Special literature in foreign languages

Experience the passion and drama of the world's greatest operas with this sumptuously illustrated visual guide. Immerse yourself in more than 400 years of the world's most celebrated operas and discover the fascinating stories behind them. Explore the lives of singers such as Maria Callas, Lucia...

Come along backstage and peek inside the spectacular and sometimes scandalous world of musical theatre. See the world's most-loved musical productions come to life in this lavishly illustrated book! This show-stopping reference book includes: - A chronological structure that makes the book wor...

A complete and harmonious history of music, from prehistory to the present day! Have you ever wondered how blues influenced rock music? Or why jazz went Latin? Classical or rock, everyone has their favourite music style, but how did your top choice come about? If you find yourself asking these m...

"The only love affair I have ever had was with music." Maurice Ravel A compelling celebration of more than 90 of the world's most influential composers from the medieval period to the present day, Composers reveals the fascinating stories of their lives, loves, and works. Biographical entries - ...

What makes Mozart's music so great? Why does a minor chord sound sad and a major chord sound happy? What's the difference between opera and operetta? From Bach to Bernstein, this definitive guide offers a complete survey of the history of classical music. Whether you already love classical music...

Explore the fascinating lives and loves of the greatest novelists, poets, and playwrights. From William Shakespeare and Jane Austen to Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Toni Morrison, Writers explores more than 100 biographies of the world's greatest writers. Each featured novelist, playwright, or poet...

Discover everything you ever wanted to know about the world's greatest novels. From medieval romances and tales of chivalry found in the realist novels of the 19th century, to experimental modernist works and today's explorations of the self, Great Novels explores the finest novels from around t...

Travel back in time and share the experience of everyday thoughts and great moments in history in this fascinating compilation of diaries through the ages. Great Diaries traces the history of the diary from ancient times to the present day, bringing together more than 80 historical and literary ...

Discover the uses and symbolic meanings of flowers over the centuries and across the globe. Flowers have been depicted as objects of beauty and wonder in countless paintings and poems, exchanged as tokens of love and affection, and displayed as symbols of both celebration and remembrance - "sayi...

Discover the extraordinary stories behind the world's missing works of art. Travel back in time to discover works of art that have vanished from the record, as well as those that went missing and have since been reclaimed or recovered. From the treasures of Tutankhamun to the altarpiece of Ghent...

What goes into creating art? How can we learn to "read" paintings? What are the key elements of composition? If you've ever found yourself seeking the answers to the above questions and more, then this may be the book for you! An art book like no other, How Art Works uses practical graphics to d...

The definitive guide to the history of fashion. From Ancient Egypt and Marie Antionette to Alexander McQueen and Chanel, this visual fashion design book charts the evolution of clothing and shows how every generation reinvents fashion! The perfect fashion coffee table book! Here's what you'll f...

Take a guided tour through history and discover the most precious, iconic, and celebrated objects ever created. Revered, admired, and protected - every country and culture has certain artefacts that are prized above all others. Cultural Treasures of the World brings together more than 200 of the...

Learn about key movements like impressionism, cubism and symbolism in The Art Book. Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about Art in this overview guide to the subject, brilliant for novices looking to ...

The ultimate introduction to global art, presenting 30,000 years of creativity in one lavishly illustrated book. Discover all you need to know about art history in this definite guide. Art: The Definitive Visual Guide brings a gallery of more than 2,500 of the world's finest paintings and sculpt...

Explore the history of the people, politics, and events of World War II - one of the most destructive events in world history. If you're keen on military history and World War II, this book is for you. This complete visual guide covers the events leading up to the war, major military battles aro...

Between 1914 and 1918, a conflict on an epic scale left an indelible mark on the memory of the world - the Great War. World War I: The Definitive Visual Guide takes you from the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand to the Treaty of Versailles. Experience some of the most prominent battles, ...

Follow the epic 5,000-year story of warfare - from the earliest battles to the War on Terror - with this guided tour of every major conflict. Combining a clear and compelling historical narrative with a wealth of fascinating eyewitness accounts and photography throughout, this is the ultimate gu...

Discover the story of the world's deadliest war. Combining expert historical insight with accounts of combatants and civilians, this important book offers a brilliant summary of the most important military, strategic, and political events across all theatres. The fighting is brought to life wit...

A compelling visual guide to the history of the military! Travel through time and explore 5000 years of weaponry in stunning detail with this riveting military book - from the spears and swords of ancient times to the guns and grenades of modern warfare. This beautifully illustrated definitive ...