The first part of Tolkien's epic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, featuring an exclusive cover designed to complement the new 'History of Middle-earth' series. Sauron, the Dark Lord, has gathered to him all the Rings of Power — the means by which he intends to rule Middle-earth. All he lacks in his plans for dominion is the One Ring — the ring that rules them all — which has fallen into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose. Now available in smart a new livery to match the 'History of Middle-earth' series, and impossible to describe in a few words, JRR Tolkien's great work of imaginative fiction has been labelled both a heroic romance and a classic fantasy fiction. By turns comic and homely, epic and diabolic, the narrative moves through countless changes of scene and character in an imaginary world which is totally convincing in its detail.

The second part of Tolkien's epic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, featuring an exclusive cover designed to complement the new 'History of Middle-earth' series. This edition, styled to complement the new 'History of Middle-earth' series, tells the story of Frodo and the Companions of the Ring, who have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. They have lost the wizard, Gandalf, in the battle with an evil spirit in the Mines of Moria; and at the Falls of Rauros, Boromir, seduced by the power of the Ring, tried to seize it by force. While Frodo and Sam made their escape the rest of the company were attacked by Orcs. Now they continue their journey alone down the great River Anduin — alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.

The final part of Tolkien's epic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, featuring an exclusive cover designed to complement the new 'History of Middle-earth' series. The climactic volume of the trilogy, wherein the little hobbit and his trusty companions make a terrible journey to the heart of the land of the Shadow in a final reckoning with the power of Sauron. Impossible to describe in a few words, J.R.R. Tolkien's great work of imaginative fiction has been labelled both a heroic romance and a classic fantasy fiction. By turns comic and homely, epic and diabolic, the narrative moves through countless changes of scene and character in an imaginary world which is totally convincing in its detail. Tolkien created a vast new mythology in an invented world which has proved timeless in its appeal.

This brand new full-colour art book reveals in sumptuous detail more than 100 paintings based on The Lord of the Rings by acclaimed Dutch artist, Cor Blok, many of which appear here for the first time. Fifty years ago, shortly after The Lord of the Rings was first published, Cor Blok read the trilogy and was completely captivated by its invention and epic storytelling. The breadth of imagination and powerful imagery inspired the young Dutch artist, and this spark of enthusiasm, coupled with his desire to create art that resembled a historical artefact in its own right, led to the creation of more than 100 paintings. Following an exhibiton at the Hague in 1961, J.R.R. Tolkien's publisher, Rayner Unwin, sent him five pictures. Tolkien was so taken with them that he met and corresponded with the artist and even bought some paintings for himself. The series bears comparison with the Bayeux Tapestry, in which each tells an epic and complex story in deceptively simple style, but beneath this simplicity lies a compelling and powerful language of form that becomes more effective as the sequence of paintings unfolds. The approximately 100 full-colour paintings in this new book are presented in story order so that the reader can enjoy them as the artist intended. They are accompanied by extracts from The Lord of the Rings and the artist also provides an extensive introduction illuminating the creation of the series and notes to accompany some of the major compositions. Many of the paintings appear for the very first time. Readers will find Cor Blok's work refreshing, provocative, charming and wholly memorable — the bold and expressive style that he created stands as a unique achievement in the history of fantasy illustration. Rarely has an artist captured the essence of a writer's work in such singular fashion; the author himself agreed, and what higher accolade is there?

After her first standalone novel, The Single Girl's To-Do List, Lindsey returns with a sparkling and romantic new novel in the I Heart series. Angela Clark loves her life in New York. She a Brit who's conquered the Big Apple. Unfortunately, she's also a Brit who's lost her job. And when, just a couple of weeks before Christmas, the immigration department gets wind of this, Angela needs to find a new job urgently. Or a husband. And she doesn't think her boyfriend Alex will be keen. A girls' weekend in Vegas with her best friend Jenny seems the perfect way to forget her troubles. From the minute they arrive Angela is swept up in a whirl of cocktails, outrageous outfits, late nights and brushes with the chapel of love. But rather than escaping trouble, Angela is up to her neck in it!. But what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas — right? With a bonus Angela's Guide to Vegas — the ultimate city break guide!

