Synopsis: Summer Musings' is a short story book about summer, and its activities that we observe and like to participate in. These include a beach family holiday, sports, walking, gardening, ending the school year, or just relaxing at home. Other stories cover shopping, the pain of regret, the journey of life, its purpose and successes, and the nostalgia of viewing a photo collection. Each is based on a UK perspective but provides insights that are universally experienced...

Oburoni symbolises the sense of individuality, of being different yet warmly accepted in a land far from home. It shows the impact of relocation and adaptability. Change pervades some of the stories: Brian and Pat's new home, Trish' s search for a new job, Tom's purchase, and Frank's chess skills. Life involves family, whether watching a favourite TV program, welcoming long lost relatives, or seeking a beloved son which feature in others. Reflections on the winding path of life ap...

'Touchpoints' refers to the spark of familiarity generated when we read a story that rings true of our own experience. It covers feelings about the weather, holidays, childhood memories, captivity, setbacks, farewells, grief and devastation. Some carry the warmth of pleasant memories, others the mental pain of harshness and finality in life. Each story has its own set of experiences and associated emotions that confirm our empathy with life's serious and light hearted sides.

WHAT MAKES US HAPPY? BILL BAILEY PLAYS CRAZY GOLF AND HUGS TREES TO FIND OUT.'A warm, funny read, full of personal anecdotes and love letters to things that bring Bill Bailey pleasure' Sunday Mirror**'Very thoughtful and written in a delightfully humorous and accessible way... Guaranteed to make [you] smile' Daily ExpressIs there a knack to being happy? From paddle-boarding down the Thames in a Sa...

Comedian Jack Dee's hilarious account of how he became quite such a miserable git and a stand up comedian.'A brilliant book. So funny. It's my bible' Paul O'GradyIn this hilariously frank account of his life, Jack Dee finally reveals what turned a once optimistic young man into this grumpy middle-aged git. It's a journey that takes him from a first gig as a ventriloquist's dummy, to working in an artificial leg factory and...

Women the world over are brought up to hope, even expect, to find the man of their dreams and live happily ever after. When Stephanie Wood meets a former architect turned farmer she embarks on an exhilarating romance with him. He seems compassionate, loving, truthful. They talk about the future. She falls in love. She also becomes increasingly beset by anxiety at his frequent cancellations, no-shows and bizarre excuses. She starts to wonder, who is this man?When she ends the relatio...

A sample of queen of crime, Val McDermid’s modern re-telling of the Austen classic. Get ready for a very different Northanger Abbey.Seventeen-year-old Catherine ‘Cat’ Morland has led a sheltered existence in rural Dorset, a life entirely bereft of the romance and excitement for which she yearns. So when Cat’s wealthy neighbours, the Allens, invite her to Edinburgh Festival, she is sure adventure beckons.Edinburgh initially offers no such thrills: Susie Alle...

'Screamingly funny...a splendidly effervescent and enjoyable book' Daily MailOne part Lonely Planet, one part tell-all family memoir, this is the definitive and hilarious guide on how to survive family holidays.No one has more experience of travelling together than the Whitehalls. They've given us a window into their escapades in the hit Netflix show, Travels With My Father, and in this brilliantly funny book they've pooled their advice for fello...

The remarkable true story of one man's inspiring journey through his 3,000 mile walk across the country'A great and inspirational read' MATT HAIG, bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive'Inspiring' INDEPENDENT'An uplifting and inspirational journey through raw emotion' RAYNOR WINN, bestselling author of The Salt PathAS SEEN ON BBC BREAKFAST...

This is a book for everyone who really cares about cats. Vividly written, sometimes serious, sometimes light-hearted, it is bound to be found uplifting by anyone who has ever fallen for a cat, however much against their better judgement. While cat people are nice, the real heroes in this book are naturally the cats themselves. A rich portfolio of feline characters including the authors own cats step off the page, or perhaps lie curled in seductive curves on it, so vividly that you can feel...

Honest, insightful, funny - a brilliant memoir about writing and teaching and life from one of Australia's most loved children's authors.In the telling of his own tale, children's author and screenwriter Paul Jennings demonstrates how seemingly small events can combine into a compelling drama. As if assembling the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle he puts together fragments, memories and anecdotes to reveal the portrait of a complex and weathered soul.The accounts ...

Tucked away along a shady path towards the north-east edge of Hampstead Heath is a sign: Women Only. This is the Kenwood Ladies' Bathing Pond.Floating in the Pond's silky waters, hidden by a canopy of trees, it's easy to forget that you are in the middle of London. On a hot day, thousands of swimmers from eight to eighty-plus can be found waiting to take a dip before sunbathing in the adjoining meadow. As summer turns to autumn and then winter, the Pond is still visited by a large ...