Brian Heston's Books

Running the Race

The “Public Face” of Charlton Heston

By: Brian Steel Wills

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Running the Race

The “Public Face” of Charlton Heston

By: Brian Steel Wills

Thundering across the screen, Judah Ben-Hur’s iconic chariot race against his former friend turned bitter foe remains an indelible part of cinematic history and established Charlton Heston as an international superstar. In many ways the race was a metaphor for the actor’s dynamic life, symbolizing his struggle to establish himself in his profession. Brian Steel Wills’ captures for the first time a comprehensive view of the actor’s climb to fame, his search for the perfect performance, and the meaningful roles he played in support of the causes he embraced in Running the Race: The “Public Face” of Charlton Heston. The actor was born and raised in the Michigan woodlands and suburbs of Chicago, where he found his love of acting in the books he read and the movies he saw. “Chuck” Heston’s introduction to the craft that would become his life’s work began at New Trier High School and spilled over into Northwestern University. The Second World War interrupted his journey when he served his country, after which he and his wife Lydia headed to Asheville, North Carolina, where they both acted and directed in theater. The lights of New York City and Broadway beckoned, and live television offered an important platform, but Hollywood and feature films were his destiny. His roles were as varied as they were powerful, and included stints as Moses, Ben-Hur, El Cid, Michelangelo, Mike Vargas, and Charles “Chinese” Gordon under legendary directors like Cecil B. DeMille, William Wyler, Franklin Schaffner, and Orson Welles. He shifted to science fiction in Planet of the Apes and Soylent Green, a wide range of action and disaster films, and more nuanced roles such as Will Penny. Over his decades of performance Heston defined and redefined his “public face” in a constant quest for an audience for his work. He undertook wide-ranging public service roles for the government, the arts, and other causes. His leadership in the Screen Actors Guild and American Film Institute carried him from Hollywood to the halls of Congress. He became an outspoken advocate of the arts and other public and charitable causes, marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Washington, and supported Second Amendment rights with the National Rifle Association. He did so even when his positions often clashed with other actors on issues ranging from nuclear arms, national security, and gun rights. The proud independent shifted decidedly to the Republican Party and appeared at political rallies and conventions, but rebuffed calls to run for office in favor of assuming similar roles on the big screen. Award-winning historian Brian Steel Wills dug deep to paint a rich portrait of Heston’s extraordinary life—a mix of complications and complexities that touched film, television, theater, politics, and society. His carefully crafted “public face” was impactful in more ways than the ordinarily shy and private family man could have ever imagined.

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465

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Savas Beatie

Published Date

ISBN 10

1954547463

ISBN 13

9781954547469

In For The Kill

By: Brian Waddington

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In For The Kill

By: Brian Waddington

Lenn Luzkov has occupied the same mansion that his father lived in before he was killed by Nick Hartford. Can Lenn succeed in seeking revenge whilst at the same time as amassing a fortune.

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354

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Lulu.com

Published Date

ISBN 10

1326435175

ISBN 13

9781326435172

"You Talkin' to Me?"

The Definitive Guide to Iconic Movie Quotes

By: Brian Abrams

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"You Talkin' to Me?"

The Definitive Guide to Iconic Movie Quotes

By: Brian Abrams

This deep dive into hundreds of Hollywood’s most iconic and beloved lines is a must-have for every film buff. "You Talkin’ to Me?" is a fun, fascinating, and exhaustively reported look at all the iconic Hollywood movie quotes we know and love, from Casablanca to Dirty Harry and The Godfather to Mean Girls. Drawing on interviews, archival sleuthing, and behind-the-scenes details, the book examines the origins and deeper meanings of hundreds of film lines: how they’ve impacted, shaped, and reverberated through the culture, defined eras in Hollywood, and become cemented in the modern lexicon. Packed with film stills, sidebars, lists, and other fun detours throughout movie history, the book covers all genres and a diverse range of directors, writers, and audiences.

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597

Publisher

Workman Publishing Company

Published Date

ISBN 10

1523525894

ISBN 13

9781523525898

The Magnificent '60s

The 100 Most Popular Films of a Revolutionary Decade

By: Brian Hannan

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The Magnificent '60s

The 100 Most Popular Films of a Revolutionary Decade

By: Brian Hannan

Hollywood in the 1960s walked a tightrope between boom and bust. Yet the decade spawned many of the greatest films ever made, saw the advent of the spy thriller, the revival of science fiction and horror, and represented the Golden Era of the 70mm roadshow. Blockbusters like Lawrence of Arabia and The Sound of Music shared marquees with low-budget hits such as Lilies of the Field and Easy Rider. New stars emerged--Steve McQueen, Sidney Poitier, Barbra Streisand, Sean Connery, Faye Dunaway, Clint Eastwood and Dustin Hoffman. Veteran directors like Billy Wilder and William Wyler were joined by the post-war generation of Robert Aldrich and Stanley Kramer, and the new wave of Stanley Kubrick and John Schlesinger. This book explores a period when filmmakers embraced revolutionary attitudes to sexuality, violence and racism, and produced a bewildering list of critically acclaimed classics that remain audience favorites.

