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Fireside Politics: Radio and Political Culture in the United States, 1920–1940 (Reconfiguring American Political History)
by Douglas B. CraigAn “impressively researched and useful study” of the golden age of radio and its role in American democracy (Journal of American History).In Fireside Politics, Douglas B. Craig provides the first detailed and complete examination of radio’s changing role in American political culture between 1920 and 1940—the medium’s golden age, when it commanded huge national audiences without competition from television.Craig follows the evolution of radio into a commercialized, networked, and regulated industry, and ultimately into an essential tool for winning political campaigns and shaping American identity in the interwar period. Finally, he draws thoughtful comparisons of the American experience of radio broadcasting and political culture with those of Australia, Britain, and Canada.“The best general study yet published on the development of radio broadcasting during this crucial period when key institutional and social patterns were established.” ?Technology and Culture
Firesign: The Electromagnetic History of Everything as Told on Nine Comedy Albums
by Jeremy BraddockA cultural clearinghouse of the American 1960s and '70s told through the story of the period's most important forgotten comedy group. This expansive book reclaims the Firesign Theatre (hazily remembered as a comedy act for stoners) as critically engaged artists working in the heart of the culture industry at a time of massive social and technological change. At the intersection of popular music, sound and media studies, cultural history, and avant-garde literature, Jeremy Braddock explores how this inventive group made the lowbrow comedy album a medium for registering the contradictions and collapse of the counterculture, and traces their legacies in hip-hop turntablism, computer hacking, and participatory fan culture. He deploys a vast range of material sources, drawing on numerous interviews and writing in tune with the group's obsessive and ludic reflections—on multitrack recording, radio, television, cinema, early artificial intelligence, and more—to focus on Firesign's work in Los Angeles from 1967 to 1975. This ebullient act of media archaeology reveals Firesign Theatre as authors of a comic utopian pessimism that will inspire twenty-first-century recording arts and urge us to engage the massive technological changes of our own era.
Firestorm: American Film in the Age of Terrorism
by Stephen PrinceIt was believed that September 11th would make certain kinds of films obsolete, such as action thrillers crackling with explosions or high-casualty blockbusters where the hero escapes unscathed. While the production of these films did ebb, the full impact of the attacks on Hollywood's creative output is still taking shape. Did 9/11 force filmmakers and screenwriters to find new methods of storytelling? What kinds of movies have been made in response to 9/11, and are they factual? Is it even possible to practice poetic license with such a devastating, broadly felt tragedy? Stephen Prince is the first scholar to trace the effect of 9/11 on the making of American film. From documentaries like Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) to zombie flicks, and from fictional narratives such as The Kingdom (2007) to Mike Nichols's Charlie Wilson's War (2007), Prince evaluates the extent to which filmmakers have exploited, explained, understood, or interpreted the attacks and the Iraq War that followed, including incidents at Abu Ghraib. He begins with pre-9/11 depictions of terrorism, such as Alfred Hitchcock's Sabotage (1936), and follows with studio and independent films that directly respond to 9/11. He considers documentary portraits and conspiracy films, as well as serial television shows (most notably Fox's 24) and made-for-TV movies that re-present the attacks in a broader, more intimate way. Ultimately Prince finds that in these triumphs and failures an exciting new era of American filmmaking has taken shape.
