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Brutal North: Post-War Modernist Architecture in the North of England
BRUTAL NORTH offers the first photographic exploration of modernist and Brutalist architecture across the North of England.
During the post-war years the North of England saw the building of some of the most aspirational, enlightened and successful modernist architecture in the world. For the first time, a single photographic book captures those buildings, in all their power and progressive ambition.
Over the last few years acclaimed photographer Simon Phipps has travelled and sought out the publicly commissioned architecture of the post-war North. From Newcastle’s Byker Wall Estate, voted the best neighbourhood in the UK, to the extraordinary Park Hill Estate in Sheffield, from Preston’s sweeping bus station and Liverpool’s Royal Insurance Building, these structures have seen off threats to their survival and are rightly celebrated for the imprint they leave upon the skyline and the cultural life of their cities.
This inspiring invitation to explore northern modernism includes maps and detailed information about all the architecture photographed.
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£14.20£17.10 -
Architect’s Pocket Book (Routledge Pocket Books)
This handy pocket book brings together a wealth of useful information that architects need on a daily basis – on-site or in the studio. It provides clear guidance and invaluable detail on a wide range of issues, from planning policy through environmental design to complying with Building Regulations, from structural and services matters to materials characteristics and detailing. This fifth edition includes the updating of regulations, standards and sources across a wide range of topics.
Compact and easy to use, the Architect’s Pocket Book has sold well over 90,000 copies to the nation’s architects, architecture students, designers and construction professionals who do not have an architectural background but need to understand the basics, fast.
This is the famous little blue book that you can’t afford to be without.
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£23.80£30.40Architect’s Pocket Book (Routledge Pocket Books)
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Phantom Architecture
’60 fantastical structures described and illustrated in this colourful and highly entertaining book.’ The Sunday Times
‘If you can’t think of a present for the armchair architect in your life – well, problem solved’ The Daily Telegraph
‘These ghostly architectural echoes entrance the reader.’ The Field
‘This is a lavishly illustrated book of wonder for the dreamer in your life’ The Metro
A skyscraper one mile high, a dome covering most of downtown Manhattan, a triumphal arch in the form of an elephant: some of the most exciting buildings in the history of architecture are the ones that never got built.
These are the projects in which architects took materials to the limits, explored challenging new ideas, defied conventions, and pointed the way towards the future. Some of them are architectural masterpieces, some simply delightful flights of fancy. It was not usually poor design that stymied them – politics, inadequate funding, or a client who chose a ‘safe’ option rather than a daring vision were all things that could stop a project leaving the drawing board.
These unbuilt buildings include the grand projects that acted as architectural calling cards, experimental designs that stretch technology, visions for the future of the city, and articles of architectural faith. Structures likeBuckminster Fuller’s dome over New York or Frank Lloyd Wright’s mile-high tower can seem impossibly daring. But they also point to buildings that came decades later, to the Eden Project and the Shard.
Some of those unbuilt wonders are buildings of great beauty and individual form like Etienne-Louis Boullée’s enormous spherical monument to Isaac Newton; some, such as the city plans of Le Corbusier, seem to want to teach us how to live; some, like El Lissitsky’s ‘horizontal skyscrapers’ and Gaudí’s curvaceous New York hotel, turn architectural convention upside-down; some, such as Archigram’s Walking City and Plug-in City, are bizarre and inspiring by turns. All are captured in this magnificently illustrated book.
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£7.60£23.80Phantom Architecture
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The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects – Includes Relevant … … Care and repair for this…
Thinking of buying a Victorian or Edwardian house? Or maybe you already own one? Either way, this clearly written manual explains all you need to know about the care and repair of these classic properties. Today, many houses of this age are in need of extensive updating and maintenance, having suffered years of neglect. Some have been damaged by misguided home improvements or botched repairs using the wrong materials. Even newly refurbished properties can sometimes conceal dangerous structural alterations and shoddy build-quality. This unique manual provides detailed, expert advice, backed up with clear how to colour photographs, describing where to check for the critical danger signs and how to fix all common defects. Each chapter is devoted to a key part of the house in the style of a professional home survey, guiding you safely through the whole building. The author also investigates potential dangers from subsidence, damp, beetle infestation, fungal decay, lead paint, lead pipes, asbestos and toxic mould . Every old house has a story to tell, and one of the joys of owning a valuable antique building is discovering its history stripping back modern finishes to reveal long lost original features. So the manual also includes a wealth of fascinating information about 19th & early 20th century houses everything from the immeasurable contribution made by Victorian toilet pioneers such as the legendary Thomas Crapper, to why horse hair and dung were common ingredients in building materials. Coming right up to date, the book shows the best ways to upgrade and extend your home for 21st century lifestyles, and reveals which improvements add real value and the ones to avoid. * Discover how your house was built its age, materials and history, also where Victorian building work was sometimes skimped. *The DEFECT / CAUSE / SOLUTION format helps you quickly identify and solve all common defects *Step-by-step photo features show the correct way to carry out repairs and maintenance *Common sense solutions to damp and timber problems *Assessing cracking when to start worrying *How to avoid expensive mistakes and quick fix scams *How to boost thermal efficiency to make your home warm with lower energy billsRead more
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Gaudí: From Nature to Architecture
God s architectGaudí s ravishing symbiosis between built environment and natural world
From the towering Sagrada Família to the shimmering, textured facade of Casa Batlló and the enchanting landscape of Park Güell, it s easy to see why Antoni Gaudí (1852 1926) gained the epithet God s architect . With fluid forms and mathematical precision, his work extols the wonder of natural creation: columns soar like tree trunks, window frames curve like flowering branches, and ceramic tiling shimmers like scaly, reptilian skin.
