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Being Patient with Cookie Monster: Sesame Street Monster Meditation in collaboration with Headspace (Monster Meditation)
by Random HouseCookie Monster learns simple meditation techniques and plays a fun game to help be more patient--based on the popular Sesame Street Monster Meditation video on YouTube made in collaboration with the mindfulness app Headspace.Sometimes everyone needs to slow down and take some cleansing belly breaths--even Cookie Monster! This terrific board book features Cookie Monster learning a calming game to help pass the time as he waits for his cookies to finish baking. The game is a fun and simple one that all young boys and girls can easily play whenever they need to be patient.This is Book 1 in a series of 6 books, all inspired by the popular Sesame Street Monster Meditation videos on YouTube, that will help young girls and boys learn mindfulness techniques along with their favorite characters. The videos are made in collaboration with Headspace, the mindfulness app. Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, aims to help kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder through its many unique domestic and international initiatives. These projects cover a wide array of topics for families around the world.
Being Patrick Swayze: Essential Teachings from the Master of the Mullet
by Neal E. FischerA humorous illustrated guide to the essential teachings of 80s and 90s pop culture icon and legacy, Patrick Swayze, with movie quotes, trivia, essays, exercises, games, activities, and quizzes.Divided into five elements—Tender Strength (versatility in performances and balance of his unique skill set), Pure Adrenaline (his physicality and death-defying stunt work), Hungry Eyes (effortless sensuality in life and on-screen), Peaceful Warrior (the philosophy behind his characters and their actions) and The Mullet (legacy of the man, the myth, the mullet)—this book is designed to cultivate your mind, body, and soul.Through the use of movie quotes and cinematic wisdom, physical (Sweatin' Like Swayze; Swayze Sutra) and mental exercises, games, activities (Swayze Pairing Guide), and quizzes, this journey will unlock your Swayze swagger, leading to a more harmonious life. When completed, you'll be impressing friends and strangers alike with your endless knowledge and admiration for one of Hollywood's most likable and underappreciated stars.For half a century Patrick Swayze has remained in our hearts, on our minds, and the sole reason that any trip to a vacation resort must first start at the dance hall . . . just in case they employ their own Johnny Castle. Embrace these teachings and achieve newfound clarity in all aspects of your life.BELOVED ICON: Patrick Swayze will forever be an icon, known for his legendary roles in classic and cult favorite movies like Dirty Dancing, Ghost, Point Break, Road House, and more.THE PERFECT GIFT: Chock full of trivia, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, short essays, and fun interactive content like quizzes, a pairing guide, a Swayze workout, and more, this is the perfect gift for Patrick Swayze fans and anyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s.FUNNY AND INFORMATIVE: Content is humorous, yet still contains biographical information, fun facts about Swayze and his philosophies, and tons of movie trivia.EXPERT AUTHOR: Written by an award-winning screenwriter and podcaster, and die-hard Patrick Swayze fan.Perfect for:• Patrick Swayze fans• Readers with '80s and '90s nostalgia• Hollywood pop culture nerds and film buffs• Fans of Dirty Dancing, Point Break, Road House, Ghost, and Red Dawn
Being Sam Frears: A Life Less Ordinary (Penguin Specials)
by Mary MountThis is Sam Frears' story.This is also the story of an actor, a rock-climber and a man born with an extremely rare genetic disorder only affecting Ashkenazi Jews. Sam was supposed to live to the age of 5. In February, he celebrated his 40th birthday.Challenged by blindness and a body under great stress, Sam Frears is trying to live an ordinary life under extraordinary circumstances His struggles and triumphs offer an illuminating look at the differences - and similarities - that make us human. For those who enjoyed My Left Foot and Stuart: A Life Backwards, this Penguin Special offers a fresh look at what it's like to be Sam.
