Biography: arts and entertainment Books

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Book Synopsis“A remarkable journey. I laughed. I cried. I got another cat.” —Lily Tomlin “Paula Poundstone is the funniest human being I have ever known.” —Peter Sagal, host of Wait Wait . . . Don’t Tell Me! and author of The Book of Vice “Is there a secret to happiness?” asks comedian Paula Poundstone. "I don’t know how or why anyone would keep it a secret. It seems rather cruel, really . . . Where could it be? Is it deceptively simple? Does it melt at a certain temperature? Can you buy it? Must you suffer for it before or after?” In her wildly and wisely observed book, the comedy legend takes on that most inalienable of rights—the pursuit of happiness. Offering herself up as a human guinea pig in a series of thoroughly unscientific experiments, Poundstone tries out a different get-happy hypothesis in each chapter of her data-driven search. She gets in shape with taekwondo. She drives fast behind the wheel of a Lamborghini. She communes with nature while camping with her daughter, and commits to getting her house organized (twice!). Swing dancing? Meditation? Volunteering? Does any of it bring her happiness? You may be laughing too hard to care. The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness is both a story of jumping into new experiences with both feet and a surprisingly poignant tale of a single working mother of three children (not to mention dozens of cats, a dog, a bearded dragon lizard, a lop-eared bunny, and one ant left from her ant farm) who is just trying to keep smiling while living a busy life. The queen of the skepticism-fueled rant, Paula Poundstone stands alone in her talent for bursting bubbles and slaying sacred cows. Like George Carlin, Steve Martin, and David Sedaris, she is a master of her craft, and her comedic brilliance is served up in abundance in this book. As author and humorist Roy Blount Jr. notes, “Paula Poundstone deserves to be happy. Nobody deserves to be this funny.”

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Book SynopsisLaunched in 1967 ÊGuitar PlayerÊ was the only guitar publication in existence when the '60s and '70s six-string explosion ignited across the globe. As a result ÊGuitar PlayerÊ interviewed scores of seminal guitar stars as the magic happened. Now ÊGuitar PlayerÊ has opened its archives to present a thrilling collection of articles that detail the equipment and tone explorations of transcendent guitarists such as Eric Clapton Jimi Hendrix Jimmy Page Jeff Beck Duane Allman Steve Howe Peter Green and many others. Every article originally appeared in the 1970s when these young guns were in the midst of conjuring world-changing guitar sounds riffs and musical concepts ä all building the foundation for what has become revered as classic rock. Anyone wishing to study the building blocks of what drove audiences to first utter the phrase Guitar Hero can now get the story straight from the players who earned the title.

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Book SynopsisÊBilly Joel: The Life and Times of an Angry Young ManÊ is a look at the superstar's entire career including his troubled youth as a gang member; the controversy surrounding his first hit Captain Jack ; his legal problems; his storied marriage with Christie Brinkley; and his continued artistic frustration. The Beatles did 'Michelle' and 'Yesterday ' he has said. They also did 'Revolution' and 'Helter Skelter' and they weren't pegged as balladeers. But because I had hit singles that were ballads I became known as a balladeer. I've always resented it. ÞÞJoel ä one of the top ten touring takes of the decade ä has continued his standing road date with Elton John on the never-ending Two Pianos tour. It was one of the world's top-grossing tours in 2009 just behind U2 and Bruce Springsteen.

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Book SynopsisCountless stories have been written about Tito Puente's percussive musical abilities but never before have his talent and intuition as well as the mishaps and controversies surrounding him been presented with such vivacity and love chronicling the popular and combative King of Latin rhythm who climbed from El Barrio to international fame and recognition influencing multiple generations of jazzers and Latin rockers from Dizzy Gillespie to Santana.ÞTito Puente was more than a flamboyant percussionist; he was a multi-instrumentalist and gifted composer. Despite the importance and popularity of Tito's music his contributions are too often ignored ä witness Ken Burns' television documentary about jazz which he virtually ignores Afro-Cuban jazz ä this book reclaims Tito's rightful place in the history of music.ÞAuthor Joe Conzo was Tito's confidant and chronicler for nearly 40 years ä no one was closer to Tito or knew him better. Joe tells the story of Tito's intensity for perfection and describes Tito's musical brilliance in a manner that is as exciting a rapid-fire explosion on the timbales as it is deeply personal.ÞÊMambo DiabloÊ is like no book before it a must-read for all music fans and for anyone who loves New York. Famed author and journalist Pete Hamill sets the stage for the journey with a loving preface.

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Book SynopsisSince 1973 KISS has recorded over 20 studio albums; been recognized as an innovator in rock presentations; witnessed a firestorm of rumors and controversies; remained a thorn in critics' sides; and continues to surprise its massive fan-following the KISS Army with various career twists and turns. Moreover many television shows movies toys and even comics have kept KISS a bigger-than-life name in entertainment for decades.ÞYet with all that has been written over the years there are subjects that fans have never put to rest when it comes to the hottest band in the land : What were the most significant concerts? Why did ÊPhantom of the ParkÊ turn out that way? What were the best ä and worst ä album covers? How did the comics come about? And what the heck is a deuce?ÞThese subjects and more appear in ÊKISS FAQÊ ä showcasing the good bad and the weird that has made KISS the legendary ultimate rock-and-roll party band still going strong after 40 years. Accompanying this entertaining work of solid rock scholarship are dozens of rare images ä from posters to live shots and beyond. Also included is a foreword by Bill Starkey the creator of the original KISS Army.

