A Season of Discovery with Sheffield Chamber Orchestra

Sheffield Chamber Orchestra is inviting audiences to enjoy a new season of live music that combines much-loved masterpieces, lesser-known works and the talents of promising young performers.

The 2026–27 programme follows the orchestra’s 75th anniversary year and continues its commitment to bringing ambitious, engaging classical music to audiences across Sheffield.

Across three concerts, listeners can travel from Baroque brilliance to Romantic symphonies, with plenty of musical discoveries along the way.

The season begins on Saturday 5 December 2026 at Ecclesall Parish Church with New Voices, conducted by Gina Hazell. A conductor and performer with experience in symphonic, operatic and choral music, Gina works across the North of England and has collaborated with orchestras and young musicians.

For her Sheffield Chamber Orchestra debut, she will lead a colourful programme opening with Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture, written when the composer was just 17. 

Dvořák’s lively Czech Suite and Handel’s elegant Concerto Grosso in B-flat major, Op. 6 No. 7 provide contrasting sounds, before the concert concludes with Louise Farrenc’s ambitious Symphony No. 1. Farrenc’s music is enjoying a long-overdue revival, making this a chance to encounter a remarkable composer whose work deserves a wider audience.

The second concert takes place on Saturday 13 March 2027, conducted by Sheffield-based John Lyon. Its programme brings together Beethoven, Fauré, Emilie Mayer and John Rutter, exploring orchestral music’s dramatic force, lyrical beauty and imagination. Familiar composers sit alongside Mayer, whose distinctive Romantic voice offers another opportunity to listen afresh.

The season closes on Saturday 22 May 2027 with Accent on Youth 2027, also conducted by Lyon. The concert will showcase emerging musicians, giving young performers the opportunity to play alongside an established chamber orchestra before a live audience. Supporting the next generation is an important part of the orchestra’s contribution to Sheffield’s musical community.

Together, the three concerts span the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and modern eras. Whether audiences are revisiting Beethoven, discovering Farrenc or Mayer, or hearing young performers take to the stage, each event promises something to explore.

Julie Ryan, Chair of Sheffield Chamber Orchestra, says the season reflects the orchestra’s love of great music played with enthusiasm, while introducing audiences to composers and musicians they may not have encountered before.

Full concert, venue and ticket information is available on the Sheffield Chamber Orchestra website. Season tickets are on sale now, with audiences across Sheffield and South Yorkshire warmly invited to join the orchestra for a year of live music and discovery.

https://scorchestra.uk

Do Famous Film and TV Homes Really Become More Valuable?

A house can become famous overnight. A familiar doorway appears on screen, a character makes it home, and viewers remember it for years. 

But does that screen fame make the property worth more?

A study of famous film and television homes suggests that, in most cases, it does not. The wider Bettermove project follows 100 properties around the world. 

Its British examples show a striking pattern: houses often sell for much the same as their neighbours, or struggle to find a buyer. 

The places that tend to make money from their screen connections are castles and historic attractions, which can welcome visitors.

Brookside Close offers a memorable example. In 2008, all 13 houses on the Liverpool street built for Channel 4’s soap opera were sold together at auction for £735,000. That is a long way from the sums sometimes imagined for a famous address.

Other properties have had a tougher time. Nora Batty’s cottage in Holmfirth went on the market in 2006 and took more than a decade to find a buyer. The Suffolk house associated with Harry Potter’s birth was listed for £995,000, reduced to £950,000 and eventually withdrawn after failing to attract a buyer. The house from The Good Life sold for £1.44 million, in line with other detached homes on its road.

There is one notable exception: Sleddale Hall in Cumbria, which appeared as Uncle Monty’s cottage in Withnail and I. Despite being derelict and lacking a proper road, it attracted a top bid of £265,000 against a guide price of £145,000. In this case, fans were willing to pay extra for the connection.

The study suggests that screen fame can be more valuable to a visitor attraction than to a private homeowner. Alnwick Castle saw visitor numbers rise after appearing as Hogwarts; Doune Castle gained a following through Outlander; and Lyme Park became closely associated with Mr Darcy’s famous lake scene in Pride and Prejudice. Highclere Castle’s Downton Abbey connection has also helped bring in income for repairs.

For residents, fame can bring unwanted attention. Fans may trespass, take photographs or stop outside homes that remain private. Some owners and neighbours have complained about visitors turning residential streets into tourist destinations. The owner of the Love Actually house has even put its famous front door up for auction, hoping to get a break from the crowds.

