Search results for ""Author Jim"
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Pearl Harbor's Revenge: How the Devastated U.S. Battleships Returned to War
Early on Sunday, 7 December 1941, Japanese carrier-borne aircraft launched a surprise attack against the US Pacific Fleet based at Pearl Harbor. It was a date that President Roosevelt declared will live in infamy . During the strike, Japanese planes attacked the seven US battleships lined up in Battleship Row - and the flag battleship USS Pennsylvania, in drydock for overhaul. The battleship USS Arizona exploded from a bomb hit at the forward magazine killing 1,177 officers and men. On USS Oklahoma, 429 men were killed - many trapped inside as the great battleship capsized after aerial torpedo strikes. USS West Virginia, meanwhile, was hit by at least seven torpedoes and several bombs, and engulfed in flames; she settled onto the bottom on an even keel. USS California was hit by a pair of torpedoes and a bomb, flooding slowly, she too settled on the bottom. The other four battleships present were more lightly damaged, with the crippled Nevada, the only battleship to get underway during the attack, being successfully beached. By the time the assault was over, eight battleships, three light cruisers, three destroyers, a training ship and other smaller vessels had been sunk or damaged. Hundreds of US aircraft had been damaged or destroyed, whilst 2,403 Americans had been killed. Within a week of the Japanese attack, a great salvage organisation had been formed. Very quickly the lightly damaged battleships Pennsylvania, Maryland and Tennessee had been repaired in naval yards and put back into service to protect the west coast of the USA. Of the eight battleships attacked, all but Arizona were raised, temporarily patched-up and sent back to naval yards on the west coast of America for final repair and modernisation. Main battery guns and ordnance were recovered from the wrecked Arizona, which would then be left to rest on the bottom of the harbour for eternity - as a memorial to the events of that fateful December day. USS Nevada was lifted off the bottom in February 1942, California in March 1942 and West Virginia in June 1942. The capsized Oklahoma, whilst eventually parbuckled and raised, was found to be too badly damaged to be fully rebuilt. Six of the eight battleships would thus return to service, with improved protection against bombs and torpedoes and being fitted with the latest anti-aircraft and gunnery systems. They would re-enter to the war to wreak a terrible revenge - making their presence felt during the reconquest of the Aleutian Islands and the Philippines, and the great battles of Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Nevada would go on Atlantic convoy duty before bombarding German positions off Utah beach as the D-Day Normandy landings began. This is the story of those six.
£22.50
Vintage Publishing Overland
Welcome to Overland! Where the California sun shines down on synthetic grass and plastic oranges bedeck the trees all year round. Steam billows gently from the chimney tops and the blue tarpaulin lake is open for fishing… Hollywood set-designer George Godfrey has been called on to do his patriotic duty and he doesn’t believe in half-measures. If he is going to hide an American aircraft plant from the threat of Japanese aerial spies he has an almighty job on his hands. He will need an army of props and actors to make the Lockheed factory vanish behind the semblance of a suburban town. Every day, his “Residents” climb through a trapdoor in the factory roof to shift model cars, shop for imaginary groceries and rotate fake sheep in felt-green meadows. Overland is a beacon for the young women labouring below it: Queenie, dreaming of movie stardom while welding sheet metal; Kay, who must seek refuge from the order to intern “All Persons of Japanese Ancestry”. Meanwhile, George’s right-hand Resident, Jimmy, knows that High Command aren’t at all happy with the camouflage project...With George so bewitched by his own illusion, might it risk confusing everybody – not just the enemy?Overland is a book like no other -- to be read in landscape format. Based on true events, it is a novel where characters' dreams and desires come down to earth with more than a bump, confronting the hardships of life during wartime. As surreal and playful as it is affecting and unsettling, no-one other than Graham Rawle could have created it.
£14.99
Tuttle Publishing Japan's World Heritage Sites: Unique Culture, Unique Nature
Japan's World Heritage Sites presents the exquisite temples, shrines, gardens, castles and natural wonders found throughout Japan which have now been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This new edition has more convenient size and includes many newly-designated UNESCO sites including: Christian Sites in Nagasaki that tell the extraordinary story of Japan's Christians who continued to practice their faith in secret under penalty of death during Japan's feudal era Meiji Industrial Sites which tell of the nation's rapid modernization during the Meiji period The Munakata Shrine to seafaring deities on a forbidding island The Tomioka Silk Mill which became a leader in Japan's export drive The National Museum of Western Art, an architectural gem designed by Le Corbusier Japan expert John Dougill personally traveled to each of these sites to research this book. He tells how his journey led him from the sub-Arctic island of Hokkaido to the sub-tropical islands of the Okinawan archipelago and beyond. Tag along as he describes each place in loving detail and talks about its special historical and cultural features, including: Mount Fuji, Japan's tallest and most sacred volcano. Located on Honshu Island near Tokyo, Mt. Fuji is considered the sacred center of Japan. Himeji Castle, a monument from Japan's long feudal history. Also known as Egret Castle, because it looks like a bird taking off in flight. Horu-ji Temple, the world's oldest surviving wooden structure—a center of Buddhist learning that still serves as a seminary and monastery The Hiroshima Peace Memorial or Atomic-Bomb Dome—one of the few structures to partially survive the atomic blast in 1945 The Ogasawara Islands, a remote archipelago of over 30 islands including Iwo Jima, that is home to rare wildlife and spectacular scenery. Readers will learn how Japan became involved with the World Heritage Sites program back in 1993, the importance of these designations, and their popularity in Japan and abroad today. Whether you are planning to travel to Japan or just enjoy learning more about this history of this unique land, Japan's World Heritage Sites is sure to inspire.