Being Wagner: The Story of the Most Provocative Composer Who Ever Lived
by Simon CallowSimon Callow, the celebrated author of Orson Welles, delivers a dazzling, swift, and accessible biography of the musical titan Richard Wagner and his profoundly problematic legacy--a fresh take for seasoned acolytes and the perfect introduction for new fans.Richard Wagner's music dramas have never been more popular or more divisive. His ten masterpieces, created against the backdrop of a continent in severe political and cultural upheaval, constitute an unmatched body of work. A man who spent most of his life in abject poverty, inspiring both critical derision and hysterical hero-worship, Wagner was a walking contradiction: belligerent, flirtatious, disciplined, capricious, demanding, visionary, and poisonously anti-Semitic. Acclaimed biographer Simon Callow evokes the intellectual and artistic climate in which Wagner lived and takes us through his most iconic works, from his pivotal successes in The Flying Dutchman and Lohengrin, to the musical paradigm shift contained in Tristan and Isolde, to the apogee of his achievements in The Ring of the Nibelung and Parsifal, which debuted at Bayreuth shortly before his death. Being Wagner brings to life this towering figure, creator of the most sublime and most controversial body of work ever known.
Being a Ballerina: The Power and Perfection of a Dancing Life
by Gavin LarsenA look inside a dancer’s world Inspiring, revealing, and deeply relatable, Being a Ballerina is a firsthand look at the realities of life as a professional ballet dancer. Through episodes from her own career, Gavin Larsen describes the forces that drive a person to study dance; the daily balance that dancers navigate between hardship and joy; and the dancer’s continual quest to discover who they are as a person and as an artist. Starting with her arrival as a young beginner at a class too advanced for her, Larsen tells how the embarrassing mistake ended up helping her learn quickly and advance rapidly. In other stories of her early teachers, training, and auditions, she explains how she gradually came to understand and achieve what she and her body were capable of. Larsen then re-creates scenes from her experiences in dance companies, from unglamorous roles to exhilarating performances. Working as a ballerina was shocking and scary at first, she says, recalling unexpected injuries, leaps of faith, and her constant struggle to operate at the level she wanted—but full of enormously rewarding moments. Larsen also reflects candidly on her difficult decision to retire at age 35. An ideal read for aspiring dancers, Larsen’s memoir will also delight experienced dance professionals and fascinate anyone who wonders what it takes to live a life dedicated to the perfection of the art form.
Being a Dad Is Weird: Lessons in Fatherhood from My Family to Yours
by Ben FalconeThe actor, writer, and director combines amusing stories about his dad with his own experiences raising two daughters with his wife, Melissa McCarthy.Though he’s best known for his appearances in the movie Enough Said, as well as his hilarious role as Air Marshall Jon in Bridesmaids, Ben Falcone isn’t a big shot movie star director at home. There, he’s just dad. In this winning collection of stories, Ben shares his funny and poignant adventures as the husband of Melissa McCarthy, and the father of their two young daughters. He also shares tales from his own childhood in Southern Illinois, and life with his father—an outspoken, brilliant, but unconventional man with a big heart and a somewhat casual approach to employment named Steve Falcone.Ben is just an ordinary dad who has his share of fights with other parents blocking his view with their expensive electronic devices at school performances. Navigating the complicated role of being the only male in a house full of women, he finds himself growing more and more concerned as he sounds more and more like his dad. While Steve Falcone may not have been the briefcase and gray flannel suit type, he taught Ben priceless lessons about what matters most in life. A supportive, creative, and downright funny dad, Steve made sure his sons’ lives were never dull—a sense of adventure that carries through this warm, sometimes hilarious, and poignant memoir.“Containing self-help advice as well as threads of memoir and humor, Ben Falcone’s first book, Being a Dad Is Weird, is an absolute must-read.” —Manhattan Book Review
Being a Director: A Life in Theatre
by Di TrevisDi Trevis is a world-renowned director, whose work with Britain’s National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, and directing productions worldwide, has deeply informed her knowledge of the director’s craft. In Being a Director, she draws on a wealth of first-hand experience to present an immersive, engaging and vital insight into the role of a director. The book elegantly blends the personal and the pedagogical, illustrating how the parameters of Time, Space and Motion are essential when creating a successful production. Throughout, the author explores and recycles her own formative life experiences in order to demonstrate that who you are is as integral to being a director as what you do.
