Search results for ""Batsford""

Bursting with beautiful illustrations to colour, Harry Potter: Gryffindor House Pride: The Official Colouring Book is a must-have colouring book for members of this house and fans of the magical film series. Grab your coloured pencils — it's time for colouring wizardry! Show your house pride with intricate, all-new artwork of characters, iconic objects, and magical places from the Harry Potter films, all themed to house Gryffindor. Featuring important house moments from the Sorting Ceremony, Quidditch matches, Yule Ball, feasts, and so much more, this colouring book is jam-packed with special designs and scenes every brave Gryffindor will love.

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A compelling collection of anonymous postcards sent during lockdown, revealing hilarious, salacious, relatable and sometimes heartbreaking secret confessions. In the thick of the 2021 coronavirus lockdown, designer and shopowner Eleanor Tattersfield put out a call on Instagram: 'I'll send you a postcard, you send me a secret'. Lockdown Secrets is an astonishing record of what happened next. Postcards poured in, some beautifully decorated, some simply handwritten, but each one anonymously sharing a very personal confession. They came from people of all ages and all walks of life, including some celebrities. Prominent themes began to emerge: relationships, sex, masturbation, food, rebellion, loneliness and, surprisingly, a lot of love for lockdown itself. This beautiful book brings together the best of the postcards Eleanor received, and all human life is here: furtive infidelities, bad behaviour in the local bakery, sneaking off for baths during a busy homeschooling schedule, rediscovered marital bliss, and, occasionally, poignant moments of sadness and despair. We've all been through the lockdown experience, and every reader will find something to relate to in this fascinating collection, a perfect snapshot of an extraordinary time.

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Learn how to grow and dry flowers, plants and herbs to create dried floral arrangements that will breathe fresh life and style into your home without breaking the bank! In this contemporary reimagining of a timeless craft, Ann Lindsay Mitchell guides you through the method of drying flowers in three achievable steps: growing, drying and arranging. This excellent source of practical advice is explored through an encyclopaedic list of flowers and foliage with specific information on how to grow, cut and dry them to best effect. From coffee table posies and large arrangements to hand tied-gift bunches and wedding bouquets, beautiful photography accompanies guidance to creating arrangements with your newly dried flowers. Filled with delicate watercolour illustrations alongside stunning photography of both simple and elaborate floral arrangements, Forever Flowers is an exceptional guide to growing, drying and arranging. Suitable for both experienced professionals and hopeful newcomers to the art of drying flowers, the information in the book is an invaluable resource for all to reference and return to. Anyone can create everlasting arrangements for friends, home or occasions that can be cherished for years to come.

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Dive into figure painting with this fresh take on capturing the human form in watercolour. Painter Leo Crane and art model Roy Joseph Butler explore how to interpret the gestures and movements of the figure through the language of paint. Through a range of exercises, they show how to work with the fluidity and immediacy of watercolour to create lively paintings that are bursting with character and narrative possibility. With experience in both fine art and animation, they share tips on bringing life to the figure, and encourage you to discover a liberating and enjoyable approach to paint. Packed with techniques, exercises and step-by-step demonstrations, the book covers: The Figure: Observing the human figure and working with life models. Watercolour: Materials, tools, techniques and colour theory. Speed: Capturing movement and painting at speed, with two-minute studies. Gesture: Poses, sequences and conveying expression. Story: Creating mood, context, composition and narrative. Beyond the Figure: Bringing human energy and movement to still life, animals and landscapes. From the models: Life model case studies. Paintings by Leo feature throughout to demonstrate the working process through to finished product. With a focus on the dynamic exchange between artist and subject, speed, gesture and story, this book will appeal to artists looking anew at life painting and who are eager to capture the essence of character in movement.

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Enter a world in which magic exists, hope wins and every woman’s heart is alive with courage! This global feast of ancient tales features valiant women overcoming every kind of obstacle and danger to fulfil their destinies. Travel through Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and the Pacific. Shudder, cheer and laugh out loud as the heroines deal with trolls, faeries, dragons and ghosts; admire their knowledge, wit and cunning; marvel at shapeshifting and other manifestations of the supernatural. A rich collection of fairy tales, beautifully illustrated throughout with Joe McClaren woodcuts, this book is stitched together like a series of Scheherazade stories. It is story-telling at its best, pitch perfect fairy tales of fearless women for readers everywhere.

