Search results for ""thames hudson ltd""

Explore the lives of over forty men and women great and otherwise whose pioneering journeys beyond the Irish shore played a profound role in world history. The Irish have always been a travelling people. Since 1800 an estimated 10 million people have left the Irish shores, and today more than 80 million people worldwide claim Irish descent. In the centuries after the fall of Rome, Irish missionaries carried the word of Christianity throughout Europe, while soldiers and mariners from across the land ventured overseas in all directions. The advent of the British Empire ignited a slow but extraordinary exodus from Ireland that has continued to the present. In his inimitable fashion, Turtle Bunbury explores the lives of those men and women, great and otherwise, whose journeys whether driven by faith, a desire for riches and adventure, or purely for survival have left their mark on the world.

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Imagining England’s Past takes a long look at the country’s invented histories, from the glamorous to the disturbing, from the eighth century to the present day. England has long built its sense of self on visions of its past. What does it mean for medieval writers to summon King Arthur from the post-Roman fog; for William Morris to resurrect the skills of the medieval workshop and Julia Margaret Cameron to portray the Arthurian court with her Victorian camera; or for Yinka Shonibare in the final years of the twentieth century to visualize a Black Victorian dandy? By exploring the imaginations of successive generations, this book reveals how diverse notions of the past have inspired literature, art, music, architecture and fashion. It shines a light on subjects from myths to mock-Tudor houses, Stonehenge to steampunk, and asks how – and why – the past continues so powerfully to shape the present. Not a history of England, but a history of those who have written, painted and dreamed it into being, Imagining England's Past offers a lively, erudite account of the making and manipulation of the days of old. Praise for Imagining England's Past 'Susan Owens conjures our imagined past with such vivacity and lyricism that I can see the dawn mist rising over fabled fields and hear the tread of fictional histories on the worn stairs of yesteryear. Packed full of myths, stories, poems and paintings I found this book impossible to put down!' Charlotte Mullins, broadcaster, art critic and author of A Little History of Art

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Unbelievably cute and easy-to follow Kawaii drawing, broken down into step-by-step exercises which anyone can master. 'Kawaii' means cute in Japanese, and often refers to a delightful range of drawing styles that western audiences have come to love. Annelore Parot, an experienced illustrator and art teacher, has her own distinctive kawaii style based on cute objects, inviting places and expressive people. Her fans have long demanded a guide to drawing japan and japanese things, so she put together the work-throughs in this book. She travelled around Japan to choose the best subjects, and invites the reader to join her in experimenting with buildings, movements, and above all aspects of Japanese culture. Myths, animals and food are all included.

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One day a small boy was taking a walk. On his way he found a little line lying on the ground. He picked it up and put it in his pocket. And forgot about it. But you know what? The little line came to life! Enter the magical, creative world of the renowned French artist, Serge Bloch, where anything can happen, and the most ordinary little line can have the most marvellous adventure.

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Are there miscarriages of justice in art history? Neil MacGregor believes there are. However great an artist, if his name is lost he will not receive a fair verdict from posterity. No exhibition will be devoted to his work; no books will be written about him; he will not even figure in indexes. Among these neglected geniuses is the 15th-century painter known only as the Master of the Saint Bartholomew Altarpiece. He may have been Netherlandish or German; he may or may not have been a monk. On stylistic grounds an oeuvre of half a dozen paintings, three of them large altarpieces, are attributed to him, and from them a vivid, if hypothetical personality can be built up: emotional, compassionate, observant, original, humorous. All that is certain is that he was a great painter whose name, if known, would rank with Botticelli or Holbein. In A Victim of Anonymity, Neil MaGregor corrects the judgement of history by demonstrating the power of this unacknowledged master, making us look closely at works that are all too easily passed over, showing us a peerless artist whose paintings derive their fame from nothing but their own superlative merits.

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A concise history of France from prehistory to the present, recounting the great events and personalities and exploring France's cultural and political influence today. Artists, martyrs, kings, revolutionaries: France’s sense of national identity is inextricably linked to its dramatic history, which fascinates the world and attracts millions each year to visit its chateaux and cathedrals, boulevards and vineyards. Ancient roots allied to a social, political and military history that has witnessed revolution, conflict and occupation mean that France holds a unique position in the modern world. In this short, easy-to-digest history of a vast subject, Jeremy Black succinctly narrates how France’s past has created its distinct character. Country and destination, nation and idea, France has an incomparable cultural legacy, and exerts a powerful artistic, intellectual and political influence across the globe. Black’s vivid take on history emphasizes the unexpected nature of events and unpredictable outcomes on a fragmented country, from the prehistoric cave paintings of Lascaux to the origins of Gothic architecture, from Monet and Degas to the Lumière brothers, and from the cataclysm of the 1789 Revolution through the countercultural student protests of 1968 to today’s gilets jaunes. Black’s concise, insightful tour of the key historical moments and vibrant personalities that shaped France provides an indispensable guide to understanding the country today.

