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...

For forty years, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the husband-and-wife team behind countless headline-grabbing art projects all over the world, have been challenging our view of the world - natural or man-made - by giving us wrapped creations of dizzying magnitude and daring beauty, such as 'Surrounded Islands', which consisted of enveloping eleven islands with seven square miles of hot pink material. This is the first fully authorised biography of these celebrated and controversial artists, illustrated with 50 b/w photos and one 16-page colour photo insert.

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

How often is it that a poet with the critical standing of Selena Godden publishes their first collection 20 years into their collection? This is more than a sweeping up exercise, more than a greatest hits retrospective. Salena takes us on a hair-raising ride through the process of a writer, the highs, the lows, the drinks, the lovers, the sex (especially the sex) that she has embraced and shared with audiences over 20 years.

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!