Riverside Press Spring 2027 by Abrams&ChronicleBooks

2027

Front and back cover: Illustrations from Cabincraft

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need” — Cicero, 46 BC Our new list reflects our passion for storytelling that is rooted in the natural world and art that reflects the human endeavour to embrace, explore and depict that world. The author of Cabincraft describes her unique experience of living in the wild and inspires us to bring nature into our homes, whether we live in a cabin or a more urban environment. A Walk with Jane Austen takes us on a journey through the landscapes of Austen’s novels, enchantingly depicted in a fold-out concertina bound in book form with an extended essay by her five-times great-niece. In Heartwood, the curator of Westonbirt Arboretum presents fifty remarkable trees that have shaped our world, while The Tree of Life distils the story of evolution into a stunning wall chart with explanatory text by a leading zoologist. Pocket Book of The Fae and Pocket Book of Vampires continue our bestselling series of gorgeous little gift books, while Whale takes a similarly artistic approach in a fittingly larger format. And finally, our Navigating series goes from strength to strength with graphic road maps to understand the current key topics of Renewable Energy and Economics. With heartfelt thanks to our authors, illustrators, editors, designers and brilliant sales team, all of whom play a pivotal role in shaping our books and spreading the word. Jenny Manstead Founder

A Walk With Jane Austen An unfolding journey A WALK WITH

Jane Austen A N UNFOL DING JOUR NEY Rebecca Smith

Jane Austen wrote that she and her best friend, Martha Lloyd, were “desperate walkers”. Walking was a necessity, for health, companionship and escape from the strictures of a Regency lady’s life indoors. Walking was also key to Austen’s writing process, and she carried little, homemade notebooks in her pockets. A Walk With Jane Austen is a unique celebration of her world. Unfold the concertina pages on the right to reveal a landscape display of the forests and fields, cliffs and seasides, gardens and shrubberies through which her characters walked. Open the book on the left to discover the story of nature in her novels and guides to four literary

178 x 127 mm (7 x 5 in) 24 pp concertina with 32 pp fold-out booklet Approx 1-metre illustrated frieze plus 4 hand-drawn maps Estimated word count: 6,000 978-1-917226-63-9 £12.99 Publication April 2027

walks you can follow. Though we may not have as many Large Blue butterflies, the swallows still return to Chawton each year and we can still walk the same paths, swim in the same sea and wander in the same wildernesses. Immerse yourself in Jane Austen’s countryside, and find the same inspiration in walking and in nature that she expresses through the words of her timeless characters.

About the Author and Illustrator Rebecca Smith has written three previous titles on Jane Austen, The Jane Austen Writers’ Club, Jane Austen’s Guide to Modern Life’s Dilemmas and Where’s Jane?. She has worked as Writer in Residence at Jane Austen’s House in Hampshire and is the author of six novels. Rebecca is one of Jane Austen’s five-times great nieces, descended from Sir Francis Austen. She lives in Hampshire, England, and enjoys walking in the places that Jane Austen knew and loved. James Oses is a London-based illustrator who works with watercolour, oil pastels, and dip-pen and ink, both in the studio and on location. His clients include The New Yorker, English Heritage, The National Trust, Penguin Random House, The Poetry Society, and Harper Collins.

Surrey: Emma and The Watsons We can walk with Jane Austen in Surrey and visit places that inspired Emma and the novel she set aside, The Watsons. Jane Austen spent lots of time there, including in 1814 when she was working on Emma. She also travelled through Surrey many times enroute between Hampshire and London or Kent. The area is rich in literary history – not just Jane Austen’s. Westhumble on our suggested walk is the likely inspiration for the village of Stanton in The Watsons. Jane Austen knew this place with its proximity to Dorking. Emma Watson goes to a ball in “D.” which can be assumed to be Dorking. Westhumble has grown and changed less than Great Bookham and nearby Leatherhead, another town which may have helped in creating Highbury. Westhumble is on a very pretty trainline – I know because it’s the one I took to school in Dorking when I was a teenager in the eighties. We were sent on cross-country runs (indolent strolls for me and my friends) in the countryside below Box Hill whilst the teachers sat around smoking or sunbathing. I don’t recall them counting people back in or checking where we had been. I seem to have been following Jane Austen around for my whole life. I don’t remember being told that I was descended from her brother, Frank. The miniatures of him, Charles and Jane Austen’s father hung on my great aunt’s wall, and I used to love looking at them when we visited her in Winchester. We went for walks in The Water Meadows 10

A WALK W I T H JANE AUS TEN

and along College Street, where Jane Austen spent her last days, and to The Cathedral where she is buried and my aunt was a guide. Jane Austen’s godfather, Rev Samuel Cooke and his wife, Cassandra (Jane’s mother’s cousin) lived in Great Bookham. The walk from Great Bookham to Box Hill and back could easily have been done by Jane Austen before she was ill. In Emma people travel there by carriage. There would have been servants to manage everything for the picnic, but they remain invisible in the novel. We can hope they had some time off and enjoyed the day more than their employers. Once at the top of the hill the party from Highbury do walk to take in the astonishing views. Jane Austen’s ability to surprise her readers is also on full display. What should have

“

Elizabeth continued her walk alone, crossing field after field at a quick pace, jumping over stiles and springing over puddles with impatient activity, and finding herself at last within view of the house, with weary ankles, dirty stockings, and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise.

Lizzy Bennet walks to Netherfield in Pride and Prejudice. A WALK WITH JAN E AUSTEN

"To sit in the shade

on a ﬁne day, and look upon verdure, is the most perfect refreshment. Fanny,

n ﬁe Park

nditon House

Cabincraft A celebration of slow and rustic living Step into a world where simple living and an appreciation of nature are combined with Cabincraft, the ultimate guide to bringing the great outdoors in. With its vintage aesthetic and cosy feel, the book is a wonderful celebration of all things rustic and timeless. Explore the joys of seasonal rituals and the art of slowing down. From creating warm interiors to discovering traditional crafts like knitting, preserving and wood carving, Cabincraft invites you to embrace the 246 x 190 mm (9 7/10 x 7 1/2 in) 224pp Hardback Four colour throughout 100 illustrations 35,000 words 978-1-917226-53-0 £22.99 Publication: January 2027

enduring appeal of a life lived in harmony with the wild. Whether you dream of a cabin in the woods of your own, or simply want to bring the spirit of Cabincraft into your everyday life, this beautiful book will inspire you to find peace and beauty in the simple things.

About the Author and Illustrator Ashley Bredemus lives in a cabin in the remote wilderness of Minnesota; she is semi off-grid and her home is accessible only by water. She has been writing about and celebrating the cabin lifestyle and seasonal living for many years, including via her popular Instagram account which has more than 40,000 followers. Lee John Philips is an illustrator, painter and sculptor best known for The Shed Project, for which he is illustrating every single item left behind in his grandfather’s shed when he died. To date, Lee has drawn more than 8,500 items from the shed, and he estimates that it contains more than 100,000 items in total. He lives with his dog in a cabin, which sits in four acres of ancient woodland, close to the sea in western Wales.

Pocket Book of The Fae Myth, Magic & Meaning The true nature of fairies is much wilder, stranger and darker than you imagine – an otherworld of magic, allure and taboo; a reality better captured by their ancient name: the Fae. The Fae encompass a wider world of enchantment, from shape-shifting devil hounds and water monsters, to underground kingdoms and ancient lore; from histories of warring races to hedge magic and cottage folklore. Pocket Book of The Fae is a compact guide to the 162 x 105 mm (6 1/2 x 4 in) 160 pp Hardback Four color throughout 60 images 19,000 words 978-1-917226-47-9 £12.99 Publication

vast Otherworld of the little people. It will show you how to dispel a glamour, spot a huldre-maid by her cowtail, treat with a boggart, survive a fairy feast and get a bargain at the goblin market. Packed with beautiful artwork, fascinating folk tales and essential fairy lore and tradition, the book travels between cultures and continents to explore the common tropes and themes of the Fae, explaining how they are classified and encountering an array of solitary and social fairies.

