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Peering Behind the Curtain: Disability, Illness, and the Extraordinary Body in Contemporary Theatre (Studies in Modern Drama #18)
by Thomas Fahy Kimball KingFirst Published in 2002. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Peerless: Rouben Mamoulian, Hollywood, and Broadway (Wisconsin Film Studies)
by Kurt JensenA proud Armenian who claimed a distant link to nobility, born in what was then part of czarist Russia, Rouben Mamoulian (1897–1987) was one of the most astonishing and confounding figures in American film and theater, directing the original stage productions of Porgy and Bess, Carousel, and Oklahoma!, as well as films including Love Me Tonight, Queen Christina, City Streets, and Silk Stockings. He was famously fired from the film version of Porgy and Bess in a dispute over publicity and quit Cleopatra after arguments over a single scene. Mamoulian’s mercurial confidence and autocratic tendencies were among the reasons he had a reputation for being uncompromising. This frustrating mix of genius and stubbornness, of critical successes and financial flops, has proven challenging for biographers. Kurt Jensen’s magisterial volume, extensively researched and filled with trenchant observations, brings to life this charming, flawed, and fascinating man—and demonstrates how the wellspring of his art contained the seeds of his own destruction. Drawing upon Mamoulian’s unfinished memoir and voluminous diaries, as well as interviews with the director’s surviving collaborators, Jensen delivers fresh and informative insider stories from seminal productions. Meanwhile, he explores Mamoulian’s aesthetic principles and strategies as manifested in lighting, choreography, and sound design. A tour de force, Peerless offers readers a multifaceted, in-depth look at an idiosyncratic genius.
Peggy and Me: The heart-warming bestselling tale of Miranda and her beloved dog
by Miranda HartThe hilarious and heartwarming memoir of Miranda and her life changing dog, the inimitable and most lovable Peggy.Hello dear book browser and welcome to Peggy and Me. The story of my life since getting a beautiful Shih-Tzu Bichon Frise cross puppy (I call the breed a Shitty Frise - fun) in the form of Peggy.Some of you may be thinking: "a book about a dog, how totally brilliant, I need hear no more, I'm sold." In which case we should be best friends and go out to tea together, every day.Others of you may be thinking: "a book about a dog, how totally mad, she must have officially lost it." In which case I completely understand. For I once viewed dog owners with much suspicion. The way they obsessively talk about their dogs often using voices for them to reply; the way they have a light covering of dog hair all over their clothes and sofas; and worse, an alarming comfort and ease around excrement. But I now get why people become so mad about their hounds. It wasn't instant love I have to admit. Getting a puppy when I was at a low ebb in my life wasn't easy - there was a lot of challenging, what I call, dog administration (dog-min), and the humiliating first trip to the vet still haunts me. It's been a bumpy old road, but Peggy has been lovingly by my side through some life changing moments and I wouldn't have coped without her. Most surprisingly she has taught me a huge amount - not how to get an old pie packet out of a bin and lick it (I could already do that), but real lessons about life and love and trust and friendship. Put aside any doggy reservations and come walkies with Peggy and me...
Peggy and Me: The heart-warming bestselling tale of Miranda and her beloved dog
by Miranda HartFROM NATIONAL TREASURE and star and creator of the award-winning BBC sitcom Miranda, comes Miranda Hart's heart-warming and hilarious account of life with her beloved dog Peggy, a gorgeous white bichon frise.'Hilariously funny and often moving memoir ... we loved every word *****' Heat'Open, honest ... her misadventures are hilariously described ... charming and funny' Daily Express* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Hello dear book browser and welcome to Peggy & Me, the story of my life since getting a beautiful Shih-Tzu Bichon Frise cross puppy (I call the breed a Shitty Frise - fun) in the form of Peggy.Some of you may be thinking: "a book about a dog, how totally brilliant, I need hear no more, I'm sold." In which case we should be best friends and go out to tea together, every day.Others of you may be thinking: "a book about a dog, how totally mad, she must have officially lost it." In which case I completely understand. For I once viewed dog owners with much suspicion. The way they obsessively talk about their dogs often using voices for them to reply; the way they have a light covering of dog hair all over their clothes and sofas; and worse, an alarming comfort and ease around excrement. But I now get why people become so mad about their hounds. It wasn't instant love I have to admit. Getting a puppy when I was at a low ebb in my life wasn't easy - there was a lot of challenging, what I call, dog administration (dog-min), and the humiliating first trip to the vet still haunts me. It's been a bumpy old road, but Peggy has been lovingly by my side through some life-changing moments and I wouldn't have coped without her. Most surprisingly she has taught me a huge amount - not how to get an old pie packet out of a bin and lick it (I could already do that), but real lessons about life and love and trust and friendship. Put aside any doggy reservations and come walkies with Peggy and me ...
