Profile Books

The Rise and Fall of Marks and Spencer: And How It Rose Again

Judi Bevan, 2007

For decades Marks & Spencer was the most successful retailer in the world. Its clothes were a byword for affordable quality and its food halls pioneered ready-prepared meals. Then suddenly they were dowdy, the staff deserted in droves and the shares plummeted – but the annual results in April 2006 show that the company is on the mend. What went wrong and how have things improved? In new chapters covering the Philip Green bid and the Stuart Rose recovery plan, and covering the Christmas 2006 trading figures, Judi Bevan reveals all. Подробнее

Does Anything Eat Wasps? And 101 Other Questions How long can I live on beer alone? Why do people have eyebrows? Has nature invented any wheels? Plus 99 other questions answered. Every year, readers send in thousands of questions to New Scientist, the world’s best-selling science weekly, in the hope that the answers to them will be given in the ‘Last Word’ column – regularly voted the most popular section of the magazine. Does Anything Eat Wasps? is a collection of the best that have appeared, including: Why can’t we eat green potatoes? Why do airliners suddenly plummet? Does a compass work in space? Why do all the local dogs howl at emergency sirens? How can a tree grow out of a chimney stack? Why do bruises go through a range of colours? Why is the sea blue inside caves? Many seemingly simple questions are actually very complex to answer. And some that seem difficult have a very simple explanation. New Scientist’s ‘Last Word’ celebrates all questions – the trivial, the idiosyncratic, the baffling and the strange. This selection of the best is popular science at its most entertaining and enlightening. Подробнее

The Da Vinci Notebooks

Leonardo da Vinci, 2005

A dazzling array of invention, insight and observation from perhaps the greatest genius of Western civilisation. Towering across time as the painter of the Mona Lisa, forever famous as a sculptor and an inventor, Leonardo da Vinci was one of the greatest minds of both the Italian Renaissance and Western civilisation. His celebrated notebooks display the astonishing range of his genius. Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and recent in-depth biographies have stimulated renewed interest in Leonardo and his complex and enquiring intelligence. This brand-new selection of sketches, diagrams and writings from the notebooks is a beautiful and varied record of Leonardo’s theories and observations, embracing not only art but also architecture, town planning, engineering, naval warfare, music, medicine, mathematics, science and philosophy. Complete with a short biographical essay describing Leonardo’s life and achievements, this is the perfect introduction to a mysterious and endlessly fascinating genius. Подробнее

The 33 Strategies of War (Concise Edition)

Robert Greene, 2012

From bestselling author Robert Greene comes a new guide to the strategies of war that can help us gain mastery in the modern world. Spanning world civilisations, and synthesising dozens of political, philosophical, and religious texts, «The Concise 33 Strategies of War» is a guide to the subtle social game of everyday life. Based on profound and timeless lessons, it is abundantly illustrated with examples of the genius and folly of everyone from Napoleon to Margaret Thatcher and Hannibal to Ulysses S. Grant, as well as diplomats, captains of industry and Samurai swordsmen. Подробнее

In Search of Kazakhstan: The Land That Disappeared

Christopher Robbins, 2008

The only thing most people know about Kazakhstan is that it is homeland to Borat – and he isn’t even real. Actually this vast place – the last unknown inhabited country in the world – is far more surprising and entertaining. For one thing, it is as varied as Europe, combining stupendous wealth, grinding poverty, exotic traditions and a mad dash for modernity. Crisscrossing a vanished land, Christopher Robbins finds Eminem by a shrinking Aral Sea, goes eagle-hunting, visits the scene of Dostoyevsky’s doomed first love, takes up residence beside one-time neighbour Leon Trotsky and visits some of the most beautiful, unspoilt places on earth. Подробнее

Yes! 50 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion

Noah J. Goldstein, 2007

Most of us are only too aware that, whatever roles we have in today’s fast-moving world, much of our success lies in getting others to say ‘Yes’ to our requests. What many people might not be aware of, though, is the vast amount of research that has been conducted on the influence process. What factors cause one person to say ‘Yes’ to the request of another? Yes! is full of practical tips based on recent academic research that shows how the psychology of persuasion can provide valuable insights for anyone interested in improving their ability to persuade others – whether in the workplace, at home or even on the internet. It combines the counter-intuition of Freakonomics with the popularising of Does Anything Eats Wasps? For each mini-chapter contains a mystery which is solved in a way that provides food for thought for anyone looking to be more persuasive, and for anyone interested in how the world works. Подробнее

