The New Year brings resolutions, fresh new starts and of course, never-before-read books for your bookshelf. Whether you want to discover your new favourite author, devour a thrilling new crime novel or enjoy a new voice in Young Adult fiction, these are the big debuts of 2016 for your reading list.
Helen Dunmore’s remarkable new novel Exposure will take you on an emotional journey of forbidden love and the deepest betrayal. In light of her new book, the author reflects on the process of reading in an essay that explores how we read not just with our eyes, but with our hearts.
The most famous author you’ve never heard of, Stefan Zweig’s influence has been an inspiration for many, from Ali Smith to Wes Anderson. His one and only novel, Impatience of the Heart, has been newly translated for 2016, and is a story that explores how one moment can change a life forever.
Jane Fallon, author of Strictly Between Us, talks us through her process of taking a blank page and turning it into a fully-fledged novel.
Fiona Barton, author of 2016’s compelling new thriller The Widow, discusses the process of writing that crucial first chapter, and bringing Jean’s voice to life.
In this extract from The Book of Christmas, Jane Struthers demystifies the protagonist of a popular Christmas carol. We sing about him every Christmas in the eponymous carol, which tells us that the ‘good king’ and his page ventured out in the snow on the feast of Stephen (26 December) to take food, wine and […]
Praised for her “polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time”, Svetlana Alexievich won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature, and delivered her Nobel lecture on Monday at the Swedish Academy in Stockholm. You can read the lecture in full here.
With a story as dramatic and tragic as the Gothic novels she wrote, Charlotte Brontë’s life was not only fascinating, it was inspiring. The main force driving her family, Charlotte encouraged her sisters as poets and novelists, stepped in to support the family after her brother’s death, travelled Europe, and using her own experiences, crafted trailblazing female characters. In this extract from Charlotte Brontë: A Life, you can catch a glimpse of the unique life that inspired her stories.
Bright Earth examines the vast spectrum of colours we live with, from the illustrious history of monarchic purple to the 17th century attempts to make and define pink. In this extract, author Philip Ball uncovers the history and chemistry behind the infamously patented International Klein Blue.
Penguin Blog 
Ten Tips for a Zero Waste Home
In an overloaded world of hassle, waste and a lot of ‘stuff’, Bea Johnson decided to make some changes. The ultimate guru to simplified, sustainable living, her book Zero Waste Home shows how a few key moves can strip back the excess and transform your life for the better. Follow her ten top tips and you’ll be wasting less in no time.