Batsford

The classic No.1 chess bestseller, now in a new and refreshed edition. Once you’ve learned the basic moves, where can you go next? What’s the best way to improve your chess? Try this book!In this much-loved classic, legendary chess writer Irving Chernev explains 33 complete games in forensic detail, going into the players’ minds to explain the thought processes behind each and every move. Playing through these games and explanations will give you a real and invaluable insight into the power of the pieces and how to use them most effectively. Passed down through the decades from generation to generation of players, this enduring bestseller is a secret weapon for improving your game. As the author says: ‘Each game that you play through will be an exciting adventure in chess in which courage, wit, imagination and ingenuity reap their just reward. It is by appreciating and absorbing what they teach so pleasurably that we can best learn to play Logical Chess, Move by Move.’

A dynamic exploration of Mercedes, one of the world's foremost car brands, with lively photography and witty observations about why we love them. Karl Benz, who founded Mercedes Benz, invented the first car. So, since 1879, Mercedes Benz has been at the forefront of innovation. With their superior quality, sleek look and iconic three-pointed star logo (with the points representing land, sea and air), it's a car brand with true global power and recognition. It has produced some of the fastest cars in the world, such as the 2022 Mercedes-AMG One Hybrid model, which can reach speeds of 219 mph. This fun and fascinating book, written by car-enthusiast and Mercedes owner Vaughan Grylls, is a tour de force through the history of Mercedes as told by its cars. From the world's first car, the Benz Patent Motor Car, to the most expensive car ever sold, the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, the story of Mercedes is a long and fascinating one, and is described in this book alongside a stunning range of photography. The ideal gift for every car enthusiast, whether they're a Mercedes aficionado or just an admirer, this beautifully illustrated book perfectly conveys the joys of this classic brand.

Featuring more than 140 of Rosie Sanders' glorious watercolour illustrations, Rosie Sanders' Apples is the most trusted authoritative guide to apple identification in the UK. First published as The English Apple in 1988, this comprehensive guide depicts the range of form, texture, colour and shape characterising varieties such as Cox's Orange Pippin, the Worcester Pearmain, Granny Smith or the Blenheim Orange. Each apple illustration is accompanied by a short description, a cross-section drawing and a list of characteristics, from size and shape to seeds, stalk and leaves. The meticulous attention to detail makes this the definitive guide to identification, as well as a source of inspiration for apple growers everywhere.

Elsewhere is the definitive oral history of British skateboarding. Told chronologically from the beginning of its identity shift to the start of the new millennium, the book explores the lasting influence British skateboarding continues to have on fashion, film, photography, art and media. While British skateboarders moved the sport away from its Californian roots, embracing a different terrain with skaters in the north taking to ramps in abandoned warehouses and in the south skating the streets of new developments, the story of skateboarding in the UK goes far beyond the act of riding a board. As important were the cottage industries of clothes manufacture, photography, filmmaking and zine production which were inspired by British skateboarders: many of which are now multi-million-pound brands which regulate mainstream culture today. Suitable not only for skaters but for anyone interested in film, fashion and photography, Elsewhere tells the story of skateboarding in the UK during the pivotal era of 1987–2002 when the British iteration of the sport developed its own unique identity and subsequently went on to inspire and transform global popular culture.

A stylish exploration of one of the greatest cities for Modernist architecture in the world. Modernism, characterized by geometric shapes and flat roofs, is one of the defining architectural styles of the 20th century throughout the world. And nowhere is it more in abundance than in Faro, capital of Portugal’s Algarve region. There are over 500 Modernist buildings in Faro, the highest concentration of these types of buildings in Southern Europe. The city now has a specific Modernist buildings area, through which guided tours show the full range of detached and semi-detached grand houses, large-scale apartment blocks and little roads of terraced houses that are in fact cleverly disguised maisonettes. The architectural ringleader was Manuel Gomes da Costa, an Algarvian by birth, who had gone to South America in search of work but who came back in the 1950s to transform the city. Inspired by the work of earlier architects including Le Corbusier and Oscar Niemeyer, Costa and his colleagues set about creating a Modernist paradise in the southern sun. This book will give fans of inspirational architecture the first real opportunity to delve deep into Southern Europe’s ‘Palm Springs’. Richard Walker, renowned photographer and artist, has been visiting the city for over 20 years and has amassed an astonishing record of the Modernist buildings in Faro. He hosts architectural tours, including one for the 20th Century Society. This is his first architectural book and includes many unseen photographs of the buildings that have gradually been restored and brought back to life over recent years.

