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Maggie Smith: A Biography
by Michael CoveneyNo one does glamour, severity, girlish charm or tight-lipped witticism better than Dame Maggie Smith. Michael Coveney's biography shines a light on the life and career of a truly remarkable performer, one whose stage and screen career spans six decades. From her days as a West End star of comedy and revue, Dame Maggie's path would cross with those of the greatest actors, playwrights and directors of the era. Whether stealing scenes from Richard Burton, answering back to Laurence Olivier, or playing opposite Judi Dench in Breath of Life, her career can be seen as a 'Who's Who' of British theatre. Her film and television career has been just as starry. From the title character in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and the meddling chaperone in A Room With a View to the Harry Potter films in which she played Minerva McGonagall (as she put it 'Miss Jean Brodie in a wizard's hat') and the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel films in which she played the wise Muriel Donnelly, Smith has thrilled, engaged and made audiences laugh. As Violet Crawley, the formidable Dowager Countess of Downton Abbey she conquered millions more. Paradoxically she remains an enigmatic figure, rarely appearing in public. Michael Coveney's absorbing biography, written with the actress's blessing and drawing on personal archives, as well as interviews with immediate family and close friends, is a portrait of one of the greatest actors of our time.
The World of A Wrinkle in Time: The Making of the Movie
by Disney Kate EganTravel through time and space on an epic adventure with Disney's major motion picture A Wrinkle in Time!This keepsake book takes readers behind the scenes of Disney's film adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's timeless novel. Complete with interviews and photographs of the cast and crew, it's an exclusive look at the film's production perfect for moviegoers and fans of the iconic book. Discover how acclaimed director Ava DuVernay brought the story to the silver screen; hear firsthand how stars like Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling were transformed into characters; see how sets were built and locations scouted. And discover how one young girl, Meg Murry, finds strength in her flaws, saves her family, and learns that the best way to triumph over fear is to travel by her own light.A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle is one of the most beloved children's books of our era, and the major motion picture from Walt Disney Studios brings it alive for both lifelong lovers of the story and a new generation of fans.
All Summer Long (Eagle Rock Series #1)
by Hope Larson*A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2018!*All Summer Long, a coming-of-age middle-grade graphic novel about summer and friendships, written and illustrated by the Eisner Award–winning and New York Times–bestselling Hope Larson. Thirteen-year-old Bina has a long summer ahead of her. She and her best friend, Austin, usually do everything together, but he's off to soccer camp for a month, and he's been acting kind of weird lately anyway. So it's up to Bina to see how much fun she can have on her own. At first it's a lot of guitar playing, boredom, and bad TV, but things look up when she finds an unlikely companion in Austin's older sister, who enjoys music just as much as Bina. But then Austin comes home from camp, and he's acting even weirder than when he left. How Bina and Austin rise above their growing pains and reestablish their friendship and respect for their differences makes for a touching and funny coming-of-age story.
I Used to Be Persian: A Comedic Memoir
by Justin DaneFeatured on MTV's "True Life: I Might Disappoint My Parents," comedian Justin Dane tested the patience of his conservative Persian-Jewish parents. In I Used to be Persian, "a, um, slightly exaggerated memoir" that his parents developed an anti-coalition towards, Dane offers contentious commentary on his family's--well, to state it nicely--bizarre antics. Oh, and Dane also offers a "brilliant lampoon of traditional Persian society with a flare only reminiscent of satirist Jonathon Swift's," according to the humble writer himself. (Yeah, Dane urged me present him as an "intellectual bea$t" in this blurb, but, alas, my passive-aggressive sarcasm leaks through). Readers should note that Dane's portrayal of Persians isn't an "accurate reflection of all Persians just as semi-schizophrenic, lesbian-lovin' hypochondriacs in Black Swan aren't manifestations of all ballerinas... duh. Or how a psychotic pageant mama's desire to inject Botox into her baby isn't an indication of all pageant mamas desires... hopefully." Perhaps the Persian population would appreciate Dane's disclaimer. After all, his particular Persian family is pretty eccentric. "Deez eez ze real reason Michael Jackson died!" screams Dane's Persian mama, perceiving Advil pills as ecstasy tablets. Dane then portrays his parents' melodramatic "Persian-styled interventions." And the laughs just continue. As if in a flea market in Tehran, Iran, Dane's mother attempts to negotiate prices in Best Buy. Oh, did I mention she shoves food down Dane's throat whenever his friends are around? (Embarrassing). Or that she nearly disowned him for marrying a girlfriend in Vegas? But beyond detailing the anecdotes within his "Persian cave," as well as the Beverly Hills Persian population, Dane exhibits an estrangement between traditional Persians and contemporary American society... I guess. (Hey, every good memoir needs some intelligent underlying theme, too). Dane also strikes an emotional chord within his readers. Yup, Dane elaborates on his parents' "brain washing quest to bring his hairy ass into the Dark Doctor Dynasty" amidst his aspiration to become an entertainment extraordinaire (i.e., Breetney Spears vanabee" cerca bald-hobo-attacking-car era, according to Dane's Persian parents). In fact, Dane's mother calls his school to change his major to "Medical Relations, a nonexistent curriculum" in one chapter. Needless to say, through his wild wit and disobedient disposition, Dane shatters his Persian parents' idea of perfection; he's "the insane tribal divergent" of his Persian family. And readers are there laughin' (and cringin') during every hairy situation. Pun intended.
