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By Rachel Renée Russell. 2009
By James M. Whistler. 1967
Whistler's Gentle Art, a classic in the literature of insult and denigration, might well be subtitled "The Autobiography of a…
Hater," for it contains the deadly sarcasm and stinging remarks of one of the wittiest men of the nineteenth century. Whistler not only refused to tolerate misunderstanding by critics and the so-called art-loving public -- but launched vicious counterattacks as well. His celebrated passages-at-arms with Oscar Wilde and Swinburne, the terse and penetrating "letters to the editor," his rebuttals to attacks from critics, and biting marginal notes to contemptuous comments on his paintings and hostile reviews (which are also reprinted) are all part of this record of the artist's vendettas.Whistler's most famous battle began when critic John Ruskin saw one of the artist's "Nocturnes" exhibited in Grosvenor Gallery. "I have seen, and heard," wrote Ruskin, "much of cockney impudence before now; but never expected to hear a coxcomb ask two hundred guineas for flinging a pot of paint in the public's face." Whistler was incensed with this criticism, and initiated the famous libel case "Whistler vs. Ruskin." Extracts from the resultant trial record are among the highlights of this book, with Whistler brilliantly annihilating his Philistine critics, but winning only a farthing in damages.The Gentle Art, designed by Whistler himself, is a highly entertaining account of personal revenges, but it is also an iconoclast's plea for a new and better attitude toward painting. As a historical document, it is the best statement of the new aesthetics versus the old guard academics, and it helped greatly in shaping the modern feeling toward art.By Frank Tashlin. 1977
There once was a happy little possum, the happiest animal in the entire forest, who always wore a great big…
smile. This jolly creature was content simply to hang by his tail from a tree until he was discovered by a group of picnickers. Mistaking the possum's upside-down smile for a frown, the people resolve to rescue him ― and they turn the little possum's world topsy-turvy. Strikingly illustrated in black-and-white, this memorable satire of cultural intolerance was created by Frank Tashlin, the famed animator, film director, and author of The Bear That Wasn't. Readers of all ages will appreciate the book's message as well as its distinctive drawings.By Matt Pritchett. 2019
Whether you want to laugh or cry about the last twelve months, Matt gives a brilliantly funny take on the…
world. From Brexit to business, Trump to transport woes, our obsession with the weather to Royal babies, Matt nails it every single time with just the right visual joke. There is no doubt: Matt definitely makes the world a happier place!By Neil Gaiman. 2019
The Quite Nice and Fairly Accurate Good Omens Script Book contains much that is new and revelatory and even several…
scenes that are not actually in the final television series.'One of the most hotly anticipated TV shows of the year' Independent'Even if you're very familiar with the original novel, this is a different experience... so damned charming and quirky that it feels like a must' StarburstNeil Gaiman's glorious reinvention of the iconic bestseller Good Omens is adapted from the internationally beloved novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman and is soon to be a massive new TV launch on Amazon Prime Video and the BBC. The series is written and show-run by Neil himself and stars David Tennant, Michael Sheen, Jon Hamm and Miranda Richardson, to name but a few.**Includes an introduction by Neil Gaiman about bringing Good Omens to the screen**Before he died in 2015, Terry Pratchett asked Neil Gaiman to make a television series of the internationally beloved novel they wrote together about the end of the world. And so, Neil began to write. And continued to write until he had six episodes that brought an angel, Aziraphale, and a demon, Crowley, (the only things standing between us and the inevitable Armageddon) to life for the screen. Contained between the covers of this book are the scripts that Neil wrote, which later turned into some of the most extraordinary television ever made. Take a tour behind the scenes with a text that reveals the secrets of the show, still has the missing bits and, sometimes, asks for the impossible. Step backstage and see the magic for yourself. You may just learn as much from the scenes that never made the final cut as from those that did.By Matt Pritchett. 2019
