Other performing arts Books
Immersive Dome Experiences Ltd All the Better to Read You With
Book Synopsis
£22.49
Gill Boatclub B Gospel According to Blindboy
Book SynopsisThe Gospel According to Blindboy is a surreal and genre-defying collection of short stories exploring the myths, complacencies and contradictions at the heart of modern Ireland. It is one of the most original collections of short stories to emerge in recent years.
£10.44
Random House USA Inc The Greek Plays Sixteen Plays by Aeschylus
Book Synopsis
£17.85
John Wiley and Sons Ltd The Crisis of Narration
Book SynopsisNarratives produce the ties that bind us. They create community, eliminate contingency and anchor us in being. And yet in our contemporary information society, where everything has become arbitrary and random, storytelling becomes storyselling and narratives lose their binding force. Whereas narratives create community, storytelling brings forth only a fleeting community – the community of consumers. No amount of storytelling could recreate the fire around which humans gather to tell each other stories. That fire has long since burnt out. It has been replaced by the digital screen, which separates people rather than bringing them together. Through storytelling, capitalism appropriates narrative: stories sell. They are no longer a medium of shared experience. The inflation of storytelling betrays a need to cope with contingency, but storytelling is unable to transform the information society back into a stable narrative community. Rather, storytelling as storyselling is a pathological phenomenon of our age. Byung-Chul Han, one of the most perceptive cultural theorists of contemporary society, dissects this crisis with exceptional insight and flair.Table of ContentsPreface From Narration to InformationThe Poverty of ExperienceThe Narrated LifeBare LifeThe Disenchantment of the WorldFrom Shocks to LikesTheory as NarrativeNarration as HealingNarrative CommunityStoryselling Notes
£12.99
Hawthorn Press An A-Z Collection of Behaviour Tales: From Angry
Book SynopsisEach story in this collection begins with an undesirable or out-of-balance situation and, through the use of metaphor and an imaginative story journey, leads to a more desirable resolution. In this way, the stories also have the potential for nurturing positive values.The stories cover many kinds of universal behaviour. Following the alphabet from A to Z, the behaviour is identified in the story title e.g. anxious, bossy, cranky greedy jealous lazy swearing uncooperative ... and more. The stories can be told directly, or adapted. They can be turned into home-made picture books and puppet shows, or used as springboards for the creation of new tales for particular behaviour challenges and situations.
£14.39
New World Library Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change
Book Synopsis
£15.29
The History Press Ltd Murrays Cabaret Club
Book SynopsisStep below the pavements of Soho’s Beak Street, and discover the untold tale of the exotic – and scandalous – Murray’s Cabaret Club
£21.25
HarperCollins Publishers The House of Hidden Meanings
Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERFrom international drag superstar and pop culture icon RuPaul, comes his most revealing to datea brutally honest and deeply intimate memoir of growing up Black, poor, and queer in a broken home to discovering the power of performance and self-acceptance.A profound introspection of his life, relationships, and identity, The House of Hidden Meanings is a self-portrait of the legendary icon on the road to global fame and changing the way the world thinks about drag.Central to RuPaul's success has been his chameleonic adaptability. From drag icon to powerhouse producer of one of the world's largest television franchises, RuPaul's ever-shifting nature has always been part of his brand as both supermodel and super mogul.Yet that adaptability has made him enigmatic to the public. In this memoir, his most intimate and detailed book yet, RuPaul makes himself truly known.Stripping away all artifice, RuPaul recounts the story of his life with breath taking clarity and tenderness, bringing his signature wisdom and wit to his own biography. From his early years growing up as a queer Black kid in San Diego navigating complex relationships with his absent father and temperamental mother, to forging an identity in the punk and drag scenes of Atlanta and New York, to finding enduring love with his husband Georges LeBar and self-acceptance in sobriety, RuPaul excavates his own biography, uncovering new truths and insights in his personal history.Here in RuPaul's singular and extraordinary story is a manual for livinga personal philosophy that testifies to the value of chosen family, the importance of harnessing what makes you different, and the transformational power of facing yourself fearlessly.If we're all born naked and the rest is drag, then this is RuPaul totally out of drag. This is RuPaul stripped bare.
£18.70
Rethink Press The Serious Guide to Joke Writing: How To Say
Book SynopsisYou hold in your hands the key to unlocking your inner comedy genius. This comprehensive joke writing masterclass has been devised for beginners and experienced joke writers alike. The techniques you will learn can be used again and again to write funny and original material for stand-up comedy, speeches, political satire, monologues, TV, stage & radio, witty articles and blogs, comedy sketches, sitcom scripts, cartoons & comic-strips and business presentations. When you read this book you will discover: Simple yet powerful ways to write hilarious material on any subject Insider tricks professionals use to get going and keep going Where jokes really come from and why this makes writing easier Techniques for creating simple puns and wordplay for laughs How to tap into a continuous stream of comedy consciousness Creative tools such as Joke-Webbing and the Hadron Joke Collider How to mine newspapers and headlines for topical comedy gold Ways to take jokes in weird and wonderful directions with surrealism How to hone your jokes to maximise laughs and minimise memorisation
£10.80
Hawthorn Press Advent and Christmas Stories: A Treasury of
Book SynopsisThis treasury of over fifty stories, verses and songs range from Advent through the twelve days of Christmas, ending with the flight to Egypt. The authors draw on their lifelong experience as Waldorf kindergarten educators, storytellers, puppeteers and as mothers to share these magical stories. They tell their favourite Christmas stories simply and profoundly. These stories will both delight young children, and invite parents to become more confident storytellers.
£13.49
Epic Tales All the Better to Read You With: Stories &
Book Synopsis
£22.49
White Lion Publishing Planet Drag
Book SynopsisTravel to Planet Drag and explore the styles, influences, artists, and events that have made the art of drag so outrageously popular in 15 countries around the world.Exquisitely styled by top drag artists, and with a foreword by Canada’s Drag Race judge Brooke Lynn Hytes, this is the ultimate guide to drag—a glittering, feathered foray into the past and present of this much-loved art form.Gloriously embellished with historical photos along with stylish contemporary shots of some of the world''s biggest drag stars, this is a deep dive into drag’s meteoric rise to the mainstream.The carnival court of drag has exploded and it now holds a fierce place in popular culture. And while Rupaul''s Drag Race does highlight some nuanced differences between national drag styles, there’s a lot more to the story that you don’t know…In this extravagant exploration
£18.70
Design Studio Press Framed Ink: Drawing and Composition for Visual
Book Synopsis
£20.39
Penguin Books Ltd Alanatomy
Book Synopsis***If you loved Alan''s first memoir - Look Who It Is! - then his follow-up, Alanatomy, will take you further into the hilarious and bizarre world of the country''s favourite chatty man.***''As laugh out loud as his TV shows'' Daily MirrorIt must seem strange to you that I''ve called a book Alanatomy . . . For anyone who has taken the time to see my stand-up performances or watched my chat show, ''Chattyman'', knows that my body has hardly been kind to me - in fact there''ve been times when we''ve actually stopped talking to each other. Balding, myopic, often flaky with psoriasis, back fat that hangs suspended like a cape, a voice that could strip varnish, an increasingly dodgy hip and even dodgier teeth. Why would you draw attention to it? you must ask. Couldn''t you just call the book something else? Do you think the Great British Public is ready to pore over your body? Well, as I turn forty and take stock oTrade ReviewIf you loved Alan's first memoir - Look Who It Is! - then this follow-up, Alanatomy, will take you further into the hilarious and bizarre world of the country's favourite chatty man. * from the publisher's description *It's as winning as you'd expect from the chatty, heart-on-sleeve Carr * Sunday Express *As laugh out loud as his TV shows * Daily Mirror *If you loved Alan's first memoir - Look Who It Is! - then this follow-up, Alanatomy, will take you further into the hilarious and bizarre world of the country's favourite chatty man. * from the publisher's description *As laugh out loud as his TV shows * Heat *Praise for Look Who It is! by Alan Carr * Daily Mirror *Joyous stuff that most of us can relate to without it sounding clichéd, and it is delivered effortlessly by a comedian who owns the space he is working in so much, he could put up a flag * The Independent *Carr's comic timing works every bit as well on the page as it does on stage, making this easily the funniest book of the year * Heat *Sharp, sassy material with pitch perfect comic timing * The List *Bellyachingly funny * The Sunday Telegraph *
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers The House of Hidden Meanings
Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER From international drag superstar and pop culture icon RuPaul, comes his most revealing to datea brutally honest and deeply intimate memoir of growing up Black, poor, and queer in a broken home to discovering the power of performance and self-acceptance.
