'Astonishing ... an amazing book ... absolutely chocker full of things that we need to know' Chris Evans 'Matthew Walker is probably one of the most influential people on the planet' Evening Standard THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER TLS, OBSERVER, SUNDAY TIMES, FT, GUARDIAN, DAILY MAIL AND EVENING STANDARD BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2017 Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our life, health and longevity and yet it is increasingly neglected in twenty-first-century society, with devastating consequences: every major disease in the developed world - Alzheimer's, cancer, obesity, diabetes - has very strong causal links to deficient sleep. In this book, the first of its kind written by a scientific expert, Professor Matthew Walker explores twenty years of cutting-edge research to solve the mystery of why sleep matters. Looking at creatures from across the animal kingdom as well as major human studies, Why We Sleep delves into everything from what really happens during REM sleep to how caffeine and alcohol affect sleep and why our sleep patterns change across a lifetime, transforming our appreciation of the extraordinary phenomenon that safeguards our existence. 'Startling, vital ... a life-raft' Guardian 'A top sleep scientist argues that sleep is more important for our health than diet or exercise' The Times 'Passionate, urgent . . . it had a powerful effect on me' Observer
Our lives are driven by a fact that most of us can't name and don't understand. It defines who our friends and lovers are, which careers we choose, and whether we blush when we're embarrassed. This title shows how the brain chemistry of introverts and extroverts differs, and how society misunderstands and undervalues introverts.
Allen Carr, international bestselling author of The Easy Way to Stop Smoking, addresses your worries about plane travel in Allen Carr's Easy Way to Enjoy Flying.
Learn to ENJOY your holidays and NEVER fear flying again!
Argues that humankind has become progressively less violent, over millenia and decades. This title shows that violence within and between societies - both murder and warfare - really has declined from prehistory to today. It also argues that modernity and its cultural institutions are actually making us better people.
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER How can we make it easier to be happy? Using the latest cutting-edge research, Professor Paul Dolan reveals that wellbeing isn't about how we think - it's about what we do. By making deliberate choices that bring us both pleasure and meaning, we can redesign our lives for maximum happiness - without thinking too hard about it.'Outstanding, cutting-edge, and profound. If you're going to read one book on happiness, this is the one' Nassim Nicholas Taleb'Bold and original ... what I wish for my grandchildren: a life that is rich in activities both pleasurable and meaningful' Daniel Kahneman, author of Thinking Fast and Slow
Presents Richard Feynman' letters. From down-to-earth advice to eager students to discussions of time travel, blunt rebuttals to journalists to poignant exchanges with his first wife as she suffered from tuberculosis, they introduce you to a unique person whose wisdom and lust for life inspired all those who came into his orbit.
Richard Feynman - Nobel Laureate, teacher, icon and genius - possessed an unquenchable thirst for adventure and a gift for telling the extraordinary stories of his life. This collection features his short pieces and reminiscences as he describes topics ranging from his love of beauty to college pranks to how his father taught him to think.
Ken Robinson, author of the international bestseller The Element and the most viewed talk on TED.com, offers a practical guide to discovering your passions and natural aptitudes, and finding the point at which the two meet: Finding Your Element . The Element has inspired readers all over the world to change their lives and this new companion is a practical guide containing all the tools, techniques and resources you need to discover the depth of your abilities and unlock your potential. Among the questions it answers are: - How do I find out what my talents and passions are? - What if I love something I'm not good at - or I'm good at something I don't love? - What if I can't make a living from my Element? - How do I do help my children find their Element? No matter what you do, or where you are in life, if you're searching for your Element, this book will help you find it. 'Relevant, imperative . . . It will help you to find yours' Vanity Fair 'Happiness really is within your grasp' Guardian 'Leads readers to a place where natural aptitudes and abilities converge with one's passions' Kirkus Reviews Sir Ken Robinson, PhD, is an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation, and human potential. He advises governments, corporations, education systems, and some of the world's leading cultural organizations. The videos of his famous 2006 and 2010 talks to the prestigious TED Conference have been seen by an estimated 200 million people in over 150 countries. Lou Aronica is the author of two novels and coauthor of several works of nonfiction, including The Culture Code (with Clotaire Rapaille) and The Element .
