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Big Trouble
by Dave BarryA teen sneaks up to shoot a cute girl with a Squirtgun to win a high school game called Killer. Meanwhile, two hit men sneak up to kill the girl's abusive stepdad, Arthur. Arthur cheated his bosses at corrupt Penultimate, Inc., which equipped a Florida jail with automatic garage-opener gates that accidentally freed prisoners in a lightning storm. Confusion happens, witnessed by a bum named Puggy, camped in a tree in Arthur's yard.
Big Tune: Rise of the Dancehall Prince
by Alliah L. AgostiniAn exuberant picture book written by Alliah L. Agostini and illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice is about a Black boy with big dancing dreams who learns the meaning of courage and community.It’s the weekend, first in June; speaker’s blasting out big tune!Cousins, aunties, uncles, friends pack the house, and fun begins.Shane is shy but loves to dance—and all year long, he’s picked up cansto earn some money toward his goal: high-tops with a pump-up sole.But then the speaker blows—it’s done! Will this stop his family’s fun?Can Shane come through to save the day and bring back Big Tune Saturday?Set within a vibrant Caribbean American neighborhood and told to a rhythmic beat, Big Tune is a story of Black boy joy that touches on determination, confidence to express who you are, selflessness, and community gratitude.
Bigger Than Life: The Close-Up and Scale in the Cinema
by Mary Ann DoaneIn Bigger Than Life Mary Ann Doane examines how the scalar operations of cinema, especially those of the close-up, disturb and reconfigure the spectator's sense of place, space, and orientation. Doane traces the history of scalar transformations from early cinema to the contemporary use of digital technology. In the early years of cinema, audiences regarded the monumental close-up, particularly of the face, as grotesque and often horrifying, even as it sought to expose a character's interiority through its magnification of detail and expression. Today, large-scale technologies such as IMAX and surround sound strive to dissolve the cinematic frame and invade the spectator's space, “immersing” them in image and sound. The notion of immersion, Doane contends, is symptomatic of a crisis of location in technologically mediated space and a reconceptualization of position, scale, and distance. In this way, cinematic scale and its modes of spatialization and despatialization have shaped the modern subject, interpolating them into the incessant expansion of commodification.
Bigger Than Life: The History of Gay Porn Cinema from Beefcake to Hardcore
by Jeffrey EscoffierHardcore porn?both the straight and gay varieties?entered mainstream American culture in the 1970s as the sexual revolution swept away many of the cultural inhibitions and legal restraints on explicit sexual expression. The first porn movie ever to be reviewed by "Variety," the entertainment industryOCOs leading trade journal, was Wakefield PooleOCOs "Boys in the Sand" (1971), a sexually-explicit gay movie shot on Fire Island with a budget of $4000. Moviegoers, celebrities and critics?both gay and straight?flocked to see "Boys in the Sand" when it opened in mainstream movie theaters in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Within a year, "Deep Throat," a heterosexual hardcore feature opened to rave reviews and a huge box office?exceeding that of many mainstream Hollywood features. Almost all of those involved in making ?commercialOCO gay pornographic movies began as amateurs in a field that had virtually never existed before, either as art or commerce. Many of their ?undergroundOCO predecessors had repeatedly suffered arrest and other forms of legal harassment. There was no developed gay market and any films made commercially were shown in adult x-rated theaters. After the Stonewall riots and the emergence of the gay liberation movement in 1969, a number of entrepreneurs began to make gay adult movies for the new mail order market. The gay porn film industry grew dramatically during the next thirty years and transformed the way men?gay men in particular?conceived of masculinity and their sexuality. "Bigger Than Life" tells that story. "
Biggie: Voletta Wallace Remembers Her Son, Christopher Wallace, aka Notorious B.I.G.
