Biography: arts and entertainment Books

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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Book Synopsis'There is nothing stronger than a broken woman who has rebuilt herself.' Hannah Gadsby, NanetteMulti-awardwinning Hannah Gadsby transformed comedy with her show Nanette, even as she declared that she was quitting stand-up. Now, she takes us through the defining moments in her life that led to the creation of Nanette and her powerful decision to tell the truth - no matter the cost.Gadsby's unique stand-up special Nanette was a viral success that left audiences captivated by her blistering honesty and her ability to create both tension and laughter in a single moment. But while her worldwide fame might have looked like an overnight sensation, her path from open mic to the global stage was hard-fought and anything but linear.Ten Steps to Nanette traces Gadsby's growth as a queer person from Tasmania - where homosexuality was illegal until 1997 - to her ever-evolving relationship with comedy, to her struggle with adult diagnoses of autism and ADHD, and finally to the backbone of Nanette - the renouncement of self-deprecation, the rejection of misogyny, and the moral significance of truth-telling.Equal parts harrowing and hilarious, Ten Steps to Nanette continues Gadsby's tradition of confounding expectations and norms, properly introducing us to one of the most explosive, formative voices of our time.Trade ReviewAs a document of what can happen when a different kind of voice seizes the conversation, Ten Steps to Nanette shows Gadsby taking control of the page along with the stage. * Sunday Times *A serious book about comedy...there is real merit in this deep exploration of a complex work and its creator * Irish Times *Here, she reveals the winding road that led her [to Nanette]...with her unique mix of humour and fury * Stylist *In this stunning debut, Emmy Award-winning comedian Gadsby guides readers on a tour of her life that's every bit as intimate, gutting,and untidy as the performance referenced in the title...[a] stirring tale of resilience. * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *Similar to her groundbreaking comedy specials Douglas and Nanette, Gadsby's memoir reads like a conversation with a longtime friend...A can't-miss memoir that will make readers laugh, cry, and everything in between * Library Journal (starred review) *A witty and provocatively written life story * Kirkus Reviews *Hannah is a Promethean force, a revolutionary talent... This hilarious, touching, and sometimes tragic book is all about where her fires were lit. -- Emma ThompsonAs uproariously funny as it is profoundly furious. * New Yorker on NANETTE *Table of Contents1: Epilogue 2: Foundation Mythology 3: The Formative Years 4: The Wilderness Years 5: The Bell Curve Jar 6: Whirl, Interrupted 7: All Part of the Soup 8: Gathering Strands 9: Women's Work 10: Nanette

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Book SynopsisBuddy Holly died in 1959. He was just 22 years old. Don McLean called that fatal day 'The Day the Music Died'. But, his music hasn't died, as he left us a wonderful legacy. Spencer Leigh's highly-readable biography Buddy Holly: Learning the Game is the most definitive account of Buddy Holly and his career.Trade Review'A highly-readable mix of impeccable research, first-hand testimonies and a personal critique on Holly's life, career and music. First-rate.' Michael Leonard, Vintage Rock. 'I was deeply touched by Spencer leigh's Words of Love about Buddy Holly. This book will ensure that the legacy of one of rock's greatest icons will Not Fade Away.' Gary Osborne, songwriter. 'Spencer Leigh is a fine writer and good researcher and I certainly enjoyed what he had to say about Buddy Holly.' Hunter Davies, author, journalist and broadcasterTable of ContentsForeword by Frank Ifield ............................................................................................v Acknowledgements...................................................................................................vii Introduction...............................................................................................................xi Timeline: Everyday, it’s a-gettin’ Closer...................................................................xiv Chapter 1. Never Mind the Lubbocks........................................................................1 Chapter 2. Tighten up Your Bible Belt......................................................................11 Chapter 3. Buddy and Bob.......................................................................................17 Chapter 4. Shock of the New....................................................................................29 Chapter 5. The Tex-New Mex Sound.......................................................................41 Chapter 6. The Rhythm Method ..............................................................................49 Chapter 7. Here I Go, Breaking All of the Rules.......................................................80 Chapter 8. Gotta Travel On....................................................................................121 Chapter 9. Buddy Holly Lives ................................................................................143 Chapter 10. Grave On............................................................................................152 Chapter 11. Listen To Me.......................................................................................158 I. I Can’t Believe it’s Not Buddy....................................................................... 158 II. Influencing the 60s....................................................................................... 161 III. Cover Versions – it’s so Easy, or is it?.......................................................... 166 IV. Family Connections..................................................................................... 172 Chapter 12. The Buddy Holly Story.......................................................................173 I. The Buddy Holly Story.................................................................................. 173 II. Buddy........................................................................................................... 177 III. Buddy on the Box....................................................................................... 180 IV. From Lubbock to Liverpool ........................................................................ 181 Chapter 13. The Crickets and Their Buddies .........................................................185 Chapter 14. Now and Forever Till the End of Time ...............................................203 I. Those Who Really Care ................................................................................ 203 II. What If ........................................................................................................ 207 x That’s What They Tell Me: The Contributors........................................................209 Bibliography ...........................................................................................................216 Appendix 1. Discographies.....................................................................................221 UK Discography............................................................................................... 221 US Discography................................................................................................ 230 Appendix 2. Some Buddies.....................................................................................234 Tribute Songs.................................................................................................... 234 Tribute Albums................................................................................................. 235 Cover Versions................................................................................................. 237 Appendix 3. Bye Bye Miss American Pie ................................................................242 Index ......................................................................................................................245

