Biography: arts and entertainment Books

Book SynopsisA stunning visual biography of one of Japan's most famous historical artists, this book beautifully illustrates the story of Katsushika Hokusai.Enter the world of Katsushika Hokusai - the enigmatic creator of Japanese art's all-time most iconic image. This vivid graphic biography tells the story of Hokusai's intriguing life and pioneering works, details the fascinating historical context of Edo-era Japan, and explains how Hokusai forged an image of his country that still resonates across the world today.Telling the story of both his eccentric (and incredibly productive) life - while simultaneously painting a fascination picture of his wider cultural legacy, this book is ideal for both those new to Hokusai's work - and his biggest fans. Those who enjoyed Basquiat: A Graphic Novel by Paolo Parisi or Pollock Confidential: A Graphic Novel by Onofrio Catacchio should look at this too.

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Book SynopsisThe iconic fashion designer offers unprecedented access into her career and personal history with this once-in-a-lifetime publishing event. The complete, official retrospective, designed by Irma Boom-one of the world's leading book designers-in close collaboration with Jil Sander herself, is packed with special features, that will make it a highly coveted collectors' item. For decades the name Jil Sander has evoked the philosophy of less is more-a minimalist aesthetic using highest quality materials and employing exquisite craftsmanship to the effect of poetic purity. Designed and produced as impeccably as her clothing, this beautiful book offers unprecedented access into Sander's remarkable history as a designer, and international businesswoman. Rich in archival material, and glimpses into the life of its famously publicity-shy subject, this book tells how Sander started in the 1960s and quickly established herself as a discriminating designer unfazed by trends. When the world finally caught up to her brand, in the late 80s and 90s, the Sander name became one of the most prestigious in all of fashion. Adhering to her core principles was the key to success with her own label. The book recapitulates her foray into the world of cosmetics and her later partnership with Uniqlo, where she created the special line +J. A further focus is given to her cooperation with leading architects on the architecture and interior design of her multinational flagship stores. Every aspect of Sander's career is interwoven in this fascinating story. The result is an elegant manifestation of the Jil Sander name-a story of integrity and grit, sumptuously packaged and timeless.

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Book SynopsisA monumental oral biography filled with raucous joy, aching loss and terrible poignancy, Elvis & the Memphis Mafia is the first book to capture the King – the man and the phenomenon – in his full complexity. Through revealing interviews with three of Elvis’ s closest friends, who were also his protectors and rescuers, Nash achieves the first true mapping of Elvis’ s psyche. Billy Smith – Elvis’ s first cousin and the person he reputedly loved most after his own mother – Marty Lacker – best man at his wedding and foreman of the ‘ Memphis Mafia’ , the King’ s handpicked group of gatekeepers and confidants – and Lamar Fike – the touring crew member who accompanied him into the Army – were with Elvis from his teens to his final days and provide unique access to the greatest of all rock and roll legends. The revelations cut through every aspect of Elvis’ s life, from the childhood seeds of his drug dependency, through his fear for his mother’ s life and his plan to change his identity, to his bizarre self-mutilation. No one who reads this symphonic blending of three proud, ribald, sad and ultimately wistful voices can fail to be profoundly moved.Trade Review'The Best Elvis book written to date' Uncut 'You don't need to be an Elvis fan to be awed by this book. It is so detailed, gossipy, far-ranging, and coherent that it becomes a clear window on an entire era. The book's genius is in the volume of fresh and flowing information ... Nash is one of the finest, most perceptive chroniclers and appraisers of pop music in America.' Billboard

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Book SynopsisFrom the thirty-two canvas Campbell's Soup Cans to the Marilyn Diptych, Andy Warhol's silk-screen prints are the epitome of Pop Art: witty, gimmicky and unafraid of repetition. Obsessed with consumerism and the cult of celebrity, Warhol exalted the "surface of things" – and yet he was a man of deep complexity. In Andy, Typex captures the remarkable life of the king of Pop Art, from his working-class upbringing in Pittsburgh to the dizzying heights of his celebrity. Spanning a period that began with the "talkies" and ended with the advent of house music, it is also a memorable portrait of 20th century pop culture and the stars who defined it: from Elvis to Greta Garbo, Truman Capote to Lou Reed. Taking in Warhol's early career as a commercial illustrator, his relationship with the Velvet Underground and the development of his own instantly recognisable style, Typex's Andy is an exhilarating portrait of a transcendent artist and a master self-publicist. Intensively researched, this 568-page graphic novel--with silver edgestain on the pages—is the first to tell the complete life story of the iconic pop artist.Trade Review“As an art object, it’s unlikely to be outdone by any new release any time soon.” -- Library Journal"the utterly irresistible Andy: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol by Typex (SelfMadeHero) will hit the mark with art fans, whether they love or loathe its subject." -- The Guardian, Best Books of 2018

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Book SynopsisMargaret Rutherford was without a doubt one of Britain’ s best-loved comic actresses. But behind the kindly, serene front Rutherford presented to the world lay a life of trauma and repeated nervous breakdown – the legacy of the legacy of family tragedy that saw her father murder her grandfather during a bout of mental illness and her depressive mother later kill herself. Andy Merriman’ s acclaimed biography intrigued and shocked readers with these revelations when it was published in hardback. Now out in paperback, it is also a portrait of one of our most individual actresses. Rutherford appeared in such thoroughly English classics as Blithe Spirit, The importance of Being Earnest, Passport to Pimlico and I’ m All Right, Jack! But above all she was Miss Marple, in four films – and entirely created for the screen the role of Agatha Christie’ s elderly and fearless private detective that subsequent actresses like Joan Hickson and Geraldine McEwan have continued. Rutherford first played Miss Marple at the age of 70, and insisted on wearing her own clothes to feel right in the part. Above all, this was a vulnerable woman whom no-one failed to like and respect, notable again and again for quiet acts of kindness, whose life story has great appeal to everyone who appreciates both classic English comedy and simple human decency.Trade Review‘...Madness, murder, suicide and odd sexual arrangements... An eccentric, delightful surprise.’`Merriman paints a fascinating picture of Margaret's emergence as a national treasure''[A] splendid biography'‘ ...Madness, murder, suicide and odd sexual arrangements... An eccentric, delightful surprise.’ `Merriman paints a fascinating picture of Margaret's emergence as a national treasure' '[A] splendid biography'

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Book SynopsisWhen it comes to deciding the most tragic British artist of the 20th century, Cyril Mann (1911-80) must be a contender. Mann made a number of genuinely innovative breakthroughs and certainly had the potential to become one of the most important figurative painters of his time. Yet, struggling with mental health problems, Mann had an unerring instinct for turning each moment of promise into bitter disappointment. In 1959, Renske van Slooten fell in love with Mann who was more than twice her age. Renske was convinced she discovered a genius and she promised to dedicate her life to him as muse, model and money earner. Their struggles quickly threatened to overwhelm them. The Girl in a Green Jumper is not only an enthralling story set against the backdrop of 1960s London, but it also charts in detail the struggles an artist goes through, both creatively and financially. Renske also gives fascinating insights into the way that Cyril's painting technique evolved over time. Trade Review'This poignant and revealing memoir adds vital new dimensions to our understanding of Mann, both as artist and human being. Admirably frank...intriguing.' -- Mark Hudson"The book gives [Cyril Mann] overdue and deserved recognition while offering a snapshot of everyday life in a time of drastic social change in Britain. Beyond a story of artistic and romantic tragedy, Girl with the Green Jumper tells of a woman’s quest for liberation. It reminds readers that behind many of history’s male artists there was a muse, a partner or wife, many of whom suffered in silence as they denied their own needs." -- Lydia Figes * The Critic *"An enthralling account of a muse’s life with troubled artist Cyril Mann...Renske’s account of their relationship reads like a real-life La Bohème. Brimming with insights...Renske’s book is an important stone in the still-developing edifice of the reputation of an artistic genius." * Jewish Chronicle *"A poignant memoir...a gripping read." * Art Muse *"The detail in this book is compelling – because Renske was so often in the room – but so too are the complexities of being a muse and a young woman growing wise in the 1960s...This book is totally recommended: for yourself or anyone with an interest in art and design." * Islington Faces *"A simply, lovingly told, tour de force." * Monk magazine *"As intelligent as it is engaging. It also contains a beautifully produced, generous selection of Mann's marvellous, undeservedly neglected work." -- Mark Glanville * Jewish Chronicle Books of the Year *"This is a fascinating and poignant book that may interest a wider readership than art lovers, given its central May-December focus and a definite feel for a 1960s London." * LouReviews *

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Book SynopsisThe emotional stories behind Delta Goodrem’s sixth studio album. In her first-ever book, Australian singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem shares the intimate stories behind each of the tracks on her sixth studio album, Bridge Over Troubled Dreams, taking readers on a deep dive into her inspiration for each song and revealing the truth behind the lyrics. From the touching account of her birth – two months premature – to battling bouts of missing home and many incredible self-discoveries along the way, Bridge Over Troubled Dreams is truly the book of the artist’s life. She speaks candidly about love, family, highs and lows, patience, freedom, faith, hope and survival, and how she uses lessons learned to drive herself forward. Delta’s heartfelt stories are accompanied by never-before-seen pictures from her personal collection: candid behind-the-scenes shots, unreleased tour photos and even personal snaps from her childhood.

