Retro To Go

"Hypocrisy of Disco" by Clane Hayward

Hypdisco"Hypocrisy of Disco" is a memoir about growing up in communes around the San Francisco area in the 1970s.  Its author Clane Hayward was born just before the "Summer of Love" and this first installment of her autobiography deals with her early life with her unconventional parents, as she and her siblings are moved around.

The author does not paint a rosy picture of the alternative lifestyle, but tells a story of abject poverty, hunger and the uncertainty for a child growing up in this environment.  Not the most positive portrayal of the counter-culture, it is nontheless well-written and interesting to see another perspective on this period.

It is available in hardback from Amazon for under £10.

James Bond novels reissued in hardback - with Michael Gillette retro-styled artwork

Bond_hardback

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ian Fleming's birth, Penguin is reissuing all of the original James Bond novels in hardback.

All have co-ordinated sleeves too - stylish retro designs that are the work of San Francisco-based illustrator Michael Gillette. Two of the books are pictured above, but you can pre-order all of them now (and see the artwork of all the books online), with a release date of 29th May 2008.

Recommended price for each is £14.99, although Amazon is doing advanced orders for £9.89 each.

Find out more about the books at Amazon.co.uk

Bob Dylan's Forever Young lyrics to be published as a children's book

Foreveryoungbook_2

Of all the Bob Dylan songs in his back catalogue, the lyrics for Forever Young are probably the best bet for a children's book... which is exactly what's happened in a book called, you guessed it, Forever Young.

Due to be published in October, the illustrated lyrics are a "heart warming and meaningful story about the importance of doing good" according to the Simon and Schuster publishers' press release. The synopsis of the tale is: "May you build a ladder to the stars/ And climb on every rung/ May you stay forever young."

The 40 page picture book is illustrated by artist Paul Rogers and is aimed at children aged three and up. Publication date is set fot October 6, 2008. I can't wait for the Maggie's Farm book... or maybe Leopardskin Pillbox Hat? So many options... click here to preorder.

 

Via Electric Roulette

The Very Hungry Caterpillar kitchenware at Portmeirion

Very_hungry_caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of those children's books that was absolutely everyone's favourite at some point. If you have no idea what it is, then go out and buy a copy today.

As with all great children's books, it was the illustration which made this one. The classic illustrations can make their way back into your home with this fantastic kitchenware range available at Portmeirion.

Find out more at the Portmeirion website

Penguin reissues George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm with Shepard Fairey sleeves

Orwell1

There's absolutely no excuse for failing to own George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm. But if you need further encouragement, maybe these Shepard Fairey-designed sleeves will provide it.

We have featured the striking Shepard Fairey (aka Obey) artwork over at Switched On Set - striking retro-styled art that certainly fits Orwell's politically-inspired classic. Penguin hopes the new covers will give the books a new lease of life - and get them into the hands of today's book-shy youth.

Both are available from July 3rd, no prices as yet. The cover of Animal Farm can be seen over the page.

Find out more at the Penguin Books blog

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Bruno Munari’s ABC Book

AbcItalian Bruno Munari was an acclaimed artist, designer, educator and philosopher. He also did research in the subjects of game, infancy and creativity, and undoubtedly this fed into his wonderful children’s books.

Whilst his other designs might be harder to find, thankfully his books are readily available. A good starting point for anyone looking to collect his books for their kids (or themselves) would be Bruno Munari’s ABC, an alphabet book he designed in 1960, which is typical of his playful and colourful style.

It is available in hardback from Amazon for £8.99

For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond at the Imperial War Museum

Bond_expo London's Imperial War Museum is the location for a major Ian Fleming and James Bond exhibition - For Your Eyes Only.

A look at the man and the character, it features a large amount of material on show for the first time, including  a selection of annotated Bond manuscripts and Fleming’s Colt Python .375 Magnum revolver, along with material from the films including the ‘blood–splattered’ shirt worn by Daniel Craig in Casino Royale, Rosa Klebb’s flick–knife shoes in From Russia With Love and Halle Berry’s bikini from Die Another Day.