£17.99
Big Finish Productions Ltd The Fourth Doctor Adventures Series 8 Volume 1
This run of stories featuring Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor features four stories, loosely connected as the Doctor finds himself the target of an enemy. This set contains: The Sinestran Kill by Andrew Smith. When the Doctor decides to trace an anomalous energy signature on twentieth century Earth, he stumbles into an assassination attempt. Gangland thugs are trying to murder a seemingly innocent shopkeeper, and it’s only the intervention of the Doctor and Ann Kelso – a WPC who happens to be on the scene – that prevents a tragedy. But why do the gangsters want the shopkeeper dead? And what does this have to do with alien technology? The first stages of a grand conspiracy are about to be revealed. And finding the answers will take Ann Kelso on a journey like no other. Planet of the Drashigs by Phil Mulryne. When the TARDIS lands on an alien planet, the Doctor’s intentions to show Ann Kelso an advanced future society are thrown into disarray. Because they have arrived on DrashigWorld - a park where every known species of the terrifying predators has been gathered together to entertain and thrill the public. The familiar wetland Drashigs, the albino burrowing Drashigs of the desert, and deadliest of all, the tiny Emerald Drashigs of the rain forests. And it’s not the best day to have arrived. The park has been shut down due to a visitor fatality. A Galactic Attractions inspector is on site meaning everyone is extremely tense and under pressure. It’s exactly the right circumstances in which someone might make a mistake. And on Drashigworld, mistakes are deadly. The Enchantress of Numbers by Simon Barnard and Paul Morris. The TARDIS lands in the grounds of Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire, in 1850. Mistaken for a medic and his maid, the Doctor and Ann are brought to meet Ada Lovelace - the mother of computing and daughter of Lord Byron - who has recently fallen ill. But the travellers are not here by chance. Something odd is happening on Earth, and they’ve determined that this place is the centre of it. Strange figures are walking the land. Strange figures wearing bird-like masks. What do they want with Ada? And how will it change the future of humanity? The False Guardian by Guy Adams. Ann Kelso doesn’t like mysteries. Keen to investigate the trail of the Sinestrans, she sets the TARDIS on a new course... but flies into danger. Arriving on a desolate world that the Doctor finds somehow familiar, the TARDIS crew discover that something is wrong with time. The inhabitants of an unusual complex are experimenting at the command of their enigmatic director... somebody who has quite a strong grudge against the Doctor.Facing an old foe who was presumed dead, the travellers are soon trapped in a diabolical scheme. But is it just the tip of the iceberg? Planet of the Drashigs features the eponymous flesh-eating monsters for the first time on audio, after their fan favourite debut in the Jon Pertwee story The Carnival of Monsters! CAST: Tom Baker (The Doctor), Jane Slavin (WPC Ann Kelso), John Leeson (K9), Frank Skinner (DCI Scott Neilson), Glynis Barber (Kathy Blake), Finty Williams (Ada Lovelace), Fenella Woolgar (Vanessa Seaborne), Ewan Bailey (Hugo Blake), Nicholas Khan (Jimmy Lynch), Leon Williams (Tony Reynolds), Jeremy Clyde (Lord Braye), Lizzie Roper (Trencher), Andrew Ryan (Titus Wayland), Andrew Havill (Colonel Wildman), Eve Webster (Hettie / Lady Cleverley), Barnaby Edwards (Mr. Hobhouse), Glen McCready (Edvard Scheutz /Lord Byron / Harry), John Shrapnel (Nigel Colloon), Anna Acton (Brox), Blake Ritson (Elmore), Roger May (Mac Foley), Tracy Wiles (Drones). Other parts played by members of the cast.
£31.50
Monthly Review Press,U.S. The American War in Vietnam: Crime or Commemoration?
In 2012, President Obama announced that the United States would spend the next thirteen years - through November 11, 2025 - commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, and the American soldiers, "more than 58,000 patriots," who died in Vietnam. The fact that at least 2.1 million Vietnamese - soldiers, parents, grandparents, children - also died in that war will be largely unknown and entirely uncommemorated. And U.S. history barely stops to record the millions of Vietnamese who lived on after being displaced, tortured, maimed, raped, or born with birth defects, the result of devastating chemicals wreaked on the land by the U.S. military. The reason for this appalling disconnect of consciousness lies in an unremitting public relations campaign waged by top American politicians, military leaders, business people, and scholars who have spent the last sixty years justifying the U.S. presence in Vietnam. It is a campaign of patriotic conceit superbly chronicled by John Marciano in The American War in Vietnam: Crime or Commemoration?A devastating follow-up to Marciano's 1979 classic Teaching the Vietnam War (written with William L. Griffen), Marciano's book seeks not to commemorate the Vietnam War, but to stop the ongoing U.S. war on actual history. Marciano reveals the grandiose flag-waving that stems from the "Noble Cause principle," the notion that America is "chosen by God" to bring democracy to the world. Marciano writes of the Noble Cause being invoked unsparingly by presidents - from Jimmy Carter, in his observation that, regarding Vietnam, "the destruction was mutual," to Barack Obama, who continues the flow of romantic media propaganda: "The United States of America ...will remain the greatest force for freedom the world has ever known."The result is critical writing and teaching at its best. This book will find a home in classrooms where teachers seek to do more than repeat the trite glorifications of U.S. empire. It will provide students everywhere with insights that can prepare them to change the world.
