- Table View
- List View
Gasping for Airtime: Two Years in the Trenches of Saturday Night Live
by Jay MohrWhen 21-year-old Jay Mohr moved from New Jersey to New York City to pursue his dream of stand-up stardom, he never thought the first real job he'd land would be on Saturday Night Live. But, surprisingly, that's just what he did. What followed were two unbelievable, grueling, and exciting years of feverishly keeping pace with his talented cohorts, out-maneuvering the notorious vices that claimed the lives of other cast members, and struggling at all costs for the holy grail of late-night show business: airtime.In Gasping for Airtime, Jay offers an intimate account of the inner workings of Saturday Night Live. He also dishes on the guest hosts (John Travolta, Shannen Doherty, Charles Barkley), the musical guests (Kurt Cobain, Steven Tyler, Eric Clapton), and of course his SNL castmates (Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Mike Myers, and David Spade). Refreshingly honest and laugh-out-loud funny, this book will appeal both to fans of Jay Mohr and to devotees of Saturday Night Live.
The Gatekeeper
by Kate Fall‘A brilliant vivid and intimate new memoir’ The Daily Mail ’For over a decade Kate Fall was the most influential woman in British politics.’ Alice Thomson, The Times
The Gates Flew Open: Peader O'Donnell and the Irish Struggle for Independence
by Peadar O'DonnellPeadar O'Donnell became involved in Irish Republicanism through his initial involvement in socialism, as an organiser for the ITGWU. When he was unsuccessful in establishing a branch of the Irish Citizen Army in Derry he joined the IRA and led Guerilla activities in Donegal and Derry during the War of Independence. He was firmly opposed to the treaty signed at the end of the war and wrote 'The middle class was getting all they wanted, namely the transfer of patronage from Dublin Castle to the Irish parliament. The mere control of patronage did not seem to me sufficient reason for the struggle we had been through.' He was a member of the executive of the anti-treaty IRA, and was in the Four Courts when it was attacked by the Free State forces. He was arrested shortly afterwards and was involved in organising a hunger strike among the anti-treaty Republicans which lasted 41 days. It was while in prison that he began writing 'to escape the bare walls of the prison cell' and this is a story of prison life in the midst of Civil War in Ireland that combines glimpses of humour with moments of tragic poignancy as he describes games of handball and bridge with men who faced the firing squad withing twenty-four hours. O'Donnell was one of the last survivors of the Independece struggle in Ireland, retaining his radicalism and idealism right up to his death in 1986 at the age of 93.
Gather Together In My Name
by Dr Maya AngelouNow a major Radio 4 drama.'A brilliant writer, a fierce friend and a truly phenomenal woman' Barack ObamaMaya Angelou's volumes of autobiography are a testament to the talents and resilience of this extraordinary writer. Loving the world, she also knows its cruelty. As a black woman she has known discrimination and extreme poverty, but also hope, joy, achievement and celebration. In the sequel to her best-selling I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou is a young mother in California, unemployed, embarking on brief affairs and transient jobs in shops and night-clubs, turning to prostitution and the world of narcotics.
Gathering Blossoms Under Fire: The Journals of Alice Walker
by Alice Walker'These journals are a revelation, a road map and a gift to us all' TAYARI JONES, author of An American MarriageFrom the acclaimed author Alice Walker - winner of the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize - comes an unprecedented compilation of four decades' worth of journals that draw an intimate portrait of her development as an artist, intellectual and human rights activist.In Gathering Blossoms Under Fire, Walker offers a passionate, intimate record of her intellectual, artistic and political development. She also intimately explores - in real time - her thoughts and feelings as a woman, a writer, an African American, a wife, a daughter, a mother, a lover, a sister, a friend, a citizen of the world.In an unvarnished and singular voice, she writes about an astonishing array of events: marching in Mississippi with other foot soldiers of the civil rights movement, led by Martin Luther King, Jr., or 'the King' as she called him; her marriage to a Jewish lawyer, partly to defy laws that barred interracial marriage in the 1960s South; an early miscarriage; the birth of her daughter; writing her first novel; the trials and triumphs of the women's movement; erotic encounters and enduring relationships; the 'ancestral visits' that led her to write The Color Purple; winning the Pulitzer Prize; being admired and maligned, in sometimes equal measure, for her work and her activism; burying her mother; and her estrangement from her own daughter. The personal and the political are layered and intertwined in the revealing narrative that emerges from Walker's journals.
Gauguin's Intimate Journals
by Paul GauguinRevealing documents, reprinted from rare, limited edition, throw much light on the painter's inner life, his tumultuous relationship with van Gogh, evaluations of Degas, Monet, and other artists; hatred of hypocrisy and sham, life in the Marquesas Islands, much more. 27 full-page illustrations by Gauguin. Preface by Emil Gauguin.
Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of The Awakened One
by Vishvapani BlomfieldThere are many accounts of the Buddha's life that mix legend and history. This compelling new biography discriminates between fact and fiction to reveal Gautama, the remarkable human being behind the legends, and shed new light on his teachings.Plunging us into the noise, smells and jostling streets of Gautama's world, Vishvapani Blomfield brings the Buddha to life as a passionate and determined individual — a strikingly modern figure who rejected contemporary beliefs and found his own answers by mastering his mind. Even after he gained Enlightenment and became the Buddha ('the Awakened One') Gautama experienced struggles as well as triumphs as he trod India's dusty paths. Vishvapani shows how he sought to establish a community of practitioners amid his society's divided culture and perilous politics and how the ideas that became the Buddhist teachings grew from Gautama's efforts to address the needs and beliefs of his listeners. Drawing on years of meticulous research into original sources, Gautama Buddha takes us within touching distance of one of history's greatest figures.
Gavin Henson: My Grand Slam Year
by Gavin HensonSilver boots, perma-tanned skin, shaven legs and gravity-defying red spikes in his hair – Gavin Henson is Wales’s hottest new celeb and rugby’s golden boy. This is his story of a momentous year in rugby, starting with an epic Six Nations Grand Slam for Wales, followed by the toughest of all tours, the British Lions in New Zealand.
Gavin Maxwell: A Life
by Douglas BottingGavin Maxwell was a romantic, self-destructive, aristocratic adventurer who worked as secret agent, shark fisherman, racing driver, poet and travel writer. His books on Iraq, Sicily and Morocco were acclaimed, but his fame as a writer rested on his bestselling story of the otters he raised and lived with in a remote cottage on the west coast of Scotland, Ring of Bright Water. Maxwell’s private life was every bit as turbulent. His essential homosexuality was masked by the love of a number of women, for whom he was a serially unsatisfactory partner. This authorized biography is a magnificent evocation of the man, his time and the animals and places that formed such an important part of it. Never was the simple life of a nature-loving conservationist pursued by so complicated a character.
Gazala 1942: Rommel's greatest victory (Campaign)
by John White Ken FordFollowing a lull in the desert war which saw the Germans and British reinforce their armies, Rommel suddenly attacked British fortifications with an assault on the northern sector of the British line near Gazala. Pinning down the British in the north and outflanking the 1st Free French Brigade, Rommel succeeded in encircling the main British positions, trapping them in what became known as 'The Cauldron'. With thousands of British soldiers killed or taken prisoner, this was a devastating defeat for the Allies. Accompanied by contemporary photographs and maps depicting the movement of both armies, Ken Ford provides a masterful study of Rommel, the 'Desert Fox', at the height of his powers as he swept the British army back to the site of their final stand at El Alamein.
Gazala 1942: Rommel's greatest victory (Campaign #196)
by John White Ken FordFollowing a lull in the desert war which saw the Germans and British reinforce their armies, Rommel suddenly attacked British fortifications with an assault on the northern sector of the British line near Gazala. Pinning down the British in the north and outflanking the 1st Free French Brigade, Rommel succeeded in encircling the main British positions, trapping them in what became known as 'The Cauldron'. With thousands of British soldiers killed or taken prisoner, this was a devastating defeat for the Allies. Accompanied by contemporary photographs and maps depicting the movement of both armies, Ken Ford provides a masterful study of Rommel, the 'Desert Fox', at the height of his powers as he swept the British army back to the site of their final stand at El Alamein.
Gazza: My Story
by Paul GascoigneThe autobiography of Paul Gascoigne.Almost as soon as Gazza burst on to the scene at Newcastle United, the young Geordie was the centre of attention: Vinnie Jones's notorious ball-handling showed the lengths people would go to try to stop him. Then, with England on the verge of possibly reaching the World Cup final in 1990, came Gazza's tears - the moment that brought a whole new audience to the sport and helped set the football boom of the 1990s on its way. But then came a career-threatening injury, mental health problems, self-confessed alcoholism and family disputes, as life in the full glare of the media spotlight became too much. Now, at the end of his top-flight playing career, Gazza is ready to confront his demons. The result is quite simply the most remarkable footballing story you'll ever read: what it's like being Paul Gascoigne, in his own words.
