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That's Not Funny: How the Right Makes Comedy Work for Them
by Matt SienkiewiczA rousing call for liberals and progressives to pay attention to the emergence of right-wing comedy and the political power of humor. "Why do conservatives hate comedy? Why is there no right-wing Jon Stewart?" These sorts of questions launch a million tweets, a thousand op-eds, and more than a few scholarly analyses. That's Not Funny argues that it is both an intellectual and politically strategic mistake to assume that comedy has a liberal bias. Matt Sienkiewicz and Nick Marx take readers––particularly self-described liberals––on a tour of contemporary conservative comedy and the "right-wing comedy complex." In That's Not Funny, "complex" takes on an important double meaning. On the one hand, liberals have developed a social-psychological complex—it feels difficult, even dangerous, to acknowledge that their political opposition can produce comedy. At the same time, the right has been slowly building up a comedy-industrial complex, utilizing the humorous, irony-laden media strategies of liberals such as Jon Stewart, Samantha Bee, and John Oliver to garner audiences and supporters. Right-wing comedy has been hiding in plain sight, finding its way into mainstream conservative media through figures ranging from Fox News's Greg Gutfeld to libertarian podcasters like Joe Rogan. That's Not Funny taps interviews with conservative comedians and observations of them in action to guide readers through media history, text, and technique. You will find many of these comedians utterly appalling, some surprisingly funny, and others just plain weird. They are all, however, culturally and politically relevant—the American right is attempting to seize spaces of comedy and irony previously held firmly by the left. You might not like this brand of humor, but you can't ignore it.
That's What Fashion Is: Lessons and Stories from My Nonstop, Mostly Glamorous Life in Style
by Joe ZeeJoe Zee, the Editor in Chief of Yahoo Style, former creative director of ELLE magazine, and co-host of the new ABC talk show FAB Life, takes readers behind the scenes of the crazy and wonderful world of fashion in That's What Fashion Is, packed with never-before-seen color photographs from Joe's personal collection. From his early years styling shoots for Vanity Fair's "Hollywood" issue with famed photographer Annie Leibovitz to his role playing himself on MTV's reality show The City to making celebrities look fabulous in the pages of ELLE and reporting live from the red carpet. Joe lets readers in on how the fashion industry really works, from the fashion disasters to the blockbuster successes. How do you shoot an entire magazine spread in Paris in 24 hours? What's a stylist to do when he receives a panicked call from a dress-less Cameron Diaz on Oscar day? And how do they make those celebrities look so great in the magazines? These first-person stories are combined with accessible and practical tips for women everywhere, including what to wear on your first day of work, how to take a great selfie, and how to look amazing at any age. For the first time, this ultimate fashion insider lets readers in on tales, tricks, and tips previously known only to the fashion elite in this funny and frank book.
That's the Way It Is: A History of Television News in America
by Charles L. Ponce de LeonWhen critics decry the current state of our public discourse, one reliably easy target is television news. It s too dumbed-down, they say; it s no longer news but entertainment, celebrity-obsessed and vapid. The critics may be right. But, as Charles L. Ponce de Leon explains in "That s the Way It Is," TV news has "always" walked a fine line between hard news and fluff. The familiar story of decline fails to acknowledge real changes in the media and Americans news-consuming habits, while also harking back to a golden age that, on closer examination, is revealed to be not so golden after all. Ponce de Leon traces the entire history of televised news, from the household names of the late 1940s and early 50s, like Eric Sevareid, Edward R. Murrow, and Walter Cronkite, through the rise of cable, the political power of Fox News, and the satirical punch of Colbert and Stewart. He shows us an industry forever in transition, where newsmagazines and celebrity profiles vie with political news and serious investigations. The need for ratings success and the lighter, human interest stories that can help bring it Ponce de Leon makes clear, has always sat uneasily alongside a real desire to report hard news. Highlighting the contradictions and paradoxes at the heart of TV news, and telling a story rich in familiar figures and fascinating anecdotes, "That s the Way It Is" will be the definitive account of how television has showed us our history as it happens. "
Thatched Roofs and Open Sides: The Architecture of Chickees and Their Changing Role in Seminole Society
by Carrie DilleySoutheast Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians Award of Excellence for a Book In Thatched Roofs and Open Sides, Carrie Dilley reveals the design, construction, history, and cultural significance of the chickee, the unique Seminole structure made of palmetto and cypress. Dilley illustrates how the multipurpose structure has developed over time to meet the changing needs of the Seminole Tribe.
