RA:The Book - The Recording Architecture Book of Studio Design was first published as a single, hardcover volume in 2011 and which has sold in over fifty countries to critical acclaim. A necessarily large format dictated by the detailed drawings it contained, RA:The Book was unavoidably heavy and costly to produce and ship. This iBook version is the first of three stand alone volumes which will hopefully make this essential guide to recording studio design more accessible. It includes a new introduction with previously unavailable photographs. The following de*ion is for the original hardcover: Established by Roger D'Arcy and Hugh Flynn on April 1st 1987 Recording Architecture has risen to become one of the premier recording studio design companies in the world. First Commissioned by ex Def Leppard guitarist Pete Willis for Blue Room studios In Sheffield swiftly followed by projects such as Hulgrave Hall, for composer Keith Hopwood the company has grown to design key installations around the world. Now for the first time they will be publishing a history of these ground breaking designs covering all aspects of architectural, acoustic and interior design of these studios and spaces specifically related to sound on a project by project basis. In a Career spanning Three decades Recording Architecture has virtually unrivalled experience in the design of studios which range in size and purpose from classical orchestral, residential, mixing, mastering, post production, film dubbing, video editing and rehearsal studios over 40 countries worldwide. Stating his desire to expand awareness with the new book Roger D Arcy states Over the years, and perhaps surprisingly, the only available books on recording studio design seem to have been written by individuals with little or no qualified background in Architecture or design in the field - we are trying show the detailed architectural/acoustic input behind a successful design with each studio study showing drawings in large format . This is not a theoretical guide but a detailed presentation of tried and tested techniques as applied to real, built projects in many of the case studies, the actual drawings issued for construction are reproduced. The examples illustrate not only what we think should be done but what was in fact physically (and successfully) implemented in a wide variety of situations from small, private project studios to large, commercial land mark studios such as Lansdowne and CTS. Examples range in scope from individual spaces and rooms to multi studio facilities and cover the two principal strands of recording and mixing: MUSIC studios recording (tracking), mixing and mastering (including cutting) project to orchestral in scale examples have been taken from the private, commercial and educational sectors. POST PRODUCTION studios voice over (dubbing), FX recording ( Foley ), film mix studios (dubbing theatres) from small voice over studios for TV to large Dolby Premier Certified film mix theatres. Contents include hundreds of photographs together with detailed plans and construction drawings - including comprehensive specifications of materials and techniques - showing exactly how these environments were created.

Featuring twenty-five iconic fashion styles, Manga Fashion is filled to the brim with gorgeous girls in dazzling clothes. Seventy-three of Japan's top manga artists portray key styles from party to romantic, gothic Lolita to nautical. De*ions of the different styles break them down into their essential components types of clothing, shoes, and accessories, as well as how the looks developed and what kind of modern manga girls wear them. Classic items like miniskirts, kimonos, military jackets, and ball gowns are covered, as are accessories including high heels, obis, and hair ribbons. And as the cherry on this manga sundae, two manga paper dolls can be found in the back of the book, accompanied by stylish outfits and accessories.

An extraordinary new volume in the bestselling Monster Book of Manga books Gothic features thirty dark characters and easy-to-follow instructions teaching you how to create them.The Monster Book of Manga: Gothic is the ultimate guide to creating the hottest, most cutting-edge manga. Inside you'll find thirty devious and mysterious manga characters, along with step-by-step instructions taking you from initial line drawings to graphic, full-color designs. The characters include rebellious and subversive youth from rock stars and dancers to gothic cheerleaders and a beautiful, modernized gothic Lolita. There are also dangerous cyberpunks, vampires, and warriors, as well as a gothic space queen and a satanic being. Unique in its content and the elegance of its characters, The Monster Book of Manga: Gothic is the only comprehensive guide to creating gothic manga and a must-have for all new and experienced manga artists alike.

42 atheist celebrities, comedians, scientists and writers give their funny and serious tips for enjoying the Christmas season. When the Atheist Bus Campaign was first launched, over Gbp150,000, was raised in four days - enough to place the advert 'There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life' on 800 Uk buses in January 2009. Now dozens of atheist writers, comedians and scientists are joining together to raise money for a very different cause. The Atheist's Guide to Christmas is a funny, thoughtful handbook all about enjoying Christmas, from 42 of the world's most entertaining atheists. It features everything from an atheist Christmas miracle to a guide to the best Christmas pop hits, and contributors include Richard Dawkins, Charlie Brooker, Derren Brown, Ben Goldacre, Jenny Colgan, David Baddiel, Simon Singh, Ac Grayling, Brian Cox and Richard Herring. The full book advance and all royalties will go to the Uk Hiv charity Terrence Higgins Trust.