Peggy and Me: The heart-warming bestselling tale of Miranda and her beloved dog
by Miranda HartThe hilarious and heartwarming account of Miranda and her life changing dog, the inimitable and most lovable Peggy.Hello dear audiobook browser and welcome to Peggy and Me. The story of my life since getting a beautiful Shih-Tzu Bichon Frise cross puppy (I call the breed a Shitty Frise - fun) in the form of Peggy.Some of you may be thinking: "a book about a dog, how totally brilliant, I need hear no more, I'm sold." In which case we should be best friends and go out to tea together, every day.Others of you may be thinking: "a book about a dog, how totally mad, she must have officially lost it." In which case I completely understand. For I once viewed dog owners with much suspicion. The way they obsessively talk about their dogs often using voices for them to reply; the way they have a light covering of dog hair all over their clothes and sofas; and worse, an alarming comfort and ease around excrement. But I now get why people become so mad about their hounds. It wasn't instant love I have to admit. Getting a puppy when I was at a low ebb in my life wasn't easy - there was a lot of challenging, what I call, dog administration (dog-min), and the humiliating first trip to the vet still haunts me. It's been a bumpy old road, but Peggy has been lovingly by my side through some life changing moments and I wouldn't have coped without her. Most surprisingly she has taught me a huge amount - not how to get an old pie packet out of a bin and lick it (I could already do that), but real lessons about life and love and trust and friendship. Put aside any doggy reservations and come walkies with Peggy and me...(P) 2016 Hodder & Stoughton
Penguin Cha-Cha
by Kristi ValiantFollow a determined girl named Julia as she tries to join in the fun of a mischevious group of dancing penguins. <P><P>Set in The Romping Chomping Park and Zoo, author/illustrator Kristi Valiant creates a vibrant, funny, and spirited picture book that will leave young readers shaking their very own tail feathers.
Penguin Cha-Cha: Read & Listen Edition
by Kristi ValiantFollow a determined girl named Julia as she tries to join in the fun of a mischevious group of dancing penguins. Set in The Rompin' Trompin' Park and Zoo, author/illustrator Kristi Valiant creates a vibrant, funny, and spirited picture book that will leave young readers shaking their very own tail feathers.
Pennington's Heir (Pennington #3)
by K. M. PeytonGetting out of prison was like being born again, said Patrick Pennington. His adoring girl friend, seventeen-year-old Ruth Hollis, was waiting for him. Professor Hampton, Pat's piano teacher, had waited, too, for his impetuous star pupil to get out and get back to his music again. Now it looked like a sure, straight road to success, if Pat could just keep himself out of trouble and stick with his studies. But trouble and Pat Pennington have an affinity for each other. When Ruth tells him she is going to have his baby, Pat must face a new kind of problem--one that threatens both his personal happiness and his future as a concert pianist. Patrick Pennington, the rebellious and talented anti-hero of Pennington's Last Term and The Beethoven Medal, doesn't settle easily into the role of husband, father, and breadwinner. With humor, compassion, and deep insight, K. M. Peyton portrays a very young, very loving couple's rocky first year of marriage.
