A quarter of a century in power has allowed Vladimir Putin to enrich himself. He has plundered Russia’s resources, confiscated private businesses and persecuted those who stood against him including Boris Berezovsky, Vladimir Gusinsky, Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Bill Browder putting their assets under the control of his friends and cronies, who creamed off billions from ... Martin Sixsmith – Suing the Kremlin: The battle for Putin’s Billions

Much-loved sports presenter, author and endurance-athlete Vassos Alexander got bitten by the swimming bug during lockdown – heading to his local patch of the Thames to find distraction and solace during that hot summer. Now he can’t pass a body of water without wanting to jump in. Swimmingly is Vassos’ rip-roaring account of how he ... Vassos Alexander – Swimmingly

With sensational new material, biographer Andrew Lownie brings the most extraordinary and dramatic royal story in a generation up to date. Tracing the lives of the former Prince and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson through their childhoods, courtship, marriage, divorce, careers, charitable activities, and ultimate downfall, this is eye-watering biography at its best. Investigating the reality ... Andrew Lownie – Entitled

LITERARY WALK: WESSEX WRITERSThe Dorchester Literary Festival Walk will be on Sunday 18 October 11am followed by cream tea at the Old Tea House 1–2pm.Join Mark Chutter, Chairman and Academic Director of the Thomas Hardy Society, for a fascinating walk exploring the literary writers of Dorchester including Thomas Hardy, William Barnes , the Powys brothers ... Literary Walk with Mark Chutter

A poetic journey through deep time, in which geologist Anjana Khatwa weaves scientific knowledge with traditional stories to bring alive the stories that rock holds and tells us. From the sacred stones of Stonehenge to the rose red city of Petra, from towering mountains to the smallest grains of sand, rocks have had a profound ... Anjana Khatwa – The Whispers of Rock

For five decades, Brian Jackman, Britain's foremost safari writer, has witnessed Africa's wildlife drama unfold at the front line. From his first encounter with a roaring lion in Kenya's Masai Mara in 1974, to documenting the famous Marsh Lions that captivated millions through the BBC's Big Cat Diary, Jackman has chronicled both the majesty and ... Brian Jackman – Lion Song: A Portrait of Wild Africa

The wonder of the night train: headlamps ablaze, passengers boarding after sunset and leaving before sunrise, slipping in and out of compartments unseen. For Monisha Rajesh, the singular thrill of sleeper trains inspired a new journey around the world – one filled with moonlit landscapes, cosy compartments and quirky companions. From Austria’s Nightjet to Scotland’s ... Monisha Rajesh – Moonlight Express

We are living longer and, thanks to medical advances, our lifespan after the middle years continues to extend. But how do you age wisely? How do you remain psychologically healthy and fully engagedgiven the immense and daunting challenges of later life – regrets, loss, disappointments, physical deterioration, and mortality? From ancient Greece to the 21st ... Frank Tallis – Wise: Finding purpose, meaning and wisdom beyond the midpoint of life

‘I am writing this story without knowing its end: it begins long before I was born and will continue long after I die. I am writing this story to help myself heal and to make you understand.’ Strong Roots is the story of a century in Ukraine told through four generations of one extraordinary family. ... Olia Hercules – Strong Roots: A Ukranian Family History Through War, Exile and Hope

A never-before-told perspective on the British experience at Colditz – one of themost infamous sites in Nazi Germany. The grandson of a King, the son of the Viceroy of India, Churchill’s nephew. All held captive at the notorious Colditz prisoner of war camp, they were the Prominente: scions of the British establishment, and pawns in ... David Lascelles – Out of Colditz

A sparkling green field. A dull and scrubby patch of grass. One is the sanitised evidenceof monoculture, the other a world teeming with more life than you could ever imagine.Join John Wright, one of our best-known naturalists, as he uncovers the beauty andrich diversity of Britain's grasslands. Bursting with mushrooms, lichen and wildflowers,home to butterflies, ... John Wright – Grasslands

How did a film made to capture a pop phenomenon in real time become a genuine cinematic classic?Journalist and broadcaster Samira Ahmed explores how this beloved film captures both the band's coveted charisma and the shifting cultural landscape of 1960s Britain. A life-long fan, Samira first discovered the film at the age of 11 and ... Samira Ahmed – A Hard Day’s Night

Outdoor enthusiast, cyclist and acclaimed travel writer Simon Parker was restless for a new adventure, but with a small baby his explorations needed to begin at home. He decided to cycle through all 15 of the UK’s national parks in the anniversary year of the first one’s founding, the Peak District. While each of the ... Simon Parker – The Wild Ride Home

In 2021, Anthony Seldon, inspired by a fallen First World War soldier who dreamed of a ‘Via Sacra’ tocommemorate the war dead and stand as a marker for the triumph of peace, set out on a 1,000km walktracing the historic route of the Western Front. He went on to recount that story in the widely ... Anthony Seldon – The Path of Light

For over 10,000 years, the human race has been busy altering our environment and embracing 'progress', evolving seamlessly from hunter gatherers to the modern urban sophisticates we seeourselves as today. But what are the ideas and inventions that enabled humanity to become, by the early 21st century, a majority urban species for the first time? ... Jonn Elledge – 31 Inventions that Built Our World

Beloved, bestselling author Victoria Hislop explores the turbulence of the post-war era in Greece in this unforgettable and riveting new novel that will delight those fans who cherish The Island and The Figurine. During three years of brutal civil war in Greece, thousands of children were caught in the chaos that swept across the country. ... Victoria Hislop – The Wine Dark Sea

We're confused about AI: what it is, and where it's leading us – whether into a utopia or an apocalypse. Yet these obsessions thwart efforts to make meaningful change in an industry with very real problems. Here, Dr Eleanor Drage, one of the world's leading AI ethicists, unpicks the culture and ideas that drive the ... Dr Eleanor Drage – What If We Got AI Right?

An epic, visceral history of the Romans in Britain, from Caesar’s first invasion attempt in 55 BC to the fall of the Roman Empire, by the author of Rome: Eternal City. Bringing together archaeology, anthropology, geology and history, Addis paints a vivid portrait of what life was like for Roman and Briton during these centuries, ... Ferdinand Addis – Conquest: The Roman Invasion of Britain

Is Britain stuck in a doom loop of higher debt and higher taxes? Or can we fix the British economy?Jeremy Hunt argues that getting out of Britain’s low growth is a solvable problem, and that we should approach the country’s economic future with optimism. Hunt asks the key questions: How deliverable are the changes we ... Jeremy Hunt – Can We Be Rich Again?

Anxiety can have an immense power, affecting the way we think, feel and behave. Keeping us inside, away from people, places and opportunities. Making us question, doubt or criticise ourselves. Sending us into a sea of worry, which threatens to overwhelm us.  But what if we stopped trying to fight the waves and, instead, learned ... Dr Sian Williams – The Power of Anxiety: How to ride the worry wave

Nigel Farage is arguably the most consequential British politician of our age, and on current polling he is set to become the UK prime minister after the next general election. But aspects of his life story remain shrouded in mystery. Who is the real Nigel Farage, and does he possess the qualities to lead the ... John Sweeney – The Real Nigel Farage

In 2026 the United States of America will celebrate its 250th birthday. How did this vast land, long inhabited by diverse indigenous cultures, come to be dominated by English speakers? How has it grappled with the stark contradictions between its ideals of liberty and the grim reality of its ongoingracial divide? This extraordinary collection of ... Simon Jenkins – A Short History of America: From Tea Party to Trump