Search results for ""Author Jack"

As is the case with so many musicians, the life of Warren Zevon was blessed with talent and opportunity yet also beset by tragedy and setbacks. Raised mostly by his mother with an occasional cameo from his gangster father, Warren had an affinity and talent for music at an early age. Taking to the piano and guitar almost instantly, he began imitating and soon creating songs at every opportunity. After an impromptu performance in the right place at the right time, a record deal landed on the lap of a teenager who was eager to set out on his own and make a name for himself. But of course, where fame is concerned, things are never quite so simple.Drawing on original interviews with those closest to Zevon, including Crystal Zevon, Jackson Browne, Mitch Albom, Danny Goldberg, Barney Hoskyns, and Merle Ginsberg, Nothing's Bad Luck tells the story of one of rock's greatest talents. Journalist C.M. Kushins not only examines Zevon's troubled personal life and sophisticated, ever-changing musical style, but emphasizes the moments in which the two are inseparable, and ultimately paints Zevon as a hot-headed, literary, compelling, musical genius worthy of the same tier as that of Bob Dylan and Neil Young.In Nothing's Bad Luck, Kushins at last gives Warren Zevon the serious, in-depth biographical treatment he deserves, making the life of this complex subject accessible to fans old and new for the very first time.

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Frederick Wiseman is America’s foremost chronicler of public institutions. His films have focused on city, state, and local governments; hospitals; asylums; creative organizations and museums; schools; libraries; and more. In recent years, Wiseman’s work has reached a new level of popularity, with films such as In Jackson Heights (2015), Monrovia, Indiana (2018), and City Hall (2020) all earning widespread acclaim.Voyages of Discovery is the definitive account of Wiseman’s career, offering a comprehensive analysis of the work of the leading documentary filmmaker in the United States. In this updated edition, Barry Keith Grant adds new material exploring the documentarian’s works since the 1990s, discussing every film in Wiseman’s remarkable sixty-year career. He examines the core concerns running across Wiseman’s work from the early films, which focus on documenting institutional failure, through an expanding interest in cultural institutions and ideology, to a blossoming embrace of democracy in later films. He pays particular attention to Wiseman’s strategies for involving and implicating the spectator in the institutional processes the films document. Grant also places Wiseman within the history of the documentary and other traditions of American art and considers the relationship between documentary film and authorship. Voyages of Discovery is an important book for anyone interested in Wiseman’s work or how documentary film can reveal the fabric of our shared civic life.

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Frederick Wiseman is America’s foremost chronicler of public institutions. His films have focused on city, state, and local governments; hospitals; asylums; creative organizations and museums; schools; libraries; and more. In recent years, Wiseman’s work has reached a new level of popularity, with films such as In Jackson Heights (2015), Monrovia, Indiana (2018), and City Hall (2020) all earning widespread acclaim.Voyages of Discovery is the definitive account of Wiseman’s career, offering a comprehensive analysis of the work of the leading documentary filmmaker in the United States. In this updated edition, Barry Keith Grant adds new material exploring the documentarian’s works since the 1990s, discussing every film in Wiseman’s remarkable sixty-year career. He examines the core concerns running across Wiseman’s work from the early films, which focus on documenting institutional failure, through an expanding interest in cultural institutions and ideology, to a blossoming embrace of democracy in later films. He pays particular attention to Wiseman’s strategies for involving and implicating the spectator in the institutional processes the films document. Grant also places Wiseman within the history of the documentary and other traditions of American art and considers the relationship between documentary film and authorship. Voyages of Discovery is an important book for anyone interested in Wiseman’s work or how documentary film can reveal the fabric of our shared civic life.

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The Reasoning Voter is an insider's look at campaigns, candidates, media, and voters that convincingly argues that voters make informed logical choices. Samuel L. Popkin analyzes three primary campaigns—Carter in 1976; Bush and Reagan in 1980; and Hart, Mondale, and Jackson in 1984—to arrive at a new model of the way voters sort through commercials and sound bites to choose a candidate. Drawing on insights from economics and cognitive psychology, he convincingly demonstrates that, as trivial as campaigns often appear, they provide voters with a surprising amount of information on a candidate's views and skills. For all their shortcomings, campaigns do matter."If you're preparing to run a presidential campaign, and only have time to read one book, make sure to read Sam Popkin's The Reasoning Voter. If you have time to read two books, read The Reasoning Voter twice."—James Carville, Senior Stategist, Clinton/Gore '92"A fresh and subtle analysis of voter behavior."—Thomas Byrne Edsall, New York Review of Books"Professor Popkin has brought V.O. Key's contention that voters are rational into the media age. This book is a useful rebuttal to the cynical view that politics is a wholly contrived business, in which unscrupulous operatives manipulate the emotions of distrustful but gullible citizens. The reality, he shows, is both more complex and more hopeful than that."—David S. Broder, The Washington Post

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Start embroidering your own clothes with inspiration from Connie's book full of detailed embroidery projects that will have you captivated by the technique of free-motion embroidery. Starting with simple ideas that can be done in an afternoon to get you warmed up, and moving onto more complex, detailed projects that will keep you busy for weeks! Finished pieces like tops, denim and accessories will inspire you to start decorating your own clothes and fill your wardrobe with totally unique, upcycled pieces that no one else owns. The book is split into four parts, each with a range of embroidery projects to get you inspired to either patch up that old top with a hole or stain, or create something outstanding on that staple denim jacket you've been wanting to customise for ages - Don't throw away something just because it's no longer new! The book will cover all skill levels - from easy patches using straight lines, to big pieces with lots of colour and shading for maximum impact and detail! There's something for everyone to start with before challenging yourself and progressing onto more advanced designs. Each project will contain beautiful imagery of the design process from start to finish, showing how an embroidered garment is created from the initial thought processes and drawing stages, right through to the stitching techniques and the finished pieces.

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Theodore Roosevelt (1857–1919) was the most literary of American Presidents, writing scores of books, including Through the Brazilian Wilderness and African Game Trails. He was also the most active of American writers. In little more than six decades, Roosevelt was, among many of his activities, a rancher, historian, reformer, New York City Police Commissioner, renowned hunter, New York State Governor, conservationist, Vice President of the United States, and 26th President of the United States. What is less known is that Roosevelt was also one of the great epistolary writers, penning more than 100,000 letters. This collection brings together over 1,000 of Roosevelt's most engaging and revealing letters, ones that fully illuminate the private man and the public figure. Herein, Roosevelt corresponds with family, friends, colleagues, and political opponents. He discusses private matters, politics, military strategy, conservation, diplomacy, higher education, women's rights, literature, and football. The list of addresses is formidable, including: Jefferson Davis, Francis Parkman, Frederick Jackson Turner, John Muir, Andrew Carnegie, Jane Addams, Henry Ford, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John J. Pershing, Woodrow Wilson, Rudyard Kipling, and Oliver Wendell Holmes. The Selected Letters of Theodore Roosevelt, superbly edited by H. W. Brands, allows Roosevelt to speak in his own inimitable voice. These letters capture the verve and sheer joy of life that was Roosevelt's signature.

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Part reference, part trivia, part brain teaser, and absolutely the most unusual and thorough compendium of basketball stats and facts ever assembled!Did you know that Wilt Chamberlain and Wes Unseld are the only two players in basketball history to win both the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards in the same season? Or that Mark Jackson had more than 10,000 assists in his career, but is not in the Hall of Fame? How about that Kevin Love has the longest consecutive streak of double-doubles, with 53?Inspired by The Baseball Maniac’s Almanac—first created by legendary sportswriter Bert Randolph Sugar—The Basketball Maniac’s Almanac includes thousands of fascinating lists, tables, data, and stimulating facts never before compiled in one place! Inside, you’ll find all of the big name basketball heroes like Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, LeBron James, Rick Barry, Kevin Durant, Jerry West, Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, and a lot of information that will be new to even the most devoted fans: Hall of Famers drafted #1 overall Points leaders by state of birth Most blocked shots by players under six-feet tall Career leaders in four-points plays Oldest player selected to an All-Star Game Players with career Quadruple-Doubles Former ABA players leading the NBA in 3-pointers Most career technical fouls Fathers and sons both drafted in the first round Coaches winning Coach of the Year award and championship in the same season And so much more! Not just a collection of facts or records, this is a book of glorious fun that will astound even the most bookish basketball fan. Read up and amaze your friends, family, and anyone who loves the game of basketball!

