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"Baad Bitches" and Sassy Supermamas: Black Power Action Films
by Stephane DunnThis lively study unpacks the intersecting racial, sexual, and gender politics underlying the representations of racialized bodies, masculinities, and femininities in early 1970s black action films, with particular focus on the representation of black femininity. Stephane Dunn explores the typical, sexualized, subordinate positioning of women in low-budget blaxploitation action narratives as well as more seriously radical films like Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song and The Spook Who Sat by the Door, in which black women are typically portrayed as trifling "bitches" compared to the supermacho black male heroes. The terms "baad bitches" and "sassy supermamas" signal the reversal of this positioning with the emergence of supermama heroines in the few black action films in the early 1970s that featured self-assured, empowered, and tough (or "baad") black women as protagonists: Cleopatra Jones, Coffy, and Foxy Brown. Dunn offers close examination of a distinct moment in the history of African American representation in popular cinema, tracing its emergence out of a radical political era, influenced especially by the Black Power movement and feminism. "Baad Bitches" and Sassy Supermamas also engages blaxploitation's impact and lingering aura in contemporary hip-hop culture as suggested by its disturbing gender politics and the "baad bitch daughters" of Foxy Brown and Cleopatra Jones, rappers Lil' Kim and Foxy Brown.
"Have You Seen ... ?" A Personal Introduction to 1,000 Films
by David ThomsonIn 1975, David Thomson published his Biographical Dictionary of Film, and few film books have enjoyed better press or such steady sales.Now, thirty-three years later, we have the companion volume, a second book of more than 1,000 pages in one voice--that of our most provocative contemporary film critic and historian.Juxtaposing the fanciful and the fabulous, the old favorites and the forgotten, this sweeping collection presents the films that Thomson offers in response to the question he gets asked most often--"What should I see?" This new book is a generous history of film and an enticing critical appraisal written with as much humor and passion as historical knowledge. Not content to choose his own top films (though they are here), Thomson has created a list that will surprise and delight you--and send you to your best movie rental service.But he also probes the question: after one hundred years of film, which ones are the best, and why?"Have You Seen . . . ?" suggests a true canon of cinema and one that's almost completely accessible now, thanks to DVDs. This book is a must for anyone who loves the silver screen: the perfect confection to dip into at any point for a taste of controversy, little-known facts, and ideas about what to see. This is a volume you'll want to return to again and again, like a dear but argumentative friend in the dark at the movies.From the Hardcover edition.
"I'll Be There for You"
by Warren LittlefieldAn eBook short.A behind-the-scenes look at Friends, one of the most popular TV shows of all time--a wide-ranging interview with the cast and creators, excerpted from Top of the Rock, by former NBC President of Entertainment Warren LittlefieldIt was a little show originally called Six of One, whose pilot only tested decently with audiences--but all of that would soon change. "I'll Be There for You" presents a colorful, funny, and enlightening oral history drawn from the actors and creators of Friends. Outlining the whole history of the show, from first episode to last, including testimonials straight from the studio floor, this selection reveals the personal side of the "Shakespearean soap opera," including how the actors dealt with fame, helped to create their roles, negotiated and grew together as one family, and (of course) how Joey became Joey.
"It's the Pictures That Got Small": Charles Brackett on Billy Wilder and Hollywood's Golden Age (Film and Culture Series)
by Anthony SlideGolden Age Hollywood screenwriter Charles Brackett was an extremely observant and perceptive chronicler of the entertainment industry during its most exciting years. He is best remembered as the writing partner of director Billy Wilder, who once referred to the pair as "the happiest couple in Hollywood," collaborating on such classics as The Lost Weekend (1945) and Sunset Blvd (1950). In this annotated collection of writings taken from dozens of Brackett's unpublished diaries, leading film historian Anthony Slide clarifies Brackett's critical contribution to Wilder's films and Hollywood history while enriching our knowledge of Wilder's achievements in writing, direction, and style. Brackett's diaries re-create the initial meetings of the talent responsible for Ninotchka (1939), Hold Back the Dawn (1941), Ball of Fire (1941), The Major and the Minor (1942), Five Graves to Cairo (1943), The Lost Weekend, and Sunset Blvd, recounting the breakthrough and breakdowns that ultimately forced these collaborators to part ways. Brackett was also a producer, served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Screen Writers Guild, was a drama critic for the New Yorker, and became a member of the exclusive literary club, the Algonquin Round Table. Slide provides a rare, front row seat to the Golden Age dealings of Paramount, Universal, MGM, and RKO and the innovations of legendary theater and literary figures, such as Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, Edna Ferber, and Dorothy Parker. Through Brackett's keen, witty perspective, the political and creative intrigue at the heart of Hollywood's most significant films comes alive, and readers will recognize their reach in the Hollywood industry today.
