Hardly another name is better known in Norwegian art history than that of Hans Gude. He is usually referred to together with Adolph Tidemand, as the two artists are inextricably linked through their famous collaborative project Bridal Procession on the Hardangerfjord, painted in Düsseldorf in 1848, which has become a national icon.

This book presents Hans Gude’s maritime pictures and coastal landscapes, while also highlighting his important role as an inspiring teacher of Norwegian artists such as Eilif Peterssen, Kitty Kielland, Frits Thaulow, Christian Krohg and many others as a professor at the art academy in Karlsruhe.

Text in English and Norwegian.

“Splash hits! From a Beverly Hills hotel to a South American pool so big you can SAIL on it, 12 of the most jaw-dropping swimming pools in the world.” — Daily Mail

This book about the world’s best swimming pools is a visual exploration that showcases 200 of the most remarkable and innovative pools from around the globe. From rooftop pools situated on skyscrapers or upscale hotels, offering breathtaking views of the city skyline while providing a luxurious and serene environment, to natural pools that harmonize with their natural surroundings, including those formed by rock formations, spring-fed pools, or pools nestled in forested areas. Discover pools that are architectural feats, incorporating innovative shapes, materials, and design elements that push the boundaries of traditional pool design. Through captivating photographs and informative text, the book highlights the architectural brilliance, design concepts, and unique features of these pools. It offers readers an opportunity to appreciate the aesthetic beauty, functional aspects, and cultural significance of these aquatic spaces, while also serving as a source of inspiration for travel, design, and leisure. The book serves as a travel guide tailored specifically to those seeking remarkable pool experiences.

In the middle of Tivoli Gardens, beneath a canopy of lanterns and reflections from the lake, stands one of Copenhagen’s most iconic buildings — The Japanese Pagoda. Once a symbol of amusement and light, it has in recent years become a beacon of culinary excellence. Over the past five years, twenty-five Michelin-starred restaurants and chefs from all over the world have brought their artistry to The Pagoda — each for a shorter period, each re-imagining the space through their own vision of fine dining.

The Pagoda tells this story through text, photography, recipes, and behind-the-scenes insights, capturing how chefs transform architecture and atmosphere into edible experience. Alongside menu creation, craftsmanship, and the history of Tivoli’s gastronomy, the book unfolds a dialogue between past and present — between playful nostalgia and modern precision. A tribute to creativity, collaboration, and culinary ambition, The Pagoda celebrates the meeting of taste and tradition in the most magical corner of Copenhagen.

New York City has 700,000 street trees. These trees are asked to work harder than others, doing more with less. They provide shade, absorb stormwater, create microclimates, and dampen loud urban sounds. Like still lifes, they symbolize larger ideas and profound histories. The New York City Street Tree Tarot deck can be used like any other tarot deck. However, users are encouraged to interpret the cards in their own way as they read the accompanying texts and guide words. This allows them to develop new patterns and ways of interacting with the iconography.

What you eat before intimacy matters more than you think! The wrong foods can leave you bloated, sluggish, or self-conscious—but the right ones will make you feel light, energized, and irresistible. This book is packed with delicious, easy-to-make recipes designed to enhance your mood, boost circulation, and keep you feeling fresh. Say goodbye to heavy meals that slow you down and hello to dishes that keep you ready for romance. Dig in, stay light, and let the real fun begin.

In Let the Kids Play, Drago’s 36 Chambers series exalts the beauty and exuberance of youth as embodied by the renowned street artist, Pax Poloscia. The book is a reaction to the cynicism and monotony of the adult world and a celebration of youthful creativity.

This book focuses on six Ming and Qing dynasty garden masterpieces—Qiuxia Garden, Guyi Garden, Yu Garden, Zuibaichi Garden, Qushui Garden, and Kezhi Garden—presenting the wisdom of Jiangnan garden design, where “though man-made, it appears heaven-sent,” through 202 exquisite images and professional analyses. Approaching from a cultural heritage perspective, it details the distinctive features and legacy of each garden’s core heritage structures, uncovering the cultural codes embedded in pavilions, terraces, towers, rockeries, and ponds. Special attention is given to precious cultural relics such as stone inscriptions, plaques, and couplets found in these classical gardens. Combined with an exploration of construction techniques, the book reveals the Jiangnan literati spirit and everyday urban memories embodied within these garden spaces.

Text in English and Mandarin.

This stunning 2-volume set introduces the Geneva-based Fondation Gandur’s collection of classical antiquities gathered over the past 40 years by founder Jean Claude Gandur. These two volumes are complementary: The first volume investigates the subject of ancient religion by observing images of idols, goddesses, gods, and devotees, and through them related rituals and religious practices; while the second focuses on especially exquisite objects, luxurious trifles known since ancient times as deliciæ. These two volumes interact with each other, forming a whole that offers a sparkling view of Greek-Roman antiquity, from Italy to the Roman Orient of the Later Empire, through archaic Cyprus, classical Greece, and Hellenistic Egypt.

