Books about Curators from Amazon.com

For the first time in more than a decade, New York Times bestselling Grand Master Elizabeth Peters brings beautiful, brainy Vicky Bliss back into the spotlight for one last investigation But this time the peerless art historian and sleuth will be detecting in Amelia Peabody territory, searching for solutions to more than one heinous offense in the ever-shifting sands of Egypt's mysterious Valley of the Kings.

Who stole one of Egypt's most priceless treasures? That is the question that haunts the authorities after a distinguished British gentleman with an upper-crust accent cons his way past a security guard and escapes into the desert carrying a world-famous, one-of-a-kind historic relic. But the Egyptian authorities and Interpol believe they know the identity of the culprit. The brazen crime bears all the earmarks of the work of one “Sir John Smythe,” the suave and dangerously charming international art thief who is, in fact, John Tregarth, the longtime significant other of Vicky Bliss. But John swears he is retired—not to mention innocent—and he vows to clear his name by hunting down the true criminal.

Vicky's faith in her man's integrity leaves her no choice but to take a hiatus from her position at a leading Munich museum and set out for the Middle East. Vicky's employer, the eminent Herr Doktor Anton Z. Schmidt, rotund gourmand and insatiable adventurer, decides to join the entourage.

But dark days and myriad dangers await them in this land of intriguing antiquity. Each uncovered clue seems to raise even more questions for the intrepid Vicky—the most troubling being, Where is John going during his increasingly frequent and unexplained absences? And the stakes are elevated considerably when a ransom note arrives accompanied by a grisly memento intended to speed up negotiations—because now it appears that murder most foul has been added to the equation.

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Price: $13.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]

An assistant curator of Munich's National Museum, Vicky Bliss is no expert on Egypt, but she does have a Ph.D. in solving crimes. So when an intelligence agency offers her a luxury Nile cruise if she'll help solve a murder and stop a heist of Egyptian antiquities, all 5'11" of her takes the plunge. Vicky suspects the authorities really want her to lead them to her missing lover, the art thief and master of disguises she knows only as "Sir John Smythe." And right in the shadow of the Sphinx she spots him. . . with his new flame. Vicky is so furious at this romantic stab-in-the-back, not to mention the sudden arrival of her meddling boss, Herr Dr. Schmidt, that she may overlook a danger as old as the pharaohs and as unchanging. . . a criminal who hides behind a mask of charm while moving in for the kill..
Price: $4.03 [Notify me when price goes down.]

One of the bestselling novels of all time, Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code has intrigued and thrilled millions of readers around the world. Now all the artwork, symbols, architecture, and historic locations—over 160 images—are beautifully compiled in this full-color collector's edition.

A mind-bending code hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci. A desperate race through the cathedrals and castles of Europe. An astonishing truth concealed for centuries… unveiled at last.

While in Paris on business, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, a baffling cipher found near the body. As Langdon and a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci–clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

The stakes are raised when Langdon uncovers a startling link: the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion—an actual secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, among others. Langdon suspects they are on the hunt for a breathtaking historical secret, one that has proven through the centuries to be as enlightening as it is dangerous. In a frantic race through Paris, and beyond, Langdon and Neveu find themselves matching wits with a faceless powerbroker who appears to anticipate their every move. Unless they can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle, the Priory's secret—and an explosive ancient truth—will be lost forever.

Instantly catapulted to the top of the bestseller lists around the world, The Da Vinci Code is simultaneously lightning-paced, intelligent, and intricately layered with remarkable research and detail. From secrets embedded in the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, to the symbols of ancient Egypt, to the architecture of landmarks such as the Louvre, Westminster Abbey, Rosslyn Chapel, and more, this fully illustrated collector's edition delivers the complete reading experience of Dan Brown's riveting novel—from the opening pages to the unpredictable and stunning conclusion..
Price: $5.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]