Some secrets should stay buried! A web of deceit — and Ben Hope is caught in the mayhem... Whilst visiting a former SAS comrade in Italy, a distracted Ben nearly runs over a young boy — and unwittingly walks into his deadliest mission yet. Ben's involvement with the boy's family runs deeper as he witnesses their brutal murder at a gallery robbery. A seemingly worthless Goya sketch was the principal target in the bloodbath heist. Now it's up to Ben to find out the truth behind the elusive painting. Wrongly accused of murder and forced to go on the run, he must get to the heart of the conspiracy while he still has the chance...

A tremendous first novel from an exciting young author. Famous for its electric chaos, the city of Bombay also accommodates pockets of calm. In one such space works Mohan, a contemplative man who has spent his life observing people from his seat as a letter-writer outside the main post office. But Mohan's lack of engagement with the world has caused a thawing of his marriage. At this delicate moment Mohan — and his wife, Lakshmi — are joined at their home in Saraswati Park by their nephew, Ashish, a sexually uncertain 19-year-old who has to repeat his final year in college. As the novel unfolds, the lives of each of the three characters are thrown into relief by the comical frustrations of family life: annoying relatives, unspoken yearnings and unheard grievances. When Lakshmi loses her only brother, she leaves Bombay for a relative's home to mourn not only the death of a sibling but also the vital force of her marriage. Ashish, meanwhile, embarks on an affair with a much richer boy in his college and, not long afterwards, succumbs to the overtures of his English tutor. As Mohan scribbles away in the margins of the sort of books he secretly hopes to write one day, he worries about whether his wife will return, what will become of Ashish, and if he himself will ever find his own voice to write from the margins about the centre of which he will never be a part.

Behind every great man, there's a great woman, only in Julian Jenson's case, there are three! Suave PM Julian Jenson has just been re-elected. He is the nation's darling and can talk the birds from the trees. At his side is his wife, Valerie Jenson. Trim, tall, well educated but deeply unhappy — with her son and daughter away at school, Valerie spends her time drinking. Sally Simpson is at the peak of her game. Powerful editor of the bestselling magazine Celeb, she can't wait to take her rightful place by Julian's side as his new wife and glamorous chatelaine of No.10. Sexy TV reporter Isla McGovern has caught Julian's eye, and she will do anything (or anyone) to get to the top. When the three women meet, so begins a perfect storm that could bring down a government and end a Prime Minister's career. And only one woman can emerge victorious. 'Juiciest read of the year. I loved it'.

The new novel from the bestselling author of THE SIXTH WIFE. When twelve-year-old Katherine Howard comes to live in the Duchess of Norfolk's household, poor relation Cat Tilney is deeply suspicious of her. The two girls couldn't be more different: Cat, watchful and ambitious; Katherine, interested only in clothes and boys. Their companions are in thrall to Katherine, but it's Cat in whom Katherine confides and, despite herself, Cat is drawn to her. Summoned to court at seventeen, Katherine leaves Cat in the company of her ex-lover, Francis, and the two begin their own, much more serious, love affair. Within months, the king has set aside his Dutch wife Anne for Katherine. The future seems assured for the new queen and her maid-in-waiting, although Cat would feel more confident if Katherine hadn't embarked on an affair with one of the king's favoured attendants, Thomas Culpeper. However, for a blissful year and a half, it seems that Katherine can have everything she wants. But then allegations are made about her girlhood love affairs. Desperately frightened, Katherine recounts a version of events which implicates Francis but which Cat knows to be a lie. With Francis in the Tower, Cat alone knows the whole truth of Queen Katherine Howard — but if she tells, Katherine will die.

Europe is still littered with the darkest secrets of the Cold War. And the most deadly revelation of them all is about to be made! Hard-up Russia expert Dr Sam Gaddis finally has a lead for a book that could set his career back on track. He has staggering new information about an unknown sixth member of the infamous Cambridge spy ring — a man who has evaded detection for his entire life. But when his source suddenly dies, Gaddis is left with just shreds of his investigation, and no idea that he is already in too deep. He is threatened, betrayed, hunted — and alone. To get his life back, he must scour a continent still laced with lies to find the truth behind the Trinity Six. Both Moscow and MI6 will use everything in their power to keep their fragile peace intact. But why murder people to hide secrets that should by now be history? Gaddis starts to understand — far too late — that he is closing in on a discovery that will shake Europe to its foundations!

