We’ve independently picked our favourite non-fiction titles – from biography to science, there’s something here for everyone. 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 -
70% OFF SALE – WAS €20.00, NOW €6.00. The true story of a prince from Bali, whose fascinating life was shaped by uncommon events and exotic places. Born in 1919, Prince Made Djelantik witnessed pivotal moments of history: the twilight of a feudal age, the Second World War in Nazi-occupied Holland, Indonesia's long battle for independence from four hundred years of Dutch colonial rule, and finally, the great changes provoked on his island by unbridled development. Driven by an early passion for medicine, the prince set sail for Europe on the eve of WWII to study at the University of Amsterdam. His calling then took him to far-flung corners of the planet, where he encountered everything from a pirate ambush in the South China Sea and a night attack by a famished army of rats, to a deadly volcanic eruption and his arrest by Saddam Hussein's secret police. When he returned to Bali in the mid-1970s, his public identity as a doctor took precedence over his royal lineage and he was known simply as "Dr. Djelantik" on the island. The doctor implemented the successful campaign which finally eradicated malaria from Bali and established the island's first hospital. Author Idanna Pucci's evocative narrative of this unusual life is told in short story form, making The World Odyssey of a Balinese Prince an easy read for anyone who finds themselves dreaming of distant places. More than 40 of Dr. Djelantik's own watercolors--done when he was in his 80s--help to illustrate his adventures in vivid detail. **Skipping Stones Honor Award Winner** ISBN 9780804852593 -
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 -
The Irish famously have a way with words and this beautifully illustrated selection includes the best of Irish wit and wisdom to amuse and entertain on any occasion. Enjoy the stunning wit of some of Ireland's finest writers, as well as words of unparalleled wisdom that are woven into the fabric of the language of this island. ISBN 9780717169214 -
An Triail (The Trial) is a play written by the Irish playwright Mairéad Ní Ghráda. The play is written in the Irish language. An Triail is set in the west of Ireland during the 1960s and deals with the pregnancy, and subsequent single motherhood, of a young girl. She is shunned by her family after getting pregnant by the local primary school teacher, a married man with a sick wife, and must leave her parish and move to the city. Here she is once again marginalised, first as a pregnant woman and then as a single mother. An encounter with the child's father, where he further rejects her and his child, only serves to make matters worse and the girl takes her own life, as well as that of her child. Irish Language Title. Great for Teens and Young Adults ISBN 9781857919738 -
An uplifting account of hope and healing by the author of Adventures in Human BeingWhen it comes to illness, sometimes the end is just the beginning. Recovery and convalescence are words that exist at the periphery of our lives - until we are forced to contend with what they really mean. Here, GP and writer Gavin Francis explores how - and why - we get better, revealing the many shapes recovery takes, its shifting history and the frequent failure of our modern lives to make adequate space for it. Characterised by Francis's beautiful prose and his view of medicine as 'the alliance of science and kindness', Recovery is a book about a journey that most of us never intend to make. Along the way, he unfolds a story of hope, transformation, and the everyday miracle of healing. 'Such a wise, gentle, quietly hopeful book. Exactly what I needed' - Rachel Clarke. ISBN 9781800810488 -
Encompassing stories of some of Ireland's best known characters as well as key moments in Ireland's past, this pocket history recalls the country's struggles through dark times, its successes, its people and places. The wealth of Irish culture and tradition is described as well as the key events and people that have shaped the country today. ISBN 9780717147298 -
A light-hearted, fully-illustrated retro-style picture book with 60+ words and phrases you can use to practise your Irish with your furry best friend. ISBN 9781912631094 -
How to Love is part of a charming series of books from Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh, exploring the essential foundations of mindful meditation and practise. How to Love shows that when we feel closer to our loved ones, we are also more connected to the world as a whole. Nhat Hanh brings his signature clarity, compassion and humour to the thorny question of how to love and distils one of our strongest emotions down to four essentials: you can only love another when you feel true love for yourself; love is understanding; understanding brings compassion; and deep listening and loving speech are key ways of showing our love. ISBN 9781846045172 -
This ‘Instead of a Card’ poetry pamphlet makes a perfect present – unusual, beautiful, worthwhile and definitely not for throwing away. They come with an envelope and bookmark left blank for your message. Interesting and enjoyable to read, they make an excellent introduction to the work of contemporary and historical poets. This edition of the popular mini-anthology calls at every stop on love’s roller-coaster journey – from the first dizzy declarations of passion, to the clear-eyed devotion of a couple in old age. ISBN 9781907598821 -
'Married five times. Mother. Lover. Aunt. Friend. She plays many roles round here. And never scared to tell the whole of her truth, whether or not anyone wants to hear it. Wife Of Willesden: pissed enough to tell her life story to whoever has ears and eyes...' Zadie Smith's first time writing for the stage, The Wife of Willesden is a riotous twenty-first century translation of Geoffrey Chaucer's classic The Wife of Bath's Prologue, brought to glorious life on the Kilburn High Road. Commissioned to celebrate Brent's year as Borough of Culture 2020. ISBN 9780241471968 -
A personal and powerful essay from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the bestselling author of Americanah and Half of a Yellow Sun. 'I would like to ask that we begin to dream about and plan for a different world. A fairer world. A world of happier men and happier women who are truer to themselves. And this is how to start: we must raise our daughters differently. We must also raise our sons differently...' What does "feminism" mean today? In this personal, eloquently argued essay - adapted from her much-admired Tedx talk of the same name - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century, one rooted in inclusion and awareness. Drawing extensively on her own experiences and her deep understanding of the often masked realities of sexual politics, here is one remarkable author's exploration of what it means to be a woman now - an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists. ISBN 9780008115272 -
