Flaming flowers and lollipop hipsters, glittery façades and wallpaper Alps--in recent years a new canon of images has been developing in fine arts photography in which the art of exaggeration meets the glorification of the superficial. From glam fashion to the poetry of nature, from the pop portrait to the ironic mise-en-scène, new stances in photography display a preference for anything that's opulent, sugary sweet, and trivial.This elaborately designed volume comes with an embossed hard cover and silver edging that's as gaudy as its photographs. It's inspired by the "bling" of hip-hop, meaning things such as rhinestones or a desire to show off one's wealth. The publication, edited by the curator and journalist Nadine Barth, presents the most prominent approaches to this fascinating direction, which explore the boundaries of the medium with wit and overwhelming color.Featuring works by Miles Aldridge, Maxime Ballesteros, Christto & Andrew, Markus Henttonen, David LaChapelle, Izima Kaoru, Anatol Kotte, Pierre et Gilles, Rankin, Martin Schoeller, Ruud van Empel, Pierre Winther and others.Exhibition: 19.11.2016 - 15.01. 2017 NRW-Forum, Düsseldorf and further venues

Shipping tycoon Jackson Champion hadn't become a Texas billionaire by crumbling under pressure. So when his sexy assistant, Ysabel Sanchez, decided to walk away from him and his megasuccessful corporation, he wasn't taking no for an answer. After all, memories of their recent one-night stand had consumed him, and now Ysabel's inability to meet his eye made him wonder what she wasn't telling him. But exploring their feelings had to wait. An unknown enemy intended to bring down Champion Shipping, and Jackson was an expert at protecting what was his. But could he also lay claim to Ysabel and the secrets she had yet to reveal?

Keisha could never have predicted her downfall when she accepted a job offer from her uncle at Top Dot Records. She was hired to do whatever it took to get artists signed to his label, and she was good at it, but she soon found herself in a predicament when she decided to double dip by dating two artists on the label. When Hype learned of her betrayal, he set out on a mission to kill both Keisha and his label mate, Bling, but the plan went off track, and her uncle Patrick paid with his life. Keisha vowed to avenge her uncle’s death, but when she came face to face with her uncle’s killer, she got cold feet. She was taken hostage by the man she had betrayed, and he sold her to the highest bidder. Now Keisha is waking up from a coma after all that trauma. Maybe it’s a good thing she has amnesia and can’t remember what happened to her. She finds herself in the arms of her estranged husband for a while—but that is short lived, as her memory resurfaces and she realizes that she’s sleeping with the devil. Keisha seeks comfort from Bling, and as she falls in love with him, she sets out on a mission to take what she believes belongs to her. She might just be setting herself up for more drama because his wife isn’t going to give him up without a fight.

When it comes to the world of hip-hop, nothing shines brighter than glorious bling. A fascinating look in words and pictures at the stars of hip-hop and their fabulous jewelry. elcome to the rarified world of hip-hop royalty, where mega-stars from Jay-Z to J. Lo flash brilliant rocks to signify status and express personal style. In Bling Bling, writer and radio show host Minya Oh takes readers deep inside this star-studded world, exploring the wild appetite for flashy adornment that typifies the contemporary rap scene. See how the other half sparkles in this fascinating photo-filled book devoted to the history and culture of rappers and their jewelry from the last 25 years. Run DMC, Slick Rick, Ludacris, and Puff Daddy are just some of the rap legends who show and tell, as the author travels from East Coast to West to discover the world's most fabulous accoutrements and the stories behind them.

In 1999, author Grace Carrington was a college-educated, young, single, employed woman just doing her thing in New York City. And then she met the charming Mr. LC, a man ten years her senior. In Deconstructing My Fairy Tale, Carrington tells the story of how she-a hotheaded Jersey girl-despite many red flags, pursued the all-American dream with Mr. LC. In this memoir, she shares her personal journey throughout a decade of her life. It begins with a fairy tale illusion conceived in the mind and heart of a young, emotionally out-of-control girl and ends with reality and restoration as a mature mother of two. Carrrington tells how she struggled to maintain her sanity when the fairy tale became a nightmare because of lying, cheating, infidelity, money woes, and her own secret love affair. Told like a modern-day Greek tragedy, sprinkled with humor, sass, and emotional meltdowns, Deconstructing My Fairy Tale shares how, after losing everything, Carrington found the faith to rebuild an authentic life, becoming stronger and wiser in the process.

Seven years ago, William McCall lost the love of his life, Linda. Still grieving her death, he drowns his sorrows on Valentine's Day at a local bar in Manhattan, when a new woman enters his life. Keisha Gray is a Michigan schoolteacher visiting the Big Apple, and when she first meets William, they bond over their shared love for Michael Jackson. Soon they connect over much more and set out on a journey to heal their broken pasts. The couple travels through New York, South Carolina and Michigan to sort through their pasts and renew their faith in God, life and love.