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A stunning visual showcase of Led By Donkeys' artistic acts of resistance against years of inept, corrupt and venal rule in Britain. From being chased out of a luxury yacht club after rebranding Baroness Michelle Mone's sailing boat, to turning the road outside the Russian embassy into the world's biggest Ukrainian flag, to breaking the law to create a people-led memorial to those lost to Covid, Led By Donkeys takes the reader on an adrenalised journey into art, activism and accountability. The book tracks the major moments from 2019 to 2024 when the guerilla political accountability collective Led By Donkeys' activism captured the public mood with high-profile interventions. Taken chronologically, the book covers (amongst other things); the Covid crisis of 2020; Boris Johnson's battles with truth and decency; Liz Truss's battles with maths and markets; the climate crisis we are sleepwalking into; burgeoning corruption in Westminster; the war in Ukraine; a crashed economy; the

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An unrivalled account of turning points and breakthroughs in medical knowledge and practice, from ancient Egypt, India and China to the latest technology. Sickness and health, birth and death, disease and cure: medicine and our understanding of the workings of our bodies and minds are an inextricable part of how we know who we are. With science of healing now more vital than ever, as our bodies face new challenges from the globalization of disease, environmental change and increased longevity, this timely book is the best guide ever published to medicine’s achievements and its prospects for the future. An international team of distinguished experts provide an unrivalled account of the evolution of medical knowledge and practice from ancient Egypt, India and China to today's latest technology, from letting blood to keyhole surgery, from the theory of humours to the genetic revolution, from the stethoscope to the MRI scanner. They explain medicine's turning points and conceptual changes in a refreshingly accessible way and answer some key questions: how has the plague influenced the course of human history? What effect did the pill have on the lives of women, and on society as a whole? What challenges does medicine face in our changing world?

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This is one of two books in ‘Design in Context’, a vital new series that focuses on the needs of contemporary students of graphic design. Meredith Davis draws on her many years’ experience teaching graphic design students to explain complex theories with total clarity, encouraging readers to evaluate existing design work critically, and to use theoretical frameworks to enhance their own studio practice. Topics include: communication models; visual representation as a system of signs; cognitive approaches to design; modernism and postmodernism; and the social, cultural, and material contexts of contemporary design. Above all, the book demonstrates to students how to apply theory in a modern graphic design practice to improve their work and to embark on a successful career.

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In 1955, Henri Cartier-Bresson published The Europeans, a collection of photographs taken over a period of five years. His portrait of the continent documented a landscape shadowed by war, where people lived among ruins and still bore the mark of hunger. For this book, first published forty-five years later, the celebrated photographer brought together a far broader range of images, spanning the years from the late 1920s to the early 1990s. Cartier-Bresson travelled across Europe, from the Scandinavian shield to the Balkan karst, from the Breton granites to the Irish bogs, in order to capture what it means to be European. Beyond nationalism and the particular characteristics of each culture and nation, he found evidence of a greater identity, a family likeness shared by the people and the landscape. The Europeans recorded here inhabit both city and countryside, where we see them at work, in the streets, travelling and gossiping. Sometimes they are lone figures; a photograph may show only a single gaze, a glimpse of a face. Often, however, Cartier-Bresson turns his camera to couples, twin figures, mirrored individuals, linked solitudes. He captures crowds, gathering both to celebrate and to protest. Unified by the clarity and compassion of his vision, Cartier-Bresson's photographs speak of the same daily ceremony, of the ongoing business of living for people across Europe, whether Polish priests in alb or cassock, or Abruzzi peasants shrouded in the black of their coats and hats. With his remarkable ability to capture the fragile reality of European life, Henri Cartier-Bresson underscores his reputation as one of the twentieth century's most influential and original photographers.