Deeply personal and powerfully moving, a short and timely series of essays on the experience of lockdown, by one of the most clear-sighted and essential writers of our timeFrom the critically acclaimed author of Feel Free, Swing Time, White Teeth and many more'There will be many books written about the year 2020: historical, analytic, political and comprehensive accounts. This is not any of those - the year isn't half-way done. What I've tried to do is organize some of the feelings and thoughts that events, so far, have provoked in me, in those scraps of time the year itself has allowed. These are above all personal essays: small by definition, short by necessity.' Crafted with the sharp intelligence, wit and style that have won Zadie Smith millions of fans, and suffused with a profound intimacy and tenderness in response to these unprecedented times, Intimations is a vital work of art, a gesture of connection and an act of love - an essential book in extraordinary times. ISBN 9780241492383 -
The chant of 'Azadi!' - Urdu for 'Freedom!' - is the slogan of the freedom struggle in Kashmir against what Kashmiris see as the Indian Occupation. Ironically, it also became the chant of millions on the streets of India against the project of Hindu Nationalism. Even as Arundhati Roy began to ask what lay between these two calls for Freedom - a chasm or a bridge? - the streets fell silent. Not only in India, but all over the world. The Coronavirus brought with it another, more terrible understanding of Azadi, making a nonsense of international borders, incarcerating whole populations, and bringing the modern world to a halt like nothing else ever could. In this series of electrifying essays, Arundhati Roy challenges us to reflect on the meaning of freedom in a world of growing authoritarianism. The essays include meditations on language, public as well as private, and on the role of fiction and alternative imaginations in these disturbing times. The pandemic, she says, is a portal between one world and another. For all the illness and devastation it has left in its wake, it is an invitation to the human race, an opportunity, to imagine another world. ISBN 9780241470022 -
The most inspiring, beautiful and though-provoking reflections and declarations of love, all in one place. From Shakespeare's sonnets to the rom coms of modern-day cinema, Enlightenment philosophy to the latest Nicholas Sparks novel, one could say that no other topic has inspired such beauty - in art, literature, poetry or music - than that of love. In The Little Book of Love the words of civil rights activists sit alongside those of movie stars, world leaders and the philosophers of Ancient Greece. ISBN 9781911610991 -
'Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life.' The two works brought together here, 'The Decay of Lying' and 'The Critic as Artist', are Oscar Wilde's wittiest and most profound writings on aesthetics, in which he proposes that criticism is the highest form of creation and that lying, the telling of a beautiful untruth, is the ultimate aim of art. ISBN 9780241472453 -
**THE PERFECT GIFT FOR OUR TROUSERLESS TIMES** Office workers of the world, unite! (remotely.) You have nothing to lose but your trousers. Working from home has liberated many of us from the annoyances of office life. We no longer need to queue for the photocopier, we don't have to endure long commutes and - best of all - we don't have to wear any trousers. But it's not all sunshine and trouser-free happiness at home. We have to stay awake during endless virtual meetings, our after-work pint in the pub has become an online company quiz night and if the milk runs out there's no one to blame but ... well, you know who. I'm Not Wearing Any Trousers is here to cheer your WFH days, with tips on how to recreate the fun of a sweaty train commute, how to cope with children/animals photobombing your presentation to the board and how to maximise productivity (for al least five minutes, anyways). So roll up your sleeves, take off your trousers and zoom through these pages! ISBN 9780008458737 -
'A problem of space first of all, then a problem of order' One of the most singular and extravagant imaginations of the twentieth century, the novelist and essayist Georges Perec was a true original who delighted in wordplay, puzzles, taxonomies and seeing the extraordinary in the everyday. In these virtuoso writings about books and language, he discusses different ways of reading, a list of the things he really must do before he dies and the power of words to overcome the chaos of the world. One of twenty new books in the bestselling Penguin Great Ideas series. This new selection showcases a diverse list of thinkers who have helped shape our world today, from anarchists to stoics, feminists to prophets, satirists to Zen Buddhists. ISBN 9780241475218 -
This detailed guide to over 2000 of the most popular Irish first names is the ideal gift for anyone wishing to choose an Irish name for their child, or is interested in finding out a bit more about their own name. The names come from Gaelic (and are given in Gaelic and in an anglicised form), from translations from Irish forms of non-Irish names and from Irish surnames and words. Over 2000 names included. Features names derived from the Irish language, anglicized versions of Irish names, and Irish names used in the USA and Australia. Meaning, origin and pronunciation guide given for each name. This edition has been redesigned in the new Gem style both internally and with a new cover design. ISBN 9780007176175 -
In this powerful collection of interviews, Noam Chomsky exposes the problems of our world today, as we stand in this period of monumental change, preparing for a more hopeful tomorrow. 'For the left, elections are a brief interlude in a life of real politics, a moment to ask whether it's worth taking time off to vote... Then back to work. The work will be to move forward to construct the better world that is within reach.' He sheds light into the phenomenon of right-wing populism, and exposes the catastrophic nature and impact of authoritarian policies on people, the environment and the planet as a whole. He captures the dynamics of the brutal class warfare launched by the masters of capital to maintain and even enhance the features of a dog-eat-dog society. And he celebrates the recent unprecedented mobilizations of millions of people internationally against neoliberal capitalism, racism and police violence. We stand at a precipice and we must fight to pull the world back from it. ISBN 9780241993934