Archive For The “Culture” Category
China: A History is an excellent and authoritative tome by an author who brings this enigmatic land to rich and colourful life. John Keay illustrates that phrase ‘To know who we are we must know where we come from’ or, and perhaps of more interest to us in the West, ‘We must know where we…
Barcelona is a beautiful city and famed for its buildings. Barcelona Sketchbook: Homage to Catalan Architecture allows the reader to view these façades in something of a different light and one that is awash with pastel hues and subtle shadows. Graham Byfield, the artist for this book, ambles with his keen eye through the Ramblas,…
Designed in the USSR: 1950-1989 is another book from Phaidon. Not a cookbook this time but a rather topical design book which does indeed offer an insightful overview of iconic images from behind the Iron Curtain. There are some flag-waving posters, as one would expect, but even these have influenced graphic art far beyond the…
An in-depth exploration spanning 800 years of the art, essence, and enduring impact of the Japanese Garden. The most comprehensive exploration of the art and concept of the Japanese garden published to date, this book covers more than eight centuries of the history of this iconic horticultural genre. One might think of a Japanese garden…
The Wines and Winemakers of the Heart of Burgundy The name Côte d’Or might not be well known but it is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution. It was formed from part of the former province of Burgundy. This is not only a beautiful part of France but a celebrated…
Calamity and Courage – A Heroine of the Raj is another in my collection of fascinating books about India and all things Indian that I love so much. It also gave me a surprise as the setting for the aforementioned heroism is in fact the very part of India that my father knew so well…
We might not all major in architecture but we are all touched by it, and it’s argued that Frank Lloyd Wright has had more impact than most on buildings in both the 20th and 21st centuries. Frank Lloyd Wright introduced the word ‘organic’ into his vision of building, and indeed he did this as far…
Domon Ken is one of the most renowned Japanese photographers of the 20th century. One might not recognise his name but one will likely have seen some of his work, which is iconic and which spanned decades. This is an excellent book which strives to offer the reader a comprehensive overview of Ken’s photographs. The…
I was told to expect a book. I was told to expect a big book. I was told to expect a coffee-table book. What I got was a book the size of a coffee table but one which will hold my attention long after the furniture would have lost its purely functional appeal. Sake: The…
It’s a buzz-word these days: Umami. It’s a very familiar taste, flavour, sensation on the taste buds but we have only relatively recently put a name to this savouriness, this deliciousness. But how do we view it with regard to sake? This was originally a Japanese word and it’s all about a particular taste: of…
Tokyo is a vibrant modern city but tradition is still evident. We might be looking for the latest technology in Akihabara or fashion and pop culture in Takeshitadori; but we all need food and many of us need sake. You’ll find that all around this sprawling town if you know where to look for it….
This might be your first big trip and the success of that adventure might well lay in preparation and planning. You’ll want to be informed of things to avoid and others not to be missed. Rajasthan – Lonely Planet is an ideal tool to supply some travel needs. You’ll want to get the most from…
This is a volume for any student of architecture who is interested in that phrase ‘form follows function’ with regard to the inspiring and revolutionary architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. Gwyn Lloyd Jones retraced Frank Lloyd Wright’s steps on journeys he made outside the USA. This volume considers the man along with his buildings. It’s…
Not sure if Marco Polo, that celebrated explorer of the East, ever got to the area we now know as Singapore; however, he has given his name to a series of guidebooks to aid a distant generation of travellers. It’s true that there are many guide books and all of them, I feel sure, have…
Saké has become more popular than ever in both restaurants and bars. One can find good quality saké by the bottle and made into cocktails, but there are surprisingly few books in English on the subject of saké and its production. John Gauntner is considered an authority and has penned The Saké Handbook which is…
This book is bound to appeal to anyone with a love of what they assume to be, and indeed what has become, classic English architecture. We’re talking about Robert Adam’s buildings so they couldn’t be anything other than quintessentially English, could they? Well, yes and no. Four Emperors and an Architect has the story. Four…
Danny Chen is the author of Train2e@t, this small yet deliciously stuffed book. He is the complete modern man, being a lover not only of Malaysian cuisine but of music and travel too, and well placed to pen a volume that considers one of the best things in life: Food. Danny isn’t a full-time food…
We all know the name and his impeccable political credentials (he was an American Founding Father and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence; he was the third President of the United States). But Thomas Jefferson lived a full life of controversy outside the political arena. Jefferson served as a diplomat, stationed in Paris…
There will be many UK readers who will remember Lesley Downer not for her books, although there have been many, but for her enlightening and absorbing TV series in which she introduced Japan to British viewers. It was the first programme of its kind and I don’t think it has been rivalled since for its…
I enjoy almost every book that crosses my desk (now a uni-leg computer stand from a Swedish lifestyle emporium). Some are simple but informative volumes, others are attractive and what I would describe as gift quality. Tasting India is in the second category but has raised the bar on that little phrase. It truly is…