** THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND SUNDAY TIMES ART BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 **A revelatory portrait of a great museum and the moving story of one guard's quest to find solace and meaning in art'Who would have thought that the outstanding art book of you would have been written not by a curator or an art historian or even an artist - but by a museum guard?' Sunday TimesWhen Patrick’s older brother dies at twenty-six, all he wants is to retreat. So, he does. He quits his job and seeks refuge in the most beautiful place he can think of: New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.All the Beauty in the World recounts Patrick’s time as a museum guard, keeping quiet vigil over some of our greatest treasures and uncovering the Met’s innermost secrets. As his connection to the art and the life that swirls around it grows, so does Patrick – and gradually he emerges transformed by heartbreak, community and the power of art to illuminate life in all its pain, pleasure and hope.'As luminous as the old masters paintings' Daily Mail'Consoling and beautiful' Guardian'Marvellous' Daily Telegraph'A beautiful tale about beauty. It is also a tale about grief, balancing solitude and comradeship, and finding joy in both the exalted and the mundane' Washington Post*New York Times bestseller, Nov 24 Read more

This beautifully illustrated bingo game features 64 species of birds from around the world. Spot all kinds of birds – from the robin to the puffin and the kookaburra to the splendid fairywren – mark them off on your card and bingo! Bird Bingo brings a fun and educational twist to the traditional game as players learn the names and colourings of both their favourite species and weird and wonderful exotic birds. Contains 64 superbly illustrated bird tokens, one board, 12 bingo cards and brightly coloured counters for you to mark up your card, as well as a leaflet containing basic information and a few quirky traits for all of the birds featured. Read more

Going to the museum has never been so much fun!"Absolutely brilliant in every way." - BookTrustMuch-loved illustrator Nick Sharratt invites you to stroll around eight magnificently silly museums, in this picture-book giggle-fest that will keep children entertained for hours.Sturdy fold-out pages open to reveal a feast of laughs, silliness, dreadful puns and crazy objects.Step inside the super-stinky Poo-seum, to discover some totally bonkers toilets.Keep super-quiet at the Snoozeum, where all the animals are asleep.You won’t believe your eyes at the Confuseum, with its brain-boggling optical illusions!There’s even a museum for you to fill in yourself: the amazing All-About-YOU-seum, where you can draw and write all about YOU!Open the sturdy fold-out pages to find a feast of silly things to giggle atChildren will love poring over these fun-filled pages, and laughing at all the puns.Have fun filling in the final museum that's all about YOU! What's your favourite food? And your lucky number? What will you look like when you grow up? What would your superpower be?ANOTHER REVIEW OF SUPER SILLY MUSEUMS "This book creation is an absolute sensation from beginning to end. Congratulations to Nick Sharratt for producing a best ever amongst his many huge successes, and its sturdy thick paper construction should survive the umpteenth time it is enjoyed by fascinated readers." - Books For KeepsNick Sharratt is one of the UK’s favourite and most acclaimed illustrators. His much-loved titles include the hugely popular Ketchup On Your Cornflakes and the Christmas version, Ketchup on Your Reindeer, The Cat and the King and the You Choose series.He is also the illustrator of the bestselling novels by Jacqueline Wilson and has won every major award for his illustration.Nick has even been presented with a gold Blue Peter badge! Read more

Without light, interior architecture cannot be fully designed and experienced. It is one of the key tools for an interior designer, but can be a dauntingly technical subject for students.Part One, Theory, looks at the physics and technology behind lighting. Part Two, Process and Practice, looks more specifically at the use of lighting in interior design and outlines the key design issues and principles. The book goes on to show the ways of representing lighting schemes using CAD and 3D models and how to implement and test these designs. Finally, the book explains how to deal with contractors, clients and other professionals.This book takes a detailed, practical look at lighting in interior design, giving students all the key information and skills they need to be able to tackle lighting successfully in their designs. Read more

More Pattern Magic is the cult pattern-cutting text from Japan, partner to the original Pattern Magic book. Inspiring and exciting, this volume takes a creative approach to pattern cutting, with more step-by-step projects for fashion designers and dressmakers to enjoy. This book looks at creating interesting surfaces, optical illusions and curved shapes through pattern cutting. All the basic information you need to start pattern cutting is included, from the basic block to measurements and scaling. Each project is beautifully illustrated with clear diagrams and photographs showing the stages of construction, the muslins (toiles) and the finished garments. These easy-to-follow illustrations and detailed instructions make it easy to create stunning, sculptural clothes. Read more

