Blake Books

The Arts of Democracy: Art, Public Culture, and the State is an anthology of essays by learned authors concerning the historical interplay between the arts, public culture, and the state in modern-day America. Individual contributions include "Norman Rockwell, Public Artist", "Exporting America: The U.S. Propaganda Offensive, 1945-1959", "The Public Display of Religion", and much more. Written in a scholarly tone, with extensive notes, an index, and a handful of black-and-white illustrations, The Arts of Democracy dares to break fresh ground in the vibrant academic confluence between aesthetics and public policy. "The postmodern aesthetic begins with a challenge to realism. It is by no means the only art hostile to realism. Nor is hostility to realism the sole defining feature of the postmodern aesthetic. Nor is all contemporary art postmodern... Important recent forms of art, though markedly different in many ways, nevertheless shared a common way of distrusting realism."

Steiner builds on his Theosophic roots and delves into its cosmology by deeply exploring the significance of Atlantis and Lemuria and how those cultures were meant to proceed and develop our present day existence. Not for the weak of intellect yet for those who have a basic understanding of occult themes, a fascinating read, indeed!

Very impressed with Amazon. The post office delivered my package to the wrong house. I called Amazon and they shipped out another package so that I could get it before Christmas. The book actually arrived by DHL on that Sunday the 23rd. It was great ordering from a company who truly puts customer service first!

It is a pity that at the time of writing this review there is no picture of the book available on amazon.com (you will have to take a peek at amazon.co.uk for this) nor the glook insideh option, because this book is not only wonderful to look at - the recipes are wonderful to match. From scones to lemon meringue pie, there are mouth-watering pictures of each recipe, which has clear instructions with further pictures to show key stages of the preparation process. Furthermore, all the recipes I have tried have worked perfectly. For people who are looking for a good baking book covering a broad range of traditional recipes for cakes, cookies and breads, this is an excellent choice.

Bear and his motley group of friends take off on a raft to enjoy a quiet picnic on the water. Charming froggies oblivious to their irritating 'rrribbitting' want to join the picnic but the little raftful of partiers gently snub them. Soon the raft gets stuck on a sandbar and froggies come to a clever rescue, resulting in unexpected new friends. A wonderful allegory to children's own friendships. Should be reprinted.

Flora is a spontaneous nineteen year old who has just lost her mother, and though she was warned by her mother to never approach her father, she has taken matters into her own hands and goes to tell him of her mother's death. Little does she know he wants to make a pawn of her and expects her to follow his every wish. But she is headstrong and strikes a bargain of her own.

Marshall "Mars" is on the island for rest and relaxation. Though he is also next door to one of his most hated enemies, he does this to keep him close. He is intrigued by Flora and doesn't turn her away when she seems to wander over and chat with him. While she is immediately drawn to him, he sees her as a little kitten or a pesky puppy that keeps showing up, but you can't help but like.

Then she propositions him. Marry her and get revenge on her father and help her out of the bind she's found herself in. He refuses but as he sees she is being held against her wishes, he proposes an alternate. Will she take him up on it? Will he come to love her as she does him?

Wonderful heartfelt contemporary romance is what jumps into my mind when I think about Beloved Deceiver. I was drawn into the interactions between Flora and Mars as well as how they each tried to hide their feelings from the other to keep from being hurt. The author weaves a wonderful story in the genre category romance, the stories I used to read and are still popular today. Beloved Deceiver is a wonderful heartfelt story that will make you both frown and smile.

Tanya
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

This is a lovely boxed set, illustrated and bound in cloth, of Roald Dahl's children classics. A must, usually available only by subscription to The Folio Society.

Thanks for this order just as stated. Arrived on time in mint condition

BILLIONAIRE ON HER DOORSTEP is a tender yet emotionally stirring romance that is the perfect choice for the busy reader. Ally Blake provides a quick fast-paced read but one that inspires the heart.

A bad marriage and finances drove artist to the beach of Sorrento and a broken down house. Billionaire Tom Campbell escaped the fast-paced city, but one look at Maggie and escape is the last thing he wants! Tom is a man of honor and one not scared of an honest day's work. Maggie is an artist with a vision for portraits --- and an eye for what Tom has inside. When the two come together, love can't be far behind.

Ally Blake herself has a gift for portraiture! This romance hero is quite special indeed. He might be a billionaire, but when it comes to restoring homes, he doesn't need others working for him. His heart and his hands appreciate wood and and all the details that go into a home. Readers will like the heroine as well. The Blue Eyes scene was priceless --- a wonderful moment of self-realization through the hero and herself and extremely well-written. Ally Blake prepared this scene well beforehand by describing her paintings. The three friends here were a great extra touch that revealed a lot about the hero and heroine's character. Once I wished the words the heroine said to snap the hero out of his past were seen maybe as internal realizations within him but, the hero-heroine match here is quite exceptional and one of the most beautiful aspects of this romance. I enjoyed seeing this heroine find love! This book was a perfect choice for readers who, despite a hectic schedule, want to get lost in a romance and feel rejuvenated and emotionally moved.

The book fully describes the efforts that went into the construction of the biosphere, the selection and collection of all the varied plants and animals picked to be a part of Biosphere, including the selection of the first crew that lived inside it for 2 years. Lots of good illustrations show the project at various stages of construction, lots of different shots of the different biomes and the plants and animals in each. Good pics of the crew at work and at play too. See the Biosphere as it was in its original condition.One thing is for sure-the Biospherians had to work hard every day just to survive. Many lessons were learned from this great, multimillion dollar experiment in the Arizona desert.