New Non-Fiction Books

Expert crafter Nicki Trench brings you 35 easy-to-follow patterns that will teach you how to crochet. Nicki Trench, one of the leading figures in the revival and promotion of home crafts, has designed a series of patterns that will guide you from the initial crochet stitches to producing beautiful projects incorporating a wide range of techniques. Starting you off is Crochet Know-How, which explains all the stitches with clear step-by-step artwork and instructions.  Next, there are three chapters packed with patterns to improve your skills. In Starting Out, you will find a simple springtime throw and a pretty hat for a toddler, both of which you’ll find amazingly easy and quick to create. Once you’ve mastered these, Practice Makes Perfect provides more of a challenge. Whip up some cute gifts for babies and young children, including baby bibs and blankets, or treat yourself to a pair of gloves in soft double knit yarn and a chunky seashell scarf to keep you warm on chilly mornings.  Finally, Confident Crocheting has more advanced patterns, ranging from a family of adorable Russian dolls to a cherub dress with decorative picot stitching.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781800651821 • Author:  Nicki Trench  • Publisher: CICO Books  • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  128 • Dimensions:  2 x 14 x 22 cm

Short, quick-fire jokes have been popular for centuries. Indeed the world’s oldest surviving joke book, the Philogelos, which was written in Ancient Greek, contains this classic doctor joke: Patient: “Doctor! When I wake up I’m all dizzy. Then after half an hour I feel fine.” Doctor: “Well, wait half an hour before waking up.” Meanwhile in Rome, they had a gag for every occasion, from senate orations and lavish feasts to throwing Christians to the lions. A Cicero stand-up gig was the hottest ticket in town. Shakespeare readily slipped one-liners into his comedies, while medieval jesters used pithy quips to amuse the royal court, well aware that if the joke backfired and somehow offended the monarch, their next audience might be with the executioner. “Dying on stage” carried a more sinister meaning for comedians in those days. It’s not hard to see why one-liners remain in vogue with today’s comedians. They are easy to remember, quick to deliver and if one gag dies on its feet, the next is waiting in the wings, hopefully to a better reception. Here is a compilation of the best one-liners around – a heady mix of old and new favourites, Dad jokes, thoughtful musings, corny puns and witty observations, covering a vast range of topics from families to fish, money to music, relationships to religion and technology to travel. They can be used to brighten up business conferences where the delegates are as tired as the sandwiches; dinner parties where the conversation is threatening to slide into a discussion about spreadsheets; seemingly interminable Zoom calls; and, of course, speeches at weddings that are so emotional that even the cake is in tiers. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781802471212 • Author: Geoff Tibballs • Publisher: Ad Lib Publishers Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 136 • Dimensions: 19.7 x 12.8 x 0.8cm

Immerse yourself in the Wizarding World with Harry Potter Crochet Wizardry, the deluxe guide to all things crochet from the iconic films. Featuring over 20 official patterns for toys, keepsakes, and costume replicas inspired by the Harry Potter films, with projects ranging from beginner to more experienced. Create famous Harry Potter items such as The Sorting Hat, The Hogwarts Scarves, Broomsticks, a Hogwarts Letter Crossbody Bag, a Golden Snitch Baby Blanket and so much more! A true fan must-have, this book also includes fun facts, original costume sketches, film stills and other behind-the-scenes treasures. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781911663638 • Author:  Lee Sartori • Publisher:  Pavilion Books • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  176 • Dimensions: 20.6 x 2.2 x 25.9 cm

Tuck into your all-time favourite flavours and a good sprinkling of Bake Off magic with our easy-to-follow recipes.  A feast for both the eyes and the taste buds, these flavourful bakes will leave you inspired to mix and match different combinations, or to indulge yourself with some classic tastes and textures. Whether you're looking for a tart blackcurrant millefeuille, a fresh passion fruit trifle, a sticky ginger treacle tart or a rich chocolate and speculoos cake - Paul, Prue, the Bake Off team and the 2022 bakers are here to show you how to get the perfect result. From earthy to spicy, and from tangy to creamy, this book showcases how to bring out the very best flavours in whatever you create.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781408726983 • Author:  The Bake Off Team • Publisher:  Sphere • Format:  Hardback • Pages:  288 • Dimensions:  25.5 x 19.7 x 2.5 cm

