A Horse’s Tail: How a Legendary Piece of a King George III Statue Landed at the New-York Historical Society

On the evening of July 9, 1776, downtown New York City was in a rebellious mood. The Declaration of Independence had been read aloud that day in lower Manhattan for the first time, announcing to the city that the Revolution against British rule had begun. That night, 40 colonial soldiers and sailors under the command...

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John Hancock Gets an X-ray: Inside the New-York Historical Conservation Lab

John Hancock needed a check-up. New-York Historical’s portrait of the famed signer of the Declaration of Independence and the first governor of Massachusetts is on view as part of the exhibition Beyond Midnight: Paul Revere. However, before it gets installed, the Museum’s Paintings Conservation Lab wanted to learn more about it. New-York Historical actually knows very...

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Hudson Rising: The Man Behind the New-York Historical Exhibition’s Trees

One of the signature elements of New-York Historical’s exhibition Hudson Rising is the imposing, elegant slabs of white pine and red oak that greet visitors. The live-edged trunks evoke the forests of New York State’s Adirondacks and help make the presence of nature palpable. Hudson Rising—closing on Sunday, August 4—presents the Museum’s stellar collection of Hudson River School landscape...

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Welcome to 82 Club: The Naughty Story of a Legendary New York Drag Institution 

If you were an adventurous visitor to New York City in the 1950s or 1960s, you might have found your way to the 82 Club. A basement nightclub at 82 East Fourth Street, it wasn’t much to look at from the outside. Located in what was then a remote edge of the Lower East Side,...

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Art on the Move: What Happens When a 215-Year-Old Painting Gets Shipped to France?

In the fall of 2018, Niagara Falls left New York. The 1804 painting by Antoine Phillippe d’Orleans, Duc de Montpensier, departed its home at the New-York Historical Society in late September and traveled to France’s Palace of Versailles, where it was part of an exhibition about the July Monarchy, entitled Louis Philippe and Versailles. For a painting that’s...

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Making History at Bear Mountain: Family Memories, the Palisades, and an Inheritance Worth Preserving

Growing up in the North Jersey suburbs in the 1960s, I never thought of my family as makers of American history. But looking back on our weekend trips to Bear Mountain and the banks of the Hudson River, I realize that we participated in an important chapter of the 20th century: the flowering of the...

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Cruising and Colonialism: Sailing the Caribbean in the Wake of the Spanish-American War

The world’s first cruise ship, the Prinzessin Victoria Luise, opened for business—but mostly for pleasure—in 1901. The Hamburg-American line vessel contained only first-class cabins, each of which was “brilliantly lighted by electricity,” outfitted with electric bells,  steam-heated, and ventilated. At the time, these were luxury amenities even more impressive than the ship’s marine golf deck...

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The Tale of Washington’s Headquarters Tent: Legal Battles, Family Ties, and Remembering the Revolution

George Washington wanted a tent. The commander of the Continental Army had the impossible task of transforming his ragtag troops into a professional fighting force to match the mighty British. But to do so, he had to beg the fractious Continental Congress for funds and equipment. “I cannot take the field without equipage, and after...

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LIFE in Pictures: Pop Star Billy Eckstine and the Infamous 1950 Photo That Impacted His Career

Billy Eckstine drove his fans wild. Nicknamed Mr. B, the dashing singer had a voice that was described as a “suave bass-baritone” and a stage presence that, for a time at least, rivaled Frank Sinatra’s. By 1949, Eckstine was a genuine pop sensation—the New York Times reported that he even outsold Sinatra at New York’s...

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Stonewall 50: Meet Luna Luis Ortiz, One of New-York Historical’s Experts on House and Ballroom Culture

Lucky for us, Luna Luis Ortiz has a passion for history. A native New Yorker, he’s been a fixture on the house and ballroom scene since the late 1980s as a performer, photographer, and activist. So, when New-York Historical Society curator Rebecca Klassen was looking for advisers to help develop our exhibition Letting Loose and...

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Fancy Zoom Calls

AKA, how I set up my Sony DSLR to use as a webcam.

Unless you’ve only just woken from a months’ long coma and the first thing you decided to do was read my blog, you’re likely aware of (waves arms around) this quarantine. I’ve been home and isolated for two months now. Fun times.

As a result, I’m in a lot of Zoom calls. As a result, I’m envious of the few people with their fancy camera and mic setups. As a result, I decided to do something about it.

First, here are a list of articles of what other people have done to get this going:

• Dan Mall’s setup
• Jesse Gardner’s setup
• Matt Stauffer’s setup

Read them? If so, you may notice as I did that every single one of them use the Elgato Camlink. It’s a hardware dongle that allows you to plug in your camera via HDMI and it’ll be recognized as a webcam.

Cool cool cool cool. Here’s the thing: everybody and their grandmother have clearly read the same articles and ordered themselves the Elgato Camlink. As such, they are sold out everywhere. If you’re in the United States, it seems some people have still been able to get their hands on them. Up here in America’s Hat (i.e. Canada), I couldn’t find them anywhere.

I had pretty much resigned myself to living with the Mac’s FaceTime camera. Is that so bad?

Well, then I came across a YouTube video that perfectly describes how to setup a Sony DSLR as a webcam using a piece of free software called CamTwist.

Awesome!

Well, kinda sorta. It’s a clunky setup that requires me to fire up my camera, then fire up Remote, then fire up CamTwist, then fire up the remote streaming tool of choice.

Except, when I opened up Zoom, it wasn’t recognizing the CamTwist webcam. (Skype seemed to work fine but everybody is using Zoom these days.) Everything I was finding on the web was telling me to downgrade to a previous version of Zoom to allow this to work.

Turns out, as Zoom tried to fix a bunch of security issues, they decided to lock out any unsigned webcams. (This is explained in this Reddit thread.) CamTwist is 10 year old software and isn’t signed. As such, it doesn’t get recognized. To solve this problem, you need unsign Zoom so that it’ll allow unsigned webcams. This feels icky but it worked and since we’re dealing with a global pandemic at the moment, unsigning an app seems like the least of my worries.

Per the instructions in the Reddit thread, you’ll need to have Xcode installed and then you’ll be able to run this line of code:

codesign --remove-signature /Applications/zoom.us.app/

Just like that, you’re in business.

Now, like I said, it’s not ideal. You can’t minimize the Remote app or the webcam doesn’t work. You can’t use Spaces or the webcam doesn’t work. You don’t want to resize the Remote app or CamTwist will show the wrong thing. Remote resets its height and width every time its opened, so best not to mess with it at all.

On the upside, CamTwist is studio software, so you can play with effects and text overlays and even cut between multiple video feeds, if you’re feeling overly ambitious.

So, while not perfect, it’ll do.

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A .Button is a Button is a Link

You’re working on a project and in it you see a button. It looks like a button, it acts like a button. It is a button. It is a <button>. It is a .button.

But is every <button> a .button? Is every .button a <button>?

Let’s take a look at some very specific examples:

We essentially have three different types of buttons:

1. Image-only buttons (the next/previous paddles)
2. Text-only buttons (the cancel link)
3. Like, actual buttons

On most projects, I see developers choose to identify all of these as the same component: the .button.

As a result of trying to shoehorn everything under the umbrella of a single component, we run into a lot of style overrides. The default style is the actual button. And then text buttons need to strip away all those styles. And image buttons have other constraints like handling hover and active states of the images.

1. .button--image
2. .button--link
3. .button

Different Patterns, Different Components

Just because the HTML under the hood is the same, doesn’t mean we need to use the same class for everything. Since we have three different types of buttons, we should identify them as such.

1. .image-button
2. .link-button
3. .button

Or whatever name you want to come up with. (Naming things is hard.)

