Popular culture Books

Book SynopsisThe ultimate death compendium, featuring the world's most extraordinary artistic and ethnographic objects concerned with mortality, together with text by expert contributors.Trade Review'A delightfully dark compendium' - The EconomistTable of Contents1. The Art of Dying • 2. Examining the Dead • 3. Memorialising the Dead • 4. The Personification of Death • 5. Symbolising Death • 6. Death as Amusement • 7. The Dead After Life

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Book SynopsisPJ Kirby and Kevin Twomey are two mammy's boys from Cork who are always up for a skit.The I'm Grand Mamual is Kevin and PJ's hilarious and heart-warming ode to their mammies, Phil and Nuala. Taking a different well-worn saying such as We haven't died a winter yet' and Sure, who'd be looking at you anyway?' Kevin and PJ recount wild experiences from their lives from coming out, holidays and money management to dating, hustling and sustainability where the phrase has rung true, proving that Mam always knows best.With great humour and middling advice, The I'm Grand Mamual is a big-sisterly companion that proudly celebrates embracing yourself and the uniquely Irish motherchild relationship.

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Book SynopsisThe PERFECT GIFT for the terminally cool._________________________________________________This is a hipster.He is childless, unaccountably wealthy, and always well turned out.He likes art, porridge,s carves, and anything reclaimed from French factories . . ._________________________________________________Hipsters like to collect old things that are unfashionable, because that makes them fashionable.Vintage washing-up bowls are highly prized, because they look neither retro nor valuable, and therefore both._________________________________________________This delightful book is part of a Ladybird series specially planned to help grown-ups with the world about them. The large clear script, the careful choice of words, the frequent repetition and the thoughtful matching of text with pictures all enable grown-ups to think they have taught themselves to cope. Featuring original Ladybird artwork alongside brillian

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Book SynopsisNow also a new documentary film written and presented by Peter Hooton, The Boot Room Boys - BT Sport April 2022.The Boot Room story starts in 1959 when Bill Shankly arrived and converted a 12 x 12 storage room into a meeting place for him and his coaches, a move that had momentous consequences, both for the Club and British football. Fans on the Kop will remember the heart-stopping extra time of the 1965 FA Cup Final, and the jubilation of winning the treble in 1984. But what was the common thread during Liverpool''s glory years? It was the Boot Room. Lifelong Liverpool supporter and editor of legendary fanzine The End, Peter Hooton takes us back into that old storage room, where first Shankly, then in succession Paisley, Fagan and Dalglish drank tea, analysed, strategised, selected and deselected, and built the most successful British club in Europe in the 20th Century. Illustrated throughout with over 100 powerful never-before-seen images from the Mirror''s forgotten archives, The Boot Room Boys captures the story, as it unfolded, of Liverpool''s conquering heroes.

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Book SynopsisWhere''s Bob? On a mountaintop? In a wooded forest? Maybe a TV studio? Find the world''s favorite painting instructor in more than a dozen unique settings within this original search-and-find activity book. Where''s Bob? includes 15 full-color illustrated scenes to search for Bob Ross in sites reminiscent of his paintings, such as at a riverbank, the seaside, or woods, as well as settings inspired by the artist''s life experiences, including a TV studio and shopping mall. The book also invites you to find items like Peapod the squirrel, Bob''s paint palette, and his paintbrush within the illustrations. Happy searching!

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Book SynopsisPut on your mini climbing shoes and get ready to practice your climbing skills anywhere you wish with your very own Finger Rock Climbing kit!  Specifications: A 6-1/2-inch rock climbing 'wall' with base, 20 rearrangeable holds to create different paths, in four different colors, and one pair of rock climbing shoes for your fingers Illustrated mini book: Includes a 32-page 2x3-inch miniature book with a brief history of the sport, along with common terminology, and basic do's and dont's Unique gift: Perfect gift for outdoor and indoor climbing enthusiasts of all ages

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Book SynopsisMeet the Wacky Waving Inflatable Tube Guy''s festive cousin: Tube Elf!He''s holly. He''s jolly. He''s perfect for gifting or for adorning your mantle this Christmas. He''s the Wacky Waving Inflatable Tube Elf! Box includes:* A 17-inch waving tube elf with fan in base to let him wave, dance, flail, and spread cheer with you all holiday season (batteries not included)*An illustrated mini book exploring the fascinating (imagined) origins of the mini tube elfNever has so much joy come in such a small package.

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Book SynopsisPut your thoughts, dreams, and inspirations to paper in this one-of-a-kind guided journal that serves as a time capsule to record your likes/dislikes and favorite things. Packed with full-color art and inspiring prompts throughout, this officially licensed journal with BuzzFeed uses high-quality materials wrapped in a giftable flexibound package that will be a hit with fans everywhere. Examples of prompts include: What are your favorite shows to stream? Make a playlist that explains your life. What is your favorite book and how has it affected you?The journal also includes a page of BuzzFeed''s iconic yellow badge stickers in the back that you can use to decorate pages, as well as a handful of sidebars, a letter to write to your future self, and other fun features.

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Book SynopsisExplores Beyoncé’s impact as an artist and public figure.

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Book SynopsisIn the first official book on the legendary club Studio 54, co-owner Ian Schrager presents a spectacular volume brimming with star-studded photographs and personal stories from the greatest party of all time.Trade Review"Ian Schrager, the former co-owner of Studio 54, collects photographs and stories from the nightclub's heyday in the late 1970s and '80s in this glitzy, celebrity-filled coffee-table book that will fill any giftee with awe and nostalgia."—The New York Times, Holiday Gift Guide"... spectacular volume containing a treasure trove of the era’s glam."—Society Diaries"On the timeline of New York nightlife, the heyday of Studio 54 barely registers as a blip. Just three years separate the club’s celeb-mobbed 1977 opening and the raucous “going-away party” that proprietors Ian Schrager and the late Steve Rubell hosted before being carted off to jail for tax evasion. But in the four decades since that famous coke-snorting crescent moon first rose over the dance floor, no other nightclub has made quite as indelible an ­impression on the city’s social scene. From 10 p.m. until sunrise, A-list movie stars mingled with drag queens on roller skates, Park Avenue swans had (pre-AIDS-crisis) bathroom sex with downtown artists, and some of the 20th-century’s greatest literary lights watched it all from the infamous banquettes. Now, thanks to a new book, those who never made it past the velvet ropes—or are too young to have even tried—have a window into that wild-and-crazy magic. Studio 54 (Rizzoli), edited by Schrager, now impresario of a slew of hotels including the new Public Hotel, is equal parts oral history, personal scrapbook, and photo album, bringing together the reminiscences of regulars with star-studded snapshots and reams of gossip columns. Schrager, it seems, saved everything."—W Magazine.com"Ian Schrager looks back at the legendary club that he and Steve Rubell started in 1977, with vintage photos of the stars and personalities who walked through its doors."—WSJ. Magazine"Schrager is releasing Studio 54, featuring hundreds of photos from the club's heyday, many of them from his personal albums: Michael Jackson and David Bowie, presidential families and news anchors, the SNL crew, Diana Ross, Tennessee Williams, Halston, Roy Cohn, Richard Pryor, Vladimir Horowitz—a fairly broad representation of American achievement, and not a handler or cell-phone camera in sight. "—Esquire"To say that Studio 54 was the place to be, may in fact be the understatement of the last four decades. To celebrate the nightclub’s 40th anniversary this year, co-founder Ian Schrager looks back to the Studio’s history with a new coffee table book, out now, and an upcoming documentary to be released at the end of the year."—Refinery29.com"Legendary luxury hotelier Ian Schraeger, co-owner of Studio 54, has put together the ultimate illustrated memoir in the long-awaited magnum opus Studio 54 (Rizzoli New York). The book is the perfect mélange of photographs and press clips, memories of New York when nightlife was at its peak. But it’s more than a who’s who of the jet set—it is the ultimate guide to vintage style, from Valentino to Steven Tyler of Aerosmith."—Crave Online"In Ian Schrager’s new book, Studio 54, the club owner pulls back the velvet rope to capture the power, pleasure, and people at the greatest nightclub of all time."—Vanity Fair"The iconic disco club that defined an era comes alive again in this sizable memory-capsule by and on the legendary co-founder, Ian Schrager through spectacular photographs (some never before seen) featuring the likes of Mick Jagger, Elizabeth Taylor, Warren Beatty, Diana Ross and Andy Warhol. The More than just nostalgia, this is unfettered access past the velvet rope and into a unique world where celebrities and regulars partied together, epitomizing decadence and most importantly, having fun."—IndulgeMagazine.com

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Book SynopsisEcologies of Creative Music Practice: Mattering Music explores music as a dynamic practice embedded in contemporary ecological contexts, one that both responds to, and creates change within, the ecologies in which it is created and consumed. This highly interdisciplinary analysis includes theoretical and practical considerations from blockchain technology and digital platform commerce to artificial intelligence and the future of work, to sustainability and political ecology as well as contemporary philosophical paradigms, guiding its investigation through three main lenses: How can music work as a conceptual tool to interrogate and respond to our changing global environment? How have transformations in our digital environment affected how we produce, distribute and consume music? How does music relate to matters of political ecology and environmental change? Within this framework, music is positioned Trade Review‘Music matters. And, as Matthew Lovett argues in this compelling book, it cannot be understood without reference to matter, whether in the form of technological tools or wider physical environments. Taking an ecomusicological approach, Lovett joins the dots between Vaughan Williams and Justin Bieber, between blockchains and physical bodies, to position music as enmeshed, embedded, entangled – and entirely interdependent with other systems in both production and consumption.’Marcus O’Dair, Associate Dean, Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise, University of the Arts London ‘Ecologies of Creative Music Practice reminds us that music, before it is anything else, is interdependent and environmental, embedded in various systems, ecologies, and material networks as it is: this has always been the case, but in a context of naturing-culturing anthropocenes, capitalocenes and novacenes this sort of immanent critical approach to music is more timely than ever. Taking an intriguing, adaptive ecomusicological approach in which recent trends in new materialist thinking are applied to and within various musical and music business contexts, Ecologies of Creative Music Practice brings theory and matter – the matter of theory, the theory of matter – together to illuminate the practices of music and, in turn, to use those practices to help us think differently about broader questions of technology, materialism and philosophy, and the environment. Roving across everything from video games to speculative realism, AI and blockchain to François Laruelle, and ending with a vision of music as 'ecology in motion', the book is a must read for anyone interested in creative musical practice as an assemblage or nexus of big, knotty, heavy global challenges (and vice versa). This is an intriguing book that repays close attention.’Dr Stephen Graham, Head of School of Arts and Humanities, Goldsmiths, University of LondonTable of Contents1. Critical Perspectives on Mattering Music 2. Music and Material Creativity 3. Music, Rights and Revenue 4. Music and Digital Creativity 5. Music, Creative Labour and Artificial Creativity

