Christmas Gift Guide: 100 Presents You Need To Buy

Books The perfect choices for the family bookworm...

80. The Art of Rise of the Guardians

In Rise of the Guardians, North (Alec Baldwin), Bunnymund (Hugh Jackman), Tooth (Isla Fisher), and Sandman try to recruit the mysterious Jack Frost (Chris Pine) to help them stop Pitch (Jude Law) from putting an end to childhood belief and sending the world into eternal darkness. Rise of the Guardians is one of DreamWorks Animation€™s most ambitious films to date, allowing families to get to know the icons of childhood in a whole new way. Its mythic premise provided the artists at the studio with an opportunity to let their imaginations soar, producing a truly unique take on the imaginary figures of childhood and the innocence and joy they represent. The Art of Rise of the Guardians is a fascinating look at the ways these artists and craftspeople collaborated to create a stunning CG movie in 3D that will change the way we look at childhood. Buy It

81. Silhouettes From Popular Culture By Olly Moss

For his eagerly awaited first book, acclaimed artist Olly Moss has had the simple but brilliant idea of putting his own twist on the Victorian art of silhouette portraits. While this lovingly crafted volume might look as if it€™s from the 1890s, its pages contain today€™s favourite cult characters from movies, TV, comics and videogames. Can you recognise them all? Buy It

82. The Complete Flash Gordon Library: On Planet Mongo

Beginning the complete library of the greatest science fiction hero of all time, this brand new collection of library editions features all new restorations that will preserve these legendary adventures. Starting with revered writer-artist Alex Raymond, this volume sees the arrival of pulp hero Flash Gordon on the planet Mongo and his first encounter with the deadly Ming the Merciless. Buy It

83. Buffy The Vampire Slayer - The Making Of A Slayer

Buffy, created by Joss Whedon and featuring the titular ass-kicking heroine and her Scooby Gang of friends as they fight vampires and other supernatural horrors in their home town, celebrates its 15th birthday in 2012. This full-colour, lavishly illustrated book includes quotes from the cast and crew and behind the scenes tidbits from all seven seasons of the show and beyond. Buy It

84. Star Wars - The Essential Reader's Companion

A comprehensive and exhaustive guide to every single piece of official Star Wars prose, including all of the major novels as well as YA titles, eBooks and short stories from selected magazines and websites. The book's structure is its strong feature, and it rather bravely arranges all of the stories according to their correct place in the continuity of the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Buy It

85. Jimi Hendrix: The Ultimate Lyric Book

Jimi Hendrix was such an extraordinary guitarist, it can be easy to forget that just as much passion, soul, and precision went into his lyrics. Inspired by Bob Dylan, Hendrix was a fearless lyrical innovator, willing to let his imagination guide him to landscapes hitherto unexplored within the realm of pop music. From the existential euphoria of "I Don't Love Today" to the elusive beauty of "Little Wing" to the psychedelic blues of "My Friend" to the otherworldly "1983 (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)," his lyrics remain among the greatest in the pantheon of rock, infused with the same inventiveness, virtuosity, and courage that informed his guitar playing. Here are all the words to the Hendrix classics you've rocked along to for years, as well as unpublished songs from Valleys of Neptune and other hitherto undiscovered sources. Jimi Hendrix: The Ultimate Lyrics Book , compiled by Janie L. Hendrix, is extraordinarily personal. It includes numerous examples of Jimi's handwritten lyrics, often scribbled on hotel stationery, as well as photos of Jimi to accompany every song. Much of this material has never been seen before. Jimi Hendrix: The Ultimate Lyrics Book will give you a glimpse of the lyricist behind the songs, a songwriter whose words were just as searing as his solos. Buy It

86. Iron Maiden: The Ultimate Unauthorized History Of The Beast

Formed in east London in 1975, Iron Maiden went on to become one of the most successful rock acts in history. With more than 85 million album sales to their credit, the legendary metal band remains hugely popular worldwide: Their 2010 album, "The Final Frontier", debuted at No. 1 in 30 countries and received unanimous critical praise. In this, the first complete illustrated treatment of Iron Maiden, a roster of respected heavy metal journalists including Ian Christe, Martin Popoff, Mick Wall, Daniel Bukszpan, and more relate the band's history, analyse their recordings, and provide a complete discography. The stories behind the band's formation, recordings, and tours, are complemented with more than 400 images, including live performance and candid off stage photographs, as well as memorabilia, gig posters, T shirts, backstage passes, buttons, and tickets. Exclusive cover art was created by Derek Riggs, the man behind Iron Maiden's iconic mascot, Eddie. Few bands have as widespread global appeal as Iron Maiden. Here is the book that gives that history its just treatment. Buy It

87. Queen: The Complete Illustrated Lyrics

In 2011, the world will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Queen - one of the most innovative, glamorous, and influential bands in history. Over the course of the band's career, they have grossed 170 million album sales worldwide, have written 18 number one hits, and performed 700 concerts. While some acts enjoy a forte of incredible showmanship, a virtuoso instrumentalist, a strong, charismatic leader, or a prolific sole songwriter, Queen beholds all of these strengths. The Complete Illustrated Lyrics is the first book of its kind. Never before has there been a complete Queen lyric book. The hundreds of images that accompany the songs range from handwritten lyrics to rare photographs from the stage to the studio. Also included is a complete discography of the band, pairing each song to the album on which it was originally released. Designed by the band's longtime creative director, Richard Gray, this book is as true to the band as can be, carrying with it the flamboyance, expression, and depth that Queen embodies as writers and performers. If there is one book for a fan of the band to possess, this is the one. Buy It

88. The King of Syle: Dressing Michael Jackson

The King of Style is a collectable, commemorative masterpiece designed to offer fans a glimpse of a side of Michael that they didn€™t know before. Through our working relationship and friendship with Michael, we are able to share his personal philosophies, which were always reflected in his style. In The King of Style, stunning never-before-seen photographsare accompanied by endearing untold stories to capture Michael Jackson€™s true essence. Buy It

89. The Art of Video Games: From Pac-Man To Mass Effect

As a testament to the cultural impact of the game industry€™s mega morph, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, with curator and author Chris Melissinos, conceived the forthcoming exhibition, The Art of Video Games, which ran earlier this year. This is the companion book this March. Melissinos presents video games as not just mere play, but richly textured emotional and social experiences that have crossed the boundary into culture and art, featuring over 100 composite images, created by Patrick O€™Rourke, and drawn directly from the games themselves, illustrate the evolution of video games as an artistic medium, both technologically and creatively. Additionally, The Art of Video Games includes fascinating interviews with influential artists and designers€“from pioneers such as Nolan Bushnell to contemporary innovators including Warren Spector, Tim Schafer and Robin Hunicke. Buy It
 
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