Firestorm: American Film in the Age of Terrorism
by Stephen PrinceIt was believed that September 11th would make certain kinds of films obsolete, such as action thrillers crackling with explosions or high-casualty blockbusters where the hero escapes unscathed. While the production of these films did ebb, the full impact of the attacks on Hollywood's creative output is still taking shape. Did 9/11 force filmmakers and screenwriters to find new methods of storytelling? What kinds of movies have been made in response to 9/11, and are they factual? Is it even possible to practice poetic license with such a devastating, broadly felt tragedy?Stephen Prince is the first scholar to trace the effect of 9/11 on the making of American film. From documentaries like Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) to zombie flicks, and from fictional narratives such as The Kingdom (2007) to Mike Nichols's Charlie Wilson's War (2007), Prince evaluates the extent to which filmmakers have exploited, explained, understood, or interpreted the attacks and the Iraq War that followed, including incidents at Abu Ghraib. He begins with pre-9/11 depictions of terrorism, such as Alfred Hitchcock's Sabotage (1936), and follows with studio and independent films that directly respond to 9/11. He considers documentary portraits and conspiracy films, as well as serial television shows (most notably Fox's 24) and made-for-TV movies that re-present the attacks in a broader, more intimate way. Ultimately Prince finds that in these triumphs and failures an exciting new era of American filmmaking has taken shape.
Fireworks
by Katie CotugnoFrom the New York Times bestselling author of 99 Days and How to Love comes a stunning new contemporary novel—all about boy bands, girl bands, best friends, and first love—perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson. It was always meant to be Olivia. She’s the talented one, the one who’s been training to be a star her whole life. Her best friend, Dana, is the levelheaded one, always on the sidelines, cheering Olivia on.But everything changes when Dana tags along with Olivia to Orlando for the weekend, where superproducer Guy Monroe is holding auditions for a new singing group, and Dana is discovered too. Dana, who’s never sung more than Olivia’s backup. Dana, who wasn’t even looking for fame. Next thing she knows, she and Olivia are training to be pop stars, and Dana is falling for Alex, the earnest, endlessly talented boy who’s destined to be the next big thing.It should be a dream come true, but as the days of grueling practice and constant competition take their toll, things between Olivia and Dana start to shift . . . and there’s only room at the top for one girl. For Olivia, it’s her chance at her dream. For Dana, it’s a chance to escape a future that seems to be closing in on her. And for these lifelong best friends, it’s the adventure of a lifetime—if they can make it through. Set in evocative 1990s Orlando, Fireworks brings to life the complexity of friendship, the excitement of first love, and the feeling of being on the verge of greatness.
Firmament
by Tim BowlerTo prove he's part of the gang, Luke must climb into Mrs. Little's house and steal something. But inside the house, Luke encounters something so unexpected that it changes everything -- something that unlocks secrets and helps Luke find out exactly who he is.
First Class Fatherhood: Advice and Wisdom from High-Profile Dads
by Alec LaceDid you know that in the United States alone, more than one in four children live in a home without a father?When Alec Lace recognized this crisis and launched his parenting podcast 2018, his mission was simple: to give dads an opportunity to encourage others, by sharing the experiences and wisdom they&’ve gained during their respective journeys.A few years and hundreds of interviews later--including with many high-profile dads from sports, media, politics, the military, and other industries--Alec has curated a rich collection of anecdotes that provides guidance and inspiration on a wide array of topics, including but not limited toAdvice for about-to-be or new dadsFinance and educationDisciplineDating and social lifeFaith, values, and serviceFitness and health, for both children and fathersHow to be a fatherhood ambassadorFirst Class Fatherhood will engage the reader with thought-provoking ideas and realistic solutions from fathers who have been through it all.Alec believes that being a father is the most important role a man can play in the game of life. And his hope is that this book will help change the narrative of fatherhood and family life, and greatly reduce the number of children growing up without a father in the home.
First Cut 2
by Gabriella OldhamFirst Cut 2: More Conversations with Film Editors presents a new collection of twelve interviews with award-winning film editors who discuss the art and craft of editing in the twenty-first century. As a follow-up to the successful First Cut: Conversations with Film Editors (now celebrating its 20th anniversary), this new volume explores the transition of editing from the age of celluloid to the digital age. These extraordinarily articulate editors share their passion about film, offer detailed practical examples from their films to explain their process as well as their challenges, and imbue each interview with unique personality, humor, and cinematic insights. First Cut 2 continues the tradition of the first volume by interviewing both fiction and documentary editors, contributing to a rich, holistic appreciation of editing. It also introduces a significant interview with an independent filmmaker/editor to emphasize today's multiple opportunities for aspiring filmmakers to make their own "small films" and achieve success. Together with the first volume, First Cut 2 offers a panoramic survey of film editing and preserves its history through the voices of its practitioners. The stories told will engage students, inform general filmgoers, and even enlighten industry professionals.