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Book SynopsisA sprawling, intimate scrapbook documenting the Grateful Dead's history in words and pictures.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Griffin has written a definitive biography, one that effectively toggles between gleeful gossip-dishing (as befits Hudson’s era of film-world glitz) and a genuine affection and admiration for the man behind the screen presence.” — Boston Globe “At once the luckiest and unluckiest of men, Rock Hudson finally has the book that his fans have long been waiting for. This richly detailed biography is a revelation. Mark Griffin’s thoughtful and compelling All That Heaven Allows isn’t simply a book about one of the most determined and hard-working movie stars in the history of Hollywood, it also happens to be an insightful look at America in the second half of the 20th Century. Read it and weep.” — Sam Kashner, co-author of The Fabulous Bouvier Sisters and the New York Times bestseller Furious Love “Exhaustive and empathetic…. Griffin fills in what’s left to say [about Hudson’s life] in between the lines with an impressive list of interviews with movie star friends, acquaintances and co-stars and also digs deep into private journals and correspondence.” — USA Today “Mark Griffin paints a vivid portrait of a man who lived a double life in order to maintain his status as a movie star. Griffin’s sources are candid but credible, which makes the book a real page-turner. I came away admiring Hudson all the more, and feeling sad for the secret existence that Hollywood demanded of its leading men in the 1950s and 60s.” — Leonard Maltin, author of Hooked on Hollywood: Discoveries from a Lifetime of Film Fandom “All That Heaven Allows is by far the definitive biography Rock Hudson and his fans deserve. . . . Griffin offers an unforgettable, richly nuanced and psychologically intriguing portrait.” — Shelf Awareness “Like Rock Hudson’s life — marked by glory as a Hollywood star and pinup but also the lifelong shame of the closet and his AIDS-related death — his afterlife was blessed and cursed in equal measure. Mark Griffin sets the balance right in a full, empathetic biography, sparing few details about the complicated life of a man who was born (and died) too soon.” — Vulture “In Mark Griffin’s excellently captured biography of Rock Hudson, he offers not a sensationalistic portrait; but one that carries a heartfelt and realistic view of this actor, gay man, and glorious star of motion pictures. This is the best and most researched of the biographies on Hudson. Truly an expansive and honest book.” — Rage Monthly “Mark Griffin’s perceptive and sympathetic biography All That Heaven Allows gives Hudson, both the movie star and the man, the kind of reassessment only time can allow.” — Associated Press “A rich and complex story of Hollywood’s biggest star in its most golden age.” — New York Journal of Books “Mark Griffin paints a vivid portrait of a man who lived a double life in order to maintain his status as a movie star. Griffin’s sources are candid but credible, which makes the book a real page-turner. I came away admiring Hudson all the more, and feeling sad for the secret existence that Hollywood demanded of its leading men in the 1950s and 60s.” — Patrick McGilligan, author of Young Orson: The Years of Luck and Genius on the Path to Citizen Kane “Rock Hudson was the last machine-made movie star, and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Audiences sensed Hudson’s basic kindness and responded with a loyalty that never wavered despite his predominantly passive career choices. All That Heaven Allows breaks new ground in its revelatory reporting on Hudson’s private life and, most important, in empathy for its subject.” — Scott Eyman, author of John Wayne: The Life and Legend and Hank and Jim “The hardest role Rock Hudson ever played was Rock Hudson. And he played it brilliantly. . . . Mark Griffin’s All that Heaven Allows goes behind the scripted characters to tell the real story.” — New York Daily News “This juicy biography explores Hudson’s rise to Hollywood fame, the extraordinary efforts to keep his sexuality a secret and the bombshell news of his AIDS diagnosis in the 1980s.” — Newsday “All That Heaven Allows dives into a lot of interesting phases of Rock’s life. . . . explain[ing] every facet of [his] life in extreme detail. Griffin touches on his life growing up, to making it onto the big screen, and everything in between.” — Closer Weekly “Griffin provides trenchant cinematic insight and social criticism along with an equally abundant trove of bon mots and anecdotes. Director Douglas Sirk, who worked with Hudson on eight films said, ‘The only thing which never let me down in Hollywood was my camera. And it was not wrong about Hudson.’ Griffin’s lens also puts Hudson in beautifully focused light.” — Library Journal (starred review) “Griffin provides trenchant cinematic insight and social criticism along with an equally abundant trove of bon mots and anecdotes. Director Douglas Sirk, who worked with Hudson on eight films said, ‘The only thing which never let me down in Hollywood was my camera. And it was not wrong about Hudson.’ Griffin’s lens also puts Hudson in beautifully focused light.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) and a Best Nonfiction Book of 2018 “Hudson’s rags-to-riches story is revealed by Griffin’s comprehensive overview of Hudson’s filmography as well as his frank but objective discussion of Hudson’s complicated personal life.” — Booklist “With sympathy for his subject, Griffin details the years of enforced hiding. . . . As he takes Hudson from tongue-tied novice to superstar, Griffin shows that [director Douglas] Sirk wasn’t wrong about his star’s essential qualities: the ones that colleagues loved, and the ones the neither the camera nor anyone else has ever lied about.” — Sight and Sound Magazine “With sympathy for his subject, Griffin details the years of enforced hiding. . . . As he takes Hudson from tongue-tied novice to superstar, Griffin shows that [director Douglas] Sirk wasn’t wrong about his star’s essential qualities: the ones that colleagues loved, and the ones the neither the camera nor anyone else has ever lied about.” — Brooklyn Digest