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Book SynopsisCelebrate 100 years of wonder and discover the story of Disney in this beautifully illustrated coffee table book featuring imagery from the Disney archives.Take a walk through the Disney Museum and discover the story behind the company that changed the face of film and animation as it celebrates its centenary year.This large-format book showcases rarely-seen imagery from Disney. Marvel at concept drawings from the early stages of films, travel through the golden age of animation, get a glimpse behind Frozen, see the original Disney Parks, read about Disney firsts and more.Chronicling the fascinating history of Disney, this book is a must-have addition to the shelf for fans of animation, film and all things Disney.Includes images from:The Animation Research Library is entrusted to conserve and protect the artistic heritage of Walt Disney Animation Studios. The ARL is the repository for over 65 million pieces of physical art, as well as a rapidly-growing collection of born-digital artwork - currently estimated at 5 petabytes - created over the almost 100-year history of Disney animation.The Walt Disney Archives was established by company co-founder Roy O. Disney, who determined that significant assets and documents relating to the history of The Walt Disney Company should be gathered and preserved, and that the recollections of key employees should be documented. Founded by Chief Archivist Emeritus Dave Smith in 1970, the Archives team has curated millions of historic items, assisted in the research and review of hundreds of scholarly and documentary works, and produced numerous public exhibits.

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Book SynopsisThe star of some of the most beloved films of Hollywood's golden age--including Bullitt, The Great Escape, and The Magnificent Seven--Steve McQueen's unflappably roguish persona earned him the nickname "The King of Cool" and the highest salary of any movie star of his time. Marshall Terrill's new book draws on more than five decades of media coverage, memorabilia, and research to serve up a slew of quotations straight from the mouth of the man himself. Steve McQueen in His Own Words lets us hear directly from this iconoclastic actor through a wide array of sources: interviews, published articles, personal letters and audiotapes, providing an intimate view of McQueen as an actor, filmmaker, racer, pilot, husband, and family man. Accompanying the hundreds of quotes are an equally impressive number of photos, illustrations, personal documents, and memorabilia, many of which are published here for the first time. Steve McQueen in His Own Words paints a portrait of a complex, contradictory man who managed to become one of the greatest icons in cinema history while never sacrificing the passions and beliefs that drove him.

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Book SynopsisDmitri Shostakovich was the most popular Soviet composer of his generation. Internationally esteemed, he is widely considered to have been the last great classical symphonist, and his reputation has continued to increase since his death in 1975. Shostakovich wrote his First Symphony aged only nineteen and soon embarked on a dual career as concert pianist and composer. His early avant-gardism was to result in the triumph of his 1934 opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. Though at first highly praised by Stalin, Shostakovich would later suffer from a complex and brutalising relationship with the Soviet dictator and the governments that followed him. In spite of this persecution, his Seventh Symphony was embraced as a potent symbol of Russian resistance to the invading Nazi army in both the USSR and the West. Though his later years were marked by ill health, his rate of composition remained prolific. His music became increasingly popular with audiences as he established himself as the most popular composer of serious art music in the middle years of the twentieth century.Trade Review'Brian Morton has composed a model biographical sketch buttressed by a sympathetic exegeses of the most important thing: the work.' - Guardian.

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Book Synopsis*WINNER OF THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY STORYTELLING AWARD**SHORTLISTED FOR THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE 2023*The lives, loves, adventures and trailblazing musical careers of four extraordinary women from a stunning debut biographer.''Fabulous.'' Sunday Times ''A rare gift.'' Financial Times ''Passionate ... Vivid ... Timely.'' Telegraph ''Readable and inspiring.'' Guardian ''Compelling ... Ambitious ... Poignant.'' Spectator ''Magnificent.'' Kate Mosse ''Riveting.'' Antonia Fraser ''A breath of fresh air.'' Kate Molleson ''Fascinating.'' Alexandra Harris ''Wonderful.'' Claire Tomalin ''Splendid.'' Miranda Seymour ''Remarkable.'' Fiona Maddocks ''Pioneering.'' Andrew Motion ''Brilliant'' Helen PankhurstEthel Smyth (b.1858): Famed for her operas, this trailblazing queer Victorian

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Book SynopsisFrom beloved CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Mo Rocca, author of New York Times bestseller Mobituaries, comes an inspiring collection of stories that celebrates the triumphs of people who made their biggest marks late in life. Eighty has been the new sixty for about twenty years now. In fact, there have always been late-in-life achievers, those who declined to go into decline just because they were eligible for social security. Journalist, humorist, and history buff Mo Rocca and coauthor Jonathan Greenberg introduce us to the people past and present who peaked when they could have been puttering—breaking out as writers, selling out concert halls, attempting to set land-speed records—and in the case of one ninety-year tortoise, becoming a first-time father. (Take that, Al Pacino!) In the vein of Mobituaries, Roctogenarians is a collection of entertaining and unexpected profiles of these unretired titans—

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Book SynopsisBruce Springsteen arrived on the world's stage in 1973 with two incredible albums in one year, a prolificacy that would define his career for the next half-century. In his tenure at the top of the rock and roll charts, Springsteen received worldwide adoration for crafting lyrics and music that symbolised all facets of his, and his home nation's, history; songs that enthralled with passion and purpose, stinging political vitriol and the sweetest of melody. No other American artist captured America's heart, and soul, than Springsteen.Containing Springsteen's most prominent non-lyrical poetry and life philosophies, from his earliest interviews to his most recent statements of truth, fact, and soul-baring, each one spanning the entirety of his musical output with the E-Street Band, his solo soundtracks, iconic live performances and a wealth of TV, magazine, and newspaper conversations.In the early days when Springsteen and the E-Street Band played gigs in small venues, it was Bruce's job (as frontman) to collect the money and pay the rest of the band. This led them to start calling him 'The Boss', a nickname which has stuck. Springsteen – the patron saint of the working man, who greatly dislikes bosses – naturally loathes this nickname!Table of ContentsBorn in the USA - Humble New Jersey beginnings and the origin of his songs • Born to Run - The first sparks of fame and success • The Rising - Global stardom, seminal moments, and iconic performances with his E-Street Band • Human Touch - Springsteen discusses his song writing genius • Glory Days - Favourite moments and a few secrets • Tougher Than The Rest - Springsteen's allegiance to America's past, present and future.

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Book SynopsisA highly engaging homage to the iconic style of Elvis Presley, who shook up the world of music and fashion, triggering a cultural revolution that stopped 1950s America in its tracks. Born into poverty, his voice of liquid gold and show-stopping appearance propelled him into a life of extreme wealth. Elvis's extraordinary story told through a fashion lens celebrates the shy, lonely boy who awakened an entire generation to forbidden fruit. The defiant hair, the sultry good looks, the gender-ambivalent outfits even the famous sideburns of the man who would be King are all considered in loving detail. From impoverished scamp and teenage antihero in pink, through Hollywood heartthrob and sensual leather-clad rock star, to caped superhero in Vegas jumpsuits, the author describes his clothes with as much joy as she does his journey through the decades. A contemporary take on the evolution of Elvis the Showman, featuring interviews with people who knew, met and dressed him, and a

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Book SynopsisMaria Callas (1923–77) was the greatest opera diva of all time. Despite a career that remains unmatched by any prima donna, much of her life was overshadowed by her fiery relationship with Aristotle Onassis, who broke her heart when he left her for Jacqueline Kennedy, and her legendary tantrums on and off the stage.However, little is known about the woman behind the diva. She was a girl brought up between New York and Greece, who was forced to sing by her emotionally abusive mother and who left her family behind in Greece for an international career. Feted by royalty and Hollywood stars, she fought sexism to rise to the top, but there was one thing she wanted but could not have – a happy private life.In Cast a Diva, bestselling author Lyndsy Spence draws on previously unseen documents to reveal the raw, tragic story of a true icon.Trade Review"Lyndsy Spence presents an in-depth and sympathetic picture of the woman behind the legend."

