In this book author Jake Hobson outlines an approach that is more creative than traditional topiary & positively encourages out-of-the-box thinking. Instead of peacocks & rabbits you will see boxwood shaped to reveal a row of Russian dolls & hedges carved with graffiti. Innovatively photographed works in formal gardens around the world are presented here alongside well illustrated step-by-step projects encouraging you immediately to pick up some pruners & begin to experiment with this creative therapeutic form of garden art. ...

Throughout his 25-year career cartoonist & screenwriter Dan Clowes has always been ahead of the artistic & cultural movements. In the late 1980s his groundbreaking comic book Eghtball defined indie culture. With wit venom & even a little sympathy Clowes voiced the worries of slacker culture even while he comically lacerated its values. For his graphic novels he has received a slew of awards & his screenplay for Ghost World based on his graphic novel was nominated for an Oscar. His comics appear in the New York Times & on the covers of the New Yorker. Clowes even appeared as himself on an episode of The Simpsons in 2007 (alongside creators Art Spiegeknan & Alan Moore). The Art of Dan C/owes: Modern Cartoonist is the first monograph on this acclaimed artist & will be created with unprecedented & fully co-operative access to his personal archives. The book will be heavily illustrated with work spanning his entire career & the text a collection of essays about the various facets of Clowess oeuvre. The book will include his most important & well know images characters & creations as well as rare sketchbook selections previously unpublished comic & illustrations & ephemera from his personal collection. ...

The Art of Dead Space" is the ultimate gallery of the " Dead Space" universe with over 300 images sketches & concept art pieces by acclaimed game artists showcasing breathtaking spacescapes to terrifying Necromorphs character designs to creating an in-game religion plus commentary from the artists. It

Includes:: art from the entire " Dead Space" video game franchise."

...

The worlds most infamous hacker offers an insiders view of the low-tech threats to high-tech security. Kevin Mitnicks exploits as a cyber-desperado & fugitive form one of the most exhaustive FBI manhunts in history & have spawned dozens of articles books films & documentaries. Since his release from federal prison in 1998 Mitnick has turned his life around & established himself as one of the most sought-after computer security experts worldwide. Now in The Art of Deception" the worlds most notorious hacker gives new meaning to the old adage " It takes a thief to catch a thief." Focusing on the human factors involved with information security Mitnick explains why all the firewalls & encryption protocols in the world will never be enough to stop a savvy grifter intent on rifling a corporate database or an irate employee determined to crash a system. With the help of many fascinating true stories of successful attacks on business & government he illustrates just how susceptible even the most locked-down information systems are to a slick con artist impersonating an IRS agent. Narrating from the points of view of both the attacker & the victims he explains why each attack was so successful & how it could have been prevented in an engaging & highly readable style reminiscent of a true-crime novel. & perhaps most importantly Mitnick offers advice for preventing these types of social engineering hacks through security protocols training programs & manuals that address the human element of security." ...

In THE ART OF DISCWORLD Terry Pratchett takes us on a guided tour of the Discworld courtesy of his favourite Discworld artist Paul Kidby. Following on from THE LAST HERO THE ART OF DISCWORLD is a lavish 112-page large format sumptuously illustrated look at all things Discworldian. Terry Pratchett provides the written descriptions while Paul Kidby illustrates the world that has made Pratchett one of the best-selling authors of all time. Here you will find favourites old & new: the City Watch including Vimes Carrot & Angua the three witches
- Granny Weatherwax Nanny Ogg & Magrat Garlick
- & the denizens of the Unseen University Library not forgetting the Librarian of course: they're all here in sumptuous colour together with the places: Ankh-Morpork Lancre Uberwald & more.. . No Discworld fan will want to be without this beautiful special gift book.

...

