- Table View
- List View
The Mystery at the Alamo (Boxcar Children #58)
by Charles Tang Gertrude Chandler WarnerThe Aldens are asked to be extras in a movie while visiting the Alamo but things are not picture perfect. They have to discover who stole a precious ring from the beautiful star, Claire, and they find out many people are jealous of her.
The Planet of Junior Brown: Zeely / The House Of Dies Drear / The Planet Of Junior Brown / M. C. Higgins, The Great / Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush
by Virginia HamiltonJunior Brown is a musical prodigy losing touch with reality and everyone around him—except for one important friend Junior Brown is different than the other kids in his eighth-grade class. For one, he weighs three hundred pounds. He&’s also a talented musician with a serious future as a professional pianist—if he survives middle school. With an overbearing mom, disappointed teachers, and fellow students who tease him mercilessly, Junior starts to slip away into his own mind. His last hope may be his only friend, Buddy Clark, a boy in his class without a home or family who has already learned some of life&’s toughest lessons.
Franklin Wants a Pet, Franklin's Blanket, and Franklin's School Play: Franklin Wants a Pet, Franklin's Blanket, and Franklin's School Play (Classic Franklin Stories)
by Paulette Bourgeois Brenda ClarkFranklin Wants a Pet In this Franklin Classic Storybook, Franklin can count forwards and backwards. He can zip zippers and button buttons. He can slide down a riverbank by himself. He can even sleep alone in his small, dark shell. And ever since he was small, he really wanted a pet. Franklin’s Blanket In this Franklin Classic Storybook, our hero can’t go to sleep without his favorite blue blanket. One night he can’t find his tattered old blanket and must try to get along without it. Franklin’s School Play In this Franklin Classic Storybook, Franklin has been chosen to play the Nutcracker Prince in his class’s production. But will he be too nervous to say his lines when the big night arrives?
So You Wanna Be a Producer?
by Steve EcclesineProducer Steve Ecclesine has boiled down more than thirty years and over seven hundred shows as an independent Hollywood producer into one book So You Wanna Be a Producer? features one hundred thirty essays on a wide variety of subjects, as well as a complete budget for anyone seriously considering jumping into the shark tank. Used in dozens of film schools worldwide, So You Wanna Be a Producer? is a boy scout's handbook for anyone interested in show business. Also included is Ecclesine's second book, Adventures of a Migrant Film Worker, which tells hair-raising tales of what it's like working inside the belly of the beast.
Bringing Up Oscar
by Debra Ann PawlakThe untold story of the innovative pioneers who helped make movies the preeminent art form of the twentieth century The founders of the now infamous Academy were a motley crew as individuals, but when they first converged in Hollywood, then just a small town with dirt roads, sparks flew and fueled a common dream: to bring artistic validity to their beloved new medium. Who were these movers and shakers who would change movies forever? And what about Oscar, their famous son? He is fast approaching his 100th birthday, and is still the undisputed king of Hollywood. Yet with such dynamic parents, what else could we expect?
I Am Spartacus!: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist
by Kirk DouglasA &“lively&” memoir by the Hollywood legend about the making of Spartacus, with a foreword by George Clooney (Los Angeles Times). One of the world&’s most iconic movie stars, Kirk Douglas has distinguished himself as a producer, philanthropist, and author of ten works of fiction and memoir. Now, more than fifty years after the release of his enduring epic Spartacus, Douglas reveals the riveting drama behind the making of the legendary gladiator film. Douglas began producing the movie in the midst of the politically charged era when Hollywood&’s moguls refused to hire anyone accused of Communist sympathies. In a risky move, Douglas chose Dalton Trumbo, a blacklisted screenwriter, to write Spartacus. Trumbo was one of the &“Unfriendly Ten,&” men who had gone to prison rather than testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee about their political affiliations. Douglas&’s source material was already a hot property, as the novel Spartacus was written by Howard Fast while he was in jail for defying HUAC. With the financial future of his young family at stake, Douglas plunged into a tumultuous production both on- and off-screen. As both producer and star of the film, he faced explosive moments with young director Stanley Kubrick, struggles with a leading lady, and negotiations with giant personalities, including Sir Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, and Lew Wasserman. Writing from his heart and from his own meticulously researched archives, Kirk Douglas, at ninety-five, looks back at his audacious decisions. He made the most expensive film of its era—but more importantly, his moral courage in giving public credit to Trumbo effectively ended the notorious Hollywood blacklist. A master storyteller, Douglas paints a vivid and often humorous portrait in I Am Spartacus! The book is enhanced by newly discovered period photography of the stars and filmmakers both on and off the set.
Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times
by Thomas HauserA sweeping biography of one of the greatest and most provocative athletes of all time—&“a life that needs to be understood whether you care a whit about boxing or not&” (The Boston Globe). Athlete, activist, rebel, poet, legend—Muhammad Ali stood larger than life in the imagination of hundreds of millions of people around the world. A gold medalist at the 1960 Olympics, he won the heavyweight championship at age twenty-two by conquering Sonny Liston in dramatic fashion. In the weeks after the upset victory, he confirmed his membership in the Nation of Islam and told reporters he would no longer answer to his &“slave name&”: Cassius Clay. The political establishment stripped him of his heavyweight title when he refused induction into the United States Army during the height of the war in Vietnam. Ultimately, Ali returned to reclaim his crown, prevailing in epic fights against the likes of Joe Frazier and George Foreman. His talent and charisma—and above all, his adherence to principle—made him a cultural icon and one of the most beloved sporting figures of all time. But that is only half the tale. Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times is also the story of Ali, the man. Author Thomas Hauser got closer to Ali than any previous biographer. His work—told in Ali&’s own words and those of hundreds of family members, friends, rivals, and others who interacted with &“The Greatest&” over the decades—reveals a deeply spiritual, complex man, whose public and private battles, including his struggle against the devastating effects of Parkinson&’s disease, gave new meaning to the word courage and changed forever our conception of what makes a champion. Heralded by the New York Times as &“the first definitive biography of the boxer who transcended sports as no other athlete ever has,&” Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the legacy of one of the twentieth century&’s most charismatic and controversial superstars. This ebook includes rare photos authorized by Muhammad Ali Enterprises.
Montgomery Clift: A Biography (Limelight Ser.)
by Patricia Bosworth&“The definitive work on the gifted, haunted actor&” (Los Angeles Times) and &“the best film star biography in years&” (Newsweek). From the moment he leapt to stardom with the films Red River and A Place in the Sun, Montgomery Clift was acclaimed by critics and loved by fans. Elegant, moody, and strikingly handsome, he became one of the most definitive actors of the 1950s, the first of Hollywood&’s &“loner heroes,&” a group that includes Marlon Brando and James Dean. In this affecting biography, Patricia Bosworth explores the complex inner life and desires of the renowned actor. She traces a poignant trajectory: Clift&’s childhood was dominated by a controlling, class-obsessed mother who never left him alone. He developed passionate friendships with Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor in spite of his closeted homosexuality. Then his face was destroyed after a traumatic car crash outside Taylor&’s house. He continued to make films, but the loss of his beauty and subsequent addictions finally brought the curtain down on his career. Stunning and heartrending, Montgomery Clift is a remarkable tribute to one of Hollywood&’s most gifted—and tormented—actors.
Marlon Brando (Lives Ser.)
by Patricia BosworthThis biography of the legendary actor &“offers a fascinating look into his charismatic genius&” (Library Journal). In 1948 Marlon Brando stunned audiences and critics alike with his revolutionary, raw, and improvisational approach to acting. He became a symbol of a new, rebellious generation that was sick of conventions and committed to genuine emotion and unvarnished truth. From his breakout role as Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire to his mesmerizing portrayal of Don Corleone in The Godfather, he created some of the most memorable characters in American cinematic history. Brando was a paradox—intensely private but using his fame to promote worthy causes, a womanizer who clung to his childhood friends and animals. He was one of the most fiercely independent stars ever. In this book, acclaimed biographer Patricia Bosworth peels away Brando&’s many layers, revealing the struggles, triumphs, and relentless ambition that transformed the irrepressible farm boy from Nebraska into a legend of American cinema.
