Features none other than HM the Queen who drifts accidentally into reading when her corgis stray into a mobile library parked at Buckingham Palace. Her reading naturally changes her world view and her relationship with people like the oleaginous prime minister and his repellent advisers. The consequence is surprising, mildly shocking and funny.

A moving and wickedly funny novel about a mother and son's awkward relationship

Abuses of history can have dire consequences - look at Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Margaret MacMillan's argument for why history matters shows how treating the past with respect can lead us to a better understanding with the present.

Beloved cult novel repackaged to join the Serpent's Tail Classics series.

Former steel worker Harry Perkins has led the Labour Party to a stunning victory at the general election. His manifesto includes removal of American bases and public control of finance. The Establishment is appalled by the prospect. As M15 conspires with the city and the press barons, Perkins finds himself in a no-holds-barred battle for survival.

Argues that the physical violence we see is often generated by the systemic violence that sustains our political and economic systems. With the help of eminent philosophers and frequent references to popular culture, this title examines the causes of violent outbreaks like those seen in Israel and Palestine and in terrorist acts around the world.

A game-changing book on the origins of life, called the most important scientific discovery 'since the Copernican revolution' in The Observer.

A wide-ranging look at the voices in all our heads, examining how we think and what it means for our lives and sense of self, now in paperback.