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Manipulation of the photograph is as old as photography itself. It has embodied and enlivened political propaganda, satire, publicity and commercial art, and created evocations of the ‘brave new world’ of the future through surreal and fantastic visions. Photomontages were made by, among others, the Dadaists, John Heartfield, El Lissitzky, Hannah Hoch and Alexander Rodchenko, and many of their works were reproduced for the first time in print when this groundbreaking study was originally published. Revered by academics, critics and readers alike, this new edition with updates is still the only definitive guide to the subject.With 225 illustrations in colour

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The perfect introduction to the world of Korean myth and legend. Korean myths are a living and evolving part of society, in both the North and South. With the export of Korean film across the globe, K-pop, fashion, K-dramas, literature and comics there is a growing desire to understand the folklore and mythical underpinnings of contemporary Korean Culture. Insu and Bella Fenkl bring together a wealth of knowledge of both the new and the old, the traditional and the modern to guide the reader through this fascinating history and help understand the people, their traditions and culture. From the Changsega (Song of Creation') sung by shamans, to the gods, goddesses and monsters who inhabit the cosmos, including the god Mireuk, creator of the world, and the giant Grandma Mago, who was able to create mountains from the mud on her skirt, these myths have been disseminated for centuries and continue to resonate in popular culture today.

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Leading art critic and writer Richard Cork tells the stories of his personal encounters with some of the world’s most influential modern and contemporary artists. Richard Cork draws on his impeccable skills as a critic and writer to tell the story of his encounters with some of the world’s most influential artists. Through a series of frank interviews, some scheduled, others serendipitous, he uncovers artists’ inner thoughts, anxieties and creative ambitions, to reveal the personalities behind the art. From individuals who are able to look back over a lifetime’s work, such as Louise Bourgeois, Roy Lichtenstein and Jasper Johns, to young artists encountered at the beginning of their careers, including Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst, from a drive through the Yorkshire countryside with David Hockney to a tour of Soho drinking establishments with Francis Bacon, alongside remarkably insightful encounters with artists as varied as Gerhard Richter, Doris Salcedo, Sonia Boyce, Luc Tuymans and Steve McQueen, Richard Cork has found that ‘talking to artists can in my experience be surprising, revealing, salutary, testing, provocative, stimulating and at times capable of overturning all my preconceptions about the individuals I encounter.’ Cork has played a significant role in popularizing late modern and contemporary art. In the words of art critic Louisa Buck, his ‘lucid, even-handed and at times trenchantly critical judgement has been invaluable in helping to create the multiplicity of approach and vigorous debates of today’s artistic climate’.

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One Saturday evening, sisters Pip and Maisie are sitting in the warm snug of their grandparent’s cottage on the edge of a forest in Scotland. Maisie is restless and longs for adventure, but life at the cottage is always slow. When a bright light suddenly falls from the sky into the forest next door, Maisie can’t believe her luck – finally an adventure has come her way! She has boots on and torch in hand before Pip has even put down her hot chocolate. Maisie is desperate to discover the special something as quickly as she can. As the two sisters journey through the dark forest towards the gradually receding light, her imagination runs riot – perhaps it’s space treasure, gold dust, or maybe even a creature from outer space! Pip, meanwhile, takes in the dark shapes and strange sounds around her, tentatively adjusting to the forest and its wild inhabitants. When Maisie finally reaches the source of the light, she is bitterly disappointed – the special something is no more than a lump of rock. But thanks to Pip’s careful observations, they realize it is in fact a star! Highly atmospheric and magical in quality, this delightful debut picture book is sure to enchant children and parents alike.

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A Train Journey takes readers on an international journey through the history of trains and brings the locomotives to life in pop-up detail. Created by the world’s leading paper engineer and art director, Gérard Lo Monaco, the adventure begins in 1829 with Robert Stephenson’s ‘Rocket’ locomotive, the most advanced of its day, which operated on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Our journey hits new heights to investigate Manhattan’s elevated railroad, whose cars were the first to be manufactured out of stainless steel. Readers will see the trains buzzing and alive among 1900 New York’s distinctive high-rises. Skipping forward to the 1920s, readers will marvel at what was the most powerful locomotive on the London and North Eastern Railway: the ‘Flying Scotsman’, providing a non-stop daily service from London to Edinburgh. Readers then encounter the glamour of the 1930s and 40s on the infamous Orient Express as it travels between Paris and Istanbul. Finally, the reader is taken on a sprint to the present to see Japan’s Shinkansen ‘Bullet’ and China’s CHR 400 high-speed intercity trains, travelling at an impressive 320 km/hr! Designed in a beautifully layered pop-up format, with information about each train integrated into the artwork, A Train Journey marvels at, and is a marvel of, engineering over the centuries.