The ever-increasing popularity of mythological & fantasy creatures in film graphic novels & television creates high demand for instruction books on drawing these fantastic beasts. In this new edition aspiring artists will find 144 pages of clear step-by-step instructions for drawing everything from fire-breathing dragons to seven-headed monsters & magical fairies. Information on the origin & history of mythological creatures gives this book an extra-special appeal. The authors helpful tips on shading & drawing techniques show readers everything they need to know to create their own impressive beasts. This book is unique because it features a wide range of fantasy subjects rather than focusing on only one type of creature. It also sets itself apart from similar books with its helpful information on combining graphite pencil with other media such as charcoal & black watercolour paint or ink. In addition this extraordinary book features dragons & other mythological creatures from around the world including those originating in Egyptian Irish Norse & Greek mythology. ...

Carlos Castaneda was one of the most influential spiritual teachers of the 20th century. In this stunning new jacket edition ...

Is there an art to dying? & if there is what can we do to achieve a good death? We have few special rituals to prepare for death or to mark it & we often fail to help the dying prepare for death. The Art of Dying" contains accounts by the dying & those who have been with the dying in their final hours which help us to understand that death is a process. The experiences suggest that we are looked after throughout the transition from life to death & taken on a journey into love & light by loved ones who come back to take us. Other accounts are from people who have been emotionally close to someone & who unaware that the person they love is dying experience a sudden strong sense of their presence or an intimation of their death. Rational scientific explanations for these experiences are hard to find & it is almost impossible in the face of them to sustain the current scientific view that our consciousness is entirely brain-based & that it is extinguished at the moment our brain ceases to function. The world is more highly interconnected & more complex than the simple mechanical model we have followed for so long. The evidence suggests we are more than brain function & that something
- soul or spirit or consciousness
- will continue in some form or another for a while at least. We can ensure a "good death" for ourselves & help those we love achieve it too. " The Art of Dying" demonstrates that we can face death with a peaceful & untroubled mind; that death is not a lonely or a fearful journey but an intensely hopeful one."

...

Most of us believe that in order to achieve anything worthwhile whether in our careers family life health or even on the sports field we have to work hard & apply a lot of effort. In fact just the opposite is true. In this book Dr. Ingrid Bacci offers evidence that the most productive creative & healthiest individuals are those who practice effortless living. By doing less paradoxical as it may seem they achieve more. In this book the reader meets individuals who have transformed their lives in radically simple ways: The executive whose influence over her colleagues increased dramatically after she began a deceptively simple relaxation. The patient who eliminated 30 years of suffering from migraines after ten training sessions in releasing unconscious muscle tension. The golf player who corrected his golf swing in one brief session using a series of visualization exercises. This book aims to show you how to dissolve conscious & unconscious stress through simple techniques that replace effort with effortlessness. The result should be a more rewarding lifestyle leading to physical vitality increased productivity creative relationships & the freedom to express your best self. ...

The embroidery of Jane E Hall is breathtaking & in this gorgeous book she combines her love of butterflies with her outstanding talent as a textile artist to produce three-dimensional renditions of exquisitely worked butterflies that are almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Using the finest of silk threads & needles Jane lovingly creates her butterflies wings using the tiniest of stitches worked on to silk. They are then carefully cut away & the edges strengthened with hair-fine wire before being attached to the bodies carefully crafted from air-drying modelling medium & brushed with whisper-fine threads to resemble hairs. The butterflies are then placed within a setting of silk leaves & flowers all made with the same painstaking attention to detail & expert skill as the butterflies themselves. This book provides a fascinating introduction to butterflies in nature reflecting Janes love & admiration for these exquisite creatures & goes on to describe the materials & methods Jane uses to produce her incredible creations. Twelve projects each based on a different butterfly including the Painted Lady Small Tortoiseshell & the Brimstone present the finished piece along with the materials Jane used & the photographs swatches drawings & paintings that inspired it. One of the most striking features of this book is the amazing photography of Janes work including detailed close-ups which together with Janes poetic & inspiring text make this a book that anyone who is an artist embroiderer textile artist or simply a lover of beautiful books
- will want to own.
...