New Releases by Michael Bond

''A celebration of human idiosyncrasy and of our talent for building shared meaning and solidarity out of the strangest material'' – TLS Fans takes the reader on a journey through a constellation of fandoms, and along the way demonstrates some fundamental truths about the human condition. Fascinating and thought-provoking, Fans is a story of communities, of what happens to us when we interact with people who share our passions. The human brain is wired to reach out, and while our groupish tendencies can bring much strife (religious intolerance, racism, war, etc.), they are also the source of some of our greatest satisfactions. Fandoms offer much of the pleasure of tribalism with little of the harm: a feeling of belonging and of shared culture, a sense of meaning and purpose, improved mental well-being, reassurance that our most outlandish convictions will be taken seriously, and the freedom to try to emulate (and dress like) our hero. But acclaimed science writer Michael Bond shows that despite these benefits, the world of fandoms is not without its dark underside, from the “copycat effect” fuelling mass shootings to the delusions that can accompany the parasocial relationships that fans feel they have with their heroes. In Fans, Michael Bond draws on the work of social psychologists and anthropologists to understand how people behave in groups and why such groups have such a profound effect on human culture.

A funny, festive picture book about Paddington, the beloved, classic bear from darkest Peru.

A brand new glorious gift book of a much-loved classic. A celebration of words and pictures from the creator of Paddington Bear, Michael Bond, and contemporary genius Rob Biddulph!

Three favourite stories of Paddington, the beloved classic bear from Darkest Peru, brought together in one volume. Paddington is now a major movie star!

A Wired Most Fascinating Book of the Year “An important book that reminds us that navigation remains one of our most underappreciated arts.” —Tristan Gooley, author of The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs “If you want to understand what rats can teach us about better-planned cities, why walking into a different room can help you find your car keys, or how your brain’s grid, border, and speed cells combine to give us a sense of direction, this book has all the answers.” —The Scotsman How is it that some of us can walk unfamiliar streets without losing our way, while the rest of us struggle even with a GPS? Navigating in uncharted territory is a remarkable feat if you stop to think about it. In this beguiling mix of science and storytelling, Michael Bond explores how we do it: how our brains make the “cognitive maps” that keep us orientated and how that anchors our sense of wellbeing. Children are instinctive explorers, developing a spatial understanding as they roam. And yet today few of us make use of the wayfinding skills that we inherited from our nomadic ancestors. Bond tells stories of the lost and found—sailors, orienteering champions, early aviators—and explores why being lost can be such a devastating experience. He considers how our understanding of the world around us affects our psychology and helps us see how our reliance on technology may be changing who we are. “Bond concludes that, by setting aside our GPS devices, by redesigning parts of our cities and play areas, and sometimes just by letting ourselves get lost, we can indeed revivify our ability to find our way, to the benefit of our inner world no less than the outer one.” —Science “A thoughtful argument about how our ability to find our way is integral to our nature.” —Sunday Times

Celebrate the 60th anniversary of Paddington Bear with this final classic picture book adventure from beloved author Michael Bond. Paddington Bear’s adventures never go quite as planned. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t filled with fun and laughter! When Mr. Gruber takes Paddington on a special outing to St. Paul’s Cathedral, there is one surprise after another. And the biggest surprise of all comes when Paddington is mistaken for a choir bear and suddenly finds himself taking part in a most unusual rehearsal. For six decades, stories of Paddington have charmed readers all over the world. Now another generation of fans can join the beloved bear in this brand-new adventure written by Michael Bond and illustrated by artist R. W. Alley.

Paddington the beloved classic bear from Darkest Peru, now a major movie star is back in this fantastically funny, brand new illustrated novel from master storyteller Michael Bond! Hurrying forward, he held out a welcoming hand. "Sir Percival Rushmoor," he said. "I''m invigilating.""I''m sorry to hear that, Sir Percival," said Paddington. "I hope you feel better very soon." Paddington always finds himself in unusual situations so it is no surprise when he has a run-in with the police, appears in a TV cookery show, and gives one of his hard stares to a hypnotist!