The "Keystone" Jacket and Dress Cutter: An 1895 Guide to Women's Tailoring
by Chas HecklingerAs the 20th century dawned, women began to abandon frilly fashions for sharply tailored suits. Professional tailors of the time turned to this comprehensive resource to create office outfits, riding pants, blouses, and other garments. Filled with more than 80 patterns, it's an invaluable reference for costume designers and fashion historians. 92 black-and-white illustrations.
The $11 Billion Year: From Sundance to the Oscars, an Inside Look at the Changing Hollywood System
by Anne Thompson"This chronicle of 2012 is a slice of what happened during a watershed year for the Hollywood movie industry. It's not the whole story, but it's a mosaic of what went on, and why, and of where things are heading."What changed in one Hollywood year to produce a record-breaking box office after two years of decline? How can the Sundance Festival influence a film's fate, as it did for Beasts of the Southern Wild and Searching for Sugar Man, which both went all the way to the Oscars? Why did John Carter misfire and The Hunger Games succeed? How did maneuvers at festivals such as South by Southwest (SXSW), Cannes, Telluride, Toronto, and New York and at conventions such as CinemaCon and Comic-Con benefit Amour, Django Unchained, Moonrise Kingdom, Silver Linings Playbook, Les Misérables, The Life of Pi, The Avengers, Lincoln, and Argo? What jeopardized Zero Dark Thirty's launch? What role does gender bias still play in the industry? What are the ten things that changed the 2012 Oscar race?When it comes to film, Anne Thompson, a seasoned reporter and critic, addresses these questions and more on her respected daily blog, Thompson on Hollywood. Each year, she observes the Hollywood machine at work: the indies at Sundance, the exhibitors' jockeying at CinemaCon, the international scene at Cannes, the summer tentpoles, the fall's "smart" films and festivals, the family-friendly and big films of the holiday season, and the glamour of the Oscars®. Inspired by William Goldman's classic book The Season, which examined the overall Broadway scene through a production-by-production analysis of one theatrical season, Thompson had long wanted to apply a similar lens to the movie business. When she chose 2012 as "the year" to track, she knew that box-office and DVD sales were declining, production costs were soaring, and the digital revolution was making big waves, but she had no idea that events would converge to bring radical structural movement, record-setting box-office revenues, and what she calls "sublime moviemaking."Though impossible to mention all 670-plus films released in 2012, Thompson includes many in this book, while focusing on the nine Best Picture nominees and the personalities and powers behind them. Reflecting on the year, Thompson concludes, "The best movies get made because filmmakers, financiers, champions, and a great many gifted creative people stubbornly ignore the obstacles. The question going forward is how adaptive these people are, and how flexible is the industry itself?"
The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art
by Don ThompsonWhy would a smart New York investment banker pay $12 million for the decaying, stuffed carcass of a shark? By what alchemy does Jackson Pollock's drip painting No. 5, 1948 sell for $140 million? Intriguing and entertaining, The $12 Million Stuffed Shark is a Freakonomics approach to the economics and psychology of the contemporary art world. Why were record prices achieved at auction for works by 131 contemporary artists in 2006 alone, with astonishing new heights reached in 2007? Don Thompson explores the money, lust, and self-aggrandizement of the art world in an attempt to determine what makes a particular work valuable while others are ignored. This book is the first to look at the economics and the marketing strategies that enable the modern art market to generate such astronomical prices. Drawing on interviews with both past and present executives of auction houses and art dealerships, artists, and the buyers who move the market, Thompson launches the reader on a journey of discovery through the peculiar world of modern art. Surprising, passionate, gossipy, revelatory, The $12 Million Stuffed Shark reveals a great deal that even experienced auction purchasers do not know.
The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art
by Don ThompsonThe $12 Million Stuffed Shark delves into the economics and psychology of the contemporary art world – artists, dealers, auction houses, and wealthy collectors. If it’s true – as so often said – that 85 percent of new contemporary art is bad, why were record prices achieved at auction for works by 131 contemporary artists in 2006 alone, with astonishing new heights reached in 2007? The $12 Million Stuffed Shark explores money, lust, and the self-aggrandizement of possession in an attempt to determine what makes a particular work of art valuable while others are ignored. In the style of the bestselling Freakonomics, Thompson uses economic concepts to explain the unique practices employed, to great success, in the international contemporary art market. He discusses branding and marketing and how various strategies are tailored to a wealthy clientele, driving a "must-have" culture. Drawing on exclusive interviews with both past and present executives of auction houses and art dealerships, artists, and the buyers who move the market, Thompson launches the reader on a surprising journey of discovery.