February 2027

About the Author Joel Levy is a writer specialising in the intersection of history, science and the unexplained. He was the author and creative force behind the groundbreaking 2000 book, Fabulous Creatures and Magical Beings, described by one reviewer as the nearest thing to Harry Potter’s biology text book; and has written on topics from Atlantis to Stephen Hawking. His published titles include Gothic Science: The Era of Ingenuity and the Making of Frankenstein; Poison: A Social History; and Reality Ahead of Schedule: How Science Fiction Inspires Science Fact.

Social Faeries

Captives in Faeryland

ne common trope in faery lore is that of the mortal taken captive by the Fae and forced to spend time in the Otherworld. The motives for these abductions and imprisonments vary. The Fae are sometimes said to owe the Devil the teind, or tithe, a tribute in Hell that comes due every seven years, for which they prefer to offer mortals in place of faery folk. They may be unable to procreate, or at any rate to produce healthy children, hence they steal mortal ones (see ‘Changelings’, page 130), and also sometimes ‘borrow’ the services of mortal midwives. They may be seeking playmates or servants, to act as household drudges or bond-slaves. Sometimes there is no specific motive beyond malice, mischief or the sheer love of dancing, as in the many tales in which a mortal is whisked away to join faery revels. Among the most famous captives in Faeryland was Thomas of Ercildoune, aka Thomas the Rhymer, abducted by the Queen of Elfland to be her mortal lover. The ballad of Thomas the Rhymer tells of how the queen, fearing he will be taken for the teind, sends him back to Scotland, gifted – or cursed – with both the power of prophecy and a compulsion to tell only the truth, for which he was known as True Thomas. Opposite: James Herbert MacNair’s Tamlaine (1905), based on the legend of Tam Lin, another mortal man abducted by an amorous faery queen.

Pocket Book of Vampires Myth, Magic & Meaning The vampire can trace its family tree back to dark, folkloric ancestors shrouded in obscurity, but can also be counted among the most modern of monsters. Whether in Sinners, What We Do In the Shadows, Twilight or 9 million tags on Instagram, this romantic and gothic fiend’s immortality is assured. The Pocket Book of Vampires packs the vast world of vampires into a travel-sized companion, illustrated with a curated collection of vampire art. 162 x 105 mm (6 1/2 x 4 in) 160 pp Hardback Four color throughout 60 images Estimated: 20,000 words 978-1-917226-52-3 £12.99 Publication

It traces the evolution of the myth, exploring ancient antecedents like the Lamia and Lilith, and stakes out the rich soil of Balkan superstition from which the vampire emerged. We delve into the magic and meanings of vampires, investigating a world of crypts and coffins; grave dirt and garlic; seduction and shadows. Shedding light on the supernatural abilities of both male and female vampires, this is also an essential guide to how they might be warded off, tracked down and destroyed.

September 2027

Chapter II

Roots of the Wampyr

The invention of Eastern Europe G

h e Western European invention of the vampire can only be understood as part of a larger process of cultural invention, as the Europeans developed a new relationship with the East. Around the late 17th / early 18th centuries, what had been a source of threat and terror became an object of fascination and condescension, with cultural movements such as Turquerie and Orientalism. The Balkans in particular came to be viewed as an exotic fringe, entertaining but backwards, mired in superstition. The vampire would become the ultimate signifier of this new relation between West and East: a deliciously Gothic terror that illustrated the retrograde nature of the benighted and inferior peoples of the European fringe, freighted with associations of disease, contagion, corruption and ignorance. This was the context in which emerged reports of revenant ghouls. British diplomat Paul Rycaut, in his 1679 work The Present State of the Greek and Armenian Churches, described reports of “a pretended demon, said to delight in sucking human blood, and to animate the bodies of dead persons”, although he did not use the word vampire. According to the French-language periodical Glaneur de Hollande (‘The Dutch Gleaner’), in 1733, vampiric revenants were found in Hungary and

Moravia “where the people, being badly fed, are subject to certain disorders… and augmented by prejudice, fancy, and fright”. The early 18th century authority on vampires, Augustin Calmet (see page xx), was persuaded that such beliefs had their “foundation only in ridiculous prepossessions of the mind”.

Above: Tamara and Demon by Konstantin Makovsky (1889).

Pocket Book of Dragons Myth, Magic & Meaning Celebrating the stories and symbolism of the king of the mythical beasts, Pocket Book of Dragons encounters dragons from throughout history and across the world. Chapters deal with the ancient Near and Middle East; Greece and Rome; the Norse and Celtic worlds; China and the Orient; and medieval Europe, as well as the literary and fictional traditions of the modern era. Special features explore fascinating diversions 162 x 105 mm (6 1/2 x 4 in) 160 pp Hardback Four colour throughout 60 images 20,000 words 978-1-917226-11-0 £12.99

such as the possible inspirations for dragons; the biological constraints that explain why they cannot truly exist; their attributes and habitats; and where dragon hunters can track down the most magnificent examples in art and culture.

Pocket Book of Witches Myth, Magic & Meaning Witches lurk beneath the surface of every culture and age, viewed with fascination and fear in equal measure, revered as keepers of natural wisdom or persecuted as disciples of the Devil. Today, the practice of witchcraft has never been more popular, whether in the guise of paganism, herbalism, Wicca or the occult. The Pocket Book of Witches is a compact guide to the complex and compelling world of witchcraft. 162 x 105mm (6 1/2 x 4 in) 160 pp Hardback Four colour throughout 60 images 20,000 words 978-1-917226-41-7 £12.99

It will show you how to tame a familiar, master the power of flight, weave a nature charm, cast a love spell, and tap into the true potency of Hallowe'en. Packed with the finest historical artwork, fascinating folklore and essential traditions, the book travels between cultures and continents to explore the origins, history, practices, powers and perceptions of witches. A little book brimful with a vast world of magic, this is an essential guide for every student of art and witchcraft.

Heartwood Extraordinary Trees and Their Stories From the olive groves of ancient Greece to the rubber plantations of Southeast Asia, trees have silently shaped the course of human history. In this captivating journey across continents and centuries, Heartwood reveals how these remarkable giants have influenced empires, economies, cultures and ecosystems. Discover how the humble apple tree sparked scientific revolution, how the mighty oak became a symbol of strength and sovereignty, and how the papaya, 254 x 185mm (10 x 7 1/4 in) 224 pp Hardback Four colour throughout 100 images Estimated: 40,000 words 978-1-917226-61-5 £25.00 Publication September 2027

once dismissed as exotic, helped fight disease. Whether it’s the cedar that built navies, the cacao that fuelled empires, or the ginkgo that survived Hiroshima, each tree in this collection has a story that will surprise, inspire, and deepen your appreciation for the natural world.