Penny And Her Song (I Can Read Level 1 Series)
by Kevin HenkesWhen Penny comes home from school, she is ready to sing her song. But the babies are sleeping, and Mama and Papa are worried that Penny will wake them up. Oh, but it is a good song, a really wonderful song . . . and Penny wants more than anything to sing it. What do you think will happen?
Peony Pavilion Onstage: Four Centuries in the Career of a Chinese Drama (Michigan Monographs In Chinese Studies #88)
by Catherine SwatekAfter its completion in 1598, The Peony Pavilion (Mudan ting) began a four-hundred-year course of transmission and dissemination in China and around the world. Within China, the play’s wide popularity propelled its appearance in numerous editions, adaptations, and libretti. Performances ranged from “pure singing” at private gatherings to full stagings in commercial theaters. As the crown jewel of Kun opera reportoire, Mudan ting has a richly documented history and lends itself to careful study. In the late twentieth century, however, classical Kun opera is on the verge of extinction in China, and creative talent is gravitating to centers outside China’s mainland. In 1998, the play was reintroduced to audiences in Europe and North America in various versions, adding new chapters to the story of the work. Peony Pavilion Onstage examines Tang Xianzu’s classic play from three distinct viewpoints: public-literati playwrights; professional performers of Kun opera; and quite recently, directors and audiences outside China. Catherine Swatek first examines two adaptations of the play by Tang's contemporaries, which point to the unconventionality of the original work. She goes on to explore how the play has been changed in later adaptations, up to its most recent productions by Peter Sellars and Chen Shi-Zheng in the United States and Europe. Peony Pavilion Onstage is essential reading for scholars and performers of this masterpiece and other great works of Chinese drama.
People Change
by Vivek Shraya"A deeply generous and honest gift to the world."--Elliot Page The author of I&’m Afraid of Men lets readers in on the secrets to a life of reinvention. Vivek Shraya knows this to be true: people change. We change our haircuts and our outfits and our minds. We change names, titles, labels. We attempt to blend in or to stand out. We outgrow relationships, we abandon dreams for new ones, we start fresh. We seize control of our stories. We make resolutions. In fact, nobody knows this better than Vivek, who&’s made a career of embracing many roles: artist, performer, musician, writer, model, teacher. In People Change, she reflects on the origins of this impulse, tracing it to childhood influences from Hinduism to Madonna. What emerges is a meditation on change itself: why we fear it, why we&’re drawn to it, what motivates us to change, and what traps us in place. At a time when we&’re especially contemplating who we want to be, this slim and stylish handbook is an essential companion—a guide to celebrating our many selves and the inspiration to discover who we&’ll become next.
People Pleaser: Breaking Free from the Burden of Imaginary Expectations
by Jinger VuoloAre you a people pleaser? Can you even begin to measure how the approval of others has shaped your heart and mind? Your faith and relationships? Your habits and identity? In People Pleaser, New York Times bestselling author Jinger Vuolo shares her personal journey of constantly seeking approval from others and how she found her true identity.From childhood to early adulthood, Jinger Duggar Vuolo followed the expectations of others, never taking the time to discover who she truly was. It wasn't until she asked herself the question, "Who am I?" that she realized she was a people pleaser. This realization led her on a journey of self-discovery and ultimately, to rely on God for her approval and sense of self-worth.Through her faith and reliance on God, Jinger began to break free from the need for approval and discover true freedom. This book is a guide for anyone struggling with people-pleasing tendencies and seeking to find their true identity and purpose in life. Learn how to:discover the beauty of community and how we were made to enjoy others,identify sin and how it can hinder your ability to be in community with one another,diagnose yourself with ruthless honesty but without judgement, andunderstand who you are in God's eyes. Jinger hopes this book will inspire others to embark on a similar journey towards freedom.
