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.
“Veteran wine books are by modern standards short on facts.” — Decanter Magazine
“This is an inspirational book well worth your time.” — Eric Asimov 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.” — The 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.”— Sommelier 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.
“An entrancing companion for wine lovers. Celebratory, discerning writing with all the variety and unexpectedness of the wines explored.” — Michèle Roberts, author and Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia
“This book is about feeling, tasting and describing the beauty of wine, as well as understanding the intensity of emotion that wine can engender.” — Decanter Magazine
“So precise and dancing, so chiselled and so free, as complex and delicious as your favourite bottle of wine, you will enjoy the world of wine differently after reading through Jefford’s words.” — Pascaline Lepeltier on Instagram
“A new sort of literary gumption arrived on the scene with Andrew Jefford; a powerful blend of science and poetry. Here is a writer who does his interviews, delves deep into motives and methods, and then lets fly with whatever imagery he finds winging by.” Hugh Johnson (2019)
Poet, philosopher, author, radio presenter and journalist, Andrew Jefford lives in France; but buried deep in one wine country what does he miss most about the rest? The answer: “Drinking young port. It’s the wine drinker’s equivalent of zorbing, wing-walking, base-jumping … you won’t fully understand it unless you have tasted it young, in its ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ stage, when it comes hurtling out of the glass and puts the screamers on you…”
Andrew is the ideal companion for anyone wine-curious. In this collection of his essays, opinions and articles he shares his fascinating observations from half a century of discovery. For Andrew, wine should be listened to and admired, wherever it comes from; old-school pretentions turned on their head; style-points disdained; stellar prices dismissed; questions asked…
Experience the sights and sounds of the City of Lights like a true native with this expanded edition Bill Gillham has been visiting Paris for decades. For him, the pleasure is not in revisiting the tourist sights, but rather in immersing himself in a particular quartier, discovering little shops and bistros, exploring markets, parks, and local entertainment, and finding the quirks and particularities of the city’s day-to-day life. In this unique guidebook, Bill takes travelers to 21 of his favorite areas in Paris–some central, some suburban, all off the beaten track. Neglected or completely ignored by ordinary guide books, each of these locales has a purely individual, Parisian character and make superb bases for traditional sightseeing, and in particular an ideal way of seeing Paris with children. All the information about where to stay; how to get about; where to shop and eat; which museums, parks, playgrounds to not miss; and what to avoid is provided along with lush photographs that give a hint of the pleasures to be gleaned. All the information has been meticulously updated, and many sections have been enlarged and improved.
“A new sort of literary gumption arrived on the scene with Andrew Jefford; a powerful blend of science and poetry. Here is a writer who does his interviews, delves deep into motives and methods, and then lets fly with whatever imagery he finds winging by.” Hugh Johnson (2019)
Poet, philosopher, author, radio presenter and journalist, Andrew Jefford lives in France; but buried deep in one wine country what does he miss most about the rest? The answer: “Drinking young port. It’s the wine drinker’s equivalent of zorbing, wing-walking, base-jumping … you won’t fully understand it unless you have tasted it young, in its ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ stage, when it comes hurtling out of the glass and puts the screamers on you…”
Andrew is the ideal companion for anyone wine-curious. In this collection of his essays, opinions and articles he shares his fascinating observations from half a century of discovery. For Andrew, wine should be listened to and admired, wherever it comes from; old-school pretensions turned on their head; style-points disdained; stellar prices dismissed; questions asked…
Learn how to craft a powerful growth strategy, from defining your vision to outmaneuvering competitors, and from leveraging technology to optimizing your marketing and sales funnel. Delve into critical chapters that cover everything from foundational growth principles to advanced tactics in marketing, financial management, and organizational development. Benefit from expert advice on navigating acquisitions, entering new markets, and fostering a company culture that champions growth as a mindset. Equip yourself with the knowledge to manage financial risks, drive customer engagement, and maximize your resources through data-driven decision-making. Designed for ambitious entrepreneurs and seasoned executives alike, this guide is your roadmap to sustainable success and industry leadership. Whether you’re looking to refine your approach or transform your business model, Growth Strategy offers the guidance, insights, perspective, and inspiration to thrive in a competitive marketplace. Don’t miss out on this essential resource for anyone looking to take their business to new heights.
