In today’s economic climate, where trust between business and IT in most companies has never been more fragile, we have to find the possibilities to completely rethink IT, and transform it into a strategic asset for our companies. But this won’t be an incremental change; this will be a fundamental paradigm shift – and this book can be your guidebook. This book provides an answer to the following questions: · What is business/IT Fusion and what is the difference with business/IT Alignment? · How will the new Fusion of business and IT function, particularly in its relationship with the business customers and with its suppliers? · What will the new IT organization look like from a Fusion perspective? · What are the tools and mechanisms to make Fusion work? How can we implement ‘intelligent governance’ and move from budget thinking to portfolio thinking? · How can I use the concept of architecture and turn this into a business instrument? · How will we staff these new IT organizations? What type of skills do we need, and how will we attract them? · How can I rebuild the image of IT, and market technology innovation to the business? · What will the new breed of CIO look like, who can transform IT into a Fusion concept? · How to build a ‘new deal’ between Business and IT, and how to maintain it? This is a book for IT professionals (IT and Business people), to assist them in dreaming up the next wave of information technology and information technology departments. This is a book to help them think about what’s next for their organisation, for their department, and for themselves. This is a book that deals with the capabilities; mindsets and strategies that will help shape the next generation of information technology.

This wide-ranging study is the outcome of the author’s thirty-year quest to collect information about a neglected and almost forgotten field of history – the prisoner of war, the conditions under which he was held and how he employed his time during long years of captivity. In this instance, the whole is set against an historical background dating from the Seven Years War (1756-63) to Napoleon’s downfall in 1816. Information has been painstakingly acquired by detailed searches through the Public Records Offices of England, Scotland and Wales and the archives of numerous county towns. The author has also studied more than one hundred towns and villages, where paroled captured officers were detained, and visited the sites of prison depots – great and small – and ports and rivers where the dreaded prison hulks had once been moored. The gathering and examination of artefacts, relics and other relevant material was a further important aspect of this extensive study. During the course of his lengthy researches, the author assembled what may well be one of the largest private collections of prisoner of war artefacts in existence. Although thousands of items of prisoners’ work have survived to the present day, most have disappeared into private collections and museums, at home or abroad. A representative selection of items from the author’s own extensive collection is featured in the second part of this book and will show the extraordinary high standard of workmanship achieved by many of the prisoners of war.

Headrests from Southern Africa – The architecture of sleep presents the subject of southern African headrests in a fascinating new light. The book, richly illustrated – often with in situ photographs, offers unique historical and personal information collected from many of the original owners and carvers of the headrests. So, for the first time African headrests are brought to life with detailed information and the stories of their creation, ownership, use and significance.

The 438 headrests from the collections of Bruce Goodall from Cape Town and Frédéric Zimer from Paris are presented according to 3 geographical areas: KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo (where the Ntwane people live) and Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland).

Since 2003, Goodall has made numerous field trips collecting, as well as interviewing and photographing the owners and carvers of headrests. In 2017, Goodall’s collection grew substantially with the purchase of a comprehensive collection of headrests from the Msinga area of KwaZulu-Natal. This collection had been assembled and meticulously documented by the late Anglican priest Clive Newman and his friend and assistant, Mavis Duma, between the late 1980s and the mid-2000s. The Zimer collection has been built up since the 1990s through his many travels in Africa, and his acquisitions from collectors and African art dealers around the world.

This publication not only offers insight into the personal and historical dimensions of this important southern African tradition through the text written about the headrests and their owners by Bruce Goodall, but includes essays by Newman, Nel and Leibhammer and a text about collecting by Duma. Together these facilitate a penetrating understanding of these valued items as well as a respectful appreciation of the cultures and individuals who made and used them.

