Books published by Reaktion Books

A timely history of Korea, a country divided until recently by the last active 'cold war' frontier, yet whose common historical and cultural links remain strong

A unique, accessible account of the philosophy of fashion, by the author of the highly successful A Philosophy of Boredom

An informative and lively account of 'retro', the fashion for re-using styles, fashions, looks and sounds of the past

From the colourful abstraction of the Rietveld chair to the dry wit of the 'milkbottle lamp' by design cooperative Droog, modern design in the Netherlands has always been a hotbed of experimentation. This book takes a look not just at designs made in the Netherlands, but behind the works created throughout the twentieth century and beyond.

The picture that usually comes to mind when we think of Greek architecture is one of classical temples and ancient sites. This book takes a look at the Greece of reality rather than of the imagination the buildings constructed since the establishment of the modern Greek state.

A concise, readable account of the life and work of Ludwig Wittgenstein, one of the greatest and most original philosophers of the twentieth century

Explores the contested history of art and nationalism in the tumultuous last decades of British rule in India. With a fascinating array of art works, this book throws much light on a previously neglected strand of modern art and introduces the work of artists who are little known in Europe or America.

Over the years the popularity of Japanese food in the West has increased immeasurably. This book explores the origins of Japanese cuisine as we know it today, investigating the transformations and developments food culture in Japan has undergone since the late nineteenth century.

A timely comparative analysis of cities in China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Singapore, and in particular the rapid process of expansion and modernization they are currently experiencing.

In contemporary society, the cult of celebrity is inescapable. Anyone can be turned into a celebrity, and anything can be made into a celebrity event. This title brings together celebrated figures from the arts, sports, politics and other public spheres, from O J Simpson and Marilyn Monroe to Hitler and David Bowie.

Romania occupies a unique position on the map of Eastern Europe. It is a country that presents many paradoxes. This book examines this land's development from the Middle Ages to modern times, delineating its culture, history, language, politics and ethnic identity.

Mining in World History deals with the history of mining and smelting from the Renaissance to the present day, drawing out, in an engaging and fast-paced fashion, the interplay of personalities, politics and technology which have together shaped the metallurgical industries over the last 500 years.

Packed with incident and anecdote Cairo: City of Sand describes the city's given circumstances and people's attitudes of response. Apart from a brisk historical overview, this book focuses on the present moment of one of the world's most illustrious and irreducible cities.

Explores the intriguing and manifold uses of animal imagery in modern and contemporary art.

Explores the genealogy of the film scientist in films made in Western Europe, and especially in Hollywood after the 1930s, showing how in film the scientist has often been used to represent the prevailing phobias of the time. This work also examines the portrayal of real-life scientists in the movies.

Famed for its breathtaking isolation, Easter Island was a verdant South-Sea idyll when a small canoeful of Polynesians arrived in c AD 700. Centuries later the island's statues were famous throughout the world. This book presents a comprehensive history of Easter Island, its people and their extraordinary story.

Today geraniums can be found throughout the world, their widespread use in food and perfume manufacture as well as floral display exemplifying the global industrialization of plant production. This book details how the amenable geranium remains a plant that many love and others love to hate, but above all it is a flower that is seldom ignored.

More than any other tree, the Oak has been a symbol of strength and durability. The Oak has been adopted by many countries as a national symbol, particularly in Western Europe and the United States. This book examines this magnificent and ubiquitous tree, tracing its biological history in its many manifestations, natural and cultural.

Based on letters, diaries and oral histories, this title explores the impact of the 'war to end all wars' on the male body. It argues that military experiences led to a greater sharing of gender identities between men of different classes and ages.

In the early twenty-first century animals are news. This title looks at the cultural and social role of animals from 1800 to the present at the way in which visual images and myths captured the popular imagination and encouraged sympathy for animals and outrage at their exploitation.

Considers the nature of photography, examining the language used in titles, captions and commentaries, particularly as they relate to documentary photography, photojournalism and fashion photography. This book addresses the question of how the photograph communicates its message, with or without the aid of language.

'What is history'? From Thucydides to Toynbee, historians and non-historians alike have wondered how to answer this question. This book focuses on developments over the years in historical writing, not least the renewed interest in the status of narrative itself and the presence of the authorial 'voice'.

Icons are among the most elusive subjects in the history of art, but at the same time their study constitutes possibly its fastest expanding field, and with the opening-up of the former Soviet Union many new objects are being discovered, studied and exhibited. This book considers the icon as an integral document of society.

'Race' was essentially a construction of the 18th century, a means by which the Enlightenment could impose rational order on human variety. This title argues that ideas of beauty were from the beginning inseparable from race, as Europeans judged the civility and aesthetic capacity of other races by their appearance.