ROBIN WILLIAMS: A Biography of Robin Williams Anyone who has had more than a passing interest in comedy or acting has, at one point or another, been blown away by the genius of Robin Williams. It feels strange to call what he did "genius", but this biography would be very far from the first. The truth is, anyone that worked with him came away with the same feeling--"this guy is different." And so, he was. His life was a charmed one, starting as a standup entertainer on the mean streets of San Francisco in the 70's,to becoming one of the world's premier actors and starring in award-winning films. Even the way in which he got his big break was atypical, taking a bit role in a failing TV show and creating a brand and a future for himself nearly overnight. But, the root of all his genius and fame is his standup career. Williams was a master of the stage and had crowds reeling in delight for decades after he started. His frenetically paced monologues were completely unique and thoroughly entertaining. Williams could switch from character to character with startling ease and always seemed to be one step ahead of the audience's expectations. Still, it is completely impossible to copy him. This biography charts his life story.
JAY Z: A Jay Z BiographyHis life is in many ways, a Cinderella story... even if Shawn Carter - "Jay-Z" to millions of fans - may seem like an unlikely character to play the role of a belittled cinder girl. But Jay-Z's meteoric rise can only be properly encapsulated by the superlative, the fantastic... by fairy tale. For how else can one describe his ascent from hustling in Brooklyn to sitting in board rooms? From being a kid in the projects to being the King of the City? How did he go from being a rapper no one would sign, to being hip-hop's most important figure? How did he conquer field after expanding field, such that he became, gradually, one of the most aspirational figures in hip-hop; in music; in the African American community; and in business? This is the story of Jay-Z, who in his hardscrabble youth grew up in a broken family, was raised by a single mother, had lived in violent projects, needed to hustle to survive, dealt drugs, got shot at and did his own shooting, and he'd even been arrested. In this light, he could have been "a statistic - " another unfortunate number, a nameless faceless figure in America's poor record of systemic injustices against young people of color. But by a mix of talent, intelligence, grit, entrepreneurial savvy and inextricably some luck, Jay-Z defied the odds and made his own numbers and set his own records. After all, these are his personal stats: he holds the record for most number of albums (14!) getting the top spot among solo artists, trailed by no less than Bruce Springsteen and Barbra Streisand's 11 apiece. He is, however, only in second place for most number of albums topping the chart... following no less than the Beatles (who have 19). He has 21 Grammys for his work in music. But more than a successful musician, he is a businessman with diverse interests. In 2018, Forbes estimated his net worth to be at a staggering $900 million, making him the richest man in hip-hop, and the 5th richest person in entertainment - putting him in the same circles as filmmakers George Lucas and Steven Spielberg; media queen Oprah Winfrey; and "Greatest of All-Time" (G.O.A.T.) sports and pop culture icon, Michael Jordan. As husband of the multi-talented phenomenon Beyonce, Jay-Z is one half of entertainment's most powerful pair. Together, they are not only the coolest couple in the world, their joint net worth takes them well past the billion-dollar mark.
THE MAN BEHIND THE MAGIC: Walt Disney & Robin Williams - 2 Books in 1 Featuring... *Walt Disney*Robin Williams 2 Great Books in 1! Walt Disney The legend later known as Walt Disney was born Walter Elias Disney on December 5th in 1901 in Chicago, Illinois and died on December 15th in 1966 in Burbank, California at the age of 65. His work as an American film producer, animator, voice actor, and entrepreneur would lead to a variety of enhancements in the way that we make cartoons and his personal style would touch the world and forever leave his mark. The record for the most Academy Awards as a film producer belongs to him, for a total of fifty-nine nominations and twenty-two wins. Among other honors, he was the recipient ofan Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Special Achievement Awards. The National Film Registry hosted by the Library ofCongress has many of his films housed in their catalog for preservation as timeless material. With everything from amusement parks to timeless children's classics with his name on them, there are few in the world who do not know of Walt Disney and his successes. In 1928, Walt paired with Ub Iwerks and together they would create his first, and arguably most popular and iconic character, Mickey Mouse. In these early years, Walt Disney himself took on the voice acting for his precious creation and is credited for giving the beloved cartoon character the heart and passion that made the world fall in love with him. Robin Williams Anyone who has had more than a passing interest in comedy or acting has, at one point or another, been blown away by the genius of Robin Williams. It feels strange to call what he did "genius", but this biography would be very far from the first. The truth is, anyone that worked with him came away with the same feeling -- "this guy is different." And so, he was. His life was a charmed one, starting as a standup entertainer on the mean streets of San Francisco in the 70's, to becoming one of the world's premier actors and starring in award-winning films. Even the way in which he got his big break was atypical, taking a bit role in a failing TV show and creating a brand and a future for himself nearly overnight. But, the root of all his genius and fame is his standup career. Williams was a master of the stage and had crowds reeling in delight for decades after he started. His frenetically paced monologues were completely unique and thoroughly entertaining. Williams could switch from character to character with startling ease and always seemed to be one step ahead of the audience's expectations. Still, it is completely impossible to copy him. That's likely the most impressive aspect of Williams' style. There were so many that rushed to copy his pace, his impressions, his look -- but none of them could ever create a convincing facsimile. It's something that audiences and fans could feel, more so than a brand of comedy or a school of acting. Everything Williams did was convincing, even when he was being sardonic and sarcastic, as he often would. It seems unthinkable for any American to have grown up or lived in the period from 1980-2010, without being affected by a performance from Robin Williams. This is his story.
