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

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_

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.

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.

_WHAT HAVE I DONE?_ AN EVENING WITH BEN ELTON JOIN US FOR AN EVENING WITH BEN ELTON, WHO WILL BE INTERVIEWED BY DAME EMMA THOMPSON 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.

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.

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.

Join us for a delicious dinner with José Pizarro! In _The Spanish Pantry_, award-winning chef, author and restaurateur, JOSÉ PIZARRO invites you into his home kitchen. With a few key Spanish ingredients, you too can create an authentic, fuss-free meal, whether it's a weeknight dinner or a feast for entertaining friends. José takes inspiration from the whole of Spain, featuring 'greatest hits'-type recipes - _paella, tortilla, croquetas, classic stews, desserts_ and more. From ingenious ways to use tomatoes, peppers, garlic and olive oil to the more typically Spanish ingredients, such as _Manchego, chorizo_ and _jamon,_ these recipes follow José's signature style - short on ingredients yet punchy on taste. This stylish cookbook is filled with modern recipes and beautiful location photography from Spain and is an essential addition to your cookbook collection. _JOSÉ PIZARRO_ _is an award-winning chef and bestselling author. He runs the successful tapas and sherry bar_ _JOSÉ_ _and restaurant_ PIZARRO _as well as restaurants_ _JOSÉ PIZARRO_ _and_ _LOLO__, in London,_ _THE SWAN_ _in Surrey and two restaurants at The Royal Academy of Arts. He is the author of seven cookbooks._

_FERMENT_ gives you all that's needed to start on the adventure of fermented foods - whether you want to make simple pickles, prepare miso from scratch or discover flavour-packed recipes to cook with shop-bought ferments. Pickles and ferments bring so much flavour and variety to meals and are easy to make, but they can seem daunting. Enter third-culture cook and fermenting expert Kenji Morimoto, who shows just how simple it is to introduce homemade kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, miso, super-quick pickles and more into your everyday cooking with delicious, gut-healthy results. Recent research encourages us to eat thirty plants a week to help our microbiome to thrive. Thanks to Kenji's incredibly inventive and modern recipes, eating fermented foods becomes a pleasure as well as the healthiest choice. Whether it's Kimchi Bhajis served with Miso Coriander Chutney, One Pot Citrus Miso Salmon and Edamame Rice, Kombucha Sorbet or Pickled Rhubarb Pound Cake, this is flavour-forward food that you won't have seen before. Part one shows how to make ferments and pickles, giving you all the trouble-shooting advice and step-by-step guidance you need. Part two introduces more than 70 exciting recipes to make with them, or if you prefer you can prepare them with your favourite shop-bought varieties instead. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Kenji Morimoto is a content creator and food writer based in London. In 2020, he started his Instagram @kenjcooks to document his interest in fermentation and connecting the dots between diasporic traditions and his own. Since then, he's cooked in kitchens in Poland, led fermentation and Japanese focused supper clubs in London, taught workshops on koji and kimchi and collaborates with Ottolenghi Test Kitchen and Zoe. He has been published in _Waitrose Food_ magazine and _Delicious_ magazine, and spoken on panels at the British Library on themes of community, food and immigrant narratives. In 2023 he was a finalist for the BBC Food & Farming Digital Creator of the Year Award.

Brimming with The Warmth and Wit that Has Made Clare Balding One of Our Best-Loved Tv Personalities, _Pastures New_ Is a Joyful Celebration of New Beginnings, Community, and The Delightful Surprises of Rural Life. Alex has perfected the art of dodging responsibility during her almost 40 years - until an unexpected letter turns her life upside down. She's inherited a crumbling sheep farm in deepest, wettest Wales. This was not her life plan. Not at all. Now, her closest companion is a grumpy Welsh terrier, she's speed-reading _An Idiot's Guide to Farming_, and her arrival has set the village gossip mill spinning. With the farm near collapse and its community now relying on her, Alex sets out to uncover the truth behind her mysterious inheritance. Then she can _finally_ get back to the carefree life she thought she wanted. But as secrets surface, Alex finds her heart pulling her in a direction she never saw coming. Will she pack her bags - or has she landed exactly where she's meant to be?

