We’ve independently picked our favourite non-fiction titles – from biography to science, there’s something here for everyone. Use the dropdown menu above to refine by non-fiction subject or click the category links under any product to narrow down your choices! And remember – we offer Free Postage in ROI on orders over €30 – just choose the Free Postage option at checkout.
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... a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food...' Swift's devastating short satire on how to solve a famine. Jonathan Swift (1667-1745). Swift's works available in Penguin Classics are Gulliver's Travels and A Modest Proposal and Other Writings ISBN 9780141398181 -
Allow pre-eminent psychiatrist Dr Brendan Kelly to help you understand and cope with the unique mental stresses of today, as we all try to deal with the threat of COVID-19, coronavirus. Royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to medical charities assisting with the global response to coronavirus. ISBN 9781785373640 -
A powerful, personal agenda-changing exploration of poverty in today's Britain. 'When every day of your life you have been told you have nothing of value to offer, that you are worth nothing to society, can you ever escape that sense of being 'lowborn' no matter how far you've come?' Kerry Hudson is proudly working class but she was never proudly poor. The poverty she grew up in was all-encompassing, grinding and often dehumanising. Always on the move with her single mother, Kerry attended nine primary schools and five secondaries, living in B&Bs and council flats. She scores eight out of ten on the Adverse Childhood Experiences measure of childhood trauma. Twenty years later, Kerry's life is unrecognisable. She's a prizewinning novelist who has travelled the world. She has a secure home, a loving partner and access to art, music, film and books. But she often finds herself looking over her shoulder, caught somehow between two worlds. Lowborn is Kerry's exploration of where she came from. She revisits the towns she grew up in to try to discover what being poor really means in Britain today and whether anything has changed. 'One of the most important books of the year' Guardian. ISBN 9781784708603 -
Since first publication 20 years ago, there has been both change and stability among favourite Irish names for children. This book lists and glosses more than 200 of the most popular Irish names for boys and girls. It gives a short, authoritative commentary on each headline name, offers a complete list of alternative spellings and anglicised forms, and contains notes on the origins of each name with particular reference to the original holders. It is comprehensively indexed and cross-referenced. The stability in the names arises from the fact that the 200 odd favourite names of 20 years ago are still in place. What has changed, however, is the pecking order within the overall list. Forenames of formerly Irish origin have advanced in recent times at the expense of names of English origin, so that, for instance, Sean, Connor and Cian are among the top 5 boys' names while all top 5 girls' names are purely Irish: Aoife, Ciara, Saoirse, Caoimhe and Niamh. ISBN 9780717156191 -
Official Rules of the Road for Ireland, from the Road Safety Authority. Following the Rules of the Road saves lives and prevents injury. Written in straightforward language and aimed at all road users - drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and horseriders - the Rules of the Road sets out the laws, and details best driving practice. INCLUDES - Vehicle Safety, Road Signs, Markings & Lights, Speed Limits, Motorways, Penalty Points, Rules & Advice, Good Driving Practice & Safety. Rules of the Road Official RSA Guidebook: Essential for anyone using Irish roads, cycle tracks or footpaths, including: those looking to take out their first learner permit, those who are learning to drive, those who are preparing for their practical driving test and those who are already licensed drivers. A valuable reference for every road user. ISBN 9781788493307 -
The death of George Floyd and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests have made clear to everyone the vicious reality of racism that persists today. Many of those privileged enough to be distanced from racism are now having to come to terms with the fact that they continue to prosper at the detriment of others. Having spent the last four years researching, writing, and speaking about the benefits of diversity for society, June Sarpong is no stranger to educating and challenging those that have been enjoying the benefits of a system steeped in systemic racism without realising its true cost. In The Power of Privilege, June will empower those fortunate enough not to be 'otherised' by mainstream Western society to become effective allies against racism, both by understanding the roots of their privilege and the systemic societal inequities that perpetuates it. The Power of Privilege offers practical steps and action-driven solutions so that those who have been afforded privilege can begin undoing the limiting beliefs held by society, and help build a fairer future for all. ISBN 9780008435929 -
The must-read, pocket-sized Big Think book of 2020It feels like the world is falling apart. So how do we keep hold of our optimism? How do we nurture the parts of ourselves that hope, trust and believe in something better? And how can we stay sane in this world of division?In this beautifully written and illuminating polemic, Booker Prize nominee Elif Shafak reflects on our age of pessimism, when emotions guide and misguide our politics, and misinformation and fear are the norm. A tender, uplifting plea for optimism, Shafak draws on her own memories and delves into the power of stories to reveal how writing can nurture democracy, tolerance and progress. And in the process, she answers one of the most urgent questions of our time. ISBN 9781788165723 -
From the best-selling author of Americanah and We Should All Be Feminists comes a powerful new statement about feminism today - written as a letter to a friend. A few years ago, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie received a letter from a dear friend from childhood, asking her how to raise her baby girl as a feminist. Dear Ijeawele is Adichie's letter of response. Here are fifteen invaluable suggestions-compelling, direct, wryly funny, and perceptive-for how to empower a daughter to become a strong, independent woman. From encouraging her to choose a helicopter, and not only a doll, as a toy if she so desires; having open conversations with her about clothes, makeup, and sexuality; debunking the myth that women are somehow biologically arranged to be in the kitchen making dinner, and that men can "allow" women to have full careers, Dear Ijeawele goes right to the heart of sexual politics in the twenty-first century. It will start a new and urgently needed conversation about what it really means to be a woman today. ISBN 9780008275709 -
