Brian Bilston and Henry Normal appear together for the first time in a show which one critic has described as “two people reading some poems”. Along the way, they will be drawing on their vast catalogue of crowd favourites – and throwing in new poems, to prevent becoming their own tribute bands. Not ones to overpromise, Brian and Henry are prepared to commit to delivering the greatest poetry show in the history of the world or their names aren’t Brian Bilston and Henry Normal. An evening of poems to be enjoyed not endured.

Hollie McNish / The Lobster Paperback Tour With Michael Pedersen's Muckle Flugga Novel Launch The Show: Hollie McNish is a poet whose live shows are not to be missed. After a run of sold out gigs up and down the UK, she is back with the paperback of Lobster and other things I'm learning to love. A top three Sunday Times bestselling book, expect strong language and adult content, gift-wrapped in gorgeously crafted poetry as she reads from her latest collection, plus a selection of firm favourites from Slug and Nobody Told Me. In Lobster, Hollie brings her much-loved style to questions of friendship, flags and newborns, clocks, cocks and volvos, shining a ridiculous and beautifully poetic lens upon all those things we have been taught to hate, and which we might just learn to love again. Here, she will be joined by fellow poet and performer Michael Pedersen reading from his brand new book. Adult content warning 14+ / Book signing after the gig This is an 14+ event

We are delighted to be hosting Robin Ince this year on his upcoming publication on a powerful, personal exploration of anxiety, ADHD and neurodiversity. _Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal_ reminds us all – no matter how weird we feel – that it’s okay to be a little different. We all are. what if being a bit weird is actually entirely normal? What if sharing our internal struggles wasn’t a sign of weakness, but strength? For over thirty years, award-winning broadcaster and comedian Robin Ince has entertained thousands in person and on air. But underneath the surface, a whirlwind was at play - a struggle with sadness, concentration, self-doubt and near-constant anxiety. But then he discovered he had all the hallmarks of ADHD and his stumbling blocks became stepping stones. In _Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal_, Robin uses his own experiences to explore the neurodivergent experience and to ask what the point of "being normal" really is. Packed with personal insights, intimate anecdotes and interviews with psychologists, neuroscientists and many neurodivergent people he has met along the way, this is a quirky and witty dive into the world of human behaviour. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: ROBIN INCE is a comedian, actor and writer. The _Guardian_ once declared him a 'becardiganed polymath' which seems about right. He is the author of several acclaimed books, including _The Importance of Being Interested_ and _I'm a Joke and So Are You_. With Professor Brian Cox, he created and presents the award-winning BBC Radio 4 show _The Infinite Monkey Cage_, which ranks among the most popular science podcasts worldwide. He also won Celebrity Mastermind but forgot that calcium was the dominant element of chalk. After being diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 52, he finally has an excuse.

_Celebrating Jane Austen's 250th anniversary we are thrilled to host Gill Hornby with her stunning new novel_ _THE ELOPEMENT!_ 'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.' The year 1820. Mary Dorothea Knatchbull is living under the sole charge of her widowed father, Sir Edward - a man of strict principles and high Christian values. But when her father marries Miss Fanny Knight of Godmersham Park, Mary's life is suddenly changed. Her new stepmother comes from a large, happy and sociable family and Fanny's sisters become Mary's first friends. Her aunt, Miss Cassandra Austen of Chawton, is especially kind. Her brothers are not only amusing, but handsome and charming. And as Mary Dorothea starts to bloom into a beautiful young woman, she forms an especial bond with one Mr Knight in particular. Soon, they are deeply in love and determined to marry. They expect no opposition. After all, each is from a good family and has known the other for some years. IT PROMISES TO BE THE MOST PERFECT MATCH. WHO WOULD WANT TO STAND IN THEIR WAY?