About the Author Dan Crowley is a Curator at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum. As a dendrologist and plant conservationist, he has led numerous expeditions in support of the conservation of rare and threatened species, as well as being a member of the RHS Woody Expert Group. He often posts on Instagram (@thetreespotter) to his 27.4k followers.

notable trees

European Yew (taxus baccata)

The “Tree of Death”

n evergreen conifer, yews are native to woodlands across large parts of temperate and Mediterranean Eurasia and northern Africa. Heavily shade-bearing, yews are typically either male or female (dioecious), their seeds surrounded by a red, fleshy, berrylike structure known as an aril. While the seeds (and all other parts of the plant) are poisonous to humans and many mammals, the fleshy arils are not. Yews are one of our longest-lived trees. Many are estimated to be thousands of years old, though accurate aging is notoriously difficult, as the trunks of ancient trees are often hollow. Ancient trees are a feature of British churchyards, in many cases pre-dating the church by which they grow. Early monks in Ireland and Wales even lived in hollow trees, which also served as places to pray. Suggestions that ancient yews always pre-date churches is a myth, however. Trees were planted in churchyards to keep their poisonous foliage away from livestock, while a German proverb offers the alternative that yews ward off evil spirits: “Beneath yews no magic can persist.” Yews were even taken inside the church, with branches used as substitutes for palms on Palm Sunday. Associated with mortality on account of its toxicity and graveyard connections, yew has acquired the nickname “tree of death.” The moniker also nods to a far older but equally significant usage: weaponry. One of the oldest known weapons is the Clacton Spear, a spear tip made from yew thought to be more than 400,000 years old, pulled from Pleistocene sediments at Clacton-On-Sea, in Essex, England, in 1911. More than 15 inches (38 centimeters) long when first found, it is on display at the National History Museum in London. The tree’s most notable use as weaponry is its historic use for longbows. Its timber is hard yet flexible, extremely durable, as 14

notable trees

tain essential gas exchange. The fine hairs of its young leaves act as an air filter, capturing particulate matter that is later washed away by rain. Mature specimens provide shade to heated streets, reducing temperatures by as much as 54°F (12°C). Having made up some 60 percent of the city’s trees in 1920, 126 tree species have been recorded as growing across London, with the percentage of planes now only 7 percent. However, the planes continue to dominate, making up around 9 percent of the city’s canopy cover—more than any other species. The city’s tallest and largest trees are all London planes, with some attaining more than 130 feet (40 meters), and some of the oldest are still growing. Given the success of London planes as a city tree, it has long been considered a dependable choice in urban environments. However, reliance can easily become over-reliance, and overdependence on single species comes with risk, particularly in changing climates and increased prevalence of pests and diseases. It is highly probable that the London plane has had its day as the premier choice for urban planting: The tree is vulnerable to a suite of fungal diseases. Infection with one of these, Massaria, causes trees to drop limbs: an efficient way to exorcise the disease, though not ideal for anyone passing beneath when a limb drops. The costly requirement for increased monitoring and management renders the tree unviable as a future planting choice. Another disease, canker stain, is tearing through wild populations of its eastern parent, the Oriental plane, across swathes of the Mediterranean. Introduced from North America, where it coexists with the Western plane, susceptibility among the two trees’ hybrid offspring varies by clone. So far absent from the British Isles, the tree care industry is working judiciously to keep the disease at bay, though an outbreak could decimate London’s treescape in a few short years. A third fungus, plane canker, present in London from at least 2017, is a further cause for concern. Fewer London planes won’t upset everyone. In spring, their pollen induces hay fever for many, while the tiny hairs shed from the leaves cause throat irritation. In fall and winter, their fallen leaves block drains and cycle lanes. The climate crisis has brought the plight of the urban forest into sharp focus. As cities grow hotter and drier, the need for trees is 32

notable trees

The Tree of Life Chart the course of evolution through the ages All living things, from trees to whales, dinosaurs to yeast, are descended from the same ancestor: a singlecelled organism known as LUCA, which drifted through Earth’s oceans around 4 billion years ago. The Tree of Life follows the development of life on our planet from this simple beginning all the way to our modern world. The book is divided into four chapters, covering micro-life, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates. Each chapter is introduced with a giant fold305 x 229 mm (12 x 9 in) 80 pp 1 removable wallchart 4 giant fold-out pages Four colour throughout 85 images Estimated: 30,000 words

out family tree, showing how the major groups relate. The text explores evolution chronologically within each section, revealing how different groups appeared over time, while feature pages pick out the main taxonomic families and the differences between them. At the front of the book, an envelope holds a large-size, folded wallchart designed by Matt Baker, showing the whole evolutionary history of life on our planet.

978-1-917226-57-8 £20.00 Publication September 2027

About the Chart Creator and Author Dr Matt Baker is the founder of Useful Charts. Now with nearly two million Youtube followers, UsefulCharts is known for its educational content and particularly its detailed and visually engaging charts on topics related to history, religion, science and linguistics. Jo Wimpenny is a zoologist-turned author living in Oxford. She writes about animal behaviour, nature and the human-animal relationship. Her first book was the award-winning history of ornithology, Ten Thousand Birds: Ornithology Since Darwin (Princeton University Press, 2014). She has published two books since: Aesop’s Animals: The Science of Aesop’s Fables (Bloomsbury Sigma, 2021), and Beauty of the Beasts: Rethinking Nature’s Least Loved Animals (Bloomsbury Wildlife, 2026).

Starfish, sponges and jellyfish Some of the earliest animals to evolve, these aquatic

as well as life cycles very different to those of other

creatures retain extraordinary abilities, as well as life

branches of the evolutionary tree. Some of the earliest

cycles very different to those of other branches of the

animals to evolve, these aquatic creatures retain

evolutionary tree. Some of the earliest animals to evolve,

extraordinary abilities, as well as life cycles very different

these aquatic creatures retain extraordinary abilities,

to those of other branches of the evolutionary tree.

Porifera

Ctenophora

Cnidaria

Echinodermata

Sponges are filter feeders, spending their lives fixed

Sometimes known as comb jellies, Ctenophora

This phylum includes jellyfish, sea anemones,

Starfish are perhaps the most recognisable members

in place, drawing water through their bodies, and

are predatory sea creatures ranging from 1.5mm to

hydroids and corals. Their bodies are gelatinous,

of this phylum, but it also includes brittle stars, sea

feeding on plankton. Most live in seas and oceans,

over 5m in size. They swim using hair-like structures

with a decentralised nervous system. They are

urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers. Their most

but some species are found in fresh water. Sponges

called cilia, a method of movements seen on a much

equipped with cnidocytes, unique cells that shoot out

striking feature is the five-pointed symmetry of their

are filter feeders, spending their lives fixed in place,

smaller scale in bacteria. Sometimes known as comb

tiny, needle-like protrusions called flagellae. These can

bodies. Starfish are perhaps the most recognisable

drawing water through their bodies, and feeding on

jellies, Ctenophora are predatory sea creatures

be used to inject venom into attackers or latch onto

members of this phylum, but it also includes brittle

plankton. Most live in seas and oceans, but some

ranging from 1.5mm to over 5m in size. They swim

prey. This group includes jellyfish, sea anemones,

stars, sea urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers.

species are found in fresh water. Sponges are filter

using hair-like structures called cilia, a method of

hydroids and corals. Their bodies are gelatinous, with a

Their most striking feature is the five-pointed

feeders, spending their lives fixed in place, drawing

movements seen on a much smaller scale in bacteria.

decentralised nervous system. They are equipped with

symmetry of their bodies.Starfish are perhaps the

water through their bodies, and feeding on plankton.

Sometimes known as comb jellies, Ctenophora are

cnidocytes, unique cells that shoot out tiny, needle-like

most recognisable members of this phylum, but it

Most live in seas and oceans, but some species

predatory sea creatures ranging from 1.5mm to

protrusions called flagellae. These can be used to

also includes brittle stars, sea urchins, sand dollars

are found in fresh water.

over 5m in size.

inject venom into attackers or latch onto prey.

and sea cucumbers. Their most striking feature is the five-pointed symmetry of their bodies.