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284

Publisher

McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

147664506X

ISBN 13

9781476645063

Gone with the Glory

The Civil War in Cinema

By: Brian Steel Wills

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Gone with the Glory

The Civil War in Cinema

By: Brian Steel Wills

From Birth of a Nation to Cold Mountain, hundreds of directors, actors, and screenwriters have used the Civil War to create compelling cinema. However, each generation of moviemakers has resolved the tug of war between entertainment value and historical accuracy differently. Historian Brian Steel Wills takes readers on a journey through the portrayal of the war in film, exploring what Hollywood got right and wrong, how the films influenced each other, and, ultimately, how the movies reflect America's changing understandings of the conflict and of the nation.

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257

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Published Date

ISBN 10

1461739578

ISBN 13

9781461739579

The Gunslingers of '69

Western Movies' Greatest Year

By: Brian Hannan

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The Gunslingers of '69

Western Movies' Greatest Year

By: Brian Hannan

In 1969--the counter-cultural moment when Easy Rider triggered a "youthquake" in audience interests--Westerns proved more dominant than ever at the box office and at the Oscars. It was a year of masterpieces--The Wild Bunch, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Once Upon a Time in the West and True Grit. Robert Redford achieved star status. Old-timers like John Wayne, Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum appeared in two Westerns apiece. Raquel Welch took on the mantle of Queen of the West. Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin tried their hand at a musical (Paint Your Wagon). New directors like George Roy Hill reinvigorated the genre while veteran Sam Peckinpah at last found popular approval. Themes included women's rights, social anxieties about violence and changing attitudes of and towards African-Americans and Native Americans. All of the 40-plus Westerns released in the U.S. in 1969 are covered in depth, offering a new perspective on the genre.

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309

Publisher

McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476679355

ISBN 13

9781476679358

Dem Haoles

Imagining Whiteness, Hawaiian Style

By: Brian M. Gilpin

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Dem Haoles

Imagining Whiteness, Hawaiian Style

By: Brian M. Gilpin

Dem Haoles is an innovative and entertaining study of white privilege. Set against the backdrop of Hawaii, Dem Haoles explores how white people or haoles are portrayed and why. The exploration is guided by the concept of images or archetypes, employed to classify and dissect haole representation. Dem Haoles mines normally mundane entertainment vehicles like romantic comedies and action hero dramas and reveals that these artifacts of popular culture are more than mindless entertainment. They are in fact well camouflaged political messaging. The focus on popular culture examined through image analysis makes Dem Haoles entertaining and informative. The examination of popular media is detailed and thorough and will evoke deep nostalgic sentiments. While the insightful analysis of images, its mechanics, and intent will provoke critical thinking. Together this combination makes Dem Haoles a unique and rewarding experience that will both invalidate old perceptions about Hawaii and ruin the simple pleasure of mindless entertainment.

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253

Publisher

Xlibris Corporation

Published Date

ISBN 10

166417639X

ISBN 13

9781664176393

China's Space Program - From Conception to Manned Spaceflight

By: Brian Harvey

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China's Space Program - From Conception to Manned Spaceflight

By: Brian Harvey

This book is designed for publication straight after the launch of China's first manned spacecraft. The precursor mission, Shenzhou, flew unmanned in November 1999, in line with the predictions of The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities (1998) the first edition of this retitled book. China's Space Program: From Conception to Manned Spaceflight builds on the 1998 title to take account of the first manned flight in October 2003. It also brings the reader up to date with other developments in the Chinese space programme over from 1998 to the manned flight and looks forward to China's future plans and ambitions.

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380

Publisher

Springer Science & Business Media

Published Date

ISBN 10

1852335661

ISBN 13

9781852335663

Are We Living in a Disaster Movie?

How Genre Conventions Predict the Plot of the Covid-19 Pandemic

By: Brian A. Shaer

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Are We Living in a Disaster Movie?

How Genre Conventions Predict the Plot of the Covid-19 Pandemic

By: Brian A. Shaer

Some periods of history contain so many compounded disasters they seem to be inspired by disaster movies. In the early 2020s, the Covid-19 pandemic upended the world and thrust populations into a state of uncertainty and fear--as seen in movies like Outbreak, The Towering Inferno or Armageddon. Birthed from the author's original research on disaster movies, this book argues that the life cycle of Covid closely parallels various apocalyptic films, from the personas of the main players to the strike of the cataclysm itself. To view the Covid pandemic through the language of disaster movies, the book identifies those that mirror (predict!) each stage of the Covid pandemic, analyzing the similarities between the films and real-life events. A filmography of the featured disaster movies concludes the book.

