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Innovative Approaches to Researching Landscape and Health: Open Space: People Space 2
by Simon Bell Catharine Ward Thompson Peter AspinallOur modern lifestyles often cause us to spend more time sitting behind a desk than being active outdoors. At the same time, our general health is deteriorating. The alarming rise in obesity, sedentary lifestyles and mental ill-health across the developed world has resulted in an urgent desire to understand how the environment, in particular the outdoor environment, influences health. This book addresses the growing interest in salutogenic environments - landscapes that support healthy lifestyles and promote well-being – and the need for innovative methods to research them. Drawing on multidisciplinary approaches from environmental psychology, health sciences, urban design, landscape architecture and horticulture, it questions how future research can be better targeted to inform policy and practice in health promotion. The contributing authors are international experts in researching landscape, health and the environment, drawn together by OPENspace directors who have a unique reputation in this area. This pioneering book is a valuable resource for postgraduate researchers and practitioners in both environmental and health studies.
Innovative Cities
by James SimmieInnovative Cities presents a unique international comparison of innovation in Amsterdam, London, Milan, Paris and Stuttgart. Based on research funded by the ESRC program on 'Cities: Competitiveness and Cohesion', it compares and contrasts the reasons why these sites are among the top ten innovative cities in Europe. Innovation is one of the key driving forces of economic growth in modern economies.The research reported here takes a careful and directly comparable look at what characteristics and conditions in the five cities have led to the flourishing of innovation in them. Researchers with detailed local knowledge have applied the same analytical tools and survey techniques to investigating this question and the result present a unique international comparison of innovation in the five cities.
Innovative Community Responses to Disaster (Community Development – Current Issues Series)
by Brent D. Hales, Norman Walzer and James R. CalvinIncreasingly, community leaders around the world face major natural and economic disasters that require them to find ways to rebuild both physical infrastructure and the local economy. Doing this effectively requires an understanding of how various parts of the community are interconnected, as well as information as to which revitalization approaches have succeeded in the past. Community investment in recovery is essential and, in some cases, may require local leaders to rethink how it can be financed and arranged. This book presents a conceptual framework based on the community capitals, and describes approaches that have succeeded in situations where local leaders have coordinated efforts to rebuild and revitalize local conditions. Contributions provide examples of successful approaches around the world, thus analysing potential strategies for addressing disasters of many different types in various cultural settings. In this way, the book provides insights into a variety of approaches based on applications of accepted community development theory and concepts. This book was originally published as a special issue of Community Development.
Innovative Design for Societal Needs: Proceedings of NERC 2022
by Sougata Karmakar Urmi R. Salve Pratul Chandra Kalita Sharmistha BanerjeeThis book presents select proceedings of North-East Research Conclave (NERC 2022) on innovative design for societal needs. Human Society and culture are a continuously evolving, complex, and intelligent system. The social needs of humans today are exacerbated by extremely unbalanced regional economic development and cultural identity crises across the globe and within states. This edited book presents cutting-edge research on how design innovation can be used to bring sustainable and meaningful social change. It also provides novel directions for future researchers interested in exploring the impact of design innovation and design thinking on human society. The book can be a valuable reference for beginners, researchers, and professionals interested in innovative design and allied fields.
Innovative Fabric Imagery for Quilts: Must-Have Guide to Transforming & Printing Your Favorite Images on Fabric
by Lynn Koolish Cyndy Lyle RymerWarning! Creating Images on Fabric Can Be Addictive Includes 13 Quilt Projects & Exhibition Gallery • 13 innovative projects with step-by-step instructions and inspiring digital techniques • Getting-started chapter on equipment, supplies, printing on fabric, and image-editing software • Gallery of more than 40 entries selected for the Innovative Fabric Imagery special exhibit in Houston This book is filled with inspiration for fabric artists, from projects that show step by step how to make art quilts using your own photos and images, to galleries of stunning art made by some of today's most innovative quilters. Have fun creating artistic effects with image-editing software such as Photoshop® Elements and Kaleidoscope Kreator 2, then printing your images on fabric and turning them into fabulous quilts.
