Biography: arts and entertainment Books
Paul Dry Books, Inc Boston Boy
Book Synopsis
£16.19
Penguin Putnam Inc Will
Book Synopsis
£24.00
Globe Pequot Press Hold On World
Book SynopsisHold On World revisits Lennon and Ono''s love affair and startling collaborations. John Lennon''s Plastic Ono Band was arguably the most emotionally honest album ever made. It wasn''t merely another record but more like a sonic exorcism, a spiritual, public bloodletting. Lennon''s album drove a stake through the heart of the Beatles'' myth while confronting everything else in John''s life, from Dylan to God to his glorified status as a Working Class Hero. Determined to rid himself of childhood traumasabandoned by his father, John, at age nine, watched helplessly as his mother was killed by a carLennon wrote the most powerful song cycle of his career, confronting fear, disappointment, and illusion, all the while espousing his love for Yoko Ono. Released simultaneously, Ono''s album Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band is emotionally raw and challenging. It inspired bands like the B-52s and Yo La Tengo to employ pure sound, whether shrieking vocals or guitar feedback, to exp
£17.09
Basic Books What Would Frida Do?: A Guide to Living Boldly
Book SynopsisRevered as much for her independent spirit as she is for her art, Frida Kahlo stands today as a brazen symbol of female agency and daring creativity. She was a woman ahead of her time, who even decades after her passing has inspired Oscar-winning films, Snapchat filters, endless T-shirts and merchandise and even Barbies. Her paintings have earned her legions of admirers who fill her exhibitions and span the globe. But perhaps her greatest work of art was her own life.What Would Frida Do? celebrates the feminist icon's signature style, her outspoken politics, her boldness in love and art-even in the face of hardship, pain, and heartbreak. We see her tumultuous and passionate marriage with her husband, the famous muralist Diego Rivera, and her flings with Leon Trotsky and Josephine Baker. We regard her larger than life persona, as a petite woman who drank heavily, sang lustily, painted provocatively, and even to the very end insisted on theatrical gestures-as when she insisted on being carried in on her deathbed so as not to miss her final solo exhibition. Each chapter shares intimate stories, lively quotes, and personal details about Frida's life, showing today's reader how Frida faced down obstacles by unapologetically embracing her own ideals. Through reflections on this singular life, we can call upon on Frida's boldness to guide us on our own paths.In this charming and irresistible read, culture writer Arianna Davis conjures Frida's brave spirit, encouraging women to persevere when they are suffering, to claim their agency, to create fearlessly, and to stand by their own truths.
£18.00
Mandrake of Oxford Wormwood Star: The Magickal Life of Marjorie
Book Synopsis
£14.99
Royal Academy of Arts Green Fingers of Monsieur Monet
Book SynopsisMonet''s lavish paintings are re-imagined in zesty, energetic and amusing ways with illustrations that younger readers will find amusing and engaging. They tell the story of Monet and his garden: his arrival; the country clothes he wore; the bright Japanese prints he collected; how the Impressionist artist painted outdoors, rain or shine; the thousands of seed-packets he ordered; his gardeners, who had to leave Giverny to go to war... Spread by spread the garden is explained and built up with Ascari''s and Valentinis''s original illustrations, which take Monet''s work as their starting point and transform it in beautiful and unexpected ways.
£8.21
RIT Cary Graphic Arts Press Lella and Massimo Vignelli: Two Lives One Vision
Book SynopsisLella and Massimo Vignelli promote a modernist philosophy of designing for a better society: resourceful use of space and materials, clear communication, lasting quality, and logical functionality. Lella and Massimo Vignelli: Two Lives, One Vision is a portrait of two important twentieth-century designers whose careers have intertwined since the 1950s. The Vignellis promote a modernist philosophy of designing for a better society: resourceful use of space and materials, clear communication, lasting quality, and logical functionality. Through a mix of archival research and personal interviews with Lella, Massimo, and their many colleagues and clients, Jan Conradi documents the Vignellis' nuanced approach to "cleaning up" an often chaotic and messy society by adhering to a minimalist and structured design method. The Vignellis' lifetime commitment to a world of design ismarked by vibrant client relationships and unwavering attention to detail. With wit, grace, focus, and finesse, the Vignellis' sustained pattern of working and living has influenced, and continues to inspire, generations of designers worldwide. JAN CONRADI is a Professor of Graphic Design at Rowan University in New Jersey, where she teaches typography and design history.Trade ReviewThe Vignellis designed logos and identities and various other two-dimensional commissions that come to mind whenever one mentions 'graphic design.' They also dreamed up furnishings and house wares and buildings and interiors. They were Designers, for god's sake, designing sundry and all, creators on a deific scale. * PASTE MAGAZINE *Table of ContentsPhotos: Five Decades of Vignelli Design Foreword by Deyan Sudjic Preface Acknowledgments The Vignellis: An Introduction Foundation: Growing Up in Italy, Lella and Massimo Meet, Expanding Horizons, Crossing Oceans 1965: Unimark International, The Vignellis Move to New York, etc 1971: The Rise of Vignelli Associates, The Office Expands: Return to East 62nd Street, etc The Showcase Office: Tenth Avenue, Fashion History According to Massimo, etc Working from Home: East 67th Street Design Advocacy Students, Teaching, and Learning, The Vignelli Center for Design Studies A Lifetime, and No Regrets Notes Photos: A Vignelli History, Afterword, Vignelli Awards, Index
£23.75
Sonicbond Publishing Tommy Bolin - In and Out of Deep Purple
Book SynopsisIt started off so well. As Jon Lord enthused in the October 1975 issue of Melody Maker: 'Tommy can't be so bad for us with so many good ideas. All I can say is when you hear the album (Come Taste The Band) you'll change your mind. Whether you like the music or not, you'll have to realise that Deep Purple now have an excitement in their playing that they haven't had in a long time...' Despite calls of 'we want Blackmore' when Deep Purple Mark four played live, there was so much more to American guitarist Tommy Bolin than being Ritchie Blackmore's replacement. As a result, the purpose of this long-overdue biography is to readdress the existing narrative of Tommy Bolin's legacy. As well as discussing objectively Tommy's time with Deep Purple, Laura Shenton offers an insight into his musical achievements in his own right outside of the band, which include two cult rock albums in Teaser and Private Eyes. He also had a stint in The James Gang and made numerous guest appearances, where his versatile and virtuosic skills as a guitarist were utilised, before his untimely death in 1976 at the shockingly young age of 25
£12.34
John Blake Publishing Ltd Tulisa - The Biography
Book SynopsisTulisa Contostavlos has one of the most fascinating and shocking life-stories in showbusiness. Her childhood included harrowing episodes of self-harm, bullying, witchcraft, drug abuse and suicide attempts. Then there has been the ever-present challenge of her mother's mental disorder which Tulisa - as the only child in a single-parent family - had to face alone. How did she rise from such a troubled and dangerous childhood to become first an edgy urban artist and then the much-loved people's princess of Saturday night television? This book, written by leading celebrity biographer Chas Newkey-Burden, tells her eventful and inspirational story for the first time. It uncovers the rich showbusiness heritage of her ancestors and then follows her through her childhood, unflinchingly examining the horrors she faced. It then traces how music became her salvation, thanks to the loving mentorship of Uncle B - the man who formed N-Dubz. The book then follows this never satisfied, always ambitious young woman as she moved into the mainstream and became the nation's sweetheart on The X Factor. The reader is taken behind the scenes to discover the reality of her successful first series on the show, as she guided Little Mix to victory.