The Dragons Call Out, and The Ratatoskas Tell of Murder. Come with Us Now. There Is Justice to Be Done. Return to The Magic of The Archipelago... _The Poisoned King_ Is the Dazzling Second Book in Katherine Rundell's Epic and Bestselling _Impossible Creatures_ Series. _'There Was Tolkien, There Is Pullman and Now There Is Katherine Rundell'_ – Michael Morpurgo When Christopher Forrester is unexpectedly woken by a miniature dragon chewing on his face, his heart leaps for joy. For months he's dreamed of returning to the Archipelago – the secret islands where all the creatures of myth still live. But he did not know it would involve a rescue mission on the back of a sphinx, or a plan to enter a dragon's lair. Nor did he imagine it would involve a girl with a flock of birds at her side, a new-hatched chick in her pocket and a ravenous hunger for justice... THE UNMISSABLE SEQUEL TO _IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES,_ WINNER OF THE WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR, BRITISH BOOK AWARDS CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR, FOYLES CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR AND THE BOOKS ARE MY BAG READERS AWARD 'A book stuffed full of fantastical, magical delight' – Cressida Cowell on _Impossible Creatures_ 'Readers will seize this with delight_'_ – Philip Pullman on _Impossible Creatures_ 'A masterpiece to rival Tolkien_'_ – _Daily Telegraph_ on _Impossible Creatures_

Lao She was a major writer who would enjoy a successful career in his native China before falling foul of Mao's Cultural Revolution. In this early work, however, he drew upon his experiences a young teacher in 1920s London, recounting the efforts of the newly immigrated Mr. Ma and his son Ma Wei to establish themselves as respectable antique salesmen in the shadow of St. Pauls. The comic incomprehension and casual racism they encounter are described with a winning mixture of satire and sympathy.

Notable for its innovative narrative technique and linguistic freshness, as well as its ground-breaking subject, Sam Selvon's 1956 novel, _The Lonely Londoners,_ is an exuberant and optimistic tapestry of life in post-War London as experienced by new arrivals of the Windrush generation. The group will be reading it alongside Selvon's later story collection, _Ways of Sunlight_, which contrasts characteristically zestful tales of immigrant life in England with affectionately evoked episodes set in the author's native Trinidad.

Overcome with feelings of guilt over a crime committed in his dissolute youth, Prince Dmitri Nekhlyudov purses an eccentric path to personal salvation that will take him into Siberian exile and cause him to question every assumption upon which he has based his privileged life. Tolstoy's last and most controversial major novel is a powerful and panoramic examination of social hypocrisy, set against the seething background of a vast, unequal country on the cusp of a new century. For too long overshadowed by its great predecessors, it is increasingly coming to be appreciated for the originality of its philosophical vision, psychological insight, narrative drive and dark humour.

"The book was written with zest and, if possible, it should be read that way." Thus Flannery O'Connor on her own extraordinary debut novel, _Wise Blood,_ a volatile black comedy that pits Hazel Motes, army veteran an self-proclaimed prophet of a new religion, against the corrupt preacher Asa Hawkes. Fast-paced, funny, shocking and vividly set, it is a small, sharp, masterpiece of American Southern Gothic.

We are so pleased to be hosting an event for Fenland Nature. A book which showcases the natural history and landscape of the Fens, an area now responsible for a third of Britain's food production and worth over GBP3 billion to the economy every year. It describes the geology and geography across the Fenland Basin over the last 14,000 years, a period dominated by the flux of wetlands and movement of water. The human relationship with this landscape is traced through history: from Mesolithic hunters to the prosperity of a medieval economy based on the currency of eels, through the taming and draining of the vast wetlands, to modern farming on an industrial scale. While recognising that only a fraction of the Fens is left, _Fenland Nature_ celebrates the breadth of wildlife still to be found in the region, from vast flocks of visiting wildfowl in the winter months, to rare and specialised plants and insects - all illustrated with detailed and evocative photographs.

Join us for our Book Launch event with the brilliant local author Harry Sidebottom! Celebrating the debut of his new book _Those Who are About to Die. _ Dressed in armour and clutching a bloody sword, the Roman gladiator is the most iconic figure of the ancient world. Both fascinating and repulsive to us now, he was in his own time a deeply controversial character, by turns hated and idealized - and always at the heart of Roman culture. But what did he really mean to the Romans? What did they see in the gladiator and the spectacle of the games? And what does he reveal to us today about the Roman way of life? Brilliantly written and meticulously researched, this book tells the stories of the gladiators and those who observed them - from grand emperors to lowly slaves - illuminating and analysing the all-consuming passion of the Roman Empire for the spectacle of mortal combat. In doing so, it reveals Roman ideas about everything from freedom and servitude to sex and desire, from courage and cowardice to death and the afterlife. Taking readers on an unforgettable twenty-four-hour adventure - beginning the night before the games and ending the evening after - _Those Who Are About To Die_ gives a blow-by-blow account of what life was really like in the brutally unforgiving arena of the ancient world. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: HARRY SIDEBOTTOM teaches classical history at Oxford University, and is the bestselling author of fifteen novels. His debut trade non-fiction book, _The Mad Emperor: Heliogabalus and the Decadence of Rome_, was published in 2022 and was a Book of the Year in the _Spectator_, the _Financial Times_ and BBC History.

