Our pick of the best new books for 2023. So discover a new read and relax into the new year… And remember, we offer FREE POSTAGE in ROI for orders over €30, just choose the FREE SHIPPING option at checkout.
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Two women, wrenched apart by a terrible crime, must find a way back to each otherWhen Deena Garvey disappears in 2004, she leaves behind a daughter and a sister. Deena's daughter grows up in the country. She learns how to hunt, when to seed the garden, how to avoid making her father angry. Never to ask about her absent mother. Deena's sister stays stuck in the city, getting desperate. She knows the man responsible for her sister's disappearance, but she can't prove it. Not yet. Over fourteen years, four hundred miles apart, these two women slowly begin to unearth the secrets and lies at the heart of their family, and the history of power and control that has shaped them both in such different ways. But can they reach each other in time? And will the truth finally answer the question of their lives:What really happened to Deena Garvey? 'Beautiful, haunting.' LOUISE KENNEDY 'Vividly real. There's love here as well as pain.' MARIAN KEYES 'I loved it.' LIZ NUGENT Published 1st June 2023 - Order Now. ISBN 9780571358786 -
Two women, wrenched apart by a terrible crime, must find a way back to each otherWhen Deena Garvey disappears in 2004, she leaves behind a daughter and a sister. Deena's daughter grows up in the country. She learns how to hunt, when to seed the garden, how to avoid making her father angry. Never to ask about her absent mother. Deena's sister stays stuck in the city, getting desperate. She knows the man responsible for her sister's disappearance, but she can't prove it. Not yet. Over fourteen years, four hundred miles apart, these two women slowly begin to unearth the secrets and lies at the heart of their family, and the history of power and control that has shaped them both in such different ways. But can they reach each other in time? And will the truth finally answer the question of their lives:What really happened to Deena Garvey? 'Beautiful, haunting.' LOUISE KENNEDY 'Vividly real. There's love here as well as pain.' MARIAN KEYES 'I loved it.' LIZ NUGENT Published 1st June 2023 - Order Now. ISBN 9780571358779
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The Sunday Times bestselling author of Snow and April in Spain returns with Strafford and Quirke's most troubling case yet. 1950s Dublin, in a lock-up garage in the city, the body of a young woman is discovered, an apparent suicide. But pathologist Dr Quirke and Detective Inspector Strafford soon suspect foul play. The victim's sister, a newspaper reporter from London, returns to Dublin to join the two men in their quest to uncover the truth. But, as they explore her links to a wealthy German family in County Wicklow, and to investigative work she may have been doing in Israel, they are confronted with an ever-deepening mystery. With relations between the two men increasingly strained, and their investigation taking them back to the final days of the Second World War, can they join the pieces of a hidden puzzle? 'John Banville is one of the best novelists in English.' Guardian 'Superb and shocking, more than a touch of genius.' The Times Published 6th April 2023 - Order Now. ISBN 9780571370986 -
You may not be aware of this - not consciously, at least - but you do not control what you eat. Every mouthful you take is informed by the subtle tweaking and nudging of a vast, complex, global system: one so intimately woven into everyday life that you hardly even know it's there. The food system is no longer simply a means of sustenance. It is one of the most successful, most innovative and most destructive industries on earth. It sustains us, but it is also killing us. Diet-related disease is now the biggest cause of preventable illness and death in the developed world - far worse than smoking. The environmental damage done by the food system is also changing climate patterns and degrading the earth, risking our food security. Few people know the workings of the food system better than Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of the Leon restaurant chain, government adviser and author of the radical National Food Strategy. In Ravenous, he takes us behind the scenes to reveal the mechanisms that act together to shape the modern diet - and therefore the world. He explains not just why the food system is leading us into disaster, but what can be done about it. Published 27th March 2023 - Order Now. ISBN 9781800816510 -
Lexi is on top of the world. The podcast she co-hosts with her ride-or-die bestie Amanda is going stratospheric but cracks are appearing and Lexi's starting to wonder if maybe monetising a friendship isn't the best idea after all. Claire's Whatsapp chat with her school friends is ominously quiet these days, which can only mean one thing: a side group without her. And when her newly-engaged supposed BFF doesn't even consider her as a bridesmaid, Claire hatches a cunning (if slightly bonkers) plan to find a new best friend and show her old gang what they're missing. Joanne's just had a baby so she's no longer available for tequila-fuelled nights out -- something she has to keep reminding her pals about. She loves her son and her boyfriend Bert (even if his un-steeped porridge bowls are about to send her over the edge) but the loneliness is killing her. Fate brings Claire, Joanne and Lexi together as they navigate the knotty, joyful and occasionally toxic swamp that is female friendship and try to decide which friends to fight for and which have a sell-by date. Published 4th May 2023 - Order Now. ISBN 9781529352757 -