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240

Publisher

McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476647550

ISBN 13

9781476647555

Hellhole: Awakening

By: Brian Herbert,Kevin J. Anderson

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Hellhole: Awakening

By: Brian Herbert,Kevin J. Anderson

In this exhiliarting sequel to Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's Hellhole, the stakes on planet Hallholme have been raised to new heights. After declaring his independence from the corrupt Constellation, rebel General Adolphus knows the crackdown is coming. Now he needs to pull together the struggling Hellhole colony, the ever-expanding shadow-Xayan settlement, and his connections with the other Deep Zone worlds. Even then, he doubts his desperate measures will be enough. Diadem Michella Duchenet has collected a huge space fleet led by Commodore Escobar Hallholme, son of the hero who originally defeated Adolphus. They expect resistance from the General's rebels, but who could possibly stand up to such a mighty fleet? Adolphus knows he's running out of time, but he still has some hope—the shadow-Xayans have banded together to defend their sacred planet with "telemancy," but can they discover new powers to protect all the stored alien lives on the already devastated world? And when all hope seems lost, the awakened Xayans reveal information hidden even from their own followers—the existence of a bigger threat that makes even the Constellation fleet seem insignificant. Disaster has come for General Adolphus and Hellhole...and this time there is no escape. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

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534

Publisher

Macmillan

Published Date

ISBN 10

1429949597

ISBN 13

9781429949590

China in Space

The Great Leap Forward

By: Brian Harvey

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China in Space

The Great Leap Forward

By: Brian Harvey

In 2019, China astonished the world by landing a spacecraft and rover on the far side of the Moon, something never achieved by any country before. China had already become the world’s leading spacefaring nation by rockets launched, sending more into orbit than any other. China is now a great space superpower alongside the United States and Russia, sending men and women into orbit, building a space laboratory (Tiangong) and sending probes to the Moon and asteroids. Roadmap 2050 promises that China will set up bases on the Moon and Mars and lead the world in science and technology by mid-century. China’s space programme is one of the least well-known, but this book will bring the reader up to date with its mysteries, achievements and exciting plans. China has built a fleet of new, powerful Long March rockets, four launch bases, tracking stations at home and abroad, with gleaming new design and production facilities. China is poised to build a large, permanent space station, bring back lunar rocks, assemble constellations of communications satellites and send spaceships to Mars, the moons of Jupiter and beyond. A self-sustaining lunar base, Yuegong, has already been simulated. In space, China is the country to watch.

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564

Publisher

Springer Nature

Published Date

ISBN 10

3030195880

ISBN 13

9783030195885

Way of the Actor

A Path to Knowledge and Power

By: Brian Bates

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Way of the Actor

A Path to Knowledge and Power

By: Brian Bates

Interviews with world-famous actors introduce the work of the actor as an exhilarating journey of self-discovery.

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228

Publisher

Shambhala Publications

Published Date

ISBN 10

0877734410

ISBN 13

9780877734413

Conversations on Growth, Stability and Trade

An Historical Perspective

By: Brian Snowdon

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Conversations on Growth, Stability and Trade

An Historical Perspective

By: Brian Snowdon

This is a splendid book. It sits at the interface of economics and economic history, and provides both a textbook-style introduction to the key themes of macroeconomics and personal insights into the central debates gleaned from interviews with leading economists. David Greasley, Australian Economic History Review It should be in every library. A hundred years from now, it will be an important guide to what leading economists thought they knew, and what they knew they didn't know as of A.D. 2002. Christopher Hanes, EH.Net Conversations on Growth, Stability and Trade is a wonderful survey of the development of macroeconomic thinking over the past decades. Brian Snowdon has a knack for combining insightful essays on a subject with interviews of interesting, relevant, and diverse economists. The interviews give one an excellent sense of how economists approach policy issues. David Colander, Middlebury College, US Conversations on Growth, Stability and Trade has all the lucidity of A Modern Guide to Macroeconomics by Snowdon, Vane and Wynarczyk, combined with the fascination of Conversations with Leading Economists by Snowdon and Vane. Students will love it and their teachers will devour it the night before the big lecture. If only I had learned macroeconomics this way. Mark Blaug, University of London and University of Buckingham, UK These well informed and highly readable interviews provide a great introduction to some of the big issues in modern economics. Roger E. Backhouse, University of Birmingham, UK This unique volume provides a comprehensive survey of the major economic issues that have helped shape the modern world. It includes discussions of the latest research findings in macroeconomics and scrutinises some of the most important debates in economic history. The author examines the many controversies relating to the role of government in a modern economy, long-run growth and development, the spread of the Industrial Revolution, the causes and consequences of the Great Depression , the Great Peacetime Inflation , the conduct of stabilisation policy, international economic integration and globalisation. To shed light on these major issues the volume contains interviews with ten leading economists who have each contributed extensively to the literature on macroeconomics, economic growth and development, international economics and economic history. A major theme which runs throughout the book is the conviction that economists can gain valuable insights concerning important contemporary policy issues from a knowledge of history, especially economic history. The distinguished economists featured in this book are: Ben Bernanke, Jagdish Bhagwati, Alan Blinder, Nick Crafts, Bradford DeLong, Barry Eichengreen, Kevin Hoover, Charles Jones, Christina Romer and Joseph Stiglitz. Containing an extensive and up-to-date list of references, the book provides a comprehensive guide to the modern literature on macroeconomics and related fields. It will be an essential reference for all scholars and students of economics, especially those with an interest in economic growth, business cycles, inflation, unemployment, trade and globalisation. It will also be of considerable value to students of economic history and the history of economic thought.