The 'Female' Dancer: a soma-scientific approach
by Claire Farmer Helen KindredThe 'Female' Dancer aims to question dancers’ relationships with ‘female’ through the examination and understandings of biological, anatomical, scientific, and self-social identity. The volume gathers voices of dance scientists, dance scholars, somatic practitioners, and dance artist-educators, to discuss some of the complexities of identities, assumptions and perceptions of a female dancing body in an intersectional and practically focused manner.The book weaves a journey between scientific and somatic approaches to dance and to dancing. Part I: 'Bodily Knowledge' explores body image, hormones and puberty, and discussions around somatic responses to the concept of the gaze. Part II: 'Moving through Change', continues to look at strength, musculature, and female fragility, with chapters interrogating practice around strength training, the dancer as an athlete, the role of fascia, the pelvic floor, pregnancy and post-partum experiences and eco-somatic perceptions of feminine. In 'Taking up Space', Part III, chapters focus on social-cultural and political experiences of females dancing, leadership, and longevity in dance. Part IV: 'Embodied Wisdom' looks at reflections of the Self, physiological, social and cultural perspectives of dancing through life, with life’s seasons from an embodied approach.Drawing together lived experiences of dancers in relationship with scientific research, this book is ideal for undergraduate students of dance, dance artists, and researchers, as well as providing dancers, dance teachers, healthcare practitioners, company managers and those in dance leadership roles with valuable information on how to support female identifying dancers through training and beyond.
The 'One Planet' Life: A Blueprint for Low Impact Development
by David ThorpeThe One Planet Life demonstrates a path for everyone towards a way of life in which we don’t act as if we had more than one planet Earth. The difference between this approach and others is that it uses ecological footprint analysis to help to determine how effective our efforts are. Much of the book is a manual – with examples – on how to live the 'good life' and supply over 65% of your livelihood from your land with mostly positive impacts upon the environment. It examines the pioneering Welsh policy, One Planet Development, then considers efforts towards one planet living in urban areas. After a foreword by BioRegional/One Planet Living co-founder Pooran Desai and an introduction by former Welsh environment minister Jane Davidson, the book contains: An essay arguing that our attitude to planning, land and development needs to change to enable truly sustainable development. Guidelines on finding land, finance, and creating a personal plan for one planet living. Detailed guides on: sustainable building, supplying your own food, generating renewable energy, reducing carbon emissions from travel, land management, water supply and waste treatment. 20 exemplary examples at all scales – from micro-businesses to suburbs – followed by Jane Davidson’s Afterword. The book will interest anyone seeking to find out how a sustainable lifestyle can be achieved. It is also key reading for rural and built environment practitioners and policy makers keen to support low impact initiatives, and for students studying aspects of planning, geography, governance, sustainability and renewable energy.
The 'Small Landscape' Prints in Early Modern Netherlands (Visual Culture in Early Modernity)
by Alexandra OnufIn 1559 and 1561, the Antwerp print publisher Hieronymus Cock issued an unprecedented series of landscape prints known today simply as the Small Landscapes. The forty-four prints included in the series offer views of the local countryside surrounding Antwerp in simple, unembellished compositions. At a time when vast panoramic and allegorical landscapes dominated the art market, the Small Landscapes represent a striking innovation. This book offers the first comprehensive analysis of the significance of the Small Landscapes in early modern print culture. It charts a diachronic history of the series over the century it was in active circulation, from 1559 to the middle of the seventeenth century. Adopting the lifespan of the prints as the framework of the study, Alexandra Onuf analyzes the successive states of the plates and the changes to the series as a whole in order to reveal the shifting artistic and contextual valences of the images at their different moments and places of publication. This unique case study allows for a new perspective on the trajectory of print publishing over the course of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries across multiple publishing houses, highlighting the seminal importance of print publishers in the creation and dissemination of visual imagery and cultural ideas. Looking at other visual materials and contemporary sources – including texts as diverse as humanist poetry and plays, agricultural manuals, polemical broadsheets, and peasant songs – Onuf situates the Small Landscapes within the larger cultural discourse on rural land and the meaning of the local in the turbulent early modern Netherlands. The study focuses new attention on the active and reciprocal intersections between printed pictures and broader cultural, economic and political phenomena.