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd Tricks Of The Mind
Book SynopsisDerren Brown's television and stage performances have entranced and dumbfounded millions. His baffling illusions and stunning set pieces - such as The Seance, Russian Roulette and The Heist - have set new standards of what's possible, as well as causing more than their fair share of controversy. Now, for the first time, he reveals the secrets behind his craft, what makes him tick and just why he grew that beard. Tricks of the Mind takes you on a journey into the structure and pyschology of magic. Derren teaches you how to read clues in people's behaviour and spot liars. He discusses the whys and wherefores of hypnosis and shows how to do it. And he investigates the power of suggestion and how you can massively improve your memory. He also takes a long hard look at the paranormal industry and why some of us feel the need to believe in it in the first place. Alternately hilarious, controversial and challenging, Tricks of the Mind is essential reading for Derren's legions of fans, and pretty bloody irresistible even if you don't like him that much...HIS NEW BOOK, A LITTLE HAPPIER: NOTES FOR REASSURANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW.Trade ReviewTricks of the Mind exposes Derren Brown as a master manipulator, with not a cauldron or genie in sight * New Statesman *Clearly the best dinner party guest in history - he's either a balls-out con artist or the scariest man in Britain -- Charlie Brooker * Guardian *If you see anybody with this book, go the other way -- Hilary Mantel * Guardian *Lifting the lid on some of the darkests secrets from the world of magic, Derren reveals with brutal honesty how some tricks work, how to perfect particular techniques and how to spot lies through people's behaviour. You'll be reading minds in no time! **** * OK! *Will delight anyone with an interest in the weirder things people think and they they think them * Independent on Sunday *
£10.44
Anness Publishing How to Master Magic Two great books of conjuring
Book Synopsis
£11.69
Bonnier Books Ltd How to Produce Comedy Bronze
Book SynopsisIn HOW TO PRODUCE COMEDY BRONZE, legendary TV producer Jon Plowman lifts the hood on the comedy industry so you can peer inside and wonder how any of it ever got made in the first place. In a career spanning 30 years Jon has learned (almost) everything there is to know about comedy and now wants to share his wealth of knowledge, before he becomes completely demented and forgets how to do it. Working with Fry and Laurie, travelling with the cast of Absolutely Fabulous, saying 'yes' to The Office - together these stories combine to tell the uncensored story of how TV comedy works, from the first germ of an idea to the after-party at the Emmys - all through a life in comedy. Read this book and if you're not careful learn how to make the world laugh at your ideas too!Trade ReviewWithout Jon Plowman it is certain that French and Saunders, Absolutely Fabulous, Fry and Laurie, Little Britain, The Office, The League of Gentlemen and at least a dozen other comedy entertainments of the past quarter century would have had another producer. A thought that chills the marrow and causes each separate hair to rise from the scalp in terror and bewilderment. For Jon Plowman is comedy in the same way that Anthea Turner is Anthea Turner. -- Stephen FryFunny, shrewd and thoroughly entertaining. Anyone thinking of working in comedy production (and a fair few who already do) should be made to read this book. Jon Plowman is simply the best! -- Steve PembertonI learned so much from this book. For a start, I had no idea Jon produced comedy... For those who suffer from chronic constipation and like to read on the loo, there's at least three good shits-worth here... A very funny, honest, naughty memoir from the godfather producer of British TV comedy. -- Matt LucasAs the godfather to a whole era of television comedy, Jon Plowman's hugely entertaining memoir, packed with anecdotes, gossip and wisdom about getting the show on the road, or sometimes into the cul de sac, is a delicious treat for upcoming programme makers and nosy parkers alike... If you've ever wondered what an Executive Producer does, read this book and still wonder. Because from Jon Plowman's witty and insightful account of the ins and outs and occasional car crashes of actually getting comedy shows onto television, you might conclude they just make up the rules as they go along. And thank goodness. -- Hugh BonnevilleThis is the rarest of rare things - a fascinating life, wonderfully told. It manages to be hilarious, informative, scurrilous and utterly page-turning all at once. Jon Plowman has made full use of the famous maxim "You can't libel the dead" (though worryingly seems to have extended this to the living too) to bring us a book of world-class anecdotes. If you've ever laughed at a British comedy I guarantee you will adore How to Produce Comedy Bronze. -- Adam Kay
£15.29
Cornerstone A Book for Her
Book SynopsisBridget Christie is a stand-up comedian, idiot and feminist. On the 30th of April 2012, a man farted in the Women's Studies Section of a bookshop and it changed her life forever. A Book For Her details Christie's twelve years of anonymous toil in the bowels of stand-up comedy and the sudden epiphany that made her, unbelievably, one of the most critically acclaimed British stand-up comedians this decade, drawing together the threads that link a smelly smell in the women's studies section to the global feminist struggle. Find out how nice Peter Stringfellow's fish tastes, how yoghurt advertising perpetuates rape myths, and how Emily Bronte used a special ladies' pen to write Wuthering Heights.If you're interested in comedy and feminism, then this is definitely the book for you. If you hate both then I'd probably give it a miss. Christie is adept at turning on a sixpence between being comical, or serious, or both at once, and at pricking her own earnTrade ReviewA cool, clear glass of sane in a world of unbearable woo-hoo. * Caitlin Moran *A great feminist stand up, who gets us feminists to laugh at ourselves, as well as at the dinosaurs. * Mary Beard *Fabulous feminist polemical memoir from one of the funniest most astringent women working the upper tier of the British comedy circuit. Scrap that, she's just one of the best in entertainment. * Grazia *Part memoir, part laughter-filled rant ... Christie is a lively narrator and provides a sharp balance of hilarity and ideology. A Book For Her is both a searingly accurate portrayal of 21-century womanhood and a proper hoot. * Independent *Charm, passion and gallons of wit. Funny books seldom come so committed, nor committed books much funnier. * Sunday Telegraph *Bloody excellent. * Sarah Millican *Vulnerable, courageous and very funny * Stylist *Rewriting the feminist agenda ... a must read. * Red Magazine *A voice so idiosyncratic that it transfers uncannily well from stage to page ... it’s courageous, but more than that: it is very funny. * Guardian *Comics will find much sage advice in its pages; others simply a commonsense perspective on the world. It's a book for everyone then, not just 'for her'. * i *Must-read for any young women, or man, interested in comedy and feminism. * Hello! *A charming, eloquent, passionate and knowingly ridiculous voice, in print as she is on stage, and that's how you win people over. This is what a feminist sounds like. * Chortle *Funny, furious and staunchly feminist ... [a] brilliantly belligerent book. * S Magazine *Stand-up Bridget Christie’s autobiographical call-to-arms for gender equality is as hilarious as it is committed * Telegraph Online *Very, very funny. * Radio Times *An excellent and unputdownable book…Christie combines narrative and stream-of-consciousness brilliantly * Observer *The funny woman's memoir ... hysterical. * Vogue UK *It is a fine book, somewhere between feminist treatise, autobiography and nerdy stand-up how-to guide. Most importantly for me, it was very funny, despite also being deadly serious. This of course is Christie’s strength that sets her above her peers ... she uses