Being an Actor
by Simon CallowA new edition of the classic book for actors starting their careers, with new materialFew actors have ever been more eloquent, more honest, or more entertaining about their life and their profession than Simon Callow, one of the finest actors of his time and increasingly one of the most admired writers about the theater.Beginning with the letter to Laurence Olivier that produced his first theatrical job to his triumph as Mozart in the original production of Amadeus, Callow takes us with him on his progress through England's rich and demanding theater: his training at London's famed Drama Centre, his grim and glorious apprenticeship in the provincial theater, his breakthrough at the Joint Stock Company, and then success at Olivier's National Theatre are among the way stations.Callow provides a guide not only to the actor's profession but also to the intricacies of his art, from unemployment—"the primeval slime from which all actors emerge and to which, inevitably, they return"—to the last night of a long run.
Believe
by Sam FrostI don't claim to know all the answers; most of the time I'm still figuring it out myself. But what I can do is share an insight into the challenges I've faced from depression, anxiety, social media, toxic relationships, body image issues, and grief. I can offer you tips that have helped me find the light when darkness is all that I could see.When Sam Frost first came to the nation's attention after winning the second season of The Bachelor, it was as though her life was a fairytale. Then a down-to-earth 25-year-old who wore her heart on her sleeve, she captivated Australians far and wide. When that chapter of her life ended, it left Sam heartbroken and facing a public battle with depression and anxiety - but the support she received from people who reached out to detail their own struggles encouraged her to take back control of her story. Since then Sam has kept her connection with the public by being her authentic self - often raw and vulnerable, never hiding behind an illusion of perfection - and always trying to be the best person she can be. She pushed herself to take on a high-profile radio gig and then became an actor. In 2020, with her sister, Kristine, Sam launched BELIEVE by Sam Frost, an online community focusing on mental health, where everyone is included and imperfection is celebrated. In Believe, Sam shares her own experiences navigating dark mental health periods and, alongside Kristine's own insights, offers warm, gentle inspiration and tips to help you come through to the other side of your own. Believe is a personal story, a battle cry and a reassurance for the many of Sam's fans who have struggled as she has.Life isn't perfect, but we can try each day to make it beautiful, and Sam, Kristine and Believe will be your companions through it all.I've had my fair share of battles, and I still believe in the good in the world. I still have faith. I believe that I'm on a journey of self-discovery, of growth and evolution, and I want you to come on the journey with me. Hopefully my story will help you believe in all the beauty life has to offer.
Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Jazz Chickens
by Eddie IzzardA Vulture and Interrobang Summer Reading pick“A wicked, beautiful man has written a wicked, beautiful book about his (kind of?) messed up life and it’s…perfect.” —Patton OswaltWith his brand of keenly intelligent humor that ranges from world history to historical politics, sexual politics, mad ancient kings, and chickens with guns, Eddie Izzard has built an extraordinary fan base that transcends age, gender, and race. Writing with the same candor and insight evident in his comedy, he reflects on a childhood marked by the loss of his mother, boarding school, and alternative sexuality, as well as a life in comedy, film, politics, running and philanthropy.Honest and generous, Believe Me is an inspired account of a very singular life thus far.