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After darkness, there is always lightIn a time of increasing uncertainty, Rethink offers a guide to a much-needed global 'reset moment', with leading international figures giving us glimpses of a better future after the pandemic. Each contribution explores a different aspect of public and private life that can be re-examined - from Pope Francis on poverty and the Dalai Lama on the role of ancient wisdom to Brenda Hale on the courts and Tara Westover on the education divide; from Elif Shafak on uncertainty and Steven Pinker on Human Nature to Xine Yao on masks and Jarvis Cocker on environmental revolution. Collectively, they offer a roadmap for positive change after a year of unprecedented hardship.Based on the hit BBC podcast, and with introductions by presenter and journalist Amol Rajan, Rethink gives us the opportunity to consider what a better world might look like and reaffirms that after darkness there is always light.RETHINK List of contributorsWHO WE ARECarlo Rovelli - Rethinking HumanityPope Francis - Rethinking PovertyPeter Hennessy - Rethinking DemocracyAnand Giridharadas - Rethinking CapitalismJared Diamond - Rethinking a Global ResponseZiauddin Sardar - Rethinking NormalityThe Dalai Lama - Rethinking Ancient WisdomC.K. Lal - Rethinking InstitutionsJarvis Cocker - Rethinking an Environmental RevolutionClare Chambers - Rethinking the BodySteven Pinker - Rethinking Human NatureTom Rivett-Carnac - Rethinking HistoryJonathan Sumption - Rethinking the StateWHAT WE DODavid Skelton - Rethinking IndustryEmma Griffin - Rethinking WorkCaleb Femi - Rethinking EducationGina McCarthy - Rethinking ActivismTara Westover - Rethinking the Education DivideKwame Anthony Appiah - Rethinking the Power of Small ActionsCharlotte Lydia Riley - Rethinking UniversitiesK.K. Shailaja - Rethinking DevelopmentSamantha Power - Rethinking Global GovernanceKT Tunstall - Rethinking the Music IndustryRebecca Adlington - Rethinking the Athlete's LifeBrenda Hale - Rethinking the CourtsNisha Katona - Rethinking HospitalityKatherine Granger - Rethinking the OlympicsDavid Graeber - Rethinking JobsJames Harding - Rethinking NewsCarolyn McCall Rethinking TelevisionHOW WE FEELMohammad Hanif - Rethinking IntimacyH.R. McMaster - Rethinking EmpathyCarol Cooper - Rethinking Racial EqualityPaul Krugman - Rethinking SolidarityAmonge Sinxoto - Rethinking SafetyReed Hastings - Rethinking TogethernessKang Kyung-wha - Rethinking AccountabilityLucy Jones - Rethinking BiophiliaColin Jackson - Rethinking Our Responsibility for Our HealthMirabelle Morah - Rethinking OurselvesNicci Gerrard - Rethinking Old AgeBrian Eno - Rethinking the WinnersJude Browne - Rethinking ResponsibilityElif Shafak Rethinking UncertaintyHOW WE LIVEAmanda Levete - Rethinking How We LiveNiall Ferguson - Rethinking ProgressDavid Wallace-Wells - Rethinking ConsensusMargaret MacMillan - Rethinking International CooperationHRH The Prince of Wales - Rethinking NatureOnora O'Neill - Rethinking Digital PowerMatthew Walker - Rethinking SleepHenry Dimbleby - Rethinking How We EatEliza Manningham-Buller - Rethinking Health InequalityPascal Soriot - Rethinking Medical Co-operationXine Yao - Rethinking MasksGeorge Soros - Rethinking DebtMariana Mazzucato - Rethinking ValueDouglas Alexander - Rethinking Economic DignityWHERE WE GOPeter Frankopan - Rethinking AsiaStuart Russell - Rethinking AIDeRay McKesson - Rethinking the ImpossibleV.S. Ramachandran - Rethinking BrainsSeb Emina - Rethinking TravelAaron Bastani - Rethinking an Aging PopulationRana Foroohar - Rethinking DataAnthony Townsend - Rethinking Robots

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From his first feature film, Fear and Desire (1953), to his final, posthumously released Eyes Wide Shut (1999), Stanley Kubrick excelled at probing the dark corners of human consciousness. In doing so, he adapted such popular novels as The Killing, Lolita, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining and selected a wide variety of genres for his films -- black comedy (Dr. Strangelove), science fiction (2001: A Space Odyssey), and war (Paths of Glory and Full Metal Jacket). Because he was peerless in unveiling the intimate mysteries of human nature, no new film by Kubrick ever failed to spark debate or to be deeply pondered. Kubrick (1928-1999) has remained as elusive as the subjects of his films. Unlike many other filmmakers he was not inclined to grant interviews, instead preferring to let his movies speak for themselves. By allowing both critics and moviegoers to see the inner workings of this reclusive filmmaker, this first comprehensive collection of his relatively few interviews is invaluable. Ranging from 1959 to 1987 and including Kubrick's conversations with Gene Siskel, Jeremy Bernstein, Gene D. Phillips, and others, this book reveals Kubrick's diverse interests -- nuclear energy and its consequences, space exploration, science fiction, literature, religion, psychoanalysis, the effects of violence, and even chess -- and discloses how each affects his films. He enthusiastically speaks of how advances in camera and sound technology made his films more effective.Kubrick details his hands-on approach to filmmaking as he discusses why he supervises nearly every aspect of production. ""All the hand-held camerawork is mine,"" he says in a 1972 interview about A Clockwork Orange. ""In addition to the fun of doing the shooting myself, I find it virtually impossible to explain what I want in a hand-held shot to even the most talented and sensitive camera operator. ""Neither guarded nor evasive, the Kubrick who emerges from these interviews is candid, opinionated, confident, and articulate. His incredible memory and his gift for organization come to light as he quotes verbatim sections of reviews, books, and articles. Despite his reputation as a recluse, the Kubrick of these interviews is approachable, witty, full of anecdotes, and eager to share a fascinating story.

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The war between the United States and Mexico was decades in the making. Although Texas was an independent republic from 1836 to 1845, Texans retained an affiliation with the United States that virtually assured annexation at some point. Mexico's reluctance to give up Texas put it on a collision course with the United States. The Mexican War receives scant treatment in books. Most historians approach the conflict as if it were a mere prelude to the Civil War. The Mexican cession of 1848, however, rivaled the Louisiana Purchase in importance for the sheer amount of territory acquired by the United States. The dispute over slavery-which had been rendered largely academic by the Missouri Compromise-burst forth anew as Americans now faced the realization that they must make a decision over the institution's future. The political battle over the status of slavery in these new territories was the direct cause of the Crisis of 1850 and ignited sectional differences in the decade that followed. In Crisis in the Southwest: The United States, Mexico, and the Struggle over Texas, Richard Bruce Winders provides a concise, accessible overview of the Mexican War and argues that the Mexican War led directly to the Civil War by creating a political and societal crisis that drove a wedge between the North and the South. While on the surface the enemy was Mexico, in reality Americans were at odds with one another over the future of the nation, as the issue of annexation threatened to upset the balance between free and slave states. Winders also explains the military connections between the Mexican War and Civil War, since virtually every important commander in the Civil War-including Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Grant, McClellan, and Longstreet-gained his introduction to combat in Mexico. These connections are enormously significant to the way in which these generals waged war, since it was in the Mexican War that they learned their trade. Crisis in the Southwest provides readers with a clear understanding of the Mexican War and its relationship to the chain of events that ultimately led to the Civil War.

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The modern effort to locate American liberties, it turns out, began in the mud at the bottom of Baltimore harbor. John Barron Jr. and John Craig sued the city for damages after Baltimore's rebuilt drainage system diverted water and sediment into the harbor, preventing large ships from tying up at Barron and Craig's wharf. By the time the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 1833, the issue had become whether the city's actions constituted a taking of property by the state without just compensation, a violation of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The high court's decision in Barron v. Baltimore marked a critical step in the rapid evolution of law and constitutional rights during the first half of the nineteenth century.Diminishing the Bill of Rights examines the backstory and context of this decision as a turning point in the development of our current conception of individual rights. Since the colonial period, Americans had viewed their rights as springing from multiple sources, including the common law, natural right, and English legal tradition. Despite this rich heritage and a prohibition grounded in the Magna Carta against uncompensated state takings of property, the Court ruled against Barron's claim. The Bill of Rights, Chief Justice John Marshall declared in his opinion for the majority, restrained only the federal government, not the states. The Fifth Amendment, accordingly, did not apply to Maryland or any of the cities it chartered. In explaining how the Court came to reject a multisourced view of human liberties - a position seemingly inconsistent with its previous decisions - William Davenport Mercer helps explain why we now envision the Constitution as essential to guaranteeing our rights. Marshall's view of rights in Barron, Mercer argues, helped him navigate the Court through the precarious political currents of the time. While the chief justice may have effected a shrewd political maneuver, the decision helped hasten a reconceptualization of rights as located in documents. Its legacy, as Mercer's work makes clear, is among the Jacksonian era's significant democratic reforms and marks the emergence of a distinctly American constitutionalism.

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More than 140 years ago, Mark Twain observed that the Civil War had "uprooted institutions that were centuries old, changed the politics of a people, transformed the social life of half the country, and wrought so profoundly upon the entire national character that the influence cannot be measured short of two or three generations." In fact, five generations have passed, and Americans are still trying to measure the influence of the immense fratricidal conflict that nearly tore the nation apart. In The War that Forged a Nation, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian James M. McPherson considers why the Civil War remains so deeply embedded in our national psyche and identity. The drama and tragedy of the war, from its scope and size--an estimated death toll of 750,000, far more than the rest of the country's wars combined--to the nearly mythical individuals involved--Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson--help explain why the Civil War remains a topic of interest. But the legacy of the war extends far beyond historical interest or scholarly attention. Here, McPherson draws upon his work over the past fifty years to illuminate the war's continuing resonance across many dimensions of American life. Touching upon themes that include the war's causes and consequences; the naval war; slavery and its abolition; and Lincoln as commander in chief, McPherson ultimately proves the impossibility of understanding the issues of our own time unless we first understand their roots in the era of the Civil War. From racial inequality and conflict between the North and South to questions of state sovereignty or the role of government in social change--these issues, McPherson shows, are as salient and controversial today as they were in the 1860s. Thoughtful, provocative, and authoritative, The War that Forged a Nation looks anew at the reasons America's civil war has remained a subject of intense interest for the past century and a half, and affirms the enduring relevance of the conflict for America today.

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Is there still a distinct Irish identity in America? This highly original survey says yes, though it’s oftŸen an indirect one. True, the age of heroic immigration is over, and today the term “Irish-American” almost always means an American of Irish descent. If the Irish long ago ceased to be America’s largest ethnic group, they’ve nonetheless stayed among the most visible (not least because St Patrick’s Day has been adopted by the nation at large). But for all the external trappings of Irishness, the terms, traditions, and nuances of that identity stay elusive.Irish-American Autobiography opens a new window on the shiŸing meanings of Irishness over the twentieth century, by looking at a range of works that have never before been considered as a distinct body of literature. Opening with celebrity memoirs from athletes like boxer John L. Sullivan and ballplayer Connie Mack—written when the Irish were eager to put their raffish origins behind them—later chapters trace the many tensions, oŸen unspoken, registered by Irish Americans who’ve told their life stories. New York saloonkeepers and South Boston step dancers set themselves against the larger culture, setting a pattern of being on the outside looking in. Even the classic 1950s TV comedy The Honeymooners speaks to the urban Irish origins, and the poignant sense of exclusion felt by its creator Jackie Gleason. Catholicism, so key to the identity of earlier generations of Irish Americans, has also evolved. One chapter looks at the painful diffidence of priest autobiographers, and others reveal how traditional Irish Catholic ideas of the guardian angel and pilgrimage have evolved and stayed potent down to our own time. Irish-American Autobiography becomes, in the end, a story of a continued search for connection—documenting an “ethnic fade” that never quite happened.