the Trojan horse technique of concealing a powerful army of vital messages inside a giant horse-shaped laugh ... and she does it better than anyone. * Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke *We always need more feminist memoirs, when they’re funny and insightful and clever and honest. Bridget Christie’s A Book for Her is all of those things. * Stylist *[Christie] made me laugh loudly on the tube like a loud, shameless, lipstick-covered walrus…funny and passionate and inspiring, all at the same time. * Huffington Post *I think Bridget Christie has a kind of genius. It's an incredibly funny and weirdly moving memoir about a person finding her voice. I was dazzled by it. * Jon Ronson *[Christie's] humility sucks you in and makes you laugh. She is funny in all the right places. * Irish Times *It reads very much like a stand-up routine, from the running gags and callbacks. Whatever the seriousness of the subject she’s discussing, however passionately she’s laying into her pet hates, Christie never forgets also to make herself an object of mirth, and does so with charm and brio to spare. * Telegraph (Best Books for Christmas) *I’m halfway through the excellent A Book for Her. This book is like she’s sitting next to me in all her feministy, hilarious, smart glory. * Sarah Millican, Good Housekeeping *‘It’s great: she has really embraced the form and constantly goes on long digressions just for the audiobook listeners. * The Sunday Telegraph *It’s rare I purchase a hardback (they hurt when they drop on my face when I fall asleep reading!), but I was so desperate to read Bridget Christie’s A Book For Her, I braved it. I was well rewarded. Part memoir, part rant, Christie brilliantly and hilariously points out the utter absurdity and nonsensical cruelty of sexism, it left me smiling but furious. * WH Smith blog *
£10.44
Waterside Press Good Moaning France!: Officer Crabtree's Fronch
Book SynopsisBased on a favourite character from BBC TV sitcom `Allo `Allo! In this delightful book, Officer Crabtree's masterly grasp of 'Fronch' falls under the spotlight as never before. From 'Ploose may I hov a kippy of the dooly nosepooper?' to 'frigs logs', 'scrimbled oggs' and 'fosh and chops' the book is a tribute to mangled words and phrases. Arthur Bostrom, who played Officer Crabtree on stage and screen, mixes vowels and pronunciation trying to educate those less gifted in the French 'longwodge'... For example: 'Criss chunnel fairy'... 'Which bonk do you bonk with?'... 'Would you lick a drunk?'.... Illustrated by John Cooper and ideal for travellers and fans of `Allo `Allo! alike, Good Moaning France! is a wake-up call for anyone who thinks they are competent in French (or English or any other language). Readers' questions are answered in Ask Crabtree, there are examples from Crabtree's 'poloce newtberks' and a most unhelpful 'Undex'. In a Foreword music legend Rick Wakeman recalls how he fell off his chair laughing on seeing the character created by screenwriters David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd at the start of the second series (the book is published by permission).Trade Review`Listen very carefully, you will read this more than once. I loaved it'-- Les Dennis; `I've not laughed at anything like I've laughed at Crabtree ever in my life, this book is "very good nose"'-- Justin Moorhouse; `Buck your fairy trip to Fronce now and take Crabtree's guide with you. A must-read. Hilarious'-- Su Pollard; `DO NOT BUY ZIS BOOK!!! IF YOU DO, YOU VILL BE SHOT!!!'-- Helga.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1.Out and About; 2.Wartime Phrases; 3.French Language Rules; 4.My Everyday Practice; 5.Everyday Words and Phrases; 6.Going on Holiday to France; 7.All About Banking; 8.Shopping; 9.Living and Working in France; 10.Music; 11.Proverbs; 12.Books; Further Reading; Undex. PLUS: Interspersed with examples from Crabtree's 'Poloce Newt Berks', Ask Crabtree and illustrations.
£11.97
The University of Chicago Press Fools Are Everywhere
Book SynopsisTakes us around the world in search of one of the most colorful characters in history - the court jester. This work includes anecdotes, jokes, quotations, epigraphs, and illustrations that shed light on little-known jesters, highlighting their humanizing influence on the head honchos of history.Trade Review"Through anecdotes, historical details, analyses, and commentary, Otto brilliantly delineates the court jester, and quotations and illustrations do much to enhance this eminently readable text." - Library Journal"
£30.40
Orion Publishing Co Lets Do It The Authorised Biography of Victoria
Book SynopsisWritten with approval of the help of her family and closest friends - including Julie Walters, Dawn French, Celia Imrie and many others - this is the definitive authorised biography of one of Britain's most talented and loved entertainers: Victoria Wood.Trade ReviewThis utterly absorbing and beautiful book, written with such insight and kindness, moved me hugely' * Julie Walters *Let's Do It is a biography that feels as unflinching and true as it is entertaining and affectionate. Rees pulls off the trick of writing a brilliant tribute while also - somehow, almost - bringing Victoria Wood back to life in all her complicated glory. -- Viv Groskop * GUARDIAN *When I met Victoria I gushed at her and she told me to stop, which was sweet and kind and saved us both! I won't gush now as per her non gushing desires, except to say that I would love people to read this beautiful book about the woman I will be forever grateful for in leading the way for me and other women in comedy and for making my life a jollier one. * Miranda Hart *There was none like her before and there's been none like her since - she was unique... I contributed to the book because I know that Jasper [Rees], who wrote it was a great friend of hers and she trusted him...and I knew that he would respect that... We weren't sitting down to be soft and fluffy about Vic, because Vic was quite spiky, quite demanding, and utterly hilarious. * Dawn French on BBC RADIO 5 LIVE *I remember first watching Victoria Wood when she was on Look North, when she would simply sing a song and play the piano, and knew then she was someone special. Decades later, I saw her show at the Albert Hall and not long after I bumped into her in our local M&S. I started to cry as I told her how amazing she was that night - I had no words for how wonderful she had been. Thankfully Jasper Rees has found the perfect words to convey Victoria's brilliance, in this meticulously researched, immersive and entertaining biography. It is a wonderful tribute to a pioneering entertainer who we all still miss so keenly. * Alison Steadman *An extraordinary, wonderful, rich biography of Victoria Wood - every bit as fascinating, challenging, and brilliant as she was. It is evident that Jasper Rees loves his subject and has been given unprecedented access to Wood's personal and professional archives. He explores Victoria's inspirations and creative processes, celebrating her genius, and never shying away from the tricky stuff. * Nina Stibbe *I love this book. I adored Victoria, and Jasper Rees has almost brought her back to life, so I highly recommend it to all her admirers who miss her desperately. Which is, of course, all of us. * Dame Esther Rantzen *The authorised biography of Victoria Wood by Jasper Rees is great - wonderfully detailed on her creative process, the graft she put in and the mechanics of how she did what she did, but losing none of the warmth and joy of what ended up on screen. Recommended. * Simon Blackwell, writer of VEEP and THE THICK OF IT *You can almost feel him riffling files, rewinding tapes, so carefully is it pieced together. Yet the reward is a 360-degree biography that transforms a beloved entertainer into a real human being, moving about a recognisable world: unhappy family home, provincial theatre, TV studio, celebrity's Highgate terrace, even, heartbreakingly, hospital room. It's a book for fans, of course, but it also documents 40 years of British entertainment, filtered through a life that stretched so much further than a few knackered bras. -- Victoria