£6.39
HarperCollins Publishers Rat Pack Confidential
Book SynopsisThe first biography of the Rat Pack – Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop et al – the original Swingers. Brilliant and beautifully written story of their rise and fall, and their connections with the Kennedys and the Mafia. They alit in Las Vegas for a month to make a movie and play a historic nightclub gig they called the Summit; they hit Miami, the Utah desert, Palm Springs, Chicago, Atlantic City, Beverly Hills, Hollywood back lots, illegal gambling dens, saloons, yachts, private jets, the White House itself. It was sauce and vinegar and eau de cologne and sour mash whiskey and gin and smoke and perfume and silk and neon and skinny lapels and tail fins and rockets to the sky. It was swinging and sighing and being a sharpie, it was cutting a figure and digging a scene. It was Frank and Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin and Peter Lawford for a while and Joey Bishop when they asked him and Jack Kennedy and Sam Giancana and tables full of cronies and who knew how many broads. It was the ultimate spasm of traditional showbiz – both the last and the most of its kind. It was the Rat Pack. It was beautiful. ‘Rat Pack Confidential’ – you’re never far from a cocktail, a swingin’ affair and a fist-fight.
£12.34
Boydell & Brewer Ltd The Aesthetic Life of Cyril Scott
Book SynopsisThe first comprehensive account of the life and influences of Cyril Scott, not merely a composer but an artist in the broadest possible sense of the term. Prolific and personable, innovative and contentious, Cyril Scott (1879 - 1970) was considered to be one of the most promising young talents in modern British music at the turn of the twentieth century. He was a member of the 'Frankfurt Group' (together with Percy Grainger, Norman O'Neill, Roger Quilter and Balfour Gardiner), his music was performed by some of the leading conductors of the time in Britain and on the Continent, and his friends included highly influential figures in European literature, art and politics. Apart from his music, Scott was the author of many books on alternative medicine, psychology, Occultism, Theosophy and comparative religion. He also wrote fiction, autobiography, and poetry. Scott embodied a unique time in a particularly unique way. His aesthetic ideas informed both his professional creative practice and his manner of living. He was not merely a composer, but an artist in thebroadest possible sense of the term. This book provides the first comprehensive account of Scott's life and influences as well as an outline and contextualization of his aesthetic thinking. It traces his changing conceptionof the function of art and the role of the artist from his formative exposure to Symbolism through his friendship with the German poet Stefan George, to his exploration of Western and Eastern esoteric traditions, showing how the prevailing cross-pollination of ideas allowed him to develop a fully integrated rationale for his art and life. The story of Scott's development guides the reader through some of the most fascinating intellectual discourses of late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century Europe. Sarah Collins' current research focuses on British music aesthetics and criticism in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. She has a particular interest in the interaction between turn-of-the-century conceptions of the function of criticism, theories of critical intuition and questions of moral philosophy. She lectured at the University of Queensland from 2006 and joined the faculty ofMonash University in 2012.Trade ReviewCollins's book raises valuable questions and is thought provoking throughout. Her work with primary sources is commendable. * NOTES *Thoroughly absorbing ... Collins's study is beautifully written, and is worthwhile reading in what it reveals both about Cyril Scott and about his time and milieu. * CHOMBEC News *This welcome, much-needed study is superbly argued and written. It is attractively produced and presented. * TEMPO *This is an absorbing and eye-opening study based on wide research, illustrated by a variety of fascinating photographs. * ELGAR SOCIETY JOURNAL *Table of ContentsIntroduction Matters of Biography and Autobiography "Music, Melancholy, Apprehension, Sex, and the Church" "An Artist-Autocrat of the Most Pronounced Type" "The Most Absorbing and Romantic Interest of My Present Incarnation" Music: Its Secret Influence Throughout the Ages The Immortal Artist Theory and Practice Epilogue Select Bibliography
£45.00
Gallery Books The Pasta Queen: A Just Gorgeous Cookbook: 100+
Book Synopsis
£27.62
Equinox Publishing Ltd Rufus Wainwright
Book SynopsisCanadian-American singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright (b. 1973) is famous around the world for his multi-faceted musical style, shown through both his recorded output and his engaging live performances. In this book, Katherine Williams combines aspects of his life story with scholarly readings drawn from several methodologies. Popular music studies, opera, queer studies, music and geography, the sound-box: all combine to give a rich biographical and interpretative overview of Wainwright's life and music. Williams brings together close musical analysis with such varied disciplinary perspectives with a tone that is both in-depth and scholarly, and accessible. The book is a must-read for fans, students and scholars alike.Table of ContentsIntroduction1. Family 2. Western Art Music and Pop: Conflict and Coherence 3. Opera, Gender and Sexuality 4. Place and Space 5. The VoiceConclusion
£23.70
Five Leaves Publications Miriam's Farm: The story of Haggs Farm,
Book Synopsis
£10.00
Globe Pequot Press Weight in the Fingertips
Book SynopsisBefore she knew she was Ukranian, Soviet, or Jewish, Inna Faliks knew she was a musician. Growing up in the city of Odessa, the piano became her best friend, and she explored the brilliant, intricate puzzles of Bach's Goldberg Variations and learned to compose under her mother's watchful eye. At ten, Faliks and her parents moved to Chicago as part of the tide of Jewish refugees who fled the USSR for the West in the 1980s. During the months-long immigration process, she would silently practice on kitchen tables while imagining a full set of piano keys beneath her fingertips. In Weight in the Fingertips, Faliks gives a globe-trotting account of her upbringing as a child prodigy in a Soviet state, the perils of immigration, the struggle of assimilating as an American, years of training with teachers, and her slow and steady rise in the world of classical music. With a warm and playful style, she helps non-musicians understand the experience of becoming a world-renowned concert p