Paddington has warmed the hearts of generations of readers with his earnest good intentions and humorous misadventures. This brand-new edition of the classic novel contains the original text by Michael Bond and illustrations by Peggy Fortnum and R.W. Alley. Somehow Paddington always manages to find himself in strange situations. From a squishy miscommunication involving oysters and public transit to a case of mistaken identity, there’s never a dull moment when a certain bear is around! Paddington Races Ahead is the thirteenth classic novel about Michael Bond’s beloved classic character, Paddington Bear.

The classic story of everyone''s favourite bear, Paddington. Now available in board book format - perfect for tiny paws! Paddington Bear first met the Brown family at a railway station - Paddington Station, in fact. He had travelled all the way from Darkest Peru with only a jar of marmalade, a suitcase and a label reading ''Please look after this bear''. Without further ado, Mr and Mrs Brown welcomed the adventurous bear into their family, and in honour of their meeting place they named him Paddington. The Browns soon discover that Paddington is a most unusual bear, for ordinary things - like having a bath - become quite extraordinary when a bear called Paddington is around!

Paddington Bear has charmed readers of all ages for almost 60 years! Now part of the I Can Read line, Michael Bond''s classic character will delight beginning readers with his curious nature and nose for adventure. Paddington is not a bear to shy away from a tough job. But when he is left in charge of the local barber shop, his determination to keep the customers happy will surprise even himself! Paddington at the Barber Shop is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.

When Paddington returns from his trip to Peru, he doesn’t waste any time getting back to business. The Stock Exchange, the ballet, the barber’s shop, Mr. Curry’s kitchen...nothing is safe when Paddington gets to work. First published in 1966, Paddington at Work is the seventh novel by Michael Bond, chronicling the adventures of this classic character. Paddington has warmed the hearts of generations of readers with his earnest good intentions and humorous misadventures. This brand-new edition of the classic novel contains the original text by Michael Bond and illustrations by Peggy Fortnum.

Ever eager to expand the influence of France''s leading gastronomic guidebook beyond her native shores, the Director of Le Guide has been cultivating a useful transatlantic connection in the form of a certain Mrs Van Dorman. Ex-parfumier, presently a publishing magnate and, in her spare time,a fan of private-eye novels, Mrs Van Dorman has deserted the relative safety of La Grande Pomme to accompany a group of crime writers to a recreation in Vichy of a banquet given by Alexandre Dumas before he started work on yet another sequel to The Three Musketeers. And who better to escort her than Monsieur Pamplemousse, Surete sleuth turned top-rank gourmet? Monsieur Pamplemousse himself could think of a number of more suitable candidates, especially when it becomes apparent that the assignment involves a grand entry dressed as d''Artagnan, mounted on an uncomfortably rampant black charger. But when cyanide turns out to be a surprise ingredient of the murder tour it is soon clear that Monsieur Pamplemousse - aided by the unerring nose of bloodhound Pommes Frites - is the only man for the job...

''From the very beginning there was not the slightest doubt that Olga da Polga was the sort of guinea-pig who would go places.'' Michael Bond''s guinea-pig has been charming readers for over 40 years. Catherine Rayner illustrates this stunning small format gift edition of Olga da Polga with glorious full colour watercolours and siilkscreen images.

Paddington loves all the colours of the rainbow. But after a long day shopping in town, there is one patricular colour he loves above all others...

When the Brown family meets a bear on Paddington Station, their lives are never the same again, as ordinary things become extraordinary when a bear called Paddington is involved.

Klassieke verhalen over een beer uit Peru

When one of five restaurant-owning brothers vanishes into thin air, Monsieur Pamplemousse''s detective skills are called into play. A delicious blend of gastronomic delight, teasing mystery, and pure comedy.

A brand-new novel from Michael Bond, celebrating Paddington''s many adventures! Told through Paddington''s letters to his aunt Lucy back in Peru, this new novel offers Paddington''s own special view on some of his most famous tales. Filled with Paddington''s signature charm and with black-and-white illustrations throughout, this paper-over-board keepsake is a celebration of this beloved character.