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Book SynopsisThis newly expanded and revised third edition brings together the most important and up-to-date hip-hop scholarship in one comprehensive volume.This intellectual mixtape is composed of 46 readings that are organized into nine sections representing key concepts and themes: the history of hip-hop, authenticity debates, gender, the globalization of hip-hop, identities, disability, politics, hip-hop and academia, and hip-hop and the media. This new edition also includes greater coverage of gender, sexuality, and racial diversity in hip-hop; hip-hopâs global influence; and hip-hopâs role in social movements and political activism. The pedagogical features include detailed critical introductions framing each section and brief chapter introductions to help readers place each piece in context and within a broader scholarly dialogue. This text is essential reading for anyone seeking deeper understanding of the profound impact of hip-hop as an intellectual, aesthetic, and cultural movement.Trade Review"That's The Joint! has been an essential classroom companion for me ever since I started teaching about Hip-Hop. Tireless research, firsthand accounts from cultural icons, as well as thought-provoking post-article summaries and questions make this collection of writings a must-have in any Hip-Hop Studies environment." - Akrobatik, Hip-Hop Artist, Associate Lecturer at University of Massachusetts Boston, Honors College and American Studies Department, USATable of ContentsPrologue "What Is Hip-Hop?" Greg Tate Part I "They Reminisce Over You": Hip-Hop History and Historiography Murray Forman 1. The Politics of Graffiti Craig Castleman 2. Zulus on a Time Bomb: Hip-Hop Meets the Rockers Downtown Jeff Chang 3. Hip-Hop’s Founding Fathers Speak the Truth Nelson George 4. First Ladies Cristina Verán 5. Physical Graffiti: The History of Hip-Hop Dance Jorge "Popmaster Fabel" Pabon 6. Postindustrial Soul: Black Popular Music at the Crossroads Mark Anthony Neal Part II "Real Niggas Do Real Things": Hip-Hop Culture and the Authenticity Debates Mark Anthony Neal 7. Puerto Rocks: Rap, Roots, and Amnesia Juan Flores 8. Lookin’ for the Real Nigga: Social Scientists Construct the Ghetto Robin D.G. Kelley 9. Rapping and Repping Asian: Race, Authenticity and the Asian American Oliver Wang 10. "Things Done Changed": Recalibrating the Real in Hip-Hop Murray Forman 11. Sampling Ethics Joseph Schloss 12. What Does Authenticity Mean in Today’s Hip-Hop and How Much Does it Still Matter? Aaron Williams Part III "Baby, Look the Other Way": Hip-Hop and Gender Regina N. Bradley 13. The Stage Hip-Hop Feminism Built: A New Directions Essay Aisha Durham, Brittney C. Cooper, and Susana M. Morris 14. From Boys to Men: Hip-Hop, Hood Films and the Performance of Contemporary Black Masculinity Robin M. Boylorn 15. I Used to be Scared of the Dick: Queer Women of Color and Hip-Hop Masculinity Andreana Clay 16. A Ratchet Lens: Black Queer Youth, Agency, Hip Hop, and the Black Ratchet Imagination Bettina L. Love 17. "Put Some Bass in Your Walk": Notes on Queerness, Hip Hop, and the Spectacle of the Undoable Scott Poulson-Bryant Part IV "Different Modes, Different Area Codes": Hip-Hop, From the Local to the Global Regina N. Bradley 18. "Represent": Race, Space, and Place in Rap Music Murray Forman 19. The Mountaintop Ain’t Flat Regina N. Bradley 20. "The World is Yours": The Globalization of Hip Hop Language Marcyliena Morgan 21. "I Got the Mics On, My People Speak": On the Rise of Aboriginal Australian Hip Hop Rhyan Clapham & Benjamin Kelly 22. Ciphers, ‘Hoods and Digital DIY Studios in India: Negotiating Aspirational Individuality and Hip Hop Collectivity Ethiraj Gabriel Dattatreyan & Jaspal Naveel Singh 23. Connection and Complicity in the Global South: Hip Hop Musicians and US Cultural Diplomacy Kendra Salois 24. Hip Hop Matters: Race, Space, and Islam in Chicago Su'ad Abdul Khabeer Part V "I am Hip-Hop": Hip-Hop Identities Regina N. Bradley 25. "Each One, Teach One": B-boying and Ageing Mary Fogarty 26. Listening for the Interior in Hip-Hop and R&B Music Tennille Nicole Allen & Antonia Randolph 27. Citizenship Without Representation?: Blackface, Misogyny, and Parody in Die Antwoord, Lupé Fiasco and Angel Haze Adam Haupt 28. Decolonial Hip Hop: Indigenous Hip Hop and the Disruption of Settler Colonialism Kyle T. Mays 29. Fat Mutha: Hip Hop's Queer Corpulent Poetics Mecca Jamilah Sullivan Part VI "Krip-Hop": Disability and Hip Hop Mark Anthony Neal 30. Back to the Community: My Life in Rap, Poetry, and Activism Leroy Moore 31. "And So I Bust Back": Violence, Race, and Disability in Hip Hop Anna Hinton 32. (Live!) The Post-Traumatic Futurities of Black Debility Mikko O. Koivisto Part VII "Fight the Power": Hip-Hop and Politics Mark Anthony Neal 33. This is America: Hip-Hop and the Black Lives Matter Movement Lakeyta M. Bonnette-Bailey, Lestina Dongo, and Michael Westberg 34. Occupy Wall Street, Racial Neoliberalism, and New York’s Hip-Hop Moguls Eithne Quinn 35. Amicus Brief: Taylor Bell v. Itawamba County School Board Erik Nielson, Charis E. Kubrin, Travis L. Gosa, Michael Render (AKA "Killer Mike"), et. al. 36. "AmeriKKKa’s most wanted": Hip Hop Culture and Hip Hop theology as challenges to oppression Daniel White Hodge Part VIII "Put You on Game": Academia, Pedagogy, and Institutionalized Knowledge Murray Forman 37. Hip Hop Studies in Black P. Khalil Saucier & Tryon P. Woods 38. Hip Hop and the University Sara Hakeem Grewal 39. Let Me Blow Your Mind: Hip Hop Feminist Future in Theory and Praxis Treva B. Lindsey 40. Hip-Hop Archives or an Archive of Hip-Hop?: A Remix Impulse Mark V. Campbell 41. "Be Current, or You Become the Old Man": Crossing the Generational Divide in Hip-Hop Education Jason D. Rawls and Emery Petchauer Part IX "Post It or It Didn’t Happen": Hip-Hop in and as Media Murray Forman 42. Black College-Radio on Predominantly White Campuses: A ‘Hip-Hop Era’ Student-Authored Inclusion Initiative Anthony Kwame Harrison 43. "Playas’ and Players": Racial and Spatial Trespassing in Hip Hop Culture Through Video Games Michael Austin 44. "Every Time I Dress Myself, It Go Motherfuckin' Viral": Post-Verbal Flows and Memetic Hype in Young Thug's Mumble Rap Michael Waugh 45. City Girls, Hot Girls and the Re-Imagining of Black Women in Hip Hop and Digital Spaces Kyesha Jennings 46. The Audacity of Clout (Chasing): Digital Strategies of Black Youth in Chicago DIY Hip-Hop Jabari M. Evans and Nancy K. Baym

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Book SynopsisBlack Womenâs Liberation Movement Music argues that the Black Womenâs Liberation Movement of the mid-to-late 1960s and 1970s was a unique combination of Black political feminism, Black literary feminism, and Black musical feminism, among other forms of Black feminism.This book critically explores the ways the soundtracks of the Black Womenâs Liberation Movement often overlapped with those of other 1960s and 1970s social, political, and cultural movements, such as the Black Power Movement, Womenâs Liberation Movement, and Sexual Revolution. The soul, funk, and disco music of the Black Womenâs Liberation Movement era is simultaneously interpreted as universalist, feminist (in a general sense), and Black female-focused. This musicâs incredible ability to be interpreted in so many different ways speaks to the importance and power of Black womenâs music and the fact that it has multiple meanings for a multitude of people. Within the worlds of both Black Popular Movement STrade Review"Reiland Rabaka is one of America’s foremost scholars of the African American experience. That he has turned his gaze to Black women and music can only be cause for excitement, as all his previous works carry the label: SOTA, or state of the art. Given the depth and scope of this work, it will readily become a standout ‘reference’ work. This represents an amazing accomplishment, even by Rabaka’s standards."William E. Cross, Jr., Professor Emeritus, University of Denver and author of Shades of Black"Black Women’s Liberation Movement Music is in some ways an extension of themes that have figured prominently in Professor Rabaka’s previous books including The Hip Hop Movement, Hip Hop’s Inheritance, Hip Hop’s Amnesia, Civil Rights Music, and Black Power Music! In all, Rabaka speaks as a sociologist, musician, and social historian to confront head-on the tacit and pervasive marginalization and erasure of women’s agency in the tides of progressive social change, especially as these tides manifest themselves in music; and in all he dismantles the strategies of erasure and highlights a dazzling tapestry of Black women’s crucial contributions. But in this book, those themes find their fulfillment or even culmination. Although scholarly and popular study of this watershed period in cultural history has focused on men (White and Black), Black Women’s Liberation Movement Music demonstrates compellingly that the liberation movement of Black women, including its music, was a primary agent if not the primary agent of transformational societal changes during the period 1960-80. I recommend this beautifully structured and eloquently argued study to anyone interested not only in the Black Women’s Liberation Movement, but also in other movements including the Black Power movement, the women’s liberation movement, and the sexual revolution."John Michael Cooper, Professor of Music, Southwestern UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction. The Musical Icons and Anthems of the Black Women’s Liberation Movement 1. The Black Women’s Liberation Movement 2. Black Musical Feminism 3. Soul Sisters 4. Black Feminist Funksters 5. Afro-Disco Divas Conclusion. On the Popular Music of Black Women’s Unpopular Movement