Two strong women. Two cultures. One unifying cause: survival. Ellen Thomas, experienced war correspondent, returns to Afghanistan's dangerous Helmand Province on assignment, keen to find the murderer of her friend and translator, Jalil. In her search for justice in a land ravaged by death and destruction, she uncovers disturbing truths. Hasina, forced by tradition into the role of wife and mother, lives in a village which is taken by British Forces. Her only son, Aref, is part of a network of underground fighters and she is determined to protect him, whatever the cost. Ellen and Hasina are thrown together — one fighting for survival, the other searching for truth — with devastating consequences for them both. The Last Kestrel is a deeply moving and lyrical story of disparate lives — innocent and not-so-innocent — caught up in the horrors of war. It is a book which will resonate with fans of The Kite Runner and The Bookseller of Kabul.

One woman's search for the truth after scandal rocks her family, and the explosive family secrets she uncovers, in this complex, moving novel from award-winning author Jennifer Haigh. In Faith, Jennifer Haigh explores the repercussions of one family's history of silence, when a priest's sex scandal forces his family's untold past to surface. Art, Sheila, and Mike are siblings in a large extended Irish-American family from the Boston suburbs. Though their father is a non-believer, their mother is lace curtain Irish-Catholic, having raised her children to keep family secrets just that — secret — in a home where most subjects are taboo. Sheila is concerned when Art, beloved priest leading a major Catholic parish outside Boston, seems to fall off the grid just days before Easter. Then the news breaks that he has been accused of sexual misconduct. The media coverage shatters the community and pits Art's family members against one another, leaving Sheila determined to uncover the truth and -she hopes — clear his name. Determined to help prove Art's innocence, Sheila finds herself locking horns with her younger brother, Mike, who cannot shake the feeling that Art might be guilty. By turns disturbed by what Art might have done and furious at the seemingly unfair accusations, the truth remains elusive for readers in this artfully-crafted family drama.

From the sugar plantations of Saint-Domingue to the lavish parlors of New Orleans at the turn of the 19th century, Isabel Allende's latest novel tells the story of a mulatta woman, a slave and concubine, determined to take control of her own destiny in a society where that would seem impossible. Born a slave on the island of Saint-Domingue — now known as Haiti — Tete is the product of violent union between an African mother she never knew and one of the white sailors who brought her into bondage. When twenty-year-old Toulouse Valmorain arrives on the island in 1770, it's with powdered wigs in his trunks and dreams of financial success in his mind. But running his father's plantation, Saint Lazare, is neither glamorous nor easy. Against the merciless backdrop of sugar cane fields, the lives of Tete and Valmorain grow ever more intertwined. When bloody revolution arrives at the gates of Saint Lazare, they flee the island for the decadence and opportunity of New Orleans. There, Tete finally forges a new life — but her connection to Valmorain is deeper than anyone knows and not so easily severed. Spanning four decades, 'Island Beneath the Sea' is the moving story of one woman's determination to find love amid loss, to offer humanity though her own has been so battered, and to forge her own identity in the cruellest of circumstances.

An incredible visual insight into one of the most eagerly anticipated films of 2011. In autumn 2011 Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are teaming up to launch The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn. The first of two movies being produced, this film will bring to life the enormously popular books by Herge in performance-captured, 3D form. Starring Jamie Bell (of Billy Elliot fame) as Tintin, the intrepid young reporter whose relentless pursuit of a good story thrusts him into a world of high adventure, and Daniel Craig as the nefarious Red Rackham, this will be the film of Christmas 2011. Published alongside the groundbreaking film, this book will reveal the incredible creative design process behind it. The conceptual design and visual effects for the movie are being created by Weta, the multi Academy Award winning company behind blockbusters such as Avatar, The Lord of the Rings, District 9, King Kong, The Chronicles of Narnia and many others. The designs for the book will be put together by the very same Weta artists, giving the readers a true inside story on the how the original comics were transformed into the final look on the big screen.

«he World's Bestselling Mystery «Ten». Ten strangers are lured to an isolated island mansion off the Devon coast by a mysterious «U.N. Owen». «Nine». At dinner a recorded message accuses each of them in turn of having a guilty secret, and by the end of the night one of the guests is dead. «Eight». Stranded by a violent storm, and haunted by a nursery rhyme counting down one by one... one by one they begin to die. «Seven». Who among them is the killer and will any of them survive?»