When a violent storm descends upon Orkney, the body of Archie Stout is left in its wake. An unusual murder weapon, a Neolithic stone bearing ancient inscriptions, is found discarded nearby. Archie was a popular, larger-than-life character, and his death is a shocking blow to the community. Detective Jimmy Perez, no stranger to the complexity of human nature and the darkness it can harbour, is soon on the scene. He counted Archie as a childhood friend, so this case is more personal than most. Now living in Orkney with his partner, Willow, and their son, Perez is soon drawn into the lives of the islanders, many of whom hold secrets. Dark secrets, which could have led to the man's murder. Here, in these ancient lands where history runs deep, Perez must discern the truth from legend before a desperate killer strikes again . . . Author Biography: Ann Cleeves is the author of more than thirty-five critically acclaimed novels, and in 2017 was awarded the highest accolade in crime writing, the CWA Diamond Dagger. She is the creator of popular detectives Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez and Matthew Venn, who can be found on television in ITV's _Vera_, BBC One's _Shetland_ and ITV's _The Long Call_ respectively. The TV series and the books they are based on have become international sensations, capturing the minds of millions worldwide. Ann worked as a probation officer, bird observatory cook and auxiliary coastguard before she started writing. She is a member of 'Murder Squad', working with other British northern writers to promote crime fiction. Ann also spends her time advocating for reading to improve health and wellbeing and supporting access to books. In 2021, her Reading for Wellbeing project launched with local authorities across the North East. She lives in Northumberland where the Vera books are set.

EMILY HAUSER joins us with MARY BEARD to talk about _Mythica _this coming June! Who were the real women behind the myths of the Trojan War? Now award-winning classicist and historian EMILY HAUSER takes readers on an epic journey to uncover the astonishing true story of the women behind ancient Greece's greatest legends - and the true heroes of ancient epics like Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. In _Mythica_, Emily Hauser tells the extraordinary stories of the women behind some of the western world's greatest legends. Following in their footsteps and digging into the history behind Homer's epic poems, Hauser reveals who these women - queens, mothers, warriors, slaves - were, how they lived, and how history has (or has not - until now) remembered them. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY:_ _Dr Emily Hauser is an award-winning classicist and historian and the author of an acclaimed trilogy of novels retelling the stories of women of Greek myth, For the Most Beautiful, For the Winner and For the Immortal. She is now a Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Exeter, and teaches and researches on women's writing, ancient and modern.

JO HAMILTON was one of more than 700 sub-postmasters prosecuted between 2000 and 2014 based on information from the Post Office's faulty Horizon accounting system. She was told to put right a wrong she hadn't committed and pushed to the very brink of her existence - remortgaging her house, borrowing from anyone she could in order to repay money that she hadn't taken, and questioning her own sanity. _My first big discrepancy came in the shape of a GBP2,000 shortfall that just made no sense at all. Of all the things that kept me awake once in the thick of the nightmare that unfolded, it was being stuck in that truly incomprehensible moment where the mere touch of a button suddenly turned GBP2,000 into GBP4,000 within three minutes on that cold December night in 2003.'_ Immortalised in ITV smash hit drama, _Mr Bates v The Post Office_, this is Jo Hamilton's extraordinary first-hand account of how she built a Post Office that was at the very heart of her community and lost it all through no fault of her own. For the first time, beyond the headlines and the corridors of the High Court and the UK's political institutions, we will finally hear Jo's full story and the human side of this scandal as well as the untold struggle she faced during the biggest miscarriages of justice in modern history. Ultimately, this is a story of hope and the strength of community and the ability of a few to fight back against the odds.