Innovative Houses: Concepts For Sustainable Living
by Avi FriedmanHousing is rapidly having to adapt to the global changes of the twenty first century. These include the transformation of the family and the rise of the non-traditional household, increases in construction costs, and concerns over climate change and the depletion of natural resources. Designing residential environments that address these issues is an urgent priority.This book examines the latest residential design trends that have arisen in response to these challenges. Divided into four broad areas, tightly focused thematic chapters look at twenty discrete topics, such as live/work; adaptable housing; prefabrication; water efficiency; green roofs; and innovative landscaping. Each chapter includes an essay which lays out principles, methods and practices. Using text, drawings and photos from a variety of contemporary international practices, the book demonstrates how these ideas can be applied by architects. It offers a comprehensive collection of strategies and examples that will inspire a much needed housing revolution.
Innovative Houses: Concepts for Sustainable Living
by Avi FriedmanHousing is rapidly having to adapt to the global changes of the twenty first century. These include the transformation of the family and the rise of the non-traditional household, increases in construction costs, and concerns over climate change and the depletion of natural resources. Designing residential environments that address these issues is an urgent priority.This book examines the latest residential design trends that have arisen in response to these challenges. Divided into four broad areas, tightly focused thematic chapters look at twenty discrete topics, such as live/work; adaptable housing; prefabrication; water efficiency; green roofs; and innovative landscaping. Each chapter includes an essay which lays out principles, methods and practices. Using text, drawings and photos from a variety of contemporary international practices, the book demonstrates how these ideas can be applied by architects. It offers a comprehensive collection of strategies and examples that will inspire a much needed housing revolution.
Innovative Materials and Techniques in Concrete Construction
by Michael N. FardisRecent years have seen enormous advances in the technology of concrete as a material, through which its strength, compactness and ductility can reach levels never dreamed of before. Thanks to these improved material properties, the strength and durability of concrete structures is greatly improved, their weight and dimensions reduced, the scope of concrete as a structural material is widened and - despite the higher material costs - overall economy is possible, with positive impacts on sustainability as well. Similar advances are underway in reinforcing materials, notably high strength steel and fibre-reinforced polymers, and in the way they are combined with concrete into high performance structures. Developments in materials and equipment, as well as new concepts, have lead to innovative construction techniques, reducing cost and construction time and making possible the application of concrete under extreme conditions of construction or environment. All these advances will be highlighted in the book by the top experts in the field of concrete structures, namely those currently active in the field's leading and truly international scientific and technical association: the International Federation of Structural Concrete (fib) www.fib-international.org. Audience: Practicing engineers and firms, academics, researchers and graduate students, will all find the book timely, informative and very interesting.
Innovative Public Participation Practices for Sustainable Urban Regeneration (Urban Sustainability)
by Ali Cheshmehzangi Tim Heath Eugenio Mangi Weixuan ChenThis book analyzes the adoption of stakeholders’ engagement in various fields and scales while providing the readers with an international outlook of the topic. In the contemporary processes of urban development, regeneration is becoming a relevant way to limit the occupation of new land and to enhance the existing spatial, social, and ecological dimensions of specific parts of the city. It generally entails the engagement of different groups of stakeholders and users at various levels—e.g., institutional and private—who carry on their own agendas while conveying a wide range of interests and values to safeguard. At the same time, despite indications of a significant increase in its implementation under various forms and in multiple contexts in the last twenty years, participatory mechanisms have not been without challenges and barriers due to several factors, including facilitators’ poor negotiation and communication practices, and consequently misinterpretation of the values at stake made by the parties involved, or obstructionism and gridlocks carried on by the different stakeholders. The narrative of the collection is structured in four sections The contributions elaborate on innovative participatory patterns, how they are/might be entangled with the different stages of regeneration projects, in what measure they have contributed to the United Nations sustainability goals, and the potential matters emerging during the negotiation phases. In detail, the four sections are: 1. Public space regeneration 2. Ecological regeneration 3. Built heritage regeneration 4. Informal settlements regeneration. Finally, this book is a significant asset to urban policy makers, planners, practitioners, and researchers in the architecture and urban studies domain who aim at deepening public participation practices knowledge by comparing different experiences.
Innovative Technologies in Urban Mapping
by Antonella Contin Paolo Paolini Rossella SalernoThe book presents a comprehensive vision of the impact of ICT on the contemporary city, heritage, public spaces and meta-cities on both urban and metropolitan scales, not only in producing innovative perspectives but also related to newly discovered scientific methods, which can be used to stimulate the emerging reciprocal relations between cities and information technologies. Using the principles established by multi-disciplinary interventions as examples and then expanding on them, this book demonstrates how by using ICT and new devices, metropolises can be organized for a future that preserves the historic nucleus of the city and the environment while preparing the necessary expansion of transportation, housing and industrial facilities.