There's also a number of events and family activities relating to Bond, plus free screening of some early Bond classics - Dr No, From Russia With Love and Goldfinger. The exhibition opens on 17th April 2008, running until 1st March 2009. See the website for full listings.

Find out more at the Imperial War Museum website

Classic Penguin Book mugs

Penguin_mug Want to look intellectual and well-read? You could drink your coffee from one of these Classic Penguin Book mugs.

Three to choose from - Man & Superman, Pride & Prejudice and the Invisible Man - all replica of the original Penguin sleeves.

Available online, you can pick one up for £10.

Find out more at the Heals website

Vintage Ladybird book prints

Ladybird

We have covered Ladybird books in the past, even as recycled notebooks. But when we heard you can now pick up vintage Ladybird books as art prints, we couldn't resist.

You can take your pick from over 4,000 Ladybird covers and images, all culled from the vintage learning books. The one above is the Book Of London from 1961, with a choice of print, canvas or framed print available for these images and many more from it.

Prices vary, depending on the size and finish, but start at £7.50.

Find out more at the Ladybird Prints website

Vintage Playboy magazines

408Not for our younger readers, I’m afraid, but for anyone over 18 looking for some light reading material from the past, Judith Michael & Daughter have for a sale a varied collection of Vintage Playboy Magazines.

Mainly dating from the 1950s and 1960s, the magazines vary in price and condition. They also have a copy of a very rare Playboy parody, Harvard Lampoon Playboy Parody.

Prices start at £25, which is considerably more than you’d pay for the current issue of Nuts or GQ, but infinitely more classy!   

Check out the current stock on the Judith Michael & Daughter website.

Retro Knits - vintage knitting patterns from the 1900s to the 1970s

Retroknits Knitting isn't just confined to your gran - it's actually become quite a hip activity amongst people of all ages. And in its wake comes a selection of books helping you along you way, including Retro Knits: Cool Vintage Patterns For Men Women and Children From the 1900s Through The 1970s.

As you may have gathered, this is a collection of 75 knitting patterns through the years, the best and the worst, compiled in chronological order, complete with vintage photographs, pattern book covers, original instructions and updated yarn and needle suggestions if you want to reproduce these vintage items during those long winter evenings.

Available to pre-order now from Amazon, it's priced at £11.17.

Find out more about the book at Amazon.co.uk

Junkshop Gem: Ward Lock's Complete Letter-Writer for Gentlemen

Letter_writing Ever wondered where The Chap gets its inspiration from? I'm guessing from genuine period publications - like our latest Junkshop Gem, Ward Lock's Complete Letter-Writer for Gentlemen.

Words cannot do this book justice, but I'll do my best. It's seemingly part of a series that also includes 'The Young Wife's Advice Book', 'Games For Parties' and 'Etiquette For Gentlemen - Don't!', all of which are now high on my wants list. But let's look at this one first. Published (I'm guessing) in the early 50s, the book is packed with letter-writing advice for every conceivable eventuality, from business to pleasure and (amazingly) wedding proposals (should you feel a little nervous about the prospect).

Or if you fancy a day off work tomorrow, the following letter might be useful:

Sir,
I am sorry to inform you that, in consequence of a bad attack of gout, I am quite unable to get to business to-day. I hope, however, to be able to attend in the course of a day or two. Trusted that my enforced absence will cause you no inconvenience,
I am Sir,
our obedient servant,
(Your Name)

The book cost just £1 - secondhand copies are unlikely to be going for much more. See Abebooks for availability.

Find out more at the Abebooks website

Sassier Than Fiction journals - notebooks like 50s pulp fiction

Pulp_notebooks There's something very stylish about the covers of vintage pulp fiction, but the contents rarely live up to the promise. That's something you can change with the Sassier Than Fiction journals.

The covers are reproductions of vintage pulp paperbacks, but the insides are not. That's a journal, with 160 lined pages and a few saucy quotes. If you want to sauce it up a bit more, then it's down to you to fill those blank pages. Who knows...you could have a future cult classic on your hands?