Nijinsky: A Life of Genius and Madness (Phoenix Giants Ser.)
by Richard BuckleThe intoxicating story of one of the greatest dancers in the history of ballet and the paradox of his profound genius and descent into madness Vaslav Nijinsky stands alone as a dancer, interpretive artist, and choreographic pioneer. His breathtaking performances with the Ballet Russes took Western Europe by storm, and his avant-garde choreography for The Afternoon of the Faun and Rite of Spring caused riots in the streets. Both are now regarded as the foundation of modern dance. Through his liaison with the great impresario Diaghilev, he worked with the artistic elite of the time--Benois, Bakst, Debussy, Fokine, Karsavina, Pavlova, Stravinsky--and lived in an atmosphere of perpetual hysteria, glamour, and intrigue. When he married a Hungarian aristocrat, Diaghilev abruptly dismissed him from the Ballet Russes. Five years later, he was declared insane. The fabulous career of the world's greatest dancer was over. Drawing on personal conversations with countless people who knew and worked with Nijinsky, including his sister and famed choreographer Bronislava Nijinska, Richard Buckle has written the definitive biography of Nijinsky, now back in print for the first time in more than forty years.
Moving Pictures: Memories of a Hollywood Prince
by Budd SchulbergThe Oscar-winning screenwriter of On the Waterfront recounts his life, his career, and &“how Hollywood became the dream factory it still is today&” (Kirkus Reviews). When Seymour Wilson &“Budd&” Schulberg moved from New York to Los Angeles as a child, Hollywood&’s filmmaking industry was just getting started. To some, the region was still more famous for its citrus farms than its movie studios. In this iconic memoir, Schulberg, the son of one of Tinseltown&’s most influential producers, recounts the rise of the studios, the machinations of the studio heads, and the lives of some of cinema&’s earliest and greatest stars. Even as Hollywood grew to become one of the country&’s most powerful cultural and economic engines, it retained the feel of a company town for decades. Schulberg&’s sparkling recollections offer a unique insider view of both the glitter and dark side of the dream factory&’s early years. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Budd Schulberg including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author&’s estate.
On the Waterfront: The Final Shooting Script (Plays For Performance Ser.)
by Budd SchulbergSchulberg&’s Academy Award–winning screenplay about ex-boxer and dock worker Terry Malloy, whose talent made him a contender and whose courage will make him a heroThe film On the Waterfront garnered eight Oscars; the leading role of Terry Malloy was perhaps Marlon Brando&’s tour de force. But none of these achievements would have been possible without the explosive, inspired script written by Budd Schulberg. The story of stevedores sweating and dying for a corrupt, Mob-run union, and one former boxer&’s quixotic fight for dignity, stands among the most iconic narratives of American cinema. Deeply influenced by Schulberg&’s own reporting on New York and New Jersey crime families, unions, and the boxing world, as well as on earlier reporting by Malcolm Johnson, this screenplay represents a singular confluence of American artistry and political history. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Budd Schulberg including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author&’s estate.
Marlene: The Songbook
by Marlene DietrichA fascinating self-portrait of one of the greatest entertainers of Hollywood's golden age Film star. Cabaret sensation. Recording artist. Writer. Marlene Dietrich was nothing short of enchanting--and remains so as she chronicles her fabulous rise to stardom in Marlene. From her early career in Germany as a chorus girl to her breakout role as Lola in The Blue Angel to her courageous wartime tours, Dietrich recounts a life that captivates on the page just as she smoldered on the screen. She writes passionately of her friends--including Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, and Edith Piaf, among many others--and she shares memories of what she calls her greatest accomplishment: entertaining the Allied troops during World War II. A sustained expression of her bold, sophisticated style, Marlene reminds us why Dietrich remains an international icon and a true Hollywood legend.
Shop in the Name of Love: Shop In The Name Of Love (The Cheetah Girls #2)
by Deborah GregoryChanel doesn't want to wait until the Cheetah Girls strike it rich to earn enough to buy all the clothes she adores, so she starts charging on her mom's credit card.
Wishing on a Star: Wishing On A Star (The Cheetah Girls #1)
by Deborah GregoryIn this premier book of the series, the girls meet at Fashion Industries High School, where they live in New York City. It's the first week of school, and they become fast friends. They decide they want to beef up their cash flow. So, to earn some bucks, they form a singing group of their own.
Who's 'Bout to Bounce?: Who's 'bout To Bounce (The Cheetah Girls #3)
by Deborah GregoryDorinda's dance teacher tells her that she's got what it takes to audition as a back-up dancer for the singing sensation Money Monique. This is Dorinda's chance to really make it. But since Dorinda has always been the best dancer in the Cheetah Girls, she's been the one to make up the group's "phat" dance moves. If she gets chosen to tour with Money Monique, she'll have to leave the Cheetah Girls and Mrs. Bosco, her foster mother, behind.
