Biography: arts and entertainment Books

Book Synopsis‘When I first heard about this Faith No More biography, I didn’t know what to think. But I have to give credit where it is due, it’s a quality piece. The man has done his research and it shows. It provided me with more than a few revelations … and I’m in the band.’ – Bill Gould, Faith No MoreSmall Victories: The True Story of Faith No More is the definitive biography of one of the most intriguing bands of the late twentieth century. Written with the participation of the group’s key members, it tells how such a heterogeneous group formed, flourished, and fractured, and how Faith No More helped redefine rock, metal and alternative music. The book chronicles the creative and personal tensions that defined and fuelled the band, forensically examines the band’s beginnings in San Francisco’s post-punk wasteland, and charts the factors behind the group’s ascent to MTV-era stardom.Small Victories strips away the mythology and misinformation behind their misanthropic masterpiece Angel Dust, explores the rationale behind the frequent hiring and firing of band members, and traces the unraveling of the band in the mid-1990s. It also examines the band’s breakup and hiatus, explores their unwelcome legacy as nu-metal godfathers, and gives a behind-the-scenes view of their rebirth.Based on meticulous research and hundreds of interviews with current and former band members and other key figures, Small Victories combines a fan’s passion with a reporter’s perspicacity.

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Book SynopsisTiffany Haddish is back with her highly anticipated new essay collection, I Curse You With Joy.It''s been a minute. Readers last sat down with Tiffany in her bestselling debut The Last Black Unicorn. Since then, Haddish has catapulted to A-list fame as the breakout star of Girls Trip. She''s walked the Oscars red carpet, released a hit stand-up special with Netflix, and made history as the first Black female comedian to host Saturday Night Live and Shark Week. But it hasn''t been all VIP parties and free diving with apex predators. In these humorous and heartfelt essays, Tiffany gets real about the highs and lows of life. Believe it or not, there was a time when Tiffany didn''t totally know who Tiffany was. Before she found her groove, she was on stage dressed like her snobby airline coworkers telling halfhearted dick jokes. She tanked. It took a fake penis, some help from friends, and

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES LITERARY NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARA GUARDIAN BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR (AS CHOSEN BY AUTHORS)**LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE****SHORTLISTED FOR THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE**''Outstanding. I''ll be recommending this all year.'' SARAH BAKEWELL''A beautiful and deeply moving book.'' SALLY ROONEYI like this London life . . . the street-sauntering and square-haunting.' Virginia Woolf, diary, 1925Mecklenburgh Square, on the radical fringes of interwar Bloomsbury, was home to activists, experimenters and revolutionaries; among them were the modernist poet H. D., detective novelist Dorothy L. Sayers, classicist Jane Harrison, economic historian Eileen Power, and writer and publisher Virginia Woolf. They each alighted there seeking a space where they could live, love and, above all, work independently.Francesca Wade's<

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Book SynopsisONE OF THE NEW YORKER''S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEARCHOSEN BY PITCHFORK AS ONE OF THE TEN BEST MUSIC BOOKS OF 2023ONE OF LOUDER THAN WAR''S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEARSHORTLISTED FOR THE PLUTARCH AWARDINCLUDED IN PUBLISHERS WEEKLY''S SEVEN BOOKS FROM 2023 YOU SHOULDN''T OVERLOOKIt takes a great journalist to find the stories behind the mysteries we carry. Howard Fishman has done that with his superb examination of Connie Converse. - Ken BurnsNothing short of remarkable. - Publishers WeeklyA massive and fascinating feat. - MOJO MagazineThe true story of Connie Converse - a mid-century New York singer and songwriter, who mysteriously disappeared - and one writer''s quest to understand her life.When musician and New Yorker contributor Howard Fishman first heard a Connie Converse recording, he was convinced she could not be real. Her music was too out of place for the 1950s to make sense - a singer who bridged the gap between traditional Americana, pop standards, and the singer-songwriter movement that exploded a decade later with Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell.Fishman was determined to know more about this artist and how she slipped through the cracks of music history but there was one problem: in 1974, at the age of fifty, Converse simply drove off one day and was never heard from again.After a dozen years of research, Fishman expertly weaves a narrative of her life and music, and of how it has come to speak to him as both an artist and a person.It is by turns a hopeful, inspiring, melancholy, and chilling story of dark family secrets, taciturn New England traditions, a portrait of 1950s Greenwich Village, of a visionary intellect and talent, and a woman who fiercely strove for independence when the odds were against her. Who was this overlooked trailblazer, how did she come to make such complex and arresting music, and can Fishman discover what happened to the artist who disappeared?

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Book Synopsis''Funny, lively and convivial... how rare and nourishing this sort of roaming thought is and what a joy to read'' MEGAN NOLAN, SUNDAY TIMES''An exhilarating, shape-shifting exploration of the perilous boundaries between art and life'' JENNY OFFILL''Monsters is extraordinary - engaging, enraging, provocative, and brilliant'' ANN PATCHETTA passionate, provocative and blisteringly smart interrogation of how we experience art in the age of #MeToo, and whether we can separate an artist''s work from their biography.What do we do with the art of monstrous men? Can we love the work of Roman Polanski and Michael Jackson, Hemingway and Picasso? Should we love it? Does genius deserve special dispensation? What makes women artists monstrous? And what should we do with beauty, and with our unruly feelings about it?Claire Dederer explores these questions and our relationshipTrade ReviewWhat a treat it is: funny, lively and convivial, constantly in argument with itself . . . Dederer's tone and willingness to be wrong and confused, along with her seductive, intimate style, bring the subject to new life . . . how rare and nourishing this sort of roaming thought is and what a joy to read. How moving, too, the underpinning adoration that allows the difficult questions to be asked. You are left wishing Dederer would apply her generous mind to every other niggling unfinished hang-up that haunts our culture -- Megan Nolan * Sunday Times *In a world that wants you to think less - that wants, in fact, to do your thinking for you - Monsters is that rare work, beyond a book, that reminds you of your sentience. It's wise and bold and full of the kind of gravitas that might even rub off -- Lisa TaddeoPersonal, open-hearted and intellectually playful -- 50 of this year's best non-fiction books * The Times *Witty and conversational . . . It's a book full of the nuance that the cancel culture debate so often lacks -- *Books of the Year* * The Times *Enthralling, challenging and downright unsettling . . . smart and provocative . . . Monsters is a vital book for our times, and it offers so much rich food for thought -- Martin Chilton * Independent *Thrilling * Observer *A properly honest and passionate book that will help set this debate alive -- Andrew Marr * New Statesman *An exhilarating, shape-shifting exploration of the perilous boundaries between art and life. This timely book inhabits both the marvellous and the monstrous with generosity and wit -- Jenny OffillExhilarating -- Kathryn Hughes * Guardian *Excellent . . . Frank . . . A work of deep thought and self-scrutiny that honors the impossibility of the book's mission -- Melissa Febos * The New Yorker *Monsters is an incredible book, the best work of criticism I have read in a very long time. It's thrillingly sharp, appropriately doubtful, and more fun than you would believe, given the pressing seriousness of the subject matter. Claire Dederer's mind is a wonder, her erudition too; I now want her to apply them to everything I'm interested in so I can think about them differently -- Nick HornbyA hot and urgent monologue structured around a problem without a solution . . . The conclusion to this immersive and doubtlessly important book is both tentative and bold -- Frances Wilson * Times Literary Supplement *Part memoir, part treatise, and all treat . . . nimble, witty . . . her exquisitely reasoned vindication of Lolita brought tears to my eyes . . . This is a book that looks boldly down the cliff of roiling waters below and jumps right in, splashes around playfully, isn't afraid to get wet. How refreshing * New York Times *A timely interrogation of the eternal question: can you separate the art from the artist? It showed me my bookshelves, my record collection, the pictures and films I love - even myself - in a new, unflinching light. I'm pressing it into the hands of everyone I know. -- Erin Kelly, author of The Skeleton KeyNuanced and exploratory . . . With verve and empathy, she asks if we can - if we should - separate the work from the biography -- Suzanne Harrington * Irish Independent *Humming with originality, clarity and humour . . . The book's questions might be zeitgeisty, but it is far more satisfying than the circular arguments about cancel culture that abound in Twitter threads. It sketches a Venn diagram of creativity and depravity before plunging into its intersection - dangerous water, but one I emerged from reinvigorated . . . * i News *Dederer asks, with witty self-deprecation, how we should respond to art from artists guilty of morally squalid deeds . . . Instead of rushing to the barricades of ongoing culture wars, Dederer offers - and enacts - a way of thinking that acknowledges the ever growing diversity of intellectual and moral life -- Pankaj Mishra, summer reads * Guardian *Sane and nuanced - even refreshingly brave. This is no dry compendium of intellectual arguments about artistic meaning, but rather an emotional journey through audience experience told with engaging chattiness from an insider's perspective -- Kathleen Stock * The Times *An incredibly nuanced and human work -- Barry Pierce * Big Issue *In this book you may not find the answer, but you will find heaps of wit and wisdom - on monsters, victims, hate, love, and the big grey area in between -- Chloë Ashby * Spectator *Clever and provocative * Daily Telegraph *A lively, personal exploration of how one might think about the art of those who do bad things . . . It's such a pleasure to stretch out in a big, nuanced conversation about a topic that can be so easily flattened into wrong and right, good and bad; it's a pleasure to be asked to think * Vanity Fair *Dederer's exploration offers up no easy answers, but the journey is never less than illuminating -- Summer holiday reads * Guardian *Monsters is a dazzling book . . . If you too love the work of Polanski - or Picasso, Hemingway, Allen, Davis, and so on - sticking with Dederer on her curlicued journey might be the best gift you can give yourself. The final chapter feels its way toward a conclusion that burns clean, though it hurts a little too -- Stephanie Zacharek * Time *Vital, exhilarating . . . Although Dederer has done her homework, her style is breezy and confessional . . . Monsters leaves us with Dederer's passionate commitment to the artists whose work most matters to her, and a framework to address these questions about the artists who matter most to us * Washington Post *An exciting read . . . I was shaken to my core * Los Angeles Times *Perceptive and engaging * ArtReview *Monsters is both a nimble exploration of fan culture and a spirited call to action -- Ruth Madievsky * GQ *A blisteringly erudite and entertaining read. Dederer holds the moral ambiguity of her subject matter, landing her arguments with precision and flair. It's a book that deserves to be widely read and will provoke many conversations -- Nathan FilerDederer provides a fascinating new way of looking at how the work and lives of problematic artists are bound together. She poses so many topical questions, plays with so many pertinent ideas, that I'm still thinking about this book long after I finished -- Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled GroundConversational, clear and bold without being strident . . . Dederer showcases her critical acumen . . . In this age of moral policing, Ms. Dederer's instincts to approach such material with an open mind - and heart - are laudable * Wall Street Journal *An invigorating, engrossing, and deeply intelligent book. By guiding us through her critical dilemmas, Dederer performs an act of generosity: she allows the reader the space and encouragement to interrogate their own beliefs. Monsters made me laugh, argue, tear up, and most importantly, think -- Julia May Jonas, author of VladimirExcellent. Erudite and unpretentious, ruthlessly honest, a searching self portrait as well as moral inventory of good artists doing bad things -- Stephanie Danler, author of SweetbitterThoughtful -- Susie Goldsbrough * The Times *Punchy and sharp . . . Exploring her own relationship to art made by shitty men, the book moves beyond tedious cancel culture discourse to interrogate ethics, art and fandom with nuance and compassion -- Katie Goh, Books to be excited for in 2023 * i-D *The book is tangled and fascinating, chasing down arguments and questions that can't always be easily resolved. Dederer's shrewd, vivid descriptions of movies and books suggest just how much they mean to her and how deeply any sacrifices on the altar of contemporary sexual ethics might cut * Slate *[Dederer] just keeps getting better and smarter . . . it's absolutely exhilarating to read the work of someone so willing to crumple up her own argument like a piece of paper, throw it away and start anew. She's constantly challenging her own assumptions, more than willing to find flaws in her own thinking * San Francisco Chronicle *I flat-out admire her book and want to share it with my students. As a thinker, Dederer is smart, informed, nuanced and very funny -- Maureen Corrigan, NPR Fresh AirThe rare polemic that's full of greedy love for the good stuff in this world, Monsters is an expansion of Dederer's instant classic Paris Review essay from 2017, 'What Do We Do with the Art of Monstrous Men.' With a larger canvas, she lets both her cast of monsters and our culpability grow, and manages to one-up herself over and over again. Cooly pensive on an overheated subject, Dederer writes powerfully about art's ability to move us, teach us, and entrap us * Bustle *Monsters is like having the best version of the "good art by bad people" conversation. Dederer writes like your wisest, most compassionate friend, helping to guide you to your own thoughts and generously offering her own. I loved it -- Lizzy Stewart, author of AlisonSlyly funny, emotionally honest, and full of raw passion, Claire Dederer's important book about what to do when artists you love do things you hate breaks new ground, making a complex cultural conversation feel brand new. Monsters elegantly takes on far more than 'cancel culture' - it offers new insights into love, ambition, and what it means to be an artist, a citizen, and a human being -- Ada Calhoun, author of Also a PoetShe asks important questions . . . Subtle and adroit * The Atlantic *Dauntless, cannily reasoned and barn-burning . . . Monsters isn't just the book that art-loving feminists have been waiting for; it's the book that anyone determined to live an intentional life owes it to themselves to read * Shelf-Awareness *Nuanced and incisive . . . Dederer's candid appraisal of her own relationship with troubling artists and the lucidity with which she explores what it means to love their work open fresh ways of thinking about problematic artists. Contemplative and willing to tackle the hard questions head on, this pulls no punches * Publishers Weekly *Sharp and unflinching . . . In Monsters, Dederer produces an entirely original and self-aware contemplation on the psychological reverberations of living in a biographical age * AnOther *Bringing erudition, emotion, and a down-to-earth style to this pressing problem, Dederer presents her finest work to date * Kirkus Reviews *While Dederer sets out to write about the art of monsters, she ended up writing about what it means to be human -- Camille Sojit Pejcha * Document Journal *Monsters has crystalline intellectual force . . . Dederer has fashioned a book of depth and candor about what it is to be heartbroken by an artist whose work we also happen to love . . . So on point is Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma about the historical moment in which we currently find ourselves, you want to carry it around with you and whip it out at every bar or dinner party -- Tom Shone * Avenue Magazine *Smart * People *Spectacular . . . A work of pop-culture criticism that's fun to read, Monsters will for sure help us have deeper conversations around the perennial question of whether it's possible and OK to separate the work from the art and what it really means to be a fan. This is a book we plan to return to again and again - and to press on all our friends * Apple.com *Monsters is a good companion, working away at the problem from various perspectives, always explaining patiently what it is trying to do and keeping it interesting by participating more energetically than just steepling the fingers * Strong Words *Smart and engaging, never dogmatic or pious, I loved this. -- David NichollsDespite the heavy subject matter, Monsters is neither rant nor sermon. Dederer is not only an incisive researcher and writer, she's also conversational, approachable and funny . . . Monsters is a worthy addition to contemporary literary criticism, but more than that, it's a very enjoyable book about a thorny, elusive subject * BookPage *Profoundly cathartic. The book feels simultaneously like having the deepest, artiest conversation with the smartest people you know and like having an intense shit-talking session with your closest friends * Alta *

