A&C Black

This title features brand-new stories from a host of best-loved authors — Michael Broad, Julia Green, Holly Webb, Caroline Pitcher, Malachy Doyle, Karen Wallace, Penny Dolan and Elizabeth Baguley. It includes illustrations by Alison Edgson.

The story of a tiny settlement that grew up on a muddy river bank 2000 years ago to become one of the world's greatest capital cities. Fully revised and updated for 2011, The Story of London features the famous people and dramatic events — battles, plagues, fires and bombings — that have shaped the city, as well as the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games. Also included are introductions to the most important social and cultural institutions that influence Londoners’ lives. Facts, fun quizzes and cartoons are presented in such a way as to bring famous events to life and cut-away drawings reveal London's greatest and best-known buildings, such as the Tower of London, Houses of Parliament and St Paul's Cathedral.

A beautifully illustrated hardback picture book about one of the most exciting cities in the world! Aimed at families with young children each feature or building is introduced on a right-hand page in a clue style format – close up or not immediately obvious what it is. The reader then turns the page to discover the whole scene with the feature in it and to read the explanatory text. The final page in the sequence of four shows other features from the scene in vignette accompanied by background information about each one.

The Chronology of Fashion traces the history of fashion from the late 18th century up to the present. Following a strict chronology, it pinpoints the times when a distinctive style of suit or dress, hat or handbag, cut or style of hair or fabric, or indeed an entire look attained its peak of popularity and influence. Highly illustrated with full figure images, silhouettes and swatches of materials, the book also looks at key designers, how fashion has played a crucial role in art and film, and the trends that identified and defined various periods. This book should be a must for anyone interested in fashion and its development.

Lady Gaga Style Bible is a vibrant photographic fantasy storybook: it is part fashion show pictorial, part retrospective homage-a complete guide to Monster Fashion, categorised from A to Z. Style subjects include 'Attention to Detail', 'The Retro Nod', 'Hair and Hats', and 'Meat and Greet', an expansive look at her eye-popping Franc Fernandez designer creation made from raw beef and worn at the 2010 VMA awards. Stunning photographs superbly document her unrivaled artistic craft-a perfect modern amalgamation of glam rock inspirations like David Bowie and Freddie Mercury and fashion influences Donatella Versace and Alexander McQueen. The images in this collection vividly capture Lady Gaga's complex persona: undoubtedly riveting, provocative, and disturbing, they show a beauty that comes from power and total confidence that draws the audience in and an ugliness and hardness that perplexes and fends off foes. Taken together they also provide a running commentary on the intersection of culture, sexuality, music, technology and performance art. Lady Gaga Style Bible is an exceptional publication timed perfectly to capture a star at the ascendancy of her career at the forefront of an artistic revolution.

The North Atlantic, 1726 Captain Fly is the greatest pirate to sail the seven seas — or so he says. But his captives Jed and Arthur think he's a bad-tempered bully. Now Captain Fly has ordered his prisoners to work for him as pirates, or he'll kill them! It's time to stop the cruel captain for good... A fantastic story blending pirate legend with historical fact and Terry Deary's vividly imagined characters!

This breathtakingly detailed book presents dress patterns, construction details, embroidery and making instructions for fifteen garments and accessories from a seventeenth-century woman's wardrobe. Full step-by-step drawings of the construction sequence are given for each garment alongside photographs of the objects and the groundbreaking use of x-ray photography revealing the hidden elements of the clothes, the precise number of layers and the stitches used inside.

The textiles and dress of Gujarat in northwestern India are acclaimed for their design and craftsmanship. The sophisticated weaves, dyeing techniques, intricate embroideries, vibrant motifs and embellished dress, and the communities to which many of these are unique, have all been the subjects of extensive documentation. Textiles and dress play a central role in the construction of a visual identity of Gujarat and its people. This book examines the 'social life' of Gujarat's textiles, tracing the historical journey of cloth and dress up to the present day. It looks closely at dyed and painted textiles, and embroidery, and locates their place in culture, trade and commerce, and the role of entrepreneurship in the survival of these handmade textiles.