**Over 2 million copies sold** (well, not all in our shop) The Little Book of Calm is your pocket-sized stress antidote, full of advice to follow and thoughts to inspire, such as: - Imagine every day is a holiday. Do one little thing that stimulates this holiday mood every day - Barricade yourself from interruption for one hour every day - Forgive on the spot - Breathe less - a deeply relaxed person only breathes 5-8 times a minute Designed to be carried around and dipped into whenever your feel your stress levels rising, The Little Book of Calm is perfect for fans of Matt Haig, Fearne Cotton or Haemin Sunim. ISBN 9780241257449 -
Cleanliness is next to enlightenment. In this Japanese bestseller a Buddhist monk explains the traditional meditative techniques that will help cleanse not only your house - but your soul. Live clean. Feel calm. Be happy. We remove dust to sweep away our worldly cares. ISBN 9781846149696 -
One breath, one step is all we need to feel at home and comfortable in the here and now. In this enlightening series world-renowned spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh shares the essential foundations of mindful practise and mediation. ISBN 9781846046568 -
In 1894, Ruth Smythers, `Beloved wife of The Reverend L. D. Smythers', wrote: `One cardinal rule of marriage should never be forgotten: give little, give seldom and, above all, give grudgingly...' The Methodist wife didn't intend to be amusing, but this brief treatise written for young brides is side-splitting today and an eye-opener to how our love lives have changed in just over a century. ISBN 9781849539760 -
The Communist Manifesto is a timeless classic providing intelligent insight into socialism, communism and today's group identity politics. This pocket edition includes a new introduction by the economist and bestselling author of Adults in the Room, Yanis Varoufakis. The Communist Manifesto was first published in London in 1848, by two young men in their late twenties. Its impact reverberated across the globe and throughout the next century, and it has come to be recognised as one of the most important political texts ever written. Maintaining that the history of all societies is a history of class struggle, the manifesto proclaims that communism is the only route to equality, and is a call to action aimed at the proletariat. It is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand our modern political landscape. ISBN 9781784873691 -
This small dictionary offers the most accurate and up-to-date coverage of essential, everyday vocabulary with over 90,000 words, phrases, and definitions based on evidence from the Oxford English Corpus, a unique databank comprising hundreds of millions of words of English. Definitions are easy to understand, given in a clear, simple style, and avoiding technical language. Paperback / softback 672 pages Dimensions:119 x 87 x 37 (mm) ISBN 9780199640966 -
The home of trusted Irish dictionaries for everyday language use. A handy Irish to English and English to Irish dictionary. Offering learners at home, school and in the office extensive and up-to-date coverage of Irish and English in a compact, portable format. There is a grammar supplement to help you to develop your knowledge of Irish and your confidence in the language and verb tables show all verb forms for the most common regular and irregular Irish verbs. The Phrasefinder supplement has all the most useful phrases at your fingertips for ease of access. ISBN 9780008320034 -
This handy little dictionary offers clear definitions for all the words you need on a daily basis, providing spelling and pronunciations tips for the trickiest words. As an additional feature there is a detailed and practical writing guide for emails, social media and more formal communication. The easy-to-use layout of the Collins Gem dictionary makes it quick and easy to access and ideal for use on the go, at home, work, in the classroom or for travel. The short supplement tackles everyday problems of style and etiquette in everything from letters to emails to social media. With 85,000 words, meanings and phrases, this compact Collins English dictionary is the perfect companion. ISBN 9780008141677 -
The home of trusted French dictionaries for everyday language learning. With 40,000 words and phrases and 60,000 translations packed into this Collins Gem French to English and English to French dictionary, you'll have everything you need to know on the go. All the latest words reflecting changes in modern lifestyle are included in this small French dictionary, plus notes about life in French-speaking countries and top tips on commonly confused words. This is the perfect choice for travellers, students and business people. An essential, user-friendly travel Phrasefinder is included, along with a handy menu-reader ensuring you always get what you expect from a meal out. A clear layout, useful examples, and language and cultural notes makes this Collins French Gem dictionary ideal for school and a great companion for all French learners. ISBN 9780008141875 -
Cocooning with her ninety-year-old Aunt is not the life Helen imagined when she came home to Dublin after 30 years in London. Bickering, bitching, masking-up for rare outings, The Stairlift Ascends is a Twitter diary of our time trying to live together, surviving the pandemic: and each other! Aunt: *calling loudly from sitting room* Helen, can you help me? Me: *drops everything, rushes to front room, expecting her to have fallen* Aunt: The cat’s on my lap, could you pour me a small Jameson? Cocooning with my ninety-year-old Aunt is not the life I’d imagined when I came back to live in Dublin after 30 years of being a high-flying media executive in London. From the Groucho Club to our North Dublin coastal cocoon, it was back to earth with a bump. Funny and frustrating, living with the Aunt in our Covid bubble has been quite the eye-opener. Bickering, bitching, masking-up for rare outings, The Stairlift Ascends is a Twitter diary of our time trying to live together, of surviving the pandemic ... and each other. Love, lashings of apple tart, laughter and a longing for trips to Arnotts have seen us through, so far ... A hugely popular, funny and compassionate view on 2020 from @HelenORahilly ISBN 9781788492539