Non-Fiction

In this award-winning history, Mary Beard guides us through the daily life of Pompeii, an existence that is far more complex than we might have realised. Lively, exciting and accessible, this book brings us as close as possible to the real Pompeii.

A revelatory examination of a unique oral culture, published for the first time in the UK.

An inspired biography of the great naturalist and explorer, by the author of the much-loved Aubrey-Maturin novels.

Angie Debo’s comprehensive and compassionate account provides an unrivalled history of American Indians from the dawn of their first contact with Europeans to the late 20th century.

The food memoir that inspired a new way of thinking about what we eat and how we live. Illustrated with 12 pages of black and white photographs chronicling the author's remarkable life.

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

The thrilling true story of the largest British-led mass-escape of the Second World War.

In its first illustrated edition, Armstrong's acclaimed account even-handedly traces the troubled history of the three major monotheistic religions.

A superbly edited collection by the world's leading Gnostic scholars, this Folio edition opens the window on a remarkable and enlightening discovery.

G. E. R. Lloyd traces the birth of science from Thales to Galen. A new foreword by Lewis Wolpert, Emeritus Professor at University College London, pays tribute to the Ancient Greeks and to Lloyd’s exploration of their fundamental role.

A treasure trove of archaeological wonder: C. W. Ceram’s infectiously enthusiastic volume is an enduring classic.

Roy Porter’s erudite chronicle of the history of medicine remains the definitive work on the subject.

One of the world’s great philosophical texts, Kierkegaard’s masterpiece is presented in a magnificent new edition.

Paul Brickhill’s account of 617 Squadron's legendary bombing raid is an exhilarating read, showcased in a suitably dramatic red and black binding.

This selection of celebrated essays by Charles Dickens conjures up a peerless, eyewitness account of the 19th-century capital, from the rarefied world of Whitehall to working-class conviviality and blighted slums. 

An idyllic existence brought to life in the famously charming diary of Parson Woodforde.

Boethius’ incredible presence of mind enabled him to produce this work of genius while he awaited execution on a false charge of treason. For many years the most popular book in Europe next to the Bible, its relevance endures.

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

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.

Dazzling colour images illuminate this award-winning story of game-changing scientific theory.

An engaging and comprehensive study of one of history’s most celebrated artefacts. This edition features a colour reproduction of the Tapestry, with a scene-by-scene commentary.

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

Nepotism, murder and debauchery abound in this gripping portrait of a family that bribed their way to power in Renaissance Italy. The first illustrated edition, this is designed in series with Hibbert's The Rise and Fall of the House of Medici.

A magnificent facsimile edition of a religious and literary classic. Next to the authorised version of the King James Bible and the plays of William Shakespeare, it is among the most widely read and influential of English literary works.

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.

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.

Blending investigative journalism with the personal approach of a writer both fascinated and appalled by her subject, this is an award-winning portrait of life under ‘one of the most savage surveillance regimes ever known’. With previously unpublished photographs by the author.

Written more than 2,500 years ago, The Art of War remains the most famous military treatise of all time. Sun-tzu’s collection of precepts on strategic warfare has yet to be surpassed.

Vienna 1900 Complete brings together almost 1,000 images representing the richness of the visual arts in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century. 

In The Writer’s Map, historian Huw Lewis-Jones presents the maps that writers create and those that inspire their writing.