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Book Synopsis'[A] penetrating biography . . . While the book posits Newman as a writer of sociopolitical import, its emotional narrative is driven by the more personal aspects of his story: a complex family legacy, childhood struggles with strabismus (crossed eyes) and a lifelong tendency toward sadness and isolation' Bob Mehr, New York Times'An illuminating and masterful achievement' Booklist'Randy Newman is our great master of American song and storytelling' Bruce Springsteen'At last, the biography that Randy Newman has long deserved. The emotional precision, the humour and sweep, the truths and secrets behind his remarkable body of work . . . it's all here in Robert Hilburn's heartfelt and indispensable account of America's finest songwriter. Leave it to Hilburn to pull back the curtain on the incredible life of Newman, a shy genius who clearly trusted him enough to point him in all the right directions. It's more than a great read, it's an invitation to re-visit Randy Newman's work with renewed appreciation for the man who uniquely defined the American Experience just when we needed it most' Cameron CroweRandy Newman is widely hailed as one of America's all-time greatest songwriters, equally skilled in the sophisticated melodies and lyrics of the Gershwin-Porter era and the cultural commentary of his own generation, with Bob Dylan and Paul Simon among his most ardent admirers. While tens of millions around the world can hum 'You've Got a Friend in Me', his disarming centrepiece for Toy Story, most of them would be astonished to learn that the heart of Newman's legacy is in the dozens of brilliant songs that detail the injustices, from racism to class inequality, that have contributed to the division of our nation. Rolling Stone declared that a single Newman song, 'Sail Away', tells us more about America than 'The Star-Spangled Banner'. And yet, his legacy remains largely undocumented in book form - until now. In A FEW WORDS IN DEFENSE OF OUR COUNTRY, veteran music journalist Robert Hilburn presents the definitive portrait of an American legend. Hilburn has known Newman since his club debut at the Troubadour in 1970, and the two have maintained a connection in the decades since, conversing over the course of times good and bad. Though Newman has long refused to talk with potential biographers, he now gives Hilburn unprecedented access not only to himself but also to his archives, as well as his family, friends, and collaborators. Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, John Williams, Linda Ronstadt, Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, Chuck D, James Taylor, and New York Times' Pulitzer-winning columnists, Thomas Friedman and Wesley Morris, among others, contributed to the book. In addition to exploring Newman's prolific career

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Book SynopsisAlright guys? It''s me, Arron. Or as some people call me, ''that guy with the phone, the skinny jeans and the really fat head on Facebook''.In a world that seems to be freefalling without a parachute towards utter chaos, I''m here to remind you that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. No, in fact, when life gives you lemons, make a fool out of yourself in the lemonade aisle.*Because there''s more to life than Brexit, Bake Off and banging on about being vegan. Yes, with this book - which is my take on the world - you will learn how to survive a proper lads'' holiday, become a master in the art of takeaway ordering and find out about the pitfalls of seriously inappropriate tattoos.So do yourself a favour: turn off the news, cancel that juice cleanse, open your eyes to the brilliant, hilarious world we live in and most importantly . . . buy this book.SEE YA LATER! Arron x*Actually, don''t do exactly that, that''s