£14.99
Little, Brown Book Group Spoiler Alert: a delightfully fun romantic comedy
'An absolute joy from the first page to the last' Jen DeLucaOne of Bustle's Best Books of 2020Marcus has a secret. While he may be the star of the biggest show on TV, he's also a prolific fan fiction writer. Through his stories, Marcus releases his frustrations with the show, but if anyone ever found out about his online persona, he'd be fired. Immediately.April has secrets of her own. A hardcore fan of Marcus's show, she's long hidden her fanfic and cosplay hobby from her 'real life' - but not anymore. When she dares to post her latest costume creation on Twitter, her plus-size take goes viral. And when Marcus asks her out to spite her critics, truth officially becomes stranger than (fan) fiction . . .On their date, Marcus quickly realises that he wants much more from April than a one-time publicity stunt. But with so many secrets between them, can they ever stop hiding, or will a match made in fandom never make it in real life?With romance, amazing chemistry, fandom, and body positivity, Spoiler Alert is perfect for fans of Talia Hibbert and Abby Jimenez.Praise for Olivia Dade:'Spoiler Alert is a delight. April and Marcus will melt your heart' Jenny Holiday'A gentle, funny, and sexy romance that captivated me from the first page and kept me enthralled to the very (happy) end' Mia Sosa'Olivia Dade's warm and witty voice makes this book an absolute joy to read . . . I'm very much looking forward to whatever Dade writes next' Lucy Parker'With richly drawn characters you'll love to root for, Olivia Dade's books are a gem of the genre - full of humour, heart and heat' Kate Clayborn'Olivia Dade perfectly captures fandom, love, and acceptance in this incredible, delightful novel. I loved every page!' Jessie Mihalik'Romance gold . . . a sparkling jolt of fangirling, body-positive swoons' Entertainment Weekly
£9.99
Oxford University Press Inc Unconditional: The Japanese Surrender in World War II
A new look at the drama that lay behind the end of the war in the Pacific Signed on September 2, 1945 aboard the American battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay by Japanese and Allied leaders, the instrument of surrender that formally ended the war in the Pacific brought to a close one of the most cataclysmic engagements in history. Behind it lay a debate that had been raging for some weeks prior among American military and political leaders. The surrender fulfilled the commitment that Franklin Roosevelt had made in 1943 at the Casablanca conference that it be "unconditional." Though readily accepted as policy at the time, after Roosevelt's death in April 1945 support for unconditional surrender wavered, particularly among Republicans in Congress, when the bloody campaigns on Iwo Jima and Okinawa made clear the cost of military victory against Japan. Germany's unconditional surrender in May 1945 had been one thing; the war in the pacific was another. Many conservatives favored a negotiated surrender. Though this was the last time American forces would impose surrender unconditionally, questions surrounding it continued through the 1950s and 1960s--with the Korean and Vietnam Wars--when liberal and conservative views reversed, including over the definition of "peace with honor." The subject was revived during the ceremonies surrounding the 50th anniversary in 1995, and the Gulf and Iraq Wars, when the subjects of exit strategies and "accomplished missions" were debated. Marc Gallicchio reveals how and why the surrender in Tokyo Bay unfolded as it did and the principle figures behind it, including George C. Marshall and Douglas MacArthur. The latter would effectively become the leader of Japan and his tenure, and indeed the very nature of the American occupation, was shaped by the nature of the surrender. Most importantly, Gallicchio reveals how the policy of unconditional surrender has shaped our memory and our understanding of World War II.
£14.78
The University of Alabama Press Indians Playing Indian: Multiculturalism and Contemporary Indigenous Art in North America
Explores how American Indian artists have responded to the pervasive misunderstanding of indigenous peoples as cultural minorities in the United States and Canada Contemporary indigenous peoples in North America confront a unique predicament. While they are reclaiming their historic status as sovereign nations, mainstream popular culture continues to depict them as cultural minorities similar to other ethnic Americans. These depictions of indigenous peoples as “Native Americans” complete the broader narrative of America as a refuge to the world’s immigrants and a home to contemporary multicultural democracies, such as the United States and Canada. But they fundamentally misrepresent indigenous peoples, whose American history has been not of immigration but of colonization. Monika Siebert’s Indians Playing Indian first identifies this phenomenon as multicultural misrecognition, explains its sources in North American colonial history and in the political mandates of multiculturalism, and describes its consequences for contemporary indigenous cultural production. It then explores the responses of indigenous artists who take advantage of the ongoing popular interest in Native American culture and art while offering narratives of the political histories of their nations in order to resist multicultural incorporation. Each chapter of Indians Playing Indian showcases a different medium of contemporary indigenous art—museum exhibition, cinema, digital fine art, sculpture, multimedia installation, and literary fiction—and explores specific rhetorical strategies artists deploy to forestall multicultural misrecognition and recover political meanings of indigeneity. The sites and artists discussed include the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC; filmmakers at Inuit Isuma Productions; digital artists/photographers Dugan Aguilar, Pamela Shields, and Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie; sculptor Jimmie Durham; and novelist LeAnne Howe.
£31.27
Dottir Press The Wild Kindness: A Psilocybin Odyssey
**FEATURED ON COMEDY CENTRAL'S "TALES FROM THE TRIP" YOUTUBE SERIES** The Wild Kindness: A Psilocybin Odyssey is the lyrical, unforgettable memoir of Bett Williams's relationship with psilocybin mushrooms, otherwise known as magic mushrooms. In pursuit of self-healing, she begins experimenting with mushrooms in solitary ceremonies by the fire. Word soon gets out about her New Mexican desert mushroom farm, though, and people arrive in droves. Not long after, the police read her her Miranda Rights, her relationships fall out of whack, and her dog Rosie just might be CIA. On a quest to find help through the psychedelic community, Bett is led to Cleveland to meet Kai Wingo, an African American leader within a high-dose psilocybin community, and to Huautla de Jiménez, home of well-known, well-respected curandera María Sabina. Back home, Bett begins a solid ritual practice with the help of her partner and friends, bearing in mind the medicine's indigenous roots and power to transform one's life. Amidst the mainstream flood of New Age practices and products, The Wild Kindness: A Psilocybin Odyssey is a dreamlike reminder that psilocybin mushrooms are a medicine of the people, not to be neatly packaged, marketed, or appropriated. Bett Williams brings to the table one of the best overviews of contemporary psychedelic culture in a long time. —THE EROWID REVIEW In general, this is a balm. It is the polar opposite of that Michael Pollan book. —GOSSAMER Like any good memoirist, Williams performs surgery on herself and holds up each organ for inspection...This is a book that requires you to “go with the flow,” but the flow is awfully inviting. —MOLLY YOUNG, Vulture
£14.99
Hachette Books Beaumonster: A Memoir
Jesse Dayton's story reads like a who's who of American music. In his debut memoir Beaumonster, Dayton reveals the stranger-than-fiction encounters and outlandish experiences that have ensued across his wide-ranging career. After sneaking into night clubs to play gigs in his youth, eighteen-year-old Dayton and his trio began packing clubs and theaters across Houston, Dallas, and Austin. His first solo record which featured great luminaries like Doug Sahm, Flaco Jiménez, and Johnny Gimble, hit number one on the Americana radio charts and then he was off to the races- touring the world solo and with punk legends Social Distortion and the Supersuckers. While doing press in Nashville, he caught the attention of Waylon Jennings and was whisked off to Woodland Studios, where he was greeted by none other than Johnny Cash, who told Dayton, "We've been waiting for you."Since then, Dayton's ride across the entertainment industry, traversing genres and formats, has only gotten wilder. Whether it's playing guitar on records and film with the likes of Cash, Ray Price, Willie Nelson, Johnny Bush, Glen Campbell and Duff McKagan; writing and recording soundtracks for horror director/rockstar Rob Zombie; directing Malcolm McDowell and Sid Haig in his own horror movie; filling in for the iconic punk band X's guitarist; joining Ryan Bingham on tour; or the many solo and guest projects he continues to work on, Dayton is down to leave his mark, making Beaumonster a uniquely entertaining tale that will impress new and old fans alike.
