This is the story of David Sassoon, the fashion designer whose name has been synonymous with the world of glamor for the last 50 years. It begins in the couture world of the ’50s where, straight out of the Royal College of Art, Sassoon joined society dressmaker, Belinda Bellville and was instantly thrust into the world of debs, duchesses, the aristocracy and the brand new jetsetters.

This is a fashion book with a difference – gossipy, fun, informative and revealing – it is a fascinating personal recollection of a sparkling career spanning 5 decades, dressing some of the world’s most beautiful and charismatic women of their day, among them Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, and Ava Gardner.

As the formality of the ’50s gave way to the swinging Sixties, the new design partnership of Bellville Sassoon soon became Britain’s foremost couture label – THE label for High Society dressing. Soon their regal clientele included Princess Alexandra, Princess Michael of Kent, Princess Anne, the Duchess of Kent, the Duchess of Gloucester and the Duchess of York. He was a favorite designer of the late Princess Margaret who became the world’s first international royal glamor icon.

However, it was Princess Diana, for whom he made more than 70 outfits, including her trousseau and going away outfit, with whom he forged a particularly warm and close personal friendship, and this book reveals many fond and unpublished anecdotes. Add to this the challenge of creating uniquely glamorous dresses around some of the world’s most magnificent jewelry, many of them priceless family heirlooms from the most aristocratic names in the land, and for some of the most glittering formal occasions. This all adds up to a powerful Sassoon couture cocktail. In October 2008 David Sassoon will be in Chicago to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals in recognition of his longstanding and highly successful association with Vogue patterns worldwide.

Today, glamor is back with a capital G – but for glamour guru David Sassoon it never went away.

“Terry was everywhere in the 60s – he knew everything and everyone that was happening” Keith Richards

“Terry O’Neill rates rightly as one of the best photographers in the world. He captures something special” Sir Michael Caine

“When it comes to photographic legends there can be few more prolific or revered than Terry O’Neill, the man who shot the greats.” VOGUE

“This sumptuous collection of portraits, taken over six decades, represents the best of his memorable career and should grace every coffee table in the land” The Daily Mail

“I’ve been repeatedly asked to write my autobiography – I have seen an awful lot of famous people at their best and worst – but I’m not interested in making money trading their secrets or mine. I want my pictures to tell a story not sell a story.” Terry O’Neill

Terry O’Neill is one of the world’s most celebrated and collected photographers. No one has captured the frontline of fame so broadly – and for so long. For more than 50 years, he has photographed rock stars and presidents, royals and movie stars, at work, at play, in private. He pioneered backstage reportage photography with the likes of Frank Sinatra, David Bowie, Sir Elton John and Chuck Berry and his work comprises a vital chronicle of rock and roll history.

Now, for the first time, an exhaustive cataloging of his archive conducted over the last three years has revisited more than 2 million negatives and has unearthed unseen images that escaped the eye over a career spanning 53 years. Similarly, his use of 35mm cameras on film sets and the early pop music shows of the 60s opened up a new visual art form using photojournalism, to revolutionise formal portraiture. His work captured the iconic, candid, and unguarded moments of the famous and the notorious – from Ava Gardner to Amy Winehouse, from Churchill to Nelson Mandela, from the earliest photographs of young emerging bands such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace. O’ Neill spent more than 30 years photographing Frank Sinatra, amassing a unique archive of more than 3,000 Sinatra negatives.

Add to that the magazine covers, album sleeves, film poster and fashion shoots of 1,000 stars, and Terry O’Neill – comprises the most compelling and epic catalog of the age of celebrity. Terry O’Neill has worked for the most prestigious magazines in the world including Time, Newsweek, Stern, Bunte, Figaro, The Sunday Times, Vanity Fair, People, Parade, Vogue and many others. And his award launched to showcase the work of young emerging photographers is now one of the most highly prized global competitions in art. The Royal Society of Arts has honored him with the rare Centenary Medal for his lifetime achievement. Only a dozen have ever been awarded in recognition of ‘outstanding contributions to the art and science of photography.’

Fourteen years after the first publication of Architectural Stories by Bernard De Clerck, this beautiful new book features the latest design projects from Flemish architect Bernard De Clerck – undoubtedly a conceptual architect who is not in the least conventional, even when he finds inspiration not only in ancient times, the Renaissance and the Arts and Crafts movement, but also in local architecture.