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Book SynopsisThe Durrell family are immortalised in Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals and its ITV adaptation, The Durrells. But what of the real life Durrells? Why did they go to Corfu in the first place - and what happened to them after they left? The real story of the Durrells is as surprising and fascinating as anything in Gerry's books, and Michael Haag, with his first hand knowledge of the family, is the ideal narrator, drawing on diaries, letters and unpublished autobiographical fragments. The Durrells of Corfu describes the family's upbringing in India and the crisis that brought them to England and then Greece. It recalls the genuine characters they encountered on Corfu - Theodore the biologist, the taxi driver Spiro Halikiopoulos and the prisoner Kosti - as well as the visit of American writer Henry Miller. And Haag has unearthed the story of how the Durrells left Corfu, including Margo's and Larry's last-minute escapes before the War. An extended epilogue looks at the emergence of Larry as a world famous novelist, and Gerry as a naturalist and champion of endangered species, as well as the lives of the rest of the family, their friends and other animals. The book is illustrated with family photos from the Gerald Durrell Archive, many of them reproduced here for the first time.Trade ReviewThis real life story of the Durrell family is fascinating - Haag brilliantly traces their footsteps in pre-war Corfu, England and India -- Simon Nye, Writer, ITV ’s The DurrellsFamily stories are worth telling, and this one is fascinatingly put together by Michael Haag. For few families present such an entertaining patchwork tale as the Durrells. * Daily Mail *A lively and appreciative study. * Times *Given their talent for mythmaking, The Durrells of Corfu is probably as fine an introduction to the real lives of this remarkable family as could be written. * Sydney Morning Herald *Haag vividly evokes the time and the place with sumptuous descriptions ... [he] has written a love letter to an extraordinary family. As families and other animals go, the Durrells are a breed of their own. * Daily Express *Haag adds sadness and depth to a story that is superficially golden and charming, and which never stops being so. There is so much lustre here that nothing can tarnish it; the complications and grievances only make you admire the Durrells more. What a family, and what lives well lived. * Sunday Times *These pages conjure the restorative, redemptive atmosphere of sunlight on stone. * Observer *Praise for The Quest for Mary Magdalene: [A] well-researched and page-turning history ... a narrative as clue-rich as a thriller. * Sunday Times *Praise for The Tragedy of the Templars: 'Haag is a romantic pluralist, with an instinctive taste for the esoteric, the independent and the defeated; and a corresponding distrust of victors and orthodoxies. * TLS *Praise for The Templars: History and Myth: 'Here at long last is a history of the Knights Templar - and their secrets - that you can believe in. * Scotsman *Given that talent for mythmaking, The Durrells of Corfu is probably as fine an introduction to the real lives of this remarkable family as could be written. * Sydney Morning Herald *An absolutely riveting read. * The Mail on Sunday *A brief but rip-roaring biography of the multi-talented Durrell family. -- Marcus Berkman * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisPioneers of what was once dubbed ''progressive rock'' with their extended songs, technical experimentation, challenging lyrics, and spectacular stage presentations, Pink Floyd have been hailed as one of the most influential bands in the last half century of popular music. And unlike most bands of the progressive persuasion, the group has endured in the public consciousness, via a string of iconic recordings now regarded as timeless classics.Formed in 1965, the four-piece of Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Rick Wright and Nick Mason fused English pastoral whimsy with electrifying instrumental voyages. Their gigs at underground clubs, such as UFO and Middle Earth, are the stuff of psychedelic legend. But Barrett''s days were numbered, and in 1968 his drug dependency led to his replacement by guitarist David Gilmour, cementing the line-up that would persist through most of the band''s career.Fully illustrated throughout, Pink Floyd: Behind The Music is a history of a band molded by the vision of its various members. Its legacy lies in the group''s recorded work, with their albums - as related in these pages - marking key milestones in their history; each representing something genuinely unique and expanding the landscape of rock music forever.

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Book SynopsisIan Hunter's fifty-year-long career and extensive repertoire of percipient, creative songs have earned him a reputation as a true rock phenomenon. This first part of a two-volume, authorised biography charts Ian's unique musical journey from his formative rock 'n' roll years to his commercial success as the face and voice of legendary Seventies British band, Mott the Hoople. Featuring insider accounts of the group's roller coaster ride and international triumphs via classic records including `All the Young Dudes', `Roll Away the Stone' and MOTT, this captivating book exposes personal trials and tribulations, the bizarre aspects of the rock business and the absurdity of music-related fame. Based on interviews with Hunter, all his Hoople band mates and an impressive cast of supporting characters, Rock 'n' Roll Sweepstakes: Mott's the Story is a fascinating, frank biography of a highly influential band and a special music icon.

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Book SynopsisTomasz Stańko is arguably the greatest jazz musician Poland has ever produced. His career spanned almost 60 years until his death in 2018. A visionary trumpeter and composer, a protégé of Krzysztof Komeda and a colleague of musicians from Poland, Sweden, Norway, Britain, Cuba and the USA, his impact on jazz internationally was profound, proving that jazz was not exclusively an American art form but truly world-wide. In 2014 he was awarded the Polytika Passport in Poland, the Prix du Musicien Européan in Paris and the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik. The book is a no-holds-barred extended interview with broadcaster Rafał Księżyk originally published in Polish by Wydawnictwo Literackie.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Born Twice Chapter 2: First Cigarette, First Bottle Chapter 3: Komeda Chapter 4: Poetry and Jazz Chapter 5: Stańkomania Chapter 6: A Proust-reading Boxer Chapter 7: ‘I was Marlene Dietrich’ Chapter 8: Jazz in the Ruhr Area Chapter 9: ‘The Full Catastrophe!’ Chapter 10: Green Face Chapter 11: Bending the Note Chapter 12: Whistling in the Temple Chapter 13: A White Black Man in Communist Poland Chapter 14: At Remont Chapter 15: Purple Liquor Chapter 16: ‘Hamulczyki, namulczyki, amulczyki’ Chapter 17: Short-cut Chapter 18: Empathy for the Devil Chapter 19: A Peruvian and a Minor Sixth Chapter 20: View from the high-wire Chapter 21: The Feminist Chapter 22: A Prim, Bluish Man Chapter 23: Maldoror’s War Song Chapter 24: Thoughts on Simplicity Chapter 25: Theme for Trumpet Chapter 26: Children and the Vampire Chapter 27: From Afar Chapter 28: A Certain Kind of Vitality A Chronology/Time Line of Tomasz Stańko’s Life and Works Discography

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Book SynopsisA revelatory look at the tumultuous life of a jazz legend and American cultural icon

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Book SynopsisWhilst these records were being conceived, rehearsed, recorded and produced, Thom Yorke and Stanley Donwood made hundreds of images. These ranged from obsessive, insomniac scrawls in biro to six-foot-square painted canvases, from scissors-and-glue collages to immense digital landscapes. They utilised every medium they could find, from sticks and knives to the emerging digital technologies.The work chronicles their obsessions at the time: minotaurs, genocide, maps, globalisation, monsters, pylons, dams, volcanoes, locusts, lightning, helicopters, Hiroshima, show homes and ring roads. What emerges is a deeply strange portrait of the years at the commencement of this century. A time that seems an age ago - but so much remains the same.Trade ReviewA celebration of the ideas, both written and drawn, that were behind the creation of the Radiohead albums Kid A and Amnesiac . . . Includes faxes, notes, scribblings and sketches that musician Yorke and artist Donwood exchanged in the run-up to the creation of two iconic albums * * Independent * *The themes they [explore] (global warming, government surveillance, the corrosive power of the internet) are still strikingly relevant * * Scotsman * *These companion art books show the depth of Radiohead singer Thom Yorke and visual artist Stanley Donwood's decades-long creative partnership . . . Filled with rare artwork, early drafts, poetry and even a glossary to many of their inspirations, these works shed light on some of their more cryptic mysteries, while folding in new shadows to consider * * Variety * *

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Book SynopsisWhat were Montmartre and Montparnasse really like in their hey-day, roughly between 1904, when the youthful Picasso had just arrived on the Hill of Martyrs, and 1920, when Amedeo Modigliani, justly called 'the prince of Bohemians', died of consumption and dissipation in Montparnasse? This book, written by an Englishman who lived in Montmartre for 30 years and knew its famous habitue intimately, gives a vivid description. It reveals the truth behind the many legends, is packed with authentic stories about writers and painters whose names are now household words, and contains much hitherto unpublished information about the life and career of Modigliani obtained from his family and friends. Much of the text was written in Montmartre amid the scenes described, and after personal consultation with survivors of the great days when Frede presided over the Lapin Agile and Libion, patron of the Cafe de la Rotonde, was beginning to rival him in Montparnasse. It is the most complete account which has yet been written in English of the birth of Cubism and other contemporary movements in modern painting, and of the lives and loves who started them.

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Book SynopsisBritain, 1971. Strange land of hot pants, moral outrage, anarchist bombs and sexual revolution. As Marc Bolan is hailed as the nation's teenage saviour, the forgotten hope called David Bowie searches for the spark to relight his fire. He finds it in London's gay clubland and the stoned fields of Glastonbury, the speedy streets of New York City and his new rock'n'roll allies Lou Reed and Iggy Pop. The ignition for songs about life on Mars and cosmic messiahs, starry alter-egos and bold fashions fit for the ultimate Seventies superstar... In the sequel to Bowie Odyssey 70, Simon Goddard continues his groundbreaking immersive narrative of the world around Bowie, through the second year of the decade he changed pop forever.Trade Review'Simon Goddard's evocation of David Bowie circa '71 is imagined as brilliantly as its predecessor, which was the best book written about its subject until this one. The narrative is immense... Stupendous' Classic Rock, 9/10 'Continues the excellent year-by-year series that places David Bowie's ground-breaking Seventies music in its social and historical context, told with a novelist's attention to detail' Choice 'Rock history in an ice blue Freddie Burretti suit, Simon Goddard's project to write a book about each year of David Bowie's '70s continues in suitably gorgeous style... as lusciously all-enveloping as its subject demands' Mojo, 4* 'My god it's brilliant. A delicious romp' Mike Scott, The Waterboys

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Book SynopsisThe definitive biography of Chuck Berry, legendary performer and inventor of rock and roll. Best known as the groundbreaking artist behind classics like "Johnny B. Goode," "Maybellene," "You Never Can Tell" and "Roll Over Beethoven," Chuck Berry was a man of wild contradictions, whose motives and motivations were often shrouded in mystery. After all, how did a teenage delinquent come to write so many songs that transformed American culture? And, once he achieved fame and recognition, why did he put his career in danger with a lifetime's worth of reckless personal behaviour? Throughout his life, Berry refused to shed light on either the mastery or the missteps, leaving the complexity that encapsulated his life and underscored his music largely unexplored--until now. In Chuck Berry, biographer RJ Smith crafts a comprehensive portrait of one of the great American entertainers, guitarists, and lyricists of the 20th century, bringing Chuck Berry to life in vivid detail. Based on interviews, archival research, legal documents, and a deep understanding of Berry's St. Louis (his birthplace, and the place where he died in March 2017), Smith sheds new light on a man few have ever really understood. By placing his life within the context of the American culture he made and eventually withdrew from, we understand how Berry became such a groundbreaking figure in music, erasing racial boundaries, crafting subtle political commentary, and paying a great price for his success. While celebrating his accomplishments, the book also does not shy away from troubling aspects of his public and private life, asking profound questions about how and why we separate the art from the artist. Berry declined to call himself an artist, shrugging that he was good at what he did. But the man's achievement was the rarest kind, the kind that had social and political resonance, the kind that made America want to get up and dance. At long last, Chuck Berry brings the man and the music together.Trade Review'RJ Smith’s powerful and passionate portrait of Chuck Berry reveals the troubled man behind the iconic swagger and blazing guitar. To know Chuck Berry is to know racial conflicts in America. Smith makes sure you know both.' Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, NBA Legend & New York Times bestselling author Chuck Berry was one of the first people I knew that was true to life. Just like this book showing the truth to his life. I knew him from the 1950s onward and I can honestly say that RJ truly captured the essence of Chuck Berry as I knew him. You couldn’t have a better book on the life and career of my ol’ friend.' Bobby Rush, GRAMMY Award Winning blues artist, Blues Hall of Famer, and author of I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya 'A hungry ear drives Smith's wondrous, brilliant book. Not only does he capture the excitement of Berry's music, he hears the awe of those in its thrall, from his rock & roll heirs to rivals, fans, and mystified bystanders throughout the twentieth century. Smith writes history as though it's a series of tall tales—how else to conjure Berry's brilliance as well as complexities, the unheralded highs and lows, the myth and the man, the man and the strange nation that produced him.' Hua Hsu, staff writer at the New Yorker and author of Stay True

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Book SynopsisThe first book to talk about the creative process of one of Hollywood's most iconic directorsFrom Drugstore Cowboy to Elephant, Milk and Good Will Hunting, Gus Van Sant's films have captured the imagination of more than one generation. Acclaimed as both an independent and mainstream filmmaker, he is also an artist, photographer and writer. Based on completely new and exclusive interviews, and featuring previously unseen imagery, this book provides a personal insight into how Van Sant successfully approaches these different and varied artforms, providing an inspirational look into the working life of one of America's most pivotal cultural and creative practitioners.