Gazza Agonistes
by Ian Hamilton'This is a fan's eye-view of Paul Gascoigne - and fans, as we know, are expert at reassembling dashed hopes...'In 1987 Ian Hamilton - acclaimed poet, biographer and Tottenham fan - was smitten from afar by the impish skills of Newcastle United's Paul Gascoigne. When 'Gazza' duly signed for Spurs, Hamilton was sure that he and English football had found their new hero. But Gascoigne was destined to be brought low by tragic flaws, and Hamilton was ideally positioned to tell the tale in this, a peerless piece of football literature.'By the final whistle Hamilton has sketched a compelling figure: reckless, cocky, twitchy, hyperactive and half bonkers... but with flashes of implausible grace that connect with the dreams of his audience.' Independent
Gazza Daft as a Brush
by Paul GascoigneDaft as a brush? At last Paul Gascoigne reveals everything you really wanted to know about football: the Waddle haircut and how to achieve it; how to do the two-step with Vinny Jones; and why Spurs can win the League. Gazza also offers handy hints on improving your skills in goal celebration, after-match interviews and Geordie for beginners and shares the truth behind the scandal of Kevin Keegan's missing boot ... This is truly a book of two halves.
Gazza in Italy
by Daniel StoreyA brilliant, funny and insightful analysis of Paul Gascoigne’s crazy up and downs during his three years at Lazio – a period which shows his entire career in microcosm.
The GC: How to Be a Diva
by Gemma CollinsFor fans of TOWIE, Celebrity Big Brother and Celebs Go Dating, learn how you too can become a diva by the one and only Gemma Collins - one of the greatest gifts reality TV has ever given us.So girls, you alright darlings?By buying this book you will have taken the first steps into a world where everything is fabulous. Men will fall at your feet, riches will be bestowed on you, you will have the biggest, bounciest hair ever and you will get what you want, whatever that is. I'm a diva and I've earned my divaship through many years of hard work, hairdryers and broken hearts. In my book, I'll explore the main themes of the diva lifestyle: attitude, appearance, men and social media. You'll learn what it means to be a diva, how to look like one, how to act like one and how to live like one. At the end of it all, you will be a fabulous diva like me. You'll also learn some very juicy goss about me, my life, the men in my life, shock-induced urinary incontinence and some of the things I've done (including how I sustained an unsightly boob injury in front of Tom Daley while he was wearing a revealing pair of Speedos) (which could probably make a book on its own). So hold on to your extensions, because things are about to get interesting.
GCHQ: The Uncensored Story Of Britain's Most Secret Intelligence Agency
by Richard AldrichAs we become ever-more aware of how our governments “eavesdrop” on our conversations, here is a gripping exploration of this unknown realm of the British secret service: Government Communication Headquarters (GCHQ).
Geek Heroines: An Encyclopedia of Female Heroes in Popular Culture
by Karen M. WalshGeek Heroines not only tells the stories of fictional and real women, but also explores how they represent changes in societal views of women, including women of color and the LGBTQ community.Geek culture stems from science and technology and so is frequently associated with science fiction. In the beginnings of science fiction, the genre was tied to "magic" and dystopic outcomes; however, as technology turned "geek" into "chic," geek culture extended to include comics, video games, board games, movie, books, and television. Geek culture now revolves around fictional characters about whom people are passionate.Geek Heroines seeks to encourage women and young girls in pursuing their passions by providing them with female role models in the form of diverse heroines within geek culture. Carefully curated to incorporate LGBTQ+ identities as well as racial diversity, the book defines geek culture, explains geek culture's sometimes problematic nature, and provides detailed fiction and nonfiction biographies that highlight women in this area. Entries include writers and directors as well as characters from comic books, science fiction, speculative fiction, television, movies, and video games.
Geek Heroines: An Encyclopedia of Female Heroes in Popular Culture
by Karen M. WalshGeek Heroines not only tells the stories of fictional and real women, but also explores how they represent changes in societal views of women, including women of color and the LGBTQ community.Geek culture stems from science and technology and so is frequently associated with science fiction. In the beginnings of science fiction, the genre was tied to "magic" and dystopic outcomes; however, as technology turned "geek" into "chic," geek culture extended to include comics, video games, board games, movie, books, and television. Geek culture now revolves around fictional characters about whom people are passionate.Geek Heroines seeks to encourage women and young girls in pursuing their passions by providing them with female role models in the form of diverse heroines within geek culture. Carefully curated to incorporate LGBTQ+ identities as well as racial diversity, the book defines geek culture, explains geek culture's sometimes problematic nature, and provides detailed fiction and nonfiction biographies that highlight women in this area. Entries include writers and directors as well as characters from comic books, science fiction, speculative fiction, television, movies, and video games.