Take an unforgettable trip to the world’s most spectacular cities through this richly illustrated atlas! Did you know that you could board a real aircraft carrier in New York or solve a case like a real private detective at London’s Sherlock Holmes Museum? You’ll learn these and other fun facts in City Atlas. On these detailed, information-packed pages, Eric and Iris, a travel-savvy brother and sister team, reveal all about the places they’ve been. You’ll visit monuments and museums, learn interesting trivia, and discover cool things to do in cities ranging from Lisbon, Paris, Amsterdam, Moscow, Cairo, and Cape Town to Beijing, Mumbai, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Toronto, and Washington, DC. For each metropolis, you’ll get a map of where it’s located, the flag and language of its country, and whether it’s considered small, medium-sized, big, or a megalopolis. Are you ready for an adventure? Ages: 8 and up

The essential guide for the collector of mechanical wristwatches, with complete information on over 1,400 models from 130 international brands.

With Wristwatch Annual, collectors have at hand a wealth of information on the latest offerings from today’s most important watch producers, from Swiss mainstays like Rolex and Patek Philippe to the maverick independent brands springing up across Europe and the US. The book is arranged alphabetically by producer, and the movement, functions, case, band, price, and variations of each pictured watch are fully described.

This year’s edition, like its predecessors, features a variety of additional articles on independent watchmaking, key personalities in the watch world, and the technical aspects of horology. An illustrated glossary and a primer on watch care help acclimate the reader to the world of fine timepieces.

The rose is generally seen as the most romantic flower. No other plant blooms for so long and profusely, and comes in so many different shapes, scents and colours. Roses deserve a place in everyone’s home, outside – in the garden or on the balcony – but certainly also indoors on the table. The Joy of Roses answers every question you may have about roses: from the history of the rose to applications in the home. The different types of roses are discussed in detail with descriptions of the flower, the scent, the thorns, the inflorescence and information about the best place for this specific species. The book also provides information about cultivators, which flowers go well with roses and their care. Anneke Beemer’s beautiful photos complete the book.

This monograph edited by Ilaria Bernardi is the first comprehensive examination of the oeuvre of the Italian artist Loris Cecchini, from his debut in the mid-1990s to the present.

The publication coincides with the 30th anniversary of the artist’s first inclusion in an exhibition: in three group shows in 1995. The book reviews Cecchini’s solo and group exhibitions, providing information on awards, residencies and lectures, as well as extensive commentary on his most distinctive works.

Alternating between photography, sculpture, drawing, digital processing and environmental installations, Cecchini’s aim is to shape real space by means of innovative materials, focusing on how matter holds together and the aesthetic, architectural, organic, and structural processes associated with it. He has a particular interest in industrial materials such as rubber, resin and steel. His work explores the sense of the real, in a perspective suspended between the natural and the man-made that challenges the viewer’s perception.

This book reconstructs the trajectory of Cecchini’s personal and creative life by interweaving biographical information, historical background and an ample selection of works, thus providing a unique contribution to the literature devoted to the artist.

Text in English and French

Horological trends flit by faster than ever in today’s fast-paced society. But Rolex does not rely on gimmicks; theirs is a more perennial allure, with a reputation built on traditions and hard-earned skill. A company that innovates while paying homage to their roots, every Rolex is the culmination of centuries of watchmaking expertise. Within this bestselling book you will find explanations of the making process, descriptions of the materials involved and expert commentary on what makes each Rolex wristwatch unique.
This new revised edition of The Book of Rolex has been brought right up to date since it first published in 2015, to include all the latest information on this most desirable of watch brands along with many new images. Demonstrating how each model fits its social milieu, present and past, this book also addresses the multitude of fakes on the market, including the so-called ‘Frankensteins’ – watches made from a mixture of real parts and forgeries, which are notoriously hard to spot – imparting all the skills needed to pick counterfeits out of a line-up. A holistic view of Rolex watches, this book promises to be as timeless as the brand itself. Should you be considering a Rolex, this book will convince you of its worth as an investment. 

1,199 sites of cultural, historical, and scientific significance to humanity have been labelled UNESCO World Heritage Sites with the agreement to maintain and honour. UNESCO – World Heritage Journeys compiles stunning photographs, practical information, and travel suggestions for 40 of the most exquisite UNESCO sites on earth. Deep-dive boxes provide insights on, for example, the best time of year to visit, means of transport to reach more remote sites, and advice for getting the most out of your adventure. There will be no shortage of information in this comprehensive compendium, which can be a keepsake post-travel and a guide for the adventures yet to be had!