For thousands of years, cats and humankind have been inextricably intertwined. From the Ancient Egyptian Goddess Bastet to the cat demon Yokai of Japan, people have been fascinated, enthralled and horrified in equal measure by everything feline-related. Throughout history, cats have been revered and reviled and everything in between. Worshipped as divine, blamed for plague and pestilence, or labelled as the demonic companions of witches - whether fair or foul, no other animal has attracted such consistent attention, a fact strongly illustrated by the vast number of myths, legends, sayings, superstitions and tales that exist regarding these enigmatic creatures. Today, mankind is no less under the feline thrall, with cat memes, videos and celebrity cat accounts numbering amongst the highest-ranking entertainment across the internet. Unknown to many, this cultural fascination has a deep and rich history that spans continents and millennia. Discover the roots of this age-old captivation with our feline counterparts and why they have been loved - or otherwise - by so many.

Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers: A Weather Poem for Every Day of the Year is an anthology of classic and contemporary poems, all about the weather. This latest anthology from Jane McMorland Hunter covers all aspects of the weather: from storms to heatwaves to April showers, there's a poem to reflect all the elements throughout the year. From the nursery rhyme 'Rain, Rain, Go Away' to Sylvia Plath's 'Black Rook in Rainy Weather', from Ralph Waldo Emerson's 'A Snowy Day' to Amanda Gorman's 'Earthrise', there is a weather poem for every day of the year. You can slip into a poem to dream of better weather (whether to you that means snow, rain or sun) or revel in a mirroring of what is currently going on outside of your window. With contributions from classic and contemporary poets alike, there is all sorts of weather to be found; some favourites as well as some you may not even have heard of. With a selection of poems stretching across the globe and centuries, you're sure to find a weather poem to cast some sunlight on your day.

Poetry of the Zodiac is a fun and enlightening collection that takes you on a journey around the different signs of the zodiac wheel.Accompanied with beautiful illustrations, this book covers each of the star signs, harnessing the power of words and language to illuminate the different characteristics and to help you explore your own emotional constellations. Whether you’re an energetic Aries, a curious Gemini or a diligent Virgo, you’ll find here poems that reflect your own traits and poems to deepen your understanding of others.Included are some of our greatest writers – both classic and contemporary – from Ptolemy and Rainer Maria Rilke to Langston Hughes and Jane Hirshfield, all casting light on the personal, the mysterious, the celestial and the universal. Each chapter includes 10 poems as well as a short introduction to the star sign, making the collection accessible to those less familiar with the subject and those who are curious to learn more.

A classic Batsford poetry collection, now reissued with a stunning new cover. A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year is a glorious collection of 366 poems that celebrate nature and the changing seasons. It is the perfect morning companion for any nature or poetry enthusiast, featuring famous odes from big-name poets alongside unsung poems from less well-known writers. Each poem is chosen to chime with the natural world through the seasons. Spring is a time of hope, a season of new life accompanied by William Wordsworth’s famous daffodils, John Clare’s lambs and Christina Rossetti’s birdsong. Summer shifts into a time of leisure, with long, idyllic holidays in the countryside: according to Henry James, the two most beautiful words in the English Language were ‘summer afternoon’, a sentiment echoed by Edward Thomas and Emily Dickinson. John Keats, William Blake and W. H. Auden are the poets we associate with autumn, with the natural world, and the human one, holding onto the last lingering memories of summer before they turn to face the oncoming hardships of winter. Amy Lowell and George Meredith perfectly frame this time of year, with their silver-fringed leaves and crimson berries. Winter can be savoured in poetry, rather than endured; bleak grey days are transformed into a world of glittering frost and snow-blanketed landscapes. Even in the darkest days life continues, and soon we can turn our attention to the rebirth of spring. A wonderful collection of poems that help mark the daily turn of the seasons and all the rituals marking the significant moments of the year, from Candlemas to Christmas.