Both the sleeves here are available, retailing for $11.99 each, which is around £6.

Find out more at the Mod Cloth website

London Books - cult vintage crime novels reissued

London

I think we mentioned London Books some time back, but now the first cult crime novels have been issued by the publisher under its London Classics banner, it's a good time to re-visit.

Three lost gems are now available to order - A Start In Life by Alan Sillitoe, The Gilt Kid by James Curtis and Night And The City by Gerald Kersh. A Start In Life is the story of Michael Cullen, a chancer who leaves late 60s Nottingham to make a name and some money in the Soho underworld. Apparently an inspiration for the Budgie TV series, it is reissued with a new introduction by the author.

Both The Gilt Kid and Night And The City are gritty crime tales from 1930s London, the former focusing on an ex-con struggling to stay on the straight and narrow, the latter focusing on the tough Soho streets of the era.

The Gilt Kid and Night And The City are available now for £11.99 each (slightly cheaper if you buy both), with A Start In Life to follow soon.

Find out more at the London Books website

“The Bus We Love: London's Affair with the Routemaster” by Travis Elborough

RoutemasterbookAnd while on the subject of the Routemaster bus, if you loved the bus, but perhaps not quite enough to want to recreate it in your own home, you may be interested instead in this book, “The Bus We Love: London's Affair with the Routemaster” by Travis Elborough.

The book takes a light-hearted nostalgic look at London’s favourite bus, starting with its conception and going right up to its sad recent last trip.

The paperback version can be bought from Amazon for around £6.

New York Notebook

Snbnewyork300This New York Notebook from Colloco will make a stylish addition to your desk. Its cover is decorated with vintage pictures of the City and an old fashioned map on the back.

It is compact and has an elastic band to keep it in place, making it easy to carry around with you.

It costs just £7 and can be bought online from Colloco. If New York isn’t your favourite city, there are also similar notebooks with images of Paris and Italy to choose from, which feature equally retro images.

London's Dead by Ed Glinert

Londons_dead_2 Looking for some morbid bedside reading? Look no further than London's Dead by Ed Glinert, described as 'a guided tour of the capital’s dead'.

Featured within the vintage-style sleeve are some of the most notorious and intriguing fatalities committed in the city’s ancient streets - from the famous and infamous to unsung heroes and tragic victims, from well-known resting places to undignified graves and a fascinating variety of sticky ends besides. From accidental, hoax and pre-planned deaths through to death while dancing and laughing, not to mention death by hanging, knifing, drinking, drowning, disease, explosion, poisoning and strangulation. The easily shocked need not apply.

There's also a look at London's Victorian graveyards, cemeteries and churchyards, alongside less official burial sites - like unmarked holes in the ground and concrete flyovers. If that's entertainment for you, the book is out in hardback in March, priced officially at £12.99 (though Amazon are doing pre-orders for much less).

Find out more about the book at Amazon.co.uk

13th Floor Elevators Biography - "Eye Mind" by Paul Drummond

13thfloorbook_2The subtitle of this musical biography sums up its story neatly. “Eye Mind – The Saga of Roky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators, The Pioneers of Psychedelic Sound” by Paul Drummond offers insight into the history of this important band.

Although not commercially successful, the 13th Floor Elevators were indeed pioneering and lay claim to being the first band to refer to their music as psychedelic rock. But the rest of their story is pretty tragic, with the band falling apart. Drug abuse, mental health problems and clashes with the ultra conservative authorities all contribute to their downfall.

However sad it may be, it does make for an interesting story and a good read. It is available to buy from Amazon for less than £10.

Vintage Furniture by Fay Sweet

Vintagefurniture We enjoy reading any books about retro design and Vintage Furniture by Fay Sweet is certainly one that appeals to us, covering both collecting and living with modern design classics - which is what we love to do.

It's a useful (and chronological) reference, covering the evolution of design styles, new materials and production techniques, But what makes this book particularly interesting are the examples of collectible furniture shown in their original settings - there's over 200 items illustrated in colour and a full international source directory with up-to-date information on where to buy the pieces.

