Daedalus Books

Post-Impressionism is a movement in France that represented both an extension of Impressionism and a rejection of that styles inherent limitations. The term Post-Impressionism was coined by the English art critic Roger Fry for the work of such late 19th-century painters as Paul Cezanne, Georges Seurat, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and others. Most of these painters began as Impressionists; each of them abandoned the style, however, to form his own highly personal art. Impressionism was based, in its strictest sense, on the objective recording of nature in terms of the fugitive effects of colour and light.The Post-Impressionists rejected this limited aim in favour of more ambitious expression, admitting their debt, however, to the pure, brilliant colours of Impressionism, its freedom from traditional subject matter, and its technique of defining form with short brushstrokes of broken colour. The work of these painters formed a basis for several contemporary trends and for early 20th-century modernism.

When Paddington starts to make a list of all the nice things he can think of about being a bear and living with the Browns he is sure to include 'the garden'. Paddington feels very lucky to have such a nice garden, especially as he has his own little patch in it, to keep him out of mischief! But when Paddington is around things are rarely simple and he soon finds that gardening is not as easy as he had first thought. He sets out, with a jar of marmalade of course, to look for ideas and ends up in a building site behind the Browns' garden. He is sure that if he climbs up a nearby ladder he will get an excellent view of his own little garden and that will help him with his design. Unfortunately, bears, building sites and marmalade don't really mix. But, as usual, Paddington is able to turn circumstances to his advantage and come out on top after all!

Faberge, Tiffany, Lalique — these great designers came together only once to display their goods in what was probably the most opulent exhibition ever mounted. At the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, the three strove to position themselves ahead of their many competitors in the luxury market, each presenting his jewelry and home adornments as high art. Their success is explored in this splendidly illustrated catalogue, which elucidates the prewar pinnacle of European culture. The array of displayed objects was mesmerizing: Tiffany glass, Easter eggs to dazzle the Czars, realistic insects created in precious materials as sinister decorations. Many of these bore influences of the advanced art of the time, such as Art Nouveau, Viennese modernism, and symbolism, and of styles from around the world. Four essays discuss the works in the context of their times, illuminate the high societies served by the three masters, and trace the cultural trends behind their extraordinary creations. A treasure of accompanying photographs shows the individual exhibits, scenes from the World's Fair, and the glitterati who wore the jewelry.

First came One Red Dot, next Blue 2, 600 Black Spots... now Yellow Square, the fourth installment of David A. Carter's acclaimed color series Modern and elegant paper engineering and text are certain to awe children of all ages Readers will search beatiful, modern pop-ups to discover the hidden yellow square on each spread in this follow up to David A. Carter's New York Times award winning, 600 Black Spots.

In life, it feels like we are literally overrun with paper: receipts, newspapers, magazines, sales reports, fast-food wrappers, report cards, paper towels — the paper trail never ends. In this quirky and imaginative new title, renowned paper engineer James Diaz explores what would happen if ordinary paper magically transformed itself into origami creatures. Imagine newspaper doves and gum-wrapper cranes.

When I was young I could draw like Raphael, but it has taken me my whole life to learn to draw like a child. Now you can learn from the master himself. Step by step, line by line we show you how to recreate some of Picasso's most famous motifs. Through copying and then improvising for yourself, this book will help you to see and appreciate Picasso's drawings and inspire you to try out many more of your own.

First published in 1997, «The Mother-Daughter Book Club» is Shireen Dodson's story of the monthly reading club she started and the group of mothers and their daughters whose relationships were strengthened and changed by it. Her book also offered a practical step-by-step guide with stories, anecdotes, and reading lists, intended to inspire parents to start reading clubs of their own, and promoting the message that reading, learning, and sharing ideas can help nourish a daughter's confidence, spirit, and independence. This is one in a series of boxed sets that contain age-appropriate books for mothers and daughters to share — both time-honored classics and critically acclaimed modern works — along with an abbreviated version of Dodson's book.

The Bin Ladens rose from poverty to privilege as official building contractors of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina; they loyally served generations of kings and princes in the Saudi royal family — until one of their number changed history. Steve Coll is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner, and author of the best-seller GHOST WARS.

The first complete book by Tolkien in three decades, this book, edited by Tolkien's son Christopher, reunites fans of «The Hobbit» and «The Lord of the Rings» with Elves and Men, dragons and Dwarves. This paperback edition includes eight color paintings by Alan Lee and a black-and-white map.

The post-war worlds longest-serving and most storied head of state presents a compelling chronicle of his life. Drawing on more than 100 hours of interviews and including never-before-seen photographs, this work is the definitive record of an extraordinary life lived in turbulent times.

These are the complete wartime correspondence between the leaders of the Allied Forces. Released with the cooperation of the Russian government, these revealing and often starkly frank communiques between Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin add to our understanding of the course of World War II an indispensable horde of information. Through them, the reader is afforded a wonderfully intimate insight into the thinking of the three men who led the Allies to victory.

