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Book SynopsisOne of the greatest American singers and actresses of her generation looks back on a magical and turbulent life spanning a half century of theatrical history from the golden age of the Broadway musical to the present day.A legend of the American theater, Barbara Cook burst upon the scene to become Broadway’s leading ingénue in roles such as Cunégonde in Leonard Bernstein’s Candide, Amalia Balash in Jerry Bock’s She Loves Me, and her career-defining, Tony-winning role as the original Marian the librarian in Meredith Willson’s The Music Man. But in the late 1960s, Barbara’s extraordinary talent onstage was threatened by debilitating depression and alcoholism that forced her to step away from the limelight and out of the public life. Emerging from the shadows in the early 1970s, Barbara reinvented herself as the country’s leading concert and cabaret artist, performing the songs of Stephen Sondheim and other

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Book SynopsisNow in paperback: the definitive biography of one of the most lauded musical geniuses in history, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, by the acclaimed composer and biographer Jan SwaffordAt the earliest ages it was apparent that Wolfgang Mozart?s singular imagination was at work in every direction. He hated to be bored and hated to be idle, and through his life he responded to these threats with a repertoire of antidotes mental and physical. Whether in his rabidly obscene mode or not, Mozart was always hilarious. He went at every piece of his life, and perhaps most notably his social life, with tremendous gusto. His circle of friends and patrons was wide, encompassing anyone who appealed to his boundless appetites for music and all things pleasurable and fun.Mozart was known to be an inexplicable force of nature who could rise from a luminous improvisation at the keyboard to a leap over the furniture. He was forever drumming on things, tapping his feet, jabbering away, but who could grasp your hand and look at you with a profound, searching, and melancholy look in his blue eyes. Even in company there was often an air about Mozart of being not quite there. It was as if he lived onstage and off simultaneously, a character in life?s tragicomedy but also outside of it watching, studying, gathering material for the fabric of his art.Like Jan Swafford?s biographies Beethoven and Johannes Brahms, Mozart is the complete exhumation of a genius in his life and ours: a man who would enrich the world with his talent for centuries to come and who would immeasurably shape classical music. As Swafford reveals, it?s nearly impossible to understand classical music?s origins and indeed its evolutions, as well as the Baroque period, without studying the man himself.

