The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science


Richard Holmes - 2008
    It has been inspired by the scientific ferment that swept through Britain at the end of the 18th century, and which Holmes now radically redefines as 'the revolution of Romantic Science'.

The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti


Rafael Schacter - 2013
    Today, urban art has traveled to nearly every corner of the globe, shifting and morphing into a highly complex and ornate art form. Displaying their art within what is effectively the largest, most open museum in the world, urban artists unveil their beliefs and imaginations to a public unable to avoid their work. Yet, at its best, urban art is not simply an aesthetic based on slogans, political posturing, or personal promotion: it is an art form deeply committed to the diversity of the street and to a spontaneous creativity that is topographically connected to the architecture of the metropolis.From Inkie in Bristol to Steve Powers in Philadelphia, and from JR in Paris to Os Gêmeos in Brazil and Drewfunk in Australia, The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti is the definitive reference guide to international urban art. It focuses on the most influential and significant urban artists across the world and identifies the key locations of their work. Organized geographically, the text focuses on the individual practitioners within each country or region and explores the historical background to their works. This book strives toward a more nuanced understanding of what has become a widespread art practice.Since the lives and works of urban artists are inextricably bound to streets and places, this definitive reference locates the meeting point between art and atlas, between urban artists and their personal understanding of public spaces, not via a cartographic bird’s-eye view, but through a more intimate, human-centered perspective that challenges contemporary ideas about the mapping of urban space.

Apollo's Angels: A History of Ballet


Jennifer Homans - 2010
    Its traditions serve as a record of our past. A ballerina dancing The Sleeping Beauty today is a link in a long chain of dancers stretching back to sixteenth-century Italy and France: Her graceful movements recall a lost world of courts, kings, and aristocracy, but her steps and gestures are also marked by the dramatic changes in dance and culture that followed. Ballet has been shaped by the Renaissance and Classicism, the Enlightenment and Romanticism, Bolshevism, Modernism, and the Cold War. Apollo’s Angels is a groundbreaking work—the first cultural history of ballet ever written, lavishly illustrated and beautifully told.Ballet is unique: It has no written texts or standardized notation. It is a storytelling art passed on from teacher to student. The steps are never just the steps—they are a living, breathing document of a culture and a tradition. And while ballet’s language is shared by dancers everywhere, its artists have developed distinct national styles. French, Italian, Danish, Russian, English, and American traditions each have their own expression, often formed in response to political and societal upheavals.From ballet’s origins in the Renaissance and the codification of its basic steps and positions under France’s Louis XIV (himself an avid dancer), the art form wound its way through the courts of Europe, from Paris and Milan to Vienna and St. Petersburg. It was in Russia that dance developed into the form most familiar to American audiences: The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker originated at the Imperial court. In the twentieth century, émigré dancers taught their art to a generation in the United States and in Western Europe, setting off a new and radical transformation of dance. Jennifer Homans is a historian and critic who was also a professional dancer: She brings to Apollo’s Angels a knowledge of dance born of dedicated practice. She traces the evolution of technique, choreography, and performance in clean, clear prose, drawing readers into the intricacies of the art with vivid descriptions of dances and the artists who made them. Her admiration and love for the ballet shines through on every page. Apollo’s Angels is an authoritative work, written with a grace and elegance befitting its subject.

Boer Wars: A History From Beginning to End


Henry Freeman - 2017
    At a time when South Africa was a place inhabited by the toughest of men, only those who lived in the saddle with a gun in their hands could possibly survive. Inside you will read about... ✓ The Creation of the Boer ✓ Growing Tensions ✓ Colley Steps In ✓ The End of the First War ✓ The Jameson Raid ✓ Stage One: The Boer Offensive ✓ Stage Two: The Empire Strikes Back ✓ Stage Three: Scorched Earth ✓ The End of the Boer Who were the Boers, and what was the conflict that would lead them into a fight to the death with England in the First and Second Anglo-Boer wars? Was this a colonial uprising? Or a freedom-fight gone horribly wrong?

Churchill and the Avoidable War: Could World War II Have Been Prevented?


Richard M. Langworth - 2015
    Churchill, 1948: World War II was the defining event of our age—the climactic clash between liberty and tyranny. It led to revolutions, the demise of empires, a protracted Cold War, and religious strife still not ended. Yet Churchill maintained that it was all avoidable. Here is a transformative view of Churchill’s theories, prescriptions, actions, and the degree to which he pursued them in the decade before the war. It shows that he was both right and wrong: right that Hitler could have been stopped; wrong that he did all he could to stop him. It is based on what really happened—evidence that has been “hiding in public” for many years, thoroughly referenced in Churchill’s words and those of his contemporaries. Richard M. Langworth began his Churchill work in 1968 when he organized the Churchill Study Unit, which later became the Churchill Centre. He served as its president and board chairman and was editor of its journal Finest Hour from 1982 to 2014. In November 2014, he was appointed senior fellow for Hillsdale College’s Churchill Project. Mr. Langworth published the first American edition of Churchill’s India, is the author of A Connoisseur’s Guide to the Books of Sir Winston Churchill, and is the editor of Churchill by Himself, The Definitive Wit of Winston Churchill, The Patriot’s Churchill, All Will Be Well: Good Advice from Winston Churchill, and Churchill in His Own Words. His next book is Winston Churchill, Urban Myths and Reality. In 1998, Richard Langworth was appointed a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by HM The Queen “for services to Anglo-American understanding and the memory of Sir Winston Churchill.”

