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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 29%
    by Giovanni Aloi
    £28.49

    As intimate and meticulous as his revered portraits, Lucian Freud's magnificent paintings and drawings of plant life are gathered for the first time in book form.

  • Save 29%
    - The Great American Hike
     
    £28.49

    Die Landschaften der USA sind einzigartig und weltberühmt für ihre Schönheit und Vielfalt. In Wanderlust USA stellt der Wanderexperte Cam Honan 30 der schönsten Routen und Nationalparks der Vereinigten Staaten vor. Honan führt seine Leser von den dichten Wäldern der Ostküste über die malerischen Höhenzüge der Rocky Mountains zu den schroffen Schluchten des Grand Canyon und den majestätischen Gletschern Alaskas. Neben beeindruckendem Bildmaterial und Landkarten vermittelt das Buch allerhand Wissenswertes zu Geografie, Geschichte, Tier- und Pflanzenwelt. Darüber hinaus gibt Cam Honan praktische Tipps zu Ausrüstung, Schwierigkeitsgrad und der idealen Reisezeit und macht mit Lagerfeuergeschichten und 20 weiteren Routenbeschreibungen in Kurzform Lust auf unvergessliche Wanderungen.

  • Save 27%
    - Recipes and traditions from the real Downton Abbey
    by The Countess of Carnarvon
    £21.99

    Highclere Castle, known as ''the real Downton Abbey'', bustles with activity at the best of times, but it is never more alive than at Christmas. Christmas at Highclere is a look behind the scenes at the routines and rituals that make the castle the most magical place to be throughout the festive season. Lady Carnarvon will guide you through Advent, Christmas preparations and Christmas Eve all the way through to the day itself, and beyond. Learn how the castle and grounds are transformed by decorations, including the raising of a twenty-foot tree in the saloon, the gathering of holly and mistletoe from the grounds. All the intricacies of the perfect traditional Christmas are here: from crackers and carol singers. The festive feeling is carried through to Highclere''s Boxing Day traditions, the restorative middle days and the New Year''s Eve celebrations. This book also tells the story of historic Christmases at Highclere – of distinguished guests warming themselves by the fire after a long journeys home through the snow, unexpected knocks on the door, and, always, the joy of bringing family – and staff – together after a busy year.As well as telling the stories of Highclere Christmases past and present, Lady Carnarvon provides recipes, tips and inspiration from her kitchen so that readers can bring a quintessentially British festive spirit to their own home. Lady Carnarvon divulges the secret to perfectly flakey mince pies, the proper way to wrap presents so that you and your guests are guaranteed a Christmas to remember. Lavish, celebratory and utterly enchanting, Christmas at Highclere is celebration of one of the UK''s most beloved historic houses and is the perfect gift for any Downton Abbey fan.

  • Save 27%
    by Katsuya Terada
    £25.49

    The definitive collection of "Doodle King" Terada's amazing one-shot drawings using only a black marker. Containing over 150 illustrations, this book is sewn together so that the page spreads can be opened flat so Terada's work to be seen in a complete form.

  • Save 25%
    - 125 Ways to Research Complex Problems, Develop Innovative Ideas, and Design Effective Solutions
    by Bruce Hanington
    £19.49

    Universal Methods of Design, Expanded and Revised presents 125 research methods for design in a concise and accessible format, now updated with new information on digital design and software and 25 new chapters.

  • Save 28%
    by Carolina Amell
    £26.99

    Whether they're threading a barrel or shredding a swell, these amazing women are making enormous waves in the world of surfing.

  • Save 27%
    - Tattoo Flash Book
    by Ole Wittmann
    £25.49

    The original work of Christian Warlich, Europe's preeminent tattoo artist in the first half of the 20th century, is brought back to life in a stunning new volume.

  • Save 20%
    by Harriet de Winton
    £11.99

    Create beautiful botanical paintings in a fresh, modern style.

  • Save 10%
    - Celebrating Kerby Rosanes' Colouring Challenges
    by Kerby Rosanes
    £8.99

    A selection of the most striking images taken from the bestselling "Morphia" series have been gathered together to celebrate the talent of Kerby Rosanes.