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"Dancing in Chains is far more than a sensitive biography (though it is surely that); it is also a model of psychologically informed social and cultural history. Olsen recognizes that psychic conflicts often play themselves out on a higher plane, that psychic and intellectual history are intertwined. He presents a wonderful nuanced picture of Howells." —Jackson Lears,Rutgers University In this insightful study of the childhood and youth of William Dean Howells, Dancing in Chains demonstrates how the turbulent social and cultural changes of the early nineteenth century shaped the young Howells's emotional and intellectual life. His early diaries, letters, poetry, fiction, and newspaper columns are used to illustrate Olsen's argument, which also in turn throws light on the dominant tensions in antebellum America. Accepting the emergent middle-class ethos of civilized morality, with its new conceptions of child rearing and gender spheres, Howells's parents urged him to achieve self-control and individual success while also teaching him to seek the good of others rather than his own glory. For Howells the conflicts coalesced at the time of his leaving home, an increasing common rite of passage for antebellum youth. Trying to affirm his sense of literary vocation, he tested his aspirations against the family's Swedenborgian religious convictions and the antislavery commitments of his village while experimenting with competing literary ideologies in the process of meeting the demands of the new mass reading audience. For Howells the resulting tensions eased toward the end of his youth but reappeared in his more mature works of fiction and social criticism in later years. Portraying the ordeal of coming of age during a momentous period of American history, Dancing in Chains is a fascinating study with a broad appeal to general readers as well as scholars.

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A fresh new jacket design brings this classic self-help guide up to date for a contemporary readership. One of the forerunners to today's pop psych market along with Women Who Love Too Much, this multimillion bestseller shows us how anger affects women's relationships and explains how to turn this often destructive force into a constructive one. For many women, anger is a destructive force that perpetuates all the harmful dynamics of their most intimate relationships. This classic, inspirational book from internationally respected feminist psychologist Harriet Lerner explores the ways in which anger can lead into a destructive ‘dance’ within women’s relationships- permanent fighting with your nearest and dearest, distancing yourself through silence or blaming others for the failure of your relationships. Practical and accessible, this book also shows women how the destructive ‘dance of anger’ can be turned into a constructive force- women should neither suppress their anger nor vent it through aggression, but learn focussed ways to deal with it to find the best solution for all concerned. Focussing largely on family relationships, the book shows women how to deal with many different relationship issues. The book has meaning for all women, regardless of age, background or experience. Harriet Lerner provides the reader with the insights and practical skills to stop behaving in the old predictable ways and to begin to use anger to establish a more positive approach to significant relationships.

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"The World needs Chad Prather more than ever. He's a throwback to a saner and more fun-loving America. His rants are OUR rants." — Charlie KirkChad Prather — “a modern-day Will Rogers” — is just your friendly neighborhood cowboy philosopher, gazing into the sweet tea leaves at the bottom of his cowboy hat, pondering a most fundamental question: “Am I crazy? Or is the world crazy…?” Chad finds life amusing, baffling, sometimes heartwarming, and downright interesting, and wants to share personal stories and witty observations on the hasty growth of insanity within the folds of society, and inspire critical thinking about the state of our modern culture.In this series of humorous essays — reminiscent of the rants he is famous for doing from his truck in Texas — Chad takes on all the problems he has with the modern age, and also talks about some of the problems that we have with each other. Problems with kids, problems with spouses, problems with our bosses at work, and of course problems with all those other jackwagons we work with. What are some of the basic things you need to know if you’re going to survive marriage and parenthood? Whatever happened to decency, hard work, and a sharing of the basic values that made us great in the first place? When did it become unfashionable to believe in God, to go to church on Sunday, or to send our “thoughts and prayers” toward those having a difficult time? When did it become child abuse to spank your kids, instead of child abuse to avoid it? Why do we have such visceral reactions to politics when — by and large — we know so little about how it actually works? When is social media going to finally stop messing around and just bring the full-on possession? And why is it that, as we march further and further along the road of progress — growing our collective knowledge and technological means of dealing with life along the way — we seem to be regressing socially at an equally break-neck pace? AM I CRAZY?: An Unapologetic Patriot Takes on the Insanity of Today’s Woke World explores human misbehavior and stupidity in all its naked splendor with laugh-out-loud humor.JOIN THE CHAD PRATHER POSSE!

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When Harry Truman was rescued from political obscurity to become Franklin Roosevelt’s running mate, black Americans were deeply troubled. Many believed that Truman, born and raised in former slave-holding Missouri, was a step back on civil rights from Henry Wallace, the liberal incumbent vice president. But by the end of his own presidency, black newspaper publishers cited Truman for having “awakened the conscience of America and given new strength to our democracy by his courageous efforts on behalf of freedom and equality.”In this first full-scale account of Truman’s evolving views on civil rights, Robert Shogan recounts how Truman outgrew the bigotry of his Jackson County upbringing to become the first president since Lincoln to attempt to redress the nation’s long history of injustice toward its black citizens—and in the process transformed the course of race relations in America. Shogan vividly demonstrates the full significance of the 33rd president’s contributions to that transformation. He ordered the integration of the armed forces and threw the weight of the Justice Department behind the long struggle against segregation in housing and education. And he used the platform of his presidency to relentlessly trumpet the cause of equal rights for those least favoured Americans, even making an unprecedented address to the NAACP. Going beyond other accounts of Truman, Shogan points out the political and personal factors that motivated the president and weighs the potential political costs and benefits of his civil rights actions. Shogan also explains Truman’s shift away from his formative racial prejudices by shedding light on the forces that shaped his character and leadership qualities. These included his political tutelage under “Boss Tom” Pendergast, which taught him the value of black voters, and the influence of populism, which fostered his support for underdogs such as black Americans. Illuminating how Truman became the first president to make racial injustice a political priority—and the first to denounce segregation as well as discrimination—Shogan’s book opens a new and provocative window on the struggle for civil rights in America.

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Bar Yarns and Manic Depressive Mix Tapes distills thirty delirious, jam-packed years of some of the best music writing ever to come out of the Twin Cities. As a writer and musician, the ever-curious Jim Walsh has lived a life immersed in music, and it all makes its way into his columns and feature articles, interviews and reviews, including personal essays on life, love, music, family, death, and, yes, the manic-depressive highs and lows that come with being an obsessive music lover and listener. From Minneapolis’s own Prince to such far-flung acts as David Bowie, the Waterboys, Lucinda Williams, Parliament-Funkadelic, L7, the Rolling Stones, the Ramones, U2, Hank Williams, Britney Spears, Elvis Presley and Nirvana, Walsh’s work treats us to a chorus of the voices and sounds that have made the music scene over the past three decades. The big names are here, from Rosanne Cash to Bruce Springsteen to Bob Marley and Jackson Browne, but so are those a little shy of superstardom, like the Tin Star Sisters and Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, the Gear Daddies, Semisonic, and The Belfast Cowboys. The book is also a tour (de force) of the Twin Cities' most celebrated music venues past and present, from the Prom Ballroom to Paisley Park to Duffy's. When Walsh isn't celebrating the sheer magic of live music or dreaming to tunes blasting from the car console, he might be surveying the scene with the Hamm's Bear at Grumpy's or the Double Deuce or singing the last night at the Uptown Bar blues. Whether he's dishing dirt with Yoko Ono or digging the Replacements' roots, giving an old rocker a spin or offering a mic to the latest upstart, Jim Walsh reminds us that in the land of a thousand lakes there are a thousand dances, and the music never dies.Capturing the pure notes and character of the sound of the Twin Cities and beyond, with a keen eye for trends and the telling detail, his book truly is a mix tape of thirty years of unforgettable music.

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If you love Helen Hoang, Abby Jimenez and Talia Hibbert, you'll LOVE Farrah Rochon!One of Cosmopolitan's '12 Books You'll Be Desperate to Read This Summer' and one of Oprah Magazine's Best Romances of 2020!'A prime example of how complex and insightful romances can be' Jasmine Guillory'Relatable and real... I smiled the whole time I was reading' Andie J. Christopher'The free-spirited, tell-it-like-it-is page-turner you've been looking for!' Kwana JacksonWhat happens when three women discover, thanks to the live tweeting of a disastrous date, that they've all been duped by the same man? They become friends of course!Three friends. One pact. And a temptation to break the rules... Samiah Brooks never thought she would be 'that' girl. But a live tweet of a horrific date reveals the painful truth: she's been catfished by her three-timing jerk of a boyfriend. Suddenly Samiah - along with the two other 'girlfriends', London and Taylor - have gone viral. Now the three new besties are making a six-month pact: no men, no dating, just time to focus on themselves. This means Samiah can finally focus on her exciting career in app development - so having the deliciously sexy and distracting Daniel Collins walk into her office definitely isn't part of her plan... But is Daniel really boyfriend material - or is he simply too good to be true?'A multilayered story about friendship, love, and following your dreams - all of it told with heart and emotion' Nalini Singh'Funny, fresh, sexy, and heartfelt. This is my new favorite romance series' Suzanne Brockmann'A smart, funny digital-age romance about real women living in the real world. Couldn't put it down!' Abby Jimenez'A masterpiece of modern-day Jane Austen with effortless, razor-sharp social commentary, romance, and humor. Farrah Rochon is one of the absolute best romance writers today. Period' Kristan Higgins'Swoon-worthy romance, the power of true friendship, and a grand gesture that makes your heart sigh with pure satisfaction. Absolutely a must-read summer romance!' Priscilla Oliveras'Rochon is a romance master who adeptly writes interesting and dynamic characters... A richly layered conflict adds depth and complexity to this charming workplace romance' Kirkus