"It's the Pictures That Got Small": Charles Brackett on Billy Wilder and Hollywood's Golden Age (Film and Culture Series)
by Charles Brackett&“Brackett&’s diaries read like a funnier, better-paced version of Barton Fink.&” —Newsweek Screenwriter Charles Brackett is best remembered as the writing partner of director Billy Wilder, who once referred to the pair as &“the happiest couple in Hollywood,&” collaborating on such classics as The Lost Weekend and Sunset Boulevard. He was also a perceptive chronicler of the entertainment industry, and in this annotated collection of writings from dozens of Brackett&’s unpublished diaries, film historian Anthony Slide clarifies Brackett's critical contribution to Wilder&’s films and enriches our knowledge of Wilder&’s achievements in writing, direction, and style. Brackett&’s diaries re-create the initial meetings of the talent responsible for Ninotchka, Hold Back the Dawn, Ball of Fire, The Major and the Minor, Five Graves to Cairo, The Lost Weekend, and Sunset Boulevard, recounting the breakthroughs and the breakdowns that ultimately forced these collaborators to part ways. In addition to a portrait of Wilder, this is rare view of a producer who was a president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Screen Writers Guild, a New Yorker drama critic, and a member of the Algonquin Round Table. With insight into the dealings of Paramount, Universal, MGM, and RKO, and legendary figures such as Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, Edna Ferber, and Dorothy Parker, this book reveals the political and creative intrigue at the heart of Hollywood&’s most significant films. &“A fascinating look at Hollywood in its classic period, and a unique and indispensable must-have for any movie buff.&” —Chicago Tribune &“This feels as close as we can get to being in the presence of Wilder&’s genius, and he emerges as the cruelest as well as the wittiest of men.&” —The Guardian &“Not only rare insight into their often-stormy partnership but also an insider&’s view of Hollywood during that era.&” —Los Angeles Times &“Very entertaining.&” —Library Journal
"Sesame Street" and the Reform of Children's Television
by Robert W. MorrowOutstanding Academic Title for 2007, Choice MagazineBy the late 1960s more than a few critics of American culture groused about the condition of television programming and, in particular, the quality and content of television shows for children. In the eyes of the reform-minded, commercial television crassly exploited young viewers; its violence and tastelessness served no higher purpose than the bottom line. The Children's Television Workshop (CTW)—and its fresh approach to writing and producing programs for kids—emerged from this growing concern. Sesame Street—CTW's flagship, hour-long show—aimed to demonstrate how television could help all preschoolers, including low-income urban children, prepare for first grade. In this engaging study Robert W. Morrow explores the origins and inner workings of CTW, how the workshop in New York scripted and designed Sesame Street, and how the show became both a model for network television as well as a thorn in its side. Through extensive archival research and a systematic study of sample programs from Sesame Street's first ten seasons, Morrow tells the story of Sesame Street's creation; the ideas, techniques, organization, and funding behind it; its place in public discourse; and its ultimate and unfortunate failure as an agent of commercial television reform.