People to Follow: A Gripping Social-Media Thriller
by Olivia WorleyTen influencers. Ten secrets. One dead body. A pacy, addictive thriller perfect for fans of We Were Liars, The Inheritance Games and One Of Us Is Lying.'Agatha Christie meets TikTok . . . a wicked, juicy page-turner' - Alexa Donne, author of Brightly BurningThey're used to being followed. But not like this . . .Ten social media stars think they're about to join the cast of a hot new reality show.But the production crew never shows up, and the influencers find themselves stranded on a deserted Caribbean island with no contact with the outside world - except for messages from the mysterious 'Sponsor', who is threatening to expose their darkest secrets.When one of them winds up dead, things start to get more real than they bargained for . . .With the body count rising, the influencers must figure out who is trying to get them cancelled - like, literally - before their number one follower strikes again.
People to Follow: A Gripping Social-Media Thriller
by Olivia WorleyTen influencers. Ten secrets. One dead body. A pacy, page-turning thriller perfect for fans of We Were Liars, The Inheritance Games and One Of Us Is Lying.'Agatha Christie meets TikTok . . . a wicked, juicy page-turner' - Alexa Donne, author of Brightly BurningThey're used to being followed. But not like this . . . Ten social media stars think they're about to join the cast of a hot new reality show. But the production crew never shows up, and the influencers find themselves stranded on a deserted Caribbean island with no contact with the outside world - except for messages from the mysterious 'Sponsor', who is threatening to expose their darkest secrets. When one of them winds up dead, things start to get more real than they bargained for . . .With the body count rising, the influencers must figure out who is trying to get them cancelled - like, literally - before their number one follower strikes again.
Pepsi and the Pill: Motherhood, Politics and Film in Britain and France, 1958–1969
by Melissa Oliver-PowellThe 1960s was a decade of massive political and cultural change in Western Europe, as seismic shifts took place in in attitudes towards sexuality, gender, and motherhood in everyday life. Through case studies of British and French films, Pepsi and the Pill offers a fresh vision of a pivotal moment in European culture, exploring the many ways in which political activity and celebrated film movements mutually shaped each other in their views on gender, sexuality, and domesticity. As the specter of popular nationalism once again looms across Europe, this book offers a timely account of the legacy of crucial debates over issues including reproductive rights, migration, and reproductive nationalism at the intersection of political discourse, protest, and film.
Perceptual Organization: An Integrated Multisensory Approach
by Stephen HandelThis textbook goes beyond introductory sensory perception by incorporating supplementary electronic materials to demonstrate the parallels between both hearing and seeing. Each chapter intermixes seeing and hearing processes so that students can easily understand that perceptual organization is the same across different kinds of sensations and modalities. Figures illustrating visual organization are paired with sound files demonstrating the analogous auditory organization. While most books on sensation and/or perception treat the senses individually there is growing awareness of just how important multisensory integration is to understanding the connection between sensory perception and cognition.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Ultimate Guide
by Mary-Jane KnightPercy Jackson and the Olympians: The Ultimate Guide is the third companion book to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Official Cookbook
by Jarrett MelendezDine like a demigod with over 60 recipes fit to be served anywhere from Camp Half-Blood to Mount Olympus in the only official collection developed for fans of the books and the Disney+ Original Series.Make any meal an epic offering to your friends and family, with mythical recipes inspired by Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Filled with delicious dishes straight from Sally Jackson&’s kitchen, Aunty Em&’s Garden Gnome Emporium, Waterland, and beyond, this cookbook is a hero&’s culinary journey of its own. Featuring instructions from Grover Underwood, helpful tips and tricks from Annabeth Chase, plus full-color photography, this deluxe recipe book has all the essentials to see any home-chef fulfill their destiny. Not to mention a whole host of blue dishes, designed with love, to bring your community together over a dinner that looks as good as it tastes. QUEST YOUR WAY THROUGH OVER 60 RECIPES: Serve up dozens of appetizers, main courses, desserts, and beverages with roots in both classic Greek and American-style cuisines. BRING CAMP HALF-BLOOD TO YOUR HOME: From enchiladas to ambrosia, cook up dishes that bring the unique magic of Percy Jackson&’s world right to your kitchen. SEE PAST THE MIST WITH FULL-COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY: Stunning images throughout this cookbook reveal mythically good meals. PERFECT FOR ALL SKILL LEVELS: Great for beginners and experienced chefs alike, this cookbook will help you prepare amazing dishes for your friends and family inspired by your favorite gods and heroes. GIFTABLE & COLLECTIBLE: As the only officially licensed cookbook for the TV series, this is a must-have for any fan looking to capture the myth and the magic for themselves.