With each clearly defined, there is no need to override styles to add or takeaway styles applied by other button styles. This simplicity results in less complexity and possibly even less code by not having to override existing styles.

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Kjolle

It’s April 2019. We’re in Lima, continuing the journey of going to the world’s 50 best restaurants. There are 3 restaurants on the list here in Lima: Astrid & Gaston, Maido, and Central.

It looked like there was availability for all three restaurants and so we booked flights and hotel and then went to reserve the restaurants.

A&G was fine. Maido was great. Central, however, turned out to be full. Turns out, the reservation site for Central shows availability for all of their restaurants and not just Central.

Well, that’s unfortunate. With everything else booked, I added my name to the waiting list. Worst case, we’ll arrive at the restaurant in hopes of any last minute cancellations.

Nothing opened up.

With an evening free, we make the 45 minute walk over enjoying the quiet evening through one neighbourhood to the next until we arrive in Barranco, just as Central is set to open, pleading for a table. No luck. But they had availability at Kjolle. We could have a drink at the bar, Mayo, while we wait for our table.

Fine.

Mayo

As we sat at the bar waiting, they prepared us a drink. The cocktail looked elaborate with a dash of spice on the top placed with precision. It was presented with a platter of inspiration, where we could see the spices used in the drink. The presentation was amazing.

The drinks take some time to prepare—I think we waited for about 15 minutes. I wondered what that place would be like on a busy evening with 100 people all waiting for their drinks.

Dinner

We hadn’t quite finished our drinks when we were escorted to our table on the second floor of the compound. And compound is probably the best way to describe the three restaurants and training facilities surrounded by a high wall. Kjolle, itself, is divided into two sections separated by a glass wall. We’re sat at a table at the back, in a room with a half-dozen tables.

Stunningly, as the place filled, it didn’t get louder. In fact, by the end of dinner, we noticed we couldn’t overhear a single conversation from any other table. The noise management was superb (and most welcome)!

I don’t think I’ve ever been emotionally moved by a plate of potatoes before. The tubers tart was divine. The potato flavour wasn’t too strong. It wasn’t too sweet. It was a perfect combination of taste and texture.

The bread was delicious. The crust was flavourful and tasty with the whipped butter and salsa served with it.

The last two wine pairings were fantastic.

There wasn’t a disappointing dish the whole way through, along with some exceptional ones.

I walked away with a mix of emotions. Happy to have enjoyed such a wonderful meal, sad that we weren’t able to go to Central, curious about how good Central would be, and excited to plan a return to Lima.

If you find yourself in Peru, come to Lima, and enjoy some of the world’s most amazing food at Kjolle.

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Playing with CSS Grid

I’ve been working on this site, Fifty, to track a list of restaurants that I’ve been to. Each new restaurant was a list item. The list will eventually reach 50 items and a long list is long and visually uninteresting.

The first attempt was to use CSS columns. I threw on a column-width and bam. Slightly more visually interesting—at least, on larger screens. It’s still just an ordered list on smaller screens.

Lately, I’ve been wanting to play with layout that had more of a magazine feel. (I’ve also been wanting to do an actual magazine but that’s a story for another day.) I even picked up a stack of magazines from the local bookstore to get some inspiration and ideas.

One thing that I noticed is that they’ll play with grids to create visual interest or to move your eye through a more dense page.

Magazines have the advantage of a fixed size. For the web, we need to consider everything from watches to wide screens. CSS Grid seemed like a great way to play around with different options.

Repeat

Grid’s repeat function is one of my favourite tools. It’s like a built-in responsive design tool that instantly creates a flexible design. I tell it the minimum column size and then it will create the number of columns that’ll fit into the space allotted.

grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(250px, 1fr))

This, in and of itself, isn’t much over what I had before. I beefed up the style with some numbers in boxes.

Spanning Columns and Rows

To make things more interesting, I wanted to have items pop out, both in size and colour. If everything popped out, it would be overwhelming and I didn’t think it’d make the list any easier to parse.

I decided to create a pattern that would work when I had a few items and would continue to work as I completed restaurants on the adventure.

The first idea I had to make certain items stand out was to have some restaurants take up two columns and two rows and include a photo.

I specified the row and column span:

grid-row: span 2;
grid-column: span 2;

A problem reared its ugly head when the page scaled down to a single column. Why is this a problem? By spanning an item over 2 columns, there will always be 2 columns, even if I only want 1.

I’d love a way to say: grid-column: span minmax(1,2). It’d take two columns if there’s two columns; otherwise, it only takes one column.

Instead, I had to define a media query for when there was a single column and adjust the spans for that.

@media (max-width: 674px) {
    .restaurants li {
      grid-column: span 1 !important;
    }  
}

(I probably should’ve done this mobile first and defined the default as span 1 and then did a min-width for anything that wasn’t mobile. But it’s a personal site and whatevs.)

I played around with what would create the best look at all viewports and with various items. I wish I could say I had a magical formula but it was really just trial and error. I’d put something together and then resize to see how it’d look. Then play around with the numbers until I had something I liked.

The next problem was to make it looks semi-random. Or provided some alternation with where the spanned items would be placed. If I just use :nth-child then weird patterns can emerge at different viewport widths.

To solve this problem, I’d use multiple :nth-child declarations with alternating offsets. This provided the best results over all viewports.

Random colours

I was okay with that but I wanted more. I decided to use the alternate colours, green and brown, on random boxes. CSS doesn’t have a random function, which would’ve been really handy here. Instead, I tried to figure out what offset would create a pleasing pattern. Again, this was a lot of trial and error figuring out offsets that worked well.

.restaurants-devoured li:nth-child(17n-16):before { … }
.restaurants-devoured li:nth-child(11n+12):before { … }

And again, I used a similar solution to how I placed the large boxes. Offsetting numbers with multiple patterns helps create the illusion of randomness.

The Result

I’m really happy with the way the grid turned out. Probably the biggest problem is that people look for meaning in patterns. “Why are these restaurants a different size or colour? Are these the ones you like best or stood out to you for some reason?” The answer is no, there’s no significance. I thought it would look nice. Unsure how I’d tweak the design to make the insignificance more obvious.

I look forward to going to more restaurants and seeing the grid continue to fill in.

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Consuming to Produce

As the clock turns over an arbitrary time boundary that marks one year from the next, many reflect on their past and make promises of change for the future.

Not one to want to feel left out in such reflecting, I, too, have made promises for the year (and, really, years) ahead. Well, one in particular: be more creative.

Being more creative was purposely vague so as to leave numerous avenues in which to pursue that creativity. Web design and development is assuredly a given, as that’s well within my wheelhouse of skills. Tangentially, I’ve been working to improve my photography and photo editing skills, turning that work into one web project or another. More writing. And cooking.

Each new channel of exploration has become a new way to spend money. There’s a name for this: The Diderot Effect.

The Diderot Effect states that obtaining a new possession often creates a spiral of consumption which leads you to acquire more new things. As a result, we end up buying things that our previous selves never needed to feel happy or fulfilled.

Photography is fun. Surely, I’d have better photos with that particular camera. Or the latest iPhone. Or that new lens. Y’know, I really need a better camera strap. And a new shoulder bag. Maybe a backpack for particular trips to carry all this gear.

Cooking is fun. Let’s give sous vide a go. I need the plastic tub that is especially designed for the wand. And the wire mesh to hold the food off the bottom. And a cast iron pan would really be better than my 10 year old teflon pans. Oh, and a blow torch for post-bath Maillard reactions. (And maybe try my hand at a crème brûlée while I’m at it.)

Making coffee is fun. Yes, I must have the double boiler espresso machine. And grinder, of course. And knock box. And some lovely cups to go with it.