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Book SynopsisBorn in the tough East End of Glasgow and married into one of the city’s most notorious criminal families, Janey Godley’s young life was far from ordinary. From the grim and far-from-swinging 60s, to the discos of the 70s, to the tidal wave of heroin addiction which engulfed Glasgow's East End during the 1980s, Janey was witness to an extraordinary underworld - as well as religious sectarianism, abject poverty and a frightening family of in-laws. Throughout it all, her indomitable spirit – and her vivid sense of humour – kept her alive.A vivid, intimate and darkly funny account of a life less ordinary, Handstands in the Dark tells the story of how one girl escaped a chaotic family and became one of the UK’s most popular comedic talents.Trade ReviewAn inspirational book * Daily Mail *A remarkably engaging and fluently written memoir -- Stephanie Merritt * The Observer *Genuinely compelling and very brave * Glasgow Herald *If the school of hard knocks handed out degrees, Janey Godley would have a PH by now... a harrowing memoir... Godley finds the irony and absurdity in the most godforsaken situations, yet unlike a lot of comics she's brave and honest enough to reveal her innermost emotions, and it's this sincerity that gives her streetwise revelations such bite * The Guardian *Powerful... passionate... poignant... a rising star of stand-up * The Scotsman *

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This second volume begins 60 years ago when Elvis Presley returns from the army, wondering if he still has a career and massive fan base after being away for two years.He needn’t have worried himself, the fans lapped up his new and more ambitious recordings. Songs like It’s Now or Never, Return to Sender and many more sold in their millions proving the King was back! Although many of Elvis’ countless solid gold hits feature in the book, the author is also keen to explore the lesser-known album tracks including the hugely underrated album “Elvis is Back” which came out 60 years ago this year (2020).It is hoped that the reader will look at each song in a different light – maybe they will go and play the lesser heard songs and appreciate them in a whole different way after reading the story behind that particular track. If it further builds on the fans’ knowledge about Elvis and brings around a bigger appreciation of Presley’s music then the book will have achieved its purpose.

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Book SynopsisFor at least 150 years, Thomas Chippendale has been synonymous with beautifully made eighteenth-century furniture in a variety of styles – Rococo, Chinese, Gothic and Neoclassical. Born in Otley, Yorkshire, in 1718, Chippendale rose to fame because of his revolutionary design book, The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director, published in 1754. That same year he set up his famous workshops in St Martin’s Lane, creating some of the most magnificent furniture ever made in Britain. This beautifully illustrated history focuses on Britain’s most famous furniture maker and designer, including the worldwide phenomenon ‘Chippendale style’ that became popular in Europe, North America and Asia after his death in 1779. Today, his influence lives on with the ongoing production of ‘Chippendale’ furniture, while the eighteenth-century originals are selling for millions at auction.Table of ContentsThomas Chippendale's Life and Career The Chippendale Style Customers Legacy Further Reading Places to Visit Index

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Book SynopsisDISCOVER THE SHOCKING TRUTH BEHIND THE BUSINESS AND LIFESTYLE OF SIR PHILIP GREEN In this jaw-dropping expose, Oliver Shah uncovers the truth behind one of Britain''s biggest business scandals, following Sir Philip Green''s journey to the big time, the wild excesses of his heyday and his dramatic demise.Stunning praise for the book:''A detailed and entertaining dismantling of the ''king of the high street'''' Guardian''Superb'' Evening Standard''From the glitzy parties to the threatening phone calls, the larger-than-life characters to the speedy downfall, this real-life tale of hubris has all the elements of a Greek tragedy'' City AM''Entertaining stuff, pacily written. Filled with colourful characters - and expletives'' The Times''Shah has written a hard-hitting, often funny, ultimately sobering tale of how fortunes were made and lost in late 20th and early 21st century Britain'' FiTrade ReviewFrom the glitzy parties to the threatening phone calls, the larger-than-life characters to the speedy downfall, this real-life tale of hubris has all the elements of a Greek tragedy. Either that or a James Graham box office hit -- Alys Key * City A.M. *Superb. It manages to be both forensic and pacey. It's penetrating, but it's not unfair. If there is a benefit of doubt to be given, Shah gives it. * Simon English, Evening Standard *A sweeping, detailed colourful account of the rise and fall of the king of the UK's High Street, complete with a Dickensian cast of grifters, charlatans, flunkies, the odd dogged hero, and an irresistibly obnoxious protagonist. Shah has written a hard-hitting, often funny, ultimately sobering tale of how fortunes were made and lost in late 20th and early 21st century Britain. * Andrew Hill, Financial Times *Meticulously researched... it's entertaining stuff, pacily written. Filled with colourful characters - and expletives. * Ian King, The Times *Brilliantly researched and sensational. The book reads as though it is on speed: there are moments when Shah's narrative runs like a frantic James Bond script interspersed with moments of Shakespearean farce. There are times you have to prick yourself to remember that Green's wheeling and dealing is not fiction but what actually took place behind the closed doors of the High Street * Maggie Pagano, Reaction *A detailed and entertaining dismantling of the 'king of the high street' * Tim Adams, Guardian *A merciless, profanity-strewn dissection of the tumultuous career of UK retail tycoon Philip Green -- Andrew Hill * FT & McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award *

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Book SynopsisBon Scott was once asked if he was AC or DC. 'Neither,' he grinned, 'I'm the lightning flash in the middle.' And that's how he lived his life.No one had the same skill with lyrics as Bon, who called his words 'toilet poetry', his 'dirty ditties'. He could also vividly depict life on the road, best heard in the AC/DC classics 'Long Way to the Top' and 'Highway to Hell'.When Bon appeared on Countdown in March 1975, the impression he left was indelible. The ugliest schoolgirl to ever grace the small screen, Bon was a mess of tattoos and pigtails, wearing an awkwardly short skirt, all the while puffing on a ciggie. His bandmates, not just the audience, were in hysterics. The video quickly became part of Oz rock folklore.Bon was always the joker in the AC/DC pack. He'd happily pose for a photograph with a joint dangling from his lips or be interviewed in cut-off shorts with a banana provocatively stuffed into his waistband. Anything to elicit a laugh. The off-stage stories surrounding Bon are legendary. After spending a lively couple of days with Bon, Ol' 55 singer Jim Manzie said, 'My rock-and-roll education was pretty much complete.'Bad Boy Boogie is the first biography to focus on Bon's remarkable gifts as a lyricist, frontman and rascal. In short, the real Bon Scott.

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Book SynopsisBorn Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, George Michael was raised in a family of Greek Cypriot immigrants in North London, and dreamed of stardom when he was a little boy. At just twelve years old he met Andrew Ridgeley and the two of them went on to achieve stunning success in the early 1980s with Wham!, creating music that remains popular to this day. Yet despite the enormous success of Wham!, George wanted more, and so set about recreating himself as a serious solo artist, reaching heights of even greater success. Ironically, however, even from the early days he was plagued with insecurity about his sexuality, which, combined with the calamity of losing his first lover to AIDS and his mother to cancer, plunged him into a lifelong struggle with drug addiction. He died, at the tragically early age of just fifty-three, on Christmas Day 2016. George Michael's life and career brought him international fame, and his sudden and unexpected death shocked the world. His unrivalled popularity as an artist, however, and the music he made, have turned him into one of the immortal greats of pop music. As Emily Herbert shows in this new biography, his legacy is not just his music, but his many extraordinary, and often anonymous, acts of charity.

