|
|
Menu Fantasy & Science Fiction Books Email meBook
of the Month - Sara Sheridan: The World of Sanditon Published by Trapeze 3rd October 2019
The official companion to ITV's hotly anticipated new drama, The World of Sanditon delves behind the scenes of Sanditon, giving you the inside scoop on Jane Austen's unfinished masterpiece, adapted for television by Andrew Davies. Produced by Red Planet Pictures, ITV's Sanditon series tells the story of the joyously impulsive, spirited and unconventional Charlotte Heywood and her spiky relationship with the humorous, charming and slightly wild Sidney Parker. Written by Emmy and BAFTA-Award winning writer Andrew Davies, the series will bring Austen's story to life and this book will allow you to go behind the scenes of the cast and crew, exploring the world that Austen created and offering fascinating insights about the period and about the real-life heartbreak behind her final story. Readers will also have access to location guides, interviews with the cast, and in-depth historical information by esteemed author Sara Sheridan. Full of beautiful photography from the series, this is the only guide you need to Autumn's biggest show - welcome to Sanditon! Last month I had the pleasure of reviwing the sumptuous companion to the new Downton Abbey film; this month I'm honoured to be able to review the companion to ITV's latest Sunday night blockbuster, Sanditon, which I hope, along with millions of other viewers, could become ITV's new Downton Abbey! This companion, compiled by Sara Sheridan and with a foreword by Sanditon creator Andrew Davies, is the very finest example of a literary companion it has ever been my good fortune to review. I don't need to say that the many fine photographs are stunning, that goes without saying, but I've said it anyway. There is such a wealth of information in this book I don't know where to begin! First of all, there is an excellent introduction to the life and works of Jane Austen, without whom there would be no Sanditon. There is information on how libraries started in England, and the blossoming publishing industry; on the seaside, because Sanditon was set at a time when seaside holidays were starting to become fashionable; on turn of the century Great Britain, on food, on clothing, on everything about Jane Austen's England; and, of course, there are profiles of the main characters and the actors and actresses who portray them. You have to wait until the very end of the book before you get the profile you've been waiting for, that of Charlotte Heywood, portrayed by the stunning Rose Williams, who is the very essence of an Austen heroine, and who deserves an award for her acting prowess in Sanditon. Each profile looks at the character and the actor/actress portraying them, which is, for me, a first with this type of companion, and very welcome indeed. This sumptuous book arrived just in time to make it into this issue, and I decided that I would have two nonfiction books of the month because it is simply brilliant, quite the best TV/film companion I have ever been privileged to review in Books Monthly.
Book
of the Month - The Bake-off Team: The Big Book of Amazing Cakes Published by Sphere 3rd October 2019
THE ULTIMATE CAKE-BAKING BIBLE The Big Book of Amazing Cakes brings the magic of The Great British Bake Off to your kitchen with easy-to-follow recipes for every shape, size and delicious flavour of cake you can imagine. Featuring the very best cakes from inside the Bake Off tent, alongside much-loved family favourites, stunning showstoppers and classic bakes, the book is packed with expert advice and helpful tips for decorating. From simple sponges to spectacular celebration cakes, aspiring star bakers will have everything they need to create the perfect bake for any occasion. Includes
exclusive recipes by the series 10
bakers, and favourite bakes from contestants across all ten series.
STOP PRESS: David just won the Bake-off trophy for 2019, and deservedly
so. His show stopper blew the competition away! I honestly think that Bake-off has benefited from the move from the BBC to Channel 4, the production is better, the presenters are better, and the format of the programme is better. To add to that, the books that accompany the series are definitely better, and this Big Book of Amazing Cakes has to be the best yet, with stunning photography, clear, easy-to follow recipes, and genuinely mouthwatering recipes. Many of this year's contestants will go down as some of the best in the show's ten year history, and some will go on to write books of their own, of course, but this book showcases their recipes to perfection. There are the perennial favourites, such as Victoria Sponge, and Christmas Cake, but there are also some of the fantastic show-stoppers from the current series which, as I write this, is still going on, with about six contestants left. My personal favourite is Henry, followed by Steph, but really, they're all brilliant and the standard this year is incredibly high. But this is about the book, not the programme, and I honestly think that this book will be around for a long time as the perfect showcase for cake baking, as a shining example of a perfect TV show, and as a companion that does so many thing: educates and entertains, encourages and inspires. Fantastic. A strong contender for one of this year's very best nonfiction books. Book
of the Month - Metropolitan Museum of Art: Christmas Is Coming! Published by Abrams Books 15th October 2019
It's certainly not too early to be thinking about Christmas, and this issue of Books Monthly is crammed with brilliant suggestions for Christmas book gifts, including this one from publisher Abrams and Chronicle, which showcases Christmas in a way that used to be the norm. Utterly charming, crammed with stories, poems, carols (including the piano music) and essays, and the most brilliant set of illustrations I've seen celebrating Christmas for ages.
