This is the ultimate bible to Paris unknown.

If you want to see Paris like it is in the movies, Nessy will show you the director’s cut. If you seek the unusual and the underground, she’ll take you down the rabbit hole and park you at the mad hatter’s doorstep. If you think you know Paris, let Nessy challenge you.

This book will encourage the wanderer within. It is a true traveler’s companion as much as a beautifully-designed collectible for your bookshelf. You are about to acquire this curious local’s key to the city that will unlock a precious vault of addresses. Within the pages of this beautifully bound hardback, you will find…

20 Secret Restaurants; 70 Time Traveller’s Bars and Cafés; 50 Romantic Hideaways and Unique Date Ideas; 60 Unexpected Cultural Alternatives to major museums; 50 Movie-worthy Walks & Eye-opening Neighbourhood Discoveries; 35 Cabinets of Curiosity and Aladdin’s Caves; 50 Hip Parisian Hangouts; 50 Places to Inspire & Use Your Creativity; 35 Booklover Havens; 60 Local Food Gems; 40 Places Parisian Families actually take their Kids; 65 Urban Retreats; 30 Obscure/ Underground Adventures; 50 Budget-friendly life-savers; Endless good-to-know Paris tips.

In The 500 Hidden Secrets of Madrid, Anna-Carin Nordin presents 500 must-know addresses in the Spanish capital, such as the 5 trendiest but affordable restaurants, 5 shops with the coolest sunglasses, 5 places that are decorated by the new generation of Madrid’s designers, 5 buzzing after-work bars or the 5 most curious street names… Madrid has so much to offer, and this guide helps you to choose where to start discovering this beautiful city. It is the perfect book for those who wish to discover the city, but avoid all the usual tourist haunts, as well as for residents who are keen to track down the city’s best-kept secrets.

The 500 Hidden Secrets of Rome helps you set out to discover the most attractive, fun and unique places in Italy’s capital. Luisa Grigoletto and Christopher Livesay share 500 addresses and facts that many tourists don’t know, sometimes off the beaten track, but always loved by the locals and worth a visit.

This book lists, among other things, the 5 best gelaterías, the 5 most beautiful historic shops, 5 breathtaking palazzi which played an important role in art history and 5 sites where major Italian films were shot. It is the perfect book for those who wish to discover the city, but avoid all the usual tourist haunts, as well as for residents who are keen to track down the city’s best-kept secrets.

The 500 Hidden Secrets of Rotterdam is a guide to the city’s hidden gems. It takes you off the beaten track to discover the city’s turbulent history, its modern architecture, its little-known museums, the best restaurants and the coolest clubs.
True locals Saskia Naafs & Guido van Eijck selected 500 addresses and facts about Rotterdam that few people know and presents them in lists of 5, alongside beautiful photographs. Guido and Saskia’s favorite addresses include a former harbor warehouse turned daily fresh market where you can sample a perfect locally roasted coffee or a homemade cider, a bright-red light-vessel ship where you can attend an intimate concert, or a former subtropical swimming paradise where you can grow your own oyster mushrooms.

“Reading Tableaux was like revisiting old haunts, or places I would have liked to have haunted. It sparked visceral sense memories and made me nostalgic. And the ending …” – Midori

It is 1984, the year of Ronald Reagan’s re-election and the Brighton bomb; one can sense revolution in the air. Oliver Woolf is a thirty-something journalist, well-connected socially, and an instinctual conservative, whose comfortable routine is upset by a chance encounter in the rain. The girl in the rain is Candy, who is not what she first seems. Over the summer, Oliver and Candy form an unlikely friendship, and when she stops calling on him, he sets out to find her. His search leads him through a labyrinthine underworld that extends from London to Manhattan. Along the way, he meets someone who will change his life forever. A late-twentieth century Rake’s Progress, Oliver’s journey confronts issues that are still largely taboo. Illustrated with photographs by Steve Diet Goedde, Tableaux combines art and storytelling in a new hybrid form.

The buildings erected in the Deccan region of India belonged to a number of pre-Mughal kingdoms that reigned in the Deccan from the middle of the 14th century onwards. The monuments testify to a culture where local and imported ideas, vernacular and pan-Islamic traditions fused and re-interpreted, to create a majestic architectural heritage with exceptional buildings on the edge of the Islamic world. Many are still standing – yet outside this region of peninsular India, they remain largely unknown. General publications on Indian Islamic architecture usually devote a single chapter to the Deccan. Even specialist monographs can only cover a portion of the region, due to the sheer number of sites. While it is impossible to encompass the full breadth of the subject in a single volume, this book aims to embrace the visual diversity of the Deccan without sacrificing the rigor of academic study. Structures of historical or architectural significance are placed in their context, as the authors discuss building typologies, civic facilities and ornamental techniques, from plaster and carved stone to glazed tiles and mural painting. A chapter is dedicated to each principal Deccan site, interweaving the rise and fall of these cities with a pictorial journey through their ruins, and each building is accompanied by an overhead plan view.

