Whether you need a refresher or a crash course, the author of Science Without the Boring Bits and The Kings and Queens of England serves up these 200 key concepts of science, philosophy, and history. Along with 100 black and white illustrations, this chunky little text will fill you in on the terminology needed to discuss the basic concerns of life-love, art, liberty, morality-while also delving into the heady topics of existentialism, infinity, cubism, the Big Bang, Marxism, nature vs. nurture, and the theory of relativity.

«Informal, candid, and decidedly modern, «street photography» has often been associated with Paris and New York City, but Moscow has a long tradition of it as well. With 34 black and white photographs by such photographers as Aleksandr Rodchenko, Vladimir Kupriyanov, and Anatolii Boldin, these images span the 20th century. The photos depict a diverse nation that has always been nonconformist at heart: a woman in a bonnet carefully handles a munitions shell in a factory; a comically disheveled shoe shiner smokes a cigarette in front of his shop; and a model stands on a rooftop, draped in the Soviet flag.»

The author of such novels as The Portrait of a Lady and The Wings of the Dove, Henry James was also a devotee of the novella, and in this omnibus literary critic Philip Rahv has collected ten of James's most important short novels. Accompanied by Rahv's commentary, this collection contains Madame de Mauves, Daisy Miller, An International Episode, The Siege of London, Lady Barberina, The Author of Beltraffio, The Aspern Papers, The Pupil, The Turn of the Screw, and The Beast in the Jungle.

The Alps of France, Germany, Italy, and Austria all figure prominently in these ski poster images, as do the slopes of New Haven—just watch out for the bear on skis. This blank notecard is one of a series of nostalgic cards decorated with themed stickers across the front and back, reproduced from period posters, commercial art, signage, or luggage decals. Send a message to someone or just peel and stick these ten images to paper or any smooth surface for a touch of color and style from decades past.

Why would you want to read An annoying ABC? Because after Adelaide annoyed Bailey, and Bailey blamed Clyde, and Clyde cried, and Dexter drooled on Eloise, and Eloise elbowed Flora ... well, something remarkable happened to everyone in Miss Mabel's alphabetically initialed class. Adelaide apologized. Michael Emberley's colorful sketches are full of action and expression, in this book for readers up to 6, the follow-up to his previous collaboration with Barbara Bottner, Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don't).

«He considered himself «in the very first row of the second-raters, « yet Somerset Maugham was one of the most successful and influential writers of the 20th century, praised by authors like Anthony Burgess, Ian Fleming, and George Orwell, who called Maugham «the modern writer who has influenced me the most ... for his power of telling a story straightforwardly and without frills.» This omnibus contains three novels-Liza of Lambeth (1897), which enabled Maugham to become a full-time writer; The Magician (1908), a caricature of Aleister Crowley; and The Moon and Sixpence (1919), loosely based on the life of Paul Gauguin-as well as five stories, including «Rain, « about the redemption of prostitute Sadie Thompson.»

As this 1989 thriller begins, James Bond has lost his license to kill. After he took revenge on the CIA agent who handed his friend over to the master criminal Sanchez, M revoked Bond's double-0 status. Now considered a rogue agent, with MI6 trying to bring him in and only the support of Q behind him, Bond goes after Sanchez. Aboard a ship, Bond tricks his way into Sanchez's inner circle and discovers the secret of his wealth—but Bond is walking a tightrope, and it is only a matter of time before he slips. After Kingsley Amis wrote Colonel Sun in 1968, it was John Gardner who was asked to carry on writing new adventures starring James Bond. Gardner ultimately wrote 14 original Bond books (as did Bond's creator, Ian Fleming), plus novelizations of the films GoldenEye and License to Kill.