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Book SynopsisPhilip Burton (1904-95) is best remembered as the schoolmaster responsible for training and transforming his pupil Richard Jenkins into Richard Burton, world- famous star of stage and screen. Together they produced a remarkable symbiosis.

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Book Synopsis From architects and product designers to textile artists and digital innovators, Women Design profiles a selection of the most dynamic female designers from the modern era, showcasing their finest work and celebrating their enduring influence. Design throughout history has been profoundly shaped and enhanced by the creativity of women; as practitioners, commentators, educators and commissioners. But in a narrative that eagerly promotes their male counterparts, their contributions are all too often overlooked.Women Design seeks to redress that balance, delving into the lives and works of some of the most talented design minds of the 20th and 21st centuries, from architects and artists to designers of all stripes. Through 21 engaging profiles, Women Design rediscovers and revels in the work of pioneers such Trade Review"Women Design assumes the Herculean task of highlighting women’s contributions to design–including architecture, industrial design, digital design, and graphics–from the 20th century to the present day. It has no business being just 176 pages, but author Libby Sellers, a prominent British gallerist and curator, manages to pack a wealth of information in profiles of 21 women designers. Historic pioneers such as Denise Scott Brown, Ray Eames, and Lella Vignelli get their due, as well as contemporary stars like Neri Oxman, Patricia Urquiola, and Kazuyo Sejima. ... This book attempts to correct the narrative, and it tells some rollicking stories along the way.'Co.Design "A fascinating insight into the women who have shaped the way we live"Elle DecorationTable of Contents Eileen Gray Aino Aalto On the Bauhaus (Marianne Brandt, Anni Albers, Lilly Reich) Eva Zeisel Lina Bo Bardi Lora Lamm Muriel Cooper Denise Scott Brown Lella Vignelli On the Stage (Alexander Exter, Sally Jacobs, Es Devlin) On the Road (Dorothée Pullinger, The 'Damsels of Design') Nathalie du Pasquier Hella Jongerius Patricia Urquiola Neri Oxman Maija Isola Norma Merrick Sklarek Kazuyo Seijima Ray Eames Zaha Hadid Althea McNish

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Book Synopsis'It's much more interesting to be a little bit broken and talk about your vulnerabilities.'An intimate, funny and frank account of the moments behind the music, the truth behind the headlines and the fascinatingly complicated man behind the imperious entertainer, Robbie Williams.Bestselling author Chris Heath has been working closely with Robbie for many years to create a personal and raw account of fame, fortune, family and music. This vivid and detailed portrait shows the real highs and lows of Robbie's life as he found his way forward, one that is unprecedented in its intimacy and honesty.Long-awaited by millions, Reveal is the uncensored and compelling portrait of Robbie as you've never seen him before.

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Book Synopsis**THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER** A deeply moving and brilliantly idiosyncratic visual book of days by the National Book Award-winning author of Just Kids and M Train. More than 365 images chart Smith’s singular aesthetic - inspired by her wildly popular Instagram In 2018, without any plan or agenda for what might happen next, Patti Smith posted her first Instagram photo: her hand with the simple message “Hello Everybody!” Known for shooting with her beloved Land Camera 250, Smith started posting images from her phone including portraits of her kids, her radiator, her boots, and her Abyssinian cat, Cairo. Followers felt an immediate affinity with these miniature windows into Smith’s world, photographs of her daily coffee, the books she’s reading, the graves of beloved heroes - William Blake, Dylan Thomas, Sylvia Plath, Simone Weil, Albert Camus. Over time, a coherent story of a life devoted to art took shape, and more than a million followers responded to Smith’s unique aesthetic in images that chart her passions, devotions, obsessions, and whims. Original to this book are vintage photographs: anniversary pearls, a mother’s keychain, and a husband’s Mosrite guitar. Here, too, are never-before-seen photos of life on and off the road, train stations, obscure cafés, a notebook always nearby. In wide-ranging yet intimate daily notations, Smith shares dispatches from her travels around the world. With 365 photographs, taking you through a single year, A Book of Days is a new way to experience the expansive mind of the visionary poet, writer, and performer. Hopeful, elegiac, playful - and complete with an introduction by Smith that explores her documentary process - A Book of Days is a timeless offering for deeply uncertain times, an inspirational map of an artist’s life.Trade ReviewBeautiful ... a work of creative homage to writers, poets, friends and family * OBSERVER *Inspired by Instagram, the singer and poet started snapping photos on her Land Camera 250 – the results are unique, gorgeous and an insight into one year in an extraordinary life * STYLIST, Christmas gift guide *A beautifully bound hardback, giving her readers an image for each day of the year. The pictures celebrate her friends, living and dead, as well as ordinary objects and mementos. All are accompanied by Smith’s brief yet poignant texts… A Book of Days is a reminder that hope can be found in the tiniest details -- ERICA WAGNER * HARPERS BAZAAR *A photobook that works as a piece of literature, opening windows on a life of incident and inquiry. It is joyous and mournful in equal measure but the overall effect is of the curious possibilities of life’s meandering journey * FINANCIAL TIMES *The result is a charming blend of the exotic and the quotidian ... It’s an experience as random and fascinating as the woman herself * BIG ISSUE *She is holding up these rare photos of some little corner of history that has personally dwelt inside her heart and mind for a long while * POPMATTERS *PRAISE FOR PATTI SMITH: Some rock stars shut themselves away from life, but Smith’s engagement with the world only deepens * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Tender, harrowing, often hilarious * VOGUE *So honest and pure as to count as a true rapture -- JOAN DIDIONOur St John of the Cross, a mystic full of compassion -- EDMUND WHITEProfoundly beautiful, poetic in its prose and metaphysical in its meaning ... A stunning read * FINANCIAL TIMES *The narrating voice is the voice of Smith's music, twisting between the incantations of a priestess and laconic poetry … There is plenty of wonderful in this small, sly, mystic book * SPECTATOR *A poetic masterpiece -- JOHNNY DEPPTerrifically evocative ... The most spellbinding and diverting portrait of funky-but-chic New York in the late '60s and '70s that any alumnus has committed to print * NEW YORK TIMES *Sharp, elegiac and finely crafted * SUNDAY TIMES *

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Book SynopsisWelcome to the wonderful world of Skeldale House: the veterinary surgery and bustling waiting room for the locals of Darrowby village and their animals. In this exclusive behind-the-scenes book, go through the doors of the famous 1930s practice and discover the real-life inspirations for the TV remake of All Creatures Great & Small. Offering exclusive insight into the making of the show, and paying homage to its impressive heritage, including Herriot’s bestselling memoirs and the long-running series, but also to the incredible backdrop of the Yorkshire Dales, this book is the ultimate celebration of a cast of characters – human and animal – who have been bringing us joy for over fifty years. Along with exclusive interviews with the actors Samuel West, Anna Madeley, Nicholas Ralph, Callum Woodhouse and Rachel Shenton, you will get to know everyone from the vet advisor, the animal trainers and the animals themselves, to the director Brian Percival, the make-up artists and the production team. Learn about their adventures on- and off-screen as they went about evoking the authentic experience of the house, the practice and its unforgettable setting. This is the world of James Herriot and the Yorkshire Dales as you’ve never seen it before.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive story of the making of 2001: A Space Odyssey, acclaimed today as one of the greatest films ever made, and of director Stanley Kubrick and writer Arthur C. Clarke—“a tremendous explication of a tremendous film….Breathtaking” (The Washington Post).Fifty years ago a strikingly original film had its premiere. Still acclaimed as one of the most remarkable and important motion pictures ever made, 2001: A Space Odyssey depicted the first contacts between humanity and extraterrestrial intelligence. The movie was the product of a singular collaboration between Stanley Kubrick and science fiction visionary Arthur C. Clarke. Fresh off the success of his cold war satire Dr. Strangelove, Kubrick wanted to make the first truly first-rate science fiction film. Drawing from Clarke’s ideas and with one of the author’s short stories as the initial inspiration, their bold vision benefited from pioTrade Review“At last! The dense, intense, detailed, and authoritative saga of the making of the greatest motion picture I’ve ever seen, 2001: A Space Odyssey. I now have reason to see Kubrick’s ‘proverbial “really good” science fiction movie’ another 200 times. Michael Benson has done the Cosmos a great service.” -- Tom Hanks"Over the years, so much has been written about 2001 and its creation that I thought we knew all that there was to know. And then, I received a copy of Michael Benson’s lively, exciting and exhaustively researched book, which further expands our understanding of what is truly one of the greatest films ever made." -- Martin Scorsese“Michael Benson’s Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke and the Making of a Masterpiece is a masterpiece about a masterpiece—a passionately written, impeccably researched book about a great director’s pushing himself, his cast and crew beyond safety or sanity in a relentless quest for a non-verbal vision of the transcendent future of both space and film itself.” -- Scott Eyman, author of John Wayne: The Life and Legend and Hank and Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart“Despite the attention Benson lavishes on the humans—Kubrick and Clarke—HAL-9000 would have been proud of this smart, fluent, and meticulously researched account of the making of a sci-fi classic.” -- Peter Biskind, author of Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood“A fascinating, detail-rich account of the long slog to make the science-fiction masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey. . . . [An] endlessly interesting narrative. Essential for students of film history, to say nothing of Kubrick's most successful movie.” * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *“If Kubrick’s masterpiece was a remarkable voyage into the future, Michael Benson’s book is a delightful voyage back in time. For those of us inspired by the film, this book provides a delicious peek into landmark collaboration of two creative geniuses and the lasting gift they provided for all of us.” -- Lawrence M. Krauss, Foundation Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration, Director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University, and author of The Physics of Star Trek, A Universe from Nothing, and The Greatest Story Ever Told.. So Far“A new and remarkably comprehensive look at the complex relationship between the two men whose collaboration led to one of the greatest films of all time. . . . This story about the making of 2001 is as compelling and eye-opening as the film itself.” * Booklist (starred review) *"[An] engrossing, immersive examination of the long path to Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke's masterpiece. . . . The pair's fraught but hugely successful relationship forms the backdrop of this astonishing tale of obsessive genius at work." -- Ben Dickinson * The New York Times Book Review *