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501

Publisher

Edward Elgar Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1843767422

ISBN 13

9781843767428

Infidel Kings and Unholy Warriors

Faith, Power, and Violence in the Age of Crusade and Jihad

By: Brian A. Catlos

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Infidel Kings and Unholy Warriors

Faith, Power, and Violence in the Age of Crusade and Jihad

By: Brian A. Catlos

An in-depth portrait of the Crusades-era Mediterranean world, and a new understanding of the forces that shaped it In Infidel Kings and Unholy Warriors, the award-winning scholar Brian Catlos puts us on the ground in the Mediterranean world of 1050–1200. We experience the sights and sounds of the region just as enlightened Islamic empires and primitive Christendom began to contest it. We learn about the siege tactics, theological disputes, and poetry of this enthralling time. And we see that people of different faiths coexisted far more frequently than we are commonly told. Catlos's meticulous reconstruction of the era allows him to stunningly overturn our most basic assumption about it: that it was defined by religious extremism. He brings to light many figures who were accepted as rulers by their ostensible foes. Samuel B. Naghrilla, a self-proclaimed Jewish messiah, became the force behind Muslim Granada. Bahram Pahlavuni, an Armenian Christian, wielded power in an Islamic caliphate. And Philip of Mahdia, a Muslim eunuch, rose to admiral in the service of Roger II, the Christian "King of Africa." What their lives reveal is that, then as now, politics were driven by a mix of self-interest, personality, and ideology. Catlos draws a similar lesson from his stirring chapters on the early Crusades, arguing that the notions of crusade and jihad were not causes of war but justifications. He imparts a crucial insight: the violence of the past cannot be blamed primarily on religion.

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Page Count

471

Publisher

Macmillan + ORM

Published Date

ISBN 10

0374712050

ISBN 13

9780374712051

The Politics of Cultural Differences

Social Change and Voter Mobilization Strategies in the Post-New Deal Period

By: David C. Leege,Kenneth D. Wald,Brian S. Krueger,Paul D. Mueller

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The Politics of Cultural Differences

Social Change and Voter Mobilization Strategies in the Post-New Deal Period

By: David C. Leege,Kenneth D. Wald,Brian S. Krueger,Paul D. Mueller

How did Republicans manage to hold the White House through much of the past half century even as the Democratic Party held the hearts of most American voters? The authors of this groundbreaking study argue that they did so by doing what Democrats have also excelled at: triggering psychological mechanisms that deepen cultural divisions in the other party's coalition, thereby leading many of its voters either to choose the opposing ticket or to stay home. The Politics of Cultural Differences is the first book to develop and carefully test a general theory of cultural politics in the United States, one that offers a compelling new perspective on America's changing political order and political conflict in the post-New Deal period (1960-1996). David Leege, Kenneth Wald, Brian Krueger, and Paul Mueller move beyond existing scholarship by formulating a theory of campaign strategies that emphasizes cultural conflict regarding patriotism, race, gender, and religion. Drawing on National Election Studies data, they find that Republican politicians deployed powerful symbols (e.g., "tax and spend liberals") to channel targeted voters toward the minority party. And as partisanship approached parity in the 1990s, Democratic leaders proved as adept at deploying their own symbols, such as "a woman's right to choose," to disassemble the Republican coalition. A blend of sophisticated theory and advanced empirical tools, this book lays bare the cultural dimensions of American political life.

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304

Publisher

Princeton University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1400825407

ISBN 13

9781400825400

Hellhole Awakening

By: Kevin J. Anderson,Brian Herbert

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Hellhole Awakening

By: Kevin J. Anderson,Brian Herbert

The second in a newepic science fiction series from the internationally bestselling co-authors of the DUNE prequels General Adolphus knows the Monarchy crackdown is coming. Now he needs to pull together all the resources of the Hellhole colony, the ever-expanding shadow-Xayan settlement, and his connections with the other Deep Zone worlds. On Sonjeera, Diadem Michella Duchenet has collected a huge fleet, led by firebrand Commissar Escobar Hallholme, son of the man who originally defeated Adolphus. Uniting themselves and pooling their minds, the shadow-Xayans send a power surge along the original stringline path that links Hellhole with the Monarchy's hub on Sonjeera. All of the Diadem's battleships are currently approaching on that route, and when the mental blast wipes out all the substations, the battleships are effectively stranded. But now a bigger threat appears. Three large asteroids come in from the outer reaches of the Candela system. On Hellhole, the awakened Xayans finally reveal information that has been hidden even from their own followers. A large group of powerful, rogue telemancers split away from the main race-fanatics, violent, and ruthless. And now that the Xayan civilization is reawakening, the rogues have come back to destroy them once and for all. They are coming for Hellhole, and this time they will completely destroy it. Kevin J. Anderson has over 20 million books in print in 30 languages worldwide. As well as his STAR WARS, DUNE and X-FILES novels, he has written an ambitious space-opera series, THE SAGA OF SEVEN SUNS. He holds the Guinness world record for the largest single-author book signing. Kevin Anderson lives in Colorado. The son of DUNE author Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert is a bestselling science fiction author in his own right.