Each house, living space, cluster of buildings created by Bernard De Clerck is based on a story, and in turn, is the beginning of a new one. It is both in the present and in the past. Timeless, warm, with clear lines and a sensitive attention to detail, New Architectural Stories presents 17 truly exceptional residential country homes and castles, some of them in collaboration with Axel Vervoordt.

Text in English, French and Dutch.

“Veteran wine books are by modern standards short on facts.”┬á— Decanter Magazine

“This is an inspirational book well worth your time.”┬á— Eric┬áAsimov on Instagram

“If you want to learn about wine, switch off your phone, buy these two books and enjoy them with a nice glass of something.” —┬áThe Critic

“This is a don’t-miss book for people who plan their travels around vineyards.”—Washington Post

“This is one of the best books on wine ever written.”—┬áSommelier India

In this unique approach to understanding wine, Hugh Johnson, the world’s best-loved wine author, weaves the story of his own epic wine journey with an embracing view of everything he has discovered along the way. Almost without realizing it, the reader is drawn into a fascinating world; with each page turned, knowledge is gained and wine wisdom absorbed. Hugh takes us from the teetering ledges of the Mosel and majestic châteaux of the Médoc to the sylvan slopes of Windsor Great Park with a spring in his step and a tasting glass at the ready.

No one writes so infectiously on every aspect of wine, whether human or cultural, technical or historical. This book is peppered with anecdotes and personal recollections, infused with the sheer delight Hugh finds in his subject. It is a book with a story to tell and a mastery of wine to impart.

Previously published as Wine, A Life Uncorked 2005, now updated with new chapters.

“What a super book! Great photos, and such interesting facts – it all makes a fascinating read.” Christine Walkden – BBC- TV and Radio 4 Gardening Expert

“This is a wonderful book, tracing the history of the family firm and the marvellous structures they created, in great detail. There are detailed accounts of 40 of the firm’s most prestigious structures, stunningly photographed by professional garden photographer Jennifer Lilly. There is even a detailed chronological gazetteer of all the known Pulhamite sites. Definitely a must for your Christmas present list and garden history bookshelf. Hazelle Jackson, Heritage Consultant London Landscapes Autumn/Winter 2012

“It is excellent . . . A brilliant piece of work – I thoroughly recommend it.” Peter Seabrook – Gardening Writer and Broadcaster Amateur Gardening

“The result of many years’ patient research, pulling together fascinating information on the Pulhams’ work, which extended from grand gardens such as Sandringham and Waddesdon to modest suburban villas.” The Times

“A Charming Labour of Love, this offers everything you could wish to know about Pulhamite – and probably much more… The photographs are superb, the research exhaustive and the gazetteer makes it invaluable for the study, restoration and maintenance of Pulhamite features in 19th to early 20th-century gardens.” BBC Gardens Illustrated

This book tells the story of James Pulham & Son, the eminent family of Victorian and Edwardian landscape artists who specialized in the construction of picturesque rock gardens, ferneries, follies and grottoes. The book covers more than four generations of the family business that was also responsible for the manufacture of extremely high-quality terracotta garden ornaments including fountains, vases, sundials and bulastrading. The rock gardens, for which the firm are mainly remembered today, were built with ‘artifical’ rocks – formed from heaps of old bricks and rubble, coated with cement, and sculpted to simulate the color and texture of natural stone. The author’s interest in James Pulham & Son stems from the fact that no fewer than five of his ancestors worked for the company as ‘rock builders’. Features many incredibly famous locations, including Buckingham Palace, Sandringham, Heatherden Hall, Waddesdon Manor, Battersea Park, Friar Park and RHS Garden Wisley.

The father of fiber optics, Narinder Singh Kapany was far more than your typical multi-hyphenate. Inventor, art collector, sculptor, farmer, entrepreneur, teacher, and a successful businessman, Dr Kapany was what Fortune magazine in its 1999 issue called, ‘one of the seven unsung heroes of the 20th century’. An insightful and inspirational life story, this memoir chronicles his 90 remarkable years. Charming, idiosyncratic, and highly engaging, The Man who Bent Light serves up enough variety and verve to celebrate the lives of a half-dozen individuals. But there is only one Narinder Singh Kapany, and his life, illuminated in his singular memoir, is a life like no other.

