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Art & Culture

Culture and art is many things and at Tales you find a wide selection of art and culture books. If you enjoy a trip to the museum or an evening at the theatre this is the place for you. If you are more into architecture or a well written song, fear not you also find books about that. Lastly design and fashion is also part of our art and culture selection, so what are you waiting for? Set your inner creativity free and get inspired by some of the world’s best artists, musicians, designers or architects.
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  • Save 23%
    by Charlotte & Peter Fiell
    £15.49

    Sit back, relax, and survey some of the most iconic chairs in history. A must for design addicts and collectors alike, this dependable compendium presents each chair alongside essential information about the designer and their work, from Alvar Aalto to Eva Zeisel, from Art Nouveau to International Style. This recently refurbished edition...

  • Save 10%
    by ANONYMOUS
    £8.99 - 14.99

  • Save 15%
    by Johanna Basford
    £10.99

    From bestselling author Johanna Basford - a new pocket-sized colouring book of mini masterpieces.We don't always have a whole afternoon or even an hour to dedicate to our creative practice. Small Victories is the perfect book for when you want to pick up a pencil and complete a colouring page in a single sitting. Choose from pages of multiple individual drawings and select a few to colour, or little vignettes and smaller motifs that are easier to complete in one creative moment - all featuring Johanna Basford's trademark whimsical illustrations.From tiny toadstools, dinky cakes to celestial and floral miniscapes, this book guarantees more of those feel-good vibes you get from finishing a creative project.

  • Save 23%
    by Sean O'Hagan & Nick Cave
    £16.99

  • by Ida (Royal Danish Academy Engholm
    £22.99 - 77.99

  • Save 11%
    by W. Chan Kim
    £19.49

    "Kim and Mauborgne reveal the distinct advantages of nondisruptive creation to business and society, showing how this bold new approach to innovation allows companies to grow while also being a force for good. With examples that cut across all sectors of the economy and a practical framework for guiding innovation efforts, this book shows why nondisruptive creation matters to all of us and why it's about to become a lot more important in the future; how to create innovation strategies that trigger nondisruptive creation instead of disruption; how to identify and execute on nondisruptive opportunities; and how companies can more thoughtfully pursue their growth and innovation strategies in a way that better balances business and society"--

  • Save 15%
    by Steven Wilson
    £10.99

    The more I thought about it, the more I realised my career has been unusual. How did I manage to do everything wrong but still end up on the front cover of magazines, headlining world tours and achieving Top 5 albums? How did I attract such obsessive and fanatical fans, many of whom take everything I do or say very personally, which is simultaneously flattering but can also be tremendously frustrating? Even this I somehow cultivated without somehow meaning to. My accidental career.Limited Edition of One is unlike any other music book you will ever have read.Part the long-awaited memoir of Steven Wilson: whose celebrated band Porcupine Tree began as teenage fiction before unintentionally evolving into a reality that encompassed Grammy-nominated records and sold-out shows around the world, before he set out for an even more successful solo career.Part the story of a twenty-first century artist who achieved chart-topping mainstream success without ever becoming part of the mainstream. From Abba to Stockhausen, via a collection of conversations and thought pieces on the art of listening, the rules of collaboration, lists of lists, personal stories, professional adventurism (including food, film, TV, modern art), old school rock stardom, how to negotiate an obsessive fanbase and survive on social media, and dream-fever storytelling.

  • Save 20%
    by Harry Sword
    £11.99

    In Search of Sonic Oblivion. 'Monolithic Undertow' alights a crooked path across musical, religious and subcultural frontiers. It traces the line from ancient traditions to the modern underground, navigating archaeoacoustics, ringing feedback, chest plate sub-bass, avant-garde eccentricity, sound weaponry and fervent spiritualism.

  • Save 29%
    by Michael Bierut
    £28.49

    A revised and expanded edition of Michael Bierut's classic monograph, featuring six new projects and using examples from a portfolio spanning his full career to date.

  • Save 10%
    by Vashti Bunyan
    £8.99 - 12.99

  • Save 29%
    - Using Psychology to Design Better Products & Services
    by Jon Yablonski
    £31.99

    An understanding of psychologyspecifically the psychology behind how users behave and interact with digital interfacesis perhaps the single most valuable nondesign skill a designer can have. The most elegant design can fail if it forces users to conform to the design rather than working within the blueprint of how humans perceive and process the world around them. This practical guide explains how you can apply key principles in psychology to build products and experiences that are more intuitive and human-centered. Author Jon Yablonski deconstructs familiar apps and experiences to provide clear examples of how UX designers can build experiences that adapt to how users perceive and process digital interfaces.Youll learn:How aesthetically pleasing design creates positive responsesThe principles from psychology most useful for designersHow these psychology principles relate to UX heuristicsPredictive models including Fittss law, Jakobs law, and Hicks lawEthical implications of using psychology in designA framework for applying these principles

  • Save 15%
    by Flea
    £10.99

    Flea, the iconic bassist and co-founder, alongside Anthony Kiedis, of the immortal Red Hot Chili Peppers finally tells his fascinating origin story, complete with all the dizzying highs and the gutter lows you'd expect from an LA street rat turned world-famous rock star. With a foreword by punk rock legend, Patti Smith.