Segal * SUNDAY TIMES CULTURE *This biographer is the safest of hands, both for helpless fans like me, and to any outsiders who haven't paid attention... It does not feel intrusive because it is so richly fed with the memories of those who properly loved her, and those memories add to the store of lines to treasure... She kept us happy for years herself. I am thankful, for her and for this good biography. Might cry again now. -- Libby Purves * THE TIMES *A smashing biography. He gives a sense of what the real Victoria was like and conveys the unique qualities of her work - and provides a bridge between the two. At one point he says tactfully that the dreadful statue of Victoria in Bury shows "how hard it is to capture in bronze the bounce of her hair and the glow of her smile". At its best, this book does that in prose. -- Jake Kerridge * SUNDAY EXPRESS S MAGAZINE *Rees's biography is a must-read for her fans... This meticulously researched account of her life shows what a loss she is. -- Emma-Lee Potter * DAILY MIRROR *With meticulous thoroughness ... Let's Do It is nearly 600 pages long and copiously footnoted. Rees interviewed Wood frequently in her lifetime, spent two years on research, using Wood's own audio and written notes, and interviewed more than 200 people (from her children and perennial collaborators to occasional accompanists). It shows - this is an immersive, authoritative book... Do it, I urge you, while the mood is right. -- Emma Beddington * THE SPECTATOR *Joyous and revealing... If you're a diehard Wood fan (as I am) you'll find this account of her life wholly engrossing, and it also stands as a wonderful tribute to a pioneering entertainer and her exacting comic genius. -- Caroline Sanderson * THE BOOKSELLER, Editor's Choice *Packed with enlightening anecdotes and revealing interviews with her family and closest friends. A real treat. -- Martin Chilton * INDEPENDENT *This superb biography ensures we can't forget how revolutionary she was. -- Tanya Gold * THE OLDIE *For anyone who loves Victoria Wood, this biography - authorised by her literary estate - is a joy. It paints a rounded portrait of a genuinely nice and kind woman who could also be difficult, scathing, even ruthless. -- Christopher Stevens * DAILY MAIL *Rees is excellent on Wood's long struggle. -- Roger Lewis * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *With exclusive access to Victoria's archive, Rees has produced this fascinating portrait of a comedy genius who became a national treasure. -- Zoe West * WOMAN & HOME *A joyous read. -- Julia Llewellyn Smith * THE MAIL ON SUNDAY *Written with the approval of family and friends this is a biography more than worthy of its much-missed subject. * THE NEW EUROPEAN *Rees's research is wide-ranging and detailed... his analysis is acute and often beautifully articulated. -- Fiona Sturges * I NEWSPAPER *This profile of the astute observer of domesticity is warm-hearted and full of detail. -- Hannah Jane Parkinson * OBSERVER *Impeccable -- Iona McLaren * THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, Books of the Year *A fascinating portrait of a comedy genius who became a national treasure. * WOMAN'S WEEKLY *Exemplary... Despite the memories of laughter it evoked, I was left saddened by the thought that Wood was really making strides into a brilliant second career as a screenwriter and director when illness took her away from us. * Jonathan Coe *
£9.49
University of Illinois Press T.O.B.A. Time
Book SynopsisBlack vaudevillians and entertainers joked that T.O.B.A. stood for tough on black artists. But the Theater Owner's Booking Association (T.O.B.A.) played a foundational role in the African American entertainment industry and provided a training ground for icons like Cab Calloway, Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Sammy Davis Jr., the Nicholas Brothers, Count Basie, and Butterbeans and Susie. Michelle R. Scott's institutional history details T.O.B.A.'s origins and practices while telling the little-known stories of the managers, producers, performers, and audience members involved in the circuit. Looking at the organization over its eleven-year existence (19201931), Scott places T.O.B.A. against the backdrop of what entrepreneurship and business development meant in black America at the time. Scott also highlights how intellectuals debated the social, economic, and political significance of black entertainment from the early 1900s through T.O.B.A.'s decline during the Great Depression. ClearTrade Review"Clarifies the important role African American entrepreneurs played in promoting entertainment by and for Black people during a transitional period in American show business history. . . .T.O.B.A. Time is an excellent addition to [the University of Illinois Press] catalogue." --NewCity Lit"In clear and precise prose Scott chronicles the coalescence of Black vaudeville and how T.O.B.A. helped establish and nurture the initial flowering of what became the incalculably influential Black entertainment industry. Readers who enjoyed Entertaining Raceby Michael Eric Dyson and Little Devil in America by Hanif Abdurraqib will find Scott’s unique history compelling. " --Booklist"Michelle R. Scott's T.O.B.A. Time: Black Vaudeville and the Theatre Owners' Booking Association in Jazz-Age America is a scholarship of the highest order. It provides an in-depth analysis of an organization that played an important role in providing a space for entrepreneurs and talented individuals to forge an independent role for themselves in segregated America. Scott effortlessly combines the minutiae of a multifaceted activity such as vaudeville with the broader currents which were operating in America in the early decades if the twentieth century." --British Journal of Industrial Relations“Scott’s meticulously researched and exquisitely detailed account reveals the broad impact of the T. O. B. A. circuit and the complexities of its organization and operations. The discussions of individual performers--famous and obscure--and their experiences as they worked the circuit are riveting. This is a benchmark book in theater studies and the definitive account of this fascinating institution.”--Allyson Nadia Field, author of Uplift Cinema: The Emergence of African American Film & The Possibility of Black Modernity Table of ContentsPreface AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: They Called It T.O.B.A. Chapter 1. “Whistling Coons” No More: Race Uplift & the Path to T.O.B.A. Chapter 2. Hebrew, Negro, and American Owners: Black Vaudeville and Interracial ManagementChapter 3. T.O.B.A Forms: The Interracial Business Plan for a New Negro BusinessChapter 4. The Multiple Meanings of T.O.B.A: The Performers’ PerspectiveChapter 5. A Responsibility to Community: Circuit Theaters and Black Regional AudiencesChapter 6. “Trouble in Mind": The End of T.O.B.A. TimeEpilogue: T.O.B.A.’s LegacyAppendixNotesBibliographyIndex
£68.25
Canongate Books Only Fools and Horses
Book SynopsisIn the thirty years since viewers first visited Nelson Mandela House, Only Fools and Horses has won countless awards and is still Britain''s most-watched and best-loved sitcom. Del Boy''s overwhelming popularity has even inspired the Oxford English Dictionary to include a selection of his most famous words and phrases, such as ''lovely jubbly'' and ''twonk''. In this fascinating, entertaining and meticulously researched book, acclaimed biographer Graham McCann goes behind the scenes to tell the inside story of Britain''s most enduring comedy. With major contributions from the people who wrote, produced and starred in the programme and with material drawn from the BBC archives, it''s time to take one last trip down Hooky Street . . .Trade ReviewThis is a thoroughly-researched, breezily-written, affectionate and yet never dewy-eyed account of how a great TV series was put together. It stands as a worthy monument to its creator * * Daily Mail * *McCann provides hundreds of interesting details . . . on how the show crept into the British consciousness and captured the British public's imagination with its characters and humour . . . The back stories of the actors and actresses are engrossing and how the theme music came about is a comic tale in itself * * Telegraph * *What is not to love about this book? It is meticulous, exact, intelligent, affectionate and somehow inspirational. McCann, who has written on Cary Grant and Morecombe & Wise, has delivered his best one yet. * * Guardian on Dad’s Army * *McCann's impeccably detailed biography is both a celebration and a lament. * * The Times on Morecambe and Wise * *Never has the sheer awkwardness of the human condition been so comically or beautifully conveyed. * * Daily Mail on Frankie Howerd * *You will laugh, you will learn and you will undoubtedly, start speaking in a silly voice. * * Word Magazine on Spike & Co * *This book also makes one look anew at one's favourite scenes . . . McCann has some nice insights into the production techniques that made this the most frenetic farce to have appeared on television. * * Telegraph on Fawlty Towers * *