With this outstanding attention to natural detail, his inspirations from both neo-Gothic and Orientalist aesthetics, and a lifelong commitment to Catalan identity, Gaudí created a unique brand of the Modernista movement which transformed, and defines, Barcelona s cityscape.
With seven of Gaudí s projects listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, this book introduces the architect s extraordinary vision and unique legacy, exploring the influences and the details which allow his buildings to impress, inspire, and amaze, one century after their construction.
About the Series:
Each book in TASCHEN s Basic Architecture series features: an introduction to the life and work of the architect
the major works in chronological order
information about the clients, architectural preconditions as well as construction problems and resolutions
a list of all the selected works and a map indicating the locations of the best and most famous buildings
approximately 120 illustrations (photographs, sketches, drafts and plans)Read more
£12.50£14.30Gaudí: From Nature to Architecture
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An Opinionated Guide to London Architecture
Following on from the success of An Opinionated Guide to East London, Hoxton Mini Press are developing a series of ‘opinionated guides’ to aspects of London, each offering concise, highly-curated, insider selections alongside stunning, original photography. Two expert writers, Sujata Burman and Rosa Bertoli, have joined forces with architectural photographer Taran Wilkhu to create an unashamedly confident guide to the must-see buildings in London, spanning all the architectural styles: from Art Deco to postmodern, brutalist to futuristic. Over 50 buildings are included alongside four maps with guided city walks.Read more
£9.15£9.95An Opinionated Guide to London Architecture
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1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die
With a foreword by Peter St John.1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die is a visual testament to the world’s greatest achievements in architecture. Beginning with the marvels of the ancient world and continuing with the masterpieces of our present day, this book details the historical and geographic considerations that influenced the design, with stunning photographs illustrating the technical ingenuity and aesthetic brilliance of architects past and present.
Comprehensive yet concise, each article includes essential information about the featured structure: who designed it, who commissioned it, key dates in its construction and more. From B
yzantine and Gothic wonders, through the incredible wealth of the Renaissance and Baroque, and on to the marvels of the twentieth century, this book also culminates with the achievements of the past decade, such as Renzo Piano’s towering Shard London Bridge and the billowing glass sails of Frank Gehry’s Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris.Featuring extra material including the world’s finest and most important public and residential buildings from palaces, museums and ground-breaking new residences to unique or unusual structures, such as the ancient Pueblo cliff dwellings and rustic southern Italian trulli.
1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die is the complete yet accessible guide to the architectural masterpieces of the world – a compendium of familiar landmarks and undiscovered gems that will inform and delight everyone with an interest in architecture.
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Modern Architecture A–Z
With more than 280 entries, this architectural A–Z, now part of our Bibliotheca Universalis series, offers an indispensable overview of the key players in the creation of modern space. From the period spanning the 19th to the 21st century, pioneering architects are featured with a portrait, concise biography, as well as a description of her or his important work.
Like a bespoke global architecture tour, you’ll travel from Manhattan skyscrapers to a Japanese concert hall, from Gaudí’s Palau Güell in Barcelona to Lina Bo Bardi’s sports and leisure center in a former factory site in São Paulo. You’ll take in Gio Ponti’s colored geometries, Zaha Hadid’s free-flowing futurism, the luminous interiors of SANAA, and Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s unique blend of Scottish tradition and elegant japonisme.
The book’s A to Z entries also cover groups, movements, and styles to position these leading individual architects within broader building trends across time and geography, including International Style, Bauhaus, De Stijl, and much more. With illustrations including some of the best architectural photography of the modern era, this is a comprehensive resource for any architecture professional, student, or devotee.
About the series
Bibliotheca Universalis ― Compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic TASCHEN universe!
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£16.42Modern Architecture A–Z
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Lost Futures: The Disappearing Architecture of Post-War Britain
- Examines a wide variety of British building types dating from 1945 to 1979, with exquisite photographs of them as they were originally conceived
- Includes the works of an important array of architects, including Richard Seifert, Alison and Peter Smithson, and Erno Goldfinger
- Published to complement the display Futures Found at the Royal Academy in February 2017
Lost Futures looks in detail at the wide range of buildings constructed in Britain between 1945 and 1979. Although their bold architectural aspirations reflected the forward-looking social ethos of the postwar era, many have since been either demolished or altered beyond recognition.
Photographs taken at the time of their completion are accompanied by expertly researched captions that examine the buildings’ design, creation, the ideals they embodied and the reasons for their eventual destruction. Lost Futures covers many building types, from housing to factories, commercial spaces and power stations, and presents the work of both iconic and lesser-known architects. The author charts the complex reasons that led to the loss of these projects’ ambitious futures, and assesses whether some might one day be recaptured.
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£12.35£14.95 -
Draw Over Architecture Illustrations: Practice Drawing Over The Grey Lines & Color Modern & Classic Architectural Illustrations. Adult Relaxation.