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Book SynopsisScovell knows what it’s like to put words in the mouths of President Barack Obama, Mark Harmon, Candice Bergen, Bob Newhart, Conan O’Brien, Alyssa Milano, and Kermit the Frog, among many others.Trade Review“This clear-eyed account of 30 years in a profoundly flawed industry is the funniest, most unflinching book I’ve read in a long time. I laughed out loud so many times. If you’ve ever watched TV, you should read this book. And if you’ve ever read a book, you should read this one, too.” — John Oliver “First things first. Just the Funny Parts is, like Nell Scovell herself, funny as hell. Laugh-out-loud chuckles, eye rolls, embarrassed (for Nell) giggles—it’s all there. But there’s a lot more, too. This is a smart, wise book about growing up, growing old(er), and most of all, what it means to be a woman in a man’s world. That’s no joke. (But it is, as I mentioned, funny.)” — Jeffrey Toobin, author of American Heiress “Nell Scovell has finally written the book that everyone in the comedy world has been waiting for! Besides being one of the funniest people I know, she has not just survived, but she has thrived. How the hell did she do it?? Crack it open and find out!” — Bette Midler “This book is soooo good! Nell not only recalls her comedy writing career with wit but also transports us there to sit alongside her as witness. Just the Funny Parts could easily be called Just The Brave Parts.” — Larry Wilmore “Nell is an incredible writer, and this book is just as amazing as I would expect. I particularly liked page 213.” — Samantha Bee, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee “In Just the Funny Parts, Nell Scovell offers readers an unvarnished look into a writer’s life. Through her unique lens, she bravely confronts some uncomfortable truths, and yet keeps you laughing the whole way through.” — George Lucas, yeah that George Lucas “I’ve known for a while that Nell is an unusually talented and funny writer, but I had no idea just how much she shaped the TV that I’ve watched for decades—or how much bias she faced along the way. Despite that (and sometimes because of it), this book was a delight to read. It’s full of jokes that made me laugh and sharp analyses that made me think.” — Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take and Originals, and co-author of Option B “In this illuminating memoir, Scovell details her career as a highly successful television writer over the last three decades, during which she was usually the only woman in the room… Scovell has repeatedly felt the sting of toiling in Los Angeles, “where rejection and failure are the bread and butter of this gluten-free, nondairy town,” and in an industry that continually looked for a cheaper, younger version of her. But in working with Sheryl Sandberg as the co-writer on Lean In, she was reminded of a timeless lesson: doing something that is meaningful to oneself might also have an impact on others. Scovell’s memoir is wonderfully entertaining and ultimately uplifting.” — Publishers Weekly “Scovell minces few words when skewering the toxic atmosphere for female talent in Hollywood….Her fearlessness was clearly evidenced when the David Letterman sex scandal broke and the author made a controversial and risky career move by speaking out about a marked lack of gender diversity in the late-night TV arena….A breezy, affably written amalgam of memoir, advice, and workplace survival guide from the front lines of the entertainment industry.” — Kirkus Reviews “A smart, energetic, determined woman, someone who is always shooting for greater success and who really hates it when she fails at something. A revealing and timely portrait of a professional writer and the industry in which she works.” — Booklist “Get ready to laugh out loud as writer, producer, and director Nell Scovell takes you behind the scenes of your favorite comedic shows, including The Simpsons, Murphy Brown, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and more in her hilarious and heartfelt memoir about making it in the male-dominated world of entertainment. Sharp and insightful, Just the Funny Parts is an wild romp through the world of TV that is as entertaining as it is inspiring.” — Bustle “An honest and demystifying glimpse into the world of men (and some women) behind the comedy curtain. Like Liz Lemon, Scovell is a wry and relatively grounded observer of the soaring self-regard and bottomless neediness that characterizes the professionally funny.” — Slate “Scovell’s laugh-out-loud account of her struggles in the male-dominated world of TV is a worthy read. […] Scovell’s compelling story of her life, leavened with much good humor, lets readers know the Hollywood world judged her often as a “woman writer” when she was seeking to be known as a writer, yet she never gives up. For all readers interested in Hollywood and how it works.” — Library Journal

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Fans of heralded crooner Bennett will revel in this inviting charming book...In these beguiling portraits, Bennett warmly remembers of the deep influences on his life." -- Publishers Weekly "[Just Getting Started] is as breezy and meaningful as one of his trademark songs as readers learn about the man by the company he kept and the heroes he worships. Bennett's ethereal still lifes and landscape paintings adorn this simple yet profound and gracious homage." -- Booklist "In Just Getting Started...the singer takes a look back on his long, successful career and rich life...What comes through in all 42 chapters is the singer's gratitude...Let's hope this new generation can learn a lesson from Mr. Bennett's unflagging class and graciousness. -- Wall Street Journal

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Book SynopsisNATIONAL BESTSELLERThe New York Times bestselling author and front man and rhythm guitarist of KISS grants fans an all-access backstage pass to his personal life and shows them how to pursue a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle of their own, offering hard-won advice from a music legend.In this follow-up to his popular bestseller Face the Music, the Starchild takes us behind the scenes, revealing what he’s learned from a lifetime as the driving force of KISS, and how he brings his unique sensibility not only to his music career but to every area of his life—from business to parenting to health and happiness.Backstage Pass takes you beyond the makeup as Paul shares fascinating details about his life—his fitness routine, philosophy, business principles, how he maintains his inspiration, passion, and joy after nearly 50 years of mega success including selling out tours, 100 million albums sold and an art career that has amassed over 10 million dollars in sales. Divulging more true stories of the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s relationships, hardships, and pivotal moments, it also contains intimate four-color, never-before-seen photos from Paul’s personal collection, and offers surprising lessons on the discipline and hard work that have made him one of the healthiest and most successful rock ‘n’ roll icons in history.This is the book for fans who love living large, but also want to take control and move ahead in everyday life. Paul shows you how you can rock ‘n’ roll all night and party every day—without missing a beat. 