£10.44
Headline Publishing Group Perfect Sound Whatever
Book Synopsis*The Sunday Times Bestseller*The brand new memoir from James Acaster: cult comedian, bestselling author of Classic Scrapes, undercover cop, receiver of cabbages.PERFECT SOUND WHATEVER is a love letter to the healing power of music, and how one man''s obsessive quest saw him defeat the bullshit of one year with the beauty of another. Because that one man is James Acaster, it also includes tales of befouling himself in a Los Angeles steakhouse, stealing a cookie from Clint Eastwood, and giving drunk, unsolicited pep talks to urinating strangers. January, 2017James Acaster wakes up heartbroken and alone in New York, his relationship over, a day of disastrous meetings leading him to wonder if comedy is really what he wants to be doing any more. A constant comfort in James''s life has been music, but he''s not listened to anything new for a very long time. Idly browsing ''best of the year'' lists, it dawns on him that 2016 mTrade ReviewImmensely comforting - a witty and wise account of the rejuvenating effect of opening yourself up the the creativity of others. * Record Collector *Loved James Acaster's memoir / epic listicle that posits his theory that 2016 was the best year for music. His dry wit I expected, but was impressed by the real life stories of so many musicians the world over. Paints a striking picture of what it means to be a modern musician. * Edgar Wright *honest, unaffected, poignant - and, yes, entertaining * Chortle *James is a phenomenally talented comedian and his music taste is second only to mine. * Romesh Ranganathan *If, as the pundits say, comedy is like jazz then I'm against it. I didn't drill power chords and feedback techniques just to go fannying about looking for the melody. James Acaster, though, is a bit of an outlier. He's a music wonk with a sense of the ridiculous and his controversial theory that 2016 was the greatest year for music ever is off by a mere five decades. Interesting take, though. * David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap *
£11.69
Hodder & Stoughton Improv Your Life
Book Synopsis'If you want to be more present, more reactive and have more fun - this book is for you' SARA PASCOE'Funny, insightful and inspiring' RACHEL PARRIS'Essential reading for anyone wanting to do life, but better' CARIAD LLOYD'A wonderfully witty, charmingly personal guide to the art of improvisation for the stage & life' DEBORAH FRANCES WHITEAn improviser's guide to embracing whatever life throws at you!PIPPA EVANS is an expert in saying Yes - and No. She's a master of thinking on her feet, but has also had to learn how to go with the flow. In this book she's passing on everything she's learnt from her award winning improv career, as both a performer and teacher, so YOU can take centre stage in your own life.In telling her story, delving into the craft of improvisation, and sharing fun exercises and practice you can do at home, Pippa will help you become fully yourself - realising your potential and ability to adapt to the ever changing world around you. It's dangerous, being yourself, but let's just take it one step at a time. Open the book, take a breath and get ready to say YES. (If it's a NO from you then perhaps consider buying for a friend, family member or enemy who you think needs some improv-ment)Trade ReviewPippa is one of the greatest improvisers I've ever seen on stage. To be in a show with her is a joy, to be taught by her is a privilege and now to have her thoughts all written down to digest, is a triumph. Essential reading for anyone wanting to do life, but better -- Cariad Lloyd'There's no short-cut' they used to say, but Pippa has sneakily written one. Whether you're already performing and want a guide to get you out of your head, or if you secretly wish you could be more creative- this book is for you. Pippa knows what is holding you back and if you want to be more present, more reactive and have more fun- this book is for you! -- Sara PascoeFunny, insightful and inspiring. This book will make you question yourself in the best possible way. Brings improv into your everyday life; this book really will change your life. -- Rachel ParrisA wonderfully witty, charmingly personal guide to the art of improvisation for the stage & life. Full of insights that'll kick you out of a rut & have you freewheeling with style like the glorious Pippa Evans herself. -- Deborah Frances WhiteThe most useful self-help book I have ever come across, practical, easy and very very funny - it's for anyone who gets completely stuck when it comes to life. Follow Pippa's advice, she is very wise and this book is a lot of fun to read. -- Luisa OmielanFor anyone who is an admirer of the art of improvisation, this is a wonderfully fun, easy to read, and inspiring insight into how to have fun, let go, and impro - from a pro! With lots of tips and useful exercises, it's also shows you how to turn improv into a very useful life-skill. Say yes, and buy it! -- Susie DonkinThis book is marvellous. A must have if you're into the wonderful world of improvisation. Written by one of the most talented improvisers around - the amazing Pippa Evans. I perform with her so I know! -- Josie LawrencePippa's beautiful book conveys both the sheer joy of the stage experience and how readily those simple practices can be applied to everyday life with uplifting results. Of course, the two arenas are not separate - they are both about embracing togetherness and fallibility. -- Neil MullarkeyI was very impressed with this book, it reminded me a bit of Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance -- Clive Anderson, Loose Ends, BBC Radio 4
£15.29
Firefly Books Ltd The Cheerleading Book
Book SynopsisA comprehensive guide for athletes and an effective teaching aid for coaches. More than three and a half million young athletes, female and male, participate in all-star cheerleading in North America. The Cheerleading Book is the go-to resource for anyone interested in participating in or coaching the sport of cheerleading.
£15.26
Penguin Books Ltd Life and Laughing
Book SynopsisDiscover the real Michael McIntyre through his remarkable and hilarious journey to comedy stardom in his first official autobiography''This book showed me the REAL Michael McIntyre'' 5***** READER REVIEW''It made me laugh, cry, laugh, laugh and laugh some more'' 5***** READER REVIEW''Simply is a must read . . . His story is fascinating'' 5***** READER REVIEW''To anyone who loves Michael McIntyre - you will not be disappointed!'' 5***** READER REVIEWTHE NO. 1 BESTSELLER_______Michael McIntyre is Britain''s biggest comedy star. But how did he get there? Michael reveals all in his remarkably honest and hilarious autobiography, Life and Laughing.From his showbiz roots to his appalling attempts to attract the opposite sex, his fish-out-of-water move from public to state school, and his astonishing journey from selling just one ticket at the Edinburgh Festival to selling half a million tickets on tour.Filled with riveting anecdotes and poignant lessons, Life and Laughing is the unmissable story of Britain''s biggest comedian''s rise to stardom.Above all, it''s very, very funny.
