Frederick Daniel, George, Heywood, James and their descendants are the celebrated Hardy family of artists, some of the leading genre painters of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Heywood Hardy was one of the best Victorian animal painters and instrumental in advancing a more realistic portrayal of animals, leaving behind the romanticised representations of Landseer. His elder brother James was amongst the most accomplished sporting artists of the day, while their cousins Frederick Daniel and George painted some of the most sympathetic pictures of county towns and villages. Here is putting at Blackheath, a splendid music room at Brighton Pavilion, a Scottish country scene of a young gillie with his setter dogs and dead game, stunning portraits of Grand National-winning horses, foxhounds and hunting dogs and hunting scenes, riding on sand dunes in Morecambe as young girls and women enjoy holiday time in 1908, the sale of Cavalry horses in 1884, two Victorian ladies being scared by a bull over the fence, a lion cub, corn stooks by Bray Church, a mother and child posting a letter, a baby's birthday and other family scenes like taking in orphans, a firstborn and trying on spectacles. James Hardy Sr was a miniature portrait painter; his granddaughter Mable Emily Lee-Hankey maintained the tradition and painted a famous series of miniatures of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, held in the Royal Collection. The author discusses the life and work of each artist and the influences of each other's paintings, the context of artistic and social developments and draws on contemporary sources to expertly illustrate how critics and collectors viewed the work of the Hardy family. Many are reproduced here in colour for the very first time in this beautifully made 224 page large art gallery, 9½" x 12". Colour.

Like a young James Bond (and Anthony Horowitz has now been commissioned to write the next Bond movie), here are the classic ALEX RIDER novels for ages nine to excitable adults in this popular series which has converted a lot of reluctant readers. The set comprises books one to ten: Stormbreaker, Point Blanc, Skeleton Key, Eagle Strike, Scorpia, Ark Angel, Snakehead, Crocodile Tears, Scorpia Rising and Russian Roulette. Action, adrenalin and adventure, this series of spy novels written by the British author revolve around a teenage spy named Alex Rider. Horowitz has indicated he hopes to start on the 14th in the series soon, and the first, Stormbreaker, was released in 2000 and adapted into a film in 2006 starring Alex Pettyfer. Alex is recruited by MI6 after discovering the truth about his uncle's life and death and sent to complete his uncle's latest mission to investigate a Lebanese multimillionaire named Herod Sayle and his creation - the revolutionary and newly-developed computer named Stormbreaker which contains a lethal variation of smallpox and they Sayle plans to ruthlessly kill thousands of school children around the world with it. Alex foils the plan and succeeds on his first mission. The series continues with a school for rebellious billionaires, a plot to fix the 2001 Wimbledon Tennis Tournament, the hijacking of the US nuclear arsenal, assassinations and more. Ten paperbacks in a slipcase, ideal for all adventurous children. 20.5 x 13 x 23cm it fits neatly on a bookshelf and has ALEX RIDER printed across the book spines of the set.

First published in 1927, this stylish and absorbing biography was one of the first examples of popular narrative history writing, and it is a classic of its time. This edition has a new introduction by bestselling historian Dan Jones. Saviour, antichrist, warrior, scholar, tyrant, emperor. Dubbed the 'stupor mundi', the wonder of the world, Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, led a life of extraordinary drama and ambition. Born in 1194, he was the son of Emperor Henry VI and Constance, Queen of Sicily. His grandfathers were Frederick I Barbarossa and King Roger II - a diabolical combination. He inherited the Sicilian throne when he was only four years old and, in adulthood, the charismatic Frederick fought for control over the lands he considered his birthright to become King of the Germans and Holy Roman Emperor. At the zenith of his power he crowned himself King of Jerusalem in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, thereby securing an empire which embraced vast areas of Western Europe and the Holy Land. He was a towering figure of his age, but a man full of contradictions. For some he was a Messiah, an enlightened monarch and a bringer of justice and peace. For others, he was a tyrant and a devil, bent on absolute power. He led crusades but was excommunicated four times. He was a warrior but also an influential patron of the arts. He welcomed Christian, Jewish and Muslim scholars to his court, whilst persecuting Arabs and Jews in his Sicilian homeland. Myth, legend, prophecy, poetry, melodrama and fatalism are all marshalled alongside the familiar tools of careful source analysis in this monumental biography of a Renaissance man, politician, negotiator and tyrant, an expert in falconry and a polymath. Latin chroniclers tutted at the sight of his 'Saracen' dancing girls in his entourage, and he forced the Jews of Sicily to wear yellow stars and conducted ethnic cleansing of Sicilian Arabs. 623 monumental pages, pagemarker.