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Top 10 Nueva York Es la mejor guía en el mercado, tamaño bolsillo, con ideas y consejos de los locales, incluye mapas a todo color, listas top 10, mapa que puedes llevar contigo - todo diseñado para que tengas una experiencia para recordar.Disfrutarás esta guía porque.. El contenido y el diseño es claro y fácil de usar Los destinos están totalmente actualizados, con consejos de expertos de esta región. Incluye las listas top 10 accesibles y variadas, que te llevan a los monumentos icónicos y edificios más representativos y paseos por las zonas más populares y visitas imprescindibles Tiene mapas, planos y descripciones detalladas de todos los puntos clave del destino Recomendaciones sobre los mejores hoteles, restaurantes, tiendas y locales de ocio Nueva York es una ciudad única: rebosante de monumentos y famosa por los museos, los teatros y la animada vida nocturna. Visita la Estatua de la Libertad, pasea por Central Park y sube al Empire State Building. ¡Bienvenidos a Nueva York!Your journey starts here. Featuring DK’s much-loved maps and illustrations, walks and information, plus all new, full-color photography, our 100% updated guides bring you the best a destination has to offer in a lightweight format.Top 10 Nueva York is an unbeatable, pocket-sized guide, packed with insider tips and ideas, color maps, top 10 lists, and a laminated pull-out map – all designed to help you experience the very best of a destinationYou will enjoy this guide because.. Contemporary jacket design Updated regularly, by experts with an in-depth knowledge of the region Includes Top 10 lists that are accessible and varied – leading you straight to the best places to visit, both famous and off the beaten track The guide includes a laminated pull-out map, with a selected street and sight index Recommended hotels, restaurants, shops and places of leisure.

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The work of Alex Colville, O.C. (1920-2013), one of the great modern realist painters, combines the Flemish detail of Andrew Wyeth, the eerie foreboding of George Tooker and the anguished confrontations of Lucian Freud. Behind the North Americans stands their common master, Edward Hopper. Colville's works are in many museums in Canada and Germany. He has affinities with Max Beckmann and appeals to the German "secondary virtues": cleanliness, punctuality, love of order. In a long life he resolutely opposed the fashionable currents of abstract and expressionistic art. In contrast to Jackson Pollock's wild action painting, Colville created paintings of contemplation and reflection. As Jeffrey Meyers writes: I spent several days with Colville on each of three visits from California to Wolfville. I received seventy letters from him between August 1998 and April 2010, and kept thirty-six of my letters to him. He sent me photographs and slides of his work and, in his eighties, discussed the progress and meaning of the paintings he completed during the last decade of his life. His handwritten letters, precisely explaining his thoughts and feelings, provide a rare and enlightening opportunity to compare my insights and interpretations with his own intentions and ideas. He also discussed his family, health, sexuality, politics, reading, travels, literary interests, our mutual friend Iris Murdoch, response to my writing, his work, exhibitions, sales of his pictures and of course the meaning of his art. His letters reveal the challenges he faced during aging and illness, and his determination to keep painting as health difficulties mounted. He stopped writing to me when he became seriously ill two years before his death. In this context the late paintings, presented in colour in this book, take on a new poignancy.

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In early 1991, top music manager Danny Goldberg agreed to take on Nirvana, a critically acclaimed new band from the underground music scene in Seattle. He had no idea that the band's leader, Kurt Cobain, would become a pop-culture icon with a legacy arguably at the level of John Lennon, Michael Jackson, or Elvis Presley. Danny worked with Kurt from 1990 to 1994, the most impactful period of Kurt's life. This key time saw the stratospheric success of Nevermind turn Nirvana into the most successful rock band in the world and make punk and grunge household names; Kurt met and married the brilliant but mercurial Courtney Love and their relationship became a lightning rod for critics; their daughter Frances Bean was born; and, finally, Kurt's public struggles with addiction ended in a devastating suicide that would alter the course of rock history. Throughout, Danny stood by Kurt's side as manager, and close friend.Drawing on Danny's own memories of Kurt, files which previously have not been made public, and interviews with, among others, Kurt's close family, friends and former bandmates, Serving the Servant sheds an entirely new light on these critical years. Casting aside the common obsession with the angst and depression that seemingly drove Kurt, Serving the Servant is an exploration of his brilliance in every aspect of rock and roll, his compassion, his ambition, and the legacy he wrought - one that has lasted decades longer than his career did. Danny Goldberg explores what it is about Kurt Cobain that still resonates today, even with a generation who wasn't alive until after Kurt's death. In the process, he provides a portrait of an icon unlike any that have come before.

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The incredible untold story of how Ann Lowe, a Black woman and granddaughter of slaves, rose above personal struggles and racial prejudice to design and create one of America's most famous wedding dresses of all time for Jackie Kennedy.1953, New York CityLess than a week before the society wedding of the year where Jacqueline Bouvier will marry John F. Kennedy, a pipe bursts at Ann Lowe’s dress shop and ruins eleven dresses, including the expensive wedding dress, a dress that will be judged by thousands. A Black designer who has fought every step of the way, Ann knows this is only one struggle after a lifetime of them. She and her seamstresses will find the way to re-create the dresses. It may take all day and all night for the next week to accomplish the task, but they will do it.1918, TampaRaised in Jim Crow Alabama, Ann learned the art of sewing from her mother and her grandmother, a former slave, who are the most talented seamstresses in the state. After Ann elopes at twelve with an older man who soon proves himself to be an abusive alcoholic, her dreams of becoming a celebrated designer seem to be put on hold. But then a wealthy Tampa socialite sees Ann’s talent and offers her an amazing opportunity—the chance to sew and design clothing for Florida’s society elite. Taking her young son in the middle of the night, Ann escapes her husband and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime.Based on the true story of one of the most famous designers of the twenties through the sixties who has since been unjustly forgotten, By Her Own Design is an unforgettable novel of determination despite countless obstacles and a triumph celebrated by the world.

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Angry, outrageous, defiant, and courageous are some of the words that describe the American Abstract Expressionist artist Lee Krasner (1908-1984) - the subject of this very personal memoir inspired by Ruth Appelhof's 1974 summer with her in East Hampton, Long Island. Best remembered by many as Jackson Pollock's widow, she is regarded more by 'art-world insiders' as the producer of a major body of work that influenced the evolution of contemporary art - in particular, that made by women in the 20th and 21st centuries. As a scholar and a friend, Appelhof re-examines Krasner's contributions in light of the intellectual and emotional experiences that she so candidly shared with her in weeks of interviews. In addition, Appelhof explores Lee Krasner's relationships with others - friends, art-world luminaries, artists, and other 'summer sitters' allowed into her private sanctuary - through interviews. Those recollections will offer a window into the artist's intense and idiosyncratic personal life as well as into her contributions through the groundbreaking work she produced over the course of more than six decades. Contents: Prefaces by Helen Harrison, Director of the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center, and Barbara Rose, Art Historian and Critic; Chapter 1: Driving Ms. Krasner; Chapter 2: The Tapes: Fact or Fiction; Chapter 3: Cards on the Table; Chapter 4: Swing of the Pendulum; Chapter 5: Summer Sitters; Chapter 6: In Spite of Herself. Published to accompany the Lee Krasner Retrospective at the Barbican Art Gallery, London, fromThursday 30 May-Sunday 1 September 2019, and at Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt, from Thursday 10 October 2019-Sunday 12 January 2020, and at Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern, from Friday 7 February-Sunday 10 May 2020, and at the Guggenheim Bilbao, from Friday 29 May-Sunday 6 September 2020.

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Late-seventies Los Angeles was rampant with killers and shady characters, but all the go-getters at Space Matters saw was possibility. Richard Kasparov was handsome and charismatic; his younger associate, Jerry Schneiderman, brilliant and nerdy. When the pair hired a veteran contractor to oversee construction, the space planning firm they operated out of a hip mansion in LA’s Miracle Mile district appeared poised to transform the boundless skyline into their jackpot.After the promising team imploded, however, the orderly lines on their blueprints succumbed to treachery and secrets. To get even, one of the ex-partners launched a murder-for-profit corporation using, among other peculiar sorts, a bantam-sized epileptic with a deadeye shot and a cross-dressing sidekick. The hapless criminals required a comical number of attempts to execute their first target. Once they did, on a rainy night in the San Fernando Valley, the surviving founder of Space Matters was thrown into a pressure cooker existence out of a Coen Brothers movie. Threatened for money he didn’t have, he donned a disguise, survived a heart-pounding encounter at the La Brea Tar Pits, and relied on an ex-Israeli mercenary for protection. In the end, he had to outfox a glowering murderer, while asking if you can ever really know anyone in a town where dirty deals send men to their graves.In The Darkest Glare, Chip Jacobs recounts a spectacular, noir-ish, true-crime saga from one of the deadliest eras in American history. You’ll never gaze out windows into the dark again.Included as a bonus is an original true crime short from the same unhinged era. In “Paul & Chuck,” a flashy, crusading attorney wages war against the messianic leader of a bloodthirsty cult determined to teach the world to stay away.