There are exceptions where fans become the buyers. In Barry, the house associated with Uncle Bryn in Gavin & Stacey attracted fans and now earns money as a holiday let. That kind of success depends on finding someone who values the story enough to buy or rent the property.

Bettermove says the research grew from an office conversation about famous movie homes. After reviewing properties, sales and auction records, its team found that a screen story alone rarely changes what a house is worth. The location may become part of popular culture, but buyers still compare the house with the homes around it.

The full study includes the history, prices and current fate of all 100 properties on an interactive map: Does fame add value? Famous film and TV homes https://www.bettermove.co.uk/property-stories/famous-film-and-tv-homes

A Dictionary of Forensic Science by Suzanne Bell – A Reference Book Worth Rediscovering

Here at That’s Books and More, we first wrote about Suzanne Bell’s A Dictionary of Forensic Science when it appeared back in 2012. 

Fourteen years later, it seems an excellent time to take another look at a book that remains a fascinating addition to the shelves of anyone interested in crime, investigation and the science behind them.

Published by Oxford University Press as part of its Oxford Quick Reference range, A Dictionary of Forensic Science contains more than 1,300 entries covering an extraordinarily broad spectrum of forensic subjects.

And this certainly isn’t a dictionary that simply provides dry definitions.

Suzanne Bell takes readers through subjects including forensic chemistry, biology, anthropology, firearms, toolmarks, trace evidence, crime-scene investigation, engineering and forensic computing. There are also biographies, important cases and explanations of the techniques that have helped forensic scientists establish links, or demonstrate the absence of links, between suspects, victims and crime scenes.

The inclusion of cases such as Dr Crippen and Mary Ann Cotton helps place forensic techniques into their historical context, while figures and photographs make some of the more technical subjects easier to understand.

Bell was particularly well qualified to produce such a reference work. At the time of publication she was Associate Professor of Forensic Chemistry at West Virginia University and had also worked as a forensic expert for the New Mexico State Police. 

Her other books included Forensic Chemistry, Crime and Circumstance: Investigating the History of Forensic Science and an Encyclopedia of Forensic Science.

One of the strengths identified in a contemporary Royal Society of Chemistry review was the book's cross-referencing, which encourages readers to follow unfamiliar terms and explore related subjects rather than simply looking up one definition and closing the book.

That makes it particularly useful for crime writers and journalists. If you're writing a murder mystery and suddenly need to know whether you've used a forensic expression correctly, this is exactly the sort of book you'll want within arm's reach.

It's equally interesting for students, police and legal professionals, true-crime readers and true crime writers and those of us who simply enjoy discovering how real forensic science differs from its often rather miraculous depiction on television.

Our original 2012 review concluded that it belonged on the bookshelf or in the work bag of anyone with a serious interest in forensic science.

More than a decade later, we'd add another category to that list: writers who want to get the forensic details right.

A Dictionary of Forensic Science by Suzanne Bell was published by Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199594009.

You can order the book here at our Amazon-powered bookshop https://link.amazon/B05mosDSs

We get a modest affiliate payment whilst you get books at a discounted price.

What’s in a Name? Exploring the Oxford Dictionary of British Place-Names

Have you ever wondered why the place where you live has its particular name? 

Why so many English towns end in -ton, -ham, -bury or -ford? 

Or why some British place names appear to bear very little resemblance to the way they are pronounced?

If so, A. D. Mills’ A Dictionary of British Place-Names, published by Oxford University Press, is the sort of reference book in which you can easily lose an entire afternoon.

And we mean that as a compliment.

Place names are miniature pieces of history. Long after buildings have disappeared, boundaries have shifted and languages have changed, the names can preserve clues about the people who once lived there and the landscape they knew.

Mills draws upon linguistic and historical research to explain the origins and development of thousands of place names across Britain. Celtic languages, Old English, Old Norse, Norman French and other influences all make appearances, reflecting successive chapters in British history.

One of the pleasures of the book is discovering just how descriptive many familiar names originally were. Elements referring to farms, settlements, rivers, hills, valleys, woods, bridges and fortified places occur again and again.

But centuries of pronunciation and spelling changes can disguise those origins almost beyond recognition.

For anyone interested in local history, genealogy, archaeology or British history, this makes the dictionary a particularly useful companion. If you're researching where an ancestor lived, for example, understanding the origin of the village name can sometimes tell you something about the landscape and history of the settlement itself.

