- Table View
- List View
Luther
by Neil CrossA brilliant crime novel and prequel to the acclaimed BBC series by the show's creator and sole writer Meet Detective Chief Inspector John Luther. He's a murder detective with an extraordinary case-clearance rate. He's obsessive, instinctive, and intense. Nobody who ever stood at his side has a bad word to say about him. And yet there are rumors that Luther is bad--not corrupt, not on the take, but tormented. After years of chasing the most depraved criminals in London's gritty underworld, he seethes with a hidden fury that at times he can barely control. Sometimes it sends him to the brink of madness, making him do things any other detective wouldn't and shouldn't do. Luther: The Calling, the first in a new series of novels featuring DCI John Luther, takes us into Luther's past and into his mind. It is the story of the serial killer case that tore his personal and professional relationships apart and propelled him over the precipice--beyond fury, beyond vengeance, all the way to the other side of the law. Is Luther a force for good or a man hell-bent on self-destruction? Edgar Award-winning writer Neil Cross has created one of the most compelling characters in modern crime fiction. Luther: The Calling is a compulsively readable novel by the writer hailed by The Guardian as "Britain's own Stephen King."
Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life from an Addiction to Film
by Patton OswaltThe instant New York Times bestseller from author, comedian and actor Patton Oswalt, a “heartfelt and hilarious” (USA TODAY) memoir about coming of age as a performer during the late 1990s while obsessively watching classic films at a legendary theater in Los Angeles. “[Oswalt has] a set of synapses like a pinball machine and a prose style to match” (TheNew York Times).Between 1995 and 1999, Patton Oswalt lived with an unshakable addiction. It wasn’t drugs, alcohol, or sex: it was film. After moving to Los Angeles, Oswalt became a huge film buff (or as he calls it, a sprocket fiend), absorbing classics, cult hits, and new releases at the famous New Beverly Cinema. Silver screen celluloid became Patton’s life schoolbook, informing his notion of acting, writing, comedy, and relationships.Set in the nascent days of LA’s alternative comedy scene, Silver Screen Fiend chronicles Oswalt’s journey from fledgling stand-up comedian to self-assured sitcom actor, with the colorful New Beverly collective and a cast of now-notable young comedians supporting him all along the way. “Clever and readable...Oswalt’s encyclopedic knowledge and frothing enthusiasm for films (from sleek noir classics, to gory B movies, to cliché-riddled independents, to big empty blockbusters) is relentlessly present, whirring in the background like a projector” (TheBoston Globe). More than a memoir, this is “a love song to the silver screen” (Paste Magazine).
The Art of Men: (I Prefer Mine al Dente)
by Kirstie AlleyEmmy Award-winning actress Kirstie Alley’s candid and audacious memoir about her life and the men she has shared it with—for better and for worse.John Travolta. Parker Stevenson. Ted Danson. Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Kelsey Grammer. Patrick Swayze. Woody Allen. Woody Harrelson. And many others. . . . In three decades in Hollywood, Kirstie Alley has lived with, worked with, loved, or lost all of these men, and in this revealing memoir, she peels back the layers (and sometimes the sheets) on her relationships with all of them. From the early days of her childhood in Wichita, Kansas, surrounded by her loving father, her inquisitive and doting grandfather, and a younger brother she fiercely protected when she wasn’t selling tickets to see him naked, Kirstie Alley’s life has been shaped and molded by men. “Men, men, glorious men!” gave her her first big break in Hollywood and her awardwinning role on Cheers, and through two marriages, a debilitating cocaine addiction, the death of her mother, roles in some of the biggest comedies of the last twenty years, and a surprising stint on Dancing with the Stars, men proved to be the inspiration for multitudes of the decisions and dramas in Kirstie Alley’s life. In this collection of linked essays that’s both hilarious and poignant in turns, Kirstie chronicles all the good, the bad, and the ugly men who have influenced and guided her. She demonstrates how men can be the air that women breathe or the source of all of their frustrations. But for better or worse, Kirstie shows that a life well lived is a life lived in the company of men, especially if they remember to put the lid down. The Art of Men (I Prefer Mine al Dente) is a hilarious excursion into love, joy, motherhood, loss, sex, and self-discovery from one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars.