From rockers to ravers, The Illustrated Book of Songs is the book every music lover will want. In quick-witted style, Irish writer Colm Boyd navigates us through lists of classic songs for every occasion. Prepare yourself for fascinating facts, cool illustrations and withering commentary on songs presented in lists such as:

       Songs about Getting Dumped
       Songs about Prostitution
       Songs about Environmental Matters
       Songs about Being a Complete and Utter Asshole
       Songs about Gender Identity
       Alternative Christmas Songs
 
The Illustrated Book of Songs
features 70 lists, discussing hundreds of songs from different genres and artists – from Adele to Aretha, Jagger to Jarvis, Rufus to Rosalía. Many of the songs are well-known, others are a little more off-radar. Some have amazing musicality, some have lyrics – quite literally – worthy of a Nobel Prize. Some deal with death, others deal with zebras, one song deals with prostitute-frequenting chess players in Bangkok. You get the idea.

Each of the book’s lists is accompanied by a scannable Spotify code, allowing readers to use their smartphones to directly access the songs mentioned. So, time to get reading and get listening.

Check out the book’s website for more information: colmboyd.com/the-illustrated-book-of-songs.

This outstanding jewelry collection of the Cologne Museum of Applied Arts (MAKK) will be showcased for the first time in a dedicated exhibition. Featuring cross-epochal and cross-cultural themes, the exhibition successfully presents diverse approaches to the art of jewelry-making. The photographs of around 370 objects and the accompanying descriptions demonstrate just how multifaceted jewelry design is. The social, societal, emotional, and symbolic aspects of jewelry are also evaluated and discussed in an essay by Beatriz Chadour-Sampson. The MAKK’s jewelry collection of around 1600 works spans a period of 7000 years: from ancient oriental gems from the 5th millennium BC to contemporary jewelry. This is what makes this collection so unique and diverse.

Text in English and German.

“…a delectable tour of 46 clubs that span 300 years of architecture and design.” — Airmail

“… a lavishly illustrated and wittily written study of one of the capital’s most distinctive – and most secretive – institutions.” — House & Garden UK

“Jones treats them not really as clubs, but as examples of interior decoration, which he writes about interestingly and with an observant eye.” — Charles Saumarez Smith

“From the concealed bookcase door in the library of The Travellers Club in St James’s to the taxidermy fish and walls lined with rods in Mayfair’s Flyfishers’ Club, it serves as an unofficial guide to the city’s strangest and most elegant private dining and drinking venues.”— FT

“…wonderful book on the architecture and interiors of London’s private members’ spaces.”— The Rake

London has more members’ clubs than any other city. There are clubs for everyone: from actors, plutocrats, aristocrats and bishops to sailors, soldiers, fishermen and spies, as well as journalists, jockeys, architects and æsthetes.
Andrew Jones opens the door to 46 of the most beautiful, interesting and unusual of these clubs, presenting 300 years of architecture and design. The London Club features the oldest clubs in London as well as the most recent, with perfectly preserved interiors, original furniture and extraordinary
collections. From bohemian to bling, shabby to chic, classical and brutal, this is a celebration of variety and beauty, with newly commissioned photographs by Laura Hodgson.
“From the grandest to the simplest taking in the quirkiest en route, this book is an irresistible journey through London’s clubland.” – From the Foreword by Nina Campbell OBE

‘Festive and cosy Christmas living room decor ideas.’ — The Spruce

“There is no need to buy expensive ornaments or visit exclusive florists… Her guide focuses on using pinecones, dried branches, dried flowers and fewer, but quality, Christmas decorations — in a wonderful mix of old and new, inherited, eclectic, bought and homemade.” — HGTV

“Inspirational and poetic, this Nordic collection is sure to spark your imagination… “ — Aspire

The Christmas Season is an essential guide to Scandinavian-style Christmas perfection.

Taking the core tenets of Scandinavian design and applying them to the festive season, this book reimagines the midwinter holiday as a time for tasteful restraint and creature comforts.

Blending minimalism, clean lines and functionality with ‘hygge’, a uniquely Danish concept of cosiness, Scandi interiors are some of the most sought-after and recognizable in the world. This inspirational and poetic collection of Nordic designs is sure to spark your imagination. Combining traditional Scandinavian Christmas customs with clever DIY ideas and recipes for the whole family to enjoy, this book invites you to redesign Christmas within your own home.