£22.00
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Vinyl Frontier: The Story of NASA's Interstellar Mixtape
'Bursts with gloriously geeky detail.' The Telegraph Have you ever made someone you love a mix-tape? Forty years ago, a group of scientists, artists and writers gathered in a house in Ithaca, New York to work on the most important compilation ever conceived. It wasn’t from one person to another, it was from Earth to the Cosmos. In 1977 NASA sent Voyager 1 and 2 on a Grand Tour of the outer planets. During the design phase of the Voyager mission, it was realised that this pair of plucky probes would eventually leave our solar system to drift forever in the unimaginable void of interstellar space. With this gloomy-sounding outcome in mind, NASA decided to do something optimistic. They commissioned astronomer Carl Sagan to create a message to be fixed to the side of Voyager 1 and 2 – a plaque, a calling card, a handshake to any passing alien that might one day chance upon them. The result was the Voyager Golden Record, a genre-hopping multi-media metal LP. A 90-minute playlist of music from across the globe, a sound essay of life on Earth, spoken greetings in multiple languages and more than 100 photographs and diagrams, all painstakingly chosen by Sagan and his team to create an aliens’ guide to Earthlings. The record included music by J.S. Bach and Chuck Berry, a message of peace from US president Jimmy Carter, facts, figures and dimensions, all encased in a golden box. The Vinyl Frontier tells the story of NASA’s interstellar mix-tape, from first phone call to final launch, when Voyager 1 and 2 left our planet bearing their hopeful message from the Summer of ’77 to a distant future.
£11.99
Orion Publishing Co Foo Fighters
Everyone from Sir Paul McCartney and Jimmy Page to Queens of the Stone Age now relishes the chance to share a stage with Dave Grohl and his legendary Foo Fighters. The question is: why? Musical depth? Not really. Major success? Well, yes. Despite no longer shifting albums in the same quantity as they did twenty years ago, this band can still fill stadiums the world over (when Dave's not breaking his leg, of course).Long before Kurt Cobain blew his brains out in 1994, Dave Grohl was planning for a life after Nirvana. The unflinching bright sunlight to Cobain's permanent midnight darkness, Grohl had come from a similar broken home to his erstwhile band leader, but came out of the experience differently - brimming with positivity and a shrewd grasp of opportunities in the music industry.Did Grohl merely take the sonic blueprint of Nirvana and embellish it with a more life-affirming pop sheen? Of course he did. Every band in America that sold over a million records in the post-grunge 90s did the same. The difference was that Grohl had real credibility. And he knew it.With exclusive testimony from true insiders (including Krist Novoselic, Grohl's bass-playing partner in Nirvana, ex-girlfirends, record company executives, tour photographers and confidantes), this book is an exploration of the real story behind Grohl and the Foo Fighters - the only serious literary biography of the group and its leader, one of the most famous and critically bulletproof rock figures of the 21st century.
£10.99
Hal Leonard Corporation The Girl in the Back: A Female Drummer's Life with Bowie, Blondie, and the '70s Rock Scene
Nineteen seventy-seven. New York City. Dark. Dangerous. Thrilling. Punk Rock. Blondie. David Bowie. Drinking. Drugs. Happening at the speed of light.ÞSeventeen-year old Laura quaking within her skin while the bursting punk rock revolution explodes around her starts a band with her teenage friends called the Student Teachers. She's the drummer. They play legendary clubs ä CBGB Max's Kansas City Hurrah ä they rehearse madly write songs and tour the East Coast.ÞAll between final exams at school.ÞIn comes Jimmy Destri from Blondie. He thinks the Student Teachers are terrific! And then ä he falls in love with Laura. He pulls her into the glamorous life of Blondie and introduces her to David Bowie. Bowie takes an interest in Laura's band attends their rehearsals and sets them up to open for Iggy Pop at the Palladium on Halloween 1979. It's exhilarating! It's the beginning of amazing success in rock 'n' roll!ÞUntil it all comes to a stunning stop.ÞAfter playing a show at Town Hall in 1980 Laura is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Does it all fall apart?ÞLater at a dinner with Bowie he whispers something to Laura. And it helps her save her life.ÞIn prose that flows like music Laura Davis-Chanin presents a rich work of narrative nonfiction that is not only deeply personal but also revealing of the punk rock heyday in New York City. Infused with rare photographs this book is a journey through a unique ephemeral life experience.