If that sounds like your thing, you can pick up a copy of this book at Amazon right now, priced at £17.50.

Find out more about the book at Amazon.co.uk

The G-Plan Revolution: 1952 - 1970

Gplan_rev Anyone with an interest in post-war British furniture will want to check out The G-Plan Revolution: 1952 - 1970 by Basil Hyman and Steven Braggs, which is available to buy in hardback.

The book is a celebration of British mass market furniture of the period (not just G-Plan), taking a light (rather than academic) look at the subject, mixing history, nostalgia, period advertisements and of course, images of the furniture itself - making it ideal as a reference guide, as well as a cool book to have on your (G-Plan) coffee table. It even has a great retro cover, designed to look like an old catalogue - in fact, there's also a couple of old catalogues included in the book.

It's an area that's certainly on the up - we highlighted G-Plan some time back as something to invest in and if you need anymore convincing, pick up a copy of this - available at Amazon for £21.

Find out more about the book at Amazon.co.uk

New Vintage Type: Classic Fonts for the Digital Age

New_vintage_type If you're working on a retro or vintage website, design, book or project, you are probably looking around for a cool vintage font. Well, to save you the leg work, you could pick up New Vintage Type: Classic Fonts for the Digital Age.

This hardback book by Steven Heller and Gail Anderson is a lighthearted look at the role old and classic fonts play in contemporary graphic design, offering up hundreds of examples, information about the fonts and above all, inspiration for today's designers.

If that's you, the book is available now, retailing (at Amazon) for £17.46.

Find out more about the book at Amazon.co.uk

Switched On Set website launches

Switchedon_screen

We have a problem at Retro To Go - we keep finding really cool art, design, interiors and technology, but as it's not strictly 'retro', we can't feature it. Which is why we have today launched Switched On Set.

Switched On Set will run alongside Retro To Go, offering the a wide selection of art, plus across-the-board design (everything from cars to home appliances and of course, home furniture and furnishings) and the most stylish gadgets and technology. Our first selection of articles are now online and if you want to subscribe to a daily email (like the one offered here at Retro To Go), you can do that too over at the site.

It's the last additional website we will be launching for some time and will not affect Retro To Go in any way. In fact, we expect Retro To Go to get even busier with content in the coming weeks and months.

Visit the Switched On Set website

Junkshop Gem: Anatomy of Contemporary Furniture by John G. Shea

AnatomyFancy making your own mid-century classics? John G. Shea can show you how with the Anatomy of Contemporary Furniture.

First published in the mid 60s, then updated through to the mid 70s, the book is part reference guide to contemporary design of the day (names like Artek, Herman Miller, Knoll and Eames), a pictorial guide to some of the leading designs (it is very picture heavy) and a DIY guide to building your own furniture in the style of some of some classic pieces. So if you fancy getting down and creating your own shelving, coffee table, circular dining table or space age lounger, your guide is at hand.

Obviously, none of this is for beginners like me, but if you have some good woodworking skills or know someone (or some small company) that does, you could use the book's drawings and guides to create bespoke mid-century-style furniture at a fraction of the cost of an original. The price of this gem? Well, we picked it up from a junk shop for £1 and I can guess you'll not pay much more for a copy on eBay or Abebooks.

Browse for a copy of the book on the Abebooks website

Coming in January: Royal Mail launches James Bond postage stamps

Bond_stamps

It takes a lot to get me excited about postage stamps, but the Royal Mail's James Bond stamp collection just about does it.

Unveiled today and available to buy and use from January 8th 2008, the James Bond collection marks the centenary of the birth of Bond creator Ian Fleming and includes six 'extra-long' stamps, each featuring different covers of six of his most famous Bond novels.

The two 1st Class stamps feature Fleming’s first novel Casino Royale (1953) and Dr No (the first novel to be filmed). The 54p stamps shows the covers of Goldfinger and Diamonds are Forever, while the final 78p pairing features For Your Eyes Only and From Russia with Love.

