“Bobby Fischer…The precision and energy that he played with is unmatched in the history of chess.”
Magnus Carlsen, World Chess Champion
Nearly 30 years since his last chess game, Bobby Fischer’s fame continues to grow. Appearing in Hollywood movies, documentaries and best-selling books, his life and career are as fascinating as they ever were and his games continue to generate discussion. Indeed, with each new generation of computer, stunning discoveries are made about moves that have been debated by grandmasters for decades.

• An updated, expanded edition of the 2003 classic, with all 100 games reanalyzed, along with six additional games
• This book covers the entire career of an American chess grandmaster and eleventh World Chess Champion, going well beyond his My 60 Memorable Games, and includes rarely seen "lost" Fischer games
• With new insights into what made the enigmatic Fischer play – and act – the way he did

International Grandmaster Andrew Soltis played Fischer and also reported, as a journalist, on the American’s legendary career. He is the author of many books, including Pawn Structure Chess, 365 Chess Master Lessons and What it Takes to Become a Chess Master.

An intriguing collection of the most inspiring and powerful letters of all time.

The written word has the power to inspire, astonish and entertain, as this collection of 100 letters that changed history will show. Ordered chronologically, the letters range from ink-inscribed tablets that vividly describe life in the Roman Empire to remarkable last wills and testaments, passionate outpourings of love and despair, and succinct notes with deadly consequences.

Entries include:

• A job application from Leonardo da Vinci, with barely a mention of his artistic talents.
• Henry VIII’s love letters to Anne Boleyn, which eventually led to the dissolution of the monasteries.
• The scrawled note that brought about Oscar Wilde’s downfall.
• Emile Zola’s ‘J’accuse!’ open letter, in support of an alleged spy and against anti-Semitism.
• Beatrix Potter’s correspondence with a friend’s son that introduced the character of Peter Rabbit.
• A last letter from the Titanic.
• Nelson Mandela’s ultimatum to the South African president.

A stunning new edition with an elegant new cover, this fascinating book is perfect both for reading cover-to-cover and dipping into to discover the delights within.

An illustrated introduction to an increasingly popular art form.

The art of paper marbling is having a revival. Contemporary paper artist and author Lucy McGrath specializes in paper marbling and shares her skill and passion for this beautiful craft. Her book is a wonderful introduction to the craft for beginners which takes readers on a journey through simple to advanced techniques – with step-by-step instructions and photography – plus a range of some of the most beautiful paper marbling today.

The book covers: An introduction and brief history; Preparation and equipment (with recipes for the thickened water that the paint floats on plus the paints themselves); Planning your design (mood boards, colour palettes, testing paint behaviour and paper); Pattern tutorials (ways of applying paint); Swirl and git gel (Turkish traditional pattern); Nonpareil (fine tooth comb use); Spanish Wave; Ebru (flowers on the surface of the water); Advanced Techniques (including figurative images); and finally marbling onto three-dimensional items such as baubles and pots. There is also a selection of projects that uses marbled paper, including bookbinding, origami and collage.

Richly illustrated with some of the most beautiful paper marbling today, this book will introduce a wonderful craft to a new generation.

A beautifully illustrated practical guide to creating beautiful modern lettering with brushes and brush pens.

Learn brush lettering with this creative guide from calligrapher extraordinaire Rebecca Cahill Roots, aka Betty Etiquette. In this quirky and relatable guide, she guides you through how to use brushes and brush pens to make exquisite letterforms.

One of the most popular hand-lettering techniques, brush lettering is a beautiful, free-spirited style that, once mastered, is easy to develop into a unique personal style.

The book is divided into chapters by type of media, covering ink, watercolour, gouache and brush pens. Each section contains a set of exercises for practising the technique including an alphabet and a set of numbers to copy.

To finish off, there’s a selection of pretty and practical projects to make using brush lettering, including beautifully decorated celebration cards, cushions and tableware.

The definitive guide to Art Deco buildings in Britain.

The perennially popular style of Art Deco influenced architecture and design all over the world in the 1920s and 1930s – from elegant Parisian theatres to glamorous Manhattan skyscrapers. The style was also adopted by British architects, but, until now, there has been little that really explains the what, where and how of Art Deco buildings in Britain. In Art Deco Britain, leading architecture historian and writer Elain Harwood, brings her trademark clarity and enthusiasm to the subject as she explores Britain’s Art Deco buildings.

Art Deco Britain, published in association with the Twentieth Century Society, is the definitive guide to the architectural style in Britain. The book begins with an overview of the international Art Deco style, and how this influenced building design in Britain. The buildings covered include Houses and Flats; Churches and Public Buildings; Offices; Hotels and Public Houses; Cinemas, Theatres and Concert Halls; and many more.

The book covers some of the best-loved and some lesser-known buildings around the UK, such as the Midland Hotel in Morecambe, Eltham Palace, Broadcasting House and the Carreras Cigarette Factory in London. Beautifully produced and richly illustrated with architectural photography, this is the definitive guide to a much-loved architecture style.

Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 21 and was expected to live for only another two years. He went on to write books and deliver public lectures right up until his death at the age of 76 in 2018. Hawking achieved commercial success with several works of popular science in which he discusses his own theories and cosmology in general. His book A Brief History of Time, a layman’s guide to cosmology, appeared on the Sunday Times best-seller list for a record-breaking 237 weeks and sold more than 10 million copies.

As Martin Rees, the cosmologist, astronomer royal and Hawking’s longtime colleague wrote, “His name will live in the annals of science; millions have had their cosmic horizons widened by his best-selling books; and even more, around the world, have been inspired by a unique example of achievement against all the odds — a manifestation of amazing willpower and determination.”

