Dream analysis
From the night-time revelations of ancient shamans to the Roman-
era belief in nocturnal visions as a direct line to the gods, dreams have
played a key role in cultures around the world. This exploration of why
we dream, and the shifting ways in which we have made sense of
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RJGPQOGPQPVJCVWPKGUJWOCPGZRGTKGPEGCETQUUVJGOKNNGPPKCMedical breakthrough
Derived from an observation by Immanuel Kant – “out of the crooked
timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made” – this book’s
subtitle highlights its focus on the complex, at times unsympathetic,
scientists who discovered insulin a century ago. The creation of
medication from that hormone transformed the lives of people with
diabetes – and this vivid take puts that milestone into its wider context.Material world
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humanity’s development is interwoven with that of textiles: linen and
cotton, silk and synthetics. Throughout, she never loses sight of the
JWOCPUVQTKGUUWTTQWPFKPIVJGKTOCPWHCEVWTGWUGCPFUKIPKECPEG- indeed, the book opens with a tale of a teenage run-in with a paper
dress that gave Thanhauser a new respect for the value of fabric.
Medieval power player
Rich and immensely powerful, 14th-century prince and statesman
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in England, but across Europe (to the extent that this biography opens
with a cast list drawn from half a dozen countries). Kathryn Warner’s
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his equally eventful personal life.John of Gaunt:
Son of One King,
Father of Another
by Kathryn Warner
(Amberley, 320 pages, £20)CULTURALB
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Murder mystery
In November 1856, George Little, a railway cashier in Dublin, was
discovered dead under his desk, his head nearly cleaved from his
body, in a blood-spattered room seemingly locked from the inside.
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GXKFGPEG(CPUQH#ICVJC%JTKUVKGYKNNGPLQ[VJKUJKUVQTKECNYJQFWPPKVNext generation
When David Olusoga was growing up, he wasn’t taught black British
history. It was only in his teenage years that he read about this
chapter of the nation’s story, from the black people who thrived in the
Tudor era, to the transatlantic slave trade. Through this superbly illus-
trated edition (another version was published earlier this year for 12+
readers), younger children can learn about this overlooked history.Running riot
Set during the Japanese occupation of Korea, this debut novel follows
the fortunes of Jade, a peasant girl sold to a courtesan school who
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she meets there and forges an intense friendship with. But when one’s
path leads to fame and fortune but the other is drawn by the revolu-
tionary cry of independence, Jade is faced with a life-changing choice.Game of thrones
The name Maximilian of Mexico may not be familiar to many today,
but his reign had enormous consequences for 19th-century Europe
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archduke of Austria, sailed away from his homeland in 1864 to claim
a distant crown. But, as Edward Shawcross charts, his new kingdom
became the battleground where the Old and New Worlds collided.Beasts of a Little Land
by Juhea Kim
(Oneworld, 416 pages, £ 16 .99)Black and British:
An Illustrated History
by David Olusoga
(Pan Macmillan, 80 pages, £ 16 .99)The Last Emperor
of Mexico: A Disaster
in the New World
by Edward Shawcross
(Faber, 33 6 pages, £20)The Dublin Railway
Murder
by Thomas Morris
(Harvill Secker, 38 4 pages, £ 14 .99)W
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TRUE CRIMEBIOGRAPHYSCIENCESOCIALGLOBALCHILDREN’SFICTIONInsulin:
The Crooked Timber
by Kersten T Hall
(Oxford University Press,
464 pages, £25)Worn: A People’s
History of Clothing
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(Allen Lane, 4 00 pages, £20)The Oracle of Night:
The History and Science
of Dreams
by Sidarta Ribeiro
(Bantam Press, 4 80 pages, £20)