First Lady of Laughs: The Forgotten Story of Jean Carroll, America's First Jewish Woman Stand-Up Comedian
by Grace Kessler OverbekeBefore Hacks and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, there was the comedienne who started it allFirst Lady of Laughs tells the story of Jean Carroll, the first Jewish woman to become a star in the field we now call stand-up comedy. Though rarely mentioned among the pantheon of early stand-up comics such as Henny Youngman and Lenny Bruce, Jean Carroll rivaled or even outshone the male counterparts of her heyday, playing more major theaters than any other comedian of her period. In addition to releasing a hit comedy album, Girl in a Hot Steam Bath, and briefly starring in her own sitcom on ABC, she also made twenty-nine appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Carroll made enduring changes to the genre of stand-up comedy, carving space for women and modeling a new form of Jewish femininity with her glamorous, acculturated, but still recognizably Jewish persona. She innovated a newly conversational, intimate style of stand-up, which is now recognized in comics like Joan Rivers, Sarah Silverman, and Tiffany Haddish. When Carroll was ninety-five she was honored at the Friars Club in New York City, where celebrities like Joy Behar and Lily Tomlin praised her influence on their craft. But her celebrated career began as an impoverished immigrant child, scrounging for talent show prize money to support her family. Drawing on archival footage, press clippings, and Jean Carroll’s personal scrapbook, First Lady of Laughs restores Jean Carroll’s remarkable story to its rightful place in the lineage of comedy history and Jewish American performance.
First Person: New Media as Story, Performance, and Game
by Noah Wardrip-Fruin Pat HarriganYet it is widely believed that the market for electronic literature- predicted by some to be the future of the written word- languishes. Even bestselling author Stephen King achieved disappointing results with his online publication of "Riding the Bullet" and "The Plant." Isn't it possible, though, that many hugely successful computer games- those that depend on or at least utilize storytelling conventions of narrative, character, and theme- can be seen as examples of electronic literature? And isn't it likely that the truly significant new forms of electronic literature will prove to be (like games) so deeply interactive and procedural that it would be impossible to present them as paper-like "e-books"? The editors of First Person have gathered a remarkably diverse group of new media theorists and practitioners to consider the relationship between "story" and "game," as well as the new kinds of artistic creation (literary, performative, playful) that have become possible in the digital environment. This landmark collection is organized as a series of discussions among creators and theorists; each section includes three presentations, with each presentation followed by two responses. Topics considered range from "Cyberdrama" to "Ludology" (the study of games), to "The Pixel/The Line" to "Beyond Chat." The conversational structure inspired contributors to revise, update, and expand their presentations as they prepared them for the book, and the panel discussions have overflowed into a First Person website (created in conjunction with the online journal Electronic Book Review).