Perdón (Forgiveness Spanish edition)
by Chiquis Rivera"Escribí este libro no para para aclarar malentendidos sino para compartir algo mucho más importante y valioso: mi largo camino hacia el perdón"Chiquis Rivera es la cantante y celebridad de televisión que saltó a la fama de la mano de su madre, la popular Diva de la Banda, Jenni Rivera. En Perdón, su primer libro autobiográfico, narra con detalle estremecedor el abuso al que fue sometida por su propio padre durante su infancia, y explica cómo logran sobrevivir las víctimas a tan corta edad. A la vez nos revela su tortuosa vida sexual, al crecer marcada por las heridas del abuso, y comparte cómo logró vencer sus miedos al amor y a la intimidad. La joven cantante también se atreve por primera vez a confesar otro gran secreto que llegó incluso a ocultarle a su madre en vida. Estas páginas también plasman la conversación que quedó pendiente entre Jenni y Chiquis, después de que se distanciaran. En Perdón salen a la luz verdades desgarradoras entre madre e hija que ya nunca podrán contarse frente a frente. A dos años de la muerte de su madre, Chiquis contesta las preguntas más difíciles: ¿Pudieron madre e hija hacer las paces? ¿Quién ha perdonado a quién en esta historia de grandes éxitos y de grandes tropiezos?
Peregrinaciones profanas
by Fernando NoyElegido Reina del célebre carnaval de Salvador Bahía, personaje central de la vida cultural argentina y animador gay inigualable de la escena under desde hace cuatro décadas, Fernando Noy cuenta todo en un libro imperdible donde conviven lo más granado de los habitués de los bares porteños de los 60 a las leyendas del tropicalismo. De Pizarnik a Caetano Veloso, de Mercedes Sosa a Tanguito, de Sumo a María Luisa Bemberg, Noy se ha convertido en el cronista más desenfadado de una historia que pedía a gritos su Homero. «¿Quién nos quita lo brillado?, se pregunta Fernando Noy y sigue el consejo de su amigo Pedro Lemebel que solía decirle, con sabiduría de Machi: 'No hables más, Noy: escríbelo'. Y finalmente lo hizo. Aquí están sus memorias, estas Peregrinaciones profanas, puro vértigo de purpurina, cemento y rincones donde el desamparo se convierte en jardín secreto. El propio nacimiento anunciado por la caída de un jinete mapuche; una cartografía del deseo suburbano con las locas del Oeste en los años 60; los náufragos hippies en flor; las temporadas en París o Bahía. Y, por supuesto, las amistades sagradas de Alejandra Pizarnik, Marosa Di Giorgio, María Luisa Bemberg, Batato Barea, Paco Jamandreu, Alejandro Urdapilleta y tantos más. Entre carnavales, lisergia y poetas, desfilan las deidades de Noy y él nos bendice con su misticismo afro-celta, sus túnicas y collares, su inefable paso andrógino que es maravilla, desafío y carcajada.»Mariana Enríquez «Cuando no existía la palabra queer la poeta, la vedette, la actriz, nuestro Fernando Noy, la estaba inventando. Lean estas memorias danzantes de la reina de la fiesta de la libertad y el arte.»Gabriela Cabezón Cámara «Sabíamos que Noy, poeta 24 horas, tenía el don de adelantarse al futuro. Ahora sabemos que es capaz de atravesar la memoria de su tiempo y recuperar un pasado por venir, impredecible, lleno de promesas.»Liliana Viola Noy va narrando un laberinto de encuentros increíbles, pero siempre reales. De la niñez patagónica a la adolescencia del yire hermafrodita con las locas del Oeste en los 60, a la fugaz militancia frustrada por su homosexualidad. El nacimiento alucinógeno y anfetamínico de venta libre en farmacias del hippismo se sobrexpone con el descubrimiento de la bohemia del Di Tella. La crónica de sus amistades son el índice onomástico de la Historia de la Cultura y el Espectáculo de la Argentina de la segunda mitad del siglo XX. Cuando la Junta Militar prohibía los carnavales, Noy se coronaba reina en Bahía, donde se había exiliado. Trepado al árbol de un neuropsiquiátrico parisino donde había sido internado por tratar de recuperar "sus" joyas de faraona en medio de un viaje con drogas, ve llegar a Jackie O. y María Callas al hospital donde acababa de morir Aristóteles Onassis... Quien se anime a seguir, en estas páginas plagiadas a sí mismo, su incesante deambular, encontrará un mundo fantástico, sobreimpreso con purpurina, visible de noche. Y también para quienes buscan las claves de una fiesta eterna y compartida.
