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The Language of the Face: Stories of Its Uniquely Expressive Features
by Frank Gonzalez-CrussiA broad and riveting cultural history of physiognomy, exploring how the desire to divine deeper meaning from our looks has compelled humans for millennia.How do you read a face? For thousands of years, artists, philosophers, and scientists have explored the question of what our outer appearance might reveal about our inner selves. In The Language of the Face, a marvelously comprehensive exploration of the pseudoscience of physiognomy, Frank Gonzalez-Crussi considers over a millennium&’s worth of primary sources to paint a splendid portrait of the face&’s cultural symbology. Gonzalez-Crussi, an acclaimed pathologist and writer, transcends disciplines with a singular balance of depth and levity. Blending literary analysis of both ancient and modern texts with the insights of medical anthropology, his narrative ranges from an investigation into &“nasal semiotics&”—a subject whose legacy persists most destructively in myths of racial typology—to equally astute analyses of the thrills of the erotic kiss, the diagnostic art of astrology, and the enlightening qualities of supposed ugliness. While our appearances may ultimately be no more than surface-level signifiers of identity, Gonzalez-Crussi&’s work is anything but superficial in its treatment of the consummately human urge to find profound meaning amidst seemingly arbitrary attributes. As rigorously researched as it is wildly entertaining, The Language of the Face is a vibrant contribution to both the emerging field of medical humanities and the popular understanding of aesthetics and physiology at large.
The Last Action Heroes: The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood's Kings of Carnage
by Nick de SemlyenThe behind-the-scenes story of the action heroes who ruled 1980s and &’90s Hollywood and the beloved films that made them stars, including Die Hard, First Blood, The Terminator, and more.&“This book takes you so close to the action that you can smell the sweat, cigar smoke, and bad cologne that brought these movies to life.&”—Paul ScheerThe Last Action Heroes opens in May 1990 in Cannes, with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone waltzing together, cheered on by a crowd of famous faces. After years of bitter combat—Stallone once threw a bowl of flowers at Schwarzenegger&’s head, and the body count in Schwarzenegger&’s Commando was increased so the film would &“have a bigger dick than Rambo&”—the world&’s biggest action stars have at last made peace.In this wildly entertaining account of the golden age of the action movie, Nick de Semlyen charts Stallone and Schwarzenegger&’s carnage-packed journey from enmity to friendship against the backdrop of Reagan&’s America and the Cold War. He also reveals fascinating untold stories of the colorful characters who ascended in their wake: high-kickers Chuck Norris and Jackie Chan, glowering tough guys Dolph Lundgren and Steven Seagal, and quipping troublemakers Jean-Claude Van Damme and Bruce Willis. But as time rolled on, the era of the invincible action hero who used muscle, martial arts, or the perfect weapon to save the day began to fade. When Jurassic Park trounced Schwarzenegger&’s Last Action Hero in 1993, the glory days of these macho men—and the vision of masculinity they celebrated—were officially over.Drawing on candid interviews with the action stars themselves, plus their collaborators, friends, and foes, The Last Action Heroes is a no-holds-barred account of a period in Hollywood history when there were no limits to the heights of fame these men achieved, or to the mayhem they wrought, on-screen and off.
The Last Tree: A Seed of Hope
by Luke Adam HawkerFrom the Sunday Times bestselling author of Together. Imagine a world without trees. A world that is in many ways like our world, but where magnificent canopies, tree climbing and leaves rustling in the breeze are now only distant memories.Until a young girl comes along, a girl who is brave and spirited and willing to follow where her imagination takes her. Through Olive's adventures in the world of trees we are reminded of nature's extraordinary power and beauty, and her actions ultimately sow the seeds of new life in her own world.From the mind and pen of bestselling author Luke Adam Hawker, The Last Tree is a powerful evocation of the fragility of our natural world and a magnificent celebration of its beauty.Praise for Together:"An accurate and thoughtful account of one of the most challenging years in modern history." -The Guardian"Hawker's images always seem to have just the right mixture of gravitas and sly, understated humour." -The Scotsman
The Latent World of Architecture: Selected Essays
by Dalibor VeselyThis book features thirteen essays by the late architect, philosopher and teacher Dalibor Vesely (1934–2015). Vesely was a leading authority on philosophical hermeneutics and phenomenology in relation to architecture worldwide, and influenced a generation of thinkers, teachers and practitioners. This collection presents the full range of his writing, drawing primarily from the history of art and architecture, as well as philosophy, theology, anthropology and ecology, and spanning from early antiquity to modernism. It composes a multifaceted and globally relevant argument about the enduring cultural role of architecture and the significance of its history. The book, edited and introduced by Vesely’s teaching partner at Cambridge Peter Carl and former student Alexandra Stara, and with a foreword by David Leatherbarrow, brings to light new and hard-to-access material for those familiar with Vesely’s thought and, at the same time, offers a compelling introduction to his writing and its profound relevance for architecture and culture today.