It's also tremendous fun simply to browse.

Open it at random and you're likely to find yourself travelling around Britain without leaving your armchair. One entry leads to another, and before long a quick check of a single town has turned into half an hour investigating neighbouring villages.

For writers, there's another attraction. Place names help create a sense of landscape and history, and understanding how genuine British names developed can be invaluable when creating believable fictional towns and villages.

Here at That's Books and More, we have a particular fondness for reference books that aren't merely consulted but actually encourage exploration. A Dictionary of British Place-Names certainly falls into that category.

It reminds us that the names on road signs and railway stations aren't simply labels.

They're fragments of history that we use every day.

And once you start discovering what they mean, you may never look at a British map in quite the same way again.

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Bron Yr Aur Micronation Welcomes Its First International Creative Collective

Writers, artists, musicians, poets and makers from around the world have been selected to form the first Creative Collective of Bron Yr Aur Micronation.

Following an international search, 11 creators from Wales, England, Italy, Iran and the United States have become Founding Citizens of the global, borderless micronation.

Around 150 people applied, but the organisers also explored independent work, social platforms and creative communities worldwide. 

They sought people whose values connected with Bron Yr Aur’s commitment to creativity, sustainability and well-being.

Although the chosen creators work in very different disciplines, they share a belief that creativity can connect people, challenge established ideas, provide nourishment and inspire communities across cultural and geographical borders.

Their arrival takes Bron Yr Aur beyond its first 50 Founding Citizens. Its eventual goal is to welcome 100 before making a formal declaration of independence.

Rooted in Wales but open to the world, Bron Yr Aur Micronation is exploring whether countries and communities can be built around participation, inclusivity and peace. Creativity is not regarded as an optional extra, but as an essential part of nation-building.

This approach is being developed through the Ministry of Culture, Heritage & Creative Well-being, established by Chief Visionary Boohai and Ambassador of Culture Heledd Wyn.

Wyn, a Welsh filmmaker, director, visual artist and Future Wales Fellow, has written the micronation’s draft Culture Policy and Cultural Manifesto. It argues that culture should be lived rather than merely consumed, that imagination is a civic necessity and that small nations can dream of large futures.

“Culture is understood as a bridge between peoples and not a border between them,” the manifesto declares.

The Founding Creative Collective includes Grammy-winning Appalachian musician Chance McCoy; experimental electronic artist NÓWNØIS; former Duran Duran vocalist and multidisciplinary artist Andy Wickett; writer Maya Jordon; sustainable creative practitioner Daisy Buckle; and Iranian visual artist and photographer Kazem Ostadali.

They are joined by songwriter Eddy Dyer, whose 2026 album Bron Yr Aur Dagda was recorded at the house itself; furniture restoration artist Grace Carrol; Italian-born visual artist Siro Carraro; Welsh singer and multi-instrumentalist Alys Hardy; and Philadelphia musician and musical healer Raji Malik.

“We didn’t want to simply put out an application form and choose from whoever came to us,” said Chief Visionary Boohai. “We went looking; we explored the work of people around the world because creativity has this extraordinary ability to travel across borders, cultures and languages.”

Find out more at www.bronyraur.com.

Evening Dress, Good Manners and General Knowledge: The Joy of Vintage TV Quizzes

There is something wonderfully comforting about disappearing down a YouTube rabbit hole and finding yourself watching a television quiz show made 50, 60 or even 70 years ago.

Vintage television quizzes and panel games offer far more than an opportunity to test your general knowledge against contestants from another era. 

They provide fascinating little windows into a world of television that operated according to very different rules.

And sometimes the differences are delightful.

One of the first things you notice is how smartly everybody is dressed.

On many programmes, appearing on television was evidently regarded as an occasion. Male presenters and panellists might wear dinner jackets and bow ties, while female guests arrived in elegant evening dresses, jewellery and beautifully styled hair.

Nobody looked as though they'd popped into the studio on the way back from doing the weekly shop.

Then there are the manners.

Watch some old panel shows and you'll occasionally see the male panellists stand when a female guest enters the studio. Chairs are pulled out, introductions are courteous and conversations can have an almost formal quality.

Of course, we shouldn't pretend everything about those times was better. Social attitudes have changed enormously, often for very good reasons, and women appearing on television weren't always treated with the equality we would expect today.