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Book Synopsis'This belting read pulls off the nifty trick of making the kung fu legend's spiritual and combat ideas accessible' Maxim'Truly gets under the skin of this iconic figure' Film Review In the 1970s Bruce Lee emerged as the world's greatest fighting star - an accolade he has kept ever since. He battled to succeed in America in spite of the racial prejudice that denied him a starring role, eventually making films in Hong Kong that turned him into a star - the highest-paid movie star of his day. His controversial death, at the age of thirty-two when he was at the height of his powers, has given him a James-Dean style enduring appeal. In Bruce Lee - Fighting Spirit, Bruce Thomas has written a complete account not only of Lee's life and death, but of the fighting philosophy he developed (jeet kune do) which made him the greatest exponent of martial arts in modern times. In this updated edition he reassesses Lee's skills and examines the enduring impact of his legacy - on action films and martial arts today. As an icon Bruce Lee's popularity continues to grow and this book is a fitting tribute to an extraordinary man whose achievements have never been surpassed. 'An endlessly stimulating account of Lee's life and times' LoadedTrade ReviewWritten and researched with devotion and thought-provoking passion, the book truly gets under the skin of this iconic figure. * Film Review magazine *This belting read pulls off the nifty trick of making the kung fu legend's spiritual and combat ideas accessible. * Maxim *An essential for martial arts fans and a compelling read even for the uninitiated. * Derry Journal *By far the best, most honest, and most comprehensive book on Bruce Lee's life ever written * Goodreads *

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Book SynopsisFilled with stunning photographs, this fascinating tribute illustrates and illuminates Hepburn's life. From her early years as an ingénue to her status as an international icon of elegance, it reveals how her unique beauty made her a dream subject for designers and photographers alike. Featuring her collaborations with Givenchy, and stills from the sets of her most famous Hollywood films, The Little Book of Audrey Hepburn takes the reader on a journey through the actress's career and reveals just how powerfully her image resonates across the globe - even so long after her death. Table of ContentsIntroduction • A Star is Born • A Roman Holiday: Italian Style • Funny Face: Beauty and Makeup • Breakfast At Tiffany's: The Making of an Icon • My Fair Lady: The Photographer's Muse • Little Black Dress: The Style Staples • Romance and Marriage • Humanitarian Work • Legacy • Index • Acknowledgements.

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Book Synopsis''A hot-rod joy ride through mid-20th-century American history'' (The New York Times Book Review), this one-of-a-kind narrative masterfully recreates the rivalry between the two men who innovated the electric guitar''s amplified sound''Leo Fender and Les Paul''and their intense competition to convince rock stars like the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton to play the instruments they built.In the years after World War II, music was evolving from big-band jazz into rock ''n'' roll''and these louder styles demanded revolutionary instruments. When Leo Fender''s tiny firm marketed the first solid-body electric guitar, the Esquire, musicians immediately saw its appeal. Not to be out-maneuvered, Gibson, the largest guitar manufacturer, raced to build a competitive product. The company designed an ''axe'' that would make Fender''s Esquire look cheap and convinced Les Paul''whose endorsement Leo Fender had sought''to put his name on it. Thus was born the guitar world''s most heated rivalry: Gibson versus Fender, Les versus Leo. While Fender was a quiet, half-blind, self-taught radio repairman, Paul was a brilliant but headstrong pop star and guitarist who spent years toying with new musical technologies. Their contest turned into an arms race as the most inventive musicians of the 1950s and 1960s''including bluesman Muddy Waters, rocker Buddy Holly, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton''adopted one maker''s guitar or another. By 1969 it was clear that these new electric instruments had launched music into a radical new age, empowering artists with a vibrancy and volume never before attainable. In ''an excellent dual portrait'' (The Wall Street Journal), Ian S. Port tells the full story in The Birth of Loud, offering ''spot-on human characterizations, and erotic paeans to the bodies of guitars'' (The Atlantic). ''the story of these instruments is the story of America in the postwar era: loud, cocky, brash, aggressively new'' (The Washington Post).Trade ReviewNew York Times Book Review Editors' Choice “In The Birth of Loud, Ian S. Port has sorted out the facts of the electric guitar’s much-mythologized genesis and cultural conquest. He turns them into a hot-rod joy ride through mid-20th-century American history. With appropriately flashy prose, he dismantles some misconceptions and credits some nearly forgotten but key figures. He also summons, exuberantly and perceptively, the look, sound, and sometimes smell of pivotal scenes and songs. The Birth of Loud rightfully celebrates an earlier time, when wood, steel, copper wire, microphones and loudspeakers could redefine reality. Tracing material choices that echoed through generations, the book captures the quirks of human inventiveness and the power of sound.” —Jon Pareles, New York Times Book Review“Fascinating . . . one of Port’s true strengths [is] his ability to marry an agreeably anecdotal writing style to a musician’s ear. The way a Telecaster snaps and sizzles, the way a Les Paul purrs with liquid, violin-like tones; he just gets it. . . The story of these instruments is the story of America in the postwar era: loud, cocky, brash, aggressively new.” —Washington Post“[An] excellent dual portrait . . . In the second half of the book, Mr. Port, a veteran music journalist, touches on the work of every major guitar player of rock’s golden age, from Muddy Waters to Buddy Holly—whose appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” electrified (the pun is unavoidable) Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney and John Lennon—and continuing through Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page and, of course, Bob Dylan, whose notorious switch from acoustic to electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival scandalized his fans. Not everyone played a Fender or a Les Paul—the Beatles were Rickenbacker fans, and Gretsch guitars had a significant market share—but, as Mr. Port says, the wildfire popularity of those two guitars fueled a world-changing demand for electric guitars of every type.” —Wall Street Journal“Rich in description . . . full of imagist sound-summonings, spot-on human characterizations, and erotic paeans to the bodies of guitars . . . Port can write lovingly, such as when he describes an early, solid-wood model that belonged to the country twanger Merle Travis. . . And he can write with technical lyricism . . . He even made me like Eric Clapton for a minute. And from the fumbled genesis of the electric guitar to its expressive climax, he draws us a beautiful, educational arc.” —The Atlantic“Ian S. Port’s The Birth of Loud reframes the standard history of rock ’n’ roll around the dual creators of the modern electric guitar. . . . Instead of a parade of frontmen and songwriters dueling it out in the charts, Port presents a ground-up account of an at-times begrudging friendship between two Angelenos who created the sound of what we instinctively understand as ‘rock.’ . . . Port’s research is thorough and his prose is lucid. If the evanescence of the internet and the machine-like qualities of synthpop make you want to put words to that vague cultural hunger for something more tactile, more connected to physical reality, this is your book. . . . The Birth of Loud is a compelling addition to the misremembered history of the time.” —SF Weekly“[Tells] the story of the development of the electric guitar through the lives of its two most famous names….Port deftly toggles between their parallel paths, as if swiveling from one effects pedal to another.” —James Sullivan, San Francisco Chronicle“Ian S. Port knows a thing or two about guitar heroes. . . . [With] lyrical, evocative prose, The Birth of Loud includes vivid scenes of Muddy Waters inventing Chicago blues, the Rolling Stones' sex-drenched appearance on The T.A.M.I. Show, Buddy Holly's TV debut with Ed Sullivan, Bob Dylan going electric at Newport and more. Along the way, Fender and Paul hone their inventions to perfection, vie for endorsements from the hottest players, and engage in that age-old driver of American innovation: cutthroat competition.” —KQED “Arts”“A rip-roaring journey through the early days of rock 'n' roll, told through the lives of the men whose innovative guitars helped usher it into existence . . . A lively, difficult-to-put-down portrait of an important era of American art that enhances readers' appreciation for the music it depicts.” —Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)“A page-turning look at two central players [Leo Fender and Les Paul] in the sonic evolution of popular music. Port explores their trials and tribulations with an expert hand. This is a long-overdue cultural biography of music innovation. VERDICT: Thoroughly entertaining and deeply informative, this love letter to American creativity and rock and roll belongs in every library and should be read by all rock fans.” —Library Journal (Starred Review)“This smartly written and genuinely exciting book walks us through the bitter rivalry between Fender and Gibson and, since there is no way to tell this story without telling the story of rock ’n’ roll itself, also provides a jaunty if necessarily abbreviated history of rock. For music buffs, this one is special." —Booklist“[The] definitive history of the electric guitar and its two foundational personalities [Leo Fender and Les Paul]. Theirs is a fascinating and compelling story, especially in the hands of a writer as committed to lively narrative . . . Port can spin out evocative, succinct rock ’n’ roll writing with the best of them.” —The New York Journal of Books“Lushly descriptive and detailed…[the book] is richly illustrative in bringing these rock giants and the tools of their trade to life in a squall of beautiful feedback.” —Publishers Weekly“More than an essential, colorful, and gripping history of the electric guitar, The Birth of Loud introduces Ian Port, the best new non-fiction writer of the past twenty years.” —Daniel J. Levitin, author of This Is Your Brain on Music“Ian Port’s found a way to tell the story of the birth of rock ‘n’ roll—for some of us, among the postwar American stories, those that help define who we feel ourselves to be—in beautifully-evoked dual portraits of the men who made the instruments. In doing so, he re-situates this story in its context so neatly it is as if it had never been told before at all.” —Jonathan Lethem, author of Motherless Brooklyn and The Fortress of Solitude"Ian Port has created a perfect blend of popular history, social commentary, and enough guitar details to satisfy the most rabid six-string geek. This is a fascinating book." —Jonathan Kellerman, bestselling novelist and author of With Strings Attached: The Art and Beauty of Vintage Guitars"Guitar players are partly born, partly made, and every one has a story. So, too, are guitars, including the electric guitars that changed the world more than half a century ago. This is their story, and the story of their makers, well-told." —Gary Marcus, author of Guitar Zero“Long before Les Paul and Leo Fender were brand names who revolutionized music and changed culture, they were two guys—obsessively tinkering to recreate sounds in their heads. In The Birth of Loud Ian S. Port vividly captures the compulsion and competition that drove these fascinating oddballs to rock the world.” —Alan Light, former editor-in-chief of Vibe and Spin and author of The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley and the Unlikely Ascent of “Hallelujah” “It’s hard for me to think of an invention more crucial to my interior life than the electric guitar, so in a way The Birth of Loud, Ian Port’s moving, riveting account of the instrument’s development and rise to ubiquity, feels like a sacred text—the story of how I came to be. It’s also a rich and fascinating tale of obsession, ingenuity, and American abandon. Thank heavens for Les Paul, thank heavens for Leo Fender, and thank heavens for Ian Port.” —Amanda Petrusich, author Do Not Sell at Any Price: The Wild, Obsessive Hunt for the World's Rarest 78rpm Records“The Birth of Loud is more than history, journalism or criticism—it’s a killer rock ’n’ roll story, complete with money, egos, star power and, yes, electric guitars.” —Steve Knopper, author of MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson and Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age“The Birth of Loud channels trickles of intriguing new information into a confluence of big ideas about the history of the electric guitar. This book is essential reading for guitar history maniacs!” —Deke Dickerson, guitar historian, bandleader, and author of The Strat in the Attic

