Non-fiction: there have been some stunners this year, books that as booksellers we’ve been magnetically attracted to as soon as they’ve rolled in. Paul Kalanithi’s When Breath Becomes Air, for instance, an account that almost forces you to reassess your own life by its own vitality, or perhaps Chris Packham’s Fingers in the Sparkle Jar, his surprisingly intimate account of a life saved by the wild. Our pick of the bunch then, decided with good humour and no small argument…
The Best Memoirs of 2016
The Best Biography Books of 2016
The Best History Books of 2016
The Best Military History Books of 2016
The Best Art Books of 2016
The Best Music Books of 2016
The Best Countryside and Nature Books of 2016
The Best Travel Writing of 2016
The Best Smart Thinking Books of 2016
The Best Food and Drink Books of 2016
The Best Sports Books of 2016
Sign In / Register
Not registered? CREATE AN ACCOUNTCREATE A plus ACCOUNT
Forgotten password
Back to login
Sign In
Forgotten password
Back to login
Download the Waterstones App
Would you like to proceed to the App store to download the Waterstones App?
Download Now
Dismiss
Click & Collect
Reserve online, pay on collection.
Please note that owing to current COVID-19 restrictions, many of our shops are closed. Find out more by clicking here.
Please note that owing to current COVID-19 restrictions, many of our shops are closed. Find out more by clicking here.
Thank you for your reservation
Your order is now being processed and we have sent a confirmation email to you at
This item can be requested from the shops shown below. If this item isn't available to be reserved nearby, add the item to your basket instead and select 'Deliver to my local shop' (UK shops only) at the checkout, to be able to collect it from there at a later date.
When will my order be ready to collect?
Following the initial email, you will be contacted by the shop to confirm that your item is available for collection.
Call us on or send us an email at
Unfortunately there has been a problem with your order
Please try again or alternatively you can contact your chosen shop on or send us an email at