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Book SynopsisA New York Times bestseller A candid, compulsively readable, hilarious, and heartbreaking memoir of resilience and redemption by comedic genius Molly ShannonAt age four, Molly Shannon’s world was shattered when she lost her mother, baby sister, and cousin in a car accident with her father at the wheel. Held together by her tender and complicated relationship with her grieving father, Molly was raised in a permissive household where her gift for improvising and role-playing blossomed alongside the fearlessness that would lead her to become a celebrated actress.From there, Molly ventured into the wider world of New York and Los Angeles show business, where she created her own opportunities and developed her daring and empathetic comedy. Filled with behind-the-scenes stories involving everyone from Whitney Houston to Adam Sandler to Monica Lewinsky, many told for the first time here, Hello, Molly! spans Molly’s time on Saturday Night Live—where she starred alongside Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, Cheri Oteri, Tracy Morgan, and Jimmy Fallon, among many others. At the same time, it explores with humor and candor her struggle to come to terms with the legacy of her father, a man who both fostered her gifts and drive and was left with the impossible task of raising his kids alone after the loss of her mother.Witty, winning, and told with tremendous energy and heart, Hello, Molly!, written with Sean Wilsey, sheds new and revelatory light on the life and work of one of our most talented and free-spirited performers.

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Book SynopsisThe real story of Hollywood as told by such luminaries as Steven Spielberg, Frank Capra, Katharine Hepburn, Meryl Streep, Harold Lloyd, and nearly four hundred others, assembled from the American Film Institute?s treasure trove of interviews, reveals a fresh history of the American movie industry from its beginnings to today.From the archives of the American Film Institute comes a unique picture of what it was like to work in Hollywood from its beginnings to its present day. Gleaned from nearly three thousand interviews, involving four hundred voices from the industry, Hollywood: The Oral History, lets a reader ?listen in? on candid remarks from the biggest names in front of the camera?Bette Davis, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Harold Lloyd?to the biggest behind it?Frank Capra, Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock, Jordan Peele, as well as the lesser known individuals that shaped what was heard and seen on screen: musicians, costumers, art directors, cinematographers, writers, sound men, editors, make-up artists, and even script timers, messengers, and publicists. The result is like a conversation among the gods and goddesses of film: lively, funny, insightful, historically accurate and, for the first time, authentically honest in its portrait of Hollywood. It?s the insider?s story.Legendary film scholar Jeanine Basinger and New York Times bestselling author Sam Wasson, both acclaimed storytellers in their own right, have undertaken the monumental task of digesting these tens of thousands of hours of talk and weaving it into a definitive portrait of workaday Hollywood.