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Rock and roll was born in the United States during the 1950s. Its popularity rapidly grew spreading across the Atlantic to England. The Brits transformed rock bringing it back to the States in a new form with the British Invasion. Since that time the two countries have dominated headlines and histories in terms of rock music.ÞWhat's often forgotten in these histories is the evolution of Canadian rock and roll during the same period. Over the years a huge contingent of Canadian artists has made invaluable contributions to rock and roll. The list of innovative Canadian artists is quite impressive: Neil Young Joni Mitchell Paul Anka Arcade Fire The Band Bryan Adams Rush Leonard Cohen Celine Dion Diana Krall Gordon Lightfoot Sarah McLachlan Alanis Morissette Tegan and Sara Feist Nickelback and many others not to mention the all-star producers such as Daniel Lanois (U2 Bob Dylan Peter Gabriel) Bob Rock (Metallica Aerosmith Bon Jovi) Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd Alice Cooper Kiss) and David Foster (Michael Jackson Celine Dion).ÞThe history of Canadian rock and roll is a lively entertaining and largely untold tale. Bob Mersereau presents a streamlined informative trip through the country's rich history and depth of talent from the 1950s to today covering such topics as: Toronto's club scene the folk rock and psychedelic rock of the 1960s Canadian artists who hit major stardom in the United States the challenges and reform of the Canadian broadcasting system the huge hits of the 1970s Canadian artists' presence all over the pop charts in the 1990s and Canada's indie-rock renaissance of the 2000s.

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Baseball is a game of incredible moments, awe-inspiring feats, and dramatic finishes. But not all of these events actually impacted the game itself or the players still to come. Moments such as Lou Gehrig’s last Opening Day appearance, the very first All-Star game, or Mickey Mantle’s first game to hit home runs from both sides of the plate are iconic not because they were game-changing plays, but because they affected the course of baseball history. In 50 Moments That Defined Major League Baseball, Rocco Constantino provides a fresh history of the national pastime by recounting the most extraordinary and iconic moments—both renowned and obscure—that shaped the game as it moved from the Dead Ball Era, through World War II, and on to the modern era. Events include Jackie Robinson’s first All-Star Game, Babe Ruth’s 50th home run in his first season as a Yankee, Hank Aaron’s first career home run, and many more. Highlighting these moments are Constantino’s exclusive interviews with over 50 former Major League Baseball players, managers, and umpires, as they candidly share their memories and provide commentary on these impactful events. Many of the players interviewed played in the World Series or an All-Star Game, including Rod Carew, Fred Lynn, Shawn Estes, and Jeff Montgomery. 50 Moments That Defined Major League Baseball features rarely seen historic photographs of baseball immortals and modern photos of today’s stars. With two bonus chapters that include first-hand entertaining anecdotes from baseball icons and moving statements about those who helped them reach the sport’s pinnacle, this book is an engaging read for baseball fans and historians alike.

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The term 'national treasure' has seldom been more appropriate. Richard Briers was not only the nation's favourite next-door neighbour thanks to his work in the iconic BBC sitcom The Good Life, he was an actor you felt like you really knew, despite having only seen him on stage or screen.While his role as Tom Good might be considered the pinnacle of Richard's sixty-year career, it sits atop a mountain of roles that combined represent one of the most productive and varied careers in British entertainment history. Indeed, Richard's television work alone makes up a not insignificant portion of our country's best endeavours on the small screen, from Jackanory and the anarchic Roobarb and Custard through to Dr Who, Inspector Morse, Ever Decreasing Circles, Extras, and the long-running comedy drama, Monarch of the Glen. On the big screen Richard appeared alongside Raquel Welch, Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington, Kathy Bates and Michael Keaton, and he even taught Keanu Reeves how to act like Sir Henry Irving.But it was on the stage where Richard felt most at home as, in addition to testing him as an actor, it would often satisfy his passion for taking risks. Appearances in the West End were often interspersed with pantomime seasons or a world tour playing King Lear alongside Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson. He was, as he always described himself, 'just a jobbing actor'.Anecdote-rich, this revealing but celebratory book will also lift the lid on the stories behind the shows, films and plays that made up this extraordinarily prolific career, not to mention Richard's working and personal relationships with many of his best-known collaborators and co-stars.

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Ian McEwan once said, 'When women stop reading, the novel will be dead.' This book explains how precious fiction is to contemporary British women readers, and how they draw on it to tell the stories of their lives. Female readers are key to the future of fiction and--as parents, teachers, and librarians--the glue for a literate society. Women treasure the chance to read alone, but have also gregariously shared reading experiences and memories with mothers, daughters, grandchildren, and female friends. For so many, reading novels and short stories enables them to escape and to spread their wings intellectually and emotionally. This book, written by an experienced teacher, scholar of women's writing, and literature festival director, draws on over 500 interviews with and questionnaires from women readers and writers. It describes how, where, and when British women read fiction, and examines why stories and writers influence the way female readers understand and shape their own life stories. Taylor explores why women are the main buyers and readers of fiction, members of book clubs, attendees at literary festivals, and organisers of days out to fictional sites and writers' homes. The book analyses the special appeal and changing readership of the genres of romance, erotica, and crime. It also illuminates the reasons for British women's abiding love of two favourite novels, Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre. Taylor offers a cornucopia of witty and wise women's voices, of both readers themselves and also writers such as Hilary Mantel, Helen Dunmore, Katie Fforde, and Sarah Dunant. The book helps us understand why--in Jackie Kay's words--'our lives are mapped by books.'

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THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER ‘If you only read one book this year, Guilty Women won't disappoint. It will leave you breathless’ The Express ‘Guilty Women’s stamped it’s razor sharp, blood-stained stiletto heel firmly in the lead to be 2022’s book of the year’ The Daily Mirror Can they get away with murder? On a beautiful island off the English coast, four TV actresses gather.Their fifth member is missing – and only they know why she was killed.As the secret between them threatens to come out, tensions on set run high.The women are determined that the show must go on – no matter what it costs.But one of them is on the edge of telling the truth – and no show in the world could survive this scandal… All of the women have something to hide – but the question is, are they all guilty? The cast of RUTHLESS WOMEN is back – but this time they’re in trouble… PRAISE FOR GUILTY WOMEN: “You'll laugh, cry, be shocked and left wanting more… Guilty Women is an unmissable read. Pure escapism. 5 stars!”Ok! Magazine “Revenge, murder, sex and greed… Guilty Women has it all. Blake's latest novel proves she's here to stay as the new queen of the blockbuster novel. Jackie Collins would have loved it”Bella Magazine “Not for the faint hearted! An unputdownable, revenge and lust filled romp of a read that you won’t want to end!”Heat Magazine “The perfect killer thriller with sexy scenes that’ll keep you reading late into the night”Notebook Magazine “If you only read one book this year, then Guilty Women won't disappoint. It will leave you breathless”The Express

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An interactive touch and feel book for babies that inspires hands-on learning. Tactile elements and delightful imagery will encourage the development of motor skills and early learning.Baby Touch and Feel: Fluffy Animals is an interactive and fun way to help your child learn not only words but shapes and textures too. Bold, bright pictures and colorful illustrations will be more than enough to keep your baby’s attention. This adorable animal picture book is a perfect first book for preschoolers and makes for an ideal baby gift.Not too big and not too small, this sturdy, padded sensory book is just the right size for little hands to hold. No need for Mom and Dad to turn the pages! Babies and toddlers can turn the tough board book pages themselves, which helps to develop their fine motor skills while building an early language foundation.This charming animal board book for babies includes: • An amazing range of different textures to explore • Clearly labeled pictures and a simple, easy to follow design • Easy to read text to encourage early vocabulary building • A texture or eye-catching area on every page • Rounded edges and chunky pages, protecting babies and their growing teeth Learning to read should always be this fun. Kids will get hours of play from this sturdy board book for babies and toddlers, from making the noises and reading the names to feeling the different textures. Packed full of shiny objects and some bumps and grooves, this educational book will engage small children and stimulate early childhood development in different ways. This touchy feely book, with its strong, baby-safe jacket, makes for an ideal baby gift.Complete the SeriesThis delightful book is part of the Baby Touch and Feel range of board books for babies and toddlers from DK Books and includes titles like Baby Touch and Feel Animals, Baby Touch and Feel Bedtime, Baby Touch and Feel Colors and Shapes, and more for your little one to enjoy!

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An interactive touch and feel book for babies that inspires hands-on learning. Tactile elements and delightful imagery will encourage the development of motor skills and early learning.Baby Touch and Feel: Tractor is an interactive and fun way to help your child learn not only words but shapes and textures too. Bold, bright pictures and colorful illustrations will be more than enough to keep your baby’s attention. This adorable picture book is a perfect first book for preschoolers and makes for an ideal baby gift.Not too big and not too small, this sturdy, padded sensory book is just the right size for little hands to hold. No need for Mom and Dad to turn the pages! Babies and toddlers can turn the tough board book pages themselves, which helps to develop their fine motor skills while building an early language foundation.This charming board book for babies includes: • An amazing range of different textures to explore • Clearly labeled pictures and a simple, easy to follow design • Easy to read text to encourage early vocabulary building • A texture or eye-catching area on every page • Rounded edges and chunky pages, protecting babies and their growing teeth Learning to read should always be this fun. Kids will get hours of play from this sturdy board book for babies and toddlers, from making the noises and reading the names to feeling the different textures. Packed full of shiny objects and some bumps and grooves, this educational book will engage small children and stimulate early childhood development in different ways. This touchy feely book, with its strong, baby-safe jacket, makes for an ideal baby gift.Complete the SeriesThis delightful book is part of the Baby Touch and Feel range of board books for babies and toddlers from DK Books and includes titles like Baby Touch and Feel Animals, Baby Touch and Feel Bedtime, Baby Touch and Feel Colors and Shapes, and more for your little one to enjoy!

