A collection of 13 pieces of courage and resistance, this is work inspired by protests and rallies. Poems written for the women's march, for women's empowerment and amplification, poems that salute people fighting for justice, poems on sexism and racism, class discrimination, period poverty and homelessness, immigration and identity. This work reminds us that Courage is a Muscle, it also contains a letter from the spirit of Hope herself, because as the title suggests, Pessimism is for Lightweights.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE GORDON BURN PRIZE Mrs Death tells her intoxicating story in this life-affirming fire-starter of a novel Mrs Death has had enough. She is exhausted by her job and now seeks someone to unburden her conscience to. She meets Wolf, a troubled young writer, who – enthralled by her stories – begins to write Mrs Death’s memoirs. As the two reflect on the losses they have experienced (or facilitated), their friendship flourishes. All the while, despite her world-weariness, Death must continue to hold humans’ fates in her hands, appearing in our lives when we least expect her . . .

One of the very first publications to come off the Rough Trade Books press, Pessimism is for Lightweights began life as thirteen pieces of courage and resistance from the pen of the one and only Salena Godden. These are poems written for the Women's March, poems that salute peaceful protest, poems on sexism and racism, class discrimination, poverty and homelessness, immigration and identity. This new edition expands the collection to full book length and shows Godden at her inimitable best—deft technique and powerful emotional heft, with additional new poems reflecting on our fast- changing world with her trademark humour and resilience. This is a book full of light, courage and most of all hope..

'Honest, grippingly readable, funny and uplifting' MAGGIE GEE Springfield Road is a journey into childhood in the late 1970s, a time of halfpenny sweets, fish and chips in newspaper, scrumping apples and foraging for conkers. Set in the dawn of Thatcher's Britain, it's a salute to every curly-top, scabby knee'd, mixed-up, half-crazy kid with NHS glasses, free school dinners and hand-me- downs, as told by the daughter of an Irish jazz musician and a Jamaican go-go dancer. It's about discovering that life is unfair, that there are bullies out there, and that parents die; yet it is the very antithesis of a misery memoir. It's a vivid, uplifting tale that seeks out the humour, colour and tenderness in the world, and when you read it you will say Hey! I remember, we did that too! You might say: I remember being closer to the ground; I remember summers were longer and how oranges were bigger; I remember struggling to comprehend sex and war, life and death, heaven and hell, and perhaps you’ll say, I remember I missed my dad too...

A visionary work that combines speculative fiction with deep philosophical inquiry, The Sparrow tells the story of a charismatic Jesuit priest and linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who leads a scientific mission entrusted with a profound task: to make first contact with intelligent extraterrestrial life. The mission begins in faith, hope, and beauty, but a series of small misunderstandings brings it to a catastrophic end. Praise for The Sparrow “A startling, engrossing, and moral work of fiction.”—The New York Times Book Review “Important novels leave deep cracks in our beliefs, our prejudices, and our blinders. The Sparrow is one of them.”—Entertainment Weekly “Powerful . . . The Sparrow tackles a difficult subject with grace and intelligence.”—San Francisco Chronicle “Provocative, challenging . . . recalls both Arthur C. Clarke and H. G. Wells, with a dash of Ray Bradbury for good measure.”—The Dallas Morning News “[Mary Doria] Russell shows herself to be a skillful storyteller who subtly and expertly builds suspense.”—USA Today

Step into the boots of a YoRHa combat android and discover the world of NieR: Automata from a firsthand perspective! 192 pages of art, lore, and exploration collected into a fantastic full-color hardcover volume in English for the very first time! Whether locked in open combat, zipping through the air on a flying mech, or bonding with nature through the indigenous fauna, NeiR: Automata captivated players through a genre-bending blend of action and adventure. Now, journey through this unique and ruined world, discovering its each and every intricacy with the NieR: Automata World Guide! Dark Horse Books and Square Enix present a faithful localization of the original Japanese volume of the same name, offered in English for the first time! Explore the world of NieR: Automata through maps, character biographies, short stories, concept art, commentary, and more!

**The Sunday Times Bestseller** Instagram superstar and poet Nikita Gill returns to her roots with her most personal collection yet, including more than twenty poems exclusive to the US edition. I took my worries out and laid them carefully on the kitchen table. Then began the slow but rewarding task of fixing everything that needed more love. Nikita Gill shares a collection of poems crafted as the world went into lockdown, tackles themes such as mental health and loneliness, and the precarity of hope. Through the life cycle of a star, she invites the reader to feel connected to the universe, taking us on a journey through the five stages of grief to the five stages of hope. This collection includes the phenomenal “Love in the Time of Coronavirus,” which was shared across social media over 20,000 times, as well as Gill's poems of strength and hope, “How to Be Strong” and “Silver Linings.” Where Hope Comes From is fully illustrated with beautiful line drawings by the author. All because everything is forbidden now, I want to go up to the top of the Eiffel Tower and sing at the top of my lungs.

A GUARDIAN CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019, this stunning collection of new and classic poems from around the world celebrates the diversity of life on our green and blue planet, to be shared with all the family. With new poems from Raymond Antrobus, Mona Arshi, Kate Tempest, Hollie McNish, Dean Atta, Sabrina Mahfouz and more. Dive into this book and be swept away on a journey around our green and blue planet, from the peak of the snowiest mountaintop to the bottom of the deepest, bluest ocean. Meet the birds circling its skies, the beasts prowling its plains, and the people toiling in its fields and forests and cities... Explore all the worlds that make up our world, and hear the voices, past and present, that sing out from it. From haikus to sonnets, from rap to the Romantics, this joyous collection celebrates life in all corners of our beautiful planet.