£22.50
WW Norton & Co The Lyrics 1956 to the Present
Book Synopsis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A Washington Post Notable Book Excerpted in The New Yorker A work of unparalleled candor and splendorous beauty, The Lyrics celebrates the creative life and the musical genius of Paul McCartney through his most meaningful songs.Trade Review"To read over the words to these 154 songs is to be impressed not merely with McCartney’s productivity but with the fertility of his imagination and the potency of his offhand, unfussy style.... The Lyrics makes clear that McCartney has written on a high level long past his Beatles years, and even the weakest lyrics in the books have a character all their own: a feeling of giddy playfulness and unguarded experimentation. They’re a joy to read because they exude the joy their maker took in their making.... Over and over, McCartney shows how deeply he is steeped in literary history and how much his output as a songwriter has in common with the works of the likes of Dickens and Shakespeare." -- David Hajdu - New York Times Book Review"The Lyrics is a triumph. It is hugely readable, devoid of rock cliché, and full of fresh stories and opinions that even devoted fans won’t have encountered before. The pictures of McCartney and of handwritten lyrics, many of them never previously published, are worth the entry ticket on their own and the quality of the boxed product makes it a tactile pleasure and fun to possess.... The Lyrics is McCartney at his best." -- David Finklestein - The Times (UK)"Reading The Lyrics is like standing in a master chef’s kitchen as he prepares a dish, adding a dash of this and a spoonful of that and talking to us so winningly.... The Lyrics is able to cram in much more — show posters, set lists, handwritten notes, group photos both staged and casual.... There’s nothing like listening to Macca (as McCartney was known in his Liverpool days) talk about the rise of a band composed largely of working-class teens who changed the world forever.... Almost 60 years later, it’s still an amazing story.... Muldoon interviewed him for hours and coaxed out these charming commentaries." -- David Kirby - Washington Post"Careening from decade to decade, and invoking John Lennon on the regular, it is likely the closest thing to a memoir McCartney will ever publish, with lyric sheets and a hefty number of unseen personal photos of his family and The Beatles." -- Kim Willis - USA Today"Indeed, The Lyrics easily represents the finest collection of illustrations associated with McCartney's life and work. And it's beautifully rendered, to boot. Drop-dead gorgeous as books go, The Lyrics rivals the finest art imprints." -- Kenneth Womack - Salon"With a gravity, reverence and sense of occasion that hasn't been seen since the Levites rolled out the Ark of the Covenant, the complete lyrics of Paul McCartney are published at last." -- John Walsh - Sunday Times"An unparalleled look at [McCartney's] creativity process... The breadth of his influences is astonishing." -- Jordan Runtagh - People
£16.19
Gallery Books Walking Disaster
Book SynopsisThis candid memoir of music, fame, and endurance from Deryck Whibley, lead singer of Sum 41, follows his rise from a punk kid to an international star. From his earliest days growing up in Canada, Deryck Whibley was a punk who loved music and couldn't wait to achieve something bigger and better than the humble path that lay before him. Whibley was raised by a single mom and their small family constantly moved from place to place, so he was used to being the new kid, starting fights (or finishing them), and connecting with people who shared his sensibility for chaotic fun and loud music. Sum 41 was born of a group of friends who loved to jam, shared a DIY ethos, and were determined to be rock stars one day. Walking Disaster is Whibley's story, but it is also the untold story of Sum 41. Whibley takes you backstage, into the recording booth, and through the highest highs and lowest lows of the band whose story is inextricably woven with
£21.74
HarperCollins Out of the Darkness
Book Synopsis
£19.64
Abrams Keanu Reeves Most Triumphant
Book SynopsisKeanu Reeves: Most Triumphant is a tribute to and exploration of the magic behind one of Hollywood’s most legendary and unknowable stars and the profound lessons we can learn from his success. There can be no doubt: Keanu Reeves is a phenomenon. He’s at once a badass action star, a hunky dreamboat who People magazine has called “the Internet’s boyfriend,” a vintage motorcycle enthusiast, a niche art book publisher, a living meme, and a legend. He seems to upend every rule governing celebrity in the 21st century. But how? Cultural critic Alex Pappademas attempts to address Keanu’s unmatched eternality and the other big questions raised by his career arc. Sharp, funny, deeply researched, and fully celebratory of the enigmatic actor, this is the first book to take Keanu’s whole deal as seriously as it deserves. Yes, even Johnny Mnemonic, where Keanu mind melds with a dolphin. Along the wayTrade Review“Highlighting the cultural moments surrounding Reeves, as well as some of the acting choices that have made him such an intriguing performer over the years, this is a solid addition to any library’s pop culture collection.” * Library Journal *
£14.11
Legare Street Press Durch Musik Und Leben Im Dienste Des Ideals Volume 1
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£26.55
Penguin Putnam Inc Capotes Women
Book Synopsis
£12.40
Simon & Schuster Pretty Boys Are Poisonous: Poems
Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ?Heartbreaking...Go read the book, everyone.? Alex Cooper, host of the Call Her Daddy podcast Megan Fox showcases her wicked humor throughout a heartbreaking and dark collection of poetry. Over the course of more than seventy poems Fox chronicles all the ways in which we fit ourselves into the shape of the ones we love, even if it means losing ourselves in the process.?These poems were written in an attempt to excise the illness that had taken root in me because of my silence. I've spent my entire life keeping the secrets of men, my body aches from carrying the weight of their sins. My freedom lives in these pages, and I hope that my words can inspire others to take back their happiness and their identity by using their voice to illuminate what's been buried, but not forgotten, in the darkness,? says Fox. Pretty Boys Are Poisonous marks the powerful debut from one of the most well-known women of our time. Turn the page, bite the apple, and sink your teeth into the most deliciously compelling and addictive books you'll read all year.
