In any military operation throughout history, few 24-hour periods have been as crucial as that of 6th June 1944. With the aid of specially commissioned maps, D-Day: The First 24 Hours series gives the dramatic history of the first 24 hours of the Normandy landings, and explains in detail the events that occurred in each landing zone. In this first volume of the series, the book describes the build-up to the landings themselves, the German preparations for defending the French coastline, and the reasons behind the final Allied decision to attack in Normandy on 6 June 1944. With colour and black & white photographs, the book is a guide to key events in the first 24 hours of the D-Day landings that saw the Allies successfully achieve a foothold in Northern Europe.

Brilliant adaptation of Charles Dickens biting novel H ard Times . Dominated by Gradgrind and Bounderby, Coketown’s prosperity is built on the cotton mills where thousands of men and women slave away for long hours and little pay. Gradgrind’s obsession with material progress damages his children Louisa and Tom, leading to scandal and disaster. ‘Hard Times’ celebrates the importance of the human heart in an age obsessed with materialism. Circus, music, and dark comedy all go into the rich mix of this truly Dickensian theatrical tale. Charles Way has written over 50 plays, specializing in writing for children, young people and family audiences. His plays are performed worldwide. He has won several major awards - A Spell of Cold Weather won the Writers Guild best children's play award in 2001 and in 2004 his play Red Red Shoes won the English Arts Council best children's play award. In Germany, his play Missing won the Children's Theatre prize and in the USA? he was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award. He was commissioned by the National Theatre to write Alice In The News , which children all over Britain have performed. He has also written many plays for radio, and a TV poem for BBC 2, No Borders , set in the Welsh borders, where he lives and has spent most of his creative life. ? " A stellar adaptation by Charles Way, moving, thoughtful and wonderfully drawn’.??????????????????????? What’s on Stage ***** ‘Way gives real depth to characters, replaces Dickens’ sentimentality with warmth and his censoriousness with moral indignation’. ?????????????????????????? The Independent ***** ‘daringly restructures Dickens’ plot, yet sticks to the motto of his lisping ringmaster Mr Sleary: “People mutht be amuthed.”’ ????????????????????????????????????????????The Observer ?

With grime music and Guyanese folk stories, Joseph Barnes-Phillip's semi-autobiographical story is a comic, tragic and honest portrayal of becoming a man. The story follows Rayleigh as he negotiates the tensions of growing up and taking responsibility – to his pregnant girlfriend, to his sick mother, to his church, to the multi-cultural community he grew up in and somewhere in the mix to himself. When the euphoric highs of teenage life in south London collide with his mum's terminal illness, all Rayleigh wants to do it watch anime in his pants and eat indomie. Love, life and masculinity meet head-on as Rayleigh tries to find his feet, torn between the new girl in his life and being there for his mum, while trying not to make the same mistakes as his dad.

The complete playtext for use in schools and youth theatres. Imagine swapping places with a monster for the day. Ben has a BIG problem. His mum is acting grumpy, his best friend Vince has stolen his precious binoculars and his Dad is far, far away… Oh, and there’s a monster under his bed. But when Ben swaps places with the underbed monster, Ben’s life – and his school – is turned inside out and upside down. A funny and thrilling play for children about friendship and facing up to your fears. Suitable for young performers. WINNER OF THE WRITERS’ GUILD BEST CHILDREN’S PLAY AWARD

In modern-day Tehran, you can never predict how life will turn out. Part thriller, part cookery lesson, this is the story of a family struggling to deal with the challenges of a regime where secrecy and surveillance are an everyday part of life. Abbas calls together his wife and daughter and their friends and nighbours for an impromptu feast. Going in the pot are fresh herbs, spices, sweet vegetables and Eli’s mother’s secret ingredient…

The world spins and the cycle of seasons turns as the Guardians of the Year gather to tell each other stories. As a new Winter begins it is time to tell another tale… A kingdom is in peril, its people driven to flee their homes as a dark forest covers the land. The King and Queen are missing and Prince Roland, only heir to the kingdom, lies sleeping, cursed never to awaken… All seems lost, and it falls to one young woman with a strong heart, aided by strange companions, to find her way to the castle at the heart of the enchanted forest. Once there, it will take a genuine act of love to break the curse and free the kingdom. A story about friendship, drawing on myth and folklore, Sleeping Beauty is an exciting and enchanting new adaptation of the well-loved story.

