Pre-Order Offer: Underland by Robert MacFarlane

The highly anticipated new book from the internationally bestselling, prize-winning author of Landmarks, The Lost Words and The Old Ways.  Underland will be published on 2nd May 2019 and Mostly Books is offering its customers a £5 discount on all pre-orders received before publication. 

Discover the hidden worlds beneath our feet... In Underland, Robert Macfarlane takes us on a journey into the worlds beneath our feet. From the ice-blue depths of Greenland's glaciers, to the underground networks by which trees communicate, from Bronze Age burial chambers to the rock art of remote Arctic sea-caves, this is a deep-time voyage into the planet's past and future.

Global in its geography, gripping in its voice and haunting in its implications, Underland is a work of huge range and power, and a remarkable new chapter in Macfarlane's long-term exploration of landscape and the human heart. 

Click here to reserve your copy before 2nd May for £15 (RRP £20)*

* While stocks last. 

Buy Dad A Real Book - the Mostly Books Father's Day Collection 2014

Sunday June 15 is indeed Father's Day, and once again we're suggesting you 'Buy Dad A Real Book'. Get him to switch off the gadgets, drop off the grid and rediscover the joy of reading.

(And if Dad is one of those people who needs solid research to provide motivation, you can point him to recent findings that show reading makes you smarter and reduces stress. So there.)

So today we unveil our 2014 Father's Day Collection, the fourth year we've done this, and when there are so many great books being published, it’s a hideous job trying to whittle it down to just a dozen books.

Who said bookselling was easy, eh?

Some of our favourite titles of the year already – such as ‘The Martian’ and Mick Herron’s ‘Dead Lions’ haven’t made the list below, because I think we’ve already pressed these books into everyone’s hands already – but here is our collection for 2014.

And what better book to start with than one that has a (sort-of) father-son relationship at its heart?

'Tigerman' by Nick Harkaway is the story of Lester Ferris, fragile army sergeant put in charge of winding down British interests in the colonial territory of Mancreu. The island is under UN control, because of a menacing industrial toxic legacy deemed to pose a global threat – in short, it’s scheduled for termination, an extreme form of ‘deep cleaning’ which means evacuation - and abandonment. Lester develops a strong bond with a mysterious street-kid, steeped in Internet jargon and comic-book philosophy, and – in the absence of any identifiable family – he fosters dreams of adoption, of becoming the father the boy doesn’t seem to have. But when dark forces threaten the boy, and the island threatens to go postal in the face of its imminent demise, Lester must - reluctantly, inevitably - take an heroic path, and the way he does this is unexpected, brilliantly realised and utterly thrilling.

Exploring the machinations of power, the possibilities (good and ill) of technology and the real responsibilities and challenges of parenthood - this is intellectual entertainment of the highest order.

(And we have signed first editions in the shop after our excellent event on June 11)

A genuine colossus next, and Stephen King’s long-time-coming sequel to The Shining. In ‘Dr Sleep’ (just out in paperback) Danny Torrance has grown up to be a drunk, using his addiction to alcohol to block his supernatural abilities. But then his life starts to change again when he is contacted by Abra, a young girl who has a very strong "shining". Enter the True Knot, a travelling band of vampire-like people who prolong their lives by feeding on "steam", a kind of life essence possessed by those who have the shining.

This is a fitting sequel to King’s original, with the master keeping you enthralled right to the very end. Julia’s verdict on this: ‘Unputdownable’.

If word-play is Dad’s thing, then we suggest Michael Rosen’s ‘Alphabetical’ – a sort of social history of the alphabet. Ever wondered about letters and the alphabet? Where they came from, where we came up with the spellings and 'rules'? (Q must always be seen next to U?). Why does ‘X’ mark the spot when it can be replaced by Z?

Everything and anything about letters can be found in this clever and funny book, written with the humour and word-play of one of our most talented authors and poets. A perfect gift for a wordsmith.

You could argue we are living in a golden age of nature writing at the moment, and for the second year running we include a gem of a book from Robert Macfarlane - 'Holloway'. In July 2005, Macfarlane and the late Roger Deakin walked the landscape of Southern Dorset, the ‘Hollow Ways’ where centuries of horses hooves, rain, footfall and wheel rubbing have carved out these sunken paths.

Macfarlane revisits his walk with artist Stanley Donwood and writer Dan Richards, and this book – with its haunting sketches – is both beautiful and poignant as Macfarlane revisits the earlier journey with his good friend.

In 1664, horticulturalist and diarist John Evelyn published 'Sylva', the first comprehensive study of British trees, and the first book ever published by the Royal Society, four years after the granting of its royal charter.

