In a series of 50 accessible essays, Philip Wilkinson introduces architectural movements and styles throughout history, as well as describing some of the greatest architects' most important and representative works. From the Pyramids of Giza to the Guggenheim, the classical orders of Vitruvius to the most recent contemporary trends today, 50 Architecture Ideas You Really Need to Know is a complete introduction to the most important architectural concepts in history.

'60 fantastical structures described and illustrated in this colourful and highly entertaining book.' The Sunday Times 'If you can't think of a present for the armchair architect in your life - well, problem solved' The Daily Telegraph 'These ghostly architectural echoes entrance the reader.' The Field 'This is a lavishly illustrated book of wonder for the dreamer in your life' The Metro A skyscraper one mile high, a dome covering most of downtown Manhattan, a triumphal arch in the form of an elephant: some of the most exciting buildings in the history of architecture are the ones that never got built. These are the projects in which architects took materials to the limits, explored challenging new ideas, defied conventions, and pointed the way towards the future. Some of them are architectural masterpieces, some simply delightful flights of fancy. It was not usually poor design that stymied them - politics, inadequate funding, or a client who chose a 'safe' option rather than a daring vision were all things that could stop a project leaving the drawing board. These unbuilt buildings include the grand projects that acted as architectural calling cards, experimental designs that stretch technology, visions for the future of the city, and articles of architectural faith. Structures likeBuckminster Fuller's dome over New York or Frank Lloyd Wright's mile-high tower can seem impossibly daring. But they also point to buildings that came decades later, to the Eden Project and the Shard. Some of those unbuilt wonders are buildings of great beauty and individual form like Etienne-Louis Boullee's enormous spherical monument to Isaac Newton; some, such as the city plans of Le Corbusier, seem to want to teach us how to live; some, like El Lissitsky's 'horizontal skyscrapers' and Gaudi's curvaceous New York hotel, turn architectural convention upside-down; some, such as Archigram's Walking City and Plug-in City, are bizarre and inspiring by turns. All are captured in this magnificently illustrated book.

The English Buildings Book is the most comprehensive single volume on English architecture for the general reader and it celebrates the English built environment, which is the richest and most diverse in the world. Where most general books on English buildings are arranged chronologically, The English Buildings Book is arranged by building type and use. The chapters deal with distinct groups of buildings from parish churches to railway stations. This arrangement makes the book more accessible for general readers, who will find it easier to navigate their way around a book arranged by types rather than one organised by historical styles. The English Buildings Book is truly broad in its coverage. Over 700 buildings are described and illustrated, ranging from the architectural icons - such as castles, cathedrals, and country houses - to the less noticeable but equally fascinating buildings of our towns and villages - parish churches and meeting houses, shops and hotels, town halls and market halls, windmills and lighthouses, barns and bars. All are represented in superb colour photographs, many specially commissioned, which are arranged to enable easy comparison between buildings with each double-page spread presenting a theme that the reader can take in at a glance or read about in greater depth. The English Buildings Book is also a personal book; the author and photographer, who have collaborated together for many years, have made their individual choice of buildings. There are plenty of examples of each type and style, allowing the reader to follow the evolution of architecture from the Saxon period onwards. But there are also the architectural 'eccentrics' - houses shaped like aircraft hangars, mills that look like palaces, stations or cinemas in the shape of 1930s radio sets. The book is an architectural feast, from beginning to end.

Discover the world's greatest myths and legends - from Greek mythology to Norse mythology - in this comprehensive guide. What did Japanese mythology say about the beginning of the Universe? How did Oedipus become the classic tragic hero in Greek mythology? Who brought about the origin of death in Maori mythology? Combining vivid retellings of famous legends with over 1,000 illustrations of characters, famous artworks, and artefacts, Myths and Legends makes it easier than ever before to understand the stories that are central to every culture. Delve into the well-known tales of the ancient Greeks, which hold the key to such phrases as "Achilles' heel", as well as the lesser-known but richly colourful myths of Africa and the Americas. Explore global ideas such as fate and fortune, and the Underworld, and find out about the key characters - heroes, tricksters, and gods - that make up each myth system. Filled with the cultural and religious meanings behind each legend, and the influence they have had both in their own time and in today's world, this book is a must-have for all mythology enthusiasts.

Historic places across the country have shaped England and the world beyond. They are hotbeds of invention, industry and creativity and they bring our nation's story to life. In 2017 Historic England launched the Irreplaceable: A History of England in 100 Places campaign, designed to celebrate England's remarkable places. Guided by public nominations and a panel of expert judges, including Professor Robert Winston, Mary Beard, George Clarke, David Olusoga, Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson and Bettany Hughes, we compiled a list of 100 places where remarkable things have happened and shaped our collective identity as the country we are today. The book, like the campaign, is divided into ten categories ranging from Music & Literature, through Science & Discovery to Power, Protest & Progress. The final 100 selected places are all contained within this gloriously illustrated book. From the observatory in Greenwich where the modern measurement of time began, to England's oldest inn carved into the sandstone in Nottingham, the choices are surprising, intriguing and enlightening. Some are well-known and others are less familiar, but all deserve to be celebrated as landmarks in England's history. The book explains why each of these 100 places is so important. The result is a unique history of England chosen and told by the people who live here.

The Red Star and the Roundel are the symbols of organisations that share a century of existence, a century with a full quota of conflict as well as harmony. The Russian red star has maintained its impact in the hundred years since the Revolution. The Royal Air Force's red white and blue roundel has seen action in the air world-wide for the same period. Phil Wilkinson had forty years of Royal Air Force service--the final three and a half were in Russia. With this unusual double qualification, he examines the dynamics of the Russia-RAF relationship, sometimes as allies, sometimes as adversaries. Drawing on personal reminiscences, and on the recollections of surviving veterans of RAF service in Russia during the Second World War, as well as on official records from throughout this shared century, the narrative is sometimes light-hearted, sometimes sombre. It goes from brutal combat in the early years, to language difficulties later on; from innocent misunderstandings to deliberate deception; from cultural contrasts to aesthetic links. Perhaps the narrative's most worthwhile effect will be to draw the reader's comment: "Well, I didn't know that before." There is still a lot to learn--a century's worth.

"Myths & Legends" retells the stories central to every culture that have been passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years. Coverage extends from the well-known tales of the Ancient Greeks, which hold the key to the origin of such phrases as "Achille's heel," to the lesser-known, but richly colorful, myths of the Americas and the East. Topic spreads explore characters and stories in terms of their cultural, psychological, and religious meanings and show their power, purpose, and influence both in their own time and in today's world. Feature spreads visit the sacred sites that can still be seen today, and underline the importance of themes that appear across cultures and through the centuries. In looking at such universal themes as creation, heroic trials, tricksters' lessons, and death and the afterlife, "Myths & Legends" investigates how different cultures have addressed questions such as How was the world created? How did man learn to use fire? and Why do we grow old?