Explores the incredible story of Annie Besant’s relationship with India and the boy who went on to become one of India’s greatest teachers and thinkers – Krishnamurti. 1916: India is simmering with discontent against the Raj. Enter English proto-feminist Annie Besant, notorious at home for the match-girls’ strike, political, charismatic. In India she finds a new family and a new cause. Gandhi hails her as the leader of the Congress Party after she courts imprisonment for promoting Indian Home Rule. She admires him – but can rulers ever befriend the ruled? Can Annie’s great love affair with India last? … or is she mistaken in her beliefs, politics and adoptions? ? ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rukhsana Ahmad‘s stage plays include: Song For Sanctuary, The Gate-Keeper’s Wife, Black Shalwar, River On Fire?(shortlist Susan Smith Blackburn Prize 2002), The Man Who Refused to be God, Last Chance and Partners in Crime. Radio plays and adaptations include:?Song for a Sanctuary?(CRE award, runner-up),?An Urnful of Ashes, The Errant Gene,?Nawal El Saadawi’s?Woman At Point Zero,?Jean Rhy’s?Wide Sargasso Sea?(shortlist CRE and Writers’ Guild Award for best adaptation), R.K Narayan’s?The Guide?and Nadeem Aslam’s?Maps For Lost Lovers. She also wrote for Westway and helped to create?Pyaar Ka Passort?for BBC World Service Trust. Her fiction includes a novel;?The Hope Chest?(Virago) and several short stories have been published internationally. Her translations from Urdu include?We Sinful Women, and Altaf Fatima’s novel,?The One Who Did Not Ask. Currently she is working on?Letting Go, a new play for Pursued by a Bear, and an adaptation for the BBC of Salman Rushdie’s?Midnight’s Children.

Award-winning playwright Jonathan Moore has been described as a “singular voice for his generation: furious, nihilistic, poetic…” (Time Out). This anthology brings together three of his critically acclaimed plays, including: This Other Eden, Fall From Light, and Treatment. ? The Plays This Other Eden?(Guardian Critics’s Choice): A story of passion. A wife and a mother. Her son and daughter. Her husband. The London Irish. Limboland. The hunger for a sense of a real culture. The desire for freedom… A tough play about a woman’s soul, told with beauty, humour and hope. “… the play burns with passion and indignation.”?Daily Telegraph Fall From Light: A young composer writes a new opera. The Director rejects it, but his lover, a young Diva, takes him to the council estate, where she and the composer grew up. There they meet Girly and his gang… A tale of art, savagery and redemption. Treatment?(Fringe First): Liam is part of a violent street gang but wants to escape. Trapped between two worlds, he has to choose between the dark allure of violence and the healing power of love.

Written as a follow-up to 'A Book of Operas', this is another comprehensive study of several great operas from the renowned musicologist Henry Edward Krehbiel. Includes in-depth analyses of: Samson and Delilah and other biblical operas Die Konigin von Saba Herodiade Lakme Pagliacci Cavalleria Rusticana The operas of Mascagni Iris Madame Butterfly Der Rosenkavalier Konigskinder Boris Godounoff Madame Sans-Gene The operas of Wolf-Ferrari

