On August 5, 1958, Jack Warner spent six hours playing baccarat, taking $4,000 from the tables at Cannes before stepping out into the night. He drove home along a winding road in a sporty little Alfa-Romeo, and was negotiating a tricky turn when a truck leapt in front of him. The Alfa was destroyed, but Warner was saved—thrown out the door to land forty feet from the burning car. Around the world, the newspapers told of the death of the king of Hollywood. But Warner wasn’t finished yet. One of the true legends of the movie business, Warner had wielded absolute power over his studio since the silent era. He produced Casablanca and The Jazz Singer; he feuded with Errol Flynn, and gave the green light to What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? starring Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. As the studio system crumbled, Warner’s control remained unquestioned, and in this engaging autobiography, he shows the man behind the crown. Jack L. Warner is portrayed by Stanley Tucci in the Ryan Murphy TV series Feud.
Amongst British diplomats, there's a poignant joke that 'Iran is the only country in the world which still regards the United Kingdom as a superpower'. For many Iranians, it's not a joke at all. The past two centuries are littered with examples of Britain reshaping Iran to suit its own ends, from dominating its oil, tobacco and banking industries to removing its democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, in a 1953 US–UK coup. All this, and the bloody experience of the Iran–Iraq War of 1980–88, when the country stood alone against an act of unprovoked aggression by Saddam Hussein, has left many Iranians with an unwavering mistrust of the West generally and the UK in particular. Today, ordinary Iranians live with an economy undermined by sanctions and corruption, the media strictly controlled, and a hardline regime seeking to maintain its power by demonising outsiders. With tensions rising sharply between Tehran and the West, former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw unveils a richly detailed account of Britain's turbulent relationship with Iran, illuminating the culture, psychology and history of a much-misunderstood nation. Informed by Straw's wealth of experience negotiating Iran's labyrinthine internal politics, The English Job is a powerful, clear-sighted and compelling portrait of an extraordinary country.
From ancient Egypt to the modern-day circus, the role of the clown can be traced throughout history. But how much do you really know about the profession that takes comedy very seriously? This fascinating book takes the reader on a journey through the ages, explaining how clowns such as the whiteface and auguste came to be. You'll read about history's best-loved performers such as Joseph Grimaldi, the father of modern clowning, and learn about the origin of terms used today such as the ‘clown alley’. If you want to know why blue make-up is supposed to bring bad luck, and who the literary world’s first ever killer clown was, then this is the book for you.
From ancient Egypt to the modern-day circus, the role of the clown can be traced throughout history. But how much do you really know about the profession that takes comedy very seriously? This fascinating book takes the reader on a journey through the ages, explaining how clowns such as the whiteface and auguste came to be. You'll read about history's best-loved performers such as Joseph Grimaldi, the father of modern clowning, and learn about the origin of terms used today such as the ‘clown alley’. If you want to know why blue make-up is supposed to bring bad luck, and who the literary world’s first ever killer clown was, then this is the book for you.
The Enchanted Screen: The Unknown History of Fairy-Tale Films offers readers a long overdue, comprehensive look at the rich history of fairy tales and their influence on film, complete with the inclusion of an extensive filmography compiled by the author. With this book, Jack Zipes not only looks at the extensive, illustrious life of fairy tales and cinema, but he also reminds us that, decades before Walt Disney made his mark on the genre, fairy tales were central to the birth of cinema as a medium, as they offered cheap, copyright-free material that could easily engage audiences not only though their familiarity but also through their dazzling special effects. Since the story of fairy tales on film stretches far beyond Disney, this book, therefore, discusses a broad range of films silent, English and non-English, animation, live-action, puppetry, woodcut, montage (Jim Henson), cartoon, and digital. Zipes, thus, gives his readers an in depth look into the special relationship between fairy tales and cinema, and guides us through this vast array of films by tracing the adaptations of major fairy tales like "Little Red Riding Hood," "Cinderella," "Snow White," "Peter Pan," and many more, from their earliest cinematic appearances to today. Full of insight into some of our most beloved films and stories, and boldly illustrated with numerous film stills, The Enchanted Screen, is essential reading for film buffs and fans of the fairy tale alike.
Surviving the sinking of his ship, the U.S.S. Houston, on March 1, 1942, and making a 10-½ hour swim to the beach on Java, is only one of Jack’s exciting adventures. As a small boy on cattle ranches in Southern California, he attended one-room schools. After graduating from Santa Barbara High School, he joined the U.S. Navy. He thoroughly enjoyed the travels until his ship was sunk and he became a Prisoner of War of the barbaric and cruel Japanese. With only the strong will to life, a good sense of humor, and the Grace of God did he survive 3 ½ years of Hell Holes. After the end of World War II, he remained in the U.S. Navy, and with diligent study he advanced up through the ranks to become a Commander! He was assigned as Chief Engineer on his last two ships that were Aircraft Carriers. Before and after the war, he had many compelling romances, lots of rollicking fun, and real exciting adventures enough to last two life times.