Notes on a Cowardly Lion: The Biography of Bert Lahr
by John LahrJohn Lahr&’s stunning and complex biography of his father, the legendary actor and comedian Bert Lahr Notes on a Cowardly Lion is John Lahr&’s masterwork: an all-encompassing biography of his father, the comedian and performer Bert Lahr. Best known as the Cowardly Lion in MGM&’s classic The Wizard of Oz, Lahr was a consummate artist whose career spanned burlesque, vaudeville, Broadway, and Hollywood. While he could be equally raucous and polished in public, Lahr was painfully insecure and self-absorbed in private, keeping his family at arm&’s length as he quietly battled his inner demons. Told with an impressive objectivity and keen understanding of the construction—and destruction—of the performer, Notes on a Cowardly Lion is more than one man&’s quest to understand his father; it is an extraordinary examination of a life in American show business.
Prick Up Your Ears: The Biography of Joe Orton
by John LahrThis mesmerizing story of playwright and author Joe Orton&’s brief and remarkable life was named book of the year by Truman Capote and Nobel Prize–winning novelist Patrick White Told with precision and extensive detail, Prick Up Your Ears is the engrossing biography of playwright and novelist Joe Orton. Orton&’s public career spanned only three years (1964–1967), but his work made a lasting mark on the international stage. From Entertaining Mr. Sloane to his career-making Loot, Orton&’s plays often shocked, sometimes outraged, and always captivated audiences with their dark yet farcical cynicism. A rising star and undeniable talent, Orton left much undone when he was bludgeoned to death by his lover, Kenneth Halliwell, who had educated Orton and also dreamed of becoming a famous writer. Prick Up Your Ears was the basis for the distinguished 1987 film of the same name, directed by Stephen Frears, with a screenplay by Alan Bennett, and starring Gary Oldman and Vanessa Redgrave. A brilliant, page-turning examination of the dueling forces behind Orton&’s work, Prick Up Your Ears secured the playwright&’s reputation as a great twentieth-century artist.
Marilyn: Norma Jeane
by Gloria SteinemThe feminist icon and New York Times–bestselling author offers an intimate appraisal of the ultimate sex symbol—and the real woman behind the images. Few books have altered the perception of a celebrity as much as Marilyn. Gloria Steinem, the renowned feminist who inspired the film The Glorias, reveals that behind the familiar sex symbol lay a tortured spirit with powerful charisma, intelligence, and complexity. This national bestseller delves into a topic many other writers have ignored—that of Norma Jeane, the young girl who grew up with an unstable mother, constant shuffling between foster homes, and abuse. Steinem evocatively recreates that world, connecting it to the fragile adult persona of Marilyn Monroe. Her compelling text draws on a long, private interview Monroe gave to photographer George Barris, part of an intended joint project begun during Monroe&’s last summer. Steinem&’s Marilyn also includes Barris&’s extraordinary portraits of Monroe, taken just weeks before the star&’s death. &“An even-handed introduction to the Monroe phenomenon.&” —Library Journal
A Midsummer Night's Dork (Dork #3)
by Carol GormanWhile preparing for his school's Shakespeare fundraiser, dorky Jerry Flack goes head to head with the school bullyJerry Flack's first order of business as the new sixth-grade class president? Raising money to help make Hawthorne Middle School the coolest, starting with an Elizabethan fundraising festival to coincide with the class reading of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. There's just one problem: As class president, Jerry is going to have to make a speech in front of everybody to kick off the event. What's worse, class bully Craig Fox will see to it that Jerry embarrasses himself during his big moment. What's a dorky class president to do?With a lot of hard work and a little bit of help from his best friends, Jerry is determined to make this event a success. Can he rise to the occasion and show Craig that the school's biggest dork can organize the coolest Shakespeare festival ever?
Stage Fright: Its Role In Acting
by Ann M. MartinCan Sara overcome her shyness to perform in the school play? Sara is extremely timid—she only has two friends, and one of them is her cousin. Her mother is constantly pushing her to leave the safety of her room and be more social, but for Sara, being in public is a punishment worse than death.When Sara&’s teacher insists that everyone this year—shy or not—participate in the school play, Sara is filled with terror. To top it off, she finds out her best friend, the one person who understands her, might be moving away. More than ever, Sara wants to climb into her shell, but the play is looming and there&’s no place to hide.This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author&’s collection.
