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We Can't Keep Meeting Like This
by Rachel Lynn SolomonA wedding harpist disillusioned with love and a hopeless romantic cater-waiter flirt and fight their way through a summer of weddings in this effervescent romantic comedy from the acclaimed author of Today Tonight Tomorrow.Quinn Berkowitz and Tarek Mansour&’s families have been in business together for years: Quinn&’s parents are wedding planners, and Tarek&’s own a catering company. At the end of last summer, Quinn confessed her crush on him in the form of a rambling email—and then he left for college without a response. Quinn has been dreading seeing him again almost as much as she dreads another summer playing the harp for her parents&’ weddings. When he shows up at the first wedding of the summer, looking cuter than ever after a year apart, they clash immediately. Tarek&’s always loved the grand gestures in weddings—the flashier, the better—while Quinn can&’t see them as anything but fake. Even as they can&’t seem to have one civil conversation, Quinn&’s thrown together with Tarek wedding after wedding, from performing a daring cake rescue to filling in for a missing bridesmaid and groomsman. Quinn can&’t deny her feelings for him are still there, especially after she learns the truth about his silence, opens up about her own fears, and begins learning the art of harp-making from an enigmatic teacher. Maybe love isn&’t the enemy after all—and maybe allowing herself to fall is the most honest thing Quinn&’s ever done.
We Danced All Night: My Life Behind the Scenes with Alan Jay Lerner
by Doris ShapiroMrs. Shapiro's 14 years as an assistant to Alan Jay Lerner, from before "My Fair Lady" to "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever."
We Don't Need Roads
by Caseen GainesA behind-the-scenes look at the making of the wildly successful and beloved Back to the Future trilogy, just in time for the 30th anniversary Long before Marty McFly and Doc Brown traveled through time in a flying DeLorean, director Robert Zemeckis, and his friend and writing partner Bob Gale, worked tirelessly to break into the industry with a hit. During their journey to realize their dream, they encountered unprecedented challenges and regularly took the difficult way out.For the first time ever, the story of how these two young filmmakers struck lightning is being told by those who witnessed it. We Don't Need Roads includes original interviews with Zemeckis, Gale, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Huey Lewis, and over fifty others who contributed to one of the most popular and profitable film trilogies of all time.With a focus not only on the movies, but also the lasting impact of the franchise and its fandom, We Don't Need Roads is the ultimate read for anyone who has ever wanted to ride a Hoverboard, hang from the top of a clock tower, travel through the space-time continuum, or find out what really happened to Eric Stoltz after the first six weeks of filming. So, why don't you make like a tree and get outta here - and start reading! We Don't Need Roads is your density.
We Eat Our Own: A Novel
by Kea WilsonAn ambitious debut novel by an original young writer, We Eat Our Own blurs the lines between life and art with the story of a film director's unthinkable experiment in the Amazon.When a nameless, struggling actor in 1970s New York gets the call that an enigmatic director wants him for an art film set in the Amazon, he doesn't hesitate: he flies to South America, no questions asked. He quickly realizes he's made a mistake. He's replacing another actor who quit after seeing the script--a script the director now claims doesn't exist. The movie is over budget. The production team seems headed for a breakdown. The air is so wet that the celluloid film disintegrates. But what the actor doesn't realize is that the greatest threat might be the town itself, and the mysterious shadow economy that powers this remote jungle outpost. Entrepreneurial Americans, international drug traffickers, and M-19 guerillas are all fighting for South America's future--and the groups aren't as distinct as you might think. The actor thought this would be a role that would change his life. Now he's worried if he'll survive it. Inspired by a true story from the annals of 1970s Italian horror film, and told in dazzlingly precise prose, We Eat Our Own is a resounding literary debut, a thrilling journey behind the scenes of a shocking film and a thoughtful commentary on violence and its repercussions.
