Batsford imprint: 183 books

Grand master and prolific chess author Neil McDonald explains every single move made in 30 striking tactical or strategical games played over the last quarter century.

A highly entertaining read for anyone with even a passing interest in London's history. This myth-busting book takes you on a great ride through history and the city's character. Think that the tower that holds Big Ben is called St Stephen's Tower? Think again – it was called the Clock Tower until...

Who better to ensure the nation's table manners come up to scratch than an English butler with over 10 years' experience? With the revival in good manners, etiquette, spelling and grammar, this is a timely book on table manners and dining etiquette to ensure grace at the table at all times. Covers...

London Then and Now – People and Places takes an amazing cross-section of vintage photographs of London from the 1850s through to the 1960s, and pairs them up with the same view as it looks today. The great tourist destinations are all included: Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, Houses of Parliament,...

A fascinating insight into Britain’s built heritage and the diverse housing styles of the twentieth and twenty-first century. This book showcases 100 houses – one from each year from 1914 – that represent the range of architectural styles throughout the years and show how housing has adapted...

A great guide for painters who want to experiment with mixed media and make their landscape paintings more adventurous. Popular artist and teacher, Soraya French, encourages readers to experiment with mixing media and to create more adventurous paintings and broaden their artistic horizons. The media...

100 Documents That Changed the World brings together the most important written agreements, declarations and statements in history. The documents included here have changed the course of history by rewriting laws, granting freedoms and laying out constitutions. But as well as official charters and...

A fascinating collection of entertaining stories from as far afield as Europe, Indian and America revealing unusual railway journeys across the centuries, including ghost trains, vanishing passengers and trains fitted with homing pigeons instead of a communication cord! From eccentric lords, who transferred...

The Beginner's Guide to Abstract Art is an inspirational but practical book that will help artists to paint in a less figurative way. Laura Reiter demonstrates different ways to approach an abstract painting from 'just a little bit abstract' to 'completely abstract'. She does this by focussing on...

This biography, lavishly illustrated, traces Dean's development as an actor through his film work and numerous lesser-known roles in the theatre and television.

A passionate and personal book about the writer's own love for a controversial architectural style. Whether you love or hate brutalist buildings, this book will explain what it is about them that elicits such strong feeling. You will understand the true power of concrete and of mammoth-sized...

Our understanding of disease and the powers of medicine today are unparalleled, and their documentation has increased signficantly. Science is Beautiful collects the most fascinating microscopic photographs of our diseases along with the medicines we use to treat them. These photographs are profoundly...

Well-known watercolour painter Ann Blockley presents flowers through a variety of interpretations, from traditional to unconventional in both technique and concept. In this exciting new book she really pushes the boundaries of watercolour, showing how to paint a stunning range of flowers throughout...

Nigel Rees presents a nostalgic and witty guide to wartime catchphrases, from the now ubiquitous 'Keep Calm and Carry On' to lesser-known gems such as 'lions led by donkeys'. Following his hugely popular survey of domestic sayings, More Tea Vicar?, Rees returns with a witty and fascinating examination...