£17.09
Quercus Publishing World War II in Minutes
Clear, concise yet comprehensive, World War II in Minutes is the quickest way to understand the greatest conflict in human history. From its causes to its aftermath, this book details in 200 mini-essays every key event of the war, including the rise of Hitler, the Dunkirk evacuation, The Battle of Britain, Pearl Harbor, Midway and Iwo Jima, the sieges of Leningrad and Stalingrad, the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, D-Day and the fall of Berlin, and much much more.Covers all aspects of World War II: origins and politics; major battles; great leaders; weapons and technology; civilian life and atrocities; turning points and surrenders; and the reverberations of the war through history. Illustrated with 200 contemporary photographs, images and maps.Includes entries on: The Path to War; The Versailles Treaty; The Spanish Civil War; Mussolini and the rise of Fascism; Adolf Hitler, Winston Churchill, FDR and Joseph Stalin; The Sino-Japanese War; The Blitz; U-boat warfare and Enigma; The Desert War; Operation Barbarossa; The Battle of Moscow; Resistance and collaboration; The Final Solution; Colditz; Coral Sea and Guadalcanal; The Dambusters; The bombing of Dresden; Alamein; Kursk; Montgomery, Zhukov, Rommel and Eisenhower; Operation Overlord; The liberation of Paris; The battle of the Bulge; The Yalta Conference, The Berlin bunker; The battle for Okinawa; Kamikazes; The atomic bomb; Casualties of war; War crimes trials and The Cold War.
£10.99
The Lilliput Press Ltd The Road to Riverdance HB
Riverdance exploded across the stage at Dublin's Point Theatre one spring evening in 1994 during a seven-minute interval of the Eurovision Song Contest hosted by Ireland. It was a watershed moment in the cultural history of a country embracing the future, a confident leap into world music grounded in the footfall of the choreographed kick-line. It was a moment forty-five years in the making for its composer. In this tenderly unfurled memoir Bill Whelan rehearses a lifetime of unconscious preparation as step by step he revisits his past, from with his Barrington Street home in 1950s Limerick, to the forcing ground of University College Dublin and the Law Library during the 1960s, to his attic studio in Ranelagh. Along the way the reader is introduced to people and places in the immersive world of fellow musicians, artists and producers, friends and collaborators, embracing the spectrum of Irish music as it broke boundaries, entering the global slipstream of the 1980s and 1990s. As art and commerce fused, dramas and contending personalities come to view behind the arras of stage, screen and recording desk. Whelan pays tribute to a parade of those who formed his world. He describes the warmth and sustenance of his Limerick childhood, his parents and Denise Quinn, won through assiduous courtship; the McCourts and Jesuit fathers of his early days, the breakthrough with a tempestuous Richard Harris who summoned him to London; Danny Doyle, Shay Healy, Dickie Rock, Planxty, The Dubliners and Stockton's Wing, Noel Pearson, Sean O Riada; working with Jimmy Webb, Leon Uris, The Corrs, Paul McGuinness, Moya Doherty, John McColgan, Jean Butler and Michael Flatley. Written with wry, inimitable Irish humour and insight, Bill Whelan's self deprecation allows us to to see the players in all their glory, vulnerability and idiosyncracy. This fascinating work reveals the nuts, bolts, sheer effort and serendipities that formed the road to Riverdance in his reinvention of the Irish tradition for a modern age. As the show went on to perform to millions worldwide, Whelan was honoured with a 1997 Grammy Award when Riverdance was named the 'Best Musical Show Album.' Richly detailed and illustrated, The Road to Riverdance forms an enduring repository of memory for all concerned with the performing arts.
£35.00
Orion Publishing Co Last Car To Elysian Fields
'A lyrical and lovely novel that takes Burke back to the top of the crimewriting tree where he richly belongs' Independent On SundayIt is a rainy late-summer's night in New Orleans. Detective Dave Robicheaux is about to confront the man who may have savagely assaulted his friend, Father Jimmie Dolan, a Catholic priest who's always at the centre of controversy. But things are never as they seem and soon Robicheaux is back in New Iberia, probing a car crash that killed three teenage girls. A grief-crazed father and a maniacal, complex assassin are just a few of the characters Robicheaux meets as he is drawn deeper into a web of sordid secrets and escalating violence.A masterful exploration of the troubled side of human nature and the dark corners of the heart, peopled by familiar characters such as P.I. Clete Purcel and Robicheaux's old flame Theodosia LeJeune, LAST CAR TO ELYSIAN FIELDS is vintage Burke - moody, hard-hitting, with his trademark blend of human drama and relentless noir suspense.Praise for one of the great American crime writers, James Lee Burke:'James Lee Burke is the heavyweight champ, a great American novelist whose work, taken individually or as a whole, is unsurpassed.' Michael Connelly'A gorgeous prose stylist.' Stephen King'Richly deserves to be described now as one of the finest crime writers America has ever produced.' Daily MailFans of Dennis Lehane, Michael Connelly and Don Winslow will love James Lee Burke: Dave Robicheaux Series1. The Neon Rain 2. Heaven's Prisoners 3. Black Cherry Blues 4. A Morning for Flamingos 5. A Stained White Radiance 6. In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead 7. Dixie City Jam 8. Burning Angel 9. Cadillac Jukebox 10. Sunset Limited 11. Purple Cane Road 12. Jolie Blon's Bounce 13. Last Car to Elysian Fields 14. Crusader's Cross 15. Pegasus Descending 16. The Tin Roof Blowdown 17. Swan Peak 18. The Glass Rainbow 19. Creole Belle 20. Light of the World 21. Robicheaux Hackberry Holland Series1. Lay Down My Sword and Shield 2. Rain Gods 3. Feast Day of Fools 4. House of the Rising SunBilly Bob Holland Series1. Cimarron Rose 2. Heartwood 3. Bitterroot 4. In The Moon of Red Ponies * Each James Lee Burke novel can be read as a standalone or in series order *
£9.99
Yellow Pear Press The Best New True Crime Stories: Crimes of Famous & Infamous Criminals: (True Crime Cases for True Crime Addicts)
Infamous Criminals Caught in True Crime Cases Actors, musicians, TV personalities, and other public figures in the spotlight aren’t always who they appear to be. You might be surprised by just how many have led nefarious, double lives, and have become infamous criminals!Power, status, and a rich lifestyle aren’t barriers to criminal behavior. Yes, people from all walks of life commit crimes. But the people featured here are not your typical neighbors or subway passengers—they are household names and Hollywood stars. Get the stories behind these public figures, both contemporary and historical, who have traveled down the murky pathway toward criminal activity. After committing their crimes, the world may have kept on turning, but their legacies as infamous criminals remain strong worldwide. This book offers a fascinating assortment of true crime cases from around the world and from various time frames. Like the previous anthologies in The Best New True Crime Stories series, this volume contains all new and original nonfiction accounts penned by international writers from across the literary spectrum, including true crime, crime fiction, and journalism.Inside, you’ll find: True crime cases that would make any true crime addict scream in delightful horror The stories of Hollywood stars and famous criminals who went down the wrong path Encounters that feature the cases of infamous criminals like Robert Blake, Jimmy Savile, Fatty Arbuckle and more If you enjoyed Mitzi’s last book in her series, The Best New True Crime Stories: Unsolved Crimes & Mysteries, and books like American Predator, and The Family Next Door, then you’ll love The Best New True Crime Stories: Crimes of Famous & Infamous Criminals.