Maggie: Dawn, Sunny, Maggie, Amalia, And Ducky (California Diaries #3)
by Ann M. MartinMaggie makes everything she does look easy--but there's a high price to pay for perfectionMaggie Blume does everything right. She gets straight A's, is a talented pianist, and was just named the youngest poetry editor of the school's literary magazine, Inner Vistas. She makes the life of a successful thirteen-year-old look easy.For Maggie's father, nothing but perfect will do. Not only is he obsessed with his job as a studio executive, he expects Maggie to have a detailed plan for her life, which unfortunately leaves no room for her true passion: music.Once Maggie's friends learn of her talent, they help her land a spot as the lead singer for Vanish, the band managed by her friend Amalia. Maggie could never share this news with her dad, so when she has to choose between going to his movie opening and the battle of the bands, she takes a huge risk to make sure she's able to do it all--perfectly.This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author's collection.
The Making of Markova: Diaghilev's Baby Ballerina to Groundbreaking Icon
by Tina SuttonAs improbable as it is inspiring, the story of one of the greatest ballerinas of the twentieth century; her fortitude and reinvention; and her journey from the Ballets Russes, Balanchine, and Matisse to international stardom In pre-World War I England, a frail Jewish girl--so shy she barely spoke a word until age six and so sickly she needed to be homeschooled--is diagnosed with flat feet, knock knees, and weak legs. In short order, Lilian Alicia Marks would become a dance prodigy, the cherished baby ballerina of Sergei Diaghilev, and the youngest ever soloist at his famed Ballets Russes. It was there that George Balanchine choreographed his first ballet for her, Henri Matisse designed her costumes, and Igor Stravinsky taught her music--all when the re-christened Alicia Markova was just fourteen. But the timid British dancer would be forced to overcome poverty, jealousy, anti-Semitism, and prejudices against her unconventional looks to become the greatest classical ballerina of her generation--and one of the most celebrated, self reliant, and adventurous. A true ambassador of ballet, Markova co-founded touring companies, traveled to the far corners of the world, and was the first ballerina to appear on television. Given unprecedented access to Dame Markova's intimate journals and correspondence, Tina Sutton paints a full picture of the dancer's astonishing life and times in 1920s Paris and Monte Carlo; 1930s London; and wartime in New York and Hollywood. Ballet lovers and readers everywhere will be fascinated by the story of one of the twentieth century's great artists.
Truth Behind the Fantasy of Porn: The Greatest Illusion on Earth
by Shelley LubbenShelley Lubben was a porn star. Now she tells the hardcore truth. In Truth Behind the Fantasy of Porn, former porn actress Shelley Lubben rips the seductive mask off of pornography and exposes the hardcore truth behind the "greatest illusion on earth". Her spectacular journey from childhood sexual abuse to prostitution to the deadly unglamorous realm of porn sets, Shelley is brutally honest about her past. But that's not all. Having escaped the porn industry at 26, Shelley now shares her powerful story of redemption offering a message of hope to the entire world. The first ever book exposing the "secret" side of porn, Shelley wants you to know the hardcore truth. Pornography is modern day slavery for thousands of women and the millions of porn addicts who can't stop clicking. But you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free!
The Book of Wizard Craft: In Which the Apprentice Finds Spells, Potions, Fantastic Tales & 50 Enchanting Things to Make (The\books Of Wizard Craft Ser. #1)
by Union Square & Co.The perfect book for fans of Harry Potter in search of wizardly ideas for crafts, parties, Halloween costumes, and more. Gather close and let the Wizard tell you all of his secrets, for contained within these enchanting pages is everything you need to know to become the next great wizard, including directions for crafting a selection of marvelous gear, room decorations, concoctions, and good-luck spells. Silently disappear and reappear in a hooded cloak as light as butterfly wings. Time the simmering of potions with an hourglass pendant. Broaden your powers by whipping up such hard-to-find wizardly supplies as Mermaid Gas Bubbles and Eye of Newt, plus potent slimes and potions. And just for fun and a few shivers, the Wizard shares myths and legends of centuries past along with spine-tingling adventures of his own. &“Written as though an old wizard dictated the projects to his scribes, the book will delight readers . . . Fans of all that is wizardly will love this one.&” —School Library Journal &“This collection of 50 crafts goes beyond glitter and tissue paper projects, to include sewing a wizard&’s robe, making crystal candy and learning to read tea leaves.&” —Publishers Weekly