{"title":"Alex Johnson","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the literary world of \u003cstrong\u003eAlex Johnson\u003c\/strong\u003e, an author celebrated for weaving a rich tapestry of subjects into his fascinating works. Johnson's books engage readers with topics spanning from arts and culture to humour and history, ensuring a delightful experience for book lovers of all tastes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExplore \u003cem\u003e100 Words for Rain\u003c\/em\u003e, an intriguing dive into the world of natural phenomena that promises to expand your vocabulary and inspire curiosity about the environment. For those with a penchant for the arts, \u003cem\u003eEdward Lear and the Pussycat\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eA Book of Book Lists\u003c\/em\u003e offer captivating insights into cultural treasures and literary oddities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTravel enthusiasts will relish \u003cem\u003eMy Year of Reading Welshly\u003c\/em\u003e, a unique memoir that combines a love for literature with a journey across Wales. Biography aficionados can discover intimate portraits in \u003cem\u003eRooms of Their Own\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eStudios of Their Own\u003c\/em\u003e, which explore the personal spaces where creativity flourishes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor those who savour a good laugh, \u003cem\u003eThe Book Lover's Joke Book\u003c\/em\u003e provides a light-hearted escape with its collection of literary humour, while \u003cem\u003eThe Writer's Game\u003c\/em\u003e challenges readers with engaging wordplay. History buffs will appreciate \u003cem\u003eWhen Books Go Bad\u003c\/em\u003e, a book that delves into the fascinating tales of bibliographic mishaps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDiscover \u003cem\u003eWhile There is Tea, There is Hope\u003c\/em\u003e, a comforting read that blends the art of tea with stories that soothe the soul. Lastly, \u003cem\u003eThe Book Lover's Almanac\u003c\/em\u003e serves as a delightful compendium for avid readers, offering a treasure trove of bookish trivia and anecdotes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're seeking inspiration, entertainment, or education, Alex Johnson's diverse collection awaits to enrich your reading journey.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"studios-of-their-own-by-alex-johnson-9780711293786","title":"Studios of Their Own","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eStudios of Their Own\u003c\/em\u003e travels around the world examining the unique spaces, habits, and rituals of over 50 famous artists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom Picasso to Hockney to Caravaggio, discover the eclectic creative spaces used by artistic visionaries, brought to life with evocative illustrations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCrossing centuries, continents, and genres, Alex Johnson explores these artists' workspaces and habits. How do they practise their craft? What do they look for in a studio? Do they work in silence or with music... in a shared space or in solitude? How do they harness the light? 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Even worse – tea was the one rationed foodstuff that could not be grown or reared at home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis charming little book, \u003cem\u003eWhile There is Tea, There is Hope\u003c\/em\u003e, celebrates the power of tea as a national symbol and act of defiance during Britain’s darkest hour. 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What do they require of their room or desk? Do they have favourite pens, paper, or typewriters? And have they found the perfect daily routine to channel their creativity?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCrossing centuries, continents, and genres, Alex Johnson has pooled 50 of the best writers and transports you to the heart of their writing rooms — from attics and studies to billiard rooms and bathtubs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDiscover the ins and outs of how each great writer penned their famous texts, and the routines and habits they perfected. Meet authors who rely on silence and seclusion and others who need people, music, and whisky. Meet those who travel halfway across the world to a luxury writing retreat, and others who just need an empty shed at the bottom of the garden. Some are particular about pencils, inks, paper, and typewriters, and others will scribble on anything — including the furniture. But whether they write in the library or in cars, under trees, on private islands, in hotel rooms, or towers — each of these stories confirms that there is no best way to write.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom James Baldwin, writing in the small hours of the morning in his Paris apartment, to DH Lawrence writing at the foot of a towering Ponderosa pine tree, to the Brontë sisters managing in a crowded co-working space, \u003cem\u003eRooms of Their Own\u003c\/em\u003e takes us into the lives of some of history's greatest writers, with each writing space illustrated in evocative watercolour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn looking at the working lives of our favourite authors, bibliophiles will be transported to other worlds, aspiring writers will find inspiration, and literature fans will gain deeper insight into their most-loved authors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46551284220140,"sku":"9780711258013","price":41.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/5966743482441.jpg?v=1749998105"},{"product_id":"the-book-lovers-almanac-by-alex-johnson-9780712354240","title":"The Book Lover's Almanac","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEnjoy daily distraction with this engaging \u003cem\u003eAlmanac\u003c\/em\u003e. Each date is assigned one or more literary connections. Book lovers will find extracts from authors' diaries and letters, chance upon the narrative twists and transformative moments in their favourite novels, discover the winners of prestigious awards and losers of creative squabbles, and the delivery of manuscript, first publication and performance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe book draws on the incredible collections of the British Library to find new, surprising and entertaining ways to celebrate every day of the year. Each month opens with a list of significant births and closes with a selection of pertinent last words, while entries roam across history from the great classics to modern authors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46715685863660,"sku":"9780712354240","price":72.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/16929013482441.jpg?v=1754405691"},{"product_id":"100-words-for-rain-by-alex-johnson-9780008636999","title":"100 Words for Rain","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e100 Words for Rain\u003c\/em\u003e is supported by the National Trust and dives into Britain’s favourite subject – the weather. 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Discover the unique vocabulary and culture that surround Britain’s most beloved topic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853901877484,"sku":"9780008636999","price":47.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/1204103482191.jpg?v=1759224616"},{"product_id":"the-writers-game-by-alex-johnson-9781786272553","title":"The Writer's Game","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSearching for book lover gifts? Look no further than this beautifully illustrated trump card game.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWho had the most commercial success in their lifetime, Ernest Hemingway or Agatha Christie? Whose work has the most adaptations, F. Scott Fitzgerald or Franz Kafka? Who courted the most scandal, Colette or James Joyce? 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There are rib-ticklers for typographers, crackers for critics, and badly foxed quips about antiquarian bookshops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere too are the best literary April Fool's (the joke's on you), rejection letters (the joke's on the publisher), cookbook jests (the joke's a bit crumby) and wardrobe puns (the joke's Narnia business). 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