This engrossing memoir brings to vivid life the behind-the-scenes struggles of Marcia Tucker, the first woman to be hired as a curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the founder of the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City. Tucker came of age in the 1960s, and this spirited account of her life draws the reader directly into the burgeoning feminist movement and the excitement of the New York art world during that time. Her own new ways of thinking led her to take principled stands that have changed the way art museums consider contemporary art. As curator of painting and sculpture at the Whitney, she organized major exhibitions of the work of Lee Krasner, Joan Mitchell, Robert Morris, Bruce Nauman, and Richard Tuttle, among others. As founder of the New Museum of Contemporary Art, she organized and curated groundbreaking exhibitions that often focused on the nexus of art and politics. The book highlights Tucker's commitment to forging a new system when the prevailing one proved too narrow for her expansive vision..
Price: $18.15 [Notify me when price goes down.]

An obscure museum's dead proprietor lies in a secret room surrounded by one of the world's most astonishing collections of Greek antiquities Only a priceless Mycenaean death mask has been taken, along with the bones of a legendary hero thought to exist only in ancient myth. Looted by the Nazis, the treasures are still being sought by those whose dreams of glory remain undefeated.

The mask is an unparalleled discovery that will be a force for devastating retribution in the wrong hands. But by the time museum curator Deborah Miller learns the truth, it may be too late not only to save herself--but to reveal to the world the awesome secret she's uncovered..
Price: $1.96 [Notify me when price goes down.]

When two skeletons are found off the Manhattan shoreline, museum curator and anthropological expert Margo Green is called in by the police because of her earlier experiences in battling a horrific beast in the museum. By the best-selling authors of Relic. .
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This year the Huntington celebrates the centennial of its spectacular desert garden, one of the largest such collections of cacti and other succulents in the world. Visitors to the twelve-acre garden marvel at its more than 3,000 species, including the vivid blue and green Puya, a rare type of bromeliad; the Lithops, or "living stone," whose camouflaged leaves mimic the shape and color of rocks; and the dazzling red, orange, and yellow torch-like blooms of the winter-flowering aloe.
In this beautifully illustrated volume, Lyons draws on decades of experience with these unusual specimens to explore the Huntington's desert garden. He tells of its early development, describes its principal collections, and gives instructions on the care and landscaping of desert gardens..
Price: $15.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]

100 of the World's Most Exceptional Young Product Designers Selected by 10 Design Critics, Including Tom Dixon

"Designers have a responsibility to show the future as they want it to be--or at least as it can be--not just the way an industry wants it to be..." -Yves Béhar, designer

Five years after the success of the groundbreaking SPOON (2002), which featured a steel-covered spoon shaped book cover, Phaidon announces the publication of a follow up collection. AND FORK is a comprehensive global overview of new industrial design today. This generously illustrated volume presents 100 of the most exceptional product designers that have recently emerged on the international scene, selected by 10 of the world's top design critics including Chieko Yoshiie of Casa Brutus in Japan, Francesca Picchi of Domus, Tom Dixon from Habitat UK and Sang-kyu Kim, a Korea-based design curator.

AND FORK features 1,000 color illustrations of hundreds of innovative products created by the most forward-thinking young designers working today. A wide range of objects (including chairs, lighting, footwear, kitchen accessories and electronics) provide an up-to-date snapshot of the newest developments in the design world. The book will be an indispensable reference for students, designers, architects and the general public interested in learning about contemporary design in everyday life.

With the expertise of a highly knowledgeable group of design stars, AND FORK is set on the same table as Spoon. The 100 designers selected come from an impressive 24 countries including Brazil, Japan, Finland, UK, Denmark, Israel, Australia, South Korea and USA. Recent trends in design are revealed, such as a new generation of designers more concerned with social responsibility and the ethics of design, new product design that caters to our increasing dependence on portable and personal technology, and a rise in collaboration between young designers.

