Books published by publisher Penguin/Puffin

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.

NO.1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE SOCIAL ANIMALAre you on your first or second mountain? Is life about you - or others? About success - or something deeper? The world tells us that we should pursue our self-interest: career wins, high status, nice things. These are the goals of our first mountain. But at some point in our lives we might find that we're not interested in what other people tell us to want. We want the things that are truly worth wanting.This is the second mountain. What does it mean to look beyond yourself and find a moral cause? To forget about independence and discover dependence - to be utterly enmeshed in a web of warm relationships? What does it mean to value intimacy, devotion, responsibility and commitment above individual freedom? In The Second Mountain David Brooks explores the meaning and possibilities that scaling a second mountain offer us and the four commitments that most commonly move us there: family, vocation, philosophy and community. Inspiring, personal and full of joy, this book will help you discover why you were really put on this earth.

As a boy, Evan Smoak was taken from the orphanage he called home and inducted into a top secret Cold War programme. Trained as a lethal weapon, he and his fellow recruits were sent round the world to do the government's dirty work. But the programme was rotten to the core. And now the man responsible needs things to be nice and clean. All evidence must be destroyed. That includes Evan.To survive, Evan's going to have to take the fight to his nemesis. There's just one problem with that. Jonathan Bennett is President of the United States and Evan isn't his only victim. To save himself - and the country - Evan is going to have to figure out how to kill the most well-protected man on the planet... 'Pure nail-biting suspense' Harlan Coben'Memorable as hell' James Patterson'Outstanding in every way' Lee Child'Brilliantly conceived and plotted...blows the doors off most thrillers I've read' David Baldacci

THE INCREDIBLE No. 1 New York Times BESTSELLER'Superb, smart, and succinct' ForbesLearn lessons to live by in 2020 . . . _____________If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.In 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas, in a video which has since been watched over 10 million times. He shared the 10 principles he had learned during his Navy Seal training that helped him overcome challenges not only in his long Naval career, but also throughout his life. He explained how anyone can use these basic lessons to change themselves - and the world - for the better . . .Building on these principles in this book, McRaven recounts tales from his own life and from people he encountered during his military service who dealt with hardship and made tough decisions with determination, compassion, honour, and courage. Told with great humility and optimism, this timeless book provides simple and universal wisdom, practical advice, and words of encouragement that will inspire readers to achieve. _____________'A book to inspire your children and grandchildren to become everything that they can' - The Wall Street Journal

"The twist at the end of the first chapter made me read through the night" Jane CorryIntroducing the next generation of domestic thriller...Every marriage has secrets. Everyone has flaws. Your wife isn't perfect - you know that - but then again nor are you.But now a serial killer is on the loose in your small town, preying on young women. Fear is driving your well-behaved young daughter off the rails, and you find yourself in bed late at night, looking at the woman who lies asleep beside you.Because you thought you knew the worst about her. The truth is you know nothing at all.PRAISE FOR MY LOVELY WIFE"Wow! My Lovely Wife is a stunner -- full of twists, well-drawn characters, and riveting suspense" Harlan Coben "An assured and deliciously engrossing debut. You'll surely devour My Lovely Wife, but it will linger long after you've reached the last page" Sarah Pinborough, Sunday Times bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes"Dexter meets Gone Girl - I loved this this brilliantly dark and twisted novel. One of the best books I've read this year" C.J. Tudor"You'll never look at your neighbors the same. I couldn't pull myself away from this story... Make sure you clear your schedule before you pick it up. Absolutely unputdownable." Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish"My Lovely Wife is a knockout. It's not just a novel about serial killers. It's family drama, about a marriage, about kids out of control, about infidelity, and about the news media; and it's also about the folks next door. It's an effortless page-turner." Publishers Weekly

Title In This Collection:- The Winter King Excalibur Enemy of God The Winter King Uther, the High King of Britain, has died, leaving the infant Mordred as his only heir. His uncle, the loyal and gifted warlord Arthur, now rules as caretaker for a country which has fallen into chaos - threats emerge from within the British kingdoms while vicious Saxon armies stand ready to invade. Excalibur Arthur has crushed Lancelot's rebellion, but at a cost. Guinevere's betrayal has left him reeling, and his Saxon enemies seek to destroy him while he is weak. Chaos threatens to engulf Britain. Yet Arthur is a military genius and noble leader. Enemy of God Following a hard-fought victory, Arthur appears to have at last won the unity of the British Kingdoms. He turns his attention towards the invading Saxons, while Merlin begins a quest to uncover the sacred Treasures of Britain, believing they will bring the might of the old Gods behind Arthur for one last decisive battle.

Nicholas Wade’s articles are a major reason why the science section has become the most popular, nationwide, in the New York Times. In his groundbreaking Before the Dawn, Wade reveals humanity’s origins as never before—a journey made possible only recently by genetic science, whose incredible findings have answered such questions as: What was the first human language like? How large were the first societies, and how warlike were they? When did our ancestors first leave Africa, and by what route did they leave? By eloquently solving these and numerous other mysteries, Wade offers nothing less than a uniquely complete retelling of a story that began 500 centuries ago.