The League of Lady Poisoners: Illustrated True Stories of Dangerous Women
by Lisa PerrinA feast for the senses, this sumptuously illustrated book will introduce you to some of the most infamous women throughout world history, united by their shared taste for poison. Welcome to the League of Lady Poisoners.This riveting and well-researched volume by Lisa Perrin weaves together the stories of more than twenty-five accused women poisoners, exploring the circumstances and skill sets that led them to lives of crime.You might find yourself rooting for some of them—like Sally Bassett, who helped poison her granddaughter's enslavers in Bermuda, or Giulia Tofana, who sold her name-brand concoction to women wanting to be rid of their abusive (or otherwise undesirable) husbands. Other stories, though—including that of Yiya Murano, one of Argentina's most notorious swindlers and serial killers, or the terrifying Nurse Jane Toppan—may prove less palatable.Organized into thematic chapters based on the women's motives, the book also includes an illustrated primer that delves into the origins and effects of common poisons throughout history, as well as a foreword by Holly Frey and Maria Trimarchi, creators and hosts of the podcast Criminalia. It is a treat for true crime fans, feminist history buffs, and any curious readers fascinated by the more macabre side of human nature.TRUE CRIME GALORE: Women can do anything—even commit murder. This thoughtfully researched and insightful survey into the lives of the poisoners explores the toxic events that put these women in the spotlight, the deceptive methods and substances they used, and their legacies today. The League of Lady Poisoners is a thrilling deep dive for fans of true crime podcasts, docuseries, and books.EYE-CATCHING GIFT: Illustrator and author Lisa Perrin's beautiful and distinctive art style blends the romantic allure of these pop culture legends with the disturbing and twisted facts of their lives. The hardcover is decorated with shining foil, and the interior contains clever Victorian-inspired lettering, borders, and diagrams that complement the text. Readers and illustrated book collectors will love all the details honoring the Golden Age of Poison. FASCINATING, DIVERSE STORIES OF WOMEN WHO KILL: These women lived in different time periods and had varying cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds that influenced their motives. Some acted out of defiance—like the Angel Makers of Nagyrév, who taught women how to dispose of their abusive husbands in Hungary. Others schemed their way to power and money, including Empress Wu Zetian of China and Belle Gunness, who killed more than 14 people in the American Midwest. Discover all their stories in this engaging collection . . . if you have the stomach for them.Perfect for:Lovers of true crime podcasts like My Favorite Murder, Morbid, and CriminaliaReaders who enjoy historical biographies, especially of womenReaders who love a good villain, antihero, or underdog storyMurder mystery fansArt lovers and illustrated book collectorsFans of Lisa Perrin's beautiful illustrationShoppers looking for a unique feminist gift bookFans of period dramas like The Serpent Queen and The BorgiasReaders who enjoy books like Lady Killers: Deadly Women Throughout History and The Trial of Lizzie Borden
The Learning and Teaching of Cantonese as a Second Language
by Siu-Lun LeeThe Learning and Teaching of Cantonese as a Second Language brings together contributions on such issues as Cantonese textbooks, linguistic description, literacy and tone acquisition, supplemented by case studies from the Netherlands and Japan. The learning and teaching of Cantonese as a second language is a subject of considerable interest in the international academic community, and the first international symposium on teaching Cantonese as a second language, held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in October 2019, brought together leading researchers in this field. This conference provided the inspiration for the current volume, The Learning and Teaching of Cantonese as a Second Language. In the Hong Kong context, historically, the term ‘Cantonese’ refers to the language varieties of immigrants who came to the territory from various areas in Guangdong province, including Macau, Panyu, Taishan, Xinhui and Zhongshan. From the late nineteenth century onwards, their speech coalesced into the contemporary variety of Cantonese used in Hong Kong today. The term ‘Cantonese’ is also used to refer to the entire Yue subgroup of Chinese, which includes varieties of Cantonese spoken in southern China, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore and among overseas Chinese in Australia, Europe and North America. In all, it is estimated that there are about 70 million Cantonese speakers in the world. This volume is of direct relevance to educators, language teachers, linguists and all those concerned with the learning of Cantonese as a second language.