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Book Synopsis'Honest and moving' Independent on Sunday Freddie Mercury was a rock superstar like no other. Recently the focus of the Academy Award-winning film Bohemian Rhapsody, he generated over £1 billion worth of sales in a career spanning two decades. But for all his riches, Mercury could not buy the thing he sought most: the love of one particular man. Jim Hutton was a modest gentleman’s barber when the two met in 1983. After many fiery false starts, they became lasting lovers. From the moment they lived together, wherever Mercury went, Hutton went too. And whoever Mercury met, Hutton met too – from Phil Collins to Elton John, David Bowie to the other members of Queen. They laughed together, fought together and, in Mercury’s final years, they often cried together. Freddie Mercury was forty-five when he died from AIDS in Hutton’s arms. No one can tell the story of the last few years of Mercury’s private life - the ecstasies and the agonies - more accurately or honestly than Jim Hutton.

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Book SynopsisAfter first meeting over sixty years ago while filming a costume drama for the BBC, Prunella Scales and Timothy West have enjoyed a partnership like no other; from appearing together in hit sitcoms to bringing up two children, they have chalked up an almost endless list of professional triumphs.In this book, Tim traces their united steps through life professionally and personally, and covers the highs and lows of caring for Pru since her dementia diagnosis, twenty years ago. As with all things in life, she and Tim have tackled it together, often with a glass of wine in hand and almost always with a smile.Trade ReviewHeartening and heartfelt. Exudes West's characteristic warmth * The Times, Books of the Year *A joyous portrait of a unique partnership — uplifting, highly moving and packed with stories of the highs and lows of showbusiness, from what happened when Fawlty’s Sybil appeared nude to how he saw off his love rival Peter Sellers. A love story like few others. Riveting * Daily Mail *A beautiful, witty, moving and joyful portrait of marriage * Red *A memoir laden with laughter and love * Daily Mail *A deeply moving, poignant and enthralling memoir * Mail on Sunday *Charming. An act of loving reclamation, a gentle tribute to a woman of every importance. * Sunday Telegraph *Shows most movingly that what will survive of them is love * Oldie *

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Book Synopsis'An absolutely masterly work' Stephen FryAlex Ross, renowned author of the international bestseller The Rest Is Noise, reveals how Richard Wagner became the proving ground for modern art and politicsan aesthetic war zone where the Western world wrestled with its capacity for beauty and violence.For better or worse, Wagner is the most widely influential figure in the history of music. Around 1900, the phenomenon known as Wagnerism saturated European and American culture. Such colossal creations as The Ring of the Nibelung, Tristan und Isolde, and Parsifal were models of formal daring, mythmaking, erotic freedom, and mystical speculation. A mighty procession of writers, artists, and thinkers, including Charles Baudelaire, Virginia Woolf, Isadora Duncan, Vasily Kandinsky, and Luis Buñuel, felt his impact. Anarchists, occultists, feminists, and gay-rights pioneers saw him as a kindred spirit. Then Adolf Hitler incorporated Wagner into the soundtrack of Nazi Germany, and the composer came to be defined by his ferocious anti-Semitism. His name is now almost synonymous with artistic evil.Wagnerism restores the magnificent confusion of what it means to be a Wagnerian. A pandemonium of geniuses, madmen, charlatans, and prophets do battle over Wagner's many-sided legacy. The narrative ranges across artistic disciplines, from architecture to the novels of Philip K. Dick, from the Zionist writings of Theodor Herzl to the civil-rights essays of W. E. B. Du Bois, from O Pioneers! to Apocalypse Now. In many ways,Wagnerism tells a tragic tale. An artist who might have rivalled Shakespeare in universal reach is implicated in an ideology of hate. Still, his shadow lingers over twenty-first century culture, his mythic motifs coursing through superhero films and fantasy fiction. Neither apologia nor condemnation, Wagnerism is a work of intellectual passion, urging us toward a more honest idea of how art acts in the world.Trade Review‘Ross does a good and very full job in tracing the obsession of different times and places, and the intellectual flavour each wave took … excellent, and extraordinarily thorough’ Philip Hensher, Spectator ‘An absolutely masterly work … A miraculous synthesis. Ross’s writing is an art that conceals art, propelling the reader on and on’ Stephen Fry “Wagnerism is as magnificently realized as it is monumentally ambitious, a cultural history of the modern world that Richard ‘Wagner and his protean art helped mightily to create … Ross is the ideal guide: lucid, astoundingly erudite, scrupulous, generous, profound, objective and engaged, and enormously entertaining’ Tony Kushner, playwright of Angels in America ‘With rhetorical flourishes and an eye for detail Ross extols the art made by Wagnerians who were able to meet “the Meister” on their own terms’ The Times ‘Wagnerism is a hugely exhilarating read, and a virtuoso feat of scholarship and supple writing: Ross is such a companionable guide, connecting ideas so casually and unspooling stories so fluidly that you can almost lose sight of the ferocious erudition that undergirds every page. I can’t think of a better or more profound work about the long, complicated shadow of cultural influence’ Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Say Nothing ‘Goes far beyond the man himself, using its subject to springboard into a breathlessly entertaining and dizzyingly diverse survey of art, politics and culture over the past century and a half. Ultimately, it’s a book about how humans are inspired by art, and like all of Alex Ross’s writing, it bottles that strange lightning and inspires us in turn’ Rian Johnson, director of The Last Jedi and Knives Out ‘Love him or hate him, Wagner has been unavoidable … By presenting an honest assessment of the problem, Wagnerism supplies, if not answers, then at least the right questions.’ Economist

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Book SynopsisThe enigmatic and elusive filmmaker Stanley Kubrick has not been treated to a full-length biography in over twenty years. Stanley Kubrick: An Odyssey fills that gap. It is based on access to the latest research, especially into his archive at the University of the Arts, London, and other papers as well as new interviews with family members and those who worked with him. It offers comprehensive and in-depth coverage of Kubrick's personal, private, public, and working life. We discuss not only the making of his films, but also about those he wanted but failed to make like Burning Secret, Napoleon, Aryan Papers, and A.I. We discover what he was doing when he was not making films. This biography will puncture a few myths about this allegedly reclusive filmmaker, who created some of the most important works of art of the twentieth century

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Book Synopsis‘This collection of timeless photographs gives us an up close inside look at this uniquely complex man and brilliant iconic artist who forever changed the world. One love…’ – Lenny KravitzRebel Music is a tribute to one of the greatest legends in world music, Bob Marley. In 1975, Kate Simon first photographed Bob Marley and the Wailers at the Lyceum in London, where the now-legendary live performance of ‘No Woman No Cry’ was recorded. They then collaborated throughout the Seventies, with Simon shooting some of the most intimate, enduring and emblematic images ever taken of Marley, including his iconic Kaya album cover.Simon captured it all: portraits of the reggae greats of the Seventies, such as Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh; the Exodus Tour, on the road with Bob Marley and The Wailers as they performed across Europe; and the One Love Peace Concert, where Bob famously united Jamaica’s opposing political leaders. Ultimately, in 1981, Simon would ride with the funeral cortege from Kingston to St Ann and Bob Marley’s final resting place.Rebel Music contains over 400 photographs from Simon’s archives, many published here for the first time. Introduced by Patti Smith, with a foreword by Lenny Kravitz and afterword by Keith Richards, a cast of 24 contributors join Simon in sharing the stories behind the images, including ex-Wailers guitarist Junior Marvin and bass player and band leader Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett; musicians such as Junior Delgado, Steve Jordan, Paul Simonon and Bruce Springsteen; filmmaker Don Letts and producer Danny Sims; and Island Records founder, Chris Blackwell.Trade Review‘This collection of timeless photographs gives us an up close inside look at this uniquely complex man and brilliant iconic artist who forever changed the world. One love…’ – Lenny Kravitz‘No one will ever forget the impact Bob and Jamaican music had on the world.’ – Keith Richards‘Kate Simon has always been one of my favourite photographers. She captures intimate moments that we have never seen.’ – Cedella Marley‘After looking at thousands of negatives of Bob, some of which I had never printed before, I had a dream that Bob was still alive and that he was playing that night. Can you imagine if you could have the chance to see Bob Marley today? What would he be singing about?’ – Kate Simon‘Kate shot in an honest, direct manner. She did not seek to expose, but to shoot the picture her subject pictured - the joyful, mutable moments. How fortunate we are to have these images.’ – Patti Smith ‘She had a sort of war correspondent feel to her; she would get right into it. Somehow she had the ability to communicate and to get everybody to relax and to take the great pictures that she got.’ – Chris Blackwell

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Book SynopsisThe story both of the real world of the Brontës at Haworth Parsonage, their home on the edge of the lonely Yorkshire moors, and of the imaginary worlds they spun for themselves in their novels and poetry. Wherever possible, their story is told using their own words – the letters they wrote to each other, Emily and Anne's secret diaries, and Charlotte's exchanges with luminaries of literary England – or those closest to them, such as their brother Branwell, their father Patrick Brontë, and their novelist friend Mrs Gaskell. The Brontës sketched and painted their worlds too, in delicate ink washes and watercolours of family and friends, animals and the English moors. These pictures illuminate the text as do the tiny drawings the Brontë children made to illustrate their imaginary worlds. In addition, there are facsimiles of their letters and diaries, paintings by artists of the day, and pictures of household life. This beautifully illustrated book offers a unique and privileged view of the real lives of three women, writers and sisters.