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Book SynopsisAn innovative edited collection which examines fandom in marginalized communities from an empirically based, media psychology perspective.This book specifically focuses on fandom communities and cultures as spaces for marginalized individuals - LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and more - to gather, engage with one another, and create their own representation to disrupt dominant, societal discourse as presented in the mainstream media. Edited by Leah Dajches and Jennifer Stevens Aubrey, the collection features the work of well-known scholars currently working within the disciplines of fans studies and media effects, as well as new and emerging voices in these fields. Made up of innovative theoretical and empirical contributions and organized into three key sections: (1) Theoretical Advances in Relation to Fandom Effects, (2) Individual Fandom Communities and Media Effects, and (3) Innovative Methodological Approaches to Fandom this collection highlights how fandom communities and cultures can function uniquely for those with identities based within marginalized communities.A must read for upper-level students, researchers and scholars interested in the intersection between fandom and fan studies, media effects, and media psychology.

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Book SynopsisRemembering the Jewish and German Questions: Essays on Fairy Tales, Poetry, and Culture is a selection of Jack Zipesâs insightful essays and presentations on fairy tales, Jewish studies, philosophy, drama, and the German public sphere.The collection begins by considering how fairy tales have been shaped by societies, and how they have influenced society in turn. Zipes considers the history of the Grimmsâ fairy tales and their popularity and spread â comparing them to an epidemic. The second chapter champions the work and significance of the great philosopher Ernst Bloch, with substantial engagement with the essay collection Not Yet: Reconsidering Ernst Bloch (Daniel and Moylan 1997). Chapter 3 probes into the way society makes sense of the world through fairy tales and fantasy. In Chapter 4, Zipes explores the shift and reemergence of Jewish culture in Germany in the 1990s. He turns to the work of Gilles Deleuze and FÃlix Guattari to offer insight into the usefulness of a minor literature for grasping the impact of Jewish culture as a minor culture in Germany. The next chapter provides a fascinating case study of Hungarian writer and theater director George Taboriâs relationship to the Jewish Question through examination of his plays from 1968 to 1996. Chapter 6 looks to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the unification of Germany in 1990, and questions around Jewish and German relationships in the public sphere. The final chapter offers detailed examination of Theodor Adornoâs essay âœCultural Criticism and Societyâ (1951) and remembers forgotten poets who wrote remarkable poems in defiance of the barbarism of World War 2.This interdisciplinary, transnational, and crosscultural collection gathers essays and presentations from Jack Zipesâs captivating oeuvre published or presented across two decades. It provides a celebration of the work of this esteemed and field-defining literary scholar. It is an illuminating book intended for readers interested in fairy tale studies, poetry, drama, and Jewish studies.

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Book SynopsisIn this explosive first-person account of swapping the White House for the Big House, Donald Trump aims to Make Prison Great Again.MARCH 31It''s been two weeks since they put me in The Hole. Very unfair! No-one is treated as unfairly as Trump. Many people say that solitary confinement is a kind of torture. I''m not so sure. I''m getting to spend a lot of time with my favourite person in the world. I say to him: Mr President, remember when you met Bo Derek at the PGA Tour Championship? She had the hots for you, believe me. And he''ll reply: I agree, Mr President. Also, I was a better golfer than anyone in the tournament.And that''s without cheating, which I would never do, believe me.So I''m doing amazing. Incredibly well. Some would say I''m the best Hole Guy ever. Not like those losers who go nuts...Of course the verdict was VERY UNFAIR - they were meant to be a jury of his peers, but none of them were billionaires. Still, the trial got AMAZING ratings. Now locked up in Smallhand State Prison, our presidential protagonist goes full Samuel Pepys and attempts the first BESTSELLER to be written entirely on toilet paper.Life inside is tough for Trump: he experiences withdrawal symptoms from social media and is no longer able to watch Fox News all day. But he soon realises that incarceration isn''t a punishment, it''s an OPPORTUNITY, and attempts to conquer the clink as he once conquered AMERICA. Can Donald rise to become prison kingpin, smuggling McDonald''s Filet-O-Fish and tutoring fellow inmates in the Art of the Deal?Interspersed with reports from Smallhand''s resident psychologist, Trump: The Prison Diariesis a satirical riot - The Apprentice meets The Shawshank Redemption. So brace yourself, because orange is the new orange.

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Book SynopsisBarbie is a strong, independent doll. But is she a feminist icon? It's complicated.

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Book SynopsisIn Guilty Pleasures, Alice Guilluy examines the reception of contemporary Hollywood romantic comedy by European audiences. She offers a new look at the romantic comedy genre through a qualitative study of its consumption by actual audiences. In doing so, she attempts to challenge traditional critiques of the genre as trite escapism at best, and dangerous guilty pleasure at worst. Despite this cultural anxiety, little work has been done on the genre's real audiences. Guilluy addresses this gap by presenting the results of a major qualitative study of the genre's reception, based on interview research with rom-com viewers in Britain, France and Germany, focusing on Sweet Home Alabama (2002, dir. Andy Tennant). Throughout the interviews, participants attempted to distance themselves from what they described as the typical rom-com viewer: the uneducated, gullible, overly emotional (American) woman. Guilluy calls this fantasy figure the phantom spectatrix. Guilluy complementsTrade ReviewThose who study the rom-com as a genre will benefit from the fresh outlook on how these films are appreciated on the fringes of fan culture. Additionally, scholars focused on European reception studies will enjoy Guilluy’s deft articulation of how different European audiences respond to the comedy stylings of contemporary Hollywood. * EuropeNow *At last, a serious study of romantic comedy, so often dismissed as 'chick lit' for frivolous feminine filmgoers. Alice Guilluy explores with great subtlety the pleasures and problems of female rom-com consumption through three European viewing groups, addressing one exemplary film, Sweet Home Alabama. The result is an original and lively contribution to audience studies, offering new insights into the role of romance in women's imaginative lives -- Helen Taylor, University of Exeter, UKThere is much pleasure to be gained from Alice Guilluy’s absorbing investigation of European viewers’ consumption of the Hollywood romcom, and no guilt, since this book fully justifies its readers’ attention. Guilty Pleasures delivers a provocative and robust defence of an often-derided genre, and in so doing both brings to light the tacit assumptions about taste, gender and class that underlie such critical snobbery, and casts doubt on their validity. -- Tamar Jeffers McDonald, University of Kent, UKThis is a fascinating exploration of the romantic comedy’s feminist viewers and the cultural taboo of ‘woke’ audiences enjoying the ‘guilty pleasure’ of watching these movies. -- Maria DeBlassie, University of New Mexico’s Honors College, USAEmbrace the politics of pleasure in Guilluy’s groundbreaking feminist fieldwork and brilliant analysis on rom-com audience reception, where viewers negotiate the heady pleasure of critique and heart-tingling delight of emotional and social engagement! Gratification guaranteed for film and gender scholars alike. -- Catherine M. Roach, The University of Alabama, USATable of ContentsList of Figures List of Tables Acknowledgements Transcription Conventions Series Editors' Foreword Introduction: ‘Lights, action… and pure treacle’ 1. ‘Health warning: high-sugar content’: The Rom-com and the Critics 2. ‘The pudding works splendidly’: Genre, Emotions and Pleasure 3. ‘Candy-pink cage?’ Gender, Feminism and the Phantom Viewer 4. ‘Chomping on a burger with a glass of coke’: the Americanness of Romantic Comedy Conclusion: ‘Cinder-fuckin’-rella’ Endnotes Works Cited Appendix 1: Semi-Structured Interview Questions Appendix 2: Participant Tables Appendix 3: Sweet Home Alabama Synopsis Index

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Book SynopsisPoodle clipping was an Olympic sport? Bull$#*t! Discover 500 fascinating facts about sports that are sure to make your next trivia event a slam dunk.