  • Save 24%
    - technique, design and inspiration
    by Sara Cook
    £17.49

    This centuries-old Korean craft explored for modern textile artists, looking for ideas and techniques.

  • Save 20%
    by Tim Pond
    £11.99

    This book is packed with practical advice to help you capture the movement and feeling of weight of the animal in front of you, whether you are out in the field, or at a zoo, aquarium, or wildlife park.

  • by Selina Fenech
    £8.99

    Explore your dark side with this Halloween inspired adult coloring book by Selina Fenech. This coloring book features 25 sweet, sexy, and magical designs of witches, vampires, dark angels, goblins, masquerades, gothic ladies, dark fantasy creatures, and Halloween spirit ready to be brought to life with color! This book includes TWO full sets of the 25 artworks, for a total of 50 pages to color in. Page size is 8.5 x 11 inches, letter size, approx. 22 x 28 cm. Images on one side only for easy removal and display. Images are framed within the page, not full bleed. These intricate designs are suitable for adults and experienced colorists. Parental discretion advised for younger artists as some artworks contain artistic/concealed nudity and sensual gothic imagery.

  • Save 18%
    - Dark Arts
    by 3dtotal Publishing
    £16.49

    An inspiring collection of dark and macabre drawings and articles exploring the sketchbooks and artistic practices of 50 talented artists.

  • Save 30%
    - Five Decades of Iconic Photography
    by New York Times
    £38.49

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The first published collection of photographs by the icon of street style, bringing together favorites published in The New York Times alongside never-before-seen work across five decades. “A dazzling kaleidoscope from the gaze of an artist who saw beauty at every turn.”—André Leon Talley Bill Cunningham’s photography captured the evolution of style, of trends, and of the everyday, both in New York City and in Paris. But his work also shows that street style is not only about fashion; it’s about the people and the changing culture.  These photographs—many never before seen, others having originally appeared in The New York Times and elsewhere—move from decade to decade, beginning in the 1970s and continuing until Cunningham’s death in 2016. Here you’ll find Cunningham’s distinctive chronicling of the 1980s transit strike, the rise of 1990s casual Fridays, the sadness that fell over the city following 9/11, Inauguration Day 2009, the onset of selfies, and many other significant moments. This enduring portfolio is enriched by essays that provide a revealing portrait of Cunningham and a few of his many fascinations and influences, contributed by Cathy Horyn, Tiina Loite, Vanessa Friedman, Ruth La Ferla, Guy Trebay, Penelope Green, Jacob Bernstein, and a much favored subject, Anna Wintour. More than anything, On the Street is a timeless representation of Cunningham’s commitment to capturing the here and now.“An absolute delight.”—People

  • Save 29%
    - Peoples, Cultures, Landscapes
     
    £35.49

    As world powers realign their cultural, economic and political outlooks, there is no better time to consider how Afro-Eurasia's complex network of ancient trade routes - which spanned the vastness of the steppe, vertiginous mountain ranges, fertile river plains and forbidding deserts across the continents and on to the seas beyond - fostered economic activity and cultural, political and technological communication. From silk to slaves, fashion to music, religion to science the movement of interaction of goods, people and ideas was crucial to the flourishing of peoples and their cultures across this vast region. Edited by Susan Whitfield, an established authority on the subject, with contributions from over 80 leading scholars from across the globe, Silk Roads situates the ancient routes against the landscapes that defined them, to reveal the raw materials that they produced, the means of travel that were employed to traverse them and the communities that were shaped by them. Organized by terrain, from steppe to desert to ocean, each section includes detailed maps, a historical overview, thematic essays and features showcasing art, buildings and archaeological discoveries. A wealth of photographs reveals the breathtaking and often forbidding landscapes encountered by travellers and traders through the millennia. With one section inscribed as a World Heritage Corridor by UNESCO in 2014 and others to follow, and China claiming the Silk Roads as the precursor of its Belt Road Initiative, this network of ancient trade routes and the interaction along them has never been of greater interest or importance than today. This beautiful publication honours the astonishing diversity in the way cultures advance and flourish not in spite of their differences, but because of them.