Beautiful Light: Religious Meaning in Film
by Roy M. AnkerThough "religious" films usually don't get much respect in Hollywood, religion still regularly finds its way into the movies. In Beautiful Light Roy Anker seeks out the often unnoticed connections between film and religion and shows how even films that aren't overtly religious or Christian in their content can be filled with deep religious insights and spiritual meaning. Closely examining nine critically acclaimed films, including Magnolia, The Apostle, American Gigolo, and M. Night Shyamalan's Wide Awake, Anker analyzes the ways in which these movies explore what it means to be human—and what it means, as human beings, to wrestle with a sometimes unwieldy divine presence. Addressing questions of doubt and belief, despair and elation, hatred and love, Anker's work sheds "beautiful light" on some of Hollywood's most profound and memorable films.
Beautiful Light: Religious Meaning in Film
by Roy M. AnkerThough "religious" films usually don't get much respect in Hollywood, religion still regularly finds its way into the movies. In Beautiful Light Roy Anker seeks out the often unnoticed connections between film and religion and shows how even films that aren't overtly religious or Christian in their content can be filled with deep religious insights and spiritual meaning. Closely examining nine critically acclaimed films, including Magnolia, The Apostle, American Gigolo, and M. Night Shyamalan's Wide Awake, Anker analyzes the ways in which these movies explore what it means to be human—and what it means, as human beings, to wrestle with a sometimes unwieldy divine presence. Addressing questions of doubt and belief, despair and elation, hatred and love, Anker's work sheds "beautiful light" on some of Hollywood's most profound and memorable films.
Exactly as You Are: The Life and Faith of Mister Rogers
by Shea TuttleWelcome to the spiritual neighborhood of Fred Rogers&“I like you as you are Exactly and precisely I think you turned out nicely And I like you as you are.&”Fred Rogers fiercely believed that all people deserve love. This conviction wasn&’t simply sentimental: it came directly from his Christian faith. God, he insisted, loves us just the way we are. In Exactly as You Are, Shea Tuttle looks at Fred Rogers&’s life, the people and places that made him who he was, and his work through Mister Rogers&’ Neighborhood. She pays particular attention to his faith—because Fred Rogers was a deeply spiritual person, ordained by his church with a one-of-a-kind charge: to minister to children and families through television. Tuttle explores this kind, influential, sometimes surprising man: the neighborhood he came from, the neighborhood he built, and the kind of neighbor he, by his example, calls all of us to be. Throughout, Tuttle shows how he was guided by his core belief: that God loves children, and everyone else, exactly as they are.
Exactly as You Are: The Life and Faith of Mister Rogers
by Shea TuttleWelcome to the spiritual neighborhood of Fred Rogers“I like you as you are Exactly and precisely I think you turned out nicely And I like you as you are.”Fred Rogers fiercely believed that all people deserve love. This conviction wasn’t simply sentimental: it came directly from his Christian faith. God, he insisted, loves us just the way we are. In Exactly as You Are, Shea Tuttle looks at Fred Rogers’s life, the people and places that made him who he was, and his work through Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. She pays particular attention to his faith—because Fred Rogers was a deeply spiritual person, ordained by his church with a one-of-a-kind charge: to minister to children and families through television. Tuttle explores this kind, influential, sometimes surprising man: the neighborhood he came from, the neighborhood he built, and the kind of neighbor he, by his example, calls all of us to be. Throughout, Tuttle shows how he was guided by his core belief: that God loves children, and everyone else, exactly as they are.