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Book SynopsisA brisk, humorous collection of essays that redefines the mythos of fatherhood depicted in film, television, and video games.What do dads tell us about the world? Not your real dad, but dads in general. Dads are everywhere. Lurking in our movies, television shows, and video games. Spouting homespun wisdom and atrocious jokes, wallowing in might-have-beens and back-in-my-days, or rigidly defending the status quo. These fictional dads fuel a myth of fatherhood. What is that myth trying to tell us? And what is it trying to sell us? Dad Bod is a clever, riveting collection of essays about father figures in popular culture. From Gandalf to Homer Simpson, Die Hard to The Mandalorian, these essays unpack the tropes that inform our collective image of fatherhood. Follow Cian Cruise, newly minted dad, as he riffs on the stereotypes and lore of fatherhood, traces a contemporary art history of dads in popular culture, and journeys to the heart of daTrade ReviewFunny, perceptive, and thoughtful, Cian Cruise’s Dad Bod is constantly curious about the pop culture artifacts it interrogates. Plus, he extracts parenting advice from First Blood, which no book has ever done before. * Naben Ruthnum, author of A Hero of Our Time *Cian Cruise is a great writer and a great father, and a never–ending source of interesting insights. Dad Bod takes those qualities and mashes them up with the dads you know from popular culture, to figure out what it means to be a father. * Misha Glouberman, co-author of The Chairs Are Where The People Go *Cian Cruise’s irreverent exploration of fatherhood in pop-culture shrouds a cosmic reverence for the teaching it contains, whether that’s in video games, television, or movies. The religious attention that the essays of Dad Bod bring to beloved media properties provide new insight not only to their subjects but also to human life and all of its deepest mysteries. * André Babyn *I rarely think about the challenges of fatherhood…this book offered me a brand new perspective I have never considered. * I’ve Read This blog *Dad Bod explores pop culture papas with irrepressible verve...It shines as a cultural criticism, a memoir, and a parenting guide. * Foreword Reviews, starred review *Table of ContentsContentsProloguePart One: Foundations By Way of Introduction 404 Dad Not Found Foreword, Afterword, Side-to-Sideword Part Two: The Good, the Dad, and the Ugly The Absent Heart of Robin Williams Rambo’s Big Tantrum The Sitcom Dad The Distant Driven Dad Major Dad A Litany of Bad Dads Part Three: Tales of Adventure ’Ware the Wanderer Enter Pappas The Wanderers Return Interlude: Gandalf vs. Obi-WanDads of DestinyPart Four: Children’s TelevisionHumbled by a DogPart Five: The End Die, Die-Hard, or the Die Hard Dilemma Down for the Count A Dad Becoming

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Book SynopsisIn Wild Things Jack Halberstam offers an alternative history of sexuality by tracing the ways in which wildness has been associated with queerness and queer bodies throughout the twentieth century. Halberstam theorizes the wild as an unbounded and unpredictable space that offers sources of opposition to modernity''s orderly impulses. Wildness illuminates the normative taxonomies of sexuality against which radical queer practice and politics operate. Throughout, Halberstam engages with a wide variety of texts, practices, and cultural imaginaries—from zombies, falconry, and M. NourbeSe Philip''s Zong! to Maurice Sendak''s Where the Wild Things Are and the career of Irish anticolonial revolutionary Roger Casement—to demonstrate how wildness provides the means to know and to be in ways that transgress Euro-American notions of the modern liberal subject. With Wild Things, Halberstam opens new possibilities for queer theory and for wild thinking more bTrade Review“Where can the wild take you? With Jack Halberstam as guide, to places fabulous, cruel, soaring, undead, hilarious, dark, seductive, promising, nonprovidential. Wild Things is a brilliant phenomenology of the (more than) human condition of bewilderment. Its critique of invocations of wildness tethered to colonial, racist fantasies also marks how the figure can contribute to forms of desire bent toward the feral, the incipient, the otherwise. Wild Things is an awesome trip.” -- Jane Bennett, author of * Influx and Efflux: Writing Up with Walt Whitman *“How does one learn about wildness? Coming from a longtime scholar of sexuality, the animal, desire, and anarchy, Jack Halberstam's Wild Things fosters a generous archive, favoring bewilderment over a ritual turn back to order and knowing. Following this book constitutes a kind of epistemological travel and culminates in a habit of sensation, a disorderly campaign, and a queer method that will stay with you.” -- Mel Y. Chen, author of * Animacies: Biopolitics, Racial Mattering, and Queer Affect *"[A] creative, discipline-smashing study exploring the human attraction to 'the wild.' . . . Halberstam’s approach is equal parts academic and poetic, making for a dense and, at times, beautiful text. This is a work that demands attention, which it rewards with both insight and entertainment." * Publishers Weekly *“In Wild Things Halberstam moves restlessly across literature, cinema, theater, music, and poetry, determining the various modes by which people have devoted themselves to, or been effectively written within, the incomprehensibilities of the wild, of wildness, and of bewilderment…. Wild Things (un)clarifies the wild as an always-present threat to modernity’s coherence, illuminating the anti-Black and heteronormative carceral logics at the heart of liberal democracy by unveiling those under common ways of knowing and being that liberalism seeks to obscure, incorporate, lock up, or destroy.” * Invisible Culture *"The limits of Halberstam's analysis are boundlessly educative and entertaining: one chapter calls out proto-queer male writers for their affinity and identification with feral falconry while another examines the nature of family pets. Within the realms of what the author himself calls a 'counterintuitive queer project,' Halberstam's intellectually engrossing phenomenology evokes thoughts of how the concept of 'wild' can be applied to creatures and concepts both great and small while inspiring spirited conversation and debate." -- Jim Piechota * Bay Area Reporter *"Wild Things offers readers and scholars working on environmental questions a vibrant archive for thinking histories of sexuality and desire alongside concepts of the “wild” and its disorders. . . . The text is especially rich as an archive of the ways wildness persists within and can be activated against modernist writers. Halberstam’s wildness is a morally ambivalent, non-identitarian invitation—one that might lead to bewilderment, zombies, children’s books, hawks, or any number of other queer, wild things." -- Julia Dauer * Edge Effects *“Through Halberstam’s examination of pop culture and political projects, his analysis is consistently brought back to racial tropes that define the socio-political state of colonialism today.... Wild Things is a reminder that critical scholarship’s penchant for world-making and un-making is a political imperative to thinking beyond our hegemonic constraints.” -- Jake Kyer Townsend * Cultural Studies *“The book’s first half is a remarkable example of ecstatic intellectual curiosity, flying high on seemingly perpendicular currents Halberstam teaches us to navigate with smooth and logical flow. . . . Halberstam wrote exactly the wild book he set out to write.” -- Nicholas Tyler Reich * Transgender Studies Quarterly *“With regard to queer topics, Halberstam has been an influential figure in modern queer theory and Wild Things attests to this status as it is steadfastly grounded in the scholarship of the field. . . . The author does not simply connect wildness with queerness, but braids the two strands of theory together thus expanding their discursive potential.” -- Constantine Chatzipapatheodoridis * European Journal of American Studies *Table of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xiii Part I. Sex in the Wild Introduction. Sex before, after, and against Nature 3 1. Wildness, Loss, and Death 33 2. "A New Kind of Wildness": The Rite of Spring and and Indigenous Aesthetics of Bewilderment 51 3. The Epistemology of the Ferox: Sex, Death, and Falconry 77 Part II. Animality Introduction. Into the Wild 115 4. Where the Wild Things Are: Humans, Animals, and Children 125 5. Zombie Antihumanism at the End of the World 147 Conclusions. The Ninth Wave 175 Notes 181 Bibliography 201 Index 211

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Book SynopsisObject Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. Once upon a time, the news was only 15 minutes long and middle-class families huddled around a tiny black-and-white screen, TV dinners on their laps, awaiting weekly sitcoms that depicted an all-white world in which mom wore pearls and heels as she baked endless pies. If this seems a distant past, that's a measure of just how much TV has changedand changed us. Weaving together personal memoir, social and political history, and reflecting on key moments in the history of news broadcasting and prime time entertainment, Susan Bordo opens up the 75-year-old time-capsule that is TV and illustrates what a constant companion and dominant cultural force television has been, for good and for bad, in carrying us from the McCarthy hearings and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet to Mad Men, Killing Eve, and the emergence of our first reality TV president.Object Lessons iTrade ReviewSusan Bordo is old enough to remember when television was a thing—a set, a box, an electric window on a made-up world—and she pays wise, charming, and personal tribute to its meaning for a generation and a culture raised in its blue light. And that's the way it was. * Jeff Jarvis, TV critic for People and TV Guide and founding editor of Entertainment Weekly *In this lively and engaging analysis of what television has done for us and to us, the feminist cultural critic Susan Bordo takes us from Father Knows Best and Walter Cronkite to OJ, MadMen, Fox News, and much more. She shows how TV has shaped our politics and our purchases, our minds and our bodies, our definition of truth and our concept of reality. "We live in an empire of images," Bordo writes—one could not wish for a more knowledgeable and entertaining guide. * Katha Pollitt, poet, essayist, and The Nation columnist. Her most recent book is Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights. *Entertaining… A thought provoking and interesting read. * Irish Tech News *Table of ContentsPreface 1. Waiting for Joseph Welch 2. We Have Six Televisions 3. Growing Up with TV in the Fifties and Sixties 4. The Erosion of the Fact-Based Universe 5. If George Orwell Could Critique Broadcast News 6. Intersections of TV, “Reality,” and Reality 7. TV Deconstructs Gender 8. Epilogue: July 4, 2020 Acknowledgments Notes

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Book SynopsisInformation overload, the shallows, weapons of mass distraction, the googlization of minds: countless commentators condemn the flood of images and information that dooms us to a pathological attention deficit. In this new book, cultural theorist Yves Citton goes against the tide of these standard laments to offer a new perspective on the problem of attention in the digital age. Phrases like �paying attention� and �investing one�s attention� attest to our mistaken belief that attention can be conceptualized in narrow economic terms. We are constantly drawn towards attempts to quantify and commodify attention, even down to counting the number of 'likes' a picture receives on Facebook or a video on YouTube. By contrast, Citton argues that we should conceptualize attention as a kind of ecology and examine how the many different environments to which we are exposed – from advertising to literature, search engines to performance art – condition our attention in different ways. In a world where the demands on our attention are ever-increasing, this timely and original book will be of great interest to students and scholars in media and communications and in literary and cultural studies, and to anyone concerned about the long-term consequences of the profusion of images as well as digital content in the age of the internet. Trade Review"Within the growing field of attention studies, Yves Citton�s new book is a superb and indispensable intervention. He provides a devastating analysis of the neoliberal attention economy and opens up crucial pathways for resisting its imperatives." Jonathan Crary, Columbia University "Citton offers a valuable critique and alternative to talk about an �economy of attention�. He shows how attention produces the individual who is usually presupposed as �paying� it, and he shows how the creation of attentiveness may not really be an economy at all. He starts by debunking the unthought assumptions of a whole field, and moves on to a media and social theory of breadth and subtlety." McKenzie Wark, author of TelesthesiaTable of ContentsAcknowledgements vi Foreword ix Introduction: From Attention Economy to Attention Ecology 1 Part I Collective Attention 25 1 Media Enthralments and Attention Regimes 27 2 Attentional Capitalism 44 3 The Digitalization of Attention 63 Part II Joint Attention 81 4 Presential Attention 83 5 The Micro-Politics of Attention 106 Part III Individuating Attention 123 6 Attention in Laboratories 125 7 Reflexive Attention 139 Conclusion: Towards an Attention Echology 171 Notes 200 Name Index 219 Subject Index 222

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Goth is an entertaining and evocative personal history of Goth music and culture, told by a true insider. Lol Tolhurst explores the godfathers of goth who established the genre's roots - THE CURE, which he co-founded with Robert Smith, contemporaries SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES, BAUHAUS, JOY DIVISION - plus many more great bands that offered a place of refuge for the misfits of the 80s and ever since. Lol offers a fascinating deep dive into the movers and shakers of goth, imbued with his personal memories as well as those of fellow musicians, magicians and artists who make goth such an inevitable and enduring movement. Along the way he examines acts such as DEPECHE MODE and COCTEAU TWINS who helped the darkness expand. Finally, Tolhurst examines the legacy of goth music, and shows how its influence can still be seen to this day across music, film, TV, visual arts and social media. As thoughtful and thorough as it is utterly bewitching, Goth is a timeless testament to why Goth matters - and why it always will.

