Publisher: Tales of Terror
Bisques, fetish dolls, plush, ventriloquist dummies, voodoo dolls, worry dolls; dolls come in various shapes and forms. They are a major archetype of horror movies. In this book, film critic Steve Hutchison reviews and ranks 50 of the best horror movies featuring dolls ever released. How many have you seen?
Beyond a mere introduction to great art, Van Gogh Has a Broken Heart is about loving to learn what art has to teach us about the wonder and struggle of being alive. Did you know that:Vincent van Gogh's attempt to start an artist's colony with Paul Gauguin lasted only nine weeks, ending in his infamous "ear episode"?Pablo Picasso was a prime suspect in the disappearance of the Mona Lisa?Artemisia Gentileschi was tortured with thumbscrews to verify her testimony at her own rapist's trial?Norman Rockwell's critics said his work would never be accepted as "high art"--and he agreed? These stories--and many more--shaped the work these artists left behind. In their art are lessons common to the human experience about the wonder and struggle of being alive: dreams lost, perspectives changed, and humility derived through suffering.?? In Van Gogh Has a Broken Heart, Russ Ramsey digs into these artists' stories for readers who may be new to art, as well as for lifelong students of art history, to mine the transcendent beauty and hard lessons we can take from their masterpieces and their lives. Each story from some of the history's most celebrated artists applies the beauty of the gospel in a way that speaks to the suffering and hope we all face. Images, appendixes 2 and 3, and a selected bibliography can be found in the audiobook companion PDF downloadShow book
As the centre of Far-Eastern art, China has always fascinated Westerners, who take an interest in its religious leaders and savants as much as in its artists. Sophisticated and mysterious, Chinese art has persistently developed for 10,000 years through unequalled talent, which long ago established its artistic preeminence. Admired and imitated by all, today Chinese paintings and porcelain are the timeless reminders of a decadent past which continues to astound people around the world. Dealing not only with architecture, sculpture and painting but also with bronze and porcelain, this text offers a complete panorama of Chinese arts and civilisation until the fall of the Empire in 1911.Show book
It’s New Year’s Eve and the last thing Spid wants to do is celebrate. Now Spidmas is over, he feels unloved and unappreciated. But just as Spid is thinking he’ll never make anything of himself, Bid comes up with an idea that changes everything.This adventure is about recognising and taking charge of your feelings. And inspiring resolutions for the year ahead. It features two songs: 'New Year Ensemble' and 'Sheen Neean Kwai Luh (Xin Nian Kuai Le)' which is Chinese for Happy New Year. You can also find music videos of the songs at https://spidthespider.com and https://www.youtube.com/spidthespider. Spid is a lowly spider, who wants to better himself, write songs, and marry his girlfriend Bid, though he is prone to hilarious mishaps mostly of his own making. He is hard-working, cool, and a role model for young children. As well as encouraging children to read and love books, Spid's adventures also teach valuable life lessons, including determination and what psychologists call a 'growth mindset' (desire to better oneself and succeed), the importance of friendship, and sustainability. With very creative prose, Spid's adventures are fun for parents, and teachers to read to, and with, their children. They present lots of opportunities to invest dramatic licence thus helping adults and children interact and engage. The humour works at multiple levels from silly and slapstick to more sophisticated wordplay and concepts. Thus, children will discover more and enjoy reading the stories multiple times. For more resources to entertain and help children learn to read, grow and succeed in life, go to https://spidthespider.com/fun-childrens-activities/Show book
Music Theory for Guitarists is the ground-breaking guitar theory book for guitar players. Now, guitarists of all levels can understand most of the music theory they'll ever need, without the confusion. Easy to understand language, explanations and practical examples mean you can understand in hours, music theory concepts which can confuse guitar players for years. No music reading or theory knowledge required! 12 bite-sized chapters teach you the following topics and show you how to use them in your playing, improvising and song writing. The Musical Alphabet - the 12 notes used in musicTones and SemitonesThe Major Scale - what it is and why you need itMajor and Minor Triads (used in most pop, country, rock and folk music)Intervals (major scale and chromatic)Major Keys (the secret to writing great songs and solos)Chord Progressions (start writing pro sounding chord sequences/songs) Pentatonic Scales (most common guitar scales ever)The Natural Minor Scale (for minor key soloing)Minor Key Basics - understand minor key songs and chord sequences Perfect for learning guitar music theory at beginner/intermediate level, boosting knowledge to improve playing/songwriting, understanding other musicians use and learning to write better songs. I wrote this as the antidote to the confusing, poorly explained music theory books guitarists (including me) have had to struggle with until now, so grab your guitar and nail 99% of the music theory you need, with Music Theory for Guitarists!Show book
Songs that sell the most copies become hits, but some of those hits become something more—iconic recordings that not only inspire a generation but also change the direction of music. In Anatomy of 55 More Songs, based on his column for the Wall Street Journal, music journalist and historian Marc Myers tells the story behind fifty-five rock, pop, R&B, country, and soul-gospel hits through intimate interviews with the artists who wrote and recorded them. Part oral history, part musical analysis, Anatomy of 55 More Songs ranges from Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" to Dionne Warwick's "Walk On By," The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations," and Black Sabbath's "Paranoid." Bernie Taupin recalls how he wrote the lyrics to Elton John's "Rocket Man;" Joan Jett remembers channeling her rage against how she had been unfairly labeled and treated as a female rocker into "Bad Reputation;" and Ozzy Osbourne, Elvis Costello, Bob Weir, Sheryl Crow, Alice Cooper, Roberta Flack, John Mellencamp, Keith Richards, Carly Simon, and many others reveal the emotions and technique behind their major works. Through an absorbing chronological, song-by-song analysis of the most memorable post-war hits, Anatomy of 55 More Songs provides a sweeping look at the evolution of pop music between 1964 and today.Show book
Only a select few actors become international stars in their time, but none had as unique a career as Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin was the first true film star, and he managed to do so even when films were still silent. He has been honored with too many awards to count, and the fact that his name remains instantly recognizable nearly a century after his first film is a testament to his influence. Chaplin is known for the singular blend of pathos and humor evinced by his films, and it is not uncommon for audiences to laugh and cry at alternate points of a Chaplin film, a trait that continues to endear audiences even to this day. In the 1920s, the burgeoning movie industry was starting to come into its own, and alongside actor and director Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton was at the peak of Hollywood. It’s no surprise that Keaton was so effective in silent films, because he had been practicing comedy in his family’s vaudeville acts as “The Little Boy Who Can’t Be Damaged”, becoming a popular performer by the age of 5. Indeed, his physical form of comedy, which initially involved having his father throwing him around the stage, translated well onto the screen, and some of his slapstick and other comic gags remain legendary even today, in part because Keaton practiced his own stunts. Everything about Rudolph Valentino, from his body to the characters he played, was exotic. His career may have been abbreviated by his premature death at the age of 31, but Valentino popularized the (somewhat racist) stereotype of the “Latin lover” in Hollywood, and even his name was markedly more out of the ordinary than those of other actors. In an era dominated by hyper-masculine actors like Douglas Fairbanks, or comedians such as Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, Valentino had a more ethnic and mysterious appeal, and he was lusted after by women to a degree that remains unsurpassed in the industry.Show book