Curbing It: Carrying the Weight of the World
by Jeff GarlinNow in paperback from comedian and actor Jeff Garlin--who plays Larry David's cheerful manager on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm--a year-long chronicle of his journey to reduce both his physical and carbon footprint in this laugh-out-loud self-experimental memoir. Jeff Garlin has dedicated the filming of an entire season of Curb Your Enthusiasm to completely making over his lifestyle in two major ways--by losing weight and going green. Larry David's rooting for him. Jerry Seinfeld's plotting against him. And his wife is just plain annoyed by everything. The hardest part of the endeavor is overcoming his food addiction--especially when craft service has a constant buffet of everything delicious you could imagine. In addition to cutting calories, Jeff accidentally falls into a love affair with pilates, sweats with Richard Simmons, and twice visits the Pritikin Longevity Center, which he says is "rehab for people who eat too much pizza." As far as going green, Jeff has always been a big recycler, but he has a lot to learn. For example, actor Ed Begley Jr. is the guy to call if you want to reduce your environmental impact. Jeff does, and it changes everything. Hysterical, entertaining, and eye-opening, Curbing It is a comedic memoir that's not to be missed.
Onstage, Offstage
by Michael BubléHe's sold more than 25 million records. His live shows fill the world's biggest stadiums to capacity. He has captured hearts everywhere with his classic style. Now, for the first time ever, Grammy Award-winning singer Michael Bublé offers fans an all-access, behind-the-scenes glimpse at his private life, onstage and off.Pairing the singer's own heartfelt words with hundreds of exclusive, never-before-seen photographs, this unique diary reveals Bublé's inspirational journey, from singing into a hairbrush in his suburban Canadian bedroom to entertaining thousands onstage at New York's famed Madison Square Garden. The humble man, the eager-to-learn young musician, the hardworking profes-sional, the adoring husband, the fun-loving guy--the singer's many faces are here in stunning, intimate detail. Fans will experience what it's like to be on tour and in the studio with Bublé as he unveils the private person beneath the public persona. That rare, down-to-earth star whose unforgettable voice resonates with people from all walks of life, Michael Bublé is a natural talent. And for the fan in your life, this beautiful keepsake is both a reminder of the power of dreams and an up-close-and-personal peek at one of the greatest entertainers of our time.
Onstage, Offstage
by Michael BubléHe's sold more than 25 million records. His live shows fill the world's biggest stadiums to capacity. He has captured hearts everywhere with his classic style. Now, for the first time ever, Grammy Award-winning singer Michael Bublé offers fans an all-access, behind-the-scenes glimpse at his private life, onstage and off.Pairing the singer's own heartfelt words with hundreds of exclusive, never-before-seen photographs, this unique diary reveals Bublé's inspirational journey, from singing into a hairbrush in his suburban Canadian bedroom to entertaining thousands onstage at New York's famed Madison Square Garden. The humble man, the eager-to-learn young musician, the hardworking profes-sional, the adoring husband, the fun-loving guy--the singer's many faces are here in stunning, intimate detail. Fans will experience what it's like to be on tour and in the studio with Bublé as he unveils the private person beneath the public persona. That rare, down-to-earth star whose unforgettable voice resonates with people from all walks of life, Michael Bublé is a natural talent. And for the fan in your life, this beautiful keepsake is both a reminder of the power of dreams and an up-close-and-personal peek at one of the greatest entertainers of our time.
Elizabeth and Michael: The Queen of Hollywood and the King of Pop—A Love Story
by Donald BogleOne of the country's leading authorities on popular entertainment presents an eye-opening and unique biography of two larger-than-life legends--Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson--and their unlikely yet enduring friendship.From the moment Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson met, they were hooked on each other. He peered into her violet eyes and was transfixed; she, in turn, was dazzled by his talent, intrigued by his sweet-tempered childlike personality, and moved by the stories she had already heard about his troubled early life. Soon a deep friendship blossomed, unexpectedly unlike anything either had ever experienced. Through thick and thin, through their various emotional upheavals, through the peaks and valleys of their careers, through their personal traumas and heartaches, through the unending health issues and extreme physical pain that each experienced, and through the glare of the often merciless public spotlight, their bond held them together, and their love for each other endured. Donald Bogle skillfully recreates the moving narrative of Taylor and Jackson's experiences together and their intense emotional connection, without shying away from the controversies that swirled around them. Through interviews with friends and acquaintances of the two stars, as well as anonymous but credible sources, Elizabeth and Michael emerges as a tender, intimate look at this famous "odd couple" and a treasure to their millions of fans.
