Examines the impact of the modernist art movement on American popular culture in a collection of critical essays.

Not a step-by-step guide or a how-to book, but merely a collection of photographs, documenting the work of 42 international mosaic artists, designed to inspire. There are a wide range of projects including commercial, home decor and outlets for creative impulses.

In times of war and in peace, from the earliest days of the Roman Empire to our own, Westerners have journeyed to the lands of the middle east, bringing back accounts of their adventures and impressions. Yet it was never a one way exchange. From the first Arab embassy to the Vikings in the 9th century to the internet musings of the Taliban, A Middle East Mosaic collects a rich, boisterous literature of cultural exchange. We see the American Revolution through the eyes of a Moroccan Ambassador and the French Revolution through a series of Imperial Ottoman proclamations. We find surprising portraits of Napoleon ("a brigand chief"), TE Lawrence and Ataturk. We learn what George Washington and Machiavelli through t of Turkish politics and hear Flaubert and Thackeray rail against eastern crime and punishment. We peer into Voltaire's business correspondence and follow the footsteps of Mark Twain, Richard Burton, Gertrude Bell and Ibn Battutta, the Marco Polo of the east. Great discoveries are recorded - an Egyptian Ambassador is introduced to electricity and dismisses the spectacle as "frankish trickery;" another pronounces the invention of a secure mail system most useful for assignations. We enter the harem with a 16th century organ maker and emerge with Ottoman reform. It was not until the sixteenth century that the first middle eastern rulers entered into diplomatic relations with European rulers, but trade often precede diplomatic relations. Business men from the days of the crusades against Saladin to the oil prospecting of Samuel Cox and his descendents have seen great possibilities in the markets of the middle east. And throughout the centuries we have been united by war. We witness the outbreak of the Crimean war with Karl Marx and enter Egypt with Napoleon. We observe Arab customs with George Patton and visit Baghdad and Cairo with George F. Kennan in the second world war. When Usama bin Ladin rails against "Jews and crusaders" occupying the holy land, he is rehearsing a grievance with a long history. This symphony of voices, full of wit and wisdom, spite and wonder, suspicion, befuddlement and occasional insight, is ordered and explained by our foremost living historian of the middle east. The fruit of a lifetime of scholarship and erudition, A Middle East Mosaic is a dazzling capstone to a brilliant career. In a spirited reappraisal of western views of the east and eastern views of the west over the last two thousand years, Bernard Lewis gives us a brilliant over-view of 2,000 years of commerce, diplomacy, war and exploration. This book is a delight, a treasury of stories drawn from letters, diaries and histories, but also from unpublished archives and previously untranslated accounts. Diplomats and interpreters, slaves, soldiers, pilgrims and missionaries, princes and spies, businessmen, doctors and priests all pour forth their stories of the people and events that shaped history. A Middle East Mosaic cannot fail to appeal to anyone with an appetite for history and a curiosity about the vagaries of cultural exchange.

Create sensational crochet throws and accessories with this indispensable guide to mosaic crochet. Mosaic crochet is a cutting-edge technique that allows you to work two-colour patterns without having to change yarns in one row. You simply skip stitches in one row and connect them by filling in with the alternate colour two rows later. This produces incredible modern geometric patterns that look amazing as throws, blankets, afghans, pillows, rugs, bags and other accessories – using a much easier method than other crochet colourwork techniques. One crochet hook and two balls of yarn are all you need to get started. While it might look complex, mosaic crochet is actually incredibly straightforward once you learn the basic techniques. If you can work a chain, a double crochet (US single crochet) and a treble crochet (US double crochet), then you can mosaic crochet (...and if you can't, don't worry, all the stitches you need are covered in the book). And what's even better is that there are minimal ends to sew in because it works on a two-row method with the yarn carried up the side of the work. In the only book on the subject, crochet designer Esme Crick of Red Sparrow Crochet, shows you how to make 12 bold, statement throws and then how to use the same pattern to create a further 12 spin-off designs for smaller projects, showing how using different yarn colours with the same pattern can create completely different results. In Mosaic Crochet Workshop, Esme shares her skills, passion and gentle humour with you, so that you too can create beautiful throws and stylish homewares whatever your crochet level. And it's not just about slavishly following a pattern, but about building your confidence to make these designs your own, exploring the possibilities of colour and being inspired to start your own design adventures along the way. With full step-by-step guidance on the mosaic stitch, charts for all the mosaic crochet patterns, and 24 projects to make with full written patterns, this stylish modern crochet book will change the way you approach crochet colourwork forever and give you a wealth of beautiful throws and accessories for your home.

Mosaics can transform the most primitive motifs into works of art. With Mosaic Craft, learn how a basic understanding of the techniques (and a little imagination) will help you create brilliant and beautiful projects for your home. This book begins with information on the tools you will need, and then covers all the basic techniques, with clear instructions and step-by-step photographs. The project section has 20 glorious designs that build in complexity as you progress in skill, from easy items that can be made in a few hours to more complex projects, taking a couple of days. Also included is a gallery of Martin's own work, which is designed to inspire. Discover the joys of creating tiled art with this complete guide to the art of mosaic crafting.