Tomas De Bruyne is one of today’s leading floral event designers, known for architectural and conceptual floral spaces. An internationally celebrated artist, he creates breathtaking large-scale installations for events ranging from royal weddings to corporate celebrations. At a certain point in a designer’s journey, flowers become more than decoration – they become a language. Every petal, line, and colour turns into an intentional choice. This book is inspired by that transformation. As a floral scenographer, De Bruyne has spent decades shaping atmospheres across the world, discovering that beauty is a living structure defined by rhythm, hierarchy, and intelligence. When these align, design becomes an unforgettable experience. In this book, he shares not formulas, but a way of thinking. It goes beyond flowers, offering insight for designers who shape how people feel – event planners, floral designers, hoteliers, architects, and scenographers – inviting them to see design through the eyes of a floral architect.

Text in English and Dutch

Tomas De Bruyne is one of today’s leading floral event designers, known for architectural and conceptual floral spaces. An internationally celebrated artist, he creates breathtaking large-scale installations for events ranging from royal weddings to corporate celebrations. At a certain point in a designer’s journey, flowers become more than decoration – they become a language. Every petal, line, and color turns into an intentional choice. This book is inspired by that transformation. As a floral scenographer, De Bruyne has spent decades shaping atmospheres across the world, discovering that beauty is a living structure defined by rhythm, hierarchy, and intelligence. When these align, design becomes an unforgettable experience. In this book, he shares not formulas, but a way of thinking. It goes beyond flowers, offering insight for designers who shape how people feel – event planners, floral designers, hoteliers, architects, and scenographers – inviting them to see design through the eyes of a floral architect.

Text in English and Dutch

This is a book about the future. Not the bleak, dystopian kind that so many seem convinced we’re heading toward, but one that is built on hope, possibility, and progress.

Humanity faces complex global challenges, from technological and geopolitical shocks to social and ecological disruptions. Fear, hesitation, and avoidance won’t help us overcome them. Slowing down is not the answer. We must move faster, think bigger, and fully leverage technology to build a future worth striving for. We need active hope and bold leaders who can turn adversity into opportunity.

The Uncertainty Principle focuses on the key levers of transformation to help leaders rethink and reshape their companies: strategy, foresight, organizational design, culture, innovation, risk appetite, and the evolving nature of work. Above all, it serves as a guide for those who see cracks in the system not as warnings, but as windows—those daring enough to believe they can change the world, because they are the ones who will.

“As we zoom up the exponential curve of tech enabled change we all need an optimistic and inspiring guide. Peter Hinssen is that guide. In this new book Peter describes a “Never Normal” world helping us navigate “between the forces of pessimism and possibility”. — Dr Peter Weill, Chairman MIT Center for Information Systems Research (CISR)

“In an age when warnings dominate the conversation, The Uncertainty Principle stands out as a refreshingly optimistic guide. It demonstrates how business leaders can turn disruption into opportunity—not just for their own organizations, but for the world at large”. — Costas Markides, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School

“Uncertainty isn’t a threat—it’s the raw material for tomorrow’s opportunities. This book helps leaders imagine the impossible and install hope to change the future. A must-read!” — David De Cremer, Dean of D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University

Caravaggio’s astonishingly naturalistic and provocative Cupid Victorious hung in the palace of a famous family at the heart of seventeenth-century Rome. Helen Langdon explores how the artist, famed for his originality, created a balance between a suggestion of his own world – a world of lively and rowdy street life – and a complex and ambiguous response to both ancient and Renaissance art and literature. Langdon also looks at the challenge the painting threw out to contemporary painters, whose world was characterized by extreme and bitter rivalries; often they reject his irony, sometimes embellish the painting’s sexuality, and at other times convey an opposing sense of the harmony of the arts.

The wreath is Japanese floral artist Manabu Hashiguchi’s preferred floral shape. Its symbolism is universal. With no beginning or end, the wreath represents eternity and the endless processes in nature. Hashiguchi’s designs are so graceful that they look as if there has been no artist’s hand involved, and nature created the shapes by accident. Even the humblest of materials get the chance to shine and tell their story. Discover this intriguing collection of seasonal wreaths, which balance on the thin line between classical floristry and land art. Text in English and Japanese.

Wines from Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape have made the Rhône Valley world famous. This may be a classic wine region, but as Matt Walls reveals in Wines of the Rhône that doesn’t mean it is set in its ways. Change here is not only driven by innovations in winemaking and fashions in wine, it is also an essential response to a rapidly shifting climate, which has seen temperatures rise significantly over the last 40 years and extreme weather events become more commonplace. Walls provides a rounded picture of this large and complex region, which varies greatly along the 200-kilometer stretch of river, from Vienne in the north to Provence in the south. Beginning with a vivid journey through the terrain, he explores one of the region’s constants, its varied geology, before moving on to the pressing issue of climate. A short tour through the Rhône’s winemaking history, from early Greek settlers to the modern industry, is followed by vignettes of all the AOC-permitted grapes and an explanation of the five levels of the region’s appellation system. Walls encourages readers to venture beyond the famous crus, making it easy for those eager to explore by detailing the terroir of every appellation and describing and assessing typical wines. Profiles of 200 key producers complete the picture. Boxes throughout the text provide interesting asides on current issues as well as key appellation facts, while an appendix on ageing wines offers a guide to the last 40 vintages. This comprehensive examination of a renowned region is an ideal introduction for those new to the Rhône, while providing fresh insights for long-time admirers of the wines.