by Voletta WallaceVoletta Wallace, the mother of Christopher, aka Notorious B.I.G., became a matriarch of hip-hop on March 9, 1997, the night her legendary son was murdered. An intensely private and religious person, she was thrust into the spotlight of the media and charged with managing the legacy of a hip-hop generation immortal. Biggie reveals the story of how Ms. Wallace came to America and raised a son who -- in a life cut too short -- grew to be one of the most beloved recording artists of his generation. Ms. Wallace, born and raised in Jamaica, West Indies, immigrated to the United States as a young woman, aspiring to her version of the American Dream. Once here, she fell in love. The relationship didn't work out, but it did result in a beautiful son. The bright and precocious Christopher became the center of her world, and she the foundation of his. Ms. Wallace settled in Brooklyn, New York, pursued a career in early childhood education, and worked hard at not only keeping her own son on the straight and narrow but lovingly and firmly guiding other people's sons and daughters. Biggie is Voletta Wallace's story and her tribute-in-writing to her beloved son. In a no-holds-barred way, she tells the truth about the night her son was senselessly shot, the terrible aftermath, and what she believes led to his untimely death. She shares her misgivings about the treacherous nature of the entertainment industry and condemns the individuals who posed as friends of her late son while treating her and his memory with little respect. She acknowledges those -- the mothers of other slain hip-hop artists, including Tupac Shakur and Jason Mizell -- who gave her moral and material support in the dark moments of mourning her son and attending to the business and legal issues, many of which remain unresolved. Faith Evans, Christopher's widow, the mother of his child -- and a recording star in her own right -- contributed a heartfelt foreword to this book. Evans remains at Voletta Wallace's side as she continues the struggle to keep open the investigation of her son's murder and see that justice is done. She and so many others, in and out of the hip-hop community, continue to work with Ms. Wallace in support of the Christopher Wallace Foundation, an organization dedicated to the well-being and education of inner-city youth. For more information, visit www.cwmf.org.
Bildung nach reaktionären Revolutionen: Was sich von der TV Serie The Handmaid’s Tale lernen lässt
by Anja BesandDer vorliegende Band ist der neunte Band einer Reihe, in der sich eine Gruppe von Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftlern, die sich 2014 an der Technischen Universität Dresden unter der Bezeichnung WEITERSEHEN – interdisziplinäre Perspektiven Dresdner Serienforschung zusammengefunden haben, mit sozial- und kulturwissenschaftlichen Fragen im Kontext aktueller TV Serien beschäftigt. Der hier vorliegende Band ist einer der Düstersten, den die Gruppe bislang vorgelegt hat. Es geht um Bildung nach reaktionären Revolutionen oder die Frage, wie wir dem autoritären Sog begegnen, der in den westlichen Gesellschaften zunehmend sichtbar wird. Im Mittelpunkt dieses Bandes steht eine dystopische Erzählung. Eine Erzählung über reaktionäre Revolutionen, Umweltkatastrophen und Reproduktionskrisen. Eine Erzählung über Unfreiheit, sexualisierte Gewalt, Maskulismus und Macht. Die Erzählung ist dabei mehr als 30 Jahre alt und gleichzeitig so aktuell, dass man sich die Augen reiben möchte. Es geht um: The Handmaids Tale – eine Serie, deren Kostüme heute regelmäßig in Demonstrationskontexten auftauchen. Eine Serie, deren Urtext bereits zum kanonischen Bestandteil schulischer Pflichtlektüren geworden ist und die doch gleichzeitig als eine der aktuellsten Serienerzählungen zu bewerten ist.