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Book SynopsisFor fans of the hit show Fargo and bestselling author Noah Hawley comes the perfect collector's item. This companion to the first three seasons of the award-winning, celebrated TV drama is packed with script selections (including all three pilots), candid behind-the-scenes photography, pitch documents and interviews with cast and crew. Learn about what makes Lorne Malvo tick through an interview with Billy Bob Thortan, discover Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemon's favourite scenes, see what it was like for Ewan McGregor to play both brothers and find out why the show almost, but didn't, use the same cast for all three seasons. Dive into these captivating and twisted characters like never before.

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Book SynopsisNamed a Best Gift Book by InStyle Nathalie Lété is the rare artist whose work is so distinctive and widely appealing that she has become a global brand, having garnered a cultlike following for her unique pop- and folk-art aesthetic. Lété’s iconic work has been immortalized by companies around the world that clamor for her products and seek her out for collaborations: Anthropologie has been selling her housewares for over a decade; she has designed textiles for Issey Miyake; her accessories are sold in high-end boutiques like Astier de Villate in Paris and Isetan, the trendiest department store in Tokyo. Now, for the first time, Lété has curated over 200 of her best-loved paintings into a covetable magnum opus that will entice those who are discovering her for the first time as well as her legions of fans.Trade Review“Who needs Prozac if you have In the Garden of My Dreams? Lété’s bright, folk art–like paintings of animals, children, flowers, and much more are quite the antidote for the winter blues.”—Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisWhen life (in a global pandemic) imitates art . . . Van Gogh's Starry Night made out of spaghetti? Cat with a Pearl Earring? Frida Kahlo self-portraits with pets and toilet paper? While the world reeled from the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), thousands of people around the globe, inspired by challenges from Getty and other museums, raided toy chests, repurposed pantry items, and enlisted family, roommates, and animals to re-create famous works of art at home. Astonishing in their creativity, wit, and ingenuity, these creations remind us of the power of art to unite us and bring joy during troubled times. Off the Walls: Inspired Re-Creations of Iconic Artworks celebrates these imaginative re-creations, bringing highlights from this challenge together in one whimsical, irresistible volume. Getty Publications will donate all profits from the sales of this book to Artist Relief, an emergency initiative offering resources to artists across the United States.

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Book SynopsisFunny Stories About White Privilege and Black Identity from a Black Nerd’s PerspectiveAuthor and Ebony Magazine podcaster Ron Dawson lends his wit and comical social commentary to tell the story of how one of the “whitest” and nerdiest of black men finally woke up, found his blackness, and lost all inhibitions at dropping the f-bomb.A coming-of-age story of black identity. In the suburbs of Atlanta, Ron was a black nerd (aka “blerd”) living very comfortably in his white world. He loved his white wife, worked well with his white workmates, and worshiped at a white church. On November 8, 2016, everything changed when Trump became POTUS. Ron began a journey of self-discovery that made him question everything—from faith to friendships.Part social commentary and part fantastical narrative. This book goes where no blerd has gone before. In a psychedelic way, Ron is guided by a guardian “angel” in the guise of Samuel L. Jackson’s character from Pulp Fiction. Sam is there to help Ron, well, be more black. Ron confronts his black “sins” and wrestles with black identity, systemic racism, and what it means to be “black” in America. Uncomfortable conversations. Throughout this book, you’ll learn lessons from a man who deconstructs his faith and confronts personal demons of racial identity. Gain new perspectives through these funny stories that will reshape your current views on black identity.Inside, you’ll find: The funniest social commentary on white privilege and black identity Political satire wrapped in funny stories of a man’s journey to confront the systemic racism and Christian hypocrisy around him Comical if not uncomfortable conversations about what it means to be black in America If you liked You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey, Things That Make White People Uncomfortable, Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, or I’m Judging You, you’ll love Dungeons ‘n’ Durags. Trade Review“My first encounter with Dungeons ‘n’ Durags was with the podcast Ron produces for Ebony's Podcast Network. It's funny, clever, and full of surprises. But nothing prepared me for what he had in store in the book. Ron does a masterful job at tackling provocative topics in a way that often feels uncomfortably raw. It’s a hilarious and biting commentary on not only white supremacy ideology, but also points a mirror at Black culture.”—Lavaille Lavette, president and publisher at Ebony magazine “As someone who grew up in a blended family that was wall-to-wall identity struggle (my own included), I tend to love stories about reckoning with who we think we should be. Ron’s profound and hilarious journey is like if Conversations with God had a baby with Hollywood Shuffle. And his love for cinema and popular culture makes it a great read for any cinephile and nerds everywhere. But Ron’s voice is wholly his own, and fantastically entertaining, endearing, and truthful. This book is tailor-made for anyone who wants to spend a few hours with a really great storyteller.”—Mishna Wolf, author of I’m Down: A Memoir “It’s so important that we tell our stories, and Ron does a masterful job telling his. The same kind of passion and biting wit he’s brought to An Injustice!, he expresses all throughout Dungeons ‘n’ Durags. He strikes a good balance of biting commentary on white supremacy ideology, as well as some aspects of the Black community, all while lacing it with a self-effacing humor that most people would find unable to share publicly.”—Zuva Seven, founder/editor-in-chief of An Injustice! Medium Publication “It’s not often you see Black men, or people in general, get this personal when sharing their stories. I appreciated the authenticity and vulnerability Ron shares in his experiences as a black man and how a white-dominated world influenced him, as well as his complicated faith journey. Lastly, as a fan of film trivia, how could I not love all the hilarious cinematic homages?”—Nichelle Protho, SVP Loud Sis Productions “Dungeons ‘n’ Durags is a hilarious, masterfully written love letter to us ‘Blerds’ and so-called ‘Oreos.’ Dawson uses humor to seamlessly highlight and unpack his personal experiences and insights as a Black man in America. This book will make you laugh out loud and think deeply about racial identity and what it means to be Black.”—Brandee Blocker Anderson, CEO and founder of The Antiracism Academy “Funny. Smart. Provocative. A hilarious page-turner that pulls no punches at addressing issues of white privilege and hypocrisy in the evangelical church.”—Talicia Raggs, writer/producer The Equalizer, NCIS: New Orleans, and The Originals “I love everything about this book. The way Ron uses popular culture, his excruciating honesty, his humor, and especially the confessions (there’s nothing an ex-Catholic likes more than a good confession). It’s a timely work!”—Peter Crowe, writer and editor of the humor and satirical collection Dishonour the Right Thing “Witty, sarcastic, hilarious, and, well, blerd-y, this must-read story affirms the diversity within the Black diaspora and reminds us there is room for Durags, D&D, and even, maybe, Ron.”—Chrysta Wilson, racial justice and equity consultant, author of the award-winning cookbook Kiss My Bundt “What is truly GREAT and sets Ron apart is his sincere and ongoing willingness and pursuit of self-examination and laying bare what some might deem his shortcomings, honestly to himself and for all to witness. That pursuit is always aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of the truths of his own humanity and behaving and interacting with others in accordance with that truth. If only there were more like him walking around in the world, it’d be a better place. But the book isn’t just about Ron taking his medicine. It’s actually spectacularly relatable and entertaining. In fact, as a producer, I know gold when I see it. I’m bound and determined to make it a hit TV show.”—Yolanda T. Cochran, Film & TV Producer/Academy member“I wouldn’t be surprised if there are Trump supporters reading this book who are gonna think, ‘How the hell did this mutherf*cker get me to read this thing?’ Ron Dawson is Black Magic.”—Chris Spencer, handsome comedian, writer, director, producerTable of ContentsForeword Part 1Chapter 1: Bro Log: A “Perfect Beginning”Chapter 2: Blackness is my “Super Suit”Chapter 3: Wypipo Trigger WarningChapter 5: Stupid Shit Trump Supporters SayChapter 6: All I Need Are Dreadlocks and a SwordChapter 6: Wonder Woman Was BlackChapter 7: To All the White Girls on TV I’ve Loved BeforeChapter 8: Origin of a Blaxistential CrisisChapter 9: My First Times All Have One Thing in CommonChapter 10: The Second Most Embarrassing Confession in this BookChapter 11: Black People Aren’t a MonolithChapter 12: Babysitters, Bad Words, and F-BombsChapter 13: The First Time My Blackness Earned Me a Standing Ovatoin at My Predominately White High School Part 2Chapter 14: Break Dancing and BreakthroughsChapter 15: A Faker’s DozensChapter 16: My George Costanza MomentChapter 17: Newsflash—America Was/Is Still RacistChapter 18: My Relationship with Facebook is . . . ComplicatedChapter 19: Positive RonChapter 20: Waxing PhilosophicalChapter 21: There and Black AgainChapter 22: “Mine” Yo’ BiznessChapter 23: Skool’d, Dazed, and ConfusedChapter 24: Spike JonesingChapter 25: Hit ‘em Up—Politics and Evangelical EditionChapter 26: In the Dogg HouseChapter 27: He was a Fifth Grade and Grown-up, Nerdy Negro People PleaserChapter 28: When Pigs Sigh Part 3Chapter 29: “Dude, where’s my church?” ~ JesusChapter 30: Letters to a Trump Supporting ChristianChapter 31: Wonder and . . . Awww!Chapter 32: My Last ConfessionChapter 33: Reunited (and it don’t feel too good”Chapter 34: Raith, Evolution, and the Unforgivable SinChapter 35: The Other Unforgivable SinChapter 36: Can I Get a WitnessChapter 37: A Surprise ConfessionChapter 38: Closing ArgumentsChapter 39: RevelationsChapter 40: The Verdict Epilogue: A Brand New Day

