New Releases by Craig Brown

The hilarious answer to every soothing bowl of soup on the bookshelf, "The Little Book of Chaos" is a perfect primer on the art of annoying yourself and everyone around you.

Jude Bryson was a sixties icon. The major British designer of his time, he was courted by Mick Jagger, painted by Hockney, photographed by Snowdon, befriended by R D Laing and celebrated in a song by the Beatles. By the late 1970s, he had established a network of Bryson Stores which taught us all how good design could improve the quality of family happiness in our homes. Jude and Libby Bryson lived and worked from their house at Merton, on the Norfolk coast, their lives blessed by achievement and all the sophisticated joy offered by clear lines, strong colours and excellent use of fabric. Until, one day, the veteran disc-jockey Gary Shanling moved in next door. Gary was, to use his own phrase, hap-hap-happy-a happy man with a happy wife and two happy children, broadcasting happily every morning to millions of moderately miserable listeners. The intrusion of such extreme and constant happiness into their lives soon wrought havoc upon the previously comfortable existence of the townsfolk of Merton. Finding the fine balance of his own civilised lifestyle on the tilt, Bryson found himself forced to take extreme steps to win back his own happiness.

Illustrates and describes the homes of the golden eagle, grizzly bear, silver-haired bat, moose, and other animals.

Why was Sir Robin Day seen in the bar of the Garrick Club dressed as Widow Twankey? In what year, did John Bratby paint Lord Goodman naked on an ironing board? How did Major Ronald Ferguson gain his role as the headmistress in the remake of the classic St Trinian''s comedy series? This title answers these questions and many more.