Bøger af Desmond King

With its history of nearly a thousand years, shoji - translucent paper-backed sliding doors and screens - are an inherent part of Japanese tradition and culture. But their beauty and charm can equally be adapted to rooms in a Western home.In this book, Des King examines basic shoji making and design. He gives comprehensive background information about shoji and how they have evolved, and detailed step-by-step instructions, supported by many diagrams and photographs, on how to make three shoji with progressively more complex kumiko arrangements, and variations on structure and joinery.Kumiko patterns enhance the uniqueness and charm of shoji, and Des King introduces three different kinds of patterns, and provides detailed instructions on how to make each kind, including dimensional diagrams of jigs that will improve work efficiency.He also dispels many of the myths about the Japanese hand-plane - the kanna - with an extensive description of how to set up, use and maintain this exceptional tool, including problems that can arise and how to avoid them.Through his highly structured and traditional approach in Book 1, Des King lays solid foundations from which any woodworker can confidently look toward tackling much more complex kumiko patterns and arrangements that can enhance the flair and individuality of shoji in any setting.

In Shoji and Kumiko Design Book 2 Beyond the Basics, Des King continues on from where he finished with Book 1 The Basics, and takes instruction in shoji patterns and kumiko art to the next level.Book 2 explores much more complex kumiko arrangements with two stunning shoji projects, and an extensive array of beautiful and intricate kumiko patterns, ranging from relatively simple, to highly advanced.He provides detailed instructions with more than 500 photographs and diagrams on how to make more than forty kumiko patterns in the square, diamond and hexagonal layout using tools found in any Western workshop, and simple shop-made jigs. No specialized tools are required for the patterns covered in Book 2.The kinds of patterns in this book will turn a simple attractive shoji into a an exquisite and eye-catching work of art that will add great flair and style to your home.

Book 3 Hexagonal Patterns is the third and final book in the Shoji and Kumiko Design series, and follows on seamlessly from Book 2 - Beyond the Basics. In Book 3, Des King gives detailed, step-by-step instructions on making 45 stunning patterns in the hexagonal jigumi arrangement, ranging from the very simple, to the highly complex and extremely difficult.More than 500 photographs and diagrams guide you at each stage on making these patterns using tools found in any Western workshop, and simple shop-made jigs. As with Book 1 and Book 2, no specialised tools are required for any of the patterns covered in Book 3.The patterns in this book are indeed items of art, and can be applied in a broad range of furniture and artistic designs to set your work apart from all others.

The liberal political origins of work-welfare programmes and issues of conflicting goals is documented in this text. With examples derived from Great Britain and America, the incorporation of liberal requirements and private market forces in providing opportunities for the unemployed is discussed.

In the nineteenth century, virtually anyone could get into the United States. By the 1920s, however, U.S. immigration policy had become a finely filtered regime of selection. Desmond King looks at this dramatic shift, and the debates behind it, for what they reveal about the construction of an "American" identity.

Why have American policies failed to reduce the racial inequalities still pervasive throughout the nation? Has President Barack Obama defined new political approaches to race that might spur unity and progress? Still a House Divided examines the enduring divisions of American racial politics and how these conflicts have been shaped by distinct political alliances and their competing race policies. Combining deep historical knowledge with a detailed exploration of such issues as housing, employment, criminal justice, multiracial census categories, immigration, voting in majority-minority districts, and school vouchers, Desmond King and Rogers Smith assess the significance of President Obama's election to the White House and the prospects for achieving constructive racial policies for America's future. Offering a fresh perspective on the networks of governing institutions, political groups, and political actors that influence the structure of American racial politics, King and Smith identify three distinct periods of opposing racial policy coalitions in American history. The authors investigate how today's alliances pit color-blind and race-conscious approaches against one another, contributing to political polarization and distorted policymaking. Contending that President Obama has so far inadequately confronted partisan divisions over race, the authors call for all sides to recognize the need for a balance of policy measures if America is to ever cease being a nation divided. Presenting a powerful account of American political alliances and their contending racial agendas, Still a House Divided sheds light on a policy path vital to the country's future.

The transformation of British local government into a new and complex system of local governance raises fundamental theoretical questions as well as empirical ones.