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure(TM): The Guide to a Bodacious Life
by Steve BehlingParty on, dudes! This excellent book of wit and wisdom celebrates the genius of the world-famous Wyld Stallyns and their time-traveling adventure.Once, Bill and Ted made history. Now, they're ready to share the knowledge they've gained traveling through time. This hardcover companion to Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey features full-color film images and original illustrations and gives advice on how to live a non-heinous life, how to start a band when you can't play any instruments, how to find the most-triumphant locations in any food court, and how to make friends with difficult dudes -- from Genghis Khan to your history teacher! This collectible book is sure to become a most outstanding favorite, just like the excellent movies that inspired it.Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure characters and images (TM) & © 1989, 2020 Creative Licensing Corporation. All Rights Reserved.Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey characters and images (TM) & © 1991, 2020 Creative Licensing Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Billboard Express (Orca Limelights)
by Sigmund Brouwer Cindy MorganElle has come to Nashville to become a star. She has what it takes, but her agent and all the label executives want to change everything about her—her hair, her body, her clothes and, most important, her music. So Elle becomes a blond, sings about cookin' for her man and wears tiny shorts and revealing tank tops. Then a chance meeting with an established female songwriter makes Elle realize that she's paying too high a price for success. Billboard Express continues the story that began in Rock the Boat by Sigmund Brouwer. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Billie Eilish: For Beginning Piano Solo
by Billie EilishLegendary recording artist Billie Eilish shares an intimate inside look at her life—both on and off the stage—in this stunning, photo-filled book. <P><P>Billie Eilish is a phenomenon. With distinctive visual flare and darkly poignant lyrics that are unparalleled among music icons of the 21st century, Billie is a musician who stands out from the crowd. Between her record-shattering award-winning music and her uncompromising and unapologetic attitude, it's no surprise that her fanbase continues to grow by millions month after month. She is that rare combination of wildly popular and highly respected for her prodigious talent, a once in a generation superstar. <P><P>Now in this stunning visual narrative journey through her life, she is ready to share more with her devoted audience for the first time, including hundreds of never-before-seen photos. This gorgeous book will capture the essence of Billie inside and out, offering readers personal glimpses into her childhood, her life on tour, and more. A must-have for any fan. <P><P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
Billie Holiday
by John SzwedPublished in celebration of Holiday's centenary, the first biography to focus on the singer's extraordinary musical talentWhen Billie Holiday stepped into Columbia's studios in November 1933, it marked the beginning of what is arguably the most remarkable and influential career in ?twentieth-century popular music. Her voice weathered countless shifts in public taste, and new reincarnations of her continue to arrive, most recently in the form of singers like Amy Winehouse and Adele.Most of the writing on Holiday has focused on the tragic details of her life--her prostitution at the age of fourteen, her heroin addiction and alcoholism, her series of abusive relationships--or tried to correct the many fabrications of her autobiography. But now, Billie Holiday stays close to the music, to her performance style, and to the self she created and put into print, on record and on stage.Drawing on a vast amount of new material that has surfaced in the last decade, critically acclaimed jazz writer John Szwed considers how her life inflected her art, her influences, her uncanny voice and rhythmic genius, a number of her signature songs, and her legacy.
Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth
by John Szwed* Kirkus Best Books of 2015 selection for Biography *Published in celebration of Holiday's centenary, the first biography to focus on the singer's extraordinary musical talentWhen Billie Holiday stepped into Columbia's studios in November 1933, it marked the beginning of what is arguably the most remarkable and influential career in twentieth-century popular music. Her voice weathered countless shifts in public taste, and new reincarnations of her continue to arrive, most recently in the form of singers like Amy Winehouse and Adele.Most of the writing on Holiday has focused on the tragic details of her life--her prostitution at the age of fourteen, her heroin addiction and alcoholism, her series of abusive relationships--or tried to correct the many fabrications of her autobiography. But now, Billie Holiday stays close to the music, to her performance style, and to the self she created and put into print, on record and on stage.Drawing on a vast amount of new material that has surfaced in the last decade, critically acclaimed jazz writer John Szwed considers how her life inflected her art, her influences, her uncanny voice and rhythmic genius, a number of her signature songs, and her legacy.From the Hardcover edition.
Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth
by John Szwed* Kirkus Best Books of 2015 selection for Biography *Published in celebration of Holiday's centenary, the first biography to focus on the singer's extraordinary musical talentWhen Billie Holiday stepped into Columbia's studios in November 1933, it marked the beginning of what is arguably the most remarkable and influential career in twentieth-century popular music. Her voice weathered countless shifts in public taste, and new reincarnations of her continue to arrive, most recently in the form of singers like Amy Winehouse and Adele.Most of the writing on Holiday has focused on the tragic details of her life--her prostitution at the age of fourteen, her heroin addiction and alcoholism, her series of abusive relationships--or tried to correct the many fabrications of her autobiography. But now, Billie Holiday stays close to the music, to her performance style, and to the self she created and put into print, on record and on stage.Drawing on a vast amount of new material that has surfaced in the last decade, critically acclaimed jazz writer John Szwed considers how her life inflected her art, her influences, her uncanny voice and rhythmic genius, a number of her signature songs, and her legacy.From the Hardcover edition.
Billie Holiday: Wishing on the Moon
by Donald ClarkeCertainly no singer has been more mythologized and more misunderstood than Billie Holiday, who helped to create much of the mystique herself with her autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues. "Now, finally, we have a definitive biography," said Booklist of Donald Clarke's Billie Holiday, "by a deeply compassionate, respectful, and open-minded biographer [whose] portrait embraces every facet of Holiday's paradoxical nature, from her fierceness to her vulnerability, her childlikeness to her innate elegance and amazing strength. " Clarke was given unrivaled access to a treasure trove of interviews from the 1970s-interviews with those who knew Lady Day from her childhood in the streets and good-time houses of Baltimore through the early days of success in New York and into the years of fame, right up to her tragic decline and death at the age of forty-four. Clarke uses these interviews to separate fact from fiction and, in the words of the Seattle Times, "finally sets us straight. . . evoking her world in all its anguish, triumph, force and irony. " Newsday called this "a thoroughly riveting account of Holiday and her milieu. " The New York Times raved that it "may be the most thoroughly valuable of the many books on Holiday," and Helen Oakley Dance in JazzTimes said, "We should probably have to wait a long time for another life of Billie Holiday to supersede Donald Clarke's achievement. "
Billie Holiday: and Other Conversations (The Last Interview Series)
by Billie HolidayThe first-ever collection of interviews with the tortured but groundbreaking singer Billie Holiday, part of Melville House’s beloved Last Interview series Legendary singer Billie Holiday comes alive in this first-ever collection of interviews from throughout her career. Included is her last interview, given from her deathbed in a New York City hospital, where police were standing by ready to arrest her for a parole violation should she recover. Also included: The transcript of an interrogation by a US Customs official questioning about whether she'd violated her parole by using drugs on a foreign tour. But the book is more than a look at just the famously tragic side of her life. In other conversations, drawn from music magazines, late-night radio programs, and newspapers across the US and Canada, she discusses her childhood, musicians who influenced her, her friendship -- and falling out -- with the influential sax player Lester Young, why she chose the gardenia as her symbol, why she quit Count Basie's band, her substance abuse problems, writing songs and whether she wrote her own memoir, and more. In frank and open conversations, Billie Holiday proves herself far more articulate, aware, intelligent, and even heroic than the way she's often portrayed. This collection is an essential volume for all who have been moved by her music.
Billions of Besties: A Celebration of Fascinating and Simply Exceptional Friendships
by Peggy Panosh Susie AronsThis beautifully illustrated and joyful tribute celebrates famous friendships (both real and fictional) and proves that there is no relationship more important than friendship. Our best friends are our soulmates. They understand us when no one else does, lift us up, and bring out the best in us. It&’s a relationship based on a bond that can&’t always be described, but is always magical. Billions of Besties shines a light on some of the most engaging, funny, inspiring, and sometimes unexpected sets of friends. In this gorgeous and playfully illustrated volume, creators and besties Peggy and Susie highlight more than 100 besties, both real and fictional, from all walks of life. From the comedic powerhouse of Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, to the unexpected camaraderie between RGB and Antonin Scalia, the glamourous friendship between Anna Wintour and Roger Federer, or the fictional ride-or-die bond between Thelma and Louise, this book is a timeless salute to friendship in all its forms. Uplifting and charming, Billions of Besties celebrates the power and vitality of friendship—from bromances to work wives—reminding us that when we have each other&’s backs, we have the power to change the world.
