Over two decades ago we set up Sort of Books to help our friend, the some-time Genesis drummer Chris Stewart, bring his sunlit stories of life on a Spanish mountain farm to print. Ever the optimist, Chris hoped to earn enough money to buy a second-hand tractor for his farm. He got his tractor, as the book spent a year on the Sunday Times Top 10 charts and went on to sell a million and a half copies. His story is a classic. A dreamer and an itinerant sheep shearer, he moves with his wife Ana to a mountain farm in Las Alpujarras, an oddball region in the south of Spain. Misadventures gleefully unfold as Chris discovers that the owner had no intention of leaving. He meets their neighbours, an engaging mix of farmers, shepherds and New Age travellers, and their daughter Chloe is born, linking them irrevocably to their new life. The hero of the piece, however, is the farm itself - a patch of mountain studded with olive, almond and lemon groves, sited on the wrong side of a river, with no access road, water supply or electricity. Could life offer much better than that?

Chris Stewart’s Driving over Lemons told the story of his move to a remote mountain farm in Las Alpujarras – an oddball region of Spain, south of Granada. Funny, insightful and real, the book became an international bestseller. A Parrot in the Pepper Tree, the sequel to Lemons, follows the lives of Chris, Ana and their daughter, Chloe, as they get to grips with a misanthropic parrot who joins their home, Spanish school life, neighbours in love, their amazement at Chris appearing on the bestseller lists… and their shock at discovering that their beloved valley is once more under threat of a dam. A Parrot in the Pepper Tree also looks back on Chris Stewart’s former life – the hard times shearing in midwinter Sweden (and driving across the frozen sea to reach island farms); his first taste of Spain, learning flamenco guitar as a 20-year old; and his illustrious music career, drumming for his school band Genesis (sacked at 17, he never quite became Phil Collins), and then for a circus.

Part autobiography, part travelogue, and wholly a tribute to the unspoilt beauty of southern Spain, Gerald Brenan's South from Granada includes an introduction by Chris Stewart, author of the bestselling Driving Over Lemons, in Penguin Modern Classics. Between 1920 and 1934, Gerald Brenan lived in the remote Spanish village of Yegen and South of Granada depicts his time there, vividly evoking the essence of his rural surroundings and the Spanish way of life before the Civil War. Here he portrays the landscapes, festivals and folk-lore of the Sierra Nevada, the rivalries, romances and courtship rituals, village customs, superstitions and characters. Fascinating details emerge, from cheap brothels to archaeological remains, along with visits from Brenan's friends from the Bloomsbury group - Lytton Strachey and Virginia Woolf among them. Knowledgeable, elegant and sympathetic, this is a rich account of Spain's vanished past. Gerald Brenan (1894-1987) was an English writer who spent much of his life in Spain. He is best known for The Spanish Labyrinth, a work of history on the background to the Spanish Civil War and for South From Granada: Seven Years in an Andalusian Village. He was awarded a CBE in 1982, and was much honoured in Spain

The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society finds Chris and his family still living on their farm, El Valero, and with its easy ‘Sun-Lit’ charm and funny, evocative anecdotes, it will draw in new and old readers alike. You will find yourself laughing out loud as Chris is instructed by his daughter on local teenage mores; bluffs his way in art history to millionaire Bostonians; is rescued off a snowy peak by the Guardia Civil; and joins an Almond Blossom Appreciation Society. You’ll cringe with Chris as he stries his hand at office work in an immigrants’ advice centre in Granada, spurred into action by the arrival of four destitute young Moroccans at El Valero. And you’ll never see olive oil in quite the same way again… In this sequel to ‘Lemons’ and ‘Parrot’, Chris Stewart’s optimism and zest for life is as infectious as ever.