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Book SynopsisInstant #1 New York Times Bestseller * Named one of Variety’s Best Music Books of 2021 * Included in Audible’s Best of The Year list * A Business Insider Best Memoirs of 2021 * One of NME''s Best Music Books of 2021 * 2 Million Copies Sold WorldwideThe Remastered Edition…Because There’s Always More to the StoryDave Grohl’s The Storyteller created a sensation when it was initially published, becoming a global bestseller and thrilling fans and critics alike. Readers came to the book for Dave’s heartfelt voice, his love of family and music, and the energy that pours from every page.Dave’s is an extraordinary life made of up ordinary moments, and he tells stories just like he writes songs—from his soul. Whether recounting his time as kid in Toughskins in the Virginia suburbs, as a skinny teenager drumming his heart out for punk band Scream, living through the explosion and implosion of Nirvana, or hustling all the way around the world to escort his daughters to the Father/Daughter dance (only to be ignored as soon as his girls found their friends) The Storyteller is just like its author, as real as it gets. To show his appreciation for his fans, and to celebrate his love of writing, this deluxe paperback edition offers a wide variety of extra content, including: An essay on how Dave approaches creativity (Here’s a hint: you don’t have to think outside of the box. Just ignore it.) A series of prompts to jump start your creativity The story of when Dave first met Paul McCartney (previously an audiobook exclusive) A collection of Dave’s curated playlists, giving a glimpse into some of the music he loves The “Song Stories” of four Foo Fighters favorites  The Storyteller has challenged what a music memoir can be. With this paperback, the legacy continues.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Poignant . . . candid. . . . An inspirational memoir that fans of the Real Housewives franchise or The Real will enjoy And yes: she dishes about the other housewives and the celebrities she met on her road to success. — Library Journal “Dishy, warm, and entertaining.” — Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“A bonbon of a book . . . as well tailored as the little black dress the movie made famous.” — Janet Maslin, New York Times “Anyone even slightly interested in Capote/Hepburn/Breakfast at Tiffany’s will delight in [Wasson’s] account.” — USA Today “So smart and entertaining it should come with its own popcorn.” — People “This splendid new book is more than a mere ‘making-of’ chronicle. Wasson has pulled it off with verve, intelligence, and a consistent ring of truth...compulsively readable. Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. is both enjoyable and informative: everything a film book ought to be.” — Leonard Maltin, author of Leonard Maltin's 151 Best Movies You've Never Seen “A fascination with fascination is one way of describing Wasson’s interest in a film that not only captures the sedate elegance of a New York long gone, but that continues to entrance as a love story, a style manifesto, and a way to live.” — New York magazine “Crammed with irresistible tidbits…[Wasson’s] book winds up as well-tailored as the kind of little black dress that Breakfast at Tiffany’s made famous.” — New York Times “Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. offers lots of savory tidbits [from the making of Breakfast at Tiffany’s]. Mr. Wasson brings a lively and impudent approach to his subject.” — Wall Street Journal “Sam Wasson is a fabulous social historian. . . . [Fifth Avenue, 5 AM] is as melancholy and glittering as Capote’s story of Holly Golightly.” — The New Yorker “A brilliant chronicle of the creation of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Wasson has woven the whole so deftly that it reads like a compulsively page-turning novel. This is a memorable achievement.” — Peter Bogdanovich “Wasson’s story is part encyclopedia, part valentine, and worth reading just to find out what exactly went into making the amazing party scene.” — The Huffington Post “Wasson offers enough drama to occupy anyone for days...The whole thing reads like a cool sip of water.” — Daily News “Reads like carefully crafted fiction…[Wasson] carries the reader from pre-production to on-set feuds and conflicts, while also noting Hepburn’s impact on fashion (Givenchy’s little black dress), Hollywood glamour, sexual politics, and the new morality. Capote would have been entranced.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “A breezy tale of dresses and breakfast pastries, this is not.... The subtexts of Breakfast at Tiffany’s—materialism, sexual freedom—were decidedly more complicated.” — Women's Wear Daily “Rich in incident and set among the glitterati of America’s most glamorous era, the book reads like a novel…[Wasson] has assembled a sparkling time capsule of old Hollywood magic and mythmaking.” — Kirkus Reviews “The anecdotes are numerous and deftly told. This well-researched, entertaining page-turner should appeal to a broad audience, particularly those who enjoy film history that focuses on the human factors involved in the creative process while also drawing on larger social and cultural contexts.” — Library Journal “Reading a book about a movie is seldom as entertaining as watching the film, but Wasson’s is the rare exception.” — Christian Science Monitor “[We] couldn’t put down Sam Wasson’s new book, Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M..... Along with juicy film gossip, the book offers behind-the-scenes insight on how Hepburn and designer Hubert de Givenchy created Holly Golightly’s iconic style.” — AOL Stylelist “Sam Wasson’s exquisite portrait of Audrey Hepburn peels backs her sweet facade to reveal a much more complicated and interesting woman. He also captures a fascinating turning point in American history— when women started to loosen their pearls, and their inhibitions. I devoured this book.” — Karen Abbott, author of Sin in the Second City “Audrey Hepburn dances through the pages of Sammy Wasson’s portrait of a movie and a little black dress that were game changers at the dawn of the sixties. Both juicy and informative, Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. provides the inside story while giving Hepburn her due as a true modern original.” — Molly Haskell, author of Frankly, My Dear: Gone with the Wind Revisited

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