Danny Boyle is one of contemporary filmmaking's most exciting talents. Since the early 1990s he has steadily created a body of work that crosses genres and defies easy categorisation, from black humour (Shallow Grave), gritty realism (Trainspotting), screwball comedy (A Life Less Ordinary), cult adaptations (The Beach), and horror (28 Days Later), to science fiction (Sunshine), children's drama (Millions), love stories (Slumdog Millionaire) and tales of personal redemption (127 Hours). Unlike many of his peers, Boyle seems most comfortable when working with modest budgets, relying on acting ability rather than special effects, and surrounding himself with a trusted team of writers, cinematographers and production designers. His restless energy, vitality and drive find their expression in the celebratory tone of his films - their lust for life.In this book, Mark Browning provides a rigorous but highly accessible analysis of Boyle's work, discussing the processes by which he absorbs generic and literary influences, the way he gains powerful performances both from inexperienced casts and A-list stars, his portrayal of regional identity, his use of moral dilemmas as a narrative trigger, and the religious undercurrents that permeate his films.

Are you a fan of British boy band Rixton? Can you name the individual band members? Have you watched the music videos that the band has uploaded to YouTube? If so, you will be familiar with Rixton and enjoy their music but how much do you really know about the up and coming band? Find out exactly what Rixton has been up to with this new quiz book. What was Rixton previously known as? Whose tour titled 'The Honeymoon Tour' did the band support, kicking off in February 2015? How did Rixton celebrate the success of the single 'Me and My Broken Heart'? These are just some of the questions to be found inside The Rixton Quiz Book. Packed with information, this book details Rixton's journey from young hopefuls to chart topping success and includes sections on each of the band members as well as facts about their music, tours, singles and album. With 100 questions all about your favourite band, this is a must-have book for Rixton's rapidly growing fan base.

Pointless conversations: a selection of daft, ridiculous and utterly pointless meanderings from the mind of Scott Tierney. If you've ever wanted to know the answers to why Superman is a coward, why Spiderman should technically be deformed, and if Superdog caused the death of Krypton, then these bite-sized comics will reveal all. The discussions may be insane, and most of what is said is rambling, but despite this, you may find yourself agreeing with most of what is said. It's a fair point: where does Spiderman store all that web?

She’s dated Mr Darcy… After being hounded by the paparazzi ever since news of their engagement got out, Gemma and Dominic are flying to Scotland for a much-needed romantic getaway. But they didn’t expect to find Dominic’s ex, Natalie, and her husband Rhys, on the very same flight! Landing in a torrential blizzard and with only one hire car (let alone a limo!) between them, the four share a lift….but as the snowdrifts move in, stranding them in an isolated castle, it seems they’ll be reunited for longer than planned! Now it’s time to say ‘I do!’ In the face of adversity, Gemma does what any self-respecting celebrity fiancée would do: starts planning a last-minute wedding while she has Dominic to herself! After all, where better for a discreetly decadent wedding than in the middle of nowhere, miles from the nearest celebrity news desk? But marrying an A-lister away from prying eyes was never going to be easy. Will Gemma make it up the aisle? And, more importantly, now she’s miles away from Vera Wang, what is this fashionista going to wear?! And the Bride Wore Prada is the sensational first book in Katie Oliver’s long-awaited ‘Marrying Mr Darcy’ series, the follow-up to her best-selling ‘Dating Mr Darcy’ trilogy. Also by Katie Oliver: Prada and Prejudice Love and Liability Mansfield Lark and, coming soon: Love, Lies and Louboutins Manolos in Manhattan

A witty, personal and entertaining reflection on the history and meaning of paper during the (passing) era of its universal importance. Paper serves nearly every function of our lives. It is the technology with which we have made sense of the world. Yet the age of paper is ending. Ebooks now outsell their physical counterparts. Still, there are some uses of paper that seem unlikely to change – Christmas won’t be Christmas without wrapped presents or crackers. And the language of paper – documents, files and folders – has survived digitisation. In ‘Paper: An Elegy’ Ian Sansom builds a museum of paper and explores its paradox – its vulnerability and durability.