VJ
by Mark Goodman Nina Blackwood Martha Quinn Gavin Edwards Alan HunterThe original MTV VJs offer a behind-the-scenes oral history of the early years of MTV, circa 1981 to 1985, when it was exploding, reshaping the culture, and forming "the MTV generation."MTV's first VJs (along with the late J.J. Jackson) had front-row seats to a cultural revolution--and the hijinks of rock stars from Adam Ant to Cyndi Lauper. Their worlds collided, of course: John Cougar invited Nina Blackwood to a late night "party" that proved to be a seduction attempt. Mark Goodman partied with David Lee Roth, who offered him cocaine and groupies. Aretha Franklin made chili for Alan Hunter. After Martha Quinn interviewed Bob Dylan, he whisked her off to Ireland in his private jet. While the book has plenty of dish--secret romances, nude photographs, incoherent celebrities--it also tells the story of four VJs growing up alongside MTV's devoted viewers. Using MTV as a focal point, the book tells the story of the 1980s, from the neon-colored drawstring pants to the Reagan administration. Readers don't just get the inside scoop on music stars like Bob Dylan, Madonna, and Duran Duran, but a deeper understanding of how MTV changed our culture. Or as the VJs put it: "We're the reason you have no attention span."
Rewrites: A Memoir
by Neil SimonBarefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, Plaza Suite, The Goodbye Girl, The Out-of-Towners, The Sunshine Boys -- Neil Simon's plays and movies have kept many millions of people laughing for almost four decades. Today he is recognized not only as the most successful American playwright of all time, but also as one of the greatest. More than the humor, however, it is the humanity of Neil Simon's vision that has made him America's most beloved playwright and earned him such enduring success. Now, in Rewrites, he has written a funny, deeply touching memoir, filled with details and anecdotes of the writing life and rich with the personal experiences that underlie his work. Since Come Blow Your Horn first opened on Broadway in 1960, few seasons have passed without the appearance of another of his laughter-filled plays, and indeed on numerous occasions two or more of his works have been running simultaneously. But his success was something Neil Simon never took for granted, nor was the talent to create laughter something that he ever treated carelessly: it took too long for him to achieve the kind of acceptance -- both popular and critical -- that he craved, and the path he followed frequently was pitted with hard decisions. All of Neil Simon's plays are to some extent a reflection of his life, sometimes autobiographical, other times based on the experiences of those close to him. What the reader of this warm, nostalgic memoir discovers, however, is that the plays, although grounded in Neil Simon's own experience, provide only a glimpse into the mind and soul of this very private man. In Rewrites, he tells of the painful discord he endured at home as a child, of his struggles to develop his talent as a writer, and of his insecurities when dealing with what proved to be his first great success -- falling in love. Supporting players in the anecdote-filled memoir include Sid Caesar, Jerry Lewis, Walter Matthau, Robert Redford, Gwen Verdon, Bob Fosse, Maureen Stapleton, George C. Scott, Peter Sellers, and Mike Nichols. But always at center stage is his first love, his wife Joan, whose death in the early seventies devastated him, and whose love and inspiration illuminate this remarkable and revealing self-portrait. Rewrites is rich in laughter and emotion, and filled with the memories of a sometimes sweet, sometimes bittersweet life.