First We Take Manhattan: Four American Women and the New York School of Dance Criticism (Choreography and Dance Studies Series #Vol. 10)
by Diana TheodoresFirst Published in 1997. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
First to Leave the Party: My Life with Ordinary People... Who Happen to be Famous
by Salah BachirA marvelous and compulsively readable collection of stories from the life of Salah Bachir — philanthropist, art collector, movie industry insider — who, through his sheer joy of life, art, giving back, and human interaction, has endeared him to some of the most famous and creative people in recent times.Salah Bachir&’s encounters with stars who have passed through his beloved Toronto over the years opens on a backyard garden barbecue with Marlon Brando, and bread continues to be broken with icons as fascinating and seemingly disparate as Muhammad Ali and Liberace, Margaret Atwood and Cesar Chavez, Andy Warhol and Princess Margaret, to name just a few. But the true literary coup is that the biggest, brightest star we encounter is the author himself. Alan CummingSalah is the patron saint for all of us who are full of curiosity, hungry for celebration, horny for fun, and who won&’t stop until every need is fulfilled. His appetite and passion for life is voracious. His ability to transform those passions into making life better for others is even more impressive. Atom EgoyanSalah Bachir, who immigrated to Canada from Lebanon in the 1960s, has been a gay activist who has worked in the film world for over four decades. While this has given him undeniable front-row access to Hollywood&’s biggest stars, it is Salah&’s personal charm and kindness, his philanthropy, his overall style (think hats, scarves, brooches, pearls, diamonds) and deep involvement in the art world that has made him a friend, companion, confidante, and/or lover to so many — including Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, Joan Rivers, Mary Tyler Moore, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Edward Albee, Orson Welles, Aretha Franklin, Norman Jewison, and Elizabeth Taylor — although it&’s true that Katharine Hepburn once turned him down, very nicely.Collected here in this wonderful book are personal stories of them all — some short, some long, some surprising, others juicy, and all fascinating. Through them we get to know Salah, a larger-than-life character that embodies the many worlds he shapes — the kind of person it would be hard to make up if he didn&’t already exist.
First-Person America
by Ann BanksBetween 1938 and 1942 the Federal Writers' Project set out to create a first-person portrait of America by sending young writers--many of whom later became famous--around the country to interview people from all occupations and backgrounds. This book presents 80 of these diverse life histories, including the stories of a North Carolina patent-medicine pitchman, a retired Oregon prospector, a Bahamian midwife from Florida, a Key West smuggler, recent immigrants to New York, and Chicago jazz musicians. Historian Eric Foner called First-Person America "the finest example yet of an increasingly important genre of oral history."
First-Time Filmmaker F*ck-ups: The Common Mistakes New Filmmakers Make, and How to Avoid Them
by Daryl GoldbergLearn to avoid the costly mistakes that commonly plague independent filmmakers with this concise and informative how-to guide. Laced with examples from famous movies, directors, and producers, author Daryl Bob Goldberg empowers you with the practical knowledge to achieve a dream that is not as intimidating as you might think This book will help you avoid problems associated with fund-raising, budgeting, scheduling, casting, shooting, actors, crew, postproduction, distribution, legal issues, and much more, all written by someone who has learned these lessons the hard way-so you don't have to.
Fishing (Boy Scouts of America Merit Badge Series)
by Boy Scouts of AmericaThis pamphlet will tell you a lot about fish and how to catch them. You might catch them for fun and "sport," or to eat. Fishing can become a lifetime pursuit, like golf or tennis. Many kinds of fish are described here, along with many ways to catch them--there are always new challenges in fishing, and always more to learn. This is one merit badge you are sure to enjoy earning from the very start. Robert S. S. Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouting movement, offers this advice to the young fisherman: "Every Scout ought to be able to fish in order to get food for himself. A tenderfoot [beginner] who starved on the bank of a river full of fish would look very silly, yet it might happen to one who had never learned to catch fish." It's no surprise that fishing remains a favorite pastime on Scout outings.