To celebrate its 'Sesquarcentennial' (that's a 350th anniversary in case you were wondering) Dr. Gabriel Hemery (forest scientist and author) and Sarah Simblet (tutor at The Ruskin School of Art and a lecturer at the National Gallery) have created 'The New Sylva', a sumptuously illustrated collection which seeks to explain and describe our most important trees, and what they really mean to us culturally, environmentally and economically.

If Dad likes the odd film (particularly a science fiction film) then Imogen recommends ‘Outer Limits’ by Howard Hughes. From ‘Star Trek’ To ‘Forbidden Planet’, ‘The Matrix’ to ‘Moon’, this is the ultimate film guide for any science-fiction fan.

The perfect excuse to dig out a ‘classic’ film that you either missed, or feel deserves being watched again, or just because you enjoy experiencing aliens taking over the world. A top gift for Father’s Day...

Of course, if we did fend off those aliens, and had to rebuild society from scratch, how might we do it? Start with securing food, or finding weapons? Forging metals or building houses? In ‘The Knowledge’, Lewis Dartnell gets back-to-basics in this readable, enjoyable well thought-through look at how we might rebuild civilization (in a world where plenty of people start freaking out if their Internet fails). 

Described by Nature as the “Ultimate do-it-yourself guide to rebooting human civilization", Dad will be in a position to lead in the event of an asteroid strike, viral pandemic...or zombie apocalypse.

Food will be a big deal after any civilization collapse, and I think I’d want Tom Kerridge on my team to feed everyone. Tom is the only chef in Britain to gain two Michelin stars working on a pub, and ‘Tom Kerridge’s Proper Pub Food’ collects together his best recipes to recreate that authentic – but high quality – gastopub experience.

If Dad likes to trash, (I mean, experiment in) the kitchen occasionally to wow the family, this book is packed with great ideas.

Action-packed, fast-moving thrillers don’t come much more satisfying than ‘I Am Pilgrim’, the debut novel by legendary screenwriter Terry Hayes (whose writing credits include the Mad Max movies and Dead Calm). ‘Pilgrim’ is the codename of Scott Murdoch, adopted son of a wealthy American couple, and member of the above-top-secret ‘The Department’ – which polices the actions of other US spies. Having anonymously written the ultimate book on forensic examination, he may have unwittingly allowed ‘the perfect murder’ to take place – and the NYPD need his help to solve it. But soon there are bigger, world-threatening activities taking place as a terrorist, known only as ‘The Saracen’, plans a frighteningly plausible attack on the United States.

If you like your techno-thrillers weighty (in every sense), fast-paced, densely plotted, and nerve-shreddingly plausible – this is the real deal.

‘One Summer’ by Bill Bryson was one of our favourite books of last year, and it’s just out in paperback. Bryson is an American writer that we Brits have adopted (and he us). ‘One Summer’ is another fabulously entertaining adventure, this time examining his native America through the lens of the iconic Summer of 1927 when America truly stepped out of the shadows of ‘old Europe’ to take its place amongst the world’s great nations.

It’s a heady concoction of the birth of talking pictures, a biblical flood, Henry Ford, Al Capone, Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh – and work starting on Mount Rushmore. All are given the Bryson treatment – it’s witty, energetic and full of surprises.

In 1982, Simon Parkes (aged 23) paid £1 for a derelict building in Brixton, and over the next fifteen years turned it into Britain's most iconic music venue. Together with musician and author JS Rafaeli, he has written the definitive history of the venue in ‘Live At The Brixton Academy’.

This is everything you want from a memoir (the excess, the risks, the triumphs and disasters) but it’s also a riotous trip through 30 years of British music. Honestly, we think this is the best music book to have come out for years – if Dad has a secret gig-filled past, he’s going to love this book...

This was in last year’s collection, but John Le Carre’s latest book ‘A Delicate Truth’ is now out in paperback – and it’s a cracker. Operation Wildlife, a top-secret mission to the rock of Gibraltar, involving CIA, special forces, and a cast of spooks familiar to his regular readers goes horribly wrong. Three years later and one of the soldiers involved reveals that the government has buried the truth. Once the cat is out of the bag, the tempo and tone becomes progressively relentless and angry.

This is a tale of service and loyalty alongside deception and cover-up. A classic Le Carre novel that has you longing for the truth to be declared.

That's your twelve. But let's make it a round Baker's. Because if there is one book that captures the essence of a) being a Dad, b) thinking you have no time to read, c) the absurdities of modern working life, and d) the transformative, life-affirming and utterly amazing things that can happen when you rediscover reading, it is Andy Miller's heartwarming, irreverent and very funny memoir 'The Year of Reading Dangerously'.

One Dad, fifty books, a life transformed. Books can change (and save) your life - Andy Miller has the proof!

(Want more ideas? Come and ask us in the shop, or pop us an email for a recommendation. Takes a look how our recommends differered in 2013, 2012 and 2011. And we can thoroughly recommend heading over to ReadItDaddy for more Dad-powered inspiration to boot...)

