William Hague
William Pitt the Younger

The younger William Pitt - known as the - 'schoolboy' - began his days as Prime Minister in 1783 and dominated the governing of Britain for 22 years, 19 of them as Prime Minister. Pitt presided over dramatic changes in the country's finances and trade and brought about the union with Ireland, but was ultimately consumed by the years of debilitating war with France. Domestic crises included the madness of the King and a full-scale naval mutiny. Finally his story is told here with the drama, wit and authority it deserves.

Nigel Lawson
An Appeal to Reason

Nigel Lawson, former Chancellor of the - Exchequer and Secretary of State for Energy, argues that it is time for us to take a cool look at global warming. Lawson carefully examines all aspects of the issue: science, economics, politics and ethics, concluding that conventional wisdom on the subject is suspect on a number of grounds. All this is argued with logic, commmon sense and even wit.

'Elegantly written, thorough, entertaining and, above all, convincing' - FINANCIAL TIMES

Simon Garfield is obsessed with 'error stamps', - those with printing or production mistakes that elevated their value, sometimes enormously. The Error World is an examination of obsession and desire, and the search for fulfilment. But it is also a story of wooden legs, pornography in the Finchley Road, Pele's World Cup shirt, the man who guards stamps for the Queen and a woman who is terrified of the Post Office Tower .

• Simon Garfield is a feature writer on the Observer and the author of nine works of non-fiction.