The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle
by Dan GutmanFrom the author of the My Weird School books, an adventure story that spans centuries and continents.In Central Park, New York, stands Cleopatra&’s Needle. But what do you know about? Did you know that thousands of people worked in 1461 BCE to build it? Then hundreds more moved it, and erected it in Alexandria, where it stood for 3,000 years? So how did a monolith weighing over 200 tons get moved all the way to New York City—and in the 19th Century, no less? In this historical fiction account by bestselling author Dan Gutman, five kids who watched the Needle at each phase of its history recount the daring story of how something that seemed to be impossible –and that nearly ended in disaster—finally succeeded against all odds. Including photos, diagrams, and illustrations, this book will leave history lovers and fans of problem solving astounded at all that was accomplished. And best of all, it will leave middle grade readers feeling they&’ve just watched a really good movie—they&’ll hardly even realize they were reading.A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
The (Moving) Pictures Generation
by Vera DikaBeginning in the late 1970s, a number of visual artists in downtown New York City returned to an exploration of the cinematic across mediums. Vera Dika considers their work within a greater cultural context and probes for a deeper understanding of the practice.
The (Post) Mistress
by Tomson HighwayMarie-Louise Painchaud has worked for thirty-five years as post mistress at the post office in Lovely, a francophone Canadian village where she has come to know every client whose mail she handles. The (Post) Mistress is a rollicking, emotional rollercoaster-ride in the form of a one-woman musical, with elements of jazz, Berlin cabaret, French café music, and Brazilian samba.
The 007 Diaries: Filming Live and Let Die
by Roger Moore David HedisonOut of print for over forty years, The 007 Diaries introduces Roger Moore’s James Bond Diary to a new generation of fans. To tie in with the release of his first James Bond film, Live and Let Die, Roger Moore agreed to keep a day-by-day diary throughout the film’s production, which would be published just ahead of the premiere in July 1973. From his unveiling as the new 007 in 1972 through to his first scenes on location in New Orleans and his final shot in New York, Moore describes his whirlwind journey as cinema’s most famous secret agent. Taking in the sights of Jamaica before returning to Pinewood Studios, Moore’s razor wit and unique brand of humour is ever present. With tales from every location, including his encounters with his co-stars and key crew members, Moore offers the reader an unusually candid, amusing and hugely insightful behind-the-scenes look into the world’s most successful film franchise.
The 10 Cent Chocolate Tub
by Mike Mcgann10 Cent Chocolate Tub will take you back to the 1950's and 1960s when life was uncomplicated. There were three channels to watch on a black and white television set showing Sid Caesar, Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, Howdy Doody, Milton Berle, fifteen minutes of Nat King Cole, The Lone Ranger and The Toast of The Town. Radio stations were AM only and played Elvis Presley, Doo-Wop music, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Patti Page, Chubby Checker and The Four Seasons, long before The Beatles came to America. The small things in life were exciting to a city boy who grew up to be a broadcaster, a Vietnam veteran, a minor performer and a dad! Everyone has family stories, crazy relatives, funny incidents, memories of how good things were back then and dreams of how they should be. The 10 Cent Chocolate Tub gets it's name from a huge chocolate ice cream cone sold by Bard's Dairy in the 1950s in Pittsburgh at a time when a young boy, who wore rummage sale clothes and ate surplus cheese, was only allowed a nickel vanilla ice cream now and then. This is about the quest for life's finer things like ice cream anytime you want it, playing the radio loudly, crying at a sad movie, falling in love, heartbreaks, kissing your children goodnight and loving every minute of it.
The 100 Best Celebrity Photos: And The Surprising Stories Behind Them
by The Editors of PEOPLESince its first issue debuted with a Great Gatsby portrait of Mia Farrow, People magazine has delivered not only outstanding celebrity journalism, but also the best in personality photography. Now, the Editors of People present The 100 Best Celebrity Photos.From a Marilyn Monroe pin-up to an internet-breaking Kim Kardashian Instagram, from Harry Benson's exuberant snaps of The Beatles' first visit to America to Bradley Cooper's star-packed Oscar selfie, these are the images that influenced how we understand fame and glamor.Included with each picture is the story behind it: A-list photographers tell how they created the images that turned stars into icons, or made legends seem as relatable as family. Here also are People exclusives from the magazine's history of unparalleled access into celebrity homes and off-duty lives that show us the real side of the stars who most captivate and intrigue us.