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Book SynopsisThe extraordinary life of one of the world’s greatest music and literary icons, in the words of those who knew him best.Poet, novelist, singer-songwriter, artist, prophet, icon—there has never been a figure like Leonard Cohen. He was a true giant in contemporary western culture, entertaining and inspiring people everywhere with his work. From his groundbreaking and bestselling novels, The Favourite Game and Beautiful Losers, to timeless songs such as “Suzanne,” “Dance Me to the End of Love,” and “Hallelujah,” Cohen is a cherished artist. His death in 2016 was felt around the world by the many fans and followers who would miss his warmth, humour, intellect, and piercing insights. Leonard Cohen, Untold Stories chronicles the full breadth of his extraordinary life. The first of three volumes—The Early Years—follows him from his boyhood in Montreal to university, and his burgeoning literary career to the world of music, culminating with his first international tour in 1970. Through the voices of those who knew him best—family and friends, colleagues and contemporaries, rivals, business partners, and his many lovers—the book probes deeply into both Cohen’s public and private life. It also paints a portrait of an era, the social, cultural, and political revolutions that shook the 1960s. In this revealing and entertaining first volume, bestselling author and biographer Michael Posner draws on hundreds of interviews to reach beyond the Cohen of myth and reveal the unique, complex, and compelling figure of the real man.Trade ReviewA Globe and Mail Top 100 Book of 2020“Posner undertook dozens and dozens of interviews . . . creating a unique oral history, as if they’re in a room together, sharing memories and stories. . . . They’re linked together with a light narrative voice that gives this biography a very intimate and personal feel.” — Toronto Star“The life of Leonard Cohen—poet, novelist, artist, Zen monk, and oh, yes, singer-songwriter—is too vast to be contained within one book. Thankfully, Posner is giving us three. . . . Posner draws on hundreds of interviews to explore Cohen’s private and public lives, his complexities and contradictions, and, of course, his inarguable charisma. Serve yourself some tea and oranges and settle in.” — Zoomer“Through these stories, a unique portrait of a young Leonard Cohen is revealed, with insights into not only his extraordinary life but also his timeless poetry and music.” — ANNE MURRAY, Grammy Award–winning singer“Posner masterfully weaves an abundance of interviews with Cohen’s family, friends, and myriad lovers to create an intricate tapestry and, ultimately, produces the most revealing portrait of the legendary songwriter and wordsmith to date.” — NICHOLAS JENNINGS, journalist and bestselling author of Lightfoot“Out of a welter of stories—from those who encountered Leonard Cohen as associate, friend, or lover—Michael Posner has shaped a fascinating multi-faceted portrait. Posner is indeed Cohen’s Boswell, no doubt about it.” — SEYMOUR MAYNE, poet, editor, and translator“Offers an impressively thorough excavation of stories, including some gems and, well, dirt. Together, [Posner’s] various positions and perspectives create a cubist portrait of the Montreal-born icon as a young man—and simultaneously an artist, intellectual, prankster, bon vivant, workaholic, and dabbler in everything . . . If Cohen’s your man and you’re his fan, you’ll want this book.” — Maclean’s“Posner masterfully weaves the story of the iconic musician’s life through hundreds of interviews with the people who knew him best, including family members, business partners, and lovers alike.” — Chatelaine“Leonard Cohen’s posthumous album in 2019 proved he still had something profound to say, even in death. This book likewise confirms that hundreds of others have their own tales to tell about the master songwriter. The first of three volumes, it covers his early life via a myriad of fascinating interviewees, from rabbis to lovers. . . . Give it to anyone who misses Cohen.” — Evening Standard“As the anecdotes accumulate up until 1970, they build a compelling picture of the worlds around [Cohen]—affluent Montreal suburbia, Canadian Jewish summer camps, beatnik coffeehouses, jetset bohemia—grounding his myth in solid context, enriching it with casual detail. . . . As with any good oral history, the stories and opinions slowly coalesce like pointillist dots, shifting into a complex portrait of a man stepping into his myth, becoming brilliant.” — MOJO Magazine“Sex, drugs, and poetry permeate this oral history of Leonard Cohen. . . . This book offers a seductive blend of sometimes contradictory insights.” — Library Journal“A detailed account of Cohen’s fascinating early life and career. For serious Cohen fans, it’s a page-tuner.” — Canadian Jewish Record“[The] multiple perspectives capture man and myth in tandem. For all of his gift for words, Cohen would have struggled to tell his story better himself.” — Uncut Magazine

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Book SynopsisGeorge is the story of two extraordinary lives the private man and the public legend.Georgios Panayiotou was just eighteen when he decided to adopt the stage name of George Michael. Sometimes his two worlds would collide with shattering consequences.Bestselling biographer Sean Smith has gone back to the neighbourhoods of North London to trace the astonishing journey of a sensitive but determined boy who grew up to be one of the biggest British pop stars of all time.Along the way, he talks to those close to George, revealing the real man funny, articulate, intelligent and generous spirited who hid behind the powerful image he created.He reveals the complex relationship with his high-achieving Greek-Cypriot father; the unconditional love of his mother; his teenage relationships with girls; and his first tragic love affair with another man.George's career began falteringly with a schoolboy band, exploded with Wham! before he became a solo phenomenon. But at the height of his fame, the Trade ReviewPraise for George: ‘A celebration of his life, as well as his music. Brill.’ Closer ‘Incredibly moving insight into a man who is without doubt part of the soundtrack to my childhood’ – Shelley Fallows at Lovereading Praise for Adele: ‘Fans will be engrossed’ OK Magazine Praise for Kim: “A kind but astute biography. Four stars.” Mail on Sunday “An honest account offering a unique insight on the Krazy world of the Kardashians." The Sun Praise for Tom Jones: “Jaunty and well-researched … the most complete and entertaining portrait of the Welsh superstar to date” – The Mail on Sunday (Event Magazine) “A lavishly appointed, no-holds-barred biography.” – MailOnline

