Books published by publisher Metro Books

The international best-seller that makes mathematics a thrilling exploration.In twelve dreams, Robert, a boy who hates math, meets a Number Devil, who leads him to discover the amazing world of numbers: infinite numbers, prime numbers, Fibonacci numbers, numbers that magically appear in triangles, and numbers that expand without . As we dream with him, we are taken further and further into mathematical theory, where ideas eventually take flight, until everyone-from those who fumble over fractions to those who solve complex equations in their heads-winds up marveling at what numbers can do.Hans Magnus Enzensberger is a true polymath, the kind of superb intellectual who loves thinking and marshals all of his charm and wit to share his passions with the world. In The Number Devil, he brings together the surreal logic of Alice in Wonderland and the existential geometry of Flatland with the kind of math everyone would love, if only they had a number devil to teach it to them.

With an Epilogue by Miep Giess The first biography of the girl whose fate has touched the lives of millions. For people all over the world, Anne Frank, the vivacious, intelligent Jewish girl with a crooked smile and huge dark eyes, has become the "human face of the Holocaust." Her diary of twenty-five months in hiding, a precious record of her struggle to keep hope alive through the darkest days of this century, has touched the hearts of millions. Here, after five decades, is the first biography of this remarkable figure. Drawing on exclusive interviews with family and friends, on previously unavailable correspondence, and on documents long kept secret, Melissa Muller creates a nuanced portrait of her famous subject. This is the flesh-and-blood Anne Frank, unsentimentalized and so all the more affecting--Anne Frank restored to history. Muller traces Frank's life from an idyllic childhood in an assimilated family well established in Frankfurt banking circles to her passionate adolescence in German-occupied Amsterdam and her desperate in Bergen Belsen at the age of sixteen. Full of revelations, this richly textured biography casts new light on Anne's relations with her mother, whom she treats harshly in the diary, and solves an enduring mystery: who betrayed the families hiding in the annex just when liberation was at hand? This is an indispensable volume for all those who seek a deeper, richer understanding of Anne Frank and the brutal times in which she lived and died.

"An invaluable complement to an immortal testimony." - Kirkus ReviewsThe first biography of the girl whose fate has touched the lives of millions. For people all over the world, Anne Frank, the vivacious, intelligent Jewish girl with a crooked smile and huge dark eyes, has become the "human face of the Holocaust." Her diary of twenty-five months in hiding, a precious record of her struggle to keep hope alive through the darkest days of this century, has touched the hearts of millions. Here, after five decades, is the first biography of this remarkable figure. Drawing on exclusive interviews with family and friends, on previously unavailable correspondence, and on documents long kept secret, Melissa Muller creates a nuanced portrait of her famous subject. This is the flesh-and-blood Anne Frank, unsentimentalized and so all the more affecting--Anne Frank restored to history. Muller traces Frank's life from an idyllic childhood in an assimilated family well established in Frankfurt banking circles to her passionate adolescence in German-occupied Amsterdam and her desperate in Bergen Belsen at the age of sixteen. Full of revelations, this richly textured biography casts new light on Anne's relations with her mother, whom she treats harshly in the diary, and solves an enduring mystery: who betrayed the families hiding in the annex just when liberation was at hand? This is an indispensable volume for all those who seek a deeper, richer understanding of Anne Frank and the brutal times in which she lived and died.With an Epilogue by Miep Giess

Let Britain’s youngest baker take you on a mouthwatering journey through the seasons in her first collection of inspiring recipesThis charming volume takes you on a mouthwatering journey through the seasons, providing easy-to-follow recipes and thoughtful tips to make the most delicious treats. From cute cupcakes, macaroons, cookies, tarts, and classic sponges, to sticky puddings, jams, and gingerbread, there is an indulgent treat to suit every occasion. And Amy's simple instructions mean the finished results promise to delight. With a focus on family, the recipes are perfect for both seasoned bakers and young enthusiasts. And with tips on the perfect decoration and setting for each bake, you are sure to be inspired by young Amy's scrumptious creations. So, wooden spoons and frilly aprons at the ready, it's time to go on a cake-filled journey with Britain's brightest baker.