But there is nevertheless something rather appealing about the idea that courtesy itself was considered important.

When the quiz was the entertainment

Vintage quizzes can also feel remarkably restrained by modern standards.

There may be no enormous cash jackpot, dramatic lighting, pounding music or presenter shouting, "IS THAT YOUR FINAL ANSWER?"

Sometimes the prize seems almost incidental. The attraction is simply watching knowledgeable people attempting to answer difficult questions, or witty people enjoying a good panel game.

And the questions themselves can be fascinating.

Some answers that would have been obvious to viewers in 1962 are completely baffling today, while questions considered difficult then can now seem remarkably straightforward. References to politicians, actors, books, plays, radio personalities and forgotten sporting heroes provide intriguing snapshots of what constituted popular culture at the time.

That makes these programmes accidental historical documents.

YouTube's unlikely television archive

One of the great pleasures of YouTube is that programmes which might otherwise have disappeared from everyday public consciousness can suddenly find new audiences.

You might begin by watching one old quiz and, several recommendations later, realise you've spent an evening in a television studio somewhere in the 1950s or 1960s.

The picture might wobble. The sound may hiss. They'll be in black and white, the set may consist of little more than some curtains, chairs and a desk.

Yet somehow it works.

Perhaps that's because these programmes remind us that television doesn't always need to be enormous, noisy and spectacular. Sometimes intelligent questions, interesting personalities, gentle humour and a little courtesy are quite enough.

And when a glamorous female guest walks onto the set and every gentleman on the panel immediately gets to his feet, it's difficult not to smile.

Some of the things happening might raise eyebrows such as smoking on set, but those were different days back then.

Do you watch vintage quiz and panel shows on YouTube? Which forgotten programmes have you rediscovered? Let us know, because there may be some gems the rest of us should be watching too.

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Meet Merv: The Internet’s Talking Cat, Her Beloved Charals – And the Merv Merch

If your social-media feeds have somehow escaped the phenomenon that is Merv the Cat, prepare to enter a very strange world indeed.

There are wispies. There is Ohio. There is the mysterious and apparently alarming BAGAGWA. And, most importantly, there is CHARALS!

Merv, gloriously formally known as Mervyn Cumberland Weems, is actually a female cat living in Los Angeles with her humans, actor Chad Jamian and celebrity make-up artist Chanel Cross.

Rescued as a tiny kitten in 2017, Merv has subsequently become one of the internet's great feline personalities. What makes her particularly special is her extraordinary range of vocalisations, some of which sound remarkably like words.

Whether Merv really believes she's talking to her humans is another question entirely, but millions of people have happily entered into the joke.

And Merv has quite a vocabulary.

There's "Ohio", "Pad Thai" and, of course, the ominous BAGAGWA.

However, one word towers above all others:

CHARALS!

Who is Charals?

"Charals" is Merv's distinctive pronunciation of Charles, the gardener who works at the home of Chad and Chanel.

Charles has unwittingly become the romantic leading man in the ongoing soap opera that is Merv's life.

Merv watches him through the window, becomes tremendously excited at the sight of him and apparently calls his name. The fact that Charles frequently goes about his gardening without a shirt has also become part of the running joke.

It has reached the point where Charles isn't simply the gardener any more. Within the strange fictional universe surrounding Merv, he's Merv's great love interest.

And, inevitably, Charals has made it onto the merchandise.

Yes, there's official Merv merchandise

Merv now has her own official merchandise shop – wonderfully named Official BAGAGWA Merch! – selling products based around the phrases and characters that regular followers instantly recognise.

There are Merv T-shirts in colour and black and white, but naturally there are also Charals T-shirts, currently listed from $22. Long-sleeved versions are available too.

The Merv/Charals romance gets even better. Fans can buy CHARALS magnets, mugs, stickers, pins, pillows and hats, along with Valentine's Day designs featuring Merv and her beloved gardener.

There is even a separate Charles Secret Stash range offering, amongst other things, a Charles and Merv T-shirt.

But Merv fans will probably be equally delighted by the merchandise celebrating her wonderfully peculiar vocabulary.

"BAGAGWA" appears on mugs, magnets, stickers, pins, pillows and clothing, while "Don't Summon BAGAGWA" has become an entire merchandise theme in its own right. There's even a BAGAGWA tapestry for those who feel their home décor is currently rather too normal.