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‘Galvanises us to notice and care about our glorious natural world, through the words of an army of poets, ancient and modern’ – Bel Mooney An anthology of poems to enter the bloodstream and rewild the spirit. As with all life on Earth, the climate emergency, species extinction, ecological disaster, global pandemics, economic collapse, war, genocide and social injustice are all interconnected — how do we face our fears? How do we find the courage to rebel against forces ranged against the Earth? This galvanising collection of poems spans 4,000 years of human history. Ranging from Nikolai Duffy's 'Against Metaphor' and Lord Byron's 'Darkness' to Allen Ginsberg's evocative 'Sunflower Sutra' and Jean 'Binta' Breeze's 'Tweet Tweet'. This book is not just a sanctuary in which to find solace from environmental grief but a manual for psychic resistance in the war against Nature. As Pablo Neruda said, 'Poetry is rebellion.'

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A visual, large-format compilation of some the finest architectural drawings from Sir John Soane's extensive collection. Architectural Drawings casts light on the magnificent architectural drawings of neo-classical architect, teacher and collector, Sir John Soane that are otherwise concealed in archives. This book, featuring artworks handpicked from what was probably the first comprehensive collection of architectural drawings in the world, numbering 30,000 at the time of his death in 1837, celebrates a life spent procuring curiosities. The collection encompasses the hands of Montano, Thorpe, Wren, Talman, Hawksmoor, Vanbrugh, Gibbs, Kent, Chambers, Adam, Clérisseau, Pêcheux, Wyatt, Playfair, Nash and, of course, Soane himself. The quality of Soane’s collection of drawings is scarcely paralleled elsewhere and on account of their fragility, these items are infrequently seen by the public. This innovative book draws together the most exquisite and important works from the collection for the first time, showing the extraordinary connoisseurship of Sir John Soane while also exploring what drove Soane to amass such a collection and the provenance of his various significant acquisitions. This book illustrates the story of Soane as a collector of architectural drawings, but a story which is not normally available to the public, and will provide a sumptuous opportunity to peruse some of the finest architectural drawings in existence.

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A collection of Eleanor Crow’s beautiful watercolours of classic shopfronts. Published in partnership with Spitalfields Life Books, this timely volume celebrates the small neighbourhood shops of London. As our high streets decline into generic monotony, we cherish these independent shops and family businesses that enrich the city with their characterful frontages and distinctive typography. This collection includes more than 100 of Eleanor Crow’s fine illustrations of the capital's bakers, cafes, butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers, chemists, launderettes, hardware stores, eel & pie shops, bookshops and stationers. The pictures are accompanied by the stories of the shops, their history and their shopkeepers – stretching all the way from Chelsea in the west to Bethnal Green, Clerkenwell and Walthamstow in the east. As well as beloved old and lost shopfronts, there are some recent examples of new shops that have been beautifully designed too – from cheesemongers to chippies. At a time of momentous change in the high street, this witty and fascinating personal survey champions the enduring culture of Britain’s small shops.

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As Picasso said: 'It took me a lifetime to Paint Like a Child'. Raw Drawing is not an art class — it is a unique philosophy and a practical resource that teaches you how to draw spontaneously and creatively without any inhibition. Learn how to use signs, lines and shapes to create a new visual language. It's a non-judgmental technique to help you visualize your thoughts, express your emotions, develop your ideas and, why not, relax with a pen or pencil. Since he launched the Raw Drawing initiative in 2017, Italian artist Alessandro Bonaccorsi has given dozens of courses across Italy, helping people expand their creativity. This book brings together all of Alessandro’s core teachings, making the power and creativity of raw drawing accessible to everyone. The book is recommended for those over 14 years of age, who are open to let themselves become children again and draw with a carefree mind. Use Raw Drawing to get closer to the heart of things, and learn to appreciate the beauty of the spontaneous.

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A beautifully illustrated anthology of poetry celebrating babies, children and childhood – from the magical times and memories of childhood, through to the unconditional love a parent has for a child. Some of our best-loved poets are featured, such as William Blake, John Betjeman, Robert Louis Stevenson, Adrian Mitchell and WH Auden. The poems begin in infanthood, with the joys that babies and toddlers bring as they learn to move and speak, and progresses to playtime, friendships, holidays, trips and school days. The wonderful, endearing illustrations throughout make this the ideal book for anyone who celebrates a child in their life.