Billy
by Pamela StephensonBilly Connolly has worked his way to the top from his working class roots. Billy has proved beyond doubt his versatility and sheer determination. Pamela writes about him - a highly talented musician, actor and comedian.
Billy Bragg: Still Suitable for Miners
by Andrew Collins'Love me or hate me. It's a great read’ - Billy Bragg He was a punk. He was a soldier. He was a flag-waver for the Labour Party and the miners. He is Billy Bragg, passionate protest folk singer and tireless promoter of political and humanitarian causes around the world. His life encapsulates so much about his generation: born in the late ’50s, passions forged by punk, politics shaped by Thatcherism, career inspired by engagement, hope provided by the end of the Cold War and ideology galvanised by what he sees as a ‘post-ideological’ twenty-first century. He adapts to survive: serious about compassion and accountability, he likes a laugh too, and has never forgotten where he comes from.Still Suitable for Miners is the official Billy Bragg story, tracing his life, family and career at close range from Barking to the present day. This 20th anniversary edition has been updated to include the rise of Corbyn, the unfolding of Brexit, Billy’s reclamation of skiffle and his overtures into Americana.
Billy Connolly Omnibus: Tall Tales and Wee Stories/Windswept & Interesting/Rambling Man
by Billy ConnollyTHREE TIMES THE LAUGHS: THE BEST OF BILLY CONNOLLY! 'Our greatest living comedian' Daily Mail'One of stand-up's great naturals. No one told a story better.' Guardian 'Furious, funny and foul mouthed' Sunday TimesTall Tales & Wee StoriesA collection of the very best of Billy's most famous routines including The Last Supper, Jojoba Shampoo, Incontinence Pants and Shouting at Wildebeest. With an introduction and original illustrations by Billy throughout, it is an inspirational, energetic and riotously funny read, and a fitting celebration of our greatest ever comedian.Windswept & Interesting 'It's the first time I've done this. Other people have written about me - or for me - but this time it's just my own life in my own words'Billy's joyfully funny, frank and full autobiography - stuffed full of hard-earned wisdom as well as countless digressions on fishing, farting and the joys of dancing naked. It is an unforgettable, life-affirming story of a true comedy legend.Rambling ManBilly's unconventional travel memoir that criss-crosses the world, encapsulating a lifetime of incredible journeys and hundreds of fascinating encounters - from riding his trike down America's famous Route 66, building an igloo on an iceberg in the Arctic, playing elephant polo (badly) in Nepal and crashing his motorbike (more than once), to eating witchetty grubs in Australia, being serenaded by a penguin in New Zealand, and swapping secrets in a traditional Sweat Lodge ritual in Canada.
Billy Connolly Omnibus: Tall Tales and Wee Stories/Windswept & Interesting/Rambling Man
by Billy ConnollyTHREE TIMES THE LAUGHS: THE BEST OF BILLY CONNOLLY! 'Our greatest living comedian' Daily Mail'One of stand-up's great naturals. No one told a story better.' Guardian 'Furious, funny and foul mouthed' Sunday TimesTall Tales & Wee StoriesA collection of the very best of Billy's most famous routines including The Last Supper, Jojoba Shampoo, Incontinence Pants and Shouting at Wildebeest. With an introduction and original illustrations by Billy throughout, it is an inspirational, energetic and riotously funny read, and a fitting celebration of our greatest ever comedian.Windswept & Interesting 'It's the first time I've done this. Other people have written about me - or for me - but this time it's just my own life in my own words'Billy's joyfully funny, frank and full autobiography - stuffed full of hard-earned wisdom as well as countless digressions on fishing, farting and the joys of dancing naked. It is an unforgettable, life-affirming story of a true comedy legend.Rambling ManBilly's unconventional travel memoir that criss-crosses the world, encapsulating a lifetime of incredible journeys and hundreds of fascinating encounters - from riding his trike down America's famous Route 66, building an igloo on an iceberg in the Arctic, playing elephant polo (badly) in Nepal and crashing his motorbike (more than once), to eating witchetty grubs in Australia, being serenaded by a penguin in New Zealand, and swapping secrets in a traditional Sweat Lodge ritual in Canada.
