Ian: ‘You’re going to run how far?’
Ryan: ‘250 kilometres. But it’s over seven days, though.’
Ian: ‘And the furthest you’ve ever run is …?’
Ryan: ‘42.2 kilometres … on the road. And on trail … 35 kilometres.’
Ian: ‘Ryan, I think you need to reassess this …’

What does it take to run a six-day race through the world’s harshest deserts? Or 100 miles in a single day at altitudes that would leave you breathless just walking? More than that, though: what is it like to win these races? South Africa’s ultra-trail-running superstar Ryan Sandes has done just that.

Since bursting onto the international trail-running scene by winning the first multistage race he ever entered – the brutal Gobi March – Ryan has gone on to win various other multistage and single-day races around the globe. Written with bestselling author and journalist Steve Smith, Trail Blazer – My Life as an Ultra-distance Trail Runner recounts the life story of this intrepid sportsman, from his experiences as a rudderless party animal to becoming a world-class athlete, and includes details on his training regimes, race strategies and aspirations for future sporting endeavours. Sports enthusiasts will enjoy the adrenaline-inducing trials and tribulations of one of South Africa’s most awe-inspiring athletes, while endurance-sport participants – from beginners to aspirant pros – will benefit from his insights and advice.

As Professor Tim Noakes says in the Foreword to this book: ‘However much we might think we know and understand, there are some phenomena which now, and perhaps forever, we will never fully comprehend. We call such happenings “enigmas”. Or even miracles. Ryan Sandes is one such.’

The first series of the TV drama based on the lives of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, who conducted pioneering research into the nature of human sexual attraction.

Dr William Masters (Michael Sheen) is a leading US obstetrician determined to launch a study of human sexual behaviour. When he makes the acquaintance of Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan), Masters finds an assistant who possesses the qualities to help him move forward with his plan.

Though in many ways Masters and Johnson are polar opposites, as their project progresses a growing sense of attraction develops between the two and the line begins to blur between their personal and professional interests.

A historical tour de force that demolishes the myths and taboos that have surrounded Jewish and Israeli history, The Invention of the Jewish People offers a new account of both that demands to be read and reckoned with. Was there really a forced exile in the first century, at the hands of the Romans? Should we regard the Jewish people, throughout two millennia, as both a distinct ethnic group and a putative nation—returned at last to its Biblical homeland?

Shlomo Sand argues that most Jews actually descend from converts, whose native lands were scattered far across the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The formation of a Jewish people and then a Jewish nation out of these disparate groups could only take place under the sway of a new historiography, developing in response to the rise of nationalism throughout Europe. Beneath the biblical back fill of the nineteenth-century historians, and the twentieth-century intellectuals who replaced rabbis as the architects of Jewish identity, The Invention of the Jewish People uncovers a new narrative of Israel’s formation, and proposes a bold analysis of nationalism that accounts for the old myths.

After a long stay on Israel’s bestseller list, and winning the coveted Aujourd’hui Award in France, The Invention of the Jewish People is finally available in English. The central importance of the conflict in the Middle East ensures that Sand’s arguments will reverberate well beyond the historians and politicians that he takes to task. Without an adequate understanding of Israel’s past, capable of superseding today’s opposing views, diplomatic solutions are likely to remain elusive. In this iconoclastic work of history, Shlomo Sand provides the intellectual foundations for a new vision of Israel’s future.

A magical picture book for Christmas, written in perfect, heartfelt rhyme by Julia Donaldson, bestselling creator of Zog and Superworm. "Magical . . . as well as paying tribute to tradition, the gentle rhythmic verse and stunning pictures illuminate the two other things close to Julia's heart: the power of children and song" Good Housekeeping Deep in a snowy wood stands a little pine tree with a special destiny: when it grows up, it's going to be the famous Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square! This is the perfect picture book to snuggle up with and share at Christmas. Gorgeous, atmospheric illustrations whisk you from frozen forests to the sparkling city square in a beautiful, moving story of festivity and hope. Julia Donaldson's perfect rhyme is a joy to read aloud. This is a classic to treasure for generations Victoria Sandoy's exquisite, atmospheric illustrations are full of gorgeous details to point out and share A paragraph on the final page of the book explains the true story behind the tree The Christmas Pine is based on a true story. It celebrates a special tradition that stretches back over seventy years. Every year, the Mayor of Oslo in Norway presents the British people with a spectacular Christmas tree. The tree is a symbol of peace and friendship, and a thank you for the UK's support during World War II. Each year, the UK Poetry Society asks a poet to write a poem to welcome the tree. Julia Donaldson originally wrote The Christmas Pine to celebrate the 2020 Christmas tree. The poem was performed by London schoolchildren, and displayed in Trafalgar Square. Julia Donaldson is the author of many of the best-loved children's books ever written. She has been awarded a CBE for services to literature, and is the most celebrated children's writer in Britain today. Many of Julia Donaldson's beloved picture books have been made into award-winning animated films which are regularly shown on the BBC at Christmas. Superworm animation will premiere on BBC Christmas 2021

"Its force of impact, its narrative muscle and its psychological clarity make it still, nearly 150 years on, one of the most shocking books in the canon." --Julian Barnes A BRAND NEW TRANSLATION BY ADAM THORPE
Mysterious disappearances, domestic cases, noiseless, bloodless snuffings-out... the law can look as deep as it likes, but when the crime itself goes unsuspected... oh yes, there's many a murderer basking in the sun.
When Therese Raquin is forced to marry the sickly Camille, she sees a bare life stretching out before her, leading every evening to the same cold bed and every morning to the same empty day. Escape comes in the form of her husband's friend, Laurent, and Therese throws herself headlong into an affair. There seems only one obstacle to their happiness; Camille. They plot to be rid of him. But in destroying Camille they kill the very desire that connects them. First published in 1867, Therese Raquin has lost none of its power to enthral. Adam Thorpe's unflinching translation brings Zola's dark and shocking masterwork to life.