Gavin and Stacy's Larry Lamb joins this summer for his debut novel _All Wrapped Up._ Informed by his years of experience in film and television, Larry Lamb gives an inside look at the industry; the trials, tribulations, and hard won successes of producing a piece of cinema. Amidst political turmoil on a Caribbean Island, the first assistant director is determined to see his film through - if the chaos doesn't consume them first. Between managing an impossible lead actor, navigating power struggles on and off set, and a crew member vanishing under mysterious circumstances, the production is at risk of falling apart. Blending sharp dialogue, rich behind-the-scenes detail, and the grit of a top-notch crew, _All Wrapped Up_ is a compelling portrait of non-blockbuster filmmaking under fire -where the real battle isn't just on screen.

Wonderfully engaging, expansive and ambitious, _Sound Tracks_ tells the history of our relationship with music in sixty detective stories, each focusing on the discovery of a musical instrument - or its fragments - in archaeological digs around the world. Taking us from the present day - finding a 100-year-old wax cylinder recording on a flea market - all the way back to the dawn of time - the thrilling discovery of a prehistoric flute - long-lost music is itself reconstructed as we enter the worlds of those who created it. We feel the delight of a child in Peru in 700 AD, playing with a water-filled pot designed to chirp like a bird; we appreciate the difficult task of a soldier sending signals by trumpet to the next watchtower on Hadrian's Wall; we can almost hear the sounds of the sixty-four bells buried in a tomb in China in the 5th century BC. Graeme Lawson takes us on a grand tour of the world's greatest musical discoveries, revealing that music is part of human DNA - not just in its role as pastime, entertainment or religious expression but also as a medium in which we commemorate our pasts, communicate with each other, and shape our identities, relationships and communities. Written with verve and passion and brimming with astonishing insights, _Sound Tracks_ is an enthralling alternative history of humanity in which the silences of the past are filled with a wonderful treasure hoard of forgotten sounds and voices.

At the heart of this book is a highway. The A1; The Great North Road. A 400-mile multiplicity of ancient trackway, Roman road, pilgrim path, coach route and motorway that has run like a backbone through Britain for the last 2,000 years. In this genre-defying and profoundly personal book, Cowen follows this ghost road from beginning to end on a journey through history, place, people and time. Weaving his own histories and memories with the layered landscapes he moves through, this is the story of an age, of coming to terms with time past and time passing, and the roads that lead us to where we find ourselves. Written in kaleidoscopic prose, The North Road is an unforgettable exploration of Britain's great highway.

_WHAT HAVE I DONE?_ AN EVENING WITH BEN ELTON JOIN US FOR AN EVENING IN CONVERSATION WITH BEN ELTON AS HE DISCUSSES HIS ONE-OF-A-KIND (AND ONE VOLUME ONLY) AUTOBIOGRAPHY. WHAT HAS BEN ELTON DONE…? For the first – and only – time, Ben tackles this question head on in his frank, forthright and hilarious memoir. Taking a deep dive into his life and times - both private and public - to reveal the true stories behind iconic hits like The Young Ones, Blackadder and We Will Rock You; his pioneering routines hosting Saturday Live, which birthed a revolution in stand-up comedy; and so much more. After living sixty five years on the planet, forty-five of them in public, tickling many funny bones and getting on a respectable number of wicks, Ben has a lot of stories to tell, and he tells them unvarnished and uncensored – because that’s who he is. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Ben Elton is a multi-award-winning novelist, playwright, television writer, screenwriter and lyricist. He is also a theatre, screen and TV director, a stand-up comedian and a very occasional actor. Born in Catford, south-east London, in 1959, Ben was state-educated and studied drama at Manchester University, where he now holds an honorary doctorate. He began his professional career in 1981. Ben married Australian bass player Sophie in 1994, they have three grown up children and divide their time between Britain and Australia. In 2007 Ben Elton was awarded the Special Golden Rose d’Or at The International Television Festival in Lucerne, Switzerland, for his lifetime contribution to the television arts.