The Legend of Pirosmani
by Valerian MarkarovSometimes amazing people live next to us, whose existence, even before the end of their earthly days, becomes a legend. Such is a lot of the chosen. They, feeding the lofty ideas of humanity, hear, see and feel what is inaccessible to ordinary mortals, and we do not notice them, do not cherish them. Such a creator, whose name is surrounded by a halo of immortality, was Niko Pirosmani. The stories that are told about him, no one can confirm or deny. But they are his biography. He created it himself with his amazing life. A life that turned into a Legend about the Master. And we have no right not to believe her…
The Lichen Museum (Art After Nature)
by Laurie A. PalmerA radical proposal for how a tiny organism can transform our understanding of human relations Serving as both a guide and companion publication to the conceptual art project of the same name, The Lichen Museum explores how the physiological characteristics of lichens provide a valuable template for reimagining human relations in an age of ecological and social precarity. Channeling between the personal, the scientific, the philosophical, and the poetic, A. Laurie Palmer employs a cross-disciplinary framework that artfully mirrors the collective relations of lichens, imploring us to envision alternative ways of living based on interdependence rather than individualism and competition.Lichens are composite organisms made up of a fungus and an alga or cyanobacteria thriving in a mutually beneficial relationship. The Lichen Museum looks to these complex organisms, remarkable for their symbiosis, diversity, longevity, and adaptability, as models for relations rooted in collaboration and nonhierarchical structures. In their resistance to fast-paced growth and commodification, lichens also offer possibilities for humans to reconfigure their relationship to time and attention outside of the accelerated pace of capitalist accumulation.Drawing together a diverse set of voices, including personal encounters with lichenologists and lichens themselves, Palmer both imagines and embodies a radical new approach to human interconnection. Using this tiny organism as an emblem through which to navigate environmental and social concerns, this work narrows the gap between the human and natural worlds, emphasizing the notion of mutual dependence as a necessary means of survival and prosperity.
The Literary Manager's Toolkit: A Practical Guide for the Theatre (The Focal Press Toolkit Series)
by Sue HealyThe Literary Manager’s Toolkit is a clear and comprehensive guide to the role of the literary manager in theatre and beyond, focusing on the key skills, networks, and processes that underpin a successful career in this and associated roles. This book outlines the tasks and responsibilities of a literary manager in the selection, development, and production of new plays. In the first part, it outlines the how, when, and why of the literary manager’s main activities, equipping the reader with everything that they will need when approaching this role’s central challenges. The second part provides a selection of practical, accessible, and easy-to-follow materials and workshop suggestions for literary managers who will work with playwrights as they develop their creative writing and dramaturgy skills. This is the go-to resource for the working professional literary manager or dramaturg, and for students on dramaturgy courses in theatre degree programmes.
The Little Book of Big Dreams: True Stories about People Who Followed a Spark
by Isa AdneySometimes, dreams do come true.There’s a lot of advice out there about how to pursue your goals, but sometimes all a dreamer needs to keep going is a true story of a dream becoming reality: proof that lows are a normal part of the process, and hope that all your hard work might still have a chance of paying off.The Little Book of Big Dreams is filled with true stories of dreamers just like you who dared to reach for the stars and actually go for the things they wanted most in life—but the most important story in this book is yours. Each uplifting tale in these pages is meant to inspire you along your dream journey, not only helping you keep going when things get hard but also reminding you that obstacles don’t mean you’re doing this wrong—they mean you’re on your way.The dreamers in this book include Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Disney producer Don Hahn, Pensole Lewis College founder D’Wayne Edwards, Hamilton cast member Seth Stewart, Black Girls Code founder Kimberly Bryant, actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni, and more.
