Hergé, otherwise known as Georges Prosper Remi, is one of the best-loved authors in history, yet also one of the most controversial. He created only 24 Tintin books, but The Adventures of Tintin have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 110 languages and are considered to be one of the greatest comic series of all time. Now nearly 40 years after his death, Hergé remains an enigma and a phenomenon. He survived a barrage of scandals, including accusations of racism and anti-Semitism. He was also attacked for appearing to collaborate with the Nazis during WWII. His personal life was no easier. In his later years he would hint at surviving abuse from a relative and would also mention the abuse that was rife within his former Scouting troop. Indeed his original stories do feature racially offensive caricatures, unacceptable by today's standards, but Hergé was a product of a different time. In fact ahead of his time, he introduced Europe to the American style of cartoon strip which incorporated speech bubbles and captured the imagination of millions of children and adults alike. Reluctant to attend book signing sessions in person, he was fiercely loyal to his fans and would write long personal letters in reply, even going so far as to loan money to some of his fans when asked. Privately he battled a debilitating depression and was unhappy with his achievements. Later in life he would say that he hated Tintin, and would have much preferred to have been an artist in the more traditional sense. He had numerous affairs and wanted to leave his marriage, but felt riddled with guilt from his Catholic upbringing and Boy Scout ethos. He was unable to have children and did not want to have a family in any case as they would have disturbed his work too much. Interested in new ideas and people, he loved jazz music and by the 1950s his latest passion was Pop Art. The paranormal always held a fascination for him and in later life he would rely on the opinion of a clairvoyant and even consulted a Jungian psychoanalyst for help when he recorded his most traumatic dreams. This started a lifelong interest in Eastern philosophy, particularly the writings of Tao. The biography looks at the enduring appeal of his phenomenally successful series: 'By believing in his dreams, man turns them into reality' he once said. 172pp for all Captain Haddocks out there. 16 pages of black and white illus.

Born in Genoa in 1937, Renzo Piano while studying architecture at the Polytechnic of Milan, worked with Franco Albini. The projects of his father, who was an architect as well, were a very important source of experience for him. Piano completed his training with trips to Great Britain and the USA between 1965 and 1970. In 1971 he founded a company with Richard Rodgers, his partner on the Georges Pompidou Center project in Paris, and in 1993 on the redesign of the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. The book presents the ten most representative projects undertaken in the last few years by the firm that Piano runs, Renzo Piano Building Workshop. They give rise to warm, luminous spaces catering to the needs of human beings. Piano brings the spirit of the small-scale craftsman to large infrastructures, painstakingly perfecting the details of a precious object. Technology is used in all his projects to tone down light, evaluate the context, and find a means to integrate them into nature. The projects include the Columbus International Exhibition in Genoa marking the 5th centenary of the discovery of America with its huge sail-like top, and there are section plans and a series of colour photographs of its construction. Another is Aurora Place office block and multi-residential building in Sydney's historic centre, close to the emblematic Opera House which demanded a high degree of formal sensitivity in the design process. The project's two buildings are connected by a square covered by a glass roof. One of our favourites is the Niccolo Paganini Auditorium in Parma, Italy built inside an old sugar factory with large glass walls and with acoustic insulation. Another is a striking bubble-shaped building for the G8 summit meeting held in Genoa in 2001 and another the Padre Pio Church in Foggia Italy, a new church capable of accommodating all the worshippers that travel to the spot every year. The entire church is made out of stone - the floors, ceiling and the structural system, made up of arches spanning more than 50 meters. The use of a single material endows the setting with great expressive power. 80 pages, full page colour images throughout, plans and drawings and text in four languages including English.

In the early 1900s, H. G. Wells was a hugely popular writer of mysteries, prophecies and science fiction - the planets and the bottom of the sea, flying and aerial warfare, space travel, Martians, mermaids, angels, creatures on the Moon, distant islands where animals were turned into monstrous men. Enthralled by his stories and accounts of what he imagined, and his forecasting of the future technologically, socially and politically, few of his readers knew that H. G. Wells was a republican, an atheist and a socialist. How did the first 40 years of his life shape the father of science fiction? From his impoverished childhood in a working class English family and a determination to educate himself at any cost to his complicated marriages, love affair with socialism, and the serious ill health that dominated his 20s and 30s, H. G. Wells's extraordinary early life would set him on a path to become one of the world's most influential writers. The sudden success of The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds transformed his life and catapulted him to international fame. He became the writer who most inspired George Orwell, Cyril Connolly and countless others, and predicted men walking on the Moon 70 years before it happened. This remarkable and empathetic biography paints a fascinating portrait of a man driven by curiosity and desiring reform, a socialist and a futurist whose new and imaginative worlds continue to inspire today. By the acclaimed and prize-winning biographer, 254pp, 23 illustrations, some colour. Remainder mark.