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Page Count

568

Publisher

Simon and Schuster

Published Date

ISBN 10

085720064X

ISBN 13

9780857200648

First of the Few: 5 June - July 1940

By: Brian Cull

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First of the Few: 5 June - July 1940

By: Brian Cull

First of the Few covers air operations during the month or so before the 'official' start of the Battle of Britain, 5 June to 9 July 1940, a period normally overlooked. The Battle of France commenced 5 June and the handful of RAF Hurricane and Battle squadrons that remained in France were heavily engaged as were Spitfire, Hurricane and Blenheims flying in support from the UK. Meanwhile, the Luftwaffe commenced intermittent nocturnal raids over eastern and north-eastern counties of England, resulting in the first night actions by RAF Blenheim night fighters. In the other direction, RAF night bombers were making forays over Germany and the occupied Low Countries. During the first week of July, Luftwaffe reconnaissance aircraft were overflying the south-east coastal areas and harrying shipping in the Channel. All of these actions are highlighted in First of the Few, many of the RAF aircrews experiencing combat for the first time survived as the 'first of the few' to participate in the forthcoming defence of Britain. The scene was thus set for one of the greatest battles in history - one that was to save the world from Nazi domination - the Battle of Britain.

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280

Publisher

Fonthill Media

Published Date

ISBN 10

1781553823

ISBN 13

9781781553824

Ireland's Most Wanted™

The Top 10 Book of Celtic Pride, Fantastic Folklore, and Oddities of the Emerald Isle

By: Brian Thomsen

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Ireland's Most Wanted™

The Top 10 Book of Celtic Pride, Fantastic Folklore, and Oddities of the Emerald Isle

By: Brian Thomsen

Irish is more than a nationality—it’s a state of being. What other cultural background allows you to demand a kiss, celebrate the wearing of a color, toast the wee folk, and take pride in one’s readiness to fight? What other land is celebrated by parades and parties and allows even the non-blessed to declare themselves countrymen for one day? From sports to poetry, and from rock ‘n’ roll to Wilde and Shaw, Ireland’s Most Wanted™: The Top 10 Book of Celtic Pride, Fantastic Folklore, and Oddities of the Emerald Isle gives you loads of delightful tidbits and trivia from the homeland of saints, sinners, and the greatest beverage ever brewed, Guinness. Brian M. Thomsen provides an irreverent but fact-filled look at Ireland and the Irish, leaving no stone—Blarney or otherwise—unturned in bringing her gifts to you. With a bushel full of top-ten lists on all things Irish, Thomsen takes you on a journey through the greenest of lands and provides tales and anecdotes on everything from Irish pubs, Irish castles, leprechauns and banshees, heroes and kings, and the influence of the Irish on culture. Whatever their nationality, everyone has a wee bit of the Irish in them. Ireland’s Most Wanted™ is a true pot of gold!

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241

Publisher

Potomac Books, Inc.

Published Date

ISBN 10

1597974420

ISBN 13

9781597974424

Mindless Eating

Why We Eat More Than We Think

By: Brian Wansink

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Mindless Eating

Why We Eat More Than We Think

By: Brian Wansink

A food psychologist identifies hidden factors, motivations, and cues that cause overeating and offers practical solutions to help avoid these hidden traps and enjoy food without putting on excess pounds.

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304

Publisher

Bantam

Published Date

ISBN 10

0345526880

ISBN 13

9780345526885

Can I Go Now?

The Life of Sue Mengers, Hollywood's First Superagent

By: Brian Kellow

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Can I Go Now?

The Life of Sue Mengers, Hollywood's First Superagent

By: Brian Kellow

“To call Sue Mengers a ‘character’ is an understatement, unless the word is written in all-caps, followed by an exclamation point and modified by an expletive. And based on Brian Kellow’s assessment in his thoroughly researched Can I Go Now? even that description may be playing down her personality a bit.” —Jen Chaney, The Washington Post • A NY Times Culture Bestseller • An Entertainment Weekly Best Pop Culture Book of 2015 • A Booklist Top Ten Arts Book of 2015 • A lively and colorful biography of Hollywood’s first superagent—one of the most outrageous showbiz characters of the 1960s and 1970s whose clients included Barbra Streisand, Ryan O’Neal, Faye Dunaway, Michael Caine, and Candice Bergen Before Sue Mengers hit the scene in the mid-1960s, talent agents remained quietly in the background. But staying in the background was not possible for Mengers. Irrepressible and loaded with chutzpah, she became a driving force of Creative Management Associates (which later became ICM) handling the era’s preeminent stars. A true original with a gift for making the biggest stars in Hollywood listen to hard truths about their careers and personal lives, Mengers became a force to be reckoned with. Her salesmanship never stopped. In 1979, she was on a plane that was commandeered by a hijacker, who wanted Charlton Heston to deliver a message on television. Mengers was incensed, wondering why the hijacker wanted Heston, when she could get him Barbra Streisand. Acclaimed biographer Brian Kellow spins an irresistible tale, exhaustively researched and filled with anecdotes about and interviews more than two hundred show-business luminaries. A riveting biography of a powerful woman that charts show business as it evolved from New York City in the 1950s through Hollywood in the early 1980s, Can I Go Now? will mesmerize anyone who loves cinema’s most fruitful period.