Draw Over Architecture Illustrations
Practice Drawing Over The Grey Lines & Color Modern & Classic Architectural Illustrations. Adult Relaxation.Get creative with stunning architecture sketches and guides! This workbook is perfect for all experience levels, providing plenty of room for practice and experimentation.
Relax and have fun.- 100 Pages
- Printed on one side to avoid pen bleed through paper
- Draw over the guides
- 8.5×11 Inches Size
- Reduce stress and promote relaxation
- Learn to draw architecture by sketching over illustrations
- Great gift for an architecture enthusiast
- Perspective drawing guides
- Interior design guides
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£5.99 -
Sustainable Design: A Critical Guide (Architecture Briefs)
Written for students and practitioners in the fields of architecture and interior design, our new Architecture Brief Sustainable Design provides a concise overview of all the techniques available for reducing the energy footprint of structures and spaces. With clear, simple language and a practical “can-do” approach, author David Bergman covers everything from the profession’s ethical responsibility, to design structures and spaces that sustain our natural resources, to specific considerations such as rainwater harvesting, graywater recycling, passive heating techniques, solar orientation, green roofs, wind energy, daylighting, indoor air quality, material evaluation and specification, and how to work with green building certification programs.Read more
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Introduction to Architecture
A survey of the built environment distills the work of legendary author and illustrator Francis D. K. Ching into a single volumeIntroduction to Architecture presents the essential texts and drawings of Francis D. K. Ching for those new to architecture and design. With his typical highly graphic approach, this is the first introductory text from Ching that surveys the design of spaces, buildings, and cities. In an easy to understand format, readers will explore the histories and theories of architecture, design elements and process, and the technical aspects of the contemporary profession of architecture.
The book explains the experience and practice of architecture and allied disciplines for future professionals, while those who love the beauty of architecture drawing will delight in the gorgeous illustrations included.
- Overview of the issues and practices of architecture in an all-in-one introductory text
- Includes new chapters and introductory essays by James Eckler, and features more than 1,000 drawings throughout
- Professor Ching is the bestselling author of numerous books on architecture and design, all published by Wiley; his works have been translated into 16 languages and are regarded as classics for their renowned graphical presentation
For those pursuing a career in architecture or anyone who loves architectural design and drawing, Introduction to Architecture presents a beautifully illustrated and comprehensive guide to the subject.
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£40.95£45.95Introduction to Architecture
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The Architecture Of Happiness
In The Architecture of Happiness, bestselling author Alain de Botton explores one of our most intense but often hidden love affairs- with our houses and their furnishings. He asks- What makes a house truly beautiful? Why are many new houses so ugly? Why do we argue so bitterly about sofas and pictures – and can differences of taste ever be satisfactorily resolved? To answer these questions and many more, de Botton looks at buildings across the world, from medieval wooden huts to modern skyscrapers; he examines sofas and cathedrals, tea sets and office complexes, and teases out a host of often surprising philosophical insights. The Architecture of Happiness will take you on a beguiling tour through the history and psychology of architecture and interior design, and will change the way you look at your home. ‘Entertaining, stimulating and witty. Clever, provocative and fresh as a daisy.’ Literary Review ‘De Botton’s writing is elegant but utterly accessible . . . beautifully written and thought provoking . . . will make you look at your surroundings in a whole new way.’ Image ‘De Botton is a brave and highly intelligent writer.’ Observer ‘De Botton makes even the most challenging of subjects invitingly simple.’ Eve ‘A powerful eye-opener.’ Mail on Sunday.Read more
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Architect’s Pocket Book (Routledge Pocket Books)
This handy pocket book brings together a wealth of useful information that architects need on a daily basis – on-site or in the studio. It provides clear guidance and invaluable detail on a wide range of issues, from planning policy through environmental design to complying with Building Regulations, from structural and services matters to materials characteristics and detailing. This sixth edition includes the updating of regulations, standards and sources across a wide range of topics, with a particular focus on sustainability issues. Compact and easy to use, the Architect’s Pocket Book has sold well over 100,000 copies to the nation’s architects, architecture students, designers and construction professionals who do not have an architectural background but need to understand the basics, fast. This is the famous little blue book that you can’t afford to be without.
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£26.99£28.99Architect’s Pocket Book (Routledge Pocket Books)
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Art and Architecture of Sicily
Art and Architecture of Sicily is the first book to cover the rich artistic heritage of Sicily from prehistory up to the late 20th century. Sicily’s strategic position in the centre of the Mediterranean led to settlement or conquest by a succession of different peoples – Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Muslims, Normans, Germans, French, Spanish – each one leaving its traces on Sicilian culture.
The book provides a chronological survey, each section opening with a brief historical overview which is followed with an authoritative and engaging account of the development of the period’s art and architecture. The leading architects, artists and stylistic currents are all discussed and outstanding individual buildings and works of art are analysed, some famous, others which may be unfamiliar to readers. While architecture is the principal starting point for the understanding of each period, paintings and sculpture are treated in some detail; archaeology, urban development, patronage and decorative arts are also covered.
The development of art and architecture in Sicily not interpreted as a story of artistic conquests, but as one of acculturation and creative transformation. The author instead reveals that successive layering of different cultures, and the way each one interacted with its predecessors produced art and architecture quite distinct from anywhere else in Europe. He thus challenges the commonly held view that Sicilian art and architecture is provincial and derivative, merely imitating the art of others.