In Why Now? Michael Humblet teaches you how to create the right pitch to maximize your impact and speed up the conversion of prospects into customers. Learn how to tailor sales and closing techniques to the needs of your prospects to formulate the ultimate sales pitch. Humblet’s phone rings: ‘Michael, people are interested in our product, and we write scores of offers but take-up is poor. What are we doing wrong?’ Humblet’s reply is invariably: ‘Why should a customer buy from you today? Why now?’ Sales pitches will fail if this fundamental issue is not addressed, a problem Humblet encounters in 90% of his client companies. They know how to identify prospects, but they do not have a compeling story, tailored to individual prospects. Humblet’s clients want to know how to speed up the sales process and close more deals. Humblet tells you how in Why Now? Having optimised more than 500 sales pitches, in Why Now? Humblet shares the five elements needed to turn prospects into customers. With case studies and before and after examples, Why Now?  gives you a blueprint for how to best describe your offer in a sales pitch, website, brochure or sales offer and gives you proven tools to close deals. You will learn how to create the ultimate sales flow. It’s closing time! 

King Charles III’s affection for architecture is well-known, but the extent of his engagement has never been fully presented to the public. This is the first book to draw together the many threads, from the ‘carbuncle’ speech, made at Hampton Court in 1984, until his accession to the throne. He has created model settlements such as Poundbury through the Duchy of Cornwall, Dumfries House in East Ayrshire has been made a beacon of social regeneration, and his educational initiatives have changed lives.

The four decades of the King’s commitment to architecture have coincided with Clive Aslet’s career as a journalist, during which he has followed the story and often written about it, not least during the 13 years for which he was editor of Country Life. King Charles III: 40 Years of Architecture is based on new research including many interviews with the architects, critics, advisors and academics who worked with the (then) Prince of Wales on his far-reaching endeavors.
 

Sharing this story was not something that Christopher Capozziello ever set out to do, but, over the years, one picture has led to another and a story has emerged. Capozziello says, “The time I have spent with my brother, looking through my camera, has forced me to ask questions about suffering and faith and why anyone is born with disability. Nick has cerebral palsy. Taking pictures has been a way for me to deal with the reality of having a twin brother who struggles through life in ways that I do not.” Capozziello’s photographs take us on a journey through his worries and inquiries, ending his debut book with a different sort of question: what comes next? Part two of the book is a journey he and his brother take across the United States. The work has been shown throughout the United States and has won 33 national and international awards. “The collection, titled The Distance Between Us, is both a brother’s touching tribute and Capozziello’s attempt to come to terms with the reality his brother lives and one from which he happened to be spared”. The Mail

This book celebrates the extraordinary talent of Raphael, 500 years after his death.

This is the story of an unequaled master whose figure has surpassed that of other leading figures of the Renaissance. His talent grew with astonishing rapidity, starting with the years of training at the workshop of his father Giovanni Santi: in 1500, at only 17 years old, he was already defined ‘magister’.

The author leads us into the folds of the extraordinary story of Raphael, studded with masterpieces that have become cornerstones in the history of art, and helps us to understand his timeless talent through new comparisons and explanations. The deep knowledge and the profound passion of the author make reading the book exciting and unforgettable.

On the occasion of the forthcoming renovation of the Paulskirche in Frankfurt am Main, the book recounts the history of its construction, reconstruction and renovation in accordance with the respective social currents. In addition, the role of the Paulskirche as a seat of the nationwide debate culture is traced, which it has held since the postwar period in its function as a festival hall.

Text in English and German.

In the 1960s and 1970s, a generation of young Americans rejected the promise of prosperity and the suburban dream embraced by their parents. Furious about the war in Vietnam, fighting for civil rights at home, and eagerly exploring the effects of psychedelic drugs, the delights of free love, and the mystical teachings of eastern religions, thousands followed the advice to “turn on, tune in, drop out,” bringing about a counterculture in the process. For many American jewelers, these events and values found their way into the studio, as well as affecting how they lived, worked, and loved. Jewelers, like other studio craftspeople, rode the wave of popularity for the hand-made and authentic that was at the heart of the counterculture.

In Flux is the story of how their jewelry contributed to the raucous, contradictory, and enthusiastic clamour for a new kind of society that made the 1960s and 1970s so extraordinary.

