To do justice to Blenheim Palace, one of the most extraordinary private residences in the world, takes a genius with a very special understanding of architecture, art, antiques, design and history. Blenheim is a true treasure of English heritage, regarded as perhaps the greatest of the stately homes and the finest example of baroque architecture in all of Great Britain. It is unique in its combined use as a family home, mausoleum, and national monument.  

Fortunately for us, Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, the twelfth generation of the family, takes us on a privileged tour of this stunning masterpiece in her magnificent Rizzoli-published book, BLENHEIM: 300 Years of Life in a Palace. 

With 187 rooms and 2100 acres, Blenheim is well-known as the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. But it is so much more. Designed by John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor (a protégé of Christopher Wren) in the early 1700s; with stonework, furniture, and tapestries crafted by the best talents of the age; and art and statuary by such notable artists as John Singer Sargent and Joshua Reynolds. The palace is filled with priceless artistic commissions that provide a window into the rich history of England.

In addition to the gilded staterooms and acres of landscaped gardens, Lady Henrietta shows us the family’s private apartments, with their secret corridors and history of illustrious guests, as well as the “downstairs” staff area with its iconic bell system.

With beautiful photography of the magnificent interiors and priceless collections, and Lady Henrietta’s fascinating text, BLENHEIM illuminates the estate as it has never been seen before. This book magically blends history and art and the next best thing to visiting Blenheim.  It is the perfect holiday gift, brimming with history of the Churchill family as well as of life at Blenheim, entertaining in the grand rooms, strolling through its storied gardens, and gathering the family for Christmas and special occasions. One can easily imagine being a member of the peerage enjoying feudal privileges just paging through the dazzling rooms and absorbing the enormous achievement of generations that nurtured this grandest of houses.

PAULINE BOTY, British Pop Art’s Sole Sister by Marc Kristal explores one of the most exciting and innovative women artists of the 60s. A fascinating study of this outspoken and provocative artist who flirted between high and low culture. Largely forgotten after her death in 1966, Boty’s reputation has grown steadily since the rediscovery and exhibition of her works. A very fine celebration of an icon of Sixties culture.

ART HEIST, 50 Artworks You Will Never See, by Susie Hodge delves deep into the mysteries shrouding the disappearance of over 50 irreplaceable masterpieces. Well researched and written in a compelling narrative, ART HEIST unravels the enigma behind each theft, analysing the circumstances and motivations that drove these crimes.

Jen McGuinness has written the definitive guide to planting a bird-friendly outdoor landscape, no matter what the size. This book has everything you will need for a better understanding of how to create a garden that offers everything birds need to thrive.

POINT LINE PLANE published by Thames & Hudson is a fascinating collection of writings by celebrated architect Kengo Kuma that set out a left field critique of the architecture world today.  Ostensibly a collection of writing that explains Kuma’s theories of architecture, this is also an antivolume, antimegastructure, and in some sense anticapitalist, left-field critique of where the architecture world finds itself today.

In this book Kuma shares his vision of architecture as a dynamic interplay between tradition and innovation, critiquing the megastructures and capitalist influences of the 20th century and challenging readers to reconsider the role of architecture in shaping our world. 

In a series of essays, drawing from diverse disciplines including art history, philosophy, and literature, POINT LINE PLANE reveals a narrative that transcends the boundaries of traditional architectural theory, presenting a compelling manifesto for a new era of design—one that dismantles hard concrete volumes into points, lines, and planes that celebrate the simplicity and sustainability of human connection. Pre-order this book at https://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/point-line-plane-hardcover

THE KOREAN MYTHS, A Guide to the Gods, Heroes and Legends published by Thames & Hudson, is an accessible and fascinating introduction to the world of Korean myth and legend.

Authors Heinz Insu Fenkl and Bella Myong-wol Dalton-Fenkl bring together a wealth of knowledge of both the old and the new, the traditional and the modern, to ground readers in Korean history and help them understand the countries’ complex religious traditions and their influence in contemporary pop-culture. 

Readers discover creation myths and stories about the cosmos—popularly performed in the form of the Changsega (“Song of Creation”) sung by shamans and recounting the stories of gods, goddesses, and monsters, such as the god Mireuk, creator of the world, and the giant Grandma Mago, who was able to create mountains from the mud on her skirt—as well as stories of ghosts and spirits and the heroes of popular folk tales.