Life is always winking at us, calling our attention to the beauty hidden in plain sight. And yet, we often miss what’s right in front of our noses, either lost in thought or tethered to never-ending to-do lists. This is a handbook for anyone who feels some of the shine has worn off their daily life and wants to reconnect with the beauty hidden in plain sight. In this exquisite collection of photographs, poems and creative invitations, we are reminded that we don’t need to wait for miracles to be astonished. Wonder is a state of mind, available to us every day of our lives.
“The book is a tribute to a unique, taste-forming textile art that has lost none of its appeal to this day. ” — Preetorius Foundation
“If Chintz seems rather too ‘Miss Marple-y’ or old hat, this magnificently produced book, CHINTZ: Indian cotton textiles from the Karun Thakar collection, is set to change your mind, and your decor.” — Embroidery Magazine
Chintz explores the historic importance of Indian printed and painted cotton textiles, drawing on the Karun Thakar Collection. Assembled over thirty years, the collection comprises over two hundred examples, many of which have featured in significant museum exhibitions. With contributions from leading scholars and curators, including from the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this book examines the historical significance of Indian printed cottons and their influence on global trade from the 14th century onward, and includes examples found in Sri Lanka, Japan and throughout Europe. The book provides insights into the artistry of Indian designers and the enduring legacy of this textile tradition, making it a valuable resource for those with an interest in art history, textile design and global cultural exchange.
Jeffrey Sun traveled the world collecting nearly 7,000 hats and hat-related pieces. Amassing these beautiful creations made him realize that collecting is not just about preserving the past, but about collecting designs from the present for the future. It is this belief that led Sun to curate the 101 creations in this book, celebrating top headwear designers from around the world. The result is a celebration of the art and craft of millinery through one man’s passion for hats, his dedication to collecting, and his vision for connecting headwear designers across cultures and continents.
High jewelry has entered the 21st century with a spring in its step. Design has been as diverse as it has been innovative. The technical advances of the ’90s and the new materials being used by this exuberant group of independent jewelers have helped pave the way to breaking down preconceived ideas of high jewelry. Some enjoy the adventure of finding the rarest of gemstones that speak to them, others seek to tell a tale or relay a secret message to the wearer and thus the onlooker. They are artists, engineers and adventurers; and, above all, they are passionate about their world, using only the best workmanship wherever it is to be found. From the great JAR, to James de Givenchy and Nicholas Varney in the West, and Michelle Ong, Wallace Chan and Bhagat in the East, 21st-Century Jewellery Designers: An Inspired Style is an exploration into the designers’ worlds. Interviews reveal the designers’ inspirations and passions, their signature materials, designing processes, and how their personalities influence their designs. Designers featured: JAR (France); Kaoru Kay Akihara / Gimel (Japan); Walid Akkad (France/Lebanon); Lorenz Bäumer (France); Bhagat (India); Sevan Biçakçi (Turkey); Luz Camino (Spain); Wallace Chan (China); Edmond Chin / Etcetera (China); Lydia Courteille (France); Michele della Valle (Italy/Switzerland); Patrice Fabre (France); James de Givenchy / Taffin (USA); Vicente Gracia (Spain); Hemmerle (Germany); Anna Hu (USA/Taiwan); Michelle Ong / Carnet (China); Suzanne Syz (Switzerland); Nicholas Varney (USA); Stephen Webster (UK); Dickson Yewn / Yewn Heritage (China).
When Ziggy played The Marquee Club in Soho, London, in October 1973, most of those invited to the small venue did not realize that this would be the last performance David Bowie would ever give as Ziggy Stardust. Terry O’Neill, celebrated photographer, was given unprecedented access to document the event.
O’Neill captured Bowie and his crew backstage as they went through costume changes, and Bowie transformed into the character he’d soon put to rest. On stage, dodging television cameras and lights, O’Neill snapped the incredible stage presence for which Bowie and his crew had become renowned. O’Neill remembers of Bowie: “He became a character on stage. As much as a person takes a role in a play for the West End or on Broadway, learning the lines, putting on the costumes – this was, I think, the way Bowie treated his stage. This night at the Marquee, I witnessed a modern-day Hamlet – and it was Ziggy Stardust”.