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Book SynopsisINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A RUPAUL'S BOOK CLUB PICKA Town & Country Must-Read Book of Summer 2024!One of Vulture's Best New Audiobooks of 2024. A delightful and sharp-witted tour through a lifetime's worth of travel exploits and misadventures. . . . Readers are bound to catch the travel bug.Publishers WeeklyFilled with warmth and self-deprecating humor, Janetti's relatable observations convey his deep affection for [his husband] Brad and the places they love. The Washington PostIn this hilarious and often touching collection, the author, television writer, and producer takes us with him on travels across the globe. Gary Janetti has gained a devoted following, with a huge audience on social media, and two bestselling collections of essays under his belt. His new collection will prompt laughter but also delighted recognition as Janetti tackles the absurdity and glory of travel. In We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay, he shares stories of his varied trips around the world. Tag along as he enjoys an unexpectedly transformative stay at a rigorous Italian spa where he and his husband go from deep grumpiness to exaltation. Take a ride on the Orient Express to Venice and discover a surprising side of London, including a hilarious dinner with actress Maggie Smith. And pull up a deck chair to watch the entertainment as Gary embarks on a family cruise on the Queen Mary 2. Interspersed with recollections of his trips are personal meditations on dining alone as well as journeys to such diverse destinations as Mykonos, Australia, a Noma pop-up, and other glamorous spots. Gary is unabashedly frank about his very exacting travel needs, and delivers practical advice on all aspects of the traveler's life, from very precise packing instructions, suggestions on how to get upgrades, and restaurant and hotel recommendations in his favorite cities. Aspirational, charmingly acerbic, and as diverting as the best vacation can be, delivering both laughs and moments of sharp recognition, Gary's funny collection is the perfect getaway companion, for both seasoned nomads and curious armchair travelers.

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Book SynopsisSet against the cultural and political backdrop of Belfast, before, during and after the Troubles, No Surrender offers a unique and penetrating perspective on Morrison's long career and the times that made him.This paperback edition includes a new epilogue.Trade Review'No biography is likely to tell you more about Morrison' - Adam Sweeting, Sunday TimesA compendium of detail, a neck-aching triumph of research * Scotsman *Here is everything you wanted to know about Van Morrison... Rogan leaves no stone unturned * Guardian *'Remarkably well-researched and deeply engrossing...Rogan's painstaking research yields an abundance of detail...Fascinating' * Irish Times *'This characteristically accomplished biography shows the singer from every angle' * Observer *

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Book SynopsisAlexandra Lapierre is a novelist and biographer. Her book, Fanny Stevenson, won Grand Prix Litteraire des Lectrices de Elle. She currently lives in Rome.

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Book SynopsisSimon Callow is an actor, director and writer. He has appeared on the stage and in many films, including the hugely popular Four Weddings and a Funeral. His books include Being an Actor, Shooting the Actor, Love is Where it Falls, the first two volumes of his four-volume life of Orson Welles, his theatrical memoir My Life in Pieces, and, most recently, the highly acclaimed Charles Dickens and the Great Theatre of the World.Trade ReviewOne of the very best theatre books ever -- Alec GuinnessRemarkable...extraordinarily well written, perceptive and rivetingly sympathetic -- John GielgudSimon Callow is a writer - and a very good one too. Few people can match him in catching with words the physical excitement of a great performance -- Peter HallCallow’s emphatic biography certainly presents this complicated man in all his contradictory roles -- Sally Morris * Daily Mail *a fine character actor’s tribute to the king of the tribe. The numerous insights show Callow to be that rarity, an actor who can write about acting -- Jake Kerridge * Sunday Telegraph *