42. Invertebrate Animals

43. Life without a spine

Whale

From mythical monster to ocean marvel Whether in the artwork of sea monster maps, the Biblical story of Jonah, the fairy tale of Pinocchio, or the literary quest of Moby Dick, humans have long taken the monstrous size of whales as cause to mythologise them as monsters. Whale embarks on a voyage of visual discovery to reveal the true story of these remarkable creatures, navigating our mythical, cultural, industrial, philosophical and ecological relationship to them. It curates the finest and most fascinating depictions of whales from ancient 280 x 215 mm (11 x 8 1/2 in) 208 pp Hardback Four color throughout 120 images Estimated: 20,000 978-1-917226-55-4 £28.00 Publication: October 2027

to modern times alongside short essays that consider the true nature, character and wonder of Leviathan. An irresistible combination of fine art and scientific storytelling, this is a tale that fathoms the depths of the human and cetacean relationship as it evolves from mythology to commodity to natural history. It is both a visual treat and natural history revelation, to be swallowed whole or dipped into time and time again.

About the Authors Hanne Strager is co-founder of the Andenes Whale Centre in Norway and has served as Director of Exhibitions at the Natural History Museum of Denmark. Hanne has taught biology of marine mammals at the University of Copenhagen and led numerous expeditions of whale researchers. Catherine DeNardo is an award- winning writer and whale biologist who studied killer whale behaviour in the Norwegian Arctic and worked at the Center for Whale Research on San Juan Island, Washington. With Hanne Strager, she co-wrote Wild Orcas (Princeton University Press). Philip Hoare (foreword) is the author of acclaimed nonfiction books including Leviathan or, The Whale (winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize), The Sea Inside and Albert & the Whale.

OPPOSITE

Miyamoto Musashi Kills an Enormous Whale, c.1847 This woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798–1861) is the first panel of a triptych that illustrates the tale of the famous Samurai Miyamoto Musashi (1584–1645) slaying a right whale off the coast of Hizen, Japan, known today as Nagasaki. Fewer than five hundred North Pacific right whales survive today as a result of whaling.

 / 

Introduction

 

{

“ And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”  ,  :

Jonah Leaving the Whale, 1598 In this painting by Jan Brueghel the Elder, Jonah emerges from the belly of the great fish that has carried him for three days and nights, and walks onto the beach unharmed. Until well into the sixteenth century, depictions of whales were not anatomically correct, the animals instead portrayed as mythical creatures.

{

  , , --- Venezuelan kayaker Adrián Simancas was with his father, Dell Simancas, on a late-summer sea-kayaking trip in the Strait of Magellan, off Chile’s southernmost coast. The pair were paddling together on a calm sea when, suddenly, Adrián was hit from behind by something huge that engulfed him and dragged him below the surface. In a state of shock, he realized he had been consumed—by something enormous, like “an orca or a sea monster,” he said after the experience. Before he had time even to consider escaping, Adrián found himself spat out and floating in the Pacific Ocean, clinging to his overturned craft. The gray back and dorsal fin of a humpback whale—the instigator of the terrifying attack—rose and fell before him in the water. The whale, for its part, likely meant no harm. With a throat only the size of a large grapefruit, it would be incapable of swallowing a human. Yet, like a modern-day Jonah, Adrián felt as though he had been delivered to seize another chance at life. The experience, he said, “invited me to reflect on what I could have done better up until that point.” Accidents involving kayakers, paddleboarders, and even one lobster diver being caught in whales’ mouths have occurred with increased frequency in hotspots around the world—not because the animals are being predatory, but simply because their populations are beginning to recover after decades of carnage at the hands of humans. Could it be that, like Jonah, we are being given a chance to right past wrongs? From ancient creation myths to scientific studies, from the commerce-driven extermination of species to a whale-watching obsession with these ocean giants, humans and whales have shared a long and complicated relationship. How has our perception of these extraordinary animals evolved? How has our knowledge grown? How has this altered attitudes? Throughout history artists have created representations of whales—such as the evocative woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi shown opposite—which can help us trace this troubled relationship. Whale curates the most exceptional artworks to tell stories of primal fear, of spiritual inspiration, of reckless greed, and of enduring fascination. We explore depictions of the whale as a religious figure, as in the biblical tale of Jonah, the beast representing humanity’s struggle to curb our need for safety and security even when directed to do so by God. We find evidence of our insatiable desire for domination in the texts of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick and its inspiration, The Wreck of the Whale Ship Essex. Finally, we begin to understand the crucial role these many and varied cetaceans play in our seas, as scientists like Roger Payne discover the intelligent songs of humpback whales for the first time and the curiosity of a Mexican fisherman in San Ignacio Lagoon leads to a realization of the gentle nature of gray whales, once hunted almost to extinction in their shallow birthing lagoons. By considering human attempts to portray these gentle giants of the oceans, might we learn to recognize and celebrate the second chance we are being given?

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Navigating Renewable Energy Find Your Way Through Big Ideas From fossil fuels to renewables, the climate crisis NAVIGATING

RENEWABLE ENERGY FIND YOUR WAY THROUGH BIG IDEAS

-----

BRIAN CLEGG

and carbon capture, nuclear fusion and fission, the modern landscape of energy is a topical, sometimes controversial, and ever-changing place. But how are you expected to navigate this powerful and sometimes perilous world? Navigating Renewable Energy provides the map

234 x 153 mm (9 ¼ x 6 in) 160 pp Flexibound Three colour throughout 50 illustrations 30,000 words 978-1-917226-45-5 £12.99 Publication April 2027

you need to start exploring big ideas about the forces that drive our planet and our future. Provocative questions prompt direct answers by an expert author, each one helping you chart a path through the technologies, debates, and dilemmas of energy. With ‘one-stop’ graphics signposting a memorable or metaphorical idea for each topic, and ‘route map’ glossaries explaining key terms and their connections, this is your expert guide to understanding the power that fuels modern life, and the choices we must make to sustain it.

About the Author Brian Clegg is a renowned popular science writer who specialises in making aspects of science approachable for a broad readership. He has a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge and a Masters in Operational Research from Lancaster. Some of his published titles include A Brief History of Infinity and Dice World (both longlisted for the Royal Society Prize); and Navigating Artificial Intelligence. Robert Brandt is an illustrator of information graphics, editorial artwork, and technical illustrations, whose art has been commissioned internationally by clients including Unilever, Universal Music, National Geographic, Smithsonian Institute, Hachette, and Ivy Press. 26

What is the greenhouse effect? Earth isn’t a greenhouse – there is no glass trapping hot air (except in buildings). But some gas molecules in the air are good at reflecting infrared radiation back to the planet, acting like an invisible blanket.

The main driver of climate change is the amount of greenhouse gases that are present in the atmosphere. The best known of these is carbon dioxide, largely produced by burning organic matter, but other greenhouse gases include water vapour and methane. Each of these is only a small part of the make-up of the atmosphere, which is around 78 per cent nitrogen, 21 per cent oxygen and 1 per cent argon. But carbon dioxide’s 0.04 per cent, along with smaller amounts of methane and a variable amount of water vapour, is enough to cause serious problems. The greenhouse effect is the result of these gases in the atmosphere acting a bit like a one-way mirror. When light comes in from the Sun it largely passes by the greenhouse gas molecules unaffected. Some will be immediately reflected back by the brighter parts of Earth and may escape entirely. But where the light hits darker objects, it will be absorbed, with its energy converted to heat. Anything that is warm emits an invisible form of light – infrared radiation. This heads

back towards space from the warmed objects. But when the radiation travels through the atmosphere, because it carries lower energy than the incoming light, it has less chance of powering through and is more likely to be absorbed by greenhouse gas molecules. This puts the gas molecules into an unstable state: before long they give off infrared radiation again. But this does not happen in just the direction in which the radiation was initially heading – it also radiates back towards Earth. The greenhouse effect lets sunlight come in but prevents some of the infrared getting back out, resulting in extra warming of the planet. In itself, the greenhouse effect is a good thing. It is when greenhouse gas levels were too low in the past that ice ages occurred. If we didn’t have any greenhouse gases at all, the average temperature on Earth would be around -18°C, which would be catastrophic for life. Now, though, we have more than enough of a greenhouse effect and don’t want any more.