Based on the popular BBC podcast, Just One Thing, this book brings to life Dr Mosley's mission to unearth small, simple things you can introduce into your routine which will have a big impact on your mental and physical health. Did you know that eating chocolate can help your heart, that singing can give you a natural "high" and that having more houseplants can boost your productivity and brain power? Dr Michael Mosley unearths a range of Just One Things, whose impacts are so surprising and intriguing you will be desperate to try them out. He chats to experts, road tests all his tips and even enlists the help of some special guests to help you find that one small thing that could really make a difference to how you feel every day. Product Information:  • ISBN: 9781780725901 • Author: Dr. Michael Mosley • Publisher: Short Books Ltd  • Format: Paperback • Pages: 208 • Dimensions: 19.9 x 12.9cm

Dive into the incredible career of one of the biggest celebrities of all time, Will Smith! This brave and inspiring autobiography traces his learning curve to a place where outer success, inner happiness, and human connection are aligned. Along the way, Will tells the story in full of one of the most amazing rides through the worlds of music and film that anyone has ever had. From a fearful child in tense West Philadelphia home to one of the biggest rap stars of his era and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, with a string of box office successes that will likely never be broken, is an epic tale of inner transformation and outer triumph, and Will tells it astonishingly well. But it's only half the story. Will Smith thought, with good reason, that he had won at life- not only was his own success unparalleled, his whole family was at the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Only they didn't see it that way- they felt more like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn't signed up for. It turned out Will Smith's education wasn't nearly over. This memoir is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. Written with the help of Mark Manson, is the story of how one exceptional man mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781529158281 • Author:  Will Smith & Mark Manson • Publisher:  Penguin • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  432 • Dimensions:  12.9 x 2.7 x 19.8 cm 

One hundred speedy, delicious and slimming-friendly recipes from Pinch of Nom, perfect for air fryers or slow cookers! This gorgeous, full-colour cookbook contains one hundred super-fast, super-easy recipes designed to fit around busy everyday life. From satisfying breakfasts and tasty fakeaways to big one-dish roasts and indulgent puds, this book features all the incredibly delicious and hearty food you've come to expect from bestselling authors, Kate and Kay Allinson – but with an Express twist. Whether you're looking for family-friendly recipes that take twenty minutes to cook or want to let your oven, slow cooker or air fryer do all the work - there are options here for every style and routine.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781529062281 • Author:  Kay & Kate Allinson • Publisher:  Bluebird • Format:  Hardback • Pages:  256 • Dimensions:  19.05 x 2.54 x 25.4 cm

Explore the amazing animal kingdom with this wonderful colouring book, filled with intricate artwork of stunning natural habitats and creatures from around the world.  Let your imagination run wild as you while away the hours exploring the secrets of magnificent mammals, curious reptiles and much more.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781837714520 • Author:  Igloo Books  • Publisher:  Igloo Books  • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  60 • Dimensions:  30 x 22.5 x 1.5 cm

Unleash your creativity with this The Spectacular Sugar Skulls Colouring Book!  Immerse yourself in a world of captivating designs that will both inspire and relax you. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781398829350 • Author: Tansy Willow • Publisher:  Arcturus Publishing • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  96 • Dimensions:  25 x 28 x 0.8 cm