"NO OHIO!" hasn't been forgotten either, appearing across mugs, magnets and other items.

Prices are quoted in US dollars and, as products, prices and availability can change, UK Merv fans should check delivery costs and availability before ordering.

Visit Merv's official BAGAGWA merchandise shop

And there's a talking Merv!

Perhaps the ultimate piece of Merv merchandise has been the Talking Merv plush, produced by Youtooz.

Merv's own official links have promoted the nine-inch talking plush alongside the official merchandise shop and Merv vinyl stickers.

It is somehow entirely appropriate that a cat who became famous for apparently talking should eventually be transformed into a talking toy.

From abandoned kitten to merchandise empire

There's something rather lovely underneath all this silliness.

Merv began life as a vulnerable rescued kitten and has ended up bringing enormous amounts of laughter to people around the world. Chad and Chanel have spoken about receiving messages from people going through grief, illness, heartbreak and burnout who say Merv has helped make difficult days a little brighter.

That's probably why the merchandise works.

A CHARALS mug or BAGAGWA T-shirt isn't merely another piece of internet merchandise. To someone who follows Merv, it's a reference to an elaborate shared joke – one which has gradually developed its own characters, vocabulary and mythology.

It's almost like being a fan of a long-running comedy series.

Except the star is a rescued cat.

And the romantic hero is the gardener.

For readers of That's Books and More who love cats, internet oddities and unusual gifts, the Merv phenomenon is certainly worth discovering. But be warned: watch a few videos and you may soon find yourself discussing wispies, worrying about Ohio and shouting "CHARALS!" at entirely inappropriate moments.

Just whatever you do...

DON'T SUMMON BAGAGWA.

https://www.bagagwa.com 

http://mervthepet.dashery.com

https://www.youtube.com/@MervTheCat

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NHS GP turns 20 years of frontline experience into gripping debut medical thriller

What happens when the systems designed to protect vulnerable people begin to serve those with power instead?

That unsettling question lies at the heart of What Can’t Be Unseen, the debut medical thriller from British NHS GP Michael Crisp, who has drawn on more than two decades of frontline medical experience to give his fiction an unusually authentic edge.

While the conspiracy at the centre of the novel is entirely fictional, Crisp says the pressures, ethical dilemmas and human stories surrounding it have been shaped by his years working as a doctor.

“Medicine is built on trust,” Crisp told That's Books and More. “But trust can sadly be exploited. The aim of my debut novel was to explore what happens when the systems designed to protect the vulnerable begin to serve power instead.”

The story introduces Dr James Harland, an NHS physician left deeply shaken after being unable to save a young migrant woman in a London emergency department.

However, her death soon becomes considerably more troubling. Toxicology reports reveal an unknown pharmaceutical compound in her blood, drawing Harland into an increasingly dangerous investigation involving illegal drug testing, organised crime and political corruption.

Alongside journalist Emily Morris and his estranged daughter Lucy, Harland faces a choice familiar to many a good thriller protagonist: protect his career and walk away, or risk everything by pursuing a truth that powerful people would rather keep hidden.

Yet What Can’t Be Unseen isn't simply a conspiracy thriller. Crisp uses the story to explore some of the less visible realities of working in medicine, including exhaustion, difficult decisions, professional responsibility and the emotional burden that can follow doctors home after their shifts have ended.

“I have seen how overstretched systems create cracks and how vulnerable people can fall through them,” he explains. “I wanted to explore what could happen if those cracks were deliberately exploited – and who ultimately pays the price.”

There are also themes of family, regret and redemption, with the novel asking how ordinary people might respond when extraordinary circumstances make doing the right thing personally costly.

With shades of medical thrillers in the Michael Crichton tradition combined with the darker territory of contemporary British crime fiction, What Can’t Be Unseen promises readers both a fast-moving mystery and some uncomfortable questions about trust, power and professional ethics.

Crisp continues to practise as a doctor while writing and is already working on his second novel, The Shadow Helix.

What Can’t Be Unseen is published by Foreshore Publishing, priced at £12.99 and available from Amazon at our own bookshop: https://link.amazon/B06iJE6mF

Why Is Murakami's Norwegian Wood So Good? A Review by Nick Dixon

Nick Dixon has asked his friends to share his review of a new novel called Norwegian Wood.

He writes: I have just released a new video on Haruki Murakami, particularly his extraordinarily successful novel, Norwegian Wood.

