Through whimsical personal letters, biting apologia, appreciations of fellow artists, pugnacious interviews, farcical film scripts, prose poems, manifestos, and much more, a new Magritte emerges: part Surrealist, part literalist, part celebrity, part rascal.While this book is sure to appeal to admirers of Magritte’s art and those who are curious about his personal life, there is also much to delight readers interested in the history and theory of art, philosophy and politics, as well as lovers of creativity and the inner workings of a probing, inquisitive mind unrestricted by genre, medium, or fashion.

    He has the mind of an anthropologist, the skill of a journalist, and the soul of a daring revolutionary. This travel memoir is a piece of humorous provocation not only about his home and host countries, it's about humanity at large. His reflections on a four-stay in Western culture can tell us about the non-representative Arab forced to live Orientalist clichés and evoke embarrassing laughter" - The Daily News Egypt"A thoughtful and hilarious exploration of Belgium, travel, and what it means to be viewed as an outsider" - Jake Shenker, author of The Egyptians: A Radical Story"It made me cry and laugh, feel ashamed and proud, sad and happy. A book all Gelgians should read" - Koert Debeuf, author of Inside the Arab Revolution: Three Years in the Front Line of the Arab Spring"From Tahrir Square to Belgian frites - 21st century Belgium contemplated by award-winning Egyptian journalist" - Tristan Rutherford, author of Walking Istanbul: The Best of the City

    Each book also looks at past and present scientific research and includes a unique storytelling element in the form of an animal tale drawn from mythology or folklore. Progressively complex text draws readers into this interdisciplinary life science series. A look at peacocks, including their habitats, physical characteristics such as the males colorful plumage, behaviors, relationships with humans, and the protected status of Congo and green peacocks in the world today.

    It is also a plea to handle the café heritage of Belgium with the greatest care. Because we haven been taking these little cafés for granted for too long now, they have become fragile, despite the fact that they are an important part of our social and cultural patrimony.Food writer, photographer and graphic designer Regula Ysewijn runs the blog Miss Foodwise. She is also the author of Pride and Pudding, The history of British puddings savoury and sweet. She’s a true Anglophile, and she often works in London, but she lives in Belgium and cherishes her Flemish roots.For this book Regula visited 45 traditional cafés in Belgium. She drank a beer in the oldest café in the country (it opened in 1515) and in the café of Belgium’s oldest landlady, Juliette (who is 96); she visited cafés with beautiful Art Deco interiors, and cafés where you can still find a savings cupboard with numbered slots hanging on the wall. In each of these cafés she talked to the landlords and -ladies and to the regular guests who have become part of the soul of these places, and she managed to capture all of this in beautiful, touching photos.