This is a fascinating and highly readable account of the vital role the visual arts played in Great Britain during the Tudor and early Stuart monarchies. David Howarth examines the intersection of art and political power between the accession of the Tudors and the outbreak of civil war and draws on images of the Royal court to fashion his innovative cultural and political history. Howarth concentrates on the public uses and political exploitation of Renaissance art, rather than its quality or the creative process behind it. He argues that the English ruling class used and manipulated portraiture, architecture, the decorative arts, and spectacle in order to reinforce its own power and preserve England's political status quo. Howarth carefully studies the royal palaces, commissioned portraits, tombs, and period monuments to show how each work influenced--and was influenced by--politics. Even England's highly political battle between Catholicism and Protestantism found expression in religious architecture and painting. Contesting the orthodox view that no important works of art were produced in Britain from 1485 to 1649, Howarth finds proof to the contrary in the work of Sir AnthonyVan Dyck, Christopher Wren, Hans Holbein, and Inigo Jones, among others. Finally, Howarth addresses the political implications of the decisions made by art patrons, collectors, and critics. Of great interest are the critical reactions to art and architecture recorded by contemporary writers such as the Renaissance poet John Skelton and civil war polemicist William Prynne. This is a fascinating and highly readable account of the vital role the visual arts played in Great Britain during the Tudor and early Stuart monarchies. David Howarth examines the intersection of art and political power between the accession of the Tudors and the outbreak of civil war and draws on images of the Royal court to fashion his innovative cultural and political history. Howarth concentrates on the public uses and political exploitation of Renaissance art, rather than its quality or the creative process behind it. He argues that the English ruling class used and manipulated portraiture, architecture, the decorative arts, and spectacle in order to reinforce its own power and preserve England's political status quo. Howarth carefully studies the royal palaces, commissioned portraits, tombs, and period monuments to show how each work influenced--and was influenced by--politics. Even England's highly political battle between Catholicism and Protestantism found expression in religious architecture and painting. Contesting the orthodox view that no important works of art were produced in Britain from 1485 to 1649, Howarth finds proof to the contrary in the work of Sir AnthonyVan Dyck, Christopher Wren, Hans Holbein, and Inigo Jones, among others. Finally, Howarth addresses the political implications of the decisions made by art patrons, collectors, and critics. Of great interest are the critical reactions to art and architecture recorded by contemporary writers such as the Renaissance poet John Skelton and civil war polemicist William Prynne.

In a survey which ranges widely from the building of Henry VII's palaces to the proposed monument to Charles I by Wren, David Howarth examines aspects of the visual arts in the English Renaissance to consider what they meant for those who commissioned them and those at whom they were directed. A variety of artefacts are considered for what they can tell us of the values of the court in early modern England.

When looking at a photograph, too often a conversation starts–and, unfortunately, ends–with a statement such as, “I like it.” The logical next question, “Why?”, often goes unasked and unanswered. As photographers, we frequently have difficulty speaking about images because, frankly, we don’t know how to think about them. And if we don’t know how to think about a photograph and its “visual language”– how an image is constructed, how it works, and why it works–then, when we’re behind the camera, are we really making images that best communicate our vision, our original intent? Vision–crucial as it is–is not the ultimate goal of photography; expression is the goal. And to best express ourselves, it is necessary to learn and use the grammar and vocabulary of the visual language. Photographically Speaking is about learning photography’s visual language to better speak to why and how a photograph succeeds, and in turn to consciously use that visual language in the creation of our own photographs, making us stronger photographers who are able to fully express and communicate our vision. By breaking up the visual language into two main components–“elements” make up its vocabulary, and “decisions” are its grammar–David duChemin transforms what has traditionally been esoteric and difficult subject matter into an accessible and practical discussion that photographers can immediately use to improve their craft. Elements are the “words” of the image, what we place within the frame–lines, curves, light, color, contrast. Decisions are the choices we make in assembling those elements to best express and communicate our vision–the use of framing, perspective, point of view, balance, focus, exposure. All content within the frame has meaning, and duChemin establishes that photographers must consciously and deliberately choose the elements that go within their frame and make the decisions about how that frame is constructed and presented. In the second half of the book, duChemin applies this methodology to his own craft, as he explores the visual language in 20 of his own images, discussing how the intentional choices of elements and decisions that went into their creation contribute to their success.