£21.59
Penguin Books Ltd Watford Forever
Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times Sports Book of the Year A Times Book of the Year A Financial Times Book of the YearA Guardian Book of the YearA New Statesman Book of the Year''The heartwarming story of the collaboration and friendship between English football's oddest couple, Elton John and Graham Taylor'' The Times '' A wonderful, feel-good account of an ultimately English provincial story'' Simon Kuper_____________________ An unforgettable British underdog story from one of our greatest narrative nonfiction writers, John Preston, and the international musical icon and bestselling author, Sir Elton John.Britain in the 1970s was beset by unrest and unemployment, as inflation soared, fuel was scarce, and hooliganism was on the rise. And for Watford FC, the outlook was even gloomier. Rundown and rat-infested, Watford were an ailing side with holes in their kit and barelyTrade ReviewIf John Preston hasn’t already sold the film rights to this book, he surely will soon. Watford Forever is the heartwarming story of the collaboration and friendship between English football’s oddest couple, Elton John and Graham Taylor -- Robert Crampton * The Times *A wonderful, feel-good account of an ultimately English provincial story -- Simon Kuper * The Spectator *A rollicking period tale of footballing success . . . Watford Forever teems with unforgettable images . . . from first to last, this is an ever-entertaining telling of a remarkable sporting fairy-tale -- Declan Ryan * Daily Telegraph *Entwining sport, music and social history, the absorbing Watford Forever is masterfully judged, saccharine-free, true-life fairy tale, which showcases another side of Elton John -- John Aizlewood * iNews *A warm and redemptive tale . . . packed with anecdotes, moments that skewer the times with economy and prevision. Plus endless laugh-out-loud yarns…as Preston tells [Elton John and Graham Taylor’s] story, it rattles along at page-turning pace….it reads, indeed, like the script of a movie -- Jim White * Independent *It is hard to read Watford Forever without becoming overwhelmingly nostalgic . . . Preston burrows to the heart of what for a while Watford got so right -- Simon Burnton * Observer *John bought his beloved Watford FC when it was near the bottom of English football, then carried it to glory in alliance with manager Graham Taylor — his polar opposite. The rock star collaborated with Preston, a skilled and versatile writer, for this English-odd-couple feelgood story * Financial Times *The original football fairytale of a small club rising from the bottom to the top * Watford Observer *You don't have to be a Watford fan to enjoy this terrific book. It is about much more than the unlikely friendship between one of the most famous stars on the planet, who as a boy had loved being taken to Watford matches by his distant father, and the fiercely ambitious son of a sports editor who wanted, in his managerial achievements, to make up for an undistinguished playing career * Daily Mail *
£20.90
Fox Chapel Publishing Led Zeppelin
Book SynopsisMore than just a biography about the band members, this book offers an incredible compilation of stories, insights and reflections by the band members themselves and the people who knew them. Learn about the origin of the rock and roll band from their unique sound and meteoric rise in popularity to the untimely death of their drummer, infighting and accusations of plagiarism. This amazingly detailed peek into the lives of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham features an oral history of the impetus and development of each album released along with in-depth interviews with the band members and their manager as well as interviews with fans, friends, and insiders on what the band and the music meant to them. Full of photos of the iconic band on the road, you can read about and feel the band''s energy and transformation into the men they are today.
£14.44
Disney Book Publishing Inc. Walt Disney An American Original Commemorative
Book Synopsis
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Cinema Speculation
Book SynopsisInstant New York Times bestsellerThe long-awaited first work of nonfiction from the author of the #1New York TimesbestsellingOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood: a deliriously entertaining, wickedly intelligent cinema book as unique and creative as anything by Quentin Tarantino.In addition to being among the most celebrated of contemporary filmmakers, Quentin Tarantino is possibly the most joyously infectious movie lover alive.For years he has touted in interviews his eventual turn to writing books about films.Now, with Cinema Speculation, the time has come, and the results are everything his passionate fans?and all movie lovers?could have hoped for.Organized around key American films from the 1970s, all of which he first saw as a young moviegoer at the time,this book is as intellectually rigorous and insightful as it is rollicking and entertaining.At once film criticism, film theory, a feat of reporting, and wonderful personal history, it is all written in the singular voice recognizable immediately as QT?s and with the rare perspective about cinema possible only from one of the greatest practitioners of the artform ever.