Somehow when a certain bear called Paddington is around things never seem to go to plan and this story is no exception! In Paddington''s Busy Day our cuddly hero decides to tidy up the loft at number thirty-two WIndsor Gardens. But it''s dark up there and he finds himself back in his bedroom rather more quickly than expected!AGE 4-7

The classic novel about Paddington—who''s now a major movie star! Paddington Bear had traveled all the way from Peru when the Browns first met him in Paddington Station. Since then, their lives have never been quite the same . . . for ordinary things become extraordinary when a bear called Paddington is involved. First published in 1958, A Bear Called Paddington is the first novel by Michael Bond, chronicling the adventures of this lovable bear. Paddington has charmed readers for generations with his earnest good intentions and humorous misadventures. This brand-new edition of the classic novel contains the original text by Michael Bond and illustrations by Peggy Fortnum.

Discover how in almost every area of our lives, our behaviour is influenced far more by others than we’d like to imagine Teenage cliques, jihadist cells, army units, polar expeditions, and football hooligans – on the face of it, each of these groups might seem exceptional, but the forces that bind and drive them can affect us all. In recent decades, psychologists have uncovered how and why our innate socialness holds huge sway over how we think and act, propelling us to both high achievement and unthinking cruelty. We are beholden to our peers, even when we think we’re calling the shots. This is the power of others. In this captivating work, science writer Michael Bond investigates the latest breakthroughs in social psychology to reveal how to guard against groupthink, build better teamwork, identify shared objectives, become more ethical, and survive moments of isolation. A fascinating blend of evolutionary theory, behavourial science, and remarkable case studies, The Power of Others will teach you to truly harness your collective self.

Pour l''ourson Paddington, l''un des avantages de vivre chez les Brown, c''est de pouvoir partager leur joli jardin. Sauf qu''un joli jardin, ça ne surgit pas comme par miracle ! Et celui du 32 Windsor Gardens doit être entretenu par tous les membres de la famille. Si bien que Paddington est ravi de leur prêter patte forte dès qu''ils lui en offrent l''occasion ! Il n''a peut-être pas la main verte, mais son enthousiasme et sa passion de la marmelade vont entraîner des conséquences inattendues lors du concours du plus beau jardin... Découvrez Le Petit Ours Le Plus Attachant Au Monde.

This is a read-along edition with audio synced to the text, performed by Stephen Fry. A brand new picture book featuring Paddington, the classic bear from Darkest Peru, as he takes part in a local family sports event, with hilarious results!

“Bears like Paddington are very rare,” says Mrs Bird, “and a good thing too, or it would cost us a small fortune in marmalade.”

‘ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS!’

When Monsieur Pamplemousse got an urgent summons from the Director of Le Guide, he knew that there was trouble at the top. His faithful canine companion, Pommes Frites, noticed it too. But neither of them expected that the trouble would involve a nun who was in the habit of joining the Mile High Club or a full-scale smear campaign targeting Le Guide''s credibility as France''s première restaurant and hotel guide. Someone has been spreading worrying rumours among the staff and infiltrating the company files - awarding hotels prizes for bedbugs and praising egg and chips signature dishes. Even Pommes Frites has become a victim of the assault. It could all spell the ruin for Le Guide, but Pamplemousse is on the case.

Le Guide, France''s premier gastronomic guide, is failing to whet the appetite of its audience in America. Bribed by the Director with offers of some time off, Monsieur Pamplemousse agrees to flex his literary muscles in a bid to address the problem by writing a play. The result is the ex-detective''s directorial debut, complete with walk-on part for faithful bloodhound Pommes Frites. Everything rests on their special guest, Jay Corby, the acclaimed American food-critic, whose good opinion could change their transatlantic fortunes. But disaster strikes on opening night when a manoeuvre with a trapdoor causes Corby to storm out in a rage. Monsieur Pamplemousse must find him before he ruins everything for Le Guide. Once again he can rely on star sniffer dog Pommes Frites, who is hot on the trail of their only lead: a flimsy undergarment belonging to an exotic dancer they came across in a state of undress before the start of the show.