Believe: An empowering and honest memoir from Leigh-Anne Pinnock, member of one of the world's biggest girl bands, Little Mix.
by Leigh-Anne Pinnock'I found my power when I realized it was within me, within my skin and within my soul. It just needed to be set free.' Leigh-Anne Pinnock's life changed overnight when she became part of the first ever girl band to win the X-Factor. The multi-platinum selling supergroup Little Mix, went on to become one of the biggest girl bands of all time.Launched into chart-topping global fame, Leigh-Anne was living her childhood dream of becoming a popstar. But behind the scenes, as a Black woman within an industry and team with little diversity, Leigh-Anne was struggling with her identity and felt completely lost. In her highly anticipated memoir, Leigh-Anne shares her journey from growing up in a mixed-race family in Britain to taking the pop world by storm. Honest and direct, she reveals the challenges and prejudices that stood in her path and how she overcame them by embracing her own power. Sharing the experiences and lessons that have shaped Leigh-Anne, this book will empower us all to challenge the status quo, stand up for what we believe in and go after our dreams.
Believe: The Untold Story Behind Ted Lasso, the Show That Kicked Its Way into Our Hearts
by Jeremy EgnerFrom The New York Times's Jeremy Egner, the definitive book on Ted Lasso.When Ted Lasso first aired in 2020, nobody—including those who had worked on it—knew how a show inspired by an ad, centered around soccer, filled mostly with unknown actors, and led by a wondrously mustachioed &“nice guy&” would be received. Eleven Emmys and one Peabody Award later, it&’s safe to say that the show&’s status as a pop-culture phenomenon is secure.In Believe, entertainment journalist and Ted Lasso fan Jeremy Egner traces the show&’s creation and legacy through the words of the people at its center. Drawing on dozens of interviews from key cast, creators, and more, Believe takes readers from the first, silly NBC Premier League commercial to the pitch to Apple executives, then into the show&’s writers&’ room, through the brilliant international casting, and on to the unforgettable set and locations of the show itself.Brimming with careful reporting and written to match the show&’s heart and humor, Believe tells a story of teamwork, of hidden talent, of a group of friends looking around at the world&’s increasingly nasty discourse and deciding that maybe simple decency still has the power to bring us together—a story about what happens when you dare to believe.
Belle Fury (The Manhattan Ten Series #3)
by Lola Dodge"Lola Dodge does it again! I can't get enough of these superhero romances and I truly wonder WHY ARE THERE NOT MORE?!" -Literary George A ballerina. A lightning-powered soldierboy.She’s focused on career, career, and only career. This dance-a-holic wants nothing but the stage and the spotlight and she has the talent to back up her dreams. Belle’s path to stardom is a straight shot until her late-onset super powers erupt mid-show and blowing up the stage becomes a little too literal.He’s the Manhattan Ten’s second-in-command with red lightning jazz hands and military-grade loyalty to his hero crew. So, when the boss assigns him to babysit a rogue dancer, Red Ruin can only follow orders. But the more time he spends with the not-so-blushing ballerina, Belle, the more she steals his own center stage.It’s love at first fight in the third volume of the Manhattan Ten Series.[A novella-length superhero romance of 30K words. Rated 18+ for adult language and some sexual content. Perfect reading for fans of Jennifer Estep’s Bigtime series and Lexi Dunne’s Superheroes Anonymous.]The Manhattan Ten Series:1. Ivory - October 20192. Temptress - November 20193. Belle Fury - December 20194. Angel - January 2020
Belle Terre: New Earth Book Two (Star Trek: The Original Series #No. 90)
by Diane Carey Dean Wesley SmithThe Starship Enterprise has embarked on its most ambitious assignment yet: to lead a courageous band of settlers to a far-off planet, to defend the fragile colony from alien threats, and to unravel the mysteries of a brand-new Earth!Belle TerreA six-month distance from the Federation, the planet Belle Terre offers a new life to more than 30,000 families, pioneers, scientists, expatriates, go-getters, loners, and entrepreneurs, all under the watchful eye of Captain Kirk and his crew. But the would-be colonists have barely settled in the untamed wilderness of their new home when Spock makes a startling discovery: not only does the planet's moons contain a rare ore of almost inestimable value, that same moon is also violently unstable. Within months, it will inevitably explode -- destroying all life on Belle Terre!