The author of this hard-hitting contribution to Arthurian studies does not shrink from controversy and sets out his debating points clearly before developing his ideas with detailed research. King Arthur is commonly regarded by historians as a legendary figure deriving from the 12th century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth featuring a heroic British ruler in the declining years of the Roman occupation of Britain. Syvänne argues that Geoffrey's history is based on a real character and lambasts conservative historians for their questionable methodology in dismissing ideas that do not correspond with preconceived solutions, arguing that the value of a source does not disappear when it is judged to be unreliable in some aspects. An example is the late 4th century Historia Augustae, nowadays generally believed to be a forgery. Syvänne argues that Geoffrey of Monmouth includes valuable pieces of evidence, for instance the military hierarchy under kings such as Vortigern and Vortimer extending through the ranks of archbishops and duces and backed up by a fleet of medium sized scouting ships and biremes with two decks of oarsmen. The author's detailed diagrams show the structure of the Saxon army, its encampments and its strategies such as the pike phalanx or the classically inspired wedge formation. Analysis of narrative sources, including Gildas, Nennius and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, allows Syvänne to revise Arthur's two battles of Badon to an earlier date. The archaeology of sites such as Silchester and Caerleon, the battles against the Picts and Scots and the influence of Norway and Jutland on the building of hill-forts are all evidence used by Syvänne. He concludes with Arthur's last battle against Mordred in 472 near Camelford, discussing the Arthurian legacy as far afield as Finland. 278pp, numerous maps and diagrams, colour reproductions.

Sub-titled 'The Power, Fragility and Future of Our Extraordinary Lungs', intimately written with the authority of a pulmonologist and the lyricism of a captivating narrator, here is the story of our extraordinary lungs. Lungs are the organ that both explain our origins and hold the key to our future as a species. Although we take an average of 7.5 million breaths a year and some 600 million in our lifetime, we take our lungs for granted until we are incapacitated. Michael Stephen relates the history of oxygen on earth and the evolutionary origins of breathing, the links between our lungs and our immune systems, and poignant human stories of resilience and recovery. From asthma, rising stress and COVID 19, our lungs are ever more threatened, but the book offers inspiration and hope to millions whose lungs are affected and a vital perspective to us all. He mixes evolution, medical history, autobiography and vivid stories of patients with a skilful account of how lungs operate and how we might take better care of them. Photos include x-rays of mild COVID 19 pneumonia at the bases and an x-ray one day later with dramatic progression. Includes diagrams, photos. 311pp in paperback.

Popular in Britain since the late 17th century, dolls' houses are tiny slices of social history that give us a fascinating glimpse into domestic life over the last 300 years. In this beautifully illustrated book, Nicola Lisle explores the origins and history of dolls' houses and their furnishings, from the earliest known dolls' house in 16th century Bavaria where Duke Albert V (1528-79) recreated a miniature ducal palace, to the present, and looks at how they reflect the architecture, fashions, social attitudes, innovations and craftsmanship of their day. Chapters cover early baby and cabinet houses, Ann Sharp's Baby House, Georgian and Regency England, Victorians and the Age of Enterprise, Edwardian elegance to Modern Britain, dolls houses in literature. Lisle takes a look at some of the leading dolls' house manufacturers, such as Silber & Fleming and Lines Brothers Ltd (later Triang). The book includes numerous examples of interesting dolls' houses, the stories behind them and where to see them. This includes famous models such as Queen Mary's spectacular 1920s dolls' house at Windsor Castle and the 18th century baby house at Kew Palace. There is also a chapter on model towns and villages, which became popular in the 20th century and also give us a window on the past by replicating real places or capturing scenes typical of a bygone era and skilled cabinetry and ornate embellishment. There is advice for dolls' house collectors, as well as a detailed directory of places to visit, a timeline of dolls' house history and recommended further reading. One of the most comprehensive guides available on the subject, this book offers unique insights into the world of dolls' houses and is a must for anyone with an interest in the history and appeal of these miniature treasures. Colour illus. 196 pages.