In this concise and informative guide to Hawking’s life and work, his key scientific achievements – from gravitational singularities to quantum cosmology – are covered in an approachable and accessible way. This is a celebration of an icon of modern physics, who inspired generations of scientists and changed our understanding of the universe.

A collection of Eleanor Crow’s beautiful watercolours of classic shopfronts.

Published in partnership with Spitalfields Life Books, this timely volume celebrates the small neighbourhood shops of London. As our high streets decline into generic monotony, we cherish these independent shops and family businesses that enrich the city with their characterful frontages and distinctive typography.

This collection includes more than 100 of Eleanor Crow’s fine illustrations of the capital’s bakers, cafes, butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers, chemists, launderettes, hardware stores, eel & pie shops, bookshops and stationers. The pictures are accompanied by the stories of the shops, their history and their shopkeepers – stretching all the way from Chelsea in the west to Bethnal Green, Clerkenwell and Walthamstow in the east. As well as beloved old and lost shopfronts, there are some recent examples of new shops that have been beautifully designed too – from cheesemongers to chippies.

At a time of momentous change in the high street, this witty and fascinating personal survey champions the enduring culture of Britain’s small shops.

Award-winning and hugely popular artist Rosie Sanders showcases the beauty of the rose in her follow up to Rosie Sanders Flowers. Over 80 stunning paintings and sketches are shown for the first time. The artist writes a personal letter on each of her rose paintings (to be given unopened to the final recipient or buyer of the painting). Many of these personal letters sit alongside the paintings, as they explain the creative and emotional process she went through to create it. The book is a revealing insight into the artist’s muse and the author’s sketches and drawings are also included to show the full artistic process.

The book is introduced by an extended essay on the resonance of the rose – all across the world – in our art, literature, poetry, folklore and gardens. The rose emblem is timeless and this book not only celebrates its beauty in art but tells the story of the rose as one of nature’s most powerful motifs.

365 poems celebrating friendship, love and constancy.

This wonderful collection of poems celebrates friendship every day of the year. There are poems on the joys of companionship, encouragement, consolation, humour and love, making this a perfect gift for friends, family and partners.

Poems featured include Emily Bronte’s ‘Love and Friendship’ and Stevie Smith’s ‘Pleasures of friendship’, as well as writings from Keats, Norman MacCaig, Waldo Emerson and Amy Lowell.

Some of the most beautiful poems ever written are collected here to give us insight into the important things in life.

‘This charming volume reminds us that self-care is as available as a glance out the window’ – The New York Times

‘A confident celebration of our ever-changing skies… I defy anyone who reads it not to start taking furtive peeks out the window.’ – Robert Leigh-Pemberton, The Daily Telegraph

‘A gorgeous celebration of the wonder of clouds’ – The People’s Friend

It’s more important than ever to engage with the natural world. The sky is the most dramatic and evocative aspect of nature and looking up at the clouds is always good for the soul. Ever-changing and ephemeral, clouds reflect the shifting moods of the atmosphere in limitless compositions and combinations.

Gavin Pretor-Pinney started the Cloud Appreciation Society in 2005. Since then, he’s been encouraging people to ‘look up, marvel at the ephemeral beauty, and always remember to live life with your head in the clouds.’ Membership to the Society now includes over 50k cloudspotters. Together, they capture and share the most remarkable skies, from sublime thunderstorms and perfect sunsets to hilarious object shaped clouds.

A Cloud A Day is a beautifully illustrated book containing 365 skies selected by the Cloud Appreciation Society. There are photographs by sky enthusiasts around the world, satellite images and photographs of clouds in space, as well as skies depicted by great artists over the centuries. The clouds are accompanied by enlightening explanations, fascinating snippets of cloud science, poetry and uplifting quotations.

The perfect dip-in-and-out book for anyone who wants to de-stress and reconnect with nature, A Cloud A Day will inspire you to open your eyes to the everyday beauty above and to spend a moment each day with your head in the clouds.

The new book from the author of the Sunday Times bestseller, Millie Marotta’s Animal Kingdom.

Lose yourself in the calming world of woodland wildlife. Whether it’s statuesque pines or a steamy tropical forest, you will discover a wealth of beautiful and intriguing creatures that dwell in the world’s forests – from foxes, fireflies and fallow deer to lemurs, leaf frogs and lady bugs.

Millie’s much-loved intricate drawing style will be irresistible for those who love to colour. Meander through a world of towering trees, leafy canopies, exquisite blossoms and underground burrows to meet a huge array of animals that make the woods their home.

Featuring species from across the globe, this is a celebration of the world’s forests – vibrant and teeming with life – guaranteeing hours of relaxation and colouring fun.

From the elegance of the grand salons of Prideaux Place, Padstow’s most stately of homes, to the wild and remote Cornish coastline, Rosamunde Pilcher captured in her novels Cornwall’s unique, diverse beauty and compelling charm.  

WINNER of the Gorsedh Kernow’s Holyer an Gof Awards 2023.

Rosamunde Pilcher grew up near St Ives, publishing her first novel at the age of 25. Cornwall remained her long-standing inspiration with most of her novels set in this wonderfully diverse landscape. Her most famous novel, ‘The Shell Seekers’, catapulted Rosamunde to international fame and created a dedicated fan-base.

This new Pitkin guidebook takes the reader on a tour of the key areas and places that inspired Pilcher’s creative writing. Clamber down the steep Bedruthan Steps and enjoy the traditional Cornish welcome in the beautiful harbour town of St Ives. St Michael’s Mount, one of the most famous sights in Cornwall, sits majestically off shore while the sound of the waves battering the coastline is a key element in enjoying a visit to Land’s End. These sites and many more informed Rosamunde Pilcher’s writing, making her novels and short stories some of the most popular and cherished around the world, several of which have been adapted for television.