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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 28%
    by Square Enix
    £27.49

    Final Fantasy Vii Remake: Material Ultimania is the latest masterpiece by the renowned author, Square Enix. Published in the year 2021 by the same name, Square Enix, this book has set a new benchmark in its genre. The book dives deep into the world of Final Fantasy, providing readers with an unparalleled understanding of the game's universe. Square Enix, known for their intricate storytelling and attention to detail, doesn't disappoint with this publication. The book is filled with rich content, detailed descriptions, and a plethora of information that fans of the Final Fantasy series will appreciate. Published on December 28, 2021, this book is a must-have for all gaming enthusiasts. Square Enix, the publisher, has done a commendable job in preserving the essence of the game in this book. It's a treasure trove of information that will transport you to the world of Final Fantasy. Don't miss out on this opportunity to delve deeper into the Final Fantasy universe.

  • Save 24%
    - Doc Brown's Owner's Workshop Manual
    by Bob Gale
    £17.49

  • Save 10%
    - TIK TOK MADE ME BUY IT!
    by Rhiannon Shove
    £8.99

    As a silent act of rebellion, this illustrated edition of Burn After Writing invites you to put your phone down, pick your pen up and turn sharing nothing into an art. And when you're finished, toss it, hide it, or Burn After Writing. [Previously published as Burn After Writing Teen]

  • - For Cinematographers and Directors
    by Blain Brown
    £55.49 - 155.49

  • Save 24%
    by Andreas J. Hirsch
    £18.99

    Enter a world of haunting power and dark psychedelia with this tribute to the biomechanic visions of HR Giger. The anniversary edition spans the artist's painting, sculpture, film design, iconic album covers, and unique artist's museum, with an essay by Andreas J. Hirsch, and an extensive biography based on contemporary quotes and Giger's own...

  • Save 29%
    by Roger Deakins
    £31.99

    "The real charm of Byways isn't playing spot-the-location as Deakins dabbles between takes, but the window it opens onto his youthful eye. You can trace his drive from an early age to catch the light at its best - or wait for it - all night if necessary." - The Telegraph "...his first monograph, Byways, looks not to his revered cinematography career, but his decades-long habit of taking still photographs. Among them are breathtaking landscapes and moments of stillness, interspersed with photographs imbued with wit thanks to the playful possibilities of scale, framing and timing. It's the kind of dry humour that sits passers by in conversation with monuments and miscellaneous objects in the street, or captures a canine rendition of Cartier-Bresson's seminal image Behind The Gare Saint-Lazare. - Creative Review "Candid close-ups, wide-angle landscapes, and dynamic long exposures, his monochrome photographs display a variety of approaches and techniques, yet first and foremost, testify to the remarkably perceptive artistic gaze that has seen him nominated for an Oscar on fifteen separate occasions (winning twice). Thoughtful, poetic, and profoundly arresting, they display his distinct enigmatic sensibility, and presented for the most part with little or no information or context (index aside) form a compelling visual soliloquy that conveys with great eloquence, the profound power of the still image." The Independent Photographer "An intimate introduction to the man behind the lens" - The Times Portraits and landscapes from the cinematographer famed for his work with Sam Mendes and the Coen brothers This is the first monograph by the legendary Oscar-winning cinematographer Sir Roger Deakins, best known for his collaborations with directors such as the Coen brothers, Sam Mendes and Denis Villeneuve. It includes previously unpublished black-and-white photographs spanning five decades, from 1971 to the present. After graduating from college Deakins spent a year photographing life in rural North Devon, in South West England, on a commission for the Beaford Arts Centre; these images are gathered here for the first time and attest to a keenly ironic English sensibility, also documenting a vanished postwar Britain. A second suite of images expresses Deakins' love of the seaside. Traveling for his cinematic work has allowed Deakins to photograph landscapes all over the world; in this third group of images, that same irony remains evident.

  • Save 20%
    by AVANI GREGG
    £11.99

    The award-winning digital creator and actress Avani Gregg takes you behind the scenes of her incredible life. Known for her viral make-up videos, Avani Gregg is social media phenomenon. But how did a regular girl in small-town Indiana become TikToker of the Year? In this eye-opening memoir, she shares the ups and down of her remarkable life, including the back injury that forced her to retire from gymnastics and her move to Los Angeles. Spanning topics like mental health, relationships, bullying and more, this is the revealing and deeply inspiring Backstory of a girl with big dreams and how she worked to achieve them.