Britain has always been a craft land. For generations what we made with our hands defined our identities, built our communities and shaped our regions. _Craftland_ chronicles the vanishing skills and traditions that once governed every aspect of life on these shores. Travelling the length of Britain, from the Scilly Isles to the Scottish Highlands, James Fox seeks out the country's last remaining master craftspeople. Stepping inside the workshops of blacksmiths and wheelwrights, cutlers and coopers, bell-founders and watchmakers, we glimpse not only our past but another way of life - one that is not yet lost and whose wisdom could shape our future. For as long as there are humans, there will be craft. It is all around us, hiding in plain sight, enriching even the most modest things. And in this increasingly digital age, it is perhaps more valuable than ever. _Craftland_ is a celebration of that deeply necessary connection between our creative instincts and the material world we inhabit, revealing a richer and more connected way of living. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: JAMES FOX is an academic and multi-award-winning, BAFTA-nominated broadcaster, known for his many acclaimed BBC documentaries. He is Director of Studies in History of Art at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and Creative Director of the Hugo Burge Foundation, a charity dedicated to supporting the arts and crafts across Britain. He is also the author of the celebrated _The World According to Colour: A Cultural History_.

Join us for a truly magical evening with Samantha Shannon and Saara El-Arifi this autumn literary festival! As they explore the story of human resilience in the face of dire circumstances. _Among the Burning Flowers_ leads readers through the gripping and tragic events that pave the way for the opening of the million-copy bestseller _The Priory of The Orange Tree_. It has been centuries since the Draconic Army took wing, almost extinguishing humankind. Marosa Vetalda is a prisoner in her own home, controlled by her cold father, King Sigoso. Over the mountains, her betrothed, Aubrecht Lievelyn, rules Mentendon in all but name. Together, they intend to usher in a better world. A better world seems impossibly distant to Estina Melaugo, who hunts the Draconic beasts that have slept across the world for centuries. And now the great wyrm Fyredel is stirring, and Yscalin will be the first to fall . . . WITH THE AWAKENING OF FIRE-BREATHING DRAGONS, _AMONG THE BURNING FLOWERS_ SEES THE FIRST SPARKS OF DANGER THAT THREATEN TO CONSUME THE WORLD IN _THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE_. TAKE YOUR FIRST STEPS INTO THE EPIC. YSCALIN, LAND OF SUNSHINE AND LAVENDER, WILL SOON BE ABLAZE.

_The Whisky World Tour_ takes you beyond the glass to discover 52 of the very best whisky distilleries open to the public, around the globe. Discover their unique stories and histories from the comfort of home, along with bottle recommendations, too. Award-winning whisky writer Joel Harrison kicks off _The Whisky World Tour_ in North America, taking in key bourbon producers, before moving on to the traditional whisky powerhouses of Ireland and Scotland. Along the way 'new world' whisky-makers from South Africa to Scandinavia are explored, before finishing in Japan, home to some of the world's most lauded whiskies. Each stop along the way is a window into the world of whisky, so settle in, pour a dram and allow yourself to be taken on this grand and spirited journey.

LONDON, 2012. The eyes of the world are on Britain as the country prepares to host the Olympic Games. But the glare of the spotlight makes London a target for some of the most dangerous people on earth. And the moment the bid is won, an international conspiracy is set in motion to unleash a devastating attack that will leave the world in chaos. One man stands between triumph and disaster: Commander William Warwick, heading up Scotland Yard's elite team. But as he pursues the shadowy organisation, he sets off a deadly game of cat and mouse which will take him from the bustling streets of London to the hidden corridors of power. Can Warwick stop the assassin before the greatest show on earth becomes a catastrophe ...

It's the 1990s: Britpop is dominating the charts, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell stare out from the cover of every glossy magazine and British fashion is ripe for reinvention. Leading the charge is a twenty-something Mary Portas who has been brought in to revitalise the department store Harvey Nichols, at the time more likely to be associated with dowagers than daring designers. With department stores in decline and an alpha male leadership team watching closely, the pressure is immense: make it profitable and make it relevant. Mary steps into a world she doesn't fully understand - and at first, it shows. But what seems like vulnerability quickly reveals itself as vision. She doesn't rely on fitting in; she leans into instinct, takes bold creative risks and reimagines what luxury could be. By the millennium, the store would be renowned for its outrageous, headline-grabbing, traffic-stopping window displays; patronage by style icon Lady Di and Bolly-swigging duo Patsy and Edina of the iconic sitcom _Ab Fab_ - no longer fusty old Harvey Nichols but Harvey Nicks, daaarling! _I Shop, Therefore I Am_ is the story of how she did it. Mary takes us behind the shop window - to the people who kept the show on the road and the early lessons that shaped her career. Told with her trademark wit, grit and candour, readers will see first-hand how, armed only with the blank canvas of a shop window and her own creativity, Mary created an era-defining global brand destination. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: MARY PORTAS is one of the UK's most high-profile and innovative businesswomen. After making her name transforming Harvey Nichols into a global fashion destination, Mary launched Portas, her own creative company, with the mission to transform businesses into brands, places and spaces people want in their lives. Today her team work with clients ranging from Mercedes to Sainsbury's. She has been a regular on our TV screens, advised the government on the future of high streets and developed a fashion label. Her proudest achievement to date is the creation of twenty-six Mary's Living & Giving shops for Save the Children. She is the author of _Shop Girl_, _Work Like a Woman_ and _Rebuild._

