Michael O'Mara Books Ltd

Spend 24 hours immersed in the rich and fascinating everyday lives of the Vikings.
Between the infamous Lindisfarne raid in 793 CE and the Norman conquest of 1066, the peoples we now know as the Vikings became one of the most far-ranging and influential civilizations in history. The Vikings are frequently portrayed as raiders, marauding across medieval Europe and Britain, but the culture and society of the medieval Nordic peoples were so much more diverse, multifaceted, and influential than they are often depicted.
In 24 Hours in the Viking World, author and Viking expert Kirsten Wolf chronicles an hour in the life of 24 individuals from every corner of Viking society over the course of a single day. From the warrior to the thrall, the shipbuilder to the farmer, the poet to the oracle, each chapter offers a snapshot of the world as it was in medieval Scandinavia and an insight into how these people lived, loved, worked, fought, and died.
The latest entry in the bestselling 24 Hours series, 24 Hours in the Viking World presents an absorbing, grounded, and tangible look at what it was really like to be alive during this pivotal era in history.

A colorful and comical journey through the world’s most incredible discoveries.
Created by award-winning duo Mike Barfield and Jess Bradley, the book follows the highly successful format of the previous three titles, with a mix of graphic-style factual comics, as well as Secret Diaries, Bigger Picture pages, and Even Bigger Picture double-page spreads.
From the treasures found in Tutankhamun’s tomb and Roald Amundsen’s groundbreaking expedition to the South Pole to the uncovering of the first dinosaur, the invention of gunpowder, the accidental discovery of penicillin, and the launch of the James Webb telescope, this is a laugh-out-loud guide to the world’s most incredible and wonderful discoveries.

Join man’s best friend on a walk through art history.
From ancient Egyptian busts to 1960s screenprints, portraiture is a historic art form beloved by painters, sculptors, and photographers alike. A History of Portraits in 21 Dogs offers a fun, unique guide to this fascinating genre, with 21 of the most important and recognizable masterpieces recreated with dashing dog subjects. Each reimagined artwork is accompanied by information about the original artist and portrait, as well as a bite-sized, illustrated breakdown of all the key elements of the piece.
Illustrated by art-lover and animal enthusiast Nia Gould, A History of Portraits in 21 Dogs is an accessible, engaging, and imaginative companion to feline favorite A History of Art in 21 Cats.

Explore the failures, mistakes, and missed opportunities that shaped history in this new entry in the bestselling series.
From the botched attempt to create a life-extending elixir that produced gunpowder to the unsuccessful stint in medical school that led to a career in naturalism for Charles Darwin, to the missile detection system malfunction that almost sparked a nuclear war, the course of human history has often been shaped by failures of all magnitudes.
In fifty bite-sized chapters spanning thousands of years, A Short History of the World in 50 Failures details how the world as we know it has been defined by plans gone awry, opportunities not seized, and schemes that were always fated to end in catastrophe.
Whether it’s the pharaoh Akhenaten’s misplaced attempt to found a new religion or Napoleon’s doomed invasion of Russia, discover a fascinating collection of outsized tales and historical snafus that created the world as we know it today.

Explore the global history of Formula One in this definitive visual reference.
F1 Racing: The Ultimate Companion offers a comprehensive insight into the history, geography, and culture of the world’s most popular and exciting motorsport. Written by former Autosport editor Bruce Jones, it spotlights each of the forty-eight countries across six continents to have produced an F1 driver or hosted a Grand Prix, exploring the circuits, teams, people, and stories that make up each nation’s F1 heritage.
With individual chapters dedicated to each country, this beautifully illustrated reference book profiles the drivers, constructors, and tracks that have made their mark on Formula One and contributed to the sport’s global expansion over more than seventy years of racing.
Filled with stunning photography, circuit maps, and expert commentary, F1 Racing: The Ultimate Companion takes you inside the world of Formula One like never before, perfect for new fans and seasoned enthusiasts alike.

Journey back in time to the era of classic 1920s rubber hose cartoons with this beautifully retro ‘how-to-draw’ book.
How to Draw Classic Cartoons features original art by Bill Nolan, the influential American artist and director famed as the creator of the rubber hose style used to animate cartoons such as Felix the Cat, Betty Boop, and Popeye.
Instantly recognizable from its curved lines and the elastic-like movements of its animated characters (hence the name ‘rubber hose’), this distinctive art style can be easily recreated using simple circles as a starting point. With original illustrations and words of advice from Nolan himself, this easy-to-follow book will teach you how to draw hands, feet, faces, full-body characters, and a whole range of wacky animals.
Featuring elements from Nolan’s 1936 book Cartooning Self-Taught, this new book takes a deeper look at his iconic style and how to recreate it.

Beware the Beast: hard rock pioneers Iron Maiden boast numerous awards, countless No. 1 albums and singles worldwide, and over 130 million sales. And with 2025 marking fifty years since their founding – on Christmas Day, no less – there is simply nobody like them.
With three generations of fans oiling the jaws of the war machine, Maiden has roved across continents for fifty years, uniting fans worldwide under the twin banners of great music and unforgettable visuals. Between the talismanic talent of Bruce Dickinson, the genius songwriting of Steve Harris, and the demonic undead gaze of Eddie, there is nowhere to hide from one of heavy metal’s last true behemoths.
This beautifully illustrated keepsake celebrates the epic, all-conquering albums and gets under the skin of a group of characters unlike any other. Using unseen photographs and new stories from over 80 original interviews, renowned music writer Joe Shooman has painted a truly kaleidoscopic, 360-degree portrait of Iron Maiden and their immortal music. Own it, read it, and get ready to run for your lives.