£16.99
Diversion Books The Big Life of Little Richard
The first major biography of Little Richard, a rollicking, nuanced celebration of the late singer/songwriter’s life and his role in the history of American music—gospel, soul, rock, and more “Tutti Frutti” • “Rip It Up” • “Good Golly Miss Molly” • “Lucille” • “Long Tall Sally” • “You Keep A-Knockin’” Little Richard blazed the trail for generations of musicians—The Beatles, James Brown, the Everly Brothers, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Prince . . . the list seems endless. He was “The Originator,” “The Innovator,” and the self-anointed “King and Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll.” When he died on May 9, 2020, The Big Life of Little Richard—a nearly-completed book—was immediately updated to cover the international response to his death. It is the first major biography of Macon, Georgia’s Richard Wayne Penniman, who was, until his passing, the last rock god standing. Mark Ribowsky, acclaimed biographer of musical icons—the Supremes, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding—takes readers through venues, gigs, and studios, conveying the sweaty energy of music sessions limited to a few tracks on an Ampex tape machine and vocals sung along with a live band. He explores Little Richard’s musicianship; his family life; his uphill battle against racism; his interactions with famous contemporaries and the media; and his lifelong inner conflict between his religion and his sexuality. The Big Life of Little Richard not only explores a legendary stage persona, but also a complex life under the makeup and pomade, the neon-lit duds and piano pyrotechnics, along with a full-body dive into the waters of sexual fluidity. By 2020, eighty-seven-year-old Little Richard’s electrifying smile was still intact, as were his bona fides as rock’s kingly architect: the ’50s defined his reign, and he extended elder statesmanship ever since. His biggest smash, “Tutti Frutti,” is one of history’s most covered songs—a staple of the pre-Invasion Beatles—and Elvis pivoted from country to blues rock after Little Richard made R&B’s sexual overtones a fundament of the new musical order. Even Hendrix, the greatest instrumentalist in rock history, toured with him before launching a meteoric solo career. Whenever someone pushes the music and culture of rock to its outer borders, one should turn to Little Richard for assurance that anything is possible.
£22.49
Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B. B. King
'Without a doubt the most important artist the blues has ever produced' Eric Clapton'No one did more to spread the gospel of the blues' President Barack Obama'One part of me says, "Yes, of course I can play." But the other part of me says, "Well, I wish I could just do it like B.B. King."' John LennonRiley 'Blues Boy' King (1925-2015) was born into deep poverty in Mississippi. Wrenched away from his sharecropper father, B.B. lost his mother at age ten, leaving him more or less alone. Music became his emancipation from exhausting toil in the fields. Inspired by a local minister's guitar and by the records of Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker, B.B. taught his guitar to sing in the unique solo style that, along with his relentless work ethic and humanity, became his trademark. In turn, generations of artists claimed him as inspiration, from Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton to Carlos Santana and the Edge.King of the Blues presents the vibrant life and times of a trailblazing giant. Witness to dark prejudice and lynching in his youth, B.B. performed incessantly (more than fifteen thousand concerts in ninety countries over nearly sixty years) - in some real way his means of escaping his past. His career roller-coasted between adulation and relegation, but he always rose back up. At the same time, his story reveals the many ways record companies took advantage of artists, especially those of colour.Daniel de Visé has interviewed almost every surviving member of B.B. King's inner circle - family, band members, retainers, managers and more - and their voices and memories enrich and enliven the life of this Mississippi blues titan, whom his contemporary Bobby 'Blue' Bland simply called 'the man.'
£12.99
Yellow Pear Press Trust the Grind: How World-Class Athletes Got To The Top (Motivational Book for Teens, Gift for Teen Boys, Teen and Young Adult Football, Fitness and Exercise)
A Champion State of Grind"To all the young athletes out there looking for motivation check out Trust The Grind." ―Jason Kidd, Member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame#1 Best Seller in Teen & Young Adult Fitness & Exercise, Baseball & Softball, and SportsExclusive interviews with top athletes in sports today. Trust the Grind reveals how these men and women reached the height of their profession.Sixteen athletes from eleven sports. Each chapter tells a different story, as each superstar shares the habit that helped them accomplish their goals and reach the pinnacle of their profession.Sports fanatic or not. Guaranteed to tap into your athletic edge, Trust the Grind, is made for sports fans and nonfans alike. Fans of professional athletes get an in-depth look at their heroes’ climb to the top; those less passionate about sports have the chance to read the secrets of success from some of the most talented people in the world. Both learn pivotal life lessons and can immediately instill these traits and habits into their lifestyle.A ‘success habit’ point of view. Learn the secrets behind success, and what it takes to remain on top. With Trust The Grind, you learn about the value that comes with becoming disciplined, staying driven, setting goals, identifying your “why”, staying active and eating right, making sacrifices, obsessing over your passion, and more. Rather than harping on remarkable accolades and astonishing statistics, this story is formulated to teach you what it takes to be great in any desired field.Trust The Grind includes interviews with: Jason Kidd, Chipper Jones,Terrell Owens, Paige VanZant, Manny Pacquiao, Mike Modano, Jimmie Johnson, Gary Player, Deena Kastor, Ryan Sheckler, Georges St-Pierre, Ryan Lochte, Devin Hester, Andruw Jones, Luis Gonzalez, and Tim Hudson.Fans of books like Relentless, Shoot your Shot, Think Like a Warrior, The Cost of These Dreams, or Shaken, will love Trust the Grind.