Birds have long inspired our emotional and imaginative connections to physical environments, but where did it all begin? Hidden in the names of English towns and villages, in copses, fields, lanes and hills, are the ghostly traces of birds conjuring powerful identities for people in ancient landscapes. What are their stories and secrets? How did people encounter birds over a thousand years ago? In _The Cuckoo's Lea_, Michael J. Warren sets out on the trail of these ghosts. Captivated and guided by the secrets of place names, he finds their stories entangled with his own explorations of places through birds all across England. The past is hauntingly and movingly present on timeless marshes where curlews cry, where goshawks are breeding again for the first time in centuries, through silent cuckoo-woods lost under concrete sprawl, in the winter roosts of corvids and an owl village that vanished centuries ago. Weaving together early literature, history and ornithology, this book takes readers on a journey far into the past to contemplate the nature of place and to discover a fascinating heritage that matters deeply to us now when so many places and their birds are threatened or already gone.

This is the astounding story of the six female aviators who battled to become the first woman to cross the atlantic ocean by plane. In the early 20th century, the dream of crossing the Atlantic by air was as potent as putting a man on the moon would be 50 years later. But many people believed women too fragile and lacking in the skills to endure the gruelling conditions of flying long distances. In _Atlantic Furies_, Midge Gillies uncovers the stories of Elsie Mackay, Lady Anne Savile, Frances Grayson, Ruth Elder, Amelia Earhart, and Mabel Boll. These courageous, rule-breaking aviators risked everything to prove that women could fly the Atlantic. Some had lied to their families in order not to be stopped, others duped the press about their intentions and, ultimately, three lost their lives, but each pushed the boundaries of the possible. _Atlantic Furies_ celebrates the bravery, panache, and drive of these trail-blazing aviators, who showed the world that it wasn't just men who could conquer the skies. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Midge Gillies specialises in writing books about history's forgotten stories. Nicholas Lezard of The Guardian described her book about Prisoners of War, The Barbed-Wire University, as 'one of the best war books I have ever read' and The Mail on Sunday called her biography of pioneering pilot Amy Johnson 'a riveting slice of social history'. Her most recent book Piccadilly was praised by the TLS as 'painstakingly researched and as busy as the Circus itself'. She has written or co-authored ten books and teaches creative writing at Cambridge University. She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and was a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Magdalene College, Cambridge, for three years. She has a PhD from the University of East Anglia and is married to award-winning crime writer, Jim Kelly.

Taking the reader on a time-travelling adventure around the 'spindly, sea-wracked islands' we call home, _The Discovery of Britain_ is history that's panoramic and intimate, poignant and shocking, seriously funny, and enlightening in the most surprising way. In the assured hands of the prize-winning author of _The Discovery of France_, and often from the unique vantage point of his bicycle, we encounter an entertaining cast of characters foreign and homegrown, drop in on places and events, and dwell on the successes and catastrophes across British history, seeing it all as it's never been seen before. Personal, political, geographical and social in scope, and with intriguing maps and illustrations throughout, _The Discovery of Britain_ can be devoured whole or each chapter read in the time it takes to change a bicycle tyre or drink a cup of coffee. The wonderful choice of how to enjoy this original and sweeping history of Britain - from ancient settlements swallowed up by the sea and the creation of Stonehenge to the advent of multiculturalism and recent political earthquakes - is yours. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Graham Robb was born in Manchester in 1958 and is a former fellow of Exeter College, Oxford. He has published widely on French literature and history. His book _The Discovery of France_ won both the Duff Cooper and Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prizes. For _Parisians_ the City of Paris awarded him the Grande Medaille de la Ville de Paris. He lives on the English-Scottish border. _The Discovery of Britain_ is his tenth book.