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Undeniably one of the most influential innovations of the modern world, the car has revolutionized manufacturing and transformed how we move, forever changing our landscapes, cities, environments and economies. With each revolution, each transformation, have come almost unmatched impacts upon wider culture, changing not only the way we live, but the ways we look at and consider the world around us. The influence of the car upon photography and the work created by photographers since the early 20th century can be clearly traced through the V&A’s photography collection. Autofocus explores the deep cultural significance and impact of the car on the history of photography, playing a role both as subject matter and as a genuine creative vehicle – the means by which photographers have accomplished many of their great works. Written by Marta Weiss, Senior Curator of Photographs at the V&A, and published to coincide with the opening in November 2019 of the exhibition ‘Cars: Accelerating the Modern World’, Autofocus presents over 100 photographs, supported by commentaries and an introduction of c. 1,500 words, that span from the early years of the automobile to the present day. For both photography and car-loving audiences, Autofocus illustrates the ascendance of the car as a cultural icon, and the ways in which it has shaped the world around and ahead of us.

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Wild or cultivated, solitary or within a forest, rural or urban, trees have long provided a compelling source of inspiration for artists and photographers alike. Both as standalone aesthetic ‘objects’ and as symbols of broader cultural significance, trees have an understated, sometimes underappreciated ability to evoke a deep, primal sense of wonder and, indeed, pleasure. Whether captured as functional botanical records or as a means of creative expression, Into the Woods is an elegant, informative introduction to the ways in which distinctive patterns of branch, bark, leaf and root have continued to offer arresting subjects for photographers across the centuries. Written by Martin Barnes, Senior Curator of Photographs at the V&A, with over 100 photographs ranging from the 19th through to the 21st century, supported by commentaries and an introduction of c. 1,500 words, Into the Woods illustrates the wild (or cultivated) and wonderful world of trees in photography.

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Ten unique certificates to mark life's milestones big and small, all designed and illustrated by Marian Bantjes.

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An innovative illustrated history of the Second World War, told with the help of personal stories from across the globe.

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Consider for a moment the history of modern art in Britain; you may struggle to land on a narrative that features very many women. On this journey through a fascinating period of social change, artist Carolyn Trant fills in some of the gaps in traditional art histories. Introducing the lives and works of a rich network of neglected women artists, Voyaging Out sets these alongside such renowned presences as Barbara Hepworth, Laura Knight and Winifred Nicholson. In an era of radical activism and great social and political change, women forged new relationships with art and its institutions. Such change was not without its challenges, and with acerbic wit Trant delves into the gendered make-up of the ‘avant-garde’, and the tyranny of artistic ‘isms’. Virginia Woolf’s first novel The Voyage Out (1915) has her female heroine strive towards a realization of her sense of self, asking what being a woman might mean. In the decades after women won the vote in Britain, the fortunes of women artists were shaped by war, domesticity, continued oppressions and spirited resistance. Some succeeded in forging creative careers; others were thwarted by the odds stacked against them. Weaving devastating individual stories with playful critique, Voyaging Out reveals this hidden history.

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In Artists’ Homes, writer and photographer Tom Harford Thompson presents some thirty individual, eccentric houses and workspaces, from a music producer’s studio in Hackney to an eco-warrior’s treehouse on the Sussex Downs. His evocative photographs show how our live/work spaces, whether a tumbledown cottage, a country farmhouse or a reclaimed factory, are beautiful because of the lives we live in them. With work no longer separate from home life, we see how these artists function in the homes that inspire them, pursuing the life creative. Among the artists and craftspeople featured are Billy Childish, co-founder of the Stuckist art movement; Penny Rimbaud and Gee Vaucher, creative partners who set up their home and studio as an ‘anarchist-pacifist open house’ (Dial House, in Essex); music producer Liam Watson of the famed London studio Toe Rag; vintage motorcycle dealer Ian Hatton, of cult shop Verrall’s; vintner Peter Hall of Breaky Bottom Vineyard, one of the first wineries in the UK; and many more.

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By your own hand, prints to be proud of in no time at all. Nick Morley is a seasoned expert at guiding aspiring printmakers through their first projects, and this accessible book distils his knowledge into friendly step-by-step projects, each chosen to demonstrate a particular skill, and illustrated with clear photography. With templates accompanying each project making it easy to get started, the reader will quickly find themselves growing in confidence and skill.