£31.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Doolittle Raid: The First Air Attack Against Japan, April 1942
On 1 April 1942, less than four months after the world had been stunned by the attack upon Pearl Harbor, sixteen US aircraft took to the skies to exact retribution. Their objective was not merely to attack Japan, but to bomb its capital. The people of Tokyo, who had been told that their city was invulnerable' from the air, would be bombed and strafed - and the shock waves from the raid would extend far beyond the explosions of the bombs. The raid had first been suggested in January 1942 as the US was still reeling from Japan's pre-emptive strike against the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. The Americans were determined to fight back and fight back as quickly as possible. The 17th Bomb Group (Medium) was chosen to provide the volunteers who would crew the sixteen specially-modified North American B-25 bombers. As it was not possible to reach Tokyo from any US land bases, the bombers would have to fly from aircraft carriers, but it was impossible for such large aircraft to land on a carrier; the men had to volunteer for a one-way ticket. Led by Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy' Doolittle, the seventy-one officers and 130 enlisted men embarked on the USS Hornet which was shielded by a large naval task force. However, the ships were spotted by a Japanese ship. The decision was therefore made to take-off before word of the task force's approach reached Tokyo, even though the carrier was 170 miles further away from Japan than planned and in the knowledge that the B-25s would not have enough fuel to reach their intended landing places in China. The raid was successful, and the Japanese were savagely jolted out of their complacency. Fifteen of the aircraft crash-landed in, or their crews baled-out over, China; the sixteenth managed to reach the Soviet Union. Only three men were killed on the raid, with a further eight being taken prisoner by the Japanese, three of whom were executed and one died of disease. The full story of this remarkable operation, of the men and machines involved, is explored through this fascinating collection of images.
£14.99
Rowman & Littlefield Fenway 1946: Red Sox, Peace, and a Year of Hope
Boston writer Michael Connolly captures the magic of American’s return to normalcy after World War II in this intimate portrait of a city and the baseball team it loves. Fenway 1946 celebrates the city and the team and the spirit of that wonderful 1946 season in Boston—a season, as usual the broke fans’ hearts—as America returned to return to peacetime pastimes. And none was more American than baseball. Along the way he brings out the stories and personalities that made that year so special in the Hub. From returning veterans like Ted Williams and young Congressman John F. Kennedy and thousands of others and their families who worried while they were in Europe or the Pacific, the 1946 Red Sox season was a celebration. It was catharsis. It was what made American great. Husbands and sons were coming home to the open arms of a grateful nation. This included five hundred major leaguers who fought in World War II. The homecoming of America’s best sparked a spirit of collective pride from coast to coast—and New England was not exempt. For the previous five years, America sat around its radio listening to war reports. Now they would gather in the parlors to enjoy baseball once again. Baseball had always been a thread that connected the country--a sport that linked generations. Opening Day 1946 was a tangible reminder that the country was at peace – back to the way things were. Nowhere was this more relevant than in Boston. From Scollay Square to South Boston to the North End, veterans in their uniforms, kids with bats over their shoulder and housewives were talking about the return of Ted Williams and a roster that was considered the best in the league. Expectations were high – as always, at Fenway Park. Fans somehow knew this would be their year. The 1946 Boston Red Sox finished first in the American League with a record of 104 wins and 50 losses. And they wouldn’t disappoint (until October). ***** * In January of 1946, Ted Williams, Dom DiMaggio, John Pesky and Bobby Doerr are released from the military and vow to come back as good as ever. * American and especially Boston are desperate for real baseball. In 1945, the Red Sox averaged only 7,814 fans a game at Fenway. In 1946, with Williams and the team back home, they played in front of over 33,000 in their last scrimmage game at Fenway Park before the season started. * Opening Day for the league was in Washington D.C. between the Senators and the Red Sox. President Harry Truman threw out the first pitch. Ted Williams went 6-12 in the series and was mobbed by Senator fans who rip his shirt off while he leaves the field. As he approached the dugout, Williams tossed his hat to a GI sitting in the lower box * The home Opening Day for the Red Sox at Fenway Park was an event for the ages. Before the game Marines re-enacted the flag-raising at Iowa Jima in center field. The first pitch was thrown out by Governor Tobin. Standing by his side was a local war hero, John Murdoch, who got a bigger ovation than Ted Williams. Murdoch was part of the team that saved boxing world champion Barney Ross, whose bravery at Guadalcanal was unparalleled. * Red Sox won an amazing 41 of their first 50 games. Ted Williams hits eleven home runs in just June. A spirit of euphoria overtakes Boston as the always hopeful fans pray for the Red Sox to break their 28-year curse. * All Star game is played at Fenway where Ted Williams and voted MVP after going 4 for 4 with 2 home runs including a grand slam. * In September, the Red Sox win a matinee game 1-0 in Cleveland on a Ted Williams inside the park home run. Later that day the Tigers lose giving Boston the pennant. Red Sox owner, Tom Yawkey throws a party in his hotel room. No one can find Ted Williams. Not telling anyone, Williams went to the local veterans’ hospital in Cleveland and spent the night with a dying veteran. * Red Sox clinch the pennant. In one year their win total improved by 33 games (71-83 in 1945 to 104-50 in 1946). America is returning to the ballpark. At Fenway alone attendance went from 603,794 in 1945 to 1,416,944 in 1946. * In the National League, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals tie for the pennant. While Boston awaits the National League playoff to conclude, Tom Yawkey invites American League All Stars to come to Fenway Park and scrimmage his Red Sox to keep them sharp. Hall of Famers, DiMaggio, Greenberg and Appling all sacrifice the first week of their offseason in loyalty to the American League. DiMaggio forgets his uniform and has to wear a Red Sox uniform for the game. A game in which Williams is hit on the elbow with a pitch and never fully recovers in the World Series. * In anticipation of Game Seven of the World Series in St. Louis, newspapers across the country split the front page with previews of the big game and the expected execution that day of Herman Goering (he would avoid that by killing himself) and ten other high-ranking Nazi’s in Nuremberg, providing Americans further validation that the war was behind them. * President Harry Truman’s team beats the Red Sox in the penultimate game when Johnny Pesky holds the relay throw from the outfield allowing Enos Slaughter to score from first on a single.