Murder doesn't get more peculiar than this. A lonely hearts killer is targeting middle-aged women at some of England's most well-known pubs. What's even more peculiar, Arthur Bryant happened to see the latest victim only moments before her death — at a pub torn down eighty years ago! It's only the beginning of a case littered with clues that defy everything the veteran detectives know about the profiles of serial killers and the methodology of crime. What do the Knights Templars, the secret history of English pubs, and the discovery of an astounding religious relic have to do with this recent crime spree? More important, do the Peculiar Crimes Units two living legends have enough life left in them to stop a murderous conspiracy...and a deadly cupid targeting one of their own?

This year's collection promises to deliver the same stellar caliber of mystery stories that readers have come to expect from this series. Contributors include James Lee Burke, Michael Connelly, Joyce Carol Oates, and Alice Munro.

An hilarious and sinister tale of dark secrets and secret forces in suburban England from the critically-acclaimed author of 'Giving Up the Ghost'. Alison Hart is a medium by trade: dead people talk to her, and she talks back. With her flat-eyed, flint-hearted sidekick, Colette, she tours the dormitory towns of London's orbital road, passing on messages from dead ancestors: 'Granny says she likes your new kitchen units.' Alison's ability to communicate with spirits is a torment rather than a gift. Behind her plump, smiling and bland public persona is a desperate woman. She knows that the next life holds terrors that she must conceal from her clients. Her days and nights are haunted by the men she knew in her childhood, the thugs and petty criminals who preyed upon her hopeless, addled mother, Emmie. They infiltrate her house, her body and her soul; the more she tries to be rid of them, the stronger and nastier they become. This tenth novel by Hilary Mantel is a witty and deeply sinister story of dark secrets and forces, set in an England that jumps at its own shadow, a country whose banal self-absorption is shot through by fear of the engulfing dark.

In this delightful excursion through the English language, Crystal combines personal reflections, historical allusions, and a traveler's observations to create a mesmerizing and entertaining narrative account with the language and its speakers.

Israel Armstrong, one of literature's most unlikely detectives, returns for more crime solving adventure in this hilarious third novel from the Mobile Library series. Israel has been invited to attend the Mobile Meet in London, the annual mobile library convention, with his irascible companion Ted Carson. Back in the UK, Israel is reunited with his family, and there is much eating of paprika chicken, baklava and the drinking of good coffee. But within only twenty-four hours of their arrival, the mobile library has been nicked. Who on earth would want to steal a thirty-year old rust-bucket of a van, and who can the two men turn to for assistance? Can Mr and Mrs Krimholz, the parents of Israel's childhood rival Adam Krimholz, help them out? Amidst all this mayhem, will Israel and Ted, one of literature's oddest oddball couples, ever make it to the Mobile Meet? In this, his most puzzling, personal and problematic case yet, Israel has never had it so bad! neither has his library.

In a deserted artist's studio in the heart of Rome, detectives stumble upon a scene of shocking brutality: two bodies, freshly killed. Looming over them is a painting that bears all the hallmarks of a Caravaggio: a brilliantly colored canvas depicting a violent tableau of beauty and depravity... In David Hewson's bold new novel of suspense, this grisly discovery sends Detective Nic Costa on a desperate chase through the streets of his city. The consequences are devastating. And for Nic, the case has only just begun. At the crime scene, detectives find a treasure trove of evidence — from fresh blood to lurid photos of dead prostitutes. For Costa, finding the killer who escaped him is intensely personal. But his prime suspect arrogantly hides in plain sight behind a fortress of money, power, and the law. Teaming with an art expert, Costa follows clues hidden in the mysterious Caravaggio canvas. As he moves through a maze of history, he begins to make stunning connections to the present case. And each discovery brings him closer and closer to a secret buried in a priceless work of art, a conspiracy dating back four hundred years — and men who will stop at nothing to protect their own private garden of evil. From modern forensics to the realm of the Medicis, from the force of faith to the corruption of power, The Garden of Evil is a novel steeped in Roman history — and an unforgettable experience in richly atmospheric, modern-day suspense.

Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin tales are widely acknowledged to be the greatest series of historical novels ever written. Now these evocative stories are being re-issued in paperback by Harper Perennial with stunning new jackets. H.M.S. Surprise follows the variable fortunes of Captain Jack Aubrey's career in Nelson's navy as he attempts to hold his ground against admirals, colleagues and the enemy, accepting a mission to convey a British ambassador to the East Indies. The voyage takes him and his friend Stephen Maturin to the strange sights and smells of the Indian sub-continent, and through the archipelago of spice islands where the French have a near-overwhelming superiority. Rarely has a novel managed to convey more vividly the fragility of a sailing ship in a wild sea. Rarely has a historical novelist combined action and lyricism of style in the way that O' Brian does. His superb sense of place, brilliant characterisation, and a vigour and joy of writing lift O'Brian above any but the most exalted of comparisons.

