Biography: arts and entertainment Books

Book SynopsisAdam and the Ants were formed in London by Hornsey Art College student Stuart Goddard in 1976 following an early Sex Pistols' gig. The band's devastating combination of Punk sensibility, heroic imagery and tribal rhythms saw them become one of the most iconic acts of the 1980s. Pioneers of the music video, the band achieved three top 20 albums which spawned 9 top 40 singles including 'Cartrouble', 'Kings of the Wild Frontier', 'Antmusic', 'Dog Eat Dog', 'Antrap' and the number 1 smash hits 'Stand and Deliver!' and 'Prince Charming'. Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Adam Ant's first solo number 1 single 'Goody two Shoes', Mark N. Redmayne's unofficial biography draws upon painstaking research and interviews with ex Ants and key personnel to document how Adam rose from the ashes of Punk to become the first pop star of the 1980s. In 2022, Adam Ant continues to play to devoted Antpeople of all ages around the world - this is both his and our story.

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Book SynopsisCelebrating Rock's 60th Birthday, from the formation of the Rolling Stones and the heyday of the British Invasion to the spawning of the Reading Festival, this book explores the music history of the London clubs that were the engine rooms for British rock n roll. The Rolling Stones, the Who, Rod Stewart, Pink Floyd, The Faces, David Bowie and The Yardbirds are amongst the many acts who performed on the London club circuit at venues such as The Ealing Club, The Crawdaddy Club, The Bull's Head, The Half Moon, The Ricky Tick, The Marquee, The 100 Club, and the infamous Eel Pie Island Hotel. We revisit the days when Eric Clapton was God and Rock ruled the world. Play it Loud! Why is 2022 'Rock's Diamond Year'? On March 17th 1962, Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies started the EALING BLUES CLUB. The first UK gig devoted to 'electric blues music'. Musicologists agree that this event was the catalyst that would define British Rock music. The Ealing Blues Club sparked a musical revolution that grew further at Twickenham's Eel Pie Island and Richmond's Crawdaddy Club, 3 venues that were vital in the careers of: The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds / Eric Clapton, The Who, Cream and many more. Elsewhere in 1962 there were rumblings of a cultural shift with The Beatles, Dusty Springfield, The Animals, Marshall Amplification and many others setting the tone for what became the UK's most significant cultural export... Rock & Pop Music. 60 years on from 1962 and 'ROCK'S DIAMOND YEAR' will celebrate the UK's unique contribution to what has become a global music form. The initiative is led by The Ealing Club Community Interest Company' set up to champion West London music heritage while inspiring new music opportunity for the future. www.rocksdiamondyear.com WRITERS Introduction by Ralph Brookfield The Ealing Club by Alistair Young The Eel Pie Island Club/Eel Pie Club, Twickenham by Gina Way The Crawdaddy Club, Richmond by David Sinclair The Ricky Tick Club, Windsor by Pete Clack The Half Moon Club, Putney by Nina Jackson The Marquee Club, Soho by Charlotte Banks The 100 Club by Richard LuckTrade Review"...gives insight into the Big Bang of rock music and why it was centered around southwest London suburbs in the 60s. Highly recommended." - Mark Dezzani, DJ, Radio Caroline; “With its title as a reference to the 60th anniversary of British r’n’b in Ealing and other parts of suburban London, this nostalgic paperback is a nod to eager performers of the music and the vibrant places where it thrived.” – Russell Newmark, The Beat Magazine; “The amount of information included within these pages is nearly mindblowing, so this book is a must-read if you’re interested in music history. Even though you’ll stumble upon many famous artists and bands while reading Rock’s Diamond Year, you’ll notice how each author primarily focuses on the stories about clubs… I adore how the authors thought about that particular detail” – Djordje Miladinović, Thoughts Words Action; the goal of “Rock’s Diamond Year” is to serve as a guide to London’s swinging landmarks, and as such this book works perfectly." - Dmitry Epstein, DMME