£17.99
Headline Publishing Group Wish Lists and Road Trips: An opposites-attract, forced-proximity romance that is the perfect uplifting escape!
Two stranded strangers agree to travel together in order to return home, but when a slew of misadventures derail their plans, it might mean a chance to fall in love . . . A sexy, opposites attract romance, ideal for fans of Emily Henry, Beth O'Leary and Christina Lauren.'A steamy, sweet, rummy bear-fueled comedy of errors' Abby Jimenez'Lauren weaves a beautiful story of self-discovery, loss and love in Wish Lists and Road Trips. My heart is so full. All the stars and more for this stunning, emotional romance' Helena Hunting.........................................Two stranded travellers. One unexpected journey.Makeup artist Brit Donovan wants one thing: to prove to her overbearing family that she can be independent. After breaking off her engagement to her cheating ex, she sets off on her honeymoon cruise alone to recharge before opening her own studio.Nick Callaway isn't on a pleasure trip. Armed with his brother's ashes and a list of places, he's on a mission to fulfill a dying wish. Burdened with survivor's guilt and on a countdown to get home in time to help his family's company, the only thing he wants is to get this trip over with.When they're both stranded in Costa Rica after missing their cruise ship, Nick and Brit team up to make their way back to the US. Complete opposites, their initial frustration - heightened by the obstacles of grounded flights and delayed trains - gives way to a searing attraction, and the feeling this may be a journey that neither will want to end.Readers are loving Wish Lists and Road Trips:'I read this while I was on a mini holiday with my best friend - with whom we used to go on cruise ship vacations - and this book found me at the right time, in the best of moods. . . Cute, funny, sunny and emotional.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'Let me start by saying I LOVED THIS BOOK SO FREAKING MUCH!! . . . The characters growth was beautiful to watch, and their journey together was so much fun. I loved this opposites attract and strangers to lovers story.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'This was a big hug in a book - romantic, relatable, and wonderful reminder that being exactly who you are is enough.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'My heart was so warmed and charmed by this pair of misfits. . . loved their journey from start to finish.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'Cute, humorous and heartfelt. I loved Brit's seemingly endless positivity and Nick's patience, the banter between them was great and there was plenty of steam between them. I loved everything about it.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'The writing is so good. The chemistry is top notch. The cuteness is just too much. I swooned the entire time. If you love opposites attract, forced proximity road trips, and two imperfect but real characters - check this one out.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review
£10.99
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc Legendary Guitars: An Illustrated Guide
Legendary Guitars guides you through the electric guitars of the 1950s and ’60s and the culture, styles, and music that shaped them. “Finding ways to use the same guitar people have been using for 50 years, to make sounds no one has heard before, is truly what gets me off.” —Jeff BeckLegendary Guitars: An Illustrated Guide recaps how the great instruments created and produced between 1950 and 1969 went on to define the design, looks, and playability of today’s electric guitars.Legendary Guitars draws direct lines between the mid-century originals and many of today’s most highly-prized instruments. Alongside classic originals, you’ll see great examples of more recent instruments, showing how today’s guitar makers have produced fresh interpretations that draw on the venerable ’50s and ’60s templates. The guide details everything from highly accurate (and highly priced) vintage remakes and artist models to the broader influences and mashup qualities of modern retro creations. The 1950s marked the birth of so many now-classic electric guitars: from the Gibson Les Paul and the Fender Telecaster (as seen with Bill Haley & His Comets and with Little Richard’s band) to the Gretsch 6120 and the Gibson Flying V (twanged by Duane Eddy and touted by Albert King). In the 1960s, players pushed the sound of the electric guitar—bending, distorting, and overloading the instrument to within an inch of its life—all to fire some of the most extraordinary music ever created, not least by Jimi Hendrix with an upside-down Fender Stratocaster, Eric Clapton with a psychedelic Gibson SG, and George Harrison with a 12-string Rickenbacker. The work of more than 50 guitar brands—past and present—is highlighted, including Airline, Ampeg, Antoria, Aria, Baldwin, Bigsby, Burns, Coral, Danelectro, Eko, Epiphone, Fender, Framus, Futurama, Gibson, Goya, Gretsch, Grimshaw, Guild, Guyatone, Hagstrom, Harmony, Hofner, Hopf, Ibanez, Kawai, Kay, Kent, Kustom, La Baye, Magnatone, Messenger, Micro-Frets, Mosrite, National, Rickenbacker, Silvertone, Stratosphere, Supro, Teisco Del Rey, Tokai, Vega, Vox, Wandre, Watkins, and Yamaha. Alongside the eye-popping guitar photographs is a unique collection of classic advertisements, period catalogs, and other rare memorabilia. Legendary Guitars: An Illustrated Guide also contains a chronological narrative of world events that places these remarkable instruments in the context of two decades of mesmerizing contrasts and revolutionary invention.Legendary Guitars takes you on an illustrated journey through the guitars and culture that drove the sound of rock ‘n’ roll, blues, and country, from 1950 to present day.
£17.09