Books with author Lily Bernheimer

The spaces we inhabit– from homes and workspaces to city streets―mediate community, creativity, and our very identity. Using insights from environmental psychology, design, and architecture, The Shaping of Us shows how the built and natural worlds subtly influence our behavior, health, and personality. Exploring ideas such as “ruin porn” and “ninja-proof seating,” mysteries of how we interact with the physical spaces around us are revealed. From caves and cathedrals to our current housing crisis and the dreaded open-plan office, Lily Bernheimer demonstrates that, for our well-being, we must reconnect with the power to shape our spaces.Have you ever wondered why we adorn our doorframes with moldings? What does Wikipedia’s open-source technology have to teach us about the history and future of urban housing? What does your desk say about your personality?From savannahs and skyscrapers to co-working spaces, The Shaping of Us shows that the built environment supports our well-being best when it echoes our natural habitats in some way. In attempting to restore this natural quality to human environments, we often look to other species for inspiration. The real secret to building for well-being, Bernheimer argues, is to reconnect humans with the power to shape our surroundings. When people are involved in forming and nurturing their environments, they feel a greater sense of agency, community, and pride, or “collective efficacy.” And when communities have high rates of collective efficacy, they tend to have less litter, vandalism, and violent crime.Playful and accessible, The Shaping of Us is a delightful read for designers, professionals, and anyone wanting to understand how spaces make us tick and how to fix the broken bits of our world.

"You are going to be transported by what Bernheimer has to say. You'll make different decisions and figure out how your brain is working and what should be prioritized in your life" Jo Good, BBC LondonWhat makes everyday spaces work, how do they shape us, and what do they say about us?The spaces we live in - whether public areas, housing, offices, hospitals, or cities - mediate community, creativity, and our very identity, making us who we are. Using insights from environmental psychology, design, and architecture, The Shaping of Us reveals the often imperceptible ways in which our surroundings influence our behaviour.Wide-ranging and global examples cover the differences between personalities and nationalities, explore grass-roots and mainstream efforts to build environments promoting well-being, and look ahead to what will become of us if we don't listen closely to what we know is good for us.You will learn whether you are a natural 'prospector' or 'refuger' in the office environment, what roundabouts and stoplights say about British and American culture, whether you are guilty of NIMBYism or being drawn to 'ruin porn', and how the half-house may be a common sight in the near future.The environments we inhabit define our identities - from the earliest moments of our evolution to the worlds we build around ourselves.

Forget everything you thought you knew about unicorns and maidens... A unicorn is not supposed to survive the death of its rider, but Majherri did. Now he is a pariah, mistrusted by the Greater Herd. To reclaim his lost honor and status, he will entrust the remnants of his life to a new human female while unraveling the mystery of his continued existence. Kayleigh Reese is not Battle Maiden material. She's three years older than any other recruit and has enjoyed a peaceful, nomadic life working with her artist mother. The rigors of joining the High-King's elite unicorn cavalry are clearly not for her. Now, with a bond to Majherri, she must overcome her mother's disapproval, the ire of her commanding officer and fellow trainees, and, most importantly, the secrets of her unicorn's past if she is to become a legendary warrior. To prevail, they must quickly come together as a team and unlock the powerful and dangerous magic inside them.

Forget everything you thought you knew about maidens and unicorns…A mysterious force has separated Kayleigh Reese and her battle unicorn, Majherri, who now find themselves on opposite sides of a war, each fighting to survive without the other. For Majherri, the unicorn is now controlled by his deranged first rider, and must find a way to free her mind in the hopes of bringing the woman back to the light. Majherri is forced to pick and choose his battles, both physical and mental, if he is to succeed. Along the way, he will have to become stronger than he has ever been to prevent the madness that threatens to consume him.Meanwhile, Kayleigh, the young sorceress, struggles with an uneasy relationship with her new unicorn. Finding their missing comrades and escaping the ever-expanding warzone are her goals, but forces are already aligning against her. Secrets from her past come to light and force her to reexamine everything she knew about her life. Fighting for her life, she must master her powers and be willing to fight for her freedom against her enemies and even those she once trusted.“War erupts across the land, testing young Kayleigh’s emerging skills and veteran Majherri’s loyalties as each struggles not only to survive, but to triumph over the spreading evil. Don’t miss the second installment in Bernhemier’s action-packed Spirals of Destiny!” Terry W. Ervin II, author of Relic Tech

Forget everything you thought you knew about maidens and unicorns… A mysterious force has separated Kayleigh Reese and her battle unicorn, Majherri, who now find themselves on opposite sides of a war, each fighting to survive without the other. For Majherri, the unicorn is now controlled by his deranged first rider, and must find a way to free her mind in the hopes of bringing the woman back to the light. Majherri is forced to pick and choose his battles, both physical and mental, if he is to succeed. Along the way, he will have to become stronger than he has ever been to prevent the madness that threatens to consume him. Meanwhile, Kayleigh, the young sorceress, struggles with an uneasy relationship with her new unicorn. Finding their missing comrades and escaping the ever-expanding warzone are her goals, but forces are already aligning against her. Secrets from her past come to light and force her to reexamine everything she knew about her life. Fighting for her life, she must master her powers and be willing to fight for her freedom against her enemies and even those she once trusted. “War erupts across the land, testing young Kayleigh’s emerging skills and veteran Majherri’s loyalties as each struggles not only to survive, but to triumph over the spreading evil. Don’t miss the second installment in Bernhemier’s action-packed Spirals of Destiny!” Terry W. Ervin II, author of Relic Tech

Forget everything you thought you knew about maidens and unicorns... A unicorn is not supposed to survive the death of its rider, but Majherri did. Now he is a pariah, mistrusted by the Greater Herd. To reclaim his lost honor and status, he will entrust the remnants of his life to a new human female while unraveling the mystery of his continued existence. Kayleigh Reese is not Battle Maiden material. She's three years older than any other recruit and has enjoyed a peaceful, nomadic life working with her artist mother. The rigors of joining the High-King's elite unicorn cavalry are clearly not for her. Now, with a bond to Majherri, she must overcome her mother's disapproval, the ire of her commanding officer and fellow trainees, and, most importantly, the secrets of her unicorn's past if she is to become a legendary warrior. To prevail, they must quickly come together as a team and unlock the powerful and dangerous magic inside them.