An actual greenhouse operates slightly differently to the greenhouse effect, but there are similarities. Sunlight comes in through the glass and warms up the contents of the greenhouse. The materials and air in the greenhouse give off infrared radiation, but this is mostly reflected back by the glass. Where it differs from the greenhouse effect is that warm air can’t escape, increasing the warming.

THE CLIMATE NECESSITY

Why are a few degrees a problem? If you live in a temperate climate, 2 or 3 extra degrees sounds distinctly attractive. But this is the danger of confusing weather with climate. Just a 2-degree increase in average temperature will result in many more sweltering days, and a host of other problems.

In 2021, at the COP26 Climate Conference, a target was set of keeping the increase in temperature from pre-industrial times under 1.5°C. With a deadline of 2030, that target is unlikely to be met. Let’s assume we manage to keep the rise down to 2 degrees. That hardly sounds noticeable. But this is an average – the impact can be far greater. For example, with that 2-degree uplift, in the UK or New York, temperature rises will be between 4 and 7 degrees, while the number of days that go over 32°C will double or triple. As temperatures rise, extreme heatwaves become common. Wildfires get increasingly out of control. And food shortages accompanying droughts are likely; when rain does come it will cause flash floods. Even at current temperature levels all these events are increasing. Important as the temperature rises themselves are, there are other implications of ‘a few degrees of warming’. As temperatures rise, so do sea levels. Initially this is because water expands as it gets hotter. But there

THE GREENHOUSE COMPARISON

THE CLIMATE NECESSITY

are likely to be tipping points where large amounts of ice currently on land – for instance, in Antarctica and Greenland – are deposited in the sea. If Greenland alone lost all its ice, sea levels would be about 7 metres higher than they currently are. Many coastal cities would be swamped by such a rise. And some countries have large areas of low-lying land near the sea. An estimated quarter of a billion people live within 1 metre of high tide – take it up to 2 metres and up to half a billion could be displaced. In the UK, a 2.5-metre sea-level rise would make Cambridge a seaside town, while in Bangladesh, around a quarter of the entire area of the country would be lost. Bear in mind, too, that average sealevel rises, like average temperatures, don’t tell the real story on the ground. Sea-level rise becomes particularly threatening during storm surges, when strong winds can drive seawater much higher. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina’s 9-metre storm surge covered 80 per cent of New Orleans, killing 1,800 people. And things are getting worse.

THE THREAT TO NYC Few coastal cities are as famous as New York. But its position puts it at risk of inundation due to sealevel rise. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy produced a New York storm tide of

over 4 metres, flooding 17 per cent of the city. With a rise of less than 1 metre, the city would face daily flooding in low-lying areas – and seas could be far higher.

Navigating Economics Find Your Way Through Big Ideas Navigating Economics is a thrilling journey through the wonders of economics—from the mysteries of market behaviour and game theory to the power of economic modelling and the hidden forces that shape our world. Whether you’re analysing real-life policies or exploring the complexities of global trade and digital economies, modern economics is a fascinating realm brimming with transformative ideas. But how do you find your way through this 234 x 153 mm (9 ¼ x 6 in) 160 pp Flexibound Three colour throughout 50 illustrations 30,000 words 978-1-917226-28-8 £12.99 Publication April 2027

intricate and often puzzling landscape? Navigating Economics provides the map you need to start exploring seriously big ideas. A wealth of provocative questions prompt readable, informative answers written by experts in the field. Each topic is accompanied by witty graphics, making it easy to understand and remember. All together, it’s the perfect starting point for your journey into a vital subject.

About the Author and Illustrator Tejvan Pettinger is an economist who studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford. He has written several books including Cracking Economics, What Would Keynes Do? and Economics Without the Boring Bits. He currently manages the website economicshelp.org and writes regularly on economics for publications including the Economic Review. Robert Brandt is an illustrator of information graphics, editorial artwork, and technical illustrations, whose art has been commissioned internationally by clients including Unilever, Universal Music, National Geographic, Smithsonian Institute, Hachette, Ammonite Press, and Ivy Press.

What is the cost of free parking? Free parking is a magnet for increased car use, which comes with a detrimental price tag for the planet’s health. As any good economist will tell you, there is no such thing as ‘free’.

In 2019, 97 per cent of all parking in the United States was free, an extortionate subsidy that eases expenses for drivers and causes travel choices to be completely skewed. You could argue that transport suffers from the ‘tragedy of the commons’ – the overuse of what is free to everyone (think also, over-fishing). Obvious costs of free parking involve air pollution, higher oil and gas consumption, as well as traffic congestion and sprawl. All of this simply creates an excess of driving and harmful breathing conditions for local residents, along with all the resulting costs of restoration and compensation – buildings needing cleaning, dealing with respiratory health issues and carbon offsetting. Plus, more car parks mean reduced public space, which can also harm the health and wellbeing of local residents. Electric vehicles may eliminate this, but mass adoption is decades away.

Parking charges create political pressures. Pay and display car parks for hospitals are contentious in the UK, as are train and bus station charges. Sweden offers free parking underneath their main train stations, yet this is reserved for bicycles, not cars. Perhaps a way to mitigate such costs and create better outcomes for cities are schemes such as the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone and Congestion Charge of London, pay and display in Germany, the electronic road pricing system in Singapore, and the even/odd number plate system that bans certain cars from entering the city of Paris on certain days of the week – all of which aim to reduce the number of cars on the road. The use of the price mechanism disincentives parking, and therefore driving, and creates a modal shift onto public transport. Paid parking also increases the ability for local residents to park outside their homes, notwithstanding the fiscal revenue it generates, which can fund more sustainable transport schemes.

EXTERNAL COSTS OF DRIVING There is no such thing as a ‘ free’ parking space. The external costs of our actions must also be taken into account, and so we should consider the environmental and social costs of

driving, including carbon emissions, congestion, air pollution and urban sprawl. So, as much as we all love a bit of free parking, the hidden costs mean it isn’t really in our best interests.

POLLUTION

CONGESTION

URBAN SPRAWL

MARKET FAILURE

Is it good to be elastic? If firms raise prices, they want you to stretch to pay the increase, like an elastic band. Keep paying and don’t complain: that’s the route to high profit.

If the price of your usual shampoo increased by 10 per cent, what would you do? Probably switch to another, cheaper type of shampoo, right? If demand falls a lot in response to a price rise, it means demand is ‘price elastic’. This is not good for firms, as it means it is hard to increase prices, which leads to stagnating profits. However, suppose a firm advertises to create the impression that their shampoo stands head and shoulders above all other shampoo brands. With brand loyalty, our demand becomes less elastic – less sensitive to price changes. So, if the firm then increases their prices by 10 per cent, demand would only fall a small amount, by 2 per cent, say. In that case, the firm’s larger profits mean it can justify the advertising spending. Procter & Gamble spend $8 billion a year on global advertising because it pays them back in

20 MARKETS

more consumer loyalty. Advertising does not improve the quality of the product; it just means we are willing to pay higher prices because our demand is less elastic. As well as creating brand loyalty, a firm may try other ways to reduce elasticity – by buying its main rival, for example, they can reduce the competition and the number of alternatives on offer. Suppose the price of all alcohol rose by 10 per cent. In reality, it would reduce demand only a small percentage. Alcohol is price inelastic, because there are no real substitutes (at least of the legal variety). This is excellent news for a government that wants to raise tax revenues. Taxes on alcohol raise billions, because firms pass the tax rise on to consumers, and we keep buying the alcohol. It is the same with petrol and cigarettes – our demand is inelastic, so higher prices do not significantly reduce demand.