£26.25
Hal Leonard Corporation Everythings Bigger in Texas
Book SynopsisKinky Friedman has always maintained his Kinkster persona and hidden Richard Friedman from the public eye. Using one-liners, humor, and occasional rudeness, he follows the advice of his friend Bob Dylan to keep an aura of mystery. Author Mary Lou Sullivan spent many contentious days and nights at Kinky''s Texas Hill Country ranch before he trusted her enough to open up and speak candidly.Best known as an irreverent cigar-chomping Jewish country-and-western singer, turned author, turned politician, Kinky has dined on monkey brains in the jungles of Borneo, supped with presidents, and vacationed with Bob Dylan in the tiny fishing village of Yelapa, Mexico.A satirist who loves pushing the envelope, he''s been attacked onstage, received bomb threats, and put on the only show in Austin City Limits'' history deemed too offensive to air.From the 1970s music scene in L.A. with Tom Waits and the Band, to political platforms advocating legalized marijuana, to friendships Trade Review“Sullivan chronicles the branding of the Kinkster with vivid detail, while giving his music the serious consideration it deserves ... The author's greatest achievement remains peeling back the provocateur's veneer and revealing the exceptionally smart, intimately caring, and deeply committed man behind the often outrageous performer without sparing critique.”—Doug Freeman, The Austin Chronicle
£16.19
BearManor Media The King's Bodyguard - A Martial Arts Legend Meets the King of Rock 'n Roll (hardback)
£21.18
Hal Leonard Corporation Blake Shelton Happy Anywhere
Book SynopsisWatch Blake Shelton''s career begin and flourish from the viewpoint of a lifelong friend who moved the award-winning musician to Nashville when he was seventeen and has been with him every step of the way. In Blake Shelton: Happy Anywhere, Carol Cash Large takes you backstage for personal and unique insight into the life of the young singer. Large starts at the beginning, when Shelton worked with producer Bobby Braddock, recorded his #1 song Austin, and performed on the Grand Ole Opry. She shares his victories and the rise in fame when he started garnering nominations at award shows and then recorded seventeen consecutive #1 songs. Large''s favorite stories come from Shelton''s time as host and entertainment on Saturday Night Live and his induction into the Grand Ole Opry. But, she says, landing a gig as a coach of the NBC hit, The Voice, had the biggest impact on his career. Along with his music career success and fame, Large delves into his personal life, showing his
£17.99
Rutgers University Press See Me Naked: Black Women Defining Pleasure in
Book SynopsisPleasure refers to the freedom to pursue a desire, deliberately sought in order to satisfy the self. Putting pleasure first is liberating. During their extraordinary lives, Lena Horne, Moms Mabley, Yolande DuBois, and Memphis Minnie enjoyed pleasure as they gave pleasure to both those in their lives and to the public at large. They were Black women who, despite their public profiles, whether through Black society or through the world of entertainment, discovered ways to enjoy pleasure.They left home, undertook careers they loved, and did what they wanted, despite perhaps not meeting the standards for respectability in the interwar era. See Me Naked looks at these women as representative of other Black women of the time, who were watched, criticized, and judged by their families, peers, and, in some cases, the government, yet still managed to enjoy themselves. Among the voyeurs of Black women was Langston Hughes, whose novel Not Without Laughter was clearly a work of fiction inspired by women he observed in public and knew personally, including Black clubwomen, blues performers, and his mother. How did these complicated women wrest loose from the voyeurs to define their own sense of themselves? At very young ages, they found and celebrated aspects of themselves. Using examples from these women’s lives, Green explores their challenges and achievements.Trade Review"Whatever you think you know about the project of 'respectability politics' in Black life, letters and history will be upended in See Me Naked. A bold feminist examination of pleasure in the Interwar Period through some of our most enduring feminist legends – Ma Rainey and Moms Mabley among others – Green’s astute and captivating assessment here will open doors for new imaginings of blackness." -- Sharon P. Holland * author of The Erotic Life of Racism *"In her careful engagement with Nina Yolande Du Bois Williams, Lena Horne, Moms Mabley and Memphis Minnie, Tara T. Green’s See Me Naked offers a groundbreaking exploration of black women’s pursuit of pleasure during the interwar years. Her careful exploration of pleasure’s fundamental relationship to black women’s self-making offers a necessary intervention into the fields of black studies, feminist studies, and sexuality studies." -- Jennifer C. Nash * author of Birthing Black Mothers *Tara T. Green in The Black Writer's Studio * The Black Writer's Studio *"Whatever you think you know about the project of 'respectability politics' in Black life, letters and history will be upended in See Me Naked. A bold feminist examination of pleasure in the Interwar Period through some of our most enduring feminist legends – Ma Rainey and Moms Mabley among others – Green’s astute and captivating assessment here will open doors for new imaginings of blackness." -- Sharon P. Holland * author of The Erotic Life of Racism *"In her careful engagement with Nina Yolande Du Bois Williams, Lena Horne, Moms Mabley and Memphis Minnie, Tara T. Green’s See Me Naked offers a groundbreaking exploration of black women’s pursuit of pleasure during the interwar years. Her careful exploration of pleasure’s fundamental relationship to black women’s self-making offers a necessary intervention into the fields of black studies, feminist studies, and sexuality studies." -- Jennifer C. Nash * author of Birthing Black Mothers *Tara T. Green in The Black Writer's Studio * The Black Writer's Studio *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Pleasure Is All Mine 1. Finding Yolande Du Bois’s Pleasure 2. Lena Horne and Respectable Pleasure 3. Moms Mabley and the Art of Pleasure 4. Memphis Minnie and Songs of Pleasure 5. Pleasurable Resistance in Langston Hughes’s Not Without Laughter Conclusion: Black Feminist Musings from Nature, The Context of Pleasure in 2020 Acknowledgements Bibliography Index
£107.20
Penguin Books Ltd Lets Go So We Can Get Back
Book Synopsis
£14.80
Kahn & Averill Luigi Boccherini
Book SynopsisThe life and works of composer and cellist Luigi Boccherini are explored in this comprehensive new biography. He was highly regarded throughout Europe during his lifetime and the author of around 500 compositions, including symphonies, chamber music and vocal works as well as sonatas and concertos for the cello.Trade ReviewBoccherini, after being ignored for so long, is starting to re-engage our attention again and Kaiserkern’s book will go a long way to giving us the background we need. Her book sets the stage and develops a thorough background of Boccherini and his time. Her analysis of the music is clear and thoughtful and gives a real insight into Boccherini’s innovations and virtuosic touch. - Maureen Buja, Interlude.hkTable of ContentsForeword by Steven Isserlis; Publisher's Note; 1. Finale; 2. The Cello and Music for the Cello; 3. Travels; 4. Duets, Trios, Quartets; 5. In the Service of the Spanish Infante Luis de Borbon; 6. String Quintets and String Sextets 7. Melting Pot Madrid; 8. Chamber Composer to Frederick William II of Prussia; 9. Symphonies; 10. The Final Years; 11. Vocal Works; 12. Boccherini's Letters; 13. Boccherini's Legacy; 14. Boccherini's Reputation down the Years; About the Author; About the Translator; Chronology; List of Works; Bibliography; Index of Names and Places; Acknowledgements
