Ex Libris: 100 Books for Everyone's Bookshelf by Michiko Kakutani

$34.99 AUD

Category: Non-Fiction - General

From 'the most powerful book critic in the English-speaking world' (Vanity Fair) comes an inspiring and beautifully illustrated selection of the life-changing books that none of us should miss 'Why do we love books so much?' For legendary literary critic Michiko Kakutani, books have always been an esca pe and a sanctuary, the characters of some novels feeling so real to her childhood self that she worried they might leap out of the pages at night if she left the book cover open. In Ex Libris, she offers a personal selection of over 100 works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, with passionate essays on why each has had a profound effect on her life. From Homer's The Odyssey to The Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale to Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels, Ex Libris covers a rich and vast range of classics, old and new, that will help build a well-rounded reader and citizen of the world. With gorgeous illustrations by lettering artist Dana Tanamachi that evoke vintage bookplates leafed between Kakutani's inspiring essays, Ex Libris points us to our next great read - and proves an unmissable reminder of why we fell in love with reading in the first place. ...Show more

The 50 Greatest Wonders of the World by Aaron Millar

$22.99 AUD

Category: Non-Fiction - General

Award-winning travel writer Aaron Millar reveals the greatest wonders of the world and the insider secrets on how to see them at their awe-inspiring best. Featuring selections from around the globe, and a number of new and never-seen-before entries, this compendium of bucket-list experiences is designed for wonder-seekers young and old. From where to catch the perfect sunrise over the Grand Canyon to how to have the Pyramids of Giza all to yourself, this is more than just a list of jaw-dropping sights - it's a road map for discovering the greatest experiences of your life. The 50 Greatest Wonders of the World reminds us how fantastically inspiring and teeming with amazement our planet really is, and how we're a part of it. ...Show more

Desk Wars: Make Secret Weapons from Stationery with 30 Models to Build Yourself by John Austin

$16.99 AUD

Category: Non-Fiction - General | Series: Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction Ser.

'Cubicle farms are full of enemy combatants begging to be taken out.' WIRED Achieve clandestine ends practically and inexpensively with Desk Wars - perfect for do-it-yourself spy enthusiasts. Follow fully illustrated step-by-step instructions to build 30 miniature secret weapons and surveillance tools from stationery, transforming common household items into uncommon gadgets and sidearms. Assert dominion over the desktop with these cunning contraptions: >>> Paper-Dart Watch >>> Pen Blowgun >>> Mint-Tin Catapult >>> Rubber-Band Derringer >>> Toothpaste Periscope >>> Bionic Ear >>> Cotton Bud .38 Special >>> Paper Throwing Star >>> 44 marker magnum >>> And more! ...Show more

Humans by Brandon Stanton

$44.99 AUD

Category: Non-Fiction - General | Series: Humans of New York

Brandon Stanton's Humans is a book that connects readers as global citizens at a time when erecting more borders is the order of the day. It shows us the entire world, one story at a time. After five years of travelling the globe, the creator of Humans of New York brings people from all parts of the wor ld into a conversation with readers. He ignores borders, chronicles lives and shows us the faces of the world as he saw them. His travels took him from London, Paris and Rome to Iraq, Dubai, Ukraine, Pakistan, Jordan, Uganda, Vietnam, Israel and every other place in between. His interviews go deeper than before. His chronicling of peoples' lives shows the experience of a writer who has traveled widely and thought deeply about the state of our world. Including hundreds of photos and stories of the people he met and talked with in over forty countries, Humans is classic Brandon Stanton - a brilliant illustrated book that includes many photos and stories never seen before. For the first time for a Humans of New York title, Humans will contain several of the essays Brandon's posted online which have been read, loved and enthusiastically shared by his followers. ...Show more

English Language in One Big Fat Notebook (Everything You Need to Ace...) by Workman Workman Publishing

$24.99 AUD

Category: Non-Fiction - General | Series: Big Fat Notebook Ser.

