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Last weekend we brought you more than 85 great illustrated books of all kinds. And then the Taschen books arrived at the office. So we put them together with other books that didn't make the cut last week for one final batch of intriguing, eye-opening and gigantic titles that are as hard to put down as they are to lift up.



MAGIC: 1400s-1950s By Mike Caveney, Jim Steinmeyer and Ricky Jay, edited by Noel Daniel, 650 pages, $225

Amazing, stupendous, astounding - the superlatives used by practitioners of magic are equally appropriate to describe this 650-page visual celebration of the art of magic. Packed with more than 1,000 vintage posters, photographs, handbills, engravings and other ephemera, this tome explores the evolution of the magician's craft, from medieval street performers to groundbreaking daredevils such as Houdini. The lavishly laid-out volume, with its arresting images and incisive text from scholars and professional magicians, is a homage to the glory and form of print. It will delight those who thrill to the word "abracadabra," and to those who revel in the beauty and luxury of books.



MARIO DE JANEIRO TESTINO By Mario Testino, Taschen, 200 pages, $49.99

At 55, Peruvian-born Mario Testino is one of the most sought-after fashion photographers of the age. Images of clothes, however, are few and far between in this salute to the sexy, sensual, sunny, surf side of Brazil's largest metropolis. Nudity and semi-nudity rule in Testino's ninth book, with page after immense page of young female (mostly) and male flesh looking fit and fabulous. Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen shows up in a bikini and pens a tribute to Testino - who perhaps should think of changing his surname to Testosterone.



LOS ANGELES: Portrait of a City By Jim Heimann and Kevin Starr, Taschen, 570 pages, $77

It's the city everyone loves to hate, or at least disparage. Home of Hollywood glitz, celebrity worship, freeways, beach bunnies, surfer dudes and cars, cars, cars. It's superficial and narcissistic, true. But it's also futuristic, fascinating and fun, as this lavish photographic compendium makes abundantly clear. Here are starlets of the Sunset Strip, ultramodernist houses in the Hollywood Hills, far-out diners, noiresque murder sites (the Black Dahlia), beautiful landscapes and, yes, celebrities. Love it or hate it, La-la Land is all here.



HELMUT NEWTON Edited by June Newton, Taschen, 464 pages, $165

When this book was issued a number of years back as SUMO, a spectacular book by the spectacular, controversial and influential photographer Helmut Newton (1920-2004), the edition of 10,000 (weighing in at 35.4 kilos) sold out - at a hefty price. Now, here is an edition for everyman, if that term can properly be applied to Newton. This is still a gorgeous volume, with splendid reproductions of some of Newton's most famous (and sometimes infamous) photos: the brilliant and shocking Salvador Dali portrait, Marianne Faithfull in a cloud of smoke in Monte Carlo, Catherine Deneuve threatened by a revolver, and a bounteous bevy of nude and clad models and celebrities. Oh, and it comes with a reading stand.



WALTON FORD: Pancha Tantra Edited by Benedikt Taschen, Taschen, 320 pages, $80

Walton Ford, who lives and works in Massachusetts, has been exhibited around the world, including shows at the Whitney and Brooklyn museums. His life-sized, highly detailed watercolours of animals recall the work of such 19th-century illustrators as John James Audubon and Edward Lear. But on closer examination they are complex and anthropomorphic allegories, full of symbols, jokes and allusions: A wild turkey crushes a parrot in its claw; monkeys wreak havoc on a dinner table: a buffalo is surrounded by bloody white wolves. The book's title derives from The Pancha Tantra, an ancient Indian book of animal tales. This large-format Taschen edition includes an exploration of Ford's work, a biography and excerpts from his textual inspirations. Bill Buford, author and New Yorker staff writer, and founding editor of Granta, provides an informative and thoughtful introduction.



