Buying a table tennis table will make your staff happier.
Working eight hours a day, five days a week, will result in the most
productivity. Paying higher salaries will always result in higher motivation.
Really? There are a staggering number of myths and stereotypes that abound in
the workplace and many of them are wrong. A new series: Myths published by Kogan
Page are paperbacks, written in an engaging, anecdotal style while still
being underpinned by research and clear, evidence-based conclusions. They take
the most up-to-date academic research in business and psychology and combine it
with practical insights, a lively writing style and a handy dip-in-and-out
structure. These books bust through the fads, fiction and falsehoods to give
readers the essential knowledge you need to be better at business – they’re the
real deal. Foyles in Waterloo have done a superb window display for this
eye-catching series – which you can see here! Myths of PR: All Publicity is Good Publicity and Other Popular
Misconceptions (978 0749479596) was published in April and three
more are out this month – they’re all £14.99. Myths
of Work: The Stereotypes and Assumptions Holding Your Organization Back
(978 0749481285), Myths of Management: What People
Get Wrong About Being the Boss (978 0749480233) and Myths of Leadership: Banish the Misconceptions and Become a
Great Leader (978 0749480745) have all had rave reviews, e.g.: "If
I could marry a book, this would be the one!” and "If you want a
cookie cutter approach on how to be a leader, buy another leadership book. If
you want to understand the myths behind the cult of leadership and the
practical steps you can take to improve as a leader, buy this one." The
Financial Times said of Myths of Management:
"This book is so true, so sensible and so snappily written, I wish I
had written it myself. If every business person read it, all managerial
stupidity would wither away." And the fabulous Nick Hewer of Apprentice
and Countdown fame said of Myths of PR "At a time when telling the truth is a
revolutionary act, Rich Leigh tackles misconceptions and strategy head on with
facts, tact and wit. This book is required reading for current and aspiring
communications professionals and, frankly, anybody affected by or contributing
to the daily onslaught of misinformation; a practice exercised at present, most
damagingly and disconcertingly, by even the highest offices in the world."
Thanks Nick for this major thumbs up – now let’s remind ourselves here of your own “best
bits” Ah, we do miss you on The Apprentice
– it’s just not the same without you!
I’m sure we’re all well aware of the seemingly unstoppable
rise and rise of the popularity of what use to be termed Mother’s Ruin aka gin.
101 Gins to Try Before You Die (£12.99, hb, 978 1780272993) has been a number one
bestseller for Birlinn, and I feel Gin
Cocktails (£4.99, hb, 978 0754833710)
by Stuart Walton just
out from Lorenz could also do very well. Stuart was recently interviewed
on Talk Radio talking about this title which will help you enjoy gin in
a myriad of ways. It contains a selection of fifty gin recipes, from best-loved
blends such as Gin Swizzle and Dry Martini to trendy new mixes such as Arctic
Summer and Lady Killer. It also outlines the history of gin and there are
step-by-step instructions on the tricks of the trade, as well as professional
bartending tips. This is a simple but very well executed (and
well-priced!) little gift book - you can see a spread below.
The history of gin is a thought-provoking one
that says much about society I feel and the change from what Historians
sometimes term ‘England’s first drug craze’ in the 1700’s to today’s ‘Ginaissance’
is interesting. Have a look here at this
pro-prohibition film entitled Episodes in the Life of a Gin Bottle made
in 1925 (here with a modern soundtrack added). A gin bottle is personified with
a spirit and as it changes hands the spirit of the bottle tempts the various
possessors to take a drink. Different times indeed.
Stuff. We all have it, we all want it. But is it important? Why Stuff Matters (12.99,
hb, 978 1911350224) is a compelling fictional ode to possession, why people like
things and the curious lengths they will go to keep them. Jen Waldo’s first novel, Old Buildings in North Texas (pb, £8.99, 978 1911350170) attracted much praise for
its quirky style and intriguing offbeat subject matter. Now in this new title
(which is out this month from Arcadia) Jen
Waldo returns to her fictional
Caprock, and turns her wry wit on the lives of those afraid to let go of
material things. When Jessica, a grieving widow, inherits an antique mall from
her mother she also inherits the stallholders, an elderly, amoral, acquisitive,
and paranoid collection. Into this mix comes Lizzie, Jessica's late husband's
twelve-year-old daughter by his first marriage and it soon becomes apparent
that Lizzie is as obsessed with stuff as Jessica's elderly tenants. Here's a nice pic
of Why Stuff Matters on display at the Yellow Lighted Bookshop in
Tetbury – thanks very much guys!
Over the past forty years, The
Good Hotel Guide has established a
unique position as a reliable and independent guide, which has won more media
praise than any other hotel guide on the market. Whether your taste runs to
luxury castles or simple B&Bs, The Good Hotel
Guide has the answer. The entries are
based on readers recommendations backed up by independent, expert inspections
and specializes in hotels of individual character in outstanding locations. It
is unusual in its ruthless independence and honesty. The Daily Mail will
publish an article this Saturday in its Travel Mail section on this
year’s Good Hotel Guide’s César Awards.
The Daily Mail’s website will also run the article – and this is the
biggest newspaper site in the world with 45 million unique users! The 2018 Good Hotel Guide (pb, £20, 978 0993248429) has
plenty of buzz on social media at the moment – with all the individual hotels
tweeting and retweeting their ratings – this guidebook is, as the Times
says, “simply the best” – so there are lots of reasons to get it on
display right now!
