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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 10%
    by Emily McIntire
    £8.99

    A dark contemporary romance from viral BookTok and USA Today bestselling author Emily McIntire, featuring reimagined characters from popular fairy tales and other stories.***A woman can be great, and terrible too.Evelina Westerly has always been "the bad guy". As the brains, brawn, and botanist behind her family's drug empire, she's her father's ruthless secret weapon. With her days divided between perfecting her greenhouse, seeking revenge for her sister's murder, and putting a gun to the head of anyone in her way, Evelina doesn't have time for anything else. Especially not for love.After a one-night stand with a gorgeous man at a nightclub, she's sated her urges and is back to her criminal ways. Until that same man shows up as the new Westerly lackey...under a totally different name.But Nicholas Woodsworth's real secret is much more dangerous than an alias. He's an undercover DEA agent, and he's hell-bent on destroying the drug trade that devastated his family. When he realises the youngest daughter of the Westerly empire is the same woman he's been fantasising about since that night at the club, attraction wars violently with disgust within him.Evelina embodies everything he's against, and he's been sent here to be her downfall. Yet the more they learn about the darkness in each other's hearts, the more alike they seem-and when hatred turns to something more, Nicholas will have to decide whether he can love a wretched woman...even if it means bringing both of their lives to ruin.Wretched joins the Never After series as a dark and sexy reimagining of a classic tale, twisting it into an enticing new shape for mature readers.TropesFractured Fairy TaleEnemies to LoversMafia RomanceForbidden LoveDark RomanceSpicy RomanceLove/HateBad Girl/Good GuyTouch Her and DieThe Never After Series:HookedScarredWretchedTwistedCrossedHexed

  • Save 25%
    by Peter Zumthor
    £56.49 - 210.99

    Peter Zumthor ranks among the most important contemporary architects, this is the authoritative monograph on his entire work.

  • Save 14%
    - The Inside Track on a Formula One Star
    by James Gray
    £9.49

    The first English-language biography of Formula 1's hottest new talent, Dutchman Max Verstappen.

  • Save 23%
    - A Memoir of Things Lost and Found
    by Warren Ellis
    £15.49

    From award-winning musician and composer Warren Ellis comes the unexpected and inspiring story of a piece of chewing gum.

  • Save 10%
    by Michael McIntyre
    £8.99 - 15.49

    A funny, charming autobiography by one of our biggest and best-loved comedians, Michael McIntyre.

  • Save 24%
    by Stefan Fischer
    £18.99

    Take home one of the most cult artists in history with this handy edition, presenting all known works of Hieronymus Bosch. Through full spreads and carefully curated details, the book surveys the artist's compositional scope as well as his most compelling, if disturbing, inventions, from horse-skulled harp players to devils on ice skates.

  • Save 20%
    by Sebastiao Salgado
    £80.49

    For six years Sebastiao Salgado traveled the Brazilian Amazon and photographed the unparalleled beauty of this extraordinary region: the rainforest, the rivers, the mountains, the people who live there-this irreplaceable treasure of humanity in which the immense power of nature is felt like nowhere else on earth.

  • Save 15%
    - Real-Life Recipes for Fantasy Cocktails
    by Cassandra Reeder
    £10.99

    Featuring nerdy recipes for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, The Geeky Bartender Drinks is your chance to sip your way through your favorite sci-fi and fantasy worlds-Game of Thrones, Legend of Zelda, Star Trek, and more.

  • Save 29%
    - Legends, Resorts, Lifestyle & More
    by Gabriella Le Breton
    £31.99

    The best in skiing around the world: from the Alps to the Andes, from the Rockies to the Whakapapa Skifield.