Pull up a chair to Martha Collison's table, where the recipes are big on flavour with minimal fuss, making sharing food with friends easier than ever. Whether you're looking for a weekend brunch spread, a little treat to share over coffee with a friend, a three-course extravaganza or a weeknight winner for two, Martha has got you covered. The recipes are all easy to follow, and produce delicious results without hours of effort in the kitchen. Recipes include: Double chocolate marmalade cookies Hoisin sausage bake Hasselback halloumi and orange salad Sticky pomegranate brisket with vermicelli rice Drunken cherry affogato "Martha has made me dozens of meals and every single one, without exception, has been utterly delicious." GRAHAM NORTON "I would pull up a chair, a pew, a rug, anytime to feast on martha's wonderful food." HELEN GOH "Everyone will be fighting for seat at your table with this delightful collection of recipes! Martha's recipes are easy to follow with deliciously gorgeous results, this book is a must-have if you love cooking and sharing food." JULIET SEAR AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Martha Collison is a bestselling food writer and recipe creator. She has written three cookbooks, established a regular column for _Waitrose Weekend_, built a dedicated online following and become resident Show Chef on the _Graham Norton Radio Show_ with Virgin Radio. She was also a finalist in the Guild of Food Writers Awards 2024, and has appeared on _Saturday Kitchen._ In 2014, aged 17, she took part in the fifth series of _The Great British Bake Off_ and remains the youngest ever contestant.

Ancient India was a dynamic, cosmopolitan centre of creativity. The visual traditions of its major indigenous religions were closely interrelated, reflecting political power, changes in peoples’ daily lives and artistic innovation. Exported beyond the Indian subcontinent in antiquity, these three major religions – Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism – are living traditions and their devotional works of art impact on the daily life of billions of people across the world. This major new publication traces the development of religious imagery from around 200 BCE, when it focused on the depiction of nature spirits, to 600 CE, by which time devotional images of Jain, Buddhist and Hindu deities and teachers had taken definitive shape. Moving from symbolic to human form, such imagery employed attributes, divine attendants and animal vehicles that we still recognise today and are found across the global diaspora. Examples of these ancient images are found not only across South Asia, but also in Central, East and Southeast Asia – and they transformed the religious landscape of these regions too. The authors explore fascinating topics such as the first devotional images of the twenty-four jinas (enlightened Jain teachers); the transformation from symbolic depictions of the Buddha to those that showed him in bodily form for the first time; and the formalisation of divine representations and devotional sculpture in Hindu traditions. This beautifully illustrated book reveals the ancient roots of the images and depictions of these world religions that many will find familiar today.

WHAT IF CALLING SOMEONE STUPID WAS ILLEGAL? In a reality not too distant from our own, the worst thing you can call someone is 'stupid'. Everyone is equally clever, and discrimination based on intelligence is 'the last great civil rights fight'. Exams and grades are discarded and you don't need a qualification to be a doctor. When best friends Pearson and Emory find themselves on opposing sides of this new culture war, their relationship begins to fracture. And soon, Pearson's determination to cling onto the 'old, bigoted way of thinking' begins to endanger her job, her safety and even her family...

ALL FOR WINE AND WINE FOR ALL! You don’t need to be rich or have expert knowledge – you just need to feel confident in choosing wines that will bring you joy. Drinks writer and broadcaster Olly Smith is here to walk you through the wonderful world of wine, teaching you how to find what you like and understand why. From the basics of how to choose a bottle of wine, how much to spend and how to taste it, to demystifying wine jargon, Olly tells you everything you will ever need to know. Discover Olly’s top wines to try before you die, as well as his own Ten Commandments of Wine, and a handy ‘Grape Thesaurus’. Fun, witty and informative, Wine is the perfect accompaniment to a leisurely glass of vino. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: OLLY SMITH IS THE UK’S BEST-LOVED WINE EXPERT, WITH 18 YEARS’ PRESENTING WINE ON BBC1’S SATURDAY KITCHEN. HE HAS WRITTEN ABOUT WINE FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY AND THE DAILY MAIL FOR 17 YEARS AND HAS SIX AWARD-WINNING GLASS HOUSE WINE BARS ACROSS P&O CRUISES FLEET. HE HAS WON COUNTLESS AWARDS IN THE WINE INDUSTRY, INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL WINE AND SPIRITS COMMUNICATOR OF THE YEAR AND DRINKS WRITER OF THE YEAR, AND TOURS THE UK EVERY YEAR AS ONE OF THE THREE WINE MEN.

Keep your friends close. Keep your enemies closer. Kara has started a new school year without her best friend by her side. Eden has a new boyfriend and doesn't have time for her. Instead, Kara finds herself drawn to a friendship with Romilly, a girl from her year with no friends. The trouble is, the more Kara hangs around with Romilly, the more unsettling things start to happen. There's the break in to her locker... the silent cold calls... and more. But can Kara be sure it's Romilly who is derailing her life? One thing is for sure. Someone is targeting Kara, and if she doesn't work out why, who knows what they will do next...