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisForged in the Dustbowl of the 1930s, in an America crippled by the Great World Recession, this humble man found solace in song, and soon those songs became the voice of the People – men and women who had seen their lives deracinated and destroyed by the vicissitudes of global economic forces beyond their control.Trade ReviewHolds within its pages a tremendous sense of time and place… Hayes has set out on an ambitious path and creates a vivid and unforgiving picture. * Design Week *An inventive and expansive biography worthy of its subject. * Big Issue *A step up [for Hayes] in ambition and execution… An inventive and expansive biography worthy of its subject. -- Doug Johnstone * Big Issue *In a handsome square format, with open spreads as wide as the land itself, Hayes captures the man and the times in his lyrical writing and brush artwork. * Independent *This is a passionate picture of Guthrie and his times. -- James Smart * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of the ten best Chicago books of 2020. Plenty of books have been written about Afrofuturist pioneer Sun Ra and his Arkestra, but Sites is the first to make Chicago his co-protagonist. . . . Sites provides crucial context on how Chicago's Afrocentrist philosophy, religion, and jazz scenes helped turn Blount into Sun Ra.” * Chicago Reader *Best Historical Research in Recorded Jazz, Certificate of Merit 2021 * Association for Recorded Sound Collections Awards for Excellence *“Four stars. A must-read for fans of the musician and his city. . . . Fascinating and thoroughly readable. . . Sites makes the engaging argument that the idiosyncratic jazz legend’s penchant for interplanetary journeys and African American utopia was in fact inspired by urban life right on Earth.” * Spectrum Culture *“An important contribution. . . Sites draws on an impressive number of disciplines to ground Ra’s spacebound theatrics in material history. . . . He cites work from urban studies, African American studies, theology, and literary theory. . . It’s difficult to imagine anyone other than Sites writing a work that demands mastery of these specific disciplines.” * The Wire *"Required reading for anyone seriously interested in Sun Ra and his ensemble, the Arkestra." * American Literary History *"Not the launching point for an introduction to the life of Sun Ra, but rather a deeper dive into the city life and utopian vision informing his work and philosophy, emphasizing that (Urban) Space Is the Place." * Library Journal *“Highly readable. . . What Sites is good at is the detail of the period. . . He is good, too, on the economics of segregation, the racial divisions of the American working class, and the role of the black establishment. . . But best of all, especially to musicians and jazz fans, he is great about the musical life of Chicago, the Pershing and Du Sable venues, and the Jim Crow squalor of Calumet City, the sin suburb of Chicago. Where this book really scores is in its investigation of the sheer 'otherness 'of Sun Ra.” * Jazz Journal *"Sites’s project in this work is to get back to this future city by understanding Sun Ra’s geographic, intellectual, and galactic journeys. . . . Sites’s considerable skills as an urban cartographer help to further remap Chicago. . . . In Sites’s analysis, Sun Ra’s work continues to rethink the U.S. city." * Rain Taxi *“One of the most unique books to ever look at the music of Sun Ra. . . Digs very deep into Ra's early years – time that isn't covered in as much details as in other projects – and the book paints a picture of the city that's as vivid as the jazz legend himself. . . Sites comes at the project from a different perspective than most music writers – which makes for a very fresh volume that may well open up whole new territory in the exploration of jazz and community.” * DustyGroove.com *“Sun Ra’s Chicago is a masterful account of the musician’s formative years. Sites deftly applies a wider lens to his biography, analyzing the urban spaces and networks that shaped Sonny Blount’s transformation from an itinerant musician into the otherworldly philosophical leader of the Arkestra. This book is essential reading not only for Sun Ra listeners but for readers interested in the crosscurrents of Black intellectual thought and the utopian possibilities, past and present, of America’s cities.” * Erik S. Gellman, author of Troublemakers: Chicago Freedom Struggles through the Lens of Art Shay *"Like its subject, Sun Ra’s Chicago is a category buster—social history, musicology, urban studies, hermeneutics, cultural reclamation—and as such, a revelation. Sites tells a story of countercultural ferment in 1950s south side Chicago that is detailed and provocative. Sun Ra, Alton Abraham, and the members and friends of the Arkestra were truly a 'creative class' long before that term, as we know it, was coined." * Larry Bennett, author of The Third City: Chicago and American Urbanism *Table of ContentsUrban Routes, Utopian PathwaysPart I: Birmingham 1 Downtown Sounds 2 Industrial School to Territory Band 3 Leadership DreamsPart II: Chicago 4 South Side Music Scene 5 “Sound So Loud It Will Wake Up the Dead” 6 Utopian Chicago 7 African Space 8 Wonder Inn, 1960 Lineages/Legacies Acknowledgments Notes Index

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Book SynopsisHenri Matisse by Alastair Sooke - an essential guide to one of the 20th century''s greatest artists''One January morning in 1941, only a fortnight or so after his seventy-first birthday, the bearded and bespectacled French artist Henri Matisse was lying in a hospital bed preparing to die.''Diagnosed with cancer, the acclaimed painter, and rival of Picasso, seemed to be facing his demise. Then something unexpected happened. After a life-saving operation that left him too weak to paint, and often too frail to even get out of bed, Matisse invented a ground-breaking and effortless new way of making art. The results rank among his greatest work.In an astonishing blaze of creativity, he began conjuring mesmerising designs of dazzling dancers and thrilling tightrope walkers, sensuous swimmers and mythical figures falling from the heavens. His joyful and unprecedented new works were as spontaneous as jazz music and as wondrous as crystal-clear lagoons. Their mTrade ReviewSooke is an immensely engaging character. He has none of the weighty self-regard that often afflicts art experts and critics; rather he approaches his subjects with a questioning, open, exploratory attitude -- Sarah Vine * The Times *His shows are excellent - clever, lively, scholarly, but not too lecturey; he's very good at linking his painters with the world outside the studio, and at how these artists have affected the world today' Sam Wollaston reviewing 'Modern Masters' * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Packed with interesting details about the filmmaker’s life, interests, and inspirations.”—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post“The celebrated Japanese animation director Hayao Miyazaki came out of retirement last year, making this compact study of his life and work especially timely.”—John McMurtrie, San Francisco Chronicle (Holiday Gift Guide selection)“Susan Napier eloquently defines Miyazaki as an auteur who creates immersive animated realms that vary from film to film but are joined by a consistent (albeit evolving) worldview and tropes . . . An essential work in anime scholarship.”—Angelica Frey, Hyperallergic “Enjoyable and enlightening book.” — Claire Kohda Hazelton, Times Literary Supplement“A refreshing, intimate, highly original look at Miyazaki Hayao’s oeuvre, including early anime features, mainstream hits and the many-volumed manga, Nausicaa. Miyazaki is placed firmly on the world stage, including both local roots and global impact.”—Rachael Hutchinson, University of Delaware "An insightful, fascinating, and revealing study of Miyazaki and his worlds by one of the world’s foremost experts in Japanese animated films, Miyazakiworld is a true achievement."—Karen Thornber, Harvard University"Providing expert guidance to the radically inventive mysteries of Hayao Miyazaki’s films, Susan Napier shows exactly how Japan’s master of animation taps into the wonders of the natural world yet also faces down our demons, exploring trauma, crisis, and the willful destruction of our made world. Like his literary and cinematic forebears, Miyazaki creates a form of wonderlore that reveals the power of art to animate, not just his characters and landscapes, but also his audiences."—Maria Tatar, author of The Annotated Brothers Grimm"In Miyazakiworld, Susan Napier demonstrates her gift for narrative and passion for enchantment in exploring the spacetime between the fantasy worlds of Hayao Miyazaki’s creation and the grittier worlds that created him."—Jennifer Robertson, author of Robo Sapiens Japanicus“This wonderful, lively book introduces the whole life and career of Miyazaki via commentary on the narratives and themes within his films, and some manga, and his personal life.”—Sharon Kinsella, The University of Manchester