Cayendo hacia arriba: Mi historia
by Steve Dennis TabooTaboo, el artista ganador de premios Grammy y cofundador de los Black Eyed Peas, comparte la historia inspiradora de su ascenso desde las calles duras del este de Los Ángeles a la cumbre de la fama internacional.Pocos grupos pueden desear el tipo de éxito global alcanzado por los Black Eyed Peas, batiendo récords y vendiendo más de treinta millones de discos desde su formación en 1995. Desde su disco The E.N.D., que debutó como #1 en la lista de éxitos de Billboard, a The Beginning, los Black Eyed Peas continúan dominando la escena musical. El grupo recientemente rompió el récord sin precedentes con la estadía consecutiva en la posición #1 del Hot 100 List de Billboard, y su canción "I Gotta Feeling" se transformó en el primer sencillo en superar las seis millones de descargas digitales en los Estados Unidos. Pero en esta reveladora autobiografía--el primer libro que surge del grupo--Taboo nos recuerda que los grandes logros muchas veces vienen de comienzos humildes.Nacido en el este de Los Ángeles, en una zona conocida por las pandillas y la pobreza, Taboo vivía atormentado por ese entorno, el cual parecía que seguro determinaría su destino. Pero, encaminado por sus sueños de ser artista al joven Taboo se le abrió todo un universo cuando descubrió el mundo del hip-hop, donde el talento y el amor por la música en sí trascendió todo. Apoyado por su abuela Aurora, su única y ver- dadera defensora, Taboo persiguió sus sueños con una tenacidad implacable. Se negó a darse por vencido, sin importar lo que la vida le arrojara en su camino--incluyendo el ser padre a los dieciocho años.Pero incluso después de que los Black Eyed Peas vencieron posibilidades que parecían insuperables y lograron el estrellato, no todo fue Grammys y discos platinos. Taboo entrega un relato mordazmente honesto sobre su choque con los demonios de la fama, incluyendo su lucha con la drogadicción y el alcoholismo que casi acaban con su carrera. Pero, inspirado por el amor de su familia y nuevamente conectándose con el manantial de creencia en sí mismo que lo había sostenido en el pasado, Taboo aprende a controlar sus demonios y sus adicciones.Repleto de vistazos íntimos a los alcances más altos de la industria de la música--incluyendo una visita al castillo de Sting, un rato pasado con Bono y U2 y, a 41.000 pies, el karaoke de más alto vuelo nunca jamás--Cayendo hacia arriba lleva al lector por un viaje revelador y personal a través del estrellato, y el triunfo de un hombre sobre el doble de la adversidad.
Cayendo hacia arriba
by Taboo Steve DennisNow available in paperback, and for the first time in a Spanish-language edition, Grammy Award-winning singer and founding member of the Black Eyed Peas Taboo shares his inspiring story of his rise from the mean streets of East L.A. to the heights of international fame. Few bands can ever hope to achieve the sort of global success that the record-breaking Black Eyed Peas have attained, selling more than 30 million albums since their formation in 1995. But in this first book to emerge from the group, founding member Taboo reminds us that great accomplishments are often rooted in humble beginnings. Born in East L.A. in an area notorious for street gangs and poverty, Taboo was haunted by that environment which seemed certain to shape his destiny. Yet steered by his dreams to be a performer and assisted by fate, the young Taboo was "thrown a rope" when he discovered the world of hip-hop. Taboo chased his dreams with a relentless tenacity, refusing to surrender, regardless of what life threw at him--including becoming a father at age eighteen. Even after the Black Eyed Peas beat seemingly insurmountable odds and achieved stardom, it wasn't all Super Bowl performances, Grammys, and platinum albums. Taboo delivers a searingly honest account of his collision with fame's demons, including his almost career-ending struggle with drug addiction and alcoholism. But inspired by the love of his family and tapping anew into the wellspring of self-belief that had sustained him in the past, Taboo learns to keep his demons at bay, his addictions in check. Full of intimate glances into the highest reaches of the music industry, Fallin' Up takes readers on a revealing, personal journey through stardom--and one man's triumph over adversity times two.
The Song of Spider-Man
by Glen BergerFrom the show's cowriter who saw it all firsthand, this is the epic story of the most expensive, ambitious, dangerous, and controversial Broadway musical of all-time: Spider-Man.Never in the history of Broadway has there been anything like Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Lampooned by reviewers, loved and loathed by audiences, and boldly envisioned by its producers, Spider-Man has forever made its mark in pop culture history. Author Glen Berger was present at the creation, when visionary director Julie Taymor selected him to collaborate with her on the book of the musical. For seven years, Berger was an eyewitness to great artistic hopes and battles as Taymor sought to bring her vision to the stage, along with celebrated rock stars Bono and the Edge. But despite terrible reviews and public ridicule, Spider-Man went on to become one of the top ten grossing musicals in the history of Broadway--a feat inseparable from its creators' unassailable passion, immense efforts, and artistic ambition. With a sharp eye for detail and candid sense of humor, Berger reveals every aspect--the highs and lows--of the production and in doing so, takes us inside the theatrical process in a way few authors can. The Song of Spider-Man is the ultimate fly-on-the-wall account of how Broadway works, how big musicals are made, and how great artists continue to dream, even in the midst of a nightmare.
Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford
by Scott Eyman"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." This line comes from director John Ford's film, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, but it also serves as an epigram for the life of the legendary filmmaker. Through a career that spanned decades and included work on dozens of films -- among them such American masterpieces as The Searchers, The Grapes of Wrath, The Quiet Man, Stagecoach, and How Green Was My Valley -- John Ford managed to leave as his legacy a body of work that few filmmakers will ever equal. Yet as bold as the stamp of his personality was on each film, there was at the same time a marked reticence when it came to revealing anything personal. Basically shy, and intensely private, he was known to enjoy making up stories about himself, some of them based loosely on fact but many of them pure fabrications. Ford preferred instead to let his films speak for him, and the message was always masculine, determined, romantic, yes, but never soft -- and always, always totally "American." If there were other aspects to his personality, moods and subtleties that weren't reflected on the screen, then no one really needed to know. Indeed, what mattered to Ford was always what was up there on the screen. And if it varied from reality, what did it matter? When you are creating legend, fact becomes a secondary matter. Now, in this definitive look at the life and career of one of America's true cinematic giants, noted biographer and critic Scott Eyman, working with the full participation of the Ford estate, has managed to document and delineate both aspects of John Ford's life -- the human being and the legend. Going well beyond the legend, Eyman has explored the many influences that were brought to play on this remarkable and complex man, and the result is a rich and involving story of a great film director and of the world in which he lived, as well as the world of Hollywood legend that he helped to shape. Drawing on more than a hundred interviews and research on three continents, Scott Eyman explains how a saloon-keeper's son from Maine helped to shape America's vision of itself, and how a man with only a high school education came to create a monumental body of work, including films that earned him six Academy Awards -- more than any filmmaker before or since. He also reveals the truth of Ford's turbulent relationship with actress Katharine Hepburn, recounts his stand for freedom of speech during the McCarthy witch-hunt -- including a confrontation with archconservative Cecil B. DeMille -- and discusses his disfiguring alcoholism as well as the heroism he displayed during World War II. Brilliant, stubborn, witty, rebellious, irascible, and contradictory, John Ford remains one of the enduring giants in what is arguably America's greatest contribution to art -- the Hollywood movie. In Print the Legend, Scott Eyman has managed at last to separate fact from legend in writing about this remarkable man, producing what will remain the definitive biography of this film giant.
Love Life
by Rob LoweROB LOWE IS BACK WITH STORIES HE ONLY TELLS HIS BEST FRIENDS. When Rob Lowe's first book was published in 2011, he received the kind of rapturous reviews that writers dream of and rocketed to the top of the bestseller list. Now, in Love Life, he expands his scope, using stories and observations from his life in a poignant and humorous series of true tales about men and women, art and commerce, fathers and sons, addiction and recovery, and sex and love. In Love Life, you will find stories about: * KISSING UNEXPECTEDLY * THE SECRETS THEY DON'T TEACH YOU IN ACTING SCHOOL * HIS GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT GRANDFATHER'S ROLE IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION * PARKS AND RECREATION, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA, AND CALIFORNICATION * TRYING TO COACH A KIDS' BASKETBALL TEAM DOMINATED BY HELICOPTER PARENTS * THE HOT TUB AT THE PLAYBOY MANSION * STARRING IN AND PRODUCING A FLOP TV SERIES * CAMPING AT SEA WORLD * PLAYING SAXOPHONE FOR PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON * THE FIRST JOURNEY TO COLLEGE WITH HIS SON * WARREN BEATTY * THE BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE Throughout this entertaining book, you will find yourself in the presence of a master raconteur, a multi-talented performer whose love for life is as intriguing as his love life.
Nice Is Just a Place in France: How to Win at Basically Everything
by The BetchesLOOK, MAYBE YOU'RE A NICE GIRL, but we're guessing you're more like us or you probably wouldn't have picked up this book. Not that we have a problem with girls who are nice people. But being nice is just not the way to get what you want. And this book is about getting what you want. Not in like a finding happiness, giving back to the world, being grateful for what you have sort of way. But in a ruling your world, being the most desired, powerful badass in the room way, so you can come out on top of any situation: guys, career, friends, enemies, whatever. How does a betch make that happen? Here are some highlights: DON'T BE EASY. DON'T BE POOR. DON'T BE UGLY. We didn't come up with these life lessons. We're just the ones who wrote it all down. This is not self-help. Self-help is for fat people and divorcées. This is how to deal with your problems when you have no problems. You're welcome.