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Book SynopsisIn this volume author John Corcelli reveals Zappa's roots as a musician from his diverse influences to his personal life. We also learn more about his former band members and the enormous musical legacy inherited by his son Dweezil. The book features a juried examination of Zappa's recordings and his videos. It also features a complete discography and a recommended reading list. Each chapter has a special focus on Zappa's life with sections covering his family his home studio ä known as the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen ä his keen interest in the Synclavier (a device he first used in 1980) his guitars and more. Special attention is paid to the Mothers of Invention.ÞÊFrank Zappa FAQÊ is a must-have for fans new and old looking to delve into some of the best music ever made by one of the most innovative artists the world has known.

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Book SynopsisÊPearl Jam FAQÊ is what the British refer to as a spanner covering the entire arc of the band's career from their pre-Pearl Jam days to the present. Each chapter explores a different aspect of Pearl Jam's fascinating history.ÞYou will read about the members' successes failures and tragedies in earlier bands. You will learn the band's origin story and the unusual manner in which they came up with a name. We will go inside the studio and analyze each of their albums in turn. We will hit the road with the band as Pearl Jam sets out to conquer Seattle the West Coast of the United States and then the entire world.ÞWe will watch as Pearl Jam adapts to an ever-changing media landscape where MTV not radio is the major power broker. You will revel in their battles with Ticketmaster and learn about the roots of their socio-political activism. In short you will experience Pearl Jam in every imaginable context: on CD on vinyl on the radio on television on film in videos onstage backstage on the road in the air and at home. Written by Pearl Jam enthusiasts ÊPearl Jam FAQÊ presents a must-have text for band devotees to devour.

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Book SynopsisIn a way that no prior rock act had done the Band assimilated remade and contagiously celebrated the rich deep tributaries of American vernacular music. Blues country jazz folk gospel soul rock'n' roll ä the members soaked it all up distilling what they heard and felt into an alchemical brew all their own. Via this vibrant concoction the group ä Levon Helm Robbie Robertson Rick Danko Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson ä reshaped popular music creating the genre now known as roots rock and giving us classic songs like The Weight Up on Cripple Creek and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. ÞThe Band wove a history that rivals the epic scenes they sang about: from their early years as rockabilly wild man Ronnie Hawkins's group the Hawks and their groundbreaking tours and ÊBasement TapesÊ period with Bob Dylan through their emergence as the Band with 1968's landmark album ÊMusic from Big PinkÊ they reigned as one of rock's most popular acts culminating with rock's greatest concert movie ÊThe Last WaltzÊ and their 1980s reunion and ultimate demise with the tragic deaths of Manuel and Danko.ÞÊThe Band FAQÊ digs deep to discuss different facets of the Band's collective and individual stories ä providing intensive analysis of their recordings; highlighting their key concerts collaborations with Bob Dylan outside projects musical and non-musical influences and their contemporary artists; and examining the group's formidable effect on popular music and their still-thriving legacy. A host of rare images rounds out the book which is a must-have for new and longtime fans.

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Book SynopsisÊSinister UrgeÊ is the first in-depth career-spanning biography of heavy-metal musician and filmmaker Rob Zombie. Born Robert Cummings in 1965 Zombie is now as well known for his movies as he is for his music which he has released and performed both as a solo artist and as part of his early band White Zombie. In both fields he imbues his art with the vivid sense of macabre theater that has thrilled his millions of disciples since he and his band first emerged with ÊSoul-CrusherÊ in 1987.ÞAlthough he has sold millions of albums and generated many more millions of dollars at the box office Zombie has never taken the easy option or the predictable route. Indeed while the music industry ä and many of his peers ä have fallen to their knees in the last decade or so Zombie has found a new edge his work undiluted by success or middle age.ÞDrawing on original research and new interviews with bandmates and associates ÊSinister UrgeÊ takes a detailed look at Zombie's challenging oeuvre offering close analysis of his albums and films alongside tales of his life and work on and offstage.

