STEVEN PARISSIEN

In this book Steven Parissien examines the impact, development and significance of the automobile over its turbulent and colourful 130-year history. He tells the story of the auto, and of its creators, from its earliest appearance in the 1880s - as little more than a powered quadricycle - via the early pioneer carmakers, the advances of the interwar era, the Golden Age of the 1950s and the iconic years of the 1960s to the decades of doubt and uncertainty following the oil crisis of 1973, which culminated in the global mergers of the 1990s and the bailouts of the early twenty-first century. This is not just a story of horsepower and performance. The Life of the Automobile is a tale of people: of intuitive carmakers such as Benz, Agnelli, Royce and Citroen; of exceptionally gifted designers such as Issigonis, Lefebvre, Michelotti and Bangle; and of visionary industrialists such as Ford, Tata and Porsche. Above all, The Life of the Automobile demonstrates how the epic story of the car mirrors the history of the modern era, from the brave hopes and soaring ambitions of the early twentieth century to the cynicism and ecological concerns of a century later.

Station to Station The history of the railway station and its architectural developments.Steven Parissien Examines the fascinating and evocative history of the railway station and its architectural developments over the past 150 years Highlights seminal examples such as London's St Pancras, Grand Central Station in New York, Nicholas Grimshaw's Waterloo International Terminal and Santiago Calatrava's Lyon Satolas A fascinating visual record of rail travel, with archive pictures, railway ephemera and new photography of railway stations in their urban contextsRailway stations have long held a special place in the public's affection. The lure of the great terminus has been especially strong, the breathtaking grandeur of its architecture fused with a promise of adventure and escape. This book is a celebration of the railway station's life and architecture. It examines the history of these fascinating structures, the great events - both factual and fictional - that have occurred there, and how they have formed an integral part of the life of the cities they serve. Steven Parissien discusses, with enthusiasm and erudition, the various architectural styles and developments that stations have witnessed over the past 150 years: from the early provincial and colonial railways, through the Victorian Gothic of London's St Pancras and the Beaux-Arts splendour of Grand Central Station in New York, to the modern structural feats of Nicholas Grimshaw's Waterloo International Terminal and Santiago Calatrava's Lyon Satolas. Archive pictures, railway ephemera and new photography are combined to create a fascinating visual record for anyone seduced by trains, railway stations and travel in general.

Raise a glass to the Great British tradition of booze and the twelve drinks that made it what it is today Cheers The history of Britain perhaps more so than any other country is defined by its drinking culture Built on a foundation of pubs clubs and watering holes the UK has remained in the global top five for alcoholic intake per capita since 1700 It doesn t matter how it comes nip schooner pint or yard we will always gladly have another But of such a vast and varied drinks menu which are Britain s favourites Which have stood the test of time And what do they say about our wider culture Steven Parissien s Another Round uncorks contemporary Britain s relationship with booze in twelve very different drinks From the 1950 s classic Babysham to the house party favourite WKD these flagship brands reflected and redefined British culture and politics For better or worse the story of postwar Britain can be found at the bottom of every glass