"Sesame Street" and the Reform of Children's Television
by Robert W. Morrow“[An] accessible, well-researched introduction to the people and principles behind the show’s creation . . . Essential.” —Choice (An Outstanding Academic Title of the Year) By the late 1960s more than a few critics of American culture groused about the condition of television programming and, in particular, the quality and content of television shows for children. In the eyes of the reform-minded, commercial television crassly exploited young viewers; its violence and tastelessness served no higher purpose than the bottom line.The Children’s Television Workshop (CTW)—and its fresh approach to writing and producing programs for kids—emerged from this growing concern. Sesame Street—CTW’s flagship hour-long show—aimed to demonstrate how television could help all preschoolers, including low-income urban children, prepare for first grade. In this engaging study Robert W. Morrow explores the origins and inner workings of CTW, how the workshop in New York scripted and designed Sesame Street, and how the show became both a model for network television and a thorn in its side.Through extensive archival research and a systematic study of sample programs from Sesame Street’s first ten seasons, Morrow tells the story of Sesame Street’s creation; the ideas, techniques, organization, and funding behind it; its place in public discourse; and its ultimate and unfortunate failure as an agent of commercial television reform.“An insightful look at American children's television.” —Library Journal
"The Triple Whammy" and Other Russian Stories: A Memoir
by Luis MenasheAn American historian, film specialist, and documentary filmmaker shares candid stories of his life in Russia during and after the Cold War. A captivating lifetime of personal and professional experiences by an American historian, film specialist, and documentary filmmaker in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia. The author&’s experiences as a radical in the turbulent 1960s, and his eventual disenchantment offer some precedents and perspectives to all those on the Left, Center, or Right interested in the fluctuations of American politics. The vivid log of hopes and disillusions is related in a candid, non-academic style, and set against a panorama of history and politics in the late twentieth century.&“A self-described scholar-activist, Menashe weaves together political, intellectual, and cultural currents of leftist life, and draws a vivid picture of people and places, life-changing adventures, the intellectual and political challenges of graduate school during the Cold War, encounters with key Russian literary and political figures, and much more. Then comes the crash, the Soviet Union&’s end. As in all failed love affairs, Menashe retains some sweet memories. The reader will taste them long after reading the memoir.&” —Carole Turbin, Professor Emerita, History and Sociology, SUNY/Empire State College
"This Is Berlin": Radio Broadcasts from Nazi Germany
by William L. ShirerThe legendary CBS news journalist&’s selection of iconic World War II radio broadcasts from countries throughout Europe. William L. Shirer was the first journalist hired by CBS to cover World War II in Europe, where he continued to work for over a decade as a news broadcaster. This book compiles two and a half years&’ worth of wartime broadcasts from Shirer&’s time on the ground during WWII. He was with Nazi forces when Hitler invaded Austria and made it a part of Germany under the Anschluss; he was also the first to report back to the United States on the armistice between France and Nazi forces in June of 1940. His daily roundup of news from Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Rome, and London, which documented Nazi Germany and the conditions of countries under invasion and at war, became famous for its gripping urgency. Shirer brought a sense of immediacy to the war for listeners in the United States and worldwide, and his later books, including the seminal Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, became definitive works on World War II history. This collection of Shirer&’s radio broadcasts offers all the original suspense and vivid storytelling of the time, bringing World War II to life for a modern audience.
"You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet": The American Talking Film, History and Memory, 1927-1949 1st Edition
by Andrew SarrisAndrew Sarris has long been one of America's most celebrated writers on film, author of the pioneering work "The American Cinema," and for decades a highly regarded critic. Now comes Sarris's definitive statement on film, in a masterwork that has taken twenty-five years to complete. Here is a sweeping--and highly personal--history of American film, from the birth of the talkies (beginning with "The Jazz Singer "and Al Jolson's memorable line "You ain't heard nothin' yet") to the decline of the studio system. By far the largest section of the book celebrates the great American film directors, with the work of giants such as John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, and Howard Hawks examined film by film. Sarris also offers glowing portraits of major stars, from Garbo and Bogart to Ingrid Bergman, Margaret Sullavan, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Clark Gable, and Carole Lombard. There is a tour of the studios--Metro, Paramount, RKO, Warner Brothers, 20th Century-Fox, Universal--revealing how each left its own particular stamp on film. And in perhaps the most interesting and original section, we are treated to an informative look at film genres--the musical, the screwball comedy, the horror picture, the gangster film, and the western. A lifetime of watching and thinking about cinema has gone into this book. It is the history that film buffs have been waiting for.