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Book SynopsisAlthough he's a showbiz lifer Billy Vera is cut from a wholly different cloth than his peers. If an artist is measured by their devotion to their craft ÊHarlem to HollywoodÊ may be the purest treatise on the subject ever produced. All the better it's also an astounding story.ÞBorn into a white suburban family Vera fell for black music as a child and started down a winding performer's path that would buoy him the rest of his life. In the sixties Vera paid his bills by songwriting (for other artists) through the day and playing mobbed up clubs at night. By 1967 as Newark burned on the other side of the Hudson he and gospel singer Judy Clay the first interracial duet to perform at the Apollo tore the house down with a little ditty he wrote for himself: Storybook Children a commercial hit produced by Atlantic Records. Through the seventies popular taste shifted drastically. As blue-eyed soul went out of fashion Vera like many other musicians found himself scrounging for survival gigs but one crucial difference set him apart: he abstained from the drugs and drink that fueled ä and eventually claimed ä so many of his contemporaries. As that decade sputtered to a close a woman by the name of Dolly Parton recorded Vera's I Really Got the Feeling and hit number one on the charts. Riding the tide of this unexpected attention Vera hightailed it to Los Angeles formed a new band Billy and the Beaters and charted twice before the close of 1981 with songs from their eponymous album recorded live at the Roxy. Five years later one of these minor hits At This Moment was featured in several episodes of NBC's ÊFamily TiesÊ. The song rocketed up the charts and a 42-year-old Vera found himself with his very own number one single. Nine visits to Carson and an American Bandstand appearance later Vera tasted many other flavors of success: acting both on- and off-camera producing records and reissuing his own work. Today with a star on the Hollywood Walk and Fame and a Grammy in tow he's finally prepared to share his journey (did we mention that he's also a photographer and music historian who documented every step of career?).ÞTo sit down with Billy Vera is to take a personalized tour through nearly fifty years of entertainment history. Won't you come along for the ride?

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Book SynopsisÊThe WallÊ was Roger Waters's first album. So begins Dave Thompson's Thompson's ÊRoger Waters: The Man Behind the WallÊ the first full biography on this notoriously guarded personality that has eluded probing queries and papertrail dissection for the entirety of his career. As he prepares to release his first solo album in twenty-five years buff up on your Waters know-how with the paperback edition of Thompson's incisive profile first published in 2013.ÞBorn in 1943 amidst the bombs and shrapnel of the Second World War Waters abandoned a career in architecture to pursue his myriad demons through song. Over the years imbued with an utter brilliant mind and a general tendency toward belligerence Waters has regularly butted heads with his bandmates fellow musicians fans acquaintances family political figures and entire nations ä but why? Leaning on original research conducted among Waters' inner circle of friends and associates Thompson cautiously dismantles every wall Waters has erected between himself and the public a brick at a time in pursuit of an answer. As the mass of apparent contradictions stack up and the saga of this publicly isolated man unravels Thompson arrives at a portrait of an artist every bit as nuanced and recalcitrant as his work would suggest.

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Book SynopsisOther people locked themselves away and hid from their demons. Townes flung open his door and said, 'Come on in. So writes Harold Eggers, Townes Van Zandt's longtime road manager and producer, in My Years with Townes Van Zandt: Music, Genius, and Rage a gripping memoir revealing the inner core of an enigmatic troubadour, whose deeply poetic music was a source of inspiration and healing for millions but was for himself a torment struggling for dominance among myriad personal demons. Townes Van Zandt often stated that his main musical mission was to write the perfect song that would save someone's life. However, his life was a work in progress he was constantly struggling to shape and comprehend. Eggers says of his close friend and business partner that like the master song craftsman he was, he was never truly satisfied with the final product but always kept giving it one more shot, one extra tweak, one last effort. A vivid, first-hand account exploring the source of the singer's prodigious talent, widespread influence, and relentless path toward self-destruction, My Years with Townes Van Zandt presents the truth of that all-consuming artistic journey told by a close friend watching it unfold.

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Book SynopsisIn his 1960s-1970s heyday Rod McKuen was a phenomenally popular singer-songwriter as well as the bestselling poet in publishing history. To his legions of fans around the world he was a voice of compassion and healing as much a prophet as an author/entertainer. McKuen songs like If You Go Away and Jean earned him massive hits while books like ÊListen to the WarmÊ sold millions of copies.ÞMcKuen's huge sales and devoted following didn't stop the critics from calling his work sentimental kitsch cranked out for the money. Who was this enigmatic artist who aroused so much love and hatred? ÊA Voice of the Warm: The Life of Rod McKuenÊ is the first-ever biography of one of the 20th century's most popular and misunderstood pop-culture icons. Drawing upon extensive research and over 100 interviews author Barry Alfonso tells how McKuen overcame childhood physical and sexual abuse to become a teenage radio host film actor and Beat-style poet before connecting with a vast audience as a writer and recording artist. McKuen's role as a pioneering gay rights activist who bridged the '60s generation gap with a message of love and tolerance help to make his story uniquely relevant today.

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Book SynopsisBill Haley ä the man who brought rock 'n' roll into the mainstream. His song Crazy Man Crazy was the first rock 'n' roll song to break the ÊBillboardÊ Top 20 in 1953 and was followed by his evergreen We're Gonna Rock Around the Clock the first song of its kind to hit #1. His success made him an idol not only in the US but throughout the world from Canada to the UK Europe Australia Japan New Zealand and beyond. Yet Haley is often overlooked in the story of rock 'n' roll overshadowed by others who followed him from sex symbol Elvis Presley to wild man Jerry Lee Lewis and forever-young Buddy Holly.ÞBut Haley's lack of visibility was in part his own doing: he had conflicted feelings about fame was extremely private suffered chronic alcoholism and troubled relationships with multiple wives which yielded ten children who he struggled to support. Though he managed to carry on a successful touring career his demons eventually eroded his health and in 1981 at the age of only 55 he passed away.ÞThis book is written by esteemed biographer Peter Benjaminson and Bill Haley Jr. Haley's son a musician himself who tours the world paying tribute to his father's music. Culled from interviews with insiders ä from ex-wives to the Comets recorded conversations with Haley Sr. official documents diaries and more this book not only charts the happenings of Haley's career but gives insight into the Haley behind the curtain and some of the other trials he faced from the dark side of the music business to ties with Mafia. Featuring a collection of rare photographs this book is a must-have for any serious rock 'n' roll fan.

