Arts, Language & Literature
Discover The Artist’s Way by the Queen of Creativity Julia Cameron alongside acclaimed translator Emily Wilson’s Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea. From deep dives into the English language to the history of Black British music, our Arts, Language and Literature books are ideal for readers interested in cultural history, etymology and creative writing.
The Book at War
Andrew Pettegree
Propaganda, pulp fiction, spies and censorship: the fascinating and action-packed story of books in wartime
Art & Fear
David Bayles
The bestselling cult classic and vital guide to creativity – now in paperback
The Secret Life of John le Carré
Adam Sisman
The extraordinary secret life of a great novelist, which his biographer could not publish while le Carré was alive
Living the Artist's Way
Julia Cameron
The essential Artist's Way programme on guiding ourselves back to creativity
Writing with Style
Lane Greene
A brand new take on how to write with style – from The Economist's language columnist, Lane Greene
How Words Get Good
Rebecca Lee
Catnip for booklovers – a funny, warm and fascinating insight into the world of making books, by an expert
Magritte
Alex Danchev
The first major biography for our time, from the celebrated biographer of Cézanne
Write for Life
Julia Cameron
The essential guide to writing by the Queen of Creativity, Julia Cameron
An Admirable Point
Florence Hazrat
Love it or hate it, the exclamation mark has been with us from Beowulf to the spam email – an enthusiastic history for language lovers!
The Library
Arthur der Weduwen
Princes, collectors, bookworms and thieves: the extraordinary story of the library, from Alexandria to the age of Google
Exposed
Caroline Vout
A Spectator and Sunday Times Book of the Year, Exposed is the story of the Greek and Roman body – in all its (surprisingly human) glory
All of the Marvels
Douglas Wolk
A revelatory guide to the 'epic of epics' from a beloved authority, who has read all 27,000 Marvel comics
House Arrest
Alan Bennett
Reflections on Covid and confinement from the unparalleled pen of Alan Bennett
Speaking and Being
Kübra Gümüsay
What happens when our language is no longer fit for purpose, and how we can change the discourse
Two-Way Mirror
Fiona Sampson
How Britain's most famous female poet invented herself and defied her times
Notes from Deep Time
Helen Gordon
The Earth writes its own story in the landscape. A novelist sets out on a journey to piece it together
The Natural Way to Draw
Kimon Nicolaides
The classic drawing guide from renowned art teacher Kimon Nicolaides
The French Art of Not Trying Too Hard
Ollivier Pourriol
The answer to overwork and burnout, the route to fulfilment and success: letting go