Food and dining were transformed in Europe during the Age of Enlightenment, and these profound changes continue to resonate today. What many of us now eat, the way our food is prepared and how we dine are the result of radical changes that occurred in France from 1650 until the French Revolution in 1789. Over thirty French and English recipes of the period are presented in this cookbook, offering readers a taste of the past. Amusing stories, culinary insights, and snippets of history outline the cultural milieu of the time. The King’s Peas is richly illustrated with pictures of paintings, books, silver, glass and ceramics to stimulate the imagination – and the appetite. You are cordially invited to take part in this delectable historical feast.

Dramatic new archaeological discoveries over the past ten years demand a new look at Thailand’s past. Drawing on his previous work, Prehistoric Thailand, this book with over 40% new material, covers the history of the kingdom from the first human settlement to the earliest civilisation and gives a fresh appraisal of early hunters and gatherers, and of the rice farmers. A new chronology reveals the dynamic social changes of the Bronze Age, and the rapid rise of early states that followed. The outstanding art of the Bronze Age, as seen in painted ceramic vessels a thousand years earlier than those of Ban Chiang, is portrayed as is the wealth of Iron Age chiefs who contributed so much to the foundation of the Kingdoms of Angkor and Dvaravati. In the far south, we find early cities founded along the Southern Silk Road, bringing exotic ideas and goods through seaborne trade. Above all, the authors present the rich cultural heritage of the Thai people.

In 1947 and 1948, Van Johnson was MGM’s top male box office draw. “On screen he was the Pied Piper; Elizabeth Taylor’s lover, he was a war pilot with Spencer Tracy,” writes his friend and decorator Carleton Varney in the introduction for Van Johnson’s Hollywood: A Family Album. Along the way, his wife, Evie Wynn Johnson, an amateur shutterbug captured behind-the-scenes images of their friends some of Hollywood’s most famous stars, such as Gary Cooper, Judy Garland, and Humphrey Bogart on the road, on the set, around the pool, and at their Hollywood home. She put together these casual and candid images in a family album that has never been published before. Their daughter, Schuyler adds her memories to this unique document of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Rembrandt van Rijn married Saskia van Uylenburgh, the love of his life, in Friesland (the Netherlands) in 1634. The famous painter came to know her when she visited her cousin in Amsterdam, Hendrick van Uylenburgh, Rembrandt’s art dealer. This book, the catalogue for a travelling exhibition, sketches a picture of marriage in the time of Rembrandt and Saskia. Their story is the tale of a high society marriage in seventeenth century Holland, from courtships to weddings to daily married life and funerals. The show follows Rembrandt and Saskia from their meeting to her untimely early death after 10 years of marriage. Paintings, drawings, and etchings by Rembrandt, as well as letters and poetry, are featured alongside wedding portraits, objects, and jewellery from the period, offering insight into what weddings and married life meant in the Golden Age of 17th century Holland.

A sweet fluffy mouse or an appealing little dog, winter landscapes or a summer scene with shepherds. This catalogue of Dutch paintings from the collection of Eijk and Rose-Marie de Mol van Otterloo presents some of the finest paintings from the Golden Age. The collection includes beautiful scenes by famous painters such as Rembrandt and Frans Hals as well as countless other artists, with examples of all main genres of seventeenth-century Dutch painting. These masterpieces are usually inaccessible to public view. This is the first time that a representative selection from this magnificant collection has been exhibited in public. This richly-illustrated book contains reproductions of the highlights from the collection of the Dutch-American couple. The catalogue of paintings is preceeded by an introductory essay on the origins of the collection. In all, this publication provides a superb opportunity to become acquainted with the qualities and varied choice of subject of dozens of painters from the Golden Age.

