Books we’re loving

Our top recommendations for fans of non-fiction.

Magpies & Red Skies

Willow Winsham

Where do those little everyday rituals come from? Saluting magpies, knocking on wood, greeting the start of the month with “rabbit, rabbit, rabbit” (or variations thereof) – most of us have encountered these practices, but what do they mean? In historian Willow Winsham’s beautifully illustrated “Magpies & Red Skies” you can find out about more than 100 superstitions from around the world. Be careful, though – you might end up with a few new ones of your own!

RRP £14.99, Welbeck

Days Like These Brian Bilston

Known variously as the “Banksy of poetry” and “Twitter’s unofficial Poet Laureate”, Brian Bilston the man is shrouded in mystery (and pipe smoke, apparently). His poems, however, are a delight – at least they are if, in the words of Richard Osman, “you like a) laughing and b) words that rhyme with each other”. In his new collection of clever verse, Brian writes a poem to accompany every day of the year – a playful pick-me-up!

RRP £16.99, Picador

RHS Can I Grow Potatoes In Pots?

Sally Nex

Award-winning garden writer Sally Nex addresses questions from beginners and experienced gardeners alike in this handy tome covering a wide range of topics related to fruit and vegetable growing. Now that so many of us are looking for extra ways to save money, this is a great help in making the most of the space you have for growing, be it garden, allotment or balcony.

RRP £16.99, Mitchell Beazley

The Body Illustrated

Bill Bryson

Ever wondered how much a human would cost to make? Bill Bryson has. His research for “The Body: A Guide For Occupants” came up with a 2013 figure from the Royal Society of Chemistry that put the sum for our 59 elements at £96,546 (excluding labour and VAT). His top-to-toe tour is crammed with such fascinating facts and funny insights. This new edition, “The Body Illustrated”, illuminates the lively text with fabulous full-colour diagrams and photographs.

RRP £30, Doubleday

Once Upon A Tome Oliver Darkshire

Browsing the shelves of an antiquarian bookshop, surrounded by the unmistakable papery scent of hundreds of treasured titles waiting to be rediscovered, how many of us daydream about the delights of working in such a spot? Some years after entering the elegant interior of Sotheran’s, one of the world’s oldest book-selling establishments, as a hopeful apprentice, Oliver Darkshire reveals what life is really like behind the counter in his amusing musings on a little-known world.

RRP £14.99, Bantam Press

Tava Irina Georgescu

Food writer Irina Georgescu shares the culture and cuisine of her Romanian forebears in this gorgeous collection of authentic baking and dessert recipes from Eastern Europe. Beautifully photographed and with clear instructions, Irina’s recipes are a delight. From decorated Transylvanian gingerbread to luscious curd cheese and raisin pie, Armenian Pakhlava and more, you’re bound to discover some new favourites to add to your baking repertoire (and acquire plenty of holiday ideas, too!)

RRP £27, Hardie Grant