In Got Fight? Forrest Griffin and Erich Krauss unleashed their unique brand of humor by showing people how to toughen up. Now in this sequel, Griffin and Krauss teach them the ultimate form of manliness: surviving the coming apocalypse. For years Forrest Griffin has been waiting anxiously to find himself in a post-apocalyptic future. Why is he so excited about the near-extinction of mankind? Because of the freedom it offers: with grooming and personal hygiene no longer a prerequisite to social acceptance, men can let their mutton chops grow and live out their secret fantasies of becoming Wolverine. They can kill animals with their bare hands, practice throw knives all day, and never have to say excuse me or please. With survival tips, illustrations, and photos of Forrest showing off his wilderness expertise, this book is a survival guide for everyone who believes the end is near and wants to be prepared. From eating in the wild to fighting dirty in a world that looks like Mad Max, Be Ready When the Sh*t Goes Down is the ultimate guide for staying alive, no matter the conditions.

This fourth installment in The Archive Series showcases the scenic background and layout art that gives every piece of Disney animation a time and place. The Animation Research Library and curator John Lasseter, the Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer, have assembled over 300 pieces of artwork from the company's shorts and masterpieces from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Tangled, and even the upcoming Winnie the Pooh. With many two-page spreads and several 30-inch gate-folds, Backgrounds & Layouts includes famous as well as unpublished work of the great layout artists and background painters such as Eyvind Earle, Claude Coats, Walter Peregoy, Maurice Noble, James Coleman, Serge Michaels, Al Dempster, Bill Layne, Art Riley, Brice Mack, and Lisa Keene. Collectors and animation enthusiasts couldn't be more thrilled with the first three books in the series, and they are eager to add Backgrounds & Layouts to their libraries.

At no time since the rock & roll explosion of the 1960s did music matter more than in the 1990s — the decade of grunge, gangsta rap and Britney Spears. The Nineties might have kicked off with Vanilla Ice, but music changed forever the following year when Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit exploded onto the airwaves, giving birth to the alternative nation. The decade spawned dozens of new stars (Pearl Jam, Eminem, Dave Matthews, Christina Aguilera and Jay-Z among them); top artists from U2 to Madonna made their most adventurous records; and hip-hop icons Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls met violent ends. Rolling Stone was there to tell all those stories and more — and The '90s collects the best of them: the last major interview with Kurt Cobain, conducted by David Fricke three months before the Nirvana singer took his life in 1994; Jonathan Gold's 1993 trip to Compton to check in with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre; Carrie Fisher's intimate one-on-one with Madonna following her 1991 film, Truth or Dare; Kim Neely partying with a riot-starting Guns n' Roses in 1991; Anthony Bozza riding along with an Ecstasy-gobbling Eminem in 1999; and, that same year, Steven Daly's visit to the bedroom of a teenage Britney Spears. Packed with over fifty stories, portraits by the biggest names in photography including Mark Seliger, David LaChapelle and Steven Meisel, and a guide to the decade's hundred greatest albums, The 90s is a definitive look back at the decade that rocked.

From the visionary talent of Justin Bua — the ground-breaking artist who created the best-selling college dorm poster The DJ and author of The Beat of Urban Art — comes The Legends of Hip-Hop. Featuring fifty portraits of the leading names in the hip-hop world, including everyone from Prince Ken Swift and Crazy Legs to Jay-Z and Big Daddy Kane, The Legends of Hip-Hop records the progeny of hip-hop, tracing its evolutionary course in cultural history. Each portrait is accompanied by a brief, insightful essay that places the artwork in historic context and details how or why each profiled individual impacted Bua's life and work. An instant classic, this visually arresting collection is perfect for anyone interested in the evolution of graffiti, hip-hop, and old-school style as a cultural phenomenon.

Lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs, drawings, floor and aerial plans, The Sourcebook of Contemporary Green Architecture features today's most noteworthy environmentally-friendly architectural projects. A range of sustainable design ideas are covered, from bioclimatic strategies to more complex off-the-grid constructions that include passive designs, prefab systems, water-harvesting mechanisms, and green renovations. Projects include building eco-certifications and eco-design solutions that utilize advanced technologies as well as cost management plans. All projects included in The Sourcebook of Contemporary Green Architecture have been completed or are ongoing in the twenty-first century and were chosen as highly successful examples of green architects meeting the individual needs and tastes of their clients. It is the perfect resource for architects, city-planners, engineers, and designers looking for both knowledge and inspiration.