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£34.95£39.95Art and Architecture of Sicily
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Architecture: Form, Space, and Order
ARCHITECTURE
THE GOLD STANDARD IN INTRODUCTORY ARCHITECTURE TEXTS, FULLY UPDATED TO REFLECT THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD
For more than forty years, the beautifully illustrated Architecture: Form, Space, and Order has served as the classic introduction to the basic vocabulary of architectural design. In this fifth edition, more recent additions to the architectural panoply illustrate how contemporary digital and building technologies have influenced the development of architectural forms and spaces and how architectural siting and design have responded to the call for more environmentally responsible buildings. It is designed to encourage critical thought and to promote a more evocative understanding of architecture.
- The fifth edition is updated with many new urban design and building precedents from a diverse range of cultural and geographic areas
- New content focuses on the latest technology and trends in structure, construction, materials, and sustainability
- Includes more than 800 illustrations, many hand-drawn, which demonstrate the foundations and concepts every architect must master
Architecture: Form, Space, and Order distills complex concepts of design into a clear focus and brings difficult abstractions to life. It explains form and space in relation to light, view, openings, and enclosures and explores the organization of space, and the elements and relationships of circulation, as well as proportion and scale. In addition, the text’s detailed illustrations demonstrate the concepts presented and reveal the relationships between fundamental elements of architecture through the ages and across cultures.
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£37.59£42.50Architecture: Form, Space, and Order
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Where’s Del Boy?
National treasure hunt
Fromage Frais! Del Boy Trotter is on the run, with dodgy detective Roy Slater hot on his heels. With the manhunt going from Peckham to Hull and from Margate to Miami, will the long arm of the law finally catch up with him?
The police chase plays out over ten minutely detailed, search-and-find artworks, with Peckham Echo front pages, articles and adverts also dropped in throughout, to move the story along.
In this immersive plunge into the world of Only Fools and Horses, finding Del Boy is just the beginning. The pages are packed with artful clues, in-jokes and subtle references to all 64 episodes, testing the sleuthing skills of life-long fans of the classic show.
Can Del Boy dodge the detective? Mange tout!
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£9.99£12.99Where’s Del Boy?
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Giles 2024
Giles enthusiasts will be thrilled with this latest collection of classic cartoons.Capturing Giles’s trademark style and British humour, the 2024 annual focuses on gatherings, from the pub to sports events to family get-togethers.
Fans of Giles will be delighted to receive this brand-new collection, which includes 150 cartoons from the archives of the one of the biggest selling daily newspapers in the world, the Daily Express, whose work led to him being voted the best cartoonist of the 20th century.
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£9.00£14.99Giles 2024
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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: The Art of the Movie
The official behind-the-scenes tie-in book to Sony Pictures Animation’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, an epic adventure that will transport Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man across the Multiverse to join forces with Gwen Stacy and a new team of Spider-People to face off with a villain more powerful than anything they have ever encountered.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: The Art of the Movie takes readers behind the scenes to showcase the art and artistry of Sony Pictures Animation’s highly-anticipated sequel to 2018’s Academy Award–winning animated feature, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The ultimate deep dive into the on-screen return of the Spider-Man multiverse, the book features exclusive concept art, sketches, character designs, and storyboards from the visually innovative film, as well as interviews with key creators such as writers/producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who offer insights into their creative process.
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£23.60£30.00 -
The Best of Matt 2023
The latest – superb – collection from everyone’s favourite cartoonist!
‘The master of the pocket cartoon. You can’t be better than the best’ Gyles Brandreth
‘Like a sunrise, he lifts the heart. He’s so touching and achingly funny’ Jilly Cooper
‘That rare thing – a daily cartoonist who never fails’ THE TIMES
‘However bad the day’s news, there’ll still be a Matt cartoon the morning after, and we’ll still laugh – he’s a genius’ Jeremy Vine
There is no doubt: award-winning Matt definitely makes the world a happier place!
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£6.99£8.99The Best of Matt 2023
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Asterix: Asterix and the White Iris: Album 40
The latest adventure from our indomitable hero and his friends!
A strange new philosophy is gaining popularity amongst the Roman soldiers, spearheaded by the charismatic Isivertuus. When its enchanting influence reaches the Gauls, everything they once held dear is turned upside down.
As news of the dire situation reaches Asterix and Obelix, they embark on a thrilling quest to confront Isivertuus and restore the indomitable spirit of the Gauls. Armed with their trademark humour, bravery, and trusty magic potion, can our heroic duo save the Chief’s wife and break the spell of the White Iris?
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£11.03£11.99Asterix: Asterix and the White Iris: Album 40
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Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe An Official Timeline
Become a master of the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is vast, incredibly varied, and richly complex. Different worlds, different timelines, countless characters. This is the guide to that universe. Created in close collaboration with Marvel Studios, it will frame the MCU’s biggest events: what happened, when, and where.
Follow the entire story of the MCU from before the Big Bang to the Blip and beyond. Along the way, learn more about the evolution of the Iron Man armors, the hunt for the Infinity Stones, and the formation of The Multiverse. Want to know how many times aliens have invaded Earth, or the complete history of Cap’s shield? Look no further!
A treasured keepsake for any movie buff, filled with exclusive infographics, illuminating timelines, and amazing movie stills, this book will have pride of place on any MCU fan’s shelf.
