A homeless cat spends several seasons trying to survive the elements until at last a suburban family adopts him.

In this highly-illustrated series from James Patterson, an extraordinary robot signs up for an ordinary fifth grade class . . . and elementary school will never be the same! It was never easy for Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez to fit in, so he's dreading the day when his genius mom insists he bring her newest invention to school: a walking, talking robot he calls E-for "Error". Sammy's no stranger to robots; his house is full of a colorful cast of them. But this one not only thinks it's Sammy's brother . . . it's actually even nerdier than Sammy. Will E be Sammy's one-way ticket to Loserville? Or will he prove to the world that it's cool to be square? It's a roller-coaster ride for Sammy to discover the amazing secret E holds that could change family forever . . . if all goes well on the trial run!

An in-depth look at the design process of James Huniford, who is renowned for his skill in juxtaposing oppostites--contemporary with traditional, rustic with refined--to create a timeless whole. James Huniford, universally known as Ford, explores his design process thematically, with chapters on approaching a room, considering scale and proportion, selecting materials and art, using color effectively, and marrying form and function. His goal is to create "a modern sensibility of calm." Of special interest is his ability to create artworks out of found objects, compositions of tools, baskets, or metalwork that become compelling wall sculptures or freestanding pieces. Examples are drawn from a rich variety of projects--elegant Upper East Side apartments to raw lofts on the Lower East Side to contemporary condominums in new "supertall" towers in Manhattan, country houses in Connecticut, Upstate New York, and Martha's Vineyard, and across the country in Nashville and Marin Country, California. Special insight into his process can be gleaned from his own homes, a loft in Tribeca and a historic house in Bridgehampton that he readily admits are laboratories for his ideas.

The acclaimed interior designer combines rich tradition with modern sensibilities in this beautifully photographed book of homes across the deep South. James Farmer’s design firm works with clients across the South who want to turn their houses into homes. Now Farmer takes readers on a guided tour of eleven home projects—from makeovers to remodels and new construction—as he brings together a cultivated mix of high and low, storied and new, collected and found; presenting them all as a thoughtfully exhibited array of taste, style, good architecture, and interior comfort. Woven alongside beautiful photography of interiors and exteriors are personal stories James shares about living in the South, the people in his life, and how he fell in love with home design. A Place to Call Home is a beautiful book to inspire Southern style at home―infusing the new with antique, vintage, and heirloom pieces.

In his landmark book The Geography of Nowhere James Howard Kunstler visited the "tragic sprawlscape of cartoon architecture, junked cities, and ravaged countryside" America had become and declared that the deteriorating environment was not merely a symptom of a troubled culture, but one of the primary causes of our discontent. In Home from Nowhere Kunstler not only shows that the original American Dream -- the desire for peaceful, pleasant places in which to work and live -- still has a strong hold on our imaginations, but also offers innovative, eminently practical ways to make that dream a reality. Citing examples from around the country, he calls for the restoration of traditional architecture, the introduction of enduring design principles in urban planning, and the development of public spaces that acknowledge our need to interact comfortable with one another.

Beautifully photographed country houses, mountain retreats, and coastal cottages located in and beyond the American South demonstrate this prestigious firm’s talent for translating traditional architecture into charming and inviting designs. Interiors and exteriors combine the formal and informal—drawing equally from refined houses in Beaufort, Charleston, and Savannah, as well as rural farmhouses and rustic cabins in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Simultaneously elegant and casual, a Beaufort-style house combines classic revival details with painted plank walls. A waterfront retreat overlooking a tidal marsh mixes eclectic elements from Southern coastal cottages, such as a tin roof and sleeping porch, with Caribbean details like French doors and Bermuda shutters. Reclaimed planks and beams in a barrier island vacation home capture the romance of living in a converted barn. Designed for relaxed family living, these homes often include screen porches with swinging daybeds, great rooms with rough-hewed beams and stone fireplaces, and light-filled master suites. Their traditional materials, artisanal craftsmanship, and atmosphere of comfort and hospitality express the spirit of Southern style.