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An interactive, Holiday themed, touch and feel book for babies that inspires hands-on learning. Tactile elements and delightful imagery will encourage the development of motor skills and early learning.Baby Touch and Feel: Christmas is an interactive and fun way to help your child learn about words and textures, as well as the Holiday season. Bold, bright pictures and colorful illustrations will be more than enough to keep your baby’s attention. This Christmas picture book is a perfect first book for preschoolers and makes for an ideal baby gift.Not too big and not too small, this sturdy, padded sensory book is just the right size for little hands to hold. No need for Mom and Dad to turn the pages! Babies and toddlers can turn the tough board book pages themselves, which helps to develop their fine motor skills while building an early language foundation.This charming Christmas board book for babies includes: • An amazing range of different textures to explore • Clearly labeled pictures and a simple, easy to follow design • Easy to read text to encourage early vocabulary building • A texture or eye-catching area on every page • Rounded edges and chunky pages, protecting babies and their growing teeth It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and what better way to celebrate it that a Touch and Feel Christmas experience? Kids will get hours of play from this sturdy board book for babies and toddlers, from making the noises and reading the names to feeling the different textures. Packed full of happy snowmen, holiday cheer, and some bumps and grooves, this educational book will engage small children and stimulate early childhood development in different ways. This touchy feely book, with its strong, baby-safe jacket, makes for an ideal Christmas baby gift.Complete the SeriesThis delightful book is part of the Baby Touch and Feel range of board books for babies and toddlers from DK Books and includes titles like Baby Touch and Feel Animals, Baby Touch and Feel Bedtime, Baby Touch and Feel Colors and Shapes, and more for your little one to enjoy!

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One of the most iconic characters in children’s literature Hergé’s classic comic book creation Tintin is one of the most recognisable characters in children’s books. These highly collectible editions of the original 24 adventures will delight Tintin fans old and new. Perfect for lovers of graphic novels, mysteries and historical adventures. The world’s most famous travelling reporter gets caught up in a revolutionary adventure. Bianca Castafiore has been imprisoned by General Tapioca! Also accused of threatening Tapioca’s dictatorship, Tintin, Calculus and Haddock jet off to the jungle HQ of the revolutionaries, and hatch a plot surrounding the upcoming carnival and Haddock’s sudden and mysterious disgust for whiskey … Join the most iconic character in comics as he embarks on an extraordinary adventure spanning historical and political events, and thrilling mysteries. Still selling over 100,000 copies every year in the UK and having been adapted for the silver screen by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson in 2011. The Adventures of Tintin continue to charm more than 90 years after they first found their way into publication. Since then more than 230 million copies have been sold, proving that comic books have the same power to entertain children and adults in the 21st century as they did in the early 20th. Hergé (Georges Remi) was born in Brussels in 1907. Over the course of 54 years he completed over 20 titles in The Adventures of Tintin series, which is now considered to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, comics series of all time. Have you collected all the graphic novel adventures? Tintin in the Land of the SovietsTintin in AmericaTintin: Cigars of the PharaohTintin: The Blue LotusTintin: The Broken EarTintin: The Black IslandTintin: King Ottakar’s SceptreTintin: The Crab with the Golden ClawsTintin: The Shooting StarTintin: The Secret of the UnicornTintin: Red Rackham’s TreasureTintin: The Seven Crystal BallsTintin: Prisoners of the SunTintin: Land of Black GoldTintin: Destination MoonTintin: Explorers of the MoonTintin: The Calculus AffairTintin: The Red Sea SharksTintin in TibetTintin: The Castafiore EmeraldTintin: Flight 714 to SydneyThe Adventures of Tintin and the PicarosTintin and Alph-Art

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An interactive touch and feel book for babies that inspires hands-on learning. Tactile elements and delightful imagery will encourage the development of motor skills and early learning.Baby Touch and Feel: First Words is an interactive and fun way to help your child learn not only words but shapes and textures too. Bold, bright pictures and colourful illustrations will be more than enough to keep your baby's attention. This adorable picture book is a perfect first book for preschoolers and makes for an ideal baby gift.Not too big and not too small, this sturdy, padded sensory book is just the right size for little hands to hold. No need for Mum and Dad to turn the pages! Babies and toddlers can turn the tough board book pages themselves, which helps to develop their fine motor skills while building an early language foundation.This charming board book for babies includes: - An amazing range of different textures to explore- Clearly labelled pictures and a simple, easy to follow design- Easy to read text to encourage early vocabulary building- A texture or eye-catching area on every page- Rounded edges and chunky pages, protecting babies and their growing teethLearning to read should always be this fun. Kids will get hours of play from this sturdy board book for babies and toddlers, from making the noises and reading the names to feeling the different textures. Packed full of shiny objects and some bumps and grooves, this educational book will engage small children and stimulate early childhood development in different ways. This touchy feely book, with its strong, baby-safe jacket, makes for an ideal baby gift.Complete the SeriesThis delightful book is part of the Baby Touch and Feel range of board books for babies and toddlers from DK Books and includes titles like Baby Touch and Feel Animals, Baby Touch and Feel Bedtime, Baby Touch and Feel Colours and Shapes, and more for your little one to enjoy!

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One of the most iconic characters in children’s literature Hergé’s classic comic book creation Tintin is one of the most recognisable characters in children’s books. These highly collectible editions of the original 24 adventures will delight Tintin fans old and new. Perfect for lovers of graphic novels, mysteries and historical adventures. The world’s most famous travelling reporter heads for Russia. Accompanied by his dog Snowy, Tintin leaves Brussels to go undercover in Soviet Russia. His attempts to research his story are put to the test by the Bolsheviks and Moscow’s secret police . . . Join the most iconic character in comics as he embarks on an extraordinary adventure spanning historical and political events, and thrilling mysteries. Still selling over 100,000 copies every year in the UK and having been adapted for the silver screen by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson in 2011. The Adventures of Tintin continue to charm more than 90 years after they first found their way into publication. Since then more than 230 million copies have been sold, proving that comic books have the same power to entertain children and adults in the 21st century as they did in the early 20th. Hergé (Georges Remi) was born in Brussels in 1907. Over the course of 54 years he completed over 20 titles in The Adventures of Tintin series, which is now considered to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, comics series of all time. Have you collected all the graphic novel adventures? Tintin in the Land of the SovietsTintin in AmericaTintin: Cigars of the PharaohTintin: The Blue LotusTintin: The Broken EarTintin: The Black IslandTintin: King Ottakar’s SceptreTintin: The Crab with the Golden ClawsTintin: The Shooting StarTintin: The Secret of the UnicornTintin: Red Rackham’s TreasureTintin: The Seven Crystal BallsTintin: Prisoners of the SunTintin: Land of Black GoldTintin: Destination MoonTintin: Explorers of the MoonTintin: The Calculus AffairTintin: The Red Sea SharksTintin in TibetTintin: The Castafiore EmeraldTintin: Flight 714 to SydneyThe Adventures of Tintin and the PicarosTintin and Alph-Art

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One of the most iconic characters in children’s literature Hergé’s classic comic book creation Tintin is one of the most recognisable characters in children’s books. These highly collectible editions of the original 24 adventures will delight Tintin fans old and new. Perfect for lovers of graphic novels, mysteries and historical adventures. The world’s most famous travelling reporter journeys to South America on a mission to save Professor Calculus. When Professor Calculus is kidnapped, Tintin and a desperate Captain Haddock set off to Peru on a rescue mission, braving runaway train carriages, yellow fever and avalanches. Then they must find an ancient Inca tribe if they are to find their great friend. Join the most iconic character in comics as he embarks on an extraordinary adventure spanning historical and political events, and thrilling mysteries. Still selling over 100,000 copies every year in the UK and having been adapted for the silver screen by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson in 2011. The Adventures of Tintin continue to charm more than 90 years after they first found their way into publication. Since then more than 230 million copies have been sold, proving that comic books have the same power to entertain children and adults in the 21st century as they did in the early 20th. Hergé (Georges Remi) was born in Brussels in 1907. Over the course of 54 years he completed over 20 titles in The Adventures of Tintin series, which is now considered to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, comics series of all time. Have you collected all the graphic novel adventures? Tintin in the Land of the SovietsTintin in AmericaTintin: Cigars of the PharaohTintin: The Blue LotusTintin: The Broken EarTintin: The Black IslandTintin: King Ottakar’s SceptreTintin: The Crab with the Golden ClawsTintin: The Shooting StarTintin: The Secret of the UnicornTintin: Red Rackham’s TreasureTintin: The Seven Crystal BallsTintin: Prisoners of the SunTintin: Land of Black GoldTintin: Destination MoonTintin: Explorers of the MoonTintin: The Calculus AffairTintin: The Red Sea SharksTintin in TibetTintin: The Castafiore EmeraldTintin: Flight 714 to SydneyThe Adventures of Tintin and the PicarosTintin and Alph-Art

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One of the most iconic characters in children’s literature Hergé’s classic comic book creation Tintin is one of the most recognisable characters in children’s books. These highly collectible editions of the original 24 adventures will delight Tintin fans old and new. Perfect for lovers of graphic novels, mysteries and historical adventures. The world’s most famous travelling reporter is on the trail of the Blue Lotus. In India, Tintin gets drawn into a dangerous mystery revolving around a madness-inducing poison. He traces its origins to Shanghai and a nefarious web of opium traffickers. But can he outwit the crooks? Join the most iconic character in comics as he embarks on an extraordinary adventure spanning historical and political events, and thrilling mysteries. Still selling over 100,000 copies every year in the UK and having been adapted for the silver screen by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson in 2011. The Adventures of Tintin continue to charm more than 90 years after they first found their way into publication. Since then more than 230 million copies have been sold, proving that comic books have the same power to entertain children and adults in the 21st century as they did in the early 20th. Hergé (Georges Remi) was born in Brussels in 1907. Over the course of 54 years he completed over 20 titles in The Adventures of Tintin series, which is now considered to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, comics series of all time. Have you collected all the graphic novel adventures? Tintin in the Land of the SovietsTintin in AmericaTintin: Cigars of the PharaohTintin: The Blue LotusTintin: The Broken EarTintin: The Black IslandTintin: King Ottakar’s SceptreTintin: The Crab with the Golden ClawsTintin: The Shooting StarTintin: The Secret of the UnicornTintin: Red Rackham’s TreasureTintin: The Seven Crystal BallsTintin: Prisoners of the SunTintin: Land of Black GoldTintin: Destination MoonTintin: Explorers of the MoonTintin: The Calculus AffairTintin: The Red Sea SharksTintin in TibetTintin: The Castafiore EmeraldTintin: Flight 714 to SydneyThe Adventures of Tintin and the PicarosTintin and Alph-Art

