Our moods are affected by it; our plans are ruined by it; our conversations undoubtedly cover it – the weather is integral to our everyday lives. But while we groan at clouds obscuring the sun, rejoice when the rain stops, and gasp at loud cracks of thunder, for many of us the systems behind these weather patterns are a complete mystery. The Weather Book breaks down all manner of meteorological phenomena with handy diagrams and explanations in simple layman’s terms. From electrical storms and cyclones to the everyday drizzle, and including fascinating anecdotes of weather at its most extreme, this is a practical and engaging guide to understanding all things meteorological. If you’ve ever wondered which old wives tales you can actually trust (does lightning really only strike once?) or wondered if there is any truth to the phrase ‘raining cats and dogs’ (in reality it’s more likely to be raining frogs), this book will answer all your weather related queries and teach you more about this endlessly fascinating topic.

"The Weather Book" is a delightful miscellany of everything remotely meteorological. It is jam-packed with enlightening facts, practical diagrams and clear explanations about weather phenomena and why they form. It includes: weather systems - electrical storms, heat waves, hail, cyclones and the good-old British drizzle; weather tales - from raining frogs in Sussex, to ball lightning and sand storms in the East Midlands; weather forecasts - how the Met Office gathers information and makes predictions; and, old-school weather wisdom - 'Red sky at night, shepherds delight' All of the above plus an array of fascinating facts, quotes and anecdotes make up this charming gift book. This title helps to refresh your memory from long forgotten school lessons and extend your knowledge on one of Britain's most talked about subjects.

A cross-cultural examination of jewelry spanning 5,000 years that investigates not only the objects themselves but also the bodies they decorated As an art form, jewelry is defined primarily through its connection to and interaction with the body—extending it, amplifying it, accentuating it, distorting it, concealing it, or transforming it. But how is the meaning of jewelry bound to the body that wears it?   Establishing six different modes of ornamenting the body—Deconstructed, Divine, Regal, Idealized, Alluring, and Resplendent—this artfully designed book illustrates how these various definitions of the body give meaning to the jewelry that adorns it. More than 200 examples of exceptional jewelry and ornaments, created across the globe from antiquity to the present, are shown alongside paintings and sculptures of bejeweled bodies to demonstrate the social, political, and aesthetic role of jewelry. From earflares of warrior heroes in Pre-Columbian Peru to designs by Yves Saint-Laurent, these precious and most intimate works of art provide insight not only about the wearer but also into the designers, artisans, and cultures that produced them. Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press Exhibition Schedule: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (11/12/18–02/24/19)