![Knightley, Brigitte PREORDER FICTION New Brigitte Knightley: The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy [2026]](http://chaptersbookstore.com/cdn/shop/files/knightley-brigitte-brigitte-knightley-the-exquisite-torment-of-loving-your-enemy-2026-9780356524788-1200428358_{width}x.jpg?v=1761764359)
![Angela Harding PREORDER NONFICTION New Harding Angela: Winter's Song [2025]](http://chaptersbookstore.com/cdn/shop/files/angela-harding-harding-angela-winter-s-song-2025-9781408721964-1200470625_{width}x.jpg?v=1761773358)
![Yoko Tawada & Mitsutani, Margaret PREORDER FICTION New Tawada Yoko: Archipelago of the Sun [2025]](http://chaptersbookstore.com/cdn/shop/files/yoko-tawada-mitsutani-margaret-tawada-yoko-archipelago-of-the-sun-2025-9781803513201-1200470715_{width}x.jpg?v=1761773361)
![Erpenbeck, Jenny & Beals, Kurt PREORDER NONFICTION New Jenny Erpenbeck: Things That Disappear [2025]](http://chaptersbookstore.com/cdn/shop/files/erpenbeck-jenny-beals-kurt-jenny-erpenbeck-things-that-disappear-2025-9781803512990-1200470376_{width}x.jpg?v=1761773355)
![Ingvild Rishøi PREORDER FICTION New Rishøi Ingvild: Winter Stories [2025]](http://chaptersbookstore.com/cdn/shop/files/ingvild-rishoi-rishoi-ingvild-winter-stories-2025-9781804710968-1200470473_{width}x.jpg?v=1761773491)
Prepare to view the world through a new lens - SPEED - a groundbreaking exploration that challenges your perceptions of life's driving force, from the internationally bestselling author
'There is no author whose books I look forward to more' Bill Gates
'There is perhaps no other academic who paints pictures with numbers like Smil' Guardian
In a world that feels like it's moving faster than ever, Smil examines how our relentless pursuit of speed - in areas such as production, travel and communication - shapes not only our technological landscape but also our social and environmental realities. And through engaging anecdotes and striking statistics, Smil challenges the assumption that faster is always better.
He invites readers to reconsider the implications of our collective obsession with speed, and its intricate relationship with nature and innovation. For example, he highlights the surprising fact that erosion can actually accelerate mountain growth, and he points out that the rapid adoption of mobile phones - achieving 90 per cent penetration in just nineteen years - reflects historical patterns of technological adoption, suggesting that our world may not be moving significantly faster than in the past.
Whether exploring the tiny mites that can traverse 300 times their body length in a second or the societal impacts of high-frequency trading, Speed invites readers to engage in a more balanced conversation about the role of speed in our lives, in an age defined by haste.
- Publisher Name:Penguin Books Ltd
- ISBN: 9780241754542
- Author:Vaclav Smil
- Publication Date:2025-11-27
If you are not satisfied with your order in any way, get in touch. We have an excellent customer service record and we will do our best to ensure you are pleased with your purchase.
We are happy to refund a product if it is defective, within 30 days of purchase upon the return of your product. If you return a product to us and request a refund due to an error on our part we will be happy to pay for the postage cost to return it to us.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused & unread, and in its original packaging. You’ll also need the receipt or proof of purchase.
Please note, if you are requesting a refund based on an issue with condition we kindly ask you to provide a photo in order for us to best advise a suitable resolution.
To start a return, you can contact us at shop@chaptersbookstore.com. If your return is accepted, we’ll send you a return shipping label, as well as instructions on how and where to send your package. Items sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted.
You can always contact us for any return question at shop@chaptersbookstore.com.
Damages and issues
Please inspect your order upon reception and contact us immediately if the item is defective, damaged or if you receive the wrong item, so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right.
Exceptions / non-returnable items
Certain types of items cannot be returned, like custom products or special orders. Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns on sale items or gift cards.
Exchanges
The fastest way to ensure you get what you want is to return the item you have, and once the return is accepted, make a separate purchase for the new item.
Refunds
We will notify you once we’ve received and inspected your return, and let you know if the refund was approved or not. If approved, you’ll be automatically refunded on your original payment method. Please remember it can take some time for your bank or credit card company to process and post the refund too.
Free Delivery in the Republic Of Ireland on all orders over €30. Standard Delivery Charge in Republic of Ireland of €5 for all orders below €30.
Delivery is subject to warehouse availability. Out-of-stock items will be shipped as soon as possible, upon arrival from the manufacturer/publisher. Please take shipping time into consideration.