Thank you for the music... It's 1939 and the war in Europe casts a long, all-encompassing shadow. In a sleepy town in Suffolk, the generous and determined widow, La, forms an amateur orchestra to entertain the locals and soothe her own broken heart. She recruits Felix, a refugee from Poland, to play the flute, and a touching friendship emerges. When the war is over and the orchestra disbands, La is left pondering her next move. What role can she play in her community now the war is over? And can she let herself love again? La's Orchestra is another delightful story celebrating friendship and the healing power of music, told with the warmth and charm we've come to love from one of the nation's favourite storytellers.

The reactionary Adjutant General Khrapov, newly appointed governor-general of Siberia and soon-to-be minister of the interior, is murdered in his official saloon carriage on his way from St. Petersburg to Moscow. The killer, disguised as Fandorin, boards the train at Klin, where it has been delayed by snowdrifts on the line. He leaves a knife bearing the initials «CG» (Combat Group) thrust up to the hilt in his victim's chest and escapes through the window of the carriage. Fandorin is first arrested for the crime, but quickly released when the train pulls into Moscow and the General's staff realise their blunder. The murder threatens the career of Prince Dolgorukoi, Moscow's elderly governor-general, and Fandorin's greatest fan. He asks Fandorin to investigate, even though someone new, Prince Pozharsky, has been sent from St. Petersburg to head the investigation. The head of the CG is a man named Mr. Green, the son of a Jewish pharmacist whose family suffered very badly from the pogroms. He bears a grudge and, together with his fellow revolutionaries, seeks vengeance. He is a man of steele, who has toughened himself so much that he is a worthy, and daunting, adversary. However, this is a battle between good and evil and, Fandorin reminds us that two wrongs never make a right, and he battles against Green in a test of will and good versus evil. The mystery surrounds the mole: who is the leak? And what motivates them? This is what Fandorin must find out, even if it means that he places his own lover, the fiery Esfir, unders suspician. In the end, Fandorin becomes so disillusioned that he walks away from promotion, and to the life of a civilian, at last.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian's eagerly awaited second volume of a landmark new history of the U.S. presents the story of America from a compelling and delightfully fresh new perspective.

Donald Westlake turns the world of crime and criminals upside down and has the last laugh in What's So Funny?, his latest comic caper novel. His perennially depressed master thief, John Dortmunder, finds himself involved an impossible crime, one he doesn't want and doesn't believe in and which he'd rather avoid if possible... but a little blackmail goes a long way. All it takes is a few underhanded moves by a tough ex-cop named Eppick to pull Dortmunder into a game he never wanted to play. With no choice, he musters his always-game gang and they set out on a perilous treasure hunt for a long-lost gold and jewel-studded chess set once intended as a birthday gift for the last Romanov czar. Unfortunately for everyone, then and now, he became the last Romanov czar without making it to his own birthday party. From the moment Dortmunder reaches for his first pawn, he faces insurmountable odds...

Our close bond with Great Britain seems inevitable, given our shared language and heritage. But as distinguished historian Kathleen Burk shows in this groundbreaking history, the close international relationship was forged only recently, preceded by several centuries of hostility and conflict that began soon after the first English colony was established on the newly discovered continent. Burk, a fourth-generation Californian and a professor of history in London, draws on her unrivaled knowledge of both countries to explore the totality of the relationship — the politics, economics, culture, and society — that both connected the two peoples and drove them apart. She tells the story from each side, beginning with the English exploration of the New World and taking us up to the present alliance in Iraq. She reveals the real motivations for settling North America, the factors that led to Britain's losing the colonies, and the reasons why hawks in Congress took the two countries to war again in 1812. Indeed, war between Britain and the United States loomed again later in the nineteenth century, and it took common enemies to bring them together in the twentieth. But the anchor of the alliance was human. Nineteenth-century British writers celebrated American energy while scorning its vulgarity; American writers appreciated the British sense of tradition while criticizing its aristocracy. Yet social reformers on both sides of the ocean worked together to end slavery and achieve female suffrage. Since 1945, the world has watched and wondered at the close bonds of the leaders — Kennedy and Macmillan, Reagan and Thatcher, and Bush and Blair. The first joint history of its kind, Old World, New Worldis a vivid, absorbing, and surprising story of one of the longest international love-hate relationships in modern history.

Have the drive, but need the know how to start and run a business? This book is for you! Named a Top 10 Career Book of 2005 by Joyce Lain Kennedy, syndicated careers columnist. If your pastime and passion has started bringing in money, you may be wondering, Am I in business — and if so, how do I run it?. Feeling nervous? Don't! Thousands of people who knew absolutely nothing about business are now reaping the benefits of their hard work — and experiencing the satisfaction of succeeding on their own. You can, too — and Whoops! I'm in Business will show you how. Let it guide you through the entire business lifecycle. You'll find answers to the unknowns that may be holding you back, such as: Is this the right business for me? Should I quit my day job? What do I really need to know about bookkeeping? Do I need licenses and permits? Where do I get them? Can I borrow money? How? What do I need to know about contracts? What should I know about income taxes? and many more... Whoops! I'm in Business is packed with practical tips, resources and the stories of people who made the transition from business newbie to successful entrepreneur. Don't wonder about what to do with your idea any longer — find answers in this book!