When a squadron of RAF Hurricanes shoots down an unidentified aircraft over Turelhampton, the village is immediately evacuated. But why is the village still guarded by troops in 2001[unk] When a television documentary crew break through the cordon looking for a story, they find they've recorded more than they'd bargained for. Caught up in both a deadly conspiracy and a historical mystery, retired Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart calls upon his old friend the Doctor. Half-glimpsed demons watch from the shadows as the Doctor and the Brigadier travel back in time to discover the last, and deadliest, secret of the Second World War. This is an adventure set partly in the Second Wold War, featuring the Sixth Doctor as played by Colin Baker and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

Arlington Park is an ordinary English suburb. Over the course of a single day, the novel moves from one household to another, revealing its characters: Juliet, enraged at the victory of men over women in family life; Amanda, warding off thoughts of death with obsessive housework; Solly, about to give birth to her fourth child; Maisie, struggling to accept provincial life; and Christine, the optimist and host of a dinner party where the neighbours come together.

Ask a foodie about the Amalfi Coast and lemons immediately spring to mind. The sweet, aromatic, large and thick-skinned Sfusato Amalfitano is the extraordinary and delectable citrus fruit which Gennaro Contaldo grew up with. Lemons were and still are a part of daily life for locals of the Amalfi Coast, and, when Gennaro came to the UK over 40 years ago he continued this tradition. From a sliver of zest in his morning espresso to helping with minor ailments and even household chores, lemons have a wealth of uses. No part of the lemon is wasted – flesh, pith and skin are chopped into salads, juice is drizzled over meat, fish and veggies, while the aromatic zest adds a complexity to a dish's flavour. Even the leaves are used to wrap meat, fish and cheese for extra flavour, or finely chopped and made into a tea infusion. Lemons can cleanse, refresh, preserve, ‘cook’ and add a vibrant flavour to dishes as giving colour and an uplifting aroma. From Ravioli with Ricotta, Lemon and Mint, and Sicilian Chicken Involtini, to Lemon Biscuits, and Coffee and Lemon Semi-freddo, this is not only a beautiful and inspiring homage to the most revered of fruit but Gennaro's most inspirational book to date. Chapters are: Introduction – including The Amalfi Lemon and Lemons in the Kitchen; Small Plates; Vegetables; Fish; Meat; Desserts; Drinks & Preserves; Sauces & Dressings.

In 2001, after over a decade in the business, Stewart Lee quit stand-up, disillusioned and drained, and went off to direct a loss-making musical, Jerry Springer: The Opera. Nine years later, How I Escaped My Certain Fate details his return to live performance, and the journey that took him from an early retirement to his position as the most critically acclaimed stand-up in Britain, the winner of BAFTAs and British Comedy Awards, and the affirmation of being rated the 41st best stand up ever.

In 2001, after over a decade in the business, Stewart Lee quit stand-up, disillusioned and drained, and went off to direct a loss-making musical, Jerry Springer: The Opera. Nine years later, How I Escaped My Certain Fate details his return to live performance, and the journey that took him from an early retirement to his position as the most critically acclaimed stand-up in Britain, the winner of BAFTAs and British Comedy Awards, and the affirmation of being rated the 41st best stand up ever.

In 2001, after over a decade in the business, Stewart Lee quit stand-up, disillusioned and drained, and went off to direct a loss-making musical, Jerry Springer: The Opera. Nine years later, How I Escaped My Certain Fate details his return to live performance, and the journey that took him from an early retirement to his position as the most critically acclaimed stand-up in Britain, the winner of BAFTAs and British Comedy Awards, and the affirmation of being rated the 41st best stand up ever.

Stories of the First World War from the bestselling Terry Deary, author of the hugely successful Horrible Histories. France 1917 - the war in the air. An air observer is shot down behind enemy lines and meets the German flying ace, the famous Red Baron. Photographer Alfred Adams was born 1 June 1896 and became an observer in WW1, taking pictures over enemy lines. He was shot down by the famous 'Red Baron' Manfred von Richthofen over France along with his pilot Donald Stewart on 5 April 1917. They landed across enemy lines and both survived as prisoners of war. The tale tells how Alfred ended up spending his 21st birthday in a German prisoner of war camp, where he was visited by the Red Baron himself. The master historical storyteller gives readers aged 7+ a fascinating look at the First World War in the air, from both sides.