A hilarious compendium of weird, wonderful, warped classic and new games. Taken from the brilliant website http://strange-games.blogspot.com/, Montegue Blister's Strange Games is a pocket-sized compendium of the most hilarious, noisy, messy, and often vomit-inducing games ever written. Finally, the official rules for all the games you played at school as a kid, such as Finger Jousting, Peanuts, Slapsies and Thumb Wrestling. But that's not all! Montegue Blister's Strange Games includes dangerous variations on old classics such as Extreme Rock Paper Scissors, Bloody Knuckles, Shin Kicking and Toe Wrestling, plus a whole host of new, weird and wonderful games like Face Ball, Crazy Stair Climbing, Watermelon Skiing and Mosquito Squashing. Some games are violent, some are downright savage - and most involve a tiny bit of blood. But one thing's for sure - they're great fun! Montegue Blister's Strange Games is the perfect gift for Christmas and beyond. Chapters in Strange Games in include: Hand and feet games; Urban Games; Festivals; Party Games; Trick Games; Playground Games; Throwing & Propulsion; Sports; Stand off Games; Animal Games.

This handy, practical and inspirational little book is perfect for the pocket or art bag. It shows watercolour painters of all levels how to loosen up their paintings and maintain spontaneity by painting simple watercolour studies in no more than 10 minutes.

At last! A comprehensive, handy guide for the misery-guts in your life. Are you an irritable, crabby, cantankerous, malcontented old grump? Well relax, because you're not alone. Grumpy Old Men is an annotated, cross-referenced and fully illustrated manual for malcontents everywhere: the comprehensive Gripes of Wrath. A compilation of gripes and grumbles, illustrated with blood-boiling images such as derailed trains and traffic wardens throughout. The next time you find yourself enraged by pointless speed bumps, overcrowded trains, ill-mannered drivers, irritating adverts, inefficient customer help-lines, overbooked airlines, inconsiderate cyclists, slow-moving caravans, extortionate bank charges, persistent charity collectors, mindless hotel muzak, unfunny clowns or just plain miserable British weather, let this book take the strain. The ultimate in stress-relief for the 21st-Century Grouch.

The Book that will forever define the essentially comic state of being, acting, looking, and sounding like a Dad. You think you know your Dad? You think he gets up to go to work every morning, does his job, eats his lunch, has an afternoon snack or three, then comes home and eats dinner in front of the TV? On the weekend, maybe he mows the lawn or fixes that broken shelf, or has a few jars down the pub with the lads? You think that’s what Dads do, don’t you? You think that’s all there is? Oh, how little you know. A hymn to all things paternal, ‘The Book of Dad’ will change the way you think about your Dad, my Dad, his Dad, their Dad, Everybody’s Dad. Including such marvellous chapters as Know Your Dad, The World According to Dad, Dads Through The Ages (from Caveman Dad up to Victorian Dad), How To Be A Dad, and The Dad-to-Be, ‘The Book of Dad’ is a highly illustrated, high-quality, highly anticipated romp through the pantheon of Dadness…and beyond…but not too far.

A witty, personal and entertaining reflection on the history and meaning of paper during the (passing) era of its universal importance. Paper serves nearly every function of our lives. It is the technology with which we have made sense of the world. Yet the age of paper is ending. Ebooks now outsell their physical counterparts. Still, there are some uses of paper that seem unlikely to change – Christmas won’t be Christmas without wrapped presents or crackers. And the language of paper – documents, files and folders – has survived digitisation. In ‘Paper: An Elegy’ Ian Sansom builds a museum of paper and explores its paradox – its vulnerability and durability.

She’s a fiancée of good fortune… Strutting down Park Avenue in her new Manolos, Holly James looks like a woman who has it all. But beneath the Prada sunglasses, Holly has a mounting list of decidedly unfabulous problems. Right at the top? The fact that since her fiancé Jamie started spending all his time at his new restaurant (with his impossibly gorgeous sous-chef!), Holly has practically forgotten what he looks like…and started to feel a teensy bit paranoid. …but has Holly found the right Mr Darcy? So being kissed by film star Ciaran Duncan should have been a much-needed boost to Holly’s ego. But losing herself in the moment is impossible, since she’s still fuming after meeting English lawyer Hugh Darcy. He’s easily the most arrogant man in Manhattan and she’s engaged to be married…so why can’t Holly stop imagining kissing him? Suddenly, Holly finds herself torn between three eligible bachelors…and it’s proving more difficult than choosing between a Manolo Blanik and a Jimmy Choo – especially since men are non-refundable! What’s a New York fashionista to do? Don’t miss Manolos in Manhattan, book three in Katie Oliver’s Marrying Mr Darcy series. Also by Katie Oliver: Prada and Prejudice Love and Liability Mansfield Lark And the Bride Wore Prada Love, Lies and Louboutins