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Book SynopsisA miracle of still-plentiful hair, raw sex-appeal, and strutting talent . The frontman of one of the most influential and controversial groups of all time. A musical genius with a career spanning over four decades. He is a testament to British glamour, the ultimate architect and demi-god of rock.Bestselling biographer Philip Norman offers an unparalleled account of the life of a living legend, Mick Jagger. From Home Counties schoolboy, to rebel without a cause to Sixties rock sensation and global idol, Norman unravels with astonishing intimacy the myth of the inimitable frontman of The Rolling Stones. MICK JAGGER charts his extraordinary journey through scandal-ridden conspiracy, infamous prison spell, hordes of female admirers and a knighthood while stripping away the colossal fame, wealth and idolatry to reveal a story of talent and promise unfulfilled.Understated yet ostentatious; the ultimate incarnation of modern man''s favourite fantasy: ''sex, drugs and rock ''n'' roll'', yet blTrade Review‘Commendable thoroughness, engaging wit and boundless energy, much as Jagger has shown over the decades’ Mail on Sunday ‘Hugely readable’ The Guardian ‘One of Norman’s triumphs in Mick Jagger is to chart the decade’s evolution as well as his progress within it’ Sunday Express ‘The most ambitious and comprehensive Jagger biography to date’ Rolling Stone 'Extremely well researched' Rolling Stone ‘Barnstorming…Norman has ploughed this terrain for much of his career, and brings to his subject both a deep fascination with the ecology of rock'n'roll plus a sharp eye for its absurdities’ The Observer ‘Norman’s book reads like a thrill ride. He captures as well as anybody that magical combination of youth, talent and low rent that would eventually become the Rolling Stones’ The New York Times

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Book SynopsisVibrant and candid memoirs of the late, great British character actor, Pete Postlethwaite.After training as a teacher, Pete Postlethwaite started his acting career at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre where his colleagues included Bill Nighy, Jonathan Pryce, Antony Sher and Julie Walters. After routine early appearances in small parts for television programmes such as THE PROFESSIONALS, Postlethwaite's first success came with the acclaimed British film DISTANT VOICES, STILL LIVES in 1988. He then received an Academy Award nomination for his role in THE NAME OF THE FATHER in 1993. His performance as the mysterious lawyer "Kobayashi" in THE USUAL SUSPECTS is well-known, and he appeared in many successful films including ALIEN 3, BRASSED OFF, THE SHIPPING NEWS, THE CONSTANT GARDENER, as Friar Lawrence in Baz Luhrmann's ROMEO + JULIET, and in INCEPTION with Leonardo diCaprio. Pete Postlethwaite was one of the best-loved and widely admired performers on stage, TV (SHARPE, THE SINS) and in cinema. In THE ART OF DISCWORLD, Terry Pratchett said that he had always imagined Sam Vimes as 'a younger, slightly bulkier version of Pete Postlethwaite', while Steven Spielberg called him 'the best actor in the world', about which Postlethwaite said: 'I'm sure what Spielberg actually said was, "the thing about Pete is that he thinks he's the best actor in the world."' This is the story of a diverse and multi-talented actor's eventful life, told in his own candid and vibrant words.Trade ReviewThis is an extrovert, tender, charming and unselfconscious book, with some extraordinary, hell-raising and hair-raising anecdotes. -- Peter Bradshaw * GUARDIAN *The final chapter, as Postlethwaite succumbs to cancer, is immensely moving. -- Jeff Dawson * SUNDAY TIMES *

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Book SynopsisThe autobiography of a legendary swing dancerTrade Review"Dance writer and swing dancer Millman conducted extensive interviews with Manning for a vivid account of his career... the first-person accounts of Manning's life capture his vibrancy, humor and charm...this vivid memoir by one of swing dancing's innovators and stars is a must for lovers of dance, jazz and African-American history." —Publishers WeeklyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments / i Foreword: Mercedes Ellington Frankie Manning: An Appreciation by Cynthia R. Millman / xi Prologue: Too Stiff / 1 PART ONE: EARLY STEPS (1914-circa 1933) Chapter 1. Jazz Baby / 5 Chapter 2. Early Ballroom Forays / 21 PART TWO: SAVOY DANCER (circa 1933-1936) Chapter 3. To the Savoy at Last / 47 Chapter 4. Whitey, Shorty, and Stretch / 72 Chapter 5. Win Win / 85 Chapter 6. Up in the Air She Goes / 102 PART THREE: WHITEY'S LINDY HOPPERS (1936-1943) Chapter 7. Going Pro / 129 Chapter 8. Big Time at the Cotton Club / 149 Chapter 9. A Big Apple for Whitey / 174 Chapter 10. On Broadway and In the Movies / 213 Chapter 11. Stranded in Rio / 246 PART FOUR: WAR AND HOME (1943-1984) Chapter 12. Dancer Interrupted / 259 Chapter 13. The Congaroo Dancers and a Day Job / 275 PART FIVE: SECOND ACT (1984-present) Chapter 14. Revival / APPENDIXES A. Frankie Manning Timeline / 347 B. Biographies of Lindy Hoppers C. List of Works Cited or Consulted / C. Frankie's List of Swing Dance on Film/TV D. Swing Dance Resources E. Swing Dance Organizations and Events Index

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Book SynopsisA complete new edition of Beethoven's conversation books, now translated into English in their entirety for the first time, covering a period associated with the revolutionary style of what we call "late Beethoven". Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) is recognized the world over as a composer of musical masterpieces exhibiting heroic strength, particularly in the face of his increasing deafness from ca. 1798. By 1818, the Viennese composer hadbegun carrying blank booklets with him, for his acquaintances to jot their sides of conversations, while he answered aloud. Often, he himself used the pocket-sized booklets to make shopping lists and other reminders, including occasional early sketches for his compositions. Today, 139 of these booklets survive, covering the years 1818 up to the composer's death in 1827 and including such topics as music, history, politics, art, literature, theatre, religion, and education as perceived on a day-to-day basis in post-Napoleonic Europe. An East German edition, begun in the 1960s and essentially complete by 2001, represents a diplomatic transcription of these documents. It is a masterpiece of pure scholarship but is difficult to use for anyone who is not a specialist. Moreover, Beethoven scholarship has moved on significantly since the long-ranging genesis of the German edition. These important booklets arehere translated into English in their entirety for the first time. The volumes in this series include an updated editorial apparatus, with revised and expanded notes and many new footnotes exclusive to this edition, and brand newintroductions, which together place many of the quickly changing conversational topics into context. Due to the editor's many years of research in Vienna, his acquaintance with its history and topography, as well as his familiarity with obscure documentary resources, this edition represents an entirely new venture in source studies - vitally informative for scholars not only in music but also in a wide variety of disciplines. At the same time, these oftenlively and compelling conversations are now finally accessible for the English-speaking music lover or history buff who might want to dip into them and hear what Beethoven and his friends were discussing at the next table. THEODORE ALBRECHT is Professor of Musicology at Kent State University, Ohio.Trade Review[T]hese volumes are welcome additions to the literature. They contain much of value for those interested in the last decade of Beethoven's life, particularly concerning his social circle, his daily routine, and his ideas and beliefs. One can only hope that the remaining ten volumes are published soon. -- Marten Noorduin * NOTES, THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION *Featured in the10 must-read books for Beethoven 250, * BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE *There are several more interesting musical jottings.including several sketches for parts of the Missa Solemnis as well as numerous canons, often to scurrilous lyrics...Another rather poignant aspect of volume 2 is the appearance in the conversation books of Beethoven's poor nephew Karl...monologues also show that Beethoven was extremely interested in contemporary European politics and events...Boydell Press are again much to be thanked for their involvement in the publication of these fascinating documents which reveal so much about the composer. * THE CONSORT *A heroic feat of scholarship...these truncated conversations are extraordinary revealing. * BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE *A brilliantly accessible piece of scholarship. . . . As they flash from scene to scene, with a huge cast of characters taking turns in the spotlight, these extraordinary little books read like a film script, with a laconic but massive presence at its heart. It's a goldmine for music historians, and a riveting saga for the rest of us. -- Michael Church * BBC Music Magazine *Table of ContentsHeft 9 (March 11, 1820 - March 19, 1820) Heft 10 (March 20, 1820 - ca. April 1, 1820) Heft 11 (April 1, 1820 - April 14, 1820) Heft 12 (ca. April 18, 1820 - April 29, 1820) Heft 13 (May 1 or 2, 1820 - May 10, 1820) Heft 14 (ca. June 2, 1820 - ca. July 4, 1820) Heft 15 (ca. July 7/8, 1820 - August 19, 1820) Heft 16 (ca. August 25, 1820 - mid-September, 1820) Appendix A: Descriptions of the Conversation Books in Volume 2 Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe actual historical moments of birth of the various arts are not known. At most, significant changes of direction are distinguishable - and these are usually detected retrospectively. However, the founding of eurythmy, a new art of movement, has been extensively documented. The story of the first eurythmist, Lory Maier-Smits, told in the pages of this profusely-illustrated book, is a valuable contribution to that legacy. It brings to life the pioneering period when the new artform was being developed under Rudolf Steiner's personal instruction. Magdalene Siegloch traces Lory Maier-Smits' biography with artistic care and loving detail. She describes the eurythmist's early exposure to anthroposophy; her training under Rudolf Steiner from 1912; the first performance of eurythmy during the Theosophical Society festival in 1913; Rudolf Steiner's lectures on the new art of movement; the staging of eurythmy under the direction of Marie Steiner; and Maier-Smits' later work as a trainer of eurythmists. Also included is an account of Maier-Smits' personal path of development, her marriage and family life.

