Atlantic The Prime Ministers We Never Had. Success and Failure from Butler to Corbyn Richards Steve

A landmark history of the men and women who have defined the UK’s role in the modern world – and what makes them special – by a seasoned political journalist • At a time of unprecedented political upheaval, this magisterial history explains who leads us and why. From Harold Wilson to Boris Johnson, it brilliantly brings to life all 10 inhabitants of 10 Downing Street over the past fifty years, vividly outlining their successes and failures – and what made each of them special. Based on unprecedented access and in-depth interviews, and inspired by the author’s BBC Radio 4 and television series, Steve Richards expertly examines the men and women who have defined the UK’s role in the modern world and sheds new light on the demands of the highest public office in the land

A major new celebration of the French short story across the twentieth century • The short story has a rich tradition in French literature. This feast of an anthology celebrates its most famous practitioners, as well as newly translated writers ready for rediscovery. Here are fables, puzzles, fairy tales, war stories and family histories, testing and expanding the boundaries of the form. They are stories about the self and the other, the centre and the periphery, experimental and existential, real and surreal • The second volume takes the reader through the tumultuous twentieth century in the company of writers including Simone de Beauvoir and Maryse Conde, Patrick Modiano and Virginie Despentes, covering world wars, revolutions, and the horrors of the motorway service station

The theory of evolution by natural selection did not spring fully formed and unprecedented from the brain of Charles Darwin. Rather it has been examined and debated by philosophers the world over for thousands of years • This lively history traces the evolution of the idea of evolution, showing how it has changed and been changed by different societies over time. It will put 'Darwin’s Dangerous Idea' into its proper context, showing how it built on what went before and how it was developed in the twentieth century, through an understanding of genetics and the biochemical basis evolution. None of this diminishes the achievement of Darwin himself in perceiving the way evolution works at the level of individuals and species, but his contribution was one link in a chain that extends back into antiquity, and is still being forged today

Perhaps no fairy tale is as widely known as 'Beauty and the Beast' - and perhaps no fairy tale exists in as many variations. Nearly every culture tells the story in one fashion or another - such cultural phenomena as The Fault in Our Stars and Me Before You are recent examples - and it is impossible to find one version that laid the foundation for the rest. From Cupid and Psyche, India's Snake Bride to South Africa's 'Story of Five Heads', the partnering of beast and beauties has beguiled us for thousands of years • In this fascinating volume preeminent fairy tale scholar Maria Tatar brings together tales from ancient times to the present and from a wide variety of cultures

This concise guide to the ideas of some of history's most influential Eastern thinkers offers a detailed, accessible analysis of their work • From Buddhism to Islam, and from Confucius to Gandhi, concepts and individuals are introduced in a lively and lucid narrative with extensive biographical detail. In each case the author, Kevin Burns, takes a central theme and uses it to explore the essential ingredients of its relevant school of thought

Take a look into the circle of life through the life cycles of the planet and everything on it! • Everything begins and everything ends - but what happens in between? Find out in this stunning nature book. Learn about human life and development, processes in nature, how animals change over time, how the universe was formed, and so much more • This illustrated children's book for Key Stage 2 learners ages 7-11 years includes • - More than 60 life cycles featured • - Stunning photographs that capture key moments during a life cycle, such as penguin chicks huddling together to keep warm and the beauty of an orchid in full bloom • - Bite-size facts and stats about every animal, plant, planet, and habitat featured • - A great new angle on the world, the universe, and our place in it • If you're looking for facts about the universe then this is the book for you! Based on key concepts found in the STEM learning curriculum, Life Cycles captures life on the planet through captivating illustrations and photography, amazing facts, and essay-to-read text

A moving account of one man's race to save a herd of elephants - with unforgettable characters and exotic wildlife, The Elephant Whisperer is an enthralling book that will appeal to animal lovers and adventurous souls everywhere • When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of 'rogue' elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival - dangerous and unpredictable, they would be killed if Anthony wouldn't take them in • As Anthony risked his life to create a bond with the troubled elephants and persuade them to stay on his reserve, he came to realize what a special family they were, from the wise matriarch Nana, who guided the herd, to her warrior sister Frankie, always ready to see off any threat, and their children who fought so hard to survive

Discover why outsiders from Trump to Corbyn are succeeding like never before – and what this means for you • In recent years, voters have deserted the political centre like never before. Whether it’s Trump, Brexit, Le Pen, or Corbyn, outsiders and populists are flourishing on the far left and far right • Celebrated political commentator Steve Richards explores factors from globalization and fake news to rising immigration and stagnant wages. Richards argues that the reasons for the success of the outsider also sows the seeds of their eventual demise. If they do gain power, they inevitably become insiders themselves – and fail to live up to their extravagant promises • This landmark book examines the rapidly shifting global political landscape of the last decade, and is essential reading for anyone who has been bothered by Brexit, troubled by Trump or confused by Corbyn

The untold story of the remarkable young men who played a central role in the history of British horticulture and helped to shape the way we garden today • In 2012, whilst working at the Royal Horticultural Society’s library, Fiona Davison unearthed a book of handwritten notes that dated back to 1822. The notes, each carefully set out in neat copperplate writing, had been written by young gardeners in support of their application to be received into the Society’s Garden • Amongst them was an entry from the young Joseph Paxton, who would go on to become one of Britain’s best-known gardeners and architects. But he was far from alone in shaping the way we garden today and now, for the first time, the stories of the young, working-class men who also played a central role in the history of British horticulture can be told

Britain shaped the modern Middle East through the lines that it drew in the sand after the First World War and through the League of Nations mandates over the fledgling states that followed. Less than forty years later, the Suez crisis dealt a fatal blow to Britain’s standing in the Middle East and is often represented as the final throes of British imperialism. However, as this insightful and compelling new book reveals, successive prime ministers have all sought to extend British influence in the Middle East and their actions have often led to a disastrous outcome • While Anthony Eden and Tony Blair are the two most prominent examples of prime ministers whose reputations have been ruined by their interventions in the region, they were not alone in taking significant risks in deploying British forces to the Middle East