The Little Book of Plastic Lace Crafts: A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Lanyards, Key Chains, Bracelets, and other Crafts with Boondoggle, Scoubidou, Gimp, and Plastic Lace
by Yonatan SetbonSpice up your summer with this handy DIY guide packed with easy projects, beginners' tutorials, camp crafts, and more!Break has come and school is out. Keeping your kids entertained at home without screens may seem difficult, but it doesn&’t have to be. Why not make your break a &“DIY summer&” with The Little Book of Plastic Lace Crafts? This step-by-step guide to creating lanyards, key chains, bracelets, and other crafts with plastic lace features full-color diagrams and easy-to-follow text. It can be used at any proficiency level, starting off with basic stitching techniques before moving on to more advanced methods in order to teach you how to: Create a standard lanyard Integrate practical and creative techniques Incorporate new and playful ideas And more! Written and illustrated by a highly experienced lanyard artist, The Little Book of Plastic Lace Crafts is the screen-free summertime entertainment that the whole family can enjoy!
The Little Guide to Gucci: Style to Live By (The\little Book Of... Ser.)
by Orange Hippo!Since 1921, Gucci has been a titan of the luxury fashion industry. Celebrated for its exclusive high-end accessories, the brand reigns supreme for its signature leather goods and decadent garments that have elegantly combined the understated with the opulent.More than 100 years ago, Gucci took the world by storm as a luxury luggage and equstrian outfitter, quickly becoming a giant of 1990s haute couture. The highly sought-after products would only become more exclusive with time, and since then the company has gone from strength to strength. Under the watchful eyes of Alessandro Michele and now, Sabato de Sarno, the brand has made its mark on streetwear, inspring a new generation of fans.Brimming with fascinating facts and inspirational quotes from celebrities, fans and the creative heads at Gucci, this little guide documents not only the brand's extraordinary journey, but also the elusive family at the helm.'Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.' Aldo Gucci
The Little Guide to Gucci: Style to Live By (The\little Book Of... Ser.)
by Orange Hippo!Since 1921, Gucci has been a titan of the luxury fashion industry. Celebrated for its exclusive high-end accessories, the brand reigns supreme for its signature leather goods and decadent garments that have elegantly combined the understated with the opulent.More than 100 years ago, Gucci took the world by storm as a luxury luggage and equstrian outfitter, quickly becoming a giant of 1990s haute couture. The highly sought-after products would only become more exclusive with time, and since then the company has gone from strength to strength. Under the watchful eyes of Alessandro Michele and now, Sabato de Sarno, the brand has made its mark on streetwear, inspring a new generation of fans.Brimming with fascinating facts and inspirational quotes from celebrities, fans and the creative heads at Gucci, this little guide documents not only the brand's extraordinary journey, but also the elusive family at the helm.'Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.' Aldo Gucci
The Little Guide to Keanu Reeves: The Nicest Guy in Hollywood (The\little Book Of... Ser.)
by Orange Hippo!Why we're all crazy about Keanu.When even your name is beautiful (Keanu means "cool breeze over the mountains"), it's no surprise that Keanu Reeves was destined to become one of world's biggest and most enduring film stars. Bursting onto our screens in eighties in River's Edge and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, his run of smash hits continued through the next decade with Point Break, Much Ado About Nothing, Speed, and his groundbreaking role as Neo in The Matrix. Then, in 2014, his sensational comeback in the John Wick films catapulted him right back to the top of the Hollywood A-list.No stranger to tragedy in his personal life - his baby was stillborn and his partner died in a car accident two years later - Keanu is as famous for his kindness, wisdom and philanthropy as he is for his film career. He has secretly donated large sums to children's hospitals, given generous gifts to crew members on set and made headlines for his kindness to fans. Join us in a celebration of the man widely known as "the Internet's boyfriend"."If you can make a woman laugh, you're seeing the most beautiful thing on God's earth." Keanu Reeves on womenBorn in Lebanon and raised in Australia, the USA and Canada, Reeves is of Chinese, English, Irish, Hawaiian and Portuguese descent. (But he's Canadian, OK?)