Familiar from blockbusting performances such as the mad scientist Boris in the Bond film Goldeneye, Alan Cummings is a versatile and acclaimed performer on both stage and screen. His most celebrated stage role was as the MC in the musical Cabaret, a role he has taken three times, first in Sam Mendes's production with Jane Horrocks as Sally Bowles, then reviving the role a few years later opposite Natasha Richardson, and finally reprising the show on Broadway almost 20 years later. This memoir starts with the breakdown of Cummings's marriage, which happened at about the same time as he confronted a childhood of continuous abuse perpetrated by a violent father. By the end of the book he has accepted his own bisexuality and is about to settle down with his male partner. When his wife suggested his memories of abuse were a way of sidestepping their relationship problems, Cumming could not forgive, and the divorce was painful, but it set him on the path of learning who he truly was. Goldeneye catapulted him to stardom and Cummings's character's catchphrase "I am invincible" is still shouted at him in the street. When Cummings found himself next to Dame Judi Dench in the line-up at the Goldeneye premiere they discussed in whispers whether they were going to bow to Prince Charles. Dench said she had to, as she was already a Dame. Later Cummings noticed Dench chatting to his mother together with Tina Turner and reflected that they were all women of the same age so it made sense. The second Cabaret in 1998 was a career-changing experience as Cummings was feted by Lauren Bacall, Whoopi Goldberg and Jessye Norman, with Liza Minelli herself coming on stage one night. 270pp, softback, photos.

In the words of the Daily Mail, 'a worthy testament to a fine man and a simply marvellous footballer', this is the new edition of the bestselling definitive and authorised biography. Yet another World Cup has come and gone but still Bobby Moore remains the only England captain whose hands have reached out to grasp football's Holy Grail and raise it aloft. Mexico 1970 saw him captain England in an epic duel in the sun against the greatest of Brazil teams, then in a quarter-final thriller, lose to the Germans in extra time. Bobby, the blonde Adonis was, with Franz Beckenbauer, one of the greatest defenders football has ever seen, and each had a deep reading and profound understanding of the game. They pitted wits in 1966 and 1970, becoming close friends. Bobby Moore was the embodiment of all that was great in English football leading England to glory in 1966 and West Ham to victory in several major tournaments. He was loved and respected throughout the world as football's golden boy. His extraordinary story includes exciting accounts of his World Cup triumph to candid memories of his friendships with Beckenbauer, Eusébio and Pelé. The East End war baby with his fresh-faced universal appeal and his upright bearing in defiance of the class system transcended all barriers to become the champion not just of the working class, but of all the people. He had the style, the charm and the intelligence to walk with kings and retained his compassion for others and attachment to his roots. Bobby died 47 days short of his 52nd birthday of bowel cancer, and an acute sense of loss swept the length and breadth of England. Award winning sportswriter Jeff Powell was a close friend and confidante to the Moore family and here has created a powerful and fitting tribute to this great sporting hero. 336pp, paperback, eight pages of photos.

'Memoirs of a Disobedient Civil Servant' caught our eye from this trailblazer you have probably never heard of. It has been a hit memoir about a remarkable life in the corridors of power. Warm, funny and illuminating, it is one woman's journey down the corridors of Whitehall and through a slowly changing society. From the tragic massacre at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games to signing the Treaty of Rome when Britain entered the Common Market, Barbara Hosking was there. This is the story of a Cornish scholarship girl with no contacts who ended up serving two British Prime Ministers. It is also the very personal story of her struggle with her sexuality as a young woman in the 1950s, a time when being gay could mean social ostracism. Between working on a copper mine in the African bush, serving as a Press Officer to Harold Wilson and Edward Heath, and pioneering British breakfast television, Barbara's is a tale of breadth and bravery. At the age of 92 here in her memoir she reflects on her life and gives a compelling account of the innermost workings of politics and the media amid the turbulence of 20th century Britain. She has a keen eye for character, mood and episode, such as living a simple pastoral life amongst a local tribe in a remote corner of Africa with Mary, party conferences, lunches, drinks, press, government departments, Barbara Castle and all the big names in journalism and politics and ITV television and more. 306pp, paperback.

