The soundscape--a term coined by the author--is our sonic environment, the ever-present array of noises with which we all live. Beginning with the primordial sounds of nature, we have experienced an ever-increasing complexity of our sonic surroundings. As civilization develops, new noises rise up around us: from the creaking wheel, the clang of the blacksmith’s hammer, and the distant chugging of steam trains to the “sound imperialism” of airports, city streets, and factories. The author contends that we now suffer from an overabundance of acoustic information and a proportionate diminishing of our ability to hear the nuances and subtleties of sound. Our task, he maintains, is to listen, analyze, and make distinctions. As a society we have become more aware of the toxic wastes that can enter our bodies through the air we breathe and the water we drink. In fact, the pollution of our sonic environment is no less real. Schafer emphasizes the importance of discerning the sounds that enrich and feed us and using them to create healthier environments. To this end, he explains how to classify sounds, appreciating their beauty or ugliness, and provides exercises and “soundwalks” to help us become more discriminating and sensitive to the sounds around us. This book is a pioneering exploration of our acoustic environment, past and present, and an attempt to imagine what it might become in the future.

"Simon de Burton journeys through some of the most coveted cars of the twentieth century. From the Alfa Romeo 6C to the Ferrari F512M, the author has chosen eight cars from each decade, from the 1930s to the 1990s, his choices made from the perspective of the enthusiast and collector. All are 'milestone' cars, and all have risen substantially in value in the past five to ten years. They are not all necessarily the fastest, rarest or most valuable cars, but they are all highly significant and highly regarded. These are the cars that people should have bought when they were new and kept for the future."--Back cover

The ITF Transport Outlook provides an overview of recent trends and near-term prospects for the transport sector at a global level, as well as long-term prospects for transport demand to 2050, for freight (maritime, air and surface), passenger transport (car, rail and air) and CO2 emissions.

Urban renewal means reconstruction practices conducted upon structures and places that can no longer adapt themselves to new developments of the urban environment. Urban renewal plays a critical role in improving the living environment for modern urban dwellers, and renovation and regeneration of public open spaces has become a key component of urban renewal. The book collects many fabulous world landscape projects and focuses on urban renewal design from three aspects: conservation of historical sites, eco-sustainability of urban environment, and artistic regeneration. In this way we hope the book can help explore new strategies for urban development driven by renovation and landscape architecture.

The French design duo Gilles & Boissier presents their sumptuously chic interiors and the artistic inspirations behind them. In 2004, Patrick Gilles and Dorothée Boissier—partners both at work and in life—founded their Paris-based interior design studio and furniture line, Gilles & Boissier. The maturity of their style, their simple yet sophisticated aesthetic, and the cinematographic compositions of their interiors allowed the brand to quickly ascend and gain reputation. Front-page designers in the world of interiors, they create projects for private clients and luxury brands all over the world. A unique celebration of their approach to contemporary design, this debut monograph centers on the duo’s love of art, and how this shared passion has inspired their interiors. The designers present the inspirations behind their must renowned projects: the much-lauded Baccarat Hotel in New York is an ode to sensual, maximalist style; a palatial private residence on Italy’s Lake Como emerges as a study of classical beauty; while a traditional French vacation home in Biarritz comes alive amidst lively pieces by Wolfang Tillmans, among others. Part interior design monograph, part art book, this new volume will appeal to anyone with an interest in visual arts and stylish French interiors.

The Handbook of Scientology brings together a collection of fresh studies of the most persistently controversial of all contemporary New Religions. In recent years, increasing scholarly attention has been directed at the Church of Scientology, resulting in a small tsunami of new scholarship. We have finally reached a point in time where a book on Scientology need not restrict itself to basics. Thus, for example, the historical chapters in the present volume are not really aimed at providing elementary facts on Scientology’s background, but, rather, focus on understanding how the Church of Scientology developed over the years. In short, the Handbook of Scientology will provide a wealth of new information on a topic that one might otherwise have thought exhausted. Contributors are Matthew Charet, Dorthe Refslund Christensen, Carole M. Cusack, Bernard Doherty, Marco Frenschkowski, Liselotte Frisk, Kjersti Hellesøy, Don Jolly, James R. Lewis, Renee Lockwood, András Máté-Tóth, Gábor Dániel Nagy, Johanna Petsche, Erin Prophet, Susan Raine, David G. Robertson, Mikael Rothstein, Lisbeth Tuxin Rubin, Nicole S. Ruskell, Shannon Trosper Schorey, Michelle Swainson, Inga Bårdsen Tøllefsen, Hugh G. Urban, Donald A. Westbrook, and Benjamin Zeller.