The Little Guide to Louis Vuitton: Style to Live By (The\little Book Of... Ser.)
by Orange Hippo!For over 150 years, Louis Vuitton's monographed bags have been associated with style and luxury. Born in 1821, he had left home at 13 to seek his fortune in Paris where he became an apprentice box-maker which eventually led him to introductions at the French Royal Court. With royal endorsement, Louis opened of his first workshop in 1854 where his skills and innovations established his brand as one of Europe's most popular.Passing his passion for crafting beautiful luggage onto his son, Georges, and later his grandson Gaston-Louis, they ensured the company continued to grow, surviving two world wars, to become the luxury brand it's renowned for.Louis Vuitton stores opened in cities throughout the world and expanded into other high-end brands. The merger in 1987 with Möet Hennessy created the megabrand LVMH, and in 1997 the appointment of Marc Jacobs launched Louis Vuitton into the world of fashion."The Louis Vuitton woman is more about a quality - a quality within some women that needs to come forward, to be noticed and recognised." Marc Jacobs"There's a lot of baggage that comes along with our family, but it's like Louis Vuitton baggage." Kim Kardashian"Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury." Louis Vuitton
The Little Guide to Louis Vuitton: Style to Live By (The\little Book Of... Ser.)
by Orange Hippo!For over 150 years, Louis Vuitton's monographed bags have been associated with style and luxury. Born in 1821, he had left home at 13 to seek his fortune in Paris where he became an apprentice box-maker which eventually led him to introductions at the French Royal Court. With royal endorsement, Louis opened of his first workshop in 1854 where his skills and innovations established his brand as one of Europe's most popular.Passing his passion for crafting beautiful luggage onto his son, Georges, and later his grandson Gaston-Louis, they ensured the company continued to grow, surviving two world wars, to become the luxury brand it's renowned for.Louis Vuitton stores opened in cities throughout the world and expanded into other high-end brands. The merger in 1987 with Möet Hennessy created the megabrand LVMH, and in 1997 the appointment of Marc Jacobs launched Louis Vuitton into the world of fashion."The Louis Vuitton woman is more about a quality - a quality within some women that needs to come forward, to be noticed and recognised." Marc Jacobs"There's a lot of baggage that comes along with our family, but it's like Louis Vuitton baggage." Kim Kardashian"Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury." Louis Vuitton
The Little Guide to The Sopranos: The only ones you can depend on (The\little Book Of... Ser.)
by Orange Hippo!"Buy land, 'cause God ain't making any more of it."When The Sopranos aired in 1999, it was at the forefront what is now known as the Golden Age of TV. Revolving around a suburban New Jersey gangster and his attempts to juggle work and home life, the show redefined the crime drama genre and, instead of stereotyped mobsters, gave us a sensitive portrayal of anti-heroes and deeply flawed characters we somehow find ourselves rooting for.Each episode looks like a movie, and the plots are dark and twisting, dealing with complex themes of depression, suicide, family strife and betrayal, and yet it never forgets to find the lighter moments in amongst it all, streaked through as it is with raucous humour and some truly unforgettable one-liners.This little book gives fans of the show a chance to relive the magic, to remember some of its most indelible moments and pithy exchanges, all while learning some lesser-known trivia along the way. If nothing else, it'll give them a break from wondering about what really happened at that diner in the final scene..."You don't shit where you eat. And you especially don't shit where I eat." Tony SopranoCreator David Chase only directed two episodes of the show: the first and the last.
The Little Guide to The Sopranos: The only ones you can depend on (The\little Book Of... Ser.)
by Orange Hippo!"Buy land, 'cause God ain't making any more of it."When The Sopranos aired in 1999, it was at the forefront what is now known as the Golden Age of TV. Revolving around a suburban New Jersey gangster and his attempts to juggle work and home life, the show redefined the crime drama genre and, instead of stereotyped mobsters, gave us a sensitive portrayal of anti-heroes and deeply flawed characters we somehow find ourselves rooting for.Each episode looks like a movie, and the plots are dark and twisting, dealing with complex themes of depression, suicide, family strife and betrayal, and yet it never forgets to find the lighter moments in amongst it all, streaked through as it is with raucous humour and some truly unforgettable one-liners.This little book gives fans of the show a chance to relive the magic, to remember some of its most indelible moments and pithy exchanges, all while learning some lesser-known trivia along the way. If nothing else, it'll give them a break from wondering about what really happened at that diner in the final scene..."You don't shit where you eat. And you especially don't shit where I eat." Tony SopranoCreator David Chase only directed two episodes of the show: the first and the last.
