A Seattle Times selection for one of Best Non-Fiction Books of 2010Winner of the New England Historial Association's 2010 James P. Hanlan AwardWinner of... the Outdoor Writers Association of America 2011 Excellence in Craft Award, Book Division, First Place"A compelling and well-annotated tale of greed, slaughter and geopolitics." —Los Angeles TimesAs Henry Hudson sailed up the broad river that would one day bear his name, he grew concerned that his Dutch patrons would be disappointed in his failure to find the fabled route to the Orient. What became immediately apparent, however, from the Indians clad in deer skins and "good furs" was that Hudson had discovered something just as tantalizing. The news of Hudson's 1609 voyage to America ignited a fierce competition to lay claim to this uncharted continent, teeming with untapped natural resources.  The result was the creation of an American fur trade, which fostered economic rivalries and fueled wars among the European powers, and later between the United States and Great Britain, as North America became a battleground for colonization and imperial aspirations. In Fur, Fortune, and Empire, best-selling author Eric Jay Dolin chronicles the rise and fall of the fur trade of old, when the rallying cry was "get the furs while they last." Beavers, sea otters, and buffalos were slaughtered, used for their precious pelts that were tailored into extravagant hats, coats, and sleigh blankets. To read Fur, Fortune, and Empire then is to understand how North America was explored, exploited, and settled, while its native Indians were alternately enriched and exploited by the trade.  As Dolin demonstrates, fur, both an economic elixir and an agent of destruction, became inextricably linked to many key events in American history, including the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, and the War of 1812, as well as to the relentless pull of Manifest Destiny and the opening of the West. This work provides an international cast beyond the scope of any Hollywood epic, including Thomas Morton, the rabble-rouser who infuriated the Pilgrims by trading guns with the Indians; British explorer Captain James Cook, whose discovery in the Pacific Northwest helped launch America's China trade; Thomas Jefferson who dreamed of expanding the fur trade beyond the Mississippi; America's first multimillionaire John Jacob Astor, who built a fortune on a foundation of fur; and intrepid mountain men such as Kit Carson and Jedediah Smith, who sliced their way through an awe inspiring and unforgiving landscape, leaving behind a mythic legacy still resonates today. Concluding with the virtual extinction of the buffalo in the late 1800s, Fur, Fortune, and Empire is an epic history that brings to vivid life three hundred years of the American experience, conclusively demonstrating that the fur trade played a seminal role in creating the nation we are today. 125 black-and-white illustrations

In this satire of Soviet life, an insecure but much-published novelist, Yefim Rakhlin, learns that the Writers' Union is giving fur hats to its members... based on their importance, and that he rates only fluffy tomcat. Translated by Susan Brownsberger.

“Spotlight[s] one of the most compelling periods of American theater…Quinn’s well-written narrative is both fascinating and... frightening.”—Library Journal (starred review) In a desperate era, FDR and his advisers had to furiously improvise to get millions of unemployed people back to work. For writers, actors, and artists, they created the Federal Theater Project. A platform for cutting-edge drama, the program defied segregation, spotlighting social injustice and ultimately leading to a political struggle that would shape American arts for decades to come.

A glorious encyclopedia from expert Judith Miller, showcasing more than 3,000 years of design. From primitive pieces to elegant modernity, this... definitive guide illustrates every style and form, with tips on how to recognise the key elements of each period. Featuring lavish, full-colour photographs throughout. Foreword by furniture designer and manufacturer David Linley. Judith is the ideal expert to guide both amateur and experienced collectors ...' Homes and Interiors

"Rich in information … sharp in perception."—The Times Educational SupplementIn this illuminating history, text and illustrations combine to offer a... view of furniture not as a succession of collectors’ pieces, but as a statement about the society that created it. Edward Lucie-Smith offers insights into almost every period, from the prehistoric to the postmodern—from Neolithic tables to 1960s conversation pits, and from the ceremonial chairs of Egypt in the thirteenth century BC to the designs of John Makepeace. 190 illustrations, 20 in color