Punk Rock Blitzkrieg
by Marky Ramone Richard HerschlagThe inside story behind one of the most revered bands in music history during the early days of punk rock in New York, from legendary drummer Marky Ramone.Rolling Stone ranked the Ramones at #26 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time." They received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. And Marky Ramone played a major part in this success--his "blitzkrieg" style of drumming drove the sound the Ramones pioneered. Now, fans can get the inside story. Before he joined the Ramones, Marc Bell was already a name in the New York music scene. But when he joined three other tough misfits, he became Marky Ramone, and the rhythm that came to epitomize punk was born. Having outlived his bandmates, Marky is the only person who can share the secrets and stories of the Ramones' improbable rise from obtuse beginnings to induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But it wasn't all good times and hit songs, and Marky doesn't shy away from discussing his own struggles, including the addiction to alcohol that led him to be temporarily kicked out of the band. From the cult film Rock 'n' Roll High School through "I Wanna Be Sedated" through his own struggle with alcoholism, Marky Ramone sets the record straight, painting an unflinching picture of the dysfunction behind the band that changed a generation. With exclusive behind-the-scenes photos, Punk Rock Blitzkrieg is both a cultural history of punk and a stirring story that millions of fans have been waiting for.
Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll
by Stephen Pearcy Sam BenjaminA jaw-dropping tell-all from the lead singer of the 1980s supergroup Ratt: the groupies, the trashed hotel rooms, the drugs--and just how much you can get away with when you're one of the biggest hair metal stars of all time.In the mid-1980s, Ratt, alongside Motley Crüe, Poison, and Quiet Riot, were laying down the riffs and unleashing the scissor kicks that would herald the arrival of music's most flamboyantly debauched era. Now with Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll, Ratt frontman and chief rabble-rouser Stephen Pearcy divulges all the dirty details of the era when big-haired bands ruled the world. Stephen was primed for a life of excess from an early age--his father died of a heroin overdose when he was twelve, and by the age of fifteen, Stephen was himself a drug addict. When Stephen met the thrill-seeking Robbin Crosby, he knew he'd found his perfect partner in crime--both in music and partying. Ratt's 1984 debut single, "Round and Round," became one of the top-selling metal songs of all time, but it was the band's off-stage escapades that were the stuff of legend. "Our tour bus is like our pirate ship, it's where we rape and pillage," said Pearcy in 1987. Now Pearcy's memoir reveals all the rock star excess--the partying, the women, the $2,000-a-day drug habits--letting fans see into this harrowing hair-metal lifestyle and what it's really like behind the scenes when you're a rock star.
Walking on Eggshells: Discovering Strength and Courage Amid Chaos
by Lyssa Chapman Lisa WysockyAn empowering memoir that can inspire others to break the cycle of abuse and forge happiness out of extreme adversity.The ninth child of bounty hunter Duane Chapman, made famous on the A&E show Dog the Bounty Hunter, Lyssa Chapman has overcome an upbringing that can only be called tragic. In her piercing memoir, she shares the details of her harrowing childhood and her journey to faith, and offers compassionate guidance, advice, and hope to those who might feel overwhelmed in their own circumstances.As a child, Baby Lyssa&’s parents divorced and left her neglected. Things only got worse from there. Walking on Eggshells reveals Lyssa&’s nightmare passage from mental and physical abuse to removal from school and confinement at home, flight from protective services, and teen pregnancy. Despite it all, and against incredible odds, Lyssa found her faith. She also found her way out of the spiral of bad decisions to build a healthy relationship with her parents and forge a rewarding, positive life with God.An astonishing true story of one young woman&’s trek from poverty and abuse to fulfillment and stardom, Walking on Eggshells is heartrending, powerful, and inspiring.
Cosby: His Life and Times
by Mark WhitakerThe first major biography of an American icon, comedian Bill Cosby. Based on extensive research and in-depth interviews with Cosby and more than sixty of his closest friends and associates, it is a frank, fun and fascinating account of his life and historic legacy.Far from the gentle worlds of his routines or TV shows, Cosby grew up in a Philadelphia housing project, the son of an alcoholic, largely absent father and a loving but overworked mother. With novelistic detail, award winning journalist Mark Whitaker tells the story of how, after dropping out of high school, Cosby turned his life around by joining the Navy, talking his way into college, and seizing his first breaks as a stand-up comedian. Published on the 30th anniversary of The Cosby Show, the book reveals the behind-the-scenes story of that groundbreaking sitcom as well as Cosby's bestselling albums, breakout role on I Spy, and pioneering place in children's TV. But it also deals with professional setbacks and personal dramas, from an affair that sparked public scandal to the murder of his only son, and the private influence of his wife of fifty years, Camille Cosby. Whitaker explores the roots of Cosby's controversial stands on race, as well as "the Cosby effect" that helped pave the way for a black president. For any fan of Bill Cosby's work, and any student of American television, comedy, or social history, Cosby: His Life and Times is an essential read.