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Book Synopsis*** ***THE TRUE STORY BEHIND THE OSCAR-WINNING, GOLDEN-GLOBE-WINNING FILM. ''Exactly the sort of tribute Mercury himself would have wanted'' Spectator ''No one has captured better than Lesley-Ann Jones the magical, enchanting dualism of Freddie Mercury''The Times''Truly definitive, truly Freddie, an energetic, entertaining and essential account''Sir Tim Rice''This book grabs you with its opening, then builds. Insight and anecdote in perfect harmony'' Simon Napier-Bell''At last a massive tribute to a massive talent''Steve Harley, Cockney RebelThis is the definitive biography of Freddie Mercury, written by award-winning rock journalist Lesley-Ann Jones, who toured widely with Queen and formed lasting friendships with the band. Now, having secured access to the remaining band members and those who were closest to Freddie from childhoodTrade ReviewNo one has captured better than Lesley-Ann Jones the magical, enchanting dualism of Freddie Mercury. * The Times *Lesley-Ann Jones asserts that Freddie Mercury's was a "big, extravagant, multifaceted life", and the rock journalist has certainly done a sterling job of documenting it here. * Daily Telegraph, Australia *'A timely update coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Queen and the 20 years since their frontman's death'. * The Sun *Exactly the sort of tribute Mercury himself would have wanted ... full of perceptive and moving insights. * Spectator *Rock journalist Lesley-Ann Jones is lucky enough to have known the man. She toured widely with Queen and formed lasting friendships with the band. It took a while for everyone to open up, but she eventually gained access to Freddie's colleagues and friends, and so we have this thoroughly researched portrait of the man behind the rock legend. * Brisbane Times *

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Book SynopsisAgathe von Trapp, the oldest daughter in the Trapp Family Singers, offers readers the real story behind an American classic in her poignant and fascinating autobiography Memories Before and After The Sound of Music. The courageous family and events immortalized in the beloved Broadway musical and hit Hollywood film come vibrantly alive in these pages, and Agathe’s post-Sound of Music life is equally compelling.Trade Review"The eldest daughter in the Trapp Family Singers writes poignantly...In her telling, we learn the real details in this truly providential tale about a tight-knit, devoted, and wonderfully gifted family." -- Publishers Weekly "Agathe von Trapp's World War II story is the stuff of legend -- or, as she would have it, myth. In her memoir, Memories Before and After the Sound of Music, von Trapp, the eldest sister in the famed singing family, attempts to set the record straight...Charming." -- Washington Post "Many fans of 'The Sound of Music' are curious about how much of it is truth and how much is poetic license. This newly released paperback offers some first-person insight." -- Newsday

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Book SynopsisThe Fashion Icons Quote Series is a series of gift books full of inspiring and fabulous quotes from fashion icons across the generations.Words from a Fashion Icon: Guccio Gucci is a fully illustrated collection of quotes with Megan Hess’ iconic and hugely popular illustrations, profiling one of fashion’s most popular icons. Bringing her trademark wit and warmth alongside her beloved illustrations, this will be a unique insight into the key thoughts and moments surrounding Guccio Gucci's life and his impact on fashion.   

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1997, Keats was the first major biography of this tragic hero of Romanticism for some thirty years, and it differs from its predecessors in important respects. The outline of the story is well known - has become, in fact, the stuff of legend: the archetypal life of the tortured genius, critically spurned and dying young. What Andrew Motion brings to bear on the subject is a deep understanding of how Keats fitted into the intellectual and political life of his time. Important friendships with such anti-establishment figures as William Hazlitt and Leigh Hunt are given their full due, and the closeness of his own spirit, as expressed in his poems, to the ferment all around is made clear. Many significant facts about Keats''s schooldays and medical training, in particular, enrich the picture. Keats emerges as a more political figure than he is usually portrayed, but his personal sufferings, too, come into closer focus. Most importantly, Andrew Motion -

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Book SynopsisRaised by his grandmother in Tennessee, Gil Scott-Heron's journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the most uncompromising and influential songwriters of his generation is a remarkable one. In this, his heartfelt, beautifully written and posthumously published memoir, we are given bright insights into the music industry, New York, the civil-rights movement, modern America, governmental hypocrisy, Stevie Wonder and our wider place in the world. It is also a fitting testament to the generous brilliance of Gil Scott-Heron and to the Spirits that guided him.Trade ReviewA marvellous documentary of black America and life lived in the raw * * Spectator * *Engaging and immensely human . . . Much like his poetry, Scott-Heron's style is spare and effective, offering up jagged observations on fame, friendship and political and racial injustice * * Independent on Sunday * *This memoir reads a bit like Langston Hughes filtered through the scratchy and electrified sensibilities of John Lee Hooker, Dick Gregory and Spike Lee . . . about his own music, he could not be more simple or elegant. "I was trying to get people who listened to me," he writes, "to realise that they were not alone." -- Dwight Garner * * New York Times * *One of the great pioneers of late-twentieth-century music. * * Independent * *Scott-Heron is such a fine writer . . . As readers and fans alike, we are left to mourn the passing of surely, the least likely pop star ever, one with a truly brilliant mind. -- Rob Fitzpatrick * * Sunday Times * *A delight, full of with and alliteration and studded with passages of verse . . . it is a heartbreaking read as the last testament of a much-loved man, but it should certainly be read. * * Herald * *Gil Scott-Heron is timeless. * * New York Times * *An impressively lucid book . . . both candid and guarded . . . his final admissions are heart-rending. * * Metro * *For more than two decades, [Gil Scott-Heron] has been committed to examining those facts of the human condition that most of us would rather forget . . . he is an artist who has crafted witty but crucial insights for Black America. * * Washington Post * *The formative incidents of Scott-Heron's life are placed in their cultural and historical contexts with great delicacy and precision. -- Ben Thompson * * Sunday Telegraph * *

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Book Synopsis'How refreshing, to read a book about music written for a music lover and not a musicologist. In clear, lucid, entertaining prose, Jane Glover makes those of us who lack musical literacy better understand and appreciate Handel’s divinity.' - Donna Leon, author of Handel's Bestiary and the Inspector Brunetti mysteries.Handel in London tells the story of a young German composer who in 1712, followed his princely master to London and would remain there for the rest of his life. That master would become King George II and the composer was George Frideric Handel.Handel, then still only twenty-seven and largely self-taught, would be at the heart of musical activity in London for the next four decades, composing masterpiece after masterpiece, whether the glorious coronation anthem, Zadok the Priest, operas such as Giulio Cesare, Rinaldo and Alcina or the great oratorios, culminating, of course, in Messiah. Here, Jane Glover, who has conducted Handel’s work in opera houses and concert halls throughout the world, draws on her profound understanding of music and musicians to tell Handel’s story. It is a story of music-making and musicianship, of practices and practicalities, but also of courts and cabals, of theatrical rivalries and of eighteenth-century society. It is also, of course, the story of some of the most remarkable music ever written, music that has been played and sung, and loved, in this country – and throughout the world – for three hundred years.Trade ReviewHow refreshing, to read a book about music written for a music lover and not a musicologist. In clear, lucid, entertaining prose, Jane Glover makes those of us who lack musical literacy better understand and appreciate Handel’s divinity. -- Donna LeonHandel’s workload leaves one breathless. Reading, in Jane Glover’s beautiful prose, about the astonishing succession of masterpieces he composed is almost overwhelming. As is the schedule for the singers and musicians who learned one lengthy opera whilst performing another. I now have a much clearer picture of the man himself as he adapted his operas to suit the singers at his disposal, rewriting arias and nurturing young artists, and of his generosity in all he did for the Foundling Hospital. I’m full of admiration for the subject of the book, as I am for its author. -- Dame Felicity LottBehind Jane Glover's baton lurks a brilliant explainer in words, as well as music, able to unravel the threads of musical technique, performance history, and social and political events, exploring each before braiding them tightly together to weave a brightly coloured tapestry of Handel, of his music, and of the world about him. Handel in London is an education, and a delight. -- Judith FlandersDelightfully readable, informed and enlivened like no other Handel biography by Jane Glover’s understanding of a professional music director’s life. -- Dr Ruth Smith, author of Handel's Oratorios and Eighteenth-Century ThoughtJane Glover gives us a welcome portrait of Handel as a hard-working composer and conductor. She makes us feel the bruising schedule he set for himself, and for all who worked with him, from the point of view of a conductor who knows full well what it takes to mount Handel’s great opera or oratorios. She details Handel’s uncanny ability to choose his singers when given the opportunity, and she illustrates his amazing skill for writing to the strengths of all his singers, while also bringing to life the characters they portrayed. -- Professor Ellen T. HarrisTable of ContentsSection - i: List of Illustrations Section - ii: Foreword Section - iii: Author’s Note Section - iv: Preface Chapter - 1: EARLY YEARS ‘An infant rais’d by thy command’ [Saul] Chapter - 2: LONDON, 1710 ‘Populous cities please me then’ [L’Allegro] Chapter - 3: THE FINAL STUART YEARS ‘Cease, ruler of the day, to rise’ [Hercules] Chapter - 4: HANOVER IN LONDON ‘From mighty kings he took the spoil’ [Judas Maccabaeus] Chapter - 5: THE LAUNCH OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY ‘Music, spread thy voice around’ [Solomon] Chapter - 6: THE FORTUNES OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY ‘Ah! think what ills the jealous prove’ [Hercules] Chapter - 7: NEW BEGINNINGS ‘Now a different measure try’ [Solomon] Chapter - 8: NEW ENDINGS ‘Toss’d from thought to thought I rove’ [Alexander Balus] Chapter - 9: DEFIANCE ‘All danger disdaining’ [Deborah] Chapter - 10: RECOVERY AND REINVENTION ‘Strange reverse of human fate’ [Alexander Balus] Chapter - 11: ‘Hallelujah’ Chapter - 12: WINDING DOWN ‘Great in wisdom, great in glory’ [Judas Maccabaeus] Chapter - 13: THE FINAL ACT ‘With honour let desert be crown’d’ [Judas Maccabaeus] Section - v: Afterword Acknowledgements - vi: Acknowledgements Section - vii: Bibliography Section - viii: Notes Index - ix: Index

