Bøker utgitt av Reaktion Books

An informative, concise narration of the story of whiskey, from obscure medieval origins to the globally-traded product that we know today. Kevin R. Kosar explains what whiskey is, how it is made, and how the types of whiskey - Bourbon, Corn, Rye, Irish and Scotch - differ.

Tea: A Global History is a well-illustrated, concise exploration of the rich and fascinating history of tea. Helen Saberi describes the many varieties of tea consumed around the world, from Indian chai to Burmese pickled lephet tea, and from brick tea to Taiwanese 'bubble tea' and looks at the economic and social uses of tea.

Soup: A Global History is a concise, tasty history of the oldest dish in the world. Soup features many images of and recipes for classic and unusual soups, taken from seven hundred years of global culinary history.

This second updated and expanded edition traces the storied past and rich culture of Myanmar over nearly three millennia, from the relics of its Neolithic civilization, through its encounters with British colonialism and the struggles for republic, to the changes that have taken place since the elections of 2010.

Pig is a richly illustrated and compelling look at the natural and cultural history of the pig, and the long, complicated relationship between humans and these highly intelligent, sociable animals.

Donkey follows the story of this faithful, hard-working animal, which despite its critical role in human history, has often received little respect and explores the animal's variety of social, cultural, religious and symbolic meanings, especially its representations in Western art and literature.

Dates is an informative and enjoyable account of the date and the date palm, following its journey from ancient Mesopotamia to the places where it is cultivated today. Dates is interwoven with stories, anecdotes and humour, and explores date etymology, history, culture, religion, myth and legend.

Since 1984, Chinese cinema has been the most dramatic new entry on the international film scene. This text looks at contemporary Chinese cinema as a visual art and illustrates the many ways it has been shaped by centuries of Chinese visual and cultural traditions. Among its many concerns are the role of female gender in Chinese cinema, the use of allegory, the strategies of filmmakers in comping with state censorship, the translation of Chinese novels into film, the continuing attachment of filmmakers to melodramatic form, and the cinematic critiques of Maoism and post-Maoist Chinese culture. Illustrated with Chinese paintings as well as scenes from such internationally acclaimed films as "e;Yellow Earth"e;, "e;Red Sorghum"e;, "e;Raise the Red Lantern"e; and "e;Farewell My Concubine"e;, Jerome Silbergeld reveals a cinematic form that is at once excitingly new and yet deeply embedded in traditional Chinese visual culture.

A wide-ranging, thorough account of the spider, a creature with a rich symbolic presence in the human imagination, this book analyses the spider in art, literature, horror stories, science fiction and film and also looks at arachnophobia, and the psychological association of the spider with dominant women or mothers.

Marta Braun's new biography of Eadweard Muybridge traces the sensational events of Muybridge's life against his personal reinventions as artist, photographer, high-minded researcher and showman.

Offers a subtle, yet uncompromising analysis of the iconic photographs of torture from the prison at Abu Ghraib.

William S. Burroughs (1914-1997) is an iconic figure of the Beat generation. In this revealing study Phil Baker investigates this cult writer's life and work, and his self-portrayal as an explorer of inner space, reporting back from the frontiers of experience.

Majestic, noble, brave lions, with their tawny coats and luminous eyes, have inspired countless stories, traditions and beliefs. Whether we are seduced by their beauty or drawn to danger, we want to be near them. This book draws on the scientific research, folklore, travel literature, and lion tamers' memoirs to guide readers on a cultural safari.

A distinct symbol of the desert and the Middle East, the camel was once unkindly described as half snake, half folding bedstead. But in the eyes of many the camel is a creature of great beauty. This book explores why the camel has fascinated so many cultures, including those in places where camels are not indigenous.

Outsider art is work produced outside the mainstream of modern art by self-taught visionaries, spiritualists, eccentrics, recluses, psychiatric patients, criminals and others beyond the perceived margins of society. This book sets out to challenge many of the received ideas in the field.

Beautifully illustrated with many captivating images of Paris design, dress, interiors, objects, art and media of the time, Ballets Russes Style is a much-needed account of how Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes influenced Parisian fashion, interior design, advertising and the decorative arts in the early twentieth century.

A comprehensive study of Iceland's social and historical development, from tiny fishing settlements to a global economic power. It is of interest to those studying this most enigmatic of islands, and also to those interested in cultural and social history as a whole.

At the age of fifty Stephane Mallarme (1842-98) spoke of his published work as very precise reference points on my mind's journey. In this book, the author charts that journey, blending a biographical account of the poet's life with a detailed analysis of his evolving poetic theory and practice.

A flavourful history of British food over the last 150 years, which shows how modern British cuisine is a product of the diversity of its society, in which people of differing ethnic groups readily sample and borrow from each other's food

Acknowledged as one of the major sculptors and avant-garde artists of the twentieth century, Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957) also remained one of the most elusive. This book looks beyond the mythology of the artist to show us Constantin the Romanian student, as well as Brancusi the celebrated artist.

Though milk is the sustaining and essential food of all mammals, the majority of the world's population cannot digest raw cow's milk. Of those that do drink milk regularly, most have never actually tasted raw milk. This book explores the myths and misconceptions surrounding the drink.

What birthday, wedding, bar mitzvah or children's party would be complete without it? This book explores the origin of modern cake and its development from sweet bread to architectural flight of fancy, together with the meanings, legends and rituals attached to cake throughout the world.

Portugal is a country that has sometimes been dismissed as small and relatively unimportant. This title demonstrates that the contrary is true, showing that Portugal has been crucial to the development of Europe and the modern world. It offers a fresh appraisal of Portuguese history and its role in the world.

The pie, to quote one Victorian writer, is 'a great human discovery which has universal estimation among all civilized eaters'. It is astonishing, given the widespread appeal of this humble dish, that the pie does not appear to have had a single book devoted to its complex but fascinating story; this book redresses a glaring omission from culinary history.

'This is an excellent book. It gives an almost complete overview of the main trends and views of what is generally called digital culture through the whole post-war period as well as a thorough exposition of the history of the computer and its predecessors and the origins of the modern division of labour.' - Journal of Visual Culture

Theme parks are a uniquely interactive and enduring form of entertainment that have influenced architecture, technology and culture in surprising ways for more than a century. Taking primitive amusements of pleasure gardens as its starting point, this book offers an investigation of the evolution of the theme park over the twentieth century.

This revised and expanded second edition of Timon Screech's definitive Sex and the Floating World offers a new assessment of the genre of erotic Japanese paintings and prints known as shunga.

Surveillance cameras. Airport security lines. We see manifestations of societal fears every day, and daily news reports on the latest household danger or raised terror threat level continually stoke our sense of impending doom. This book explores the underlying ideas and issues behind this powerful emotion.

For most of us, snails do not elicit feelings of warmth or affection. Apart from our repugnance at its appearance, our relationship with the snail has been influenced by the harm it has inflicted over the years on our garden seedlings. The author intends to change our perspectives on this little but much maligned creature.

The owls are not what they seem. From ancient Babylon to Edward Lear's The Owl and the Pussycat and the grandiloquent, absent-minded Wol from Winnie the Pooh to David Lynch's Twin Peaks, owls have woven themselves into the fabric of human culture from earliest times. This book explores the natural and cultural history of owls.