(Paperback)

Arthur Schopenhauer devoted his adult life to the articulation of a philosophy for the world, a philosophy that would benefit mankind by providing a solution to the riddle of existence. This biography provides an introduction to the life and work of the nineteenth-century German philosopher.

(Hardback)

A beautifully illustrated account of the botanical and cultural faces of the ash tree.

(Hardback)

A comprehensive, well-illustrated account of the emperor Ashoka and the Maurya Dynasty.

(Hardback)

Gay Watson explores attention through many disciplines and ways of life, from neuroscience to surfing. This is a valuable and timely account of something central to our lives yet all too often neglected.

(Hardback)

In Aurelia, Carol Mavor reads the world of literature and art through the lens of the fairy tale.

(Hardback)

Through lively anecdotes, colourful pictures and delicious recipes, Jeff Miller explores the meteoric rise of the avocado, from its co-evolution with the megaherbivores of the Pleistocene to its acceptance by the Spanish conquistadores in Mexico and its current dominance of food consumers' imagination.

(Paperback)

Beautifully illustrated with many captivating images of Paris design, dress, interiors, objects, art and media of the time, Ballets Russes Style is a much-needed account of how Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes influenced Parisian fashion, interior design, advertising and the decorative arts in the early twentieth century.

(Paperback)

Baltic Facades presents a new history of the Baltic area, one that dispels the myth of a single, coherent regional identity. Aldis Purs describes the unique character of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, whilst also examining the anxiety that these peoples feel about how others perceive them.

(Hardback)

Featuring historic and modern recipes that celebrate the wide variety of bean cuisines, this book chimes with the modern trend for healthy eating, and takes readers on a vivid journey through the gastronomical, botanical, cultural and political history of beans.

(Paperback)

Few animals are as closely associated with humans as bears. Tracing the evolution of the bear family, the author discusses extinct types, such as the cave bear and the giant short-faced bear, as well as describing the eight species that exist. It explores the bear-human relationship and how human perceptions of bears have changed over time.

(Paperback)

Beastly London explores the complex and changing relationship between Londoners of all classes and their animal neighbours: from a mainly exploitative relationship, to London becoming the birthplace of animal welfare societies and animal rights' campaigns.

(Hardback)

Informative and highly entertaining, Beer explores a legion of brews from Mexico to Milwaukee, Beijing to Bruges, in this superb study of the origins and contemporary consumption habits of one of the world's most popular drinks.

(Paperback)

Thoroughly illustrated, bursting with historical detail and accessibly written, this cultural and natural history of the beetle is sure to change the way readers think about their relationship with these ancient, enduringly captivating animals.

(Paperback)

The action-packed life of the polymath and First American, Benjamin Franklin.

(Paperback)

Berlin is a comprehensive short history and portrait of the German capital today.

(Hardback)

Richly illustrated throughout, Birch presents a fascinating overview of their cultural and ecological significance, from botany to literature and art, as Anna Lewington looks both at the history of birches and what the future may hold in store for them.

(Hardback)

(Paperback)

A new title by best-selling author, zoologist, and former television presenter Desmond Morris, Bison is a natural and cultural history of the bison, an iconic animal of the Great Plains of America.

(Paperback)

(Paperback)

(Paperback)

Is Britain really perceived as a nation of poorly dressed, roast-beef-eating, snaggle-toothed xenophobes Or do the British perhaps all live in stately homes, and lead supercilious, emotionally repressed, tea-drinking lives This title probes these and other myths, conceptions and misconceptions of Britishness.

(Paperback)

Traces how British modern architecture achieved worldwide recognition, but also examines the disillusion with 'high' Modernism, the era of postmodernism, and questions including the growing concern with the use of resources, the traditional city, sustainability and the natural environment.

(Paperback)

Taking the triumph of consumerism as an organizing theme, the author charts the rise and fall of the Conservative Party, developments in British society, culture and politics, environmental issues, questions of identity, and changes in economic circumstance and direction.

(Hardback)

Offering a unique cultural history of British comic papers and magazines, Chapman argues that British comics are distinct from their American, French and Japanese counterparts. British Comics showcases the major role that comics have played in the imaginative lives of British youth - and some adults.