All can be ordered now as collector's packs from the Royal Mail website.

Find out more at the Royal Mail website

McQueen's Machines: The Cars and Bikes of a Hollywood Legend

Mcqueen_cars It's stating the obvious somewhat to say that Steve McQueen had an interest in cars and bikes - it was probably more of an obsession. And now you can share that obsession with McQueen's Machines: The Cars and Bikes of a Hollywood Legend.

Journalist Matt Stone was given access to the McQueen family albums to create this 176-page hardback book, packing each page with images of vehicles driven, owned, and raced by Steve McQueen. And to give it continuity, there's plenty of facts too - including his obsession with Triumph motorbikes (James Dean introduced them to him apparently), the disappointing news that he didn't do the motorcycle jump in the Great Escape and the ever-increasing value of his vehicles - his 1963 Ferrari Lusso, which sold last summer for a massive $2.3 million.

This book is available for a more modest price - £10.19 from Amazon.

Find out more about the book at Amazon.co.uk

Via Cinedelica

First-ever issue of Playboy reissued - but only in limited quantities

Playboy_first_2 Playboy was launched in December 1953, offering 'entertainment for men' for just 10 cents. Picking up an original of that issue would cost you well in excess of £1,000 - if you could find one. But fear not, an official reprint of the first issue is now available, but only in limited quantities.

And it is an exact copy, with all of the original articles, advertisements and photographs precisely as they appeared back in 1953 - including the famous Marilyn Monroe centrefold.

Just 20,000 being issued worldwide, so if you want one, get your order in now. It retails for $25 (around £12.50).

Find out more at the Playboy Store website

"Labour Saving Hints and Ideas for the Home" Book

LaboursavingWhether it was true or not, the idea prevails that things operated more efficiently in the past. Especially when it came to running a household, it appears that our ancestors at the beginning of the last century knew best. “ Labour Saving Hints and Ideas for the Home” gives you the benefit of that wisdom, handily collected in one book.

Originally published in 1924, it contains over 1,300 tips that were compiled from entries submitted to a competition ran earlier in the decade. Some are amusing, some outdated, but overall most of them do offer sound advice.

It can be picked up from various sellers via Amazon, starting from under £2.

Creative Interiors - mid-century journal and colouring book

Creative_interiors Just because you're grown up doesn't mean you can't still do child-like things such as colouring in. And when there are cool books like Creative Interiors on the market, it should be positively encouraged,

Creative Interiors is described as a journal and colouring book for grown-ups, with a pile of mid-century designs and interiors for you to colour in, along with sketch and grid paper for you to create your own classic.

Each book contains 12 colouring book pages, 25 grid pages and 25 blank sketch pages, all spiral bound with a board cover. And it's yours for £14.

Find out more at the Mirror Mirror website

TV Cream's Toys: Presents You Pestered Your Parents For

Tvcream_toys As kids throughout the world wait expectantly for a Nintendo Wii, it seems a good time to look back at the toys we wanted as kids with TV Cream's Toys: Presents You Pestered Your Parents For.

The book celebrates the toys and games that turned up under the tree in years gone by - from Big Trak to Buckaroo, Mastermind to Merlin, Sorry to Strawberry Shortcake and the likes of Subbuteo, Simon, Evel Knievel, Etch-A-Sketch, Rubiks Cube and many more too numerous to mention from the 1960s to the 1990s. Each is accompanied by details and anecdotes, as well as images and eBay values.

Part nostalgia, part reference book, it is available in hardback for £5.19.

Find out more about the book at Amazon.co.uk

Vintage Penguin novel pencils

Penguin_pencils A nice piece of vintage design with a story - these vintage Penguin novel pencils.

Here's the story - Penguin started in 1965, but the company didn't have a logo. So publisher Allen Lane sent office junior Edward Young to London Zoo to sketch the penguins for a company logo. And appropriately, here's a set of six pencils based on the original design that Edward Young produced.

A very cool item and available online for £7.