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Loosen up with a smile on your face... Marion Deuchars has practiced yoga for many years, and well knows the benefits it brings. Now she shares that passion with her illustrated character Bob the Bird, whose expressive poses will charm you into a reviving session of yoga breathing, stretching, posing, and mindfulness. Yoga for Stiff Birds rejects the clichés of studio photography in favour of a more immediate, inviting, look. With a few brush strokes Marion helps Bob into every position from the downward-facing dog to the tree; both useful and inspiring, her art will raise a smile, whether you’re a regular practitioner or a yoga novice, and will encourage even the creakiest reader to breathe, stretch, and bend like they never have before.

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Make shadowy skeletons dance before ruined churches, lilies bloom against apocalyptic cloudscapes, or serpents wind through empty eye sockets... there's no limit to the visions you can conjure. There are backgrounds, textures, images large and small – all ready for you to cut out and combine in expressive new ways. Just bring scissors, glue and your nightmarish reveries.

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From the team at Monocle, the first in a new series of practical travel guides. Following in the footsteps of the hugely successful Monocle Book of Italy and The Monocle Book of the Nordics, Monocle’s latest title turns its focus to Portugal in an exciting new series of country-specific books. A handbook in feel and tone, this practical guide will transport you to the sun-dappled hills of Lisbon and the winding streets of Porto as well as lesser-known locales from the Alentejo region, with its plentiful vineyards, to the dramatic landscapes of the Azores. Plus, discover Monocle’s favourite places to stay, eat and shop – stop off at an elegant palácio, indulge in a family-run tasca and scour the streets for the creamiest pastéis de nata – and the cross-country trips we’d make (whether by car, boat or horse). You’ll also be introduced to the country’s rich culture, including the history of Portugal’s vibrant visual identity and the folks at the heart of it all. So join in, hit the tiles and explore this fascinating country in Portugal: The Monocle Handbook.

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Derek Jarman was a very English rebel, a maverick and radical artist whose unique and distinctive voice was honed protesting against the strictures of life in post-war Britain. In an innovative practice that roamed freely across all varieties of media, Jarman refused to live and die quietly. He defined bohemian London life in the 1960s, exploded into queer punk in the 70s and with unbounded creative rage, ingenuity and sheer personal charm, he triumphed over an atmosphere of fear and ignorance in the age of AIDS to produce timeless, eloquent works of art which resonate still more strongly today. This major new publication offers a definitive overview of Derek Jarman’s life and work. It covers all aspects of his oeuvre, from his features to his Super-8 films, his painting, design for theatre, poetry, gardening, memoir and political activism. Protest! contains excerpts from Jarman’s own writings, short interviews with friends and collaborators and newly commissioned texts from a wide range of contributors including John Maybury, Peter Tatchell, Philip Hoare, Sir Norman Rosenthal and Olivia Laing. Generously illustrated with previously unseen images drawn from Jarman’s personal archive and unseen works from all stages of his career, this book brings the reader fresh and surprising insights into the world of this much-loved artist.

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A laugh-out-loud bedtime story in which a little girl imagines what it would be like to have a vampire bat for a pet. I really want a spooky pet that flaps around and hangs. A toothy type of swoopy pet with shiny pointed fangs... Imagine if I had a... vampire bat! This charming addition to the popular If I had a... series is timed perfectly for Halloween, and features a sharp-toothed but adorable vampire bat as its main star. Taking inspiration from the Addams Family, it imagines what it would be like to live a nocturnal lifestyle and the funny scenarios one might encounter trick-or-treating or at the funfair with a vampire bat as your pal. Facts about vampire bats combine with seasonal spookiness and positive messages about dental hygiene in this brilliant book for bedtime.

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This book in the bestselling If I had... series imagines life with a kangaroo as a pet. With rollicking rhymes and bold illustrations, this charming bedtime story follows a little girl's flight of fancy as she imagines the advantages and disadvantages of having a kangaroo as a pet. Being an ace on the basketball court is a breeze, but hold on to your stomach during the school run - it's pretty bumpy being bounced around in a pouch!

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A large format, beautifully designed book that takes readers on an incredible journey into space. We live in an amazing planetary system. From the yawning Valles Marineris on Mars and the ocean hiding beneath the ice crust of Jupiter’s moon Europa, to the eerily Earth-like terrain of Saturn’s moon Titan and the Sun’s blazing corona, our solar system brims with wonders. This book takes children on a trip across the Solar System with the aid of marvellous illustrations, lift-up flaps and a comprehensive text that helps them understand the amazing variety of landscapes within our planetary system. Lift up the layers to discover how the Sun was formed and explore the amazing landscapes of our neighbouring planets. Readers will find out which moons are the most like the Earth, what Saturn’s rings are made of, where comets come from, and what lies in the Kuiper Belt, outside the very edge of the solar system.

