More than a gameSport is an enduring element of British life and culture. In all its variety, it touches on so many significant aspects of past and present: national identity, class, gender, the relationship between country and town, the rise of commerce, the evolution of ethical debate. Our sporting arenas have witnessed triumphs and heartbreaks that have become part of the national narrative. For a country so obsessed with the invention, playing and watching of

Paris was no longer an amusement

and it is incredibly moving as a result' James Holland

Ever wondered how a top chef eats at home

Do Team will help you get the best from everyone so that you

Eddy hid under a pile of old clothes and stayed behind

and only a narrow strip of sea lies between Great Britain and invasion

A brother chosen

A man and his chicken sail 45

or the last hope of humankind

He uses the detective

New Scientist tackles questions about the animal kingdom from readers in the magazine's popular 'Last Word' column

notes and a reading group guide is included