Other books that might interest you

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  Between the Lines -...

  Eric Simonson

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  In the spring of 2022, the renowned Steppenwolf Theatre Company boldly, and perhaps cavalierly, re-emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic with a brand new, 43 million dollar, state-of-the-art theatre. Director Yasen Peyankov insisted he cast the premiere production - a brand new, adaption of The Seagull - with as many Steppenwolf ensemble members as possible. This meant coaxing one non-actor, director and writer Eric Simonson, into coming back to the stage after a 33 year absence. Taking a leap in the dark, and battling the demons of stage-fright, confidence and homesickness, Simonson took up the challenge and started on a journey into the great theatrical unknown. Part diary, part history of the Chicago Theater Renaissance, this memoir takes the reader behind the scenes of a Steppenwolf classic, and inside the head of a man desperate to rediscover the joy and craft of acting.

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  The Snowstorm - Author of War &...

  Leo Tolstoy

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  Leo Tolstoy was born in 1828 in the Russian province of Tula to a wealthy noble family. As a child, he had private tutors but he showed little interest in any formal education. When he went to the University of Kazan in 1843 to study oriental languages and law, he left without completing his courses.  Life now was relaxed and idle but with some writing also taking place.  Gambling debts forced an abrupt change of path and he joined the army to fight in the Crimean War.  He was commended for his bravery and promoted but was appalled at the brutality and loss of life.  He recorded these and other earlier experiences in his diaries which formed the basis of several of his works. 
   
  In 1852 ‘Childhood’ was published to immediate success and was followed by ‘Boyhood’ and ‘Youth’. 
   
  His experience in the army and the horrors he witnessed resulted in ‘The Cossacks’ in 1862 and the trilogy ‘Sevastopol Tales’. After the war he travelled around Europe, visiting London and Paris and meeting such luminaries as Victor Hugo and Charles Darwin.  
   
  It was now that Tolstoy began his masterpiece, ‘War and Peace’. Published in 1869 it was an epic work that changed literature. He quickly followed this with ‘Anna Karenina’.  
   
  These successes made Tolstoy rich and helped him accomplish many of his dreams but also brought problems as he grappled with his faith and the lot of the oppressed poor. These revolutionary views became so popular that the authorities now kept him under surveillance.  
   
  He led a life of asceticism and vegetarianism and put his socialist ideals into practice by establishing numerous schools for the poor and food programmes. He also believed in giving away his wealth, which caused much discord with his wife.  
   
  His writing continued to bring forth classics such as ‘The Death of Ivan Ilyich’ and many brilliant and incisive short stories such as ‘How Much Land Does A Man Need’.  
   
  In 1901 Tolstoy was excommunicated from the Church and controversially deselected for the Nobel Prize for Literature. 
   
  Whilst undertaking a pilgrimage by train in October 1910 with his daughter Aleksandra he caught pneumonia in the nearby town of Astapovo.  Leo Tolstoy died on November 9th, 1910, he was 82. 
   
  In this much acclaimed short story Tolstoy’s characters are engulfed by a huge snowstorm which descends upon them and puts the successful conclusion of their journey into perilous doubt.

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  Here's the Story - Surviving...

  Anonymous

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  The New York Times bestseller Here’s the Story is the poignant memoir of Maureen McCormick, who starred as the beloved Marcia Brady on the hit series The Brady Bunch. Maureen tells her shocking and inspirational true story, taking readers behind the scenes of one of America’s favorite television families, and to the dark side, where she was caught up in a fast-paced, drug-fueled, star-studded Hollywood existence that ultimately led to the biggest battle of her life.

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  Tooth and Nail - The Making of a...

  Anonymous

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  Fresh out of medical school, Linda Dahl began her surgical residency in the Bronx as a total fish out of water. Growing up in a Middle Eastern family in the American Midwest, she was a born outsider, and in her new community in New York, she felt even more isolated. Even at work she struggled to fit in: among her fellow specialists, she was one of the only women.One night, at her husband’s urging, Dahl watched a boxing match between Shane Mosley and Oscar De La Hoya. Seeing Mosley survive against the odds gave Dahl hope that she, too, could find her footing. As her fandom grew, boxing became a way to connect with her patients and community. Later, when she was in practice on the Upper East Side, Dahl received a phone call from the New York State Athletic Commission. They were looking for a fight doctor. Dahl accepted.Tooth and Nail chronicles the years Dahl spent as an ear, nose and throat surgeon by day and a ringside physician by night. Intrepid, adrenaline-fueled and loaded with behind-the-scenes takes on famous boxers, including Mike Tyson, Wladimir Klitschko and Miguel Cotto, Dahl’s story offers a modern examination of sexism, dislocation, the theater of boxing and a road map for how to excel in two very different male-dominated worlds.

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  Parenting Your Canine Child: How...

  Jessica Eden O'Neill

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  Discover the fascinating similarities between human and canine experiences in this thought-provoking book. Canine behaviour expert Jessica Eden O'Neill draws on her personal and professional experiences to explore topics such as empathizing with nervous dogs, the chaos of dog parks, and the true meaning of being a canine parent. This emotional, authentic, and sometimes comical narrative is a must-read for all dog lovers seeking a unique and entertaining path to canine enlightenment. Through relatable parallels, readers are challenged to reconsider their perceptions of dogs and become better pet owners, ultimately leading to a better understanding of their role in their dog's life.“An engaging, thought provoking, and sometimes humorous look at parenting our dogs. Jessica Eden O’Neill compares the many challenges of raising children and living life with those of caring for our canine companions. Jessica recounts countless, real-life events as she draws parallels with the struggles of dogs in our care. Her sometimes colourful and emotive language is a reminder of the realities we often face. This is not a “how to have a perfectly obedient dog” sort of book; it’s a philosophy and a guide to help us be responsible, kind, empathetic dog parents and to help our dogs be happy.”—Shay Kelly, Canine Behaviour Consultant and author of Canine Enrichment: The Book Your Dog Needs You to Read, Dog Training & Behaviour: A Guide for Everyone, and Puppy Nurture: Raising Your Puppy with Love“O’Neill’s new book cleverly draws parallels between her human home and work life, and the lives of dogs. Through the sharing of personal anecdotes and colorful stories, she is able to convey the intricate, complex, and rewarding relationship we have with our dogs. Her humour is delightful, as she lends a strong voice to “those yelling from the rooftops,” working hard to change the way we think about dogs, “helping owners to reframe their understanding of what dog training should look like.” O’Ne

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  The Thirteenth Floor Anthology

  Guy Adams

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  The Thirteenth Floor's evil AI Max goes worldwide in this anthology of thirteen horror stories set across the globe, featuring the work of James Lovegrove, Lavanya Lakshminarayan, James Goss, and MK Hardy.Max goes worldwide!London's Maxwell Towers have long been under the control of Max—an all-seeing AI intent on punishing wrongdoers and wicked tenants by sending them to the Thirteenth Floor, where unspeakable horrors come to life. Now, Max's coding has been embedded in computer systems all over the world, and there is no escape from his nightmarish reign.Featuring thirteen brand-new stories by A. K. Benedict, Angela Slatter, Mason Cross, Una McCormack, Lavanya Lakshminarayan, Thana Niveau, James Lovegrove, Derek Farrell, MK Hardy, John Llewellyn Probert, Martyn Waites, Aubrey Wood, and James Goss.

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