DESIGN-LED INELASTICITY Firms want to differentiate their product, create brand loyalty and have customers willing to pay their higher prices. Just look at the success of Apple, many of whose customers get excited about new models despite the ever-increasing price tags.

ess.co.uk

The new Navigating series provides a road map to help the general reader arrive at an understanding of complex scientific and philosophical theories while enjoying different aspects of the journey. Each topic is heralded by an attention-grabbing question and explained via three routes: the direct short cut, the longer deviation and the visual graphic. The graphic visualisation of key concepts

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

234 x 153 mm (9 ¼ x 6 in) 160 pp Flexibound Three colour throughout 50 illustrations 30,000 words

BRIAN CLEGG

-07-3 UK £12.99

Find Your Way Through Big Ideas

NAVIGATING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

f ns

Navigating series

NAVIGATING

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FIND YOUR WAY THROUGH BIG IDEAS

-----

BRIAN CLEGG 1

25/11/2024 23:33

makes them easily accessible: each chapter is introduced by a glossary of terms in the form of a route map to set the reader on the right path to finding individual topics of interest to which they can return time and again.

Naming Nature A Cabinet of Natural Curiosities for Word Lovers Every language has its own words for the “endless forms of beauty” that make up our natural world. Human ways of seeing nature have flowered into words loaded with hidden meanings, twisted roots, and magical resonance. Take elephants, for instance. African languages often focus on the power of the animal; Tswana and Tsonga refer to “the unstoppable one”, and Zulu to the “one crashing through”. In ancient European languages, however, elephants were seen as commodities. When Homer and Hesiod spoke of eléphâs in the 7th century 213 x 136 mm (8 1/2 x 5 1/3 in) 256 pp Hardback Full colour throughout Over 100 illustrations 40,000 words 978-1-917226-35-6 £18.99

BCE, they simply used the word for ivory. Naming Nature explores the immense variety of language used to describe the landscapes and creatures with which humans have lived for millennia. From butterflies and hummingbirds to narwhals and leopards, the book celebrates our wondrous natural world through the many different ways we have interpreted it.

About the Author T. A. Barron is a passionate conservationist and New York Times bestselling author. He has won various literary prizes including the Nautilus Award Grand Prize and the de Grummond Medallion, and his popular children’s series The Merlin Saga is currently being adapted into film by Disney. Barron’s lifelong love of the natural world has led him to found various initiatives to encourage environmental awareness, including scholarships in environmental law at Harvard University and a biodiversity research fund. Born in Massachusetts, he studied at Princeton, Oxford, and Harvard before moving to Colorado, where he now lives with his family.

In the Circle of Ancient Trees Our Oldest Trees and the Stories They Tell In the growth rings of every tree are ingrained and encrypted the stories of the tree, its environment, and the climatic changes through which it has lived. The science of dendrochronology, and growing archives of tree-ring samples, allow us to read and decode these timelines with ever greater detail. In the Circle of Ancient Trees narrates the stories of sixteen ancient and iconic trees, considering why they grew where they grew; how they fit into their habitat; and the human and ecological events to which 234 x 156 mm (9 x 6 in) 224 pp Hardback Three colour throughout 40 artworks 60,000 words 978-1-917226-15-8 £25.00

they bore witness. The narratives begin and end with the tree’s relationship to its location and environment, and consider what lessons for the future might be discovered in their past. Adorned with wood engravings, and featuring interviews with ecologists having local knowledge of each tree, In the Circle of Ancient Trees explores how human and environmental history share the same roots, while drilling down into the ecology, persistence, and resilience of each species.

About the Author and Artist Valerie Trouet, a dendroclimatologist, is a professor in the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona. She wrote Tree Story (Johns Hopkins), a broad audience book about tree rings and climate history. Blaze Cyan is a London-based landscape artist and engraver. She is an elected member of the Society of Wood Engravers, Honorary Secretary of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers and treasurer for The Arborealists.

A Brontë Botany Flora in the Classic Novels of the Brontë Sisters The celebrated novels of the Brontë sisters are well known for their Gothic settings and wild landscapes filled with literary symbolism. Attention to the natural world was part of the Brontë milieu. From the wild heather of the Yorkshire moors to the cultivated roses of manor house gardens, the flora pervading each novel reflect the rebellion, romance and resilience in the Brontës’ literary landscapes and lives. In A Brontë Botany, explore the vivid and symbolic 234 x 156mm (9 x 6 in) 224 pp Hardback Four colour throughout 60 images 25,000 words 978-1-917226-49-3 £18.99

world of plants through the pages of classic novels such as Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. This beautifully researched volume uncovers how Charlotte, Emily and Anne wove the natural world into their storytelling – not just as picturesque scenery, but as living, breathing symbols of emotion, character and fate.

About the Author and Illustrator Amy M. King is Professor of English at St John’s University. She specialises in Victorian literature and has published widely in the field of the nineteenth-century novel, including the acclaimed Bloom: The Botanical Vernacular in the English Novel and The Divine in the Commonplace. She is a contributor to The Cambridge Companion to George Eliot and The Oxford Companion to Victorian Literary Culture, and has written essays for journals such as Victorian Studies, NOVEL, Victorian Review, Common Knowledge, and BRANCH. Tugce Okay is a natural history illustrator who works primarily with watercolours. Her work has appeared in many books and magazines.

CHA PTE R 1

JANE EYRE Charlotte Brontë

ane Eyre: An Autobiography (1847) opens on a rainy, wintry day, with the heroine reading a book of natural history in a window seat as the cold rain beats against the window panes of glass. A bildungsroman, or comingof-age story, the novel follows Jane’s life from orphaned girl to charity-school student, to governess, family member and heiress, and ultimately wife: a journey from difficult childhood to maturation into an independent young woman. Jane’s personal and religious values are tested as she faces the unexpected trial of falling in love with her employer, Mr. Rochester of Thornfield Hall, whose position is compromised by a prior marriage. A fictional autobiography, our narrator is the adult Jane, who situates her life story and internal struggles in relation to the social constraints of being a woman in Victorian England. 1

The Illustrated Meditations Life Lessons from Marcus Aurelius The twelve books of Meditations were written over 2,000 years ago by the Roman emperor and philosopher, Marcus Aurelius, as a personal diary of notes, nudges, and mental exercises to help him live a good life. Yet, with their gentle instructions on living stoically, in harmony with nature and in pursuit of the “common good,” they seem the perfect fit for managing the modern malaise. Little wonder that legions of text-only translations are dominating the bestseller lists. 195 x 135 mm (7 7/10 x 5 3/10 in) 192 pp Hardback Four colour throughout 74 images 20,000 words 978-1-917226-05-9 £14.99

The Illustrated Meditations takes all that is admirable about Aurelius, and elevates it. A curated selection of his most significant life lessons are arranged thematically in chapters, and carefully edited to make them mindful of today’s readers. Introductions explain their history and philosophy, and a commentary is provided by a modern philosopher. Most significantly, a selection of 50 meditations are beautifully illuminated with thoughtful and witty commissioned artworks to bring them to life.