Geek Sublime: Writing Fiction, Coding Software
by Vikram ChandraA great novelist on his twin obsessions: writing and coding. What is the relationship between the two? Is there such a thing as the sublime in code? Can we ascribe beauty to the craft of coding? Vikram Chandra is the award-winning author of two acclaimed novels and a collection of short stories - and has been a computer programmer for almost as long as he has been a writer. In his extraordinary new book he looks at the connection between these two worlds of art and technology. Coders are obsessed with elegance and style, just as writers are, but do the words mean the same thing to both? And is it a coincidence that Chandra is drawn to two seemingly opposing ways of thinking?Exploring these questions, Chandra creates an idiosyncratic history of coding - exploring such varied topics as logic gates and literary modernism, the male machismo of geeks, the striking presence of an 'Indian Mafia' in Silicon Valley, and the writings of Abhinavagupta, the 10th - 11th century Kashmiri thinker. Part technology story and part memoir, Geek Sublime is a book of sweeping ideas. It is a heady and utterly original work.
Gehennical Fire: The Lives of George Starkey, an American Alchemist in the Scientific Revolution
by William R. NewmanBoth the quest for natural knowledge and the aspiration to alchemical wisdom played crucial roles in the Scientific Revolution, as William R. Newman demonstrates in this fascinating book about George Starkey (1628-1665), America's first famous scientist. Beginning with Starkey's unusual education in colonial New England, Newman traces out his many interconnected careers—natural philosopher, alchemist, chemist, medical practitioner, economic projector, and creator of the fabulous adept, "Eirenaeus Philalethes." Newman reveals the profound impact Starkey had on the work of Isaac Newton, Robert Boyle, Samuel Hartlib, and other key thinkers in the realm of early modern science.
The Gender Agenda: A First-Hand Account of How Girls and Boys Are Treated Differently
by Ros Ball Marianne Grabrucker James MillarFrom language and clothes, to toys and the media, society inflicts unwritten rules on each gender from birth. Aiming to make people aware of the way gender is constructed and constantly reinforced, this diary chronicles the differences two parents noticed while raising their son and daughter. Adapted from tweets and blogs the couple kept throughout parenthood, this collection shows how culture, family and even the authors themselves are part of the 'gender police' that can influence a child's identity, and offers ideas for how we can work together to challenge the gender stereotypes that are ingrained in our society.
The Gender Agenda: A First-Hand Account of How Girls and Boys Are Treated Differently (PDF)
by James Millar Marianne Grabrucker Ros BallFrom language and clothes, to toys and the media, society inflicts unwritten rules on each gender from birth. Aiming to make people aware of the way gender is constructed and constantly reinforced, this diary chronicles the differences two parents noticed while raising their son and daughter. Adapted from tweets and blogs the couple kept throughout parenthood, this collection shows how culture, family and even the authors themselves are part of the 'gender police' that can influence a child's identity, and offers ideas for how we can work together to challenge the gender stereotypes that are ingrained in our society.
Gender and Survival in Soviet Russia: A Life in the Shadow of Stalin’s Terror (Library of Modern Russia)
by Ludmila MiklashevskayaThis first-hand witness account – originally written by Ludmila Miklashevskaya in 1976 and here translated into English by historian Elaine MacKinnon for the first time – tells the important story of one woman's persecution under Stalin. From Miklashevskaya's middle-class Jewish childhood in Odessa, to her life in exile as the wife of 'an enemy of the people' and false imprisonment in a labour camp for the attempted murder of NKVD leader Nikolai Yezhov, to her later attempts at rehabilitation, her memoir is a fascinating tapestry of Soviet artistic, intellectual, and political life set against the tumultuous backdrop of revolutions, wars, and repressive regimes.Accompanied by a translator's introduction and detailed historical explanatory notes, Gender and Survival in Soviet Russia sheds new light on the relationship between power, gender, and society in 20th-century Russia. This book is thus a vital primary resource for scholars of modern Russian history and gender studies, offering a compelling and personal route into understanding how the machinations of Soviet Russia destroyed everyday life, tearing families apart and leaving scars that never healed.
Gender and Survival in Soviet Russia: A Life in the Shadow of Stalin’s Terror (Library of Modern Russia)
by Ludmila MiklashevskayaThis first-hand witness account – originally written by Ludmila Miklashevskaya in 1976 and here translated into English by historian Elaine MacKinnon for the first time – tells the important story of one woman's persecution under Stalin. From Miklashevskaya's middle-class Jewish childhood in Odessa, to her life in exile as the wife of 'an enemy of the people' and false imprisonment in a labour camp for the attempted murder of NKVD leader Nikolai Yezhov, to her later attempts at rehabilitation, her memoir is a fascinating tapestry of Soviet artistic, intellectual, and political life set against the tumultuous backdrop of revolutions, wars, and repressive regimes.Accompanied by a translator's introduction and detailed historical explanatory notes, Gender and Survival in Soviet Russia sheds new light on the relationship between power, gender, and society in 20th-century Russia. This book is thus a vital primary resource for scholars of modern Russian history and gender studies, offering a compelling and personal route into understanding how the machinations of Soviet Russia destroyed everyday life, tearing families apart and leaving scars that never healed.