America 24/7


Rick Smolan - 2003
    Showcasing the best photographs as documented by up to a million or more participants from across the United States, the publication of America 24/7 will coincide with network television specials, a DVD documentary, a traveling exhibition of photographs, and a compelling website. In addition to the 1,000+ top photojournalists being hired by the America 24/7 team, amateur photographers from across the country will be invited to submit their own digital photographs of American life via the project's website--america24-7.com. Participants across the United States will help to create a vivid panorama of modern American life capturing the myriad experiences that take place across the nation within a week. The creators of America 24/7 have several New York Times bestsellers to their credit, including A Day in the Life of America, A Day in the Life of the Soviet Union, and Christmas in America.

The Making of Kind of Blue: Miles Davis and His Masterpiece


Eric Nisenson - 2000
    To this day, it remains the bestselling jazz album of all time, embraced by fans of all music genres. The album represented a true watershed moment in jazz history, and helped to usher in the first great jazz revolution since bebop.The Making of Kind of Blue is an exhaustively researched examination of how this masterpiece was born. Recorded with pianist Bill Evans; tenor saxophonist John Coltrane; composer/theorist George Russell; and Miles himself, the album represented a fortuitous conflation of some of the real giants of the jazz world, at a time when they were at the top of their musical game. The end result was a recording that would forever change the face of American music.Through extensive interview and access to rare recordings, Eric Nisenson pieced together the whole story of this miraculous session, laying bare the genius of Miles Davis, other musicians, and the heart of jazz itself.

Don's Great Escape: Life in a German POW Camp


Donald E. Phillips - 2012
    Don’s plane went down over occupied France in 1943. He was captured and sent to Stalag Luft III made famous by the 1963 movie The Great Escape. On January 28, 1945, Stalag Luft III was evacuated so the camp would not be captured by the Russians. After several days of walking and being transported by boxcars, the prisoners eventually ended up in Stalag VIIA at Moosburg. Don was liberated on April 29, 1945. His story is told by letters written home to his parents.

The Scene of the Crime


Steve Braunias - 2015
    Who, when, why, what happened and exactly how - these are issues of psychology and the soul, they're general to the human condition, with its infinite capacity to cause pain.A brutal murder of a wife and daughter ... A meth-fuelled Samurai sword attack ... A banker tangled in a hit-and-run scandal ... A top cop accused of rape ... A murder in the Outback ... A beloved entertainer's fall from grace ...In the hands of award-winning journalist and author Steve Braunias these and other extraordinary cases become more than just courtroom dramas and sensational headlines. They become a window onto another world - the one where things go badly wrong, where once invisible lives become horrifyingly visible, where the strangeness just beneath the surface is revealed.Acutely observed, brilliantly written, and with the Mark Lundy case as its riveting centrepiece, this collection from the courts and criminal files of the recent past depicts a place we rarely enter, but which exists all around us.

Jean Haines' World of Watercolour


Jean Haines - 2015
    Jean's loose, expressive paintings are filled with colour and personality, and embrace a range of subjects that includes flowers, animals, people and places, all influenced by the countries and cities she's lived in and the people she's met during her life. This beautiful book contains easy-to-follow and inspiring introductory sections such as ‘an artist’s treasure chest’ and ‘the colour gym’, offering practical guidance and in-depth exercises in an innovative and accessible way, and the numerous examples of Jean’s work will inspire and encourage novice as well as experienced artists. After this introductory section, the book shows the reader how to put the skills they've learned into practice with gorgeous step-by-step projects packed full of expert tips and advice, encouraging them to move forward and develop their own style of working. Like her painting, Jean's writing is filled with passion and enthusiasm, transporting the reader through a world of watercolour that will not fail to excite and inspire.

Van Gogh: The Life


Steven Naifeh - 2011
    Working with the full cooperation of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Naifeh and Smith have accessed a wealth of previously untapped materials to bring a crucial understanding to the larger-than-life mythology of this great artist: his early struggles to find his place in the world; his intense relationship with his brother Theo; and his move to Provence, where he painted some of the best-loved works in Western art. The authors also shed new light on many unexplored aspects of Van Gogh’s inner world: his erratic and tumultuous romantic life; his bouts of depression and mental illness; and the cloudy circumstances surrounding his death at the age of thirty-seven.   Though countless books have been written about Van Gogh, no serious, ambitious examination of his life has been attempted in more than seventy years. Naifeh and Smith have re-created Van Gogh’s life with an astounding vividness and psychological acuity that bring a completely new and sympathetic understanding to this unique artistic genius.