Oh, I’ll tell you with a straight face that I’m a modern minimalist man but I have a knack for filling up my home with all the latest gadgets in pursuit of something to fill my spare time. In my effort to produce more, I end up consuming more.

Maybe in an effort to be more creative, I should be more creative in accomplishing my goals without all the gadgets.

Right after I buy this thing I need for the kitchen.

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Travelling Man

As one might expect in trying to go to numerous restaurants around the world, much travel would ensue. And sure enough, that happened.

In 2019, I travelled to:

• Montreal (twice)
• Toronto (twice)
• Pittsburgh
• Portland (thrice)
• Phoenix
• Austin
• Atlanta
• San Antonio
• San Francisco (twice)
• Napa Valley
• London
• Lima
• Paris (twice)
• Amsterdam, with a drive to Zwolle and Ghent, Belgium
• Barcelona
• Buenos Aires

Some of my favourite memories, in no particular order.

I’ve never been a fan of Formula racing but a friend of mine is. I’ve known him since I was a teenager and he was my first roommate when I moved out at the tender age of 18. We went to Montreal to watch the race. He loved it. He even ran into Mitsou.

Made a trip the following weekend back to Montreal with my mom to have dinner in complete darkness.

My eldest son and I were supposed to go to Tokyo but our trip got cancelled. We ended up going to Toronto to see his favourite comedian: Fluffy! And then we went for his favourite food: Ramen! I enjoyed giving him that experience.

I got sick in London. Got to chat with the chefs at The Clove Club and The Ledbury.

Drove the Dutch and Belgian countrysides in search of food. Driving down a lane flanked by rolling green fields on the way to Hof Van Cleve. It was so picturesque, we had to pull to the side to take pictures.

Found a Cuban-themed bar in Lima and enjoyed a couple good drinks before it got too loud.

Sat on the rooftop of a restaurant in Napa Valley enjoying the best dessert wine I’ve ever had: a madeira from 1920. Some things do get better with age.

Hanging out with friends in a large house outside of Atlanta enjoying some of the finest whisky, cigars, and food.

Hung out in Austin during SXSW, bringing back good memories from a decade ago.

Celebrated a friend’s wedding anniversary in Pittsburgh. I enjoyed getting to see a bit of the ‘burgh for the first time and hang out with friends that I don’t get to see very often.

Walking with the girlfriend to coffee shops in Portland. Chatting with the baristas at Proud Mary, learning more about their process as I continue to improve my own process.

Walking for 45 minutes through the streets of Lima on the way to Central to beg our way into a table. Only to be denied and instead enjoyed the best meal at their sister restaurant, Kjolle.

In buying a bottle of whisky in Paris, the guy told us about a whisky speakeasy that the store runs. It’s in an old underground spot that used to be a spa. I had some of the best whisky I’ve ever had.

Sitting in the back of an Uber in Buenos Aires, chatting with the driver on the way to a restaurant. He asked what the average salary was in Canada. We said maybe $30,000. He was stunned. Like, utterly flabbergasted. He wanted to move to Canada right away. Then we figured out he thought that was monthly, not yearly. His excitement quickly deflated.

Finishing off the year here in Ottawa, with friends that I’ve known since I was 14 in high school. Much reminiscing with stories of those times.

Adventure is out there

A couple years ago, I decided to make the shift from “things” to “experiences” and my life has been full of them. I am frequently amazed at how lucky and privileged I’ve been and continue to be and how my life is full of amazing friends. Here’s to 2020 being filled with just as much and more.

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A Year of Restaurants

It’s been an interesting year, to say the least. Started a new job. Left that job. Ended a relationship. Have a newfound affinity for Islay Scotch. (Those last two things aren’t related, surprisingly.) Throughout this tumultuous year, there has been adventures to many amazing restaurants around the world.

The main goal was to continue on the quest to eat at 50 of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants before I turn 50. Last year, I managed to make it to 10 restaurants. This year, I went to 17 restaurants on the list. That means I’m over the halfway point of this crazy challenge in just under two years.

This year kicked off with a trip to London in January where I came down with a severe bout of something viral and was bedridden for a bit. Not quite fully recovered, I stupidly went to the four restaurants I had reservations at: The Clove Club, Lyle’s, The Ledbury, and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal.

In April, a trip to Peru was to include three restaurants on the list. We went to Maido and Astrid & Gaston. Sadly, we couldn’t get reservations to Central due to some confusion with the online booking site. Instead, we went to its sister restaurant, Kjolle, which ended up being amazing. Like, how is this restaurant not on the list itself?!

In May, we made a road trip out of it, driving to Zwolle, in the Netherlands to go to De Librije. After an amazing meal and stay at the attached hotel, we drove to Ghent, Belgium for a brief stay to go to Hof Van Cleve.

Midway through the year, the 2019 list came out, adding Atelier Crenn and Benu from San Francisco to the list. Benu was visited the year prior, so I took the easy win.

Side Challenge

I had a secondary goal of going to every Michelin 3-starred restaurant in the Bay Area. This included Saison, Benu, Quince, and Coi in San Francisco—all of which I had been to in 2018. There is Manresa down in Los Gatos (which I also went to in 2018), The Restaurant at Meadowood (also visited in 2018) up in Napa Valley, and the French Laundry that is also up in Napa Valley. In 2019, Michelin added SingleThread and Atelier Crenn to the ranks of 3-star restaurants.

That means, I had three restaurants to go to to complete the side quest. It also meant adding one more to the 50 list. In July, I went to Atelier Crenn, SingleThread, and French Laundry in a single weekend.

Thomas Keller, of the French Laundry, was a consultant on the movie Ratatouille, which set my expectations high. I really wanted them to serve the dish from the movie, but sadly, it didn’t happen. The meal was still wonderful, though.

Side challenge completed.

Autumn

I wanted to make another big jump for the 50 list. Getting a restaurant here or there just wasn’t going to cut it. There are five restaurants on the list in Paris. I managed to snag reservations at four of the five to be within three days of each other: Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, Arpège, Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen, and Astrance. (I seemed to have forgotten about Septime, which is unfortunate.)

Paris is also where I learned of a whisky speakeasy hidden under a sake bar. Absolutely amazing. I already want to go back.

Last year, for Thanksgiving, we took Kitt’s parents to Copenhagen to have dinner at Geranium. This year, we took them to Barcelona. Disfrutar and Tickets were the primary targets, inching us further along the Fifty quest. Barcelona is a hotbed of molecular gastronomy. It was home to elBulli, run by Ferran Adria, well known as the creator of culinary foam. Former chefs from the restaurant started Disfrutar. Ferran’s brother, Albert, has since created a collection of restaurant within a stone’s throw of each other including Enigma and Pakta, which we also managed to get reservations to.

Enigma ended up being the most interesting of the bunch—and maybe the most challenging, too. Dishes included hare brain and squid head. There was also some foie gras, which I personally enjoy. Enigma was fascinating as it moved us through six stations and about 30 courses of food, including a speakeasy at the end.

One last Fifty adventure of the year was a trip to Buenos Aires for Don Julio, a steakhouse, and Tegui, a more “traditional” upscale restaurant with a tasting menu. Of course, I discovered that there’s a Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list that’s done by the same people who do the World’s list. As such, I made reservations for Mishiguene and Chila.

Mishiguene was a neat experience. It’s very casual but they did a tasting menu that was filling and flavourful. The portions were huge and felt like it could’ve fed a table of four. Chila ended up being the highlight of the trip with great service and amazing dishes. I felt like it deserves to be on the World’s 50 Best.

Ending the year past the halfway mark on the 50 by 50 adventure was very satisfying—and very filling.

Side Adventures

The side adventures have been a lot of fun, too.