BEING A SCOT By Sean Connery and Murray Grigor, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 312 pages, $35

The original James Bond talked with the filmmaker at his Caribbean retreat about their shared heritage, and the result is an illustrated book that is part autobiography, part history of Scotland. They discuss how the Scots devised sports (not least golf, Connery's passion), why influential architects were bred in the country, where the blend of "psychotic humour" originated, and the tradition of self-deprecation (the "Scottish cringe"). Connery's intellect and character come through in discussions ranging from the inspiration behind Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to the exploits of race car driver Jackie Stewart.



THE SOCCER BOOK By David Goldblatt and Johnny Acton, DK, 400 pages, $40

Everything you ever wanted to know about soccer. This full-colour encyclopedia is packed with information from how to watch the game (a brief history of the soccer fan) to how to play it. It includes game rules, key moves and strategies, team stars and stats ... even to how to "fix" a match.



THE GOLF BOOK Edited by Kevin Cook, Sports Illustrated, 296 pages, $34.95

No one captures sports in pictures more artfully than Sports Illustrated, and this ode to the "hickory-hearted essence of a strange old game" mixes archived magazine stories with wonderful photography, teeing off with a sepia-toned 1930 image of Bobby Jones amid a sea of bowler hats at the British Amateur. The book is organized by era, ranging from The Beginning (1457-1912) to Tiger's Time (1996-?).



NORMAN ROCKWELL'S CHRISTMAS BOOK Edited by Molly Rockwell, Abrams, 224 pages, $32.50

This is a redesigned reprint of a book published originally in 1977, featuring the work of the painter reputed for his illustrations of everyday American life. About 85 images include 15 not in the original book and eight limited-edition, glossy prints ready for framing. They adorn work ranging from stories to poems to songs to recipes, and a cast of writers highlighted by Robert Frost, Hans Christian Andersen, Mark Twain, Shakespeare and Louisa May Alcott.



THE LEGO BOOK: Includes Standing Small, a Celebration of 30 Years of the Lego Miniature DK, 200 pages, $46

At 50, the Lego brick has not only lasted, it has come a long way. These tomes chronicle Lego's development from early concept models to film-themed sets and electronic and robotic hubs of which Einstein would never have dreamed. Legoland sets of small towns (and cities) are outlined across the globe and around children's hearts and imagination. An excellent resource for biography fans; copiously illustrated.



LEGO STAR WARS: The Visual Dictionary By Simon Beecroft, DK, 95 pages, $25.99

Yes, an entire book devoted to the development and collection of Lego Star Wars figures and buildables; and it's fascinating. You may be amazed to learn that there are currently more than 300 Star Wars Lego figures alone, not to mention all the wheel bikes, and blasters and hyper-drive fighters that go along with them. This is a stupendous and thorough collection of everything Star Wars that Lego makes to date, and an indispensable reference for collectors - and, we hope, a few daydreaming children.



THE HISTORICAL ATLAS OF WORLD RAILROADS By John Westwood, Firefly, 400 pages, $45

From the first steam locomotive in 1804 to the 320-km/h Shinkansen trains of Japan, this book encompasses the complete history of railroading. As with all coffee-table primers, the focus is primarily on the pictures and maps, with the text serving mostly to hold the art together. In addition to the extensive sections on rail life on each continent, the book provides insights into the engineering behind gauges, tunnels, bridges and signalling technology.



THE SHAKESPEARE ENCYCLOPEDIA: The Complete Guide to The Man and His Works By A.D. Cousins, Firefly, 304 pages, $35

Half-coffee-table tome, half-Coles Notes compendium, this lavishly produced book provides richly layered synopses of each of the Bard's plays, poems and sonnets. Beginning with a summary of the world before Shakespeare, it then moves briskly through his life and times, before diving into each piece of work. Plot summaries and character lists are here, of course, but so too are commentaries on each play's contemporary significance. The countless illustrations, charts and diagrams ensure that readers can capture the key points.