DIVJane Rule’s fourth book explores lesbianism as portrayed by authors from Gertrude Stein to Colette, from Vita Sackville-West to May Sarton and Willa Cather /divDIV Lesbian Images opens with a disclaimer from the author: “This book is not intended to be a comprehensive literary or cultural history of lesbians.” Rather, as Jane Rule goes on to tell us, her goal is to present her own attitudes and measure them against the images of lesbianism as depicted by other female authors. Thus, chapters titled “Gertrude Stein 1874–1946,” “Willa Cather 1876–1947,” and “Ivy Compton-Burnett 1892–1969,” among many others, reveal how the concept of love between women can be filtered through one’s personal experiences and perceptions./divDIV /divDIVThere are also chapters about lesbian myths and morality; the effect of the women’s movement on lesbianism; the inherent conflicts between lesbianism and feminism; how Radclyffe Hall’s The Well of Loneliness changed fifteen-year-old Rule’s life; and what it means to be labeled a lesbian writer./divDIV /divDIVAt once astute and nonjudgmental, Lesbian Images is a deeply engaging work that sounds a powerful note of hope for the future. /div

In the West, we tend to think of Islamic law as an arcane and rigid legal system, bound by formulaic texts yet suffused by unfettered discretion. While judges may indeed refer to passages in the classical texts or have recourse to their own orientations, images of binding doctrine and unbounded choice do not reflect the full reality of the Islamic law in its everyday practice. Whether in the Arabic-speaking world, the Muslim portions of South and Southeast Asia, or the countries to which many Muslims have migrated, Islamic law works is readily misunderstood if the local cultures in which it is embedded are not taken into account. With Islam and the Rule of Justice, Lawrence Rosen analyzes a number of these misperceptions. Drawing on specific cases, he explores the application of Islamic law to the treatment of women (who win most of their cases), the relations between Muslims and Jews (which frequently involve close personal and financial ties), and the structure of widespread corruption (which played a key role in prompting the Arab Spring). From these case studie the role of informal mechanisms in the resolution of local disputes. The author also provides a close reading of the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, who was charged in an American court with helping to carry out the 9/11 attacks, using insights into how Islamic justice works to explain the defendant’s actions during the trial. The book closes with an examination of how Islamic cultural concepts may come to bear on the constitutional structure and legal reforms many Muslim countries have been undertaking.

Within the Frame is a book about finding and expressing your photographic vision, specifically where people, places, and cultures are concerned. A personal book full of real-world wisdom and incredible images, author David duChemin (of pixelatedimage.com) shows you both the how and the why of finding, chasing, and expressing your vision with a camera to your eye. Vision leads to passion, and passion is a cornerstone of great photography. With it, photographs draw the eye in and create an emotional experience. Without it, a photograph is often not worth—and can’t capture—a viewer’s attention. Both instructional and inspirational, Within the Frame helps you on your photographic journey to make better images of the places and people you love, whether they are around the world or in your own backyard. duChemin covers how to tell stories, and the technology and tools we have at our disposal in order to tell those narratives. Most importantly, he stresses the crucial theme of vision when it comes to photographing people, places, and cultures—and he helps you cultivate and find your own vision, and then fit it within the frame.

Superstar TV presenter and bestselling author Alesha Dixon is back with a hilarious story of sisterhood and being a girl boss! Pearl moves into 10 Downing Street when her mum Patrice becomes the UK's first Black female Prime Minister. A chance meeting with Patrice's childhood sweetheart Jackson and suddenly Pearl's glam new life has an unexpected gatecrasher: Jackson's daughter Izzy. Pearl and Izzy loathe each other on sight and have only one thing in common: a desire to split their parents up. They play loud music which interrupts important meetings, swap confidential documents for silly notes and skateboard through Number Ten knocking over the President of the United States. But as Patrice's popularity in the polls begins to decline as a result of the girls' out-of-control sabotaging, will they realise that they are stronger as team?