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Book SynopsisThe most complete book on Depeche Mode. Ever.

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Book SynopsisA passionate and critical analysis of the life cycle of fame, from film producer/director and former worldwide TV star Justine Bateman.

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Book SynopsisTwo full-color eight-page photo inserts

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Book SynopsisVampira is an icon - but her creator's life was even more dramatic.

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Book SynopsisIn this first biography of the man and his music, Jimmy Little: A Yorta Yorta Man tells the incredible story of one of Australia’s most acclaimed Aboriginal pop and country music legends and icons, Jimmy Little. At just 16 years of age, Jimmy Little travelled to Sydney to make his radio debut on Australia’s Amateur Hour. The eldest of seven children and born on the Cummeragunja Reserve on the Murray River, Jimmy’s entry into the entertainment industry came at a time when First Nations people were not counted in the census. In the face of indescribable barriers and discrimination, Jimmy would go on to woo the nation. His immense talent, charm and heart saw him become a household name and national treasure. Jimmy’s songs consistently topped the music charts of the 1960s, and he won several of Australia’s most prestigious lifetime achievement awards, including the ARIA Hall of Fame, NAIDOC Person of the Year, and Officer of the Order of Australia. And now his daughter, Frances Peters-Little, tells the full story behind her father’s inspiring ascent to stardom. For though this is a story about a pop star and national celebrity, it is also the story of a gentle man who always stayed true to himself and his cultural identity – a man who believed in the power of living your dreams. Weaving together stories both known and unknown to the public, Jimmy Little: A Yorta Yorta Man will take you on a remarkable journey through a life of music, love and advocacy.

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Book SynopsisGeorge Young wasn't so much on the charts for the best part of three decades: he and his musical partner Harry Vanda were the charts. George's journey began with the trailblazing Easybeats and continued, alongside Harry, as producer/songwriter for hire with John Paul Young, The Angels, Rose Tattoo, Cheetah, Ted Mulry, Stevie Wright and, most crucially, AC/DC. George and Harry also struck gold with Flash and the Pan, almost by accident.George Young helped create such classics as 'Friday on My Mind', 'Sorry', 'Love is in the Air', 'Evie', 'Yesterday's Hero', 'Down Among the Dead Men', 'Hey, St. Peter', 'Bad Boy for Love', 'Jailbreak' and 'It's a Long Way to the Top'. In 2001, APRA voted 'Friday on My Mind' the best and most significant Australian song of the past 75 years.In this long-overdue book, the first to focus exclusively on the life and work of George Young, writer Jeff Apter explores George's long and fruitful association with Harry; his rare ability to maintain a stable married life with his wife Sandra; and his handshake deal with Ted Albert that helped create a music empire. The book also reveals such little-known events as the accident that almost killed off 'Hey, St. Peter' before its release, and the tragedy that bonded George and Harry for life.

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Book SynopsisOften compared to David Bowie and Mick Jagger, Doc Neeson was hailed as a 'messianic rock god'.He was thumping, pumping, sweaty hard rock. He commanded the stage. He was unstoppable. He was terrifying. He was wild. He was a legend. And as their front man, Doc propelled the Angels to become the highest paid band in Australia in the 1980s and 1990s. With massive album sales in Australia and a US record deal, global superstardom seemed assured . . . but then everything started to fall apart.This is Doc's story with the highs, the lows, the girls, the booze, the drugs, the tours, the good deeds, the crazy antics, the dark days and the great split that shattered the Angels. When he died in 2014 from a brain tumour, a black veil came down over a generation of Australian rock fans.

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Book SynopsisFour Grammys. 20 US Number Ones. A Hollywood marriage. Who wouldn't want to be Keith Urban?Keith Urban came from humble origins. His father worked at the local tip and Keith was a high school dropout. But Keith had a plan: conquering Nashville. 'It's my destiny,' he said. And Keith was hell-bent on scaling that musical Everest. Whatever it took.It didn't come easy. Keith served his apprenticeship in the beer barns of Australia and his early trips to America were disastrous. But he never gave up, settling in Nashville in the 1990s and forming The Ranch. When the band fell apart, so did Keith, ending up in rehab (not for the last time). But Keith did eventually reach the top, through a combination of talent, charisma, sex appeal, dogged perseverance-and skin thick enough for a rhino. And along the way he married Nicole Kidman.As Keith has said, 'All those detours, especially the really dark ones, got me to where I am now. I would not want to change one leaf on any tree in the whole journey.'Keith Urban is the definitive biography of an Australian superstar.

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Book SynopsisThe first book of its kind to discuss life as a stage manager, Whenever You're Ready is the biography of Nora Polley, who has worked at the internationally renowned Stratford Festival for 52 years.