'Buy Dad a Real Book' - The Mostly Books 2013 Father's Day Collection!

For the last few years, we have worked extremely hard to pick out a dozen top Father's Day recommends as part of our 'Buy Dad A Real Book' campaign. We still heartily recommend the benefits of telling Dad to turn off the gadgets, step away from any screen - and drop off the grid for a bit - and indulge instead in some very special reading.

As you know, we are always delighted to help with special recommends in the shop - but to get the ball rolling, here is the Mostly Books 2013 Father's Day Collection....

A Delicate Truth - John Le Carré (HB, £18.99, Viking)

A sophisticated story portraying the moral choice of one man, Toby Bell. Working his way up in the Foreign Office, he suspects scandal, but is it really worth sacrificing his career to expose the sordid details of a disastrous counter-terrorist operation?

Ruthless and riveting in its portrayal of the elusive, corrupt undercurrent of politics, you find yourself wondering what you would do in Toby’s situation...

Le Carré really is a phenomenon and ‘A Delicate Truth’ is genuinely up there with the best of his novels. His writing represents an unparalleled output of consistent quality, but what links this to all his stories is an unflinching examination of how power operates – and the consequences for the rest of us.

Sit Down and Cheer - Martin Kelner (PB, £8.99, Bloomsbury)

A fabulously entertaining look at the history of sport - seen through the all-seeing lens comfortably in the corner of your room (or recently, down the pub). After all, most triumphant sporting experiences we have experienced have been viewed and enjoyed in this way - via the marvel of the collective medium of television. As author Martin Kelner says at the start of this hugely entertaining book - the trouble with most sporting histories is that they were 'written by people who were there'.

Kelner takes you on a walk down memory lane, and - with some wonderful obscure nuggets of information and a lot humour - he takes the reader through from when sports were first viewed on black and white television through to HD and 3D. He also muses on what the future might hold - a delightful Father's Day choice!

Sweet Tooth - Ian McEwan (PB, £7.99, Vintage)

Set in 1972, Ian McEwan tells the story of Serena Frome, a student studying maths at Cambridge, but with a secret and real passion for literature. Burying herself in books, and dreaming of romance, she has a short, but passionate affair with a Don who grooms her to join the British Intelligence service.

After earning a junior position in MI5, Serena is avid to prove herself. And so, through her knowledge of literature, she is assigned to look after an anti-communist writer, Tom Haley. But when they become infatuated with one another, the lines between Serena and her secret life start to become blurred. And in doing so, she breaks the one rule of espionage: Trust no one.

Written - extremely deftly - in the voice of the main character, Serena is now a woman in her 60s, but tells the story looking back to the dramatic times of her late teens and early 20s. Ian McEwan does this exceptionally well, wrapping the secrets of the story within the enigma of Serena herself.

Back Story - David Mitchell (PB, HarperCollins, £7.99)

David Mitchell's 'celebrity memoir' is the proverbial breath of fresh air. No mutual backslapping, airbrushed versions of history and stories of a difficult childhood. Aside from a truly awful prep school experience, David had a happy childhood with loving parents who sacrificed much. He went to school here in Abingdon, then onto Cambridge where he became president of Footlights, and proceeded to doggedly carve out a career in TV comedy despite plenty of knock-backs.

It’s the painful self-examination and simple honesty that make this so refreshing. Add in some wry humour, a few trademark rants and a some wonderful nuggets of wisdom - and this is what makes the book really come alive.

Ultimately you are left thinking that David would be a nice bloke to go down the pub with - as long as the chair wasn't too uncomfortable...

Where There's Tea, There's Hope (Mug, £9.99)
As an alternative to going down the pub, what could be better than sitting back on the sofa with a good book...accompanied by the perfect brew? And we can't find think of a better mug to drink it out of  than one of our splendid range of mugs from UrbanGraphics with some funky good advice on them.

We like "Where There's Tea, There's Hope" not least as it's a nice alternative to the ubiquitous 'Keep Calm...' messages. There are plenty of other designs available (including Julia's favourite: "In my house I'm the boss, my wife is just the decision maker")

We can heartily recommend a 'book + mug combo' - so ask us if we can put one together for you when you pop in next!

The Old Ways - Robert MacFarlane (PB, Penguin, £9.99)

Robert MacFarlane is arguably our finest living writer when it comes to our relatinship with nature and the outdoors. Author of one of favourite books 'The Wild Places', in his latest book 'The Old Ways' Robert follows the tracks, holloways (a 'sunken lane' in case you didn't know) and sea-paths that form part of a vast ancient network of routes criss-crossing the British Isles and beyond.

As he discovers this lost world, Robert's beautiful and poetic language creates a landscape in the mind of the reader that is irrisistable. MacFarlane has breathed new life into nature writing and makes it impossible to ever take an unremarkable walk again.