£38.00
Rutgers University Press A Dream of Resistance The Cinema of Kobayashi
Book SynopsisFirst book in English to explore Kobayashi’s entire career, from the early films he made at Shochiku studio, to internationally-acclaimed masterpieces like The Human Condition, Harakiri, and Samurai Rebellion, and on to his final work for NHK Television.Trade Review"[A] meticulously researched new book, A Dream of Resistance: The Cinema of Kobayashi Masaki, is sensitive to many of these issues and refreshingly demonstrates the insights a scholar can arrive at by using rigorous auteurist analysis and concentrating on recurring stylistic and narrative devices."— New York Review of Books “He was regarded as a ‘filmmaker of steel,’ But throughout his films you can see the figure of the director himself, drawn to beauty, friendly, easily moved to tears, prone to feeling lonely, straightforward, and possessing the heart of a youth…. It has been one hundred years since Kobayashi Masaki’s birth and twenty since his death. I sincerely hope that through Professor Prince’s book, the thoughts that director Kobayashi entrusted to his films will cross national borders and reach a new generation." — Kajiyama Koko, managing director, Geiyukai, Kobayashi Masaki archive "Prince, already one of the field's greatest observers of film form, has moved beyond form to demonstrate Kobayashi's deep humanism, fierce political convictions, and religio-philosophical leanings within a career of rare depth and beauty. This is the definitive work."— David Desser, author of The Samurai Films of Akira Kurosawa "Prince, an expert on Japanese cinema, offers a profound, passionate, and introspective account of another Japanese master."— Senses of Cinema "Prince delves broadly and deeply into the world of Kobayashi’s films, providing an introduction to the international community. This will be a great boon to a new generation of audiences."— Ogasawara Kiyoshi, co-writer of the screenplay for Tokyo saiban "Draws on previously untranslated material in a study of the Japanese filmmaker (1916-96), who is known for his critique of war and militarism."— ChronicleTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 1 Conjoining Spirit and World 12 2 A Sharp and Piercing Thorn 70 3 The Logic of Negation 123 4 Guardians of the Gate 178 5 A Pilgrim on the Silk Road 240 Acknowledgments 297 Films by Kobayashi Masaki 299 Notes 301 Index 315
£999.99
Equinox Publishing Ltd Chasin' the Bird: The Life and Legacy of Charlie
Book SynopsisIn his short life, Parker was one of the most influential musicians in jazz, and together with Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk, he was the main architect of the modern jazz revolution of the 1940s known as bebop. Addicted to drugs and alcohol, and with a tangled private life, Parker died young, and a legend grew up about his tragic genius. "Chasin' the Bird" is a completely revised and expanded edition of the short biography of Charlie Parker by Brian Priestley, first published in 1984, which quickly established itself as the most succinct, accurate and readable book on Parker. This edition, which is twice the length of the original, incorporates material which has come to light since the first edition was published. It also provides an expanded discussion of performances and recordings, with a complete discography, notes and bibliography.Trade Review'Brian Priestley is one of the most accomplished jazz historians, critics, and biographers, and Chasin' the Bird is an indispensable gem--an ideal introduction to a major figure in 20th century music and an inventive interpretation of Parker's life and art that will also engage veteran jazz lovers. The comprehensive discography is a major bonus, making this a handbook every Bird chaser will relish.' Gary Giddins, author of Weather Bird and (forthcoming) Tain't What You Do Brian Priestley has not just chased but captured the elusive Bird, illuminating the turbulent life and marvelous music with human and musical insight.' Dan Morgenstern, Director, Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies, author, Living with Jazz 'Brian Priestley's Chasin' the Bird: The Life and Legacy of Charlie Parker serves as the best overall book on Parker since Gary Giddens' photo-driven Celebrating Bird of 1987.' New York SunTable of ContentsChapter One - Birdland Chapter Two - Body And Soul Chapter Three - The Jumpin' Blues Chapter Four - Now's The Time Chapter Five - Parker's Mood Chapter Six - Celebrity Chapter Seven - I Remember You Chapter Eight - The Song is You Chapter Nine - Confirmation Discography
£19.00
Hachette Books I Aint Studdin YA
Book Synopsis Experience music history with this memoir by one of the last of the genuine old school Blues and R&B legends, the Grammy-winning dynamic showman Bobby Rush.This memoir charts the extraordinary rise to fame of living blues legend, Bobby Rush. Born Emmett Ellis, Jr. in Homer, Louisiana, he adopted the stage name Bobby Rush out of respect for his father, a pastor. As a teenager, Rush acquired his first real guitar and started playing in juke joints in Little Rock, Arkansas, donning a fake mustache to trick club owners into thinking he was old enough to gain entry. He led his first band in Arkansas between Little Rock and Pine Bluff in the 1950s. It was there he first had Elmore James play in his band. Rush later relocated to Chicago to pursue his musical career and started to work with Earl Hooker, Luther Allison, and Freddie King, and sat in with many of his musical heroes, such as Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed and Little Walter. Rush eventually began leading his own band in the 1960s, crafting his own distinct style of funky blues, and recording a succession of singles for various labels. It wasn't until the early 1970s that Rush finally scored a hit with 'Chicken Heads.' More recordings followed, including an album which went on to be listed in the Top 10 blues albums of the 1970s by Rolling Stone and a handful of regional jukebox favorites including 'Sue' and 'I Ain't Studdin' Ya.'And Rush's career shows no signs of slowing down now. The man once beloved for performing in local jukejoints is now headlining major music/blues festivals, clubs, and theaters across the U.S. and as far as Japan and Australia. At age eighty-six, he is still on the road for over 200 days a year. His lifelong hectic tour schedule has earned him the affectionate title 'King of the Chitlin' Circuit,' from Rolling Stone. In 2007, he earned the distinction of being the first blues artist to play at the Great Wall of China. His renowned stage act features his famed shake dancers, who personify his funky blues and his ribald sense of humor. He was featured in Martin Scorcese's The Blues docuseries on PBS, a documentary film called Take Me to the River, performed with Dan Aykroyd on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and most recently had a cameo in the Golden Globe nominated Netflix film, Dolemite Is My Name, starring Eddie Murphy. He was recently given the highest Blues Music Award honor of B.B. King Entertainer of the Year. His songs have also been featured in TV shows and films including HBO's Ballers and major motion pictures like Black Snake Moan, starring Samuel L. Jackson.Considered by many to be the greatest bluesman currently performing, this book will give readers unparalleled access into the man, the myth, the legend: Bobby Rush.