Among the many beautiful books that have landed on Bibliophile's shelves, none can have been more gorgeous than this big volume from the Victoria and Albert Museum's costume collection. With a close-up colour photo on each double spread, and meticulously detailed sketches showing the garment's construction on the page opposite, this is a sumptuous pictorial history of costume from the 17th century to the end of the 20th. Each century has a slightly different theme. In the 17th and 18th centuries the focus was on quilting, pleats, looped drapery, collars, cuffs and applied decoration. The stomacher was the panel down the front of a bodice that allowed the bodice itself to be laced to fit a woman's figure. Chronological examples here are mostly English and are lavishly embroidered, with a particularly beautiful pale turquoise stomacher donated to the collection by Harrods. The shoe section shows that pointed toes and kitten heels were the rage in the 17th century. The 19th century transformed a woman's silhouette with whalebone corsets, cage crinolines and bustles, while artificial dyes started to take over from embroidery as a source of colour. This section opens with men's tailoring, showing a preponderance of stand-up collars and frogging. A cycling suit of the late century is made with machine-knitted green jersey and trimmed with mohair braid. A woman's riding jacket is also frogged but fastened with practical hooks and eyes beneath the buttons. A cream pelisse of Jane Austen's era has an empire line and stunning sleeve panels of pleated silk, while mid-19th century day dresses have huge skirts, often using roller-printed wool and decorated with a peplum or large bow. A Liberty's frock from the 1890s has a looser fit, smocked at the waist, and trimmed with machine lace. The 20th century covers both mass-produced clothes and also high end couture. The section opens with the wedding dress worn by Miss "Baba" Beaton in 1934, its stunning simplicity the result of clever seaming, while a Galliano wedding dress of 1987 is a riot of silk and organza sculpted flowers. A Chanel suit of red wool from 1960 is plain and elegant, catering to the working woman, and a tweedy wartime suit from Digby Morton reflects the same practical trend. Underwear ranges from mass-produced polyester to boned and embroidered corsets by Dior. 598pp, high-quality close up colour photos hundreds of drawings, text and glossary in eight languages. New full price V&A publication nearly 12" square, heavyweight and a stunning coffee table book.
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The best bridges are both functional and beautiful, with the Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco one of the most celebrated, closely followed by the Roman Pont du Gard in France, Brunel's Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, and the Humber crossing so much admired by Philip Larkin and pictured here against a spectacular sunset. Functionality can itself be beautiful, and Brunel's Royal Albert Bridge, Saltash, completed in 1859, is "a masterpiece in pure, raw, and beautiful function", with the top arch of the truss restrained by the lower inverted arch and exerting no outward thrust. The scale and audacity of bridges can create a sense of identity and place. The Zhaozhou Bridge in China by Li Chun dates from the 7th century AD and is the world's oldest open-spandrel arched bridge in stone, with the Taotie motif on the keystones giving it a heroic, almost mystical significance. The Charles Bridge in Prague, built in the 15th century with 16 arches, connected Europe to the east, a bridge between two worlds both literally and metaphorically, and built on a palindromic and astronomical principle that also involve the Kabbalah and Jewish golem. The author covers different materials and methods of construction, from the timber spans of the 17th century Japanese Kintaikwo Bridge to the cantilevered steel of the Forth Bridge in the 1880s. Other bridges discussed and illustrated with impressive photography include the 12th century bridge at Avignon, which stood at the centre of one of Christianity's bloodiest crusades as the Cathars were declared blasphemous revolutionaries. The bridge of Khaju in Isfahan dates from 1650 as part of Shah Abbas's vision of a paradise on earth, with the stunning Mosque of the Imam in the background. The vaults below are shady refuges in warm-coloured stone. Railway bridges include Gateshead's Millennium Bridge, Newcastle's High Level Bridge and the Hell Gate Bridge in New York. A superb book, combining technological detail with impressive aesthetics. 384pp, 7 x10", colour photos.
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An international bestseller described as 'Outstanding' by The Sunday Times. To understand error in judgement, we must understand both bias and noise. Sometimes as we will see through the book, noise is the more important problem. But in public conversations about human error and in organisations all over the world, noise is rarely recognised. Bias is the star of the show with noise usually off stage. A few examples of the alarming amount of noise in situations in which accuracy matters are how different doctors make different judgements about patients' conditions, such as in the reading of x-rays; case managers in child protection agencies accessing children at risk of abuse; professional forecasters offering highly variable predictions about sales, and likelihoods of trouble; asylum decisions and the lottery of whether an asylum seeker is admitted into a country; personnel decisions and interviews, bail decisions; forensic science or decisions to grant patents. This variability is obviously troublesome from the standpoint of equity. The book investigates the difference between noise and bias, the nature of human judgement, accuracy and error, predictive judgement and even AI, human psychology and interpersonal differences; and efforts to tackle noise in medicine, business, education, government and elsewhere. We all make bad judgements more than we think and this is a book that shows what we can do to make better ones. 452pp, paperback.

BBC Radio Two's ultimate 60s music companion named after its famous radio show originally hosted by Brian Matthew and replaced by the irrepressibly cheerful Tony Blackburn in February 2017. Fantastic to dip into it covers Beatles covers, classical music themes, double A-sides, 100 instrumentals, Junior Choice, novelty and comical records by well known comedians and personalities which became monster hits, songs written for popular movies of the 60s, the mind-expanding psychedelic era and the grooviest decade, 50 of the most sought-after 45s on the planet, outstanding songs from a very personal selection of 60s albums such as The Walker Brothers' 1967 Everything Under the Sun, The Moody Blues 1968 Ride My See-saw, and Linda Ronstadt's 1969 move away from folk-rock to country-rock with Baby You've Been on my Mind. Plus 30 great dramatic ballads, the EPs, TV and radio themes, reggae, ska and bluebeat, 60 turntable hits which never managed to make it into the UK charts, new dance crazes and successful acts that have brothers or sisters in their original line up. Includes hard-to-find tracks alongside songs rarely heard since their initial Sixties release and hundreds of enthralling pop stories and behind-the-scenes info. 416 pages, paperback, illus.