What is a tree? Why are they so important to life on Earth? How do they eat, breathe, grow, communicate, and regenerate themselves? How many different kinds of trees are there, and where do they live? In this beautiful little book, illustrated with rare old engravings and specially commissioned drawings, internationally renowned Finnish tree expert Professor Olavi Huikari takes us on an unforgettable journey deep into the secrets of these most majestic of Earth's life forms.

    Our beginners guide contains all the essential information you need in order to succeed. It covers the basic techniques, well illustrated with over a hundred images, and explains everything you need to know in an understandable way. Bonsai Empire is the world's most visited Bonsai website and has provided beginners with quality information for over a decade. We have developed this guide to help you get a taste of this fascinating and living art, and hope you'll enjoy it as much as we do! This book includes: - Over 100 stunning images - Over 80 pages - Explanations of the basic techniques - Care guides on the 10 most popular tree species - Background on the history, definition and styles Walter Pall: "Now here is the ultimate book to lead beginners. I am happy to have been able to contribute to this" Mauro Stemberger "Very clear" and "With great quality drawings and pics"

    Why are dragons recognised in almost all cultures on Earth? What is the mysterious geomantic gold they secretly guard? The author tells the story of these extraordinary animals through examples drawn from all over the world.

    In this selection from The Body, Bill Bryson introduces us to the mysterious, and often devastating, world of disease.

    In this free collection of excerpts, enjoy a taste of all of Vince Flynn’s thrillers starring CIA superagent Mitch Rapp.

    Strangely pro-active, and keen to form friendships with the underlings and residents, he begins to uncover skeletons in the closet. At the same time, he's indulging his drink-ravaged landlady's desire for company. His intentions are good - too good to be true?Part of the Storycuts series, this short story was previously published in the collection In Between the Sheets.

    Originally marked out by eye and later by use of a stretched cord, in time these forms came to be made with the simple tools of ruler and compass.This small book introduces the origins and basic principles of geometric constructions using these ancient tools, before going on to cover dozens of geometric forms, from practical fundamentals to more challenging constructions.

    From the revelation of fire to mediaeval quests for the legendary Philosopher’s Stone, the alchemical path has attracted many great minds.Packed with recipes for herbal elixirs, soothing balms, heady scents, rich pigments, and potent solvents, The Alchemist’s Kitchen will appeal to anyone fascinated by the past and the occult world.From the legendary Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus and Paracelsus’s spagyric medicine, to the ancient science of the four elements and the symbolic associations of mediaeval pigment recipes, this book—illustrated with old engravings and original art—takes you inside mediaeval laboratories and kitchens to explore the sacred secrets of matter.

    From the observations of Ptolemy and Kepler to the Harmony of the Spheres and the hidden structure of the solar system, John Martineau reveals the exquisite orbital patterns of the planets and the mathematical relationships that govern them. A table shows the relative measurements of each planet in eighteen categories, and three pages show the beautiful dance patterns of thirty six pairs of planets and moons.

    

    

    The Funniest Text Message Autocorrects, Wrong Numbers & Mishaps on Smartphones!

    G. Ballard has provided thoughtful remarks on the state of the world for decades. J.G. Ballard Conversations brings together several of Ballard's latest interviews and gives readers penetrating insight into the mind of one of the freshest thinkers at work today. Covering topics such at the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the evolution of sexual relationships, and our strange, immersive celebrity culture, this book is a fount of provocative takes on the things that matter. Rounded out with rare photographs of Ballard and supplemental resources, J.G. Ballard Conversations is a necessary item for anyone interested in the modern world.

    The Golden Section—otherwise known as phi, the golden mean, or the golden ratio—is one of the most elegant and beautiful rations in the universe.Defined as a line segment divided into two unequal parts, such that the ratio of the shorter portion to the longer portion is the same as the ratio of the longer portion to the whole, it pops up throughout nature—in water, DNA, the proportions of fish and butterflies, and the number of teeth we possess—as well as in art and architecture, music, philosophy, science, and mathematics.Beautifully illustrated, The Golden Section tells the story of this remarkable construct and its wide-ranging impact on civilization and the natural world.

    Though abridged, the book maintains the drama and continuity of the original novel and is heavily illustrated with more than 200 original photographs and more than 150 paintings, drawings, engravings and artifacts. The selection of art represents some of the most important 19th-century marine painters and American fine art collections. Many images are drawn from logbooks, journals and scrimshaw belonging to mid-19th century whaler-artists. Rare photographs depict the port of New Bedford, whaling ships, life at sea, whaling methods, and items involved inthe business of whaling, which Melville researched and described in full detail. The pictures in "Moby Dick: A Picture Voyage" are accompanied by short captions and compendia that feature quotes from the novel, information about the artwork, reflections of Melville's real-life whaling experiences, and biographical anecdotes. The majority of images chosen for the book were obtained from the New Bedford Whaling Museum and the museum's new Kendall Institute, the largest repository of whaling prints and artifacts in the world. Images were also obtained from private collections, rare books, old films and libraries. "Moby-Dick: A Picture Voyage" will be the first version of the American classic to give readers a colorful look inside the real world of whaling as it was so eloquently described in Melville's own words. Noted Melville historian Laurie Robertson-Lorant, author of Melville: A Biography, has written the Introduction to the book. Editorial consultants include staff and curators at the New Bedford Whaling Museum and Kendall Institute.