Books published by publisher Penguin, 1983 / 1983 / 1983

Dilbert creator Scott Adams' funny memoir about his many failures and what they eventually taught him about successScott Adams has probably failed at more things than anyone you've ever met. So how did he go from hapless office worker and serial failure to the creator of Dilbert, one of the world's most famous comic strips, in just a few years?No career guide can offer advice that works for everyone. Your best bet is to study the ways of others who made it big and try to glean some tricks that make sense for you. So here Scott Adams tells how he turned one failure after another - including a corporate career, inventions, investments, and two restaurants - into something successful. Along the way he discovered some unlikely truths. Goals are for losers; systems are for winners. Forget 'passion'; what you need is personal energy.In this brilliant book, Adams shows us how to invite failure in, embrace it, then pick its pocket. While you laugh at his failures, you'll discover some helpful ideas for your own path to personal victory.

'Pure genius. Absolutely brilliant writing' Shari Lapena'A twisted thriller, reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith' Ian Rankin IBA Crime Fiction Book of the Year Winner 2018 From the No 1 bestselling author of Richard and Judy Book Club pick, Lying in Wait 'I could probably have been an actress. It is not difficult to pretend to be somebody else. Isn't that what I've been doing for most of my life?' Cordelia Russell has been living on the French Riviera for twenty-five years, passing herself off as an English socialite. But her luck, and the kindness of strangers, have run out. The arrival of a visitor from her distant past shocks Cordelia. She reacts violently to the intrusion and flees her flat to spend a drunken night at a glittering party. As dawn breaks she stumbles home through the back streets. Even before she opens her door she can hear the flies buzzing. She did not expect the corpse inside to start decomposing quite so quickly . . .'Bloody brilliant!' Denise Mina'Extraordinary' A.J. Finn 'The finest psychological thriller writer currently at work' Tammy Cohen 'Dark, brutal and brilliant' Colette McBeth'Absorbing, beautifully written' The Times, Crime Books of the Year'Every bit as amazing as her first two [novels]' Lisa Jewell 'Dazzling ... chilling, mesmerising and, ultimately, devastating. Pure storytelling genius' Mark Edwards

'What would you do if you found a letter in the attic, addressed to you, from your husband - to be opened in the event of his death? Another masterclass from the author of Big Little Lies' GRAZIA _______________ Mother of three and wife of John-Paul, Cecilia discovers an old envelope in the attic. Written in her husband's hand, it says: to be opened only in the event of my death. Curious, she opens it - and time stops. John-Paul's letter confesses to a terrible mistake which, if revealed, would wreck their family as well as the lives of others. Cecilia wants to do the right thing, but right for who? If she protects her family by staying silent, the truth will worm through her heart. But if she reveals her husband's secret, she will hurt those she loves most . . .If you loved The Husband's Secret, don't miss Liane's new book, Nine Perfect Strangers, available to pre-order now. 'A staggeringly brilliant novel. It is literally unputdownable' SOPHIE HANNAH 'If you like Jodi Picoult, you'll love this addictive new book' ESSENTIALS 'A tense, page-turning story which gradually draws everyone together in a devastating climax' MAIL ON SUNDAY

'I'm completely addicted to this series' Dermot O'Leary____________Two missing women. Two decades apart. A gripping and atmospheric mystery that journeys from the dramatic lochs of Scotland to the icy depths of the North Sea . . . Kate and Flora Tolmie have always lived with a mystery: what happened to their mother, Christina? 23 years ago, she vanished without a trace from coastal northern France, leaving her young daughters orphaned and alone.But now Flora is also missing. In desperation, Kate searches her Edinburgh house, and finds a piece of notepaper with just one name: Cal McGill.Cal is a so-called sea detective, an expert on the winds and the tides, and a gifted finder of lost things - and lost people. Kate hopes that Cal might not only find her sister, but also unlock the mystery that has overshadowed both women's lives: what happened to their beloved mother all those years before?Unfortunately, Cal doesn't think he can help. But that's only because he hasn't yet realised that the dark undercurrents of the case will ultimately lead him back dangerously close to home . . .Praise for Mark Douglas-Home: 'I could not put it down' 5***** reader review 'The best novel I have read in years. A real page turner' 5***** reader review 'Utter brilliance' 5***** reader review 'Many twists and turns and kept me intrigued to the end' 5***** reader review

The uplifting true story of the couple who lost everything and embarked on a journey of salvation across the windswept South West coastline. 'A beautiful book, it really lives up to the hype . . . an enjoyable, gentle yet moving read' Pandora Sykes on The High Low GUARDIAN BEST BOOKS OF SUMMERJust days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, their home is taken away and they lose their livelihood. With nothing left and little time, they make the brave and impulsive decision to walk the 630 miles of the sea-swept South West Coast Path, from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall.Carrying only the essentials for survival on their backs, they live wild in the ancient, weathered landscape of cliffs, sea and sky. Yet through every step, every encounter and every test along the way, their walk becomes a remarkable journey.The Salt Path is an honest and life-affirming true story of coming to terms with grief and the healing power of the natural world. Ultimately, it is a portrayal of home, and how it can be lost, rebuilt and rediscovered in the most unexpected ways.THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, WINNER OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY LITERATURE CHRISTOPHER BLAND PRIZE & SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2018 COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD & WAINWRIGHT GOLDEN BEER BOOK PRIZE 2018'A beautiful, thoughtful, lyrical story of homelessness, human strength and endurance' Guardian 'Mesmerising. It is one of the most uplifting, inspiring books that I've ever read' i 'A thoughtful, lyrical story of homelessness, strength and endurance' The Week 'The most inspirational book of this year' The Times