Dorling
Kindersley: Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life Published by Dorling Kindersley 17th September 2019
This richly illustrated catalogue starts with the first Precambrian microbes and traces the evolution of life through mass extinctions and ice ages. As well as dinosaurs, it features extinct plants, invertebrates, amphibians, fish, birds, reptiles, and mammals, conjuring up a series of past worlds. The book also explores geological time and examines how fossils preserve the story of evolution. This abridged edition of DK's Prehistoric (2009) features updated information on hundreds of life forms, with a scattering of new entries - including the jellyfish Haootia, and the early Cretaceous mammal Ambolestes. Artists' impressions of the living, breathing animals have also been updated according to the latest findings about colouring, feathers, and scales. Combining stunning visuals and clear text, Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life is a fascinating encyclopedia for the whole family - as well as anyone enthralled by T-Rex, or the dinosaurs of the Cretaceous and Jurassic worlds. Three stunning books from Dorling Kindersley this month - the first is a brilliant book about dinosaurs and prehistoric life, and the content is absolutely amazing! Page after page about the formation of the Earth and the continents, arranged by the ages by which our prehistory is defined, with explanations about how fossils form and what fossils tell us; and that's just for starters. When we finally get to the age when the dinosaurs start to appear, the content becomes simply magical, with stunning illustrations and explanatory text. This fabulous book contains everything you need to know about how life evolved on Earth and the age of the dinosaurs. It's a coffee table book, but it's also much more than that - it's educational, entertaining and simply thrilling! Dorling
Kindersley: The Complete Classical Music Guide Published by Dorling Kindersley 7th November 2019
Whether you already love classical music or you're just beginning to explore it, The Complete Classical Music Guide invites you to discover the spirituality of Byrd's masses, the awesome power of Handel's Messiah, and the wonders of Wagner's operas, as well as hundreds more composers and their masterpieces. This guide takes you on a journey through more than 1,000 years, charting the evolution of musical instruments, styles, and genres. Biographies of major and lesser-known composers offer rich insights into their music and the historical and cultural contexts that influenced their genius. The book explores the features that defined each musical era - from the ornate brilliance of the Baroque, through the drama of Romantic music, to contemporary genres such as minimalism and electronic music. Timelines, quotes, and colour photographs give a voice to this music and the exceptionally gifted individuals who created it. Covering both music history and the fundamental building blocks of music theory, The Complete Classical Music Guide explains not just the who, what, and where of classical music, but the how and why. This is a republishing of a book DK first published earlier this century, and it is a brilliant companion to the music that simply won't go away. Page after page about the various stages of classical music, through the baroque, the romantic and the modern periods, with profiles of composers and the instruments they composed for. If you're just beginning your appreciation of classical music, this one's for you; if you're already a committed classical music listener, this wonderful book will be the perfect companion. Absolutely outstanding! RHS:
Encyclopedia of Plants & Flowers Published by Dorling Kindersley 3rd October 2019
Drawing on expert advice from the RHS, the book features an illustrated catalogue of more than 4,000 plants and flowers. Organised by colour, size, and type, rather than as an A-Z directory, and accompanied by beautiful, full-colour images, it will help you select the right varieties for your outdoor space. Browse the photographic catalogue to find at-a-glance plant choice inspiration, or use the extensive plant dictionary to look up more than 8,000 plant varieties and the best growing conditions for them. This new edition features the latest and most popular cultivars, with more than 1,400 new plants added, as well as updated photography, hardiness ratings, and a brand-new introduction. Fully comprehensive yet easy to use, the RHS Encyclopedia of Plants & Flowers is the inspirational, informative guide every gardener needs on their bookshelf. This is the most comprehensive book about plants and flowers you will ever need. The illustrations are out of this world and the way the book is arranged is superlative. I can't think of a better Christmas gift for the gardener in your family - it's a book you can sit and pore over for hours on end and still not entirely satisfy yourself. Dorling Kindersley at its very finest! Shea
Fontana - DC: Women of Action Published by Chronicle Books 22nd October 2019
Chronicle Books have published other titles like this one -m this time it's DC Comics' turn for the treatment, and once again I have to say that while the content is outstanding, the illustrations are no match for photographs or illustrations from the actual comics or from the various films based on DC characters. Once again, some of the artwork is brilliant, others are not so good. It's a crying shame, because comic book art is so brilliant. Maybe Chronicle don't have the money to avail themselves of the right illustrations.