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Following on from 100 Buildings 100 Years and 100 Houses 100 Years, this book illustrates and describes 100 churches and chapels built in the UK since 1914, charting the development of buildings for worship. In this period concrete and steel gave a new freedom to construction, while new ideas about how congregations could participate in services changed assumptions about traditional layouts, bringing celebrants and people closer together. The century saw dynamic churches in dramatic shapes of all sizes thanks to ambitious engineering, and brilliant colour from new forms of stained glass, murals and sculpture. Architects whose work is included here range from Basil Spence and Edward Maufe, designers of major cathedrals, to the radical Gillespie, Kidd and Coia whose brutalist seminary lies abandoned near Dumbarton. The book provides biographies of major designers; articles on glass, fittings, and on the synagogues, mosques and temples that play an intrinsic and important part in worship in Britain today. Contributors include architectural historians Elain Harwood, Alan Powers and Clare Price. Beautiful photography throughout showcases the very best of British church design, whether it is the minimal symmetry of a timber-framed altar, or light streaming in through a multi-coloured stained glass panel.

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An inspirational and practical art manual, packed with step-by-step projects. Artist Ann Blockley is renowned for her innovative approach to watercolour painting. Her highly anticipated new book provides a series of workshops demonstrating how to push the boundaries of watercolour, using key techniques to develop your own work and take your paintings to the next level. Ann's easy-to-follow, step-by-step projects demonstrate how some of her most dramatic paintings are created. She describes in detail some of the key techniques used and how you can experiment with alternative methods to create your own interpretations. Finally, her beautiful and inspirational artworks demonstrate how different interpretations of a subject might take an unexpected or unusual direction, and how to make the most of these opportunities. The book moves, with progressively challenging projects, from loose wildflower meadows, textured woodland and rustic rambling walls to atmospheric or semi-abstract landscape corners, all rendered in Ann’s adventurous signature style. Loose, expressive mark-making and unusual techniques include combining water-based paint and ink with granulation medium for dramatic texture, drawing with twigs, using gesso and collage to create unique effects; manipulating paint with materials such as plastic wrap (clingfilm); developing printed marks made using found materials. Following the huge demand for more practical guidance in experimental painting, the book provides plenty of techniques and instruction. Ann’s personal commentary also gives a unique insight into the mind of the artist – ways of looking at your subject, how to explore and experiment – to unlock the potential of your watercolour painting.

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A colouring book to keep and treasure forever. The wonderful illustrations from Millie Marotta's Wild Savannah are reproduced here on the thickest paper yet (180gsm) on one side only, including 14 gatefolds and with five additional prints that can be pulled out of an envelope at the back of the book, ideal for framing. This is an edition for all Millie Marotta fans and those new to her work who want something special to record their creative colouring and drawing or indeed just a beautiful collection of illustrations. The book is linen bound with screenprinted illustrations and foiling that add a new dimension to Millie Marotta's work. It is, quite simply, a beautiful book.

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Strategies and examples for beating a superior opponent in chess. Chess history is littered with David vs Goliath chess struggles where the weaker player has prevailed. Chess masters, even international grandmasters, can be defeated by young, improving players who use the right techniques and proper attitude. In David vs Goliath Chess, renowned chess writer Andrew Soltis takes you through 50 annotated games that show how weaker players have scored stunning upsets by overcoming a superior opponent’s greater knowledge and experience. He gives tips on everything from the best psychological mindset to take on a strong player, to studying your opponents past games, identifying weaknesses and identifying chess strategies he or she won't expect. A great chess improver book that will benefit any regular chess player, including club players, giving the reader confidence to take on anyone at chess.

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Zen of Drawing inspires you to pick up a pen, pencil or an iPad and start drawing what you see with a 'zen' approach. Author Peter Parr has spent his career in animation successfully teaching people to draw and encouraging students to nurture their skills through observational drawing. He advocates a fresh way of looking closely at your subject and enlisting an emotional response, in order to fully appreciate the nature of what you are about to draw. You will learn that whatever you are drawing, it is essential not only to copy its outline but also to ask yourself: is it soft, smooth or rough to the touch? How heavy is it? Is it fragile or solid? Then, having grasped the fundamental characteristics, or zen, of the object, make corresponding marks on the paper – crisp textures, a dense wash, a scratchy or floating line. The chapters cover: keeping a sketchbook; tools (pen, pencil, charcoal, watercolour and iPad); perspective; line and volume; tone and texture; structure and weight; movement and rhythm; energy, balance and composition.