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Book SynopsisThe highly acclaimed dual biography of father and son Tim and Jeff Buckley, two of the most enduring musical icons of the late 20th-century When Jeff Buckley drowned in 1997, the music world was shaken to its foundations, not least because of the echoes of his father Tim’s demise. He too had been a brilliant and innovative musician with an extraordinary five-octave voice; and he too had died young, twenty-eight in fact, after an accidental drugs overdose. But there the similarities end. Jeff hardly knew Tim, spending little more than a few weeks with him as a boy. Their careers were very different, Tim releasing eight albums in his lifetime, including the beautiful HappySad and the extraordinary and still out-there Starsailor, while Jeff released just one – the brilliant Grace, generally acknowledged as one of the great albums of the 1990s. More than just a biography of two musicians, Dream Brother is the story of what happens when The Business hooks up with The Artist, ultimately to neither’s benefit.Trade Review‘Are the Buckleys the Kennedys of rock ‘n’ roll – talented but cursed?…A highly accomplished, dual biography by the well-respected writer David Browne has dug deep into both men's lives and the entire Buckley family history to throw some light on this enigmatic tale. Extensively researched and featuring previously unpublished letters and diaries, Dream Brother does a great service to the legacy of these two talented musicians.’ Irish Times ‘David Browne is a sensitive and committed writer eminently qualified to write the book his subjects so richly deserve…There is a wealth of detail and a series of memorable vignettes which will fascinate those who have embraced “Starsailor” and “Blue Afternoon” or “Grace and Live At Sin-E” as part of their lives.’ Uncut ‘A rich and moving portrait of two damaged, gifted people.’ Esquire

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Book SynopsisA unique and personal portrait of the beloved, legendary Swiss writer, finally in EnglishTrade Review"[Carl Seelig's] personal, firsthand account is the closest we will ever have to a Walser memoir. The questions he poses to Walser, regarding his personal and professional history and his literary and political opinions, seem like those of an oral historian, and Walser, trusting his companion, answers with presence of mind, inflecting the conversation with his characteristic humor and unusual observations." -- Sarah Cowan - Bookforum"A fascinating document that is both insightful and humane." -- Geist Magazine"[A]n invaluable text for any serious reader of Walser..." -- Literary Hub"To use a word much favoured by Walser himself, it’s delightful." -- Dorian Stuber - Numero Cinq"Now, with its translation by Anne Posten, English-language readers can witness, as if in real time, the blossoming of his friendship with the great Swiss author, a bond that would lead to a lifelong effort to keep Walser’s name before the public." -- Michael LaPointe - TSL"After a nervous breakdown in 1929, Walser spent the remaining 27 years of his life in mental asylums, going from outer exile to inner exile. Walking replaced writing for Walser, and from 1936 onward his friend Carl Seelig recorded their conversations while they walked in Switzerland. It’s an extraordinary book that prompted me to found my first museum in 1992: a migratory Robert Walser museum on the theme of the periphery." -- Hans-Ulrich Obrist - Vulture"That Walser is not today among the forgotten writers we owe primarily to the fact that Carl Seelig took up his cause. Without Seelig’s accounts of the walks he took with Walser, without his preliminary work on the biography, without the selections from the work he published and the lengths he went to in securing the Nachlass—the writer’s millions of illegible ciphers—Walser’s rehabilitation could never have taken place, and his memory would in all probability have faded into oblivion." -- W. G. Sebald"Seelig kindly visited Walser and started keeping a record of his opinions, creating over the course of time an indispensable document for all those who love Walser’s surprising prose, which, silent as snowfall, cries out from the nothingness. Walser—as can be observed in Seelig’s book—lectured on beer and twilight." -- Enrique Vila-Matas"Walks with Walser is filled with Walser’s philosophy about leading a modest life, finding beauty in mundane things, and getting by with less." -- Moyra Davey"Robert Walser, who spent much of his adult life in Swiss mental hospitals, is now revered for his prose miniatures and his bizarre and haunting novel, Jakob von Gunten, set in a training school for servants. These reminiscences, by his literary executor, preserve Walser's conversation, especially about writers and writing, as well as Seelig's memories of his friend trudging along like 'a weary Sherpa' or suddenly calling for 'beer and twilight.'" -- The Washington Post

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Book SynopsisThe Rolling Stones have long been considered one of the greatest rock-and-roll bands of all time. At the forefront of the British Invasion and heading up the counterculture movement of the 1960s, the Stones' innovative music and iconic performances defined a generation, and fifty years later, they're still performing to sold-out stadiums around the globe. Yet, as the saying goes, behind every great man is a greater woman, and behind these larger-than-life rockstars were four incredible women whose stories have yet to be fully unpacked. . . until now.In Parachute Women, Elizabeth Winder introduces us to the four women who inspired, styled, wrote for, remixed, and ultimately helped create the legend of the Rolling Stones. Anita Pallenberg, Marianne Faithfull, Marsha Hunt, and Bianca Jagger put the glimmer in the Glimmer Twins and taught a group of straight-laced boys to be bad. They opened the doors to subterranean art and alternative lifestyles, turned them on to Russian literature, occult practices, and LSD. They connected them to cutting edge directors and writers, won them roles in art house films that renewed their appeal. They often acted as unpaid stylists, providing provocative looks from their personal wardrobes. They remixed tracks for chart-topping albums, and sometimes even wrote the actual songs. More hip to the times than the rockers themselves, they consciously (and unconsciously) kept the band current--and confident--with that mythic lasting power they still have today.Lush in detail and insight, and long overdue, Parachute Women is a group portrait of the four audacious women who transformed the Stones into international stars, but who were themselves marginalized by the male-dominated rock world of the late '60s and early '70s. Written in the tradition of Sheila Weller's Girls Like Us, it's a story of lust and rivalries, friendships and betrayals, hope and degradation, and the birth of rock and roll.

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Book SynopsisKazuki Tomokawa has lived many lives: poet, self-taught guitarist, actor, day laborer, basketball coach, painter, bicycle race tipster, and incomparable drinker among them. Above all, he is a legend of Japan's avant-folk music scene and his searing lyrics and raw, unvarnished vocals have influenced generations of musicians since his mid-1970s debut, when his unique sound brought him to prominence in the turbulent worlds of Tokyo's underground film and music. Here, in his contemplative and utterly original style, the screaming philosopher charts the last six decades of his life, reflecting on everything from keirin to nuclear disaster to his own itinerancy, all the while providing an unfiltered view into the explosive cultural zeitgeist of postwar Tokyo. Originally printed in 2015, this translation is the first of Tomokawa's writings to ever be published in English, and is accompanied by Blank Forms Editions' reissue of Tomokawa's first three solo records from 197577: Finally, His First Album, Straight from the Throat, and A String of Paper Cranes Clenched between My Teeth. Try Saying You're Alive! is a memoir like no other, delivered with the incisive tongue and stubborn charm of one of Japan's most singular living musicians. Kazuki Tomokawa (b. 1950) is a prolific singer-songwriter from Hachiryu Village (now the town of Mitane) in the Akita Prefecture area of northern Japan. Since his first release in 1975, he has recorded more than thirty albums. The 2010 documentary about his life, La Faute des Fleurs, won the Sound & Vision award at the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival, and that same year saw the Japanese release of the book Dreams Die Vigorously Day by Day, a collection of his lyrics spanning forty years. His most recent albums are Vengeance Bourbon (2014) and Gleaming Crayon (2016), both on the Modest Launch label. Damon Krukowski is a musician and writer based in Cambridge, MA. His most recent book is Ways of Hearing (MIT Press, 2019) and his latest album is Damon & Naomi's A Sky Record (202020, 2021). Daniel Joseph is a translator, editor, and musician. He holds a master's degree from Harvard University in medieval Japanese literature, and recently contributed translations to Terminal Boredom (Verso, 2021), a collection of stories by science fiction pioneer Izumi Suzuki.