"You Talkin' to Me?": The Definitive Guide to Iconic Movie Quotes
by Brian AbramsThis deep dive into hundreds of Hollywood&’s most iconic and beloved lines is a must-have for every film buff."You Talkin&’ to Me?" is a fun, fascinating, and exhaustively reported look at all the iconic Hollywood movie quotes we know and love, from Casablanca to Dirty Harry and The Godfather to Mean Girls. Drawing on interviews, archival sleuthing, and behind-the-scenes details, the book examines the origins and deeper meanings of hundreds of film lines: how they&’ve impacted, shaped, and reverberated through the culture, defined eras in Hollywood, and become cemented in the modern lexicon. Packed with film stills, sidebars, lists, and other fun detours throughout movie history, the book covers all genres and a diverse range of directors, writers, and audiences.
#GalaConfidential: 10 años de influencer
by Gala GonzálezLos secretos personales, profesionales y de moda de la influencer española más internacional: Gala González. Pocas españolas pueden presumir de haber alcanzado un reconocimiento a nivel mundial. <P><P>Gala González ha conseguido, a fuerza de profesionalidad, tesón y una buena combinación de experimentación y comercialidad a la hora de vestir, convertirse en un icono de estilo más allá de nuestras fronteras y ser la única española en alcanzar el top ten de las mejores influencers del mundo. <P><P>Nació en Galicia y se graduó en diseño por la Universidad de Londres. Fue una de las pioneras en su andadura en el mundo online, cuando en 2005 abrió su primera plataforma, Fotolog. La gran acogida que recibió la animó a crear su propio espacio 2.0 dedicado a la moda, amlul.com, uno de los primeros blogs con proyección internacional. <P>Desde entonces su popularidad como influencer, diseñadora, directora creativa y modelo no ha hecho más que crecer, y además de ser un auténtico referente, puede presumir de haber protagonizado campañas de moda, como las de Loewe y Mango, y haber diseñado colecciones para Tous, Superga y la línea U de Adolfo Domínguez, entre otras. <P>Sin duda, su estilo, real y ecléctico, es su mejor aval. #GalaConfidential recoge más de una década de su trayectoria en una de las profesiones que más han dado que hablar en los últimos años, además de sus experiencias personales como influencer de éxito, que revelan su parte más humana. <P>Este libro también nace con la vocación de ser una guía para todo aquel que quiera aventurarse en la industria de la moda y la comunicación online, o simplemente trate de descubrir el camino que hay que seguir para triunfar fuera y dentro del mundo digital.
#MeToo and Feminism: Weinstein and Beyond
by Karen BoyleThis book is a revised, updated and expanded edition of #MeToo, Weinstein and Feminism (2019). In this second edition, Boyle argues for the importance of understanding #MeToo in relation to an ongoing history of feminist activism and popular misogyny, which normalises and values men’s abuse of women. She considers the consequences of #MeToo for accused men, notably with regards to cancellation practices and criminal justice, drawing on prominent examples such as Harvey Weinstein, R. Kelly, Johnny Depp and Woody Allen, among many others. Two new chapters—on the long #MeToo movement and on survivor testimony—consider #MeToo alongside debates on popular feminism and misogyny in a range of contexts and reflect on the implications of the continued emphasis on survivor testimony in media coverage of sexual harassment and assault. Written by one of the foremost experts in gender, media and violence in the UK, this new edition is essential reading for those interested in feminism and the media, scholars and students alike.
#MeToo, Weinstein and Feminism
by Karen BoyleThis book provides a feminist analysis of #MeToo and the sexual assault allegations against celebrity perpetrators which have emerged since the Weinstein story of October 2017. It argues for the importance of understanding #MeToo in relation to an on-going history of Anglo-American feminist activism, theory and interdisciplinary research. Boyle investigates how speaking out about rape, sexual assault and harassment on social media can be understood in relation to second-wave feminist traditions of consciousness-raising. Her argument explores the media depiction of feminism – and feminists - in the wake of Weinstein and the cultural values associated with men’s abuse, particularly within the film and television industries. The book concludes with an exploration of what the #MeToo era has meant for men as victims/survivors and as alleged perpetrators, in relation to narratives of victimisation and of monstrosity.
