Great Architecture

Thirty years after its publication, The Death and Life of Great American Cities was described by The New York Times as "perhaps the most influential single work in the history of town planning....[It] can also be seen in a much larger context. It is first of all a work of literature; the...

Drawing upon a six-year research project at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras took eighteen truly exceptional and long-lasting companies and studied each in direct comparison to one of its top competitors. They examined the companies from...

I have been filming people talking about the afterlife for over a decade, and have reported extensively how I came to this line of questioning. These reports have been gathered over the past two years; some remain anonymous, some are not - either way, they are people fully conscious, eyes open, staring into the distance over my shoulder (or speaking live on the radio) accessing vistas and worlds I've heard about from other people.

The Citicorp Center, a fifty-nine-story skyscraper built in 1977, immediately became one of the most recognizable features on the New York City skyline with its distinctive inclined roof and oddly placed support columns. Designed by one of the top structural engineers in the field, William LeMessurier, the tower would become the crown jewel of his professional career; In essence, he created a skyscraper on stilts. The building was a modern marvel—until it was revealed that it had a one in sixteen chance of collapse.

Explains how a Vampyre is not a blood-sucking mythical figure but a shaman who is skilled in gathering, using, and storing energy for magical power and personal liberation Reveals how to gather and store energy from the world around you and shares magical techniques, manifestation...

The Byzantine Empire: A Thousand Years of Power, Drama, and Legacy An epic story of emperors, intrigue, and a forgotten empire that shaped the modern world. Whether you’re a curious reader, student, or history lover, this is your gateway to one of the most fascinating empires of all time. While Europe sank into the so-called Dark Ages, the Byzantine Empire thrived — keeping ancient knowledge alive and influencing everything from religion to politics for over a thousand years. Based in the city of Constantinople, this powerful empire was home to brilliant rulers, daring generals, and ...

Have you ever wondered about the secrets that lie in the shadows of the Great Pyramid of Giza? Dive into a fascinating journey through the centuries. This book takes you from medieval accounts to cutting-edge archaeological research, revealing every nook and cranny of this iconic monument. Discover the amazing engineering that defies logic, explore its cosmic mysteries, and dive into the cultural and spiritual connections that have resonated throughout the millennia. From its original function as a funerary monument to its impact on modern architecture, this book unravels the secrets of a ...

Journeying through time and place, from the ancient Egyptian pyramids to the soaring skyscrapers of Manhattan, renowned architectural historian Dan Cruickshank explores the most impressive and characterful creations in world architecture. His selection includes many of the world’s best-known buildings that represent key or pioneering moments in architectural history, such as the Pantheon in Rome, Hagia Sophia in Turkey, the Taj Mahal in India and the Forbidden City in China.

Beginning with their introduction in the 11th century, and ending with their widespread abandonment in the 17th, Marc Morris explores many of the country's most famous castles, as well as some spectacular lesser-known examples. At times this is an epic tale, driven by characters like William the Conqueror, King John, and Edward I, full of sieges and conquest on an awesome scale.

The Story of the Country House is an authoritative and vivid account of the British country house, exploring how they have evolved with the changing political and economic landscape. Clive Aslet reveals the captivating stories behind individual houses, their architects, and occupants and paints a vivid picture of the wider context in which the country house in Britain flourished and subsequently fell into decline before enjoying a renaissance in the 21st century.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Globe-trotting golfer Tom Coyne has finally come home. And he’s ready to play all of it. After playing hundreds of courses overseas in the birthplace of golf,​ Coyne, the bestselling author of A Course Called Ireland and A Course Called Scotland, returns to his own...

“MENZIES [IS] PROPOUNDING ONE OF THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS IN THE HISTORY OF HISTORY.” —New York Times Magazine New York Times bestselling historian Gavin Menzies presents newly uncovered evidence revealing, conclusively, that “the lost city of Atlantis” was not only real but also...

The story of the Stuart dynasty is a breathless soap opera played out in just a hundred years in an array of buildings that span Europe from Scotland, via Denmark, Holland and Spain to England. Life in the court of the House of Stuart has been shrouded in mystery: the first half of the century overshadowed by the fall and execution of Charles I, the second half in the complete collapse of the House itself. Lost to time is the extraordinary contribution the Stuarts made to the fabric of sovereignty.

Delve into the social and cultural history of 100 of the world's most important cities. From the first towns in Mesopotamia to today's global metropolises, cities have marked the progress of civilization. Great Cities offers a rich historical overview of each featured city. The latest title in...

"In my household I have nominated this book as my Book of the Year. I read over 30 books a year in the course of my work, so it is in a good field.” - Professor Guy Standing, author of The Precariat Tiananmen, the Arab Spring, Occupy. Great ideals—yet none built anything lasting. Changing the world needs more than inspired troubleshooting: it needs architecture. "A formidable effort, very learned and extremely wide-ranging. It has certain family resemblances to The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow, Yuval Noah Harari's three volumes, and books by Steven Pinker and ...

AN INVITING, FASCINATING COMPENDIUM OF TWENTY-ONE OF HISTORY’S MOST FAMOUS LOST PLACES, FROM THE TOWER OF BABEL TO THE TWIN TOWERS Buildings are more like us than we realize. They can be born into wealth or poverty, enjoying every privilege or struggling to make ends meet. They have...

The architectural history of the Middle Ages is full of surprisesIt is hard to imagine today that relatively few construction plans have been found for the impressive churches and cathedrals of the Romanesque and Gothic periods. Where did most of the drawings go? Were the plans destroyed in Europe or lost over time? Or were they never made at all? Although there are very few architectural drawings, there were numerous compasses. What were they used for and how? Was it possible to design complex buildings such as churches and cathedrals without blueprints? The author takes the readers on an ...

The architects selected here have designed buildings that are as dramatic as their impact on the world of architecture. From familiar modern era names such as Zaha Hadid and Sir Norman Foster to geniuses from history such as Nicholas Hawksmoor and Andrea Palladio, Ike Ijeh reveals his top 50 list of the architects deserving of the description "greatest".

The English Baroque jewel in Oxfordshire, known to the locals as the fabled Blenheim Palace, is without question one of the finest buildings in the country. This majestic manor, the only non-royal estate in England to be categorized as a palace, is far more than just an attractive landmark. In fact, it is a place with enough history to fill an endless number of books. Blenheim Palace examines the estate's architectural history, the toxic friendship that nearly upended the entire project, and the historic events that transpired within the palace's walls.

As the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government completes its current term ahead of the General Elections 2019, it is time to evaluate its performance, specifically in terms of its management of the economy. This book is a critical assessment of five years of the brand of economics Prime...