We Got the Beat: A Children's Picture Book (LyricPop #0)
by Charlotte Caffey Kaitlyn Shea O'ConnorAn exuberant celebration of dance and play in picture book form, based on Charlotte Caffey's joyful classic made famous by the Go-Go's. See the people walking down the street Fall in line just watching all their feet They don't know w
We Got the Music: A Peek Inside Julie's Notebook (Julie and the Phantoms)
by G. M. KingCheck out Julie and Luke's lyrics, Flynn's gig schedule for the band, and original Sunset Curve memorabilia in this in-world guide to the hit Netflix show Julie and the Phantoms!Julie Molina is always writing in her notebook -- from lyric ideas to memories of her mom, and even plans for her band, Julie and the Phantoms (including words of wisdom like "Make sure no one realizes the guys are ghosts, not holograms").This fun, in-world guide includes notes between Julie and her best friend, Flynn; messy scribbles from Luke, Reggie, and Alex with ideas for new songs (hey, it's hard to hold a pencil when you're dead!); and suspicious theories from Julie's little brother, Carlos, about exactly what's going on out in the garage... Plus, there are full-color photos on every page!Explore all this and more in this exclusive peek at Julie and the Phantoms, the hit new show from High School Musical and Descendants director Kenny Ortega!
We Got the Neutron Bomb: The Untold Story of L.A. Punk
by Marc Spitz Brendan MullenTaking us back to late '70s and early '80s Hollywood--pre-crack, pre-AIDS, pre-Reagan--We Got the Neutron Bomb re-creates word for word the rage, intensity, and anarchic glory of the Los Angeles punk scene, straight from the mouths of the scenesters, zinesters, groupies, filmmakers, and musicians who were there. "California was wide-open sex--no condoms, no birth control, no morality, no guilt." --Kim Fowley. "The Runaways were rebels, all of us were. And a lot of people looked up to us. It helped a lot of kids who had very mediocre, uneventful, unhappy lives. It gave them something to hold on to." --Cherie Currie. "The objective was to create something for our own personal satisfaction, because everything in our youthful and limited opinion sucked, and we knew better." --John Doe. "The Masque was like Heaven and Hell all rolled into one. It was a bomb shelter, a basement. It was so amazing, such a dive ... but it was our dive." --Hellin Killer. "At least fifty punks were living at the Canterbury. You'd walk into the courtyard and there'd be a dozen different punk songs all playing at the same time. It was an incredible environment." --Belinda Carlisle. Assembled from exhaustive interviews, We Got the Neutron Bomb tells the authentically gritty stories of bands like the Runaways, the Germs, X, the Screamers, Black Flag, and the Circle Jerks--their rise, their fall, and their undeniable influence on the rock 'n' roll of today.
We Light Up the Sky with Music!
by Nick MalandThis tender tale of showing care to a loved one will resonate with anyone who has ever found joy and purpose in music.Old Bear sits inside, staring at gray skies. He hasn't gone outside in quite a while. So Little Bear decides it's time for a walk! The weather is windy and Old Bear isn't thrilled to be outdoors, but Little Bear coaxes him, &“Let&’s walk a little further.&” Then, suddenly, a curious noise catches both of their ears—an old saxophone lying in the alleyway! Can it be restored? Perhaps a bit of good company and teamwork is just what Old Bear could use to find his groove again.
We Love Ballet! (Pictureback(R))
by Jane FeldmanIT'S SEPTEMBER, AND it's time for school--ballet school! Join a class of the youngest ballet students as they learn about music, balance, teamwork, and even have a recital. A perfect first ballet book.
We Need To Talk
by Chris Steed Stephen WebbChris and Stephen off Gogglebox are known and loved by millions of viewers for their outrageous humour, filthy language and adorable sausage dogs. But there's a lot more to them than that. The ex-partners have both had their fair share of ups and downs, and here in their joint memoir they carry us through their experiences on a wave of hilarious back-and-forth conversations and killer one-liners. From their childhoods to finding fame on Gogglebox, nothing is off-limits.Stephen: "Going to the allotment was something we'd look forward to. Especially when it got dark and we used to nick everyone's vegetables"Chris: "We lived in this flint house on the edge of the cemetery, and not surprisingly it was really haunted."Funny, frank and pretty ridiculous, this is the perfect book for any Gogglebox fan.
We Need To Talk
by Chris Steed Stephen WebbChris and Stephen off Gogglebox are known and loved by millions of viewers for their outrageous humour, filthy language and adorable sausage dogs. But there's a lot more to them than that. The ex-partners have both had their fair share of ups and downs, and here in their joint memoir they carry us through their experiences on a wave of hilarious back-and-forth conversations and killer one-liners. From their childhoods to finding fame on Gogglebox, nothing is off-limits.Stephen: "Going to the allotment was something we'd look forward to. Especially when it got dark and we used to nick everyone's vegetables"Chris: "We lived in this flint house on the edge of the cemetery, and not surprisingly it was really haunted."Funny, frank and pretty ridiculous, this is the perfect book for any Gogglebox fan.