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers My Old Man
Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Theatre Book Prize; former prime minister John Major takes a remarkable journey into his own unconventional family past to tell the story of the British music hall.John Major shares memories of his performer father Tom and then shines the spotlight on the story of the music hall itself, from its Victorian heyday to its demise.In this fond look back at characters such as Marie Lloyd, Little Tich and Vesta Tilley, these faded stars take their place in the limelight once more.Packed with colourful anecdotes, My Old Man' is a warm-hearted account of a golden and bygone age.Trade Review‘An uncommon book about one of the most extraordinary, vital and creative chapters in British theatrical history admiration … Major also nobly honours his parents and the life they lived. The affection is palpable and anything but pious. In short, he gets it’ Simon Callow, Guardian ‘Affectionate, charming and unexpectedly lively … Major paints a vivid picture … to read this richly enjoyable book is to be given a glimpse into a lost world’ Mail on Sunday ‘Entertaining and well-paced … My Old Man is a powerful and affecting tribute’ Daily Express ‘His deep affection for his parents inspires his finest writing…fascinating … My Old Man is an entertaining and intriguing potted history, full of quirky details about this quintessentially English phenomenon’ Independent ‘Entertaining, fascinating and written with love….the admiration that John feels for his father is palpable on every page’ Sunday Express
£13.49
John Murray Press Get Started in StandUp Comedy
Book SynopsisLEARN HOW TO WRITE AND PERFORM STAND UP COMEDY.A new edition of Be A Great Stand-Up, now fully revised and updated with new material on setting up and running a comedy night and mining almost any subject for jokes.Logan Murray has successfully taught the techniques of stand-up comedy to thousands, and in this book he distills his years of experience into the essential skills for a great and enjoyable performance. He will help you find your creative streak and your funny side, build the confidence to deliver, and explain the finer details of stagecraft, from dealing with hecklers to coping with props. There is a full guide to the practicalities, from finding gigs to securing an agent, with plenty of valuable hints, tips and advice. Drawing on Logan''s years of teaching and his own successful stand-up career, with top tips from some of the most well-known people in the business, it is guaranteed to bring a smile to both your face and that of your future audience
£11.69
Anness Publishing Illustrated Compendium of Magic Tricks
Book SynopsisMagic is a fabulous form of entertainment, both on a professional basis and in the home. This comprehensive book contains more than 375 tricks, ranging from card, money and mind magic, optical illusions and close-up magic to puzzles, party tricks and stand-up and stage illusions. More than 2500 step-by-step photographs reveal all the skills you need, and close-up secret views show how the illusions are performed, with tips on preparation and patter enabling you to achieve a polished performance. Whether you are a keen novice or want to expand your repertoire, this inspiring book will enable you to confound and amaze friends and family.
£10.79
Hawthorn Press Therapeutic Storytelling: 101 Healing Stories for
Book SynopsisWorking with imaginative journeys and the mystery and magic of metaphor, the author has developed the art of therapeutic storytelling for children''s challenging behaviour.
£17.00
Pan Macmillan The Importance of Being Earnest & Other Plays
Book SynopsisThe four great comedies of Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest, were all written at the height of the controversial Irish author's powers in his last, doomed decade, the 1890s. They remain among the most-loved, and most-quoted, of all drama in the English language. Along with Salome, his darkly decadent dramatization of the Bible story, these immortal plays continue to pack theatres, and have been adapted for every kind of media. This Macmillan Collector's Library edition of The Importance of Being Earnest & Other Plays echoes the book form in which Wilde originally insisted his plays were published, and includes illustrations by Aubrey Beardsley and an afterword by Ned Halley.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover.
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd The Essential Groucho
Book SynopsisNo, Groucho is not my real name, I''m just breaking it in for a friend.'' Presenting the greatest and most hilarious examples of Groucho, one of the most influential and well-loved figures in the long and glittering history of comedy. From early scripts to complete screenplays, from magazine funnies to fascinating personal correspondence, via books, greedy banks, even greedier lawyers and the coming of television, Kanfer''s collection captures the essence of Groucho''s inimitable comic genius. ''I never forget a face, but in your case I''ll make an exception...
£999.99
Globe Pequot Press LineStorm Playwrights Present Go Play Outside
Book SynopsisLineStorm Playwrights is a well-known group of twelve accomplished playwrights from the Portland, Oregon, area who have had their works performed around the world and who also collaborate on and produce pieces together. They have compiled the ultimate ten-minute play collection that is perfect for this time. Due to the pandemic, the LineStorm group has been approached by several venues for short plays designed to be performed outdoors, and so this collection of thirty ten-minute plays is expressly set and meant to be performed outdoors. The book offers a healthy and safe way to partake in live theater performances!
£15.29
Ebury Publishing Fosse: The Biography
Book SynopsisDon't dance for the audience. Dance for yourself.The basis for a lavish new drama series from Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, Fosse is the definitive book on one of Broadway's and Hollywood's most complex and dynamic icons.The only person ever to win Oscar, Emmy and Tony awards in the same year, Bob Fosse revolutionised almost every facet of American entertainment. A ground-breaking dancer, choreographer, and theatre and film director, his innumerable achievements include Cabaret, All That Jazz and Chicago, one of the longest-running Broadway musicals ever. Yet his offstage life was equally dramatic, marked by deep psychological wounds and insatiable appetites.In this richly detailed and beautifully written biography, Sam Wasson draws on a wealth of unpublished material and over 300 interviews with Fosse's family, friends, enemies, lovers and collaborators, many of them speaking publicly about Fosse for the first time. Fosse is a book bursting with energy and style, pleasure and pain - much like the man himself.Trade ReviewFantastic... Wasson is the perfect biographer for Fosse. * Guardian *Wasson is a smart and savvy reporter, and his book abounds with colourful firsthand tales. * New York Times *A smart, impeccably researched biography. * Vanity Fair *One of the sharpest showbiz chronicles in years. * Chicago Tribune *
£11.69
Headline Publishing Group The Little Book of Drag
Book SynopsisDrag may have been around for hundreds of years, but it''s only in recent years that it''s really hit the mainstream. Thanks in part to the phenomenon that is RuPaul''s Drag Race, drag is now a regular feature of TV, streaming, podcasts and more, and it is beloved by many stars such as Bianca Del Rio and Trixie Mattel are now household names. But that growing fame hasn''t been entirely positive, with backlash from conservatives and religious groups.The Little Book of Drag is a sickening celebration of all things drag, serving realness with facts, history and quotes from the queens. Providing all the T on everything you''ve ever wanted to know, this is the book for any queen who wants to get reading . . . the library is open.