Some highlights from AND FORK include:
* D-Bros: The Japan-based design group is best known for their charming Hope Forever Blossoming Vase. It's a simple flat plastic bag, but when you pour water into it, it expands to take on both the look and behavior of a glass flower vase.
* Piet Hein Eek: Much of the Dutch designer's furniture is made from reclaimed scrap wood. He is an example of many of the young designers featured in AND FORK that are using environmentally-friendly or recycled materials and innovative manufacturing techniques. Eek says, "I like using materials that are worthless and acting as though they are precious."
* Jennifer Carpenter: The New York-based designer has made her most distinctive mark on children's products, designing an infant bed that easily converts into toddler furniture. She has said, "Let's face it, baby products are not the sexiest arena, some designers would rather be working on the next iPod...but the breast pump is what really needs the help."
* Simon Heijdens: Heijdens is fascinated with the way things evolve over time which inspired the Broken White project (2004). He designed a set of ceramic bowls and plates that are immaculate and white when new, but as they are used, delicate cracks appear in the glazing and with time slowly spread to form a decoration. In result, the most used, favorite items stand out portraying the intimate relationship between user and object.

Arranged in alphabetical order, AND FORK displays each designer on four pages that include photographs, technical drawings and text written by the curators on why the designer's work has been chosen and details on future design plans. Each curator has also chosen one piece of design, such as the Radio Ts2 or the Schwinn Stingray bicycle, for the 'Good Design' chapter of the book. These are classics that have made a significant impact on the design world, and still influence young designers today.

The pages of AND FORK illustrate superlative cutting-edge work from designers whose products often display subversive manufacturing techniques, exciting displays of materials or refreshing twists on the everyday object. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of design.

Emilia Terragni, Editorial Director at Phaidon Press, says in the book's introduction, "Good design has never before been so readily available, whether in products that make our lives simpler, or simply in those that make us smile. AND FORK is an invaluable reference book on an industry that continues to shape the way we live.".
Price: $43.37 [Notify me when price goes down.]

A Global and Unique Collection of Hot Emerging Fashion Designers; New Affordable Price and Design.

Beneath the feminine and lacy mystique of Phaidon's new paperback edition of SAMPLE: 100 FASHION DESIGNERS 10 CURATORS is a backstage pass to a global and unique contemporary fashion show. Truly international in scope, SAMPLE presents 100 of the world's most creative and outstanding emerging fashion designers working today, selected by 10 of the most respected figures in the field - including Alexander McQueen, Brana Wolf, Tim Blanks and recent Oscar nominee for costume design, Arianne Phillips.

SAMPLE features exceptional young designers from the four fashion capitals and dozen of other locations around the world from Auckland to Vienna. Designers selected include Lara Bohinc, a Slovenian-born jeweler who is now experimenting with men's jewellery while consulting for Cartier; Osaka-based Cosmic Wonder whose collections of wearable clothing have been presented as mysterious installations in Parisian art galleries; New York-based Costello Tagliapietra, a collection composed only of jersey dresses and Fabia Bercsek, a Sao Paulo designer who samples graphics and holograms into prints reinventing Brazilian street wear with a retro glamour.

This new edition follows the creative inspiration of its hardback original predecessor, whose pleated-paper cover and varying page dimension has made it a much sought after collector's item. Edited by fashion writer Bronwyn Cosgrave and designed by Julia Hasting, the book has a delicate lace-embossed cover that speaks to the inherent femininity of fashion and design. SAMPLE's unique content reveals rare and archival material, including formative design sketches, computer renderings and candid backstage photographs. Fashion designers contributed extensive original material to the projects, from Missoni fabric swatches to Christopher Bailey's hand-drawn sketches just for this book.

With 1,000 color illustrations, SAMPLE illustrates the processes behind seasonal collections, as well as showcases final pieces from the realms of men's wear, woman's wear, shoes, hats and accessories. Concise, descriptive texts by the curators explain the designers' work and the characteristics that make their fashion truly groundbreaking.

SAMPLE paperback edition is an affordable and unique collectors' item for the style-conscious as well as an indispensable reference tool for anyone with an interest in fashion today..
Price: $26.25 [Notify me when price goes down.]