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This richly illustrated collection presents the extraordinary life stories of fourteen bright stars from Black British history – from Tudor England to modern Britain – and charts their ongoing influence. This important and timely book delves into the life stories of important figures – including Tudor trumpeter John Blanke, storytelling freedom fighter Mary Prince, and Notting Hill Carnival founder Claudia Jones – many of whom are only just beginning to get the recognition that they deserve. Brought to life through hand-painted illustrations by award-winning illustrator Angela Vives, Bright Stars of Black British History shines a light on the courage, resilience and talent of remarkable individuals who have left a lasting mark on our collective history.

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Whales are some of the largest animals to have ever lived on our planet, but what do we really know about them? This glorious guide takes readers deep beneath the ocean's surface to explore the unseen world of whales. They will learn how to recognize the different whale species, discover how they evolved and how they eat, sleep and communicate with each other. The book follows them on their long migration journeys around the world, and finds out why they sing, how they look after their young, where in the world to watch them and why they urgently need our protection.

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GOLD award winner, MadeForMums Awards 2021 Have you ever imagined what it would be like to have a unicorn for a pet? Besides being much less angry than a troll and far more conveniently sized than a giant, unicorns only ever eat ice-cream for breakfast AND... every time you get upset they feed you candyfloss! In this humorous, energetically rhyming tale, a little girl experiences exactly what life would be like with a magical creature for a pet – from sprinkling stardust on grumpy parents to sliding into football practice on a rainbow. This book, the latest in the bestselling 'If I Had…' series, celebrates the magic of unicorns in a way that will appeal to children who are allergic to pink.

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A deep dive into the history and science of dirt. Millions of people on Earth start their day the same way: we get out of bed, go to the loo and wash ourselves. But this hasn’t always been the standard routine. Ancient Greeks and Romans were happy to splash about in public baths, but by the time the plague struck 14th-century Europe, many people believed that water spread diseases. It was not until the 18th century that Louis Pasteur proved that dangerous germs actually lurk in dirt. Even when hygienic habits began to be taught in schools, lessons were limited to washing faces and hands, because those were the parts that everyone could see. Dive deep into the history and science of dirt, discovering how people around the world (and out in space!) keep themselves and their surroundings free from filth, how our ideas of what’s clean and what’s not have changed and developed over the centuries, and why a little dirt can sometimes be a good thing...

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Open this book and step into the fiery world of volcanoes! Find out why they erupt, what scientists can learn from them and which animals call them home. Explore volcanoes at the bottom of the sea, gaze upon the volcanoes of Mars, and travel back in time to find out what happened to the city of Pompeii...

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Nominated for the 2019 Kate Greenaway MedalWhy do octopuses have eight arms? Why do crabs run sideways? Are jellyfish made of jelly? Yuval Zommer’s beautiful new book provides the answers to these and many more fishy questions. His wonderfully quirky illustrations show off all kinds of slippery, shimmery and surprising sea creatures, including sea turtles, whales, sharks, rays and seahorses. Chatty, funny and full of amazing facts, it will be devoured by children eager to find out about the most exciting creatures from the deep blue.

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Learning Chinese is notoriously difficult and has long put off the most linguistically savvy Westerners... until now. Breaking down the Great Wall of language, ShaoLan Hsueh has unpicked Chinese characters and created a simple system for quickly understanding the basic building blocks of the written language. Working with renowned illustrator Noma Bar, she has developed a unique set of illustrations that are engaging and delightful, and offer a glimpse into the wonder of the Chinese language and culture. The book’s main section introduces the ‘radicals’ – the key characters on which the language is built – and reveals how they can be combined to form a wealth of more complex words and phrases. In fewer than 200 pages, readers of all ages will have made the first steps towards a genuine appreciation of Chinese, loving every new character they learn.

