'Appear to Be an Object of Desire' and 'Confuse Desire and Reality'. In addition, Greene provides instruction on how to identify victims by type. Each fascinating character and each cunning tactic demonstrates a fundamental truth about who we are, and the targets we've become - or hope to win over. The Art of Seduction is an indispensable primer on the essence of one of history's greatest weapons and the ultimate power trip.

From the bestselling author of This Is Your Brain on Music and The Organized Mind, a surprising and inspiring exploration of the healing power of music.

We are only just beginning to appreciate the healing power of music. In recent years, a wave of scientific research has upended everything we once knew about its effects on our brains: not only in reducing stress, but also in enhancing cognitive function, slowing the spread of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, even strengthening our immune systems.

Here, a neuroscientist and celebrated musician introduces a bold new paradigm for medical treatment, rooted in the unexpected influence of music on our minds and bodies. From explaining how ‘rhythmic auditory stimulation’ can fight multiple sclerosis, to examining why Tracy Chapman’s songs might just help cure PTSD, Professor Daniel Levitin offers surprising insights into the new science of music as medicine.

Along the way, he explores how each of us can use music to calm our thoughts, repair our memories and heal our deepest psychological wounds. The result is both a surprising tour through the science of music, and a joyful celebration of humanity’s oldest obsession.