Dresser was also a pioneer in his vision of industry as a means to spread the tenets of good design. Working with over fifty manufacturers, he produced an astonishing range of reasonably priced, widely available consumer goods, while his belief in the supremacy of form over ornament resulted in designs that were truly radical in relation to contemporary Victorian taste. Seven leading specialists in the field explore the impact of Christopher Dresser's work in the context of that of his contemporaries such as Pugin, Owen Jones and Godwin. Over 300 illustrations illuminate the vast scope of his output, from Gothic-Revival castiron to the experimental and highly innovative shapes and glazes of Linthorpe ceramics and his astonishingly modern metalwork. This ground-breaking book reassesses not only individual designs (many of them previously unattributed) but also his varied sources of inspiration, including the strong Japanese influence in his later work, and the profound impact his work has had on future generations.

Over the past 40 years, Japanese designers have led the way in aligning fashion with art, ideology and integrity, as well as addressing identity and social politics through dress. They have demonstrated that both creative and commercial enterprise is possible in today's international fashion industry, and have refused to compromise their ideals, remaining autonomous and independent in their design, business affairs and distribution methods. The inspirational Miyake, Yamamoto and Kawakubo have gained worldwide respect and admiration and have influenced a generation of designers and artists alike.Based on twelve years of research, this book provides a richly detailed and uniquely comprehensive view of the work of these three key designers.

This beautiful book, with almost 200 striking images, shows London as represented by Edward Bawden (1903-1989) in prints, posters, drawings, paintings, murals and advertising material produced during his long career. The wide range of illustrations includes early work executed whilst a student in the early 1920s; the Morley College murals carried out in partnership with Eric Ravilious; advertising work for London Transport, Fortnum & Mason, Twinings Teas, Shell, Westminster Bank; the mural for the Lion & Unicorn Pavilion at the 1951 Festival of Britain; and a varied selection of his finest series of linocuts — including London Monuments and London Markets.

Yohji Yamamoto is one of fashion’s continual innovators and this stunning book is a fascinating insight into his working approach and relationships with other creative practitioners. It places Yamamoto’s work in context and includes an insightful interview with Yamamoto, as well as a round table discussion with some of his key collaborators, including Nick Knight, Peter Saville and Marc Ascoli. Photographer Max Vadukul, who has been working with Yohji Yamamoto for over 25 years, is interviewed by Terry Jones and long time collaborator Masao Nihei contributes an essay on some of the wider influences on Yohji Yamamoto’s designs and their presentation. Beautifully illustrated using amazing photographs selected from the Yohji Yamamoto archive, from the likes of Nick Knight and Paolo Roversi, this is an invaluable resource for anyone with an interest in fashion and design.

A new book in the V&A Pattern series, revealing the V&A's spectacular and extensive pattern collections. Available separately — as well as in a collectors' slipcase edition — this season's titles are Chinese Textiles, Spitalfields Silks, Pop Patterns and Walter Crane. Walter Crane was a key designer of the Aesthetic movement, incorporating swans, bulrushes, fairy tales, English patriotism, and more into his diverse patterns.

Aimed at teens who want to know more about the day-to-day workings of the U.S. government, this unique blend of humor and information is a cross between a textbook and a satire. A crash course for understanding critical events in America and the world, it touches upon a variety of topics-historical and current-and explains how they unfolded and why they are important in the political and governmental arenas. Funny and intelligent writing, very reminiscent of the Daily Show, provides insight into the American electoral system, the world economy, the role religion plays in world conflicts, and America's place in world. The final chapter provides information about how to get involved. Authors will have a Web site dedicated to the book where information can be updated, teens can read more and find out ways to get involved, can join online discussions, and speak their minds about the issues.