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The first sightings of newly discovered work from Saul Leiter’s abundant archive of colour slides. Now widely acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest photographers, Saul Leiter (1923–2013) remained relatively unsung until he was rediscovered by curators and critics in his early 80s, and his work has been drastically re-evaluated over the last two decades. Leiter’s images evoked the flow and rhythm of life on the mid-century streets of New York in luminous colour at a time when his contemporaries were shooting in black and white. His complex and impressionistic photographs are as much about evoking an atmosphere as nailing the decisive moment. Saul Leiter was born in Pittsburgh and moved to New York City in 1946. He pioneered a painterly approach to colour photography starting in the late 1940s and produced covers for fashion magazines such as Esquire and Harper’s Bazaar before largely withdrawing from public attention in the 1980s. The publication in 2006 of his first monograph, Early Color, inspired an avid ‘rediscovery’ of Leiter’s work by contemporary audiences. His studio in New York’s East Village, where he lived from 1952 until his death in 2013, is now the home of the Saul Leiter Foundation. The Foundation has begun a full-scale survey and organization of his more than 80,000 works, with the aim of compiling the ‘complete’ archive. This volume contains works discovered through this process, specifically colour slides, never before published or seen by the public. Meticulously curated by Margit Erb and Michael Parillo of the Saul Leiter Foundation and supported by texts that explain how Leiter built the slide archive and how it is now being explored, catalogued and restored, this new monograph will be a must-have for photography fans worldwide.

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The World According to Roger Ballen, co-authored with Colin Rhodes, looks at Ballen’s career in the wider cultural context beyond photography, including his connections with and collections of Art Brut. It features photographs selected from across Ballen’s career, along with installations created exclusively for the exhibition at Halle Saint Pierre and photographs of objects and works from Ballen’s own collection of Art Brut. Organized thematically, with texts by Colin Rhodes and an introduction and interview with Ballen by Martine Lusardy (the Director of the Halle Saint Pierre), The World According to Roger Ballen is both a catalogue of the first, major exhibition of Ballen’s work in France and an exploration of Ballen’s positioning within and connections to the wider context of modern and contemporary art.

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Ambitious in scope, democratic in nature, Magnum Streetwise is an unmissable tour through the photographs and practices that have helped define what street photography is and can be. Magnum photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson pioneered ‘modern’ concepts of street photography before the term was even coined. But their influence is far from historic. A rich seam of street photography runs through the heart of Magnum to this day, both in the work of recognized masters of street photography – such as Erwitt, Parr, Gilden and Kalvar – and of those who might not even consider themselves street photographers; a continued influence that has not gone unnoticed among the current generation of budding street photographers and fans. Magnum Streetwise is a true visual feast, interleaving insightful texts and anecdotes within an intuitive blend of photographer- and theme-based portfolios, exploring not only the work of outstanding photographers, but how common subject matter (places of leisure, marketplaces, travel) and locations (Paris, New York, Tokyo) have been addressed, conceptually and practically, across the agency and through the ages. Magnum Streetwise is an essential addition to the bibliography of street photography, showcasing hidden gems alongside many of the genre’s most famous images.

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In December 1948, Henri Cartier-Bresson travelled to China at the request of Life magazine. He stayed for ten months and captured some of the most spectacular moments in China’s history: he photographed Beijing in ‘the last days of the Kuomintang’, and then headed back to Shanghai, where he recorded the new regime’s takeover. Moreover, in 1958, Henri Cartier-Bresson was one of the first Western photographers to go back to China to explore the changes that had occurred over the preceding decade. The ‘picture stories’ he sent to Magnum and Life on a regular basis played a key role in Westerners’ understanding of Chinese political events. Many of these images are among the most significant photographs in Cartier-Bresson’s oeuvre; his empathy with the populace and sense of responsibility as a witness making them an important part of his legacy. Henri Cartier-Bresson in China allows these photographs to be re-examined along with all of the documents that were preserved: the photographer’s captions and comments, contact sheets and abundant correspondence, as well as the published versions that appeared in both American and European magazines. A welcome addition to any photography lover’s bookshelf, this is an exciting new volume on one of the 20th century’s most important photographers.

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Photography has always been about experimentation, and anyone who thinks the advent of digital imaging might have stopped photographers from inventing new ways to impress their film is in for a big surprise. Experimental Photography presents the most interesting and creative modifications for low-cost film cameras, manual printing techniques and unconventional use of the medium. The book accompanies the reader through the world of photography special effects and manipulations documenting techniques, approaches, experimenters, camera makers and their extraordinary creations. One picture at a time, Experimental Photography compiles a manifesto against visual homogenization.

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Here is an exciting new survey of more than 30 young photographers from 14 countries who will have a pivotal role in shaping the fashion of the future. From Axel Hoedt’s bold graphic experimentation and fascination with traditional costume, to the colour-saturated, hyperreal images by Daniel Jackson, or the cool, neutral aesthetic of Hanna Putz’s photographs, the work is diverse, striking, sometimes shocking, but, like all great photography, utterly memorable. Unlike recent books on fashion photography, which inevitably bring together the established ‘names’ whose work already appears widely in international fashion magazines, this book embraces the fashion world’s obsession with freshness and youth: it looks beyond what is ‘now’ and showcases what comes ‘next’. An introduction by the author and texts on each photographer are also featured.