Belly Dance, Pilgrimage and Identity
by Barbara Sellers-YoungThis book examines the globalization of belly dance and the distinct dancing communities that have evolved from it. The history of belly dance has taken place within the global flow of sojourners, immigrants, entrepreneurs, and tourists from the nineteenth to the twenty-first century. In some cases, the dance is transferred to new communities within the gender normative structure of its original location in North Africa and the Middle East. Belly dance also has become part of popular culture's Orientalist infused discourse. The consequence of this discourse has been a global revision of the solo dances of North Africa and the Middle East into new genres that are still part of the larger belly dance community but are distinct in form and meaning from the dance as practiced within communities in North Africa and the Middle East.
Below the Line: Producers and Production Studies in the New Television Economy
by Vicki MayerBelow the Line illuminates the hidden labor of people who not only produce things that the television industry needs, such as a bit of content or a policy sound bite, but also produce themselves in the service of capital expansion. Vicki Mayer considers the work of television set assemblers, soft-core cameramen, reality-program casters, and public-access and cable commissioners in relation to the globalized economy of the television industry. She shows that these workers are increasingly engaged in professional and creative work, unsettling the industry's mythological account of itself as a business driven by auteurs, manned by an executive class, and created by the talented few. As Mayer demonstrates, the new television economy casts a wide net to exploit those excluded from these hierarchies. Meanwhile, television set assemblers in Brazil devise creative solutions to the problems of material production. Soft-core videographers, who sell televised content, develop their own modes of professionalism. Everyday people become casters, who commodify suitable participants for reality programs, or volunteers, who administer local cable television policies. These sponsors and regulators boost media industries' profits when they commodify and discipline their colleagues, their neighbors, and themselves. Mayer proposes that studies of production acknowledge the changing dynamics of labor to include production workers who identify themselves and their labor with the industry, even as their work remains undervalued or invisible.
Ben Hecht's Theatre of Jewish Protest
by Garrett EislerBen Hecht is most remembered as a famous Hollywood screenwriter and Broadway playwright, but only recently has his extensive Jewish activism during the Holocaust and its aftermath received scholarly attention. Unlike other, more expansive Hecht biographies, this book focuses in depth on his Jewish political theatre, drawing on extensive archival research of four dramas: We Will Never Die (1943), A Jewish Fairy Tale (1944), A Flag Is Born (1946), and The Terrorist (1947). Garrett Eisler's readings of these little-known (and out of print) texts reclaim them as pivotal to the history of Jewish American drama, being among the first works of U.S. theatre to address the Holocaust. The full texts of all four works are republished here for the first time, along with production details and full performance histories. Hecht also introduced a new heroic Jewish identity to the American stage, one that challenged popular stereotypes of villainy or weakness. This powerful and (still) controversial body of work stands as a striking testament to the power of theatre to rise to the moment. In Hecht's use of the stage to aggressively engage with history as it was happening, his story is a compelling case of an artist who made a difference.
Ben Hecht: Fighting Words, Moving Pictures (Jewish Lives)
by Adina HoffmanA vibrant portrait of one of the most accomplished and prolific American screenwriters, by an award-winning biographer and essayistHe was, according to Pauline Kael, “the greatest American screenwriter.” Jean-Luc Godard called him “a genius” who “invented 80 percent of what is used in Hollywood movies today.” Besides tossing off dozens of now-classic scripts—including Scarface,Twentieth Century, and Notorious—Ben Hecht was known in his day as ace reporter, celebrated playwright, taboo-busting novelist, and the most quick-witted of provocateurs. During World War II, he also emerged as an outspoken crusader for the imperiled Jews of Europe, and later he became a fierce propagandist for pre-1948 Palestine’s Jewish terrorist underground. Whatever the outrage he stirred, this self-declared “child of the century” came to embody much that defined America—especially Jewish America—in his time. Hecht's fame has dimmed with the decades, but Adina Hoffman’s vivid portrait brings this charismatic and contradictory figure back to life on the page. Hecht was a renaissance man of dazzling sorts, and Hoffman—critically acclaimed biographer, former film critic, and eloquent commentator on Middle Eastern culture and politics—is uniquely suited to capture him in all his modes.