Billy Connolly's Route 66: The Big Yin on the Ultimate American Road Trip
by Billy ConnollyFollow much-loved Scottish comedian and bestselling author Billy Connolly across Route 66, on this unforgettable journey filled with music, modern history and hilarious stories.Billy Connolly first dreamed of taking a trip on the legendary Route 66 when he heard Chuck Berry belting out one of the greatest rock 'n' roll records of all time - and now he's finally had the chance to do it. Travelling every one of its 2,278 miles on his custom-make motorbike, Billy's journey takes him past many of the best-known icons in the US: the Gateway Arch in St Louis, Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon, and the funky neon-lit gas stations and diners that once lined the route.Billy also has the chance to get to know the people who call it home, from Mervin the Amish carpenter, to fellow banjo enthusiast and obsessive instrument collector Rob, to Angel, one of the many people determined to keep the spirit of the Mother Road alive. Funny, touching and inspiring in equal measure, the tales he gathers on the way tell the story of modern America.With his unrivalled instinct for a good story, and the gregariousness that has made him a comedy legend, Billy Connolly is the ultimate guide to the ultimate road trip.
Billy Joel: The Definitive Biography
by Fred SchruersThe long-awaited, all-access biography of a music legendIn Billy Joel, acclaimed music journalist Fred Schruers draws upon more than one hundred hours of exclusive interviews with Joel to present an unprecedented look at the life, career, and legacy of the pint-sized kid from Long Island who became a rock icon.Exhibiting unparalleled intimate knowledge, Schruers chronicles Joel's rise to the top of the charts, from his working-class origins in Levittown and early days spent in boxing rings and sweaty clubs to his monumental success in the seventies and eighties. He also explores Joel's creative transformation in the nineties, his dream performance with Paul McCartney at Shea Stadium in 2008, and beyond.Along the way, Schruers reveals the stories behind all the key events and relationships--including Joel's high-profile marriages and legal battles--that defined his path to stardom and inspired his signature songs, such as "Piano Man," "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," "New York State of Mind," and "She's Always a Woman." Throughout, he captures the spirit of a restless artist determined to break through by sharing, in his deeply personal lyrics, the dreams and heartbreaks of suburban American life.Comprehensive, vibrantly written, and filled with Joel's memories and reflections--as well as those of the family, friends, and band members who have formed his inner circle, including Christie Brinkley, Alexa Ray Joel, Jon Small, and Steve Cohen--this is the definitive account of a beloved rock star's epic American journey.
Billy Twinkle: Requiem for a Golden Boy
by Ronnie BurkettStanding at the edge of the ship, contemplating a watery demise, Billy is called back to reality when his dead mentor Sid Diamond appears as a handpuppet. Sid forces Billy to re-enact his life as a puppet show, rekindling the passion Billy once had for puppets, people, and the dream of a life that sparkles. For anyone stuck in the middle—mid-career, mid-love, mid-life—this requiem for a golden boy shines a little light on the wonder of youth meeting the wisdom of age.