An uplifting, positive and powerful book that explores how to break through fear and find joy through creativity, from bestselling author Holly Ringland.The House that Joy Built is about how to give ourselves permission to be creative. It explores all the big fears that can block our creativity, and the permission we can meet those fears with – not simply to create, but to revel in the life-changing wonder and joy of doing so. It offers a jump-start for the nervous heart of anyone whose desire to create is ruled by fear. It is a book for those people who yearn to write, as well as people who find their creativity in other ways: gardeners, carpenters, sculptors, jewellery-makers, florists, songwriters, dancers, cooks, painters … anyone who wants to make something but doesn''t because they''re afraid. Afraid of feeling vulnerable, of criticism and judgement from others, of not being good enough, of not having enough, of having ‘bad ideas’, of being ‘too much’. It is for everyone who has ever felt stuck creatively, for those who don’t know how to begin, for those who feel they have so much welling up inside and are just trying to find a way into themselves.In lyrical, inspirational prose, Holly examines her own sometimes difficult journey to a successful writing career, and offers a wealth of encouragement for anyone who wants to unlock their imagination and find happiness. Divided into seven chapters, each addresses an obstruction to creativity with a suggested remedy, including gently challenging ‘provocations’ and generous, conversational advice. This book is all you need to overcome doubt and start off on your own creative journey. It is an exhilarating, empowering clarion call to experience the joy and freedom of creating. 

Myths, Legends and Tales for a Greener World is a captivating collection of stories, retold by master folklorist Rosalind Kerven, all of which offer a new and inspiring perspective on the climate breakdown that threatens our modern world. Inspired by traditional myths and folklore from across the world and retold with integrity and respect, the stories in this collection offer a hopeful perspective on how we can better appreciate the natural environment and the species that share our planet. The book is split into five chapters: In the Beginning, The World in Trouble, Respect the Earth, Our Animal Relations and World Without End. Among these fascinating tales are a retelling of a Chinese story of dragons that help to control the climate, a spiritual tale about a desert stream from Tunisia, a Canadian First Nations story about the coexistence between humans and bears, and a Norse legend about rebirth in springtime. Each story is accompanied with carefully researched notes, detailing the cultural and historical background and other related tales. This book harnesses time-honoured wisdom to help imagine how we can transcend environmental degradation and species loss, to offer a more harmonious vision of life on earth.

A classic Batsford poetry collection, now reissued with a stunning new cover. This calming anthology of nature poems, with one for every day of the year, is the perfect bedside companion to help you relax and unwind at the end of every day. Now more than ever we’re in need of a daily fix of the natural world, to comfort and distract us from the cares of everyday life. Keep this beautiful book by your bedside and enjoy a dreamy stroll through nature every evening, just before you go to sleep. All the great, time-honoured poets are here – William Wordsworth, John Keats, Emily Dickinson, Robert Bridges — along with some newer and less well-known poetic voices. The poems reflect and celebrate the changing seasons: read Emily Brontë on bluebells in spring and Edward Thomas’s evocative ‘Adlestrop’ in summer, then experience golden autumn with Hartley Coleridge and get some winter comfort from William Blake’s ‘To Winter’. Beautifully illustrated with scenes from each season, this wonderful book deserves a place on your bedside table for years to come.

