First published in 1969 and listed by The Observer as one of ‘The 50 greatest music books ever’, this book by Jenny Fabian caused shockwaves throughout the literary community.

For a feeling of what life was like in the sixties underground rock culture, this book is hard to beat. Jenny Fabian takes you on a tour of the places to be seen, describing the sights, sounds and flavours of the era in delicious detail. She shows us the more shocking side to life in the late 60’s, with tales of orgies, lesbianism and drug abuse – each and every encounter described with an obvious lack of emotion or feeling. Her intimate role within the psychedelic scene gives her an excellent perspective from which to document the environment with detached authenticity.

Chronicling her adventures (as the fictional ‘Kate’) with various rock and pop stars of the day, Fabian leaves us guessing as to who her conquests actually were but it’s not difficult to work it out. Ben from the Satin is Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett, Joe, the Relation bassist, is Ric Grech from Family, and Dave in Transfer Project was Andy Somer, (the Police’s Andy Summers).

Her naivety shows, a young girl of 19 lost amongst the excitement and anarchy of the era; at times it’s painful to read. Highlighting the fragility of human relationships, we get a real feeling that the 60s was nothing more than a chew-it up and spit-it-out culture, where the constantly changing trends left emotions out of the equation and significant others were replaced as soon as something better came along.

Since writing Groupie, Fabian has written articles for Harpers and Queen, Tatler, and Time Out, as well as a second novel, ‘A Chemical Romance’. Now married with two children, it’s rumoured that she is collaborating once more with Johnny Byrne on a third novel.

In the introduction to the 1997 reprint, Jonathon Green reveals that it gets 22 mentions in the Oxford English Dictionary, not bad for a girl written off as superficial and shallow!

If you’re worried about the energy efficiency of your home this book will help you to make small changes that will improve your carbon footprint and reduce your utility bills.  Over 30% of all CO2 emissions are down to housing and Peter Smith tells us what we can do to change this startling figure. If you’re thinking about starting any home renovations read this first, after all upgrading your property can immediately represent added capital value, so use the opportunity to install adequate insulation from the start – you’re literally throwing money away on wasted energy if you don’t. Simple changes like replacing old, outdated appliances and white goods with new A-rated ones will immediately have an impact.

With the recent introduction of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Home Information Packs (HIPs) the responsibility of the homeowner or landlord has increased. By law you must inform potential buyers or tenants of the current energy efficiency performance of your property so that they can make intelligent and informed decisions on whether to rent or buy. It places increased pressure on owners and landlords to improve the efficiency where possible in order to positively impact the environment. With practical and affordable ideas such as underfloor heating or solar panels there’s something in here for all budgets and circumstances.

There are hundreds of books on building your own eco-home but if you’re not in a position to build your own pad, the next best thing is to refurbish what you’ve got. This book shows exactly what you can do to renovate your current home in an environmentally friendly way, with everything you need in one handy reference guide. It’s an extremely practical text with a useful case study to show us exactly how it’s done.

If you’re one of millions of people in the UK that suffers from tension, headaches, sinus problems or stiffness, then may I interest you in a massage? If I can’t then I’m pretty sure that Susan Mumford can convince you of the wonderful benefits that can be gained using the specific techniques she talks about in ‘The New Complete Guide to Massage’.

In its simplest form, massage is defined as the kneading and stroking of the body’s soft tissues with varying degrees of pressure. Gentle massage affects the nervous system through nerve endings in the skin, stimulating the release of endorphins to help induce relaxation and a sense of well-being. Deeper massage stimulates blood circulation to improve the supply of oxygen and nutrients to tissues and helps the lymphatic system to flush away waste products – it can also ease tense and knotted muscles and stiff joints, improving mobility and flexibility.

Massage fulfils one of our most basic human needs – the desire to touch and be touched. Giving someone a massage is hugely rewarding, and receiving one is even better! Mumford’s best-selling book tells you everything you need to get started, from beginner through to more advanced techniques. Every method is illustrated and fully explained to help you move rapidly from simple massage to expert strokes. It’s the perfect companion for experienced therapists looking to further their skills and for beginners who are considering massage as a caring, sharing hobby.

It’s well-known that massage can induce physical, emotional, and physiological improvements to your health. Forget those expensive pills and treatments, a deep tissue massage, manual lymphatic drainage, or an Indian head massage can be so deliciously relaxing you’ll be hooked!  So, for anyone considering a massage in Manchester, Cardiff, Dublin or Edinburgh – save your money – buy this book for your significant other and let them practice on you!

First published in the 1996, The Essential Housebook is still regarded as a bible for interior design and home style. Almost 15 years after its release the advice in here is as relevant now as it was then.

For advice on decorating and furnishing your home, Terence Conran is the best man for the job. In 1964 he opened the first Habitat shop and his empire includes the Conran Shop, Benchmark Furniture and many restaurants. Heavily involved in architecture and interior design, he was instrumental in the regeneration of the Shad Thames area of London.