Lost Lanes - Jack Thurston (PB, £14.99, Wild Things Publishing)

If biking is more Dad's thing, you may already know that we are very proud of our cycling section, but this book is one of our current favourites. Author Jack Thurston invites you to discover the hidden corners of Southern England, travelling along its ancient network of quiet lanes and byways.

'Lost Lanes' takes you on 36 meandering tours of the most beautiful and hidden destinations in southern England. Including overviews, maps and overnight stops - and even GPS info, and details about mobile apps and downloads - this is an inspiring part-guidebook, part-travelogue to get the whole family out on the bike.

100 Places You Will Never Visit - Daniel Smith (PB, £14.99, Quercus)

Speaking as a Dad, occasionally you get a feeling of ennui, of wanderlust, perhaps recapturing travel you may have done in your youth - or just intimidated by having been bought one of those '10,000 places to visit before you die' books. Anyway, '100 Places You Will Never Visit' is the perfect antidote - whereas MacFarlane gets you up out of your chair and walking locally, and Thurston gets you on your bike, this book might satisfy any larger, unrealistic ambitions.

Basically, these are all places that, even if you wanted to visit, you can't.

Ever wondered what it takes to get into Fort Knox? Would you dare to visit Three Mile Island? The world is full of secret places we don't know about, or couldn't visit even if we wanted to. Now Dad can have a glimpse of them in this fascinating guide book to 100 places around the world that are hard to reach, closely guarded, or secret. My personal favourite is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault - cut-away diagrams leave little to the imagination...

Between Giants - Prit Buttar (HB, £20, Osprey Publishing)
A casual conversation with a patient nearly ten years ago led Prit Buttar - Abingdon GP and ex-army doctor - on an amazing journey of discovery,  uncovering hidden stories about the end of the second world war on the Eastern Front. His book 'Battleground Prussia' was a critical success, and Prit has now followed up with a brilliant new history of the Baltic States: 'Between Giants'.

During World War II, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia found themselves trapped between the giants of the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. Over the course of the war these states were repeatedly occupied by different forces, and local government organizations and individuals were forced to choose between supporting the occupying forces or forming partisan units to resist their occupation. Devastated during the German invasion, these states then became the site of some of the most vicious fighting during the Soviet counter-attack and push towards Berlin.

This is a must-read for anyone interested in 20th century history, shedding new light on episodes of the Second World War largely unknown over here, but revealing new heroes who stood up against huge forces on both sides - saving countless lives in the process and providing shining examples of humanity.

We have signed first editions of the book here at Mostly Books - and would of course make a superb Father's Day gift.

How To Parachute Into a Moving Car (BBC Books, £9.99)
We debated about putting this on the list - after all, Top Gear is everywhere and Hammond, Clarkson and May hardly needs any support from independent bookshops to get into the top ten. But, oh dear, we've had to put a stop on reading this in the shop because it's so funny.

Full of 'Vital Survival Tips for the Modern Man' the book claims to 'Solve Literally Everything'. From Buying Trousers, Driving to Birmingham, how to do a handbrake turn - our favourite is 'How To Buy Flowers'. Step 1 - check that you are not in a petrol station. Comic genius...

Black Feathers - Joseph D'Lacey (PB, £8.99, Angry Robot)
Some excellent SF and Fantasy titles have been hitting the shelves this month - but our pick for Father's Day is this fantastic adventure from Joseph D'Lacey: 'Black Feathers'. It's an intertwined, two-part story about two children. Gordon lives in a possible present time where everyone is ruled by a totalitarian government called 'The Ward'  and life as they know it is falling apart due to natural disasters, famine and disease.

Megan lives a more simple life in the distant future in a farming community. Plagued by strange visions, Megan turns to Mr Keeper, a kind of village holy man. Little does she know that she has been chosen by the Crowman to be the first female keeper, the next keeper and the 'last keeper'...

With a compelling narrative and an amazing adventure this is dark fantasy with a conscience, images of a bleak and savage world which D'Lacey uses to explore relevant issues affecting our world today. And of course, as it's Angry Robot, the eBook comes as standard thanks to the 'Clonefile' initiative. Come in and take a peek...

Cities are Good For You - Leo Hollis (HB, £16.99, Bloomsbury)
Something inspirational to finish with. 'Cities Are Good For You' is an inspiring look at just why cities are indeed good for you - and for mankind in general. Chock full of examples from London to New York, Shanghai to Mumbai, this constantly surprising look at arguably human's greatest achievement will make you look again at how we might house, feed and keep a burgeoning population healthy - particularly now that half of humanity live in cities.

So - there you have it - the Mostly Books Father's Day Collection 2013. Still need some inspiration? Take a look at our selections from 2012 and 2011 - and if that doesn't inspire you, drop in and talk to us (or any other good independent) for a special recommend!