© 2023 MARVEL
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£26.55£35.00 -
Peppa Pig: Peppa’s Super Noisy Sound Book
Peppa’s Super Noisy Sound Book is a fun, interactive sound book, for fans of Peppa Pig.
SNORT! Find out what happens when Peppa and George’s very quiet day turns very noisy indeed.
With 18 sound buttons to press as you read the story, this is a super noisy gift for every Peppa fan!
There are lots more Peppa Pig books from Ladybird for you to enjoy including: The Big Tale of Little Peppa and Play with Peppa Hand Puppet Book.
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£11.95£12.99Peppa Pig: Peppa’s Super Noisy Sound Book
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Little Book of Louis Vuitton: The Story of the Iconic Fashion House: 9 (Little Book of Fashion)
Little Book of Louis Vuitton is the pocket-sized and fully illustrated story of one of the world’s most luxurious fashion houses.
Louis Vuitton’s monogrammed bags have been seen on the arms of celebrities and royals alike for over 150 years. From the young Louis seeking his fortune in Paris through to two world wars, the Great Depression, the Jazz Age and the Swinging Sixties, there is no era in which this most opulent of brands hasn’t thrived.
Detailing the global expansion of Louis Vuitton in the 1980s, the creation of the powerful fashion conglomerate LVMH, and the appointment in 1997 of Marc Jacobs, this is the story of a transformation from luggage company to high-fashion label. Louis Vuitton’s continued evolution under the creative direction of Nicolas Ghesquière and Virgil Abloh is also depicted through fabulous images and captivating text.
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£11.05£13.99 -
Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation
#2 UNCUT BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023
In 1979, 2 Tone exploded into the national consciousness as records by The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, The Beat, and The Bodysnatchers burst onto the charts and a youth movement was born.
2 Tone was black and white: a multi-racial force of British and Caribbean island musicians singing about social issues, racism, class and gender struggles. It spoke of injustices in society and took fight against right wing extremism.
The music of 2 Tone was exuberant: white youth learning to dance to the infectious rhythm of ska and reggae; and crossed with a punk attitude to create an original hybrid. The idea of 2 Tone was born in Coventry, masterminded by a middle-class art student raised in the church. Jerry Dammers had a vision of an English Motown. Borrowing £700, the label’s first record featured ‘Gangsters’ by The Specials’ backed by an instrumental track by the, as yet, unformed, Selecter. Within two months the single was at number six in the national charts. Dammers signed Madness, The Beat and The Bodysnatchers as a glut of successive hits propelled 2 Tone onto Top of the Pops and into the hearts and minds of a generation. However, soon infighting amongst the bands and the pressures of running a label caused 2 Tone to bow to an inevitable weight of expectation and recrimination.
Still under the auspices of Jerry Dammers, 2 Tone entered in a new phase. Perhaps not as commercially successful as its 1979-1981 incarnation the label nevertheless continued to thrive for a further four years releasing a string of fresh signings and a stunning end-piece finale in ‘(Free) Nelson Mandela’.
Told in three parts, Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment, shaped British culture.
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Little Book of Dior: The Story of the Iconic Fashion House: 5 (Little Book of Fashion)
Little Book of Dior is the pocket-sized and beautifully illustrated story of 70 years of opulent fashion.
Christian Dior’s spectacular rise to the upper echelons of the Parisian fashion world is one of the most compelling stories of twentieth-century fashion. Dior’s debut collection in 1947 invented the New Look silhouette and revolutionized the way women dressed, shopped and saw themselves.
Recounting Christian Dior’s early life, the brand’s inception, the triumphs of the couture collections on the catwalk and the red carpet, and the fashion house’s evolution under Christian Dior’s creative direction successors – Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Bill Gaytten, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri – Little Book of Dior is a stylish gift for any lover of fashion.
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£11.05£13.99 -
Little Book of Chanel: New Edition: 3 (Little Book of Fashion)
Little Book of Chanel is the pocket-sized and beautifully illustrated story of the most celebrated fashion designer in history.
Chronicling the life and legacy of Coco Chanel, one of fashion’s most influential couturiers, this gorgeous book offers a fascinating account of Chanel’s evolution and innovation. From her early days of millinery, through her revolutionary inventions in sportswear and jersey fashions for women, to the classics that made her name, such as the Chanel cardigan jacket, little black dress and exquisite perfumes.
Detailed photographs and sketches of Chanel’s designs, along with fashion photography and catwalk shots, pay tribute to one of the world’s most highly regarded fashion houses and the woman behind it, making a striking gift for any lover of fashion.
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£11.05£13.99 -
The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present
The Sunday Times bestseller and Waterstones Book of the Year, now in paperback
‘Paul McCartney says this is as close as he will get to an autobiography and no wonder – his life is in every line of these songs … pure joy’ Sunday Times, Book of the Year
With seven songs added for this edition: ‘Bluebird,’ ‘Day Tripper,’ ‘English Tea,’ ‘Every Night,’ ‘Hello, Goodbye,’ ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ and ‘Step Inside Love’
Spanning seven decades – from his early Liverpool days, through the historic decade of The Beatles, to Wings and his long solo career – Paul McCartney’s The Lyrics has transformed the way artists write about music, pairing the definitive texts of 161 songs with intimate, autobiographical commentaries on McCartney’s life and music.