Innovative Technology in Art Conservation: Original Appearance and Viewer Perception (Conservation in Focus)
by W. (Bill) WeiInnovative Technology in Art Conservation provides one of the first ever critical assessments of innovation in conservation science and questions what role it should play in conservation and conservation ethics. Written in language understandable for the non-technical reader, the book begins with a brief history of so-called science-based conservation, which is based on chemistry, physics and engineering, and examines how it influences conservation ethics and conservation decisions. It considers the concepts of originality and original appearance, and how people see and perceive objects, looking in particular at the results of the relatively new technology of eye-tracking. Wei then moves on to critically examine advanced technologies such as colour modelling, hyperspectral imaging, texture mapping, virtual retouching and digital reproductions and considers what they offer for determining original appearance of artworks and other cultural heritage objects. The book concludes with some reflections on the future of conservation and science-based conservation, calling for more thoughtful consideration of what it is that conservation scientists are offering, and why and for whom it is being offered. Innovative Technology in Art Conservation is essential reading for academics and students working in conservation and conservation science. The book will also be of interest to the international community of conservators and cultural heritage professionals who must make decisions about whether to use advanced technologies in their practice.
Innovative Vaulting in the Architecture of the Roman Empire
by Lynne C. Lancaster"This book studies six vaulting techniques employed in architecture outside of Rome and asks why they were invented where they were and how they were disseminated. Most of the techniques involve terracotta elements in various forms, such as regular flat bricks, hollow voussoirs, vaulting tubes, and armchair voussoirs. Each one is traced geographically via GIS mapping, the results of which are analysed in relation to chronology, geography, and historical context. The most common building type in which the techniques appear is the bath, demonstrating its importance as a catalyst for technological innovation. This book also explores trade networks, the pottery industry, and military movements in relation to building construction, revealing how architectural innovation was influenced by wide ranging cultural factors, many of which stemmed from local influences rather than imperial intervention"--
Inpainting and Denoising Challenges (The Springer Series on Challenges in Machine Learning)
by Xavier Baró Sergio Escalera Umut Güçlü Stephane Ayache Jun Wan Meysam MadadiThe problem of dealing with missing or incomplete data in machine learning and computer vision arises in many applications. Recent strategies make use of generative models to impute missing or corrupted data. Advances in computer vision using deep generative models have found applications in image/video processing, such as denoising, restoration, super-resolution, or inpainting. Inpainting and Denoising Challenges comprises recent efforts dealing with image and video inpainting tasks. This includes winning solutions to the ChaLearn Looking at People inpainting and denoising challenges: human pose recovery, video de-captioning and fingerprint restoration. This volume starts with a wide review on image denoising, retracing and comparing various methods from the pioneer signal processing methods, to machine learning approaches with sparse and low-rank models, and recent deep learning architectures with autoencoders and variants. The following chapters present results from the Challenge, including three competition tasks at WCCI and ECML 2018. The top best approaches submitted by participants are described, showing interesting contributions and innovating methods. The last two chapters propose novel contributions and highlight new applications that benefit from image/video inpainting.
Inquiry and Innovation in the Classroom: Using 20% Time, Genius Hour, and PBL to Drive Student Success
by A.J. JulianiCareers in the 21st century are changing, but traditional education methods are not preparing students for these new jobs and demands. In this thought-provoking book, esteemed educator A.J. Juliani describes how we need to modify our classrooms to instill in students the drive for inquiry and innovation that they will need to succeed beyond school doors. Juliani reveals the ways that teachers can use Google’s 20% Time, Genius Hour, and Project-Based Learning to make students more creative, inquisitive, engaged in learning, and self-motivated—the kind of people we need to move society forward! He offers easy ways to implement these ideas while meeting the Common Core and still allowing plenty of time for content instruction. Special Features: Research on the benefits of inquiry-based learning Connections to the Common Core State Standards Stories and examples from the field Exciting ideas for using 20% Time, Genius Hour, and PBL at various grade levels Tips for preparing parents and administration for your new instruction Ideas for expanding your knowledge and continually learning in this area Classroom applications for each chapter, including sample projects and resources Bonus content with reproducible materials that you can use in your classroom right now, such as student checklists, questions, lessons, and unit plans As Juliani emphasizes, if we want our students to change the world, we must change our classrooms to foster inquiry and innovation.