I love Tom Gauld’s cartoons – his new book features
some hilarious book-related gems – have a look and a laugh here
on BuzzFeed. I especially enjoyed The Snooty Bookshop and My New
Novel!
Marking World Animal Day; here's
a great piece in the Guardian by Gallic author Henrietta Rose-Ines featuring her Top Ten Books
About Human Relationships With Animals. Green
Lion (pb, £8.99, 978 1910709252) by
Henrietta was published in August by Aardvark to widespread praise – The
Telegraph gave it five stars calling it “muscular and lyrical”
while Patrick Gale said “I love Henrietta Rose-Innes' work. With plotlines
that are wittily subversive and language that is whippet-lean, it is long
overdue for discovery by a wider readership.”
The winner of the 2017 BBC
Short Story Award has been
announced as Cynan Jones, who won for his
story The Edge of the Shoal. Prize judge Eimear McBride called it “as
perfect a short story as I’ve ever read” – you can read all about that in
the Guardian here.
All five shortlisted stories are included of course in The BBC National Short Story Award 2017 (978 1910974353, pb, £7.99) anthology, which has an
intro by Joanna Trollope, and is published by Comma.
There was a big article in the Telegraph this week
with the eye-catching and rather controversial headline “Imbeciles Should
Certainly be Killed”. With the subtitle, “A Study of Bloomsbury that
Embraces Science Shows a Darker Side to Virginia Wolfe et al” the piece
reviews a fascinating book which has just been published by UCL Press
called Bloomsbury Scientists: Science and Art in the
Wake of Darwin by Michael Boulter (pb, £15.00, 978 1787350052). The review calls it “a
confusing, ugly, fascinating account of the battle between arts and sciences”
and says “this little volume is absorbing.” Bloomsbury
Scientists is the story of the
network of scientists and artists who viewed creativity and freedom as the
driving force behind nature and whose collective energy changed the social mood
of the era. Michael Boulter seamlessly weaves together the stories originating
from Bloomsbury’s laboratories and libraries, narrating the breakthroughs of
scientists such as Marie Stopes alongside the creative outputs of H. G. Wells
and Virginia Woolf; intricately connecting them all through personal
friendships, grievances, quarrels and affections. Bloomsbury
Scientists offers a fresh and crucial perspective on this history at
a time when the complex relationship between science and art continues to be
debated.
Pascal Garnier's new
title Low Heights
(pb, £8.99, 978 1910477427) is actually reaching very high
heights with a super review in the Guardian
here
calling his novels “startling and surprisingly moving” and we also found
out recently on Radio 4 that Ian Rankin is a big Garnier fan – you can
listen again to that interview here. The Financial
Times said that “Low Heights has as much to say about ageing and
emotional intelligence as many more overtly literary novels.” Low Heights is
published by Gallic.
How many of us have thought "Once I have … in my
life or … out of my life, then I'll be happy"? Filling the Happiness Gap by Will Foster (978
1781809440, pb, £9.99) is a 21-day programme designed to increase happiness
through the use of Gratitude for what you have, Acceptance of what you don't
and an ability to live in the Present moment (GAP) – and it’s published by Hay
House on 7 November. Life coach Will Foster has researched hundreds of happiness experts, from
Greek philosophers like Aristotle to modern-day positive psychologists. What’s
different about Will’s approach is that his aim is to make you happier, which
is a measurable, realistic and noticeable goal, rather than happy, which is
vague, unattainable and unrealistic. He’ll be interviewed by Ben Comber who is
the voice of one of the UK’s leading health and fitness podcasts during
publication week and will also be writing some top tips for October’s Your
Healthy Living magazine and will be on BBC Radio Scotland in
November as part of their Happiness season. Will is also writing some tips to
stay positive and calm for the festive season for Veggie Magazine.
Joanna Walsh's Worlds From the Word's End
(978 1911508106, pb, £8.99) from And Other Stories has had
glowing reviews all round and she’s also taken to BBC Radio 4 Open Book
and the Guardian to discuss age discrimination in the arts (getting
shared over 4000 times and sparking policy changes!) Here’s her impassioned piece
in The Guardian about age discrimination in awards and fellowships which
has prompted one arts organisation to amend the rules of their prize from 'young'
writers to 'new/emerging' writers. Bravo Joanna! Worlds from the World's End is currently a bestselling title at the London Review Bookshop - you can see it here!
Drinks With Dead Poets: The
Autumn Term (978 1786821409, pb,
£8.99) the cult hit novel from poet Glyn Maxwell is now out in paperback from Oberon. The Guardian
called it a “wholly brilliant evocation of a mysterious university campus,
its students and visiting lecturers,” the Mail on Sunday said “readers
will emerge enlightened and enthralled” and The Daily Mail said “it
might just change the way you see the world.”
Dyslexia is My Superpower (Most
of the Time) by Margaret Rooke has a four-star review in the Sun today and
Margaret will be on Women’s Hour next Tuesday, talking about the book
and the creative power of kids with dyslexia. Dyslexia
is My Superpower (Most of the Time) (£12.99,
pb, 978 1785922992) contains lots of personal tips and tactics from over a
hundred children and young adults revealing the creative benefits of dyslexia,
which enable them to thrive in school and beyond. The first-hand accounts are
inspiring in the way they normalise and celebrate dyslexia the book also
contains some stunning illustrations by dyslexic children – you can see a
couple below.
It’s out now from Jessica Kingsley.
That’s all for now folks! More next
week!
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