Perfect From Now On: How Indie Rock Saved My Life
by John SellersTOP FIVE MUSICAL THINGS I HOPE HAPPEN NOW THAT THE ORIGINAL LINEUPS OF THE PIXIES AND DINOSAUR JR. HAVE REUNITED1. Ian Curtis is resurrected. 2. The Smiths reunite for a private party at my favorite bar. 3. There is a new My Bloody Valentine album. 4. A new Nirvana comes along to blow away all of those fey Duran Duran emulators. 5. Radiohead stops listening to Pink Floyd and starts listening to Black Sabbath. If you've ever made, or conceived of, a list like this, then look no further for your next book purchase. You have it. In your hands. Please consider it as your next book purchase. In Perfect From Now On, John Sellers has written a fan's memoir overflowing with humor, self-deprecation, encyclopedic knowledge of musical minutiae, and "you should have been there" personal anecdotes. Despite vowing never to get caught up in music due to the nuttiness of a Dylan-obsessed father and playground taunts about his preference for Top 40 trash, he found himself powerless to resist the allure of indie rock, the genre that begat the likes of Sonic Youth, Pavement, Built to Spill, and Modest Mouse. When his favorite band, Guided By Voices, called it quits in 2004, Sellers examined his own listening habits, caught a few mind-blowing shows, got drunk with his heroes, and wrote this book -- one that is sure to resonate with anybody who has ever obsessed over good music.
Perfect Harmony
by Emily AlbrightThis wasn’t in the sheet music. 17-year-old Pippa Wyndham is a top cellist, never settling for second chair. But she faces stiff competition from cocky Declan Brogan, a transfer student who matches her in ambition and talent. Forced together for a duet, the battle gets heated. But as the recital approaches and their rivalry evolves, Pippa finds herself at risk of losing her best friend, her future, and the boy she’s falling for. An orchestral YA romance in the key of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Always and Forever, Lara Jean.boosts#toggleFormOnEscOrEnter" data-boosts-adding-class="boosts--adding" data-boosts-deleting-class="boost--deleting">
Perfect Sound Whatever: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
by James Acaster*The Sunday Times Bestseller*The brand new memoir from James Acaster: cult comedian, bestselling author of Classic Scrapes, undercover cop, receiver of cabbages.PERFECT SOUND WHATEVER is a love letter to the healing power of music, and how one man's obsessive quest saw him defeat the bullshit of one year with the beauty of another. Because that one man is James Acaster, it also includes tales of befouling himself in a Los Angeles steakhouse, stealing a cookie from Clint Eastwood, and giving drunk, unsolicited pep talks to urinating strangers. January, 2017James Acaster wakes up heartbroken and alone in New York, his relationship over, a day of disastrous meetings leading him to wonder if comedy is really what he wants to be doing any more. A constant comfort in James's life has been music, but he's not listened to anything new for a very long time. Idly browsing 'best of the year' lists, it dawns on him that 2016 may have been a grim year for a lot of reasons, but that it seemed to be an iconic year for music. And so begins a life-changing musical odyssey, as James finds himself desperately seeking solace in the music of 2016, setting himself the task of only listening to music released that year, ending up with 500 albums in his collection. Looking back on this year-long obsession, parallels begin to grow between the music and James's own life: his relationship history, the highs and lows of human connection, residual Christian guilt, and mental health issues that have been bubbling under the surface for years. Some albums are life-changing masterpieces, others are 'Howdilly Doodilly' by Okilly Dokilly, a metalcore album devoted to The Simpsons' character Ned Flanders, but all of them play a part the year that helped James Acaster get his life back on track.