TAYLOR SWIFT: A Taylor Swift Biography One of the most powerful voices in the music industry belongs to a sweet-faced, country-pop crossover superstar who was raised in a Christmas tree farm. She has been sitting at this spot for at least a decade, and she is only 30 years old.Her name: Taylor Swift. In 2014, she featured on the cover of Bloomberg Businessweek with the title, "Taylor Swift Is The Music Industry." That same year, she was also on the cover or Time - "The Power or Taylor Swift."The nature of the magazines she features in, as well as the themes of the articles that discuss her, show all the barriers she has broken and transcended. Taylor Swift has gone beyond musical genres; she has gone beyond her brokenhearted good girl high school demographic; she has gone beyond art and music - she was a brand, a business, a true power player whose strategic moves spelled salvation or disaster for many people around her, to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. She is a woman in charge.
KURT COBAIN: A Kurt Cobain Biography There is a very exclusive "club" in the entertainment industry that no one really wants or intends to belong to - even though its members are some of popular culture's most gifted and important figures. This is the group of artists lost before their time, specifically and coincidentally at the tender age of 27 years old. It has been nicknamed "The 27 Club" and while they come from various segments of the arts (visual artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and acclaimed young actors Jonathan Brandis and Anton Yelchin among them), a seemingly disproportionate number of them hail from the music industry. Its too-many tragic figures includes Blues legend, Robert Johnson; Rolling Stones founding member Brian Jones; Jimi Hendrrix; Janis Joplin; The Doors' Jim Morrison; and Amy Winehouse. When someone dies young, and especially when that person is famous, the public cannot help but ruminate on how something so tragic can happen and why. Differing circumstances underlie the deaths on the so-called "club" (more a Hollywood myth than a statistically supported trend according to reports). There were incidents of self-harm, misbehavior, accidents, illnesses, and the occasional mystery. Some of the deaths offer more answers than others. There are tales of substance abuse coming to a head; of crippling heartbreak; of a lifetime battling illness and / or inner demons ending in tragedy. There are often all sorts of clues left behind - the detritus of a person's final moments. One particularly famous, tragic figure in a list flush with them is that of Nirvana frontman, Kurt Cobain.
JAY Z & KANYE: Jay Z And Kanye West - 2 Books In 1!Featuring*Jay Z*Kanye West 2 Great Biographies In 1! JAY Z His life is in many ways, a Cinderella story... even if Shawn Carter - "Jay-Z" to millions of fans - may seem like an unlikely character to play the role of a belittled cinder girl. But Jay-Z's meteoric rise can only be properly encapsulated by the superlative, the fantastic... by fairy tale. For how else can one describe his ascent from hustling in Brooklyn to sitting in board rooms? From being a kid in the projects to being the King of the City? How did he go from being a rapper no one would sign, to being hip-hop's most important figure? How did he conquer field after expanding field, such that he became, gradually, one of the most aspirational figures in hip-hop; in music; in the African American community; and in business? This is the story of Jay-Z, who in his hardscrabble youth grew up in a broken family, was raised by a single mother, had lived in violent projects, needed to hustle to survive, dealt drugs, got shot at and did his own shooting, and he'd even been arrested. In this light, he could have been "a statistic - " another unfortunate number, a nameless faceless figure in America's poor record of systemic injustices against young people of color. But by a mix of talent, intelligence, grit, entrepreneurial savvy and inextricably some luck, Jay-Z defied the odds and made his own numbers and set his own records. After all, these are his personal stats: he holds the record for most number of albums (14!) getting the top spot among solo artists, trailed by no less than Bruce Springsteen and Barbra Streisand's 11 apiece. He is, however, only in second place for most number of albums topping the chart... following no less than the Beatles (who have 19). He has 21 Grammys for his work in music. But more than a successful musician, he is a businessman with diverse interests. In 2018, Forbes estimated his net worth to be at a staggering $900 million, making him the richest man in hip-hop, and the 5th richest person in entertainment - putting him in the same circles as filmmakers George Lucas and Steven Spielberg; media queen Oprah Winfrey; and "Greatest of All-Time" (G.O.A.T.) sports and pop culture icon, Michael Jordan. As husband of the multi-talented phenomenon Beyonce, Jay-Z is one half of entertainment's most powerful pair. Together, they are not only the coolest couple in the world, their joint net worth takes them well past the billion-dollar mark. Kanye WestKanye West - rapper, producer, fashion designer, cultural phenomenon. He is all of these amazing things successfully, and yet they are not nearly enough to describe the iconoclast everyone over the last decade or so has come to either love, or love to hate. He straddles delusion and lucid self-awareness; narcissism and social consciousness; a fervent desire for privacy but also an irrepressible need to be heard; street-cred and high-art; the maximization of minimalism. He bucks against institutions but also seeks to be accepted. Sometimes he is in the heights of influence and respectability, other times he is the national punchline; he is both clown and cool guy. One never quite knows what he is thinking or where he's headed next but whatever it is - he knows how to keep people guessing, and keep them talking not only about him, but about he society we inhabit. This is the story of Kanye West: genius and madman all at once, blessed and cursed by his gifted - beautiful, dark, twisted - mind.