Suitable for anyone who's ever wished to, but had trouble starting, keeping, or finishing a journal or sketchbook, this book features a collection of suggestions, asking them to muster up their mistake - and mess-making abilities to fill the pages of the book (and destroy them).
Inviting you to junk the science, ditch the diet and instead rediscover the joys of eating well, this title features a few pieces of advice (Eat at a table - a desk doesn't count. Don't buy food where you'd buy your petrol!) that allows you to enrich your life and your palate, and enlarge your sense of what it means to be healthy and happy.
Based on a series of lectures delivered to the general public at the University of California, the author wittily explains the theory of quantum electrodynamics, the central aspect of much of modern physics.
Shattering the myths that surround madness, this text shows that there is no reassuring dividing line between mental health and mental illness. Severe mental disorders can not be reduced to brain chemistry, but must be understood psychologically, as part of normal behaviour and human nature.
For millennia, humankind has exploited the Earth without counting the cost. As the world warms and weather patterns dramatically change, the Earth is beginning to fight back. This book presents an argument, that, although global warming is inevitable, we are not late to save at least part of human civilization.
"Quiet Power is a brilliant handbook for quiet children (and their parents). It is a celebration of the introvert " - Guardian Your child's teenage years is a time wrought with insecurity and self-doubt. Their search for a place in the world can seem daunting. Focusing on the strengths and challenges of being introverted, Quiet Power is full of examples from school, family life and friendship, applying the breakthrough discoveries of Quiet to teenagers that so badly need them. This insightful, accessible and empowering book is eye-opening to extroverts and introverts alike. Unlock your teenager's hidden superpower and give them the tools to make a mark - in their own quiet way.
States that even though the weather seems cooler and pollution lessens as the recession bites, the environmental problems we will face in the twenty-first century are even more terrifying than the author previously realised.
'Required reading for anyone remotely curious about how they came to be remotely curious' Observer 'Enthralling' Spectator What is human consciousness and how is it possible? These questions fascinate thinking people from poets and painters to physicists, psychologists, and philosophers. This is Daniel C. Dennett's brilliant answer, extending perspectives from his earlier work in surprising directions, exploring the deep interactions of evolution, brains and human culture. Part philosophical whodunnit, part bold scientific conjecture, this landmark work enlarges themes that have sustained Dennett's career at the forefront of philosophical thought. In his inimitable style, laced with wit and thought experiments, Dennett shows how culture enables reflection by installing a profusion of thinking tools, or memes, in our brains, and how language turbocharges this process. The result: a mind that can comprehend the questions it poses, has emerged from a process of cultural evolution. An agenda-setting book for a new generation of philosophers and thinkers, From Bacteria to Bach and Back is essential for anyone who hopes to understand human creativity in all its applications.
The #1 New York Times Bestseller **A hilarious, thoughtful, and in-depth exploration of the pleasures and perils of modern romance from Aziz Ansari, the Emmy-award winning star of Master of None and one of this generation's sharpest comedic voices** In the old days, most people would find a decent person who lived in their village or neighbourhood, and after deciding they weren't a murderer, get married and have kids - all by the age of 22. Now we spend years of our lives searching for our perfect soul mate and, thanks to dating apps, mobile phones and social media, we have more romantic options than ever before in human history. Yet we also have to confront strange new dilemmas, such as what to think when someone is too busy to reply to a text but has time to post a photo of their breakfast on Instagram. And if we have so many more options, why aren't people any less frustrated? For years, American comedian Aziz Ansari has been aiming his comic insight at dating and relationships, and in Modern Romance, he teams up with award-winning sociologist Eric Klinenberg to investigate love in the age of technology. They enlisted some of the world's leading social scientists, conducted hundreds of interviews, analyzed the behavioural data, and researched dating cultures from Tokyo to Buenos Aires to New York City. The result is an unforgettable picture of modern love, combining Ansari's irreverent humour with cutting-edge social science.