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Book SynopsisZelensky is the first major biography of Ukraine's leader written for a Western audience. Told with flair and authority, it is the gripping story of one of the most admired and inspirational leaders in the world. Action-packed biography of Ukraine's comedian-turned-President Millions who have admired Volodymyr Zelensky's defiance during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will learn much from this up-to-date biography of the Ukrainian President. Zelensky's life to date has been packed with drama and action. By the age of 20, the Jewish boy from the provincial town of Kryvyi Rih had become a star of the stage. At 30, he headed a multimillion-dollar TV company. At 40, he took on Ukraine’s corrupt political and business elite in a TV drama, playing a history teacher who becomes President. Then he launched a real-life political party named after the TV show, won a landslide victory and became Ukraine's real President. When Russian troops flooded across the border, Zelensky refused Western offers to leave Kyiv. He has marshalled Ukraine's resistance and successfully obtained Western missile systems and anti-tank weapons. Zelensky said: ‘If I am elected, they will first sling mud at me. Then they will learn to respect me. And finally cry when I leave.’ Zelensky is written by a long-standing Russia and Ukraine reporter and a Russian- and Ukrainian speaking researcher. It’s a pithy biography of Zelensky for anyone who wants to understand Ukraine’s charismatic head of state, his complex country, and its vexed relationship with Russia. Covering Zelensky's life from his childhood to the Ukrainian presidency, Zelensky deals with his background in a Russian-speaking region of Ukraine, his early career in TV taking part in KVN talent competitions, and his rise through the Ukrainian and Russian television industry. Then it deals with Zelensky's breakthrough moment in the TV series Servant of the People playing a teacher who dreams of reforming Ukraine and ending its corruption. The show becomes a reality and Zelensky's party, Servant of the People, takes power. Zelensky's presidency is marred by his attempts to curry favour with the US President Donald Trump and the offshoring of millions of dollars. Nonetheless, Zelensky battles political rivals and takes on powerful vested interests in Europe’s second-largest country. Then with his doggedness, speeches and strategy, he marshals Ukraine's staunch resistance to a superpower – a fight that most analysts assume Russia will quickly win. But they do not - and Ukraine starts to turn the tide of the war. Zelensky and his country become symbols of defiance against Vladimir Putin's aggression. Zelensky: A Biography of Ukraine's War Leader is both an uplifting story and an urgent message from Ukraine. About the authors STEVEN DERIX is a journalist at the Dutch newspaper NRC. From 2014 to 2020 he was NRC correspondent for Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. MARINA SHELKUNOVA studied journalism and was a researcher and coordinator for NRC and De Standaard. ExtractVladimir Putin rarely underestimates his opponent. At the KGB Academy in Leningrad, he learned the meticulous art of profiling ‘targets’ of the service, whether they were Russian dissidents or East German Communist apparatchiks. Before meeting with anybody, Putin first analyses their strengths and weaknesses. During his first visit to the United States, he wound President George W. Bush around his little finger, with pious tales of his christening in the Russian Orthodox Church. Afterwards, an obviously charmed Bush told of how he had looked into the ‘soul’ of the former KGB officer. When German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Sochi in 2007 to discuss energy policy, Putin had his black labrador Konni brought in. Merkel – who is terrified of dogs – dared not budge an inch, and Putin dominated the conversation. Vladimir Putin also carefully considers way he talks about people. The Russian President is only too aware of the political appeal of Alexey Navalny, and will therefore never allow the name of the opposition leader to cross his lips – not even since Navalny’s incarceration in January 2021. Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov, consistently refers to Navalny as ‘that blogger.’ *** In April 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky was elected as the sixth President of Ukraine, with nearly three-quarters of the vote. One month later, the Russian President attended the World Economic Forum in St. Petersburg. It had been five years since Russia’s annexation of Crimea but daily skirmishes between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists were still commonplace in eastern Ukraine. ‘Why did you not congratulate Volodymyr Zelenksy when he became President?’ asked the interviewer. Putin breathed a heavy sigh. The Russian officials and business magnates in the room playfully nudged one another: this was going to be good. ‘You know,’ said Putin, ‘he is still pushing a certain rhetoric. He labels us “enemies” and “aggressors.” Perhaps he should think about what he really wants to achieve, what he wants to do.’ Putin had still not once uttered the name ‘Zelensky.’ ‘You are the President of a world power,’ the interviewer fawned, ‘and right now, he is incredibly popular in his country. Both of you could start with a clean slate. Even a small gesture might completely change the course of world history. Why not simply arrange a meeting?’ Putin gave the enormous hall an almost pitying look, and waited until the sniggering from the officials and businesspeople had died down. ‘Did I say “no”?’ replied Putin. With a snide grin, he added: ‘Nobody has invited me.’ ‘Are you prepared to meet with him?’ Putin now looked genuinely amused. ‘Listen, I do not know this man. I hope that we can meet one day. As far as I can tell, he’s amazing at what he does, he’s a marvellous actor.’ Laughter and generous applause filled the room. Putin continued: ‘But seriously: it’s one thing to play a person, but quite another thing to be that person.’ Buy the book to continue readingTable of ContentsIntroduction. Russia's President Vladimir Putin shows his contempt for Ukraine's new president Volydymyr Zelensky, an actor turned politician who has swept to power after starring in a TV drama Servant of the People, where he plays a history teacher who dreams of becoming President of Ukraine 1. Al Pacino. Volodymyr Zelensky grows up in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, and starts to compete in KVN talent championships in Ukraine and Russia, following the fall of the Soviet Union, while also wooing his future wife Olena 2. Bad Neighbours. Charing the history of Ukraine from Viking settlements to the 21st Century, including the vexed relationship between Russia, the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, and Volydymyr Zelensky's progression through the Ukrainian and Russian TV industry via KVN shows 3. The Comedy Factory. Ukraine develops as an independent state, still under pressure from Russia, while Volydymyr Zelensky makes his name in Ukraine and Russia with his troupe and TV company Kvartal 95. 4. Maidan. Modern Ukraine erupts in protests amid the Orange Revolution against corrupt elections and government. Volydymyr Zelensky eventually finds his forte in political satire. Mentions Maidan Square, Yuriy Koryavchenkov, Vitali Klitschko, Rinat Akhmetov, Viktor Yanukovych, Viktor Yushchenko 5. Servant of the People. Volydmyr Zelensky starts a TV show, Servant of the People, playing a teacher who dreams of becoming President and cleaning up Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia's 'little green men' troops occupy the Crimea peninsula. Mentions Vasyl Holoborodko and Yulia Tymoshenko’s Fatherland Party 6. The Turbo Regime. After winning the presidential election with a landslide, Volydymyr Zelensky starts reforming Ukraine, and immediately runs into trouble with US President Donald Trump. Russia and Ukraine hold peace talks to try to settle their differences over the Donbas and Crimea 7. Confrontation. Volodymyr Zelensky takes on Ukraine's powerful oligarchs and suspected judicial and political corruption. Mentions Ruslan Riaboshapka, Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine National Security and Defence Council, Viktor Medvedchuk, Taras Kozak, Olena Kondratiuk 8. The Wartime President. Russia invades Ukraine in 2022 and President Zelensky mounts a staunch defence of his country, successfully rallying Western support for his battle against overwhelming firepower. Mentions Zapad military exercise, Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022, FSB agents, Alexey Navalny A Note on Sources. The authors have used some of Steven Derix's reporting for the Dutch newspaper NRC. Explains the use of sources and naming protocol, preferring Ukrainian spellings over Russian ones for Ukrainian names. So the book refers to Zelensky rather than Zelenskyi or Zelenskyy. Bibliography. An extensive list of references for this biography of Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, including sources in Dutch, English, Russian, Ukrainian and Polish.

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Book Synopsis

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