Of all the world’s great cities, Paris is perhaps the one that marks its visitors and inhabitants the most, both in their discovery of the city, and their memories. With its many monuments, it is also a fabulous theatre where adventure, chance meetings, and the unexpected have fascinated the painters, poets and photographers that we meet in the pages of this book. While its history is ancient, and very long, its present is lively and attractive. This is a history of Paris that invites readers to wander in the city, to discover it. It presents the major events of the city, together with the most charming examples of daily life in its streets, which is always vibrant. It shows its crowds, who are delighted to find all the odours of the world, all the colours of life, and the marvels of everyday that are seen in this city. We also meet those writers who have praised Paris, such as Victor Hugo, Jacques Prevert, Gerard de Nerval and Léon Paul Fargue, and all those who have immortalised the city in their paintings, from the anonymous painters of the Renaissance up to the Impressionists. This is an intelligent history of Paris, but also friendly, entertaining, accessible, to whet your appetite for the city, and to arouse your curiosity. Also Available:
Lebanon: The Phoenician Pearl ISBN:9782867701443 $66.00
Le Sud Marocain ISBN:9782867700569 $66.00

Lotte Reimers’ joining forces with Jakob Wilhelm Hinder and the extensive ceramics exhibition with which he was touring West German cities in 1951 marks the onset of her passion for this craft. Committed to making the public aware of ceramics as art, Hinder and Reimers ended their tour at Deidesheim in 1961. Lotte Reimers’ creative approach to managing the Deidesheim ceramics museum and gallery has received critical and popular acclaim both at home and abroad. Acquired by the state in 1993, the Deidesheim museum collection is now known as the Hinder/Reimers Collection of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate. Lotte Reimers embarked on a career of her own as an art ceramist in 1965. While running the museum and gallery, she has been adding to her impressive oeuvre for nearly forty years.

The pulsating monochrome of Drago’s 36 Chambers series is met with the iconic street photography and graffiti that defines Maï, JonOne and the alleys of New York. Their eclectic tour of the streets takes the reader through some of New York’s most distinctive neighborhoods as seen through the lens of celebrated photographer Maï Lucas. Meanwhile, JonOne’s unique graffiti writing permeates the pages with vibrant red accents. JonOne’s paintings defy the ‘rules’ of graffiti. With a tremendous sense of movement and color, his compositions combine freestyle, hand-painted aesthetics with a sense of repetition akin to textile patterns. His work has often been compared to that of abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock and French artist Jean Dubuffet. By layering precise strokes and vibrant color, he creates a uniquely balanced yet dynamic visual experience.

In this follow-up to Visiting China’s Past, Professor Robert Thorp offers a guided tour of historic Beijing. Beginning with early cities that preceded the modern capital, the author introduces Dadu, established by Khubilai Khan in 1267 and known to Marco Polo as Cambaluc. This guide’s focus, however, is the great architectural monuments of the Ming and Qing dynasties (ca. 1421-1912). Altogether, thirty-two sites are explored in detail: the city’s walls and gates; the imperial city and palaces (the Forbidden City); state altars and imperial tombs; Buddhist and Daoist temples as well as mosques; and residences (both princely mansions and courtyard houses) and gardens. A final chapter summarizes developments of the early twentieth century. Each chapter discusses the history and cultural context of these sites, while entries describe the main structures complemented by numerous plans, photographs, and diagrams. Although both chapters and entries “stand alone,” extensive cross-referencing encourages readers to find related information, and each chapter concludes with suggested titles for further reading. A list of suggested walking tours and an extensive bibliography (both English and Chinese) complete the text. Visiting Historic Beijing is an excellent guide for anyone planning to visit Beijing, and a fascinating introduction to Chinese culture through the architecture and urban planning of one of the world’s most magnificent capitals.

“Although the street art is generally conveyed in a very natural matter, even his dead animal paintings seem at peace.” – Streetartbio.com “Detached from the artist’s identity, his detailed, illustrative animal paintings have brought him back to the world. With local species of animals as his main focus, ROA inevitably starts a dialogue about human interaction with nature and the environment, whether it is painting on the walls of a museum or in an abandoned rural factory.” – Hi Fructose – The New Contemporary Magazine “One of the most influential acts of street art around the world.” – The Huffington Post Fascinated by nature, the anonymous muralist and street artist ROA is inspired by the beauty of its non-human inhabitants. With great attention to detail, ROA draws over-sized black and white creatures of endemic or endangered species on buildings around the world, from Moscow to Mexico City, and from Los Angeles to London. His subjects are frequently survivors; scavengers, rodents, and unusual animals that thrive in their particular milieu.