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A diverse collection of poetry which celebrates both England and all that it means to be English – from the rolling hills, to those lost in battle over the centuries, to London’s bustling streets and a nation obsessed with the weather. Ode to England encompasses a breadth of poetry from our most renowned writers – such as William Wordsworth, D. H. Lawrence and William Blake – alongside verses from less prestigious names which equally capture many inspiring visions of our ‘sceptered isle’. The poems are presented alongside stunning illustrations which pay further tribute to the beauty of this green and pleasant land. The perfect gift for any Englishman or Anglophile, this wonderful collection captures all the beauty and eccentricities of England and Englishness.

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Colour is fundamental to painting and the ability to mix and reproduce specific hues is an art in itself. Colour theory can be dull and complicated, but in this book, experienced artist and teacher, Sharon Finmark, demonstrates colour mixing in a practical and easy-to-follow way. In addition to being an extensive visual sourcebook to nearly 600 colour mixes, there are paintings featured throughout with all the different hues and mixes in each painting analysed and annotated. In this way, acrylic painters learn by application how to get the best out of their paints.

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The classic board game backgammon has been called 'the perfect combination of skill and luck'. It may look complicated on first glance, but this absorbing, fun game really couldn't be simpler. This helpful little book gives you all the information you need to go off and play your first game. In clear, easy-to-follow text, backed up with helpful board diagrams and illustrations, the author shows you around the board, explains how to set up your checkers, the basics of running, blocking and hitting, and an impressive array of handy tips and hints to help you win the game. It also covers how backgammon notation works, how to score and the best places to play backgammon online. Armed with the information in this book, you'll become an expert backgammon player - in super-quick time!

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A stunning survey of modern illustration that uses older styles of artistic expression to evoke a sense of another time and place. These vintage-style illustrations play with the past, subvert it, on occasion, but always feel fresh. Organized into 12 chapters by historical or cultural period, the book features hundreds of the best examples of modern retro illustration including styles as varied as Constructivist, Dada and Art Noveau. From work showing the ornamentation of Victorian fonts, the stylized angles of Art Deco, the lines of soviet poster art, the influence of Saul Bass and Blue Note record sleeves to the new slant on photorealism, and the renaissance of punk and comic art. Hundreds of artists from all over the world have contributed to a beautiful, witty and inspiring collection of vintage illustration that will inspire designers, illustrators and artists working today.

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There is a young fellow named Mick Who's adapted the old limerick To cover, with mirth The whole history of Earth And what made its characters tick. These 100 lively and humorous limericks take us back to before beginning of time itself and the Big Bang to present day. Covering everyone’s favourite history lessons (and a few surprising ones too!), Mick Twister has cleverly raided the tomes of the past, picked at the bones of the world’s greatest figures, moments and events and condensed the most complex of human activities into short and hilarious poems to make you chuckle. From a geezer called Caesar to What a Load of Bankers (about the financial crisis), this is the funniest way to learn about the past. Henry VIII, Mary Wollstonecraft, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Alan Turing all get the limerick treatment along with important events such as the Boston Tea Party, the Abolition of Slavery, the Berlin Wall’s Rise and Fall and the Arab Spring.Accompanied by amazing illustrations and witty remarks, you’ll discover the history of the world… and laugh out loud as you do so. Who ever said that history was boring had clearly never read this book!

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Practical advice and invaluable lessons for everyday life from a former Royal Marines Commando. Mark Hardie MBE has trained Royal Marine Commandos for operations in the world’s harshest environments. In this inspirational guide he shows that being part of an elite fighting force doesn’t only take stamina and strength, it takes the right mindset. Once you can take charge of your mind, you can unlock your potential. Whether you are heading into battle or facing the challenges of modern life, there are marine training techniques that will help you to think clearly, grasp the situation at hand and achieve your goals. Building on the author’s own first-hand experience of operations and training Royal Marines, the book covers: Learning what you can and can’t control, when to use intuition and analysis. How to remove distractions, avoid procrastination and maximise your efficiency. How to increase your strength with equipment-free exercises. How to take charge of stress, sharpen your senses and learn essential survival techniques. Discover what makes a good leader and learn how to manage conflict. How to make decisions, solve problems and employ the commando spirit in your everyday life. Highly illustrated and easy-to-follow, this book is suitable for all ages and all walks of life. When you can anticipate, adapt and achieve, you can Think Like a Marine.

