I see a piece of hand-drawn batik as a silent testimony of a tradition that brings together the creative best of so many devoted people. It is this acknowledgement that awakens my deepest respect. The amount of energy, deliberation, and love that has gone into the creation of batik is unfathomable. No batik piece is a work of a single person. Batik comes to life through a chain of expertise, a dedicated set of tools, and a regiment of processing methods which have been perfected for hundreds of years as a collective wisdom. I dedicate this book to all batik-makers in Indonesia. I say to them, the beauty of batik is your beauty, too.

The batik of Java has a special place in museum textile collections and aspects of the art of batik have been discussed at length in countless publications. This study, based on the batik collections of the Náprstek Museum, raises a number of questions which have been so far underexplored. How strong is the evidence for the early manufacture of batik in Java? How and when did batik-making become widely practised there? Was it made by village women for their own use? How and why did batik develop into an industry employing thousands of people, filling warehouses with stock to be distributed throughout the Indonesian archipelago? What was the effect of the introduction of wax printing and of aniline dyes? It is often asserted that batik carries deep meaning. To what extent is this really the case? When did batik depicting wayang or shadow puppet figures start to be made, and who for? What was the role of calligraphy batiks? And what was it that drew European collectors to batik in the early 20th century? What local circumstances governedtheir choices? In a series of essays, this volume explores these questions, drawing on contemporary sources and providing a wealth of new insights.

Batik occupies a special place in Indonesian culture. Each fabric has a rich story to tell--as a reflection of the nation's religious beliefs, sophisticated court cultures and cosmopolitan history. The extraordinary textiles in this book are from the collections of Rudolf Smend and Donald Harper. Most date from the period 1880 to 1930 when the art of batik reached its apogee. Having collected historical batik for over thirty years and published two books on the subject, Rudolf Smend has invited his friend and fellow batik specialist Donald Harper to contribute his fine collection to this publication as well. None of the batik in this book have been published before. They represent an exquisite cross-section of the batik production of Java--the most important batik-producing region in the world. The cloths are complemented by vintage photographs from the first quarter of the 20th century demonstrating how the batik were worn at court and at home. Three are from museums in Dresden and Cologne, while three are from the private collection of Leo Haks. The others have been collected over the past 30 years from private sources in Java. The captions are by Maria Wronska-Friend, an ethnologist and batik expert who frequently visits Indonesian batik centers and has worked for many years as an anthropologist in Papua New Guinea. Her contributions provide fundamental knowledge for lovers of this art form while at the same time providing new insights for experts. Rudolf Smend has invited other batik aficionados of his generation to share their passion for batik in this book. Inger McCabe Elliott, author of the bestselling Batik: Fabled Cloth of Java has contributed her lifelong experience. Other authorities like Annegret Haake, Brigitte Khan Majlis and Jonathan Hope share their views and expertise in these pages. This book represents a labor of love and a lifetime of friendship for the two authors, who hope it will provide inspiration to a whole new generation of batik lovers.

Award-winning historical fiction set in 16th-century Venice -Benjamin Franklin Digital Award -IPPY Award for Best Adult Fiction E-book -National Indie Excellence Award Finalist -Eric Hoffer Award Finalist -Shortlisted for the da Vinci Eye Prize From the author of Made in Italy comes a tale of artisanal tradition and family bonds set in one of the world's most magnificent settings: Renaissance Venice. Venetian gondola-maker Luca Vianello considers his whole life arranged. His father charted a course for his eldest son from the day he was born, and Luca is positioned to inherit one of the city’s most esteemed boatyards. Soon he will marry the daughter of an artisan prow-maker, securing a key business alliance for the family. But when Luca experiences an unexpected tragedy in the boatyard, he believes that his destiny lies elsewhere. Soon he finds himself drawn to restore an antique gondola with the dream of taking a girl for a ride. The Gondola Maker brings the centuries-old art of gondola-making to life in the tale of a young man's complicated relationship with his master-craftsman father. Lovers of historical fiction will appreciate the authentic details of gondola craftsmanship, along with an intimate first-person narrative set against the richly textured backdrop of 16th-century Venice. "I'm a big fan of Venice, so I appreciate Laura Morelli's special knowledge of the city, the period, and the process of gondola-making. An especially compelling story." --Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun "Laura Morelli has done her research, or perhaps she was an Italian carpenter in another life. One can literally smell and feel the grain of finely turned wood in her hands." --Pamela Sheldon Johns, author of Italian Food Artisans "Romance, intrigue, family loyalty, pride, and redemption set against the backdrop of Renaissance Italy." --Library of Clean Reads "Beautiful, powerful evocation of the characters, the place, and the time. An elegant and thoroughly engaging narrative voice." --Mark Spencer, author of Fiction Club: A Concise Guide to Writing Good Fiction

Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction, this brilliantly reported and beautifully crafted book explores the clash between a medical center in California and a Laotian refugee family over their care of a child.