Embark on another cosmic adventure and discover the striking artistry of NASA’s mission patches and logos. This beautifully illustrated book offers a visual tour of NASA’s heritage symbolism from the early Mercury missions of the 1960s to the rovers, orbital telescopes and brand-new lunar capsules of the 2020s.

The countdown is underway! NASA’s first Moon landing since 1972 is now on the near horizon and this follow-up to the popular Space: Posters & Paintings is the perfect way to prepare for take-off. Celebrating the achievements of the men and women who dared to venture into the beyond, Space Mission Patches uncovers the story of the space administration through the indelible artwork of their historic insignias. Perfect for space aficionados, design enthusiasts and kids old and young, this meeting of art and exploration is the definitive testament to the enduring legacy of NASA’s trailblazing journeys to the unknown. 

With Japan’s unprecedented modernization in the last century, the demand for traditional boats (wasen) faded, leaving the last generation of boatbuilders with no one to teach. This is the story of the author’s apprenticeships with five Japanese masters to build their unique and endangered traditional watercraft. Brooks was the sole apprentice for each craftsman, and worked under a time-honored system in which apprentices first swept floors and sharpened tools, learning chiefly by observation with only limited direct instruction. The resulting book is part ethnography, part instruction, and part the personal story of a wooden boatbuilder fueled by a passion to preserve a craft tradition on the brink of extinction. It fills a large and long-standing gap in the literature on Japanese crafts, and will be of interest to boatbuilders, woodworkers, and all those impressed with the marvels of Japanese design and workmanship.

Cosmograph Daytona… a legendary name among watch aficionados, is one that conjures up montages of speed, engines and sound, but is also a symbol of prestige and admiration. The origin of the myth is linked to a city in Florida, Daytona Beach, famous for its motorcycle and automobile races on the beach. In 1959, the Daytona 500 race was born and three years later, Rolex became the official timekeeper of the Daytona International Speedway – hence, the start of the story of the legendary “Cosmograph Daytona”.
The chronograph complication and the history of Rolex have always been inextricably linked. Rolex’s first foray into measuring time began in the 1930s with the manufacture’s very first Oyster chronograph model. In 1963, Rolex launched the Cosmograph Daytona, a sports chronograph that has never stopped evolving in respect to the spirit of the brand, and which has always strived to improve existing technology by pushing the boundaries of what is technically possible.
The history and diversity of this chronograph is such that two (independent) volumes have been devoted to it. This second volume is dedicated to self-winding Daytonas, manufactured after 1988. It is a celebration of its illustrious history, which has been forged by many people, but if we had to choose one person in particular, it would be Paul Newman.

Anthologin is the product of a fortuitous encounter that brought together Samuele Ambrosi, an internationally renowned, multi-award-winning barman with a stellar résumé, Maurizio Maestrelli, esteemed journalist and author of several books on beer and spirits, and Serena Conti, fine illustrator and designer whose collaborations have extended far beyond Italy’s borders. It tells the fascinating story of gin, that most popular of spirits whose long, seductive history transcends aromas and flavor, technical traits and production systems. It’s a story brimming with fascinating anecdotes on gin’s origins and evolution, political and economic influences, and episodes involving famous figures. And it is this “behind the scenes” knowledge that renders every sip of gin so special, realizations that help us better appreciate the rebirth of mixology and the revived interest in gin. Today you hold the definitive gin guide in your hands.  

These rare and extraordinarily beautiful stones with mineral formations resembling chrysanthemum flowers are for the first time presented in a comprehensive and fully illustrated book. Found primarily in China and Japan, but more recently known from Korea and the western United States, they are regularly exhibited in national shows in Asia, where they are accorded the highest value among natural artistic stones. This scholarly work sets a new standard for books relating to the art of stone appreciation. The authors traveled extensively in China and Japan to bring together historical information with current data; the text is generously illustrated with over 120 full-color photographs of the widest variety of chrysanthemum stone types from all sources, and the most complete set of published references to chrysanthemum stones ever assembled is included.