  • Save 31%
    by Philippe Garner
    £54.99

    Spanning more than five decades, the work of Helmut Newton (1920-2004) defies categorization. His photographic oeuvre is not only unique, but virtually unparalleled in scope, reaching millions through magazines like Vogue and Elle. Helmut Newton. Legacy showcases highlights and rediscovered images from one of the most published bodies of work...

  • Save 23%
    - The Collection
    by Glyn Callingham & Graham Marsh
    £16.99

    The Cover Art of Blue Note Records is Graham Marsh and Glyn Callingham's classic collection of the finest record sleeves produced by the celebrated Blue Note record label.

  • - An Extreme Colouring and Search Challenge
    by Kerby Rosanes
    £6.99

    Enter the fantastic fantasy world of epic doodler Kerby Rosanes. Meet animals that morph from waterfalls and whirlwinds, and visit gothic-inspired palaces that reveal hordes of quirky creatures - all for you to bring to life with colouring.

  • Save 15%
    by Anonymous
    £10.99

  • Save 27%
    - The Definitive Illustrated Story
    by DK
    £21.99

    Helps you discover the history, plots and stars of musical theatre and movie musicals. This book covers from origins in dance halls and vaudeville, to the record-breaking West End musicals and spectacular Broadway shows. It is suitable for all the musical fans.

  • Save 27%
    - A colour reference system from the natural world
    by Patrick Baty
    £25.49

    The first-ever visual expansion of Werner's Nomenclature of Colours, featuring over 800 illustration references from the natural world.

  • Save 12%
    - Building Density for Everyday Life
    by David Sim
    £26.49

    A visual and clear guide to building better density to create happier, more livable cities. With foreword by Jan Gehl.

  • Save 20%
    by Charlotte Cotton
    £11.99

    Provides an introduction to contemporary art photography, identifying its important features and themes and celebrating its exciting pluralism through an overview of its most important and innovative practitioners.

  • by Neil Gaiman
    £7.99

    A creative call to arms from the mind of Neil Gaiman, combining his extraordinary words with striking illustrations by Chris Riddell.

  • Save 17%
    by Brett Anderson
    £9.99

    A brilliant, beautifully written memoir from Suede founder and lead singer Brett Anderson.

  • Save 20%
    by Ansel Adams
    £23.99 - 28.49

    An unprecedented showcase of four hundred essential photographs taken by Ansel Adams, documenting his growth as an artist from 1916 to 1968.

  • Save 23%
    by Jane Jacobs
    £15.49

    In this classic text, Jane Jacobs set out to produce an attack on current city planning and rebuilding and to introduce new principles by which these should be governed.

  • Save 26%
    - Quilts and Other Works Celebrating Flowers
    by Liza Prior Lucy & Kaffe Fassett
    £21.49

    A stunning guide and vibrant pattern collection of 25 new patchwork and needlepoint projects, from renowned color expert and quilt and fabric designer Kaffe Fassett. Drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of flowers, Kaffe Fassett's Bold Blooms invites crafters to explore the behind-the-scenes process and fascinating design methods used to create Kaffe's bold fabrics and modern color palettesfrom ';sketching' with fabric swatches to creating mood boards and renderings to sewing visually striking quilts. Featured throughout are 18 new quilt patterns and seven new needlepoints. Ideas bloom on each page as eye-catching artwork, inventive quilt designs, needlepoint canvases, and bold ribbon patterns grow from concept to completion.Renowned for his use of color, Kaffe creates unique palettes from nature and his surroundings to create color ';moods'from neutrals and soft pastels to rich, dark tonesand he shares his design ideas, practical quilting advice, and needlepoint techniques useful to both novice and seasoned crafters throughout these colorful projects. With an emphasis on patchwork and needlework, the inventive designs and fresh color palettes translate to many creative disciplines ranging from mosaic, beading, fiber arts, embroidery, floral arrangements, and home decor. Accessible to quilting and sewing beginners and experts alike, the lively floral designs on each page are sure to inspire and send readers off on a color-filled creative journey, offering something for makers of all skill levels. Also available from Kaffe Fassett: Kaffe Fassetts Simple Shapes Spectacular Quilts, Kaffe Fassett: Dreaming in Color, and Kaffe Fassett Quilts Shots and Stripes.