£22.50
BearManor Media Icon: THE LIFE, TIMES, AND FILMS OF MARILYN MONROE VOLUME 1 - 1926 TO 1956 (hardback)
£31.35
HardPress Publishing The Life of David Roberts R.A.
£16.91
ReR Megacorp Henry Cow An Analysis of Avant Garde Rock
Book Synopsis
£17.10
Random House Publishing Group Lorne
£28.80
Flatiron Books Untitled Flatiron Nonfiction May 2025
£22.49
Parker Publishing Zeckendorf: The autobiograpy of the man who played a real-life game of Monopoly and won the largest real estate empire in history.
£17.09
Penguin Books Ltd Lou Reed
Book Synopsis''The only Lou Reed bio you need to read'' The Washington PostOne of Pitchfork''s ten best music books of 2023 A Kirkus Reviews best nonfiction book of 2023''A monumental work filled with first-person accounts of the master''s life and a dizzying array of never-before heard details'' Michael Imperioli, author of The Perfume Burned His Eyes The most complete and penetrating biography of the rock master, whose stature grows every year.Since his death ten years ago, Lou Reed''s living presence has only grown. The great rock-poet presided over the marriage of Brill Building pop and the European avant-garde, and left American culture transfigured. In Lou Reed: The King of New York, Will Hermes offers the definitive narrative of Reed''s life and legacy, dramatizing his long, brilliant, and contentious dialogue with fans, critics, fellow artists, and assorted habitués of the demimonde. We witness Reed''s complex partnerships with David Bowie, Andy Warhol, John Cale, and Laurie Anderson; track the deadpan wit, street-smart edge, and poetic flights that defined his craft as a singer and songwriter with the Velvet Underground and beyond; and explore the artistic ambition and gift for self-sabotage he took from his mentor Delmore Schwartz. As Hermes follows Reed from Lower East Side cold-water flats to the landmark status he later achieved, he also tells the story of New York City as a cultural capital. The first biographer to draw on the New York Public Library''s much-publicized Reed archive, Hermes employs the library collections, the release of previously unheard recordings, and a wealth of recent interviews to give us a new Lou Reed-a pioneer in living and writing about nonbinary sexuality and gender identity, a committed artist who pursued beauty and noise with equal fervor, and a turbulent and sometimes truculent man whose emotional imprint endures.Trade ReviewMeticulous yet vivid . . . Hermes expertly conjures the difference scenes Reed inhabited, placing him amid a rich cast of collaborators, friends and lovers * Guardian *A sympathetic portrait of a vastly talented but difficult man * Mojo *No matter how well you know the man and his music, there’s so much more to him that’s never been revealed until now. This book has the menace and allure of Reed’s finest work * Rolling Stone *Plenty has been written about Reed, but only Hermes, to my mind, has gotten Reed’s peculiar balance, of person and poseur, exactly right . . . This biography is as beautifully researched as it is written * The Washington Post *Fans will likely devour many of these stories and want to live inside of them * The Atlantic *
£22.50
Penguin Books Ltd Beethoven A Life in Nine Pieces
Book Synopsis**WINNER of Presto Books'' Best Composer Biography**NINE WORKS OF BEETHOVEN, NINE WINDOWS INTO THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF A MUSICAL GENIUS. ''We are doubly blessed that Beethoven should have led such an extraordinary life. Laura has combined the two - the genius of his music and the richness of his experiences - to shine a revealing light on our greatest composer'' John Humphrys_________________________Ludwig van Beethoven: to some, simply the greatest ever composer of Western classical music. Yet his life remains shrouded in myths.In Beethoven, Oxford professor Laura Tunbridge cuts through the noise. With each chapter focusing on a period of his life, piece of music and revealing theme - from family to friends, from heroism to liberty - she provides a rich insight into the man and the music. Revealing a wealth of never-before-seen material, this tour de force is a compelling, accessible portrayal of one of the world''s mTrade ReviewWe are doubly blessed that Beethoven should have led such an extraordinary life. Laura has combined the two - the genius of his music and the richness of his experiences - to shine a revealing light on our greatest composer -- John HumphrysElegant, enquiring and best read with the music turned up -- Julian Glover * Evening Standard *I found Tunbridge's book full of thought-provoking detail. Beethoven may be irredeemably pale and male, but, in this far-ranging discussion, his life and revolutionary music never feel stale -- Richard Morrison * The Times *A concise, subtly revealing survey... emphasizing the many-sidedness of the composer's spirit -- Alex Ross * New Yorker *This book is really wonderful! Nine works of Beethoven from different times in his life tell the story of that life - nine windows through which the man and his music are revealed with captivating clarity. We often speak about the 'universal spirit' of Beethoven but this book also brings to life how he fits into, and indeed creates, the new universe of cultural life which was born as the nineteenth century began. However many books on Beethoven you own, find the space for one more. This one -- Stephen Hough, pianist, composer, writerIn a year when everyone's looking for a new take on Beethoven, Laura Tunbridge has found nine. It makes great sense to look at the composer not thematically but in selected fragments, taking us nine small steps closer to his elusive totality. Fresh and engaging -- Norman Lebrecht, author of Genius and AnxietyI truly enjoyed reading it . . . Excellent . . . Laura Tunbridge upends the two-centuries-old image of Beethoven as a Promethean Titan heroically composing works of genius on his isolated rock of suffering. She convincingly argues that Beethoven's current iconic status must be understood within the context of his financial dealings and lifetime of often affable, sometimes acerbic, vibrant interchanges with family members, other composers, patrons, friends, musicians, singers, publishers, producers, and makers of musical instruments. Her detailed musical analyses of familiar as well as now rarely-performed works of Beethoven converse with one another as well as with other music of the era and with quotidian life in Vienna. This well researched and accessible book is a must read for all who seek to know more about the flesh and blood tangible Beethoven and the checkered