Life at the Top Book by Kirk Henckels and Anne Walker

At the Artisan’s Table By: Jane Schulak and David Stark Text by Kathleen Hackett Photography by Aaron Delesie Stunning contemporary tabletop designs inspired by historical decorative objects from the world’s great museums Throughout history, tabletop decoration has been at the nexus of utilitarian function and innovative design. In At The Artisan’s Table, designers and event producers Jane Schulak and David Stark pair historical table wares from the world’s finest design museums with pieces by an international array of contemporary artisans who reinterpret traditional crafts and styles, including Aptware (marbled clay), blue-and-white Delft, chinoiserie, faux bois, plaster, splatterware, and trompe l’oeil. Each chapter features a museum object that serves as a “muse,” the work and studio of the artist who has updated the traditional craft—including ceramicist Roberto Lugo, plaster artist Stephen Antonson...

Pierre Paulin Life and Work By: Nadine Descendre Photography by Benjamin Chelly The French avant‑garde designer and architect Pierre Paulin (1927–2009), outfitted private quarters i...

Country Life Homes of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley By: William Abranowicz and Zander Abranowicz A celebrated photographer focuses his lens on distinctive period and contemporary residences amid the natural beauty of New York’s Catskill Mountains and Hudson River Valley The majestic panoramas, lush vegetation, and bucolic vibe of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson River Valley in upstate New York have long proved irresistible for city dwellers seeking respite from urban life and inveterate country lovers alike. Their homes, whether hundreds of years old or brand new, all resonate with their natural surroundings, as each of the 20 houses that photographer William Abranowicz captured for this volume attests. They range from the historic houses of Thomas...

Tuscan Countess The Life and Extraordinary Times of Matilda of Canossa By: Michèle K. Spike This is a fast-paced and colorful exploration of the life of Matilda of Canossa (c. 1046–1115), the woman who loved a pope and was loved by him, successfully defied the Holy Roman Emperor, and changed the map of Europe. A new kind of history, this biography also carries the flavor of present-day Italy. Matilda of Canossa, the “Great Countess,” was a remarkable woman. Her personal power was so extraordinary that even centuries after her death she became the first woman to be interred in St. Peter’s Basilica. She is best remembered for her role in the conflict between the papacy and the Holy Roman emperor, the climax of which took place at her castle of Canossa. This unique biography is also a journal of the author’s travels through contemporary Tuscany as she explores the palaces where Matilda held court, the blood-stained plains on which her soldiers battled, the churches and cathedrals she endowed, and the fortified aeries where she sought refuge. Readers will be swept along on this engrossing journey retracing the steps of a courageous and brilliant woman. Michèle K. Spike is a lawyer and historian who has lived in Florence since 1989. She has collaborated with her husband, John Spike, on numerous books on...

The Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm is one of the most remarkable "chinoiseries" anywhere in the North of Europe-not because of its size and the splendour of its collections, but b...

The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale by Christopher Gilbert. New York: Tabard Press, 1978. Hardcover with dust jacket. 288 pp. An extensive resource book on the life and work of T...

The Shaker World by John T. Kirk. Hardcover book with dustjacket. Published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. of New York. Printed and bound in Japan. 277 illustrat...

A Day in the Life of the Soviet Union Book by David Elliot Cohen. More than three hundred photographs visually survey the diversity of Russian landscapes and cityscapes and depict r...