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Book SynopsisPhoebe Hoban’s definitive biography of the renowned American painter Alice Neel tells the unforgettable story of an artist whose life spanned the twentieth century, from women’s suffrage through the Depression, McCarthyism, the civil rights movement, the sexual revolution, and feminism. Throughout her life and work, Neel constantly challenged convention, ultimately gaining an enduring place in the canon. Alice Neel’s stated goal was to “capture the zeitgeist.” Born into a proper Victorian family at the turn of the twentieth century, Neel reached voting age during suffrage. A quintessential bohemian, she was one of the first artists participating in the Easel Project of the Works Progress Administration, documenting the challenges of life during the Depression. An avowed humanist, Neel chose to paint the world around her, sticking to figurative work even during the peak of abstract expressionism. Neel never ceased pushing the envelope, creating a unique chronicle of her time. Neel was fiercely democratic in selecting her subjects, who represent an extraordinarily diverse population—from such legendary figures as Joe Gould to her Spanish Harlem neighbors in the 1940s, the art critic Meyer Shapiro, Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling, Andy Warhol, and major figures of the labor, civil rights and feminist movements—producing an indelible portrait of twentieth-century America. By dictating her own terms, Neel was able to transcend such personal tragedy as the death of her infant daughter, Santillana, a nervous breakdown and suicide attempts, and the separation from her second child, Isabetta. After spending much of her career in relative obscurity, Neel finally received a major museum retrospective in 1974, at the Whitney Museum of American Art, in New York. In this first paperback edition of the authoritative biography of Alice Neel, which serves also as a cultural history of twentieth-century New York, the author Phoebe Hoban documents the tumultuous life of the artist in vivid detail, creating a portrait of the artist as incisive as Neel’s relentlessly honest paintings. With a new introduction by Hoban that explores Neel’s enduring relevance, this biography is essential to understanding and appreciating the life and work of one of America’s foremost artists.Table of ContentsIntroduction; Studio Still Life; Childhood's Canvas; Designing Women; En Plein Air; Limbo; Tropical Soul; (You Can Go) Home Again; Futility of Effort; The Bell Jar; Resurrection; Next Stop, Geenwich Village; The Easel Project; A Man's Man for All That; Moving On; Jose and Spanish Harlem; More Truth; Enter Sam; Painting in Oblivion; Domestic Dramas; Monsters and Victims; In the Middle of the Road; Romancero Guajiro; Pull My Daisy (From Flower to Power; Their Balls Are Just Higher Up; Vindication; Bowing Out; Last Look; Coda; Epilogue; Notes; Acknowledgements; Index

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Book Synopsis(Percussion). Neil Peart''s ten appearances on the cover of Modern Drummer magazine span the years 1980, when he was five albums and several tours into his historic run with the Canadian progressive rock band Rush, and 2020, the year of his passing. No other drummer has come close to appearing so many times on the front of a drum publication, certainly not the world''s most recognized one. This, the first installment in Modern Drummer magazine''s Legends book series, collects all nine of Peart''s cover stories, plus the complete contents of his May 2020 Modern Drummer tribute issue. Highlights include analyses of Neil''s performances on every Rush studio album, a survey of the evolution of his famous live drumkits, transcriptions of deep Rush cuts, dozens of photos, and much more.

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Book SynopsisFrom the ashes of Nirvana, Dave Grohl rose as a one-man band with a self-titled album: The Foo Fighters. Now, 25 years on, and with a rock solid outfit that includes Nate Mendel (bass), Taylor Hawkins (drums), Chris Shiflett (guitar), Pat Smear (rhythm guitar) and latest addition, Rami Jaffee (keyboards) - The Foo Fighters are revelling in the success of their ninth studio album, Concrete and Gold. Paying homage to the band's enduring longevity, The Foo Fighters: The Band that Dave Made is a comprehensive look at a career that boasts six, million-selling albums, eleven Grammies and hit stadium rock anthems such as "Learn to Fly", "Best of You" and "Everlong". Fully Illustrated, this handsome biography from acclaimed rock writer, Stevie Chick, is a fitting tribute to a band born out of the "nicest guy in rock's" single-minded vision and now one of the planet's biggest rock groups.Trade Review'There are many Foo Fighters biographies on the market. But this exhaustive coffee-table book by music journalist Stevie Chick is arguably the most beautiful. As good looking as it is engaging.' -- Classic Rock magazine

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Book SynopsisA wildly entertaining biography of the British fashion designer who set the trends for rock royalty from the Beatles to Mick Jagger to Elton John.Tommy Nutter was a visionary tailor in the bespoke tradition who dressed everybody from Lord Montagu of Beaulieu to Twiggy, who outfitteds three of the Beatles for the cover of Abbey Road (George Harrison preferred jeans), who put Mick Jagger in a white suit for his wedding to Bianca and who dressed Elton John for years, using the singer as his muse for his signature outrageous style. Nutter was alluring for his ambiguity -- a chameleon who could rub shoulders with Princess Margaret and then dance with the drag queens at Last Resort -- and his clothes were the physical expression of a sharp, audacious wit.House of Nutter charts Tommy Nutter’s dramatic career that spanned barely 23 years, ending in 1992 with his untimely death. It is a history of London during an era of economic and cultural upheaval, a celebration of the methods and traditions of Savile Row; and an elegy for what was lost during the worst days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. With archival access to photos, letters and interviews from Tommy Nutter's sole living relative, his brother, David, Lance Richardson takes us behind the '70s glamour to explore the public face and private life of one of Britain's most respected yet rule-breaking bespoke clothiers and the celebrities he dressed.Trade ReviewRichardson has created a pattern-perfect double-breasted biography of two gay brothers, who, in an unlikely rags to riches story, were brought up in north London and went on to shape the social and sartorial side of life in the 1960s -- Helen Davies * Sunday Times, **Books of the Year** *Captivating ... an engaging analysis of the British class system and the fashion industry, gay liberation and the Aids crisis, which plays out like a binge-worthy Netflix series -- Mark C O'Flaherty * Financial Times *Splendidly readable and gossipy ... a gripping read that is as much social history as it is biography ... House of Nutter, Richardson's first book, is a fine match of author and subject. He writes with flair and erudition, making extensive use of interviews with David, and bringing something new to the evocation of an era that might seem overfamiliar ... it's hard to find fault with this thoroughly enjoyably glimpse into high fashion and low life -- Alexander Larman * The Observer *What makes Lance Richardson's biography so much more than a humdrum story of rags to riches -- or rather rags to bespoke -- is its illuminating and vividly drawn account of the milieu, both social and sartorial, in which Nutter moved, and the intriguing parallel history of his elder brother, David -- Mick Brown * Sunday Telegraph *Lance Richardson’s lively, affectionate, occasionally breathless book is a double narrative, the story of two brothers who rose from modest north London origins to the fringes of international stardom ... Compelling -- Anthony Quinn * The Guardian *