_Now i understand there are no ordinary lives - that every death is the end of a single event in time's history: an event so improbable as to be miraculous, and irreplaceable in every particular._ Sarah Perry's father-in-law, David, died at home nine days after a cancer diagnosis and having previously been in the good health. The speed of his illness outstripped that of the NHS and social care, so the majority of nursing fell to Sarah and her husband. They witnessed what happens to the body and spirit, hour by hour, as it approaches death. _Death of an Ordinary Man_ is an unstinting account of death by cancer, a reportage into the daily experience of caring, an exploration of the structural conditions of dying in the UK, and most importantly a testament to David's life, that of an ordinary man. UNFLINCHING AND PROFOUNDLY MOVING, SARAH PERRY CONFRONTS THE TABOO SURROUNDING DEATH AND SHOWS US HOW TO CONFRONT ALL OF THE TERROR AND BEAUTY THAT COMES WITH THE END OF LIFE - AND HOW THE SADDEST THING SHE HAS EVER SEEN IS ALSO THE BEST THING SHE'S EVER DONE. SARAH PERRY is the internationally bestselling author of the novels _Enlightenment_, _Melmoth_, _The Essex Serpent_ and _After Me Comes the Flood_, and the non-fiction _Essex Girls_. She is a winner of the Waterstones Book of the Year Award and the British Book of the Year Award. _Enlightenment_ was longlisted for the Booker Prize 2025 and her other work has been nominated for major literary prizes including the Women's Prize for Fiction, the Dylan Thomas Prize, the Folio Prize and the Costa Novel Award. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

We are so pleased to welcome back Gyles Brandreth this Autumn Literary Festival, this time hosting in Ely Cathedral. THIS IS THE STORY OF A MAN, A BOY AND A BEAR - BUT IT IS ALSO A GRIPPING FAMILY DRAMA, AND A FASCINATING EXPLORATION OF THE COMPLICATED NATURE OF GROWING UP, AND THE IMPOSSIBLE LONGING FOR A RETURN TO THE ENCHANTED PLACES OF CHILDHOOD. When Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared in print on Christmas Eve 1925, his creator had no idea that this bear, and the fellow inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood, would go on to capture the imaginations of people of all ages all over the world for the next hundred years. In this new biography Gyles Brandreth tells the remarkable story of A A Milne - and of the 'bear of very little brain' who went on to become a global phenomenon. Drawing on his friendship with Milne's son, the real Christopher Robin, Gyles Brandreth has produced a revealing and intimate portrait of a prolific author whose legacy came to be defined by his most famous creation, and of the divided Milne family who for many years had a conflicted relationship with the iconic bear. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Gyles Brandreth is a writer, broadcaster and former MP and Government Whip. His many books include the bestselling poetry anthology, _Dancing by the Light of the Moon,_ and the international bestseller about spelling and punctuation, _Have You Eaten Grandma?_ With Susie Dent, the lexicographer from _Countdown_, he co-hosts the award-winning podcast, _Something Rhymes with Purple._ Gyles presents _Great Canal Journeys_ on Channel 4 with Dame Sheila Hancock and regularly appears on _Celebrity Gogglebox_ with Dame Maureen Lipman.

We are delighted to announce an evening with Sabrina Ghayour! With her brand new collection of inspiring recipes from the bestselling chef - each carefully designed to be as easy as possible. The hotly anticipated new collection from _Sunday Times_ bestselling author Sabrina Ghayour, every recipe in _Persiana Easy_ balances irresistible Middle Eastern flavours with accessible cooking. From midweek meals and traybakes to pastries and sweet treats, this collection features easy recipes to delight your family and friends, time and again. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Sabrina Ghayour is an Iranian, self-taught home cook turned chef, cookery teacher and food writer. She made her name hosting the hugely popular 'Sabrina's Kitchen' supper club in London, specializing in Persian and Middle Eastern flavours, and went on to be named the Observer's Rising Star in Food. Her award-winning debut, Persiana, is a worldwide bestseller, and her follow-ups Sirocco, Feasts, Bazaar, Simply and Persiana Everyday were Sunday Times bestsellers. Her most recent book Flavour is out now.