Find out more at the Design Museum Shop

Essential Reading: Modern Design In Metal by Richard Stewart

Modern_metal Yesterday, we kicked off our Essential Reading series with Modern Design In Wood by Richard Stewart, a must-have for anyone interested in wood-based design in the 1970s. And if you liked the look of that, you'll love the companion Modern Design In Metal by Richard Stewart, which is even better.

Again published in 1979, Modern Design In Metal is pretty much a must-have for anyone interested in 70s design. Covering everything from sculptural pieces to interior design, it flags up all the big names as well as some minor players worth seeking out. The name items include sculpture from Barbara Hepworth, Georg Jensen jewellery, Garrard candelabras, Heals tableware, David Mellor cutlery, Pieff and Merrow Associates furniture (including a stunning Merrow desk), Flos and Artemide lighting and even some early electronics from Sinclair amongst the miscellaneous items.

A superb reference, not to mention a fascinating read. Again, this is long out of print, but Abebooks should throw a couple of copies up.

Search for a copy at the Abebooks used book website

Essential Reading: Modern Design In Wood by Richard Stewart

Modern_wood_2 Modern reference guides are fine, but books contemporary to an era are usually so much more informative. And a number of these books are sought-after by both dealers and collectors of mid-century design. One such book is Modern Design In Wood by Richard Stewart.

Printed in 1979, Modern Design In Wood is a superb reference to an era not particularly well documented - wood-based design from the late 60s and into the 1970s, with everything from sculpture and jewellery through to tables, cabinets and fitted units. It's particularly strong on stylish designs by a host of (as now) lesser-known British and European designers which are certain to be collectables of the future, as well as a couple that are currently on the rise - Merrow Associates features prominently.

If you spend your time browsing eBay or trawling house clearance stores, this is certainly a good book to absorb. Long out of print, but you can easily pick up used copies on Abebooks. Indeed, the book itself could well be an investment for the future.

Search for a copy at the Abebooks used book website

The Rules of Modern Policing - 1973 Edition

Modern_policing Pining for the return of Life On Mars? Well, sadly, it's not coming back. But that's not stopping the cash-ins, including the recently-released The Rules of Modern Policing - 1973 Edition by DCI Gene Hunt.

It's a spoof historical document covering the rules of policing, written by 1973's most famous copper. There are 10 sections, covering everything from interrogating suspects and undercover operations to driving and dress code - all illustrated by diagrams, including how to hit suspects so you don't leave a mark; how to signal the importance of your arrival by crashing into inanimate objects (cardboard boxes for example) and how to roll over the bonnet of your Cortina 'without making a dick of yourself'.

And to round things up, there's also a glossary of police terms, covering everything from blag to lag, and nonce to ponce. In fact everything you would need for a time before PCs went PC. You pick it up in hardback from Amazon for £5.94.

Find out more about the book at Amazon.co.uk

Notebooks recycled from vintage Ladybird books

Ladybird_etsy We have featured Ladybird books in the past - great examples of vintage design that you will regularly find in old bookshops. And if you like them, but don't really need an old school reference book cluttering up the house, how about these notebooks recycled from vintage Ladybird books?

They're available now from Etsy, each featuring a cover from an original Ladybird book, as well as some of the super-cool illustrations from the original book too. The books have been re-bound with double-o metal ring and now feature over 100 sides of white-lined notebook paper for your notes and jotting.

Not bad value either at $17.50, which is around £9.

Find out more at the Stupid Gorgeous Etsy site

Junkshop Gem: Blue Peter Book Of Teddy's Clothes

Blue_teddy

Crafting is big business these days - a quick browse of Etsy is enough to tell you that. Which probably gives the Blue Peter Book Of Teddy's Clothes a monetary value alongside its novelty one.

For anyone outside the UK, Blue Peter is Britain's longest-running kids TV show and a show that's always been big on making things out of items you might have hanging round the house. This book, dating from 1969 (as Valerie Singleton's hairdo probably indicates), is a set of step-by-step designs for making clothes for your bear - something that Val was known for it seems. And it really is a gem, with designs for a pirate, a cowboy, a Mexican and a pilot, all with instructions anyone can follow. Although whether you have the patience for all that sewing and knitting is open to question.