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Page Count

275

Publisher

Penguin

Published Date

ISBN 10

1101620528

ISBN 13

9781101620526

Best. Movie. Year. Ever.

How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen

By: Brian Raftery

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Best. Movie. Year. Ever.

How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen

By: Brian Raftery

From a veteran culture writer and modern movie expert, a celebration and analysis of the movies of 1999—“a terrifically fun snapshot of American film culture on the brink of the Millennium….An absolute must for any movie-lover or pop-culture nut” (Gillian Flynn). In 1999, Hollywood as we know it exploded: Fight Club. The Matrix. Office Space. Election. The Blair Witch Project. The Sixth Sense. Being John Malkovich. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. American Beauty. The Virgin Suicides. Boys Don’t Cry. The Best Man. Three Kings. Magnolia. Those are just some of the landmark titles released in a dizzying movie year, one in which a group of daring filmmakers and performers pushed cinema to new limits—and took audiences along for the ride. Freed from the restraints of budget, technology, or even taste, they produced a slew of classics that took on every topic imaginable, from sex to violence to the end of the world. The result was a highly unruly, deeply influential set of films that would not only change filmmaking, but also give us our first glimpse of the coming twenty-first century. It was a watershed moment that also produced The Sopranos; Apple’s AirPort; Wi-Fi; and Netflix’s unlimited DVD rentals. “A spirited celebration of the year’s movies” (Kirkus Reviews), Best. Movie. Year. Ever. is the story of not just how these movies were made, but how they re-made our own vision of the world. It features more than 130 new and exclusive interviews with such directors and actors as Reese Witherspoon, Edward Norton, Steven Soderbergh, Sofia Coppola, David Fincher, Nia Long, Matthew Broderick, Taye Diggs, M. Night Shyamalan, David O. Russell, James Van Der Beek, Kirsten Dunst, the Blair Witch kids, the Office Space dudes, the guy who played Jar-Jar Binks, and dozens more. It’s “the complete portrait of what it was like to spend a year inside a movie theater at the best possible moment in time” (Chuck Klosterman).

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416

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Simon & Schuster

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ISBN 10

1501175394

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9781501175398

Stalin's Scribe

Literature, Ambition, and Survival: The Life of Mikhail Sholokhov

By: Brian Boeck

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Stalin's Scribe

Literature, Ambition, and Survival: The Life of Mikhail Sholokhov

By: Brian Boeck

A masterful and definitive biography of one of the most misunderstood and controversial writers in Russian literature. Mikhail Sholokhov is arguably one of the most contentious recipients of the Nobel Prize in literature in history. As a young man, Sholokhov’s epic novel, Quiet Don, became an unprecedented overnight success. Stalin’s Scribe is the first biography of a man who was once one of the Soviet Union’s most prominent political figures. Thanks to the opening of Russia’s archives, Brian Boeck discovers that Sholokhov’s official Soviet biography is actually a tangled web of legends, half-truths, and contradictions. Boeck examines the complex connection between an author and a dictator, revealing how a Stalinist courtier became an ideological acrobat and consummate politician in order to stay in favor and remain relevant after the dictator’s death. Stalin's Scribe is remarkable biography that both reinforces and clashes with our understanding of the Soviet system. It reveals a Sholokhov who is bold, uncompromising, and sympathetic—and reconciles him with the vindictive and mean-spirited man described in so many accounts of late Soviet history. Shockingly, at the height of the terror, which claimed over a million lives, Sholokhov became a member of the most minuscule subset of the Soviet Union’s population—the handful of individuals whom Stalin personally intervened to save.

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349

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Simon and Schuster

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1681779390

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9781681779393

Transforming Teaching and Learning with Active and Dramatic Approaches

Engaging Students Across the Curriculum

By: Brian Edmiston

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Transforming Teaching and Learning with Active and Dramatic Approaches

Engaging Students Across the Curriculum

By: Brian Edmiston

A CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2014! How can teachers transform classroom teaching and learning by making pedagogy more socially and culturally responsive, more relevant to students’ lives, and more collaborative? How can they engage disaffected students in learning and at the same time promote deep understanding though high-quality teaching that goes beyond test preparation? This text for prospective and practicing teachers introduces engaging, innovative pedagogy for putting active and dramatic approaches to learning and teaching into action. Written in an accessible, conversational, and refreshingly honest style by a teacher and professor with over 30 years' experience, it features real examples of preschool, elementary, middle, and high school teachers working in actual classrooms in diverse settings. Their tales explore not only how, but also why, they have changed the way they teach. Photographs and stories of their classroom practice, along with summarizing charts of principles and strategies, both illuminate the critical, cross-curricular, and inquiry-based conceptual framework Edmiston develops and provide rich examples and straightforward guidelines that can support readers as they experiment with using active and dramatic approaches to dialogue, inquiry, building community, planning for exploration, and authentic assessment in their own classrooms.