Learn Sashiko, the timeless Japanese form of decorative stitch repair, to mend your clothes, bedsheets and more. The Japanese art of Sashiko is a joyful and practical method of decorative repair. It is a hand sewing technique with a long and colourful history, based on simple stitches that anyone can pick up, regardless of skill level. This book contains both simple and advanced patterns to cater to those both new and well-versed in this timeless craft. Sashiko is used to repair and decorate clothing, bed covers, tablecloths; nearly any textile you could think of. It is a functional, decorative way to give new life to tired or damaged clothing. In Mending with Sashiko, you will learn how to sew with different techniques such as hitomezashi, moyozashi and koginsashi, and learn which techniques are best for which materials. There are direct instructions on how to mend jeans, shirts, socks and more, as well as how to utilise your new skills on larger projects, such as patchwork quilts. Takao 'Momi' Momiyama is a renowned artist and Sashiko practitioner, and in Mending with Sashiko you are invited into his workshop where he shares his best tips and tricks for successful stitching. You can dive into Momi's archive and take a closer look at garments that he has repeatedly repaired with Sashiko over the years; in some cases, up to 40 years. You can observe how this continuous cycle of wear, tear and repair affects the clothing in a way that is rarely seen in our throw-away culture, and see how mending your clothes with Sashiko, either simply with functionality in mind or with more intricate embroidery patterns, turns your clothes into unique and sustainable pieces for life.

A collection of 100 upbeat, empowering and encouraging poems aimed at anyone who is looking for a boost of confidence. This collection of 100 poems is here to be your biggest cheerleader. Whether you need a push towards inspiration for the big or little things in life, there's a poem to help you through it. From calling on a higher power for support and reminders of who you are to meditations on the difference between confidence and arrogance, there are a variety of perspectives to learn from in this collection. In this expertly crafted anthology, you can find little boosts of support from the likes of Emily Brontë, Maya Angelou, William Shakespeare, Denise Levertov and D. H. Lawrence. With poems from a whole host of bright minds from throughout the ages, you can gain comfort from knowing you are not alone in not feeling your best, draw encouragement from strong voices, and overcome feelings of fear or uncertainty through the meditative and empowering practice of reading poetry. Following on from 100 Happy Poems, 100 Poems to Help You Sleep, 100 Poems to Help You Heal and 100 Poems to Help You Relax, this is a collection of poems that will give you a pep talk in your time of need.

An Informal Guide to Workwear offers a fascinating overview of some of the most important workwear pieces, discussing their history, function, construction and materials.Workwear has transcended its utilitarian roots to become a staple in modern wardrobes. Originally designed for labour-intensive jobs, today’s workwear blends durable, well-made and sustainable clothing with fashion. In a world of increasingly fast fashion, workwear provides a sustainable alternative as a statement of endurance and quality. An Informal Guide to Workwear explores the links to the past and the incredible history of how this style became a staple. Workwear pieces include:• berets, popularised by Claude Monet and Che Guevara, among others• blue jeans, America''s sartorial gift to the world• the siren suit, famously worn by Winston Churchill during the war• the shop coat, donned by Christian Dior in a show of democratic solidarity with the workers in his atelierFeaturing vibrant illustrations by Michael Parkin, this book is perfect for anyone interested in discovering more about the history of fashion and style. 

Dive into the fascinating world of fashion embroidery, with practical tricks and techniques, and examples of some of the most iconic designs from the catwalk. With a focus on the most influential designers and couture and catwalk pieces from the last four decades, The Art of Couture Embroidery unravels the intricate relationship between high fashion garment construction and the embroidery that makes it sing.Written by established embroidery expert Jessica Pile and art and fashion historian Robert Ossant, this beautifully presented book is perfect for embroiderers of all levels, from hobbyists to students and professionals. Looking at the finest embroidery used in high fashion, this book reveals the inside story of each leading designer, the history of the design house and the untold stories of their most groundbreaking collections. In each chapter, dedicated to a different leading designer or design house, Jessica and Robert consider a single outstanding and iconic embroidered garment, showing the reader how they can apply the same techniques in their own designs.