Ben Jonson and Theatre: Performance, Practice and Theory
by Brian Woolland Richard Cave Elizabeth SchaferBen Jonson and Theatre is an investigation and celebration of Jonson's plays from the point of view of the theatre practitioner as well as the teacher. Reflecting the increasing interest in the wider field of Renaissance drama, this book bridges the theory/practice divide by debating how Jonson's drama operates in performance. Ben Jonson and Theatre includes: * discussions with and between practitioners * essays on the staging of the plays * edited transcripts of interviews with contemporary practitioners The volume includes contributions from Joan Littlewood, Sam Mendes, John Nettles, Simon Russell Beale and Geoffrey Rush, Oscar-winning actor for Shine.
Beneath the Big Top: A Social History of the Circus in Britain
by Steve Ward&“A valuable and illuminating read, shedding a lot of light on the political, economic and technological factors that have driven circus evolution&” (The Circus Diaries). Beneath the Big Top is a social history of the circus, from its ancient roots to the rise of the &“modern&” tented travelling shows. A performer and founder of a circus group, Steve Ward draws on eyewitness accounts and contemporary interviews to explore the triumphs and disasters of the circus world. He reveals the stories beneath the big top during the golden age of the circus and the lives of circus folk, which were equally colorful outside the ring: • Pablo Fanque, Britain&’s first black circus proprietor • The Chipperfield dynasty, who started out in 1684 on the frozen Thames • Katie Sandwina, world&’s strongest woman and part-time crime-fighter • The Sylvain brothers, who fell in love with the same woman in the ring &“As a former circus performer and now teacher and circus professional I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! The Circus has such a rich history and Steve does an amazing job at not only chronicling it but also telling entertaining and wonderful stories throughout. The photos are also amazing!! I recommend this book for both circus professionals and also for everyone else . . . it is a fabulous read for all!!&” —Carrie Heller, Circus Arts Institute (Atlanta, GA)
Benjamin Britten (Penguin Specials)
by Igor Toronyi-LalicBenjamin Britten was one of the most important and unusual figures in twentieth-century music. This is the perfect introduction to his many wonderful works and his fascinating, controversial life.Benjamin Britten single-handedly transformed the reputation of British classical music. The enormous popular appeal of his great works, such as Peter Grimes (1945) and the Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (1946), make him the most successful opera composer of any born in the twentieth century. But his success was not without controversy and pain: he was accused of fleeing Britain to avoid military service, he was widely known to be sexually obsessed with boys and he suffered an astonishing array of illnesses. This short book combines a colourful overview of his life with pithy descriptions of all of his major musical works, providing an intimate portrait of this highly unusual man and a persuasive account of his influences, reputation and importance.Each chapter tackles a key episode and theme in his life, from his first compositions at the age of 5, his early friendship and collaboration with W H Auden and the beginnings of his life-long relationship with the tenor Peter Pears, through to his great musical successes and the establishment of the influential, if tempestuous, Aldeburgh Festival, as well as his failures, such as his coronation opera Gloriana (known as 'Boriana') and being satirised by Dudley Moore in Beyond the Fringe - and ending with frank discussions of his naïve politics, his troubling sexuality and his glorious musical legacy.Published to coincide with his 100th anniversary of his birth, this is the perfect introduction to a towering figure of British culture.Igor Toronyi-Lalic is a critic and curator. He writes regularly on music for, among others, The Times and Sunday Telegraph. He is a founder of theartsdesk.com, the author of What's That Thing? (2012), a report on public art, and co-director of the London Contemporary Music Festival.