'However bad the day's news, there'll still be a Matt cartoon the morning after, and we'll still laugh - he's…
a genius!' Jeremy Vine'Always topical and achingly funny' Jilly CooperFrom the (some say ill-judged) Referendum to the Remain and Leave campaigns with all their twists and turns ... From a vote of No Confidence to the ongoing confusion ... Matt hits the spot every time. Brilliantly entertaining, award-winning Matt can lighten even the most troubling times, and find the perfect cartoon to make the nation smile.By Jane Wenham-Jones. 2012
If you love Milly Johnson, Trisha Ashley and Catherine Alliott, you'll love Jane Wenham-Jones's deliciously entertaining novels!'Funny, realistic and full…
of insight' Katie Fforde'I love Jane's writing!' Jill Mansell'Feel-good' Woman & HomeLaura Meredith never imagined herself appearing on TV - she's too old, too flabby, too downright hormonal, and much too busy holding things together for her son, Stanley, after her husband left her for a younger, thinner replacement.But best friend Charlotte is a determined woman and when Laura is persuaded on to a daytime show to talk about her PMT, everything changes. Suddenly there's a camera crew tracking her every move and Laura finds herself an unlikely star. But as things hot up between her and gorgeous TV director, Cal, they're going downhill elsewhere. While Laura's caught up in a heady whirlwind of beauty treatments, makeovers and glamorous film locations, Charlotte's husband, Roger, is concealing a guilty secret, Stanley's got problems at school, work's piling up, and when Laura turns detective to protect Charlotte's marriage, things go horribly wrong. The champagne's flowing as Laura's prime time TV debut looks set to be a hit. But in every month, there's a "Day Ten" ...Don't miss Jane's other delightfully entertaining titles, filled with humour and insight: The Big Five O, Mum in the Middle, One Glass is Never Enough and Perfect Alibis are all out now!By Dana James. 2013
When Beth married glaciologist Allan Bryce she believed nothing would ever come between them. But something did – another wife.…
Without waiting for explanations Beth fled, burying herself in work and determined to replace her shattered memories of their love with award-winning photographs. Two years on, meeting unexpectedly on an expedition in Iceland, Beth can't understand why his eyes are as cold as the landscape and his fury so bitter – for she had done nothing wrong.By David Thewlis. 2021
'A riotously good novel, witty and earnest, brimming with sharply drawn characters and creeping suspense. David Thewlis is a fabulous…
writer' Anna Bailey, Sunday Times bestselling author of Tall BonesCelebrated director Jack Drake can't get through his latest film (his most personal yet) without his wife Martha's support. The only problem is, she's dead...When Jack sees Betty Dean - actress, mother, trainwreck - playing the part of a crazed nun on stage in an indie production of The Devils, he is struck dumb by her resemblance to Martha. Desperate to find a way to complete his masterpiece, he hires her to go and stay in his house in France and resuscitate Martha in the role of 'loving spouse'.But as Betty spends her days roaming the large, sunlit rooms of Jack's mansion - filled to the brim with odd treasures and the occasional crucifix - and her evenings playing the part of Martha over scripted video calls with Jack, she finds her method acting taking her to increasingly dark places. And as Martha comes back to life, she carries with her the truth about her suicide - and the secret she guarded until the end.A darkly funny novel set between a London film set and a villa in the south of France.A mix of Vertigo and Jonathan Coe, written by a master storyteller.PRAISE FOR DAVID THEWLIS'S FICTION 'David Thewlis has written an extraordinarily good novel, which is not only brilliant in its own right, but stands proudly beside his work as an actor, no mean boast' Billy Connolly'Hilarious and horror-filled' Francesca Segal, Observer'A fine study in character disintegration... Very funny' David Baddiel, The Times'Exquisitely written with a warm heart and a wry wit... Stunning' Elle'Queasily entertaining' Financial Times'A sharp ear for dialogue and a scabrously satiric prose style' Daily Mail'Laugh-out-loud, darkly intelligent' Publishers Weekly'This is far more than an actor's vanity project: Thewlis has talent' KirkusBy Jean-Yves Ferri. 2021