The fabulous collections housed in the world's most famous museums are trophies from an imperial age. Yet the huge crowds that each year visit the British Museum in London, the Louvre in Paris, or the Metropolitan in New York have little idea that many of the objects on display were acquired by coercion or theft. Now the countries from which these treasures came would like them back. The Greek demand for the return of the Elgin Marbles is the tip of an iceberg that includes claims for the Benin Bronzes from Nigeria, sculpture from Turkey, scrolls and porcelain taken from the Chinese Summer Palace, textiles from Peru, the bust of Nefertiti, Native American sacred objects, and Aboriginal human remains. In Keeping Their Marbles, Tiffany Jenkins tells the bloody story of how western museums came to acquire these objects. She investigates why repatriation claims have soared in recent decades and demonstrates how it is the guilt and insecurity of the museums themselves that have stoked the demands for return. Contrary to the arguments of campaigners, she shows that sending artefacts back will not achieve the desired social change nor repair the wounds of history.Instead, this ground-breaking book makes the case for museums as centres of knowledge, demonstrating that no object has a single home, and no one culture owns culture. Read more

WINNER OF THE 2021 PEN ACKERLEY PRIZE'A strange and mesmerising piece of work' Sunday Times 'An absolute masterpiece' Laura Cumming'An uncommon delight' Observer Claire Wilcox has been a curator of fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum for most of her working life. In Patch Work, she turns her curator's eye to the fabric of life itself, tugging at the threads of memory: a cardigan worn by a child, a tin button box, the draping of a curtain, a pair of cycling shorts, a roll of lace, a pin hidden in a seam. Through these intimate and compelling close-ups, we see how the stories and the secrets of clothes measure out the passage of time, our gains and losses, and the way we use them to unravel and write our histories. 'Effervescent, poetic, puzzle-like ... Wilcox picks at the heartstrings' Financial Times Read more

An entirely fresh and accessible approach to reading ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs by a proven expert, this step-by-step introduction assumes no previous knowledge of grammar or ancient languages, but guides readers through the inscriptions, from simple to more complex, supported by full explanations and translations. Readers' will see their knowledge and skills grow as Bill Manley clearly explains the mysteries of hieroglyphs without jargon or technical terms, guiding the reader step by step through 27 real-life, unaltered texts from stelae, tombs and portable objects. Specially commissioned line drawings present engaging texts clearly and elegantly, while fact boxes bring to life images of monuments of high officials and kings, giving glimpses of ancient Egyptian society and beliefs. This guide is essential reading for anyone interested in Ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs or ancient languages and contains all the knowledge you need in order to start deciphering hieroglyphic texts for yourself. Read more

A former The New York Times Paris bureau chief explores the Louvre, offering an intimate journey of discovery and revelationThe Louvre is the most famous museum in the world, attracting millions of visitors every year with its masterpieces. In Adventures in the Louvre, Elaine Sciolino immerses herself in this magical space and helps us fall in love with what was once a forbidding fortress.Exploring galleries, basements, rooftops and gardens, Sciolino demystifies the Louvre, introducing us to her favourite artworks, both legendary and overlooked, and to the people who are the museum’s lifeblood: the curators, the artisans producing frames and engravings, the builders overseeing restorations, the firefighters protecting the ageing structure.Blending investigative journalism, travelogue, history and memoir, Sciolino walks her readers through the museum’s front gates and immerses them in its irresistible, engrossing world of beauty and culture. Adventures in the Louvre reveals the secrets of this grand monument of Paris and basks in its timeless, seductive power. Read more