100 Photographs: The Most Influential Images of All Time


TIME Magazine - 2015
    Now, to mark the 175th anniversary of photography and the birth of photojournalism, the Editors of TIME magazine are publishing this companion book to the groundbreaking digital celebration of photography that TIME.com will be mounting online, displaying the most influential photographs of all time. While they may not be the most famous or well-known photographs, each one is unique for the way in which it changed, influenced, or commemorated a particular world event. From the first sports photograph to ever win the Pulitzer Prize - that of Babe Ruth at Yankee Stadium to the photograph of Student Neda Agha-Soltan's death during Iran's 2009 election protests, each of the photographs in 100 Photographs: The Most Influential Images of All Time is significant in how it forever changed how we live, learn, communicate, and in many cases, view the world.

Easy Knitted Bears: Knitting patterns for bears and outfits


Fiona Goble - 2017
    The patterns are suitable for almost everyone, whether adventurous beginner or expert. You can create a single-colour bear, a two-tone bear, a striped bear and even a panda – all from one basic pattern. There are also instructions to create a host of clothes, including bride & groom outfits, a graduation outfit, a Santa costume, a ballet outfit, and a sports outfit. If you’re after a cute dress, nightshirt, coat, hat, sweater or dungarees – you’ll find patterns for these, too. The designs can be personalized and you can ‘mix and match’ items to create the perfect gift, not just for new babies and children, but for all bear lovers and almost any occasion! The teddy bears and outfits are all knitted using light worsted/double knitting/8-ply yarn and size US3 (3.25mm) straight knitting needles. The bears are about 7in/18cm tall. The patterns include both US and UK knitting terms. INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR WHEN DID YOU LEARN TO KNIT? More years’ ago than I now care to remember! My Mum’s twin sister Sheelagh taught me when I was about seven years old, just before she emigrated from the UK to Canada. HOW DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS? Partly from the toys and dolls I loved when I was little, but I’m also as addicted to online browsing all the beautiful creative websites out there as anyone else. WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT KNITTING? With toys and dolls, which are my knitting of choice, it’s about seeing the little creatures develop their own personality when you sew them together and embroider the features. I’m always amazed that you can create something so cute from just some oddments of yarn and a pair of needles. There’s a bit of effort needed too… but really, not that much. WHAT'S THE BEST ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE TO BEGINNER KNITTERS? Like any skill, knitting takes a bit of patience. So start with something small. Think baby hats, fingerless mitts or a knitted lavender bag… definitely not a scarf. They’re simple but they take too long for beginners. And choose some lovely yarn. If you’re putting in all that effort, you’ll appreciate it! WHICH OF YOUR KNITTING BOOKS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? Well it has to be my Knit Your Own Royal Wedding back in 2011 when William and Kate tied the knot. Suddenly I found myself being interviewed by newspapers and magazines across the world… I still find it hard to believe. And frankly, it's going to be hard for me to top that! WHAT WAS THE FIRST PATTERN YOU EVER DESIGNED? Apart from some pretty dodgy dolls’ clothes when I was about eight, it was a pink and blue striped owl. I still have it perched on a shelf in my little work room upstairs. The first knitting book I designed was called Knitivity which was a knitted nativity. WHAT NOTIONS CAN'T YOU MANAGE WITHOUT? I’m actually quite a good improviser but I was quite annoyed recently when I lost one of my favourite very short knitting needles which are ideal for knitting small items. Thankfully my son eventually found it by accident, behind my row of knitting reference books. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE KNITTING STITCHES? I love simple combinations of stitches like wide ribbing stitch and waffle stitch. They’ve got enough interest to keep you alert but are still simple enough to keep mistakes and unravelling to a minimum. WHAT'S THE MOST IRRITATING THING THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE KNITTING? Well there’s the obvious one of knots in a ball of yarn that you don’t see till you’re mid-row.

The Perfect Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Sharpening for Woodworkers


Ron Hock - 2009
    In The Perfect Edge, the mystery of the elusive sharp edge is solved by long-time sharpening expert and tool maker Ron Hock. You'll soon find how easy and safe hand tools are to use.This book covers all the different sharpening methods so you can either improve your sharpening techniques using your existing set-up, or determine which one will best suit you needs and budget. Ron shows you the tricks and offers expert advice to sharpen all your woodworking tools, plus a few around-the-house tools that also deserve a perfect edge.

Killer History: Why do they leave all the fun stuff out of the history books?


Marek McKenna - 2012
    We will look at Thomas Jefferson’s presidential hobby. We will explore if George Washington married a hot babe. You may not have known about Woodrow Wilson’s fascination with traffic laws enforcement. We will dig into the presidential scandals of the Grant Administration. We will also explore if Richard Nixon’s drinking nearly caused World War III.