Fitter, Happier, Healthier: Discover the strength of your mind and body at home
by Kate FerdinandBecome Fitter, Happier, Healthier with Kate's secrets for harnessing your strength, caring for your mind and making your body feel great from your own home'Eminently relatable. Non-faddy, easy to cook recipes and a well-explained and doable exercise programme' The Times'She aims to encourage body confidence by making exercise enjoyable for everyone' Sunday ExpressExercise has always been important to Kate, for both the physical and mental benefits. Now, she has developed the ultimate guide to taking control of your physical and mental wellbeing in a truly enjoyable way, without the need for fancy expensive equipment or a gym membership.With insights into her personal regime and how she maintains a positive mental attitude, Kate will guide you through how she stays motivated, healthy and happy!Inside this fully-illustrated guide you'll find:· 4 weeks of empowering at-home exercises for you to follow and gradually build up your fitness· Simple step-by-step instructions for upper body, lower body, and full-body HIIT workouts· Warm-up and cool-down exercises to take care of your body's recovery and mobility· 30 simple and healthy recipes for breakfasts, light meals, main meals & snacks to fuel your exercise and boost your energy· Kate's top tips and advice on how she maintains a healthy lifestyle, stays motivated, manages her anxiety and more· Space for you to fill in your goals and weekly meal plansWith Fitter, Happier, Healthier, Kate will show you how to feel great through exercise, nourish your body and maintain a proactive routine from your own home so you can feel motivated, energised and - most importantly - happy.AS SEEN IN THE SUN
Five Came Back: A Story Of Hollywood And The Second World War
by Mark HarrisIn Pictures at a Revolution, Mark Harris turned the story of the five movies nominated for Best Picture in 1967 into a landmark work of cultural history, a book about the transformation of an art form and the larger social shift it signified. In Five Came Back, he achieves something larger and even more remarkable, giving us the untold story of how Hollywood changed World War II, and how World War II changed Hollywood, through the prism of five film directors caught up in the war: John Ford, William Wyler, John Huston, Frank Capra, and George Stevens. It was the best of times and the worst of times for Hollywood before the war. The box office was booming, and the studios' control of talent and distribution was as airtight as could be hoped. But the industry's relationship with Washington was decidedly uneasy--hearings and investigations into allegations of corruption and racketeering were multiplying, and hanging in the air was the insinuation that the business was too foreign, too Jewish, too "un-American" in its values and causes. Could an industry this powerful in shaping America's mind-set really be left in the hands of this crew? Following Pearl Harbor, Hollywood had the chance to prove its critics wrong and did so with vigor, turning its talents and its business over to the war effort to an unprecedented extent. No industry professionals played a bigger role in the war than America's most legendary directors: Ford, Wyler, Huston, Capra, and Stevens. Between them they were on the scene of almost every major moment of America's war, and in every branch of service--army, navy, and air force; Atlantic and Pacific; from Midway to North Africa; from Normandy to the fall of Paris and the liberation of the Nazi death camps; to the shaping of the message out of Washington, D.C. As it did for so many others, World War II divided the lives of these men into before and after, to an extent that has not been adequately understood. In a larger sense--even less well understood--the war divided the history of Hollywood into before and after as well. Harris reckons with that transformation on a human level--through five unforgettable lives--and on the level of the industry and the country as a whole. Like these five men, Hollywood too, and indeed all of America, came back from the war having grown up more than a little.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Five Flavors of Dumb
by Antony John<P>The Challenge: Piper has one month to get the rock band Dumb a paying gig. <P> The Deal: If she does it, Piper will become the band's manager and get her share of the profits. <P>The Catch: How can Piper possibly manage one egomaniacal pretty boy, one talentless piece of eye candy, one crush, one silent rocker, and one angry girl? And how can she do it when she's deaf? <P>Piper can't hear Dumb's music, but with growing self-confidence, a budding romance, and a new understanding of the decision her family made to buy a cochlear implant for her deaf baby sister, she discovers her own inner rock star and what it truly means to be a flavor of Dumb.<P><P> <b>Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award</b>
Five Hundred Summer Stories: A Lifetime of Adventures of a Surfer and Filmmaker