With frequent trips to Portland, I’ve tried to get to many of the nice restaurants there and have been delightfully impressed. A return visit to Le Pigeon, for example, wasn’t as gut-busting as the first time I went but was still delicious. I’ve also been to DOC, Beast, Coquine, and Nodoguro. Not to mention the love I have for Bamboo Sushi.

Canada has its own Top 100 list with a handful of restaurants right here in Ottawa: Atelier, who’s head chef once worked at Alinea in Chicago; Riviera; Stofa; and Fauna. Atelier is definitely the fanciest of the bunch but I prefer the slightly more casual experience at the other places. Fauna has been consistent both times I’ve gone. Not on the list are places like Whalesbone and Aperitivo, which were also quite good. It’s nice to see Ottawa’s food scene expand.

Next Year

2020 will bring many more food adventures as I attempt to get to another 15 restaurants or so on the way to completing the 50.

Completing the second half of this adventure gets harder as the restaurants are fewer and farther between.

I already have reservations to Noma, which has returned to Copenhagen after being closed for a couple years. I’m hoping to also do a side trip to Maaemo in Oslo and Frantzen in Stockholm around the same time, which will require short flights from city to city.

I’d like to get to Tokyo, which has three restaurants on the list. Maybe add on an extension to Hong Kong to do the two restaurants there.

Probably the most ambitious will be planning out the possibility of two other trips.

One, to northern Italy. There are three restaurants: Le Calandre, Piazza Duomo, and the venerable Osteria Francescana. But there’s also Hisa Franko that’s a two and a half hour drive to the east, in Slovenia; and Mirazur, that’s a three hour drive to the west, in France. A one or two week road trip through the north of Italy sounds incredible.

The other, equally ambitious adventure, would be a trip to northern Spain, split between Bilbao and San Sebastian, to go to Asador Etxebarri, Nerua, Mugaritz, Elkano, Azurmendi, and Arzak.

Were I able to pull off all four of these trips as desired, I’d be at 46 of the 50 restaurants by the end of the year. Crazy.

Those would be amazing trips, for sure. At the same time, part of the fun of trying to tackle this list is heading off to places I haven’t been before—especially in out-of-the-way places. Hof Van Cleve, sitting out in the middle of rolling green hills, took me to a place I never would’ve picked. Trips to Lima and Buenos Aires were also new adventures to cities and countries I hadn’t been before.

As such, the places that excite me are places like Bangkok, Moscow, and Istanbul.

Onwards

Who knows what, exactly, the new year will bring. I just consider myself lucky to be this far along this journey and hope the new year brings many new adventures.

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Leggo My Pattern Library Analogy

When you think of a pattern library (or design system), what analogy comes to mind? Lego? If I had a Lego piece for every time somebody used Lego as a pattern library analogy, I’d be able to build the Death Star.

Lego is pretty awesome but also difficult to replicate a design without detailed piece-by-piece instructions.

Someone hands you a box of Lego and tells you to build an interface and that it has to look like the rest of the site. What are the chances that you’ve built something that is technically consistent with what others have done? Did you use two 4x2 bricks, or one 4x2 and two 2x2 bricks? Did you use green bricks or yellow bricks?

Lego gives you plenty of options but very little consistency.

In reality, pattern libraries usually hit an upper limit of around 100 components. Salesforce’s Lightning has 85 components. Shopify’s Polaris has 90. Anything more than that and interfaces become unwieldy. Each component is something that the designer has to design, the developer has to build and maintain, the user has to learn to use.

The combinations with which these components fit together are also limited. A Toast message is generally only going to appear in one or two places within the interface.

Tetris, on the other hand? A limited set of pieces that fit together in a particular set of ways. Sometimes you screw it up and it looks a bit wonky. Other times, when it all comes together, magic happens!

Now that’s the best analogy ever.

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Prince: Inside the Music and the Masks

Over the past 30 years, Prince Rogers Nelson has been one of the most original and charismatic figures in music. Known for seminal hits such as 'Kiss', 'Little Red Corvette' and 'Let's Go Crazy', his restless creativity has made a profound mark on the music industry and popular culture. Even more remarkable, perhaps, is the scale and longevity of his success; at the height of his fame, his album Purple Rain sold a million copies a week in the US, and just four years ago his sell-out London concerts attracted over 350,000 fans.

Prince: Inside the Music and the Masks is the most intimate and authoritative biography ever to be written about this fascinating artist, and Aurum are delighted to be releasing it this February. Acclaimed music journalist Ronin Ro lays bare the life of one of one of the most extraordinary musicians of our time, chronicling Prince's journey from teenage obscurity to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Through unrivalled access to producers, bandmates and close friends, he peels away the masks to tell the story of a true modern icon.

You can read an exclusive excerpt from Prince: Inside the Music and the Masks at the Vanity Fair website.

Coming: February 2012
Format: Hardback, 384 pages
Price: £20

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Ray Harryhausen's Fantasy Scrapbook

Ray Harryhausen's Fantasy Scrapbook by Ray Harryhausen and Tony Dalton

November saw the release of Ray Harryhausen's Fantasy Scrapbook, a compendium of models, storyboards and concept drawings from the legendary pioneer of stop-motion animation. This new book is compiled from a wide range of never-before-seen artefacts from Ray's life and career, many of them only recently discovered in a Los Angeles garage. Through his original sketches, scripts and letters, it offers fascinating insights into the mind of one of Hollywood's great animators.

With informative introductions to each film and detailed captions for every image, this illuminating volume is a must for all film fans. Harryhausen's seminal work on Jason and the Argonauts, The 7th Joyage of Sinbad and Clash of the Titans remains hugely influential and Ray Harryhausen's Fantasy Scrapbook does his creativity and imagination justice.

"Thoroughly engrossing, whether you’re a Harryhausen fan or just a film fan in general. It’s an absolute delight to browse through and, crucially, captures the character of the man behind the monsters" sfx.co.uk

"This collection truly is a thing of beauty ... A must buy for Ray's fans" Starburst Magazine

Ray Harryhausen's Fantasy Scrapbook is available to buy here.


If the Fantasy Scrapbook has animated your interest and you're looking for more stop-motion history, then look no further. Aurum have published three more books by Ray Harryhausen and Tony Dalton:

The Art of Ray Harryhausen by Ray Harryhuasen and Tony Dalton, with a foreword by Peter Jackson

"A splendid volume... fabulous illustrations" Jonathan Ross

Available in paperback here.






Ray Harryhausen: An Animated Life by Ray Harryhausen and Tony Dalton, with an foreword by Ray Bradbury

"A sumptuous account of the veteran animator's life on celluloid" The Independent

Available in paperback here.




A Century of Model Animation: From Méliès to Aardman by Ray Harryhausen and Tony Dalton

"A work full of love for the subject" SFX Magazine

Available in hardback here.

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Looking Forward to 2012

We're two weeks into the New Year, so if you haven't quite got round to joining the gym or learning a language yet, why not make it your resolution to read one of these great new books from Aurum:

The Austerity Olympics by Janie Hampton

It can't possibly have escaped anyone's notice that London's Olympic year has finally arrived. But while we're getting caught up in this summer's excitement, 2012 will also be a time to look back to when Britain last hosted the Games.

The London Olympics of 1948 were a vastly different occasion to this year's extravaganza. With the Blitz fresh in the city's memory and rationing still in force, the Games were organised for less than one hundredth of a per cent of 2012's massive budget. Janie Hampton's The Austerity Olympics is a vivid account of the Olympic Games of the past. With tales of athletes being ferried to events on double-decker buses and sewing their own kit in makeshift accommodation, the book depicts a world that is far removed from the Games of 2012. It will be a fascinating read for Olympic fanatics and sceptics alike.

Interviews with some of the athletes who competed in 1948 can be read in Kate Youde's fascinating article for the Independent here.