This groundbreaking guide will take you through the city streets to uncover the scandalous, hilarious and empowering events of London's queerstory. Follow in the footprints of veteran activists, such as those who marched in London's first Pride parade in 1972 or witnessed the 1999 bombing of the Admiral Duncan pub in Soho. Accompanied by a chorus of voices of both iconic and unsung legends of the movement, readers can walk through parts of East, West, South and North London, dipping into beautifully illustrated maps and extraordinary tales of LGBTQIA+ solidarity, protest and pride. The shadows of gentrification, policing, homophobia and racism are time and again resisted. From the Brixton Fairies to Notting Hill Carnival to world-changing protests in Trafalgar Square, Rebel Dykes to drag queen communes, Queer Footprints celebrates the hidden histories of struggle and joy. Including an accessibility guide and a list of these gems for your pleasure - queer spaces, clubs, networks and resources galore. Published 20th May 2023 - Order Now. ISBN 9780745346212 -
A fresh look at the stories at the heart of Norse mythology, exploring their cultural impact right up to the present day. The heroes and villains of Norse mythology have endured for centuries, infiltrating art, opera, film, television and books, shape-shifting - like the trickster Loki - to suit the cultures that encountered them. Through careful analysis of the literature and archaeology of the Norse world, Carolyne Larrington takes us deep into the realm described in the Icelandic sagas, from the gloomy halls of Hel to the dazzling heights of Asgard. She expertly examines the myths' many modern-day reimaginings, revealing the guises that have been worn by the figures of Norse myth, including Marvel's muscled, golden-haired Thor and George R.R Martin's White Walkers, who march inexorably southwards, bringing their eternal winter with them. This sophisticated yet accessible guide explores how these powerful stories have inspired our cultural landscape, from fuelling the creative genius of Wagner to the construction of the Nazi's nationalist ideology. Larrington's elegantly written retellings capture the essence of the original myths while also delving into the history of their meanings. The myths continue to speak to such modern concerns as masculinity and environmental disaster - after the inevitable, apocalyptic ragna roek, renewal comes from the roots of Yggdrasill, the World Tree. ISBN 9780500252345 -
The waitress. The chef. The chef's wife. Three different stories, but which one contains the truth?When Hannah learns that famed chef Daniel Costello is facing accusations of sexual assault, she's thrust back to the summer she spent as a waitress at his high-end Dublin restaurant. Drawn in by the plush splendour of the dining rooms, the elegance of the food, the wild parties after service, Hannah also remembers the sizzling tension of the kitchens. And how the attention from Daniel morphed from kindness into something darker... His restaurant shuttered, his lawyers breathing down his neck, Daniel is in a state of disbelief. Decades of hard graft, of fighting to earn recognition for his talent - is it all to fall apart because of something he can barely remember?Hiding behind the bedroom curtains from the paparazzi lenses, Julie is raking through more than two decades spent acting the supportive wife, the good mother, and asking herself what it's all been for. Their three different voices reveal a story of power and abuse, victimhood and complicity. This is a novel about the facades that we maintain, the lies that we tell and the courage it takes to face the truth. Published 4th May 2023 - Order Now. ISBN 9781911590835 -
Named One of 7 Best Nonfiction Books of the Fall by Kirkus Reviews Andy Borowitz, "one of the funniest people in America" (CBS Sunday Morning), brilliantly examines the intellectual deterioration of American politics, from Ronald Reagan to Dan Quayle, from George W. Bush to Sarah Palin, to its apotheosis in Donald J. Trump. The winner of the first-ever National Press Club award for humor, Andy Borowitz has been called a "Swiftian satirist" (The Wall Street Journal) and "one of the country's finest satirists" (The New York Times). Millions of fans and New Yorker readers enjoy his satirical news column "The Borowitz Report." Now, in Profiles in Ignorance, he offers a witty, spot-on diagnosis of our country's political troubles by showing how ignorant leaders are degrading, embarrassing, and endangering our nation. Borowitz argues that over the past fifty years, American politicians have grown increasingly allergic to knowledge, and mass media have encouraged the election of ignoramuses by elevating candidates who are better at performing than thinking. Starting with Ronald Reagan's first campaign for governor of California in 1966 and culminating with the election of Donald J. Trump to the White House, Borowitz shows how, during the age of twenty-four-hour news and social media, the US has elected politicians to positions of great power whose lack of the most basic information is terrifying. In addition to Reagan, Quayle, Bush, Palin, and Trump, Borowitz covers a host of congresspersons, senators, and governors who have helped lower the bar over the past five decades. Profiles in Ignorance aims to make us both laugh and cry: laugh at the idiotic antics of these public figures, and cry at the cataclysms these icons of ignorance have caused. But most importantly, the book delivers a call to action and a cause for optimism: History doesn't move in a straight line, and we can change course if we act now.. ISBN 9781668003886 -
