Other books that might interest you

• 

  Moguls Monsters and Madmen - An...

  Barry Avrich

  • 1
  • 0
  • 0

  Barry Avrich — a self-made, Montreal-born film producer/director, flamboyant advertising executive, and legendary biographer and connector of moguls and stars. For over three decades, he has relentlessly produced films on some of the most notorious show-business titans and also found the time to market and promote feature films, concerts, and the biggest shows on Broadway.
   
  In his memoir, Moguls, Monsters, and Madmen, Barry takes readers from his early days, shaping his brand as a creative adman with the infamous Garth Drabinsky and witnessing the genius of legendary Rolling Stones promoter Michael Cohl, to his acclaimed documentaries on Harvey Weinstein, Lew Wasserman, Bob Guccione, and many others. Go behind the scenes on his most provocative films — like The Last Mogul, Unauthorized, and Filthy Gorgeous — and follow Barry as he moves from the power rooms of Hollywood to the launches of incredible brands while hanging around with royalty, rogues, clients, and confidants.
   
  An extraordinary raconteur, Barry spares no one, least of all himself, as he details his extraordinary relationships and encounters with everyone from Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones, and Vanity Fair columnist Dominick Dunne to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Moguls, Monsters and Madmen is a sharp and witty exposé of show business and notorious characters.

  Show book

• 

  Seen and Unseen - a century of...

  Russell Darley

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  A sweeping view of Asia and the Pacific through a series of literary essays written by Australian Russell Darnley, who earned an OAM for services he provided after the Bali Bombings.Malaria, cockfights and magic are confronting realities in the Asia-Pacific region, yet beyond these more remains unseen and misunderstood. These cultures also exert an unacknowledged influence far beyond their borders.Inspired by one family's experience over three generations these tales are cradled in real events. Frailty of memory, the natural passing of people and the need to protect others, has rendered some into fiction. Central to this work is the idea that interactions with people from outside our culture challenge our expectations. Meanings and understandings must often be negotiated in intangible, non-rational and unseen ways. Foucault's notion of the third space has influenced this work, as has the Balinese belief that reality is an interaction of Sekala (the Seen) and Niskala (the Unseen). The unseen also has a political dimension here: "the elephant in the room". Choosing not to see, comforted by one's own culture alone, is to ignore that regional and global events are unfettered by such introspection.

  Show book

• 

  Selfish Shallow and...

  Meghan Daum

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  One of the main topics of cultural conversation during the last decade was the supposed "fertility crisis," and whether modern women could figure out a way to have it all—a successful, demanding career and the required 2.3 children—before their biological clock stopped ticking. Now, however, conversation has turned to whether it's necessary to have it all (see Anne-Marie Slaughter) or, perhaps more controversial, whether children are really a requirement for a fulfilling life. The idea that some women and men prefer not to have children is often met with sharp criticism and incredulity by the public and mainstream media. 
   
   
  In this provocative and controversial collection of essays curated by writer Meghan Daum, sixteen acclaimed writers explain why they have chosen to eschew parenthood. Contributors include Lionel Shriver, Sigrid Nunez, Kate Christiensen, Elliott Holt, Geoff Dyer, and Tim Kreider, among others, who will give a unique perspective on the overwhelming cultural pressure of parenthood. 
   
   
  Selfish, Shallow, and Self-Absorbed makes a thoughtful and passionate case for why parenthood is not the only path in life, taking our parent-centric, kid-fixated, baby-bump-patrolling culture to task in the process. What emerges is a more nuanced, diverse view of what it means to live a full, satisfying life.

  Show book

• 

  Patient - The True Story of a...

  Ben Watt

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  A New York Times Notable Book of the Year: “Unforgettable . . . Few have told such a compelling life-story as skillfully” (San Francisco Chronicle).   In the summer of 1992, on the eve of an American tour, singer/songwriter Ben Watt, one half of the Billboard-topping pop duo Everything But The Girl, was taken to a London hospital complaining of chest pain. As his condition worsened, doctors were baffled. He was eventually he was diagnosed with a rare life-threatening autoimmune disease called Churg-Strauss Syndrome. “To paraphrase Joseph Heller,” Ben says, “you know it’s something serious when they name it after two guys.” By the time he came home, two-and-half-months later, his ravaged body was forty-six pounds lighter, and he was missing most of his small intestine.   “Unfold[ing] like a page-turning mystery” (The Los Angeles Times), and “told with great wit and without self-pity, Patient is a sobering look at how life can suddenly be transformed into a humbling vaudeville of tests, IV’s, catheters, and bedpans” (The New York Times Book Review). Injecting a frankness and natural humility into his “funny, frightening, and piercingly vulnerable” (Interview) chronicle of a medical nightmare, Ben writes about his childhood, reflects on family, and his shared life with band member and partner, Tracey Thorn. The result is “a vivid, finely wrought look at having one’s future yanked away, and surviving physically and emotionally” (Dallas Morning Star-Telegram).  A Sunday Times Book of the YearA Village Voice Favorite Book of the YearAn Esquire (UK) Best Non-Fiction Award Finalist

  Show book

• 

  Murderers' Row Volume Three -...

  John Ferak, Chris Russo...

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Three bestselling true crime books for the price of one—from the Steven Avery case to a brother’s quest for justice to an international conspiracy.  Wrecking Crew: While working for USA Today’s Investigative Team, John Ferak wrote dozens of articles on Steven Avery, who was charged with the murder of Teresa Halbach. In Wrecking Crew, Ferak lays out high-profile lawyer Kathleen Zellner’s post-conviction strategy to free Avery.   “Whatever you thought you believed about this infamous case, get ready to change your mind or be more convinced than ever . . . Fascinating.” —Steve Jackson, New York Times bestselling author  My Brother’s Keeper: The moment he found out his brother Gary was missing and presumed dead, Ted Kergan launched a relentless effort to bring two suspected killers to justice and find Gary’s body. Little did he know his quest would consume a fortune and take thirty years to reach its dramatic conclusion.  An International Book Awards Finalist!   “A thirty-year search for the truth . . . a story of persistence, determination, and deep brotherly love.” —Denise Wallace, author of Daddy’s Little Secret  Summary Execution: On June 1, 1981, two young activists, Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes, were murdered in Seattle in what was made to appear like a gang slaying. But the victims’ families and friends suspected they were considered a threat to Philippines dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his regime’s relationship to the United States.   “Remarkable . . . The story has so many twists—as well as amazing turns—that prove the point that conspiracy theories aren’t necessarily fiction.” —Eric Nalder, Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist

  Show book

• 

  Sons of Guns - Straight-Shootin'...

  Will Hayden

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  The official tie-in to the popular Discovery reality series that follows a Louisiana-based custom firearms business.With his characteristic down-home wit and wisdom, Will Hayden tells the stories behind some of the best episodes of the hit Discovery series Sons of Guns. He'll let you in on his all-time favorite weapons and what it takes to modify a run-of-the-mill rifle into a world-class work of art. Hear his take on guns in America, from their construction and history to the importance of using them responsibly. Learn about Will's trials and tribulations and what it took to create a successful, family-owned firearms business.If there's one thing folks from Louisiana can do, says Will, it's tell a heck of a story. This book is the next best thing to sitting around the campfire with Will and the boys (and his daughter, Stephanie), listening to him recount his favorite ones.

  Show book