£6.99
Canongate Books The Pantomime Life of Joseph Grimaldi: Laughter,
Book SynopsisThe son of a deranged Italian immigrant, Joseph Grimaldi (1778-1837) was the most celebrated of English clowns. The first to use white-face make-up and wear outrageous coloured clothes, he completely transformed the role of the Clown in the pantomime with a look as iconic as Chaplin's tramp or Tommy Cooper's magician. One of the first celebrity comedians, his friends included Lord Byron and the actor Edmund Kean, and his memoirs were edited by the young Charles Dickens. But underneath the stage paint, Grimaldi struggled with depression and his life was blighted with tragedy. His first wife died in childbirth and his son would go on to drink himself to death. The outward joy and tomfoolery of his performances masked a dark and depressing personal life, and instituted the modern figure of the glum, brooding comedian. Joseph Grimaldi left an indelible mark on the English theatre and the performing arts, but his legacy is one of human struggle, battling demons and giving it his all in the face of adversity.Trade ReviewA wonderful book: beautiful, heartbreaking and absolutely fascinating -- Amanda Foreman * * author of The Duchess * *A round of applause is due to this exuberant, impassioned portrait, for bringing the great Grimaldi, 'Joey the Clown', into the limelight again -- Jenny Uglow * * Observer * *Grimaldi's is a story of comedy mixed with pathos, endurance with absurdity. It is exceptionally well told here -- Sam Leith * * Daily Mail * *This interesting and entertaining book gives a real insight into how much professional comedy has changed over the last 250 years, and how much it hasn't changed -- Frank SkinnerAlways vivacious and engaged, Stott's writing is earthed in research that gives resonance to the amplitude of detail he provides, tactfully tucking away documentation of sources in endnotes that are a pleasure in themselves -- Jennie Renton * * Sunday Herald * *A round of applause is due this exuberant portrait for bringing Grimaldi into the limelight again * * Observer New Review * *Splendid * * Sunday Telegraph * *Superb * * The Telegraph Review * *A dazzling yarn * * The Independent * *McConnell Stott's engaging book...presents a fantastic panorama of stage history, tracing how pantomime rose to be the most popular British art form at a time when the rest of Europe was convulsed by the Napoleonic wars * * The Sunday Times * *Full of wonderful descriptions of how this manic yet poignant clown beat off competition ... to be the "supreme comic being, part child, part nightmare" * * Guardian Review * *[A] great big Christmas pudding of a book, almost over-stuffed with rich and colourful life -- Simon Callow * * Guardian 'Book of the week' * *Fascinating, informative and compelling, this is essential reading for lovers of theatre and comedy * * Waterstones Book Quarterly * *As a portrait of London life in all its mutinous and anarchic variety this book would be hard to beat * * Spectator * *The biographer once did a comic turn himself and it animates his account. Stott doesn't just bring the man to painful life but his world as well * * Scottish Review of Books * *Sad though his decline was, his story, as McConnell Stott tells it, conveys an overwhelming impression of verve and ingenuity. . . [McConnell Stott] recounts these wonders with infectious brio -- John Carey * * The Sunday Times * *Rich in detail... [Stott] succeeds in evoking the London theatrical world of the time in all its riotous energy -- Patrick O'Connor * * Times Literary Supplement * *In this attractively written, well-illustrated and well-researched biography Andrew Stott brings this extraordinary genius vividly before us, in the process richly evoking the tumultuous life of the London theatre -- Michael Slater * * Literary Review * *Stott has had fun with this life * * Irish Times * *
£11.69
Triarchy Press On Walking: - And Stalking Sebald
Book Synopsis"A sensitive walk up any High Street is a Pilgrim's Progress" Phil Smith - playwright, walk-performance artist and author (Mythogeography and Counter-Tourism) - recently retraced W.G. Sebald's famous 'Rings of Saturn' walk round East Anglia. At one level On Walking describes this blistered walk from one incongruous B&B to the next, taking in places like Dunwich, Bungay, Covehithe, Orford Ness, Sutton Hoo and Rendlesham Forest - with their lost villages, Cold War testing sites, black dogs, white deer and alien trails. Phil Smith's walk soon becomes every bit as remarkable as Sebald's and he matches Sebald's erudition, originality and humour swathe for swathe. At a second level, the book sets out a unique kind of 'hyper-sensitised' walking for which the author is quietly famous. It burrows beneath the guidebook and the map, looks beyond the shopfront and Tudor facade and feels beneath the blisters and aches of the everyday. The Suffolk walk described here is an exemplary walk that goes beyond 'wandering around looking at stuff' and shows how every walk can be art, revolution and pilgrimage. At a third level, On Walking is an intellectual tour de force, encompassing Situationism, alchemy, dancing, jouissance, geology, psychogeography, 20th century cinema and old TV, architecture, grief, pilgrimage, WWII, the Cold War, Uzumaki, pub conversations, somatics and synchronicity.Table of ContentsWho me? Superstitions What I do when I walk My Sebald walk: Taken from my notebooks Walking bodies actics of sensitivity Knees Crab Man's razor Don't take your own food A skill... A few ighlights from other drifts and wanders (1) Encounters Democracy O my International Lettristes! O my Situationists! Getting started Scratching from start Mythogeography Jouissance Environmentalism Pilgrimage Dodgy Walk in the footsteps of others Being ready Leaderless Holey actics and things Deep topography Autotopography Cemetery Walk (2003) Walking in the Suburbs (2013) Doppel A few ighlights from other drifts and wanders (2) Cryptic Coincidences Note The wobbly art of memory Holey space Follow animal tracks Bluster The right to more Rhythms Psychogeography Walk to the ends of the earth Atmospheres Alchemical crossing Walking in character Undercovers Walking as an ordeal The man in the mask Women and walking Re:enactment Urfaces A few highlights from other drifts and wanders (3) A few highlights from other drifts and wanders (4) The fire doors of perception The last tactic Appendix Walking for a change: A manifesto for a new nomad References
£17.51
Pearson Education Limited Communication Principles for a Lifetime Global
Book SynopsisSteven A. Beebe is Regents' and University Distinguished Professor emeritus at Texas State University. He served as Chair of the Department of Communication Studies at Texas State for 28 years and concurrently as Associate Dean for 25 years. Steve is the author or co-author of 14 widely used communication books, most of which have been through multiple editions (including Russian and Chinese editions), as well as numerous articles, book chapters, and conference presentations. He has been a Visiting Scholar at both Oxford University and Cambridge University in England. He made international headlines when conducting research at Oxford; he discovered a manuscript that was the partial opening chapter of a book that was to be co-authored with J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis called Language and Human Nature. Steve's book, C. S. Lewis and the Craft of Communication, chronicles the discovery of and identifies Lewis's contributions to communication. SteveTable of ContentsUNIT I: PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION Identifying Foundations of Human Communication Exploring Self-Awareness and Communication Understanding Verbal Messages Understanding Nonverbal Messages Listening and Responding Adapting to Others: Diversity and Communication UNIT II: INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION Understanding Interpersonal Communication Enhancing Relationships UNIT III: COMMUNICATING IN GROUPS AND TEAMS Understanding Group and Team Performance Enhancing Group and Team Performance UNIT IV: PUBLIC SPEAKING Developing Your Speech Organizing and Outlining Your Speech Delivering Your Speech Speaking to Inform Speaking to Persuade Appendix A. Interviewing Appendix B. Sample Speeches for Discussion and Evaluation
£55.24
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Writers Artists Poetry Writers Handbook
Book SynopsisPoetry is increasingly democratic in its use of different formats, but it can be difficult to know how to navigate the range of options available. In a competitive field, this information is not always easy to access, and many poets make mistakes. This handbook is here to help.How do you make the finances work? Should you release a pamphlet or a full collection? Which promoters should you work with? How can you get your work reviewed? How do you maintain a public profile if performance isn't for you? What mentoring and publication options are open for mid-career poets? The Poetry Writers'' Handbook will answer all these questions and more. It provides: - practical advice on managing income and funding a career - detailed information on printing and distribution, marketing and publicity, and submission to editors, reviewers and prizes- up-to-date contacts for funding organisations, prizes, publishers and magazines for poets and their work.It gives a clear and up-to-date picture oTable of Contents1 Small Worlds: an introduction to the world of poetry 2 Getting published: magazines, prizes and pamphlets 3 Getting published: full poetry collections 4 To self-publish, or not? 5 Performance poetry: background and history 6 Performance poetry: owning the stage 7 The business of poetry 8 Marketing your book 9 A community of poets Bibliography Glossary Directory - who to contact Index
£18.00
Yale University Press Humour
Book Synopsis
£12.88
Piccadilly Books,U.S. Balloon Sculpting A Fun and Easy Guide to Making
Book Synopsis
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd Paul OGradys Country Life
Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA fascinating and hilarious glimpse into Paul''s life at home in the country with his animalsPaul O''Grady''s Country Life for the first time gives a glimpse into the home life of one of Britain's best loved stars, alongside the animals he adores. Sometimes rural idyll, sometimes hell on earth, Paul's life in rural Kent has been shared over the years with some very vocal pigs, a mad cow, various rescued barn owls, the world's most sadistic geese and Christine the psychotic sheep among many other animal waifs and strays. And of course Paul tells the stories of the dogs in his life including the tiny chihuahua/Jack Russell cross with Napoleonic ambitions, Eddie, Miss Olga, Bullseye, Louis, Boycie and, of course, Buster, the greatest canine star since Lassie. In addition, Paul shares some of his favourite recipes, explores country lore and superstitions, and extols the benefits of growing your own vegetables, herbs aTrade ReviewFor the past decade, O'Grady has lived a quiet life in Kent... and he details the change of pace with typical wit and frankness. * Radio Times *
£10.44
Oxford University Press Inc Notes for Oboists
Book SynopsisNotes for Oboists: A Guide to the Repertoire is an essential resource for professional, amateur, and student oboists that collects the important historical and analytical information for thirty-five of the best-known pieces composed for the instrument. These works span the eighteenth through the twenty-first century and include sonatas, concertos, chamber music, and works for solo oboe by a wide range of composers. Chapters will cover compositions such as Alessandro Marcello''s Concerto in D Minor, Robert Schumann''s Three Romances Op. 94, Francis Poulenc''s Sonata for Oboe and Piano, Isang Yun''s Piri for Oboe Solo, Reena Esmail''s Jhula Jhule for Oboe and Piano, and thirty other treasures of the oboe repertoire.Writing in engaging and accessible prose supported by fact-filled analytical charts, Nora A. Lewis offers rich biographical information on individual composers, historical context for compositions (such as the circumstances for its development), as well as clear structural analyses to help oboists gain a deeper understanding of well-known repertoire. In offering both historical/biographical as well as musicological insight, Notes for Oboists connects performance studies with scholarship, allowing readers to build a more complete picture of the music and encourage them to approach other compositions in a similarly analytical manner.