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Book SynopsisIt is impossible to talk about 20th century comedy without discussing George Carlin. Named the 2nd greatest standup of the 20th century by both Comedy Central and Rolling Stone, Carlin garnered multiple gold records, 4 Grammys, 6 Emmy nominations, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. He was the first host of SNL, appeared on the Tonight Show some 130 times, and acted in beloved films like Bill and Ted''s Excellent Adventure and Dogma. Dubbed the dean of counterculture comedians, George Carlin was an American icon.A perfect introduction for new fans and a worthy addition to the collections of old fans, The Best of Carlin showcases the longevity, range, and-above all-hilarity of the master. Filled with thoughts, musings, questions, lists, beliefs, curiosities, monologues, assertions, assumptions, and other delicious verbal ordeals, it is drop-dead funny tour through Carlin''s mind. More than ten years after his death, Carlin''s characteristically ironic takes on life''s annoying universal truths remain thoughtful, fearless, and somehow more relevant than ever.

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Book SynopsisTHE MAKING AND MEANING OF RADIOHEAD''S GROUNDBREAKING, CONTROVERSIAL, EPOCHDEFINING ALBUM, KID A.In 1999, as the end of an old century loomed, five musicians entered a recording studio in Paris without a deadline. Their band was widely recognized as the best and most forward-thinking in rock, a rarefied status granting them the time, money, and space to make a masterpiece. But Radiohead didn''t want to make another rock record. Instead, they set out to create the future.For more than a year, they battled writer''s block, intra-band disagreements, and crippling self-doubt. In the end, however, they produced an album that was not only a complete departure from their prior guitar-based rock sound, it was the sound of a new era-and it embodied widespread changes catalyzed by emerging technologies just beginning to take hold of the culture. What they created was Kid A.Upon its release in 2000, Radiohead''s fourth album divided critics. Some called it an instant classic; others, such as the UK music magazine Melody Maker, deemed it tubby, ostentatious, self-congratulatory... whiny old rubbish. But two decades later, Kid A sounds like nothing less than an overture for the chaos and confusion of the twenty-first century.Acclaimed rock critic Steven Hyden digs deep into the songs, history, legacy, and mystique of Kid A, outlining the album''s pervasive influence and impact on culture in time for its twentieth anniversary in 2020. Deploying a mix of criticism, journalism, and personal memoir, Hyden skillfully revisits this enigmatic, alluring LP and investigates the many ways in which Kid A shaped and foreshadowed our world.

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Book SynopsisA Rolling Stone-Kirkus Best Music Book of 2020'In this brilliant book, Steven Hyden goes deep into why Kid A matters—it's the fascinating saga of how the music turned into the symbol of a new cultural era.' — Rolling StoneTHE MAKING AND MEANING OF RADIOHEAD'S GROUNDBREAKING, CONTROVERSIAL, EPOCHDEFINING ALBUM, KID A.In 1999, as the end of an old century loomed, five musicians entered a recording studio in Paris without a deadline. Their band was widely recognized as the best and most forward-thinking in rock, a rarefied status granting them the time, money, and space to make a masterpiece. But Radiohead didn't want to make another rock record. Instead, they set out to create the future.For more than a year, they battled writer's block, intra-band disagreements, and crippling self-doubt. In the end, however, they produced an album that was not only a complete departure from their prior guitar-based rock sound, it was the sound of a new era-and it embodied widespread changes catalyzed by emerging technologies just beginning to take hold of the culture. What they created was Kid A.Upon its release in 2000, Radiohead's fourth album divided critics. Some called it an instant classic; others, such as the UK music magazine Melody Maker, deemed it 'tubby, ostentatious, self-congratulatory... whiny old rubbish.' But two decades later, Kid A sounds like nothing less than an overture for the chaos and confusion of the twenty-first century.Acclaimed rock critic Steven Hyden digs deep into the songs, history, legacy, and mystique of Kid A, outlining the album's pervasive influence and impact on culture in time for its twentieth anniversary in 2020. Deploying a mix of criticism, journalism, and personal memoir, Hyden skillfully revisits this enigmatic, alluring LP and investigates the many ways in which Kid A shaped and foreshadowed our world.