“This book takes in his introduction to wine – at the age of three! – through his continued travels and championing of New World wines when they were less fashionable.” — Matthew Nugent, The Irish Sun

“You can feel Oz Clarke’s expansive, chatty presence in every sentence” — Telegraph

“Frankly, it’s the best and most entertaining wine read I’ve had in years.” —Tom Doorley, The Irish Mail

“You can never have too much of his captivating enthusiasm and rich knowledge and this is him at his best.” — Waitrose magazine

“A rollicking good read.” — Sommelier India

There have never been so many delicious and original wines in the world, and to discover them, all you need is a glass in your hand and Oz Clarke – the ideal wine companion. With his inimitable sense of adventure and fun, Oz explains how his fascination with flavour led him to abandon a promising acting career and follow his heart from Chablis to ‘the lost Himalayan valleys of Yunnan’ in pursuit new taste experiences and wine thrills. He found them! Oz Clarke On Wine takes us on a fast-paced, witty romp around the grape varieties key to the world’s major wine styles, then explores the vineyards and regions where a vast trove of wine treasure lies waiting for discovery. Oz’s passion for sharing, his deep wine knowledge, and his ability to conjure up the wine world’s most beautiful landscapes, make this book the most unputdownable wine read this century.

Includes:

• How Oz fell in love with wine: from his first dramatic encounter on a river-bank (aged three), to his post-performance tasting tales (after ‘governing Argentina’ as General Perón in the hit show Evita
• Oz explains how global warming affects what we drink today, and the new styles we can expect ‘tomorrow’
• Organic and Biodynamic wines, Oz’s favourite fizz
• The world’s best-tasting wines, from Aconcagua to Okanagan, from Patagonia to east Yorkshire…, and wines to enjoy, from budget to blue chip… For sipping and savouring now. Or to age and enjoy in 10, 20, 30-years’ time…

Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women was a critically acclaimed bestseller upon its publication in 1868. It tells the story of sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March — each a young woman with a distinctive and relatable personality, a rare feature for a children’s novel at the time. The novel continues to resonate with readers as a timeless tale of growing up. This is the first modern edition of Little Women to feature the complete illustrations of Clara Miller Burd, originally executed in 1926. Burd’s brilliant colour plates and detailed drawings bring the world of the March family to life. An introduction by Alice A. Carter, an expert on Golden Age illustration, explores Burd’s life and the work of early 20th-century women illustrators. This new edition, handsomely bound in cloth, will be the perfect gift for all devotees of Little Women.

In This Day and Age is a major new project by artist-photographer partnership John Kippin and Nicola Neate. For the last three years Kippin and Neate have been living in North Uist, one of a remote group of six islands that form part of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Living in North Uist has allowed Kippin and Neate to closely research and document – through photography – what it means to be part of island life, how this is changing, and the ecological impact of increasing tourism, migration and militarism, alongside reflecting upon the nature of traditional island stories and their representation.

“This is a volume that will be informative to specialists, but also a visual delight for the average reader. An indispensable addition to the field.” ― John Wilmerding, Sarofim Professor of American Art, emeritus, Princeton University

“William Morgan offers an overview of the flowering of the collegiate Gothic style in America between the Civil War and the crash of 1929. Here is a splendidly illustrated book full of insight.” ― New Criterion
Explore America’s most breathtaking college campuses ― where Gilded Age wealth found a Gothic inspiration.

The Collegiate Gothic style, which flourished between the Gilded Age and the Jazz Age, was intended to lend an air of dignified history to America’s relatively youthful seats of higher learning. In fact, this mash-up of Oxbridge quaintness with piles of new money gave rise ― at schools like Princeton and Vassar, Yale and Chicago ― to unprecedented architectural fantasies that reshaped the image of the college campus. Today the ivy-covered monuments of Collegiate Gothic still exercise a powerful hold on the public imagination ― as evidenced, for example, by their prominent place in the Dark Academia aesthetic that has swept social media.