Our junkshop find was just £1 - I imagine a search on Abebooks or eBay will bring up a copy for not much more.

Search for Blue Peter Book Of Teddy's Clothes on eBay

Five must-buy mod books

RichardbarnesEvery year, more books hit the shelves about mods, some good, some bad and one or two very ugly. If you fancy buying one of the better ones, but don't know where to start, help is at hand.

The latest article over at Modculture is five must-buy mod books, a selection of books from across the spectrum, but all with one thing in common - they are worth the price tag. So whether you are interested in the 1960s scene, the 1980s scene and beyond, fact, fiction or an academic read, there should be a book for you.

Alternatively, if you fancy some online reading, there's an archive of articles online at Modculture, which you can access here.

Read the five must-buy mod books article

Just Can't Get Enough: Toys, Games, and Other Stuff from the '80s That Rocked

Justcantget While children plead for and parents stress over whatever this year’s ‘must have’ toy is, remind yourself of the toys that caused a stir back in the 1980s. "Just Can't Get Enough: Toys, Games, and Other Stuff from the '80s That Rocked" is full of memories of the fads and crazes from that decade.

There are chapters devoted to Care Bears, Scratch n Sniff stickers, Strawberry Shortcake, the Garbage Pail Kids, Alf and He-Man. Each section explains the concept (The Story), the products and its cultural relevance and impact (What Did It All Mean?), which makes it sound more intellectual then it is!

For anyone who grew up in the 1980s, it will no doubt raise a smile or two, but for anyone already a grown-up by then, its contents’ appeal will be as mystifying as today’s obsessions. It is available on Amazon for under £7.

Book Shelf - made from an old book

Bookshelf Never has a product name been so accurate - this is the Book Shelf - made from an old book.

Well, what looks like an old book. It isn't for two reasons - firstly, it's not a genuine book, see the author's name of 'S.E.L.F. Shelf' for a clue to that. And secondly, this vintage-like book is actually solid and ready to fix to your wall as a 'floating' shelf, with the screws and plugs included.

So fix it on the wall, then pile your other books on top. Very eye-catching and not expensive - just £19.99.

Find out more at the I Want One Of Those website

Knitted Icons - knit your own Audrey Hepburn

Knitted_icons Knitting is back and it's cool - especially when you are making Knitted Icons.

Knitted Icons is a book of patterns for making - you guessed it - icons past and present, including everyone from Madonna and Jackie O to Chairman Mao and Che Guevara. Each doll is 10 inches tall and apparently, easy enough for the beginner to attempt.

And if you don't want to risk your cash, here's a bonus - you can download the pattern for the Audrey Hepburn doll absolutely free by following the link below. And if you want the book, you can order it from Urban Outfitters for $15.95 (around £8).

Download the Audrey Hepburn doll pattern

Find out more about the book at the Urban Outfitters website

Architectural Masterpieces Colouring Book

Colouring

Like bouncy castles and park swings, colouring books are ordinarily the preserve of children, not the done thing once you get above a certain but secretly something we’d probably still like to do from time to time.

People Will Always Need Plates have found a solution to this with their Architectural Masterpieces Colouring Book. Featuring outlines of their 23 favourite buildings, ranging from mansions to tower blocks, it provides a rather grown-up topic for colouring, certainly not one for the children.

It costs £5 and can be ordered from their website.

London: Atlas Of Architecture

London_archi_2 Like all cities, London is a mix of architecture from all eras, dating back over hundreds of years. London: Atlas Of Architecture by Alejandro Bahamón aims to be your guide through it.

It's a visual guide, with over 600 photographs, historical maps, paintings and drawings. And for easy browsing, it's split over three sections. The first is a chronological breakdown, from early Roman buildings through to the latest constructions. Secondly, there's a breakdown by borough, with maps picking out interes