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Book SynopsisWords of Wisdom from Wild WomenIn Wild Words from Wild Women, author and feminist August Stephens compiles words of wisdom from much loved famous feminists. Hilarious, inspiring, and empowering, this pocket book of affirmation quotes is the perfect gift for all nasty women with something to say.Some tongues just can’t be tamed. What can be better than words of wisdom from wild gals? Wild Words from Wild Women is a ribald compilation of powerful women quotes; everything from bras to babies, menopause to men, and politics to parties. Featuring historically nasty women like Jane Austen and Billie Jean King, these famous feminists knew how to read between the lines─and now you can too.Girls run the world. These words of wisdom─from strippers, CEOs, poets, senators, and every woman in between─make delectable reading for sassy, untamable, and fabulous ladies everywhere. In the time of “Girl Boss” learn why and how girls run the world with Wild Words from Wild Women.Inside, find powerful women quotes from famous feminists like: Billie Holiday Virginia Wolfe Coco Chanel And many more! If you enjoyed books like Badass Affirmations, Daily Affirmations for Women, or I Really Needed This Right Now, then you’ll love Wild Words from Wild Women.Table of ContentsContents Can We Talk Garrulous Goddesses Raving Beauties Political Animas & Public Enemies Libidinous Lingo & Tart Retorts Out & About Vocal Oracles Conjugal Confessions & Solitary Digressions Prolix Professionals Men, Schmen Domestic Dissidents Peeved Eves Racy Remarks Aged Sages Phallus-Free Philosophy Index

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Book Synopsis"A fascinating and funny guide to history's favorite genius-and why he still matters." -A.J. Jacobs, New York Times bestselling authorA fascinating look into how Einstein's genius and science continues to show up in so many facets of our everyday lives and his enduring legacy as an unlikely pop culture icon.Albert Einstein was the first modern-day celebrity and, decades after his death, still has the world's most recognizable face. His influence is seen in much of the technology we use every day: GPS, remote controls, weather forecasts, even toothpaste. But it's not just Einstein's scientific discoveries that continue to shape our world. His legacy underpins the search for aliens, the rescue of refugees, the invention of time machines, and the debunking of fake news. He appears in new books, TV shows, and movies all the time-and fans are paying millions for Einstein relics at auction.Award-winning author and journalist Benyamin Cohen has a bizarre side hustle as the manager of Einstein's official social media accounts, which have 20 million followers-more than most living celebrities. In The Einstein Effect, Cohen embarks on a global quest to unearth Einstein's ongoing relevance today. Along the way, he meets scientists and celebrities, speaks to dozens with the last name Einstein (including two rabbis), and even tracks down the brain of Einstein, stolen from his body during the autopsy. Cohen shows us the myriad ways the Nobel Prize winner's influence is still with us, giving an in-depth-and often hilarious-look at the world's favorite genius like you've never seen him before.

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Book Synopsis'For those of you missing your football fix, anything by Michael Calvin is worth a read – the hugely respected sports journalist writes eloquently about the modern game in page turner State of Play.'DAILY MIRROR_______________________________________________________LONGLISTED FOR THE 2018 WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDAward-winning author of The Nowhere Men, Living on the Volcano and No Hunger in Paradise returns with his magnum opus on the state of modern footballFirst he revealed the extraordinary lives of football scouts in The Nowhere Men.Next he unearthed the pressures on football managers in Living on the Volcano.Then he chronicled the hardships of young players striving to make it in No Hunger in Paradise.Now in State of Play, in what marks the pinnacle of a career investigating the human stories of football, award-winning writer Michael Calvin turns his eye to the biggest story of all - the game itself.From mental health to money, concussion to Champions league, fan-owners to oligarchs, women's football to world cups, Calvin gets under the skin of the beautiful game, and reveals why it is truly the game of our lives.Based on hundreds of hours of interviews with leading figures around the world, from Arsene Wenger to Steven Gerrard, Calvin reveals the winners, the losers, the politics, the pleasure, the hope, and the despair of the world's most popular sport.Trade ReviewOne of the issues Calvin explores in his most recent book State of Play is the need for more emotionally intelligent managers and coaches in football, as epitomised by England manager Gareth Southgate. * CNN Sport *As enthralling and insightful as any fans of Mike’s previous books would expect -- Matt Williams * Simon Mayo’s Books of the Year Podcast *A grandstand view of the beautiful game . . . Calvin draws on his own frontline reporting as well as interviews with leading football figures to present an exhaustive portrait of the modern game. * Radio Times *Thought-provoking and well-wrought. * The Sunday Times *Michael Calvin has done the game a massive service with this broad ranging, hard-hitting and exceptionally well researched book and he has also written it in a beautiful, lucid prose style. * Greville Waterman Review *

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Book Synopsis Haven’t you got something better to do?Our streets are filled with down-facing zombies, blocking up the pavements.We’d rather Instagram our food than eat it.We've forgotten how to have real actual conversations .And in the bedroom… well, that’s no place for Candy Crush Saga.It’s time we all repeated the life-changing maxim: STOP LOOKING AT YOUR PHONE. In his wonderfully deadpan instruction manual for our increasingly tunnel-visioned lives, illustrator Son of Alan taps into the strange truth of our obsession with the tiny screen. Revealing how ludicrous we've all become, and what wonders lie in stall for us a whole metre from our faces, this book will make you want to reclaim your life, your friends and your family from the tyranny of the backlit screen. You’ll laugh, sure, but it might also change your life.

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Book SynopsisSigns and images of Chinese martial arts increasingly circulate through global media cultures. As tropes of martial arts are not restricted to what is considered one medium, one region, or one (sub)genre, the essays in this collection are looking across and beyond these alleged borders. From 1920s wuxia cinema to the computer game cultures of the information age, they trace the continuities and transformations of martial arts and media culture across time, space, and multiple media platforms.Trade ReviewScholars have traditionally separated the study of the ‘Asian martial arts’ as bodily practice from the examination of the ideas and images that uphold them. This collection expertly problematizes that notion while showcasing innovative insights from media and cultural studies. Fresh and always fascinating, it will be critical reading for anyone curious about the place of the martial arts in the modern world. -- Benjamin N. Judkins, Visiting Scholar, Cornell University East Asia Program and co-author of The Creation of Wing Chun: A Social History of the Southern Chinese Martial ArtsThis lively, varied and innovative collection breaks the confines of film and area studies to chart representations of the martial arts as they circulate in our global media culture. Doing so, it offers valuable new insights into both the transnational media landscape and the meaning of the martial arts within this, not only today but also historically. -- Luke White, Senior Lecturer in Visual Culture and Fine Art, Middlesex University, UKWhether examining the ‘traces’ of Bruce Lee, the ‘effortless’ action of Hong Kong martial arts cinema or online wuxia worldbuilding, this book is an essential read for anyone interested in the re-shaping of Chinese martial arts in the mediascapes of the 20th and 21st centuries. Covering film, TV, theatre, literature and gaming, it’s a veritable 36th Chamber of interdisciplinary perspectives. -- Leon Hunt, Senior Lecturer in Film and TV Studies, Brunel UniversityBeginning with the first movies produced in Shanghai during the 1920s, this book mainly addresses the amazing success and manifold metamorphoses martial arts narratives have undergone since global capitalism entered and transmogrified Asian modernities. The virtual universe of today’s digital martial arts games is furthermore traced all the way back into antiquity, when the fictional wuxia communities’ enchanted heterotopia of the “Rivers and Lakes” (jianghu) first emerged. Besides exploring a range of methodologies for the cultural analysis of the most widely known contemporary representations, readers are also introduced to less popular topics and forms that critically interrogate the contemporary globalized hype. For instance, it is demonstrated how the Orientalist fashioning of the martial arts hero serves ambiguous trajectories in global cultural contexts, as it can be employed to either overcome or redraw ethnic and cultural boundaries. In sum, the book offers timely, sound, multi-scalar scholarship that sheds new light on the major generic, aesthetic, and ideological configurations of martial arts since the early 20th century. Its intellectual rigor and rich material corpus moreover facilitate significant conceptual advances in this and related fields of inquiry. -- Andrea Riemenschnitter, Professor of Modern Chinese Language and Literature, University of ZurichTable of ContentsIntroduction: Martial Arts and Media Culture in the Information Era: Glocalization, Heterotopia, Hyperculture (Tim Trausch) The Demise of the Wuxia Film? - The Mutation of a Genre from Manifestation of Crisis to Postmodern Pastiche and Reaffirmation of Centralized Power (Clemens von Haselberg) Transposing Jianghu in Chinese Martial Arts Cinema From the 20th Century to the 21st Century (Helena Wu)A Touch of Sin, Translation, and Transmedial Imagination (Carlos Rojas)The Effortless Lightness of Action: Hong Kong Martial Arts Films in the Age of Immediacy (Man-Fung Yip)Imagining Transcultural Mediascapes: Martial Arts, African Appropriation, and the Deterritorializing Flows of Globalization (Ivo Ritzer)From the Boxers to Kung Fu Panda: The Chinese Martial Arts in Global Entertainment (John Christopher (Chris) Hamm)Bruce Lee, Bruceploitation, and Beyond: Renegotiating Discourses of Original and Copy (Tim Trausch) David Henry Hwang's Kung Fu in Cross-Cultural Perspectives (Kin-Yan Szeto)In Search of the 36th Virtual Chamber - Martial Arts in Video Games From Screen Fighting to Wuxia Worldbuilding (Andreas Rauscher) The MUD Era: The Origins of Chinese Martial Arts Online Games (Zheng Baochun, Wang Mingwei) Martial Arts and Media Supplements (Paul Bowman)

