Our Second Book of the Week this week is one of the most incredible books we've seen this year, in a year absolutely packed with truly amazing ones. It's a book that stayed in our minds even when we weren't reading it! No exaggeration, that's how good it is.

"The Apartment: A Century of Russian History" by Alexandra Litvina and Anna Desnitskaya, translated by Antonina Bouis is much, much more than a fascinating slice of history. It chronicles the very human stories centred around a large apartment in Russia, beginning at the start of the 20th Century, right through two world wars and through to modern times.

The book begins by showing a huge family tree of all the families (and their pets) that lived or lodged in the apartment over the years, and historical figures who were pivotal to the evolution of the USSR and later Russia after the fall of the iron curtain.

Each triumph and tragedy is narrated through the words of the children in the apartment as they grow up and experience life in Russia - often fraught with hardships and shortages of the bare essentials, but still punctuated with moments of joy, national pride and contentment that comes from a close-knit family community.

There are weddings, there are births and funerals, there's the rise and fall of the cold war, and Russia's first triumphs in space, chronicled in a unique and personal way throughout this glorious book.

We've always been fascinated by life in Russia, and the cultural impact of the west on the east as music, movies and fashion slowly creep their way into everyday life across the iron curtain - before that too goes the way of history as Glaznost comes and goes, ushering new wealth and prosperity across the whole of Russia, and once again impacting the lives of those sharing this amazing vibrant living space.

Older children will obviously appreciate the history and the timelines within, as notable historical events and figures crop up prominently during the stories of these families' lives. As a way to kick off National Non-Fiction November, this book really shows that history doesn't have to use gross-out humour to win you over. It's just packed with touching, beautifully described and gorgeously written accounts.

Younger children will love spotting all the objects that each family hold dear. Their possessions are described and drawn in exquisite detail, ready for kids to spot them in subsequent pages.

At the end of the book there's a glossary and summary of many of the sources for these stories, collected together in such a thoroughly absorbing and thought-provoking way.

Truly this is a breathtaking picture book filled to the brim with joyful and sometimes tragic human stories of folk getting on with their daily lives.

Sum this book up in a sentence: A truly incredible slice of family history in a book that begs to be read over and over again.

"The Apartment: A Century of Russian History" by Alexandra Litvina and Anna Desnitskaya, translated by Antonina Bouis is out now, published by Abrams (kindly supplied for review). 

Our YA / Adult Book of the Week is definitely strictly for grown ups, and is a fascinating deep dive into a televisual genre that has always held my attention, even from an age when I probably shouldn't have been watching that stuff!

"TV Noir: Dark Drama on the Small Screen" by Allen Glover is the meticulously researched and brilliantly detailed account of how our small screens were overtaken by writers who took their inspiration from classic detective noir authors such as Dashiel Hammet and Raymond Chandler, serving up some of the first televised dramatisations back at a time when TV was in its infancy.

As the small screen began to take its cues from the direction cinematic productions were going in, mang writers such as Rod Serling got their first taste of writing for television, producing one-off or serialised dramas as dark as a cup of black coffee. Beginning in earnest in the 1940s, pausing for the 2nd world war but reigniting in 50s America, shows began appearing worldwide that contained those essential elements of noir. Big coats, dark suits, guns, dames and quite often a nefarious murderous plot.

Allen Glover writes with enthusiasm and authority, producing something of a go-to bible for TV enthusiasts, and covering a wide range of US and international programmes such as Dragnet, 77 Sunset Strip and through to some of my favourites like The Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The X-Files and Twin Peaks.

Lavishly illustrated with tons of black and white (and some colour) photos from productions, it's an absolute must for TV fans who love darker thrills.

Sum this book up in a sentence: A superb slice of televisual history dancing with the darker side of human nature.

"TV Noir" by Allen Glover is out now, published by Abrams Books (kindly supplied for review). 

We're definitely trying to stimulate your creativity today, and though we've already covered the fine art of doodling and drawing in our reviews, let's switch over to something that we don't often get to see enough of in children's books.

Many kids love books enough to be aspiring writers, and in "Start with a Word" by bestselling author and creative writer Peter H. Reynolds, you'll find a brilliant journal-style book filled with amazing advice, fab illustrations and superb writing prompts to help you up your game when it comes to writing creatively.

It's time for another one of those sumptuous and luxurious Star Wars art books to grace our Book of the Week slot. The 2nd this month in fact...!

This is a fantastic idea, a new twist on dishing up tons of facts on fabulous dinosaurs. Meet "Dinosaur Empire!"

Oooh we do love a gorgeous and pretty book, but one that's full of depth, history and a brilliant look at one of Science's true pioneers? Sign us up!

This book's arrival couldn't be more timely, with our current obsession for drawing portraits...

Without a doubt, Brian and Wendy Froud are two of the most accomplished fantasy artists ever. Their work has found its way into amazing movies and glorious books, and our second Book of the Week is sheer brilliance...!

Our first Book of the Week this week is a bit of a departure for us!