The Man in the Picture: A Ghost Story

Susan Hill, 2008

This book offers the chilling tale of a painting so terrifying, its secrets will haunt those who see it. It is a ghost story by the author of The Woman in Black, to be read by the fire on a cold winter's night. A mysterious depiction of masked revellers at the Venice carnival hangs in the college rooms of Oliver's old professor in Cambridge. On this cold winter's night, its eerie secret is revealed by the ageing don. The dark art of the Venetian scene, instead of imitating life, has the power to entrap it. To stare into the painting is to play dangerously with the unseen demons it hides, and become the victim of its macabre beauty... Подробнее

A Week At The Airport: A Heathrow Diary

Alain de Botton, 2009

In the summer of 2009, Alain de Botton will be invited by the owners of Heathrow airport to become their first ever Writer in Residence. He will be installed in the middle of Terminal 5 on a raised platform with a laptop connected to screens, enabling passengers to see what he is writing and to come and share their stories. He will meet travellers from around the world, and will be given unprecedented access to wander the airport and speak with everyone from window cleaners and baggage handlers to air traffic controllers and cabin crew. Working with the renowned documentary photographer Richard Baker, de Botton will produce an extraordinary meditation upon the nature of place, time, and our daily lives. He will explore the magical and the mundane, personal and collective experiences and the interactions of travellers and workers all over this familiar but mysterious site. Like all airports, Heathrow (the 15th century village of Heath Row lies beneath the short stay car park) is a 'non-place' that we by definition want to leave, but it also provides a window into many worlds — through the thousands of people it dispatches every day. A Week at the Airport is sure to delight de Botton's large following, and anyone interested in the stories behind the way we live. Подробнее

The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding

Al Ries, 2000

The only way to stand out in today's and tomorrow's — cluttered marketplace is to build your product or service into a brand. The renowned marketing guru and author of The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing demonstrates how to build any product or service into a world-class brand. Подробнее

Catherine the Great

Simon Dixon, 2010

Empress, empire-builder, intellectual, art-collector, and lover — this magnificent new biography does full justice to a truly remarkable ruler. When Catherine II died in St Petersburg in 1796, the world sensed the loss of the most celebrated monarch of Europe — something no one would have predicted at the birth 67 years before of an obscure German princess, Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, later married off to the pathetic heir to the Russian throne. There were few greater transformations of fortunes in history. Sophie/Catherine had come to rule in her own right over the largest state in existence since the fall of the Roman Empire. She was branded both a usurper and an assassin when she seized power from her wretched husband in 1762. Yet she survived the initial succession crisis, and went on to occupy the Russian throne for 34 years. In the process, she turned her new empire from peripheral pariah to European great power. Подробнее

Free Lunch

David Smith, 2003

This is the perfect introduction to economics. It is not some dreary textbook, but an explanation of how economics works and how it can help to solve all sorts of interesting problems. Written for the lay reader, this book makes the economics pages of the newspaper intelligible, the financial pages interesting and answers questions all of us worry about, like how can house prices carry on rising so much? Is there no limit to the increase in their prices? Set out like a good lunch-time conversation, the book follows the course of a meal, with starters (the introduction), main course and then the discussion which one always has at the end of a good meal. And along the way there are a few guest speakers (Adam Smith, Karl Marx and John Maynard Keynes) who make appearances to enliven the meal and entertain and inform us, the diners. This is a clever, completely original and witty introduction to economics. It costs less than even the cheapest meal and is far more satisfying than even the most gourmet banquet. Подробнее

The Tao of Coaching: Boost Your Effectiveness at Work

Max Landsberg, 2003

Coaching is the key to realising the potential of your employees, your organisation and yourself. The good news is that becoming a great coach requires nurturing just a few simple skills and habits. This bestselling and classic business book, now revised and relaunched, takes you through the stages needed to implement coaching to maximum effect. Easy to read and apply, the book provides the techniques and tools of coaching that are vital for anyone who wants to develop a team of people who will perform effectively and who will relish working with you. Since its publication in 1996, it has become the bible for the coaching manager. Подробнее

Profile Books

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