The remarkable inside story of how two Hollywood A-listers, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, stunned the football world by buying a non-league club in North Wales. It was one of the most extraordinary takeovers British football has known. In February 2021, Ryan Reynolds joined with Rob McElhenney to buy Wrexham FC, a non-league team in North Wales. Wrexham, a former coal and steel town dealing with its post-industrial legacy, suddenly found itself at the centre of global attention, with broadcast networks around the world descending to discover what was going on. The club became the subject of a smash hit Disney+ docu-series, Welcome to Wrexham. Tinseltown tells the story of this extraordinary, unpredictable and often surreal football takeover and the remarkable events that followed. Written with the full cooperation of Wrexham FC, it is the inside story of what happened when Hollywood met a dot on a map. How a town was transformed when its football club, aspiring only to survive on the fifth rung of the British football ladder, was sprinkled with gold dust and found ambition again. With unique access to key figures, the book charts the club's attempts to climb up the pyramid, providing a vivid sense of what it is like to play for this 'Hollywood' team and the pressure and spotlight that comes with it. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781035407705 • Author:  Ian Herbert • Publisher:  Headline • Format:  Hardback • Pages:  400 • Dimensions:   16.4 x 3.8 x 23.8 cm

Can you crack the code and complete all of the words in the grid? Use your powers of logic and deduction to take on these most satisfying of puzzles. This collection contains more than 200 codewords to give your brain a super fun workout.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781398835283 • Author:  Arcturus Publishing Ltd • Publisher:  Arcturus Publishing Ltd • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  304 • Dimensions: 12.8 x 2.1 x 19.7 cm  

Signed Copy! Body coach, Joe Wicks, provides recipes, workouts and life hacks to change your life in just 15 minutes... We all live busy lives, so let me show you how just 15 minutes a day can make all the difference. I’ve taken 10 years of experience helping people to get fit, strong, healthy and happy and shared it all here. This is the feel-good way to bring some joy, energy and happiness into your life by doing the simple things well – all you need is 15 minutes. This book is packed full of useful advice you'll wish you'd read sooner, including: Yummy recipe ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, tips on how to sleep better and find focus, workout routines to energise you, ideas to help you manage your time in the way that works best for you, gratitude and journaling prompts to help you find the joy in everyday life and more! Are you ready to see some change? Let’s go!  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9780008430399 • Author:  Joe Wicks • Publisher:  HQ • Format:  Hardback • Pages:  256 • Dimensions:  19.5 x 2.4 x 25.2 cm

A definitive and intriguing biography of Max Verstappen, Formula 1's superstar, Lewis Hamilton's great rival and the three-time winner of the World Drivers' Championship. No Hollywood scriptwriter could possibly have envisioned the breathless, adrenaline-pumping climax to the 2021 Formula 1 season. On the very last lap of the final race of an unbelievably arduous and controversial season, Red Bull's Max Verstappen nervelessly overtook the seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes to clinch the first place that thrust the young prodigy to the narrowest of victories and to his first World Drivers' title. He followed up by taking the 2022 and 2023 titles as well. Verstappen may only be 26 years of age, but the Dutch motorsport sensation has an incredible record in F1. This young man has already left an indelible mark on the sport. The son of F1 driver Jos, Verstappen junior quickly stepped out of his father's shadow: his youthful charisma, ferocious speed, fearless driving style and refusal to back down mark him out as a true champion. And the phenomenal success of Netflix's Drive to Survive documentary series has elevated his worldwide popularity still further. Widely respected motorsport writer and F1 insider Mark Hughes is perfectly placed to write the most authoritative narrative on Verstappen's incredible rise through the ranks to F1 glory. Hughes' immaculate credentials and first-rate access enable him to generate fresh and fascinating insights, and to paint a fully-rounded and richly-textured portrait of one of the most exciting young sportsmen on the planet.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781472299048 • Author:  Mark Hughes • Publisher:  Headline • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  352 • Dimensions:   15.4 x 3.6 x 23.6 cm

Learn how to knit with over 150 illustrated knitting stitches and techniques - perfect for beginners!  Knit Step by Step shows you everything you need to craft stunning knitted pieces. Master basic stitches and classic techniques, including ribs, Fair Isle, and intarsia, or try your hand at one of eight eye-catching projects. Fully illustrated and easy to use, Knit Step by Step will have you knitting with confidence in no time.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9780241683224 • Author:  Vikki Haffenden • Publisher: DK   • Format:  Hardback • Pages:  224 • Dimensions:  20.4 x 2.5 x 24.2 cm