We Need To Talk
by Chris Steed Stephen WebbChris and Stephen off Gogglebox are known and loved by millions of viewers for their outrageous humour, filthy language and adorable sausage dogs. But there's a lot more to them than that. The ex-partners have both had their fair share of ups and downs, and here in their joint memoir they carry us through their experiences on a wave of hilarious back-and-forth conversations and killer one-liners. From their childhoods:(Stephen: "Going to allotment was something we'd look forward to. Especially when it got dark and we used to nick everyone's vegetables"Chris: "We lived in this flint house on the edge of the cemetery, and not surprisingly it was really haunted.")To finding fame on Gogglebox, nothing is off-limits.Funny, frank and pretty ridiculous, this is the perfect book for any Gogglebox fan.(P)2016 Headline Digital
We Need to Talk About . . . Kevin Bridges
by Kevin BridgesThe comic autobiography of 2014 A comedian's autobiography? I wonder if he's ever used humour to deflect from his insecurities? To avoid being bullied? Is there heartache behind the humour? I wonder if he's a manic-depressive? Tears of a clown? Yes, all of that. Discover the hilarious life-story of one of Britain's best-loved comedians in Kevin Bridges' brilliant memoir. 'First of all, I have never written a book before, you probably haven't either, so there we have it; a connection is established between reader and writer . . .' Aged just 17, Kevin Bridges walked on stage for the first time in a Glasgow comedy club and brought the house down. He only had a five-minute set but in that short time he discovered that he really could earn a living from making people laugh. Kevin began life as a shy, nerve-ridden school-boy, whose weekly highlights included a cake-bombing attack by the local youths. Reaching his teens, he followed his true calling as the class clown, and was soon after arrested for kidnapping Hugh Grant from his local cinema on a quiet Saturday night. This was a guy going somewhere - off the rails seeming most likely. Kevin's trademark social commentary, sharp one-liners and laugh-out-loud humour blend with his reflections on his Glaswegian childhood and the journey he's taken to become one of the most-loved comedians of our time.'. . . Hopefully now you'll take this over to the till and I can accompany you for the next wee while. That's the benefit of book shops, reading the little bit and then deciding if the author deserves to be part of your carefully selected 3 for 2 deal, or part of your plane journey, train journey, your next bath, your next shite.' Praise for Kevin Bridges:'The Best Scottish Stand up of his Generation.' The Scotsman 'A wonderfully dry and deadpan Glaswegian comic . . . one the most exciting talents to have emerged from Scotland since Billy Connolly' Guardian 'Kevin Bridges might just become the best stand-up in the land . . . he will go and deliver a one-liner that you want to jot down and frame' The Times 'Wonderfully sharp, assured stand-up from the preternaturally gifted young comic' Independent
We Only Dated for 11 Instagrams: And Other Things You'll Overhear in L.A.
by Jesse Margolis Emmet Truxes Eric GarcettiFrom the hugely popular @OverheardLA Instagram account comes this illustrated collection of the entertaining, absurd, sometimes even poignant snippets of conversation overheard on the streets of Los Angeles.Oh, Los Angeles: where kids with lemonade stands accept Venmo, where your Uber driver moonlights as a spiritual adviser. Whether you love L.A. or love to hate it, you'll delight in this comical tribute to the one and only La La Land -- a world all its own, yet also a microcosm of 21st century American culture in so many ways. The book features illustrations from Emmet Truxes, creator of the popular @brooklyncartoons Instagram account, and a foreword from L.A. mayor Eric Garcetti. It's the perfect gift for millennials and everyone who loves to (gently) mock them. Prepare to laugh, to face-palm, to cringe, and to delight in such gems as, "Timing is everything, whether it's sex, drugs, or avocados." "Why are the older generations so judgmental? They were millennials once too." "Nothing screams of desperation like a paragraph of hashtags."And so many more.