The Living City: Why Cities Don't Need to Be Green to Be Great
by Des FitzgeraldA sociologist explores why &“green cities&” won&’t fix everything—and urges us to celebrate urban life as it is Everywhere you look, cities are getting greener. The general assumption is clear: if something is unhealthy or bad about urban life today, then nature holds the cure. However, argues sociologist Des Fitzgerald, green spaces are not the panacea that people think. In The Living City, Fitzgerald tours the international green city movement that has flourished across the world and discovers the deep, sometimes troubling, roots of our desire to connect cities to nature. Talking to policy makers, planners, scientists, and architects, Fitzgerald suggests that underneath the wish to turn future cities green is another wish: to make the modern city, and perhaps the modern world, disappear altogether. Ultimately, he makes an argument for celebrating the contemporary city as it is—in all its noisy, constructed, artificial glory.
The Loss of Small White Clouds: Dementia in Contemporary Performance (Routledge Series in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Theatre and Performance)
by Morgan BatchThis volume seeks to instigate a discussion about dementia in theatre. The discussions in this book borrow from the literature on dementia’s representation in other artforms, while reflecting on theatre’s unique capacity to incorporate multiple artforms in a live context (hypermediacy). The author examines constructions of diegesis and the use of various performance tools, including physical theatre, puppetry, and postdramatic performance. She discusses stage representations of interior experiences of dementia; selfhood in dementia; the demarcation of those with dementia from those without; endings, erasure, and the pursuit of catharsis; placelessness and disruptions of traditional dramatic constructions of time; and ultimately, performances creatively led by people with dementia. The book traces patterns of narrativisation on the stage—including common dramaturgical forms, settings, and character relationships—as well as examples that transcend mainstream representation. This book is important reading for theatre and performance students, scholars, and practitioners, as well as cultural studies writers engaged in research about narratives of dementia.
The Lost Flock: Rare Wool, Wild Isles and One Woman's Journey to Save Scotland's Original Sheep
by Jane Cooper"A windswept love letter"—Cal Flyn, author of Islands of AbandonmentFrom Viking times to pastoral Highland crofts to odious research experiments, this is the untold, real-life detective story of the remarkable little horned sheep known as the Orkney Boreray and the determined woman who moved to one of Scotland's wildest islands to save them.It was Jane Cooper&’s passion for knitting that led her to search for rare-breed sheep and their distinctive wool. When she found a &‘lost flock&’ of Boreray sheep—the UK&’s rarest breed of sheep—it ignited a quest that would ultimately change her life. Uprooting her suburban existence in Newcastle, she embarked on a new adventure as a farmer and shepherd in the faraway Orkney Islands.There, to her astonishment, Jane realized that she was the sole custodian of the last remnants of a unique group of Boreray sheep, what then became her Orkney Boreray flock. She began investigating its mysterious and ancient history, tracking down the origins of the breed, its significance to Scotland&’s natural heritage, and the importance of protecting the Orkney Boreray from extinction."Jane Cooper combines intelligence, heart and passion to create a life of integrity not only for herself but for one of the rarest breeds of sheep on the planet. . . . Her trials and triumphs offer a stellar example for others to follow in their own ways. Bravo!"—Deborah Robson, author of The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook
The Lost Flock: Rare Wool, Wild Isles and One Woman’s Journey to Save Scotland’s Original Sheep
by Jane CooperThe Lost Flock is the story of the remarkable and rare little horned sheep, known as Orkney Boreray, and the wool-obsessed woman who moved to one of Scotland’s wildest islands to save them. It was Jane Cooper’s passion for knitting that led her to discover the world of rare-breed sheep and their wool. Through this, Jane uncovered the ‘Orkney Borerary’ – a unique group within the UK’s rarest breed of sheep, the Boreray, and one of the few surviving examples of primitive sheep in northern Europe. As her knowledge of this rarest of heritage breeds grew, she took the bold step to uproot her quiet suburban life in Newcastle and relocate to Orkney, embarking on a new adventure and life as farmer and shepherd. Jane was astonished to find that she was the sole custodian of this lost flock in the world, and so she began investigating their mysterious and ancient history, tracking down the origins of the Boreray breed and its significance to Scotland’s natural heritage. From Viking times to Highland crofts and nefarious research experiments in Edinburgh, this is a so-far untold real-life detective story. It is also the story of one woman’s relentless determination to ensure a future for her beloved sheep, and in doing so revealing their deep connection to the Scottish landscape. An unforgettable story of a heritage breed and the importance of its existence.