About the Authors and Illustrator Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121–180 CE) was a Roman emperor and general who ruled over the Empire for two decades. He was a Stoic philosopher who wrote his Meditations in Greek for his personal instruction, drawing on the work of Epictetus. James Romm is Professor of Classics at Bard College in Annandale, New York, and the author of several books on the ancient world and his reviews and essays appear regularly in the Wall Street Journal and the London Review of Books. Joanna Lisowiec is an award-winning illustrator and designer. She is known for her bold style of illustration, which often focuses on the beauty of nature and narratives inspired by folklore, and her clients include Penguin Random House, Faber & Faber, and Pavilion. 37

Homer's Odyssey An Illustrated Retelling Homer’s Odyssey is one of the world’s oldest and most famous works of literature. It has enthralled readers for almost three thousand years with its tales of gods and monsters, warriors and witches, family, faith, and the universal longing for home. This stunning new edition of Homer’s epic features a brand new retelling by celebrated classicist Barry Powell, who has studied, written about, and lectured on Homer for over three decades. Barry’s 230 x 180mm (9 x 7 in) 256 pp Hardback Full colour throughout 60,000 words Over 60 illustrations 978-1-917226-39-4 £21.99

retelling is accompanied by sixty newly commissioned artworks, bringing the iconic scenes and characters to life, from the brutish Polyphemus, to the monstrous Scylla and Charybdis, mysterious Circe, faithful Penelope, and Odysseus himself.

About the Author and Illustrator Barry B. Powell is the Halls-Bascom Professor of Classics Emeritus at the University of WisconsinMadison, where he taught for 34 years. He has translated the Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Aeneid for Oxford University Press. He has also written short fiction (The House of Odysseus and Other Short Fictions), novels (Ramses in Nighttown, A Land of Slaves, The Berkeley Plan, Return to California), poetry (Rooms Containing Falcons), and a screenplay (Helen of Troy). Joanna Lisowiec is an award-winning illustrator and designer. She is known for her bold style of illustration, which often focuses on the beauty of nature and narratives inspired by folklore, and her clients include Penguin Random House, Faber & Faber, and Pavilion.

Atlas of the Roman Empire Battles, Conquests, Legions and Rulers At its peak, the Roman Empire stretched from the borders of Scotland to the shores of the Persian Gulf, and boasted a population of over 100 million people. Its mercurial emperors and generals include some of the most famous – and notorious – figures in history, from Julius Caesar to Marcus Aurelius, Commodus, Caligula and Nero. The Atlas of the Roman Empire maps the rise and fall of Rome in stunning detail, with hand-drawn maps 264 x 206 mm (10 1/2 x 8 in) 320 pp Hardback Full colour throughout 70,000 words Over 125 images 978-1-917226-19-6 £36.99

showing the ebb and flow of conquest and resistance across continents, regions and individual battlefields. Stunning photography of classical art and statues brings key figures of the era to life. Renowned classicist David Potter provides a thrilling narrative, covering not only the grand politics of empire, but also the personal rivalries, conspiracies and scandals of Roman imperial life.

About the Author David Potter is Francis W. Kelsey Collegiate Professor of Greek and Roman History and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor in the Department of Classical Studies at the University of Michigan, where he has taught for more than 25 years. He is the author of more than 10 books on Roman history and appears regularly on the History Channel.

The Endurance Photographs A Definitive Visual Record of Shackleton’s Expedition The 1915 wreck of the Endurance, and the rescue of her crew after more than two years stranded on the Antarctic ice, is one of the great survival stories of our time. Every step of the journey was recorded in vivid detail by the expedition's photographer, Frank Hurley. The Endurance Photographs showcases fifty of 345 x 270mm (13 1/2 x 10 1/2 in) 128 pp Hardback with jacket Four colour throughout 50 full-page showcase photographs Catalogue of over 150 thumbnails 8,500 words 978-1-917226-23-3 £35.00

Hurley’s iconic images of the voyage, digitally scanned from negatives rescued from the ice. Created by the Royal Geographical Society, the new scans uncover never-before-seen details, revealing the beauty and hostility of the Antarctic landscape, and the resilience of the men who explored it. Fifty showcase images are accompanied by a catalogue of Hurley’s surviving photographs from the expedition. Additional context comes from a portfolio of essays by leading experts, exploring the significance of the voyage, Hurley’s artistry as a photographer and the remarkable 2022 discovery of the wreck of Endurance herself.

About the Authors Professor Dame Jane Francis is President of the RGS and Director of the British Antarctic Survey. Alexandra Shackleton is Ernest Shackleton’s granddaughter and president of the James Caird Society. Eugene Rae is the Principal Librarian of the Royal Geographical Society. Dr Jean de Pomereau is a renowned expert on the visual culture of Antarctica. Shane Murphy is a leading expert in Frank Hurley’s photographic archive. Frans Lanting is a multi-award-winning photographer. Mensun Bound is a maritime archaeologist, and director of the expedition that located the wreck of the Endurance.

THE

HEALING HERBAL

The Healing Herbal Ancient and Modern Medicinal Plants Interest in traditional herbal remedies has never been greater, and as we all battle with the challenges of the hectic and technological modern world, escape can often be found in medicines from ancient and gentler times. The Healing Herbal is a beautiful work of reference

A ncient and Modern Medicinal Plants C AT H E R I N E W H I T L O C K

featuring 100 plants and their influence on medicine through the ages, from ancient civilization to the present day. Authoritative and engaging text includes the very latest research on both traditional and more

209 x 162 mm (8 1/4 x 6 1/2 in) 224 pp Hardback Four colour throughout 200 illustrations 60,000 words

recently discovered herbal remedies. Cross-reference features identify a medical condition or ailment and the corresponding plant that may help provide an essential contribution to treatment. Each entry features botanical artwork of flora, leaves and seeds that form the basis of pharmaceutical drugs, from Adonis vernalis to Vinca minor.

978-1-917226-03-5 £17.99

About the Author Dr. Catherine Whitlock is a science writer with a BSc in Biological Sciences, a PhD in Immunology, and a Diploma in Science Communication. Catherine writes on science, medicine, and nature and is based in Kent, England. Her previous books include Meet Your Bacteria (Cassell) and Ten Women Who Changed Science and the World (Little Brown).

Forty Ways to Know a Tree Meeting Trees to Understand Nature Trees are the living, breathing monitors and maintainers of Earth’s health. There are an estimated 3 trillion in the world, half as many as there once were. Trees are the lungs of the planet, with a mature example absorbing over 20 kg of carbon dioxide every year. Their growthrings chronicle drought, fire, and flood. Their roots form an underground ecosystem with mycorrhizal networks of fungi. Their trunks, branches, and canopies provide shelter and sustenance to an abundance of mammals, birds and invertebrates. Their very presence bestows 215 x 148 mm (8 1/2 x 5 3/4 in) 192 pp Hardback Four colour throughout 90 images 35,000 words 978-1-917226-17-2 £17.99

upon humans a sense of wellbeing. Forty Ways to Know a Tree offers 40 distinct ways of encountering, exploring and knowing a tree. You might know it at its birth or by its breathing; by its roots or its rings; by its shade or even by its song. Each meeting is illustrated with artwork of a particular species, to convey a broad canvas of tree knowledge. With elegant writing turning tree science into storytelling, and beautiful photographs and watercolour art, this is the perfect gift for tree lovers.

About the Author Joan Maloof is Professor Emeritus of Biology at Salisbury University, Maryland, and founder of the Old-Growth Forest Network, which is working to create a national network of protected old-growth woodlands. Her work has been featured in The New York Times and The Washington Post and she is the recipient of prizes including the 2014 Mary Byrd Davis Award. She is the author of a number of published titles, including Treepedia, Nature’s Temples (both Princeton University Press), and The Living Forest (Workman).

Forty Ways to Know a Star Using Stars to Understand Astronomy Understanding the birth, life, and death of stars is key to a knowledge of astronomy. Stars are the building blocks of galaxies, and the age, location, and composition of stars explain the evolution and dynamics of the galaxy they exist within. Astoundingly, there are 4,000 million stars in our galaxy and there are 2 million, million galaxies in our visible universe. Stars are simply luminous spheres of plasma held together by gravity, but there are many kinds and many remarkable examples. Specifications 215 x 148 mm (8 1/2 x 5 3/4 in) 192 pp Hardback Four colour throughout 75 illustrations 45,000 words 978-1-917226-01-1 £17.99

Forty Ways to Know a Star offers distinct, factual approaches to explaining what a star is, each one illustrated with a bespoke graphic. Elegant writing, supported by beautiful photographic imagery of the heavens, makes the sometimes complex physics accessible.