“All people need to be seen.” – Bruce Davidson. “America is still out there – You just have to look for it.” – Larry Niehues. “I’m proud to say I’m from the USA because I’ve really seen it with my own eyes – all the beauty and the destruction, the tradition and the innovation, the loud cities and the quiet little spaces.” – Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys). Larry Niehues, a French-born photographer who lives in the United States, traveled around the country for 5 years photographing modern day America while seeking out the continuing presence of a timeless post-war ‘old America’. Photographed using 35mm film, his portraits of people and iconic small town life (motels, diners, gas stations, cars), evoke mid-century American life in a way that is both authentic and powerful in the tradition of William Eggleston, Dennis Hopper, Bruce Davidson, and Robert Frank.

For the past twenty years, photographer Mirjam Bleeker and stylist Frank Visser have traveled around the world together many times. They prefer to travel without a fixed plan, so they can be surprised by unexpected adventures and encounters. A few years ago they fell in love with South Africa. This book is an ode to South Africa’s stunning nature and to its people. It’s a report of Mirjam’s and Frank’s road trip along the coasts and through the inland, passing vast nature reserves and bustling cities. Along the way they catch up with old friends and make new ones, forging bonds for life. South Africa: A Road Trip holds beautiful photos of these inspiring people and their homes, as well as breathtaking photos of nature scenes. The book is divided into chapters corresponding with the different regions. A separate practical guide with useful addresses and tips is enclosed with the book.

After the success of Learning from Mumbai (Mapin 2013) the authors of the Learning from India series continue their journey to unravel the lessons that can be learned from practising architecture and urban planning India’s bustling cities. This time, their focus is the country’s capital: New Delhi. Boasting numerous essays and maps, Learning from Delhi lays the groundwork for a series of interviews with architects and planners based in the city. Fresh talent finds a place in this volume, and is showcased alongside the work of established institutions. Abstract theoretical explorations are placed within the local framework through the perspectives of scholars such as Pradip Krishen and Mohammed Shaheer, who are familiar with the city and its buildings. These Indian narratives on Delhi and its developmental life are balanced by the take of foreigners such as Joeri Aulman. A special place in this volume has been reversed for Bas Losekoot’s remarkable photo essays, which bring the city to life in a way never-before seen. Learning from Delhi will be of significance to both students and practitioners of architecture and planning, as well as people interested in Delhi and its built environment. This book is supported by the creative industries fund, NL.

Postcards were to people in 1900 what the Internet was to the world in 2000. The world went from a thousand to a billion postcards in a very short span of time, with the finest painters from India, Austria and Japan getting involved. Paper Jewels is the story of postcards during the Raj, and covers India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Burma. It is the first book on the subject and features hundreds of professionally-restored images in original format, weaving together the postcard artists, photographers, and publishers who define the rich history of the medium. The author’s research also charts the history and progression of the technological aspects of postcard publishing and its key players. The concluding chapters explore the role postcards played in the Independence struggle, from the First Non-Cooperation Movement through the Dandi March and Partition. It includes some of the earliest cards of Mahatma Gandhi, Mohammed Ali Jinnah and other political figures. Many of the images in the book have not been seen since they were first published nearly a century ago. Published in association with The Alkazi Collection of Photography.

The Walking Tour City Guide series provides an engaging bridge between conventional tourist books, which contain less information on architecture, and academic books, which are often too specialized for a leisurely audience. A Walking Tour: Ahmedabad – the first to focus on an Indian city – provides hand-drawn illustrations that escort the reader from building to building, providing information on history, architectural styles, uses and purpose, and the architects themselves. Focusing on the blend of medieval and modern architecture in Ahmedabad, the authors explore the magnificent old city and the historic ‘Pol’ houses. They also shed light on the buildings built by modern masters, such as Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn. From havelis and temples to mosques, markets, and buildings that were only made possible because of the work of Mahatma Gandhi, the authors provide a lively illustrated tour through this city which has seen Mughal, Maratha and British influences in its culture, food and architecture.

Bombay Art Deco Architecture presents a treasury of Art Deco buildings comprising residential, commercial and civic architecture. These monuments were created during the mid ’30s and ’40s, a glamorous and optimistic era that predated the official end of the British Raj. The architects, a small list of first-generation Indian architects and builders, were mostly educated in English schools and trained in western architectural traditionst. Impatient with the British reluctance to shed the Gothic and Indo-Saracenic architectural styles that had dominated Imperial Bombay’s urban landscape, these visionaries were determined to imbue the city with a new modern style. That style shares its provenance with the Art Deco architecture of Miami Beach, termed ‘Tropical Deco’ by author Laura Cerwinske in her seminal 1981 book. Built in the same era, the Art Deco architecture of the two cities exhibits similar scale, geometry, tropical vocabulary, and love of romance.