Dancing in My Dreams: A Spiritual Biography of Tina Turner (Library of Religious Biography (LRB))
by Ralph H. CraigIf you don&’t know Tina Turner&’s spirituality, you don&’t know Tina. When Tina Turner reclaimed her throne as the Queen of Rock &‘n&’ Roll in the 1980s, she attributed her comeback to one thing: the wisdom and power she found in Buddhism. Her spiritual transformation is often overshadowed by the rags-to-riches arc of her life story. But in this groundbreaking biography, Ralph H. Craig III traces Tina&’s journey from the Black Baptist church to Buddhism and situates her at the vanguard of large-scale movements in religion and pop culture. Paying special attention to the diverse metaphysical beliefs that shaped her spiritual life, Craig untangles Tina&’s Soka Gakkai Buddhist foundation; her incorporation of New Age ideas popularized in &’60s counterculture; and her upbringing in a Black Baptist congregation, alongside the influences of her grandmothers&’ disciplinary and mystical sensibilities. Through critical engagement with Tina&’s personal life and public brand, Craig sheds light on how popular culture has been used as a vehicle for authentic religious teaching. Scholars and fans alike will find Dancing in My Dreams as enlightening as the iconic singer herself.
Leaping at Shadows (The\dario Quincy Academy Of Dance Ser.)
by Megan AtwoodMadeleine's the newest arrival at the famed Dario Quincy Academy of Dance. She's worked hard to gain admission, and she's determined not to lose her scholarship. That means not asking too many questions when her antique necklace goes missing, and certainly not breaking curfew. So how does she find herself exploring the creepy tunnels that run underneath the school? As if rivals at dance practice weren't bad enough, Madeleine begins to suspect that there's an ancient evil on the academy grounds. And when Madeleine and her rivals join together, sneaking out at night to explore the school's depths, the evil might just follow them back upstairs.
Stolen Luck (The\dario Quincy Academy Of Dance Ser.)
by Megan AtwoodKayley's had a run of bad luck. She'd been struggling at dance practice for a while, and then her instructor decided to give Kayley's next role to another girl. Even so, Kayley isn't ready to bow out. She has a plan. The old ballet shoes on display at Dario Quincy Academy have a legend behind them. They're supposed to give anyone who owns them good fortune. But when Kayley steals the vintage slippers, she doesn't just turn her dancing around. She starts to see her friends get hurt. Will she return the shoes before something truly tragic strikes the academy? Or is it already too late?
The Cursed Ballet (The\dario Quincy Academy Of Dance Ser. #3)
by Megan AtwoodEvery time the Dario Quincy Academy has performed Giselle, the ballet's lead dancer has died. That's what the rumors say, anyway. But Ophelia doesn't believe in all that. She's determined to win the lead and beat the so-called curse. As Ophelia begins sneaking out at night to practice Giselle's moves, she meets a mysterious boy hiding in the shadows. He's got great moves, and his looks aren't bad either. After a series of secret meetings, Ophelia starts to feel drained of her strength. She even blacks out during dance class. Is she just pushing herself too hard? Or are the boy and the curse connected?
Twin Dangers (The\dario Quincy Academy Of Dance Ser.)
by Megan AtwoodEmma knows that Sophie is dying for the chance to "dance a pas de deux"with her big crush, Trey. Twin sisters know everything about each other. So when Emma secretly hooks up with Trey herself, Sophie feels twice as betrayed. While Sophie might be upset, she's not angry enough to send her sister death threats. Even so, when menacing notes reach Emma, Sophie's the top suspect. Will Sophie clear her name and save her twin? Or will one of the Dario Quincy Academy's dark secrets destroy them both?
Harriet's Recital, 2nd Edition
by Nancy CarlsonCurtains up! Harriet loves her ballet class, but when Miss Betty announces a recital, Harriet succumbs to a bad case of stage fright. She worries about falling. She's afraid her costume will rip. And she's positive that she'll forget every step of her dance as soon as she steps on stage. Young readers are sure to recognize some of their own fears in this hilarious story of Harriet's first recital.
Dance Team (Surviving Southside)
by Charnan SimonIzzy's the newest member of the Southside High dance team. And she may have picked a bad time to join up. The team's captain, Camilla, is determined to win regionals by any means necessary. When the dance team discovers that Izzy is best friends with the leader of a rival squad, the pressure's on. Will Izzy injure her old friend to sabotage Southside's competition?
Leaping at Shadows (The Dario Quincy Academy of Dance #1)
by Megan AtwoodMadeleine's the newest arrival at the famed Dario Quincy Academy of Dance. She's worked hard to gain admission, and she's determined not to lose her scholarship. That means not asking too many questions when her antique necklace goes missing, and certainly not breaking curfew. So how does she find herself exploring the creepy tunnels that run underneath the school? As if rivals at dance practice weren't bad enough, Madeleine begins to suspect that there's an ancient evil on the academy grounds. And when Madeleine and her rivals join together, sneaking out at night to explore the school's depths, the evil might just follow them back upstairs.