Countless global brands, including Rolex, BMW, Louis Vuitton, and the New York Yankees, still use logos that were designed over 100 years ago. Yet there has never been a monograph devoted to the origins of logo design. In the second half of the 19th century, the trademark replaced traditional symbols such as the family coat of arms as a promotional and identifying symbol for companies. At first, the designs were often still figurative; only gradually did they develop into the abstract marks that have become fixtures in everyday life today. Author Jens Muller, described as the "logo detective" by Wired magazine, examined historical trademark registers, international corporate archives, and early design publications to unearth more than 6,000 logos from 1870 to 1940. This unparalleled collection traces the development of modern trademarks and sheds light on forgotten designs and early versions of famous logos. The catalog is divided into four design categories: "Figurative," "Form," "Effect," and "Typographical." Each chapter is then systematically subdivided according to basic elements of design such as circle, line, overlap, and outline, thus offering a new perspective on design principles that are still relevant today. Along with an extensive picture section, the book comprises an introduction by Jens Muller on the history of the trademark as well as a reproduction of the first comprehensive examination of modern corporate logos: the influential design pioneer F.H. Ehmcke's (1878-1965) illustrated essay "Wahrzeichen-Warenzeichen" (Symbols-trademarks) from 1921. Also included are ten case studies of famous trademarks, including those of 3M, NBC, Shell, and Olivetti, and numerous rare images illustrating the-at times varied, at times consistent-developments in international logo design and the birth of the corporate identity. Logo Beginnings is not only a fundamental and inspiring graphic design manual but also an excellent read for anyone interested in social, cultural, and corporate history and the fascinating impact of trademarks. It is also the perfect complement to the TASCHEN classic Logo Modernism. ISBN 9783836582285 -
I looked around at my flat, at the woodchip wallpaper and scuffed furniture, and realised that I did have a life after all. What it didn't have in it was a cat. When Rhiannon fell in love with, and eventually married her flatmate, she imagined they might one day move on. But this is London in the age of generation rent, and so they share their home with a succession of friends and strangers while saving for a life less makeshift. The desire for a baby is never far from the surface, but can she be sure that she will ever be free of the anxiety she has experienced since an attack in the street one night? And after a childhood spent caring for her autistic brother does she really want to devote herself to motherhood?Moving through the seasons over the course of lockdown, The Year of the Cat nimbly charts the way a kitten called Mackerel walked into Rhiannon's home and heart, and taught her to face down her fears and appreciate quite how much love she had to offer. 'A superbly written, special book' Olivia Sudjic, author of Asylum Road 'Beautifully captures that liminal period before any life-changing decision' New Statesman ISBN 9781472290717 -
The Rachel Incident is an all-consuming love story. But it's not the one you're expecting. It's unconventional and messy. It's young and foolish. It's about losing and finding yourself. But it is always about love. When Rachel falls in love with her married professor, Dr Byrne, her best friend James helps her devise a plan to seduce him. But what begins as a harmless crush soon pushes their friendship to its limits. Over the course of a year they will find their lives ever more entwined with the Byrnes' and be faced with impossible choices and a lie that can't be taken back. A Most Anticipated Book of 2023 in the Irish Times, Sunday Independent, Irish Examiner and Irish Independent 'I didn't know books could be this hilarious' - Annie Lord, author of Notes on Heartbreak 'I really loved this book' - Emer McLysaght, author of Oh My God What a Complete Aisling Published 22nd June 2023 - Order Now. ISBN 9780349013541 -
Comforting a family member or friend, soothing children, providing company for the elderly, ensuring that people feel well enough to work; this is all essential labour. Without it, capitalism would cease to function. They Call It Love investigates the work that makes a haven in a heartless world, examining who performs this labour, how it is organised, and how it might change. In this groundbreaking book, Alva Gotby calls this work 'emotional reproduction', unveiling its inherently political nature. It not only ensures people's well-being but creates sentimental attachments to social hierarchy and the status quo. Drawing on the thought of the feminist movement Wages for Housework, Gotby demonstrates that emotion is a key element of capitalist reproduction. To improve the way we relate to one another will require a radical restructuring of society. ISBN 9781839767036 -
