Books in Illustrated Stories series

For two decades Norman Friedman's account of the development of American destroyers has been a standard reference. The revised edition includes the two eventful decades of designs since the Spruance and Perry classes. The design evolution of the Arleigh Burke class, which has become the standard U.S. surface combatant, is described in detail for the first time, based on official sources. Friedman also describes the attempts to develop a follow-on class, beginning in the late 1980s and culminating in the current DD(X) program. Abortive attempts to develop new frigates are also detailed.Friedman provides fully detailed and illustrated descriptions of all classes of U.S. destroyers, from their torpedo boat forebears onward. Detailed ship profiles by the renowned naval expert A. D. Baker III are included, along with section views that show internal arrangements. Engineering plant features and complete descriptions of antiaircraft and antisubmarine weapon systems also are given. An entire chapter is devoted to destroyer combat experience in World War II, which had a major influence on ship design and development. As the only history of U.S. destroyers based on internal, formerly classified papers of the U.S. Navy, the book is vital reading for all who have served on board these ships and for all who would like to understand the origins of the present destroyer force and its future.

A wonderful collection of ten folktales specially chosen from around the globe. Stories are The Baobab Tree, Baba Yaga the Flying Witch, The Stonecutter, Dick Whittington, The Three Wishes, The Fish that Talked, King Midas and the Golden Touch, Brer Rabbit Down the Well, The Magic Pear Tree and Genie in the Bottle. Each story is brilliantly illustrated by artists from the Usborne Young Reading Programme.

This edition collects the entirety of the 70th Anniversary Illustrated Edition of the adventures of Leigh Brackett's pulp hero, Eric John Stark. Contains Queen of the Martian Catacombs (1949), The Enchantress of Venus (1949), and Black Amazon of Mars (1951).Each of these classic pulp adventures has been lovingly and faithfully illustrated by Portuguese art duo StarTwo.

This hardcover edition collects the entirety of the 70th Anniversary Illustrated edition of the adventures of Leigh Brackett's pulp hero, Eric John Stark. Contains Queen of the Martian Catacombs (1949), The Enchantress of Venus (1949), and Black Amazon of Mars (1951).Each of these classic pulp adventures has been lovingly and faithfully fully illustrated by Portuguese art duo StarTwo.This special coffee-table edition not only collects all three of Brackett's original Stark novellas that appeared in Planet Stories Magazine from 1949 through 1951 with 33 black & white and three full-color illustrations, it contains a substantial appendix of original sketches, character concepts, and other unused original artwork.

A surefire hit with young backyard diggers and bug-watchers, Basic Illustrated Guide to Frogs, Snakes, Bugs, and Slugs combines detailed illustrations of bugs, slugs, snakes, toads, and other creepy crawlies with clear and kid-friendly information to help the young bug-lover identify what’s crawling up the tree, buzzing in his ear, or hiding under a log.

This book is a treasure chest of 36 classic Gypsy Folk Tales and Stories, and makes fascinating reading for those interested in folklore in general, but especially for those interested in the Roma, or Gypsy, people. Francis Hindes Groome collated and prepared this collection, making only few changes and remaining true to the original stories, so to let the written story enchant us as if it were being presented in the vernacular. The stories are further enhanced by the numerous impressive illustrations recently completed by Maggie Gunzel the Dutch artist and illustrator who, unlike many illustrators of the 19th C. and 20th C, has stayed true to the subject matter. A percentage of the net sale from this book will be donated to the Relief Fund for Romania. In his various other works, Groome raises the point that Europe possibly owes a great deal of its folklore heritage to Gypsies, who brought tales from East to West. If this is the case, then even the most rooted of Europeans must attribute a portion of his culture to the Gypsy lifestyle. Simply stated, these stories are his stories, but in an earlier form. In recent times, much has been written and reported in the press about "Travellers", as Gypsies are now more popularly known. All too often these reports are negative. However, the Gypsy lifestyle is simultaneously romanticised by the media and has been for generations. Because urban city dwellers "buy into the dream", put down roots, tie themselves to mortgages and keenly run the "rat race", could it be that the distrust of Gypsies and Travellers is born out of envy and a desire to pack it all in and live the relatively unpressured, simple, and free lifestyle of the Gypsies?