About the Author Jillian Scudder is an astrophysicist and Assistant Professor of Physics at Oberlin College, Ohio. She has been writing about astronomy for a general audience since 2013, and her work has been published in Forbes, Quartz, Medium, and The Conversation. Her published books include Astroquizzical (MIT Press, 2022) and The Milky Way Smells of Rum and Raspberries (Icon Books, 2022).

Dinosaurus A Prehistoric Dictionary A fresh approach to discovering life in the prehistoric world! Packed with more than 200 terms and phrases that are all beautifully illustrated or annotated in a contemporary style that allows some personality and detail to shine through. Dinosaurus explores the science and cultures, together with the crafts, tools, and geological periods that span millions of years. Detailed anatomy of dinosaurs are included along with pronunciation guides for all the terms, to allow the reader to sound like a 215 x 150 mm (8 1/2 x 6 in) 192 pp Hardback Four colour throughout 100 illustrations 35,000 words 978-1-917226-13-4 £14.99

paleontological professional.

About the Author Rhys Charles is a paleontologist and science communicator. As head of the Bristol Dinosaur Project, he works with researchers, schools, and community groups to make the field accessible for thousands of people across the UK. He has published popular science books with the Natural History Museum and National Geographic. He has also acted as lead paleontological consultant for large-scale events at UK tourist attractions, involving full-sized animatronic and LEGO dinosaurs.

ARGENTINOSAURUS

BARYONYX

AR-GEN-TI-NO-SAW-RUS

BA-REE-O-NYX

FIRST DISCOVERED: 1987 R ANGE: ARGENTINA

FIRST DISCOVERED: 1983 R ANGE: UK AND WESTERN EUROPE

Declaring definitively which dinosaur was the largest ever to have existed is naturally a difficult and controversial process, but one of the names that consistently appears in the running, weighing in at around 94,500 kg (93 tons), is undoubtedly Argentinosaurus.

One of the largest theropods found in Britain, the initial discovery of a single huge curved claw caused a sensation when it was unveiled in 1986. Over 30 cm (1 ft) long, the purpose of this terrifying weapon was revealed when the skull material was found.

he distinctly crocodile-like face

seen in some of its relatives.

lacked the musculature for complex

but certainly nothing like the full sails

of Baryonyx gives its family and

length, and estimates of total body

feeding choices away. Baryonyx was a

In 2021, the announcement of two

size range all the way to 35 m (115

chewing, and instead they relied on

spinosaur, and lived largely off a diet of

more potential spinosaurs from the Isle

feet). If correct, this would make

their huge guts to break down and

fish, using that heavy claw to hook prey

of Wight suggested that Baryonyx didn’t

Argentinosaurus potentially the larg-

extract the maximum energy from their

out of the waterways. In one specimen,

have the waterways of what is now Northern Europe all to itself.

single femur from this giant can measure 2.5 m (8.2 feet) in

1980s and assigned to a group fittingly called the titanosaurs. Their small heads

est animal to have ever walked the

plant food, allowing them to grow to an

the bones of a juvenile iguanodontid

planet. However, with so much of this

epic scale. Their long necks also allowed

dinosaur were found within the rib cage

based on fragmentary fossil evidence,

for efficient banquet feeding, essentially

of the Baryonyx. Up to 10 m (33 feet)

we can’t be certain of accuracy.

consuming as much food as possible

from nose to tail and armed with those

while standing in one place.

formidable weapons, there’s no reason

Fossils of this Cretaceous giant were first uncovered in Argentina in the

to say that other dinosaurs wouldn’t occasionally have featured on the menu of this early Cretaceous hunter. There is some evidence that Baryonyx had a heightened ridge along its back,

22 DINOSAURUS

DINOSAURS 23

Fungi Decoded Encounters with Thirty Fungi We are in something of a “fungal awakening.” Fungi are capturing our imaginations like never before, and when we think of fungi, we most commonly think of mushrooms, which include such miraculous manifestations as puffballs, jellies, and corals. Fungi Decoded is a visual celebration of these diverse and astonishing forms. With an instantly engaging code-wheel set into the cover, it leads the reader through various pertinent yet playful themes, 210 x 147 mm (8 1/3 x 5 3/4 in) 192 pp Paperback with flaps Four colour throughout 50 images 30,000 words Features a spinning wheel built into the cover

delving deep into the quirky workings of these enigmatic organisms. Taking a new spin on the planet’s most fascinating and least understood world of living things, Fungi Decoded is the perfect gift for both new fungus fans and seasoned mycophiles.

About the Author Britt Bunyard is founder and editor-in-chief of FUNGI

978-1-917226-21-9 £14.99

Magazine. His work has been featured in The Atlantic, Vogue, The Washington Post, Forbes, and many other leading media. He has written several books, including The Beginner’s Guide to Mushrooms, The Little Book of Fungi, and The Lives of Fungi. He holds a PhD in Plant Pathology and Mycology from Penn State University.

opposite BIZARRE FORMS: Although quite different from us, fungi are more like animals than any other life form. Ernst Haeckel depicted them in weird and wonderful detail. right FUNGI FAMILY: Fungi were long thought to be nonphotosynthetic plants. Mycologists have named more than 100,000 species.

Fungi grow in a wide variety of habitats, and most, if not all, have an important role in the environment. Many species are specific about their food source and will be found near certain kinds of trees. Some prefer dry areas such as deserts or beaches. Many fungi are important as decomposing organisms, aiding in the breakdown of wood, leaves and other organic debris in woodlands, grasslands and even urban settings where woody mulch is used. This results in the recycling of essential nutrients. If you are fascinated by fungi but perplexed by their myriad forms and colours, this book is for you. With careful observations of shapes, colours, odours and so on, along with noting the habitat in which they are found, it is possible to get to know and better understand them.

INTRODUCING FUNGI

INTRODUCTION

The Shell Seeker W

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appreciate the natural beauty they embody. From the

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adults to children exploring rockpools, everyone can vast Australian trumpet shell to the exquisitely tiny Ammonicera minortalis, with colours ranging from dazzling blue to palest pink, shells are among the most beautiful and varied objects in our natural world. The Shell Seeker is a unique way of discovering these enticing forms. With an entrancing volvelle

210 x 147 mm (8 1/3 x 5 3/4 in) 192 pp Paperback with flaps Four colour throughout 100 images 30,000 words Features a spinning wheel built into the cover 978-1-917226-37-0 £14.99

set into the cover, the book introduces a wonderful selection of shells from all seven continents. Juli Berwald reveals the remarkable and sometimes surprising features of shells, including bioluminescence, camouflage, gigantism and more. Taking a new spin on this perennially popular subject, The Shell Seeker is the perfect gift for beachcombers and seasoned conchologists alike.

About the Author Juli Berwald is a celebrated ocean scientist and author based in Austin, Texas. Her 2022 book Life on the Rocks: Building a Future for Coral Reefs was a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize and was named a Book of the Year by The New Yorker, while her memoir Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone received rave reviews from The Guardian, The New Statesman and The New York Times. Juli is a regular contributor to National Geographic, Time Magazine and The New York Times; she also holds a PhD in Ocean Science from the University of Southern California.

CELEBRATING OUR CONNECTION TO THE WORLD AROUND US @riverside.press For sales, please contact: Abrams & Chronicle Books 1st Floor, 22-24 Ely Place London, EC1N 6TE 020 7713 2060 info@abramsandchronicle.co.uk www.abramsandchronicle.co.uk