history of his reception than about the Beethoven of unfathomable mythic immensity -- John Clubbe, author of Beethoven: The Relentless RevolutionaryMark that young man, he will make a name for himself in the world -- Mozart after hearing the young Beethoven playTunbridge has come up with the seemingly impossible: a new way of approaching Beethoven's life and music . . . and in every chapter a superb - and accessible to non-musicians - analysis of the music . . . profoundly original and hugely readable -- John Suchet, author Beethoven: The Man RevealedRemarkable . . . she captures the essence of his genius and character. I'll always want to keep it in easy reach -- Julia Boyd, author of Travellers in the third ReichIlluminating . . . deftly gathers in the connections . . . In 288 pages, Tunbridge gives us detail enough to create a rounded portrait . . . She makes us marvel at Beethoven all the more -- Fiona Maddocks * Observer *You don't have to be a music scholar to enjoy this brilliant, and pleasingly concise book. But, if you don't love Beethoven, both the man and his music, when you start, you should by the time you finish -- Roger Alton * Daily Mail *Cuts straight to the action . . . Tunbridge balances the traditional narrative of universal, timeless genius, of innovation before its time, with a pragmatic, jobbing musician working hard to make a living -- Alexandra Coghlan * Spectator *Compact but also rewarding...a lot of information is packed into her musical portraits -- Richard Fairman * Financial Times *Laura Tunbridge finds something fresh to say about Beethoven by looking at his life through nine pieces... An entertaining way to celebrate the great man's 250th birthday -- James Marriott * Sunday Times Books of the Year *A twinkling elucidation of concert life in Vienna... fluent, concise and engaging -- Paul Griffith * Times Literary Supplement *Laura Tunbridge, in her new biographical study, has found an elegant way to give Beethovenian heroism and struggle its due, while slyly plucking at the reverse of Solomon's martial banner... Each chapter delivers its little shock of correction -- James Wood * London Review of Books *Laura Tunbridge offers a timely portrait of the composer in an elegant biography . . . refreshingly, [she] focuses on the man rather than the myth. Knowledgeable and humane, this is a deeply sympathetic portrait of a turbulent musical genius * Daily Mail *Tunbridge never stints on musical description, nor compromises her admirable rigour, while her prose is vivid, crystal-clear and never less than fascinating . . . a wonderfully rewarding book -- Jessica Duchen * Classical Music Magazine *
£10.44
Hachette Books You Gotta Be You
Book SynopsisFrom the time we''re born, a litany of do''s and don''ts are placed on us by our families, our communities, and society. We''re required to fit into boxes based on our race, gender, sexuality, and other parts of our identities, being told by others how we should behave, who we should date, or what we should be interested in. For so many of us, those boxes begin to feel like shackles when we realize they don''t fit our unique shape, yet we keep trying because we crave acceptance and validation. But is fitting in worth the time, energy, and suffering? Actor, writer, and activist Brandon Kyle Goodman says, Hell no it ain''t!As a Black nonbinary, queer person in a dark-skinned 6''1, 180-pound male body born into a religious immigrant household, Brandon knows the pain of having to hide one''s true self, the work of learning to love that true self, and the freedom of finally being your true self.In You Gotta Be You, Brandon affectionately challenges yo
£22.50
Pan Macmillan Shout
Philip Norman is the author of classic rock biographies The Stones and Sir Elton and the highly-acclaimed memoir Babycham Night . He is also an award-winning novelist and writes regularly for the Sunday Times and the Daily Mail.
£16.14
Random House Loving Garbo
Book SynopsisHugo Vickers' books include Alice, Princess Andrew of Greece; Gladys, Duchess of Marlborough; Cecil Beaton; Vivien Leigh; Loving Garbo; Royal Orders; The Private World of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor; and The Kiss, which won the 1996 Stern Silver Pen for Non-fiction.Trade ReviewHugely ambitious... Vickers's triumph has been to weave the lives of three bisexual, egotistical monsters into an utterly enthralling narrative. -- Sheridan Morley * Sunday Times *This enticing book... is wonderful. * Observer *Immensely entertaining. -- Alexander Walker * Evening Standard *
£14.39
Tomahawk Press Cliff Richard the Shadows
Book Synopsis
£13.30
Les Fugitives Now Now Louison
Book Synopsis'Louise Bourgeois talks, talks to herself, reviewing the scraps of her long life in all their disorder. This is the portrait, from memory, of a woman who devoted her life to her art, a life that was also the life of the century' writes J. Fremon.Trade Review'A truly wonderful book... The spider woman, the intellectuel, the rebel, the sly enchantress, and the good girl sing together in this exuberant, lithe text, beautifully translated by Cole Swensen.' - SIRI HUSTVEDT. `Now, Now Louison draws the reader in with all of the monstrous elegance of a spider, capturing us in the fine web of the creative process, and revealing, with biting wit and lyrical style, the ego, and sacrifices it takes to make monumental work.' - PRETI TANEJA, laureate of the Desmond Elliott Prize 2018 for 'We That Are Young'. `Jean Fremon is a wholly singular artist, a writer who lives in the radiant zone where poetry, philosophy and storytelling meet.' - PAUL AUSTER. 'Like all the most urgent poetry, it is "fragile and momentary, but momentarily invincible."' JOHN ASHBERY. 'As much a portrait of Bourgeois as it is of one who has outlasted another and is trying, in full knowledge of an impending failure, to reassemble a figure from the fragments. Perhaps life, this life, any life, is best preserved in its many bits, just as it was lived.' - FRIEZE. `Metamorphosing like Arachne, Bourgeois's imagined voice recounts how she wove the detritus of her memory (...) into an art of resistence (...) Now, Now, Louison (a reference to her childhood nickname) is a sensitive portrait of a woman whose struggle for self-definition came to drive her artistic practice.' Financial Times 'The life of Louise Bourgeois is rendered in ellipsis, quick brush strokes, and a mix of associations of ideas and of sensations waltzing with chronology. An original, sensitive text.' - ArtPress.Table of ContentsNow, Now, Louison, page 1. Jean Fremon, select bibliography, page 113
£10.80