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Book SynopsisVery few individuals can truthfully say that their work impacts every person on earth. Forrest Galante is one of them. As a wildlife biologist and conservationist, Galante devotes his life to studying, rediscovering, and protecting our planet''s amazing lifeforms. Part memoir, part biological adventure, Still Alive celebrates the beauty and determined resiliency of our world, as well as the brave conservationists fighting to save it. In his debut book, Galante takes readers on an exhilarating journey to the most remote and dangerous corners of the world. He recounts miraculous rediscoveries of species that were thought to be extinct and invites readers into his wild life: from his upbringing amidst civil unrest in Zimbabwe to his many globetrotting adventures, including suspenseful run-ins with drug cartels, witch doctors, and vengeful government officials. He shares all of the life-threatening bites, fights, falls, and jungle illnesses. He also investigates the con

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Book SynopsisFrom the legendary singer-songwriter of Bad Religion comes a historical memoir and cultural criticism of punk rock’s evolution. Greg Graffin is the lead vocalist and songwriter of Bad Religion, recently described as “America's most significant punk band.” Since its inception in Los Angeles in 1980, Bad Religion has produced 18 studio albums, become a long-running global touring powerhouse, and has established a durable legacy as one of the most influential punk rock bands of all time.  Punk Paradox is Graffin's life narrative before and during L.A. punk's early years, detailing his observations on the genre's explosive growth and his band's steady rise in importance. The book begins by exploring Graffin’s Midwestern roots and his life-changing move to Southern California in the mid-’70s. Swept up into the burgeoning punk scene in the exhilarating and often-violent streets of Los Angeles, Graffin and his friends formed Bad Religion, built a fanbase, and became a touring institution. All these activities took place in parallel with Graffin's never ceasing quest for intellectual enlightenment. Despite the demands of global tours, recording sessions, and dedication to songwriting, the author also balanced a budding academic career. In so doing, he managed to reconcile an improbable double-life as an iconic punk rock front man and University Lecturer in evolution.   Graffin’s unique experiences mirror the paradoxical elements that define the punk genre—the pop influence, the quest for society’s betterment, music’s unifying power—all of which are prime ingredients in its surprising endurance. Fittingly, this book argues against the traditional narrative of the popular perception of punk. As Bad Religion changed from year to year, the spirit of punk—and its sonic significance—lived on while Graffin was ever willing to challenge convention, debunk mythology, and liberate listeners from the chains of indoctrination.     As insightful as it is exciting, this thought-provoking memoir provides both a fly on the wall history of the punk scene and astute commentary on its endurance and evolution.

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Book SynopsisThe 22nd titles in this top-selling sports series reviews the life of skateboarding superstar Tony Hawk.

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Book Synopsis From the bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls, the untold, 'richly detailed' story of the women of Walt Disney Studios, who shaped the iconic films that have enthralled generations (Margot Lee Shetterly, New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Figures). From Snow White to Moana, from Pinocchio to Frozen, the animated films of Walt Disney Studios have moved and entertained millions. But few fans know that behind these groundbreaking features was an incredibly influential group of women who fought for respect in an often ruthless male-dominated industry and who have slipped under the radar for decades.  In The Queens of Animation, bestselling author Nathalia Holt tells their dramatic stories for the first time, showing how these women infiltrated the boys' club of Disney's story and animation departments and used early technologies to create the rich artwork and unf