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While almost everybody knows Ludwig Bemelmans’ Madeline, the fact that the illustrator published over forty other titles remains a well-kept secret. The first title in Thames & Hudson’s brand-new series, this book offers a visually rich insight into the life and work of this important artist and writer. Ludwig Bemelmans grew up under the Austro-Hungarian empire and emigrated to the United States in his late teens, just escaping the outbreak of the First World War. His illustrations for the Madeline books offer a classic vision of Paris that has created a lasting impression on millions of readers. And every illustrator would love to know how he conveyed all the emotions of a spirited little girl drawn with just a few lines and dots; how did he achieve such clarity in simplicity? Laurie Britton Newell’s illustrated essay gathers material from Bemelmans’ diverse oeuvre, from novels, autobiographical stories, humorous articles and comic strips to murals and menus for hotels and restaurants. The book makes accessible this mesmerizing material, which is otherwise lost to the public, and connects it to the artist’s intriguing life. An icon of a fascinating era, Bemelmans through his magical work gives us glimpses of a life that embodied both hard work and glamour, in Paris and New York.

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Despite his posthumous fame as a painter of flowers, still-lifes, gardens, landscapes and city scenes, during his lifetime Vincent van Gogh believed that his portraits constituted his most important works. Although as an artist he was ‘touched by so many different things’, he was nevertheless committed to the art of portraiture – a quality that distinguished him from his contemporaries. Van Gogh was passionate in his avoidance of bland, photographic resemblances, in the hope of capturing the essential character of his models by means of expressive colour and brushwork. Showcasing a dramatic set of portraits created during Van Gogh’s ten-year career, this book reflects the strong visual impact with which the artist captured the diversity of contemporary life. In his many portraits, we can discern the artist’s desire to record expressively a number of themes, from the plight of the agricultural workers in his native Brabant and the destitution of prostitutes and their children in urban Europe, to the lives of his cosmopolitan acquaintances in Paris, including café owners and art dealers. It was here that he began his remarkable sequence of self-portraits. With reference to Van Gogh’s extensive correspondence, Skea elaborates how the artist perceived his chosen subjects as would a writer, and how he felt that his portraits should somehow evoke what he considered to be the spiritual underpinning of human existence

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A sophisticated look into the eight Greek myths that remain the most relevant to us today, exploring their powerful cultural impact from their ancient origins to the present. The Greek myths have been retold countless times, first by the conquering Romans, then through the medieval and Renaissance eras of Europe, and finally finding new expression in masterworks of art, literature and cinema on the global stage. Classical scholar Richard Buxton explores the stories at the heart of this ancient mythology and how they have come to influence our society today. The Greek legends seem to speak to us universally, their deities tantalizingly human - often indulging in behaviours morally ambiguous at best and obscene at worst - and their heroes dealing with dilemmas and destinies that echo, if exaggeratedly, conflicts in our own lives. The dramatic choices that such figures as Prometheus, Medea and Oedipus face have resonated with audiences over thousands of years. Each chapter focuses on a mythical character and the powerful stories and interpretations that surround them. Yet the myths’ relevance has not been uniform; they shift with the cultural tide. They have endured moments of censure, criticism, and even ridicule, but now their influence can be recognized almost everywhere, from opera to psychology, from fashion to contemporary art. How is it that these tales have retained their power to connect with our own fascinations, fears and desires, though they came from a world very different from our own? Here Buxton charts their cultural impact through a rich variety of re-imaginings, examining the many guises they have taken through the ages and the profound truths that they continue to illuminate.

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The Sick Rose is a beautifully gruesome and strangely fascinating visual tour through disease in an age before colour photography. This stunning volume, combining detailed illustrations of afflicted patients from some of the world’s rarest medical books, forms an unforgettable and profoundly human reminder of mankind’s struggle with disease. Incorporating historic maps, pioneering charts and contemporary case notes, Richard Barnett’s evocative overview reveals the fears and obsessions of an era gripped by epidemics.

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A true original: this lavishly photographed book captures the style of American fashion maverick Iris Apfel, who, over the past forty years, has cultivated a personal chic that is exuberantly idiosyncratic. Combining genres, colours, textures and patterns without regard to period, provenance or, ultimately, aesthetic convention, she is one of the few style icons of our time. Here, in over ninety sumptuous colour plates, Eric Boman shows off a selection of her extraordinary outfits on wittily posed mannequins.

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