James Oses – Illustratör

Rooms of Their Own travels around the world examining the unique spaces, habits and rituals in which famous writers created their most notable works. The perennial question asked of all authors is, 'How do you write?'. What do they require of their room or desk? Do they have favourite pens, paper or typewriters? And have they found the perfect daily routine to channel their creativity? Crossing centuries, continents and genres, Alex Johnson has pooled 50 of the best writers and transports you to the heart of their writing rooms – from attics and studies to billiard rooms and bathtubs.Discover the ins and outs of how each great writer penned their famous texts, and the routines and habits they perfected. Meet authors who rely on silence and seclusion and those who need people, music and whisky. Meet novelists who travel half-way across the world to a luxury writing retreat, and others who just need an empty shed at the bottom of the garden. Some are particular about pencils, inks, paper and typewriters, and some will scribble on anything – including the furniture. But whether they write in the library or in cars, under trees, private islands, hotel rooms or towers – each of these stories confirms that there is no 'best way' to write.From James Baldwin, writing in the small hours of the morning in his Paris apartment, to DH Lawrence writing at the foot of a towering Ponderosa pine tree, to the Brontë sisters managing in a crowded co-working space, this book takes us into the lives of some of history's greatest ever writers, with each writing space illustrated in evocative watercolour by James Oses.In looking at the working lives of our favourite authors, bibliophiles will be transported to other worlds, aspiring writers will find inspiration and literature fans will gain deeper insight into their most-loved authors.

Royal expert and TV historian Kate Williams opens the doors to 30 palaces, castles and houses that have been connected with the British royals over the centuries.Well known for her expert insights in the media and on countless royal documentaries, Kate takes you on a tour of the UK’s most fascinating palaces, past and present, to unveil the scandalous and little-known stories hidden between their walls.Included in the book are such famous royal residences as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, but also lesser-known locations such as Falkland Palace and Beaumaris Castle. Covering the breadth of British history, there are tales from the medieval era to the present.Among the palaces included are:St James's Palace, wedding venue for the disastrous union of Caroline of Brunswick and the debauched Prince of Wales, George IV, who turned up drunk and already secretly married Holyroodhouse, where staff once ran a flourishing side hustle, charging visitors money to see the bloodstains from the murder of Mary, Queen of Scots' secretary in the queen’s chamberWhitehall Palace and Banqueting Hall, home to Charles II's secret laboratory, where he tried to create an elixir of youth using human skullsTower of London, the site of the unsolved mystery of the ‘Princes in the Tower’ – the disappearance of the two young sons of Edward IVGlamis Castle, the inspiration for Shakespeare’s MacbethGreenwich Palace, where Elizabeth I survived an assassination attempt when poison was placed in her saddleWindsor Castle, where princesses Elizabeth and Margaret were evacuated to during the Second World War, with a secret biscuit tin full of the Crown JewelsMarlborough House, home of Sarah Churchill, the passionate confidante of Queen Anne, before her cousin Abigail usurped her as the new favouriteRevel in the glory and glamour of royal life, as well as the salacious scandals that defined these palaces. The book is vividly brought to life by numerous beautiful illustrations by James Oses, and will be irresistible to anyone interested in British royalty and the history of the United Kingdom.

Studios of Their Own travels around the world examining the unique spaces, habits and rituals of over 50 famous artists.From Picasso, to Hockney, to Caravaggio, discover the eclectic creative spaces used by artistic visionaries, brought to life with evocative illustrations.Crossing centuries, continents and genres, Alex Johnson explores these artists’ workspaces and habits. How do they practise their craft? What do they look for in a studio? Do they work in silence or with music… in a shared space or in solitude? How do they harness the light? And how do their physical spaces affect and inspire their output?This striking collection focuses on more than 50 international artists, including:Claude Monet, who created an inspirational garden in which to work en plein air and paint his famous water liliesFrida Kahlo, forced to work from her bed, inspired by the lucky talismans she surrounded herself withJean-Michel Basquiat, working in an old stable, could turn anything into canvas, walking and lying on his works as he created themLee Krasner’s art dramatically changed when she moved from her small studio into the larger, light-filled one that she took over when her husband, Jackson Pollock, diedIn looking at the working lives of our favourite artists, readers will be transported to other worlds, as well as gaining a deeper insight into the creative process.Also in the series: Rooms of Their Own: Where Great Writers Write.