Benjamin Britten: A Life for Music
by Neil PowellThis spellbinding centenary biography by Neil Powell looks at the music, the life, and the legacy of the greatest British composer of the twentieth centuryBenjamin Britten was born on November 22, 1913, in the East Suffolk town of Lowestoft. Displaying a passion and proficiency for music at an early age, to the delight of his mother, Edith, a talented amateur musician herself, he began composing music when he was only five years old. After studying at the Royal College of Music, Britten went on to write documentary scores for the General Post Office Film Unit, where he met and collaborated with the poet W. H. Auden.Of more lasting importance was Britten's introduction in 1937 to the tenor Peter Pears, who was to become the inspirational center of his emotional and musical life. Their partnership lasted nearly four decades, during a dangerous time when homosexuality was illegal in England. Conscientious objectors, Britten and Pears followed Auden to America before the war began in 1939. While there, they joined the extraordinary Brooklyn ménage of George Davis, Louis MacNeice, and Paul Bowles.Eventually intense homesickness, provoked in part by George Crabbe's poem "Peter Grimes," drove the pair home to East Anglia in 1942 and gave Britten the inspiration for his finest opera. Throughout his career, Britten did not want modern music to be just for "the cultured few" and instead always composed his music to be "listenable-to." The shared quotidian lives of Britten and Pears unfold in this intimate biography and the story of two men who created a truly remarkable legacy.
Benny Goodman And The Swing Era
by James Lincoln CollierBenny Goodman and other jazz musicians introduced Swing to America at a time, when people needed to dance to forget the depression, and all that brought to the world. This music, is what millions still remember and love today. Reading this book will help you know why.
Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed
by José Pablo IriarteBenny Ramírez can see dead people . . . Well, one dead person, anyway. A hilarious and heartwarming story about a boy who can suddenly see the ghost of his famous musician grandfather!After moving cross-country into his late grandfather&’s Miami mansion, Benny discovers that the ghost of his famous trumpet-playing abuelo, the great Ignacio Ramírez, is still there . . . and isn&’t too thrilled about it. He&’s been barred from the afterlife, and no one can see him except his grandson. But Benny&’s got problems of his own. He&’s enrolled in a performing arts school with his siblings, despite having no obvious talent. Luckily, Abuelo believes they can help each other. Abuelo has until New Year&’s Eve to do some good in the world and thinks that teaching Benny how to play the trumpet and become a school celebrity might be the key to earning his wings. Having no better ideas, Benny finds himself taking Abuelo's advice—to disastrous and hilarious results. Benny and Abuelo will find that there&’s more than one way to be great in this unforgettable, laugh-out-loud tale of family, music, and self-discovery.
Berlin Replayed: Cinema and Urban Nostalgia in the Postwall Era
by Brigitta B. WagnerScarred by the Second World War, divided during the Cold War, and turned into a massive construction site in the early postwall years, Berlin has dramatically reinvented itself in the new millennium. Film has served a neglected but important function in this transformation.In Berlin Replayed, Brigitta B. Wagner shows how old and new films set in Berlin created a collective urban nostalgia for the city&’s best, most inclusive, and most conciliatory pasts in the face of its renewed purpose as the all-German capital. Exploring films such as Walter Ruttmann&’s Berlin: Symphony of a Great City, Wim Wenders&’s Wings of Desire, Tom Tykwer&’s Run Lola Run, and Wolfgang Becker&’s Good Bye, Lenin!, the book establishes that these films don&’t merely feature the city but actively construct how viewers come to know different Berlins of the past and present. To illustrate how film has repeatedly remade the image of the city, Berlin Replayed focuses on four key periods: the golden 1920s, when the city was a major filmmaking center; the prewall 1950s, when Berlin had two ideologically opposed film industries; the politically transformative late 1980s and early 1990s; and the hyped start of the twenty-first century.By showing how films have helped revive memories of the &“good&” Berlin and, by extension, the &“good&” Germany, Berlin Replayed reveals the underappreciated but powerful role film has played in the process of unifying Germany&’s historical experience and bridging its physical and political divisions.