Is it time to leave the EU? MEP & award-winning political writer Daniel Hannan argues for a British exit ahead of the coming referendum. Hannan argues that the EU is past its sell-by date, rendered obsolete by technological advances, shrinking economically & less relevant to our economic needs than ever. He shows that any renegotiation is doomed to fail: the EU can`t reform, can`t be democratic & can`t be divorced from its goal of ever-closer political union. Staying in does not mean staying the same & a vote to leave
- far from being the risky choice
- is actually the safe one. Finally Hannan demonstrates that Britain doesn`t have to stay in the EU to remain at the heart of Europe & considers the global role a confident nation freed from EU strictures could play.

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The 2010 general election saw the largest popular vote for the Liberal Democrats since the party`s creation, but will they build on that success in 2015? Could they become partners in another coalition government or will they join the ranks in opposition? In this concise & accessible guide, Liberal Democrat Jeremy Browne explains how the Lib Dems are best placed to tackle both the problems facing the nation today & those of its future
- & why they deserve your vote on 7 May. By exploring the party`s key policies, agendas & traditional commitments, Why Vote Liberal Democrat 2015 will prove invaluable in helping you decide where to place your vote.
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Will UKIP follow their European election success of 2014 & make unprecedented gains at the next general election? In this concise & accessible guide, UKIP`s deputy chairman Suzanne Evans explains what the UK would look like under the leadership of Nigel Farage, & why a vote for UKIP is a vote for Britain. By exploring the party`s key policies, agendas & commitments, Why Vote UKIP 2015 will prove invaluable in helping you decide where to place your vote. ...

In this deeply informed book, renowned historian Jeremy Black addresses the crucial question of why wars happen, bridging the disciplines of history, political science & international relations, & spanning over the centuries. Black marshals an astonishing range of material from all corners of the globe, & demonstrates the universalities of conflict. What then causes wars? Do they primarily reflect bellicosity in societies & states, or do they arise as the result of the breakdown of diplomatic systems? How far are the causes of war related to changes in the nature of warfare, of the international system or of the internal character of states? Black looks at the problems of deepening war, & analyses the three main forms of conflict: wars across cultures, wars within cultures & civil war. He also assesses the present situation & asks where we are heading in terms of future wars. ...

Why We Climb is a celebration, in word & image, of those aspects of the climbing life that are most universal, meaningful, & long lasting- the strong connection to partners & nature; the physical & mental mastery required (and how to achieve it); the rewards of exploring oneself & the world through climbing. Through interviews with some of North America`s most notable climbers the book undertakes a quest to find the soul of climbing- asking what compels men & women to dedicate their lives to the challenges & deprivations of living in a vertical world? What are the sacrifices & what are the rewards? & most importantly, can the lessons learned on cliff faces, frozen waterfalls, & alpine peaks- lessons of respect, discipline, commitment, humility & simplicity-be brought home & used to benefit society as a whole? ...

Politicians are consistently voted the least trusted professional group by the UK public. They`ve recently become embroiled in scandals concerning sexual harassment & expenses. Every year, they introduce new legislation that doesn`t do what it sets out to achieve
- often with terrible financial & human costs. But, with some notable exceptions, they are decent, hard-working people, doing a hugely difficult & demanding job. In this searching examination of our political class, award-winning journalist Isabel Hardman tries to square this circle. She lifts the lid on the strange world of Westminster & asks why we end up with representatives with whom we are so unhappy. Filled with forensic analysis & revealing reportage, this landmark & accessible book is a must read for anyone who wants to see a future with better government.
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We don`t think we hate cheap things, of course, but we rather behave as if we do, in the sense that we rarely properly appreciate what is always around us & doesn`t appear to cost very much, for example, the night sky, pencils, fried eggs, zips & the holding of hands. This volume explores the way we can easily grow disenchanted with our immediate circumstances & pine for what is exotic, costly & out of reach
- & it gently returns us to ourselves, full of new found wonder & gratitude. Combining literature, economics & sheer good sense, Why We Hate Cheap Things reawakens us to the world immediately around us & to the latent beauty & interest of what we have.
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Why do we make things? Why do we choose the emotionally & physically demanding work of bringing new objects into the world with creativity & skill? Why does it matter that we make things well? What is the nature of work? & what is the nature of a good life? Part memoir, part polemic, part philosophical reflection, this is a book about the process of creation & what it means to be a craftsman in a mass-produced world. For woodworker Peter Korn, the challenging work of bringing something new & meaningful into the world through one`s own efforts is exactly what generates authenticity, meaning, & fulfilment, for which many of us yearn. This is not a `how-to` book in any sense, Korn wants to get at the `why` of craft in particular, & the satisfaction of creative work in general, to understand its essential nature. How does the making of objects shape our identities? How do the products of creative work inform society? In short, what does the process of making things reveal to us about ourselves? Korn draws on four decades of hands-on experience to answer these questions eloquently in this heartfelt, personal & revealing book. ...

On January 21, 2017, over 5 million people in 673 cities around the globe gathered in solidarity for the Women`s March, carrying signs that shone with unwavering hope & determination & demanded the protection of women`s rights, opposed the newly inaugurated U.S. president, & championed equality & justice for all. Why We March presents 300 of the most powerful, uplifting, clever, & creative signs from these marches. ” Nasty Women Unite.” ” Make America Think Again.” ” Build Bridges, Not Walls.” ” Girls Just Wanna Have Fundamental Rights.” ” Love Trumps Hate.” ”A Woman`s Place Is in the Resistance.” These images--featuring messages about reproductive rights & cabinet picks, immigration & police violence, climate change & feminism--together paint a striking portrait of resistance, despair, humour, & most of all, hope. This book will serve as a rallying cry for this burgeoning movement, & a valuable & timely encapsulation of an unprecedented moment in political history. ...

THE TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERTLS, OBSERVER, SUNDAY TIMES, FT, GUARDIAN, DAILY MAIL & EVENING STANDARD BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2017` Vital.. . a life-raft` Guardian`A top sleep scientist argues that sleep is more important for our health than diet or exercise` The Times` It had a powerful effect on me` Observer`I urge you all to read this book` Times Higher Education Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our life, health & longevity & yet it is increasingly neglected in twenty-first-century society, with devastating consequences: every major disease in the developed world
- Alzheimer`s, cancer, obesity, diabetes
- has very strong causal links to deficient sleep. Until very recently, science had no answer to the question of why we sleep, or what good it served, or why its absence is so damaging to our health. Compared to the other basic drives in life
- eating, drinking, & reproducing
- the purpose of sleep remained elusive. Now, in this book, the first of its kind written by a scientific expert, Professor Matthew Walker explores twenty years of cutting-edge research to solve the mystery of why sleep matters. Looking at creatures from across the animal kingdom as well as major human studies, Why We Sleep delves in to everything from what really happens during REM sleep to how caffeine & alcohol affect sleep & why our sleep patterns change across a lifetime, transforming our appreciation of the extraordinary phenomenon that safeguards our existence.



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