#VERYFAT #VERYBRAVE: The Fat Girl's Guide to Being #Brave and Not a Dejected, Melancholy, Down-in-the-Dumps Weeping Fat Girl in a Bikini
by Nicole ByerA hilarious and inspiring guide to being a #brave, bikini-wearing badass, from the actress, comedian, and podcaster extraordinaire.If you’ve ever seen a fat person post a bikini shot on social media, you already know that they are #verybrave, because apparently existing in a fat body in public is #brave. I, Nicole Byer, wrote this book to 1. share my impressive bikini collection and my hot body with the world and 2. help other people feel #brave by embracing their body as it is. In this book, I share my journey to becoming #brave, give you my hot tips and tricks—on how to find the perfect bikini, how to find your own #bravery, and how to handle haters—and serve you over 100 bikini looks.Praise for #VERYFAT #VERYBRAVEOne of Cosmopolitan’s “12 Books You’ll Be Desperate to Read This Summer”One of Good House Keeping’s “Best Beach Reads to Add to Your Summer Reading List”Book Riot’s #1 Body Positivity Book to Read“Basically a bikini look book showing off [Byer’s] beautiful figure in a hundred different colorful swimmies. She also shares her body-acceptance journey and gives tips on how others can find their own bravery, handle haters, and embrace their bodies.” —Cosmopolitan“This book is a hilariously empowering take on self-love.” —Parade“And while Byer, the comedian who hosts Netflix’s Nailed It!, has filled the book with captions that are funny enough to prompt a reader to actually chuckle aloud, inspiring others is at the book’s core.” —USA Today
#Wwe: Professional Wrestling in the Digital Age (The Year's Work: Studies in Fan Culture and Cultural Theory)
by Dru JeffriesThe millions of fans who watch World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) programs each year are well aware of their role in building the narrative of the sport. #WWE: Professional Wrestling in the Digital Age explores the intersections between media, technology, and fandom in WWE's contemporary programming and business practices. In the Reality Era of WWE (2011 to the present), wrestling narratives have increasingly drawn on real-life personalities and events that stretch beyond the story-world created and maintained by WWE. At the same time, the internet and fandom have a greater influence on the company than ever before. By examining various sites of struggle and negotiation between WWE executives and in-ring performers, between the product and its fans, and between the company and the rest of the wrestling industry, the contributors to this volume highlight the role of various media platforms in shaping and disseminating WWE narratives. Treating the company and its product not merely as sports entertainment, but also as a brand, an employer, a company, a content producer, and an object of fandom, #WWE conceptualizes the evolution of professional wrestling's most successful company in the digital era.
'Bad' Women of Bombay Films: Studies in Desire and Anxiety
by Saswati Sengupta Shampa Roy Sharmila PurkayasthaThis book presents a feminist mapping of the articulation and suppression of female desire in Hindi films, which comprise one of modern India’s most popular cultural narratives. It explores the lineament of evil and the corresponding closure of chastisement or domesticity that appear as necessary conditions for the representation of subversive female desire. The term ‘bad’ is used heuristically, and not as a moral or essential category, to examine some of the iconic disruptive women of Hindi cinema and to uncover the nexus between patriarchy and other hierarchies, such as class, caste and religion in these representations. The twenty-one essays examine the politics of female desire/s from the 1930s to the present day - both through in-depth analyses of single films and by tracing the typologies in multiple films. The essays are divided into five sections indicating the various gendered desires and rebellions that patriarchal society seeks to police, silence and domesticate.
'Broadsword Calling Danny Boy': Watching 'Where Eagles Dare'
by Geoff DyerGeoff Dyer's earlier book on film, Zona, was about Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker, so it was perhaps inevitable that he should next devote his unique critical and stylistic energies to Brian G. Hutton's Where Eagles Dare. A thrilling Alpine adventure starring a magnificent, bleary-eyed Richard Burton and a dynamically lethargic Clint Eastwood, Where Eagles Dare is the apex of 1960s war movies, by turns enjoyable and preposterous.'Broadsword Calling Danny Boy' is Geoff Dyer's hilarious tribute to a film he has loved since childhood: it's a scene-by-scene analysis—or should that be send-up?—taking us from it's snowy, Teutonic opening credits to its vertigo-inducing climax.