Award-winning music writer Daniel Rachel interviews key contributors of the day, including O Neill, Ava Cherry, Amanda Lear and Geoff MacCormack along with new insights and memories from fans who were in the audience who played witness to this incredible moment.
Richard Mille, 54, has devoted his career to haute horology. His love for high-precision mechanism and his passion for technological perfection have inspired his creations. Thousands of hours devoted to engineering research in a state-of-the-art workshop in the Swiss Jura resulted in the realisation and marketing in 2001 of a wristwatch which was the most ergonomic and the most technically sophisticated watch of its time. Since then, about ten new models have been created and launched successfully.
In a Richard Mille watch, the concept dictates the components, and not the other way round. Therefore there is no “standard” part. Carbon fibre, silicon, metallic and non-metallic alloys and ceramics are no longer exclusive to the car, aeronautics or aerospace industries. These materials offer haute horology fabulous possibilities and new technical solutions, provided it accepts the challenge of their adaptation to watchmaking.
These costly materials must be tried and tested many times before their full potential to watchmaking is appreciated and understood by the tool-makers and watch-mechanics. It can be considered therefore that Richard Mille watches are futuristic high-tech works of art.
Text in English & French.
U Thong, 100 or so km north of Bangkok, has been an important site for over 2,000 years, as witnessed by the discovery of a 3rd century Roman coin. The moated city was connected to the Chin river, thereby gaining access to international trade routes.
The inhabitants of the early centers of Classic Southeast Asian civilization were already wealthy enough to own large quantities of ornate jewelry such as imported beads from India and carved stone from Taiwan. They had so much gold that central and western mainland Southeast Asia including the U Thong area was known in Sanskrit as Suvarnabhumi, the Golden Land.
This publication brings a new perspective to the study of ancient gold from U Thong. The author is a trained research metallurgy scientist, and these skills have been brought to bear on the highly significant corpus of early gold artifacts found in and around the moated city, the largest accumulation of such artifacts from any of the ancient muang of Thailand.
The goldsmiths were as highly skilled as those anywhere else in the world, but almost all previous studies have been written by people who can only study the outer appearance to draw conclusions regarding its age and place of origin.
Published 2016 in collaboration with Edizioni Musei Vaticani, this book beautifully reproduces close-up views of Michelangelo’s supreme work in new photography of the restored Sistine Chapel.
Contents: Introduction; The Sistine Chapel; The Frescoes of the 15th Century; The Ceiling; The Last Judgement.
Yasser ‘Mierkat’ Booley started producing photographs in 1993 on the eve of the ‘new’ South Africa. Raised within the tension of a conservative Cape Malay home in politically fraught South Africa, he soon became an observant apprentice, set on mastering the essence of the electric ‘rainbow nation’. This book is a celebration, an indulgent vision. Booley’s South Africa shows ordinary people caught at a crossroads, entangled in a dishevelled unity. He brings to light the beauty of humanity through all religious and cultural differences, through class and gender diversity. His character and style reveal an unbridled optimism, sprinkled with an accidental whiff of irony. Text in English, French, Dutch, and German. Also available in the Africalia series: Grassroots Upgraded ISBN 9789058563910 Calvin Dondo ISBN 9789058564214 Julius Mwelu ISBN 9789058564030 Kiripi Katembo ISBN 9789058565174 Teddy Mazina ISBN: 9789058565167 Sammy Baloji ISBN 9789058563965
A Little Bit of Beijing is an architectural graphic novel focused on contemporary Beijing and contains three volumes: Sanlitun, 798 Art District and Nanluoguxiang. It can be best described as a record of a moment in time in the lives of the three areas. The life of each area is documented through the use of architectural-style drawings featuring cut away rooftops, comic book stylized drawings that explore the details inside the buildings, and stories showcasing how people live, work, and visit these spaces. It was awarded the title of ‘the most beautiful book of China’. Also available: A Little Bit of Beijing: Nanluoguxiang ISBN 9787560873398 A Little Bit of Beijing: Sanlitun ISBN 9787560873404