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Queen Victoria, once remarked ‘I don’t dislike babies though I think very young ones are rather disgusting’. She went on to have nine children. As 2018 heralds the arrival of Prince Louis for the House of Windsor, who is fifth in line to the throne, this book outlines all he can expect as a baby in the modern royal household. Exploring the history on the upbringing of royal children from Tudor births, this book looks at how customs and traditions have changed contrasting the formality of the Victorians when children were ‘seen and not heard’ through to the more relaxed discipline of the modern royals. It reveals how Princess Diana was one of the first senior royals to influence this change in how she brought up her two princes, William and Harry. As well as examining royal nurseries through the years, this book also looks at royal grannies, governesses and nannies and their influence on the young royals with their devotion and care. It also looks at the role of schooling from the strictness of Gordonstoun in Scotland to the traditions at Eton. This beautifully illustrated book is part of the Pitkin Royal Collection series, celebrating the lives of the British royal family. Other notable titles in this insightful series include Royal Babies, The Queen and Her Family and Queen Elizabeth II.

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As the longest serving royal consort in British history (1921-2021), this fully-illustrated guide celebrates Prince Philip’s remarkable contribution to the monarchy. A strong character full of vigour and verve, he found himself married to the most famous woman in the world, Queen Elizabeth II. They married for love and, although at times this man with strong opinions and enthusiasms of his own has found it hard to play a subordinate role, he has always been the Queen’s rock and support. Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, grew famous for speaking his mind, but as his loyalty to his wife and country and his devotion to duty became apparent, he has become a national treasure and a figure of great respect to the British public. His marriage, fatherhood, early and distinguished career as a 1st Lieutenant in the Royal Navy are all detailed, including the Duke of Edinburgh Awards that have changed the lives of many young people. This commemoration of the Duke of Edinburgh, highlights how Prince Philip, as royal consort, has left an ongoing legacy not only to the sovereignty of Britain but also to his beloved royal family. Her Majesty has never hidden the extent of her reliance on Philip, the man she has called: ‘My strength and stay all these years.’

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The seven illustrious Guards Regiments, renowned and respected around the world for their self-discipline, smartness and reliability, are today manned by thoroughly modern soldiers equally at home on Horseguards Parade or on operational duty. See them at their best in this superbly illustrated guide.

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Salisbury Cathedral - English edition

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Since their fairy-tale wedding in 2011 and the announcement in December 2012 that William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, were expecting their first child, the British have taken the young couple into their hearts. The first decades of the 21st century have seen a surge of pride for our Royal Family as never before and the birth of HRH Prince George of Cambridge, our future king, has been greeted with genuine joy. This celebratory and beautifully illustrated guide not only commemorates this Royal birth but looks at the history of children of the monarchy from Queen Elizabeth II to her great-grandchildren. Age-old customs, ceremonies, christenings, toys and pastimes, nannies, nurseries and the Royal line of succession are also explored, presenting an illuminating portrait of Royal children through the ages.

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Somewhere around 4000 BC, people in Britain began to give up their old hunter-gatherer way of life, instead raising livestock and planting crops: they became farmers. This comprehensive and informative guide covers the history of farming in Britain since this time, when cattle were huge beasts and ploughs did little more than scratch the ground’s surface. Tools and technologies may have changed since these primitive times, but the patterns of life on the farm have remained much the same. From the medieval farm to the Agricultural Revolution as enclosure transformed the landscape, here is the story of how farming has evolved into the tractors and mechanization we recognise today. With photographs and illustrations this book also illuminates the life of farmworkers and their families. What was it like being a cattle farmer or a shepherd? What did a farmer’s wife spend her day making? An entertaining and detailed guide for anyone interested in the history and lives of the country’s farmers. Includes a list of farms and museums to visit of historic and general interest.

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This updated Pitkin Guide will show the visitor and the resident all there is to be seen and experienced, from the waterside to the elegant streets of Clifton, from the old city and the ancient church of St Mary Redcliffe to the new shopping mall, Cabot Circus. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel, including other titles in our popular City Guides series.

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Through the novels of England’s foremost woman writer, we explore the Regency world at the time of the Napoleonic wars, its manners, fashion and style, pastimes and entertainments. Jane Austen – loved now by a huge audience, thanks partly to modern-day TV and film – led a quiet, uneventful life – yet lived amid great events, in a society viewed with remarkable wit and perception. Here are the places Austen knew, visited and featured in her books: the settings for balls, country strolls, holiday tours, carriage drives, walks, picnics, rendezvous and revelations. The guide includes evocative quotations, surprising facts and places to visit.