  • Save 22%
    by Ida Engholm
    £15.49

    Danmark er en af verdens førende designnationer. Dansk design er kendetegnet ved høj kvalitet, en tydelig æstetisk profil og et socialt engagement. De produkter og løsninger, der omgiver os, er udtryk for en unik designkultur, der har bidraget væsentligt til velfærdsudviklingen og placeret Danmark centralt som en innovativ og kreativ region. “Quick guide to design thinking” er den første bog i den nye ambitiøse “Danish design series“. I et kort og indbydende format formidler serien historiske og aktuelle designemner, der er relevante for læsere i Danmark og resten af verden. Bogen præsenterer up to date-researchmodeller og -metodebeskrivelser, der gør det let at få overblik over den aktuelle debat om designtænkning.Design i dag kendetegner ikke kun genstande, men også en tilgang til udviklingsprocesser, hvor designgreb som fx tegning og udarbejdelse af prototyper spiller en rolle. Der har udviklet sig en disciplin af designtænkning, hvor ånd og hånd på nye måder bidrager til hinanden. I “Quick guide to design thinking” går professor ved Kunstakademiets Designskole Ida Engholm helt tæt på begrebet designtænkning og viser det fra et dansk perspektiv.Ida Engholm har tidligere udgivet ‘Panton – Miljøer, farver, systemer, mønstre’ (2017), og i samarbejde med Lars Dybdahl ‘Dansk design nu’ (2016) og ‘101 Danske designikoner’ (2014).

  • Save 24%
    - Collection 2
    by Bird Photographer of the Year
    £18.99 - 21.99

    Foreword by Chris Packham This beautiful book accompanies the photographic competition celebrating some of the best bird photography of the year.

  • Save 29%
    by Tanya Lapointe
    £35.49

    Frank Herbert's science fiction classic Dune will be seen like never before in the breathtaking film adaptation from acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve.

  • - A Quick Guide to the Styles of Norse Animal Ornament
    by Jonas Lau Markussen
    £13.99 - 39.99

  • - For the Snare Drummer
    by George Lawrence Stone
    £9.99

  • Save 25%
    - Women of the World in 500 Portraits
    by Mihaela Noroc
    £20.99

  • Save 30%
    by Terry O'Neill & Dylan Jones
    £41.99 - 332.49

    Capturing the iconic, candid, and unguarded moments of the famous and the notorious.

  • Save 15%
    - Ambient sound and radical listening in the age of communication
    by David Toop
    £10.99

    A work of sonic history that covers the rainforests of amazonas to virtual Las Vegas, from David Lynch's dream house, high in the Hollywood hills to the megalopolis of Tokyo. It begins in 1889 at the Paris Exposition when Debussy first heard Javanese music performed. It comprehensively maps a century of ambient music and its legacy.

  • by Teresa Goodridge
    £6.99

    Colorists can relax and unwind with this beautiful book illustrating life on the farm. Thirty-one detailed scenes feature cows in the meadow, chickens in the hen house, fields of flowers, more.

  • Save 19%
    - Manga-inspired Art and Tutorials by Asia Ladowska
    by Asia Ladowska
    £19.49

    Following on from Asia Ladowska's hugely popular online and weekly #SketchwithAsia challenge, is a book filled with Manga-inspired art, tips, and tutorials.

  • Save 27%
    - The Book of the Exhibition
    by British Library
    £21.99

    Harry Potter: A History of Magic is the official book of the exhibition, a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration between Bloomsbury, J.K. Rowling and the brilliant curators of the British Library. It promises to take readers on a fascinating journey through the subjects studied at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - from Alchemy and Potions classes through to Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures.Each chapter showcases a treasure trove of artefacts from the British Library and other collections around the world, beside exclusive manuscripts, sketches and illustrations from the Harry Potter archive. There's also a specially commissioned essay for each subject area by an expert, writer or cultural commentator, inspired by the contents of the exhibition - absorbing, insightful and unexpected contributions from Steve Backshall, the Reverend Richard Coles, Owen Davies, Julia Eccleshare, Roger Highfield, Steve Kloves, Lucy Mangan, Anna Pavord and Tim Peake, who offer a personal perspective on their magical theme.Readers will be able to pore over ancient spell books, amazing illuminated scrolls that reveal the secret of the Elixir of Life, vials of dragon's blood, mandrake roots, painted centaurs and a genuine witch's broomstick, in a book that shows J.K. Rowling's magical inventions alongside their cultural and historical forebears.This is the ultimate gift for Harry Potter fans, curious minds, big imaginations, bibliophiles and readers around the world who missed out on the chance to see the exhibition in person.

