From novels and poetry collections to works of non-fiction, our community of alumni and staff have published a variety of books over the years. We share a selection of these with you here. 

If you would like to put forward a work for inclusion, please email the alumni office. When submitting, please make sure to also include a high res image of the book cover.

2010

Howard's End is on the Landing by Susan Hill (English, 1963)

'It began like this. I went to the shelves on the landing to look for a book I knew was there. It was not. But plenty of others were and among them I noticed at least a dozen I realised I had never read.'

Howard’s End is on the Landing is available via Waterstones.

Ruso and the Root of All Evil by Ruth Downie

'Justinus was lying in the stinking dark of the ship’s hold, bruised and beaten, feeling every breath twist hot knives in his chest.

The light that trickled in through the worrying gaps in the hull showed the angle of the ladder above him. Beyond it, thin, bright lines betrayed the position of the hatch. He remembered the slam, and the rattle of the bolts. Now he heard the sharp yell of a reprimand over the thumps and footfalls up on the deck of the Pride of the South, a ship that could hardly have been less appropriately named.'

Buy the book here.

2011

The Devil Dancers by Truda Thurai (Medieval History, 1983)

Following Independence from the British, Ceylon's future looks bright. A new prime minister is creating a modern nation. But his legacy is an unexpected one. The deals that brought him to power turn into a time-bomb and the country is contorted by bloody race riots.

A widening rift divides Tamils and Sinhalese, destroying communities. Neighbour turns on neighbour. As the terror increases, many lives are transformed.

The Road to the Sea by Ciara Hegarty

It is the late 1940s in rural Ireland, and Kathleen Steele has been prematurely thrust into adulthood by the death of her twin sister, Nuala. Debilitated by grief, their mother has descended into a state of near-catatonia, and it is left to Kathleen to care for her younger siblings, and her taciturn father.

When a traumatised young man, Joseph Foley, mysteriously appears in the small farming community, a tentative love affair develops. But as Mrs Steele’s illness deepens, Kathleen’s relationship with her father grows ever more disturbing. When Kathleen agrees to marry Joseph, her mother begins to regain her health. But by then it has become clear that the events of the intervening years will cast a dark shadow over the new generation.

Buy it here.

Kaleidescope by Greta Bellamacina

Kaleidoscope aims to provide an invaluable encounter with words for thought. Poetically, philosophically and elegantly touching upon the basic human emotions, through a journey of multiple reflections. Drawing on the infinite patterns of colour formed unconsciously in life through a kaleidoscopic prism. Rotating and recurring. Forming inwards, unexpectedly and vibrantly for all to inspire.

2013

New Stars for Old: Stories from the History of Astronomy by Marc Read (PhD Philosophy)

New Stars for Old is a collection of twenty short stories, each dealing with a specific character or episode from the history of astronomy. Accompanied by historical notes, the book covers the changing relationships between science, astrology, religion and general intellectual culture from Aristotle to Newton through the eyes of central and peripheral figures. It’s based on research Marc undertook for his Ph.D. from the Philosophy department at King’s.

'Delightful and erudite ... fascinating' (Matt Ridley, author of The Rational Optimist)

'Fresh and imaginative' (Ursula Coope, Professor of Ancient Philosophy, Oxford)

Find out more about the book.

The Wagner Experience and its Meaning to Us by Paul Dawson-Bowling

In this bicentenary celebration of Wagner and his music, Paul Dawson-Bowling introduces, deepens and enriches the Wagner Experience for the newcomer and the seasoned Wagnerian alike. Expounding in colourful style the stories, the sources and the lessons of Wagner’s great dramas, he offers unusual insights into the man, his works and their meaning, while grappling with the music’s almost occult power.

Find out more and purchase the book here.

2014

The Colour Black by Maia Walczak (Hispanic Studies, 2008)

The Colour Black follows two people, Silvia and Jack, who meet by chance. Their stories intertwine, and one day they set off on a journey that takes them physically from the urban streets of San Diego to the vast wildernesses of Alaska – and, mentally, from their personal stories to global issues, and the mysteries of the universe.

Find out more and buy the book.

From Bench to Bedside, to Track & Field: the Context of Enhancement and its Ethical Relevance by Dr Silvia Camporesi (Philosophy, 2013)

This book represents a unique contribution to the debate on enhancement technologies as it spans from the bench of molecular biology where the technologies are being developed, to the bedside of a clinical trial where they are used for selective reproduction or for first-in-human gene therapy studies, to the track & field where they are being applied to enhance human athletic performance.

Find out more and purchase the book.