THE BATMAN VAULT: A Museum-in-a-Book with Rare Collectibles from the Batcave By Robert Greenberger and Matthew Manning, Running Press, 192 pages, $63,

This book is actually a thick spring-bound folder containing a potted history of Bob Kane's famous superhero. Covering the DC comics, graphic novels, TV show, animated series and movies, it's lavishly illustrated with gorgeous colour plates. Most fun are the 10 plastic sleeves interspersed throughout, housing facsimile versions of comic covers, drawing guides, movie-set design illustrations, Kane doodles and even a kid's Batman mask from 1966.



JAMES BOND ENCYCLOPEDIA By John Cork and Collin Stutz, DK, 336 pages, $48

Exactly what the title says it is: an alphabetically organized guide to the villains (May Day from A View to a Kill is listed as "Day, May"), girls, supporting cast, cars, weapons, nifty devices and, of course, the movies that make up the James Bond canon. Good for settling arguments and reliving your favourite Bond moments.





COOL STUFF AND HOW IT WORKS By Chris Woodford et al., DK, 256 pages, $23.99

Every wonder how a combination lock works? Or a laser printer? Or why a soccer ball curves in the air? Maybe these days you're particularly interested in how vaccinations work. It's all here full colour and sometimes in microscopic detail. A great book to read with a curious child.



STAR WARS: 1,000 Collectibles, Memorabilia and Stories from a Galaxy Far, Far Away By Stephen J. Sansweet with Anne Neumann, Abrams, 567 pages, $45.50

You don't have to be a collector to enjoy the trip down memory lane via a landspeeder, sandcrawler, rebel transport vehicle or Tatooine skiff. From puzzles to shag-carpet-like Chewbacca hand puppets, from Luke Skywalker utility belts to bubble bath, from chequebook covers to MP3 players, this isn't a book about pricing and profit: It's about the enduring joy we still take in another world. May the force be with you.



PICK ME UP: Stuff You Need To Know By David Roberts and Jeremy Leslie, DK, 351 pages, $23.99

What a fun book! Taking you from Five Speeches that Changed the World to Your Biggest Muscle (answer: your butt), this book presents a smorgasbord of random facts and information bound to capture the attention of anyone from 5 to 95. Readers won't be able to put down this book, with its vibrant and colourful design, until well into the new year.



CANADA'S OLYMPIC HOCKEY HISTORY 1920-2010 By Andrew Podnieks, Fenn, 246 pages, $40

Who knew Canada's first foray into Olympic hockey began with the stunning defeat of Toronto's team by the Winnipeg Falcons, who proceeded to win gold in Belgium? Or that the Swedes played in speed skates and that the Canadians' sticks were carved en route by the ship's carpenter? The event that made Hayley Wickenheiser a household name is captured in fascinating detail in this hockey-lover's trivia treasure chest for all ages.



WAR: THE DEFINITIVE VISUAL HISTORY: From Bronze-Age Battles to 21st-Century Conflict Editorial consultant Saul David, Dorling Kindersley Limited, 512 pages, $60

Even in the age of Google, it's worth saying that every home should have a library of reference books on a broad range of subjects - including on warfare. This book gives a quick summation of conflict throughout history, with timelines, pictures of weaponry, armour, transportation (from elephants and triremes to Caterpillar-tracked tanks), art, propaganda and the settlements being fought over.



20TH CENTURY FASHION: 100 Years of Apparel Ads By Jim Heimann and Alison A. Nieder, Taschen, 462 pages, $49.99

More than 500 fashion advertisements from 1900 to 1999, taken from the collection of Jim Heimann, give readers a stylish and fun retrospective on the century that redefined and reinterpreted fashion as we now know it. Arranged by decade, the book's introduction, text and year-by-year timelines explore trends in fashion, from its beginnings as a couture business to the mass market of today. Highlighted throughout are historical events, key magazines, movies and pop culture, as well as important trends and brands.

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