Non-Fiction

Richard Holmes presents an entertaining study of the extraordinary figures that changed the face of science.

Utilising the stories of the men and women caught up in a period of extraordinary change, H. W. Brands has created an epic portrait of the Gold Rush, illustrated in this edition with rare contemporary photography.

Greed, romance and desperation abound in Giles Milton’s exploration of the colonial enterprise that paved the way to the United States of America. At the book’s heart lies the vanishing of the 1587 settlement on Roanoke Island, whose 115 inhabitants met with a grisly end.

A vivid portrait of a post-Mao China, from one of the great travel writers.

Historian James Holland introduces a richly illustrated edition.

In this fascinating study, historian Richard Barber examines the elaborate pomp and ceremony of the medieval court festival, revealing as he does so its wider cultural and political importance. This volume is published exclusively by The Folio Society.

One of the most fascinating women in history, brilliantly re-examined in a stellar biography.

A fascinating insight into Galileo’s fundamental contribution to science. Introduced by the Pulitzer Prize finalist writer Dava Sobel.

An exquisite edition of Dorothy Wordsworth's journal, famous for its nature writing and invaluable insight into the lives of the Romantic poets.

In his sequel to the best-selling The Wars of the Roses, Desmond Seward reveals the secret conflict that continued throughout the reigns of both Henry VII and Henry VIII.

Eric Newby’s story of escape and evasion, dedicated to the ordinary Italian people who saved his life, remains funny, vivid and deeply moving.

George Johnson’s superb book explores the method behind some of science’s most dazzling discoveries – from the exquisite ingenuity of Galileo’s experiments on acceleration, to Newton’s fearless use of needles to understand vision.

In his engrossing account, Martin Gilbert traces each step of the war’s progression, from the tensions and alliances leading up to it and the first skirmishes on the French and Belgian borders, to the final peacemaking and remembrance. His geographical scope is equally broad, from Mesopotamia and East Africa to the ‘forgotten war’ waged in the Atlantic.

Now reissued in series with our Austen collection, this biography is an affectionate portrait of one of our best-loved writers, and the time in which she wrote.

One of the finest war novels ever written, describing the Battle of the Somme from the viewpoint of an ordinary soldier.

A magnificent, spirited portrait of life as a secret agent in occupied France.

An enthralling account of the French capital’s transition from German occupation to post-war liberty, with a new introduction by the authors.

Described by the Guardian as ‘the book that redefined travel writing’, Chatwin's idiosyncratic account of Patagonia thrums with surprising details and literary finesse. Featuring 22 photographs by the author, 9 of which are previously unpublished.

In a newly revised edition, Seward’s riveting biography breathes new life into one of English history’s most divisive and infamous figures.

Novelist and linguist Anthony Burgess's study paints a fascinating portrait of a man who is both one of history's most famous figures, and one of its biggest mysteries.

Humble plants have long been the spur to economic growth, the key to political power, the tools of conquest, yet until Henry Hobhouse wrote this pioneering book, they had rarely warranted even a footnote in history.

The definitive account of a tragic conflict, with more than 100 carefully selected images.

The life of Thomas More was one marked by political intrigue, religious unrest and a great shifting of ideologies. In this masterful biography, Peter Ackroyd not only reveals the truth behind history's great ‘man for all seasons’, but also paints a fascinating portrait of an age that saw cataclysmic change.

The First World War is brought to life with first-hand accounts and comprehensive research in this compelling two-volume set.

The first illustrated edition of Steinbeck's absorbing dispatches for the New York Herald Tribune.

The chilling account of the Nazi conference to finalise the plans for genocide, with a new preface by author Mark Roseman.

This sparkling study of the ancient world pays tribute to Herodotus, whose Histories made him a forefather of the modern historian.

Compelling analysis and vivid everyday observations are combined in the writings of this much-admired journalist. With more than 50 contemporary images.