The course of a celebrity marriage never did run smooth… Gemma Heath has finally managed to get her rock-star husband Dominic to settle down – and she has the ring to prove it! But when she sees photos of her brand-new husband escaping on his private jet with the latest pop sensation, Gemma can’t help but assume the worst: once a cheater, always a cheater… …but that doesn’t mean you can’t look fabulous! So when her old flame Jack Hawkins resurfaces, Gemma can’t resist engaging in some extra-marital flirtation of her own – purely for revenge purposes, of course. But she wasn’t prepared for her old attraction for bad-boy Jack to resurface! Gemma has a decision to make – and running away from her problems has never been her style. Especially not when she’s in sky-high stilettos! Love, Lies and Louboutins is the second book in Katie Oliver's fabulous 'Marrying Mr Darcy' series, to be followed in March by Manolos in Manhattan. Also by Katie Oliver: The Dating Mr Darcy series: Prada and Prejudice Love and Liability Mansfield Lark The Marrying Mr Darcy series: And the Bride Wore Prada and, coming soon, Manolos in Manhattan

She’s a fiancée of good fortune… Strutting down Park Avenue in her new Manolos, Holly James looks like a woman who has it all. But beneath the Prada sunglasses, Holly has a mounting list of decidedly unfabulous problems. Right at the top? The fact that since her fiancé Jamie started spending all his time at his new restaurant (with his impossibly gorgeous sous-chef!), Holly has practically forgotten what he looks like…and started to feel a teensy bit paranoid. …but has Holly found the right Mr Darcy? So being kissed by film star Ciaran Duncan should have been a much-needed boost to Holly’s ego. But losing herself in the moment is impossible, since she’s still fuming after meeting English lawyer Hugh Darcy. He’s easily the most arrogant man in Manhattan and she’s engaged to be married…so why can’t Holly stop imagining kissing him? Suddenly, Holly finds herself torn between three eligible bachelors…and it’s proving more difficult than choosing between a Manolo Blanik and a Jimmy Choo – especially since men are non-refundable! What’s a New York fashionista to do? Don’t miss Manolos in Manhattan, book three in Katie Oliver’s Marrying Mr Darcy series. Also by Katie Oliver: Prada and Prejudice Love and Liability Mansfield Lark And the Bride Wore Prada Love, Lies and Louboutins

The Book that will forever define the essentially comic state of being, acting, looking, and sounding like a Dad. You think you know your Dad? You think he gets up to go to work every morning, does his job, eats his lunch, has an afternoon snack or three, then comes home and eats dinner in front of the TV? On the weekend, maybe he mows the lawn or fixes that broken shelf, or has a few jars down the pub with the lads? You think that’s what Dads do, don’t you? You think that’s all there is? Oh, how little you know. A hymn to all things paternal, ‘The Book of Dad’ will change the way you think about your Dad, my Dad, his Dad, their Dad, Everybody’s Dad. Including such marvellous chapters as Know Your Dad, The World According to Dad, Dads Through The Ages (from Caveman Dad up to Victorian Dad), How To Be A Dad, and The Dad-to-Be, ‘The Book of Dad’ is a highly illustrated, high-quality, highly anticipated romp through the pantheon of Dadness…and beyond…but not too far.

