"Delightfully surprising....A portable virtual museum...an entertaining stroll through the history of one of the world's great cities" (Kirkus Reviews), told through 101 distinctive objects that span the history of New York, almost all reproduced in luscious, full color. Inspired by A History of the World in 100 Objects, Sam Roberts of The New York Times chose fifty objects that embody the narrative of New York for a feature article in the paper. Many more suggestions came from readers, and so Roberts has expanded the list to 101. Here are just a few of what this keepsake volume offers: -The Flushing Remonstrance, a 1657 petition for religious freedom that was a precursor to the First Amendment to the Constitution. -Beads from the African Burial Ground, 1700s. Slavery was legal in New York until 1827, although many free blacks lived in the city. The African Burial Ground closed in 1792 and was only recently rediscovered. -The bagel, early 1900s. The quintessential and undisputed New York food (excepting perhaps the pizza). -The Automat vending machine, 1912. Put a nickel in the slot and get a cup of coffee or a piece of pie. It was the early twentieth century version of fast food. -The "I Love NY" logo designed by Milton Glaser in 1977 for a campaign to increase tourism. Along with Saul Steinberg's famous New Yorker cover depicting a New Yorker's view of the world, it was perhaps the most famous and most frequently reproduced graphic symbol of the time. Unique, sometimes whimsical, always important, A History of New York in 101 Objects is a beautiful chronicle of the remarkable history of the Big Apple. "The story [Sam Roberts] is telling is that of New York, and he nails it" (Daily News, New York).

This book introduces the fundamentals of sign painting, allowing readers to learn about the tools, materials and techniques needed to create painted signs. All the basics are covered, from choosing and using brushes, paints, mahl sticks, dippers and pencils, to how to prepare and finish surfaces, transfer designs, mix paint and work with the brush. A gallery section of original alphabets, created for the book by sign painters around the world, provides visual inspiration and demonstrates a wide variety of styles and approaches.

This is the first scholarly collection to examine the social and cultural aspects on the worldwide interest in the faded remains of advertising signage (popularly known as 'ghost signs'). Contributors to this volume examine the complex relationships between the signs and those who commissioned them, painted them, viewed them and view them today. Topics covered include cultural memory, urban change, modernity and belonging, local history and place-making, the crowd-sourced use of online mobile and social media to document and share digital artefacts, 'retro' design and the resurgence in interest in the handmade. The book is international and interdisciplinary, combining academic analysis and critical input from practitioners and researchers in areas such as cultural studies, destination marketing, heritage advertising, design, social history and commercial archaeology.

This is the first scholarly collection to examine the social and cultural aspects on the worldwide interest in the faded remains of advertising signage (popularly known as 'ghost signs'). Contributors to this volume examine the complex relationships between the signs and those who commissioned them, painted them, viewed them and view them today. Topics covered include cultural memory, urban change, modernity and belonging, local history and place-making, the crowd-sourced use of online mobile and social media to document and share digital artefacts, 'retro' design and the resurgence in interest in the handmade. The book is international and interdisciplinary, combining academic analysis and critical input from practitioners and researchers in areas such as cultural studies, destination marketing, heritage advertising, design, social history and commercial archaeology.

"A fresh and fast-paced study of one of the most important crimes of the twentieth century" ("The Washington Post"), "The Brother" now discloses new information revealed since the original publication in 2003--including an admission by his sons that Julius Rosenberg was indeed a Soviet spy and a confession to the author by the Rosenbergs' co-defendant.
Sixty years after their execution in June 1953 for conspiring to steal atomic secrets, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg remain the subjects of great emotional debate and acrimony. The man whose testimony almost single-handedly convicted them was Ethel Rosenberg's own brother, David Greenglass. Though the Rosenbergs were executed, Greenglass served a mere ten years in prison, after which, with a new name, he disappeared. But journalist Sam Roberts found Greenglass, and then managed to convince him to talk about everything that had happened.
Since the original publication of "The Brother," Roberts sued to release grand jury testimony, which further implicates Greenglass and demonstrates how the prosecution was tainted. One of the defendants, Morton Sobell, admitted to Roberts that he and Julius Rosenberg were spies. Furthermore, Michael and Robert Meeropol, the Rosenbergs' sons, acknowledged to Roberts that although their mother was not legally culpable, that the "secret" to the atomic bomb was not compromised, and that the death penalty was excessive, their father was, in fact, guilty of conspiracy to commit espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union.
Now released with this important new information, "The Brother" is more than ever, "A gripping account of the most famous espionage case in US history...an excellent book, written with flair and alive with the agony of the age" ("The Wall Street Journal").

Save money on this book by buying direct from the author at http: //kratie.ghostsigns.co.uk Flying pigs, retro hairstyles and hand grenades are among some of the images found in this book celebrating the art and craft of Cambodia's hand-painted advertising. The book introduces the signs, the people who paint them, and explores their links to Cambodian art, culture and history. The stories of the signs and their makers are inseparable from events in Cambodia over the last 40 years, notably the impact of the infamous Khmer Rouge regime. This crushed both art and commerce, the two spheres of activity straddled by these hand-painted signs. Their rise and gradual fall since this time takes the reader up to the current day and the uncertain future faced by this characteristic feature of Cambodia's streets. In considering the signs, the sign painters speak and share their thoughts, while others provide insights from the perspective of outsiders living and working in Cambodia. These include the author's reflections on his own engagement with the signs, and the stories they tell. This book is his tribute to this charming piece of Cambodian culture that has endured a turbulent past and faces similarly rough waters ahead. The signs featured in this book are given full English translations in a comprehensive notes section. A Khmer translation of the text is also available on the website, alongside a host of other bonus material including videos, additional photographs, and useful links: http: //kratie.ghostsigns.co.uk.

A revealing view of America and its people at the turn of the century, by the author of the New York Times Notable Book Who We Are

For more than two centuries, America has taken stock every decade, producing a statistical self-portrait of our population. In Who We Are Now, Sam Roberts identifies and illuminates the trends and social shifts that are changing the face of America today.

The 2000 U.S. census captured an America in the middle of a fundamental transformation. The nation’s complexion changed significantly over the twentieth century, creating more varied and intermingled identities; the trend was so profound that for the first time residents in 2000 could choose multiple race and ethnic categories on the census form. With the baby boomers nearing retirement and the echo generation entering college, the graying of America has been balanced, precariously, by the youth culture. And in the wake of the 1990s welfare reform, the fate of the working poor has become all the more tenuous. Roberts masterfully weaves stories of individuals from all corners of the country with the data, creating a compelling guided tour of the places, personalities, and politics that will shape twenty-first-century America.