We Own the Sky
by Rodman PhilbrickA thrilling historical adventure by the master of adventure himself, Rodman Philbrick.It's Maine, 1924, and the Ku Klux Klan is on the rise.Davy and Jo Michaud have been recently orphaned. Taken in by a distant relative—a famous aviator—they are now working with a group of stunt pilots who spend their time wing walking, leaping from plane to plane, and flying through fireworks! But though the stunts are dangerous, the real threat is building behind the scenes.The KKK is on the rise in Maine that summer, inspired by the racial fears promoted in Birth of a Nation. They spew hatred of immigrants, Blacks, Jews, and French Catholics—that last, a rage that will be directed at Davy and Jo.When Davy and Jo cross paths with the Klan, they get tangled up in a terrible revenge plan, and held as hostages. Can they escape with their lives?
We Promised You a Great Main Event: An Unauthorized WWE History
by Bill HanstockUnauthorized. Unrestricted. No holds barred.In We Promised You a Great Main Event, longtime sports journalist Bill Hanstock pulls back the curtain to give a smart fan’s account of WWE and Vince McMahon’s journey to the top. Untangling the truth behind the official WWE storyline, Hanstock does a deep dive into key moments of the company’s history, from the behind-the-scenes drama at the Montreal Screwjob, to the company’s handling of the Jimmy Snuka scandal, to the real story of the Monday Night Wars.WWE is an extraordinary business success and an underappreciated pop cultural phenomenon. While WWE soared to prominence during the Hulk Hogan years, as the stakes grew more and more extreme, wrestlers faced steroid scandals and assault allegations. The whole story is here, good, bad, and ugly, from the heights of iconic cultural moments like Wrestlemania III to the arrival of global superstars like The Rock and John Cena.We Promised You a Great Main Event is an exhaustive, fun account of the McMahon family and WWE’s unprecedented rise. Drawing on a decade of covering wrestling, Bill Hanstock synthesizes insights from historians, journalists, and industry insiders with his own deep research to produce the most up-to-date, entertaining history of WWE available. Full of amazing characters and astonishing stories from the ring to corporate boardrooms, it is a story as audacious as any WWE spectacle.
We Shall Overcome
by Bryan CollierA celebration of the gospel anthem and Civil Rights protest song "We Shall Overcome," masterfully brought to life by Caldecott Honor recipient and a nine-time Coretta Scott King Award winner Bryan Collier."We Shall Overcome" is one of the most recognizable anthems of the Civil Rights movement, widely performed at protests and rallies to promote nonviolent civil rights activism. Now, these inspirational, empowering, legendary lyrics are brought to life with the stirring, evocative, and breathtaking illustrations from multi-award-winning talent Bryan Collier. Powerfully imagined for the present moment, Collier's illustrations meld the most emblematic moments of the twentieth-century Civil Rights movement with the present day, depicting the movements, protests, and demonstrations -- big and small -- as the fight for justice continues. With illustrations full of depth, tenderness, and expression, and offering historical context while remaining powerfully relevant to the present-day, this impactful picture book is a must-have for every home, classroom, and bookshelf.
We Should All Be Mirandas: Life Lessons from Sex and the City's Most Underrated Character
by Chelsea Fairless Lauren GarroniWhen Sex and the City premiered, many were hesitant to identify as the Miranda of their social circle - after all, sarcasm, workaholism, and dubious fashion choices are rarely considered aspirational. However, in the two-plus decades since her television debut, our culture has finally caught up with this forward-thinking icon and all she represents. The truth is, Miranda Hobbes is the feminist hero that we deserve - we were all just too busy obsessing over Carrie's corset tops to notice it at first.WE SHOULD ALL BE MIRANDAS is a celebration of a certain redheaded lawyer and the legions of fans who relate to her pragmatic, no-bullshit approach to work, love, and sex. Written by two self-proclaimed Mirandas, this humorous manifesto distils Ms. Hobbes' core principles into a strategic guide for navigating life's inevitable ups and downs. In it, you'll learn to:Overcome your internalised MirandaphobiaCope with humiliating sexual encountersMake Google Docs your bitchDump that Skipper that you've been datingEmbrace your bad hair days ...and so much more!With sharp, sardonic humor and nods to the series' most iconic moments, We Should All Be Mirandas is the perfect gift for fashionistas, pop culture mavens, and every woman who has dared to eat cake out of the garbage.