This riveting family saga about the son of a Polish-Jewish immigant to Canada is told in 17 short stories that blend tragedy and humor. The overarching figure is Jacob, who loses his mother at three and is raised by his stepmother. His father, from an orthodox Jewish home in Lodz, escapes from the Polish army under bizarre circumstances and searches for a place to settle. After a stint in Germany and Palestine as a chalutz (pioneer), he tries to settle in the US but is hounded as an illegal immigrant and finally finds a home in Montreal, where Jacob is born and bred. After high school, Jacob tries working in his fathers printing shop but finds business not appealing. His parents give him violin lessons, and as a teenager he studies music seriously. Near the end of World War II, Jacob begins his academic career, receiving his BA at McGill and his PhD at Princeton. His mentors are two prominent neuropsychologists and his professional career is rich with anecdotes. After a sexual apprenticeship, he marries Raquel and has four children. The tragic deaths of Raquel, first and then of his eldest daughter shatter the family. Jacob divorces twice before finding happiness with his present wife.
Imagination grows by exercise, and contrary to common belief, is more powerful in the mature than in the young." So said W. Somerset Maugham, one of the 52 people whose achievements after age 65 are featured in Splendid Seniors: Great Lives, Great Deeds. The inspiring ensemble includes Mary Baker Eddy, who was 86 when she founded the Christian Science Monitor; Alexander Graham Bell, who received a patent for his work on a hydrofoil boat at age 75; Benjamin Disraeli, who became prime minister of England for the second time when he was 70; and Susan B. Anthony, who was past 80 when she founded the International Woman Suffrage Alliance. Splendid Seniors reminds us that creativity, passion & influence can not only flower in later years, but bear delicious fruit. "From Mother Teresa to Alexander Graham Bell, Albert Einstein, Charles de Gaulle, Pablo Picasso, Grandma Moses and many more, Splendid Seniors offers true tales of inspirational deeds as well as memorable quotes from each individual profiled," says Midwest Book Review. "A source of inspiration for seniors everywhere, and proof that greatness, creativity, passion, and intelligence can bloom their brightest with age and experience.
The four Cumberland County townsA[a¬aStandish, Baldwin, Sebago, and NaplesA[a¬aalong the west shore of MaineA[a¬a[s second largest freshwater body of water, Sebago Lake, form the core of the latest work by Diane and Jack Barnes: Sebago Lake: West Shore. Even at a time when the vast hinterland of Maine was plagued by raids from Native Americans allied to the French, intrepid woodsmen and settlers ventured into the rugged, primeval wilderness via the Presumpscot and Saco rivers as far as Standish. But by 1830, the Cumberland & Oxford Canal was completed, and the four towns in this volume and several others in the area were linked to Portland and beyond. For the next 40 years, the area was well served by this 17-mile canal. In 1870, the Portland & Ogdensburg Railroad reached the west shore of Sebago Lake. This gave birth to the colorful steamboat era, invited sportsmen, excursionists, and vacationers to flock to the area, and encouraged many enterprising farmers to open their doors to boarders. Hotels, however, soon replaced many of the boarding houses, and a strong tourism industry had begun in earnest. Through precious old photographs and extensive research, Sebago Lake: West Shore chronicles the time of the earliest settlement of Standish, Baldwin, Sebago, and Naples, to the grand hotel era and more recent times. These pages are replete with common and unfamiliar images that combine to regale the history of the west shore.
In his latest book, fairy tales expert Jack Zipes explores the question of why some fairy tales "work" and others don't, why the fairy tale is uniquely capable of getting under the skin of culture and staying there. Why, in other words, fairy tales "stick." Long an advocate of the fairy tale as a serious genre with wide social and cultural ramifications, Jack Zipes here makes his strongest case for the idea of the fairy tale not just as a collection of stories for children but a profoundly important genre. Why Fairy Tales Stick contains two chapters on the history and theory of the genre, followed by case studies of famous tales (including Cinderella, Snow White, and Bluebeard), followed by a summary chapter on the problematic nature of traditional storytelling in the twenty-first century.
This unique collection of interviews covers the broad spectrum of film directing experience--from first timers to award-winning veterans. Allowed to respond with anonymity, the directors provide candid answers to a wide variety of topics that convey the challenges and rewards of the filmmaking process.
