Discover the many lives of Peter Matthiessen – writer, naturalist, activist, CIA agent, Zen master – in this kaleidoscopic biography of an American literary giant.

Author of The Snow Leopard, co-founder of the Paris Review and the only writer to have ever won the National Book Award for both fiction and nonfiction, Peter Matthiessen was a towering figure of twentieth-century American literary culture. He was also, briefly, an undercover agent for the fledgling CIA; an environmental activist; an advocate for Native American rights and California farmworkers; friends with the likes of Truman Capote and William Styron; and a daring explorer who visited every continent on Earth, scaling the Himalayas and floating through the Amazon on a balsawood raft.

Across these many lives, Matthiessen was always searching for what he called his ‘true nature’ – an enlightened state of being, without ego – and this spiritual quest ultimately led him, even as he inflicted great pain on three wives and multiple children, to the highest ranks of Zen.

Readers and critics have struggled to reconcile Matthiessen’s extraordinarily varied achievements and literary output, which included everything from experimental novels to advocacy journalism. Now, for the first time, drawing on rich primary sources and hundreds of interviews, acclaimed biographer Lance Richardson pulls together the seemingly disparate threads of Matthiessen’s story. With page-turning immediacy, Richardson illuminates how the writer’s uncanny gifts enabled him to sense connections between ecological decline, racism and labour exploitation – to express, eloquently and presciently, that ‘in a damaged human habitat, all problems merge’.

‘Fascinating’ KATHERINE MAY, author of Wintering
‘Irresistible’ KATHERINE BUCKNELL, author of Christopher Isherwood Inside Out
‘Perceptive and consistently readable’ CAL FLYN, author of Islands of Abandonment

“Our way of sitting is for you to become yourself.”

In this long-overdue book from one of the most influential spiritual teachers of the last century, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi shares simple, warmhearted teachings on a practice that is fundamentally about becoming yourself. In his inimitable style, filled with humor and insight, Becoming Yourself speaks directly to the newest beginners while also serving as a touchstone and a continual source of inspiration for even the most experienced practitioners and Zen teachers.

Becoming Yourself is based on the late Suzuki’s lectures and brings to light many of his unpublished teachings. Throughout, Suzuki Roshi’s voice is clear and resonates with the unmistakable power of true wisdom.

‘Reading this is like receiving a warm hug’ Vex King, author of Good Vibes, Good Life

‘A warm and reassuring path through the most challenging moments of our lives’ Lori Gottlieb, author of Maybe You Should Talk To Someone

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Modern life doesn’t always go our way. Loss, rejection, uncertainty and loneliness are unavoidable parts of the human experience — but there is solace to be found.

In When Things Don’t Go Your Way, Zen Buddhist teacher Haemin Sunim provides simple but powerful wisdom for navigating life’s challenges. Through his trademark combination of beautiful illustrations, insightful stories, and contemplative aphorisms, Sunim helps us reframe our mindsets and develop emotional agility.

When Things Don’t Go Your Way is a soothing balm that helps us all find courage and comfort when we need it most.

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What if moments of great difficulty are, in fact, opportunities for growth and self-discovery? What if they can serve as stepping stones to greater things in life?

Modern life doesn’t always go our way. Loss, rejection, uncertainty and loneliness are unavoidable parts of the human experience — but there is solace to be found.

In When Things Don’t Go Your Way, Zen Buddhist teacher Haemin Sunim provides simple but powerful wisdom for navigating life’s challenges. Through his trademark combination of beautiful illustrations, insightful stories, and contemplative aphorisms, Sunim helps us reframe our mindsets and develop emotional agility.

Whether you’re in the midst of a crisis or simply seeking to improve your mental and emotional wellbeing, When Things Don’t Go Your Way is a soothing balm that helps us all find courage and comfort when we need it most.

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‘Reading this is like receiving a warm hug’ Vex King, author of Good Vibes, Good Life

‘A warm and reassuring path through the most challenging moments of our lives’ Lori Gottlieb, author of Maybe You Should Talk To Someone

One breath, one step is all we need to feel at home and comfortable in the here and now

In this enlightening series, world-renowned spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh shares the foundations of mindfulness practice and meditation.

By applying considered breath and meditation, How to Smile acts as a guide to show us how to transform hurt into healing, while also allowing us to explore the strong emotions of anger, sadness, regret and fear.

This is the essential guide to help you heal.

“I’ve learnt that what we want is seldom what we need, and what we need is almost never what we want”

This is the tale of a cat wise in the ways of zen, journeying to discover a fabled ancient pine, under which infinite wisdom may be found.

Along the way he meets a vivid cast of animals: from an anxious monkey and a tortoise tired of life, to a tiger struggling with anger, a confused wolf cub and a covetous crow.

But it’s a surprise encounter with a playful kitten, that forces the cat to question everything . . .

Told in a gentle, calming style, The Cat Who Taught Zen introduces a new cast of characters for readers of all ages to fall in love with, offering timeless wisdom wrapped up into a tale of beguiling beauty.
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Big Panda and Tiny Dragon, Sunday Times bestseller, July 2022

Japanese by birth, but transplanted to Europe in adulthood, Miki Sakamoto has spent a lifetime tending her garden and reflecting on its mysteries. Why do primulas bloom in snow? Do the trees really ‘talk’ to one another? What are the blackbirds saying today? And is there a mindful way to deal with an aphid infestation?

From rising early to walk barefoot on the grass each morning, to afternoons and evenings spent sipping tea in her gazebo or watching fireflies as she recalls her childhood in Japan, in Zen in the Garden Sakamoto shares observations from a life spent in contemplation – and cultivation – of nature. She shows us that you can create Zen in your life, wherever you live and whatever form your outdoor space takes.

Essential life lessons from the world’s most famous monk. Through a beautiful collection of autobiographical stories and teachings, At Home in the World tells the remarkable life of the beloved Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh. With his signature clarity and warmth, he shares tales from his childhood in rural Vietnam through to his travels teaching the world the art of mindfulness.

‘Thich Nhat Hanh shows us the connection between personal inner peace and peace on earth’ The Dalai Lama

‘Thich Nhat Hanh does not merely teach peace; Thich Nhat Hanh is peace’ Elizabeth Gilbert

Complete & Unabridged. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, cloth-bound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is translated and introduced by David Hinton. Fluent in ancient Chinese and an acclaimed poet, he skilfully reveals how remarkably current and even innovative this text is after 2500 years.

According to legend, Lao Tzu left China at the age of eighty, saddened that men would not follow the path to natural goodness. At the border with Tibet, a guard asked him to record his teachings and the Tao Te Ching is what he wrote down before leaving. Lao Tzu’s spirituality describes the Cosmos as a harmonious and generative organism, and it shows how the human is an integral part of that cosmos.