Events

1914: Young Anton Heideck has arrived in Vienna, eager to make his name as a journalist. While working part-time as a private tutor, he encounters Delphine, a woman who mixes startling candour with deep reserve. Entranced by the light of first love, Anton feels himself blessed. Until his country declares war on hers. 1927: For Lena, life with a drunken mother in a small town has been impoverished and cold. She is convinced she can amount to nothing until a…

Joining us live from southern Italy, Sophie Grigson will be chatting to fellow foodie Felicity Cloake about her new life in Puglia and her forthcoming book A Curious Absence of Chickens. With her children having flown the nest and on the verge of turning 60, Sophie Grigson made the bold move to leave the UK behind and relocate to Puglia, Italy. "Puglia is a region I wanted to get to know intimately, to understand culture, life, history and geography, reflecting through the prism of…

Insects are essential for life as we know it. As they become more scarce, our world will slowly grind to a halt; we simply cannot function without them. Drawing on the latest ground-breaking research and a lifetime's study, Dave Goulson reveals the shocking decline of insect populations that has taken place in recent decades, with potentially catastrophic consequences. He passionately argues that we must all learn to love, respect and care for our six-legged friends. *Copies of Silent Earth will…

This book is about death, but in it I will take readers on a journey through life . . . What can death teach us about life? Conducting many thousands of post-mortems has given Dr Richard Shepherd the opportunity to examine death at every stage of life. Each autopsy is its own unique investigation, providing evidence of how, through life, the risks to us ebb and flow. From old to young, from murder to misadventure, and from illness to accidental…

Join us for a thrilling evening with bestselling author Paula Hawkins, where she'll be chatting about her brand new novel A Slow Fire Burning. 'What is wrong with you?' Laura has spent most of her life being judged. She's seen as hot-tempered, troubled, a loner. Some even call her dangerous. Miriam knows that just because Laura is witnessed leaving the scene of a horrific murder with blood on her clothes, that doesn't mean she's a killer. Bitter experience has taught…

When Joan Bakewell, Labour Peer, author and famous champion of the older people's right to a good and fruitful life, decided that she could no longer remain in her old home, she had to confront what she calls 'the next segment of life.' Disposing of things accumulated during a long life, saying goodbye to her home and the memories of more than fifty years, thinking about what is needed for downsizing - all suddenly became urgent and emotional tasks. And…

Meet the true face of British justice. Nazir Afzal knows a thing or two about justice. As a Chief Prosecutor, it was his job to make sure the most complex, violent and harrowing crimes made it to court, and that their perpetrators were convicted. From the Rochdale sex ring, to the earliest prosecutions for honour killing and modern slavery, Nazir was at the forefront of the British legal system for decades. But his story begins in Birmingham, in the sixties,…

Rick Stein has spent his life travelling the world in search of cooking perfection – from France and Italy to Australia and the Far East – and inspiring millions of food lovers with the results. In his new book, Rick Stein At Home, he takes stock of his remarkable life and takes us into the rhythms and rituals of his home cooking. For Rick cooking at home is not all about dinner parties, it’s about nights in with your family,…