Delhi: Red Fort to Raisina traces the journey of Shahjahan’s new capital of the Mughal Empire, Shahjahanabad built on the banks of river Yamuna in 1638 to New Delhi the new capital of British-ruled India in 1911. From Red Fort to Jama Masjid and from Jahanara Bagh to Hayat Bakhsh Bagh, every palace, mosque, bazaar, and bagh in the Mughal city was planned to perfection. The new city too, designed in the early twentieth century, was a blend of Mughal architecture and modern aesthetics. This book celebrates the centenary with four essays on different aspects of Delhi’s history by JP Losty, Salman Khurshid, Ratish Nanda, and Malvika Singh. A lively portrait of the city and its culture and people, the book documents the transition of the old-world charm of Shahjahanabad to a modern city with a new seat of power built on the Raisina Hill. Contents: Introduction – JP Losty; Delineating Delhi: Images of the Mughal Capital – JP Losty; Life in Shahjahanabad – Salman Khurshid; Architecture of Shahjahanabad – Ratish Nanda; Map of Shahjahanabad, 1846-47; Making of New Delhi – Malvika Singh; Bibliography; Notes; Index. Pramod Kapoor is a collector of historical records and photographs, and a publisher by profession. The photographs for this book were lovingly collected by him over a long period of time from all over the world. Often, the best photographs were found in old trunks lying forgotten in dusty attics or damp basements of the palaces. A keen photographer, he has also compiled and researched photographs for pioneering books like India: Then and Now, Witness to Life and Freedom: Margaret-Bourke White in India, New Delhi: Making of a Capital, and the most recent Delhi: Red Fort to Raisina.

A premium lifestyle food superstore for people who understand and enjoy the finer nuances and aspects of food, Foodhall presents its first cookbook. Curated by one of the finest food and ingredients stores in India, this book presents 75 recipes from around the world shared by star chefs – from modern European to Asian, contemporary Indian to Mediterranean, and not-to-be-missed dream desserts – as well as the food philosophy of each region. It is a celebration of the never-ending love for food that defines Foodhall’s mission. Contents: Modern European; Asian; Contemporary India; Mediterranean; Desserts; About the Chefs.

Japan is a land of diversity and contradictions with a unique, somewhat mysterious culture. It is a place where you will find ancient temples, shrines and customs cherished and unchanged for over thousand years, as well as cutting edge technology and trendsetting architecture. V

isitors will be amazed by the courteous and warm way travelers are welcomed and the delicacy of Japanese food and art.

Although in Japan the majority of the population lives in vibrant contemporary cities like Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka, historical places like Kamakura, Kyoto and Nikko are always close. The Japanese archipelago consists of thousands of islands that are often densely forested and mountainous. Situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire the highly volcanic activity in the region has shaped over time stunning landscapes with many natural wonders to discover.

Marc Popelier’s frequent visits to Japan and life-long interest in the country and culture have crystallized into the pages of this book. It is a perfect introduction to Japan and will surely tempt anyone to visit this fascinating country.

Another Escape: Designing the Modern Guest House II, features a wide array of guest houses from around the world, highlighting the best of modern hospitality. Its projects offer architecturally interesting designs of predominantly reconstructed and restored buildings, set in beautiful and unique environments. A beautiful location is a vital criterion for a successful guest house. Humans are hardwired to enjoy two types of scenery: the lush and the novel. As cities become the default way of living for large swathes of humanity, we are beginning to place greater value on lush natural beauty. We all feel good in picturesque natural environments, be that walking in a sun-dappled forest, marveling at snow-capped mountains, or watching waves breaking on pristine beaches. But the novel, the new, also moves us. In this richly photographed book you will find beautiful examples of guest houses that make the most of both the lush and the novel. From houses in Greece that are designed to frame spectacular views of the sea to the loft-style spaces in the heart of wooden alpine area in the ancient heart of Slovenia, the guest houses in this book feature striking architecture, tactile materials, and new typologies in luxuriant settings. Designer solutions extend beyond simple architectural models. This book provides in-depth narratives on refining interiors, such as best spatial layouts, colour palette ideas, unique lighting applications, soft furnishing options, and other design aspects. Each case study draws out detailed references on how to merge practicality with the motifs of nature and art for the perfect design combination: one that offers the user convenience, comfort, and a unique experience.

Public markets are the world’s oldest retail trading format. The recent resurgence of public markets is unlocking a new era of market cities, which have sparked urban revitalization and fostered community diversity. This new book will look at the latest developments in market design across the globe, bringing readers up to date with the latest developments and demonstrating ideas, projects, and visions that will offer not only information, but inspiration too.