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERIn this companion to his bestselling Mythos, Stephen Fry gloriously retells the epic myths of the Greek heroes - which will be loved by young and old alike.'An odyssey through Greek mythology. Brilliant . . . all hail Stephen Fry' Daily Mail___________Few mere mortals have ever embarked on such bold and heart-stirring adventures, overcome myriad monstrous perils, or outwitted scheming vengeful gods, quite as stylishly and triumphantly as Greek heroes.In this companion to his bestselling Mythos, Stephen Fry brilliantly retells these dramatic, funny, tragic and timeless tales. Join Jason aboard the Argo as he quests for the Golden Fleece. See Atalanta - who was raised by bears - outrun any man before being tricked with golden apples. Witness wily Oedipus solve the riddle of the Sphinx and discover how Bellerophon captures the winged horse Pegasus to help him slay the monster Chimera.Filled with white-knuckle chases and battles, impossible puzzles and riddles, acts of base cowardice and real bravery, not to mention murders and selfless sacrifices, Heroes is the story of what we mortals are truly capable of - at our worst and our very best.NOW THE INSPIRATION FOR STEPHEN FRY'S MAJOR UK TOUR 'MYTHOS: A TRILOGY - GODS. HEROES. MEN.''A romp through the lives of ancient Greek gods. Fry is at his story-telling best . . . the gods will be pleased' The Times'Assured and engaging. The pace is lively, the jokes are genuinely funny' Guardian 'An Olympian feat. The gods seem to be smiling on Fry - his myths are definitely a hit' Evening Standard'Just as delightful and difficult to put down as the first. Heroes makes the stories relatable without skimping on the gory details, or sacrificing the truths of the myth. It's rich, it's funny and you'll feel like you've learned a lot' Herald___________If you like the sound of Heroes, you'll love Mythos - Fry's first foray into the enthralling world of Greek mythology. Praise for Mythos: 'Ebullient and funny' The Times'Entertaining and edifying' Daily Telegraph'A rollicking good read' Independent'The Greek gods of the past become relatable as pop culture, modern literature and music are woven throughout. Joyfully informal yet full of the literary legacy' Guardian

In 1947, returning to the UK with two young children to support, Margaret Durrell starts a boarding house in Bournemouth. But any hopes of respectability are dashed as the tenants reveal themselves to be a host of eccentrics: from a painter of nudes to a pair of glamorous young nurses whose late-night shifts combined with an ever-revolving roster of gentleman callers leading to a neighbourhood rumour that Margo is running a brothel. Margo's own two sons, Gerry and Nicholas, prove to be every bit as mischievous as their famous Uncle Gerald - and he himself returns periodically with weird and wonderful animals, from marmosets to monkeys, that are quite unsuitable for life in a Bournemouth garden.

Alex Leamas is tired. It's the 1960s, he's been out in the cold for years, spying in Berlin for his British masters, and has seen too many good agents murdered for their troubles. Now Control wants to bring him in at last - but only after one final assignment. He must travel deep into the heart of Communist Germany and betray his country, a job that he will do with his usual cynical professionalism. But when George Smiley tries to help a young woman Leamas has befriended, Leamas's mission may prove to be the worst thing he could ever have done. In le Carr's breakthrough work of 1963, the spy story is reborn as a gritty and terrible tale of men who are caught up in politics beyond their imagining.With a new introduction by William Boyd and an afterword by Le Carr himself.

Streetwise George and his big, childlike friend Lennie are drifters, searching for work in the fields and valleys of California. They have nothing except the clothes on their back, and a hope that one day they'll find a place of their own and live the American dream. But dreams come at a price. Gentle giant Lennie doesn't know his own strength, and when they find work at a ranch he gets into trouble with the boss's daughter-in-law. Trouble so bad that even his protector George may not be able to save him...Contains an introduction by David Wyatt, as well as suggestions for further reading of acclaimed criticisms and references.

From the author of Guns, Germs and Steel, Jared Diamond's Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive is a visionary study of the mysterious downfall of past civilizations.Now in a revised edition with a new afterword, Jared Diamond's Collapse uncovers the secret behind why some societies flourish, while others founder - and what this means for our future.What happened to the people who made the forlorn long-abandoned statues of Easter Island?What happened to the architects of the crumbling Maya pyramids?Will we go the same way, our skyscrapers one day standing derelict and overgrown like the temples at Angkor Wat?Bringing together new evidence from a startling range of sources and piecing together the myriad influences, from climate to culture, that make societies self-destruct, Jared Diamond's Collapse also shows how - unlike our ancestors - we can benefit from our knowledge of the past and learn to be survivors.'A grand sweep from a master storyteller of the human race' - Daily Mail'Riveting, superb, terrifying' - Observer'Gripping ... the book fulfils its huge ambition, and Diamond is the only man who could have written it' - Economis'This book shines like all Diamond's work' - Sunday Times

Little Cloud likes to stand out from the crowd. When all the other clouds drift up, he goes his own way, changing shapes to become a sheep, an airplane, a shark and a funny clown. It's all lots of fun, but so is playing with friends. So this time, Little Cloud joins the crowd, gathering with his pals into one giant cloud. And then they rain! In Little Cloud, Eric Carle celebrates the possibilities of imagination with textured collages of sky-blue and white in a story that will encourage the youngest child to read clouds. Eric Carle lives in Northampton and Charlemont, MA.