Elephants driving diggers? Gorillas on scooters? A shark in the bath? A kangaroo... on the loo? Join in with the fun as an array of improbable creatures try to be helpful (with hilarious consequences) in this laugh-out-loud picture book. The brilliant follow-up to the bestselling You Can't Take an Elephant on the Bus. Don't let an elephant drive a digger Diggers are big - but elephants bigger. No, if you want to move earth or dig holes, best not let an elephant near the controls.

With an introduction by David Mitchell Isserley spends most of her time driving. But why is she so interested in picking up hitchhikers? And why are they always male, well-built and alone? An utterly unpredictable and macabre mystery, Under the Skin is a genre-defying masterpiece.

Back on the earth after three spaceflights, Chris Hadfield's captivating memoir An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth reveals extraordinary stories from his life as an astronaut, and shows how to make the impossible a reality. This edition contains a new afterword. Colonel Chris Hadfield has spent decades training as an astronaut and has logged nearly 4,000 hours in space. During this time he has broken into a Space Station with a Swiss army knife, disposed of a live snake while piloting a plane, been temporarily blinded while clinging to the exterior of an orbiting spacecraft, and become a YouTube sensation with his performance of David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' in space. The secret to Chris Hadfield's success - and survival - is an unconventional philosophy he learned at NASA: prepare for the worst - and enjoy every moment of it. In his book, An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, Chris Hadfield takes readers deep into his years of training and space exploration to show how to make the impossible possible. Through eye-opening, entertaining stories filled with the adrenaline of launch, the mesmerizing wonder of spacewalks and the measured, calm responses mandated by crises, he explains how conventional wisdom can get in the way of achievement - and happiness. His own extraordinary education in space has taught him some counter-intuitive lessons: don't visualize success, do care what others think, and always sweat the small stuff. You might never be able to build a robot, pilot a spacecraft, make a music video or perform basic surgery in zero gravity like Colonel Hadfield. But his vivid and refreshing insights in this book will teach you how to think like an astronaut, and will change, completely, the way you view life on Earth - especially your own.

Prepare to be spellbound by Chris Riddell's dazzling full-colour illustrations in this stunning new collector's edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, J.K. Rowling's glorious fairytale classic. This beautiful, deluxe edition features an opulent page size and a pull-out double gatefold; intricate foiled artwork by Chris Riddell on the real cloth cover and slipcase; an exclusive print of Albus Dumbledore; and a luxurious ribbon marker and head and tail band. The ultimate must-have edition for any Potter fan, collector or bibliophile, it is set to become a firm favourite at bedtime in non-magical households the world over. Much loved by generations of witches and wizards since they first appeared in the fifteenth century, these five rollicking and mischievous tales are a deeply satisfying read in the tradition of all great fables and fairytales. Kindnesses are rewarded and selfishness shown to be the ruin of many a wizard. Burping cauldrons, hairy hearts and cackling stumps are met along the way. Translated from the runes by Hermione Granger, each of the tales is accompanied by a deliciously subversive and insightful commentary by Professor Albus Dumbledore, all brought vividly to life with Riddell's trademark wit and elegance. Former Waterstones Children's Laureate Chris Riddell is the only illustrator to have won the Kate Greenaway Medal three times, and is brought together here for the first time with one of the world's best loved storytellers in this magical new edition.The Tales of Beedle the Bard is published in aid of Lumos, an international children's charity founded in 2005 by J.K. Rowling.

This special hardback edition comes with an audio CD of the story read by Chris Hadfield, plus bonus commentary and The Darkest Dark Song written and recorded by him too! Young Chris is an astronaut. A very busy astronaut. Saving the planet from aliens is much more important than taking baths or going to bed. Because at bedtime the worst sort of alien appears - darkness. But when Chris watches the first moon landing, he discovers that there is a dark out in Space that is much darker than he's used to. It's the darkest dark ever, and he realizes that the unknown can be . . . exciting! The Darkest Dark is the debut picture book by Commander Chris Hadfield, international bestselling author of An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, with spectacular illustrations by illustration team, The Fan Brothers. Inspired by Chris's decision to become an astronaut after watching the Apollo 11 moon landing at age nine, The Darkest Dark is about facing your fears and following your dreams. Awarded as a Junior Library Guild Selection in the United States for autumn 2016.