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One of the most iconic characters in children’s literature Hergé’s classic comic book creation Tintin is one of the most recognisable characters in children’s books. These highly collectible editions of the original 24 adventures will delight Tintin fans old and new. Perfect for lovers of graphic novels, mysteries and historical adventures. The world’s most famous travelling reporter must unearth the truth behind the strange cigars bearing a pharaoh’s symbol. On the hunt for an Egyptologist and a mysterious ancient pharaoh, Tintin scours Egypt and India. He makes friends with elephants, narrowly avoids falling victim to the poison of madness and saves a maharajah from a killer tiger. Join the most iconic character in comics as he embarks on an extraordinary adventure spanning historical and political events, and thrilling mysteries. Still selling over 100,000 copies every year in the UK and having been adapted for the silver screen by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson in 2011. The Adventures of Tintin continue to charm more than 90 years after they first found their way into publication. Since then more than 230 million copies have been sold, proving that comic books have the same power to entertain children and adults in the 21st century as they did in the early 20th. Hergé (Georges Remi) was born in Brussels in 1907. Over the course of 54 years he completed over 20 titles in The Adventures of Tintin series, which is now considered to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, comics series of all time. Have you collected all the graphic novel adventures? Tintin in the Land of the SovietsTintin in AmericaTintin: Cigars of the PharaohTintin: The Blue LotusTintin: The Broken EarTintin: The Black IslandTintin: King Ottakar’s SceptreTintin: The Crab with the Golden ClawsTintin: The Shooting StarTintin: The Secret of the UnicornTintin: Red Rackham’s TreasureTintin: The Seven Crystal BallsTintin: Prisoners of the SunTintin: Land of Black GoldTintin: Destination MoonTintin: Explorers of the MoonTintin: The Calculus AffairTintin: The Red Sea SharksTintin in TibetTintin: The Castafiore EmeraldTintin: Flight 714 to SydneyThe Adventures of Tintin and the PicarosTintin and Alph-Art

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Help your child master German vocabulary - five words at a time! Learn 1000 German words over a year with this German workbook for beginners! It's an essential vocabulary builder for young children who are starting to learn their first German words.Discover the perfect introduction to German for children aged 6-9. It's the ultimate German lesson for kids! It includes:- Beautifully illustrated scenes that teach and test five words at a time. New vocabulary is practised again at the end of each week in two pages of exercises- Clever flaps on the jacket that cover the scene so your child can practise what they have just learned- Uses the effective rote-learning method to teach new vocabulary- Teaches a range of nouns and verbs that are useful in everyday life; audio is available online and via a handy app to help with pronunciationThis unique German teaching guide contains everything your child needs to acquire a firm grasp of the German language in a fun and interactive way! Each week, 20 new words are presented over four days, and on the fifth day, your child can practise the words they have just learned. This will help them build up a vocabulary of more than 1000 German words over the course of a year! From animals and sports to colours and plants, German for Everyone Junior teaches a mix of nouns and verbs through stunning illustrations with each new word clearly labelled. This encourages young learners to memorise the words before covering them with the cleverly designed flaps and testing their new knowledge. Accompanying audio means that children can also practice their German pronunciation as many times as they want.The colourful, clear and comprehensive 5 Words a Day series from DK lays the foundations for your child's journey in learning a foreign language, at school or home. Look out for other workbooks in the series! Help your child learn, practise, and understand 1000 French words in French for Everyone Junior: 5 Words a Day.

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Help your child master French vocabulary - five words at a time! Learn 1000 French words over a year with this French workbook for beginners! It's an essential vocabulary builder for young children who are starting to learn their first French words.Discover the perfect introduction to French for children aged 6-9. It's the ultimate French lesson for kids! It includes:- Beautifully illustrated scenes that teach and test five words at a time. New vocabulary is practised again at the end of each week in two pages of exercises- Clever flaps on the jacket that cover the scene so your child can practise what they have just learned- Uses the effective rote-learning method to teach new vocabulary- Teaches a range of nouns and verbs that are useful in everyday life; audio is available online and via a handy app to help with pronunciationThis unique French teaching guide contains everything your child needs to acquire a firm grasp of the French language in a fun and interactive way! Each week, 20 new words are presented over four days, and on the fifth day, your child can practise the words they have just learned. This will help them build up a vocabulary of more than 1000 French words over the course of a year! From animals and sports to colours and plants, French for Everyone Junior teaches a mix of nouns and verbs through stunning illustrations with each new word clearly labelled. This encourages young learners to memorise the words before covering them with the cleverly designed flaps and testing their new knowledge. Accompanying audio means that children can also practice their French pronunciation as many times as they want.The colourful, clear and comprehensive 5 Words a Day series from DK lays the foundations for your child's journey in learning a foreign language, at school or home. Look out for other workbooks in the series! Help your child learn, practise, and understand 1000 German words in German for Everyone Junior: 5 Words a Day.

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“Mies van Hout's Happy is a tour de force of underwater awesomeness and emotion, showcasing what an artist can do with a few pastels, black paper and something fundamental to express.”—New York Times Book Review Who could have guessed that dazzlingly colored fish swimming in an ink-black sea would help hundreds of thousands of people around the world learn to recognize and name their emotions? In 2012, Mies van Hout’s Happy swept the scene as both a stunning art piece and a social-emotional learning book like no other. On each of its spreads swims a single fish, each scale and fin suffused with an emotion that the facing page names in similarly expressive letters: curious, shocked, loving, content… Now, in this stunning edition of Happy, van Hout’s luminous fish swim across extra-heavy pages that will endure through countless readings. A gorgeous dust jacket reverses to a playful poster for home, classroom, or office. Readers of all ages can benefit from expanding their emotional vocabulary. Use Happy during a story time full of energetic face-making, or emote with your whole bodies for a drama exercise. Share it one-on-one to help someone name what they’re feeling, or inspire budding artists to see what they can do with chalk pastels and black paper. Or simply page through the art and lose yourself in Mies van Hout’s ocean of extraordinary fish. Whatever makes you…happy. “It's a delightful amuse-bouche of a book, and an aquatic introduction to everyday emotions. Ages 2– up!”—Publishers Weekly ★ Starred Review

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The Atlanta Woman’s Club has steered the development and identity of Atlanta since 1895. Headquartered in the elegant and historic Wimbish House on Peachtree Street, the club symbolises both a vibrant past and continuing hope for this unique Southern city. Through their affiliation with the Georgia and General Federation of Women’s Clubs, members have helped improve the quality of life in Atlanta, the South, and the world in the fields of politics, human rights, poverty, the arts, education, health, conservation and the understanding of international affairs. As educational advocates, they worked to set the foundation of the Atlanta Public Kindergarten system and Georgia’s public library system. Along with other Georgia Federation of Women’s Club members, the Atlanta Woman’s Club is a vested owner of Tallulah Falls School, one of the most esteemed college preparatory private schools in the country. They helped establish the first farmers’ market in metro Atlanta and were instrumental in promoting the acquisition of a landing field and the building of what is now Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Few are aware of the club’s enormous effect on its community and state, or its ties to the Georgia Federation of Women’s Clubs (GaFWC) and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), both of which have been a major force in the history of Georgia and the nation. A Light on Peachtree: A History of the Atlanta Woman’s Club is the story of the remarkable efforts and accomplishments of the Atlanta Woman’s Club from 1895 to present time.

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Uncover awe-inspiring stories behind the natural world with this nature book for curious kids aged 6-8.The world is filled with curious objects such as amazing rocks and minerals, microscopic life, plants, animals and more. The wonders of wildlife are so much bigger than young minds can fathom and there is always more to learn! The Wonders of Nature is a stunning nature encyclopedia for young readers to explore, with reference pages packed with fascinating information, little learners will be captivated as they dive into this collection of 100 remarkable items from the natural world, from orchids to opals and lichens to lizards and so much more! Each plant, animal, and rock is shown both photographically and illustrated, and children will love poring over the detailed close-up images.The storybook descriptions let you discover the myths and legends surrounding both organisms and gemstones, as well as key facts about their natural history. Find out how the prowling jaguar uses spots to avoid being spotted, why a sticky sundew means big trouble for insects, and what on Earth a radiolarian is. This beautiful treasury lets you find the things that interest you and uncover new favourites along the way. With reference pages packed with information you'll go away knowing something you didn't before, and you'll return time and again. The Wonders of Nature takes you on a tour of our planet through commonplace-but-incredible objects made by nature itself. The engaging storybook-style descriptions and simple text shed a light on the wonders of nature and wildlife, making this book ideal for inquisitive children aged 6-8 who loves to spot things when exploring outside and wants to know more about the wonderful and mysterious natural world.Celebrate your child's curiosity as they:- Explore 100 minerals, plants, and animals each with a stunning photographs and illustrations- Reveal fun facts in visual index guides that provide key reference information- Uncover captivating information on the natural history and mythology of a variety of nature's wondersThis nature encyclopedia for children is the perfect blend of storybook style text with out of this world illustrations which makes it a fantastic nature book for children who are obsessed with wildlife and the natural world. Encourage young readers to go on a journey to explore a world of information, making this the ideal first reference book for kids aged 6-8 to enjoy for hours on end, whether reading with the family or reading alone, this fun fact book also doubles up as the perfect gift for curious kids who love to learn.Explore the vastness of space by uncovering: -Stunning Jacket Detail: gold foil, holographic foil & metallic gold edges-Stunning photography & illustrations inside-A beautiful book for the whole family to treasure-A quality gift to be passed down through the generationsMore in the SeriesThe Wonders of Nature is part of the beautiful and informative Anthology series. Complete the series and nurture your child's curiosity as they explore the natural world with Nature's Treasures or let them walk with the dinosaurs who ruled the earth before them in Dinosaurs and other Prehistoric Life.