Each title in the Pattern-drafting for Fashion series is a practical guide to advanced pattern-making for fashion students and serious home dressmakers. Every garment must follow precise rules of carefully structured design, to which even the most experienced couturiers must adhere. Pattern-drafting for Fashion provides all the necessary instructions to enable you to make your own clothing, while at the same time understanding the detailed construction of every type of garment. Pattern-drafting for Fashion: Advanced is the second title in this essential series, and marks another stage in the apprenticeship of the professional or amateur. Dealing with the development of alterations and modifications, this book is a must for those who want to make one-of-a-kind adaptations for their wardrobe or extend their understanding of dressmaking and garment construction.

Draping is an art without rules as such, but to master it, you must understand the relationship of fabric to the body. It allows for freedom of garment design, and the opportunity to create customised clothing. Understanding grainlines and the effect they have, on not only the drape of the fabric and seams when being stitched, but also the stretch and therefore fit of a garment, is essential. Then you need to understand the complicated task of how to transfer your draping into pattern form. Once removed from the stand, you will need to know how to put the garment back together, and how to make adjustments to the pattern that won't alter your idea, but will work when you actually stitch it up. This book contains key chapters on understanding fabrics, grainlines and bias cutting, translating designs into patterns, making adjustments, constructing the lining, and finishing with zips, buttons, buttonholes etc. Draping is about problem solving and how to solve all of the problems is usually brings up!

Photographer, costume designer, avid diarist — Cecil Beaton was also a 'romantic royalist' whose glittering photographs of Queen Elizabeth II became among the most widely published portraits of the twentieth century. This fascinating book explores Beaton's long relationship with the Queen and the royal family, and describes how his royal portraits shaped the monarchy's public image from the 1930s to the late 1960s. It is a celebration of Beaton, the enduring flair of his portraits, and the myriad sources of inspiration that resulted in photographs so powerful that they moulded the world's perception of a princess, monarch and mother.

A new book in the V&A Pattern series, revealing the V&A's spectacular and extensive pattern collections. Available separately — as well as in a collectors' slipcase edition — this season's titles are Chinese Textiles, Spitalfields Silks, Pop Patterns and Walter Crane. Spitalfields Silks displays delightful floral designs alongside quirky, strikingly modern silks, all produced in eighteenth-century London.

A new book in the V&A Pattern series, revealing the V&A's spectacular and extensive pattern collections. Available separately — as well as in a collectors' slipcase edition — this season's titles are Chinese Textiles, Spitalfields Silks, Pop Patterns and Walter Crane. Pop Patterns showcases Warhol's influence on commercial design in the 1970s, when soup cans, lipsticks, and even men's haircuts graced dress fabrics and wallpapers.

Recounted by one of the knights of the round-table, find out all about the brave battles of the greatest knight of all time, King Arthur! This book includes lots of general information about what it really means to serve as a knight. White Wolves Non-fiction is a guided reading scheme which takes a high-interest approach to core geography, history and science topics. It has been created to appeal to children and reflect the range of texts in the real world, from guidebooks to cookbooks. Covering a wide range of topics at different reading levels, these books are ideal for classroom and topic libraries, and for teaching non-fiction literacy skills in a curriculum context.

If you're going to make it as a knight, you need to know as much about etiquette and wage collecting as you do about how to survive a grisly tournament. This book of tips and helpful advice shows you how. White Wolves Non-fiction is a guided reading scheme which takes a high-interest approach to core geography, history and science topics. It has been created to appeal to children and reflect the range of texts in the real world, from guidebooks to cookbooks. Covering a wide range of topics at different reading levels, these books are ideal for classroom and topic libraries, and for teaching non-fiction literacy skills in a curriculum context.

Main topics covered include: Accounting, Acquisitions, E-Commerce, Economics, Finance, Fraud, General Management, HR, Insurance, International Trade, Legal, Marketing, Mergers, Operations, Pensions, Personnel, Production, Real Estate, Risk, Statistics, Stockholding, Taxation and Treasury Management.

This dictionary provides comprehensive coverage of the terms used in banking and finance, ranging from personal bank accounts to international money markets. It is aimed at professionals working in or involved with banking and finance, and for students, whether studying A-Levels, degree or professional qualifications in banking and finance.

Curl up to sleep with these charming mini books of bedtime rhymes.