Billy Wilder on Assignment: Dispatches from Weimar Berlin and Interwar Vienna
by Billy WilderAcclaimed film director Billy Wilder’s early writings—brilliantly translated into English for the first timeBefore Billy Wilder became the screenwriter and director of iconic films like Sunset Boulevard and Some Like It Hot, he worked as a freelance reporter, first in Vienna and then in Weimar Berlin. Billy Wilder on Assignment brings together more than fifty articles, translated into English for the first time, that Wilder (then known as "Billie") published in magazines and newspapers between September 1925 and November 1930. From a humorous account of Wilder's stint as a hired dancing companion in a posh Berlin hotel and his dispatches from the international film scene, to his astute profiles of writers, performers, and political figures, the collection offers fresh insights into the creative mind of one of Hollywood’s most revered writer-directors.Wilder’s early writings—a heady mix of cultural essays, interviews, and reviews—contain the same sparkling wit and intelligence as his later Hollywood screenplays, while also casting light into the dark corners of Vienna and Berlin between the wars. Wilder covered everything: big-city sensations, jazz performances, film and theater openings, dance, photography, and all manner of mass entertainment. And he wrote about the most colorful figures of the day, including Charlie Chaplin, Cornelius Vanderbilt, the Prince of Wales, actor Adolphe Menjou, director Erich von Stroheim, and the Tiller Girls dance troupe. Film historian Noah Isenberg's introduction and commentary place Wilder’s pieces—brilliantly translated by Shelley Frisch—in historical and biographical context, and rare photos capture Wilder and his circle during these formative years.Filled with rich reportage and personal musings, Billy Wilder on Assignment showcases the burgeoning voice of a young journalist who would go on to become a great auteur.
Billy Wilder: Dancing on the Edge (Film and Culture Series)
by Joseph McBrideThe director and cowriter of some of the world's most iconic films—including Double Indemnity, Sunset Blvd., Some Like It Hot, and The Apartment—Billy Wilder earned acclaim as American cinema's greatest social satirist. Though an influential fixture in Hollywood, Wilder always saw himself as an outsider. His worldview was shaped by his background in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and work as a journalist in Berlin during Hitler's rise to power, and his perspective as a Jewish refugee from Nazism lent his films a sense of the peril that could engulf any society.In this critical study, Joseph McBride offers new ways to understand Wilder's work, stretching from his days as a reporter and screenwriter in Europe to his distinguished as well as forgotten films as a Hollywood writer and his celebrated work as a writer-director. In contrast to the widespread view of Wilder as a hardened cynic, McBride reveals him to be a disappointed romantic. Wilder's experiences as an exile led him to mask his sensitivity beneath a veneer of wisecracking that made him a celebrated caustic wit. Amid the satirical barbs and exposure of social hypocrisies, Wilder’s films are marked by intense compassion and a profound understanding of the human condition.Mixing biographical insight with in-depth analysis of films from throughout Wilder's career as a screenwriter and director of comedy and drama, and drawing on McBride's interviews with the director and his collaborators, this book casts new light on the full range of Wilder's rich, complex, and distinctive vision.
Billy: Living With Billy Connolly
by Pamela StephensonBy turns heartbreaking and hilarious, this intimate biography of the British comic is &“a triumph of the will, an Angela&’s Ashes with punch lines&” (Publishers Weekly). One of the UK&’s most beloved stand-up comedians, Billy Connolly is recognized around the world for his HBO comedy specials and roles in movies like The Boondock Saints and Lemony Snicket&’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. An inspiration to generations of British comedians, including such stars as Eddie Izzard, Billy is known simply as &“The Big Yin&” in his native Scotland. But his road to success was anything but easy. Abandoned by his mother in a Glasgow tenement, abused by his father and the cruel aunt who became his caretaker, he would seem to have little chance of survival let alone meteoric success. Billy, the revelatory, poignant, and wildly entertaining biography is written by the woman who knows him best—his wife. Pamela Stephenson, a clinical psychologist, takes us through the heartbreaking and hilarious life of this comic legend, providing an intimate window into what made him the man he is today.