Everything You Need To Ace English Language Arts In One Big Fat Notebook takes students from grammar to reading comprehension to writing with ease, including parts of speech, active and passive verbs, Greek and Latin roots and affixes; nuances in word meanings; textual analysis, authorship, structure, a nd other skills for reading fiction and nonfiction; and writing arguments, informative texts, and narratives.The Big Fat Notebook series is built on a simple and irresistible conceit -- borrowing the notes from the smartest kid in class. Each book in the series is the only book you need subjects taught from grades 7 to 9: Maths, Science, English, and World History. Inside the reader will find every subject's key concepts, easily digested and summarised: Critical ideas highlighted in marker colours. Definitions explained. Doodles that illuminate tricky concepts. Mnemonics for a memorable shortcut. And quizzes to recap it all. ...Show more

Far from Land - The Mysterious Lives of Seabirds by Michael Brooke; Bruce Pearson (Illustrator)

$34.99 AUD

Category: Non-Fiction - General

The lives and activities of seabirds as you've never seen them before Seabirds evoke the spirit of the earth's wildest places. They spend large portions of their lives at sea, often far from land, and nest on remote islands that humans rarely visit. Thanks to increasingly sophisticated and miniaturized devices that can track their every movement and behavior, it is now possible to observe the mysterious lives of these remarkable creatures as never before. This book takes you on a breathtaking journey around the globe to provide an extraordinary up-close look at the activities of seabirds. Featuring stunning illustrations by renowned artist Bruce Pearson, Far from Land reveals that seabirds are not the aimless wind-tossed wanderers they may appear to be, and explains the observational innovations that are driving this exciting area of research. ...Show more

A Pocket Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue by Steve Mockus (Editor); Francis Grose

$29.99 AUD

Category: Non-Fiction - General

A Pocket Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue is a profane guide to the slang from the backstreets and taverns of 18th-century London.   This slang dictionary gathers the most amusing and useful terms from English history and helpfully presents them to be used in the conversations of our modern day.   O riginally published in 1785, the Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue was one of the first lexicons of English slang, compiled by a militia captain who collected the terms he overheard on his late-night excursions to London's slums, dockyards, and taverns. Now the legacy lives on in this colorful pocket dictionary.   - Learn the origin of phrases like "birthday suit" and discover slang lost to time.- Handy pocket-sized edition allows you to whip out vintage curse words whenever needed.- An unexpected marriage of lowbrow humor and highbrow wit   Discover long lost antique slang and curse words and learn how to incorporate them into modern conversation.   A Pocket Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue is perfect for enlivening contemporary conversation with historical phrases; it includes a topical list of words for money, drunkenness, the amorous congress, male and female naughty bits, and so on.   - A funny gift for wordplay, language, swearing, and insult fans, as well as fans of British humor and culture- Perfect for those who loved How to Speak Brit: The Quintessential Guide to the King's English, Cockney Slang, and Other Flummoxing British Phrases by Christopher J. Moore; Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang by Jonathan Bernstein; and The Official Dictionary of Sarcasm by James Napoli ...Show more

The Book Lover's Quiz Book by Gary Wigglesworth

$32.99 AUD

Category: Non-Fiction - General

'Brilliantly inventive and entertaining questions from the bookworm's bookworm' Mark Mason, author of Walk the Lines, Question Time and many more This is a literary quiz book with a difference. Rather than basic sets of questions, The Book Lover's Quiz Book mirrors the format of Gary's live quizzes, at the Betsey Trotwood in London and elsewhere. So, there are lots of multiple-choice questions, some amusing answers, clever red herrings, little-known facts about authors and some of the much-loved Say What You See picture round. Also, there are fixed and variable rounds - fixed ones include 'Blankety Books' (one word missing from the title - always with a theme), 'Literary Links and lists' (what connects/next in the list etc.) and '2 of a Kind' (name the character and the author that share the same initials). The changeable rounds keep the quizzes fresh and include 'What the Dickens?' (real or made-up Dickens names), 'RomeNo or JuliYess' (real or made-up Shakespearian insults) and 'Book Bingo!' (identify the correct number). There are also more standard rounds such as 'First Lines', 'Working Titles' and 'Banned Books'. The aim of all Gary's quizzes, and this book, is that people should have fun and be able to guess (if they don't know) as much as possible. ...Show more