Arranged alphabetically, these commentaries reveal the diverse circumstances in which the songs were written, how they ultimately came to be, and the remarkable – often ordinary – people and places that inspired them. Dozens of vignettes re-create the working-class Liverpool of McCartney’s youth, where delivery boys ran parcels on docks, as in ‘On My Way to Work,’ and elderly ladies in the neighbourhood inspired ‘Eleanor Rigby.’ McCartney also introduces us to his early literary influences, among them Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll and Allen Ginsberg, as well as Alan Durband, his beloved English teacher, and his mother, Mary, who passed away when he was just fourteen – and whose memory has infused his work ever since.
Yet the two most powerful presences in The Lyrics after the author himself are his songwriting partner, John Lennon, and his ‘Golden Earth Girl,’ Linda Eastman McCartney. Here McCartney describes how he met John at a church fête in 1957; their adventures with George Harrison and Ringo Starr in the early 1960s; and how, at the end of the decade, they, and The Beatles, broke up. Thus began a second act of now more than fifty years, with Linda and family life as driving forces – inspiring songs from ‘Maybe I’m Amazed,’ written just after the breakup of The Beatles, to the 2012 ballad ‘My Valentine,’ addressed to McCartney’s wife and partner, Nancy Shevell McCartney.
Edited and introduced by Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Paul Muldoon, and enhanced by more than a hundred images from McCartney’s personal archives – including handwritten texts, mementos, and photographs – and seven new song commentaries, The Lyrics is a book for the ages, and the definitive literary and visual record of one of the greatest songwriters of all time.
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£17.99£22.00The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present
£17.99£22.00 -
Take Nothing For Granted: Tales from an Unexpected Life
‘Jaw-dropping experiences’ – THE SUN
***
Readers are also LOVING Take Nothing For Granted . . .
‘So so good! Am listening to the audio book and your stories are funny and fascinating!!’ – READER REVIEW
‘From the opening chapter I was hooked’ – READER REVIEW
‘this is a great book, its funny and moving all at the same time’ – READER REVIEW
‘Got it in audio . . . Ross’s voice just melts’ – READER REVIEW
***
‘These are the stories of some of the things that have happened to me: the funny things, the scary things, the exciting things; the things that have made me who I am. I don’t want to start at the beginning and tell them in chronological order because that’s not the way my brain works. And this certainly isn’t going to be one of those books of life lessons . . .
‘I’ve always been passionate about finding and telling stories. And now, for the first time, here are mine.’
Famous for his portrayal of TV hardman Grant Mitchell and as the maker of documentaries exploring the most dangerous people and places on the planet, BAFTA-winning Ross Kemp is one of the UK’s best known TV stars. Here, Ross shares tales from his remarkable life.
From his childhood in Essex, where he used to pretend the woods behind his house were the Amazon rainforest, to finding himself travelling through the real thing thirty years later, Ross’s life has taken many twists and turns. Through it all there’s been no plan, no roadmap, no strategy. Ross has gone from one wild adventure to the next, and never quite felt like he’s fitted in anywhere.
From getting lost at sea to setting a sacred island on fire, auditioning for his part on EastEnders to filming in active war zones across the world, these are the heart-warming, hilarious and hard-hitting stories of some of the unexpected adventures that have happened along the way.
Warm, energetic and endlessly entertaining, it is a fascinating snapshot of a life lived to the full.
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Taylor Swift: The Whole Story
The full story of Taylor Swift’s stratospheric rise to fame; all any dedicated Swifty needs to know about the pop superstar who’s taking over the world.
A small-town girl with an incredible talent, and the strength to realise her dream, Taylor has grown into an award-winning, chart-topping artist and worldwide star, as well as a strong and stylish woman. But how did she get there? And what lies in store for her in the future?
From childhood dreams of a musical future in Pennsylvania, to determined and budding teen musician with a trademark she’s stayed faithful to ever since: honest lyrics about real-life events; her fight to be taken seriously in the music industry, through to the rewards of success and the intense pressure of expectation, Taylor Swift: The Whole Story is a full account of Taylor’s incredible journey, with everything you need to know about America’s Sweetheart.
This compelling book is packed full of fascinating details revealing the true Taylor – what drives, motivates and moves her, how she overcame the challenges that loomed on the road to fame and looks at how authentic her wholesome image is, plus the truth about her relationships with Harry Styles, Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor Kennedy and who she’s really talking about on her tracks.
The full portrait of a girl who could so easily have faded into the background – but who blossomed in the spotlight into a grounded, graceful and inspiring young woman.
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£8.99 -
Joe Wilkinson: My (Illustrated) Autobiography
‘Joyfully absurd and hilarious.’ ADAM KAY
Here before you is Joe Wilkinson’s brilliantly absurd account of his time on – and briefly off – planet Earth.
Through cartoon stories (illustrated by Henry Paker) Joe recounts the defining moments and bizarre encounters of his life – from his schoolboy misfortunes to his formative years on the dating scene, to his money-making schemes and globetrotting adventures.
With tall stories including…
-Winning ‘most nits’ at school
-That time I threw a turd into a tornado
-Becoming the bad boy of fly tipping
-The disastrous double date
-My car airbag addiction
-The time I tunnelled too far out of prison and ended up in the prison next door
-The real reason Bigfoot went into hiding…this book is a delightfully absurd journey into the mind of a comic maverick.
Hilarious, heart-warming and utterly unique, Joe Wilkinson: My Autobiography is the off-the-wall life story of one of our most beloved and unorthodox comedians.