I try to work out why this strange, rather dark book resonated with so many people, compare it to his magic realist novels, and consider some of the odder aspects of Murakami’s writing life."

The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists Comes to Horden’s New Playhouse

A powerful story about work, poverty and the struggle to stand together is coming to the stage in Horden this autumn.

Ensemble ’84 will present its own adaptation of Robert Tressell’s classic novel The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists at The Playhouse from 30 September. 

It will be the third major production staged at the new venue this year, following The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet and the return of the musical documentary Pits, People and Players.

Set during the early years of the twentieth century, Tressell’s story follows a group of painters and decorators who spend their working lives creating beautiful homes for wealthy clients. Meanwhile, they struggle to keep their own families warm and properly fed.

The work is exhausting, wages are low and the threat of unemployment is never far away.

Among the workers is Frank Owen, who begins questioning why those responsible for creating wealth are so often the people left living in poverty. As he encourages his colleagues to look at society differently, he discovers that fear, insecurity and the daily need to earn a wage can make collective action extremely difficult.

Funny, moving and unapologetically political, The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists explores friendship, working life and the challenge of creating a fairer society.

The production is directed by internationally acclaimed theatre-maker and Ensemble ’84 Artistic Director Mark Dornford-May. The company’s adaptation will introduce Tressell’s ideas to a modern audience through a distinctive mixture of storytelling, movement and music.

“The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists was written more than 100 years ago, but it still speaks directly to the world we live in today,” Mark told That's Books and More.

“It asks who creates wealth, who benefits from it and why so many people who work the hardest continue to struggle. These are conversations that belong everywhere, but especially in communities with proud industrial histories like East Durham.”

The production continues an ambitious opening year for The Playhouse. Since Sir Ian McKellen helped launch the Horden venue, Ensemble ’84 has welcomed thousands of audience members through its doors.

Its production of The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet attracted a string of four and five-star reviews, while also introducing many audience members to Shakespeare for the first time.

Ensemble ’84 is also an original partner in Into the Light, a county-wide cultural programme intended to support long-term growth across County Durham.

Into the Light Director Julia Handelman-Smith said East Durham had always been shaped by “hard work, solidarity and creativity”, describing Ensemble ’84 as a brilliant example of culture-led regeneration in action.

With its enduring questions about inequality, employment and solidarity, The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists feels particularly at home in a community with such a proud industrial heritage.

The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists will be performed at The Playhouse, Horden, from 30 September. Tickets are available through the Ensemble ’84 website.

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Land of the Buffalo: A Powerful Portrait of Survival, Beauty and Betrayal

Just 150 years ago, the wild American buffalo came perilously close to disappearing from the face of the Earth.

An estimated 60 million of these extraordinary animals were killed as the United States expanded westwards. 

Their destruction was presented by some as the inevitable price of progress and “national destiny”. 

Yet this was not progress. It was an environmental catastrophe and an assault upon an animal that had sustained Indigenous peoples for countless generations.

In Land of the Buffalo, acclaimed wildlife photographer and writer Larry Laverty combines passionate writing with more than 150 remarkable photographs to document the lives of the buffalo of Yellowstone National Park.

The American buffalo, more accurately known as the American bison, has become a symbol of strength, resilience and survival. 

These are animals capable of enduring bitter winters, deep snow, scarce food and sub-zero temperatures. Their physical power is undeniable, but so too is their vulnerability to human decisions.

“Like the bald eagle, the American buffalo is a powerful symbol of the United States,” Laverty told That's Books and More.

“Yet while the buffalo may represent national qualities of strength and resilience, it’s incumbent to remember that the American buffalo, like the American Indian, were here first. This was their land, their home, and we destroyed it.”

Laverty’s photographs reveal Yellowstone through every season. Winter brings desperation as food becomes scarce and temperatures plummet. Spring transforms the seemingly lifeless landscape as plants return and new calves are born. 

During summer, the herds enter the dramatic mating season known as the rut. By autumn, the survivors of the previous winter are already preparing for the ordeal to come.

However, Land of the Buffalo is far more than a celebration of natural beauty. It also examines the deeply controversial management of Yellowstone’s wild bison.

The park is required to maintain a population of between 3,500 and 6,000 animals. Numbers are controlled through tribal and state hunting when bison leave the park, capture and slaughter, and the Bison Conservation Transfer Programme, which seeks to move suitable animals to new locations rather than kill them.