by Greg MacGillivrayThe filmmaker of the surfing documentary Five Summer Stories and pioneer of the IMAX format tells stories from his adventurous life and groundbreaking career in Hollywood and beyond. Greg MacGillivray is a man with stories. Stories of being a surfer kid in California, and making his first movie at the age of 13; of his early days as a filmmaker, creating iconic surfing documentaries such as the cult classic 5 Summer Stories, with his partner in crime, Jim Freeman; of his years in Hollywood, working in Hollywood with such legends such as Stanley Kubrick (on The Shining, no less); and of his work pioneering the 70mm IMAX film format, creating some of the most spectacular, groundbreaking cinematography celebrating the natural world. There are stories of almost dying in New Guinea, flying into eyes of hurricanes, the perils of shooting in the USSR, and how filming Mount Everest changed his life. Greg MacGillivray has led a life like no other, - and for the first time, he&’s telling his story. In this fascinating memoir, Greg chronicles his personal journey as an artist, a self-made filmmaker, a father, and an entrepreneur at the head of the most successful documentary production company in history. It is also a story about MacGillivray&’s deep commitment to family, to ocean conservation, and to raising awareness about the importance of protecting our natural heritage for generations to come. Contributions by legendary surfers Gerry Lopez and Bill Hamilton, and filmmakers such as Stephen Judson and Brad Ohlund, plus 40 QR codes to extraordinary film clips, add give even more depth and perspective to this amazing journey. Greg&’s compelling stories of adventure, surfing, love, loss, inspiration, conservation, and filmmaking give you a front seat to an extraordinary life - and, just like his IMAX movies, makes you feel as if you are there. EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS: Includes 40 QR codes linked to rare, incredible videos that bring Greg MacGillvray&’s stories to life. BEHIND-THE-SCENES SECRETS: Learn the history of the IMAX film format, and how filmmakers achieve an immersive and awe-inspiring visual experience. FROM SURFER TO MOVIE LEGEND: Follow the journey of a man who went from a teenage surfer to the most successful documentary filmmaker in history with hundreds of amazing escapades and achievements in between.
Five Minute Mum: Easy, fun five-minute games to support Reception and Key Stage 1 children through their first years at school (Five Minute Mum)
by Daisy UptonIdeal for early years to KS1 children who are starting or are already at Reception and KS1 primary school. Phonics! Number sentences! Reading schemes! School uniforms! Daisy Upton has two children, and used to be a teaching assistant, so is more than familiar with the reality of being a parent. This book is packed full of games and activities to help children feel confident and excited about learning. They -and you! - will get help with letters, numbers and everything in between.Daisy's games only take five minutes to set up and five minutes to tidy up you can support them at home without wanting to bang your head on the kitchen table. 'I love Five Minute Mum - she's come up with games that are fun and educational' The Unmumsy MumAlso available:Five Minute Mum: Give Me FiveFive Minute Mum: On the Go
Five Minute Mum: From long journeys to family gatherings, easy, fun five-minute games to entertain children whenever you're out and about (Five Minute Mum)
by Daisy UptonIf you've ever taken a child (or sat near one) on public transport - you know how important this book is. Five Minute Mum: On the Go is the ultimate companion to any journey, staycation or holiday: 80 games to keep little ones happily - and quietly! - occupied when you're out and about. Also featuring games suitable for big groups on holidays or at parties, this is endless fun for kids, and sanity saving for their grown ups!
Five Minutes in the Evening: A Journal for Rest and Reflection
by AsterThe evening is a naturally reflective time of the day, when thoughts can end up going round and round in your head, landing on worst-case scenarios and interpretations. Five Minutes in the Evening is a guided journal designed to help you integrate any emotions experienced or discoveries made during the day and reflect on how you are feeling through the practice of journaling. The mere act of putting your thoughts onto paper can slow them down enough to allow you to consider them calmly rather than feeling consumed or overwhelmed by them.The human brain has a tendency to lean toward negative thinking, and so a few minutes of evening journaling is a very helpful tool for developing more positive mental habits. Focusing on gratitude has been shown to increase a person's sense of wellbeing and optimism, and describing the sensations associated with an activity you enjoy, such as how you feel in nature or while chatting to a good friend, offers similar benefits to the activity itself - your body will begin to feel the calm, grounded sensations that you feel in nature, or the sense of connection that you have while talking with a friend. Journaling is an excellent practice for clearing the clutter of your day and your mind. Simply writing down all the to-do lists that are floating around in your head, making you worried, can feel like a great relief. Many of the prompts and practices in this journal are based on the theme of letting go, as so many of us have a natural tendency to hold on to thoughts and mental or emotional baggage that are no longer serving us. In today's busy world, it can also be helpful to dedicate a few minutes at the end of the day to doing less, to allow your energy to settle in preparation for restful sleep and to consider what really matters to you.