The book contains over 20 stories, as wide-ranging as Theseus and the Minotaur, Thor’s Hammer, and the Journey of the Monkey King. They are split thematically into six chapters: In the Beginning, Gods and Goddesses, Journeys and Quests, Fantastic Worlds, Monsters and Mythical Creatures, and Magic and Trickery.
These stories are interspersed with sections that bring together different myths under unifying themes. Featured, for example, are the many weapons used by the gods, the amazing objects collected by heroes and heroines on their quests, and the different relics found in the underworld.
All the myths are written by Stella Caldwell in an exciting and absorbing voice. Each myth is illustrated by an artist from the culture where the story takes place, creating a unique artistic celebration that is culturally sensitive to all featured tales. The artists included are Erin Brown, George Caltsoudas, Danica Da Silva Pereira, Sandra Eleftheriou, Tinuke Fagborun, Pauliina Hannuniemi, Teo Georgiev, Janine Gibbons, Hemad Javadzade, Kiki Kita, Vassilis Koutsogiannis, Solji Lee, Coco Apunnguaq Lynge, Renia Metalliunou, Nour Nasser, Jiatong Liu, Anastasiia Panchenko, Cathrin Peterslund, Robert Sae-Heng, Katie Skelland, and Nadiyah Suyatna. These artists have been nominated for, and won, a number of prestigious national and international illustration awards, including the World Illustration Award, the Bologna Children’s Bookfair Award, the Hans Christian Anderson Award, and the American Indian Youth Literature Honor Award.

Learn how to thrive in the modern world by unlocking the ancient art of Stoicism. This practical and accessible guide will show you how to cultivate wisdom and cope with life’s everyday challenges.
The Little Book of Stoic Wisdom is a classical primer for anyone wanting to understand true Stoicism – and even though we’re living in drastically different times than the ancients, many of the lessons of Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius still stand today.
The millennia-old mindset will show you how to learn the Stoic art of mindful acceptance, foster calmness, and reach your full potential. Featuring a breakdown of the central pillars of Stoic philosophy alongside practical everyday examples, this essential book will help you sharpen your focus, build your self-discipline, and banish negative thinking.
A Stoic life well-lived has been adopted by some of the most successful business leaders, from Steve Jobs to Bill Gates and Elon Musk, as well as high-performing athletes like Rory McIlroy, and historic figures such as George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson, among others. The Little Book of Stoic Wisdom will show you what it truly means to live stoically and reach your goals.

This engaging book introduces kids to maps and flags worldwide. It includes a detailed introduction explaining how maps are made, how countries are defined, and some useful information about flags.
Organized by continent, the book covers every country in the world, presenting its flag and key statistics like population, capital city, and area, alongside fascinating facts explaining each flag’s meaning and symbolism. Fun, quirky maps on topics such as national animals, famous explorers' routes, pirate maps, and time zones are included to make the experience lively and educational.
Packed with interesting facts, it’s the perfect introduction to maps and flags for young learners.

In the deepest, darkest depths of night, our planet is transforming and thriving.
At night, magic is all around in the natural world, from bioluminescent seas in the Caribbean to the Northern Lights on Arctic winter nights. Explore the lives of animals who tread a different path under the cover of darkness, including the perilous journey taken by baby turtles in the moonlight and the global migration of bearded pigs. Discover nocturnal plants that have evolved to only bloom in the moonlight and wild mushrooms that depend on their glow-in-the-dark superpower for survival.
Follow the people who wake to work hard through the night in towns and cities, such as doctors, fishing crews, bakers, firefighters, postal workers, and security guards. Learn about our reliance on electric light across the world and the human body clock's vital connection to light and darkness.
Filled with incredible facts and brought to life by Paula Bossio’s beautifully quirky illustrations, The World at Night takes readers to the ends of the earth and everywhere in between to uncover the hidden wonders of our nocturnal planet.

Van Gogh: Make Your Own Masterpiece is an entertaining and accessible introduction to one of the most famous artists in history.
Readers will discover the key features and themes that define Van Gogh as an artist, as well as mastering mark-making, experimenting with complementary colors, practicing perspective, and much more with 14 fun, arty exercises. With an illustrated fold-out timeline featuring seven of Van Gogh’s most famous works, Van Gogh: Make Your Own Masterpiece is a useful reference tool as well as an engaging activity book.

Ever wondered what your cat might be thinking? Jamie Shelman is here to help you learn their lingo with over 100 classic cat thoughts explained.
Our feline masters have many ways of keeping us in line, from a paw in the face to tearing up our favorite Persian rug, from the unwanted appearance of gifts to the passive-aggressive pouf of the tail, and it’s up to us to work out what each purr, pout, and scratch stands for.
This clever little book features over 100 original witty illustrations and explains the most common feline behaviors to help you unlock the cat code in no time at all.
The ultimate gift for any human owned by a cat.