  • Save 21%
    - 1978-2013
    by Nick Cave
    £13.49

    The complete collection of Nick Cave lyrics spanning his entire career, from 1978 until 2013, revised and updated by the cult rock star'He is an Australian artist like Sidney Nolan is an Australian artist - beyond comparison, beyond genre, beyond dispute' - from Nick Cave's induction into the Australian Hall of FameThis complete collection of Nick Cave's lyrics spans his entire career, from his writing for The Birthday Party through the highly acclaimed Murder Ballads and The Boatman's Call to recent work with Grinderman and his 2013 album, Push the Sky Away. Brought together in one volume, these lyrics make up one of the most outstanding achievements of contemporary music.Switching between the cynical and the sanguine, the defeated and the defiant, Nick Cave deals in love, war, beauty, children, romance, rejection, Pethedine, poetry, pants, money, flowers and so much more ...From the bestselling author of And the Ass Saw the Angel and The Death of Bunny Munroe this definitive collection will be adored by Nick Cave fans everywhere.'His lyrics deal with passion on the edge, and are peopled with mad bayou preachers, black-hearted lovers and killers. His language is rich, poetic, apocalyptic' Guardian'Richly poetic creations which live a second life on the page ... Essential reading' VoxNick Cave was born in Australia in 1957. He moved to London with his band The Birthday Party in 1990 and four years later he formed The Bad Seeds, with whom he has made 15 studio albums. In recent years he has made two albums with his other band, Grinderman. In 1999 he curated and directed the Meltdown Festival at London's South Bank Centre. He has also written the soundtrack for a number of successful films including The Assassination of Jesse James, Lawless and The Proposition. His novel And the Ass Saw the Angel was an international bestseller, Time Out's Book of the Year, and was reissued in the Penguin Essential series. His second novel The Death of Bunny Monroe was published in 2009. He lives in Brighton with his wife and two children.

  • - How to sketch yoga postures & sequences
    by Eva-Lotta Lamm
    £27.49

  • Save 24%
    by Philip Jodidio
    £18.99

    Enter the world's finest homes in this dependable global digest featuring talents like Shigeru Ban and Marcio Kogan alongside up-and-comers like Xu Fu-Min, Vo Trong Nghia, Desai Chia, and Shunri Nishizawa. Organized by architect and brimming with crisp photography and plans, the result is a sweeping survey of the contemporary house.

  • Save 29%
    by Sucker Punch Productions
    £33.99

  • Save 25%
    by Junji Ito
    £20.99

    Enter the world of Junji Ito's art--an abyss of horror and sublime beauty.

  • Save 15%
    - The Most Stylish Hotels in the World
    by Sarah Miller
    £14.49

    In the tradition of the bestselling Where Chefs Eat: the definitive global hotel guide by the real experts who know - architects

  • Save 21%
    - Repair Make Mend
    by Hikaru Noguchi
    £14.99

    As mending clothes becomes more popular in relation to the upsurge in environmentally sustainable fashion practices, Hikaru Noguchi's cult darning guide arrives in its first ever UK edition, making the basic techniques easy to grasp for crafters and non-crafters.

  • Save 29%
    - Explore the World's Most Exquisite Timepieces
    by Paul Miquel
    £35.49

    A beautifully packaged look at the world's most sought-after timepieces, with detailed photography of every example.

  • Save 29%
    - The Official Guide to the First 30 Years
    by Nintendo
    £31.99

    Power Up!Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia: The Official Guide to the First 30 Years is jam-packed with content from all seventeen Super Mario games--from the original Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario 3D World. Track the evolution of the Goomba, witness the introduction of Yoshi, and relive your favorite levels. This tome also contains an interview with producer Takashi Tezuka, tips to help you find every coin, star, sun, and mushroom--even explanations of glitches! With information on enemies, items, obstacles, and worlds from over thirty years of Mario, Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia is the definitive resource for everything Super Mario!

  • Save 27%
    by Dominic Bradbury
    £25.49

    In a climate that ranges from cold, dark and unforgiving to endless sun and crystalline skies, the homes of the Nordic countries are lifted by ever-changing and dramatic natural light balanced by an intrinsic sense of warmth. Nordic architects today are as much informed by vernacular traditions and natural materials as their forebears, but the most recent generation of practitioners reflects a new appetite for spatial exploration and changing lifestyles. Divided into four chapters - rural cabins, coastal retreats, town houses and country homes - this survey of over forty of Scandinavia's finest and most innovative houses features work by a broad spectrum of leading architects, such as Jon Danielsen Aarhus, Tham & Videgård, Snorre Stinessen, Reiulf Ramstad and Todd Saunders. Structured by terrain to reveal the full diversity of the landscape and its architectural challenges, the book is full of fresh thinking about living spaces that are at once universal and distinctively Nordic. From country houses complete with traditional Nordic fireplaces, saunas, window seats and verandas, to remote cabin hideaways and artist's studios, there are details and grand ideas that can be applied to residential design anywhere. A reference section includes an appendix of architectural plans.

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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