Foxed Books

The Crimean War, fought over both religion and territory in the mid-nineteenth century, saw the clash of four great empires – on one side, the Russians; on the other, the formidable alliance of the British, the French and the Ottomans. Today it is recalled as being a distinctly modern war, the first to be documented by photographers. Figes takes us on a rigorous historical journey, which includes an unprecedented account of the iconic Charge of the Light Brigade and the Siege of Sebastapol.

Most of us can name our favourites, but what do we really know about fonts? Simon Garfield meets the people behind the typefaces to give us all the answers: why some fonts dominate the world while others have faded into obscurity; where they come from; what the connection is between the Beach Boys and Easy Jet; and why upper case once got a health worker sacked.

Rachel Hewitt tells the story of the Ordnance Survey map, which allowed the British Isles to be visible to itself for the first time in history. She tracks down the individuals who, before its inception in 1791, conceptualized the map, and later – over the many years of revolution, rebellion and amalgamation that altered the shape and identity of the nat – those who transformed it into today’s OS MasterMap.

Weeds have persisted for centuries, enduring ice ages, rapid advances in agricultural technology, and the devastation of global wars. With the lyricism and attention to detail that define his work, Mabey accounts for this eternal resilience, while scouring botanical history to uncover the fascinating, and at times paradoxical, role played by weeds in our lives.