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Book Synopsis'He achieves the miraculous,' the sculptor Auguste Rodin wrote of dancer Vaslav Nijinsky. 'He embodies all the beauty of classical frescoes and statues'. Like so many since, Rodin recognised that in Nijinsky classical ballet had one of the greatest and most original artists of the twentieth century, in any genre. Immersed in the world of dance from his childhood, he found his natural home in the Imperial Theatre and the Ballets Russes, he had a powerful sponsor in Sergei Diaghilev - until a dramatic and public failure ended his career and set him on a route to madness. As a dancer, he was acclaimed as godlike for his extraordinary grace and elevation, but the opening of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring saw furious brawls between admirers of his radically unballetic choreography and horrified traditionalists. Nijinsky's story has lost none of its power to shock, fascinate and move. Adored and reviled in his lifetime, his phenomenal talent was shadowed by schizophrenia and an intense but destructive relationship with his lover, Diaghilev. 'I am alive' he wrote in his diary, 'and so I suffer'. In the first biography for forty years, Lucy Moore examines a career defined by two forces - inspired performance and an equally headline-grabbing talent for controversy, which tells us much about both genius and madness. This is the full story of one of the greatest figures of the twentieth century, comparable to the work of Rosamund Bartlett or Sjeng Scheijen.Trade ReviewMesmerising ... enthralling ... atmospheric ... meticulous and intelligent ... Moore's descriptions of Nijinsky's eventual isolation from his sister, rejection by his wife, and how he remained locked in insanity for the rest of his life are unforgettable * Daily Telegraph *Superb biography ... Moore recounts [Nijinsky's story] with scholarship, grace and imagination * Sunday Times *His final curtain was cruel, and Moore lowers the darkness with great tenderness * Guardian *Highly intelligent, lucidly presented and consistently absorbing...a clear and objective picture of a tragically wounded genius -- Rupert Christiansen * Literary Review *Lucid prose...The colour and the pain of an extraordinary life come across vividly -- David Nice * BBC Music Magazine *Highly readable and absorbing * The Lady *Excellent * Times *Despite the sad, upsetting nature of Nijinsky's story, Moore's enjoyable biography does a fine job of explaining not only who Nijinsky was, but - once you peel away the glitter - why he really mattered * Scotsman *She never loses sight of why Nijinsky's art was so great. The result is a captivating biography * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisWhether it is the seaside postcard bubbly blondes of Barbara Windsor, the hysterically historical leading ladies of Joan Sims, the coquettish authoritarians of Hattie Jacques, or the statuesque confidence of Valerie Leon, the Carry On girls are stoic, sexy and fiercely independent.In this lavish celebration of a pioneering generation of comedy actresses who continue to radiate charm and contemporary relevance, a few home truths are revealed and some myths are debunked; but, above all, some of the best-loved icons of British entertainment are given fitting affection and respect.Trade ReviewFive of the female stars of the Carry On movies have reunite to relive their glory days on the set of pictures famed for their innuendo-laden gags and bawdy slapstick humour - The Sunday Mirror * The Sunday Mirror *

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Book SynopsisA visual biography of Aino and Alvar Aalto, who designed some of the most iconic objects of the twentieth century Aino and Alvar Aalto together founded Artek and created some of the most celebrated objects and buildings of the twentieth century. Through letters, documents, drawings, and family photographs, Alvar and Aino’s grandson tells the stories of their life together, in Finland and abroad, drawing on many of the never-before-published letters they sent to each other and to family, friends, and colleagues, until Aino’s death in 1949. The first monograph to specifically examine and celebrate the life and work of Aino and Alvar as a shared endeavour, this personal and intimate look at the unconventional lives of one of the most influential design couples of the twentieth century has been warmly and accessibly written by Aino and Alvar’s grandson, who has drawn on the family’s largely unpublished archive, including personal letters, snapshots, and sketches.Trade Review‘A love story, enriched not just by personal photographs and images of their modernist designs, but by the couple's letters to each other.’ – NPR.org‘This characteristically elegant Phaidon publication, lush with images, is remarkably personal … A beautiful and important contribution to architecture and design history.’ – Booklist, Starred Review‘This resonant monograph makes one wonder what else [Alvar] and Aino might have accomplished together had she lived into old age.’ – 1stDibs‘An intimate look inside a partnership that was both romantic and commercial … Together, the Aaltos were stronger than they were apart.’ – Dwell‘A loving tribute … New and unexpected.’ – Architectural Record ‘Unique … Such an intimate level of access is possible thanks to the fact that the author is a grandson and has done much to preserve the designers’ legacy.’ – Interior Design‘A celebration honoring [Aino and Alvar's] work and the love that inspired their creative projects, offering insights into their impressive contributions to art and design.’ – Designboom‘A poignant glimpse into [Aino and Alvar's] deep bond.’ – Metropolis‘Illuminates one of the most iconic design partnerships of the 20th century.’ – GRAY Magazine‘The rich life and all-encompassing work of the iconic design couple is presented through an intimate lens by the couple’s grandson.’ – Gessato

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Book SynopsisThe remarkable, must-read story of Charlie Chaplin’s years of exile from the United States during the postwar Red Scare, and how it ruined his film career, from bestselling biographer Scott Eyman.Bestselling Hollywood biographer and film historian Scott Eyman tells the story of Charlie Chaplin’s fall from grace. In the aftermath of World War Two, Chaplin was criticized for being politically liberal and internationalist in outlook. He had never become a US citizen, something that would be held against him as xenophobia set in when the postwar Red Scare took hold. Politics aside, Chaplin had another problem: his sexual interest in young women. He had been married three times and had had numerous affairs. In the 1940s, he was the subject of a paternity suit, which he lost, despite blood tests that proved he was not the father. His sexuality became a convenient way for those who opposed his politics to condemn him. Refused permission to return to the US from a trip abroad, he settled in Switzerland, and made his last two films in London In Charlie Chaplin vs. America, bestselling author Scott Eyman explores the life and times of the movie genius who brought us such masterpieces as City Lights and Modern Times. This is a perceptive, insightful portrait of Chaplin and of an America consumed by political turmoil.Trade Review""Fun to read. . . . Eyman is completely sympathetic to Chaplin, and he makes the case that we should be, too." -- Louis Menand * The New Yorker *"Seventy years later, Chaplin’s exile seems even more shocking than when it occurred. . . . In Charlie Chaplin vs. America the film historian Scott Eyman. . . . Makes clear how much the government’s crusade cost us all." -- Jeremy McCarter * The Wall Street Journal *"one of the finest surveys of the man and the artist ever written. . . . A gem of a book." -- Leonard Maltin"A brilliant must-read about the epic and turbulent life and times of a cinematic titan." * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *“Riveting. . . . Eyman gives the history a sense of urgency by highlighting the danger that government interference poses to artistic speech. . . . Readers will be rapt.” * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *"Eyman brings his fine writing and rigorous research to the later years of Charlie Chaplin’s remarkable career. . . . An essential addition to every film history collection." * Booklist *"Distinguished research, featuring the over 1,900-page FBI report, media accounts, and interviews with family members, coworkers, and historians, propels this excellent biography that captures Chaplin, both the person and his work." * Library Journal (starred review) *"Charlie Chaplin was an arrogant, combative, narcissistic, over-sexed and unreliable human being; he was also arguably the most brilliant cinematic genius of the 20th century. Scott Eyman captures his greatness and his flaws, and deftly traces the campaign of the FBI and its right-wing allies to destroy him, in a book that resonates with relevance for our own troubled era." -- Glenn Frankel, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of Shooting Midnight Cowboy"Once upon a time, no one in America was more beloved than comedian and filmmaker Charles Chaplin. Puritanism joined with other reactionary forces to banish him abroad and destroy his brilliant career. Scott Eyman's powerful book reclaims Chaplin's greatness and deftly autopsies this shameful chapter in our film history, which has echoes in the 'cancel culture' of modern times." -- Patrick McGilligan, author of Woody Allen: A Travesty of a Mockery of a Sham"A refreshing, almost startling, new look at the great Chaplin. Scott Eyman has sifted all the evidence to be had, curated the most telling points, and presented them in the most insightful and readable manner possible. If you want to know Charles Chaplin in absolutely all his shades and variations, this is the book you need to read." -- James Curtis, author of Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker's Life