The Magnificent Boat: The Colonial Theft of a South Seas Cultural Treasure
by Götz AlyFrom an eminent and provocative historian, a wrenching parable of the ravages of colonialism in the South Pacific.Countless museums in the West have been criticized for their looted treasures, but few as trenchantly as the Humboldt Forum, which displays predominantly non-Western art and artifacts in a modern reconstruction of the former Royal Palace in Berlin. The Forum’s premier attraction, an ornately decorated fifteen-meter boat from the island of Luf in modern-day Papua New Guinea, was acquired under the most dubious circumstances by Max Thiel, a German trader, in 1902 after two decades of bloody German colonial expeditions in Oceania.Götz Aly tells the story of the German pillaging of Luf and surrounding islands, a campaign of violence in which Berlin ethnologists were brazenly complicit. In the aftermath, the majestic vessel was sold to the Ethnological Museum in the imperial capital, where it has remained ever since. In Aly’s vivid telling, the looted boat is a portal to a forgotten chapter in the history of empire—the conquest of the Bismarck Archipelago. One of these islands was even called Aly, in honor of the author’s great-granduncle, Gottlob Johannes Aly, a naval chaplain who served aboard ships that helped subjugate the South Sea islands Germany colonized.While acknowledging the complexity of cultural ownership debates, Götz Aly boldly questions the legitimacy of allowing so many treasures from faraway, conquered places to remain located in the West. Through the story of one emblematic object, The Magnificent Boat artfully illuminates a sphere of colonial brutality of which too few are aware today.
The Making of Assassin's Creed: 15th Anniversary
by Ubisoft Alex CalvinAn oversized full-color hardcover that celebrates fifteen years of the iconic Assassin&’s Creed video game saga!Discover the genesis of each Assassin&’s Creed game and get an insider's look at the efforts that went into creating one the biggest franchises in the video game industry.In observance of Assassin&’s Creed&’s fifteen-year anniversary, Ubisoft and Dark Horse Books have teamed up to create an extensive examination into the creation of the award-winning Assassin&’s Creed franchise. Featuring gorgeous art from over a decade-and-a-half of development, and detailed interviews with the games&’ past and present creators, this is the perfect companion piece for any aspiring Assassin.
The Making of Mexican Modernist Architecture
by Celia Esther Arredondo ZambranoThis book presents the making of Mexican Modernist architecture through five power structures – academic, social status, economic/political, gender, and postcolonial – and by interviews and analysis of 13 key Mexican architects. These include Luis Barragán, José Villagrán García, Juan O’Gorman, Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, Agustín Hernández, Abraham Zabludovsky, Carlos Mijares, Ricardo Legorreta, Juan José Díaz Infante, Enrique Norten, Alberto Kalach, Javier Sordo Madaleno and Clara de Buen. Although the five power structures framed what was built, the testimony of these Mexican architects helps us to recognize and discover subtleties and nuances. Their views thereby shed light on what contributed to making Mexican Modernist architecture so distinctive globally. Even if these architects were not always aware of the power structures, their projects nonetheless supported discrimination, marginalization and subjugation. In that sense the book also reveals the extent to which these power structures are still present today. The Making of Mexican Modernist Architecture’s uniqueness lies in uncovering the remarkable buildings that arose amid the five power structures while at the same time questioning their validity. It also voices the urgent need today for a new kind of architecture outside these boundaries. The book is essential reading for anyone studying Mexican and Latin American architecture.