‘Dry Store Room No. 1’ is an intimate biography of the Natural History Museum, celebrating the eccentric personalities who have peopled it and capturing the wonders of scientific endeavour, academic rigour and imagination.Behind the public façade of any great museum there lies a secret domain: one of unseen galleries, locked doors, priceless specimens and hidden lives.Through the stories of the numerous eccentric individuals whose long careers have left their mark on the study of evolutionary science, Richard Fortey, former senior paleaontologist at London's Natural History Museum, celebrates the pioneering work of the Museum from its inception to the present day. He delves into the feuds, affairs, scandals and skulduggery that have punctuated its long history, and formed a backdrop to extraordinary scientific endeavour from Darwin to the present day. He explores the staying power and adaptability of the Museum as it responds to changes wrought by advances in technology and molecular biology – 'spare' bones from an extinct giant bird suddenly become cutting-edge science with the new knowledge that DNA can be extracted from them, and ancient fish are tested with the latest equipment that is able to measure rises in pollution.'Dry Store Room No.1’ is a fascinating and affectionate account of a hidden world of untold treasures, where every fragment tells a story about time past, by a scientist who combines rigorous professional learning with a gift for prose that sparkles with wit and literary sensibility. Read more

Using simple shapes, Ed Emberley shows would-be artists how to draw over 400 things, such as an airplane, anteater, submarine, train, kangaroo, gondola, and much much more! This classic book is packed with cool things that kids-and not a few adults-really want to draw. Easy and fun, the book provides hours of art-full entertainment. Read more

The critic Robert Hughes describes Lucian Freud's quest for a reality beyond naturalism, which has produced some of the most powerful and moving paintings - particularly portraits - of recent decades. Hughes is also author of "The Shock of the New", the book of the television series. Read more

A behind-the-scenes tour through the world's greatest natural history museums, revealing how their hidden secrets can help us in the fight against climate changeZoologist Jack Ashby spends his life working in Britain's natural history museums, and in Nature's Memory he guides us through a series of extraordinary collections, from marvellous mounted whale skeletons and impossibly tiny insect cabinets to buried treasures in vast museum storehouses.But look more closely at these displays: all is not as it seems. While most exhibits succeed in communicating feelings of wonder and awe - a vital function when less people than ever before have access to the outdoors - Ashby argues that the version of nature natural history museums present does not always reflect reality, with specimens revealing more about the biases of curators than they do about the species they represent. Likewise, the ways in which museums have traditionally told the story of their own histories has disproportionately elevated the contributions of certain kinds of people whilst diminishing the work of others, often ignoring their complex colonial heritage altogether. But Ashby contends that these issues are precisely why it's such an exciting time to be a natural historian, for while society shapes museums, so too can museums shape society - for the good. And as we face the existential threat of cataclysmic biodiversity loss, natural history museums will emerge as indispensable resources in the fight against climate catastrophe.Weaving together fresh historical research, entertaining zoological trivia and insider stories from Ashby's distinguished natural history career, Nature's Memory is a charming ode to the joys, eccentricities and planet-saving potential of the world's best-loved museums. Read more

Embark on a transformative journey through the intricate world of art representation with the invaluable wisdom offered by Shirley-Ann O'Neill and Laura O'Hare in this comprehensive guide. Navigating the art world is often an enigmatic and uncertain endeavour for any artist, but take heart, for this book is a beacon of knowledge and empowerment, meticulously crafted to aid you in securing the representation you truly deserve."This book is an absolute game-changer! As an artist, I've always struggled with finding the right representation, but this guide has completely transformed my approach. A must-read for anyone serious about their art career." Amy Waters, Artist"Finally, a resource that demystifies the world of galleries and agents. This book is both informative and empowering, offering practical advice that every artist can benefit from. Highly recommended!" Mark Jones, Artist"Useful strategies for artists of all levels. A comprehensive book for artists looking to secure representation. Lots of tips to get started and succeed." Anna Phillips, Gallery Director Read more

Every inch of Grayson's childhood bedroom was covered with pictures of aeroplanes, and every surface with models. Fantasy took over his life, in a world of battles ruled by his teddy bear, Alan Measles. He grew up. And in 2003, an acclaimed ceramic artist, he accepted the Turner Prize as his alter-ego Clare, wearing his best dress, with a bow in his hair. Now he tells his own story, his voice beautifully caught by his friend, the writer Wendy Jones. Early childhood in Chelmsford, Essex is a rural Eden that ends abruptly with the arrival of his stepfather, leading to constant swerving between his parents' houses, and between boys' and women's clothes. But as Grayson enters art college and discovers the world of London squats and New Romanticism, he starts to find himself. At last he steps out as a potter and transvestite. Read more

** THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND SUNDAY TIMES ART BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 **A revelatory portrait of a great museum and the moving story of one guard's quest to find solace and meaning in art'Who would have thought that the outstanding art book of you would have been written not by a curator or an art historian or even an artist - but by a museum guard?' Sunday TimesWhen Patrick’s older brother dies at twenty-six, all he wants is to retreat. So, he does. He quits his job and seeks refuge in the most beautiful place he can think of: New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.All the Beauty in the World recounts Patrick’s time as a museum guard, keeping quiet vigil over some of our greatest treasures and uncovering the Met’s innermost secrets. As his connection to the art and the life that swirls around it grows, so does Patrick – and gradually he emerges transformed by heartbreak, community and the power of art to illuminate life in all its pain, pleasure and hope.'As luminous as the old masters paintings' Daily Mail'Consoling and beautiful' Guardian'Marvellous' Daily Telegraph'A beautiful tale about beauty. It is also a tale about grief, balancing solitude and comradeship, and finding joy in both the exalted and the mundane' Washington Post*New York Times bestseller, Nov 24 Read more

The systematic management of records is an important activity for 'information businesses' such as museums and galleries, but is not always recognized as a core function. Record keeping activities are often concentrated on small groups of records, and staff charged with managing them may have limited experience in the field. Records Management for Museums and Galleries offers a comprehensive overview of records management work within the heritage sector and draws on over a decade of experience in applying fundamental principles and practices to the specific circumstances of museums. It introduces readers to the institutional culture, functions, and records common to museums, and examines the legislative and regulatory environments affecting record-keeping practices. The book is comprised of eight chapters, including: a history of records keeping in the UK museum and gallery sector; the basics of records management; making a business case for records management; requirements of legislation for records management; how to conduct a records survey; strategy and action planning; how to develop a file plan, retention schedule and records management programme; and a guide to useful additional resources. Read more

A TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEAR'I am overwhelmed by this book. It is an absolute masterpiece. A book of such beauty and profundity, of such poetry in its emotion and observation ... I found my sense of life transformed by her writing as I often find it transformed after the exhibition of a great artist' LAURA CUMMINGClaire Wilcox has been a curator of fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum for most of her working life. In Patch Work, she steps into the archive of memory, deftly stitching together her dedicated study of fashion with the story of her own life lived in and through clothes. From her mother's black wedding suit to the swirling patterns of her own silk kimono, her memoir unfolds in spare, luminous prose the spellbinding power of the things we wear. In a series of intimate and compelling close-ups, Wilcox tugs on the threads that make up the fabric of our lives: a cardigan worn by a child, a mother's button box, the draping of a curtain, a pair of cycling shorts, a roll of lace, a pin hidden in a seam. Through the eye of a curator, we see how the stories and the secrets of clothes measure out the passage of time, our gains and losses, and the way we use them to unravel and write our histories. Read more

L.T.C. Rolt played a crucial role in the revival of Britain’s inland waterways and pioneered the first preserved narrow-gauge railway. He is still a towering figure in the fields of inland waterways, preserved railways and post-war conservation: a bridge and a locomotive have been named after him, and there is a Rolt Prize, Rolt Fellows and an annual Rolt Lecture.In this series of linked essays, Joseph Boughey explains aspects of Rolt’s earlier life and work, and sets his writing and practice in a broader context, considering such themes as the landscapes Rolt knew; the nature of travel and ‘country’ writing; the organicist movement of the 1930s and ’40s; English canals and navigable rivers from the 1930s to the ’50s the background to early railway preservation; and the nature of craft, craftspeople and preservation.Exploring Rolt’s Landscapes focuses on an earlier period of Rolt’s life before he devoted his life to writing professionally. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the rich history of Britain’s waterways. Read more

This new volume in the highly successful '13' series uses colourful reproductions, glossaries, and a timeline to explore milestones in the history of art. Kids will learn about important innovations in art while they discover answers to questions such as: Why was oil painting invented? What were the subjects of the first photographs? How do you depict the world on a flat canvas? Filled with accessible, fascinating facts as well as creative suggestions for independent art projects, this unique introduction to art history shows young readers how art is made as well as how to enjoy it. Read more