Pierre Boulez was not only a great conductor but a highly respected music theorist. This collection of 16 lectures, published here for the first time, shows the maestro at his intellectual peak, providing valuable material for musical and cultural studies both in the UK and in France. Boulez embodied the 20th century musical avant-garde which he had helped to shape, in particular with his electroacoustic experiments and a return to large-scale form. Michel Foucault, icon of poststructuralism, appointed him as a lecturer with the Collège de France, where he gave these talks. Boulez conceived of the lecture series as a single whole, and would deliver each one from his master-plan, though he subsequently revised them for individual publication. His inaugural address situated his research in the context of predecessors and colleagues. The chromaticisms of Wagner and Gesualdo come from different periods and different thought-worlds, representing the consolidation of a dimension of musical language, while in the present, Webern's works have led to a completely new musical language, with thematicism fundamentally reconceived. In 1959 Boulez wrote to Stockhausen proposing a new musical methodology. His lecture "Automatism and Decision" relates to the intrusion of chance on a composition, covering improvisation and spontaneous reactions, the desirability of "showing the workings" and letting the composition be a work in progress. It is highly significant that the title of the final lecture is "Whole or fragment?". Mahler is denounced for triviality, lack of invention and sourcing his ideas from folklore. The breadth of Boulez's cultural reach is exemplified in his reference to T.S. Eliot's "Tradition and the Individual Talent" which formulates the idea that each work of art necessitates a readjustment of our understanding of everything that precedes it. This is what Boulez means in saying the composer makes sense of memory through new creativity. Endlessly stimulating and a fascinating sidelight on late 20th century cultural theory. 662pp.

A lovely young Australian couple Cameron and Sam Bloom were holidaying with their three little boys in Thailand when Sam leant against a safety fence, riddled with dry rot. The barrier collapsed beneath her and Sam stood poised on the edge for a seemingly infinite slither of time - 'Leaning back over the void at an impossible angle, her slim arms waving wildly, fingers extended as if to find purchase in the air and take flight. And then she was gone. She didn't scream. I never heard her hit the ground.' With frightful head injuries causing constant migraine, her spine was shattered at T6 and T7 and in Cameron's absence, a callous doctor brusquely told Sam that it was obvious she would never walk again. 'My brave wife was devastated.' In the darkest days of her struggle towards some sort of recovery, the pain and depression was constant. Suddenly a new and unexpected member of the family came into their lives - an injured magpie chick abandoned after she fell from her nest in a car park near Grandma's house. She became their little girl, and known as Penguin Bloom. In many ways the penguin saved them and as the little chick grew into a strong and beautiful bird, Sam found she could talk to her and they became inseparable, one always looking after the other. The three little boys fed and petted her and the bird was free to come and go from the house. The story is told with the photographer-author's own beautiful images about a crazy little bird who helped make the family whole again. The number one international bestseller. B/w photos. Paperback, 272pp.

'A beautiful, lyrical story of personal healing that deftly interweaves botanical history and lore, and highlights the importance of urban green spaces in an increasingly disconnected world.' - Kayte Nunn. Interweaving gardening history with memoir, here is nature writing and knowledge of horticulture to inspire readers to get planting and how plants have the power to help us find ourselves. When she suddenly finds herself uprooted, heartbroken, grieving and living out of a suitcase in her late 20s, Alice Vincent begins planting seeds. She nurtures pot plants and vines on windowsills and draining boards, filling her many temporary London homes with greenery. The benefits of sticking your hands in soil and where horticulture fits with the modern urban experience is blended in one enjoyable cocktail of memoir and botanical history. As the months pass and with each unfurling petal and budding leaf, Alice begins to come back to life. The book is a poem to wild hope, strength and tenderness in nature and in ourselves. 350pp, paperback.

You may remember Ron as a young child actor on Happy Days as Richie Cunningham opposite Henry Winkler's the Fonz? You may remember Clint who co-stared with a trained black bear in the US TV series Gentle Ben or playing the bizarre alien Balok in Star Trek? For the first time brothers Ron and Clint Howard tell the story of their childhoods as two of the busiest child actors of the 1960s and 70s. Their mother and father were not typical stage parents - Rance and Jean Howard, farm-belt Oklahomans who bucked family tradition, moved to California to make a go at showbusiness. While pursuing their dreams could prove frustrating at times, they happily adjusted their lives to also become mentors and managers to their sons in a tremendous act of love and sacrifice. The boys grew up frugally in a family that lived determinedly beneath its means, even if 12 year old Ron earned more than pitching legend Sandy Koufax at the time. They were barred from sleeping over at friends' houses to avoid kidnapping. They learned about the birds and the bees from graffiti in TV studio men's cloakrooms. Ron suffered from bullying at school and bridled at his parents' protectiveness. Clint rebelled and spiralled into substance abuse when the jobs stopped coming, but the strength of the Howard family held fast. The boys blossomed anew as they approached adulthood, the former an Academy Award-winning filmmaker and one of his generation's most popular directors. From critically acclaimed dramas A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon, Rush and Apollo 13 to the hit comedies Parenthood and Splash, Ron has created some of Hollywood's most memorable films. He made his directorial debut in 1977 with Grand Theft Auto and also starred in The Music Man. Clint is now a much loved character actor in Seinfeld, Rock & Roll Highschool, Arrested Development, The Water Boy and many horror films. Their lives have brought them into contact with a who's who of Hollywood - George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Richard Dreyfuss, Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Shirley Jones and many others, but Dad and Mom have remained their guiding stars. 24 pages of photos, 393pp.