"[Hampton] has an illuminating sense of detail, and her book tells a story that goes beyond that of a sporting event - a story of innocence, hope and pride." The Daily Telegraph

"Hampton's excellent book should be compulsory reading for everyone involved in the 2012 London Olympics." Daily Mail Critics' Choice

Re-issued: April 2012
Format: Paperback, 368 pages
Price: £8.99

The previous edition of The Austerity Olympics is available to buy here.


Banksy: The Man Behind the Wall by Will Ellsworth-Jones

From his home city of Bristol to Los Angeles, New York and London, Banksy's exhibitions have attracted huge audiences. New works of graffiti go viral almost instantly, and such is the commercial value of his work that people have hacked whole walls from buildings because they bear his trademark stencilled designs.

But how much do we really know about this notoriously secretive artist? How has he become the phenomenal success that he is today, and how does he protect his anonymity under the glare of worldwide fame? In Banksy: The Man Behind the Wall, Will Ellsworth-Jones pieces together his subject's life and builds a picture of the world in which he operates. Incorporating interviews with friends and enemies, those who knew him in his early, unnoticed days and those who have watched him come to terms with his new-found fame, this is a book that gets to the very heart of who Banksy is and what his life's work adds up to.

Banksy: The Man Behind the Wall is released in March. In the meantime, you can see a few of his best works at his official website.

Coming: March 2012
Format: Hardback, 320pp
Price: £20


Just Boris: The Irresistible Rise of a Political Celebrity by Sonia Purnell

In May, Londoners will go to the polls to choose their next mayor. The question on the minds of many will be whether the capital keeps Boris Johnson or ends his four-year spell at City Hall. Speculation that he has one eye on Downing Street continues to bubble to the surface, but one thing remains certain: Johnson is Britain's most recognisable and comically self-deprecating politician. He has become notorious for his gaffes and attracted controversy with his candid manner, but has climbed to one of Britain's highest political offices nonetheless.

As a former colleague of Johnson's at the Daily Telegraph, Sonia Purnell holds a unique vantage point over the Mayor of London's remarkable career. In Just Boris, she examines how the archetypal old Etonian came to be a Man of the People capable of charming London; how a shy young boy from a broken home became one of our most distinctive political figures; and how the Johnson family has built a media and political dynasty.

The first comprehensive account of his life and career, Just Boris unravels a political enigma and asks whether the man who has made his mark on London has what it takes to be Prime Minister.

You can read Carole Cadwalladr's review of Just Boris for the Guardian here.

"Sonia Purnell must have had huge fun writing this wonderful book. The only person who won't be amused is Boris himself." Michael Crick

"Future biographers will always be in her debt. Purnell has accumulated a wealth of previously unknown detail." Andrew Grimson, The Spectator

Coming: March 2012
Format: Paperback, 464 pages
Price: £8.99

Just Boris is available to buy in hardback here.

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A Round-up of 2011

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The World History of Animation by Stephen Cavalier

As a director at Disney and contributor to Spielberg's animation team, Stephen Cavalier has acquired a wealth of knowledge about the industry over the course of his career, and his new book, The World History of Animation, is a testament to this experience. This comprehensive collection features key figures from across Europe, North America and Asia, and includes everything from feature films and TV to digital animation and games. Organised chronologically, the book introduces landmark characters and technical innovations, while also paying special attention to the individuals and studios that made it all possible through biographies and interviews. It also lists certain must-see movies, complete with synopses and film stills, making it easy for readers to experience the world of animation on their own.

This beautiful, easy to follow book is perfect for both seasoned film buffs and those looking to expand their knowledge of this extensive and fascinating genre.

Coming: November 2011
Format: Hardback, 416 pp
Price: £35

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Upcoming Titles: Autumn 2011

The Ray Harryhausen Fantasy Scrapbook
by Ray Harryhausen and Tony Dalton

Widely acclaimed as one of the most influential film animators of all time, Ray Harryhausen is responsible for such classic films as Clash of the Titans, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts. In the film world his name is synonymous with the pioneering of stop motion animation and he has been an inspiration to household names such as Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas, among many others.

The Ray Harryhausen Fantasy Scrapbook gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the life and works of this creative genius. Designed in the form of a scrapbook, this collection includes everything from concept drawings, scripts and poster designs to outtakes from classic films, models from unrealised projects and letters from cast and crew. This book is a must-have for film buffs, Harryhausen fans and anyone interested in animation, graphics or the film-making process.

Coming: November 2011
Format: Hardback, 192 pp, 900 colour and b&w illustrations
Price: £30

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2011 Releases so far...(Part 3)

Professor Gary Sheffield, The Chief: Douglas Haig and the British Army

A radical reassessment of the most controversial general in British history

In 1918, after the armies he commanded had helped to win the First World War, Douglas Haig was feted as the saviour of his country. On his death in 1928 he was mourned as a national hero. But within ten years his reputation was in ruins, and it has never fully recovered.

In this scholarly yet accessible biography, Professor Gary Sheffield reassesses Haig’s reputation. Using extensive research into primary sources, he shows how Haig’s experiences on the Western Front not only made him a highly effective commander but helped him transform the shambolic amateur force of the Somme in 1916 to the victorious army of 1918. He also reveals how, after the war, Haig used his influence as a leader of ex-servicemen to help secure the peace.

This is a powerful rehabilitation of Haig’s reputation as a military commander which offers original insights into his achievements and his place in British history.

Available here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chief-Douglas-Haig-British-Army/dp/1845136918/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312879197&sr=8-1

Greg King, Wallis: The Uncommon Life of the Duchess of Windsor

The first unbiased account of the fascinating and outrageous life of Wallis Simpson, the commoner who bewitched the King of England …

It was the love story of the century. In December 1936, King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry ‘the woman I love’, Wallis Warfield Simpson. American and twice-divorced, Wallis was hardly the sort of woman the Royal Family would have chosen for their future Queen. Their ostracism of her, coupled with a thinly veiled animosity in the British press tainted her reputation for the rest of her life.

In his acclaimed biography Greg King sifts through the decades of rumour and accusation to reveal the woman behind the legend. Wild speculation about her past affairs, her domination of the Duke and her tragic, lonely end are answered. Using previously untapped sources, conducting hundreds of interviews with survivors and expertly marshalling a huge array of documentation, King presents a definitive and sympathetic portrait of the woman who was punished for falling in love.


Available here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wallis-Uncommon-Life-Duchess-Windsor/dp/1845136942/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312802028&sr=8-1

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2011 Releases So Far... (Part 2)

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2011 Releases So Far... (Part 1)

Stephen Brook, MW, The Finest Wines of California
This guide, the fourth in the acclaimed Finest Wines series, from Hugh Johnson’s award-winning team, casts a whole new light on the California region. Authoritative, bang up-to-date, and brimming with fascinating information, this essential guide is required reading for all wine lovers.

‘This book is exceptional. It is well-written. It is informative. It is readable and entertaining’- Winesights, Toronto, Canada.

Available here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Finest-Wines-California-Stephen-Brook/dp/184513611X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1305286695&sr=1-1

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The Man Who Invented The Daleks

‘A tale of monsters, megalomaniacs and the golden age of British television’

In 1963, the Daleks were first introduced to British television and straight away became impressed on the nation’s consciousness. There they have remained, instantly recognisable, terrifying and delighting generation after generation. In his new biography, The Man Who Invented the Daleks, Alwyn Turner explores the often strange worlds of their creator, Terry Nation; a man whose impact on modern British culture has, until now, been relatively unexplored.

Turner not only reflects on how the Daleks became an overnight success, to be immersed in British pop culture for all time, but also reveals their inventor’s bemusement at the phenomenon he created, reflecting on tales of fan mail being addressed to simply ‘the Dalek man, London’. This biography however goes beyond the world of Dr. Who and his greatest nemesis to explore a career that influenced a great deal of the television culture we know today.