The 100 Greatest Advertisements 1852-1958: Who Wrote Them and What They Did
by Julian WatkinsStyles in advertising will change, but there is no copywriter, artist, or campaign planner who will not profit by studying proved successes, whether of 50 years ago or today. In this single volume are 100 of what are probably among the most successful advertisements ever to appear in print, plus an additiional 13 added especially for this edition. These 113 ads are proven salesmen-almost every one had phenomenal results. They have not been included because of personal whim, or for their beauty. The ultimate criterion here is the only one that really counts: whether an ad did what it was supposed to do. These ads helped change the habits of a nation, built reputations, gave new expressions to the language and-first and foremost-sold millions of dollars of merchandise, from Rolls Royce automobiles to Lux Soap, from Riviera Pears to Steinway Pianos. You learn the salient facts behind these ads as well, often expressed in the words of the originator himself. Men who understood intuitively the workings of mass persuasion techniques long before they became widespread describe their own thoughts, reasonings, and hunches. Earnest Elmo Calkins tells about his experiences in creating Phoebe Snow for the Lackawanna Railroad. Bruce Barton tells about his work on the "Five Foot Shelf" ad, which increased eight-fold the number of coupons received. David Ogilvy describes his campaigns for Hathaway Shirts and Rolls Royce. Raymond Rubicam tells of Squibb's "Priceless Ingredient." More than 100 ads tell better than any textbook or professional analysis exactly what is the secret ingredient that makes an ad "click" when a thousand others fail.
The 101 Habits Of Highly Successful Screenwriters
by Karl IglesiasInsider Secrets from Hollywood's Top WritersThis book not only shows how to be a screenwriter, but what it's actually like to be one. An inspiration to all would-be screenwriters, this book is about living the screenwriter's life -- the habits, writing environments, creative processes, daily passions, and obsessions. In The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters, author Karl Iglesias has interviewed 14 top contemporary Hollywood screenwriters who offer their experience, insight, and advice to aspiring screenwriters everywhere.
The 101 Habits Of Highly Successful Screenwriters: Insider's Secrets from Hollywood's Top Writers
by Karl IglesiasInsider Secrets from Hollywood’s Top WritersThis book not only shows how to be a screenwriter, but what it's actually like to be one. An inspiration to all would-be screenwriters, this book is about living the screenwriter's life -- the habits, writing environments, creative processes, daily passions, and obsessions.In The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters, author Karl Iglesias has interviewed 14 top contemporary Hollywood screenwriters who offer their experience, insight, and advice to aspiring screenwriters everywhere.
The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters
by Karl IglesiasYou can struggle for years to get a foot in the door with Hollywood producers--or you can take a page from the book that offers proven advice from twenty-one of the industry's best and brightest! In this tenth anniversary edition, The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters, 2nd Edition peers into the lives and workspaces of screenwriting greats--including Terry Rossio (the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise), Aline Brosh McKenna (Morning Glory), Bill Marsilii (Deja Vu), Derek Haas and Michael Brandt (Wanted), and Tony Gilroy (the Bourne franchise). You will learn best practices to fire up your writing process and your career, such as: Be Comfortable with Solitude Commit to a Career, Not Just One Screenplay Be Aware of Your Muse's Favorite Activities Write Terrible First Drafts Don't Work for Free Write No Matter What This indispensable handbook will help you hone your craft by living, breathing, and scripting the life you want!
The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters, 10th Anniversary Edition
by Karl IglesiasYou can struggle for years to get a foot in the door with Hollywood producers--or you can take a page from the book that offers proven advice from twenty-one of the industry's best and brightest! In this tenth anniversary edition, The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters, 2nd Edition peers into the lives and workspaces of screenwriting greats--including Terry Rossio (the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise), Aline Brosh McKenna (Morning Glory), Bill Marsilii (Deja Vu), Derek Haas and Michael Brandt (Wanted), and Tony Gilroy (the Bourne franchise). You will learn best practices to fire up your writing process and your career, such as: Be Comfortable with Solitude Commit to a Career, Not Just One Screenplay Be Aware of Your Muse's Favorite Activities Write Terrible First Drafts Don't Work for Free Write No Matter What This indispensable handbook will help you hone your craft by living, breathing, and scripting the life you want!