Major Richard Sharpe awaits the opening shots of the army's Vitoria campaign with grim expectancy in this 17th book of his chronicles, from 1985. Victory depends on the increasingly fragile alliance between Britain and Spain-an alliance that must be maintained at any cost. But Sharpe's enemy Pierre Ducos seizes a chance to both destroy the alliance and take a personal revenge on Sharpe. And when the lovely spy, La Marquesa, takes a hand in the game, Sharpe finds himself caught in a web of deadly intrigue and becomes a fugitive, hunted by enemy and ally alike. Bernard Cornwell grew up with the Hornblower novels, following C.S. Forester's fictional hero through Lord Nelson's navy during the Napoleonic wars, and created his army counterpart in Richard Sharpe, a rifleman in Lord Wellington's land campaign. Cornwell has produced 24 novels and stories in the series, which traces Sharpe's career from 1799 and the Siege of Seringapatam in India to an encounter with the exiled Napoleon himself in 1821, and inspired the British television series Sharpe, starring Sean Bean.

Amid rumors that Napoleon is dead, or has run away, Richard Sharpe has one last battle to fight before he can lay down his sword, in this 21st book of the Sharpe chronicles, from 1989. Little does he know the 1814 battle for Toulouse will be one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Napoleonic wars, but it is far from Sharpe's only battle. Accused of stealing Napoleon's treasure, Sharpe must discover the unknown enemy who has tried to frame him-and his revenge is ingenious and devastating. Bernard Cornwell grew up with the Hornblower novels, following C.S. Forester's fictional hero through Lord Nelson's navy during the Napoleonic wars, and created his army counterpart in Richard Sharpe, a rifleman in Lord Wellington's land campaign. Cornwell has produced 24 novels and stories in the series, which traces Sharpe's career from 1799 and the Siege of Seringapatam in India to an encounter with the exiled Napoleon himself in 1821, and inspired the British television series Sharpe, starring Sean Bean.

(Part of the original Foundation Trilogy, winner of the Hugo Award for Best All-Time Novel Series) This is the first novel in Isaac Asimov's Foundation saga, originally a three-part masterwork-for which a special Hugo Award was created, Best All-Time Novel Series, recognizing its status as a central work of science fiction-that was later expanded to a seven-part series. Foundation describes a far future in which humanity numbers in the quadrillions, spread across millions of worlds, governed by the vast and presumably eternal Empire. But genius mathematician Hari Seldon-who has developed the study of psychohistory, or the dynamics of very large numbers of humans-has predicted the Empire's certain downfall. In order to mitigate the chaos that would follow, he proposes that a Foundation of all human knowledge be built at the edge of the galaxy.

Children will learn to count from 1 to 12 while looking at fine art masterpieces in this lively new book. Cats by Gainsborough, boats by Van Gogh, a circle of dancers by Matisse, a king and queen sculpted by Henry Moore—they’re all here to encourage counting and to introduce the fascinating world of art. A short rhyme perfect for reading aloud accompanies each illustration, helping children find the objects to count. Art 123 is a great book for all art lovers.

The New Encyclopedia of Origami & Papercraft Techniques is a comprehensive guide to basic and advanced papercrafting designs and styles. The book is filled with clear instructions, color charts, and photographs to direct you through every fold, crease, corner, and cut to create beautiful and original projects. Filled with more than 200 step-by-step instructions, charts, tips, and examples of completed works, this full-color illustrated guide is perfect for both beginners and paper experts.

In this enthralling scrapbook that William Shakespeare compiled for his daughter, he looks back on his life as he retires from the theatre. Discover late-sixteenth and early-seventeenth centurystories of love, war, kings and queens, fellow playwrights and actors, explorers and life in London.

«Combining words and unusual illustrations that incorporate pop-ups, pull tabs, wheels, and flaps, this book tells the dramatic story of archaeologist Howard Carter and his amazing journey to Egypt that culminated with his discovery in 1923 of Tutankhamen's tomb. This beautifully illustrated volume features stunning color photos of objects discovered in Tutankhamen's tomb, as it takes boys and girls along on a virtual archaeological dig. They explore the boy pharaoh's tomb and gain insights into the ancient Egyptian civilization, with emphasis on the Egyptians' particular form of belief in an afterlife. Die-cut holes in the book's pages are part of an ingenious design in which a model of Tutankhamen's sarcophagus literally pops up when the book is opened. And a «sliding door» on the front cover's tomb illustration can be moved back to reveal an illustration of the mummy. The book's lively narrative style includes excerpts from Howard Carter's diary and brings his adventure fully alive. Here is a beautifully designed book that is every bit as much fun as it is educational.»