Alwyn W. Turner is the author of, amongst other titles, Crisis? What Crisis: Britain in the 1970s and Rejoice! Rejoice!: Britain in the 1980s.

‘Alwyn Turner shapes Nation's extraordinary career into a wonderfully rich account of British popular culture since the war. Carefully researched and beautifully written, his book covers everything from the early days of Doctor Who’ http://www.doctorwhoappreciationsociety.co.uk/Celestial_Toyshop/Books.html

The Man Who Invented the Daleks is released in May 2011 and is available here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Man-Who-Invented-Daleks-Strange/dp/1845136098/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305207125&sr=8-1

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True Whit Competition

Whitney Port, MTV reality star turned clothing designer, now launches her new lifestyle guide, True Whit; a personal and honest template for ‘designing a life of style, beauty, and fun’. Through a range of chapters on everything from career advice and relationship issues to fashion tips, fitness plans and even decorating ideas, Whitney shares the secrets to an independent and glamorous world.

Now, Aurum Press, in association with Lookfantastic, are offering you the chance to quiz the girl herself and receive some individual advice and ‘Whittyisms’ on any element of creating a fabulous and stylish life of your own. All you have to do is send your question to the Lookfantastic Twitter page and, on 19th May 2011, Whitney will be personally responding to a selection of submissions. For full details about the competition and how to enter, follow this link: http://blog.lookfantastic.com/?p=3563.

Whitney Port, True Whit is available to buy now: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/184513673X/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1A1GA14XN229ZJ1NQEFE&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294

You can see cosmopolitan.co.uk’s feature on the book here: http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/campus/student-careers/interview-tips

‘Intimate and honest, this book provides tips on everything from dating to decorating’- Heat Magazine.

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Spring 2011 Titles

Ashes 2011 by Gideon Haigh

England's stunning victory over Astralia in the Ahses series galvanised the nation. Now, Gideon Haigh, aclaimed as the 'finest living cricket writer', has written the first book about this remarkable sporting feat. Following each Test day by day, mixing vivid reportage with erudite wit, Haigh's chronicle is no 'instant bok' but rather a characteristically considered and memorable work.

Coming: February 2011
Format: Hardback, 256pp w./ 8pp colour plates
Price: £12.99



The Sport of Kings, Queens and Four-Legged Athletes Edited by Martin Smith

Horse racing is a massive commercial industry with a multi-million pound turnover in betting, breeding and prizemoney. But it is also a fun day out. The Sport of Kings... relives racing's greatest moments through the passion and authority of the sports pages' true thoroughbreds inclusing John Oaksey, Brough Scott and J.A. McGrath.

Coming: February 2011
Format: Hardback, 384pp
Price: £20



Mile by Mile on Britain's Railways by S.N. Pike

Back in 1947 someone called S.N. Pike - we know almost nothing about him - published three pamphlets which mapped in forensic detail one of Britain's mainline rail routes. Today, Aurum reissues those three - adding a fourth in the same style - in this single volume. Full of period interst, this delightful book reminds us of what once could be seen at leisure on a long railway journey.

Coming: March 2011
Format: Hardback, 160pp w./ line drawings throughout
Price: £12.99



The Cheltenham Festival by Robin Oakley

The Cheltenham Festival is nowadays the biggest event in the racing year in visitor numbers and 2011 marks a hundred years since the birth of the Festival. A work of both hisory and celebration, Oakley's book is a must have for both the committed festival-goer and the armchair racing fan.

Coming: March 2011
Format: Hardback, 304pp
Price: £20




Subdued Magic : Raymond Chandler a Life by Tom Williams

A majour new biography of one of the twentieth century's most popular, influential and enduring literary figures. Tom Williams' fascinating book covers everything from Chandler's isolated upbringing to his growing alcohol problems, pointing out the origins of his prose, characters and style along the way.

Coming: April 2011
Format: Hardback, 400pp w./ 16pp B&W plates
Price: £20




The Man Who Invented The Daleks by Alwym W. Turner

Terry Nation was one of the most successful and prolific writers for television and radio that Britain ever produced, and his most famous creations, the daleks, ensured the success of Doctor Who. This is the first serious, mainstream account of Terry Nation's life and tremendous contribution to British television.

Coming: May 2011
Format: Hardback, 356pp
Price: £20


The VW Camper Van: a biography by Mike Harding

The Volkswagen Camper van has long escaped its military origins and become the embodiment of freedom and the open road. Combining his endless curiosity flair for stand up comedy, Harding has created a wonderful social history of the postwar yearsthrough the prism of a single transport icon.

Coming: April 2011
Format: Hardback, 256pp
Price: £16.99

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‘To The Last Round’ wins inaugural military history award

To The Last Round
The Epic British Stand on the Imjin River, Korea 1951
by Andrew Salmon

On the eve of Remembrance Day 2010, a book on Britain's bloodiest - but almost completely unknown - post-1945 battle won the inaugural Hampshire Libraries (Special Collections) Award for the Best Military Book of 2009 from a field of 60 key military titles.

“In a list of very strong military books, this is an excellent book," said renowned broadcaster and bestselling historian Professor Richard Holmes, the patron of the award. "It well-deserves the winning award."

"A neglected battle that in fact deserves to join the first rank of British military actions, To the Last Round is a book that does its subject proud," added Librarian Andrew Dalziel. "This is easily one of the best books I have read on a military subject in recent years: truly inspiring."

The inaugural award is designed to highlight the three "armed services" collections - aviation, naval and military - in Hampshire Libraries. The military collection alone boasts 18, 000 titles.

Salmon, a Seoul-based reporter, sent an acceptance speech filmed on the Imjn battleground, where the 1951 British positions remain fortified to this day against the North Korean threat.

"I'd like to thank the award panel for recognizing an unknown author writing about a forgotten war," Salmon said. "Though Korea remains the biggest, bloodiest and most brutal conflict fought by British soldiers since World War II, it is almost completely unknown in the UK; I hope this award will bring veterans some long-overdue recognition."

Salmon and film makers Dan Gordon and Howard Reid are hoping to create a documentary on the book. The author is currently finalizing a prequel, Scorched Earth, Black Snow which tells the story of the Australian and British soldiers in North Korea in winter 1950, the most dramatic, but most terrible months of the war, in the words of the men who came home. It will be published by Aurum in early 2011.


Richard Holmes handing the award to Sam Mercer (representing the author), a veteran of the Gloster battalion annihilated on the Imjin, and a survivor of the grim North Korean POW camps. A chance meeting with Mercer, who lost a leg and an eye in the fighting, provided Salmon with the inspiration for his book. Richard Sullivan of Osprey Publishing (the award sponsors) stands between them.


Graham Eames was there on behalf of Aurum Press and Andrew Salmon

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Bon Voyage!

Bon Voyage!
The Telegraph Book of River and Sea Journeys
Edited by Michael Kerr

In this follow- up to the highly successful Last Call for the Dining Car, The Telegraph’s Michael Kerr has amassed the very best of the paper’s writing on journeys by water – from ocean liners, cruise ships, tramp and African river steamers, all the way to single-handed yachtsmen and canoeists tackling the Missouri.

Bon Voyage! details the last voyage of the QE2 and the first of the biggest cruise liner ever built. There is an account of the 1936 launching of the Queen Mary in front of 150,000 onlookers on the Clyde. It features no less than Henry Stanley, writing exclusively for the Telegraph in the nineteenth century about his epic African journey down the Congo.