  • Save 27%
    - The Definitive Visual History
    by DK
    £21.99

    Helps you to find out all about the design movements of the last 150 years from Arts and Crafts to Bauhaus. This book tells how design has influenced the look and functionality of the objects we use every day from telephones and cameras to toys, furniture and fashion.

  • Save 21%
    by Andrew Rea
    £13.49

    Many of our favourite movies come with a side of iconic food moments: the comforting frothy butterbeer from Harry Potter, the sumptuous apple strudel from Inglorious Basterds, the delectable deli fare from When Harry Met Sally, or Remy the rat-chef's signature ratatouille in Ratatouille.In this cookbook, author Andrew Rea (of the hit YouTube channel 'Binging with Babish') recreates these iconic food scenes and many more. With recipes from more than 40 classic and cult films, Eat What You Watch is the perfect gift for both movie buffs and cooks who want to add some cinematic flair to their cooking repertoire.

  • Save 24%
    - Mythic Structure for Writers. 25th Anniversary Edition
    by Christopher Vogler
    £16.99

    Originally an influential memo Vogler wrote for Walt Disney Animation executives regarding The Lion King, The Writer's Journey details a twelve-stage, myth-inspired method that has galvanized Hollywood's treatment of cinematic storytelling. A format that once seldom deviated beyond a traditional three-act blueprint, Vogler's comprehensive theory of story structure and character development has met with universal acclaim, and is detailed herein using examples from myths, fairy tales, and classic movies. This book has changed the face of screenwriting worldwide over the last 25 years, and continues to do so.

  • Save 21%
    by Halsey
    £13.49

  • Save 30%
    by Jens Muller
    £41.99

    In this second volume, Jens Muller rounds off the most comprehensive exploration of graphic design to date. With around 3,500 seminal pieces and 78 landmark projects, year-by-year spreads, and profiles of industry leaders, discover how graphic design shaped contemporary society from the 1960s until today, from the hippie movement to new forms...

  • Save 25%
    by Hokusai
    £20.99

    A stylish three-volume boxed set of Hokusai's renowned manga drawings.

  • Save 21%
    by Oscar Abolafia
    £27.49 - 52.49

  • Save 23%
    by Lauren Wager
    £15.49

  • Save 27%
    - Zero Dawn
    by Titan Books
    £21.99

    The Art of Horizon Zero Dawn is the ultimate gallery of IP from Guerrilla Games (Killzone series)

  • Save 14%
    by Matthew Perry
    £9.49

    'There's never been a more honest or raw memoir ... and it may just save lives' Daily Mail'Funny, fascinating, compelling ... also a wonderful read for fans of Friends' The TimesThe beloved star of Friends takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this candid, funny, and revelatory memoir that delivers a powerful message of hope and persistence.'Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.'So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who travelled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.In an extraordinary story that only he could tell - and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it - Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he's found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humour, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fuelled it despite seemingly having it all.Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening - as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for.'An unflinching and often harrowing must-read for 90s pop culture fans' Guardian'Written with Chandler's trademark sarcasm and self-deprecation' Telegraph'A hopeful read ... I started to think of [it] not as a celebrity memoir about addiction, but as an addiction memoir written by a man who understands his own history through the prism of showbiz' Independent

  • Save 21%
    by Kate Rebecca Leach
    £13.49

    Create abstract art using easy techniques and nothing more than watercolor paints and a few pens. Discover tips and tricks to create your own vibrant art, letting the watercolor flow to form your composition and inspire embellishment. Through a variety of projects, you'll learn to use color, texture, and contrast to create stunning abstract art.