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Book SynopsisThe first hilarious volume of comedy writer, journalist, radio DJ and screenwriter Danny Baker's memoir, and now the inspiration for the major BBC series CRADLE TO GRAVE, starring Peter Kay.'And what was our life like in this noisy, dangerous and polluted industrial pock-mark wedged into one of the capital's toughest neighbourhoods? It was, of course, utterly magnificent and I'd give anything to climb inside it again for just one day.'In the first volume of his memoirs, Danny Baker brings his early years to life as only he knows how. With his trademark humour and eye for a killer anecdote, he takes us all the way from the council house in south-east London that he shared with his mum Betty and dad 'Spud' (played by Peter Kay) to the music-biz excesses of Los Angeles, where he famously interviewed Michael Jackson for the NME. Laugh-out-loud funny, it is also an affectionate but unsentimental hymn to a bygone era.Trade ReviewFull of warmth and laughter -- Ian Hyland * Daily Mirror *Danny Baker's passion runs deeper still as he attempts to squeeze the maximum amount of amusement from everything in his path in this hilarious first chronicle of his wonderful life. * THE OLDIE *A lively, memorable autobiography. * THE SUNDAY BUSINESS POST *

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Book SynopsisMahler's life was a remarkably complex one, his success as a conductor continually overshadowed by his craving for recognition as a composer. Recognition which never came in his lifetime. In this biography, the author reveals how Mahler's personality, his extraordinary life and his music are inseparable. New light is shed on his strange relationship with Alma Mahler, his wife, and on his turbulent love affairs. In Vienna, where he directed the Opera, Mahler was a prime target for rumour mongers. Nothing he did, whether private or public, escaped the attention of a Vienna avid for details of his personal life. The author portrays vividly the conflict which arose from the demands made on Mahler by his enormously successful career, and his desperate desire to pursue the creation of great music. Illustrated with portraits of the people who made up Mahler's world and photographs of places associated with him, this book unfolds Mahler's story with impressive psychological insight. Includes a CD featuring a selection of recordings by the composer.

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Book SynopsisArguably the greatest of all piano virtuosi, Liszt was one of the few composers of his day who had the technique to perform his own compositions. A child prodigy pianist who could read music before he could recite the alphabet, Franz Liszt is one of the most outrageously gifted and most controversial figures in classical music. Unconventional in both his approach to composing and his personal life, he had a reputation for courting hostility and riding rough-shod over other people's feelings, particularly those of his musical peers. This lavishly illustrated book chronicles Liszt's life and times with the help of many rare photographs and contemporary prints. With numerous quotations from the people who knew him best, extracts from personal letters and diaries, this remarkable book gives an intimate picture of the composer's private life, and also investigates the complex religious and emotional forces which inspired his music. Includes a CD featuring a selection of recordings by the composer.

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Book SynopsisHollywood superstar; Oscar-winning director; greatest stage actor of the twentieth century. His era abounded in greats - Gielgud, Richardson, Guinness, Burton, O'Toole - but none could challenge Laurence Olivier's range and power. By the 1940s he had achieved international stardom. His affair with Vivien Leigh led to a marriage as glamorous and as tragic as any in Hollywood history. He was as accomplished a director as he was a leading man: his three Shakespearian adaptations are among the most memorable ever filmed. Off-stage, Olivier was the most extravagant of characters: generous, yet almost insanely jealous of those few contemporaries whom he deemed to be his rivals; charming but with a ferocious temper. With access to more than fifty hours of candid, unpublished interviews, Philip Ziegler ensures that Olivier's true character - at its most undisguised - shines through as never before.Trade Review'A triumph ... It succeeds, as far as is humanly possible, in bringing alive on the page Olivier's magnetic theatrical presence, which those who saw him act will never forget' John Carey, Sunday Times. * Sunday Times *'An elegant and increasingly compelling book' Simon Callow, Guardian. * Guardian *'Without adulation, sentimentality and or sneer, layer by layer as the 82 years of Olivier's life flow by Ziegler painstakingly uncovers a portrait of a real man. It is enthralling. I took it on holiday and could hardly bear to finish it ... tremendous' Libby Purves, The Times. * The Times *'Philip Ziegler's splendid biography confirms the contention that Lord Olivier OM is as great a figure in the history of the English theatre as David Garrick or Sir Henry Irving' Economist. * Economist *'Philip's book is the Larry I knew' Tarquin Olivier. * Tarquin Olivier *Table of ContentsList of illustrations. Beginnings. Apprentice Days. Breakthrough. Birth of a Classical Actor. Film Star. War. Naval Officer. The Old Vic. 'Hamlet'. Australasia. Life Without the Old Vic. Disintegration of a Marriage. Stratford. L.O.P. Marking Time. Chichester. The National: Act One. The National: Act Two. The National: Act Three. Problems. Challenges. Who Will Take Over? The Coming of Hall. Olivier's Occupation Gone? Old Age. Death. Biographer's Afterword. Note on Sources. Notes. Acknowledgments. Index. Picture Credits.