One of “our most insightful social observers”* cracks the great political mystery of our time: how conservatism, once a marker of class privilege, became the creed of millions of ordinary Americans With his acclaimed wit and acuity, Thomas Frank turns his eye on what he calls the “thirty-year backlash”—the populist revolt against a supposedly liberal establishment. The high point of that backlash is the Republican Party’s success in building the most unnatural of alliances: between blue-collar Midwesterners and Wall Street business interests, workers and bosses, populists and right-wingers.In asking “what ’s the matter with Kansas?”—how a place famous for its radicalism became one of the most conservative states in the union—Frank, a native Kansan and onetime Republican, seeks to answer some broader American riddles: Why do so many of us vote against our economic interests? Where’s the outrage at corporate manipulators? And whatever happened to middle-American progressivism? The questions are urgent as well as provocative. Frank answers them by examining pop conservatism—the bestsellers, the radio talk shows, the vicious political combat—and showing how our long culture wars have left us with an electorate far more concerned with their leaders’ “values” and down-home qualities than with their stands on hard questions of policy.A brilliant analysis—and funny to boot—What’s the Matter with Kansas? presents a critical assessment of who we are, while telling a remarkable story of how a group of frat boys, lawyers, and CEOs came to convince a nation that they spoke on behalf of the People. *Los Angeles Times

An intriguing look at the origins of some of our most popular superstitions and old wives tales. People have knocked on wood to ward off misfortune, or watched a bride throw a bouquet over her head at a wedding, but how often have they stopped to consider where such customs originate, or why they endure? Behind many of our daily rituals and beliefs lies a fascinating history of weird and wonderful notions, some rational, others fanciful. In this diverting volume, Harry Oliver delves into the stories behind our rich traditions to explain them with characteristic wit and flair. So before you search for any more four-leaf clovers or worry about the next Friday the 13th, dip into this little book to find out why.

Useless information—we can't get enough of it. Everywhere you look these days, there is a new book of trivia, a new web page, a new column in the newspaper, all containing a wealth of fascinatingly useless tidbits. Finding the answers to questions you'd never thought to ask, reading an off-the-wall statistic, or browsing through lists of zany facts is always a refreshing and amusing distraction from the tawdry details of everyday life. But this is no ordinary list of random facts. Unlike other books of useless information, it is organized alphabetically and full of cross references so that all those hilarious entries can be enjoyed and shared with other like-minded trivia fanatics. This is a treasure chest of a book for anyone whose curiosity extends beyond the worthy and dull to the eccentric and amusing!

Jennifer Saunders is Britain’s best-loved comedian, screenwriter, and actress. For the first time, author Jacky Hyams reveals the story behind Jennifer’s rise to fame, her successful career as the Queen of Comedy, and the highs and lows of her remarkable life. Jennifer was born in1958, and in 1977, she attended the Central School of Speech and Drama where she met her comedy partner Dawn French. After graduating, Jennifer began her career at The Comedy Store in London, and it was during this time she met Adrian Edmondson, who would later become her husband. After starring in, and having great success with The Comic Strip Presents..., The Young Ones, Girls on Top, and Happy Families, Jennifer went on to write a TV show with the lovable Dawn French, self-titled French and Saunders, which ran for 10 years. They fast became Britain’s most loved female comedy duo. It was a sketch in the TV show, entitled Modern Mother and Daughter, which led Jennifer to write and create a brand new series: Absolutely Fabulous. AbFab became one of most loved, hilarious, and ingenious TV shows in history, and the part Jennifer was to play, Edina "Eddie" Monsoon, brought her international acclaim and attention. Although perhaps best known for her role as Eddie, working alongside the glamorous Joanna Lumley, Jennifer’s career has taken her on many different paths, including working on the internationally successful movie Shrek 2 as the voice of the Fairy Godmother, declining an OBE and ranking fifth in Top Gear’s "Star in a Reasonably-priced Car" challenge. In 2010, Jennifer faced her toughest challenge yet—being diagnosed with breast cancer. Since her diagnosis she has since made a full recovery and reprised her role as Eddie in Absolutely Fabulous for a Christmas special in 2011. This is Jennifer’s full, unauthorized story.