BEYONCÉ & JAY Z: Beyoncé & Jay Z - 2 Books In 1!Featuring...*Beyoncé*Jay Z 2 Great Biographies In 1! Beyoncé Musical megastar and cultural phenomenon, Beyoncé - was born Beyoncé Giselle Knowles on the 4th of September, 1981, at the Park Plaza Hospital in Houston, Texas. Today, her personal and professional life is inextricably bound to her family history. Her father Mathew had managed the band that first made her a star, Destiny's Child; and her mother Tina was the hit-making girl group's stylist and designer, on top of being Beyoncé's collaborator in their later forays into the fashion world. The business of being Beyoncé was therefore, a family affair - and the family, an essential part of the woman that is Beyoncé. This is her story... Jay Z This is the story of Jay-Z, who in his hardscrabble youth grew up in a broken family, was raised by a single mother, had lived in violent projects, needed to hustle to survive, dealt drugs, got shot at and did his own shooting, and he'd even been arrested. In this light, he could have been "a statistic - " another unfortunate number, a nameless faceless figure in America's poor record of systemic injustices against young people of color. But by a mix of talent, intelligence, grit, entrepreneurial savvy and inextricably some luck, Jay-Z defied the odds and made his own numbers and set his own records. After all, these are his personal stats: he holds the record for most number of albums (14!) getting the top spot among solo artists, trailed by no less than Bruce Springsteen and Barbra Streisand's 11 apiece. He is, however, only in second place for most number of albums topping the chart... following no less than the Beatles (who have 19). He has 21 Grammys for his work in music. But more than a successful musician, he is a businessman with diverse interests. In 2018, Forbes estimated his net worth to be at a staggering $900 million, making him the richest man in hip-hop, and the 5th richest person in entertainment - putting him in the same circles as filmmakers George Lucas and Steven Spielberg; media queen Oprah Winfrey; and "Greatest of All-Time" (G.O.A.T.) sports and pop culture icon, Michael Jordan. As husband of the multi-talented phenomenon Beyonce, Jay-Z is one half of entertainment's most powerful pair. Together, they are not only the coolest couple in the world, their joint net worth takes them well past the billion-dollar mark.
FREDDIE MERCURY: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY: A Freddie Mercury Biography"Don't Stop Me Now," released in 1979, is one of Queen's biggest hits - a well-loved upbeat rock classic of defiant lyrics and a feel-good tune that has since become an anthem for blustering confidence, swagger and hedonism.Among its choicest lyrics - "I'm a shooting star leaping through the sky." It is an iconic song penned by Queen's iconic frontman Freddie Mercury, an artist who defied the odds and became a superstar. For how many people can claim all that he had somehow accomplished in his too-short life: He was a person of foreign descent, the son of India-born Parsis, and hailing from the British protectorate of Zanzibar. Their family fled amid political upheaval and settled in London at a time of racial wariness against immigrants. He was a man of complex sexuality, enmeshed in both passionate, committed romances but also dalliances; with females but also with males, at a time of homophobia. He was either by professional necessity or core nature, a private person even amongst his closest family and friends, but also lived a very public, exuberant life. He was HIV-positive and dying of AIDS while a thriving, working artist - at a time of fear, misunderstanding and brutal stigma against the disease and its sufferers. He died young, only at the age of 45... yet continues to be relevant. His music lives on, widely used on television, film, and the soundtracks of the everyday lives of people. His image has become iconic, his personality, larger-than-life; legendary. This is the life of unstoppable, immortal Freddie Mercury, "Mister Fahrenheit," the star that shot across the sky who 'turned the world inside out' and 'defied the laws of gravity-' all while 'having a good time.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.