Inquiry-Based Learning Through the Creative Arts for Teachers and Teacher Educators (Creativity, Education and the Arts)
by Amanda Nicole Gulla Molly Hamilton ShermanThis book is a theoretical and practical guide to implementing an inquiry-based approach to teaching which centers creative responses to works of art in curriculum. Guided by Maxine Greene’s philosophy of Aesthetic Education, the authors discuss the social justice implications of marginalized students having access to the arts and opportunities to find their voices through creative expression. They aim to demystify the process of inquiry-based learning through the arts for teachers and teacher educators by offering examples of lessons taught in high school classrooms and graduate level teaching methods courses. Examples of student writing and art work show how creative interactions with the arts can help learners of all ages deepen their skills as readers, writers, and thinkers.
Inro and Other Miniature Forms of Japanese Lacquer Art
by Melvin Jahss Betty Jahss"When Japan finally opened her doors to the outside world in the mid-19th century, there emerged one of the most skillful, exquisite, and remarkable art forms ever developed by any country: that of Japanese lacquer. Today, it is startling to discover that what we now consider as avante-garde in modern art - such as abstraction, impressionism, and collage - had already been perfected by Japanese lacquer artists over 300 years ago."These words from the introduction to this unusual and splendidly illustrated book give the reader a fore-taste of the pleasures that await him or her in its pages. They are, in effect, an invitation to enter a fascinating world of color, design, and masterly craftsmanship: the hardly less than unique world of Japanese miniature lacquer art. No previous book in English has explored this world so thoroughly or presented such an abundance of valuable information about it.The book is designed both for the novice in Japanese lacquer art and for the advanced collector who specializes in such delightful forms of that art as the inro and the netsuke. For readers who desire a general acquaintance with the subject, there are absorbing chapters on the history of Japanese lacquer, on miniature lacquer forms and on the subject matter of lacquer art. For the collector, there is not only highly technical information on lacquer manufacture and techniques but also a comprehensive chapter on netsuke. Three other features of the book make it an invaluable one for collectors: the biographical listing of more than 900 miniature- lacquer artists, the genealogies of the outstanding lacquer schools, and the reproductions of 59 signatures of representative artists.This book is generously supplied with 256 illustrations, of which 76 are in color. All important miniature lacquer forms are represented. In addition, there is a well-selected and useful bibliography.
Insecure Digital Frontiers: Navigating the Global Cybersecurity Landscape
by Akashdeep BhardwajInsecure Digital Frontiers is an immersive exploration into the tumultuous realm of cybersecurity, where the ever-expanding digital frontiers are both the battleground and the prize. From the shadows of cybercriminal exploits to the sophisticated dance of advanced persistence threats, this book delves into the vulnerabilities that define our interconnected world. With a panoramic lens, the book navigates through the challenges and opportunities that shape the global cybersecurity landscape, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of the insecurities that permeate our digital existence.Insecure Digital Frontiers is not just a book; it is an exploration of the insecurities that define our digital age. It matters because it goes beyond the surface, unraveling the complexities of cyber threats while providing actionable insights for individuals, organizations, and policymakers. In a world where the digital frontier is both a promise and a peril, this book serves as a guide for navigating the insecurities that define our interconnected existence.Embark on this journey through Insecure Digital Frontiers and discover the vulnerabilities that lurk in the shadows, the innovations that promise security, and the collective responsibility we share in securing our digital future.
Insecurity: Perils and Products of Theatres of the Real (G - Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects)
by Jenn StephensonThe early years of the twenty-first century have witnessed a proliferation of non-fiction, reality-based performance genres, including documentary and verbatim theatre, site-specific theatre, autobiographical theatre, and immersive theatre. Insecurity: Perils and Products of Theatres of the Real begins with the premise that although the inclusion of real objects and real words on the stage would ostensibly seem to increase the epistemological security and documentary truth-value of the presentation, in fact the opposite is the case. Contemporary audiences are caught between a desire for authenticity and immediacy of connection to a person, place, or experience, and the conditions of our postmodern world that render our lives insecure. The same conditions that underpin our yearning for authenticity thwart access to an impossible real. As a result of the instability of social reality, the audience, Jenn Stephenson explains, is unable to trust the mechanisms of theatricality. The by-product of theatres of the real in the age of post-reality is insecurity.