In Academia, the noted architectural historian William Morgan traces the entire arc of Collegiate Gothic, from its first emergence at campuses like Kenyon and Bowdoin to its apotheosis in James Gamble Rogers’s intricately detailed confections at Yale. Ever alert to the complicated cultural and social implications of this style, Morgan devotes special sections to its manifestations at prep schools and in the American South, and to contemporary revivals by architects like Robert A. M. Stern.

Illustrated throughout with well-chosen color photographs, Academia offers the ultimate campus tour of our faux-medieval cathedrals of learning.

A celebration of the fearless, fabulous actresses of Hollywood’s Golden Age — illustrated with stunning photographs from a world-class collection.  

Lauren Bacall, Louise Brooks, Claudette Colbert, Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich, Lillian Gish, Gloria Grahame, Katharine Hepburn, Veronica Lake, Carole Lombard, Myrna Loy, Ida Lupino, Barbara Stanwyck, Anna May Wong — and more!

To make it in Hollywood, it takes more than beauty, brains, and talent — it takes moxie. This was especially true for women in the heyday of the studio system, a period from the 1920s to the 1950s when a small number of companies dominated the production and distribution of films in America. It was an industry controlled by male studio executives, in which directors and producers called the shots and contract players had little say in which roles they would play. Still, a trailblazing group of actresses forged successful careers out of sheer conviction, perseverance, and professional know-how. These spirited women captivated audiences, shaped the film industry, and remain enduring icons of classic cinema.

This gorgeous volume profiles some 14 leading ladies who had moxie to spare. It is illustrated with more than 200 film stills, publicity photos, and lobby cards from the collection of Ira M. Resnick — many published here for the first time. Together these captivating images reveal how the stars of the Golden Age used pose and performance, fashion and glamour to shape their images both onscreen and off. Moxie will dazzle and seduce all devotees of classic Hollywood.

These pages tell the story without words of a journey through Spain in which the author, the photographer Fernando Manso, visited unknown and hidden corners and captured them on the plates of his large-format camera. From the remotest parts of Galicia to those of Almería, he passed through coasts, deserts and mountains, stopping at old churches, ghostly castles or majestic cathedrals, in forests and gorges, at natural pools and salt mines, and at cemeteries, Arab baths and hermitages carved out of the rock.

Fernando has made the light of these places into the leading figure of his journey. His is a different light, as he has relinquished blue skies and brilliant sunshine, often the stuff of clichés, to make way for visions of places that appear to us with such intimate truth that even if we know them, we can barely recognise them. This is thanks to his technique, his art and the patience with which he waits for the light.

Fernando’s luxury is being able to use all the time in the world to draw us into an artistic heritage that is sometimes secret and hard to reach, and which the viewer has to know how to see. He reveals these places, often in danger of disappearing, after detailed investigation. Both architecture and landscape – for he knows that natural scenery is also a major patrimony that has to be affectionately preserved and protected from speculation – belong to all of us, and we are responsible for their care. We must be aware of this.

The result of that trip is this publication, with beautiful images in reproductions of exceptional quality that present us with a vision of Spain in a different light.

– Where should you buy, what should you look for and how do you avoid fakes?
– Should you get a damaged piece restored?
– How much should you spend?

Ruudt Peters (b. 1950) is a pioneering conceptual jewellery artist who challenges traditional definitions of adornment by pushing the boundaries of context, wearability, material and presentation. On the occasion of his retrospective exhibition he gives a first complete overview of his forty-four-year oeuvre. All series of his work are comprehensively presented in texts and photographs of objects and portraits. Many previously unpublished views of installations and exhibitions as well as numerous drawings and sketches enhance the review, all complemented by video clips that can be accessed via QR codes, which provide the reader with short movies featuring background information about Peters’s work, and those who wear his pieces and the art of jewellery. The last chapter of the catalogue will be dedicated to Peter’s latest, hitherto unpublished series.

This book accompanies an exhibition, to be held at the CODA Museum, Apeldoorn (NL), 12.11.2017 – 28.1.2018; followed by venues in Huangzhou (CN), Tallinn (EE) and Vincenza (IT) (dates not yet confirmed)

www.ruudtpeters.nl
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