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Book SynopsisA Telegraph Book to Read for Autumn 2022A Times Best Non-fiction Book for Autumn 2022A Daily Mail Book of the Year 2022A Waterstones Best Book of 2022: BiographyThe astonishing new portrait of the master of spy fiction, by the woman he kept secret for almost half his lifeJohn le Carré led a life entirely constructed of secrets. First as a British spook' during the Cold War, then as a world-renowned writer of espionage fiction, but also in his personal involvements. He guarded his private life with fierce determination, so that even when he finally permitted his life story to be written, there was still one element he insisted be excluded: the women.Married with children for virtually all his adult life, le Carré David Cornwell had a number of secret affairs, usually conducted abroad with women encountered by chance on his travels. These relationships were always intense, dramatic, even tragic, yet each was destined to last no more than a few months. But there was one love affair thatTrade Review.‘A posthumous love-letter to David Cornwell…le Carré’s private life seems to be perfectly aligned to his work.’The Daily Telegraph ‘Dawson is always aware of the complex duplicities le Carré is indulging in (she’s no fool) … A sly and clever book’William Boyd, New Statesman ‘A fascinating insight into how the betrayal, infidelity and lies that are at the heart of Le Carré’s spy novels were duplicated with exhausting precision in his private life’ Daily Mail ‘Those interested in le Carré will discover much fascinating detail … intelligent and perceptive’Adam Sisman, Spectator ‘A profound character study of a great writer’ The Times ‘Very sharp and funny’ Daily Telegraph

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Book Synopsis'The Stone Roses have become folk heroes, frozen in time. John Squire.Names that will forever be remembered for creating their defining album The Stone Roses and a unique but inimitable baggy style.Their phenomenal story was first documented by the man who was with them every step of the way: John Robb.Trade ReviewBrother John Robb knows. He was there! * Ian Brown *I've read this book three times now and finally it has a happy ending * Noel Gallagher *An essential read * ShortList *A must for Roses fans and musos alike * The Big Issue *An exciting, substantial and hyperbolic study of THE most important pre-Oasis Britrock outfit * Vox *

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Book SynopsisEvelyn Waugh''s first book: a portrait of one of the greatest artists of the nienteenth century, from one of the greatest writers of the twentieth''Biography, as books about the dead are capriciously catalogued, is still very much in the mode''This is a sparkling account of Dante Gabriel Rossetti''s tragic and mysterious life, telling the story behind some of the greatest poetry and painting of the nineteenth century. Shot through with charm and dry wit, and illuminated by his sense of kinship with the Pre-Raphaelite artist, Rossetti is at once a brilliant reevaluation of Rosetti''s work and legacy, as well as a blast of defiance against the art establishment of Waugh''s day.''The youthful high spirits of the writing make this a true cultural delight'' New Statesman''To be celebrated with fireworks, bunting and marching bands'' Country LifeTrade ReviewThe youthful high spirits of the writing makes this a true cultural delight * The New Statesman *Its re-issue is an event to be celebrated with fireworks, bunting and marching bands * Country Life *

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Book SynopsisTHE BOOK THAT BROUGHT DOWN RUPERT MURDOCHMeet the Murdochs and the disastrously dysfunctional family of Fox News. Until recently, they formed the most powerful media and political force in America. Now their empire is cracking up and crashing down. In his irresistible trilogy on the chaotic Trump presidency - Fire and Fury, Siege, and Landslide - the journalist Michael Wolff led readers deep into the twisted corridors of the White House. Drawing on years of unprecedented access to the Murdoch family and key players, he plunges us behind the scenes of another empire of influence, and the result is astonishing and unforgettable. Here is Rupert Murdoch, the ninety-two-year-old billionaire - concerned about his legacy, but more concerned about profits. Here are his contentious children, jockeying to take over when the old man is gone. Here is star anchor Tucker Carlson considering a run for the presidency while his bosses have other pl

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Book Synopsis''Quivers with honesty, A-list gossip and sardonic prose'' The Times''Everett is a deliciously gifted writer. Nothing and no one escapes his attention'' ObserverRupert Everett tells the story of how he set out to make a film of Oscar Wilde''s last days, and how that ten-year quest almost destroyed him. (And everyone else.) Travelling across Europe for the film, he weaves in extraordinary tales from his past, remembering wild times, freak encounters and lost friends. There are celebrities, of course. But we also meet glamorous but doomed Aunt Peta, who introduces Rupert (aged three) to the joys of make-up. In ''90s Paris, his great friend Lychee burns bright, and is gone. While in ''70s London, a ''weirdly tall, beyond size zero'' teenage Rupert is expelled from the Central School of Speech and Drama. Unflinchingly honest and hugely entertaining, To the End of the World offers a unique insight into the Trade ReviewA rude and uproarious new memoir about the vicissitudes of fame and his attempts to make a film about the last days of Oscar Wilde * The Times Books of the Year *Another actor who can really write is Rupert Everett. His latest memoir, To the End of the World, about making his Oscar Wilde film, is reliably hilarious - even if the joke is now always at his expense: "like a toothless old circus dog, I yap yes to everything", he writes, as he hoovers up "a couple of dry martinis to conjure up a bit of sloshed sparkle - the dregs of my star quality" * Daily Telegraph, Books of the Year 2020 *Both a caustic reflection on the iniquities of show business and an account of his decade-long efforts to bring Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince to the screen. The writing is as sparkling as the anecdotes are riotous: he stands up Joan Collins for dinner and throws up on Colin Firth * Guardian Books of the Year 2020 *The joy of Everett as a writer has always been his pitilessly clear-eyed perspective, especially of himself...Everett has become one of the most delightful writers about modern fame...He has a writing style as seductive as his youthful beauty...every sentence Everett writes rings with his personality, and it's a personality that has always been irresistible * Hadley Freeman, Guardian Book of the Day *Everett is wonderfully sharp, and alive to all the comical absurdities of the movie business...he turns out to be a masterly travel writer, with the magical ability to make a city or a building or a group of people burst into life in a few words...Like Everett's other books, To The End Of The World is also very funny and revealing about the shallow nature of stardom * Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday *This is tremendous * Rev. Richard Coles *Like its preceding volumes, Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins and Vanished Years, it quivers with honesty, A-list gossip and sardonic prose...We should really start describing him as a writer who acts, rather than the other way round...He's brilliantly caustic on Hollywood and the march of time...."Why hadn't I realised I could write?" he asks of his younger self. The answer, probably, is simple. He needed those years of excess, hissy fits and humiliations to fuel his imagination * The Times *In a sharp, scabrous account of his lifelong love of Oscar, the actor again proves himself a masterly writer...it is just about everything you could want, at least in a memoir by an actor. We know, by now, that Everett is a deliciously gifted writer. Nothing and no one escapes his attention...However wasteful and capricious his first profession, we know that he is perfectly safe. The blank page will henceforth always be his. He is a writer to his (aching) bones * Rachel Cooke, Observer *His resilient energy, sharp-eyed intelligence and keen sense of the ridiculous, as well as his capacity for short-term enjoyment of life's sensual pleasures, infuse his writing with a warm glow...the sheer force of his personality is irresistible and there isn't a dull moment...anyone reading this shrewd and entertaining book is going to lend him an ear * Telegraph *This impeccably stylish and hilariously bitchy collection of anecdotes...Everett's story of a magnificently barmy obsession that leads him into some of the loveliest hotels in Europe * Financial Times *It's such a beautiful book...It's so beautifully written and it's just gorgeous * Graham Norton, the Graham Norton Show *Every page of this third volume of his memoirs sparkles. He writes with ready wit, fetching self-deprecation and a turn of phrase that brings places and people vividly to life. He can capture a character in a sentence or convey the fading grandeur of a hotel and city in a few lines...You hope there are more adventures to come and that Everett continues to chronicle them with the wit and panache that he displays here * Daily Express *A charming and witty account of a largely horrible experience, interspersed with lovely recollections of a more debauched past * Philip Hensher, Spectator *An amazing man. And such a good writer...This book is amazing * Chris Evans, The Chris Evans Breakfast Show *Such a brilliant writer * Janet Street-Porter, Loose Women *Witty and well observed, it's a must-read * Grazia *As Everett ricochets from Paris to Naples, Berlin to Venice in search of funding and locations, he captures the snakes-and-ladders world of international film finance. It takes a saintly forbearance to survive all the setbacks in the film's making, along with the stalwart support of loyal friends from Colin Firth to Emily Watson * Mirror *It is impossible to overstate just how brilliant this book is: fearless, soulful and so articulate that ever single page mesmerises....If Oscar was around today, this is the book that he'd be reading. * Attitude *To the End of the World is quite as brilliant as its two predecessors. It is sharp, camp, fearless, touching and very, very funny * The Oldie *

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