Showing titles in Words, Language & Grammar

The thrill is that you're actually figuring it out on your own. You're engaging with another language, not just parroting it... It's an excellent way to start, and leaves the listener thinking, Hey, Ich kann do dis. - New Yorker, David Sedaris, humorist and author, on learning with the Michel...

Practical, fun and effective. Welcome to Learn with Paul Noble – a unique, tried and tested language learning method that has been used by millions. You'll be speaking Brazilian Portuguese fluently and confidently in no time at all. Take a simple, relaxed approach to learning a language that...

Easy and engaging audio language learning course for kids. This step-by-step French course follows the relaxed approach of bestselling language coach, Paul Noble. Children are gently guided through the basics, with no mention of grammar or text books. The only requirement is to listen carefully...

SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ‘If you want to write a novel or a script, read this book’ Sunday Times ‘The best book on the craft of storytelling I’ve ever read’ Matt Haig ‘Rarely has a book engrossed me more, and forced me to question everything I’ve ever read, seen or written. A...

Brought to you by Penguin. A masterclass in telling stories - and how they shape our world - from the internationally renowned narrative expert To command narrative is to control a sometimes frightening power. What is it that turbocharges some tales, and how is it possible to harness that...

THIS IS THE BOOK YOU NEED TO READ BEFORE YOU CAST YOUR VOTE ON 4 JULY. Why do some prime ministers manage to get things done, while others miserably fail? What is a 'special adviser' and how did they take over British political life? And why is the House of Lords more functional than most people...

Julie Walters has been described as the nation's most popular actress and comedienne. She has been delighting us on screen and on stage for over 25 years and - thanks to her undoubted talent, infectious spirit and self-deprecating humour - we have taken her to our hearts. Now she tells us her own story, in her own words. She was born in 50s Birmingham, daughter of an austere Irish Catholic mother.

From 1st January to 31st December the listener will discover a curious coinage or a fascinating etymological fact linked to that particular day - from the dramatic true story behind stealing someone's thunder to the original Jack the Lad. Word Perfect gathers all her very best discoveries from the true origin of freelancer which comes from knights who were free to use their lance for whoever paid most, rather than being tied to a single lord. (Also secretaries kept your secrets so were secretries).

A sinister masterpiece, Our Mutual Friend was Dickens' last completed novel. It is perhaps his ultimate vision of a dark, macabre London and the corrupting power of money.

'The thrill is that you're actually figuring it out on your own. You're engaging with another language, not just parroting it... It's an excellent way to start, and leaves the listener thinking, Hey, Ich kann do dis.' - New Yorker, David Sedaris, humorist and author, on learning Egyptian Arabic...

Did you ever wonder what kind of impression you leave on the people you meet? Have you ever been introduced to someone only to run out of things to say after the initial “hello”? Do you struggle with small talk and often find yourself in a “awkward silence” situation? Luckily, there are methods and techniques you can use to improve your small talk skills, boost your confidence, and make a great first impression every time.

‘I salute him with the most heartfelt respect and admiration’ PHILIP PULLMAN ‘Entrancing … a creative manifesto’ TELEGRAPH ‘Mesmerising … vibrating with life and curiosity’ OBSERVER In this lyrical and revelatory memoir, Alan Garner, Booker shortlisted author of Treacle Walker...

Brought to you by Penguin. I started writing this book as an exclusively work memoir but the work and the personal kept overlapping. I don’t know if that’s because I’m a woman or a mother or both, or none of those reasons. I just know that for my story to be authentic and truthful, I...

In 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaïre, two African American boxers were paid five million dollars apiece to fight each other. One was Muhammad Ali, the aging but irrepressible "professor of boxing." The other was George Foreman, who was as taciturn as Ali was voluble. Observing them was Norman Mailer, a commentator of unparalleled energy, acumen, and audacity.

Some people say 'sconn' while others say 'schown'. He says 'bath' while she says 'bahth'. You say 'potayto'. I say 'potahto'. And - wait a second, no one says 'potahto'. No one's ever said 'potahto'. Have they? From reconstructing Shakespeare's accent to the rise and fall of received pronunciation, actor Ben Crystal and his linguist father, David, travel the world in search of the stories of spoken English.

Looking for a convenient language course that gets you speaking Mandarin Chinese in hours, not years? The Michel Thomas audio courses have helped over five million language learners to master a new language, with no writing, no stress and no memorisation. Perfect for absolute beginners, little...

Would you like to improve your spoken Greek and gain the confidence to take part in everyday conversations with other Greek speakers? The Michel Thomas approach makes language learning feel natural. Learn without stress, pressure or homework and see genuine results that you can use straight away...

'Ingenious… a glorious portrait of the great 15th-century prince of learning' Daily Telegraph 'A deeply fascinating, sui generis book by a brilliant scholar-writer, which uses the life story of a Renaissance prodigy to summon an angel-host of ideas, people and stories, all circling the...

Drawing on his long and distinguished reporting career, former BBC HARDtalk presenter Stephen Sackur mounts a passionate case for fearless, truth-telling journalism in a world turned toxic by disinformation. From Woodward and Bernstein's famous exposé of a crooked American president to the...

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER PULITZER PRIZE WINNER The captivating inside story of the woman who helmed the Washington Post during one of the most turbulent periods in the history of American media: the scandals of the Pentagon Papers and Watergate In this widely acclaimed memoir ("Riveting...