There are over seven million horses in America -- even more than when they were the only means of transportation. Nir began riding horses when she was just two years old and hasn't stopped since. This is her funny, moving love letter to these graceful animals and the people who are obsessed with them. She takes us into the lesser-known corners of the riding world and profiles some of its most captivating figures, and speaks candidly of how horses have helped her overcome heartbreak and loss.

“America’s reigning queen of decorating.” —Southern Living “One of America’s premier interior designers.” —Garden Design Author and renowned designer Bunny Williams has been at the top of the interior design world for more than 40 years. Here she invites readers to explore La Colina, her lovely Caribbean retreat tucked into lush, tropical gardens by the sea. Williams writes “We knew we wanted a house where we would really live outside, a house where the ocean breezes would blow through, and a house that would be a place in which we could gather our friends and family and entertain easily.” The book explores every facet of the beautiful property located in the Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic—from outdoor rooms and garden plantings and design to the delightful, island-living luxury of the villa’s interiors, furnishings, and collections. Woven into each chapter are essays written by friends who have visited the property: Gil Schafer details the villa’s architecture Page Dickey tours the gardens Roxana Robinson offers a peek at a weekend stay Angus Wilkie discusses the delights of collecting Jane Garmey revels in the pleasures of cooking, food, and friends Let trailblazer and tastemaker Bunny Williams, a member of the Interior Design Hall of Fame, take you on a personal tour of this special home. In her introduction, she writes that her aim was to have this book “feel like a visit to our island retreat.” You’ll see in this lavish coffee table book filled with photographs, story, and advice that she succeeded.

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • Celebrated food blogger and best-selling cookbook author Deb Perelman knows just the thing for a Tuesday night, or your most special occasion—from salads and slaws that make perfect side dishes (or a full meal) to savory tarts and galettes; from Mushroom Bourguignon to Chocolate Hazelnut Crepe. “Innovative, creative, and effortlessly funny." —Cooking Light Deb Perelman loves to cook. She isn’t a chef or a restaurant owner—she’s never even waitressed. Cooking in her tiny Manhattan kitchen was, at least at first, for special occasions—and, too often, an unnecessarily daunting venture. Deb found herself overwhelmed by the number of recipes available to her. Have you ever searched for the perfect birthday cake on Google? You’ll get more than three million results. Where do you start? What if you pick a recipe that’s downright bad? With the same warmth, candor, and can-do spirit her award-winning blog, Smitten Kitchen, is known for, here Deb presents more than 100 recipes—almost entirely new, plus a few favorites from the site—that guarantee delicious results every time. Gorgeously illustrated with hundreds of her beautiful color photographs, The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook is all about approachable, uncompromised home cooking. Here you’ll find better uses for your favorite vegetables: asparagus blanketing a pizza; ratatouille dressing up a sandwich; cauliflower masquerading as pesto. These are recipes you’ll bookmark and use so often they become your own, recipes you’ll slip to a friend who wants to impress her new in-laws, and recipes with simple ingredients that yield amazing results in a minimum amount of time. Deb tells you her favorite summer cocktail; how to lose your fear of cooking for a crowd; and the essential items you need for your own kitchen. From salads and slaws that make perfect side dishes (or a full meal) to savory tarts and galettes; from Mushroom Bourguignon to Chocolate Hazelnut Crepe Cake, Deb knows just the thing for a Tuesday night, or your most special occasion. Look for Deb Perelman’s latest cookbook, Smitten Kitchen Keepers!

A collection of modern quilting projects you can create with scraps. Are scrap piles wreaking havoc in your sewing space? Not sure what to do with all those tiny bits of gorgeous prints you hate to part with? Modern quilters Amanda Jean Nyberg and Cheryl Arkison share a passion for scraps, and they’re here to help you get creative with 16 scrappy quilt projects that include piecing, appliqué, and improvisational work. This book has ideas on how to adapt patterns for your own personal “Sunday morning” style, plus tips for effectively cutting, storing, and organizing your scraps. Your Sunday mornings just got a whole lot cozier! “Sunday Morning Quilts shows you how to use every last scrap of treasured fabric in your collection…The book champions the original ethos behind patchwork—make do and mend…The quilts are bold, bright and clean, and the co-authors actively encourage you to be creative and to come up with your own designs.”—Popular Patchwork Magazine

*"Sis delivers an encomium to summer, to the power of learning, and to that beloved, creamy-cold treat." --Kirkus, starred reviewSavor summer anytime with this breezy, sweet and irresistible picture book from Hans Christian Anderson Award winner and three-time Caldecott Honoree Peter Sis!Dear Grandpa,Summer is going well. I am very busy. But don't worry, I am not forgetting about school! I read every day. I practice my math facts. And I am even studying world history!Peter Sis's delicious tongue-in-cheek vision of summer dishes up the whole scoop on everyone's favorite frozen treat, and proves that ice cream is every bit as enriching for the mind as it is for the taste buds. Readers everywhere will be begging for seconds and thirds!