Roy Grace never dreamed a murder investigation would take him deep into Buckingham Palace . . . Her Majesty, Queen Camilla, is aboard the Royal Train heading to a charity event in Sussex when disaster strikes - the train is derailed. A tragic accident or a planned attack? When, minutes later, a trusted aide is shot dead by a sniper, the police have their answer. Despite all the evidence, Roy Grace is not convinced The Queen was the intended target. But he finds himself alone in his suspicions. Fighting against the scepticism of his colleagues and the Palace itself, Grace pursues his own investigation. But when there is a second murder, the stakes rise even higher, and Grace is at risk of being embroiled in a very public catastrophe - and in mortal danger. Failure at this level is not an option. But time is running out before a killer in the Palace will strike again . . . AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Peter James is a UK No.1 bestselling author, best known for his Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, now a hit ITV drama starring John Simm as the troubled Brighton copper. Much loved by crime and thriller fans for his fast-paced page-turners full of unexpected plot twists, sinister characters, and accurate portrayal of modern day policing, he has won over 40 awards for his work including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger. In 2024, it was announced that he is the creator of Her Majesty Queen Camilla's favourite fictional detective. To date, Peter has written an impressive total of 20 _Sunday Times_ No. 1s, sold over 21 million copies worldwide and been translated into 38 languages. His books are also often adapted for the stage, with his six stage shows grossing over GBP17 million at the box office - the most recent being _Wish You Were Dead_.

An A-Z of Hope and Happiness from Poet, _Sunday Times_ Bestselling Author and National Treasure Michael Rosen, with 26 Ideas for Bringing Joy Into Every Day _Discover a world where finding joy is as simple as ABC..._ In an uncertain world, we need hope and happiness more than ever. So what are the words that can help us find it? Let Michael Rosen take you on a quest for joy in his dictionary of delights, where each letter of the alphabet offers us a moment of daily enchantment, celebrating the magic of the small things that bring hope and happiness into our lives. Perfect for dipping into whenever you need a boost, open this joyful compendium to discover a new vocabulary of delight that will lift your spirits and brighten your day AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Michael Rosen is one of the best-known figures in the children's book world. He is renowned for his work as a poet, performer, broadcaster and scriptwriter. He visits schools with his one-man show to enthuse children with his passion for books and poetry. In 2007 he was appointed Children's Laureate, a role which he held until 2009. While Laureate, he set up The Roald Dahl Funny Prize. He currently lives in London with his wife and children.

The lives and paths of an Eighteenth Century architect and a Twentieth Century detective loop round each other as, over two hundred years apart, they cross the densely haunted urban landscape of the City of London. In his fascinatingly detailed, powerfully atmospheric 1985 novel, Peter Ackroyd drew upon his matchless knowledge of the capital's hidden history to create a richly imagined fiction that combines thick sense of mystery with a poetic and provocative exploration of time, culture and human motivation.

Shuttling restlessly across the Atlantic, dissolute film producer John Self's chaotic progress is fuelled by his bottomless appetite for excess, little expecting that his wild life is about to spin dangerously out of control. Inspired by his unhappy early experience as a screenwriter, Martin Amis' uninhibited comedy brilliantly satirized the irresponsible consumerism its time and still delights with its inventive plotting, formal brilliance and verbal pyrotechnics. _RPJ_

It is fifteen years after the Second World War, and Isabel has built herself a solitary life of discipline and strict routine in her late mother's country home, with not a fork or a word out of place. But all is upended when her brother Louis delivers his graceless new girlfriend, Eva, at Isabel's doorstep - as a guest, there to stay for the season... In the sweltering heat of summer, Isabel's desperate need for control reaches boiling point. What happens between the two women leads to a revelation which threatens to unravel all she has ever known.

_We live in a manufactured world. Unless you are floating naked through space, you are right now in direct contact with multiple manufactured products. How often do we stop to think: where do the things we buy actually come from?_ There exists a nearly invisible, awe-inspiring global system of manufacturing that enables virtually every aspect of our existence. The things we surround ourselves with take surprising and often byzantine journeys to reach us - be it the thousands of litres of water needed to make a single pair of jeans or the components of our smartphones travelling over six times around the world to reach us. From mega-factory floors, engineering laboratories and seaports to distribution hubs, supermarkets and our own homes, Tim Minshall traces these journeys to reveal the hidden world of manufacturing. Charting how this world came to be, _Your Life is Manufactured_ reveals the seismic impact manufacturing has had on our lives and the natural world, exploring how it could offer us a path to a truly sustainable, more equitable future. In doing so, Minshall grants us the ability to make better choices for ourselves, our communities and the planet. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Tim Minshall is the inaugural Dr John C. Taylor Professor of Innovation at the University of Cambridge, the head of the Engineering Department's Institute for Manufacturing and a fellow of Churchill College. His research, teaching and outreach are focused on the links between manufacturing and innovation.