This title brings together Jack Webster's two volumes of autobiography. The first part brings to life his homeland of Buchan in the north-east of Scotland. He describes in detail his childhood years in Aberdeenshire with stories of honest hard-working folk, people with often dour exteriors and a sharp, wry sense of humour twinkling beneath. From his childhood, the story moves on to the early years of his career on the "Turiff Advertiser" and his time at the "Scottish Daily Express", with tales of his travels and meeting with the famous all over the world. The second part continues his story, opening with the "roup" in Maud, the auctioning of his family farm, and going on to tell stories and anecdotes of the famous and not-so-famous inhabitants of his native Buchan - people like his great grandfather, Gavin Greig, a scholar of international repute, and the celebrated writer, Lesi Grassic Gibbon, who tragically died at the age of 33. Whether writing of his meetings with the rich and famous, of great events, bloody murder or simply his memories of his childhood, Jack Webster displays the qualities of writing that has made him one of Scotland's best-loved journalists.He is the author of "Famous Ships of the Clyde".
From the silent era into the early days of television, hundreds of small production companies turned out low-budget films that were played as second features in this country and abroad. As might be expected, a high percentage of these films were Westerns. The people who made these films—producers, directors, writers, actors, and technicians—inhabited what came to be known as Poverty Row, eking out a living doing a job they loved. Author C. Jack Lewis spent 25 years in this world of low-budget Westerns, and here he portrays the human side of the industry through the many people with whom he came into contact as he worked his way from film to film. Highly personal, filled with rare glimpses of a life that lives only in the memory of a few, this narrative is a nostalgic memoir of a bygone time, of those who shared life on Poverty Row—and of the hard work, failures, successes, and dreams made or broken. Liberal use of photos helps readers identify the faces they have seen on their television screens in the reruns of these pictures still making the rounds. A must-read for students of film and popular culture—great for fans of Westerns as well.
This fascinating book analyzes 13 control failures in human history, from Robespierre's promotion of the French Revolution, to Hoover's efforts to stop the Great Depression, to the intelligence failures of 9/11. Assessing the causes of 10 additional historical cases, the author's comparative analysis shows how each leadership failure was caused by an expansion of the range of control attempts, their scope, and/or their diversity. A leader's or other actor's attempts to broaden the range of control targets have been most important in causing great human failures. The analysis is timely during an era when war, global warming, and other vexing problems plague our society.
Popular amongst students and practitioners, Anson's Law of Contract is a well-established and well-respected classic of contract law.Written by three of the foremost experts in the field, it provides an authoritative account of the subject. Detailed, yet clear, the book leads readers through extensive explanations and analyses of the key underlying principles of contract law.Thoroughly updated to incorporate the most recent legislation and case law, this definitive work is essential reading on contract law.
On August 5, 1958, Jack Warner spent six hours playing baccarat, taking $4,000 from the tables at Cannes before stepping out into the night. He drove home along a winding road in a sporty little Alfa-Romeo, and was negotiating a tricky turn when a truck leapt in front of him. The Alfa was destroyed, but Warner was saved—thrown out the door to land forty feet from the burning car. Around the world, the newspapers told of the death of the king of Hollywood. But Warner wasn’t finished yet. One of the true legends of the movie business, Warner had wielded absolute power over his studio since the silent era. He produced Casablanca and The Jazz Singer; he feuded with Errol Flynn, and gave the green light to What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? starring Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. As the studio system crumbled, Warner’s control remained unquestioned, and in this engaging autobiography, he shows the man behind the crown. Jack L. Warner is portrayed by Stanley Tucci in the Ryan Murphy TV series Feud.
Jack Webster has had a lifetime of adventure as a respected and highly-commended journalist, meeting the rich and famous and experiencing what the world has to offer. From his upbringing in rural Aberdeenshire - where he survived a serious heart condition and had to overcome a debilitating stammer - to a glittering career which took him all over the world, it has been an incredible journey and a life well lived. Now, to complete his autobiographical trilogy, A Final Grain of Truth brings his story up to date, reliving magical encounters with incredible people like Charlie Chaplin, Muhammad Ali, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Field Marshal Montgomery, Barnes Wallis, Richard Rodgers (of Rodgers and Hammerstein fame), Hitler's friend and mentor Dr Ernst Hanfstaengl, Christine Keeler, oil billionaire Paul Getty and a host of others as he reflects on his work, his life and his own remarkable story. Full of wonderful anecdotes and written with style and panache, A Final Grain of Truth is entertaining, heartwarming and full of enlightening insights and reflections culled from a life rich with experience.
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