Love Voltaire Us Apart: A Philosopher's Guide to Relationships by Julia Edelman

$22.99 AUD

Category: Non-Fiction - General | Reading Level: General Adult

What would Kant's sexts look like? How would Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir break up? What would Confucius think of Tinder? Love Voltaire Us Apart is a hilarious spoof relationship guide with a philosophical edge, made up of philosophers' love letters, advice columns and breakup letters. From C onfucius learning the Golden Rules of dating to Simone de Beauvoir considering bangs after breaking up with Jean-Paul Sartre, comedy writer Julia Edelman views the love lives of prominent philosophers through a clever and contemporary lens. She points out that Margaret Fuller is the "Carrie" of transcendentalism, and Nietzsche will always find a way to make a bad breakup infinitely worse. "Getting Meta(Physical)-Who is Your Philosopher Crush?" is the only quiz you'll need to find your soul mate, and "How To Know if Your Man is Writing a Manifesto" will show you how to avoid losing your relationship to imminent revolution. Based on Edelman's New Yorker article, "Excerpts from Philosophers' Breakup Letters Throughout History", Love Voltaire Us Apart is funny, smart, refreshingly original, and brought to life with charming illustrations by Hallie Bateman. ...Show more

Veteran Motor Cars by Steve Lanham

$17.99 AUD

Category: Non-Fiction - General | Series: Shire Library

A concise illustrated history of the earliest cars in Britain up to 1905, and the people who manufactured and drove them. During the late Victorian/early Edwardian period, the development of the motor car represented the peak of technological experimentation. Termed "horseless carriages, these cars were mainly constructed by inventive engineers in back-street workshops, and most simply comprised the frame and bodywork of a horse-drawn carriage fitted with a petrol engine. However, experimentation was rife--there was much debate as to the most appropriate form of motive power, be it petrol, steam or electric. As this small-scale experimentation developed into a burgeoning industry, manufacturers such as Vauxhall, Wolseley, and Humber looked to the proving grounds of endurance runs, hill climbs, and organized races to increase sales potential, popularity, and, most importantly, reputation. These early days of motoring were beset with reliability issues as roads were often rutted, dusty, flooded, and rarely properly maintained, but comfort and efficiency improved with demand. This fascinating title covers the history of veteran motor cars from their earliest iterations until 1905, and is packed with fascinating facts about the experimental origins of the motoring industry. ...Show more

Essays in Love by Alain de Botton

$15.00 AUD

Category: Non-Fiction - General

The Making of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein by Daisy Hay

$24.99 AUD

Category: Non-Fiction - General | Series: The\Making Of Ser.

"Invention ... does not consist in creating out of void, but out of chaos"--Mary Shelley In the two hundred years since its first publication, the story of Frankenstein's creation during stormy days and nights at Byron's Villa Diodati on Lake Geneva has become literary legend. In this compelling and inn ovative book, Daisy Hay stitches together the objects and manuscripts of the novel's turbulent genesis in order to bring its story back to life. Frankenstein was inspired by the extraordinary people surrounding the eighteen-year-old author and by the places and historical dramas that formed the backdrop of her youth. Featuring manuscripts, portraits, illustrations, and artifacts, The Making of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" explores the novel's time and place, the people who inspired its characters, the relics of its long afterlife, and the notebooks in which it was created. Hay strips Frankenstein back to its constituent parts to reveal an uneven novel written by a young woman deeply engaged in the process of working out what she thought about the pressing issues of her time: from science, politics, religion, and slavery to maternity, the imagination, creativity, and community. Richly illustrated throughout, this is an astute and intricate biography of the novel for all those fascinated by its essential, brilliant chaos. ...Show more