The Stephens Creek Bison Capture Facility has consequently become a focus of criticism. Environmental campaigners, including the Buffalo Field Campaign, argue that wild herds should be allowed greater freedom and have raised concerns about transparency and the continued slaughter of these iconic animals.

After humanity came so close to eradicating the species, we have a profound responsibility to ensure that survival does not simply mean being tolerated within tightly controlled boundaries.

Land of the Buffalo asks readers to look beyond the familiar national symbol and recognise a living, breathing community of animals. 

Magnificent, resilient and still threatened by human choices, Yellowstone’s buffalo deserve more than our admiration. They deserve space, protection and a future worthy of their extraordinary history.

That's Books and More believes this will be an excellent Christmas gift for Christmas 2026.

https://lidpublishing.com

ANAAR Artisan Network aims to give the world's craftspeople the recognition they deserve

For generations, artisans have created some of the world's most beautiful clothing, textiles, jewellery, ceramics and decorative objects, yet many of the skilled hands behind these creations have remained largely invisible. 

A new initiative launching in the UK hopes to change that by giving craftspeople a secure, verifiable digital identity that can connect them directly with global fashion brands and designers.

ANAAR Artisan Network CIC, a new UK-based social enterprise founded by sustainable couture designer Lucy Tammam and entrepreneur Aditi Angiras, has officially launched in partnership with Chia Network Inc. The platform has an ambitious goal: to provide an accessible digital identity and professional record for the estimated 200 million artisans worldwide who currently have little or no online verification of their work.

For many craftspeople, especially those working in developing countries, proving experience, documenting skills and showcasing previous commissions can be difficult. Existing records are often fragmented, difficult to verify across international supply chains and inaccessible to the very people who need them most.

ANAAR hopes to solve this problem by creating permanent artisan profiles that record an individual's identity, specialist skills and completed work. These records are owned by the artisans themselves, providing a trusted portfolio that brands can rely upon when searching for highly skilled makers.

The network uses decentralised identity technology alongside the Chia public blockchain to create secure, tamper-resistant records. Rather than replacing traditional craftsmanship with technology, the system is designed to ensure that handcrafted work receives the recognition, traceability and fair value it deserves in today's digital economy.

Aditi Angiras, Chief Executive of ANAAR, believes the platform will finally shine a light on the people whose craftsmanship has long been overlooked.

She says that while handmade objects have travelled the world for centuries, the identities of their creators have too often been lost along the way. By making artisans visible, she believes economic value can flow more fairly to those responsible for creating luxury goods.

Lucy Tammam, whose sustainable couture label has championed ethical craftsmanship for many years, agrees that technology should support rather than replace human creativity. She says the network gives artisans the digital presence needed to gain the respect and remuneration their expertise deserves.

Importantly, artisans will never be charged to join the network, reflecting ANAAR's social enterprise mission. As membership grows, brands will also be able to commission makers directly, reducing unnecessary intermediaries that often absorb much of the value generated by handmade work.

The first artisans are already joining through TAMMAM's Embellishment Artisan Programme in London, with the first fashion collection using ANAAR's verified artisan profiles expected to debut during London Fashion Week this September.

For readers who love books about craftsmanship, fashion history and traditional skills, ANAAR represents a fascinating example of how modern technology can help preserve and celebrate some of humanity's oldest creative traditions.

www.anaar.network

Jack Coulter's Synesthesia Inspires Stunning Collaboration with Elton John

Discover how Irish artist Jack Coulter uses synesthesia to transform music into colourful paintings, including his recent collaboration with Sir Elton John for charity.

Every so often an artist comes along who changes the way we think about creativity. Irish artist Jack Coulter is one of those rare talents. 

Living with synesthesia, a neurological condition that allows him to experience sound as colour, Coulter creates paintings that are quite literally inspired by music, transforming melodies into vibrant works of art.

His remarkable ability has recently brought him into the spotlight through a unique collaboration with music legend Sir Elton John. Earlier this year, Coulter performed live alongside Elton John, creating an original painting inspired by a solo performance of the classic song Tiny Dancer. The finished artwork was later auctioned in aid of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, raising funds for one of the world's leading HIV charities.

For most of us, music is something we hear. For Jack Coulter, every note carries a burst of colour, movement and texture. His paintings aren't simply illustrations of songs, they are visual interpretations of the emotional landscape that music creates in his mind.