The photos in the book are wonderful; Conran has included in here some of the most beautiful rooms and homes in the world. Some of the ideas simply won’t equate to a 3-bed semi in Bradford though so don’t get any grand ideas. As a reference guide it’s the perfect renovation companion but don’t imagine you’ll be able to get the Conran look on a budget – it’s high-end, fat-wallet stuff.

There are five main sections in the book, which discuss major structural work or smaller design improvements. Plus, there’s advice on the best decorating and furnishing options, a checklist of maintenance tips, and an index of useful addresses including advisory bodies, architects, designers, suppliers and shops (note that older versions of this book might be a little outdated now).

If you’re after a minimalist and contemporary look for your home, this is the place to start. You have to admire Conran’s ethos – he knows home design and much of it is simply timeless. Heed his principles and mould the ideas to fit your own space and budget.

In 1964 Brian Epstein was the manager of the most famous and adored pop band in the world.  As the man who discovered the Beatles, Epstein was perfectly placed to document the circus that surrounded them.  A Cellarful of Noise is his personal account of life with the Fab Four, starting at the very beginning.

An autobiography, Brian Epstein wrote this book just before his 30th birthday.  As a young man of 27 he was working in ‘NEMS’, one of his family record stores, when a lad by the name of Raymond Jones asked him for a very specific record.  The record was “My Bonnie” by the Beatles and that random meeting would change his life.

Epstein’s description of his own childhood is detailed – it’s easy to see where his grit and determination to succeed came from. Expelled from school at 10 (he was exiled to Southport during the war with his family just four years before) his attitude toward formal education continued to decline until leaving Wrekin College aged 15, excelling in art and drama and, shockingly, with ambitions to become a fashion designer.  He left RADA and began working for the family business, soon running his own chain of record stores. By the time John, Paul, George and Pete Best came into his life the Liverpool music scene was thriving and Epstein knew he was onto something.

This concise tale is considered one of the essential texts about the Beatles. And for good reason – Epstein’s account is well-written and littered with important details. From The Cavern via Hamburg to the top of the US Billboard Charts, everything is covered and the dynamics of the band are evident (John was the dominant one – the leader, Paul was moody but loyal, George was “the business Beatle… generous but shrewd” and as for Ringo, he was “…uncomplicated, a very nice young man”.)

Epstein died of an accidental drug overdose in August 1967. Paul McCartney once said of Epstein: “If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian.”  If you’re into the Beatles make sure you read this book.

The Secret Language of Birthdays is a fascinating book that contains personality profiles for every day of the year. It’s uncanny; everything from character traits to strengths and weaknesses are given and what you read will amaze you with its accuracy. It tells you which famous people share your birthday and this information alone can give you an insight into the types of people that have the same characteristics as you, be it leaders, innovators, actors or academics.

The first chapter covers all the astrological signs in detail, including birthstones, colours, plants, trees and musical keys along with an overview of the sun sign. There’s an astonishing amount of information in this book and the authors researched the exact planet co-ordinates for each day going right back to the early 1900s. Information for each day of the year is presented in a two-page spread so you can see everything that happened on your day of birth.

Brilliant fun, it’s interesting to analyze and understand family, friends and work-mates – anyone whose birthday you know. This huge, hardcover book by Gary Goldschneider and Joost Elffers gives us over 800 pages of spookily accurate details on our friends and loved ones based on their unique date of birth. Dutch Goldschneider has researched astrology for over 40 years and this book is one of his ‘Secret Language’ trilogy along with ‘The Secret Language of Relationships’ and ‘The Secret Language of Destiny’.

This book is sadly now out of print, but you can easily get copies on the Internet. It’s one of those books you’ll want to keep forever and keep referring to when you meet new people. It makes a perfect gift for anyone with an interest in astrology, tarot or numerology – just make sure you get your own copy first!

With competition at its highest yet, broadband suppliers are clamouring for our business at the moment but do you understand the jargon? It’s a complicated and technical subject and it’s easy to be baffled by the science. Do you know your wireless hotspots from your webcams? What’s MSN? How do you choose a media players? What’ the difference between ADSL, cable and satellite broadband? Peter Burns tells you clearly and concisely about broadband and wireless networking – starting at choosing a supplier, right through to protecting your PC from viruses, working with instant messaging, file sharing, downloading music and configuring email.

Before you start though, it’s worth doing a broadband comparison to make sure you’re getting the best value for your money. Make sure you check the broadband speed and if there are any download limits imposed on the tariff. Most broadband tariffs are more than sufficient for everyday browsing and basic downloading – suppliers tend to be on a par with each other. If you’re a heavy user who downloads movies and music on a regular basis, this book will tell you which questions to ask before you sign-up.

Understanding wireless networking is crucial if you’re setting it up in your home. You’ll learn about routers and wireless adapters and how to configure an infrastructure or ad-hoc network.  Burns also explains about wireless on the move; how hotspots work, which gadgets support wi-fi and how to get online if you’re not in a hotspot zone.

Burns is Internet and eCommerce Marketing Manager for Waitrose (incidentally, Waitrose.com broadband is the UK’s only broadband service to give all its profits to charity.) He has also worked for Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and ITN. If you’ve got broadband and want to know more about wireless networking, this is the book to buy.