The most destructive epoch in Japan’s long history of civil strife, the Warring States period began when the dearly won supremacy of the Ashikaga clan was squandered by a weak and indecisive ruler, allowing the jealous rivalry between local warlords to spiral irrevocably out of control. It was a time when thousands upon thousands of warriors either perished on the battlefield, or persevered simply on the strength of their martial skill. In spite of all the mayhem and bloodshed, these were also men with an inextinguishable moral core, who adhered with almost religious devotion to the bushido dictates of duty, fidelity, decorum, indeed, even of benevolence. Two such men were Lizasa Choisai Lenao and Kami Izumi Nobutsuna. Both not only witnessed but actively participated in the dramatic events of the period at hand. Their true stories, told against the greater historical backdrop of ruthless political intrigue and vast military campaigns, is a story of the tragedy of civil war experienced at the personal level. It is a story of sacrifice, of blind devotion, of seemingly insurmountable setbacks, yet it is at the same time a testimony to the kind of perseverance and dedication that can have no equal in times of peace.

Afro Libio Basaldella (Udine, 1912-Zurich, 1976) was perhaps the most renowned member of the Friuli Avant-garde Movement, which influenced his approach towards a more Expressionist sense of painting that had always been based on traditional Venetian Colorism. In the 1940s, Afro joined the Fronte Nuovo delle Arti, and following a visit to the United States, he joined the Gruppo degli Otto, with whom he exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 1952. Although in certain aspects his style seemed similar to American Action Painting, his harmonious tonal modulation and later research into abstract shapes and forms produced intellectually sophisticated results. This is the catalog of the first French retrospective of the artist, held at the Tornabuoni Art Gallery in Paris, showing works ranging from the 1930s to the 1970.

Contents:
Preface by Philip Rylands;
Afro, his work by Philip Rylands;
Afro and the New York art scene by Barbara Drudi;
Letters and writings selected by Barbara Drudi;
Critical anthology selected by Philip Rylands;
The exposition of 1949 at the MoMA by Davide Colombo;
The Garden of Hope by Anne Monfort.

The complete and detailed story of the recovery and transformation of the 19th century home of the former wine warehouse on the seaside boulevard of Trieste, with numerous engaging work site images that reveal the complexity of the building phases, the specificity of the work processes that were necessary and the shots of the results upon completion.

The design does not modify the original volume but invades it by excavating the space for another completely independent, ethereal and translucent building inside it, sized to reflect the rhythm of the masonry wall of the original façade. The physical gap between the new ‘product’ and the historical screen has become a fascinating locus between internal and external. The glass that seals the internal shell reflects the outlines of the warehouse walls and their openings, allowing for visibility of the activities that are being conducted inside. The monograph is introduced by critical and descriptive essays and accompanied by a wealth of iconographic material including technical drawings at various scales.

In My Way: From the Gutters to the Stars, Berlin-based Tim Raue traces his journey from street kid to two-star Michelin chef and owner of the eponymous restaurant ranked #34 on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Head chef at one of Berlin’s best restaurants at the age of twenty-three, Raue earned the accolade Highest Climber of the Year in 1998, and, in 2007, was named Chef of the Year by Gault Millau. He earned his Michelin stars only two years after opening Restaurant Tim Raue in 2010. Raue illustrates his story with dozens of family photos, and with stunning images of Berlin, Singapore – the source of his culinary inspiration – and his extraordinary Asian-influenced dishes. His food is admired by New York Times food critic, Frank Rich, as well as Corey Lee, the three-star Michelin chef and owner of acclaimed restaurant Benu – who has incorporated one of Raue’s recipes into his own repertoire. In addition to 70 recipes from Raue’s kitchen, My Way includes 45 recipes for gourmet essentials such as broths, sauces and infusions. Taken together, Raue’s story, his food, and these brilliant color images make My Way a journey worth following. Contents: Finding yourself Creating yourself Recipes In My Way will be launched with a press conference on 28th February in New York 12:30am.

For thousands of years, the peoples of Central Asia have created spectacular textiles for every aspect of life. Infinite care, resources and time have gone into making elaborate costumes (connoting the wearer’s identity and place in society), equestrian items, and exquisite furnishings for settled as well as nomadic lifestyles. Items of dress were decorated literally from top to toe: boots were embroidered with metal thread, while hats were stitched, appliquéd and felted. The women of a family would come together to embroider dazzling suzanis to form part of a bride’s dowry; master dyers and weavers would craft vibrant ikat hangings. Combined, these objects tell an evocative story of life along the Silk Road in times past.

This book brings together outstanding textiles from the Neville Kingston Collection, featuring many previously unpublished pieces. It is the second volume to document this exceptional English collection; Turkmen Carpets: The Neville Kingston Collection was published in 2016.