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Book SynopsisTaraborrelli is the noted biographer of Sunday Times bestseller Madonna, Michael Jackson: The Magic and the Madness, and the forthcoming Diana Ross. Consistently sought as an authority on celebrity culture, he makes regular appearances on television.Table of ContentsSection - i: Prologue Unit - i: Part One: CHILDHOOD Chapter - 1: Sara and Francis Chapter - 2: A Change in Sara Chapter - 3: A Family Held Hostage? Chapter - 4: “Bravo!” Chapter - 5: “Missing a Father’s Love” Chapter - 6: “I Think I Might Want to Be an Actress” Chapter - 7: A New Life in America Chapter - 8: “But I Want to Be with MGM!” Chapter - 9: National Velvet Chapter - 10: Making a Star . . . a Star! Unit - ii: Part Two: FINDING HER WAY Chapter - 11: Early Suitors . . . and Howard Hughes Chapter - 12: Nicky Hilton Chapter - 13: Elizabeth’s Anger Chapter - 14: Uncle Howard Gets Rid of Nicky Hilton Chapter - 15: Michael Wilding Chapter - 16: A Marriage Devoid of Passion Chapter - 17: Movies Chapter - 18: Mike Todd Chapter - 19: Mike Todd’s Sudden Death Chapter - 20: Eddie Fisher Chapter - 21: Elizabeth and Eddie Marry Chapter - 22: Butterfield 8 Chapter - iii: Part Three: HER DESTINY Chapter - 23: A False Start for Cleopatra Chapter - 24: A Near-Death Experience and Then an Oscar Chapter - 25: Cleopatra Begins Filming Chapter - 26: Richard Burton Chapter - 27: Elizabeth Adopts a Baby Chapter - 28: “Love, in All of Its Mystery, Unfolds” Chapter - 29: Elizabeth Confesses to Eddie about Richard Chapter - 30: Unadulterated Drama Chapter - 31: Elizabeth Attempts Suicide? Chapter - 32: “Le Scandale” Chapter - 33: The Taylor-Burton Sexual Revolution Chapter - 34: Cleopatra Arrives Chapter - 35: Elizabeth as a Mother Chapter - 36: Nightmare in Porto Santo Stefano Chapter - 37: Finishing Cleopatra Chapter - 38: A Turning Point in Gstaad Chapter - 39: Richard Chooses Chapter - 40: True Love in Mexico Unit - iv: Part Four: “LIZ AND DICK” Chapter - 41: Elizabeth and Richard: “We Will Have No More Marriages” Chapter - 42: The Boston Brawl Chapter - 43: Richard’s Hemophilia Chapter - 44: “Even Our Fights Are Fun” Chapter - 45: Elizabeth Apologizes to Debbie Chapter - 46: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Chapter - 47: Bad Movies, Great Riches, and Another Oscar Chapter - 48: “Francis L. Taylor—All Our Love—1897–1968” Chapter - 49: “Learning from Each Other” Chapter - 50: “I Sometimes Curse the Day . . .” Chapter - 51: “Pray for Us” Chapter - 52: And What of the Children? Unit - v: Part Five: CONFUSION REIGNS Chapter - 53: “What Makes Us Women” Chapter - 54: Henry Wynberg Chapter - 55: Elizabeth Divorces Richard Chapter - 56: Elizabeth Marries Richard . . . Again! Chapter - 57: A Diversion before Divorce Chapter - 58: Richard Asks for Another Divorce Unit - vi: Part Six: COMING TO TERMS Chapter - 59: John Warner Chapter - 60: Elizabeth Marries John Chapter - 61: An Important Transition Chapter - 62: The Little Foxes Chapter - 63: Sifting Through the Wreckage Chapter - 64: A Birthday Reunion with Richard Chapter - 65: “God Has Kept an Eye on My Children” Chapter - 66: Elizabeth Gets Her Way Chapter - 67: Private Lives and Private Miseries Chapter - 68: Richard Marries . . . Someone Else Chapter - 69: Intervention Chapter - 70: Betty Ford Center Chapter - 71: Richard Burton Dies Chapter - 72: Transition Unit - vii: Part Seven: THE GLORY YEARS Chapter - 73: “I Will Not Be Ignored” Chapter - 74: Elizabeth Taylor’s Passion Chapter - 75: Back at Betty Ford Chapter - 76: Larry Fortensky Chapter - 77: Michael Jackson Chapter - 78: Elizabeth Marries Larry Chapter - 79: Re-creating Her Mother’s Marriage . . . but Not Quite Unit - viii: Part Eight: ALL WOMAN Chapter - 80: “Sara S. Taylor—Loving Mother, Devoted Wife—1895–1994” Chapter - 81: Elizabeth and Larry End Their Marriage Chapter - 82: Facing Her Mortality . . . Again Chapter - 83: Dame Elizabeth: Honor at Last Section - ii: Selected Cast of Characters Acknowledgements - iii: Acknowledgments Section - iv: Sources and Other Notes Section - v: Elizabeth Taylor Filmography Index - vi: Index

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Book SynopsisWhat does it mean to be English? What does it mean to be British? Is the cross of St George a proud symbol of a great tradition, or the badge of a neo-Nazi? In a world where British citizens can lay bombs to kill their countrymen, where religious fundamentalism is on the increase and where the BNP are somehow part of the democratic process, what does patriotism actually mean?Our identity can change depending on what company we are in. For example, someone could describe themselves British to one person, Scottish to another and, say, a Londoner to another, and be right every time. But problems arise when someone tries to tell you what you are, based on your skin tone, religion, accent, surname, or whatever. This book is Billy Bragg''s urgent, eloquent and passionate response to the events of 7 July 2005, when four bombs tore through a busy morning in London, killing 52 innocent people and injuring many more. A firm believer in toleration and diversity, he felt himTrade ReviewAn intriguing and timely book, which opens a new angle on the debate of what it means to be British and a patriot * Daily Express *Charming and engaging... The Progressive Patriot flows with integrity and commitment * The Independent *Whatever your views, there is much to be inspired by here, and much you will want to rant right back at. * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisWilliam Hogarth is a house-hold name across the country, his prints hang in our pubs and leap out from our history-books. He painted the great and good but also the common people. His art is comically exuberant, ''carried away by a passion for the ridiculous'', as Hazlitt said.Jenny Uglow, acclaimed author of Elizabeth Gaskell, Nature''s Engraver and In These Times, uncovers the man, but also the world he sprang from and the lives he pictured. He moved in the worlds of theatre, literature, journalism and politics, and found subjects for his work over the whole gamut of eighteenth century London, from street scenes to drawing rooms, and from churches to gambling halls and prisons. After striving years as an engraver and painter, Hogarth leapt into lasting fame with A Harlot''s Progress and A Rake''s Progress, but remained highly critical of the growing gulf between the luxurious lives of the ruling elite and the wretched poverty of t

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Book SynopsisSean Connery''s personification of secret agent James Bond invigorated Britain and its cinema, allowing a cash-strapped, morale-sapped country in decline to fancy itself still a player on the world stage. But while Bond would make Connery the first actor to command a million dollar-plus fee, the man himself was forever pouring scorn on the fantasies audiences found it increasingly hard to separate him from.Spirited, argumentative and sardonically celebratory, Christopher Bray''s Sean Connery is both a biography of a star and an investigation of what can happen to a man when the images he creates take over his life. And it''s an analysis of what it means to be star-struck - a critical tribute to a secular icon who has shaped so many dreams. In this skillfully crafted biography, Christopher Bray challenges the assumptions and rumours prevelent in previous biographies with characteristic wit and skill. His previous book Michael Caine: A Class Act, was des

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