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Book SynopsisCreative genius, war artist, adventurer, lover. These are just some of the words that can be used to describe Aberdeenshire-born painter and printmaker James McBey (1883-1959). McBey was a Scottish superstar amongst the creative spirits that fuelled the Etching Revival of the late nineteenth century and Etching Boom of the early twentieth century, and in an historical context, was the acknowledged heir to Whistler and Rembrandt. But after his death in Tangier, Morocco, in 1959, his renown as one of Britain’s most accomplished artists – who took the art world by storm – faded from public consciousness. Born illegitimately in the tiny parish of Foveran, Aberdeenshire, in the late Victorian era, he was brought up by his blind mother and elderly grandmother amid the rigid Presbyterian confines of Scotland’s north-east. Tragedy, dreary work as a bank clerk and a craving for success on his own terms all precipitated his leaving Aberdeen to live the life of an artist in London where he quickly became one of the most-talked about creatives of his generation. At the heart of this biography – the first ever to be published on McBey – is his time as a war artist in the Middle East during the Great War – where he would meet and paint T. E. Lawrence – his many love affairs, marriage to the beautiful American, Marguerite Loeb, and his enduring passion for Morocco. Drawing on his many diaries and letters and artistic creations, this is the story of one man who – clever, kind, intrepid, dashing, insecure and flawed – triumphed against the odds. Trade Review'Rather than accepting McBey's diary descriptions of his affairs, Soussi spent a lot of time researching the women behind the names.' -- Nan Spowart * Scottish Sunday National *Author Alasdair Soussi has vividly conveyed the myriad strands in McBey’s life in his new biography Shadows and Light, which invites the reader into a magical and mesmerising critique of the man whose talents were employed during the Great War and thereafter in his beloved Morocco. There’s no dearth of intrigue or romantic interest and Alasdair doesn’t pretend his subject was a saint. -- Neil Drysdale * Press and Journal *

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Book SynopsisThis book offers a comprehensive film-by-film analysis of Spain’s most famous living director, Pedro Almodóvar. It shows how Almodóvar's films draw on various national cinemas and genres, including Spanish cinema of the dictatorship, European art cinema, Hollywood melodrama and film noir. It also argues that Almodóvar's work is a form of social critique, his films consistently engaging with and challenging stereotypes about traditional and contemporary Spain in order to address Spain's traumatic historical past and how it continues to inform the present. Drawing on scholarship in both English and Spanish, the book will be of interest to undergraduate and postgraduate students of film studies and Hispanic studies, scholars of contemporary cinema and general readers with a passion for the films of Pedro Almodóvar.Trade Review'Sánchez-Arce adds significantly to understanding of Almodóvar with these insightful close readings of his features—readings that employ a methodology blending feminism and formalism while situating the films in appropriate sociopolitical and historical contexts.'CHOICE‘The cinema of Pedro Almodóvar successfully manages the difficult task of finding new things to say about an auteur who has been widely written about and studied.’Dolores Tierney, Studies in Spanish and Latin American Cinemas“The cinema of Pedro Almodovar” is an intelligent, thoroughly researched study of all the films up to “Dolor y Gloria” (Pain and Glory, 2019), showing them to be nuanced and political reflections on a reckoning with Franco.' The Prisma -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 The early films: Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón and Laberinto de pasiones2 Kicking the habit: Entre tinieblas3 High windows and ugly aesthetics: ¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto?4 Faking Spain: Matador5 Other voices, other stories: La ley del deseo6 Pure theatre: Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios7 On the verge of a genre breakdown: ¡Átame!, Tacones lejanos and Kika8 The end of romance: La flor de mi secreto9 Circle lines and memory work: Carne trémula10 Remembering children: Todo sobre mi madre11 Still lives: Hable con ella12 Faking memory: La mala educación13 Motherlands: Volver14 Archaeology in the dark: Los abrazos rotos15 Visual seduction: La piel que habito16 'Crisis cinema': Los amantes pasajeros and JulietaAfterword: Dolor y gloriaFilmographyReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisRelatively little has been written about how ballet teachers become teachers themselves and how each generation passes on its experience to the next. The teacher-dancer relationship within the context of the Russian classical tradition is a theme of “A Life Well Danced”. It is presented through the lens of a young girl who lived through emigration and displacement at the time of the Russian Revolution, who experienced this again as an adult after the Second World War and who went on to establish a successful career as a teacher, examiner and choreographer. The book also touches on the teaching and performing of European character dance which is also an under-appreciated field. “A Life Well Danced” was inspired by the author’s direct connection through Zybina and her teachers, Nicolai Legat in London, Evgenia Eduardova in Berlin and Elena Poliakova in Belgrade, to the flowering of Russian classical ballet in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when Marius Petipa was choreographing works such as Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. An interview with Zybina provides the framework for material in memoirs and first-hand accounts that are drawn upon for their lively descriptions of the Imperial Theatre School and the Mariinsky ballet company in St. Petersburg. Born in Moscow, Zybina and her family fled to Europe at the time of the Russian Revolution. Her first marriage to an English diplomat took her to Belgrade and a career as a dancer and ballet mistress in Yugoslavia. The Second World War saw her still in Yugoslavia with her second husband when they and a number of close friends worked in intelligence on behalf of the Allies. A strange twist of events, brought them to England where Zybina established her ballet school and became an examiner for the Federation of Russian Classical Ballet and the Society of Russian Style Ballet Schools.

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Book SynopsisGraham Boynton''s Wild is the definitive biography of photographer Peter Beard, a larger-than-life icon who pushed the boundaries of art and scandalized international high society with his high-profile affairs.He was the original 20th century enfant terrible with the looks of a Greek god who blazed like a comet across the worlds of art, photography, and fame. The scion of several old WASP fortunes, he was by instinct an adventurer, and the more dangerous the escapade, the better: whether he was hunting big game in Africa, ingesting epic quantities of drugs, or pursuing the most beautiful women in the world. Among his friends were Jackie Onassis, Andy Warhol, and Francis Bacon. When Peter Beard died in 2020 after mysteriously disappearing from his Montauk home, he remained an enigma to even his closest friends.Journalist and author Graham Boynton was a friend for more than 30 years, spending time with Beard at his bush camp in Africa, in London, and at h

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Book SynopsisFollowing an unorthodox first meeting in London in 1964, Patricia Boccadoro got to know Rudolf Nureyev on a personal basis after she moved to live in Paris in the 1970s. In this amusing, informative book, she recounts how exciting it was to see him dance in those heady London years, during his legendary partnership with Margot Fonteyn, before giving a lucid account of his directorship of the Paris Opera Ballet, making it into one of the finest companies in the world. The book culminates with his legacy, demonstrating how, with his extreme intelligence, glamour and passion, he changed the image of the male dancer, making them the equal of the ballerina. Above all, the lively reminiscences of those closest to him, along with a selection of photographs, many rarely seen or unpublished, bring Rudolf to life, casting off the image of a temperamental superstar, and painting a true picture of the immensely kind, fun-loving man behind one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century.

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Book SynopsisTHE TOP TEN BESTSELLER'Candid, brilliant and bizarre' Guardian'Stories about the frontman and his bandmates are legion ... [like] Peter Kay with menaces' The Sunday TimesAs lead singer of Happy Mondays and Black Grape, Shaun Ryder was the Keith Richards and Mick Jagger of his generation. A true rebel, who formed and led not one but two seminal bands, he's had number-one albums, headlined Glastonbury, toured the world numerous times, taken every drug under the sun, been through rehab - and come out the other side as a national treasure.Now, for the first time, Shaun lifts the lid on the real inside story of how to be a rock star. With insights from three decades touring the world, which took him from Salford to San Francisco, from playing working men's clubs to headlining Glastonbury and playing in front of the biggest festival crowd the world has ever seen, in Brazil, in the middle of thunderstorm. From recording your first demo tape to having a number-one album, Shaun gives a fly-on-the-wall look at the rock 'n' roll lifestyle - warts and all: how to be a rock star - and also how not to be a rock star. From numerous Top of the Pops appearances to being banned from live TV, from being a figurehead of the acid-house scene to hanging out backstage with the Rolling Stones, Shaun has seen it all. In this book he pulls the curtain back on the debauchery of the tour bus, ridiculous riders, run-ins with record companies, drug dealers and the mafia, and how he forged the most remarkable comeback of all time.'There are enough stories about Happy Mondays to keep people talking about them forever. Bands live on through the myth really, myth and legend' (Steve Lamacq)Trade ReviewCandid and brilliant -- Emma Garland * Guardian *Table of Contentsi: Intro 1: Myths 2: Starting a band 3: Band names 4: Rehearsals 5: Clothes and haircuts 6: Songwriting 7: Lyrics 8: Record labels 9: Live gigs 10: Riders 11: Top of the Pops 12: Drugs 13: Rehab 14: Fame 15: Rivalries 16: Interviews 17: Video shoots 18: Hotels 19: Homes 20: The recording studio 21: Producers 22: Singles 23: Artwork 24: Managers 25: Awards 26: Fans 27: Festivals 28: Touring the world 29: The tour bus 30: Musical differences 31: Teeth 32: Reality TV 33: Social media 34: Reunions 35: Encore

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