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Book SynopsisDoctor Who has had children hiding behind sofas since 1963. With it’s re-launch in 2005, it is now more popular than ever. Eleven actors have played the famous Time Lord, starting with William Hartnell, and it has been a career landmark for all of them. Indeed, no other role in television history is as iconic, demanding, or as anticipated by its legion of fans as that of the famous time traveller with two hearts. All the bizarre facts of Doctor Who are explained as the lives and careers of each Doctor are put under the spotlight and given credit they so richly deserve. Find out o Who was a bouncer for the Rolling Stones o Who was nearly blown up in the Second World War aboard the HMS Hood o Who played a transvestite barmaid before becoming a Dr Who heart-throb

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Book SynopsisIn Two Minds is the first comprehensive biography of Jonathan Miller – the story of one of post-war Britain’s most intriguing polymaths. Descended from immigrants who fled Tsarist anti-Semitism to become shopkeepers in Ireland and London’s East End, Miller was born into an intellectual milieu, between Bloomsbury and Harley Street – the son of a novelist and a leading child psychiatrist. Miller trained as adoctor but then forged a career as a stellar comedian and as a world-renowned theatre and opera director. He is a controversial humorist, public intellectual and TV personality. As a star in the groundbreaking satirical revue Beyond the Fringe, he shot to fame alongside Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Alan Bennett. His expertise and interests encompass many areas, from medicine (he wrote and presented the hugely acclaimed BBC documentary series The Body in Question) to the history of art, Mozart, atheism and the nature of laughter. Jonathan Miller is one of the most multi-talented Britons of his generation, celebrated for his dazzling intelligence and anti-establishmentarian wit. Drawing on in-depth interviews, this is an entertaining and illuminating portrait of a fascinatingly complex man.Trade ReviewA remarkable portrait of a complex and Coleridgean figure, a man in two minds about himself for most of his life * The Telegraph *Bassett is herself a fine, fierce theatre critic – her write-ups of Miller's productions have verve and perceptive grace… thorough… entertaining * Guardian *‘An admirably thorough job of a biography: sympathetic, deeply researched, informed by long conversations with Miller and dozens of friends, colleagues and, occasionally, enemies.’ * The Spectator *‘Kate Bassett’s fascinating book draws together the many strands that combine to make this renaissance man.’ * Jewish Chronicle *‘Sir Jonathan Miller is a remarkable man. As one of the great egocentrics of his generation, he would not question this judgment... Ms Bassett’s first-class biography does not mask Sir Jonathan’s weaknesses, but she says that, “in conversation, his flaws seem more tragicomic than intolerable—the bile and bitterness never quite obliterate the man’s warmth.”’ * The Economist *‘Absorbing, in-depth and erudite… Bassett, who clearly likes and respects her subject but isn't overawed by him, sensibly marshals the arguments on both sides and leaves it up to the reader how posterity will regard Miller.’ * Observer *‘Miller’s bravura is exemplary and life-enhancing, so it is sad to learn from Kate Bassett’s magnificent biography (brilliantly researched – even the extensive endnotes are a joy) that the man himself somehow feels hard-done-by, unappreciated and under-rewarded.' * Financial Times *‘Bassett’s beautifully balanced account… describes how caring [Miller] can be to friends, and how he can enthuse them with his dazzling cross-disciplinary ideas. His secret of survival? For every bridge he burns, he’s somehow able to build another. He’s inexhaustible, and unceasingly curious. Bassett treats her subject with respect, and, thankfully, without kid gloves… fascinating’ * Bloomberg *‘There is no more extraordinary figure in British public life than Jonathan Miller… His achievement is undeniable, as In Two Minds makes clear, and though his workaholic days are behind him, he reveals no signs of retirement.’ * Wall Street Journal *A remarkable portrait of a complex and Coleridgean figure, a man in two minds about himself for most of his life. * Five stars - Telegraph *Scrupulously researched, always fascinating... As Bassett says in her admirably measured book, there's 'bile and bitterness' here. As she demonstrates, there's also genius. * London Times *Bassett is herself a fine, fierce theatre critic - her write-ups of Miller's productions have verve and perceptive grace... thorough... entertaining. * Guardian *An admirably thorough job of a biography: sympathetic, deeply researched, informed by long conversations with Miller and dozens of friends, colleagues and, occasionally, enemies. * Spectator *Kate Bassett's fascinating book draws together the many strands that combine to make this renaissance man. * Jewish Chronicle *Sir Jonathan Miller is a remarkable man. As one of the great egocentrics of his generation, he would not question this judgment... Ms Bassett's first-class biography does not mask Sir Jonathan's weaknesses, but she says that, "in conversation, his flaws seem more tragicomic than intolerable--the bile and bitterness never quite obliterate the man's warmth. * Economist *Absorbing, in-depth and erudite... Bassett, who clearly likes and respects her subject but isn't overawed by him, sensibly marshals the arguments on both sides and leaves it up to the reader how posterity will regard Miller. * Observer *Kate Bassett's brilliant, exhaustively researched biography... reminds us what a truly astonishing man he is. Just try to imagine post-war British culture without him. * Jewish Chronicle *Compelling.. a dense, exhaustively well-researched portrait... a persuasive, ultimately rather sad portrait of a North London Jewish boy. * Sunday Times *‘Jonathan Miller…prodigiously multi-talented: mimic, comic actor, opera director, television-talker, scientist – he has excelled in all those spheres… This absolutely brilliant biography…shows us that Miller is still the brilliant schoolboy, fascinated by dissecting animals and reading philosophy, still with an adolescent sense of mischief and the adolescent sense of grievance.’ -- A.N. Wilson‘Bassett’s beautifully balanced account…describes how caring [Miller] can be to friends, and how he can enthuse them with his dazzling cross-disciplinary ideas. His secret of survival? For every bridge he burns, he’s somehow able to build another. He’s inexhaustible, and unceasingly curious. Bassett treats her subject with respect, and, thankfully, without kid gloves…fascinating.’ * Bloomberg *‘Showing tremendous understanding of the poisoned chalice that his Janus-faced intellect has been… A remarkable portrait of a complex and Coleridgean figure, a man in two minds about himself for most of his life.’ * Telegraph *‘Absorbing, in-depth and erudite…Bassett’s book…produce[s] an appealingly multifaceted figure of a man whose polymathic genius has never been in doubt, but whose refusal to toe the British line of self-deprecation has seen him become something of a prophet without honour at home.’ * Observer *‘Sympathetic, deeply researched, informed by long conversations with Miller and dozens of friends, colleagues and, occasionally, enemies.’ * The Spectator *‘Bassett is herself a fine, fierce theatre critic – her write-ups of Miller’s productions have verve and perceptive grace…entertaining.’ * Guardian *‘Miller’s bravura is exemplary and life-enhancing…Kate Bassett’s magnificent biography [is] brilliantly researched – even the extensive endnotes are a joy.’ * Financial Times *Scrupulously researched, always fascinating… As Bassett says in her admirably measured book, there’s ‘bile and bitterness’ here. As she demonstrates, there’s also genius * The Times *Compelling.. a dense, exhaustively well-researched portrait... a persuasive, ultimately rather sad portrait of a North London Jewish boy * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisIn a world of boy bands and manufactured pop, Jake Bugg's simply-strummed tales of life on the council estate where he grew up have connected with music fans around the world. Bugg has turned the music industry inside out with the unexpected success of his country folk songs with a rockabilly twist. He's taken the sounds of the 1950s and 60s into the 21st century. But how did a teenager from Nottingham - a city whose music scene was previously notable for one hit wonders and novelty records - go from the bottom of the bill to the top in such a short space of time? Journalist David Nolan has immersed himself in the Nottingham music scene and tracked down the key players who helped Jake along the way. Here, for the first time, is Bugg's story, in this unofficial biography. Jake Bugg: is he The Council Estate Bob Dylan, The Cockiest Lonnie Donegan Wannabe in Nottingham or The King of the Clifton Delta? Maybe he's all three.