Also included are pieces about Bombay’s insanely crowded commuter ferries, Francis Chichester rounding Cape Horn, and a couple who tried to sail their amphibious Volkswagen Beetle around the world but only got as far as the North Sea. Anyone who enjoys reading Gavin Young, Eric Newby or Jonathan Raban’s travel writing will love this book.

Michael Kerr is Deputy Travel Editor of the Daily Telegraph. He lives in Surrey.

Bon Voyage! The Telegraph Book of River and Sea Journeys is avaiable to purchase here.

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New Gavin Stamp Book Released

Lost Victorian Britain
A Vanished World of Nineteenth-Century Architecture
Gavin Stamp

"This is a book which no member of the Victorian Society should be without" The Victorian

"This is an important book. It tells the story of the loss of so much grace and beauty in the English architectural landscape. It should be on the desk of every architect and every town planner.” The Northern Echo

Aurum’s series of large-format, lavishly-illustrated architecture titles has in recent years hit a rich seam with its chronicles of lost architecture. The books cover the magnificent and grand buildings from previous centuries that for a variety of reasons – but above all cavalier demolition by twentieth-century planners devoted to the cause of modernism – are now no more, and exist only in heartbreakingly poignant photographs. Gavin Stamp’s own Britain’s Lost Cities was the most recent.

Now, Stamp follows with another superb book, chronicling an astonishing and depressing array of the finest Victorian architecture – all sacrificed to the wrecking ball. From public baths to hotels, town houses, factories and banks; photographs are all we have left. Gavin Stamp’s indignant and scholarly text looks back at the circumstances of their loss, and analyses the twentieth-century mindset that could hold so many magnificent buildings in such little regard.

Gavin Stamp is one of Britain’s most eminent architectural historians and writers. His other books for Aurum are Lutyens Houses and the acclaimed Britain’s Lost Cities. For many years he was Chairman of the Twentieth Century Society.

Lost Victorian Britain is available to purchase here.

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New Release

The Classical Country House
From the Archives of Country Life
David Watkin

The Classical Country House takes a fresh, innovative look at the traditional British country house, revealing the major influence of Classicism from the seventeenth century to the present day.

Written in five parts, the book first examines the birth of English Classicism, then the flowering of Classical design, before recounting how eighteenth-century austerity gave way to the richer styles of the nineteenth century’s Italian Renaissance Revival. The final chapters look to the last century and beyond, and at how the Classical language of design is expressed in houses as diverse as Nashdom, Gledstone and the British Embassy in Washington D.C.

David Watkin has selected over 150 of the finest images from the Country Life archive to illustrate an incisive study of twenty-six important houses and their architects in what is a major addition to architectural history.

David Watkin is an Emeritus Fellow of Peterhouse and Emeritus Professor of the History of Architecture at the University of Cambridge. He is the author of over twenty books, including Morality and Architecture, A History of Western Architecture, and Roman Forum. He is a leading authority on Classicism and its successive renewals.

The Classical Country House is available to purchase here.

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BBC VFX Book Released

BBC VFX
The History of the BBC Visual Effects Department

By Mat Irvine and Mike Tucker

• The definitive history of the world’s first, largest and longest-running dedicated TV effects department.

• Covers fifty classic BBC shows in every genre.

• Series featured include Doctor Who, Blake's 7, Monty Python, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Goodies, Are You Being Served and many more.

• Filled with anecdotes and insights into how the effects were created.

• Illustrated throughout with fascinating production photos and sketches, most of which have never been published.

The BBC Visual Effects Department closed its doors in 2003. For almost fifty years it had been responsible for some of television’s most iconic images – from exploding newsreaders on Monty Python’s Flying Circus to Blake’s 7’s majestic Liberator sailing through outer space.

Using interviews with the effects designers, together with concept drawings, production photographs and stills from completed programmes, this book tells the story of the VFX Department and celebrates the work of a group of craftsmen who lived by the mantra, ‘If it can be imagined, it can be made…’

Working largely before the age of CGI, the Department was responsible for every kind of visual effect, from physical effects such as rain and explosions, to miniatures and models, to sculpture and animatronics.

Filled with fascinating insights, wonderful stories and numerous photographs and artworks which have never been published, this is an essential book for FX fans and anyone who loves television

Mat Irvine and Mike Tucker worked for many years in the BBC Visual Effects Department. Mat left the BBC in 1993 and has been pursuing other projects as writer, producer and director. Mike now runs The Model Unit at Ealing Studios. Both, individually, are writers, Mat having written twelve books on scientific and hobby subjects while Mike is the author of several original novels and Doctor Who novelisations.

BBC VFX: The History of the BBC Visual Effects Department is available to purchase here

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Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Fifth Avenue, 5.A.M.
Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s

by Sam Wasson

‘A brilliant chronicle of the creation of Breakfast at Tiffany's… This is a memorable achievement’
Peter Bogdanovich

‘A sparkling time capsule of old Hollywood magic and mythmaking… as infectious as Mancini’s score’
Kirkus

Before Breakfast at Tiffany’s Audrey Hepburn was still a little-known actress with few film roles to speak of; after it – indeed, because of it - she was one of the world’s most famous fashion, style and screen icons. Truman Capote’s original novel is itself a modern classic, its high-living author of perennial interest.

Now, this little book - the first about Audrey Hepburn’s greatest screen role - tells the story of how it all happened: how Audrey got the role (for which at first she wasn't considered, and which she at first didn’t want); how long it took to get the script right; how she came to wear the little black dress; and how Henry Mancini’s soundtrack with its memorable signature tune ‘Moon River’ completed the irresistible package.

Sam Wasson is also the author of a biography of Blake Edwards.

Fifth Avenue, 5.A.M. Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's is available to purchase here.

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Exciting New Release

Leonard Rossiter:
Character Driven
The Untold Story of a Comic Genius

Affectionate, honest and long overdue, Character Driven is the first biography of one of Britain’s greatest, but least-known character actors. Whether playing seedy landlord Rupert Rigsby in Rising Damp or frustrated suburban dreamer Reggie Perrin, Rossiter’s performances were iconic and utterly memorable. Like Peter Sellers or Ronnie Barker, his characters loom larger in our national consciousness than the actor who played them. Until now, Rossiter himself has remained a mystery.

Via exhaustive research and in-depth interviews with those who knew and worked with Rossiter, Guy Adams reveals the man behind the threadbare cardigan and manic grimace.

Leonard Rossiter: Character Driven will finally shed light on the personality of one of the greatest comic actors of the twentieth century, and reveal why he was able to give such epoch-defining performances.

Guy Adams worked as an actor for twelve years before becoming a writer, specialising in TV and entertainment. He is the author of the official guide to Life on Mars and the bestselling humour book based on the series, The Rules of Modern Policing: 1973 Edition. He also wrote the Torchwood novel The House That Jack Built.

Leonard Rossiter: Character Driven is available to purchase here.

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I Could Go On...Unpublished Letters to The Daily Telegraph released

• The follow up to last Christmas’ Best Seller AM I ALONE IN THINKING..?

• Another hilarious collection of letters

• Over 70,000 copies sold of its predecessor

• #1 Independent bookshops’ Christmas bestseller

'SIR – My first thought on seeing your headline, "Pupils to be taught about sex at seven" was "What, in the morning?"'

‘SIR- If anyone is unsure or not to vote for David Milliband, I would draw their attention to the photo of him in The Daily Telegraph wearing a two-buttoned suit with both buttons done up.’

'SIR – Having seen some pictures of Tiger Woods’ acquaintances, I’m thinking of taking up golf.'

In 2009 a small volume of unpublished letters to The Daily Telegraph, Am I Alone in Thinking….? captured the public imagination and became a Christmas bestseller. But to those who compile the newspaper’s daily Letters page the book’s huge appeal was no surprise. While they can publish no more than 20 letters each day, another 600 will have gone to waste and for every serious contribution there are many more that are simply very funny, and, alas, there’s never enough room to include them all.