Finn is in the grip of middle-age and on an enforced break from work: it might be that he's too emotional to teach history now. He is living in an America hurtling headlong into hysteria, after all. From one of the most celebrated imaginations in American literature, Lorrie Moore's new novel is a magic box of longing and surprise. High up in a New York City hospice, he sits with his beloved brother Max, who is slipping from one world into the next. But when a phone call summons Finn back to a troubled old flame, a strange journey begins, opening a trapdoor in reality. It will prompt a questioning of life and death, grief and the past, comedy and tragedy, and the diaphanous separations that lie between them all. 'America's first lady of darkness and mirth' Guardian 'How lucky we are that we have Lorrie Moore's voice to reflect this lunatic world back to us and show us how to see it in all its devastating hilarity.' Lauren Groff Published 20th June 2023 - Order Now. ISBN 9780571273867 -
Stranded on a dark road in the middle of the night, a young woman accepts a lift from a passing stranger. It's the nightmare scenario that every girl is warned about, and she knows the dangers all too well - but what other choice does she have? As they drive, she alternates between fear and relief - one moment thinking he is just a good man doing a good thing, the next convinced he's a monster. But when he delivers her safely to her destination, she realizes her fears were unfounded. And her heart sinks. Because a monster is what she's looking for. She'll try again tomorrow night. But will the man who took her sister take the bait? Published 3rd August 2023 - Order Now. ISBN 9781787636613 -
We have to keep saying it because they keep doing it. Do colleagues roll their eyes in a meeting when you use words like sexism or racism? Do you refuse to laugh at jokes that aren't funny? Have you been called divisive for pointing out a division? Then you are a feminist killjoy, and this handbook is for you. The term killjoy has been used to dismiss feminism by claiming that it causes misery. But by naming ourselves feminist killjoys, we recover a feminist history, turning it into a source of strength as well as an inspiration. Drawing on her own stories and those of others, especially Black and brown feminists and queer thinkers, Sara Ahmed combines depth of thought with honesty and intimacy. The Feminist Killjoy Handbook unpicks the lies our culture tells us and provides a form of solidarity and companionship that can be returned to over a lifetime. 'Not only a dazzling analysis of the workings of sexism, but a balm for the soul. It will teach you how to survive and how to transform the world' Hannah Dawson ISBN 9780241619537 -
A revealing, empowering vision of how the law can work better for all of us, from Jolyon Maugham KC, founder of Good Law Project. Our legal system often feels like it only works for the rich and powerful - for those who have the means to use the courts to enforce their will and defend their interests. But we can fight back. Jolyon Maugham KC founded Good Law Project in 2017 with the belief that the law can also put power into the hands of ordinary people. It has brought a series of landmark cases against a dishonest and increasingly autocratic government and won widespread acclaim in successfully reversing Boris Johnson's unlawful suspension of Parliament. Already the largest legal campaign group in the UK, Good Law Project is shining light into corners the establishment would rather keep dark - from the failures of Brexit to the still-developing PPE scandal, to the tax arrangements of business giants like Uber. In Bringing Down Goliath, Jolyon Maugham shares his inspiration and his purpose, and he reveals the story behind these landmark cases and the hidden fault lines of our judicial system. He offers an empowering, bold new vision for how the law can work better for all of us in the fight against injustice. 'Illuminating and inspiring' JAMES O'BRIEN Published 27th April 2023 - Order Now. ISBN 9780753559789 -
How do you find your voice when everyone around you is telling you to be quiet? Frankie is different, and so is her best-friend, Sam. So when they both start secondary school, it's tough. Particularly when there are so many rules to follow, like: No talking in class! Be quiet in the hallways! Silence for assembly! Frankie doesn't know how she'll manage, because constantly talking is how she copes. So when she gets the chance to compete in a Battle of the Bands contest, Frankie couldn't be more excited. Except, to have a band, you need to have band members. And to have band members, you need to be good at making friends... Can Frankie learn to find her voice and stand out? A unique perspective on Autism, told with humour and heart. Brought to life with glorious colour artwork in a distinctive blue and orange palette. Praise for FRANKIE'S WORLD: "I loved Frankie's story and could really identify with her character. This is such an amazing graphic novel that represents neurodiversity really realistically." Libby Scott "Frankie's World is funny, fresh and honest and I wish it had be around to read when I was little." Holly Smale Great for Ages 9-12. Published 1st April 2023 - Order Now. ISBN 9780702307386