Anthologies

Here is an extraordinary collection of the world’s best literary espionage, selected by Alan Furst, a contemporary master of the genre. The Book of Spies brings us the aristocratic intrigues of The Scarlet Pimpernel, in which French émigrés duel with Robespierre’s secret service; the savage political realities of the 1930s in Eric Ambler’s classic A Coffin for Dimitrios ; the ordinary (well, almost) citizens of John le Carré’s The Russia House , who are drawn into Cold War spy games; and the 1950s Vietnam of Graham Greene’s The Quiet American , with its portrait of American idealism and duplicity. Drawing on acknowledged classics and rediscovered treasures, A Book of Spies delivers literate entertainment and excitement on every page.

Not One More Death examines the record of US and UK troops in Iraq, questions Bush and Blair’s position under international law, and considers the responsibilities of artists, writers and the wider public in a time of war and occupation. Published in collaboration with the Stop the War Coalition (www.stopwar.org.uk).

Ox-Tales is a set of four compelling and collectible books, each themed on one of the elements. Fire features stories by Mark Haddon, Geoff Dyer, Victoria Hislop, Sebastian Faulks, John le Carré, Xiaoulu Guo, William Sutcliffe, Ali Smith, Lionel Shriver and Jeanette Winterson, and a poem by Vikram Seth. The idea behind Ox-Tales is to raise money for Oxfam and along the way to highlight the charity’s work in project areas: agriculture in Earth , water projects in Water , conflict aid in Fire , and climate change in Air .