£18.99
Oxford University Press Inc A Handbook of Diction for Singers
Book SynopsisFeaturing updates, expansions, and a new chapter on phonetic symbols and unique sounds in Italian, German, and French, this third edition of the widely adopted A Handbook of Diction for Singers is a complete guide to achieving professional levels of diction in the three major languages of the classical vocal repertory.Trade ReviewIt's hard to believe, but Mr. Adams has actually improved this comprehensive text for its third edition. Anything and everything one needs to understand and execute beautiful, authoritative diction can be found in this book....and in three languages! Get it! * Martin Katz, G. Koldofsky Distinguished University Professor, Earl V. Moore Collegiate Professor in Music, Artur Schnabel Collegiate Professor in Piano, University of Michigan *David Adams presents vast knowledge in a very clear and organized fashion. There are multiple fine points that spice up the teaching throughout. The handbook is a very practical book filled with details illustrated by numerous musical examples. This book is a must for all singers, coaches, conductors, and language majors. * Pierre Vallet, The Metropolitan Opera, The Juilliard School *A valuable introduction to vocal diction, this book offers a clear, no-nonsense guide that will be extremely useful to singers, teachers and coaches. * Brian Zeger, Artistic Director, Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts at The Juilliard School *Wow! No need to bother with other reference works for these three languages-it's all here and then some! I'm so impressed with Mr. Adams' thoroughness, clarity, and his ability to keep what could be a dry subject interesting, entertaining and stimulating. Any singer, voice teacher or collaborative pianist needs this on a very handy shelf. * Martin Katz, Pianist, Coach, and Conductor *A Handbook of Diction for Singers will make an invaluable addition to any singer's library. The clarity and simplicity of Mr. Adams' approach to lyric diction is wonderful to read, and his years of teaching and the depth of his understanding only underscore his clear and clean explanation of the many aspects of this discipline. Bravo, David! * Warren Jones, Pianist *David Adams' contribution to the singer's bookshelf is invaluable. He not only provides a clear, pragmatic guide to diction for singers and pianists but approaches the topic with a fine ear for music and a deep understanding of the challenges singers face in uniting music and text. * Brian Zeger, collaborative pianist and Director of Vocal Arts, Juilliard School *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Preface Chapter 1 An Introduction to Individual Sounds Chapter 2 Italian Diction Chapter 3 German Diction Chapter 4 French Diction Bibliography Index of Sounds by Spelling General Index
£28.45
Penguin Books Ltd Circus of Mirrors
Book SynopsisDiscover the dazzling new historical novel from the author of That Green Eyed Girl and 73 Dove StreetPerfect for fans of City of Girls, Cabaret and Sunday Times bestseller, The Whalebone Theatre. ''Sexy, electrically stylish, and beautiful - a gorgeous story about sisterhood, and a glamorous, evocative passport to a period we all long to get lost in'' Daisy Buchanan, award-winning author of Insatiable''Julie''s best novel yet'' Georgina Moore, bestselling author of The Garnett GirlsWould you choose your sister or the love of your life? BERLIN, 1926After the death of their parents, sisters Leni and Annette only have each other.Desperate to support her younger sister, Leni finds work at a notorious cabaret: the Babylon Circus, a place where reality and fantasy merge. It's an overwhelming new world, and Leni is happiest hiding in the shadows. That is, until she meets the cabaret's resident pianist, Paul, beginning a tentative love affair that will play out over the next forty years and will change the course of their lives forever. In a city whose divisions will define a century, can a love born within the feverish walls of the Babylon Circus ever survive? And can the bond between Leni and Annette tugged in opposite directions of their own also endure?Praise for Circus of Mirrors: ''A tale of two sisters and a city, all three of them so vividly drawn, I felt I knew them. Superbly atmospheric, with convincingly flawed characters that just leap off the page'' Frances Quinn, author of The Bonesetter Woman ''An all-singing, all-dancing, moving and masterful book about two complex sisters living in incredibly complex times. Brilliant.'' Anna Mazzola, author of The Clockwork Girl ''Bold, brave and absorbing'' Elizabeth Buchan, author of Bonjour, Sophie ''With hints of Atonement, this is an epic novel' Louise Fein, author of Daughter of the Reich Praise for Julie Owen Moylan ''Touching, entertaining and hopeful'' Sunday Times ''Dazzling'' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING ''I was gripped from the first page'' SARA COX ''Psychologically astute and emotionally absorbing,'' DAILY MAIL ''A wonderfully evocative, immersive novel that brings 50s London to life, from the smog and the nightlife to attitudes towards women'' SUNDAY EXPRESS ''Emotional, immersive and utterly absorbing'' JENNIFER SAINT
£17.09
Hachette Books The Dark Side of the Screen
Book SynopsisFoster Hirsch''s Dark Side of the Screen is by far the most thorough and entertaining study of the themes, visual motifs, character types, actors, directors, and films in this genre ever published. From Billy Wilder, Douglas Sirk, Robert Aldrich, and Howard Hawkes to Martin Scorsese, Roman Polanski, and Paul Schrader, the noir themes of dread, paranoia, steamy sex, double-crossing women, and menacing cityscapes have held a fascination. The features that make Burt Lancaster, Joan Crawford, Robert Mitchum, and Humphrey Bogart into noir heroes and heroines are carefully detailed here, as well as those camera angles, lighting effects, and story lines that characterize Fritz Lang, Samuel Fuller, and Orson Welles as noir directors.For the current rediscovery of film noir, this comprehensive history with its list of credits to 112 outstanding films and its many illustrations will be a valuable reference and a source of inspiration for further research.Trade ReviewMartin Jackson, Cineaste "Wonderfully readable: Hirsch is clear, knowledgeable, and concise...[The Dark Side of the Screen] is a visual as well as literary pleasure." Philip French, The Observer (London) "There has been no extended work as good as Foster Hirsch's The Dark Side of the Screen, a well-written, imaginatively illustrated book that sees the brief, true heyday as between Wilder's Double Indemnity (1944) and his Sunset Boulevard (1950), but looks at the prelude and the aftermath, and sets the genre in its larger social and cultural context." Skyscraper, Spring 2009 "An important examination of what film noir is...The 264-page treatise is not a review source; rather, Hirsch's academic work delves deeply with a scholarly but not dry approach."
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