We Should All Be Mirandas: Life Lessons from Sex and the City's Most Underrated Character
by Chelsea Fairless Lauren GarroniA snarky guide to life inspired by the most underrated character on Sex and the City, from the creators of the Instagram sensation @everyoutfitonSATC When Sex and the City premiered, many were hesitant to identify as the Miranda of their social circle—after all, sarcasm, workaholism, and dubious fashion choices are rarely considered aspirational. However, in the two-plus decades since her television debut, our culture has finally caught up with this forward-thinking icon and all she represents. The truth is, Miranda Hobbes is the feminist hero that we deserve— we were all just too busy obsessing over Carrie&’s corset tops to notice it at first. WE SHOULD ALL BE MIRANDAS is a celebration of a certain redheaded lawyer and the legions of fans who relate to her pragmatic, no-bullshit approach to work, love, and sex. Written by two self-proclaimed Mirandas, this humorous manifesto distills Ms. Hobbes&’ core principles into a strategic guide for navigating life&’s inevitable ups and downs. In it, you&’ll learn to:Overcome your internalized MirandaphobiaCope with humiliating sexual encountersMake Google Docs your bitchDump that Skipper that you&’ve been datingEmbrace your bad hair days ...and so much more! With sharp, sardonic humor and fantastic send-ups to the series&’ most iconic moments, We Should All Be Mirandas is the perfect gift for fashionistas, pop culture mavens, and every woman who has dared to eat cake out of the garbage.
We Skate Hardcore: Photographs from Brooklyn's Southside
by Vincent CianniView Photos. Published by New York University Press and Lyndhurst Books of the Center for Documentary Studies. The stunning photographs of We Skate Hardcore reveal the determination, the dreams, and the rough and tumble story of urban Latino youth coming of age in New York City. Vincent Cianni spent eight years photographing and documenting a group of Latino in-line skaters in the Southside of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Cianni weaves together images of the skaters with their own words, showing the skaters' struggles to find a place to skate and build skate parks, and just to survive in the city. In the evacuated industrial spaces of their neighborhood, the skaters carve out places for enjoying their sport and showing off their skills-often thwarting established rules and authority figures in the process. Their stories are both personal and resonant; they reflect the trials and tenacity of a young urban culture, as well as life in Southside's Latino community. In addition to black and white and color photos, We Skate Hardcore includes a DVD with footage of the skaters featured in the book, as well as additional photographs and an essay. We Skate Hardcore, with its verve and youthful energy, will especially appeal to photographers, those interested in urban studies and adolescence, New Yorkers, and in-line skaters and extreme sports enthusiasts everywhere.
We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story
by Simu LiuThe star of Marvel’s first Asian superhero film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, tells his own origin story of being a Chinese immigrant, his battles with cultural stereotypes and his own identity, becoming a TV star, and landing the role of a lifetime. <p><p>In this honest, inspiring and relatable memoir, newly-minted superhero Simu Liu chronicles his family's journey from China to the bright lights of Hollywood with razor-sharp wit and humor. <p><p>Simu's parents left him in the care of his grandparents, then brought him to Canada when he was four. Life as a Canuck, however, is not all that it was cracked up to be; Simu's new guardians lack the gentle touch of his grandparents, resulting in harsh words and hurt feelings. His parents, on the other hand, find their new son emotionally distant and difficult to relate to - although they are related by blood, they are separated by culture, language, and values. <p><p>As Simu grows up, he plays the part of the pious child flawlessly—he gets straight A's, crushes national math competitions and makes his parents proud. But as time passes, he grows increasingly disillusioned with the path that has been laid out for him. <p><p>Less than a year out of college, at the tender age of 22, his life hits rock bottom when he is laid off from his first job as an accountant. Left to his own devices, and with nothing left to lose, Simu embarks on a journey that will take him far outside of his comfort zone into the world of show business. Through a swath of rejection and comical mishaps, Simu's determination to carve out a path for himself leads him to not only succeed as an actor, but also to open the door to reconciling with his parents. <p><p>We Were Dreamers is more than a celebrity memoir—it's a story about growing up between cultures, finding your family, and becoming the master of your own extraordinary circumstance. <p> <b>New York Times Bestseller</b>
Wear and Tear: The Threads of My Life
by Tracy TynanA candid, entertaining memoir told through clothes.Tracy Peacock Tynan grew up in London in the 1950's and 60s, privy to her parents' glamorous parties and famous friends--Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, and Orson Welles. Cecil Beaton and Katharine Hepburn were her godparents. Tracy was named after Katherine Hepburn's character, Tracy Lord, in the classic film, The Philadelphia Story. These stylish showbiz people were role models for Tracy, who became a clotheshorse at a young age. Tracy's father, Kenneth Tynan, was a powerful theater critic and writer for the Evening Standard, The Observer, and The New Yorker. Her mother was Elaine Dundy, a successful novelist and biographer, whose works have recently been revived by The New York Review of Books. Both of Tracy's parents, particularly her father, were known as much for what they wore as what they wrote. In the Tynans' social circles, style was essential, and Tracy had firm ideas about her own clothing for as long as she can remember. Shopping was an art passed down through the family; though shopping trips with her mother were so traumatic that Tracy started shopping on her own when she was fourteen. When Tracy started writing about her life she found that clothing was the focus of many of her stories. She recalls her father's dandy attire and her mother's Pucci dresses, as well as her parents' rancorous marriage and divorce, her father's prodigious talents and celebrity lifestyle, and her mother's lifelong struggle with addiction. She tackles issues big and small using clothes as an entrée--relationships, marriage, children, stepchildren, blended families, her parent's decline and deaths, and her work as a costume designer are all recounted with humor, with insight, and with the special joy that can only come from finding the perfect outfit.