Perfect Sound Whatever: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
by James Acaster*The Sunday Times Bestseller*The brand new memoir from James Acaster: cult comedian, bestselling author of Classic Scrapes, undercover cop, receiver of cabbages.PERFECT SOUND WHATEVER is a love letter to the healing power of music, and how one man's obsessive quest saw him defeat the bullshit of one year with the beauty of another. Because that one man is James Acaster, it also includes tales of befouling himself in a Los Angeles steakhouse, stealing a cookie from Clint Eastwood, and giving drunk, unsolicited pep talks to urinating strangers. January, 2017James Acaster wakes up heartbroken and alone in New York, his relationship over, a day of disastrous meetings leading him to wonder if comedy is really what he wants to be doing any more. A constant comfort in James's life has been music, but he's not listened to anything new for a very long time. Idly browsing 'best of the year' lists, it dawns on him that 2016 may have been a grim year for a lot of reasons, but that it seemed to be an iconic year for music. And so begins a life-changing musical odyssey, as James finds himself desperately seeking solace in the music of 2016, setting himself the task of only listening to music released that year, ending up with 500 albums in his collection. Looking back on this year-long obsession, parallels begin to grow between the music and James's own life: his relationship history, the highs and lows of human connection, residual Christian guilt, and mental health issues that have been bubbling under the surface for years. Some albums are life-changing masterpieces, others are 'Howdilly Doodilly' by Okilly Dokilly, a metalcore album devoted to The Simpsons' character Ned Flanders, but all of them play a part the year that helped James Acaster get his life back on track.
Perfect Sound Whatever: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
by James AcasterThe brand new memoir from James Acaster: cult comedian, bestselling author of Classic Scrapes, undercover cop, receiver of cabbages.PERFECT SOUND WHATEVER is a love letter to the healing power of music, and how one man's obsessive quest saw him defeat the bullshit of one year with the beauty of another. Because that one man is James Acaster, it also includes tales of befouling himself in a Los Angeles steakhouse, stealing a cookie from Clint Eastwood, and giving drunk, unsolicited pep talks to urinating strangers. January, 2017James Acaster wakes up heartbroken and alone in New York, his relationship over, a day of disastrous meetings leading him to wonder if comedy is really what he wants to be doing any more. A constant comfort in James's life has been music, but he's not listened to anything new for a very long time. Idly browsing 'best of the year' lists, it dawns on him that 2016 may have been a grim year for a lot of reasons, but that it seemed to be an iconic year for music. And so begins a life-changing musical odyssey, as James finds himself desperately seeking solace in the music of 2016, setting himself the task of only listening to music released that year, ending up with 500 albums in his collection. Looking back on this year-long obsession, parallels begin to grow between the music and James's own life: his relationship history, the highs and lows of human connection, residual Christian guilt, and mental health issues that have been bubbling under the surface for years. Some albums are life-changing masterpieces, others are 'Howdilly Doodilly' by Okilly Dokilly, a metalcore album devoted to The Simpsons' character Ned Flanders, but all of them play a part the year that helped James Acaster get his life back on track.