Inseminations: Seeds for Architectural Thought
by Juhani Pallasmaa Matteo ZambelliA collection of the writing of the highly influential architect, Juhani Pallasmaa, presented in short, easily accessible, and condensed ideas ideal for students Juhani Pallasmaa is one of Finland’s most distinguished architects and architectural thinkers, publishing around 60 books and several hundred essays and shorter pieces over his career. His influential works have inspired undergraduate and postgraduate students of architecture and related disciplines for decades. In this compilation of excerpts of his writing, readers can discover his key concepts and thoughts in one easily accessible, comprehensive volume. Inseminations: Seeds for Architectural Thought is a delightful collection of thoughtful ideas and compositions that float between academic essay and philosophical reflection. Wide in scope, it offers entries covering: atmospheres; biophilic beauty; embodied understanding; imperfection; light and shadow; newness and nowness; nostalgia; phenomenology of architecture; sensory thought; silence; time and eternity; uncertainty, and much more. Makes the wider work of Pallasmaa accessible to students across the globe, introducing them to his key concepts and thoughts Exposes students to a broad range of issues on which Pallasmaa has a view Features an alphabetized structure that makes serendipitous discovery or linking of concepts more likely Presents material in short, condensed manner that can be easily digested by students Inseminations: Seeds for Architectural Thought will appeal to undergraduate students in architecture, design, urban studies, and related disciplines worldwide.
Inside Acrylics: Studio Secrets From Today's Top Artists
by Phil GarrettAn artist-to-artist guide to acrylics today!Acrylics are an astoundingly versatile medium, as evidenced by the diversity of work emerging from studios around the country. This book takes you inside the studios and creative minds of 9 of today's top acrylic artists as they share favorite techniques, distinctive approaches, and examples of their best work.Packed with expert advice, Inside Acrylics will help beginning and intermediate artists make the most of both traditional acrylics and their new, slow-drying cousins.Real-world advice from 9 top acrylic artists, from the way they organize their palettes to tried and true strategies for painting in the studio, painting portraits, and painting outdoors.18 step-by-step demonstrations of favorite techniques.How to use acrylic paints, gels and mediums to achieve the look of oil paints, innovations in mixed media, and effects not achievable with any other medium.Advice on everything from materials and color theory to varnishing and care of finished work.Inside Acrylics contains years of hands-on experience to help up-and-coming artists make sense of all the options, save trial-and-error time, and explore the exciting possibilities of this most remarkable medium.
Inside American Gods
by Emily HaynesForeword by Neil Gaiman: A companion to the Starz series, &“packed with insight and anecdotes from the show&’s creators and cast, plus plenty of photos&” (A Site Called Fred). Neil Gaiman&’s Hugo, Nebula, and Stoker Award–winning New York Times bestseller American Gods is now a critically acclaimed Starz television series. In this official companion to the first season, fans can see behind the scenes of this compelling, surreal show in which Old Gods and New Gods battle for the hearts and minds of modern-day mortals. Inside American Gods dives deep into the show&’s character development and world building—and features interviews with actors Gillian Anderson, Crispin Glover, and Ian McShane, revealing how they brought this cult favorite to the screen. Also included are previously unpublished set photos, concept art, and production designs. ©2018 FremantleMedia. All rights reserved. American Gods and related trademarks are the property of FremantleMedia.
Inside Apartheid: One Woman’s Struggle In South Africa
by Carolyn Forché Janet LevineIn Inside Apartheid, South Africa born Janet Levine recounts the horrors of the struggles against the minority white government's brutal system of repression from a rare perspective--that of a white woman who worked within the system even as she fought to transform it.With candor and courage, Levine skillfully interweaves her personal story of a privileged white citizen's growing awareness of the evils of apartheid with a moving account of the increasing violence in and radical polarization of South Africa.Inside Apartheid brings to life both the unsurpassed physical beauty and the institutionalized brutality of the country Levine loves so deeply. We accompany her on a daring trip to the devastated black township of Soweto immediately following the unrest in 1976, on a visit to a home of a "colored" family with no way out of apartheid induced poverty, on a journey through the "black" homelands where Levine discovers firsthand the horrifying evidence of the long-term genocide of three million people.As a student activist, as a journalist, and as an elected member of the Johannesburg City Council, Levine openly attacked the government's policies in hundreds of speeches and articles, led election campaigns for one of her mentors, member of Parliament Helen Suzman, was associated with Steve Biko and other less internationally famous but equally important South African figures. Levine was a founding member of the first black taxi co-operative in South Africa, and instrumental in having hundreds of illegally fired black workers reinstated with back pay after the Johannesburg strikes of 1980.We feel Levine's pain when she finally asks soul-searching questions about the effectiveness of being a white activist. This book, with such honest witness bearing, may be her most important act of all.