The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters, 10th Anniversary Edition: Insider Secrets from Hollywood's Top Writers
by Karl IglesiasYou can struggle for years to get a foot in the door with Hollywood producers--or you can take a page from the book that offers proven advice from twenty-one of the industry's best and brightest!In this tenth anniversary edition, The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters, 2nd Edition peers into the lives and workspaces of screenwriting greats--including Terry Rossio (the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise), Aline Brosh McKenna (Morning Glory), Bill Marsilii (Deja Vu), Derek Haas and Michael Brandt (Wanted), and Tony Gilroy (the Bourne franchise).You will learn best practices to fire up your writing process and your career, such as:Be Comfortable with SolitudeCommit to a Career, Not Just One ScreenplayBe Aware of Your Muse's Favorite ActivitiesWrite Terrible First DraftsDon't Work for FreeWrite No Matter What This indispensable handbook will help you hone your craft by living, breathing, and scripting the life you want!
The 12 Days of Christmas
by Poppy Alexander'A real festive treat' JULES WAKE'Heart-melting and mouthwatering, this Christmas treat is as sweet and delicious as a marron glacé' VERONICA HENRY'Deliciously romantic' WOMAN'S OWN'All the joy of Christmas in one delicious, utterly mouth-watering package' JULIE CAPLIN'Romantic and uplifting' WOMAN & HOMEThe most magical time of the year...For the first time in ten years, Freya is back in the little village of Middlemass for Christmas. The streets might be twinkling with fairy lights, but after the recent loss of her mother, she's never felt less festive. Forced to sleep under the same roof as her handsome neighbour Finn, Freya realises she's going to need a distraction - fast! So she sets herself a challenge: to cook the '12 Days of Christmas'. Her delicious food soon brings the villagers together, and as each day passes, old friendships are renewed, memories stirred and there's even the flickering of romance... She was only meant to stay for the holidays, but could Middlemass - and Finn - steal her heart forever?***Praise for Poppy Alexander:'Friendship, community and a little bit of romance - what's not to love?' Mandy Baggot'Books, bats and romance...a perfect escape. I loved spending time with the characters of Middlemas.' Liz Fenwick'My first Poppy Alexander book but definitely not my last. What a lovely, engaging, perceptive story The Littlest Library is' Sue Moorcroft'Five of the biggest stars for The Littlest Library. I thoroughly enjoyed spending some time with Jess and her phone box full of books.' Catherine Miller'I loved everything about this book. It is filled with so much warmth, gentle humour and some very heart touching moments' Sue Fortin'A great festive read.' NetGalley Reviewer'This book was literally one of my favourite reads this year!' NetGalley Reviewer
The 12 Days of Christmas
by Poppy Alexander'A real festive treat' JULES WAKE'Heart-melting and mouthwatering, this Christmas treat is as sweet and delicious as a marron glacé' VERONICA HENRY'A festive romance that reminds us of the importance of living in the moment' HELEN ROLFE'Deliciously romantic' WOMAN'S OWN'All the joy of Christmas in one delicious, utterly mouth-watering package' JULIE CAPLIN'Romantic and uplifting' WOMAN & HOME'Charming, full of festive fun and romance' MY WEEKLYThe most magical time of the year...For the first time in ten years, Freya is back in the little village of Middlemass for Christmas. The streets might be twinkling with fairy lights, but after the recent loss of her mother, she's never felt less festive. Forced to sleep under the same roof as her handsome neighbour Finn, Freya realises she's going to need a distraction - fast! So she sets herself a challenge: to cook the '12 Days of Christmas'. Her delicious food soon brings the villagers together, and as each day passes, old friendships are renewed, memories stirred and there's even the flickering of romance... She was only meant to stay for the holidays, but could Middlemass - and Finn - steal her heart forever?***Praise for Poppy Alexander:'Friendship, community and a little bit of romance - what's not to love?' Mandy Baggot'Books, bats and romance...a perfect escape. I loved spending time with the characters of Middlemas.' Liz Fenwick'My first Poppy Alexander book but definitely not my last. What a lovely, engaging, perceptive story The Littlest Library is' Sue Moorcroft'Five of the biggest stars for The Littlest Library. I thoroughly enjoyed spending some time with Jess and her phone box full of books.' Catherine Miller'I loved everything about this book. It is filled with so much warmth, gentle humour and some very heart touching moments' Sue Fortin'A great festive read.' NetGalley Reviewer'This book was literally one of my favourite reads this year!' NetGalley Reviewer