Webspinner: Songs, Stories, and Reflections of Duncan Williamson, Scottish Traveller
by John D. NilesBorn in 1928 in a tent on the shore of Loch Fyne, Argyll, Duncan Williamson (d. 2007) eventually came to be recognized as one of the foremost storytellers in Scotland and the world. Webspinner: Songs, Stories, and Reflections of Duncan Williamson, Scottish Traveller is based on more than a hundred hours of tape-recorded interviews undertaken with him in the 1980s. Williamson tells of his birth and upbringing in the west of Scotland, his family background as one of Scotland’s seminomadic travelling people, his varied work experiences after setting out from home at about age fifteen, and the challenges he later faced while raising a family of his own, living on the road for half the year. The recordings on which the book is based were made by John D. Niles, who was then an associate professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Niles has transcribed selections from his field tapes with scrupulous accuracy, arranging them alongside commentary, photos, and other scholarly aids, making this priceless self-portrait of a brilliant storyteller available to the public. The result is a delight to read. It is also a mine of information concerning a vanished way of life and the place of singing and storytelling in Traveller culture. In chapters that feature many colorful anecdotes and that mirror the spontaneity of oral delivery, readers learn much about how Williamson and other members of his persecuted minority had the resourcefulness to make a living on the outskirts of society, owning very little in the way of material goods but sustained by a rich oral heritage.
The Wedding Video Handbook: How to Succeed in the Wedding Video Business
by Kirk BarberFor readers who want to become part of the thriving wedding video industry, Wedding Video Handbook explains everything a wedding videographer needs to know. Each chapter explores a different part of either the business or the production ends, and covers topics including secrets for getting clients, selecting the proper equipment, and tips on capturing special wedding moments despite difficult filming conditions. The book includes handy primers on marketing and advertising, handling phone calls and appointments, pre-production preparations, what to shoot on the wedding day, interacting with other vendors, editing and packaging the DVD or video, and generating referrals. Fully up-to-date with information on the newest tools and equipment used in this rapidly-evolving market as well as the cutting-edge trends in wedding video products, Wedding Video Handbook is packed with practical advice from a pro who has spent years in the field.
The Wednesday Wars
by Gary D. SchmidtIn this Newbery Honor-winning novel, Gary D. Schmidt offers an unforgettable antihero. The Wednesday Wars is a wonderfully witty and compelling story about a teenage boy’s mishaps and adventures over the course of the 1967–68 school year in Long Island, New York.<P><P> Meet Holling Hoodhood, a seventh-grader at Camillo Junior High, who must spend Wednesday afternoons with his teacher, Mrs. Baker, while the rest of the class has religious instruction. Mrs. Baker doesn’t like Holling—he’s sure of it. Why else would she make him read the plays of William Shakespeare outside class? But everyone has bigger things to worry about, like Vietnam. His father wants Holling and his sister to be on their best behavior: the success of his business depends on it. But how can Holling stay out of trouble when he has so much to contend with? A bully demanding cream puffs; angry rats; and a baseball hero signing autographs the very same night Holling has to appear in a play in yellow tights! As fate sneaks up on him again and again, Holling finds Motivation—the Big M—in the most unexpected places and musters up the courage to embrace his destiny, in spite of himself.