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416

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Routledge

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1136299394

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9781136299391

The National Rifle Association and the Media

The Motivating Force of Negative Coverage

By: Brian Anse Patrick

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The National Rifle Association and the Media

The Motivating Force of Negative Coverage

By: Brian Anse Patrick

Were it not for the negative coverage that it receives from elite American news organizations, the National Rifle Association and American gun culture as a whole would not be in the position of strength they enjoy today. The more negative coverage the elite media have dished out, the more people have been attracted to NRA and gun culture. Brian Anse Patrick presents the evidence for this startling case. As an analysis of the data unmistakably shows, not only are the elite media systematically biased against NRA, they have indeed inadvertently helped to mobilize American gun culture, making it one of the most successful social movements of modern times. In the new edition of this groundbreaking study, with a new Foreword by the author, Prof. Patrick makes his case. The evidence is incontrovertible and based on scientific content analysis of ten years of actual NRA coverage in many elite news publications, compared and contrasted with similar coverage of other major American social movements. Additionally, Prof. Patrick presents an innovative model for how information is disseminated from top-to-bottom in the mainstream media which he terms "administrative democracy," and suggests how groups like the NRA flourish in part because of the increasing availability of non-centralized social media which allow dissenters from the prevailing media paradigm to construct their own narratives with which to understand society and their place within it. Written in a lucid and penetrating style, this book should be of interest to readers on either side of the gun rights debate, as well as to those wishing to study the workings of a successful citizens' advocacy network.

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242

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Arktos

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190716698X

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9781907166983

Joseph Banks

A Life

By: Patrick O'Brian

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Joseph Banks

A Life

By: Patrick O'Brian

One of our greatest writers about the sea has written an engrossing story of one of history's most legendary maritime explorers. Patrick O'Brian's biography of naturalist, explorer and co-founder of Australia, Joseph Banks, is narrative history at its finest. Published to rave reviews, it reveals Banks to be a man of enduring importance, and establishes itself as a classic of exploration. "It is in his description of that arduous three-year voyage [on the ship Endeavor] that Mr. O'Brian is at his most brilliant. . . . He makes us understand what life within this wooden world was like, with its 94 male souls, two dogs, a cat and a goat."—Linda Colley, New York Times "An absorbing, finely written overview, meant for the general reader, of a major figure in the history of natural science."—Frank Stewart, Los Angeles Times "[This book is] the definitive biography of an extraordinary subject."—Robert Taylor, Boston Globe "His skill at narrative and his extensive knowledge of the maritime history . . . give him a definite leg up in telling this . . . story."—Tom Clark, San Francisco Chronicle

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340

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University of Chicago Press

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ISBN 10

0226616282

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9780226616285

Menacing Face Worth Millions: A Life of Charles Bronson

By: Brian D'Ambrosio

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Menacing Face Worth Millions: A Life of Charles Bronson

By: Brian D'Ambrosio

Menacing Face Worth Millions: A Life of Charles Bronson is the first definitive biography of legendary screen actor Charles Bronson. Charles Bronson was the silver screen legend who forever changed America's - and the world's - idea of the leading man's looks: a poverty-stricken young man who became one of the most popular, highly-paid film stars of his day. No movie that Charles Bronson ever made can equal the reclusive life he led and the contradictions of his own hidden self. In this definitive retelling of Bronson's life - the first fully documented biography of the star - Brian D'Ambrosio looks at the vigilante tough guy's life and legacy and explores the events and issues that made him emblematic of his time.

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281

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Lulu.com

Published Date

ISBN 10

1105226298

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9781105226298

In Theaters Everywhere

A History of the Hollywood Wide Release, 1913-2017

By: Brian Hannan

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In Theaters Everywhere

A History of the Hollywood Wide Release, 1913-2017

By: Brian Hannan

Conflicts among Hollywood studios and exhibitors have been going on for years. At their heart are questions about how films should be released--where, when and at what speed. Both sides of this disagreement are losers, with exhibitors using the law via various Consent Decrees and studios retaliating by tightly controlling output. In the Silent Era, movies were not released nearly as widely as they are now. This book tells the story of how the few became the many. It explores the contraction of the release cycle, the maximization of the marketing dollar, and the democratization of consumer access. It also offers a comprehensive list of wide releases and rebuts much of what previous scholars have found.

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320

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McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476633916

ISBN 13

9781476633916

The Making of The Magnificent Seven

Behind the Scenes of the Pivotal Western

By: Brian Hannan

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The Making of The Magnificent Seven

Behind the Scenes of the Pivotal Western

By: Brian Hannan

The story behind The Magnificent Seven could have been a movie in itself. It had everything--actors' strike, writers' strike, Mexican government interference and a row between the screenwriters that left one removing his name from the credits, all under the lingering gloom of post-McCarthy era Hollywood. A flop on release, it later became a box office hit. This book tells the behind-the-scenes story: how Yul Brynner became the biggest independent producer in Hollywood; why John Sturges was not the first choice after Brynner surrendered the director's chair; why Sturges quit; the truth about the Mirisch Company (producers); the details of the film's botched release and unlikely redemption; the creation of Elmer Bernstein's classic score; and how internecine fighting prevented the making of the television series in 1963. Myths about Steve McQueen, his feud with Brynner and the scene-stealing antics of the cast are debunked. A close examination of the various screenplay drafts and the writers' source material--Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai--shows who wrote what. Extensive analysis of Sturges' directorial work is provided.