From history to theory to technology: a comprehensive survey of furniture design.Designing furniture is both an art and a science that draws upon a... broad range of knowledge and disciplines. It is helpful for today's furniture designers to have a working knowledge of furniture history, technology, aesthetics, the human body, architectural production, interior design, industrial design, and art. Furniture Design is a comprehensive survey that guides the reader through the essential facets of design and more.The book explores: Fundamental ideas of function and social use. Form, spatial organization, and typological orders. Structural integrity and composition. The design process. Materials and fabrication processes. Marketing and professional practice. A historical overview of furniture design up to the twenty-first century.A highlight of the book includes case studies of twenty-one furniture designs presenting a broad selection of works, designers, design processes, and fabrication techniques in one chapter. The book also features a glossary of terms and a comprehensive bibliography. In short, here is a one-stop resource about furniture design that designers will turn to regularly for the advice, guidance, and information needed to perform their craft.

Furniture Design and Construction for the Interior Designer satisfies the need in the interior design field for a source that teaches the aesthetic as... well as the construction of residential furniture. Beginning chapters cover the design process as it relates to furniture design, basic materials, hardware, joinery, and finishes. Because interior designers organize and create livable spaces, later chapters are organized room by room, showing how pieces are constructed for a particular space. Understanding the basic construction of furniture greatly increases the success of the design. An interior designer should be confident in their design work as well as have an understanding of what is involved with the construction of their pieces and that s what Natale and this book attempt to guide them toward.

Furniture in History 3000 B.C.-2000 A.D. takes a new approach to a very old subject. By focusing on the constant theme of innovation and change, it... discusses the history of furniture in the West—from ancient times to present. Its excellent coverage of modern periods, designers, and styles gives the book a depth and breadth not found in competing texts. Redesigned in this edition, it includes hundreds of illustrations and new photos from a variety of sources—including the Cleveland Museum of Art.  Each chapter includes chronologies, designer contributions and historical highlights that make it a comprehensive volume on the evolution of style.

Furniture Marketing, 2nd Edition, contains an overview of how residential furniture products are developed, marketed, and presented to targeted... retailers and consumers. Bennington focuses on developing an appreciation for furniture as a functional art form. This new edition covers the entire industry, including types of furniture products, design periods, product development, and manufacturing. The text also explains how to sell furniture through pricing, promotion, and distribution. The second edition includes a chapter on contract furniture. This book can serve as a helpful reference for students as well as the beginning and experienced employees of manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers.

From primitive pieces to elegant modernity, this is the definitive guide to 3,000 years of furniture design. It is a glorious encyclopedia from expert... Judith Miller, a regular guest on the BBC's "Antiques Roadshow", showcasing more than 3,000 years of design. From primitive pieces to elegant modernity, this definitive guide illustrates every style and form. Packed with tips on how to recognise the key elements of each period and featuring lavish, full-colour photographs throughout. With a special foreword by furniture designer and manufacturer David Linley.

To obtain sacred relics, medieval monks plundered tombs, avaricious merchants raided churches, and relic-mongers scoured the Roman catacombs. In a... revised edition of Furta Sacra, Patrick Geary considers the social and cultural context for these acts, asking how the relics were perceived and why the thefts met with the approval of medieval Christians.

"Yau tweaks and twists language to express a painful comic vision in which sensual vividness combines with fierce despair."—BooklistJohn Yau engages... art criticism, social theory, and syntactical dexterity to confront the problems of aging, meaning, and identity. Insisting that "True poets and artists know where language ends, which is why they go there," Yau presses against the limits of language, creating poems that are at once cryptic, playful, and insightful. Included in its entirety is his groundbreaking serial poem, "Genghis Chan: Private Eye," and a new series invoking the monochromatic painter Yves Klein.From "Exhibits":Can you name which country uses selective amnesia to determine its foreign policy?.Money has become a vast dirty sea rolling over the land..Money has become a UFO because it is the only thing that lacks controversy..Money rhymes with algae..Do you swear to tell the whole truth filled with nothing but reasonable lies?.Signing up for Free Membership works best in a failing economy..In case of emergency, please vacuum the premises..I used to be thorough, now I am just comprehensive . . . John Yau is the author of fifty books of poetry, fiction, and criticism. He is the arts editor of The Brooklyn Rail and teaches art criticism at Mason Gross School of the Arts and Rutgers University. He lives in the Garment District neighborhood in New York City.