The course of a celebrity marriage never did run smooth… Gemma Heath has finally managed to get her rock-star husband Dominic to settle down – and she has the ring to prove it! But when she sees photos of her brand-new husband escaping on his private jet with the latest pop sensation, Gemma can’t help but assume the worst: once a cheater, always a cheater… …but that doesn’t mean you can’t look fabulous! So when her old flame Jack Hawkins resurfaces, Gemma can’t resist engaging in some extra-marital flirtation of her own – purely for revenge purposes, of course. But she wasn’t prepared for her old attraction for bad-boy Jack to resurface! Gemma has a decision to make – and running away from her problems has never been her style. Especially not when she’s in sky-high stilettos! Love, Lies and Louboutins is the second book in Katie Oliver's fabulous 'Marrying Mr Darcy' series, to be followed in March by Manolos in Manhattan. Also by Katie Oliver: The Dating Mr Darcy series: Prada and Prejudice Love and Liability Mansfield Lark The Marrying Mr Darcy series: And the Bride Wore Prada and, coming soon, Manolos in Manhattan

She’s dated Mr Darcy… After being hounded by the paparazzi ever since news of their engagement got out, Gemma and Dominic are flying to Scotland for a much-needed romantic getaway. But they didn’t expect to find Dominic’s ex, Natalie, and her husband Rhys, on the very same flight! Landing in a torrential blizzard and with only one hire car (let alone a limo!) between them, the four share a lift….but as the snowdrifts move in, stranding them in an isolated castle, it seems they’ll be reunited for longer than planned! Now it’s time to say ‘I do!’ In the face of adversity, Gemma does what any self-respecting celebrity fiancée would do: starts planning a last-minute wedding while she has Dominic to herself! After all, where better for a discreetly decadent wedding than in the middle of nowhere, miles from the nearest celebrity news desk? But marrying an A-lister away from prying eyes was never going to be easy. Will Gemma make it up the aisle? And, more importantly, now she’s miles away from Vera Wang, what is this fashionista going to wear?! And the Bride Wore Prada is the sensational first book in Katie Oliver’s long-awaited ‘Marrying Mr Darcy’ series, the follow-up to her best-selling ‘Dating Mr Darcy’ trilogy. Also by Katie Oliver: Prada and Prejudice Love and Liability Mansfield Lark and, coming soon: Love, Lies and Louboutins Manolos in Manhattan

The much-loved Guardian columnist asks what it takes to make a husband, and looks to his own married life to provide the answer.* *Anything resembling advice should be taken at reader’s own risk. You’ll never get divorced if you never get married. Not even your granny minds if you live in sin anymore. And if you’re single you can choose curtains without somebody else butting in. So why bother with marriage? It can’t just be an easy way round having to buy your own deodorant. Guardian columnist Tim Dowling is a husband of some twenty years. His marriage is resounding proof that even the most impossible partnership can work out for the best. Some of the time. So while this book is called ‘How To be a Husband’, it’s not really a how-to guide at all. Nor is it a compendium of petty remarks and brinkmanship – although it contains plenty of both. You may pick up a few DIY hints. You might learn that while marriage is founded on love, it endures through bloody hard work. Most likely it will make you whimper with the laughter of painful recognition. ‘How To be a Husband’ is a cautionary tale about throwing caution to the wind. It’s the strange romance of two people consenting to share a roll-on. It’s a new manifesto for marriage and an answer to why, even when we suck at it, we stick at it.

Needlefelting is fast becoming the most popular and easiest way to create cute and quirky characters and curiosities. In this book you can learn to make 30 adorable little animals. Needlefelting is the ideal craft for beginners, far easier and cheaper to learn than knitting or crochet. You can make almost anything by sculpting loose wool roving with one or two needles – the only limit is your imagination. This book includes a comprehensive introduction and guide to getting started, a breakdown of the basic needlefelting techniques and the equipment you will need. It also features a very cute photograph of each animal and an illustrated step-by-step guide. Learn to make the following little animals … Lion – Baby elephant – Sea lion – Penguin- Whale – Angel fish- Dolphin – Octopus- Snail – Bee – Hedgehog – Fox – Quail – Guinea pig – Puppy- Kitten- Rabbit – Robin – Sheep – Pig

A collection of remarkable and completely made-up correspondence from the great and the good across history. Many books have collated the exceptional letters and personal writing of the famous, offering a fascinating insight into well-known figures' personal lives and hidden desires. But what of the undistinguished epistles of the renowned? Can their less auspicious musings divulge clues to their hopes and ambitions? Probably not. But they can be quite funny. 'Letters of Not' assembles the fictional jotted dross that was never before considered worthy of collection. The Post-it notes, the shopping lists, the failed limericks and the birthday card sentiments of history's most celebrated sons and daughters.

