The Mermaid Handbook


Book Description

Answer the enchanting siren call of the mermaid with this comprehensive, lavishly illustrated and intricately designed one-of-a-kind lifestyle compendium from the editor in chief of Faerie Magazine and author of The Faerie Handbook and globally published novel Mermaid, packed with lore, legends, facts and trivia, beautiful illustrations, and numerous step-by-step projects and recipes. Beautiful, seductive, mysterious, and potentially dangerous, the mermaid is a global literary and pop culture icon whose roots date back to ancient sea goddesses and Greek mythology. From Homer’s Odyssey and Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale The Little Mermaid to T.S. Eliot’s "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" and the Disney animated film The Little Mermaid, this sea vixen has long seduced popular imagination. Cosmetic companies have drawn inspiration for their makeup lines from mermaids, as have designers throughout fashion history, from Jean Patou to Jean Paul Gaultier and Alexander McQueen. The fishtail dress is a perennial long red-carpet staple, favored by the likes of Marion Cotillard, Sofia Vergara, and Blake Lively. Divided into four sections—Fashion and Beauty; Arts and Culture; Real Mermaids and Where to Find Them; and Food, Entertaining and Stories of the Sea—The Mermaid Handbook is a unique and sumptuous compilation filled with creative ideas for decorating and living inspired by these beauties from the deep. Learn to make a sailor’s valentine; a mermaid comb and crown; and a pearl and sequin paillette necklace. There are recipes for mermaid-themed poke bowls, aquatic-themed honey gingerbread cookies, and the official cocktail of the 1960s-era mermaid attraction Aquarama. Folklore expert Carolyn Turgeon also includes profiles of true modern mermaids, tail makers, and mermaid bars; visits mermaid attractions like Weeki Wachee Springs; and provides tips on getting beachy mermaid hair and creating an alluring eye.




The Faerie Handbook


Book Description

This exquisite anthology welcomes you into an enchanted realm rich with myth, mystery, romance, and abounding natural beauty. Gorgeous fine art and photographs, literature, essays, do-it-yourself projects, and recipes provide hours of reading, viewing, and dreaming pleasure along with a multitude of ideas for modern-day living and entertaining with a distrinctive fairy touch.




The Penguin Book of Mermaids


Book Description

*Includes "The Little Mermaid," now a major motion picture from Disney starring Halle Bailey and directed by Rob Marshall* Dive into centuries of mermaid lore with these captivating tales from around the world. A Penguin Classic Among the oldest and most popular mythical beings, mermaids and other merfolk have captured the imagination since long before Ariel sold her voice to a sea witch in the beloved Disney film adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid." As far back as the eighth century B.C., sailors in Homer's Odyssey stuffed wax in their ears to resist the Sirens, who lured men to their watery deaths with song. More than two thousand years later, the gullible New York public lined up to witness a mummified "mermaid" specimen that the enterprising showman P. T. Barnum swore was real. The Penguin Book of Mermaids is a treasury of such tales about merfolk and water spirits from different cultures, ranging from Scottish selkies to Hindu water-serpents to Chilean sea fairies. A third of the selections are published here in English for the first time, and all are accompanied by commentary that explores their undercurrents, showing us how public perceptions of this popular mythical hybrid--at once a human and a fish--illuminate issues of gender, spirituality, ecology, and sexuality. For more than seventy-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 2,000 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.




The Unicorn Handbook


Book Description

From Carolyn Turgeon, editor in chief of Enchanted Living and author of The Faerie Handbook and The Mermaid Handbook, comes this exquisitely illustrated and beautifully designed lifestyle compendium, a complete guide to the world of unicorns covering fashion and beauty; arts and culture; and home, food, and entertaining with step-by-step crafts and recipes. Strong, regal, and dazzling, there is no more romantic a creature in both folklore and pop culture than the majestic unicorn. Known for its preference for solitary living in the depths of enchanted and perfumed forests, the unicorn will only occasionally reveal itself to virginal ladies and/or save the day with its magical horn, which is said to neutralize poison when dipped into food or drink. In medieval times, unicorns were a symbol of chivalry and aristocracy, so it’s no surprise that they became the ideal companion for gallant knights, and eventually, the symbol of Jesus in many illuminated bestiaries. They also came to represent unknown danger in the ancient city of Persepolis in 515 BCE, a belief immortalized on the British coat of arms with the unicorn shown as the mighty lion’s fiercest opponent. This feud also appears in a traditional English nursery that was the origin of the quarrel between The Lion and the Unicorn in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass. It wasn’t long before a piece of the unicorn’s mane, blood, and horn became hot commodity in man’s pursuit for immortality. Today, unicorns can be found in modern tales like Harry Potter, television shows like My Little Pony, colorful Lisa Frank-inspired fashion and makeup trends, and must-have food crazes like the Unicorn Frappuccino and bagels. Divided into four sections: flora and fauna; fashion and beauty; arts and culture; home, food, and entertaining—The Unicorn Handbook is the ultimate compilation and guidebook filled with step-by-step projects and recipes throughout. Learn how to make your very own unicorn tail loop braid or unicorn dust for that extra sparkle in your life. There are recipes to make a plum cake straight from the world of Alice in Wonderland and tips on how to throw the most unique garden party ever (complete with instructions on how to make unicorn horn table favors and utensils). And there’s also an exclusive interview with Peter S. Beagle, the author of the classic tale The Last Unicorn.