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£10.00£18.99Joe Wilkinson: My (Illustrated) Autobiography
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Living the Beatles Legend: The new biography revealing the untold story of Mal Evans, the perfect 2023 Christmas gift for fans of the Beatles and music history
The first full-length biography of Mal Evans, the Beatles’ beloved roadie, assistant, confidant and friend
A towering figure in horn-rimmed glasses, Malcolm ‘Mal’ Evans was an invaluable member of the Beatles’ inner circle. Serving as their long-time roadie, personal assistant and protector, he was a sometime lyricist, occasional performer and regular fixer at the height of the group’s fame and beyond.
But Mal’s dedication to his beloved ‘boys’ and his own desire for stardom took its toll, leading to the dissolution of his marriage and his untimely death in January 1976.
Until now, Mal’s extraordinary life has remained shrouded in mystery. Drawing on hundreds of exclusive interviews and with full access to Mal’s unpublished archives – including his personal diaries, manuscripts and memorabilia – renowned Beatles scholar Kenneth Womack paints the first complete portrait of this complicated figure at the heart of the Beatles’ story.
Living the Beatles Legend is a fascinating but ultimately tragic tale about life at the edges of superstardom.
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£21.79£25.00 -
Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones
‘I hope that as you gaze upon my life in clothing, it will inspire you to develop, and celebrate, your own sense of style. I value my freedom to look like and be my own true self more than anything else, and I hope this book will also give you the confidence to look like and be the person you want to be. Whoever you are, be that! And enjoy your journey behind the seams’ – Dolly
A beautifully illustrated celebration of Dolly Parton’s iconic sense of style through entertaining personal stories and 450 full-color photographs, including exclusive images from her private costume archive.
In Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones, global superstar Dolly Parton shares, for the first time, the full story behind her lifelong passion for fashion, including how she developed her own, distinctly Dolly style, which has defied convention and endeared her to fans around the world.
Featuring behind-the-scenes stories from Dolly Parton’s life and career, and the largest reveal of her private costume archive, this gorgeously photographed book spotlights her most unforgettable looks from the 1960s to now. The sky-high heels, famous wigs, bold makeup, eye-catching stage clothes – she shares them all. Along the way, Parton discusses memorable outfits from her past, from the clothes her mother would sew out of feed sacks (including her “Coat of Many Colors”) and the bold dresses and hairdos that shook up Nashville, to the bunny suit on the cover of Playboy, evening wear at Studio 54, costumes from her most famous film and TV roles, and the daring styles that continue to entertain and inspire today.
Filled with candor, humor, and lots and lots of rhinestones, Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones is a shining tribute to one of the most beloved musicians in history, a treasured keepsake for anyone who loves Dolly Parton, and an indispensable guide to forging your own path to beauty and confidence.
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£20.00£39.99Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones
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Jojo: Finally Home – My Inspirational Memoir – THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER (2023)
*THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER!*
Champion dancer and Strictly Come Dancing professional Johannes Radebe has captured our hearts with his mesmerising talent, bringing joy to millions of fans and wowing the most critical of judges. He is loved not only for his dancing, but for his beautiful, infectious spirit and energy.
Jojo: Finally Home is his never-before-told story, where he shares the experiences and challenges he’s faced – from growing up in Zamdela, a township in South Africa, as a young boy with a passion for dance (and playing with Barbies), to becoming the star he is today. Dance transformed Jojo’s future, giving him a tool to express himself – but as you will learn, this was not always easy.
Captivating and moving, these are Jojo’s tales of euphoric highs and all-time lows, of making history, of grief, love, family and opportunity. It is a celebration of him finally feeling at home in his own skin. These are the personal moments that have shaped him into the man he is today – someone who lives life to the full and believes that no mountain is insurmountable.
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£11.00£20.00 -
Marr’s Guitars
‘A great book … fascinating’ Jools Holland, Later With Jools Holland, BBC2
‘If you are even remotely interested in guitars or the geniuses that play them you have to get a copy of Marr’s Guitars. A lush, mouthwatering masterpiece of a book’ Shaun Keaveny
‘A guitar book for people “who wouldn’t normally have guitar books”‘ Daily Mail
‘What a love story this book is. The electric guitar – the greatest weapon ever given to the working class’ Gary Kemp
‘Marr’s Guitars is not just a love-letter to Marr’s beloved instrument; it’s a historical reference’ Paste magazine
‘A book for Marr fans, for Smiths fans, for fans of guitars, but also for appreciators of art and photography’ SPIN
‘Eye candy for music fans of all kinds … Marr’s recollections transport the reader to a different time’ Forbes
A stunning photographic presentation of the guitars that defined the distinctive sounds and style of Johnny Marr with personal reflections and insights from the legendary guitarist himself.
‘Guitars have been the obsession of my life … they’ve been a mission and sometimes a lifeline’ – Johnny Marr
The guitarist’s guitarist, Johnny Marr redefined music for a generation. His ringing arpeggios and chordal innovations helped elevate The Smiths to be one of the most influential and important British bands of all time.
Tracing Marr’s career from his teenage years to his recent work on the Bond soundtrack, Marr’s Guitars showcases the most significant of Marr’s superb collection of electric and acoustic guitars, revealing through them the evolution of his iconic sound and style of playing. Each guitar is identified with a crucial moment, a specific song or a particular sound, and each embodies a key aspect of Marr’s lifelong passion.