A Little Bit of Beijing is an architectural graphic novel focused on contemporary Beijing and contains three volumes: Sanlitun, 798 Art District and Nanluoguxiang. It can be best described as a record of a moment in time in the lives of the three areas. The life of each area is documented through the use of architectural-style drawings featuring cut away rooftops, comic book stylized drawings that explore the details inside the buildings, and stories showcasing how people live, work, and visit these spaces. It was awarded the title of ‘the most beautiful book of China’. Also available: A Little Bit of Beijing: Sanlitun ISBN 9787560873404 A Little Bit of Beijing: 798 ISBN 9787560873411
A Little Bit of Beijing is an architectural graphic novel focused on contemporary Beijing and contains three volumes: Sanlitun, 798 Art District and Nanluoguxiang. It can be best described as a record of a moment in time in the lives of the three areas. The life of each area is documented through the use of architectural-style drawings featuring cut away rooftops, comic book stylized drawings that explore the details inside the buildings, and stories showcasing how people live, work, and visit these spaces. It was awarded the title of ‘the most beautiful book of China’. Also available: A Little Bit of Beijing: Nanluoguxiang ISBN 9787560873398 A Little Bit of Beijing: 798 ISBN 9787560873411
Upon the discovery of Tanzanite in Tanzania a specimen was entrusted to the stonecutter Manuel de Souza, who shared some samples with distinguished gemologists. While the prospector thought that he had found some sapphires, he was astonished to learn that he had unearthed something altogether extraordinary. The new gem immediately caught the eye of Tiffany & Co. Since 1968, the New York-based jeweler has pushed the stone into the spotlight. It launched a campaign that was successful enough to earn tanzanite the noble title of ‘gem of the 20th century’. Tanzanite gained further renown when in 2002 the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) named tanzanite, together with turquoise, the birthstones for December. Tanzanite’s transformations have ultimately placed it alongside the most precious of precious gems. In short, tanzanite’s age of glory has finally dawned. Needless to say, tanzanite’s allure has attracted the attention of a list of famous designers: Lorenz Bäumer (France), Ruth Grieco (Brazil), Catherine Sauvage (Germany), MVee (Hong Kong) and TTF (China). In Asia and elsewhere, tanzanite is seen as the source of happiness for the happy few. Tanzanite: Born from Lightning showcases hundreds of beautiful pieces of tanzanite jewelry, including superb creations made by Boucheron, Bulgari, Cartier, Chanel, Chaumet, Chopard, Dior, Boucheron, Louis Vuitton, Piaget, Van Cleef & Arpels, Wallace Chan and more.
The importance of outdoor living spaces, such as courtyards and patios, in our daily lives is highlighted in this new book from IMAGES. Courtyards and patios have been an important architectural feature for thousands of years, and over time, their popularity has not waned. Today these outdoor living spaces play both a decorative and functional role where water, walls, lighting, plants and sky all combine to convey security, calm and quiet. This beautiful volume presents residential outdoor living spaces from South America, Europe, Asia and the U.S.
At the beginning of 2020, just as global Covid-19 restrictions were coming into force, the artist David Hockney was at his house, studio and garden in Normandy. From there, he witnessed the arrival of spring, and recorded the blossoming of the surrounding landscape on his iPad, a medium he has been using for over a decade. Working outdoors was an antidote to the anxiety of the moment for Hockney – ‘We need art, and I do think it can relieve stress,’ he says.
This uplifting publication – produced to accompany a major exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts – includes 116 of his new iPad paintings and shows to full effect Hockney’s singular skill in capturing the exuberance of nature.
Pavan K. Varma’s illustrated bestseller, Kama Sutra: The Art of Making Love to a Woman is a modern adaptation of Vatsyayana’s classic, Kama Sutra. Varma’s take on the classic treatise is a celebration of love and lovemaking to a woman. The two-thousand year old text, rewritten for a contemporary audience is a confirmation that being sensitive to a woman’s needs is at the heart of the experience.
‘A good lover has to be sensitive to a woman’s needs.’ Pavan K. Varma’s new-age adaptation of Vatsyayana’s cult classic Kama Sutra makes precisely this point. Keeping in mind the celebrated sage’s instruction that men and women are equal partners in the act of consummation, Varma takes us on a witty journey through what has sometimes been seen as a ‘heavy’ manual on sex, and at others as a volume of titillating visuals. This adaptation is a serious tribute to the genius and vision of Vatsyayana, highlighting the ‘modernity’ of what he wrote two thousand years ago – that the fulfilment of women is at the heart of the experience of sex, and that the lines between sex and sensuality, and between social mores and individual desire are indeed fine and must be understood deeply.