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Book SynopsisThe perfect gift for the Spice Girls fan in your life!‘Lauren Bravo is one of my very favourite writers.’ Dolly Alderton'A joyous and energetic celebration of girlhood, friendship and pop culture. If you have ever sung into the lid of a can of Impulse body spray, you need to read this.' Daisy BuchananThe words 'girl power' conjure vivid memories of short skirts and platform boots. But it wasn't just about the look, it was about feminism. The Spice Girls gave a generation their first glimpse of the power of friendship, of staying true to yourself, of sheer bloody-mindedness. And the girl power generation went on to kick-start a new conversation around gender equality.We may have grown up asking What Would the Spice Girls Do?, but their particular brand of feminism is as relevant today as it was twenty years ago – we still need that fun and fearlessness, we still need accessible and all-embracing equality… we still need a zig-a-zig-ah.‘The Spice Girls’ arrival on the pop scene marked the gateway to a modern form of feminism, all dressed up as a riotously good time.’ StylistAs featured in Elle magazine's Best Feminist Gift BooksTrade ReviewLauren Bravo is one of my very favourite writers. -- Dolly AldertonBravo’s tender, funny, kind book is a joyous and energetic celebration of girlhood, friendship and pop culture. If you have ever sung into the lid of a can of Impulse body spray, you need to read this. -- Daisy Buchanan

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Book SynopsisOfficial art book of the Marvel's Midnight Suns video game, packed with interviews with the creative team behind the game, as well as stunning concept art created during the development process. When the demonic Lilith and her fearsome horde unite with the evil armies of Hydra, it's time to unleash Marvel's dark side. As The Hunter, your mission is to lead an unlikely team of seasoned Super Heroes and dangerous supernatural warriors to victory. Can legends such as Doctor Strange, Iron Man, and Blade put aside their differences in the face of a growing apocalyptic threat? If you're going to save the world, you'll have to forge alliances and lead the team into battle as the legendary Midnight Suns-Earth's last line of defence against the underworld. Marvel's Midnight Suns - The Art of the Game captures the creative process of this much-anticipated game. The exclusive concept art and in-game renderings created by the talented development team-creating the game in collaboration with Marvel-are shown in glorious detail in this lush, hardback volume. Characters, locations, gadgets, weapons, monsters, enemies, and much more are all accompanied by unique insights from the artists and developers behind the game. So step into the world of Marvel's Midnight Suns - and rise up against the darkness!

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Book SynopsisGet in the mood for love with this witty and empowering guide to getting it on.Searching for a saucy gift for your other half, an engagement present for your friend – or perhaps you just want to do a bit of, ahem, private study to brush up on your own technique? The Little Book of Sex hits the spot perfectly. Erupting with fun facts, naughty quotes and titillating tips, it will build your confidence between the sheets and help take you to the very height of pleasure.Whether you're looking for a lowdown on sex toys, a beginner's guide to BDSM lite, stories of history's most outrageous lovers, or even a troubleshooting guide for when the unexpected occurs, The Little Book of Sex has you covered. Fun, frisky and frequently eye-opening, it's proof that good things can come in small packages. Get lucky, get down and get it on..."Women need a reason to have sex. Men just need a place." Billy Crystal"A hard man is good to find." Mae WestThe word 'clitoris' derives from Ancient Greek kleitoris, meaning 'to titillate' and 'little hill'.Table of ContentsSex, the Lowdown - Raunchy quotes, risqué tales - an introduction to the wonderful world of erotic pleasure • Getting to Know (Every Inch of) Your Partner - Why intimacy + sensuality = spectacular sex • Hotting Up - Aphrodisiacs and foreplay to get the party started • Assume Your Positions - Imaginative moves to break you out of missionary monotony • Fun and Games - Playful ideas and toys to spice up your (sex) life • Triple X Tips - Push your boundaries and blow your mind • Spiritual Awakening - Take it next-level on a tantric journey.

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Book SynopsisFlapjacks and Feudalism: Social Mobility and Class in The Archers is an excavation into the family and class politics found in the clans of the residents of Ambridge, in BBC Radio 4's The Archers. A whole section of the book is devoted to 'The Fall of the House of Aldridge', with Brian's ethical misdemeanours and fall from grace, looking at how Brian could have hidden his scandals and changed the impressions surrounding him as a 'feckless farmer'. Another section sees the parenting skills, or complete lack of them, of the Ambridge clans put on trial, and used to predict the future leaders of Ambridge. Chapters in the book discuss the power of family and community networks, the oppression of the Grundys by the lords of the manor, and Emma Grundy's housing woes and the importance of housing in the success and security of those in the village. This book explores how far housing, intergenerational wealth, skills and access to employment shape life chances of characters and shows that, perhaps more than anywhere else, its not what you know but who you know.Trade ReviewThe authors combine a refreshing academic rigour with an obvious (though not uncritical) love for the programme. The intriguing result puts Archers stories and characters into their real-world context – with a lot more laughs along the way than one might expect. -- Keri Davies,Long-serving The Archers scriptwriterAnother intelligent and insightful exploration of The Archers from the Academic Archers team. This cornucopia of thought-provoking standpoints offers readers the chance to reconsider what lies beneath the social system that permeates this everyday story of country folk. -- Charlotte Martin, aka 'Susan Carter', The ArchersBeing an Archers listener is a way of life, and this fascinating book plonks Ambridge exactly where it should be; right at the heart of the real world. Well-researched and beautifully written, it's the academic backbone of a much-loved series. -- Lucy Freeman, Writer and BroadcasterTable of ContentsPreface: The Haves and Have Nots: Wealth and Value in Ambridge; Cara Courage and Nicola Headlam Section 1 – It’s who you know, and what you know about them Chapter 1. The Grundys and their Oppressors; Keith Flett Chapter 2. Two-in/one-out: network power, kin-keeping and ‘airtight’ distinction; Nicola Headlam Section 2 – The Fall of The House of Aldridge, the Rise of the Oppressed Grundys? Chapter 3. ‘If you have security, Ed, that is everything’: Deconstructing ‘security’ as a buffer against life’s challenges; Lalage Cambell Chapter 4. ‘Feeding the Horses’: Modern Slavery, the dark side of construction hidden in plain sight in Ambridge; Nicola Headlam Chapter 5. Borsetshire Businessman or Feckless Farmer?; Christine Narramore Chapter 6. What to do when you’re no longer Borsetshire’s Businessperson of the Year or How to handle a scandal; Olivia Vandyk Section 3 - Family function and dysfunction Chapter 7. Contemporary social problems in a rural setting: using The Archers in Social Work Education; Helen Burrows Chapter 8. Academic Archers Assembly: Putting the parents on trial; Cara Courage Chapter 9. Accent and Identity in Ambridge: The link between spoken language and identity; Rob Drummond Chapter 10. ‘We Should have called him Damien’: A discussion of the impact of Henry Archer’s early years on potential crimes of the future; Nicola Maxfield Chapter 11. Fear, fecklessness and flapjacks: Imagining Ambridge’s offenders; Charlotte Bilby Section 4 – Housing and the Ambridge Fairy Chapter 12. Rich Relatives or Ambridge Fairy?: Patronage and expectation in Ambridge housing pathways; Claire Astbury Chapter 13. Staying in the Spare Room: Social Connectedness and Household Co-residence in The Archers; Paula Fomby Chapter 14. Can’t Afford The Laurels?: Care Provision in Ambridge in 2041; Ruth Heilbronn and Rosalind Janssen Section 5 - It takes a village… Chapter 15. Parents, siblings, and the pursuit of power: Predicting the future leaders of Ambridge; Timothy Vercellotti Chapter 16. ‘From the moment those two joined the committee it’s been grunge bands, sumo wrestlers and souffle competitions’: What Ambridge’s civil society says about UK politics in 2019; Amy Saunders Chapter 17. A divided village: A narrative study using a theoretical lens of speculative ontology; Maggie Bartlett

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Book SynopsisEverything To Play For asks if videogames can achieve egalitarian goals instead of fuelling hyper-materialist, reactionary agendas. Combining cultural theory and materialist critiques with accessible language and personal anecdotes, industry insider Marijam Did engages both novices and seasoned connoisseurs. From the innovations of Pong and Doom to the intricate multiplayer or narrative-driven games, the author highlights the multifaceted stories of the gaming communities and the political actors who organise among them. Crucially, the focus also includes the people who make the games, shedding light on the brutal processes necessary to bring titles to the public.The videogame industry, now larger than the film and music industries combined, has a proven ability to challenge the status quo. With a rich array of examples, Did argues for a nuanced understanding of gaming’s influence so that this extraordinary power can be harnessed for good.