  • Save 32%
    by Jessica McCabe
    £18.99

    "The creator of the YouTube channel How to ADHD shares the insights and strategies that help her thrive in this accessible and shame-free guide to working with, understanding, and celebrating the ADHD brain"--

  • Save 14%
    by Geezer Butler
    £9.49

  • Save 27%
    by Geddy Lee
    £21.99

    "Geddy Lee is one of rock and roll's most respected bassists. For nearly five decades, his playing and work as co-writer, vocalist, and keyboardist has been an essential part of the success story of Canadian progressive rock trio Rush. Here for the first time is his account of life inside and outside the band. ... [He] was [born] Gershon Eliezer Weinrib, after his grandfather murdered in the Holocaust. As he recounts [his life's] transformation, Lee looks back on his family, in particular his loving parents and their horrific experiences as teenagers during World War II"--

  • by Mark Galeotti
    £11.99

  • Save 10%
    by Mariana Zapata
    £8.99

    From Lukov with Love is the sensational TikTok hit that is captivating readers all over the world! No one writes slow burn like Mariana Zapata and her millions of fans agree!'The slow-burn queen' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'This book was EVERYTHING!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'I will forever read everything Mariana writes she is amazing' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'I freakin' love this author' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'A perfect enemies-to-lovers, with a delicious slow burn' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'This book, just smacked me right in the feels' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'This book means the world to me. I'll never get over this' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'There hasn't been a book of Mariana's that I didn't love' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'Wow, this is one of the best romances I've read in a LOOOOONG time' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review.........................................They're the coldest of enemies off the ice . . . But could their shared passion on the ice turn to unexpected heat?If someone were to ask Jasmine Santos to describe the last few years of her life with a single word, it would definitely be a four-letter one.After seventeen years of figure skating - and countless broken bones and broken promises - she knows her window to compete is coming to a close. But when the offer of a lifetime comes from the arrogant idiot she's spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in front of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything.Including Ivan Lukov..........................................Want more of Mariana's delicious slow burn? Why not read Ruby's story in Dear Aaron next, and don't miss any of her romances beloved by millions of readers!LingusRhythm, Chord & MalykhinThe Best ThingUnder LockeKultiThe Wall of Winnipeg and MeWait for ItLuna and the LieHands DownAll Rhodes Lead Here

  • Save 14%
    by Charlotte McLaren
    £9.49

Culture
What defines culture you might ask? The answer is culture is what defines you. It is what makes us humans human and differentiate us from all other species on the planet. Art and culture is what we share with others, whether it is so called high culture or pop culture. High culture is typically associated with the ‘finer’, classical art forms such as opera, classical music, visual art, ballet and plays. Works that often have a certain age and artistic acknowledgement begin it, but fine culture is also sometimes seen as “high-brow” and not something everyone can understand and that’s sad, because culture and cultural books are for everyone no matter the kind. On the other end of the spectrum we have pop culture that typically is associated with more modern, popular and mainstream forms of culture. It can be pop music, cartoons or big blockbuster movies. We have cultural books from each side of the spectrum, but the best thing is that a change between the two concepts is coming and people are more open about mixing high culture and pop culture, because they are not that different at all. The most important thing about culture is that it connects us and is part of who we are. It can create communities and friendships, but also let us reflect upon ourselves. You can get wiser on that topic in some of our selection’s culture books. 

Art
In our selection you find some of the finest art books featuring some of the greatest artists in history and now. Art is a very important part of our culture. In art you have the possibility of getting engrossed in a wonderful painting, a provocative sculpture, a brilliant play or a beautiful ballet. 
In art you can get lost in the most wonderful stories and themes and identify yourself with someone who doesn’t necessarily look and act like you. By experiencing that you improve your ability of empathy. At the same time you can learn about yourself through art and art books especially when it comes to feelings that can be difficult to describe. In art the themes and problematics are universal and that’s why we feel recognized when experiencing a play, listening to a symphony, studying a great painting or reading a good art book. The art books are best enjoyed in a relaxed setting giving the art room to speak. 
Another beautiful thing about art is that it needs interpretation. When a person meets a well painted painting, a classical sculpture, or a provocative installation it makes us reflect about what it means, and what the art will tell us about society, life or yourself. Everyone can get something different out of a good artwork, because it speaks directly to you and functions as a dialog, where you will have to finish the sentence with your interpretation taking our own life and experiences into the artwork.
We also have a lot of artist books. One of the most talented and popular artists right now are the world famous Dane Vilhelm Hammershøi. Hammershøi has a very significant way of painting giving voice to the melankolic side of the world and of us humans. The painter is famous for his artworks of especially white doors in his apartment in Copenhagen. In the paintings Hammershøi plays with light and shadow in a brilliant way giving room to both sides, which also could be seen as a reflection of life that contains both. The motive also makes the art watcher wonder what is on the other side of the doors or corridors making them compose a continuation of the painting. You can read about Hammershøi in an European context in the artist book Hammershoi and Europe

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