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William, Duke of Cambridge

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'He thought his happiness was complete when, as he meandered aimlessly along, suddenly he stood by the edge of a full-fed river.' One of the most popular children's books of all time, the dreamy world of the riverbank and Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger is woven into the childhood of many who have been entranced by Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. The Pitkin Guide brings these enchanting characters to life and explores their relationship with their author. The tragedy of his mother’s early death at their Scottish home and his father’s inability to come to terms with the loss of his wife propelled Kenneth Grahame and his siblings into another world – one that was to influence and inform one of the greatest children’s stories of all time. We look at Grahame’s life in London, the English countryside that inspired his writing, and the legacy he has left behind for future generations to enjoy. Includes illustrations by E.H Shephard, and map of the River Thames.

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A souvenir guide in Japanese to London and its outskirts. It is packed with colour photographs and information that capture the best sights on offer in this fabulous capital city. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel.

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Ever since it came to the world's attention in the 17th century, the world's most famous tapestry has been a source of never-ending speculation. This book highlights the background of its construction and the events of 1066 that it portrays. It details warfare and weaponry, armour and costumes, depictions of everyday life, houses and farming.

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Oxford - an eclectic mix of the ancient university colleges, cobbled streets and dreaming spires. But also a modern city with theatres, galleries, bookshops, cafes, pubs and restaurants. Today's tourist can enjoy them all. A guide to help the Russian visitor explore Oxford and its university - a city with over 40 ancient colleges tightly interwoven, each a part of the other. It looks at the ancient beauty of cobbled streets, neat quadrangles, bell towers and slim spires. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel, including other titles in our popular City Guides series.

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Oxford - an eclectic mix of the ancient university colleges, cobbled streets and dreaming spires. But also a modern city with theatres, galleries, bookshops, cafes, pubs and restaurants. Today's tourist can enjoy them all. A guide to help the Chinese visitor explore Oxford and its university - a city with over 40 ancient colleges tightly interwoven, each a part of the other. It looks at the ancient beauty of cobbled streets, neat quadrangles, bell towers and slim spires. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel, including other titles in our popular City Guides series.

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This book explores the history of alfresco dining and discovers how different generations have picnicked in style. Whether you're off to Henley or escaping to a quiet corner of the countryside, it contains ideas for stylish accessories as well as recipes to inspire you. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel, particularly other titles in the Pleasures and Treasures Series. More titles available in the Pleasures and Treasures Series: English Pudding, Afternoon Tea, Sacred Art

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This useful guide will take you round the most important sights and provide you with practical information to help you travel around the capital. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel, including other titles in our popular City Guides series.

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On 6 June the greatest landing force ever assembled began the Allied Liberation of France and Europe. In this Italian translation of the Pitkin Guide, enhanced with many contemporary photographs and maps, visitors and veterans can visit the beaches, landmarks, museums and cemeteries of Normandy. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel.

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Rotherham is a town where new buildings are replacing ones which have been there for centuries. This delightful, full-colour collection of images celebrates the Rotherham of days gone by. Pairing rare images from the Rotherham archives with modern photographs, it reveals the enormous changes that the town has witnessed. Many of these images have not appeared in print before. They include such places as the cattle market, the public library and even images of some of the slums which have now been eradicated. Compiled by Rotherham’s own historian Margaret Drinkall, author of Rotherham Workhouse and Murder & Crime in Rotherham, this book serves as an evocative link to the past.

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With its strategic shipping ports and factories, the towns and cities dotted along the River Mersey soon became some of Hitler’s most heavily targeted sites during the Second World War. In August 1940 the German Luftwaffe attacked Birkenhead in what was to be the first of over 300 such bombing raids Merseyside sustained that year. Almost 4,000 people perished and many more were seriously injured as the streets and buildings of Liverpool and Wirral were destroyed and their residents left in turmoil. Featuring 45 vistas of bomb-damaged suburbia and city centre carnage alongside 45 photographs of the area as it is today, Merseyside War Years: Then & Now sensitively documents the changes and developments that have taken place in Merseyside since those dark days of war, demonstrating both architectural progress and Britain’s resilience and in the face of adversity.