The second of 6 eBook-only shorts from star of the Great British Sewing Bee and doyenne of the Women’s Institute, May Martin, including three gorgeous projects to try at home - Pencil Skirt, Bucket Bag and Shell Blouse - taken from May Martin’s Sewing Bible. May has been teaching sewing for over 40 years. Now she shares her tips and tricks for creating beautiful garments at home, perfect for beginner sewers. Beautifully styled and simple-to-follow, this authoritative sewing e-short, taken from May Martin’s Sewing Bible, offers three starter projects for those looking to create their own unique wardrobe.

The third of 6 eBook-only shorts from star of the Great British Sewing Bee and doyenne of the Women’s Institute, May Martin, including three adorable projects, across a range of difficulties – Hand Puppets, Jersey T-shirt and a Smocked Dress – taken from May Martin’s Sewing Bible. May has been teaching sewing for over 40 years. Now she shares three projects to try yourself across toys and clothes for children, perfect as thoughtful home-made gifts. Beautifully styled and simple-to-follow, this authoritative sewing e-short, taken from May Martin’s Sewing Bible, offers three starter projects for those looking to create beautiful kids’ clothes from scratch.

An informative, fun and rather charming essay on the nature and history of one of life’s most desirable assets, Charm, by renowned culture and design critic, Stephen Bayley. Aiming to wound, a schoolmaster wrote on future design-guru Stephen Bayley’s last ever school report “Charm alone will not get him through”. Bayley took this to mean that an affable, genial, outgoing nature was not enough to ensure survival in a harsh world of statistical performance. But survive and flourish is exactly what Bayley did and now he aims to define Charm by looking at its origins and meanings throughout history and in the modern age.

What possesses a right-minded comedian to quit the day job for life as a breakfast radio DJ? The opening DJ on the Beeb’s new alternative radio channel, 6Music, Phill Jupitus was a maverick on the flat landscape of inane commercial breakfast radio. Disregarding the pre*ive chart-led schedule and showing no fear in the face of BBC management, this ex-performance poet’s personal crusade against the bland, the predictable and the smug self-satisfaction ensured that he never had any trouble practising what he preached. Not one to pull punches, Phill recounts with acerbic wit, honesty and more affection than he would care to admit, his encounters with petulant band members, tedious showbusiness jargon, colossal salaries and four-letter firewalls. Inviting world-weary media cynics and radio enthusiasts to sit back and revel in a heady dose of painful banter ensuing from the absent interview technique, The Clash, the perils of idols as on-air guests, Black Umfolosi and The Coasters, Nantwich remorselessly dissects the limply beating heart of breakfast radio and reconstructs it one playlist, anecdote and tran* at a time.

Gain an insight into the English language via one of the UK’s richest dialects: Geordie. From George Stephenson to The Animals to Viz, the North East has long had a successful creative culture, developing alongside its industrial history. Newcastle in particular has successfully reinvented itself as a centre of the arts, while still maintaining its own regional identity. This book is the definitive guide to the most distinctive element of that identity: the Geordie dialect. This book is a must for anyone with even a passing interest in the language of the North East, and also provides a thorough examination of the general state of English, from the traditional wit and wisdom of the Geordie perspective.

Do you remember tearing down the stairs at five in the morning, in wide-eyed anticipation of the mountain of wrapped boxes under a Woolies' fireproof silver tinsel tree? Do you remember the sense of disappointment when what you'd asked for wasn't among them? Or – worse – when you found a cheap, knock-off version of a toy you really wanted? Lavishly illustrated and with over 300 colour photographs, TV Cream Toys celebrates the presents that we hoped, wished and prayed would turn up in the Christmas stockings of yesteryear. From Big Trak to Buckaroo!, Mastermind to Merlin, Sorry! to Strawberry Shortcake, each peerless plaything from the '60s through to the '90s is examined and catalogued (in the Argos, rather than the scientific, sense). Culled from award-winning retro website TV Cream, this book lists a wealth of fondly remembered toys, games, and novelties, and unearths quite a few of the oft-forgotten classics that, even to this day, remain treasured in the hearts of our inner children. LET THE BLIZZARD OF MR MEN WRAPPING PAPER COMMENCE…