Be the first to read the next action-packed adventure from the indomitable Gauls by pre-ordering now!Follow Asterix and Obelix as…
they set out on their 39th adventure on a long journey in search of a strange and terrifying creature. Half-eagle, half-lion, and idolised and feared by ancient peoples, this creature is the griffin.How will Asterix, Obelix, Dogamatix, along with the Druid Getafix, get drawn into the epic, perilous quest to find this fantastical animal? Find out in the next instalment of this multi-million bestselling series.By Henrik Ibsen. 2009
Environmentalist, activist, and attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr. contributes a foreword to this Skyhorse edition of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen&’s…
renowned 1882 play. Regarded as one of the foremost playwrights of the nineteenth century, Henrik Ibsen tells the story of the idealist Doctor Thomas Stockmann, the medical officer of a recently opened spa in a small town in southern Norway, who finds that the water is seriously contaminated. He notifies members of the community and initially receives support and thanks for the discovery. Threatened by the possible impact of such a revelation, his brother, the town mayor, conspires with local politicians and the newspaper to suppress the story and pressure Dr. Stockmann to retract his statements. At a public meeting, an attempt is made to keep Dr. Stockmann from speaking, but he launches into a tirade condemning the corruption of the town and the tyranny of the majority. Finding his speech offensive, he is shouted down by the masses and reviled as "an enemy of the people." In his foreword, Kennedy alerts readers to the undeniable fact that the persecution of those who tell uncomfortable truths, which Ibsen described over one hundred years ago, continues to this day and is as relevant now as ever. We face environmental deregulation and degradation, politicians in lobbyists&’ pockets, attacks on facts that are agreed upon by reputable scientists, corporate funded and controlled research, and attempts to impede and suppress whistleblowers. The battle continues and Kennedy joins Ibsen on the front lines.By James Cahill. 2022
'The best novel I have read for ages. My heart was constantly in my throat as I read... There is…
so much to enjoy, to contemplate, to wonder at, and to be lost in.' STEPHEN FRY'The smart, sexy read you need in 2022. Expect to see it on prize lists as well as Instagram feeds... Not only an addictive page-turner, Cahill's book taps into the tensions and suspicions between generations that feels incredibly relevant for our testy times.' EVENING STANDARDBen turns and grins ironically. 'When you stopped just now and looked at the sky, you weren't measuring it. You weren't thinking about classical proportion. You were feeling something.'Cambridge, 1994. Professor Don Lamb is a revered art historian at the height of his powers, consumed by the book he is writing about the skies of the Venetian master Tiepolo. However, his academic brilliance belies a deep inexperience of life and love. When an explosive piece of contemporary art is installed on the lawn of his college, it sets in motion Don's abrupt departure from Cambridge to take up a role at a south London museum. There he befriends Ben, a young artist who draws him into the anarchic 1990s British art scene and the nightlife of Soho. Over the course of one long, hot summer, Don glimpses a liberating new existence. But his epiphany is also a moment of self-reckoning, as his oldest friendship - and his own unexamined past - are revealed to him in a devastating new light. As Don's life unravels, he suffers a fall from grace that that shatters his world into pieces.'Tiepolo Blue really has blown me away... The last debut novel I read that had this much talent buzzing around inside it was Alan Hollinghurst's The Swimming-Pool Library.' ROBERT DOUGLAS-FAIRHURSTBy Scott Kenemore. 2015
The Gory Guide to the Walking DeadWhile most people know what zombies look like, do they actually know how they…
