Bizarre Buildings

Bizarre Buildings 

by Paul Cattermole, Ian Westwell 

Language: English 

Richmond Hill, Ontario: Firefly Books, 2007. 

224 p. : col. ill. ; 28 cm. 

ISBN: 9781554073085, 1554073081 

Summary: This intriguing book selects the world's most extreme and sometimes weird buildings and structures. Some illustrate the personal expression of an individual builder or patron who has a vision well beyond the norm, while others were built by architects pushing the conventional boundaries of design. Some of the buildings are masterpieces on a larger scale. Examples include Frank Gehry's iconic Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, with its glistening, undulating walls.

Knowledge is Beautiful

Knowledge is Beautiful 

by David McCandless 

Language: English 

New York: Harper Design, 2020. 

255 pages : illustrations, maps ; 26 cm. 

ISBN: 9780062188229, 9780007427925, 0062188224, 0007427921 

Summary: Delves into the world of visualized data where stunning infographics that blend the facts with their connections, contexts, and relationships make information meaningful, entertaining, and beautiful.

Reviews: New Scientist; Communication Arts

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

Improbable libraries : a visual journey to the world's most unusual libraries

Improbable libraries : a visual journey to the world's most unusual libraries 

by Alex Johnson 

Language: English 

Chicago, London: The University of Chicago Press ; Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2015. 

240 pages : color illustrations ; 19 x 19 cm. 

ISBN: 9780226263694, 022626369X

Summary: How do you use your local library? Does it arrive at your door on the back of an elephant? Can it float down the river to you? Or does it occupy a phone booth by the side of the road? Public libraries are a cornerstone of modern civilization, yet like the books in them, libraries face an uncertain future in an increasingly digital world. Undaunted, librarians around the globe are thinking up astonishing ways of reaching those in reading need, whether by bike in Chicago, boat in Laos, or donkey in Colombia. Improbable Libraries showcases a wide range of unforgettable, never-before-seen images and interviews with librarians who are overcoming geographic, economic, and political difficulties to bring the written word to an eager audience. Alex Johnson charts the changing face of library architecture, as temporary pop-ups rub shoulders with monumental brick-and-mortar structures, and many libraries expand their mission to function as true community centers. To take just one example: the open-air Garden Library in Tel Aviv, located in a park near the city's main bus station, supports asylum seekers and migrant workers with a stock of 3,500 volumes in sixteen different languages. Beautifully illustrated with nearly two hundred and fifty color photographs, Improbable Libraries offers a breathtaking tour of the places that bring us together and provide education, entertainment, culture, and so much more. From the rise of the egalitarian Little Free Library movement to the growth in luxury hotel libraries, the communal book revolution means you'll never be far from the perfect next read.

Reviews: Library Journal

The World Explained in 264 Infographics

The World Explained in 264 Infographics 

by Jan Schwochow 

Language: English 

Munich: Prestel, 2021 

568 pages : color illustrations, color maps ; 34 cm.

ISBN: 9783791387154, 3791387154 

Summary: Take a deep dive into history, economics, art, and culture through fascinating and stunning visuals. We live in a hyper-connected world and are bombarded with news and other information, via our phones, computers, TVs, and radios. People don't have the time or energy to sift through all the data. That's where infographics come in. While the idea of illustrating facts and figures has been around for centuries, it is only recently, with the introduction of the internet, that infographics have really taken off as a medium to convey all types of information. This book shows the versatility of infographics by presenting an amazing compendium of 264 charts. Illustrating topics such as history, economics, sports, music, art, science, and culture, the infographics in this book are all designed to be easy to understand, thought-provoking, and elegant. You can explore the evolution of electric vehicles from a tricycle to a Tesla Model 3, discover how supermarkets trick you into buying more food than you need, and see how much work goes into creating a video game. While you browse the pages, you'll find yourself incidentally learning thousands of new things that will astonish you. By condensing and conveying facts as an illustrated narrative, infographics tell stories that everyone can explore, understand, and enjoy.

Wonders of the World

Wonders of the World 

by Irena Trevisan 

Language: English 

New York: Chartwell Books, 2018 

240 pages : color illustrations, maps ; 33 cm. 

ISBN: 9780785836285, 0785836284 

Summary: Featuring stunning photography, Wonders of the World traces the history of many unique places and sights--ancient wonders, modern and futuristic works of architecture, and some of nature's incredible gifts. By the year 300 BC, the ancient Greeks had already identified their seven wonders of the world--the most amazing architectural and artistic achievements of man in the ancient world. The Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Rhodes Colossus, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, and others that no longer exist today were testament to an impressive past and referenced mythology, extraordinary figures and ancient empires. Today, the number of wonders continues to grow. In addition to the new seven wonders of the world identified in 2007, there are incredible natural sites where water, land and sky--without the intervention of man--have created rare and startlingly beautiful phenomena. The Iguazu Falls, Ayers Rock, the Great Coral Reef, and the Perito Moreno glacier are symbols of nature's power and are as awe-inspiring as man-made wonders such as Angkor Wat, Machu Picchu, the Parthenon, Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, and many others.

Wonders of the World: Natural and Man-Made Majesties

031.02
AG243 .D86 2007
Dumont-Le Cornec, Elisabeth
Wonders of the world : natural and man-made majesties
New York : Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2007.
$24.95 (trade cloth)
ISBN: 9780810994171 (hardcover)
Audience: Elem., Mid., High
Summary: 71 natural and man-made wonders represented by gorgeous photographs.
Reviews: Booklist

Wonders of the World

909
G138.5 .N33 2007
Nacci, Benoît
Wonders of the World
New York : Abrams, 2007.
$50.00 (trade cloth)
ISBN: 9780810994492 (hardcover)
Audience: Elem., Mid., High
Summary: Noted photographers capture both works of nature and works of man.