  • Save 21%
    by Frances Stanfield
    £13.49

    Discover the infinite possibilities of drawing with this essential inspiration book

  • Save 27%
    by Dominic Bradbury
    £25.49

  • Save 29%
    - VII - XVII
    by Floris Heyne
    £31.99

    This thrilling photo book features previously-unpublished photographs from the NASA archives, captured by the Apollo astronauts during their missions.

  • Save 19%
    by Melanie Bouvet
    £19.49

    The art of wig making and wig dressing has been practised for centuries, and continues to be an exciting and essential part of costume production for theatre and film.

  • Save 24%
    - The Massive Book of Drawing Manga
    by Christopher Hart
    £17.49

    This volume combines curated content from each previous `Manga Mania' book (`Girl Power!', `Romance' and `Shonen') into one giant volume.

  • Save 24%
    by Katt Debo
    £41.99

    A celebration of Martin Margiela's stunning body of work seldom examined during his time at the French luxury house, Hermes.

  • Save 22%
    by Dennis Longwell
    £13.99

    Sanford Meisner was one of the best known and beloved teachers of acting in the country. This book follows one of his acting classes for fifteen months, beginning with the most rudimentary exercises and ending with affecting and polished scenes from contemporary American plays. Written in collaboration with Dennis Longwell, it is essential reading for beginning and professional actors alike. Throughout these pages Meisner is a delight-always empathizing with his students and urging them onward, provoking emotion, laughter, and growing technical mastery from his charges. With an introduction by Sydney Pollack, director of Out of Africa and Tootsie, who worked with Meisner for five years."This book should be read by anyone who wants to act or even appreciate what acting involves. Like Meisner's way of teaching, it is the straight goods."-Arthur Miller"If there is a key to good acting, this one is it, above all others. Actors, young and not so young, will find inspiration and excitement in this book."-Gregory Peck

  • Save 17%
    - Art in Progress
    by Lois van Baarle
    £18.99

    Following the enormous success of her first art book, Loish returns with an inspiring book dedicated to her beautiful sketches.

  • Save 23%
    - The World's Masterpieces Explored and Explained
    by DK
    £16.99

  • Save 27%
    by Ben Rahn
    £21.99

    The A-Frame home surged in popularity in the 1950s, and has captured the public's imagination with its playfully modern, steep-sloping roofline ever since. The Modern A-Frame celebrates seventeen diverse accounts of these minimalists cabins reinvented for the twenty-first century. Nostalgic escapes, heritage homes, full-time simplicity, and artists at work categorize the A-frames whose engaging stories are shared. Whether fabricated from a 1960s kit or as a new build via retro inspiration, the variety of styles and homeowners in this photo-driven collection beautifully captures the romance of a classic structure, which beckons to travelers and homebuyers today, just as it did sixty years ago. Perfect for the architectural enthusiast, midcentury-minded designer, or armchair traveler.

  • Save 29%
    - The definitive art collection of the magical film franchise
    by Titan Books
    £35.49

    Bursting with hundreds of rare and unpublished works of art, including production paintings, concept sketches, storyboards, blueprints, and more, this collectible book is the definitive tome on the visual legacy of the Harry Potter films.

  • Save 27%
    - Expanded and Updated
    by Aaron Betsky
    £21.99

    An affordably priced, complete retrospective of one of the world's greatest architects, covering her work from the earliest experimentations to the very last projects she worked on before her death in 2016.

  • Save 24%
    - The Story of Her Life
    by Vanna Vinci
    £15.99

    This brilliant graphic novel artfully depicts the life and passions of Frida Kahlo, one of the 20th century's most enigmatic artists.

  • Save 27%
    - The Improbable History of Death Metal & Grindcore
     
    £21.99

  • Save 24%
    by Sophie Walker
    £45.49

    An in-depth exploration spanning 800 years of the art, essence, and enduring impact of the Japanese garden

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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