RA:The Book - The Recording Architecture Book of Studio Design was first published as a single, hardcover volume in 2011 and which has sold in over fifty countries to critical acclaim. A necessarily large format dictated by the detailed drawings it contained, RA:The Book was unavoidably heavy and costly to produce and ship. This iBook version is the first of three stand alone volumes which will hopefully make this essential guide to recording studio design more accessible. It includes a new introduction with previously unavailable photographs. The following de*ion is for the original hardcover: Established by Roger D'Arcy and Hugh Flynn on April 1st 1987 Recording Architecture has risen to become one of the premier recording studio design companies in the world. First Commissioned by ex Def Leppard guitarist Pete Willis for Blue Room studios In Sheffield swiftly followed by projects such as Hulgrave Hall, for composer Keith Hopwood the company has grown to design key installations around the world. Now for the first time they will be publishing a history of these ground breaking designs covering all aspects of architectural, acoustic and interior design of these studios and spaces specifically related to sound on a project by project basis. In a Career spanning Three decades Recording Architecture has virtually unrivalled experience in the design of studios which range in size and purpose from classical orchestral, residential, mixing, mastering, post production, film dubbing, video editing and rehearsal studios over 40 countries worldwide. Stating his desire to expand awareness with the new book Roger D Arcy states Over the years, and perhaps surprisingly, the only available books on recording studio design seem to have been written by individuals with little or no qualified background in Architecture or design in the field - we are trying show the detailed architectural/acoustic input behind a successful design with each studio study showing drawings in large format . This is not a theoretical guide but a detailed presentation of tried and tested techniques as applied to real, built projects in many of the case studies, the actual drawings issued for construction are reproduced. The examples illustrate not only what we think should be done but what was in fact physically (and successfully) implemented in a wide variety of situations from small, private project studios to large, commercial land mark studios such as Lansdowne and CTS. Examples range in scope from individual spaces and rooms to multi studio facilities and cover the two principal strands of recording and mixing: MUSIC studios recording (tracking), mixing and mastering (including cutting) project to orchestral in scale examples have been taken from the private, commercial and educational sectors. POST PRODUCTION studios voice over (dubbing), FX recording ( Foley ), film mix studios (dubbing theatres) from small voice over studios for TV to large Dolby Premier Certified film mix theatres. Contents include hundreds of photographs together with detailed plans and construction drawings - including comprehensive specifications of materials and techniques - showing exactly how these environments were created.

What if every farfetched conspiracy theory about Barack Obama turned out to be trueTwo reporters for the The Daily Caller received an unsolicited manu* in the mail, the diary of a former Obama administration political operative. What they read stunned them. "The Lizard King" describes a White House where the reality is more surreal, and comically bizarre, than anything its most fervent enemies have alleged. Tasked by David Axelrod with debunking right wing rumors about the president, the narrator embarks on a journey that takes him from Washington to Moscow to the tribal areas of Pakistan in search of the real Barack Obama. His findings leave him shocked, his political ideology in tatters and his understanding of the world forever changed.

Kinky Friedman is back, and with 'Scuse Me While I Whip This Out he gets it on with all manner of egos. In this collection of twisted takes on life, the Kinkster gives us funny, irreverent, and insightful looks at outsized personalities from people he's known, like Bill Clinton, George W., Willie Nelson, and Bob Dylan -- not to mention Joseph Heller and Don Imus -- to people he's known in spirit, such as Moses, Jesus, Jack Ruby, and Hank Williams. With his meditations on subjects ranging from sleeping at the White House, marriage, his pets, fishing in Borneo, country music, and cigars to the tribulations of possessing talent, Kinky doesn't deny us the "flashes of brilliance and laugh-out-loud observations" (Rocky Mountain News) that are present in all his other work. Hilarious, irreverent, and passionately twisted, 'Scuse Me While I Whip This Out reads as if it were written by a slightly ill modern-day Mark Twain.

Food was once the providence of celebrated chefs and critical connoisseurs. Cooking shows featured all gourmet creations and web sites displayed artfully photographed delights. Then something changed. Perhaps it was the desensitizing of web culture or perhaps it was a cry for help from the food loving public. But by God there came a day when fancy vegetable towers came crashing down and $50 mushrooms were no longer acceptable. Amason and Blakley wanted see the old stand bys the carnival foods of their childhoods the sticky mess of a deep fried candy bar the indulgence of a greasy burger with all the fixins. It was the birth of the nasty food web trend. And it was delicious. The website This is Why You're Fat is an ode to this trend whether seen as a commentary on North American dietary habits or a celebration of the deliciously bad Amason and Blakey are devoted to the world's newfound obsession with over the top food. Within its first month the site pulled in over ten million eye balls and attracted major nation media including CNN. The world cooked they listened. www.thisiswhyyourefat.com