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Book SynopsisMetallica's ascension from thrash metal obscurity to becoming arguably one of the greatest rock bands the world has ever known, can be directly attributed to its lead singer and guitarist, James Hetfield. Having sold 110 million records worldwide and with an impressive eight Grammy Awards to their name, Metallica is undoubtedly a commercial triumph, but what of the man behind the music? Of Metal and Man is the newly revised biography of this rock legend, offering an exclusive insight into the life and career of one of Metallica's founding members. Author Mark Eglinton charts the hidden complexities of the relationships within the band, exploring the effects that global fame has had on Hetfield and his cohorts. Eglinton sheds light on both the highs of worldwide success and the lows of addiction and alcohol abuse, giving details of exclusive first-hand interviews with key figures from the band's inner circle. Dramatic and compelling, and now with newly updated material, this is the definitive biography of James Hetfield - singer-songwriter, guitarist and co-founder of a band which has changed the face of rock, the world over.

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Book SynopsisA relentless innovator, scoring chart hits while simultaneously incorporating radical and ground-breaking elements into his work.As with all great pop stars, Bowie's image changed with almost every new album release. This appetite for reinvention, both musically and visually, saw him dubbed the 'chameleon of pop'. But Bowie's influence extended well beyond his discography and make-up drawer. His androgynous qualities and public statements on his sexuality proved liberating for those who were uncertain about their own. Lives of the Musicians: David Bowie covers the years he spent struggling to find the right artistic outlet to the dramatic breakthrough in 1972 with Ziggy Stardust - and afterwards, the excessive lifestyle that nearly cost him his sanity. It continues with his artistic rebirth in Berlin during the late Seventies, the mainstream success he achieved with Let's Dance in 1983 and the artistic price that he paid for it.