'Rommel?' 'Gunner Who?': A Confrontation in the Desert (Spike Milligan War Memoirs)
by Spike MilliganVOLUME TWO OF SPIKE MILLIGAN'S LEGENDARY MEMOIRS IS A HILARIOUS, SUBVERSIVE FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT OF WW2'Brilliant verbal pyrotechnics, throwaway lines and marvelous anecdotes' Daily Mail 'Desperately funny, vivid, vulgar' Sunday Times ______________'Keep talking, Milligan. I think I can get you out on Mental Grounds.' 'That's how I got in, sir.' 'Didn't we all.' The second volume of Spike Milligan's legendary recollections of life as a gunner in World War Two sees our hero into battle in North Africa - eventually. First, there is important preparation to be done: extensive periods of loitering ('We had been standing by vehicles for an hour and nothing had happened, but it happened frequently'), psychological toughening ('If a man dies when you hang him, keep hanging him until he gets used to it') and living dangerously ('no underwear!'). At last the battle for Tunis is upon them . . .______________'The most irreverent, hilarious book about the war that I have ever read' Sunday Express 'Milligan is the Great God to all of us' John Cleese 'The Godfather of Alternative Comedy' Eddie Izzard 'A totally original comedy writer' Michael Palin 'Close in stature to Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear in his command of the profound art of nonsense' Guardian
'Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky: Jimi Hendrix, Voodoo Child
by David HendersonDavid Henderson's biography of Jimi Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child of the Aquarian Age -- first published in hardcover in 1978 -- was described by Greil Marcus of Rolling Stone as "[t]he strongest and most ambitious biography yet written about any rock and roll performer."
'Til Wrong Feels Right: Lyrics and More
by Iggy PopThe Godfather of Punk and frontman for The Stooges offers insight into his creative world with this collection of lyrics brought to life by photos, never-before-seen notes and memorabilia, short pieces by Iggy, and commentary from other music legends, including Danny Fields and Chris Stein from Blondie. Iggy Pop hasn't left a mark on music; he’s left it battered and bruised. From fronting the legendary proto-punk band The Stooges to being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010 to collaborating with an eclectic mix of artists including David Bowie, Debbie Harry, Jarvis Cocker, Death In Vegas, Underworld and Josh Homme, Iggy has proved himself to be one of music’s most iconic, outrageous and enduring music artists. Coinciding with the fiftieth anniversary of the first and eponymous The Stooges record, here for the first time are Iggy’s collected lyrics, with stunning original photographs, illustrations and his and others' reflections on a genre-defining music career that spans five decades—the ultimate book for every rock and roll fan.
'Tis Herself: A Memoir
by Maureen O'Hara John NicolettiA first-ever revealing and candid look at the life and career of one of Hollywood&’s brightest and most beloved stars, Maureen O&’Hara.In an acting career of more than seventy years, Hollywood legend Maureen O’Hara came to be known as “the queen of Technicolor” for her fiery red hair and piercing green eyes. She had a reputation as a fiercely independent thinker and champion of causes, particularly those of her beloved homeland, Ireland. In ‘Tis Herself, O’Hara recounts her extraordinary life and proves to be just as strong, sharp, and captivating as any character she played on-screen. O’Hara was brought to Hollywood as a teenager in 1939 by the great Charles Laughton, to whom she was under contract, to costar with him in the classic film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. She has appeared in many other classics, including How Green Was My Valley, Rio Grande, The Quiet Man, and Miracle on 34th Street. She recalls intimate memories of working with the actors and directors of Hollywood’s Golden Age, including Laughton, Alfred Hitchcock, Tyrone Power, James Stewart, Henry Fonda, and John Candy. With characteristic frankness, she describes her tense relationship with the mercurial director John Ford, with whom she made five films, and her close lifelong friendship with her frequent costar John Wayne. Successful in her career, O’Hara was less lucky in love until she met aviation pioneer Brigadier General Charles F. Blair, the great love of her life, who died in a mysterious plane crash ten years after their marriage. Candid and revealing, ‘Tis Herself is an autobiography as witty and spirited as its author.