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Renowned as a centre of ship-building and steel-working in the early twentieth century, the town of Jarrow, on the river Tyne, has seen a huge amount of change over the course of the last 100 years. Today, the famous shipyards of Jarrow are silent, yet it is difficult to imagine that they ever existed. The town continues to thrive, and new buildings constantly appear, from the bustling modern town centre to the quiet garden suburb of Primrose Hill. An intriguing insight into days gone by, local historian and photographer Paul Perry illustrates the changes that have been wrought upon the town through a selection of captivating images from his archive alongside full-colour modern photographs of the same scene today. Not only do we see these differences in the streets and buildings but also in the people and the way they work and live.

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The city of Lichfield in Staffordshire - known for its three-spired cathedral and its famous son, the great lexicographer Dr Samuel Johnson - has witnessed many important events in the history of the British Isles. Protective of its architecture and its customs, Lichfield nevertheless remains a modern city where old and new co-exist. Lichfield Then & Now pairs 45 carefully chosen photographs from public and private collections with 45 contemporary colour versions of the same views, providing a fascinating visual chronicle of the city’s progress. Compare the old layout of Lichfield’s streets - its shop-fronts, park and pools - with the Lichfield of today and see for yourself the subtle march of time, even in this most historic of places. Lichfield Then & Now will delight all local historians and will awaken nostalgic memories for those who used to live or work here. ANNETTE RUBERY is a writer and editor with ten years’ experience in print and online media. She has a PhD in Art History and is also a keen photographer.

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A history of Cottingham

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Doncaster thrived during the Georgian period, and continued to grow as a railway town in the nineteenth century. As a consequence, it can boast a rich architectural history, the influence of which can still be seen and appreciated in the fabric of the Doncaster of the modern day. Geoffrey Howse’s comparisons between archive images of the Doncaster of decades past and modern photographs of the same scenes today beautifully illustrates the changing face of this historic city, as well as the changes in society, transport and fashions.

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In chess, a transposition is a known position reached by a different move order than usual – a less obvious way of getting to somewhere you want to go, leading to confusion for your opponent. Every chess player has a number of them in his arsenal, and they are used most often in openings. There are transpositional tricks in all openings, but this is the first book devoted to them. As the book covers all the key openings variations it can be used by most chess players. The introduction explains what transpositions are and why they're invaluable, followed by 8 chapters discussing transpositions, illustrated by some notorious examples from top-flight matches. Chapters are divided by opening group – Double e-pawn openings; Sicilian Defense; Other Semi-Open openings; Double e-pawn openings; Indian openings; Other 1 d4 openings; Reti, English, 1 g3. The benefits and drawbacks of each set of move orders are discussed throughout. This is an ideal book for all club players and is written by one of the best chess writers in the world today.

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An exploration of the corset as a motif for textile artists, with practical tips and examples. Used for the last 400 years to contort the female body into a variety of fashionable silhouettes, the corset has become a fascinating and hugely popular motif for modern textile artists who wish to represent the female body using the largely feminine traditions of textile and stitch. Beginning with a step-by-step guide to constructing a simple fabric corset, the book goes on to explore more contemporary and experimental approaches to construction, from using unusual materials such as lace, metal, paper and found fibres to up-cycling or repurposing existing garments to make a statement. This practical guide is full of exercises for creating intimate garments and wearable art in two- and three-dimensions and is packed with inspiring work and installations by other contemporary artists.

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A great guide for painters who want to experiment with mixed media and make their landscape paintings more adventurous. Popular artist and teacher, Soraya French, encourages readers to experiment with mixing media and to create more adventurous paintings and broaden their artistic horizons. The media that Soraya uses in this book are acrylics, pastels and collage and she shows how to bring the best out of mixing these media with handy tips, some simple projects and several step-by-step demonstrations. Landscape, and the way it changes over the seasons, is the ideal subject for experimenting with different textural effects using mixed media. Contemporary Landscapes in Mixed Media is divided into four seasonal chapters, with each section dealing with the colours, shapes, patterns and textures particular to each season. There is information on mixing colours relevant to each season, as well as interesting ways of painting flowers and other details of nature, how to create exciting compositions, and how to add architectural aspects within the landscape. In some landscapes figures may be added in order to animate the composition and create a narrative. This practical and inspirational book will help and encourage the reader to explore the fascinating potential of mixed media and to adopt a freer attitude in their painting.

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A thought-provoking chronological timeline of the world's most influential books.

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