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Book Synopsis'Entertaining... Wilson is affectionate without being reverential.' Daisy Goodwin, The TimesIn this original and vibrant examination of the life and times of Queen Elizabeth II, biographer and novelist A.N. Wilson paints a vivid portrait of 'Lilibet' the woman, and of her reign. He also considers the history of the monarchy, drawing a line that stretches from Queen Victoria to the bloody history of Europe in the twentieth century, examining how and why the Royal Family has survived. In part historical overview, but with a keen eye to the future, Wilson writes with his signature warmth, intelligence and humour, celebrating the life of the Queen and her role as figurehead of Britain and the Commonwealth.Trade ReviewEntertaining... Wilson is affectionate without being reverential. -- Daisy Goodwin * The Times *The clear-eyed biographer sets his sights on our monarch in this unusual examination of life and times of HM The Queen * Britain magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe Little Guide to Betty White captures the humor, tenacity, optimism and candor of this beloved comedian, actress, and legend in her own time. In honor of Betty's illustrious 80-plus-year career – from radio and TV variety shows to game shows and sitcoms, from Sue Ann Nivens in The Mary Tyler Moore Show to Rose Nylund in The Golden Girls – this celebration of her famous catchphrases, quips, one-liners, and words of wisdom delivers her own brand of quick-fired laughs to her millions of fans.One of the hardest-working actresses of all time and a tiny powerhouse of talent, Betty's gained a multigenerational fan base who are drawn to her comedic talent and plucky positivity – characteristics that have seen her make the most of her exceptional life and career while remaining authentic, humble, and down to earth. As she approaches her 100th birthday in January 2022, Betty continues to trailblaze as an entertainer and amuse ever-new audiences.Table of ContentsLife Lessons - With sage advice on everything from stage fright to friendships • Laughing Out Loud - A quick wit with expert comedic timing, here are some of her most memorable lines, scripted and unscripted • Show Business - Betty's insights on acting, the audience, and working in Tinseltown • Women & Romance - An early trailblazer for women in TV, Betty never let anything hold her back • Cats, Dogs... & Elephants - A love affair with pets and wildlife led her to promote more responsibility and kindness toward her special friends • Aging (Dis)Gracefully - Betty was pivotal in portraying the vibrant lives of senior women in the groundbreaking The Golden Girls and, in doing so, became a cultural icon for all generations.

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Book Synopsis‘Enthralling . . . an essential read, particularly for fans of 007.’ - Cinema Retro‘When Harry Met Cubby is a fitting tribute to two extraordinary men. If you love behind the scenes stories about the making of movies, there’s plenty of drama to sate you here.’ - Entertainment FocusAlbert R. ‘Cubby’ Broccoli and Harry Saltzman remain the most successful producing partnership in movie history. Together they were responsible for the phenomenally successful James Bond series; separately they brought kitchen-sink drama to the screen, made a star out of Michael Caine in the Harry Palmer films and were responsible for the children’s classic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. But their relationship was fraught almost from the very beginning. With such contrasting personalities, their interactions often span out of control. They managed to drive away their coveted star, Sean Connery, and ultimately each other.Loved and hated in equal measure, respected and feared by their contemporaries, few people have loomed as large over the film industry as Broccoli and Saltzman, yet their lives went in very different directions. Broccoli was feted as Hollywood royalty, whereas Saltzman ended up a forgotten recluse. When Harry Met Cubby charts the changing fortunes and clashing personalities of two titans of the big screen.

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Book Synopsis‘It is impossible not to be thrilled by Edgar Wallace.’ So said the blurbs of Wallace’s own books.Indeed, he was a prolific author of over 170 books, translated into more than thirty languages. More films were made from his books than any other twentieth-century writer, and in the 1920s a quarter of all books read in England were written by him. His success is written in black and white, but his life got off to an inauspicious start.Edgar Wallace, the illegitimate son of a travelling actress, rose from poverty in Victorian England to become the most popular author in the world and a global celebrity of his age.Famous for his thrillers, with their fantastic plots, in many ways Wallace did not write his most exciting story: he lived it, and here Neil Clark eloquently tells his tale to allow you to live it too.Trade ReviewClark’s aim is less to claim Wallace as a neglected genius than to 'generate renewed interest in this remarkable man'. In this he succeeds admirably. -- Duncan Campbell * The Guardian *A very readable biography about an extraordinary writer. -- Martin EdwardsA fascinating book which I wholeheartedly recommend. -- Christopher Gray * The Oxford Times *

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Book SynopsisIt was love at first taste for fifteen-year-old Tadhg Hickey when he drank a can of Scrumpy Jack on the night of his exam results. Straight away it provided a cure for that constant feeling of 'something wrong, something not quite right', a way of numbing anxiety and childhood trauma. He realised he was extraordinarily good at drinking and energetically threw himself into a life of pubs, parties and staying pissed, while also managing to become a comedian. But alcohol had the last laugh ...A Portrait of the Piss Artist as a Young Man shows us the often-hilarious lengths of self-deception an alcoholic will go to, the horrific consequences of addiction and the redemptive process of recovering from this deadly but ultimately treatable illness, and remaining sober. A deeply touching memoir and with a side of self-help, Tadhg's easy-going writing style belies his serious message - that each of us has the power to change our lives.Trade Review'Tadhg has mastered the skill of making the difficult shit that us humans deal with in life accessible, through a beautiful irreverent cocktail of vulnerability, hilarity, emotional intelligence and charm' -- Niall Breslin, aka Bressie'An amazing story of addiction and redemption' -- Paul Howard * author of the Ross O’Carroll-Kelly series *'Hickey's memoir is self-deprecating and well-paced, but the liveliness is a smokescreen for his more serious intent. However familiar the addiction arc, Hickey's candour could actually really help people, especially those noticing the "craic" mutating into something decidedly less fun' * Irish Times *

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