This small, beautiful book showcases the best and most arresting modern photography of the dog. Bringing together bold projects by established and emerging photographers from around the world, the book moves beyond sentimentality to present images that are intimate, cinematic and quietly powerful. Playful, poignant and sometimes unexpected, these photographs reveal the many ways dogs exist alongside us — as companions, characters, confidants and constants. This is a fresh, modern portrait of our closest of animal friends.

Now you can eat your cake and have your veggies too. Cakes designed for training, social events and special diets in mind, used and baked by athletes and families too. Featuring: The Endurance Pie, The Podium Pie, The Race Cakes and the Climber’s Cake. Learn how to bake cakes that are Gluten-free, without added sugars, and dairy free. Learn how to turn plain vegetables into delicious cakes by using carrots, sweet potato, potatoes, beet and even celeriac – yep your kids will love it.

The Cake Cookbook teaches you how to bake delicious cakes with vegetables, designed for endurance training and fine tuned so the whole family will eat and ask for more. Learn how to bake easy vegan cakes. All cakes can be baked for training sessions in portion sizes or for parties with elaborate spreads on top.

Digital opportunities and threats emerge faster than organizations can fully absorb them. AI accelerates change even further, reshaping decisions and work across the organization. In this environment, leadership enables digital progress that is continuous, coherent, and shared. Grounded in leadership-as-practice thinking and extensive real-world research, The Digital Leadership Practice Test offers a practical way to make sense of this challenge. It explains why organizational agility has become the defining measure of progress and how digital-agile practices take shape in everyday work. Leadership is treated not as something individuals possess, but as work that people accomplish together. At the heart of the book is the 4V digital transformation leadership framework. It brings clarity by distinguishing four recurring contexts in which leadership work takes shape: Vigilant, Voyager, Visionary, and Vested. Each context calls for specific jobs to be done and distinct forms of collective energy to help digital-agile practices take root. Rather than offering prescriptions or best practices, the book provides a shared language and a disciplined way of working with leadership in practice. Through cases, reflective prompts, and exercises, readers learn to examine concrete situations in their own organization and reflect together on how digital transformation work unfolds in practice.

An impressively tattooed but unnamed Easter Island (Rapa Nui) man appears often in the pages of Pacific Island histories and museum catalogs. The Swedish ethnographer Dr. Knut Hjalmar Stolpe knew him only as Tepano, the Tahitian version of the Christian name Stephen. But what was his real Rapanui identity, and what can his life story tell us about the history of Easter Island?

This book reveals his identity, who illustrated him, and how he transcended the tragic events of 19th-century Rapa Nui to become one of the most iconic faces of the Polynesian past. The authors summarize the history of tattoo as practiced by Rapanui artisans, link that history to island geography, and present rare barkcloth sculptures as a visual record of tattoo patterns.

This title is the first in a new series on Polynesian Arts & Culture by Mana Press, in partnership with Floating World Editions.

For a list of future titles, visit: www.FloatingWorldEditions.com. For more on Rapa Nui, the Mana Gallery and Mana Books, visit: www.eisp.org.

Since the early seventeenth century, Taoism – the native religion of China – has been generally regarded by authorities there as base superstition and potentially subversive. The Taoist poetry of medieval China was consequently ignored by Chinese arbiters of taste and, until recently, most Western scholars and translators have accepted this judgment uncritically; a body of beautiful verse, with analogs in the poetry of Christian mysticism, has remained virtually unknown in our time. This book augments the efforts of a few contemporary Western scholars to recover the meaning and value of this literary heritage. The eminent sinologist Edward H. Shafer translated all the surviving verse of the ninth-century poet Ts’ao T’ang, and to the selections published here has added introductory remarks on the source of the poet’s imagery and short essays on his treatment of figures of the Taoist pantheon. Ts’ao T’ang has placed these deities in celestial gardens, sparkling palaces on the summits of sacred mountains, and secret places of rendezvous on magic islands in the eastern sea. The poet creates a world of illusions, in which it is difficult to distinguish vestments from rainbows, castles from crags, birds from spirits, sea-waves from sea-mounts – even lords from ladies. These contrived wonders are all metaphors for a world completely inaccessible to our mortal senses.