Here then is the eagerly-awaited sequel chronicling yet another year through the whimsical preoccupations and hobbyhorses of the Telegraph’s wonderfully waggish readers. Chris Evans’ supplanting of Sir Terry Wogan on Radio 2; Tiger Woods’ peccadilloes; Gordon Brown’s long farewell – such are among the issues that exercised 2010 epistolarians.

Iain Hollingshead was deputy Letters editor of the Daily Telegraph and is now one of the paper's feature writers. He lives in London.

I Could Go On... is available to purchase online here.

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Excitement Surrounds the Launch of New Star Wars Book.

Excitement has surrounded the launch of J.W.Rinzler’s new book, The Making Of: The Empire Strikes Back. For months, fan websites and blogs have been ablaze with activity as Star Wars fans and cinephiles across the world eagerly anticipated the sequel to Rinzler’s critically acclaimed The Making Of: Star Wars. Fortunately, they have not been disappointed. With its exclusive access to the Lucasfilm archives, The Making Of: The Empire Strikes Back offers a treasure trove of never-before published photos, design sketches, paintings, production notes, interviews, anecdotes, and scripts, to offer a complete behind-the-scenes look at the production of an iconic film.

On Saturday fans celebrated the launch of The Making Of: The Empire Strikes Back at Bristol’s Forbidden Planet with an Empire Strikes Back themed extravaganza. Complete with costumes and lightsabers, fans from all generations enjoyed celebrating both the movie and the launch of this highly anticipated book. Similar celebrations have been planned at Southampton’s Forbidden Planet for this Saturday (23/10/10).




The Making of The Empire Strikes Back is available to buy online here.

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Exciting New Release

The Making of The Empire Strikes Back
J.W. Rinzler
Foreword by Ridley Scott

An exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of arguably the greatest and most cherished of all the Star Wars films, the most important motion picture sequel of all-time, and a movie that changed pop culture forever: Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back.

J.W. Rinzler, author of the acclaimed The Making of Star Wars, once again uses his unprecedented access to the Lucasfilm archives, and their treasure trove of never-before published photos, design sketches, paintings, production notes, interviews, anecdotes, and scripts, to take us back thirty years to relive the entire production process for one of the most anticipated movies ever produced- along the way unveiling stories as entertaining, enthralling and mind-boggling as the film itself.

As a longstanding member of the Lucasfilm staff, J.W. Rinzler has enjoyed unparalleled co-operation and support from the original moviemakers, including both George Lucas and veteran director Irvin Keshner. The result is a truly definitive account that is destined to become a must-have for all true Star Wars fans and serious cinephiles.

Johnathan Rinzler is a New York Times bestselling author and longtime editor at Lucasfilm Publishing.

“It’s not often we come across jobs we’re envious of, but JW Rinzler’s role as official chronicler of LucasArts films sends us into fits of jealousy. As with his Star Wars and Indiana Jones books, this is an immaculately presented trawl through the dustiest recesses of the Skywalker Ranch activities, packed with unseen concept art, on-set pictures and hours of interviews recorded in 1980 (but never used) that capture the uncertainty about the film that plagued the set. Unendingly fascinating.” The Shortlist


The Making of The Empire Strikes Back is available to buy online here.

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Playing to Win Released in Paperback

‘A bona fide football man…Whelan should be celebrated’ The Independent

Few figures in British business or sport have enjoyed Dave Whelan’s success. As a footballer he played in all four divisions. As a businessman he created one the country’s leading high street brands. And as chairman of Wigan Athletic he’s taken his club all the way from the Third Division to the Premiership.

Dave’s story is one of ambition, enterprise and tenacity – but also of a fierce loyalty. It begins in wartime Wigan with the Whelans’ desperate struggle to survive. Dave describes the terrifying wasp-like hum of the Luftwaffe; he remembers the deathly winter of 1942, peeing on his hands to stop his fingers from freezing; admits how hunger drove ordinary families to lie, cheat and steal; and relives a remarkable reunion with the father he’d never known – a returning soldier.

In peacetime a boyhood love affair with football leads him to sign with Blackburn Rovers and when national service calls he joins the Army football team, becoming close friends with ‘Busby Babes’ Bobby Charlton and Duncan Edwards.

Then, a vicious tackle in the 1960 FA Cup final spells the twilight of his playing career – but a new dawn in business. Starting as a market trader, he breaks the mould from day one: taking on Boots single-handedly in the Appeal Court; negotiating the sale of his supermarket chain to Ken Morrison – whilst stood at a urinal; and transforming a single tackle shop in Wigan into JJB Sports, the UK’s biggest sports retailer and a £1 billion PLC.

In 1995 he used his personal fortune to buy struggling, hometown Wigan Athletic, vowing to take the Latics all the way to the Premier League. At the time he was ridiculed, but ten years later, on the final day of the Championship, Dave watched, ecstatic, as his club beat Reading 3-1 to finally secure their place.

Sometimes tragic, frequently controversial and always heartfelt, Playing to Win lifts the lid on a life lived on the pitch and in the boardroom and tells how a hungry kid from Wigan’s backstreets became a national success and a local hero. Whelan's story was a great success in hardback, turning him into a local hero and now with the new release in paperback, Playing to Win offers football fans and general readers another chance to catch this engaging read.

Dave Whelan was the founder of retailer JJB Sports and is the chairman of Wigan Athletic Football Club. All the author’s profits will go to the new Wigan Boys and Girls Club

Playing to Win is available to buy in paperback now in local bookstores and online via the following link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dave-Whelan-Playing-Win-Autobiography/dp/1845135792/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1284559060&sr=8-2

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More Great New Releases

Bordeaux has long symbolised the peak of prestige for French wine. Yet despite its outstanding reputation, the region has remained relatively closed to consumers, as forbidding as the highest château gates or the most tannic of its young wines. However, in this highly approachable, beautifully illustrated guide, Master of Wine James Lawther draws on his insider’s knowledge to open up Bordeaux.

He has identified the 90 producers with the finest wines and the most interesting stories to tell, taking us inside their châteaux and offering intimate portraits of both the properties and the people who shape this fascinating region. Lawther uses language but also over 100 original colour photographs; beautifully designed maps; flap page-markers and silk ribbon to weave these hidden stories.

Published in conjunction with The World of Fine Wine Magazine, current holder of the coveted Gourmand award for The World’s Best Wine Magazine, this guide, the third in the acclaimed Finest Wines series, from Hugh Johnson’s award-winning team, brings the region to life more vividly than ever before.

The Finest Wines of Bordeaux is authoritative, bang up-to-date, and full of actionable information making it required reading for all wine lovers and the perfect present!

James Lawther MW passed the Master of Wine examination in 1993. He has been based in Bordeaux for the past 15 years, making the region his speciality and tasting widely. He is a contributing editor of Decanter magazine, a contributor to The World of Fine Wine, and author of The Heart of Bordeaux.

The Finest Wines of Bordeaux is available to pre-order now on http://www.amazon.co.uk/Finest-Wines-Bordeaux-James-Lawther/dp/1845136071/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1284464612&sr=8-1

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Pandemics, packing, and Penn Press: A story about higher education right now

Today we have a guest post from Sean P. Cunningham, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of History at Texas Tech University. Here, he tells a story about how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted his teaching, and how Penn Press...

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Challenging Inaction, Sustaining Life: South African HIV/AIDS Activism and the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Book promotion tips for authors during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic and the social distancing measures enacted to combat its spread have upended our lives in countless ways. For authors publishing scholarly books this spring (and quite possibly beyond), a pressing question has emerged: how on earth am...

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A Silent Embrace of “The Middle Ages” Under COVID-19

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