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Reveal the stories behind your favourite creatures with this awe-inspiring animal book for curious kids aged 6-8.The animal kingdom is so much bigger than young minds can fathom and there is always more to learn. An Anthology of Intriguing Animals is a stunning animal encyclopedia for young readers to explore, with reference pages packed with fascinating information, little learners will be captivated as they discover the facts, stories and myths behind their favourite animals. Whether it’s where the slow-motion sloth lives, how the plodding pangolin protects itself from predators, or which animal the Ancient Egyptians thought rolled the Sun across the sky, children can learn all sorts of fun animal facts from the storybook descriptions.This beautiful modern bestiary lets you find the animals that interest you and uncover new favourites along the way. From tigers and chameleons to wolves and owls there’s an animal for everyone in this compendium of creatures. Each type of animal is shown both photographically and illustrated, and children will love poring over the detailed close-up images. The engaging storybook-style descriptions and simple text shed a light on the wonders of wildlife and array of animals, perfect for children aged 6-8 to love and explore for hours on end. Celebrate your child’s curiosity as they:- Explore detailed photographs and striking illustrations of animals around the world - Reveal fun facts and myths about a wide range of animals - Uncover more than 100 animals, each with stunning images and captivating information.This animal encyclopedia for children is the perfect blend of storybook style text with out of this world illustrations which makes it a fantastic animal book for children who are obsessed with the animal kingdom. Encourage young readers to go on a journey to explore a world of information, making this the ideal first reference book for kids aged 6-8 to enjoy for hours on end, whether reading with the family or reading alone, this fun fact book also doubles up as the perfect gift for curious kids who love to learn. Explore the diversity of the animal kingdom whilst uncovering: -Stunning Jacket Detail: gold foil, holographic foil & metallic gold edges-Stunning photography & illustrations inside-A beautiful book for the whole family to treasure -A quality gift to be passed down through the generationsMore in the SeriesAn Anthology of Intriguing Animals is part of the beautiful and informative Anthology series. Complete the series and nurture your child's curiosity as they explore the natural world with The Wonders of Nature or let them walk with the dinosaurs who ruled the earth before them in Dinosaurs and other Prehistoric Life.

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Music is the great equalizer around the world. No matter where it originates or what form it takes, it has had a profound role in shaping the human experience and preserving the history of that experience for centuries. African American music originated out of a heritage shaped by the Transatlantic Slave Trade and forced enslavement. The music born out of this shared identity was a means of survival, a treatise on the struggle for freedom, and an agent of social change, and generated a vast array of musical styles and performance traditions that have defined American music. Musical Crossroads explores how objects can expand our understanding of the ways African American music-making continues to shape and influence society. Five thematic chapters are introduced with an essay by Dwandalyn R. Reece, and accompanied by shorter features written by museum staff. Striking images include Johnny Mathis on stage; Bo Diddley’s Gretsch Guitar; Nina Simone recording "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" to name just a few. Featured objects include Radio Raheem’s original boombox used in Spike Lee’s 1989 film, Do the Right Thing; the original Public Enemy logo necklace alongside a story from rapper Chuck D about where the group’s name comes from; and photos of Queen Latifah taken by Hip-hop photographer Al Pereira while she was filming the music video for “Fly Girl”. Numerous illustrated profiles and stories relating to a host of DJs, producers, Black-owned record labels, Black music press, and artists, include magazines like Defender, Blacks Stars, and Vibe; record labels like Vee-Jay, Stax, Motown and Sussex Records; promoters and producers including Berry Gordy Jr, Isaac Hayes, and Ernie Freeman; as well as artists Otis Redding, Nina Simone, Luther Vandross, Little Richard, Bill Withers, Billie Holiday, Whitney Houston, and Janet Jackson, to name a few – they’re all here.

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A sumptuous monograph presenting for the first time the extraordinarily imaginative and delightful work of visionary artist Renaldo Kuhler (American, 1931–2013). The Secret World of Renaldo Kuhler catapults a thrilling new discovery into the pantheon of the most accomplished visionary—or “outsider”—artists. Like Henry Darger, Howard Finster, George Widener, and Adolf Wölfli, Renaldo Kuhler was an exceptionally gifted artist and possessed an imagination all his own. By day Kuhler was a self-taught scientific illustrator under the employ of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, for which he created thousands of wonderfully precise illustrations of myriad natural history specimens—reptiles, fish, turtles, and the like. Renaldo Kuhler was an unusual individual, as was instantly clear from his appearance alone. Six-foot-four, with a white beard and ponytail, he wore a custom-tailored uniform consisting of a sleeveless Kelly green suit jacket with wide, black, notched lapels, epaulets, and brass buttons, a matching suit vest, yellow flannel dress shirt, a fleur-de-lis Boy Scout neckerchief, and tight-fitting knee-length shorts (“cotton-blend lederhosen”). However, unbeknownst even to family, friends, and coworkers, Kuhler was more than an eccentric, gifted scientific illustrator. He was a prolific visionary artist, who, as a teenager in the late 1940s, invented an imaginary country he named Rocaterrania—after Rockland County, New York, where he had lived as a child. For the next sixty years, in secret, he illustrated the nation’s entire history and the prominent characters of its populace. Rocaterrania is a fantastical world, a richly illustrated amalgam of Kuhler’s personal cultural and aesthetic fascinations. Situated just north of the Adirondacks in New York, at the Canada–United States border, Rocaterrania is a sovereign nation of immigrants, from Scandinavia to Eastern Europe. Kuhler invented a complete world populated by a royal family and a succession of leaders resembling historical Russian figures, Women reminiscent of Marlene Dietrich and Janet Leigh play important roles as do bearded men of a seeming Hasidic Jewish heritage, men bearing curious physical similarities to American presidents, and neutants—individuals neither male nor female. Amid forests, mountains, lakes, and rivers, Kuhler’s imaginary country is made up of provinces and cities filled with distinctive Rocaterranian architecture and well-planned railroad and metro systems. Its government is unique, and it has its own religion, Ojallism, and its own evolving language and alphabet. With an organized labor service, a prison system (modeled after a New Jersey state penitentiary), a university system, a Rocaterranian Olympics, and an independent movie industry, Rocaterrania is a nation bustling with dozens of characters and their intrigues. Initially meant to be an escape, Kuhler's Rocaterrania became a secret lifelong obsession, an intricately coded, metaphorical account through Rocaterrania’s tumultuous history, which dovetailed with Kuhler’s own struggles for independence and freedom. Renaldo was the son of the German-born industrial designer Otto Kuhler, renowned for his Art Deco–era streamlined trains; his Belgian mother had little patience for her son, who was ostracized and bullied throughout his life for being “different.” The Kuhler family moved in 1948 from Rockland County, New York, to a remote cattle ranch in the Colorado Rockies—an unbearably isolated environment for the teenaged Renaldo. Retreating to his sketchbooks, journals, and watercolors to invent his imaginary nation of Rocaterrania, young Kuhler wrote, “The ability to fantasize is the ability to survive.” The Secret World of Renaldo Kuhler is filled with more than 400 illustrations in pencil, ink, acrylic, oil, gouache, watercolor, colored pencils, and markers, demonstrating Kuhler’s phenomenal draftsmanship and wide range of style—from delicately shaded graphite works to comic-book ink drawings. Complementing Kuhler’s impressive artistry is his gift for analogical thinking, which flowered in his appropriation and reimagining of personalities, places, and events from world history to form a cohesive and fully imagined world. After decades of secrecy, Kuhler eventually first shared his work and the story of his imaginary country with filmmaker Brett Ingram, whom he met by chance in the mid-1990s. In 2009 Ingram released Rocaterrania, a feature-length documentary with prized footage of Kuhler at home and at work, and talking about his creation. With The Secret World of Renaldo Kuhler Ingram has written the complete story of Rocaterrania as relayed to him over time by Kuhler, resulting in a fascinating, highly entertaining first and major book about this rare, newly discovered, full-blown visionary outsider artist.

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When Don Rhodes took his seat not far behind Michael Jackson at the funeral of the “Godfather of Soul” on December 30, 2006, it marked the close of a forty-year friendship. In Say It Loud! Rhodes pays tribute to James Brown and his storied career, with a close and comprehensive look at the life of the legendary singer at his home in Augusta, Georgia, and the family he left behind. From the evolution of Brown’s fiery, uniquely rhythmic musical style to his social activism, world travels, run-ins with the law, and four marriages (and uncertain number of affairs), Rhodes provides a sensitive but candid look at the life of the man behind such hits as “I Feel Good,” “Please, Please, Please,” “Sex Machine,” and “Say It Loud—I’m Black and I’m Proud.” He takes us back to the 1960s, when James Brown and other American soul and rock artists were relieved to find that they had nothing to fear from the Beatles and other British artists taking America by storm—indeed, as some of the Brits acknowledged, the Americans had inspired them. Mick Jagger, whose dance steps were influenced by Brown, once said of him, “His show didn’t just have to do with the artist but had to do with the audience. . . . Their reaction was always . . . like being in a church.” Unlike his friend Elvis Presley, James Brown went on to be a frequent global traveler, adored by fans throughout the world. Say It Loud! bears out the reputation of the man with the famous cape as “the hardest-working man in show business,” bringing us the full story of a conscientious performer and consummate professional with a fascinating and controversial personal life. Never-before-published photos, as well as anecdotes from an enduring friendship and details of Brown’s life at home, will further ensure that music fans of all ages will cherish this tribute to an American icon by a longtime friend.

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