Stolen Luck (The Dario Quincy Academy of Dance #2)
by Megan AtwoodKayley's had a run of bad luck. She'd been struggling at dance practice for a while, and then her instructor decided to give Kayley's next role to another girl. Even so, Kayley isn't ready to bow out. She has a plan. The old ballet shoes on display at Dario Quincy Academy have a legend behind them. They're supposed to give anyone who owns them good fortune. But when Kayley steals the vintage slippers, she doesn't just turn her dancing around. She starts to see her friends get hurt. Will she return the shoes before something truly tragic strikes the academy? Or is it already too late?
The Cursed Ballet (The Dario Quincy Academy of Dance #3)
by Megan AtwoodEvery time the Dario Quincy Academy has performed Giselle, the ballet's lead dancer has died. That's what the rumors say, anyway. But Ophelia doesn't believe in all that. She's determined to win the lead and beat the so-called curse. As Ophelia begins sneaking out at night to practice Giselle's moves, she meets a mysterious boy hiding in the shadows. He's got great moves, and his looks aren't bad either. After a series of secret meetings, Ophelia starts to feel drained of her strength. She even blacks out during dance class. Is she just pushing herself too hard? Or are the boy and the curse connected?
Twin Dangers (The Dario Quincy Academy of Dance #4)
by Megan AtwoodEmma knows that Sophie is dying for the chance to "dance a pas de deux"with her big crush, Trey. Twin sisters know everything about each other. So when Emma secretly hooks up with Trey herself, Sophie feels twice as betrayed. While Sophie might be upset, she's not angry enough to send her sister death threats. Even so, when menacing notes reach Emma, Sophie's the top suspect. Will Sophie clear her name and save her twin? Or will one of the Dario Quincy Academy's dark secrets destroy them both?
Shattered Star (Surviving Southside)
by Charnan SimonWhat's the price of fame? Cassie is the best singer in Southside High's Glee Club and dreams of being famous. She skips school to try out for a national talent competition. But her hopes sink when she sees the line. Then a talent agent shows up out of nowhere. Cassie is flattered to hear she has "the look" he wants. Soon, she is lying and missing rehearsal to meet with him. And he's asking her for more each time. How far will Cassie go for her shot at fame?
Shattered Star (Surviving Southside Ser.)
by Charnan SimonWhat's the price of fame? Cassie is the best singer in Southside High's Glee Club and dreams of being famous. She skips school to try out for a national talent competition. But her hopes sink when she sees the line. Then a talent agent shows up out of nowhere. Cassie is flattered to hear she has "the look" he wants. Soon, she is lying and missing rehearsal to meet with him. And he's asking her for more each time. How far will Cassie go for her shot at fame?
Turn Up for Real (The Sharp Sisters #3)
by Stephanie Perry MooreSlade, Stanley Sharp's middle daughter, feels like the odd one out. All she wants is a group of friends who aren't her sisters—and a record deal. But after losing the Teen Miss Charlotte competition and having a bad experience at a recording studio, Slade feels her dreams slipping away. Can Slade be an advocate for the arts and a singing superstar, or is she just another pretty face?
Turn Up for Real (The\sharp Sisters Ser.)
by Stephanie Perry MooreSlade, Stanley Sharp's middle daughter, feels like the odd one out. All she wants is a group of friends who aren't her sisters—and a record deal. But after losing the Teen Miss Charlotte competition and having a bad experience at a recording studio, Slade feels her dreams slipping away. Can Slade be an advocate for the arts and a singing superstar, or is she just another pretty face?
Feeding the Flying Fanellis: And Other Poems from a Circus Chef
by Kate Hosford Cosei KawaWhat do you feed a trapeze family to keep them up in the air? A fire eater with a penchant for hot sauce? Or a lion with a gourmet palate? How do you satisfy a sweet-toothed human cannonball who's outgrowing his cannon? Find out what keeps these performers juggling, balancing, and entertaining—meals prepared by their tireless chef! Poems from this jolly cook give a glimpse of his unusual perspective, from delightful to downright funny. Enjoy a front-row seat for this whimsical look at circus life that just might make you hungry!
Apocalypse on the Set: Nine Disastrous Film Productions
by Ben TaylorThe book starts with Pulgasari--a North Korean Godzilla clone dreamed up by Kim Jong-Il and created by a kidnapped Korean director, with a budget of millions and a staff of seven hundred fed on truckloads of pheasants, wild geese, and deer. The stories behind the other eight films, from The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and The Twilight Zone: The Movie to Apocalypse Now and The Crow, are just as astounding and gripping--this is a book film fans will devour. These bizarre, often hilarious cinematic endeavors confirm that truth is stranger than fiction, reality more volatile than narratives, and fate more improbable than plots.