Five Minutes in the Evening: A Journal for Rest and Reflection
by AsterThe evening is a naturally reflective time of the day, when thoughts can end up going round and round in your head, landing on worst-case scenarios and interpretations. Five Minutes in the Eveningis a guided journal designed to help you integrate any emotions experienced or discoveries made during the day and reflect on how you are feeling through the practice of journaling. The mere act of putting your thoughts onto paper can slow them down enough to allow you to consider them calmly rather than feeling consumed or overwhelmed by them.The human brain has a tendency to lean toward negative thinking, and so a few minutes of evening journaling is a very helpful tool for developing more positive mental habits. Focusing on gratitude has been shown to increase a person's sense of wellbeing and optimism, and describing the sensations associated with an activity you enjoy, such as how you feel in nature or while chatting to a good friend, offers similar benefits to the activity itself - your body will begin to feel the calm, grounded sensations that you feel in nature, or the sense of connection that you have while talking with a friend. Journaling is an excellent practice for clearing the clutter of your day and your mind. Simply writing down all the to-do lists that are floating around in your head, making you worried, can feel like a great relief. Many of the prompts and practices in this journal are based on the theme of letting go, as so many of us have a natural tendency to hold on to thoughts and mental or emotional baggage that are no longer serving us. In today's busy world, it can also be helpful to dedicate a few minutes at the end of the day to doing less, to allow your energy to settle in preparation for restful sleep and to consider what really matters to you.
Five Minutes, Mr. Byner: A Lifetime of Laughter
by John BynerJohn Byner is a man of many voices and characters, from impersonating the slow, rolling gait and speech of John Wayne, to lending his voice to The Ant and the Aardvark cartoons. His dead-on impersonations, as well as his unique talents as a character actor, have put him on the small screen in peoples' homes, the big screen in theaters, and no screen on Broadway.Growing up in a big family on Long Island, John discovered his uncanny ability to mimic voices as a child when he returned home from a Bing Crosby movie and repeated Bing's performance for his family in their living room. He discovered his talent made him the focus of everyone's attention, and allowed him to make friends wherever he went, from elementary school to the U.S. Navy.John started his career in nightclubs in New York, but soon found himself getting national acclaim on The Ed Sullivan Show. With that he was on his way. This memoir is the best and funniest moments of his life, career, and relationships with some of the biggest names in entertainment, both on and off the screen.
Five Night Stand
by Richard J. AlleyLegendary jazz pianist Oliver Pleasant finds himself alone at the end of his career, playing his last five shows, hoping the music will draw his estranged family back…<P><P> Frank Severs, a middle-aged, out-of-work journalist, is at a crossroads as his longtime dreams and marriage grind to a standstill…<P> And piano prodigy Agnes Cassady is desperately grasping for fulfillment before a debilitating disease wrenches control from her trembling fingers…<P> When Frank and Agnes come to New York to witness Oliver’s final five-night stand, the timeless force of Oliver’s music pulls the trio together. Over the course of five nights, the three reflect on their triumphs and their sorrows: families forsaken, ideals left along the wayside, secrets kept. Their shared search for meaning and direction in a fractured world creates an unexpected kinship that just might help them make sense of the past, find peace in the present, and muster the courage to face the future.