  • Save 24%
    by John Derian
    £45.49

    For the first time ever, comes the book John Derian fans have been waiting for. Culled from the thousands of images that have appeared in his biannual collections, here is an astoundingly beautiful assortment of more than 400 full-bleed images in their original form.

  • Save 21%
    - The Most Important Rap Song From Every Year Since 1979, Discussed, Debated, and Deconstructed
    by Shea Serrano
    £14.99

    An informative, illustrated guide to the 35 of the most important rap songs ever released

  • Save 23%
    by Pat Pattison
    £16.99

  • Save 29%
    - A Visual Communication Manual for Graphic Designers, Typographers and Three Dimensional Designers
    by Josef Mulller-Brockmann
    £35.49

    Suitable for those who work with automated text and image design, this work shows examples of working correctly on a conceptual level. It gives the user exact directions for using all of the grid systems presented (8 to 32 grid fields).

  • Save 24%
    by FUEL
    £18.99

    Working as a prison guard in St Petersburgs notorious Kresty Prison, the author diligently recorded over 3,000 criminal tattoos, documenting their meanings within this closed society. This title explores the extremes of this collection.

  • Save 10%
    by Michael Connelly
    £8.99

  • Save 10%
    by Liz Tomforde
    £8.99

    RYANShe's a distraction, that's what she is.I'm the newest Captain of the Devils, Chicago's NBA team, and the last thing I needed this year was for Indy Ivers, my sister's best friend, to move into my apartment. She's messy, emotional, and way too tempting.But when the team's General Manager vocalizes his blatant disapproval of my promotion to Captain, referring to me as an unapproachable lone wolf with no work-life balance, I can't think of a better way to convince him otherwise than pretending to date my outgoing roommate.The only problem? Faking it feels far too natural.Having a fake girlfriend wasn't supposed to be messy but having Indy under my roof and in my bed is complicated, especially when she wants all the romantic parts of life that I could never give her.INDYI never imagined I'd be living with my best friend's brother, NBA superstar Ryan Shay. Even more unbelievable? He needs me to act as his loving girlfriend who's suddenly changed him into a friendly and approachable guy.Because, well . . . he's not. He's controlling of his space and untrusting of others.Our arrangement isn't one-sided, though. I'm in a wedding coming up, one where every one of my childhood friends, including my ex-boyfriend, will be in attendance, and there's no better date than my ex's celebrity hero.Blurred lines make it almost impossible to separate real from fake. Falling for my roommate was never part of the deal, especially when Ryan is quick to remind me that he doesn't believe in love.I'm a romantic and can't help fantasizing that he'll change, but soon enough, I find myself questioning if sharing a roof with my best friend's brother was the right move after all . . . REAL READERS LOVE THE WINDY CITY SERIES: 'SWEET MOTHER this is my new favourite book . . . literally left a mark on my soul'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Read it!! I promise you, you won't regret it!!'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I laughed and cried and swooned'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Someone please slap me for putting this off for so long!'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I can't believe it's over. I want to turn back to page 1 and start all over again!!'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  • Save 21%
    by Lonely Planet
    £13.49

  • Save 10%
    by Stephanie Garber
    £8.99

    The Ballad of Never After is a captivating masterpiece by Stephanie Garber, a renowned author who has consistently thrilled readers with her engaging storytelling. This book, published in 2023, is a testament to her exceptional writing prowess. The narrative unfolds in a genre that blends reality with a touch of the fantastical, creating a unique literary experience. The Ballad of Never After takes readers on a riveting journey, full of unexpected twists and turns, keeping them hooked from the first page to the last. The book was published by Hodder And Stoughton Ltd., a publisher recognized for bringing quality literature to the market. This book is written in English, making it accessible to a broad audience. Don't miss out on this extraordinary literary piece by Stephanie Garber.

  • Save 25%
    by Hayao Miyazaki
    £20.99

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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