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Book Synopsis 98% EVERY GOOD DESCRIPTION PALACE HAVE EVER DONE IN ONE ROWDY HARDBACK 2% SOME RUBBISH ONES ALSO Phaidon presentsPalace Product Descriptions: The Selected Archive, the official printed archive of Palace Skateboard's online product descriptions. Since their debut in 2013, Palace's unconventional descriptors - which often have little or nothing to do with the product being described – have earned a cult following, with readers hooked on every line. Authored by Palace co-founder, Lev Tanju, whose inimitable style essentially tore up the copywriting rulebook, the descriptions are full of humour, pathos, social commentary and unabashed opinion. Eschewing practical details, instead a jacket is described as: TRENDSETTER DON'T THINK SO MATE YOU LOOK LIKE YOU MOONWALKED THROUGH TOPSHOP WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED COVERED IN GLUE Collected here for the first time and printed as they appear online - a few lines set in all caps, formatted as a series of bullet points – the more than 3,000 descriptions are organised into 22 tongue-in-cheek categories, including Anatomy, Animals, Etiquette, Philanthropy, Romance and Travel. The text is interspersed with shots of highly coveted Palace products and chapter openers feature candid, behind-the-scenes images from Palace's archive. At once jokey toilet book and earnest coffee-table opus, this funny and honest volume serves as an essential record of an online phenomenon.Trade Review'One of the most delightfully peculiar releases from a fashion brand in recent memory' - Financial Times 'Palace, the London skate label founded in 2009, is widely known for two things: the prominent triangle logo...[and] for the superfans, there's something else - the product descriptions' - The Guardian '[Palace Product Descriptions] ... It's playful and very British ... The book not only serves as a catalog of some of the brand's best (and funniest) works, but is a constant reminder of how an underground skate label from South London broke the mold to change the way we perceive the UK streetwear scene.' - Highsnobiety 'Tongue-in-cheek … authentic, unapologetic entries and more.' - Hypebeast 'Uniquely brilliant descriptors have been immortalized in book form.' - Hypebae

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Book SynopsisShawn Levy, author of ‘Rat Pack Confidential’ brings alive London in the swinging Sixties with a gripping, groovy story of those who created the scene that changed the world. For a few years in the 1960s, London was the coolest city on earth: a spontaneous, dizzying stew of pop music, fashion, film, scandal, drugs & sex, crime, the avant garde underground and the tabloid obsession with fame. The rest of the world watched in awe. Snaking through it are such eminent swinging Londoners as The Dreamer (actor Terence Stamp), The Chameleon (Rolling Stone Mick Jagger), The Loner (Beatles manager Brian Epstein), The Snapper (photographer David Bailey) and The Blue Blood (art dealer Robert Fraser), as well as such figures as comedian Peter Cook; hairdresser Vidal Sassoon; singer Marianne Faithfull; fashion designer Mary Quant; supermodels Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy; gangsters Ron and Reggie Kray; actor Michael Caine; actresses Catherine Deneuve, Lynn Redgrave and Julie Christie; pop groups The Beatles, The Who and The Kinks; filmmakers Roman Polanski, Richard Lester and Michelangelo Antonioni; as well as the various participants in the Profumo scandal, the Great Train Robbery, the rise of LSD, the radical underground, the heyday of the gambling club and the fashion boutique and various and sundry scandals, scenes and sensations. Due to a combination of massive talent and sheer luck, they dominated the world scene. But the party was to end – after seven short years it seemed that everyone was now a Swinging Londoner and the same vibe was found in Paris, New York and San Francisco. ‘Ready, Steady, Go’ recreates the whole show and contrasts a series of emblematic lives with the great events that shaped the time. Through these stories, Shawn Levy, author of ‘Rat Pack Confidential’, shows how the city reinvented cool and then seemed to lose its swing altogether.

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Book SynopsisThe Irish do death differently.Funeral attendance is a solemn duty - but it can also be a big day out, requiring sophisticated crowd control, creative parking solutions and a high-end sound system. Despite having the same basic end-of-life infrastructure as other Western countries, Irish culture handles death with a unique blend of dignified ritual and warm sociability.In Sorry for Your Trouble, Ann Marie Hourihane holds up a mirror to the Irish way of death: the funny bits, the sad bits, and the hard-to-explain bits that tell us so much about who we are. She follows the last weeks of a woman's life in hospice; she witnesses an embalming; she attends inquests; she talks to people working to prevent suicide; she follows the team of specialists working to locate the remains of people 'disappeared' by the IRA; and she visits some of Ireland's most contested graves. She also explores the strange and sometimes surprising histories of Irish death practices, from the traditional wake and ritual lamentations to the busy commerce between anatomists and bodysnatchers. And she goes to funerals, of ordinary and extraordinary people all over the country - including that of her own father. 'I had joined a club,' she writes, 'the club of people who have lost someone very close to them.' And then, with her family, she sets about planning a funeral in the middle of a pandemic.Sorry for Your Trouble sheds fresh, wise and witty light on a key pillar of Irish culture: a vast but strangely underexplored subject. Rich, sparkling and eye-opening, it is one of the best books ever written about Irish life.___________________________'A beautiful, insightful reflection on a very, very peculiar country's approach to the oddest experience of them all' RYAN TUBRIDY'Hugely moving and illuminating. All of life, somehow, is here' TANYA SWEENEY, IRISH INDEPENDENT'Moving, comforting and funny' BUSINESS POSTTrade ReviewAnn Marie Hourihane is the most elegant and insightful chronicler of contemporary Ireland. In Sorry for Your Trouble she explores perhaps the most distinctive aspect of its culture with compassion, erudition, wit and a wonderful precision of feeling and expression. This is, paradoxically, an endlessly vivid reflection, not just on Irish life, but on life itself. Funny, brilliant and deeply moving, it is a lamp to hold up against the dying of the light -- Fintan O'TooleA beautiful, insightful reflection on a very, very peculiar country's approach to the oddest experience of them all -- Ryan TubridyHugely moving and illuminating. All of life, somehow, is here -- Tanya Sweeney * Irish Independent *Powerful -- Patrick Freyne * Irish Times *Moving, comforting and funny, everything a good Irish send-off should be * Business Post *

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Book SynopsisFor as long as people have been migrating to London, so has their music. An essential link to home, music also has the power to shape communities in surprising ways. Black music has been part of London's landscape since the First World War, when the Southern Syncopated Orchestra brought jazz to the capital. Following the wave of Commonwealth immigration, its sounds and styles took up residence to become the foundation of the city's youth culture. Sounds Like London tells the story of the music and the larger-than-life characters making it, journeying from Soho jazz clubs to Brixton blues parties to King's Cross warehouse raves to the streets of Notting Hill - and onto sound systems everywhere. As well as a journey through the musical history of London, Sounds Like London is about the shaping of a city, and in turn the whole nation, through music. Contributors include Eddy Grant, Osibisa, Russell Henderson, Dizzee Rascal and Trevor Nelson, with an introduction by Soul2Soul's Jazzie B.Trade ReviewPraise for Bass Culture: 'Bradley leaves no stone unturned in a coruscating rollercoaster ride through murder, major label gripes, ganja paranoia and racism, the first comprehensive history of every aspect of reggae * Mojo *A brilliant, comprehensive history of Jamaica's principal twentieth century art form, Bradley deftly intertwines the the key themes of the Caribbean island's chaotic music industry and its checkered social history. Essential * Q Magazine *What makes Bass Culture such an absorbing read is how easily Bradley joins the dots between the music and the culture ... a fascinating exploration, expansive and exacting * Irish Times *Dizzying in its scope yet at the same time meticulous in its attention to detail, written with passion, style and gusto * Independent on Sunday *The most thorough attempt yet to tell reggae's whole story ... he is as attentive to the island's shifting social and political scene as he is to the gradual evolution of the music * Sunday Times *An excellent account of the origins and development of reggae, skilfully locates each phase in the music's evolution and achieves this in an admirably lucid style * Independent *In Lloyd Bradley's long-awaited history, the ghettos and the ganja are explored alongside Independence and international relations to produce the definitive account. An informed analysis and an intoxicating aural history * GQ *Sounds like London is a must-read if you're into the history of black input into London club culture -- Norman Jay MBEEpic ... Sounds Like London is chock-full of fascinating, often forgotten characters ... a major work, and a worthy tribute to a vibrant and innovative culture. -- Kevin EG Perry * NME *I found myself riveted by descriptions of events and people I knew, but had never seen in print; even more so by what I learnt ... fascinating ... an honest and passionate celebration of not just the music, but the courage, tenacity and guile of the people who made it -- Courttia Newland * FT *Hugely entertaining ... full of stories of artists living fresh lives in the capital - and making themselves in the process such an intrinsic part of the British pop landscape. -- Rob Fitzpatrick * Sunday Times *Enlightening ... Sounds Like London is a major achievement ... Breezily written but always politically astute and critically sharp, it makes telling use of new interviews with important figures such as jazzman Russell Henderson and Eddy Grant. Enterprising radio commissioners should rush to give Bradley a regular show. -- Sukhdev Sandhu * Guardian *Illuminating ... The research and the interviews, as well as the author's comprehensive but lightly worn knowledge, elevate this book from being just a list of notable anniversaries and dry facts. Because of Bradley's background as a serious music journalist, he is well equipped for this kind of intensive curation and he never neglects the art of crafting a lovely sentence. -- Bim Adewunmi * New Statesman *Jam-packed with vivid stories and essential info that places the reader right where the action is -- Lois Wilson * Mojo *Meticulous and exhaustive, Sounds Like London is a hugely entertaining and informative look at how black music has shaped the musical output of the city over the decades ... on everything from drum and bass to steel drum bands, Sounds Like London is an informed and entertaining trawl through a fascinating topic. -- Doug Johnstone * Big Issue *Lloyd Bradley's gallop of a book is as much about social transition as music ... Bradley writes with panache ... this exceptional work can sit proudly beside the author's earlier Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King, the definitive account of the glory days of the Jamaican music industry. -- Margaret Busby * Independent *Sounds Like London, Lloyd Bradley's thoughtful survey of black music in the British capital ... Sounds Like London, a thoroughly enjoyable cultural history, captures the excitement and beauty of a music that changed the face of Britain for good. -- Ian Thomson * Sunday Telegraph *Meticulously researched and illustrated -- Karl Dallas * Morning Star *Bradley is the man for the job ... impressive -- Jim Carroll * Irish Times *

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