The Day I Turned Uncool
by Dan ZevinSooner or later, each of us must face the day we develop a disturbing new interest in lawn care; the day we order sauvignon blanc instead of Rolling Rock; the day we refuse to see any concert where we cannot sit down. Sooner or later, each of us must face the day we turn uncool. Dan Zevin, who “was never exactly Fonz-like to begin with,” is having a hilariously hard time moving from his twenties to his thirties, and he confesses everything in these comic not-coming-of-age tales. As he shamefully employs his first cleaning lady, becomes abnormally attached to his dog, and commits flagrant acts of home improvement, Dan’s headed for an early midlife crisis—and a better-late-than-never revelation: Growing up is really nothing to be reluctant about. In fact, it’s very cool.
I, Rhoda
by Valerie HarperAs Mary Richards's lovable and self-deprecating best friend Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Valerie Harper, too, turned the world on with her smile. Viewers could relate to Rhoda, native New Yorker and struggling working girl, who was unlucky in love and insecure about her weight but who always kept her sense of humor. Valerie was an unknown actress when she won the part that made her famous, and by the time Rhoda, her popular spin-off show, ended, she had won four Emmys and a Golden Globe. The role was groundbreaking. On-screen, she represented a self-reliant new identity for women of the 1970s while off-screen she fought alongside feminists Gloria Steinem and Bella Abzug for equal rights, among other issues that were important to her. Valerie's showbiz journey has taken her from Broadway, where she performed as a dancer and eventually found herself onstage with Lucille Ball and Jackie Gleason, to Hollywood, where she went down in history as one of television's best-loved characters, and back to the Great White Way, where she recently won a Tony Award nomination for her critically acclaimed role as Tallulah Bankhead. Her inspiring story is laced with triumphs and a few transformative obstacles along the way, but she remains upbeat and funny throughout, always confident that no matter what, she's going to make it after all.
The Book of Love
by K. C. JonesThis luxe little book is the perfect gift for anyone in love or looking for love. A miscellany of all things love, it covers everything from charms and aphrodisiacs to tips on how to stay in love forever. Readers can look up their astrological love match and learn to use terms of endearment in different languages, like "mon petit chou" French for "my little cabbage." Also featured are recipes, potions, poems, quotes, famous couples, and romantic date and gift ideas. With a gorgeous textured cover, silkscreen edges, and a ribbon marker, The Book of Love is a sweet keepsake package for lovers everywhere.
Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance
by Keith GravesFrank was a monster who wanted to dance. So he put on his hat, and his shoes made in France... and opened a jar and put ants in his pants! So begins this monstrously funny, deliciously disgusting, horrifyingly hilarious story of a monster who follows his dream. Keith Graves' wacky illustrations and laugh-out-loud text will tickle the funny bone and leave readers clamoring for an encore.
Def Leppard: The Definitive Visual History
by Joe Elliott Ross HalfinDef Leppard's unstoppable, anthemic hard rock has earned it sales of more than 65 million albums worldwide and a legion of dedicated fans. This fully authorized visual history of the band follows them from the new wave of British heavy metal to their massive Pyromania and Hysteria albums to the sustained power of their records and tours today. Legendary rock photographer Ross Halfin has been shooting Def Leppard since 1978, and his candid and definitive pictures have helped capture and shape the image of the band. Def Leppard includes more than 450 classic and unseen photographs, along with text from Halfin and stories and commentary by the band members and others.
Music for a City Music for the World
by Larry RotheIn Music for a City, Music for the World, Larry Rothe shares how the San Francisco Bay Area's love of music, rooted in the Gold Rush, gave birth to a Grammy-winning and internationally acclaimed orchestra. Released in time for the San Francisco Symphony's celebration of its 100th anniversary, this definitive history replete with hundreds of archival photos and images gives readers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the world's foremost orchestras and, in so doing, illuminates the cultural life of a city.