Stranger Magic: Charmed States and the Arabian Nights by Marina Warner
'Arabesque' is, these days, a term little used outside ballet. However, in its original meaning it conveyed the idea of an intricate pattern, constantly and exuberantly multiplying in countless new twists and turns, like the interlinked curves on a Middle Eastern carpet. That notion of arabesque – things spreading and connecting gorgeously – is pretty much crucial to both the theory and the design of Marina Warner's fantastical and fantastic new exploration of the rich intercultural history of the Arabian Nights, Stranger Magic. Full review...
Microstyle: The Art of Writing Little by Christopher Johnson
Language changes and evolves all the time, but since the dawn of the internet that change seems to have accelerated. Not only that, the pervasion of the web into nearly every aspect of our daily lives means the written word has more power and relevance than perhaps at any other time in human history. Given its influence over us, it seems only prudent that we should try to understand something of how this new vernacular of the internet works. In Microstyle: The Art of Writing Little naming and verbal branding expert Christopher Johnson seeks to do just that, presenting us with 'a field guide to everyday verbal ingenuity'. Full review...
Monkeys with Typewriters: How to Write Fiction and Unlock the Secret Power of Stories by Scarlett Thomas
I really wasn't expecting a book about how to write fiction to change my TV viewing habits. Alter my reading? Possibly. Improve my writing? Hopefully. But watching Grand Designs in a completely different light? Full review...
Write. by Phil Daoust (editor)
The Guardian newspaper has for some years now been publishing articles and interviews on how to write. Successful authors, agents and publishers have offered pearls of wisdom in the Guardian Masterclasses for genres as wide-ranging as travel writing, picture books and screenplays. Now their wisdom and their insights have been collected together in this slim volume which will intrigue both the readers and the writers among us. Full review...
The Classic Guide to King Arthur (Classic Guides) by Dr Keith Souter
This is a comprehensive guide to the Arthurian legend, with the first half taking readers through the tale from Merlin helping Uther Pendragon to sleep with Gorlois - thus giving birth to King Arthur - right up to the deaths of all of the principal players in the story. The final section gives details of literary sources used for the legend, Arthurian poetry, folklore, the real people who may have inspired the legend, and depictions of King Arthur in popular culture. In between, there's a fairly short but useful guide to 'Who, What, Where and When In Arthur's Realm'. Full review...
Pocket World in Figures 2013 by The Economist
Pocket World in Figures 2013 is the twenty-second edition of the annual bestseller and once again it follows the tried and tested format. It opens with world rankings and is straight into natural facts - the largest this, the longest that and the highest of the other. The facts are largely incontrovertible, mostly unsurprising and they're going to be the same year after year. Populations do change though as do their rate of growth. India looks set to overtake China as the largest population by 2025 but even India doesn't have the fastest growing population - that's Niger, with an average annual growth of 3.52%. By contrast, Russia which currently has the ninth largest population, is declining at 0.1% annually. If you're looking for the place with the densest population (as in people per square kilometre rather than in terms of intelligence!) then that's Macau. Full review...
Hello Kitty Dictionary by Various
The Hello Kitty Dictionary takes a concept that many young students might not find too interesting (me, on the other hand, I love books full of words) and puts a colourful and fun spin on it. Because if you’re having to look up how to spell a word, or what something means, it helps to have pages with lemon and violet and aquamarine borders, dotted with presents and hearts and stars. That’s not to say the dictionary isn’t clear and easy to read because it certainly is: the decorations don’t extend into the centre of the pages, and the entries themselves are bold fuchsia followed by neat black explanations, all neatly formatted on crisp white pages. Full review...
Strictly English: The correct way to write ... and why it matters by Simon Heffer
As a child I was taught English grammar. I began by resenting it but gradually I appreciated the subtlety and nuances of expression that could be achieved by the correct use of language. I loved the fact that I could say something precisely and convey exactly what I meant in a few words. And then I was stunned to find that there was no longer the same emphasis on grammar in schools, that freedom of expression was encouraged without worrying about the form it took – and now I regularly encounter official letters, even books where the English language is subjected to grievous bodily harm. It isn't difficult to get right – it just requires a little knowledge, a logical mind and practice. Full review...