Christina
Harrison & Tony Kirkham: Remarkable Trees Published by Thames & Hudson 3rd October 2019
When I worked in the public library
service back in the 1960s, Thames
and Hudson were always the go-to publishers for fine art and flora and
fauna. In this century, they've probably been overtaken, just, by
Dorling
Kindersley, but now and then they come up with a book that is really
beautiful, informative and thoroughly superb. Remarkable Trees is just
such a book, with approachable, knowledgable text, and stunning
illustrations. Those in this wonderful book are from the Kew Gardens
archives, and
illustrate to perfection the wonder of trees of all kinds. The book
concentrates on sixty specific types of tree, and illustrates perfectly
the gifts they bring to other forms of life (including ourselves), here
on Earth. A magical book
about a species of flora that we all too often take for granted.
Absolutely stunning, the perfect Christmas gift. Pendleton
Playing Cards Published by Chronicle Books 25th September 2019
David
Day: The Hobbits of Tolkien Published by Pyramid Books 3rd October 2019
David
Day: The Illustrated World of Tolkien Published
by Pyramid Books 19th October 2019 Tolkien's
works have inspired artists for generations and have given rise to
myriad interpretations of the rich and magical worlds he created.
Vogue
on Location: People, Places, Portraits Published by Abrams 29th October 2019
Have fashion, will travel. That’s the vision behind Vogue on Location, a journey in itself through the many spectacular voyages that the magazine took over the years. Spanning a century, this remarkable book includes dispatches and travel writing by journalistic icons like Jan Morris, Truman Capote, Lee Miller, Lesley Blanch, and Frances FitzGerald, as well as stunning editorials from legendary photographers like Irving Penn, Henry Clarke, Helmut Newton, Arthur Elgort, Mario Testino, Peter Lindbergh, and Annie Leibovitz. With historic reportage and landmark fashion shoots in far-flung locales like India, Iran, Morocco, Bali, Vogue on Location captures important moments in both travel and fashion history. An essential addition to any Vogue lover’s shelf, Vogue on Location is sure to inspire a sense of fantasy and flight.
Collections
of photos from Vogue's chequered mighty past in which the locations
play as much part in the make-up of the image as the various models
that grace them. I don't know if it's just me, but I got the distinct
impression that photos from the earlier decades were sharper and
perhaps more impressive, and certainly, for me, the earlier models were
far more attractive than some of the angular-faced, gaunt looking
models of the more recent years. Yes, it's just me. A brilliant
collectable coffee table book.
Stevie
Chick: Foo Fighters, The Band That Dave Made Published by Palazzo Editions 15th August 2019
I have no knowledge of Dave Grohl or Foo Fighters, in fact I can state categorically that I have never consciously heard any of their recordings. However, books about musicians are always at the very least, interesting, and Stevie Chick has compiled a brilliant biopic about a man whose career is in every sense of the word stellar. The photos are impressive, the content equally so. I feel as though I know almost as much about Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters as I do about Jeff Lynne... this is a brilliant piece of journalism that will appeal to musicians and fans alike.
Chris
Roberts: Elton John Rocket Man Published by Palazzo Editions 29th October 2019
I bought two of Elton John's albums in the early
days, Honky Chateau, and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. I still have the
latter and will shortly be getting the former, because these were, for
me, Elton's glory days, before he disappeared into a miasma of
glam-rock (a real turn off for me) and drugs. Those albums, with Bernie
Taupin's mesmerising words, were brilliant, especially, for me, the
stand-out track Mona Lisa's and Mad Hatters, something on which the
author, Chris Roberts and I agree. The book is terrific, especially the
early chapters, which cover the emergence of Elton as a major star, and
the account of his early years in North London, when he would hang
about those now famous places where people like Clapton and Page hung
out, is brilliant. Another fantastic biopic from Palazzo Editions,
lavishly illustrated and written with authority, wit and understanding.
Tells you all you need to know about this supreme superstar.
The small print: Books Monthly, now well into its 22nd year on the web, is published on or slightly before the first day of each month by Paul Norman. You can contact me here. If you wish to submit something for publication in the magazine, let me remind you there is no payment as I don't make any money from this publication. If you want to send me something to review, contact me via email and I'll let you know where to send it. |
The
official TV tie-in to accompany the ITV drama scripted by Andrew Davies
Fascinating
and authoritative, this book is an unprecedented survey of millions of
years of life on planet Earth. Featuring an incredible mix of 3-D
reconstructions, extraordinary skeletons, and amazingly intricate
fossils, it uses the latest scientific research to recreate a wealth of
ancient species, from the earliest primitive life forms to great
dinosaurs, early mammals, and even the first humans.
What
makes Mozart's music so great? Why does a minor chord sound sad and a
major chord sound happy? What's the difference between opera and
operetta? From Bach to Bernstein, this definitive guide offers a
complete survey of the history of classical music.
Choose
the right plants for your garden and find all the inspiration and
guidance you need with the new edition of this best-selling illustrated
reference book organised by plant colour, size, and type.
Travel
around the globe with