'Tis the Season Family Advent Activity Book: Devotions, Recipes, and Memories of the Christmas Season
by Ink & WillowFramed around four central devotions, this Advent activity book invites parents and kids to come together year after year in celebrating the deeper meaning of the season as they count down the days until Christmas.Designed to follow the four weeks of Advent—Hope, Faith, Joy, and Peace—'Tis the Season Family Advent Activity Book features an Advent calendar with lift-the-flap windows that can be used year after year. Each of the four week-long sections includes a short devotion on each theme followed by reflection questions and simple action prompts for every age level. The book also contains game ideas, recipes, holiday tips, fun facts, and encouragement on how to live out the themes of Advent as an individual, with your family, and in your community.Because this unique activity book is designed to be used year after year, you can make this book part of your annual tradition. Special features include the keepsake section at the back of the book for recording holiday memories and the special built-in, undated Advent calendar for creating and sharing Christmas cheer, with an original activity each day:Try a new cookie recipeDeliver treats to a neighborStart a family traditionVisit someone who needs cheerCreate a new ornamentLearn &“Merry Christmas&” in a different languageAs you return to this book year after year, may it bring smiles and create memories that you will cherish for many Christmases to come.
(Drag) Queen of Scots: The hilarious and heartwarming memoir from the UK’s favourite drag queen
by Lawrence Chaney'It's no mystery or secret how much I enjoy Lawrence Chaney.' - RuPaul'Tackles everything from gender identity, the thrill of a wig and why Scottish talent is often overlooked.' - i NewsLawrence Chaney has wowed audiences across the globe as the winner of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. In Lawrence (Drag) Queen of Scots, Lawrence shares heartfelt and candid moments from their past. From being bullied as a child to what it's like to date as a drag queen, they give us an insight to their journey towards acceptance and better mental health.The loch ness legend themself takes us through the struggles faced to get to where they are now. From their childhood, growing up as a queer kid in Glasgow, feeling self-conscious and turning to humour to avoid being bullied, Lawrence shares their painfully relatable coming out story, and how finding drag was a vehicle towards confidence and self-love.__________'Gorgeous, hugely talented, funny, charismatic, adorable, Chaney is a goddess and brings us joy.' - Lorraine'Lawrence shares some of [their] most intricate and personal stories...such as concocting a drag name, mental health and dating.' - Gay Times'Lawrence Chaney is the funniest queen by a country mile. She has delivered the laughs a locked down nation needed in abundance. But there's much more to Chaney than her quick wit. Her vulnerability is also part of her natural gift.' - Vogue
(R)evolution: The Autobiography
by Gary NumanA Daily Mail 'best TV and showbiz memoir' for 2020From humble beginnings in Middlesex, where money was scarce but dreams were encouraged, to the award-winning godfather of electronica, Gary Numan has seen it all. His incredible story can be charted in two distinct parts . . .The first: a stratospheric rise to success quickly followed by a painful decline into near obscurity. At school, Gary fell through the cracks of the system and was expelled. An unlikely but determined popstar, he earned his first record deal aged nineteen and, two years later, had released four bestselling albums and had twice toured the world. But, aged just twenty-five, it felt like it was all over. Gary's early success began to hold him back and he battled to reconcile the transient nature of fame with his Asperger's syndrome.The second: a twenty-plus year renaissance catalysed by a date with a super-fan. Gary catalogues his fifteen-year struggle with crippling debts, his slow, obstacle-laden journey back to the top (and the insecurity that comes with that) and why Savage reaching #2 in 2017 meant more than the heady heights of 1979. Gary also candidly discusses the importance of his fans; why having Asperger's is a gift at times; the inspiration behind the lyrics; flying around the world in 1981; IVF struggles and the joy of fatherhood and his battle with depression and anxiety.(R)evolution is the rollercoaster rise and fall (and rise) of one man, several dozen synthesisers, multiple issues and two desperately different lives. By turns hilarious and deeply moving, this is Gary Numan in his own words - a brutally honest reflection on the man behind the music.