act? What they do during their spare time? What their work ethic is? Probably not.Enter The Ultimate Book of Zombie Warfare and Survival. From bestselling zombie author Scott Kenemore, learn all the tricks to the living dead trade. Whether you’re fighting the zombies or are a zombie yourself, this collection is all that you need to survive on your own.Included in this book are excerpts and illustrations from such helpful handbooks as:The Code of the Zombie PirateThe Art of Zombie WarfareZ.E.O.The Zen of ZombieZombies vs. NazisThe Ultimate Book of Zombie Warfare and Survival is a one-stop shop for everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the world of zombies. Whether you’re the undead seeking to make it in the business industry, fine-tune your martial arts, master your swashbuckling, or move on up the corporate ladder, this compendium is just for you.With gory full-color illustrations and insightful knowledge from the man who knows zombies better than they know themselves, The Ultimate Book of Zombie Warfare and Survival will scare, teach, and prepare you for everything you’ve ever needed to know about zombies.Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.Written by a scholar of satire and politics, Trump Was a Joke explains why satire is an exceptional foil for…
absurd political times and why it did a particularly good job of making sense of Trump. Covering a range of comedic interventions, Trump Was a Joke analyzes why political satire is surprisingly effective at keeping us sane when politics is making us crazy. Its goal is to highlight the unique power of political satire to encourage critical thinking, foster civic action, and further rational debate in moments of political hubris and hysteria. The book has been endorsed by Bassem Youssef, who has been referred to as the “Jon Stewart of Egypt,” and Srdja Popovic, author of Blueprint for Revolution, who used satirical activism to bring down Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic. With a foreword by award-winning filmmaker, satirist, and activist Michael Moore, this study will be of interest to readers who follow politics and enjoy political comedy and will appeal to the communications, comedy studies, media studies, political science, rhetoric, cultural studies, and American studies markets.By Dana James. 2015
During her trip to Mexico, jewellery designer Cass Elliot was to visit the Ibarra opal mines to see the origin…
of the lovely stones she used and gain inspiration for future designs. She’s unable to prevent Derek Prentice accompanying her, and as her boss’s son he’s not easy to deflect. It doesn’t help to discover that Miguel Ibarra is not expecting them. Just when Cass feels she’s begun to make a better impression on Miguel, Derek becomes difficult and Cass is introduced to Miguel’s fiancée. She no longer knows what to think – will Mexico be the summit of her dreams, or the loss of all hope?By Jenny Harper. 2014
She’s a professional photographer – but is she ready to expose her heart?Adorable but scatterbrained newspaper photographer Daisy Irvine becomes…
the key to the survival of The Hailesbank Herald when her boss drops dead right in front of her. And while big egos and petty jealousies hinder the struggle to save the paper, Daisy starts another campaign – to win back her ex, Jack Hedderwick.Ben Gillies, returning after a long absence, sees childhood friend Daisy in a whole new light. He’d like to win her love, but discovers that she’s a whole lot better at taking photographs than making decisions, particularly when she’s blinded by the past.When tragedy strikes Daisy’s family, loyalty drives her home. But it’s time to grow up and Daisy must choose between independence and love.'A wonderfully written, funny and moving debut with an intriguing mystery at its heart... Unforgettable.' - Claire Douglas, bestselling author'Thought-provoking,…
beautifully observed study of love' - JILL MANSELL, bestselling author'With all the twists and turns of this book, I was hooked from the start' - Amazon reviewer, 5 starsLizzie James is happy.She has a steady office job (with a steady stream of snacks), has had the same best friend since school, and she sees her family every Thursday night for take-away and trashy TV. Lizzie likes her uncomplicated life.Then a letter arrives one day from her first love, Roman. A letter dated the day he disappeared, 12 years before. As Lizzie uncovers the secrets of the letter, she discovers what really happened the year her life fell apart - and all avenues lead back to Roman.Lizzie James thought she was happy, or somewhere close to happy, at least. Now she's not so sure.'I LOVED Somewhere Close to Happy. It made me cry several times but was also really funny. It is incredibly good and I am sure it will be huge.' - Laura Marshall, bestselling author of Friend Request*Perfect for fans of Giovanna Fletcher, Mhairi McFarlane and Cecelia Ahern and Kate Eberlen's Miss You. This is a novel you won't soon forget.*