Renowned photographer Pat Graham presents each instrument as a full portrait, supported by micro shots highlighting the specific details that make each one unique, while Johnny Marr himself reveals in his accompanying commentary on what tracks and at which shows the guitars were played. Many of the guitars are closely associated with Marr, such as the Rickenbacker 330, the Gibson ES-355 and the Johnny Marr Signature Fender Jaguar. Some were passed down to him, including Nile Rodgers’ Stratocaster, Bryan Ferry’s Roxy Music Hagstrom and Bert Jansch’s Yamaha. Others are guitars once owned by Marr that have since been passed on to the next generation of guitar heroes, including the Stratocaster used by Noel Gallagher on ‘Wonderwall’ and the Gibson Les Paul Goldtop used on In Rainbows by Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien.
Punctuating the photography of the guitars and the accompanying commentary are contextual studio, backstage and onstage shots. Together, they make Marr’s Guitars a unique cultural history of modern music and guitar playing told through the prism of Johnny Marr’s experiences and achievements.
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£33.15£45.00Marr’s Guitars
£33.15£45.00 -
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays The Rent
THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER
This Christmas let Dame Judi Dench take you behind the scenes as she shares her life with, and love of Shakespeare.
‘A MAGICAL LOVE LETTER TO SHAKESPEARE’ Sir Kenneth Branagh
‘Companionable and compelling – it genuinely feels like you’re sitting at her kitchen table with her. If you love Judi Dench or Shakespeare (and most of us do), look no further’ Guardian
‘It swirls and dances with brilliance and mischief’ Daily Mail
‘Gloriously entertaining’ ObserverTaking a curtain call with a live snake in her wig…
Cavorting naked through the countryside painted green…
Acting opposite a child with a pumpkin on his head…
These are just a few of the things Dame Judi Dench has done in the name of Shakespeare.
For the very first time, Judi opens up about every Shakespearean role she has played throughout her seven-decade career, from Lady Macbeth and Titania to Ophelia and Cleopatra.
Here she reveals her behind the scenes secrets; inviting us to share in her triumphs, disasters, and backstage shenanigans, all brightened by her mischievous sense of humour and striking honesty.
Witty, provocative and inspiring, this is ultimately Judi’s love letter to Shakespeare, or rather, The Man Who Pays The Rent.‘An utterly delightful book… Shakespeare from a great actor’s perspective – that repeatedly strikes to the heart of the matter with a sharp instinctive intelligence that puts fancy-pants literary critics to shame’ Telegraph
‘A wonderful ode to the bard’ I
‘The book is pure enchantment. It swirls and dances with brilliance and mischief, so forget traditional Shakespearean criticism and analysis. Sack the Eng. Lit. professors. As never before, this book brings the subject to wild, authentic life.’ Daily Mail‘Riveting, revealing and witty’ Gazette and Herald
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£15.00£25.00Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays The Rent
£15.00£25.00 -
The Beatles – 1: For Easy Guitar with Riffs & Solos (with Tab) (Easy Guitar With Notes & Tab)
(Easy Guitar). 27 classic Beatles songs from their album of #1 hits arranged for even beginners to play, including: All You Need Is Love * Can’t Buy Me Love * Eight Days a Week * Eleanor Rigby * From Me to You * A Hard Day’s Night * Help! * Hey Jude * I Want to Hold Your Hand * Let It Be * Penny Lane * She Loves You * Something * Ticket to Ride * and more.Read more
£19.16£21.99 -
60 Études Du Jeune Violoncelliste (60 Studies for the Young Cellist)
60 progressive studies for the young cellist, focusing on both left hand and bowing technique. Features works from Lully, Couperin, Rameau, Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Schumann, Schubert and Chopin.Read more
£12.99£15.99 -
It’s Never Too Late to Play Christmas Piano (Paperback)
It’s Never Too Late To Play Christmas gives players the chance to explore their favourite Christmas songs in jazzy, easy-to-play arrangements. The pieces are suitable for those who have learnt for approximately one year, or have reached Level 14 of the It’s Never Too Late To Play Piano tutor by Pam Wedgwood. The pieces are gently progressive, gradually extending players’ technique through playing pieces they love!
From the the ground-breaking series It’s Never Too Late To Play .., which gives adults the opportunity to learn the piano with a method devised exepcially for them. It breaks the learning into manageable chunks, features an accompanying CD and is packed with irresistible music and fascinating information: all the motivation you’ll need to make learning fun!
Contents:
- Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (Cahn/Styne)
- We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Traditional)
- Past Three O’Clock (Traditional)
- In Dulci Jubilo (Traditional)
- White Christmas (Berlin)
- Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant (Traditional)
- Coventry Carol Traditional)
- Ding, Dong Merrily On High (Arbeau)
- Walking In The Air (Blake)
- In The Bleak Midwinter (Holst)
- Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Coots/Gillespie)
- Quem Pastores Laudavere (Traditional)
- Christmas Song (Wells/Torme)
- The Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy (Spiritual)
- Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful)
- Silent Night (Gruber)
- Winter Wonderland (Duet) (Smith/Bernard)
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£8.50 -
Handel Messiah Prout Vocal Score Paper
Vocal score edited by Ebenezer Prout. Paperback Edition.Read more
£10.99