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289

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McFarland

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ISBN 10

0786496959

ISBN 13

9780786496952

The Man In The Seventh Row

The Movie Lover's Novel

By: Brian Pendreigh

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The Man In The Seventh Row

The Movie Lover's Novel

By: Brian Pendreigh

The Man in the Seventh Row tells the deeply affecting story of Roy Batty, a film fan who loves the cinema just a little too much. No matter the movie - The Graduate, Brief Encounter, The Magnificent Seven - Roy finds himself sucked from his seventh-row seat into the heart of the action on the big screen. His life has spiralled into The Purple Rose of Cairo in reverse. A fantasy come true -- or a living nightmare? "A strange and beguiling novel about films and those who love and live them" - Ian Rankin What they're saying... "A most unusual novel, proving emphatically that life is possible both inside and outside the cinema! It's a very nice lend of the real, the fictional and the dream world and I really don't think I've read anything quite like it before." - Barry Norman "...hugely enjoyable. Pacy, sharp and witty - in the proper sense - it is a novel that baby boomers and film buffs will strongly relate to, and all enthusiasts of unusual - of original - fiction will take great pleasure in." - Andrew Marr "Pendreigh's infectious love of cinema and brilliant wordcraft combine to make for a singularly enthralling tale of one man's journey through the hardships of life." - Literally Jen "... a wholly likeable read ... Pendreigh's novel is a pleasing dissection of man's all-too-modern need for escape in darkened auditoriums that posits him somewhere between David Thomson's Suspects and Guy Bellamy's The Secret Lemonade Drinker." - Paul Dale, The List "I loved it... a terrific read, definitely one for fans of film." - Janice Forsyth, Movie Cafe, Radio Scotland From the author... "The book is sub-titled The Movie Lover's Novel with good reason, as it certainly celebrates a love of the movies. You'll doubtless be familiar with many of the classic movies featured but it might also introduce you to one or two less familiar films. "Ultimately, The Man in the Seventh Row it is about childhood and adulthood, about obsession and love, and about loss and the possibility of redemption. "Set in Scotland and California, the book addresses questions we all have: where did we come from, where are we going, how long do we have?

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134

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Blasted Heath Ltd

Published Date

ISBN 10

1908688106

ISBN 13

9781908688101

HMS Surprise (Aubrey-Maturin, Book 3)

By: Patrick O’Brian

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HMS Surprise (Aubrey-Maturin, Book 3)

By: Patrick O’Brian

How far will a man go in the name of revenge, honour, love or simple survival?

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388

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HarperCollins UK

Published Date

ISBN 10

0007429304

ISBN 13

9780007429301

Where's Wallis?

Travels without a guidebook

By: Brian Thacker

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Where's Wallis?

Travels without a guidebook

By: Brian Thacker

In the spirit of Stanley and Livingstone, Brian Thacker is striking out for destinations unknown. Under-equipped and totally unprepared, Brian leaves the guide books behind and gets off the beaten track, out of his comfort zone and into trouble in some of the oddest countries you've never heard of. Paul Theroux, Bill Bryson, Michael Palin all have ventured forth to provide vivid and compelling accounts of exotic peoples and strange lands. But none has ever been daring (or perhaps stupid) enough to arrive in a country not knowing a single thing about the place. Until now. In the spirit of Stanley and Livingstone, Brian Thacker set out for far-flung lands armed with nothing more than an air ticket and an armful of immunisation shots. He didn't know the local language, the currency or even the climate of the various places he was heading for; not to mention their political, religious or cultural situations. He didn't take a guidebook; he didn't even do a quick web search. And so it was that Brian found himself on an incredible journey that would see him set up home inside Gabon airport; dodge civil unrest in Togo; receive a history lesson from a Ghanaian prostitute; anger the Vodou gods of Cotonou; gatecrash the King of Futuna's party; become lost in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan; and narrowly avoid being shot in the backstreets of Bishkek. Brian Thacker has so far managed to get himself lost in 72 countries. He doesn't have his own pith helmet, but he does own a lovely beige safari suit. When he's not lost in the African jungle Brian lives in Melbourne with his wife Natalie and daughter Jasmine.

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313

Publisher

Allen & Unwin

Published Date

ISBN 10

1741159318

ISBN 13

9781741159318

Dealing With Dementia

A guide to Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias

By: Brian Draper

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Dealing With Dementia

A guide to Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias

By: Brian Draper

This work examines dementia with a special focus on Alzheimer's disease. A down-to-earth, comprehensive, and compassionate resource, this guide provides guidance for anyone struggling to come to terms with a diagnosis of dementia for themselves or a loved one. Filled with practical advice on drug treatments, complementary therapies, and residential or respite care, this guide is an invaluable tool for anyone worried about the effects of aging on the mind.

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273

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Allen & Unwin

Published Date

ISBN 10

1741152755

ISBN 13

9781741152753

Book's by Brian Heston

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