'And they all lived happily ever after…' or so we are told in folk and fairy stories when we are young – but then we grow up and realise that life isn't all roses and happy endings. Life is hard, life is brutal, life is raw and we just have to pick our way through it the best we can.These traditional folk tales for adults explores the unhappily ever afters we so rarely see in stories. Each tale is expanded and the world built around them, bringing them to ...

'Superb ... entertaining ... Phillips traverses this sprawling terrain with energy and charm' Telegraph'Exceptionally funny from cover to cover, it is not only an entertaining read but also deeply researched and thoughtful' Irish Independent'Fans of Phillips's earlier books Humans and Truth will be pleased that the ex-BuzzFeed editor is on form, not letting the grimness of his subject spoil his gagsmithery' Guardia...

"If Sapiens was a testament to human sophistication, this history of failure cheerfully reminds us that humans are mostly idiots." —Greg Jenner, author of A Million Years in a DayNow an International BestsellerA Toronto Star–Bestselling Book of the YearModern humans have come a long way in the seventy thousand years they've walked the earth. Art, science, culture, trade—on the evolutionary food chain, we're true winners. But ...

"A lighthearted history of lying"—from the international bestselling author of Humans: A Brief History of How We F*cked It All Up (Kirkus Reviews).We live in a "post-truth" world, we're told. But was there ever really a golden age of truth-telling? Or have people been lying, fibbing and just plain bullsh*tting since the beginning of time?Tom Phillips, editor of a leading independent fact-checking organization, deals with this question every day. In

Derek and his wife, Samantha are heading back to the Carribean and he is dreaming of the last time for their honeymoon. They had packed their swimsuits but not much else and certainly not their inhibitions! Derek is hoping for a repeat to kick some dust off their sex life. What he gets is not what he expected. It is much better! A sexy adventure that inspires him to write His List of other desires...

From the internationally bestselling authors of A Brief History of the World in 47 Borders (Jonn Elledge) and Truth and Humans (Tom Phillips), an insightful, illuminating, often hilarious, and extremely timely journey through conspiracy theories, how they spread, and how not to fall for themFrom skepticism about the moon landing to the “deep-state” claims of QAnon, it’s always been human nature to believe we’re being lied to by the powers...

Hilarious, non-stop adventure, a mysterious jewel heist, and a detective team like no other make this a must-have middle grade series starter. Perfect for fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events and Enola Holmes**.**After twelve-year-old John Boarhog’s mom dies, the last thing he wants is to be schlepped off to the Jersey Home for Boys, where kids are forced to make skinny jeans for hipsters and ar...

Modern humans have come a long way in the seventy thousand years they’ve walked the earth. Art, science, culture, trade—on the evolutionary food chain, we’re true winners. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, and sometimes—just occasionally—we’ve managed to truly f*ck things up.Weaving together history, science, politics and pop culture, Humans offers a panoramic exploration of humankind in all its glory, or lack thereof. From Lucy, our first ancestor, who fell out of...

Nestled within our green and pleasant land lies pockets of emerald trees. Their roots search deep into the ground and the branches reach high towards the sun. For centuries some of these have stood watching and listening to the human creatures living among them, hearing their stories and remembering. What mysteries could these woodlands tell if the trees could speak? Stories of brave deeds and foolish, star-crossed lovers, of monsters, giants and witches, hobs and kings. D...

Take to the skies in the side-splitting second installment of a middle grade mystery series for fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events and Enola Holmes**.**Fresh off recovering a billion-dollar ruby and losing the criminal who stole it, John Boarhog and Inspector Toadius McGee are soaring high on a new adventure!Hoping to intercept the Mauve Moth before they execute their next great heist,...

From the highly acclaimed author of The Shackleford Sisters, Beverley Watts, comes an exciting new series featuring the next generation.The Shackleford Legacies are a delightful dance of romance, humour, mystery and fun...Lady Roseanna Atwood was not looking forward to the annual weekend garden party at Blackmore. Oh, she was looking forward to seeing her extended family, but the thought of spending four whole days making polite conversation with a group of condescending, ar...

Online dating was supposed to make life easier, to help us bypass cheesy chat-up lines and avoid those awkward getting-to-know-you chats. But thanks to Tinder, the world's favourite dating app, you can now be horrified by lewd come-ons, cringe at incompetent smalltalk and wonder at what some people think passes for 'banter' in the comfort of your own home! Isn't technology great?Featuring some of the most awkward, embarrassing and outright insane Tinder conversations ever ...