Sir Elton John and David Furnish have been full of praise for Coulter's extraordinary talent, describing his ability to harness synesthesia as "awe-inspiring". They also highlighted the authenticity and generosity he brought to their collaboration, which left a lasting impression on everyone involved.

Although That's Books and More usually celebrates literature, stories are told in many forms. Great paintings can tell stories just as powerfully as great novels, and Coulter's work reminds us that creativity often crosses traditional boundaries. His canvases invite viewers to imagine what music might look like if it could leap from the ears directly onto the canvas.

The collaboration with Elton John has also shone a light on synesthesia itself. While estimates vary, the condition is thought to affect only a small percentage of the population. 

People with synesthesia may associate letters with colours, numbers with personalities or, as in Coulter's case, sounds with vivid visual experiences. For him, this neurological difference has become the foundation of a distinctive artistic voice rather than something to overcome.

Fans will soon have another opportunity to experience his remarkable work in person. Coulter's new exhibition, With Every Light and With Every Song, opens in London later this month, featuring 25 new paintings inspired by artists ranging from Amy Winehouse and David Bowie to Radiohead, Harry Styles, Tracy Chapman and The Beatles. Each painting captures the colours he experiences while listening to their music.

Whether you're an art enthusiast, a music lover or simply fascinated by the incredible ways the human brain can interpret the world, Jack Coulter's work offers a powerful reminder that inspiration can come from seeing life through an entirely different lens.

https://www.artnet.com/artists/jack-coulter

Kate Shackleton Mysteries by Frances Brody: The Perfect Christmas Gift for Crime Fiction Fans

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift for a mystery lover? Discover why Frances Brody's Kate Shackleton historical crime novels make an unforgettable festive present.

If you're searching for a Christmas present that will delight lovers of classic crime fiction, look no further than the wonderfully atmospheric Kate Shackleton Mysteries by acclaimed British author Frances Brody.

For readers who adore clever puzzles, richly drawn characters and beautifully evoked historical settings, this series is one of the finest examples of modern historical crime writing. Better still, with more than a dozen novels to enjoy, a Kate Shackleton book could be the start of a gift that keeps giving well beyond Christmas Day.

Set primarily in 1920s and early 1930s Yorkshire, the series follows Kate Shackleton, a determined and intelligent private investigator. Inspired by her own search for answers following the disappearance of her husband during the First World War, Kate develops a reputation for solving mysteries that leave the police baffled. 

Each novel combines an intriguing whodunnit with fascinating glimpses into post-war Britain, where society was changing rapidly and women were beginning to forge new roles for themselves.

Frances Brody has a remarkable talent for transporting readers into another era. From windswept Yorkshire villages and bustling market towns to grand country houses and elegant seaside resorts, every setting feels authentic. The historical detail never overwhelms the story but enriches it, making each mystery as enjoyable for history lovers as it is for crime enthusiasts.

The series begins with Dying in the Wool, where Kate is asked to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a mill owner who vanished years earlier. What starts as a missing person enquiry soon uncovers long-buried secrets, hidden motives and murder. It is a superb introduction to Kate and her world.

As the series progresses, readers become familiar with Kate's loyal assistant Jim Sykes, her housekeeper Mrs Sugden and an ever-growing cast of memorable characters. Whether she's investigating a jewel theft, an industrial conspiracy, a country house murder or mysterious deaths in the Yorkshire Dales, Kate approaches every case with intelligence, compassion and quiet determination.

Fans of Agatha Christie will feel instantly at home. The books feature intricate plots, believable suspects, satisfying twists and fair-play mysteries that invite readers to solve the crime alongside the detective. Yet Kate Shackleton is very much her own character, independent, resourceful and refreshingly modern for her time.

A boxed set or a small collection of the first few novels would make a thoughtful Christmas gift for anyone who enjoys cosy mysteries, historical fiction or classic detective stories. Add a cosy blanket, a mug of hot chocolate and a packet of mince pies, and you've created the perfect festive reading hamper.

As winter evenings draw in and Christmas offers the chance to slow down, few pleasures compare to curling up with a gripping mystery. Frances Brody's Kate Shackleton novels provide exactly that: compelling stories, memorable characters and enough twists to keep readers guessing until the very last page.

This Christmas, give the mystery lover in your life a gift they'll treasure, and introduce them to one of Yorkshire's most engaging fictional detectives.

I am reading through the series and find them first rate mystery novels.