A Field Guide to Mermaids


Book Description

A magical and lushly illustrated field guide to the mermaids that inhabit our ponds, streams and oceans, based on real ecological details—with a strong environmental focus—perfect for fans of The Magical Unicorn Society series. A glimmer of fish scales. A splash from a colorful fin. The echo of a mysterious song across the water. . . Few mythical creatures are more instantly recognizable or more mysterious than mermaids. Whether seen perched on a rock at the water’s edge or spied only as a dim outline beneath the waves, mermaids have long fascinated sailors, scientists, storytellers, and surprised onlookers alike. Now, for the first time, thanks to dedicated research and a hint of magic, comes A Field Guide to Mermaids, introducing the many species of mermaids native to the United States. With an eye toward the preservation of our natural habitats, Emily B. Martin shares the never-before-told stories of the mermaids who share our waters in this enchanting and beautifully illustrated guidebook.




The Marvelous Book of Magical Mermaids


Book Description

Grab your little mermaid and bring your imagination, as classic paper doll dress-up meets enchantment under the sea. The Marvelous Book of Magical Mermaids takes this classic play pattern to new heights (and depths) -- it comes with six glamorous paper mermaids and three elegant paper sea horse friends. You get everything you need to dress them up and play, since our mermaid book comes with 200+ fin-tastic punch-out fashions and accessories--from gowns to crowns to jewels to hairstyles. Gorgeous mermaid tailfins in a variety of glittery, shiny, sparkly finishes add the final, magical touches. Reusable sticky dots make it easy to swap outfits, even tailfins, and the four beautifully-illustrated double-page playscapes let girls enjoy hours of imaginative play as they make their mermaids swim and frolic. We even include a built-in storage pouch so nothing ends up at the bottom of the deep blue sea . . . except your imagination. Comes with: 50 page book, 6 paper doll mermaids, 3 paper doll seahorses, 8 tail fins, 200+ punch-out fashions, reusable sticky shapes, 4 gorgeous playscape backgrounds, storage pouch




Maidens, Myths and Mermaids


Book Description

For centuries people have used mythology to describe and explain many great events of human experience. The 40 spellbinding stained glass panels in this collection illustrate the legends of love, adventure, exploration, and conquest. They examine the folklore of the Mermaid, of chivalrous Knights, dancing Maidens, Kings on horseback, consorts, musicians, lovers and so much more. Descriptive text accompanies each design providing a fascinating insight into the artist's challenge and offers solutions with hints and tips for glass selection and project strategy. Every project includes the pattern line drawing. 24 projects are shown fabricated with a colour photograph while the remaining 16 are rendered as a textured line drawing with colour suggestions. Plus two designs are provided as full-size patterns printed on a bonus pullout page in the back of the book. The author presents an overview of how she turns an oil painting into a stained glass design, plus detailed instructions on how to enlarge a pattern drawing.




Mermaid Tales from Around the World


Book Description

Enchanting tales of sea nymphs from twelve cultures, including Chinese, Iranian, African, and Native American, are eloquently retold by a master storyteller and illustrated in the distinctive style of each culture. Reprint.




The Mermaid Handbook


Book Description

“Contains profiles of mermaids from around the world complete with folklore about each maiden . . . a must-have if you are fascinated with mermaids.” —Beachcombing The book mermaids-in-training have been waiting for. From history and folklore to recipes and tips for ocean preservation, as well as profiles and original illustrations of mer-maidens from around the world, The Mermaids Handbook features everything you need to know to follow the mermaid way of life.] Over 40 healthy and accessible recipes, developed by author Taylor Widrig of Mermaid Fare, a Nova Scotia–based company specializing in wild and cultivated sea vegetables, include scrumptious starters like Mermaid Kaiso Seaweed Salad, new classics like Dulse, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwich and Creamy Wakame Casserole, as well as healthy snacks like Smoothie Bowls and Energy Bites, and even homemade beauty products, such as the Coconut Sea Hair Mask—for that salty sea-hair. Includes an introduction by Dr. Alan Critchley with everything you’ve ever wanted to know about seaweeds and original 2-colour illustrations by artist Briana Corr Scott (The Book of Selkie). “Nova Scotia sea-vegetable advocate Taylor Widrig is hoping to lure a new generation into the depths with her debut book . . . Written in a conversational tone, Widrig’s scientific explanations are fascinating and age appropriate.” —Quill & Quire




The Folk Handbook


Book Description

Many of the great songs that have inspired performers around the world in the last 50 years come from the English folk song tradition. This book provides words and melodies for nearly 100 songs, along with an exploration of their history and meaning, the context in which they arose, and their value to writers and performers around the world.