Inside Black Mirror
by Jason Arnopp Charlie Brooker Annabel JonesThe first official companion to the Netflix cult-hit sci-fi television series that's fascinated millions of fans worldwide What becomes of humanity when it's fed into the jaws of a hungry new digital machine? Discover the world of Black Mirror in this immersive, illustrated, oral history. This first official book logs the entire Black Mirror journey, from its origins in creator Charlie Brooker's mind to its current status as one of the biggest cult TV shows to emerge from the UK. Alongside a collection of astonishing behind-the-scenes imagery and ephemera, Brooker and producer Annabel Jones will detail the creative genesis, inspiration, and thought process behind each film for the first time, while key actors, directors and other creative talents relive their own involvement.
Inside Bridgerton
by Shonda Rhimes Betsy BeersInside Bridgerton is the intimate behind-the-scenes story of the hit Shondaland series on Netflix, from Shondaland executive producers Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers. Full-colour and beautifully designed, Inside Bridgerton is the official book about the show, and includes never before seen photographs, first-hand accounts on casting, insight into the decisions behind the costumes and sets, directors' accounts on shooting your favourite scenes, and more from the creative minds that launched a cultural phenomenon.Shondaland executive producers Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers offer exclusive insights, and introduce you to the series writers, producers, directors, cast, crew and talented creatives who brought Julia Quinn's beloved novels to the screen.
Inside Bridgerton
by Shonda Rhimes Betsy BeersThe stunning, full-color, behind-the-scenes look at Shondaland&’s hit series on Netflix. Inside Bridgerton is the intimate behind-the-scenes story of the hit Shondaland series on Netflix. Shondaland executive producers Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers offer exclusive insights, and introduce you to the series writers, producers, directors, cast, crew, and talented creatives who brought Julia Quinn&’s beloved novels to the screen. Full-color and beautifully designed, Inside Bridgerton is the official book about the show, and includes never-before-seen photographs, firsthand accounts on casting, insight into the decisions behind the costumes and sets, directors&’ accounts on filming your favorite scenes, and more from the creative minds that launched a cultural phenomenon. From the Introduction to Inside Bridgerton: SHONDA: Shall we take everyone back to the beginning? Not to the 1800s, but to 2017 and that hotel room where I was sick, and needed something to read, and there happened to be a copy of The Duke & I by Julia Quinn, the first of the Bridgerton novels. I&’m not someone who was into romance novels—I really didn&’t even know much about the genre. But I picked it up, couldn&’t put it down, and then immediately got my hands on the rest of them because they were a fabulous read. And then I passed them to you. BETSY: I thought you might have hit your head in the hotel room when you had the flu. Romance novels? But you insisted that they would be a fabulous show and you have excellent taste. I was deeply skeptical because I hadn&’t read a romance novel since I was a teen—I&’d certainly never read a period romance novel. SHONDA: Totally—you read the ones of the 1980s, when everyone wore huge shoulder pads and diamonds. BETSY: Right. So there&’s some continuity here because these guys were wearing diamonds, too. SHONDA: Fair—but as far as a period romance, I mean, if it wasn&’t Jane Austen, I didn&’t really know about it. I&’m not going to diss Jane Austen because I&’m not an idiot… BETSY: She might get upset. SHONDA: She might roll over in her grave. But Julia Quinn&’s novels were just so much juicier than Austen, and they&’re written by someone who was far less confined and less proper. After all, Julia is a modern woman, not stuck in the constraints of the age. BETSY: Without a doubt. And I never knew that the ton existed: Austen wrote about a pastoral society where everyone is in relatively drab clothes and spent a lot of time in chapels and churches. SHONDA: Totally. And they recycled their dresses more. BETSY: Meanwhile, this was an amazing world of luxury and excess. And she had this crazy device of a gossip columnist, pulling the strings, which was such a cool concept. Julia Quinn created an entirely new, glamorous, bright world that you had actually never seen before.