World's Greatest Sneaker Collectors

World's Greatest Sneaker Collectors 

by Simon Wood 

Language: English 

Köln: Taschen, 2023. 

752 pages : illustrations ; 32 cm. 

ISBN: 9783836596299, 3836596296 

Summary: "Simon "Woody" Wood, founder and editor-in-chief of Sneaker Freaker magazine, has spent the last two decades analyzing the global cult of footwear fanatics. That experience directly inspired World's Greatest Sneaker Collectors, a stonking 752-page journey into the priceless stockpiles and obsessive minds of prominent aficionados. From Tokyo to New York, via London, Philadelphia, Melbourne, and Stjordal, no crumbled midsole is left unturned as over 2,500 vintage classics, unique athlete SMUs, unobtainable samples, handmade 1-of-1 prototypes, stratospherically priced colabs, and Player Exclusives and game-worn Jordans with multi-million-dollar price tags are lauded with gusto. The endless quest for "Holy Grails" is both blessing and curse as our collectors fiend, scheme, and dream of "the one" shoe they don't yet own Luxuriously photographed profiles are augmented with a series of informative "How-to" guides stuffed with pro tips on sneaker photography, storage, insurance, cleaning, and avoiding the counterfeit curse. The expertise is priceless. The stories will entertain for days as we seek out the fundamentals of what it means, and takes, to define yourself as a "true collector.""--Publisher's description

The Madman's Library: The Strangest Books, Manuscripts and Other Literary Curiosities from History

The Madman's Library: The Strangest Books, Manuscripts and Other Literary Curiosities from History 

by Edward Brooke-Hitching 

Language: English 

London: Simon & Schuster, 2022. 

255 pages : illustrations (chiefly colour) ; 26 cm. 

ISBN: 9781398503571, 1398503576 

Summary: This is a madman's library of eccentric and extraordinary volumes from around the world, many of which have been completely forgotten. Books written in blood and books that kill, books of the insane and books that hoaxed the globe, books invisible to the naked eye and books so long they could destroy the Universe, books worn into battle, books of code and cypher whose secrets remain undiscovered... and a few others that are just plain weird. From the 605-page Qur'an written in the blood of Saddam Hussein, through the gorgeously decorated 15th-century lawsuit filed by the Devil against Jesus, to the lost art of binding books with human skin, every strand of strangeness imaginable (and many inconceivable) has been unearthed and bound together for a unique and richly illustrated collection ideal for every book-lover.

Reviews: Journal of the Australian Library & Information Association; Library Journal

Ugly-Cute: What Misunderstood Animals Can Teach Us About Life

Ugly-Cute: What Misunderstood Animals Can Teach Us About Life

by Jennifer McCartney 

Language: English 

London: HarperCollinsPublishers, 2022. 

223 pages : color illustrations ; 20 cm. 

ISBN: 9780008527051, 0008527059 

Summary: "Ugly-Cute is an adorkable compilation of misunderstood, underappreciated species including well-known lovable uggos, like sun bears and pugs, as well as obscure weirdos, like the star-nosed mole and the aye-aye. Each chapter is dedicated to a different ugly-cute animal and the ways in which we can learn from them." -- Publisher marketing

Dynasties: The Rise and Fall of Animal Families

Dynasties: The Rise and Fall of Animal Families 

by Stephen Moss 

Language: English 

London: BBC Books, an imprint of Ebury Publishing, 2018. 

287 pages : color illustrations ; 30 cm. 

ISBN: 9781785943010, 1785943014 

Summary: "Family isn't just important. It's everything. From lions hunting as a pride to penguins huddling together to keep from freezing in the bitter Antarctic winter, many animals are dependent on complex social relationships for their survival. Powerful dynasties lay claim to vast swathes of territory, fighting off rivals and securing their hunting grounds for generations to come. Dynasties offers an immersive insight into the shifting hierarchies of animal families. Each chapter follows a different dynasty, from the Marsh Lions of the Masai Mara to rival packs of African hunting dogs, from a tiger protecting her newborn cubs to a chimpanzee troop and the penguin colonies of the Antarctic. Alongside tender moments when bonds are strengthened through grooming and play, the book charts the rivalries that tip the balance of power, when family members turn against each other and younger animals grow strong enough to challenge for control. With more than 200 stunning photographs and insights from the crew of the BBC series, Dynasties reveals in astonishing detail the intricate social lives of our planet's most fascinating animals." -- Amazon.com